Location: Terra Colony Andromeda
North Sector - Training Field Septa
Frontline - Battlegroup Blade 1
Time: 1031
January 31, 2050
Falling from the sky.. Without a parachute, Isn’t really normal. Neither was using himself as a makeshift projectile. Itsuki had to think that Arielle was right, he was insane, but insanity is the best weapon to defeat an enemy who is also capable of the same, if comparable, stunts. Hell.. Arielle, and most explorers for that matter, can level buildings in an hour with nothing else than their bare hands and core energy.
Being an explorer has a lot of facets to it. Being somewhat “different” from the norm of civilian life is par for the course in this job.
Itsuki sighed in his helmet, it was more of a pained breath. He was traveling close to the speed of sound all the while trying to keep Arielle in place and them both on target. His right hand tightened around her throat, choking her. This probably wasn’t going to leave a good image of him in her. But she already knew him well enough as is. This was just business as usual, a job, it was only a coincidence that they were on the opposite sides of said job.
He wasn’t going to kill her, things didn’t need to go that far. His contract hadn’t said to do so, this was only a spar, but it was a realistic fight and the blows they were giving each other were enough to break bone. They both tacitly knew that the other was holding back their true potentials. If this were a real fight, one of them would be dead by now.
Adjusting his aim on the violent descent, Itsuki hurled them both into a crashing trajectory towards the ground. On his left arm, the 3 meter long mechanical apparatus of his pile bunker screeched a metallic cry. The thing probably wasn’t going to hold out any longer. It couldn’t punch through Arielle’s protective aura, but it damn well knocked the socks off her.
The pile's tip spun, drilling into her gut like a twisting sucker punch. It probably felt like one by the agast look she was making. Just as he noticed her pained shock, Itsuki’s HUD filled with static. His Augment Suit was dying out and the helmet’s systems were shutting down. Manipulating the touchless interface of his HUD, his eyes pulled up an external view from an ally’s perspective from the ground. Rocketing down from an altitude of a few thousand meters to ground level in seconds was a sight to see. The people down there were probably scratching their heads, wondering just what in god’s name was happening.
Letting the onboard computational controls of his suit take over, the suit’s secondary thrusters flared to push him and Arielle in one last adjustment. The sensation rattled him but he gritted and buckled down.
“There you are.” Itsuki narrowed his eyes.
With the mere fractions of a second he had left, he recognized a face in the video feed. Haruka, she was a recent acquaintance but she was now an enemy explorer on the other team. She had her eyes wide as if the sky was falling. And it was, in a way.
She raised her oaken staff up, producing concentric transparent green walls of protective aura. Itsuki knew this was a sturdy defense. It wouldn’t work to stop him from doing what was needed to win. Immediately as Haruka tried to dodge, Itsuki burned out the last of the power in his suit. He accelerated and shot down like a falling star, striking Haruka’s barriers by using himself and Arielle. They were like a kinetic projectile dropped from orbit. In a resounding crack that rang out three times, Haruka’s barriers shattered in successive booms. He heard Haruka’s scream pitch over his earpiece.
“What the hell! A-Arielle? What the fuck is.. Shit!” It sounded like Haruka had recognised Arielle, but then suddenly realized who else was with her. Not waiting to exchange courtesy, Itsuki pressed the pilebunker deeper into Arielle’s aura.
The transparent layer of iridescent energy began to crack, the pile didn’t break skin, but was knocking the wind out of Arielle and was now doing the same to Haruka and her golem. The touchdown sent everyone’s world shaking. Itsuki, already used to rough landings, got up to store his pilebunker into his storage ring. At the same time, he drew out and threw out a net grenade.
The contraption, a round gray ball, bursted with a pop, expanding out and then wrapped around to pin the half dazed Arielle to the ground. Behind him, Haruka was getting up to her feet in the apparent crater he had made for them. The rubble of her main conjured golem laid around her in heaps. She was befuddled, the world was spinning for her.
