Infinite Stratos - Volume 11 - Chapter 2

Chapter II: Over the Rainbow 

Days later, Cecilia had decided to take her private jet to England to get to the root of the problem. 
“This has to be a trap, Cecilia,” Ichika said. 
“I know. But I can’t just ignore her.” Observatories had determined that the laser attack had come from orbit. But who had ordered them? How was Chelsea involved? Why was the third Blue Tears IS completed? The more which was revealed, the stranger the mysteries got. “So I’ve decided to return to England.” 
“I’ll come too, then.” Ichika took her hand as he volunteered. 
“Ichika... Thank you.” A trip for two to England, like she’d always planned—or not.

“I’m thirsty, Cecilia. Oh, is this a fridge? Lucky. Can I have a cola?” 
“This sure feels different than just taking an IS.” 
“A private jet, huh. Wow, you really are loaded.” 
“Is this plane equipped with infrared sensors?” 
“Can I have some chips...?” 
“Wow, eating on a plane, Kanzashi?” 
“Remember, class, you’re supposed to stay in your seats with your seat belts fastened.” 
“Could I have a coffee, Ms. Yamada?” 
The passenger list was the usual crew, with the addition of Ms. Yamada and Chifuyu. 
“I understand why Ms. Orimura is here. And I understand why Ms. Yamada is along too. But the rest of you—” Cecilia half-screamed out of frustration. “What are you doing here?!” 
The rest of the girls looked surprised at the question. ‘Girls,’ specifically. Not Ms. Yamada or Chifuyu. 
“Well, you know... Houki?” 
“Yeah. Right, Charlotte?” 
“Of course! Isn’t that right, Laura?” 
“Indeed. Kanzashi?” 
“Well, um, err... Sis?” Tatenashi was nowhere to be seen. “Um... You know... Ichika, can you...?” 
Somehow, even though he wasn’t expecting the conversation to turn to him, he had exactly the right answer. 
“You’re all worried about Cecilia too, right?” 
“I... I see... Very well, then.” Calmed by Ichika’s warm smile, Cecilia sat back down.

Ten thousand meters in the air, crossing into eastern Europe... 
“Again. Is this plane equipped with infrared sensors?” 
“Huh? Why do you keep asking that, Laura?” 
As they looked out the window behind Laura, they saw exactly why. 
“A missile?!” 
The roar of its warhead’s detonation shook the plane. Cecilia dove to cover the pilot, Ichika, and Chifuyu, as they opened their IS. They bailed out of the disabled plane, and as they did, a girl who’d just discarded a rocket launcher awaited them. 
“Aww, that didn’t do the trick. Did it, now, Sarashiki Tatenashi?” Soaring in the skies alongside them was the previous Russian representative pilot, Rogna Kalinych. Her IS, Gustoi Tuman Rossiya, made that much clear. 
“Well, that wasn’t what I wanted to do with my afternoon. Ichika!” Tatenashi snapped open a fan reading ‘go on ahead.’ “I’ll deal with that smirking old hag. Ms. Orimura, you take the lead.” 
“Roger. Don’t let her catch you out.” 
Tatenashi giggled. 
“I am Sarashiki Tatenashi.” As she spoke, she unfurled her Rusty Nail chain sword. “I’ll teach her a lesson she won’t forget.” 
It was unclear who was the hero and who was the villain as Ichika and the others’ IS sped away, hugging the terrain. And then only Rogna and Tatenashi were left. 
A silence fell over the battlefield. 
“Wahhh...” Rogna suddenly began to cry. “I’ve been soooooo lonely without you!” 
She dove toward Tatenashi for a hug, which Tatenashi nimbly ducked away from. 
“Uh, listen. I don’t swing that way.” 
“Ahh! So cold!” Tatenashi was five years younger, but she was already completely done with Rogna in a romantic mood. “Love is fierce! Love... Love is an explosion!” 
Two nearly-identical IS clashed, wave after wave of exploding nanomachines detonating in midair. Soon they’d attracted the attention of the locals, and unfortunately, footage of the romantically-charged spat between the current and former Russian representatives was on air worldwide. 
 
The terrain flashed by mere tens of meters beneath their feet as Ichika and the others made for Germany. If it were only the IS pilots, they could easily have made England, but the jet’s pilot and Chifuyu couldn’t hold out that long. ...Well, on second thought, Chifuyu would probably be fine. 
“Ichika! Um, er. You must be getting tired. I can take Chifuyu for a while.” 
Ichika turned his head to respond to Houki matter-of-factly while still keeping Chifuyu in a princess carry. 
“No, let’s keep going. I can handle her,” he replied. Houki couldn’t really argue with this, but that didn’t mean she, or anyone else there, was happy about it. 
Ichika’s enjoying this a little too much. 
Maybe he really is into that kind of thing... 
Jeez, he’s all over her! 
And look at her! She has her arms around his neck and everything! 
Mein Lehrerin... I never thought... Hahahaha... Ahahahah... 
No fair... 
Chifuyu was normally supremely self-confident, but the stares were beginning to get to her. 
“Um, listen. Ichika. You can leave me behind and continue on to England,” she said. 
“There’s no way I can just leave you!” 
His sudden insistence shocked her. 
“Fine, if you insist...” She tightened her embrace, looking almost pleased with herself. 

