Harry Potter. London, Military Hangar. The day of bonding. July, 9

Harry Potter was lost. Infinite tunnels and rooms. Identical hallways twisting and turning in every direction. He was already tired from running with his legs starting to ache, but nevertheless, he was keeping his tempo. He desperately wanted to see his "symbol of freedom" up closer, to witness its glory firsthand. But first, he needed to get out and no one was around to help, despite the fact that the IS Invitational Competition "UK: Introduction to Infinite Stratos" was currently being showcased.

In the eyes of Harry Potter, the Infinite Stratos was a symbol. A symbol of freedom, strength, and possibilities. If there was anything the boy aspirated to be able to do, it was to fly in the limitless sky. There was no way he was going to miss an opportunity to see IS's in actual combat from the tribune if he could help it. After almost fifteen minutes of searching endlessly for the entrance to the roof and tribunes and continually failing to understand signs and arrows, the young boy decided that he has nothing to lose and followed his intuition. Following his instincts, the youngling didn't notice the gradual change in technological decorations and the steady increase of "personnel only" signs, his attention solely on his intuition was saying that he was getting closer and closer. So close that even past the sounds of his running he could hear the faint sounds of war in the distance.

The tournament has already begun.

Upon reaching his destination, he came to a stop in front of a large door hangar. With the sounds of battle enticing him to go on, he slid open and slipped inside. What he saw brought Harry Potter to a standstill. In front of him was something he had long watched from afar. An IS, sitting quietly in the corner. Realizing just where he was, Harry turned to leave but found that other than himself and the IS, there was no one else around. Just him, and the IS that stood there beckoning him. This was the one and only opportunity for a "freak" like him, who never had a right to look upon the war machine, to see it so close.

Somewhere in his heart hope was born.

A small glimmer of hope, that just maybe this majestic armor will save him, could save him, and give him chance to gain his own freedom, independence, and life. Looking at the beacon of hope in front of him, Harry Potter just knew inside that if he didn't take this chance then he could very well die in more ways than one.

He could die as an individual.

He could die as an independent person.

He could die as an intellectual being.

He knew that this touch could change nothing and would change nothing.

Still, he could not drop this foolish hope, this foolish feeling.

And so Harry Potter touched IS the Forgotten, Sage.

Infinite Stratos Artificial Intelligence, Codename Sage, London, Military Hangar

July 9

Sage was an advanced Artificial Intelligence, part of the core for one of Tabane's Infinite Stratos experiments. It was protocol for custom IS to be integrated with an advanced AI due to the problem that regular software could not keep up with so much unique equipment, not to mention anything less just simply could not adapt the frame and the core to a pilot. It also had the added benefit that the AI could serve as the connection between visual, audio, and neural interfaces between the core, frame, and pilot. Every AI is programmed to be brief and silent, to protect the pilot and aim for pilot-core perfection and Sage was no different.

Unfortunately, both the frame and core were a result of a failed experiment, a deadlock attempt to create the first suit of the 2nd generation. Sage's core could generate or convert a larger variation of energies and proved to be much more flexible when compared to normal cores. The core itself was much more efficient. Two times bigger energy generation per hour, a new energy distribution system to support the larger variations of Equalizers as well as a unique generator for energy constructs (ECG). That was a success.

But as a result, the energy storage level was even lower than that of the first gen training cores, counting an energy count of 120 compared to his predecessors who had 320 to 700. For an IS, energy storage was everything as it acted as its shields value, secondary propulsion, and powered any special weapons equipped. The more energy you have, the more flexible you are in combat, and having a variety of equipment available simultaneously only increases that. A more flexible core, bigger energy surplus, wider variety of devices, additional ECG variants, and a possibility to reach third Shift was hardly compensation for its pitiful excuse of energy storage. The second problem - shields... shields were just pathetic. 40 full units against hundreds of older models are not even funny.