“Wha-What happened?” She said. The hit had obviously made an effective impact on her. “Where.. Where the..” As if sobering up, Haruka’s teeth clenched when she saw who was closing in on her. “Huh? Itsuki! Wait! I..” She raised her staff to defend, but before she could do anything Itsuki swept her legs from under her and threw out another net grenade.
Quickly looking over his handiwork as he jumped up and out of the crater, he pinged the comms. [Communications Check.. 00! Report!]
Background static filled his ears and his helmet’s display finally cleared up enough that he could see clearly again. Some of the suit’s systems survived the crash and the comms was the first asset that came back online. A dull click and then a silence hung in his ear, hinting that a connection had been made.
[Query.. 00 reporting in..] A flat voice like his own said. [All communication lines with friendly units have been secured.. Enemy communication has been compromised and are no longer able to tap into friendly channels. All objectives completed.. Entering sleep mode.]
Itsuki shook his head. [Belay last directive, do not enter sleep mode.]
[Query.. Why?] 00 Asked. [This is highly irregular.]
[Because I said so.] Itsuki said. [New directive, assist with tactical command. Uplink with S1 and all Divisions.]
Proto AI 00 took a second, as if the thing had a question it wanted to get off its chest. Itsuki got the feeling it shook its non physical head. It then said.
[Query.. Understood.]
[Good.] Itsuki nodded as he turned and ran as fast as he could. As he did, he changed his comms target again.
[S1, this is Itsuki.. Enemy explorers have been weakened, begin bombardment.]
A green light pinged in the corner of his view, that was the signal to gunned it. He had less than a minute before both Arielle and Haruka’s positions were leveled with artillery fire. It might have seemed overkill to use heavy ordinance on two young women, but those two were explorers. A saturation attack like this would only leave them dazed and unconscious as long as they remembered their training.
“Hmmm?” Before Itsuki could get clear, a friend slash foe tag appeared nearby. It was green, so that meant whoever it was was on his side. Quickly checking their vitals it seemed whoever it was was okay, but unconscious. Itsuki lamented how today was going, it was one new event after the other. Plans never go as intended, do they? What do I do now?
The answer to what he had to do next was self-evident. He had to help. Not only because he knew her but because he knew that leaving her here would endanger her life, he had no other choice.
***
Amanda felt a headache flaring like crazy, it was like her brain was on fire. Before she knew what had happened her conjured ice walls shattered all around her as a shockwave threw her back. Everything was spotted black and her lungs felt heavy as if lead were inside them. Something was on top of her, what it was exactly wasn’t clear.
As she struggled to get up, her ears picked up the sound of footsteps and then the weight on her chest lightened. This woke her up and the first thing she saw was a black opaque visor looking down at her. Amanda blinked at it, at him, and was about to speak but was rudely interrupted.
[No time. Let’s move.]
Yup, that’s Itsuki. By the flat and unemotional tone of that voice, Amanda had no doubts of who had caused all this chaos. Just as she tried to get up on her own, she found herself being thrown up in the air and carried like a sack of potatoes over his shoulders.
[Hey! Put me down! I can walk!] She yelled.
[Idiot.] Itsuki muttered. [Look around.]
[Huh? What do you..] Immediately shutting her up, Amanda’s eyes widened. She saw all the red indicators and trajectory lines around them amongst the rubble of golems. An alarm then blared in her ear and she could see the incoming trailing lights, like arcing fireworks, coming from over the horizon ahead of Itsuki. Her stomach dropped at the realization of what was happening. They were caught in the area of bombardment.
[Holy Shit! We’re gonna die!]
[We won’t if you stop flailing!] Itsuki came around a boulder and took a knee as he produced a riot shield in his other free hand. Covering himself and Amanda, he said. [You might want to brace yourself.]
[You don’t have to tell me twice, what is up with today!] Amanda let out a helpless yelp as an explosion sent her whole body trembling. Thankfully Itsuki had a good grip on her. But no sooner did a shockwave shake the ground and air for a second time, for a moment Amanda thought she was going to slip from his shoulder. She held on, curling up around him like a koala.