 
At a special forces airfield in Germany, the Schwarzer Hasen lined the runway. 
“Laura’s late.” 
“She said she’d be here half an hour ago.” 
The crowd was beginning to buzz with thinly-veiled consternation. Their uniforms were pitch-black with red piping, and each one wore a patch over their left eye. 
Second-in-command Klarissa Harfouch, though, stood stock-still. 
“Aren’t you worried, Klarissa?” 
She answered the voice from behind her with an angry roar. 
“You fool!” It was loud enough to make the front row’s ears ring. That was how forceful her voice was. “How it works in Japan is, ‘The time you wait is part of the date, too.’” 
Gasps of awe arose. 
“Wow, XO!” 
“You know everything!” 
“It makes me tingle!” 
“She’s perfect in every way.” 
Klarissa allowed herself a self-confident chuckle. “Quiet, please.” Her firm sternness only set her squadmates off even more. 
“Not a word, then!” 
“The quietest of nights for this star to shine in!” 
While they were busy not getting the point, seven dots of light made landfall on the IS runway. 
“Angetreten! Augen rechts!” At Klarissa’s order, the squad formed up for inspection. No less of a formality could be expected to greet their commander Laura and former instructor Chifuyu. 
“Ahh, Lehrerin Orimura is going to look so fabulous. I can’t wait to see her gallantly marching forth at the lead of a host of valkyries—” 
Enter stage right, Chifuyu being princess carried by Ichika. 
“..................” You could practically hear something snap in Klarissa’s head. 
“Rührt euch, Klarissa.” There was a pang of deep regret in Laura’s voice. 
“Commander? What in the world is... that?” As Chifuyu climbed down from Ichika, Klarissa pointed, her voice trembling. 
“That is Orimura Ichika,” Laura sighed and, Klarissa leaned in to whisper in her ear, “Should we be okay with this?! Siblings or no, that kind of contact with the opposite sex is going to ruin him for marriage!” 
“You don’t have to tell me that. But she told me quite specifically she ‘wouldn’t let me have him,’ so...” 
“And you’re just going to accept that?” Klarissa glared at Ichika, who happened to look up at that moment. 
“......?” 
“Ugh... Don’t give me that innocent look! I can’t believe that you’re her brother!” She nervously chewed her fingernails. 
“...Klarissa.” 
“Yes, Commander?!” 
“You’re not me. So stop acting like I used to.” 
“.........” 
Laura and Klarissa both let out deep sighs. 
 
“Then, let me go over the situation again.” In the Schwarzer Hasen operations room, Chifuyu opened a projection display. “Tatenashi will make her own way to England from Russia. The rest of us will split up, one group crossing by sea from Germany and the other by air from France.” 
The assembled squad tilted their heads in confusion. 
“If we focus our forces on one front, we’re too likely to get bogged down if hostilities break out again. Also, I’ve requisitioned new equipment from Dunois in France. Therefore... Ms. Yamada will lead Cecilia, Ling, and Houki in the sea crossing.” 
More surprise. 
“So Laura’s not taking the German route?” Ichika asked doubtfully. 
“She’s already equipped with a heavy arms package for this operation. And besides—” Chifuyu looked at Laura and Charlotte. Charlotte’s face had gone pale when the word ‘Dunois’ came up. “I think you should be with her. You’re friends, right?” 
“Yes, ma’am!” Laura’s response was loud and clear. Charlotte’s fists were still clenched, but at least she wasn’t trembling anymore. 
“The French route will be me, Ichika, Laura and Charlotte, with Kanzashi as support. Once we take delivery from Dunois, we’ll use their corporate jet to travel to England. Any questions?” 
As Chifuyu clapped a fist into her palm, Klarissa stepped forward forcefully. 
“Lehrerin!” 
“Call me ‘Ms. Orimura’! ...Wait, never mind, you’re not from IS Academy. That’s fine.” 
“Are you sure this Ms. Yamada is qualified to command the German front? Perhaps I would be more appropriate?” 
Ms. Yamada was surprised, but more bemused than angry. 
“I suppose your IS Schwarzer Zwieg has been completed?” 
“Yes! Final testing was completed a few days ago!” 
“Very well. Perhaps we should see just who, between a German special forces IS pilot and an IS Academy instructor, is more qualified.” 
The Schwarzer Hasen perked up at the idea of a mock battle. 
“Ehh?! A battle already?!” 
“And against an old lady, too!” 
“Oh, it’s on!” 
“Looks like she thinks she’s still got it!” 
Soldiers or not, they were still teenage girls first. Klarissa silenced them. 
“Nena! Falke! Matilda! Io!” The four came to attention as they heard their names. “I’ll see you in the brig later.” 
A vein pulsed on Klarissa’s forehead, and the girls’ anger faded to embarrassed blushes. 
“Well, you, er, certainly have a very unique squadron here!” Ms. Yamada laughed awkwardly, earning her another glare from Klarissa. One pointed directly at a chest even larger than hers. 
“I... I won’t forgive this, you damned Milchkuh!” Watching her second-in-command’s glowering jealousy, Laura sighed again. 
 
The German IS special forces squad’s combat arena. Maya and Klarissa, clad in IS suits, stared each other down. 
“Let’s do this.” Klarissa held out her hand, and Maya took it. 
I’ll show her who has the upper hand here! Klarissa’s hopes of establishing dominance faded, and her face went white as she felt Maya’s grip. Gah! She’s a goddamn gorilla! 
Maya had realized what was coming and put everything she had into that handshake. Klarissa’s grip was still intense enough to send a cold sweat down her back. The unofficial first round of the match was a draw. 
“Aaaaand... Begin!” At Chifuyu’s call, Maya and Klarissa were enveloped in light as their IS opened. 
“Here goes!” Yamada Maya’s Rafale Revive Special ‘Show Must Go On’ spread its Shattered Sky shield wings and took to the air. 
“I won’t hold back!” Klarissa Harfouch’s IS Schwarzer Zwieg opened up around her, and the IS Academy students let out a surprised gasp. Unlike its sister IS, Laura’s Schwarzer Regen, it lived up to its name with a hedgehog-like coat of thorns. An array of wired blades dangled from its branches like fruits on the vine. 
“Bring it!” Maya made the first move, entering a Circle Rondo strafe to establish distance. 
“Just like a teacher to do everything by the book!” 
Maya responded with fire from her American-made .45-caliber Full Time Bullet assault rifles, notable for their high rate of fire and 200-round magazine. 
“Hmph. Take this!” Twenty wired blades arced and twisted toward Maya, writhing like snakes. 
“Ugh!” Guns akimbo or not, 20 targets in the blink of an eye was a tall order, and Maya was tripped up. Once the wired blades had sunk their fangs in, just like a snake, they wouldn’t let go. They slammed her into the ground as another wave shot forward. And as they did, Klarissa steadied her .88-caliber Nacht Nacht railgun against her shoulder and drew a bead. 
“It’s over!” The Nacht Nacht, an upgraded version of Laura’s railgun, could punch through an IS’ shields and armor in a single shot. But— 
“I saw that coming!” Four of Maya’s Wired Tired shields snapped into the path of the shot. 