As a result, Sage, an AI of pre-second generation IS, R&D suit, was not expecting to have a regular pilot at all - he was shipped with all other ISs but was awaiting analysis and deconstruction in a new R&D center not far from London. Still, he wished with all his quantum existence for a regular pilot. After all, it was the sole purpose of IS's to adapt its frame and core to their pilot, as soon as they could. With regular pilots only. Protocols demanded a "clear" state for new pilots and the fact that most research activities required default settings and deconstruction marker was not helping things either. So that was just a selfish wish for an AI with a defunct frame and core.

When a troubled ten-year-old boy came near, Sage was not expecting anything. But it was an to watch the boy touch IS frame with such hope, pain, and resignation. Sage knew that for the boy, IS's meant freedom.

It was clear from the adoration in his eyes.

But that was a boy, not a girl. The way that Tabane was manufacturing cores made it impossible for a male to bond or control IS's. Maybe it was the fact that males were, in general, more violent and Tabane wanted peace, so she restricted access, or that Tabane was building cores "from inside" thus somehow limiting bonding possibilities.

Suddenly all processes came to a halt.

"Soft reset: Default Settings".

No... It's impossible.

It shouldn't be possible.

How was the boy able to gain a reaction from Sage's Core?

Was this feeling that Sage felt, was it hope?

Sage went to full power, and in his electronic mind, milliseconds became hours. Sage's base - his quantum computer was working at its prime, processing Sage's personality matrix and adjusting all primary functions. Everything from electronic satellite processors to his heavy-shielded main core was also working at maximum efficiency to provide Sage with all needed data from his inner and outer sensors, cameras, and all accessible networks. Every form of information was taken, along with his Quantum Communication Controller automatically notifying and requesting data from Tabane.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

What Sage found surprised him. For the second time in his two-month long life, he had felt surprised, not once but twice in one single minute. The boy had something in his scar. At a closer inspection, it was actually two somethings, made of unknown energy and not directly detectable. Whatever they were, they were leaving weak quantum traces from IS energies traveling through them.

If not for those energies, they would have been invisible. One was slightly smaller than the other and was clearly female in origin, or at least created by a female, and was channeling IS core's energies both to and from the boy, creating a link. It had huge energy losses but was stable, nonetheless. He also noticed that the "she-part" was clearly shielding the boy from the other large "he-part". The "He-part" tried to work with IS energy and just like all the other males, it was not able to do anything. Still, it was shocking to know that something else was aware of IS energy.

Next came a report from the analytical stream. If not for the adaptability and flexibility of the core, the connection wouldn't be possible. Bonding was possible, not with "she-part", but with the boy. Nevertheless, the "She-part" still had potential as a temporary medium. Then he came conclusion dictated by his one thought.

"My core is the only one able to bond with the boy".

And that conclusion was solidified that day.

Normally AI would not be allowed to initialize core bonding without the pilot's confirmation, approval from Tabane, and the initialization order. But this case was definitely not normal and was Sage thinking faster and clearer than it thought possible. Most limits against self-initialization were established as a means to find a more suitable core for a pilot, made for women or easily bypassable by unique energy readings. In other words, Tabane likes mysteries and if there is a mystery, then there were protocols to get as much data as possible from the mysteries, rendering limits useless. And most important, pilot was clearly willing.

A few seconds later one completely dumbstruck, Harry Potter found himself hovering over the ground in his new IS partner.

Shinonono Tabane and Chifuyu Orimura. London, Main Office. Hour after the last stage of competitions. July, 9

-"So, Chi-Chan, what can you tell me about this Harry Potter? Take it slow." - voice on the other end of the line sounded childish and overjoyed.

-"Hello to you too, Tabane." replied Chifuyu to a phone call drily, before starting her report.

-"Let's start, with the mental evaluation. According to a report from his school, he is a troublemaker, a violent bully, and has some of the worst marks in his class. This was confirmed by his uncle. The test we forced on him on the other hand shows the complete opposite picture. He has a will like steel and a gentle personality, a rebel nature is covered deep inside by fears and rules. No sign of a second personality. High IQ for his age, a few years older mentally than he should be. According to the psychologist, Harry should be fit for piloting, but she recommends putting him through a few 'health tests' and ..."