A towering cloud of rolling dust blew over them, as well as rocks and other debris that bounced and buckled against Itsuki’s shield. Amanda screamed at the top of her lungs, all the while as the maniac that was carrying her was staying oddly silent. After a minute of pure shock and awe, the explosions stopped and the air finally cleared. Peering past his shield and letting Amanda flop to the ground like a limp heap, Itsuki discarded the broken and battered shield and took a knee. He scanned ahead from behind cover. His sweaty brows furrowed as spit caught in his throat. He swallowed and tensed.
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[We aren’t done. It didn’t work.]
[What!] Amanda yelled as she rolled over on her stomach, panting for breath. [You just called in an artillery strike on them after slamming into them like a falling star, you killed them! You freaking psycho! How are you going to get away with all this! How are you this! Calm!]
Itsuki’s helmet turned to her, all blank and unassuming. [Do you really think that would be enough to kill them?] He said. [You have a lot to learn. Look!] He pointed and Amanda’s gaze fell on something she hadn’t been expecting to see.
Swirling ahead of them meters away, a dome of fire covered the crater he had made. As it dissipated, the comms line came alive with a teasing voice.
[Testing Testing Testing, is this thing on? Hello? Hello?]
[No way.] Amanda’s mouth hung open. Itsuki stayed silent. Either he was too tired to speak or was making a plan in that weird head of his.
[So you’re here too.] He finally said. [Isn’t taking this job a little too much for you.. Sinder?]
Appearing in their HUDs, the smarmy smile of a wolfish girl giggled at them. Amanda didn’t have the words to respond, but Itsuki did. He gave a tired look at her, to which the wolfish girl snickered with a mix of sensual teasing and pride.
[You blocked the artillery fire? All of it?] Itsuki asked.
[Yup.] The wolfish girl nodded. [I remembered how, no thanks to you, and aren’t you going to say hi to me?! You said hi to Arielle and Haruka! What about me!?]
[I don’t think shooting at us is considered a proper hello.] Said a new girl whose face appeared in Amanda’s HUD. The girl's sparkling blue eyes were captivating. The name Arielle was labeled under her feed and she seemed peeved as she cut into the conversation.
[Yeah!] Another girl chimed in. This one Amanda knew, it was Haruka and she didn’t seem all that sleepy now. [I don’t appreciate getting slammed into the ground!] Haruka shouted. [And using Arielle as a shield?! It's just plain cheating and Cruel!]
Amanda blinked, both confused and bewildered by how these 4 knew each other. They sounded like friends, though the thought of Itsuki having any was hard to believe. Maybe acquaintances? She chose to stay silent and listened in closely.
[But isn’t that normal for Itsuki?] Sinder said as she tilted her head adorably. A flirtatious smile heated on her lips. [He’s just a bit rough with how he handles girls.]
The other two grimaced, as if they couldn’t deny that but could read between the lines.
[Enough with the innuendos.] Haruka said. [Can we please focus!]
[Yeah.] Arielle scowled. [It’s time we beat the crap out of this insane asshole.]
Amanda’s attention for some reason drew to the red pointed ears on Sinder’s head, and for a moment she wanted to touch them. She shook herself, this wasn’t the time. With all the violence and sheer cursing going on, it was amazing that she could think about anything other than the current situation. The four of them, these explorers, were talking so casually about such bloody things that it was difficult to understand that they had already come to terms with what Itsuki did. As if he hadn’t tried to kill them all earlier. What the fuck is going on!
Itsuki glowered at them. [I should’ve upped the amount of fire power.] He said unperturbed and looked at Sinder in his HUD. [I didn't think you'd be here, this job isn’t right for a newbie like you. You only graduated recently.]
Sinder frowned back at him. [Hey! I’m an explorer now, so don’t go off and tell me what I can and can’t do. I graduated, same as you. Plus..] She snickered. [I think you need to look in a mirror. You’re the nooby now, you’re getting your ass handed to you. Look at yourself! You're a student now.]
Her fanged smile widened and her fiery eyes glowed. [By the way, it’s not three on one as you think it is, and you’re out of bullets. Nothing much a grunt like you can do if you don’t have your little toys.]
