Infinite Stratos - Volume 10 - Chapter 4

Chapter IV: Girls On High! Spread Your Wings 

“Ms. Yamada! Wake up! Ms. Yamada!” Tatenashi had been caring for Ms. Yamada at the ryokan following her collapse. 
“Ugh, where am I? I remember, Squall Meusel was there, and then...” 
“You shouldn’t try fighting an IS on foot. You’re not Ms. Orimura.” Seeing the alarm on Maya’s face, Tatenashi tried to calm her. 
“Anyway, I met with our contact, and took delivery.” Tatenashi passed a brooch to Maya. “Show me why they used to call you ‘Killing Shield.’” 
“Ahahahah, can’t you just forget about that?” Maya adjusted her glasses, and then spoke with a serious face. “Anyway, let’s hurry.” 
“To the battlefield?” 
“Yes.” 
Tatenashi nodded while wrapping an arm around Maya, and opened her IS Mysterious Lady. 
“Let’s go!” 
They flew to Shirokishi. 
 
“Wake up, Ichika!” Ling and the others were trying their hardest to get through to Ichika as they dodged Shirokishi’s attacks. But there were no signs of his awakening, only fiercer and fiercer attacks. 
“What do we do? Our shield energy won’t hold out much longer!” 
“I was rather hoping your Kenran Butou would help with that!” 
“But...!” She’d never been able to use it for anyone but Ichika’s sake, and in this situation... Still, not wanting to admit that, she took point. “But! I won’t let you just grind us down! If you won’t wake up, we’ll beat some sense into you!” 
Houki sprang to the attack, her Karaware clashing against Shirokishi’s Yukihira Nigata. 
“Now I understand why Forte betrayed us!” 
For the sake of the one she loved, she’d give up anything. Make any sacrifice. Even risk her life. 
“I don’t care what it takes! I’ll save you, Ichika!” Shouting, she slapped Shirokishi’s blade away, but it raised its left arm and let loose a particle burst. The blast of energy scorched across Houki’s torso. 
“Gah!” As Houki stumbled, it followed up its attack, only to be repelled by a precise shot from Blue Tears. 
“If it’s for Ichika’s sake, I’m in too!” 
“Same here. I won’t give up either!” 
With Cecilia and Ling on the front lines too, the battle heated up. But the memories of a Brynhildr contained within Shirokishi were more than enough to handle a three-on-one fight. 
“I will not lose! My feelings for Ichika mean more than that!” Cecilia thought back to the first time they’d met. 
Maybe she’d fallen for him then? But there was no way she could have admitted it to herself that soon. It was only fighting alongside him, knowing each other’s weaknesses, that she first discovered love. 
“You’re ten thousand years too soon to take Ichika away from me!” Cecilia yelled as her bits focused their fire. At the same time, Ling opened up with her impact cannon. 
“Hey, quit trying to take Ichika for yourself!” 
Ling’s feelings were just as strong. She remembered back to elementary school, when Japan was a strange and foreign place, and she had to act tough to hide her fear. Ichika was the only one who understood why she acted like she did. Whenever it was too much for her, whenever she felt alone, he was by her side. And somewhere, deep inside, Ichika was fighting alone against whatever had overcome him. She had to reach out to him. Just like he did for her. This time, it was Ling’s turn. The flames of her first love, still smoldering in her heart, demanded nothing less. 
“I won’t let some half-forgotten memory of Chifuyu’s have my Ichika!” Ling slammed Souten Gagetsu together and flung it at Shirokishi, which wavered as it took the blow. As it did, a burst of shotgun fire followed up. 
“Charlotte!” 
Charlotte had recovered from her beating at Tabane’s hands, and she, Laura, and Kanzashi immediately joined the fight. 
“Hey, I was listening in on the open channel, so I think I know what’s going on. We’re all here to tell Ichika how we really feel, right?” 
“It’s my turn, then!” 
“I won’t get left out this time!” 
Their hearts beating wildly, the three joined the fight. 
“Me first!” Charlotte flew out ahead of the group. “Wake up, Ichika!” 
Purging her shield, she brought forth her Grey Scale Pile Bunker. The others almost shouted out ‘Wait, isn’t that going too far?’ 
“This’ll do it!” 
From the moment they’d met, Ichika had set her free. He’d told her she always had a place alongside him. And that was the place in life she wanted. She knew what her heart longed for. And now, she wanted to say it. Wanted him to hear. 
“Turn back into the Ichika I love!” Her pile bunker pierced the armor on his left arm. With the Setsura weapons pack knocked out of action, Laura followed up, stabbing with her plasma daggers. 
“You promised me you’d protect me, Ichika!” 
Her love for Ichika, growing from their star-crossed first encounter, was as strong as her pride. He’d promised to protect her. And now, she was going to protect him. She wanted to be at his side forever. 
“Ichika, can you hear me?!” 
“It’s ‘us,’ Laura!” A salvo from the Yama-arashi missile pods closed in on Shirokishi. Just as they were about to detonate, Charlotte, Laura, Houki and the others all opened fire. “Give me back my Ichika!” 
Kanzashi had always lived in Tatenashi’s shadow. It was only Ichika who brought her out into the light. Yes, to her, he was light. Sometimes dazzling, sometimes warming, always direct. And she wanted to be bathed in that light. Never to lose it again. So that she could be herself. 
“Sorry to keep you waiting!” The group was shocked by Ms. Yamada’s sudden arrival in Tatenashi’s arms. 
“What are you doing here, Ms. Yamada?!” 
“Stand up! Hurry! It’s showtime!” Her body was enveloped by the glow of an opening IS—one none of them had ever seen. 
“Is this your IS, Ms. Yamada?” 
“It sure is. I call it the Rafale Revive Special, ‘The Show Must Go On!’” 
Gasps arose. 
“Now show them what you could do as a cadet!” 
“I’d really rather that this never came up again, but...” Reticence or no, four gigantic shield wings swept back from Ms. Yamada. “Here goes! Shattered Sky!” 
Like a hawk spreading its wings, the bottom faces of the shields swiveled forward, then shot out from her IS under wired control. 
“I don’t want to hurt any of my students, but—” 
To get Ichika back, she’d have to take up arms against Shirokishi. That much was clear. Maya’s shots tore at Shirokishi with unrivaled precision. And the moment it slowed, her four shields pinned it down. “This’ll do it!” 
While her shields held Shirokishi in place, Maya leveled a submachine gun in each hand, and squeezed the triggers. 
Rat-a-tat-a-tat! The roar of her guns echoed across the battlefield. Bullets ricocheting inside its shields, Shirokishi’s armor was torn to shreds by the hail of fire. 
“Whoa!” 
“Ms. Yamada, that’s overkill...” 
With its shields spent and its armor torn away from the inside, the Shirokishi fell to earth. 
“Ah—!” 
No, not the Shirokishi anymore. Its armor, its form, were back to that of Byakushiki. 
“ICHIKA!” the girls shouted out as he was plucked from the air just before crashing down. 
“Phew...” No one was quite sure who gasped in relief. Ichika’s loss of control, and the girls’ confessions, were over. 
 