“What?!” 
“You picked the right place to focus, but you overcommitted.” Maya pulled out her chainsaw knife and hacked away the wired blades holding her down. 
“Not bad!” 
“Hahaha. You either!” 
A blizzard of fire passed between them as they closed to melee. 
Maya wielded the Japanese ‘Kukihime’ macuahuitl, while Klarissa was armed with spiked ‘Sturm und Drang’ baghnakhs. The reach advantage was night and day, but Klarissa had the Schwarzer Zwieg’s AIC to fall back on. One tuned entirely for offense, unlike Laura’s. 
“Take this! Sturm Zweig!” The thorns which had previously seemed just decoration shot toward Maya. Taken aback, she tried to dodge out, but it was already too late, and her armor was peppered with holes as precise as if they’d been drilled. 
“So this is an offensive AIC?!” Once those thorns had pierced her armor, the force fields at their tips were free to tear through what was inside. Like roots twisting through the earth seeking water, they dug in, searching for Maya. 
“The Italians don’t have a monopoly on things called storms!” Another coat of thorns sprang up. The Schwarzer Zwieg looking more like a blowfish than anything else. 
Purging her destroyed shield wings, Maya nimbly dodged back. Just what Klarissa was waiting for. 
“......?!” Maya flinched back as she saw the bed of thorns awaiting her. 
“It’s over!” Just as Klarissa thought she’d won, a shot got her in the gut. One from the shield wings Maya had purged. “What?! Those aren’t just shields?!” 
Glancing around, Klarissa noticed that she was surrounded. 
“I call them Phalanx Twelve!” All that remained was to pull the trigger. For either of them. 
“AHHHHHHHH!” 
A hundred thorns and a thousand bullets filled the air. 
 
“And that’s a draw... Or a double KO, really.” Maya and Klarissa had each closed their heavily-damaged IS for repair. 
“That was a good fight.” 
“You’re not half-bad. I apologize.” Each reached out their hand, having bonded over the new respect they’d gained for each other. 
“But now we’ve got a new problem. Your IS is too damaged to lead the push.” Chifuyu sighed, cradling her jaw, as Klarissa snapped to attention. 
“But don’t worry! We’ll give you an honor guard!” The four girls from earlier surrounded Klarissa. “Nena! Falke! Matilda! Io!” 
“Yes, ma’am!” Precise salutes. 
“The Schwarzer Hasen EOS squad will escort you to England!” Each had their own EOS with a black rabbit insignia, equipped with weapons that didn’t require an IS core. 
I wonder if they’ll be effective fighters. But they were still EOS. Or even effective cannon fodder... The EOS squad’s eyes glittered as they contemplated Chifuyu, not realizing her plans for them. 
“We can do it!” 
“We’ll try our hardest!” 
“Can I get your autograph later?” 
“I want a selfie with you!” 
Chifuyu quieted them with a clap. “Sure, sure. Glad to have you on board.” 
“Yes, ma’am!” 
And thus, the two groups set off for England. 

 
“I’ll be seeing you in England then. Farewell, Ichika.” Cecilia may have been saying goodbye to Ichika, but after their time at the amusement park, she had no worries. 
“Yeah. See you there, Cecilia.” 
Two trains set off from a cathedral-esque European station. From the window of the France-bound train, Ichika waved to Cecilia, and she answered with a smile, much to the displeasure of the other girls. 
“Ichika, you... You!” 
“Ugh, I can’t stand that idiot!” 
His two childhood friends, especially, could barely hold their anger back. Or really, just couldn’t. 
As the trains rolled away from the station, the scenery outside began to change. Charlotte, sitting across from Ichika, gazed out the window in a melancholic reverie; the vision of a reunion with her father she’d never asked for eating away at her. Ichika had promised her that, as long as she was at IS Academy, she’d be free. But now she’d set foot outside that sanctuary... And she wasn’t the only cadet whose past was catching up to her, either. 
“Charl,” Ichika called out to her. “Don’t be so worried. I promised to protect you, and I still mean it.” 
As she folded down the seat-back table, more out of habit than anything, she felt Ichika’s hand wrap around hers. As he looked directly into her eyes, she felt her cheeks warm. 
“Mmm... Thanks, Ichika,” she replied, wrapping her fingers around his. It seemed like the world was just the two of them for a moment. 
“Ahem!” Surprisingly, it was Chifuyu who chose to theatrically clear her throat, as her eyes shifted back and forth. “You know, being on a train really makes my throat dry.” 
Laura was the first to follow up. 
“Doesn’t it! We should order drinks— No, send someone to get them from the dining car!” She glanced over at Kanzashi. 
“Ichika, if you’d be so kind...” 
They acted in unison, as if connected by some kind of feminine telepathy. 
“Sure, I’m on it,” Ichika said while getting up. “Coffee for you, right, Chifuyu?” 
“Yeah. Black, please.” Ichika being Ichika, he checked for Chifuyu’s order and no one else. As he left, Chifuyu turned her gaze to Charlotte. “Don’t push yourself too hard. I know how you try to carry the world on your shoulders sometimes.” 
Charlotte was grateful for the sympathy from someone who’d been in the same situation. 
“Thank you so much. But this is something I’ve always known I needed to deal with someday,” Charlotte replied, clenching her fists. 
“That’s kind of what she meant, Charlotte.” Her friend Laura tried to ease her down. 
And then Kanzashi spoke, “None of us are alone in this.” 
Buoyed by the kindness, Charlotte nodded. 
“Thanks, everyone.” 
And then Ichika returned. 
“Here’s your coffee, Chifuyu.” His sister was first, of course. The three girls shot him disappointed glances. 
“What seems to be the problem?” For some reason, Chifuyu seemed a bit smug. 
 