[And don’t forget.] Arielle added. [Haruka can heal us, so whatever damage you think you did to us, we’ll be fine in a few minutes. You better hold on to your ass, because we’re coming to rip you a new one.]
[And not just us.] Haruka said. [All nine of us! We all want payback!]
For a couple seconds, Itsuki continued to glare at them. He lifted himself up one knee at a time and took a ragged stand, his breath catching as if he were choking on dust. Amanda wasn’t sure what to do. Helping Itsuki up wouldn’t amount to anything, they had 3 enemy explorers in their way and an unknown number of enemy constructs ahead of them. All the other divisions on their team were in combat, and there was no outstanding support she could see coming.
As if that didn’t matter, Itsuki let out a huge breath. Then he began to laugh, he laughed aloud so loud that it disturbed everyone.
[Don’t you think I know that!] He declared.
Haruka narrowed and tightened her pink lips. [Of course we do, you’re you! Everyone here today has a bone to pick with you from the academy days, so I mean..]
[That’s not what I meant.] Itsuki interrupted. [I meant I already knew your plan, or well, guessed part of it. I had my suspicions when the training exercise took a turn. It went off script just as things were about to end, so I got suspicious]
[Don’t even try to act calm!] Arielle exclaimed. [As if you knew. The headmaster assured us that..]
[That’s exactly why!] He shouted back. [The headmaster planned this. You don’t think I’ve dealt with his bullshit before! The man’s been a pain in my neck for over a decade. So I know a thing or two when dealing with him. In fact.. Your little deal and his promise to let you all get back at me won’t be happening.]
[And how do you know that!] Sinder growled as her playful and alluring persona dropped. She became serious, as if a wolf on the hunt. [You don’t even know our plan! And right now, at this very minute, the explorers on your team are turning on your allies. We’ll turn the battle around and then everyones going to fail the class today, after we, you know, all get a few punches in at you.]
Itsuki laughed harder and said. [Then isn’t it weird how you can’t connect with them via the comms. Shouldn’t they be here by now? Wasn’t your plan to draw me in, ambush me all at once? I followed Arielle’s lead the whole way here, but now..]
Sinder and the rest blinked. Arielle looked as if she were on the edge of her seat, then they suddenly cut the comms channel. Itsuki smiled as if he had won a battle. To Amanda, he looked like a villain whose plot had come to fruition.
[Itsuki.. This is S1 reporting in. What’s the status of the targets?]
Itsuki wiped the smile off his face and returned to that impassive look of his, he lifted the helmet from his head and keyed his earpiece. [Targets have not been eliminated, Plan A has failed, switching to Plan B. What’s the situation on your end, did you hit your marks?]
[More than that!] S1 said. [The nets we’ve casted were hook line and sinker. 6 explorers down, didn’t think the headmaster would be cruel enough to use betrayal in today’s training exercise. How did you know the four explorers on our side would turn on us?]
[A hunch really. It's because Joel would find it interesting if it had happened, and I find it hard to believe that there are 9 explorers I’m acquainted with, who all have grudges against me, and attended the same job with me.]
[Point taken. So what now?]
[Well we have 3 targets left and thousands of constructs to get through, and there are probably more small fry coming. So like I said, switch to Plan B.]
[Got it, be there soon.]
As S1 cut the line on his side, Itsuki limped away. Amanda fumbled up to her feet and rushed to him. [Wait! Where the heck are you going now!]
[That should be obvious, I’m going to reposition myself.] He poked a finger into her chestplate. [You should get going and regroup with your battlegroup, orders will come in and you’ll..]
“DIE!” An abrupt scream came charging at him. Itsuki pushed Amanda away and turned on his heel. Taking out and rounding a riot shield in his right hand, his legs braced as his knees bent to lower his center of mass. Before he knew it, a beast from hell was on him. The beast pounced, claws out and eyes flaring a bright golden red.
