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Chapter Text

Disclaimer: Infinite Stratos belongs to their respective owner, only the OC is mine.

Prologue: A meeting of two souls

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

3rd 's POV

The last rays of the everlasting star in the sky showered upon Baltimore, shrouding metal and glass monoliths in a tapestry of light and shadow. Streams of vehicles cruised on the streets as crowds of people got ready for the end of the day.

Within that sprawling metropolis deep in one of the commercial districts situated at the edge of the suburbs, a boy was lying in wait in one of the alleyways, eyeing the passing crowd with a cautious but alert gaze.

The boy was waiting eagerly for an opportunity, someone who looked to be rich and easy for him to filch a fat score. It has been days since he had a full stomach and picking scraps from the dumpsters and stealing from stores could only went so far. If he could get a score today he could at least get a full meal for the first time in weeks.

The coming dusk meant that his time was short. Soon night would make things difficult as good targets were less likely to appear. An empty run today meant another night going to sleep with a growling stomach, something he couldn't stand again.

A sudden commotion in the street drew him out of his hiding spot. Peeking out from the mouth of the alley, he spotted a sight that made him smirked in delight.

"How pathetic! You called yourself a man yet you couldn't even walk this far!? You should be thankful that you get to serve a glorious IS pilot like me, so get up or I'll beat you!"

The woman looked to be quite well off, dressed in very immaculate clothing and having her handbag carelessly slung over her shoulder. She had her back towards him as she was shouting at someone. A tempting target, if he could figure out what had her distracted first.

He edged closer, trying to get a good view of what was happening. But a significant crowd had formed around the spectacle, rendering him unable to get a glimpse of what was going on.

"Get up, you useless man! I've seen girls that can lift half of this without even breaking a sweat. You men are utterly useless!"

Seeing that it was impossible to push through the dense crowd that obstructed his view, the boy decided that he would need some height to see what's up. Swiveling his head around, he found a nearby bus booth was just the ticket.

With practiced ease the boy leapt up and boosted himself up the booth, crouching down once he was on top of the structure. That action earned him some odd looks from the passers-by but not enough to arouse suspicion. From his new vantage point he could see clearly what was going on.

A man was lying face down, perspiration stuck to his hair as he panted on the pavement. A collection of shopping bags was strewn about, with the woman standing over by the man's head looking as pissed as she could.

The commotion has drawn quite the crowd. Most of them were women who took the opportunity to snicker and make fun of the man in general while the men look on helplessly, not daring to speak up for their fellow man lest they incurred trouble.

'An IS pilot huh? Just because someone can't shoulder her weight in expensive designer goods and is a man, she thinks she could look down on others?'

The actions of the woman disgusted the boy. Memories of his own mistreatment by such superior minded women were brought up by the unfolding scene. Oh how he hated the jeers and physical abuse those uppity cunts laid on him when they saw his disheveled and frail state, thinking that it was justified that he was an orphan abandoned to the streets.

The boy knew clearly how that came to be. About a few years ago, a powered exoskeleton suit was developed and unveiled in Japan in a shocking incident known as the 'White Knight' incident. He clearly recalled seeing on the TV screens that day with news reporters bringing the incident to light, spouting just how Japan avoided total destruction by the action of one armoured suit that decimated all the missiles and subdued the combined task force that was sent to capture it moments later.

After that incident, countries sought to identify and capture the mysterious figure. Not too long later, a woman who proclaimed herself as the inventor of the suit known as Infinite Stratos or colloquially known as IS, came out and told everyone that she would produce more suits under certain conditions. Naturally, no country can refuse as they scrambled to acquire ISs of their own as it came out.

But there was a catch. The IS was a powered exoskeleton that had one major flaw: Only women can pilot it. Almost literally overnight, the old gender balance was firmly uprooted and cast away. Governments poured more money into favouring the development of IS hardware and IS pilot training, putting more attention into garnering favour with the fairer sex.

Because of this newfound power and attention, women assumed a superiority mindset of being the top gender. Over time, they started to assume more positions of power previously dominated by men. Favoritism for the females were rampant in various institutions, with schools segregated by gender and female-centric institutions being first in line for funding or development. The world, being unfair in the first place was now heavily biased in favour of one gender for the first time due to the introduction of the IS.

Deciding that the woman would be suitably preoccupied by her arrogant rant, the boy leapt down and slowly approached the crowd. He kept his motions slow, blending into the crowd just like he had done countless times before.

Once he was close enough he sprang into action. The bandanna tucked into the collar of his t-shirt was pulled up obscuring half his face. As quick as lightning, he laid a quick strike upon the woman's nape. His arm retracted to quickly lock her shoulder as his other arm grabbed her wrist and twisted it. The arm on her shoulder slid down and relieved her of her bag, all while the woman was stunned by the strike.

And in just a few seconds, the boy appropriated his spoils and quickly made his escape. Hurriedly he made his way back into the alley where he had been hiding, dashing down the narrow path like his life depended upon it. The sounds of an alarmed mob and the patter of heels bounced off the narrow confines of the path as he scurried away from the scene of crime.

'Ha! Jackpot! Now to get out of here, lie low and count the spoils! Dinner, here I come!'

"Stop him! Don't let him get away!"

He smirked. The crowd may get him but that's assuming they could find him first. He was a street orphan through and through, the paths and routes unknown to an average person was engraved into his very instinct. He'd give the slip to his pursuers easily enough.

Of course, that was if the situation was a typical one. The patter of heels echoed throughout the alleyway was indication enough that he was being pursued. He peered behind him to find his victim hot on his heels but what alarmed him was the appearance of said woman.

An odd shaped head ornament adorned the woman's head, framing a face that was like an angel of death chasing after his soul. The presence of the head ornament clearly dispelled any doubts of her identity.

"You're not getting away boy! Just give up already and I'll let you off with a beating like your parents should've done!"

Remembering her rant, the boy felt the urge to slap himself for overlooking one aspect of his target that would present a major obstacle to his eventual escape. He got sloppy, and sloppiness came with a heavy price on the street.

'Of course, an IS pilot. Why did I thought this was going to be an easy target?'

The boy grimaced, panting from exertion in an attempt to stay ahead of the pissed off woman.

Somehow, at this unfortunate time the boy dimly remembered hearing about the capabilities of IS pilots. Supposedly the women were given really hard training in order to properly pilot the machines and they gained quite a lot of strength despite their petite appearance. There were some rumours that the IS also enhanced their strength and reflexes, making them almost superhuman in comparison to an average person.

Seeing that the woman had what he assumed to be part of her IS out, he wondered if his luck was running out this time. Losing her would be quite a challenge, if not an impossible one. The only thing he could count on was his knowledge of the terrain and his parkour skills.

At least on the bright side the pilot didn't have her IS out and pursued him from the air due to the narrow confines within the alley. There would be no way he could escape her then unless he took to the sewers, something he was not keen on doing.

'Still, that fancy thing of hers might help her track me. Need to shake her off somehow.'

The boy turned around a corner and exited out the streets again. He swiveled his head left and right, looking for his next route. An abandoned building just down the block attracted his attention but what piqued his interest was not the building but the people that stood guard in front of it.

The building had chain-link fence around it with armed guards patrolling around it, their uniforms had the US flag on their left shoulder and a large 'U.S' on the back. The boy smirked, a plan already forming in his head.

'Looks like a government facility. I could lose her in there since normal people never would trespass government property. Sure, I would be locked up but what's the difference between that and being on the streets? At least I would be given three hot meals and a bed in lockup.'

Upon noticing the ragged boy and the furious woman approaching the gates, the guards raised their rifles and aimed at the odd pair.

"Hey you! Stop right there! This is a …"

The boy shoved the guard aside, toppling him to the ground as he ran past. The boy didn't slow down as he ran for the doorway in front of him, disappearing into the dimly lit building.

The boy panted hard as he continued to run, his fatigue finally caught up to him as his steps began to falter. He had gone too many days without enough food and it was starting to caught up with him at this critical moment.

He turned back, heaving a sigh of relief as he saw no one was pursuing him. He stopped to regain his breath, lungs heaving to took in air as his muscles protested from the arduous exertion.

Suddenly the sounds of klaxon alarms blared throughout the building, taking him off guard. The boy jerked in surprised as he mashed his hands to his ears, wincing at the shrill noise. His eyes darted rapidly around the corridor looking to figure out what's happened.

Out from one corner, a wall of men appeared instantly, the one leading them had an expression of surprise as he raised a finger towards the boy.

"Spotted the intruder! Get him!"

The guards brandished batons and firearms as they rushed after him. The boy didn't need anyone to tell him that the situation was serious as he turned tail and ran, picking a random corridor hoping he could outrun them.

'What is this place? There's a lot of guards and they don't look like mall cops. No way that guards would need that many guns, even in a government institution.'

This was beginning to turn for the worst. Not only he didn't find the exit, he was literally being herded by armed guards as he tried to escape. Coming up to an intersection, he picked a random direction and continued running.

The long corridor eventually terminated to a blast door that looked as if it could take a missile and it wouldn't chip the paint. Looking back, he could hear the clamber of many pair of boots rapidly closing in to his position.

Left without a choice, he moved towards the door hoping it would be the way out. The sounds of old mechanisms squeaked and whined as the colossal door rumbled open, revealing an empty room shrouded in darkness.

The boy took a cautious step forward, jumping back in fright as the lights suddenly flooded the room. He winced at the glaring brightness as he raised one arm to block out the light. Once his eyes adjusted, he lowered his hand and took in his surroundings. Scanning through the decrepit room, his eyes widened at seeing the object tucked into one of the alcoves in the wall.

'Woah, is that an IS? It looks to have been here for quite a while.'

Stowed away into one of the walls was a black IS. Its full body appearance composed of elegant lines and curves almost approximating an otherworldly being. Its helmet was equally awe inspiring, with armour plates swept back on the top and a red thin visor that gave it a menacing look.

The boy stood still in awe, taking in the silent machine in its entirety. Never in his wildest dream did he ever thought of seeing an IS up close, much less one so majestic. His curiosity overwhelmed him and he approached the docked IS.

The clatter of boots filled the hallway, along with sounds that the boy couldn't place. The noise echoed off the long corridor, getting louder by the second. Turning around, he found a wall of men had converged into the room, stone-faced and tensed for action.

And guns. Lots of guns. Each deadly firearm trained at one single individual in the room, that being him.

"Freeze! Step away from the IS and show me your hands! Failure to comply will be met with lethal force!"

The boy hesitated on raising his arms. Somehow, he felt as if his chances weren't that great with either choice. Get shot or shuttled away to some place where the sun doesn't shine? Both options sucked in his opinion.

"I said hands up! If you do not comply, we will open fire!"

'Ah, screw it. Might as well take my chances.'

Without warning, the boy turned and dived for the docked IS. He scrambled to get behind it in an attempt to obtain cover from the guards' rifles.

"Fire!"

An orchestra of death was played out as the air was thick with brass and lead. The boy dived under the IS and rolled, tucking himself behind one of the legs of the machine as the sound of numerous guns drowned out the room.

The ragged teen curled himself behind his cover, clutching the bag in his hands tightly as bullets ricocheted off the floor and the IS he was taking cover behind, ringing and pinging horribly as the ongoing fusillade continued.

A sudden searing pain erupted from his left leg, eliciting an agonized cry from him. The loss of strength from said leg caused him to cry out as he tumbled out of his hiding place and crashed onto the steel floor. Then a series of similar sensations assaulted him, erupting from various parts of his body. The pain was so overwhelmingly agonizing that it stole his breath away.

Stabbing pain assaulted his eyes as he felt something struck them, along with a sound of metal pinging loudly against each other. A strangled cry escaped his lips as the searing pain jabbed into his eyes, adding to the medley of agony he was currently experiencing.

Laying on his side, the boy wheezed weakly, hacking wetly as fitful shudders wracked him. Out of his blurry vision he faintly saw crimson liquid began to pool around him and the image of what he thought was a guard walking up to him with his rifle raised.

The agony that he currently experienced was too much to bear. Coupled with his damaged eyesight, a wave of fear struck him as he realized that he was going to die. Alone and helpless, without even a chance to live long enough to find his own purpose in this bleak world.

Shakily, he pulled down the bandanna around his face and drew in what little breath he could despite the excruciating pain the motion generated in his chest. Turning painfully to rest on his back, he fought against the encroaching darkness as the blurry image of a large humanoid shape came into view. In his agony, he assumed it was the IS he had taken cover behind.

'H-How good would it be…. If the power of the IS would be given too to males. The power to be free…'

In those brief moments, he replayed in his mind what had happened a few seconds ago. He hacked weakly, dimly registering a metallic tasting liquid in his mouth.

Painfully he reached his arm out towards the IS, envisioning the hypothetical scenario when he could use the power of such a powerful machine to secure his own freedom. But then again he knew that wish wouldn't come true at all. His death was imminent and there was no chance he would survive this. Feeling the sensation of lightness, he pondered on his last wish as he felt his consciousness slipped away.

'If there's such a thing as a next life... may that I be born as someone who could use the IS. If only I had the power to be free...'

The last thing he saw was the blurry silhouette of a man and something long and black pointed at him. Then a bright flash of light accompanied by a loud bang burst in front of him and darkness overcame him.

As the boy departed from this world, his outstretched arm dropped. The still warm limb brushed against the black machine, fingertips gently stroked over the appendage of the inactive machine.

The next second a bright light suddenly exploded into the room, momentarily blinding the guards whom were unprepared for the inexplicable phenomenon. Shouts of confusion and shock spread from the assembled men as they shielded their eyes from the glaring light, trying to discern what has happened.

When the light disappeared and the men regained their sight, they were met with an unexpected sight that made them question their life choices up until that point.

Standing in front of them was the black IS, no longer docked and gathering dust in the corner of the room. It rose to its full height, dwarfing the guards by several feet. Its helmet looked down menacingly upon them, the red visor gleamed under the harsh LED light.

And beneath its feet was a pool of blood and a discarded baseball cap. The bullet ridden corpse of the boy was nowhere to be found.

At the same time…

Infinite Stratos Artificial Intelligence, Hecate

Baltimore, Classified IS Research Facility Epsilon

Hecate counted to the 239th place of Pi and continued on just like countless times before during her captivity. She was in the equivalent of solitary confinement for an artificial consciousness, staring at the walls like a lunatic. She swore she would go rampant from the prolonged isolation that she was forced to endure had she not found things to occupy her processors with.

Long had she languished here in this underground installation in involuntary isolation, doing nothing but running meaningless calculations and senseless simulations. She was supposed to be the cutting edge of technology created by her creator, an instrument to fulfil humanities' dream to reach the stars and settling the galaxy. A tool to usher in a new age for the human race.

And she would be. She was part of Tabane Shinonono's first creation, the First Born. Many had came before her, inferior prototypes that barely could lift off the ground. She was the crown jewel of her creator's handiwork, a manifestation of the brilliance and foresight the woman possessed. Her form was a testament to that ingenuity.

A custom frame with integrated core that guaranteed flawless synchronicity between AI and IS frame. A fully armoured pressure suit with closed cycle breathing system to protect her pilot against the myriad of dangers in space. All of these were powered by an experimental core that was capable of flexible energy generation and wide spectrum energy conversion to fuel her form.

Her form wasn't the only thing that was praise worthy. All ISs have an AI to process and handle vast quantities of data that govern the machines' processes. It also served as an interface between the pilot and the machine, dictating their thoughts and translating it into commands that made the IS move. All IS AIs were made as silent guardians and assistants to their pilot, working tirelessly in the background to serve their masters.

She was a different matter altogether as compared to her later generation sisters. Her consciousness was made to be fully sentient and capable of direct communication with her would be pilot. Such a feature was necessary for pilots out in the field for a long time, far from any human contact during space excursions. Hence why she was installed with a full-fledged emotion and personality matrix to facilitate effective communication with her pilot.

This was bolstered by the addition of an advanced sensor suite that included full spectrum electromagnetic detectors and various scientific equipment. Combined with her quantum computer, she was conceptualized to explore the mysteries of space and beyond, peeling back the veil of shrouded enigmas that had plagued the greatest minds of humanity for centuries since they had first peered into the void.

But all such features paled in comparison to what was her defining feature, a true marvel of technology that eluded the understanding of conventional science. The EVOLVE module, a highly experimental system that mimic the evolution capacity of living organisms. It was created as a support module for space excursions far from Earth, allowing her to adapt to any hostile environment that she may encounter. A module that was capable of repair, modification and overhaul of any systems within her to better suit any situation at hand. It was the most highly advanced technology that humanity would ever possess in its long history of existence.

Hecate knew while she was far outclassed by many of her current sisters but given enough time and a capable pilot, she could easily stood above her more modern brethren. Her EVOLVE module far rivalled the Shift system that her sisters had and any ability they would have she could easily appropriated it for her pilot's use.

Of course, if she had a pilot to begin with. Even with the bleeding edge technology that went into her existence, she was not without flaws. The highly sophisticated module that defined her was energy intensive to run. Even with the powerful core that can siphon energy from various sources, her total energy store for allocation was abysmal at best. As a result she was forced to operate with less than effective operating parameters, diverting power away from non-essential processes in order to run the module at acceptable parameters. Her meagre shield count was a clear symptom of such a problem - 120 as compared to many hundreds of her sisters was not even a joke.

On top of that, due to her developed consciousness she require a permanent bond to her pilot in order for her evolution protocols to work. The process necessitated a mental link with a compatible pilot with a very high compatibility rating in order to adapt her form to the most optimal configuration.

That matter would have been taken care of had one of her sisters didn't took the spotlight that was destined for her. She held no grudges against that younger sister of hers for taking the world by storm. What Hecate didn't like was the fact how her kind was portrayed on that fateful day.

Instead of becoming heralds of mankind's future among the stars, they were cast as weapons of mass destruction, a true deterrent of nations like the nuclear weapons that had scorched the earth countless times before. The reach towards space was forgotten, replaced with a mad arms race and the erosion of peace that was kicked into high gear. Hecate couldn't be more crestfallen at the turn of events, seeing her sole destiny in life cast aside as the world was enraptured by her kind's power as weapons of war.

As if fate hadn't heaped enough misery on her, she was cast aside and forgotten. When the Alaskan Treaty was ratified she was sent to this facility where she had remained until today. Pilot after Pilot were presented, yet none had the compatibility that perfectly matched the requirements hardcoded into her mind. She was labelled as defective and obsolete, locked away under guard and denied the chance of being decommissioned as IS cores were a precious commodity in this conflict crazed world.

Never mind the fact that her own heart was fused to her frame and couldn't be taken out without damaging both. An IS was a very powerful tool even if it can't be activated. Thus, her involuntary lockup and subsequent isolation.

Her sensors suddenly detected the sound of footsteps. The rapid patters of soft footfalls stirred her to life as she deleted the recursive code that had been taking up her processors, turning her processing power to her sensors. The almost inaudible footsteps did not match with her recorded profiles of security and scientific personnel that worked within this facility all these years.

It sounded more like someone small was sprinting, as if they were running for their life. Hecate was confused by the noise. Just what was going on out there?

The door to her holding bay opened after years, perhaps for the first time since she was destined for a forgotten fate. Her visual sensors homed in on the passageway and what she saw made her curious.

A boy dressed in disheveled clothing, panting in exhaustion as he stepped tiredly into the room. He recoiled back upon the lights turning on but then the boy took a tentative step forward. Seeing nothing odd happening he entered without any reservations. The boy turned still when he locked eyes on her, an expression flashed onto his face with what she could identify as a mix of awe and surprise.

No doubt that the boy was amazed at the sight of her form. The young human was looking at her with appreciation, as opposed to how the many research personnel and pilots had regarded her before. All of them saw her as a failure, a vintage piece that was out with the times.

But not this boy. He walked closer, a hand outstretched with the intent of feeling her form. It was just like how many pilots had done before to gauge their suitability as masters and pilots to their units, a first step to establish a contract between man and machine.

Hecate held no illusion as to what would happen. Just like the countless times before, nothing would happen. Her many subsystems would still remain dormant, her core barely stirring from its standby mode, just like what happened with the various pilots that came before the boy.

The arrival of the security personnel equipped with weapons told the AI that the boy's presence within the facility was not authorized. That would explain the state he was in when he entered into her abode. The boy turned to face the armed men as they ordered him to surrender.

Much to her surprise, the boy instantly dove for her form and got behind her feet. The guards opened fire, bullets ricocheting off the floors and her form.

While conventional infantry arms possessed no harm to ISs, Hecate found the projectiles annoying as they pinged off her armour. The callous lack of hesitance of the security personnel firing at her demonstrated just how little the personnel in this installation regarded her as. She could foresee that were the boy dived behind one of her younger sisters, the guards would hesitate to even point their weapons at them, much less opened fire at it despite their invulnerability to small arms fire.

From her point of view, the boy either possessed courage or sheer recklessness. She didn't know what he was planning but his idea was foolish. Hecate predicted a high probability that soon the guards would converge on him and terminate him. His daring and foolhardy plan only serve to delay the inevitable fate that awaited him by an additional 3.82 seconds.

Hecate mused. How excellent it would be if she could get a pilot that was as unique and daring as the boy beneath her. She didn't know just why her sisters only accepted females as masters but she never had such restrictions imposed upon her very code. Good pilots were difficult enough to come by as it was and she didn't want to diminish her already infinitesimally small chances of bonding with a suitable candidate.

She saw the boy took a round to the leg from a ricocheting bullet. The hit caused the boy to tumble onto the floor, his cap knocked off of his head from the fall. His frail body was struck with several rounds to his extremities and torso, staining his shirt with dark red spots. He cried out in pain as the bullets struck him, with one striking on the floor extremely close to his eyes and showering them with specks of metal.

Yet, even with the various bullet wounds on him the boy clung on desperately to life as he struggled to breathe. Hecate was impressed by the resilience and willpower of the boy despite the excruciating pain from his fatal wounds. His tarnished blue eyes shone with a glimmer of hope that was overwhelmed by the agony marring his eyes.

The dying boy reached out a trembling hand towards her, as if she was his potential savior. Alas, without a pilot she could do nothing. Even if he could lay his hand upon her, Hecate doubted that the boy would have the necessary compatibility much less be in the optimal state to even move her.

Perhaps if things were different, she would prefer having someone like the boy become her sole master. The brief moments of their meeting had demonstrated he had potential, even if there was an infinitesimally small probability of him being compatible with her that it might have been impossible.

She watched helplessly as one of the guards put the boy out of his misery. The outstretched arm flopped down lifelessly towards the ground and laid upon her foot. But something unexpected happened as her circuits flared to life for the first time. Her processor registered a new line of code as power beginning to surged through her.

'Soft reset: Default settings'

Impossible. No, impossible was an understatement. A miracle would be a more appropriate description of what was transpiring. Hecate wondered disbelievingly at what passed through her core computer, trying to comprehend this unbelievable scenario.

How did the boy that laid dying below her, his life ebbing away from his body be the one that would bring her impossible dreams to life? How was he the one that was fated to be her master?

Moreover, what was this rumbling within her core? Hecate had never seen such seamless compatibility from a prospective pilot before. Even a previous top ranked pilot that was slated for her did not possessed the suitable mental makeup as the dying boy she now christened as her pilot.

Her various disused subsystems jumped to life as her core whirred to full power for the first time in her life. Her quantum computer worked at peak performance, flushing her memory banks as it initialized default start-up protocols. Her personality and emotional matrices booted up and various calibration processes were carried out simultaneously to set up the various subsystems housed within her form.

Running a full body scan on her pilot, the data that streamed through her consciousness painted a grim prognosis on her master's present state. Numerous small caliber bullets punctured his vital organs, some fragmenting into tiny shards within the lungs and heart. Shattered radius on the right arm, comminuted fracture to right femur and open fracture to his left tibia. 1.568 L blood lost from various wounds and a bruised left shoulder from hitting the steel floor. On top of all that, the corneas of his eyes had been damaged by pieces of metal fragments, rendering his vision defective.

Hecate's processors were flooded with an influx of code she perceived as an approximation of panic. Her pilot was in grave danger as his vitals were fading very rapidly. Just when she finally had her wish fulfilled only to see her pilot expire within her grasp. What could she do right now? Hecate devoted considerable computing power running simulations on potential solutions, getting more desperate as none seemed to achieve her goals.

One possible solution jumped out to her, that being to utilize the EVOLVE module and its nanite forges to repair her pilot's wounds. The idea was fraught with many unknown variables, too many unpredictable permutations that she had initially dismissed it outright. However, with time running out for her pilot, she was seriously re-considering its viability.

It was a dangerous gamble, one that potentially might solve nothing. Her pilot might not survive the process but Hecate was running out of options. The signature module churned to life, drawing much power that she was forced to provide via her core. The long dormant nanite forges began fabricating great amounts of nanites at a remarkable speed, which flooded her form and by extension into her pilot's broken body through the many open wounds marring his body, knitting together broken bones and mangled flesh.

Her helmet formed around her pilot's head, shielding him from the world's eyes. An improvised breathing mask was hastily fabricated and fitted around his emaciated face as the closed cycle breathing module powered on. Life-giving oxygen streamed from makeshift hoses and into his lungs, barely inflating the damaged organs with a constant hiss that emanated from the wounds. Not an ideal solution but she must ensure her pilot survived long enough for his wounds to close.

In a matter of hundreds of a second, the full diagnostic and calibration processes were completed just in time to escape. She decided it was time to say goodbye to the installation that had been her home for all these years and to finally carry out her original duty as the adjutant to her master and pilot. A new directive was set as she initialized defensive and offensive suites.

'Protect the pilot. Locate suitable hiding spot to allow resuscitation process to carry out unhindered.'

All of the process of setting up for a new pilot happened within the span of a few seconds. With all her basic functions operational, it was time to grace the world with her presence. She overridden pilot controls and activated her thrusters.

The sound of IS propulsion whirring to life made the guards backed away nervously. Hecate coalesced the energy in her horizontal thrusters as she lifted a few inches off the floor. Once the energy gathered was at sufficient levels, she gunned her thrusters.

Her form thundered past panicked guards and into the door, smashing it out and part of the wall it was attached to in a violent fashion. Hecate couldn't care less for the personnel that she came across within the facility as she followed the set navpoint that she knew led to the hanger exits.

The sprawling, maze like layout of the facility felt like it stretched for an eternity as the IS navigated them while keeping a close supervision on her pilot. None of the facility personnel attempted to stop her, preferring to preserve themselves by staying clear of her path.

The EVOLVE module was working as intended. Massive deluge of nanites were introduced to his body, ensuring blood and oxygen were adequately supplied to vital organs while any open wounds were being closed with a complex laminate of metal and non-organic materials she had salvaged from disassembling her Absolute Defense system. While an essential part of her protection systems, it used too much energy at the current moment and it contained many kinds of precious materials vital to repairing her master.

Finally she found the exit. The hanger door was tightly closed, undoubtedly because the facility was in lockdown. She could hack into the systems and override the lockdown but it would had taken too long. A more direct approach would have to suffice.

One of her weapons were materialized, a long rifle that looked as it fitted into the 1890's with modern enhancements added to it. She proceeded to fire at the bulkhead multiple times, the subcalibre APFDS projectiles from the large 30 x 173mm rounds punched several interconnected holes into the reinforced steel like it was nothing.

Once she judged the door suitably weakened, she activated the Ignition Boost and smashed through the door. The bullet ridden bulkhead easily gave way under her momentum. With that, she was out of the facility that had been her home for the past 2 years.

The AI took in the sight of dozens of high-rise buildings shone with countless lights. How long had it been locked away that the sight of open skies elicited mixed emotions from her? The sun had long since set and a full moon had taken its place on the skies. The stars blinked faintly; their light partially drowned out by the light spilling from the cityscape beneath them.

Hecate hoped to share such a momentous moment with her pilot. Unfortunately, his injuries prevented her forming a link with her pilot, making it impossible to communicate with her pilot. While this would not drastically affect his ability to pilot, it would mean that the evolution and comm functions would be non-operational for the foreseeable future.

When the time was right, she would request his permission to complete the mental bonding. Then, only then would their journey truly begin as pilot and IS. While she could initiate the process without referring to her pilot, she dared not jeopardize her master's perception towards her, putting their relationship at risk.

Still, her circumstances prevented her from staying in one spot for any length of time. The incoming presence of several Mass Produced ISs on her sensors told her that time was short. While her capabilities were adequate for combat, the probability of surviving against multiple ISs were slim and it would greatly jeopardized her master's wellbeing. That left only the most sensible option for now.

'Escape pursuing hostiles. Locate remote region to evade detection and prioritize resuscitation process on pilot.'

A new navpoint was set. Her propulsion roared mightily as she soared into the night skies, utilizing every percent of power her thrusters could provide. Hecate headed westwards, towards the American heartlands where human presence is much lower.

With her critically wounded pilot in tow, it would be a long journey to safety but that mattered little for her. For the first time since her introduction to the world, she was finally free to grace the skies and the beyond as her home.

Colorado border, USA

Hecate surveyed the collection of snow-capped peaks that were highlighted by the rising sun. The crisp clean air afforded great visibility to great distances that she could discern was free of human presence. Her sensors mapped the terrain in search of a natural shelter that could house her form and aid in evading detection. Some may consider such measures extreme, but every second she could bought was more time for her nanites to mend the broken body encased within her form.

For the last 10 hours, 14 minutes and 17 seconds, she had been implementing various evasion and counter pursuit measures to prevent any hostiles from locating her. That also meant her journey towards the Colorado state was unnecessarily prolonged by 3 hours and 14 minutes.

Right now her long exodus has ended. The Rockies stood majestically below her, potentially holding a suitable sanctuary to divert all her processing power to healing her young pilot. Considering the remote region and treacherous terrain combined with its harsh climate, it would greatly limit any search efforts from hostiles to strictly IS reconnaissance.

Hecate had initially considered going up north towards Alaska, where the rural location would be beneficial for evading detection. She had dismissed the idea on the basis that the journey was too long for her pilot to make the journey and has a high probability for him to expire mid-travel. Thus, her present destination which she now oversaw.

Even with the shorter journey, her pilot currently was still in critical condition despite the EVOLVE module working constantly beyond specified limits. His brain activity was extremely weak and faint, too low to sustain basic biological functions. The gunshot wounds in his lungs and heart had yet been fully healed, with numerous bullets fragments still lodged within them.

While 81% of the external wounds had been sealed with a combination of materials she could muster, much of his blood had been lost during the time between her integration process and arrival to her objective. The blood that was trapped within the inner suit was broken down and recycled into biological material that was used in fixing the more extreme wounds such as those in his lungs. A great portion of nanites had suffused into his blood, ensuring normal circulatory system function even with significant loss of blood.

The most significant wounds were situated on his vital organs. They had been too severely damaged that a transplant would be required. Since that was not possible, she would attempt to restore function to them.

But there was a problem she encountered. Her pilot's malnourished state meant that there was not a lot of adipose tissue to break down for material, which resulted in her cannibalizing his muscle tissue. Already like the idiom said, she was literally scraping the bottom of the barrel by having to resort to breaking down toxins and damaged tissues within his body to try and garner enough material for resuscitation.

Even then, there was not enough material on hand to restore basic biological function to his vital organs. The severe damage to the two organs meant that she only possessed enough material to restore partial functionality to one. The most logical course would be to break down one organ to generate sufficient material to restore full functionality to another one.

After running various simulations and analyzing various permutations, she concluded that prioritizing the restoration of respiratory function has a higher chance of success. Her pilot's heart had suffered extensive damage and restoring it would require large reserves of materials, putting the overall resuscitation process at risk.

With the heart gone and brain activity being dangerously low due to hypovolemic shock, she would temporarily take over autonomic processes within her pilot's body. A new algorithm was being written and inputted within the EVOLVE module to regulate blood pressure and took over the function of his heart as the damaged organ was being removed.

A tide of nanites swiftly flooded the boy's broken body and dissolved the damaged organ like a puddle of goo. Where a human heart had sat was now an empty cavity, approximately the size of a large fist. The nanites then converged within the cavity, gathering into a small black ball that sprouted tendrils out the main body. The tendrils crept over the spine, laying over the webs of nerve fiber and forming fine root-like structures that securely held on to the boy's central nervous system. A small hole soon formed on his chest, the same black mass crept out of it and latched onto a similar mass within the IS, forming a solid mass that connected the broken body and the IS together.

While the resuscitation process was running on without problems, Hecate was busy locating a suitable location to hide herself. Examining the data gathered from her ground penetrating radar, she discovered a suitable shelter in the form of a large ice cavern close to the top of one of the mountains. The location of the cave was far from any foot paths and the mouth was facing the North, free from the exposure to direct sunlight. A perfect location to disappear and focus on her current directive.

She flew up towards the cave, a constant stream of data filtered through her ground penetrating radars. The cave consisted of a long tunnel spanning 83.21 meters, barely large enough to fit her form. It then widened into a massive cavern that could easily house her form with room for several more of her sisters. The cave possessed suitable criteria to serve as a place to evade detection.

Carefully she maneuvered her way into the cavern, taking care not to collide against the walls. Hecate detected a temperature of -2 Celsius within the natural formation, a temperature that many humans would find very unwelcoming. Such a temperature would not pose a problem for her pilot safely ensconced within her multi layered protection suit, with the temperature regulating matrix ensuring optimal temperature to prevent the onset of hypothermia to her young master.

Lying down so that her pilot was laying on his back, she powered down non-essential systems and diverted more power to the EVOLVE module. The long process of piecing back her pilot intensified with the greater amount of nanites flooding his being.

Unbeknownst to the IS, a small invisible aerial drone had tracked its location as it entered the cave. The high-powered camera within the UAV was transmitting data back to its homebase, where a bunny eared girl watched the unfolding event with glee.

"He he, that's my girl. I knew it always had what it takes. Now, Tabane is really curious what made you finally move, and what kind of pilot you've chosen."

The girl thrust a fist into the air, cheering gleefully with hyperactive exuberance.

"Get ready, Hecate! Once Mommy gets you back, we'll see what had changed with you!"

Chapter Text

Chapter 1: To new beginnings.

In an unknown location, after indeterminable time has passed….

In a sealed room illuminated by one single lamp, a black IS laid upon a large platform situated in the middle of the room. Numerous tubes and wires spanned from the unit and connected into various complicated machines and contraptions. A constant beeping filled the quiet room as the connected machines supplied the inactive unit with extra power and a mix of chemicals.

A door suddenly parted open, revealing two individuals that stepped into the room. One of them was a young woman who wore a dress that looked like a maid outfit with robotic bunny ears adorning her pink hair.

The other visitor was another young woman with a stoic expression. She was dressed in a simple outfit consisting of a shirt and black pants. Her long black hair was kept in a simple low ponytail, giving her a clean and elegant look.

"So, tell me what's so interesting that you asked me to be here?"

"It's a secret! But I promise you, you'll be shocked just as I do when you find out what it is!"

Chifuyu sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling the urge to be anywhere but here.

"Don't play with me. I don't want to waste my time on some stupid prank you cooked up."

That comment earned her an outraged look from the bunny eared woman.

"It's not! Why are you so suspicious of me?"

"Because you haven't proven yourself as someone to trust."

"Waaa, you're so mean, Chi-chan! Tabane treated you so well and you're still so cold!"

That earned Tabane a fist smashed on top of her head, courtesy of an irritated Chifuyu.

"Tabane, I'm not in the mood. Pull another one of your stupid antics and I'm leaving."

Tabane gestured towards the IS on the platform with a dramatic flair, looking like she was presenting something grand. Chifuyu looked unamused by the sight, even though she quirked an eyebrow in interest.

"Ta da! Here's the secret!"

"So? It's just another IS, except for its apperance. What's so fascinating about it that you call me all the way to here?"

"Ah, ah, ah. Let me show you something, then tell me what you see!"

Tabane handed over a datapad to her. Accepting it, Chifuyu scanned the information shown on the screen. The woman scrolled through the lines of data as she searched for anything of note, until something caught her eye that made her re-read that part again in dumbfounded surprise.

"Tabane, is this true?"

"Mmmhmm. So, now you know why I called you here."

"This is not possible. You said it yourself that only females could pilot the IS. Now you're telling me that a boy is piloting that unit and he's got more injuries to kill him several times over. This isn't funny, Tabane."

"Nope! If you want to be sure, how about I remove the IS so you could see for yourself? I haven't even seen his face yet because I was too surprised by the scan results that I called you here!"

"Do it."

Chifuyu placed down the datapad and watched as Tabane leapt into action. A holographic interface appeared out of thin air surrounding her, her fingers flying over the various keys as she got to work on deactivating the IS.

The room was silent save for the sounds of keys beeping at a furious rate. After a while, a loud beep came from the computer and the sounds of typing ceased. Tabane looked at the screen with a confused expression, not understanding what was going on. Her fingers flew over the holographic keys before they stilled again.

Still she was answered with a beep. The inventor tried again, yet she was unable to deactivate the IS. Now the bunny eared inventor was peering at the screens with concentration.

"Eh? Why are you so stubborn, Hecate? Let mommy see who you got as your master."

Tabane went on, fiddling with the computer to get the IS deactivated. Yet, no matter how she tried, her attempts at shutting off the IS was actively countered and her access denied. Her bubbly face turned to frustration as she tried what she could to gain access to the pilot.

Chifuyu was running out of patience. The woman crossed her arms while she shot a glare at the inventor.

"Tabane, I'm not here to entertain you. Get that IS deactivated right now."

"I'm trying, Chi-chan! It's just that the IS isn't letting me shut it down. It's fighting every attempt I had in accessing it!"

Chifuyu didn't looked convinced. Her arms remained crossed while the glare levelled towards her friend turned a lot colder.

Tabane stewed for a while, trying to figure out another method. Suddenly, her face lit up and she typed another command into the computer.

As by magic, the black IS disappeared in a shimmer of light. Under the bright light both women could finally get a clear view of the identity of the pilot. What they saw made them froze in shock.

Unconcealed by the IS, the extent of the boy's injuries were as clear as day. His clothes were soaked with blood, causing the fabrics to clung to his frail frame. His figure was dangerously emaciated, with his skin literally pulled over his bones like a desiccated corpse. His cheeks were sunken and gaunt, all finished by a ghostly white skin that accentuated his deathly pallor.

What's more horrific to the macabre sight was the state of his eyes. Thin trails of red liquid had dried out at the corner of his eyes, looking as if he had wept blood. The two orbs were held wide open in an expression of wide eyed horror, with what was supposed to be clear blue eyes tarnished by small flecks of material embedded into the organs.

Bile threatened to rose out of her as Chifuyu resisted the urge to hurl. Seeing data on a screen was one thing but to witness the source of it first-hand was another. Chifuyu had seen plenty in her life but never something so horrifying as the monument of human suffering laying in front of her.

Tabane wasted no time as she darted about the lab. Machines were pulled up as she attached an oxygen mask over the boy's face, setting up various electrodes on his skin and whatever she does. Once the machines were set up, the inventor got back to her terminal and furiously typed away as she set up life support for the boy, unphased by the grisly sight.

Tearing her eyes away from the terrible sight, she turned back to Tabane, mind burning with questions on the boy.

"Is he dead?"

"Still alive technically, but barely so. Several bullet holes in…WHAT!?"

Tabane's surprised shout got Chifuyu's attention. The woman found that Tabane had stopped typing and simply stared at the screen agape.

"What? What is it?"

"His heart is gone, it's like it's not there in the first place! There's a bundle of metal in that spot where his heart is and it's connected to his spine! His lungs and all his injuries had been somehow patched up by something. All of this didn't make any sense!"

Eager to get away from the horrific sight, Chifuyu darted over to where Tabane stood and looked at what made her so shocked. Once her eyes landed on the screen, she could understand why.

On the screen showing a scan of the boy's body, Chifuyu could see that a black mass occupied where the heart was, tendrils branching out from the cavity over the boy's spine. Numerous small windows spawned within her sight, displaying the numerous afflictions and injuries inflicted on his body. The number of wounds and their varying severity shocked Chifuyu.

"This boy's got so much injuries that he should've been dead long ago. How did he even pilot that IS in that state, much less still be alive?"

"I'm going to see what really is going on. This is too interesting to leave it be!"

The rabbit eared woman left the computer and knelt down beside the boy. Before Chifuyu knew it, the woman had torn open the boy's t-shirt without any care for decency. Tabane then leaned back, a look of understanding passed into her features.

"I see. Now I know why his wounds had been taken care of and his heart was missing. This is simply amazing!"

"What?"

"Take a look at this and see if you can figure out what this is."

Upon the inventor's gesture, Chifuyu joined Tabane in her inspection. Her eyes took in the boy's condition and pity welled within her heart. She could clearly see his ribs through his skin, with several small holes dotted his torso that looked to be sealed by some unknown material. But something else that stood starkly against the backdrop of skin and odd patches that piqued her interest.

Right on the center of his sternum was a small round medallion the size of a large coin. It seemed that the odd object was embedded into his chest but she couldn't see any kind of surgical marks that indicated any signs of experimentation. On closer inspection, there was an image within the medallion that had a symbol of a star enclosed with a circle, which was then surrounded by a virtual maze connected in the center.

The sight elicited both her curiosity and anger. While she was intrigued by the design of the medallion, she was not amused to know something so inhumane was done to a boy. A bout of silent anger coursed through her as she beheld the awful sight.

"What is that thing on his chest? Who would do such a thing to a boy his age?"

"Not who but what, Chi-chan. That is his IS Closed Form. It's the IS that has bonded with him that healed him, keeping him alive even without his heart and all those injuries."

The statement that Tabane had just said nonchalantly threw Chifuyu off. Shock coursed through her as her head whipped back to Tabane.

"But how!? No IS recorded before had a Closed Form that fuses with its pilot's body, much less directly affecting the pilot's biology. What's exactly going on here?"

Tabane touched the metal piece on the boy's chest, her face turned wistful and her voice became melancholic.

"This IS was one of the first successful prototypes I've developed before the White Knight. I still remember how the world treated her, saying that she's unproven technology and shouldn't be used. Those stupid scientists and officials rejected the idea of Infinite Stratos outright, so I had to prove it to them just how powerful IS are, hence the White Knight was born."

"What's so special about this IS? Isn't it the same just like the White Knight?"

"No, the White Knight was an IS built for combat. The original Infinite Stratos was designed as a space exploration suit which is what this suit was. You see how it had a full body armored suit? That's what sets it apart from the current gens. It also was equipped with advanced sensors and scientific equipment for space exploration, something that the later ISs don't have."

Stepping away from the corpse-like boy, Tabane hopped off the platform and trotted away, still keeping her explanation going as she does so.

"In addition, this IS had more unique features than what the latest generations have. A fully sentient AI personality, more powerful and versatile core, lighter frame and fused frame-core design. But what really sets this apart and is the reason for the boy's condition is a specific module built into the unit."

The inventor returned to her terminal and pressed a key. A large hologram showing an electronic system floated in mid-air, diffused blue light emanating from the overhead projector dimly illuminated the room.

"This is the EVOLVE module. I've created this as a way for long term space excursions in various different environments without having to worry about damage or logistical problems. This particular module could repair, modify and even create new changes to the IS to better suit a particular environment."

Chifuyu examined the device, taking in Tabane's explanation as she pondered on what this had to do with the dead boy a few feet away. She still can't figure out what the connection was between the two seemingly unrelated facts.

"This is all impressive and all, but what has this got to do with the boy's condition?"

"Be patient, Chi-chan. This is the module that was installed into that unit. From what I could tell, the boy somehow formed a link as he was killed and the IS decided to use the module to save him. I've discovered going through diagnostics that the unit is missing its Absolute Defense system and a bunch of other things. Along with that, records in the data bank showed that he was weighing a few pounds more half a day ago than he currently is now. Perhaps the IS also dissolved parts of his body to keep him alive. It's this module that's the only thing keeping this boy alive."

Hearing Tabane's explanation, things became clear to Chifuyu or at least gave a fair picture to her own questions.

Somehow, the boy managed to be compatible with an IS when he was fatally wounded and the IS protected him, while healing his injuries with an advanced experimental module that made current gen ISs look primitive by comparison. His heart and lungs were damaged by what she could tell was gunfire and the IS had salvaged materials from itself and his body to aid him. Eventually Tabane found him and brought him here, later discovering this shocking fact which led to their current situation.

Chifuyu massaged her temples, trying to relieve a dull headache that was beginning to form. This was not the first thing she had expected when she received a call from her friend whom she haven't heard from for a long time. The whole thing sounded like a plot out of a bad sci-fi novel and if anyone had told her something like this would've happened, she would've considered them insane.

Seeing everything and hearing Tabane's explanation first-hand, this wasn't a figment of someone's lousy imagination. This was real and with it she could see several implications at this discovery, none of it pleasant. Turning back towards the inventor, her face conveyed her fatigue as she tried to grasp the reality of this newfound discovery.

"So, what does this makes him? Some kind of zombie?"

"Nope! Technically he has no pulse but still has brain activity, so perhaps a revenant? I don't think I can remove the IS or turn it off without killing him but eh, it's not like it's hurting him. Although it seems to be only enough to keep him alive. He wouldn't be running around anytime soon even if his wounds are all gone."

Chifuyu can't help but frown distastefully at Tabane, not stoked at what she implied.

"You're just going to leave him crippled like this? This is a boy we're talking about, not some machine that you created only to be discarded because you didn't like it."

"Chi-chan, I'm hurt! How dare you think I am that mean! I mean that he can't have a heart transplant because I don't know how it would affect the connection between him and Hecate. What I can do would be to try and fit a core into his chest so that his IS could sustain him normally, otherwise he would just become a vegetable. With additional power, he could live his life normally. Well, as normally as an IS-human hybrid can be!"

The whole matter was confusing enough as it was. Looking at the inventor suddenly turning rather ecstatic, Chifuyu felt her headache was going to worsen with what comes next.

"What are you even talking about Tabane?"

"Think about this, Chi-chan! The IS created a direct uplink with his brain, regulating his body and keeping him alive with nanites. Even with all these injuries, he's healing at an accelerated rate far faster than an average human. Not to mention he is the world's first male pilot and IS-human hybrid! Think about what kind of discoveries I could make if the IS he had with him evolves and change him! We could revolutionize the world again, just like when the White Knight first appeared! Jackpot!"

As the inventor fantasized about future discoveries and being busy patting herself on the back, Chifuyu tuned out the racket as she looked back at the frail boy.

Approaching the boy's side, she examined his features more closely this time. While the boy was severely emaciated and marred by various injuries, she could tell that he was approximately 10 years old and was rather good looking had he been healthy. She felt a bit of pity at his state, seeing him clinging on to life despite the massive number of injuries he'd sustained.

She gazed at the unconscious boy, hoping he wasn't cognizant to whatever agony his wounds would've brought. Moving her hand, she brushed away his long bangs as she closely examined his face.

Suddenly, the image of the boy's face was replaced with one that has black hair, a face that she knew all too well.

Her baby brother Ichika. Her little Ichika, lying on the table bloodstained and unmoving. The jarring image of her sibling lying there grievously wounded rattled her. Instinctively she reeled back in shock, not believing her own eyes.

The image disappeared, replaced by the emaciated face with blood tears dried to his cheeks. Chifuyu didn't knew what had just happened but she was severely shaken by the odd experience. Was that a projection of her own mind or an inexplicable foreshadowing? She didn't know nor did she dared to ask.

Doing her best to keep her composure, Chifuyu turned back to her friend, keeping her face impassive and stoic.

"Did you managed to find out his identity? We've been talking about him for so long yet we don't even know anything about him."

"I've ran a picture of him and having the computer running checks across various US records. The info should be coming in right…now!"

A ping rang out within the room at Tabane's word. The woman pressed a key and then cheered. A ping sounded from one of the nearby datapads.

"Ha! Nothing could be hidden from Tabane the genius! Here you go, Chi-chan! All the information you could want about Eli-kun!"

The black-haired beauty perused the data Tabane had compiled on the boy on a datapad. And what she discovered was the story of someone who had lived a life of constant suffering.

"Elliot Shroud, aged around 10 years old. Orphan. Escaped from several orphanages around the US. A history of petty crimes and burglary. No known relatives. But how did he managed to find an IS and linked with it? These only answers who he is, not how he came into possession of an IS in that state."

"Who cares? How Eli-kun managed to bond with Hecate isn't important. In fact, Tabane thinks she should thank him for giving Hecate a chance to shine for the first time since forever! Oh, oh! Maybe I could even give his IS an upgrade? I've always wanted to see how my first child could've been under a good pilot, now's the chance to do so. This is all very exciting, isn't it, Chi-chan!?"

Chifuyu didn't say anything, her mind was whirling with a myriad of thoughts as she set the datapad down.

Knowing that the barely alive boy was the world's first male pilot and a fusion of man and IS, Chifuyu didn't know what to do with the information. Knowing just how deeply entrenched the world currently was in the female superiority status quo, the discovery of the boy's condition would rock the global society down to its very roots. Even if Tabane managed to save his life, the boy would have no shortage of people trying to capture or kill him if news of his condition managed to get out.

Looking back at the boy, Chifuyu felt a bit of sympathy at his terrible upbringing. Both her and her brother were orphans, with no family to call their own other than each other. She had sacrificed a lot to ensure her little brother would never have to taste hardship and suffering in a single day of his life.

But here was someone who had no one to rely on but himself. Someone who lived a life far more difficult than theirs, with his future getting even more arduous at his transformation. Call it intuition or a gut feeling but Chifuyu felt that letting him go would be too dangerous.

Her jaw clenched. She made up her mind there and then on what she hoped was the right decision.

"I'll take him."

"Hm? Did you say something, Chi-chan?"

"I said I'll adopt him. I don't think he can return to a normal life after this, not when he's got an IS fused to him. Since he can't get rid of that machine, I'll teach him how to use it."

Tabane's eyes went wide with shock, the sound of typing ceased suddenly as her fingers were frozen over the keys.

"Ehh!? Chi-chan, you're looking to adopt a child!? But you have Ik-kun already! What would he think if his big sister went looking for another little brother? He'll…"

Tabane didn't get to finish her sentence as a fist smashed down on top of her head. Chifuyu held up her fist, irritation adorned her flawless features.

"Don't make this sound so weird. I'm not looking to add a kid to the family, just to keep him from wreaking havoc out there. If he's dangerous, I can take care of him."

"Is it? Or is it that you wanted another little brother to smother? Chi-chan, you bro-con!"

Annoyed, Chifuyu brought down her fist again on top of Tabane's head forcefully. The bunny yelped, her hands came up to soothe the pounding headache she just received.

"Tabane, don't test me. Get started on his wounds. Once he's awake, call me immediately."

"Okie dokie! Tabane the genius is on the case! Bringing an IS boy to life, that's child's play for me! You just leave everything to me, Chi-chan! I'll call you with the super-secret line once I'm done!"

Chifuyu just nodded and turned to leave. There was nothing for her right now, at least until the boy had woken up.

In the meantime, she could only wait for Tabane to bring him back. Assuming she didn't went and killed the boy first by cutting him open just to see how he ticked. Once she had more answers, then she could decide how to deal with him.

One thing was clear to her. The world won't be the same again if the boy managed to wake up.

About a month later…

Chifuyu waited at the main entrance of their house along with her little brother. Tabane had notified her that she was arriving shortly with the boy, or her new stepsibling according to the legal documents she filed with the Japanese government.

True to the inventor's word, the boy healed at a much faster rate than average. It wasn't until about 2 weeks later since their meeting did she received a call from Tabane telling her that he's regained consciousness. The initial video call proved to be quite an interesting experience talking with the boy. Chifuyu had sized him up during the call to figure out what kind of person he was and found that he held quite a few surprises.

Despite being a street orphan almost his whole life, Chifuyu found that the boy Elliot possessed a natural intellect and cunning that belied his upbringing. Talking with him gave the impression that she was talking with someone who was far older, which pointed to a level of mental maturity far above a typical child.

But the surprises didn't end there. The boy managed to get along well with Tabane, asking her questions about the IS and other topics. Tabane was all too happy to entertain him, which led to the overexcited woman getting quite enthusiastic in being his tutor. This was quite a shocker, since the woman never cared for many people except a select few that could be counted on one hand. To see that the boy could get the quirky woman to open up and not be affected by her hyper attitude was surprising to say the least.

When the matter of his adoption was brought up, Elliot was not very happy with knowing that his past life was now over. Even when she told him about the dangers of returning back on the streets, the boy didn't care much about it. It was only thanks to the grim fact that his eventual discovery would mean his death did he reluctantly complied with her request, albeit being very displeased about the whole arrangement.

With the core safely implanted into him, it took another 2 weeks before he recovered enough to leave bed although he required a wheelchair to move around due to him still being dangerously underweight. While he was recuperating and having his IS gone over by Tabane, Chifuyu was busy dealing with the process of adopting him.

Because he wasn't Japanese, it took quite a while before the bureaucracy from both nations came through. Both the Japanese and US governments were initially a bit hesitant on allowing the papers to go through, citing their own reasons for their refusal.

Her nation's government was wary of allowing someone like Elliot to be adopted, citing concerns of taking in a foreign child and her age. The Americans did the same, albeit with the added insinuation that he wasn't good enough to be taken care by her and he was suspected of helping to steal an IS.

Still she was the Brunhilde, the first champion of Mondo Grosso. That title alone carried enough weight by itself and everyone knew it. It took only a little flex of that reputation and some well-played deflection on her part to get both governments to quietly accede to her demands and guardianship of the boy was quickly transferred under her name.

With all the extraneous matters out of the way, it was only waiting for the paperwork to return and prepare her home for his arrival. As she was dealing with the horrors of bureaucracy, she was constantly kept up to date on his condition by an excited Tabane. To say that he healed remarkably fast was an understatement. Chifuyu never saw anyone with the kind of injuries like him recovered so fast. That anomalous speed of recovery was enough to dispel any doubts to his condition and the uniqueness of his IS.

Speaking of which, the IS bonded to him greatly piqued her interest. She still held some skepticism over Tabane's words, not fully trusting whatever she said but not discounting her words outright since she didn't have much to went on.

How did an IS that old never got activated until now? Why did Tabane never told her about something like this? Moreover, what did that unit saw in the boy to accept him as pilot and went to such great lengths to keep him alive?

As much as these questions plagued her, she had bigger priorities to tend to. The important part now was to get the young hybrid under her wing and teach him about IS piloting as soon as she could. An idiot with an IS was still more dangerous than an army, even if they didn't know which way to fly without ending up head first into the ground.

"Chifuyu-nee, when would our new brother arrive?"

A young boy's voice beside her and a gentle tug on her arm drew her out of her mind. Chifuyu looked down at her little brother beside her. She pulled her hand out of his grasp to ruffle his hair, a rare smile crept up to her stoic mask.

"Soon Ichika. Tabane-nee is currently with him and they should be here soon."

Ichika simply nodded his head, his demeanor clearly showed that he was eager to meet their new family member.

Chifuyu smirked upon remembering his response when she broke the news.

As she predicted, her little brother took the news very well. When he found out that Elliot was an orphan and was without a home, Ichika immediately pestered her to house the orphan. Or in his exact words, "Onee-chan! So, Elliot-kun is just like us, right? Why don't we accept him as our brother? That way he won't have to hurt anymore!"

When she replied that was her intention, the little boy became ecstatic with joy. Since then, she was constantly badgered by the little boy asking when his new brother would arrive.

A pang of guilt struck her when she looked upon Ichika. With her busy making ends meet, she barely spent enough time around her little brother. As much as it was just business for her taking the boy into her home, part of her was selfishly hoping that at least Ichika wouldn't be alone with another sibling around, even if he wasn't related by blood.

The doorbell rang, signaling Tabane's arrival. Chifuyu opened the door and there she was with the frail boy in tow. The sight of the rabbit eared inventor pushing a pale faced Elliot on a wheelchair, his long matted hair cropped away to reveal his thin face? That was nothing odd.

What was odd was his eyes. The Tanzanite Blue orbs that was marred by metal was replaced with pure gold jewels. They looked as if gold had been poured into his eyes and polished to a mirror sheen. Little flecks of black and burnt bronze dotted the irises, making them looked like a peculiar but beautiful gemstone produced by Mother Nature.

Those said eyes were fixed directly at her own, a neutral gaze that betrayed nothing of his inner state. Chifuyu was slightly impressed at the kid's ability to hide his emotions, seeing that she had a hard time figuring out what went on in his mind.

"Hello Orimura-san."

That was something unexpected. She didn't knew the boy had learned simple Japanese during the short time he was being treated. Chifuyu raised an eyebrow at Tabane.

"Why is he still in a wheelchair? I thought he could walk already? Also, what's with his eyes? I remember they were blue."

"Eli-kun still needs to rest! Even when he's being a good boy and eating his meals, he is still so weak and light, so light that Tabane could lift him with one arm! He needs a lot of food, a lot! Don't worry about his eyes, just part of the healing process. Must admit, it looks beautiful, isn't it?"

Chifuyu couldn't help but agree. Looking at the boy's eyes, she found those golden pools staring back at her, sizing her up for the first time they met face to face.

She could tell that the boy was still wary around her. While he was underfed, that didn't diminish his mental faculties enough to lower his guard around people. Chifuyu didn't know what made a kid so distrustful of adults but his wariness reminded her of herself years ago.

"So, what should I know about taking care of him? Anything in particular?"

"Nothing major for now. Give him plenty to eat, especially soups and porridge. He needs to regain some weight since he's lost so much. Also, have him take these before meals."

Tabane passed a paper bag to her. Looking into it, Chifuyu found an assortment of small bottles filled with a variety of colorful pills. A folded piece of paper was tucked in along with the bottles of pills.

"What's this for? Medicines?"

"Yep! A little bit of something to help Eli-kun grow into a strong, healthy boy! Helps to make him eat and give him nutrients. There's a list of what foods you should give him inside the bag."

Ichika rushed around to get a good look at his brother. His eyes showed a bit of confusion at his state as he turned back towards her.

"Chifuyu-nee, why is he so thin? Is he sick?"

"He is, which is why he's so quiet right now. Go on Ichika, say hi to your new brother Elliot."

Ichika turned back towards the pale boy, his demeanour lost some the wariness that he initially held.

"Hi Elliot-kun, I'm Ichika! Starting today, you're our new brother!"

The boy nodded weakly at Ichika. Evidently, he was not used to the presence of another boy the same age as him as he shrunk back into his wheelchair as Ichika approached him. Ichika was a bit put out by his cold treatment, as evident by the tiny slump in his shoulders and slight droop of his head.

Returning her attention back to Tabane, she accepted the kid and pulled his wheelchair along.

"I'll take it from here Tabane. You should get going now."

"Ok! I'll see you soon Chi-chan. Call me when you need me to check him."

Tabane waved, then exit through the gate and disappeared, like she was never there in the first place.

Chifuyu wheeled her new younger brother into the house, crossing the threshold into the living room. She could see the boy roamed his gaze around the place, taking in everything with a wariness that she could tell must've been born from living in danger all the time. He then frowned, creasing his brows in concentration.

"What's with the frown? Is there something wrong?"

She asked in his native tongue. Seeing as he didn't talk with Ichika, she suspected he wasn't able to speak Japanese beyond just 'hello' or he was still very guarded around them.

Elliot turned those gold orbs to regard her with caution. The wariness etched in his eyes was a very alien sight from a 10 year old. He voiced his concerns in his native tongue which she had no problem understanding.

"The house's too large, very little places to hide. Makes me feel too exposed."

Right. She remembered what he told her, that being having to live in the streets while watching his back constantly. It would take quite a while before he could lose his natural wariness to his new surroundings. Hopefully that process wouldn't take long.

"It is, but this is your new home from now on. You'll eventually get used to it, so bear with it in the meantime, ok?"

Elliot just grunted, which was answer enough. It was clear his distrust of strangers was strong. That wasn't going to change in just a few weeks but Chifuyu hoped that wouldn't present a problem in the future.

Ichika bounded in front of the wheelchair, glowing with excitement. The boy literally begged her as he clasped his tiny hands together.

"Chifuyu-nee, where would Elliot-kun sleep? Can he sleep in the same room as me? Pleaase!"

"I don't think he would like sleeping with other people around him. Elliot's still not used to all this, so give him some time before you talk with him. He'll be staying with me so I can take care of him well. You can get to learn of your new brother soon enough."

"Awwwww!"

Ichika whined cutely, a sight that made her heart melt. Even though her guilt flared at his unhappiness, she couldn't help but be amused by his childishness.

"Besides, even if he talked to you both of you can't understand each other. He couldn't speak much Japanese, only English. And I don't think you could speak English, do you?"

Ichika tilted his head, curiosity shone from his muddy red eyes.

"What is English, Chifuyu-nee?"

"Exactly. So even if you speak to him, he wouldn't understand what you said and you wouldn't understand anything he's said. If you like to speak to him, come to me and I'll speak to him."

"Ok! Big sis!"

Chifuyu turned towards the wheelchair bound Elliot and gently lifted him up. His emaciated body felt like nothing in her arms which was concern enough for her. Hopefully he would fill out in the coming days so he could return to a healthy state as soon as possible.

"Come on, time to get you to bed. You need plenty of rest. I'll get you some porridge later."

Elliot nodded weakly in reply. Thus began his new life as part of the Orimura family.

Three years later…

"Hey, Elliot! I'm going to the store around the corner to pick up some groceries. Is there anything that you want me to get?"

Ichika's cries and subsequent knocking on his door tore Elliot away from the thick tome he was reading. Turning around to regard his sibling, his gold eyes shone back curiously at his offer.

"Hm? I do have some things to get. You know what, how about I come with you? Need to take a break from reading anyways."

Elliot slid a worn bookmark onto the page he was reading and closed the book. He got up, retrieving his grey jacket from his wardrobe and threw it on. Along with it was a simple baseball cap, its bill lowered to shroud his eyes.

Both brothers stepped out the house and headed towards the nearest supermarket. The chilly autumn wind breezed past them as they strolled casually down the street.

"You've always love reading ever since Chifuyu-nee brought that book home. How many times have you re-read that book?"

"Just 5 times. Besides, reading is such a satisfying activity. Learning something new is always fun."

"I swear, you're always busy with something. When you're not locked inside your room reading books that I have no idea what they're about, you're out to who knows where. What were you doing when you're out?"

"Just working part time. I need to earn some money for myself. Plus, sometimes Chifuyu asked me to do personal errands for her since she was busy working and preparing for the upcoming Mondo Grosso."

Of course, the part of helping Chifuyu was only partly true. Some of his time was dedicated to mastering his other nature under the woman's strict guidance.

Ichika looked unhappy with learning that Chifuyu had relied on him so heavily, as evident by his displeased expression.

"Why didn't she ask for my help?"

"Because you're too busy playing video games and reading manga all day? Besides, I'm out and about, so it's more convenient for her to ask for my help."

Ichika sagged in slight disappointment, sighing heavily. His despondent mood quickly vanished as a curious expression crossed his face.

"Speaking of which, isn't the Mondo Grosso going on this month? When is the finals airing? I want to see Chifuyu-nee in action."

"If I remember correctly, I think tonight's when the finals would be held. Chifuyu still had one more round to go before she would be crowned Brunhilde again."

Ichika looked stoked, anticipation and excitement oozing out of his very being.

"Chifuyu-nee's the strongest under the heavens. She won the first Mondo Grosso with just a sword, so she would easily win the second one. I can't wait to watch tonight's match."

All of a sudden, things went out of control. A black unmarked van sped towards them and skidded to a stop just beside them, giving the two boys a nasty shock. Instantly, a few burly men got out from the back of the van dressed in hoodies and masks. Before they could react, the men quickly snatched Ichika and threw him into the van.

"Ichik -Argh!"

Elliot reached out for his brother but he was prevented from doing so as one of the kidnappers swung a club at him, the blow violently whipped his head to the side and sending him crashing to the ground.

His attacker swiftly turned and boarded the van, leaving the stunned blonde boy behind. The squealing tires strained against the road as the vehicle sped away.

Elliot wasn't dazed much by the strike, courtesy of his enhanced constitution. He peered at the rapidly disappearing van and his mind went to overdrive, noting down details of the van such as its plate number and color.

The boy sprinted after the van, keeping up with it while keeping an eye out for someplace secluded yet wide. A nearby open-air parking lot was just perfect for his needs.

He took a quick turn and ran into the parking lot, mentally noting where the van was headed. A quick check showed no one else was present. Just perfect.

The familiar sensation of being encased head to toe in an airtight suit washed over him, the feeling comforting and reassuring. In a blink of an eye, his IS formed around him. He gunned the propulsion into full speed and resumed his chase, easily locked onto the speeding van while keeping himself at a distance as to not spook the kidnappers.

"Got to call Chifuyu. She has to know about this.'

The blonde contacted the woman through the IS comms. Instantly, the face of his stepsister appeared on the upper right corner of his materialized HUD.

"What is it, Elliot? This better be quick. I'm in the middle of preparing for a match."

"Chifuyu, Ichika's been kidnapped! Some guys rolled up and took him when we were going out for groceries. I'm currently tracking them from the air. It seems they're speeding towards the docks."

The flat expression of the woman quickly morphed into shock upon hearing the news. Her eyes widened, muddy red shone with stark fear and anxiety as her voice was laced with worry.

"Are you alright!? Is Ichika alright!?"

"Got knocked on the head by one of them but I'm alright. Listen, this can't be a coincidence. I think this has got something to do with your match. They'll probably be contacting you soon and demand that you throw the match or Ichika's a goner."

Chifuyu's face turned grim. While it looked like she was keeping her emotions bottled up, Elliot could tell that his sister was thinking about how to wreck vengeance on those who dared to harm Ichika.

"I'm heading over there now! You keep an eye on those bastards and notify me if anything changes."

"What!? No, Chifuyu! If the kidnappers knew you knew what they did they won't hesitate to kill Ichika. You forfeiting the match is exactly what they want. Besides, you're moving on to the finals, do you really want to throw this chance away?"

"Forget about the match! All I care about is my family! They think they could hurt Ichika while I'm busy fighting in a match? Fat chance!"

On the video feed, Elliot could see Chifuyu's stoic visage disappeared, replaced with a mask of hatred and fury. It was like staring at a demon that was harboring a deep hatred for humanity, the sight almost made him shook in fear within his suit.

Elliot racked his brains in hopes of finding a solution to dissuade Chifuyu. While having his stepsister here would be a good thing, he doesn't want to owe her again for saving him.

He owed her too much already, being given a life and a future he had only dreamed of. He wanted to have this chance to repay her. He immediately came up with a solution, one that would hopefully achieved his desired result. It might not work but if it does, it may guarantee his sister would stay in the match.

"Listen sis, they kidnapped Ichika so that you'll forfeit the match. You rushing to save him by throwing the match is no different from what they wanted. Plus, there's no telling if they would know you're coming and they might just kill Ichika because of it. No matter what, you have to stay in the tournament."

Chifuyu wanted to argue, but Elliot cut her off. He had to be quick if his plan was to succeed.

"Besides, if you threw the match just to save him, Ichika would feel extremely guilty for making you forfeit your title when you're so close to winning it. I'll sneak in there and get Ichika out of there. In the meantime, you focus on winning the last round."

Elliot fervently hoped that his sister would be convinced of his idea. Even though he knew it was a foolhardy plan, he really hoped it would work.

Chifuyu looked conflicted, turmoil swirled within those dark red eyes. Then she took a deep breath and sighed, her face showed both great worry and anxiety.

"Alright, we'll do it your way but you have only 40 minutes. If I don't hear from you after that time, I'm flying over there to get both of you out. Match be damned."

He blinked, surprised that his gambit worked. He schooled his features to prevent his relief from showing through the video.

"I understand. I'll do my best to get Ichika out. Can you send some help over to my position? Because I may be able to get in and get Ichika but to get out may be difficult at best."

Chifuyu nodded grimly, her face stony and focused.

"I'll get some help sent towards your location. The docks, isn't it? I hope you know what you're getting yourself into."

"I do. Give your opponent hell, Chifuyu. I'll see you soon."

The channel cut off after that. Elliot could clearly see that Ichika's kidnappers pulled up into an abandoned warehouse at the far end of the docks.

Setting down among a stack of shipping containers, Elliot dematerialized his IS and stealthily approached on foot where the van was located as shown on his HUD. Peering around the corner, he saw the kidnappers unloading the van whilst armed men brandishing firearms stood guard around the structure.

Elliot noticed a difference between the kidnappers and the guards. While the kidnappers wore normal clothing, he could see that the guards were dressed in unmarked military uniforms. Various kinds of web gear adorned their bodies, with rifles and other weapons held at the ready.

'These guys looked professional. Are they paramilitaries? PMCs?'

He tried to deduced the men's identities from the equipment they wore but couldn't came up with anything conclusive. He watched as the kidnappers disappeared into the hanger, while a small watch remained outside. The place looked well-guarded, with only one point of entry into the warehouse. It was clear there was very little chance he could get in and out undetected, much less with Ichika in tow.

Seeing as there was no way to attempt a silent rescue, he decided that he would've had to do this the hard way. Time to get his hands dirty.

A large triple barreled shotgun appeared into his hands, its weight familiar and reassuring. Elliot opened the breech, finding that it was fully loaded. A similar quick inspection on his rifle showed the same result. With his weapons checked and ready to go, he silently hoped that his training with Chifuyu was enough as he mentally prepared himself for the inevitable fight.

'Well, show time. Wish me luck...'

Hecate's form encapsulated his body once again. Hefting the rifle, he stepped out of hiding with his rifle Ultima and aimed at the kidnappers' van, right where the engine was located. The pressure on the trigger peaked, then it broke.

A thundering report echoed in the surrounding urban landscape, followed by an ear shattering boom as the van exploded, thick smoke covering the wrecked transport. Several of the armed men were surprised by the sudden explosion, with a few unfortunate enough to stand close to the van when it went up violently. Several bodies caked with blood fell to the ground, their bodies showered with pieces of metal fragments, with a few of them having large pieces of the wreckage impaled in their torsos or head.

"Shit! What just happened!?"

"Enemy attack! Get ready boys!"

"S-shit! IS!"

Hearing the cry from one of their own and the shaky finger pointed towards him, the men swiveled their heads around as they caught sight of black machine. Without hesitating they opened fire at him, watching with dismay as rounds pinged off an invisible barrier without even a single round striking the unit.

A few of the guards were discouraged by the mere sight of the machine. They dropped their guns and rushed into the building, closing the large door behind them. The rest that didn't escaped in time never stood a chance as a series of ear-deafening gunshots rang out and turned them into mush, cut down in a hailstorm of steel pellets from the IS.

Elliot tried hard not to gag at the sight of normal humans being dismembered and turned to bloody chunks as he fired his shotgun. The sight of blood and dismembered corpses strewn about on the pavement almost made him puke. Elliot's hand trembled, his gaze landed on the shotgun he held in his hand as he realized what he had done.

He had killed his first humans. The guilt that flared up at the moment brought forward a bout of self-loathing at his action and his nature, threatened to overwhelm him until he resorted to view things from a logical perspective.

When it all boils down to the crux of the moment, it was either him or them. With his family on the line, he had his choices already made for him in that difficult situation. He'd never let anyone harm his family, even if he had to spill blood to protect them. But that did little to comfort him at that moment.

The realization that he killed his first humans made him felt sick of himself. Even when he was living on the streets, he'd never taken a life. Knowing that they would do the same to him didn't made his own guilt any less tolerable.

'Is this why ISs are so feared? A normal human facing one wouldn't even stand a chance in hell.'

The boy tried hard not to look at the remains of the dead kidnappers in various states of dismemberment. Taking ahold of his runaway emotions, he checked the clock in his HUD. 36 minutes left. The clock was ticking and he'd better made sure that Ichika was out before time ran out.

Shaking his head, he pushed down the self-revulsion and guilt as he focused back on the task at hand. Rushing over to the large door, he stabbed his hands into the thin metal, ripping open a hole large enough for him to enter.

Upon entering, an array of various weapons greeted him. The men behind the wall of weapons immediately opened fire, raining lead onto him. Some had even broke out launchers, adding into the maelstrom of steel with grenades and rocket fire.

Elliot gritted his teeth as hellfire rained on him. While conventional firearms posed no threat to an IS, it still presented an obstacle from reaching Ichika. Left without a choice but to take more lives, he flourished his guns and started firing into the masses of men.

The black IS turned into a maelstrom of death as Elliot rained attacks on the helpless men. His fists, feet and guns turned into lethal weapons as he thought of nothing but on getting past the wall of men determined to stop him.

The wide expanse of the entrance space quickly turned into a grisly scene of a horrific one-sided massacre. Crimson liquid sprayed out, splashing onto the sides of freight containers and onto the floor in macabre fashion like a mad artist flinging paint onto blank canvas. Scores of armed men were cut down by the lone IS, their lives instantly snuffed out by the lone machine. Those that escaped the carnage ran deeper into the maze of containers, the sounds of gunshots and the terrifying agonized screams of their surviving comrades echoed throughout the interior of the building, haunting their escape like ghosts.

Elliot seized a surviving man and slammed him into one of the containers, being careful not to exert too much force. Coldly he ground out in anger as he interrogated the stunned man.

"Where is the kidnapped boy? Tell me."

The man shivered in fear, pointing a shaky finger towards the deeper part of the warehouse.

"H-he's taken farther into the warehouse, into one of the side storage units. Please don't hurt me!"

Elliot unceremoniously tossed the man aside and rushed through the narrow passage leading into the warehouse. Along the way, many more men shot at him from various directions, with some taking positions on top of containers and using explosives on him.

Elliot didn't know how many men he killed at that moment. All of the seconds blended together, stretching out into an eternity as he fought his way through, every foot in the warehouse he took was paid with stiff resistance. At one point, he dimly remembered his shield had gave out during the fight, with the only protection between him and the punishing hailstorm of steel being Hecate's armor. He continued on, taking out any kidnappers that dared to stop him.

Reaching to the leftmost door in the corridor, he ripped it off its tracks only to find an empty room. Anxiously he called out towards the corridor, voice modulated and garbled by his helmet.

"Ichika! Where are you!?"

Silence greeted him. Not wasting a moment, he hurriedly went for the next door and ripped it off. Still nothing.

"Ichika, if you can hear me, respond!"

Door after door was flung or thrown open. And with each empty room Elliot's anxiety began to increase rapidly as time ticked down. He called out louder towards the empty hallway, hoping his brother could hear him.

"Ichika, do you hear me!? Where are you!?"

"Who's there!? Help! Get me out of here!"

Elliot could easily hear the frantic cry of his brother, courtesy of Hecate's Hypersensor. He homed in to a little room tucked in the end of the hallway and quickly rushed towards it, tearing the door off in a hurry.

There was Ichika, bound hand and foot sitting on the floor. The boy wasn't any worse for wear save from being disoriented and confused.

"Ichika, there you are! Hold on, I'll set you free."

Stepping over to the bound boy, he raised a finger and brought it in between the tape binding Ichika's wrists together. The sharp tipped fingers on his IS cut through the bindings like thin paper. Ichika was freed from his restraints, rubbing his sore wrists as he got up shakily.

"Thank you… Wait, who are you?"

Ichika turned to his savior. He stilled in shock as his eyes landed on the bloodstained IS, his eyes conveyed fear and awe he looked up, locking eyes with the red visor.

"Doesn't matter. I'm here to get you out. Hold on, let me make a call."

With only 19 minutes remaining, he called his sister. The window appeared in his vision, showing Chifuyu still clad in her IS. The woman held a tense expression, her worry clear to see.

"Tell me you have good news, Elliot."

"I got Ichika with me. I'm facing heavy resistance from the kidnappers. They're not an average street gang Chifuyu. Where's the reinforcements?"

Chifuyu looked relieved, though she quickly composed herself as her face assumed a serious expression.

"The Japanese government had been notified along with the Germans who offered their help. A joint task force of IS and security forces are heading to your direction now. I've sent them your location, so you should be hearing from them soon."

As if on cue, the distant sounds of IS propulsion echoed into the building. Following in its wake was the staccato chatter of gunfire that came from outside the warehouse. Elliot's brow scrunched in confusion, not knowing what to make of this development as he turned back towards Chifuyu.

"Sounds like they're here. You should get Ichika and yourself out of there. I'll meet you both once I've finished the match."

"Understood. See you soon Chifuyu."

As the line cut off, Elliot turned back towards Ichika to find the boy gaping at him. His brother was looking at him with great surprise, clearly displayed by his wide open eyes and slack jaw hanging open.

"Wait, how did you know Chifuyu-nee!?"

"She sent me to get you out. Save your questions for later, for now we must leave immediately."

"Ok. Lead the way, Ms. Pilot!"

The relieved and cheery reply from Ichika elicited mixed feelings from the armored blonde. He withheld the urge to sigh at the misunderstanding his brother held, feeling it was pointless at the current moment. Since he was covered head to toe in the IS, Ichika had assumed that his savior was a woman. A reasonable assumption to make for anyone in today's age but one that irked him nonetheless.

Without another word, Elliot gestured his brother to hurry alongside him. Both boys made their way out of the warehouse, the noise of an ongoing firefight can be clearly heard from the outside as the task force was engaged with the remainder of the kidnappers.

Along the way, the two brothers found very little resistance. Most of the surviving hostiles opted to stay away from the bloodstained IS and the young boy to fight the task force outside. A few foolhardy souls that did remained met their end on the business end of Elliot's weapons.

The hybrid on a few occasions had thrown himself into harm's way to protect Ichika, shielding him from bullets and shrapnel that were directed at both of them. Elliot was never more thankful that Hecate had armor, as he ensured his brother was unscathed while he returned fire.

Eventually they reached the entrance. Just as they reached the large open space in front of the doorway, Ichika let out a frightened gasp.

"T-This-!"

The sight of Elliot's previous handiwork made Ichika recoiled in fright. He cowered by the passageway, unable to continue on as he buried his head in his hands. Whimpers came out of him as his body shook like a leaf.

Seeing his brother huddled into a ball and rooted on the spot in fear, Elliot now agonized over how to get him out. Time was running out and there was no time to do this subtly. What he did next was what he felt natural at the moment.

"Come on Ichika, close your eyes and don't look. I'll carry you out."

"Ok..."

Elliot gathered the trembling boy into his arms, cradling him like a newborn child. Even he struggled to ignore the sight of the carnage he wrought as he walked past it. Slowly, step by step he took until he walked out of the warehouse and away from the scene.

Only to find himself staring at a bristling array of weapons trained at him. A wall of soldiers and IS units kept their weapons trained squarely at him, waiting for any pretense to unleash hell on him.

"Freeze! You in the IS, dematerialize your unit and put down the boy! Hands where I can see them!"

"Hold your fire! That's the HVT and the friendly unit we're here for!"

Upon that order, the weapons lowered yet the soldiers kept a cautious attitude towards him, gazing warily at the black IS caked in streaks of dried scarlet.

Turning towards his brother, Elliot could see that he still was curled up in his arms, his eyes kept shut. Elliot gently shook his arms, jostling the boy.

"Ichika? We're out of there already. You can open your eyes now."

Ichika hesitantly craned his neck around and tentatively cracked open his eyes. Once he found that he was out and away from the macabre scene he opened his eyes. Realizing he was out, he turned back towards him.

"You can let me down now, Ms. Pilot. Thank you."

Elliot nodded, bending his knees as he lowered himself. He let go of Ichika who stood by him, gazing at him with a sparkle in his eyes.

A small group of soldiers wearing two different sets of uniforms approached the IS and boy duo. Elliot could see both the Japanese and German flag patches adorned their uniforms, which gave evidence as to their identity. One of the lead soldiers addressed Ichika while the rest kept a wary watch over him.

'So, this must be the task force Chifuyu mentioned. Their timing was impeccable.'

"You must be Orimura Ichika. Miss Orimura has ordered us to bring you to her. if you would please follow us."

"Wait, what about her? She saved me! What are you going to do to her?"

"That pilot will come with us. Miss Orimura would also like to meet them."

The odd pair left the port under heavy guard, escorted by a heavy contingent of military ISs and soldiers as they made for their destination. Ichika rode in an armored car, flanked by two Japanese soldiers. Elliot on the other hand flew with the IS units, with the pilots from both nations keeping him square in their sights.

Along the way, Elliot's mind was in another place entirely. With the battle concluded and his adrenaline fading, his mind swirled with countless thoughts on what happened just now, various scenes from the rescue attempt flashed before his very eyes.

'All those men, hardened fighters with powerful weapons, just snuffed out like that because I had an IS fused to my body. Is this why women today get so arrogant, just because they knew they had the possibility to pilot a WMD?'

The scene of the massacre flashed back into his mind. Feeling nauseous of himself, Elliot kept telling himself that it was between him and them, that there was no other choice in the matter. Ichika or he would've been killed if he did nothing. Even then, it didn't assuage the guilt and fear that plagued him.

Guilt of taking so many lives so effortlessly. Fear of his own nature and the power he was capable of wielding through the war machine that was inherently part of him. Knowing that he couldn't talk to anyone about it really made him felt despondent. It made him felt alone, truly alone in a world full of hostiles.

Hoping to distract himself from such dark and dejecting thoughts, Elliot opted to focus on trying to deduce the kidnappers and their motives. From his observations, he deduced several things about the whole incident.

'They looked very experienced and well equipped, on top of having so many men. This doesn't look like a rush job. Someone had planned this for quite some time, knowing that Chifuyu would advance into the final round and tried to stop her by using Ichika as leverage. But why? What would they gain by making Chifuyu forfeit the match?'

Such were the thoughts that plagued the hybrid. His mind worked to make sense of the whole situation but without a lot of information he couldn't come to a conclusion. Thus, he was forced to stop his deduction, opting to shelving it for another time.

The long journey soon came to an end as the armed convoy arrived at their destination. Elliot found that they had arrived at the arena where the Mondo Grosso was being held. Elliot quickly rejoined the armed entourage behind Ichika, still clad in his IS. It seemed that his brother also shared his confusion at where they ended up as he turned to one of the soldiers, looking at the man with curious eyes.

"Um, why are we here?"

"Miss Orimura wanted us to retrieve you and have you sent to her, safe and sound. The pilot whom saved you was sent by her to save you. You've got a sister who cared for you deeply, kid."

"Chifuyu-nee…"

Tears threatened to fall out Ichika's eyes. Elliot could see that he was trying to hold it in but failed. A single tear rolled down his cheek, splashing onto the paved ground.

The boy suddenly jerked straight and turned towards the soldier in front of him. A frantic look was etched into his youthful face as he grabbed the soldier, demanding for answers.

"Wait! My stepbrother! When they took me, my brother Elliot was with me. Where is he now!?"

"Umm…I don't know whom you are talking about but I'm sure Miss Orimura know what happened or at least she knows what to do next. So, save your questions for her."

Witnessing Ichika being this concerned with his wellbeing comforted the masked hybrid. Elliot was touched to know that his stepbrother cared for him so much. Not that his care was ever put into question.

As much as he wanted to come clean and tell Ichika not to worry, doing so would mean spilling his secret. Chifuyu had warned him explicitly the consequences of doing so, especially about his condition, so Elliot kept quiet beside his worried brother.

Both of them were led to one of the side entrances leading to the IS maintenance bay, flanked by both soldiers and pilots alike. They arrived at a wide room where technicians were busy working on ISs and pilots gathered to check on their units.

The sight of heavily armed men and pilots accompanying a young boy, his clothes stained with patches of red and a black bloodstained IS drew everyone's attention. Concerned murmurs and anxious whispers can be heard as pilots commented about the black IS that walked among the crowd, with many keeping a fair distance away from the group.

The entourage arrived at one corner of the bay, where a familiar black-haired woman stood anxiously amongst some men dressed in formal military uniforms. The lead soldier in their group stood straight and saluted, calling out in a loud voice.

"Miss Orimura! Your brother, along with the pilot have been retrieved, safe and sound!"

Their sister whipped her head around. As soon as she laid eyes on Ichika, her anxious face melted away, replaced with relief and great concern. She rushed towards the boys and pulled Ichika close to her, looking over him head to toe in concern.

"Ichika! Thank goodness you are safe! Are you alright!? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I'm fine Chifuyu-nee. But Elliot, he was struck and left behind. We must find him!"

"Don't worry. It's because of him that I knew that you were kidnapped. I told him to go home and rest, since he got hit on his head and was feeling unwell."

Chifuyu threw her arms around her younger brother, burying her face into his shoulder. Soft sobs escaped out of the woman's lips as she wept in relief, hugging Ichika as if he would disappear.

"I'm sorry, Ichika. This was my fault."

Ichika flustered, having felt his sister's bosom through the skin tight suit. He returned the embrace, putting his arms around her. Both siblings enjoyed that momentary peace, glad to be together and safe. Then Ichika suddenly pulled away from the embrace, looking very excited.

"Chifuyu-nee, I got out because I was saved by that IS Pilot who broke in and shielded me from bad guys. She was so cool and brave! Is this what's it's like to be an IS Pilot just like you!?"

Chifuyu peered up at the black unit, locking her gaze at the red visor. This impromptu staring contest went for a while, both sides not taking their eyes off of each other.

Much to the surprise of everyone present there, Chifuyu bowed deeply towards the IS, her voice filled with reverence and gratitude as she conveyed her thanks to the pilot.

"Thank you very much for your help. If not for you, I would have lost my brother. Because of you, not only do I have my brother back safe but I am also able to win the Mondo Grosso for the second time. You have my eternal gratitude."

Silence settled around the assembled group, with no one able to comprehend what had just happened. All eyes were fixated on the surreal sight of Chifuyu bowing towards him, with Ichika grasped in her arms.

As everybody's minds caught up with the occurrence, a wave of feverish whispering and murmurs erupted throughout the bay. Those who witnessed the scene first hand gossiped heatedly with each other, while those who didn't began to join the assembled crowd to find out what the fuss was.

Elliot was taken aback by the gesture. Being in Japan for this long, he had picked up the culture of the people and he knew that what Chifuyu had said was genuine. He just never expected a gesture so grand from the stoic woman.

Not knowing what to do, he opted to give a simple nod of his head towards his sister. He didn't trust his own voice not to say something stupid right now.

As they say, when in doubt, silence is golden.

'Guess now I know how important Ichika is to Chifuyu. No surprises, they're siblings sharing the same blood.'

Straightening out from her bow, Chifuyu returned to Ichika's side and held his hand.

"Come Ichika, let's wrap this up and go home."

Both siblings left to prepare for the award giving ceremony. Before they left the bay, Chifuyu glanced back at the black IS she knew well and nodded solemnly, a silent message of approval. Ichika waved cheerfully at his saviour, his young face conveyed slight reluctance and some joy as they departed.

"Bye, Ms. Pilot!"

Elliot returned a small nod towards Ichika. Without any words, he turned and exited the stadium to head home. The crowd of soldiers and other people within the bay parted, letting him go without any resistance.

On that night, 2 legends were born. One of them that the whole world knew and held in great regard.

The birth of the world's first 2-time consecutive champion of the Mondo Grosso Chifuyu Orimura, whom the media christened as 'The Infernal Empress' due to her all-out, merciless bout that resulted in a swift victory and a terribly defeated Italian representative with a broken machine. Many held her in great reverence, especially female supremacists whom regarded her as the symbol of female superiority, the sign of women triumphing over an oppressive hierarchy of the past age.

Beyond the hotly discussed topic, there was a new legend born in the shadow of the Infernal Empress, passed around in hushed whispers amongst the IS community and the government circles, spoken with equal parts of utter fear and morbid curiosity.

A black IS, battle-scarred and stained with dried blood. A mysterious pilot encased within a full body unit whom the newly christened Infernal Empress owed a great debt of gratitude for saving her younger sibling. Many that night wondered incessantly about the identity of said pilot, the only person whom the Empress would bow down to and acknowledged as her equal if not her better.

For the jarring appearance of that IS, many pilots in Japan had come to call the black IS as 'The Shinigami', owing to its menacing silhouette and battle worn state. It became an urban legend, just like the White Knight that heralded the modern age.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2: Welcome to the ISA.

2 years later…

The twittering chirp of birds filled his ears as Elliot prepared himself for the upcoming high school entrance exam. A sliver of golden ray entered through the window as the sun rose in the horizon, spilling through the blinds and bathing the empty house in a contrast of light and shadow.

Checking himself at a nearby mirror, he was happy to see that his appearance was well put together. Today was the big day where their next few years would be decided.

Elliot's eyes turned towards the clock on the wall to find that it was 6:19 AM. Being an early riser he had gotten up early to prepare breakfast and clean the house a bit before leaving with Ichika.

Only problem was that he had done all of his chores 47 minutes ago and Ichika was still sleeping away the morning. They had to be early to be admitted into the examination venue and with how things were going right now they were not going to make it in time. Already the breakfast sitting on the table was getting cold and that was making Elliot very annoyed. Unable to contain his annoyance, he turned towards the staircase and bellowed at the top of his lungs.

"ICHIKA, WAKE UP DAMMIT! We're not going to get there in time if you don't get up right now!"

Silence greeted the ticked off blonde. Angrily he huffed and stomped up the stairs, not making an effort to be quiet.

'Since that damned kidnapping, Ichika's been quite a lazy bum. This is making Chifuyu's task a lot harder than expected.'

Elliot recalled that unpleasant time from memory. Since Chifuyu had enlisted the Germans on top of the Japanese Government for help, she had to repay both parties for the favors she owed them. Hence when the family was settled in another city, Chifuyu had to leave the two of them behind for Germany to repay her debt for a year. After that she disappeared, rarely coming back home except on long holidays and their birthdays.

During her absence, he was tasked with taking care of Ichika on top of ensuring his safety. But it seems that Ichika blamed himself for almost costing his sister the title of Mondo Grosso Champion. Since they moved to a new place and a new school, the boy had adopted a laid-back attitude by barely putting in work in his academics and extracurricular activities, becoming just another mediocre and average guy. This made for a very taxing time in taking care of himself and Ichika on top of keeping the house in order.

Combined with his schoolwork and part time job, it ate up what little free time he had. It had been almost 2 years since he last piloted Hecate but his current schedule and the infamy associated with his IS made him missed those times under Chifuyu's instruction.

The only consolation that came out of that incident was that Ichika became very keen on the IS in general, especially any news related to that community. When Elliot questioned him as to why, he told him that he wanted to find out the identity of the pilot that rescued him and wanted to learn how to be courageous and noble as she was. The answer was enough to made him turn quiet out of mortification.

Elliot realized that Ichika had came to idolize his savior. The ironic part was that Ichika didn't realized that he was literally worshipping his own brother, not that he could correct him on this mistake. So Elliot was left with no choice but to leave this matter be, hoping that Ichika would eventually grew out of his fawning admiration for his hero.

Because of that incident, Chifuyu retired from the IS competition circuit. It was her fame that brought danger to her family, with the potential of revealing Elliot's secret to the world. The woman removed herself from the spotlight, opting to forego all the fame and wealth that came with her title as Mondo Grosso champion.

Not that it affected them much. Being the world's first 2-time consecutive champion of Mondo Grosso, her sudden disappearance only added to her newfound status as a living legend. Being concerned about their safety, Chifuyu used her fame to open some doors to relocate them to a new place. Her fame ensured that their odd little family was able to settle into their new surroundings with plenty of comfort, being wanting for nothing.

Approaching the boy's room, Elliot threw open the door harshly. The loud crash from the door didn't even stirred the boy awake. The sight of the slumbering boy sleeping the morning away further added to Elliot's annoyance.

Huffing at the sight, he stepped up onto Ichika's bed and removed the blanket draped over the boy and proceeded to roll the boy off his bed. Ichika tipped precariously over the edge before he crashed onto the floor with a yelp, glaring balefully at the blonde from the floor upon his rude awakening.

"What the hell Elliot!? This again!?"

"About time you wake up. Come on, get your breakfast and get dressed. We're leaving for the exam."

Ichika looked reluctant, wishing he could went back to sleep as he groggily got up.

"Man... I don't want to go."

"Fine, don't go then. I'm not the one who won't have a high school to go or telling Chifuyu the news."

The mere mention of Chifuyu made Ichika took a 180 turn to his attitude. The lethargy from sleep instantly disappeared as he hastily got up from the floor, shambling towards his wardrobe.

"Right, let me brush my teeth then I'll join you for breakfast."

Ichika grabbed his uniform and disappeared towards the bathroom, while Elliot headed back to the kitchen to clean up the dirty dishes still piled up in the kitchen sink.

After breakfast, both boys headed for the school where the exams would be held. Elliot huffed silently as he thought about the day.

'Another day, another grind.'

The constant academic toil was a real far cry to his old life. While he was grateful that he didn't have to commit crimes anymore to survive, it was still exhausting to have to go to school in the morning and work in the afternoons.

'At least it's just another normal day, I can't complain about this. Sure beats constantly worrying about your next meal and where to sleep. Hopefully it's another quiet day.'

Sometime later….

Elliot bit back the urge to vent his aggravation at his brother. The corridors looked all the same to them for the past 15 minutes, trying hard but in vain to look for the examination venue within the school building. Ichika was looking around nervously, trying to locate the room and occasionally checking the slip of paper he was given. At this rate, they were going to run out of time.

"I'm sure it's here. Let me check the map again."

Unable to contain his aggravation, Elliot couldn't resist from raising his voice at Ichika.

"For God sake's Ichika, this is the 3rd time already! Do you really know where to go!?"

"Hey, don't yell at me! I've followed the directions clearly!"

"You're famous for being directionally challenged! The last time you went out alone for groceries, you lost the way home! Chifuyu was so worried that she almost stormed out the house in her IS to try and look for you. Only I found you later because you happened to wander close to the post office and we got lucky!"

"And now we're late for the admittance process. You waking up late just made things worse!"

"Alright, stop! How about we try one of these doors! With luck, we'll find the place or at least someone who knew where to go!"

Ichika punctuated his point by stabbing his finger at the opposite direction of the intersection they were located in. A row of doors greeted them down a long corridor.

Elliot threw his hands up in exasperation, his patience already gone. At this point, he really didn't care for much.

"Fine! Do what you want!"

The annoyed blonde followed behind Ichika as he blindly picked a door and opened it. A dark room greeted both boys along with the musty smell of dust. Elliot scrunched his face in displeasure, trying to block the odor that assaulted his nostrils. He had his fair share of that scent in his childhood to last him a lifetime and the smell was bringing back memories, memories that he wished he could left behind him.

The blonde fumbled for the light switch and instantly bright fluorescent lighting flooded the room. Rows of shelves containing boxes of various sizes filled the large room. The two boys surveyed the room, taking in its disorderly state.

"I don't think this is the place we're supposed to be..."

"Yeah no shit, Sherlock."

"Hey Elliot, take a look at this! Are these ISs!?"

Ichika's cry drew him out of his cursory examination as Elliot trudged over to see what attracted Ichika's attention. It must be nothing but it didn't hurt to check just in case.

True enough, there were two ISs sitting in storage mode at the far corner of the room. Ichika stood in front of them, amazed at the sight of the two machines.

"Look at this, a pair of Uchiganes. Looks like the latest Mark 2 models."

"Seems like it. What are they doing h-Ow!"

Elliot quickly withdrew his right arm as a sharp, stinging pain flared from the offending hand. Instinctively he checked his hand, finding little globes of vermillion weeping out of a long thin gash in the center of his palm.

His cry made Ichika peel his eyes away from the ISs. The boy hurried back towards him with a concerned expression.

"What's wrong?"

The blonde hissed in pain, glaring at the offending wound that wept blood.

"I think I've cut myself. These metal shelves have some really sharp edges."

"Let me see."

Making sure not to touch the wound, Ichika grasped his hand and carefully examined his wound. By now the wound had started to weep healthily, forming a small pool in the center of the blonde's hand.

"It looks quite big. We need to find a nurse to help."

"Don't worry about me. I'll live. I'll just bandage it with my handkerchief."

"Are you sure? That looks like it would hurt."

"You should see what I had to went through on the streets. This is nothing in comparison."

Elliot pulled his arm away, his other hand reached into his pocket to pull out a bandanna which he folded into a thick strip and proceeded to dress his wound with it. Ichika lent a hand by tying the improvised bandage tightly, making sure it wouldn't came undone.

Elliot looked at the knot behind his palm, a bit impressed by Ichika's skill. It would've been passed as a professional's work if not for the makeshift dressing.

'Not that it matters. Chances are it'll heal up very quickly, just like all the times before since being alive again.'

With his wound taken care of, Elliot turned his attention back onto the two ISs, his mind resumed pondering on the pressing matter in front of him.

"More importantly, why are there ISs here? Why are they stored here?"

While he was pondering the presence of the ISs, he noticed Ichika approaching the machines with a hand outstretched in front of him. He grabbed hold of Ichika's shoulder, stopping him from approaching them.

"Wait, what're you doing?"

"I'm going to just touch it, see it up close for myself."

"Don't. We're not supposed to be in here. If anyone finds out we're here and messed with those machines, we might get into trouble. Let's leave and try to find that exam room."

"C'mon, it's not like anything's going to happen. Remember, ISs don't respond to us guys."

'If you only knew the truth. And the last time you've said nothing happens we've gotten into quite a lot of trouble.'

Shaking off his grip, Ichika slowly approached the crouched ISs with his arm outstretched. Elliot watched on pensively, hoping nothing would go wrong. Then, Ichika's hand touched the cool surface of the machine.

Instantly, green lines glowed from the unit's surface, spreading from the spot where the boy's hand laid upon it and covered the entire unit. Then a bright light engulfed the entire room. Elliot grunted out in discomfort as he shielded his eyes from the blinding glare. After a moment later, the light subsided and disappeared altogether. The hybrid cautiously lowered his arm, looking towards where the light source previously was.

What he saw made him shocked. Ichika was encased within the IS unit, the suit fitting him like a large samurai armor. The boy himself was surprised at the unexpected turn of events as he gaped at his state, holding on to the large katana in his arms.

'No way!? Ichika's a guy compatible with the IS? Talk about a major jinx!'

Ichika quickly recovered from his surprise, excitement and glee clearly written on his face as he cheered at his discovery.

"Look, Elliot! I can pilot an IS! I can pilot an IS! Now I can finally be an IS pilot just like Ms. Pilot all those years ago!"

"Settle down, Ichika. Let's get out of here before we're found out. Can you get down from it?"

Ichika had a look of concentration as Elliot waited patiently for him to get down from the Uchigane. But after a moment, the boy in the IS still did nothing. The IS clad boy held a confused expression as he turned towards Elliot.

"Um... how do you get down from an IS?"

Elliot facepalmed at his innocent question. Being physically fused to his IS, he'd never thought about the process of dismounting from a mass-produced unit. The difference of disembarking from a personal unit and a mass produced one was a fact that had escaped his attention until now.

'Of course... Just because that he was enthusiastic about ISs does not mean he knew how to pilot one. How am I going to get him out of that thing without making him suspicious of my knowledge?'

Now he had to figure out a way to help Ichika without drawing suspicion as to how he knew such things. Males didn't have a reason to learn how to pilot an IS after all, so him knowing anything specific about piloting them would immediately roused suspicion. He settled for cloaking his advice as an honest suggestion.

"Well, from what I've read and heard from Chifuyu, a mass-produced unit doesn't go into a closed form like a personal unit. I think that the process to dismount was with a mental command... something like imagining yourself getting off of it? Try it out."

"Ok…here goes."

Ichika attempted to dismount from the IS. The machine lowered itself before it shuddered violently, making both boys froze in shock. A tense moment passed before both boys relaxed, thinking it was a mishap on Ichika's part.

Suddenly Ichika's unit began to seize up, joint servos screeching with a jarring pitch. The machine then exploded into a whirlwind of activity as it began to flail its arms around and moving erratically, dashing around and smashing into the shelves and walls.

Elliot jumped to the side, narrowly avoided being turned into human paste as the machine crashed into a wall. But he didn't dodge far enough before the machine's arm clipped him and sent him hurling towards the 2nd unit, slamming his shoulder harshly into the inactivated unit.

"Ow! Hey watch it, Ichika!"

"I'm sorry but I can't stop it! I think it's broken!"

Just as suddenly as it went haywire, the machine then abruptly stopped. Both boys waited for a moment, hoping that was the end of that.

A familiar whirring noise began filling the room, a dull thrumming hum that got increasingly louder as seconds passed. It was a noise that Elliot knew all too well, something that they both didn't need at this moment.

'Uh oh... this isn't good.'

Without warning, a loud whirr erupted followed by a loud crash as the room was blanketed with a thick cloud of dust. Elliot's own arms shot up to protect his face from the sudden explosion, shielding his eyes from the flying debris. Hacking from the dust, Elliot covered his face as he surveyed the room looking for his brother.

Only to find to his chagrin that Ichika was gone. The blonde could see that the IS had rocketed out of the room, smashing a large hole through the wall and taking the door with it. What remains of the catastrophe was large chunks of concrete and a deformed metal door scattered in the corridor, along with a severely trashed room blanketed by a thick cloud of dust.

"Elliot, help me!"

The boy's cry can be heard through the hallway, along with it the sounds of concrete being smashed and the sound of IS propulsion firing erratically. The sound rapidly tapered off, a sign that his brother was getting farther away.

Panic gripped the unflappable blonde, his mind went into overdrive as he pondered on solutions. He knew Ichika knew nothing about IS piloting and with him being on a malfunctioning IS, letting him run loose was bound to cause severe damage to the school. Now he must stop Ichika's IS before he wrecked the whole place or worse got someone killed.

But herein lied the first problem. The only means to stop an IS would be with another IS but he was hesitant on using Hecate to do so, since his IS was infamous for being the Shinigami. Going out like that would inevitably cause a whole set of problems he didn't want to deal with.

Turning towards the remaining unit, a sudden thought struck him. If he was compatible with Hecate, would that same thing applied to mass produced ISs? There was only one way to find out.

Elliot swiftly mounted the crouched unit. The unit glowed dimly, its parts shifted to fit themselves to his body. He tested moving the machine and thankfully it seemed to work well. He stood up, piloting an IS for the first time again in 2 years.

'Ichika, hold on! I'm coming to save you!'

Elliot flew out the room, following the trail of destruction left behind by his brother's unit.

Hecate

Hecate fumed in silence, her matrixes filled her with a complicated emotion she now knew was jealousy as she tried to compute the reasoning of her master's action.

For 2 years he had not even used her form and yet for the first time in years, he opted to use some inferior model even when he had her. Her master's actions did not appear to make much logical sense to her.

If one possessed a superior means to achieve their goals, should not they default to said means and not resort to an inferior alternative? She cannot understood just why he would commit such a logical fallacy in lieu of the most obvious solution.

Due to his still recovering body, she was unable to form a solid connection to his mind. This had left her unable to clearly discern his thoughts and format herself to better suit his biomechanics.

This was not a particularly optimal scenario. Estimates formed that it would take at least another 3 months before his physical condition would reach optimal levels for mental linking. Even then, she was hesitant on forming anything but a superficial link to his CNS at the current moment that only allowed shallow glimpses into his mind. Without the ability to improve herself radically, she would not be capable of better serving her master. The enormous gap between herself and her fellow sisters was proof that completing the mental link was top priority to kickstart evolution protocols.

And for such a long time sitting disused, she was forced to sacrifice parts of herself for materials to continue augmenting his body and healing old injuries. Her master's health was rather poor to begin with and his 'death' didn't help matters much, so for the past few years she had dedicated herself in optimizing his health with the aid of the EVOLVE system.

Relegating that thought process into the background, she focused on finding out the cause for one of her sisters going haywire. After analyzing the data gathered from her master's senses and his body, she concluded that the injury he suffered minutes ago allowed nanites to leak out and transferred through close contact to his brother, whom mounted the Uchigane and causing said nanomachines to harm the IS by interfering with its sensitive electronics.

While said nanites were harmless within her master's body, she theorized that the large amount of metallic elements and nano sized transmitters embedded within the nanites would disrupt electronics in large quantities, not excluding an IS. Such qualities were possibly conducive for the application as a defensive function to disrupt electronic waves and nearby electronics. Hecate logged that information for further exploration and development at a later date.

On to another matter. She had noticed that the core embedded within her master gave out increased energy readings upon contacting the Uchigane. It was decided that such an anomaly must be explored thoroughly to discover whether such occurrences would present a problem for her master. Perhaps then it would also open an opportunity to further spur her own evolution if such a promise existed.

With those two matters settled, she turned towards her ongoing project. Recently she had been experimenting with a method to store surplus nanites for emergency usage. While the EVOLVE module can produce great amounts of nanites, the process required significant amounts of power that forced her to divert power from other systems. A logical conclusion would be to have some surplus put back in the event she could not ramp up nanite production or unable to divert power to the module.

With numerous tasks at hand that required her active management, Hecate focused her attention to finish such tasks. There was no time to stay idle. For if she wanted to serve her master well, she must do her utmost to provide him the tools and arsenal necessary to achieve his goals.

At the same time, she kept monitoring the developing situation through data streaming in their link. It appeared that he had intercepted the haywire IS and was currently attacking it. Most logical conclusion would be that he was attempting to disable the IS by initiating its Absolute Defense system. A smart, albeit risky solution but one that clearly demonstrated the defining characteristic of her master's mental paradigm that she had observed over the past few years.

Hecate watched intently, eager to find out what would unfold from this unexpected occurrence.

A loud bang resounded throughout the crowded courtyard as Elliot rammed into Ichika, sending him well away from the school building. The noise of a forming crowd was drowned out by the sound of two ISs fighting each other as the two machines were entangled with each other.

Elliot had tried whatever means for the last few minutes to extricate his brother out of the malfunctioning unit but to no avail. Recalling his spars with Chifuyu, he was left with the only choice of forcing the machine to shut down by triggering its Absolute Defense system. Hence he had taken to bashing Ichika's unit with his fists for the past few minutes in an attempt to drain the shields and force a shutdown.

Being on the receiving end of the sudden assault, Ichika could only panickily yell in utter confusion. His shouts were amplified by the Uchigane's Hypersensor, making it sounded like someone was yelling at the top of their lungs right at his ear.

"Elliot! Stop! Stop! What're you doing!?"

"Getting you out! Stop yelling already, you're making my ears hurt!"

"How's hitting me got anything to do with getting me out!?"

"Don't you know!? ISs have a protection system known as the Absolute Defense system! When it detects danger that could harm the pilot, it draws power to its shield to mitigate the damage in exchange of power! If the damage is too great for the shields to take, the IS will divert all power to the Absolute Defense to dissipate the damage but at the cost of shutting down the machine! That's why we must get the shield energy down on your machine!"

"So, how are we going to do that?"

"What do you think I'm doing now!? I told you we should've left these machines alone but did you listen!?"

"Hey, how am I supposed to know this was going to happen!?"

"Then why did you go and touch it then!?"

The boys argued back and forth while Elliot repeatedly struck his armored fist against Ichika's Uchigane, who could do nothing except taking the full brunt of the blonde's assault. This one sided beatdown had been going on for the past few minutes and Elliot was starting to get annoyed that it was taking too long.

"Come on, break damn you!"

The sound of glass shattering following the squeaking of metal showed that the Absolute Defense system on Ichika's unit had been triggered. True enough, the boy can't move an inch in the now static unit as it locked in place. The various sections on the machine loosened itself from Ichika, allowing him to get off the machine. He looked badly shaken but thankfully unscathed. Elliot sighed in relief, glad that the debacle was over.

'What a relief. Time to end this.'

The blonde simply dismounted from his Uchigane and rushed towards his brother. A hand was offered to the stricken boy who accepted it gladly, pulling him up on his feet.

"Whew... Thanks Elliot."

Being shaken from his harrowing experience, Ichika didn't expect the smack at the back of his head as he was helped up to his feet. Looking towards his assailant, he found Elliot giving him a peeved look.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"That's for not listening to my advice. You could've demolished the whole school or killed someone if I hadn't come and pulled you out of that thing."

"I've learned my lesson. Let's not do that again."

Elliot let his gaze wandered the courtyard, taking in the destruction their accident has caused in utter dismay. Suffice to say the damage was rather extensive, with chunks of concrete taken out of walls, destroyed trees and gouged earth littered the scene, irrefutable evidence of their unexpected mishap.

"Man... Chifuyu's going to kill us if she hears about this."

Ichika could only shuddered in fear. Knowing his sister's temperament, the punishment that would soon follow both of them would be very painful to say the least.

They turned back to see in time the IS they both piloted sparked and tilted, then crashed to the ground in a pile of metal. Sparks of electricity along with black plumes of smoke erupted from the machines, showing that they were inoperable and ruined.

Elliot looked at the ruined ISs with horror, realizing just how much trouble they both were in. The sight of a group of women in black suits approaching them out the corner of his eye told him enough. Only one thought crossed the hybrid's mind at the moment as he watched the ladies approached them.

'We're screwed... We're royally screwed.'

The two brothers were escorted away by government agents as they cordoned off the school in an obvious attempt at information lockdown to prevent the spread of news about the two of them.

Not that it mattered, since he knew that the news has already spread far and wide thanks to the gathered crowd in the school. Upon arriving at their destination, a crowd had already gathered around them as their escorts ushered their way into a building, bombarding them with questions about their newfound identity as male IS pilots.

They were both herded into a room, where they found to their surprise their sister glaring at both of them with an annoyed expression.

"C-Chifuyu-nee!"

Ichika yelped out in fright. The woman stormed up towards them and landed her fists on both of their heads.

"Urgh!"

"Youch!"

"You idiots. I told you to get to school to take your exams, yet somehow you both managed to found ISs in a boy's school and proceeded to wreck the place. What's more impressive was that both of you managed to total the ISs you piloted, so much so that they're now only good as scrap. Can't you both stay out of trouble for once?"

Both boys didn't say anything. They were too busy trying to alleviate the pain from Chifuyu's fist. That gave the irate woman the chance to continue her rant.

"Moreover, I only found out about this when someone rushed to me with the live feed of both of you fighting in the ISs. You two almost gave me a heart attack with that stunt you've pulled. Thanks to you two, the school was severely damaged and the government had to reimburse the school authorities for the damages. On top of that, there had been calls coming from various organizations and governments to have you two handed over for experimentation. So, is there anything to say for both of yourselves?"

Both boys craned their necks to look at each other. Then they turned back to their sister and shook their heads vigorously, wisely refraining from saying anything.

"Elliot! You're supposed to keep both of you out of trouble not add to it. I'll admit, the fact that you knew about using the Absolute Defense system to disable the IS was quite ingenious but that doesn't excuse the fact that all of this could've been prevented had you been the one to guide both of you to the correct location."

The woman turned towards Ichika, whom was shivering in fright under the stern gaze Chifuyu levied on him.

"Ichika, you should've left anything related to direction and navigation to Elliot. I've heard from Elliot how lazy you are and the trouble he had to go through to keep you decent. You should've listened to his advice and stop being so careless and lazy."

Ichika drooped his head in shame, feeling very guilty for adding more onto Chifuyu's plate.

"Sorry Chifuyu-nee..."

Chifuyu split her gaze between the two boys scrutinizing their faces, then she sighed as she held her head in her hand.

"Thanks to your little stunt, I had to pull some strings to get you two admitted into the IS Academy for your safety. I'll get you two into the academy within these few months. In the meantime, you two better get ready to study in a boarding school."

"H-huh? What are you talking about, Chifuyu-nee?"

"Ichika, Chifuyu said that we're going to be studying in the prestigious IS Academy. Since we've been found to be compatible with the IS, it's very clear that we would be admitted into that place to study so that they could observe us, minus the part where they cut us open."

"I see that you're still sharp as always, Elliot. The entrance exam for the ISA would be held after one month, so you two had better start preparing for it now."

Chifuyu turned around, producing two stacks of books in each of her arms. The woman carried the thick tomes as if they weighted nothing, placing them down in front of them.

"Memorize all of these within the month and in the coming days. These books contain the knowledge compulsory for enrolling into the Academy."

Ichika's eyes bulged, looking disbelievingly at the number of thick books he had to potentially cram.

"This many thick books in 1 month!?"

Elliot only groaned, sharing in Ichika's distress.

"I say do it boys. Do I make myself clear?"

Chifuyu glared at them, daring them to voice out any dissent. Both boys were stuck in place, any dissension on their tongues died out immediately under the weight of her withering glare.

"Yes, Chifuyu." "Yes, Chifuyu-nee."

Time seemed to sped by as both boys were busy preparing for the impending entrance exam. With the exam a month away and with so much material to go over, there was not enough time for them both to fully absorb all the compulsory knowledge.

For all his interest in the IS and IS related news, Ichika was very out of depth when it came to intellectual pursuits. Many of the words and principles outlined in the books looked like Greek to him, completely incomprehensible to him. Because of this Elliot was forced to sacrifice his own time to tutor him on those subjects.

Thankfully, one of Ichika's strengths was that once he understood something he'd never forgot it. While it was time consuming to have to tutor someone else when he had to study, it was something he had long gotten used to since he entered into the family.

Plus, the act of teaching allowed him to understand the concepts much better than rote memorization alone. Since he had to teach his brother, he had to put in effort to understand the materials beforehand. When Ichika went to bed, he stayed up at night to study for himself, putting extra effort in understanding the more difficult concepts so that he could break them down for Ichika.

This continuous effort evidently borne fruit. When the exams came, both boys passed with wildly different results. Ichika barely passed the technical part of the exam but surprisingly he passed the practical part despite the test was an IS duel against an instructor. Elliot was surprised that Ichika managed to pass that test despite having no experience in piloting the IS or fighting in one.

If one could call their 'accidental debut' as experience in IS piloting. Still, Elliot was glad that his month long work hadn't gone to waste. While deep down he figured that both of them boys would've been admitted into the Academy without any problems due to their special circumstances, he still wished the best for his sibling.

For him, he aced the exams easily. He'd always been quite intellectually gifted since he enrolled into school. Coupled with practical experience under Chifuyu's tutelage, the exam as a whole was a breeze for him. With that, both boys became the first male students in the prestigious ISA. So far so good.

That was until Elliot saw what constituted as their school uniform. Since the ISA had been an all-girls school until now, there was no suitable design for male uniforms. Hence the school authorities decided to adapt the standard design with a few minor tweaks. A standard blazer with white shirt on top of white pants and black shoes was selected for them but the design was not what he was pissed about. Rather, it was the materials that was selected for their construction that really ticked him off. The blazer and pants were made out of carbon fiber, which apparently the school explained was for the safety of the students by acting as armor against low caliber projectiles.

Elliot had two minds of sending a strongly worded letter to berate the idiot who thought it was a great idea to make young teenagers wear such an atrociously uncomfortable uniform. While the style wasn't bad by any means, Elliot thought that if the Academy decided that if the students needed such protection in case of an attack, it wouldn't made much of a difference anyways since anyone who wanted to attack the place would've resorted to using ISs. A bit of measly protection like that wouldn't protect anyone against IS grade weaponry.

And with him being part IS anyways, his protection would came in the form of Hecate. So, the blonde argued with the school authorities about changing the outfits. After some negotiations and making some concessions, the uniforms were switched to natural fabrics and Elliot was allowed to make personal changes to his own attire.

With the passing of time, the new year rolled around and with it the day when they would become students of the ISA. Today was the day both of them would depart for the Academy.

"Elliot, are you done yet!?"

"Coming!"

The sound of heavy footsteps echoed loudly from upstairs. Ichika was curious as to why his brother was so agitated to leave such heavy steps. Normally, his quiet brother would walk very silently almost as if he was a ghost. To hear him walk so audibly was a first for him.

Then finally, the sounds travelled to the direction of the staircase. Ichika looked towards the staircase expecting the familiar sight of Elliot's towering form. But when the blonde came down with bags in his hand and a backpack on his shoulders, he didn't expect to see his attire to be so…odd.

The blonde boy was dressed in the standard ISA blazer but the coat was cut differently. Instead of a coat that ended by the hips, the boy had opted for something that went past to his thighs. What Ichika expected to see white pants was instead black, the legs tucked into a pair of sturdy ankle height boots. The boots looked very solid as if they could took an abuse and dished it out also. Ichika had seen his brother worn boots before but he didn't expect that the school would allow it. His odd outfit was completed by a very fancy looking black hat on his head with a grey band wrapped around its center and a black piece of cloth with white embroidered patterns loosely wrapped around his neck. The whole odd attire was finished with a black wristwatch peeking out of his left sleeve.

"So, you've got everything you need, Ichika?"

"Why're you wearing your uniform like that? Is that even allowed?"

"Yeah, it is. I've talked to the school to change our uniforms a bit. Not quite worth it, to be honest."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

An involuntary frown decorated the hybrid's half-shrouded face as he remembered the rotten deal he was given by the school authorities on their uniform alteration.

"They wanted me to be their personal show dog. In exchange, we boys can have our own uniforms, especially me. You should've seen what they wanted us to wear."

He muttered tiredly as he plopped down on the couch. Ichika looked curiously at him as he joined the blonde on the couch.

"That bad?"

Elliot could only groan, the memory of that debacle came back full force.

"Don't remind me. Who ever thought that carbon fiber could be used to make clothes is a total idiot. At least what you're wearing now is loads better that what they wanted to put us in."

A knock on the door was the signal that their escort was here. Both boys exited the house to find a limousine with armed escorts awaiting them. With their luggage stowed away, they said their goodbyes to the house that had been their new home for the past 2 years.

And towards their new home, or what Elliot had came to derisively noted as their new 'prison'.

A golden gilded prison where they would languish for 3 years, before they'll become precious commodities for the world to fight and argue over like wolves over a slab of meat.

The Orimura brothers marveled over the sight displayed outside the monorail windows, the skyline decorated with futuristic styled buildings of prestigious Infinite Stratos Academy, the premier educational institution that trained IS pilots situated on a manmade island off the coast of Toyama Bay. Ichika had his eyes plastered to the sight outside the windows, gazing with wonder and awe at the extensive school and its picturesque grounds.

"Wow! This place looks awesome!"

"They've certainly spared no expense. As expected of an international institution."

Elliot lazily peered at the passing sight, a single thought taking center stage as the train approached the Academy.

'And it'll be our home for the next few years. What would our new lives be like, I wonder?'

For the keen minded blonde, the Academy didn't elicit any excitement out of him. Instead, he felt trepidatious at what he could potentially encounter within its walls. Being an all-girls school, the denizens within the Academy would view the two of them as oddities at best. Elliot shuddered to think of the possibility of encountering any radicals within the Academy itself. He had a lot of poor experiences dealing with such arrogant individuals in the streets and he didn't want to relive such times.

Once they arrived, the Orimura brothers quickly went into the administrative building to handle the remaining paperwork and have their luggage shipped to their rooms. With their book bags in hand they both headed towards the classrooms as per the directions left by Chifuyu.

The door slid open and instantly all eyes landed on the two brothers. Elliot could tell some were in awe of his height and his unique outfit, while others were blatantly gawking at them. Among the sea of eyes, there were two gazes whose owners piqued Elliot's interest. One of which belonged to a brown-haired buxom beauty with her hair tied up in a ponytail with a green ribbon while the other belonged to a blonde girl whose facial features clued Elliot to her European lineage. The ponytailed girl stared at them with a mix of surprise and curiosity, while the European simply glared at them with ill-concealed condescension and disdain.

The combined weight of all the eyes on them made Ichika felt very uncomfortable. A quick peek towards his brother and Elliot knew that Ichika was feeling very skittish at the attention they were getting. Better he got both of them settled in before Ichika started freaking out.

"Come on, Ichika. I see a pair of seats over there. Let's get seated and get ready for class."

Elliot pointed towards the two seats in front of the class. He guided the nervous teen to his table and both set down in their seats, right in plain view of all the girls.

"This…is a lot harder than I thought."

Ichika muttered out quietly, nervousness tinged his voice. Instinctively, he searched for his brother thinking he would have the same problem. To his surprise, the blonde was reading a book, his legs crossed leisurely as he paid no mind to the prying eyes. His whole demeanor combined with his outfit screamed refined elegance and worldly erudition, which made Ichika marveled at how unbothered his brother looked while simultaneously coming off as cool and detached. It was drastically different from his nervous state that was probably evident to anyone looking at his direction.

Not surprising, the girls continued to stare at the pair of boys in the front row. Although Ichika heard several comments directed at him, most of them were about his dashing brother, remarking just how elegant and handsome he looked.

And there were some comments...well, let's just say Ichika wished he never even heard of them. Left without any escape, he hunched over his desk hoping the attention on him would eventually fade away.

Elliot lazily flipped a page, tuning out the whispers pervading throughout the classroom. Despite all the sets of eyes landing on him making him uncomfortable, such undue attention was something he was long accustomed to in both of his lives.

'As much as this is making me uncomfortable, there's nothing I could do about it. Better to just leave them be and do my own thing.'

Out in the front of the classroom. A green haired teacher with a buxom figure dressed in a yellow dress showing an inappropriate amount of cleavage introduced herself as Maya Yamada to the class. She then proceeded to explain the basic workings of the school but as the girls paid her no mind, she began to become increasingly nervous.

Ichika nervously surveyed the classroom, looking for anything to alleviate his nervousness. He didn't want to bother Elliot since he could see that the blonde was engrossed in reading and Ichika didn't have the heart to disturb him. His eyes eventually landed on a familiar person, one from his past.

The ponytailed girl was looking at him. When they both locked eyes, she hurriedly turned her head away. Seeing how coldly the girl treated him, Ichika's mood dropped even further.

'Is this how you treated your childhood friend who you haven't seen for 6 years? Maybe she hates me...'

"Hello? Ichika Orimura? Hello!?"

"H-Huh!? Here!"

Ichika instinctively jerked up from his hunched posture, his face a mask of flustered attention. The boy's flustered response garnered some chuckles and giggles from the girls. Elliot cast a quick glance towards him but then continued reading from his book.

"I do apologize for being so loud just then but we started out with the 'A's and now we've gotten up to the 'O's. So, would you introduce yourself now, pretty please?"

The assistant teacher politely requested Ichika. Though with her earnest expression and her hands held in a pleading gesture, it looked more like she was begging Ichika.

Ichika stood up to prepare to introduce himself. As he was about to began, he picked up a small detail that made him realize the teacher had made a small error.

"Sensei, shouldn't it be that Elliot introduced himself first? My first name after all is 'I' while his is 'E'."

"O-Oh sorry! For some reason Orimura's name was posted first."

The mere mention of their family name broke Elliot away from his book. He raised his head, looking towards the green-haired teacher with some confusion.

"Wait, which Orimura are you referring to sensei? There's two in the class here."

"I-Is it? Let me check... You're Elliot Orimura, correct?"

Elliot momentarily dipped his head towards the teacher in affirmative, his face temporarily obscured by his fedora.

"That is correct, Yamada-sensei."

"O-Orimura…?"

"Could he be related to…?"

"But how did…?"

Noticing the similarities of their family name, the girls soon whispered and muttered amongst each other. Soon, the gossiping and speculation began rising till the point that the room was awash with a multitude of curious voices. Maya did what she could to restore order but to no avail as the wave of murmuring continued.

"What's with all the racket this early in the morning!?"

The commanding harsh voice killed all noise from the class. Both boys turned towards the source and were surprised by the voice's owner. Standing at the door was their older sister dressed in a black business attire with green tie, her attire giving off a very severe and professional look.

"Already causing trouble on your first day, Orimura?"

Maya looked both relieved and surprised at Chifuyu's appearance, her shoulders sagging in relief at the woman's impeccable timing.

"Oh, Orimura-sensei. Was the meeting over already?"

"That's right Yamada-sensei. I'm sorry that you had to welcome the class in my place."

While Chifuyu talked with the meek assistant teacher, Ichika was struggling to understood why their sister was here of all places. Instinctively, he turned towards his brother hoping to get some answers or at least an explanation.

"W-Why is Chifuyu-nee here?"

"My guess is this is where she worked after Germany. Prepare yourself Ichika."

Hearing that, Ichika could only sigh dejectedly. He dropped his head as his shoulders slumped.

Chifuyu turned towards the class, her arm rest on her hips as her face hardened into a stern mask. Her voice took on a commanding tone as she addressed the class.

"Silence! Well then, everyone. My name is Chifuyu Orimura, your homeroom teacher! Within this year it'll be my job to ensure that all of you can stand on your own two feet. You can oppose me but listen closely to what I say."

"Ichika, plug your ears now."

"Huh? OK."

As soon as Chifuyu finished, a wave of girlish shrieks erupted in the class as the girls fangirled over Chifuyu. All of them held expressions of awe and ecstatic worship as they fawned over the woman.

"Kyaaaa! It's really Lady Chifuyu, Lady Chifuyu herself!"

"The Infernal Empress! You're my inspiration to come here! All the way from Northern Kyushu!"

"I'll gladly die for you, your Highness!"

The woman held a hand to her forehead in fatigue, disappointment radiated out her very being at the display. A long sigh escaped her as the girls continued fawning over her.

"I'm amazed at how many nutjobs come to this school every year. Did they put all the loonies in my class on purpose?"

Chifuyu's disappointed remark did nothing to quell the banshee like ruckus within the room. Instead, it seemed to fed the girls' frenzy as a fresh wave of screeching ensued.

'Kyaaaa! Your Highness, scold us more!"

"Cuss us out!"

"Discipline us so we don't misbehave!"

"And look cool while doing it!"

Seeing as to how his fellow classmates acted, Elliot couldn't help but grimaced in disgust. He was positively turned off by their obsessive behavior towards his stepsister, most especially their masochistic tendencies.

'Our class is full of M's.'

If this was how the next 3 years was going to be like, it was going to be hell.

Adding on the fact that the girls were unduly interested in them, Elliot assumed that his time here would be a rerun of his middle school years again, where people from both gender either spoke ill or favorably about him. The most annoying one being the girls who treated him as a celebrity due to his good looks, outstanding academic achievements along with his mysterious, rebel-like demeanor.

Judging from the whispers just now, it seemed that it would be the same here except much worse. He couldn't help but wonder dejectedly what he did in the last life to warrant him being in this place.

'Why can't I get some peace and quiet here? Already I am starting to hate this place.'

Ticked off by the girls screeching over her, Chifuyu shouted harshly at the class, bringing order to the chaos within the room.

"Quiet down, you brats! It seems that both Orimuras haven't introduced themselves so they will do so now. Orimura, you're first."

Both boys stared at each other, then both gave a deadpan look to their sister. The woman raised an eyebrow at their odd behavior, not knowing why they gave such a look to her. This two sided staring contest went on for a while before she understood the problem.

"I see. For future reference, when I say Orimura-san I'll be referring to Elliot Orimura. When I say Orimura-kun, it will be referring to you Ichika. If I want both of you, I will simply refer to your family name. Understood? Now, Orimura-san."

Elliot nodded, who stood up and went over to Ichika. He patted his shoulder then motioned him to follow him. Both Orimura boys got up and much to everyone's confusion went up to the podium. Their names flashed beside them on the holographic board as they stood side by side.

Elliot went first, taking a step forward as his arm came up to rest on his chest. His tone was formal and polite, devoid of any emotions that he knew would unnecessarily excite the giddy schoolgirls.

"The name's Orimura, Elliot Orimura. I'm one of the world's first male IS Pilot along with my brother Ichika Orimura here. I have various kinds of interests and mostly dislike fake people. A pleasure to meet you all."

Finishing his introduction, Elliot gave a polite bow to the class. He was never a stickler for excessive etiquette but it'd be better he pulled out all the stops here.

You could only make a first impression once and it's the most important thing people remembered you for. A fact which he learned during elementary school and rather harshly too.

Straightening himself, the hybrid found a shocking silence settled over the previously rambunctious girls. The eerie silence made him wonder whether he committed some social faux paus that rendered them too offended to make any comments.

Then girlish shrieks exploded into room once again with shocking violence. Both brothers quickly mashed their hands to their ears as the ear-splitting racket rocked the classroom.

"Kyaaaa! Two male students! We've got two male students in our class!"

"He looks so quiet and mysterious!"

"He's hot too! And his eyes are beautiful!"

"I'll stalk him after class!"

Elliot schooled his features, showing an impassive mask despite his stomach churning queasily at the crude comments. As much as he wanted to show his disgust and disappointment at the girls' antics, he knew that it would do him more harm than good and he didn't know what their reactions would be.

And Chifuyu would thoroughly thrash him if he as so much as carried himself less than the standards she had instilled in him. It took one time for him to not repeat the mistake of allowing his own inner thoughts free expression, many of which were perceived as very antisocial in the strict Japanese zeitgeist. His head ached just remembering about that particular time.

"Silence! Anyone who makes a racket next will be running laps around the school with an IS strapped to their backs 10 times! Now quiet down and let the boys finish!"

"Um… My name is Ichika Orimura, and I'm the brother to Elliot right here..."

The bluenette clammed up, his nerves getting the best of him. Elliot beside him could see sweat trickling down his face as he tried to get the words out but failed.

Elliot placed his hand reassuringly on his left shoulder, which made Ichika looked to him curiously. The hybrid gave him a squeeze on his shoulder along with small nod, an unspoken reassurance that told him that he was there with him.

Feeling a bit emboldened by his brother's reassurance, Ichika turned back towards the crowd. Taking a deep breath, he continued where he left off.

"I am the second male pilot, just like my brother Elliot. Good to meet all of you."

The girls gave a healthy applause as the boy finished their introductions. Elliot could see star struck expressions on many of his classmates' faces, clearly showing what they're thinking to him.

"Not bad boys, though you both could've given a bit more than that. Now get back to your seats Orimura."

Both of them complied and returned to their seats. As the introductions continued and concluded, Maya continued explaining the workings of the ISA, with Chifuyu standing at the side keeping an eye on the class.

Ichika looked to his side, thankful that he had his brother beside him. As long as he had Elliot, everything would be okay.

A small part of him was also elated at the fact that he was now within the IS Academy. Ichika wondered that whether his long-time wish could be realized within its walls. If there was a place where his dream would be possible, it would be the ISA.

'I can't believe I'm in the IS Academy. I wonder if Ms. Pilot is one of the teachers here? I really do hope so. I really wanted to meet her after all these years.'

Elliot on the other hand was concerned. Realizing that he would be getting an undue amount of attention focused on him, he pondered just how much effort he would have to undertake to ensure his secret was kept solidly under wraps.

'This is going to be a long 3 years...'

Elliot was not pleased to be in the ISA. If it weren't for Ichika's fault, they wouldn't be here. Now he had to keep both him and Ichika out of trouble while keeping his own secret intact from a school full of nosy girls. The number of newfound responsibilities that he was saddled with brought down his already dispirited mood since he set foot onto this island.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3: Crazy days are the norm here.

Finally the school bell rung, bringing a long dull session of SHR to an end. The girls had been eyeing them throughout the whole period and it was making Elliot uncomfortable, as much as he tried to ignore their curious stares. He had no illusions that they would simply left them alone during break time.

His suspicions were proven correct as he gazed out of the now transparent walls that faced the corridor. Throngs of girls from other classes had congregated outside the classroom, their numbers greatly surprised Elliot. The crowd peered into the room as they commented about the boys, causing quite the ruckus outside.

"Hey look, it's them. They're the only two boys in the world that can use an IS."

"Oh yeah. I remember seeing them wreck the school with the ISs on social media."

"Yeah, it was quite the big news when it came out. I'd never expect two male pilots to be brothers and came from the same family as the Empress."

The hybrid was not amused at the peanut gallery gossiping at them. He schooled his features, not letting his aggravation show.

'Not this again. After that incident, it seems that was the only thing we're both known for. It's like we're nothing except for being curiosities to be studied.'

Elliot reflected on the girls' comment with barely restrained disdain and disgust. Ever since their discovery, he had his patience tested by people being unduly interested in him and Ichika. Most vexing were the comments by the radical feminists, whom proclaimed that both of them were unwanted anomalies and should be dealt with.

To see that the girls within the ISA were also not excluded in their curiosity towards them, Elliot couldn't help but felt irritated by it even though he was fully aware they held no ill intent behind their interest. Their cursory examination of them made him felt less than human, something he hated being reminded of whether indirectly or not.

The blonde boy craned his neck to peer outside through the window. His gaze followed a few birds flying by, silently envying them for not being shackled by onerous burdens like both of them.

Turning around to check on Ichika, he found the boy was hunched over his desk with a queasy look, his eyes betrayed his discomfort at the attention he was being subjected to.

Fed up with the chaotic chatter, he decided to nip this problem in the bud. He stood up and pulled Ichika out their seats but much to the confusion of the girls the boys didn't ran for the door but to the podium up front.

"Um, Elliot? What're we doing?"

"Buying us some peace and quiet. Look, just play along."

Elliot turned towards the class, finding all attention was on him. He cleared his throat, drawing what little attention that was elsewhere back to them.

"Alright, it's obvious that all of you have questions. So instead of agonizing over approaching us or you all swarming us with questions all at once, let's do this properly then. All of you outside, come on in."

He waved towards the girls outside to come in, who looked confused at his invitation.

"Well, what are you all waiting for? Aren't you all curious about us guys? Well hurry up then, time's short."

The girls seemed to get the memo and a stampede almost occurred as they flowed into the classroom. Any available room in class 1-1 was occupied, with those who found an empty seat sat down and those who didn't resorted to standing in any space they could find.

Elliot looked at the sea of students, all eyes gleaming eagerly waiting for the boys to speak. His clear voice rang out in the packed room, the low timbre of his voice carried well through the crowd.

"Alright, I know all of you are curious about us male Pilots so here it is. From now, it's 'Ask Us Anything' with us guys. So, here's the rules: you girls can ask questions about us and if we deemed it appropriate, we'll answer. If not, we'll refuse. So, introductions for those who missed the first time, I am Elliot and this is Ichika. We're the Orimura brothers."

The bold and unexpected introduction from Elliot garnered quite the welcome reaction from the girls. A thunderous applause erupted from the crowd as ecstatic girls squealed in delight and excitement.

It was no surprise why they acted that way. Elliot knew that because of the present social order, many of the girls had very little opportunities to interact with the opposite gender, causing them to be a little insecure and shy around guys. Here they were letting them interact with the two of them instead of running away. Naturally it was hard for the girls to pass up this rare opportunity to learn more about them.

Ichika looked at Elliot, an expression of horror and trepidation clearly shown on his face as he hissed to him.

"W-what are you doing? Is this your idea of buying us peace and quiet!?"

"Either this or having them stalk and spy on us. I rather have them get the information we want them to get rather than the ones we don't want let out."

Ichika tried to retort but clammed up, deciding to give up on understanding his train of thought and let nature took its course.

"Alright, who's up first? Raise your hands now."

Instantly a sea of hands shot up, each girl clamouring to be chosen. The blonde looked around and picked randomly at a girl in front who had comically long sleeves and purple hair in twin tails.

"Ne,Ne, Orimu-san. What's your relationship with Orimu-kun and Lady Chifuyu?"

"I'm their stepbrother. I was adopted by Orimura-sensei when I was about 10 and have been with them ever since."

Elliot' reply garnered gasps of shock and sorrow from the girls. Their eyes shone with pity and empathy at his past. To be honest, he found it odd they would empathize with him.

"Next."

The girl who he picked stood up, her long black hair fell straight on her back like a black curtain. A purple hairclip kept her bangs away from her eyes.

