From Sea to Sky (Blue Archive/Kantai Collection Crossover)

Numbers7o5 · Jun 6, 2024

We thirst for the seven wailings.

We bear the koan of Jericho.

My eyes opened to the gentle rocking of the train, the low rumbling of the wheels gliding over steel, and the fading light of the sunset filtered by the blue ocean water outside the windows. I blinked as I took in my surroundings, before my eye focused on the blurry shape of the only other passenger of the train sitting across from me.

It was all my fault.

The voice was soft, solemn, and ironclad.

My decisions, and everything they caused.

Memories came, flitting through my mind's eyes. Places I had not yet been, people I had not yet met, and events that had not yet come to pass. A devastated ruin of a city. A single wolf-eared girl in black with cold eyes leveling her pistol at me. A tablet shattered by three neat bullet holes.

It had to come to this for me to finally realize that you were right all along.

Light filled the train as it breached the surface of the sea and I finally saw the other rider. She was a girl younger than I, dressed in a smart white uniform marked with symbols of her station. A curious white halo marked by a blue star floated above her head. Despite our strange circumstances, she sat with perfect polite poise. It did little to disguise the wounds on her hands and face, and seemed to only serve to hide the blood soaking into the side of her uniform. But even in this twilight between worlds, even with the wounds, she carried about her the air of a leader.

I didn't have to look down at myself to know I was hardly in better shape. The cloying stench of ash and fire that clung to me, the lack of sight from my right eye, and the way I only felt liquid dripping off where my right elbow should have begun. We were two dying souls, slowly but inevitably on the way down. The smallest trace of a sad smile on the girl's face confirmed I looked as bad to her as she did to me.

So forgive me for being so bold, but I must ask for your help.

Was I in a position to help? Should I be a position to help? Even if the reasons slipped through my hands, I knew without a doubt that I could never be trusted. No, that I should never be trusted. That it was a mist-

**** Sensei,

The questions and objections I had died on my tongue as the name she called me choked out my thoughts. She continued, either unnoticing or uncaring of the effects the name had on me.

You'll forget these words. But it won't matter. Even without your memories, you'll probably make the same decision in the same situation. Therefore, I believe what matters most are the choices we make, not the experiences we have.

There are choices only you can make.

More thoughts flickered into consciousness. A shining vibrant city which had not yet known the cruelties of the future. Haloed girls with myriad features cheerfully going about their day, armed as they were. A hand reaching out to receive a clean, smart tablet.

I've spoken of responsibility before. I didn't understand it then, but now I do. Adulthood, responsibility, obligation... and the choices you make that extend beyond those ideals.

I even understand their implications.

Heavy was the soul the wore the crown, that felt the chains of command drag upon their wrist, and weighed the lives of those who trusted them. To carry the hope of those around you was a terrible burden, one that struck a longing regret within me. I understood now that, perhaps, what I was remembering were not my memories. They were what she... no, what WE had to lose. The things that would be at stake in this deal between those who are to depart.

Therefore, Sensei…

She was taking more and more pauses. I didn't need to be a surgeon to know there wasn't much time left. The colour was draining from her face, and I felt what few undamaged structures I had left buckling and failing.

… you are the only one I can trust. Only you can free us from this twisted, distorted fate… and find the choices that will lead us to a new reality.

I coughed, the sharp wet noise interrupting her as I felt fluid filling my good lung. I rallied what strength I had left and spoke; my voice a raspy rattle that echoed throughout the train.

You… think better of me… than myself… Are… you sure?

The edges of my sight were beginning to fade already. It looks like I would be the first to go. But not before I saw the corners of the girl's lips twitch up. It was the best smile either of us could muster in this situation. In the murky black of unconsciousness, I heard her voice clear as day.

I'm sure. So, Sensei, Please…

I shot awake with a gasp. My breaths came in gulping breaths as I shook off the fading echoes of the… nightmare? That I woke up from. I tried to remember what it was, but I couldn't remember any of it. I pulled myself up and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes when I came to a new, equally significant problem.

Which was that I had hands. And eyes. And given that my breathing was picking up again, I certainly had lungs too! Despite everything I literally felt and the shock that was gripping my thoughts, I knew one fact: I should not be a person. I was a ship. Something made of steel, oil, and wood. Not just any ship, a battleship! The greatest naval artillery ever to be put to sea! I was…

The name slipped through my grasp, the mental fog playing havoc on my mind. I sat up straight and took deep slow breaths, fighting for control of my reactions. It took a few minutes but as I calmed down, I remembered it. My name was… Nelson. Yes, that was it. His Majesty's Ship Nelson. Name ship of my class and proud member of the Big Seven. I served in the greatest war my country had ever seen before I was put off to reserves. After that? Nothingness, until waking up in this place.

"Speaking of…" I muttered, taking note of my voice. A bit higher pitched but with an underlying weight to it. Even if I had never spoken before, it felt right to my ears.

But more importantly, where was I? Now that my faculties and nerves weren't flapping about, I could take in and examine my surroundings. An office with tastefully simply wood furniture and accents. A large desk faced the only entrance into the room, atop which sat a tablet computer. A chair behind the desk and a chair in front for visitors. Bookshelves and cabinets dominated both sides of the wall. The only other furniture seemed to be the sofa I was on, placed against the wall next to the door and paired with a small coffee table. Aside from that, the only notable feature was the large window that made up the wall behind the desk.

All in all, a fairly standard office. The quality of the furniture and its location suggested an office for someone of importance. Perhaps an executive or political officer? Whispered memories from my crew agreed that this would be the most reasonable conclusion.

Wait. Hold that thought. My Crew? Was I haunted? I felt a stirring in response. Memories, thoughts, and feelings from people long passed which implied I was just recalling what they once knew. But the fact that this only happened after I asked a question didn't quite fill me with confidence.

I put that thought aside. There would be plenty of time to consider the existential questions posed by me possessing the memories of my former crew. There was one thing that I didn't see when I looked about the office: A mirror. But I did have options. It wasn't perfect, but a well-polished window like the one in the back of the office would work as an ad-hoc mirror.

I stood up, noting how I could see over the top of the furniture around me, and crossed the room in a few long confident strides. Drawing closer, I finally got a good look at myself.

I was tall. That was my first impression of myself as I examined my reflection. An extremely tall woman with a diamond-shaped face looked back at me, blue eyes glinting with curiosity. I had to be what, almost 195 centimeters tall with my boots on? I noticed a black hairband keeping my bangs out of my face. I hadn't even felt that.

My gaze moved down to look at the rest of my outfit. I wore a double-breasted jacket in 507C Grey, a rather short skirt in 507A Grey, and stockings in 507B grey. My shoes, however, were the strangest thing thus far. High heeled ankle boots fashioned entirely from metal. In fact, based on the coloration, they made for more than a passing resemblance for my bow. The only things breaking up my outfit's tones were the splashes of red on the soles of my boot, my red neckerchief tied into a rose, and my ship's badge pinned to my lapel.

Reaching behind my shoulder, I pulled my hair into view. Long voluminous blonde strands met my hands. It was long, almost down to my waist. While most of it was straight, it seemed to curl messily at the ends. I didn't need the memories from my crew to know it would be a pain to clean and dry, but the way the hair moved and felt was enrapturing to me.

Overall, I had to admit: I looked… good. Attractive, if the standards of my crew were anything to go by. Long toned legs, a more than generous bust, and a confident smile. Yet there was something distinctly off about how I looked. Perhaps it was just the fact I was a ship, in human form. It would take a while, but I was certain that I'd get used to it.

It was only then that the sight outside of the window caught up to me. The cityscape stretching into the horizon didn't match anything in my crew's memories. Countless clean white and blue skyscrapers lined the streets as far as I could see and stretched out to the horizon. I spotted some sort of sigil in the sky above, floating without origin.

"Where is this…?" I asked aloud, the shock stilling all other thoughts. Wherever this was, it wasn't the United Kingdom of my time. But there was nothing else in the room that answered my questions. If that was the case, then there was only one option. Find something or someone that had answers for me. Afterall, I couldn't be the only one in this building.

Or at least that was the plan, until I got to the door. I gave the doorknob a twist and, to my displeasure, felt nothing engage. I tried again, this time pulling at the same time. Still nothing. It seems it was locked, and reinforced as well. It tracks with what I assumed from this room, but it did mean I was stuck here.

Unless…

I looked down at my right arm and flexed, opening and closing my hand as I gauged my strength. I could tell from instincts that if I really wanted to, I could quite easily demolish the door. But that would put the entire building on alert at best, or mark me as a hostile threat at worst. Neither would be conducive to getting answers.

Well, if I wasn't going anywhere soon, I might as well make myself comfortable. I plopped myself back on the sofa that started this whole mess, the cloth and wood furniture groaning in protest. Someone would come in eventually. Then I would get my answers. But, while I was waiting, I might as well help myself to a drink.

There didn't seem to be anything for guests in the room though, and I didn't have anyth—I paused as something keyed in my mind. I didn't have anything on me, right? A whispered feeling told me I did. I concentrated on that thread and saw something form in my mind's eye. It was… an inventory report of everything I had in my stores. Which implied I still had access to my stores. I chased the feeling deeper, knowing there was more to this report than just inventory. I concentrated on something familiar, past the various drinkware listed in the report. Something I knew well. A rum glass and accompanying coaster.

My eyes almost popped out of my head when the feeling connected to its destination and the exact rum glass and coaster I was thinking of simply appeared in my hands. But was I limited to retrieving them or could I store it back as well? With another concentrated twist of my will, the phantasmal cutlery vanished as if they were never there. Another twist and there they were again.

Well. That was decided the weirdest thing myself or my crew have seen. Still, at least I could have a drink without going through this room's owners own stores. I paged through the inventory, trying to find an appropriate drin-

"What do you mean I have no alcohol!" I cried out in dismay as I reached the end of the report's section on drinks. The only thing I had on board was water, milk, tea, and iced coffee. I resolved to fix this injustice as soon as I was able to. For now, I watched on in disturbed fascination as the iced drink slowly filled up my glass.

I sighed, rubbing my temple as I fought off the forming headache. "I do hope my host is having a better day than I am."

Naganami Rin, Chief Administrative Officer and Vice President of the General Student Council, was not having a good day. No, scratch that. She was not having a good week. The President had suddenly disappeared without warning or notice. The Sanctum Tower was beyond their reach withher absence. With it out of reach, so too was the ability to keep the city running. The GSC was powerless, left to wait and flounder until the President's return. There was hope in the first few days that she was just out of contact and would return soon. Now though, as the one-week mark came and went, the reality of what was happening finally sunk in: They were on their own.

She was trying her best but the fact was that the President, for all her quirkiness, was incredibly capable. She kept everything running smoothly with an ease Rin had never really appreciated before. Now that she was gone, the GSC were left to pick up the pieces for a puzzle they had never even seen before. A task which they had to complete, lest the city collapse entirely. A task they were failing.

Rin rubbed the exhaustion out of her eyes as the elevator reached her office's floor, stepping out with the boxes of paperwork in hand. The GSC was barely hanging on but she had one hope. The President had left her a set of contingency letters with instructions on what to do in this event. True, they all hinged on a single individual. An individual they had no way of contacting, no knowledge of their time table, or any real information. The only thing they had was a name, a basic description, and a damaged dossier.

… Perhaps she was putting too much stock on her friend. The President had a strange humor and she couldn't quite write this off as a poorly timed joke sent before she vanished. She wanted to believe that the President would know better than to joke about such things but the thought lingered on her mind.

With that foreboding sense of dread, Rin unlocked the door to her office and moved to open the door. It was a struggle to use the doorknob with her hands full, but fortunately somebody was already on hand to help pull it open. She managed a brief "Thank You" before absentmindedly crossing the open sunlit office and depositing the mountain of documents onto her desktop. She stepped back, frowning as she gazed past the physical memorial of her troubles out to the cityscape behind, where she saw the occasional signs of active combat. The only thing to break the monotony of her thoughts was the quiet clinking of ice against glass.

She wasn't alone.

The realization struck Rin like a bolt of lightning. She was on one of the highest and, accordingly, most secure floors of the GSC Building. Her office was further reinforced with the best technology available to prevent intrusion. She didn't have an assistant to help her, never mind one that would be left unsupervised in her office.

Instincts built from training kicked in and she spun around. She drew her handgun at the same time, the weapon smoothly coming up into a two-handed grip. Her eyes scanned the area for the intruder but it was impossible to miss them casually sitting on the sofa with a glass in their hand.

"Who are you?" Rin asked, voice sharp as her mind ran down the possibilities, "How did you get in here?"

With her eyes staring down the sights, Rin finally had a good look at the Intruder. It was an Adult(!) woman without a halo, their long messy sandy blonde hair almost reaching their waist. They wore a uniform coloured in shades of grey and white, none of which matched any academy Rin knew of. A single red necktie folded in the shape of a rose, a black ribbon hairband, and a pin badge on her lapel were the only decorations she saw. However, what caught her the most was the Intruder's eyes. Despite the casual smile on their lips, the Intruder's grey-blue eyes were carefully tracking Rin's handgun.

There was something achingly familiar about this Intruder. Even as Rin tried to recall where she had seen them before, the Intruder gave her a cheerful wave.

"My apologies Miss," The Intruder said, their voice crisp and proud, booming with the confidence of a seasoned orator, "I did not intend to frighten you like that."

"You aren't answering my questions." Rin immediately shot back, thumb clicking the safety of her gun.

If the Intruder recognized the acerbic tone in her voice, they didn't show it. Rin watched as they slowly returned the glass in their hand back to the coaster on the table between them. With the glass back in its proper place, the Intruder turned their attention back to Rin.

"Of course, where are my manners. If I may stand?"

Rin paused for a moment before nodding. She had enough evidence to believe this Intruder wasn't actively hostile. If they were some sort of assassin, there would be a lot less polite dialogue and a lot more shooting. But that still didn't answer who exactly they were.

The Int-Stranger beamed at her before standing up. And up. And up. Rin managed to keep her expression neutral and free of shock as she watched them stand to their full height, towering over her and even most of the furniture. They stretched, their arcing back straining the buttons on their clasped jacket. Then, in a sudden burst, they brought their heels together with a loud metallic "CLINK". At the same time, their right arm came up with mechanical precision into an angled salute.
"We are His Majesty's Ship Nelson, 1st Ship of the Nelson-class Battleships! It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

With Nelson's name given, it all clicked into place. The dossiers provided by the President for her described the Adult as a tall foreign officer with long blonde hair. The name scribbled into the paperwork had simply provided the name "Nelson". Finally, now that Nelson was standing, she saw the same lion symbol sketched in the paperwork on the lapel pin.

There was no denying it. The person before her was the Adult that the President had summoned to be the Sensei for Kivitos. They certainly had the bearing of an officer of sorts with the salute speaking to well-practiced training.

But then the rest of the introduction set in. Despite the beaming expression Nelson was directing her, despite the gun in her grip, and despite the ongoing crisis in the city; Rin couldn't help but bring her head into her hands and let loose a long-suffering groan. It seems her gut was right. Even in a time of crisis, the President managed one last practical joke.

I watched as the girl seemed to momentarily lapse into despair, even as I smiled at her with a confidence I didn't quite feel. I didn't know who I was expecting to cross the doorway, but I was expecting someone human. Or, well, closer to my crew and the people in their memories.