They’d passed over the border into France. As he took in the sweeping pastoral landscapes of Europe, Ichika turned the conversation to Charlotte. 
“So, Charl, where were you born?” 
“A small village in Occitània. It’s a bit of a way from here.” 
“Don’t you want to visit? You haven’t been home in a while, it’s probably good timing for a side trip.” Ichika meant, but didn’t want to say to her out loud, that it might be a good chance to visit her mother’s grave. 
Charl, though, shook her head and said, “Mm, it’s fine. I’m happy just breathing French air again.” 
—She didn’t seem to want to. Charl was the type to make do with the small pleasures she’d found. Always had been, as long as he’d known her. 
“I see.” Ichika let it go. Knowing when to do so was one of his virtues. 
“Oh, by the way,” Ichika spoke up again, seemingly changing the subject. “There’s a station named Charles, isn’t there? Gare de Marseille-Saint-Charles? Reminds me of when we met.” 
He hadn’t called her by that name in a while. 
“Stop bringing that up!” Charlotte yelped. “It’s embarrassing.” 
Laura and Kanzashi had been watching jealously from across the aisle, too fixated on the pair to pay any attention to Chifuyu. 
Chifuyu sighed. 
“You two,” she called across the aisle. “Move, I want to see out of that side.” 
The seating on the train was three-wide, with an aisle separating single seats from double. Chifuyu faced Laura and Kanzashi across a clump of four, while Ichika and Charl were alone facing each other on the other side. Chifuyu had decided to throw a bone to Laura and Kanzashi by taking a single seat for herself, forcing Ichika and Charlotte back into the group. 
“C’mon, move it,” Chifuyu repeated. 
Ichika complained at the forced sudden move, “What’s gotten into you, Chifuyu?” 
His impertinence was answered with a quick spank on the butt. Something really had gotten into her. 
“And?” 
Ichika sat across from Laura, and crossed his arms. 
“Did you say something to Chifuyu?” 
“Nothing, nothing at all! You’re such a rude bride.” Laura hmphed, her arms crossed. It was up to Charlotte to smooth things over. 
“You don’t have to be so angry, Laura. What would happen if your face got stuck like that?” 
“What do you mean, ‘stuck like this’? This is how I normally am.” 
“Wouldn’t it be a waste of a cute face like that if it got stuck with a scowl, Kanzashi?” 
Kanzashi decided to play along. “Sure would.” 
“See? See, Laura? Everyone thinks you’re cute.” 
Laura blushed all the way up to her ears. Unable to contain herself, she blurted out, “C-Cute? Cute?! What does that have to do with anything?!” 
Ichika moved his feet swiftly to dodge Laura’s embarrassed stomps. He’d been learning to turn the tables on the girls around him. 
“You’re different lately, Ichika...” Kanzashi said. 
“Really?” 
“Yeah. You’re doing intentionally what you used to do unintentionally.” 
“Huh, maybe I am,” Ichika replied, almost monotone. The flatness of his voice made the others question his intentions, but none spoke up. 
The train rolled on. 
“You know, I always thought of France as like something out of the old paintings, but this station is huge,” Ichika spoke up again. 
“Japanese stations are small, and they feel even more packed because of all the people.” 
“Oh, huh.” As if something had just come to him, Ichika turned to Laura. “German cooking really impressed me. I wish I’d gotten the chance to learn some of those potato recipes.” 
The dishes made by the Schwarzer Hasen had been excellent, and it seemed like something she was proud of. 
“It’s a soldier’s duty to learn to make good food from whatever’s available. Especially for my squad.” Laura, the leader of an all-female IS squad, must have been nearly as good a cook as Charlotte. Was her lack of pride in it just because she hadn’t awakened to the idea of embracing her own feminine wiles? Or was it because she simply considered it a basic life skill? 
“Kanzashi,” Ichika said, turning his head toward her. “Is this the first time you’ve been out of the country? It is for me.” 
“I haven’t really traveled much... so it’s been a lot of fun.” 
“I see. Heard anything from Tatenashi?” Ichika was fishing for a response like ‘Yeah, she wrecked that Russkie!’ 
“Ah, well... I don’t think things turned out as well as they could have.” Kanzashi was embarrassed by her sister’s failure. Still, though, Tatenashi was on her way to England. 
“Seems like she’s having a bit of trouble too, huh.” 
“Yeah, a bit...” 
Just as their exchange began to blossom into a conversation, a peddler approached them. 
“Bonjour. Could I interest you in a sandwich?” 
“A sandwich on French bread? I’ve never had one of those.” As Ichika leaned in to examine the goods, the peddler recognized him. 
“You... You’re Orimura Ichika, from Japan!” 
“Er, uh, yeah... But how did you recognize me?” 
“Why, you’re famous even here! Orimura Ichika, the only man in the world who can pilot an IS! The last ray of hope we men have left!” He thrust out his hand, and Ichika awkwardly shook it. “Ah, merveilleuse! Can I have your autograph?” 
“Ah, sure. Ahaha...” 
Ten minutes of intense questioning later, the man left behind sandwiches for everyone with a final ‘it’s my treat!’ At least he had good intentions. 
“I... guess I’m famous?” Ichika said, still stunned by the interaction. 
“Of course you are! Didn’t you do an interview with that foreign reporter?” 
“Well, a bunch of the Schwarzer Hasen wanted my autograph, so I guess it went pretty well,” Ichika replied, recalling their meeting not too long ago. “I still don’t want to let it go to my head, though.” 
“Don’t worry about it. You’ve inspired me to work on my own technique.” 
Ichika blushed at the prodding and said, “Laura! I said I didn’t want to let it go to my head.” 
“Mm? Oh, right,” Laura half-apologized, in revenge for her previous torment. She smirked. 
“Wow, it’s beautiful outside.” Kanzashi gazed out the window while biting into her sandwich. “This is good, too. Ichika, you should have some.” 
“Oh, right. Wouldn’t be right to waste a gift like that.” 
It was winter, and being north of pretty much all of Japan just made it even more obvious. As he looked out over the frost-touched landscape, Ichika bit into his sandwich. 
 