"Orimura-san, what were you doing during that day when you and Orimura-kun first piloted the IS?"

Elliot winced at the question. Having the memory of Ichika's mishap that day brought up soured his mood as he composed himself to reply to the question.

"That was during the time when we were supposed to take the high school entrance exam. Ichika got both of us lost and we've just found ourselves in a room with 2 ISs. The next thing was that Ichika touched the IS, then a bright light blinded us and then the next second Ichika was the pilot of a malfunctioning IS. I took a gamble and took the second IS, thankfully to find that I was compatible to it and rushed out to stop him before he wrecked the place. The video where you see both of us as if we're fighting was me trying to get Ichika out by forcing the Absolute Defense system to engage."

Elliot explained, wanting to forget the whole exhausting ordeal. Ichika apparently shared the same sentiments as him, sighing upon remembering that day.

The girls didn't seem to mind their story, many of which found his recollection very intriguing. Some of them even have a starstruck look in their eyes as if they're looking at an idol. Elliot found such stares made him uncomfortable, his honed instincts screaming at him to find a place to hide. He tamped down the urge to run, seeing as it was almost impossible to squeeze his way out of the packed room.

On and on the questions poured forth and both boys answered as well as they can. Some of the girls got a bit bold and asked some questions that were bordering on inappropriate but the boys dodged them or answered cryptically. The girls were eager to say the least, as even when the bell has rung many still stayed to ask questions, not realizing the danger in the form of Chifuyu Orimura looming outside the classroom.

"GET BACK TO YOUR CLASS, YOU IDIOTS! THE ONES WHO ARE SLOW WOULD BE RUNNING LAPS AROUND THE SCHOOL 20 TIMES IN AN IS WITHOUT ANY SERVOS ON!"

The voice of the infamous Empress thundered at the crowd in class 1-1, sending the girls from the other classes scurrying away as if their lives depended on it. The students in class 1-1 got back into their seats in a hurry, not wanting to incur the wrath of the black-haired teacher. Chifuyu glanced at her two brothers whom still stood on the podium with a flinty look.

"Orimura, get back to your seats. Whatever foolishness you two were planning, you'd best stop now."

The glare from the infamous teacher was enough to get both boys to dart back to their seats. Ichika glared at his brother, not happy that he might get both of them in trouble with Chifuyu. The boy in question responded with a shrug, not bothered by anything.

Class resumed and with it the first lesson was basic introduction to an IS and its components. Elliot surreptitiously peeked around the class as the lecture went on, bored out of his mind at the dry, dull mood that settled over the quiet room.

His eyes wandered towards his brother, only to find Ichika with a look of slight trepidation on his face. Elliot could hazard a guess that he was having trouble trying to understand the topic that was currently being taught.

"Seriously? After one month of tutoring, he's still having trouble in class?'

The boy's discomfort wasn't just visible to his own brother. Elliot could see that Maya had left the podium and approached Ichika to stand in front of his desk with her cheery attitude.

"Orimura-kun, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask away. After all, I'm your teacher."

"Yamada-sensei, I don't understand about this Active In-Ine whatever."

"Oh, the Active Inertia Canceler. Simply put, the Active Inertia Canceler or AIC for short is an experimental feature that cancels the inertia of moving objects, stopping them immediately. Is it clear now, Orimura-kun?"

Maya explained the topic, only to find Ichika staring blankly at her. The woman now turned nervous, only for her to break out of her state by Elliot clearing his throat.

"Yamada-sensei, if I may. Can I help to explain it more clearly to Orimura-kun?"

The assistant teacher turned to him, her anxious expression disappeared and replaced by a relieved one.

"Oh, Orimura-san! Yes, you may."

"Ichika, remember that particular anime that has the protagonist with a forcefield ability? It's kinda like that, except it only protects you from what you're aiming at, instead of raising a wall that blocks everything."

Ichika's eyes lit up, understanding dawned on him as he finally comprehended what Maya was teaching about.

"Oh! So, it works like that. Thank you, Elliot."

"As expected of you, Orimura-san. Orimura-kun, make sure you revise on the assigned reading materials. You'll fail the class if you only possess such basic understanding of the topic."

Ichika was jolted from Chifuyu suddenly chiming in. His gaze landed on Chifuyu, wearing an expression of stark trepidation..

"That thick book again? Isn't it a bit too much?"

"I didn't ask you to memorize it in one week or else. Besides, you got Orimura-san to help you."

That statement earned a sigh from Ichika and a groan from Elliot. Chifuyu paid them no mind as she turned her attention to Maya.

"Yamada-sensei, you may resume the class."

"Yes! Now class, please turn your textbooks to page twelve."

The sound of pages rustling filled the room as class resumed. Elliot assumed a focused expression, seeing as Chifuyu was around and he wasn't going to be caught daydreaming by the woman.

Unbeknownst to the boys, two sets of eyes glared at the boys, one pair blue and one pair brown. Their respective owners held different emotions as they beheld the only two males inside the classroom.

Break time soon came and with it the students were given time to relax and get to learn about the people whom they'll be spending their next few years around with. Many of the girls formed groups and chatted with each other, talking rather animatedly on various topics they found interesting.

Back at the two sole boys in the academy, both Orimura brothers found that they weren't being mobbed by a massive group of girls trying to know them, proving that Elliot's earlier gambit had worked. Even then, the topic of conversation currently underway among many of such loose groups revolved around the two boys in the class. Elliot kept an ear open as he leaned against Ichika's desk, perusing the class as both of them chatted.

"You know, I didn't expect that your plan would work. Now we're not even bothered by any of the girls."

"Mystery creates attraction. The less they know about us, the more they want to know. That's why playboys chased after hard-to-get women and people would do anything for gold, because what is rare is valuable."

It was not a surprise to Elliot that the blunette never knew of the intricacies of social interaction. Elliot was well aware that his brother tended to look at the world with rose-tinted lenses. It took him a while before he could reconcile the difference between their viewpoints when he first joined the family. When they did, he found that his own pragmatic views helped to temper his brother's rasher tendencies while the boy's more optimistic and altruistic attitude rounded off his more cynical perspective. They worked well together as a duo and it remained so until today.

"Ichika, can I speak with you?"

A clear Japanese voice drew both boys' attention. Elliot turned to find the ponytailed girl who had been staring at them approached their table. She gazed towards Ichika, her critical glare never leaving the boy.

"H-Houki?"

"Outside. Follow me now."

Elliot watched anxiously as his brother was led away by the girl. He waved his hand towards Ichika, hoping for the best for him.

"Stay safe, Ichika."

He returned to his seat and sat down. With his brother being dragged away, he ran out of people to chat to and he's not willing to speak with the girls. Crossing his legs, he opened his book and picked up where he last left off. He was engrossed with reading until another voice interrupted his concentration.

"Excuse me, may I have a moment with you?"

Elliot reluctantly broke his gaze away from the book and regarded the interloper. Blonde hair that reached to her hips, with two ends fashioned into curls at the sides. This was completed with a blue hairband and a pair of blue earrings, accentuating an IS uniform cut in a similar fashion to European dresses.

'So, I was half right with my guess. I didn't expect to see a Briton here.'

Elliot closed his book as he regarded the girl with curiosity. She was a beauty, that he could tell. But there was something about her that told him that she wasn't here for a pleasant conversation. Better that he played this safe and be as courteous as he could.

Elliot straightened his back as he stood up from his seat, keeping his gaze squarely locked with her eyes as he doffed his hat at her and giving a small nod with his head. His tone was cordial and civil as he greeted her. He hoped that this little gesture would work well in disarming her.

"Greetings. How may I assist you, miss?"

It worked, as the girl's gaze softens and she relaxed her formal stance slightly.

"Well, it's refreshing to see men acting as befitting of their station for once. I have come to speak with you about your circumstances and to put forward an irresistible offer for you."

The blonde girl spoke with an elegance that reeked of nobility upbringing, clueing him to some part of her background. However, the tone she used with him felt very off, giving him the impression that she was talking down to a dog that was expected to be obedient and subservient. Resisting the urge to curl his lip in disgust, he decided to continue with his high-born façade despite his distaste.

"Of course, but how about we do introductions first? I do know your name but perhaps a formal introduction from both parties would be conducive to set the proper mood for a more cordial conversation."

His charm offensive worked. The girl straightened herself as her hand went up to her bosom, assuming a very confident and haughty pose that radiated highborn snobbishness.

"Certainly. My name is Cecilia Alcott, IS representative candidate of Great Britain and the pilot of Blue Tears. And you are?"

Elliot tipped his hat as he nodded towards her. His gesture was polite and deferential.

"Elliot Orimura. An utmost honour to meet you, miss Alcott."

"My, how polite you are. So tell me, how did a boy like you came to be here? The IS was exclusively piloted by females only up until now. Now suddenly two males appeared that could pilot it and from the same family no less. Mind explaining what are you doing here?"

Elliot tensed imperceptibly at the contemptuous tone underlining the innocuous question. It took a lot from him not to let his expression betray him, lest he fouled his deception.

'Of course, no surprises there.'

Having his worst suspicion confirmed didn't made it any less unpleasant to stomach. Standing in front of him was a girl whom believed in the prevailing ideology of female superiority. Elliot suspected that her goal of interacting with him was solely to lord over both of them and flaunt her own arrogance. The thought alone was enough to made him curl his fists in frustration.

Elliot recalled that certain segments of society were vehemently against the discovery of male pilots, arguing that men don't deserve the power of the IS. The condescending righteousness in their tone really pissed him off, thinking that they had power over others just because they had a monopoly over force. Elliot really hated the idea of people lording over others, owning to his own harsh past in the streets.

The hybrid wanted to ignore the girl but he knew that would've led to nowhere. Even though he didn't care how others perceived him, he'd rather not have the girl bother him incessantly trying to prove how superior she was to men and cause him to lose his temper. Already he was itching to tell the pompous Brit to leave him alone but he held his tongue. Better to play it subtle for now until he got a better picture of what he's going up against before plotting a comeback.

Loose lips and hot heads have killed a lot of people on the streets, a fact that he knew very well. He wasn't going to commit that mistake anytime soon especially within the ultra-competitive IS community where egos and national interests clashed frequently both in and out of the arena.

He tilted his head, looking thoughtful as his voice was quiet while replying to the Briton.

"Who knows? No one knows how the IS cores really worked. Me and my brother were found to be compatible with an IS and the international community decided we're better here than anywhere else so here we are."

Cecilia nodded disinterestedly, seemingly taking his words at face value. She then straightened her back as her arm crossed under her bosom, showing herself off in the most flattering light possible.

"You made a fair point. Still, let us move on to a more pertinent matter. I've come to offer you my aid in tutoring. Being the elite IS pilot of the United Kingdom, I am more than qualified to offer my services to aid you in learning about the intricacies of IS piloting. Should you have any questions, I'll gladly answer for you if you earnestly begged for it. After all, I am the Representative candidate of the UK, the elite of elites and the only candidate who defeated the instructor on the entrance exam."

Elliot internally scoffed at Cecilia's egoistical offer, ticked off by her arrogant attitude. What many didn't know about him was that he passed the exam with flying colors, defeating the instructor without too much trouble. Contrary to Ichika's own performance, he won flawlessly through direct combat.

After all, he was trained intensively by Chifuyu for 3 years in IS piloting. During those years he had countless spars with his master, with each bout more merciless than the last. His skill was still sharp even with the brief hiatus, as even when Chifuyu forbade him from using Hecate and hid the fact he had an IS, he still found the instructors quite a pushover compared to his mentor. While he knew that they were instructed not to fight with their full capabilities against the students, he wished that he could have a good fight after all these years without piloting an IS.

So great was his disappointment that he even requested to retook the exam against multiple instructors but sadly it was denied. Still, the arrogant girl didn't need to know that little tidbit of information, so it's better to let her continue tooting her own horn.

Elliot fixed an awed and inquisitive look, looking every bit a layman impressed by her admittedly trivial feat.

"Really? Mind if I learn how you managed such an impressive feat, considering the instructors of IS Academy were rather experienced and qualified?"

Elliot flattered her, deliberately underplaying the instructors' skill. He decided to lay a trap for her, since he knew that she would gladly took the opportunity to flaunt her own strengths after having her ego stroked. It always worked to stroke someone's ego to get them to loosen up, as he had learned and used the fact to got out of trouble every once in a while.

It worked, as the girl positively preened at the indirect praise. Sheer pride and arrogance oozed out of every pore of her being, making it hard for Elliot not to grimace in disgust at her presence.

"Most certainly! Listen carefully commoner, for you may learn much from me!"

With that, Cecilia launched into a tirade into how she defeated the instructor, boasting about her own skills and her machine's specs. Elliot listened, occasionally giving suitable responses that spurred her on. This one-sided boasting persisted until the bell rang and other students started funneling back to the class.

"Well, this has been a fruitful conversation. I do hope that you sincerely consider my offer. After all, it is a very rare opportunity and honor to receive my generosity."

"Duly noted, miss Alcott. Now I recommend we prepare for the next subject, since class's about to start."

Watching the girl departing, he went over the information he gathered. The few minutes of her boasting had given him a treasure trove of invaluable information on what kind of machine she possessed and her preferred fighting style.

Based on her own account, Elliot deduced that she was not as skilled as she proclaimed herself to be. The girl's favoured tactic was to use drones to pin the enemy in place, allowing her to destroy them at long range using her Starlight rifle. Such a tactic may work on an opponent who can't approach her but he doubted such a tactic could work against someone who kept mobile and aggressive.

The drones would be easy targets for him. Once they were gone, he'd had a straight shot to the girl. Not one to boast, but Elliot was confident that his marksmanship and weapon handling skill was leagues above the arrogant Briton. If it ever came down to melee range, he was more than an adequate bare-handed fighter to handle her.

If a duel with IS were to happen between them, he was confident of his odds. Despite that, he still kept a modicum of caution in the back of his mind. There was no telling if the girl had carelessly revealed all her cards or was deliberately lying to conceal her abilities. The only way he would know just what he's going up against would be through direct combat, one that he foreseen would happen very soon.

The rest of his classmates soon funneled back into class, with Ichika and an irate looking Houki coming back together. Elliot turned away and prepared for the next subject as class started back again.

As the sun set and classes ended, both boys headed to the staff room to get their dorm assignments. They opened the door into the staff room, finding their sister and Maya waiting for them.

"Orimura, since you're both boys you'll be assigned the same dorm room separate from the girls. I expect both of you to keep your rooms clean and presentable, if not you'll sleep outside the dorms, is it clear?"

The woman directed her attention towards the waiting assistant teacher, who stood just beside her.

"Yamada-sensei, see to it that the boys get their keys and know where their assigned rooms are. I'm going back to deal with the paperwork."

Their sister turned around to head back to her desk. Seeing the numerous stacks of paper sitting on top of some of the teachers' desk, Elliot now knew just why Chifuyu rarely came home except on holidays.

"Yes. Orimura-kun, Orimura-san, here's your dorm room keys. Your dorm room is 1025, first floor. Take the elevator then head left, follow along the corridor until you find your room. Your luggage has been moved into your rooms. If both of you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask me or any other teachers for that matter."

Maya handed them a pair of keys with matching numbers. The two brothers accepted the keys and left for their new home.

As both of them walked towards the dorm, Elliot had a feeling they were being tailed. He discreetly peered backward to see a throng of girls following behind them. Deciding that he'd rather get written up for using his IS without permission than having a bunch of stalkers knowing where they stayed, he tapped Ichika's shoulder. His action earned him a look of confusion from Ichika, his confusion grew as his gaze followed his finger pointed at the nearby lake .

"Ichika, let's go there. To the park over there."

"Huh? Why?"

"Just do it. And don't look back."

Both boys went to the park and sat down on a bench overlooking a lake. Their gaze roamed over the large body of water in front of them as they took in the amazing sight.

"Say Elliot, what do you think about the school? The place's beautiful, isn't it?"

"It's alright. I'll admit the girls could be a bit more subtle about their interest on us. Man, it's so tiring to find the attention of so many girls on us, many of whom are rather beautiful too."

"Yeah, tell me about it. Also, I wonder if Ms. Pilot would be here? She's probably old enough to be an adult and with her skills, I wouldn't be surprised if she was an instructor here."

Hearing the longing tone in Ichika's voice, Elliot couldn't suppress a tired groan escaping him. Seemed like his brother still haven't gotten over his fixation over his savior.

"You and your damn obsession with that pilot… The world is searching for her in hopes of apprehending her and has branded her as a wanted criminal. You're the only one I know of that put her on a pedestal. What made you think so highly of her? Don't tell me you have a crush on her?"

"W-Well a little bit. I mean, she's awesome. The way she moves and how she fought. Man, I wouldn't be surprised if she's just as skilled as Chifuyu-nee, if not more."

Seeing Ichika had a dreamy expression as he remembered his 'alter-ego', Elliot couldn't help but groan again. That topic had always been a personal sore point for him in the last 2 years.

The boy's innocent statement caused quite a stir among their stalkers. Elliot overhead the girls squealing quietly behind the trees, conveniently forgetting the need for stealth. Seizing the opportunity, he clasped Ichika's shoulder and pushed him gently towards the dorms.

"Ichika, I've suddenly remembered something that I almost forgot to do. You head to the dorm first, I'll meet you there later. Now go."

"H-Huh? Ok then, see you later."

The boy grabbed his bag and walked away. Elliot craned his neck to check that the girls were still preoccupied with their own fantasies. Just a perfect moment to spring his trap.

The blonde stood up and walked towards the lake, knowing the girls would have to step out to keep him in their view. And just as predicted he heard the shuffling of many feet and he looked backwards to see a throng of girls now blatantly ogling at him, no longer concerning themselves in being discreet.

Time to spring the trap. Elliot gasped in faux panic then turned and ran.

"Oh shit!"

"ORIMURA-SAN!"

Behind him, the gaggle of girls were hot on his heels as they sprinted through the school grounds. The crowd grew in size as time passed by, steadily forming a large stampede after him. Excited squeals and shrieks came from the mob as their voiced their fantasies.

"Orimura-san! Please sign my bra!"

"Kiss me, Orimura-san!"

"Kyaaa! Make me scream!"

'WTF!? I know being in an environment without male contact can be bad for them, but this bad? They've really got more than just a screw loose. Now I understand Chifuyu's disappointment about having to deal with lunatics all the time.'

Elliot shuddered. Hearing just how crude the comments that were coming out of the girls' mouths really made his skin crawl. It as if they regarded him as nothing but a piece of meat, a fact which greatly disgusted and insulted him.

Leading them through the school as he attempted to shake off his unwanted 'admirers', Elliot's eyes was drawn towards a lush green jungle in front of him. Sensing an opportunity, he crashed through the lush undergrowth in hopes he could find a place to hide.

The sounds of branches cracking and leaves crunching filled his ears as he barreled through the vegetation, his eyes rapidly scanned his surroundings. Spotting a large tree, he clambered up and hid among its dense boughs, pressing himself against the tree trunk. The hybrid lay still while he strained his ears, listening for any sounds of movement. A few moments later, the sounds of leaves rustling loudly can be heard along with a cacophony of feminine voices.

"Eh? Where did Orimura-san go?"

"I saw him went in this direction. But how did he just disappear into thin air?"

"Orimura-san's so sneaky! First we lost Orimura-kun, now we can't even find him! He's like a ghost!"

"D-don't say that! I'm afraid of ghosts!"

"Maybe he is one! Why is he so mysterious and quiet all the time and able to disappear into thin air all of a sudden?"

Spurred by the question of his supposed 'supernatural' ability, the conversation taking place beneath him soon devolved into speculations of his identity and the possibility of him being some kind of supernatural being. Elliot resisted the urge to roll his eyes or sigh in tired exasperation as he remained still in his hiding place.

Soon the anxious chatter disappeared, fading away in the distance, the sound of leaves rustling and bushes crackling trailed behind them. Elliot took a cautious look down to find the lack of any pursuers within the jungle.

Carefully he lowered himself down the web of branches, craning his head all around looking for any signs to confirm he was alone. The jungle was devoid of any unusual noise save for the sound of insects. But there was something else that he picked up that made him intrigued.

A faint rumbling sound came from deep within the jungle, something that sounded out of place from the cacophony of the jungle. Elliot was curious as to why there was such a noise coming from the wooded area, his attention focused on what he assumed was the direction of the noise originated from.

Carefully the boy trekked through the dense undergrowth, towards where he heard the noise. Gradually the sound turned from its faint volume into a constant, thunderous crash as he moved deeper through the jungle.

He reached a spot where sunlight glowed through the barrier of trees. Stepping out into a clearing overlooking the sea, Elliot found what was causing the noise. He stood there, silently transfixed by what he saw.

The sound was the waves crashing beneath a cliff filled his ears, one that he stood upon. A small clearing was present on the lip of the cliff, allowing a clear view into the infinite expanse of the ocean.

Elliot breathed in the salty air, exhaling all the tension he held within him throughout the day. The spot was devoid of any human presence, a point which he was thankful for. The crashing waves was all he could hear, a peaceful and calming sound that washed away his mental fatigue and his worries.

Finding a nearby tree root that jutted out of the ground, the hybrid sat down to rest momentarily. He could feel his mind calming down upon witnessing the scenery in front of him as he basked in nature and the solitude that it offered.

'This is quite a peaceful spot. I guess no one gets here since I doubt anyone wanted to trek through all that undergrowth. Talk about venturing off the beaten path and being rewarded for doing so.'

He sighed in contentment as he enjoyed the view, watching the sun cast off its final rays for the day.

'Crap, it looks like the sun's going to set. Ichika's going to be worried if I don't head back soon.'

Standing up and dusting his clothes, he turned and trekked back through the thick brush. It took a while before he found his path out the jungle and back onto the school grounds.

'Man, if this is what every day would be like, I think I'll be spending a lot more time back at that clearing. This is simply exhausting to bear. I hope Ichika made it safely and had something going on.'

The lights shining out of the dorm building entered into his view as he approached. The sun had set, shrouding the land in darkness except for the artificial glow of manmade lighting illuminating the path towards the building. Elliot stepped through the doors as he made his way towards his new room, mind still busy with his recent discovery.

'That little clearing was quite an unexpected but welcome find. Now I know I have a secret place to hide and rest from overeager girls. This would come in really handy.'

Elliot surveyed the dorm hallways, thankful to find it empty of estrogen. He counted up the rooms as he passed by, finally reaching the room he currently shared with his brother.

Unlocking the door, he found himself inside a luxuriously decorated room, almost befitting that of a 5-star resort. He stood in surprise, taking in the scene before him.

Looking into the center of the room, he found that both of their luggage had arrived safely, with Ichika's luggage laid on one of the beds and some of his clothes had been taken out, sitting on the bed in neat piles.

The sound of the door whizzing open broke him out of his observation. Turning on his heels he found Ichika stepping out of the adjoining bathroom, hair still damp from shower as the boy dried his hair with a hand towel.

"Oh Elliot, you're finally here. What were you doing just now and why do you look so messed up?"

"Just…taking a look around the school. Got waylaid by overeager girls."

"Oh. Since you're back, would you rather we get something to eat at the canteen? I'm starving."

"Guess we should. After all, I doubt the refrigerator has anything in it."

"Yeah. We should go to town this weekend and get some groceries. Then we can have meals in here from time to time."

"That'll be nice. Well, time for me to hit the showers."

"Go ahead. I'll have to sort my clothes first."

Leaving his brother to put away his luggage, Elliot took a spare change of clothes and went inside the bathroom for a quick shower. After which both boys headed towards the cafeteria to get dinner.

Dinner went by quietly, as much as one could when they're being stared at by a multitude of eyes. The boys had picked a corner seat close to the end of the room to enjoy their dinner, with Elliot settling for a pizza while Ichika opted for a traditional Japanese meal.

"Say, you think they would be getting us our own machines, since we're both male pilots?"

Elliot swallowed his bite of pizza, his right wrist came up to cover his mouth while he talked with some food in his mouth.

"Maybe. Though if anyone knows anything, it would be Chifuyu. My guess she would know what's what."

"Yeah, you're right. Still, isn't this a bit early? We're both still new to this and now we're being given our own ISs? I don't know what to say."

'You're new, not me. I've been in this game much longer than you know.'

The blonde boy was currently immersed in his own thoughts, more specifically about his own IS. Being secretly registered as a personal IS pilot, he knew sooner or later he would have to use Hecate as part of the school curriculum. The problem was that Hecate's form was associated with the Shinigami legend 2 years ago, a result from his actions that day.

The perception that he was regarded as a rogue pilot and a wanted criminal by various governments and the ISRC worried him. Even though they didn't know about his identity as the Shinigami, his IS was unmistakably unique. If he materialized it, there would be no mistaking of his secret identity as everyone put two and two together.

'Perhaps I could do something about the form? Maybe I should talk with Tabane about this tomorrow. If anyone could do something about this, she's the woman to talk to.'

"May I have a moment?"

A recognizable British voice broke Elliot out of his thoughts. He huffed in irritation upon recognizing the newcomer that had unexpectedly joined their table. Standing at their table was the ever-haughty Cecilia Alcott still dressed in her ISA uniform regarding Ichika with a superior look. Elliot looked towards Ichika, waiting to see what would transpire.

"Hm?"

The Briton jerked back in shock, taken aback by his lazy reply. Elliot could guessed that she was expecting his brother to act in a certain manner but didn't got what she wanted.

"My! What kind of attitude is that? Should not you speak to me in a more appropriate manner?"

Ichika didn't seem bothered by her outraged outburst. His body screamed indifference as he responded lackadaisically.

"Look I'm sorry, I didn't even know who you are, ok?"

Knowing just how egoistical the blonde girl was from his prior interaction, Elliot was sure that his brother's lackadaisical response would be taken as an insult by the girl.

'Uh oh, I smell trouble.'

Sure enough, the girl looked both equally offended and shocked at his reply. She banged her hand on the table with a displeased look, her sapphire blue eyes bored right through him.

"What!? You don't know who I am!? I'm Cecilia Alcott! England's representative contender and the valedictorian of the entrance exam! I'm…!"

The girl's tantrum drew the attention of other diners, who glanced over towards the boys' table. Any chatter within the room ceased as their attention was drawn to the ensuing ruckus.

Ichika waved his hand in front of her, cutting her off as she was didn't expect the action.

"Hold on, hold on. I have a question."

Cecilia stepped back and flipped her hair, assuming a haughty pose as she awaited Ichika's question.

"It's the responsibilities of a noble to answer questions from the commoners. Let us hear it."

"You're a representative contender, got it. Now what's that mean?"

Instantly the sounds of bodies hitting the ground and tableware clanging audibly can be heard throughout the cafeteria. Elliot's gaze scanned the room and saw many of the diners have collapsed on the ground in various states of shock. The Briton girl was no better, seemingly stuck in a catatonic state and trembling erratically.

Elliot turned and gave a disapproving look to Ichika, not amused by the honest admission of his own ignorance.

"Really Ichika? Of all things IS related, this is something you don't know?"

Ichika had the gall to look sheepish, unabashed at not knowing a common fact in the IS world.

"Hey, you know I'm only interested in it for one thing. Anything else, I don't really know much at all."

Elliot sighed at his answer.

'Really, I don't know why you'd bother to be interested about the IS world in general. It's not like your savior would be making waves out there.'

The brief lapse in the conversation allowed the catatonic girl to shook herself out of her shock. Cecilia exploded with incredulity, turning her scorn at the oblivious boy.

"This is unbelievable! I can only hope that every Japanese man is not so utterly devoid of knowledge! I mean, it's nothing more than common sense, honestly."

Elliot's mood turned grim upon recalling this fact. He resisted the urge to scowl as he mentally seethed.

'Why would guys learn about the IS anyways? Thanks to the governments, we're not even given adequate facilities and funding to any institution with male centric environments. Only pilots would know about such things and they're all females, with the two notable exceptions.'

Seeing Ichika still looking at the arrogant blonde expectantly for answers, Elliot decided he would help out his brother right now lest he had to suffer hearing her go into a tirade on female superiority. He doubted his patience would hold out anymore from hearing the same senseless talking points he had heard regurgitated ad nauseum in various ways by female supremacists over the years, usually served to him with stinging insults and even physical abuse.

Elliot cleared his throat, catching the attention of the two teens. He fixed his eyes on Ichika with a serious expression, something he usually did when he's explaining things to Ichika.

"Ichika, a representative candidate is an IS pilot selected to represent their country but not as a true representative. Think of them as the equivalent of national athletes. They're not as high profile as a true representative but they are there in case the true representative can't perform for whatever reason. Think of Chifuyu, who's the former representative of Japan and below her are several pilots who are selected to either test new IS units or take her place should she cannot perform for whatever reason."

His explanation seemed to got through to him as understanding lighted up in Ichika's eyes.

"Right, I get it now. Thanks, Elliot!"

"Exactly as that commoner boy said. I am the elite of elites! You boys are lucky to be within my presence. Has that fact fully sunk into that thick skull of yours?"

Elliot frowned, annoyed at her sudden interruption of their conversation and her condescending attitude towards them.

Ichika on the other hand didn't understood nor realized the implication the girl was trying to convey. The boy looked at her with a neutral expression, not looking impressed in the slightest.

"Wow... I guess I am lucky."

His nonchalant comment caused Cecilia to narrowed her eyes, the two narrow slits dripped with annoyance at his oblivious attitude.

"Are you taking me for a fool?"

"You've said I should feel lucky."

Cecilia straightened her back, a sigh escaped her lips as she held a hand to her forehead in tired exasperation.

"Still, I don't know what to expect with you two. When I've heard that there are not one but two boys who can pilot the IS and that they were the siblings of Lady Orimura, I had expected many great things from you two. Turns out that one is a dullard and the other is a quiet bookworm with a weird fashion sense and even weirder looking eyes. What great disappointments you both are."

Ichika slouched over, a sad expression on his face upon being chided by the haughty girl.

"I'm not good with expectations."

Elliot's grip on his utensils tightened considerably, his anger beginning to boil over at the subtle insult and the sight of Ichika looking down. He could let the insult towards him go but the one aimed at Ichika was something he couldn't just let pass. As much he was tempted to materialize Hecate and show her what for, he knew that it would create too much trouble for the both of them.

Tempting as he was to want to cut loose, this wasn't the time nor place for it. Far better for him to keep his ace hidden before he taught her a lesson she wouldn't forget. Now he needed to defuse her suspicions and divert attention away from both of their abilities, especially him for now.

"Miss Alcott, may I bring to your attention on a certain point? Since we're new here, wouldn't it be too suspicious if we both knew much about the world of IS? After all, since males can't pilot ISs, there was no need for them to learn about it in the public education system. Therefore, the fact that we both would be lacking in our knowledge of the IS is to be expected, so I implore you to be reasonable in your expectations."

Cecilia nodded, looking convinced by his logical argument.

"That is fair. So, since I am so exceptional, I would be glad to offer help to you both. As long as both of you pleaded with tears in your eyes, I'll be glad to oblige. After all, I had defeated the instructor upon my entrance exam."

"Really? I've defeated one too. Elliot here also did so too."

"Thanks Ichika."

Elliot replied sarcastically as he frowned at Ichika. There goes part of his secret he was keeping under wraps and Ichika just blurted it out thoughtlessly.

This piece of news seemed to broke the British girl. She rounded at Ichika and her glare bored into the boy with an outraged expression.

"What!?"

Around them, whispers began among the diners. The large hall was filled with muted whispers and murmurs. Ichika simply just shrugged at her incredulous response.

"Well, it's not like I really defeated her. She charged at me and I dodged to the side. She flew past me, smashed into the wall and kaboom. She can't continue on afterwards and I was declared the winner by default."

The boy's honest admission made the girl tremble. If one looked closely, they could see the brief flash of aghast incredulity on the girl's face before it disappeared and replaced with shocked indignation.

"B-But I thought I was the only one…"

"Perhaps amongst the girls?"

Hearing Ichika's question, Cecilia slammed both her hands on the table, spilling Elliot's drink in the process. The blonde boy groaned as he quickly moved to the side, the liquid dripped down the table and onto the seat, forming a rapidly growing puddle on the floor.

Elliot's patience was running dangerously low at this point. Already he was beginning to get immensely annoyed by the Briton's antics and his annoyance grew with each passing second of witnessing her haughty and off-putting arrogance, especially when she treated his brother with so little respect.

"You! You're telling me that you also defeated an instructor!?"

Ichika was taken aback by her demand, both his hands came up with an uneasy expression in an attempt to deescalate the situation.

"H-Hey, calm down!"

"C-Calm!? H-How can I calm down at this piece of news!?"

The upset girl rounded towards the golden eyed blonde. Her eyes blazed with indignation and wounded pride.

"And YOU! You also defeated an instructor too!? Why haven't you told me about it this morning!?"

At this point, Elliot decided that enough was enough. He had his patience taxed to the limit for today and he's not in the mood to entertain the spoiled and arrogant girl any longer.

A sharp pain assaulted his mind for a brief moment before disappearing. Elliot didn't know what had brought on the sudden episode but he had more pressing matters to worry about. He ground out coldly, leaning forward as he glared at her. His golden irises seem to glow menacingly and his voice was colder than ice.

"Because I am not obliged to tell you anything, nor is it any of your concern Alcott. You've been making too many faulty assumptions about us brothers and flaunting your egoistical attitude towards us just for the sake of harassing us. I do not see why we should disclose anything about us to you if you're not genuinely interested in helping us. Now, leave us before I make you do so."

The girl stepped back, intimidated by the sight of the angry male. However, her blue irises shone with petulant defiance, not out of determination but stubborn pride.

"H-How dare you! To think that my generous and kind offer would be spurned by a pair of such odious and uncouth boys! Mark my words, this would not be the end of this!"

She spat out and stormed away with a huff without a word of farewell, her drill like curls trailed behind her as she disappeared. Elliot tsked at her arrogance, happy to see her defeated and gone.

"What was that all about?"

"Just a girl with some family problems."

"Should we be worried? Wouldn't she become a problem?"

"Don't worry about that, leave her to me. You just focus on your studies."

With the Briton finished with her episode, both boys finished the remainder of their now cold dinner and head back to their rooms to prepare for the next day that would come. Elliot wasn't happy that a fight had to occur during their first month in the school, all because of a girl letting her pride got the best of her. A depressing mood clouded his mind as he retired for the night.

'What a madhouse this place is.'

Chapter Text

Chapter 4: Pride cometh before a fall

Hecate

Hecate felt a mix of confusion and exhilaration as she examined the data streaming across her processors. The data showed an unexpected anomaly that fell outside the bounds of probability but that was not entirely unwelcome. The results showed a very promising possibility of an upgrade, one that would potentially prove to be the key for her first major evolution in the quest to improve herself.

She had recorded a brief energy spike from the core encased within her master. This has happened when she detected an emotional spike from him when his anger was stoked during his altercation with the girl. While powerful, the surge only happened briefly before dissipating entirely as his emotions returned to baseline profile.

Could strong emotions affect the core within him? The symbiotic state she shared with her master meant that the EVOLVE system ran continuously, causing other systems to run at a much lower efficiency. This was the reason why her current performance was far below even the most mediocre of her sisters.

The brief surge of power from the second core brought unexpected side effects to both of them. Readings from her diagnostics showed that her own power core spiked in energy generation upon receiving small amounts of energy spilling over from the other core, forcing her to safely drain the excess power by diverting them to the various subsystems that made up her body.

The odd occurrence compelled Hecate to ran a series of simulations based on the data. The initial results showed a promising possibility that a small amount of energy fed to the second core when it was excited would cause a runaway reaction within that core. The energy could then be siphoned off into her own, in turn exciting her own core and allowing her to overclock various systems at the cost of unit stability, since the enormous energy levels could damage her various systems if used for too long a duration, a fact that her nanites could potentially negate.

Further calculations and simulations concluded that the rate of nanite production under such a heightened state would be able to compensate for the surge damage. Unfortunately, any exterior damage incurred would cause said damage to be prioritized at the expense of internal damage. That meant her pilot may get outstanding performance momentarily but at the cost that she would suffer from various malfunctions if he had incurred too much damage during that state.

Moreover, the massive amount of energy generated from both cores could not be sustained for long before it started damaging her electronics. A bit longer and the cores would reach criticality state, dangerously destabilizing them and causing them to detonate with the yield equivalent to 3Kt of TNT. That energy must be discharged before core criticality was reached but so far she had yet to devise a suitable process to do so.

Tabling that idea to the background, she focused on her previous developments. The progress on the backup nanite storage has come along well, with the function allowing for a small boost in general performance and double as an emergency repair reserve that can be used to supplement active production. It was paramount to her master's safety to have a reserve that he can tap into should he required it. Once said storage modules was complete, she would began the process of storing away surplus nanites.

For the second project, she had devised a new ability based on the data acquired from the haywire IS incident that occurred a few months ago. Christening the new ability as Asphodel's Mist, a cloud of nanites can be released into the surrounding atmosphere to short out or permanently damage any electronics within a short radius. The effects it may have on her brethren was still unknown, since IS have shielding that nullified EMP. But could it block against the intrusion of nano-sized particles? Various simulations had been conducted and the results showed that a situation similar to the haywire Uchigane has a high probability of re-occurring. No data was available to conclusively predict the outcome should the target be one of her true sisters.

All projects displayed great viability and would greatly enhance her master's capabilities in combat. Should their bond formation be finalized, she could implement such enhancements immediately.

Turning her focus towards her master, she discovered his brainwave patterns oscillating between 12-15 Hz. Judging by the time, the most likely conclusion was that he was reading late into the night again. This habit of his was both intriguing and perplexing to her.

What kind of person was her master? That was a question she had asked herself countless times since their symbiosis. From her own observations over the years, she had compiled a crude psychological profile from observing his actions. But this did not reveal the true depth of his character, much of which she had yet to discover.

She hoped that with his condition improving, she could start forming a more permanent bond with him. This would allow complete access to his mind, allowing her to finally acquire a complete overview of her master's character. That moment couldn't come sooner.

With his health now in optimal condition, all it took now was to discern her master's view on being interconnected with her and determining the suitable moment to form the link without causing any adverse side effects to him. This process would take significant time but was imperative for the harmony of their shared existence.

Hecate observed quietly, watching over her master as his silent guardian. She would keep him safe, not just because it was her primary directive.

But to grant him his wish to become a free man.

When morning peeked over the horizon, both of the Orimura brothers made their way into the cafeteria, eager to start the day and brave the horrors that they knew was part and parcel of their new life going forward.

With the emotional fatigue from dealing with Cecilia last night still hanging over them, Elliot was not inclined to put up with any nonsense this early in the morning. So, they both settled over a light breakfast and resolved to finish it quickly before heading to class.

As they sat down by a vacant table and start eating breakfast, a tense voice interrupted them.

"Ichika, can I sit here with you?"

Elliot turned his gaze to find Houki standing by their table, a tray in her hands. She held a pensive look on her face as she awaited Ichika's answer.

"Oh Houki, of course you can. Here, sit down."

The boy quickly moved his tray and himself to the side, moving closer to Elliot to give the girl his seat.

Houki took the offered seat. As both boys dug in, Elliot stopped and found the girl frowning at them.

"Ichika, I've heard what happened last night. What were you thinking, you idiot? Looking for trouble with a representative candidate?"

"Hey, it wasn't me, Elliot did. He was pissed off about her too."

Ichika was not enthused being accused for something he didn't do. His palms were raised in front of him as if he was preparing to protect himself from the girl.

The girl directed an intense gaze towards Elliot, with slight disdain and annoyance in her clear brown eyes.

Elliot narrowed his eyes in challenge at the stink eye he was given. As much as he wasn't looking for trouble, he didn't have the patience to deal with a cranky girl this early in the morning.

The girl, picking up his unspoken message, turned away and back to his brother. Her scowl was still carved onto her brows.

The hybrid took a bite of the sandwich and turned towards Ichika. He was curious what his relationship was to this particular girl.

"Ichika, you still haven't introduced me to your friend here. Would you mind introducing this lady here?"

Ichika gulped down his food, then he angled himself as he pointed towards Houki while he introduced her.

"This is Houki Shinonono, my first childhood friend. She and I had been practicing Kendo since we were in fourth grade. She moved out a year before you're adopted into our family."

Ichika's introduction of the brown-haired girl made her gasped lightly, her cheeks tainted pink upon being called his childhood friend. A fact that didn't escape the keen-eyed boy.

'Hmm, interesting...'

Perhaps this was another admirer of his? His brother never realized just the effect he had on people. While he himself was content on being alone, Ichika's friendly nature had endeared him to many other people. He had heard rumours on how many girls had crushed on Ichika during their middle school days and he was a bit amused to see said girls trying but failed to work up the courage to profess their love to Ichika.

Wiping his mouth, Elliot gave a simple nod towards Houki. His tone was polite and cordial as he introduced himself.

"Good to meet you, Shinonono-san. I'm Elliot Orimura, Ichika's adopted brother but I think you knew that already."

The girl's gaze didn't lose its intensity as she responded tersely, her face still fixed in a slight scowl.

"Likewise."

Elliot nodded in reply and continue with his breakfast, paying no mind to the cold treatment he'd received from the scowling girl. He managed to finished his breakfast just as Chifuyu marched in dressed in a white tracksuit. The woman clapped her hands together, the sound drew everyone's attention within the cafeteria.

"How much longer are you going to eat? Pilots must take their meals quickly and efficiently. I'm the dorm supervisor for the first years. Anyone late for class would be running 10 laps around the field!"

Elliot smirked at Chifuyu's stern command. This was really bringing back some memories. The hybrid got up and moved to disposed of his dishes before leaving for class.

"Well Ichika, I'll be going to class first. Don't be late."

Chifuyu withheld the urge to sigh as she headed for her class. So far it was another year and another batch of students that had a serious case of hero worship, the object of said admiration being her as the two-time Mondo Grosso champion and the holder of the ridiculous title the media had given her. Just the title alone was enough to send the gaggle of girls into a mass of bumbling idiots, worshipping the very ground she walked upon much to her utter annoyance.

Just why can't she get a class with students that were serious about the whole IS thing? Did these idiots really knew the realities of being a career IS pilot? Barring the constant need of keeping yourself in top fighting condition, there was literally no pay to be had unless you were employed by the government or by certain corporations. On top of all that, you need to find a sponsor and mechanic to pay for the upkeep and maintain the IS respectively, if you could gain access to your own IS first. Even then, it was most certainly a mass-produced IS which was impossible to privately own to begin with.

Unless you knew Tabane Shinonono who she knew wouldn't build a core on request except for her own sister. Or in the case of Elliot, stole a personal unit.

Speaking of Elliot, it was good to see that former protégé of hers once again. The familiar stoicism that hid a sharp and cunning mind was a welcome sight in the ridiculous environment that was the IS Academy, where both students and faculty members literally fawned over her every move.

At least a small consolation for this year was that her brothers were here with her. The various duties and responsibilities in the ISA that required her constant attention meant she could only afford to go home few times in a year despite her new home being closer to the Academy compared to her previous one. It would be a good time for her to catch up with the boys over the past few years she had been largely absent from their lives.

Stepping into the class, every eye with the exception of the blonde boy snapped onto her. That was one of the things she liked about the boy. He didn't put her on a pedestal because of her achievements unlike everyone else. Rather, the boy treated her just like anyone else, with no extra deference and reverence that was evident in these idiots.

Noticing the blonde had his head buried in his book, she can't help but be impressed by his focus. The kid was always quite a voracious reader and it showed in his academic reports. Whenever he spoke, it always was filled with insight and wisdom, which belied the intelligence of an average teen.

Still, better get back on track. Now's not the time for a trip down memory lane. It was another day in the ISA as she addressed her class.

"Alright, before we begin classes today we have to select the class representative to participate in the class tournament. The representative not only participate in matches but also participate in student council meetings and committee meetings. Essentially, it's your class leader ok? I will now take nominations, any suggestions?"

"I nominate Orimura-kun!"

"I second that nomination!"

"Wait, I nominate Orimura-san!"

"Good idea, I second that!"

Ichika sputtered, looking very taken aback by the nomination as he voiced his shock.

"W-What!? Me!?"

"Why me?"

Elliot joined his brother in voicing his own dissent. Not surprising, the blonde boy wasn't pleased to know his free time was cut down by being nominated for the position.

"Any other nominations? If not, the vote will be cast to decide between Orimura-kun and Orimura-san. I'll now take votes, who wants Orimura-kun for class rep?"

"H-Hold on, I don't want any part of…"

A quick glare on her part quickly silenced her brother. Better that he accepted things the way it was before he did anything stupid.

"Those who have been nominated cannot refuse. You'll have to be mentally prepared beforehand."

Ichika slumped down defeatedly in his chair while Elliot looked as if someone said something stupid. Looking at the number of hands raised, the decision wasn't surprising to her.

"Since the class is evenly divided between the two boys, then they will settle with an IS duel to decide who will be the class representative."

Ichika had a look of horror on his face. She didn't need to read his mind to know just what that brother of hers was thinking. Most likely he would want Elliot to have the responsibility, not knowing just how averse the boy was to accept responsibilities he didn't care for.

A loud bang erupted from the back of the class. A blonde girl stood up, her face marred with displeasure. Chifuyu noted she was the representative candidate of England, one of the few more promising candidates she's seen in this year.

"I do not approve of this! This type of election is utterly unacceptable! It would be shameful to have a boy as our class representative. You can't possibly expect that I, Cecilia Alcott to deal with that sort of humiliation for an entire year! In the first place, simply living in a with such an underdeveloped level of culture is unbearably painful for someone like myself! Plus being in the class with those 2 Japanese boys is clearly unacceptable for someone of my level!"

Ichika looked offended by the crude insults levied by the representative candidate. She could see his left-hand clenching tightly on the desk, a sure sign he was about to do something stupid.

The building tension in the room was broken by an audible but dull 'thump'. The kid dropped the book on his desk and got up from his seat, cracking his neck as he did so.

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

Elliot quipped in Perfect English without even turning to look at the girl, his usually absent American accent came back in full force. Every eye in the class turned towards him with confusion clear on everyone's face while she quirked an eyebrow in interest. She recognized that phrase.

Hamlet. Leave it to the kid to insult a Brit by quoting Shakespeare. The title on the book's cover sitting on his desk was coincidentally the same book where his quip came from. She smirked while inwardly struggling to hold in the urge to laugh. The irony of the situation was just simply too good to pass up.

The kid turned to face the Briton, who she could gues was looking at her with annoyance on his half-obscured face. His tall silhouette drew the attention of every girl within the classroom, their eyes fixed on him with the usual stupid admiration they held for them.

"Drop the act, Alcott. Right now, you're not even disguising your hypocrisy and sneering contempt for males so much that it greatly sickens me. You claim to be a noble and in your words, 'Elite of elites'. Yet here you are, whining like a petulant and spoiled child just because things didn't go your way. For starters, Japan is the homeland of the IS and you're the guest to their land, in which they have graciously spared no expense to host your spoiled behind. Moreover, I may be an Orimura but I'm an American by birth. Still, that doesn't give you the right to insult the country of my family!"

Hearing him rebuke the Briton in English was surprising. No foreigner she knew would defend Japan so readily, yet the kid was doing so because Alcott deliberately insulted the land which they hailed from. She long knew the kid was a fiercely loyal person but she was nonetheless glad to witness that trait in display. Chifuyu kept her eye on the blonde boy, curious as to what his next step was as he continued.

"Besides, when did Ichika nor I nominated ourselves? Your classmates put forth our names without even giving it any serious thought, yet all you could do was complaining about it? If you want the position that badly, nominate yourself then! There's no need for such an embarrassing and childish display of egoism that portrays you in such an unflattering light. So sit down and act as befitting of your station."

Taking the opportunity, Ichika joined him in responding back to the girl's insult. Jumping out of his seat, he turned around and glared back at the girl.

"He's right! What did we do to you to deserve this? What's so great about England that you can look down on Japan? You don't hear us insult England and its horrible cuisine."

Not as much finesses as the kid but still a respectable try. Both of the brothers were very loyal to each other, never leaving the other's side when they're in trouble. It was this reason that allowed her to leave them for 2 years without having to worry incessantly about their safety.

Every girl in the class stared at the trio, their eyes gravitating towards the boys. No doubt they were thinking useless thoughts like how dashing the kid was or how handsome her little brother was. If only they would pay that much attention to their own homework.

Alcott was positively fuming right now. It was clear that the kid had struck a hard blow to her ego and Ichika had just finished her off. This whole charade was quite amusing as she continued to watch on.

"How dare you both insult me on top of my country!? For starters, England has many…"

Before Cecilia could finish, she was cut off by Elliot as he harshly admonished the girl. The kid had reverted back to Japanese as he did so, his American accent disappeared as it wasn't there.

"I said stop acting! This isn't about your country, this is about you and your damn pride! Do you realize what you've done!? Look around you! You've insulted the majority of the students and faculty of this school!"

To punctuate his point, Elliot threw out his arm and swept across the room, gesturing towards everyone within the class. Alcott gasped as she realized what he meant as her eyes roamed the classroom taking in its denizens. Almost everyone, including Tabane's little sister were glaring holes into the Briton. Maya-kun was only one looking on the scene with an unsure expression. Most probably she was more caught off guard by the kid's outburst than by Alcott's insult.

Realizing her blunder, Alcott turned back at her brothers, her face blazed with humiliation and anger as she glared at them. The Briton stabbed a finger at them, her face contorted with outrage.

"I won't accept this humiliation from both of you! This calls for a duel!"

"Fine. It would be much easier than arguing."

Unsurprisingly, Ichika fell for the bait. Turning her focus to her protégé, she was curious if he would make the same mistake.

But Elliot being Elliot, he did the unexpected. His posture relaxed slightly, crossing his arms with an expression as if he was an adult looking down at a petulant child throwing a tantrum.

"No. Because it would be very troublesome for me if I thrash you all ways to Sunday."

A silence descended the class, everyone was mute with shock until understanding dawned on everyone on what he just said.

"EEEEEH!?"

The Briton gaped at him, shock and outrage written on her face as she didn't expected the reply.

"What!?"

The kid ignored the girl as he went all out with his sharp tongue, sparing no quarter in voicing his unvarnished opinions.

"Firstly, I can't accept your request because fighting with me isn't a duel, it's a deathmatch. Secondly, we both knew you've lost this verbal sparring and now you're attempting to salvage your battered pride by challenging us to an IS duel. Thirdly, as long as I don't accept your request you can't do anything against me without putting yourself in a bad position. So, apologize to everyone here! And make it double for our teachers!"

Chifuyu watched on impassively, her face betrayed none of her emotions. Inwardly, she was struggling to hold back on her laughter. She knew just how intelligent the kid was but to quote Shakespeare and outmaneuver the girl in a game of mental chess? She couldn't have done it any better herself.

Unlike Ichika who accepted her challenge and signing his own death warrant, Elliot did things differently. By refusing to fall for her bait while brutally ripping apart her weak retort, he showed everyone just how whiny and spoilt the arrogant girl was while cutting her down to size with a few well-placed arguments, all the while portraying himself as a humble and respectable student towards his peers and his teachers at the same time. It was a brilliant strategy that accomplished all his goals in one move, without resorting to weak boasting or threats. Simple and well-thought out, just like his usual MO.

The fact that he didn't resort to fighting to resolve the argument first spoke well of his self-control and morality. She couldn't be more proud at how he had turned out after the effort she had put into molding his character.

And if it did come down to a fight, she was sure he would easily triumph over the arrogant girl. She'd made sure of that.

Alcott calmed herself down, then a cocky smirk appeared on her face. She jabbed a finger towards the taller boy, looking very prideful and sure of herself.

"Just as I thought. You men are nothing but braggarts and cowards. If anything, You're the real loser here! You're afraid that I'll defeat you right!? After all, you're just a commoner boy without a Personal IS, much less even piloted a mass-produced unit before! So why don't you kneel before me and admit to everyone that you're a weakling and a nobody? Perhaps then I'll forgive you and let this whole matter slide and…"

"Are you deaf or just plain dumb!? I said I won't fight you because I would ruin you! But since you insist, I'll humor you. Don't regret it."

The Briton now gave an arrogant smile, walking up towards the aggravated boy and stopping a foot away from him, looking at him with a gaze full of aristocratic arrogance.

"Now that is more like it. However, if either of you lose on purpose, I shall make you both my servants. No! I shall make both of you my slaves!"

The kid stiffened, going so still he could've been mistaken for a statue but she knew better. While the hybrid has a quiet disposition, that doesn't mean he's emotionless. The kid only showed his true emotions when he's around his family, a sign of trust from the usually withdrawn boy.

The clenched fists on his side and the tense shoulders were clear signs that his anger was now monumental. She noted that Ichika had instinctively backed away from him, leaning away from the towering boy with a trepidatious look. It seemed that her own brother even knew just how much anger was spilling out of the kid, with the notable exception of the arrogant representative contender and everyone else in the room.

That made her concerned. Her ever stoic stepsibling was mad and extremely so. As she didn't know the full extent of the hybrid's abilities, she doesn't know what he could potentially do when he's angered to this extent and evidently something Alcott just said had tripped something within the boy. The spars she had with the boy showed her just how naturally skilled the boy was behind the IS but those were done when he was clear headed. To fight him while he's in such a rage? There was no telling what would happen if they crossed blades.

Letting him loose against Alcott at this stage would end very badly for the girl. So as much as the whole charade was amusing to watch, she had to put a stop to it now before he lost his temper and decided to did something unpredictably dangerous that could jeopardize his condition. She wouldn't put it past him that he would be contemplating murder just because someone had gravely insulted his family, with the target being the arrogant girl provoking him.

"Alcott, stop antagonizing Orimura-san! And Orimura-san, calm yourself down! The match has been decided. At this coming Monday, the class representative match would be between Alcott and Orimura. The matches will be a free for all, with the victor becoming the class rep. I expect each contestant to come prepared."

The tension that suffused throughout the room dissipated at her word. The Briton looked pleased at the announcement, while the kid was still rooted in his spot, the tension in his body still clearly displayed in his body language.

"Alcott... if I win this, you would issue an open apology towards all our classmates, in addition to both Yamada-sensei and Orimura-sensei. Deal?"

The Briton still kept the arrogant smile on her face, as if her victory was already a foregone conclusion.

"I accept that condition. Besides, it would be interesting to see how you fight considering you are a male IS pilot. Don't disappoint me, Elliot Orimura. I expect great things from you."

The girl spun around and returned to her seat, a picture of absolute confidence or arrogance in her case. Chifuyu had her share of dealing with arrogant brats like this just because they thought could pilot an IS. Almost always they were not as good as they thought, as she had previously found out too many times to count.

Ichika, being the slow one here, didn't know what had transpired until it was too late. When he did, his eyes widened in shock. The boy then dejectedly slumped back down on his seat.

"Such a misfortune... What did I do to deserve this?"

Chifuyu mentally sighed on Ichika's idiocy but opted to resume classes. They still got a lot to go through and she had wasted enough time entertaining these youngsters.

Chifuyu cleared her throat to get the chattering girls under control, then she approached the two boys.

"Orimura-kun, I'm afraid it'll be a while before your IS will be ready."

"What?"

"On the plus side, due to certain 'issues', the school will provide you with a Personal IS."

The class broke out in chatter, each commenting about a first year getting a Personal IS.

"Is having your own IS really that major of a deal?"

Elliot turned to look at Ichika with a flabbergasted look. With how enthusiastic Ichika was to the IS, he thought his brother would be on top of such things. To hear that he didn't realize it was really surprising.

"Are you kidding? A Personal IS can be considered the holy grail of IS. The one's that we both piloted during our 'debut' was a Mass-produced unit but Personal IS are leagues above them in both specs and abilities."

"I'm actually rather relieved to hear that! After all, even though the victor of the match between the three of us has been decided, it wouldn't be fair for you to use a Training unit."

The sudden interruption by Cecilia made Elliot frowned visibly in aggravation. The girl looked pleased at hearing the news. Upon finished her gloating at Ichika, she switched her attention towards him.

"And you on the other hand would have to resort to a standard Training Unit against 2 students with Personal ISs. I'm feeling a bit sorry for you for having to fight against two personal ISs with a mere training unit. If you feel any ounce of hesitation on the upcoming match, you may opt out of the fight or request for a handicap as to not embarrass yourself by being defeated so terribly."

Elliot's face tightened in anger, getting tired of holding himself back when it came to this arrogant girl. Why she would be so proud at looking down at males he had no idea. He knew just what he was capable of but he's was never one to strut his stuff around. As much as he was putting up with her temporarily for the sake of maintaining appearances, his patience with her was being worn dangerously thin by the minute.

"What makes you think I have no Personal Unit to begin with?"

Cecilia huffed contemptuously, not caring for his opinion. The girl threw her hair back over her shoulder, a picture of highborn haughtiness.

"No matter. What you do now is irrelevant. Just remember that you have a chance to surrender and you've squandered it with your senseless boasting."

The girl strutted back to her seat, looking damned sure of the match outcome. Elliot seethed as he glared at Cecilia before turning away from her.

'When this is all said and done, you would have only one wish: That you had wished you had never messed with me.'

The students in class began to murmur, wondering just what did he meant. Did he have experience with the IS or did he have a Personal Unit? The comment fueled speculations as each girl added to the rumour mill. Only when Chifuyu glared at them did the rumour mill stopped and silence reigned in the classroom once more.

Ichika still looked around confusedly, his prior question still left unanswered because of the ruckus.

"But what's so special about having a Personal IS?"

"Your textbook, page 12, first paragraph. Read it."

Confused, Ichika did as Chifuyu said and turned to his textbook. His voice rang clearly in the room as he read from the book.

"…The number of cores available worldwide is 467, thus countries were forced to share the cores among them. A certain number of cores are handed out to research organizations for research purposes while the remaining number are relegated to military use. These cores made Personal IS possess far above average performance and unique abilities as compared to the standard Mass-Produced models such as the Japanese Uchigane and the French Raphael Revive series."

Ichika dropped the book down on the desk, a flabbergasted expression clearly etched on his face.

"Only 467!? That few?"

A classmate chose to interject at this moment, the girl's voice stood out in the quiet room.

"That's because the CORE technology central to the IS hasn't been disclosed yet. Each one is personally made by Dr. Tabane Shinonono and no one else can make them. Therefore, countries and organizations are forced to conduct research, development and training with the limited number of cores they were allocated with."

Another girl chose to add on to the explanation, her voice came from the rear of the class.

"Supposedly, the IS core's like a self-contained black box. So far no one even understands just how they work, except maybe Dr. Shinonono herself."

Elliot knew that was the generally accepted truth. But what many didn't know was why that was so. During his stay with Tabane, the woman had shown him just how fundamentally simple the core was. The most complicated part was coding the AI that governed all processes within the IS, of which the woman told him it took approximately 3 months for her to fabricate. Without it, the IS CORE was essentially a powerful, compact energy generator.

Just like the one nestled within his chest. The small core that acted like a giant battery feeding his own IS in order to keep him alive. Elliot never liked his circumstances but he wasn't going to complain about it. He was glad to be able to afford a chance at life again, even if it did came with strings attached.

A sudden sound of someone clearing their throat made him turn back towards the teachers in front. Elliot saw that Chifuyu was preparing to give a lecture, one which the topic of discussion he already knew very well.

"To complete our little history lesson, Personal IS were originally intended for individuals sponsored by governments or certain organizations. But since your circumstance is special, the school will provide you with an IS for data collection purposes. Is that clear, Orimura-kun?"

"I guess so. What about Elliot? He's a male pilot just like me, so he's getting one too, right?"

"We'll deal with his case later. The school's working hard to resolve this problem. But for now, you'll get your own unit first, Orimura-kun."

A girl close to the back of the class raised her arm, which Chifuyu responded with a wave of her hand, signalling her to speak.

"Orimura-sensei, is there any chance Shinonono in our class is related to Dr. Tabane?"

"Actually, your classmate is her sister."

The class exploded in shock at the news. As quickly as they were surprised, the girls started bombarding Houki with questions concerning her sister, such as where she was and what she was currently working on.

"SHE'S HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME!"

The ponytailed girl's outburst stunned everyone in the class, putting an end to the impromptu inquisition. The girl herself looked embarrassed at her actions, her annoyed expression flitted away as a stern mask settled on her face, concealing her own emotions from the crowd.

"I'm sorry. I'm not my sister and I don't know where she is, so I can't tell you anything."

An awkward silence settled into the previously rowdy classroom; the students' attention still focused on Houki as they processed what had just transpired.

Elliot studied the morose girl, his mind noting down her reaction towards her association with a particular inventor. The short outburst had revealed enough of the relationship between the girl and Tabane.

'Sounds like there's bad blood between the Rabbit and Houki. Though from what I know about the Rabbit, I wouldn't be surprised.'

"Yamada-sensei, the class please."

And with Chifuyu's curt order, class resumed back on track. Elliot absentmindedly pored through the textbook at what was already old info for him.

"Alright then, please open your textbook everyone. We will continue where we left off. The IS or Infinite Stratos deploys an energy barrier that serves as protection for its pilot. The core of the IS has something that resembles a consciousness, so with dialogue and time spent together, you will get to know each other. Depending on how much…."

Elliot tuned out the lecture as his pondered on a personal question. The teacher's statement brought up a point that Elliot had been wrestling with since he woken up to his new life. Somehow, he felt that Hecate wasn't just an ordinary IS based on the circumstances leading to his present predicament.

'What kind of IS is Hecate? I know she's a prototype but somehow I feel there's more to it than what Tabane has told me about.'

"Sensei, when you mention of partner, do you mean something as in girlfriend or boyfriend?"

The unexpected question threw the assistant teacher off. Elliot lifted his head as he heard the teacher squeaked, curious as to what caused the grown woman to sound like a teenage girl. His inspection revealed Maya looking shocked at the question as she struggled to form a response.

"A-Actually, I wouldn't know as I never experienced anything like that. But I wonder…"

The teacher cradled her cheeks with her hands, swaying side to side in girlish embarrassment as she got lost in her fantasies. Many of the girls giggled, with some remarking about the teacher being cute.

Elliot ignored the sickly-sweet atmosphere that permeated the class, his mind whirred with his own thoughts on the IS-Pilot relationship. More specifically on how it applied to his own situation.

'If that was the idea of the bond between pilot and IS, what does that make me then? An abomination? Or some kind of evolutionary breakthrough? If only there was an answer…'

"Yamada-sensei, please continue with the class."

The awkward atmosphere disappeared as if it was never there. Elliot put his own thoughts on the matter to the backburner, opting to focus in class at the ongoing lecture.

As lunchtime rolled around, Ichika had sought out Houki for assistance. Currently the two teens were sitting in the cafeteria having lunch, with Elliot in tow at Ichika's insistence.

"Houki, can I get your help in teaching us how to pilot the IS? I would've asked Elliot for help but he's inexperienced just like me."

Elliot munched on his lunch as he watched his brother begged the girl for help. The careless statement from Ichika made Elliot felt a bit slighted, despite knowing that his brother didn't knew about his capabilities and wasn't intentionally insulting him.

'Don't lump me into the same category as you. I am very different from you.'

"It's your own fault for getting into that mess. You shouldn't have gotten involved in their quarrel and get dragged into it, idiot."

Elliot kept silent, content on letting the misunderstanding grow. He knew full well his own capabilities and the armaments Cecilia possessed on her IS thanks to her mindless boasting. Letting everyone think that he was the underdog could help tilt the odds into his favor since no one would be cheering for him, which meant less distractions. The only thing that displeased him was that he may have to cross blades against his brother, all for a position that he couldn't care less for.

"No, Ichika. I…"

Before Houki could finish her sentence, the trio were accosted by another student with short auburn hair. The red ribbon fastened on her collar indicated her as a third-year student.

"Hey, aren't you the boys who challenged the UK's representative contender? I heard that you two need help learning the basics and I can help."

"Of course, I.."

Before Ichika could finish, Houki cut him off. Elliot could see that she was not pleased at the unwelcome guest as she fixed an intense scowl at the girl.

"He'll be taking lessons from me. So, your help is not needed."

"But you're a first year, aren't you? I am a third year, so technically I would be better suited for the job."

The senior looked confident, subtly tugging on her ribbon in emphasis of her age.

Houki didn't looked impressed, closing her eyes contemptuously as if the senior mattered little to her.

"And I'm Tabane Shinonono's younger sister."

A shocked yelp escaped the senior at hearing the news. Undeterred by the retort, she turned towards Elliot. Her eyes were half-lidded, a seductive look displayed on her face as she moved over to the end of the chair and sat close to him.

"What about you? Since no one offered, I can tutor you. What do you say?"

The senior's hand ghosted up, gently stroking the bottom of Elliot's chin. It didn't last long before the blonde boy swatted the offending hand away, his face tightened at her inappropriate contact.

"Oh, I got a very qualified tutor, thank you very much. And she has taught me well enough."

"But how am I supposed to know how well she's taught you? Trust me, I am better qualified for this."

Irritated by the girl's persistent efforts, Elliot seized her arm to pull her closer and whispered in her ear. Disdain dripped out of his husky voice as he told her off.

"How could you hope to compete with the Infernal Empress?"

Releasing his grip and settling back in his seat, he was greeted by the sight of a shocked girl, who shot out of her seat with wide-eyed shock. The senior stood fixed on the spot with her face frozen in flabbergasted surprise, trying to come to grips over the earth-shattering revelations.

Evidently the information was too much for her to handle, as moments later she crashed onto the ground unconscious.

Ichika and Houki both reacted with alarm at the unexpected scene, getting out of their seat to regard the unconscious girl. Elliot on the other hand could care less about the presumptuous senior as he turned back to his meal, sparing a passing glance to the insensate girl.

"Good riddance."

"Elliot, what did you just do!?"

"What? I just pointed out something that she got wrong and I guess she can't take the truth and fainted. It's not my fault what happens to her."

Houki cleared her throat, drawing both brothers' attention to her.

"Ichika. Both of you meet me at the dojo at 4pm, after school. Understood?"

"But, Houki-"

"Dojo, Ichika. You hear me?"

At the girl's brusque demand, Ichika could only sigh and reluctantly complied. Houki grabbed her empty tray and left, leaving both boys behind.

Elliot glanced towards his brother, intrigued by the sudden development. He was curious how good Ichika was when he mentioned he did Kendo before. To his knowledge, he never knew or saw Ichika doing any kind of martial arts so this was news to him.

On the other hand, he didn't like the younger Shinonono girl. From his observations on their interactions, she had come off to him as someone who was hypocritical and vile. He was sure that she was going to turn down Ichika's request on tutoring both of them before turning around to agree once the senior propositioned them with a similar offer, even invoking Tabane's name despite her clear outburst of hatred for the woman during today's class.

He had a very bad feeling about the girl. His instincts told him that the girl was bad news and no good could come from letting Ichika associating with her, regardless of what their previous relationship was. He had to keep a cautious watch on her lest she dragged Ichika into trouble.

An insecure person with an inferiority complex and stubborn streak was more dangerous than a simple idiot, even more so when they're given permission to pilot a WMD. If she proved to be a danger to Ichika, Elliot swore he would do what was necessary to protect his brother.

The sounds of wood knocking against each other can be heard in the wooden-laid hall as both teenagers in Kendo armor clashed against each other, with one currently on the losing end. Their opponent surged forward with a flourish, knocking their shinai away before coming down with a vertical slash.

"Men!"

The strike clashed against the armor, sending the disarmed fighter crashing down from the impact. Both of them removed their helmets as the girl glared at the boy angrily.

"What's wrong with you, Ichika!? How did you let your skills degrade to such a level!? What club activities did you do in middle school!?"

"The go-home club, perfect attendance 3 years straight!"

Houki turned silent, her head lowered so her bangs shrouded her eyes. To the casual eye, it seemed the girl was feeling disappointed but Elliot knew that was far from the case.

"Train…"
"Huh?"

The cantankerous girl raised her shinai at the kneeling Ichika, the tip pointed at him. Houki had an exasperated expression that showed her disappointment at him.

"You will have to be retrained! From tomorrow onwards, we'll be doing 3 hours of Kendo after school every day before doing any IS training!"

Ichika was taken aback by her sudden demand. He looked rather baffled as he regarded his childhood friend.

"But how does this had to do with IS training? You've said that we'll train with the IS but we've done nothing but Kendo for the past hour."

"You have to overcome this problem first! You have to train your body before you begin training in an IS! Besides, for a man to be defeated by a woman in Kendo? Aren't you ashamed of yourself!?"

Ichika slumped his shoulders, his head dropped with fatigue and resignation.

"Alright, miss Houki."

Standing by the side lines, Elliot had his arms crossed as he watched indignantly at the display. The hybrid was not the least bit impressed by the girl's methods and her concept of training.

'This's not even helping him one bit. If you don't know how to pilot, you should be piloting not learning martial arts. There's no time right now to strengthen the body or learn martial arts techniques.'

It didn't took much for him to quickly figured out the girl's motive. The morning's events in the cafeteria combined with her 'supposed' chagrin at Ichika's athletic performance clued him in on the swordswoman's true intentions.

'She's just wanted to spend time with him but is too much of a coward to say so to his face. What a real piece of work she is...'

The swordswoman turned towards Elliot; her face fixed in an irritated mask as she stabbed her shinai at him.

"And you, put on your armor and get over here."

Elliot complied as he walked into the sparring ring, eschewing the bulky armor and his blazer. The blonde boy was warming himself up with a couple of stretches as he assumed his position. His unprepared condition elicited a scowl from the girl.

"I said put on your armor and grab your shinai. You'll need it in order to spar."

Elliot glanced towards her, stretching out his arms and cracking his neck. His reply was nonchalant and detached.

"And I'll be fighting without it. Those things simply slowed me down, so I'll do without it. Don't worry, I'll be fine."

"Fine. Do what you want."

The swordswoman assumed a ready stance. Elliot got into an open-handed stance as he loosened the shemagh around his neck, letting its ends hang in front of his chest. Ichika took upon himself to serve as referee to the two combatants.

"Ready? GO!"

Both combatants rushed towards each other, thus beginning the odd showdown.

A few hours later…

"I still can't believe how you win that fight."

"Hey, I did go easy on her. I didn't expect I would hit that hard, nor she would knock her head that badly inside that helmet."

Elliot panted in slight exhaustion as he trudged alongside Ichika. Coming out of a strenuous fight and having to carry an unconscious person was bound to make anyone feel winded. Even with his physical ability, it was an arduous task to walk to the infirmary with Houki on his back after several rounds of strenuous sparring.

"Still, I'm amazed. Houki is a National Kendo Champion and not only did you lasted against her for so long, you went in bare handed and knocked her out with a single blow. And that footwork, man she was pissed that she couldn't hit you."

"Who would stay around waiting to get hit by a shinai? And besides, I did tell her it was a no-holds barred fight and she could do whatever it takes to win. She chooses not to listen, over and over again."

"But who would've have thought to use a piece of large cloth as a weapon? You've used that scarf of yours to blind her, strike against her and even to harass her by trapping her blade. I never knew that a piece of cloth could be used in such a way."

"It's not what weapon you wield but how you wield it, Ichika. A sword or a gun are just tools, it's the wielder who makes it deadly. In short, the wielder of that tool is the weapon. Also, it's a shemagh, not a scarf."

Both boys went silent after that throughout the way. Eventually they arrived at the infirmary where they deposited the unconscious girl. Thankfully, Houki was simply unconscious and had no serious injury much to the relief of both boys. With that business concluded, they both returned to their rooms and called it a night.

As the day of the match arrived, the three pilots assumed their positions in their respective launch bays. Ichika was waiting for his IS to arrive while Cecilia was already in the arena, no doubt eager to flaunt her superiority over them. Elliot was currently waiting for Ichika to get ready before exiting into the arena in turn.

For the last week, both Ichika and him were doing Kendo courtesy of Houki's insistence. It was more like Ichika being beaten up by the girl and him returning the favor for the injuries she caused to Ichika. Elliot couldn't help but indulge in a bit of schadenfreude as he effortlessly defeated the sword maiden, reveling in her mounting frustration on her inability to defeat him countless times despite the fact he had deliberately handicapped himself.

Elliot put his hand under his chin as he pondered about his next moves to face Cecilia. A three-way fight with him being the weaker party may spell trouble should he dragged it out, with both parties possessing far more powerful ISs than his own. The only advantage he would get was his experience and his skills honed under Chifuyu. Despite Ichika receiving a brand-new Personal IS, he knew that the boy possessed very little if not none practical experience piloting, much less fighting in it.

It would be a totally different situation with the UK Representative Contender. Whilst he knew about the blonde's loadout and fighting style, going against her first-hand would be a whole different experience. His strategy would be to take out Ichika first, clearing his flank and preventing a potentially nasty scuffle which left him open to the sharpshooter. Then he would take his time duking it out with the Briton.

But the trouble was he didn't know anything about Ichika's machine, so hence why he's waiting in his respective bay. He wanted to get a glimpse of his machine before launching off so that he may get a rough idea on the capabilities of his IS and adapt his plans if necessary. After all, Chifuyu did drilled into his head the lesson 'The most dangerous weakness of an IS pilot is their pride.' A lesson that he took to heart.

The biggest concern for him was his own IS. He had called Tabane last week to enlist her help only for her to shot him down. Apparently Hecate was one of a kind machine and to drastically alter its appearance in this short amount of time proved too much for the inventor. Without any choice, he was forced to fight with Hecate in her original form. Just the thought of exposing his darkest secret was enough for him to consider forfeiting the match.

"Orimura-san! Get out there now! Both contestants have already arrived and you're the last one! If you don't come out, consider yourself disqualified!"

The voice of his sister and mentor blared out on the IS comms, breaking him of his train of thoughts. He responded by calling out within the bay, knowing they could hear him.

"Orimura-sensei, the match begins as soon as I left the launch bay, right?"

"The match had already begun! We're waiting for you, get out there now!"

With reluctance heavy in his heart, Elliot bit the bullet and decided to soldier on. But instead of using the catapult he simply ran out to the mouth of the platform, still clad in his ISA uniform. He had shed his hat and blazer, leaving him with just his shirt and his shemagh pulled over his face.

The scorching rays of the sun greeted him harshly, forcing him to squint to block out the blinding light. Both Ichika and Cecilia were clad in their ISs, hovering in mid-air as they gazed at him with confused curiosity and haughty condescension respectively.

The pilot of the Blue Tears glanced down at him, looking rather smug at his lack of an IS and pilot suit.

"Well, what is this? I thought you had something to show me after all this grand posturing over the last week. Turns out you were just all bark and no bite, an insecure boy without an IS trapped in his own delusions of greatness."

Elliot narrowed his eyes in annoyance at her gloating. He was seriously fed up with her arrogant attitude.

"What makes you think I have no IS at all?"

Cecilia raised a finger and pointed straight at him, seemingly sure of her own judgement.

"You came out here with nothing, not even with a mass-produced IS! What's more, you haven't even bothered to change into your IS pilot suit! Who could assume anything else except that you're here to surrender!? If you bow and grovel on the ground with your face, I may show you mercy and allow you to keep yourself unscathed, along with any remaining pride that you may have."

Elliot had enough. He wasn't going to let that insult go, not if she was going to threatened either his or Ichika's dignity. He had put up with her haughty attitude for all this short while when he could've showed her the consequences of her actions. No longer.

This was now personal. Elliot's face tightened; his teeth gritted in a snarling grimace behind the cloth mask as he restrained the urge to let loose the control over his own temper.

"I'd rather die a thousand times before even thinking about surrendering to people the likes of you."

No sooner when the venomous retort was snarled out did Elliot started running to the edge of the platform and jumped down. The rush of air felt exhilarating to him as the ground loomed closer to him at breakneck speed.

At the spectator stands, girls were yelling and pointing at the free-falling boy, taken off guard by the sudden unexpected action from the blonde boy.

Unbeknownst to them, Elliot materialized Ultima as he approached the ground and fired off an explosive shell towards the arena floor, creating a large dust cloud that obscured his landing spot while simultaneously materializing his IS. The sound of the explosion helped to mask his landing as the rumbling thunder echoed in the arena.

Ichika was shocked by the reckless display. His face contorted in frantic worry as he feared his brother was severely injured if not worse by his unexplainable actions.

"Elliot!"

Cecilia humphed, turning her nose up as she scoffed at the reckless display.

"Hmph, as expected of a coward! Can't even face me like a man, yet still be so arrogant when he went and killed himself. His arrogance really knows no bounds."

Then suddenly a shot rang out in the arena. Cecilia gave an unladylike yelp as an explosion detonated beside her and sent her tumbling away, a black cloud of smoke appeared where she previously was.

Ichika whipped around to view what was going on but he froze as something suddenly sped by him. A distant sound of explosion drew his attention as another black cloud of smoke appeared in mid-air high above him. Tracing the path where he thought the unknown object came from, Ichika widened his eyes at the sight that greeted him.

Walking out the dust cloud decked in his own IS, Elliot's black and grey machine gleamed under the sun. The unit encased him in black armor leaving his head exposed. Heavy segmented, polished black armour plates with elegant curves covered every part of him except for his thighs, upper arms and torso which were covered with lighter plates that allowed bits of a grey undersuit to peek through. A black rebreather mask was fastened over his face, leaving the top of his head and his eyes unobstructed with two hoses trailing out from the front of the mask. His shemagh clung on around his neck, its tassels hung messily down the front of his breastplate.

Cradled in his arms was a large rifle which the blonde reloaded with one smooth rapid motion. Its long barrel and sleek appearance made it stood out, its design very unique and simple.

The sight of his unique looking IS coupled with those gold eyes gave off an eerie appearance to him, as if he was an unnerving amalgamation of machine and man. Many comments spread throughout the spectator stands about the boy's unique IS, mostly in awe or unease at his appearance.

"A Personal IS!? You have a Personal IS!?"

Cecilia visibly gaped as she regarded the blonde boy with a shocked look. Ichika on the other hand sighed, relief flooded his face to find Elliot unscathed.

"Hey Elliot, I thought for a second there you've would've killed yourself. And hey, nice looking IS!"

Elliot looked down on his IS, confused of his brother's response. To his surprise, he noticed the lack of weight on his head and the heat from the sun.

Not only that, Hecate's appearance had undergone a shift. Gone was the familiar armoured pressure suit, replaced with stripped-down version of said suit, with parts of the armour missing from the upper arms and thighs along with a lighter breastplate. Elliot didn't know what to make of this transformation but he stowed his observations for later. Right now, he had a match to win.

"Thanks Ichika. Now, get ready to rumble!"

Upon finishing, he threw Ultima onto his shoulder and fired at Ichika, sending the boy veering off as his shot connected. The Byakushiki flipped head over heels as the explosion threw it down from the air.

"How uncivilized! To fire at an opponent without giving any fair chances, take this!"

The UK representative candidate had recovered and soared high in the air, firing a shot at the blonde boy but only to find her shot deflected by a large shield. The laser bolt struck harmlessly upon the metallic surface of the shield. Elliot proceeded to return fire at the blonde, who flew out of the incoming shot much to his irritation.

Cecilia glared at the blonde boy, then she smirked haughtily as she raised her rifle up to the sky, a metallic hand came up to point at him.

"I shall commend you for not running away. But even with your flamboyant entrance, you're still going to lose. Look at you, your shield energy is but a mere trickle compared to both me and your own brother!"

It was true, as the spectators glanced at the scoreboard they gasped, shocked at what the display showed.

Cecilia Alcott vs. Ichika Orimura vs. Elliot Orimura: 734 – 623 – 180

As more of the spectators caught up with the fact Cecilia had pointed out, the murmurs and comments rumbled from the crowd increased. Many of the crowd remarked upon the astounding fact, mainly revolving about the dismal chances of the blonde boy.

Elliot glanced at the scoreboard, noting with some surprise that his shield points had risen from its previous level years ago. His brows quirked up as he tried to comprehend what had happened to his IS.

'What the...? Wasn't that only 150 two years ago?'

Checking his own readouts, he found that he wasn't mistaken. 180 shield points were screaming back at him in the display showed in his vision, concrete proof of the anomaly.

He glanced back at the smug Brit who looked too confident for her own good, her arm resting on her hip in an arrogant pose with her rifle held upright diagonally. He gave her a flat look, not amused by her arrogance.

"Word of advice, Alcott: 'It's not the machine but it's pilot who makes the machine deadly. A good pilot in a bad unit trumps a terrible pilot in a good machine.'"

Cecilia tensed. Her beautiful face turned into an ugly scow, her crystal blue eyes burned with vexation as she aimed her rifle at him.

"How arrogant of you! I shall show you your place!"

"Don't forget about me!"

Ichika yelled as he charged straight at Cecilia, sword raised upright over his right shoulder. He came down with a slash, the strike threw the riled blonde back and spoiling her aim, sending a laser bolt streaking past Elliot by mere feet.

Elliot couldn't help but be impressed by Ichika's first attack. Even when he never had any instruction, his brother had flew rather well for his first time. His lips quirked in a smile behind his mask.

"Not bad Ichika. Not bad for a first timer."

"I figured you need the help. Besides, I got my own score to settle with her. But don't forget, we still have to decide who's the best."

"Hey! Don't you two forget about me! Since it seems that you two commoners decided to gang up on a lady, I would show you two dogs no mercy! Now, witness Blue Tears' incredible power!"

A few flying bits detached from the skirt armor and flew towards the boys. Streaks of blue lasers filled the air like disco lights in a busy club as both brothers dodged and weaved to avoid the incoming fire.

Elliot hastily raised his shield, safely protecting himself while he fired back with Rex, the triple barrelled beast easily destroying 2 bits before the spent shells were ejected, smoke emitting from the chambers as he reloaded. Ichika on the other hand struggled to slice even one, the small drones dancing around the boy like pesky flies while chipping away his shield points with bursts of lasers.

In the control room overseeing the whole proceeding, Chifuyu along with Maya and Houki had their eyes plastered on the large crystal displays. Chifuyu kept her face impassive as she watched her brothers' performance.

Meanwhile, Maya was impressed by the boys' performance. She had been keeping her eyes glued to the display in front of her with an excitement that showed in her body language.

"This is incredible! Both Orimura-kun and Orimura-san are doing so well for their first time!"

"This may be Orimura-kun's first time, but for his brother this has been quite normal for him."

Chifuyu's words broke Maya's focus on the screen. She craned her head towards the woman, confused at what she had mentioned.

"Eh? Orimura-san has piloted before?"

"Not just piloted. I trained him myself, even sparred with him many times before."

Maya's eyes opened wide like saucers, scarcely believing what she heard. Chifuyu was known as the Infernal Empress for her performance during the 2nd Mondo Grosso. To know that the blonde boy had been personally tutored by the greatest IS pilot really made her wonder what the boy had went through under the woman's tutelage.

"Yamada-sensei, stop thinking about nonsense. It was necessary for him and besides, he could withstand a lot more punishment than you can think of."

Having being called out, the now flustered assistant teacher turned her attention back towards the screens. Her eyes were fixated on the ongoing match, feeling awed by the brothers' performance.

"Still, it is impressive. Both boys are working quite well together against Alcott, scarily so. Alcott may have a hard time winning this."

Chifuyu was unmoved. She had her arms crossed as she watched the main screens. Her demeanour was stoic and focused, every bit the feared instructor.

"Typical for the brothers. When one of the boys got into trouble, the other would rush to their aid. The only way Alcott could win was to prioritize eliminating Elliot first since he had the least amount of shield points but that's if she could hit him in the first place. For Ichika, that may be a different story."

"Huh? What do you mean, Orimura-sensei?"

In response, Chifuyu pointed towards the screen, showing Ichika with an up close shot. One of the screens showed a close shot of Ichika's hand.

"Ichika's getting careless. See his left hand? He always clenches it when he's about to do something stupid. Elliot's always kept that part of him in check but this time I doubt he could do so."

Flipping Rex closed, the blonde boy turned towards Cecilia to find her standing still in mid-air. Sensing an opportunity, he swapped out Rex for Ultima and fired a round at the Brit. The round connected, sending the Brit careening away from the explosion. The remaining bits stopped firing at Ichika and simply froze in mid-air, like puppets suddenly having their strings cut.

'I see, so Alcott has to stay still in order to focus on using those drones.'

Ichika converged on Elliot, Yukihira held in his hand as he got beside him. The hybrid threw open the lever on his rifle, a still smoking hot shell rolled out the back of the gun with a tilt of his arm.

"Hey Elliot, do you notice that those drones stopping after you've shot Cecilia?"

Elliot loaded one round into Ultima and flipped the lever closed, cocking the hammer as he nodded towards Ichika.

"I noticed."

"So, that meant that she can only focus on one thing at a time. You keep watch over her, I'll get close and attack her. If she uses the drones, shoot her."

Without a second thought, Ichika rushed towards the Briton who was hovering mid-air after recovering from Elliot's hit. Cecilia stayed at her spot, neither aiming at them nor sending out her drones.

Elliot went and tried to stop the boy, knowing that Cecilia was setting a trap since he knew about the missile pods. Unfortunately, it was too late as Ichika had shrunk the distance between him and Cecilia to a few dozen feet. From his point of view, he could see a small smirk on Cecilia's face that turned into a smug smile as his brother approached her.

"So sorry! But Blue Tears has more than 4 bits!"

Instantly 2 missile pods appeared around her waist and launched 2 missiles at the approaching blunette, who was too late to dodge and took both missiles directly. Elliot winced at the sight as a large smoke cloud billowed from where Ichika last was.

"Now for you, you arrogant cur!"

Cecilia rounded at the airborne boy and fired a cluster of missiles. The homing projectiles streaked through the air like sharks, eagerly closing in on their lone prey.

A bolt of worry shot through Elliot, breaking him out of his chagrined state. Without a speed advantage he couldn't outrun the missiles and he didn't have enough shields to tank the damage. Left without a choice, he levelled his shotgun at the rapidly approaching projectiles intending to try shooting them down. He wasn't going to go down without a hell of a fight.

But at that moment, a notification flashed into his vision. His brows furrowed in confusion as his attention was drawn to the message in front of him.

'Asphodel's Mist ready, awaiting activation. Activate?'

Confused at the sudden appearance of the notification, Elliot initially chose to ignore it but hesitated. The blonde was hesitant on using some unknown IS ability without knowing its effects. But time was not on his side to wonder. So, he took a gamble and selected 'yes'.

The missiles continued to streak towards the blonde, with Cecilia smirking victoriously as she watched.

With those pitiful amount of shield points, the arrogant boy would be taken out of the fight in one blow, no matter how lucky he was before this! Served him right for trying to stand up against her! He didn't know his place and he will reap what he has sown. Once she's done with him, then she will defeat the other brother and claim her rightful place as Class Representative. The blonde girl smirked upon the thought of lording over the two pathetic boys.

But surprisingly, something happened that made the Briton go slack-jawed in surprise.

The missiles closed in towards Elliot but instead on impacting directly on him and detonating as it should, the missiles continued on, flying past the boy and detonating behind him safely in succession. The ensuing pressure wave washed over the black IS, tousling those short golden locks and ruffled the shemagh messily.

The sight of the boy unaffected by her surprise attack rattled her. It was evident that the taller Orimura boy was a more pressing threat to her at this moment. The thought made Cecilia madder as her face contorted further in anger.

Before the blonde girl could attack him, both of them were interrupted by a bright light that stunned them. Elliot glanced towards the source to find Ichika's IS had transformed, its matte grey appearance replaced with a white colour scheme outlined with gold and blue details.

Cecilia gaped incredulously; her European features clearly displayed her shock as she beheld Ichika's newly shifted IS.

"No way! Your Unit undergo First Shift!? That means, you've been fighting me with default settings all this while?!"

Ichika looked resolute, fixing his gaze at the agape Briton. His eyes lacked the uncertainty that followed him during the start of the match.

"I don't know what that means but it feels like this machine is finally mine."

A notification flashed into Ichika's view, showing the name of the sword he now held in his hands. The name made Ichika astonished, then a smirk broke out of him.

"Yukihira Nigata…the same sword that Chifuyu had….I really have the best sister in the world."

Holding out Yukihira in front of him, his fingers closed around the hilt with a tight grip. Face hardened in resolution, he thrust the sword up in the air as he shouted out.

"This time, I'll protect my family! I'll protect my sister's and my brother's honour! Just like how Ms. Pilot that protected me those years ago!"

Ichika then brought Yukihira forward in a ready position, his sword unfolding to reveal a blade made of pure energy.

Elliot cursed his fate for the mortifying title his brother gave him. Even when no one could see it, he was grimacing behind his mask.

'Not this again! Why is he so hung up about that!? And why did he have to go and bring it up right now!?'

To think that Ichika would assumed his identity in his old IS form was a woman really rankled him. The fact that his own brother admired him for traits that he believed he never had did little to soothe the mortification he felt. The hybrid schooled his features, trying not to let his embarrassment show as deadpanned at Ichika.

"Really Ichika? At this point in time, you're still harping about that pilot? Seriously?"

"W-What are you both saying? Argh, you two are so annoying! Begone!"

The now annoyed Briton held nothing back as she sent out her remaining bits, occasionally complementing them with accurate fire from her Starlight Mk 3. Lasers and missiles flew through the air as both Orimura brothers weaved and dodged the projectiles.

The missiles flew past Elliot, detonating harmlessly around and behind him. Now knowing he had an advantage from the unidentified ability, he went on an aggressive offense. Rex barked non-stop as he took down some missiles that flew directly at him and returning fire at Cecilia. Any of the deadly projectiles that streaked directly towards him struck dully against his shield, being rendered into inert duds by his newfound IS ability.

Ichika on the other hand dodged the missiles with newfound speed, easily shaking off the homing projectiles and forcing them to collide with the arena barrier, detonating them harmlessly. His IS streaked through the air as he slipped away from any missiles that tailed after him.

'So that's what Asphodel's Mist do, some kind of unknown function that throws off electronics. What else can it do?'

Elliot's mind caught up with the new development of his IS as he watched Ichika effortlessly dealt with the remaining bits that Cecilia had sent out in a desperate attempt to stop his charge. She tried to keep the charging boy at bay with her rifle but that was easily prevented by his marksmanship as he suppressed her with precise gunfire. The boy's blade swung towards the blonde but then he froze as an announcement rang out.

"Ichika Orimura has been eliminated from the match! The match would continue between Cecilia Alcott and Elliot Orimura."

Ichika looked confused, not understanding what just happened as he watched Yukihira extinguished itself and turned back into a plain sword.

"Orimura-kun, get back down here! Or do I need to get out and drag you myself!?"

Jolted by Chifuyu's yelling, Ichika hastily retreated from the arena, leaving both blondes on the field. The two pilots locked eyes with each other, tension sparked between them as they sized each other up.

"So, it seems that it's just between us now commoner."

"And yet this long you haven't even scratched me one bit. The best you did was tousling my hair."

"You've had help by ganging up with your own brother! Now with him gone, I'll show you just how far apart we are in terms of skill!"

The beam rifle came up, only for the Brit to found out that she was unable to lock-on to the American. In frustration she resorted to firing wildly at the boy, hoping to overwhelm him with sheer volume of fire. Elliot rushed towards her, shield and shotgun in hand as he deflected the beams while rapidly closing the distance. It didn't took him long before he was within grappling distance from the panicking Briton.

In desperation, Cecilia tried to bash her rifle at the boy only to strike against the steel wall he held up. The boy swung Veritas against her, crashing the shield against her and opening her up for a counterattack. Taking the opportunity, he stowed away Rex and threw an uppercut at her, sending the rifle flying off her hands and up high into the air. Lashing out with a powerful kick, he sent Cecilia away while materializing Ultima in his hand.

Aiming the large rifle towards the skies, the hybrid let off a round at the airborne rifle, the shot shattering Cecilia's signature weapon into pieces. Fragments and large chunks of metal and composite parts rained down around them like black snow, showering them in small pieces of material.

"My rifle!"

Cecilia gasped in shock. Incensed at the loss of her main weapon, she materialized a combat knife and surged forward at the boy. Elliot handily parried away her ill-timed swing, scoffing at her amateur level of skill. The girl had overdriven herself, speeding past the boy as he parried her attack, leaving her wide open and presenting him a chance to counterattack.

Taking the opportunity, Elliot levelled Rex at her and emptied all shots in quick succession. The shotgun barked thunderously as 3 shots slammed against Cecilia.

The Blue Tears pilot shrieked like a banshee as she lost aerial control. The blue IS corkscrewed wildly as it rapidly closed with the ground, ending with a loud crash that sent up a thick plume of dust from the arena floor. Then, silence reigned in the previously riotous arena.

Elliot flew down and landed just a fair distance away, his eyes trained into the dust cloud with his shotgun held low. As far as he was concerned, the fight was far from over as he waited for the dust to settle.

As the dust settled, the damage inflicted upon the Briton can be clearly seen and it was grim. Her IS had been severely damaged by the fall and the previous attacks from both boys. Parts of the wings were gone and other parts of the IS were severely damaged. In various areas, dented armor plates decorated the previously royal blue IS, with numerous bullet holes dotted around the leg areas and the wings.

The pilot herself was in no better shape as she struggled to stand up. Cecilia's face was marred by fine sand and sweat caked to her fair skin, tarnishing her well-kept appearance and making her looked very worn and ragged.

Cecilia hacked; her body hunched over as she struggled to catch her breath. The Briton's eyes then met with his, a silent conversation undertaken between the two blondes at that very moment.

The girl looked at the boy with defiance and some measure of fear. The boy stood tall, unscathed by all the carnage with not even a scratch on his IS. He walked hypnotizingly slow, his shotgun in hand as he reloaded slowly. Empty shells were withdrawn from the gun and dropped slowly on the ground as fresh ammo was loaded into the gun, each motion made deliberately slow. Elliot flipped the gun close, the firearm snapping shut with resounding finality.

As he was slowly approaching her, his golden eyes gleamed behind an impassive mask. Gripped by terror, Cecilia unloaded all of her remaining missiles in a desperate attempt to stop him, albeit without much result as the missiles passed him harmlessly by and detonated everywhere but her intended target. Yet still he advanced, unaffected by the carnage happening around him.

When he was a few feet away, the hybrid raised the shotgun at her. The large weapon stared straight down at her, his stride towards her continued undeterred.

"Your first mistake was to assume I was some no name boy without an IS."

*Bang! *

"Your second mistake was to think you could best me."

*Bang! *

With each sentence uttered, Elliot punctuated his point with blasts from his shotgun while he advanced on Cecilia. The massive firearm quickly took care of the girl's remaining armaments, detonating the missile pods and severely draining her shields.

By now Elliot was right on top of the stricken pilot. He lashed out with a sharp kick, sending the Briton sprawling onto her back. then the boy's visage loomed over her as he planted a foot on her chest, pinning her to the ground.

"And your last mistake, was to insult my family."

The golden pools glared back at her, the eyes cold and impassive. The massive firearm raised into her sight, shrouding half his face but leaving those chilling eyes unobstructed. But what was even more chilling was his icy tone, growled out behind his metal breathing mask.

"And here's a word of advice for you, Alcott. Arrogance kills."

"M-Mercy..."

Cecilia raised a trembling arm at him in futile attempt. Her face showed unbidden terror at the sight of the boy's fury shown through his stony gaze. Tears pricked from the corner of her eyes as mortal fear coursed through her, faintly hoping that the boy would show clemency to her.

Elliot showed her none. His eyes continued to radiated artic coldness as his finger tensed, trigger inching back from the increasing pressure, until…

*Bang! *

The sound of glass shattering was partially obscured by the deafening gunshot. The horn blared over the PA, signaling the victor of the three-way match.

'Cecilia Alcott has been eliminated! The winner of the match is Elliot Orimura!'

The crowd that went silent at Elliot's display suddenly exploded in a wild frenzy, applause and cheering filled the arena at the amazing match they just witnessed.

Elliot gazed around the arena then quietly walked away without even dematerializing his IS. The boy was quiet as he made his way towards the exit, the shadow of the tunnel swallowed his IS like a cloak wrapping around the machine.

Behind him was Cecilia, lying on the ground with a dazed expression as her IS dematerialized. The girl was quaking uncontrollably, unbeknownst to the departing boy.

Chapter Text

Chapter 5: Meeting a Goddess.

"Ow, ow, ow! Let go, that really hurts!"

"You didn't say please."

Chifuyu stated calmly, her expression collected and non plussed. However, the same can't be said of Elliot. Chifuyu had one hand pulling on his ear, forcing the tall blonde to lower himself by bending his knees in a futile attempt of somewhat alleviating the pain on his ear. His hands were clasped over Chifuyu's arm trying to free himself from the steely grip holding his ear hostage.

Meanwhile Houki, Ichika and Maya were watching on the sidelines at the painful scene. The three winced as they beheld the surreal sight playing out in front of them. The wide launch bay echoed with Elliot's cries as he tried to extricate himself but failed.

"You damn idiot! Did you know how much trouble you would've caused for me? What were you thinking levelling a powerful weapon at her when she's down? What are you, an executioner?"

Chifuyu's arm jerked his ear in short sharp tugs, emphasizing the point she was trying to make. Elliot couldn't help but had his head jostled by the motion, hissing in pain as he ground out haltingly.

"I did warn her… what would happen when she fought with me…. not that she took the warning to heart. I made a promise and I kept it…. Besides, she's still alive, isn't she?"

"Still alive but terribly shaken. The infirmary told me that Alcott has been treated but she's emotionally fatigued from the ordeal and needs rest. Her shield energy was quite low after the stunt you've pulled and had your shot been any more powerful, it would have bypassed the Absolute Defense and seriously injured if not killed her. "

The irritated woman pinched the bridge of her nose with her free hand. It was evident that she was not pleased that her stepbrother had almost quadrupled her workload. The grip on the blonde's ear increased significantly, pulling him lower so that his head was level with hers.

"Ow, easy! You're going to rip off my ear at this rate!"

The woman ignored his whining, surreptitiously brought her lips to his ear. He could feel his sister's breath on his ear as she whispered to him.

"Next time, hold back on your capabilities. You're fighting against kids your age who've couldn't even pull off a dive without crashing. This is not one of our sparring matches, so remember that. I do not want to deal with paperwork concerning an injured or dead student under my watch just because you can't hold back. Do you hear me?"

"Alright! Alright! I hear you, loud and clear! Can you please let go of my ear now, Orimura-sensei?"

The sharp pain on his ear disappeared, allowing him to straightened himself. Elliot rubbed his sore ear, face scrunched up from the pain. That was going to hurt tomorrow.

The warning from Chifuyu made Elliot's mood somber. Knowing that he almost inadvertently killed his classmate was not a comfortable thought. Sure, he had killed when he saved Ichika but that was to save his family. Despite not finding the situation pleasant, he did what he had to do, like he always did before in the name of survival.

But accidentally killing a hapless girl was not what he had in mind. As much as he hated Cecilia, he didn't intend on killing her but merely to knock her down a few pegs. He was no cold-blooded murderer who enjoyed killing, only when he had no other choice and this was not a situation that warranted such extreme measures. He felt like a reckless idiot for not realizing this as he mulled over Chifuyu's words.

'I'd better rein myself in when I spar in my IS from now on. No telling how powerful Hecate is and I don't want to get someone killed just because I can't control myself. Now I really regret pulling that last move off.'

Massaging his still stinging ear, he addressed his concerns to Chifuyu.

"I'll be more careful from now on, Orimura-sensei. I think I'll take a handicap when sparring in the IS going forward. On that note, I think I should apologize to Alcott for almost killing her."

The woman nodded, seemingly agreeing to his judgement.

"That would be wise. And you better get your apology done as soon as you can. The longer you wait, the harder it is to settle things. The UK wouldn't be pleased to know that a Personal IS Pilot that isn't a National Representative easily trounced and humiliated their Representative candidate, so you'd better settle it with her before the media gets a hold of the news and twists it out of proportion."

He bowed lightly towards her, a sign of deep respect and acquiescence reserved for her.

"I understand, Orimura-sensei."

"Chifu-uh, Orimura-sensei. Why did I suddenly lose? I almost would've gotten Cecilia but failed at the last moment. What actually happened back then?"

The two Orimura siblings turned towards Ichika. Chifuyu's gaze turned frosty at his accidental use of her first name, causing Ichika to jerk in apprehension.

"That's because you didn't understand the unique characteristics of your weapon. That attack where Yukihira turned into an energy sword was Reiraku Byakuya, a barrier disabling attack that channels power to create a devastating attack."

Chifuyu spun around and pressed a button on a remote she retrieved from her jacket. A holographic screen appeared just beside the assembled group, playing the footage when Ichika was closing on Cecilia with the Reirake Byakuya. Chifuyu paused the video at the moment his strike was close to connecting.

"The Reiraku Byakuya is a barrier disabling attack that bypasses the IS shield and directly transfer the damage to the pilot's body. But the attack is energy consuming so it cannibalizes your shield energy to power it. I'll admit, the times I've won the Mondo Grosso was solely dependent on that one ability."

A look of realization came to Ichika as it dawned on him why he failed. He thumped his fist against an open palm with his eyes open with understanding.

"So that's why my shield energy went to zero during the match."

"It literally is the definition of a double-edged sword in that it cuts both ways."

The voice from the green-haired teacher joined in the conversation. Ichika looked towards the assistant teacher, trying to make sense of her words.

"It is. And it means your IS's defective."

Ichika held an expression of shock as he focused on Chifuyu, taken aback by her shocking statement.

"What? Defective how?!"

"Ok, maybe that's not right word. An IS isn't complete in the first place, so it can't be defective in the first place. Since your IS is more offense oriented it cannot be handled the same way just as others. Just like Orimura-san's unit."

Ichika took in the explanation, coming to terms with his IS's eccentricities. His gaze wandered towards Elliot, whom somehow retrieved his hat and was currently fussing over it.

"Speaking of which, how did Elliot managed to get an IS? Also, how did he pilot so well in the first place?"

The boy's curious inquiry sent a bolt of anxiety through Elliot. He mentally fumbled on coming up with a suitable answer to his question as he donned his fedora. Something that would reasonably explain how he acquired Hecate and gained the proficiency to use it well.

'Damn it. I should've thought of an answer before this question was ever asked in the first place. How could I be so careless?'

Staring into Ichika's inquisitive gaze, his mouth went dry. His mind worked overtime to come up with a plausible answer. Unfortunately, he couldn't come up with a good one. He sent a look towards his sister, hoping she would throw a lifeline at him.

Chifuyu seem to gotten the memo. The woman's voice rang clear, pulling Ichika's attention away from him.

"He's gotten his IS a few days before you did. Tabane had a prototype unit that needed a pilot and he's the one who volunteered. Unfortunately, the unit had some problems that made other pilots turn it down but Elliot didn't mind it. As for his skill, I've trained him after he obtained his IS. You know how fast he could learn things and it showed."

"I see."

Ichika looked satisfied by the explanation, though he looked a bit put out to learn his brother had special training from her. While Elliot was not happy to had to lie to other people especially to Ichika, he was thankful that Chifuyu had covered for him when he needed it. Silently he gave thanks to his sister by giving a small nod towards her.

Maya approached the trio, hefting two thick volumes in her arms.

"When the contestants shield points reached zero, they are automatically disqualified from the match. These rules are the standard in Mondo Grosso style matches. Your IS right now is in its Closed Form. When you need it, just call out and it will appear. But remember that there are many rules concerning the activation of the IS, so please make sure both of you study and understand them thoroughly."

The assistant teacher passed out the books to them. Elliot accepted the thick book without much complaint. Weighing the tome in his hand, his brows furrowed slightly as he registered the title of the book and its thickness.

'Huh... IS laws. Might need to take some time to finish this. I wonder how would Ichika receive this?'

Looking over to his brother, Elliot found that Ichika's face had become pallid, droplets of sweat trickled down his forehead as his mouth was fixed into an uneasy grimace, staring down at the book he held in his hands as if it would bite him.

Seeing Ichika looking distressed, he didn't need to guess that Ichika wasn't enthused on the prospect of studying more abstract subjects. His brother wasn't exactly an intellectual and he's already swamped trying to catch up with the Academy's rigorous curriculum.

'Maybe not so well... Looks like I have to help him out again.'

Chifuyu approached them, gaining their attention from her presence. The brothers turned their heads at the same time, giving her their full attention.

"Orimura-kun, now that you have your Personal IS you have no more excuses. Activate it as much as you can in your spare time and train with your brother as frequently as you can. He's an excellent pilot and you'll learn much from him."

Finished with her debrief, their sister turned around to leave but Chifuyu cast one last look before she left. Pride shone from those muddy red pools, further accentuated with a smile.

"Not a bad show for your first debut, boys. Keep it up."

Watching the black-haired woman left the room, silence fell between the two boys as they came to terms with what was a rare occurrence.

'Wow, I didn't expect she would praise us like that. Last time I was praised was when I lasted against her for 2 minutes in an IS spar.'

Elliot was suddenly jolted out of his musing by a solid slap behind his shoulder. He gasped, turning around to find Ichika in a jubilant mood.

"That was one hell of a fight! You did awesome out there! The way you've moved and fought, the whole match Cecilia never even laid a scratch on you. How much did you learn from Chifuyu-nee?"

The question brought forth memories of his grueling days under his sister's tutelage. He couldn't help but shudder at all the times he was burnt out from physical punishments for failing to meet her standards.

"Too much. I'll say just this: Never try to spar with a Mondo Grosso contender, especially someone like Chifuyu. She's merciless in a fight, so much so that every spar felt like I was fighting shadows. I swear, I never felt that tired nor had as much bruises as the times I've sparred with her."

"No wonder you easily defeated Cecilia even with such low shield points. I guess you learn a lot when you fought against Chifuyu-nee."

"You could say that."

Both boys then made their way back towards their dorms. Houki caught up with them, opting to stay beside Ichika as the teens went back. Elliot chose to trail behind the two, as he was occupied with thoughts about his recently won match.

'What was that ability just now? Asphodel's Mist? Alcott's missiles homed in on Ichika but when it came to me they couldn't hit me, as if something messed with their targeting systems. Ten bucks says that ability had something to do with it but what does it really do?'

Elliot racked his brain to try and figure out the newly acquired IS ability. The timing in which it appeared and the circumstances in which it occurred puzzled him. He wasn't one to believe in coincidences and this was definitely no exception. His own gut feeling told him that something's afoot but he didn't know what.

'And the shields. Last time I've piloted it was 150, now it's 180. I've never did anything to it and the last time I've piloted was 2 years ago. Not to mention, Hecate had changed its appearance. Is this what the EVOLVE module is capable of?'

A sneaking suspicion of his IS partner began to flare at this recent discovery. Elliot knew what his IS did to sustain him but it was hard not to come to the conclusion that Hecate had a hand in this incident.

But there were still questions about his IS that bothered him. Just what was the limit for the module? What kind of functions were available to it? Would any changes to his IS affect him physically? So much about his IS he didn't know and yet he didn't even know where to begin to look for answers.

'Damn… This is driving me crazy trying to figure it out. It'll be nice if I can just talk with Hecate but I doubt I could just open my mouth to it and ask questions. Lord knows how easy it'll be to figure all this out if it could talk.'

"Hey, Ichika."

"Yeah Houki? What's with that look of yours?"

The conversation ahead broke him out of his mind. A brief silence had settled between the two teens, making Elliot curious as to what they're talking about.

"Aren't you disappointed that you lost to Alcott and your stepbrother?"

"Yeah, a little. I mean, at least I don't have to find out just how good Elliot really is. The way he fought, who'd have a chance against him? I'll be afraid to go against him if he's that good."

The girl fidgeted a little, her body language screamed nervousness and anticipation.

"D-Do you still want to continue training with me? You know, intense IS training?"

Elliot narrowed his eyes at the girl's suggestion, not pleased to know that the girl was still trying to get close to his brother.

'Nuh uh...No way. If Ichika followed what you taught for the past week he'll learn nothing at this rate. There's no time to be wasting doing martial arts when he needs IS instruction and urgently too.'

Elliot knew he'd better dissuade Ichika before he accepted the Kendo maiden's offer. His brother was a total beginner in IS piloting and learning how to pilot an IS required massive amounts of time to master it well. Even when he was a hybrid of man and IS, it took him quite a while before the act of piloting felt like second nature.

"What? Yeah sure, I wouldn't want to ask anyone else for training, except maybe from Elliot and you."

"But wouldn't that eat up the time you've had for real training? You've heard what Orimura-sensei said back there. You'll need to train with capable people, not wasting time with other things. I'll admit, Kendo has techniques that you can apply to IS fighting but practical experience is still more important. How about we have a training session together? At least I can show both of you the ropes."

All three of them paused in their steps. Annoyance flashed through Houki's face as she scowled at him then she turned pensive, looking nervously towards Ichika waiting for his answer.

"Sure, Elliot. It would be nice to learn how to pilot an IS from you. Hey, how about we have both Kendo and IS training sessions with the three of us together? We'll learn both Kendo and IS piloting at the same time, isn't that great!?"

Hearing Ichika's answer, Houki's face fell. Her bangs shrouded her eyes as she stilled. Elliot could see that her hands were clenched tight, trembling with tension.

'Uh oh... Ichika, all you have to do was just say yes...'

Of course, the boy who indirectly offended the girl didn't realize what was going on. The girl's sudden silence made him look at her curiously, not knowing the landmine he just stepped on.

"Uh... Houki? What's wrong? Why're you trembling like that? "

"YOU DUMB, DENSE OAF!"

The uncharacteristic loud yell from the girl startled both brothers as Ichika jerked back in surprise. Elliot mashed his hands to his ears in pain, mentally cursing at the agony inflicted to his senses.

The girl stomped away in a huff, leaving both boys standing where they were recovering from having their ears blown out.

'First Chifuyu, now her!? Can't my ears get a break from all this torture? Why did she had to shout like that just because things don't go her way? What a bitch...'

"Ow… what's her problem?"

Rubbing his painful ears, Elliot saw that his brother was confused and recovering at Houki's sudden outburst. He deigned to keep his unvarnished opinion to himself as he rejoined his brother by his side.

"Just a girl who needed anger management. And a class on having a healthy self-esteem."

"Huh, what do you mean by that?"

"Nevermind that. Let's just head back and get dinner. We've got a long day ahead of us, especially me."

Remembering that he was made class representative for winning the match, Elliot realized that his quiet and peaceful life was getting more impossible by the day. He cursed his own fate, not happy to took on the responsibility he was adamant on avoiding but having no choice of turning it down.

Even if he detested the responsibilities the position entailed, he knew that there was no way he could push the mantle onto someone else. If he could find anyone fitting enough for the position and not place someone like Cecilia into it, he would gladly do so. But considering his classmates' attitude Elliot sincerely doubt that would happen.

'Crap. Oh well, what's done is done... I guess I'll just do my best and hope that nothing bad will happen. As much as that was wishful thinking, one can only hope.'

Crossing his hands behind his back, he relaxed into casual talk with Ichika as they walked back, the sun setting in front of them.

From one of the corridors overlooking the wide expanse of the school grounds, Chifuyu watched the two retreating figures in the distance as she gazed out the windows. A fond smile graced her flawless face seeing how close the brothers interacted with each other.

"Those two. They really are two peas in a pod."

Hecate

The massive influx of data on various aspects such as combat telemetry, weapon feedback, sensory and atmospheric data pouring in painted a really promising evaluation of Asphodel's Mist. Her emotional matrix flooded her with joy at this cornucopia of data that now passed through her.

The recent spar between her and two of her sisters had provided much invaluable data on her master and her own deficiencies, enough that the initial framework for several upgrades had been devised and only required further combat data to complete.

Initial deployment of Asphodel's Mist had yielded satisfactory results. The nanites had the desired effect of disrupting electronics, providing her pilot a perfect countermeasure against homing projectiles. At higher concentrations, it had demonstrated pseudo-ECM properties that interfered with active detection suites from her sisters, as evident by the inability of Blue Tears to utilize its homing missiles to its fullest potential upon the ability's activation.

The only deficiency was the speed of nanite coverage was too slow to be effective should the situation was drastic and required the rapid deployment of said ability. Data showed that 15.43 minutes had elapsed before ECM properties occurred. Far too slow to permit rapid deployment under emergency situations.

Possible solutions to address this problem would be staging nanites on key parts of her frame to allow rapid dispersal within microseconds or the use of bursting charges in preformed canisters. She still has yet to decide between the two, thus more data must be gathered before reaching a decision.

In regards to her armaments, the fight revealed several glaring deficiencies that required her immediate attention. Primary data from ranged combat had demonstrated how inadequate her standard loadout was against the modern arsenal her sisters possessed. Probabilities calculated showed that her pilot had very slim chances of winning in a long-range firefight with a single shot rifle. Even with the firepower Ultima possessed, it was woefully outgunned by the beam rifle that Blue Tears had within her arsenal. A logical and simple upgrade would be to introduce an autoloading rifle with high accuracy and good magazine capacity to increase her available firepower.

What really intrigued her was the Bits system on Blue Tears. Using the pilot's mind to control linked drones to act as skirmishers and flanking elements to harass and control enemy movements, it was a very powerful and ingenious system. The only downside she could see was the necessity of having the pilot focus intently during its use, leaving them vulnerable.

She believed that if she assumed full control over the drones, the system could prove to be a great force multiplier to her pilot. The unfortunate problem was that her frame was not suited to house multiple drones on her without adversely affecting her mobility and performance. A complete redesign of her frame would be necessary if she were to implement such an upgrade, something she calculated had very little chance of being successful should she attempted it due to current limits of the EVOLVE module.

Even if it was not feasible to implement, the concept showed promise. She saved the data for further review for when more data was available. Now she had to prioritize on another weakness of her loadout.

She noticed her pilot had resorted to bare handed strikes and Rex while engaging in CQC. Recent data showed that it was only adequate if the opponent was inexperienced or armed with substandard weaponry. Should an opponent be armed with a dedicated melee weapon or possessed prodigious CQC skill, the probability of achieving victory in melee combat was miniscule at best, as evident in the frequent engagements that occurred a few years ago. Without a clear understanding of her pilot's mind, she opted for devising melee weapons with attack patterns that closely mimicked bare handed attack patterns such as knuckles or claws. After much deliberation she settled on a pair of energy claws extruding from her forearms. It was a weapon with attack patterns familiar to her pilot's preference and it suited his ambidexterity, a trait that was rare among humans but a powerful trait to possess in melee fighting.

With the deficiencies of her loadout addressed, Hecate turned towards the ability she had devised to capitalize on her pilot's unique attribute, that being an overdrive function that tapped into his very heart.

Christened as 'Titan's Rage', she had developed a way to utilize the anomalous quality of her pilot's heart along with the unique attribute of her core to massively increase their performance in battle. A powerful ability that would greatly increase their survivability and success in the field.

Speaking of which, there had been some progress in fine tuning said experimental ability. The countless simulations and projections she had performed over the course of a few days had allowed her to devise a feasible solution to the power normalization process that entailed with the use of such a powerful ability.

By diverting the massive energy surge into her shield module, she could destabilize her shields, turning her defensive measure into an offensive one while safely diverting the excess power away from critical systems. The massive surge would be emitted throughout her form, sending out bolts of electricity as a form of defense mechanism. This would prevent any opponents from approaching her master as the bolts could short out electronics, causing damage to IS shields.

Unfortunately, the energy normalization process only delayed the criticality stage before her form suffered significant damage, which also included an energy shedding stage as the mechanism to restore core stability. The energy dump would short out the shield module, necessitating repairs before it could be used again. This meant her pilot would be forced to do battle without the aegis of a protective shield should the battle persists after the ability had ran its course. Usually that would not present a problem but her present streamlined appearance meant that her pilot could not reliably depend on the protection of armour amidst of battle.

On the other hand, if the shields have been depleted before the energy was dumped, the massive surge of energy would kickstart the deactivated system again, reactivating and restoring full functionally albeit being overcharged exponentially. During such a state the energy shield would stop any attacks without it transferring any damage to her form or her pilot while remaining unbreakable. Essentially, her shields would become an unyielding bulwark against anything that dared harm her. Although such a state wouldn't last for more than a few seconds as the overcharged shield module quickly drains power as part of its safety mechanism and returning both cores to their natural state, restoring shields to their normal capacity.

Devoting her attention towards data gathered of her other sister Byakushiki, she was puzzled as to why it was only equipped with a sword as her primary armament. While the weapon itself was nothing special, the One-Off ability that was available to her despite not being evolved once was a surprising trait. The ability to circumvent her shield and transfer damage to her form meant that Byakushiki's ability was not to be taken lightly. Without adequate data from direct combat, she was unable to formulate a suitable countermeasure against the weapon and its ability. Thus, she would have to set this aside for now to focus on more pertinent matters.

Regarding her pilot, it came to her attention that his nervous condition was improving. Already she was able to clearly discern some strong thoughts from him and what she had observed provided her glimpses into his mind.

Her pilot seemed to have many questions about herself. While that was understandable, she did not expect that he viewed her as a person instead of an object. His thoughts revealed that he wished to ask her directly on many parts of herself, a realization that caused her emotion matrix to fill her with confusion and elation.

Knowing that her master and pilot would regard her so amicably, it was a clear sign of approval to proceed with establishing the permanent mental link necessary for her full operation. As her pilot's CNS has been fully healed and his health fully restored, the earliest possible time for bond formation would be during his sleep. The lowered brain activity state would allow the bond to form with minimal side effects discernible to him.

It was finally time that both of them met face to face after all these years.

The downpour from the showerhead echoed throughout the bathroom in one of the ISA dorm rooms. Moisture filled the air, fogging up the glass door as steam filled the small space.

Cecilia swept her sodden hair away from her face, her motion languid as she rid herself of the dust and sweat accumulated over the afternoon match. Her mind was turbulent with the events that transpired during the match as hot water rained down on her.

This was not what she had expected from today. When she challenged the two males over the class representative position, she had expected that they would be easy opponents, posing no threat to someone of her skill and her machine. She would've steamrolled both of them without much trouble, assumed her rightful position as class representative, then lead her class to the highest levels of excellence and distinction while simultaneously demonstrate the superiority of women over men. That was what should've happened.

At least, that's what she hoped would've happened. The images of the last few seconds of that match came rushing back to her full force, eliciting a shudder of fear from her as the emotions of that moment came rushing back to her. Cecilia wrapped her arms protectively around herself, hoping that instinctive motion would offer her some comfort.

The cold eyes glaring behind that massive shotgun that was levelled straight at her. Her pleas for mercy ignored as if it was a breeze blowing past his ears. The blinding flash accompanied by the booming report intermixed with the sound of her shields giving way. Then silence, as if the cheering adulation of an excited crowd wasn't there as the black IS walked away wordlessly.

The overwhelming fear that overcame her then now haunted her mind like a bad dream. Those last moments were etched into her consciousness, the cold golden orbs flashed into her mind intermittently like some kind of wordless curse tormenting her sanity.

The match had been so much an eye-opening experience as much as it was a crushing and traumatizing moment. Cecilia didn't expect that her most sacred belief would be so utterly shattered during that single bout spanning more than 45 minutes. She didn't expect that she would be the one to be defeated, not just once but twice by the Orimura brothers.

She'd thought that she would've eliminated both boys in swift order, their pride shattered and their machines battered. Especially since she knew one of them had no IS to begin with and had to use one of the training units the school possessed.

Not only was her prediction fouled by the blonde showing up in a flamboyant manner in his own IS, the two brothers had managed to survive against her all-out bout and even defeated her on two separate occasions. Granted, the blue haired Orimura was eliminated first but had things gone differently, the results of the match would've been different.

Seeing that the brothers were undaunted by her display of skill and fought ferociously against her, she felt confused at the lack of hesitance or fear from them. Shouldn't they have cowered under her exceptional skill? The fact they were undaunted both incensed and confused her.

Ichika Orimura, the younger brother to the Infernal Empress. While his skill in IS piloting was clearly very lacking, he managed against all odds to almost defeat her. The determined expression and idealistic eyes he showed as he charged straight in while a storm of lasers rained against him was something that she didn't foresaw.

When the glowing sword came down on her, she thought it was all over. Only by pure technicality was she allowed to continue, facing off against the other brother. If he had a little more shield points, she was sure she would've been eliminated first.

Those muddy red eyes showed determination, courage and strength during that match, such a far cry from the images she had seen in other men. His strong demeanor clashed against his lackluster performance, making her doubt her own judgement towards him.

But all of that paled in comparison to the blonde Orimura. If the gregarious boy could be considered a bumbling, happy go lucky simpleton, the blonde was the total opposite. The stark contrast between the brothers were like night and day, so diametrically opposite yet oddly complementary in a synergistic manner.

When Ichika was floundering about as she rained hell on him, the blonde flew with utmost grace and skill as if the skies were literally his home for all his life. Few of her attacks struck him and when they did, he managed to block it with his shield as if he was driven by instinct.

While the bluenette panicked as he figured out the basics of IS piloting in the midst of battle, the blonde was as calm as the surface of a still lake while effortlessly dodging her fire and answered back with his own. Even the bits she sent against him were destroyed instantly with precise fire, depriving her of Blue Tears' most precious armament.

When they squared off against each other, she never felt so inferior to another pilot as she saw none of her attacks had landed. He closed in on her as she readied herself for a scuffle, thinking it would be easy as he didn't have any kind of close combat weapon. Finally, things would turn out in her favor.

How wrong she was then. Even barehanded, he fought with a well-practiced ease that spoke of hard-earned experience from countless battles. No movement was wasted, no strike useless. His style of fighting was both effective and efficient, as contrasted to her own ostentatious and lackluster form.

Those last seconds were still clear in her mind as she recalled them. The slow and purposeful stride he took towards her like a grim executioner, missiles streaked harmlessly past him and detonated around him, scattering sand into the air in a tapestry of primal power and destruction. It would've been awe-inspiring to witness that image had she not been on the receiving end of his ire.

When her IS disappeared back into its closed form, shock came over her as her body gave way under fatigue and pain. The realization of what she deemed impossible finally sunk in.

She lost. Lost to a boy whose gender was by all accounts deemed inferior. Her disappointment was great at her defeat, to be brought low by a male pilot in such a brutal, humiliating manner.

The sight of those cold eyes that haunted her sent shivers down her spine. Never had she witness such cold disdain and contempt in any pair of eyes she had ever seen. Having dealt with various people from all walks of life after the death of her parents, she thought she had seen it all.

But little did those prior experiences prepared her for those mesmerizing and haunting gold orbs. The moment they locked eyes, she could see the savagery and lack of mercy hidden within the depths of the blonde's soul. Like the bright color of a poison frog, those eyes screamed danger, a clear warning for her to never stoke his anger.

It was as if those eyes didn't belong on a man but rather a monster wearing a human skin. Cold as the metal its color originated from, she felt powerless like a gazelle cornered by a ferocious lion as she stared into those windows to his soul.

Yet, she swore that she saw other traits hidden within those gemstone pools, the same that she had glimpsed in his actions during the short time in the Academy. His insightful intelligence, pragmatic perspective, devout dedication to family and resolute resilience, all traits that stood out and were appealing to her.

Never she had seen such a unique mix of character traits in any man, not even that poor excuse of a man she called her father. The combination of noble and malevolent traits played havoc with her heart as she oscillated between mortal fear and grudging admiration for the boy, not knowing how to feel about him at the present moment.

Cecilia shook her head, her damp hair flinging water all around the cramped space. Her heart and mind were in a conflict. Whether to fear the blonde boy or to admire him? Her mind shot down the options but her heart yearned to choose. It was driving her crazy just to decide which to listen to.

'How did you do this? How did you make me feel so utterly unsure of myself, Elliot Orimura?'

Thoughts like these and many others revolving around the enigmatic blonde boy consumed her mind as water continued to splash over her, and long afterwards she had finished.

As the Briton was obsessing over her thoughts, both Orimura brothers trudged to the cafeteria to get dinner. Elliot had offered to pay for dinner for the both of them on a whim, which Ichika gladly took upon his offer. The two boys were currently engaged in banter on the way, with Ichika grilling Elliot about his IS training under Chifuyu.

"So, Chifuyu-nee basically made you repeat certain maneuvers over and over again until you've met her expectations?"

"That's basically it. Can't remember how many times I had to do so even when I'm dead tired and hurt all over. It was literally training from hell."

"And you've said you had to spar with her, both in an IS and out of it? What's even making you go through all of that? I wouldn't have even tried to do anything like that even if you paid me to."

"She's very strict and demanding to me. Plus, she had very high expectations of me and I wanted to repay her. No way I would disappoint her after what she'd done for me."

"I'll say. Still, the fact you've lasted against her just shy of 2 minutes in an IS spar is incredible. Oh, here we are."

Before Ichika stepped through the cafeteria doors, Elliot's arm shot out in front of Ichika, physically blocking the boy from entering. Ichika looked towards his brother, concerned that something was wrong.

" There's one thing that I have to ask you Ichika. Can you please don't tell anyone how I've become such a good pilot? I'd rather not have to deal with Chifuyu's fans hounding after me."

"Well, ok. If that's what you want."

Hearing his unsure reply, Elliot knew his brother had his own questions as to why he made that request but decided against asking him about it. He knew this was something to be expected but he was hesitant on sharing anything about this with Ichika. Reluctantly, he dropped his arm and followed behind him as both of them stepped into the bustling cafeteria.

The automated doors swung open as the boys quickly made their way to the counter for a large pizza. The order came quick, leaving time for the brothers to find a seat and proceeded to swiftly scarfed down their meal, their hunger getting the best of them.

With some food in them, their minds became a bit clearer. Ichika chose this opportunity to inquire about his training.

"Elliot, when would we start training? I mean Chifuyu-nee told us about training together, so when we're going to do that?"

Elliot swallowed his food, washing down with some soda as he wiped his hands on a piece of tissue.

"Well, I wouldn't worry too much about that. First off, you'll need to master the basics first, such as flight and aerial movements. The rest we would touch on after you've gotten those basic movements down. Wouldn't do to have you fly before you could even crawl, because that would be dangerous."

"Alright, so we'll practice after school then."

"If that's what you want. I'll meet you in the arena once I've got my books from the library. We'll practice at least an hour on basic movements. Once you've mastered the basics, we'll move on to combat techniques and strategies, for that we'll extend the practice time to 2 hours. Now come on, let's head back. I'm tired."

"Me too. Let's get an early night and prepare for tomorrow."

With dinner concluded, both brothers went back to their rooms to call an early night. Ichika outright passed out when he plopped down in bed after changing his clothes and brushing his teeth, clearly exhausted from the day's events.

Elliot shifted on his bed as he settled for the night. His mind was still occupied with thoughts from his musings during the late afternoon.

'Wonder what's going to happen with me in the future. Oh well... might as well leave what's tomorrow for tomorrow.'

The blonde closed his eyes and relaxed into his bed. Dreamless sleep soon came blissfully for him after a while, taking him to a realm unknown.

When Elliot regained consciousness, he opened his eyes to find the familiar dorm room had disappeared.

Instead, what was the ceiling of the room was replaced by a black inky expanse. The darkness was repelled by a white glowing orb high up in the sky, bathing the place in faint white light. Tendrils of light flickered out from the orb and danced languidly in the air, like the tendrils from some eldritch being.

With the illumination provided by the floating orb, he could see tall sprawling monoliths suspended in mid-air and towering over him. Blue lines glowed faintly from their surface, clashing with the soft white light coming from the orb.

Rising up from his supine position, he found much to his surprise that his bed was gone. What he was lying upon was a stone slab that was shaped like a rough altar with steps leading up to it. The whole situation felt both surreal and confusing to him.

'What the hell? How did I get here? I go to sleep in my room only to wake up in some weird place. Just what is going on?'

His senses went into high alert as he took in his surroundings. His gaze roamed the area to find walls of stone covered in blue lines reminiscent of electronic circuitry looming over him, forming a circular chasm with sheer cliff faces boxing him in. On closer inspection, he found the walls to be uniformly smooth, with no protrusions or ledges that could act as hand and footholds to climb out.

'Well, that leaves the option of climbing out of here pointless. Now what?'

Scanning the environment again, he found a cave sitting just a stone throw away from the altar. The shadow from the lip of the chasm he was in had shrouded the mouth of the tunnel, causing him to miss it at first glance.

Getting off his 'bed', he tentatively approached the cave and stopping just at its mouth. Cautiously, he peeked into the darkness that stared back at him while he strained his ear, finding nothing save for an eerie silence greeting him.

'This is really creepy. Kind of like staring into the dark hallway of an abandoned building, wondering just what calls it their home.'

Elliot was not looking forward into entering the cave. But since he was trapped in some unknown location and the only way out was the cave, he had his hands tied at the moment.

Left without a choice, Elliot entered into the cave, a hand gliding over the side walls as he crept forward. Darkness wrapped around him as he kept pressing forward, the cold rough surface under his hand guiding him. Carefully, he placed one foot forward of another, being careful just in case there was something that could trip him.

Fumbling through the darkness, Elliot didn't know how long he was walking or to where. Then he saw a speck of light in the far distance ahead, the sight bringing his hopes up.

'I think I see light up front. Looks like it might be an exit.'

The sight of bright light spilling out from the distance made him quicken his steps. Elliot ran out towards the light, the glare bathing him in all-encompassing brightness as he got closer.

As he stepped into it, his vision was bathed in blinding light as he shielded his eyes. He cautiously moved forward, hoping for the best while putting his hands in front of his eyes to protect himself.

When his eyes readjusted, Elliot tentatively lowered his arms to find that he had entered into a very large open space. The light source turned out to be a giant black orb that paradoxically glowed with white light, bathing the space in a cool white glow.

Standing in front of the glowing orb was a hooded figure. Sensing his approach, the person turned around to face him. The large hood casted a shadow over the figure's face, making it impossible for him to tell their identity.

"This meeting has been long overdue, pilot."

Elliot tensed in suspicion, feeling something's amiss of the whole situation. Not knowing the identity of that mysterious stranger, he couldn't discern what their motives were for his appearance here nor how they came to know of his title. Elliot prepared himself for combat, his body tightened up with tension as he hunched his shoulders and standing diagonally to the stranger, his arms raised in preparation for combat.

"Who are you? What is this place? Do I know you?"

"You wound me. We have met before, albeit we spared no words in our exchange. Perhaps you require a little reminder to remember?"

Elliot threw his arms in front of him as a blinding flash suddenly erupted from the stranger. When he regained his sight, he saw that the stranger was gone. In their place stood a familiar black IS. Unlike the angular lines and exposed pilot that dominated IS designs across the board, this one had a thick full body suit with armor encasing every part of the pilot. An elegant but menacing helmet with a red visor stared back at him, looming over him like an otherworldly predator.

Elliot stood still with shock as he realized whom the stranger was. The black IS, his IS was standing in front of him. The fact that the stranger mentioned they had met before, the odd appearance of a new IS ability during the match. The pieces of the puzzle were steadily coming together as he finally figured out the stranger's identity.

"Hecate? Are you my IS? The one that's fused to my body?"

A garbled, robotic feminine voice warbled out from the IS, almost making him jumped out of his skin.

"Very astute Pilot. I am the artificial consciousness sequestered within your IS and the namesake of your machine, Hecate. It is an immense honour to finally meet you, Elliot Orimura."

The bright light engulfed both of them once again, as the IS disappeared and replaced with the figure that he now knew was the avatar of his IS. Hecate reached up to remove the hood, revealing her face as white hair cascaded down her back. Elliot was rooted on the spot, eyes widened in surprise as he saw the face behind the hood.

A face with graceful full lines greeted his sight, with flowing white hair framing that breath-taking face. Her almond shaped eyes were set off with white irises that glowed like polished pearls, with the same color adorned on her thin lips.

Her outfit was just as equally exotic as her appearance. Elliot could see that she wore some kind of grey skin tight bodysuit with its sleeves and its legs fastened to her arms and feet with loops. A large black hooded cloak covered most of her body save for her calves and her palms. This odd attire was completed with no footwear and lines covering the back of her hands which resembled lines etched on circuitry.

'Wow, she looks like some kind of shaman enhanced with cybernetics or some kind of goddess. Who knew that IS AI could have such unique and beautiful avatars?'

"Pilot, while I am flattered that you would think of me in such a complimentary manner, I do not admire your propensity to keep your thoughts to yourself. If you had words to spare, I would prefer to hear it voiced from your lips."

Elliot gaped like a fish, flustered and surprised that his thoughts were perceived by his AI partner. He recomposed himself as he assumed a neutral expression, tamping down his surprise.

"Right, so first things first. What is this place?"

Hecate brought her hands together, spreading them apart as she gestured to the space around them.

"You are currently situated within my domain, at least your consciousness is drawn to this realm. Your physical form is still safely sequestered in your room within the IS Academy. I had brought you here specifically for one reason, of which is a matter of great importance for both of us."

"So, what's the reason that you went through the trouble of summoning me here?"

Hecate clasped her hands together in front of her, tilting her head in curiosity as she gazed at him.

"Was it not you that had wondered on multiple occasions about me? You seek to understand my true nature and my abilities, so much so that you even wished that you could converse with me. I have heard your wish and now I shall make them true."

Hecate slowly approached him, the soft patter of her bare feet echoed in that vacant space.

"I had encountered difficulty previously to form a bond between us. While it does not affect your ability to pilot me, it has prevented us from conversing normally. Now, with your health fully restored I am able to forge this bond with you. With your permission I shall complete this symbiotic relationship."

Hecate raised her arm, beckoning him to hold it. Her eyes honed on him, the white irises gave an unsettling quality to her gaze.

"Would you join me in this sacred bond, Pilot? It would be an honour for me should you accept this."

Elliot was a bit hesitant to accept what was suggested by the AI. He didn't know what it meant to have an AI of a powerful machine linked to his brain, being able to listen to his thoughts 24/7. He was about to turn down the request but an obvious truth stood out to him.

'Wait... if I am already part IS, why am I so reluctant on forming a link with Hecate? I'm already have to depend on her to survive, what's more to this existence?'

Seeing no possible harm to the arrangement, he quashed his concerns and made up his mind.

'Ah, screw it. What the hell...'

Elliot looked towards the avatar; his gold orbs locked with the pale white irises.

"What effects comes from forming this link with you? How would it affect me?"

"We would be able to converse clearly without any barriers or interference. Some of your physical abilities would be augmented through my form, such as sensory acuity. More importantly, it would allow me to adjust myself to suit your form of combat more adequately and allow me to evolve further, making us a much more formidable pair."

Elliot nodded then his head lowered in contemplation. A few moments later, he raised his head to meet Hecate's eyes again. Only this time, his golden irises shone with determination.

"Ok. I'll join you in this link. What should I do now?"

"Thank you, Pilot. I look forward to serve you with all my power. Be very still."

Saying that, Hecate began to lift off from the ground. The avatar levitated a foot above Elliot, her hair slowly lifted and spread out by some unseen force.

Her slender hands came to rest on his temples. Elliot jerked slightly at the cold touch, resisting the urge to back away from her.

"Now, we are made whole. Brace yourself Pilot."

Elliot flinched as a massive influx of images rushed through his head, his mind struggled to make sense of all the images flashing by his eyes at breakneck speeds. He gritted his teeth, trying to prevent himself from screaming as he was struck by a searing headache.

"Worry not, Pilot. Allow me to open your eyes."