The girl that walked in looked mostly the part. But the three starred halo, the hair that was blue on the inside, and the elf ears distinctly marked her as not being human. Or at least, not the same type as the ones I was more familiar with. Her sense of dress was quite familiar though, even if the embellishments were a higher quality than what I was used to for civil servants.

But beleaguered bureaucrats were the same everywhere, and this girl was one. The way her arms were too loaded down with documents, the bags under her eyes, and the defeated air about her. She seemed younger than I expected from someone with this office, but this was a strange new world.

It had been more than a moment now, and the girl still had her face in her hands. Surely, she'd recover soon? But when the moment stretched to almost a minute and the air began to grow awkward, I decided to take back the initiative. First, offer a way out.

"Miss? Are you feeling unwell?" I asked, dropping my salute as I relaxed my poise and expression.

The girl kept her head buried in her hands before taking a deep breath, seeming to collect and calm herself. Then she pulled herself up, holstered her pistol, and fixed me with a perfectly neutral expression.

"Pardon me, I'm sorry you had to see that." The girl said with a bow of her head. "It's been a difficult week and your arrival was… unexpected."

I chuckled, letting more of the upper lip fall to the wayside. "I could see as much. You certainly seemed to be distracted when I let you in, Miss…?"

Second, steer the conversation back to your goal. That, in this case, being to get more information.

The girl blushed slightly, seeming to realize her mistake, before she answered. "Nanagami Rin, Chief Administrative Officer and Vice President of the General Student Council."

That was a Japanese name, so Surname followed by Given Name. The fact I recognized the naming convention raised a few more questions, but I just added them to The List. There were other things to consider for now.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Nanagami." I said, stepping closer and offering my hand. Rin, for her part, didn't hesitate before clasping my hand with her own. A firm solid grip, that still felt more than a bit soft in the palm. "I must admit, my arrival at this office was quite unexpected. I was hoping you could help me with some questions I had."

I watched Rin's expressions flip through several complex expressions before she settled on a restrained smile. She walked over sat herself behind her desk before answering me. "Of course. I have a few questions of my own that I would like to ask as well."

"It would be my pleasure. May I take the seat?"

"Please."

I sat in the offered chair and we both flinched slightly at the sound of it groaning. When we were both sure it was nowhere close to collapsing, Rin took out a manilla folder from one of the desk's drawers and flipped it open. She examined it closely before turning her attention back to me. "I was informed of your arrival but, unfortunately, the President didn't leave me with much information. I have to ask; how exactly did you get in here?"

I frowned as I tried to figure out how to explain 'I woke up on your sofa with no memories beyond being a ship' in a way that didn't sound crazy. The silence must have given Rin an answer of some sort, and I could see the stiff smile fade.

"You have no idea, do you."

There was no question to her tone, just a statement of fact. No sense in drawing it out. "I must admit, I simply found myself in this room."

"Were you told anything about your job here at Kivotos? Your role as a teacher?"

"None whatsoever."

"Do you know anything about the President?"

"I doubt the president I know is the one being referenced."

With every answer I gave her, Rin's smile faded more and more and now the girl looked as tired as when she walked into the room. I felt a bit of guilty. The girl was clearly overworked as was, and here I was giving her more to stress about.

"But you can tell me more about yourself, correct?"

"Of course! My service record and history are the one thing I can recall with certainty." I replied, nodding with a proud smile. If there was one thing I knew for sure, it was myself.

"Including…" Rin started, hesitating for a moment before forcing her point forward, "your claims about being a ship?"

I nodded, motioning with my hand for her to continue. She seemed to be deep in thought for a moment before she turned on the tablet computer next to her. Bringing forward her keyboard, she looked back to me and asked, "Then how about this? We shall take turns asking questions. I will attempt to explain the situation you are in, and you can help me fill out your profile."

"That sounds like an excellent idea. Would you like to begin?"

Rin shook her head. "No, I believe you likely have more questions. Please feel free to start."

"Well in that case," I leaned in, letting the confusion gnawing at me finally show in my expression, "where exactly am I?"

AN: You know, I've been around for quite a lot of the "X gets summoned into Y setting" fanfics. From Fate/Stay Night, to Zero no Tsukaima, and to the Fate/Grand Order. I've never been quite inspired to join in but, for some reason, the idea of a Blue Archive fanfic bit me and didn't quite let go. With multiple chapters written for fun, I figured I might as well just post it at this point. I will be trying to fit game dialogue where it makes sense as a signpost to canon, but diverging canons means this will obviously fade or alter as things go.

First time actually posting stuff so I apologize in advance for any quality issues but I would enjoy feedback. I do write in batches/advance, so the changes might not appear for a chapter or two so as to keep a good pace.

Numbers7o5 · Jun 13, 2024

I leaned back as I mulled over what I had been told, ignoring the chair's ominous creaks of protest. On some level, I knew I couldn't be anywhere near home. There was no long-standing tradition of summoning your warships as attractive women the last time any of my crew had checked. But a part of me had hoped I was. Instead, I was forced to confront the fact that I wasn't in Britain. I was likely not even on Earth if Rin was to be believed.

"…sei."

All of this was before I even considered why I was here. I was pulled from my final rest, from the world I knew, and from peace with and by mysterious means to act as, of all things, a teacher. I had experience with training recruits thanks to my inherited memories but I got a sense that naval gunnery and boatmanship was not the subject at hand.

"… ensei. Please pay attention."

Actually, for that matter, why did this 'President' pick me? If we take her ability to pull the spirits of ships and their crew as a given, something I was more than willing to do considering the situation, then why did she pick me? I was proud of my abilities, but surely a training or teaching ship would be better tasked with the role of a teacher. Or an actual teacher. Not, well, a battleship.

"Nelson-Sensei!"

My name being called pulled my focus back to the elfin girl sitting in front of me. "My apologies, Ms. Nanagami. You have given me quite the conundrum to puzzle over."

Rin took my indiscretion with ease. I would bet that what I've told her probably shook some of her beliefs as well. I got a sense that she was used to strange things, but an adult woman claiming to actually be a ship was likely up there. She didn't even believe me until I started pulling out anti-air cannon ammunition out of thin air.

"I understand," Rin answered with a shaky smile, "I don't doubt you are the person the President told me about, but your story is fantastical. If any of what you claim is true then I think the President was hiding more from us than we thought."

I nodded in agreement. Whoever this President was, she clearly kept her cards close to heart. I didn't hazard a guess as to why she did it. There could be plenty of reasons and I was beginning to suspect her disappearance was not voluntary.

"Is there anything you need me to explain again?" Rin asked.

I shook my head as I answered, "No, I believe I have enough for now."

There were a lot of questions left but I had enough information to proceed. I had been brought to Kivotos, an Academy City. I was specifically in the General Student Council building, the closest thing to a central government that this place had. The city had ground to a halt thanks to the President's sudden disappearance and now the GSC was desperate to maintain control. Rin, the Vice President, was left with some information that predicted the arrival of a Teacher who would help resolve the situation.

It was a mystery to me how exactly the President predicted I would be the one who answered. I shouldn't even exist in this world. But, somehow, she knew my name, some details of my hull, and even my looks when I had none previously. Just more questions I had on my list for me to reexamine once I had a moment to myself.

"If you have no further questions," Rin said as she stood up, "then I must apologize. I'd like you to follow me for now."

She made her way back towards the door of the office, walking at a determined speed. I let her walk past before I got up and fell in behind her and to her right, ducking to get under the door of her office. She continued to speak as we entered the hall, "There's something I require your help with."

"Of course," I answered as we approached the elevator, "What is it?"

"Let's just say that it's a grave matter… one that could determine the very fate of the academy city." With that ominous statement, the elevator arrived and opened its door. I stepped in and looked out the full window. The sight of the sunlit city outside the windowed elevator was breathtaking. The view was different from the elevator and I could see many of the skyscrapers closer. They were clean, well maintained, and minimalist in design. Kivotos was beautiful for someone like myself, whose last memories of London and Britain was one of war and post-war reconstruction.

My fascination must have been visible on my face. As the elevator descended, Rin waved to the city outside the window. "Welcome to Kivotos, Sensei. Kivotos is a massive city, home to thousands of different academies. This is where you'll be working from now on. It's bound to be very different from the place you call home. You might find it difficult to fit in at first…" She paused to give me a small confident smile, the first such smile I've seen from her thus far, "but something tells me that you will adjust in due time. After all, you were chosen by the General Student Council President."

Although she said that, I still couldn't help this nagging feeling in my chest. Something I feel like I should have remembered. But she was right. That was something I'd have to save for later as the elevator reached its destination.

The lobby of the GSC building is a storm of activity. White suited Students ran from door to door, carrying everything from documents to tablets. Some other Students dressed in police vests and hats tried to keep the peace. And in the middle of it all was a throng of people at the front desk, demanding to see the President. Rin tensed up the moment we walked out of the elevator, the stress visibly increasing in her steps.

Our entrance into the lobby did not go unnoticed. A girl spotted us immediately and stormed over, annoyance clear on her face. She had long purple hair, done up into two high pigtails accessorized by the strangest triangle hair ties I had ever seen. She was dressed in a prim, immaculate black blazer and miniskirt with a formal white button up shirt and bright blue tie. The white hoodie thrown over her ensemble did help make her appear more casual. Above her head floated a black halo, with a single blue line bisecting it around the middle band. At her side were a pair of slick black and blue plastic-clad SMGs.

I didn't need my crews' memories to know another administrator when I saw one. She even had a small ID badge tagged to her lapel. Purple eyes glared at Rin as the girl shouted as she got within hearing distance. "There you are, Acting President! We've been waiting! Get the real President in here already!"

The purpette? Plum-haired? The purple-haired girl slowed her pace as she approached and finally noticed me. Confusion crossed her expression as she looked me up and down. "Huh? Who's that Adult with you?"

Her confusion went unnoticed as several other girls, seeing her walk over, took that as a signal to make their presence known as well. They spoke up to voice their complaints almost at the same time.

"I've been waiting to see you, Chief Officer." The next girl to speak up first caught my attention for one key reason. She was the only person in this room that I did not tower over. She had loose raven-black hair that almost reached her ankles. She wore an almost standard black sailor uniform with red trimming were it not for the long cut on the side of her skirt that exposed her garter and underwear bands. I couldn't imagine that being standard issue. A red cross-like halo floated above and behind her head. I could spot an ornate rifle accented with gold filigree on the handguards slung behind her back.

But the most intriguing thing was the massive wings growing from her back. She had to have as much difficulty fitting through doors that I did, although for horizontal rather than vertical reasons.

Although I wonder if she could fly.

"I'm here to meet with the General Student Council President. The head Prefect has terms she would like to discuss." The last girl to reach us was a strawberry blonde with much more conventional low pigtails, accessorized by red hair ties and a ribbon hairband. Sharp yellow eyes looked at Rin from behind black glasses hanging off her pointed ears. She was dressed in a pleated white collared shirt and black miniskirt, and carried a truly massive bag of what I presumed to be medical supplies from the needles and gauze. The red broom handle of a pistol could be seen tucked behind her back while a bright blood red crosshair-like halo hung behind her head.

The armband, however, was what truly caught my eye. Red with black markings and white accents. For a second a storm of burning anger and shame ripped through my heart and my vision swam. I felt my breath catch and I had to force myself to remain calm as the details of the arm band became clear to me, the white accents being text and the ear like points that jutted up. Just something that looked similar.

If anybody noticed my moment of discomfort, they didn't show it. I was still doing my best to ground myself when Rin muttered something under her breath next to me. "Well… This timing is rather inconvenient."

"Hello, guests that represent neighboring academies' student councils, disciplinary boards," A dead smile was plastered onto her face as she stepped forward to address the new girls, "and those who otherwise have too much time on their hands."

That was certainly not a diplomatic way to put it. "I am well aware why you irksome—I mean, important representatives have come here today. You're here to blame us for the fuss happening in the academy city. Isn't that right?"

My attention was forced away from the armband and down at Rin. She had to know that what she said were fighting words, right? There was no way anybody would hold back after heari-

"If you're well aware, then do something!" Right on cue, the purple-haired girl stepped forward until she was within arm's reach of Rin, pointing a finger in her face. "You represent the General Student Council after all! Thousands of academy districts are in panic! Our academy's wind generator shut down just a few days ago!"

The blonde stepped forward as well, concern etched on her expression as she spoke, "There are also rumors a student under the Federal Corrections Bureau's custody has escaped."

"There has been a sharp increase in the number of thugs attacking our students on their way to school. Public safety is not being properly enforced." Another girl stepped out from behind the raven-haired and winged girl. She was slightly taller than the other girls with long white hair and red eyes. Like her taller companion, she had a wing, albeit single, sticking out of the side of her head. Unlike the other girls, her uniform didn't seem as embellished or personalized; with the only thing that seemed to be added-on were the insignias on her upper sleeves. It was a plain ensemble of dark and light greys which made her outfit quite similar in colour to my own. A lilac crosshair halo floated behind her head, a theme I was beginning to key on.

The raven winged girl nodded in agreement, a grim frown on her face, "Illegal distribution of tanks, choppers, and other unknown weapons have increased by over 2000 percent. At this rate, ordinary school life in Kivotos will be a thing of the past."

I blinked at that. Illegal distribution of tanks? What type of place was Kivotos that tanks were both readily available on the black market and also possible to acquire in numbers? Numbers that would warrant their placement in a list of illegal goods that have increased in the four-digit range?

"And what is the General Student Council President doing during such a sorry state of affairs? I demand to see her right this instant!" I'm sure she meant well, but the purple-haired girl seemed to say the magic words to set off the crowd. Other Students seemed to step forward behind the representatives, making their demands known.

I couldn't see her face, but I could see Rin's shoulders shaking either in anger or stress. As the other students began to shout their demands louder and jostle more and more for her attention, I decided I had enough. It was best to intervene before Rin said or did something unwise.

I stepped up next to the stricken Vice President, the movement drawing attention from the representative instantly thanks to my height. A twist of my will and a silver bosun's whistle found its way into my hand. I brought it up and, with the consolidated skills of dozens, I blew two long sharp notes that cut through the clamour of the lobby. As the lobby's attention focused on me, I gave the crowd a smile brimming with confidence as I tucked the whistle back into storage. Well, no time better than the present to make an impression.

"Representatives, Students!" I said, projecting my voice with as much strength as I could muster, "We ask that you give your Acting President a moment! We understand your concerns, but you must allow her the time and space to respond so she can help you!"

The room stilled entirely, partially from my words and partially from how I was able to rattle the windows. I'd have to take note of that. Full projection when your lungs were partially steam turbines could get loud.

The purple haired girl was the first to recover her wits, pointing a gloved finger at me even as she craned her head up to match my gaze. "I've been wondering about you for a while! Who exactly are you and why did you exit the elevator with the Acting President!"

"Yes," The raven-haired girl nodded in agreement, "I don't believe I've seen you before. You don't seem like you're from Kivotos."

"I would think that the Prefect Team would have noticed anyone who could shout like that…" The blonde muttered, still rubbing her ears from my earlier raised voice.

