Chapter I: Go West! Onward to Kyoto
On a brisk autumn day, Tatenashi stood at the podium before an IS Academy assembly. As she cleared her throat, the buzzing room fell silent in anticipation.
“Very well. I’d like to announce our fall field trip.”
Gasps of excitement fanned out across the crowd. The students at IS Academy may have been elite special forces on paper, but in the flesh, they were still blossoming teenage girls.
“With everything that’s happened these past few months, we’ve had to put off the autumn trip. And yet still, we can’t be sure that there’s no one else out there waiting for us.” For just a moment, her eyes hardened. Only a moment, not long enough for anyone to notice her departure from her usual indifference. “Therefore, the student council have selected an advance scouting team to visit Kyoto. The members will be the students with their own IS, led by Ms. Orimura and Ms. Yamada. That is all.”
The room erupted with girlish cries of “Lucky them!”, “That’s no fair giving them Orimura all to themselves!”, and “I wanna go too!” Houki, Charlotte, and Laura’s eyes lit up at the mention of Kyoto.
“Ooh, Kyoto! That’s an even better choice for history than Kanazawa!”
“It’ll be my first time. I can’t wait! How about you, Laura?”
“Yeah.”
Meanwhile, Cecilia and Ling were nonplussed.
“Why send me off on a silly little errand like that? I’m sure it simply pales in comparison with London, anyway.”
“Guh, Kyoto again? Why do the Japanese always have to go to Kyoto? This is gonna be my third time! Not just second—but third!”
Their displeasure was evident—until Tatenashi added one last thing, “Ling and Cecilia, you’ll be paired up on the trip with Ichika.”
Suddenly, their eyes lit up too.
“Why, then it’s settled!”
“I guess I have to go! I really don’t want to, but I have to!”
Alongside Cecilia and Ling, who looked as revitalized as suffocating fish placed back in the water, Houki, Charl, and Laura wilted like salted spinach.
“Why do Cecilia and Rin—”
“—get to tag along with Ichika?”
“...Understood. Returning to class.”
Oh, and there was one other. Kanzashi, in her role as Ichika’s scheduling assistant, had already been given the assignment to go with Orimura. I should stay quiet for now. Without even thinking, her fingers twisted into thumbs-up.
“Ichika, dear.”
“Ichika!”
Cecilia and Ling caught Ichika on his way back to class after the assembly. They pressed in from either side, a whirlwind of feminine insistence.
“We’ve certainly got a big job ahead of ourselves.”
“You’re telling me. Oh, hey, Ichika, while I’m there, maybe I’ll dress like a geisha. That sounds right up your alley too, Cecilia.”
“Oh my. That’s certainly an intriguing suggestion,” Cecilia giggled.
“Isn’t it? Ahaha.”
Houki, Charlotte, and Laura, though, were there to break their reverie.
“Hold it! Just because we’re split up in two groups doesn’t mean you can have him all for your—er, doesn’t mean you’re going to be there to play around!”
“Yeah! There’s got to be a section in the anti-monopoly law about—I mean, just, um, really!”
“Indeed. My bride is mine.”
Before either of Cecilia or Ling could fire back with ‘and what’re you gonna do about it?’, Ichika spoke up, “She’s right. This isn’t gonna be a sightseeing tour.”
Whatever disagreements the five had, they were united in their stunned reaction to Ichika’s sudden seriousness.
“Uh... What?”
“Ichika, do you have a fever?”
“Have you been getting enough sleep lately?”
“Hmm. Maybe you need a good Bundeswehr-style massage.”
“Perhaps an evening tea with me would help take your mind off the worries of the day so you could sleep soundly.”
All Ichika could do was sigh, “Seriously... You know what, never mind.”
Only Ichika had been told by Tatenashi of the true purpose of this trip. It wasn’t just to scout out the area, but to neutralize a Phantom Task cell discovered in Kyoto. I hope this turns out okay... The more he remembered Tatenashi’s grin, the more doubts he was beginning to have. But still, he believed that the others could handle it. At least, he wanted to believe.