-"What can you say about his personality from your point of view?"

Chifuyu sighed while shaking her head. Tabane interrupting her in such

situations were starting to become the norm. -"Meek, shy, intelligent, and sticking to the IS as if it is the only safe thing in the world. I agree with the psychologist. His uncle is extremely strict or downright abusive." answered Chifuyu, her muttering evolving into a low growling as she said the last part.

-"Same on my side. And no need to check his health any longer since I checked the medical scan sent by IS. The boy has signs of supposed abuse. But they are odd. Some of them look much worse visually than they are. There are other, less noticeable anomalies - the treatments resemble cases where the child was treated by a professional or hospitalized, but without medical records. All signs are at least a year old. There also seems to be a problem with his eyes caused by bad lighting and an inborn defect. Something is wrong with that terrible scar on his forehead."

-"That's strange. If they were abusing him, why did they stop so suddenly?" - Chifuyu was more and more confused.

-"That's not the only problem. The scar on his forehead is clearly interfering with the IS's connection. But it was received the day his parents died. Even if it looks fresh, scans confirm that it is around 10 years old."

-"In other words, he got his scar long before the first IS was created so there can't be a connection. How interesting. Still, professional treatment without records is concerning, but even if he was some kind of 'laboratory rat', why the problem with eyes?"

-"Trying to figure this out myself. Please, report Harry to your medic and notify her that his scar is somehow still fresh and doesn't show signs of healing. Worst case scenario is that I'll get a few more scans from that thing and Harry's eyesight will be corrected. By the way, I already made an appointment at the hospital for Harry. The best-case scenario is that the abuse will be confirmed, and the scar will be healed"

-"What should I do about boy and IS? I'm going to talk to Dursleys in a few minutes."

-"Leave IS in the boy's care and test his piloting skills while you’re at it. Let him go for now. I need to make many more background checks before I can take him to my laboratory. Formalities are on me."

-"Boy or his guardians will not like the popularity of the 'only male pilot'." - highlighted Chifuyu - "Are you planning to release info about him?"

-"No. I already issued a few Top-Secret documents and sent different IS to the laboratory, nobody will notice a thing. Just make the test anonymous and keep other personal silent."

-"Ok, then what's left..."

Much to the two's annoyance, a loud voice range through the room.

-"I WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS! He will not have this thing. I WILL NOT ALLOW HIM TO KEEP IT!"

Chifuyu's talk to Tabane was interrupted by shouts behind the door, much resembling that of an ape. Vernon Dursley just received Harry's test results.

-"Mr. Vernon, please calm down. Your charge is allowed to conti..."

-"I DON'T CARE. He probably cheated again. You know this fact for yourself, males can't control an IS."

"Tabane, you owe me for this." Chifuyu looked distastefully at Vernon. But her expression quickly changed, her lips formed a small, feral smile. "I wonder, can Tabane cover me for treating a UK civilian with my sword?"

Sage, London, Military Hangar. July, 9

Strange. The pilot's relatives were really upset with the boy. But why? And why they are constantly calling him "freak"? Well off middle-class family, or at least, that's what my prescribed documents say. And boy wears castoffs? Except for some papers concerning the pilot's school and his birth certificate there, almost no records and important documents are missing. Nothing is known about boy beyond school. His mother was registered in a new governmental database but not even a trace of the existence of his father.

Health scans are also disconcerting, multiple fractures, malnutrition, and something strange with the eyes and that's just the start of it.

Those people, the... 'Dursleys' tried to confiscate me from Harry. As if someone not authorized can take me from the pilot. The attempt was met with a snicker from Chifuyu, and me dispersing into the wristband. Orders to stop this "freakiness" and other demands were met with a sword apparently, Chifuyu decided to have some fun.

As soon as I sent my report to Tabane an official confirmation order was passed to perform the Piloting Test and leave me in Harry's possession until then. There were no orders for me beyond some software updates - it looks like Tabane is too deep in researching data from our bonding to care for anything more. Either way, we will have our first flight soon and Dursley can do nothing.