“Where am I?” 
When I opened my eyes, I was under a blanket in a Japanese-style room. I couldn’t remember what happened. I didn’t know why I was there. 
“......!” As I tried to get up, my body ached. Looking down at myself, I saw that I was wrapped in bandages. “Oww... What’s going on?” 
“You’re finally awake.” 
“Huh?” 
Allie was sitting on a sofa nearby. 
“Um...” 
“I guess this is goodbye.” 
“Huh?” 
She set down her cat Shiny and stood up, then began speaking, “I, Alicia Giosestaf, resign my Italian commission to join Phantom Task.” 
It was so shocking a statement that I didn’t understand what was going on. As I was about to ask why, Shiny walked up to me and licked my face. 
“Owww, that hurts! I’m cut there! C’mon, stop— Owwwww!” 
“Take good care of Shiny, Ichika.” 
“Wait, but why?!” 
‘Why?’ That was all I could wonder. I didn’t understand what was happening or why it was happening. All I could do was accept it. 
“The reason’s simple. I want my match with Orimura Chifuyu. And if joining Phantom Task is what it takes... So be it.” Having said her piece, Allie leapt from the window. “I hope you get stronger before we meet again!” 
She’d entered my life like a storm, and left it like one too. All I could do was stroke Shiny and wonder. 
 