“Um... Sorry to mention it so late, but I’ll be along with him too.”
The crowd’s heads slowly swiveled toward a sorrowful Kanzashi.
“I-I didn’t forget about you!”
“N-Nor did I!”
“Yeah!”
“That’s fine.”
“It’s okay...”
She wanted to scream that they had forgotten her.
“And now, let me tell you what you’ll really be there for.” Tatenashi had gathered the students with their own IS—not just the first years, but also second year Forte Sapphire, and third year Daryl Casey. “Now that Forte and Daryl are back, we’ll be able to commit all our firepower to this operation.”
Whispers flew between the first years as the word ‘firepower’ came up. Tatenashi, true to form, quieted them with a fan gesture; her experience as student council president served her well here.
“Phantom Task, ain’t it. Blahhhh.”
“And where might you have heard that?”
“Back in Greece. Overheard someone.” Forte, lounging spread out on a sofa, was characteristically laconic. Her long hair was put up, if you could call it that, in a thick braid which twined around her neck. Her figure was on the slender side, an impression not helped by her usual slouch.
“So you’re saying it’s time to kick some ass?”
Daryl leaned against the wall, a bit too practicedly to have just been where she found herself. She was a tall girl—no, young woman—with her blonde hair tied back at the nape of her neck; her ramrod-straight posture only made her look even taller. Her assertive self-confidence was only matched by the matching F-cups perched on her crossed arms.
“I figured something was up when they bumped my Hellhound up to 2.8.”
The third year ace, full of nonchalant confidence, was the kind of girl who may have been stylish, but also more than made up for the lack of boys in her class.
“So, to be completely blunt: you’re going to be staging an attack on an international terrorist organization. I’ll handle the intelligence side; I need you to handle the fighting.” Tatenashi’s suddenly serious tone sent tingles down their spines, tingles which quickly hardened into determination. “Now get ready for departure. Dismissed!”
“Yes, ma’am!” There was an intensity in Ichika and the first years’ answer, born from the thrill of their first real mission—against Phantom Task, no less.
“...Is how it was supposed to be.” A day later, Ichika half-shouted at the gaggle of girls who’d dragged him to a shopping mall. “Why are you acting like this is just some kind of vacation?!”
It was a constant barrage of let’s-try-that-food, how-about-that-makeup, that-bag-looks-great, let’s-buy-something-to-play, a whirlwind of self-expression which left Ichika’s head spinning.
“Well, you know.”
“We don’t get to do this often.”
“It’d be a waste not to have some fun.”
“It’s not like we’ve forgotten about the mission, you know?”
“Exactly.”
“Mm...”
No one could quite bring themselves to make eye contact with Ichika.
“At least look me in the eye when you say that!” Ichika’s cries fell on deaf ears.
Finally, a trip for two with Ichika... Ahh, Lady Luck smiles upon me! Cecilia had stolen away from the group, and now, alone, was lost in thought. A day seeing the sights, and then a night... Oh, what a night! Cecilia’s mind raced, and as it did, she bumped into someone.
“Oh, pardon me.” It was Ling, doing the same thing.
Seeing Kyoto together with Ichika! This is my chance! It’s gotta be! Just like Cecilia, Ling had wandered off to be alone with her fantasies. A lunch date, a quick wedding, dinner, and then... A night to remember... A bump, as she ran into Cecilia.
“Sorry! Oh... it’s you, Cecilia. What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing. Weren’t you done shopping, Ling?”
“Oh, I just realized I forgot something, so I was going to pick it up here.”
“Why, I was just about to do the same.”
Cecilia laughed a snooty ‘Ohohoho.’
Ling laughed an ‘Ahahaha’ with just as much conceit behind it.
“Oooohohoho!”
“Ahahahaha!”
Their laughs filled the lingerie shop.
“Heeey.”
Tokyo Station, just before the bullet train’s departure. But all of Laura’s attention was focused on a shop.
“Excuse me. I’d like one of your boxed lunches. What do you have that’s nutritious and easy to— Wait, a chick? What’s a chick doing here?”