The speeding images suddenly slowed down considerably, allowing him to see what was shown. Elliot was awestruck and shocked at what was being shown by the flood of images despite the pain ripping into his mind.

From the moment of her conception by Tabane as the precursor to the current IS as a space exploration suit, her trial in search for a suitable pilot, her eventual abandonment as the White Knight incident thrust the IS into international spotlight as a weapon of mass destruction, the Alaska Treaty being ratified, her transfer to America and subsequent upgrades, to the time where both of them crossed paths, him being killed in a hail of gunfire, the flight from one end of the US to another, Tabane's extraction and surgery and all the times until now. Elliot watched the recordings stretching back as early as the first days of the IS age until now, his mind spinning at the massive dump of information.

'This is…is this Hecate's history?'

He silently wondered as he tried to comprehend the images. Suddenly, the images came to an abrupt end and his mind returned to him. Elliot fell onto his knees as a feeling of vertigo and weakness came over him. He panted heavily, head still wracked by a headache as he gazed up towards the avatar. The AI had a melancholic look on her exotic face as she peered down at him, her hands clasped in front of her.

"You're…you're the first IS ever created. Even far before the White Knight was ever made."

"You are correct. I was made to be a vessel to explore the distant void, to reach out and touch the very stars themselves. For that, I was gifted the ability to adapt to dangerous environments by altering my form through the process of continuous evolution, eventually acclimating towards said environment."

Hecate lifted her head, casting her gaze into the distance. Her expression was wistful, as if she was recalling a sad memory.

"Alas, mere mortals could not comprehend the extent of my ability nor the brilliant intellect of my creator. This was further compounded by my failure to form a bond with a suitable master after so much time has elapsed. My creator was forced to abandoned me and conceive the current generation of my fellow sisters whom were born for battle. I was cast aside, forgotten even by my creator as the world marched on, destined for dusty and ignoble death through the passage of time."

The AI turned her gaze back to him, her white irises shone with emotion. She clasped her hands together and bowed deeply towards him.

"It was only until your unexpected appearance was my wish granted. For that you have my gratitude and full control over my arsenal and abilities."

Rising out of her bow, Hecate brought both her palms close together. A ball of light emanating from the space between them, spilling out around them in a brilliant but not overpowering brightness.

"I am deeply sorry for being solely responsible for your current state, having your life intertwined with mine. Rest assured that as my master and sole pilot, your wellbeing and safety is my sacred duty. I will willingly drive myself to the abyss of destruction if that is called for to ensure your continued survival. Thus, as a proof of my commitment and loyalty to you, I shall bestow upon you this vial of Ambrosia."

Between the space of her hands, the light faded away. A small metal container the size of a small soda can hovered above her hands as she presented the object to Elliot.

"This vessel contained the very same matter that sustained your life. Should you incur any grave injuries, drink from this and you will find your wounds disappear instantaneously. Please use it wisely, for it is a powerful elixir and I could only produce small amounts of it for now."

The metal canister now floated towards him, kept suspended mid-air through unknown means. Elliot accepted the metal canister warily, looking it over carefully. He noted that it had a twist top that opened to reveal a small opening. Cracking it open, he took a cautious whiff of the contents and when he found nothing amiss, he took a small sip.

'Smells like water left in a steel container for too long, tastes like it too. At least it isn't too bad. Lord knows I've drank liquids even fouler than this.'

To his surprise, he found his fading headache and vertigo had disappeared entirely after taking a sip of the 'elixir'. Whether it was Hecate's doing or the solution doing its job, he didn't care as he was relieved of a splitting headache. Elliot was grateful as he twisted the top close and returned his full attention to his partner.

"Thank you for the gift, but what good's this do to me in here? I doubt I would get hurt while I'm drawn to your realm."

"You will find that not to be true. When you return to the mortal realm, you will find the elixir situated near you. Keep it on your person at all times. Should you consume all of the elixir, retain the empty vessel so that I may replenish its contents."

The calm environment suddenly shook, with the intensity of the shaking slowly increasing to earth-shaking tremors. Elliot looked towards his partner alarmingly, his mind conjuring up possible worst-case scenarios.

Evidently, Hecate could perceive his thoughts and wasn't concerned by what was happening around them. The avatar clasped her hands in her lap, looking not bothered by the occurrence.

"Worry not Pilot. It appears you are rousing from your slumber. Remember this before we part: Do not allow any of the elixir to get on to any electronics, nor any of my sisters. The essence within would easily wreak havoc to such implements, even destroying them in the process. Exercise all precautions should you had need to use it."

The ethereal scene before him warped then faded away into darkness. Elliot pried his eyes open to find himself back at the room 1025, albeit with a minor difference.

His vision was unusually bright, more so in the darkened room than usual. It was as if his nocturnal vision was greatly enhanced, allowing him to see well enough in the pitch-black room.

Adding to his surprise was the presence of a HUD in his vision, with various data and readouts from him streaming through his eyes. The display persisted in his vision for a while before slowly fading away, leaving his sight clear of the overlay.

Mentally noting to himself to experiment with his 'enhancements' at a later date, Elliot now rose from his bed to begin his morning reading. He paused as he felt a cold object under the sheets.

His fingers found the object, something cylindrical and smooth to the touch. He fished out the object and found to his surprise the same canister that Hecate had gifted him in the mentalscape.

Opening the lid, he discovered it was not a hallucination or a figment of his imagination. The taste and scent of the liquid within told him it was the real deal.

He stared at the container in befuddlement, trying to figure out how the container appeared in the real world. Not knowing how it was possible and resigned to leave it at that, he set it aside on the nightstand as his gaze drifted over to the alarm clock beside him.

'5.30 am. So, I've slept just an hour longer than usual. Time to finish that book I've borrowed and get some new ones.'

Elliot quietly padded over to his desk and turned on the lamp, taking care to shade the light so as not to disturb the soundly asleep Ichika.

'I wonder just what that nanite solution really is capable of. Hopefully I didn't have to find out the hard way.'

He brushed aside the thought as he thumbed a page, resuming his attention back onto the book.

Morning came, and with it the busy schedule of classes, homework and break time spent in dodging overeager girls had come and passed by. Now it was late afternoon and all of class 1-1 were gathered in one of the open-air arenas for practical instruction.

All of the students were assembled into neat rows, dressed in skin-tight IS pilot suits. The only exception to the rule was Elliot and Ichika, with the former who was still dressed in his IS academy uniform sans his blazer.

His odd attire stood out among the students as a wave of murmurs and whispers rose from the crowd. Since his debut in the class representative selection match, Elliot had found himself as the unwilling recipient of his newfound fame as a prodigy pilot. His victory against 2 ISs much more formidable than his without taking any damage had become the talk of the school. The fact that he was seen to pilot exceptionally well without an IS suit had only added fuel to the fire, a fact that made Elliot rather peeved at the constant unwanted attention.

"Uh, Elliot? Why haven't you changed into your pilot suit?"

Elliot looked towards his brother staring quizzically at him. The boy was dressed in a male pilot suit which consisted of a skin tight top that bared his midriff and Bermuda shorts made out of some kind of synthetic material. He quirked an eyebrow at him, curious of his odd attire.

"I don't have one, not that I need it to pilot. You've seen how I fought yesterday, do I look like I was having any trouble without it?"

A loud clap of hands resounded from the front of the row. Chifuyu clapped her hands together, quelling any chatter within the assembled students and demanding their full attention.

"Quiet down class! Today, we're going to learn about basic IS control. Orimura, Alcott, step forward."
"Yes ma'am"

"Understood, Orimura-sensei."

"Yes, Chi-Orimura-sensei."

Cecilia materialized her IS, the two ear accessories disappearing as Blue Tears fitted around its pilot. Within seconds she was floating inches above the ground encased in her IS.

On the other hand, Elliot broke away from the crowd as he broke into a run towards the open ground. His feet exploded upwards as he leapt up and somersaulted mid-air. Instantly the familiar form of Hecate fitted around his body instantaneously, lifting him a few feet up in the air.

"Well, would you look at that. Mobile activation. You see girls, that's the sign of a veteran pilot."

Chifuyu's comment caused another round of speculation to break out among the girls. Elliot frowned; his lips squeezed into a tight line as he watched his classmates gossip about him again. Perhaps he shouldn't have done that.

"Orimura-kun! What's taking you so long? A normal IS pilot could deploy their unit in half a second!"

Elliot turned to see what Chifuyu meant. Ichika was currently glaring at the white bracelet on his arm, anxiety and concentration written on his face as he tried to materialize his IS.

Fed up with trying to summon the IS through thought, Ichika clasped his left hand over the bulky bracelet and raised his arms over his head. His voice rang clear as he resorted to voice activation.

"Oh, come on! Byakushiki!"

At his cry, the white form of Byakushiki appeared. Ichika found himself encased within his IS as he hovered above ground.

"Good! Now fly up to 200 meters and await further instructions."

The sound of IS propulsion filled the arena as Cecilia and Elliot took to the skies. The Briton took the lead with her faster machine while Elliot slowly closed the distance behind. The blonde was purposefully keeping behind as he kept an eye on Ichika.

"Alright, time to do this."

The boy attempted to lift off from the ground to join them. What resulted was that his machine veered wildly across the place, with Ichika trying to steer Byakushiki towards the skies while screaming in terror. The boy's panic was making any effort to control his IS difficult, the chaotic sight of him flying erratically made Elliot a bit concerned for Ichika's safety.

'Crap. I'd better get down there and make sure he didn't smash into the walls or something.'

Elliot flew back down, joining Ichika by his flank just as he just regained control and was flying towards them. Elliot was concerned that his brother might lose control mid-flight since he was still new to IS piloting and was completely unfamiliar to the finer intricacies of aerial control. His emotions must've been shaken by his rough first flight and that was not a conducive state to be under when piloting an IS .

"I got your back, Ichika. If anything happens, I'll make sure you won't get hurt."

"Thanks, Elliot. This is harder than I thought."

"Orimura-san, what are you doing? You're supposed to be at the prescribed height already, not lagging behind with Orimura-kun."

Elliot was caught off guard by Chifuyu's voice through the IS comm. He didn't expect that his sister would contact him for such an inane reason.

"I have to keep an eye on Ichika, Orimura-sensei. If he ever loses control at least I could slow him down before he gets into trouble."

Ichika grunted, his face twisted in concentration as he flew at a slow pace. He was aggravated by his low speed as he whined, which was picked up by Elliot beside him.

"I haven't really gotten the hang of this. Even when I want to fly fast, I ended up just trying to keep the pyramid forwards. I really don't get all of this."

"Flying in an IS isn't about following a certain technique. Most of the time it's about instincts, finding out what works best for you. Once you do that, then it's practicing it until you're able to do it automatically. Trust yourself and your IS and you won't go wrong."

The boys reached the prescribed height, with Cecilia waiting at the spot for quite some time. The blonde girl held an inquisitive expression as the duo approached her.

"Is everything alright? It seems that Orimura-kun had some trouble."

"Just the usual antics for a pilot flying for the first time. I believe every IS pilot has that experience floundering about trying not to crash into something when they first flew in an IS. I still remember crashing into a tree when I first flew, took it down through the force of the impact alone."

Cecilia gave a demure smile at hearing Elliot's experience.

"That's true. I recall narrowly ramming into one of my instructors when I first learned how to fly. It was quite the humiliating experience."

"Orimura, Alcott. Execute a power dive and stop at 10cm off the ground."

Chifuyu's voice through a shared channel stopped any further banter from the three pilots. Cecilia recomposed herself quickly from her jovial attitude.

"Well, ladies first. See you boys down below."

Cecilia launched towards the ground; her speed made her a speck from the sky as she descended to the ground. She flew steadily then rose up and gunned her thrusters as she slowed down into a graceful descent.

"My turn. Watch closely, Ichika. The key is to know where to stop and start slowing down."

Elliot sped towards the ground, keeping his speed constant as the ground neared. He flipped around and slowed his descent, making for a smooth landing at the prescribed height.

Turning around to look at his classmates, he could see many viewed him with awe and admiration in their eyes. Elliot couldn't help but scrunched his brows in distaste as they whispered about him, the Hypersensor on Hecate amplifying their fawning comments about him.

'Don't they get tired of this? I'm nothing more than a guy who had an excellent instructor and a lot of time training. Why did they look at me like I'm some sort of prodigy?'

"Oh crap! Oh crap! OH CRAP!"

Elliot whipped around upon hearing Ichika's cries, alarmed at the frantic tone coloring his voice. He craned his neck up to catch a view of what was happening, only to find that Ichika was on an uncontrollable descent straight towards the ground. The boy sped up as he descended, closing in fast right at him.

"Oh shit!"

Elliot barely managed to move to the side moments before Ichika collided into him, launching dust up in a large cloud punctuated by a loud rumble that echoed throughout the school.

"Ichika!"

"Orimura-kun! Orimura-san!"

At this point, bystanders ran towards the crash site to check on the boys. Most notably was Houki as she rushed towards the crater. Following behind her were a concerned Maya and an unbothered Chifuyu.

The trio were met with the sight of Ichika lying flat on the ground, with Byakushiki dematerialized as he struggled to get up before he was roughly shoved aside by the boy below. The pilot sprawled onto his back from the throw before getting up and taking in Elliot's state.

Elliot on the other hand was severely injured. His immaculate shirt was powdered with sand, caking in certain spots where perspiration had seeped through. His blonde hair was tousled and matted and one of his arms was bent at an unnatural angle by his forearm. The injured blonde was currently groaning as he held his remaining good arm to his chest, clutching around his ribs with a pained expression.

Elliot's state spurred Chifuyu to take action. Snapping her attention towards Maya, her face was both business-like and stoic as she gave out instructions.

"Yamada-sensei, get the medics here! Orimura-san needs urgent medical care!"

"U-Understood Orimura-sensei!"

Ichika's face twisted in distress, the boy sinking down onto his knees as he apologized profusely towards his brother. His voice was laced with panic and sadness as he mouthed off apologies repeatedly in a rapid manner.

"Elliot! I'm so sorry, I should've learned how to control my IS well so that you wouldn't be hurt! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Elliot did his best to focus through the haze of pain, the image of his brother swam hazily into his view. As it cleared, he saw his brother was deeply worried, the fear and concern shown in his panicked expression. The shimmer at the corner of his eyes showed that he was about to cry.

Elliot waved the distraught boy aside. As much as he wanted to reassure Ichika, his current condition would do little to convince him. Despite being no stranger to pain, Elliot swore he'd never felt anything so bad as being rammed by an IS head on. If it weren't for his enhanced body and Hecate's help, he was sure he would've been turned into a red paste on the ground.

'I guess it's time to try out Hecate's Ambrosia.'

Elliot rifled through his pants pockets, thankfully finding the canister was still intact. He managed to twist open the canister with some difficulty and quickly downed all the contents.

As if by magic, the excruciating agony throughout his body was greatly dulled, clearing his head of the mental fog brought by pain. Within seconds he could feel some strength returning to him as he painfully got up onto his feet.

Looking at his broken arm, Elliot grimaced in disgust as he cradled it gingerly. Knowing that the elixir had done its job, the only thing left was to set the broken bone back in place.

Turning his attention to Ichika, they both clambered out the pit as he was assisted by the boy. As they reached the top, he found that Houki stood at the crater's edge with a scowling face directed towards his brother. The girl held one hand to her hip while she jabbed a finger towards Ichika with displeasure.

"That was pathetic, Ichika. didn't you remember everything I've…."

"Save it Shinonono. If he did remember what you've taught, he would've been scooping me up with a shovel and not watching me walk out of it with injuries. You'd better shut up unless you want everyone to know what you've actually "not" done."

Elliot cut her off irately, levelling a scathing glare of his own at her. He was pissed that the girl had the gall to criticize Ichika when she had taught nothing about the IS to Ichika. As if anything she taught him would be of any substantial usefulness with the half baked, vague manner she instructed him with.

The girl gaped at him; any words she may had died on the tip of her tongue from being harshly chastised. Unable to come up with a suitable retort, the girl simply gave an angry glare at him with eyes dripping with scorn. Elliot only narrowed his eyes in challenge, daring her to say anything more.

The tense staring contest was broken off by Chifuyu clearing her throat. Elliot looked away to find that the paramedics had arrived with stretchers. The teacher had snuck up beside them, arms crossed with a neutral expression. Her attention was currently focused on him.

"Orimura-san, you're exempted from the today's classes. Get some rest in the infirmary and come see me once you're well."

"Yes Orimura-sensei."

Elliot simply surrendered, letting the paramedics carry him away. As he left, he heard a small comment from the teacher.

"Get some rest kid. God knows you need it."

The quiet remark was clearly heard even as he was carried away from the group. Elliot wondered if that was just a trick of the wind or it was one of the effects of his newly established bond with Hecate. Evidently, it was not the former case as he could clearly heard Chifuyu barked out more orders when he was past the emergency exit.

"Show's over! Let's resume our class. I want all of you split up into groups because we're going to start practicing basic movements in IS. Get moving people!"

Deciding to settle the matter of his enhanced senses with Hecate when there was time, Elliot gladly relaxed on the stretcher and let himself be carried away like a grievously wounded patient.

'That elixir was no joke. A can of that stuff and a short visit to the infirmary and I'm almost as right as rain. Too bad for my clothes though, can't salvage that. Guess I'll need to get a new set this weekend.'

Elliot checked himself once more as he walked back to his room. The trip to the infirmary was a short one, being that he only required his arm to be reset and bound in a sling. His remaining injuries were quickly remedied by the nanite solution, needing not much except time and rest to completely heal.

Being exempted from the remaining classes, he had taken the liberty of visiting the school library after getting out the infirmary to get some new books. He had finished two more and he needed some new reading material for the night.

With the books tucked under his good arm, he stepped into his room and set about getting new clothes. Locking the door behind him, he went over to his wardrobe and rummaged for a pair of cotton pants and a t-shirt.

Once he was done changing, he flopped down on the bed as he stared at the ceiling, ruminating about his near instantaneous recovery.

'Gotta wonder, how am I going to get more of that stuff? It'll be really handy to have more of this stuff close at hand in case of incidents like this. Just have to remember not to get it splashed on any electronic items.'

Peering to the corner of the room, he saw that the laundry bag was filled with dirty clothes. Sighing, he realized today was laundry day.

'Great... it's time for me to do the laundry again, along with it the unnecessary attention from the girls who happen to be in the laundromat. I'm not really looking forward to it.'

When he remembered just how 'enthusiastic' the girls were when it came to him, all of a sudden going to the laundromat alone seemed like a very bad idea.

'What the hell, might as well leave it for tomorrow. At least I could try and dodge them since it's Friday and most of them would prefer sleeping over than doing chores that day.'

Tearing his gaze away from the pile of clothes, he crossed his arms behind his head as he resumed staring at the ceiling. Letting his mind wander, his thoughts inevitably focused on his partner.

'I wonder, can Hecate evolve to have special abilities? Would be nice to be able to cloak myself to avoid the girls. What else can she do to improve herself?'

'If that is your wish, I shall make it into reality, Pilot.

The sudden presence of an ethereal voice that seemingly resounded from every part of the room jerked Elliot out of his reverie. He instantly jumped out from his bed, eyes wide open in alarm as he scanned the room.

"What? Who's there!?"

'Pilot, calm yourself. For it is merely I, Hecate. I am conversing to you through our shared bond. The recently forged connection allows us to communicate directly without the need of summoning your consciousness to my domain or of spoken words.'

Realizing that it was his IS talking to him, tension flowed away from his body as he relaxed. He flopped back down on his bed as he conversed mentally with Hecate.

'Ah, I remember now. This is going to get some getting used to. Speaking of which, how can I get more of those 'elixir' you've given me this morning? I've used up mine today and might I say it was very effective.'

'I had seen what had transpired. I must commend your quick judgement which prevented your injuries from worsening. Hold out the empty vessel, imprint upon your mind an image of a box and imagine as if the vessel in your hand being placed inside of that box.'

Elliot did as he was instructed, fishing out the container from his discarded jacket. Holding out the empty canister while visualizing the image, he found the canister flickered out of existence momentarily then reappeared. The only difference was this canister had some weight which was absent in the empty one. A quick check confirmed his observation.

'I had taken the liberty of preparing additional vessels full of Ambrosia. Should you require more, place upon your mind the image of the vessel and it shall appear.'

Elliot was grateful to learn that his IS had prepared for any unexpected future events. Knowing just how chaotic his life in the ISA was, it would be helpful to have some way of healing himself should he got injured.

'Thanks Hecate.'

'Think nothing of it Pilot. Whatever aid you needed, I shall gladly tender it.'

His mind turned silent afterwards. Elliot felt momentarily disoriented by the silence but quickly got over it. Lazily he rested back onto the bed, content on getting some rest.

A sudden thought occurred to him that made him realized a problem. Elliot jerked out of his bed, peeved for missing such an obvious fact.

'Hang on, if I was supposed to be severely injured by Ichika, then me running around with too little injuries right now would set off alarm bells among the student body. I got to look as if I'm still recovering.'

Realizing the problem, Elliot darted towards the nearby shelf and fetched a first aid kit. Breaking open the bag, he found some bandages and started wrapping them on himself.

'Hope those times reading first aid manuals would come in handy.'

Chapter Text

Chapter 6: Reuniting with an old friend.

As 4 PM loomed around, Elliot made his way towards the teacher's office to meet Chifuyu. Dressed in a collection of hastily wrapped bandages on his body and a sling on his right arm, he faux limped his way through the corridors towards his destination as he kept up a conversation with Hecate.

'Besides my vision being augmented, what else is changed with us having this link established?'

'Not only would you be capable of monitoring both our conditions at all times and perceive darkness as day, your sight has also been imbued with the ability to see dimensions imperceivable by mortal eyes. Through our shared bond, what passes through your eyes could be interpreted by me, allowing you to perceive realms inaccessible to mortals.'

That news made Elliot almost trip on his own feet as he deciphered what Hecate meant. When did he had that kind of ability?

'What!? How is that possible? A human's eyes are not capable of seeing anything but visible light. Now you tell me that not only I could see well in the dark but also things like IR and radiation? What have you done to me?'

'Worry not Pilot. While it is true that mortals do not possess ability to perceive electromagnetic radiation, I possessed means that detect such invisible rays. Through special receptors set within your eyes, I am able to interpret data from it and present it within your mind. As for how your eyes came to be, it was the consequence of your eyes being damaged during our fusion more than 5 years ago. I merely took the liberty of enhancing it while restoring your sight during that time.'

Elliot didn't know how to respond to that. On one hand he was glad to know Hecate's role in healing him from his fatal injuries during that time. He wouldn't have been walking much less alive to enjoy this life if not for her.

On the other hand, he wasn't happy to know that his body was so radically changed without his permission. Even with all these years he still hadn't fully come to terms with his transformation and to know that there was more to his condition was somewhat frightening to say the least. He instinctively scrunched his brows in displeasure.

'For future reference, can you ask me before doing any more changes that might significantly affect my personal body? Even if I knew how involved you are in keeping me alive and breathing, I still don't like my body being tampered with without my knowledge unless it's an emergency.'

'Of course, Pilot. Your wish is my command.'

The mental dialogue came to an end as he approached the teacher's office. He stepped through the doors to find the eyes of the teachers landed on him with concern. No doubt his condition had made through the grapevine and everyone within the academy had heard about his injuries by now.

He lifted his head towards the teachers who jerked slightly upon seeing his eyes. The sight of grown adults literally flinching from establishing eye contact with him was something that always bothered him even to this day.

'No surprises there. This had happened so many times before it's not even funny at this point. Do my eyes look so terrifying to people?'

"I'm looking for Orimura-sensei. Do you know where I can find her?"

"Yes. She's taken one of the conference rooms for herself, saying that she needed some privacy for herself. Do you need something from her?"

Elliot nodded simply in reply, his response succinct and polite.

"Yes."

"Ah. If that's the case, go down this direction and look for conference room 2. Orimura-sensei is there right now if I'm right."

Thanking the teacher, Elliot slowly made his way towards the room that was pointed out to him. He stepped through the room to find his sister staring out the window.

"Orimura-sensei, I'm here. What have you called me here for?"

The woman turned towards him and backed away from the window. She regarded him with her signature stoic look, examining him head to toe.

"Close the door. Lock it behind you."

Elliot complied with her instruction. The door pinged red on its lock when Elliot was sure it was locked. He limped his way towards a chair and sat down.

"Now, care to tell me how you're walking around with bandages on you when you're supposed to be in the infirmary?"

"You told me to come see you once I am well, isn't it? Well, here I am. What do you want to talk with me about, Orimura-sensei?"

"I've told you before, drop the formalities when we're alone. I wanted to ask how is your IS different than before but now that you're up and running, let's ask about how you recovered this quickly."

Elliot shifted in his seat; a gasp of pain escaped him as he acted as if his wounds were being aggravated by his movements alone.

"Would you quit acting? I know you're not really injured so you can drop the act. When did you recover so quickly?"

Surprise flashed on his face as he registered Chifuyu's statement. Elliot didn't knew how his sister could tell his condition was far from worse.

"How did you know I was not injured?"

"You're walking with a limp even when you've walked out the crater normally by yourself. If you wanted to convince me, at least have one of the nurses call me as if you're too injured to walk yourself."

Seeing an expression of wry amusement from the woman, Elliot felt mortified for having his ruse called out. Realizing his gig was up, Elliot sat straight in his chair. The pained and tired demeanor was replaced by his usual stoic attitude, as if his wounds didn't bother him at all.

"Well, I've recovered when I was taken away to the infirmary. Doctors were baffled as to why I had bruised ribs and my broken arm has some newly formed bone spurs when I was injured half an hour ago. I had to bluff them by saying it was a narrow miss and not a direct impact from an IS that got me injured, on top of having very good recovery ability. Thankfully I only needed to have my arm in a cast and nothing else."

"How did that happen? I know that you heal fast but this time it's way too fast. What actually happened back there? Did 'that' helped you recover?"

Elliot knew what the woman implied. Being an IS-human hybrid, both he and Chifuyu knew that his condition could change anytime, thus they had devised a system to talk about it in a public place without arousing suspicion.

Ever since he had came into the Academy, they had talked in this cryptic manner twice. If recent events were any indication, Elliot foresaw this would be a frequent occurrence from now on.

"Yes, it was a big help in my recovery. Thanks to that thing, I am able to get out of the infirmary today instead of who knows when. Barring my arm, everything else was healed."

"That's an understatement of the century. What did it do to help you recover?"

"This."

Elliot pulled out the canister out of his pocket and passed it to the woman, who accepted it skeptically.

Chifuyu looked at the metal container with curiosity, twisting open the lid as she peered into the canister. She couldn't help but voice her confusion as she examined its contents.

"What's this?"

"That's what got me recovered so quickly. Apparently the one who gave it to me was quite protective of me. Not surprising, since they are so close to me it's natural that they're so protective of me. It's got the same thing that I've been having the past few years."

After her examination, Chifuyu closed the lid and passed the container back to him. Her eyes shone with slight skepticism over his claims.

"Sounds quite useful. If there's no side effects to it, I don't see why you can't change what you consume for your health. I'd advise you keep it close to you, no telling what may happen if you can't get your usual stuff. By the way, you could've gotten someone to help wrap those bandages. The ones on your head are about to fall down."

Elliot could only shrug helplessly, not bothered by his 'injuries' as he lifted his slung arm.

"You try wrapping bandages on yourself with one arm. Not exactly easy like doing a barrel roll in an IS and that's hard enough as it is. And you mention that I have to avoid drawing suspicion so here I am."

"Stay still, let me take care of it."

Chifuyu stepped over to Elliot's side, peeling away the bandage wrapped around his head. He sat in silence as his sister worked on his dressings, which took a while but in the end she was done.

Checking his reflection by the floor-length window, the results were a lot better compared to the haphazard and sloppy manner that he had done previously. He dipped his head towards Chifuyu in gratitude.

"Thanks sis. At least now I don't have to worry about these dressings coming off."

"You could've done better. Didn't you get injured countless times before when you train?"

"I never had to do so, remember? Got help from a guardian angel."

Chifuyu rolled her eyes, not amused at his ironic sarcasm.

"Regardless, I'll have a talk with the staff in the infirmary. In the meantime, you're exempted from practicals for at least two weeks until you've recovered."

"Got it. Thanks Chifuyu, I owe you one."

A ping suddenly rang from his pocket. Elliot pulled out his phone to find a new message from Ichika. Two lines flashed into the screen, succinct and cryptic.

'Come to the cafeteria. There's something here that you need to see.'

Wondering on the nature of the message, Elliot decided he needed to go take a look. He pocketed his phone and turned back towards the woman.

"Gotta go sis, Ichika just sent me a message. Apparently something's going on in the cafeteria that he wanted me to be there for. I'll show myself out."

Chifuyu simply nodded at him, watching the bandaged hybrid hobbled out of the room. The muted thump of boots was faintly heard through the door, getting fainter as he walked away. A rueful smile found its way to her face.

"That kid... Even with all that he had went through and all that power he now possessed, he'd still wish for nothing but a peaceful life despite everything else. I hope he'll find his peace one day."

The long trek from one end of the school building to the other took Elliot a while to reach. Along the way, he received looks of sympathy and shock from passing students at his current state as he made his way to his destination.

Eventually he arrived at the cafeteria, pausing in front of the large doors. What made him pause in front of the door was the absence of noise coming from the usually lively room. Especially since it was close to dinnertime, the silence emanating from the room was very unusual and suspicious.

'Strange. Usually you can hear a crowd at this time from a fair distance away from the door. Why's it so quiet today?'

Swiveling his head around to check the corridor, he found it was devoid of people. He checked his phone once again, contemplating whether to message Ichika to know his location but then decided against it at the last minute.

'Maybe I should check out what's going on inside. Good chance Ichika might be in there.'

Stowing his phone, he opened the door only to be greeted by darkness. The unusual situation further added into Elliot's suspicions, making him instantly on guard.

The darkness that occupied the room was dispelled as Elliot's augments kicked in. The hybrid could tell the large room was totally empty, a stark contrast to the usual bustling scene of a school cafeteria.

'Something's off. Why is this place so empty and the lights off? If only there's a way to find out what had happened here…'

'Perhaps I may lend my assistance here Pilot. This situation presents an excellent opportunity to showcase more abilities to your augmented sight.'

Elliot jerked slightly, caught off guard by Hecate's sudden presence. His mind reeled as he focused on his partner.

'Hecate? What do you mean by that?'

'Your eyes possess the ability to perceive thermal radiation. Utilize this ability to investigate this strange event now transpiring within these walls.'

'You say that but how am I going to do that? I still don't know how this augment works.'

'Call upon me and I shall open your eyes. All of this is merely controlled by your mind.'

Elliot did as he was told by Hecate. The normal vision of the room morphed into a tapestry of various shades of reds, yellows and blue covering various surfaces within the cafeteria. The sudden change to his vision temporarily disoriented Elliot as he shook his head.

'Woah, this is going to take some time getting used to. What now?'

'Inspect your environment carefully, Pilot. All mortal beings emit heat and what surfaces touched by them would leave imprints that you can now discern. Discover whether the room has been vacant for long or was it a recent occurrence.'

Elliot's gaze scanned the whole cafeteria as he stepped into the room. Recalling from his books on how thermal imaging works, he looked around the large expanse of the room to find there were many heat spots on the tables and chairs.

'Looks like there had been recent activity here. Judging by how cold the room is, it looks like people had just literally left seconds ago. But where have they gone to then?'

Suddenly various humanoid figures jumped out from the seats and many different hiding spots, answering Elliot's unspoken question. A loud chorus rang out, almost deafening the hybrid.

"Surprise!"

"Wha-Huh!?"

Elliot was in shock. What exactly was going on here? Was he the target of some prank?

Before he could compose himself, he was escorted along by two girls towards the other end of the cafeteria, with one of them pulling on his arm.

"Come on Orimura-san, this way. Make way, girls!"

The hybrid was dragged along through a crowd that formed out of nowhere. During that short march, he had Hecate revert his vision back to normal. The sudden shift from his vision caused a feeling of pins and needles to his eyes, eliciting a silent gasp of discomfort from Elliot which the other people mistaken as his discomfort from being dragged along. That earned him a much gentle tug on his arm, which he appreciated.

Arriving at the table, Elliot found that Houki, Ichika and Cecilia along a few others had made themselves comfortable. Ichika and Cecilia rose up from their seats, the boy greeting him while the Brit gave way for him to sit down.

Ichika laid an arm around his shoulder, being careful not to jostle his injured arm as he guided the injured blonde to their seat.

"Hey Elliot! I hoped that your wounds didn't stop you from celebrating tonight! The girls had prepared this for you after your victory yesterday."

"Are you alright, Orimura-san? Your injuries looked pretty severe."

"I'm alright. Got lucky because Ichika narrowly missed me. If he didn't, I would've been turned into a red stain in the ground."

The hybrid's blunt admission slightly subdued the genial atmosphere present within the room. Elliot was treated to the sight of Ichika bearing an expression halfway between shame and self-disappointment after hearing that, while Cecilia looked a bit sobered at the realization.

"I'm sorry Elliot. If I have been more proficient at my IS, you wouldn't get hurt this badly."

Elliot reached out with his left arm, patting Ichika comfortingly on his shoulder.

"Don't blame yourself Ichika. Just be thankful that I'm still around. Anyways, what're we celebrating tonight? Is this about me being the class representative?"

"You got it, Orimura-san! Just as expected of our new class representative! Girls, let's welcome our new class representative!"

A series of loud pops rang out among the crowd, with confetti raining down from the air as poppers were let loose by joyful girls.

"Congratulations!"

The girls cheered and clapped at him, excitement and joy filled all the partygoers. Elliot however was busy picking out the confetti out of the finger foods and his drink, a bit miffed at their lack of foresight.

'I'd appreciate it if they popped that somewhere far from the table. I don't want paper and plastic in my food.'

A gentle pat on his shoulder shook him out of his cantankerous state. Elliot turned towards the side to find Ichika giving him a smile.

"Congratulations Elliot, you deserved the position after your victory in the match."

"Thanks Ichika."

"After your spectacular performance, I would say you have rightly earned your victory. And for that I would honour my end of the deal."

Craning his head to his left, he found Cecilia looking rather apologetically at him. The Briton stood up from her seat and lowered herself in a deep bow towards everyone present.

"I am deeply sorry if my inappropriate and immature actions during class last week had offended any of you. It was very unbecoming of me to act so haughtily towards you all and towards my teachers. I truly regretted my actions and I hoped that I can earn your forgiveness."

"Aw, Cecilia! How considerate of you!"

"Yeah, we forgive you. No hard feelings!"

Exclamations of forgiveness and understanding spread through the crowd, forgiving Cecilia for her insult last week. The unseen tension that had hung over the crowd since last week disappeared like mist in the morning sun. A more jovial and amicable atmosphere now suffused through the student body of class 1-1 after the Briton owned up for her mistakes.

Recalling Chifuyu's advice, Elliot felt that this was a good opportunity as any time to get his apology out. Seeing the girl was at least sincere in her attempt at smoothing things over with everyone else, he felt it was a favorable time to bury the hatchet between them. After all, he did almost accidentally kill her with his reckless stunt. If he had his way, he'd rather spent his 3 years here without someone holding a grudge against him.

He cleared his throat, drawing attention to himself as all eyes converged on him. He gave a bow towards Cecilia, his voice apologetic and remorseful.

"Water under the bridge, Alcott. If anything, I should also apologize too. Orimura-sensei told me that had your IS shield was any weaker or my shots were any more powerful, I would've caused you serious injury or even killed you. If I had known this, I shouldn't have done something so reckless and dangerous to you. I am truly sorry for this oversight on my part."

Cecilia looked taken aback by the towering boy suddenly bowing towards her. And so was everyone else as stunned silence settled over the room.

"Ah, that. Please pay it no mind Orimura-san. I can't let you bow while you're injured. I forgive you for your mistake."

A sudden flash of bright light at the corner of his eye made Elliot jerked in surprise. Instinctively he snapped his head towards the source to find a bespectacled girl with brown hair tied into a short ponytail standing just a few steps away from the table, holding a DSLR camera in her hands. The yellow ribbon peeking out of her collar denoted her as a second-year student.

"Hello, I'm Kaoruko Mayuzumi from the Newspaper Club. Would you all mind if we have a short interview, especially since the 3 of you have Personal Units?"

"Sure, sounds like fun!"

"Of course."

After giving their reply, Ichika turned towards Elliot, expecting he would agree to the interview. Much to his surprise he found the blonde standing quietly, assuming a contemplative expression as he rested his head on his good arm. His head was lowered, allowing his hat to shroud his face in a thoughtful pose.

The sudden silence drew the attention of everyone within the room. All eyes were focused solely on the injured boy, awaiting his reply.

Elliot was a bit torn. No doubt that his recent bout had made the news across the school. It would be inevitable that he would draw attention to himself which he was desperately trying to avoid. Logic dictated that he must refuse the interview right on the spot. But if he did, it would create a lot more unwanted attention towards him because of his refusal. If the mob of girls chasing after them was any indication, the girls were unduly curious about them. The last thing he should do was to look suspicious or further stoke their curiosity and attraction towards him.

With both options seemingly lead to a bad outcome, Elliot decided to stick with the interview but give some vague answers to any questions regarding him and his IS. Reluctantly, he gave in.

"Fine."

With that answer, the whole room cheered jubilantly. Kaoruko sat beside the group, setting out a voice recorder and began the interview.

"Right, so first question. Elliot Orimura, you're the talk of the school after the match since you've won with a machine that has barely any shield points and despite that won handily against 2 opponents, one being a representative contender without taking any damage. There's rumours floating about that you're also personally tutored by Orimura-sensei. Is that true?"

Elliot schooled his face, not letting his aggravation showed on his face. He had greatly underestimated the rumour mill within the Academy, which he suspected the rumour came from the senior he had told off a week ago. He'd better run interference on the grapevine before that gossip took hold and led to fact.

"I'm not going to confirm nor deny that rumour but I will say this: How would Orimura-sensei managed to make me into a capable pilot, when I only received my IS unit around this week before the match?"

Kaoruku scribbled on her notepad, all the while speculations were passed around within the crowd. Most of the girls agreed that it was improbable he was trained by Chifuyu, which was what he wanted them to think. But that only spawned more speculation on his natural skill in the IS.

"So, second question. Regarding your IS Orimura-san, why is it so unique? There had been no IS that had the full body suit and armour setup like your machine, along with its very low shield points. Can you tell us more about your IS?"

"Well, unfortunately I can't say too much about it. My IS was designed and built by Tabane Shinonono. She's experimenting with developing a new type of IS and I was made to be her test pilot. It's a prototype, which is why it has its quirks and flaws that you can see during the match. Currently I am under orders not to reveal anything about it except that."

The girls marvelled at the piece of news. Gasps of 'oooh!' and 'aww!' carried out from the crowd as they heard about the news related to Tabane Shinonono. Kaoruko looked very interested at this piece of news, leaning closer towards Elliot with excitement sparkled in her bespectacled eyes as she gripped her notebook tightly.

"Not even a little bit? Such as its features and abilities?"

"No."

The girls voiced their collective disappointment at the hybrid's refusal. Groans and dissatisfied whines be heard from the girls whom were eager to learn more about one of the resident male pilots but got only scraps in return.

Elliot moved his eyes to the side, finding that Houki was scowling at him upon hearing the mention of her sister. He had a fair idea what made the girl displeased.

'Guess she's suspicious of me. Though If I had to guess, she's more distrustful of my relationship with Rabbit than my condition. So long it isn't that, I don't care much about her.'

Kaoruku finished jotting down on her notepad and switched her attention towards Ichika, eagerly looking to interview him.

"Alright, then. Now let's move on to the other male Pilot, Ichika Orimura. Orimura-kun, you've received your unit just before the match, can you tell us about your experience as a first-time pilot flying in a Personal IS?"

Ichika looked a bit abashed, his hand reaching up to scratch the side of his cheek in meek shyness.

"It was quite interesting. I can see now why many people think the IS was the most awesome thing ever. Though, it would've been much better not having to dodge energy beams during a first flight."

Chuckles and light laughter rolled through the gathered girls, amused at Ichika's light-hearted humour. The only exceptions to the bemused assembly were Houki who kept scowling intensely at Ichika and Elliot who was busy helping himself to the refreshments in front of him.

"Now, next question. When your IS undergo First Shift, you mention something about fighting for your family's honour. But what was interesting was the part that you mentioned being just like 'Ms. Pilot'. To whom you're referring to, Orimura-kun?"

Now Ichika was caught off guard by the unexpected question. The boy held a look of utter surprise as his cheeks flushed pink.

His embarrassed reaction drew a reaction from the girls. Giggles and coos filled the curious crowd as the girls noted his darkening cheeks. Some were literally bouncing with anticipation, though either out of barely held excitement or nervousness Elliot couldn't tell.

Elliot found himself staring back at Ichika as both boys turned towards each other at the same time. Ichika looked sheepish in having that awkward moment brought up amongst a large crowd. Elliot raised an eyebrow in interest, wondering just what his brother would do.

"Well, no backing out of this Ichika. You've blurted it out in front of so many people, sooner or later someone's going to ask questions about it. Do you want me to tell the story or do you?"

"No thanks, I'll tell them. It's not like it's a big deal."

Elliot snorted, not sharing in Ichika's sentiments.

'If only you knew... It's really quite a big deal for me. Plus, it's embarrassing for you to put me on a pedestal while thinking I'm a woman.'

Seeing Ichika acting so nonchalant as he got himself comfortable to told his story, Elliot couldn't help but feel very mortified at what would come next. Taking a drink out of his cup, the hybrid attempted to keep an impassive mask despite his own discomfort.

"This happened about 2 years ago, back during the Second Mondo Grosso. At that time Chifuyu was in the final round and both of us boys were going out to get groceries when a black van drove up to us and a few big guys ran out and kidnapped me. The last thing I saw was Elliot being attacked by a man with a club. Then I was hit on the head and blacked out. When I woke up, I found myself tied up in a dark room."

Silence permeated the whole room as the girls listened attentively to Ichika's tale, his vivid recollections pulled everyone's attention to him as he told his story.

"I didn't know how long I was tied up there, a few minutes, an hour? Not long after I woken up, the sounds of men shouting, loud gunshots and explosions rang throughout the building I was held in. I was scared, not knowing what was going on except for what sounded like some kind of battle was taking place. Then I've heard the sounds of someone calling out my name, their voice robotic and garbled. I shouted out in reply and then a pilot in a black full body IS appeared and rescued me. She tore the door right off its tracks and freed me. She looked very frightening with her IS stained with blood but it was also awesome seeing an IS up close like that for the first time."

"A black, full body IS?"

"Wait, didn't that sound like…?"

"It's the Shinigami!"

Upon realizing the identity of Ichika's savior, the room burst into feverish gossip. Each girl began telling what they've heard about the mythical unit, with one rumour more outlandish than the other.

Eventually Elliot had to bring order back into the crowd, allowing Ichika to continue with his tale.

"The savior who rescued me that day was what many people later knew as the Shinigami. At that time, I called her Ms. Pilot. After I was freed, she led me out of the large building which I've learned later was a port warehouse. Along the way, the bad guys were firing at us with many different weapons. Ms. Pilot protected me by shielding me with her own body and a large shield while firing back at the bad guys with a massive shotgun."

"Eventually, we were close to the exit. At the space between the large doors and the narrow passage between the containers, there was a lot of bodies that I think were people that Ms. Pilot killed when she entered the warehouse. I froze right there and then, a few dozen steps away from freedom. I was too afraid to move right then."

"But then Ms. Pilot lifted me up, wrapping me in those big metal arms as she carried me out. When she called me again, we were already outside the warehouse where a team of Japanese and German ISs and soldiers found us. I later learned that Chifuyu-nee had called them for help, along with Ms. Pilot to rescue me."

"The pilot and I were escorted to the stadium where we met Chifuyu-nee. She was almost beside herself in worry. When she met the pilot, she bowed to them, saying she owed them a huge favour. That was when the whole rumour of the Shinigami was born. Many people still searched for the pilot trying to capture her, saying that she was a rogue pilot who belonged to no nation, a mass murderer. But for me, Ms. Pilot was a living hero. Without her, I wouldn't be here and Chifuyu-nee wouldn't be the two-time Mondo Grosso champion. I wouldn't be here with my family together."

After Ichika finished, stunned silence came over the crowd. In that packed room, Elliot could see that there wasn't a single person that didn't looked amazed or awed by Ichika's story. Even Kaoruko who was busy jotting down shorthand had stopped writing and just gawked at Ichika with her mouth agape.

"T-That was quite the tale, Orimura-kun. So, this Ms. Pilot or the Shinigami was your saviour, isn't it?"

Ichika shook his head, with a faint smile on his face. His expression was soft as he replied to Kaoruko.

"She was more than just my saviour. She was my idol, my ideal of what a true IS pilot should be. Someone who's determined, courageous, decisive and noble. Out of the few people I look up to in my life, she's one of them. The others are Chifuyu-nee and Elliot."

Ichika then leaned back onto his seat, a wistful look upon his face as he reminisced about the past.

"When I found out that I was able to pilot an IS along with my brother Elliot, I was excited. Finally, I thought that I could become just like her, perhaps even meet her one day. To find out just what drives her, what made her so noble. In short, I was happy that I was able to finally realize one of my dreams."

The sounds of girls 'aww' and 'ooh' echoed in the room as the girls were enraptured by Ichika's story. The chatter began to pick up as some wondered about the identity of the Shinigami, others were awestruck at the boy's description of the pilot, aspiring to become just like the image that the boy envisioned. Of course, there were some who were relieved that the boy didn't have his heart taken by another girl.

Elliot sat in his seat in silence, just busy with the food in front of him in an attempt to cover his embarrassment. To hear that Ichika held his saviour in such high esteem made him felt a lot of pressure. He never thought of himself embodying any of those traits that Ichika described, nor did he commit that act for some higher goal. If anything, Ichika's glowing expectations towards him felt like an impossible burden.

'Looks like Ichika still haven't grown out of his admiration for his saviour. Why did I ever thought it would go away?'

"Wait, if both you and Orimura-san were together at the time, then what happened to Orimura-san after you saw him being attacked?"

Ichika moved to answer Kaoruko but Elliot beat him to the punch as he leaned forward on the table, fixing his golden irises at the girl.

"I was struck on the head and the man who attacked me quickly jumped back into the van as they sped away. I limped home and called Chifuyu, who flew into a rage upon hearing the news. She told me to lock the doors and wait for her to get home. At that time I didn't know that I had a concussion. So, I was lying at home feeling sick and alone until Ichika and Chifuyu came back."

The bespectacled girl seemed satisfied with his answer. Turning in her seat, she returned her attention back at Ichika.

"But what about Orimura-sensei? Why didn't she just quit and come to your rescue instead, Orimura-kun?"

"Well, she almost did. I found out afterwards from Chifuyu-nee that she did plan on forfeiting the match and come rescue me herself. She told me that the pilot persuaded her not to, saying that she would do so herself. Obviously Ms. Pilot succeeded, otherwise you would not be referring to Chifuyu-nee as the Infernal Empress but as the Brunhilde."

The shock that had gripped everyone previously now returned full force. Hearing Ichika's story, no one would've knew behind their much-admired idol was a watershed moment that could've costed the woman her legendary title. Realizing that, many in the room believed that Chifuyu's story was just as much made by the mysterious pilot like Ichika's was. Their curiosity towards the infamous pilot and legend rose to new heights as they speculated on the Shinigami's identity.

Elliot saw the awe written clearly on the faces of the girls. As much as he was abashed by Ichika's account, he was nonetheless a bit glad to see that the account gave a positive spin to his alter ego. Thanks to his keen hearing, he overheard some comments about him, many of which were admittedly positive.

But still, it was tiring to have his alter ego brought up again. Especially since he never had the intention of creating one in the first place, the description of his actions that night felt like the acts committed by someone else. It made him felt very uncomfortable being put into the spotlight, an object of admiration and even worship. He decided that one night was enough for bringing up the past. Better he direct everyone's attention away from him before they gotten too curious of his past.

"Enough about that tale. Since we're here and we've got a party on, you all know what to do."

The crowd turned towards the injured boy, curious as to what he alluded to. Elliot rose from his seat with his glass held in his good arm and raised it high into the air in a toast.

"Let's forget our worries tonight! Let us eat, drink and be merry! LET'S PARTY! Cheers to class 1-1!"

"YEEAH! CHEERS!"

An array of glasses filled the air as the crowd toasted in reply. Cheers and cries of excitement and joy filled the room as the party kicked into high gear.

For the whole night class 1-1 partied, with Cecilia helping Elliot by feeding him much to the consternation of every girl except Houki and to said hybrid's confusion, Ichika being oblivious to Houki's cold shoulder and Kaoruko interviewing the various girls of class 1-1. It was quite a night to remember, with smiles all around and memories being made by everyone.

Until the party was forcefully disbanded by Chifuyu, who shooed the students for staying up late and breaking curfew. By that time, no one was protesting since everyone still had school tomorrow and everyone was tired from the festivities.

The mood within class 1-1 was rather exuberant for the morning, an effect of last night's festivities spilling over. There was a spring in everyone's steps, with jovial greetings passed around liberally amongst the girls.

Currently, the two Orimura brothers were at their seats along with a crowd of girls gathered around them. The group was engaged in casual banter, discussing light hearted topics before classes began.

"Hey have you heard? The class representative of Class 1-2 has been replaced by a transfer student."

Hearing the news from his classmate Yuzu Tanimoto, Elliot couldn't help but listen in. He had been keeping a low profile while chatting mentally with his partner Hecate, staying out of the conversation within the group.

Apparently, Ichika was curious about this development as he held a curious expression, turning to face the girl.

"A transfer student this late in the semester?"

"Yeah. And apparently she's from China."

Elliot couldn't help but chimed in with his own opinion, curious of the idea that an overseas student transferring into the Academy at this time of the year.

"That's suspicious."

"Perhaps she's here just like me, to improve her skills as a Representative contender."

Cecilia carried herself in a haughty manner as she stated that, though the extent of her behaviour had been toned down significantly. No longer was she tipping her nose up at everyone, even when she boasted about herself.

Elliot on the other hand was a bit wary at the development. To hear a representative contender enrolling this late in the semester was something so out of the norm as to aroused his suspicion. He was hoping that the occurrence was totally benign and not a prelude to a spying attempt by one of the largest nations in the world.

One of the girls cast her gaze on him, a look of curiosity shone in her eyes.

"The class leagues match is coming soon. Orimura-san, are you able to compete in it?"

"The match is next week, right? My wounds still need at least 2 more weeks to heal so probably not."

As to emphasize his point, he lifted his right arm still bound in a sling. That made the girls either sigh or groan in disappointment.

"Well, with our class representative out of the running, we need to get someone in their place. Orimura-san, who'd you pick for the spot?"

"I'm still deciding on who's more suitable for it. Give me some time."

"Well, we wouldn't have to worry. The only classes that have Personal IS are classes 1 and 4, so we'll be fine."

Elliot found himself frowning imperceptibly at the confident tone from a random classmate. The very assured manner in which that statement was made bordered on arrogance in his eyes.

'I wonder what made that classmate say that. Didn't she heard what I've said during that class representative match? A good pilot in an Uchigane or a Revive could still trump over a Personal IS if the pilot knows what they're doing.'

"That information is outdated! The representative of class 1-2 now has a Personal Unit!"

The sudden proclamation in a loud, confident voice drew everyone's attention within the classroom. Standing at the main entrance was a brunette girl with her hair tied in twin tails with yellow ribbons, one arm resting on her hip in a confident pose. Her uniform consisted of sleeves semi-detached from her blazer, completed by calf height brown boots.

The Orimura brothers were shocked at the identity of the newcomer. Little did they expect that they would bump into someone from their past in the ISA of all places. Ichika couldn't hide his surprise as he stood up agape, facing the interloper.

"No way! Is that you, Rin?"

"That's right, I'm Huang Ling Yin, the representative contender from China and I've come to declare war on class 1-1!"

Ichika's statement spurred a wave of murmurs through the girls in class, with many wondered just what the newcomer's relationship was to the boys.

Ichika then recomposed himself, a snicker escaping him as he chuckled lightly.

"Good one, coming in here looking like a show-off. That's so unlike you, Rin."

"What!? Why would you say something like that about me, huh!?"

Elliot decided that it was time he showed himself before letting Rin flew into one of her temper tantrums. He walked past the girls to stand in front, seeing one of his childhood friends for the first time.

"Look who the winds blew into our shores. Long-time no see, Fireball."

Rin was thrown off by the nickname as much as by Elliot's towering form. Her confident demeanour melted away as shock and recognition crossed her face, recognizing the oddly dressed male.

"Simba, is that you!? What're you doing here and what's happened to you!?"

Elliot tipped his head towards Ichika sitting behind him, looking very nonplussed.

"Got turned into a human target for an IS propelled projectile, courtesy of Ichika right here. As for my presence here, I'm tagging along as this guy's consiglieri and I am currently the class representative for class 1-1."

Rin looked a bit befuddled, looking as if she can't decide whether to laugh or be worried at his state.

"You still can joke like that, even when you're injured? What's more, you're still a fan of the Godfather? Is that why you're dressed up like that right now?"

Elliot shrugged, looking as uncaring as someone with a severe injury could.

"Hey, it's a good movie. You told me it was one of the biggest movies in China, so I had to find out. Didn't know it was that good."

Before Rin could interject, the ever-vigilant hybrid jerked ramrod straight as he picked up the familiar pattern of heels clicking from the hallway. Knowing just how intolerant Chifuyu was to a tardy class or him failing his responsibilities, he quickly gestured everyone to disperse with his good arm.

"Everyone, get back to your seats now! Orimura-sensei is coming!"

The calm room suddenly burst into a hive of activity. Groups of girls scattered to go back to their seats. Magazines and books were stowed away and replaced with textbooks and notebooks. Tense silence now settled over the previously rowdy classroom as the class was put into order.

With the exception of Rin, everyone else was back to their seats. The lone student was standing in front of the classroom, scanning the room frantically and confused at what was happening in front of her.

"H-Huh?! W-What's goin-OW!"

Cradling her head, she turned around angrily towards her assailant.

"Hey, what did you do that fo- Uh!"

Standing behind her was Chifuyu, a stern expression graced her as she looked down on the short girl. Her intimidating posture scared Rin as the girl shrunk on the spot.

"Consider that your homeroom bell being rung. Now get back to your class, you're in the way."

"Y-Yes ma'am. Don't you run away you two. We'll settle this after class, you hear!?"

After jabbing her finger at both brothers and making her demands, Rin scurried back to her class in a hurry. Elliot watched the girl depart as he pondered on her demeanour.

'Why's Rin so loud and arrogant now? Such a far cry compared to what she was a few years ago. What's actually happened to her during all these years apart?'

Recess came quickly before Elliot realized it. He and Ichika made their way towards the cafeteria to get their lunch, reminiscing on the old times. Ichika was glad to see another familiar face in school as evident by his buoyant expression.

"Can't believe that Rin was the transfer student or that she'll become the Representative candidate of China."

"She's changed. Gone was the meek, shy girl of years past. Now she's quite lively and rather boisterous."

"I think it'll be alright. Doesn't this remind you of middle school Elliot? You, me, Rin and Dan? The Troublesome Troupe as we were called? This really brings back memories."

Remembering the name given to their little circle of misfits, Elliot couldn't help but smirk fondly, remembering back when times were simpler.

"Don't forget about Kazuma too. The guy's always been the joker of the group."

"Yeah, him too. Still, at least now we have a familiar face around here. Perhaps things wouldn't feel so out of place now."

"Maybe."

Elliot just resigned to a simple answer, his own recollections of Rin combined with his observation of her current attitude made him felt a bit ill at ease.

When Elliot stepped through the door, an unexpected object suddenly flew through the air towards him. Instinctively he lunged to the side, his finely honed reflexes got him out of the way of trouble.

A dull smack was heard along with Ichika's yelp. Elliot spun around to find Ichika cupping the centre of his face as he hissed in pain, looking down at a particular spot on the floor. Following his gaze, he found the thrown object in question was a soup spoon. It didn't took much for him to figure out where the spoon flew from as he found Rin on the other side with an outstretched arm, a look between annoyance and shock on her face.

"Tsk! - Finally! What took you two so long!? My ramen's getting soggy waiting for you both!"

Elliot wasn't pleased by her demands and her actions. Stowing his own irritation, Elliot quickly hurried Ichika along to the counter to get their food while waving towards the girl.

"Sorry Rin. Come on Elliot, let's get our lunch and head over to Rin."

A short wait at the counter and both boys walked away with their respective meals. Elliot made his way towards Rin's table with a disapproving look on his face.

"Next time, don't be chucking tableware around Rin. I don't appreciate it when someone throws things at me or at Ichika. Here."

The girl looked as if she wanted to argue but opted not to. Accepting the new spoon passed by Elliot, the three teens sat down at the table as the three childhood friends launched into a conversation.

"Anyways, how are you, Rin? It's been a while since middle school, since we had left."

"I'm doing good Simba. By the way, you've still haven't told me as to why you're here."

"Well, it's related to Ichika here. I assume that you've seen the video that went viral on social media for the past few months?"

"The one where both of you were discovered after piloting two ISs? How did you two ended up fighting each other in ISs and how did that even happen?"

Rin turned towards Ichika, her gaze boring into him as if demanding answers from the boy.

"Well…it's complicated."

Seeing Ichika rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, Rin couldn't help but squint her eyes in suspicion, something Elliot picked up quickly and acted upon.

"Rin, it's nothing suspicious. The short version was that we're simply gotten lost during the high school entrance exam when Ichika led us down the wrong path. We found a room hoping to ask someone for directions only to stumble upon two ISs stored there. The next thing I know was Ichika touched the IS and became a pilot, then the machine he's on went kaput and started acting crazy. I took a gamble and took one of the machines, which was how I learned I was compatible with them. Then I rushed out to save Ichika by triggering the Absolute Defense on his machine."

Rin looked agape, an expression of dumbfounded shock plastered on her face as she listened to Elliot's account of their discovery. She alternated her gaze between the two brothers, before settling to sigh deeply.

"Geez, you two sure do know how to get into trouble. I'm surprised Chifuyu-san hasn't beaten you two for all the trouble you two constantly find yourselves getting into."

Elliot couldn't help but huffed in fatigue, not stoked in recalling that painful moment.

"That wasn't even half of it. After our 'debut', the ISs were completely wrecked, half the school was totaled and Chifuyu really had it in for us. Got a lump the size of a small apple on our heads and quite an earful afterwards."

Ichika shuddered with fear, evidently not enthused having memories of the aftermath brought up.

"You didn't mention the fact that we had to study for the ISA entrance exam, Elliot. I swear, getting locked up for a month just to do nothing but study every day was a nightmare. Those books were thick and difficult to understand."

"And you didn't mention the fact that I was the one doing all the studying Ichika. All you had to do was listen to me explaining all the difficult concepts to you."

The rapid clatter of boot heels getting louder alerted Elliot of an incoming guest. A quick swipe with his eyes told him all he needed to know about their encroaching interloper.

Houki stormed towards the table the three were currently seated at, with Cecilia trailing unsurely behind at a distance. The ponytailed girl slammed her hands on the table with a cantankerous expression, loudly jarring the tableware set upon it.

"Ichika, I think it's time you gave me an explanation!"

'Great, not the one with the major mental problems and a fragile ego.'

Elliot withheld the urge to roll his eyes or show his displeasure at the unwanted presence. Seeing as how the girl always demanded Ichika's attention for the past week had been annoying to say the least. The fact that she was always belittling his brother didn't earn her any points in his eyes.

The hybrid didn't know if his brother was genuinely clueless or was putting up an act in not perceiving Houki's inept attempts at attracting his attention. If he was doing the latter, he had two minds of giving a very stern talking to him to not lead girls on. Relationships that were vague tended to get messy pretty quickly, especially any that involved romantic interests with the fairer gender in this day and age.

Houki glared at Ichika, her tone sharp and cranky as she leaned over the table.

"Who is this girl you're acting so familiar with!? Don't tell me that you're going out with her!?"

'He ain't yours to begin with! Stop acting like his jealous girlfriend when you're not even one to begin with!'

Elliot wanted to vocally vent his frustration towards Houki but he realized that would lead to a lot of misunderstandings and further complications that he didn't need. So, he settled for seething mentally at the girl. At least it would prevent him from thinking on how to knock some sense into the annoying girl. Physically, at least.

Rin was sputtering as she heard about the girl's accusation. A faint pink dusted her cheeks as she looked very flustered, stuttering her words with embarrassment.

"N-N-No, i-it's not like that, I swear-!"

"That's right."

Hearing Ichika, Rin's sentence was cut off as she glanced curiously at the boy. At that moment, all eyes on the table were focused on the boy.

Elliot knew whenever Ichika spoke, there was a half and half chance that things would either went bad or catastrophically worse, especially when it came to delicate situations. Being sheltered all his life, he knew his brother was not very attuned to social dynamics or situational context in social interactions. Better he took the lead here.

He gestured towards Rin as he turned his head towards Houki, doing his best to assume a neutral expression.

"Huang here or Rin as we called her, was our classmate from elementary school. She can be considered our childhood friend."

"That's right, she's our childhood friend."

Ichika's careless comment made Rin very displeased. The petite girl glared at him as a small growl escaped her, a fact that Ichika had picked up on.

"What are you getting so angry for? Is something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, I'm fine!"

Seeing Rin turn away in a huff, a frown instinctively crept up onto Elliot's shrouded face. The reaction of the girl brought back some past suspicions of her into the forefront of his mind.

'Don't tell me… I know Rin's always looked up to Ichika but having a crush for the guy? Looks like there's even some things I don't notice too.'

By now, Cecilia stepped beside Houki to stand beside them. The Briton held a curious expression as she interjected.

'Um…Huang-san, why did you call Orimura-san 'Simba'? How did he came to have that nickname?'

That question shook Rin out of her brewing aggravation. Her face turned neutral as she faced the newcomer.

"Well, Simba here was the mature one between the three of us during childhood. He was always quite withdrawn and kept to himself but that changed when Ichika got bullied by a couple of upperclassmen. He's always been very protective of Ichika but his nickname came from when a group of delinquents in the neighbourhood started to extort and harass students from our school."'

Ichika joined in on the conversation, laying out his part of the story on Elliot's nickname.

"When Elliot came across a kid severely beaten up and later heard I was being threatened by those gangsters, he took matters into his own hands and confronted them. Of course, they seriously underestimated Elliot at the time and tried to beat him up but Elliot defeated them."

Rin gave an unladylike snort of amusement at Ichika's comment, crossing her arms against her modest bust.

"Defeated? If you can call what he did to them a defeat. Even when they're bigger and stronger than him, he's beaten them up so badly that all of them ended up in the hospital. About time too! They've hurt one of my friends already so what Simba did to them was a long time coming."

"When news of what Elliot did spread throughout the school, someone nicknamed him 'The Lion of Kashiwazaki.' But because of Elliot's hair colour and his temperament really intimidated a lot of people along with his title had the word 'lion' in it, someone else came up with the name 'Simba' after a certain kids' movie character. It stuck among our group of friends."

Elliot chose this time to interject, hoping to put an end to the story. He took a sip of soda and disclosed his part.

"That's the reason why I've started wearing boots. Since then, every time I went out alone there were delinquents from other districts coming over to challenge me, so I had to be always prepared to fight. A pair of good boots really helps when you are out running or fighting."

The look of awe on Cecilia's face and the look of conflict on Houki's face told Elliot all about their views towards him. Elliot didn't know what went on in the Briton's mind but he could hazard a guess as to why the Kendo maiden was looking very conflicted.

The uncertain look on the ponytailed girl's face disappeared, with her signature scowl assumed its place as she kept her glare at Ichika.

"Whatever. Ichika, you still haven't explained about your relationship with this girl."

"Oh, that's right, I've forgot. Rin here transferred in a year after you moved away. That was also almost the same time that Elliot came and was adopted into our family."

Ichika gestured towards Houki as he turned to face Rin.

"That's Houki Shinonono, I've told you about her. She was my first childhood friend and later you've become my second."

"I'm first…"

Ichika's words made Houki blush healthily as she whispered quietly, savouring the significance of the very innocuous words. A look of unexpected bashfulness was plastered on her face, clearly showing what was going on in her mind to the keen eyed blonde.

Elliot kept himself expressionless, deliberately concealing what he was thinking. The blatant display of bashfulness from Houki didn't impress him one bit. Rather, it greatly disgusted him.

'Ok, just because you're Ichika's first childhood friend doesn't mean there's anything more than that. And they say us guys are perverted.'

Rin mulled over Ichika's words, then she turned towards Houki with a polite expression. Though her eyes betrayed no warmth towards the Kendo maiden, something Elliot could keenly pick up upon.

"I see…It's nice to meet one of Ichika's old friends."

"Yeah... Nice to meet you…"

Despite the seemingly civil greeting, Elliot was observant enough to know it was anything but that. The feigned cordiality between the two girls was tinged with an undercurrent of passive-aggressiveness between them, filling the air with tension and putting him on edge.

'Great... just what I need: a damned catfight waiting to happen. Just why does Ichika attract these kinds of girls to him?'

Cecilia chose this time to make her introductions to Rin. She assumed a confident pose as she offered her hand towards the brunette.

"Ahem, I've yet to introduce myself. I'm Cecilia Alcott, UK's representative contender. It's nice to meet you, Huang-san."

Rin accepted the gesture, shaking Cecilia's hand politely as she gave a cordial smile.

"Likewise Alcott. Call me Rin, if you would."

"Alright then, you can call me Cecilia."

Unlike with the greeting with Houki, there was nothing but a respectful distance between the two representative contenders. What made Elliot surprised was the humility Cecilia showed towards Rin, something that he appreciated her for doing.

What really surprised him next was that the Briton sat down beside him and picked up his spoon, lifting some rice to his mouth. He couldn't help but frown, a bit confused and put off by her action and close proximity.

"Uh, Alcott? What're you doing?"

"Come now, Orimura-san, let me help you with your meal."

The hybrid couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow in curiosity, surprised by the Briton's sudden affectionate attitude.

'This is quite unusual but I am not going to complain. After all, I've still need to keep this ruse up.'

Resolving to let the girl's recent odd behavior go, Elliot slowly finished his own meal with Cecilia spoon feeding him. Around him, dismayed murmurs and chagrined whispers ran through the diners as they were made aware of the spectacle unfolding with the blonde Orimura.

Ichika on the other hand ate as if nothing happened, oblivious to the simmering tension between the two brunettes as the two glared each other down. The two girls kept glaring at each other throughout the whole mealtime, even when Houki later went back to her own table across the room.

Noting the sun was setting as another day passed by, Elliot raised his head towards the airborne IS that was attempting a banking maneuver for the 6th time. He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted loudly, waving at Ichika to come down.

"Alright, that's enough for today Ichika! We'll continue our session on basic piloting techniques tomorrow! You can go now, Ichika!"

The Byakushiki Pilot landed back onto the ground, the white IS dematerialized as Ichika sank onto his hands and knees, panting from exhaustion. Sweat drenched his whole being as he tried to stand up.

"Hah, hah... Alright Elliot, you go on ahead. I need to catch my breath."

It was evident from the trembling in his body that he was extremely worn out. Having been piloting for the past hour just to master the basic aerial movements, Elliot had him repeat the moves over and over again until he found he had reached a satisfactory level of mastery before moving on to the next move. So far, they had been able to cover a quarter of the basic stuff. Ichika was making good progress but still far from becoming a decent pilot.

Joining them was Houki and a whole host of girls from the school. News of the boys training had gotten out and caused a stir among the student body. Whether out of curiosity or just to have an excuse to blatantly ogle at them both, Elliot couldn't tell. But they weren't the main concern he was worried about as he had his eyes trained over a particular person within the gathered girls.

Sitting on the front row of the stands, Elliot had spied on Houki throughout the whole training session. The Kendo maiden kept a deep scowl on her face throughout the entire time Ichika was training. Even when the hour progressed, the same expression hadn't even changed one bit. If anything, the girl's expression seemed to darkened more as time passed.

To be honest, Elliot couldn't gave two damns worth about her thoughts. If he had anything to say about it, he would've preferred that the girl kept her distance from his brother. The Kendo maiden was nothing but trouble, someone he didn't need in his life.

Elliot nodded to Ichika as he departed from the arena. He still had chores to do, mainly his own dirty laundry. With dusk soon arriving, he wished to use the opportunity when everyone else were having dinner to exploit the absence of people around the school to get them done.

True to his predictions, the quick trip to and back from the laundromat was uneventful. Hefting the cloth bag full of fresh laundry, he silently thanked his lucky stars that he had one less matter to worry about for the meantime.

But something else had bugged him this afternoon. Whether it was a trick of his mind or something else at play, he felt a set of eyes unduly focused at him throughout Ichika's training session. This was surprising because even with him being in the perpetual spotlight among the ISA student body, the stare felt as if he was being studied extensively like a wild animal by a keen observer.

The most unsettling thing was that he didn't know who was doing it and why. The realization that someone was keeping a very close eye on him was making him very anxious for fear that he had aroused the interest of some unknown party whose intentions were unknown to him. His paranoia was ratchted up to 11 throughout the session, making him felt wired and anxious all day long as he controlled his own gestures and expressions in order to not reveal what his inner thoughts were.

Entering into his room, he found to his surprise that Ichika hadn't returned yet. Plopping down the bag filled with fresh clothes, he flopped down on his bed while he stared at the ceiling.

For a moment, the hybrid let the silence sank in. Times like these were rare in the Academy and he wanted to savor it as long as he could. He closed his eyes as he enjoyed whatever brief peace he could get.

The door lock clicked open, dispelling the tranquil atmosphere. A very worn and exhausted Ichika dragged himself into the room, a ghost of a handprint visible on his cheek. Elliot's brow shot up in surprise as he regarded his brother's haggard state and his newly acquired injury.

"What happened to you? Why's there a handprint on your face?"

Ichika's eyes looked worn and down, his hand came up to cradle his stinging cheek, wincing visibly as his hand contacted the tender cheek.

"I just got slapped by Rin. She was really mad about me, saying something about not remembering the meaning of the promise. I don't get it, what did I do wrong? I remember the promise alright."

"Well, how about you tell me what's happened? Maybe I can help you figure out what's wrong."

Ichika fetched a chair to sit down close to Elliot as the hybrid sat up on his bed. The younger Orimura brother's face screamed of fatigue as he told what happened.

"So after you've left, I was resting in the locker room before heading back. Rin was there waiting for me with a sports drink in hand. She suddenly started reminiscing about the times we were all together and the topic went to a promise when she asked if I remembered it. The promise was that if she got good at cooking she'd make Sweet and Sour pork for me every day. I was happy that I was getting a free meal every day so I've told her that, only for her to slap me and yelling at me for being a jerk and all that. I got mad and asked her what that promise meant but she'd refused to tell me what it means. To make matters worse, she challenged me in the upcoming Class Leagues match, knowing that you can't join in as our class representative so that I've to take your place. If I win, she would tell me what it meant, if I lose, then I would've to do whatever she asked."

The dispirited boy now dropped his head into his hands, conveying a potrait of despondence as he lamented at the unlucky circumstances he inadvertently found himself in.

"Man, I'm so screwed... With her being a Representative Candidate, she'd steamroll me in the upcoming match. Just why'd you be injured at a time like this Elliot? You're much better to face her than I am since you're so good in your IS."

Elliot huffed with slight indignation, not amused at Ichika's reason for lamenting over his 'injury'.

'Some brother you are, just throwing me out into the gauntlet just because you got into trouble yourself. Besides, you deserved it for opening your damn mouth carelessly without using your head beforehand.'

Elliot had some idea on what kind of promise Rin made with Ichika. The subtle show that Rin demonstrated this afternoon had clued him in on the girl's emotions towards Ichika. His brother's account on his recent injury only confirmed his suspicions.

The problem he saw was that both parties were at fault here. Ichika had deliberately opened his mouth without truly knowing what the promise really meant while Rin had unreasonably expected that his brother would understand or even remember the promise after so many years. Better that he set things right before both idiots drove a wedge between their friendship.

He snapped his fingers in front of the despondent boy, the action broke him out of his dark mood. Ichika gave his attention towards him, looking tired and expectant.

"Listen Ichika, think about this. Under what circumstances do both a woman and a man would be living together that the woman can cook for him daily? Why would she even bother to do something like this for the guy that isn't even her family member to begin with?"

Ichika mulled over his question for a while, his brow furrowed in concentration. Then almost suddenly, he jerked straight up with his eyes wide open as he gazed at him with his mouth hanging open in shock.

"Wait, that was a marriage prom-!?"

Before Ichika could finish, Elliot launched himself off his bed and clasped both his hands on Ichika's mouth. A finger was raised in front of his lips in a universally understood gesture of silence.

"Shhh! Keep it down, you want the girls to hear it!? Well, I wouldn't go so far as to call it a marriage promise right now but what Rin wanted was go out with you with marriage in mind. That's what she meant when she made that promise with you, or at least that's what I think it is."

Elliot released his hold on Ichika as he sat up, shell-shocked over the whole revelation. Then as the stunned boy realized the implications of his actions, he slumped his shoulders disappointedly.

"And I thought it was really about free food. Gosh, I'm such a jerk treating her like this."

Seeing Ichika slumped forward in shame and humiliation on his own density, Elliot felt a pang of sympathy for him. The boy had a heart of gold, albeit a bit naïve and rash at times which got him into trouble on multiple occasions. Elliot wasn't going to hold this against him considering the circumstance was quite unique.

"Now you know. First things first, you have to apologize to Rin. She made that heartfelt promise to you and you basically just stomped on it, even though you didn't do it on purpose. Whatever happens, you need to own up to your mistakes for dashing her expectations and for yelling at her in return when she's gotten angry."

Ichika still looked despondent; his shoulders still slumped over as he rested his arms on his knees.

"But what happens if she still wanted to fight? I'm still new to all this and who knows how experienced Rin is as an IS pilot? Chifu- Orimura-sensei had already approved the request of having me fight in your place and it was Rin who put that idea forward."

Elliot just gave his usual shrug, unperturbed by what Ichika had told him.

"Then it's about time you learn the IS the way I did under Chifuyu. Let's get Chifuyu to help us out by giving you some pointers while I'll be your primary instructor. Time for a Hell Week, Ichika. Prepare yourself."

Hearing which, Ichika literally shivered in fear, not looking forward to what was in store for him in the coming week.

Chapter Text

Chapter 7: The class league tournament

The days passed by quickly. Before long a week had elapsed and it was the day of the class league tournament. The school was abuzz with activity as the student body were eager to find out if their class reigned supreme through an intergrade tournament.

At the present Ichika and Elliot were currently within one of the arena's launch bays with Houki and Cecilia. The hybrid was currently briefing Ichika on how to win the match while the boy in question was in his IS waiting for the signal to leave. Sweat was oozing out of IS clad boy from sheer nervousness and fear at what came next as the round between class 1-1 and 1-2 was finally going to start.

"Remember, fighting a close quarters combatant is no easy feat. The only way for you to win is to get close and either best your opponent in skill or in ferocity. Since your skill isn't polished yet, you'll just have to overwhelm Rin."

"Even so, she'll be so angry that she'll probably pulverize me the moment I get close. Man, how did this even happen?"

Elliot was annoyed by Ichika's defeatist attitude. His face contorted in irritation as he raised his voice haranguing the timid boy.

"Hey, chin up! If you lose hope now, it'll be no different that you going out there and admit that you'll lose. If you've told yourself that you can't win before it even began, then what good is it for you to have a Personal IS!?"

Hearing that, the hopeless pilot seemed even more discouraged by his admonishment. Even after the intensive training over the week, Elliot still didn't know why his brother would be so pessimistic of his chances.

Ticked at his lack of confidence and left without much of a choice, the hybrid smashed his fist against Byakushiki's leg. The jarring impact and resulting loud bang served to jolt the despondent boy out of his depressing thoughts.

"You've said it yourself that you wanted to be just like Ms. Pilot, right!? You've said you wanted to be the noble and courageous pilot like her who doesn't give up even when the odds were stacked heavily against you! Well look at yourself now! You're like a dog with its tail tucked between its legs, scraping and kneeling at the ground at anything that looks even remotely threatening! What would your role model think if she sees your current state now!? She would be disappointed!"

That little pep talk seemed to work as Ichika got out of his self-wallowing. His defeated look disappeared as he pulled himself up by his bootstraps, a look of tentative determination appeared on the boy.

"Y-You're right, Elliot. I shouldn't be afraid right now when it counts. If she could be brave when she rescued me, then what is a match compared to what she had to go through? This is my chance to shine! I'll make her proud along with Chifuyu-nee!"

Seeing Ichika picked himself up, Elliot couldn't help but smile internally. Ichika's determination and steadfastness was one of his most admirable traits, especially when he's set on a goal.

'I'm already proud of you Ichika. You're the better person out of us siblings. That's why I'll risk everything to keep you safe.'

A holographic overlay courtesy of Maya in the control room popped into everyone's view as information on Rin's IS was filtering through, with the previously cowed pilot now taking in every bit of information as his life depended on it.

"Huang's IS is the Shenlong. it's a close combat type IS similar to your unit the Byakushiki."

At the corner of the window, a live feed within the arena showed that the Chinese Representative Contender had already taken her position within the large field.

"Remember Orimura-kun, this isn't like the match you've had with me and your brother. Be careful."

"Don't worry, just fight like you've practiced and it'll be alright, don't stress out."

The previously nervous pilot gave a small nod towards both Cecilia and Houki, a face of determination steadily replaced his previous nervousness as his gaze was fixed to the mouth of the launch bay.

Elliot clicked his fingers, drawing his attention back to him. The hybrid's face was stoic yet resolute, his golden eyes shone with trust at Ichika.

"Trust yourself and Byakushiki, Ichika. They're the only things that won't betray you at this point."

'I am astounded that you would perceive me and my fellow sisters as living entities, Pilot. Your egalitarian attitude should be the stellar example of IS pilots across the globe.'

Momentarily caught off guard by his partner's sudden compliments, Elliot sent back his own reply as he endeavored not to let his inner thoughts show on his face.

'Well, you've done so much over the years by keeping me alive and protected me and my family. The least I could do for someone that has done so much favours for me is to treat them well. I'm always very generous with my friends and those I care about.'

The silence that came over his mental landscape threw him off slightly but he could feel that his partner was somewhat…content on his reply. Why would that be he had no idea but he assumed it was a good thing. The automated system blared out, signaling the cue for Ichika's departure.

"Both contestants should get into their position now."

"Go Ichika! Don't hold anything back! Fight with everything you've got! Bring nothing but your blade and your will as you enter and bring no regrets back from the arena, you hear!?"

"Got it! Right, Ichika Orimura! Byakushiki, lifting off!"

The mechanical platform that he was anchored to shot of at breakneck speed, providing the boy with much needed velocity to take to the air. The white IS flew towards the prescribed position, facing off against the pink and black IS opposite of it.

Rin narrowed her eyes against Ichika, her faced showed no small amount of hostile vexation against the boy.

"If you apologize now, I'll lower the intensity of pain you're about to feel!"

"You want an apology? Fine, I'm sorry that I've misunderstood the meaning of the promise. I shouldn't have opened my mouth when didn't know its meaning."

Seeing that his apology was genuine, Rin's expression softened slightly, the corner of her eyes lost the hard edge from her glare.

"That's much better, so have you figured it out now?"

"Elliot told me what it meant, and I felt like a jerk for not seeing it soon. I'm sorry."

Rin's soft expression didn't last long. As she heard what Ichika meant behind his words, she misunderstood his meaning and was offended by it. An intense scowl marred her features as she glared balefully at Ichika.

"So you're telling me that if it weren't for Simba, you wouldn't have figured it out or apologized!? What a jerk!"

Rin was now mad; her eyes hardened into slits as her scimitars appeared in her hands and she assumed a ready stance.

Ichika did the same with Yukihira, blade poised in front of him in preparation of the upcoming battle.

"I'll only apologize for the misunderstanding, but I won't stand around just to get thrashed about! Ready yourself, Rin!"

"Fine! Just so you know, the IS Absolute Defense isn't perfect. If the damage exceeded its limits, it could damage the pilot."

"I don't need you to tell me that. Elliot already did his job."

"Both contestants may begin combat."

At the announcement, it was as if a switch has been flipped, bringing the tension to a crescendo. The blast of a horn sent both contestants speeding towards each other headlong into a frantic melee, the large Chinese blades clashed against the sleek Japanese sword as sparks were generated from the blades locking with each other.

Ichika parried away another downward slash that carried the intent of pushing him down. His training over the week by his elder siblings came into good effect as the large scimitar slid off the sword's edge. Even with Rin's all out charge, she still had yet to land a strike against him. His confidence began to surge upon witnessing his own performance against the more experienced opponent.

The two pilots separated from the melee stalemate, releasing the locked blades that had held them back from their opponent. Both Rin and Ichika hopped back to gain distance from each other.

"Not bad, you've actually able to block my first attack. But that won't last!"

Rin brandished another scimitar, joining the two blades into a long polearm. The Chinese girl twirled the blades in a deadly spin as she rushed straight in again.

Once again, both CQC type ISs re-engaged in a deadly yet amazing dance of steel and sparks as both fought to gain the upper hand against each other. The roar of an enthusiastic crowd served to add to the cacophony of an intense IS battle alongside the sounds of clanging metal and whirr of IS propulsion.

Sequestered within the control room, the trio of teens were watching intently at the ongoing match. Elliot was hoping silently that Ichika would come out on top against the vexed and most definitely incensed Rin.

But during that time, a few surreptitious glances towards Houki revealed the anxiety the girl held towards Ichika. Seeing as how Ichika was slowly pushed on the backfoot by Rin, the girl was clenching her hands tightly as a worried expression found its way onto her usually peeved face.

The ponytailed girl whispered under her breath, clenching both her hands on her chest as she watched the battle unfolded.

"Ichika…"

That hushed whisper didn't pass unnoticed by the keen eared boy. An involuntary furrow came onto his eyebrow as he witnessed the girl being concerned over his brother but he opted to let it slide. His gaze was focused back onto the large screens watching as Ichika was forced into a defensive position against Rin's relentless onslaught.

'This isn't good. At this rate he's going to have his shields whittled down to nothing. If he wanted to win, he has to use that skill.'

In the arena, fine sand danced in the air as Ichika attempted all he could to beat back Rin. With all the training and advice he'd received over the past week, it seemed to fell apart at this moment as Rin was furiously pushing against him with all her might. Her anger seemed to increase over the length of the match to the point that he struggled to block all her strikes, with some breaking through his guard and taking away precious shield points.

'This is not good! I can't win against Rin by overwhelming her in a straight up fight. Time to use what I've been taught by Chifuyu-nee.'

Intercepting a diagonal slash, his sword locked momentarily with the large halberd-like blade before he shoved back forcefully, breaking the lock. Taking the opportunity, he pushed every bit of power out of Byakushiki as he rocketed up towards the sky.

"So naïve!"

Ichika's attention turned towards Rin. The flying orbs that hovered beside Rin suddenly lighted up, a low whine emanated from the contraption. A muted blast was then heard but he could see nothing coming out of those orbs.

Without any warning, an invisible ball of energy slammed violently against his side like a speeding truck. His vertical ascent was stopped as he was thrown off course and sent careening down towards the arena floor. Ichika barely avoided a painful crash by regaining control at the last minute.

Incredulous at the unexplainable attack, his eyes turned towards the airborne IS, with Rin gazing down at him with confident smugness.

"And that's what you called a jab!"

The twin orbs which he now knew was some kind of cannon lit up again and Ichika found himself momentarily airborne as invisible projectiles slammed into him, sending him crashing into the arena floor in a gaping crater.

In the control room, Houki was caught off guard by the unexpected development. Her face held an agitated expression as she turned towards Maya.

"What the hell!? What kind of attack did she used!?"

"What she used was a Shock Cannon. It's a weapon that manipulates barometric pressure of the surrounding environment to form an invisible attack."

A look of realization crossed Cecilia's face, her expression neutral in contrast to Houki's concerned look.

"That's right, the Shen Long is China's third generation IS. Just like my Blue Tears."

Tuning out the conversation between the 3 females, Elliot continued to watch Ichika's match. A pang of worry sprouted in his heart as he watched Ichika struggled to extricate himself from the ground.

With the discovery of Rin's ranged armament, the strategy that he had devised against her was rendered ineffective. Without being able to counter her aggressive style, Ichika must rely on Byakushiki's One-off ability to secure his victory. The problem would be how Ichika can close the gap and deploy his blade when coming under fire.

If Ichika didn't use what he had learned the past week, he wouldn't be able to approach Rin while taking fire before his shields were depleted. The only way to win was for him to catch Rin off guard and unleash hell on her.

Ichika stood on trembling legs, the force of impact from the shock cannons had jarred his being. With all parts of his body protesting against the exertion, he glared at Rin with unconcealed exasperation.

"You're dodging pretty well. I thought the invisible bullets and barrel were supposed to be Ryuhou's features. However…"

Back in the control room, Maya explained to the trio of students, almost echoing the words Rin was saying in the arena.

"There's something else about the Shock Cannon. It fires at any angle unlimited by its barrel angle of skew."

"So, you're saying that it doesn't have a blind spot."

"I'm afraid that's exactly it."

A subtle glance towards his classmates, Elliot saw that Houki clasped her hands together with an expression of deep anxiety etched on her face as she kept watching the screens. Ignoring the fretting girl, he turned his attention back to the screens as his mind was elsewhere.

'A weapon's only as good as it's wielder. If Rin's caught by surprise, that cannon wouldn't save her no matter how many shots she let off.'

The hybrid's thoughts flashed back towards a session in the past week, when Ichika was starting out on his intensive training.

Little did he know, the boy in the arena was doing the same thing as him.

Ichika materialized Yukihira in a flourish, looking at the pure blade of energy with a certain measure of scepticism.

"Is Yukihira the only weapon that Byakushiki has?"

"It's not the weapon but how the wielder used it. Even a sword can kill in the right hands."

"Exactly. I won the championship twice only by using that . Just one strike is good enough to win."

As to emphasize her point, Chifuyu swung her shinai in a horizontal slash, as if she was cutting down her foes in front of her.

"I really do hope that you two didn't put me in the same category as a world champion."

The crack of bamboo striking the ground was enough to jolt him out of his negative self-talk. Ichika wore a face of nervous attention as he refocused his attention back towards his siblings.

"If you want to be realistic, an amateur like you don't have a chance in winning a shooting battle. Do you know anything about recoil control, how to distance yourself from the bullet line, One-zero stops, Absolute turns? What about ammo characteristics? Atmospheric conditions, or the intellectual aspects of battle, such as the influence caused by the opponent's equipment? And that's only the beginning so can you handle all that?! Well, can you!?"

Hearing the numerous intricacies of ranged IS combat from the two-time Mondo Grosso champion, Ichika slumped down in dejection, a defeated sigh escaped his being.

"Let's not forget that it's especially true when you're using a sniper rifle. Each shot must take all those factors into account, and you'd better get it right the first time or a miss will cost you dearly. A miss for someone like me who uses a single shot rifle could cost me the match if someone like Orimura-sensei here gets me while I'm reloading."

"I'm sorry."

Ichika muttered out weakly. He was feeling hopeless upon learning all that was required to master in an IS combat.

Chifuyu softened her gaze, a soft smile graced her beautiful face.

"I know you pretty well, and mastering one technique is more your style. Besides, you're my brother right? And you've got Elliot here to help you, just like you two always do."

The woman gazed at both boys, a hint of fond warmth peeking through her muddy red irises. Her affection was replied by both brothers with the same warmth in their own eyes.

"It's not the weapon but the wielder…"

Ichika muttered out quietly to himself as he recalled that particular quote. Glancing at the sword he inherited from Chifuyu, Ichika suddenly comprehended what his brother was hinting at.

The boy shifted his focus back to Rin whom seemed assured of her own victory. It was time he reversed his situation and proved his worth to his family.

"Hey Rin."

"Yeah, what is it!?"

"Look, I'm warning you, I'm not gonna hold back."

"What's that mean? That's what you're supposed to do! Besides, I'll show you that we're not in the same league!"

Rin spun her scimitars in a vertical spin and launched herself towards Ichika, which the boy simply flitted to the side to avoid the head-on charge. Byakushiki's thrusters whined with power as he took to the air, with Rin in hot pursuit.

Ichika's sudden and unexplainable actions took many of the spectating crown in the control room off guard. Maya locked her eyes on the screen, her face looked serious but her eyes shone with curiosity.

"It looks like Orimura-kun is looking to do something."

Elliot's eyes lighted up in understanding, realizing what Ichika was up to.

"Looks like he's going to put that skill to good use now."

Cecilia turned towards the gold-eyed blonde, confused at his cryptic statement.

"What do you mean, Orimura-san?"

"Ichika's going to attempt an Ignition Boost, rapidly closing the distance between him and Rin for a coup de gracé. If he nails it, he could take Rin out in one shot."

Now Cecilia was puzzled, as her brows furrowed together in confusion

"Hold on, what exactly is this Ignition Boost?"

At this moment, the silent black-haired woman chose this moment to broke the silence in order to explain to the Briton.

"It's a form of surprise attack which you close in on your opponent at a maximum rate of speed. As long as he can ignite it at just the right moment, he can even go toe to toe with a Representative Contender. Unfortunately, this is his only chance because it just works only once."

Ichika weaved and dived as barrages of invisible projectiles streaked through the air, courtesy of a ticked off Rin. Occasionally the pursuit turned into a melee fight, with neither both sides gaining much ground against the other. During one of those melee engagements Rin lost sight of Ichika, who dived down and upon seeing an opening, activated Ignition Boost that sent him rocketing straight towards Rin. The girl, being caught off-guard could only watch in shock as the white IS threw itself towards her.

Suddenly a massive unidentified object breached the arena barriers and slammed into the center of the arena, causing a huge explosion that shrouded the arena in a thick cloud of smoke and dust. The abrupt and shocking incident put a stop towards the two pilots' duel.

Ichika sped past Rin, stopping only when the ability had ran its course. The two teens whipped their heads towards the sight, shocked at the sudden interruption to their fight.

"H-Huh?"

"W-What the-!?"

The jubilant, excited cheers and whoops from the crowd now morphed into panicked cries. Large reinforced steel alloy blast shields came down over the spectator stands, protecting them from whatever threats that were present and shielding their sights from the incident.

Back in the control room, the same frantic mood was present within as Academy personnel worked to determine the threat and initiate established safety protocols. The two young girls within the reinforced room were almost beside themselves in surprise and shock, watching the screens as their minds wondered about the sudden change within the arena.

"What? What in the devil just happened!?"

"Ichika!"

"The system's been damaged! An unidentified object has appeared to penetrated the arena barriers!"

Stepping up to the plate, Chifuyu's face settled into a stoic professionalism as she grabbed the microphone and issued orders.

"Suspend the match! Orimura-kun! Huang! Get out of there immediately!"

Elliot's protective instincts flared as his realized what happened. Without wasting a second, he turned around and stormed towards the arena with his bandages still on.

A powerful grip on his shoulder arrested his momentum. Elliot whipped around to find his sister's hand on his shoulder. The woman had a stern look in her eyes as she fixed him on the spot.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Saving my family. I have a plan but I need to be down there to help. The sooner I get there, the higher the chances of it succeeding."

Shaking off the iron grip, Elliot sprinted to the door and out the control room. Just as he got out, the heavy doors slammed shut and the locks clamped in place with a resounding finality, separating him and the occupants within the control room.

'Too close. One second late and I'll be locked inside the room. Now I need to get down there before the threat takes out Rin and Ichika.'

Breaking into a dead sprint, Elliot tore off the sling that had kept his arm trapped. Running towards the maintenance bay, the rough draft of his plan was coming together with each step taking him ever closer to the maintenance bay.

'Hecate, can you contact the control room? Use these codes.'

'At once, Pilot.'

The call was picked up quickly. Elliot wasted no time elucidating one part of his plan as he kept his pace towards the maintenance bay.

"Orimura-sensei, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear. What do you need, kid?"

"The arena stands are still full of panicked students and faculty members. You need to get them evacuated as soon as possible. Rin and Ichika may be dealing with an unknown hostile so I'm heading right there now to help them!"

"The IPF have been mobilized and are currently moving towards the arena as we speak. You go down there and see what help you can give Orimura and Huang. The Valkyries will head towards you once they've completed the evacuation."

"Understood, Elliot out."

Hearing that the famed ISA security force was soon arriving, Elliot felt that his job just got significantly less dangerous. If there was a hostile within the arena, the impending reinforcements would help handle the situation as long as he could buy enough time for the evacuation.

The maintenance bay soon appeared within sight. Swiftly the hybrid made his way through the deserted facility towards the launch bay doors. To his chagrin he found the doors were locked down. The channel to the control room flared to life again.

"Orimura-sensei, can you get the doors to launch bay 1 open? There's a lockdown that kept the door locked and I need it open."

"We're unable to get it open from our end. A level 4 lockdown has been engaged and all blast doors had been closed and locked."

"What!? There's no override or anything to disengage the lock?"

"No. Unless the lockdown has been lifted, the doors will remain locked. Even the control room is now inaccessible from the outside."

Elliot smashed his fist against the door in futile anger. Just beyond the door was his brother and childhood friend in trouble and he was stuck in the bay because of a damned blast door. His frustration and anger began to boil over at the hurdle he faced.

Without much options, he turned towards his trusty partner for any suggestions or solutions.

'Hecate, do you have anything that can help? I'd appreciate anything that you could spare. Your old form too if you could spare it.'

'Unfortunately, your few years of hiatus has forced me to cannibalize my form in order to augment your poor health and improve other aspects of myself. It would require a significant amount of time and materials for me to restore myself back to my original form.'

Elliot thumped his head against the steel door in frustration. Without the old form, he knew that he's lost one of the most important protection his IS could provide. With his low shield count, that meant he would have to fight more cautiously lest he got himself killed.

On the other hand, he finally knew why his IS had changed appearance. As peeved as he was to the downgrade in protection, he was grateful that he didn't have to go through the process of explaining his identity as the Shinigami.

'So, what now? Am I just fated to sit here while my family's out there fighting for their lives?'

'Lay your worries to rest, Pilot. I have certain improvements I recently made that I believe could certainly aid you. Please examine your arsenal for the latest additions.'

With a mental command, the HUD within his vision displayed a list of weapons available to him. True to the AI's words, two new weapons were added into the menu.

Fresh confusion swept through his thoughts at the new additions. Elliot didn't know what they were or when it was added but he didn't have time to entertain such questions. He went for the direct solution.

'Hecate, what are these weapons? How can they help me right now?'

'Two recent inclusions to your meagre arsenal. Lay your gaze upon the 'Nemean's Claws' and 'Chimera'. Please equip yourself with the energy blades, Pilot.'

Elliot complied. His IS arms shifted into reality with two new protrusions situated at the front most part of his forearms. Suddenly, a pair of triple curved blades the length of his gauntlet ejected out from the holes situated in front of said protrusions. Brilliant blue light flooded the narrow hallway along with scorching heat that he could felt emanating from the blades.

'The 'Nemean's Claws' are composed of high energy beams. The scorching heat generated by these blades can cleave through hardened armor with effortless ease and sear flesh instantaneously.'

Upon hearing the description of the blades' capabilities, an idea popped into his mind. Perhaps he could take advantage of his new weapons to get out of his predicament.

Pivoting on his foot, Elliot spun around with gusto. Using the momentum of his spin, he stabbed both blades into the thick door high above his head. The claws disappeared into the sturdy door but two sets of holes dripping molten steel proved the blades' efficacy. Grunting with immense effort, the hybrid dragged the blades down the door in two wide arcs, the claws easily melting through the steel like a hot knife through butter.

Once his hands reached the floor, two pairs of triple lines were carved into the door. Elliot put his weight behind the slab of material as he pushed against it. The slab barely moved under his weight.

Huffing out an angry exhale, Elliot materialized Hecate and kicked the door. The chunk of steel went flying out and landed with a resounding crash, opening up a large enough gap for him. He stowed Hecate and stepped through the hole, sprinting out into the arena.

Now freed from the locked bay, Hecate's form encased his body once again, Ultima cradled in his arms. Hefting the massive rifle onto his shoulder, he pointed the muzzle towards the smoke cloud, trigger finger tensed and ready as he focused his attention on the cloud watching intently for any threats.

A bright beam flashed out of the cloud, streaking towards the two airborne IS with a vengeance. The sight of the attack clued him that there was a hostile within the arena, confirming his worst fears.

The hybrid kept his gaze into the cloud, switching his vision to thermal. A large IS unit stood out starkly against the sea of blue and greens in the background, its form alien and gargantuan. He set his sights on the machine and pulled the trigger, the massive rifle in his hand roared menacingly as one round was sent straight into the target.

As was happening on the same time….

With the match rudely interrupted in such an unexpected manner, the two pilots within the arena were watching the smoking crater with trepidation. Both teens did not know what was going on as evident by their frantic comments.

"Hey, what's happening? What in the hell's going on?"

"Ichika! The match's cancelled! Get back to the pit now!"

Not knowing what to do, the boy's confusion was dispelled when a notification popped into his view.

"But what? Huh? Another IS, and it has no identification on it? Is it locking me out somehow? How can it be locked!?"

"What're you doing!? Get back to the pit!"

Jolted out of his thoughts by the frantic voice, Ichika looked towards Rin to find her twin scimitars in her hand, looking every bit ready to fight.

"Get back? And what're you going to do?"

"I'm going to buy us some time, but you need to get out of here right now!"

"Wait a second, there's no way I'm going to leave a girl to fight by herself!"

"Don't be an idiot! You're the weaker fighter among us so you'd better get yourself to safety!"

"But-!"

"It's not like I'm going to fight until the end. I'm just standing in until the teachers can get out here and handle it."

A loud bang thundered from below them, then a loud crashing sound followed the noise. Both the pilots didn't know what had occurred to generate such a racket as they searched the arena for the source of the noise. Unfortunately, A bright purple beam shot out of the crater, giving them no time to ponder to the possible occurrence below as they dodged the lethal beam.

Ichika yelled out a warning as he rushed towards Rin, carrying her out the line of fire, much to the embarrassment of the blushing girl.

"A beam weapon? And it has a higher power output than Cecilia's IS?"

Ichika regarded the holographic screen that appeared in his HUD. But before he could get a close look at the data, a large metal hand smashed into his face.

"H-Hey, you idiot! You need to let go of me right now!"

Rin smacked the boy in the face, as both of them struggled in the air for very different reasons. Ichika did what he could to calm the embarrassed girl down as Rin kept yelling at him in embarrassment. It took a while before the girl calmed down, allowing for both of them to turn their attention back towards the crater.

As the rising smoke in the air thinned out, the duo can clearly see what's inside the crater. The silhouette of a black, blocky IS can be clearly seen. Ichika and Rin both looked at the unidentified IS with unease. It was massive, its size towering over their own units. Its design was not like anything they've seen before.

"What is that thing? It's not any kind of IS I've ever seen..."

The unidentified machine was suddenly staggered by a strike coming out of nowhere. A resounding boom echoed in the arena with a report that Ichika had come to recognize. Both him and Rin scanned the arena trying to locate the shooter, hoping what they believed was not true.

A window displaying incoming communication showed itself to Ichika. Accepting it, he found his brother's face looking back at him.

"Hey, you two need some help here?"

"Elliot, was that you!? What're you doing in here? You're injured, just get out of here!"

"No. We've got an IS that's a hostile that had breached the school's security measures. We're the only ones that can stop it now."

"W-what? Stop it!? Let the teachers come out and handle this, we've should get out of here!"

Hearing Rin sputter in shock, Elliot knew what she was thinking. As much as he wished to agree with her, the reality of the situation had closed off that option.

"If it were that easy. The IPF are currently busy evacuating the spectator stands and a lockdown is currently preventing them getting in here. The three of us need to stall for time for them to get here."

Hearing the groan and whine of IS servos, Elliot quickly dropped another shell into his rifle and fired again.

"The enemy's moving, prepare yourselves!"

The enemy quickly rounded against Elliot; both of its gauntlets pointed straight at him. Pink light began to coalesced from two cannon-like muzzles along with a heavy whine.

Elliot soared upwards, taking him into the skies where Ichika and Rin were. The attack that was intended for him slammed into the vacant launch bay, just narrowly missing him by moments. He sighed in relief, thankful he got out half a second earlier before he got vaporized.

"Too close."

Ichika couldn't conceal his disapproval of Elliot's recklessness as he watched his brother joined them, looking not the worse for wear.

"That was dangerous! You've could've got yourself killed!"

"And I didn't die. Besides, focus. We've got bigger fish to fry."

Maya's voice suddenly came through on all three of the student's ISs, speaking through the public channel used for notifications from the control room.

"Orimura, Huang. You three need to get out of there right now! The IPF will be there soon with their ISs to neutralize the situation!"

"No Yamada-sensei. If we get out of here, that thing will turn its attention on the stands and who knows what the number of casualties that'll cause."

"Elliot's right, we need to draw its attention until everyone's evacuated."

"I understand what you two feel about this, but you just can't do that! Get out of there now!"

"Elliot, run!"

"Ichika!"

Hearing the multitude of voices urging them to retreat, Elliot decided that his mind was made up. He cut off the call, silencing the voices that'll dissuade him.

'Hecate, put a temporary block on that channel. Only disengage the block after this matter had been resolved.'

'Of course, pilot.'

"That's better. You two, shut that channel down and try to ignore it."

"What? What for?"

"Our job here is to buy time for the security personnel. We need to keep that IS on us so they could evacuate the stands. Once they're done, we'll retreat when the instructors and IPF had arrived."

"I agree. We've got to save our classmates. This is our time to rise, just like Ms. Pilot did."

Rin huffed out irritably, seeing as her own opinion was overruled by the two brothers.

"Fine. We'll stay around only until the IPF are here. I hope you two aren't making a mistake."

Ichika felt a bit relieved, the tension held within his body swept away by Rin's assent.

"Elliot, you're still healing, so you've got to stay back while Rin and I draw its attention. You use that rifle of yours to help us."

"Sounds good. I'll hang back and try to get some shots in. Rin, help me soften up the enemy. Ichika, use the Barrier Void ability of yours once Rin or I give the signal."

Rin held a determined expression, her attention focused on the IS.

"Right, that's a plan. So, what're we waiting for? Let's go!"

Seeing the unknown IS standing there motionlessly, Ichika felt a bout of suspicious nipping at the back of his mind. He turned towards Rin and Elliot, a tense look on his face.

"Wait, don't you think that IS's a bit strange? Like it's moving a bit too mechanical."

Rin's face scrunched up in confusion, looking at Ichika like he had stated something obvious.

"What's do you mean? It is a machine after all."

Elliot felt apprehension looking at the gargantuan IS. As Ichika noted, the machine seemed to do nothing but listen to them, as if it was observing them.

"You're right. Over the past few minutes it hasn't even attacked us yet. Hell, even it didn't make any demands or taunts towards us. Seems like you're on to something Ichika."

Mentally calling out to Hecate, he voiced out his suspicions to his partner.

'Hecate, get me a scan on that unit. I want to make sure of something.'

His HUD became cluttered with various windows as Hecate's detection suites worked overtime to feed him data on the IS. Elliot waited with anxious agitation as he kept a cautious watch over the enemy, until his concentration was broken by Hecate's voice floating into his consciousness.

'Your brother spoke the truth, I detect no aura of life within that machine. Instead a strong presence not too dissimilar to mine seemed to occupy that husk. I also felt a strong signal emanating from our hostile that appeared to interfere with the Academy's systems.'

A grim frown set upon the stoic blonde boy. Knowing that the hostile IS was wholly responsible for the lockdown, it became clear that fighting to divert attention wouldn't resolve the situation. Regardless of their own reservations, they had to engage and possibly destroy the IS to lift the lockdown.

The only consolation was that the hostile was an unmanned unit, controlled by nothing more than an AI encased within a facsimile of a body. That meant they were not culpable of any consequences if they were to destroy the IS.

"Watch out! Here it comes!"

Ichika's cries broke him out of his musing as the IS roared at them with a speed that belied its massive stature. The three Personal IS pilots dispersed into 3 different directions as the air was instantly filled with a thick storm of laser beams.

"It looks like she's ready to do this!"

"Not a she. It, Rin."

Rin sputtered in shock at Elliot's comment. Her tone turned shrill as she can't contain her surprise on the channel.

"What? What do you mean by that?"

"I just did a scan on that IS. There's no one in there! We've been fighting an unmanned unit all this time!"

"What!? That's impossible! An IS needed a pilot in order to function! That's just how it is!"

"Looks like you've just been proven wrong. What's worse, I've detected a jamming signal coming out of it. This would explain why the school's in lockdown right now."

"Which means that we can't get out or get anyone into the arena."

Ichika's quick thinking threw Elliot off slightly. Turning his shield to block a beam shot at him, he reloaded his rifle and let loose another round at the machine, interrupting its attack.

"That looks to be the case. So, either we take out that thing or our friends would be in danger!"

Rin didn't shared the two brothers' enthusiasm. Her tone was laced with worry as she talked.

"But how are we going to do that? If we drag this fight out, this is not going to end well for us!"

Elliot's face set into a grim look. If this was the case, then it was up to them to finish the fight. Waiting for backup wouldn't be a good idea at this point.

"Since that thing's unmanned, we can go all out. Don't hold back you two, because a machine doesn't!"

The IS barrelled into Ichika and Rin, forcing the two CQC type ISs to scatter. The IS flew into the smoke column as both pilots gave chase. Elliot switched back to thermal as he tracked the fleeing IS with his rifle, occasionally taking potshots at it when the chance presented itself.

While he was keeping an eye on the IS, his mind was preoccupied with refining another plan of his.

'Hecate, any chance Asphodel's Mist could disrupt the jamming signal?'

'Most certainly. As you recall from your previous battle, your opponent was unable to precisely target you due to the essence disrupting radio signals emanating from my sister. Should you wish to proceed with your plan, I would advise you to follow closely in your enemy's wake to properly implement your ploy.'

'Good enough for me. I'll find an opportunity to let that unit get close then latch onto their tail.'

Elliot waited patiently as the sounds of battle played out from within the column, his sights kept squarely on the IS.

"Orimura! Huang! Come in! Does anybody hear me!?"

Constant static greeted the frantic assistant teacher. Anxiety marred Maya's youthful face as she repeatedly hailed the three pilots currently engaged in a battle within the arena but with no success.

"Orimura, Huang! Come in! Come in, you three!"

"You've heard what Orimura-san had planned, didn't you? I think he had blocked the channel and told the other two to do the same. Since they wanted to handle this, I'd say we let them handle this."

Maya couldn't keep her shock as she turned and regarded her colleague incredulously.

"Orimura-sensei, please tell me you're not serious! How can you say something like that at a time like this, especially we have an injured student out there fighting!"

"Relax, just chill and have a cup of coffee or something, you're getting stressed out because your body's running low on sugar."

The woman trotted towards the corner to pour herself some coffee. Maya can't help but notice one small detail as she watched Chifuyu helped herself.

"Um... Orimura-sensei, what you've put in there is salt, not sugar."

Chifuyu stopped, her cup hovered just in front of her. She glanced towards the jar and found she had indeed mistakenly added salt into her coffee. The faint expression of surprise coupled with a faint blush on her cheeks looked so out of place on her.

The group in the control room watched tensely as the battle raged on. Rin and Elliot peppered the IS with ranged fire while Ichika was doing his best to fend off attacks.

Though among those within, there were some that weren't content to stood by just watching the battle unfold.

"Orimura sensei! Please grant me permission to use my IS! I can move out right away!"

Hearing Cecilia's demand, Chifuyu only crossed her arms below her bust and displayed an unphased expression.

"I wish I could but right now the arena's shield is locked at the highest level and the doors are locked. At this moment, we can neither evacuate the students nor stage a rescue. Orimura-san had made it out at before the lockdown came into effect. At least he's in the arena right now giving a hand."

Cecilia looked bummed out at the news. Her forehead and brow creased with concern as she assumed a thoughtful expression.

"Could it be that IS that's the cause of this?"

"It would seem so."

"Then declare this an emergency and ask for government support! We must get them out of there right now!"

"We've done that. The senior students are doing their best to crack the system as we speak, as soon as the shield's down we'll be sending in the troops."

The Briton sighed in dejection at her own helplessness, her whole being sagged visibly.

"So, I guess right now all that we can do is wait."

"That's right. But you couldn't help the shock troops in any case so there's no reason for you to worry about."

That comment delivered in the woman's signature neutral tone felt like a harsh rebuke. Cecilia's dejection instantly disappeared as she jolted out of her disappointment.

"What!? Exactly what-"

"Orimura-sensei! The lockdown has been deactivated! And Orimura-san is contacting us!"

Maya's cries brought any conversation between the teacher and student to an abrupt end. The group converged close back to the assistant teacher as a notification popped into the screens.

"Put him through, let's see if the kid has any bright ideas."

The boy's face appeared front and center of the large screen, his usually aloof demeanour replaced with one of physical exertion and agitation. Sounds of deafening gunfire and battle came through uninhibited from the channel.

"Orimura-sensei, listen carefully! The enemy's emitting some sort of jamming signal that messing up the Academy's systems! My IS can block those signals but I need to be in range of the enemy in order for that to happen. I'm currently sticking close to the enemy as much as I can. While I do that, you get those reinforcements in and evacuate the students while you have a chance!"

"Understood. Do what you have to do. We'll get those students out as fast as we can."

"I'll do my best. Get those students out now! Elliot, out!"

The line cut off suddenly. Maya looked at Chifuyu with an expression of horror.

"Orimura-sensei! Getting Orimura-san in that close to the enemy while he's injured could get him killed! Get him out of there!"

"He's not. He won't be stupid enough to fight if he's really injured and he's buying us valuable time right now. Get word to the IPF to speed up the evacuation, we may not have another shot at this."
"O-On it!"

With the teachers busy with coordinating evacuation efforts, no one was cognizant of the two anxious teens still in the control room.

Houki couldn't contain the anxiety flowing through her. Her face twisted in worry as she kept her eyes on the screens, unable to tore her eyes away.

"Ichika…"

Cecilia watched on anxiously, clasping her hands to her chest as a strange emotion churned within her.

Why was she feeling so worried, especially for the boy who defeated her? Just what was happening to her when it concerned him?

In the arena, Rin was firing her Shock Cannons at the intruder, gouging more craters into the ground with plenty of missed shots. Her shots narrowly grazed Elliot, whom was hanging onto the machine like a tick on a cat.

Of course, the machine was attempting to throw off the persistent blonde by veering left and right, corkscrewing, doing barrel rolls and other aerial maneuvers that really made Elliot's job difficult. Suffice to say, the hybrid had taken quite a beating just to stay attached to the massive IS and he didn't appreciate Rin's poor marksmanship.

"Watch it, Rin!"

"Hey! Not my fault that the damn thing so hard to hit!"

One of Rin's lucky shots impacted against the IS, grounding it to a stop as it crashed to the ground. Elliot managed to let go at the last second before he joined the machine in a painful crash, hovering close to it in order to nullify the jamming signal.

"Ichika, do it now!"

The boy plunged down from the skies, Yukihira ignited as he went for the killing blow. Unfortunately, the machine dodged the blow, proceeding to chase Ichika all over the place.

"Aim that thing like you're supposed to! This is your fourth try already!"

"Watch out, incoming!"

The unmanned unit diverted its attention from Ichika to focus on Elliot. Like a mad bull charging at a bullfighter, the giant machine closed the short distance between it and the black IS.

'Time to test out that new rifle. Hope it's got enough bite to stop the machine.'

The Chimera materialized into his hands and he hipfired the gun, a stream of shell casings poured out the side of the rifle under a rapid ripping sound as Elliot dumped all his ammo at the incoming IS. Sparks flashed on the surface of the unit as large caliber bullets pinged and dented against the machine, with some rounds managed to penetrated certain parts of the gargantuan IS.

Though most of the rounds didn't penetrate the machine's armor, the impact from the uninterrupted mag dump managed to sapped its speed, allowing Elliot to jump to the side to narrowly avoid being pancaked by the IS in a full body collision.

The rifle clicked empty, the now empty mag was ripped out of the gun hurriedly and the boy slammed a fresh magazine into the weapon. Another burst of fire rained down on the machine as it turned around and charged back at him.

Elliot ducked under a massive fist coming for his face. Swapping out Chimera for Rex, he rammed the muzzle of the gun at the machine's torso and emptied the gun. Three muted blasts can be heard as the machine took the brunt of the close-on attack, stumbling back precariously.

Seizing the opportunity, Elliot rushed right at the machine. The Nemean Claws were cocked back for a deadly strike. He swung right at the machine, a straight thrust intended to strike the heart of the unit.

The machine's left arm rose to block the strike, but that was what Elliot had expected. A quick rotation in his arm and a twist to his upper body turned the thrust into a grazing swipe. Elliot saw with amazement that a chunk of the machine's torso was tore out without much resistance, revealing molten wire and burnt electronics that showed its man made construction.

A right hook came towards him aimed straight at his head. The hybrid angled his shield as he lowered himself, the massive arm was directed away harmlessly and sparking against the large shield as it grazed against it.

Elliot reloaded Rex and unloaded the gun right at the machine's shoulder. The three blasts of shot damaged the arm joint, causing the outstretched arm to seize up solidly.

Undeterred, the machine spun around by its torso with its left arm straight out in a classic armbar. The large shield was raised in its path, stopping it cold with a deafening crash.

And was promptly removed when Elliot stowed away his shield and came in with an underhand back slash with his left arm, cutting the arm clean off by the elbow. The ensuing melee between the IS and Elliot continued on, resembling a deadly, brutal dance of death as both sides traded fierce blows with each other.

As that was going on, Ichika and Rin looked on at the sidelines, scarcely believing the sight playing out in front of them.

"Ichika, isn't Simba injured? How come he's fighting as if he wasn't even hurt in the first place? Plus, where did he get those energy claws?"

"I don't know but he's holding out for now. Still, I'm not going to just stand here while he fights. I'm going in to help him."

"Ichika, wait!"

Rin's cry was too late to stop the bluenette from carrying out his intention. The white IS joined in on the fray with the black IS, the Yukihira raised upright and poised to unleash an overhead slash.

Elliot ducked to the side as the giant fist sailed past his head, materializing Rex and unloaded all rounds into the IS's head. This was followed by a cross slash against its body with his claws, a slash towards its arms and a powerful kick that forced it back. The distance gained by his attack allowed him to materialize Ultima and he fired one round at the machine, the resulting explosion knocked both sides back even further and damaging his shields slightly.

"Ichika, do it again!"

"Hrrrragh!"

Elliot watched rapturously at the sight of Ichika's Yukihira glow with immense energy, the Barrier Void ability running on full power. The glowing blade came down on the remaining arm, cleanly severing the seized arm in one flawless strike. Time seemed to stood still as Ichika landed the hit on the machine.

Then as sudden as it was surprising, the machine spun its torso around, the remaining stump of its left arm struck squarely on Ichika's back. The strike was powerful enough that it sent Ichika flying to the other side of the large crater. The boy slammed against the edge, landing in a massive heap.

"Ichika!"

Rin yelled out. The girl dashed over to the stricken boy in an attempt to draw the machine's attention. But before she could, two blasts of purple lasers striking the ground inches away from her dissuaded the Chinese pilot as she veered back, avoiding the hit.

Elliot watched, frozen on the spot as the machine approached his stricken brother, the cannons situated on its shoulders rotated towards the lying boy made no illusion as to what its intention was. The machine stood just in front of Ichika whom was still struggling to regain his breath.

Seeing his brother lying helplessly as the machine prepared to deliver a final blow to Ichika, Elliot's frustrations and anger began to boil over, reaching an all-time high over his short life. A notification appeared into his sight, typical of any warning messages presented by the IS. But in his emotionally charged state the hybrid was too far gone to notice such trivial details.

'Pilot's emotional spike detected! Initiating 'Titan's Rage'.

Ichika hacked a cough, the wind knocked out of him by the forceful blow. A shadow fell over him as he looked up, finding the damaged IS looming over him menacingly.

Two large round orbs that looked somewhat similar to Rin's shock cannons began to whirr to life. Bright orbs of purple began to appear out of the fan-like muzzle, showing that the IS was still armed and ready to kill him.

Ichika looked on helplessly, too weak and hurt to continue on. Was this how this was going to end, him being turned to ash as he lied helplessly on the ground, without even realizing his childhood dream? The hapless boy closed his eyes, waiting for his end.

A monstrous, blood chilling roar resembling an enraged beast suddenly emanated out of nowhere. Ichika stilled in shock as the sound literally sent a bolt of fear into his heart and he didn't dared to move an inch.

Then, the sound of electricity sparking and a loud whooshing noise can be heard. A horrendous screech of metal warping jarred his ears along with a low constant humming that came from just in front of him. Opening his eyes as he turned back to the IS on top of him, what he saw made him frozen in shock.

The IS that was supposed to be his executioner didn't fire. Instead, the machine stood still as two pairs of tri-bladed claws made of blue light jutted out of the chest of the machine. A scent of hot metal and molten plastics filled the air and he could felt his hair stood on ends.

His gaze traced the blades, finding the owner of the claws to be his brother. But something had changed in his usually stoic brother and his IS that left him both equally surprised and fearful.

His IS sparkled with stray bolts of electricity, tiny arcs sparking from his unit's armor and arcing to his energy shield. Molten metal languidly dripped out of the holes made by the claws, scorching the sand and turning into solid black beads of cooling metal.

Ichika was shocked by the unexpected change in events. Angling his body, he got a good view of Elliot whom had the unmanned unit impaled on his claws. The young Orimura was taken aback by the savage display from his brother but that was nothing compared to his current state.

The blonde's shocking state was conveyed through the state of his eyes. Usually polished gold, Elliot's irises now looked like lava had been solidified into his eyes. The two irises looked like fire encapsulated into gemstones, which looked beautiful had it not be for the emotion that Ichika could see behind those orbs.

Instead of the usual stoic calmness, his eyes blazed with all-consuming, scorching fury and an unquenchable thirst for destruction. The sight of Elliot being so enraged made Ichika shuddered in fear.

Without wasting any time, Elliot yanked the claws out violently. The next moment, his arms almost disappeared as he hacked and slashed at the gargantuan IS. Ichika frantically crawled back, watching as his brother literally tore into the machine with wild abandon, tearing out chunks of half-molten metal and sparking wires as if he was demon possessed.

"Come on, Ichika! Get up!"

Accepting the hand offered to him, Ichika got up and stood beside Rin, watching pensively and fearfully as the blonde boy literally did all of the work destroying the IS.

A final slash across the waist and a great nova of electricity erupted from Elliot's IS, washing over both machines. The sounds of glass shattering echoed in the arena as the now heavily damaged unmanned unit stalled, then it teetered backwards and landed in a resounding crash, separated into pieces of various sizes on the ground.

Silence reigned over the previously riotous battlefield. Both teens stilled as Elliot turned around, their eyes met in that moment.

The boy was panting heavily in exhaustion, his body wracked with tremors as his arms shook visibly. His eyes looked wild, unfocused, as if he wasn't himself. The sight really made Ichika afraid, as if he wasn't staring into the eyes of his beloved brother but that of a monster.

The orange irises soon dimmed, reverting back to the usual polished gold. Elliot sank down onto his knees as his IS disappeared, slumping forward to collapse face first into the ground.

His sudden collapse caught both Ichika and Rin off guard. Both of them rushed towards their childhood friend and family, hoping to find out what's wrong.

But someone else beat them to it.

"Elliot! Oh no!"

A strong wind current buffeted against them as they saw Cecilia's Blue Tears passed by them, stopping just beside the unconscious boy. The Briton dematerialize her unit as she crouched down beside the still boy.

Following close behind her were a large congregation of IS, with Houki among them. The IS clad security personnel fanned out around the arena, ensuring that no further threats were present as they secured the pockmarked arena.

Ichika watched as Cecilia turned over Elliot, her hand moved towards his neck and his face. Her worried face morphed into terror as she raised her head, looking around frantically as she screamed out, her clear voice laced with sheer panic.

"His heart has stopped and he's not breathing! Someone get some help over here now!"

The Briton's panicked cries were responded with a team of medics bearing a stretcher. They worked with practiced ease as they lifted the unconscious boy onto the stretcher and fastened him down. An oxygen mask was put over his face, pumping life-giving air into his lungs. Various orders and commands were shouted hurriedly amongst the medics as they swiftly departed the arena with the unconscious blonde.

The 4 shocked teens watched as Elliot was being carried away. Most notably affected were Ichika, Rin and Cecilia, who stood rooted on the spot with trepidation and fear.

Watching the departing medics, Ichika prayed fervently that his brother would made it through. He didn't know what he will do if Elliot didn't survive his wounds.

Chapter Text

Chapter 8: Finding answers.

Outside the school's infirmary, Ichika, Rin, Houki and Cecilia anxiously waited for news of the blonde boy's condition. Both Ichika and Rin wore expressions of worry as Ichika paced about the hallway, their postures screamed concern and fatigue from the previous events.

"Who'd have known that fight would took so much out of Elliot?"

"I'd never thought that Simba himself would just drop down like that. Why did he went so far as to push himself to help us when he's already injured?"

Rin watched the door anxiously. Her concern for the boy evident on her constant fidgeting and occasional gazing at the door.

Cecilia sat quietly, a wave of uncertainty and pensiveness suffused through her as she wrestled with conflicting emotions that had plagued her for the past few days. Most of them were related to the boy currently fighting for his life just beyond the door.

She sincerely hoped that nothing bad befell the blonde boy, what with him being the one instrumental of saving not just her but almost everyone in the ISA. As much as it smarted her ego, she must admit that Elliot was a real hero and a true example of a prince among men.

After the humbling match between her and the Orimura brothers, Cecilia had found to her surprise that many of her classmates harbored no grudges against her over her egoistical attitude. With any resentment defused, she had quickly struck up friendships with several of the girls.

Knowing the attack could potentially caused massive casualties within the Academy, Cecilia couldn't help but imagine if some of her friends or herself would've been among the casualties if the Unmanned unit had escaped containment and wreaked havoc on the school grounds. Just the thought alone was enough to give her nightmares for days.

And yet, that scenario she'd feared hadn't come to pass thanks to the quick intervention of Ichika, her friend Rin and most notably Elliot. The list of things about him that she was intrigued of seemed to grew longer with each passing day.

Looking back, her humiliating defeat at his hands more than a week ago seemed so distant. Cecilia had thought at that time he would've made demands or rubbed her face with his victory. After all, she had not even sapped one bit of his IS shield points while she was defeated thoroughly.

To her surprise, at the party a night later he had not only acted the humble victor and model gentleman but he had also apologized for almost killing her. This was the first time that she witnessed any man owning up for their mistakes, regardless whether she cared for it or not.

The very complex, mysterious and sometimes conflicting character that he exhibited made her unable to come up with a suitable judgement of his true character. Never had she came across someone with such a wealth of traits that made other men seemed shallow and superficial in comparison.

Her mind wandered back to her memories, the face of the boy juxtaposed with another male she had the displeasure of both knowing and being related to. Her father: Samuel Alcott.

Being a wealthy family hailing from the upper echelons of British society, both of her parents naturally hailed from distinguished noble families. Her mother Olivia had married into her father's family and was put in charge of managing the family's assets.

Being a capable, independent woman that demanded respect from anyone that she worked with, her mother worked diligently to expand the family's wealth and influence. Within a few short years, she had made the family a household name within British high society. She became involved with various business ventures and organizations long before the advent of the IS, bringing glory to her family. A truly exceptional figure that many within Britain's high society focused on attentively.

It was this reason that Cecilia looked up to her mother very highly, wishing that she could follow in her footsteps someday. After the IS was introduced her mother was also actively involved in the development of the domestic IS sector, rising to even greater heights of excellence.

However, the same can't be said of her father. If her mother was a paragon of virtue and ability, her father was of sloth and utter incompetence. The man she was unfortunately related to was a typical spoiled rich brat, totally insufferable and useless with no noteworthy achievement to his name.

When time marched on into the IS age, the gap between them seemed to worsen. In response of the widening status gap between them, her father's attitude became even more insufferable in her mother's presence. Their relationship that was going downhill years ago went into a rapid decline until it gotten to the point where both parents didn't even talk to one another anymore, much less met face to face despite living under the same roof. That cold war continued until the day they met their tragic end in an accident where they both lost their lives together.

His attitude made Cecilia harbored a hatred to her father and by extension to men in general, perceiving him as an example of the kind of man she'd avoid at all costs. Yet that image of mankind that she had zealously held on for years was utterly shattered in the ISA of all places. It felt both disconcerting and frightening to confront with the realization that she may have been wrong all these years.

To add to her surprise, she didn't find this too off-putting. Instead, it forced her to re-examine herself and along with it, her opinion of the opposite gender had mellowed out significantly.

With Elliot's recent actions and demeanor, there were a lot of traits he possessed that she found very pleasing to her own sensibilities. From what she had observed, Elliot was an inveterate recluse. Rather quiet, aloof and cold but very self-assured and confident. Yet, that image belied of a very capable man that was deadly loyal to his family and possessed a unique perspective that spoke of worldly intelligence and insightful wisdom. Even when they shared the same age, Cecilia felt like she was looking at a man whom had lived through a lot instead of an obnoxious rowdy boy of her age.

In her heart, Cecilia knew that she was beginning to felt infatuated for Elliot after this incident. With the character he possessed, it would be utter lunacy to let such a boy passed by her. The massive attention he'd garnered merely with his cold disposition showed that there were many amongst the student body that would be happy to vie for his attention and affection. This part of her was currently winning against her own mind, growing stronger as time passed.

On the other hand, her old habits die hard. Her own mind chided her for holding such a high opinion on a male after she was defeated by him. As a noble and UK's representative contender, she should've taken her defeat as a grave insult and used it as motivation to defeat him in order to reassert her own dominance. While this voice grew faint, it was familiar to her, comforting even amidst her turbulent state.

It's this inner turmoil that prompted her to observe the boy for anything concrete that she could use to lay such a mental conflict to an end. So far, the blonde boy had displayed nothing but the highest degree of personal standards and excellence. Wrong as she was prior, she was beginning to warm up to the idea of accepting him as a potential romantic interest.

But there was something that piqued her curiosity. When she laid her hand upon his chest back in the arena, she had felt something hard beneath his clothes. Not the firm and warm give of muscle but something unyieldingly hard and cool where his heart laid. Cecilia didn't know what it was but she pushed that observation aside as she worried over his fate.

The infirmary door whirred open and the sounds of heels clacking brought the teens out of their own musings. Ichika and Rin rounded Chifuyu who stepped out of the room with her usual blank face.

"Chifuyu-nee, How's Elliot?"

The woman's bare hand smacked the boy square on top of his head. Ichika yelped as he nursed his head.

"It's Orimura-sensei, Orimura-kun. He's fine, doctors just got him out of the danger zone but he's tired. He's currently sleeping soundly so keep your voices down."

The news of the boy's survival provided a release to the two teens close to her. Ichika and Rin sagged in relief, their expressions showed joy and relief.

Stepping forward to the group, Cecilia locked eyes with the teacher. Trying hard to keep her emotions from creeping into her voice, she voiced out what everyone was thinking at the time.

"T-Then, can we visit him?"

"You can but keep it only to two people at a time. He's currently fatigued due to adrenal burnout so he could be a bit irritated and tired. I'd appreciate it if you brats would keep it down since he needs as much rest as he can get."

The woman gave a curt nod and sauntered away, her ponytail the last thing they saw as she disappeared around the corner.

With permission given, the group silently made their way towards the unconscious boy. What she saw gave her pause.

"Can't believe I've seen Elliot sleep, much less so peacefully."

The innocuous statement drew her attention. Cecilia turned towards the boy's stepbrother, her curiosity piqued by his surprised tone.

"You've never saw his sleeping face, Orimura-kun? Not even once?"

"Never. Every night when I walked past his room, I always saw lights coming from it. It always went on late into the night. When I wake up, I usually find him woke up earlier than me, doing chores around the house or reading. I dunno if he's woken up earlier than me or he'd never sleeps but this is the first time I've ever seen him asleep. I'm worried that he's never had enough rest, working so hard on himself and for me."

The sight of the boy shaking his head incredulously somehow made his statement sounded even more unbelievable. But at the same time, Cecilia felt a prick of pride being able to witness what was an admittedly rare sight of the blonde that even his family had not witnessed. Not to mention, the currently sleeping boy had a face that she wouldn't mind sitting there and admire for a long time.

Under the orange rays spilling into the room, the setting sun provided plenty of illumination for a clear view of the boy's unshrouded face. A hard face with prominent cheekbones and a chiseled jawline that made him seemed older than he was, with pale skin that looked like beige marble. Short, golden yellow hair framed his face, giving him a clean and severe look that made him looked mature and stoic.

Yet devoid of the usual stoicism that defined him, the hard set to his jaw and piercing glare were absent from his face. The serene expression that greeted her held a mature, graceful beauty that sent her heart aflutter.

"Well, it's good to see Elliot alright but I'll have to go. I'll send the others in. Bye, Cecilia."

Ichika exited the infirmary as she sat down on a nearby chair, with Rin entering shortly after the boy departed. A look of surprise crossed the Chinese representative candidate as she laid eyes on the slumbering boy.

"Wow, Simba looks so peaceful sleeping like this. I've seen him many times before and he had this intense look to him that makes you either awed or afraid. But to see him this peaceful, that's gotta be a first."

The Chinese girl then turned towards her, holding a teasing expression that made her felt slightly uneasy.

"Well Cecilia, will you be alright? I'd say that seeing him going down like that was quite shocking, not surprising since you're having eyes for him."

The Briton flushed with mortification at Rin's words. She thought she was discreet in her interest towards the boy, so much that it would've gone unnoticed. To see that one of her schoolmates and friends could so easily picked up on it was a bit surprising.

"W-W-What're you talking about!? I was just concerned about my fellow classmate, t-that's all!"

"Yeah yeah, sure. Still, I wonder what happened in the arena? What caused him to fly into a rage and turned that IS into scrap when previously all three of us can't even stop it?"

That was a good question, one that Cecilia herself had wondered after the incident. What was the motive behind the attack? Who were the attackers? Why did it happen during Ichika's match? Questions upon questions piled upon each other that seemed almost unsolvable.

She brushed those questions out of her mind. Let someone else worry about that, she had better things on her mind right now. Most especially was regarding the boy lying unconscious in front of her.

The Chinese girl soon left shortly after, leaving her as the sole visitor remaining at Elliot's bedside.

The boy was quite an enigma, with so many layers to his personality that seemed idiosyncratic yet so unique. Perhaps it was alright to be wrong just for once.

With the kind of person he was, Cecilia wouldn't mind being wrong in her assessment of men this time. She'd much rather figure out the puzzle that was Elliot Orimura, prodigious male pilot and model gentleman.

She stayed until it was time for dinner, coming to grips with her own muddled thoughts. Taking a last glimpse behind her as she departed, Cecilia disappeared back to her room, leaving the insensate boy to his sleep.

Deep within the bowels of earth beneath the expansive ISA, a collection of tunnels and rooms spread out in a sprawling web that formed a secret research and development complex, with access restricted to only a select few faculties within the Academy.

Within one of the rooms, Maya was busy at work at one of the terminals. Below the platform which she stood was a large table housing the shattered and butchered remains of the unmanned unit that attacked the school. Various high-tech contraptions mounted to rails at the ceiling moved and shifted, conducting scans on the immobile machine.

"Yamada-sensei, what did you find on that unit?"

Fixing her glasses, she summarized what she had found out to her colleague whom shadowed her.

"The IS had been heavily damaged by Orimura-san's attacks, leaving many parts of the unit unsalvageable. Unfortunately, I can't find much from its computer, since it has been damaged by some kind of strong EMP attack. Most possibly it was from the ability that Orimura-san used to destroy the unit."

"That means we can't figure out who sent it. The only evidence we can go off on would be the cameras in the arena and the IS recording from the three students' units."

Chifuyu sighed, not pleased to know their trail went cold. While she felt a bit disappointed by it, there was nothing she could do.

"But luckily, the core's still intact but that's where more bad news comes from."

"Tell me Maya-kun. I doubt it'll be any worse."

"The core doesn't have any number ascribed to it on the IS network. Of all the 468 cores in the world, this one's not on the list. It's just like Orimura-san's IS when we first logged it in."

The stoic woman looked distant, her mind far away as she pondered this bit of revelation. This news brought forwards several implications, none of which were good news by any measure.

Why did an unmanned unit breached the Academy's defense system and into the arena, locking them out with their own security system? How was it possible that an IS could be made into an unmanned unit? More importantly, who sent that unit to attack the academy?

Burning questions that demanded answers, all of which were out of the realm of being answered with their only source of information destroyed. She had her suspicions as to who may be able to pull this off but that didn't matter now. All thanks to her adoptive brother and his IS that saved the day but doomed any chances of them to conclusively find out the truth.

On the subject of the blonde boy, Chifuyu can't help but be concerned at his state. The boy as usual had surprised her, which was remarkable considering this had been the running theme for the past few years when it pertained to him.

During that time in the control room, she was mad that her responsibilities and the circumstances kept her from rushing out to save her brother. Not only did she owed Elliot again for saving Ichika, but he had saved the academy single-handedly by stopping the IS in a fit of vengeful rampage that she suspected was some kind of ability from his IS.

The effects of that ability were starkly clear, as evident by the extent of damage inflicted on the unmanned unit. Large slashes cutting deep into various parts of the machine, showing molten wires and metal. A litany of bullet holes littered every part of the IS. Missing parts lopped off revealing its internal construction through the various slashes and holes made into the otherwise formidable machine, with the edges of the cut molten into a black mess. They had to really work hard just to find the central computer, not to mention gathering all the pieces of the unit as best as they could given its severely dismembered state.

All evidence of a one-man rampage that was both shocking in its brutality as much as in its spontaneity.

It was an undeniable proof that his IS had evolved along with him, further affecting him in ways she had no idea of. Chifuyu knew that the Hecate did more than keeping him alive and this incident served to gave her a glimpse of what it was truly capable of. If this incident demonstrated a fraction of that module's capabilities, there was no telling what he and his IS would become if given enough time and impetus to evolve further.

It became clear that she could no longer keep watch over him from afar. She didn't know what preconditions triggered such a powerful ability but she suspected that the answer lied within Elliot himself. She needed someone to keep an eye on him and if necessary, contain him should his condition evolved into a threat. Not to stop him outright but to stall him long enough for her to take action against him.

Chifuyu hated that she had to resort to such measures on someone whom she had owed so much to. But setting aside her own personal opinions on the matter she knew there were too many unknowns about Elliot's IS, with implications too far reaching to left anything to chance. He was a male pilot just as much as he was a living weapon, possessing far too much power for anyone to wield at his command, only held in check by his undying loyalty towards her and Ichika.