“I’m really sorry!” 
Ichika was bowing on the floor of a meeting room at the ryokan, begging for forgiveness. Before him, the girls stood, their arms crossed. 
“Even back to normal, you don’t remember?” 
“Yes, ma’am...” 
“All that, and you don’t remember anything?” 
“Yes, ma’am...” 
“Ichika, are you an idiot?!” 
“Yes, ma’am...” 
“Do you really think this is something you can just paper over with an apology?” 
“Yes, ma’am...” 
“Are you even listening to us?!” 
“Yes, ma’am...” 
“Ichika, are you feeling okay?” 
“Yes, ma’am...” 
“Ichika, can you say anything other than ‘yes, ma’am’?” 
“Yes, ma’am...” 
Angry glares all around.

“Calm down, everyone. It’s over and Ichika’s okay, so we should be smiling, right?” 
“You’re too easy on him, Ms. Yamada!” 
“Indeed!” 
“He needs to be punished!” 
“Agreed! He needs to learn his lesson!” 
“That was no way for my bride to behave.” 
“Maybe he can make it up with a massage.” 
“That’ll work. He can be massaging until he can’t even turn a doorknob.” Tatenashi grinned, and snapped open a fan reading ‘service.’ 
“Ahaha...” He could imagine his fingers snapping off from the sheer strain. But he had no choice in the matter. 
“Yes, ma’am...” he nodded dejectedly. 
 
“All right, let’s get started!” 
Ichika crossed his arms. Before him, Houki, Cecilia, Ling, Charlotte, Laura, Kanzashi, and Tatenashi laid on a blanket. Each was wearing a yukata—it was the very picture of a scene most guys would love to dive right into. 
“Let me guess. You’ve all got your date panties on.” 
Gulp. Chifuyu had hit home for at least one of them. 
“Go change into your swimsuits, you idiots!” 
“Yes, ma’am!”

“I’m surprised you all brought swimsuits this late in the year.” 
Ms. Yamada whispered in an obviously grateful Ichika’s ear, “This ryokan has an outdoor hot spring you’re supposed to wear swimsuits in. Everyone was looking forward to—” 
“Ahem! Ms. Yamada, let’s go get a drink. The students can handle this themselves.” 
Ichika looked at her, confusedly, as she announced her departure. 
“Uhh, Chifuyu?” 
“Get to work, Ichika. You’d better do a good job, too.” 
The girls were overwhelmed with gratitude toward Ms. Orimura. Like an angel had come down from heaven to bless them. 
“Ahh, umm. You know. We’re probably never getting another chance like this, so why don’t you give us an oil massage over our swimsuits?” 
A round of assenting thumbs up for Houki. 
“An oil massage, huh? I mean, I can do it, but won’t that ruin the blanket?” 
“Don’t worry. I’ll pay for a replacement out of student council funds.” 
Executive privilege, indeed. 
“Ahh, Tatenashi! You’re so generous!” 
“Ohohohoho! Anyway, it’s decided! Get going, Ichika!” 
“Don’t touch me anywhere funny, though!” 
“I haven’t had a massage from Ichika in forever.” 
“Ichika, you’re welcome to touch me somewhere funny.” 
“Uhh, Laura, that’s kinda...” 
At least the others could agree with him on that much.