The famous Tokyo Station confection caught her eye.
“It...” Staring up from the showcase’s prime position at Laura was a golden-brown confection in the shape of a chick. “It’s adorable...”
Her cheeks tinged rose, Laura leaned in at the clerk and said, “I’ll take all you have! Don’t worry, I can afford it!”
In her hand was not a black card, but a Schwarzer Hase card.
“Laura! The train’s gonna leave! Hurry up!”
“W-Wait, Ichika! Rescuing a chick in danger is a soldier’s highest duty! Ahh, my chick! My chick! Someone else is going to buy my chick!”
Choooooooooo! The train cold-bloodedly announced its impending departure.
“Phew, we made it.” Ichika, whose job as student council VP was to herd the others, let out a sigh of relief. Too soon, perhaps, as a hand suddenly wrapped around his neck.
“Ichika! A bride like you—” It was, of course, Laura, the veil of half-dried tears in her eyes telling the tragic story of her parting with the chick.
“Ghhg! Stop it! You’re gonna kill me!” Ichika’s face began to turn a ghastly purple.
Realizing that things were going too far, Charlotte stepped in, “Laura, Ichika just stopped you from wasting money.”
“Wasting?! How is that a waste? And it’s my money to begin with, isn’t it?”
“Think of it this way, it’s just a little more you’ve got saved up for your wedding.” Realizing what she’d just said, Charlotte pressed her hand to her mouth, but it was too late. Laura’s eyes sparkled as she released Ichika’s neck.
“Our wedding! You’re right! I can’t break the bank! Mm-hm!”
“Jeez...” Watching Laura happily imagine her honeymoon with Ichika, the others looked on disapprovingly.
“Cough, cough! I thought I was gonna die!” As Ichika tried to catch his breath, someone slung a can of juice at him. “Whoa!”
He barely caught the ice-cold can of orange juice.
“Drink up.” That blunt, to-the-point approach had to be Forte Sapphire. Grateful for the consideration, Ichika tried to open the can... But something wasn’t quite right.
“Huh? Hmm.”
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get it open. Confused, he shook the can and heard nothing. Wouldn’t there normally be something sloshing around?
“This is pretty cold—oww!” It wasn’t just cold, it was frozen solid. His hand, too, was chilled to the bone. “What the heck is this?!”
“Hahaha. Gotcha!”
Daryl, sitting next to Forte with her legs crossed, chimed in, “Don’t you know Forte’s IS’ name?”
It was ‘Cold Blood,’ and it lived up to its name.
“It can slow movement on the molecular level and freeze things.”
“C’mon, don’t tell him! That’s a spoiler! A spoiler!” Forte’s normal reticence didn’t stop her from repeating herself in insistence, and Daryl, laughing, recrossed her legs.
“Ahahaha. What’s the big deal? Ah... You just saw my panties, didn’t you? Tee-hee.”
“Well, um...” Daryl watched amusedly as Ichika squirmed. (By the way, they were red.)
“You’re a little perv, aren’t you.”
“Ugh... Aren’t you the one who flashed me?!”
But she had no interest in giving him room to make excuses.
“Oh. Hmm. I guess.”
As Ichika turned away, he noticed the horrified gazes of the first years upon him.
“W-Wait! Really! It wasn’t like that!”
As he flailed for an excuse, Charlotte elbowed him in the side. “...Ichika, you pervert. I am so done with you.”
The ride from there to Shizuoka was passed in silence.
“H-How’s this my fault?!” Sadly, no one was willing to answer.
“We will make a brief stop at Kyoto. Mamonaku Kyoto, Kyoto desu.” The bullet train announced its stops in English and Japanese, for the convenience of foreign vacationers. Hearing the announcement, everyone found their bags.
“Huh? Where’d it—”
“What’s the holdup, Ichika? We’re here! We’re at Kyoto!” Ling confusedly watched Ichika rummage through his things.