After a long journey, it was night. But there was one problem. 
“Wait, two triple rooms?” 
They’d reserved three doubles, but there must have been some kind of booking error. There were five of them. And one was a boy. Normally they’d just cram in and deal with it, but this was anything but a normal situation for the four girls. 
“Hmm. I’m in charge. So the Orimuras will take one, and you three can have the other.” Chifuyu’s argument was less than convincing. 
“Wait, wait, wait.” 
“That’s not right!” 
Well, less than convincing for three girls in love. But Chifuyu wasn’t willing to let it, or them, go. 
“You brats will complain about anything, won’t you,” Chifuyu taunted. “Fine, then! Laura! You come with us too. Any complaint about that?” 
Divide and conquer. 
For Laura, it was the heaven of sharing a room with both Orimuras, but the hell of betraying her friends. 
“Ughhhhh...” Her teeth ground. 
From one shoulder, she heard the voice of an angel, “No, Laura! You can’t abandon your friend Charlotte and take it all for yourself!” 
“I... I know...” 
And from the other, a devil, “Bwahaha. That’s the law of the jungle! Take what belongs to you! Vwee-hee-hee.” 
“You’re right, I may never get a chance like this again!” 
What do you do, Laura? What do you do?! 
“No, you mustn’t!” cried the angel. 
“You know you want to,” sneered the devil. 
The world spun around Laura, and she collapsed to the floor with a massive nosebleed. 
“Yikes! Laura, are you okay?!” Charlotte yelped, dashing to her where she lay on the ground. 
“Charlotte... I... I can’t go on any longer...” 
“You’re bloodied, but you’re still in the fight!” Charlotte pulled out a drink and handed it to Laura. ...Blood orange juice. 
“A bit on the nose there...” For once, Kanzashi jumped in with the delayed second punchline. 
“Why don’t you do rock-paper-scissors instead?” That was an interesting suggestion from Ichika. “The one who loses gets stuck sharing a room with me.” 
He definitely wasn’t looking at the situation the same way as the others, but no one else minded. A consolation prize. Those were common enough. 
“All right, on the count of three. One, two...” Chifuyu joining in, though, was a bit unexpected. “Three!” 
With their hands revealed, Charlotte had ‘lost’ to everyone. 
“I did it! I did it, Ichika!” She hopped gleefully from foot to foot, to the consternated glares of Laura and Kanzashi. Chifuyu, meanwhile, sighed in exasperation. 
“Good night, everyone!” Charlotte was beaming. With a quick ‘let’s go’ to Ichika, she skipped into the room. 
“Oh, wow!” 
The room was spacious and well-appointed, mostly the kind of place someone might stay on a business trip. A triple-layer bunk bed wasn’t quite what one would expect to see, but for Charl, so much the better. 
“Are you sure you want to share a room?” Ichika asked. “You can always tell Chifuyu to trade.” 
“No, I’m fine!” Charlotte snapped. “Wait, would you rather not?” 
“It’s fine, just... Ah, just, whatever!” 
Not knowing whatever that ‘whatever’ was was a nervous thrill to Charlotte. 
“Anyway, I’m going to change into my pajamas.” 
“All right, I’ll step out then. Tell me when you’re done.” Ichika nearly fled from the room, too quickly to hear Charlotte’s whispered ‘you could have stayed if you wanted...’ 
She changed quickly, into a striped set, and then called out to him, “Okay, I’m ready.” 
“Mm? Oh, okay.” Ichika looked at her curiously. “What happened to the kitty pajamas?” 
“Oh, those? There was no way I could bring them with me. Those are kind of for just at home.” 
“Ahh, that makes sense.” Charlotte had serious enough things to deal with back home that playfulness must have been the furthest thing from her mind while packing. Even Ichika could realize that. “Okay, let’s get some sleep.” 
“Er, ah...” Charlotte slumped a little. She hadn’t expected to go straight to bed. 
“So, Charl. Would you rather be on top or underneath?” 
Her face lit up bright red. On top or underneath? I-I can’t decide... 
“If you don’t make up your mind, I’m going to have to make it up for you.” 
“Eh? Ah, um... You decide...” 
As she continued to redden, Ichika dove into bed. “I’ll take the bottom bunk, then. You can have either of the other ones.” 
While Ichika enjoyed getting first pick, Charlotte was deflating. 
“Oh... That’s what you meant...” All she could feel was resentful embarrassment at where her mind had gone. “I guess I’ll take the middle one...” 
She climbed up the ladder, and Ichika spoke again, “Hey, Charl.” 
“Yeah? What?” 

“We’re in France now.” 
“Yeah.” Realizing how complicated Charl’s feeling about it must have been, Ichika fell silent. “And?” 
“Oh, nothing. Goodnight.” Ichika pulled his blanket up over himself and fell asleep. 
Even in the swirl of feelings about everything that was going on, Charl was grateful that he did. 
“Mm. Goodnight, Ichika...” 
An uneventful night passed. 
 
“So this is Paris. ...It’s cold!” Ichika shivered as he stepped off the train in his IS Academy winter uniform. The weak December sun did little to warm him. 
“You’re not dressed for it at all!” Charl reached into her bag and pulled out a scarf before wrapping it around Ichika’s neck. 
“Ahh, that’s nice and warm.” 
Charl giggled, “Amb plaisir, Ichika.” 
Charlotte’s smile shone brighter than that dim winter sun—and meanwhile, Laura and Kanzashi, left out the night before, were all icicles. It didn’t help that they were both too nervous being trapped in there with Chifuyu to sleep well. 
“Ichika. Bienvenue en France! Bienvenue à Paris!” Charlotte’s coat flowed around her as she gave a polite curtsy. 
From behind her, an older man cleared his throat and spoke, “Pardon, ma Dame. If we do not leave soon, we will be late.” It was Charlotte’s butler James, a man of perhaps 55 or 60, with an obvious tender respect for her. 
“Of course. Let’s go!” Nimbly taking Ichika’s hand, Charlotte led him down the steps of the station to a waiting limousine. 
Well, it seems like she’s doing fine so far. Just seeing the smile on her face was a relief to him. 
As he relaxed, Charlotte cupped a hand over his and said, “I’m able to relax because you’re here, Ichika.” 
“Mm? Really? I don’t really think I did anything...” 
“It’s not that.” She giggled. Just him being by her side. That was enough for Charlotte. 
 
