Chifuyu strode intently through the halls of the base, her eyes blazing with rage. “Tabane!” She had found her target. “Oh, hey, Chichan. What’s up?” Tabane was perfectly nonchalant as she sat at a table in the break room, sipping a latte. “These vending machine drinks are terrible. I really wish Kuu was here right now.” Her thoughts were obviously more on Chloe, deployed on another mission, than anything else. Something deep in Chifuyu snapped as she watched the sheer self-centeredness on display. “Quit fucking with me! What’s your game here?!” Chifuyu kicked the table over, pinning Tabane to the wall behind her. A fist quickly followed, punching through the sheetrock as she roared in anger. “Don’t you realize what you’ve done?! This isn’t like what happened with Shirokishi! Ichika is... Ichika is dead!” She could tell she’d been outsmarted, but the fury clouding her eyes hid everything else from her. “Well, you know...” Tabane rolled her eyes, like she was explaining something to a child. “It’s your fault, Chichan. If you won’t get out there yourself, sacrifices have to be made.” “Sacrifices?!” “And this time, it just happened to be Icky. Do you really think you’d be this mad if it was one of the girls?” Chifuyu winced. “Well...” They were her students. She cared more for them than almost anything in the world. Almost anything. Ichika was on a completely different level. He was vitally important to her. Maybe too important to her. “Houki and the others are still up there, you know. How are they doing? Who’s giving them orders?” Tabane smirked as she awaited Chifuyu’s reaction. And the answer came as a grin. A crazed grin. Tabane was smart enough to tell. She’d broken Chifuyu. “They’re keeping watch in stealth mode... We’re narrowing down the position from which Excalibur will fire next... We’re referring to it as ‘Zero Point,’” Chifuyu growled. “That’s the stuff!” Tabane nodded gleefully. “I knew that no matter what happened, you’d never take your mind off the mission. No, really, you’re even better at it than I expected! I just loooooove a woman who can take charge like that.” Chifuyu didn’t have the energy left to snap back at Tabane’s cheer. “Get out of here, Tabane. Before I kill you.” “Okay, okay. See you around, Chichan! I hope you get involved personally this time. Can’t wait to see the IS Kurezakura in action!” “Shut up!” Tabane was gone before the shout left Chifuyu’s lips. Like it had all been a lie. Like it had all been an illusion. “Uuuugh...” Chifuyu was left alone, shuddering with rage that had no outlet.
[Ichika is dead.] The realization pierced her heart. “Ichika...” Tears streamed down Cecilia’s face as she sat inside the Afternoon Blue BT particle accelerator. “Why... You promised me...” She thought back to their conversation just before the mission.
“By the time we wrap this up, it’ll be your birthday.” “You remembered, Ichika?” “Of course I did. It’s hard to forget Christmas Eve,” said Ichika with a smile. “Ahh... Thank you.” “Listen, though, I’m sorry. I forgot your present in Japan.” “No! That’s perfectly fine! Just remembering is enough.” “Doesn’t take much to satisfy you, huh?” “By the way, I’m planning a party here in England.” “Oh? That’s too bad, I only brought my uniform.” “That’s fine! I’ll pick something out for you! You’ll look every inch the gentleman.” “Go easy on me...” His gentle smile. The warmth of his body as they walked together. His composure, always concerned but sometimes teasing. Now, those were—
“I... I can’t believe he’s gone...” The more she thought of him, the harder the tears came. There was a space left in her heart, and nothing but emptiness to fill it. No matter how hard she yearned for him, no matter what words came to her lips, they would never get through. Ichika was somewhere she couldn’t reach. All Cecilia could do was sob at her own powerlessness.