“Oh, there it is!” Ichika pulled out a well-loved film camera. In an era where even phones could take high-quality digital pictures, it seemed almost comically out of date. But Ling understood how important it was to him, and held back on the needling.
“You still use that?”
“Huh? Yeah, I feel like it brings me closer to Chifuyu.”
“Mm. You’re right.”
It was the camera that had taken the pictures in their family album, and had kind of taken on a symbolism of that bond. It had seen Ling and Houki’s childhoods, too. Knowing how troubled Ichika’s family life was, Ling watched with nothing but tenderness. Her eyes held a kindness very close to someone looking at a lover, a brother, or child. Somehow, he was a little bit of each to her. The others, if asked, may have held the same thoughts, but right now, they burned brightest in Ling.
“Why, Ling! Surely there’s enough Ichika for all of us?” Cecilia was the first to butt in. Elbowing her way to Ichika’s side, she wove her arm around his. “Ichika? This is my first time in Kyoto. Do be a gentleman and escort me.”
“Uhh, Cecilia, could you give me a little space?” Ichika nervously protested as he felt her breasts press into his arm.
Watching, Ling couldn’t help but be frustrated and spoke up, “Hey, Ichika. I looked up the gelato stand we went to when we came in middle school, and they’re still in business. Let’s go together.”
“Wait, but—”
Ling pressed her hand into Ichika’s palm like a lover would on a walk. As he felt her tiny, delicate fingers, Ichika’s pulse began to pound. Man, what’s going on? I can’t stop thinking about Cecilia and Rin lately... Whether they could tell what he was thinking or not, either way, the two pressed in on him.
“Ichika. Shall we be going now?”
“Let’s go, Ichika.”
Squish.
Rub.
She’s not Japanese, is she? Not with hair that red. That much was obvious. Her height, which would have been unbelievable for a Japanese woman, was only accentuated by the stiletto heels which provided a counterpoint to her kimono.
“Well, well. You look like trouble.”
“Huh?”
Another deep puff, purple smoke swirling around the mature beauty. Ichika was at a loss, having never been in a situation like this.
“Mmm. How should I put it? Woman trouble, usually. With a chance of bullets. It’s written all over your face.”
“...Huh?”
“Take care of yourself, you hear? Anyway—”
The cat perched on her shoulder, she spun around her kimono, as red as her hair, and made her exit.
“What the heck was that?” The sound of an incoming text stirred Ichika from his reverie.
[Ichika, we found a patisserie and it looks absolutely scrumptious. See you there!]
The included map, complete with ‘Here!’ circled in red, was definitely a Charl touch.
“All right, now to type that into Maps...” With cell phones what they were now, all he had to do was feed it the address and it would find the quickest route. Watching the projection display out of the corner of his eye, Ichika set off.
“Hmm... Ah, that’s some beautiful foliage.”
Snap. As he made his way there, Ichika snapped landscape after landscape on his film camera.
“Hey, Ichika! Over here!” Charlotte waved her arm energetically. Next to her, Kanzashi tentatively raised her hand.
“Oh, wow!”
What caught Ichika’s eye was their kimono— Charl’s a bright orange, Kanzashi’s a cool, relaxing pale blue. Each was printed with the crimson leaves of autumn, Charl’s hanging from branches as Kanzashi’s floated on the ‘water’ of her outfit. Each had a matching, calming beige belt.
“Ahaha, awesome! The guy selling candy was giving out free samples to girls wearing kimono! Thanks so much for picking one for me, and doing my hair to match.”
“I... I mean, everyone probably knows that much...” That kind of self-deprecation definitely marked her as just as much a Sarashiki as Tatenashi was.
“Really, though. I can’t believe how well it works on me. Mind if we get a picture?” Charl giggled. “Mr. Cameraman. If you don’t mind.”
“I’ll do my best...” Embarrassedly, Ichika raised his camera. “All right, here I go. Say cheese!”
Charl looked confused as the shutter snapped and said, “Cheese?”
“Huh?”
“Why is it cheese, anyway?”
“Why? I dunno, but she probably does.” Even Kanzashi was a little confused when Ichika made her think about it.