Paris, France. A man stood before the gates of the Dunois company’s IS arena. Company president and Charlotte’s father, Albert Dunois. An expensive suit, a beard, and harsh words. 
“Any time now.” He stared down at his watch, and the limousine bearing Charlotte and Ichika arrived. As they slowly got out, his anger reached a peak. “You’re late.” 
His first words to Charlotte at their reunion. That alone was enough to set Ichika off, but Charlotte spoke before he could, “My apologies, President. There was traffic.” 
“Did I ask for an excuse?” 
“...Pardon me.” Charlotte hung her head, to a derisory ‘hmph’ from Albert. 
“Where the hell do you get—” 
“Orimura!” Ichika was appalled that he’d treat his own daughter like that, but Chifuyu held him back. “I’m sorry that my pupil is so rude.” 
“I’ve heard worse.” 
“Thank you for your forbearance.” Chifuyu continued to hold his head down as she spoke. Ichika had had more than enough of this, but she brusquely whispered in his ear, “Don’t you realize that it’ll only be worse if you do that?!” 
“Ugh...” Ichika winced. 
“Get yourself together. I didn’t bring you here to pick a fight.” 
“Understood, Chifuyu...” 
“Call me Ms. Orimura.” She pinched his ear with enough force that he let out a wordless yelp. 
“Oww...” Enough force that he could barely speak. Ichika’s face flushed red as he fought the pain. 
“Anyway, let’s get to the point,” Albert Dunois began to speak intently. “We’ll be moving Charlotte Dunois to a third-generation IS. The preparations are already complete.” 
As the words echoed, he strode into the arena. 
“But wait,” Charlotte began to object. “I can’t just change... I can’t just leave Revive like that!” 
Her eyes blazed in refusal, but Albert brooked no argument. 
“I didn’t ask for your opinion.” 
“Ugh! You’re always like this!” Charlotte shouted, clenching her fists. “You don’t understand anything! Not about Revive! Not about my mother!” 
“No parent should just force their child to do something they don’t want to!” Ichika butted in. 
“It’s a newly-formatted core. It has none of Charlotte’s combat data. It will fail,” Laura followed suit. 
Slipping by Chifuyu’s guard, they stood between Charlotte and her father like human shields. 
“...Very well,” Albert spoke, irritation clear in his voice. “Shall we gather some of that data with a mock battle? If the Revive wins, perhaps I’ll choose to forgive this little indiscretion.” 
‘Forgive’ was the last word on Laura and Ichika’s minds, but Charlotte stood to accept the challenge, “I accept. We won’t lose. Not me, and not the Revive.” 
With a ‘perhaps,’ Albert resumed his stride toward the center of the arena. 
“Then see if you can overcome the Dunois third-generation IS ‘Cosmos.’” His words awakened the Cosmos, and its petal-like thruster wings spread. 
At the same time, they awakened a faraway memory in Charlotte. 
“Maman, what’s your favorite flower?” 
“Why, Charlotte?” 
“It’s almost your birthday.” 
“Well... It’s one I have a lot of memories of.” 
“Memories?” 
“The flower my love gave to me. The—” 
Her mother’s smile, her gentleness, her warmth, all came rushing back. Along with the scent of cosmos... 
 