"You have our utmost apologies." I said to the blonde before turning to the rest of the crowd, giving them a brief wave. I could feel it, the eyes of the Representatives, the Students, the GSC staff, and even Rin were on me. Memories of countless officers of every class worked for me to keep my body language and tone perfect. "Thank you for listening, and our apologies for our impropriety. We are Nelson. We have only just arrived in your city to discuss employment, only to find it in turmoil. Fortunately, the Acting President was able to meet with me and explain the current situation before hoping for our immediate help."

"Hold up." The purple haired girl seemed to have calmed down, but the glare she was shooting at me spoke enough of her trust in me. "Employment? What are you doing here in the first place that would need the Acting President to meet with you?"

I smiled. The pieces were lined up, unwittingly by some and purposefully by others. With the question asked, I went for the true and most impactful answer. "We were hired to be a Teacher for Kivotos by the General Student Council President," gasps from the onlookers could be heard even as I pushed ahead, "and as far as your Acting President or ourselves could tell; our contract was one of the last acts the President did. We are still trying to determine the extent of the position but know this!" A pause for dramatic effect, turning to look at as many as I could in the crowd, "What is known is that the beating heart of our role is to help all of you, which we intend to do starting now."

My announcement seemed to have mollified the crowd. Many of them left after my impromptu speech. Perhaps I answered their questions or calmed their fears. Or perhaps they were off to provide the latest in scuttlebutt to their home academies. Either way, the lobby was now significantly quieter. It was just myself, Rin, a few staff members, and the Academy representatives.

"So why couldn't the President meet Nelson?" The purple-haired girl asked Rin with much less strain in her voice.

"The President is not here at the moment." Rin admitted, expression solemn and voice tight, "To be frank, she's gone missing."

The representatives all responded with clear shock and surprise. However, the raven-haired girl's response caught my attention. "So the rumors were true..." If she had heard it then no doubt the more opportunistic elements were acting as if it was true.

The purple-haired girl frowned before speaking. "If she's missing, then how do you know she hired her?"

A reasonable objection. Rin seemed to be in a much better mood when she answered, with much of the tension having left her while I distracted the crowd. "I was provided a dossier by the President and told to expect help to arrive. I can confirm that Nelson was personally selected by the President to act as a teacher for Kivotos."

"The President chose her? The one who's now missing? Things are making less and less sense…"

I laughed, shaking my head in amusement, "You could imagine my surprise when I arrived at the office with almost no information about the job only to find my employer missing." And the fact I was a living breathing person. Not quite the time to mention that though.

"It must've been quite stressful Nelson-Sens-" The purple-haired girl agreed before pausing, shock crossing her face. "Ah! Sorry, I haven't introduced myself. I'm Millennium Science School's Student Council treasurer, Hayase Yuuka."

The raven-winged nodded her head, a faint trace of a smile on her face before introducing herself. "Trinity General School's Justice Task Force Vice Chairwoman, Hanekawa Hasumi."

"Hinomiya Chinatsu from Gehana's Prefect Team. I'll be in your care" The blonde introduced herself, politely bowing.

The last girl with the white hair coughed in her hand, awkwardly scratching the back of her head before talking. "Morizuki Suzumi from Trinity General School. I'm not really a representative, I was just here to give my report about the attacks against students."

I nodded along with each introduction, logging names to faces. Most of these Students were fairly high up their respective Academy's chain of command, so it would be good to make a good impression with them now. "As you heard previously, I am Nelson. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintances."

"I see you have decided to switch back to 'I'." Rin said, expression calm and cool again, "Are you certain you have no need for further speeches?"

I waved off her joke with a smile before replying, "Oh pish posh, there will be plenty of time for lectures in the future. But to the matter at hand, you told me there was something urgent that must be handled. Am I correct in presuming it has to do with the problems brought up by our esteemed guests?"

The academy representatives all turned to look at Rin at my statement, delivered with the same easy tone I used to return her banter. Rin met my gaze head on, back straight, as she nodded in agreement. "Yes. Allow me to cut to the chase. The General Student Council has no authority because the top administrator of Sanctum Tower has gone missing. We had been searching for a way to bypass the need for verification, all to no avail... until recently."

The admission hung in the air for a moment and I watched as the gears turned, spun, and clicked into place before all the girls turned their heads as one back to me. I ran my hand through my hair, sighing as the answer was clear. "I assume you refer to my arrival."

"That is correct. You are the answer to our problems."

"Ms. Nanagami..." I said slowly, piecing together the best ways to respond tactfully, "It is not my intention to be rude, but how am I the answer when I have just arrived?"

"You were selected to serve as the advisor for a club that was formed by the General Student Council President. The Federal Investigation Club: Schale. This isn't your average club—more like a type of extrajudicial organization. Since it's a federal club, you'll be allowed to register students from any of the academies in Kivotos." Rin answered matter of factly, as if she didn't just tell me the most insane thing I had ever heard of.

I was beginning to understand that Kivotos was somehow run by the schools and academies found in it, but I failed to see how what she described was a club. It was effectively another branch of the central government. The shocked expressions of everyone else present cemented that this was decidedly abnormal.

"How the president was able to create an organization with this much power, I have no idea." Oh good, literally everyone finds this weird. I won't need that bit of common sense challenged. "The Schale club room is about 30 kilometers from here. The building is currently empty, but we had to put something in the basement at the president's request. It's my job to take you there."

Rin pulled out a device and tapped something onto it before speaking. "Momoka. I need a helicopter to take us to the Schale club room." Seconds later, a hologram popped into existence. I stared at it, trying to keep the shock from showing. The level of technology present in this city was astounding and anachronistic, somehow having holograms while still somehow using wooden stocked weapons.

The girl in the hologram had short pink hair tied up into two massive pigtails. Above her head, a halo made of pink-bordered green stars bobbed in time with her head. I spotted a pair of horns on her head and a long lizard-like tail peeking out from under her GSC uniform. A white hoodie much like Yuuka's gave her a much more casual appearance. That, and the bag of crisps she was actively eating as she spoke.

"The Schale club room? That's over in the outskirts. Things are kinda crazy right now..."

"What do you mean "Crazy"?" Rin asked slowly, her tone cooling several degrees.

Momoka didn't seem to notice or care as she continued. "A suspended student escaped from the Corrections Bureau and is wreaking havoc. It's a battlefield over there right now!"

"What?" If Rin's tone was cooling before, now it was ice-cold. The stare she was giving her subordinate was equally arctic.

"They rallied all the thugs in the area and are destroying everything in their path to get revenge on the General Student Council. I hear they even got a Crusader Tank!" Momoka remained unfazed at the events she was describing, the stare she was receiving, and the general chaos of the situation. She continued, apparently oblivious to Rin, "They must be trying to occupy the Schale building because they know the General Student Council controls it. Maybe they think there's something valuable inside."

I calmly took a step back along with the other academy representatives as Rin fell dead silent and still. If glares could melt metal, then the device in her hand would have been vaporized. Instead, it just continued to exist in defiance of Rin's wrath and allowed the pink haired girl to finish delivering the final blow.

"Oh well. The city's already a dump, so I don't think it'll make that much of a difference." The sound of someone knocking on the door could be heard, and Momoka visibly cheered up. "Oh great! The food I ordered is here. I'll talk to you later!"

The line went dead with a *click* and Rin was left staring at the device as Momoka's visual representation vanished. I was silent. The academy representatives were silent. Rin was silent. Then, a sharp *SNAP* echoed out as the device cracked from the grip pressure Rin was putting into it.

"Deep breaths, Ms. Nanagami." I said, walking closer to gently push the offending device out of her line of sight. "In, hold, and out."

Rin looked up at me with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm fine… It's just a minor setback. No problem at all."

"Of course," I answered placatingly lest she destroy something else, "I am certain we can accomplish the task with other methods."

Rin nodded and, in doing so, something behind me caught her eye. Following her stare, I turned my head around and saw the academy representatives looking at the two of us with a mixture of curiosity and pity. One that was slowly morphing to concern as Rin's smiling expression turned from lifeless to scheming.

"Wh-what?" Yuuka asked, slowly taking a step back as Rin walked past me to face the representatives, "Why are you looking at us like that?"

Rin slowed to a stop as she stood in front of the group, the cold smile now firmly in the 'evil manager' territory. She spoke, her voice sickeningly sweet as she addressed them, "It's so reassuring to have you trustworthy academy representatives here with us."

Oh dear. I got a sense where this was going.

"We are going to need your help to bring peace back to Kivotos. Let's go."

With that, Rin actually grabbed Yuuka by the scruff of her hoodie and started marching towards the exit; dragging the hapless girl behind her. Yuuka's protests of "Wait, what? Where are we going?" fell on deaf ears as Rin strode ahead with a calm measured fury.

The other academy representatives and I were all left standing in the lobby, watching the two. After a second, Chinatsu sighed and looked at me. "We… should probably go after them, should we."

"We should." I confirmed, nodding with as serious an expression as I could muster. "But we should strive to address the positive! At least we run no risk of our helicopter being shot down."

I was mildly concerned from the moment when Rin mentioned the helicopter. After all, whoever heard of a ship riding a helicopter? Those things were death traps in normal circumstances and we were decidedly not in normal circumstances. At least I don't have to worry about crashing helicopters today.

AN: Nelson's speech is one of the things I had to settle on. In the original Japanese, she uses the Pronoun 余 (yo) which is a rather archaic pronoun used by nobles. Some of the resources I found stated the closest English equivalent would be the Royal We. This is also then made somewhat more head scratching by the fact that Japanese, as a whole, does not use pronouns in every sentence.

So I settled on just having her be so polite as to be stilted in speech, with the occasional tendency to lapse into Royal We when giving speeches.

Numbers7o5 · Jun 18, 2024

I made a critical mistake. I was elated that Momoka denied Rin's request for a helicopter flight. But I forgot Rin was the Vice President and Acting President. She had the authority to just walk up to any helicopter on standby and immediately commandeer it. Which she did with a gusto fueled with cold fury. This brought me to my current situation, strapped into a death machine as it tried to land just outside of an active combat zone.

My stomach lurched as the helicopter dropped onto the ground, reminding me that I had not yet eaten anything since my arrival in this city. Worse still was the fact that I could also feel the fuel and liquid in various parts of my hull also sloshing about. It made for a pleasantly awful experience when combined together. The pilot barely had the time to say "I can't get any closer!" before I undid the belts and leapt out of the open door.

"Nelson-Sensei," Suzumi said as she hopped from the cabin next to me, concern clearly etched on her face as I fought the nausea away, "Are you OK? I heard helicopter flights can be hard if you're not used to it."

I shook my head, glad for the distraction. "No, I just believe I was never meant to fly. I doubt experience will ever help me."

The one-winged girl reached over as if to give me a conciliatory pat before she straightened up and pulled her arm back. It served to remind me that I was the only Human Adult in the city. She, and the others, were likely still trying to figure out how to act around me.

What the city wasn't lacking, however, was violence. As the helicopter lifted off after the last of our group disembarked, I could hear the sound of fighting all around. In the distance there was the sound of smashing metal, as if a particularly large vehicle just crashed into something else. I could hear gunfire echo out occasionally, both in the distance and close by.

"Come on," Rin said, stepping forward and beginning her determined march towards the Schale club building, "The helicopter managed to put us within a few kilometers of the club building. However, we will need to fight our way past the thugs."

The rest of us continued our march with her, Yuuka moving to the front with SMGs drawn while Chinatsu and Suzumi took up positions besides me and Rin. Behind us, Hasumi unslung her rifle and began scanning the nearby buildings for any signs of activity.

We had made it a kilometer down the street without any incident or complication when a thought crossed my mind. "Ms. Nanagami?" I said, my pace slowing to a crawl. "Our transport, it was a helicopter, correct?"

"Yes?"

"If I recall correctly then said helicopter was painted bright white, had the General Student Council logos stenciled into both sides and the bottom, and was exceptionally noisy?"

At this point, the rest of the group had also slowed down and turned to look at me. Rin rolled her hand, motioning for me to continue. I came to a complete stop, just next to a destroyed storefront, as my head began scanning the area. I could feel the frown bleeding through my composure as the suspicion became pressing.

"And we landed said helicopter just outside the zone of active conflict, in the open, where anybody could just see and report our location? Like the well-armed thugs, who are explicitly attacking this neighborhood to destroy Council property? Who should be running towards our position but, for reasons unknown, have decided to let us walk almost a kilometer into their lines without responding? As if they want us to be here?"

Silence filled the air before the sound of various safeties being disengaged echoed out amongst the group. A second later a poorly thrown grenade detonated down the street from us, shattering the silence. I immediately tackled Rin into the storefront even while bullets peppered our position from the buildings surrounding us. Suzumi took cover behind a pillar in front of the store while Chinatsu and Yuuka dived behind the ruins of a car that had been parked in front. Thanks to her being in the back, I couldn't quite see what Hasumi had done but I trusted she was also taking steps to protect herself.

"What's going on?!" I heard Yuuka shout from her spot behind a car before she stuck a single SMG over the hood and let a long burst rattle out, suppressing an enemy I couldn't see.

"Ambush." "An ambush!" "An unpleasant greeting." Suzumi, Chinatsu, and myself answered at once. Suzumi peeked around her pillar and fired a few short bursts at a target. Chinatsu was trying to keep her head down while taking the occasional potshot. The loud singular retort and familiar sound of a bolt being worked drew my attention to a spot down the street behind us. I took a peek out the storefront to see Hasumi had taken up a spot behind some abandoned sandbags in the back and was calmly placing her shots at thugs trying to shoot at us from above.

"You don't have to tell me that!" Yuuka snapped back, ducking behind her cover to reload, "I want to know why do we have to be the ones to fight them?!"

Rin sighed, trying to look out of the storefront she and I were sheltering in but ducking back right away as shots landed nearby. "If I must remind you, Millennium, defending the club room is paramount if we are to regain control of Sanctum Tower."

"We're also the only Students close enough to follow Rin and Sensei," Chinatsu added. "And we need to act fast before these thugs get to it."

"I get that, but I belong to my school's student council! Why is busywork like this falling to me?" Yuuka complained as she finished reloading both her SMGs and stood up to unleash another burst at the thugs. This time though, they were clearly ready for us. I barely had time to shout a warning as a helmeted thug popped out of a window across the street from our position, above us and behind our cover. They leveled an SMG of their own and let loose a burst at our exposed flank, the rounds striking Yuuka in the side.

For a second, I was prepared to assume the worst, memories of the losses suffered by my crews flashing through my mind. However, we were both forced to pause and stare as Yuuka simply shrugged off the bullets as if they were nothing more than hail.

"Ah, that smarts!" Yuuka shouted in surprise even as Suzumi, Hasumi, and Chinatsu snapped to the flanking thug and unloaded several rounds into the offending party. I watched in horrified fascination as the thug jerked about as they were struck, and not a single bullet penetrated but bounced off instead. The thug's Halo flickered out of existence moments later and they slumped over; apparently unconscious.

The sound of combat leveled off as that appeared to be the last hostile in our area. I watched everyone glance about and, seeming to find it all clear, leave the safety of their cover. Meanwhile, Yuuka had grabbed one of the bullets that struck her and was closely examining it before growling in anger. "What the heck?! Are they using JHP rounds? That's cheating!"

"Just take cover, Yuuka." Hasumi reminded her as she sauntered up to regroup with us. "And besides, hollow-points aren't considered illegal."

"Well, they're illegal at our academy starting right now! That might have left a mark!"