“You’re not too hurt to do this, right, Ichika?” 
“Eh, I think I’ll make it through.” Ichika couldn’t shake the feeling that if she were really concerned, she’d let him rest. 
“Very well, then, hold nothing back!” 
“Can’t I just a litt—” 
“Did you say something, Ichika?” 
“No! Jeez.” 
“Very well then. Do your best, Mr. Masseur!” 
“Yes, I’m so exhausted my body feels like mud.” 
“Laura, that’s not how that—” 
“Let’s just all enjoy this!” 
Everyone nodded at Tatenashi’s suggestion. 
“Guess I’ll get started, then...” Ichika reluctantly began to oil his hands, and one of the girls gulped in nervous anticipation at the sound. “All right, Houki first.” 
“Okay!” 
An oil-covered hand stroked over Houki’s thighs. Squish. 
“Eeek! Ichika, warn me before you do that!” 
“Warn you? But I said I was starting with you?” 
“I know, I just meant... Ahh!” 
Ichika’s fingertips relaxed her knotted muscles as his hands glided over her thighs. Houki was so entranced by the sensation that she let out a throaty sigh. 
“Ichika! Haven’t you already spent enough time on Houki?” 
“I guess so. I’ll start on Cecilia, then.” 
“Eh? Wait, wait. I’m not rea— Mmm!” Cecilia moaned in pleasure as she felt the oil spread over her back. Ichika could feel her heart pound through his fingertips. 
“Now that I think of it, massaging you like this reminds me of this summer.” 
“Mmm! Haa... I suppose...” 
Ichika worked his way down her spine little by little, his fingers releasing her tension. She felt as if her body and heart were melting all at once. 
“Are you okay?” 
“Haa... Haa... Mmmm. Yes...” 
As Cecilia’s voice trailed off in pleasure, Ling’s cheeks burned bright red. I’m next... I’m next... She couldn’t stop her pulse from racing. 
“All right, next!” 
Here he comes! 
“Tatenashi.” 
“Ichikaaaa! I’m gonna kill you!” 
“I was just kidding, jeez.” Ichika tickled Ling’s belly to calm her. 
“Eek! Ahahahaha! Ichika, sto— stop it, hahahaha!” 
“You know, I used to give you massages all the time in middle school.” 
As his fingers worked up and down her sides, Ling laughed and laughed, “Stop it, hahaha! Ichika, I’m gonna... I’m gonna kill— Hahahahaha!” 
“Hahaha, you’re still so ticklish.” 
They were so natural, so open with each other that they looked like the perfect couple. On the other hand, no one else in the room was really enjoying this. 
“Ichika, hahaha, let me—hahahaha—let me go!” 
“You’re so sensitive, Ling. Anyway, time for the mass—” 
“Ichika, that’s enough for Ling!” A thrown pillow caught him in the face. Charlotte was being insistent, for once. “C’mon, Ichika! Hurry it up! It’s my turn now, right?” 
“Oh, sure. You don’t have to be mad about it.” 
“I am not mad!” Charlotte pouted at Ichika. When she pouted like that, she looked more like a little girl than normal, dependable Charl. Perhaps that’s why Ichika gave her an honest-to-goodness massage. 
“Charl, your shoulders are so tense. Are you tired?” 
“Mmm... I’m fine... Yawn...” 
Her worries melting away under his masterful fingertips, Charl soon drifted off to sleep. 
“Zzzzzz...” 
“Charl? Did you fall asleep?” Carefully moving so as not to wake her up, Ichika placed a hand on Laura’s hip. 
“Wait, Ichika! I’m sensitive the— Mmph!” 
Ichika’s fingers kneaded at Laura’s hips. She tried to choke back her gasps, so as not to be heard by Charlotte, but soon she needed to clamp both hands over her mouth. 
“Mm! Mmm!” 
“Are you okay, Laura? Sure you’re not still hurt from the battle?” 
“I... I’m not. Mmm!” It took all her strength not to moan in pleasure. Her blush had extended up to her ears. 
“Next, Kanzashi. Have you ever had a massage before?” 
“No, but everyone else looked like they enjoyed theirs.” 
She couldn’t control her heart—neither its pounding nor the fantasies of what it would feel like. Just as her thoughts reached a fever pitch, Tatenashi murmured to Ichika, “Be careful, there’s some oil there on the floor.” 
Sliiiip. 
“Whoa!” 
It was too late, Ichika had already planted his foot directly in the puddle. Smoosh. 
“I-Ichika... You’re so daring...” 
As he tumbled to the floor, his hand slid down the back of Kanzashi’s swimsuit, and he could feel his palm wrap around one of her buttcheeks. 
“Wait, no, I just slipped and—” 
“I-chi-ka~ Whatever are you doing to my little sister, hmm?” Tatenashi grinned a Cheshire cat grin. 
This must have been a trap she’d laid, he realized too late. 
“Ichika! Don’t move!” 
“Ichika! I’m jealous— Uh, I mean, that’s so crude!” 
“What are you doing, you creep!” 
In a second, he was surrounded. Ichika sighed, knowing he had only one option. 
“Run away!” He took off like a startled hare. 
“Hold it right there!” 
“Ichika, you’re skipping me!” 
Ichika pretended he couldn’t hear the complaints. Anyway, I need to get this oil off of me. I should take a bath. 
Hoping they wouldn’t chase him all the way into the men’s bath, he ducked under a curtain reading ‘M’ and ran inside. 
Not noticing that the following letters were ‘ixed.’ 
 