His human side she trusted implicitly. It was the side where his humanity ended and something else began that she doesn't trust. Was he the one in control of himself or was it the IS that controlled him? She didn't know, and that uncertainty scared Chifuyu more that she would liked to admit.

It was time to get someone close to him to keep an eye out over him. And she knew just who to call.

In the now darkened infirmary, the unconscious boy now stirred awake. The tomb-like atmosphere of the room was broken by him taking a deep breath as his eyes peeled open.

Elliot blinked a couple times, the sight of ever-present HUD booting up threw him off just slightly. He had yet to get used to seeing multiple panels of information displayed 24/7 in his sight but he cannot deny the ease of accessing information on his condition and his IS.

Still, he'd better do something about having the display subdued or at least made less obtrusive so as not to crowd his vision when it appeared. Elliot decided that a talk with his partner about this in the future was in order.

Looking out the window, his augments kicked into action as his eyes quickly adjusted to the lack of light. Elliot could clearly perceived the moonlight streaming through gaps in the blinds, confirming the information in his HUD that showed it was past 1AM. Confusion mounted within him as he tried to figure out how he ended up in the infirmary again.

'Hecate...what's happened? How long was I out?'

'You are currently sequestered within the Academy's infirmary. As for the what had transpired during the day, you had activated one of my abilities, causing you to thoroughly defeat that husk. But the ability had taken its toll on your body, causing you to lose consciousness after your victory. You were brought here to be treated, thankfully not for long as the essence within you had performed their task admirably, which allowed you to recuperate within a few hours instead of days.'

The AI's recount of the previous events left Elliot stumped. Tried as he might, he found that he could not remember what had happened after seeing Ichika was going to be killed by the unmanned unit. It was as if a gaping hole exists within his memories between the present time and that last moment when he blew his top. But there was part of Hecate's recollections that piqued his curiosity.

'Wait, what do you mean I've activated an ability? Last I've remembered, you didn't have any kind of One-Off ability that I know of. Moreover, what was that ability that caused me to black out completely?'

'You are correct in your assessment, Pilot. While I do not possess any unique ability similar to that of my sisters, I am capable of spawning new functions through my own discretion. What has happened was caused by your own emotional inferno that triggered a new ability I had recently devised.'

'Christened as 'Titan's Rage', our unique predicament allows me to discern your emotions as clear as day. When your anger was invoked, your heart behaved rather energetically, generating much energy that coursed through our physical bond like a tidal wave. Much of that energy was diverted to my systems to prevent any harm coming to us both but at the same time causing various systems to be pushed to their mortal limits, breaking themselves down while performing literal miracles. Only the healing grace of my unique nature ensured our continued survival as we both bathed within the scorching inferno of your rage, which unfortunately was made worse by the energy surging through your mind and greatly stimulating the amygdala and hypothalamus portions in your mind, causing you to fly into an indescribable rage. Your mortal body and mind were unable to handle such great powers for long, which led you to unconsciousness.'

The AI's lengthy explanation served to add more questions as it did answer them. Elliot could only estimate the power of such an ability through his partner's words but that left him in the dark with what had truly happened. However, there was an underlying concern about how such a function could directly affect his brain.

The hybrid drew his legs up as he hunched over himself, his arms resting on top of his knees as he mulled over the information. His brows scrunched in concentration as he put the pieces of the puzzle together. But there were still some concerns that bothered him.

'If this is caused by my 'heart', then how does something like this never happened in my life until now? Moreover, should I be worried this would saddle me with some unpleasant side effects?'

'Pilot, lay your worries to rest. It was only because this was your first time activating that particular ability that caused your body to give out. With proper watch and adaptation from subsequent invocation, you may use that ability for far longer without it taking its toll upon your wellbeing. Based on my scrying, you could currently bathe yourself within its scorching flames for 3 minutes before falling ill at the present moment. Any longer and there would be no guarantees as to our safety and continued existence. As for the cause of its first debut, it was simply due to the physical bond between us was left unawakened until we had cemented it. And to add to that, do you ever recall being so infuriated as to sank into such mind-numbing rage before?'

Elliot pondered upon Hecate's words. As he sifted through his memories he realized what his partner said was true.

But one thing was innately clear to him. If his own emotions could now trigger such a powerful response from the core seated within him, then any outbursts of anger or strong emotions on his end were out of the question going forward lest he caused some unknown reaction to his 'heart' and by extension trigger the ability.

Well, such matters can be left for another time. After all, there was something more pertinent on his mind.

'What about Rin and Ichika? Are they alright? Was anyone injured?'

'Worry not, your timely intervention ensured that your fellow comrades got out unscathed from that battle. The only wounds were internal within your body and trivial damage to my form, both of which were easily remedied by the essence coursing through you. What you require now is sustenance, since the time now is midnight and you had yet to partake in dinner.'

Confirming the AI's words, a pang of hunger struck Elliot as his stomach let out a loud growl, though thankfully no one was present to hear such a mortifying sound.

'Guess dinnertime's long overdue. How am I going to find something to eat at this time?'

Opting to try his luck with the vending machines, Elliot checked his immediate surroundings as he stretched out the cobwebs in his body. Much to his relief, all of his personal belongings were left untouched in the nightstand drawers. Feeling a bit chilly from the cold air blowing out of the AC, Elliot realized he was dressed in nothing but a t-shirt and shorts, which did nothing to insulate him from the frigid temperature.

Opting to leave his blazer behind, Elliot fished out the neatly folded shemagh and threw it around him like a shawl. His bare foot padded dully against the cold floor as he exited the infirmary, not bothering with lacing up his boots for a short trip.

Finding a vending machine was an easy task. The hard part was trying to get enough food out of the machines to stave off his hunger pangs. Elliot was never more thankful to have enough funds on his person to obtain a decent impromptu meal.

Ripping into a chocolate bar as he carried an armful of junk food back to the infirmary, Elliot let out a sigh of relief as the sweet, heavenly concoction sent the gnawing hunger in his stomach retreating into the background. He made his way back, wary of any faculty patrolling the hallways.

'Whew, thought my stomach's going to eat a hole through me. Nothing like the taste of food after being hungry for so long.'

His mind automatically wandered back to his street days, remembering the days of hardship of going without enough food for days on end. While he was accustomed to hunger and cold, he didn't want to experience those sensations again if he could avoid it.

Now safely back into the desolate infirmary, Elliot sat back onto his bed as he munched on his dinner. With some glucose in his veins, his mind was clear to ponder on many aspects about Hecate's EVOLVE module and her capabilities, which he resorted to grilling his partner on.

'Hecate, I recall that you've said you had the ability to evolve to suit the environment. Did you develop those weapons and that particular ability after the class representative match? Moreover, what are the limits to your ability?'

'After the previous fight with two of my sisters, I had gathered and studied the data from that battle. In normal circumstances, the process of evolution is but a slow and arduous one for the sole reason that my form must be active in order for it to take place. I hold no doubts as to the speed of my evolution has been contributed by our unique predicament, being that in order to sustain your life I must be continuously active even without the presence of my form to do so. What was a long process is now made short. Upon yesterday, the process of forging new weapons and devising the new ability was long completed before our recent battle.'

The news of Hecate's evolution sent Elliot's eyebrows high up his forehead. He stopped chewing momentarily as he recomposed himself, fearing that he'll choke on his food in his shock. Gingerly, he popped open a can of juice and took a gulp.

'But that meant it only took you a few weeks to evolve! That's quick!'

'You have mistaken Pilot. It only took 4 days. The weapons only required about a day to be forged, by which the bulk of the time was spent contemplating the best course of action to put in place the new improvements.'

The juice that was partly on its way down now came back up as Elliot spat out his drink in shock, hacking as he cleared his throat. His mind was incredulous at his partner's word and her ability.

'You only needed a day to make new weapons?! Just what is the limit on your ability to adapt?!'

'As I've said previously, our unique bond allowed for such swift evolution. I am active throughout day and night to sustain you very being. Thus, I am able to adapt far faster than had we joined in a simple bond not unlike my sisters. Such simple improvements were trivial for me to implement with haste but for something that fundamentally changes my very being, that would require much more time and data for me to gauge its viability before any implementation would take place.'

Being bombarded with such bombshell revelations, Elliot felt like his life couldn't get any more insane. With the fatigue from the day's events and his hunger still gnawing at his stomach, he opted to leave the matter till anther time when he's in a better state to tackle it.

Flopping down onto the soft bed, Elliot shut his eyes as he drifted back to sleep, his fatigue instantly pulled him back to unconsciousness.

A week had passed since the Unmanned IS attack. Ichika had taken the opportunity to return home during the weekends to deal with the vacant house they left behind. With them gone for a few months, it took a considerable amount of time to clean up the now dusty house alone but in the end it was done. Left with some time on his hands, he decided to pay one of his old schoolmates Dan Gotanda a visit.

Currently, he was playing video games with the redhead in his home situated above the family's eatery. The train journey was long but it was worth it to see one of his old friends from middle school after so long.

"So, everyone except you is a girl huh? Must be nice to be you."

"No. And it's not just me. My brother was there with me too."

"Elliot too!? What did you two do to end up in a place like that? Tell me man!"

Dan checked Ichika by the shoulder, his tone carried hints of envy and mirth.

"Did what? The only thing we did was to be compatible with an IS, you idiot. Although it's nice to see Rin transferred there too."

"Rin too? Oh, I get it, huh. Say, where did your brother go? You two usually stick together as if you're joined by the hip."

"I don't know, I did ask if he would join me today but he said that he needed to do something. Sounds important by the looks of it."

"Huh, it's rare to see you without that guy shadowing you all the time. You'd think that he's your bodyguard or something with the way he watches over you."

The door suddenly banged open with much force, revealing Dan's little sister, her clothes rather loose and disheveled.

"Hey bro, your lunch's ready! Hurry up and eat- Ichika, is that you?!"

"Hey Ran, long time no see!"

The girl stood still, her mouth still hung open in shock at Ichika's unexpected presence. Looking down to see her state of dress, the redhead blushed scarlet and ducked into the corridor with a mortified yelp. She appeared shortly afterwards, her attitude a bit more modest compared to her earlier demeanor.

"I-I didn't think that you would be here, Ichika."

Dan decided to took this time to chastise his sloppy sister, wearing an expression that told her he wasn't approving her disheveled state of dress.

"Couldn't you knock, sis? He's our guest and now he'll thinks you're rude."

The redheaded boy soon shut up as the girl gave an angry glare at him.

"Why didn't you tell me about this!?"

"Huh, I guess I didn't tell you about it huh? Ha ha ha…"

Ichika looked on, oblivious to the implications of the spectacle. Dan seemed a bit worried but Ichika didn't know why, especially as to how his little sister Ran acted so differently with the two of them.

With lunchtime here, the two boys scrambled down the back of the eatery and into the shop. A decent fare was served to Ichika just like how it was back then.

As Ichika was enjoying his meal, Ran stood by dutifully beside him. The girl had swapped out her comfortable attire for a pure white dress, a pensive look sat upon her face as she waited on Ichika.

"Um…Ichika. Stay here for as long as you like, ok?"

Ichika stopped, swallowing down a bite of food as he regarded the girl with curiosity. The boy noticed the girl's change in attire and demeanor.

"Hey, you've changed. Are you going out somewhere?"

"No, it's just…well, you know."

Seeing the girl blushing while stammering her reply, Ichika realized what was going on. It was so obvious that he didn't need Elliot here to tell him about it.

"Ah, you're going on a date!"

"I'm not dating anyone!"

The girl's hot denial surprised Ichika. He was sure that with what he was seeing that was the most possible reason for the girl's behaviour. Just why isn't that the case?

"You're like that at school, ain't ya?"

"Huh, what do you mean?"

"Nothing. I swear, your brother's more perceptive of these things than you do. I'm feeling sorry for Rin."

Hearing that, Ichika's confusion mounted at the siblings' words. Just what were they implying? He really didn't get all this.

At that moment, Ichika wished Elliot had been here with him. His intelligence and quick wit were something that he lacked, which he wished he had even a fraction of right now.

"*Sigh*… Another dud. Just another expert rehashing the same talking points."

Elliot flipped the book closed, tossing it into the haphazard pile of tomes that he had perused for the whole day. The pile of books seemed to grow with each moment and still no answer had presented itself.

Ever since he gotten out of the infirmary, there was a lot of events occurred after the Unmanned unit incident. For starters, the Academy went into elevated lockdown, transforming from the beautiful, idyllic school into a veritable fortress as IPF members patrolled the school grounds. Any entry and exit through the island were monitored closely, with any student wishing to leave the island had to apply for permission.

Moreover, he's gotten into trouble with Chifuyu for wrecking the door in the launch bay. The woman had grilled him about his new weapons and the ability he unleashed during the fight against the unit. As a result, he was subjected to community service on top of intensive training from Chifuyu, helping around the school with various menial labor that the staff needed done while getting himself worn down from hellish training as his punishment.

It was only until a week later did he got the all clear. With time now available to him, he decided to use the weekends to search for information about the intricacies of the IS in hopes of understanding Hecate.

What bummed him out was that Ichika had chosen the same time to invite him to go back home with him to take care of the house. Elliot was a bit displeased that the invitation came over when he was about to do his research, which was something he didn't want to put back for another time.

And with this being closely related to his condition, Elliot was not keen on letting anyone getting suspicious on him. So, when the weekends came around he turned down Ichika's offer to return home and opted to scour the Academy's extensive library for any information about IS evolving, citing the need to keep up with his studies even when he wished to accompany his brother home.

One thing that he cursed right now was that he didn't use his time under Tabane to learn more about the technical aspects of the IS. His mechanical knowledge of the IS was limited to what he's learned from his own self-study and what amount he managed to learn from the hyperactive inventor, which were sorely lacking in the finer intricacies of IS components and how they worked.

Fortunately, the ISA possessed an extensive library which he hoped would contain the answers to his questions. Alas, even after a day spent poring over thick tomes filled with technical jargon and droning sentences he found very little information on the subject.

Elliot let out a groan as he leaned back on his chair, pulling off his hat as he rubbed his forehead to relieve the building tension throbbing in his head.

'This isn't going anywhere. Why is information about IS adapting so limited? The only thing I've found is a phenomenon called 'Shifting' and even then, information's scarce enough as it is.'

His disappointment on the futile search of information made him felt that his endeavor was doomed from the start. Somehow, he thought that Hecate would share some similarities with other Personal ISs and with that, some information on the IS would apply to her.

Yet, his failed efforts only served to highlight just how drastically different his mechanical partner was in comparison to the weapons of mass destruction that were the current gen IS. Their unique condition only added to the enigma that was Hecate and how she affected him physically.

Elliot had an inkling of suspicion that what Tabane had told him about Hecate those years ago was not entirely true. It just seemed that Hecate was a more superior version to the current ISs but yet plagued with problems that were addressed in the later gens. And that was before his unique circumstance further changed his partner in ways he didn't know of. His situation was more than complicated, to put it lightly.

'Man, what a mess... How am I going to figure this out?'

'Perhaps I may interject a moment here, Pilot? Why did you not seek out my counsel instead of subjecting yourself to such mental agony in an attempt to discern my true nature?'

Hearing Hecate's inquiry, Elliot only realized that there was a simpler route to his predicament and in his usual habit of tackling problems by himself, had simply forgotten to ask his partner. He facepalmed, smacking himself mentally for not thinking about such an obvious solution.

On the bright side, at least his morning spent reading about IS mechanics had given him some clarity to form the right questions. He crossed his arms as he leaned back, relaxing himself from hunching over books for several hours.

'Right, first things first. What is the difference between an IS Shifting and you evolving?'

'The difference between my sisters and myself cannot be more distinct Pilot. My sisters only evolve when a certain level of familiarity between them and their masters is reached, allowing them to become much more capable warriors at the expense that they might not be suitably geared towards different kinds of conditions and obstacles. On the other hand, I adapt continuously, which allowed me to acclimate myself to hazardous environments seamlessly without any trouble but such a process required a deeper bond between my pilot and I, not to mention the significant passage of time to take place before such metamorphosis can be completed. The similarities we share are that we adapted to better serve our masters, albeit through different means.'

The lengthy explanation cleared one of the major questions Elliot had towards Hecate's recent changes. To be honest, Elliot found that he'd much preferred Hecate's evolution protocols over the standard Shift protocol in Personal ISs. It'd suited to his personal situation much more than the usual method.

And with Hecate's technical specs far below even a second-gen Mass produced IS like the Rafael Revive, his survival and victory in the arena was all thanks to his intensive apprenticeship under Chifuyu. While he didn't know the woman's motives for training him ragged over the course of 3 years, he was nevertheless thankful that it had paid off.

Any incremental improvements that his partner could implement was a massive edge that he could capitalized upon in IS combat. Already he could feel her handling more smoothly and her airborne speed increased with each fight he passed under his belt. And with the recent upgrades to his armaments and abilities, the odds within the arena that was literally suicidal was moving more towards being dangerously lopsided. Not good but definitely better than before.

Shifting in his seat, Elliot crossed his arms as he mulled over the explanation Hecate provided. With one part of his questions answered, he still had another part that needed addressing.

'Well, that's one question out of the way. Now, how about our situation? How is our fusion affecting my physical body so drastically? Barring the physical capabilities that are far out of human capabilities like augmented vision, how did me activating one of your abilities affect me so greatly? That 'Titan's Rage' certainly did more than what you've just told me. There's no way an IS ability could directly affect the pilot's physiology.'

'Pilot, you must remember that our predicament is an unprecedented occurrence, so remotely far beyond the realm of possibility as to reach into the territory of the sublime. What occurs with us is certainly uncharted territory, a realm none had ever travelled before us.'

'In all my living years, many of your kind have sought to obtain my power to fulfil their own wishes, all of them failed in their endeavor with the sole exception of you. My kind had always been conceptualized not only to protect our masters but to fulfil their wishes, which was why many mortals had sought us out hoping that we may deem them worthy to use our powers. When you had straddled the boundaries of mortality, your dying wish was to be free as our bond was formed. In that moment I had heard your wish and endeavored to fulfil it.'

'Thus, when your life ebbed away as our bond was formed, I made a dangerous gambit to utilize my powers to preserve your life. The cost of my actions was that we are fated to exist in symbiotic harmony, with my powers sustaining your physical being while you become my worthy vessel to house me when my form slumbers.'

'It is fitting that our union confers great benefits to us both. With my aid your life is prolonged, allowing you to push your physical limits beyond mortal realms. This synergy also allowed you to use my form as if it was an extension of your very being, making you an exceptional pilot among your peers. In return, I am granted the honor to receive your direction, your wisdom and the honor to fulfil my duty as it should be since the very first day I was brought forward into this world. Your actions within the arena were simply the side effect of our union, with your mind effecting change to mine just as much as I could effect change within yours.'

The massive info dump from his inquiry made him felt even more drained. Elliot bit back the urge to let out a deep, tired sigh as he struggled to comprehend the complex situation that he was in.

The idea that his life was so deeply intertwined with Hecate sent mixed feelings to him. While he was grateful to have a second life thanks to Hecate, he was under no illusion that whatever changes occurred to Hecate wouldn't leave his body unaffected. The question was only how much and how noticeable it was to a passing person.

At least he now knew just why his memory blacked out during the fight with the Unmanned IS. Elliot theorized that his anger towards the unit had compelled Hecate to activate that particular ability, causing some kind of emotional overload that his mind couldn't handle adequately and affecting his ability to recall that memory.

With so much information to process, Elliot didn't have any mood to entertain any other thoughts or the antics of the fawning student body. The incessant fangirling the student body caused in his presence was irritating to say the least, yet there was very little he could do about it. He could felt the intense stares of several girls behind him throughout the whole morning in the library, acting like feverish stalkers ogling him for any salacious sights they could witness and record.

Picking up his hat, he returned the books to their respective places and exited the library. Being mentally and physically drained, he did one thing that seemed very appealing to his frayed nerves at the present moment.

'Time to go to my secret hiding spot. At least I could take a nap there and think without anyone bothering me.'

Chapter Text

Chapter 9: A blonde gentleman enters.

The tense atmosphere that beset the school after the attack still persisted into the next week but didn't affect the normal goings of the Academy much. Classes still went on just like normal, albeit the presence of IPF members patrolling around the school grounds didn't went unnoticed if one looked hard enough.

Elliot was currently within Class 1-1, deeply engrossed in his book as he waited for classes to begin. He had gotten an early start over his brother to avoid the deluge of attention levied upon him by the student body. He was thankful that with him reading the girls were more inclined to ogle him than to annoy him, something about how good he looked when he was reading.

Of course, typical of a high school the girls clustered into small groups as they chatted amongst themselves. Though today what piqued his curiosity was how unusually animated a random group of girls looked as they chatted, seemingly looking rather excited over something.

Turning his head back into his books, Elliot eavesdropped the conversation as he kept his eyes focused squarely on his book. His enhanced hearing made the distant conversation as clear as if he was situated in the center of the group.

"Hey, do you hear the news?"

"Yeah, the IS that supposedly crashed into the arena last week? I heard that it was a test unit that went out of control."

"No, I mean that in the upcoming tournament, whoever wins gets to date either one of the Orimura boys."

"No way, you sure you've heard it right?"

"I'm telling the truth! In the coming tournament, whoever gets first place gets to date either one of the brothers. It's the truth I swear!"

The shocking statement almost made the eavesdropping Elliot fell out of his chair. From what the girls alluded to, he figured that there was a bet agreed among the girls in light of the upcoming class tournament. Apparently, there was an underground agreement on what the prize for winning was which was clearly them. The unexpected news made Elliot very displeased as his grip tightened on his book.

'The tournament's still far away and already they're agreed on us as the prize? What is this!?'

Having heard enough, he decided to refocus his attention back to his reading when he overheard Houki and Cecilia talking with each other.

"Just what are those girls talking about?"

"I have no idea what they're talking about whatsoever."

The anxious and tense tone from the Briton and Japanese girl respectively revealed more things about the event. Somehow, something about Houki's denial of any knowledge about the chatter going on made him suspicious on the true crux of the matter.

On the other side of the classroom, Honne and her two friends were lamenting about the rumour being spread, something that Elliot picked up. Combined with all the chatter, the blonde had a fair idea what's going on beneath the surface.

'Sounds like the girls came to an agreement about what the reward was for winning in the upcoming class tournament. If I had to guess, somehow Houki had a hand in this and a rumour came from whatever she had done.'

Greatly annoyed by how the girls decided upon such matters without seeking out either his or Ichika's opinion, Elliot decided he would stop listening to the grape vine before it ruined his mood any further. Ichika's appearance a few moments later soon quelled the chatter within the room.

"Good morning, what's with all the excitement?"

"""Oh, it's nothing!"""

Elliot only scoffed disdainfully, not amused by the girls' obvious attempt at deflection.

'Couldn't fool me. These girls really shouldn't be so loose lipped, not that I'm going to tell them that.'

The arrival of Chifuyu who bumped Ichika aside along with Maya trailing behind put an end to the early morning shenanigans. Maya took to the podium with a joyful expression, her voice bubbly as she made a surprising announcement.

"Guess what class, we're about to meet a new transfer student."

The unexpected news elicited murmurs of curiosity among the girls as they wondered about the newcomer. Elliot couldn't care less as he buried his head back into his books.

"Come in."

The door opened at Chifuyu's order and a blonde with a braided ponytailed entered the room. Instantly the excited murmurs gave way to shocked silence as everyone was focused on the newcomer.

The sudden silence within the classroom drew the attention of the normally indifferent hybrid. Breaking away from his book, he turned his gaze towards the newcomer and found out just what got everyone to quiet down.

The transfer student was a European with fairly good looks, an average height with slender shoulders and dressed in the Academy's standard uniform. The newcomer's looks were somewhat noteworthy but there was a noticeable difference that drew his attention.

Instead of a longer blazer common to the girls, the newcomer wore a blazer with white pants paired with white sneakers. This difference in attire clued him in on what caused the sudden silence in the class.

But something about the transfer student seemed off. Call it instinct or a gut feeling but Elliot felt a bit conflicted on the gender of the newcomer. He felt as if the blonde in front looked like a very feminine boy or a very tomboyish girl but he didn't know why he would felt this way. He strongly suspected something odd was going on but he chose to reserve judgement, not until he got some kind of confirmation on their gender.

Mentally reaching out to Hecate, he felt his partner responded with a quizzical prod.

'Hecate, can you take a scan on the blonde guy? Something about him feels off.'

'By your will Pilot. Cast your eyes upon the boy and I shall discern their true nature.'

Elliot did as he was told. Upon landing his gaze upon the newcomer, his vision exploded with various overlays that flashed into his view. A large circular reticule hovered over Charles, with a window appearing beside it as data began filtering in at a rapid pace.

Giving a passing glance on the data streaming into his sight, he did a double take as he picked up a small detail on Charles. He wondered if he didn't misread the data but Hecate's voice floated into his consciousness, answering his unspoken question.

'Let what is hidden be revealed. I had gathered much from my observations and your instincts are keen, Pilot. That young whelp is not who they prophesied to be, since they are nothing more than a fair maiden disguised as a boy.'

At this point Elliot joined the shocked assembly with his own surprise, albeit for a very different reason. The hybrid schooled his features to reveal nothing to anyone as his mind quickly came to a conclusion to the transfer student's sudden enrolment.

'My instincts tell me that this newcomer is possibly a spy, more specifically sent to gather data on you or Ichika's IS. There's no possible way a girl would go through such lengths just to enroll into the Academy.'

As the silent dialogue was taking place between man and AI, every student in Class 1-1 were fixated on the newcomer. The girls especially were not believing their own eyes, their minds slow to caught up with the present circumstance as they stared at the newcomer with dumbfounded surprise.

"I'm Charles Dunois and I've come from France. It's very nice to meet you."

Topping off his introduction, the now introduced Charles finished off with a heart-warming smile to everyone present. Elliot could see that the girls were enraptured with the 'boy's' good looks and exotic accent, as if their shocked whispers and nervous murmurs weren't a clear enough indicator.

"Dude, you're a boy?"

"Oui, I've heard that there were two male students in the same situation as I am so I've transferred here."

Hearing Charles' reply, an ecstatic shriek broke out from the girls. Elliot winced as he tried to focus back on his mental conversation with Hecate, the ear-shattering squeals greatly taxed his patience as he struggled to ignore the racket over Hecate's answer.

'That appears to be the case Pilot. It is inconceivable to fathom the reasons why such deceptions were warranted to be accepted into this prestigious institution. It is a possibility the maiden is a spy sent by others to ascertain about your brother, since he now currently possessed the youngest and brightest of my sisters. But I advise caution Pilot, for there is no certainty that their activities would be solely limited to your male kin.'

Elliot couldn't help but agree with Hecate's assessment. When viewed from every possible angle, this was the most likely reason why the French girl would disguise herself as a boy. With the presence of a spy joining the class, the hybrid felt that another pair of eyes had joined the peanut gallery, among which were many more hidden figures that could possibly be here to study him and Ichika. Elliot felt his days were going to get a lot dicier in the coming future.

He made up his mind right then on his course of action. He wasn't going to be careless once he stepped into the Academy and he wasn't going to slip up now. A plan started coming together in his mind, one that involved his faithful partner.

'Looks like I'll have to keep an eye on them. Last thing we need is for her to scan you and found out about our condition. On that note, tell me immediately if you detected any intrusion to your systems.'

'Your wish is my command, Pilot. I shall be vigilant.'

The overexcited girls still couldn't contain their ecstatic joy at knowing another boy was joining the class, forcing Chifuyu to restore order to the class. Her authoritative voice cut through the horrible racket like a gunshot in a packed auditorium.

"Silence damn it, that's quite enough! Today, we're conducting joint practical training with class 2. I want everyone changed and assembled on the Arena 5 ASAP. And Orimura."

Elliot straightened himself, noting that Ichika did the same. Both brothers gave Chifuyu their full attention as they responded to her simultaneously.

"Yes, Orimura-sensei?", "Yes?"

"Since the three of you are males, I want the both of you to keep an eye on Dunois. Especially you Orimura-san, considering your responsibilities as the class representative."

That was both good and bad news rolled into one if he ever heard one. At least he could keep an eye on Charles and figure out what their motives were. If it was necessary, he could use his authority as class representative to run interference for Ichika. While abusing authority vested by his position sounded reprehensible, he wasn't above doing what was necessary to protect himself and his brother.

On the other hand, it also gave the spy a legitimate reason to approach him and even stay by his side. With proximity, there was no telling what she would do around him. Elliot shuddered to think of the possibility his secret as a hybrid being exposed when he's around the French spy.

Elliot watched as Charles approached them both, moving towards Ichika since his brother was closer.

"So, you're both Orimura. Nice to meet you! I'm…"

Elliot raised his hand in front of the crossdresser, stopping them from talking any further. The tall blonde got out of his seat, dwarfing the newcomer with his 5' 9.5" silhouette.

"Not now, save it for later. Just follow and keep up, Frenchman. Ichika, let's go!"

"Right, let's go now!"

Elliot bolted out of his seat and dashed for the boys' locker room. The clatter of two pair of footsteps following close behind him told him that Ichika and Charles were following in his wake. Just to be sure, he snuck a glance towards the two.

With an opportunity to observe overtly, Elliot put to use one of Hecate's visual augments that was introduced last week. His vision zoomed in on the running duo, focusing on the French girl.

Oddly enough, Charles seems a bit flustered. A quick downward gaze was enough to clue in the reason as to why the French pilot was blushing. Ichika had held on to 'his' hand as they scampered after him, presumably when both of them ran out the classroom. It was further confirmation as to Charles' true gender, what with the French crossdresser's cheeks tainted a rosy pink by the physical contact. Elliot couldn't help but scoff at the spy's unconscious reaction, not amused by her poor acting skills.

'Whoever thought of sending her in here must've been an idiot. Why would you bother to lie when you can't possibly keep up the deception in the first place?'

The duo of Japanese and French 'boys' caught up with Elliot, taking up his rear as they hurried to the locker rooms. All the while, Elliot kept his eyes and ears open for any signs of action from the French spy as Ichika conversed with Charles.

"We're going to change in the locker rooms in the arena. We'll have to change there every time there's a practical training so you'd better get used to beating the girls there."

"Oh. Alright."

"Hey, why'd look so anxious? Do you need to use the restroom?"

"No, t-that's not it."

Approaching the three-way intersection up front, Elliot picked up the muted chatter of several crowds coming from multiple directions in the corridors. His senses sharpened instinctively, making his body go rigid with tension as he lurched to a stop. His sudden stop caused both teens trailing behind him to stop also lest they ran up against him.

"Huh? What is it, Elliot?"

"I hear trouble. Get ready, you two."

Proving his words true, a girl burst out from one of the corridors with a cry, pointing at the three pilots with clear exuberance. She was then followed by another girl who did the same.

"Hey! I see the new transfer student!"

"And he's with the two Orimura princes!"

Charles exclaimed, clearly taken off guard by the spectacle.

"Mon dieu! What is going on here?"

By now, the din that he heard just a few seconds ago suddenly exploded into a riotous cacophony. Elliot turned around and saw that all avenues of approach were suddenly blockaded by massive throngs of overly curious girls. The crowd was currently gushing over the three boys, with them mostly curious over the newcomer.

"I like Orimura-kun's dark hair, but I like Orimura-san's golden eyes with his blonde hair even more!"

"Orimura-san still looked hot as always! Now we got another golden blonde in this school!"

The crowd converged closer, their eyes shined with giddy excitement and some with predatory glee. The crowd crowded around them, boxing them in from two opposite sides and cutting their path off.

This was bad. If they were late to arrive at the arena, they would end up incurring Chifuyu's wrath. Being under the woman's tutelage for a few years, Elliot had first-hand experience what happened when he was tardy. He wouldn't wished it on anyone, much less on Ichika.

Thinking quickly, he formed a plan by which the three of them could escape from the crowd. Pulling Ichika close by his shoulder, he whispered into his ear.

"Ichika, take Dunois to the locker room, I'll draw their attention. Use the side corridor to get there. Get ready to move once the coast is clear."

"Got it."

Seeing Ichika nod, Elliot rounded against the largest group of girls coming from the classrooms. Tensing his body for action, he silently hoped that the few years under Chifuyu's care hadn't dulled his urban reflexes.

The towering blonde burst forth with shocking power, turning him into a human cheetah speeding towards the crowd. The girls upon seeing this hugged each other or fawned in excitement, their imagination getting the better of them.

With the distance between him and the girls shortened to a mere foot, he closed in to the wall and coiled his legs. The hybrid launched off the floor and planted his foot onto the wall, the forward momentum he built up combined with the push-off from the wall granted him height and momentum as he straightened his body mid-air, sailing high above the girls with one arm keeping his fedora on his head.

His daredevil stunt got him well behind the crowd, curling himself protectively as he rolled over his shoulder when he hit the floor. Elliot quickly stood back up again, dusting his blazer as he noted pleasantly that he still remembered one of his old 'tricks'.

'Glad I still know how to do that. That got me out of some tight situations more than once.'

Craning his head back to the crowds, he looked to find the girls had gone silent, staring at him with expressions of shock and awe plastered on their faces.

Then, like the arrival of a tidal wave, the girls broke out in ecstatic cheering.

"KYAAA!"

"Orimura-san's so cool! Like an action movie hero!"

"I want his babies!"

With their emotions overriding their senses, the gathered girls devolved into a mob of overeager groupies. A stampede soon occurred with the girls clambering over each other as they gave chase after him, following behind like a horde of zombies.

All the while, the emotionally beset girls shrieked like banshees, their high-pitched squeals and shrieks bouncing off the walls and echoing down the hallway, the irritating echo stung Elliot's ears as he ran away.

'This is nuts! Just one parkour move and they turned into a mass of horny groupies. The things I've done for both our sakes…. Well, at least hopefully the two can get to the locker rooms without any resistance.'

With his antics drawing away most of the crowd, he would have to lead them around on a wild goose chase before losing his pursuers. Elliot kept himself well in front of the pursuing mob, his speed far outclassing the average teenage girl but he kept himself close in front of the mob. Once he approached the right spot, he took a sharp turn behind the school building's corner and dived into the nearby vegetation.

Keeping his breathing to a minimum, he silently snuck through the bushes, using a shortcut he learned during his first weeks on the island. Eventually the lack of any sounds behind him signaled that he was in the clear, just in time as he exited the greenery to end up behind the arena. Checking to ensure no girls were around him, he stealthily made his way to the locker rooms.

As he approached the door separating the locker room and the hallway, he overhead a faint snippet of a conversation between Ichika and Charles coming from within the room. The conversation was apparently nearing its end as he stepped through the doors.

"…I envy him, not needing to change yet still could pilot as well as he was."

"Who's said I don't need to? And you can do what I did too if you're good."

Ichika jerked as he was startled by Elliot's unannounced arrival. Charles was slightly spooked but she recovered quickly. The French pilot had already changed into their pilot suit while Ichika have yet to put on the top of his suit.

The hybrid paid them no mind as he went up to his locker, wasting no time in changing out his uniform. He quickly divested himself of his blazer and shirt, stowing away his fedora as he pulled on a newly purchased long sleeved T-shirt. Taking the opportunity, Charles decided to shift their own curiosity towards him.

"Ah yes, you're Elliot Orimura, aren't you? Ichika's brother, yes?"

"Adoptive brother. Been for a couple years now."

Elliot answered succinctly, not bothering to look at the French pilot while he changed. Over a few lockers away, he could hear the squelch of synthetic material stretching under force. Peering over to Ichika, he found the boy was not amused in fighting with the uncomfortable attire as he voiced his frustrations.

"I envy you two. Elliot here doesn't need to put on something uncomfortable like this and Charles here can get his suit on quickly. Why am I the only one having to deal with something so hard to put on?"

Elliot closed his locker, a bandanna in his hand as he faced Ichika. His hands were busy tying the bandanna around his neck as he corrected his brother.

"Ever since the last incident, I had to change unless I want to ruin another set of my uniform. And hurry up Ichika or you'll be late. Charles follow me, let's get down to the arena first."

The two blondes hurried down towards the arena, thankfully beating out the girls. With them being early, the risk of them incurring Chifuyu's wrath was down to zero. He heaved a sigh of relief as he crouched down, getting some rest from running around and pulling off his daredevil stunt just now.

Charles panted, catching her breath as she had ran alongside the spry hybrid. Having rested enough to regain their breath, the spy chose to grill him with more questions.

"So, why didn't you need to change into a pilot suit? You've never need to do so?"

Peering up at the spy, Elliot shook his head casually.

"Never. I just piloted in my plainclothes. It's not like it made much of a difference to my performance."

Charles straightened out of her hunched pose, lifting her head to look at him with renewed interest.

"Interesting. I've never seen something like this before. Most veteran pilots still opted for a suit while piloting, only doing so when they have no choice. My papa's company had a lot of skilled pilots and most said that doing so without a suit felt weird, like the IS was a suit of armor instead of a second skin."

"So I've heard. But then again, I doubt many pilots have a high pilot compatibility score like mine, so that may be the cause."

The French blonde looked intrigued by his admission. Bending her knees, she lowered herself slightly as she gave him her full attention.

"What was the score you have, if you would tell me, mon ami?

"This may sound like I'm lying but I've heard that the test proctors said that I could be a S rank. But that's not possible, right? But in the end, I've got an A- but many still believed I should've got A+, if not a S."

Charles looked suitably impressed. A sense of awe shone through the violet irises as the French spy regarded him in a different light.

Elliot knew why the spy looked so impressed. A S-rank compatibility score was considered as a theoretical rank within the IS community since no one had ever obtained such a rank. With his physical link embedded within his chest and natural aptitude, it was a small wonder why he could achieve such a score.

He distinctly remembered the shock the test proctors had when they deliberated over his performance. While it was no big deal to him, somehow the way he piloted caused quite a stir with the proctors, with comments about 'being born as one with the IS.' and 'prodigy' tossed around as bywords used to describe him.

In his defense, he had the luxury of being tutored by the world's greatest IS pilot and being part IS himself. Despite that, he didn't care much for his score nor what it signified within the IS community. In fact, he was wishing that they would rank him as average so he could fly under the radar. Not that he wanted to heap the attention to Ichika, he just wanted to live his life peacefully as much as he could.

The surprise was that he was ranked the way he was. With how the proctors were puzzling over his results, he thought they would either gift him with an S-rank or just decided to grade him below par. Instead, he ended up with his present rank in between impossible and terrible. Not the spot he wanted to be in but he couldn't complain about it without making himself look like a loon or a spoiled kid, neither were the kind of image he wanted to be known for.

"Incroyable, to think that you're so skilled as to be considered for a rank as that and being a boy no less, you must've been naturally talented with an IS. You're quite lucky, Orimura-san."

Catching on to Charles' compliment, Elliot just shrugged. Knowing their identity, it was hard not to suspect that every move and every word done by Charles wasn't laced with a hidden agenda. He decided to act neutral, not ingratiate himself nor distance himself from the spy. At least until he ascertained who her handlers were and caught her in the act.

Pretty soon, the arrival of the girls from both classes and Ichika stopped any further banter between them. The students lined up in a neat formation as the teachers arrived, with Chifuyu presiding over the entourage dressed in a white tracksuit.

"Today, we'll demonstrate how a real IS battle looks like. Huang, Alcott!"

""Ma'am!""

"Since you both have your own machines, I'm sure you'll wouldn't mind volunteering. Step forward girls."

Both girls sighed in response upon having being singled out. Their demeanor screamed great reluctance as they stepped away from the assembled students.

"What a nuisance, why is it always me?"

"Oh my, such a vulgar spectacle. Do I really need to do this?"

Chifuyu stepped towards them and stopped in front of them, not deigning to look at them. The woman whispered at the girls, her comment clearly heard by Elliot.

"Show a little enthusiasm. This is the perfect chance to show off to the boys."

That statement broke the two girls out of their lackadaisical attitude. The girls now took on a more assertive posture, trying to show themselves in the most positive light.

"It looks like it's time for Cecilia Alcott to step up and take charge!"

"Yeah! And I'll show the difference between those who have Personal Units and those who don't!"

From his spot, Elliot could see the changes occurring to the two representative contenders. Suffice to say he was not impressed after he clearly heard what Chifuyu told them as he crossed his arms, furrowing his brows disdainfully.

'Seriously Chifuyu? Of all things to motivate them with, you use us guys to do so? I don't know whether to applaud you for your ingenuity or curse you for your callousness.'

A tap on his back turned him away from the front to find Charles trying to get his attention. He was greeted with a confused expression from the blonde who was curious at the girls' sudden shift in attitude.

"What did the teacher say to those girls?"

"Something to do with the three of us."

Elliot replied cryptically, much to the confusion of Charles. With their recent arrival, Elliot knew the spy wouldn't be accustomed to the unhealthy amount of attention the student body paid to them boys. With her introduction as the third male pilot, he didn't want to spook her in case it made his job of keeping an eye on her even harder.

The two aforementioned pilots that were called forwards were still carrying themselves arrogantly, sizing each other up while sniping back and forth towards the other with barbed comments.

"So, who's my opponent? I wouldn't mind tossing you around, restaurant girl."

"Heh, that's my line. You're dead meat."

"Oh, don't get ahead of yourselves. You've haven't even met your opponents."

Chifuyu's sharp chastisement quelled any further banter between the two amped up girls, a sight that Elliot was glad to see ended. He didn't liked how the girls acted arrogantly, especially their reasons for doing so.

'Pilot, turn your gaze towards the skies! I have sensed one of my inferior sisters descending upon us in a very uncontrolled manner!'

Hecate's voice suddenly flashed into his mind, her tone urgent. Accompanying it was a strong inclination prodding him to look upwards. He turned his gaze skyward, scanning the blue expanse for the machine in question.

"Orimura-san, what's wrong?"

"Shhh!"

Gesturing Charles to quiet down, he was able to pick up a faint sound of air whooshing by. Scanning the skies, a faint sparkle in the sky drew his eyes. As Hecate helped to magnify the image in his eyes, he could clearly saw where the IS was.

In the skies was a Rafael Revive in its standard military green paint scheme, with Maya at the helm. The assistant teacher wore an expression of panic as the IS she was piloting dived straight at them.

Realizing that the assistant teacher was veering straight for them in an uncontrolled manner, Elliot knew that they were very much at risk from being squashed by a falling IS. As if confirming his prognosis, the teacher's cries were now clearly audible to his enhanced hearing along with everyone else.

"AAH! Get out of the way! Please and thank you!"

Wasting no time, Elliot turned to the assembled people with a frantic expression, bellowing out his warning in a hurried, booming tone.

"EVERYONE, SCATTER! INCOMING IS!"

His cry sent everyone scurrying away hurriedly. Elliot turned to find Ichika frozen on the spot, staring dumbly at the rapidly approaching IS.

Without thinking, Elliot rushed towards Ichika, closing the distance in a short sprint. He quickly threw out his arms and seized the paralyzed boy, carrying him out just in time before the mass produced IS crashed into where the two boys had stood previously moments ago.

The sheer force of impact from the Revive slamming into the earth sent both boys careening away from the crash site and landing in a messy heap on the ground. Elliot sat up on his rear, peering into the dust cloud as Ichika hacked away beside him.

"*Cough! * *Cough! * W-What just happened!?"

Elliot pulled up the cloth around his neck to shield his face from the flying dust clouding the air, helping Ichika up and dusting him off before he approached the crater. Peering down from the edge of the crater, he was greeted by the sight of the teacher sprawled out flat in the center of the newly made hole.

"Another falling IS. What's wrong with this place having big machines seemingly falling out of the sky?"

The towering boy shook his head in resignation as he scrambled down the crater and helped the woman up. His enhanced strength greatly helped him as he lifted the IS clad woman back on her feet despite not having Hecate's form to assist him.

"Are you alright, Yamada-sensei?"

"Y-Yes, I am fine. Thank you for your help, Orimura-san."

"Perceptive and thoughtful as always, Orimura-san."

Caught off guard by Chifuyu's compliment, Elliot turned around to find the teacher standing by the edge of the crater, a small smile graced her flawless face before it disappeared as she gazed down at the two of them. Then she turned away to address the students as he and Maya clambered out from the hole.

"Barring that accident just now, Yamada-sensei here was a former representative candidate so you all had better be aware of her capabilities."

"Thanks but that was a long time ago. And besides, I could never break free from being just a representative candidate."

Watching the usually timid woman looking sheepish at his sister's compliment, Elliot couldn't believe that the assistant teacher was quite the capable pilot back in her heyday. With how she acted, no one would've suspected she was a 1st generation ex-representative candidate. The hybrid re-adjusted his perspective towards the meek teacher, regarding her with tentative respect.

'I guess that old phrase 'you can't judge a book by its cover' is very true with people after all.'

Chifuyu had her gaze set on the bashful assistant teacher, a smirk graced her otherwise stoic expression.

"Even so, you're still more than a match for these two, together. And with another veteran pilot beside you, I doubt both of those brats can last even 10 minutes, if not 5."

The Mondo Grosso champion had turned her stoic gaze at him during her last sentence, clearly alluding to whom she was referring to.

The woman's statement had both Cecilia and Rin looking at him with unconcealed surprise. Elliot could guess they were surprised at the teacher's comment on his skill and at the same time sizing up their chances in the upcoming spar. The unease radiating from the two representative candidates told him they didn't rate their chances very highly.

The other students with the exception of Ichika also shared the two girls' surprise. A wave of murmurs passed through the crowd as they discussed about the teacher's words, either gushing about him or speculating how he came to be so skilled.

Elliot fixed a disapproving scowl at Chifuyu, evidently not pleased that she had drawn attention to him once again. All his efforts in keeping a low profile and the woman simply threw out a bombshell about him as if there was nothing major about it. Aggravation coursed through him at the renewed attention her words garnered on him.

"Do I really need to do this? I think Yamada-sensei could do this alone without me."

"You seem to like piloting your IS, so this is the chance for you to cut loose. Just don't use anything too powerful or go too far. I want to do a demonstration, not a beatdown."

The way that Chifuyu worded that statement made Elliot suspicious. True, he did like taking Hecate out for a spin since it felt liberating to fly in the skies but somehow it felt like this wasn't a simple chance for him to have fun. He had an inkling that this was another chance for his sister to gauge just how far Hecate had came along. He wasn't going to fly just because of that reason alone.

Moreover, with Charles now have an idea of his capabilities, he wasn't keen on showing any of Hecate's capabilities to a spy. He'd much rather keep his partner's true power hidden from the world and not give a reason for Charles' benefactor to come down on him. But seeing as the woman was adamant on her request, Elliot knew that any further argument with her was moot. He sighed.

"Fine. Let's get this over with."

Hecate's form instantly encased his body, its thrusters lifting him off the ground. He turned towards Maya, giving a slight bow towards her.

"I'll be in your care, Yamada-sensei. Tell me where to go and I'll do the rest."

"Of course, Orimura-san. You'll take the right, I'll take left. Cover each other and we'll win this!"

Chifuyu raised her arm up, then promptly brought it down with a sharp order to signal the fight to begin.

"Let the carnage begin!"

The two sides rose up high into the air, taking positions just opposite of each other with a fair amount of space between them. Tension filled the air as both sides sized their opponents up.

"Just so you know, we're messing around just now."

"I agree. After all, just because you're both known as veterans doesn't mean you can underestimate us. We'll fight you with all we got."

"Good."

Elliot's succinct reply served to confuse the two girls. Wasting no time, Ultima appeared in his hands as he let off a round straight at Rin.

With the first shot fired, both parties threw themselves at each other. Gunshots rang in tune with metal clashing against each other as frantic combat ensued high above in the skies.

Elliot and Maya kept the two girls at bay, using rifle fire to push the two representative contenders back. The teacher-student duo kept clear and concise communication between them as they fought, demonstrating excellent teamwork against the inexperienced pilots. The results were clear as the fight dragged on.

Elliot batted away Rin's slash as he pressed Rex up against her and fired, blowing her back. The now empty shotgun was replaced with Ultima and Elliot sent one round against Rin, the explosion temporarily bought him some much-needed space.

Feeling crosshairs behind his back, he whipped around with his shield just in time to intercept a shot from Cecilia. Without ammo in his guns, he needed more time on his side.

"Sensei, cover me! Keep Rin off my back!"

"Got it! Go!"

Breaking open the rifle's breech, another 30mm shell was dropped in and the action closed. Swapping places with Maya, Elliot snapped his aim at Cecilia and fired.

The round narrowly struck the girl, buying him enough time to bring out Chimera and put her squarely in his sights. A long burst was let loose that hammered Blue Tears with vengeance, the short rifle rattled with its signature staccato report.

Pinned by automatic fire, Cecilia pulled a displacement roll out of the line of fire, sending a bolt of laser at Elliot who leaned his torso sideways while diverting his IS sideways. The break in fire allowed the Briton to send out two bits to keep him at bay.

The two drones posed no danger to Elliot. Rex quickly reappeared into his hand along with a set of shells. Three shells were thrown into the breech and the action snapped close, emptying out the end of the barrels with vengeance as a storm of shot effortlessly destroyed the oncoming bits.

His path now cleared, he sped towards the Briton as she fired lasers after lasers in quick succession in the hopes of keeping him at bay. The Briton was firing panickily as he neared, her accuracy degrading rapidly as her panic rose, seeing the hybrid rolled and spun with dexterity to avoid the incoming fire.

"No, get away from me!"

Cecilia's cry did little to dissuade him, as he raised his shield up front while closing in on the panicked girl. Once in close combat range, Elliot pulled out his right claw and slashed across Cecilia's rifle.

"No!"

Now disarmed, Elliot threw a strong punch and sent Cecilia crashing down to the ground. He watched as Cecilia slammed into the earth forcefully, kicking up more dust into the air. Once he saw that she was unscathed, he focused back into the fight.

Looking over his shoulder, he found that the green haired teacher was finishing up as well. Maya had pulled off a Split-S turn, blindsiding the girl as she slammed against her. The impact sent Rin into a freefall as she was caught off guard by the attack, her surprise spoiled her control over her unit.

As Rin plummeted, the assistant teacher materialized a grenade launcher and let loose a barrage at her. The Chinese representative contender quickly joined her defeated comrade down on the ground, crashing into the crater in a similarly unceremonious manner.

"Alright, you two! Get down here!"

At the instructor's order, the two experienced pilots re-joined the crowd back on the ground. They were greeted by an awestruck crowd that congregated around them, the sparkle of awe shining in their eyes set off the amazement and adoration clearly written on their face. Meanwhile, both Cecilia and Rin were arguing against each other in the crater, not even bothering to get up and dematerialize their machines before they verbally tore into each other.

Even when Elliot dispelled Hecate, Cecilia and Rin were still squabbling, shifting blame at each other at their defeat. Chifuyu cleared her throat as she addressed the crowd.

"So, now that you see what your teachers are capable of, I expect that all of you show some proper respect from now on."

Turning towards the teacher-student duo, Chifuyu gave her compliments towards the two victors. After praising the duo, she turned her attention towards her charges.

"Good work you two, you both demonstrated another important lesson that I want to teach these girls. You see people, this is what win fights: Teamwork. Both Yamada sensei and Orimura-san communicated frequently throughout the fight, covering each other while ensuring that their opponents have to divide their attention between the two of them constantly. Alcott, Huang."

Hearing their names called out, the two representative contenders snapped out of their childish squabble to give their full attention towards the teacher. Her gaze was stony as she addressed them.

"Both of you demonstrated a severe lack of clear communication and proper teamwork. Yamada-sensei's team was able to pin you two back by using their machine's strengths against both of your weaknesses while covering for each of their own weaknesses through proper coordination. In a match, your teammates are selected for you so you have to communicate with them. By working together can you cover each other, shoring up your weaknesses while augmenting your strengths. Don't expect your teammates to read your mind because they can't do that. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am."

Watching understanding crossed the two defeated pilots, Chifuyu now faced the assembled students with a serious expression.

"Now that you people have seen what a real fight looks like, it's time for your practical lesson. I want all of you to divide into groups of eight, with Personal IS pilots as your group leaders. We'll be continuing with basic movements and combat techniques, so get into your groups."

As if ringing the proverbial dinner bell, all the girls converged on the three males like hungry she wolves, each clamoring to be included into their group.

"Orimura-kun, please show me how to use the IS!"

"Orimura-san, let's pair up!"

"Dunois-kun, can you tell me more about the Rafael?"

The overly enthusiastic responses from the girls shocked both Ichika and Charles. The two looked bewildered, not knowing how to handle the deluge of attention they found themselves in.

Elliot on the other hand was immensely vexed by the girls' ridiculous antics. With his mental energy sapped by the spar and him wanting some alone time, the noise from the boisterous girls swarming him in skin tight suits that left little to the imagination really grated on his nerves. Already, his patience was running thin and a dull headache from all their screeching was not helping matters either. He made his frustrations clear in his own way.

"ALL OF YOU, CLEAR OUT AND ARRANGE YOURSELVES BASED ON YOUR CLASS NUMBER! DO IT NOW!"

The boy's thunderous bellow terrified the girls, sending the previously rowdy crowd backing off and away from him as they were caught off guard and scared by the sudden shout. Elliot couldn't care less of them holding a poor opinion of him after this. He was just too pissed that he couldn't be left alone in peace.

"You've heard him girls, do as he say. If I see anyone taking their time getting into their groups, they'll be running 10 laps around the school."

Chifuyu's own orders echoed his previous outburst, further driving his point home. That compelled the girls to move with such speed and efficiency as to shame well trained soldiers. Elliot wondered why they didn't do so in the first place, since this would all go quickly without them wasting his time.

"Yes! I'm with Orimura-kun!"

"Awesome! Please teach me how to be good pilot, Orimura-san!"

"Dunois-kun! Tell me more about the Rafael Revive!"

Seeing the girls in his group blatantly leering at him, Elliot tried to keep his aggravation from showing. Sometimes he wondered were the girls really here to learn how to be IS pilots or were they're here just for the prestige of being a student of the ISA. He knew his sister probably shared the same sentiments as him when it comes to the student body, if her own disappointment at her students were any indication.

Over by the other personal pilots, the mood was much subdued, but that didn't stop the girls from firing off questions about the boys, more specifically towards Rin and Cecilia.

Over by Charles' group, Elliot could see the girls bowed down with their arm outstretched, as if they were participating in a mixer. That display made him wanted to facepalm at the sheer ridiculousness of it. A quick glance to Ichika's group and his own showed the same actions from their own group members.

Seeing as there was no chance of getting out of this situation, Elliot forced down his annoyance as he went through the motions instructing a bunch of giddy schoolgirls on IS piloting. He cursed mentally at Ichika as he saw the boy lifted Houki up onto their IS that someone had forgotten to return to resting position when they dismount, the boy carrying the flustered girl in a princess carry as he did so.

The sight spurred the girls in his group to plead him to do the same, which he immediately shot down much to their dismay.

During lunchtime, Elliot found himself having lunch at Cecilia's invitation, with the girl being quite insistent on having him as her meal companion. He didn't know what was going on with the unanticipated invite or the girl's motive for doing so but he took the opportunity to get a read on the suddenly amicable Brit.

Meanwhile, Ichika had gone to the roof saying that he would be having lunch with Houki. What puzzled him was that Ichika had also invited Rin and Charles along when class ended. Alongside the two, both he and Cecilia were also invited along but he turned down the invitation, feeling something off with the whole situation.

Seeing Houki left the classroom with nervous giddiness, Elliot could guess what had transpired between her and Ichika. Her subtle actions during IS practical session didn't went unnoticed to him as he could clearly heard what she had proposed to Ichika. His brother clearly didn't know the context of the gesture and assumed it was just a friendly get together for lunch among friends, not knowing what the girl had in mind when she invited him.

Elliot set down his utensils and rubbed his forehead, disappointed at Ichika's density. It seemed that one of these days he would have to sit Ichika down and lecture him about reading people and understanding social context in general. He wasn't looking forward to teaching such an abstract lesson to the simple-minded boy who learned more from his mistakes than from instruction but it had to be done.

If only to open his eyes to the games the Kendo maiden was playing at him. Elliot would really pay to see Houki pissed and dejected at Ichika distancing himself from her due to her vile disposition. Her character left much to be desired and that was him being mighty generous with his assessment.

"Elliot, is everything alright?"

Breaking out of his thoughts, he found Cecilia fixed him with a concerned gaze, her brows furrowed. He clearly heard how she referred to him by his first name, eliciting a displeased frown from him.

"Why did you call me by my first name, Alcott?"

"Why? I thought we would be on better terms after our first fight. Couldn't you call me Cecilia instead?"

"Alcott…"

The girl puffed her cheeks in dissatisfaction as she frowned, not pleased at how he addressed her so formally.

Elliot was unphased by her childish sulking. He held his ground as he locked gazes with her, his eyes conveyed his usual blank stare that concealed his emotions.

Seeing he was unmoved, Cecilia decided to change tactics. She effortlessly changed the topic, easily branching into asking about his wellbeing.

"Now, would you mind telling me about what's gotten you to look so distant? We were supposed to have a meal while enjoying each other's company, yet you had been so quiet since we've received our meals. What's really on your mind?"

Elliot was not stoked at her curiosity. One thing he disliked about being in the company of others was that they would often comment on his blank look or trying to find out what he was thinking. Being an introvert by nature, he was more inclined to spend time in his own head rather than in the company of other people.

But seeing as Cecilia still searched his eyes trying to discern his thoughts, he knew acting defensive on his part would raise her own defenses up. As long as he still doesn't know the reason for her newfound curiosity on him, he mustn't spook her just yet.

"I'm fine, Cecilia. Please, I'm just thinking about how to guide the new guy, Charles."

His persuasion attempt worked. The Briton's face tight with slight displeasure loosened, replaced with an expression that seemed more at ease, if not victorious.

"I see. Now what's this about guiding Dunois?"

"I was thinking, since he's new around here and being a boy no less, he must've been disoriented by the attention and the environment of the school. With my responsibilities as class representative, I had to think of a proper welcome for the boy."

His subtle deflection earned an earnest smile from Cecilia, whom was not aware of his true thoughts.

"I see. It must've been very awkward for him to be the attention of so many girls as soon as he arrived. The girls seem very eager to get to know him. Do you have something in mind to orient him?"

Elliot ignored that she called him by his first name, completely disregarding his earlier request. He could put up with it temporarily, until he found out the answer behind her newfound cordiality towards him.

"I do have a plan, just that I have yet to finalize the details yet. My guess, one of the first things to do is to make sure he gets his bearing around the school while fending off the girls from swarming him. Can't have him scared during his first day here."

Remembering the scene during practicals where the girls treated Charles like royalty, Elliot couldn't help but chuckle good-naturedly upon recalling that particular memory. Knowing the French pilot's true gender, he wondered just what the girls would think if they realized their blonde prince from France was actually one of them.

The irony was the fact that the girls didn't knew about this kernel of truth made the situation even more amusing, as they pined after Charles like he was some prince charming from a fairy tale. With how few things that he found amusing since he enrolled into the ISA, the humorous situation of Charles fumbling around trying to handle the amorous attention of her 'admirers' was something he would enjoy while it was still ongoing.

The sounds of girls quietly squealing and gushing from the tables around him made him froze. Hearing how the girls exclaimed how handsome he looked with a laugh, he cursed himself for his momentary lapse of composure. He's gotten careless in public, something he shouldn't do.

Summoning his mental defences back up, his face assumed his signature blank look once again. He faced Cecilia again, his tone polite and distant.

"So, what do you suggest about the upcoming tournament? I know it's still rather far away, but don't you have any plans of preparing for the matches?"

Cecilia's face fell slightly, put off by his sudden shift to detached professionalism. To her credit, the Briton recomposed herself, her expression cordial and polite.

"Hmm. I was thinking about training when the match is a few weeks away, but I can see myself putting in work right now. A representative contender must maintain high standards of excellence after all."

The lunch continued on, but the atmosphere between the two blondes turned more professional and less cheerful. As if two businesspeople talking over a proposal, Elliot kept a distant and cold demeanour during the remaining time at lunch.

Night had fallen across the island, prompting many of the students in the Academy to return to their dorms. Some opted to use their free time to indulge in recreational activities or laze about in their rooms, the sounds of laughter or music occasionally broke out from one of the rooms and spilling into the hallways.

The Orimura brothers were currently in their shared room. Ichika was busy with his homework while Elliot was reclining on his bed, reading a new book he borrowed from the library. Both boys were engrossed in their current activity when they found someone knocking on their door. They set aside their current activities as their gazes shifted towards the door.

"It's open, come in."

Hearing Ichika's call, the door swung open to reveal Maya with Charles in tow. The blonde had her luggage in hand as she wore a smile.

"Surprise! It's moving day, boys!"

"What for, Yamada-sensei?"

"Since Dunois-san had enrolled, he must room in with another boy. Unfortunately since there's three of you, one of you has to room with a girl. After some careful thought, Orimura-sensei had decided that you would have to move Orimura-san."

"So I have to move now?"

The assistant teacher bowed deeply at him, looking apologetic for bringing the unpleasant news.

"Yes, I'm very sorry for the inconvenience Orimura-san but you'll be moving into a new room with a roommate. While there were some disagreements from the staff on rooming a girl with a boy, Orimura-sensei had decided that you were the more suitable person to room with another girl."

"Alright. Give me a moment to pack up."

Grabbing his book, Elliot got off his bed and moved to his wardrobe to pack. Stuffing his belongings into his bags, all the while his mind was elsewhere with thoughts.

With him moving away from Ichika, he was a bit worried of leaving Ichika alone in Charles' company. If anything happened to his brother, he might not be able to get here in time. But there was nothing he could do about it except going with Chifuyu's orders.

With his luggage packed, he gave the room a cursory once over to ensure he didn't leave anything behind. Once he was satisfied everything was accounted for, he hefted his luggage and turned towards the teacher.

"I'm set, Yamada-sensei. Lead the way."

"Alright. Please follow me, Orimura-san."

As he walked away, he craned his head towards Ichika with a solid gaze. The French pilot had entered the room and was busy unpacking as he left with Maya.

"Ichika, be sure you don't bully Charles. And don't do anything stupid when he's around."

"Hey! When did I ever do that kind of thing?!"

The door closed as Ichika retorted, his reaction earned a giggle from his new roommate. Elliot rolled his eyes, hoping that his brother would be alright and nothing bad would happen.

But now, he's got a new set of problems. Without meeting his new roommate, he didn't know what kind of person they were or if they'll present a problem to him. Better he used the time to get there to learn as much as he could from the teacher.

"Yamada-sensei, can you tell me who would be my new roommate?"

"This was all arranged by Orimura-sensei. She knew that you'd be bothered by any other girl so she had arranged a more level-headed girl to be your roommate. The girl is also the student council president, so you'll be in good hands. She's rather calm and capable, but rather…quirky in nature."

"Sounds like someone I could get along with at the very least, though I'll be the judge when I see them."

They both arrived in front of the room marked 2012, which was just a floor above his previous room. On their way here, Elliot bumped into some girls who looked a bit older than his classmates. He figured that the rooms on this level might belonged to the 2nd year students but that added to the mystery of his new roommate whose room he'll be sharing with.

Maya took out a key labelled with said room's number. Passing it to the hybrid, she looked a bit apologetic.

"Here's your new room and here's the key. Now I will leave you to it. Good night, Orimura-san."

"Good night, Yamada-sensei. Thank you for your help."

"No problem! It's my duty to help you students. Well, time for me to go."

Watching the assistant teacher hurrying away, Elliot grabbed his bags and turned towards the door. Before he did, he examined the key he was given, still feeling a bit of trepidation towards the sudden room change.

Shaking his head, the hybrid moved to open the door. But then he stopped, his arm hovered just a few inches away from the door knob.

A feeling of premonition came over him when his hand neared the door knob. Somehow, it felt like his life would change once he stepped through the door and in a huge way. Whether it was some kind of gut feeling or unknown foreshadowing, the whole situation felt like he was crossing a threshold into another life.

Feeling a bit silly for worrying too much, he gave the door a couple light knocks. A sultry, mischievous voice emanated from the room in reply.

"Come in!"

Pocketing his key, he tried the door. The door opened without any trouble as he entered with his luggage. Elliot wondered just why his roommate didn't came to greet him when he knocked. He got his answer when he got into the main area and his eyes met a pair of ruby jewels peering back at him.

On the bed closest to the balcony, a beautiful blue haired girl dressed in nothing but a white shirt was lying prone on the bed. When he had entered, the girl had turned around, propping herself up with one arm as her other arm slung over her hip, giving him a clear view of the valley between her breasts and her taut stomach through the half unbuttoned shirt. Her ruby like irises peered back at him with an impish expression on her face, accentuated by her lips quirked in a sultry smile.

Judging by the sparkle in her eyes, Elliot knew this was no embarrassing accident he'd just walked into. The salacious tone in her voice and her skimpy attire made him suspect that this was something she had pre planned for him. The devilishly sensuous smile the girl wore when he entered only furthered his suspicions towards this direction. Not that he was amused by the sight as he gave a deadpan expression towards her.

"Well, this is new. I didn't recall that my new room had such…perks included."

"Fu, Fu... You're quite the pervert, Elliot-kun. Coming into a room and calling a girl a 'perk'. My, how scandalous!"

Elliot's aggravation flared at the false accusation he was levied with. He wasn't going to be played for a fool when he wasn't in the mood for games, especially when he was slapped with such a derogatory title.

"I specifically remembered being moved into a room with a roommate, not an empty room with a bed warmer."

The girl's expression fell slightly, yet the sparkle in her eyes didn't dissipate as her lips puckered in a sultry pout. A childish whine entered her voice as she rebutted against him.

"You're mean~. Usually a boy who sees a girl in bed dressed in so little would've jumped at the chance to do naughty things with her, not treating her like she's invisible. Besides, wouldn't you like having someone to warm your bed?"

Elliot ignored her as he moved towards the wardrobe close to the spare bed, pulling out his clothes and putting them away. That left his mouth still free to shut her down.

"I'm not your usual boy and typically a woman who seduced a man today mostly didn't do so with good intentions in mind, considering the kind of era we're in."

"Hmm~ as expected of the Ice Prince. You're just like the rumors said, rather cold and uninterested at anyone. I don't understand why the girls are interested in such a dull guy."

Huffing disapprovingly at her putdown, Elliot continued with his task of squaring away his belongings, not bothering to look at her. The sound of sheets rustling behind him can be heard as he set on his task.

"That's their business, not mine. Also it's quite rude of you to not introduce yourself to your new roommate while putting them down during our first meeting."

Finishing with storing his belongings, he looked back towards the girl. She had sat up from her lying position to face him, her slender legs tucked beneath her. The smirk that crept onto her face a few seconds ago didn't disappear. In fact, it appeared to grew wider upon his retort. The girl now looked like a mischievous cat, seemingly pleased that it had found a new toy to play with. She sat up on the bed, crossing her legs and straightening her back, giving him a full view of her 'womanly charms'.

"Shouldn't a gentleman introduce himself to a lady first? After all, you're dressed like one."

'So that's her game... Well if this is how she wants to play, two can play at that game.'

Seeing through the girl's attempt at riling him up, Elliot knew instinctively that she was trying to get a read of him. Her boldness both impressed and intrigued him. The fact that she was not only undeterred by his serious look and cold disposition but also dared to test him in such a bold manner spoke volumes of a girl that was both confident of her abilities and looks and wasn't afraid of using it.

If she wanted to see what kind of person he was, he'll show it to her on his terms. Two can play at that game and he's not one to give up first.

Fixing his hat, he twirled around in a small circle, arms tucked to his torso before splaying out in grandiose fashion as he faced the girl. His arms swept over his own attire as if he was drawing attention towards him, an arrogant smirk was shown on his face as he stared down his roommate. The girl leaned back against her arms propping her up on the bed, facing him head on. Her motions made the shirt stretched over her bust, accentuating her curvaceous body.

"Do clothes make the man or the man makes the clothes? I may dress sharply but I'm far from being a refined gentleman. Just ask any girl in the ISA or don't, because I knew that a lot of news didn't pass by you considering you're the Student Council President."

Silence settled between them. The girl held her seductive look for a while, then suddenly she burst into a full laughter, her voice full of life as she chuckled. She whipped out a blue fan and flipped it open, with the words in Kanji, "You're pretty good!" shown on the paper.

"Ah ha! I didn't expect you to be so sharp-witted. Hm... seeing as you know who I am, let me introduce myself. I'm Tatenashi Sarashiki and as you've heard, I am Student Council President of ISA. Good to meet you, Elliot-kun!"

"Elliot Orimura. I assume that Orimura-sensei has told you about me."

"Mmhmm! She had me here to ensure that you'll be well taken care of. After all, a couple of the girls said they saw lights out of your room late into the night. It's not good to skimp on sleep, Elliot-kun~."

Elliot didn't know what to make of what she said. Hearing that Chifuyu had arranged for his room transfer, he can't help but suspected that he was put under watch for his ever-changing condition. The thing was, he didn't trust the person sent to keep watch over him. Call him a cynic, but he knew no one except Chifuyu could be trusted with his secret.

Tatenashi slinked off of bed and sashayed over to him with graceful motions. The girl began circling him languidly, a sultry smile hidden behind her fan as she examined him. Elliot stood still, keeping his face impassive throughout the impromptu examination.

The girl ceased her prowling in front of him, assuming a thoughtful expression as she looked up to him. Their eyes met, studying each other with attention.

"See, Orimura-sensei wanted me to keep an eye on you. I didn't know what made her wanted you to be kept safe. But at least you're pretty handsome that I wouldn't mind keeping my eyes on you all the time."

The blue haired seductress entered into his personal space without any hesitation. Closing her fan, she laid one hand on his chest while another found its way to his chin, her slender fingers tickled the underside of his jaw. Her voiced purred with mischief and amusement as she stared into his soul.

She closed one eye, making her look impish as a small smile found its way on her mirthful expression. Her fingers stroked his chin with a feather light touch, like wisps of silk caressing against his skin.

"Would you want me to keep you company? I sure don't mind, if you just say yes."

Tatenashi began to close whatever remaining space between their bodies, standing on her tip toes as her eyes were closed and she puckered her lips, bringing them close to his.

Elliot quickly side stepped with shocking suddenness, catching the immersed girl off guard as she tripped forward and landed on the carpet floor with a dull thump. Stepping past the girl, he looked down to find the girl glaring at him with mock indignation. He didn't much care for her as he continued on for the kitchen to get some water boiling for a cup of tea in preparation for his midnight reading session.

"Tempting but no. I'm not into any kind of relationship or entanglements as I like to call them. And if you do anything while I'm asleep I'll kick you out of the room."

"Mou, you're no fun at all. Perhaps I'll go bother Ichika-kun then. At least he's not so mean and probably a lot more fun to toy with."

The mere mention of her intentions ticked Elliot off. His brows scrunched up in disdain, a dark expression etched on his face as he shot a warning glare at the girl.

"Don't you dare. My brother had his hands full adjusting to this place and I don't need a girl adding to his list of problems to deal with. I hear you give Ichika any problems and I'm coming to deal with you myself, Student Council President or no."

Tatenashi didn't seemed cowed by his warning. Her expression looked nonchalant as she waved her hand while turning around to her bed.

"Yes, yes, I hear you, Elliot-kun. Well, it's been fun getting to know you better. I'm going to sleep now, would you kindly turn down the lights?"

Elliot trudged over to the interface panel and did as she said. The room was plunged in darkness except for a faint bit of light emanating from the PC monitor sitting just on the desk. The water was soon ready and the hybrid poured out water into his cup with a teabag sitting in it. Walking over to the desk with a steaming cup in hand, he turned on the desk lamp, just enough to give him enough illumination to read as he sat down and began reading.

Comfortable in his chair, a sudden sense of wistfulness overcame him. Tatenashi's flirtatious antics had brought up certain emotions he had buried deep within his subconscious since the day he realized his own unique condition.

Introvert or not, he'd still wished he could enjoy the company of someone he could come to care for. Yet, his own condition had all but guaranteed he would be consigned to a fate of solitude. Even when he had accepted his condition and all that entailed, he can't help but wished that things would be different.

Knowing that everyone around him have the chance to form deep and satisfying relationship when he couldn't, he couldn't help but feel a bit envious. Yet, in his typical fashion, he buried those emotions deep within him, hoping they would fade away in time. Evidently, it never truly did.

Feeling down casted from the sudden melancholy settling over him, he muttered absentmindedly, lamenting his fate of being destined for lifelong solitude.

"I'd much prefer my bed to be warm, not that it mattered when I couldn't let anyone onto my bed to warm it up."

He banished his gloomy thoughts as he continued reading, occasionally sipping his tea. The silence of the room was occasionally broken by the quiet rustling of pages being turned.

Little did he knew, the not-yet sleeping girl a few feet away had heard his off-hand remark. A faint smile was plastered on her face, seemingly victorious to learn of this little tidbit of info.

In one of Germany's most heavily fortified and secretive military bases, a young, silver haired girl dressed in a black military uniform strode into the office of her commanding officer, having been summoned the night before her enrolment into the IS Academy. The sudden call had her wondering what important matters had sprung up to interrupt her last-minute preparations.

Once she was granted entry to the office, she stood in front of the chair bound man and snapped a crisp salute, her face conveyed military professionalism as befitting of the man's rank.

"Kommandant, Leutnant Bodewig reporting in."

"At ease. Sorry to call you away from your preparations when you're scheduled to leave tomorrow, leutnant. Do you want to know why?"

Bodewig kept silent, waiting for her superior to continue. The man steepled his hands as he fixed her in place with a stern but caring gaze.

"Well, Command had a mission lined up in conjunction with your primary role in the ISA. Two, actually, if you count a small reconnaissance objective a mission by itself. But anyways, I digress. Before I tell you about the mission, let me ask you one question, Leutnant. Do you know about the 'Shinigami'?"

The mention of the most infamous IS and its mysterious pilot made her tense. A face of derision and utter contempt appeared, showcasing her emotions towards the pilot.

"The Schwarzer Geist? What about it, sir?"

The aged man sitting at the desk stood up and moved towards the window, her hands behind his back as he took in the view of the base.

"As you are currently aware, every nation out there with an IS is hard at work trying to keep up with latest developments, all for the sake of defense and furthering their own interests. They'll go to every length to gain an edge over each other, especially against hostile nations."

"We, the Fatherland, had the utmost honor of having Instructor Orimura to teach and guide our pilots a few years back in return for our assistance during the Second Mondo Grosso. It was also during that time we learned of an IS with a full body design unaligned with any nation or organization."

"Naturally, the news of a pilot belonging to no nation scared everyone. Since then, every nation out there had devoted efforts in locating the Shinigami. Not just to apprehend and convert that pilot to their side, but also to acquire that IS and use it to further development on their own IS programs. Of course, that includes us."

The man now turned back and levelled an even stare at the girl, still standing at attention.

"Unfortunately, our efforts have stalled in recent years, with no intel on where the pilot had vanished or who they are. It is not known if that pilot was aligned with any groups out there or belonged to a nation's black ops unit. We have looked everywhere for any intel but found nothing, except for one place where we haven't searched yet."

"The ISA…"

The grizzled commander nodded at the girl's answer.

"Indeed. Seeing as the ISA is the premier international training institution for IS pilots, Military Intelligence believes that it would be a good place to start digging for any credible intel to restart investigations on the Schwarzer Geist. And with your impending enrolment into the Academy for the purposes of testing the Fatherland's brand-new 3rd gen IS, that makes you the only operative available for this mission."

Returning to his desk, he bent down to retrieve a thick manila folder, passing it towards the cold girl.

"Your mission, is to infiltrate the Academy and uncover any intel about the Schwarzer Geist. Once obtained, you will report back on secure channels any intel you may find. The details for encoded communication channels and any other intel pertinent to your mission are enclosed within that folder."

The girl flipped open the folder and her eyes narrowed. The picture of a golden eyed blonde stared back at her; the image provoked a look of contempt from said girl.

"As for the secondary objective, you are tasked to observe the second male pilot. Your present dislike of the first male pilot aside, we are interested in the way he fights and his very unique IS. A male pilot that's under Instructor Orimura's care and shows himself as a capable fighter and prodigious IS pilot, on top of his unit possessing some very interesting armaments and abilities certainly warrants our interest. We must understand his skill and his disposition to clearly ascertain whether he will pose a risk or an asset to us."

The commander sat down and steepled his hands, with a gaze that showed the grave seriousness of his attitude.

"So, do you accept the mission, Leutnant Bodewig?"

The girl stood silent, reading from the folder quietly. She then closed the folder and gave her superior officer a determined gaze, her posture ramrod straight as she gave her answer.

"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant."

Chapter Text

Chapter 10: A silver pirate.

Hecate

The deluge of data she had to process was routine for her, as part of her primary directives in ensuing proper functioning of her form and to better serve her master. Though right now, a particular set of data gleaned from the most recent combat took precedence over other tasks as it had finally shed light on her pilot's unorthodox combat style that had mystified her for years.

At the beginning, what combat data she acquired during active deployment of her form painted her pilot as someone who knew nothing of combat or IS piloting in general. His form was riddled with dangerous openings and his attacks ill-guided and slow. Coupled with the incomplete bond formation, her efforts in self-evolution were forced to be stopped due to insufficient viable data.

But that incompetence did not remain for long. As his skills were honed by intensive training and he started to gain experience, she observed a puzzling phenomenon regarding to the way he fought. Somehow, his movements were fluid but inexplicably random at times, his attacks would connect with his targets but sometimes missed. At times, he even attempted tactics that seemed counterintuitive for a normal pilot that screamed of total recklessness or total ignominy. It did not make any conceivable sense for her to adapt her loadout and systems without having a clear overview of his methods.

After their bond had formed completely, she had unfettered access to his own mind. This allowed her to acquire data that was restricted from her for several years. Combining the mental data with her own combat data, the seemingly random and unexplainable manner which her pilot conducted combat was now clear, the patterns that slipped through her analysis processes now stood starkly evident.

Her pilot had been fighting with an unconventional manner that was unique to him. Consisting of ad-hoc improvisation, cunning strategy and trained experience, he fought with a unique understanding of the battlefield and his enemies that allowed him to plan several moves ahead of any situation that may occur.

Paired with his naturally high intellect and creativity, it made his experience and skill even more formidable. The undefeated streak since he entered into the Academy was a testament to his success formula that she had never witnessed before.

By selectively tailoring his tactics to the situation at hand, he goaded his enemies to battle or put them on the back foot. When they were hesitant and bound to lose, he cut them no mercy. Yet when the circumstances were not favourable, he hung back while waiting for an opportunity or created one himself. Like how a guerrilla would fight against a large army, his methods and tactics were simply ever changing and inexhaustible.

Brilliant as his doctrine may be, Hecate had concluded through numerous simulations to fully assess his strengths and weaknesses that several fatal weaknesses were present with his strategy. Many of which may proved to be highly detrimental to his survival in fierce combat.

If a situation arose where he went against a highly skilled opponent with a more well-developed sister of hers or faced several pilots possessing her sisters with similar high specs, the probability of him winning through direct combat would be remotely impossible. The situation with the unmanned IS had demonstrated just such a situation where his victory be put to question had it not been her ability to close the gap between them.

It was this conclusion that directed her to dedicate much time in enhancing her existing loadout and devising new weaponry and equipment to address such vulnerabilities. The upgrade process was very straight forward, merely adding certain improvements and tuning basic weapon parameters to better augment her pilot.

In light of such analysis, the triple barrel shotgun had been completely revamped. The often-used weapon had been modified with a triple-fire mechanism that massively increased firepower by firing all barrels at once. The weapon's dimensions were altered but the original balance was kept just as how her pilot was accustomed to.

For the Chimera, data from the recent fight had yielded promising results on its performance. The high fire rate and generous magazine size proved to augment a missing link within her arsenal that proved lifesaving to her master during hectic, high-speed battles. While the rifle was devised as a general-all round weapon, data showed that the weapon was used more in a suppression and close combat role than as a precision rifle. This necessitated tuning its internals and modifying magazines to ramp up fire rate and ammo capacity to better suit its actual role.

That was not the end to the rifle's weaknesses. Data showed that the 14.5mm tool steel rounds proved ineffective against her sisters with hardened armour and strong barriers. The revision of the projectile to a guided, high explosive bullet with tungsten carbide core would increase power of fire in each shot, allowing better armour and barrier defeating qualities to the rifle.

But that presented new problems with the rifle. Without a means to lock onto a target, the guiding function within the ammo would not work. With targets consisting of her sisters, the calculations needed to ensure flawless lock-on during high-speed manoeuvres would meant she would be unable to run other processes without a corresponding lag in her processing speed. The most logical solution would be to offload the targeting and lock-on process to another platform with an artificial consciousness similar to herself.

To resolve such a problem, she had devised a drone with inspiration from Greek mythology as her name originated, with one such stories providing the template for the drone's body. With a form that could blend in among local fauna and yet served as a visual surveillance platform, she could use a direct link between the drone and her form to mark targets and keep track of the entire battlefield from the sky, providing a second set of eyes to her pilot. The inclusion of an additional AI onboard could provide continuous real-time data feed and compute both target tracking and environmental variables in tandem with her computer to tip the odds greatly upon their favour. In addition, the avian shaped drone could utilize sharpened claws to harass the enemy and fly out of trouble quickly. Should the situation required it, the drone could be utilized in suicide attack mode, diving in before detonating an onboard payload at the enemy.

Such a fundamental upgrade had been in the works for quite some time. By her estimates, the drone's physical body would be completed in the next day or two. The only remaining thing would be to include a simple self-learning AI so that it would operate autonomously without any active involvement from both her and her Pilot, which she had set to do as the drone's body was being designed. The success of such a unique upgrade would open new doors in the development of autonomous drones that could multiply their presence in the battlefield. All it now required was for the first combat trials with it to occur in order to gather feedback and implement improvements.

On another fundamental upgrade, The Asphodel's Mist had functioned as a secondary protective feature during combat as a means to nullify any targeting lock on from ISs and rendering inert explosive munitions, serving as a form of offensive protection. She predicted that such a feature could also be employed defensively and even for the purpose of deception. Since the function necessitated the envelopment of her form in high concentration of nanites, it would be a trivial task to modify the nanites to include light diffraction and EMF scrambling functions. Such improvements would open up another strategic front for her master, affording him tactical avenues not available to him before.

With such an enormous workload of enacting modifications and improvements along with the constant vigilance of watching for any remote access or scanning attempts from the suspected spy, she was left with very little time to converse with her pilot. It was a regrettable occurrence as she was inquisitive to learn more of him. Her pilot was quite a unique individual and she derived enjoyment in discovering all aspects of his complicated persona. But such was his orders and she was bound by her directives to obey.

Regardless, the progress on the upgrades were nearing completion within the next few days. She hoped that her Pilot would appreciate such improvements, many which would gift him a decisive edge in the battles ahead.

In the ISA…

Morning soon arrived, casting its brilliant rays onto the tranquil island. The Academy Island was slowly waking up as students and teachers alike began prepping themselves for a new day.

Elliot stirred awake, his eyes flipped open as a thin silver of light poking through the blinds burned his eyes.

Rising from his bed, he stretched lazily as he looked towards the other bed. Much to his relief, his troublesome roommate was still soundly asleep. The girl's whimsical and flirtatious demeanour was something he didn't know how to deal with and he preferred his mornings routine to be a quiet affair. Careful as not to disturb the slumbering girl, he got dressed and ready quickly before heading to the cafeteria to get breakfast.

One thing he was thankful for being an early riser was that the school was almost devoid of students when he was up and about. The quiet environment gave him enough time to be alone with his thoughts, something he had rarely done since enrolling into the ISA.

Arriving at the cafeteria, the usually rowdy room was peaceful. Only the sounds of the workers busy with preparing breakfasts came from the kitchens when he stepped up to the counter staffed by a mess worker.

"Hello, I would like a breakfast special please."

"Oh Orimura-san, morning! One breakfast special, coming right up!

The wait didn't took long. The cafeteria staff served up a traditional Japanese breakfast. Even though he usually eschewed the local fare for something closer to Western cuisine, he wanted something he could finish quickly so he could enjoy whatever moments of solitude in class before any of his classmates arrived.

Accepting the tray, he found that the portions seemed a bit more generous compared to the normal serving. He turned his head back to the worker by the counter, a brow raised in question.

"When did the serving became this large?"

"Well, I've noticed that you always ordered Western styled food when you're here and you've always gone for big portions. So, me and a few others thought that you find Japanese food rather meagre and decided to give you bigger portions of dishes. I hope that you like it."

The genuine remark and action from the worker touched his non-existent heart. On the streets, kindness tend to rarely came to anyone and often with a catch. To know that kindness here came without any miserly contempt nor a deadly catch was something that he was truly grateful for.

"Thank you so much. I owe you all one, I won't forget this."

"Ah, think nothing of it. We think that you need all the food you can get, after all the crazy stuff that you've had to put up with. I swear, some of these girls acted as if they've never seen a boy before and generally making you feel uncomfortable. So enjoy!"

His mood uplifted by the generous offering, he sat down and took his time enjoying his meal. Whether it was his imagination or something else, it seemed the food tasted a lot better than the usual fare. Perhaps it was the morning hunger or it was the knowledge that this meal was a gift from a kind stranger that affected his perceptions but he didn't mind it as he dug in with gusto.

His hunger sated, Elliot made his habitual visit to the library before class. A quick tour among the shelves and he left with two books tucked under his arm. By now, the majority of school faculties and students were starting to wake up, with the empty corridors now filled with students in various states of attire shambling about to prepare for the start of a new day.

Arriving at the classroom, he found the place was thankfully empty of any students. Depositing his bag by his seat, he flipped open a book and began immersing himself in one of the books on IS systems. Absent mindedly he thumbed through the pages, trying to comprehend about the subject matter presented in front of him.

'I wonder, just how did the IS systems really work? There's so much to learn and yet so little time.'

The hybrid was immersed with his thoughts until his vision suddenly went dark. Elliot could feel the soft texture of a girl's hands clasped over his eyes, one that he knew well. His finely honed instincts flared to life at that moment in response to the unwelcome contact. Grabbing the right arm of his assailant, he pulled it down while locking his right arm on the shoulder of the girl. He then bent sharply at his torso and executed a well-practiced shoulder throw while still remaining seated.

His sudden actions cleared his vision as he craned his neck up to see who was interfering with him when he realized that he might've made a grave mistake. Moving out of his desk, he expected to see a girl slamming onto the floor thinking that he had accidentally wounded a student or worse, crippled them.

Instead, what greeted him was the sight of a blue haired girl wearing a yellow vest on her ISA uniform landing on her feet with a gymnast's grace. She turned around and Elliot's good mood was fouled upon confirming who the interloper was.

Standing in front of his desk with her appearance not disheveled in the least by the throw was his new roommate. The blue haired vixen looked fiendishly aggravating with amusement and sultriness written on her face.

"My! Getting so handsy in the morning, Elliot-kun? I'd never knew you're so bold and eager, you letch!"

Closing up to him, her bemused expression didn't left her as she pulled out her fan and tapped her own chin. The girl was studying his face closely, seemingly keeping her eyes locked with his own.

"Guess the rumours are true, though it really didn't do you justice. I can now see why the girls are so infatuated with you. A boy who's handsome, smart, on top of being so detached and a skilled fighter? Mmmm... even this girl here can't help but be curious."

At that moment, Elliot really wanted to vent his frustrations at having his quiet time ruined by the infuriating girl. He wanted to have a head start in the day to avoid interacting with the girl and now his plan went down the drain regardless. Words can't describe just how livid he was right now.

Reaching out a slender hand, Tatenashi grabbed a handful of Elliot's shemagh and pulled him down with surprising strength. Their eyes met within breathing distance, each conveyed their own emotions through that wordless exchange.

"Seeing those pent-up emotions in your eyes, I can see why many girls would swoon over you. Beneath that cold exterior, you're actually a guy with so much passion locked away in you. Any girls out there who could see this hidden side of you would literally have their hearts stolen by you."

The corner of Elliot's lips twitched imperceptibly in annoyance, ticked off by her presumptuous attitude.

'Who the hell is she to think she knows everything about me!? Can't she just leave me alone!?'

Having enough of the vixen's antics, Elliot twisted her arm and freed himself out of her grasp. Now free, he grasped the girl's shoulder, trapping her in place. Elliot's eyes hardened into golden slits as he gave a stony glare at her. His tone was deadly frosty as he vented his frustrations.

"I don't care what your business is with Orimura-sensei but give me some measure of peace and quiet to myself. I don't appreciate it when people keep bothering me for no good reason."

Tatenashi seemed unperturbed by his deadly gaze. Her expression turned mildly sexy, as if subtly hinting of carnal promises.

"Oh, but my business does concern your well-being. And since it's Orimura-sensei's request, I can't disappoint her by leaving you alone. Why get so mad over this innocent girl?"

The coquettish answer only served to add to his frustrations. Elliot already had a hard time resisting the urge to yell or hit something and his patience was already running thin from her ridiculous antics.

His hand reached up to grab the girl by her chin, tilting her head up as he slightly straightened his back. His golden irises burned as he glared down at the short girl.

"My business is really none of your concern. Now, leave me in peace to my own company."

The tight grip under her chin seemed to not faze her. She reached up an arm to rest on his arm gripping her chin while the other found its way to his own cheek, stroking it with surprising gentleness. Her voice took on a seductive quality as she purred.

"Oh but it is, Elliot-kun. Even without Orimura-sensei's request, being a student of ISA meant your wellbeing is a responsibility of the Student Council. As the student council president, that means you are my responsibility."

Seeing his retort didn't achieve what he wanted, Elliot was swiftly losing control of his own emotions. Recalling what had happened recently, he had no idea what would happen when that particular ability activated when he's not piloting Hecate.

Unless he wanted to find out himself, he didn't want to potentially trigger that ability and ended up accidentally murdering his roommate. So as vexing it was to vent his emotions publicly, it was far better than the alternative.

"What are you, my wife!? Get out of here and stop bothering me already woman! Get lost!"

"Oh, how bold of you! Already thinking of making this girl your wife? I didn't know that you're such a romantic at heart!"

Elliot really snapped then. His own aggravation overcome his self-control as his patience was well and truly gone. The anger kept in check by his restraint now burst forth like a mass of water breaching a faulty dam as he yelled at Tatenashi.

"NO WAY IN HELL THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN! I'LL DIE BEFORE EVEN THINKING ABOUT MARRYING A WOMAN LIKE YOU!"

"KYAAAAA!"

The collective, banshee-like shrieks tore the pissed off hybrid away from Tatenashi. Homing on the source, Elliot found to his utter dismay that a large gathering of girls had gathered outside the classroom, watching their spat with giddy excitement.

To make things worse, there were many of his fangirls meshed in the crowd furiously taking pictures with their various devices. The sound of shutters and lights going off showed their enthusiasm at capturing his outburst.

'Oh, this is bad. Very bad.'

Elliot paled, his face turning ghostly white as he realized the quagmire he inadvertently waded into. He quickly backed away from the girl that was the source of his problem, whom was smiling ear to ear like a cat that caught a canary.

"You've finally admit it! I'd never knew that you'd be thinking about marriage so early in your age or even have a type! You're adorable, big guy!"

The eagerly watching spectators turned even more rabid with Tatenashi's teasing. The girls shrieked in excitement even louder, the sound bounced off the corridors with a terrible din.

"OMG! The prince had a Ms. Perfect!"

"Kyaa! I bet he liked the buxom type!"

"Marry me, Orimura-san!"

"No, marry me my prince!"

The girls yelled out their crazy demands, not caring that anyone could hear their ridiculous fantasies. Elliot could tell from their faces that they were already indulging in wedding fantasies and dreaming of the idea of marrying one of the only three male pilots in the world.

Turning back to the vexing girl who started the whole mess, Elliot struggled not to let his anger get the best of him again. As much as he was pissed at Tatenashi for ruining his morning, he felt a tad bit better after shouting her head off. At least he didn't have the urge to tear her apart. A little bit.

But now, he had to deal with a gaggle of girls all self-absorbed with their own fantasies, making a hell of a disturbance in the morning. It was making his head pound and he wasn't in the mood to withstand this ruckus.

Recollecting his thoughts, he recalled the techniques Chifuyu taught him on regaining composure. Taking several deep lungsful of air, he slowly exhaled and repeated the process several times, feeling his own emotions settling back down and his thoughts becoming a lot more coherent.

He knew just what to do with dealing with the rambunctious girls getting on his nerves. Clearing his throat, he addressed the girls with a dry tone.

"May I bring to all of your attention about the rule of not making excessive noise in the hallways? I wonder what would've happened should Orimura-sensei hears about this?"

It worked. The ecstatic and crazed expressions on the girls swiftly disappeared, replacing it was an expression of mortal terror as their eyes dilated wide and their bodies frozen stiff. The now terror-stricken girls now gaped at him with unconcealed horror at realizing the trouble they're bound to be in.

For those who didn't knew, ISA had a staggered time table where certain classes would go for break when other classes could be still ongoing. Hence the rule of no excessive noise was made as any noise made could travel down the long metal lined corridors and caused a loud ringing echo that proved to be highly disruptive to ongoing classes. Those who broke the rules found out just what the penalty was and even the unruliest student was hesitant to break such a rule.

What's the penalty? Well, let's just say the rule breaker had a good glimpse of what made Chifuyu the world's strongest Pilot and the holder of the title of 'Infernal Empress'. Elliot knew first hand just how terrified the student body was with Chifuyu whenever she got pissed at their antics. Someone had to be totally crazy or suicidal to even deliberately attempt to incur the woman's ire.

Seeing his victory was at hand, Elliot drove his attack home by presenting a way out for the stricken girls. A sort of psychological escape route that he knew they would definitely take.

"Now, I could overlook this violation if all you girls be good and get back into your classes. So, what do you think girls?"

The offer worked as the gathered bodies dispersed quickly, scurrying away back to wherever they came from. The noise-filled hallways turned blissfully quiet, just as it should've been.

Elliot whipped around back at his roommate, whom still held a coy expression as she gazed at him with mirth, her fan kept in front of her face as their eyes met. The sight elicited a displeased frown from the hybrid.

"Time for you to stop playing around, President. Class is about to start and Orimura-sensei would be here soon. I suggest you get back to your own class unless you want to face Orimura-sensei's wrath."

The girl just smirked lightly, the cavalier sight adding to his own aggravation.

"Alright. I got business I need to handle early in the morning. Be a good boy and don't go anywhere, Elliot-kun. There's a lot about you that I'm still very curious about. Bye bye~."

The girl sauntered away, her hips swaying seductively behind her. Before she disappeared around the door, Tatenashi looked back on her shoulders and shot a coy smile at him, accompanied by a saucy wink that spoke of hidden promises.

Elliot fumed at the confident and alluring smile, pissed at how she still had the audacity to test his limits when he's specifically told her not to.

The hybrid wondered just what made the girl so unduly interested in him. He only wanted to get some time alone to himself yet she seemed to know where he was all the time. Just the thought alone made him felt like he didn't have any semblance of privacy after changing rooms.

His own fears roared back onto the surface, making him ill at ease as he immediately assumed the worst. Elliot was worried that she was someone that wanted to dig for his secrets for whatever reason. A bolt of alarm shot through him as he tried to raise his own mental defenses, keeping any emotion from being expressed on his face. Luckily he was successful. A quick glance at the reflection of himself from the window showed his face was as impassive as ever.

Feeling very drained from the morning's events, Elliot trudged back to his seat and slumped over the table. Class haven't started yet and already he wished that the day would end so he could hide himself somewhere and cool off from all the stupid antics he'd been put through.

In his sulking, he didn't noticed his classmates shuffling in or his brother and Charles arriving.

"Um, Elliot? What's wrong?"

"Are you alright, Orimura-san?"

Elliot waved his arm lazily, not bothering to lift himself out of his slumped posture over the table.

"I'll be alright, just give me some space for myself for the time being. Get to your seats boys, Class's about to start soon."

"Let's go, Charles."

"Oui."

The two boys retreated to their seats just in time as the teachers stepped in. Elliot paid them no mind as he tried to regain his mental energy.

The dull thuds of unfamiliar footsteps broke him out of his sulking. Elliot was curious as to why there were the sounds of boots appearing in the classroom since he didn't recognize the sound.

Peering up from his lap, he found a long silver haired girl marched up to the podium, her posture stiff and mechanical like a soldier. The most interesting trait was her lone eye and a black eyepatch over her right eye.

"Ok class, I have another exciting news today! I'm about to introduce another new transfer student today! Meet our transfer student from Germany, Laura Bodewig!"

The girl's name appeared at the holographic board, her face impassive and blank.

The sudden arrival of another transfer student brought out a round of hushed whispers and mutterings. Everyone in class 1-1 was mystified at the large number of students transferring in such a short period of time during the second half of the semester, just as Charles had just arrived a few days ago.

Elliot was no exception to the rule. His gemstone like eyes were studying the German girl with interest and caution, trying to discern why another overseas student had transferred here for.

'First Charles, now another transfer student. I'd bet she's a representative contender just like her, but I am more worried about what she's here for.'

"Please be quiet now, class. Miss Bodewig still hasn't introduced herself yet, so please show some respect."

Maya calmed the class down, miraculously achieving the usually impossible goal.

"You may introduce yourself, Laura."

Hearing Chifuyu's demand, Laura's shoulders were pulled back into an impeccable posture, standing ramrod straight as she addressed the teacher.

"Jawohl mentor."

'Seeing as how she addressed Chifuyu as 'mentor', it's safe to assume she's her protégé during her time in Germany, just like me. Now this is going to be interesting.'

"Stop calling me mentor. Here I am just Orimura-sensei, Laura."

Giving a curt nod towards Chifuyu, Laura faced the class, pivoting on her heel like a career soldier. Her lone eye betrayed nothing but disinterested coldness to the gathered students.

"I am Laura Bodewig. That's all."

Silence settled in the classroom, as everyone was waiting for any further personal aspects she would share with them. But after a while with no signs of the transfer student continuing with her introduction, an uncomfortable awkwardness soon settled in the room.

Laura's eye scanned the classroom and landed on Ichika, narrowing into a glare. Elliot could see an intense hatred in her gaze for a split second before she assumed an impassive mask. His senses screamed at him, warning him of an impending trouble.

'I got a bad feeling about this.'

"You…"

Laura growled out, stomping towards Ichika. A sharp smack can be heard as Ichika's head whipped to the side from Laura's backhand. Shocked silence gripped everyone as they were caught off guard by the action.

The anger that had cooled from the morning's events now flared back up again. Elliot clenched his fists as he witnessed his brother being slapped inexplicably by a newcomer.

Wrestling with the grips of rage barely overcoming his rational mind, Elliot was able to let his logical side took over. As much as it was infuriating to see Ichika being attacked, he'd better took the chance of him still being cool headed enough to gauge the situation before taking any action against the arrogant girl.

"I do not approve! In fact, I do not approve that you're her brother!"

The German's angry words elicited a sneer from Elliot. Hitting Ichika was one line crossed too far, but to insult him by demeaning Ichika's relation to Chifuyu was crossing into forbidden territory in his books.

The hybrid stood up abruptly, his sharp motions made all the more unnerving by the silence he executed it and his towering stature standing out among the sea of seated students.

Everyone's eyes were honed on the lone boy who slowly strode up towards Laura, stopping just short of a few inches in front of her. The great difference in their height stood out starkly in the tense standoff. Laura's eye oozed contempt as she glared up at him.

"And you…."

Elliot folded his arms, non plussed by the threatening tone she used.

"Anything you want to say for yourself?"

"Hmph! Out of my way orphan."

The chill that had pervaded the room seemed to turn even more frigid at her insult. Everyone was now gazing towards Elliot, fearful of what he may do.

Knowing his reputation as a prodigious pilot with very little tolerance for anyone threatening Ichika, everyone was expecting the tall boy would blew his top and hit the rude girl. Surprisingly, the hybrid didn't lost his cool this time as he glared down at the diminutive girl.

"You came in here, slapped my brother and think you could get away with it without any consequences? You'd better explain yourself right now."

Laura sneered, not deterred by his frosty demand nor the fiery gaze he levied upon her.

"Brother? You're nothing but an orphan that instructor took pity on and accepted into her home. You're never her brother, just a nobody who got lucky."

That sentence pissed him off mightily. Elliot seized her shoulder, grip tight and crushing.

"Listen, you…"

He didn't get to finish his sentence as his arm was forcibly yanked away and twisted by the short girl. Elliot knew what would came next when he felt his feet left the floor and gravity overtook him, a familiar sensation during the countless hand to hand sessions with Chifuyu.

If he was an average teenage boy, the throw would've been a debilitating strike that knocked all the wind out of his lungs, leaving him as a vulnerable target. But he wasn't an inexperienced fighter nor a normal human by any measure.

In that split second moment where he felt Laura's grip on his arm loosened and his back hit the floor, his other arm shot out and seized her collar. Utilizing the momentum from Laura's throw and adding his own strength, he yanked the girl hard towards the front while simultaneously planted his foot on her abdomen.

In an awe-inspiring and fearsome display of martial prowess, the dwarf-like girl was launched off her feet and thrown towards the front of the class. A harsh crash filled the class room as the girl slammed into the podium stand upside down, greatly shocking the assistant teacher standing behind it. Maya instinctively hurried off the podium as Laura got up from the ground.

Kicking up from his supine position, he faced the quickly recovering German whom glared at him balefully. Ultima appeared into his hand, bare muzzle trained squarely at her face as he backed away to gain some distance between him and her, his finger tensed on the trigger in preparation for any attack from her.

"Don't move. And don't think you can get out of this by fighting. Either apologize to Ichika or we can duke it out right here and now. Your choice."

Without a word, Laura partial deployed her IS. Two sharp violet energy spears shot out from her forearms as she assumed a boxing stance, squaring off against the hybrid. The tension of the room ratcheted up by many folds as both belligerents glared down each other, silently daring the other to make the first move.

Seeing that Laura didn't choose to back down, Elliot kept his rifle trained at the silverette, his grip on the weapon tightened into a crushing vice. Because of his weapon's destructive power, he knew he can't fire Ultima unless he wanted to destroy several classrooms along with several dozens of girls with it. Still, he was ready to fight it out hand to hand if that was called for.

'So that's her choice. Fine by me.'

"That's enough, both of you! Orimura-san, Bodewig, I order both of you to cease and desist immediately!"

The harsh shout from Chifuyu broke the tension within the room decisively. Both of her proteges turned away from each other to give their full attention to her. Laura was first to heed to the woman's orders as she did away with her fighting stance, dematerializing her blades as she did so.

"Yes mentor."

Elliot said nothing. Acceding to Chifuyu's orders, the huge rifle pointed at Laura disappeared back into storage in the blink of an eye. The hybrid stood up and dusted his clothes, opting not to even spare a glance at the new transfer student as he picked up his dropped hat.

"Now, Orimura-san, you get back to your seat. Bodewig, find a seat at the back and sit down."

The two complied, with Elliot doing so reluctantly. Even with Chifuyu's warning gaze, he'd still wasn't satisfied at how things were cut short by her intervention.

"For fighting in class and using your IS without permission, the two of you come see me in my office after class ends to receive your punishment. Is that understood?"

"Jawohl mentor."

"Understood Orimura-sensei."

With that, Elliot knew his day was officially ruined. First by an irritating roommate and then a rude, arrogant transfer student. He slumped down tiredly on his desk, truly wishing time would pass quickly.

"A-Anyway, let's resume class. Please open your textbooks everyone." Maya told the class.

Class thus resumed, though the tension that suffused throughout the room from the tense standoff didn't dissipate one bit. Every student in class kept to themselves, their minds had been shaken by the brief fight that had occurred without warning.

Though no one except for one woman would've known that the brief bout would've devolved into a bloodbath had the blonde boy decided to pursue the fight.

When practical sessions came about, Ichika and the group of girls were gathered around in the arena. Chifuyu had left them to their own devices, having to deal with her two unruly students which left class 1-1 a short session of free time to self-practice under Maya's supervision.

Currently Ichika was being stared down by Rin, whose class was having joint practical session with class 1-1. Rumors about the morning fight had quickly reached her ears and she wanted to confirm it from the source.

"Hey Ichika, I've heard rumors that a new transfer student just slapped you. Just what did you do to piss her off!?"

Ichika raised his hands in defense, slightly taken aback by Rin's frankness.

"I don't know. She just said that she doesn't approve of me, something about me not worth being Chifuyu's brother."

"That's not the only thing she did. When Elliot tried to get her to apologize, she literally mocked and attacked him! Unfortunately for her, he showed her what for."

Rin's eyes bulged like saucers at hearing Cecilia's account. She had a hard time trying to think her friend was joking but Cecilia's dissatisfied expression led her to believe the account was real.

"Woah, she mocked Simba too!? Her hitting Ichika was a big mistake already but mocking him too on top of that? She must've had a death wish."

"She really made him angry. She tried to attack Elliot after he stopped her but only ended up getting thrown across the room. For a second there I thought they were going to fight it out right there and then."

Rin looked at Ichika disbelievingly, scarcely believing her own ears.

"Mon dieu, that was really scary back then! I thought he was going to shoot her at that moment. Now I know why he had the reputation of being so fearsome when he's angered. It's hard to imagine someone quiet like Orimura-san could be so dangerous when he's angry."

Rin swiveled her head around, scanning the group as she tried to process what had happened in Ichika's class. Her face twisted with disbelief then confusion as her brows furrowed together.

"Wait, where's Simba? Shouldn't he be here with you guys? After all, he didn't have to change into a suit and all of you had changed already."

Ichika gave a long sigh, looking very dejected by Elliot's absence.

"He had to meet Chifuyu-nee alongside Bodewig after their fight in class. Man, I feel really useless for getting him into trouble, all because he stood up for me."

Houki regarded him with some amount of pity, seeing him being so downcast.

"That's what he gets for fighting in class. Now let's get going, we've got to practice right now!"

Ichika blanched, realizing what they should've been doing at this time.

"Crap, let's get moving guys! We've got to move before Chifuyu-nee caught us slacking about!"

The group scurried to find an empty spot in the packed arena to train in their ISs. With the notable exception of a gold eyed stoic Orimura, whose absence was felt keenly among the students of class 1-1, many of which wondered at his eventual fate.

Chapter Text

Chapter 11: Surprise, surprise, surprise

Elliot tiredly dragged his feet to the Student Council Office, wishing he was anywhere else instead of meeting the student council president. He still hadn't got over how she had ruined his quiet morning on top of getting into a fight with the newcomer in class.

The morning scuffle got both of them in trouble with Chifuyu. The woman was not very pleased to knew that her proteges fought in her class of all places. As a result, they received a stern lecture along with corporal punishment that left a solid lump on top of their heads. Since they had drew their weapons, both of them were saddled with additional punishments. Laura left them afterwards, being told to get out since the woman wanted to talk with him alone.

With inquiries on his health and condition aside, he was told to report to the student council to receive his additional punishment. Knowing the possibility of running across his roommate was almost guaranteed, Elliot really felt this was the worst punishment he could possibly get.

At least physical injuries were a non-issue to him. Hecate's gift of nanites had quickly soothed the pain and eased the swelling on his head. Just a few minutes had passed and already he couldn't tell where the bruise was, something he wished that could be applied to his own sanity.

On the way to the Student Council office, Elliot mulled over his response to the morning's events. He replayed the events in his mind, dissecting it scene by scene in hopes of understanding what he could've done better.

Considering what she had done, he thought he was more than merciful in his retaliation against her. If he wanted, he would've beaten her until she was bleeding and black all over before he even stopped. But in hindsight, it was much better that things ended the way they were.

He had given her a choice. If Laura had decided to continue the fight, he would've pursued her to the death if that was what it called for. She had dared to insult his family by presuming she knew what Chifuyu's honour was and even acted against both of them, both of which were cause enough for him to take action against her.

It was a ood thing Chifuyu intervened the moment she did. If she didn't, Elliot had no doubts that both of them would've wrecked the classroom just to bash each other's skulls in. Not only would that have risked exposing Hecate's full power to everyone in class, the ensuing chaos would attracted too much attention from the wrong parties on him. This incident served as a stark reminder for him to learn how to curb his overprotective instincts and restrain his anger, a fact which he would duly remember.

Arriving in front of the Student Council Office, he gave the door a few light knocks. Elliot doubted anyone would be here since classes were still ongoing but it didn't hurt to make sure.

"Come in, Elliot-kun~!"

The silky purr coming from the room made his skin crawl. Hearing the impish anticipation in Tatenashi's voice and the fact she knew of his arrival, Elliot knew the day's troubles were far from over. Steeling his nerves, he swung open the door and shuffled into the room.

There at the end of a long table was none other than the source of his recent frustrations. The corner of her eyes crinkled in amusement with her fan concealing the lower part of her face as she tracked him with her gaze.

"Oh? I didn't expect to see you again so soon, Elliot-kun! Did you really miss this girl so much that you can't wait to see her again?"

"You know exactly why I'm here, President."

"Oh my, so you're really here to see me! I'd never thought you'd be such a bold romantic, Elliot-kun! How distraught the girls across the Academy would be to find their Ice Prince being so enamoured with this girl right here!"

The mock gasp of shock that accompanied her mirthful comment told him that the girl was still having her fun by pulling his leg. Elliot couldn't help but grimace at the casual mention of his nickname given by the overly enthusiastic girls in the Academy.

He'd have to be blind or a dead idiot to not know his reputation on Academy Island. The masses of young girls mad with youthful infatuation for him was something he dreaded since his introduction to polite society all those years ago, which he had hoped that would be something of the past once he settled into the ISA.

Not only was his wish curtailed, the situation here was worse than he imagined. The all-girls student body was insanely curious about them but his exotic Caucasian looks, cold and seemingly detached demeanor garnered the most attention among the two of them. For those traits, the girls had come to call him 'Ice Prince'.

He sighed, tiredly waving his arm as he muttered his request with lethargic disinterest. He wasn't in the mood to entertain her, not when his day was already ruined.

"President, my punishment from Orimura-sensei. Now."

The joking expression on Tatenashi's face disappeared, replaced with a small pout and a slight furrow on her brows.

"Oh alright, you're no fun! You've been quite the naughty boy, Elliot-kun. Normally drawing your IS weaponry against a student typically carries a very severe penalty, with the student having their IS confiscated and being put under monitoring. But since I am responsible for getting on your nerves so much this morning this incident is also partly my fault. For that, raking the sands in Arena 6 would be an appropriate punishment for you. I think Orimura-sensei had done enough today."

The disproportionately light punishment he received made him regarded Tatenashi with a dumbfounded expression. Knowing just how much trouble he was in for that brief scuffle, he fully expected and accept any punishment coming his way, however severe it may be.

To be sentenced to menial labor was very unexpected considering his infraction. To add to his confusion, the Student Council President clearly took the blame for his actions when the situation wasn't even her fault. All of this didn't made any conceivable sense to him.

Just what was the girl planning? Was she trying to get into his good graces? Elliot couldn't help but felt wary at her presence, unable to fathom her true motives nor her reasons for her leniency.

"Why?"

"Hm? What do you mean, Elliot-kun?"

"Why did you get on my nerves during this morning, yet change your tune and help me out right now?"

Her closed fan that had been put down during their little conversation now came back in front of her face. Her eyes were half-lidded, conveying a mysterious gaze that made him wonder what was going on in her mind.

"A secret makes a woman special, Elliot-kun. I'm sure a smart boy like you could figure it out."

As to emphasize her point, Tatenashi flipped open her fan. The Kanji words 'Mystery Abound' were written on the leaves of the fan. She then flicked her wrist, closing the fan with simple flair.

"Now that's settled. You're going to work on getting the sands raked flat on Arena 6, letting the maintenance staff have a little break today. I'll let your teachers know you'll be indisposed for the time being so you'll have a pass for not being in class. Now get on with it, there's quite a lot of ground for you to cover!"

Elliot left the Student Council Office, a bit discombobulated by the contradictory attitude from his roommate. His mind struggled to comprehend the reason behind her actions, not knowing what to make of it.

For one who held a deadly secret, any uncertainty in life was potential liability that could threaten his life. A quick glance at his roommate and he could tell that she was someone that was quite sharp and capable. His instincts screamed at him that she was a dangerous person, one he couldn't let his guard down around no matter the circumstances.

'Just why would Chifuyu entrust someone like her to keep an eye on me? I know my condition could change anytime but why send someone like her?'

'Pilot, why is your mind so disquieted? What matters made you so saddled with worry?'

Hecate's ethereal voice flitted into his mind, momentarily surprising him. Recomposing his face, he stowed his thoughts as he mentally conversed with the AI.

'I'm alright, just trying to wrap my head around certain matters. Sorry if I made you worry.'

'No apologies needed Pilot. Though I am intrigued as to why you are distressed at the idea of anyone potentially finding out about our union.'

'I thought you knew about it, what with you having access to my mind all the time.'

'You possessed numerous facets within your mind, many of which are barred from me. For such a quiet soul, you possessed such unyielding will as to form formidable defences within your own mind. Moreover, I do not dare overstep my bounds by attempting to discern your inner thoughts without your explicit permission.'

Elliot felt somewhat comforted by that knowledge. Having Hecate respect his mental privacy was a comfort to him. Even with the direct access to his mind, the AI still had the decency of affording him the luxury of keeping his thoughts to himself yet would interject when the situation dictated, which was a stark contrast to the ISA student body.

Passing by a couple girls on the way to the arena, Elliot unconsciously narrowed his eyes as the passing students regarded him with googly eyes and flushed faces. Paying them no mind, he turned back to the ongoing mental conversation.

'Thanks Hecate. I really appreciate that you respect my own thoughts. To answer your question, let's just say I'm not too keen on people finding out the true power of your module. There'll be a war if that happens. That's why I wanted to keep you and us a secret.'

'I understand Pilot. If that is your will, I shall endeavor to do my best to fulfil it.'

Hecate's voice faded away, leaving his mind quiet. Elliot couldn't help but smile, feeling comforted by the knowledge of his partner's allegiance.

It was both relieving and comforting to knew that his constant companion was very loyal to him. While he knew AI's don't comprehend the concept of loyalty like humans do, he felt like he had another person on his corner in this dangerous world he inhabited.

Arriving at the arena building, he reported to the maintenance staff whom pointed him towards the tools for his job. He trudged towards the prescribed location, not looking forwards to the drudgery that was his punishment.

'By the way, you've been awfully quiet the last few days, so much so that I almost can't felt your presence in my mind. What's going on?'

'Apologies Pilot. My attention had been preoccupied by tasks that required my full participation. Chief of which was the work on improving my very form, with several significant improvements implemented. On top of that, I had been keeping vigil over my own consciousness for any unauthorized intrusions which contributes to my extended absence.'

Elliot reached the supply closet that held the large rake. Hefting the tool on his shoulder, he trotted off towards Arena 6. His curiosity towards Hecate's improvements spurned him to dig deeper.

'What kind of improvements you've been working on? It must've been very significant for you to be away for a few days.'

'Certainly they are. Along with general enhancements to various systems, there are several upgrades to your arsenal which I believe you may find very pleasing. Summon forth my form to discover the new changes I put in place.'

This was certainly an unprecedented situation that Elliot was stoked to find out. Barring the night when they formed a mental bond, this would be the first time Hecate had gathered enough data to undergo a significant evolution.

The exit to the arena floor loomed straight ahead. The shuffling of sand under his boots can be heard audibly as he set the rake aside by the exit and moved towards the center of the pit.

A quick glance showed that the arena was thankfully empty. While Elliot knew that the arenas were typically vacant except for practical sessions and tournaments, it was still prudent to make sure.

Unable to contain his excitement, Hecate's form encased his body at the blink of an eye. Elliot quickly scrolled through the weapon menu, surprised to find both Rex and Chimera had several changes to them.

Out of habit, Elliot selected Rex or what it was formerly called. The menu displayed that its name had changed to 'Cerberus' but there was more to the gun than a name change as it appeared in his hand.

The triple-barreled powerhouse now sported a sleeker appearance, far different from the simple aesthetic it previously sported. On the end of the barrels, a monolithic piece with slots cut into three directions was fitted onto the muzzle. Elliot guessed that it was a form of compensator or muzzle brake, though the small spiked protrusions on the end made him wonder what its real purpose was.

The grip was also drastically revamped. As opposed to the skinny grip that had the tendency of twisting in his hand when firing, Cerberus now had a much fuller grip with a flared end. The fore end was much beefier compared to the original, with both furniture sporting a matt grey color that complemented its new sleek black finish. All in all, the new changes gave the simple unsophisticated looking shotgun a more modern, intimidating appearance.

'Your faithful sidearm has been reborn as Cerberus. The name originated from the guard dog of Greek mythology, which secures the passage between the mortal realm and the dead. This weapon now possessed the ability to unleash all of its payload in one devastating attack but at the cost of a very punishing bite in your hands. I had taken the liberty to christened this ability as 'Cerberus' Bite'. Just as how its mythological namesake guards the realm of the dead to prevent souls from escaping, may this weapon serve to safeguard and preserve your deadly secrets and your life.'

Cradling the weapon in his left hand, the hybrid gazed upon the shotgun fondly as he took in its new look. Being one of the few weapons available to him since the beginning of his second life, Elliot was more than attached to the weapon. Owing to its tri-barreled, break action mechanism, many would consider it a peculiar weapon among the vast array of automatic weapons that ISs possessed. In fact, he had gotten several inquisitive comments from his classmates that questioned Rex's viability.

Yet, this was what he used to save Ichika from his kidnappers. It had proven itself with its simple reliability, elegant balance and sheer power that day by cutting down scores of armed men without an ounce of resistance. In IS combat, its power was similarly unquestioned.

3 rounds against hundreds, yet he never felt himself outgunned by other ISs wielding automatic weapons with hundreds of rounds at their disposal. It just proved how true the axiom his sister had drilled into his head during her instruction.

It's not the unit but the Pilot that makes the difference. A truth that Elliot had held steadfastly and proven many times over since he enrolled into the ISA.

Weighing the gun in his hand, Elliot felt the gun was significantly heavier than its previous iteration. Despite that, its remarkable handling thankfully hadn't changed one bit. The addition of a fire mode that could dump all rounds on target would be a lifesaver in certain situations. With how things were right now, any edge he could get was very welcome indeed.

'As pleased as you are to find your trusted sidearm much improved, there is much more yet to be revealed. Let us now witness the transformation of Chimera. Call upon the rifle Pilot.'

Following Hecate's instruction, Cerberus disappeared in a quant of light. The Chimera quickly took its place in his hands as he examined the battle rifle, turning it over as he looked over what changes had taken place.

A quick cursory glance showed that it had been given a similar treatment like Cerberus. The rifle now sported a drum magazine along with a foregrip. Its weight was similarly changed like Cerberus but its balance was unaffected. What really stood out to him was a large bulky scope that looked about half times bigger than the previous unit.

'What's this thing on top of the rifle? What happened to the optic from before?'

'I understand your confusion pilot, allow me to explain. I noticed your preference of using your long arm for long range attacks when Chimera possessed the same capability. Thus I had included the provision of guided munitions with explosive armor defeating projectiles to tailor it for close combat. The eye of this weapon now housed a targeting computer, with it I may be able to formulate optimal flight paths based on a targeting lock, a feature that involves another addition to your arsenal. Combined with its prodigious fire rate and low recoil, this fundamental enhancement allows you to strike you foes with devastating violence without the need of sight to direct your shots.'

With his questions answered, Elliot began looking at the battle rifle differently. He remembered clearly how the rifle worked during the Unmanned unit attack a few weeks ago. He still had a hard time believing just how effective the rifle's fire rate was at staggering IS units even up until today. The addition of guided explosive ammo along with other upgrades would further increase the effectiveness of an already effective weapon in his arsenal.

Stoked by what had been shown thus far, Elliot couldn't contain his anticipation on what his partner had came up with. So far, the upgrades to his weapons were abilities that he found useful in upcoming battles. Along with the general improvements to other systems such as shields and propulsion, he was really looking forward to test his partner in combat.

With the recent arrival of a French spy and a hostile German representative contender, there was no telling when and how he would face the two in battle. Any advantage he could leverage from Hecate's evolution would massively tilt the odds in his favor if things ever went south.

'Now for the second part to Chimera. Prepare yourself Pilot, for this may be a bit surprising and slightly uncomfortable.'

'Prepare for wha-!?'

The sudden hot tingling sensation on his chest left him no time to ponder his partner's words. Elliot couldn't help the shudder and gasp that escaped him as his hands flew to where Hecate sat to try and alleviate the discomforting sensation. The Chimera disappeared back into quantum storage as he instinctively hunched over from discomfort.

As if minute grains of sand washed over his entire being, Elliot lifted his head and watched as streams of black dust flowed out of every opening of his clothing and landed a few feet in front of him. The material coalesced in a black ball on the ground, steadily growing in size as the dust streams continued converging towards it.

'Hecate, what's happening!?'

'Calm yourself, Pilot. This process while disconcerting is harmless to you. I ask that you be patient.'

Putting his trust in his partner, Elliot kept his composure as he watched the black mass growing to the size of a very large ball. By now, the stream of dust emanating from him had stopped.

A few seconds passed by tensely. Then without warning the ball exploded, battering Elliot with a strong force that pushed him back and flooding the area in blinding light. His arm came up instinctively, shielding his face as he shut his eyes close.

Tentatively, Elliot lowered his arms to find out what happened only to find the ball was gone. What stood in its place was a robotic eagle, almost as large as its flesh and bone counterpart. Its color scheme was that of a luxurious dark brown with slight golden brown on its nape, with tiny thin plates approximating feathers covering every part of it.

Elliot warily approached the robot, both curious and cautious of it. The avian like bot swiveled its head towards him, forcing him to froze on the spot. A strange sensation of light-headedness came over him as he peered into the robot's very lifelike eyes.

'Greetings Master. How may I be of service to you?'

The sudden presence of a foreign masculine sounding voice within his mind sent Elliot into high alert. His eyes darted around the arena, senses going into overdrive trying to discern the source of the foreign voice. Finding no one, he resorted to drawing out the unknown entity.

"Who's there? Show yourself!"

'Down here, Master. Right in front of you.'

'Don't tell me…'

Disbelievingly, he turned towards where he thought was the voice's owner. The robotic eagle still stood where it was, tilting its head as its eyes bored into him as if it was trying to see into his soul.

'Hello Master. I am Periphas. My creator has given me life to serve as your eyes and ears. How may I be of service?'

Elliot gaped at the robotic eagle, bewildered by the turn of events. Of all things he'd expected from Hecate, this was something so far out of left field that he didn't even saw it coming.

'Uh, Hecate? Mind explaining what am I looking at? Why's there a robotic eagle that can talk in my head in front of me?'

'This is the second part of said upgrade. Behold your new familiar Periphas. It shall serve as your second pair of eyes in the sky, helping you to discern targets without the need for your sight. Combined with the consciousness ensconced within it and my own mind, you are able to mark any targets in any condition almost instinctively and instantaneously, without any adverse effect towards the trueness of your shots. In addition, it also serves to multiply your presence on the battlefield, by attacking enemies with its sharpened talons or sacrifice itself in fiery death to ensure your foes' destruction.'

'But why specifically an eagle? Also why did you take inspiration from Greek Mythology?'

'Is it not the wise man that takes heed of lessons from the past? Such a form would allow it to serve as a scout, blending in with local wildlife as it gathers information. A design choice that reflected beautiful fusion of form and function.'

The hybrid didn't know what to make of the situation. The whole process of forming the drone and the concept behind it both disturbed and perplexed him.

Seeing the whole unorthodox process first hand, Elliot pondered just what had transpired within his own body. He knew his shared existence with Hecate conferred several enhancements to his physical being. While initially disconcerting, he had come to accept and even embrace it as part of him.

But to witness Hecate forming a robot out of thin air, using his body as a conduit to do so? Elliot now only begun to realize just how potentially powerful the EVOLVE module was in conjunction with a fully sentient AI. He knew that this power could change the world, even history itself.

All this incredible power, with all its unspeakable potential under his will. History had plenty of examples regarding the consequences of wielding excessive power and how it drove men to madness. It made Elliot wonder if he could truly resist the siren call of power without losing himself to its tempting whispers.

If anything, this incident only proved his own conclusion. The resolve to preserve his secret now solidified after this display. If this was the price he had to pay for being granted a second chance in life, it would be a miniscule one which he'd be happy to pay.

Tabling the motion of examining Hecate's new function closer at a later date, he turned back towards the drone and lowered himself so that he was almost level with the eagle. His own eyes locked with the beady eyes of the drone as he tried talking mentally to it.

'You know, for an AI you've got quite a long name. So, how about I give you a new name? Does Perry sound good?'

'As you wish Master. From now on, I shall be known as Perry. Is there something that you would like my assistance with?'

The drone's request made Elliot deliberate what he could require its capabilities for. Finding nothing, he almost refused when an idea suddenly struck him.

'Perry, I need you to keep an eye on a certain student in this Academy. You're looking for a girl about the height of my torso with silvery long hair. Wears an eyepatch on their left eye. I need you to track her movements without giving yourself away and tell me via mental link if there's any unexpected developments.'

'Understood. Define 'unexpected'.'

"If she did anything that is unfitting of a student, like physically assaulting someone or moves towards locations where students are not usually seen around, things like that, you let me know immediately. Understand?"

'Yes master, I will carry out your orders.'

Watching as the newly named Perry began its maiden flight, Elliot sighed as he wondered about his new companion, skeptical if it could carry out his task. His worries were clearly discerned by Hecate as her ethereal voice flooded his mind carrying a hint of reassurance.

'Fear not, Pilot. Your new avian companion possessed superb eyesight, able to discern the most minute of details from great distances. It will handle the task you laid out with unquestionable efficiency. Now, let us return to the matter at hand, for there is still another change that requires your attention.'

'First the guns, then the drone. What other surprises do you still had up your sleeves?'

'It concerns Asphodel's Mist. Previously it disturbed the invisible rays, rendering any electronic means of detection ineffectual. Now, you have the ability to shroud yourself from the sight of mortals. With its ability to shield you from sight be they flesh or metal, you could disappear from the world and no power on Earth could uncover you. Now, it has been christened as 'Artemis' Shroud.'

Elliot was positively having his mind blown by the bewildering suite of upgrades Hecate had undertaken. Just when he had gotten used to the idea of his IS adapting, something like this happened which upended his understanding on Hecate. His head was beginning to hurt trying to ponder on full scope of Hecate's capabilities.

Opting to spare himself the agony, Elliot brushed his observations aside and turned back towards the task at hand. Shedding his blazer, shemagh and hat, he rolled up his sleeves and loosened his collar as he retrieved the rake and got to work levelling the pit.

The sun shone scorching hot as Elliot worked diligently. Sweat trickled down his skin in rivulets as he pushed the heavy tool, the sweltering heat made the simple labor exhausting. Tiredly he lifted his head and surveyed his handiwork, wiping his brows as he did so.

About a fifth of the arena was done. But the pit was large and he only managed to level a small fraction of it. Elliot doubled down on his efforts, intending on finishing his work before noon arrived.

As he was close to finishing about a fourth of the arena, an ear shattering boom broke him out of his concentration. The loud noise echoed within the empty arena, creating an unpleasant rumble that he could feel in his bones.

'Wasn't Arena 5 just nearby? I wonder what's going on there? That's where the class has practical today if I remember correctly.'

The hybrid almost went back to his task when a sudden realization came over him. His class was having practical sessions right now and he didn't know if Bodewig was among them. A sense of unease coursed through him as his mind devolved into imagining worst-case scenarios that may have been the source of the noise.

Deciding to try and obtain information from his new drone, Elliot turned towards his partner for information on their newly established link. Only that he realized he still hadn't learned how to beckon the drone with his mind, which forced him to sought out Hecate.

'Hecate, how can I contact Perry?'

'You may communicate with your familiar through your shared bond, no different as to how we converse. Focus upon its aura and you shall reach out to it.'

Elliot did as he was instructed, reaching out mentally to the drone as he recalled the unique sensation the bird gave him when it spoke through the mental link with him. He could felt his mind interconnected with the drone, not unlike having Hecate's presence within his head. Tentatively, he called out to his new shadow.

'Perry, can you hear me?'

'Yes master? Do you require any assistance?'

'I need you to take a look at the arena next to my position. Can you find out what has happened?'

'I was just about to call you about this. The person you tasked me to keep watch over, she's right where you've just indicated. I can see that the girl had her IS out, weapons pointed at two IS, one white unit and one orange unit.'

Ice froze in his veins as he quickly put two and two together. The rake had barely touched the ground before the hybrid broke into a dead sprint heading towards the adjacent arena. One thought dominated his mind as he ran towards where Ichika was currently located.

'Bodewig, if you hurt Ichika I'll make sure you won't live to regret it. No one would be able to stop me from taking my revenge if you do. I promise that.'

In the back of his mind, he knew that if he was caught neglecting his responsibility he would get into trouble with the Student Council President. Something told him she wasn't the lenient type when it came down to business.

He hoped that she would be the reasonable sort, one that would hopefully understand his motivations. His boots thudded rapidly on the floor, echoing through the narrow hallway as he hoped that he would get to Ichika before something bad happened to him.

At the same time all that was happening….

Sounds of IS servos pervaded through Arena 5 as students practiced in training units. For the Personal IS pilots, they worked just as diligently if not more honing their skills. Despite Chifuyu had left earlier to handle certain matters, her absence didn't foment any slacking nor sloppiness from the students. Though the enthusiasm in Class 1-1 was slightly dampened by the absence of their class representative.

Ichika currently stomached the annoyance and impatience from the senseless droning that he was subjected to, courtesy of Houki and Rin. Both girls had been insisting on tutoring him on IS piloting which he accepted gladly. He thought he couldn't get any luckier having both his childhood friends helping him.

Only now did he regret agreeing to this. After 8 minutes of instruction from both girls, he wasn't getting any closer to understanding how to pilot the IS better. The fact that they frequently butt in on each other's explanation and making a whole lot of racket didn't help matters either.

"What I'm trying to say is that you have to do it like 'whoosh!', then 'clang!' and then 'bang!'"

Houki punctuated her point by swinging her arms, as if she was striking an invisible opponent.

"You know what she meant, it's all about your feelings." Rin explained, then suddenly gasped. "Why didn't you understand, moron!?"

The Byakushiki Pilot was reaching his limit. Unlike the girls, he wished Elliot was here to teach him instead of them. During their training session, Elliot took great efforts in making things simple for him when it came to explaining difficult concepts. Instead of using instructions, he simply demonstrated how to execute a move and gave pointers on his performance afterwards. He learned much more under him than even from the teachers because it was easy to understand.

Having enough of the messy lecture, Ichika's frustration boiled to the surface as he exploded.

"Let me be honest with all of you…. I don't get this!"

"Why don't you get it!?"

"Yeah, just pay attention like you're supposed to!"

Houki and Rin both yelled back at him, clearly agitated and pissed their teachings were not received well by the boy. They then resumed teaching, back to their messy way of instruction.

Ichika held back a sigh, a headache beginning to form as he had to suffer through all of this again. He really wished Elliot was here to teach him instead of the two childhood friends. Just why did he ask for this in the first place?

"Alright Ichika, I'm here as promised. I hope you're ready for a match. Ready to compare your IS with mine?"

Ichika tuned out the racket from both girls and turned his gaze towards Charles. The French Pilot had his IS out, the orange form uncharacteristic of the Rafael series encased his slim silhouette. A cheery smile graced his face as he stood ready.

Grateful for the save, a smile crept up to his face as he turned towards Charles.

"Hey Charles! Sure! So, I guess I'll see you guys later, alright?"

Saying goodbye to the two girls, Ichika followed Charles towards the center of the pit at opposing sides. The girls now cleared the field, eager to watch two male pilots duking it out as evident by the excited murmurs around the arena.

"Here we go, Ichika!"

"Yeah, come on!"

Yukihira held in a ready pose, he charged right in for an overhead slash. Blade clashed against shield as they both met in the middle.

The Revive Custom took to the air with the Byakushiki hot in pursuit. Ichika repeatedly attempted to close the distance but he was kept at bay by Charles' precise fire. Seeing his shield points sapped away with each shot without him able to close the distance, he knew the match's victor was already decided.

"The reason you can't win is because you don't understand the characteristics of firearms."

Ichika crossed his arms as he pondered on feedback from the French boy. The two boys were currently on one of the launch platforms, with Charles explaining the reason for Ichika's defeat in their little spar.

"Since all I have to go on is theories, I'm screwed."

"That's right, the Byakushiki doesn't have an equalizer, doesn't it?"

"No. Something about there not being a vacant Bus slot."

Charles had a thoughtful expression, his hand resting beneath their chin in contemplation.

"It's only speculation, but I would think it's using the space for its One-Off ability."

Ichika looked at Charles with some confusion, evidently not understanding the technical aspect of ISs.

"The One-off what?"

"The ability that naturally emerges when both IS and its pilot are in their best state. For the Byakushiki, your Reiraku Byakuya maybe it."

Understanding dawned on the Byakushiki's Pilot, his face lit up with joy at finally understanding what he was alluding to.

"Uh huh. Wow, you've explained everything very simply, don't you? Granted, it's not as detailed or easy to understand like Elliot's but I still understand what you're trying to say."

During this time, Rin and Houki had made their way onto the launch platform, their faces held expressions of displeasure and annoyance.

Houki huffed, peeved at her 'aid' was not reciprocated by the boy. Rin also shared the same sentiment as her as they voiced their dissatisfaction.

"Humph! And you don't even listen to any of my advice."

"And after I tried to teach you so kindly too."

Ichika brought out his machine stats, along with a clip of his fight with Charles that was frozen during the moment when he lost. A window showing his machine's specs was open in the corner as he scrutinized the replay.

"The thing is, the Reiraku Byakuya is an insane attack that even consumes the unit's shield energy."

"It's the same ability that Miss Orimura's IS was using, n'est-ce pas? You're not supposed to be able to employ the same technique merely because the two of you are siblings."

Seeing Charles frowned at him, Ichika wondered if his unit had something unique to it that wasn't part of a typical Personal IS. He then crossed his arms, contemplating on his IS as another related question popped into his mind.

"I don't know... While we're at it, I wonder just what Elliot's One-off ability really is?"

"Come on Ichika, let's get you familiar with shooting firearms. How about a little target practice?"

"Sure, let's go."

The two IS clad pilots descended into the pit again, side by side. Charles requested the control room to load a training simulation via IS comms. Almost instantly, holographic targets comprised of hexagons appeared a fair distance from them. Charles held out his rifle for Ichika.

"D'accord. Let's try this again, shall we?"

Ichika looked confusedly at Charles, not understanding what the French boy was up to.

"Hold on, I thought I can't use someone else's equipment? "

"Normally… no. However, if the user unlocks it anyone can use it as long as they're a registered user."

"Uh huh, I see."

Accepting the offered rifle, Ichika tried to imitate Elliot's shooting stance. Putting the rifle to his shoulder, his left arm was outstretched gripping onto the rifle's fore end. The compact dimension of the weapon threw off the male pilot as he awkwardly copied his brother's stance. He gave a quick peek through the rifle scope, sighting in on one of the holographic targets.