“Ugh, it’s strong!” As soon as the battle began, Charlotte was on the back foot. The Cosmos had been built as an improvement on the Revive, and outdid it in every way. 
Bullets skimmed off its third-generation ‘Le Bouclier de Pétale’ energy shield like drops of rain. Charlotte’s Rafale Revive Custom II was an especially poor match for it. Like a blossoming cosmos, it spread open to reveal weapons suited for both attack and defense. Its ‘Vertu’ .48-caliber hybrid long rifle, the mainstay of its armament, fired both energy projectiles and bullets. Meanwhile, its ten-barreled 28-gauge ‘Tarrasque’ shotgun kept her from getting in close. Charlotte was forced to dodge wildly, hoping for a close-in fight where she could inflict some damage—which seemed to be exactly what the Cosmos’ pilot, Schokolade Chocolat, wanted. 
The pilot remained silent. Her face was hidden beneath a full helmet visor, but she was obviously quite skilled. 
“If I have to—” Charlotte fired off an ignition boost, taking the full brunt of the Cosmos’ attacks before firing another. 
“That’s too dangerous, Charl!” She could hear Ichika’s voice from far away, but she knew she had to risk it all. 
Feinting with her Grey Scale pile bunker, she backflipped into the air with a rising kick. Chocolat flinched at the unexpected attack, giving Charlotte the opening to hit her with a shotgun blast. 
And as her visor cracked... 
“Tch!” 
“Wait, you’re—” Charlotte gasped. The face below wasn’t Schokolade Chocolat at all, but the Phantom Task member Autumn. 
“Dammit! I had to cut my hair for this disguise!” she yelled. 
“What?! What’s going on?!” As Charlotte shouted, Albert’s face twisted into an uncharacteristic panic. 
“I’m taking this new IS, that’s what’s going on, you stupid kid,” Autumn jeered. 
“Monsieur Dunois! Lock the arena shields!” 
“I’m trying! I’m trying, but it’s being hacked!” 
The image of Chloe Chronicle’s face flitted through Chifuyu’s mind. Immediately she called out, “This was a trap! Kanzashi, try to counter-hack it!” 
“Yes, Ma’am!” Kanzashi opened the Uchigane Nishiki’s consoles, and her fingers raced over the keyboards as a wall of information filled the screens. 
“Chifuyu!” As she wavered, Ichika leapt forth. “I can neutralize the arena’s shields! And then we can help Charl!” 
“You idiot! That’s exactly what they want! As soon as the shields go down, she’ll escape!” 
“We can’t just watch this happen to her! CHARLOTTE!” Laura yelled. She could barely stand to watch, either. 
“I’m a failure as a father...” Albert mumbled, his powerlessness weighing on his mind. “I put my daughter in danger again...” 
“Again?! What do you mean, again?” Ichika turned in confusion. 
“There was an attempt before, within the Dunois group, to remove Charlotte,” he replied. “By the simplest means, assassination.” 
“Assassi—” 
“But there’s no one in the world kept as safe as IS pilots are,” Albert continued. “That’s why I gave Charlotte the Revive.” 
“That makes no—” 
“At IS Academy, she was beyond the reach of our family.” 
As he thought of that being the reason Albert pushed her away, the blood rushed to Ichika’s head. 
“I’ve heard enough!” he yelled. It didn’t matter. Anyone who would hurt Charlotte like that was Ichika’s enemy. 
Albert swayed on his feet from the sudden punch before swinging back at Ichika. 
“You stupid brat!” Albert yelled back. “What do you even understand?!” 
“I don’t know what your reasons are! I don’t care what your reasons are!” 
Chifuyu just let them fight. At this point, it changed nothing. 
“Ms. Orimura! I’ve found the source of the hacking!” 
“Good work, Kanzashi!” Chifuyu readied herself to go after Chloe, then grimaced when she saw her position. “A kilometer overhead... Eesh.” 
Chloe’s IS Kurokagi may have been specialized for cyber-warfare, but it still retained the basic function of flight. Chifuyu had forgotten that in her focus on it being a set of grafted cybernetic enhancements. As she frowned, the ceiling of the arena began to spread open. Autumn was about to escape. She’s going to get away! But this is our chance to go on the attack! 
Before she could, though, Autumn moved to finish off the panicking Charlotte. 
“And now it’s time for payback.” A point-blank barrage of shotgun blasts shattered the Revive’s armor. 
“Guh!” Charlotte recoiled. 
Leveling her rifle at the exposed IS core, Autumn fired a finishing shot. All the others could do was watch as the Revive’s core began to crack apart. 
“Oh no!” Laura snapped her IS Schwarzer Regen open. “How long are you two going to keep that up?!” 
Yanking Ichika out of his fight, she slapped him across the face. This was the second time she’d hit him. 
“Let’s go, Ichika!” she yelled. 
“Got it!” 
Only Charlotte’s voice stopped his swing of Reiraku Byakuya. 
“No! Stay back!” Breaking their way in was exactly what their enemy wanted. “Please! Give me your strength, Revive! Not for me! For her! For my mother!” 
She wouldn’t let her mother’s beloved cosmos be disgraced like this. Her will burned like a flame, and in response, the Revive’s core gleamed. 
“A second shift? Now?! Stop, Charlotte! It can’t take it!” Chifuyu yelled. Ignoring her warning, Charlotte focused all her energy. 
“I won’t let that happen!” Autumn dove in again on the attack, not wanting to leave Charlotte a single opening. Yet as she did, the Revive began to resonate with the Cosmos’ armor, and the two IS were bathed in light. Charlotte and Autumn were both thrown from their IS to the ground. 
“I don’t know what’s going on, but I like it! I’ll take them both!” 
“I won’t let you have them!” Charlotte shouted out. “Come, Revive! Rein Carnation!” 
Her voice, her hopes—were heard. The two IS transformed into a swirl of light, then a halo, wrapping around her. Wrapping around her like a mother’s love. Like a father’s pride. 
“Life will be hard for her.” 
“I know. But we must love her anyway. Love her as much as you loved me.” 
“...I understand.” 
The voices of Charlotte’s mother and father resonated in her head. 
“It’s so warm... So this is my mother’s and... and my father’s hopes...” 
That was the first moment in her life she’d accepted Albert as her father. As the light washed over her, the world’s first dual-core IS—the Rein Carnation—was born. 
The wings and armor of an angel. A form, and an armament, in the shape of a cosmos flower. And the combat data of the Revive. An IS all Charlotte’s own. 
“Tch!” Realizing her defeat, Autumn opened her IS Arachne and turned to flee. But Charlotte, the Angel of War, was not so forgiving. 
“I’m not letting you escape! Not after disgracing the name of the cosmos!” Rein Carnation took flight, like the divine messenger of an angry god. The reborn .48-caliber Vertu II hybrid double rifle glowed with an unearthly light as it sprayed fire. 
“Laura! Ichika! You handle the one up there!” 
“Got it!” At Chifuyu’s order, they burst through the arena roof.

In the blue heavens above, Chloe, wearing a black gothic lolita outfit, awaited. A fateful encounter for Laura. 
“So there you are...” muttered Chloe. 
“You... Your face!” The same face. The same hair. The same skin. It was as if Laura was looking in a mirror. 

“Why, if it isn’t the perfected Lorelei. I am you. Another Laura who couldn’t become you.” Her words flowed like a song, echoing uncannily in Laura’s ears. 
“Lorelei?! What are you talking about?!” 
“It’s better for you not to know. And you, the man beside her. Orimura Ichika.” 
“Me? What about me?!” Ichika gasped, unable to contain his surprise at being singled out by name. 
Again, words sprung liltingly from her lips “A complete maverick. Someone who must be... Removed... For my mistress’s sake.” 
“What?!” 
An incoming transmission snapped Laura and Ichika out of their confusion. “What are you two doing?! You’re looking at a projection!” 
“......?!” Chloe disappeared, and darkness fell over the sky. A sea of inky blackness replaced the blue yonder, the pale moon rose in place of the yellow sun. The whirl of clouds around them transformed into a maelstrom. 
“This... This is a World Purge!” Laura cowered as the world faded around her, but Ichika was there to drag her back to reality. 
“Let’s get out of here, Laura!” 
“Have you gone crazy?!” 
“Get a hold of yourself! If we stay up here, you’ll be sucked in again!” 
“...Understood.” Calmed by Ichika, Laura followed him back down to the arena. Lorelei? What was that supposed to mean? Just who am I? Still shaken by the World Purge, her heart sank as fast as her altitude while she thought quietly. Of her birth. Of her past. Her heart ached as she looked back. 
Chloe Chronicle... What are you... She hadn’t understood. Not a single thing. But now, everything was falling into place. That’s right. I’m— 
One of the ‘Boosted.’ An enhanced humanoid. Engineered for strength. A marionette made for battle. 
“—Ra! Hey! Laura!” 
“Wh-What?!” 
“Good, you’re awake. Are you okay? You’re pale as a sheet.” Ichika looked at her concernedly, and her knees turned weak. 
That’s right. I’m... It didn’t matter who she was. What mattered was who she is now. Now that she had something to fight for. 
“Oh, nothing. And anyway! You’re too close! Back off!” 
“You don’t have to hit me! I’ll move! I’ll move!” If nothing else, she’d livened up a bit by the time they’d touched down. 
There, the battle was over. Charlotte had her rifle leveled at Autumn’s forehead. “You’re not getting away this time.” 
“This shit again... Son of a bitch.” 
And thus, the action at the arena drew to a close. 
 