“Ahhhh, this is so relaxing.” 
“You sound like an old lady, Maya.” 
The two were as naked as the day they were born. And of course, they had the one thing necessary to really enjoy outdoor hot springs—a nice warm bottle of sake. 
“Are you sure we shouldn’t have our swimsuits on?” 
“I got the staff to close it off just for us. There shouldn’t be anyone else coming in here.” Chifuyu’s gorgeous breasts jiggled as she stretched her arms out over her head. 
“Whew, what a sight.” 
“......?” Chifuyu shot back a quizzical raised eyebrow at Yamada’s rapt gaze. 
Splash. Someone had entered the hot springs. The two prepared for an attack by Phantom Task. 
“Oh, is someone in here? I’m coming in—wait, whoa!” Ichika stopped stone-still—and rock-hard—at the sight of Maya and Chifuyu naked. “What the—” 
“Orimura?!” 
“Ichika, you little—” 
Maya and Chifuyu quickly sunk into the water down to their shoulders to hide themselves, while Ichika, panicking, stood straight up. Maya and Chifuyu’s gazes were drawn immediately to one thing that was its own exclamation point. 
“Whoa?!” Clasping his hands over his crotch, Ichika leapt into the water. But it was pointless. They’d already seen it. “Wh-Wh-Wh...” 
Ichika turned bright red, stuttering so hard he couldn’t even finish a word. The embarrassment of showing that to his sister was too much to bear. 
“I-I-I-It’s okay, Orimura...” Just listening to Maya’s voice, he could tell it wasn’t okay at all. Meanwhile, Chifuyu was really starting to feel the sake. 
“Hmm. It looks like your IS isn’t the only thing that’s gotten an upgrade. You’re not gonna be a kid forever, Ichika... Glug, glug. Maya, the sake’s gone.” 
“Why are you chugging straight from the bottle?! That’s not beer, you know!” 
“Hahaha.” 
“Stop laughing! That isn’t funny!” 
The situation was rapidly spinning out of control, and just then, another dash of chaos got added to the pot. 
“Jeez, where’s Ichika hiding?” 
“I hear you. Anyway, maybe we can wash the oil off here?” 
“I’m sure the student council president will be able to explain it away.” 
“Then let’s get in!” 
“Hmm. We should probably take our swimsuits off, then.” 
“You’re right. They’re soaked in oil.” 
“C’mon, everyone, get those swimsuits off! Ms. Yamada already said we have the place to ourselves.” The rolling clump of chaos that was the cadets were having a great time. 
Ichika, meanwhile, not so much. He didn’t know exactly what would happen if they realized he was there, but he knew it wasn’t good. What do I do? When can I get out of here? Where can I go? Why did this have to happen? As Ichika worked his way through the five Ws, Maya and Chifuyu pressed in from his front and back, pushing him down into the water. 
“Glub!” 
“Sssh. We’ve got to keep you hidden.” 
“Yeah, yeah. Hahahaha.” 
He didn’t really like how much Chifuyu seemed to be relishing the idea, but it’s not like he had any other options. 
“Oh, it’s Ms. Yamada and Ms. Orimura.” 
“Have you two been drinking?” 
“A little bit, ahaha. Having a couple in the hot springs is one of the best parts of being a grown up.” 
“Yeah! And we’re all out now. One of you go get me another bottle, hahahaha!” 
“Ugh, Chifuyu’s loaded... This is bad.” 
“What’s wrong, Ling?” 
“Chifuyu’s always a hot mess when she gets into the booze,” as Ling tried to explain to the other girls what awaited them, she heard a voice call out to her from behind. 
“Ling! Ling, has your chest gotten any bigger?” 
“Ughhh... A little bit, yeah, it has!” 
“You used to be an A cup, what are you now?” 
“...A-plus.” 
“Ahahahaha! That’s a drop in the bucket. Come on, just look around. How long do you think it’s gonna take to fill it like that?” 
“Grrr...” 