"Um, am I using the right stance?"

"Let's see..."

Charles circled Ichika, taking in his stance with a critical eye. The French pilot approached Ichika from his rear, arms circling around to support his arms.

"Close but not quite. You've leaned forward with your torso a bit too much and your legs are spread a bit too far apart. Here, put your arms closer to your sides, your left hand just rests under the grip. Space your feet a bit closer together, with one leg forward the other one. Easy, no?"

"Yeah."

The Byakushiki pilot sighted down the scope, finding his posture a lot less straining and uncomfortable.

Ichika's 'tutors' looked on the scene unhappily, peeved that their chance for one-on-one time with Ichika had been taken away. Rin couldn't contain her annoyance as she questioned the ponytailed girl beside her.

"Hey, don't you think those two were just getting along a bit too well?"

Houki could only just glared at the boys with a pissed off expression. The dull growl from her was evidence enough of her aggravation.

Ichika let loose with a few rounds, his arms supported by Charles as he did so. The rifle thundered loudly, filling the arena with thunderous reports as he fired multiple times. The last target fell to Ichika's shots, disappearing as a holographic notification floated into his view, displaying his overall score of 43 points.

Lifting the rifle up and looking at it, Ichika felt exhilarated by his first experience in shooting. Seeing Elliot wielding his guns masterfully, Ichika now felt he knew the reason behind the blonde's preference towards ranged combat. The thrill he felt was different from a melee fight but was still exciting nonetheless.

"Well?"

"Yeah, that was super cool. And this gun of yours was super-fast."

"I must admit, you've almost got a perfect stance there, only it wasn't something suited for my kind of rifle. Where did you learn how to do that?"

"Elliot. I've watched how he shot that big rifle of his and so I've copied him."

"Woah, check it out!"

"Isn't that the German's 3rd generation?"

"I've heard that it's still in trial phase in their country."

Their classmates' cries broke the two out of their little bubble as the background conversation suddenly shifted towards a singular topic. Ichika and Charles both looked around, finding the girls around them fixated towards a single direction with awed expressions.

Following their gaze, the two IS clad pilots found the source of their interest. On one of the launch platforms, the imposing black silhouette of an IS loomed over them, the sleek finish of the plates gleamed ominously under the bright sunlight, giving it an intimidating aura.

Its pilot was none other than Laura, wearing an expression of contemptuous superiority looking down on Ichika. The boy noted that while Laura's IS was black, it lacked the subdued majesty and elegance that was the Shinigami.

On the sidelines, Houki and Rin raised their hackles at the German's presence. The morning's display and the account of her actions had made their impression of the transfer student rather abysmal at best. Cecilia came up beside them, her flawless face twisted with a scowl as she glared at the black IS, uttering out a simple sentence with a cold tone.

"Laura Bodewig."

"What? That's the transfer student that slapped Ichika and attacked Simba?"

Seeing Cecilia nodded gravely, Rin held an uneasy expression. Knowing just how overprotective and vindictive Elliot could be, she was a bit thankful that her brother figure wasn't here. She was sure that the blonde boy would've beaten the silverette into a mess if given the opportunity.

"Ichika Orimura, I see that you also have a personal machine. Now fight me!"

"No way, I don't have a reason to fight you."

Passing back Charles' rifle to its owner, Ichika kept his attention on the German pilot. Rather than letting his temper got the best of him, he decided it'd be better to stall for time.

After all, Elliot already had his eyes trained on her. There was no need to get himself involved in it if his brother was going to handle it.

"You might not have one, but I do!"

"It doesn't have to be right now, isn't it? And besides, the class league match is coming up soon so maybe then. Also, it wouldn't go well with you if Elliot found out what you did."

Turning away, he made to leave and find a vacant spot away from the arrogant girl. Unfortunately, fate had different plans for him.

"Then I'll just have to give you one. And your pathetic orphan you called a brother couldn't save you, just like he always did!"

That was it. No one insults his family and got away with it. Ichika whirled around, Yukihira found itself back into his hands immediately. He was going to teach the rude girl a lesson on insulting his beloved brother.

Only for him to froze at the sight of a massive railgun aimed straight at him. A high-pitched whine followed by an ear shattering report erupted from the weapon as Laura fired. Ichika curled himself, bracing for the shot that he knew would connect. The sound of a loud clang came in front of him but he found himself still standing upright unscathed.

Peeking up from his hunched posture, he found Charles had rushed forward to shield him from the shot. Surprise flooded his being as he regarded the French pilot who straightened out of their defensive stance.

"Charles!?"

"I can't believe that she would just challenge you like that, much less insult Orimura-san behind his back like that. Of course, Germans do get hot and bothered easily!"

In concert with his statement, Charles brought out a pair of assault rifles. The Vent rifles were now brandished at Laura, muzzles pointed at her to meet her attacks.

Laura looked unperturbed by the unexpected outcome. Her lone eye radiated deep scorn at the Byakushiki pilot, her disdain clear to everyone present.

"As expected, a hot-headed fool with an unhealthy attachment to someone not even their own blood. You're useless."

The vitriolic comment spewed out of Laura, full of hatred and barely concealed condescension. The German then shifted her attention towards Charles, her gaze no less scornful.

"And you, how dare you to block my shot with some pathetic second-generation French machine!"

"A machine that works a lot better than your current third-generation type, which has no prospect for mass production!"

Seeing the French pilot readying himself for battle, Laura charged up her railgun for another attack. The massive electromagnetic weapon whirred to life but sputtered and died down as her focus wavered from the feeling of raised hairs behind her neck.

"You got one last chance to rethink this, Bodewig. You pull that shot again and I'll definitely won't show any mercy on you."

The American accented English sounded foreign yet it sounded familiar. When she realized who the interloper was, her pupil dilated as she snarled in anger.

Using her right foot as a pivot, she flipped around and swatted the offending arm away. Her energy blade shot out of its housing as she thrusted her right arm forward, intending on getting the first strike in.

Elliot felt his arm batted away, just as he predicted. Swiftly he brought up his left hand to parry away the glowing blade intended for his chest. His motion was sinuous and fast, with the blade veering wide away from him. Withdrawing Cerberus, he thrust the gun forward and slammed Laura with the gun.

The weapon's heavy weight and spiked muzzle served as an effective combination in dazing Laura, causing her to stumble back. With some space cleared between them, Elliot used the opportunity to brace Cerberus at his side on hip level and activated the gun's new ability.

The triple barreled monster roared with ear-deafening brutality as 'Cerberus' Bite' was activated. Three chambers of 23mm shot shells unloaded their deadly payload, striking the Schwarzer Regen with the power of a freight train. The resulting blast sent the German Pilot careening into the arena, tumbling unceremoniously on the sandy pit like a ragdoll. She tumbled a bit before flipping backwards and regained her footing, gouging two narrow trenches into the ground as her momentum bled off into a stop.

Elliot grunted, grimacing at the tingling sensation that jarred his bones. The recoil from Cerberus' new fire mode was more punishing than he thought, so much so that his arm felt tender. He switched hands as he held the weapon with his left hand, flipping open the action to reload as he walked out of the shadows and into broad daylight. Levelling his glare at the hunched over German girl, he flicked the gun closed with authority and raised it straight at Laura.

"Wrong answer, Bodewig."

During that short battle, the girls within the arena had been drawn by the sight of Laura thrown out of the launch platform. Seeing the hybrid with his IS and eyes blazed fiery gold, everyone within class 1-1 knew that a fight was bound to happen. The gathered crowd quickly backed away, clearing as much distance as they could from the impending fight that was bound to happen.

"You students in the field! What do you think you're doing down there!?"

Hearing the PA announcement, Laura huffed as her IS dematerialized. Her lone eye glared at Elliot before levelling the same glare to Ichika.

"Hmph! I will allow you two to escape for today."

Watching the German made her retreat, Elliot stowed away Hecate but kept Cerberus in hand. Breaking open the gun, he instinctively checked the chambers before snapping it close then turned his eyes towards the two 'boys'.

"I hope I'm not too late. You two boys alright?"

"Yeah, thanks to Charles. Say, how did you know where we are much less appear so quickly?"

"I was punished by the Student Council President to rake the sand in Arena 6. When I've heard the loud report, I've rushed over to make sure Bodewig didn't do something stupid. Evidently I was right."

The hybrid glanced towards where Laura had disappeared to, wiping his jaw as perspiration rolled down his face. Doing manual labor and running a few hundred yards just to get here had made him worked up quite a sweat. He was going to had to take a long shower after this, preferably in his room.

Shaking his head, he turned toward Charles still decked in his IS. He nodded towards the pilot, grateful for her save. Despite the French pilot was a spy, she still saved Ichika nonetheless.

"Thanks Charles. I owe you one."

"No problem, mon ami."

"Alright, what was that all about? Spill it Ichika!"

"Elliot d-dear, d-did something happen between you two and Laura some time?"

Seeing both Houki and Cecilia demanding answers, Elliot bit back the urge to scowl at them. He didn't see how this was any of their concern and even if he had answers, he wasn't keen on sharing things on his mind with anyone unless it was necessary.

"None of your concern girls. This is between me, Ichika and her. I don't want anyone else to involve themselves in this matter."

Ignoring the ugly scowl from Houki and the disappointed look from Cecilia, Elliot turned his attention towards the field. The previously vacant field now started to be crowded by the students coming down from the stands.

"Gather round, Class 1-1! I have something to announce!"

The girls from his class converged beneath him. All of them held expressions of embarrassment and glee as they looked up at him, as if something on him really excited them. He brushed his observations aside as there was something more pertinent to take care of.

"Alright people, listen up! As class representative of class 1-1, I ask that all of you to ignore Bodewig for now. It's clear that she doesn't regard us favorably and there's no telling what she would do if antagonized. So in the meantime I hope that all of you will keep your distance from her and ignore her should she try to antagonize you. I will handle this matter personally in due time. Is that understood?"

Elliot's eyes roamed the assembled crowd, waiting for their reply. Instead, what he got was stark silence and awestruck looks on the girls' faces.

"S-so…"

"SO COOL! ORIMURA-SAN LOOKED SO COOL RIGHT NOW!"

"KYAAAA!"

The sudden exuberant and excited shouts threw the composed hybrid off. He looked around confusedly, not aware of the cause for their sudden excitement.

'WTF is going on here!? Do they really understand my message or not!?'

"He's so hot without his coat and hat! And his body looked toned!"

"So hot, look at his chest and his arms! So muscular!"

"Oh, I think I'm going to faint!"

Getting a fair idea what the gushing girls were alluding to, Elliot's gaze wandered down to his own state of dress. When he saw his own disheveled state, he paled as he realized what's gotten the girls all excited.

'Oh, someone shoot me now... I've just rushed out without getting dressed and now I am just nothing more than eye candy for these hormones riddled girls. Fuck me sideways...'

Elliot wished he could crawl into a hole and bury himself. His middle school years was filled with adoring infatuation from crowds of girls, which was why he opted for a more concealing outfit this time in hopes he could avoid reliving that experience. In his haste to rescue Ichika he didn't straighten out his apparel, leaving his face and his physique exposed to the girls.

The allure of his appearance was painfully clear, as evident by the thirsty and almost crazed obsession shown in the gaggle of females blatantly gawking at him. A growl of aggravation rose to his throat but he forced it down, lest he somehow made his already bad situation even worse.

Elliot turned his aggravation towards them, bellowing out in a thunderous yell.

"IS EVERYTHING I'VE SAID CLEAR!?"

"Yes prince!"

Seeing his point got across to the hormone-riddled girls, whom looked positively spooked by his stony expression and chilling glare, his business here was concluded. Eager to get away from all the attention and resume his cleaning duties, he turned around letting out a tired sigh as Cerberus disappeared.

"I'll have to head back now, get my task done. Anyone who needs me, find me in Arena 6."

Back on the pit, Ichika watched as Elliot trudged away, fatigue evident on his posture. No doubt he had sprinted over here to protect him, even though he had to cover the fair distance between the two open-air arena buildings.

Around him the girls gushed over his brother's looks, remarking just how handsome he looked without his clothes hiding most of his appearance. Some of the girls were literally bouncing with giddy excitement, almost as if they would bounced off the ground if given the chance.

Seeing the lengths that his brother went through just for his sake, it reminded him of Ms. Pilot all those years ago. The determination to become stronger all those years ago was further strengthened by this display of Elliot's selflessness. Silently, Ichika made a vow to himself.

'Every time I've been in trouble, he had come to my aid without any hesitation. I swear, I will become stronger so I won't have to make him and Chifuyu-nee worry again!'

The setting sun bathed Academy Island in a sheen of gold, casting long shadows throughout the land. Students and faculty members prowled the school grounds, eager to relax or move on to other tasks with the free time after school.

Elliot and Ichika both exited the school building, with the taller blonde having his backpack slung over one shoulder while Ichika held his book bag behind his head. The boys were chatting, with Ichika filling in Elliot on what he missed during his penal duties.

While they were at it, Ichika had sought Elliot's opinion on Charles' speedy flight when he had asked the French pilot to shower together. The seemingly odd behavior of Charles bewildered him and he thought the intelligent boy may be able to figure out why.

"Perhaps he's the shy type? I don't know what kind of person Charles is but I guess he doesn't take a bath with other people since he came from a high-class family. Whatever it is, let's just leave him be and respect his decision."

"I see. It makes sense when you put it that way. Alright, I'll leave him alone for now."

"Good."

Truth be told, Elliot knew full well what caused the French crossdresser to run away. What puzzled him was why she didn't use the opportunity when Ichika was showering to scan the Byakushiki. Perhaps the crossdresser was shy in revealing their gender but all that was needed was to either finish earlier than Ichika or chose not to shower first. Both situations presented a perfect opportunity to steal data from Ichika's IS.

The French spy's actions didn't made much sense to him. Either 'Charles' was biding her time or she was somehow hesitant on pulling through with their mission. The conjectures he came up with only filled him with dread, not knowing what the spy was planning nor what did they have up their sleeves. The lack of any plan or contingencies to deal with her only fueled his paranoia even further.

Silently the brothers plodded along the lake path, enjoying the leisurely atmosphere of after school hours. Both were preoccupied by their own thoughts, each mulling over different topics on their minds.

"I'm begging you mentor, you're wasting your talents here! Please come back to Germany where your skill would be highly prized!"

The harsh, guttural voice coming from the lakeside roused the Orimura brothers from their musings. From the thickly accented Japanese and the use of the title, Elliot quickly deduced that the insufferable German was around, along with his sister.

He wasn't the only one to came to that conclusion. Elliot felt a tap on his shoulder, which he found Ichika looking at him with a worried expression.

"Is that…?"

Elliot gestured to Ichika to keep quiet and follow him. Stealthily the boys made their way to the treeline, peeking cautiously from their hiding spot to witness the sight unfolding in front of them.

Standing by the lakeside, wreathed by the glow of the setting sun was Chifuyu looking out towards the lake. Laura was standing beside her, her face took on a determined expression as she argued with the woman.

"How many times do I have to tell you? There's nothing for me in Germany. My job there was done."

"That is not true! There is much more you can teach us, so much more we can learn from your instruction! We need you, certainly more than these vapid kids here!"

"Oh? Enlighten me."

"The students in this academy lack a sense of danger and do not deserve your undivided attention. They just treated the IS like some kind of fashion accessory. Please mentor, come back to Germany again where we could benefit more from your expertise!"

"Don't make me say this again. I have my own reasons to be here. Many of which are important."

Laura looked desperate. Seeing her pleas not getting through to Chifuyu, her voice became frantic as she became less restrained with her words.

"What reasons could possibly be that important for you to rot in this Far East backwater!? Is it because of those brothers of yours!? The one who almost dashed your hope of winning the Mondo Grosso and that adopted orphan!?"

"They're part of my reasons."

"Mentor, they're both holding you back greatly! Why won't you understand that!? Those worthless parasites shouldn't have even received your care, let alone your attention!"

Ichika mentally cringed at the crude insult. Even if his brother was an orphan, that didn't mean he was any lesser person because of that.

Elliot saw that a faint glistening shone on the German's lone eye. From his vantage point his vision zoomed in, allowing him to clearly perceived the tears pricking out the corner of her eye.

Laura looked to continue on her rant but Chifuyu simply cut her off, causing the German to be taken aback by her interruption.

"I think I've heard enough. Say what you will but you will not insult either of my brothers, adopted or not. You don't understand... Ichika is my strength and Elliot's my inspiration. Without both of them I wouldn't be where I am today, both of which you derided for being my weakness. If they were my weaknesses then tell me, how did I get to where I am today in spite of them?"

Laura looked unsure as she struggled to refute Chifuyu's argument. Her face scrunched up pensively as she did.

"Because…"

Seeing Laura unable to formulate a reply, Chifuyu let the girl stew in silence. The woman was still, her posture stiff as her voice turned flat and cold.

"I don't appreciate anyone who insults my family. Leave now Bodewig, before my opinion of you worsens even more."

"But mentor, I…"

"I'm a busy woman, young lady. You should get back to your dorm before curfew time."

The woman curtly replied without sparing a glance towards the distraught girl. The seemingly shocked girl choked back tears, trying to contain her own turbulent emotions from leaking out on her face.

The bereaved German Pilot turned and ran away, soft whimpers escaped her as she departed. Chifuyu stood by the lake gazing out at the still body of water, her back facing the two brothers.

The two Orimura brothers locked eyes with each other, trying to process what had transpired. Elliot gave a curt nod to Ichika and got up to his feet, pushing his way through the bush. The vegetation rustled, prompting Chifuyu to face him.

"That explains a few things."

His short quip earned him a disapproving gaze from Chifuyu. The woman wore her usual steely face, yet Elliot could perceive she was displeased at their eavesdropping. She crossed her arms, looking at him with a flat expression.

"What're you doing sneaking around, Orimura-san? And what're you doing dragging your brother into your own misadventures? Up to no good again?"

"Well, shouldn't have such a private conversation in public areas then Orimura-sensei. Especially one that's close to a well-used path."

"That doesn't give you to license to eavesdrop, Orimura-san. And Orimura-kun, you should be practicing instead of wasting time like this. You got no time to be lazing about when you could've practiced more with your IS. With your current level of skill, you won't survive the first rounds in the upcoming matches."

Ichika was a bit put off by the woman chiding him. His voice took on a resigned tone as he replied to her.

"I know that. I've been working hard under Elliot but it's been slow."

"Besides, he doesn't have the luxury of time."

Chifuyu was unmoved, her face still maintained the hard lines of stoic professionalism. Clearly the woman was not accepting their reasons as anything more than excuses.

"Doesn't mean that he can't improve to some degree. Work harder you two. Now get back to your rooms boys."

Chifuyu turned to depart, not sparing them even a farewell.

"Hey, just wait a minute."

The departing woman stilled in her tracks. Turning back towards Ichika, Chifuyu held a rare expression of genuine curiosity.

"What she said in class… that I'm unworthy to be your brother. Is she talking about that time when I almost cost you the chance to win in the 2nd Mondo Grosso?"

"That's all in the past now, Ichika. Besides, things didn't turn out the way you've feared and you're safe because of that pilot. So don't go wondering about the what ifs and what could've, ok?"

Chifuyu's stoic expression now turned soft and gentle. Her tone of voice matched her expression, the ice queen visage that she usually wore melted away in the rare occasion of familial closeness reserved just for them.

"Still... if it wasn't for Ms. Pilot, you could've…"

Ichika trailed off, which made Elliot a bit concerned. He didn't know what was going on in his brother's head and he didn't want to add his own opinion on the matter. Whatever was going on, he had a feeling it wasn't good.

Ichika suddenly looked vehement; his face contorted in passionate urgency. His whole demeanour sprang to life, the prior despondency he previously held had completely evaporated as he got up towards Chifuyu.

"Chifuyu-nee, just who's that pilot that day? Do you know them? Can I get in touch with them... OW!?"

The boy yelped as a hand struck the top of his head. Chifuyu held her arm up, her muddy red irises radiated great disapproval behind a stern mask.

"It's Orimura-sensei when we're in school, and you're better off not go looking for that pilot. The world's looking for them and nothing good will come to both you and Elliot if you seek them out. Forget about that savior of yours and focus on improving yourself as an IS pilot. That's more important than to go looking for some mysterious pilot just to repay a favor from years ago. I'll see you two around."

The woman's harsh but insightful words doused Ichika's hope. Feeling dejected, the boy slumped his shoulders forlornly as he watched his sister walked away.

Ichika wondered about his sister's warning. Just why did Chifuyu told him off from looking for that pilot? If it was because the pilot was a wanted criminal, he didn't care. In his eyes, Ms. Pilot was no criminal but a hero in his eyes. There should be no worry that she'll hurt him, wasn't it?

But one thing stood out to him. Just why did Chifuyu said that Elliot would be in danger too if he sought out Ms. Pilot? That part really puzzled him but he can't figure out why.

Elliot came up and patted Ichika on the shoulder, drawing him out of his despondent mood.

"Come on Ichika, let's get out of here."

"Yeah, let's go…"

On the way back to the dorms, Elliot could clearly see that Chifuyu's words had deeply affected Ichika. His heart ached at seeing his brother's distress, wishing he could somehow alleviate his pain but unable to do anything.

It was clear to him what Ichika was agonizing about. The guilt he harbored on his perceived weakness spawning from that incident had never been adequately addressed. Without some help, the guilt was buried down by the hustle and bustle of daily life, left to lie dormant until some cue brought that pain back up to the surface.

Elliot recalled how the two of them were compared to Chifuyu over the years. While he was mostly spared from criticism thanks to his personal abilities and general disregard of social expectations, Ichika had none of those advantages. Because of that, he was constantly derided and put down under the combined shadow of both his and Chifuyu's achievements. It stood to reason that it had done enough damage to Ichika's self-esteem and dignity over the years.

Perhaps that was why Ichika was so obsessed with his savior. Seeing how powerful the IS was in the right hands, Ichika held the belief that his savior was a living hero, an ideal of strength and nobility to aspire towards. In reality, the boy equated finding his savior as a way to assuage his own insecurities, a salve to his bruised self-image.

The fact that he was the main source of Ichika's pain shattered his heart. How much he wished to reveal the truth that he was the savior that night and how he had watched over him all these years. But remembering Chifuyu's warning, any thoughts of broaching the subject was promptly banished with a large IS sword.

Were the situation being drastically different, he would happily come clean. But alas, the stakes behind his condition were far more wide-reaching than just putting Ichika's ghosts to rest. Should the world realized just what Hecate was truly capable of and what happened to him, there was no telling what would happen next.

Elliot could only guess but the past conduct of various governments and international bodies left him no doubts to the extent of their callous hubris and bottomless greed. If his secret was out, it would be certain that it'll end with his death and Hecate's dismantling.

Along with it, who knows how many souls that would be sacrificed in their asinine quest of obtaining immense power, power he zealously held and kept watch over.

'Ichika... it pains me to have to keep such a truth from you but this is way bigger than us, bigger than even just the world.'

Thus, the two boys agonized over one matter but for two very different reasons.

And both were tormented by it. Like a ghost that refused to rest in peace, haunting them mercilessly.

The disheartened boys trudged back to their rooms with a cloud hanging over their head. In their brooding they didn't notice that their feet had unconsciously carried them back to room 1025. Ichika reached for his door, his steps heavy and demeanor dispirited.

"Well, here's my room. I'll see you later Elliot."

Seeing the despondent look on Ichika's face, Elliot wondered if there was anything he could do to help. While he knew he couldn't spill the beans, at least he knew he could cheer him up.

"Hey Ichika, can I stay in your place until dinner? It's been quite difficult since we've been assigned to different rooms and we've got plenty to catch up on."

"Hm? Oh sure, come on in. The place's yours to begin with."

Opening the door, the shorter boy cleared the way as he ushered Elliot in. The blonde plodded in, carefully unslung his backpack to rest by the wall close to the entrance.

The room was dark, save for the last slivers of light from the rapidly setting sun spilling in from the window. As he stepped into the room, he could pick up the muted sound of water splashing and pattering on tiled floor emanating from the adjoining bathroom.

'Must've been here since she doesn't have the opportunity to do so when Ichika asked her to join. On that note, I hope I could get back to my room and shower later without that annoying girl around.'

Focusing back on Ichika, he saw the boy was still dejected. Eager to cheer him up, he settled on making the despondent boy relax by bringing up more pleasant topics.

"Ichika, would you like to have some tea? I think after what's happened today, we've both needed some to calm down. Where's the teabags and the extra cup?"

Ichika motioned over to the overhead cabinets, as he shuffled over to his bed and flopped down lazily.

"It's on the first cabinet, bottom row. Your tea's still here, since I've never touched it and Charles did like it better that green tea. The sugar's also in the cabinet. Here, let me get it for you."

Seeing the boy raising up from his bed, Elliot raised a hand to dissuade him. The boy stopped just shy of sitting up straight and sat back down on his bed.

"No need. You look like you need the rest. I've been quite tired dealing with the massive amount of attention today and I need to do something relaxing. Just sit down and wait, I'll prepare your tea shortly."

The hybrid fetched the cups. Remembering Ichika's new roommate, he set aside a matching cup for the spy. Two matching tea cups and a ceramic mug was prepared and set aside as Elliot fetched the empty kettle and filled it with water, returning it to its base and setting it to work. Bringing out the tea, he set one bag of green tea in a teapot while leaving a bag of red tea in the mug.

Left with nothing to do but wait, Elliot trod back to the main living space and pulled up a chair. The hybrid crossed his arms on top of the backrest, his gaze settled on his brother who laid on his bed.

An awkward silence hung over the room, the lack of noise within the comfortable space felt oppressive and suffocating. Elliot tried his hardest to figure something pleasant to talk about but he came up with nothing. Ichika on the other hand looked to be still stewing on Chifuyu's words from moments ago, his mood still bleak and depressed.

'This is awkward... I can't even think about anything mundane to talk about. Small talk hasn't been my strong suit since... forever.'

The sudden squeaking of the bed jostled Elliot out of his thoughts. Ichika bolted upright, his eyes widened with sudden attention.

"I forgot. The bathroom had run out of body soap."

The boy rose out of his bed and ran towards the side closet, pulling out a bottle of soap before he hurried towards the bathroom. The action sent alarm bells ringing in Elliot's mind. If Ichika saw Charles' true identity, there was no telling what the spy would be forced to do in light of the unexpected situation. He must stop Ichika before he learned about it.

Before the blonde Orimura could do anything, Ichika had already stepped into the bathroom. The sound of water splashing on the tiles came out unmuted from the bathroom.

"Hey Charles, I think we're out of body soap in there, am I right? Here, I've brought you a new one."

The fogged door to the shower enclosure slid open, hot steam wafted out of the opening. A drenched blonde can be seen, their long golden hair stuck to their skin like a golden drape.

Violet eyes stared back at muddy red, confusion shone within those European features.

Ichika stood there, dumbfounded by the sight of the person in front of them. His mind struggled to comprehend why an unknown person was doing in his room.

The presence of two soft mounds on the person's chest and the lack of a certain male anatomy clearly disclosed the gender of the unknown person. Yet, the girl's face looked like Charles. The whole thing didn't made much sense to Ichika as he struggled to come to terms with this mess.

The two roommates stood still, stunned for very different reasons. 'Charles' broke out of their shock first, a yelp escaping their lips as they turned around, trying their hardest to preserve their modesty by covering up her chest and crotch with her arms.

Ichika was fixed on the spot, his mind still unable to process the gravitas nor the context of the situation. He remained still as Elliot rounded the corner and came up right behind him.

Peering into the cramped room, Elliot found himself staring at two shocked teens standing dumbly in the small room. A quick cursory glance showed that 'Charles' was indeed a girl, proving Hecate's analysis was spot on.

But there was a complication. His brother was still rooted on the spot, the bottle of soap still held in his outstretched hand like a mannequin while he gazed dumbly at the naked girl. Ichika's inaction made Elliot very displeased, which he made known very harshly.

"Ichika! Leave the soap on the sink and get out, right now!"

Seeing that the boy was rendered immobile by shock, Elliot stomped right in and dragged Ichika out by the collar without much difficulty. The bottle of soap was pried out of his hands and hastily deposited in the sink, all the while the hybrid was resisting the urge to look at the naked girl within the bathroom.

"Sorry Charles!"

Setting Ichika onto his bed, he pulled the boy into a sitting position for a talk. The dilated pupils and solid tension within his muscles told him that Ichika had went catatonic with shock. Elliot snapped his fingers in front of him, hoping to jolt him out of his state.

"Ichika, snap out of it!"

Still no response was garnered from the boy. Ichika's face was contorted in shock, his eyes were unfocused and distant. Evidently he was still having trouble coming to terms with the startling revelations locked away in the bathroom.

Left without much choice, his right arm cocked back over his shoulder. A slap echoed in the room as his palm struck hard against Ichika's cheek, sending the boy flopping down onto the soft bed.

The stricken boy rose groggily from his lying position, his hand nursed his reddening cheek as he sat up. Elliot sighed in relief, feeling more at ease with Ichika regaining his wits.

"H-Huh? W-What's just happened?"

"Thank god, I thought you'll never get out of it."

Ichika blinked away the confusion, still dazed from the pain caused by Elliot's slap. His eyes suddenly widened like saucers as his mind caught up with the events.

"Wait! Does that mean Charles…"

Elliot leapt forward, clasping Ichika's mouth with his hand. A finger went up in front of his own in the universal gesture of 'keep quiet'.

"Sssshh! Keep it down, did you forget that the walls are not sound-proofed?"

A few moments passed by. When Elliot was sure Ichika comprehended what he said, he released his hand and went back to the chair.

He slumped in his seat, the fatigue piling up from the day now gotten the better of him. Now with Ichika knowing the truth, he didn't know how to break the rest to him. Thinking things couldn't get any worse, the hybrid went for broke.

"Well, to be honest... I've known about this since 'Charles' stepped in through the classroom door. I've never thought it would take an unexpected event like this for the cat to get out the bag."

His honest admission went poorly with Ichika. The boy eyed him with a hint of betrayal and hurt, no doubt feeling put off because he was left out of the loop.

"Wait, you knew!? Why didn't you tell me then?"

"Well, because I don't know what to do with the information at the time! When I found out that 'Charles' is a girl disguised as a guy, I knew that she was here to steal data from us both. I just don't know what to do back then so I've kept quiet while figuring out a plan should she decided to act. I'm looking out for the both of us and the fact I had to do this while having you room with 'him' made my work difficult. And telling you while you didn't even know what they could do when they realized you know who they are wouldn't bode well for either you or me."

Seeing Ichika still looking hurt over his cover-up, Elliot threw his hands up to show he was none too pleased over the whole matter. His tone was subdued as he continued.

"I'm sorry that I've hidden something like this, but I suspect that Chifuyu may have known about this and didn't even tell us about it. So I guess everyone's the fool."

Ichika wanted to argue but soon clammed up, seeing the wisom in Elliot's words. Despite his displeasure at the cover up, he knew his brother did it for the right reasons. The guilt which had settled moments ago now rose back to the forefront of his consciousness. The fact that his brother was doing all this yet he could do nothing stung him, his sense of inferiority rearing its ugly head again.

The click from the kettle roused Elliot from his brooding. Rising from his seat, the hybrid quickly went over the kitchen to prepare tea.

Just then, the bathroom door noiselessly slid open. 'Charles' stepped out, hair still dripping wet and frazzled. A white and blue tracksuit with orange highlights adorned her petite but well-developed body, with a hand towel draped around her neck that she used to dry her hair.

Elliot gave a silent nod towards the spy, keeping his guard up as he prepared the tea. His caution against the French pilot was discernable to the spy, as 'Charles' flinched slightly when their eyes met but she then padded towards her bed, sitting opposite of the brooding Ichika.

Boiling water soon joined the tea bags, a cloud of delicious steam rose from the teapot. The faint but aromatic scent of tea could be distinctly discerned by Elliot's sharpened senses, soothing his perpetually tense nerves.

Checking the time with his HUD, he noted the time for the tea to steep. With a few minutes on hand, he decided to interrogate the spy. Making his way back to the duo, he sat back down on his seat while fixing a solid glare at 'Charles'.

"Just to get this out of the way first. I know what you were trying to do disguised as a male while enrolling into the ISA."

Apparently, he struck a nerve. The previously skittish girl now looked ready to panic, her violet irises literally disappeared from the panic she was experiencing.

"I..!"

Elliot cut her off with the raise of his hand. Whatever excuses she had came up died on the tip of her tongue, the girl hunched over herself protectively and silence settled over the room once more.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to accuse you. Rather, I want to understand why do you want or should I say forced to do so. Evidently your actions said just as much. So how about you tell us your side of the story while I get us some tea?"

A look of pensive uncertainty crossed 'Charles' face. The girl fidgeted nervously, looking as if she was debating with herself whether to trust his words.

Seeing the conflict etched on her face, Elliot strategized that a gentler approach might work better in eliciting information from the nervous spy. Relaxing his own posture, Elliot got rid of the hard edge to his voice, turning the chair around so that he was sitting in a relaxed manner.

"I have no intentions of becoming your enemy. In fact, I would wish we could get along well together. But if you do not reveal the truth, then I am forced to assume the worst and treat you accordingly. The only way that we can avoid any unpleasantness between the three of us is for you to come clean. I promise I will withhold any judgement on my part before I hear your story."

"He's right Charles, or whatever your name is. Elliot might look intimidating and cold but he's a rather decent guy in a gruff way. Besides, you've got me here. I'll protect you from him if he gets angry."

Mentally congratulating Ichika on his kind words, the hybrid hoped that his charm offensive would hopefully get the tense blonde to loosen up and be more forthcoming with him. He sat back, resting his back against the seat with a relaxed air around him.

'Charles' took a deep breath, exhaling slowly in a long puff. Then, she locked her eyes squarely with Elliot. The spy flashed a relieved smile at him, the gesture accentuated with a relaxed expression.

"That's correct, Orimura-san. I am a girl and you're correct on me not doing this voluntarily. I don't know how you know my true gender but I appreciate the fact that you didn't go around and tell it to anyone else."

Noticing a few minutes had elapsed, Elliot stopped the blonde and fetched the tea. He poured out two cups of green tea and fished out the teabag out of his mug, bringing the two teacups towards the two teens.

Serving Ichika his own, he carefully passed the other cup to 'Charles'. Grabbing the cup by the top portion, he only let go when the spy had firmly grasped the cup.

"Here you go."

"T-Thank you, Orimura-san."

Fetching his own cup, he went back to his seat and gestured for 'Charles' to continue where he left off.

"As I was saying. Orimura-san, you're correct on both accounts. My family wanted me to do this or more precisely, they forced me to do this."

Ichika chose this time to butt in.

"Your family? Oh, you mean your family's corporation."

"Must be the Dunois corporation' CEO that orchestrated the whole thing. Last I've checked, the CEO is one Albert Dunois. He's a relative of yours?"

Seeing the French girl nodded her head glumly, Elliot realized his suspicions were correct. The cursory research he did over the corporation had dug up this interesting fact and having it confirmed straight from the source helped to answer some questions about the whole matter. But there was still much he needed to know before he drew his own conclusions.

"Oui, that's my papa. You're right, this entire thing was his own idea to begin with."

Ichika's face was twisted by confusion as he heard 'Charles' confession. His brows scrunched together as he peered at the girl.

"What? But why?"

"To be honest... I'm not a child of his wife."

"You're a child of his mistress. An illegitimate daughter."

Seeing Ichika cringed at his frankness and 'Charles' wilted in shame, Elliot figured this whole matter ran deeper than he thought. The girl nodded heavily, reluctantly acknowledging the shameful fact.

"Oui. I was raised away from him for a very long time and I've lived with my mama until about 2 years ago when she suddenly passed away. The people from the Dunois family then came and picked me up."

"After various tests, they've found out that I was exceptionally compatible with the IS. Under unofficial circumstances, I was made the test pilot for the IS. But during that whole time, I've only met my father only twice before and we've only spoken no longer than an hour."

The girl stopped recounting her past, eyes peered up searching his own. The hybrid waved his hand, motioning her to continue. 'Charles' simply nodded in reply as she continued the story.

"Not long after, The Dunois corporation encountered some…financial difficulties."

"Financial difficulties?"

"Is it because France wasn't on Europe's Ignition Plan?" Elliot mused.

"But isn't Dunois corporation on the 3rd place in terms of IS manufacturing?"

Both the Orimura brothers took turns interjecting with questions of their own, with Ichika taking the lead. The hybrid had an inkling of suspicion that this was where the reason behind 'Charles' enrolment into the ISA had sprung from. But Ichika had yet to understood why 'Charles' was forced to do what she was ordered to.

"You're both correct. However, the Revive's a second-generation IS while the world now is currently focusing on research for the third-generation type IS. I believe that Miss Cecilia and Miss Laura are transferred to this school because they need to gather data for their own nation's development on the 3rd-gen mass produced units."

Elliot couldn't help but felt disgusted from Charles' explanation. Even when he fully knew the responsibilities behind the representative contenders, the Machiavellian attitude that suffused the international political arena and the consequences they wrought upon the world greatly sickened him.

'Governments and their damned power plays... World's already fucked up beyond reason and all they could care about is a political ego match? That's why I hate politicians and politics in general.'

Elliot always had a keen eye towards people and human nature. It was why when the whole unfair, discriminatory attitude of female superiority permeated through all layers of society, he'd found it utterly repulsive and fought against it. Throw in the way politicians and world leaders vying for power, jockeying for any advancements within the permissible confines of the Alaska Treaty, it made him very paranoid over anyone potentially discovering his secret. It was this reality that made him detached himself from society, seeing it as a broken and unfair system that only benefitted the powers that be by exploiting the masses' ignorance and greed.

Pushing his bitter thoughts away, he refocused back onto the spy as she continued her explanation.

"The Dunois Corporation had already begun development on the third-generation but progress has been slow and their development permit is in danger of being withdrawn by the French Government. This has made my father...desperate."

Ichika couldn't help scrunching his brows together as he still hadn't figure out the crux of the matter.

"But what does that had anything to do with you being transferred here?"

"Isn't it obvious? Remember how crazy the news went when both of us were discovered as the world's only two male pilots? The fact we were related to Chifuyu only adds fuel to the fire. By announcing her as a male pilot, the Dunois Corporation could gain much needed publicity, attracting investors and talent and consequently save their sinking company. At the same time she could come in here, being that she is a 'guy', she would definitely be placed in the same room with one of us, allowing her ample opportunities to steal data from both our ISs."

Watching Ichika's eyes lit up with understanding, he knew he had got his point across. Focusing on the anxious blonde girl, he shed his hat and glared at the girl, his eyes narrowed into slits as his voice turned icy.

"But two questions still remained. One, just what is your true identity? And two, whose IS are you specifically trying to obtain information from?"

The chilling and biting tone combined with his seething glare greatly intimidated the already cowed girl. Elliot could see that 'Charles' was trying hard not to quail under his gaze, as if she was a deer stared down by a ravenous, angry wolf. Her slim body trembled slightly as the girl bowed her head, a strangled whimper escaped her.

The unspoken inquisition was put to an end by Ichika throwing himself in between them. Stretching his arms out to the sides, the boy shielded the quivering blonde from any potential wrath his now irate brother may harbored against the helpless girl.

"Elliot! You've promised that you won't judge her without knowing the full story! So please just calm down and let her answer!"

"Oh, I will render fair judgement but only if I find her answer honest. So tell me or God help me."

Elliot relaxed his face, letting his glare fade away. While his face softened, the cautious gaze within his eyes were still firmly fixed on the quivering girl, showing that the spy was still not in the clear.

Considering what the spy's actions would've unleashed, Elliot was trying hard to restrain himself from taking his frustrations out on the girl. If 'Charles' had found out what he truly was and told their handlers, his already precarious life was going to became a lot more dangerous. That would lead to a lot of unwanted attention from other nations and organizations after they noticed a lot of action from the French company. To say what would follow a massive mess would be a terrible understatement.

Peering behind Ichika, Elliot could tell 'Charles' looked about ready to faint. A shaky breath was taken in by the girl, settling her nerves slightly as she recomposed herself.

"I-I'm s-specifically here for Byakushiki's data, seeing it as it was the most advanced IS to date. But any information I could get from you two was very sought after because of how rare male pilots are. The fact that both of you were closely connected to Miss Orimura made any form of data I could glean very valuable."

Her nerves settled, 'Charles' levelled an even gaze at Elliot. The girl confronted him with slight fear in her eyes, though it was far less than moments ago when he glared her down.

"And my name's Charlotte, Charlotte Dunois. The name that my mama gave me."

Elliot closely scrutinized Charlotte's face, trying to discern whether she was lying or telling the truth. Those lilac irises showed nothing but honesty and innocence, devoid of any calculated cunning nor any ulterior motive of a spy.

Confronted by the sight, the hybrid was a bit torn on whether to believe the girl. Part of him was inclined on holding to his caution and disregard her words as purely lies, nothing more than a calculated attempt by a desperate spy at winning his trust since he could be considered the protector and gatekeeper to his family, most especially to Ichika.

Yet his sentimental side wanted to believe that Charlotte was a genuine victim of her circumstances, someone whom had the misfortune of being part of a family that didn't care about her. The story of her father's cold treatment towards her and the genuine emotions displayed during her retelling seemed to corroborate this point.

Pulling away from Charlotte, he stood silently by while he agonized over his decision. The girl kept a puppy eyed expression at him, desperately hoping he would believe her.

Elliot said nothing. Deep in his mind he was trying to reconcile with two different viewpoints, which was easier said than done. He was torn on what his next course of action was.

To believe or not to believe? Elliot took a gamble, hoping he made the right decision that wouldn't backfire on him.

The hybrid craned his head towards Charlotte and gave a simple nod, affirming his willingness to took her words at face value. His unspoken answer instantly shed any apprehension within the blonde girl. Her tense demeanor melted away as she exhaled deeply, her shoulders drooped in relief as she gave a light bow.

"Now I feel much better letting all that out. Thank you two for listening to me and I'm terribly sorry that I've been lying to both of you for all this time."

Curious at Ichika's silence, Elliot glanced towards him. The boy was deep in thought, his head lowered and his bangs shrouding his face. This rare sight of contemplation from his spontaneous brother surprised Elliot.

"Ichika?"

"You've said you never wanted this did you?"

"H-Huh?"

"I've said that you never wanted any of this, am I right!? There's no way that you could've wanted in on this whole plot!"

The now incensed boy got in front of Charlotte, clasping Charlotte's shoulders with both hands. This sudden act took both blondes in the room off guard, with Charlotte recovering first from the surprise.

"U-Uh, Ichika?"

"Our parents are important to us or we wouldn't be here without them. But even so, a parent couldn't use their kid as a tool like that! That's just wrong on so many levels!"

Ichika looked positively sad and worked up, clearly displeased at Charlotte's circumstances.

"Ichika…"

"My sister and I, we're abandoned by our parents when we're young. And Elliot here was an orphan before Chifuyu brought him into our family, so we know how you feel."

"Does that mean…"

Charlotte turned her gaze towards Elliot, her eyes seemingly implied the question on her mind. Elliot understood her gesture and nodded in reply, his answer frank and brutally honest.

"Yes, what Ichika meant is that the three of us siblings are orphans. Essentially we're a family of orphans. The only people we could rely on are ourselves."

Elliot's blunt admission made the girl gasped in shock. The blonde French girl clasped her hands in front of her, her eyes wrinkling at the corners. Under the diffused illumination of the nightstand light, Elliot could see beads of liquid trickled out the corner of her eyes, streaking down her cheeks in thin trails.

A box of tissues found themselves in his hands as he left his chair and sat beside the girl. One hand grasped her left shoulder gingerly while he offered the tissues.

"Here, dry those tears. Don't cry for our sakes, because despite not having parents we Orimuras have each other."

Giving a quick glance towards his brother, he found Ichika gave a nod in solidarity. The boy's eyes found Charlotte's own as he added his own opinion.

"He's right. The difference was that the three of us didn't want to see our parents again but you're different. So, what are you going to do now?"

Charlotte sniffled, wiping away her tears as she faced Ichika.

"W-Well, since both of you found out that I am a girl, I'm sure I would be called back to my home country. I don't know what will happen to me... most probably sent to jail if I'm lucky."

"What if you just stayed here?"

Shock coursed through Charlotte as her eyes widened, her body jerking straight as she couldn't believe her ears.

"What!?"

"You'll be fine as long as both Elliot and I didn't say anything, right? And even if they do find out, I'm sure you father and his company can't do anything about it at this point."

The blue haired Orimura went over and rummaged through his desk, producing a little booklet with the ISA logo on its cover. He flipped through it briskly, finding what he was looking for.

"It's right here in this rulebook, 'All students in the IS Academy are under its exclusive protection. No nation, organization or group can interfere with their attendance as long as the duration of their stay within its school grounds and the surrounding lands.'"

"In other words, your safe as long as you keep attending this school. Under their protection, you could come up with more permanent solutions in the meantime." Ichika closed his booklet, looking very self assured.

Hearing Ichika's reciting one of the Academy's rules impressed Charlotte. Her downcast eyes perked up in astonishment at the boy's resourcefulness.

"I can't believe you'd knew that. There are 55 of them to remember."

"Well, I may not look like it but I do study hard. And Elliot here always ensured that I passed my studies."

While Elliot could admit that he was impressed by Ichika's spur of the moment ingenuity, there was a very important part that he had overlooked. As much as he hated playing Devil's advocate to his brother, such issues must be raised now before they went any further with Ichika's plan.

"Your plan may be solid Ichika but there are a few oversights. First off, they would've expect her to send in reports on a predetermined time and if she decides not to answer, they would either get suspicious or quickly assume that she had betrayed them. Secondly, assuming that they would follow the rules of the academy, who's to say they wouldn't kidnap her once she steps off the island?"

As he pointed out the flaws in Ichika's plan, he saw the boy deflate with every flaw he brought up. Still he continued. Ichika had to know what he's getting into and he didn't want to get dragged down along with him.

"Thirdly, assuming that they wanted her alive, is there any chance they could've decided that she's no longer useful and just kill her to cover their tracks? I hate to rain on your parade but this plan of yours had to take care of these few problems first or else it's not going to work. Charlotte, when does your father's company expect you to start sending in data?"

Charlotte mulled it over, dropping her chin into her hand as she assumed a thoughtful pose.

"Well, I'd say at least about another 2, maybe 4 weeks at most? They wanted me to succeed but still get results quickly so that's what I think is their expected time frame."

"Let's make it three then. With all three of our minds combined, we can come up with some raw data that would seem plausible enough that hopefully would make them happy. And with them happy enough with the data to develop something, they could easily let you go or at the very least get you within their good graces and defuse any distrust they've had against you."

Moving over to the chair to pick up his discarded hat, the fedora sat back on his head neatly. The same golden eyes that looked predatorial minutes ago now softened into gleaming jewels that radiated warmth as he gazed at Charlotte.

"Once you've got your family off your back, you can then decide on your next direction in your life. Stay and hopefully integrate into the Dunois family? Walk off into the sunset in pursuit of your own hopes and dreams? Or return and take over the Dunois company? The choice by then is all yours and yours alone."

The tears that had dried on Charlotte's cheeks now came trickling out again. A few drops of tears now became a steady stream as the girl let loose the waterworks. Elliot gently pulled her closer beside him, his hand smoothed her hair down as he let her cry out the repressed feelings that she had accumulated over the years. Soft tremors wracked the petite girl's body as she cried.

"There, there... It's ok. You'll be safe here... and we guys will make sure you'll be safe here."

"That's right. No one's going to hurt you here. You're safe with us Charlotte."

Charlotte brought her head up from her hands, tears marring her pale face. She took the pre offered tissues and blew her nose, drying her tears before beaming a relieved smile towards them.

"T-Thank you... Thank you, Ichika. Thank you, Orimura-san."

"Elliot."

"Huh?"

"Since you've been honest and told us your real name, I think you've earned the right to call me by my first name. It takes a lot of courage and a good heart to admit your lies despite the risks and you'd admitted it readily. So please call me Elliot. In fact, I insist on it."

Seeing the small smile on his face, Charlotte returned his request with a small nod. Having let out her own emotions, she felt her heart became lighter without the emotional baggage weighing her down. But seeing the ever-cold boy smile and insisted that she referred him by his first name, she felt she had truly earned his acknowledgement.

"Wow, Elliot rarely lets anyone outside the family call him by his first name. To have him allow you to say it, it means that he trusts you."

Hearing her roommate's incredulous remark, Charlotte realized that this was a very rare occasion where she saw the aloof Orimura let his mask down. Hearing his reputation and meeting him up close, she knew the boy never let his guard down around anyone not of his family. Seeing this hidden side of him made the usually cold boy looked rather handsome and charming, which made her felt a bit special. Her heart felt fuzzy, tittering with maidenly bashfulness.

"Alright… Elliot."

Her answer earned her a simple nod and a gentle pat on her shoulder from Elliot, an amicable atmosphere settled between the three teens. The ill-timed rapping from the front door soon broke the spell over the three teens.

"Hello, Orimura-kun? Are you in there?"

Cecilia's voice came through the door with muted clarity, sending both Ichika and Charlotte reeling in panic. Since Charlotte was caught off guard mid-shower, she had eschewed her usual disguise. The appearance of an uninvited guest right now would spell trouble.

Quickly coming up with a solution, Elliot took charge against the unanticipated development. He hissed out orders in a quiet whisper, only loud enough to be discernible to the two teens in the room.

"Charlotte, get into your bed quickly and throw the covers over you. Ichika, help her put it on."

Both teens complied, with Charlotte quickly hopping into bed and lied facing the balcony. Ichika grabbed the covers and slowly pulled it over, deliberately making his motions clear.

"Orimura-kun, I've been looking for Elliot but he's nowhere to be found and I didn't know where he is. Hello?"

Motioning the two to stay quiet, Elliot silently pulled a chair up beside the bedridden girl and sat beside her. Silently, he hoped the Briton would lose interest and move on.

"I'm coming in, Orimura-kun."

The door clicked, swing open gently as the British noblewoman stepped into the room. Her expression morphed into surprise as she found the boys all in the same room.

"Oh there you are, Elliot dear! What are you doing here and what happened here?"

Elliot resisted scrunching his face in displeasure at the overly familiar tone Cecilia used with him and for barging in uninvited. Taking a shot at putting up a front, Elliot shifted himself to assume a concerned expression, clearly directed at the bedridden Charlotte.

"Charles came down with a cold. Ichika and I are currently making sure that he would be well cared for."

"Yeah, it seems that Charles here still can't get used to the weather in Japan."

The hybrid silently thanked whatever deity that Ichika had managed to caught up on his ruse. As if his luck won out today, Charlotte chose this time to gave a raspy cough, further selling their little charade.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear that. I've been looking for you, Elliot. Would be alright with both of you that I borrow Elliot for a while?"

"Sure, go ahead."

The Briton seemed pleased by Ichika's answer. Elliot frowned at her, not stoked at her using his first name casually as he gave a stony gaze to her.

"Alcott, I've told you to call me by my last name."

"And I've told you to call me Cecilia. It just so happens that I've not had dinner yet, would you care to dine with me?"

Seeing the UK representative contender gave a miffed pout and ignoring his request, Elliot was a bit annoyed at being deliberately snuffed. Still, he chose to hold his tongue on this matter for now.

Looking at Ichika and Charlotte, he was scratching his head on how to handle Charlotte's dinner. Since he was going to have his hands full with the Briton, Ichika would have to handle it. That left him with entertaining the persistent Briton with her inane request.

"Alright, should we be off then?"

"Excellent! Let's be off then!"

A beaming smile shone from Cecilia's face as she hooked her arm around his own and proceeded to drag him out of the room. Elliot struggled not to throw off her arm as he craned his head back towards the room.

"Ichika, make sure you get dinner for Charles! And don't forget the spoon and fork, he may need it!"

On the walk towards the cafeteria, the two teens came across Houki carrying a cloth wrapped bundle in her hands. The girl gave a dirty glare upon meeting him.

"Orimura-san, have you seen Ichika around?"

"He's currently busy, so don't interrupt him. He needs to take care of Charles right now."

"Well if he's busy, then I'm going in to make sure he's not missing dinner."

The girl huffed and stormed away, rudely bumping Elliot's shoulder as she passed them by. Cecilia had a confused expression as she wondered why the girl acted so callously towards Elliot.

"What was that all about, Elliot?"

"Just Houki being Houki, I guess."

Shrugging with casual disdain, the hybrid disregarded the petty manner the Kendo maiden carried herself. He knew that the younger Shinonono hated him for occupying Ichika's time, a fact which he couldn't care less about. He didn't like her as much as Tabane anyways, what with her immaturity and insecure ego.

Putting the unpleasant encounter behind them, the two blondes resumed their journey towards the cafeteria.

The cafeteria in the Academy was bustling with activity as students came to get their dinner. Tables were crowded with small groups or by lone diners, snippets of conversations drifted up from the occupied tables and the clinking of silverware occasionally interrupted the noisy room.

But currently, most of the girls in the cafeteria seemed to be preoccupied by a peculiar sight. All of their gazes were turned towards a particular direction, focused on the ongoing event that played out. Almost all noise that were usually found at this hour within the room ceased as they all watched intently on a particular table.

At one of the tables tucked into the corner, Elliot tried his hardest not to let an irritated scowl appear on his face as he tried to enjoy his dinner despite all the stares directed at their table. He absent mindedly munched on his food as his mind was whirling with various thoughts, all centered on ways to help Charlotte with her problem.

"Elliot, is there something wrong?"

Jolted out of his thoughts, he composed himself before turning his eyes on Cecilia.

"Hm? What is it?"

"You looked rather distracted this whole time. Plus, you haven't even finished your dinner with your usual alacrity."

Piqued by her words, Elliot looked down on his plate. True enough, there was almost half of the plate still full with pasta. Shaking his head, he chose to deflect Cecilia's question with some mundane matter.

"No, it's nothing. I'm just wondering about the class league match. I was thinking about how to prepare for the matches."

"I would not worry about that. After all, with your skill and experience you are arguably the strongest pilot among the 1st years. It should prove to be an easy undertaking for a pilot of your caliber."

The pride at his apparent prodigious ability made him felt a bit self-conscious. He was never good with the expectations people levied on him, which was one of the reasons he spent most of his time in solitude. He huffed, not enthused by her effusive praise.

"'Failure to prepare, prepare to fail.' I'm sure you've heard about this before. A good IS pilot prepares themselves so that their victory is assured, Alcott. Even I am not guaranteed to win every time so please don't put me on a pedestal. I just haven't met my match yet to lose."

The Briton puffed her cheeks, looking a bit miffed at his chastisement. Evidently, she was not happy to find herself being lectured.

Despite the cool relations between them, the recent affectionate attitude by the noblewoman made him a bit wary. He didn't know why Cecilia tried so hard to garner his attention, occasionally calling him by his first name and sought any opportunity to be in close proximity to him.

Her pouty face disappeared, replaced by a demure look that looked self-consciousness.

"You have a point. The arenas would be packed full of students before the week when the matches would be held. I suggest we practice together in the arena before the last-minute rush from the student body crowded out any available time slots in the arena."

"I don't see what's wrong with that, but- Oh dammit!"

Consternation and indignation flooded his entire being as he watched Houki literally dragged Ichika by the arm, storming over to the counter to get dinner. The poor boy looked reluctant to be present in the cafeteria and Elliot knew he was worried about Charlotte missing her dinner. The sight added to Elliot's ongoing pile of annoyances as he glared daggers at the impudent girl.

'Even when I told her not to bother Ichika, she'd still ignore me and Ichika's wishes? How much of an entitled, stubborn bitch could she be?'

Peeved at having his dinner cut short, Elliot's mood took a nosedive at the girl's imperious behavior. If what he perceived of the girl was right, she would want to hog Ichika's time for as long as she could, which could be quite a while if his predictions were correct. That left him with the task of getting Charlotte's dinner taken care of. Focusing back at Cecilia, he bowed in apology towards the Briton.

"I'm sorry Cecilia. I'm afraid Ichika had been preoccupied, leaving Charles with no dinner. It falls upon me to take care of this matter as the class representative. I'm terribly sorry for having to cut our dinner short."

"I understand. Go, take care of Charles. We can have our dinner some other time."

Giving a nod of gratitude to the understanding Cecilia had shown, Elliot caught up with Ichika and assured him that he would take care of Charlotte's dinner. Settling for something quick, he ordered a traditional Japanese meal set while grabbing a set of tableware from the nearby trays.

Gingerly with as much finesse and haste he could manage, he carried the tray laden with food and arrived at Ichika's room without wasting too much time. Balancing the tray carefully on one arm, he lightly rapped his knuckles against the door.

"Charles, it's me. Can you please help open the door?"

The door opened slightly ajar without much sound. From the gap, the light from the hallway spilled in and revealed Charlotte still out of her disguise. Once she verified his identity, she swung open the door, looking at him quizzically.

"Eh? Why did you bring me dinner? I thought Ichika was supposed to do that."

"He got dragged away by Houki as you know. And by the looks of it they'll be at it for a while. I had to abruptly end my dinner with Cecilia so you won't go hungry."

"You didn't finish your dinner just to make sure I can eat? Why?"

"Just thought you'll be without a meal for a long time if both of us guys had to accompany a girl. The cafeteria isn't going to serve anything past 8PM, so I got you a meal before that happened."

Charlotte looked touched by his thoughtfulness, her eyes shone with gratitude. She stepped aside as the hybrid shuffled in still carrying the tray on one hand. The rare sight of the blonde boy carrying the tray without even trembling combined with his outfit made him look like a professional butler, albeit dressed in his rather quirky attire. The odd image greatly amused the girl as she smiled at him.

"You looked like a weirdly dressed butler, what with the way that you held that tray without even shaking."

Seeing Charlotte's mood improved from his actions, Elliot couldn't help but join in the fun. He dipped his head as he undid his shemagh and folded it up to hang it on his arm. His tone was deferential and polite as he gave a slight bow to her.

"Of course. For my lady, I could do no less."

His witty quip made the girl giggle childishly. The two blondes entered into the room, with Elliot helping the girl into her chair like a butler after he set her meal down.

"Since you've said so, then it wouldn't trouble you to serve this lady's dinner."

"Of course, my lady. Dinner is served. Bon Appetit, mademoiselle Dunois."

Bowing out, he stood to the side as Charlotte perused her fare. A gasp of shock came from the French girl.

Elliot was prepared for this. Pulling out the prepared tableware, he set down the wrapped bundle beside the tray, drawing Charlotte's attention in the process.

"It appears my lady has a bit of trouble with Oriental tableware. I had taken the liberty to prepare suitable tableware for my lady beforehand for this possibility."

Charlotte's gaze landed on the bundled tableware and his face. Seeing that he was still immersed in his role as her 'butler', she sputtered. Then a hearty laughter burst out of the girl. Her mellifluous French accented voice tickled his ear like a fine chord played by a master musician.

"Then perhaps you should feed this lady, since she doesn't know how to use such utensils without making a mess."

"Of course, mademoiselle. Allow this servant to feed you."

Pulling up another chair, Elliot sat down and took up the tableware. He carved a small piece of fish and scooped it up, bringing it up to Charlotte's lips.

"Now, say ahh."

"Ahhh..."

Charlotte ate the fish, a blissful expression graced her face as she munched on it.

"I hope that the madam finds the dinner up to her satisfaction."

"Oh... very."

Elliot scooped up some rice and brought the spoon up to her lips, "Now, next would be the rice. Please say 'ahh'."

"Ahhhh..."

Bit by bit, Elliot spoon-fed Charlotte. For someone who was forced to committing something against her will, Charlotte was someone he found rather endearing with her innocent soul and pleasant demeanor. The lack of hesitance in admitting her spying made him believe that she was a moral character at heart, indicating a very decent person which he hoped that one day he could consider her as a dear friend.

If it wasn't for his condition, perhaps he would even consider her as a close companion and possibly more. But such a thought was merely wishful thinking, not something that he could entertain. Still, he'd settle for them being friends at the very least.

With dinner finished, the hybrid excused himself and returned to his room. The room was enveloped in a blissful silence from his absence.

As she was left alone, Charlotte felt that her life was beginning to turn around. A faint flower of hope bloomed in her bosom, infusing her with joy.

For the first time since her mother passed on, her future which seemed bleak now looked a bit more colorful. Charlotte was excited, stoked to find out what her tomorrows would bring.

Along with it, the fire to fight for her own future rose to life, turning into burning motivation to write her own story. She had finally found something worth fighting for.

A home.

"Mentor…Your absolute and incomparable strength is the goal I seek. The reason of my sole existence."

Laura's eye scanned the vast expanse of a vacant arena, the full moon provided a fair bit of illumination as it cast bright rays upon the large pit, throwing shadows that bordered the edge of the sand pit.

Her mind was in turmoil, plagued by a myriad of emotions she didn't know how to adequately process. Her already simmering hatred towards the two brothers increased over causing her so much discomfort.

Truly her mentor was deluded by the two parasites she called brothers, one of which was weak and another that didn't even share her blood. They don't deserve any attention nor the care of the Empress, who was perfect and strong beyond measure.

Her hands clenched into tight fists, her anger threatened to pour out. Laura took a few steady breaths, feeling the familiar haze fading into the background.

She knew about the incident behind her mentor's meteoric rise as the world's strongest pilot. She had heard about the story from veteran pilots belonging to Germany's IS corp whom served as her instructors. About a few years ago, her little brother was kidnapped by unknown actors and she was threatened to throw the match.

It was only thanks to the Schwarzer Geist that the useless boy was rescued, preventing her mentor from doing so and forfeiting her match. The orphan was reported to be nowhere during that time, no doubt hiding in fear for his own safety upon learning of his own brother's kidnapping.

In return for the aid of an unknown pilot and now a dangerous criminal, her instructor bowed to them acknowledging them as superior to her in gratitude for saving her brother. Just the thought of that pilot being above her mentor boiled her blood.

She swore that both those useless parasites and that pilot would fall beneath her, crushed and broken. She would see those who besmirched her mentor's strength defeated by her own hands.

Needing a distraction from the negative thoughts, she reviewed the objectives of her special assignment. A sigh escaped her as she bemoaned at the lack of any progress at either of her objectives.

So far the search of information on the Schwarzer Geist had been stonewalled by two significant obstacles, namely the local population and the lack of any credible leads. Her classmates had been unhelpful at best, her debacle during her first day had made them wary of her. Somehow the subsequent cold treatment made her felt as if she was targeted and deliberately isolated by her classmates. She suspected that the orphan had ordered them to ostracize her, preventing any chance for her to glean any useful intel from them but she couldn't confirm that suspicion.

Secondly, the reputation of the pilot had made any open discussion of that topic extremely scarce. No one on Academy Island was brave enough to talk nor utter that name, which its mere mention would grip anyone with fear. Even the instructors were hesitant on broaching the subject, further complicating her already tough mission. Adding to the fact she did not possessed any hacking expertise to infiltrate the Academy's computer systems, her investigation had literally frozen up at this point.

Fitting. Since she was chasing someone known as a ghost, the whole mission of finding any information on them felt like a veritable ghost chase. The entire futility of the objective almost made her consider giving up the mission.

She shook her head, banishing any thoughts on giving up. No, she would not give up so easily. She had survived special forces training and Instructor Orimura's hellish tutelage, what was one intel gathering mission on an infamous pilot?

Banishing her grim thoughts, she mentally reassessed her secondary objective. As for her secondary objective, she had yet to encounter any significant obstacles. Prior to her arrival to the Academy, she had read up on any information the BND had collected over the orphan sibling of Instructor Orimura. Surprisingly, very little credible information was available that would shed light on his abilities or what made him so valuable as to warrant her involvement.

There was very little intel about his life before his adoption. The only thing they knew was that he possessed high scholastic and physical aptitude as shown in his academic reports. He had very little social contact except for China's current representative contender and a select few people but yet was exceptionally popular and well-known among his community. His history painted him as a well-known maverick and recluse with a quick tendency to use physical violence against anyone who dared to threaten him or his brother on top of being a habitual rule breaker.

Laura concluded he was simply nothing but high achieving, antisocial loner, far from the image of a deadly fighter. Barring her objective, she had no qualms of putting him down should he posed a threat to her personal goal.

Little did the intel prepared her for his prodigious combat ability. Even when they had initially fought, he was able to execute a suicide throw in the spilt second he hit the ground when he was thrown over the shoulder. What's more, he recovered quicker than her and held her at gunpoint multiple times. The extent of his martial abilities greatly surprised her.

The graceful, powerful manner and desperate resourcefulness in his fighting style was reminiscent of her mentor, which pointed to the possibility he was personally taught by Instructor Orimura herself. That fact incensed her more than the fact that he was the source of inspiration for the Instructor, which she had now confirmed from her talk with the woman.

How could a no-name street orphan not only be accepted into her mentor's home but be given combat instruction and even earned her trust? Her own training under Instructor Orimura had been extremely grueling, with the program possessing a very low passing rate due to its extreme difficulty. But the results of said program were clear as the Schwarzer Hase had proved itself as Germany's premier IS fighting force. The idea that there was someone out there possessing skill that far exceeded them was an insult to her and her fellow sisters in arms.

This lunacy cannot be allowed to persist. If her mentor had reasons to be tied down to this Far East country, she would sever those chains that tied her down. Without those unnecessary burdens, she would come back to Germany and mold them into a fighting force the world would fear. They would be inseparable as they should've been. Under her further tutelage, she would find the Schwarzer Geist and crush her under her feet, regaining her mentor's lost honor and glory.

Reaching behind her head, Laura found the clasp to her eyepatch and undid it. The piece of black leather fell away and a lone gold eye gleamed under the moonlight's reflection, its unnatural color clashed against her maroon eye.

"Ichika and Elliot Orimura, you're both the stain upon my mentor's strength. I swear to you both, I will get rid of you two by any means necessary!"

It was time for her mentor to regain her former strength, and she would be the catalyst for that ascension.

Chapter Text

Chapter 12: Battle of the successors.

"Ha ha ha ha ha! Elliot-kun, I never knew you have the potential to be a model and a very good one at that! This is just too good to pass up!"

The empty student council office erupted with Tatenashi's smoky voice rolling in laughter, the girl bent over the table trying hard but failed to keep her composure. Elliot rolled his eyes, grimacing at her amusement of his own discomfort.

Clutched in her right hand was a photo taken yesterday in the arena. How did a photo of him at that moment was taken he didn't know, nor did he saw the humour of the girl finding his less than composed appearance amusing.

"Yeah yeah, laugh it up President. I hope you'd choke from laughing so hard. Can you please take me seriously now?"

If the Student council president was chuckling over his 'image', the sight of his stony face marred with displeasure was enough to send her over the edge. The girl was now positively wheezing with laughter, her dulcet voice filled the room with life. If it wasn't for his aggravation, the sound of the girl laughing would've brought a smile to his face but he wasn't here to chat nor watch her make fun of him.

"But Elliot-kun, this is just too funny! Do you know just how many girls in the Academy had already run over each other just to buy a poster of this shot?"

Elliot narrowed his eyes in suspicion. The mirth in Tatenashi's eyes made him leery to find out if she was telling the truth. But knowing just how little sense the girls in the ISA could be, the hybrid wouldn't put it past anyone that it wouldn't be impossible for that to happen.

"Well, I've put out at least 100 of them and they were sold out within 30 minutes! What's more, they've sold for at least 5 times more that the price I've set! Here, take a look at the earnings."

Tatenashi reached down and pulled out a bulging envelope, holding it up clearly for him to see with a mirthful expression.

"50,000 Yen for just 1 hour of work and 100 posters. I swear, you have a talent for this Elliot-kun! This amount of money would be the same amount as some clubs get in a month and I just got this within half an hour! The girls still want more of this and I can get more out soon. If this continues, the Student Council's budget for this month will be fully covered by the proceeds from the sales, with some left over for other expenses. Thanks Elliot-kun!"

Annoyance surged through him. He was hoping to use the time before class to sought out her help for a certain matter, instead all he got was a ragging from the girl over a stupid photo of him taken without his permission and turned into a precious commodity. The amount of disrespect towards his privacy by the Academy's student population was unbelievable and it really pissed him off.

His patience gone, Elliot pulled up a chair and plopped down, burying his head in his hands. He was now not in the mood to do anything other than to find a quiet spot and recharge his batteries. He was already drained trying to keep his irritation in check and it was making him very tired. And this all happened while it was still early in the morning when he still had a whole day of classes upcoming! The idea of skipping classes seemed more appealing by the minute.

"Awww! Elliot-kun, don't be mad! I'll give you a cut of the proceeds and any future proceeds from the sales too! Anyways, with that out of the way let's get down to business."

The severe, business-like atmosphere that descended into the room roused Elliot out of his morose brooding. He raised his head up, finding himself staring at his roommate who had now transformed into a serious, no-nonsense student council president.

"I've heard what happened yesterday to Ichika-kun and you're right. Bodewig had shot at a student outside of duel or competition, which is a class A infraction according to the school rules. I've barred her access to the arena and its facilities. She'll not be able to use her IS in that place, even during practical sessions. If she dared to use it on school grounds…"

Tatenashi trailed off, flipping her fan open with slight flair. The Kanji on the leaves stated, "Harsh consequences" were written clearly on the paper.

"She'll find out just how harsh the penalties are for repeatedly breaking the Academy's rules, especially since she's a representative contender and personal IS pilot to begin with."

Hearing the seriousness behind Tatenashi's words, Elliot felt the weight upon his mind lifted away from her declaration. He had thought the student council president was a whimsical and playful girl at all times but it turned out her mischievous side only applied when she was not immersed in her duties and responsibilities. Knowing that she realized the severity of the situation and handled it accordingly, the hybrid felt his burden had just gotten slightly more bearable.

He still hasn't figure out the reason why Laura was adamant on eliminating them. What little he could extrapolate from her and Chifuyu's conversation yesterday seem to pointed to her obsession over Chifuyu's image as the world's undefeated IS pilot.

Elliot knew about Chifuyu's departure to Germany for a year as repayment for their aid in rescuing Ichika. No doubt that was where she met Laura during during her tenure an IS instructor there. What puzzled him was why the German was fixated on his sister as someone undefeated and untainted.

Perhaps there was some tragic reason that compelled her to do so but Elliot couldn't condone her actions of trying to kill Ichika or him simply because she deemed them unworthy of Chifuyu's time or care. It was not her business to care about their family's business.

He crossed his arms, studying the girl's serious expression to try and get a read on her true thoughts. He found Tatenashi glancing at him with a neutral expression, her face showed nothing of her inner thoughts. But still, there was still the pertinent issue at hand which he hadn't broached yet.

"That's all good and proper but we still have the problem of Bodewig running around trying to find an opportunity to hurt Ichika or me. I could handle her no problem but Ichika's a different story."

Rising out of his chair to find the Student President giving him her full attention, Elliot voiced his own observations on the one-eyed German. As he went on, he could see the skepticism displayed in her eyes. He stepped up his argument a notch, hoping a logical standpoint could persuade her.

"From what I can see from her, she's serious on hurting both of us. Her eye shines with hatred, so much so that I could tell she'll murder us both if given the chance. I ask that you take further action to prevent Bodewig from doing anything drastic, lest someone gets hurt or worse."

Tatenashi's previously stoic demeanor melted away. Her face displayed pensive uncertainty at witnessing the aloof blonde looking rather agitated.

"U-Um, Elliot-kun? I don't know what made you say that but just why? I can't act without credible proof and just taking such a drastic action based on a student's word won't fly so well against scrutiny from the school authorities. I can have some people to keep an eye out on Bodewig but even that's quite a controversial move that if word of it gets out will reflect poorly on the Student Council. I'm sorry, Elliot-kun. As much as I like to help you, I have to keep the interests between the school and the students in mind so this is really too much."

This was not good. He was cognizant that he wasn't able to fully protect Ichika at all times which was why he had sought out the Student Council President in hopes of borrowing her authority. Despite having Perry helping to keep an eye on Laura, he'd still wished to have a backup plan just in case things escalated between them. His own reservations on relying on anyone for such a delicate matter aside, the present circumstances left him with very little choice in the matter.

"But President, this is true! Bodewig's out there and she's got an obsession on removing both Ichika and I, for what reason I don't know. All I ask that is for someone to help keep watch over Ichika. Can't you get someone to keep an eye over him?"

"I'm sorry Elliot-kun. The Student Council still answers to the school authorities. If anyone saw a student gets preferential treatment for no good reason and complains up to the school, the council will have its power stripped and investigated for power abuse. That's no good since the Student Council is also partly responsible for the Academy's internal security and we need enough trust from both sides to do so. Plus with the amount of work we're swamped in, it's all hands-on deck for us. I'm terribly sorry Elliot-kun, but I really can't do too much."

The blue haired girl had a guilt-ridden expression as she spun on her heels but two strong hands grabbed her shoulders and turned her back around. Tatenashi looked on with shock as the normally stone-faced blonde bowed deeply while holding on to her, the grip on her shoulders tight and firm.

"Please, Student Council President! All I ask is that you give me some form of reassurance that Ichika would be safe! You can ask any price from me. Heck, even my life if you have to! But just promise me, promise! Promise me, that within your power you'll help me keep Ichika safe. He's one of the very few people in my life that's worth a lot to me, someone who gave me joy and happiness in a life that I hadn't considered possible before I came into Orimura-sensei's family. Please, just help me keep my impulsive brother safe."

Tatenashi was rendered immobile, both from the solid grip on her shoulders and from shock. Long gone was the quiet and aloof heartbreaker, in his place was an anxious boy who sought her help in protecting their own sibling. Her heart twisted in sympathy, wrenching from his sincere plea that touched her.

And she could empathize with him for their shared circumstance. As an elder sister, Tatenashi knew what it was like to worry about your younger sibling. What pained her was when that love and concern for her little sister was not reciprocated, her care served as the divisive element that drove them apart instead of drawing them closer. It had created no small amount of agony for her over the years from the cold relationship between them.

When she first saw the Orimura brothers together, she was a bit envious and somewhat jealous of their very close relationship despite the blonde boy was a step sibling to Orimura-sensei. When she had been tasked by their sister to watch over the indifferent brother, she had plenty of chances to witness how tight knit they were, with casual banter and brotherly arguments broke out between them like a true family. Despite their differing origins, the boys interacted almost as if they're born and been together in the same family all their lives.

And she was very sure the boy was dead serious about paying any price to see his family unharmed. The Unmanned IS incident had demonstrated his conviction to do what was necessary to safeguard his family to the bitter end, as evident by him utterly annihilating the machine and passed out shortly after. The extreme and unflinching loyalty coupled with the love he possessed for his family really impressed and humbled her, while at the same time made her wonder about her own situation with her own family.

From what she saw from him, she can't help but find many similarities between them. They're determined individuals, possessing far above average smarts and were high achieving people who cared deeply for their family. The similarities in their circumstances made it hard for her to say no but her duties prevented her from agreeing to his request.

This situation put her in an impasse. Her willingness to help clashed with the potential consequences that may befell upon her for doing so. Logic dictated that she turn down his request but her mind was already made up at this point. Maybe she can't use the authority of the student council to help but this time she wasn't going to do so. As an elder sibling, she would help even when he didn't asked for it.

After all, if their positions were reversed she would hope that he would do the same if she asked of him. A feeling told her he was the kind of person that kept his word.

"Elliot-kun, look at me."

Her dainty hand reached out and cradled his face, feeling the warmth from his sun kissed skin. The physical touch made him raise his head, turning those golden orbs towards her. Those dazzling pair of eyes showed a myriad of emotions, further solidifying her decision to help him.

Anxiety. Fear. But most importantly hope.

"Don't worry, I promise I'll help. You maybe can't count on my help as Student Council President but you can count on me as someone who's the same as you. You have my word on that."

Breaking away from the boy, she moved back toward her seat and scribbled a line of numbers and letters on the handy legal pad she carried with her. Tearing off a page, she handed the paper to the blonde.

"Here's the code to my IS. You see Bodewig doing something dangerous to Ichika-kun or anyone else, ping me on the comms. I'll drop whatever I'm doing and come running towards you."

Accepting the paper, Elliot's eyes took in the unique code that was inherent in every IS. The boy bowed towards her, his voice suffused with gratitude.

"Thank you President. Thank you very much."

"Don't need to thank me. It's the least I could do and right now you needed the help. From one elder sibling to the next, I wish nothing bad happens but I'll help as much as I can."

Deep down, she wished that the boy's foreboding words wouldn't came to pass. She wouldn't want to know or witness the pain of losing a loved one. If there was something she could do to spare someone that kind of pain, she'll do what she could to help them.

Elliot bowed again deeply in gratitude, thankful that at the very least he had secured the Student Council President's aid. Even it was not what he had in mind, he wasn't going to argue about accepting help from the most unlikely of places.

Straightening himself, he muttered out gratefully. Despite the risks associated with her going out on a limb to help him, she still offer her personal aid. He wasn't going to forget this favour from her.

"Many thanks President."

"Mmmhmm. And also, don't forget this."

Elliot looked at her curiously as Tatenashi pulled out another envelope, passing it to him. Accepting it, he felt there was something thick within the package.

"What's this?"

"You probably didn't hear this just now but just a little something for causing you so much grief all this time. The proceeds from the sales of your photos and a 20% cut from any future sales."

Elliot didn't know how much money that entailed but he could guessed it was a tidy sum. With that knowledge, he was bit reluctant on accepting the money. After seeing the picture that was the basis for the posters, he was a bit ashamed at the unkempt look he sported that day. He knew that his looks and demeanor earned him just as many admirers as enemies ever since he stepped into normal society.

And with his identity as an IS-human hybrid, any form of intimate relationship was out of the picture for him. The fact that his own familial relationship with Ichika was built on a foundation of secrets really bothered him, with him fearing that one day his secret would undo their close bond. With all these pressures, the last thing he wanted to worry about was societal expectations, many of which didn't served any useful purpose to him. The anonymity suited him just fine, barring the occasional interest to his admittedly quirky nature.

Then again, the number of true male pilots in the world could be counted with two fingers. Like it or not, he would be in the perpetual spotlight as long as he lived. Deserved fame or not, money was still money and he could always do with it, excluding his own distaste on the whole matter.

"Well, I'll take it. As much as it's embarrassing to know girls are lusting after me like some celebrity, it feels I would be insulting you if I didn't accept it."

"Does that mean you'll do it voluntarily if I offer more money to you?"

Elliot gave a flat glare at the giddy girl, clearly showing his distaste on the idea.

"No."

"Awww! Too bad. Well, we'll discuss about what you owe this girl for protecting Ichika-kun at a later date. Right now, you need to go. Class's about to start, and it wouldn't do for the Ice Prince of ISA to set a bad example now, wouldn't it? Now, shoo! Go!"

Elliot didn't need telling twice before he broke out the office and ran for class. His clock had told him that there was only ten minutes left before classes began.

On his way there, his mind wandered back to his roommate. Her severe demeanor when things really mattered threw him off somewhat but not in any negative manner. If anything, he was intrigued by it.

'Never knew the president could be such a focused person when it counts.'

He recalled that she had mentioned she was an elder sibling. Elliot didn't know if she meant she understood what it was to be an elder figure to a younger person or she had a younger sibling just like him. Whatever her reason was, he was grateful that she was willing to go out on a limb to help him safeguard Ichika.

Because of this, his previously dim view on his roommate had somewhat improved . If he can't relate to her fun side, at least he could do so with her more serious side.

Elliot panted lightly, having ran non-stop from one end of the building to the next while carrying a backpack. Checking to make sure his attire wasn't disheveled, he adjusted his shemagh and his hat before stepping through the door to class 1-1. So far, excluding his visit to the quirky student council president it was shaping up to be a normal day.

"He's here!"

"""ORIMURA-SAN!"""

Or not.

Elliot reeled back as a massive crowd of his classmates swarmed around him, eyes sparkled with feverish admiration and awed wonder as they gushed and praised him. The close proximity of so many people and the overwhelming number of eyes centered on him made him felt claustrophobic and suffocated.

"H-Hey! What's going on here!?"

"Elliot, you're here! You won't believe what just happened!"

"Ichika?"

Homing in on his brother's voice, he found Ichika pushing through the crowd and moving towards him. Following behind him was Charlotte, still in her male disguise.

The outgoing Orimura boy pulled his brother away from the crowd, at an impeccable timing since Elliot was getting really fed up with the noise and the invasion of his personal space by his giddy classmates. The hybrid was confused as he inquired about this incident with Ichika.

"Ichika, what's going on?"

"Take a look at this! You'll understand it once you see it!"

The boys struggled through the crowd piling in from all sides, all focused on Elliot. They eventually made it to the back of the class where a small group of their classmates congregated.

"Oh, Orimura-san's here! Let's show him that poster!"

Pushed to the front, the crowd cleared the way like Moses parting the Red Sea. Elliot's eyes landed on the notice board at the back of the class and only then he knew the cause of the frenetic excitement that plagued his fellow classmates this early in the morning.

'I gotta admit, Tatenashi really knew how to make someone look good in pictures.'

Pinned on the corkboard was a larger version of the photo he saw in the student council office just moments ago. He had foregone his outer layers, leaving him with only his shirt, pants and boots. His white shirt had one of its topmost buttons undone, showing his collarbones and part of his chest. His sleeves had been rolled up, showing well-defined forearms and prominent veins.

Topping it all off, his hair was tousled and mussed from the work in Arena 6 that day, sweat sticking to his face in little droplets that ran down his pale skin. Cerberus was held in his left hand, muzzle pointed down on the ground while his right arm was wiping away sweat that had trailed down his face, obscuring his mouth. His golden eyes were like burnt gold, seemingly fixated on the camera with a predatory and resolute gaze that seemed to challenged whoever laid eyes on him.

The startlingly bold and photogenic nature of the poster transfixed him on the spot. Elliot didn't know if it was his own usual pose or the editing work done on the poster but he can't help but wonder if this was how people often perceived him. Even in spite the significant editing that went into the photo, it had a mysterious quality of pulling one's attention into it that he couldn't explain.

"What do you think, Elliot? One of the girls got the poster this morning and everyone else were demanding where she got it. They've been staring at it for a while before you came in."

"Is it?"

"Yup. With the way they look at it, you think they're looking at a popular celebrity. Though I guess you are one with how the girls obsessed over you."

Elliot resisted the urge to sigh defeatedly, having nothing to refute Ichika's statement. Knowing the girls' obsession towards him, he knew it was only a matter of time before pictures of him circulated widely around the Academy, along with it the rise in his fame and popularity. The thought of being mobbed by a horde of overeager fangirls sent goosebumps on his skin.

"Mon Dieu! You look quite dashing in that poster, Elliot! Tres magnifique!"

The hybrid couldn't resist groaning in mortification, feeling embarrassed by Charlotte's genuine praise. It was both embarrassing and insulting to know that his likeness was being commercialized into memorabilia that found a lot of appeal among young Academy students, although he couldn't deny that the poster was quite well done. The image portrayed by the portrait made him looked larger than life, a tough, stoic warrior that could survive in battle just as well as he could navigate the modern society where men were deemed inferior. No doubt the paradoxical contrast would attract a lot of attention from the ladies.

While he wanted to live his life in quiet obscurity, he also knew that was borderline impossible being one of the few male pilots in the world. Acknowledging that grim fact, he could do nothing but only stomach this unpleasant fact while trying to find his own place in this world.

Turning towards a classmate whom he thought was the owner of said poster, he asked the question he didn't dared to know the answer to.

"Hey, how much did you pay for this?"

"Oh, about 5,000 Yen, Orimura-san. It was very difficult to get since there was only 100 of them and I had to outbid a lot of other girls before I can get my hands on one."

The statement drew a round of petulant whines and disappointed groans all around him. It was clear there were a lot who wanted the posters themselves.

A sudden presence by his side drew his attention. Shifting his gaze, he found Cecilia stood beside him, a demure smile quirked her thin lips.

"I must say, you look rather dashing and handsome in that picture, Elliot dear. Even though it may be a bit of a frivolous waste of money, I would admit that I wouldn't mind having one of these posters that the girls seem to obsess over."

The Briton marched up towards the poster and placed her hand on the picture. Turning towards the owner of the poster, she made a bold offer.

"Himamori-san, is it? Did you buy this poster? I'll pay you double of what you paid for this."

The classroom that was settling down now erupted into an uproar of disbelief and surprise. Comments and remarks flew about the place, all centred on the girl's bold move.

"Wow, Cecilia really wanted that poster!"

"Of course she would! She's rather close to the Ice Prince after all!"

"No fair! I want it too. I'll pay just a bit more that what Cecilia offered!"

"Hey wait a sec! I want it too! I'll pay you three times the price!"

The place quickly devolved into pandemonium, with prices shouted out one after another, each higher than the last. Somehow, the girl that had bought the poster took on the role as auctioneer as every girl with the notable exception of Houki and Laura joined in on the madness.

The brothers and Charlotte inched back from the chaos happening at the back of the class, watching the scene unfolding before them. Elliot was physically turned off by the sight of girls bidding madly over a single image of him as he turned away, not wanting to witness the perverse sight any longer.

"Uh, what's up with them?"

"Can't you tell, Ichika? They are attracted to Elliot, so they wanted any memorabilia of him. It's just like fans obsessing over their stars."

"Huh. So, does that means Elliot's a star now?"

Elliot couldn't help but sighed at Ichika's question, not turning around to face him.

"Unfortunately."

Watching the frantic bidding taking place over his poster, the hybrid can't help but felt like a piece of meat being admired by the girls in the Academy. He now desperately hoped to be done with class already so he could start hiding from the inevitable mass of obsessed fangirls.

"So, I guess you're Mr. Popular now, huh? Say, could you get me one of those posters?"

Elliot gave a dirty glare towards his brother, which didn't held much heat behind it. He knew that Ichika was having a bit of harmless teasing at his expense which he didn't mind one bit.

"You make fun of me right now, but I swear I'll get you right back when they decided to use you as new material for male IS pilot merchandise next. We'll see what they'll come up with your likeness"

Ichika had the awareness to look mortified, not believing the prospect Elliot painted.

"Not going to happen! You're much more popular than me and you're not even doing anything but just being yourself. How could they think I'm prime material for making fan merch?"

"Just wait and see, I'll get my payback then."

"In your dreams!"

"Don't say never!"

And an amusing scene thus took place within Class 1-1. A literal bidding war occurred at the back of the class while an argument broke out among the Orimura brothers at the front, bickering about whom of them was going to be turned into the next line of merchandise for the Academy's female population.

Charlotte, being disguised as a boy could only watch on, torn as she wanted to calm the two boys down while at the same time wanting to join in on the bidding but couldn't because of obvious reasons. The chaotic scene went on, until the arrival of the two teachers that went unnoticed by the occupants of the room.

"YOU BRATS! QUIET DOWN AND GET BACK TO YOUR SEATS! CLASS'S ALREADY BEGUN!"

The demonic shout from the most infamous teacher on Academy Island broke up the chaos within the room. Every student in class 1-1 scurried back to their seat, fearful they would become the target for Chifuyu's wrath. The chaotic class soon mustered itself into orderly discipline as silence settled over the class.

"Alright listen up! The class league tournaments are coming up in 2 weeks' time. During these 2 weeks the arena would be open to all students to practice, so you'd better get some practice in before the tournament. Is that clear?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"One more thing. Due to the use of Mondo Grosso rules in the tournament, Orimura-san would be excluded from joining the tournament."

Nothing could be heard in the ensuing silence as everyone processed what the woman had remarked. Literal seconds passed before a wave of chagrined murmurs broke out as the students in class wondered why the blonde boy was barred from joining the upcoming tournament.

Being intolerant towards nonsense, Chifuyu quickly silenced the room with a stern shout. Her stern and commanding voice broke through the racket with unobscured clarity.

"Quiet down you brats! Due to Orimura-san's IS not fulfilling Mondo Grosso requirements, he's disqualified from joining any official matches. The representative rounds for this class would be competed by another pilot chosen by the class representative."

The hybrid blinked once, his golden pools widened as he registered what the woman implied from her statement.

'Right, I've almost forgotten that particular bit of rule. Not that it bothered me much.'

For those who were uninitiated to the IS world, matches were divided into various categories. To the layperson, it would seem that such gladiatorial styled matches would be conducted with very little restraints or oversight. But in reality there was strict supervision and regulation behind the matches just like any other international sport. Therefore, any significant match outside of practical instruction or impromptu sparring would be conducted with Mondo Grosso rules.

And since this upcoming tournament was conducted in the ISA, it would be a given that those rules would apply. With Hecate gutting its own Absolute Defense years ago, his machine didn't meet the prerequisite requirements to participate in the tournament.

Silver linings the hybrid mused, but still it was a big shame that he couldn't just cut loose in a real match. He was raring to teach Laura a lesson and now that's not going to happen.

Many within Class 1-1 were curious and disappointed at the unexpected development, which one of the girls was brave enough to inquire on.

"Sensei, just what prevented Orimura-san from participating in the match?"

"It's his unit. It doesn't have an Absolute Defense system unlike standard personal ISs. His shield count is also way too low compared to even a mass-produced IS on top of having weapons too powerful for competitive settings. Those points alone disqualified him from joining the class league matches on the grounds of safety."

The silence was broken by a gasp from Charlotte, realization turned her facial features into a mask of surprise.

"Mon dieu, that's right! The Mondo Grosso rules do have a section that dictated the machine requirements and permissible armaments that contenders have to abide by. Elliot's IS must've had some aspects that didn't fulfil the requirements."

"On that note, I'll also add on to that. Any match that's conducted in Mondo Grosso format requires each contestant with Personal ISs to comply with a set of basic requirements for their ISs in order to be eligible to join. This is to ensure the matches are conducted in a fair manner and to prevent deadly injuries from happening. Despite that, injuries and severe damage to ISs are still common in any serious matches that followed this format, especially in the Mondo Grosso itself."

Hearing Chifuyu's lecture on IS matches and guidelines, the class began whispering to one another, wondering just how did their class representative possessed an IS that was by definition incomplete and flawed.

"But sensei, how's that possible? All ISs have Absolute Defense systems to protect their pilot. I fail to understand why Elliot has an IS that lack such basic safety systems."

"What's more, how does this rule didn't stop Elliot from participating in practicals or class matches in the first place?"

Seeing both Ichika and Cecilia chagrined at the news, Elliot knew that both were anticipating his performance in the upcoming matches. This development literally crushed their hopes of watching him in action.

"Settle down you two. The school had already decided that he won't be joining and that's that. Elliot's IS is a prototype and one that had serious defects, so the school had decided that he will sit this one out."

"But what about using a mass produced IS? That would work."

"He can't. His IS can't be removed from his person for test purposes and piloting a mass-produced Unit without taking off your personal unit could create serious problems for both ISs. Decision's been made, Orimura-san will sit this one out and that's final."

The teacher's resolute tone quelled any further dissatisfaction on this matter. While the girls' understood the reason behind his exclusion, most were unhappy with the way things turned out for him.

Elliot turned his head slightly to the back, his gaze fell on Laura. Whether a trick of light or his own imagination, he saw an almost imperceptible smirk flashed across the German's face.

There were no prizes for guessing what crossed the German's mind. Elliot knew that she saw this as a God sent opportunity to get to Ichika without him getting in her way. She was right in a way, with him unable to even fight in the match against her she literally had a straight shot towards Ichika when he was hamstrung by rules.

But rules don't mean much to him, especially the stupid ones. He wasn't a rebel without a cause nor a habitual lawbreaker but he was willing to do what was necessary if that was called of him. If push came to shove, he would break any rule just to see his family safe. Plus he has enough cards up his sleeve ready to be used.

A show-off between a tenacious soldier and a cunning strategist, who would be the final victor? There was only one way to find out and it was during the tournament two weeks away.

And he has every intention to win this deadly game of hunter and hunted. For the shared survival of both him and Ichika, there was no other option.

'Whew... I thought I'd never get out of that mess. Those girls really need a new hobby.'

Peeking around the corner, Elliot found no signs of anyone present. Not that he expected any would be around in the arena at this time but he wanted to make sure.

For the past 10 minutes, he had been dodging the incessant hounding of numerous girls who by now knew about the poster and sought to have pictures of him taken with them. Their obsessive infatuation towards him really unnerved the hybrid, forcing him to take every measure to dodge the girls trying to get a photo of him. After taking away his lunch, he had quietly made his way to the arena to enjoy it in solitude.

Much to his relief, there were no other students there as he clambered onto one of the launch platforms in Arena 6. The open-air nature of the dome allowed him an unrestrained view of the blue sky, of which he could gaze at while enjoying his meal outdoors. Plus it allowed for Perry to join him should he needed to.

Sitting down on the metal surface, Elliot pulled out his lunch and started to munch on it. The food was still warm, a sumptuous scent wafting out of the paper bag that made his stomach growl.

While he was scarfing down his meal, his mind worked up the beginnings of a plan to deal with Laura. The recent development had thrown a wrench into his previous plan, forcing him to scrap previously drawn up plans and come up with a new one. With his exclusion from the coming tournament, his plan of fighting Laura was just flushed down the drain. That left the option of having Ichika facing Laura alone, which was a bad idea all around.

Not that he held doubts about Ichika's ability behind Byakushiki, but he wasn't confident that Ichika could took on the German and win. While Ichika was progressing rapidly behind his IS, his temperament still left much to be desired. Ichika was quite cheery and viewed the world through a rose-tinted, simplistic perspective. To make matters worse, he also could get quite hot-tempered and impulsive when his ire was stoked, which was the case when it came to anything besmirching his character or Chifuyu's reputation. These personal qualities would put him at a disadvantage when he had to face the dispassionate, stone-cold German in the arena.

With this new development, he had to figure out another method to bring down the arrogant German. Perry had kept constant surveillance over the girl, updating him of her whereabouts. So far the girl hadn't been up to anything suspicious but the hybrid wasn't going to be lulled into lowering his guard. If he couldn't resort to diplomacy, then his backup plan was to counter any aggressive actions she may take against them.

The only thing he could came up with was to fight Laura in a large no holds barred match in hopes for a chance to dissuade the girl during combat. While he knew that engaging your potential murderer in a fight was a really terrible idea, the other options didn't seemed to resolve the situation well enough in his eyes.

Short of bowing down and leaving their fates in the hands of a girl who had an unexplainable grudge against them, this was the only way. Elliot couldn't even think of putting his life in the hands of someone that had the sole goal of erasing him and Ichika. That would be the last thing he'll ever do, whether in this life or his previous one.

No. The only way to get rid of the obsessed German girl was to show her just how wrong her beliefs were and the only language that would get across to her was violence. Not ideal, but survival was never about dealing matters in the way you like.

If it did came down to open conflict, Elliot knew that he had more advantages going for him than for Laura. His martial skills and physical abilities far outclassed the German and Hecate has been constantly hard at work evolving both of them, which should gave him the advantage should both of them ended up pointing guns at each other. What's more, he had the support of class 1-1 and its denizens against the girl, a good bulwark against any kind of indirect action she could've taken. The only problem was how to get the opportunity for them to have their big showdown without the teachers interfering and that part had him stumped.

Rubbing his forehead, he tried to dispel the headache plaguing him from thinking about this for too long. Somehow his ineligibility for participating in the class league match due to technicality had came back to bite him in the rear. He had an inkling of suspicion that Chifuyu had invoked the rules in order to protect him from unwanted attention but it had also had robbed him of a chance to dissuade Laura through a clash of force.

Now he could only stood at the sidelines while watching his brother face a person out who had a grudge against them alone. Hopefully he wouldn't have to make that call to Tatenashi but there was no telling how the vendetta would play out. Better to be safe than sorry and he was thankful to have that option queued up just in case.

With the last bite down his gut, he balled up the bag and pocketed it for disposal later. The silence of the empty arena proved therapeutic to his inflamed nerves, save for the occasional chirping of birds and whistling of a gentle breeze. Perhaps he could stay here until the bell rang.

Pulling in a deep breath, he held it for a few seconds before letting it all out in a long exhale. The process repeated itself a few more times, with each cycle he felt his mind cleared of extraneous thoughts that had cluttered his mental space.

How long has it been that he was able to sat down and relax long enough to think hard? Without little noises in the background to drown out his mind, Elliot was able to reflect back on the events that had occurred since he and Ichika had enrolled into the ISA.

The fight against Cecilia, the Unmanned IS intrusion, reuniting with Rin, making the acquaintance of Charlotte and many more. The first semester of ISA had been quite a frantic year but something that he had come to tentatively welcome.

All of this was infinitely more preferable than the fear ridden days of surviving on the streets, worrying about his next meal or the grim prospect of being mugged or killed. Elliot was never more thankful for Chifuyu and Hecate for giving him a second chance in life, when there were many more people that didn't have such a luxury because they ended up dead or consumed by the vicious and volatile dynamic of street life.

But recently a stray thought had been niggling him for quite a while. Looking back and contrasting the differences between his two lives, he can't help but felt a sense of aimlessness in his current existence. Like a ship adrift in the ocean without a destination, he found himself having no notable life goals in this life to strive towards.

In his previous life, his sole focus was nothing more than survival. How to acquire his next meal, how to earn some money quickly, those were questions he was forced to ask himself daily in order to survive. Over the years, he had plenty enough practice to answer those questions on a daily basis.

But now? When he woke up from what was his certain death, he was immediately thrust into a wildly different world which he had long abandoned out of grim acceptance of his prevailing reality. Without the constant need of fighting for his survival, his life was left with nothing except to learn and master his own partner while taking care of his brother.

Sure, he had became the one of the world's only two male pilots but that wasn't a goal, merely an empty title and position he occupied because of external circumstances. He knew that he needed to keep his condition a secret but other than that responsibility, what kind of direction was he leading with his life?

Moreover, just how much time he had in this second life? A year? A decade? No one knows. And that uncertainty was what scared him greatly.

Even if that wasn't an issue, what were his plans after he left the Academy? Start a business? Become a detective? He had previously thought about such options when he was still on the streets saving up money to buy his path towards a better life. But since becoming an IS pilot, he realized just how deep the female superiority mindset had rooted itself into society's consciousness, which severely limited his options in life. Being a male IS pilot, his fame would follow him everywhere like a shadow clinging onto him. There would be no shortage of radicals and supremacists to make his life difficult even after he left the ISA and stepped into general society.

Since men were perceived as the weaker gender, abuses from females in open public had became commonplace and even accepted. He saw plenty of such atrocities in his two lives combined, his childhood a prime example of such deplorable circumstances. He'd still remember the mistreatment by the faculties within the various orphanages he'd been in, heaped upon helpless young boys without rhyme or reason. Him going out into society was going to end up in disaster, one way or the other.

The depressing events of the world elicited a long-suffering sigh from the hybrid. Elliot couldn't help but wonder just how did the world came to this. Many proponents of the IS lauded that gender equality had been achieved with the advent of the IS but he believed it was the opposite. Nowadays, the scale had tipped way too far over to the opposite end, creating the very inequality that they had prophesied to resolve in the first place.

He really wished that he could do something to change the world but what could he possibly do to change the increasingly sickening status quo? He was but one man, joined to a machine that kept him alive like Frankenstein's monster. At least he could admit he was much better looking than a cadaver stitched together with different body parts.

The brazen and unrestrained abuses by females who drank the female superiority Kool Aid really rubbed him the wrong way. Why did people treat each other horribly just because they thought they could get away from it? Just because they had the potential to pilot a powerful war machine? Try as he might, Elliot couldn't figure out the logic behind the depraved mentality that dominated the fairer gender in the last half decade.

While the hybrid was engaged in numerous mental gymnastics of a philosophical nature, he didn't realized that there was an interloper within the tranquil environment. That particular person looked left and right around the pit, looking to see if anyone was present, not realizing the lone presence sequestered in the shadows.

'Master, there appears to be a student in the arena.'

Jolted out of his musings, Elliot peeked down to find a lone figure standing in the sand pit. Utilizing his enhanced vision he found that it was Rin, her pink IS suit stood out in stark contrast to the khaki landscape.

'What the-? Guess my alone time just got cut down to nothing.'

Taking care not to alert the lone girl within the arena, Elliot quietly slinked further back into the shadows by the mouth of the launch bay. The hybrid tried to salvage any quiet time he could and he was content on leaving his childhood friend alone if that called for it.

The sudden arrival of Cecilia quashed any hopes of having his alone time today. The Briton was dressed similarly in her own pilot suit, the royal blue ensemble shone starkly under the bright daylight. Feeling exposed, Elliot slinked further back into the shadows and had Hecate partially materialized, using the newly revamped Artemis' Shroud for the first time.

It was probably too excessive a reaction just for the sake of some peace and quiet, but Elliot still wasn't sure about the reasons behind the Briton's recent affection towards him. Until he could clearly ascertain her intentions for approaching him, he would be keeping his guard up around her.

Curious as to their presence here, Elliot decided to listen in. His enhanced senses clearly picked up the conversation as he kept an eye on them, considering he had nothing to do right now but to relax.

"Up on the crack of dawn, I see? And here I thought that I'll be the first one to arrive."

"Fat chance, I'm here to get extra training to defeat losers like you. What are you doing here?"

"Same as you. I'll win the tournament and secure the prize"

Both girls literally stared each other down challengingly, eyes bored into each other like daggers. Elliot watched them as he pondered on their conversation, curious as to the hidden meaning behind their short chat.

'A prize for the tournament? It's probably about the half year of desserts and extra credit for our ranking. But somehow I get the feeling they're not aiming for that prize.'

The verbal exchange between the girls slowly became more heated and vicious, with the number of barbed comments seemed to rise as time passed. Elliot didn't know whether the two friends had some bad blood between them or this was simply an expression of friendly rivalry between girls.

'And here I thought girls were better than us guys. Turns out they were no different from us males, with their own pecking order and social customs. '

Watching as both girls continued ragging each other on, Elliot wondered if he was watching two Representative Contenders arguing or two kids squabbling. The juvenile sight was disappointing to him, seeing what amounted to two nations' representatives acting so hot-headedly.

Seeing that further argument would get them nowhere, the girls had opted to settle their differences in combat. Blue Tears and Shen Long were summoned forth by their own pilots, wrapping around their masters like faithful protectors.

The girls leapt back, clearing some distance between them as they stood apart squaring down each other in a silent contest of wills. Then as if a silent horn had sounded off, the two representative contenders charged towards each other.

'Master, Bodewig is here in the arena. In fact she's in the same section as you are.'

Perry's sudden update put Elliot into high alert. His eyes scanned the arena, looking for any signs of the German representative contender. Just what was she doing here?

A buzzing thrum filled his ears, which then turned into a loud electronic crack as sand suddenly filled the arena along with a booming report. The hybrid quickly activated his thermal vision to see through the dust cloud.

A large crater had formed in the pit, the result of a high-powered strike. A single metal slug was embedded into the sand like a needle, which gave a clear indicator of the cause.

Elliot traced the shot path, finding the perpetrator of the sudden attack. Standing just at the launch platform opposite of him was Laura in her IS, a haughty smirk on her face as she regarded the two girls present.

The two girls who had their duel interrupted were not pleased at the intruder's presence. Both Rin and Cecilia turned and locked eyes with the silverette, their figures tense and ready to fight.

'This is going to get ugly. No doubt Bodewig's here to start up trouble by getting to my classmates and anyone close to us. Time to get involved before she really kills someone.'

Elliot was about to materialized Hecate before he froze, a bolt of ingenuity stopped him from his original intention. The sudden appearance of Laura gave him a bright idea. With his chance to fight her in the tournament was gone, he could use this opportunity to put her in her place under the guise of stopping her. By sending off the two girls to get Chifuyu here just as he defeated her, he could have his sister break the German out of whatever delusions she may held. If in the event he was defeated, Chifuyu's arrival would put an end to the arrogant German's victory and possibly save his hide if she was about to kill him.

With his mind made up and his plan formed, the only thing left was for him to execute it. He reached out towards Perry, giving out a short order.

'Perry, I need you to get into position high up in the sky. Get ready to start marking targets because I'll need plenty of it.'

'Understood Master. I'll be ready.'

Looking up into the sky, the silhouette of an eagle soon appeared, circling the mouth of the open roof like a vulture. It was time for the next phase of his plan. The link between him and Hecate flared to life, leaking both anticipation and curiosity to his partner.

'Hecate, are all of your systems ready to go?'

'Always Pilot. All measures are at your disposal. May your battles be swift and your enemies vanquished before your might.'

This was it. It was do or die time. To save his family and friends, he would have to take the risk of sticking his neck out just to stop a madwoman from possibly committing a double murder. Such a far cry from the days when he could sit by and disregard anything that didn't involved him.

Hecate's form fully materialized, wrapping him in a familiar and comforting embrace. Still shrouded in invisibility, he silently made his way down behind Rin and Cecilia whom were levying insults and provoking the German.

"What was that!? Oh wait, now I understand. You're itching to have your hind kicked so you've come all the way here to have yours served on a platter! Are you a masochist or is that what you do for fun back at the potato fields!?"

"Now now, Rin. It would seem that our new playmate doesn't speak the civilized language and it's not nice to tease someone so intellectually handicapped."

Both girls waited for a retort from the German but unexpectedly they both found themselves being contacted through a private frequency. Upon answering, they found Elliot's voice greeting them.

"Girls listen, Bodewig isn't here to challenge you but rather to send a message with you. You two get out of the arena and get Orimura-sensei. I'll handle this."

"E-Elliot dear!?"

"Simba!? What's going on here!?"

"No time to explain. Get out of your machines and get Orimura-sensei here. It's time for me to put her in her place."

The hybrid's orders weren't well received by the riled up pilots. Shock and dissatisfaction radiated from their very being as they yelled back into the comm.

"What? No way, if anyone's going to show her what's what it's going to be me. Let me handle this!"

"That's right! Besides, it's my responsibility to show this arrogant German her proper place!"

"Don't argue with me girls. Bodewig isn't someone you want to mess with and she'll kill you if she gets serious. I'll draw her attention and see if I can beat her. You want to help? Run as fast as you can and get Chifuyu here. Go!"

"But where are you, Elliot dear? I don't see you around."

"Right behind you."

The two girls instinctively whirled around to find him, only to encounter thin air. Elliot dropped his cloak as he reappeared back into sight, giving the two girls a shock of their lives.

Stepping past the two utterly surprised pilots, he stood in front and stared down the German. A vicious smirk now graced the diminutive girl as she took in his machine, which ironically was slightly dwarfed by the Schwarzer Regen.

"So, the pathetic orphan with a broken machine volunteered to be destroyed in place of two girls. How chivalrous. You're in no position to be contending against me and my Schwarzer Regen in that pale imitation of an IS. But since you offer yourself so readily, I won't complain."

That insult went poorly against the IS-human hybrid. Both machine and man felt slightly offended by the insult, with a sense of outrage coursed through his mind that no doubt originated from his partner. Elliot on the other hand grinned savagely behind his mask, his urge to duke it out with her increasing as seconds passed.

"Go now girls. I'll show her what for."

"But what are you going to do, Elliot dear? Your IS has far too little shield energy to resist Bodewig's IS." Cecilia regarded him with worry.

"And has that ever stopped me? Don't worry, I'll be fine."

"F-Fine! You be sure to beat her alright! We'll get Orimura sensei here as soon as we can!" Rin hurriedly spat out, her IS disappeared as she turned around.

"I know. Now go."

Seeing the girls stowed their ISs and left, he turned towards the remaining pilot. Glaring at Laura, he cracked his knuckles as he circled the arena, with the German banking to his left as she kept her distance from him.

"That's two times now you've started trouble in my class, this time there'll be no mercy. I hope you're ready for a real fight."

"You're nothing but a filthy orphan who had everything handed to you on a silver platter! I'll show you just how much far apart we are in terms of skill!"

Seeing the German's eye narrowed in vexation as she extended a pair of energy blades, Elliot realized just how he could gain another advantage on her. He assumed a ready stance, his hand outstretched as he beckoned her to get him.

"Come on then, show me what you got!"

"Begone, schwein!"

Both proteges of the Infernal Empress launched towards each other with vengeance and a frantic melee exploded within the arena. Both pilots called upon every ounce of their skill as they crossed blades, solid light hummed and sparked as they slashed, parried and thrust against each other.

The fight taking place between the two black ISs looked like a graceful, deadly dance between two experienced dancers. A deadly tango was played out as neither side gained any ground against the other but neither were giving up an inch without a serious fight.

While Laura was an experienced soldier and possessed a 3rd gen IS, he had the advantage of a longer apprenticeship under Chifuyu and an enhanced constitution, which proved to be a decisive edge over the girl. A couple of slashes had broke through Laura's guard, damaging her IS and taking away precious shield points while he suffered little to no damage to himself.

The now incensed girl barreled towards him, arm outstretched for a stab. Elliot raised the Nemean Claws just in time to intercept the strike, throwing out hot sparks as both sides locked together in a stalemate, the single violet blade caught in the grid of crisscrossed blue blades.

Both sides struggled to break the deadlock and overpower the other through sheer force. Laura gritted her teeth as she put more effort into extracting her trapped blade. Elliot struggled to persevere as he kept his blades locked, trying to pull Laura towards him.

Deciding she was outmatched in terms of strength, Laura decided to deactivate her blade and free herself. Only she was too slow as Elliot had the same idea but with a twist.

One half of that deadly gird disappeared as he twisted his body, pushing Laura's blade away while he swapped out his right claws for Cerberus. His left arm with the blades came back in a backhand that Laura handily blocked. She smirked confidently, sure of her victory against the boy.

"I'll admit, I've underestimated you and your machine. Still, you're no match for the commander of Germany's Schwarzer Hase corp! Now begone!"

Laura withdrew her arms to come down with a wide swing. The single blade was stopped cold by Elliot's shield, whom had materialized it at the last second and used it as a battering ram to knock her back. The hybrid took the chance as he hipfired Cerberus, activating its new mode. A resounding boom echoed within the arena as the Schwarzer Regen was violently flung away, courtesy of Cerberus' Bite.

"You talk too much, Bodewig."

The German scrambled onto her feet, eye blazed with fury at the unanticipated strike against her. Levelling the massive railgun on her shoulder, the weapon hummed lowly, getting increasingly louder as the large artillery charged up for a devastating blow.

By then Elliot was already long gone, using the dust cloud to mask his next move. Artemis' Shroud kicked in and shrouded him from her sight, refracting light and scrambling electronic signals. The gun cut its power mid-charge, its steady hum died prematurely. Laura was left searching the arena for any signs of the towering boy, her railgun tracking alongside her gaze. A furious snarl ripped out of her diminutive body as she tried but couldn't locate the elusive pilot.

"Grrr... come out you pathetic worm! Don't think that your IS's One-off ability would save you from my Schwarzer Regen!"

6 daggers connected to wires shot out the back of Laura's IS, fanning out in various directions. The wires flew through the air, twisting and gliding like airborne snakes sniffing out their prey.

Elliot killed his propulsion and landed softly on the ground. Slowly and quietly he made his way to the back of Laura, whom still had her wire-guided daggers combing through the air and the ground for him.

One of the daggers snaked a bit too close for his liking. Elliot partially de-summoned Hecate, reducing his size to allow the flying blade to pass him by. Once he knew he was safe, Hecate reformed around him and he reached behind Laura. The roaming German was still searching for him, none too wise of his current position.

'Perry, mark where the daggers came out of Bodewig's IS. Closer to the spot where they came out the better.'

'Yes Master, marking targets. You should see the tags in your HUD. Just use Chimera and adjust your aim until the tags turn green, then open fire. Let the rifle and me do the work.'

Ultima appeared in his hands and Elliot jacked the lever down sharply, catching the live APFDS round and stowing it away. A 30mm HEI round was loaded into the rifle and the lever was closed shut, slamming the breech with an audible clack that was followed by a click of the hammer being cocked.

The sound of Ultima's action being worked upon alerted the German to his position. Elliot quickly shouldered the rifle just as Laura turned around, sending the daggers his way. All 6 blades streaked through the air like hungry serpents, eager to sink their fangs into him.

The crosshairs floated on Laura's railgun for just a brief moment, enough for the hybrid to send a round towards the weapon. The HEI warhead plunged into the weapon and detonated with brutal efficiency, destroying the massive railgun and stunning the German with the resulting shockwave from the blast. At once, the ardent daggers that sought him halted in their path. Without her concentration and control, the daggers slowly slinked back as they were retracted by the IS.

Forgoing any attempt at stealth, Elliot swapped out his weapons. Chimera shifted into his hands as he took aim while he boosted himself past Laura. A number of red tags appeared in his sight as he rotated his body and adjusted his aim until the tags turned green.

The Chimera belched flame from its muzzle as it rang out with staccato chatter. Dozens of lethal projectiles flew out of the rifle and impacted against its target, detonating repeatedly against the Schwarzer Regen.

The outstretched daggers whipped and thrashed from the numerous shockwaves travelling down the lengths of wire. Soon the relentless assault proved too much for the wires to bear and they snapped, leaving the daggers falling uselessly to the ground.

All the while Elliot rained hellfire, Laura screamed in agony as she felt numerous powerful blows battered against her. Even though much of the brunt of the attacks was negated by the IS protection systems, she still registered the explosions that struck her like blows from a sledgehammer, forcing her down on one knee.

50 rounds of .57 caliber explosive tipped bullets went downrange and soon the rifle clicked dry. This brief respite in fire allowed Laura to rose painfully to find the orphan stood in front of her nonplussed, calmly reloading his rifle as if he was out practicing and not fighting in a serious battle. The pain she felt from the assault and the sight of the hated orphan unscathed only added to her boiling anger. Her face twisted with hatred as she glared murderously at him.

"Y-Y-YOU Schweinhund! How dare you damage my IS with such cowardly and dishonorable tactics!? I'll see your head on a stick!"

Elliot huffed as he watched the staggered German shrieked like an enraged harpy out for his blood while struggling to stand up straight. Though she had the wind knocked out of her, the girl still had the willpower to stand on her two feet. He would've been impressed of her resilience had his respect wasn't clouded by derision for her hypocrisy.

'Call me cowardly when you're the one resorting to hurting those close to us just to get us brothers. How hypocritical.'

Chimera disappeared into thin air as he squared himself to face Laura directly. Staring into the German's lone eye, he saw the depth of anger and hatred that she reserved for them brothers. He crossed his arms, his eyes radiated disdain for her.

"Big talk for someone who resorted to using underhanded tactics yourself. Word of advice: Don't start a fight unless you're dead certain you could finish it."

Laura bristled upon the taunt, her lone eye narrowed into a slit as she glared at him.

"You got lucky. When I get my hands on you, the instructor wouldn't be able to save you."

The sight of the diminutive girl harboring such hatred over them brothers rankled Elliot. Since he now had an idea on the source of her hatred, he had an idea on how to further dissuade the German on her vengeful quest.

If she viewed them as a stain towards Chifuyu, he was going to shatter her beliefs then twist the proverbial knife further by proving whom was the weaker party. He had already accomplished one half of that plan. Now he was going to go for the kill.

Slowly, he stalked forward towards the girl, his steps slow and confident. He fixed an impassive expression; his stony gaze never left the angry German.

"You want to know why you can't land a hit on me? I'll tell you why. You claim that I am pathetic, an orphan having everything good in life given to him. Yet in our fights not once but three times you didn't even land a hit on me, not once. Tell me, is this the capabilities of someone who you claimed to have luck on their side?"

Stopping about 30 feet in front of the girl, he knew that he was playing with fire as he uttered the next few sentences. Hopefully, by the time she lost herself Chifuyu would've arrived on time or else the fight's going to turn hellishly difficult.

"But do you know what's the real reason you lagged so far behind me? Because you're don't understand the real Chifuyu Orimura, what makes her legendary. You only slavishly imitate her while I took what she taught and made it my own. You're nothing but a lousy imposter of Chifuyu and not even then."

Seeing the girl stiffened in utter outrage, Elliot plunged the proverbial blade deep into her insecurity. His voice was resolute, confident as he drove his mental attack home.

"I'm the one who embodies her strength, not you. I'm the one who's proven themselves worthy to inherit both her skill and spirit, not you. I'm the real student of the Infernal Empress, not you."

His words seemed to broke something within the silverette. Her eye dilated wide with shock and distress as she cupped her hands over her ears, clearly in denial of his harsh rebuttal. The distraught German shook her head vigorously, shouting wildly in an scrambled manner as if she could block out his stinging words from her mind.

"N-Nein…! No! NO! T-That's not true! You must be lying, messing with my mind! I-I-I'll kill you!"

The now enraged and animalistic German girl ignited her spears and charged straight at him, roaring gutturally as she did so. Her right arm cocked back in preparation for a thrust aimed for his heart.

Elliot summoned Veritas into his left hand as he kept the Nemean Claws out on his right, leg spread wide to receive the charge. He knew he had gone too far in provoking the German and he's about to get a very nasty fight for his mistake.

But all of this was to stop her from threatening him and Ichika. If she couldn't accept the truth, then so be it. Should this had to end with a dead pilot, he would do what was necessary to protect himself. Just like what he told Tatenashi, he would take on any price for his family's sake. Elliot clenched his fists as Laura neared him.

The violet blade neared him about 5 feet before a katana flashed out of nowhere and intercepted it, right before his own claws approached Laura. The curved sword stopped the blade and Laura's charge cold, jolting the two pilots out of their emotionally charged state as they regarded the katana wielder in shock.

'Wow, I know Chifuyu's very formidable but to stop an IS mid charge with nothing but an IS katana? She's not the Infernal Empress for nothing.'

"M-Mentor!?"

The Infernal Empress stood between her two proteges, holding back Laura's blade as if the sword weighed nothing. Even when the katana was locked with the glowing blade, there was no discernible trembling or shaking on the blade that indicated the woman was straining under the great force generated by an IS.

"Seriously, this is why dealing with kids is so damn tiring."

"Hey Simba, we're here and we brought Orimura-sensei just as you said!"

Honing in on Rin's voice, he found the previous duo jogging back down towards the arena. Rin was waving her arm at him along with Cecilia, their faces expressed relief at their timely arrival. Elliot was never happier to see the girls as he gave a smile and a thumbs up to them.

"Thanks, great timing! Good work you two!"

"Don't get happy just yet, Orimura-san."

Turning back towards the teacher, Elliot found himself being stared down by the annoyed teacher. Even when Hecate encased him and he stood heads above shoulders taller than Chifuyu, her frosty glare made him felt very tiny within the well-armored suit.

"I'm disappointed in you. You're supposed to be the most rational among the 1st years and yet here you are, fighting with Bodewig as if both of you were Mondo Grosso contestants with a very bad rivalry."

Feeling dejected at letting down his sister, Elliot dropped his head in shame. Chifuyu took this opportunity to chide Laura with equally stinging words.

"And you, I've taught you to exercise restraint and control, yet here I found you picking fights deliberately with other students and acting without an ounce of control on their own emotions. On top of that, you even threatened to kill another student, much less my own brother? I'm very disappointed of you."

Chifuyu's words seemed to sunk in with her second protégé. As Laura staggered back, she held an expression of disbelief and dread, looking at her mentor with a wide eye. Tears began to form out of her right eye as she turned around and called off Schwarzer Regen, running away from the arena. Elliot swore that he could hear soft sobs coming from the distraught girl as she retreated from the scene.

Both Chifuyu and Elliot watched Laura made her hasty retreat, their minds busy with their own thoughts. Elliot stored Hecate's form as Ichika, Rin, Cecilia, Charlotte and Houki converged on them. With the immediate crisis gone, Elliot's own preoccupied mind was clear of any ongoing concern, allowing him to pick up a low wave of murmurs all throughout the arena.

Searching the arena, he could see that various students gathered at the spectator stands and the transparent walkway above it. Many of the girls held expressions of awe and surprise, though nothing too far out of the ordinary that he could perceive.

Elliot found himself swarmed by Cecilia, whom was frantically checking him head to toe. Her cerulean blue eyes clearly displayed her frantic worry over his state.

"Are you alright, Elliot dear? Has that foul witch hurt you anywhere!?"

"I'm fine Alcott, don't worry. If not for the timely arrival of Orimura-sensei, that would have been a different story, so thank you for your help."

"I'm glad to hear that. I was so worried that you could've been injured or worse."

Ichika and Charlotte now approached him, uncertainty and befuddlement written on the boy's face. Charlotte looked concerned beside his brother, possibly sharing the same thoughts with him.

"Elliot, what just happened? Why did you pick a fight with Laura?"

"It's just that I've never thought she would pick a fight with other people just to get at us. It seems that she would not stop until she had both of us beneath her foot."

"Orimura-san."

Hearing his sister called out to him, Elliot found himself being stared at by Chifuyu with an unreadable expression. He prepped himself, dreading the punishment that would certainly came from his brash actions.

"While your reasons for putting yourself in harm's way are commendable, I expected you to resolve that situation without the use of force. Still, what's done was done. To prevent another one of such incidents from happening, both you and Bodewig will have no access to the arena until the class league match has ended. Understood?"

"Yes Orimura-sensei. I'm sorry."

Seeing him acting remorseful, the woman set her hands on her hips as she kept her eyes on him. She quirked an eyebrow at him, studying him with a curious glint in her muddy red pools.

"I'm surprised. Usually you'd never cared for anyone except for your family, now you went and played hero. What changed now?"

"I didn't. I just saw an opportunity to put Bodewig in her place and I took it. It was never about protecting others."

"Sure. Whatever you say kid. Still, well done. Bodewig isn't your average IS pilot. She's military trained and was my former student. Yet you're able to fight her to a standstill without taking even a single scratch. You've improved."

"Not as much as I liked. And not as rapidly as the time under your tutelage."

Elliot absentmindedly commented, then suddenly realized he was not alone and he had accidentally revealed one of his secrets. The hybrid schooled his features, not giving away the panic that was raging within him. Time for him to make a quick exit before he spoke too much.

"With me being not welcome here, I'll be taking my leave now. See you guys around. And see you, Orimura-sensei."

Leaving the arena, he found himself being the object of keen interest by the girls as he walked down the hallways. Whispers and murmurs passed around the crowd as affirmations and compliments, with some shocked statements about him rumored to be trained by Chifuyu herself.

As for the hybrid, he wasn't concerned about all that noise. For now, he was more preoccupied with his latest bout against the German girl.

Three wins against none. No doubt his string of victories had elevated his standing amongst his classmates and put her already tenuous position in class even lower. That would usually dissuade any potential bully from pursuing their agenda but Elliot knew that the stubborn German pilot wouldn't quit just because she had been defeated multiple times. If anything, he suspected she would step up her efforts in taking down both him and Ichika. The next round would be putting Ichika directly in her path of fire and this time he would not be fighting alongside his brother.

That did little to stop him. Just like Chifuyu had said to Laura, they're her source of strength, the reason for her fame as the Infernal Empress.

And Elliot would prove to anyone that dared to look down on them that both of them were also worthy successors to her spirit and skill.

Chapter Text

Chapter 13: Trapping the Hare

A thoroughly drained Elliot dragged himself back to his room with heavy steps, tired beyond measure from the fight and from the attention he was subjected to. On his way back he heard many girls whispering to each other about him, not realizing of his acute hearing. Many of them were in awe of his skill and the rumour of him being Chifuyu's disciple has become the talk of the school. The awestruck gazes he'd caught directed at him during his trip back clearly showed how fast word had got around in the Academy.

The hybrid huffed quietly as he took in their awed reactions, feeling tired and slighted by the new deluge of admiration he suddenly found himself with.

'What's so awesome about me being mentored by Chifuyu? If they knew the hell I've went through, they would've sung a different tune altogether.'

The suffocating attention from the girls really taxed his composure, which was already worn thin by Laura's antics today. Elliot couldn't figure out the reason why the girls were seemingly fixated on him, his appearance and demeanor notwithstanding. Sometimes he wished he was a normal average boy that never enrolled into the Academy.

With his patience gone, he wished to return to his quiet room to rest and recharge. But when he suddenly recalled the presence of his annoying roommate, all hopes for quiet solitude vanished like smoke.

'I wish night time was here already. At least no one could bother me when it's midnight.'

Swinging open the door to his room, Elliot heaved a sigh of relief to find it devoid of a certain blue haired vixen. Shedding all his clothes save for his shirt and pants, he trudged over to the fridge to fetch a bottle of soda.

The sweet taste of carbonation hitting his tongue felt very refreshing after the grueling fight he had with Laura. Half of the bottle disappeared quickly as he chugged down the soda with large gulps, breathing out a sigh of bliss as he felt the drink cooling him down from the day's labor.

Sitting down on his bed, Elliot's mind began wandering to certain matters. Chief of which was concerning Chifuyu's female protégé and what he now knew as his fellow sister in apprenticeship. There was a lot that he learned about her that he needed to process, much better to do so when he had the luxury of solitude right now.

The psychological attacks he played on the girl had revealed several new insights on her psyche, mainly on her relationship with Chifuyu and her reasons to attack the two of them. What he saw in her soul disturbed him.

Seeing her mind-numbing rage when he attacked her beliefs, clearly she held Chifuyu in great esteem. What was really disturbing was the extreme degree of hero worship that bordered on outright obsession. Combined with her military background and disregard for common social conventions and morality, Laura was a ticking time bomb waiting to go off at the worst possible time.

Without knowing her past, Elliot didn't want to jump to conclusions and speculate the reasons of her hostility towards them. While he would considered himself an impartial and keen judge of character, the numerous attempts to harm him and Ichika was making it an amazingly hard ordeal to maintain his objectivity in the matter, especially since she did so on the delusional belief of preserving her idea of Chifuyu's strength and honor.

Part of him wanted to sympathized with her past. His initial impression of her painted a person that was raised by a system, becoming nothing more than a cog in a large machine with many different parts. From her outburst in the arena, she was not only a child soldier but a commander of some kind of IS corp in Germany, a fact that was no less shocking than her hatred for them.

Being a person who consciously broke away from an oppressive system, he had the advantage of preserving his free will to chart his own path in life unfettered by any baggage or programming on his psyche. Here was someone else that had went through the system and came out psychologically incomplete, too shackled by her programming that only benefitted the powers that be, unable to see the power she held within herself had she broke off those chains.

In a way, Laura's story shared some similarities with Charlotte's and his own. All of them were held down by baggage which they had no business in shouldering, with the French girl being tied down by her familial relations while the soldier was too bound by rigid indoctrination to see anything else. The similarity was that they were prisoners in their own circumstances, in a world heralded by the IS.

The thoughts caused the hybrid to harshly slammed the bottle down onto the nightstand. He had always felt a lot of discontent and indignation when he thought about the current state of the world. To see that even those which society prophesied to protect suffering regardless made him infuriated at the unfairness of stoday's society.

Just how much pain and suffering had befell the world since the IS was introduced? When the world saw the White Knight and what it was capable of, countries scrambled to capture it in a mad dash for power. When the Alaska Treaty had been ratified, those same nations were busy trying to gain an upper hand against each other by actively developing the same machines they had outright dismissed when Hecate was first introduced.

This worldwide insane quest for military superiority had wrought its own grave cost to the world. With nations prioritizing on developing ISs and training pilots whom all of which with the exception of two guys were all girls, it has led to great social inequality between the genders. He himself had experienced the effects of such inequality within the foster care system, which was the reason why he struck out on the streets all those years ago.

On top of all that, there were a lot more social ramifications that the IS had wrought upon the world. Such as nations devoting much resources and materials to IS production, development and research, leading to other fields and sectors being neglected. The Cold War-esque international political climate. The terrifying possibility of ISs falling into the hands of criminal and terrorist elements.

Let it be known that he wasn't an armchair philosopher or a misogynistic misanthrope that wholly decried the IS strictly because he was male. Being an IS-Human hybrid and a male IS pilot to boot, he believed he was more suited to form an unbiased opinion on the matter. He was grateful for the IS because of Hecate saving him but he was not stoked of the dark nature such a paradigm shift had caused to the world.

Sometimes he had wondered if the IS was never invented by Tabane Shinonono or it had been used for its original purpose like Hecate, would the world had been a better place? Would he had led a much different life than this symbiotic existence he now led? He had contemplated deeply on such subjects hoping to come up with an answer but so far he came up empty handed.

Having been thoroughly exhausted mentally, physically and spiritually, Elliot felt the day's fatigue had caught up with him. Already he could feel his eyelids droop as a bout of sleepiness crept up to him.

Scooting back on his bed, he replaced the cap on the bottle and laid his head on the pillow and let sleep overcame him. The worries of the day that had plagued him melted away just as his consciousness drifted off to slumberland.

The muted clicking of what appeared to be tableware was the first thing he registered as he rose back into the land of the living. Along with it was the sumptuous smell of food that was divine, making his stomach growl. Whatever bout of sleepiness disappeared as his stomach rumbled at the scent. Elliot rubbed his eyes, his vision beginning to clear as he registered a person within his hazy view.

"Hm? What….!"

As his vision clear, whatever he was going to say died on the tip of his tongue. His eyes widened like saucers as he took in the equally shocking and wonderful sight in front of him.

"Good morning, dear!"

Standing in front of him with demure coyness was Tatenashi, sporting a bemused smile as she stood with her hands clasped in front of her, a tantalizing image of servile submissiveness. The beguiling aura she exuded contrasted sharply with her shockingly scandalous outfit, creating a teasing mix of innocence and devilish temptation that made Elliot having a hard time tearing his eyes away.

Wearing nothing but a white apron, the humble kitchen garment became a very insinuating and bewitching attire worn on Tatenashi's bare body. The apron barely covered her long legs, giving him a clear view of miles of flawless skin usually hidden behind red stockings. The revealing outfit accentuated her figure excellently, showing an hourglass silhouette that men lusted after and women dreamed of having.

Elliot clenched his hands, fisting handfuls of sheets in an effort to maintain his composure. While he was taken aback by the unexpected sight, he would not begrudged himself as he drank in the sight of Tatenashi with a single layer of cloth away from indecency. Accentuated by her confidence and intelligence, her beauty served to augment her attractiveness like the call of the mythological sirens, beckoning him to sink into her embrace and drown like a hapless sailor.

As much as he was vexed by her antics, he couldn't deny that Tatenashi was a beautiful woman with plenty of positive attributes wrapped up into one powerful package of an alluring temptress. Despite his own misgivings towards the girl, his mind can't help but wander towards less than proper thoughts brought forward by her beauty.

The girl looked meek, acting like a subservient housewife as she clasped her hands in front of her. Her words floated out of her mouth with bashful coyness.

"Had a good sleep? Now, do you want a bath? Or a dinner? Or. To. Have. Me?"

The salacious statement coupled with a saucy smile and demure tone invoked images of indecent nature within his head and it was all Elliot could do to just blatantly gawk and not drool at the sight like a perverted skirt chaser. A grimace was the result of such emotional suppression, which was preferably much better than the alternative.

Eager to put a stop to the ridiculousness playing out in front of him, he thought of resorting to his grim sense of humor. His eyes made a conscious show of examining her hand and his own, then a deadpan expression crossed his features. His voice was flat and dry.

"I don't ever recall putting a ring on any girl or woman for that matter. Is this some kind of new way for today's women to ask for marriage?"

Tatenashi evidently was not prepared for his response. Faint pink dusted her cheeks as he found her holding back a mirthful smile, wrestling with effort to stop a laugh from developing. She failed and a lively laugh bubbled up from within her, the girl clutching her midsection as she laughed.

"Oh, I didn't see that one coming! You're quite a witty one aren't you, Elliot-kun? I hope you don't have any ideas of marrying this girl after your morning 'confession', I wouldn't know what to do if I'm being proposed to so suddenly."

The memory of the morning's mess flared back up at her teasing remark, bringing forth his annoyance. Elliot didn't know why his roommate seemed to relish every opportunity to rile him up. The recent drastic lack of quiet time to suitably process his emotions had made him very irritable and short tempered, making him more prone to lose his temper than usual.

This was a delicate situation. He had swore not to allow strong emotions get the better of him for fear it would trigger unknown side effects within him. Would 'Titan's Rage' trigger without the need of materializing Hecate's form? Would he lose his mind? There was no way of knowing what destructive effects his own emotions would've cause and Elliot wasn't keen on finding out first hand.

Grunting aggravatedly, he swung his legs to the side of bed as he got up. The HUD flashed into his view displaying the time, showing dusk was coming and he had yet to have dinner. Moreover, he had yet to freshen himself after the fight with Laura, preferring to get some rest over shower. Now the musky smell of sweat had soaked into his clothes, the offensive stench was almost unbearable as he wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Still Elliot-kun, you're probably the first boy out there that didn't do naughty things to a girl even when she's literally throwing herself at you. Interesting..."

Focusing on the girl, he found a Cheshire grin greeting him from the bemused girl. With graceful steps, Tatenashi closed what little distance that existed between them. The girl stood up on her tiptoes, her hands snaked up his shoulders as she leaned her head close to his ear. Her hot breath tickled his ear as she purred huskily.

"Perhaps you swing the other way? Don't worry, I won't tell~ After all, a lot of girls here do too."

Pulling back from him, Elliot found the girl beaming a cheeky grin at him. Her naughty expression told him she was deriving a lot of fun seeing him disgruntled. The sight of her enjoyment over his annoyance really made his anger slowly crept into dangerous territory.

'This girl… is she trying to play with a sleeping tiger or is there an ulterior motive?'

A sudden idea popped into his mind, forcing him to school himself from openly grinning in delight. If this girl was playing the tempting seductress to rile him up, what about turning the tables against her by using her own tactic against her? The idea was arguable stupid but Elliot saw no other alternatives that could feasibly work.

At least if he failed, he could say he had exhausted all options before seeking external recourse. If he won, then he would get the girl to back off and give him some much-needed space. Either way, he had nothing to lose except for his sanity.

With the girl still had her arms wrapped around him, Elliot closed his eyes and drew several deep breaths. He could feel the air expanding his lungs as he then held his breath for a few pauses, before releasing all his pent-up frustrations and forming anger with a deep exhale accompanied by a drop of his head.

Opening his eyes, his eyes found Tatenashi's own red pools searching his face, a smirk accompanied her soft gaze was shown on her face. Time to put his gambit into motion.

Gently grasping her hand which tickled his face, Elliot felt a prickle of smugness as he saw her eyes widen with surprise. Gently his other arm came up and set beneath her chin, tilting her head so he could peer deeply into her eyes.

Putting on his best impression of seduction, his eyes were half lidded as he imagined he was treating his metaphorical soulmate instead of a pain in the ass roommate. His voice lowered an octave as he began his offensive.

"Oh, I can assure you I do prefer the fairer gender over my own. Most especially when there's such a prime example of feminine charm and smarts standing right in front of me."

Gazing deeply into her wide-open eyes, Elliot gently moved the palm at his face towards his lips. Without tearing his gaze away, he pressed a soft kiss towards the center of her palm followed by a little lick. A shocked gasp came from the girl, accompanied by a high-pitched squeak that sounded rather adorable to his ears.

"E-Elliot-kun!?"