“New orders. Prepare for an all-out assault. We move out in thirty minutes.” Laura’s voice was empty, detached as she looked out over the void. It streamed past Houki and Ling, not breaking through their shell shock. “Are you two listening?!” They shied back at Laura’s sudden anger. “I... I can’t do it. Not Kenran Butou. Not now...” Houki’s words trailed off. Laura flew into a rage, her right hand wrapping around Houki’s neck. The plasma dagger on her right arm hummed to life. “Would you rather just die here?! I’m not going to go down without a fight!” This was enough to spark Ling to action. “What’s wrong with you?! Ichika is... Ichika is... He’s dead! And you’re just fine with that?!” “Like hell I’m fine with it!” Laura’s voice shook with passion. She had a determination born of Ichika’s last words. The others may have sunk into despair, but she had no time left for that. “I know...” she muttered. His decision may have come from trust in her. But it was a cruel decision just the same. One which robbed her of even the chance to shed tears. She resented him for it, but he was no longer there to resent. “There’s nothing else left to me...” There was no other option. The only way to give her life any meaning was to fight. Fight with every ounce of her being. That was the only answer she had for him. “No matter what. We destroy Excalibur... For Ichika.” “For Ichika.” “For Ichika...” Houki and Ling wiped away their tears and stared into the distance. The could only look forward. No matter how hard they tried to look back, Ichika would never be there. All that remained was to take down Excalibur, even if they died trying. A determination hammered out from sorrow. “All right. Let’s go over the mission one last time. We make an all-out attack on Excalibur. At the same time, Cecilia attempts to snipe it from the surface. If either of us succeeds, the mission is a success.” The three nodded solemnly. Just as they steeled themselves, an alarm came over the radio. “Something’s happening on Excalibur! We’re detecting high energy levels! All units, attack immediately!” It was Maya. Excalibur’s recharge had completed an hour before expected, and the busy activity at ground control audible behind her betrayed their panic. “This is Orimura Chifuyu. H-Hour has been moved up. England expects that every woman will do her duty. Out.” Her steely voice gave the signal to attack.
“Mistress, your decision?” Chelsea’s question brought Cecilia back to herself. Along with the realization that, if she couldn’t focus now, the operation would have to move ahead without Blue Tears. “There’s no more time.” “Understood. I... I’ll be fine. Let’s do this.” “I expected no less of you.” Off to the side, Madoka watched with disinterest. “Hmph. Not like we would’ve needed you.” “Bold words.” As if rising to Madoka’s challenge, Cecilia leapt into the cockpit of Blue Tears. “Here goes.” “Finally,” Madoka yawned. “I knew you could do it, Mistress.” Madoka and Chelsea, likewise, took their controls. As they did, a countdown to when Excalibur would fire again popped up. “Ten minutes left... This’ll be close.” But there was no looking back. Cecilia had reached a determination beyond her sorrow.
“Laura! Take the energy from Kenran Butou!” “On it!” A fierce battle was unfolding in the space around Excalibur. The three IS attacked in wave after wave, but it wasn’t enough to break through. An array of cannon drones, almost like bits, swarmed after them as they pushed toward the satellite. “What do we do?! We’ll never get close enough like this!” “I know, I know! But we just have to buy time!” “All we can do is believe in Cecilia!” Their squad tactics may not have been well-honed, but their determination was enough to paper over the missed timings. It wasn’t enough, though, to win the battle. The drones fired a volley of beams. “Gah...!” Their target was Laura—an attempt to take the most seasoned veteran out of the fight. “Laura!” “Stay back!” she barked. “You two need to finish this!” “Wait! But you’ll—” “Don’t worry about me! There’s no time left!” All Ling and Houki could do was try to make sure that her sacrifice wasn’t in vain.
Where am I? A void filled with light. I floated in that emptiness. As I did, a voice called out to me, “...ke up.” My limbs were as heavy as lead. No matter how hard I struggled, I couldn’t move. Tired... I’m so tired... Again, the voice called out, “Wake up.” It was familiar. Filled with warmth. “Please, wake up.” Yet so cruel. If I listened— “You have to get up!” I pushed back at the fatigue weighing down on me. Yes. I—
“Excalibur’s energy charge is increasing even further!” The desperation echoed in Maya’s voice. “We won’t make it!” Blood ran down Chifuyu’s clenched fists as her nails dug into her palms. “Huh?! Wait! Something... Something from the moon is closing in on Zero Point!” “Enemy reinforcements?!” “No! It’s moving too fast to be an IS! But...” Beside Maya, Kanzashi’s fingers danced over an array of ten projection keyboards. “It’s broken maximum Ignition Boost speed! Bringing up visual on the main monitor!” An image of something unlike anything they’d ever seen flickered onto the huge monitor set in the wall. “An asteroid? No, it looks like some kind of seed...” No. A flower bud. A seed-shaped flower bud, wrapped in white petals. A spiral of shimmering wisps of energy flew like snowflakes from the tip where its six white petals came together. “IFF transponder signal acquired! ‘White Tail’... GX00?! That— That’s Byakushiki! Pilot vital signs are Orimura’s!”