I cleared my throat loudly, interrupting their byplay and drawing the attention of everyone present. I examined each of them closely as they turned to face me and noticed that, aside from some scuff marks, not a single one had so much as a scratch on them. My eyes were instantly drawn to the Haloes lazily floating above their heads.

"I must ask," I began, looking over each of them, "But why did nobody tell me that everyone present is bulletproof?"

They all stared at me dumbfounded before Chinatsu's eyes lit up in comprehension. "That's right," she exclaimed, "you're not from Kivotos." I could see the gears click in everyone's mind at the same time.

Rin was the first to respond, bowing as she turned to face me, "I must apologize. I was so focused on the problem of regaining control of the Sanctum Tower that I forgot to provide you with information about the Students you are expected to teach."

I ran my hand through my hair as I went over what I remembered of the fight. Now that I was thinking of it, not once did I see anyone draw blood despite the insane amount of ammunition expended. "It is equally my fault; I had made assumptions of your abilities without verifying whether or not they were correct."

"Still, we need to remember Sensei is here with us. Her safety is our top priority. Reclaiming that building will come second." Hasumi said, face serious.

I blinked, confused, before shaking my head in disagreement. "No, the mission should come first. If my understanding is correct, the destruction of the club room will permanently prevent the Council from reclaiming control." I looked to Rin for confirmation and, when she nodded yes, I added, "You should focus on breaking through rather than keeping me safe."

All the girls gasped at that but Yuuka was the first to respond. She growled, frustration in her voice as she set aside her gun just to point at me. Despite the gesture, I could see the concern etched in her face. "You can't join us on the battlefield, Sensei, so stay put while we take care of this!"

"Ladies," I replied, voice even and soft, "I insist. You do not need to worry about me. Our situation calls for speed and our limited number means everyone, myself included, must pull their own weight."

"Sensei," Chinatsu said, voice firm as she stepped forward until she was within arm's reach and staring at me in the eyes, "You don't have a Halo. Unlike us, a single bullet could put you in grave danger!"

Item to note, Haloes apparently were the source of their uncanny toughness. I would need to ask for more details later after we get on the same page. I gently put a hand on Chinatsu's shoulder to reassure her even as I looked at the rest of the girls. "… I believe we may have had another misunderstanding again. A single bullet will find it hard to penetrate my armour."

"Your armour?" Suzumi asked, a confused expression crossing her face.

"Yes, my armour." I answered, "I was hoping for a better time to discuss this, but it appears the matter has been forced." I took a small step back and gave the girls a bow, before meeting their gaze with a smile. "Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is HMS Nelson, lead ship of the Nelson Class of Battleships. The President has called me from afar to assist in these difficult times."

The representatives stared at me with looks ranging from shock to confusion. I stared at them with my smile locked in place. Rin watched on with a pensive frown. Silence filled the ruined store before Suzumi finally sighed and grabbed a seat at a table that was miraculously left standing. She dusted it off before looking back to the rest of us. "Maybe we should take a break and explain everything?"

Yuuka frowned as she went over the notes she had on her smartphone. After a moment she turned to me, confusion clear in her eyes. "So let me make sure I have this right."

"Go ahead," I replied even as I finished writing the last details into the notebook I found in my storage, sitting at the table across from the purple haired administrator.

"You're a battleship." Looks like she went right for the throat. Couldn't exactly fault her for that.

"Correct."

"But you're also a human."

"I would like to believe so, at least."

"But you're still somehow a battleship even though you look…?" Yuuka trailed off, motioning at me with her hands.

"That is an effective summary."

"And because of that, you're bulletproof."

"Among many other very bizarre things."

On my right, the collected group of Rin, Hasumi, and Suzumi watched our exchange. On my left, Chinatsu had taken out several examination tools and was busy trying to verify my claims. Yuuka was left to document them and, if her expression was any indicator, she was equally as confused about it as I was. Yuuka finally stopped going over her notes and, looking back up at me, she gave her final opinion. "This doesn't make any sense."

"I agree." I nodded sagely, finally having found someone who could appreciate the absurdity of the situation. "You must imagine how it is from my perspective, to suddenly awaken one day in flesh and blood what once was steel and oil."

Yuuka turned to look at Chinatsu, the hope in her eyes shining as if maybe the even keeled medic could tell her I was simply delusional. Instead, she was greeted to the sight of Chinatsu staring at a small magnet from her medical bag which had stuck itself to the back of my bare hand. Everyone watched as the blonde girl plucked the magnet from my skin, the flesh indenting like normal, and lifted it a fair distance away and above my hand. She then let it go and everyone stared as the magnet fell down but angled towards my skin before sticking to the back of my palm again with an extremely muffled *clink*.

"Sensei has a normal pulse…" Chinatsu muttered, her voice filled with fascination, "but her body temperature is just 30 degrees. She should have hypothermia but she lacks any other symptoms of hypothermia. Her skin is flexible and responds like normal human skin but it's clearly magnetic."

That was interesting to know, but I wondered if I could get degaussed in this body. Magnetic mines might actually respond to me right now. As I pondered that, Chinatsu grabbed a stethoscope from her bag and glanced up at me with curiosity clear in her eyes. I nodded and she walked around behind me and placed the instrument against my back, right above where my heart should be. I couldn't see her directly, but the way everyone's looks suddenly shifted to one of concern told me enough about Chinatsu's expression.

"Sensei…" I could hear her say from behind me, voice failing as she struggled to find the words, "you… don't have a heartbeat. A human one, that is. It sounds like you have an engine where your heart should be."

"That makes sense," I agreed even as the medic put her tools away, looking at me with awe, "The heart of my hull was a set of boilers. I admit I was not expecting them to literally be my heart here though."

Yuuka turned to Rin with a gaze that begged the other girl for something, anything for her fraying sanity to cling to. Instead, all she got was Rin asking the question all of us were wondering: "But how did the President bring you to us?"

All of us pondered this question for a moment, trying to determine how exactly someone could turn a construct of war into a sentient human being before I shrugged. "How she did it is irrelevant," I declared, "What matters is that I am not as vulnerable as you believed I was."

I flipped through my notes, the questions I had asked about the culture and ability of the Students here. What I was told confirmed one thing for me. For all that they stated they were human, they were no closer to the humans of my memories than I was. I didn't say it, but they were clearly something else.

They were tougher, stronger, and faster than the humans that once made up my crew. I struggled to think of any memory of a crew walking away from a direct hit by a pistol, never mind rifle fire or grenades. Yet according to my new Students, such a thing was not just commonplace but expected. The worst one could expect when a grenade went off next to them was unconsciousness. Deaths as a result of violence were practically non-existent. In fact, death rates themselves were low amongst the populace as a whole and extremely rare amongst the Students.

I glanced up at the black-blue ring that hovered over Yuuka's head. I wondered if the Haloes were what granted the Students their powers, or if it was just an expression of an existing power amongst all of them. And how exactly did they come about to have them in the first place?

"Still," Hasumi spoke up, turning her gaze back to me, "Even if you are bulletproof, how exactly would you help in a fight? You don't have a weapon."

I paused at the question. Did I have any weapons? A quick mental check through the inventory list noted I had quite a few small arms onboard but I had to have something bigger. Something that would let me emphasize the 'battleship' part of my existence. I felt a tug on my instincts and I closed my eyes, focusing on it. I could feel the familiar form of my hull at the edge of my fingers. I just had to visualize it. The main battery, the secondary battery, and the tertiary guns. The smokestack connected to the beating heart of the boilers, driving power to the turbines that spun the propellers. I could feel power swelling from within as the image started to become clear and with a twist of my will-

"Even if you are bulletproof, how exactly would you help in a fight? You don't have a weapon."

Nelson-sensei fell silent at that and Suzumi watched as their teacher's expression turned from confused, to contemplative, and finally to determined. Then, without answering, she closed her eyes and her brow furrowed as if in deep concentration. For a few moments, nothing happened.

"Nelson-sensei?" Suzumi heard Yuuka ask. After another long moment of silence, Chinatsu gently tapped the adult on the shoulder. Nothing.

"She's in some sort of trance," Chinatsu announced, confirming everyone's suspicions.

Yuuka threw her arms up, exasperation in her eyes, locks of purple hair blown astray by the motion as she shouted in frustration, "Great! Just what we needed! Our teacher knocked herself out trying to think of how to fight."

"Hayase-san," Suzumi interjected even as she felt the frown on her face, "We don't exactly know what she is doing. We barely know exactly WHAT she is in the first place."

She felt it was fair to give the strange Adult the benefit of the doubt. While what she claimed sounded like something out of a video game, there were plenty of strange powers in Kivotos. Who was to say that Nelson wasn't from someplace similar? After all, they already had all the evidence that she was decidedly not the same as the rest of them.

Yuuka stared at her for the longest time before the purple-haired girl sighed and sat back down. "I know," she admitted as she leaned back into her chair, "But the last few days have been so stressful and now I have to be one of the first people to meet an alien."

Suzumi didn't feel like that was a kind comparison, but she couldn't argue the accuracy of it. Nelson was, for the literal definition of the phrase, an alien. She didn't operate on the same rules as the students, but she also didn't operate on the same rules as the other Adults. She was someone who simply was foreign to the way Kivotos usually worked.

"Still," Rin's terse voice cut through the silence, drawing everyone's attention to her, "I must ask that you all keep what Nelson-Sensei has revealed to you on a need-to-know basis."

There were various sounds of surprise from the other three girls sitting at the table. Suzumi merely mentally stepped back. After all, she was hardly anyone important enough to be present for this type of conversation.

"And why exactly should we keep this a secret?" Hasumi asked, the older Trinity student looking down at Rin.

Rin met her look, eyes hard, "I will be honest here. Nelson-sensei's claims are absurd. Were it not for what I witnessed; I would think that she's insane. We cannot afford to have people doubt the credibility and sanity of Schale and the General Student Council if we are to stabilize the situation in Kivotos."

Suzumi realized immediately what Rin was asking for: a coverup. The GSC needed legitimacy and that meant covering up the truth of who their saviour was. It wouldn't even be that hard now that she thought about it. There were no other Adult humans without a Halo in Kivotos that she was aware of. The exact ability of someone like that was completely unknown. They could just pin it all on that rather than Nelson's claims. Still, the thought of doing so made her stomach squirm.

Judging from the looks of the actual academy representatives, they shared her sentiment to some degree. But the lack of objections was telling enough. In the silence that followed, Suzumi's eyes naturally shifted to the topic at han-

"What!" She shouted, shooting out of her seat at what she saw. Her cries and sudden move naturally drew everyone's attention and they reacted similarly as they saw the same sight that she did.

Nelson was glowing. No, it was more accurate to say that ghastly flames were licking off of her skin and clothes. Blue will o' wisps, barely visible in the daylight were it not for their indoor meeting, coalesced around the blonde Adult. They gathered about her and began to form translucent constructions that Suzumi could clearly recognize as turrets, a smokestack, and ship hull components. From somewhere both present in the room and not, the sound of a chain being pulled up could be heard. A chill and heavy presence could be felt, building up to a crescendo-

And then, like it was never there, the constructions shattered and faded into sparkles. The fires dimmed and snuffed themselves and the will o' wisps vanished. The noises silenced themselves, echoing into nothingness as the presence left. The light and warmth in the room returned to normal and Nelson opened her eyes.

"It appears that I am unable to-" Nelson started, before she paused as she recognized the looks of shock and confusion on the faces of everyone present. "Is something the matter?"

I twisted my will and immediately, something felt wrong. The image in my mind distorted and fractured. I could make out one hull... two hulls... one hull... three ships... two ships... one ship... and then the image shattered. I felt the power slip from my grasp as I was shocked back to reality, the instinct fleeing from me. I knew, without a doubt, that I had failed to call up the power within me.

"It appears that I am unable to-" I started, looking at the Students around me only to pause. All their expressions had varying levels of concern, shock, and confusion. Like they had just seen something inexplicable. "Is something the matter?"

Chinatsu was the first to recover her wits, running back over as she gave me a look over. Suzumi spoke as the medic checked me for signs of something, "Nelson-Sensei," She began, voice lost as if to find words, "You were on fire."

"What."

She nodded; expression serious. "You were on fire and about to create some sort of miniature ship out of something."

I looked at everyone else in the room and, at my gaze, they nodded in agreement. "But I feel normal?" I offered weakly.

"There's no signs of any burns," Chinatsu announced, face filled with concern, "But you were just in a trance Sensei. We couldn't shake you out of it for-" she paused to check her cell phone, "almost ten minutes."

Well that certainly removed any chances of trying it again in combat. I'd have to see if I could accomplish it once we were in a safe environment.

"If you couldn't do... whatever it was you were trying, could you still fight?" Hasumi asked, clearly trying to move the subject along.

"It is hardly ideal but..." With a twist of my will, I pulled a bolt action rifle out of my storage. The girls all reacted with varying degrees of shock at the sight of a full-length combat rifle simply appearing in my lap. Another twist and a belt of clips fell into my lap. "I could provide support with some of the weapons used by the marines onboard." The admission pained me on a spiritual level, but it was the best I could do in these circumstances.

Still, if this was the case, then I would need the girls with me to make up for what I lacked. "It was my hope that I could act from the front but I believe this may be quite difficult now. I shall provide tactical command while you fi-" I could see Rin start vehemently shaking her head out of the corner of my eyes, "four take to the front with me."

"You're going to take command?" Yuuka asked aloud before her gaze turned thoughtful, "Well… I guess you are supposed to be a teacher."

Chinatsu nodded in agreement. "A student must listen to their teacher. We'll be counting on you."

"Okay. We'll follow your lead." Hasumi agreed, loading up the magazine for her rifle.

"I'll do my best." Suzumi was the last to speak up, but seemed no less enthusiastic than the rest.

It was no Home Fleet but it was the best we had. I stepped out of the storefront, waving the students to follow. "Then let us begin. Try not to fall behind now!"

AN: It was a decision quite early in planning that Nelson would not be able to use her rigging from the onset. There's a few reasons for this. Some of the non-plot reasons are pretty obvious such as power balancing/devaluation of drama/removal of some interesting canon plot events. But the biggest reason was that I feel that level of power should be something that builds up over the course of the narrative rather than being available immediately. This way, it's much more impactful when she finally can use it in its complete state. It'll mean something when it happens.

Of course the plot reasons were a close second. The reasons will become more clear as the story progresses, but there are in-story reasons for it beyond "it's hard to balance around".

But the ability to call forth artillery isn't gone entirely. Just not immediately available. I hope you remain on board as we delve further into what exactly is happening.

Thanks to my friend for beta reading this chapter and listening/helping me work out my rambling ideas into something usable.

Numbers7o5 · Jun 25, 2024

I emptied my magazine and watched as the blonde gatling gunner fell. In response, her fellow gunner's shots ripped up the concrete corner of the alleyway I was taking cover behind and forced me back. Not quite fast enough as I felt a dull impact against my chest, but no pain yet as my armour held. Safely out of danger again, I fished out another stripper clip of ammo and slammed it into the magazine of my rifle. Next to me, Chinatsu kept an eagle eye on the other girls in the open street, looking for any signs of injury. Even further back was Rin, keeping an eye on reports from various GSC sources.