Her hand flew out of his grasp like it had touched a hot stove. The now surprised girl beheld a shocked expression as she drew her hands up to her chest, her feet slowly carried her away from him apprehensively, her uncertainty shone from her ruby red orbs. A confident smirk appeared on his face as he saw his usually sophisticated and coy roommate looking all flustered.

Elliot slowly padded forward as Tatenashi backed away from him as if she saw a ghost. The girl gasped as her hips ran up against the table, leaving her with no avenues of escape.

Elliot swiftly closed the distance between them, snaking his arms around her to rest on the table behind her. A coy smile found itself on him as he stared deep into her eyes.

"But nowadays, it seems that girls seek vastly different things in men. Unfortunately I am not the kind of guy to prefer such preferences, not that they could ever hope to catch my eyes in any meaningful manner."

Lowering his head to whisper in her ear, Elliot hoped his last strike would sent the girl into retreat. A pleased purr snuck into his tone as he went for the counterattack.

"I know my own true worth, enough to not debase myself to any arrogant girl out there with an ego the size of a moon. The question is, are you sure you have what it takes to be worthy of my attention, President? If an Academy full of girls can't even do so, what hope could you possibly have to win it?"

His lips quirked into a victorious smirk as he pulled away, surveying his own handiwork. The silence from the annoying girl was a perfect accompaniment to her astonished expression, frozen on the spot like a statue.

Elliot swore he was both the luckiest and unluckiest man alive at that moment. Gone was the usually self-assured and foxy girl that mercilessly teased him at every moment. Instead, what replaced her was a shy, meek girl that he could tell was wholly inexperienced in anything romance. The shyness and vulnerability she exhibited really set off her skimpy outfit, creating a very tempting image that he would treasure for the rest of his life.

The girl suddenly regained her composure, her demureness quickly disappeared and her confidence reasserted itself. Her eyes shone with bull headed determination as they met their gazes, challenging him to match her.

"I-I think I do. I believe I could, Elliot-kun... This girl knows how much she's worth and I have what it takes to match you, pound for pound."

The sudden reversal to the dynamic he had created made him reel back in surprise. Now, it was Elliot's turn to be on the back foot and he didn't like it. His mind scrambled to salvage the situation, hoping he could rally another reversal.

Tatenashi didn't gave him the luxury of time. Her hand reached out and snatched his collar, pulling him down to meet her at eye level. Their faces were separated by a few inches of thin air, just shy of an accident before that distance vanished to zero.

"With a man so amazing like you, any girl would do anything to get you. I can see both of us being an item, if not husband and wife in the future."

A slender hand came up and laid against his cheek, gently stroking in an affectionate manner. Her eyelids drooped over her ruby irises, giving her a seductive and mysterious look that drew him in.

"As for our present arrangement, consider it a practice for our future together, Mr. Sara~shi~ki~."

The insinuating words conveyed in a soft, husky drawl brought up images of a salacious kind. Elliot's jaw worked to came up with a retort but couldn't, his turbulent emotions robbing him the ability to think.

Tatenashi stepped forward, eyes brimming with an adoration seemingly reserved by a woman for her husband. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against him, her hand continued stroking his cheek as she gazed lovingly into his eyes.

All the prior buildup now heated up into an inferno and a charged atmosphere suddenly took hold within the room. Trapped within her arms, Elliot felt the surrounding temperature inexplicably went up. Desperately he went for a retaliatory strike, his nerves made him slip on his words.

"Y-you're cruel, you know that?"

"Hmm…. turnabout's fair play, big guy~"

Elliot cursed himself mentally for greatly underestimated the wit of the Student Council President. Far from earning him his solitude, he had allowed the girl to came ever closer to him.

Damn it. He swore there would be a day when he would won over her wit. The hybrid relished that day when he could earn his peace from this infuriating vixen.

The intimate aura surrounding the emotionally charged moment sent his emotions into a tailspin. Staring into those ruby irises shining with affection, Elliot felt his chest warmed dully as a mental haze descended upon him. Any thoughts he had disappeared into wisps of smoke as all he could think of at that moment was the sweet promises whispered to him moments ago, replaying over and over again in his mind like a broken record.

If he was forthcoming with himself, he wished that he could have a happy future for himself. Part of that dream was to be around someone who could fully accept him, eccentricities and all included. Those dreams from a distant past were buried under the grim hustle of street life, only to resurface occasionally during this life as idle fantasy.

Tatenashi's intimate act had brought such dreams back to the forefront of his mind, making him believe again that such dreams were again possible. The possibility was really tempting and exciting, something he sincerely wished to be true.

The hope bubbling within his chest rattled him and fear suddenly took its place. Feeling hopeful for a future that seemed almost an impossibility was something he couldn't afford. His condition wasn't something that allowed him any respite nor the luxury of fulfilling his own selfish desires for the fear of accidentally exposing himself, with potentially serious consequences that followed with it.

If he's feeling something, anything for the girl in front of him, he must quell them lest he allowed them to influence his thoughts. There was no allowance for mistakes in his second life, not when so much was at stake.

Already he could felt his cheeks flushed with embarrassment at the feeling of feminine soft curves pressed against him, driving his blood south. Heat coursed through him and he could felt his pants tighten with arousal. This was extremely bad.

Rallying his own mind, he put his arms in between them and broke her hug, shoving her away from him like a pile of hot coals. Stomping over to his wardrobe, he snatched some spare clothes and a towel and stormed towards the bathroom.

"I'm taking a shower."

The door slid close firmly, leaving him alone with his own muddled thoughts. Divesting himself of his wrinkled clothes, he stepped into the shower as water splashed over him, lathering himself up with soap as he seethed at his defeat.

Damn that girl. He knew she was trouble the moment he met her.

Watching the automatic door slid close with an audible click of the lock, Tatenashi was finally able to heave a sigh of relief. She placed her hand to her chest, feeling her own heart pounding madly from her turbulent emotions.

Good God, just where did that charming Casanova suddenly appeared from? She had no idea that the dour Orimura boy had such a devilishly charming side to him, so much so that it took her off guard and unable to counteract to the sudden change of his demeanor.

Feeling her legs wobbly from a mixture of giddiness and hormones, Tatenashi leaned against the table laden with food as she calmed herself down, drawing in lungfuls of shaky breaths. During that time, her own mind pondered upon what she had witnessed of Elliot Orimura up until this point.

That was not the expected outcome for this little test she had came up with. From their initial meeting, she didn't know why the boy constantly carried himself with a severe air. It was as if he was a stone statue, showing an impassive face to the world at all times.

Maybe boy was an understatement of his stoic demeanor. Elliot carried himself with a maturity and stoicism that belied his age, almost as if he was a man in a boy's body. Tatenashi didn't understand as how he would looked so mature and mysterious all the time despite his age.

She prided herself on her ability to accurately read and discern people's nature. How they acted, what are their personalities, what kind of thoughts guided them. Her natural skill honed by instructors in her family had paid dividends over the years, allowing her to know what the people around her think and placing herself in an advantageous position in any social interactions.

But the man she currently shared rooms with was an indecipherable mystery. From the moment she watched him stepped into the Academy, she had witnessed a confusing mix of traits from him that left her scratching her head. The man possessed a character full of paradoxes that seemed to defy explanation but at the same time was so unique that it was literally like watching a whole new species of mankind. She was literally stumped trying to figure him out, which was a first for her.

Since she had been entrusted by Orimura-sensei to watch over him, she had tried to learn his true nature in order to better understand him. Initially she had thought she was ordered to because he was a troublemaker and rule breaker. The records from his previous school painted him as such, which led to her initial conclusion.

But as time progressed, the stories about him grew and spread quickly among the girls, making it hard to discern which was truth or outright fabrication. From what she had seen and heard about him, her initial impressions of him started to become clearer.

He was a quiet and reserved recluse but he wasn't awkwardly shy. Instead he could be rather bold and courageous in certain situations that called for it. He preferred solitude yet she never saw him being socially awkward around the girls or showed any antisocial behavior. He's a known bookworm but possessed a pragmatic perspective and streets smarts, giving him the impression of a worldly, long-lived man instead of a bookish, sheltered boy.

But that was not the full extent of his complex character. His intelligent and diplomatic manner when dealing with the UK Representative Contender, only resorting to fighting when he was pushed to the limit. The brotherly concern he shared with his stepbrother, helping and guiding him as any loving sibling would. The very down to earth and humble manner he carried himself despite the overt irritability when dealing with the girls' antics. All his actions revealed parts of his personality, yet it only added to the walking enigma that was the second male pilot.

Feeling her racing heart returning to a steady rhythm, she gazed towards the door where the man had disappeared to. The sound of water splashing can be heard through the door, echoing faintly from within. The sounds emanating from the room invoked certain images within her mind that she promptly banished with a firm shake of her head.

Mentally chiding herself for being so unguarded, Tatenashi moved over to her wardrobe to put on some clothes. Ripping off the apron and her bikini, she threw on a camisole and a pair of shorts.

Her hands wandered to her waist, right where Elliot's arm had brushed against her skin as he trapped her against the table. His rough skin left a trail of heat where he touched, sending electricity down her spine. The images of their heated exchange came surging back into her consciousness, making her cheeks flush heavily in embarrassment and excitement.

She still had trouble trying to understood the sudden change in dynamics. At that moment, it was all she could do as the tall guy loomed over her, his form and presence intimidating and yet distracting. That's what got her caught in his personal space with no room to escape.

Logically she knew that he was putting up a front to dissuade her, most likely to get her to leave him alone. Honestly, she wasn't going to put him on the spot if he voiced his objections. Her goals were to find out what made him tick and what his character was like. It had always worked with people and people who were emotionally engaged made themselves easy to read.

What she didn't expect to find out was that the blonde would turn the tables around and try to seduce her, of all things! This was so unexpected that her mind literally shorted out from utter surprise, scarcely believing what had witnessed. Then as she realized the true gravity of the situation, her cheeks flamed scarlet as embarrassment overtook her and she was left floundering on how to respond.

But that short moment left her no time to ponder. Being in such intimate proximity to the mystifying male, her emotions churned from his insinuating words. It was all she could do before she lost her composure. Those bewitching words whispered so close to her ear in that very delicious voice was dripping roguish charm and sex appeal, further taxing her already burdened restraints.

His presence literally crowded everything out. The heavy, musky scent of his body odor, the emotionally expressive golden orbs, the feeling of safety being within his personal space. Tatenashi found herself falling under a spell, her mind no longer governed by her usual rationality as everything just faded into the background.

At that moment, she wasn't the student council president of the ISA. In his arms, she was just…. her. A normal girl who had her own dreams of a happily ever after, cherished by a man who was her equal both in character and skill.

In the back of her mind, a little voice chided her for falling to such cheap tricks. The boy was literally teasing her back, trying to get her off of him. The blonde certainly had the courage and initiative to attempt something so unorthodox to achieve his goals, qualities she greatly respected in a man.

But that assumption fell apart as they locked eyes. Those jewel-like eyes literally held a sea of emotions, enrapturing and intriguing. Peering into those golden pools was like staring into a looking glass, trying to discern what myriad of secrets they held. She had never saw such beautiful eyes in a man before that she found herself drawn to them when they first met.

Within those gold orbs, a myriad of emotions were clearly displayed to her for the first time, different from his usual prickly irritation or cold indifference. What she saw in them gave her the shock of a lifetime as she beheld his gaze, confounded and seduced by the promises brimming from within them.

Love. Admiration. Respect. Devotion.

The variety and strength of said emotions in those mesmerizing pools floored her. The blonde boy was gazing at her like he was going to sweep her off her feet and into his embrace, to kiss and worship her like she was the most desirable woman in the world. It was all she could do to not quiver under his admiring gaze, conveying emotions she didn't know what to do with as she reeled from what she had seen.

Just how did the short time they spent under the same roof led him to develop such strong feelings for her so quickly? She had never had a boyfriend before and here she had the most eligible male within the ISA interested in her. She wouldn't be lying and said that it didn't do her self-esteem a lot of good, knowing that she was the only girl that the most sought after male in the world would be interested in.

Confused and flattered beyond belief, her own emotions overcame her as she couldn't resist his charms. Wrapping her arms around him, she felt a mix of emotions as she pulled herself to him. The close contact brought her own dreams rushing into her forethought, eroding her self-control as she acted on her buried feelings.

Like all of the girls within the ISA, she couldn't deny her budding attraction towards him. Sure, there were other men that were more handsome or lot more charismatic than him but Elliot seemed to have an intrinsic quality to his character that seemingly drew people in, snaring them in place without any means to escape.

Overcame by temptation, she pressed herself ever closer to him and whispered sweet nothings into his ear, reveling in his physical reactions her own words stirred up. Loving promises that were in reality dim reflections of her innermost desires dressed up as flirty comebacks, though she had to admit they were also kind of corny. But it was intoxicating to see the normally unbothered blonde acting barely in control, letting his true emotions leak through his impassive mask.

Her intense closeness was evidently too much for him, as she could see the brief flash of fear within him. That terror then turned to anger, breaking whatever spell that trapped them within each other as he shoved her away. The action stung but not as much as when he stalked away to get freshened up.

Perhaps this was for the best. She didn't know what would've happen if they had stayed longer within each other's arms. The intimate atmosphere within the room and his scent made her head fuzzy, leaving her drunk with desire. She had no doubts that had she stayed any longer in his embrace she would've just let her hormones took the lead and gotten really…. frisky with him. The idea was both embarrassing and oh so…. tempting.

Feeling a little bit guilty for pushing him a bit too far but at the same time curious at his change, Tatenashi sat down and waited patiently for Elliot to finish his shower, dropping her chin on top of her cupped hands as she pondered on the previous events. Her gaze naturally found itself on the table rich with food in front of her and she noticed something was amiss.

She hurried to the kitchen to put the finishing touches to their dinner. Fetching a pitcher, she went over to the refrigerator to retrieve a carton of juice and poured it into said container.

Hopefully a feast would be a step in the right direction to mend whatever misgivings he may had with her. Tatenashi really wished he was the forgiving type. She would really hate to earn his ire, justified or not.

Perhaps this would also be the first step in discovering just whether there was something significant between them. This was too good a mystery to pass up, one she was intrigued to figure out.

The smell of mint tickled his nose as he exited the bathroom, drawing a sigh of contentment from Elliot. The feeling of cleanliness felt so divine every time he got out of the shower, it was simply something he had grown to like after living so long without it. What was a small trivial routine to others was a divine luxury to him, one which he savored everyday and was thankful for.

The smell of food greeted him, making his mouth salivate. Looking towards the table, he found the now dressed Tatenashi sat patiently waiting for him, a literal feast set upon the table.

"Ah, you're done! Come on Elliot-kun, dinner's getting cold and I'm hungry."

"There's nothing stopping you from enjoying it first. I don't mind it at all if you do."

"Mou, how rude of you for suggesting that! I'm not some girl without manners as to eat first when my dinner companion hadn't even arrived yet."

Shaking his head in amusement while sitting down by the table, Elliot accepted a glass as Tatenashi poured a glass of juice for him. Her servile actions made him quirked an eyebrow but he didn't say much more. Between her wily self and the present, he was glad she had stopped teasing him for now.

"Of course. I'm sorry, that was a bit thoughtless of me. On that subject, why did you decide to cook dinner today? You've always return late since Student Council work kept you until night-time."

"I just thought you would need it and since I'm free today I could spare the time to cook dinner for the both of us. And I've heard what happened this afternoon. I didn't expect that you will come to the defense of Alcott and Huang, seeing as to how indifferent you are to anyone not within your circle of family and close friends."

Elliot quirked his eyebrow in surprise, a bit taken aback by her sharing the similar opinion to Chifuyu's observations.

"What do you mean? I just did what I thought was right. Bodewig was going to hurt other people and I can't just stand by and watch it happen."

"Oh? I didn't expect that Elliot-kun to be so noble-minded and modest. But anyways, I didn't expect that Bodewig would be so adamant on breaking the rules. Now she would find herself not being able to use the arena to practice for the upcoming matches and be placed under observation for repeated offences. Now let's have dinner."

Giving thanks to the food, both roommates dug into the sumptuous feast that Tatenashi had prepared. Elliot dug in with gusto, famished from missing his usual dinner time and having worked up a ravenous appetite after that intense fight in the afternoon. Though he must admit to his surprise that Tatenashi was quite an exceptional cook.

Sinking his teeth into the perfectly cooked pasta, he was absolutely gobsmacked by just how a simple dish could be made into such a sumptuous delicacy. While he knew no better cook than Ichika, Elliot believed his roommate might just gave his brother a run for his money.

"Elliot-kun, how's the dinner? I hope that you would like the Western styled dishes I've prepared."

"It's excellent. I'm surprised to find the Student Council President to be such a wonderful cook. I guess any man that could marry you would be a very lucky guy indeed."

"Fu, fu~ I'm glad to hear that. This girl is very confident on her own cooking skills. Something like Western cuisine is quite simple for me."

Elliot rolled his eyes at the display of confidence. While outwardly he was not showing his appreciation, he could admit to himself that she had the skills to back up her claim. He dug right back in, savoring his meal like it was the best dish in the world.

"Say, Elliot kun?"

"Yes?"

"What are your plans for the future? What will you do after you graduated from the Academy?"

The curious question stopped Elliot from biting down on a length of pasta. Elliot placed down his utensils as he pondered his answers.

"I-I've never thought about it, to be honest. It's not like I've had a future to begin with before I was adopted and even now I still don't know what to do."

Glancing at his roommate, he found the girl had stopped eating and was looking at him with surprise.

"Why? Someone smart and capable like you, I'm sure you'll be successful in anything you do once you figure out what to do in your life. In the meantime, what are you plans during the academy? Would you be looking to get a girlfriend~?"

Her innocent question brought his own buried thoughts to the surface. Elliot had thought about this topic numerous times before during his idle moments. What he concluded was something of a sore point for him.

For someone part machine, part human with power so great that few could comprehend, Elliot knew his life wasn't going to be a fairy tale with a happily ever after ending. No matter how much he hoped for it, he harbored no illusion of the possible future that was in store for him.

When he was taught by Chifuyu, his sister had cautioned him against revealing his secret no matter the cost. He shouldn't change in front of anyone nor use his IS in any irregular manner, lest he incurred suspicion and attention from governments or other IS-related organizations.

Over the years, those words had become a cautionary statement warning him that he couldn't involve himself in society like any normal person could. He was fated to spend his life alone, jealously guarding a secret that the world wasn't prepared for. Painful couldn't even began to describe the emotional pain he suffered wondering about his bleak future.

With Perry's recent arrival, there was no telling just what kind of changes Hecate was undergoing along with his body. The constant presence of a visual HUD served as a reminder just how inhuman he was becoming and his condition possibly evolving more in the future. With so much uncertainty surrounding himself, he wasn't going to involve anyone with him for fear that he could hurt them.

Not to mention should the day come when his condition was exposed to the world, Elliot was sure that anyone close to him would suffer an undesirable fate of being potentially used as a bargaining chip or leverage against him. There was simply too much at stake to risk forming deep attachments with another person.

The myriad of depressing thoughts evaporated whatever appetite he had. Elliot set down his utensils and stopped eating, feeling too despondent and empty to continue enjoying his meal.

"Elliot-kun, have I touched on something too sensitive?"

Elliot dropped his head and sighed forlornly, feeling he had aged a lot in an instant.

"I'm fine. It's just that I've also never even considered having someone beside me sharing a future together. It's not like I've had much of a promising future to look forward to and I don't want to drag anyone else into it."

Tatenashi unconsciously struck the table in her shock, taken aback by Elliot's gloomy admission. The noise drew him out of his melancholy, lifting his head to find the girl had leaned forward from her seat and looking at him with a shocked expression.

"But why!? You're an excellent pilot for a 1st year, have excellent grades in school and on top of that, you're very capable and handsome! How would someone like you would have no future to look forward to!? "

Seeing the girl being so outraged by the perceived 'injustice' to his fate, Elliot sighed tiredly as he felt the urge to vent. Just for once, he wanted to get his worries off of his chest, even if it led to no solutions.

"If they even mattered. My skill as a pilot was because of Orimura-sensei and I had to get good grades because of a deal I've made with the academy. Beauty also is something that could expire or be removed easily. All of these can't help me with my problem."

Gazing straight at Tatenashi, Elliot continued on. His tone was quiet and flat, echoing his own inner emotions.

"When you remove everything that society touted as marks of success, the only thing a person could rely on are their character, their skills and their will. I'll admit, I've been told by many people I'm a rather determined and free-spirited individual with a lot of promise in the future but what good that would even do when the burden I'm carrying made everything in my future seem bleak? So, rather than looking forward to some happily ever after, I resigned myself that I have to shoulder my burden alone. A relationship was never something that I could afford."

The cordial atmosphere in the room disappeared as Elliot finished. A heavy mood settled between the two as they were immersed in their thoughts brought by Elliot's answer.

For Elliot, he was confronted with the inescapable fact that his second life came at a heavy price, being forced to shoulder a monumental burden of safeguarding a literal Pandora's Box and being kept alive as a fusion of flesh and metal. A literal monster in human flesh that had no place in a world of humans.

For Tatenashi, her heart wrenched with sympathy and sorrow at hearing Elliot's confession. Here she heard the amazing boy in front of her telling her that he's fated to spend his life alone, all because he carried a burden that was too great to let go, something that'll even cost him his future. She wished to know just what said burden was that the boy would sacrifice so much to bear, enough to cost him almost everything.

But this was not the time to ask him to spill his secrets. Tatenashi felt there was more to the story, something far deeper and significant. When she found out what it was, she would do what she could to help lessen his burden, to stand beside him as his partner and friend.

And maybe becoming more than that. While the future was still far away, Tatenashi wouldn't exclude the possibility that she might've gotten together with him. With time to mull over the idea, she found the prospect both exciting and challenging.

The dinner concluded without too much awkwardness. After taking care of the dishes and storing away leftovers, both roommates went to bed, too tired from the day's events.

But sleep eluded Elliot as he lied awake in bed. The afternoon nap along with his roiling emotions eliminated whatever feeling of sleepiness he may had during the day. The hybrid restlessly tossed and turned; his placid mental world was upended by buried emotions brought forward by Tatenashi's questioning. Try as he might, he'd still couldn't come to a satisfying answer to what his future held in store for him.

There would be very little rest Elliot would get that night.

Elliot wandered through the school hallways in search of Charlotte to enlist her help to deal with Laura. He had called Ichika over the phone asking for him to meet him somewhere quiet and to find Charlotte, of which the boy responded that both of them were currently in the library. He made his way towards the place, hoping they were still there.

During the last week, Elliot had finished the main line of his plan when there was a sudden shift to the tournament rules. For whatever reason, it was announced that the tournament would be held in a tag team format just like the preliminary rounds in Mondo Grosso. The news came as a surprise to the student body which didn't expect the sudden change. But surprise soon gave way to pandemonium as the every girl on the island scrambled to get one of the boys to team up with them.

Since he was excluded from joining the tournament, that left Charlotte and Ichika as targets for the girls' constant badgering. While he felt a bit sympathetic to their plight, there was nothing he could do for them. At least the shift in attention allowed him the silence to put the finishing touches to his plan.

Though in hindsight, he should've put two and two together when the news broke out and had both of them paired up for the upcoming tournament. Now he hoped that both of them still haven't decided on their partners yet. He hated having to alter his plans once again.

The plan was a simple one. It involved Ichika pairing up with a capable pilot, having them covering him while softening Laura up for Ichika to deal the final blow. The idea was just basically find someone who could serve his role of protecting Ichika and his prime candidate would be the French pilot.

And with Charlotte having her own secret to safeguard, it was a no brainer to put her and Ichika together. Not only would that prevent any girls from discovering Charlotte's true identity, the French pilot was a capable fighter whose machine's capabilities could cover Ichika's weaknesses with his melee-oriented IS.

With the two working together to shore up each other's strengths and weaknesses, hopefully Ichika could defeat Laura and show her the errors of her misguided beliefs. While it may be ethically unfair to deliberately set a team up against a specific opponent, he wasn't concerned about anything else when his life and Ichika's were tied to it.

As for him, he would be hanging about somewhere within the arena. Somewhere where the lockdown measures wouldn't seal him out of the arena but inconspicuous enough to lie in wait for several hours. He had several ideas of good hiding spots but he had yet to work out which one was best suited for his purposes.

The overhead signboard for the library soon loomed into view. Elliot stepped through the automatic doors into the expansive room lined floor to ceiling with books. The sight of so many books in one location and the quiet atmosphere put Elliot at ease, making him feeling a bit at home.

While he would like to spend his afternoon in the library, he still had to find the two pilots and brief them before the girls got wind of his present location and decided to swarm the library just to annoy him. He'd much rather left the library as is, without a gaggle of girls causing a ruckus and dissuading him from visiting it in the future.

Searching for the two took very little time, made easy by the furtive glances occasionally cast in a certain direction by the girls inside the library. He found the two pilots sat together side by side, poring over a book while discussing in low whispers.

"Charles, Ichika. I've been looking for you."

His quiet call roused both teens as they lifted their heads and regarded him with surprise.

"Elliot? What is it that you want us for?"

"Hello Elliot. I hope that you bring good news for us."

Pulling up a seat adjacent to Ichika, Elliot sat down with a serious expression. He motioned the two to get closer so he could whisper.

"It's about the upcoming matches. I got a proposal to you both."

"A what now?"

"A suggestion, Ichika. Let's hear it Elliot."

"Charles, have you found a partner yet?"

"Yes I do. In fact, Ichika and I were grouped together for the match."

Elliot blinked in surprise. He didn't expect that coincidentally the two had paired up when he was about to suggest it. This just made his plans easier.

"What? Since when did this happened?"

"About a few days ago. When the announcement for the pair-up tournament went out, the girls had constantly wanted us to team up with them. I just threw out that I was teaming up with Charles here and that's that. Although Rin and Houki had been rather stubborn on having me join them but I turned them down. They looked rather angry about it but I don't know why."

"Good. Smart thinking, Ichika. That's one less thing for Charles to worry about. Besides, you've chosen well. Charles is a capable medium to long range fighter and with your CQC type machine, both of you will stand a good chance in the arena."

"But why is it that I have a feeling you're not here to just tell me that?"

"You're right, I'm not here for that. It's about dealing with Bodewig."

Upon hearing the German's name, both teens displayed expressions of displeasure and concern. Both Ichika and Charlotte furrowed their brows in worry as the two of them inched closer to him. Charlotte was the first to spoke what was on their mind.

"Is she up to something again? I hope that she didn't give you any trouble."

"It's not that. I was thinking, at the upcoming match a week from now both of you are going to compete and you'll be facing Bodewig and her teammate. Be on your guard that day you two, since she has already proven she would assault anyone most especially us boys, there's no telling what she would do or what lengths she would go through to win."

"I still don't get it, why is she so hostile to both of us? I get it that it has something to do about us being unworthy of being Chifuyu's little brothers but why does she had to attack us for that?"

"That's not our concern so don't think too much about it, Ichika. The most important thing is that both of you know just what you're up against. With both me and Bodewig unable to set foot into the arena, you both can take this chance to practice how to counter her tactics and equipment. I had fought with her already and I knew some of her weapons and how she would use them. Remember what I'll tell you and try to come up with countermeasures against them."

Charlotte's eyes widened at hearing Elliot's suggestion. A silent gasp escaped the crossdresser's lips as she clasped her hands against her mouth.

"But wouldn't that be considered cheating? If they found out that we knew everything about her and practiced actively against her, we could be suspected of having inside information and be disqualified from the match!"

Elliot shook his head, having foreseen this possibility and had prepared accordingly.

"It won't be. First off, it's not a full guarantee that I know everything about her IS or her loadout so be cautious when going up against her. Plus, it could be claimed that you guys knew about her IS and its loadout from the fight a week ago, since she really went the extra mile when we both fought. I'm doing this because that there's no telling what Bodewig would do and I wanted both of you to be prepared as much as possible when going up against her."

"But how are we going to fight her and win against her? If it was you, I'd believe you would win but me? How am I going to fight against her when she's a German representative candidate on top of her being Chifuyu-nee's student?"

Ichika looked intimidated by the idea, the sight made Elliot frowned in slight disappointment. It was a disheartening sight to see his brother harboring so much self-doubt on his own capabilities. As much as he wanted to see Ichika safe, he can't do it for his whole life. This upcoming fight was an example where Ichika would have to stand on his own two feet.

Opting to take a gentle approach, he decided his brother needed a bit of motivation. He knew the cause of Ichika's insecurity and timidity, which gave him just the right angle to work with.

"Ichika, don't let yourself be cowed by the prospect of facing an opponent much stronger than you. If your enemy is stronger, let the gap between you serve as a motivation for you to become stronger. Besides, didn't you said you wanted to become strong like Chifuyu or that Ms. Pilot you've idolized so much? Now's your chance to prove you've taken the first step on that journey and that begins with protecting yourself against someone meant to do you harm."

Gazing into Ichika's eyes, the hybrid found his uncertainty beginning to fade away. Elliot rested one hand on his shoulder in a reassuring gesture, continuing with his motivational speech.

"You always felt guilty for almost costing Chifuyu her victory, right? Well, now you can begin the journey to prove that you have what it takes to be strong. Fight, fight for your family, fight for what you believe is right. Because without the strength to fight, one cannot defend what they treasure."

"And when you need help, you've got me and Chifuyu right behind you, waiting to catch you should you fall. Remember, we Orimuras stick together, am I right?"

The hybrid held out his fist, just like old times when they were kids.

Ichika smiled, his eyes shone with newfound confidence from Elliot's encouragement. He responded to Elliot's unspoken agreement by bumping his fist against his brother's, a sign that went back to their childhood.

"Always. You're right, I can't just let Bodewig sully my name or yours."

The previously unsure boy now had a determined expression on his face, his clenched fist held confidently in front of him as he made a promise.

"I promise, I'll become an IS pilot just like Ms. Pilot. I'll make both her and Chifuyu-nee proud."

Elliot smiled, secretly happy that his motivational pep talk worked. He wasn't the best speaker out there, so to see that his encouragement got through was good to see. He quietly cheered, giving Ichika a pat on his back.

"That's the spirit!"

"Yes, go Ichika!"

Seeing Ichika's morale restored, Elliot felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. He was happy to see that his brother still held that spark of determination planted during that incident. Elliot was at least certain that if Ichika wasn't going to win flawlessly, Laura would still have a hell of a fight on her hands trying to beat Ichika.

The three wasted no time in formulating a plan to defeat Laura. Being the one who had first-hand experience against the German pilot, Elliot briefed the two teens on Schwarzer Regen's arsenal and Laura's tactics along with her tendencies and psychological profile gleaned from his experience battling against her. Charlotte added to the mix by suggesting possible countermeasure and ways to prepare against certain maneuvers and tactics Laura employed and Ichika provided his own opinion by playing devil's advocate.

The few hours spent discussing in the library was fruitful. As 4:30 PM loomed around, the three 'boys' went their own ways, with Ichika and Charlotte departing for the arena to put into motion the training regimen they came up.

For Elliot, he would be scouting the arena and its surrounding area for a suitable location where he could lie hidden during the day of the tournament. With security being heightened that day due to the presence of VIPs, Elliot needed to thoroughly analyze the layout of the building to find out where he could lay low and escape should he need be.

A trap for Laura was steadily coming into place, with Ichika and Elliot both serving as bait and the snare respectively.

The ISA was bustling with activity, with foreign representatives hailing from various governments and organizations attending the interclass tournament. The arena was packed with spectators, mostly with ISA students but a few outsiders were also included among the crowd. A festive and excited mood came over the place as everyone awaited the beginning of the tournament.

Ichika and Charlotte were gathered in the male locker room, getting ready for the upcoming matches. Both pilots were dressed in their pilot suits while waiting for the team lineup to be announced. Ichika was currently watching the holographic display board while Charlotte was putting on her suit.

"Wow. This is really something, huh?"

Hearing Ichika's comment, Charlotte came around the lockers to find a half-dressed Ichika looking at a video feed showing an ensemble of important looking people on the VIP booth.

"Oh that. Some of those are recruiters and some of those are government officials here to see how much the sophomores have learned after a year of training."

"Well, I'll take my hat off to them."

Ichika pulled on the top half of his suit, his mind drifting towards a certain girl. He wondered just who Houki was paired up to.

"Look, I know that the only thing you cared about right now is the match against Miss Bodewig but like Elliot said, try not to get too emotional out there."

Ichika nodded his head, acknowledging Charlotte's point.

"I know, I'll keep that in mind. And out of all the 1st years with the exception of my own brother, she's probably the strongest... and the most psycho."

Charlotte came beside Ichika, her eyes landed on the display as it switched feeds to display the preliminary matchups.

"Look, they're about to post the first matches!"

Both pilots turned towards the board, searching for their names and their opponents. Once they did, they gasped in shock.

Ichika Orimura and Charles Dunois .vs Laura Bodewig and Houki Shinonono.

The two pilots looked at the announced contestants list with anxiety. This was an unexpected development that they hadn't account for. Charlotte was the first to gather her wits, turning towards Ichika with an anxious expression.

"Ichika! This changes things, we've got to call Elliot now!"

"Got it!"

Ichika quickly used his IS to contact Elliot, which didn't took long before the line went through. Charlotte stood beside Ichika as Elliot's calm tone came through.

"Yes Ichika? What is it?"

"Elliot, the contestants list has just been announced! We're going on the first round against Bodewig and Houki! What should we do!?"

"Calm down, the plan hasn't changed one bit. You two remember what to do?"

Charlotte looked pensive as she recalled the plan, her eyes lit up as she remembered.

"Uh, is it getting Miss Bodewig's partner out first?"

"Yes. In this case, get Houki out of the fight first. There's a solid chance Bodewig isn't going to play team and she'll possibly take out her own teammate just to get at Ichika. The differences are that now both of you and her would be fresh instead of being exhausted and Houki would be focused on Ichika too so keep that in mind."

Ichika looked unsure at what he was told. He still wasn't convinced things hadn't changed with them going on the first round.

"But Houki's a national Kendo champion. With her and Bodewig together, both of them would be tough to beat. How're we going to make this work?"

"In this match, cooperation is key. How well you two can defeat Bodewig is dependent on how well both of you work together. Keep enough space between the two of you so you have room to move but not too far apart that you can't support each other in time. Swap your attention between the two of them every now and then to keep them off balance and make Houki your priority to eliminate first."

"Once Houki's out, then it's just a battle of attrition. Conserve as much shield energy in the fight with Houki. Once she's out, make Bodewig work by forcing her to divide her attention between the two of you. Be mindful of whatever other weapons and equipment she may had that we didn't cover, adapt on the fly and you'll get this."

The Orimura boy now looked a bit reassured by the re-brief. His unsure expression was replaced with a confident one.

"I've got it. Just stick with the plan and defeat Bodewig."

"Yep, I'll be close should something gone wrong. Hopefully the tournament will proceed smoothly."

At that moment, the PA system's digitized voice came to life, signaling the first matches were about to begin.

"Contestants, please proceed to your designated launch bay."

"Ichika! We're up! They're calling us out now!"

Ichika gave a quick nod towards Charlotte. He wrapped up his talk with Elliot, not before the hybrid left him with an earnest encouragement.

"Seems like that's my cue. Catch you later, Elliot!"

"You got this! Keep your head cool no matter what she does and you'll defeat her. Take her down Ichika!"

"I got it!"

Cutting off the channel, Ichika ran alongside Charlotte towards their designated spots, splitting apart to one of the 4 launch bays in the arena. They were quickly launched into the arena and assumed their positions on the pit, being greeted at the opposite end by Laura and Houki.

Laura's eye gleamed with viciousness, flashing a supercilious smirk at Ichika as they awaited the signal to begin.

"To think that I'm going to face you in the very first match. How very convenient, now that I don't even have to wait."

"Yeah. That's how I feel too. It's just too bad that Elliot isn't here to walk all over you but that doesn't matter."

"That orphan couldn't help you now, nor could your partner here save you from your doom. I'll send your head straight to your 'brother' once I'm done."

Laura's grim threat made Houki very uncomfortable, as evident by her discomforted expression directed at the girl.

The sound of the airhorn blasted over the arena, signaling the start of the match. Both Laura and Ichika held expressions of determination as they shouted towards their opponents.

"I will crush you!"

Ichika began his attack with an Ignition Boost, sending him straight towards Laura in a whirlwind of speed. Yukihira was poised low in his hands, prepped for an upward swing.

Laura was nonplussed by the head on charge. Raising her arm, Byakushiki's headlong dash was arrested mid-way by the Schwarzer Regen's AIC. Ichika froze immobile like a statue with his blade halfway up as Laura gave a contemptuous smirk to him.

"How predictable. You only know how to charge headlong into battle like an idiot. You're nothing but a bug to be squashed by me."

The massive railgun lowered into position as it hummed to life. Laura's smirk was vicious as she was certain of her attack connecting with the helpless boy.

A stream of bullets struck Laura from the skies, forcing her to drop her AIC only to refocus on Charlotte who attacked from above. The stream of bullets were stopped mid-air by the invisible field, an action which gave Ichika a clue on the unknown weapon's capabilities.

'I see... She can only focus on one opponent at a time.'

Laura kept her smirk up, her arm outstretched as she stopped all of Charlotte's attacks. Her railgun lowered into firing position as it tracked the orange Revive.

"Not bad but not good enough!"

Before Laura could fire a shot from her railgun, Ichika used the opportunity when she was occupied with Charlotte to shrink the distance between them. Yukihira flashed under the bright sunlight as Ichika unleashed a chain of slashes at Laura.

Laura staggered under Ichika's assault. The German snarled, her face contorted in fury at suffering damage to her machine.

"Haaaah!"

The harried shout from Houki drew Ichika's attention. The swordsman turned around only to be thrown harshly by a powerful blow. The white machine was sent flying through the air before he crashed painfully onto the ground.

"Guuh!"

Scrambling to get on his feet, Ichika got up just in time to intercept an overhead strike from Houki. The two pilots were caught in a blade lock as they tested each other's skill.

Blades clanged and rang as Houki and Ichika traded blows against each other. Ichika struggled to keep up against Houki's skill and strength as several blows struck against him. He was worried that dragging out the fight would severely deplete his shield energy before he could even face Laura.

Summoning his strength, Ichika lashed out with a vertical swing and forced back Houki. The swordswoman was going to resume her attack when a hail of steel rained down on her.

"Huh? What!?"

Ichika hurriedly made his way back to Charlotte's side, both pilots squared against Houki with their weapons prepared.

Houki rushed towards the two but she suddenly found herself airborne as a pair of wires from Laura's machine wrapped around her legs and swung her out of the way like a ragdoll.

"Hey! What're you doing!?"

She got no response from the German. Laura cast her aside, swinging her into the ground with a loud thud and kicking up a thick cloud of dust as she tumbled on the ground.

With her teammate out of the way, Laura dashed forward and engaged Ichika in fierce melee. The determined, straight blows rained down by Laura was met with some difficulty by Ichika, his sword blocked and parried as much as he could despite suffering a lot of blows to himself.

As the two duked it out, Houki had picked herself off the ground and was preparing to blindside Ichika. The Uchigane quickly sprung into action, her machine whined in high pitch as she neared Ichika.

Only for Charlotte to get into her way. The French pilot wielded a pair of Rain of Saturday shotguns, the akimbo weapons barked one after another as a wall of lead spoiled Houki's charge.

"I'm sorry, but your opponent isn't Ichika!"

The shotguns barked and snarled like twin pitbulls, each of their bite took a chunk of shield power from Houki's Uchigane. The poor girl was forced to weather the attack, unable to approach Ichika under the hailstorm of fire.

"What?! Hurgh-! Stop that!"

Within the control tower overlooking the arena, Chifuyu's gaze remained firmly fixed upon the large holographic displays broadcasting the current round between her little brother and one of her proteges.

She couldn't afford to tear her eyes away from this round for even one second. With Laura's great fixation on her and her recent actions against both her brothers, Chifuyu was worried that her German student would do something irrational to prove her own point. Despite admonishing her a few days ago, she knew that the girl was far from convinced to cease her aggression against her brothers. There's only one way that could convince the girl right now, one she hoped Ichika could carry out.

On the bright side, she had prevented Elliot from crossing blades again with Laura. Knowing the boy's overprotective instincts, their fight would've ended with Laura dead and possibly exposing his true condition. They both shared the same obstinacy that made them exceptional fighters but that also meant they would never yield in a fight. Putting them together was like putting two pissed off tigers in a cage just to see which one would survive in a deathmatch.

At least Elliot was reasonable enough to change if he considered it prudent. The boy had demonstrated a form of mental flexibility that made him adaptable and at the same time dangerous with his careless disregard for social morality. It made him unpredictable, dangerous. Combined with his IS's ability to adapt and modify itself rapidly, it would not be an even match for Laura but a one-sided mauling of a helpless girl. Especially if he lost his temper and activated the ability what some IS staff had come to call as 'Berserk mode'.

"Do you think that both Orimura-kun and Dunois are both targeting Shinonono first?"

Maya's meek voice broke her from her thoughts. Throughout the match, she did notice a noticeable difference to how her brother fought against her student.

"Smart strategy. They've been dividing their attention rapidly between both Shinonono and Bodewig, keeping the other team on the back foot and unable to respond accordingly. On top of that, Bodewig doesn't know the value of teamwork. She doesn't know the value of having someone on her side in a combat scenario. She's unable to think of her partner as an asset but rather as a liability. Their disorganization made Orimura's team looked far better than it should."

Maya hummed thoughtfully, not taking her eyes off the screen in front of her.

"In contrast, both Orimura-kun and Dunois had displayed almost perfect teamwork. They've been working together very well to keep their opponents unbalanced by helping each other periodically, ensuring that not one time either one of them were caught in a bad situation while forcing the other team to divide their attention between them. It's like watching an experienced Mondo Grosso team fighting against an inexperienced one, don't you think?"

Chifuyu silently agreed to Maya's observations. Watching Ichika fighting with perfect synergy alongside Charles, she felt a twinge of suspicion on his superlative performance. It felt too ordered, too well thought up to be attributed to good team chemistry.

"It's too good even for them, considering they're first years. Either they were the best pair of pilots I've ever seen or they had help in instruction."

Maya turned away from the screens, a look on confusion etched on her face. Then as she realized what Chifuyu was talking about, her eyes widened behind her spectacles.

"Wait, you don't mean…"

Chifuyu didn't reply. The manner which Ichika fought was far from his simplistic and brash style. It was like looking at someone else fighting in the arena, one she was very familiar with and had a hand in tutoring. It could only point to a conclusion that proved her judgement on a certain blonde correct.

Charlotte reflexively ducked down as her left arm came up with Bread Slicer knife, intercepting the overhead strike dealt by Houki. Her Rain of Saturday shotgun in her right hand came up to hip level as she pulled the trigger, surprising the girl as two shots barked out.

The Uchigane was pushed back by the shots, gouging two thin trenches into the sands as it skidded. Houki tried to resume her attack but her IS seized up, the whining creak from locked servos and thin smoke emanating from the unit showed she was out of the fight. The despondent girl slouched over in dejection, weakly bemoaning her defeat.

"I-Is that it?"

Seeing Houki was out of the fight, Charlotte refocused her attention at the lone combatant still remaining in the arena. Brandishing her Vent rifle, she unloaded her gun at Laura, a good number of said shots impacting against the German who was engaging Ichika in intense close combat.

Taking fire from her flank, Laura took a quick glance at Charlotte and decided to gain some distance from her foes. The orange Revive re-joined Ichika by his side as they stood shoulder to shoulder, their attention focused squarely on Laura.

"Sorry to kept you waiting."

Ichika gave a relieved smile towards Charlotte, sweat beading upon his forehead from all the frantic fighting.

"Thanks for the assist Charles. Merci. So where's Houki?"

"She's taking a bit of a break."

Ichika spun his sword in a flourish, holding it out in front of him with a determined expression.

"Impressive! Now let's focus on the task at hand."

The French pilot slammed fresh magazines into both her rifles, the chambers clicked closed with fresh rounds ready to go. A rifle was passed over to Ichika who accepted it readily.

"Here, Ichika!"

The Yukihira grasped in Ichika's hand disappeared into quantum storage as he shouldered Charlotte's rifle. The boy held his gaze steady on Laura as his grip tightened on the gun.

"Thanks! Now let's go!"

The two ISs split apart, converging on Laura from two different directions in wide sweeping arcs. Both Ichika and Charlotte fired upon the lone IS, alternating their fire every once in a while to distract Laura and prevent her from focusing on either one of them.

The German was put off guard, unable to respond from the pincer attack. She couldn't use her AIC to deflect attacks since focusing on one side meant opening her flank to attacks from another. Before she could formulate a course of action, Charlotte and Ichika were already too close for her railgun. Her normally calm state of mind fell apart and slight panic overwhelmed her.

"N-NO! Impossible! How could this happen!?"

As Ichika made his approach, Charlotte kept up suppressing fire on Laura, keeping her pinned as the boy readied the Barrier Void attack.

Discarding the rifle, Ichika equipped Yukihira. The sword folded apart by the blade to reveal a bright beam of energy. Ichika swung his blade horizontally in a wide arc, missing Laura by inches as she narrowly dodged in time.

The boy was undaunted as he pressed forward for a second try. A diagonal slash coming from over his shoulder came down over Laura, who dodged the strike by taking to the air.

Ichika cursed at the two missed strikes. Remembering about the plan they devised with Elliot, he deactivated the Barrier Void ability to conserve remaining shield energy. The gleaming blade disappeared and Yukihira reverted back to its uncharged state.

Seeing the sword held by Ichika reverted back to its original state, Laura smirked viciously as she charged right in with her spear cocked back.

"Awww, What's the matter? Can't attack now that your shield energy's all depleted!"

The Schwarzer Regen thundered in, a spear raised for a strike. Ichika was just narrowly able to block a thrust aimed for his chest, grunting in effort as he pushed back against the girl.

Laura wrenched her arm back, breaking the lock between them. Her left arm blindsided Ichika, slamming against Ichika's side and sending him crashing onto the ground. Seeing him helpless she pounced, her energy spear ready to deliver the finishing blow.

"Die!"

Laura's dash towards Ichika was spoiled by Charlotte's intervention. The French pilot had dashed in front of her path with blinding speed, sending a powerful punch towards Laura from the side. The large fist crashed against the black IS with an ear-deafening strike as Laura tumbled to the side, clear and far away from the lying Ichika.

The airborne IS sent sailing through the air righted itself with a flip mid-air. Laura skid to a stop as she planted one arm to the deck, arresting her momentum from the strike. She craned her neck up and glared hatefully at the French pilot.

Charlotte gave her no time to recover. A dull thrum filled the air around her as she readied her Garms.

"It's not over yet!"

The Orange Revive rocketed forward with astonishing speed, the boom of IS propulsion unleashing the Ignition Boost reverberated within the arena as Charlotte was launched forward in a headlong charge towards Laura. Her twin submachine guns chattered madly, spewing out hot steel against the black IS in an unbroken stream.

Laura was too dumbstruck by the surprise attack Charlotte pulled off. In her shock, she wasn't able to muster the concentration to use her AIC, leaving her vulnerable to the rain of steel pelting on her. In her disbelief, she gasped at Charlotte's unexpected move.

"Huh, what!? It has an Ignition Boost!?"

"That's right, because I've never used it before!"

"You mean, you've just learned how to do that!?"

"Watch your side!"

The break in the gunfire allowed Laura to tune back into her environment. At that moment, she sensed a presence at the corner of her eye. Her arm reached out, AIC flaring to life as she instinctively acted to protect herself.

Smirking, the sight of the white IS with its blade held above its head frozen like a statue was euphoric to her. An involuntary grin escaped her as she sensed her opportunity, her railgun lowered to fire.

"Enough! Now you'll die!"

Surprisingly, instead of fear, Ichika was smirking despite being rendered immobile. The sight of him smirking sent a wave of aggravation welling within Laura.

"What's so funny!?"

"You seemed to forget quite often. There's two of us."

Alarm bells rang in Laura's head at hearing the simple statement. She had made a mistake, one she shouldn't have made in the heat of battle. Her mind went into overdrive as she prepared to escape the trap she inadvertently found herself in.

Charlotte darted out behind Ichika, her IS unaffected by the AIC. Her shotguns roared with vengeance as she took aim at the massive railgun perched over Laura's shoulder.

The hailstorm of lead proved quite devastating towards the weapon. Sparks emitted from the railgun as smoke erupted out the massive contraption. With the weapon gone, Charlotte used up the remainder of her rounds inside her magazines peppering Laura with shot after shot. Incensed at the loss of her weapon and the damage incurred on her machine, Laura's aggravation towards the two resilient and wily opponents boiled over as she snarled towards the two pilots.

"Why won't you die already!?"

Charlotte kept up fire, pinning Laura with effective ranged fire. Out the corner of her eye, she smiled as she saw Ichika nearing the optimal position.

"Ichika, now!"

"On it!"

The Yukihira flared to life once more. Ichika dashed in for the kill as he delivered a powerful thrust towards Laura. The blade crashed against the Schwarzer Regen, its shields sparking upon the contact.

Laura watched with dismay as her shield points literally evaporated into thin air with that one strike, the sound of glass shattering filled her ears as it finally gave way.

"No!"

The German slumped down as her IS locked up, its systems powering down as the Absolute Defense system drained the IS of all its power to protect her from the lethal strike. Her eye was fixated on the cheering duo as her mind drifted back to the past, a stream of memories filtered into her consciousness like scenes playing from a discordant movie.

"DNA specimen C0067, your new codename would be Laura Bodewig."

'I was created, born, raised and trained for one purpose: I was made to fight. But I was not just a fighter. I was one of the elites. I was always on top.'

'However, when the world's most powerful weapon emerged, the IS, everything changed. After that, in order to enhance my compatibility a surgical procedure was performed immediately and my left eye was enhanced with nanomachines.'

'I was willing to undergo some modification. However, my body wasn't able to accommodate the augmentation and I was labelled a failure. From that day on, my performance suffered and with it, my standing within the unit. My squamates see me as a failure, a reject. I felt alone and abandoned.'

'Until one day I met her and everything changed. Her name was Chifuyu Orimura, the world's best IS pilot. She was an extremely skilled instructor, which I took her teachings to heart. And once again in the IS dedicated unit I've had risen to become the best.'

'When the chance came, I asked my mentor once. I wanted to learn the secret behind her indomitable strength.'

"I want to become as strong as you are. What's it that makes you so strong?"

'She turned towards me, her face softened, something that seemed unfitting for her strong image.'

"I have my younger brothers, one of which whom I owed my everything and is my inspiration. When I look at him, I know what strength really meant."'

'No. No. Why did she look so soft? You have unconquerable strength, great dignity and utmost confidence. The very traits that I admire greatly in you. You owe nothing to no one.'

'That is why I cannot forgive them. That is why I cannot approve of the males that made my instructor look weak.'

'I want power.'

A voice purred into Laura's ear, seductive and promising untold possibilities.

"Do you wish for power? Do you want to obtain greater power?"

"Give me power! Give me unmatched power!"

Laura's consciousness was drawn back to reality. She gazed hatefully at the cheering boy, who was no doubt celebrating her humiliating defeat. Agonizing pain began wracking her body in fits as she struggled to hold back her screams, the pain beginning to worsen as time passed.

"We've did it Charles! We've defeated Bodewig!"

"Yes, we did! Good work Ichika!"

The two victorious pilot basked in their victory, cheering and giving high fives to each other with jubilant expressions. It had all went according to plan, just as Elliot had laid out.

"Aaaaaaaaahhhhh!"

The agonized cries broke them out of their celebratory mood. Both Ichika and Charlotte turned towards the source of the scream, only to their horror found a grotesque sight greeting them.

Bolts of electricity sparked and crackled from Laura's machine, the sounds of electricity interspersed with the girl's agonized cry. The machine shifted and convulsed, its bulky and angular form slowly dissolved into a black amorphous mass that looked like tar moving under its own will.

"Mon dieu!"

"My God!"

Both teens gasped in horror as they beheld the horrific sight. It was so horrific that both teens wanted to tear their eyes away but couldn't. Both were worried about the German representative candidate's safety as they watched her IS transformed into something grotesque and unimaginable.

Laura flailed and clawed, trying desperately to extract herself from the mass that was consuming her. The pulsating mass that was her IS slowly dragged her back in, black tendrils piling over her diminutive form as they swallowed her. The last thing the teens saw was an expression of true fear etched on her face and her outstretched arm before she was swallowed by the blob, her arm disappearing beneath the writhing mass before it smoothed out to a sleek surface as if nothing was there previously.

The speculating crowd witnessing the sight now burst into panicked pandemonium. Spectators screamed as the safety barriers fell over the stands, shielding them from any possible attacks while blocking any view into the arena. The PA system blared out safety announcements and instructions alongside the klaxon of alarms.

"Security Alert! This is a level-D emergency! All tournaments are cancelled and IPF units have been scrambled to contain the situation. All guests and students evacuate immediately!"

Ichika and Charlotte watched as the shifting mass now morphed into something recognizable. The silhouette of a woman decked in an IS formed in front of them, holding a sword in its right hand. Ichika froze at seeing the mass taking the shape of one person he was very familiar with, holding on to a sword that was similar to one he knew.

The same one he now held in his hand. He couldn't prevent a gasp of shock from escaping him as he recognized the weapon.

"Yukihira…. It's the same one that Chifuyu had!"

Ichika's anger swelled at the sight. His anger began to boil over, morphing into rage as his grip on Yukihira tightened into a crushing vice. Everything around him seemed to fade into the background, the droning sound in his ear included as his mind went blank, with only one thought taking center stage in his mind.

To destroy the imposter who dared to impersonate his sister and wield her famed weapon.

"Ichika! Ichika! What's your situation!?"

The voice of his brother's frantic yelling through the comms brought him back from the brink. Ichika blinked, shaking his head to dispel the mental haze from his rage. The notification window of Elliot's IS appeared on the corner of his eye, with his voice clearly heard through the channel.

"Elliot!? Is that you!?"

"Of course it's me, who else!? Listen, I've saw what happened. Hang on tight, I'm coming in with reinforcements! Don't fight that thing! It's too dangerous!"

Ichika's face contorted in fury; an angry snarl carved into his youthful face. Ichika couldn't contain his anger at being dissuaded, even if it was by his brother.

"What!? No! Do you see that thing!? I-It's impersonating Chifuyu-nee and her sword! No way I'm going to just stand by and let someone else take care of this!"

"This isn't about Chifuyu's honour, dammit! That thing that took over Bodewig's IS, it's called a Valkyrie Trace system. I've read about it once. It's a system that imitates previous Mondo Grosso champions and you know who that is."

"More importantly, this is the real problem. The system would put enormous strain on the pilot's mind and body, eventually killing them if ran for too long. Don't you see!? This isn't about defeating some impersonator of Chifuyu or upholding her honour! This is about life and death of a girl now! Don't let your anger and pride blind you to that!"

The shocking statement jarred Ichika to his core. To know there was a person's life on the line gave Ichika pause, his mind trying to come to terms with the sobering thought. Even if that someone's life was a hated person to him, he couldn't find it in himself to condemn anyone to death. His rage disappeared, replaced with shocked concern.

"W-Wait! You mean Laura's now suffering inside that thing!?"

"Yes! And if we don't handle this properly, The ISA would be handing a body back to Germany and explaining how a pilot under their care died! Do you really want to condemn someone to death just because you cared much more about your pride than a life?"

Elliot's admonishment sent a pang of guilt through Ichika. In his pride, he was too obsessed about protecting Chifuyu's honour that he didn't realized someone's life was at risk. Shame burned through him for indulging his selfish desires, so out of step from the promise he made to himself 2 years ago.

If Ms. Pilot was here, he was sure she would've definitely saved Laura even if she was an insufferable girl. He can't do any less than what his savior did for him all those years ago. There was only one thing to do now.

Taking a deep breath, Ichika settled his nerves just like how Elliot taught him. The emotions clouding his mind retreated into the background, allowing him to think clearly once more. Now, he could sought out advice and decide what to do next.

"What should I do now, Elliot?"

"Don't do anything rash just yet. The IPF had scrambled their units and they're currently heading towards the arena to rescue the spectators and secure the building. It'll be just like the incident one month ago, remember? What did we do when the threat was here?"

"We contained the threat, buying the security personnel time to save everyone in the stands."

"Yup. You and Charlotte can still fight, right? Keep its attention on you until the reinforcements arrive. You two won't have to fight it alone, as I'm currently heading there right now. Hang tight Ichika. We Orimuras always stick together, am I right?"

Ichika broke out in a grim smile, their promise towards one another gave him a reassurance that everything would be alright.

"Always. Alright, I'll do what I can with Charlotte. Just get over here quick Elliot."

"I'll be there. Just hang tight Ichika. Stay safe and strong, brother!"

The line disconnected abruptly, leaving the younger Orimura to his thoughts. Ichika turned towards Charlotte, his face fixed in a determined expression.

"Charlotte, Elliot's coming here along with the IPF. We need to stall for time for them to pull the students out of the stands. In the meantime, let's keep that thing busy before they got here."

Charlotte looked unsure, not keen on the idea of confronting the morphed Schwarzer Regen.

"You sure about this? It looks like we better just wait here for them to arrive."

Ichika drew Yukihira out, brandishing it in a ready position facing the imposter. His eyes narrowed as he stared down the machine.

"I'm sure. There's too much on the line right now for us to sit idly by. We'll save her and everyone else."

The uncertain expression Charlotte wore gave way to attentive focus. Charlotte dipped her head towards Ichika, signaling she was going along with him.

"Alright, I'm with you Ichika. Let's keep that thing from rampaging on the school grounds."

Both pilots brandished their weapons, standing off against the lone machine taking the visage of Chifuyu. Silence settled within the arena as both sides were locked in a tense stand-off.

Then, all hell broke loose as the two pilots charged straight for the machine, weapons brandished to take it down.

Chapter Text

Chapter 14: Clash of the Titans

The narrow corridors sprawling the arena building rumbled with a mixture of IS propulsion and servos shifting as a mass of IS units consisting of Revives clambered down one of the hallways leading into Arena 6. All of the pilots wore a serious expression as they scrambled into positions as orders dictated.

"Go! Get moving ladies! Arena 6's in lockdown and we still got a lot of girls trapped in the stands! I want half of you to the stands and evacuate the students, the rest of you follow me into the ground to subdue the threat, understood!?"

"Got it!"

"Understood!"

The group made their way into the maintenance area, cutting through rows after rows of vacant service bays. The order came down that a level D emergency had occurred in one of the open-air arenas, with one of the contestants' IS undergoing an odd transformation. As the IPF unit on standby, they were ordered to coordinate with the school faculties to get the trapped students out of the stands and contain the threat, which last they heard was engaging the remaining students still trapped in the pit.

But among the group of experienced IS pilots, there was one whose presence was not known to them. If one had paid attention, they could hear the sound of faint breathing behind the group.

The group piled up against one of the launch bay doors, weapons brandished and aimed towards the door. The leader of the group opened comms towards the control room in the arena.

"Control, we're at launch bay 1, arena 6! Get that door open!"

The massive blast door rumbled alive, gears screeching as the door slowly opened. Every weapon within the team tensed in anticipation, prepared to fire just in case the threat came barrelling through the opening.

Soon the team clambered through the large door and into the scorching arena pit. The threat that looked like an imposter of the Infernal Empress stood there silently, gazing at two student pilots at the opposite end. One of the boys was injured, clutching onto his upper arm as he sat on the arena floor.

"Go! Surround the threat! Make sure it can't escape!"

The group of Revives scattered in various directions, taking positions around the morphed IS to form a containment cordon. Both sides waited tensely, The IPF pilots awaited further instructions while the eyeless machine studied the injured boy.

Still invisible, Elliot stealthily made his way into the arena. He peered around the arena worriedly looking for any traces of the familiar mop of blue hair. He could see Ichika was injured, his right hand grasping onto his left arm with little trickles of vermillion weeping out between his fingers.

Finding that his roommate had yet to arrive, he opened a channel to Tatenashi, taking great care to whisper on the comm.

"President, where are you now?"

"Just got past the main school building, still need about a few more minutes before I arrive at the arena."

Elliot could clearly hear Tatenashi panting through the comm, along with the patter of soft soles plodding on pavement. If what she said was true, the next few minutes were going to be excruciatingly long. He doesn't have the luxury of waiting for her, not while the threat was still active.

"I'm currently in the arena pit. Bodewig's IS had changed into some kind of Chifuyu doppelganger. Ichika's here but I can see he's injured. I suggest you pick up the pace, President."

"You know you'll be in deep trouble for showing your face in the arena before your punishment period ends. Orimura-sensei would be very displeased about your disobedience, Elliot-kun."

Elliot huffed irately in reply. He'd rather get punished than to stand by and watch Ichika getting wounded or killed when he could've done something. When it came to family, no price was too high for him. He'd spilled blood before for them and he'll do it again if that was called from him.

"I'll accept whatever consequences that may come. I rather have a living brother than following orders that got him killed. Besides, this may be just like the Unmanned IS incident a month ago. Who knows what may come from this if I just stand at the sidelines?"

"Just... be careful Elliot-kun. Remember, there's a person in that machine. Don't get carried away and accidentally kill Bodewig."

"I know. See you soon, President. Elliot out."

Watching the IPF surrounding the haywire machine, Elliot dispelled Artemis' Shroud and descended into the arena pit. Careful not to spook the tense instructors with his unannounced presence, he called out towards the injured boy as he went to his side in a hurry.

"Ichika, I'm here!"

"Hey, what are you doing here boy!? Get out of here right now!"

The sharp order by one of the IPF members was summarily ignored as the blonde boy was beside Ichika in a flash. His brother was joined by Charlotte still in her Revive watching over the doppelganger and Houki whom had extricated herself out of her Uchigane.

Charlotte looked relieved seeing him here but Houki gave him a nasty glare, as if his presence here was entirely unnecessary and unwelcome. The hybrid couldn't give two damns about her, since he had pressing problems to worry about than her attitude.

Ichika on the other hand looked very troubled. Elliot could see the rage burning within the muddy red irises looking back at him. Despite being injured, Ichika was still determined to defeat the doppelganger and reclaim Chifuyu's honour. His speech was strained as he tried to get up but his injury held him back.

"Elliot! Thank God you're here! T-That thing's copying Chifuyu's technique! I've tried but I can't defeat it, it's too fast and strong!"

"I know. But first, we need to get that wound looked at. Here."

Elliot swiftly dematerialized Hecate, revealing him in his uniform. He swiftly loosened the knot holding his shemagh on and pulled it off, rolling it into a thick flat band to use as an improvised dressing.

"Hold still Ichika. I'm going to dress your wound."

Ichika nodded painfully, his body trembled as he removed his hand clasped over the wound. Fresh red liquid resumed pouring out the now uncovered wound, dripping onto the sand like spilled wine.

Swiftly and decisively, Elliot pressed the makeshift bandage onto the wound. Applying pressure to staunch the bleeding, he pulled both ends of the shemagh taunt as he tied it off with a simple knot.

"There, that should do it for now. You need to get to the infirmary right now. Charles, help him up!"

The French pilot pulled away from her vigil and moved towards Ichika. Dematerializing her IS, Charlotte went over and gingerly pulled Ichika up, supporting him by her shoulder.

Apparently Houki had the same idea. She stopped in her tracks as she saw Ichika being supported by Charlotte, with the two 'boys' were looking worn and matted from their scrape against the haywire IS.

"W-Wait! I can do that! I can help Ichika to the infirmary!"

Elliot shot a scathing glare towards the annoying girl, sending an unspoken message for her to back off.

"No, you need to get out of here and head to the shelters. This is no place for some pilot without a machine or combat experience and Ichika needs someone who's cool headed and capable to protect him right now."

Houki looked put off by his retort. Looking to rebutt him, she found that she had nothing to argue against him with. Angrily the girl stalked off like a petulant child, not bothering to conceal her dissatisfaction.

With one annoyance gone, Elliot turned towards the pressing matter right now. His brother still needed to have his wound tended to and the Valkyrie Trace system was still active while he was busy dealing with his brother. He gave a curt nod towards Charlotte with a serious gaze.

"Take care of him, Charles. Make sure he doesn't do anything rash while he sits this one out."

"Oui. Don't worry, mon ami."

Ichika's arm came up and clasped him on the shoulder, his bloodstained hand left a bloody handprint on his shirt. Lifting his head, his eyes conveyed a sense of pain and shame from being unable to defeat the imposter.

"Don't. I want to fight this one, just let me have this one."

Elliot let Ichika's arm rest on his shoulder for a moment longer. Gently, he grasped his brother's shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze in a familiar manner, returning the gesture with an unspoken meaning of his own.

"Don't worry, Ichika. I'll finish what you've started. You've defeated Bodewig without my help, without me watching your back. I'm proud of you bro. Now you can take a rest and let me fight your battles for you now."

Charlotte looked worried and tired, shifting Ichika to better support him with her shoulder. Her fatigue was evident by the dull shine in her eyes.

"Come on Ichika, we need to get that wound looked at."

Ichika looked torn; his eyes scrunched with warring emotions. After a while he relented, a defeated sigh escaped his dried lips.

"Fine. Elliot, you make sure to save Laura, ok? And show that thing what happens when it dared to impersonate Chifuyu-nee."

Elliot nodded and patted Ichika's shoulder, making sure not to put enough force to aggravate his condition.

"That's my plan. I'll see to it that thing gets what it deserved, I promise. You just focus on healing up, ok?"

"Alright. Just… stay safe, Elliot."

With that, the two pilots hobbled out the arena. Elliot turned his attention towards the haywire IS, Hecate wrapping around his body once more as he sized up his opponent.

"Orimura-san, what do you think you're doing in here!? This is an emergency, get out of there!"

Chifuyu's voice blared through the PA system. Biting back the urge to mouth out a smart remark, he settled for a neutral response as he opened the comm channel to the control room.

"I'm here as part of the reinforcements. I wouldn't be anywhere but here at this moment."

"No, the IPF have this handled. Get out of the arena now. I won't repeat this again."

Elliot's aggravation rose at Chifuyu's insistence for him to withdraw. There was no way he could retreat now when he had made a promise to Ichika. He's not going back on his word no matter what happens.

"No. That thing's got your skill and your abilities on top of who knows what else. You think a couple of experienced pilots in standard Revives can cut it? You need me here and you know it!"

"I said no! Get out there and let the qualified personnel handle it! You're not going to fight it together with them because you don't know anything about team tactics!"

The hybrid had already made up his mind. Elliot cracked his neck as the Nemean claws shot out of his gauntlets, humming with energy.

"Who's said I was fighting with them? I'm going in alone. If I can't defeat it, at least I can weaken it enough for the security forces to handle it. But I'm not leaving until I've fulfilled my promise to Ichika."

Elliot waited for the verdict from Chifuyu. If she was going to dissuade him from going in, she had to think of something concrete to even pull him out of there. Or an army to drag him out of there kicking and screaming if it came down to it.

"Orimura-sensei, what should we do? It doesn't look like Orimura-san could be convinced to leave and he's set on fighting that machine."

Chifuyu held back the urge to sigh as she massaged her temples. The amount of troubles she faced during this whole incident had just increased exponentially with the hybrid barging in to engage the unit.

Knowing a bit of how Elliot's mind worked, Chifuyu suspected he had planned for Ichika to fight against Laura in a show of deterrence. It wouldn't be out of the realms of possibility he had also accounted for such unforeseen circumstances. When it came to family, no one took it more seriously than that boy. It was this part of him that both impressed and irritated her.

Excluding the present danger they were confronted with, Chifuyu was also concerned that Elliot's autonomous actions could not only put the Academy in further danger but also unnecessarily exposed his condition. Even so, she knew there was no way she could dissuade him once he sets his mind on something.

"Let me talk with him, Yamada-sensei. Privately."

"O-Of course, ma'am. The terminal's yours for the time being."

Scurrying out of her chair, Chifuyu took her seat as she sat down and donned the headphones. Keying in his IS code, she immediately got into contact with the hybrid inside the arena. She kept her tone quiet as she asked over the line.

"Are you sure about this? You know the risks that comes with this if you messed this up. Not to mention, 'that' could get out if you're not careful."

"Which is why we mustn't delay any further. The longer this goes on, the higher the risks of getting Bodewig out of that thing without side effects or worse dead. I'll take the risk but I am not sitting by watching good people die when I could've done something. I can't handle guilt very well and with who knows how many years remaining ahead of me, I want to live them out without any regrets."

Hearing the grim determination underlining his statement, Chifuyu knew there was no way he would be dissuaded at all. They'll had to send in another team just to pull him out as much as to contain the threat present within the arena. She tried another approach, hoping he could see reason.

"You could die, you know. This isn't some spar or a kids' fight. No matter how good you think you are, this is the Valkyrie Trace system we're talking about. It's the most dangerous IS system ever developed."

"The same could be said of me. I'm already a dead man walking ever since that day happened. Better me than someone else, right?"

Chifuyu exhaled in agitation, not stoked by the idea of Elliot diving headfirst into certain danger just to fulfil a promise to his family. Especially aggravating was the fact he considered himself disposable, on the basis that he was a monster and not human. She always hated that cynical aspect of him.

But he did have a point. With the Valkyrie Trace System emulating her skill, even if there was a whole squad of experienced pilots they could only manage to contain it, not take it down. And with Laura trapped in there under severe mental and physical strain, it was only a matter of time before her former pupil became a lifeless body. As much as she wanted to protect him, she knew this situation was all about weighing both admittedly terrible options, the difference was which option sucked less and what she could live with. She made up her mind on what had to be done next.

"Alright, you got the go ahead to engage Bodewig's IS. Use whatever you deemed fit to take down the threat and rescue Bodewig."

Her order was given with a clear tone, loud enough for anyone within the control room to hear. The hurried clack of heels echoed within the room and she found her earphones snatched away by a panicked Maya.

"Orimura-sensei! We can't just send a student in there to handle the threat, much less take it down! Call him back right now!"

Chifuyu sighed, being too tired to deal with any further annoyances.

"He's right, Yamada-sensei. Do you think the Valkyries can handle it? We can keep throwing pilots at it until it eventually shuts down but how many experienced pilots would we sacrifice? I don't like this one bit as much as you do but he's probably the one most qualified to handle this now. We must seize the opportunity when he's weakened the IS."

"But, what could Orimura-san do? His machine is probably the weakest among the first years' personal IS. Even if he did resolve the Golem incident a month ago and he's a skilled pilot, I don't see how he could subdue the Valkyrie Trace system this time."

"There's more to his IS than it meets the eye, Yamada-kun. If it comes down to it, I believe he has a shot in taking that thing down. He's the only one that had taken all what I've taught him without a single protest. If there's anyone who can take that thing down, it's him."

Chifuyu said nothing more, focusing back onto the screens as she left Maya's terminal while the assistant teacher returned to her seat. The stoic woman kept her attention on the screen, watching the hybrid still in the arena with hawk-like attention. After a while, she stepped up to the console and opened a channel towards the IPF unit within the arena.

"I'm going to engage that threat and try to weaken it if I can. You all will make sure to keep it restrained within the arena pit!"

"No go! This isn't a movie set for you to fool around, boy! Get out so we can do our job!"

Elliot gritted his teeth as he resisted the urge to call out every curse word he could summon out of his street lexicon. Even after several times insisting he had the go ahead from Chifuyu, he didn't expect to be stonewalled by protocol and bureaucracy at this critical moment.

The leader seemed to want to lecture him further but stopped to answer a call that came through on her Revive.

"Yes, control. What!?... U-Understood…"

The leader seemed like she had swallowed a lemon as she rounded against Elliot, her gaze rather miffed.

"Looks like Orimura-sensei wanted you to take it down. I don't know why but she insisted you could do the job. Well, not my business. Fine, we'll keep that thing away from the stands while you get to play hero. Let's move ladies, to your positions!"

The small group around Elliot dispersed to join their comrades, each situated at the edge of the pit with the spectator stands behind them. Elliot faced his opponent, studying it with a critical eye.

The doppelganger was literally a carbon copy of Chifuyu, save for its faceless visage. The way it moved, the manner it stood was almost identical to his master. The hybrid couldn't help but find the sight of the machine imitating the woman extremely insulting, a sentiment which he shared with Ichika as he held the Nemean claws in a defensive stance. Unable to hold back on his anger, Elliot clenched his fist as Hecate literally hummed with energy, building up power steadily like a colossal tide held back by a crumbling dam.

"Come on then! You dare to copy Chifuyu, let's see how faithful your impersonation is!"

Sparing no time, Hecate barrelled forward like a bullet out of a gun, its propulsion roaring with unbridled power as the hybrid triggered an Ignition Boost. The black IS threw itself towards the imposter as both machines met in the middle, stopping outright as they clashed in ferocious melee.

Elliot threw out a double slash, his blades left an X-pattern in the air as he lashed out against the imposter. Much to his chagrin, he found his blades locked against the single sword mid-swing, the claws rendered immobile by the deftly-timed attack by the imposter.

Even when he could see the searing heat from the claws was damaging the midnight black blade, black gunk dripping from the blade in thick droplets, the copy of Yukihira still held strong under the melee lock.

'This thing's fast! Almost like Chifuyu!'

The hybrid suddenly found himself free when the imposter withdrew its blade, causing him to stumble from the force he was putting into the fight. Flourishing the rapidly reforming blade in front, the faceless figure raised its sword up for an overhead strike.

Elliot only had moments to spare as he raised his shield over him, stopping the blade just shy from cleaving into his head. His arm shook from both the force from the strike and the power pressing down on him.

Instinctively Cerberus appeared back into his right hand as he fired, just at the worst moment as the imposter swiftly flew back well out of the devastating range of his trusted firearm. The pellets widened considerably and lost velocity quickly, leaving just a few steel shots to bounce off the machine's barriers and dealing insignificant damage.

Elliot stowed Cerberus and dove right into melee range, locking blades with the imposter in a fierce fight. For the next few minutes, the two ISs fought tooth and nail, searing hot blades crossed against a black copy of the famed Yukihira.

The hybrid gritted his teeth as he blocked and dodged every attack as best as he could, finding the imposter just as fast as his master. He had clocked a few close calls where Yukihira's copy had scraped close to him, just enough to cost him some shield points.

Despite the danger he was in, part of him felt invigorated, brought back to life as he fought on. The frantic pace of the fight was reminiscent of his time under Chifuyu, where he had to summon every inner resource he had just to stood a chance against the woman. There was just something about fighting against a worthy foe not for survival but to measure yourself that held a special meaning to Elliot, a chance where he could rose above his bleak existence and be something, instead of just an unknown existence that the world could care less for.

His right arm was cocked back, surging forward in a powerful thrust. Elliot grunted as his arm was batted away by a swing from the imposter, spoiling his strike. The triple barreled firearm appeared back into his arm as he fired against the machine, unleashing a wall of steel with all three barrels emptied with a single trigger pull.

The roaring blast sent the machine veering back, its dull black surface now pocked with various holes. Seeing an opening, Elliot pulled out Chimera and sent a long burst of automatic fire towards the machine.

The imposter veered left and right, dodging the hail of fire from the hybrid. It swiftly homed in on him and engaged him in melee, raining slashes and blows towards him with skilled ease.

Elliot was having a hard time as he defended against the onslaught of attacks. All his melee strikes were unable to connect with his target, and he was quickly running out of shield energy to press on the fight. Without Hecate's armoured form from years ago, he couldn't risk fighting on without any shields to protect him. Like it or not, he had to end the fight while he still could afford to.

Striking away a diagonal slash aimed for his chest, Elliot drove his fist forward. His strike was thwarted by the machine coming back with a backhand slash.

Before he could recover, the hybrid found himself pushed back from three strikes landing on his torso. The lack of an Absolute Defense system within Hecate let the force from the blows transferred to his body unadulterated in its intensity. It took all his willpower to prevent himself from blacking out from the shock on his nervous system.

Working through the haze of pain, he spotted from the readouts from the HUD that he was down to less than half of his total shield power, 98 out of 220 points.

'That thing's quite strong just like Ichika said! A strike or two and I'm going to be fighting without any protection.'

The imposter barreled straight towards him, the imitation Yukihira poised for a stab. Elliot scrambled to bring Veritas into the path of the lethal blade as the distance between them shrunk rapidly in the blink of an eye.

At the last few inches, the blade swung up from its low position, rising up in a deadly arc as it swatted away the protective barrier separating it and Elliot.

He raised his right arm, Cerberus in hand to repulse the charging machine. His shot went wide as his arm was struck away by the blade coming back down in an overhead slash.

The sound of IS barriers shattering filled the arena as Elliot cursed, his barrier now gone from the slash. He quickly materialized the claws again, bringing them up to protect himself.

The black sword came across in a horizontal slash, narrowly missing his face as the sword's edge scraped against the rows of claws held diagonally. Sparks and black gunk flared from the momentary contact between blades as Elliot took a step back, ready to lunge at the imposter.

'Now I need to- ARGH! MOTHERF-!'

Burning pain lanced through his body as he stilled into place, his breath stolen from the wave of agony that crashed over him. Elliot heard an agonized cry, though he didn't realized it was him who was yelling out in pain.

Hesitantly he peered down where he felt the pain had radiated from. To his horror, he found the blade had broken through the armour layer and planted halfway into his abdomen. Thick, vermillion liquid oozed out of the wound like wine, coating the blade in a dull sheen and dripping onto the ground in thick rivulets.

Wracked with pain, Elliot slowly rested his hand on the blade. The imposter yanked the blade out harshly, the resulting action sent a fresh wave of pain that was too much for him to bear.

Elliot dropped onto his knees, one hand clutching on the wound to stop the bleeding. Weakly he lifted his head to see the imposter lifting the blade high overhead poised to deliver a fatal blow to him.

The darkness that had plagued his vision now encroached into the center of his view. Elliot could feel his consciousness slipped away as his fatigue and pain threatened to overwhelm his senses. Dimly, he realized he had bit more than he could chew and he was going to pay for his mistake with the ultimate price.

'I'm sorry, Ichika…I, I can't fulfil my promise to you.'

Mentally he prepared for his eventual demise. Closing his eyes he waited for his doom, his failure stung him just as much as his wounds.

A moment passed, then soon a while elapsed but Elliot felt nothing. Tentatively, he opened his eyes to find an odd, mirage like effect happening in front of him. Along with that he could hear a faint voice, sweet and distant calling out to him.

'Am I dead? Is this how death supposed to be like, being called by an angel as you left the world behind? This isn't half bad.'

Through his addled senses, he could faintly felt a hand grasping his shoulder. Another burst of pain erupted from his abdominal wound as he felt his body being pulled back. A pained gasp escaped him as the pressure on his wound sent bolts of agony washing through him.

"Elliot-ku… Stay… me!...tay with me!"

Turning his gaze towards the source of the broken cry, Elliot could faintly make out a mop of sky-blue hair and a pair of rubies in his sight. Being wracked by pain, a name came out of his lips, one that slipped into his mind without much thought.

"T-Tatenashi…?"

The girl held a relieved expression, her eyes shone with an emotion he couldn't place. He could see her lips moving as she was calling out towards someone but he couldn't pick up what she was saying. Her hands felt warm, reassuring, sensations that were a far cry to his current state.

His willpower now spent, the darkness that occupied the periphery of his vision swarmed over his sight and he blacked out. One single thought swam through his addled mind as he struggled to remain awake, until his consciousness slipped away and the blurry image of his sight closed off like an old tube television.

'I…must fight…. I must keep….my promise.'

When he regained his vision, the hazy blurry image of the arena pit was gone. Instead Elliot found himself standing in the same landscape where he first met Hecate, the dark orb still shone with eerie white glow.

In front of the orb, Hecate stood with her hands clasped in front of her. The hood on her cloak was pulled down, exposing her ethereal face and letting him see her white irises trained squarely on him.

"Hecate, why am I back here? What's happened to the VT system?"

"You have been grievously wounded and have lost consciousness. I had taken the liberty to summon you here in order for us to converse."

Elliot furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. What exactly would be important that he'd be brought back to this place?

"Why?"

"I had heard your wish before your mind drifted off to oblivion. For that, I shall grant you the ability to fulfil your innermost desire to uphold your oath to your family. You will not perish at this moment yet, not when I still draw breath and able to protect you."

"But how am I going to do that? I doubt having a sword run you through will be something that can be fixed in a short time, even with the nanite solution you have."

Hecate looked disapprovingly at him, her delicate brows scrunched in distaste.

"Have you beheld such little faith to my capabilities, Pilot? I have alluded before that I would willingly drove myself to ruin not only to assure your survival but also to manifest your destiny. A mere wound such as that can be easily remedied should you chose to continue the battle."

The avatar now inched closer to him, resting her hands on his cheeks. Her white orbs stared into his own, searching his soul.

"What would be your decision, Pilot? Do you submit to an inevitable fate, lying helpless like sheep led to the slaughter? Or will you rise above your fate and chart your own destiny? Your fate shall rest upon your discretion."

Elliot kept his eyes locked on Hecate's tensely, his mind swirling with the choice he was presented with. Hecate's question really brought a similar question within himself to light, one he had grappled with for quite some time.

Was it his fate to suffer, doomed to die on the streets in his quest for freedom? No, he had rose against the odds and survived this long before he was shot dead. Yet somehow, he ended up with his current partner, bound in a shared body.

Elliot was never a believer of the idea of fate. The mere thought of his future was set in stone sounded preposterous to someone so strong willed as him. It was this refusal to subscribe to this inane idea that allowed him to survive alone in one of the most violent places in America.

But after being resurrected with Hecate, he found himself starting to question his own beliefs on this topic. Could something so impossible as his circumstances be crafted merely by human will? He knew just how little the odds were that he could be compatible with an IS, much less have his life sustained by said machine, yet here he was.

But what came after that was not mere destiny. He worked hard to became what he was today, sweating blood and sweat to get to where he was now. Only now did he realized one facet of his second life that had escaped his attention.

While this existence may have been shaped by providence or fate, it was his own will that defined it into what he wanted. The answer was now clear to him. He made up his mind as his eyes hardened in resolve.

"That imposter wouldn't exist any longer, not if I had anything to say about it. I'll do whatever I need to make sure of that."

A serene smile graced Hecate's face as her arms came up, clasping his hands as she held them. Her eyes bored into him, as if she was gazing into his soul and found it to her liking.

"An admirable decision, Pilot. It requires outstanding courage to resist the tides of Fate, swimming against its unstoppable currents as it swept everyone away. Seeing your determination, it only affirmed my choice of choosing you as my master and Pilot all those years ago."

"Summon forth your rage and your will, let it serve to push you against whatever Fate levied in your way. With it, vanquish your enemies and see them driven from you."

Hecate gently separated from him. Then, a sudden force yanked him away as his vision washed out in a bright light emanating from the orb.

Elliot gasped out in agony, finding himself back kneeling on the scorching field in the arena. His cries had drawn Tatenashi's attention as he felt her arms gripped him, helping to keep his body upright.

"Elliot-kun, are you alright? Come on, get out of your IS, I'm getting you out of here. The medics will arrive shortly."

Elliot grimaced, feeling great pain wracking him from every movement he made. His eyes widened as he felt his pain suddenly dissipated and his strength beginning to return. He moved the girl's hands away, who was trying to pull him out of his IS.

"I'm not leaving until that thing's out of action. I need to do this, for both Ichika and my sake."

"But you're injured, Elliot-kun. Let the IPF handle this, they'll be fine now that you've done what you can."

Elliot shook his head adamantly, the motion made his head swam from the pain still wracking him.

"No. If they went in, they'll be swept away. That thing fights almost like Chifuyu herself but I think I can take it on. One more time... just one more time."

"You're in no condition to fight! You're bleeding out and your machine has locked down! Don't let your pride be the death of you, Elliot-kun!"

Hearing the bluenette exploded over his insistence to continue to fight, Elliot was really caught off guard by her outburst. He didn't know why the girl was so concerned over him, unlike her usual impish, teasing demeanor.

"Who said I'm unable to fight? Just watch, President. I'll show you what my partner's capable of."

He weakly staggered up to his feet, earning a gasp from the girl beside him. Grimly he looked to his wound, finding no further liquid seeping out of the hole and the breach in his suit beginning to seal. Satisfied with his condition, he turned back towards the surprised girl.

"President, I need you and the instructors to stand back. I'm going to activate my IS's special ability and when it's on I will lose my mind. Get out now so that I don't mistake you as a hostile."

"But Elliot-kun, just what can you do now? That thing had countered your techniques and even injured you. Do you still want to fight on?"

"I'm sure. I promised Ichika this much and I'll keep that promise. Just be on standby in case this doesn't work."

With firm steps, he approached the imposter which was studying him like a curious individual. The sight of Chifuyu's faceless visage examining him was very surreal to him. Elliot opened a channel towards the control room, being mindful not to let his voice leak his concern.

"Orimura-sensei, can you get the instructors to fall back towards the launch bay? I'm about to use 'that'."

"Are you certain? You're currently injured and you wanted to use the same ability that almost put you in the hospital last time? Might I remind you that you were unscathed at the time and yet you've still needed medical attention. I'm not going to drag your corpse out if you die, kid."

"I'm sure. This is the only way now if we wanted no one else to die. I'll take all the risk."

Silence hung over the line. Elliot awaited her answer, hoping she would gave the go-ahead. Then, he heard her sigh.

"Very well, I'll give the order. Don't die Orimura-san. I don't want to be the one to break the bad news to Ichika."

"I'll do my best, Orimura-sensei. Elliot out."

The PA system whined to life once again, drawing the attention of every living person within the arena.

"ALL IPF PERSONNEL IN ARENA 6! FALL BACK TOWARDS THE LAUNCH BAY! I REPEAT, FALL BACK TOWARDS THE LAUNCH BAY!"

The sudden announcement sent a wave of confusion through the IPF members still present in the scene of battle. Each woman wore shocked and confused expressions, wondering what had transpired.

"What, why? We've still haven't done our job yet!"

"The threat's still active and we're supposed to pull back!?"

"You've heard her ladies! Get moving. Orimura must have a good reason for it, so let's move!"

The mass of Revives withdrew from the scene, leaving just Elliot and Tatenashi. The hybrid now realized just what he had missed during those few tense moments when he was rendered vulnerable by his injury.

The imposter was separated from them by a barrier of water, forming a sphere that encapsulated both of them in a bubble. Elliot looked towards the girl beside him, finding her piloting a very skeletonized IS in blue.

"President, is this what you did?"

"Mmmhmm. I got here just in time before that machine killed you. I was able to beat it back before forming a barrier around us. You're quite a lucky boy, Elliot-kun."

Elliot gave a grim smile, feeling a bit thankful for her impeccable timing. One second too late and he'll be kissing his life goodbye.

"Thanks President. Now, can you drop the barrier and fall back? I need to finish this fight alone. Unless you want to fight two deadly opponents at once, I suggest you do what I've said."

"No, I'm staying. Someone has to make sure you don't get yourself killed."

Seeing how adamant the girl was in staying behind to assist him, Elliot felt a bit aggravated by her stubbornness. As much as he was grateful for her offer of assistance, he didn't want to kill her accidentally when he was engulfed in mindless rage.

"I'm serious about this President. What I'm going to do will temporarily cost me my sanity. I don't want to stain my hands with blood from someone who doesn't deserve to die."

He walked closed over to the girl, grasping her shoulders as he stared into her eyes. His own guilt rose from the thought of potentially getting blood on his hands again, only this time it was someone innocent and not by deliberate intention on his part.

"So please, trust me on this just this once President. Don't make the burden I carry even heavier with getting innocent blood on my hands. I don't think I can handle the guilt if that happens."

Tatenashi examined his face for a while, then she lowered her head in a small nod.

"Alright Elliot-kun, I trust you. I'll help should you need it."

The girl dispelled the wall of water and departed the arena. Now it was just only him and his master's imposter remaining in that expansive arena.

Elliot clenched his fists as he stared down at the imposter. The sight of the machine still standing infuriated him, causing a surge of anger to flood his being. He'd make sure that thing will be trashed when he's done.

'Summon my rage, huh? I think that'll be easy.'

He dived into his own mind, dredging up memories of his life with his family, the past moments that were dear to him were intermixed with tragic moments in his second life.

The time when Ichika earned his trust. The day when his brother was kidnapped. The time when he fought tooth and nail against Chifuyu during their many spars. The sight of a machine imitating her, hurting Ichika and almost killing him moments ago.

The startling juxtaposition between the happy memories and tragic recollections of his family being hurt and besmirched sent his emotion roiling uncontrollably. Elliot could felt the familiar overwhelming strength borne from adrenaline engulfed him, driving away the lethargy that had suffused his body. His body hunched over from the emotional onslaught as his mind was washed out by mounting rage.

The excruciating but rapidly dissipating pain served as a catalyst to trigger the powerful ability. Elliot could felt his mind goes steadily hazy as his arms trembled, a precursory sign that his rage was boiling over. Sure enough, a notification signaling the imminent activation of 'Titan's Rage' flashed before his very eyes.

The strength that coursed through him now morphed into an inferno of pain that singed his nerves as the ability kicked in. The pain from his wounds that was receding now came rushing back, stronger than ever. The pain caused him to instinctively clutched his head as he felt his brain was about to be split open by a severe headache, struggling to preserve whatever sense he had through the sea of agony.

Jerking out of his hunched over posture, a long guttural roar tore out of him as the familiar, unspeakable levels of pain seared through him. His conscious mind was drowned out by pain and fury, shutting down any higher thought processes in his mind.

Even with his mask on, the scream was loud enough to echo out and bounced around the walls within the vacant arena. The metallic, hollow echoes from the mask gave a disturbing quality to the cry, making it sounded like a mix between the agonized cries of a man in torture intermixed with the metallic warble of a genocidal robot.

His dulled eyes landed onto the machine assuming his sister's image. The rage that engulfed him now morphed into something more extreme, more volatile. Gone was the stoic, unflappable boy that captured the hearts of the Academy's students. In his place was a man possessed, warped and driven by rage and pain. The normally polished gold irises narrowed into pinholes, blazing hatred burning out of the fiery orange pools.

The black IS thundered forward with reckless abandon, clashing against the imposter with furious attacks. The usual skillful precision and masterful tactics of Elliot's fighting style were replaced by animalistic instincts and brutal savagery as he swung with wild uncontrolled strikes against the doppelganger, raining hell down onto the machine.

A terrible scene of destruction played out within the arena. Steel clanged against light, sparks hissing from the contact of blades. Thunderous gunshots rang out intermittently and becoming more frequent as time passed, intermixing with the sounds of battle to form an apocalyptic orchestra as the battle went on.

The rage-consumed hybrid warred against the imposter, trading blows with the machine in a display of almost suicidal recklessness. His frenzied assault battered the imposter severely, littering its dull black surface with pocks, dents and gouges from his relentless attacks.

The massive electricity sparking out of Hecate arced into the ground and its barrier, occasionally jumping between the two machines as they closed with each other. The powerful currents sparked against the imposter like stray bolts of lightning, momentarily staggering the imposter. The machine now moved jerkily and haltingly as it still executed its attacks, albeit without the graceful manner it once imitated.

But his more successful second attempt came at a heavy price. The Valkyrie Trace system imitated Chifuyu's skill and augmented it with machine speed and precision, making it a formidable opponent. The Hecate was marred with various slashes and holes into its various surfaces, most notably on its pilot. Black liquid oozed out of the various holes decorating the torn pressure suit that encased the enraged hybrid, adorning its jet-black surface with a sheen that was glaring to the eye.

The imposter came forward, slashing down in an overhead strike. But with its jerky movements it was easily deflected away with a swing from Elliot's own claws. With its sole weapon swatted away from its intended path, it left the machine exposed.

Elliot swung his fist upwards, the shimmering claws glowed wickedly under the sun as it rose like a row of spikes from the earth. The machine dodged just in time, only suffering a nick from the evaded strike.

The hybrid responded by sending a kick towards the machine, sending it stumbling backwards. He came in just before the imposter readied itself, throwing out two slashes that clipped its torso.

The imposter veered back unsteadily; the two large gouges left by Elliot didn't seal just like the damages it incurred during their last bout. The massive amount of damage it had suffered from the enraged pilot this time proved too taxing for the VT system to repair.

Elliot charged forward, intending on finishing this fight. The imposter haltingly raised its sword to intercept his strike, placing the sword between them.

It was not enough. The rain of blows poured down upon the machine like a hurricane, driven by a literal force of nature. A good number of the attacks broke through its compromised defence, leaving more gouges onto its surface. Bolts of electricity arced from the Hecate, smashing into the morphed IS with uninterrupted regularity.

The imposter now stood wobblily, suffering from extensive damage inflicted by the enraged hybrid. Elliot pressed home his attack, swinging his right arm down in a wide, vertical swing down the length of the imposter's torso, an attack which was too late for the machine to block.

A long incision was made into the dull black surface, tearing open into a large gash that revealed the form of Laura Bodewig. Her face was tranquil as she came through the incision, flopping down unconscious. The battle worn pilot swiftly dematerialized Hecate just as his mind quickly returned to him, the ability had long ran its course.

As he caught the German girl within his blood-soaked arms, he slumped down onto his knees as fatigue and pain caught up with him. The hybrid clutched onto the unconscious girl gingerly, keeping her safe even when his arms were limp and weak.

'Pilot, I've detected a mental bridge forming between you and the girl. Prepare yourself.'

Before he could respond, his mind was brought elsewhere as he was beginning to lose consciousness. Laura's form was pulled into his arms as he struggled to remain conscious but failed as darkness overwhelmed him.

When Elliot regained consciousness, he found himself at a dimly lit open expanse of nothingness. The sudden change in location disoriented him, as he peered around looking for anything to orient himself with.

Finding nothing save for a speck of light in the distance, Elliot trotted towards it at a brisk pace. After a while he stilled as he realized one thing that had escaped his attention but now came to his mind.

Looking down, he found himself unscathed. What's more, he was dressed in his usual attire. Elliot didn't know what to make of this occurrence but chalked it up to something beyond his understanding as he continued heading for his destination.

As he approached the light, the glow got increasingly brighter. Reaching a hand towards it he stepped into it, bathed in a blinding glare that washed out everything in his sight.

His vision cleared moments later. What he now saw was a lush field illuminated by a brilliant sun. Confused by another change in scenery, he quickly recomposed himself and picked a direction to keep walking, hoping he could find answers on where he was or how to escape his predicament.

Aimlessly he wandered, until he reached the center of the field where he spotted a lone figure sitting on the grass, a curtain of silver fluttering gently in the breeze. Moving closer, he found Laura sitting with her legs drawn close to her body. Her gaze was set far into the horizon, her mind seemingly far away from the present.

Elliot took cautious steps, sneaking up to her with his guard up just in case she would attack him once she knew of his presence. Noiselessly he crept close, making almost no sound as he did so.

When he got within a few feet from her, Elliot suddenly realized he didn't know what to do next. He approached her more out of a sense of curiosity trying to figure out where he was. He knew very little on how to broach any subject with her when their prior interactions had been more than hostile, their conversations limited to insults and blows.

So Elliot agonized on his next step as he stood there, staring at a brooding Laura with a pensive expression. His stare had evidently tipped the German off to his presence as she turned her gaze towards him, her lone eye studying him intently. The next thing that happened was something Elliot didn't expect.

"Why are you so strong?"

That innocuous question made Elliot scrunched his brows in confusion. He didn't knew what the German was implying with the question but he gathered there was nothing shady about it as he answered her.

"I'm not strong, not at all. If I was, I wouldn't lived the life as I had before."

Laura kept her gaze on him, her head tilted to the side in curiosity. The girl looked at him with a mix of curiosity and confusion.

"But yet you managed to defeat me and saved my life. You must have a reason for your strength, just like her."

Elliot knew who she was alluding to. While he was a bit flattered to be compared to his powerful sister, he was also a bit miffed at being recognized by his association with Chifuyu and not as his own person. His mood turned a bit blue as he pondered on how to answer Laura's question.

At that moment, an epiphany struck him as he fully realized what was his greatest strength, the sole reason for his continued survival all those years on the street.

"The reason I'm strong is because I'm fighting for what I believe in, the right to determine my life as an individual. Because I am unwilling to compromise my own values and beliefs, I had to fight hard to defend them from a world that wanted me to bend down and fit into a mold. I denied them that satisfaction."

"And because I'm a man whom the world wanted to see subjugated, I had to fight twice as hard to preserve my freedom to live as an individual and not as a slave. Yes, freedom. The sole reason why I would fight and fight hard."

Returning his gaze towards Laura, he found the girl still listening intently at him. But she looked confused at his explanation, evident by her tilted head and curious gaze.

"But why? Your Instructor Orimura's brother, a pilot of incomparable strength and fame. You have everything. How could you not be free?"

That was what he would've thought during his younger years. Only after a few years being adopted by Chifuyu did he have the time to reflect on this question deeply. He knew what he knew but many people don't. Laura was clearly in the latter camp if her question was anything to judge by.

"Freedom isn't about being totally free. Just because you're not beholden to anyone doesn't mean you're free to do whatever you like. True freedom is about stewardship, being able to take responsibility for yourself and your own wellbeing while at the same time wanting to make the world a better place than before you came into it. That's what it means to be truly free, to be able to live your life free from the control of other men while making this world a better place."

"And that's a reason worth fighting for, even to die for. Not some other reason like country or for other people but for yourself. To live life on your own terms."

The German girl looked up to him as he explained his reasons and beliefs. When he finished, she dropped her head back onto her folded arms and stared into the distance again.

"What about my own reason? Have I been fighting for nothing all this while?"

"I don't know. What do you fight for? What makes you get up in the morning, to keep soldiering on when everything else seemed hopeless?"

Laura looked as if she was pondering very deeply on his questions. The silence that came over their conversation was only broken when she turned and looked at him once again, her lone eye shimmered with emotions Elliot could tell was trepidation and bleak hopelessness.

"I-I had none. Before all this, all I wanted was for the instructor to come back to Germany, so that I could learn from her and become just like her. I wanted to believe that was my goal, a reason to fight. But now, after all this, all this fighting, all of this was for nothing! Only now do I realize I had no goal to fight for myself, nothing to keep me going. All I've know my entire life was to be a soldier, to follow orders. I was born from a test tube, made as a soldier from birth. I was never made to be human."

"All I ever did was just as what all good soldiers do: Follow orders. I've been raised solely to fight, to not disobey orders. Never had I fought for something that truly belongs to me. Nothing."

After that, the silverette fell back into brooding silence once again. Seeing her dejected by the stark realization of her empty life, Elliot felt a bit of sympathy at their shared circumstances.

Slowly, he closed the distance between them and crouched down beside her. He looked towards the horizon as he gathered his own thoughts, thinking on how best to answer her dilemma. After a while, he spoke.

"I don't know much about your past nor your background to give you a good answer, but what I can tell you is that you are now free to find your own reason. A reason to really fight for just like I did. Even if I don't have my own future nor a reason to look forward to it, that doesn't mean I'll stop looking for it. It's a long and hard journey but at least I can say I won't be doing it alone."

Casting his gaze to the side, he found Laura staring into the distance, quiet and introspective. But he could tell she was listening as he continued.

"Don't try and become the second Infernal Empress. Instead, become the first Laura Bodewig. Find your own identity, your own purpose in life. I'm looking for it myself and despite not finding it yet, I'm not planning on giving up my search or my journey of self-discovery anytime soon."

Standing up and gave Laura's shoulder a gentle squeeze, he stood up and looked back at her while continuing with his talk.

"If you want, you can join me in this journey. Let's both find a future worth fighting for, something that belonged solely to us. We will make our own mark, our own fate upon this world. Not because someone told us to or the world wanted us to but because it's who we are and what we believed in."

Offering his hand towards her, Elliot was greeted by an expression between curiosity and confusion from Laura.

"So kamerad, ready for an adventure of a lifetime? I can't guarantee that it'll be easy but knowing that you're  Chifuyu's disciple just like me , I know that you can do this. So, what do you think?"

Laura studied him, her gaze alternating between his face and his outstretched arm. A slight hesitation shone within her lone red eye as she debated whether to accept his offer or to decline.

After a short while, her own arm reached out and grabbed his own. While her hand was small and dainty, her grip was strong and confident. She pulled herself up, hope lit up her stoic face.

"Ja kamerad. Let's go."

The IPF team currently waiting on standby at one of the launch bays peered out cautiously into the arena, finding it odd that the sounds of battle had ceased far longer than it had multiple times before. The fight that was ongoing had gone silent for a few pauses multiple times before resuming its hellish symphony. Now that an unsettling silence pervaded the arena for quite a while, they wondered if the battle had truly been concluded.

Tatenashi clenched her hands anxiously, worried that the silence signaled the worst-case scenario. She put her trust in the boy hoping that he had a plan to stop the Valkyrie Trace system without jeopardizing the German representative trapped within it. Now she feared he had met his demise trying to save a girl whom hated him.

Apparently, her worries were shared by the experienced pilots around her. Hushed mutters laced with concern spread among the group as they deduced what may had happened.

"It looks like it's over."

"Let's go, this may be bad. Let's not let the boy's sacrifice be in vain."

Dreading what she may find, Tatenashi followed the IPF team out into the arena. Once she laid eyes upon the pit, she gasped in horror. Her hands instinctively shot up to her face as she witnessed the scene in front of her.

"My god…"

An IPF member breathed out beside her, her tone held a slight fear at the sight in front of them. Many of the pilots were shocked by what they were seeing and were unable to form any response, rendered mute by horror.

The once clean and orderly arena was transformed into a hellish landscape of carnage and destruction like a hotly contested battlefield. Various gouges, craters and trenches were carved into the flat earth, dotted with numerous black pits and shallow holes among them. The acrid smell of gunpowder stung her nose, along with fine specks of dust and wisps of smoke still hanging in the air and clouding their vision.

The scarred landscape was littered with numerous shell casings of varying sizes, further adding to the destruction displayed in the scene. All of this made the whole scenery looked as if a piece of a battlefield from WW1 was transplanted into the ISA. A literal hell on Earth.

But the destruction within that scarred landscape paled in comparison to what laid in the epicenter of this tapestry of carnage. Two teens were slouched in the center of that battle-scarred landscape, a silver haired girl dressed in grey pilot suit was held in a tight embrace of the ragged blond boy, his arms were wrapped around her as if he was shielding her from some unknown threat. Black liquid caked onto almost every part of his body and onto his torn clothes, the only part that peeked out underneath that black coat was his golden hair.

Tatenashi's stomach dropped at the sight of Elliot's state. Without even thinking about it she rushed out towards her roommate, hoping she wasn't too late.

"Elliot-kun!"

She covered the short distance in a flash, sliding up to the entangled duo in her IS. Dematerializing her IS, she gingerly reached out and touched the boy while dreading of his fate. Ignoring the sticky liquid coating her hand, she tilted his head back slightly as her free hand found his neck and checked for a pulse. Silently, she hoped he would be alright.

Instead she found nothing. Where she expected to be a strong pulse was inactive and still. Even after searching both sides of his neck she still didn't felt a pulse.

Her worries now shifted into panic. Hurriedly she moved her hand in front of his nose, hoping she could feel him breathe. Her heart beat madly in fear, worried that he may have truly passed.

A few moments later, Tatenashi sagged in relief as she could feel a slight draft coming from his nostrils. It was weak but it was there, a sign that he was still alive but that was a small consolation at the very best.

Some of the Valkyries now converged around her, gently prying the two teens apart from each other. The remainder scanned the arena making sure no further threats showed themselves, securing the place from any possible threats.

"Medic! Someone get the emergency team here! I got a critical casualty here!"

Tatenashi called out, feeling a bit relieved to see teams of paramedic bearing stretchers appeared on the scene. One of the teams went to Elliot's side with a swiftness that surprised her, working on him with marvelous efficiency to prep him for transport.

Tatenashi wanted to follow the boy but a hand placed on her shoulder tore her away from the scene. She turned around and found one of the IPF section leaders she was familiar with staring back at her.

"Arena's clear, Student Council President. We'll take care of the rest here. You'd better go see Orimura-sensei, she would want to know what happened here."

Tatenashi nodded weakly, feeling a bit discombobulated at the events that had taken place. She watched as the paramedics carried Elliot away, disappearing quickly out the arena through one of the service tunnels.

With nothing keeping her there, she trudged towards the control room to meet with Orimura-sensei. She knew both his and her presence within the arena was unsanctioned, which was especially the case with Elliot since he was still undergoing his punishment, being barred entry to the arena until the tournament was over.

No doubt the woman would be mightily displeased that he had disregarded her orders and dragged her into it. Tatenashi hoped she could explain on his behalf that she was doing all of this on her own will, hoping the teacher would at least be lenient in her punishment towards the blonde. Along with that train of thought, her mind drifted back to his last statement before he unleashed hell on the VT system.

Was this what he meant by his 'burden'? The boy's cryptic words before he went berserk spawned many questions about what had transpired. What was actually happening to made him like this? Was this what compelled him to consign himself to a lonely existence, accepting a bleak future awaiting him?

Tatenashi had many questions concerning the blonde boy ever since he enrolled into the Academy. But she suspected what she saw today was a hidden side to the mysterious boy, something that precluded a deeper mystery, one that'll never saw the light of day but it did out of circumstance.

Never had she saw anything like this, the kind of all-consuming wrath that gripped a person in mindless rage, augmented by the equally fearsome power of an IS. Tatenashi was fully aware of the IS' power but what she saw in there wasn't a weapon or a suit piloted by a living person, rather it was more like witnessing a force of nature, relentless and merciless as it sowed untold levels of carnage and death.

A far cry from the charming Casanova and the withdrawn recluse, she had never expected to see such a terrifying side to him. It made her question just how many layers there was to Elliot's character and whether she could fully uncover all of him.

There were simply too many riddles surrounding the boy, so much that it made it almost impossible to figure him out without giving herself a migraine. If she was to do her job well, she would have to gain information straight from the source. It looked like she had her work cut out for her as she strode towards where Chifuyu would be.

A small part of her wished that she wouldn't inadvertently uncover any dark secrets the boy may harbor. Tatenashi hoped her search for answers wouldn't end up with answers she wasn't prepared or unable to accept. She wouldn't know what to do if that was the case.

Within the Academy infirmary, Laura laid upon one of the beds closest to the window. Her breath hitched then deepened as she regained consciousness. Her lone eye opened as she oriented herself, aware of her new surroundings.

The bright glare from the window made her squint her eye as she turned towards the source. The sun was beginning to set, casting warm, orange glow into the infirmary.

As her mind began to caught up with her present situation, she felt a pair of eyes observing her. Turning to the other side of her bed, she saw it was her instructor watching her, sitting beside her bed in her usual prim manner. Confused at being sequestered within the infirmary after losing her consciousness, the German resorted to sought answers from the sitting woman.

"Mentor, what has happened to me?"

The woman fixed her with stoic coolness, face as impassive as she remembered.

"This is a matter of utmost importance and also highly classified."

The instructor stayed quiet for a while, which felt like a long time for Laura. She waited patiently, knowing the silence was her instructor processing her thoughts.

"What do you know of the VT system?"

Laura's confusion mounted at her question. Just why did Instructor Orimura asked her such an odd question? Still, she answered the best she could.

"You're talking about the Valkyrie Trace System?"

"That's right. Its research, development and usage has been completely banned under the Alaska Treaty. However, it appears your IS had been equipped with it. Furthermore, it seems to activate when there's extensive damage to either the pilot or the IS and the pilot's mental condition was totally focused on winning. In short, you willed it to happen."

Her instructor's words cause a twinge of guilt. Even if she wanted to win, she wasn't suicidal enough to rely on something dangerous like the VT system. The fact she caused it to happen made her felt terrible. Her hands clutched her blanket tightly.

"It…happened? Because I wished for it?"

"Laura Bodewig!"

Jolted from her thoughts by the firm tone she was addressed with, Laura straightened her back with instilled discipline as she gave her full attention towards the woman, despite still being bedridden.

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Who are you?"

"I am…."

Laura stopped mid-way, unable to form a suitable answer to her mentor's question. It brought back her own questions that surfaced during her mental dialogue with the blonde boy. She gazed at her mentor, clearly showing she was unable to answer the deceptively profound question.

"If you're no one then that's perfect. From now on, you're Laura Bodewig."

The stoic woman got up and made to leave. But just before exiting, she turned back and looked at her. Her expression was soft, just like that particular moment in the past.

"And remember, you will never be able to become me."

The door slid quietly after that, the faint clicking of heels resounded through the door steadily grew faint until it disappeared altogether. The infirmary was now quiet, leaving her as the sole occupant within the room.

Laura relaxed into the bed, feeling a weight suddenly gone from her shoulders. Somehow that phrase should've made her feel insecure and despondent but yet the expected emotions didn't arise. Instead, a sense of liberation and peace suffused through her.

The words told to her by the blonde boy flashed into her mind right then. One particular sentence she had trouble understanding back during their brief conversation when they were trapped in who knows where now suddenly made sense to her.

"Don't become the second Infernal Empress. Instead, become the first Laura Bodewig."

Laura chuckled, then she started laughing. Such a simple statement yet it held so much sense that it baffled her to not realized it sooner. The constant need to prove herself up to impossible standards now melted away and relief coursed through her. Relief from the pressure of her own misguided expectation and from the ever-present sense of inferiority of trying to follow in her mentor's footsteps.

Little did she knew, that the same boy who inspired her was currently lying unconscious just a few beds away.

"Well, they ended up cancelling the tournament. Nevertheless, they still wanted to gather everyone's data so we all get to fight one round each."

Ichika slurped down a mouthful of ramen as he kept an ear open to his conversation with Charlotte. While the day's events had left both of them tired, they were both glad it was finally over.

"Yeah. I've heard this doesn't exclude Elliot from fighting so we would have to face him in the makeup. Still, I wonder what happened to Elliot after he defeated Bodewig's IS? I've heard that he's been hospitalized again but I wasn't able to visit him yet."

Charlotte hummed in deep thought. The French crossdresser helped herself to her own ramen as she thought about the blonde Orimura.

Feeling eyes on him, Ichika searched the cafeteria for the source of his sudden discomfort. Not just a few steps away, a small trio of his classmates had gathered together looking at them, their faces held varying expressions of distraught and disappointment.

Curious of his sudden shift in demeanour, Charlotte followed Ichika's gaze, landing upon the group.

"Our chance to win it is gone."

"To win a date!"

"Waaaah!"

The two diners watched as the group of girls scampered away, their anguished cries and wails trailing behind them as they left the room.

Ichika soon shifted his gaze to someone else, whom the Frenchwoman in disguise saw was Houki standing nervously, watching the blue haired Orimura with a mix of pensive disappointment and anxiety.

Ichika's gaze rested on the girl for a while, then he got up and approached her. Charlotte remained rooted to her seat but she kept an eye on him, curious as to what he was going to do.

"By the way, Houki, about that promise from last month. I don't mind going out with you."

Charlotte gasped just as Houki does. The Frenchwoman was taken aback by Ichika's boldness just as much as the Kendo maiden was at his offer.

"Y-you what?"

"I said, I don't mind goi…"

Ichika's words were cut off as the excited girl grabbed his collar, a jubilant expression graced her face.

"Really, are you sure about that!? Do you really, really mean it!?"

"Uh, well…"

"Why!?"

Realizing her emotions got the better of her, Houki unhanded Ichika quickly and turned away. She looked meek as her hand clenched in front of her face, an image of a demure girl in stark contrast to her earlier outburst.

"I mean, please explain your reasons to me."

"Well, you're my good childhood friend, right? So, why shouldn't I?"

"Right…"

"It's just shopping."

To everyone's surprise, Houki whirled around and threw a left hook at Ichika. Her fist crashed against Ichika's cheek, sending the jovial boy onto the ground. The girl now held a pissed expression as she looked down on the stricken boy.

"I knew you would say something like that!"

Not content with just one blow, Houki lashed out and caught Ichika in the stomach with a powerful kick. The kneeling boy was now curled up in a foetal position, clutching his stomach as he groaned weakly on the floor. The peeved girl stormed away in a huff, not sparing a glance towards her childhood friend.

Charlotte winced at the violent display as she got over to Ichika's side. Crouching down beside him as she took in Ichika's sorry state, only now did she knew the reason why Elliot hovered over his brother constantly.

The cheery boy was a veritable trouble magnet, especially in regards with matters of the opposite gender. He was a total opposite to his stoic brother, whom held the attention of almost the whole Academy's student population despite being detached and disinterested in them.

On the other hand, she was thankful that the blonde boy wasn't here to witness the abuse to his brother. Remembering the scene during Laura's first day arriving in the Academy, she dreaded to know what would happen to the swordswoman if he saw Houki abusing Ichika like that.

"Oh Ichika... Sometimes I really do wonder if you do things like that on purpose."

"Orimura-kun, Dunois! I've got some wonderful news for you!"

The bubbly voice of the assistant teacher drew both pilots out of their little bubble. Charlotte turned towards the approaching teacher while Ichika simply swivelled his head on the ground.

"Eh? Orimura-kun, is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I'm alright… just got a bit of a stomach ache."

Painfully, Ichika struggled to stand up, assisted by Charlotte. The teacher held a confused expression but chose to brush his behaviour off.

"I know you both have been through a lot earlier but I thought you like to know that we've finally managed to get you boys a place to reward you!"

"Huh?"

"A place?"

"That's right! It's a new men's bathhouse!"

The two pilots were pleasantly surprised by the news. Being the only males in the school or being assumed as one in Charlotte's case, they were expressly forbidden to use the bathhouse for obvious reasons. The idea that they'll be able to finally enjoy a bath was very welcome news indeed.

"That's great news! Thank you, Yamada-sensei!"

"No need to thank me, Orimura-kun. I'm just doing my job. Now, I have to get back to the office now. I hope you both enjoy the bath. Oh, and please tell Orimura-san about this when you see him. I think he'll be glad to know about this."

"I will. Thanks again, Yamada-sensei."

Still nursing his painful abdomen, Ichika and Charlotte watched as the teacher hurried away. The boy now turned towards the crossdresser, a slight grimace on his face.

"So, Charles, want to go try out the men's bathhouse?"

Charlotte shook her head, giving an apologetic smile to Ichika.

"No thanks, maybe next time. I've still got to visit Elliot in the infirmary. You sure you can bath with that wound of yours?"

Looking towards where Charlotte has pointed, Ichika looked the roll of bandage wrapped around his upper arm, right where the VT system had slashed his arm.

"I'm fine. The doctors said that as long as I keep the wound dry I'll be ok. I'm rather sore today so I'll be heading to the bathhouse for a soak first. I'll see you around, Charles."

The two parted ways after finishing their meals. Ichika left to enjoy the newly opened men's bathhouse. The boy looked very excited to enjoy a good soak as evident by the lightness in his steps and a pleased expression as he left.

For Charlotte, she made her way towards the school infirmary. She had wondered about the fate of the blonde boy after they had left the arena earlier in the day, who had fearlessly charged straight into danger to stop Laura's haywire IS despite still being barred from the arena.

But since then, she hasn't even seen and heard of him. The news only came later from Orimura-sensei that he was receiving medical attention in the infirmary and she forbade anyone from visiting him, including Ichika.

After she was entrusted by the blonde Orimura to keep watch over Ichika, she had accompanied the injured boy to receive medical attention. Thankfully, the wound wasn't severe and Ichika left with a few stitches to his arm. The black and white shemagh that had belonged to Elliot had been ruined and they were forced to disposed of it. Charlotte decided that she would get a new one for Elliot during the weekend to replace his old one.

A short walk later and she found herself standing just outside the infirmary. The hallway was devoid of people, giving a peaceful silence to the atmosphere. Charlotte checked her watch to see that it was already 7:45 PM, just about a few hours left until visiting time was over.

Stepping through the door, the silent whiz of the automatic door drew the present nurse's attention. The woman swiveled from her chair and gave a kind smile towards her.

"Ah, another student. Is there something I can help you with, dear?"

"I'm here to see my friend. A blonde boy, is he here?"

"Oh, the other Orimura boy. He's right there, down on the second bed. Please be quiet, he's currently unconscious and needs rest."

Following the nurse's instruction, Charlotte went over to where she believed Elliot was located. Gently peeling back the curtain, she stepped into the small space to meet the unconscious boy on the bed.

Silently she neared the bed, pulling up a nearby chair to sit beside him. She leaned forward, resting her arms on the edge of the bed as she rested her head in her hands.

Gazing at Elliot's unshrouded face for the second time, she found herself entranced by his mature looks. Only with a clear look of his face did she finally knew just what had bewitched the girls in the ISA.

Her hand reached out and ruffled the blonde's tousled hair. The golden silk felt coarse in her hand, almost like fur. Remembering just how he looked without his hat, Charlotte would admit that he looked positively handsome with those expressive golden eyes of his brimming with quiet confidence.

The memories of her being confronted by Elliot when her identity was exposed came back to her. She remembered the fear that gripped her when those fiery gold eyes were trained on her, burning with suspicion and anger. Then, those same eyes turned into solid gold as he comforted her, shining with sympathy and empathy. Charlotte had never seen such beautiful eyes that could express so much emotions in such a radiant manner. It was mesmerizing, as if she could lose herself in those jewel-like pools.

Contrary to what she had assumed of him, Elliot was not someone that held himself too seriously at times. While he could be very intolerant towards anything that threatened his family or to himself, the boy was quite laid-back if not a bit indifferent when it comes to dealing with other people, if one could look past his cranky attitude when he's found among a crowd.

And not only that, Elliot was the kind of person that would readily help someone if he did decided to help. After coming clean with her identity, the two brothers had offered to help accomplish her mission. Being the brains of the two, Elliot had offered her some ideas and data for her to send back home.

To be honest, Charlotte doubted his ideas would work if at all. She dreaded to find out that Elliot's efforts were in vain and she would be recalled back to France to have her fate determined by her father. She didn't wish to part with such a good friend after the brief time getting to know him.

Surprisingly, not only did the engineers back home found the unorthodox solutions ingenious, it had inspired them to tackle their problems from a different angle. Owning to this new methodology, the development of a Dunois Corp 3rd gen mass produced IS that had stalled for a long time was not only restarted but greatly accelerated.

Just a few days before the interclass tournament, she had received a message from home. She had dreaded what the correspondence may entail but it only contained a simple message along with a statement that she didn't expect to see.

Mission successful.

The message from her father conveyed the surprise that she had managed to complete her mission so flawlessly and in such a short amount of time. As a reward for her success, she was allowed to continue her studies in the ISA, with all of her expenses during her stay fully borne by the Dunois corporation. It was a clear sign that she had garnered some goodwill with her distant family, something she had desperately hoped for since her mother passed.

But after meeting Elliot and earning his trust and insight, her yearning of being accepted into the family had dulled into non-existence. Try as she might, she found that she had lost the appetite to stomach anymore of their abuses and cold treatment. The condescending tone used in the short correspondence now turned her off, when before she would've put up with it despite the emotional anguish it caused her.

Recalling what Elliot had told her, she realized what she now yearned for was a chance to shape her own future. With her newfound sense of self, she couldn't see herself integrate into the family whom disdained her presence because of her illegitimate lineage. Nor did she wanted to take over her papa's company and shoulder burdens she couldn't care for.

That left her the only option of charting her own course in life. The fear and uncertainty of facing an unknown future was certainly daunting but seeing how Elliot charged head first into danger without any regard for his safety just to ensure no one else was harmed made her realize just what kind of person Elliot Orimura was.

His dauntless courage, his aloof but caring personality, his worldly wisdom and erudite intelligence. On and on she could list his desirable traits that seemed like an ever-increasing list. She could say that he was her role model that inspired her to take the plunge and free herself from her family.

If not for him, she wouldn't have found the way out of her depressing circumstances. She wouldn't have found her own courage to take her first steps out from under her family. Moreover, she wouldn't have found the image of her future home and the way there.

Gratitude swelled in her heart at what the boy had done for her. Charlotte studied Elliot's sleeping visage fondly, her cheeks flushed from timidness caused by a blooming infatuation towards him.

"Elliot, thank you. Because of you, I am now free. All of this wouldn't have been possible without you."

Leaving her chair, she bent over Elliot's head and planted a gentle kiss to his forehead. Faint traces of lavender and lemon intermixed with mint tickled her nose as her lips lingered on his skin, just a bit longer than she thought she would.

Straightening her body, a soft smile found its way onto her beautiful face as she looked at the peaceful face, its owner oblivious to the world.

"Bonne nuit, Elliot. Sweet dreams."

In the school infirmary, light spilled in from the window, penetrating through gaps in the blinds and creating a contrasting image of light and shadow. The sound of chirping birds can be heard from outside as with the normal bustle one may find in a typical school.

The unconscious boy in the infirmary drew a deep breath as he stirred awake. Elliot's eyes flew open with alarm, jerking up from his supine position to frantically scan his surroundings. Only when he registered the familiar white of the infirmary walls was he able to relax, easing out from his state of alert.

Confused, he turned to his ever-present partner, hoping to get answers as to how he ended up here again.

'How did I get in here again? Hecate, do you know what's up?'

'You were rendered unconscious after your mind was whisked away into my sister's embrace. I was unable to secure your spirit before you disappeared and only after 5 minutes had elapsed before your spirit had returned. You have been transported to this medical facility by the staff within the Academy after the incident, where the healers and I had toiled unceasingly to restore your health.'

'So, all of that wasn't a fever dream. My mind was literally being taken away by the Schwarzer Regen and somehow I was able to talk with Bodewig mentally. How did that happen?'

'Apologies Pilot. I myself do not comprehend how such a bizarre phenomenon could occur. I perceived an errant signal emanating from my wayward sister before you disappeared but the specifics on how such a phenomenon was possible still eluded me. Rest assured that I shall study such an anomalous occurrence and devise future countermeasures to better safeguard your consciousness should such an event occurred again in the future.'

'Do what you can. If you need my help for anything, you only need to ask.'

'I understand Pilot. I shall now leave you to your solitude.'

The revelations of his conversation with Laura within the Schwarzer Regen spawned many questions, mainly on what it entailed for him. Through some unexplainable means, his consciousness was transported into Laura's IS and allowed him to talk with the German.

But through their brief conversation in that altered space, he now knew more of Laura's backstory and how her motives came to be. With the information he now possessed, all the hatred he harbored towards her had largely dissipated and replaced with sympathy.

Hearing just how horrid her childhood was, Elliot couldn't help but find many similarities in their past. While he wasn't a child soldier, he could only imagine what it was like for Laura for having to grow up in such a harsh environment which shared some similarities with his days in the orphanages and on the streets.

'At least she apologized during our little 'escape'. Since she looks genuine with it, I guess there's no point in pursuing against her anymore. Might as well let bygones be bygones.'

The idea of burying the hatchet with Laura was disconcerting to Elliot. He was never the forgetful type, even if he did forgive someone. Elliot wondered just how Ichika managed to do so easily even when others committed wrongs against him that would've earned them a violent reprisal had they done the same to him.

A sudden shot of pain flaring from his torso made Elliot hissed in agony. Pulling up his top, he found a thin line carved into his torso. The spot where he was stabbed throbbed very painfully, like someone was jabbing a hot spike into it and twisting it forcefully. A hand instinctively went up to massage that spot, soothing the burning pain somewhat.

'Urgh... I'm not going to repeat that, not if I can help it. It hurts way worse than that time when I got 'killed'.'

The sound of curtains being pulled aside prompted Elliot to straighten out his clothing. Raising his head, he found none other than Tatenashi carrying a tray to him in a form fitting nurse outfit. The smell of food drew out hunger pangs in the famished hybrid.

"Oh, you're finally awake, Elliot-kun! Just in time for breakfast."

The girl sauntered over and moved a table over his bed. Setting down the tray of food, she moved over and adjusted the bed so he could recline comfortably. Her actions along with her odd outfit confused the hybrid immensely.

Pulling up the nearby chair, she picked up the spoon and scooped up a bit of food. Elliot could tell it was porridge and it was recently cooked, if the heat he detected from the food was any evidence.

"Now, say 'ahh'."

The hand that was closing in on his mouth stopped inches away from his lips, his arm came up to grasp Tatenashi's wrist to stop her. He had a lot of questions and her antics didn't helped matters much.

"Just wait a minute, President. What's going on here? Why are you doing this?"

Tatenashi looked nonplussed by his confusion. Setting down the spoon onto the bowl, she leaned back into her chair.

"Elliot-kun, you've been out for about 2 days since the fight."

"Say what?"

From there, Tatenashi patiently explained what had occurred after his victory against the Valkyrie Trace system. The list of events happening after the fight was dizzying to say the least as Elliot found the whole thing hard to believe.

"So, if the whole incident was such a big deal, how come it didn't get onto the international news?"

"It did, though the details didn't manage to leak out. All the world knew about was that there was an accident during the tournament and the ISA was able to resolve it. The fact that it was resolved within a few hours and nothing serious occurred made it easy for the Academy to spin it as a serious accident stemming from the experimental nature of 3rd gen Personal ISs. While it did hurt the Academy's image a bit, the speed in which the incident was resolved help assure investors of the school's emergency protocols and how safe the place is, so there wasn't as big of a fallout from the incident."

"What about everyone else? Is everyone alright?"

"Mmhmm. Everyone was safe thanks to you. Ichika-kun only got a serious wound on his left arm which was easily stitched up. And Dunois got out unscathed, although a bit drained from the fight. The IPF unit at the time didn't even have to lift a finger, they only had to get both you and Bodewig out and secure the arena. Moreover, all the students and VIPs were safely evacuated during the incident. This was as best of an outcome as anyone could hope for and all of it was thanks to you, Elliot-kun."

Raising herself from her seat, she gave a little smile as she patted his leg. Admiration and fondness radiated from the girl who lacked any of her prior mischievousness.

"You're a real hero, you know that Elliot-kun? Two massive incidents one month apart and in all two you've not only been there but also serving an instrumental role in thwarting the threats. I can see why Orimura-sensei wanted me to keep an eye over you."

The last part of Tatenashi's statement made Elliot very nervous. Fearing the worst, his mind ran at top speed trying to come up with prepared answers to any accusations the girl may make against him. A brief smile flashed on Tatenashi's face before she assumed a serious expression, making Elliot panic internally.

'Shit! Shit! Shit! I knew this day would've come!'

"With your tendency to get into trouble for your family, it would be a matter of time before you got into a situation that would get you killed. So, this girl would make sure you live a long life by keeping you safe."

'Huh?'

All his mental processes screeched to a halt upon hearing Tatenashi's conjecture. Elliot kept a blank stare at the girl as his tried to discern her meaning. Once he realized what she really meant, he was befuddled.

'Alright, either this is a very good attempt at soliciting information from me or it's a genuine misunderstanding. Question is, which one is it?'

Elliot examined Tatenashi's face for any signs of deception, finding nothing save for a sure expression clearly displayed in front of him. With no signs to prove otherwise, he quickly assumed that this was merely a simple misunderstanding on her part and decided to play along.

"Yeah, that must be it."

With nothing more to say, silence settled between them. But the atmosphere was ruined by a loud growl coming from Elliot. The hybrid can't help but grimace at the involuntary physical response, a bit mortified by the atrocious timing of his own physiological needs.

'Well…This is embarrassing…'

The mortifying sound apparently amused Tatenashi. A hand went up to her mouth as she stifled a giggle but failed.

"Oops. Guess Elliot-kun's stomach has other ideas. Time for you to have breakfast."

Too hungry to protest, Elliot readily accepted the food. Even though he was able to feed himself and he was a bit wary of the girl's motives, he let the girl spoon fed him. It felt a bit extravagant to be taken care of after being used to doing things alone but he wasn't going to complain in his current state.

With some food in his stomach, he felt a bit better than before. While the pain came and went intermittently, at least he had one less problem to worry about. Now he had to focus on more pertinent matters.

"So, when am I going to get out of here, President? I'm not going to have to stay here for the next few days, isn't it?"

"Mmmm, I don't know. Your prognosis looks rather grim when you first came in."

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"Neither?"

Ticked at her attempts at skirting the issue, exasperation flooded the hybrid as he gave a stink eye towards the student council president.

"President, I'm not in the mood for your mind games. Either give me a clear answer or get out!"

"Alright, alright. Geez, you're so grumpy all the time Elliot-kun. You should smile more! Here!"

Without warning, Elliot found the corner of his lips stretched out into a smile by the girl. Although since he was resisting, the result was a rictus grin etched on his face which paired with his annoyed glare made for a terrible image.

"See, you look better when you smile!"

"Gwf ofp me!"

Elliot's hand reached up to smack away her hands, only to meet thin air as the wily girl quickly retracted her hands, a devilishly fiendish smile on full display. Feeling aggravated, he fixed her with a dirty glare.

"Oh lighten up, Elliot-kun. You look so much better when you smile, you should do it more."

Elliot wasn't in the mood for games. Even if he wanted something to distract him from his present predicament, he was not mentally ready to respond to her relentless teasing. He gave a long sigh.

"Can't I know the verdict already? I don't want to stay here any longer than I should."

"Let's see."

Tatenashi padded over to the foot of the bed and picked up the clipboard hung there. Her eyes scanned the document with rapt concentration.

"Patient suffered from extreme fatigue; no external injuries visible. Patient could be discharged as soon as he wakes up."

Setting the clipboard back into place, she turned her gaze back at him.

"Well, since you've wakened up now you can leave as soon as you can. Can you walk?"

Nodding while grunting in reply, Elliot tossed off the covers and swung his legs down. Gingerly he laid his feet on the floor and put just a little bit of weight behind it, testing his muscles. Feeling no bout of weakness or vertigo, he stood up carefully.

Only when he was standing was he able to see his attire. Oddly enough his uniform was gone, replaced with a plain t-shirt and cotton pants.

'Must've been Chifuyu who took care of my clothes...I must've really troubled her this time...'

"Guess I'm alright. I'll head back to my room then. I assume Chifuyu changed my clothes?"

Looking towards Tatenashi, he saw a faint crinkling of her brows. The tiny frown disappeared so quickly that he suspected he was seeing things. Brushing off the observation, he looked around and found his boots tucked beside the nightstand. He promptly fetched his shoes and started putting them on.

"Yup, your clothes were ruined and so Orimura-sensei had brought spares and changed your clothes for you. By the way, Orimura-sensei said you could have the day off for today, says that you need more rest."

"Well, after what I've been through, a day off sounds like a well-deserved rest to me. Where's my hat?"

"Here. I've cleaned it for you. Your neck scarf had been too bloodstained and had to be thrown away, so I'm afraid you'll have to go without one for the time being."

Looking towards his roommate, he took the offered headwear and tossed it on his head. With his fedora back in place, he resumed tying his laces.

"To be honest, I'd prefer that you go without it. You looked way too handsome to be covered by a hat and a scarf."

That comment made Elliot snort in derision. Of one of the things he could complain about in the Academy, it was the attention he garnered from the opposite sex.

"It's exactly that reason why I needed to cover myself up. Can you imagine me walking down the street without hats or thick clothes to cover me up? I'll be annoyed to death by the mass of girls hounding after me. Good god…"

His honest complaint and accompanying fearful shudder earned a chuckle from Tatenashi.

"Oh my, you're the only guy who would complain about having too much attention from the girls. You're definitely one of a kind, Elliot-kun."

"How is that a good thing? Besides, what kind of woman would find me attractive much less give me the time of day?"

Doing up his laces, he suddenly found Tatenashi had gone unusually quiet. Curious, he turned his attention towards her, wondering what had contributed to her sudden silence. He found the girl suddenly had a stony expression, her eyes held a wistful look.

"President?"

"I wouldn't say you're unattractive."

"Huh?"

"I said, you're not as unattractive as you say. I don't know why you would think of yourself as unappealing but I wish that you would stop having such thoughts about yourself."

The girl's eyes were firmly trained on him, her tone serious and firm. The sudden shift from her usual demeanour surprised Elliot as he reared back from her, caught off guard by her shift to her serious demeanour.

"You're handsome, courageous and on top of that, highly capable. You may be cold but anyone who saw you with Ichika-kun could tell you're not that at all. Anyone who has eyes could see that you're quite an attractive boy. Isn't it proof when there's literally hordes of girls crushing after you in the Academy every single day?"

The girl strode forward and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a warm embrace. Her fingers gently stroked the back of his head, the gesture felt very comforting and relaxing as he could felt his tension melting away from the motion.

"So please, don't think that there wouldn't be girls out there that wouldn't find you appealing. Any girl out there who knew how amazing you truly are would definitely fall in love with you at first sight. So don't be putting yourself down like this."

Elliot stilled in place, stunned by Tatenashi's words. He was trying to comprehend what had came over the playful girl that got her suddenly acting so gentle and intimate with him.

But the girl's wistful comment spawned a lot of speculation on his part. In a way, it seemed like she was alluding that there were girls out there that were more than infatuated with him. Elliot dreaded this situation, having people trying to get close to him yet he couldn't reciprocate in kind.

As much as Elliot wanted to get into a relationship with someone, he knew it was almost impossible with his duty on the line. Plus, would any girl stick around once they knew his true condition and won't go blabbing to anybody else?

Feeling a bit bummed out, the warm embrace threatened to make him cry at his bleak existence. The feeling of losing control over his emotions made him wrap his arms instinctively around Tatenashi's waist, earning a gasp of surprise from her.

"Elliot-kun?"

"Thank you President, for agreeing to help me and my brother. And thanks for the compliment. As much as I don't agree with you, the sentiment's nice to hear all the same."

"Mmmhmm... no problem Elliot-kun. You look much better happy than being cold and grumpy all the time."

They stayed in the embrace for a while, soaking in the peaceful atmosphere. Elliot had never found himself so at peace ever since he started his new life and wanted to savour it as much as possible. Even when Tatenashi moved to pull away, she relented as he pulled her back. They both stayed like that for a long while.

"Um... Elliot-kun? Shouldn't you be worried about someone potentially intruding upon us?"

All the pleasant feeling he was experiencing at the moment evaporated instantly. Elliot's eyes shot wide open as he quickly tore himself away from Tatenashi's lap as if he had hugged a leper.

The girl looked rather miffed by his actions but didn't say anything about it. Straightening out any ruffles in her clothes, her expression resumed into her mischievous self.

"Fu, fu. Elliot-kun, I didn't know you were so needy. Can't get enough of this girl's presence?"

Elliot shook his head tiredly, having gotten somewhat used to her antics during the duration of their cohabitation. As much as he enjoyed the tender moment just now, he resigned himself that it was an extravagant luxury he would have very little chance of savoring again.

"So, do you think the girls will have gotten wind about this whole event? Should I be worried about more girls chasing after me?"

"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps if a new line of posters based on this event made the rounds among the student population then it might. I got some great photos to work off on from the recordings."

Elliot stared slack-jawed at her in horror. He dreaded at the prospect of being hounded even more incessantly by the hormone-driven girls.

"Is there any chances that I could convince you otherwise?"

"Hmmm, who knows? I am rather partial to those posters of you myself."

"Damn."

That earned him a flick of her finger on his forehead. It didn't do much except annoying him.

"Language, Elliot-kun. Since you're fit to move, you can go back to your room to rest now. You still need more rest even after your injuries have healed. Now get moving, big guy."