Ling flung a wet towel, and with a resounding smack, it caught Chifuyu straight in the face. Normally, this would be unthinkable, but when she was drunk, Chifuyu could take just as much banter as she dealt. 
“Hahaha.” 
This was not the situation any of them wanted to be in. 
“A-Anyway, I’ll go get another bottle!” Charlotte had latched onto this excuse to make herself scarce for a moment. 
“Oooh, you’re a smart one. Though I guess this isn’t the first time you’ve bathed with an Orimura, ahahahah.” The reminder was enough to make the other girls’ eyes glint with jealousy.

“A-Ahahaha... Anyway, here you go.” 
“Mm. Thanks a ton, haha.” 
The escape was a failure. 
“And you! Little Sarashiki!” 
“Call me Kanzashi...” 
“You’re always so damn gloomy. C’mon, lighten up a little. Ichika likes energetic girls, ahahahah.” Chifuyu was on a roll, hitting a new sore spot every time she opened her mouth. 
“Houki. You’re all grown up, aren’t you.” 
“Eh...?” Houki was surprised by the straightforward praise. “N-No, I’ve still got a way to go!” 
It was a spirited yet thoughtful response, but Chifuyu broke out laughing, “Ahahahaha! Those tits get any bigger and you’re gonna need a wheelbarrow.” 
“I see...” 
Ignoring Houki, Chifuyu took another swig from the fresh bottle of sake. 
“Really, Ms. Orimura, that’s not beer.” Maya tried to stop Chifuyu, but she couldn’t move very far while still hiding Ichika. Meanwhile, Ichika, his face wedged firmly between Maya’s ample breasts, found himself trapped between heaven and hell as he squirmed to avoid asphyxiation. 
“And how about you, Laura?” 
“Yes, Lehrerin!” 
“You’re not gonna get any taller, are you. That’s too bad. Ichika’s into tall girls.” 
Wince. 
“Ah, uh, I see...” Laura wavered for a moment, before finding a counterargument. “But love conquers all!” 
“Yeah, that’s the kind of thing you hear from couples right before they divorce.” 
Wiiiince. 
“Ugh...” There was no recovering from that. 
Someone whispered ‘that shouldn’t sting that badly,’ but it was an obvious lie. 
“And you! Cecilia Alcott!” 
“Y-Yes!” 
Cecilia nervously awaited Chifuyu’s judgment, but only two words left her mouth, “Nice ass.” 
Which, well, was obviously true. At least call them ‘child-bearing hips’ or something, someone thought. 
“A-Anyway, everyone, if you don’t mind? We have grown up things to talk about.” Maya made it politely clear that the girls were no longer wanted, and in a flash, they disappeared. “Phew. Orimura, are you okay?” 
Ichika had been freed from the prison of her cleavage, but his mind was already gone. 
“Bwuh.” 
Thud. 
“Hahaha...” 
Chifuyu kept drinking late into the night. 
 