"Ms. Hayase," I said, voice even and calm as I spoke into the earbud I had been given, "At my mark, suppress the enemy squad. Ms. Morizuki, after they have been pinned, bombard them. Ms. Hanekawa, finish off anyone still standing."

"You don't have to tell me that!"

"Roger!"

"Understood."

I leaned out of the entrance, shouldering my rifle as the last pair of the thugs with SMGs attempted to fall back under the cover of their last redheaded gatling gunner. I stilled my body, calling upon the experience of every marine ever on board as the two groups drew closer. I lined the sights up and, as the two groups met, I squeezed the trigger.

The rifle in my hands thundered and the ammo belt of the gatling gun shattered. The three thugs all stared in shock at the broken weapon even as I cried out "Mark!". At the shout, Yuuka surged out from behind the car she was hiding behind with Suzumi. She punched something into her calculator before glowing blue fields immediately surrounded her. The thugs tried to suppress her with their own fire, only for the bullets to bounce off the barrier. In response she sprayed the group with her twin SMGs. With the grounding effect of their heavy weapon gone, the hail of bullets forced the group to dive for the closest cover: a reinforced road barrier.

Unfortunately, lack of proper training and panic meant they allowed themselves to be shepherded towards the same cover as a group. The fire kept them pinned long enough for Suzumi to produce a stun bomb and, with perfect precision, she arced the device over her cover, over the thug's cover, and into the middle of the group. I could see all three thugs look down in horror at the weapon before it detonated, filling the street with a loud pop and blinding flash.

Forewarned as we were, we had looked away as it detonated but the effects were immediately apparent. Both thugs with SMGs were lying on the ground unconscious while the gatling gunner was dazed. To her credit, she didn't break. Instead, she snarled a fierce "You'll pay for that!" and let her instincts take over. She stood out of the cover with her weapon at her hip, ready to mow down Yuuka as the purple haired girl reloaded. The look on her face when she squeezed the trigger and the weapons broken feed protested with a loud *CLUNK* was almost priceless.

The look she had a second later when Hasumi planted a shot right on her forehead, however, was actually priceless. Without a word, her halo blinked out and the thug slumped into unconsciousness. Silence filled the street before I stepped out, joining the others in checking for any further signs of enemies.

"All clear." I announced. Without prompting, Chinatsu quickly walked out of cover and started looking over the other girls. Rin, meanwhile, took her time to come out of the cover, distracted as she was by the information flowing in on her tablet.

Suzumi nodded in agreement, lowering her rifle and relaxing. "I don't see any signs of other enemies."

"Finally!" Yuuka cried out, sitting down on what was left of a bench, "I've never seen so many thugs as we have in the last few blocks."

"The battles have been much easier than I expected them to be." Suzumi admitted as she began tying up the unconscious thugs. I watched her produce zipties from nowhere as she methodically removed any contraband or items which could help us.

"I know, right?" Yuuka agreed, already starting to relax in the moment of respite that we had.

Hasumi finally made her way over from her cover at the back of the group, a faint smile on her face. "We were able to fight much more efficiently thanks to Sensei's commands."

"Please," I replied, waving off the praise and literally waving off Chinatsu's attempts to examine me, "while I have experience with command, you must hold yourself highly as well. You have all exceeded my expectations in your coordination despite only having met today."

Yuuka blushed at the praise. She must not get a lot of it if something as benign as that was enough to embarrass her. She coughed into her hand, before looking back at me. "This must be why the General Student Council holds you in such regard. You might be a bit weird but the President had good reasons for choosing you."

Hasumi and Yuuka descended into casual conversation as Chinatsu left me to examine the two. Leaving the three to their own devices, I made my way over to Suzumi. The one-winged girl had just finished tying up the last group of thugs as I approached. She looked up at the sound of my footsteps and gave me a small smile as I drew closer. "How can I help you, Sensei?"

"I just wish to check something."

She hummed and motioned for me to go ahead and I walked over to the blonde gunner from earlier. While there was no blood on her body, I could see the scuff marks from where I hit her. A full magazine of five shots, all five slamming into her torso and she had shrugged off all but the last of it. I looked back over to where Hasumi was sitting, waiting for Chinatsu to finish applying a patch to a cut on her leg. Embellishments aside, the rifle she held in her hands didn't seem that much different from mine but, at the same time, mine seemed significantly less effective against the Students.

A glance at where the shattered gatling gun laid, however, confirmed it was not that firearm or ammo that was the problem. A well-placed shot still managed to damage the large weapon and I had seen my rifle punch through cover as well. There was just something inherent to the Students which made my weapons less effective against them. Was it my lack of a Halo?

"Nelson-sensei," Suzumi's voice from behind me roused me from my musings, "do you need Chinatsu to look over you?"

I turned to give Suzumi a look. "What do you mean?"

"I saw you got hit during the fight earlier." The one-winged girl said as she shuffled awkwardly from one foot to the other.

Right, that had happened. I gave her a warm smile before shaking my head, patting the spot on my chest where the round had hit. There was a slight burn on my uniform, more visible than the marks left by me against the thug, but still minor. "Thank you for your concern, but I am quite fine. Barely felt it."

While I was decidedly more bullet proof than the average unpowered human, I was still not quite as tough as even these thugs. I got a sense that this would not be the case if I could summon my combat rigging but, sadly, that was a test we couldn't try right now.

"If you're sure." Suzumi assented, even as the concern was clearly visible in her expression.

Before I could say anything else, we were interrupted by Yuuka's exasperated cries. "How much further are we anyways? It feels like we've marched for two hours already!"

"We're close, Millennium." Rin answered, ignoring Yuuka's sputters as the glow of the tablet reflecting off her glasses, "It should be just down the block and around the corner. More importantly, I think I finally figured out who's responsible for this riot."

"Oh? Have you now?" I asked as Suzumi and I walked over to rejoin the group.

Rin nodded as she flipped the tablet around, displaying a mugshot of a girl in a heavily customized black flower print kimono, alongside one of the shortest skirts I've seen thus far. Long flowing black and red hair messily went everywhere atop which sat two black fox ears. Oh, and most eye-catchingly obvious was the fox mask on her face. Casually slung over her shoulders was an elaborately painted bolt action rifle with an affixed bayonet.

As the group of us looked over the leader of the enemy group, Rin continued to speak. "Her name is Kosaka Wakamo. She's the fugitive that escaped the Corrections Bureau after being suspended from the Allied Hyakkiyako Academy. She's a repeat offender, so I'd advise that you don't let your guards down."

I could feel that she was going to be trouble but, if we were lucky, we might just be able to avoid her.

"Thank you for the information, Ms. Nanagami," I said before slinging the rifle over my back and turning to face the rest of the girls. I could see expectation in all their gazes so it would be remiss to fail to meet their expectations. A speech it would be. "Everyone, you have done well thus far but I believe we are about to face the heaviest enemy resistance thus far. I have no doubt you shall all rise to the occasion but keep watch for this mastermind. We shall depart in ten minutes time."

A chorus of acknowledgements answered me as the group visibly relaxed. I could feel we were near the end of this chaos. Despite that, there was a gnawing pit in my heart. A need to do more, to be at the forefront of the fighting. I set it aside. Supporting from the back was for the best. Perhaps I would be able to believe that if I repeated it a few more times.

"So that is the Schale Club Room?" I asked, all six of us peering around the corner and down the street. It was a rather large multi-story skyscraper of white metal and blue glass. A halo, much like the one around the larger Sanctum Tower, hovered above the building. It was quite a nice building even to my limited aesthetic experience. But I had to admit it was grander than I expected when I was told that Schale had a Club Room.

"It is," Rin's answer quashed my sensibilities. "The information was only revealed to me in the President's letters, but I did wonder why she put so much focus on this building."

Suzumi frowned at that admission, displeasure clear in her expression, "That sounds like a frivolous use of Council funds and time."

"It makes sense as a contingency, but how did she know this could happen…" Chinatsu muttered, voicing a question I was curious about myself. Something this size did not appear overnight. It would have taken a few months for renovations alone even if the President purchased a pre-existing building.

Hasumi cut our musing short as she pointed at the more concerning sight in front of the building. "We need to focus on the bigger problems."

The bigger problems being the destroyed defensive works and unconscious Valkyrie officers positioned around the entrance. Some were on the street, others were in the block house, and there was even one on the roof next to a mounted machine gun. Despite the clear signs of fighting, there were no signs of any of the rioters. It was quiet. Suspiciously so.

I motioned for the Students to get back into cover before going over the plan as soon as we were all out of line of sight. "We will form two lines. Ms. Hayase, Morizuki, and Hanekawa will form the forward line of attack and advance from the left side of the street." The three nodded, unslinging and drawing their weapons. "Ms Nanagami, Hinomiya, and myself will form the rear line of support and advance from the right. We must assume there is another ambush in play here. Any questions?"

They responded with a chorus of "No"s. Satisfied, I unslung my own rifle and loaded a round into the chamber. I could see the girls tense before I called out, "First line, full ahead!"

Yuuka, Suzumi, and Hasumi dashed out of cover and crossed the street in seconds. When they were met with silence, I waved at them to continue before motioning for the rest of my line to follow. I advanced around the corner as Chinatsu and Rin fell in behind me, using me as cover. Although I couldn't claim to be tougher than our front liners, I was still miles tougher than the supporting elements paired with me. Combined with my stature, I could easily block a few bullets and buy them the time to get to safety.

But it seemed to be for nought as all six of us rapidly advanced in the face of no resistance. No SMG or shotgun wielding thugs popping out of alleys, snipers taking potshots from afar, or gatling gunners jumping on cars for better shots. Just silence.

The pace for both our lines slowed until both our lines hesitated just across the street from the gates of the Schale club building. Everyone looked about waiting for the shoe to drop. There was not a single sign of a rioter anywhere.

"It's quiet." Rin said from behind me, voice carrying in the silent city streets. I spun around to quiet her, as did Chinatsu. Meanwhile, Yuuka and Suzumi from across the street turned to tell her to stop even as Hasumi shouldered her rifle.

"My~ Wouldn't you say it's too quiet?"

We all froze as an unfamiliar voice finished the stock phrase for Rin. Every gun instantly went up and, moments later, the speaker strolled out from behind the guardhouse next to the entrance. The kimono, cherry blossom halo, and distinct fox mask told us all we needed to know.

"Ms. Kosaka, I presume. Do you intend to get in our way?" I called out, the rest of the Students with me visibly tensing as I named the girl in front of us. As the forward line turned to look at me, I locked eyes with Suzumi for a brief second before cocking my head in Wakamo's direction. It took a moment but I saw comprehension light up in her eyes as the one-winged girl reached for something behind her back.

"Oh? Aren't you polite?" Wakamo answered. She seemed to have missed the momentary byplay but the smirk was almost audible in her voice, "What if I said I plan to?"

"Then it would be regrettable, but we will have to come to blows."

She laughed, the musical noise carrying and echoing throughout the empty crossing, before she snapped her fingers. Rioters poured out of the alleyways and buildings surrounding the Schale Club Room. She stepped back, letting the thugs take their place in front of her. By my count, almost two dozen thugs were arrayed there. "Looks like the little puppies of the General Student Council have come to stop me." She shouted to the crowd, the thugs booing and jeering at us in response. "How adorable. Show them their mistake."

Before the thugs could even do anything, I shouted "Mark!" and shoved Chinatsu and Rin behind me into the waiting lobby of an apartment. Across the street, Suzumi drew out the two flash bombs she had behind her back and tossed them into the crowd. The devices clattered dead center even as the rest of us turned away from the detonation.

The thugs did not have the luxury of knowing what I was saying and, caught in the face of a sudden offensive, were left entirely vulnerable. A third of the crowd were already on the ground unconscious when Hasumi and Yuuka opened fire. Those still standing immediately dived for cover and returned fire at the first line. However, they did little more than to keep us from advancing immediately thanks to how disoriented and scattered they were.

Wakamo, for her credit, was completely unfazed by the flash bombs. I wasn't sure if it was because she was simply tougher than the thugs or if her mask actually helped but the results were the same. The fox-eared girl looked at her struggling forces, shrugged, and made the decision to fight.

I've seen the girls I was with do fantastical acts so far, even if I ignored their innate resilience and physical prowess. Yuuka's personal shield stopped weapons that would have shredded light vehicles back home. Suzumi seemed to have a near limitless supply of flash bombs, all of which could cut through the durability granted by a Halo and knock Students unconscious. Hasumi was able to concentrate her will and enhance a single shot to match the performance of anti-tank rifles. Chinatsu's abilities were much less flashy, but her ability to patch any wound in moments with nothing but a medic bag was the flesh of miracles.

None of it prepared me for Wakamo. The girl leapt three meters from a standing start, spinning in mid-air to avoid a burst of fire from Suzumi, and landed on top of the guard house with the ease of an acrobat. Even before her feet made contact with the concrete, she had her rifle cradled in her arms and pointed square at Yuuka.

The weapon barked and a shot slammed into Yuuka's shield, leaving a red petal imprint. Even as Yuuka cried out in shock, Hasumi leveled her rifle and returned fire. Even as the crack of her rifle echoed, the fox-eared girl managed to spin out of the way faster than the bullet could reach her. Even while in the air, Wakamo somehow found the time mid-spin to work the bolt, aim, and fire; another petal glowing on Yuuka's shield recording another hit.

Suzumi had a flash bomb in the air even before Wakamo finished her mid-air shot. The girl did not avoid it this time. Instead, the second she landed, she spun her rifle around to grab it by the handguard and bat the bomb away with her stock. She managed to pull the bolt open mid-spin and close it as she flipped the weapon back to fire another round into Yuuka's shield from a one-handed grip.

Two and half seconds into the exchange Yuuka finally managed to get over her shock to respond to the assault. Where accuracy and explosives failed, the purple-haired administrator elected to simply spray down the area Wakamo was standing with a long burst from each of her SMGs. A move which was met by her opponent pulling an unconscious Valkyrie officer off the roof by hooking her bayonet around a strap of the bulletproof vest, and kicking the officer at her. Yuuka was forced to drop her burst early to avoid friendly fire; a hesitation not shared by Wakamo as she managed to squeeze a shot under the flying office to plant a fourth petal into the shield.

Four seconds in and I finally had my rifle up and sights on the back of the mobile fox girl. Even as I squeezed the trigger, I could see her head whip towards me. Striker met primer and my rifle thundered. In that crystal clarity found in combat, I watched as Wakamo spun her rifle behind her and caught the bullet on the side of the bayonet. The same bullet that I saw shatter a gatling gun feed half an hour ago met the steel of the bayonet. Sparks flew as the copper jacket ground against the thin blade before the bullet was deflected away. Then, as if to further rub salt in the wound, she managed to aim and fire the rifle while it was still behind her back.

The fifth petal bloomed from Yuuka's shield. The completed flower glowed with a violent red energy before exploding, shaking the street and sending the Seminar Treasurer flying back into a pile of debris. Yuuka managed an "ow" before a burst of fire nearly hitting her reminded all of us the rioters were still around. Battered as she was, she still had the sense to roll herself behind the debris.

Just under six seconds. That's all it took for Wakamo to reverse the fortunes of the battlefield granted to us by our surprise attack. We wouldn't be able to smash through the resistance being put up by the rioters without Yuuka's shield. With the purple haired girl currently nursing her wounds, the first serious ones inflicted thus far, it would be some time before she would be able to take the vanguard again. Which meant we would need to grind our way through the enemy rioters.