“I’m not sure. A tradition, I guess?” she replied.
“I thought the Japanese didn’t really like cheese though.”
“I mean, uhhh...” Charlotte didn’t mean anything offensive by it, but that was still a pretty awkward comment for Ichika and Kanzashi. If only because it had them wondering about why, exactly, ‘cheese’ was the word.
“I mean, I guess since you’re French, you’d know more about cheese, but...”
“Wait, really? I mean, I’ve made it before, but...” Charlotte cupped her chin in a palm.
“Wait, Charl, you know how to make cheese?”
“That’s amazing!”
As the Japanese duo lit up, she awkwardly tried to wave them off.
“No, no, it’s not like you think! I just did something in Home Ec, it’s not like I’m an expert or anything!” Charlotte just couldn’t stand both Ichika and Kanzashi looking up at her, their eyes twinkling, and she tried to change the subject. “What’s that compared to being able to tell which fish are good? I guess all Japanese people can do that.”
“Eh?!”
Their sweetfish skewers must have given her the wrong idea.
“N-No way! We can’t really do that, right, Kanzashi?”
“Well, umm... I mean, I can...” Kanzashi awkwardly flashed a V-sign. “Can’t you, Ichika?”
“Uh, I mean, I can’t do it like an expert, but I guess I can pick out good things for dinner.”
“What do you mean ‘like an expert,’ Ichika?”
“Umm... Like, blowfish and stuff?” Ichika was just waiting for the ‘oh, you mean someone who literally needs a license’ from Charlotte or Kanzashi.
“Anyway, why don’t we try out some of the desserts? The mochi dumplings look great.”
“They looked absolutely mouthwatering.” All else aside, Kanzashi couldn’t be wrong about something like that, and Ichika ducked under the red curtain of the cart selling them before sitting down.
“Hey, let me get a picture of the two of you eating them.”
“Really? Of that?”
“Yes, Charlotte. It’ll be a way to remember our trip.” It was rare for Kanzashi to be so insistent, and Charlotte nodded.
“Well, what if I said ‘please,’ Mr. Cameraman?”
“Okay!” Ichika lined up the two of them in front of a grove of bamboo in the viewfinder, then looked up.
“Wait, what’s wrong?” Charlotte looked at him quizzically.
“I... I just think it could be more striking.”
“Striking?”
“Like, you mean...” She tilted her head as she waited for Ichika’s answer.
“I know! Why don’t you feed each other? It’d be really cute!” Charlotte and Kanzashi weren’t quite sure what he meant, but the implications were enough to make them blush.
“Oh, really, you’re into that, Ichika?”
“Are you sure we’re not overthinking this?”
“Nah, it’ll be perfect!” Ichika tried to distract them from what they were thinking about his motivations with a pair of dumpling skewers, dripping with sauce.
“Ichika, you pervert...”
“You’re a creep. Not that I mind.”
Blushes from both sides.
“Okay, here goes.”
“Hold on a sec!”
“Charlotte, if you keep waving that around you’re going to get sauce—eek!”
The sauce from Charl’s dumplings went flying onto Kanzashi’s face. Seeing his chance, Ichika hit the shutter.
“Oh, wow, this one’s great!”
“What?! No, no! Delete that one, Ichika!”
“Uh, I mean, it’s a film camera... He’s gonna have to at least have it processed...”
“And a couple more!”
Snap! Snap! Snap! The lens of the camera gleamed as he shot over and over. Whether he was serious about it or not, though, Charlotte and Kanzashi weren’t enthused about being the butt of the joke.
“C’mon, Ichika, did you really have to?”
“That’s pushing it.”
Angrily, they stuffed each of their skewers into his mouth. If nothing else, it gave new meaning to ‘verbal abuse.’
“Gwmph?!” With two skewers in his mouth, Ichika could barely breathe. “I can’t breathe! Agh!”
“Whatever.”
“Serves you right.”
Charlotte and Kanzashi both spun away, disgusted with Ichika. All he could do was put the camera away.
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