Its armor scattered, its function fulfilled, as the bud arrived at Zero Point. And there on the screen, snow-white wings of energy spread, was Ichika. Wrapped around him was Byakushiki’s third form, White Tail, with huge energy wings and an absorbed O.V.E.R.S. pack. “Ahh...!” A sigh escaped Maya’s lips. Not just hers. Kanzashi, the operators, even Chifuyu gasped in surprise and relief. “You’re... alive...” Chifuyu had to force herself to not leap and embrace the screen. And then, Ichika’s voice echoed through the control room, “Sorry I kept you waiting!” Someone let out a wordless shout of joy. No, not someone. Everyone. Cecilia and Madoka, in the Afternoon Blue BT particle accelerator, heard him as well. “Ichika...!” “Hmph. Wouldn’t have been any fun if that had taken you out, anyway.” The BT energy, responsive to human emotion, swirled around them. Levels were high enough for an orbital shot. “Kanzashi! Transfer control to Cecilia!” As soon as Maya spoke, Kanzashi’s hands leapt into motion. “Understood. Transferring control!” Cecilia took over aim of the particle accelerator. And as she did, she sent her view to Ichika up in space. “Cecilia! Your aim—” A long-ago conversation. A bond still strong. And a shot toward the future. “—is perfect!” A blue bolt shot toward the heavens.
“We did it!” Laura cheered as she watched the blast of light wash over Excalibur. “It’s not over yet!” Ichika dove toward the half-destroyed Excalibur. “Wait, Ichika! What are you doing?!” “I’ll explain later! There’s something I have to do!” Ichika forced his way into the cramped control room. Inside, he found a pair of girls collapsed, their energy drained away. Forte Sapphire and Daryl Casey. “There you are!” And one more girl, sleeping in the center of the control room.
“Exia Caliburn... I’m waking you up from this nightmare.” He reached out his right hand, wreathed in light. This was his true One-Off Ability, Yuunagi Touya. “If this can reformat any IS...” Beams of light from his fingertips pierced through her, burning out the program which had taken root in her body like a disease. “I’m...?” Exia opened her eyes, and saw Ichika’s gentle smile. “Goodnight, Exia.” “Mmm... I’m tired...” The girl drifted off to sleep in Ichika’s embrace. And that was the end of the Excalibur Incident.
“I was sooooooo worried about you!” It was teary-eyed Ling who spoke up during their descent to Earth. “I know, I know.” Ichika soothed her as they began reentry. “Ichika... I... I was pretty worried about you too.” Houki wanted attention too, and Ichika smiled at her. “Thanks, Houki.” “Y-You don’t have to thank me for it or anything, just...” Her eyes glistened. “And Laura. You did well. Thanks.” “I... I just did what you asked of me... Mumble mumble...” Laura was at a loss. She turned away, her last few words lost. Just like Ling and Houki, though, there were tears in her eyes. “Anyway.” They spoke in unison. “Welcome back, Ichika.”
Meanwhile, on Earth— “Now, Chelsea Blankett. If you could hand over Dive To Blue.” As soon as they left the particle accelerator, Madoka leveled a lancer bit at Chelsea. It seemed like the ceasefire was over, as well as Chelsea’s usefulness to Phantom Task. “No thanks.” “What?” “I said, no thanks.” In an instant, she faded away. This was Dive To Blue’s one-off ability In The Blue. “You’re not getting away!” A spear of energy shot forth from the lancer bit, hitting nothing. As Chelsea made her escape, she’d scattered a hail of floating mines which shot toward Madoka like missiles. “You’ll need more than that!” Chelsea shot back. Six lancer bits swept them away, but the blasts of flame obscured Madoka’s vision. As they did, Chelsea faded back in, scattering another wave. “Tch!” Madoka was forced to dodge back, but as she did, she realized Chelsea’s weak point. She has to reappear to attack. And— When hidden, she couldn’t use the bits which were her primary weapons. “Got you!” A fierce attack blasted Chelsea as she phased back in. “Ugh!” Chelsea was blown back by the strike. As she struggled to her feet, Madoka closed in, pulling out the Remover she’d tried to use on Ichika. “If you won’t hand it over, I’ll tear it off of you.” “Chelsea!” Cecilia pressed her way between them. But with its energy expended, a single punch was enough to blast Blue Tears out of the way. “Mistress!” “How useless,” Madoka sniffed, full of contempt for bonds, for human connections, for emotion. “Power is all that matters.” Without power, she could do nothing. Without power, she could never return to where she belonged. No matter what, she could never forget that loss—could never accept it. Someday, I’ll grasp it. My own star... And here was the opportunity to take Cecilia’s Blue Tears, too. But before she could, an unexpected obstacle sprung up. “Hey, hey, hey! It’s Tatenashi, arriving