“Ugh, I can’t remember anything that happened yesterday.” Ichika rubbed his head on the train ride home. 
“Where did you hide, anyway?” Ling asked as she picked at her lunch of grilled eel over rice. 
“I wish I could remember.” 
“Ugh. Conveniently forgetful again? You never remember the important stuff.” 
“Hahaha...” 
“Stop laughing like that! I swear, the both of you...” 
Just as Ling was at the peak of her complaint, Chifuyu came walking down the corridor and said, “What do you mean, the both of us?” 
“Ugh! Chifuyu...” 
“That’s Ms. Orimura to you! Anyway, quiet it down, will you? I’m still hungover.” 
Yeah. The both of them. 
“Anyway, did you all get something for lunch?” 
A round of happy ‘yes’es welled up from the girls. 
“Daryl’s and Forte’s orders are going to be leftover, though...” No one had really mentally dealt yet with what had happened. 
“All right, I’ll eat them then! I’m a growing boy, I need food.” The girls followed up Ichika’s peacocking with their own suggestions. 
“Well, if you’re going to do that, I’ll have the red caviar bowl.” 
“Why don’t we all share them instead?” 
“Oh, good idea, Cecilia.” 
“Yeah.” 
“Hey, why don’t we feed it to each other?” 
“It’s my duty to feed my bride!” 
“I don’t think that’s really a duty...” 
“Ichika, say ‘ahh.’” 
“Hey, don’t try to sneak in while we’re still figuring things out!” Everyone but Tatenashi managed the same objection all at once. 
As he watched them, Ichika couldn’t help but feel that everything was back to normal for now. Between what he’d heard from Chifuyu about when he went berserk, the questions surrounding Byakushiki, what Tabane was up to, and the battle with Phantom Task... There were a mountain of problems to deal with. 
But for now... Ichika just wanted to enjoy this moment. 
 
“Your tea, Tabane.” Aboard Tabane’s mobile lab, Chloe poured black tea into a cup. The sound of the tea glugging from its pot brought Tabane to her feet. 
“Awesome, I love your tea! Can I have some konpeito too?” 
“As you please.” Chloe spread out some of Kyoto’s famous confectionery on a small saucer. Their rattle piqued Tabane’s appetite even further. 
“Ahh, it’s so relaxing to have a nice cup of tea. Oh, hey, what happened to the chocolate yatsuhashi Squally brought?” 
“It was poisoned, so I disposed of it.” 
“Aww, that’s too bad.” 
Chloe giggled at Tabane’s visible lack of disappointment and said, “You certainly seem like you’re in a good mood.” 
“Mm. I can’t help but be a bit upset that I still can’t wrap my mind around Byakushiki. That one definitely didn’t turn out like I planned.” 
“You don’t look upset.” Tabane was visibly pleased with herself, and Chloe grinned to match. “Anyway, whatever made you decide to create the IS in the first place?” 
Tabane took a sip of tea, and then spoke quietly, “To give girls wings.” 
Strength for those without strength. Wings for those without wings. A voice for those without a voice. Created almost as if by providence. 
“So, what’s the plan?” 
“It’s time to move on to the next phase. Next on the list...” Tabane swallowed the last of her tea, and spoke again. “America.” 
She smiled cheerfully. 
 
“Orimu! Welcome backsies, no take-backsies!” No one really had any clue what Miss Casual was going on about. 
“We’re back, Miss Casual.” 
The members of the student council who’d stayed behind were waiting at IS Academy’s main gate. 
“Er, Orimura. Did you really meet Dan in Kyoto?” Utsuho’s normal dispassionate shell had cracked a little. 
“Yeah, he said something about a present.” 
“He must have meant my birthday present. Ugh, I told him the thought was what mattered!” Utsuho’s frustration was met with jealous whispers from the cadets. “Ah— Ahem. Anyway, Orimura! The class trip is next week, so make sure you don’t wear yourself out before then!” 
“Of course!” 
“And also, we’ve come to a conclusion while you were gone.” 
“Yes?” 
“Bananas are not snacks!” 
“Y-Yeah...” Ichika couldn’t quite figure out why her expression was so serious. 
 