A stray thought whispered to me, breaking down how I could have prevented this. If I took a place among the first line, I could have tried to take one or two of those shots from Wakamo. It might have hurt, but it would have prevented this tactical turnabout. We would still be able to advance, even if slowed. I crushed that thought as quickly as it came to me. I couldn't risk the Students worrying about me in the middle of a fight and I could have distracted them. The thought still gnawed at me though. Fortunately, I was distracted by Chinatsu tugging on my sleeve.

"Sensei," Chinatsu said, eyes burning with determination, "We need to help Yuuka. Please cover me!" I nodded in response, before turning to the third member of our group. I didn't even need to say anything as Rin waved us forward, tucking herself deeper into the apartment lobby.

With that worry out of the way, I motioned for Chinatsu to follow before the two of us rushed out into the street. Bullet plinked off the ground around us and I could feel at least one rifle glance off my shoulder, but the fire still being put up by Suzumi and Hasumi was keeping the rioters pinned. I could see Wakamo from the corner of my eye watching the firefight, neither contributing or calling for a halt.

Well, at least until we reached Yuuka. As Chinatsu slid into cover next to Yuuka, we could all hear Wakamo call out to the rioters. "My job here is done. You can take care of the rest."

I watched as the fox hopped from her spot on the guardhouse onto a pedestrian bridge halfway down the block, with an ease that defied the reality of the twenty five-meter jump. Her exit from the field did not go unnoticed.

"She's running away! After he-Hng!" Yuuka shouted, trying to rise from her spot only to be forced back down by Chinatsu.

"Not while you're injured!"

The radio crackled as Hasumi spoke up. "We can't waste any more time either. Our goal is to reclaim the Schale club room."

"I want to catch her too, but we need to get to that building." Suzumi chipped in, her voice broken up by the gunfire caught on the mic.

"Fine," Yuuka ground out, as Chinatsu began patching up the bruised and scratched administrator, "but she'll pay for that when I see her next!"

I nodded, my expression tight as I watched Chinatsu patch her up, "Oh of that, I am sure."

"Down!" I shouted, and both Rin and Chinatsu dived beneath the sandbags as a gatling gunner fired at us. A second later the crack of Hasumi's rifle echoed and the gatling gunner fell over unconscious. But it was still too late as the gunner bought time for two shotgunners to bridge the gap from the front of the Schale building, across the lawn, and almost to the sandbags that covered our two more fragile Supports. I rose up and over the sandbags to intercept, rifle at the ready to meet them.

The lead shotgunner fired as they approached, the blast of buckshot catching me in the side. I winced but held steady, firing the rifle at the thug behind her, whose shot was blocked by the lead. The first shot tore the shotgun out of her hands, the second caught her in the knee and sent her to the ground, and the third went wide. But with the thug immobilized, the last two slammed into her head and the halo winked out.

I turned to the lead thug and reached for another clip to load the rifle. My hand found none. A half-formed curse barely managed to leave my lips before the lead thug fired again, this time catching me in the stomach. The pain was manageable so I grit my teeth and charged. The thug seemed stunned and at a loss of what to do as I closed to engage. She gathered her nerves at the last moment and attempted to fire her shotgun again but I was already within her reach. I grabbed the barrel and pushed it down into the ground, the buckshot cratering the dirt. Before she could yank the gun free, I pulled her closer toward me and I reared back my head. She stumbled forward and I brought my head down into a headbutt right onto the top of her head.

It felt like slamming my head into a brick wall. My vision swam for a second but I managed to right myself. The same could not be said for the thug, who was stumbling back as she grabbed her head in pain. Before she could recover, I flipped the rifle in my grip to grab it by the handguard and swung it like a club. The buttstock of the rifle cracked into the side of the thug's head and sent her flying. She hit the ground, rolled, and slammed into a tree. A second later, her halo vanished.

I blinked, surprised. I wasn't expecting that to work. I looked down at my weapon and, to my surprise, the rifle in my hands was intact. Aside from a crack in the stock where it met the thugs face, the entire weapon seemed perfectly fine.

I took a look as I caught my breath, seeing vicious fighting all around the front lawn of the Schale building. After we had patched Yuuka up, we forced our way through the thugs at the gate. I had thought that those may have been the last of the rioters, but it seemed Wakamo held the best for this last position. Our two lines were forced to merge into a single front, and now our support line was dangerously close to the enemy. But try as they might, the thugs were losing. The Students with me were all differing levels of injured but we were taking out multiple thugs with every exchange.

I pushed forward towards the next piece of cover, the remains of an ornate fountain, and sat myself against the base. Chinatsu and Rin were at my side moments later, varying levels of concern clear on both of their faces.

"Sensei, are you OK?" Chinatsu asked, looking over to examine my side. I winced as her hand grazed a particularly buckled spot in my side. She spotted the reaction immediately, and came to the correct conclusion. "Sensei, you need to stop risking yourself! You might be tough, but you're still taking injuries faster than everyone else!"

I couldn't deny that. "Ms. Hinomiya, we need-" I started before the medic shushed me.

"There's not that many thugs left! Leave them to the rest of us and rest!"

In the face of her glare and angry pout, I acquiesced. I let the rifle vanish and raised my hands. "Very well. I would make for a poor Teacher if I made your job harder."

The medic hummed in agreement before reaching into her bag to retrieve her supplies. One issue we had quickly encountered during the push was her healing. Specifically, how relatively ineffective her healing was for me. What should have healed anybody else fully was only able to heal cuts and reduce bruises for me. We'd have to test it at a future time, but my guess was that the light damage was being dealt to the parts of me that were Human. Anything more serious was actually being dealt to my Battleship components. Try as she might, but I don't think Chinatsu was a dockworker.

I took a peek over the fountain as Chinatsu began applying the patches and bandages. The last of the thugs had formed a final bastion at the top of the stairs to the Schale building and was defending it to the last, but the trail of unconscious rioters leading up to the spot spoke of the casualties taken.

Even as they poured fire into Yuuka's statue cover, they missed Suzumi from the other side of the stairs standing up with a flash bomb at the ready. She wound up for the throw, but a rioter with a rifle spotted her. Before they could shoot her, the side of their helmet cracked as Hasumi made her presence known once again. The rest of the thugs turned their guns to Hasumi, and missed the flash bomb drop into their cover. I turned away as I heard the loud pop of the weapon detonating, letting myself relax as the volume of fire from the stairs decreased. It seems we really did have this in the bag.

The rioters had all been defeated by the time Chinatsu had finished applying the patches. Their bodies were laid strewn across the lawn, and dangling on or over cover. Despite the grotesque description, the lack of blood or any serious injuries made for an almost satirical scene. This was some of the heaviest fighting ever experienced even by some of my more experienced crew, and there wasn't a single fatality.

"Sensei!" I heard Yuuka shout. I turned to where she was on the stairs with the rest of the front line, waving at the three of us in the rear. "We made it! We're at the entrance of the building!"

I smiled, waving back at the girl. It seemed we were finally done. I started to cross the lawn with Chinatsu and Rin when a loud rumbling echoed throughout the lawn. All of us were instantly on alert.

"Huh? What's that sound…?" Yuuka muttered aloud, only to be answered a second later as a large brown vehicle smashed through the fences surrounding the lawn. Heavy metal tracks slid over the dirt and drifted towards us even as the hexagonal turret turned to our direction.

"Watch out! It's a Crusader tank!" Chinatsu warned, a second too late as the tank's secondary machine gun turret opened fire along with the coaxial. The front liners were forced into cover around the stairs as the secondary turret pinned them in place. Meanwhile, the three of us jumped back into cover in the dry basin of the fountain as the coaxial tore into our position.

The machine gun fire slackened for a second and I looked up to see why, only to find myself staring down the barrel of the main gun. Pointed directly at myself, Chinatsu, and Rin. I dove to cover them as I shouted, "BRAC-"

The thunder of the cannon firing cut off anything else I had to say.

AN: And we pitch right into the violence. It's kinda interesting to me how Wakamo is made out to be a big deal, but then she doesn't actually really feel like that in the prologue. Beginner boss and all that, I understand. But I hope her appearance here made her feel a bit more like the threat she's described to be.

Thanks again to my friend for beta reading and trying to make sure things don't get too strange. Also, catching the fact I apparently can't spell Millennium.

Numbers7o5 · Jul 3, 2024

Chinatsu didn't hear what Nelson-Sensei had to say as the sound of the cannon firing deafened her. What she did feel, however, was the tank shell hitting their position. Shrapnel tore up the surrounding area even as the concussive blast threw her aside. She felt herself hit the ground, bounce once, and then roll along to a stop somewhere in the grass.

She coughed as she tried to pull herself into a seating position, the ringing in her ears drowning out everything else. Her attempts to right herself were hindered when she tried to put weight on her right arm and was met with a lance of sharp pain. It was definitely at least pulled. She blinked the dust out of her eyes and looked about, trying to figure out where she was amongst the smoke and falling dirt. Everything seemed foggy and, for a second, she feared she might have injured her eyes.

Only to realize after a second that her glasses were knocked off by the explosion. She patted the grass nearest to her, pausing when she felt the familiar metal of her glasses brush against her fingers. She brought it up to her face, frowning when she spotted how one arm was bent and a crack ran across one of the lenses. It would be pricey to repair, but at least it was intact.

Putting it back on her face, she found the world snap back into perfect clarity; albeit divided on one side. That perfect clarity brought with it a new concern: the tank was turning its turret towards her.

"Oh." Chinatsu said aloud. It was the only thing she could think to say. She never tried to test how tough she was, but even she knew a tank shell was something strikers treated carefully. She didn't need classroom training to know this was going to hurt.

The turret finished turning and she could see the cannon drop to line up the shot. She could faintly hear her companions' voices in her earpiece desperately shouting her name. She tried to force herself to move, only to find she couldn't; her arm screamed in protest as she tried and the pain sent her back into the ground.

There was a flash of blonde hair and grey cloth. In the heartbeats between the turret turning and being ready to fire, Nelson-sensei appeared. The earth torn into furrows as the Adult slid to a stop in front of Chinatsu, placing herself in the way of the cannon just as it fired. The look of absolute anger on her face was something that Chinatsu knew she would always remember.

But she knew she would also remember what happened next. Even as the shell tore towards them, Nelson moved faster than she had seen the Teacher ever do so before. She reared her right arm back and, with spiteful disdain, attempted to backhand the shell out of the air. It shouldn't have worked. Even if Nelson was tougher than she presented herself to be, nobody should be able to casually slap a tank shell out of the air. Yet the observable fact remained: the crack of air that followed her arm, the sparks as the shell grinded itself against the back of the Adult's hand, and the undeniable sight of the shell deflecting as it met an immovable object. The projectile tumbled off course, before detonating somewhere behind them.

The silence that followed could be felt, as everyone stared in stunned awe at Nelson. The silence was broken as a sword fell into her left hand, pointing the blade at the tank. Chinatsu shivered as the Adult spoke, the chill in her voice physically palpable.

"That was a mistake." Anger. That's what I felt. Mostly at myself for not being able to properly cover both of the rear liners, for letting a Student under my care come into harm, and for not realizing what the sound was earlier. After all, the Crusader tank was a British design and I should have recognized the sound of its engine.

But above all? I was angry at the tank crew. They dared to fire on Chinatsu? On a medic? The idea of ~~merchant raiders~~ thugs attacking ~~civilian shipping~~ non-combatants filled me with a fury I hadn't experienced before. A feeling my crew's memories reassured me was right and just. Anger was what I should feel in this instance. They wanted to play at being hard? Fine, then I was willing to play hard. I was getting tired of supporting from the rear anyways.

"Front line! Destroy that tank! Nanagami, get Hinomiya out of here!" I shouted, my voice carrying over the din of the lawn.

A chorus of acknowledgements filled my earpiece as Rin ran out of the fountain. She was a bit dusty and scratched up, but nowhere near as bad as the Medic she helped up and towards some more durable cover.

"That's a Crusader Type 1!" Hasumi warned, "It's the same as the tanks used at our academy!"

Yuuka's annoyed "Tch" could be heard over the radio. "It must be stolen! Those thugs must have swiped one meant for the PMC!"

Ah, so this was one of the stolen tanks warned about earlier.

"That means it's no different from a hunk of scrap metal! I'm going in!" Yuuka continued, her shields flaring to life around her.

"I will join," I said. Cries of surprise echoed out before I interrupted any attempts to deny me. "I have stood by one too many times. Combat from safety is not meant for me. I shall command from the front."

Hasumi's response was direct. She fired, the shot plinking off a vision slot before she spoke. "Understood, Sensei."

The effect was immediate as the frontline burst into action.

"If you say so, Sensei!" Yuuka shouted as she leapt over the cover.

"Sensei," Suzumi called out, putting a burst at the tank, "allow me to support you!"

Finally, Rin spoke. It was a simple, "Be careful, Nelson-Sensei."

I smiled, feeling a warmth in my chest at the shouts of support. With a flourish of my sword, I charged in.

I slid into cover next to Suzumi, the one-winged girl busy reloading. All our attempts to head back up the stairs thus far had the tank stop us by either charging at us, pinning us with its two machine guns, or firing with its main gun. She looked over to me, hesitating for a moment, before asking, "Sensei, how exactly are we going to stop the tank?"

The battle had just begun but, truth be told, I didn't have a solid plan yet. While I compared Hasumi's focused shot to that of an anti-tank rifle, it was proving hard to disable the tank with just her alone. The shots were penetrating the armour, true, but the bullet was still a standard rifle bullet. The small size meant little spalling and there was effectively no explosive fille-

"Ms. Morizuki, do you still have any flash bombs?" I asked as an idea began to form in my mind.

"I only have a few left but I don't think they'll work on a tank."

"Trust me, I shall make them work."

Suzumi looked at me for a second before passing me a flash bomb. "What do you want me to do?" she asked.

"Keep it pinned." I answered, tucking the flash bomb into my stores as I activated my headset. "Everyone, I have a plan. Ms. Hanekawa, knock out the tracks. Ms. Hayase, force it to turn its turret to the aft after it has been disabled. Ms. Morizuki will suppress the bow turret. On my mark."

I peeked above the masonry and watched the tank move erratically back and forth. While the crew wasn't trained well, they were still in a tank. Hopefully, we were about to use that inexperience against them. As the tank swung the front of its hull towards me, I shouted. "Mark!"

Hasumi's rifle roared and one of the tracks shattered. The tank, mid turn, yanked the track out of the sprockets and tore a gouge in the grass. Yuuka dashed out of cover as it stopped, rattling the tank with SMG fire. The turret immediately began to turn to follow the hardy treasurer. As it did, Suzumi leaned out of cover and opened fire, peppering the bow machine gun turret's sights.

When the turret nearly completed its rotation to the rear, I leapt over the stone wall and dashed towards the crippled tank. The machine gun attempted to respond, only for Suzumi's accurate rifle fire to blind them. I reached the bow in a matter of seconds and easily mantled onto the upper front plate, the tank sagging immediately at my added weight.