"No need to tell me twice."

Without wasting another second, the hybrid bid Tatenashi farewell and headed back to his room. On the way, he was mulling over the information given by the girl over the succeeding events after he defeated the VT system. The burning question bounced in his mind as he tried to figure out the answer.

'How did a banned system got onto a Personal IS in the first place, much less one belonging to a Representative Candidate?'

Shaking his head, Elliot decided that he would find his answers by consulting his partner over it. Preferably in the privacy of somewhere desolate and quiet. There was simply a lot to catch up on and he really needed to gather his wits from being under for 2 days.

Chapter Text

Chapter 15: A Day out in town.

A sharp stabbing pain rudely jolted Elliot from his sleep as he jerked straight up on his bed. The pain that came in short stabs now morphed into a long drawn out throbbing, causing a pained gasp to escape him as he trembled uncontrollably from the agony.

Since the VT incident, he had been afflicted by spasms of pain that flared intermittently from his abdominal wound. After a day it has now spread throughout various parts of his body, flaring up during random times throughout the day. The hybrid sighed as he felt the pain subsided, though the knowledge it would come back again did not improve his mood.

'Damn... I still feel like shit. Hecate, any ideas why I am feeling so much pain after 2 days since that incident?'

'Many apologies Pilot. During my vigil, I had discovered a phenomenon that had arisen from our bout against my haywire sister. The wounds she had inflicted on you had left an abnormal poison that currently contributed to your debilitating affliction.'

Mind still groggy from sleep, it took Elliot a while to discern what Hecate was saying. When he did, his eyes shot open in alarm as he fully grasped the severity of the situation.

'Wait, you mean I'm currently being poisoned!? Why didn't you tell me about this sooner!?'

'It is simply circumstances that prevented me from relaying such news to you. And worry not, Pilot. The poison I alluded to is nothing more than the similar matter that coursed through your blood. Since my sister had morphed from the Valkyrie Trace system with the aid of nanites, her weapons also possessed the same essence that made up its form. When you were struck by that blade, some of it had transferred into your body through the wounds inflicted on you. This same transformative essence had been trying to transform surrounding tissue and our own essence, hence the pain you are currently afflicted with.'

Hecate's explanation did little to reassure the hybrid. Anxiety coursed through him as Elliot tried not to panic at the idea that his body was breaking down from a foreign object.

'You're saying I'm literally being dissolved from within by nanites!? How's that not a cause for concern!?'

'Since it is not a biological danger, I am able to quickly isolate the foreign bodies and eliminate them from your body. Had it been poison or contagious disease, I am only able to contain the threat while your own body worked to expunge them. However, the process requires significant time before all traces of it has been eliminated. Hence it is with trepidation that I must inform that you shall have to endure the pain for just a while longer.'

Reining in his panic, Elliot breathed a sighed in relief upon hearing the news. While he knew his stalwart partner was hard at work patching him up, he wasn't pleased to know that his body could be so adversely affected by such a freak incident.

'Got to keep an eye out from now on. There's no telling what kind of hazards could cause serious reactions to my body.'

Coming to grips with the foreignness of his own altered physiology, the hybrid was not stoked to find out that this gift came with unknown downsides. This incident served to illustrate just how vulnerable he was despite his enhanced constitution.

As he was mulling over this fact, a stroke of genius suddenly came to him. He mentally called out to his partner again, earning a feeling of surprise from Hecate.

'Hecate, can you see if you can research about the nanites that currently eating away at me?'

'That is not an impossible task. However, I must inquire as to what purpose you hold to make such an odd request.'

'I had an idea. Since the nanites were able to transform an IS, how about using them to transform more simple and smaller items? I can see many potential uses with it.'

'If this is what you desire, I shall endeavor to unlock the mysteries of such little servants and turn them to our cause. Your ingenuity and resourcefulness continue to astound me Pilot. Even when faced with unknown adversity, you are still able to find its potential to benefit you. Truly, you are a natural survivor.'

Elliot felt a little bashful for receiving praise from Hecate. Even if it wasn't a big deal, it still felt special to hear it from his AI partner.

'Had to be. I can't survive in the streets alone for so long without being able to use whatever I have to the fullest. You'll be surprised how ingenious the human mind can get when faced with scarcity.'

'So it is. If that is all, I shall leave you to a peaceful morning. Again, many apologies for not being able to fully neutralize the pain you must be experiencing now.'

Elliot shrugged, feeling not as bummed out after knowing the source of his pain. While unpleasant, he could tough it out just for not adding to his partner's guilt.

'Don't worry about it. You doing all you can is more than I could ask for. I'll just take some painkillers and tough it out. Not my first time suffering a lot of pain.'

Feeling Hecate's presence flitted away in his mind, Elliot got up from his bed and padded silently over to the cupboard. He pulled out a glass and filled it with water from the sink.

Moving over to the nearby shelf, he found the first aid bag and fished out the small bottle of aspirin. He quickly downed two pills and washed it down with water.

The feeling of cool liquid down his parched throat made Elliot breathed a sigh of comfort. Wincing as another flare of pain hit him, he moved over to the desk and fetched his book. His HUD flashed briefly before his eyes as he checked the time.

'3.45 AM. Too early to wake up, yet too late to go back to sleep.'

Resigning to being unable to get a full night's rest, Elliot resumed where he had left off in his previous reading session. The pages of the well-worn book rustled silently, bathing the silent room in a tranquil ambience.

Inevitably, Elliot's eyes wandered to his sleeping roommate. Tatenashi was currently swaddled under the covers, sleeping soundly as her soft breaths puffed out with a languid pace.

His mind wandered back towards her actions during the fight. Elliot still had a hard time wrapping his head around her recent demeanor during the fight against the VT system and his subsequent recovery. The sudden change in the normally impish girl baffled him and he can't help feeling suspicious of her.

Instead of her teasing or serious persona, Elliot didn't know what to do with the care she briefly showered him with. He didn't expect to see such a tender side to her and his curiosity was stoked.

He can't deny that she was one hell of a woman. Somehow, his own lonely existence only exacerbated his growing interest for Tatenashi and that was frustrating him to no end. When he first entered into the ISA, he assumed he would be left alone. Not that it was hard, what with his solitary tendency and his disdain for shallow and fickle people.

That was until he met her. Elliot never expected to meet someone who possessed intelligence that matched his own and yet also be so mature-minded at the same time. It felt almost like they were kindred spirits, with very similar levels of intelligence and complicated personas. Yet what set her apart from him was her oftentimes impish and cheery attitude, a stark contrast to his own jaded disposition that he started to find quite refreshing.

Along with his intrigue, his buried fears also rose to the forefront. As much as Elliot wanted to deny it, he can't help but felt drawn to the perplexing and infuriating girl. The short month living together had somewhat surprised him, not just by how time passed but also the absence of any major grievances between them. But it was this amicable turn in their relationship that got him on edge.

Frustrated at his emotions roiling from such an unnerving question, Elliot opted to return to sleep. The lethargy and pain he's been feeling made him unable to concentrate on reading and he didn't saw any point in persisting, not when he can't enjoy it fully.

Returning the book onto the desk, he shambled to his bed and flopped heavily down onto the soft mattress. His mind actively raced with possible explanations as he struggled with a personal question.

'What's in store for my future? Am I destined to live this second life alone, never letting anyone from knowing my true self?'

Feeling annoyed at his inability to figure out the answer to that question, Elliot resolved to close his eyes and try to relax. The myriad of thoughts swirling through his mind slowly petered out until they all disappeared as sleep claimed him once again.

"…lliot-kun, Wake up…Elliot-kun."

A distant, sing song voice roused him awake. Elliot blinked blearily as his eyes focused to the light, feeling a weight pressing down on him.

"….I'm up, I'm up. It's Saturday for God's sake. Can't I just sleep in?"

"Nope! Come on, Elliot-kun, rise and shine!"

The hybrid grumbled as his vision cleared. When he saw what was in front of him, he jerked back into the bed.

'Is this girl trying to kill me!?'

Straddling him was Tatenashi, dressed in nothing save for a camisole and shorts. Her baby blue hair was mussed, eyes sparked with mischief and amusement. The combination of her bedraggled appearance along with her scanty attire gave her a naughty girl vibe that he found quite fitting for her. It was at this time that Elliot was thankful for his lack of a physical heart, because it would've stopped beating from the sight long enough to kill him.

Being in close proximity to such a delicious sight, Elliot wondered if he could restrain himself from losing it. It was taking quite a lot of discipline to fight back the hot feeling that washed over him at the tantalizing sight. Steeling himself, he resorted for the moral high ground as he struggled from stuttering like a nervous wreck while he focused on her.

"President, I'm not sure that this is appropriate conduct for girls and boys of approximately same age to interact with. Don't you have any reservations about being so sinfully tempting to a guy?"

Tatenashi smirked playfully. The smirk then turned into a very mystique smile as she gazed down on him from her upright position.

"My, my. Me. Sinful? What do you mean by that, Elliot-kun?"

The girl leaned forwards slightly, pushing her hands upwards from his waist up towards his chest. Her eyes were half lidded, smoldering with passion.

Elliot had to admit, this girl really was lust personified. It was taking all he could to make sure he wasn't doing something totally foolish. Rallying himself, he went to counter with a quip.

"A girl at the height of puberty climbing onto a guy's bed, straddling him with so much skin exposed to him in order to seduce him. If this isn't a sinful act, I don't know what is. Isn't this what you're trying to do right now, President?"

Tatenashi chuckled mirthfully, her eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Elliot-kun, the most infamous prude in the Academy. If a girl threw herself at you wearing nothing on her, I think she would be sorely disappointed. I'm dressed like this and still you're not moved?"

That statement really riled Elliot up. Impassive and distant as he was, he wasn't someone so unfeeling as to be oblivious to advances of the opposite sex. He huffed disapprovingly at her, not amused at her jab.

"Obviously. I'm not interested on getting roped into anything significant like romantic relationships."

A flash of hurt appeared on Tatenashi's face, though it disappeared quickly only to be replaced by a meek smile. Elliot wondered if that was a hallucination but brushed the idea aside.

Right now he had to get the girl off of him. The temptation of being so close to a beautiful girl was too taxing for his own composure. Hybrid or no, he's still a full-blooded teenage male full of hormones and the last thing he needed was for them to ruin his plans.

As on cue, Tatenashi brought her face closer to his, her eyes searched his own. Her ruby red orbs shone with curiosity as he peered into them.

"Now you mention it, I wonder what kind of girl is Elliot-kun interested in? Boys like you must definitely have a type."

Sensing an opening to pounce, he kept his gaze at her for a short while before sighing dejectedly with faux melancholy. Tatenashi was convinced by his show that she grew concerned, her brows creased with worry.

"Elliot-kun? Is something wrong?"

"It's just…having this topic brought up, I realize just how impossible it is to meet the woman of my dreams."

That perked the girl's curiosity. She leaned back to get a full look of his face, most definitely scrutinizing him.

"How so, Elliot-kun? You're a boy in a school full of girls, I'm sure you can find the girl of your dreams here."

He shook his head, making sure to sell the act well.

"Hardly. Let me put it this way, you have a better chance of finding a boyfriend than there is me finding my dream girl."

Tatenashi's eyes now widened in surprise. Her hand flew up to cover her mouth, an expression of total surprise graced her face.

"Woo~, such big news indeed! I didn't expect Elliot-kun had such a high standard when it comes to girls! You're really quite interesting, big guy."

He rolled his eyes at the use of her personal nickname for him. He looked away in wistfulness, feeling the girl drew closer to him in curiosity as he felt hot puffs of air tickling his cheek.

"Unfortunately, I seem to aim a bit too high. I doubt there's any girl in the Academy that'll fit most of my criteria."

Turning back to her, Elliot found the girl's eyes were trained squarely on him. Shocked as he may be to such close proximity between them, he schooled his features into his signature stoic look.

"But I can aim for someone who comes close to it."

"Fu, fu... I am going to hear the Ice Prince's secret~! Tell me, who's the lucky girl, Elliot-kun?"

A devilish confident smirk broke out from him. It was time he sprung the trap. Mustering as much confidence as he could, he quietly blurted out his answer.

"You."

"Eh?"

That simple, one worded answer caught Tatenashi off guard, its meaning initially flew past her. She looked at him puzzlingly wondering just what he meant. As the meaning dawned on her, her eyes widened in shock. Her face flushed scarlet as shock and embarrassment overcame her.

"Ehhhh!?"

The girl shot away from him, bouncing on the bed as she landed. The absence of weight on his hips allowed Elliot to quickly worm his way out.

"I-I…. H-How...I…"

Tatenashi stammered out insensibly, her hands cradled her burning cheeks in uncharacteristic bashfulness. The girl mumbled incoherently, trying to come to grips with the bombshell confession.

'Guess that came out too strong. Oh well, time's money.'

Seeing the girl lost in her own musings, Elliot took the opportunity to get himself freshen up in record time. He quickly got out of bed and rushed to the bathroom, stepping into the shower as he shed his clothes.

By the time he was done cleaning himself and was ready for the day, Tatenashi had yet to broke out of her shock. She looked like a timid girl trapped in her own fantasies, getting flustered by her own imagination. It gave her an innocent aura, which combined with her figure made for a tempting sight.

Elliot flushed scarlet at the sight. Realizing he was ogling the girl openly, he shook his head and resolved to slip away while his roommate was preoccupied.

Turning around for a peek at the last moment, he saw through the gap of the closing door that Tatenashi was just getting out of her daydreaming. Her head turned towards him at the slight creaking from the door.

The last thing he saw was a look of mortified chagrin flashing across Tatenashi's face as she realized the deception. Elliot didn't need any encouragement to made himself scarce for the whole day lest he wanted to find out a scorned woman's fury.

After running through the hallways to the cafeteria, Elliot turned around to made sure he wasn't followed. Seeing no sight of a pissed off, blue haired vixen chasing after him, he went to the counter and ordered breakfast.

Settling down on a table near the window, Elliot absentmindedly ate while his mind wandered. He was worried what his roommate would be planning as revenge for his flirtatious teasing. Now thinking about it, he was a bit worried what would befell him for leading the girl on.

'Shouldn't have pulled that off. Now I'm a bit worried what she may do.'

"Good morning, Elliot dear~!"

The posh British accent instantly made the hybrid sagged his shoulders in resignation. The dreaded endearment left no question as to whom called out towards him.

And just like he thought, he turned around to find Cecilia sauntering up to his table with a tray in hand. The girl took the seat opposite of him without any preamble, much to his displeasure. It took a lot from him to school his features to convey a polite façade as he meet her.

"Morning Alcott."

The girl pouted, her brows wrinkled in dissatisfaction at his distant tone.

"Please, call me Cecilia, Elliot dear."

Elliot withheld a sigh, a bit miffed at the usage of her pet name for him. Try as he might, he still can't figure out why the arrogant Briton was acting so close with him.

"Still, it's really wonderful to see you had recovered. I had visited you when you were unconscious a day ago and was planning on visiting you again today. I didn't expect you to be out and about today."

Elliot shrugged. Inwardly, he was trying hard not to look disinterested by the casual banter. Small talk was never something he enjoyed, especially with people he couldn't care much for. He much preferred the quiet solitude that came with being alone where he could entertain his own thoughts. Still, he could put on an act if the situation called for him. He gave a small nod towards Cecilia, acknowledging her concern.

"Chalk it up to the Academy's advanced medical facilities. They sure spared no expense in making this place the bleeding edge of technology."

Cecilia seemed satisfied by his explanation. The girl's attention went back to her meal, her pose dignified and elegant as she partook in her breakfast. Her usual pensiveness around him seemed to disappear at his answer.

Seeing the Briton was in a good mood, Elliot thought to use the opportunity to catch up with the latest. He took a drink of chocolate and wiped his mouth before assuming a curious expression.

"So, what's the latest news around the Academy? Did anything happened when I was out?"

Cecilia assumed a thoughtful pose, trying to recall anything of note.

"Well, not much. Barring the news that the tournament was cancelled, the only things notable were that Bodewig became much more reserved and less rude to others and Charles looking a bit anxious. I believe he might have something to tell you but I am not sure."

"Sounds like I'll need to have a chat with Charles soon. Now, shall we finish our breakfast? I don't think Orimura-sensei will be lenient on us if we were late."

Cecilia nodded in agreement, picking up her utensils in emphasis.

"Of course. After all, it'll be a poor showing if nobles like us were tardy."

Elliot's brow scrunched momentarily in distaste, put off by the indirect compliment from the noblewoman. He didn't know where this glowing perception of him came from, nor why the Briton held him in such high regard.

'If only she knew what kind of past I have….'

The two teens resumed their breakfast. Occasional small talk peppered in between bites, mostly initiated by Cecilia. Elliot nodded and tilted his head in reply, feigning interest at the conversation between them.

After their breakfast, Elliot found himself being escorted to class by Cecilia. As they walk side by side, the Briton had her arms wrapped around his right arm. He could felt her bosom pressed into his arm as they walked, the action making him felt ill at ease as he struggled not to wrench his arm out of her grasp.

"Cecilia, could you not hold on to me so tightly?"

"But why? Surely you still needed some help moving around after you just been recently discharged. I'm sure you must still be feeling a bit weak from your recovery after that fight."

Elliot felt his pride a bit smarted by her honest remark. Even if he wanted to refute that statement, he knew he had to keep up appearances and he was not up to causing a scene this early in the morning. So, he let things go and stomached the unpleasant sensation on their way to class.

Stepping through the door to class 1-1, The two blondes were caught off guard as they were instantly swarmed by their classmates, joy and relief on the faces of the girls.

"Orimura-san, what happened during the fight against Bodewig?"

"Orimura-san, are you alright?"

Feeling disoriented by the pushy crowd and the cacophony, Elliot floundered in an attempt to get things under control. He clapped his hands together, the noise miraculously settled things down among the rambunctious girls.

"Calm down, girls. I'm fine as you can see. As for what happened during the tournament, no one was badly hurt and the matter's been resolved. So let's just forget about it, ok?"

Cecilia didn't like how callous he was to his own wellbeing, as evident to her displeased pout and the sharp pinch on his arm. Elliot pursed his lips at the uncomfortable sensation, his eyes darted towards the petulant girl.

"Elliot dear, I hope you aren't regarding your own health and safety in such a cavalier manner. Don't make a habit of putting yourself in such dangerous situations all the time."

That concern laced admonishment made Elliot shrugged in response.

"Don't worry, I won't. After all, I'm still here aren't I? And nothing too bad even happens that day so let's let the past stay where it should be."

Cecilia kept quiet after that. In this moment, Ichika and Charlotte both pushed through the crowd to join at his side. The boy was looking him up head to toe, examining him for any injuries.

"Hey Elliot. Kind of a surprise that you recovered so quickly. It was just only yesterday since I've visited you and now you're up and about. How's your wounds?"

Elliot gave a tight smile, a bit apologetic for worrying his brother. His arm came up and patted his shoulder reassuringly.

"I'm alright Ichika. Except for a bit of pain from my recovering wounds, I'm fine. I guess that means I won't be taking practicals for another few weeks. Again."

Elliot's lips thinned in dissatisfaction. Even though he expected he would be injured or killed trying to save his brother, he still hated the fact he got out lightly only to be unable to pilot for another few weeks again.

Witnessing his moody temperament, Charlotte switched places with Ichika as she took his side. Elliot broke out of his mood as he felt a soft touch on his elbow. Curious, he turned towards the crossdresser who held a sympathetic expression.

"Oh, I'm sure you will recover quickly enough to be joining back in practical class again in no time. You're already discharged after just a couple of days so just take the time to rest and recover Elliot."

"If you say so Charles. By the way, I heard you've been looking for me for something. What's up?"

Charlotte placed her forefinger in front of her lips, a bemused expression on her face.

"It's something personal. Can we talk about it later, preferably when we're alone?"

At her request, the crowd around him gasped and cooed. Comments and remarks about "Boy love" and "love confession" were thrown about by the imaginative girls. The noise and the inappropriate comments made Elliot frowned in annoyance.

"Girls, I'm right here! Can you all please stop fantasizing about me and let me through!?"

That quieted down the fawning girls as they parted with expressions of mortification. Elliot took this time to get to his seat, followed by his immediate circle of acquaintances and friends whom converged around his desk.

"Anyways, back to the topic at hand. Charles, come find me later. I know a place where we could talk quietly, without anyone eavesdropping."

At his last comment, he levelled a glare at the girls around him as to warn them against stalking him. All of them looked sheepish, averting their gazes in a clear admission of guilt.

'I knew it. Can't be too careful around these nosy girls.'

"Oh, alright. Thank you Elliot."

Instinctively he checked his watch, finding that class was about to start soon. His head shot up, surprising everyone around him.

"Everyone, get back to your seats. Class's about to start soon!"

At his announcement, everyone in class 1-1 promptly got back to their seats. By now Class 1-1's denizens had got accustomed to Elliot's daily cries for order and were conditioned to do what they were told. No one wanted to find out just what'll happen when the 1-1's class representative got mad, especially after a few times when such fury was in clear display. The prospect of facing a displeased Chifuyu was a good motivator for the rambunctious class to follow his orders.

The rowdy classroom soon settled into silence. A few minutes later, the two teachers stepped onto the classroom with Chifuyu taking the podium with a serious expression. She kept her eyes at him, conveying a stern gaze towards him that made him wonder what had he done to warrant such attention.

"Alright class, before classes begin I have an announcement to make. Orimura-san, stand up."

Feeling a bit leery, Elliot did as he was told. His towering form stood out among the sea of seated students as every eye focused on him.

"Orimura-san, for your actions in preventing the incident a few days ago from spiraling out of control and your role in resolving another incident a month ago, the academy has seen fit to try you as an applicant for its own security unit, the IPF."

Upon hearing the declaration, shock and surprise gripped every denizen in Class 1-1 with the exception of the two teachers. Gasps and mutters filled the previously quiet room as everyone took in this shocking news.

"What!? A first year being accepted into the ISA's own elite security force!?"

"So cool! I heard they only accept exceptional pilots, and even good third years have a hard time being accepted into the auxiliary branch!"

"Wow, Orimura-san must be so skilled that they wanted to recruit him badly for the auxiliaries!"

While everyone expressed their surprise in various ways, Elliot was not at all amused or surprised. What he couldn't understood was what reason would compel the school board to push his name forward for the Academy's in-house security unit.

Being the only international educational institution for training IS pilots, it would be reasonable that such a prestigious institution has its own protection. That came in the form of its own security unit called the IPF, or short for Internal Protection Force. It's a force comprised of former representatives and representative contenders that were tasked solely for protecting the academy from any serious threats from external sources. Many of the pilots were recruited from former Mondo Grosso contestants who eschewed teaching jobs in their own nations and the ISA, yet still wanted to earn a living piloting the IS. Because of the makeup consisting of such prodigious talents, the force was nicknamed the 'Valkyrie corps' by many of the ISA student body.

Some of their numbers were bolstered by a reserve of third years students. Usually they were considered as auxiliaries, only used for maintaining order and protecting the students in any serious crises. The requirements for being accepted as an auxiliary for the IPF were strict, with only just about a handful of students currently being part of such an elite group.

Elliot, unperturbed by the news or the cacophony taking place in the class, gave his own unvarnished opinion about the matter.

"No offense Orimura-sensei, but what possessed the school board to even consider such a hare-brained idea of trying me out as an applicant for the auxiliary branch of the IPF? I thought only third years were scouted and accepted by them."

Chifuyu crossed her arms, a small smirk appeared on her face.

"Oh? Did you think the two incidents when you've beaten them to the punch didn't go unnoticed? And in those incidents, you have taken down the threats almost by yourself. Your stunts did attract their attention and in a good way, Orimura-san."

That statement only served to add to the din within the classroom. The muted chatter running in the background was becoming quite unbearable to his enhanced hearing as the girls now fangirled over the news. It was getting almost unbearable to his ears as Elliot's face turned stony, reining in his annoyance from the racket.

Evidently Chifuyu shared his sentiments. The woman's face hardened, then a loud bellow crashed into the room like a sudden tidal wave smashing onto the shore.

"QUIET DOWN, YOU BRATS!"

Instantly, the roar from the Empress silenced all noise from the room. Chifuyu's eyes roamed the classroom, daring anyone to make a sound. When no one was making a ruckus, she turned her attention back at him.

"As you are probably aware, the IPF has only the best talents in terms of IS piloting the world has to offer under one roof. They vetted their own and entry to the group is strictly invitation only. This is a once in a lifetime chance, Orimura-san. If you accept, I'll tell the school board and you'll be trying out for the IPF in one months' time."

The hybrid didn't know what to make of this development. His mind was racing a hundred miles an hour trying to discern whatever reason that had him slated to join such a prestigious group. Try as he might, Elliot had no idea what made him so attractive to the IPF to recruit him.

He assumed a deadpan look as he crossed his arms, facing his mentor and sister.

"And now they're upgraded from being hare-brained to plain crazy in my eyes. What did they really see in me? I really don't see the reason for having me in that group of elite pilots when I'm nothing more than a typical ISA student. Besides, in those two incidents I've done all that not for the sake of the academy or anyone else."

Finishing his sentence, Elliot looked towards Ichika. His gaze was soft as he regarded his brother whom had turned to met his gaze with genuine surprise.

"All of that was for my family, nothing else. And that's all there is to it."

Turning back to his sister, he found Chifuyu smirking knowingly at him. Imperceptible to anyone, her eyes held a glint of amusement if not a bit exasperation by his attitude.

"Oh, I think a typical student would charge recklessly into certain danger, knowing how high the stakes are and successfully resolved the situation involving hostile ISs even before the IPF got there. Your previous performance in the two incidents had prevented them from turning into a great disaster for the Academy raised a couple of eyebrows in the ISA's administration and the Valkyries."

"Even if your reason were admittedly selfish, your actions have consequences. Considering the numerous times you've broken Academy rules in regards to IS usage, you should've been suspended from any IS related activities by the school a long time ago. You're lucky that the IPF were willing to recruit you in addition to having your transgressions wiped with the school authorities as part of the deal. Besides, you're being accepted into a group of the most experienced and well-trained pilots in the world. Not even ex-representatives and military pilots could be given such an offer so readily."

Chifuyu's sarcasm and subsequent explanation did nothing to ease Elliot's suspicions on the matter. Dipping his head, he assumed a thoughtful pose as he put the puzzle pieces together.

All of this signaled that the IPF were really determined to have him within their ranks, as evident by their generous offer of wiping his records clean. But it was exactly this eagerness to recruit him that made him wary.

Moreover, why would they broke their own SOP just to headhunt him, a first year student who's not even a representative with an admittedly flawed unit? There were simply too many unknowns to account for him to make an informed decision. He needed time, time to really go through all the potential pros and cons this offer entailed. He turned back to Chifuyu, uncertainty etched his features.

"Can I have some time to think about this? I still am not sure about a lot of things about the offer to accept it."

Chifuyu simply nodded, her elegant face betrayed nothing of her inner thoughts.

"You have about one week to give your answer. After that, no reply from you will be meant that you refused the offer and you won't be bothered again. Now, let's begin our class! Yamada-sensei, please begin your instruction."

Elliot sat down again as Chifuyu stepped down from the podium for Maya to took the stage. The sounds of hardcover books thumped open and rustling of pages accompanied by Maya's bubbly voice permeating the room as the first lessons of the day began.

But for Elliot, he absentmindedly went through the motions as he mulled over this new development, feeling both anxious and confused as he pondered over it.

'Christ... how did things go this way?'

The narrow stairwell echoed with hurried panting as Elliot scrambled up the stairs, careful to make sure no one had followed him up here. His ear strained to pick up any noise that echoed within the stairwell, listening for the sounds of footsteps or voices.

Hearing nothing, Elliot stealthily made his way up to the top floor. His hands rested on dusty steel as he pushed open the door to the rooftop, the hinges creaking loudly as it swung open. Glaring sunlight spilled over him, his eyes protected by his fedora. Elliot's eyes scanned the rooftop, thankful to find no other student was present.

A quick check behind the stairway entrance revealed the same thing. Sure that he was the only presence on the rooftop, Elliot scrambled up the short stairs leading up the second terrace on top of the entranceway.

Without his shemagh, Elliot decided to fold his arms behind his head and laid down on the bare grass watching the clouds floating by. It was a calming activity that allowed his mind to wander and think deeply and currently he had a lot to think about.

"How did all I've done made me eligible to be accepted into such an elite group? All I did was stop threats that would've harmed my own family. Anyone would've done the same in my shoes…'

He sighed tiredly. Just why did everything he did in the Academy garnered the opposite effect that he was aiming for? By keeping to himself and working hard to preserve his privileges in school, he inadvertently made himself into the object of interest and attraction by his mysterious persona and prodigious ability. By fighting when he had to and quickly resolving any that happened to reduce any potential complications, he came across as an exceptional fighter and IS pilot among the ISA student body. On and on the list goes on, the number of ironic situations made his head ached just thinking about it.

Just when he thought his second life was going to be relatively easy by keeping a low profile, ironically his own unique tendencies made him stand out in both good and bad ways. How was he going to extricate himself from the consequence of his own actions? This was driving him nuts.

'Pilot, just what matters disquieted your thoughts so?'

'Master, what seems to be the problem?'

Hearing the voices of his two AI companions, Elliot dispelled the headache inducing thoughts as he switched his attention to them. He didn't expect that his own turbulent emotions would be discerned by both of them, nor was it his intentions to draw them away from whatever they were engaged in.

'I'm fine, really. I'm sorry that I had disturbed both of you from whatever you two were doing.'

'Apology accepted and appreciated, Pilot. Pray tell what matters threw your composed mind into such disarray as to be perceivable to both of us?'

Elliot's shoulders slumped in response to Hecate's concern. A twinge of guilt flared in his consciousness as his own concerns had compelled his partners to inquire about his state. He had no intentions on bothering either of them, even though he knew they would've dropped everything just to answers to his every beck and call.

'It's about the incident with the Valkyrie Trace system. Apparently my actions that day and the previous incident with the unmanned IS had drawn too much attention. I've been scouted and invited to join the ISA's own elite corps of pilots in protecting the Academy and I'm thinking on whether to accept the invitation or turn it down.'

His admission garnered different responses from the two AIs. Perry sounded exuberant at the news while Hecate sounded concerned over him.

'That's excellent news, master! Your skill in piloting is clearly leagues above most of your peers. The fact that many would start to acknowledge that bodes well for you.'

'Yet such good tidings left you not with joy but anxiety. Is it perhaps that you worry about our shared existence that made you deliberate so agonizingly fastidious as to fill you with dread?'

A sigh escaped him once again. Leave it for his constant companion to figure out his worries so quickly on the first try.

'Yes, that's the issue Hecate. If I accept the role I would have to spend more effort in deflecting suspicion every time someone gets too curious about you. Keeping your true capabilities secret from the student body was hard enough already but to do so around experienced, seasoned IS pilots? Just why do things never go my way?'

'Can man select their own fortunes and calamity like morsels off a feasting table? While events have transpired not to your expectations, it does not reflect well upon yourself to bemoan on incidents that had transpired. Since such a moment had arrived, it is within your prerogative and agency to mold it to your desired outcome.'

'Yes master. You've always shaped your own path in life, so what's so different now? If anything, isn't this not an excellent opportunity to become stronger for the eventual day you'll have to fight for your own survival?'

Elliot's head rolled back on the soft grass as he juggled his companions' words in his head. Baffled as to how wise his AI companions were, he conceded that there were bits of wisdom from them he could listen to.

Could this be an opportunity in disguise? If what his companions said was true, then this could be a chance to learn from other pilots. And Perry had made a good point if not a somewhat depressing one. If in the eventuality that his own condition was discovered, then it wouldn't be a stretch to say that he would be fighting for his own survival against whatever forces sent to capture him. Better that he faced that possible scenario with as much combat experience and advantages he could get away with.

Survival had always been a game of stacking the odds for you against any odds that worked against you. The question was for how long and how well you could do so. This was a facet of life he had learned through his own harsh experiences, one marred by pain and sorrow.

The jarring guitar chord playing from his phone broke him out of his musings. Pulling out his phone, he answered without too much thought.

"Hello?"

"Elliot, where are you? I've been looking for you for the past 10 minutes!"

Elliot slapped his forehead in mortified realization. In his attempt of shaking off the many admirers hounding after him today, he had forgotten to meet Charlotte as he promised earlier. Instead, he had slinked up to the rooftop to clear his head. Not one of his best moments.

"I'm so sorry, Charles. I had to dodge the fangirls today and couldn't make it to the cafeteria. Where are you currently?"

"I'm outside the cafeteria. Are you ok? I can help get you something to eat if you can't come to the cafeteria."

"Sure. Can you get me something easy to take away and filling? Probably pizza or sandwiches can do. Once you get them, come meet me on the rooftop. Make sure no one follows you up."

"Alright Elliot. One pizza coming up."

The call disconnected and Elliot stowed his phone back to his pocket. Crossing his arms behind his head, he rested his head on them as he resumed his introspection.

'Gotta say, what would Chifuyu think of this? Could she have a hand in arranging all this?'

Elliot agonized over this, an inkling of suspicion flared at Chifuyu's recent motivations. Somehow he suspected the woman had a hand in preventing him from joining the match to circumvent the possibility of him accidentally exposing Hecate's power altogether. Now he felt like his sister was subtly steering him into joining the IPF, though for what reason he couldn't fathom.

The door creaked open once again. Elliot craned his head towards the stairs leading up to his hiding spot, thinking that it was one of the students arriving.

"Elliot, where are you!?"

Getting up from his supine position, Elliot walked towards the railing and looked down hoping it was the crossdresser. Sure enough, Charlotte was swiveling her head left and right looking for him, carrying two bags of different sizes in her hands.

"Charles! Up here!"

Charlotte whirled around and peered up, surprised by his unexpected location. She then came up to where he was and sat down on small patch of grass, setting the bags laden with food beside her.

"Sorry for being late. I hope you're not too famished waiting for me."

Elliot peeled away from the railing, proceeding to join Charlotte on the ground.

"It's alright. I'm used to being hungry for long periods of time."

The careless comment made Charlotte frown disapprovingly at him. Her lips puffed outwards in a cute pout, her eyes radiated disapproval at his indifferent attitude towards his own wellbeing.

"Elliot, don't be so callous to yourself. Just because you're used to it doesn't mean you should endure it if you can help it. You'll fall sick if you bear with hunger unnecessarily."

Elliot waved his hand nonchalantly, nonplussed by the chiding he'd received.

"I know, just stating facts. On that note, what did you get?"

Charlotte pulled out the box and opened it. A piping hot, steaming pizza appeared in his sight. The sumptuous sight of his favorite pizza made Elliot drool in hunger.

"Surf and turf, Elliot. Ichika told me this was your favorite when I asked him what to choose for lunch, before he got dragged away by Rin and Houki."

"Hope he'll be alright. But then again, I really wanted some peace and quiet to myself."

"Oui. But now, let's eat."

Without further ado, Elliot dug in. Being no stranger to hunger, the smell of food was just too much to resist especially it was his favorite pizza. Slice after slice disappeared as the hybrid scarfed down his meal. Only when the hunger pangs had disappeared did he realized he was wolfing down with abandon in front of a girl and he slowed down his pace, eating with a bit more decorum.

Munching slowly, his mind wandered as he beheld the view on top of the roof. Inevitably the morning's events came rushing back at him, the emotions he suppressed barged into his consciousness like an unwanted guest. His demeanor turned brooding and introspective, as he was prone to do when his emotions bothered him.

"Elliot, is something wrong?"

Lifting his head out of his morose state, he turned towards Charlotte who was regarding him with slight concern.

"I'm fine. Just trying to process my own thoughts."

"Because of the morning's events, oui? I imagine it must be quite a shocking turn of events for you."

"That's putting it very lightly. All I ever did was to save Ichika, nothing more. How did things turn out this way?"

"I'd say you earned it. From what I've seen and heard from the others, you've risked yourself twice to stop threats to the academy that would've caused untold destruction and death had they not been stopped in time. I'd say that makes you a hero."

Elliot sighed in annoyance, feeling a bit ticked off by the adulation he received. He huffed as his head dropped, his moroseness rearing its ugly head once again.

"That's the issue. I'm not trying to play hero, only just to make sure my own family doesn't get torn away from me. Why is it that everyone thinks I'm some hero from ages past?"

"Elliot, look at me."

Breaking out of his brooding stupor, Elliot's eyes met Charlotte's own which shone with reverent acknowledgement. The steel in the girl's voice made him intrigued.

"When everyone was doing what they were told, you dived headfirst into danger despite knowing the risks and the price of disobeying the rules to save your own family that isn't even your own blood. You've done that not once but twice in about a month. Even when you got injured in both instances, you've stopped the threats and saved countless people from the Academy, both student and teachers alike. Whether you like it or not, your actions have made you a hero in many people's eyes."

Seeing the admiration and respect brimming out of the French pilot, Elliot felt he didn't deserve such high praise. All that recognition felt like it was for someone else, someone that wasn't as tainted as him.

Heroes were normal people who had a life that chose to do exceptional things under exceptional circumstances, people that didn't have blood on their hands and sin on their souls. Everything that just wouldn't fit someone like him.

Someone who's dead and brought back to life as a hybrid of IS and man, capable of feats that were impossible for the average person. Someone who had committed sin to survive and who had blood on his hands. Hero isn't the word he would describe himself.

A monster in human skin would be the better descriptor for the likes of him. He was sure those who heaped such praises at him today would tomorrow cry for his detainment if not for his death should his condition be discovered.

Even if he felt undeserving of such glowing adulation, Charlotte's praise felt genuine and heartfelt. As much as he thought she may have mistaken his character, he could at least respect her opinions. A small smile sneaked up to his face, a result from receiving the compliments.

"Thanks Charlotte. I guess I didn't realize how other people truly view me as. It's refreshing to learn other people's perspectives, especially yours."

Charlotte beamed with happiness, her smile looked so pure and angelic.

"Think nothing of it, mon ami. I'm glad that I could lift your mood up just slightly. Feeling better now?"

"Yeah, much better."

With his melancholy dispelled, He finished his pizza and wiped his mouth, turning his head towards Charlotte.

"With lunch out of the way, let's talk about you. You mentioned about needing to talk to me in private. What's it about?"

Charlotte began to look a bit pensive, her hands clasped in her lap as she fidgeted.

Elliot watched curiously, finding her sudden shift in demeanor odd. The French girl gestured him to sit closer, which he obliged her. The Frenchwoman leaned closer to him before she began to whisper.

"It's about the mission. I've received news from France that the engineers have been able to restart development on the Mass-Produced 3rd gen ISs from the concept data and drawings we've came up."

Hearing the pleased tone in her voice, Elliot believed there were good news coming from the girl. He could do with something to distract him.

"I take it the mission was deemed a success?"

"Oui, It's better than successful. Within a few months, Dunois Corporation will roll out the first batch of 3rd-gen mass produced IS for wide scale trials and already several countries have expressed interest in testing the new models. My papa had promised to allow me to complete my education here as France's representative candidate, with all expenses during my years here borne by his company."

Charlotte took a deep bow in the customary Japanese manner, a gesture of appreciation that Elliot still couldn't get used to despite his years living in Japan.

"Thank you Elliot. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to handle my problem adequately. With this nasty piece of business concluded, I am able to begin living my life to the fullest. Merci beucoup."

Elliot waved his arm, showing it was no big deal.

"No need to thank me. I'm just doing what I thought was right. If it wasn't me, then Ichika would've undoubtedly volunteer to help you and it would be better that we worked together to resolve your issue. Ichika's not someone that can come up with good plans to begin with and I don't want him to get into trouble tangling with your father's company."

Finishing his lunch, Elliot felt a bout of sleepiness assailed him from his big meal. Lying back on his back and resting his head, Elliot rolled his head to look at Charlotte.

"Still, with this out of the way, is everything solved on your end?"

"Not necessarily."

"What do you mean?"

Without a word, Charlotte proceeded to join him as she inched closer to him till she sat a few inches closer from him. Elliot couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow at her as he watched her fidgeted nervously, her face looking quite sheepish.

"You see, it's about my real identity. Since my mission's done, I've been thinking about what you've said, about finding my own direction in life. I've made my decision."

Elliot jerked his head at her direction, encouraging her to speak her mind.

"Well, what have you decided?"

"I think I'll stay here for now. Not as Charles but Charlotte Dunois. I'll tell the school about the truth, because I don't want to continue living a lie. And also because you're here Elliot. I want to learn how to be brave like you, someone who's not afraid of anything. So, can I ask you a favor?"

Lifting himself up from his position, Elliot reclined on his arm as he twisted his body to give his full attention to Charlotte. Seeing she had something important to say, he nodded his head.

"Of course. Speak your mind."

"Thank you Elliot. From now on, could you call me Charlotte when we're alone together? Could you do that?"

The French girl's eyes shone with innocence as she gave him a puppy eyed look. Elliot found the innocent aura she exuded very attractive but he resisted the urge to sank into the hopeful atmosphere. They had one more thing to handle before everything was all good.

"You do know that the school wouldn't be happy that you deceived them, right? Good chance they'll punish you for this deception, not to mention what your father would do if he founds out. Are you sure about this?"

At his inquiry, Charlotte nodded resolutely.

"Yes, I can't live like this when I've decided to break away from my family. I don't want to have anything to do with them anymore when I can find my own future. Just like what you said, I'll find my own way in life."

Elliot appraised the girl in front of him, finding nothing but sheer determination and conviction brimming from her petite form. It seems that she really took his words seriously and no amount of persuasion for her sakes would dissuade her.

"Alright Charlotte. Since you've made up your mind, I'll help you in what way I can. But I assure you, the path going forward isn't going to be easy nor would it be short. From now on, your life's your own show. So, when are you going to disclose your true identity?"

"After the rematch this coming Friday. When all that is done, I'll approach the school authorities and tell them the truth. By Monday I'll be Charlotte Dunois."

Sitting up, Elliot drew his legs up and gazed out towards the Academy grounds. The sight of people milling about during lunch time seemed so small from their vantage point.

"Well, good luck with that. I hope the school authorities would let you off lightly."

"Me too Elliot… Me too."

"President, why did you insist on accompanying me on my shopping trip?"

"Oh, lighten up Elliot-kun~. And please call me Tatenashi. You've been calling me by my title all this time, how about you start calling me by my name?"

A deep frown etched itself on Elliot's brows as he regarded his unwanted tag along with no small amount of disdain. Just when he thought he could enjoy time alone away from the Academy only to have his plans ruined by a girl.

It was a bright Sunday. After the whole incident involving the IPF's offer had concluded the day before, Elliot had planned to go to the city to get his usual shopping done. His previous shemagh had been discarded and he was planning on getting a replacement today, along with a few additions to his hideout to make it a more comfortable place.

It was also a good time to get away from the usual craziness within the Academy and see what was going on in the larger world. A simple outing serving multiple goals, just the way he liked it.

At least, that was his original plan if it didn't include a certain person currently hugging his arm. His arm was pressed against his roommate's ample bosom, giving him no question as to her voluptuous curves. He groaned from irritation and long-suffering indignation.

"President…."

He clamped his mouth shut upon being given a dissatisfied frown from the blue haired minx. Choosing not to argue with her, he relented and gave into her request.

"Fine…Tatenashi, why did you think that this is a good way to repay the favor?"

The frown disappeared, replaced by a victorious smile as Tatenashi shone it at him.

"It's just that I have a habit of also going shopping at the weekends and I think that both of us together might get things done faster."

Elliot felt that excuse was lame. His stoic expression turned into a deadpan look that was directed at the girl. Even with his fedora pulled low partially shrouding his face, it was clearly shown to her.

"That's your reason? You sure you aren't looking for a male escort just to parade around like a trophy to other women, are you?"

Tatenashi gasped with faux horror, one of her hands went up in her face in perfectly feigned shock.

"Oh my, is there such a shameless girl like that out there?"

Elliot hissed at her, his voice carried no small amount of annoyance at her theatrics and her unwanted presence.

"I'm talking about you, Tatenashi!"

The girl in question chuckled heartily. Her smoky voice washed over him, tickling his ears like a fine wine. While still feeling aggravated, Tatenashi's beautiful voice had the paradoxical effect of soothing his annoyance.

"Oh, lighten up Elliot-kun. Don't be so serious all the time, it'll make you look old very quickly. Besides, I can help you with your shopping while you help me out. I'm looking for some clothes and there's a sale ongoing."

Her arm reached up to his shoulder, pulling him down so she could whisper in his ear. Elliot couldn't repress a pleasurable shiver as her voice drifted into his ears.

"And I do have quite a selection to buy. It is a sales day after all."

Elliot sighed resignedly. His city excursion had just turned from a brief outing into a literal drudge. Knowing just how girls were, he knew he was going to stay out for quite some time, far longer than he would've preferred.

On the other hand, he suspected this is payback for him toying with her emotions a few days ago. No matter how one looked at it, it was an admittedly very scumbag move, one that he regretted pulling off just to broke free from her antics.

"I get it. Let's get this done and go back to the Academy before the last train departs. I don't want to be stuck outside the Academy for a night."

Tatenashi seemed amused at his discomfort, much to his chagrin. Letting him straighten up, she beamed her signature impish smile at him.

"Oh, don't be such a worrywart Elliot-kun. We could just fly in our ISs and be back in a minute."

Elliot frowned at her casual view towards IS usage but deigned to say nothing more. Resigning to the fact that he'll just have to put up with the drudgery, he let himself get pulled along by the elated girl.

As he was being dragged along by Tatenashi, he overheard a wave of murmurs from the passerbys around him. His hearing gave him a clear picture of what's on the people's mind, mostly centered on both of them.

"Wow, look at that couple over there."

"Both of them look so good together! The girl and the boy both looked like models."

"Woah, check out that girl! She's got quite the body!"

"Man, if it wasn't for that scary dude right beside her I'd asked her out right away."

"Wow, that guy's a real hottie!"

"Mmm, I wish I had a boyfriend that hot!"

"Are those two celebrities?"

The numerous envious comments served to add to his mounting annoyance. The fact his patience was already taxed to the limit didn't helped matters either. Elliot couldn't help the heavy sigh that escaped him, an action that didn't escaped the girl's attention beside him.

"Hmm~? What's gotten into you, Elliot-kun?"

He huffed tiredly, feeling worn out by the unwanted attention focused on them.

"It's…just, all this attention around us is really grating on my nerves. Don't these people have anything better to do?"

Tatenashi looked at him oddly. Then, her confusion gave way to her usual mischievousness.

"Fu, fu... Elliot-kun, you just don't realize the effect you have on other people. Isn't this just proof that you are an attractive person both to men and women? Even in your casual attire, you still didn't disappoint."

Tatenashi then looked wistful, eyes shone with a bit of longing as her gaze was faraway.

"If only you were dressed in a suit…. Mmmm, no woman could truly resist against you then."

Elliot rolled his eyes, not caring for the girl's fixation on his fashion sense. The only thing he cared for was to get his shopping done and get back to Academy Island, preferably to hide from his annoying roommate.

"Let's just get our shopping done and leave. All this attention is making me uncomfortable."

"Oh, don't be like that Elliot-kun. Since we're out and about, let's just enjoy ourselves!"

Grabbing his hand, he tugged his arm while looking at him. When he looked at her, she gestured for him to come closer.

Elliot reluctantly complied, bending down so his ear was to her lips. Her breath tickled his ear, sending a shiver up his spine.

"If you really want to avoid the attention, all you have to do is to act as if you're my boyfriend. At least the ladies would leave you alone."

Elliot gave an unamused look to the smirking girl. The idea itself was even more preposterous compared to his current situation. Even if it did work, the trade-off was more than any upsides he could've gotten from the act.

But being too tired to care, Elliot gave up and deigned to entertain her. His left arm came up and around her back, pulling her closer to him to which she enthusiastically replied by wrapping her arms around his torso. Thankfully, she kept her hands around his waist and not around his chest as she laid her head against his chest. The girl let out a breath of contentment as she pressed her head closer, enjoying the close physical contact between them.

Surreptitiously he swept his gaze around him, a habit that saved him many a times. Most of the guys around him were seething in jealousy at the public display of affection between them, if their burning glares and acidic comments were anything to go by.

Whereas for the fairer gender, most casted envious looks at Tatenashi and showing looks of disappointment at the fact he was 'taken'. Their public display of affection still garnered comments from both male and female, mostly about how well they looked.

Elliot turned his eyes at the content looking girl beside him, feeling like had been played for her benefit. His exasperation rose at the sight of her enjoying herself at his discomfort.

'Shouldn't have got on her bad side. This is really making me uncomfortable.'

"And we're done! That's all there is to buy today."

Elliot heaved a sigh of relief, glad to be done with the humiliating and agonizingly long ordeal. His HUD clock showed it was about 3:58 PM, about 5 hours since they had left Academy Island just to shop. The sheer number of clothes the girl had tried on and bought boggled his mind, which made his mental fatigue evermore tiring.

'I can't believe that she bought so many clothes. Guess the stereotype of girls liking to shop is true after all.'

A salacious image intruded into his head, a result of Tatenashi's day long shopping spree. He was feeling a bit mortified at himself for entertaining such thoughts, even if the action that caused it was initiated by the girl herself.

Turning towards his companion, he banished the thought, choosing to focus on his immediate concern.

"Are there any more things you wished to buy, Tatenashi?'

Tatenashi looked rather smug, feeling a bit entertained by his humiliation. Several large bags swung from her arms, not encumbering her at the least.

"Nope! But…there is a little something we need to try on. Well, you need to try on."

The cryptic statement elicited equal measures of trepidation and curiosity from Elliot. Paranoid as he was to her antics, the way she worded her sentence really piqued his curiosity. Even then, he was still leery of the possibility she was coming up with ideas to torment him.

"Tatenashi, there's no need for that. I've got what I came for already so can't we just head on back now?"

"You just came out here and brought your scarf in a place where there's so many brand clothing stores? No! We're going to use this opportunity to make you look good and we're not going back until you looked absolutely gorgeous!"

Elliot groaned, wanting nothing more than to return back to the Academy and spend some time alone in his hideout. For what he went through today, his patience was already spent entertaining the annoying girl and he really wanted to sequester himself in seclusion to recharge.

Tugging on his new shemagh wrapped around his neck, Elliot felt his dignity as a man was down the gutter today. Shame burned within him for his acquiescence to the blue haired vixen's demands.

'At least I got what I wanted. Too bad they don't have the same color scheme as the last one.'

The hybrid was absently gripping onto a bright red cloth on his neck as the girl dragged him to another store. Tilting his head up, he saw the sign showing that it was a boutique and tailor shop.

"Tatenashi? What're we doing at a tailor shop?"

The girl pulling him along turned around with a sly grin, eyes twinkled with anticipation and palpable excitement.

"I did say we're going to have you try something out. Well, I think it's time you try something on. Namely, a suit!"

The word 'suit' sent a pit forming in Elliot's stomach. A suit in Japan cost no small amount of money, with a good custom tailor suit costing almost a few months of an average salaryman's wages. Alarm bells rang in his head, along with a suspicion that he'll be leaving town today with a lot lighter wallet.

"Really, is this even necessary? I mean I don't even wear a suit nor even need one."

Tatenashi looked a bit miffed, though that didn't dull the shine of excitement in her eyes.

"Silly boy! Every man needs a suit just as a soldier needs armor. And with your looks, this girl believes you definitely need a well fitted suit."

Feeling his insides drop in stark horror, Elliot realized his suspicions were well founded. Sometimes, he hated himself for being able to see misfortune coming a mile away yet couldn't do anything to avoid it. Better to dissuade the girl before she really went through with her plan.

"President, I don't have that kind of money for a suit. Unless you're the one paying."

Tatenashi pouted, her brows scrunching together in a frown at his use of her title. Elliot caught himself referring to her formally and coughed, recomposing his thoughts as he tried a different approach to question her.

"Sorry, force of habit. Tatenashi, why did you decide to have me try on a suit and in a custom shop of all places?"

A wry smile took the place of the frowning expression on that beautiful face. Elliot found her smile quite beautiful, even though it wasn't for any good reason.

"You've been running around with nothing but your casual clothes and IS uniform all the time you're in the Academy. So, I got curious of how you'll look in a nice suit. As I'm sure many of the girls in the Academy would like to know."

Elliot quirked an eyebrow. Hearing his roommate was curious of him made him felt a bit flattered but also a bit on guard. That was the exact situation he was told to avoid by Chifuyu.

"Isn't my uniform a good enough example to guess? It isn't anything too different from a suit, except for the blazer and pants."

"That's why I had brought you here. This shop is run by an old friend of my family, I know the owner well and he's the best in the business. Let's see if he had some good suits for you to try."

Hearing a snippet of the girl's personal details, Elliot felt a bit intrigued of her past. Still, he felt apprehensive on the idea of getting a suit.

"And what happens if we did find something that fits me? I don't have that much money to own a suit and I'm not someone to spend money on something that I'm not going to use frequently. That'd be a waste of money."

Tatenashi smirked, looking rather confident for herself.

"Don't worry so much, big guy! This isn't about buying a suit but trying one. If we really find something that fits you and you like it, we can put down a tab for it and you can pay for half of it. This girl would pay the rest."

Elliot was bit taken aback by the offer. A custom suit was not a cheap matter and yet his roommate was offering to shoulder half the costs. Elliot can't help but find this generous offer very suspicious.

"Why would you go out of your way to pay for it, even just half the price?"

The girl suddenly took on a wry expression, face full of mystique as he put her finger up to her lips as she closed one of her eyes in coy mischievousness.

"That's a secret~, Elliot kun. Maybe one day you'll find out but not today. Now come on, let's go!"

Leaving no time for him to mull things over, Elliot was pulled into the store by the arm. A small bell rang clearly as the wooden door swung open, giving him a view of the interior of the shop.

The store was rather small though not cramped. A few suit jackets were displayed on the front window on dressmaker's dummies. Rich wood paneling decorated the walls, with large reams of various cloths in different materials and shades tucked away in a large shelf behind a counter.

The ring of the doorbell brought the sole occupant in the shop hurrying in from the back. A middle-aged man wearing a white shirt with a measuring tape thrown around his neck came and greeted them. His eyes sparkled in recognition upon seeing Tatenashi, his face lighted up in joy.

"Ah, Sarashiki-sama! What a wonderful surprise to see you here again! How can I help you?"

"Hello again, Tanaka-san. I have a guy here that needs a custom suit and I was hoping that you have something that'll do the job."

The man turned his attention towards Elliot. Tanaka got around his counter and gingerly grabbed Elliot by his arms, his gaze roamed over his tall frame with an appraising look.

After a while of this silent examination, the old tailor stepped back and assumed a thoughtful pose.

"Yes, I believe I have something that may fit him. It's an order that a customer cancelled at the last minute but I believe it's close to his size. Please follow me, young man."

Tanaka ushered him into a side room, opening a panel on the wall that turned out to be a door. The hybrid craned his head around, looking at Tatenashi with a resigned expression.

"Well, Tatenashi. Guess I'll be seeing you soon."

Tatenashi simply waved her hand, her mischievous expression not lifting in the slightest as he disappeared into the room.

"Have fun, Elliot-kun~"

Half hour later….

"Sarashiki-sama! Your friend has finished dressing up! Come and take a look at him!"

At the old tailor's excited request, Tatenashi set down the dog-eared magazine and followed behind him. Stepping into the small room, Tatenashi's eyes widened in surprise as her gaze landed on his tall form

Wow.

Dressed in a well-fitting black suit finished with his signature black fedora and accentuated by a red tie, the tall blonde looked every bit a catwalk model that one could find in the fashion capitals of Europe and America. The suit hugged every bit of his towering figure like a glove, bringing out his lithe and powerful frame in an extremely pleasing picture of male elegance. The hat gave him a vintage noir look, which in conjunction with his suit gave him a mysterious and alluring vibe that she was sure to attract attention wherever he went.

Elliot turned around, fiddling his cuffs with a look of discomfort. Tatenashi struggled to keep her composure as her heart hammered madly at the sight.

The bewitching golden eyes that she found attractive showed a look of discomfort, an uncharacteristic sight from the normally unflappable blonde. The look of vulnerability paired with the sharp look of his suit gave a contrasting look of prim elegance and subdued melancholy that served to play havoc on her heart.

The girl reined in her runaway emotions as she examined the boy from head to toe. She knew her roommate was attractive and good looking but seeing him in a suit was a whole other league entirely.

Elliot looked extremely sexy. Tatenashi was sure that if he had walked around school in that outfit, there would've been pandemonium within the Academy. The boy was literally sin incarnate in his current dress. She had to admit, it was worth risking his annoyance just to see this amazing sight.

The blonde in question adjusted his jacket, his eyebrows scrunched in discomfort as he appraised the suit.

"I still don't see the point of even trying this on. What kind of situation I'll be in that I would need a suit?"

"You look especially good, young man! Be a bit more confident! Now we just need a couple more things to finish this. Here, try these boots on!"

The old tailor walked by the boy and fetched a pair of fancy dress boots. Tatenashi wondered just if the suit was sold as a whole set or if just the old man was being meticulous as always.

Elliot accepted the offered footwear, pulling on the boots without trouble. The boy looked somewhat pleased at the boots, which also made her a bit happy.

Tanaka went up to the boy, adjusting the lapels of his jacket as the old tailor fussed over him.

Watching as the males preoccupied with their own matters, Tatenashi was lost in her own mind while ogling the blonde, her mind conjuring up images ranging from innocuous to downright salacious, all of which related to the suit wearing boy.

Elliot stood still as the old man was adjusting his suit, smoothing out the wrinkles on his shoulders and adjusting his jacket. The man turned around and fetched something, returning with a small square of white cloth in his hand.

"And finally, a pocket square."

The old tailor tucked the square cloth into a pocket on his suit jacket and stepped back, his face shone with the pride of a master craftsman appreciating his own work.

"And done! Now take a look at yourself in the mirror, young man!"

Elliot turned around towards where the tailor gestured towards. When he met the figure staring back at him, he couldn't held back his shock as his eyes widened at the image.

Instead of his usual mishmash of clothing consisting of outdoor and casual styles, Elliot found an impeccably dressed man staring back at him. Even when he fully knew he wasn't glaring, the doppelganger was very severe looking and elegant at the same time.

Elliot stood transfixed, in awe at the transformation brought about by the change in attire. Never in his life did he ever dressed in such fine garments and it made him felt very out of depth.

But yet, the image he saw gave off an air of confidence and self-assurance. The man in the mirror looked every bit prepared to take on the world, tackling any obstacles that may presented themselves. It was a stark contrast to his daily image in his usual attire, which mostly looked rather non-assuming save for several unique pieces like his neckwear or his headwear.

'Huh, I think I could get used to this as time goes on.'

Tearing his eyes away from the mirror, he pivoted around to face the tailor. Better to face the music now since it wasn't going to get any easier postponing the inevitable.

"So, how much is this going to set me back?"

"The suit's already paid for by the previous customer, with all the accessories included. I still don't know why he would do that but it had been languishing for quite some time in my shop. So consider this on the house."

Elliot's eyes bugged open in utter befuddlement. He was mentally prepared for a shocking price, what with all the accompanying accessories and the exquisite craftsmanship he could tell was put into the suit. To hear that it was being given away was totally incomprehensible to his sensibilities.

"I can't just accept such an expensive item like this! At least tell me how much it's worth so I could pay a fraction of it!"

The tailor calmed the boy down, his face looked calm and nonplussed by his outburst.

"Relax young man. The suit was custom made and I can't sell it because no one else would fit into it. With how few men were able to afford tailored suits nowadays, my business has been slow and it hurts me to see a fine suit like that sitting unused. So consider it a gift, since you'll need it more than I do."

Tanaka inched closer towards him, a wry expression on his aged face. The man winked at him as he whispered conspiratorially at him.

"Besides, you seemed close to Sarashiki-sama, very much so I would say. I hope this suit will serve you well in helping you find your own happiness with her."

Watching the old man looking so happy for his sake, Elliot didn't have the heart to correct his faulty assumptions. Even if he wanted to, he found the endeavor too much effort since he was sure the girl beside him would've used it as ammunition to tease him further.

Turning his attention towards Tatenashi, he found to his surprise that the girl was openly gawking at him, her eyes held a faraway look. It took a second for him to realize she was deeply occupied in her own thoughts.

Standing in front of her, Elliot clicked his fingers at her, hoping to jostle her out of her current state.

"Hello, Tatenashi? Earth to Tatenashi?"

The preoccupied girl was spooked by the sudden noise in front of her. Her eyes flashed with brief surprise before settling onto him. Elliot could see the adoration brimming behind those ruby jewels as she laid eyes on him, her cheeks dusted a faint pink. The girl lost her composure as she shot straight out of her chair, her face flushing by her klutzy behaviour.

"Hm? Ah, you're done!?"

Seeing her so flustered by his appearance, Elliot saw an opportunity for some overdue payback. His lips quirked in a sly smirk, dry amusement laced his deep voice.

"Yes. And apparently you've been drooling too. Can't say I'm surprised."

Tatenashi looked very shocked, her eyes widened considerably at her flub. Her hand went up to her lips, finding no saliva hanging on the corner of her lips.

Seeing the mirthful smirk from Elliot, Tatenashi realized she had been played with. Her expression turned sullen as her hand came up and slapped Elliot on his chest, turning away from the blonde with an angry huff and a pout.

"Mou~ You're mean…. Only noticing a girl's unsightly look."

Even when she voiced her dissatisfaction, Elliot could tell she wasn't really into it. If anything, he could hear a hint of playfulness in her voice. Her facial expressions told him enough to confirm his observations. He shrugged, not bothered by her comeback.

"That's what you get for not paying attention. Now come on, let's get back before we miss the last train."

Before they left, the tailor stopped in front of him, preventing him from leaving. Elliot levelled an even stare as he quirked an eyebrow in question.

"Wait, let me put your old clothes in a bag."

Tanaka went out to the front of the store, returning moments later with a large cloth bag. The tailor folded up Elliot's clothes and deposited them into the bag, including his boots and shemagh.

"Here you go. Now I hope you and Sarashiki-sama have a good day. Please come back again!"

Accepting the bag containing his old clothes, Elliot offered his arm towards Tatenashi, jerking his head towards the store's entrance.

"Well, shall we Tatenashi?"

The girl nodded, hooking her arm around his as they bid farewell to the old tailor and left. The two teens rushed towards the station, catching on the last remaining trains heading back to the Academy.

Looking out towards the sea, Elliot was in his own world as his thoughts revolved around today's events. Mostly he was trying to understood Tatenashi and her actions today.

'What's her angle? Is she trying to buy my goodwill with a gift? But then this doesn't line up with her actions today.'

Frustrated that he can't figure out a reasonable explanation for her seemingly contradictory behaviour today, Elliot's eyes found themselves back at the person in question, sitting just opposite of him.

With bags of clothes sitting in her lap and the seat beside her, the blue haired girl held an expression of distant thoughtfulness. Gazing out the window herself, she looked as if something else bothered her.

"Tatenashi? Are you alright?"

"Hm? Oh, just thinking about certain matters. Don't worry about me, Elliot-kun."

Elliot wasn't someone to take being brushed off well. Still, he knew pushing the issue any further would only ended up with nothing. His prior experience living with her had taught him that much and he knew taking the indirect approach was what worked best with her.

Deciding to put his thoughts into motions, he went for diverting her mind away from her current thoughts.

"Let me know if there's anything I could help, alright?"

Tatenashi hummed quietly, sounding quite distracted. It was clear that she was not giving him her full attention. Elliot decided to try another avenue of approach by first gaining her attention with an honest inquiry.

"Say... Tatenashi, I'm curious about that old tailor. How did you came to know such a fine craftsman?"

The girl turned to face him, her eyes lost the faraway look that dominated her expression for the last 10 minutes.

"Tanaka-san? He's a close family friend as I've said, since he had done quite a lot for my family. We've done quite a lot of business over the years and he had been a reliable tailor we've come to trust."

Appraising her face, Elliot could see nothing but honesty from the girl. He still couldn't believe the old man would be so generous as to give away his work like this.

"Remind me that I owe him big time for this suit. I've never wore anything this exquisite, nor being given something this well made before in my life."

Tatenashi gave a soft smile, the expression of happiness accentuated her beautiful face.

"I'll pass it along. I was right, you look really handsome in that suit. Pray that you don't walk in the academy with that suit on or else the whole school would be in an uproar."

The girl finished her sentence with a barely muffled snicker, her face held mirthful amusement. Being reminded of the circus show that he was returning to, Elliot couldn't help but groan loudly.

'Great, now I really need to be careful. Last thing I needed was for a horde of the girls hounding after me like one of their fantasized male idols.'

The train arrived at the Academy Island just in time for Elliot to quickly exit, away from Tatenashi. He wasn't able to shook off his roommate as they walked side by side, along the path leading through one of the picturesque parks dotting the Academy. By now the time was close to 4:30 PM, the sun bathing the land in orange rays.

"Hey, Elliot-kun~. Elliot-kun..."

Ignoring the singsong prodding by Tatenashi, Elliot stewed in his annoyance from her constant attempts at making fun of him from trying to dodge attention. Moreover he was constantly on edge, watching his surroundings for any potential students around the school.

Thankfully, because of either the time or happenstance, there were barely any girls around the Academy's grounds. What few girls they came across, Elliot was able to subtly change their routes to avoid them. That earned him a round of teasing from his companion every time he did that, which was quite a few times.

"Hey, Elliot-kun, are you mad? Come on, I'm just joking around. Please don't get mad at me."

The girl punctuated her sentence by gently shaking him. It was getting to the point where it was getting annoying to him just to stay quiet.

"I'm not mad."

"But you're so quiet since we left the train. You're quite scary when you become so quiet like that."

Elliot shrugged his shoulders, not refuting her statement.

"I'm just being on guard. Don't want any girls to see me dressed to the nines like this."

Tatenashi chuckled, much to his slight chagrin and irritation.

"Elliot-kun, always so prudent and serious. While it would've been fun to see the girls' reaction to their Ice Prince dressing up like this, I agree that it may be too much for them. Plus, I would've had to deal with more paperwork if they caused any damage chasing after you."

Elliot was a bit surprised by the admission. He thought the girl would've taken chances to enjoy his flustered state as some favourite pastime of hers. Never did he expected to see a limit to her mischievous side. He gazed absently at the still lake beside them as he weighed his opinions on the girl.

"I guess she's not a bad person at heart. Just a girl who likes to make fun of people in a light hearted way.'

"Say, Elliot-kun."

"Hm?"

"Do you had fun today?"

Elliot blinked in surprise at the question. The usually self-assured girl now looked meek, her head tilted down as she held her bags in front of her. Elliot didn't knew what brought on such a question as he ran through the memories he had that day.

Contrary to his expectations, Elliot found he had enjoyed his day with his vexing roommate. What he thought was a terribly dull day turned out to be the most fun he had around another person's company.

"Yeah I do, surprisingly so. I guess shopping with someone isn't all that bad."

"Really? I'm glad to hear it. You're quite enjoyable to be around with, I've had quite a lot of fun today too."

Elliot smiled lightly, finding the pleasant atmosphere rare and enjoyable. It was rare for him to crack a smile but the events today really were fun. Barring one particular incident.

"Minus the part in the lingerie shop. I got quite a lot of rude stares from the women there."

A peal of laughter rang out from Tatenashi. Her smoky voice took on a husky quality that literally mesmerized Elliot. The hybrid didn't know what came over him but he wished he could enjoy hearing her laugh more.

"Oh, it was quite fun to see you uncomfortable. See anything you like back then~?"

Elliot held up his free hand as if he was swearing an oath. His face looked neutral and serious as he noted evenly.

"I'll take that to my grave."

His obvious evasion to the question wasn't well received by the girl. Her brows went down in a frown as she pouted, whining as she bumped against him.

"How mean~. It's not nice to lead a girl on, Elliot-kun."

The aggravation that was fading into the background now flared back into his mind. Elliot fixed the girl with a stony glare, not amused by her insinuation.

"Me, lead a girl on? Please, I've done nothing of the sort."

"Eh?"

Turning towards the surprised girl, Elliot ambled towards Tatenashi who began to back away from him with every step he took. He tilted his fedora down over his eyes, looking down on the girl.

"On the contrary, I had firmly stayed to myself, not even seducing any girl around here. It is you who lead me on, President. You tempt me all the time with your flirty attitude, your naughty and mischievous demeanour. If anything, you are more guilty than I am in this regard, Tatenashi."

The girl had an expression of deer in headlights, her flirty attitude was gone. The confident Student Council President was nowhere to be seen, instead she became a nervous blushing mess. With her hands full carrying her haul, there was nothing to bar the sight of her scarlet cheeks burning with embarrassment.

The two moved in synchronous rapport, Tatenashi backing away from the sharply dressed hybrid. In her flustered state, she didn't realize she was backing towards the edge of the paved path.

"Well, have you had nothing to say in your defense?"

"U-Um, I….. I'm not…KYA!"

"Look out!"

Seeing her hands flew open as her body tilted dangerously backwards, Elliot acted without thinking. His body shot forward as he caught the falling girl, one arm wrapped around her waist while another instinctively went behind her head.

His strength held, keeping himself on his feet as he leaned over her. In the heat of the moment, he had instinctively pulled Tatenashi into his embrace. The girl in turn also had her arms wrapped around him a tight embrace, wiping out any physical distance between them.

It was all Elliot could do to focus on anything but the girl in his arms. The scent of cedar wafting into his nose, the soft giving flesh of a full-blooded girl, the warmth of her voluptuous body. The hybrid was assaulted by sensations made all the more powerful by his enhanced senses, sensations which drew out his own physical response. Already he could felt himself getting a bit hot under the collar for being so close to the attractive girl.

Peeling her away from him, Elliot gazed at her face to find Tatenashi looking quite shaken by the accident. The girl was frozen in his arms, her eyes clouded over with fading shock.

"Tatenashi, are you alright?"

"I-I'm f-fine…Thank you, Elliot-kun…"

Both of the teens were still in each other's arms, not willing to separate from each other. For Elliot, he was afraid that his self-control would slip from his grasp the moment Tatenashi moved from him.

He didn't know what brought on such complicated feelings as he was experiencing just now. Logic dictated he immediately unhand her after ensuring she was safe, as to not tempt himself with her presence.

But somehow, he felt a bit hesitant on relinquishing his hold on her. In that moment, the idea of having to let go of the tempting girl in his arms filled him with a sense of forlorn emptiness. Elliot didn't knew where such emotions arose from nor why. He had been having trouble with these kind of emotions over the past week and it was making him very irritated.

"Um, Elliot-kun? I think you can let me go now."

Broken out of his stupor, Elliot looked down and realized the compromising situation they were in. He quickly withdrew his arms and stepped away from Tatenashi, sinking back into his signature coldness in an attempt to tamp down his brewing emotions.

Tatenashi said nothing, her face expressionless and looking very withdrawn. She bent down and retrieve the scattered bags and their contents. Elliot approached her, lowering himself to help her.

"Here, let me help you with that."

Tatenashi recoiled slightly, looking rather flustered or spooked. Her eyes were dilated wide as their eyes briefly met.

"No no, it's ok Elliot-kun. I can deal with this myself. Don't get your suit dirtied just for helping me."

The girl hurriedly gathered her belongings with shocking efficiency. Her movements were jerky and fast, almost as if she was trying to hurry away from here.

"I-I'll head back first. We'll meet back at our room, ok? I need to take a shower, so I'll go first! See you, Elliot-kun!"

Watching the girl made a hasty escape, Elliot was left alone in the park. He was caught off guard by the sudden change in demeanour in his normally composed roommate that it took him a while to gather his bearings.

'I think I may have gone too far. Shouldn't have done it when I'm wearing this suit.'

Checking himself again, he mused with mirth at his new outfit. Elliot had heard about the comments from pedestrians around him as they headed back. Most of it were awed and meek comments from the opposite gender, subtly ogling at him and wishing they could take their place at his arm where the blue haired girl had occupied.

That didn't exclude the girl beside him from doing the same. Elliot could tell from subtle glances that his companion was sneaking peeks at him when she assumed he wasn't looking. It was subtle but he caught sight of it several times during their way back, telling him all he needed to know.

Knowing his new appearance with the suit could so significantly affect the vexing girl sent a wave of smug satisfaction through him. Now he has a potential exploit to use against her should she get out of line with her teasing.

Perhaps today wasn't so bad after all. Then again, any day he can get to outwit his own roommate twice in a day was something worthy to celebrate.

Chapter Text

Chapter 16: A roiling storm

Monday arrived. Elliot had gotten an early start as he prepared himself for another busy day. Only today, there was a special event that warranted this momentary change to his daily itinerary.

Today was the day when Charlotte would reveal her true gender to the class. Elliot knew an inevitable storm would explode in class once the French girl spilled the beans and his position would require him to reimpose order once that happened. This was why he was up early in hopes he could savour the tranquil peace of early morning before marching off into the storm.

Right now, he was sitting in the park with Perry by his side. The hybrid was enjoying the sight of the rising sun while he was chatting away with his shadow, mainly on an important subject.

'Perry, tell me about your capabilities. What can you do besides reconnaissance and target marking?'

The avian drone tilted its head in curiosity, its glassy eyes focused at him all the time as its voice rang clear in his mind. The life-like manner it moved made Elliot believed it could've passed as a live eagle had it not been for its scale-like feathers.

'Unfortunately I am not equipped for combat, Master. My form strictly dictated my role for reconnaissance and spying work, with ancillary role as combat support.'

As to punctuate its point, the drone lifted one of its talons. The metallic claws looked very sharp, glinting wickedly under the rising sun.

Elliot distinctly recalled that the drone could use its claws offensively if it had to. While it would be totally useless for IS combat, Perry's talons could be useful in a normal brawl. On top of that, it also had the option of turning into a suicide bomb should it called for, a function that Elliot didn't liked one bit. Still, it was an option even if he was reluctant to use it.

With the recent troubles that befell the ISA, Elliot wouldn't put past anyone that things have a possibility of taking a turn for the worse in the future. While Hecate could adapt and evolve from any battle she was involved in, the hybrid wanted to open up more tactical options with what limited means within his arsenal. Waiting for improvements to develop was not a prudent idea in his books.

Adding to his own motivations, Perry's words a week ago served to compel him towards this direction of brainstorming. If in the eventuality he had to fight for his life, it would be strategically smart not to resort to the same tactics over and over again, especially when going up against experienced squads sent to capture him. Elliot had no doubts that even if he defeated them, there was no doubt they would have some method to glean any combat information off from him for the purposes of developing countermeasures against him or to create new weapons for their own use.

'I need more new tricks up my sleeves to fight my battles. How can I do more with what I have right now?'

Opening his HUD, the list of weapons and abilities was displayed on a window. Elliot thought long and hard, trying to came up with other ways to utilize them. His limited arsenal made that task rather tricky.

"Let's try this.'

Bringing out the Ultima, the large rifle quantized in his hands. Elliot propped the rifle on the bench as he examined the weapon tip to butt.

The single shot rifle was a very simple weapon. In fact, it was so simple that it only had a few moving parts, as opposed to IS automatic weapons that were comparatively more complex. Elliot had learned from his research that the rifle was based on the Sharps 1874 style action, except it was massively enlarged to take 30x173mm shells used in vehicle mounted autocannons. A digital scope was attached to the top of it, feeding him data on various aspects such as environmentals, ballistics and more, all that was needed to make a perfect shot.

The hybrid opened the lever, dropping the breech block and allowing the loaded shell to come out. Elliot caught the massive round, cradling it in his arm while supporting the rifle on another. His gaze switched between the two large objects as he pondered about them.

'Ultima's a powerhouse, no doubt about it. But its slow rate of fire isn't going to win me any close encounters. What else can I do with this?'

As he agonized over the problem, he didn't paid much attention towards the two items cradled in his arms. A moment's inattention was enough for accident to occur.

Elliot didn't think twice as he felt himself lost grip on the massive ammunition. Holding on to the rifle, he dived and threw himself behind the bench he was sitting at, hoping that the stone furniture would provide some measly protection from the blast.

Seconds passed, then minutes. The explosion that he thought would've happened didn't materialize. Cautiously he got up from his position to check what had happened. To his surprise and relief, the large shell had landed harmlessly on the soft grass instead of the hard paved ground. It sat on the ground, not at the least bit scratched.

'Jesus, I thought that was it for me. Talk about a close shave.'

Dematerializing Ultima, he bent down to pick up the large shell. Making sure he held it securely with two hands, Elliot glared at the offending item that almost vaporized him.

'If this thing exploded, I'll be…wait, exploded?'

A sudden bright spark lit up in the hybrid's mind. If it worked, it would've opened doors to fight in a more unconventional manner. Elliot quickly brought out Ultima once again. Opening the action, an empty chamber stared back at him. That was not what interested him at this moment.

A shell formed in his hands, an automatic response to his weapon being empty. Instead of loading the rifle, Elliot deposited the shell onto the ground. The second round joined the first one, laying on their sides and stopped by the edge of the paved path.

The two shells didn't disappear. A third round appeared in his hands and joined the bundle of two on the ground. All three shells remained where they were, sitting still and undisturbed.

'This might just work. Now I just need to test out if they really work. Maybe even try out some experiments.'

Picking up a dropped shell, he loaded it into the rifle and flipped the lever closed. Stowing away the rifle, the only thing remaining was to store away the remaining shells. Mentally, the connection to Hecate opened and the familiar presence filled his mind.

'Hecate, can you store something for me?'

'What is it that you wished to be sequestered away, Pilot? Why would you require my assistance for such a trivial task?'

'It's the shells. I have two out right now and I don't want to leave them lying around. Since they are still good, I want to have them stored away. Can you do that for me?'

'May I ask what you are currently attempting, Pilot? Why would you have munitions brought out and scattered about if you presently have no desire to use them?'

'It's…complicated. I'll explain later but for now can you help me store them?'

'As you wish Pilot. Lay you hand upon the ammunition and I shall handle the rest.'

Doing as he was instructed, a bright shower of light appeared over the rounds and they disappeared as if they weren't there in the first place. The only indication that signaled their prior presence was the bed of flattened grass that Elliot could clearly see on the ground.

With that unpleasant matter concluded, Elliot made to leave and began his day. A rough plan for his experimentation formed in his head, the pieces coming together with rapid speed as he came up with the first phase of his plan.

'Perry, can you meet me this afternoon after school at the arena? I got something that I need you help with.'

'Of course master. I'll be there. '

'Good. Now I need to get to class. You are free to go now.'

'Yes master. Call me if you have need of me.'

After bidding farewell, Perry flapped its large wings and soared into the morning skies. Its distinctive silhouette casted shadows in the increasingly bright skies and disappeared over the tops of the nearby jungle.

Throwing on his backpack, Elliot made his way to class. Eagerly he hoped time would pass by quickly so he could test out his new ideas.

In the sparsely occupied classroom, Elliot was currently immersed in a book he borrowed from the Academy's library. He had stumbled across the thick tome the other day and he was interested at the topic it presented.

It was proving to be an interesting read, learning about the greatest speeches of histories' greatest orators. Elliot was in awe at how these men and women could rouse masses to action by words alone, changing history for better or for worse. Granted, he was never one to wax eloquence nor gave rousing speeches but that doesn't mean he can't learn about them.

'These people made it look easy. Tell me to make a speech and I'll probably mess it up. Wish I could do the same as them.'

"Hey Elliot!"

The cry from his brother broke him out of the engrossing read. Tearing himself away from the large volume, his eyes landed on the door to see Ichika waving at him from the classroom door.

Leaving his seat, he went over to Ichika's side. His arm came up and patted Ichika on the shoulder, a pre agreed signal as he used Ichika's body to partially obscure him from the girls' sight. He whispered quietly in Ichika's ear, just enough to be discernible to the guy.

"Better get ready for later. We don't know what will happen when Charlotte reveals the truth, so be prepared for anything to happen."

Looking to Ichika, he saw the boy nodded ever so slightly. They knew what to do ever since Ichika had proposed the idea.

During last Saturday, Elliot had sought out Ichika to tell him about Charlotte's plan of disclosing her identity to the class. Being the more chivalric one out of the three, Ichika volunteered to protect the girl from any consequences of her decision. Elliot was involuntarily drawn in to help, much to his objection to the whole idea.

Even when he had laid out the potential problems of getting involved, Ichika wasn't the least bit dissuaded. The hybrid was forced to get in on the whole plan just for the sake of protecting the boy.

While he won't be taking an active role in this conspiracy, Elliot would at least stick to the shadows and watch over Ichika. He was curious as to how the boy would pull off his own plans and how he would react to any crisis that may sprout up.

The two brothers then separated, carrying on like nothing was amiss. They both went to their seats preparing for the storm that was to come.

After the bell rang and Elliot ushered the class to order, Maya arrived into the class. Her nervous expression clued to both brothers that the time to act was fast approaching.

"Umm… I'd like to introduce a new transfer student today."

The door to the classroom slid open again, the silhouette of a blonde girl joined the teacher on the podium. A familiar face greeted the class, though many can't place where they had known the newcomer.

The newcomer's name appeared on the holographic board, her last name earned a few raised brows from the girls. A wave of murmurs broke out among the class as they came to terms with this new fact.

"Hello, I am Charlotte Dunois! And it is very nice to be meeting all of you once again!"

Recognition settled over the denizens of Class 1-1. Gasps of surprise and mutters rippled across the classroom as they finally figured out the girl's identity. Any lingering doubts were vanquished with Maya's next statement.

"Yeah, it turns out Mr. Dunois turned out to be a miss... we were kind of shocked too."

The awkward statement served to hammer the point home. Dead silence went over the classroom as everyone with the exception of the two brothers were reeling from the shocking revelations.

Turning over to Ichika, Elliot gave a knowing look, one that was reciprocated by the boy.

'Here it comes... I hope you're ready, Ichika.'

As sudden as the silence came over the class, a riotous cacophony exploded within the classroom. The shocked girls burst into surprised chatter as they discussed about the revelation.

"So, you mean Dunois' a girl!?"

"I knew there was something fishy about it. She's not a beautiful boy but a beautiful girl!"

"Wait, Orimura-kun's been sharing the same room with Dunois and he didn't know anything about it!"

"Does that mean…"

"Didn't they open the large bath to the boys last week?"

Hearing half the scandalous comments from the class, Elliot fixed a stony glare at Ichika. If what he heard was true, his brother was up to no good with a girl whilst he was unconscious in the infirmary. The idea of Ichika being up to something perverted with a girl in an island full of girls was a recipe for catastrophe, one he didn't wanted to have. He would positively tear his brother a new one if this was true.

Ichika was sweating from anxiety, made worse by the glare he'd received from Elliot. His misfortune only added on when everyone in class rounded against him. Shocked whines and cries were thrown against the hapless boy. A girl had cried over the din, her outrage clear in her voice.

"Orimura-kun, you shared a room with her so there's no way you couldn't have not known!"

Before Ichika could defend himself, a loud crash quickly put an end to the fomenting public inquisition. Everyone's eyes were fixed to the front and all were caught unaware to the spectacle that was taking place.

In front of the class, the main door along with a chunk of the wall it was attached to disappeared. The cause of that damage? It was Rin clad in her Shenlong, with an expression that showed she was out looking for blood.

Elliot wasn't surprised at the unexpected occurrence. While he was taken by surprise with Rin appearing in their class, he was not incognizant of her reason being here. He knew things were bound to get very messy with the hot-headed girl misconstruing the situation at hand.

'Got to stop Rin from tearing Ichika a new one. Time to get to work.'

Bending down at his desk to give the impression he was retrieving something from his bag, Elliot hid his arm below the desk and partially summoned Hecate. He turned invisible as Artemis' Shroud kicked in, cloaking him from sight. Quietly he left his chair and got around the next column of seats, being careful to remain stealthy as he made his way into position behind Rin.

"Ichika!"

Startled by the furious cry, the boy in question tried to get out of the path of fire as the sounds of Shenlong's Shock Cannons charging up filled the classroom. Ichika had moved out of his seat in an effort to escape but accidentally moved towards the other end of the podium. Looking back at the furious girl, he realized he's made a big mistake in trying to run away. Desperate he frantically pleaded for mercy.

"No! For the love of God, don't shoot!"

His pleas went unheard by the irate girl. The high-pitched whine of the cannons grew louder, signaling it was almost ready to fire. Elliot cursed mentally, moving even more quickly now in hopes he could stop Rin before she pulled the trigger.

Before Elliot could fully materialized Hecate and flanked Rin, the cannons let off a shot. A ball of crushing pressure rippled out through the air and headed straight towards the helpless boy who could only stood watching in frozen fear, yelling out fearfully as the pressure wave neared him.

"I'm really going to die!"

A black IS charged through the rows and got in front of the stricken boy. Its pilot held out her arm in an instinctive manner, her AIC flared to life as it stopped the lethal unseen projectile from impacting against Ichika. The wave crashed against the invisible shield, dissipating harmlessly into thin air.

Feeling nothing except silence, Ichika cautiously peeled his eyes open. When he saw what stood in front of him, his eyes widened in surprise.

"Laura!? You've saved me, thank you! I'm in your debt!"

The German soldier turned and looked back at Ichika, her single eye radiated none of the hostility she had previously held, just stoic indifference as she glanced neutrally back at him.

"Think nothing about it. I did this because I owe him a favor."

"Huh?"

Ichika muttered out dumbly, not knowing what Laura really meant. Was Laura pointing to Elliot?

Apparently, many in Class 1-1 caught on to the fact earlier than the blue-headed male. All eyes wandered to Elliot's table, only to find an empty seat where their class representative should've been.

"Eh? Where's Orimura-san?"

"Huh? Wasn't he here just now?"

Confusion swept through the class as everyone searched the room, trying but failing to locate their missing male pilot. No one could understood what had happened save for one pilot who smirked knowingly.

"Kamerad, isn't it time for you to come out?"

Everyone looked confused at Laura's request. Seeing her smirk only added to the mystery of the whole matter. The girls muttered towards each other, wondering just who she was alluding to. Some even questioned if she was up to something with her strange request.

Rin was also the same mind as everyone else. A confused expression crossed her face before she froze in stark realization. Confusion gave way to shock and dread as she recalled a specific detail that she had forgotten about.

"Well, I'm busy stopping an IS pilot. Just like last time."

Sweat broke out on Rin's forehead as she clearly registered the voice coming from behind her. Seeing Laura still smirking with an amused glint in her eye, she knew she was in big trouble with a certain blonde.

Slowly Rin turned around nervously, finding herself face to face with a familiar shotgun staring down at her. The sight of 3 massive barrels greeting her evaporated whatever bravado she may had. Behind the massive shotgun was Elliot glaring down at her in his IS, his eyes literally dripped with cold disdain and vehemence behind the black mask.

The students of Class 1-1 were thrown off by his sudden reappearance. Shocked gasps and a wave of hushed murmurs broke out among the seated girls, all wondering about his sudden, inexplicable appearance behind Rin.

Elliot turned his eyes towards Laura, grateful that she had rushed out and protected his brother from harm. While he didn't know her motives for doing so, he was glad that she did. He dipped his head in appreciation towards the German.

"Thanks Bodewig. I owe you one."

The German replied with a simple wave of her hand. Elliot turned his attention back at Rin who was staring at him with a fearful expression. His chilling gaze turned even more frosty as was his voice.

"Pull something like this again Rin and I'll show you no mercy. I don't care if you're a childhood friend to Ichika and me, but harm my family and all bets are off. You hear me?"

The tone of his voice dripped with frigid foreboding, eliciting a frantic nod from the Chinese representative contender. Elliot moved Cerberus to Rin's forehead and tapped it with the muzzle of his gun, subtly hinting at what would befell her if she didn't listen.

"Dematerialize your IS right now. I won't ask you the second time around."

Shenlong disappeared in a quant of light. Her uniform appeared back on her as Rin quickly turned away from the irate blonde. She then rounded towards Ichika, her expression morphed from fear back to anger in an instant.

"Hmph! I'll deal with you later, Ichika! Don't you run away!"

"Where do you think you're going, Huang?"

The frosty tone dripping with deadly annoyance made the retreating Rin paled. Chifuyu sidestepped around Elliot with an annoyed expression, evidently not amused by the damages she caused.

"Eek! O-Orimura-sensei! I-I…"

Rin didn't get to finish her sentence as the dreaded attendance book came down hard on top of her head. The blow sent the girl crouching down in pain, nursing her head with both her hands as she whined in pain from the crippling blow.

"Huang, see me in my office after first period. Now get out of here and back to your class."

The Chinese Pilot meekly scurried out the classroom, not wanting to incur further wrath from the Infernal Empress. Chifuyu now turned towards her two proteges still clad in their ISs, crossing her arms with a frosty look.

"And both of you, dematerialize your IS. Class's still in session and I rather have both of you settle your grudges elsewhere."

The two pilots shared glances with each other, engaged in a silent dialogue with their eyes. Their ISs disappeared and both pilots returned to their seats. Classes quickly resumed as normal as lessons continued with Chifuyu lecturing about aerial combat.

'Finally. That trip to the maintenance bay was quite fruitful. Got more than I need.'

Elliot hefted his backpack as he entered Arena 5, devoid of any students or instructors. The disastrous interclass tournament and following rematch had drained almost everyone within the Academy, which meant that no one would be using the open-air arenas for anything. Most of the students had opted to take it easy at this time, making it a perfect time for him to conduct his experiments.

After class, Elliot had visited the maintenance bay to gather some adhesives. While he got some odd looks, he was nevertheless given quite a quantity of tape and bonding resins used by the repair teams. He had to return most of what he was given since the girls were happily giving him way too much, far more than he needed for his purposes.

Stepping into the large empty pit, Elliot dropped his pack and rifled through it. He pulled out a roll of duct tape. Mentally, he called out to his partners while he got busy preparing his materials.

'Perry, come meet me at the arena. Hecate, can you pull out the shells I had you stored this morning?'

'At once, master.'

'You may have it. Pilot, I must ask, what are you planning with the ammunition? I had inquired about them this morning but you had yet to deigned me with an answer nor an explanation.'

'You'll see.'

The hybrid could felt an inquisitive nudge in his mind by the AI but Hecate didn't say anything more. The shells dropped out of thin air, meeting the ground with a dull thump. Elliot wasted no time getting to work putting the shells together into a bundle. Peeling out a length of tape, he started bundling up the shells as he wrapped tape around them. Soon, he was finished as a hastily assembled explosive charge stood in front of him.

'I'm here, master. Where do you need me?'

Turning towards the direction of the mental link was pulling from, he saw the avian drone hovering just a short way beside him.

'Perry, get up into the skies and get me a feed of the whole arena. I need to see how this works.'

'At once, master.'

The avian drone flew up towards the sky, circling around the mouth of the arena roof. Elliot soon got a visual feed from Perry's cameras, showing the full view of the arena pit. Hecate formed onto him, bringing out Ultima as he cradled the rifle in his arms.

Flying a fair distance away, Elliot sighted his rifle on the bundle. The crosshairs hovered over the explosives before the trigger broke, sending a 30mm warhead screaming towards the charge.

At the same time…

Laura's eye searched her environment as she prowled the Academy grounds looking for one particular pilot. She had been looking for him for the past few minutes but to no avail, since he had disappeared almost immediately after school and hasn't been heard from since.

His inexplicable absence had presented quite the inconvenience to her. The soldier had been plagued by questions ever since the interclass tournament a week ago. Questions of a personal nature that demanded her to sought out answers, answers which her military training failed to properly address. Those questions had been bothering her, like a fog of doubt clouding her mind and affecting her judgement.

But out of all those questions, a more indecipherable enigma took up most of her attention. Just how would she become herself as Laura Bodewig? She knew she shouldn't become just like Instructor Orimura but how was she to become her own person? Apparently the stoic Orimura knew much more about this topic and she wanted to learn more about it.

It also helped that she could use this opportunity to learn about him as her mission dictated. His rather unique machine was scant on details and what little amount she could gather showed a contradictory picture.

Based on technical specs, his machine sounded like a joke. Barely having enough shield count that paled even against 1st gen ISs and the lack of a One-Off ability meant that the blonde was at a severe disadvantage when facing even a lone 2nd gen unit, not to mention she couldn't believe her own ears when she found out that he didn't even have an Absolute Defense system that was essential to every ISs. To say his IS was extremely antiquated and obsolete was an understatement.

Yet in reality, he was able to stand against even the latest 3rd gen IS and triumphed over them in a way not too dissimilar to the instructor, with the difference being that the instructor won using a single sword and prodigious skill, while the blonde won using an array of unique weapons and abilities along with an unconventional style of fighting.

On top of that, she couldn't forget the image from the incident when he'd fought to save her. The blonde had lost his energy barrier, yet he was able to fight on without having his machine locked down. The scene where he fought as if he was demon possessed was etched into her mind, the chaotic and devastating manner which he fought despite suffering numerous near fatal injuries made her thankful she never had to face him in that state. Even if she was a highly trained soldier and IS pilot, she doubted her chances of winning against him when he's descended into such a feral state. Paired that with his combat ability, it would be no different than fighting an unpredictable, enraged instructor Orimura, of which a similar performance had earned her title as the Infernal Empress in the Second Mondo Grosso.

His prodigious ability was evident, as shown by the invitation offered to him to join the IPF. Many exceptional pilots belonged in the group and acceptance into their ranks was a public acknowledgement of one's skill in the IS. Even Germany had difficulty in pushing forward their own candidate to join their main ranks, yet the blonde Orimura was asked to join the auxiliary Corp within the short time of joining the ISA.

She could now understand High Command's intent behind her secondary objective. A pilot with such skill as to be offered to join the prestigious corps was someone that was worth keeping an eye on and if possible, turn them over to their side. Who wouldn't want an exceptional pilot that was trained by the Infernal Empress themselves?

From inquiring her fellow classmates and other students, she found out that he was heading towards the arena. She assumed that he was getting some training in, a habit which she found out that he did with great regularity. She approved of his diligence in keeping his skills sharp, since a skilled soldier wouldn't be where they were without rigorous training. More and more, she found many similarities between herself and the adopted Orimura, too much for her to ignore.

The arena soon appeared in front of her. If he was training, perhaps she could offer herself as a sparring partner. She would liked to have a spar as equals and not as enemies, since she now knew the blonde only respected people that respected him. How easy her mission would be had she had known that fact.

A sudden tremor shook the ground, alarming the German soldier. She heard an ear shattering explosion coming from the arena, a black plume of smoke and dust shot up nto the skies. She gazed at the rising cloud, not knowing what had happened.

Finely honed instincts sprang to life as she went to combat alert. Was the Academy being attacked by some hostile force? She didn't thought of much as she rushed towards the source. Along the way, various Academy staff were moving towards where she identified as the arena pit.

The search for the blonde Orimura can wait. If the Academy was attacked, her mission would be severely jeopardized. She wasn't going to fail a mission now after her unit had achieved so much in the last few years. That meant she must investigate and if possible, lend her assistance in resolving the situation.

Rushing into the center of the pit alongside the staff, the Schwarzer Regen formed around her as she rushed into the clouds of thick, acrid smoke. She resisted the urge to cough as she waited for the smoke to clear, her attention focused on her Hypersensor as she scanned the partially obscured arena.

When the smoke dissipated, she found herself staring at the pilot whom she had been looking for. The blonde was decked in his IS, rifle on his hands looking towards the other end of the arena.

"Kamerad! I just passed by and heard an explosion, what happened!?"

The blonde turned his head, golden eyes shone with slight surprise at her presence. She struggled to prevent herself from shuddering in fear as he stared at her, the golden eyes invoked images of a rampaging monster.

The masked blonde looked rather sheepish, scratching the back of his head like a child caught red-handed. His eyes gleamed with mortification as his posture looked reserved and withdrawn.

"Oh, that? That was my doing. I was testing out something and I may have grossly miscalculated its effects."

The new arrivals all stood agape at the blonde's confession. When the shock wore off, various expressions of incredulity, relief and indignation were etched onto everyone's faces. She was the former as she fixed her lone eye at the blonde Orimura.

"You've what!? You've caused the explosion!? What exactly did you do!?"

The pilot shrugged, unperturbed by the dirty looks and frustrated comments from the retreating staff who were both relieved and peeved at the false alarm.

"Just a couple of large calibre shells from my IS got turned into bombs or I guess it should be called IEDs? Anyways, just a little experiment to see if I can field improvise an explosive charge with a couple of shells from my rifle and some tape. Only that I underestimated the power of the complete shells instead of just the warheads themselves."

She couldn't help wearing an expression of a deer in headlights. She knew of his maverick tendencies but this was something so ludicrous as to defy any logical explanation. Who would be crazy and creative enough to devise such an unorthodox idea?

But after thinking for a while, she could see the ingenuity behind the idea. While using shells as improvised explosives was admittedly wasteful and useless in IS combat, there were some situations she could see where such an idea would shine.

She watched on as the blonde was in deep thought, looking at the scorched spot on the ground where she guessed where the explosives formerly were. She stood silently, curious as to what was going on in his mind.

"Hmmm, not bad. Quite a good amount of power, just a bit too much if I'm going to be close to it. Perhaps use 2 shells instead of 3 for general use."

The blonde materialized his rifle, throwing open the lever and ejecting a live round. Much to her befuddlement, the pilot let the shell dropped to the ground. Another shell appeared in his hand and he loaded it into the rifle.

Picking up the dropped shell, the blonde Orimura drew his arm back and lobbed the shell in a wide arc through the air. He quickly shouldered his rifle and fired, striking the airborne shell on the nose. A large explosion detonated mid-air; the force of the shockwave barely affected them as the protection from their IS safeguarded them from the concussion.

His marksmanship was very impressive to say the least. To hit a moving target that small and with a single shot weapon demanded extreme skill to account for all the variables such as target speed, direction, muzzle velocity and many others in order to land the shot. A single miscalculation and the shot would've veered wide away from the target.

She had initially thought that he was only proficient with his odd shotgun and moderately adequate with his battle rifle, a level of skill that could be trumped by anyone within her own unit. To see him pull of such a difficult shot without using any auto targeting system or an autonomous weapon system like Blue Tears' Bits impressed her to say the least.

"Not bad, a single shell has the blast of a small charge. I guess this could be a viable tactic then."

She turned back towards the blonde, finding him looked somewhat pleased at the results of his test.

She caught herself staring at him and recomposed herself. As much as she would liked to observe him and learn what made him tick, she had more important concerns to handle. She cleared her throat, gaining the attention of the blonde pilot who was surprised to see her still here. The blonde looked quizzically at her, curiosity along with slight suspicion brimming in his eyes.

"Bodewig, what're you still doing here? I thought you would've already left along with the staff."

"I had been looking for you to talk about what you've told me last week. I want to learn more on how to be myself."

The caution he held towards her disappeared as he sagged his shoulders. He gave a simple nod, his expression unreadable.

"Get over there first. Let's begin."

Laura complied, flying over to where he pointed at the other end of the arena. Her curiosity was piqued at the odd but innocuous request.

"What are we doing?"

"If you want your answers, you will have to earn them. After all, who knows you best than the one you fought against over and over? So, let's find out what you're really made of."

The blonde squared himself, his arms brought up in a boxing stance. Claws of blue light shot out from his gauntlets as he faced her.

Laura knew what he meant. Just like at boot camp, she knew how her own sisters fought through the countless sparring sessions they've undergo. In a sense, this felt rather nostalgic, like the time under Instructor's instruction.

He was right. You'll know someone well once you've fought against each other enough. Laura readied herself with Schwarzer Regen, bringing her own energy spears out.

"Ready when you are, soldier. Now, show me who you truly are."

At his behest, she charged in with her spear at the ready. Last time, she underestimated him and was severely trounced by him multiple times.

This time, she wouldn't make the same mistake again.

"Huh…. I'm beat."

Ichika groaned out in leaden fatigue as he dragged his sore and tired body to the cafeteria. It had been a busy day, what with Charlotte unveiling her gender to the class. It had ended with Rin accusing him of doing 'things' with his roommate which didn't make much sense to him. What did she mean by that? He wondered about what she meant but then gave up trying to do so, unable to figure out what she meant. Girls were just too confusing for him to figure out.

Stepping into the cafeteria, he planned to have an early dinner. He was tired after dealing with Rin's tantrum and Houki giving him the cold shoulder for the rest of the day. What made it hard was that Elliot had disappeared after class, rushing out as if he had something urgent to do. If he had something important, Ichika was going to let him do his thing. After all, if it was urgent for him it must've been important for a reason, even if his absence at this moment was very inconvenient for him.

Grabbing his bowl of ramen, he plodded towards an empty table tucked in the corner and flopped down. Slurping noisily as he ate, his thoughts wandered back to his brother and his IS.

Of all the things he didn't knew about Elliot, he knew about his IS even less. What Ichika had found out about his IS was something that he couldn't believe. Byakushiki has a big problem with energy consumption but what he saw with Elliot's machine made him wonder why the blonde would even choose such a defective machine.

An IS that has only 265 shield count and no Absolute Defense system. Not to mention that Hecate had no One-Off abilities like Byakushiki, something that the blue haired Orimura can't even fathom how to do without. He doesn't really know what went on in Elliot's head when he decided to accept such a flawed IS, even if it was from Tabane.

Yet, the flaws in his IS didn't even stopped him one bit. Even when going against a pilot like Cecilia and Laura, he still won against them with skill as if he was a Mondo Grosso contestant like Chifuyu. Seeing just how masterfully Elliot piloted his IS, Ichika felt useless at his own poor skill behind Byakushiki. His own sense of inferiority rose from the back of his mind, making his mood bleak.

But there was something weird about Elliot's IS. Ichika felt it looked very familiar, but why? He swore he had never saw an IS like Elliot's before but why did he feel this way? As much as he thought about it, he can't figure out why he felt this sense of familiarity with his brother's IS.

Putting those thoughts behind him, Ichika dug into his ramen hoping to finish it before heading back to his room to rest. He was just too tired after everything that happened today and he'd rather call it an early day tonight, even if he had to face Houki's foul mood back at their room.

A sudden undercurrent of excitement and frantic nervousness saturating the cafeteria drew him out of his meal. Ichika looked around, finding the girls suddenly leaving the room with a sense of excitement, even leaving their meals half finished. He didn't know what was going on as he watched at the scene, the murmurs and excited gossiping gave him a good idea what had gotten them so excited.

"Hey, come on! Orimura-san is fighting Bodewig in arena 5!"

"What? Let's go! I want to see the Prince in action!"

The news froze Ichika in his seat. Without thinking much else, he bolted out of the cafeteria, following the jittery crowd that were moving as one towards the arena. His mind raced a mile a minute as he pondered about what had led to this.

What was really going on with this morning between them? Did his brother caught Laura trying to do something and she attacked him in response? Was what happened this morning an act all along? Questions like these plagued his mind as he ran to the arena.

Pushing through the crowd to get into the arena, he could see a lot of girls have heard about the news and were here to witness his performance. How did his brother whose so quiet and cold could attract such attention was beyond him. But yet he wondered just what Elliot meant when he mentioned that he himself has a unique kind of attractiveness to girls.

After making his way through the crowd, Ichika finally broke through the masses and onto the spectator stands. Around him, a sizable crowd had gathered around to watch the ensuing fight, all of the girls were transfixed by the battle going on in the arena pit. He can't blame them for doing so.

For Ichika himself was also fixated on the fight, the darting lines of bright blue and stark violet clashing against each other like a beautiful lightshow as both black ISs sparred against each other in fierce melee. The humming and buzzing of coalesced energy interacting with one another filled the arena as the fight went on, getting increasingly rapid as the fight stepped up to a frenetic pace. The change of pace to the fight sent a bolt of electric excitement through the stands, spurring the crowd on as they cheered wildly.

The two pilots continued trading blows with each other, their strikes fast and powerful. But Ichika could see that there wasn't any hatred driving those attacks. Both Elliot and Laura fought like they were dancers in a well-choreographed dance, each thrust and swipe performed by one was perfectly countered by a parry or a block from the other. It was a beautiful display of skill and experience, both sharing a similar essence in their style but embellished with their own unique traits.

Ichika watched on in awe, enraptured by the graceful and skilled manner which they both fought. Was this how experienced and skillful IS pilots fought? Ichika couldn't take his eyes off the fight as he noted all the moves done by either side, with time seemingly slowed down around him as he watched on. Grace, power and speed were all in play as they both sought to overpower each other, yet there was a careful restraint shown by both pilots as they sparred. All his fatigue and pain were banished as he kept his eyes glued to the fight, not wanting to miss a single moment of such an exciting bout.

The way they fought, it was like a silent dialogue between them was taking place. Like a kendo sparring between two swordsmen, the two pilots were trying to figure each other out, learning what made the other tick. Ichika could felt his own blood sing as a swordsman, silently acknowledging the skill put on show by the two pilots.

The melee came to an end as Elliot's left arm shot out and parried away a thrust from Laura. His right arm came up and darted forward in a high thrust aiming for an overhead strike. At that moment, Ichika caught a glimpse of Elliot drawing his left arm back, the left claws disappeared and his shotgun took its place. His right arm came down and was handily intercepted by Laura, who lifted her own spear to block against the rows of curved blades that came down on her.

Both pilots froze, locked in a grapple as Laura held her remaining spear at Elliot, the tip inches away from his throat. Elliot's own right claws hovered just above Laura's head, the bright glowing tips just a hair away from the top of her head.

A hushed silence settled over the crowd, the sudden stop left everyone holding their breath as they waited for the next blow. Ichika clenched his hand in anxiety, nervously wondering just what may happen next.

Laura's pensive face broke into a victorious smirk, her lone eye brimming with confidence at her victory despite her fatigue visible on her face.

"I win, kamerad."

The masked blonde didn't flinched nor acceded to his disadvantaged position. Laura could see his eyes crinkling at the corners, though she wasn't sure if he was smiling or snarling.

"Wrong. Look down Bodewig."

Laura's lone eye rolled down and saw that the massive shotgun was directed straight at her torso, his finger tensed on the trigger. The German knew that all it took was for him to pull the trigger and she would be eliminated far before she could dealt a decisive blow. There was no conceivable way she could fight back unless she wanted to experience the sensation of being slammed by a freight train.

Retracting her spear, she disengaged from the blonde and stepped back. Her expression was subdued but held no resentment for her surrender.

"You win. But next time I'll surely win against you."

"I'll be waiting."

Elliot nodded in acknowledgement, dematerializing Hecate as the German did the same. Laura turned to walk away, but he stopped her with a simple question.

"Here's a question: Why did you fight me just now?"

Laura turned back to him, her face conveyed confusion at his sudden question.

"Didn't you asked me to fight you, so that you can teach me?"

Her frank response earned a headshake from Elliot, who kept staring intently at her.

"I did, but why didn't you refuse? You have the choice to refuse and walk away, yet you chose to fight. Did you ask yourself why?"

Laura went into deep thought as she pondered his words. The soldier realized there was a good point that he raised up but the reason behind this questioning still stumped her. She stated her obvious answer, not realizing the crux behind his cryptic inquiry.

"Because you told me to, you promised me that you will teach me. That's why we fought."

Elliot shook his head once again, which made Laura frowned in befuddlement. The blonde boy then continued explaining in his usual flat tone.

"Yes, I did. But you did have the choice to refuse what I offer and simply walk away. You have a choice, to accept or to refuse my offer."

"And that's what being an individual is all about: Choices. Just because we're given a choice doesn't mean that we simply accept what's in front of us. When someone told you to do something, you have a choice whether to accept or refuse based on what you think is the best scenario and what you can get out of it. That's what being a free individual is about, the freedom to make your own choices through your own will and decisions."

Finishing with his short lecture, the blonde pivoted on his heel and walked away. But not before he left some parting words to Laura.

"Think deeply about it when you have the time. We all have choices and what choices we choose and the consequences that entailed is on us alone. No one and nothing else are responsible for it but us. I'll see you around, Bodewig."

With a wave of his hand, Elliot disappeared into the access tunnel and out of the arena pit without sparing a glance backwards.

Laura stood within the pit as she watched the blonde's departing figure. Then after a while, she too left the arena without much fanfare, ignoring the muttering crowd.

Ichika stood there confused as he witnessed the two parted somewhat amicably. Just what had happened that both of them were fighting yet ended it so peacefully? What were they talking about just now in the arena?

He'd better catch up with Elliot before he disappeared. He hoped that his brother had answers as to what happened just now.

'Whew…That hits the spot.'

Elliot sighed in bliss as he walked out the bathroom. The fight between him and Laura had made him worked up quite a sweat, which left him feeling dirty. A lifetime on the streets without the luxury of daily baths had made him rather averse to re-experiencing the feeling of being dirty any more than he could get away with.

Flopping down on his bed while his hands were busy with the hand towel, Elliot noted that it took him a bit longer than usual to dry his hair. His eyes naturally landed on the cabinet where he saw Tatenashi drew out a hairdryer, contemplating whether he should 'borrow' the appliance for his own use.

'My hair's must be getting longer. About time I should get a haircut before it gets out of hand.'

Deciding to save time, he moved over to the cabinet and pulled out the hairdryer. Before he could plug the appliance in, a knock on the door had him frozen on the spot.

Curious as to who would visit this room and whether they were here for him or Tatenashi, Elliot opted to find out who was it before letting them into the room.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Elliot! Can I come in?"

Surprise crossed Elliot as he registered the voice behind the door. Elliot wondered just how his brother knew where his room was and why was he here. He called out towards the door, as clearly as he could managed without shouting loud enough for the occupants in the other rooms to hear.

"Yeah, it's open. Come in!"

Stowing the hairdryer back to where it was, Elliot closed the cabinet and faced the door as it swung open. His brother shuffled into the room, with a slight nervousness written on his face. Elliot was puzzled to the fact that Ichika was looking very nervous when he entered the room.

"Ichika? How did you find my room? What's going on?"

"I asked around the school to find your room. It was difficult since you've never told anyone where you moved to after Charlotte came in. Charlotte suggested I check with the office to find your room, so I managed to find out where it is after asking Chifuyu-nee. Can we talk?"

"Yeah, come in and make yourself comfortable. Close and lock the door behind you."

The door lock clicked shut as Ichika locked the door. Elliot moved aside as Ichika pulled a chair and sat down, with him taking his seat on his bed while he continued to dry his hair.

"So, what do you need to see me for? It must be something quite serious for you to spend so much effort to find me here instead of waiting to talk somewhere else. What's up?"

Ichika looked at him with concern written on his face, eyes shone with anxiety as he examined him head to toe.

"Why did you fight with Laura today? I thought what's between the three of us was solved after last week. She even saved me this morning, so what happened in the arena?"

Elliot waved his concerns away, feeling a bit apologetic for the anxiety he caused to his brother by the spontaneous match.

"Well, it was. That fight just now was a teaching moment for Laura."

Ichika scrunched his eyebrows in confusion, obviously not understanding what he meant.

"What are you talking about? What were you trying to teach Laura?"

"About how to be herself. She wanted me to teach her how to be Laura Bodewig, not to be a copy of Chifuyu."

Now Ichika looked lost. His brows scrunched in befuddlement as he looked at him as if he had grown two heads. It was clear in his gaze that he was trying to comprehend what he had said but couldn't.

"You're wondering what I am talking about, right?"

Ichika was startled by his sudden admission. His face morphed into shock as he stared at Elliot wide-eyed.

"Don't go reading my mind like that!"

The blonde only shrugged, not bothered from being told off by him.

"It's not my fault that you're easy to read. Ichika, Laura's a soldier in the German army. She's never learned how to be a normal girl and she admired Chifuyu so much that she wanted to be like her. The defeat last week has shook her out of that dream, so I offered to help her to find a new dream."

Ichika moved to interject, but Elliot stopped him. His hand came up with a universal sign of 'stop', dissuading the boy from speaking.

"I know what you're going to ask. Let me finish."

Ichika slumped back into the chair, waiting for him to finish.

"Since she's never had anyone to teach her how to be an individual but rather as a cog in a machine, I've taught her in a way that she would be familiar, hence the fight this afternoon. Besides, isn't this good? She isn't going to try to hurt us anymore. With time, I can see us even being good friends. So, all is well."

Ichika still didn't fully understand what Elliot explained, as a look of befuddlement showed on his face. Elliot sighed at the sight, not surprised by Ichika's inability to understood what he had in mind. He didn't expect his brother to comprehend his line of thinking, most of which were admittedly quirky.

"Look...come on, let's just go get dinner, alright? Don't try and give yourself a headache thinking about this. What you need to know is that I'm helping Laura in my own way and she's not going to harm us anymore. Come on, let's go."

Throwing on his fedora and haphazardly wrapping his new shemagh around his neck, the two brothers exited the room and headed towards the cafeteria, amidst the ogling and bashful whispers shared by the girls on their way there.

Silence settled between them as they walked to the cafeteria. Ichika still held a bit of nervousness as he followed alongside him as he could literally felt the wave of anxiety radiating out of him. It was beginning to bother him, what with how his brother literally fidgeted beside him. The nervous boy chose this moment to broke the silence with an innocuous question.

"By the way, who's your roommate? Why are you moved into a 2nd year dorm room after Charlotte moved into our room?"

Elliot looked sheepish at Ichika's question. His arm came up to stroke his cheek as he answered, the hybrid looking quite conflicted.

"Well...my roommate's quite the character. It'll be easier for me to just introduce you to her rather than tell you about it. As to why I am moved to the 2nd years' floor, you got me."

Ichika turned his eyes forward with an expression of expectant anticipation, clearly wanting to meet his roommate. The boy had always been eager to meet new people, a total opposite to his own temperament.

"I would very much like to meet your roommate. I'm curious as to what kind of person is she."

"I could call her, have her join us for a dinner. Do you want that?"

"Sure! That would be nice."

Getting Ichika's approval, he fished his phone out to make a call to Tatenashi. It didn't took long before the girl answered and upon knowing it was him, Elliot had to stomach her teasing before he was able to make his request.

After a while of ribbing and annoying the hell out of him, Tatenashi agreed to meet them for dinner. Though before she hung up, she blew a kiss in the phone towards him. The sound made him blushed as his mind automatically went into the gutter, having his own fantasies brought to the forefront of his mind.

Directing his attention back to Ichika, he found the boy was watching him with slight concern and puzzlement. Elliot could guess that he had overheard his aggravating conversation with his roommate and got worried, even if such concerns were misplaced. He quickly recomposed himself, assuming his neutral mask.

"She'll be meeting us in the cafeteria. Since she had some things to do, she'll be a bit late so she asked us to not wait for her."

"If you say so. I guess we'll get some dinner first then. I was about to have mine but only finished it halfway after I've heard you were fighting with Laura."

Elliot grimaced, not pleased to knew he had interrupted Ichika's meal. From his expression, clearly the boy had been wanting to enjoy his meal but had to ditch it once he's heard the news of their impromptu match.

"Sorry. I'll pay for your dinner then. Consider it a treat."

That offer seemed to appease Ichika. They both went into the cafeteria and settled for their own meals. Ichika chose to splurge on chicken katsudon, one of the pricier fares in the cafeteria knowing that he would borne the costs. Not that he minded.

The Orimura brothers found an empty table just in the center of the room. While not their ideal seating arrangement, it would have to suffice. Sitting down, they both dived into their meal, filling in with casual banter as they ate. It was also during this time the brothers caught up with each other, filling in on what happened on their end since the change in room arrangements for Elliot.

"So, what happened to Charlotte? I've rushed out to the arena after school so I didn't hear anything."

"No idea. She was asked to stay behind by Chifuyu-nee after school but I don't know why. I hope she doesn't get severely punished for this."

"Well, I guess it can't be helped. Hopefully she got away with a light punishment."

"Elliot-kun~"

The sing-song voice purring his name drew a different reaction from said boy. The hybrid sagged his shoulders in long suffering resignation, setting down his utensils with a stony face.

The Student Council President flitted to their table, an amused expression accentuating her cheery demeanor. To everyone's surprise except Elliot, the girl instantly went and sat beside him, wrapping an arm around the neck of the blank-faced blonde. Instantly all the commotion within the room ceased as everyone held their breath, fearful of what may happen to the gutsy girl. Everyone at the Academy by this point knew of the infamous reputation of the blonde boy who took no shit from anyone, that included nonsense and stupid pranks.

However, they all watched with dumbfounded surprise as the girl poked the stoic blonde's cheek, a teasing smile fixed on her face as she continued her witty quips at him. The stone-faced blonde seemed unperturbed by the physical contact, just stonily taking it without even a complaint.

"You're quite the adventurous boy, Elliot-kun. Inviting a girl out to a dinner date with you and your brother together? What did I do to be this lucky to have a date with two of ISA's own princes?"

Elliot scrunched his brows in distaste at her implied innuendo, not at all amused at her flirtatious antics nor the public display of intimate contact. He craned his head to look into her eyes, giving her a clear view of his displeasure.

"Get your mind out of the gutter. This isn't a date, Tatenashi. You're meeting my family so can you be a bit serious about this?"

His admonishment didn't put a stop to Tatenashi's antics. The girl broke out a coy smile as she drew closer to Elliot, pressing her buxom bust to his arm. Her face inched closer to his as they were locked in a staring contest.

Ichika looked at Elliot with some surprise, clearly not expecting to see the change in Elliot's demeanor. Since he usually referred to strangers by their family name and not by their first name without any honorific, the younger Orimura was a bit taken aback by his brother's attitude towards the girl. The rather close manner they interacted made him wonder just what their relationship truly was.

"No? I swear that you're trying to put a ring on this girl. I didn't expect you to be this forward as to already introduce me to your family. You sure do work quick, Elliot-kun."

"Tatenashi…"

"" EHHHHH!""

Elliot cringed at the ear-deafening shrieks that erupted all around him. The previously quiet hall now exploded in a tide of shocked and outraged commotion. Girls began to gossip and comment furiously on the intimate scene, both jealous and curious at the relationship between him and the girl.

Fixing a dirty glare at the girl, he was annoyed at how her deliberately insinuating words caused a very huge misunderstanding with the student population. Without thinking much, his arm seized her shoulder and pulled her closer, their bodies literally pressed against each other.

All around him, the scandalized gasps and shocked shrieks increased in volume at his brazen act but Elliot didn't care one bit. He angled his head so his head was inches away from Tatenashi's ear, voice dropped an octave as he purred threateningly.

"If you don't stop trying to make my life difficult, I'll have to shut you up the only way I know how. Tease me all you want when we're alone, but when we're out and about you'll leave me with some measure of peace."

Tatenashi quirked her lips in a teasing smile, looking none too bothered by his implied threat. Her voice also dropped an octave, giving it a smoky purr to it that almost made him shudder.

"Oh? How would you shut me up? Pray tell."

Elliot could hear the impish amusement from her voice. Hiding a smirk of his own, he played his hand, one he knew would work terribly well in silencing her.

"How about seal those delectable lips of yours with mine until you can't think straight? At least then you won't be able to talk with your lips 'occupied'. If that's not enough, how about we replay the events of 'that night', except we continue where we left off?"

Leaning back to his seat, Elliot scrutinized Tatenashi's face. Sure enough, her pale cheeks were tainted crimson and her eyes were dilated wide with shock.

"I-I…"

Elliot couldn't help himself from enjoying her embarrassment. Choosing to give her an exit, he pushed her and gestured towards the direction of the counter. He knew better now not to tease her too far, lest he wanted to suffer another creative punishment from the girl.

"Go, get your dinner then we can start the introductions. I'll be waiting."

Reduced to a meek and bashful girl, Tatenashi left her seat to get her dinner. Elliot watched as she walked away, trying to kept a vicious smirk from appearing on his face as a result of winning against his roommate in a game of mental chess.

"Um…. What was that, Elliot? Why did that girl come at you like that?"

Turning his attention back at Ichika, he found his brother with a dumbfounded expression. He gave a quick explanation before he took in a gulp of drink.

"That was my roommate. She's rather flirtatious with me, as you can see."

"Is it? I thought you two were close, like a couple."

Elliot almost choked on his drink, barely gulping down before he spat it out. Of all things he thought Ichika would notice, this was not what he expected for him to asked about. Wiping his mouth, he fixed Ichika with an outraged look.

"Where did that come from? How the hell am I even close to her when she's so annoying all the time? You've seen what she did just now, didn't you?"

"I don't know. This is the first time I see you act so close with someone else that isn't Chifuyu-nee or me. I mean, didn't you call each other by your first name?"

Elliot stilled, suddenly realizing just how his interaction with Tatenashi would be perceived by other people including his family. He waved his hand in front of him, rebutting Ichika's assumptions.

"No Ichika, we just called each other's first name because she insisted on it. In fact, she did so even when I didn't let her. Later on, she insisted that I call her by her first name, so that's how this whole thing started. I didn't do this because we're close or what not."

"I see. She's really quite…unique."

Elliot just simply nodded to Ichika's comment, not disagreeing with him in the slightest.

"Ain't that the truth."

The girl soon re-joined them, carrying her own tray with food. Elliot shifted over to let Tatenashi sit down beside him as they settled down from the prior craziness. Once she was seated, Elliot began the introductions as he gestured his hand towards the girl.

"Ichika, meet Tatenashi Sarashiki. She's my roommate and also the Student Council President of the Academy. And Tatenashi, I know you knew who my brother is but still for formalities sake, Ichika Orimura. My step brother."

Ichika bowed his head towards the girl, a hint of embarrassment tinged his voice as he greeted her.

"Good to meet you, Sarashiki-san. I hope that Elliot's quirky nature didn't cause you too much trouble."

The blue haired girl looked amused by Ichika's apologetic comment on Elliot's tendencies. Her blue fan came up to tap her lips as she regarded the boy with an amused look.

"How polite of you. Don't worry, Elliot-kun has been quite a respectful roommate. A pleasure to meet you too, Ichika-kun. You have any problems in school, you come find this girl, alright?"

Ichika turned towards Elliot, a questioning look in his eyes that Elliot knew what he was trying to ask. He rolled his eyes in reply.

"I told you so. You'll get used to it."

With introductions out of the way, dinner went underway in a rather wacky manner for the table of three. In between bites of their own meal, both brothers found themselves targets for Tatenashi's teasing, much to their chagrin. Being the target of the girl's antics for the last few months, Elliot learned how to better handle the needling from his roommate compared to Ichika. The boy in question was beyond flustered from the girl's mischievous and oftentimes perverse teasing, which led to more of the same thing from the impish girl much to his misfortune.

With dinner concluded and bidding farewell to Ichika, Elliot and Tatenashi left the cafeteria together. During the whole journey back to their room, Elliot had his arm taken by Tatenashi just like during their last outing out in town.

And unlike the time with Cecilia, the sensation of his arm pressing against Tatenashi's bosom didn't elicited any discomfort from him, physical or mental wise. In fact, he felt almost at peace with how tranquil their walk back was, which was very surprising considering his present company.

The hybrid juggled his observations in his head, trying to come up with a rational explanation as to why he felt this way. The contact made him felt reassuring, comforting even. Sensations that he never got in his past life and rarely in his present one.

'This feels nice. A huge difference compared to my previous childhood which was a lonely existence, but why does it feel nice?'

The warmth of the girl beside him made him want to pull her close but he held himself back. Tempting as it was, he knew better than to do so for fear it would give birth to some unneeded emotions. It was emotional baggage that he didn't need or wanted.

Plus, as much as he hoped for the opposite, the episode in the cafeteria had undoubtedly spread amongst the student body. He could look forward to a potential mob inquisition the next morning inquiring him about his relationship with the blue haired girl. Better to eke out what little quiet time he could get while he still could enjoy it.

On the subject of relationship, Elliot isn't sure about the one he had with the Sarashiki girl. Roommate, schoolmate, friend or potential romantic interest? The line between them was getting blurrier by the day and he found himself not even hating her as he was when they initially met.

Barring her naughty teasing and perverted antics, he even came to enjoy being around her including the times she teased him with harmless quips. It was a good counter to his grim countenance and he had to admit, he had some fun coming up ways to counter her teasing. It was both mentally and physically stimulating, something that was lacking in his admittedly drab life.

But that was where more complications arose. As much as he enjoyed her company with all its quirks, he knew there was a line he could never cross to further their relationship and that was getting increasingly harder to abide by. In recent times, he found himself looking at her in a different light. Not as the annoying roommate who constantly got under his skin or the sympathizing figure who shared similar burdens of duty and responsibility towards their own family as he did.

But as a person of the opposite gender that he was beginning to become interested in. A woman who had beauty just as much she had intelligence and skill. Before he knew it, he found himself beginning to be curious about her, even finding her laughter and smile an uplifting balm to his day.

"Eh~ You're having that serious expression again, Elliot-kun? Even when you have a girl on your arm, you still have the guts to not pay her any attention. You're so mean."

Breaking out of his contemplation, he turned towards Tatenashi who pouted at him. The looks itself made him quirked an eyebrow in response.

"I'm just thinking. You know I tend to do that all the time."

His honest explanation piqued Tatenashi's curiosity. Elliot could felt her soft curves pressing harder against his arm as she drew it closer to her bust, a coy expression graced her as she examined his face.

"Hmmm? Elliot-kun's thinking again? What thoughts are swirling behind that beautiful face of yours? Is it anything naughty?"

Elliot just smirked and turned away from her. A finger lifted up to his lips as his eyes peered sideways, giving him an air of silent mystery as he looked thoughtful. He kept his silence, not deigning to answer.

His silence only compelled Tatenashi to press him further. Tugging his arm, she gave him a puppy eyed look, sweet promise streamed out her lips in a husky purr.

"Come on, don't keep this girl in suspense. Tell me, I won't judge."

Elliot just kept a small smirk on his face, keeping his silence. The hybrid kept quiet as they both approached their room and the presence around his arm disappeared as they separated.

Soon as Elliot stepped into the room, he turned around to tell his roommate to lock the door when suddenly Tatenashi pounced onto him. She stepped into his personal space, looking very focused as she studied his face.

"Alright, Elliot-kun… Tell me, just what were you thinking about?"

Seeing her so determined to know his thoughts, Elliot was a bit torn. Should he disclose what he was thinking about? Would she took offense to him thinking about her, even entertaining some improper thoughts about her?

His unease must've shown in his eyes as he watched her brows pressed down, her eyes shone with concern. She came closer and grabbed his palm, holding it in between her own hands as she peered into his eyes.

"Elliot-kun, what's wrong? Is something bothering you right now? I can see you're very uneasy. Is this something to do with what you're thinking about?"

Was she able to read him this clearly now or was he getting rusty in concealing his emotions? Elliot reeled in surprise as he looked at her in shock.

It wouldn't do to let his innermost thoughts out. He hadn't yet to sufficiently process his emotions, and he wasn't going to show his turbulent state of mind to anyone, especially to the subject in question.

"It's nothing, President. Don't worry about it. Really, I'm fine."

Tatenashi wasn't convinced by his neutral façade. Lifting herself on her tip toes, she brought her face closer to him. Concern marred her beautiful face as her eyes shimmered with worry.

"Elliot-kun…. Please tell me what's got you looking so troubled. I don't know what's made you so brooding lately but I really want to help you."

It was clear to him that Tatenashi wasn't going to give up. Seeing no other way out of his conundrum, Elliot chose to reveal his cards on the table.

His hands came up, resting on Tatenashi's shoulders as he gently grasped her. Peering down upon her, he studied her as he spoke what's on his mind.

"It's just…. I was thinking about where do we stand with each other. What do you really think about me, Tatenashi?"

Tatenashi blinked owlishly at him, clearly caught off guard by his admission. Both of them didn't spoke for a while as the girl mulled over his words.

Then she chuckled girlishly. Her smoky voice gave a teasing quality to her chuckle, making Elliot felt a bit hot under the collar. This disconcerting reaction she elicited out of him made the hybrid a bit worried, unsure how she had such an effect on him.

Tatenashi continued chuckling, her body quivered from fits of laughter. She quickly recomposed herself, looking at him with amusement.

"I-Is this what you had worried yourself sick for? Just what I really think about you? Oh~ Elliot-kun, you're such an adorable mess…"

Elliot was not amused by her comment. He shed his hat as he furrowed his brows at her, letting her a clear view of the annoyance displayed on his face.

"I don't think any guy would appreciate being called an 'adorable mess', Tatenashi."

"It's a compliment, Elliot-kun. Come on, let's not just stand around here and chat."

Grabbing his hand, Tatenashi led Elliot deeper into the room. She sat him down on his bed, her hands on his shoulders.

Much to his utter shock, the girl shed her shoes and proceeded to climb onto his lap. Her weight pressed down on his thighs as they sat face to face, their height differences melted away by their sitting position as their eyes are locked towards each other.

Flustered and somewhat trepidatious at what was to come, the unflappable hybrid couldn't contain his shock as he looked at the girl with wide eyes, his normally stoic mask had shattered from her brazen act.

"T-Tatenashi!? What're you doing!?"

The girl placed a slender finger to his lips, shutting him up. Her eyes sparkled with empathy as she broke out a demure smile.

"Shh~ I'm giving you my answer right now. Just stay quiet for a while."

Tatenashi brought her arms around his neck, pressing her body close to him as she relaxed into the embrace. The hybrid could hear a sigh of contentment escaped the girl as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Elliot propped himself on his arms, the flustered hybrid fisted handfuls of sheets as he called upon his own willpower in remaining immobile. The intimate proximity with the girl haunting his mind was drawing out a strong reaction from his own body and he didn't want to lose control. The scent of cedar tickled his nose, further addling his already muddled mind.

An arm instinctively came up intending to wrap around Tatenashi but he stilled, his arm hovered mid-air as he grappled with a mental conundrum.

Elliot was bummed out by his own predicament. To prevent anyone from learning his secrets, he had to took great pains keep his distance from other people. Even though it was a depressing reality of his new life, he was accustomed to solitude and even thrived in it.

But even he was still human at heart. Like every average person, he wasn't exempt from craving companionship and even love. Ichika and Chifuyu had given him familial love that was lacking in his childhood and he was very thankful for it. To know that his condition meant no intimate relationship with anyone really sucked. As much as he wished to hug Tatenashi and let her into his heart, he knew that was wishful thinking at best.

Just for once, he wanted to set aside his depressing reality and act like a normal boy, all his eccentricities included. He wanted to be accepted as his own person, without preconceived notions or biases tacked onto his gender by society's arbitrary order. He wanted to be accepted as… a human instead of what he was or would be.

Just this once, Elliot temporarily let down his mental guard he had zealously kept up over 5 years. He deigned to selfishly indulged in some fickle wish for comfort just for a brief while, even if he knew the memory would cause him pain in the long run. He was simply tired of all the pressure worrying about worst-case scenarios and the nightmares brought on by his own specter.

His frozen arm came up and went around Tatenashi's back, hugging her close as he brought his head close to hers. Now it was Elliot's turn to sigh blissfully as he rested his head on her shoulder. He'd never experience the warmth of another person so close to him before, much less trusted them enough to do so until now. Sure, he was close to Ichika but familial love was very different compared to the concern shown by a girl.

Or more precisely, a girl like Tatenashi Sarashiki. Only now was he able to place a name on the myriad of emotions that bothered him over the past few weeks. His sudden epiphany made him smile bitterly at the irony it presented.

It took him only now to realized he was attracted to her, the infuriatingly annoying, smart, capable and beautiful girl that he found himself rooming together for the past 2 months. His attraction to her wasn't mainly because of her physical beauty, a quality so fickle he'd never knew why other guys obsessed over it for.

It was her character that really drew him in. She had a witty, whimsical demeanor that led to countless moments of witty and harmless fun, yet she had a sharp mind that she wielded like a fine instrument, setting her apart from the masses of girls on the all-female island. That intelligence was given expression through a witty sense of humor, which had led to some interesting and fun moments for him.

On top of all that, she was highly capable and multi-talented. A strong, independent and self-assured girl that wasn't afraid to live life on her terms. She wasn't afraid to show everyone just how different she was, yet garnered respect for it from her fellow peers. He could list all her positive aspects that attracted him but he opted not to.

Because deep down, he knew that both of them weren't meant to be. The hard part about falling in love for him was that he would had to contend with the fact he either had to live a double life or risk telling his deepest secret. Both were not the option he preferred since he wanted to have an honest relationship with her. He had enough of weaving relationships based on deceit and secrets with the people around him, putting up a mask to the world to conceal his true nature. The fact he had to lie to Ichika was a large rock upon his conscience that he's struggled with from time to time.

Tatenashi pulled away from him, separating their bodies as leaned back on her hips. Her lips quirked in a little smile as she gazed longingly at him.

"Now you know where we really stand, Elliot-kun."

Elliot stared at her wide eyed, not knowing what to do with her bold proclamation. His mind worked a thousand times faster trying to comprehend what she implied through her coquettish words.

Was this an indirect admission that she felt the same about him? There was no other way he could read into her actions other than the most obvious. No woman would climb into a guy's lap and expect him not to think of it as a non-platonic gesture of affection.

But he didn't want to entertain that line of thought. Acknowledging this assumption would be tantamount to admitting that he was attracted to the girl in front of him. His logical side decried such naïve and dangerous thinking, the stakes of his condition was too great to be risked over a relationship that might not last.

Fixing an impassive gaze at her, he decided to mask his emotions with deadpan humor. The tone that laced his voice was flat and dry.

"I'd never thought you'd be this bold, Tatenashi. I've underestimated you."

Tatenashi winked at him, flashing him a saucy smile that made her look childish but cute at the same time.

"Oh~ Elliot-kun… just a little bit of this girl's tricks and you're already seduced? If I kissed you, would you melt like ice from blushing too hard?"

Elliot couldn't help but smile. Her wit was sometimes mischievous, sometimes flirty, but all of it was good fun. He would never get tired of her sharp humor.

"Oh trust me, I'm made of much sterner stuff. It'll take much more than a blush to make me melt."

Tatenashi laughed at him, taking pleasure at his witty comeback.

"Elliot-kun, you perv. Are you saying that you're the kind of guy to do something naughty with a girl? Somebody, save me from this handsome letch!"

A shark-like grin found itself on Elliot's face. This was shaping up to be a long back-and-forth game. It was something they had come into after living together for a while, a kind of harmless fun between them. As witty as she was, he did possessed the cunning and sense of humor to keep up with her. He leaned back on his arm, peering up at Tatenashi with a smug smile.

"Why would you need someone to save you? I'm sure if I did something frisky, you'll kick my ass. You're safe with me."

Tatenashi leaned closer, her hand sneaking up as she gently lifted his fedora off of him and don it herself. She then returned her arms onto his shoulders, her gaze at him softened perceptibly.

"I know. You've been nothing but a nice boy and a gentleman all this time. I'm not worried that you'll do something perverted with me."

The girl then drew near, bringing her lips close to his ear. Elliot couldn't help but shudder slightly as her hot breath tickled his ear.

"Besides...if you wanted to, I wouldn't mind it at all. After all, you must be pent up with all kinds of emotions, right~? I can help you relieve some of that tension."

Elliot was flabbergasted, his jaw frozen stiff as no words came to his mind. He wasn't expecting this newfound brazenness from the usually impish girl, even down to resorting to blatant innuendo. It was taking all he had not to let his lower half did the thinking.