fashionably late! How about a barrage?” Her tone was joking, but the explosion was deadly serious. Madoka watched it tear through Afternoon Blue. “Unlimited, huh.” “What, did you think I was just sightseeing in Russia? At this time of year? C’mon! Let’s dance!” Madoka knew the power of an IS without limiters. She knew the intensity of the battle which awaited her. But she wasn’t about to step back. “Hahaha, I was only here for one IS, but it looks like I’ll be taking three!” “Didn’t anyone ever teach you not to count your chickens before they’re hatched? Or that giving a speech about how you’ve already won guarantees that you’ll lose?” Tatenashi’s graceful fan dance served to scatter explosive nanomachines. Even Madoka, realizing their power, was forced to take to the skies. But it was a predictable move, and as she did, Tatenashi’s new ability Cinderella Time drew her in. “Dance! Dance until the clock strikes midnight!” Explosion after explosion after explosion. Madoka indeed looked like she was dancing as she evaded the towering flames. “Ugh! You’ll pay for this!” “That’s enough, M.” Squall Meusel’s voice cut in. “Get out of there. I’ll pick you up.” “No way! I... I... I—” “Enough games, M. Time’s up. Get out of there.” At Squall’s insistence, Madoka turned away. “Tch!” After one final glare at Cecilia and Chelsea, she sped off into the distance. “That could’ve been bad, but we made it through... Good job, Mysterious Lady.” Last-minute upgrades. A nick-of-time arrival. Suddenly whipping out a new skill. Luck had been on her side. In a real fight, even Tatenashi would’ve been bloodied. “Now all that’s left is to wait for Ichika.” She watched Chelsea run up to Cecilia. “Mistress! You mustn’t push yourself like that! Please, please take care of yourself.” “I know, Chelsea. I know.” Cecilia had Chelsea—and their irreplaceable bond—back.
Christmas Eve. Or perhaps the eve of battle. Cecilia’s birthday. Maids rushed to and fro through the halls of the ancient castle as they prepared a feast. It was all for the love of their dear mistress Cecilia. Their pride, their desire, and their duty was serving her to the utmost. Meanwhile, in a dressing room, the lingerie-clad cadets drew battle lines. “White or red? That’s the question.” Houki cradled her heavy breasts as she held a dress up before her and looked in the mirror. Her soft curves were contained by a vivid pink bra. “Yellow’s probably a bit too flashy, isn’t it.” Charlotte wavered between a dress in her signature yellow and one in orange, her toned hips swaying back and forth as she tried different poses. “Hmm. Black or purple for me? Yeah. One of those.” Laura debated two choices normally too bold for someone with her delicate figure. The advice to compensate by choosing a cut which showed off her shoulders was, of course, her second-in-command Klarissa’s. “Aqua for me. I wouldn’t mind white either, but I’d like something with sequins or a color gradient.” Tatenashi proudly flounced her chest as she wondered aloud. Her hips, too, were a match for anyone there. “I’ll go with the one you don’t...” Kanzashi may not have had the most impressive chest, but she made up for it with beautiful legs. The gentle light of a chandelier danced over the girls’ pale, smooth skin as their playful chatter—‘Which should I pick?’, ‘That one’s nice too!’, ‘How about this?’—filled the air... Until Ling struck a sudden note of discord. “So why aren’t there any that fit me?!” She was, to put it bluntly, pissed. “Eh?” “Wait, you mean...” “In the chest, probably.” This coming from Laura, who wasn’t much better off herself and was clearly trying to draw a precise line she was just on the right side of, was enough to drive Ling to new heights of anger. “Grrrrrrr!” The other girls tried to talk Ling down from her outburst. The room was quickly transforming from a paradise of panties, a bliss of bras, to a quite different idea of the afterlife. “Why’s Cecilia get to have her own room, anyway?!” “I mean, it is her house.” The anger at their host was a bit misdirected. “Whatever, I’ve got an hour left! I’ll just have to patch something together that’s my size!” “Wha?!” As soon as the inspiration struck Ling, she whipped out a needle, thread, and a pair of shears. “Let’s get this done!” “Hey, wait! I picked that dress!” Houki put up what resistance she could, but Ling was already beyond reach. “Next up! I want a yellow accent. Charlotte! Gimme some cloth!” “‘Gimme’?! Wait, no! Don’t cut it up!” There was no stopping her. Snip, snip, snip! “Don’t bring scissors to a gunfight.” Laura leveled a pistol at Ling’s forehead before the others scrambled to disarm them. “Why am I not surprised.” “Seriously...” The Sarashiki sisters let out matching sighs. The remaining hour until the party was a melee in more ways than one.