With the turret traversed all the way to the back, it left the hatch on the back half of the turret directly in front of me. It was a single large plate that dominated the roof and, more importantly, there was a gap where the hatch met the turret. I jammed my saber into the gap and then, running it along the edge of the turret, tore it out the side and into one of the pneumatic arms holding it down. My intent carried through, and the steel saber tore through the arm. I grabbed the loose panel and pulled, the metal shrieking in tune with the crew as I bent the commander hatch open.

I looked down into the fighting compartment of the tank, locking eyes with the shocked and horrified thugs inside. "I informed you earlier," I said, voice cold as Suzumi's flash bomb sans pin fell into my hand, "that you had made a mistake."

I dropped the weapon into the gap and leapt off the tank. Panicked scrambling could be heard as they tried to find it or get out, but to no avail. Seconds later a bright light flashed from within and the tank stopped all movement. As it fell silent, so too did the sounds of fighting. I turned to face the Students following me and gave them a confident smile.

"See, exactly as planned."

Wakamo wandered about the basement of the empty building, confusion settling in as she looked about. The GSC had defended this building so heavily that she expected it to be important. Maybe an arms depot, some sort of VIP bunker, or a storage for the tax money. Something she could blow up to really stick it to them.

Instead, what she got was a rather pedestrian looking research lab. There weren't even any important looking experiments! It looked like something she'd find in a library or Millennium. She paused at the annex, looking about one last time.

"I don't see what the big deal is about this place." She mused aloud, "What am I even supposed to destroy?"

Instincts and training took over as she heard the sound of a blade parting air. She ducked, flipping her rifle around behind her to catch the incoming sword between her bayonet and rifle. Twisting the grip, she parried the blade up into the air before turning around to bring her rifle down in an overhead strike. Instead of dodging or attempting to recover the sword, her attacker had let the blade go and grabbed her rifle with their now free left hand in an attempt to pull her closer.

She couldn't allow that. She jumped up and planted both feet against the stomach of her attacker, then pushed off of them. The attacker let go of her rifle and stumbled back as she spun through the air. She landed, both hands on her rifle to use it as a naginata while her opponent locked their main foot into the ground, swinging forward a large boxy pistol to face her.

She locked eyes with her attacker, instantly recognizing them to be the Adult that was with the GSC earlier. The Adult smiled coldly in response to her gaze, their blue-grey eyes almost appearing electric blue as they caught the glowing light of the monitors.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Kosaka. I believe I have words for you regarding your conduct."

The voice was cold and professional, but firm and filled with resolve. The cold glare and terse expression directed at her was that of a proper warrior. Wakamo felt her cheeks flush as she tried to respond. The only thing that came out of her mouth, however, was a dull "Uh…"

"Is that really all you have to say for yourself?" The adult asked incredulously, tone taking on a sharp barb. If looks could kill, then the cock-eyed glare the Adult was sending her would have struck her down. And it did, but not in the way they likely intended.

"Well…" Wakamo responded weakly as she desperately tried, and failed, to keep her heart steady. But as the embarrassment raged, she only had one option. "I uh… I WAS JUST LEAVING!"

With that embarrassed cry, Wakamo leapt over the Adult and onto the top landing of the stairs. Spinning around, she ran for the door to leave the building, and her shame, behind. Cries of "Get back here!" were ignored as she dashed away.

I put my fist down from where I had been shaking it at the end of the empty hallway. I was only slightly faster than Rin and Chinatsu at my best. There was no way I would be able to catch Wakamo. Even if I did catch up to her, what was I going to do? Most of the students seemed to be untrained in melee but, of course, Wakamo proved to be the exception to that. I had the element of surprise and I still failed to land a hit on her. I would need at least the other girls to give me support and with them upstairs and outside securing the area or resting, they would never get here in time.

I'll just have to make my displeasure known the next time I see her.

With that annoyance out of the way, I returned back to the basement to wait and retrieve my cutlass. Since there was little to do while waiting for Rin, I took the chance to examine the basement. It was a rather cutting-edge facility with white clad walls, glowing monitors, and dozens of shelves dominating the area. But most strange was the floating stone tablet floating in the middle of the room, suspended midair by a mechanical pedestal.

I was still staring at it when I heard Rin enter the room, the calm even tapping distinct in the quiet of the room. She had left to get something from the upper floors when we entered. It was good that she had. I wasn't sure if I could protect her and scare off Wakamo at the same time. Her heels tapped down the stairs to the bottom where I was before she called out, "Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm here now."

I turned around to face her before responding, "You certainly chose well to leave before coming down here."

"Hmm? Did I miss something?"

"Just a certain fox sniffing about. I managed to convince her to shove off though. I would pay it no mind."

"If you insist," Rin's said, her expression clearly paying it some mind, "I must give you what the General Student Council President left for you."

With that, Rin walked over to the device suspending the stone tablet and leaned over, a key in her hand. Once she was nearby, a slot on the pedestal slid open. She inserted the key into the slot and, after a few moments of silence, an entire panel slid aside to reveal a compartment. She deftly retrieved something from inside and, after a brief inspection, turned back around and presented it to me.

"Thankfully, there isn't a scratch on it."

I looked down at the item she was holding. In her gloved hand was a tablet computer with cold white borders, my confused expression reflected clearly in the blank screen.

"Please." She said, voice serious. "Take it."

"A tablet computer is what we came here for?" I asked, the confusion leaking into my voice.

"Yes. This is what she left for you: The Shittim Chest."

Something stirred within me at that name. It was… familiar. An odd sense of déjà vu, as my crew's memories would put it. Rin continued, oblivious to my thoughts. "It may seem like a normal tablet, but its origins are a mystery. Its manufacturer, OS, system structure, and components are completely unknown. The President left the Shittim Chest for you. She said that you'll be able to take control of the tower with it."

I raised an eyebrow at that piece of information. "If this device is so powerful, could you not have tried to access it prior to my summoning?"

"We tried", Rin answered with a forlorn expression, "But none of the other members knew how to activate it. Perhaps you may be able to figure it out, Sensei, but if not…"

The way she trailed off answered enough. With a sigh, I reached and received the clean, smart tablet. Rin looked at me for a second before stepping back. "My job here is done. I shall let you take the lead. I'll be outside so as not to interfere, but please let me know if you need me."

With that, she stepped back up the stairs and closed the door behind her. I was left alone with this strange device with no other further instructions. With no other things to try, I turned on the Shittim Chest. A blue and pink screen marked with a stylized S lit up the screen. The device booted up, several lines of text flashing past faster than I could read, before it settled on one line.

/Please enter the system password/

Really, was that it? They were stymied by a simple password? It didn't seem that hard. After all, I already knew the password. With casual ease, I entered it into the waiting text box.

We thirst for the seven wailings.

We bear the koan of Jericho.

Almost as soon as I finished typing it, I froze. The memories of my crew froze. That remembered phrase wasn't from either of us. I knew how it felt to receive the memories of my crew by now, and there was always some awareness that it wasn't my memories. I could trace its origins. But this phrase… How did I know it already?

/Password accepted. User identified as ****. Confirmed/

My head began to pulse as I read the line of text, the words giving me a headache. The message flipped, continuing regardless of my discomfort.

/Profile loaded/

/Welcome to the Shittim Chest, Nelson Sensei/

/Converting to operating system ARONA for biological authentication and generation of verification certificate/

Wait, biological authentication? How was this device supposed to-I paused as I noticed the screen begin to glow brighter and brighter. Soon it was emitting a blinding white light. I closed my eyes as the light became overwhelming and-

I blinked as things got back into focus. I found myself standing in a flooded abandoned classroom. I found myself standing on top of calm still water, a sensation that simply felt right. I could see a gaping hole in the wall and, beyond that, was an unending ocean. I felt a pang of longing at the sight, but the sound of someone snoring pulled my attention back to the room.

I was not the only occupant in the classroom. There was a little girl sleeping at the desk to my left. She was tiny, dressed in a white collared blue sailor top with a white skirt. A white hair band with a long rabbit ear like bow held back her shoulder length ice-blue hair. The bangs on her left covered her eye while a small braid hung off the left side of her head. With her hair splayed out messily on the desk, I could spot some pink on the inside of her hair. A simple blue holographic ring floated above her head. She snored gently, muttering to herself in her sleep.

"Castella cake… Banana milk… goes better than strawberry milk…"

Really, she was dreaming of food? How exactly did a computer dream, for that matter? My thoughts were interrupted as the girl giggled and muttered to herself, "There's so much left…"

Whoever or whatever she was, she was definitely at peace in here. That much I couldn't deny. But unfortunately, I had a job to do. I crouched down and gently poked her in the cheek.

"Not now… I still have more to eat…"

I poked her again, this time a bit less gentle.

"Mmm… but…"

I poked her again, although it could really more accurately be called a jab. The girl giggled in response before she let out a cute yawn and stood up. Her gait was unsteady as she stood up and she grabbed a nearby umbrella? Gun? to help balance herself. She yawned again, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she looked about.

"What's going… on?"

She was tiny in comparison to me. She was still only at my chest even when I was crouched down. When she had woken up, she must have been looking at a wall of greys. However, she followed my profile up and locked eyes with me.

"Huh…?" The girl's eyes shot open wide as she locked eyes with me, her halo spiking.

"Good morning," I greeted her with a smile, "Did I interrupt something?"

"Uh… Huh? Wha…?!" The girl was positively glowing with embarrassment as she tried to gather her bearings. "Sensei?! If you're here, does that mean you're Nelson Sensei?!"

"I am. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"What? So I'm right? What time is it?!" My response seemed to only set the girl into a further panic. She flailed about, panicked, before dashing over to a corner of the classroom. I was sure she thought she was being subtle, but I could hear her mutter "Wait. Calm down…" to herself from here.

After a few moments she walked back over, having apparently calmed down. "Um, so… Oh, that's right! I forgot to introduce myself!"

"My name is Arona," She said, bowing as she gave me a large cheer-filled smile, "I'm the system manager that lives inside the Shittim Chest. I serve as its main OS. Think of me as your trusted secretary, Sensei!" Her smile somehow managed to ramp up a few more degrees of cheer as the halo on her head twisted itself into a pinkish-red heart. "I'm so glad to finally meet you! I've been waiting a long time!"

I laughed softly at her enthusiasm. After the day I've had, it was nice to finally speak with someone who wasn't trying to kill me or during the duress of combat. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Arona. You already know, but my name is Nelson."

"Yeah! I'm happy to hear that!" The smile never left her face as she nodded enthusiastically in agreement before she continued speaking. "My physical form is still small," That was certainly an understatement, "and my voice could use a serious upgrade… but I know I can still prove to be useful to you!"

Her eyes were literally shining with excitement and the innocent joy she carried was almost blinding to look at. I don't know what the President was thinking when she decided the Shittim Chest needed the most endearing possible mascot, but it was certainly working.

"Oh yeah! Let's complete your biological authentication." She said, before pausing and looking back at me. "Hmm… huh…"

"Is there a problem?"

"Well…" Arona answered, stammering, "The procedure is for the normal interface with the Shittim Chest systems."

I raised an eyebrow at the use of 'normal'. "Is this not normal?"

"The interface wasn't designed for someone to actually be in the Shittim Chest with me." Arona answered as she shook her head empathetically. "I'm not sure how you're actually in here at all!"

That… made an awful lot of sense, actually. It would be rather inconvenient if whoever held the Chest had to dive into this bizarre landscape whenever they wanted to use it. But at the same time… "Maybe it relates to my nature? I am part battleship, part Human, and potentially part spirit as well."

"Maybe that's why…" Arona took that admission with the most grace I had seen anyone express thus far. The admission didn't even phase the little OS. However, it didn't quite help answer her conundrum either. "Hmm… what do I do…"

After a few more moments of puzzling, Arona visibly clapped her hands together with a loud "Ah!" before walking closer. She looked up at me, squinted, and then waved for me to lean in. "Um... this is a little embarrassing, but it's all part of the protocol. Could you lean over a little?"

I leaned in, dropping to one knee to keep myself stable, and found myself eye to eye with the childlike OS. She smiled back at me and raised her hand with her pointer finger outstretched.

"Okay. Now, place your fingertip against mine."

I tapped her finger with mine. There was a small shock, as if I had just touched a poorly grounded wire. Arona didn't seem to notice or care as she giggled from the light contact. "It's kind of like we're making a promise or something, isn't it?"

"Well, in a way, we are, are we not?"

"I guess we are! But I'm just verifying your fingerprint."

"Oh?" I replied, confusion clear in my tone, "would the Shittim Chest not have equipment for that?"

"It does, but I'm the one who has to scan every fingerprint!" I blinked at that answer. Even for me that seemed like an oddly manual way to do it. "But don't worry! I have eyes like a hawk, you know!"

"If you say so," I answered even as Arona continued to stare at me. The digital girl hummed, deep in thought. As the seconds ticked on and the look on her face became more and more consternated, I finally had to ask, "Is there a problem?"

"Nope! All done!" She replied with a happy smile, her halo twisting to form a small heart again.

"Are you sure? You seemed to have a bit of difficulty towards the end there."

"It's fine! I did everything the way I'm supposed to."

That was a rather quick, oddly specific denial. But who was I to argue with a childlike sentient computer. "If you say so."

"I do say so!" Arona replied, puffing up her checks in childlike annoyance. She managed to maintain it for a brief second before her curiosity overtook her. "So, Sensei, what is happening outside right now?"

"This is going to be a long story," I answered as I stood back up. I could see her try to keep her eyes on my face, angling her head at first before being forced to step back when her head couldn't crane itself back any further. I grabbed a desk and moved it across the class, planting it in front of the one I discovered Arona sleeping at, and sat down. "You may wish to take a seat."

Arona sat back in her seat, eyes (and halo) sparkling with curiosity. I was happy to oblige. "To begin, I woke up approximately six hours ago. Which was a rather confusing experience considering that I was previously an over 40,000 tonne battleship-"

"Got it. A lot's been going on, hasn't it?"

I nodded sagely at Arona's summary. "It was a rather hectic day."

"For the President to go missing and to lose control of the Kivotos tower now…"

A thought occurred to me. The Shittim Chest was one of the tools assigned to me by the President herself. Surely, she would have had a hand in crafting this device and the little computer girl that lived within it. "Do you know anything about the General Student Council President?"

Arona paused, seemed to think for a second, before shaking her head with a frown. "I have lots of data on Kivotos, but I know very little about the President. I don't know who she is or why she disappeared, unfortunately."

Stranger and stranger. If my theory was correct then Arona's answer meant the President must have edited the data of the Chest and deleted her information from it. More and more mysteries about this one missing girl.

Arona seemed to sense my disappointment and her expression dropped as she spoke in a sad tone, "I wish I could be more helpful…" But then her expression brightened, her gaze determined and halo bright green. "But I think I can help with the Sanctum Tower problem, at least."

"Oh? That would be quite helpful indeed. Please do so."

"Sure! Just let me restore the access permissions to Sanctum Tower. Just give me a minute!"

The small girl dropped deep into thought for a few minutes before her eyes snapped open again. "Sanctum Tower admin permissions acquired. We've successfully regained Sanctum Tower, Sensei! The tower is now under my control."

Now that I was actually at the finish line, I realized that nobody had told me what was so important about this Sanctum Tower in the first place. "What does having control of the tower provide you?"

"It means all of Kivotos is in the palm of your hand, Sensei!"

Words failed me at the answer, delivered with the casual cheer only a child could muster.

"I beg your pardon?"