“Oww... I can’t believe that brat actually punched me.” In the medical office at the arena, Charlotte’s father Albert was being patched up after his fistfight with Ichika. 
“It’s your punishment. For being a man who dared to love two women.” The nurse applying ointment to his face was his wife, Rosenda Dunois. Rosenda, a woman who looked every inch the wife of a baron of industry, smiled teasingly. 
“Hmph...” 
Ichika was receiving treatment in another room. And Chifuyu was interrogating Autumn. 
“It’s been years since I’ve seen you this worked up,” said Rosenda, peering into his eyes. 
“It’s all because that brat doesn’t know how to keep his mouth shut!” 
“Of course.” Albert fell silent, his rage politely ignored. “...You must have known, then. That I could never have a child.” 
“.........” 
“That’s why you took another woman. Because there was no other way you could still love me.” 
“Perhaps.” Rosenda cut through the tense mood with a chuckle. “You should be more honest with me.” 
She playfully dug a finger into his scrape. 
“Oww! Don’t!” 
“The girl needs to be loved. I’m sure I’ll come around to her, too.” 
“Yeah...” Albert fell silent, at a loss for words. 
“More importantly, what about the IS? I believe we’ve lost one?” 
“How will I be able to explain it... There’s no knowing what the government will have to say. I’m sure they’ll want someone to blame.” 
“Oh my.” 
“But it’s a father’s duty to take responsibility.” Albert puffed out his chest pugnaciously. 
“Indeed it is.” Rosenda smiled, showing a woman’s forbearance. 
“But telling them we’ve developed the world’s first dual-core IS will keep them at bay,” Albert continued, as if already rehearsing his excuse. “That will likely keep them quiet.” 
“Well, then, the company’s problems are solved. But how shall we handle the girl?” 
“...Hmm.” Albert fell silent, which was as good as an answer. “...I still don’t approve of her taste in men.” 
Rosenda chuckled. “Ahh, young love.” 
“Hmph!” 
The only witness to their conversation was the setting sun outside the window. 
 
“Oww... I can’t believe that old bastard actually punched me.” In another room, Charlotte was caring for Ichika. 
“Well, you punched him first, right?” Charlotte stifled a giggle as she wrapped gauze around his face. 
“What kind of grownup acts like that?!” 
“It’s because you pushed him so far. Now hold still... There we go.” As Charlotte repacked the first aid kit, she gazed at Ichika. 
Noticing, he tilted his head quizzically. “Is something wrong?” 
“Mmm... I just wanted to thank you.” A blush began to rise to Charlotte’s cheeks. 
“I don’t think there’s anything to thank me for...” 
“Yes there is!” Ichika was surprised by her sudden shout. Charlotte, for her part, gasped before looking down at the floor awkwardly. “I think there is. You’ve always been there for me.” 
“Really?” 
The two fell silent, but not awkwardly. Instead, they let the sudden feeling of peace walk over them. 
“Staaaaaaare.” 
They could feel stares drilling into them from the cracked door. 
“Staaaaaaare.” 
Stares belonging to Laura and Kanzashi. 
“You two can come in, you know.” As Charlotte spoke, their expressions immediately brightened. 
“Very well, then.” 
“Pardon us...” 
The two stared intently at Ichika as they walked in. 
“Wh-What?” he asked. 
“I was just thinking, picking a fight with a grownup twice your size is probably the stupidest thing I’ve seen you do. And that’s saying a lot.” 
“Ichika... You really need to learn some self-control.” 
“Ugh.” There was no way to argue with that. “But! But, I—” 
Ichika leaned forward, unable to just sit and take their criticism. Charlotte laid a finger across his lips to stop him from continuing on, then said, “I know, I know. We’ll call it a draw, okay?” 
“Ugh...” 
The three girls laughed at his sputtering consternation. The only witness to their conversation was the setting sun outside the window. 
 
“Err, thank you for your hospitality.” The butler had escorted Ichika and the others to the airport in Paris. 
“Take care, ma Dame.” 
“Jeez. I’m not a princess or anything. You can just call me by my name,” protested Charlotte. 
“Impossible! It would be a betrayal of my master, and unspeakable rudeness to the heir to the Dunois fortune. I simply can’t bring myself to do so.” 
“Ahaha...” 
As Charlotte laughed wanly, Ichika whispered in her ear, “This must be a lot of weight on your shoulders, Charl.” 
“Yeah.” Charlotte blushed at his sudden closeness. As she did, the butler James picked up on the subtle cue. 
“And you, Monsieur Orimura. She may be your friend, but you’re close for friends. Rather too close. I must ask you to step back.” With a surprising strength for his age, the butler pushed them apart. A withering glare and a stomp to the foot completed this picture of French propriety. 
Putting some distance between himself and the butler, Ichika whispered in Laura’s ear this time, “I, uh. I don’t think he likes me very much.” 
“I guess.” Just as Charlotte’s had, Laura’s cheeks reddened as he leaned close. 
“Sacré bleu! This simply will not do! This, this... This unbecoming behavior! If you have chosen ma Dame, you must stand by your decision! If you have not, I simply cannot allow you to accompany her any further!” 
“Come on! It’s not that big of a deal! We’re going to miss our flight!” Pressing by the enraged butler, Charlotte rushed to the boarding gate. 
“We’ve gotta get going. See you.” As Ichika tried to duck by the butler, he was caught by the collar. 
“I hope you understand. If you make her cry, I may forgive you someday, but Monsieur...” 
At the realization that it was all just a father’s concern for his daughter, Ichika burst out laughing without realizing it. 
“I’ll make sure I don’t! Goodbye!” 
Au revoir, France! Next stop, England!