“I’d like to thank you all for gathering here this evening to celebrate Cecilia Alcott’s birthday.” As Chelsea spoke, a crowd of high society movers and shakers crowded around the birthday girl. “Why, Cecilia! You’re practically a national hero! I knew you’d make us proud.” A woman in her early twenties smiled merrily. “Cecilia! We seldom see as promising a cadet as you!” A middle-aged soldier respectfully dipped his head. “Such a shame you didn’t have the chance to visit our school while back in the country.” A former classmate of hers pouted slightly. More and more people crowded around her, and she couldn’t break free. Enough of these people! Where is Ichika? The other hero of the day may have miraculously survived the battle, but it seemed like the pressure of high society was enough to send even him fleeing. As she looked around, she noticed a number of other girls in dresses she’d selected searching for him as well. “Where did Ichika get to?” “Jeez, I go through all this trouble to wear a fancy dress and he doesn’t even show up.” “I’m glad Ichika’s safe, but he hasn’t really seemed like himself since he got back.” “I noticed that, too.” “Orimura Ichika, the man who died twice in one day...” “Kanzashi, let’s not tempt fate like that.” Cecilia made her home in a glittering world of fame and fortune. A lonely, empty world. But through it all, she’d made dear friends. Found someone to love. “I couldn’t ask for a better birthday.” No one could get between them tonight. If they tried... Well, death would be preferable. There was no place for someone like that on a night like this. December 24th. Cecilia Alcott was now 16. No longer just the young heiress to the Alcott name, but the head of the family in her own right. Soon, the coronet would weigh heavy on her head. But not tonight. This was Christmas Eve. And there was someone she wanted to spend it with. “If you’ll pardon me.” The surrounding crowd made way for her. “It was a pleasure, Cecilia. Enjoy the rest of your evening.” “And you as well.” The lady of the house gave a polite curtsy and departed. Searching for a way to find her love, she made her way to a balcony. “Perhaps I’ll be able to spot him from here.” As her gaze darted around, something suddenly covered her eyes. “Eek!” “Guess who?” Ichika’s voice was more mischievous than usual. As his hands lifted away, a part of her was regretful. Just a moment longer... But a lady must be demure. Certainly, Lady Alcott’s manners were impeccable. No matter how much she yearned to wrap her arms around him, she endured. “Sorry to tease you like that.” It seemed like Ichika had taken her silence as reproach, and she quickly stammered out an attempt to reassure him, “N-No! I don’t mind at all!” “Really?” “O-Of course. You just surprised me, that’s all.” There was something different about Ichika tonight. Maybe because of his brush with death. But he was growing. Changing. They both were. “Happy birthday, Cecilia.” Ichika held out a shortcake adorned with a single candle. She could tell that the contrast between the extravagance surrounding them and his simple gift embarrassed him. “It’s nothing compared to what you have here, but... Well, I tried.” “Oh, you don’t have to compare them! I’m so happy...” It may have been a bit of an overreaction to a hasty gift, but it really did make her that happy. “Go ahead, blow out the candle.” “Of course. If I may.” With a quick puff of breath, she blew out the candle. Ichika handed the cake to her, then clapped. “This is the best birthday I’ve ever had.” “It must be nice to have so many people here celebrating.” “It’s nice to have you here celebrating.” It was so direct that even Ichika blushed. For a moment, the two lost themselves in each other’s eyes. There was no one there to get between them. “Ichika. If I may ask for one other thing? As a birthday present.” “Yes?” Cecilia had finally worked up the courage to say it. “Hold me...”
“Wait, is that Ichika and Cecilia?” Houki spotted them from across the crowded room and watched from afar. It was, after all, Cecilia’s party. Houki wasn’t rude enough to ruin it for her. I’m just glad he’s okay... She was truly grateful for that, at least. They could talk it over. There was no rush. But no sooner did the relief set in than she saw him embrace Cecilia. “......!!” It was a tremendous shock. And then, as the shock sunk in, her eyes began to shine a deep red. Red, red for the Ichika who was embracing Cecilia.
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