Metal was ripped apart and echoed as Itsuki’s shield was sliced into stripes. A head of burning dark brown hair rushed past the broken bits of his shield and threw out 5 razor sharp claws. Itsuki ducked and threw the beast over his shoulder. It bounced thrice across the ground and recovered quickly with a gracious flip.
The hellish enflamed beast, or.. Sinder, screamed as if she had been wronged deeply. “YOU REALLY MADE TODAY SUCK! YOU KNOW THAT! WHY’D YOU HAVE TO GO AND RUIN THE SURPRISE!”
“Not my problem.” Itsuki said bluntly. “And your “surprise”, was to go through with Joel’s plan and get 9 people to haze me. As if I’d take that lying down. Now are we going to fight, or are you going to just rush at me like an animal.” His taunt didn’t work but it did sting.
“You suck.” Sinder hissed
“I know.” Itsuki was immediately on her and he grappled her into a headlock. “But you suck at keeping focused.”
Sinder let out a grumble and bared her teeth. Just as she was about to bite into his arm, he released the headlock and spun to deliver a roundhouse kick to her back. Sinder flew off and Itsuki ran in the opposite direction. In a hurry he grabbed Amanda by the collar.
“Ow! Stop Stop! What are you doing now?”
“What does it look like!” Itsuki yelled. “Running!”
“I meant why!”
“Because we need to get out of here. A single grunt like me can’t take down three explorers without any bullets. I gotta find some. Once I do then I can.. Oh.. come on!”
Distress overcame Itsuki and he spun around as he let Amanda go.
“Stay behind me.” He said, pulling out a flamethrower from his storage ring as it materialized in his hands.
As he pointed it down range, Amanda realized what was happening, what was coming for them. The air had turned hot all of a sudden. Just a few meters away, Sinder reeled herself back and howled a torrent of rushing flames at them. The fire towered at a height of 5 meters and was just as wide. Amanda thought to conjure an ice wall but her hands kept trembling in the face of Sinder’s overwhelming firepower and presence,
Itsuki on the other hand leveled his flamethrower towards the incoming torrent of flames. Silver white cracks began to spread across the handles of his weapon. Without any warning, he let loose his own blast of flame. Silver in color, the jet of fire swirled forward and clashed with Sinder’s.
Itsuki gritted his teeth, the burden of imbuing the flamethrower with core energy was taking its toll. Sinder’s Hellfire had gotten stronger from what he remembered, and.. She was brimming with anger at him. He’d be proud of her sharp control in funneling her emotions into her attacks, but that was if the situation was different and when she wasn’t trying to actively burn him alive. Just because the present day’s medical technology could heal most wounds explorers took in their dangerous field of work, it didn’t mean he was willing to take any and all injury.
I’m not a masochist.
Their clash of flames finally died out. With a snap, Itsuki’s flamethrower crumbled into silver dust as well as his augment suit. The mat black and cracked armored plates fell away. Underneath, his silver and black colored academy uniform wrinkled. He was covered in sweat. Reopening the line he had with Sinder, he tiredly and sarcastically asked.
[So? Where are the other two? Tied up? Busy? Or are you forgetting to control yourself? Are you a dog or something? A Cat? Maybe?]
Sinder’s brow twitched irritably. She threw her whole weight at him. In a blink, she was right in front of Itsuki. The blank look he gave her was infuriating. He put up a guard as she threw a punch. An ensuing punch out began and Amanda swore she felt shockwaves as they slammed each other.
This is insane! This is.. This is.. This isn’t normal! Is this what the academy is like! Do I even want to be here anymore?
Of all things, she wanted out of all this. Today was too crazy. She recalled why she was here. To figure out the stardepths, unlock its secrets, and most of all, to never let the disaster of the Starfall War repeat itself. To do all that she needed to become an explorer. She had lost enough for one lifetime. A childhood, a family, and time especially.
But now? She found herself unable to go through with all this, doubt crept in her resolve. Could she live up to and become an explorer like them? It wasn’t the heroic life she had thought it was. She knew the books and biographies prettied it up, but she was seeing it now with clearer eyes. For every clash the two made, it was drawing the goal ahead further away. It seemed impossible to reach within her lifetime.