“Wait, shopping again?” It was the weekend, and as usual, Ichika was out shopping with the girls. 
“Problem with that?!” 
“Nah, I wasn’t complaining. I need to stock back up on massage oil anyway.” 
Houki and the others blushed. 
“Wait, so I can get another oil massage then?” Ling’s heart started to pound. 
“Eh? Nah, I just promised Chifuyu and Ms. Yamada one to make up for the trouble I caused.” 
“Well, you caused us trouble too!” 
Realizing they meant the battle with the berserk Byakushiki, Ichika lowered his head apologetically and replied, “Listen, I’m really sorry about that.” 
“Ah, er. Really, it’s nothing to be quite so apologetic about.” The smile came back to Ichika’s face as Cecilia hastily smoothed things over. 
“Okay. Thanks, Cecilia.” 
“Ohohoho, it’s nothing.” 
Charlotte glared suspiciously at Cecilia as she said, “Well, you definitely know how to make yourself look good, Cecilia.” 
“Ohohoho! I wasn’t even trying to do that.” 
“Oh, did you want a massage too, Charl? You should just say so.” 
“Eh?! Really, can I?” 
“I don’t see why not. How about an aromatherapy oil? I could use an essential oil, too, but...” 
“Ehe. I think lavender would be nice.” 
Now it was Laura’s turn to glare at Charlotte’s smile. “‘Friends today, enemies tomorrow.’ I see, I see. So that’s who you really are, Charlotte,” Kanzashi chimed in. 
“Ehh? No way! I wasn’t trying to...” 
“Really?” 
When even Kanzashi had something to say about it, Charlotte knew she’d gone too far. 
“Make mine rosehip~” Tatenashi giggled as she wrapped an arm around Ichika. 
“What are you doing?!” Angry objections in 5.1 surround sound. 
“Anyway, uh, I’m gonna go check out the oils.” 
He ran away. That was something they could all agree on. 
“Phew, I made it out of there.” 
Even Ichika agreed, to himself. But it was out of the frying pan and into the fire as he saw just who else was at the massage oil counter. 
“Oh my. If it isn’t Orimura Ichika.” 
“Squall! Er, Ms. Meusel!” Even in this kind of situation, Ichika wasn’t the sort to be impolite to his elders. As he watched guardedly, Squall browsed through the oil selection, an absentminded smile on her face. “What are you doing here?!” 
“Well, well. Aren’t you the cautious one. Don’t worry. I’m just here to shop.” 
“I can’t beli—” 
“What’s so surprising about it? After all, I am a woman.” Squall crossed her arms under her breasts, jerking her shoulders up to emphasize them, and Ichika awkwardly looked away. “Aren’t you the most adorable little thing.” 
“Ahh...” 
While he was still looking away, Squall pressed up close to him and whispered, “Be careful around Orimura Chifuyu. And especially of Kuramochi Engineering’s plans.” 
“What do...” Before he could even finish the sentence, she danced away to the register. Unwilling to follow, Ichika watched her leave. “What was that supposed to mean?” 
Now that the question had been raised, suspicions about Chifuyu and about Kuramochi Engineering were beginning to well up in his mind. 
 
“All right, let’s play Old Maid to decide who gets to sit next to Ichika on the train!” 
The day before the class trip to Kyoto, Miss Casual had gathered the first years in the cafeteria. Not just the cadets, but the entire class. They were spread out across the entire cafeteria. 
“No matter what happens, I—” 
Houki was left holding the Old Maid. 
“Ohoho. I was born for this!” 
Cecilia was left holding the Old Maid. 
“Hmph. Is that all you have?” 
Ling was left holding the Old Maid. 
“C’mon, we shouldn’t be taking this that seriously.” 
Surprisingly, Charlotte was left holding the Old Maid. 
“I’ll trust my instincts!” 
Laura was left holding the Old Maid. 
“What matters is data and proper analysis.” 
Neither of which stopped Kanzashi from being left holding the Old Maid. 
As that one cursed card made its way around the circle, Miss Casual suddenly spoke up, “Oh, wow! I’m out!” 
After the winners of each table gathered for a playoff, the final winner was Miss Casual. 
 
Meanwhile, Ichika was in his room, going through the prints he’d gotten back from the developer. 
“These two, I’m going to need enough of for everyone.” One for each of the girls, one for himself, and one to archive. As he took his notes, one print slipped from his stack and fluttered down to the floor. “Oh, whoops.” Bending down to pick it up, Ichika saw that it was the photo of them all at the station. Alongside them were Daryl Casey and Forte Sapphire. Just seeing their carefree smiles made his heart ache. 
“Why...” He knew, now. But knowing was different from understanding. “Just why...” 
The only person who heard Ichika’s throaty whisper was himself.