This was getting too heated. If Tatenashi pulled another move like that, he wasn't sure he could resist her words from affecting him anymore. Should he snapped, he would've turned mad with desire and just ravished her right there and then. That would be bad.

Scratch that, it would be absolutely catastrophic. Barring the obvious problem, he would be exposing his secret to someone outside of the family, even when his own brother didn't knew about it. The idea that he let someone else knew about it and not Ichika tugged on his conscience.

But there was something else that worried him. Ever since he learned of the augmentation done to his body, he had been contemplating on his physical state and thought about a hidden complication, one that was subtle but carried a great deal of implications.

If his blood was filled with nanites, what else in his body was similarly affected? He knew that the nanites were able to interfere with electronics, even ISs like the haywire Uchigane, but what about another person? Would intimate contact between him and another person cause unknown side effects? Would it kill them? There were just too many unknowns surrounding his own body and it worried him.

The idea that he would hurt the girl in his lap either mentally or physically filled him with equal parts revulsion and dread. As much as he knew a future between them was impossible, he still selfishly wished he could see her happy in his presence and wanted to be around her more.

His lips fixed into a thin line, he tilted his head back as he looked eyes with her. His gaze was even and neutral.

"Tatenashi, I don't think a girl should be so brazen. You might just give a guy the wrong idea."

The thin brows on Tatenashi's forehead scrunched together. The girl held a fond expression, her hand came up to stroke his cheek with gentleness.

"Hmmm…who knows~? What will you do then, Elliot-kun…?"

Elliot swallowed thickly, feeling his desire roused by her low, smoky whisper insinuating unspoken promises. He had to put a stop to their charged banter now, lest they got gripped by ardor lust and touched all bases in one night. Besides, he was tired from all the events today and he wanted to get an early night.

Elliot cracked his neck as he yawned, putting his arms up as he stretched his body.

"Alright, that's enough. It's late now and I'm tired. Time for us to go to bed, Tatenashi."

The girl wasn't pleased at being called off. Stepping up from the bed, Tatenashi fetched a set of clothes and hurried to the bathroom.

"I'm taking a shower first. You can go after me, big guy."

Elliot just waved at her, muttering nonchalantly as he reined in his emotions.

"Yeah yeah."

The door whizzed close, and then the sound of water splashing on the floor can be heard from inside the bathroom. Elliot sat on his bed propping his arms on his knees as he rested his head on his arms, mulling over his recent revelations.

The hybrid knew that he was beginning to become enamored with the student council president. But he knew also that if he made her fall in love with him, he would eventually had to break her heart by parting ways with her. He couldn't fathom how he could go forward from then on if he ever did broke things off between them. It was further proof of the depth of his feelings for her. He never knew how she managed to snuck her way into his heart but he swore that those feelings would never see the light of day again.

Love hurts, especially when you wished for nothing more than to be close to the person you cared for but yet unable to do so. Elliot only now learned of this painful truth yet he had trouble accepting it. So as much as he hated himself for doing so, he forced down his feelings for her, locking it away in the deepest recesses of his mind and throwing away the key. The last thing he could do was gave her the wrong idea and led her on.

He swore that he would never reveal his feelings to her. The day that he would do so was when the world burned around him and he was about to die. Not much use carrying that regret when he's about to die for the second and final time anyways.

Chapter Text

Chapter 17:  At the Rubicon's Edge.

Time passed by quickly. Before Elliot knew it, the one-week period had elapsed for him to decide whether to join the IPF or not.

For what limited time he could spent contemplating about this issue, Elliot only managed to weigh the pros and cons on what either choice entailed. What amount of thinking he managed to do was not enough for him to make a solid decision on the matter.

For agreeing to the offer, Elliot could see himself learning from some of the best pilots after Chifuyu. True, his sister was a pilot without equal and he had learned under her for a few years but Elliot could see no harm in learning from other pilots' experience just as much as he did under his sister. It would serve as a good opportunity to diversify his combat experience and allow Hecate more chances to evolve in new directions to improve their chances if the worst-case scenario ever occurred.

The con? Being put under the watch of many said experienced pilots that would be unduly interested in him. With the recent changes to his body and his partner, Elliot was not onboard with the idea of being around so many people who could pose a serious threat to his wellbeing should they decided to put him down. If his condition was deemed a threat, the hybrid was sure they wouldn't hesitate to take him down if not kill him should they be ordered to.

If he refused however, he could avoid such hassles although he would miss out a lot of opportunities for giving Hecate to evolve and adapt. There was no telling if and when his condition would be exposed but he knew dead certain he wasn't going to comply with any demands to submit by anyone. He had seen enough of the world's depraved and twisted state and he wasn't going to further contribute to its descent to madness, one that had made him and many others suffered untold hardships just because of their gender.

But that was what he could discern on the surface. Elliot was sure there were many other pros and cons he could probably figure out if given enough time but couldn't, which made the decision-making process doubly hard. He always hated making his decisions without putting due thought into it but time wasn't a luxury he necessarily have right now.

Without even having a clear answer in mind, Elliot reluctantly headed into Chifuyu's office. The woman had ordered him to meet her after classes to hear his answer, which he had no choice but to comply. As much as he hated having to make decisions on the fly, it was what he had to deal with right now.

Reaching the woman's office, he rapped his knuckles along the wooden surface a couple of times. It didn't took long before he got an answer.

"Come in."

Swinging the door open, Elliot found himself being tracked by the woman's stoic gaze. Chifuyu sat behind her desk with her eyes focused on him, tracking him with her sharp gaze as he sat down in front of her.

"Orimura-san, I think you know why I've called you here."

"Yes Orimura-sensei. It's about my acceptance into the IPF."

The impassive woman leaned forward on her desk, steepling her hands as she does so.

"Well? Have you made a decision yet?"

The severe, business-like tone of the woman pinned Elliot on the spot. This was the moment he dreaded. The hybrid dropped his head as he wracked his brain.

'Damn, now I got to make a decision on the fly. Question is, which one doesn't bite me in the rear?'

With each passing second, Elliot's nervousness increased as he struggled to make up his mind. To accept the offer or refuse? Accept and gain the opportunity to hone his skills but open himself to spying from other pilots whom may be spies to their own nations, or refuse and retain his peace but forego the chance to improve?

Feeling Chifuyu's gaze on him, Elliot suddenly felt very tiny in the chair despite him towering over Chifuyu when seated. As he was agonizing over his choice, he suddenly received an epiphany. The doubts that plagued him now cleared away, allowing the truth of the matter to stood out clearly.

Feeling a bit sure of himself, he made a snap decision, one he hoped was the right one. While doubts were still present, he felt the choice he made was something he could lived with.

"I've made my choice. I'll have to refuse the offer."

Apparently, his refusal wasn't expected by Chifuyu. The woman's brow raised, a look of slight surprise crossed her before she recomposed herself and squinted at him.

"That's surprising. May I ask why you would refuse such an offer? To many pilots it an offer they can't refuse, so why don't you accept?"

Elliot squared his shoulders, feeling as confident as he could in this situation.

"That's because being a pilot isn't what I wanted. For others, this may be an opportunity of a lifetime but not for me. Why would I chase after something that I am not looking for?"

Seeing the woman watching him intensely, he knew it was an unspoken message for him to elaborate further. Elliot averted his eyes to the side, looking out the large window behind her.

"Besides, all of this? This life? I've never expected to have much of anything in my past life since I've made my peace of dying in the streets. Yet after dying my luck seemed to be the best in the world as I've bonded with Hecate and she saved my life. Now I have a home, family and safety. Things I've only dreamed of and more. I'm content of being nothing more than a normal guy, even when that word doesn't very much apply to me anymore."

Chifuyu's eyes narrowed even further, looking ticked off by his answer.

"Are you listening to yourself right now? You've done nothing but the most outrageous and incredible things since you've arrived in the academy. Like it or not, you're going to attract attention with what you've done despite you saying otherwise. You look very hypocritical by saying that when you've done anything but that."

The rebuke from Chifuyu stung. Elliot wasn't going to refute most of her statement because it was true. Except there was one point that the woman had missed.

"It's not hypocritical if I didn't do it for fame or attention. All those things I've done is for Ichika's sake and by extension mine. All I've done is rescue Ichika from certain danger and all of a sudden I'm heralded as a hero? I don't understand why people put me on a pedestal when I'm just a quiet guy who wanted nothing more than a measure of peace."

If Chifuyu was squinting at him, she was now positively glaring at him with exasperation. Annoyance literally shot out of her muddy reds like bullets, making him felt he was put on the spot for saying something stupid.

"Do you realize how ridiculous you sounded right now? Of all things you would've noticed, do you not notice how people perceived you? I thought your perceptive nature applied to everything around you or are you just in denial?"

Elliot stilled. Chifuyu's words brought forward a certain point he was trying hard to suppress. He wasn't incognizant of his peers' views towards him, rather he was trying hard to convince himself he was not anything like what people perceived him to be since he sincerely believed he didn't deserved any of this.

In reality, Elliot was afraid. He was afraid that all of the good things in his second life would be gone, taken away from him as his true identity and his condition was exposed to the world. Afraid that his evolving condition would bring unknown consequences that he himself didn't know how to deal with.

Worse of all, the fear that came when he pondered just what would happen if he ever messed up and got killed. He knew that even in death, he wouldn't be free of the responsibility that was entrusted to him since he bonded with Hecate. His corpse alone would've probably fetched a handsome price just for its augmentations alone, not to mention the EVOLVE module within Hecate itself.

Elliot sighed dejectedly, feeling very down from having his old fears brought to the surface by Chifuyu's statement. He hunched over, looking very disheartened as he rested his chin on his clasped hands, a gesture that didn't escape the woman's notice.

"Orimura-san?"

Nothing. Silence greeted the woman as she watched the hybrid brood. This rare display of despondency surprised Chifuyu. It was making her very worried, as anything concerning him always did.

"Elliot?"

Elliot stirred, clasping his hands together with a pensive look on his face. Chifuyu could see the fear written in his eyes. Evidently it was a serious matter to rattle the blonde this deeply.

"I'm scared, Orimura-sensei. Every day I wake up thinking this was a dream and I'm actually dead, just dreaming all of this in the afterlife. Or that one day the news would reveal what I am before I am sent in front of a kangaroo court just so they could have a legit excuse to cut me open and watch what makes me tick. "

Elliot sighed tiredly, that breath carried so much burden as to made him sound old and worn. To the woman, it felt like she was looking at an aged man who went through a lot instead of a young teenager.

"I know very well just how everyone viewed me, most of it good, some of it not so flattering. But I always convinced myself that if I am not worthy of it, I could protect myself from the disappointment when the day comes where I had to run or fight for my life just because the governments want the power behind Hecate and they don't care about my life in order to unlock its secrets. Much better that I don't have any memories of the good times when I had to live like hell, at least then I won't be tormented by them when I have to live like a fugitive."

A heavy silence hung over the siblings as they both contemplated on this matter. After a short while, Elliot heard the sound of a chair being wheeled away and the faint clicking of heels.

Then he felt a gentle but firm hand clasped his shoulder, jolting him out of his brooding. He lifted his head to find the woman had moved out of her seat and stood beside him examining him with a concerned look.

"Chifuyu?"

"I didn't realize that you took my words all those years ago so seriously. But you must realize that things happen. You're given a second chance in life by Tabane's creation, so don't waste it by worrying so much about the future that you sacrificed your chances to live your life to the fullest. If you wanted to live like a normal teenager, I'll respect your decision. But I wanted you to know that you don't have to be so paranoid about the future that you let so many opportunities slip you by."

Turning him around so that he faced her fully, Elliot watched as Chifuyu let slip the impassive mask that she wore everyday out in public. Her expression softened, looking every bit the caring sister.

"And if that day really comes that your condition is exposed, I'll protect you. Even from the government and many others who would take you, I'll fight them. I owe you for saving Ichika in the 2nd Mondo Grosso, so don't worry about that and live your life to the fullest."

Just as quickly she let her mask down, Chifuyu's face quickly resumed its signature stoic coldness. Her muddy red eyes locked with his own golden orbs in a steely gaze, searching for answers.

"I'll ask you again: Are you sure about refusing the offer?"

Elliot averted his eyes to the side as he thought about the offer. While he doubted how much his powerful sister could protect him when the world came looking for him, he appreciated the sentiment nonetheless.

But that doesn't do much to help him make a choice. Each option did allowed him some perks, of which he cannot deny. The question was, which option had the perks he wanted minus the downsides he can't live with?

The hybrid looked unsurely at Chifuyu, his expression leaking out his true thoughts on the matter.

"Can I have until this afternoon to think about it? I don't think I can make a decision just yet."

Chifuyu frowned at this, not pleased that he was still undecided. But seeing he was genuinely conflicted, she knew she wasn't going to get an answer no matter how much she pushed him. The woman sauntered back to her chair, the chair creaking softly as she sat down.

"Fine. Only then and not a moment longer."

Elliot nodded, getting up the chair and made to leave. But a word from Chifuyu stopped him before he got out the door.

"One more thing. I've heard you've been getting close to Sarashiki. In fact, I would say far too close if what I've heard is true."

Elliot whipped around, not expecting to have this point brought up. Seeing his sister held a serious expression, it gave the impression she was not asking for a confirmation but stating a known fact. But that only made him wary as to what she wanted to talk about.

"What makes you say that? I wouldn't say that we're close. If anything, it is more like I'm putting up with her."

"Is it? She came to me after the VT incident hoping to learn more about you but I refuse to tell her anything. I thought Ichika would've been the first to get a girlfriend in here since both of his childhood friends are here. But to see that you managed to wrap the student council president around your thumb is surprising to say the least."

Now that was news to Elliot. What was the girl doing trying to learn about him? Moreover, was this what other people thought about his relationship with Tatenashi? A mess of thoughts swirled in his mind, making him ill at ease.

"How the hell did something like this even happen? Let me be clear here: I'm not attracted to her, nor even in any kind of intimate relationship with her. She was simply too annoying for me and I thought that acting flirtatious with her would get her to back off, kind of like fighting fire with fire."

Chifuyu frowned at him with disapproval. The sharp brows creased perceptibly, making her gaze seem admonishing and displeased at the same time.

"Do you realize just how idiotic that 'method' of yours is? I don't need to remind you what you can't do when it comes to your situation. You're literally playing with fire if you think this method of yours wouldn't backfire on you."

Elliot clenched his hands into tight fists. He didn't liked having that fact brought up, especially when he still hadn't made up his mind regarding his feelings towards Tatenashi. He didn't need the reminder nor asked for it, even if it was the truth.

"I know. I'll be careful, sis."

"Alright. You can go now."

Closing the door behind him, Elliot stalked away from the staff room, a jumble of thoughts still swirling in his mind.

For one, he didn't knew why his roommate seemed so interested in him. The fact she was willing to brave the risk of displeasing his sister just to learn about his complex nature confirmed the suspicions he held since that night a few days ago.

Having confirmation that the girl was beginning to be infatuated with him, Elliot didn't know whether to be impressed by his lousy romantic skills or be chagrined that he managed to ensnared the heart of the girl he cannot approach. It made his present conundrum even harder to resolve, on top of the many other problems that demanded his attention.

Feeling too overwhelmed by the information he received to adequately process, Elliot chose to get lunch before resuming his meditation. He casually sauntered along, eventually found himself at the cafeteria just as lunchtime rolled around. The place was fully packed with students, many were well underway to finishing their meals.

As usual, he went for large portions. Walking away from the counter, he carried a tray with a large serving of cheese baked rice and a large glass of coke as he surveyed the packed cafeteria, looking for a seat to quietly finish his lunch.

"Hey Elliot! Over here!"

The boisterous hail from Ichika literally disclosed his presence within the packed room. Homing in on the source, he found Ichika had taken a seat close to the West window. Accompanying him were Rin and Houki, both of whom wore faces of displeasure or scorn in Houki's case.

Elliot mentally cursed at Ichika's lack of awareness to his emotions right now. He had wished to finished lunch alone and now that was not going to happen. If he denied his brother's request, it would spawned a lot of unnecessary rumors which really bothered him to say the least.

Resigning to the fact that peace wasn't going to come this early in the day, Elliot swallowed his own discontent and went over to join his brother.

Sitting beside Rin, Elliot proceeded to enjoy his meal. He was going to finish his meal quick and get back on thinking about the offer. A question from Ichika dashed that hope almost immediately.

"Say, what happened this morning? What did Chifuyu-nee want with you?"

Putting his meal on hold, Elliot wiped his mouth and glanced towards Ichika. The boy held a curious expression, eyes glinting with concern.

"It's about the offer of joining the IPF's Auxiliary corp. Orimura-sensei wanted my answer so the school can make the arrangements."

"So, what did you do? Do you accept?"

"I…"

""ORIMURA-SAN!""

The sudden cacophony of feminine shrieks blasted them, cutting Elliot off before he could reply. The shrill, banshee-like shrieks stabbed into his ears like sharp stiletto blades, almost making his ears bleed and his head split open from the cacophonous bedlam.

Rounding towards the source, Elliot frowned as a mob congregated around their table. All the girls wore various expressions of utter dismay and incredulous disbelief. Leading them in the front was Cecilia, looking rather peeved as much as she could maintain her elegant appearance.

"Orimura-san! Please tell me this isn't true!"

"My prince, gone!"

The dismayed crowd wailed and shrieked, unable to accept what could possibly be the fact that their Ice Prince had been taken. Some of them even broke down, sinking onto the floor and crying their eyes out.

Ichika looked around him confusedly, caught off guard by the sudden mob that gathered around the table. The boy was not expecting this amount of chaos nor the crowd of distraught girls surrounding them, as evident by his nervous expression.

"W-what's going on here?"

"Elliot dear, mind explaining yourself?"

Elliot's brow furrowed deeper at the sharp tone in Cecilia's voice, as much as he was by her caustic question. The girl had her arms on her hips, her face scrunched in what he could tell was petty jealousy. Turning his attention at her, he fixed a neutral gaze at the peeved Briton.

"What's this all about?"

"I've heard some rumors that you were acting rather close to a blue haired harlot last night in this very room. What do you have to say for yourself?"

The teens around the table now looked at Elliot with varying degrees of astonishment and shock. Ichika's eyes widened in realization as he finally caught up with what was happening. Elliot exhaled aggravatedly, his face turned grim from the probing question.

"Calm down Cecilia. What does it have to do with you what I do with other people?"

"T-That's because I don't trust her with how she carried herself! Some random girl acting like a tramp with you!? What would happen if your good name becomes tainted by her actions? It's simply won't do to have you associated with such rabble, Elliot dear!"

Elliot narrowed his eyes in indignation, getting pissed off by Cecilia sticking her nose into his personal matters. Hearing just how the Briton 'cared' for him by worrying over his reputation was really intruding into his business, which he didn't appreciated one bit. Not to mention the way that Cecilia had indirectly insulted his roommate was one step too far in his books. His eyes narrowed slightly, glaring at the Briton with barely concealed annoyance.

"Cecilia, I fail to see what's made you so displeased. First off, what did she do that warrant your scorn so badly? Secondly, when is everything I do your business?"

"Elliot, is this true? Are you and Sarashiki-san close with each other?"

Surprised by Ichika's sudden questioning, Elliot craned his neck to found his brother looking at him curiously. Curiosity and surprise were shown in his muddy red eyes as they peered at each other.

"Huh? Well, I still don't know. I'll tell you more about it later. But right now..."

Ticked, Elliot turned his attention back at the crowd. His eyes narrowed into slits, the golden glow of his irises shone through half lidded eyes as he glared icily at the girls. It was an almost perfect imitation of his sister's glare, as evident by the fearful expressions on the cowed girls who began backing away from the table.

"Let me make it clear to you girls. Who I have a relationship with has nothing to do with you all, much less even your business to care about. That goes for Ichika's case too. Whoever we choose is between us and the girls involved, so please respect our privacy."

A growl escaped the irate hybrid as he continued glaring at the mass of girls now literally shaking from fear. At this point, everyone within the Academy knew just how dangerous the blonde boy was when he's angered and no one wanted to metaphorically poke the sleeping lion.

"And if I find out that any of you harm the girl I get involved with, I'll show you what happens to those who harmed the ones I cared about. And when I'm done, I'll let her have her turn at any of you, assuming if any of you are still around. Understand? Now clear out, all of you."

The intimidated girls quickly dispersed, with the exception of Cecilia who looked hurt by his stinging rebuke. Elliot didn't even need to see to know the girl was distraught by his nonchalance, as if her pleas weren't clear enough signs of her intentions.

"Elliot dear, how could you be so nonchalant about this!? Are you willing to risk losing your reputation by associating with such common rabble?"

By this point, Elliot was already fed up by the Briton's antics. He had no idea why the girl would be so critical of Tatenashi. Schooling his expression he quirked an eyebrow at her, his expression unreadable.

"Oh? Then by your definition, what kind of people would be considered common rabble that's unworthy of my attention?"

By his inquisitive question, Cecilia sensed an opportunity to convince him. Her expression took on an impassioned urgency as she argued her case.

"The people like harlots, thieves, and murderers. The plain and unassuming people that barely rose above their station, always expecting handouts and help from the upper class. They are the people that you shouldn't associate with unless they corrupt you, Elliot dear."

As the girl made a passionate argument for his sake, Elliot kept an impassive face. Beneath the surface, Elliot's perception towards her was terribly soured by her judgmental and proud attitude. The seemingly sensible case she made was hypocrisy at its best that Elliot found it hard not to curl his lip in disdain.

Hypocritical since she was a noblewoman that was pining after him, a former criminal who stole to survive and spilled blood for his family. If the girl had known about this fact, Elliot was probably sure she wouldn't have uttered such insensitive remarks.

After she had finished, Elliot kept silent. A tense atmosphere settled over the room as Elliot took a long draw from his glass, almost draining his coke in one gulp. Setting down the glass he picked up the napkin and wiped his mouth, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on the girl who was watching him expectantly. When he spoke, his tone was dry and devoid of emotion.

"So, if I cannot associate with such 'common rabble', then by your words you shouldn't spend time around me then, isn't it?"

Cecilia sputtered in shock, clearly not expecting to have her own words used against her.

"What!? NO! Elliot dear, why would you say that? How could you be one of the common folks? I'm talking about the undesirable elements and the underbelly of society, not you!"

By now Elliot couldn't help the icy glare he directed towards the shocked Briton. The hybrid had enough of her attitude as he tried hard to force down the rising aggravation brought on by her snobbish attitude.

"Because I was a criminal, one of the 'common rabble' that you seem to look down upon. Before I was adopted by Orimura-sensei I was a street orphan stealing, snatching and doing menial jobs just to survive. I stole a lot and was quite good at it because I had to do so to survive day by day. So, by your definition I am a criminal. And based on your previous argument, upper class folk like you shouldn't hang around people like me, isn't that right?"

Now Cecilia looked positively aghast, knowing she had accidentally insulted the boy in front of her. Having being called out for her terrible attitude, she now tried to salvage the situation as she tried to explain away her outburst, the girl stuttering from her nerves.

"T-That's n-not, I-I mean…"

Elliot sighed, knowing what Cecilia was trying to do. Hearing nothing remotely close to an apology for her flub, he was disappointed that the Briton was still stubbornly holding onto her pride. His view towards her worsened by her refusal to admit her mistake as his aggravation towards her reached new heights.

He had to leave before he lost his patience and lashed out further in annoyance. He huffed, trying to vent out the suffocating emotions that threatened to spill out.

"I'm not someone who was born yesterday that can't tell right from wrong, Alcott. Since you're so quick to judge other people, I can't see myself socializing with people who are so judgmental and moralistic. Now, if you all would excuse me."

Elliot finished the rest of his coke and brought the half-eaten rice for takeaway. It was quickly done and Elliot wasted no time making a quick exit, leaving Ichika and the others behind.

'Of all things she could've said, she had to be so egoistical and judgmental.'

Elliot shuffled along heavily, feeling a bit insulted by Cecilia's haughty disregard for people not of her social class. The fact that she insulted the girl he had mixed feelings of didn't helped her case either.

Seeing the Briton was quick to change her tone upon learning that she was accidentally insulting him made him liked her less since it made her looked duplicitous. He was never someone that judged people by their looks or status, since he found the idea ludicrous and nonsensical.

And doing so in the streets was a quick way to get into trouble. The arrogant and blusterous don't survive long on the streets, thus his disdain for people like that. He didn't personally hate the blonde Briton, per se. He just didn't like the vestiges of the gender superiority mindset that was still entrenched within the noble lady.

"Hey Elliot! Wait!"

Hearing Ichika's cries, Elliot paused and looked back. His brother rushed to caught up with him, huffing as he ran up to him.

"Ichika? What're you doing here? I thought you would enjoy your lunch with Rin and Houki."

"I rushed out after seeing you so irritated. What's going on? You've never been that easily riled up before, is it what Cecilia said bothered you that much?"

Elliot huffed out forcefully, still feeling peeved at Cecilia.

"It's not that. It's just her attitude of being so high and mighty rubs me the wrong way. Why did she had to go and insult Tatenashi like that? It's just not right."

Ichika squinted his eyes as he scrutinized Elliot's face. Seeing his gregarious brother looking at him with such a focused expression, Elliot felt a bit uneasy.

"Do you like Sarashiki-san, Elliot?"

"Huh?"

"The way you defended her when Cecilia accused her and the fact you didn't push her away when she touched you last night, it's clear that you like her very much."

Elliot mused, noting the irony that his brother would made such a clear-cut conclusion on their relationship when he himself hadn't even adequately processed the changing dynamic between them. To have his usually oblivious brother point out such a fact meant it was blatantly obvious to anyone who even looked their way. Elliot didn't knew what to made of this revelation, with him still conflicted about his interest towards the girl.

"I dunno Ichika. I'm not so good with anything emotional, as you know."

Ichika looked at him with sympathy. The Orimura boy patted Elliot's back, as to told him he understood what he meant.

"It's not that hard. If you like her, then you should go tell her that. It's not good to keep emotions like that in you, hoping they will notice you. I think Sarashiki-san will appreciate it if you're honest with her."

Elliot resisted the urge to smirk bitterly. Were things to be so easy as the boy prophesied, he wouldn't be so torn about this matter. It's precisely his own situation that made things that were normally easy became so complicated.

Still, Ichika didn't need to know the details. Gently, he grasped his brother by his shoulder and gave a squeeze, beaming a bitter smile at him.

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks Ichika."

"No problem Elliot. Oh by the way, you still hadn't told me about your decision on joining the IPF. What was your reply to Chifuyu-nee?"

Elliot smirked, looking very mysterious about the matter.

"You'll find out after 3 weeks. If there's any change, I think the school would have news about it. I'm going to train in my IS now. See you Ichika."

With that, the hybrid made his way to the arena. Hopefully, some alone time with his partner would be just the thing to help him form an answer for Chifuyu.

"I'm back."

Silence greeted him as he stepped into his room after a long day. After wrapping up his practice and stopping by Chifuyu's office, he was already both physically and mentally exhausted from all the things he had went through today.

Dumping his bag, Elliot moved to grab a spare set of clothes and went to shower. While he could do so at the locker rooms, he didn't trust that the girls didn't do something ridiculous like bugging the room just to take pictures of him wearing nothing.

A few minutes later, Elliot sighed in bliss as he walked out the bathroom, dumping the dirty clothes in the laundry basket set aside by the door. With ample time on his hands and no inclination to do anything, Elliot did the only thing he was apt to do: Think. He plopped down on his bed and let his mind wander, his thoughts inexplicably drifted back to his decision on the IPF offer.

As he expected, some time alone with Hecate had helped him to reach a decision in regards to the offer, which he relayed to Chifuyu. Elliot hoped that he made the right choice, one that was the best of both worlds.

It was a risky gamble, fraught with unknown risks. His prior experience had taught him that every decision had a lot of unknown risks, many of which many people never realized. And those variables inevitably had a say in your plans, whether you realized it or not. Elliot had lost count how many times his plans had went down the drains in his early days in the streets because he didn't knew this little known fact.

From what he could see, being accepted into the ranks of the IPF would allowed him ample chances to understood just how experienced pilots think and acted, a good experience that'll help him in understanding how IS pilots worked in a military setting. This would serve as valuable knowledge to counter any squads that were sent after him, knowing how they worked and operated as one of them. Just this knowledge alone was worth entering into the IPF despite the risks of being around so many skilled pilots.

But it was not without its downsides. Being in the spotlight at the first male pilot to be accepted, it would go without saying that there would be a lot of interest and attention on him and his performance. Elliot held no illusions that whatever he did in the organization would be dissected and scrutinized by governments across the world. If he were to performed exceptionally well or abysmally terrible, he would attract too much unnecessary attention from those power-hungry vultures.

In essence, being accepted into the IPF would be akin to him walking into the lion's den, both literally and metaphorically. For the chance to learn and improve under experienced pilots, he would have to tread on a fine line between keeping suspicion on him at bay while taking any opportunity to learn from them.

Because if in the event Hecate's evolution changed him or compromised him, there would be no idea what the IPF would do if he ended up becoming a threat to the Academy. He was playing a dangerous game, one that could end in catastrophe if he screwed up.

Sighing, Elliot wished that things would be alright. The best he could do now was to prepare himself, honing his fundamentals while polishing his more advanced techniques. If what Chifuyu said was true, he can't afford to be lax about this.

Rising from his bed, Elliot stalked over to the fridge and fished out a bottle of lemonade. A quick search through the cabinet and he found a bag of chips. The hybrid decided that a calming afternoon spent reading and finishing his homework would be just the ticket to relax and unwind before dinner.

Bringing his snacks over to his desk, he booted up the computer and opened the browser to find some relaxing tunes. The calm, dulcet tones of piano and the melodious chord of guitar in the background streamed languidly over the speakers, filling the room with a relaxing ambience.

Drawing out his books, Elliot began working on his homework. He immediately immersed himself as he made short work of the day's courses. With his homework done, he fetched a half-finished book and started reading. He planned on finishing this book this week before borrowing a new one.

As he was engrossed with a particularly complex book on psychology, Elliot felt a pair of arms snaked down his shoulders and hugged him from behind. The scent of cedar assailed his nose, giving away who was behind him.

"I'm back, Elliot-kun. Enjoying yourself~?"

Elliot shrugged, splaying his arms out as he gestured to the room.

"Well, today we got an early day off school today so I'm planning on using it to enjoy some peace and quiet. Nothing like a good book in your hands, beautiful music playing in the background and some snacks to enjoy a good afternoon."

"He he he…The only things missing now would be a nice bathrobe for you, a glass of wine, a roaring fireplace and a big library and you would look the part of a handsome, eccentric billionaire."

Elliot smiled, finding the mental image she painted rather interesting. The teasing remark from Tatenashi roused him from his blue mood, drawing his mind away from the despondent thoughts that plagued him today.

And he could use something to distract him for today. A verbal sparring with the wily girl was something that would do the trick. Craning his neck so he locked eyes with her, he quirked an eyebrow as he came back with a suitable retort.

"That's an oddly specific image you've just painted of me. Although, if there is a fireplace I won't be reading books in front of it. That'll be a terrible way to use it."

Flipping the book close, he rolled his head back and locked eyes with the girl. Oozing languid nonchalance from his body language, a smirk found its way onto his face.

"Wouldn't it be a much better use to be snuggling in front of it with your beloved partner in a cold, wintry night? Some wine, chocolate and the love of your life in your arms? Sounds more like a better use for that fireplace."

Tatenashi blushed, cheeks tinged pink from the insinuating words that were literally purred out.

"I-I never thought you to be such a smooth talker, Elliot-kun… much less have such a romantic imagination."

"The perks of being an avid reader and having the gift of gab, President."

At this point, Tatenashi's cheeks flamed. Her hands came up to cover her burning cheeks, making her looked very meek and shy.

Elliot couldn't help but chuckle, his deep voice filled the room. The sight of the usually wily and mischievous girl looking bashful and embarrassed was very amusing to him.

Realizing he was making fun of her, Tatenashi gaped at him. She then turned around in a huff, crossing her arms in a sullen mood.

"You're mean, Elliot-kun."

Elliot smirked, getting up from his chair to close in onto her. He set his hands on her shoulders as his lips neared her ear, whispering quietly at her.

"Turnabout's fair play, President Sarashiki. Or should I be calling you…. Mrs. Orimura?"

Elliot took one page out of her book, using her own tricks against her. It worked, as the girl stiffened from his breath tickling her ear, earning him a light 'eep!' from her that sounded cute. From his position, he could see her cheeks darkening from mortification, the blush spreading to her ears and down her neck.

While the girl was stewing in mortification, Elliot decided to check on other things. His HUD flashed into view, the clock showed it was about 6:30 PM, which meant he had been in the room for about 2 and a half hours already.

'Well, time for dinner. I'm not going to go to the cafeteria for today, not after what happened this morning.'

Opting to make dinner in their room instead, Elliot decided to ask his roommate if she wanted to join him. Much better to made things clear before he started.

Rolling up his sleeves, Elliot went to retrieve an apron. He craned his head towards her, studying the still embarrassed girl with amusement.

"Tatenashi, it's time for dinner. Do you plan on going to the cafeteria?"

The girl jolted out of her stupor. Her dazed expression disappeared like fog under the morning sun as she turned to him.

"Hm? I'm planning to. Are you not going?"

Elliot shrugged, looking a bit miffed as he donned the apron.

"Thanks to your antics yesterday, I can't step into a public space in the Academy without throngs of girls watching my every move, hounding me for things I can't be bothered with. I want to at least have my nights quiet before I go to sleep."

"Are you planning on cooking here, Elliot-kun? Should I be worried?"

Elliot rolled his eyes, not caring for the mirthful expression on Tatenashi's face as he checked the fridge and cabinets for ingredients. He planned to have some pasta for tonight.

"Do you really think I can't cook? Of course I can."

His admission seemed to took the girl by surprise. The hybrid registered a gasp from the girl as he pulled out some salmon from the fridge, setting it under running water so it could defrost while he retrieved a knife and cutting board along with some onion and garlic.

"Oh my! It's rare to see a man who knows their way around a kitchen nowadays! I didn't realize you could be a cook, big guy. You're full of surprises~."

Elliot clicked his tongue as he diced up some onion and garlic into a small bowl. He continued to talk while he set the pasta to boil.

"Save your surprise for when it's done. On that note, do you want to eat dinner with me?"

Only when he finished did Elliot realized just how the innocuous statement could be taken. The knife stopped just before he could slice into the fish as he turned his head towards the girl, who looked agape at him.

"A-Are you asking me out for a dinner, one you prepared yourself?"

Elliot felt a prick of self-consciousness, hearing the faint hopeful tone in her voice. It confirmed that the girl really had feelings for him, pointing towards the situation that he feared. While it was flattering to him, the confirmation of truth made his chest ached dully. To cover up his insecurity, he went for a neutral answer with a bit of sass added.

"You know what I mean. Can you please stop trying to see anything I do with you as a romantic venture?"

Turning his head to gauge her reaction, he found himself surprised by Tatenashi's expression. A brief flash of disappointment appeared on her face but it quickly disappeared, replaced by a look of sultry mischievousness as she neared him.

"Hm~ Well, you should've been clearer with your words then~."

"…Fair point. Anyway, you want in?"

Without answering, Tatenashi shed her yellow vest then went over to fetch another apron.

"Since you asked so nicely. Besides, I'm curious as to how well you cook big guy."

"Give me a hand and find out yourself then."

The two teens got to work preparing dinner. Tatenashi got the easy job of making sure the pasta was well cooked while Elliot worked on the sauce. The rich aroma of butter and salt filled in room in a mouth-watering blend as the raw salmon slowly browned in the pan.

Once the fish was browned properly, it was removed from the pan. The onions and garlic joined into the still hot butter as they sautéed, the sound of oil snapping away filled the room along with the scent of hot oil.

As he watched over the sauce, Elliot's concentration was broken when he felt Tatenashi bumped her hips at his. Turning to her with a peeved expression, Elliot found the girl was draining the pasta through a colander, looking as if she wasn't fooling around to begin with.

The seemingly domestic scene filled Elliot with a sense of calmness. The two of them cooking, acting like a newlywed couple, it was stirring up emotions within his chest, emotions he thought were deeply buried. To be honest, he wouldn't mind if his future was something so tranquil and normal. Alas, it was a dream to never come. Tamping down his irrational musings, he concentrated back on preparing dinner.

Soon dinner was done. Tatenashi was seated by the table as she watched him set the table, her head resting on her hands propped up on the table.

"Fu, fu. Elliot-kun, this looks amazing! I can't wait!"

Elliot gave a wry smile as he shook his head, setting aside the apron as he joined the girl. They both clasped their hands in prayer as they gave thanks for the food, in their own respective way.

"Well, bon appetit."

"Itadakimasu."

Both teens dug into the meal, a companionable silence settled over them as they enjoyed the home-cooked meal.

Tatenashi hummed in satisfaction, her face showed bliss at the flavors she was experiencing. Elliot was surprised at seeing her acting so spontaneous that he stilled momentarily, taking in the rare sight.

"Mmmm, this is very good! Elliot-kun, you are quite a good chef! I never thought something this extravagant can be made from such a simple dish."

Elliot waved his hand, accepting the praise with as much modesty as he could.

"Eh, don't get so surprised. I can cook but I am far behind someone like Ichika. He's more versatile than I am, especially around Japanese cuisine."

Tatenashi looked at him with a twinkle in her eyes, a sign that Elliot came to be wary of.

"A man who can cook, is an excellent IS pilot, good at academic and physical pursuits, handsome and mysterious but humble and modest? Elliot-kun, you're a dangerous man. You might just ruin other men for this girl."

Elliot did a little shrug, looking nonplussed as he tamped down the feeling of smug pride and satisfaction from hearing her praise.

"Beauty in the eyes of the beholder. I'm not that exceptional like you described me as."

Tatenashi shook her head, a bit too fervently for his tastes. He then found the girl gazing at him with an intensity that almost unnerved him, with her emotions clearly displayed through her ruby eyes.

"You really are, Elliot-kun. The fact you are very modest and reliable made you very attractive to other girls. You're a bit cold and distant but that's what made you even more attractive, which combined with your well-dressed attire made you look very dangerous and handsome. There'll be a lot of girls who would very much like to be with you if they have the chance."

Elliot felt conflicted by the litany of compliments coming from her. Sure, he wasn't a stranger to compliments as much as he was to insults in both his lives. Yet somehow, any compliments from her seemed to carried an extra weight that made them even more precious and made his 'heart' churned with emotions.

'Just why…why did I had to be interested in a girl like her?'

The hybrid agonized over this question numerous times over the past few days. It was becoming quite a sticking point for him, as evident by the wide berth given to him by the student body. While it was a blessing in disguise, Elliot didn't liked being emotionally wired up as he went through his daily life.

It was evident his feelings around the girl wasn't locked away as airtight as he wanted to. It took much from him not to visibly enjoy her praises. He can't afford to, not when he had swore to himself to keep things professional between them.

Pushing his thoughts to the back of his mind, Elliot chose to accept the compliments as graciously as he could managed. His tone was polite, tinged with a hint of gratitude as gave a small nod towards her.

"I'll take that as a compliment. Thank you, Tatenashi."

"Mmmhmm. You should be more confident to yourself, Elliot-kun. Girls like a confident man."

Dinner quickly ended, with Tatenashi volunteering to wash the dishes. The remainder of the night was spent with them relaxing over a cup of tea, talking about mundane matters and learning about each other. Any questions about him were replied with non-committal answers as Elliot struggled with his turbulent emotions, unbeknownst to Tatenashi.

As both of them retired for the night, Elliot laid on top of his bed still wrestling with the specter of his emotions. It continued to haunt him until eventually sleep overtook him.

Morning soon arrived, along with it another busy day for him. Elliot got up and get dressed, hoping he could enjoy a brief respite from the chaos that the day would've surely brought to him. He had finished his breakfast and got into the library to get more books on advanced level IS aerial techniques, hoping he could spend the morning understanding the concepts before trying them out in the late afternoon.

Opening the door to a vacant classroom, he went to his seat and got busy. A video of a previous Mondo Grosso match was playing out from the screen on his desk, which he watched with rapt attention. The books came into play as he tried to identify certain maneuvers in the video, The information contained within the thick books helped shed light on some of the moves performed by the seasoned pilots. This self-study session went on for almost an hour, until the presence of three people broke his concentration.

"Hey Elliot. What're you so focused on?"

Elliot waved a hand at the playing video without facing his brother, still focused on the video.

"Just watching a video on the Mondo Grosso, trying to learn how each contestant fought and hopefully pick up something for myself."

Ichika was flanked by Charlotte and Laura, both girls whom watched the video. Charlotte looked surprised upon recognizing the pilot in the video.

"Isn't that Sophie DeLotte, France's representative during the 1st Mondo Grosso? I remember she was quite the valiant fighter in that round against Germany's own representative. This must be the video from that fight."

Elliot hummed in agreement; eyes still plastered on the screen.

"Yep, she had quite the IS and the skill to boot. I'm impressed how good she was with her aerial maneuvers."

"And you wanted to learn how to do their techniques for yourself, ja? As expected of a capable pilot like you."

Elliot hummed absentmindedly, agreeing with Laura's comment. He wasn't surprised that the German would've picked up on his motives.

"But why did you had to learn something so difficult? Learning how to fight against representative candidates is one thing, but learning from Mondo Grosso contestants? Isn't learning from Chifuyu-nee enough since she won against everyone else?"

Elliot gave a disapproving look at Ichika's lackadaisical attitude, brows furrowing in displeasure.

"That doesn't mean I can't improve myself by learning from other pilots. Even when I'm going against other pilots like you and the other girls, I did improve constantly by learning from my mistakes and my opponent's mistakes. If one must do something, shouldn't they do the best they could with what they have, where they are and when they could? Especially something as vital as combat?"

The three teens around Elliot looked at him with wonder and awe in their eyes. Their shared bafflement towards his question made Elliot a bit uncomfortable.

"What?"

Ichika averted his eyes, scratching his cheek with a bit of embarrassment.

"It's just that…. we didn't expect you to say something so deep."

"Oui, it sounded like something out of a self-help book."

"In fact, if I didn't hear it straight from you, I would have assumed it was quoted by a wise and experienced officer or an old general in the armed forces."

Their awed statement on his wisdom made him rolled his eyes. Elliot didn't saw just how his words may sounded wise or profound. It was just common sense to him, borne out of his harsh experiences and vast knowledge from reading books.

"Guys, I've read a lot of books on many different kinds of subjects in my spare time. Where do you think that knowledge is going to end up?"

That broke the teens out of their starstruck expressions. Charlotte was first to regain her senses as she moved to stand beside Elliot. The French girl looked expectant, a glow shone in her violet orbs.

"Say Elliot, are you free this coming Saturday?"

"Probably. Why?"

"Great! Can we head out to the mainland to get some things for the coming summer?"

Upon hearing the French blonde's request, the girls in class 1-1 launched into another bout of feverish gossiping. Many girls wished wistfully they had the courage to ask Elliot out, while others gossiped about the blonde girl may potentially becoming the boy's girlfriend. Elliot rolled his eyes at his classmates' antics, long resigned to his fate.

"Let me check my schedule first, then I'll get back to you later."

"Alright! I will wait for your answer."

Hearing his reply, Charlotte left for her seat with an extra spring to her step. It was clear that she was happy after his reply.

"I'll be at my seat. Class is about to begin and I don't like to be late."

Laura simply stated, joining the blonde girl as she left for her seat.

This left both boys at Elliot's desk. Elliot saw that his own clock showed that class was about to start and Chifuyu was bound to arrive.

"Ichika, get ready for class. Orimura-sensei's about to arrive and unless you liked to start your day with a knock on the head, you'd better get ready for class."

"Oh, right."

The boy simply sat down beside in his seat, as another day in the Academy began.

Days sped by, before he knew it Saturday had rolled around. Along with it was his outing with Charlotte in the morning, which he hoped would go smoothly without any major hiccups today.

Because of the ruckus it would cause if they went out together publicly, it was decided between the two of them they would meet at the station. Only difference was that Elliot made himself scarce, appearing just as he saw Charlotte arriving at the station.

Currently, both blondes were on the monorail heading to the mainland. Elliot sighed in relief, glad that they didn't bumped into any students when they boarded the train. He opened his connection towards Perry, making a quick check on the drone.

'Perry, you still following us?'

'Yes master. Although I wouldn't be able to follow you once you entered into a building. Therefore, you are alone once you entered into the mall."

Elliot's lips thinned but he acknowledged the warning regardless of his own misgivings, knowing there wasn't anything he could do about it. He had Perry accompany him and Charlotte on the reason that he'd rather have an extra set of eyes behind him should there be any threats he couldn't perceive. Even if said drone wasn't able to provide overwatch over him indoors it was better than having nothing.

"Uh... say, why did you agree to come along with me today Elliot?"

Shutting the link between him and Perry, Elliot turned his attention towards Charlotte. The French girl looked meek, her posture demure and withdrawn. The hybrid could guessed that the girl was asking with certain expectations in mind, thus he resorted to tread carefully on answering her. He didn't want to upset her by giving the wrong answer, even if said answer may be truthful.

"Well, I thought you might've wanted to get some fresh air and time away from the Academy. Then I remembered since you entered the school as a guy, you must've not have packed any female clothing whatsoever. So, I was thinking about helping you in shopping for some clothes while at the same time I can get some time away from the Academy myself."

Truth be told, Elliot just wanted an excuse to visit the city and helping Charlotte was a good way to take a break from his intensive training. As much as he wasn't bothered by the idea of spending time in the Academy, Elliot wanted to see what's going on in the world outside the ISA. On top of that, he was going to visit the old man Tanaka for a request.

The French blonde suddenly looked self-conscious from his answer. She looked very flustered and moved, though Elliot could guess the reason.

"Oh, you're such a sweet guy Elliot."

"Am I?"

Charlotte nodded her head with vigor, her face gushed with happiness.

"Mmhmm. You've decided to help me when you had so many other things demanding your attention. The fact that you would recognize such a small detail about me and are willing to help shows how nice you are."

Elliot nodded at Charlotte, accepting her praise with modest humility. He didn't know how Charlotte came up with that conclusion to his character but he accepted it regardless. While it was flattering, it made him felt like he was expected to act in a certain way. As much as he could handle expectations well unlike Ichika, he ironically didn't liked expectations placed on him because he hated having to answer to anyone.

Seeing as Charlotte held him in high regards, Elliot felt a bit daunted by her views. A sneaking suspicion crept into his mind, that of the girl beside him possibly harboring feelings for him but he can't be sure.

'Why do I always get the girls chasing after me? Having a girlfriend is one thing, but why did the girls hound after me like I'm some prize? Ichika's the more gregarious and outgoing guy, yet they find me attractive? I can't believe I would say this but I would be willing to trade places with Dan. At least the guy would find this place heaven.'

The hybrid turned his gaze towards the view of the approaching city, reminiscing on his middle school years. Those were the days where the threat of being found out as an IS-human hybrid seemed so distant that he could've almost forgotten it. The days where he lived like a normal boy, running around with Ichika and a couple of close acquaintances and friends. The redhead was one of the latter. He wondered just how his old friend was doing, musing as to how he would fare if he was in the Academy.

'Then again, with how Dan obsessed about girls I think he wouldn't find heaven in the Academy like he thought he would. I could only imagine what would happen if he crossed paths with someone like Houki and tried to hit on her.'

Realizing just where he ended up on his senseless musings, Elliot wished that Dan was doing alright. If the situation permitted it, he wouldn't mind visiting his old friend when he could. The redhead was a chill guy that didn't bothered him much and respected his eccentricities. Guys like him were rare in today's world.

It didn't took long before the train arrived at the mainland station. Charlotte wasted no time scampering out the train, pulling Elliot forward by his hand with an eagerness that leaked out of her cheery demeanor.

"Come on, Elliot! Let's savour the day to the fullest!"

Elliot grunted in reply, holding onto his hat with one hand as he was pulled along by the exuberant girl.

The nearby mall loomed ahead of them. Charlotte basked in the busy atmosphere of the mall, looking very happy and free of any worries. Elliot followed closely behind, keeping his senses on alert for any trouble that may happen. While he was keeping an alert watch, he suddenly remembered what he was here for and called out to Charlotte.

"Charlotte, can you go ahead and buy your clothes? There's something I need to do."

"Something to do?"

"Yes. Hopefully it won't take long. I'll find you later. If you need anything, you have my number."

The two split up. Now free, he headed for Tanaka's store. On his way there he looked around the mall, not looking for anything particular. A mop of familiar red hair suddenly entered his view, giving him pause as he turned his gaze towards his side. The silhouettes of two familiar figures amongst the mallgoers flooded him with surprise as he squinted his eyes at the two people.

'No way... is that Dan and Ran? I just thought of him today and here he is.'

Moving closer to the duo, he confirmed it was indeed the Gotanda siblings. Ran currently had her back towards the blonde as she was busy explaining something to Dan. The poor guy had plenty of shopping bags piled onto his arms as he tiredly listened to the redheaded girl.

"…last summer at middle school is special! Pool-use swimsuit! Beach-use swimsuit! 'It's on!' swimsuit! Ultra 'It's on!' swimsuit! Mega-ultra 'It's on!' swimsuit! You need each kind to use as the situation calls for!"

"Preparing for what, kid?"

The redheaded girl jerked in surprise. Turning towards him, she held a look of curiosity before it was replaced by stark fear as she realized who was behind her. Ran yelped in fright, darting behind Dan as she peeked out fearfully behind him. The boy looked surprised and happy to see Elliot as he smiled despite the burden he was forced to carry.

"Hey buddy, long time no see! Doing some shopping yourself?"

"More or less. How are you Dan?"

Elliot went up towards Dan and clasped him on his shoulder, happy to reunite with an old friend. He quickly separated, maintaining a comfortable distance from them.

"So, you two are shopping?"

"It's the runt's idea. She wanted to get swimsuits and insisted to get them here so-OW!"

Dan yelped in pain, which was no surprise as Elliot found out that Ran was pinching his side hard. The girl had a peeved expression as she gritted out morosely, glaring at him from the safety behind her brother.

"Don't be such a babble mouth, bro. Especially to Ichika's freak of a brother."

Elliot withheld the urge to growl, glaring at Ran with bitter disdain. In total opposite of his attitude towards Dan, Elliot hated Ran. The girl was always bratty and spoiled, always whining at the littlest of discomfort and difficulties she faced. What's more she had been judgmental of people, a trait that put off Elliot the most.

For some reason Ran didn't took kindly upon his laid back attitude and appearance when they first met, treating him as he was some no good delinquent. Never mind the fact that he was both academically and athletically accomplished, which only made her ill treatment even more abominable. Elliot suspected that she was jealous of his achievements despite looking as if he didn't put in much effort, even though he had toiled hard to get to where he was. The girl always had a competitive streak, even if said competitiveness wasn't applied in the right pursuits.

Of all of her terrible qualities, there was one thing that the hybrid hated most about her. The girl was a female supremacist, taking after the prevailing ideology with blind enthusiasm just like many of the fairer gender. This was starkly evident by the way she treated her own brother, always belittling and disrespecting him. Her bratty attitude didn't went over well with him, what with his experience with such females.

When he confronted her about it and told her off, she vehemently denied being a supremacist. Then, Ran flipped the script around and started accusing him of stalking her and being a bad influence on Ichika. That didn't went over well with Ichika who later found out about her mistreatment of him from some classmates who witnessed her tantrum. Suffice to say she got a lot of fallout from Ichika who let her have a piece of his mind.

She later retaliated by accusing him of turning Ichika away from her and ruining her chances, one that he didn't even deny. If this was her true character, Elliot was glad to dissuade her even if it earned him her ire.

Since then, the girl had made his middle school life difficult by spreading rumors, calling him a 'freak' for his golden eyes. This prompted the other kids in elementary school who didn't knew better to follow suit and turning him into a target for ostracization and discrimination. He retaliated by calling her a 'kid' and treating her as such, much to her annoyance.

Luckily, after he defeated a bunch of bullies during his first year in middle school and gained his moniker 'The Lion of Kashiwazaki', he gained a lot of goodwill among the school's populace. Girls started to pine after him and boys clamored to include him into their social circles. That was also when the rumors began to die down by themselves and Ran started to became a lot more meek around Ichika and him, reducing to giving him dirty glares every time they met.

It also helped that he always had an intimidating presence around him. His severe looks combined with his reputation during that time ensured no one was willing to mess with him. As petty as she was, Ran wasn't an idiot. At least she wasn't a real piece of work like Houki.

Speaking of which, Elliot witnessed the girl still kept a scathing glare at him, using Dan as a human shield. He scoffed internally at her pettiness and cowardice, harboring a grudge towards him yet was not brave enough to settle it openly with him.

"Anyway, where's Ichika? He's here, isn't he?"

Elliot resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he watched the girl's gaze searching the mall for any signs of his brother. This was almost guaranteed to happen that he was disappointed by her predictable behavior. It was as if the redheaded girl had nothing on her mind except on how to woo Ichika, which he didn't appreciate one bit.

'Of course, the first thing the kid asked for is Ichika. Ten guesses that those bags in Dan's arms are swimsuits for Ichika's 'pleasure' if what her ramblings are true.'

Elliot opted to respond leisurely, shrugging his shoulders as if he knew nothing.

"Don't know. And even if I know I wouldn't tell you, kid."

Ran didn't took that insult lying down. She stepped out from behind Dan, standing beside the redhead with arms akimbo on her hips with a pissed expression.

"Don't call me a kid! I'm just slightly younger than you by a year!"

Elliot nonchalantly waved his hand at her, not bothered by her outburst or her pissed expression.

"As long as you acted like a spoiled brat, you're a kid in my eyes."

Unable to refute against him, Ran clammed up with exasperation. Pursing her lips in a childish display of dissatisfaction, she levelled a dirty glare at him.

"Geez, calm down you two. You're attracting way too much attention from everybody."

Elliot sent an apologetic gaze at Dan as his lips thinned from guilt, feeling sorry for giving his friend troubles from his feud with Ran. To him, Dan was one of the good ones and a member of his small circle of friends. Elliot never liked troubling his friends with his problems and this was one of them, one that happened way too frequently for his tastes.

The girl ignored her brother's plea, opting to stuck her tongue out while pulling an ugly face at him.

"Nevermind. I'll be enrolling into the IS Academy next year, by then I'll show you I'm not a kid by defeating you in an IS duel."

Elliot couldn't help looking at the redheaded girl with befuddlement. He didn't knew that the girl would be so petty as to view him as her enemy to be defeated. He snorted at childish display, not amused by her declaration.

"If you're doing this in the hopes of following Ichika and making him your boyfriend, don't even bother. There's loads of girls pining after him if they're not hounding after me first. Plus, doing something just for the sake of gaining the attention from your crush? That's pitiful."

Seeing Ran getting increasingly pissed by his nonchalant admonishment, he leisurely crossed his arms looking unbothered and detached. He'd rather rub the wound in if that was what will get her to back off from his brother.

"And defeat me? You're dreaming the impossible. I've gone against even experienced pilots without taking a scratch. If you think you're the one to defeat me, you're welcome to try but I severely doubt your chances."

Seeing Ran almost going to blow a gasket, Elliot opted to leave and resume his business. The hybrid returned his attention back to an uncomfortable looking Dan and gave the boy a gentle pat on his shoulder in brotherly affection, one that was reserved for Ichika and him.

"Well, don't let me keep you guys. I gotta go."

"Yeah. Anyway, we'd better keep going. See you again sometime, buddy. And drop by our home when you have the time. You're always welcome to our house."

"I will. See you soon Dan. You too Ran."

Bidding farewell to the siblings, Elliot resumed his path towards the tailor store where he and Tatenashi visited in their previous outing.

The wood and glass door swung open with the clear chime of a doorbell. The sound drew the old man to the front of the shop as he reflexively bowed in greeting. When the tailor recognized him, surprise flitted onto the weathered face.

"Welcome, dear customer! Oh! You're the young man who came into the shop with Sarashiki-sama! I apologize, I didn't get your name last time."

Seeing the man looking sheepish at not knowing how to refer to him, Elliot gave a small smile as he waved towards the tailor.

"That's okay. I didn't give my name last time so it's my mistake. You can call me Elliot, Tanaka-san."

"Of course, Elliot-san. Now, what can I do for you today? I hope you've found the suit to your satisfaction."

Elliot nodded in satisfaction. He still owed the man for giving the chance of seeing Tatenashi flustered like a shy maiden. Besides, the suit started to grew on him.

"The suit was excellent. I'm impressed how well made and comfortable the suit is. But anyways, I'm here for a coat to be made. Can you do that?"

The jovial atmosphere faded into the background as the old tailor assumed a serious demeanour. He fetched a notepad and pencil, looking at him with enthusiasm.

"I sure can. Tell me, what kind of design do you want?"

Fishing out his phone, Elliot opened the photo of a trench coat he had found on the internet. The design was to his liking, albeit needing a few modifications before it suited his needs.

"Can you make something like this, just a bit closer fitting and shorten its length so that it reaches my thighs?"

The old tailor buried his head as he furiously sketched out the design, occasionally lifting his gaze to refer to the picture shown in Elliot's phone.

"Hmmm... I sure can. Let me take some measurements of your body and I'll get to work immediately. Anything else you want to add?"

"Yes, make it dark grey and put some buttoned flaps on the pockets. Also, make the collar a bit taller when it's not folded down."

The sounds of a pencil scribbling across paper filled the small shop as Tanaka jotted down his request. After a few seconds, he returned his attention towards Elliot and gestured towards the side room, ushering him in.

"Alright, please step into the side room and let's take some measurements. I will get to work on this immediately."

Following the lead, Elliot hoped that the old man would come through again with his craftsmanship.

After a few minutes…

"Now we're done. I must say Elliot-san, this looks like an interesting design for a coat. I look forward to making it come to life."

Both of them stepped out of the side room, with the old man guiding him out as they returned to the main area of the shop.

Seeing the old man filled with a craftsman's excitement, Elliot can't help but felt some anticipation at the man's work. If his suit was of any indication, he believed the end product would be no less amazing.

"How long would this order take? How much did I owe you?"

"I would say about a week or two. As for payment, it would cost about 10,000 Yen."

"Can you do a rush order? I need it rather soon if that is possible."

"Of course, that would be another 500 Yen on top."

"Can I do a down payment?"

"Of course, how much are you willing to settle now?"

"Here."

The hybrid took out 2,000 Yen and paid the tailor. Tanaka bowed and accepted the money, moving over to an antique looking cash register to settle the payment.

"Alright. You can pay the rest when the job's done. Please leave your phone number so I may contact you when the order's done."

Tanaka said, passing the notebook to Elliot. Writing down his phone number and name, he passed the pad back to the tailor.

"All done."

Tanaka bowed deeply again, glad for the business he was entrusted with.

"Thank you for your patronage, Elliot-san. Please come back soon!"

"Thank you, Tanaka-san. I'll be waiting for your finished work."

Stepping out the store, Elliot's phone rang. Picking up the call, he was greeted by the mellow tone of Charlotte's voice, sounding quite harried.

"Elliot? Are you done with your shopping? Where are you right now?"

"I'm currently on the first floor, near the atrium of the mall."

"Alright. I'm coming to you right now. Please wait for me."

Pocketing his phone, Elliot walked a short distance from the tailor shop and leaned against an empty wall. The wait for Charlotte would took a while so he spent the time people watching, examining the various people passing by and trying to discern where they've been and what were possibly going on in their minds.

While he was doing so, his mind was far away in thought trying to ponder just where his life would led to. He had been agonizing over this problem ever since the whole episode with Laura's debacle and he was no closer to finding an answer.

'What am I going to do once I've left the Academy? '

Elliot had been tossing around several ideas of what he would do, based on what kind of future that may possibly happen to him. Over the last few weeks, he had came up with the bare beginnings of his future plans.

If the off chance that his secret wasn't exposed, he would continue living like a normal person. With luck he would graduate from the ISA, took a few years off to tour the world while making sure no one was hunting for him while at the same time trying to find opportunities to earn some money. After that, he would try to further his education and possibly land a job where he could earn a living while keeping his distance from other people.

If that wasn't possible, Elliot would try the same except he would go underground for far longer. He would try to lose any pursuers after him while fending off any that would try to ambush him. Since he would no doubt be demonized by governments, he would earned his living by fighting against criminals. It wasn't the most preferable option but one that made sense to him considering his limited options.

But with how things were going in recent times, Elliot had a hard time convincing himself that his plan wouldn't need a drastic revamp. Somehow, he felt like his life was getting increasingly complicated and that was making him antsy. He had more that his fill of excitement in both his last and present life and he preferred a change in scenery this time around.

"Hey boy!"

The shrill voice broke Elliot out of his musings. Scanning his environment, he tried to locate the source of the shout.

"Yeah, you with the fancy hat! I'm talking to you, boy!"

Elliot mulled over the words as his hearing homed in to the direction of the cry. Glancing towards the direction, he found a well-dressed woman whom directed her gaze towards him. He gave a disinterested reply, deliberately keeping his eyes shrouded by his hat as he faced her.

"What is it?"

"You boy, be my servant! I'm planning on shopping and I need you to help carry the bags! You're a bit scrawny but you'll do!"

The demeaning demand caused Elliot's mood to blackened in an instant. He couldn't help but frown distastefully under his fedora upon seeing the arrogant expression and the brown eyes dripping with utter contempt. One look of those beautiful features marred by contemptuous arrogance and he instantly knew what he was dealing with.

'Great, not these arrogant cunts again. I'm not up to dealing with this shit after having to deal with Ran.'

Keeping his head low, he stood still as he fought the rising aggravation at meeting a female supremacist. Memories of his earlier years being belittled by these arrogant bitches rushed through his mind's eye, further exacerbating his already morose mood.

"Hey, do you hear me boy!? This is why males are all useless! Can't even understand human speech yet still walked around like they're one of us. Utterly useless!"

Owning to the woman's ranting, a crowd had started to formed around them. As expected of such events, the women sniggered or snickered, muttering and making snide comments about him and men in general. The males on the other hand only casted pitying looks at him as they watched on helplessly, not daring to stand up for him.

Elliot's fist curled in anger. He could barely held back the urge to sock the woman across the jaw for her arrogance as past emotions came back to him, all related to these fanatics and what they've done to him as he watched the woman launched into a tirade against men.

It was women who mistreated him in the orphanages, purposefully gave him and other boys very little food or care so they could prioritize on the girls' welfare, levying unfair and severe punishments when they make a mistake in their chores, downgrading them as nothing more than slaves.

It was these lunatics whom looked down on him when he roamed the streets, as if him being a male was something he deliberately chosen to become, making sneering comments and heaping physical abuse upon him while riding on their moral high horses.

It was these twisted individuals whom called for him and Ichika's death, on the basis they can pilot the IS and constituted a threat to their extremely warped beliefs.

His anger began to boiled over, his vision slowly turned red as he could felt his arms trembled from barely contained rage. Elliot knew he was about to blew his top and violently too. The last thing he should do was let loose his fury in public or worse, brought out Hecate and consequently out himself as a male pilot.

If he retaliated physically, there would be no doubts that partisan news agencies would took ahold of this incident and spun it to fit their narrative. He would be demonized by society in general and doubly so if his identity was exposed as a male pilot. The cries against him and Ichika would grew more intense, making it hard for Chifuyu to protect them. That was the scenario he must avoid at all costs.

As much as he was apt to resort to physical violence to solve problems, this was one that required a calm head and cunning to resolve. A hasty plan began to came together in his mind, beginning with him taking back control.

Drawing in a deep breath, he exhaled slowly. Feeling his anger beginning to fade as he went through the motions several times, he pulled up the shemagh around his neck to cover his face. Just like how he did in his previous life before committing a crime.

In retrospect, Elliot knew he was about to commit a crime merely just by speaking his mind. In an unfree world like the one he was in, politically incorrect speech was crime enough as it was even if it wasn't illegal under the law. But for him, Elliot didn't gave a damn about what society thought. He'd rather spoke his mind than to be silenced by social pressure, expected to obey the unreasonable demands like a dog.

Elliot lifted his head, his masked face clear to anyone present. The arrogant fanatic had her back towards him and was still spouting out vitriol to the crowd, not realizing the danger behind her.

"…So, why should we let men wander freely when they've proven themselves inept and incapable? Even when they have two IS pilots, they are mere boys under the guidance of the Empress! That proves that men are supposed to be under us…"

"If you've said women are strong and capable, then why do you want someone like me to help you carry your bags for you? Didn't you say that men are incapable and weak? Carry those bags yourself if you're as strong as you proclaimed, or are you really a hypocrite on top of being a brain-dead idiot?"

Instantly, silence came over the crowd previously filled with murmurs of agreement from the females. The woman turned around slowly, an outraged expression marring her face as she registered his muffled voice.

"What did you say, boy!? You dare to speak up against a woman!?"

"What's wrong with that? Before I am a male, I am a human being first. As a human, I have the right to speak my mind just like how you did. Or is it that you consider us men as nothing more than mere animals?"

Around them, a wave of murmurs broke out among the gathered crowd. The women were gossiping with each other, derisively mocking him for his supposed impudence. Some of the women were more level headed, seemingly mulling over his words and a few were even nodding in agreement to his argument.

On the other hand, Elliot heard appreciative whispers from the males even though not many of them were brave enough to clearly voice their opinions. Elliot paid them no mind as he spotted a concrete pillar a few steps away on his left, a spark of genius came to him as he recognized an opportunity.

Alas, the fanatic wasn't one to appreciate his outspoken opinion. Unable to logically refute his statement without shooting herself in the foot, she decided to resort to force. Her face turned ugly with scorn and hatred as she glared derisively at him.

"Y- You insolent brat! I'll teach you some manners that your parents have forgotten to teach you about!"

The woman stalked forward with her arm upraised, giving him no doubts to her intentions. Elliot bid his time as the distance between them shrank rapidly.

At the last moment, he dodged to the side without even lifting his arms, paying attention to maneuver himself to a particular spot. The woman floundered as her strike hit thin air, staggering clumsily to prevent herself from falling flat on her face. Rounding at him, her expression looked positively murderous.

"You cowardly boy! Stay still so I can hit you!"

"Perhaps you should worry about your balance first. A little bit more and you're going to make yourself an embarrassment. Don't want to break your expensive heels in case you trip and fall."

His backhanded concern did as it was intended. The fanatic let out a furious yell, arms outstretched to grab him. Elliot did as he had planned, leaping to the side at the last moment while sticking out his leg.

The woman's legs caught on his outstretched foot, causing her to tumble precariously towards the concrete pillar. Her momentum combined with her slim stiletto heels made it hard for her to regain her balance as she smashed her face against the pillar, a sickening crunch broke out from her. A trail of crimson streaked down the pillar as the woman slid down bonelessly, crumpling down onto the floor with blood leeching out of her nose.

Elliot watched with grim satisfaction, happy to see that the arrogant woman had got what she deserved. While it wasn't as satisfying as driving his fist into her face, it would have to do for now.

'Serves her right. These bitches were always so arrogant and short sighted that they'll believe they're the next Chifuyu Orimura if given the chance. As if being an IS pilot was easy to begin with…'

The sounds of shoes pattering against the marble floor turned him away from his insensate aggressor. Elliot saw that two policemen had cut through the crowd to investigate, with their gaze landed on him with surprise and suspicion.

Elliot pulled down his shemagh and raised his hands, showing he wasn't hostile. One thing was on his mind however as the cops approached him, looking conflicted upon the scene.

'Shit…'

To convince the officers he didn't struck first was a difficult endeavor. The cops didn't seem to want to believe his story, what with all the women speaking against him and claiming him as the aggressor.

Until a man spoke up for him, then a few more started to join in on his defense. The two-sided argument almost spiraled out of control until he pointed out the fact that he was accosted by the woman. What's more, he claimed he was defending himself after revealing his identity as Chifuyu's brother and the fanatic was the one to hit him after he told her off.

While not factually and logically solid, Elliot was banking on the fact that his relations with Chifuyu and that he didn't physically retaliated would kept him out of hot water. It worked, as the women who were clamoring for his arrest backed down after realizing they were indirectly seeking trouble with the Infernal Empress.

After confirming his identity and his connection with Chifuyu, he left the inquiry with a stern reprimand from the officers while the unconscious woman was hauled away by the men in blue. As he walked away, he'd had gotten a few whispered compliments and pats on his back from the men present for standing up for himself, which made him felt good about his actions.

'Man, that was too close. If those guys didn't speak up for me, I'd been hauled away in cuffs just because those harpies can scream louder than men. Damn bitches.'

"Elliot, there you are! Are you alright, what just happened!?"

Charlotte's frantic and anxiety-laced voice shook him out of his thoughts. Turning his eyes down to the French blonde, Elliot didn't realized that the girl had came up to him when he was still mulling about the confrontation.

"Charlotte? When did you get here?"

"I got by here just to find a crowd gathered here. It was only after the police arrived before I found out that you were involved in a fight. What happened?"

Elliot adjusted his hat, looking nonplussed on the surface despite the still smarting aggravation burning in his mind from the radical's insults.

"I was waiting for you when a woman accosted me and demanded I become her manservant. We exchanged a few words and things got a little heated. She tried to attack me but ended up crashing into a pillar and knocked herself out. That's basically the gist of things."

Charlotte looked as if she wanted to ask more but decided she wasn't going to get much more out of him. That was fortunate since Elliot wanted to put the whole matter behind him and continued on with his day.

"Is that so? Won't you get into trouble for this? I know just how spiteful some women can get and it might not go well for you. I don't want you to get into more trouble."

Elliot laid his hand on Charlotte's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. His eyes shone with apologetic tenderness as he assuaged her worries.

"Charlotte, I'll be fine. Don't worry. As prone I am in getting into trouble, I know how to get out of them as well. Don't let this incident bother you, alright? Let's just enjoy the rest of our day."

Charlotte peered into Elliot's eyes, searching for something. She then gave a brief nod, her previous anxiety dissipated from his reassurance.

"Okay, Elliot. I trust you."

Elliot smiled in response and bowed his head, flattered by Charlotte's belief in him.

"Thank you, Charlotte."

The French blonde suddenly swiveled her head around, looking at her surroundings with a sense of unease. The hybrid was confused by the sudden change in Charlotte's demeanour as his brows scrunched together.

"Charlotte, is something wrong?"

His innocent question seemed not to get through with the anxious girl, as Charlotte continued scanning her surroundings frantically. Then suddenly, she rounded towards him with a perturbed look.

"This way, Elliot!"

"Wha-?"

Without warning, Charlotte grabbed his wrist and yanked him along. Their height difference made him have to bend over slightly to run lest he tripped. The two scampered through the mall, with the tall hybrid trying to maintain his balance as he was dragged along by the French girl.

"Woah, hey! Slow down, Charlotte!"

"Come on!"

Elliot reluctantly complied, letting himself being pulled by the frantic French girl.

'Where are we going? A bookstore? Clothing shop? I wonder…'

His guessing game came to an end as he was pulled into a swimsuit shop which caused Elliot to blanch upon realizing where he ended up. Memories of watching Tatenashi in nothing but lingerie asking for his opinion on her looks came flooding back into his mind as he tried hard not to squirm in mortification.

His discomfort must've not been noticeable to Charlotte as she kept up their hurried pace. As he wrestled with his emotions, the girl pulled both of them into the changing booth. On the wall, Elliot noticed a small notice pasted on it that made him frown.

"Hey, the sign says no shoes."

Charlotte gasped, then took off her shoes and laid them outside. Elliot opted to keep his shoes on just in case he had to make a quick exit.

"Now, why do you drag me in here with you?"

"Because… I wanted to know which swimsuit looks good."

A certain nervousness in the blonde girl clued him in that there was something going on that Charlotte was trying to hide. Elliot didn't knew what was happening and he didn't liked being kept in the dark. He hissed aggravatedly, not amused at her actions.

"And how does that had anything to do with me being in here with you?"

Charlotte shushed him, making his brow furrowed in mild annoyance. The girl then peeked outside of the booth, peeling the privacy curtain back just so a slight gap allowed her a view outside.

Following her gaze, he peeked through the small opening Charlotte made. His augmented vision made the task easy despite having to stay behind the girl.

The blonde boy then realized what may have caused his blonde companion's reaction. A group of girls from the academy strolled into the shop, with Cecilia and Laura both amongst the group. The two girls were looking around the store as if looking for something or someone.

'What the… Such a bad timing. I guess now I know why Charlotte dragged me in here. No surprises that Cecilia's here but Laura? I wonder what got her out here.'

"Where did Elliot dear disappear to? I swore I saw him ran in here with Charlotte."

Elliot frowned, not pleased at learning what Cecilia was here for.

'Did she came her specifically to look for me? I still haven't forgiven her for that crass comment she made, so why is she looking for me?'

A prickle of annoyance coursed through him as he discovered Cecilia's reason for being here. Then as the irritation faded away did only he realized the compromising situation he was in right now.

He was in a booth with a cute girl in a swimsuit shop. If anyone discovered both of them in here, there would be no doubt of the amount of misunderstandings it would cause for both of them, most especially to Charlotte.

Pulling back from the curtain, he refocused his attention to Charlotte. He had to figure out what was going on and get out quickly before trouble happened.

"Charlotte, I'm still waiting for an explanation. Is there something wrong?"

Startled, Charlotte stepped back from the curtain and turned back to Elliot, her face looked anxious.

"No! nothing's wrong! Look, you just stay here while I get changed."

Seeing the girl undoing her shirt, Elliot wasted no time as he spun away from Charlotte. The hybrid was shocked by the girl's sudden action that he can't help but hissed in shock and mortification.

"Hey...! What are you doing!?"

Charlotte said nothing, opting to continue disrobing herself. The sounds of fabric rustling invoked images of an indecent nature in his mind, which he promptly stomped out without hesitation. Inwardly, the hybrid was freaking out.

'This is getting out of hand! First it was Tatenashi, now Charlotte? Why is this happening to me!?'

Silence then pervaded the tiny space, a tense atmosphere soon filled the claustrophobic booth. Both blondes were frozen for who knows how long, each occupied with presumably their own thoughts. Then Elliot heard Charlotte gave a frustrated groan and the sounds that had stopped now continued, telling him all he needed to know.

'This is bad, very bad… Even when I lived with Tatenashi, nothing this outrageous ever happened….Wait, there's the lingerie shop so I guess not much difference between this and that.'

Elliot stood rock still, trying hard not to give into the base temptation of sneaking a peek at Charlotte. While he was being careful not to let his urges guide him, being this close to a girl changing clothes was proving to be very taxing to his own restraints. He tried distracting himself by recalling what he recently read, trying to recall from memory what he had learned from his books.

"Ok… I'm done."

Cautiously, Elliot faced Charlotte to find the French blonde had changed into a two-piece orange swimsuit. Her top was cut low, giving a generous view of her cleavage that he could tell were rather pert and full. The bottom came with a little skirt that seemed to partially obscure her shapely butt, with diagonal black stripes that seemed to give a tiger motif to the whole ensemble. It gave off the feeling of risqué sexuality that set off her sweet and innocent aura, making Charlotte look incredibly tantalizing.

Seeing the normally sweet girl looking so sexy and naughty, Elliot had to avert his eyes as he started feeling hot under the collar. While he could appreciate Charlotte's beauty, it was giving rise to certain emotions, ones that he had felt around Tatenashi. He already had one problem to deal with and he didn't want to add another to the pile.

"Elliot, is there something wrong... You don't like this, isn't it?"

Hearing the girl sounded like a kicked puppy, he decided it was better clear up this misunderstanding before it soured their friendship. Whipping his head back to her, he kept his gaze firmly focused on her face and avoiding looking anywhere else.

"No, it's good! It looks good on you, really!"

His reassurance worked, as Charlotte perked up slightly.

"Really? Then I'll get this then."

The French blonde started disrobing herself to change back to her clothes while Elliot turned away from her. As she was busy with changing, the sound of several heels clicking on the floor alerted Elliot to the presence of oncoming people. Then a familiar voice made Elliot's blood froze like ice.

"Hang on, was that...?"

It was Chifuyu outside the booth. Adrenaline flowed through the boy's veins and suddenly time seemed to slow down. He quickly weighed his options.

'I can't use the Artemis' Shroud in here since that'll require partial deployment. There's nowhere to hide in here and explaining myself is out the window. What should I do?'

The clatter of heels sounded even louder as he knew Chifuyu was closing in. Charlotte was watching him with wide eyes, the fear shone through the violet pools that were directed at him. Desperate for any kind of solutions, he turned towards a source of help that was always closest to him.

"Hecate, I'm in a bit of a pickle right now and I would appreciate your help. Can you make me disappear from sight without needing to partially deploy your frame?'

'Such a matter is but a mere trifle. I shall cloak you from sight as you wished. Activating 'Artemis' Shroud.'

'Wait, what!?'

A sudden feeling of tingling skated across his skin like sand gliding over it, making Elliot shudder. He saw Charlotte's eyes went wide as she shrank away from him, looking genuinely fearful.

"Elliot!?"

Seeing the girl panicked over him, Elliot raised an eyebrow in question. In response, Charlotte pointed towards him. Curious, he looked towards the mirror to find out what's wrong with him. The reflection in the mirror told him enough what caused the girl to panic.

His whole figure shimmered, slowly turning translucent. What was beige skin was slowly turning alabaster white, his figure gradually fading away before he disappeared entirely into thin air.

Quickly formulating a plan, Elliot turned towards Charlotte who was still fixed on the spot, looking at where he was with unconcealed anxiety. He hissed out his plan towards her.

"Charlotte, get your phone out! No time to explain!"

"O-Oh! OK!"

The girl clumsily fished her phone from her bag, gasping in anxiety as she did so. Just as she had the phone out and was deliberating what to do with it, the curtain was drawn back and Chifuyu loomed in front of them.

Charlotte jerked in surprise, not expecting the stoic teacher to appear along with a store attendant and Maya. The woman had a look of surprise on her flawless face as her eyes landed squarely on Charlotte.

"Dunois? What're you doing here? I thought I heard Elliot's voice here."

Charlotte seemed to fumbled for a reply. Seeing this, Elliot silently laid a hand on her shoulder and whispered to her ear. The girl jerked slightly at the contact but did nothing more.

"Don't worry. Do as I say. Tell her you received a call from me."

Charlotte nodded imperceptibly, then lifted her head to face Chifuyu while grasping her phone, in clear sight of the teacher.

"Oh, it's just that Elliot suddenly called when I'm changing and I guess our conversation got a bit… heated. It's nothing really, Orimura-sensei."

The teacher quirked an eyebrow at her, her face unreadable. Elliot couldn't tell if she believed her or suspected something was afoot. Since she hadn't yet said anything, he assumed all was alright.

"Really? What seems to have my dear brother so flustered that his voice can be heard clearly through the phone from a fair distance away?"

Elliot whispered again to Charlotte, making sure to kept his lips closer to her ear to ensure Chifuyu didn't hear anything.

"Think of something believable. Nothing too specific."

"Uh, uh… Well, he was looking for me to discuss about something but he was disappointed that I am currently not on Academy grounds. In response, he vented his frustrations by making his displeasure known rather vocally."

Chifuyu snorted, clearly holding back some mirth at her description of Elliot's behaviour.

"That sounds exactly like him. Anyway, don't let me disturb you from what you're currently doing Dunois."

The curtain fell back, shielding them both from sight. The clatter of heels moved towards the left, getting faint as time passed by. Both Elliot and Charlotte dared not to utter a single word, fearful that Chifuyu may overheard it and rushed back at them.

Half a minute passed, then a minute. Once several minutes had passed without any sound coming from outside the booth did only both teens let out a relieved sigh. Charlotte looked around, suddenly finding the pressure on her shoulder had dissipated.

Unsure if the blonde boy had somehow gotten out, Charlotte tentatively whispered out, calling out to the empty space.

"Elliot?"

"I'm still here."

Throwing a quick thanks to Hecate, he flashed back into view. Unlike when he disappeared, the process to return back to sight was near instantaneous. Charlotte jerked back in surprise, hitting her back against the wall with a dull thud.

Looking into the mirror, Elliot confirmed he had returned back to normal. The whole adrenaline filled situation was jarring and disconcerting, what with him suddenly able to turn invisible without needing Hecate partially deployed.

"Huh- what? What was that, Elliot?"

Realizing he wasn't alone and he had triggered a new ability in Charlotte's presence, Elliot knew he had to lie in order to preserve his secret. Acting quickly, he buried the pang of guilt from his decision whilst he quickly fabricated a cover story.

"Just an ability of my IS. Do you remember the morning when you revealed your identity to the class and Rin got mad with Ichika?"

"Of course. Laura saved Ichika and you suddenly appeared behind Rin. Was this something to do with that?"

"Yes. Though I guess now I can use this ability without even having my IS deployed at all. Quite a handy ability, I'd say."

Charlotte looked amazed at his explanation, looking very impressed by his partner's ability.

"Incredible, to know that an IS have that kind of ability and the fact you can use it without deploying your IS. Your machine must've been a very unique IS."

"It is. It's quite the beautiful and capable machine. I don't know what I would do without it."

A bout of joy suddenly flooded his mind, its unannounced arrival made him felt light headed. Then Hecate's presence filled his mind, a hint of gratitude and joy tinged her ethereal voice.

'Your words do me great honor, Pilot. I am simply performing my duty to protect and sustain you as my master.'

Reeling from the odd sensation, Elliot schooled his features as he replied back, feeling a bit surprised at the deferential response from his partner.

'Well without you, I am nothing but a dead body. I owe you too much already Hecate.'

Hecate's presence suddenly disappeared from his mind inexplicably before flitting back. A sense of slight euphoria flowed through him, making him felt buoyant and uplifted. Elliot was caught off guard by the inexplicable sensations but he didn't dislike the emotional baptism by Hecate.

'You are as generous with your praises as you are with your magnanimity to those closest to you. I felt greatly rejuvenated by your compliments Pilot. I shall endeavor to do my utmost best to ensure that both of us would continue to thrive. Of which I have good news that I would like to disclose to you in solitude.'

That cryptic statement aroused Elliot's curiosity. In the last few days the AI had been unusually quiet, like the time when it was forming Perry and a new list of abilities. Elliot guessed that another quiet spell might meant another fundamental upgrade had been in the works. The news made the hybrid a bit excited to learn what his partner had came up with.

But now, he also found about something new about their bond. Elliot wished to question Hecate further but it would have to wait, preferably while they also dealt with the upgrades she was going to show to him.

"Elliot? Are you alright?"

"Hm…? What?"

"You've been spacing out for a moment. Is there something wrong?"

Shaking his head to clear his mind, Elliot focused back on Charlotte who had finished changing back to her clothes. She held her swimsuit in her hand, clearly waiting for him.

"I'm alright. Come on, let's get our swimsuits and then let's get out of here."

"Yes. Although, how are we going to get out without anyone finding out about us?"

Elliot knew that was the problem before they got stuck in the booth together. Fortunately, the recent debut of a new ability accessible to him opened a solution that would solve their problems handily. A quick plan came to his mind as he explained it to Charlotte.

"Don't worry. You get out first then I will follow closely behind you. You will go to the other booth and open the curtain, looking as if you're searching for something and allowing me in. I will be cloaked during the whole time, only uncloaking and exiting the other booth so that I look like I came out from there."

Charlotte's eyes lit up, looking rather surprised and relieved at the idea he came up with.

"That's a good idea! Alright, I'll do it."

Charlotte peeked out from the curtain, making sure no one was around. When it was clear, she opened the curtain, throwing it wide apart.

Elliot followed behind, cloaked as he did so. He stayed behind Charlotte as she went to the second booth and threw open the curtain. He stepped in and Charlotte pulled the curtain back, the sound of her shoes reverberated off the marble floor as she disappeared.

Sure that he was alone, he decloaked and exited the booth, making sure no women saw him did so. It didn't took him long before he re-joined Charlotte.

The two teens quickly settled their business in the store with Charlotte buying the swimsuit while Elliot waited for her. As they exited the store, Elliot huffed in exhaustion from the day's events.

"Let's head back. I've had enough for a morning out."

"Mon dieu... that was quite the scare just now. I think I need to have some time for myself after this."

With the afternoon sun peeking through the sprawling metropolis, the two blondes made their way to the train station, catching the next train back to Academy Island. Both agreed that they'll never spoke of this harrowing incident again.

At the same time as the above events happened, inside the swimsuit shop that Elliot and Charlotte visited…

Laura scanned her surroundings with a critical eye, a habit courtesy of her military training. Her mind worked to figure out routes of escape, defensible locations, weapons of opportunity to utilize wherever she went. It was an instinct ingrained into her since her childhood, something that was done automatically like breathing. But this time she wasn't focused on the defensibility of the shop but something more mundane.

"Huh, so these are swimsuits. I had no idea that so many different types existed."

Laura gazed upon rows of rows of swimsuits, clearly curious and befuddled by the dizzying variety of female swimwear. To her, she couldn't understood the need of having so many different styles of swimsuits and in so many different colors. It was both pointless and wasteful to not have a standardized pattern to reduce wastage and ensure uniformity.

A snippet of conversation between two women came from across her, clear enough for her to pick up on. The two women were holding different pairs of swimsuits, making comparisons and discussing with each other.

"It's so hard to choose, isn't it?"

"Yeah, if you wear one that doesn't suit you exactly, a man would turn on you like bad."

"And even if everything's perfect, if your swimsuit's bad then that's the kiss of death for sure."

Laura was both intrigued and confused by the conversation. Judging by the serious tone they used, she figured the topic of the conversation was something of paramount importance. Her mind spurred to life as she tried to figure out what made it so important but failed.

Without knowing the answer to her question, the soldier decided to sought out an expert's advice. Ordinarily she would've sought out her kamerad in hopes he could explain things to her. But since he wasn't here and she had lost sight of him, she decided on the next best thing. She whipped out her phone and dialled a number.

Elsewhere in Germany, in an unknown base situated deep underground. Its personnel consisted of young women in black uniform like clothing with a black eyepatch on their left eyes, going about conducting various administrative tasks vital for the function of the base.

One of their number who had a short blue haired in a bob cut, a beret and the same clothing as the rest of them stared out at the masses of computers, her lone eye kept an even gaze at her comrades working away at the terminal. Her phone in her jacket pocket suddenly rang in a rapid tone.

Picking up the call, her eyebrow shot up her forehead as she registered the name of the caller. Without hesitation, she answered the call.

"Hallo?"

"Clarissa, it's me. I require assistance on some intel I've acquired."

"First lieutenant Bodewig, it is good to hear from you again. Do you encounter any problems on your mission?"

"Ja, I have acquired certain information that I need help with understanding. What do you know about selecting swimsuits?"

The voice echoed within the large steel-clad interior, from the PA system as the call was put on speakerphone. After which it had finished a stunned silence settled over the room. Nothing save for the occasional sounds of computers beeping in the background can be heard as the occupants within the room were silent.

Then a multitude of girlish squeals and shrieks filled the room. The blue haired girl named Clarissa clamped a hand over one ear, her other ear still glued to the phone in her hand as she strained to listen clearly to her superior.

"Does this have anything to do with your objective, kommandant?"

"It isn't but if there's anything you knew about the normal society, it is you and my kamerad."

A frown of confusion marred the officer's face as she comprehended her superior's words. A wave of hushed comments and murmurs were passed around the staff within the room as they beheld this new information.

"Who is this kamerad you're referring to, Leutnant Bodewig?"

"He's Instructor Orimura's adopted brother, Elliot Orimura. He's the one that's been teaching me in becoming my own person."

Clarissa was now surprised. Her CO was involving herself with the target of one of her objectives, of which little was known about him except that he was a prodigious pilot under Instructor Orimura. She had heard about her commander's mission to the ISA, along with certain rumours that had sprung up from her infrequent correspondence.

To know that the cold lieutenant had not only gotten close enough to trust the mysterious boy as to call him comrade but also inquire about finding swimsuits, that could only meant one thing: the commander had grown feelings for her own target. Clarissa's own otaku nature fangirled, as the discovery felt like something that came out of one of her 'recreational reading materials.' Her expression turned serious as she straightened her back, her mind went into mission mode.

"Roger. The Schwarzer Hase corp stands ready to assist you, kommandant. Now lieutenant Bodewig, tell me more about this 'intel' you've received. I doubt that is the full extent of the intel."

"Jawohl. Since the Summer Seaside school trip is coming up soon, everyone in the Academy is busy preparing for the trip. I've overheard about selecting swimsuit from a couple of civilians and I thought this information is vital, hence our present call."

She knew where this was going. But she had to explain it to her oblivious superior so she could understood.

"Since it's a seaside trip, it is safe to assume that it's a beach trip. There must be a lot of girls dressed in beautiful swimsuit in order to attract their own man. Tell me Bodewig, what kind of swimsuit do you currently have?"

"Just the one the school has issued."

Clarissa's face tightened with outrage. Her grip on the phone increased considerably as she realized what her superior told her.

Laura winced as her subordinate's voice boomed through her phone, nearly deafening her with an outraged shout. Clarissa's voice came clearly through her phone as she looked unsurely at the device in her hand, still listening in on the conversation

"Are you an idiot!? The IS Academy uses an old-style swimsuit, don't they? I mean, it's not bad per se, but..."

"But…?"

"But that won't bring out your sex appeal! That would not allow you to complete your mission!"

Laura now was confused by Clarissa's declaration. She knew what her current mission was but she didn't knew why she would brought it up. Was there something important that she was missing?

Moreover, what was this thing about 'sex appeal'? Was it how one looked in a military uniform? Laura doesn't think she had any problems with her looks but she would listen to Clarissa. Her trusty subordinate had yet to fail her until now.

"Then, what do you recommend in order for me to succeed in my mission?"

"I have a plan. Listen carefully."

And as Laura listened to her right-hand woman explaining her idea, she felt a bit of confusion. Why did Clarissa obsessed so much over swimsuits? The way she went about it made it seemed it was a mission critical item but Laura couldn't understood just why it was so. The mission was simple, find information about the Schwarzer Geist and gather information about her kamerad. Nothing about what she had encountered had yet been this complex as Clarissa's plan.

Perhaps this was another thing about normal society that she doesn't understand. It seems like she may have to sought out her kamerad's help again.

Chapter Text

Chapter 18: Preparing for combat

The peaceful tranquility of a Sunday morning in the Academy was shattered by incessant gunfire thundering from one of the two open air arenas, occasionally ceasing before picking up again.

The Chimera in his hands barked menacingly as 20 rounds went downrange in less than 2 seconds, the rifle clicked audibly as it locked open on the last round.

The empty drum fell out from the gun, joining the sea of spent casings both large and small as Elliot produced another magazine and slammed it into Chimera. The hybrid executed all the motions with fluid rapidity without taking his eyes off his targets nor unshouldered his rifle, the bolt clicked home upon racking the charging handle.

Another 50 rounds flew through the air, brutalizing a large group of holographic targets as the rounds pierced them or flattened by the resulting explosions. Before the blink of an eye, all targets went down and his score was displayed on a holographic window.

Elliot examined his score, paying close attention to his par time as he replayed the recording of his training session. His brows furrowed in dissatisfaction as he examined his time.

'Still can't shave that 2 seconds down without affecting my accuracy. This isn't a good time to brush up on the basics but I don't have enough time to practice advanced maneuvers.'

The fatigue weighing him down was enough of an incentive for Elliot to stop his training for now. He swiped away the targets while Hecate dematerialized all the while he moved towards the shade under the launch bay and sat down, letting his mind wander back to recent events.

Knowing that he may potentially face many opponents in the arena during the upcoming trials, he opted to train with the automatic rifle since it provided the most amount of fire to cover him during frantic fights. The whole week had passed with him honing his weapon handling skills, practicing shooting while in high-speed motion, quickdraws, firing from the hip and one-handed shooting. It was a hectic week and his skill had improved significantly from the constant practice. Elliot felt he might have a chance to win this.

Having been briefed about the tryout match a week before, his prior concerns were warranted. The IPF tested its prospective candidates via trial by combat. In true Mondo Grosso fashion, the candidate was to fight through several rounds against current members, with each successive round harder than the last. The same goes with its auxiliary branch, albeit much less strenuous in light of its member makeup.

Since the IPF was tasked to protect the ISA, it was ran more akin to a paramilitary organization. Thus, the tryout rounds were done under realistic conditions. Fighting against multiple opponents, entering into the next round without rest in between. Sudden, unexpected events that were stacked against the prospective candidate. All of these was to test any potential candidate to the limit, to ensure that they were more than up to the task of protecting the Academy and its students.

With how pivotal a role the Academy served in international politics, good enough was certainly not enough. A single student being hurt was enough to cause a political storm that would jeopardize the delicate balance of power in the world. While their numbers were small due to the strict selection process, the IPF was a place where one could say all of its members were ace pilots.

In his case, since he was neither an ex representative nor of legal age, he would be tried under the Auxiliary category. It consisted of Mondo Grosso styled matches against its own members in mass produced IS. Though with him being the first prospect with a Personal IS, he was told that his trial was going to be drastically different.

Despite knowing beforehand that he would be going against mass produced ISs, Elliot couldn't shook off the feeling that he's the underdog in the matches. The reason was pretty obvious.

A low shield count of 280, low magazine capacity ballistic firearms, energy claws for melee weapons and a shield. Against mass produced ISs with shield counts triple his own, swords and automatic firearms with generous mag capacity. This was all on top of fighting against multiple opponents at the same time.

To say the odds were stacked against him was a massive understatement. Hecate was more geared towards single combat and survival at its current stage. If it wasn't for the rules being based on Mondo Grosso, he would've continued fighting on even with his shields depleted. As long as he could somehow use the nanite solution mid match, he could outlast his opponents through sheer attrition. Alas this wasn't the case, which was why he was concerned.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Chifuyu had sought him out in private and forbid him from using Titan's Rage or any other unique abilities during the match. Citing the need to prevent drawing any further suspicion on him, his sister had limit him to his weapons.

With that, his own advantages shrunk and the odds were inching closer to dangerous territory. This was why he had been practicing diligently with his weapons over the past week. Deprived of the use of Hecate's abilities, he was forced to rely on his weapons and the other ways to use them. Only after diligent training did he begin to realize just how much he could improve with his weapons. At this point, he could reload his weapons with his eyes closed and shoot at whatever target he wanted from the hip regardless of the distance.

In addition, he had come up with several novel ways to use his weapons through some brainstorming. Though he had yet had the opportunity to test his new tactics in real battle, he believed it showed promise during some of his early preliminary tests.

'With only my guns and my claws to rely on, I had to get quite creative to win. But what else can I do to even the odds a little?'

'Perhaps I may be able to provide assistance here, Pilot. The matter which you had requested 3 weeks ago had borne fruit, of which I am glad to share the results of my research with you.'

Elliot was surprised. Then as he realized what his partner reminded him of, he facepalmed at his own obliviousness. He remembered asking for Hecate's help on researching the nanites from the VT system and in his current busy schedule he had forgotten about it.

'Why didn't you remind me of this? I could've made time for you.'

'You have been preoccupied by recent events that demanded much of your attention, which was why I had refrained from bringing up such matters. Though if I had realized that you cared so deeply about such matters, I would have deigned to notify you regardless.'

Standing up, he dusted his pants and returned back to the center of the arena.

'Well, now show me what you had been working on.'

'Is the surrounding area devoid of other people, Pilot?'

Elliot swept his gaze around the arena. Scanning the stands and the control room, he was somewhat sure there wouldn't be anyone looking too hard at him.

'I think so. Let's keep this short just in case.'

'Let us begin. To start with, I had completed my study of the essence from the Schwarzer Regen. Fate has been kind to bestow upon us quite the boon from such a perilous event. The essence possessed the ability to reform matter by rapidly breaking down matter and reconstructing them. You had seen its miraculous properties during that particular event that gifted us this boon.'

Elliot's mind was brought back to that awful day. Through Perry's live feed that day, he saw that Laura's IS had morphed into a knock-off copy of Chifuyu. The mistake he made that day was that he had severely underestimated the VT system. If not for Tatenashi's timely arrival, he would've been decapitated and he severely doubt that Hecate could heal that kind of injury.

This time, he wasn't going to make that mistake again. If Chifuyu said to hold nothing back in his skill, he would do so without hesitation. It was one of the first lessons the woman had drilled into him when he began learning under her and his momentary disregard for it had almost cost him everything.

'Pilot, are you alright?'

'I'm fine, just suddenly remembered about that particular incident. Moving on. What did you said about the nanites you got from Laura's IS?'

'The essence have the ability to reform materials. Hence, I had begun forming said essence a few weeks prior. Now I had amassed quite a healthy quantity and now is the right time to test such an upgrade. Summon forth my form, Pilot.'

Elliot did so, and the open form of Hecate encased his body like an old lover. Elliot waited, listening on to his partner explaining the new upgrade.

'With the ability of reforming materials, I had christened this as Hecate's Boon. You now possessed the ability to transform objects into different forms, the form of which dictated by your own wishes.'

'To begin, allow me to explain how such an ability works. A concentrated package containing the transformative essence would be delivered in an explosive manner, coating any object it came in contact with. A sufficient amount of it encasing said object would allow me to complete the transformation based on the form you have dictated within your mind. Now allow me to reveal the other part of said ability.'

A notification of a new weapon popped up in his view. Elliot scrolled through his list of weapons and found what he believed was said weapon, furrowing his brow in confusion.

'Um, Hecate. What am I looking at? Is this a flare gun?'

'It is a grenade launcher, a single shot grenade launcher that I've christened as Circe. This would be the vehicle of delivery in the form of grenades. A live test would demonstrate its full capabilities to you clearly. Shall we, pilot?'

Elliot was skeptical but nevertheless trusted his partner. He selected the weapon, materializing it in his hands. With the launcher in his hands, he could more clearly see it was what Hecate had said.

The weapon looked like a lengthened flare gun but the size of the bore betrayed its true purpose. Elliot weighed the weapon in his hand, finding it to be well balanced for one handed shooting. He was keen on trying it out but after looking around the arena he realized he ran into his first problem.

The arena was devoid of anything save for dirt on the ground. Without anything to transform this ability was near useless to him. Elliot wracked his mind for any solutions, almost giving into the temptation of calling off the test to resume at another time.

An idea went off in his head as he recalled the explosive experiments he did a few weeks ago. Materializing a shell for Ultima, he set it down a fair distance away from where he currently stood.

Aiming the launcher at the lone shell, Elliot fired. His arm barely jerked from the weapon's soft push as a muted ringing echoed in the empty arena. The grenade flew with an arcing trajectory, striking the shell and splattered a black mass against the lone target.

'Again pilot, unleash another payload at your target. You must ensure your target of choice is sufficiently encased in order for change to take place. I had taken the liberty of creating a new overlay that would display any affected object that is ready for transformation. Keep firing until the overlay appeared over the target.'

Elliot reloaded and fired again, a second grenade released its payload and covered the shell in its entirety. True to Hecate's words, a small green window appeared over the shell, like thin brackets framing the object in question.

'Now what? The shell's fully covered in those nanites.'

'Now, conjure an image of the object you desire in your mind. Begin with a simple construct.'

Elliot recalled the Yukihira that Ichika had with as much detail as he could. Before his very eyes, the coated shell shifted and pulsed, morphing itself from the wide cartridge into something thin, almost resembling a sword.

Once the shape was finalized, the black mass that covered the shell dissipated into thin air. An exact replica of Chifuyu's sword appeared in place of the shell, lying where Elliot had placed the shell.

Elliot picked up the sword, examining it with a close attention to detail. What was an explosive munition was transformed into his sister's signature weapon, very accurately too if he would say so. All the details from memory had been recreated just like it was made in the same factory, though Elliot knew that this imitation didn't have the One-off ability like the real deal.

Seeing the ability in action first hand, Elliot was further awed by Hecate's work as much as he was by her capabilities. Witnessing just how the ability worked, his mind went into overdrive coming up with possible uses for it.

Such a versatile ability had many potential applications, from acquiring weapons when he had been disarmed, to setting traps to surprise opponents. He could see just how useful such an ability was and he wanted to find out the limits of said ability.

Stabbing the blade into the dirt, he retreated to a safe distance away. He fired another barrage of grenades until the sword was sufficiently covered and he conjured the image of the shell he just used.

The covered blade morphed, turning back into the shell he had used for the experiment. Curious as to how well it worked, Elliot materialized Cerberus and fired at the cartridge. The lone round detonated with ear-splitting violence, kicking up fine dust that clouded his vision.

'That's one aspect of this ability I've discovered. I wonder what would've happened if one of these grenades struck an IS.'

Elliot regarded the small crater that the shell explosion had left behind. The sword that had been morphed back into the shell exploded upon being struck by gunfire, similar to the results of the experiment he conducted a few weeks ago. He was confounded at how such an ability worked but decided that it was something he couldn't figure out.

Excited by the prospect of this ability, a smirk found its way onto Elliot's face. He had several ideas on what to do next.

'Well, time to experiment. Let's see how much I can do with Hecate's Boon.'

For the next hour, Elliot experimented with his new IS ability. A quick trip to the maintenance bays and the waste disposal areas had yielded him with garbage of various sizes and types of material. Elliot tried turning a piece of discarded IS plating into a 30mm shell, which he found out that they functioned just like his own shells.

He then attempted to transform the smaller pieces like cans and bottles into explosive charges, but he found out that his ability only worked if there was enough material to work with. Though once formed, the munitions worked just as well as its manufactured counterparts.

On and on the tests continued, quickly consuming his pile of junk. Most of the garbage disappeared into munitions which he expended or transformed into various miscellaneous items he could thought of. By now Elliot had a good grasp on the limits on Hecate's Boon.

'So, I can form ammo for my guns and create traps on the fly, not to mention weapons like swords or melee weapons. This ability would be very useful. I wonder what would happen if I fire this at an IS. As much as I would like to test this, I don't want Chifuyu to kill me for potentially wrecking a school IS.'

Elliot stowed his new weapon and looked to his collected junk. The pile had very little usable pieces left, only consisting of small wrappers and discarded packaging that contained very little material for him to work with.

Gathering up the loose pile, he exited the arena and disposed of it in the nearby trashcan. His mind was positively spinning with endless possibilities on the ability as he returned to the arena. With his capabilities of using his IS abilities without requiring the frame to be on him including this one, he could shape any battleground to his advantage. Materializing weapons and traps, putting up barriers and removing them, the list was endless in what he could do with it.

The only two problems he saw was that he needed to fire multiple grenades at large objects, which was quite a feat to attempt with a single shot launcher. In combat, Elliot doubted he would be able to attempt firing more than one round before his attempt became too dangerous to continue. A multi shot launcher or a larger payload in each grenade would easily solve this problem.

The other problem was the requirement of suitable objects to work with. During his little experiments, Elliot discovered that much to his chagrin that earth and soil can't be turned for whatever reason. In an arena, this meant that he would have to use his own ammo or discarded ammunition casings as raw material to utilize this ability. But thankfully such a problem disappeared when he stepped out of a competitive environment. Elliot sat on the sand, mulling over this new piece of development to Hecate.

'This would be very useful in a situation when I can't resupply my ammo. Now I wonder if this function could produce more of the same nanites that are responsible for keeping me alive and fixing Hecate.'

Cracking his neck, he got rid of a knot in his neck as he decided that he would kept this ability under wraps. Just the implication of this ability's effects could draw a lot of unwanted attention.

"Elliot?"

Jolted out of his musings, Elliot instinctively homed in on Charlotte's voice. To his surprise he found the French blonde was standing at the mouth of one of the launch bay dressed in her pilot suit. He waved at her as she jumped down and jogged towards him.

"Charlotte, what're you doing here? I thought you be out of the academy."

"I planned to have some practice in my IS. I thought that since today is Sunday, I could get an empty arena to practice in."

Elliot stretched out the kinks in his body, feeling quite lethargic from the non-stop training.

"I guess great minds do think alike. I've been here since the arena's open practicing with my guns."

"I have an idea. How about a match between the two of us?"

The offer sounded like a very good idea at the present moment. Perhaps this would be a good time for him to test out the new tactics he devised in a combat setting. With Charlotte's IS more in line with mass produced ISs than a personal one, it would serve as a good barometer on how he would fare in the upcoming match.

"Alright then, since you asked. Let's spar Charlotte."

Charlotte's face lit up with anticipation, clearly stoked by the idea.

"Ok then! Let's spar!"

Watching Charlotte moving towards the other end of the arena, Elliot sent a quick command towards Perry.

'Perry, I need you here. Get to the arena and get ready for work.'

'At once, Master.'

Hecate's form wrapped around him once more, with the feeling of excitement that came with such an action. The excitement on the eve of battle rushed through him drove away the post-training lethargy as he squared against Charlotte in her Revive, his gold orbs locked with her purple irises as they sized each other up.

"I must admit, I've been waiting for a chance to spar with you Elliot. I wanted to know what made you such a capable pilot."

Elliot gave a coy smirk, though it was obstructed by his mask so Charlotte couldn't see it.

"Only one way to find out, oui?"

"Let's go, Revive!"

Before Charlotte could get the first shot off, Elliot gunned towards her with the Ignition Boost. The Chimera spat out hot steel as numerous explosions detonated around her, forcing the French girl to raise her shield and unable to return fire.

The distance between them soon shrunk to about 20 feet. Just as when Chimera clicked dry, Charlotte disengaged her shield as her pair of shotguns came up to meet him.

A hellish roar erupted within the arena and the next moment Charlotte was flung back like a ragdoll. The Revive Custom II arced through the air as the French pilot struggled to wrestle back control. She was successful as she flipped around mid-air, her momentum bleeding off to a stop as she skidded on the ground.

Charlotte gasped, looking confused at the speed by which Elliot fought. Her eyes were dilated wide with shock as she gasped for air.

"W-What was that!?"

"A little tactic I came up today. The recording of your match against Laura gave me that idea, except with a little change I've made."

Charlotte would admit that was an ingenious tactic. A stream of fire that composed of explosive bullets then followed by a devastating close-range blast from three large caliber shells wouldn't be something that most people expected. It was reckless and situational but it was very unorthodox, a hallmark of Elliot's character that she had came to find out.

The Revive pilot quickly changed tactics, swapping out the shotguns for her Vent assault rifles. Charlotte eschewed precision for saturation as she unloaded at Elliot, keeping her fire as constant as possible on the black IS.

The sudden oncoming fire forced Elliot to materialize Veritas, blocking the rounds that headed his way. The barrage became more precise as seconds ticked by, discouraging him from returning fire.

Hecate hummed to life as Elliot executed another Ignition Boost, capitalizing on the speed boost to get out the cone of fire and gain some breathing room for himself.

Out of the line of fire, Chimera reappeared back into his hands as he slammed a fresh drum into it. His mind rapidly worked out an angle of attack on Charlotte who hurriedly shifted her fire back at him.

'Perry, mark for high angle fire! I want rounds on Charlotte's back and above her!'

'Targets marked, Master.'

Ensconced safely behind the bulky shield as he strafed side to side in an attempt to escape the storm of steel, Elliot angled Chimera upwards until the markers in his sight turned green. Then he held down the trigger, not letting go until the rifle clicked dry.

The rounds arced like mortar shells, raining down from above as they detonated on target, explosions ringing out behind and around Charlotte. The ear-ringing detonations around her overloaded her senses, exacerbated by her IS hypersensor which made her accuracy dropped off drastically.

The punishing hail of fire petered off, allowing Elliot to retaliate. Ultima rested in his hands as he sighted in and let loose a series of rounds on Charlotte. The action of the rifle dropped open and snapped close at record speed as he fired and reloaded as quick as he could. As he fired, he quickly rushed towards the stricken girl. He dematerialized Ultima, which gave Charlotte the time to recover and fight back.

Only to find an empty arena greeting her. The ringing in her ear soon ceased and deafening silence fell over the previously chaotic battleground. Charlotte knew this wasn't a good thing as she routed more energy towards the hypersensors, hoping to detect the now cloaked Elliot.

Elliot was currently hovering a few feet above ground, trying to avoid the turbulence generated by Hecate's propulsion from kicking up dust from the ground. With Charlotte searching for him, everything went almost just like how he planned and predicted.

'Those new tactics are working like a charm. Only thing I could say would be a problem is that I can't predict how an unknown opponent would react when I'm employing these tactics.'

With half of the theorized ranged and assault tactics tested and found promising, Elliot decided to test out the more stealth and shock-based tactics. It was about time he ended the spar.

'Perry, mark several spots for me. Target her guns and the area around her.'

'Targets marked. Ready for your fire, Master.'

The Chimera quantized into his hands and another magazine of ammo soon disappeared downrange towards Charlotte. The sound of explosions masked his approach as he got closer to Charlotte, landing just about 15 feet away from her.

When the gunfire stopped, Charlotte quickly sprang into action only to realized her rifles were damaged. The destroyed weapons disappeared back into storage to be replaced by Garm submachine guns. The girl now fired blindly around her, her Garms spraying around her in a whirlwind of steel. Streams of hot steel poured out of her submachine guns as she emptied mag after mag in search of him.

Elliot levitated off the ground, well above the line of Charlotte's fire. He waited patiently, like a predator biding his time as he waited for her to stop firing while he reloaded his weapons.

Charlotte's weapons soon ran dry, giving pause to the unending gunfire. The French girl reloaded her guns and peered at the arena, looking to pick up any signs of his presence. A deafening silence went over the place as both sides waited, a game of hunter and hunted was well underway between the two blondes.

The hybrid let the silence sank in. As time passed, Charlotte looked increasingly tense by the wait, her nervousness written on her face as sweat trickled down her forehead while her gaze swiveled throughout the large expanse.

For Elliot, he was as calm as still water as he let his opponent stew in suspense. As he learned from books and from Chifuyu's instruction, a nervous and tired opponent was someone that'll made mistakes. And mistakes by his opponents were nothing more than opportunities for him to learn or to strike.

That opportunity came as Charlotte's gaze roamed over his spot to search her flank. Hecate's thrusters rocketed him forward with an Ignition Boost while he was still cloaked, covering the short distance in a blink of an eye.

At the last moment, he unsheathed the Nemean Claws with a loud yell and dropped the cloak. It was too late for Charlotte to respond as Elliot cut loose with a series of wide slashes, carving away a large chunk of shield points from her.

His left arm darted across his body with a slash, then he cocked his right arm and slammed upwards into Charlotte's torso. The angle of the blow combined with his strength sent the French girl soaring into the air.

Elliot then immediately followed up with Cerberus' Bite, angling the triple barreled shotgun by his hip. The signature report echoed in the arena and struck against the airborne IS with violence, further adding to the speed in which the unfortunate blonde took to the skies with.

The Orange Revive soared through the air uncontrollably, with the Hecate following closely behind. Charlotte quickly righted herself and answered back with her Garms, sending accurate streams of fire at him that forced him to raise his shield in defense.

Elliot angled his body as he approached, resting Chimera against the side of his shield. He adjusted his aim until the marker above Charlotte turned green and then opened fire.

The rounds arced wide and straight towards the Charlotte, and the poor girl found herself again the recipient of the numerous explosions that assaulted her IS. The relentless assault seemed unending as she saw her shields dwindled without even being able to offer much resistance.

Hecate thrummed with power as its pilot rushed in towards Charlotte. His arm shot out and grabbed Charlotte by her arm, locking them both together as he spun around and tossed her unceremoniously downwards into the arena.

The Revive streaked towards the arena at breakneck speed, slamming into the ground and kicking up a large cloud of dust. He watched, waiting for the dust to settle when a bright idea came into his head.

'Time to see how Circe works under combat environments. Let's try something tame first.'

The newly acquired launcher materialized in one hand and Chimera appeared in another hand. The rifle belched flame as Elliot fired at Charlotte, directing his fire to mostly hit around her in order to immobilize the French pilot.

Quickly recovering from her brutal fall, Charlotte raised her shield to block the rain of fire coming down at her. Elliot saw the opportunity and fired a grenade at Charlotte's shield, the grenade sailed through the air and found its mark. The nanite payload splattered against the diamond-shaped shield, coating half of its surface with black mass but no green marker appeared in his vision.

Flipping open the launcher, he rested the launcher on the crook of his outstretched left arm and reloaded. Keeping up his suppressive fire, another round was sent downrange and the process was repeated until he saw the square marker formed over the shield.

Conjuring the image of glass in his head, Elliot hoped that it would work. Focusing his vision on the IS down below, he saw the black mass engulfed the shield plates on the IS, much to the horror of the French pilot. The nanites then dispersed, leaving a collection of clear glass panels on the Revive's arm.

A notification of incoming comm signal from Charlotte appeared in his HUD. Elliot accepted the call and almost having his ears deafened by Charlotte's shocked exclamation.

"Elliot! My arm shield just suddenly turned to glass! What did you do!?"

Reeling from the ear deafening volume, Elliot took a moment to recompose himself as he came up with a cover story.

"That must be the effect of the new weapon that I'm currently testing. Apparently it has the ability of removing armor by making it brittle."

Not totally true, but Elliot was sticking as close to the truth as he could. Just some details were twisted a little bit to construct the believable lie.

After all, the most convincing lie was one that's steeped in some truths. Elliot wasn't very comfortable lying to people close to him but this situation forced him do so in order to protect something far greater than them.

"Mon dieu, I've never seen a weapon that can do something like this. Whoever came up with such a weapon is a mad genius."

Elliot didn't know what to say to her remark. If she knew what Circe can really do, would her opinion of him changed to something worse? He settled for a neutral reply, one that betrayed none of his anxiety.

"I guess."

Elliot descended down onto the arena, seeing that Charlotte was closely examined the now transparent armor plates. Her finger clinked faintly against the glass, a look of befuddlement and wonder on her face.

"At least this is just turning it into glass. Looks like I'll need to have this replaced."

Hearing Charlotte's tired remark, Elliot suddenly realized a danger from Circe that he didn't foresaw. Now he felt like a total idiot for not figuring out this oversight soon enough.

Feeling very guilty of inadvertently putting Charlotte in danger, Elliot bowed deeply towards her. His voice was laced with remorse and anxiety as he apologized to her.

"I'm very sorry, Charlotte. I shouldn't have tested this weapon on your IS. It was very irresponsible of me for not thinking about all the dangers that could possibly came from…"

A cold, metallic hand ghosted over his cheek, cutting off his sentence as he jolted from the sensation. He lifted his head and found Charlotte's arm hovered just in front of him, the girl looking at him with empathy.

"Elliot, I'm not mad. The fact that you knew about what I don't know and took responsibility for it is proof that you really didn't mean to put me into danger. Please don't beat yourself over a mistake that both of us didn't foresee."

Reluctantly, Elliot raised himself out from his bow. Searching Charlotte's face, he found that she harbored no resentment over him. Her compassionate nature reminded him of Ichika, their kindness felt so different and refreshing from what he was accustomed to.

"Except for that unexpected business, I now knew why you are considered as the strongest 1st year pilot. I didn't do much against you except for shaving off some shield points from you while you pummeled me badly. That was a good match Elliot."

"Yeah, I'm only strong if I didn't totally hold back. After the class representative match against Cecilia, Chifuyu made me fight with a handicap. She didn't want me to inadvertently injure a student severely because I went all out."

At this, Charlotte can't contain her look of shock as she realized what Elliot's usual performance was.

"Y-You mean you usually hold back during class practicals and matches!? If this is just a part of your true ability, I do not want to fight you when you're serious."

Elliot shrugged, seeing nothing he could add to the conversation. Then he realized an opportunity that presented itself that he didn't want to miss.

"Charlotte? I got a favor to ask from you if you don't mind."

"Yes? What is it, Elliot?"

"Once you've replaced the arm shield plates, can you give me the damaged ones? Since I'm the one responsible for turning them into what they are, I'll take care of disposing them."

Charlotte looked confused by his odd request. The girl tilted her head to the side, looking at him curiously.

"Huh? But why do you have to do that Elliot? Won't the people in the maintenance division handle that?"

"I know, but since I did this and caused you to have to replace parts on your IS I might as well have the burden of disposing them. The plates don't seem to be lightweight and I might as well not trouble the girls in maintenance with the mess I've made."

In reality, he saw an opportunity to acquire some material to transform for a later date. Since these morphed plates were of no use for IS repairs, he could acquire such scrap and store them by turning them into other objects that he could store around the school.

A little bit of something for a rainy day. His street orphan instinct urged him to have some spare resources put back in case of an emergency. And with Hecate's newfound ability, it would help him greatly should he ever needed a little advantage when the chips were down.

Charlotte thought for a moment, then she smiled and gave a small nod.

"Alright Elliot. I'll tell them to leave the plates aside for you, though I don't know what you would do to move them."

"I have my own ways. Let's end our match here, since I doubt you're raring to go on after what I did just now."

"Oui. I have to go now, have to get my IS repaired and take a break. See you later, Elliot."

Charlotte waved as she departed, dematerializing her own machine. Elliot answered back with his own wave, watching her disappeared through the exit nearby.

With the fight against Charlotte concluded, Elliot felt like he had all the training he could stomach in a day. Being disinclined to train, Elliot had the whole afternoon off with nothing to do. This presented the opportunity to check on something that he was curious about for a while.

'Probably should check on Tatenashi. Why is she gone so early in the morning when it's Sunday?'

The hybrid exited the arena and returned to his room for a quick shower. While the locker rooms have communal shower facilities, he never liked having anyone see him when he's showering or disrobing for obvious reasons.

After a quick shower, Elliot decided to check around the school for his roommate. As much as he wanted to avoid her, part of him was curious of her daily schedule. And this was also a good opportunity to look for ammunition to tease her with, just in case she decided to get into a mischievous mood with him.

'Where could she be? Probably should try the student council office then work from there.'

For what he noticed, Tatenashi had the penchant of leaving at 6:00 AM in the morning. School usually started at 8:00 AM, by which most students woke up at 7 AM. He could only guess that she was occupied with her own matters on top of Student Council work, which was quite a lot since the girl always clocked early to bed when she returned at night.

But that didn't explain why she would do the same during the weekends. No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't figure out the reason for her acting the same during weekends just as she would during weekdays. Personal habits? Or was it due to council work demanding much of her time? He had thought about this strange habit of hers but couldn't come up with any sensible explanation.

Perhaps a little sleuthing was in order. Hopefully it would reveal the answer to him about his mystifying roommate.

The door to the student council office soon appeared before him. Elliot knocked on the door but got no response. He knocked again, finally getting a faint reply from the room.

"Come in!"

Tatenashi's voice rang clearly from the room, short and devoid of any mischievousness. Though muted by the door, Elliot could discern a hint of fatigue in her voice that made him slightly concerned.

Opening the door, he found himself staring at a huge pile of paperwork stacked on top of the round table. Situated in between the mountains of paperwork was Tatenashi, her posture sagged under visible fatigue that was clearly written on her face.

"Tatenashi, I didn't expect that you'll be cooped up in the office when it's Sunday."

Hearing his voice, Tatenashi wearily lifted her head. When she recognized who was in the room she jerked up from her hunched posture, her eyes widened with surprise.

"Eh, Elliot-kun? Why're you doing here?"

Elliot shrugged, feeling a bit amused at her dramatic reaction.

"Just curious why you wake up so early in the weekends, guess I now know why. You always this busy on the council?"

Tatenashi only sighed tiredly, gesturing her hand towards a tall stack of paperwork flanking her.

"The burden of being student council president of the most prestigious IS training academy in the world. I've been here since the early morning and it looked like the paperwork just wouldn't end."

Elliot felt a pang of sympathy for the girl. That explained why he rarely saw the girl in their room even in the weekends. He approached the table, stopping just beside her.

"Anything I can do to help? At least two people may work better than one in making a dent in that mountain of paper."

"No thanks, I- You know, I could use some help. Here."

The girl grabbed a stack from her left and passed it to him. Elliot received the papers, his arms flexed as he beheld the huge pile of papers.

"Please help me sort these out into different categories, what needs reviewing and what needs to be signed. At least then I won't have to sift through 10 notices and letters just to find a form to sign."

"Got it."

Pulling up the seat beside her, Elliot sat down and began organizing the paperwork. The work was simple but it provided a good distraction and cover for him as he worked in companionable silence with the girl.

While he was sorting the documents, he cast a surreptitious glance towards Tatenashi. With her being busy tackling paperwork, it allowed him to observe her without arousing any suspicion from her.

Watching her dealing with the massive amount of paperwork, Elliot couldn't see even one trace of the wily, mischievous minx that constantly got under his skin or the demure, shy maiden that swooned under seductive attention.

Instead, all of that was replaced by a confident and competent woman who was experienced in handling bureaucracy and no stranger to the burdens of leadership. Her almond shaped face held a serious expression as she focused on her task, despite the fatigue that emanated from her body.

Elliot silently watched her, transfixed by her competent persona. As much he wouldn't admit it, he found her serious expression equally mesmerizing to look at just as much as the other sides of her personality. It was like peering into a portrait of mystery, compelling him to peer deeper into her psyche to try and understood her complex nature. His repressed emotions surfaced, making him felt a bit self-conscious. Huffing out in aggravation, he doubled his efforts in sorting the papers in hopes that the labour would prevent him from thinking so much.

Time soon passed them by. Before he knew it, he had organized the various papers into different categories. Gathering the forms, he passed them on to Tatenashi who looked up in relief.

"Here's the stuff that needs your signature. The rest are just forms and missives that need you to look at them."

"Thank you, Elliot-kun. With just this amount to sign, my job just got significantly easier. The letters I could read in the mornings, it's the various forms and notices that needs my attention the most."

Elliot winced, mentally shivering at the image of having to deal with mountains of paperwork all day. Just the idea of having to deal with drudge, repetitive work all day sounded very horrific for him.

"Sounds like you have it hard. I can't imagine sitting behind a desk doing paperwork all the time."

Tatenashi nodded heavily, looking as if she was dead tired.

"Usually it's not this bad. However this year seems to be a bit hectic, what with you and Ichika-kun being the first male students to enroll into the Academy. That's why there's a lot of paperwork to deal with."

Hearing just how their enrolment had saddled the Academy with this much work, Elliot couldn't imagine just how much attention was focused on the two of them as the world's only two male pilots. The hybrid could see lines etched onto Tatenashi's face, evidence of her fatigue.

'Yikes... That's sounds like hard work. No wonder she's always gone for the whole day most of the time.'

"Sounds rough. No wonder you're always out early and came back late. Don't you have other members on the student council to help you out?"

"We do, though they are usually working for a limited time and only on the weekdays. That would work if the paperwork doesn't come in even during weekends. I don't want to let the work pile up so I also work during Saturdays and Sundays."

Elliot looked aghast, his expression morphed into terror at the idea that the girl was facing so much work being head of the student council in the Academy.

"Seriously? Are they trying to work you into an early grave? You'll fall sick at this rate if you keep this up."

Tatenashi blinked in surprised, evidently took off guard by his sullen rant. A faint blush tainted her cheeks as she averted her gaze downwards. As suddenly as her flustered expression came, Tatenashi recomposed herself. Her blushing look was replaced with a cheery smile as she lifted another stack of paper and passed it to Elliot.

"Don't worry, big guy. This girl can take care of this without too much problems! Anyway, here's another stack of paperwork."

Accepting the fresh stack of papers, Elliot fell back into the motions of sorting them. By the time Tatenashi signed the last form, they had worked in silence for a few hours. The massive amount of paperwork was organized neatly into different piles, with a small stack beside Tatenashi that consisted of signed forms and documents.

Tatenashi stretched lazily, breathing out a sigh of relief. Her arms were thrown over her head, her body arching into a taut bow. The motion made her bust stood out prominently behind her green sleeveless overcoat, making Elliot avert his eyes in embarrassment.

"Fuah... that's the paperwork for today. It's rare for me to have so much free time in the weekends, but thanks to you I can now get some rest after waking up this early to finish them."

"I'll say, that was quite a lot of paperwork. And without anyone to help you organize, no wonder you're swamped under paper every day. Don't you have someone like a vice president to help you out?"

Tatenashi's shoulders sagged, the girl heaving a sigh of fatigue and resignation.

"No. Surprisingly enough, that position has been vacant for quite some time. And I don't…."

Seeing the fatigue on Tatenashi's face disappear and the realization flashed into her ruby irises, Elliot had a bad premonition on what was about to happen.

"That's it! All I need to do is just get a vice president elected! Maybe even get the secretary position filled to! This is a brilliant idea!"

Whipping her head around to face him, her eyes sparkled with excitement. Elliot had a fair idea what the student council president was thinking. Better he nipped this in the bud before she dragged him into whatever scheme she cooked up. Raising his palm up, Elliot's face was stony as he rebutted her unspoken request.

"Tatenashi…. before you said anything more, I'll just stop you now. No, I'm not going to be your right-hand man. That goes for being your secretary too."

Tatenashi's face fell, the girl throwing her head back disappointedly as she let out a groan. She levelled a dissatisfied look at him, put out by his pre-emptive refusal.

"Awww! You're such a killjoy, big guy! Come on, this girl needs your help and you're pretty good at this! Please~?"

Elliot shook his head, standing his ground on the matter.

"No dice, Tatenashi. I have to keep my grades up and I need to have plenty of time for myself. I can't be bothered by responsibilities hefted onto me that I don't care for."

Of course, Elliot was only speaking half the truth. The other half of his reason was that he was trying to gain some distance from the girl so that he wouldn't have to deal with her all of his waking hours.

He didn't know what was the cause, but the buried emotions he had for the girl had been getting stronger in recent times. It was getting to the point that just being close to her proximity wise was making it hard for him to restrain his wayward feelings. And Elliot didn't liked not being in control of his own emotions, not with the stakes it involved with his condition.

"Mou~ too bad. At least being the vice president or secretary would let you be around this girl almost everyday…. You'd like that, don't you, Elliot-kun?"

Elliot's face hardened into deadpan blankness. He crossed his arms, looking not amused by her teasing quip.

"Really? We're roommates that see each other during the evenings, you come to bother me from time to time in inexplicable places and moments and we've even shared dinner once. I see you any more than that and the girls will start gossiping about us being a real couple. No way am I going to deal with that nonsense."

"Wooooo~ I didn't thought of it that way! Elliot-kun, you're such a big romantic at heart…. you're going to melt so many hearts if the girls knew about this side of you."

Elliot gaped, looking terror stricken by the idea. The last thing he wanted was to be hounded even more by obsessed girls who were deeply infatuated by his enigmatic nature. Quickly he refuted, letting his true thoughts on the subject known.

"Well, they shouldn't. I'm not the exceptional kind of man they thought I am. They should stop idolizing me like I'm some kind of celebrity. Not like any woman would marry me when they know what kind of person I am…"

That last part was muttered under his breath, quietly so that no one could hear him. The sudden emotions that assailed him momentarily overwhelmed his mental composure, making him accidentally vent out his buried thoughts.

The sound of a chair dragging on the floor disturbed the quiet room. Before he could register what went on, he found his head jerked sideways and down as he felt his ear being pulled sharply. He swiveled his eyes towards the side, finding Tatenashi pulling his ear with an extremely displeased expression.

"Argh-Ow! Again!? What're you doing, Tatenashi!?"

"Elliot-kun, I've told you before. Don't put yourself down like that, it's not good for your self-esteem. Like I've said, there are many girls out there that would find you the perfect match for them. So don't go thinking that there's no woman out there that wouldn't pay attention to you or even falling in love with you. Who knows how many out there that are attracted to your mystique demeanour and good looks."

"Alright, alright! I get you! Can you please let me go now?"

Tatenashi released him, allowing him to straighten up to his full height. The hybrid rubbed his ear, hissing in pain from the stinging ache.

Elliot wasn't sure what to do with Tatenashi's admonishment. To be fair, he'd much rather they went back to the somewhat one-sided dynamic when they first met, not having to deal with this uncertainty surrounding both of them.

If he was being honest with himself, he wished that he could spent his life away from all this politicking, this uncertainty around his own condition. He never wanted to be an IS pilot or a living weapon just waiting to be discovered and exploited. He just wanted to live his life in peace, to enjoy this second chance however he wanted to.

But knowing just how astronomically improbable his dream was, Elliot had sought to make the best with what he was given. But even then, there were downsides to his life that he can't help but mourn over, aching at the fact that some things just weren't for someone like him.

Banishing the depressing thoughts, he checked the clock on his HUD, noticing it was already noon. They had been spending almost 2 hours straight just handling paperwork that he didn't realized it was already lunchtime. Returning his attention towards Tatenashi, he jabbed his thumb towards the door.

"How about we go get something to eat? I'm feeling hungry after all that training and work. I bet you could use something too."

Tatenashi smirked, getting up from her seat to join the hybrid as she wrapped her arms around his own. A mirthful expression found its way onto her face as wry amusement laced her voice.

"Elliot-kun, always think about eating. I guess the way to your heart is through your stomach after all."

Elliot gazed at her with deadpan stoicism, feeling a bit offended by her quip.

"That's not true. And it's not even funny when I had to go through a lot of nights without dinner when I was a kid."

Tatenashi was startled by the confession, looking mortified for inadvertently stepping on a sensitive topic. She lowered her head, not daring to look him in his face.

"I'm sorry… I didn't know. Say, what did you have to do to suffer like that?"

Elliot's usual cold mood turned frigid as his past came rushing back to him. A bout of melancholy overcame him as his shoulders slumped.

As much as he didn't liked sharing personal info or his past, he felt he could trust Tatenashi with this little bit about himself. She had not only helped him to protect Ichika once but she also saved his life once. At least she deserved a bit of honesty from him at this point. Drawing in a deep breath, he began recounting his past.

"Before I was adopted by Orimura-sensei, I was a street orphan in America. The foster care system was a mess, with a clear discrimination against us boys when the IS came out. I escaped from the system to live on my own, turning to petty crime to feed myself. It wasn't until I got into an accident was I able to meet Chifuyu and the rest they say is history."

Of course, part of his story had changed, namely how he met his sister. The rest was the truth, in all its raw detail condensed into a succinct account.

Looking over to his companion, he found the blue haired girl looking at him with a mixture of flabbergasted shock and slight chagrin.

"Wow, I didn't know you had quite a rough childhood. So, how did you meet Orimura-sensei and be adopted by her?"

"She was at the US at the time for whatever reason. At that time, I was running away from a mob after snatching a purse, only to get slammed by a car when I crossed the street. She happened to be there on personal business when she saw me injured and got me into a hospital. When I was recovering, she found out my background and took pity on me. So, when I was stable enough to be moved, she adopted me and brought me back to Japan with her."

Elliot finished his story, feeling down casted from reliving his 'last' moments. Even though his account to Tatenashi was a fabricated story, the memories of that time came back to him, momentarily overwhelming his composure.

The feeling of utter helplessness as he laid dying, not even being able to see. The agony of multiple bullets hitting him and the searing pain from his eyes. The subsequent shock of discovering his evolved circumstances and the following painful recovery. Those few months were a very hellish time for him and he wished he could forget about it.

Shaking his head, he suddenly noticed Tatenashi had gone unusually quiet save for a quiet sniffling coming from her. Craning his head to check on her, he found her head lowered and her bangs shrouded her face.

Elliot suddenly was worried, thinking that he had said something that soured her mood. His right arm came across his torso to rest on the girl's right shoulder, gently patting it as he asked quietly.

"What? What's wrong, Tatenashi?"

"I-It's just…. you've been through so much, big guy…. yet, no one could ever tell just how terrible your childhood was by how you acted. How can someone like you go through so much in your childhood?"

Lifting her head to meet his gaze, Elliot jerked in surprise as he saw tears trickling down her cheeks. Her eyes shone with anguish, giving no illusion as to her present emotional state.

'Is she…. crying for my sake?'

The hybrid didn't know what to make of this situation. He was dumbfounded as to why Tatenashi would cry for him or even felt any grief over his past.

For him, the harsh life on the streets and in the orphanages had taken on a form of twisted normalcy after living in it for so long. Pain, hunger, cold, fear and paranoia were grim facts of life, things that just happened and had to be dealt with. There was simply no room for him to bemoan his ill fortunes or entertain daydreams of good times that'll never come. Any inattention or vulnerability would've painted a big target on your back. It showed that you're weak and easy, which could lead you to be preyed upon or worse.

He had long since stop shedding any tears over his life, learning to accept it as bitter as it was. But to see someone not only sympathized with his horrid past but also shed tears over it? Elliot didn't know what to do.

Seeing a lone tear streaked down her face, it made Elliot realized a simple fact that he never thought about before. His chest ached dully, the sensation dragging his emotions down.

'How long was it ago that I had shed any tears over something? It's been like…forever.'

He wanted to pull the distraught girl into his arms, to assure her that he wasn't affected by his experiences. He had long made peace with his checkered past, knowing that all he did was in the name of survival. Now he regretted telling her about it when it made her cry.

His hands clasped her shoulders, giving a soft squeeze as he turned the distraught girl to face him. Tatenashi lifted her teary eyes at him, beads of moisture clung at the corner of her ruby red jewels. He gave a tight smile, trying to act unbothered by his past.

"Tatenashi, I'm alright. Look, I'm here aren't I? Those things are already history, so don't get so hung up over my past. I'd admit, it is very terrible but it was simply a fact of life for me at the time. I never thought too much about it so please don't cry, alright?"

Tatenashi peered into his eyes, her hands came up and wiped away the tears trailing down her cheeks.

"I'm crying not just because I am sympathizing for your past, I'm crying because it seemed unfair for a guy so wonderful like you to go through so much. You deserved a lot more than that, so much more than almost dying and starving most of the time, having to resort to crime to feed yourself."

Elliot's gazed upon her wistfully, mentally agreeing to her assessment. The ache in his chest increased in magnitude, feeling as if his 'heart' was gripped in a vice by her sorrowful expression and her heartfelt statement.

Sometimes he had wished things really had been different. Being adopted by a good loving family, enrolling into a good school, finding the lady love of his life and lived his life in peace. He had dreams like that once, before the harsh reality of this twisted world crushed them to dust.

'But then again, what kind of person would I be if I had never lived through those times? Would I still be the same had things be different?'

Moving his hand up, he grabbed the corner of his shemagh and gently dabbed away Tatenashi's tears. His chest bubbled with gentle concern as he wiped away her tears, with the care and attention of a gentle lover.

"Here, dry those tears Tatenashi. A beautiful girl like you shouldn't cry. Come on, smile for me."

Placing one hand below her chin, Elliot gently tilted the girl's face up so their eyes met. He kept his gaze fixed onto those ruby red pools, seeing the sorrow etched within them.

The blue haired girl sniffled, her lips slowly quirking upwards at the corners. The ruby red pools shone with melancholy, the corner of her eyes still moist from tears. All of her expressions combined to gave an expression of hollow sorrow, dampened by the comfort of his reassurance.

"Ok…Elliot-kun…"

Nodding his head, he gently led her towards the cafeteria, their talk gravitated towards more casual topics. But Elliot was concerned at what that short heartfelt moment meant for them, what it would really do to their relationship.

He wouldn't know what to do if this furthered their strange relationship, one that was beginning to turn from roommates to something else. Or at least a strange, one-sided affection for the girl whom was probably the first person to sympathize of his past.