"That's right, Sensei! We control everything now. All the way from the city reactors to vending machine restocking robots." Arona helpfully expanded, misunderstanding and taking my cry of shock as a question for further details.

My vision swam a little but I managed to keep myself steady. "That is… quite something. Could you please transfer that power to the General Student Council?"

"Of course. I can transfer it with your approval, Sensei." Arona happily answered, before pausing and cocking an eyebrow in curiosity. "Are you sure that's what you want to do? You would be giving total control to the General Student Council."

"Positive. I am a sailor first, officer second, and politician last." I said with a nod, before pausing and thinking. I didn't quite know much about the GSC beyond Rin. For all I know, they could be tyrannical dictators with an autocratic bent. That could be bad if I gave them unlimited power. "But perhaps you can leave a backdoor for me? In case I ever deem it necessary to usurp control."

"All right then! Control of the Sanctum Tower will now be transferred to the General Student Council!"

Good, that was one thing left to worry about. The two of us sat in the relaxed silence for a few seconds, before I finally asked, "Well, how exactly do I leave this place?"

Arona scrunched her face up in consideration as she pondered the problem. "I'm not sure… People aren't supposed to be here normally. Maybe if you think really hard about leaving?"

Think really hard about leaving? Well, it was a good thing I had some experience with that recently. I reached out to that thread of power within me and with a twist of my will-

Nelson-sensei vanished before Arona's eyes. The gigantic Adult was there one second, casually sitting on the desk, and then she simply disappeared with a quiet *pop* of displaced air. She definitely seemed like a kind person! Not that Arona knew very many people, but it was the principle of the matter.

Still, she had to make sure her classroom was perfect! The little computerized girl hopped out of her seat and started to push the desk back to where it was originally. She managed to budge it a few centimeters before she slipped on something, crying out with a loud "Hawaa!" as she fell.

That was strange, she didn't remember ever slipping in here before. After all, it was her domain. She looked back at the offending spot on the floor. There, right above where Nelson-Sensei's strange shoes were dangling, was a small oil stain. In the light of the room, it flickered between a dark rainbowed black and red-tinged black. Sensei did say she was part ship, so maybe it just came from her shoes?

With a shrug, Arona enforced her will and the spot vanished as if it was never there. There were more important things to tend to, like getting this desk back in place and finding more sweets!

"Good. Understood." Rin's voice was the first thing I heard as I came to, blinking to reorient myself. The room I was in was now brightly lit, rather than cast in blue emergency reserve lighting. Seconds later, the elven girl walked back in, hanging up as she saw me. "Control of Sanctum Tower was just confirmed. This will allow us to manage the city as well as we could before the President disappeared."

"Well done, Sensei." She said before bowing in gratitude, the faintest smile on her lips, "I want to thank you on behalf of the entire General Student Council for saving Kivotos from utter chaos."

"An accolade already?" I joked, laughing gently, "But it was my pleasure to have been of assistance. Is there anything else I could do?"

Rin shook her head. "You needn't worry about the suspended students and thugs that attacked us before. They will be tracked down and punished before long."

I nodded, but something didn't sit right with me about that. While the last few hours had been tumultuous, they were hardly straining for me. Furthermore, there was an aching in my frames and a growing heat in my heart. I only managed to directly help near the end, and my pride demanded I do more.

"Perhaps I should not worry," I said slowly, drawing out my thoughts, "But I believe a leader should never be willing to ask what they themselves are unwilling to do. And right this moment? I find myself quite willing to show those thugs a lesson in good manners."

"It really isn't necessary," Rin said with a frown.

"We can consider it Schale's first official operation!"

Rin was silent, staring at me as I stared back with my best smile. After a second, she sighed and stepped out of the stairway. "If you insist."

"That I do."

I walked out of the Schale club building lobby. The city was abuzz with noise and activity now that the Council had control. Helicopters flew about and I could see Valkyrie marked APCs pull up to the Schale building. Sitting at the bottom of the stairs were the Students that joined me on this merry adventure. Yuuka and Hasumi were busy on their phones, Suzumi was sorting out piles of pilfered contraband, while Chinatsu had found the time to put her right arm in a sling.

"Correct. I've confirmed the General Student Council has regained control of Sanctum Tower." Yuuka said, whispering to what I presumed were her superiors or compatriots at Millennium.

Hasumi's call seemed less political, but more professional befitting her role as a Justice Task Force commander. "Wakamo fled to the student district, but I'm sure she'll be found and arrested soon. I'll leave the rest to the person in charge."

At least that explained where that annoying fox went. I hoped I wouldn't hear from her again, but experience and Murphy's Law meant that I could expect to see her soon.

The sound of my metal heels hitting the stairs drew everyone's attention. Yuuka and Hasumi quickly finished up their calls with quaint pleasantries, Chinatsu stood herself up on still unsteady feet, and Suzumi simply looked up at me from her raid bounty with a smile. My feet hit the last step, bringing me back down to the lawn, surrounded by the girls who had fought with me over the last few hours.

"Students!" I said, letting my voice boom with pride, "You have all outdone yourselves today! Certainly, you did not set out today to save the city but you have all risen to the occasion! Despite the setbacks and foes, you have met each encounter with courage." I paused for effect before letting myself fall forward into a bow. "For that, you have the thanks of this Nelson and those of Schale."

They were all stunned into silence before Yuuka shotforward. "No, Sensei! It was thanks to you too! You just… uh, got to Kivotos? And you already had to help the entire city! Everyone will be talking about you now. I bet it's all over social media already."

Social media? I filed that into something to look into later.

"There's no need to bow your head." Hasumi agreed. "Despite the circumstances, you still chose to help us."

"Still," I said as I righted myself, "I could not have hoped to have accomplished it without all your help. But I have something else to ask of you." Curious mumblings met my request. "You have already done much and this is merely a personal request, rather than one of Schale. I intend to secure the area around this building personally. While I could likely do so myself, I would appreciate the companionship."

Chinatsu shuffled from one foot to the other awkwardly. Right, injured. "You do not need to worry Ms. Hinomiya. I would not ask someone injured to return to the field so soon."

Rather than relieved, Chinatsu seemed disappointed by my statement. Still, she nodded in agreement. "… You're right. I'll have to report what happened here to the head prefect. Please take care of yourself, Sensei. You're welcome to stop by and visit if your work ever takes you to Gehenna Academy."

Like that, the awkwardness of being the first one to have to leave was swept away. Yuuka spoke next. "I'd love to help but the rest of Seminar wants me to deliver the reports of what happened to them immediately. I'm sure we'll see each other again whenever you come to the Millennium Science School."

"I'm afraid we'll have to say goodbye for now," Hasumi said, bowing her head formally, "The Justice Task Force is mobilizing to secure our territory and they need everyone. I hope you can visit us at Trinity General School soon."

I turned to the last member of our group. Suzumi looked back at me, looked at Hasumi, and then looked back at me. I could see the gears spinning in her head before she stepped forward. "Well, I was just going to be doing Vigilante Club patrols anyways, so I'll join you, Sensei. Any thugs we catch here will be thugs that won't make it to Trinity."

I nodded my head in thanks before turning to the group of the Students. "Before everyone leaves, allow me to personally thank you all. It is not yet within my capacity to give an official award, so please consider these a personal gift." Four gold plated buttons appeared in my hand, each emblazoned with the anchor and crown of the Royal Navy.

The four girls each gingerly picked one out of my hand and inspected them, before putting them away as I continued. "I have also taken the liberty to ask Rin to register you all as the first members of Schale. While there are no required duties, it shall allow you free access to the building in the future. But for now? You are all dismissed."

With that, the student council and administrative representatives left. Suzumi and I watched them all walk away and, as soon as they were out of sight, the one-winged girl looked up at me. "What's the plan, Sensei?"

"Hmm" I mused aloud. A thought and an SMG dropped into my waiting hands along with a pouch of loaded magazines. With a swift motion, I unfolded the stock and threw the pouch over my shoulder. "Well, it is a bit off the cuff, but I think we shall head for the closest source of violence, identify the ruffians, and make our opinion on them known."

Suzumi looked at me and I looked back, expression serious. After a moment, she laughed and racked back the bolt on her automatic rifle. "Only you, Sensei. Let's find some troublemakers to stop."

AN: With that, we bring the prologue to a close. Following this, there will be a series of interludes covering a few things and relationship events. A bit of a downtime section, if you will. It'll also give me some time to hopefully build up my buffer of chapters for Abydos.

Once again, thanks to my friend for beta reading and helping me work out some weirdness for the chapters.

Numbers7o5 · Jul 9, 2024

Rin Interlude

It was night when Suzumi and I bid our farewells. Truth be told it wasn't quite the gangbusting operation I was hoping for. Most of the rioters in the neighborhood had rallied under Wakamo's flag and had already been crushed in our assault. We managed to find a few holdouts and errant reserve members but, as a whole, the Schale neighborhood was secure.

I let the SMG and magazine pouch twist back into my stores as I walked up the stairs. It had been a long day and I still needed to figure out a few things, but they would have to wait for now.

"Nelson-Sensei." A familiar voice called out to me as I entered the lobby. Sitting on a sofa next to the entrance was Rin, who had stood up as soon as I entered.

"Good evening, Ms. Nanagam." I replied with a curt bow, "I was under the impression you had returned to the General Student Council."

"I did, but I returned after confirming the transfer was complete and... leaving a few orders for my subordinates."

Given her icy tone when she mentioned her subordinates, I imagined there were also a few choice words given as well. "Well, I hope you were not left waiting for long. Was there another order left to you by the President?"

"No," She said, shaking her head, "I only needed to see that you receive and activate the Shittim Chest. But there is one more thing I wanted to do for good measure."

With that, Rin walked up to me and handed me a plastic card on a lanyard. It was nearly identical to the one Yuuka had. However, where she had the Millennium school logo, mine had the Schale logo. A cross encircled by a circular crosshair, piercing through a plain halo. Printed along the bottom of the card was a simple 'Advisor'.

"That is your Schale Advisor Keycard. It gives you full access to the Schale Club Room," Rin explained as I threw the lanyard over my neck.

"Could you follow me?" She asked, motioning towards a side corridor, "I'd like to properly introduce you to the Federal Investigation Club: Schale."

"Of course. Please, lead the way."

Rin nodded and began to walk towards the corridor while I followed in lockstep and to her left. After a few moments we stopped in the rear of the wing. A pair of glass doors next to a plain glass plate emblazoned with the Schale logo. Underneath it was a small white plastic panel. The technology may be past my time, but it was simple enough to hazard a guess what to do.

I tapped the panel with my provided keycard and, after a moment, a small blue light in the corner lit up. Moments later, I could hear the sound of locks disengaging. Rin opened the door and walked in. I followed a moment later noting how my head managed to clear the archway without needing to duck. Seems the President really did design this building with me in mind, which only raised more questions.

"This is Schale's main office," Rin said as she turned around to face me. "It's been empty for a long time, but now it finally has an owner. This is where you'll be working starting now."

"Well, I would imagine I would officially be starting tomorrow given the time." I joked as I examined my new headquarters.

The room was plain but rather well laid out. On the ground floor was an office with a pair of computer desks. At the back of the room was a whiteboard, sitting next to a gun rack. Various cabinets and shelves lined the walls. Most curiously, there was a set of stairs that led up to an overhead walkway which led over the office towards another lobby.

Rin followed my gaze and, before I could ask, spoke, "That walkway is connected to your personal elevator that leads to your living quarters above the office. It's only accessible with your Keycard, as well as any Students you authorize."

Well, at least that answered the question of where I would be living.

"Schale may have authority but it has no particular goals at the moment. But even though you don't have a specific job to do, you can freely enter any of the Academy Districts in Kivotos."

The two of us stood in comfortable silence, gazing out the window that dominated the back of the room. After a moment, I finally asked the question on my mind. "Ms. Nanagami, I must ask. What exactly is a Federal Investigation Club meant to do?"

Rin laughed, the soft noise echoing in the empty room. "Fascinating, isn't it? It may be called an investigation club, but the president never specified you would be investigating, what tasks are to be assigned, or even what the purpose of the club is. In that sense… you have quite a lot of freedom, don't you?"

I remained silent as Rin walked up to the window, laying her hand gently on it. I could see her melancholic expression reflected in the glass as she gazed past the portal to the Sanctum tower in the distance. "As much as I wish you could ask the President for further details, the fact of the matter is she remains missing."

"I am certain she may still be out there." I said, voice soft and without bravado as I placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We must only hope for the best." I ignored the shudder that crossed her frame when I said that. The two of us stood like that for a few silent moments, staring out the window towards the chaotic city center.

Then the moment passed and she stepped away. I let my hands fall back behind my back, turning to face her directly again. She wiped something away from her eye before giving me a small bow. "Please rest for now, Sensei. We will be relying on Schale to help with the things the General Student Council cannot assign resources to."

"Of course, Ms. Nanagami. But could you provide me a period to acclimatize myself before I begin my duties? After all, I only arrived in Kivotos today, and I have been Human for the same length of time."

"Of course, I will forward you any priority requests for you to review at your leisure." Rin answered before walking towards the exit of the room.

"Oh, and Rin?" I called out before she could leave entirely. Rin paused mid step as I said her name. She turned to face me; a single eyebrow cocked in curiosity.

"Yes?"

"Have yourself a good night. You did good today."

She stared at me and I beamed a smile back at her. After a moment she shook her head, either in exasperation or amusement, and gave me a brief bow. "Have a good night too."

With that said, she walked out the door and I was once again, alone.

Arona Interlude

I woke up as the sun peeked into my room through the blinds. A glance at the clock informed me that it was about 5 in the morning, which means I managed about three hours of sleep. My crew's memories informed me that that was not a healthy amount. I ignored it as I felt fine, and not in a deflective manner. I honestly felt as if I had a full night's rest. I chalked it to another perk of not being Human.

With nothing else on the schedule, I decided to go about getting myself ready for the day to follow. Which was to say, shopping. Given my sudden arrival, I was decidedly lacking in basic toiletries and supplies. I was also lacking in clothing beyond the uniform I arrived in, the copies of it I had in my stores, and literally hundreds of sailor battledresses and dress uniforms. Almost all of which were sized and tailored for men. I'd have to sort those out later to see what I could use.

However those would be problems for later. I was still covered in some of the grime, dust, and gunpowder picked up from yesterday. I was too tired to clean myself off before going to bed, but now I had the opportunity to enjoy the full bath that came with my suite. I was busy enjoying the perfectly warm scented waters, halfway through my bath, when I heard the crackle of a radio set activating.

"Ummm Hello?" I could hear Arona's voice in the back of my head, but it was muffled as if from a speaker in the next room.

"… Hello?" I answered, speaking aloud to nobody.

"Oh! Good morning, Sensei!" Arona's voice brightened at my response. "How did you sleep?"

"Well enough."

"That's good to hear." That was definitely the small computer girl and she was definitely speaking from a radio set, that happened to be in my mind.

"Arona… how exactly are you doing this?" I asked, voice sounding as confused as I felt.

"Oh! When you visited me yesterday, I noticed you have an open radio channel. I just had to find something that could connect to it."

I blinked at that answer. That was somehow even less helpful than I thought it would be. "Where did you even find a radio set in there?"

"It was just in the supply closet!"

There was definitely no supply closet when I was there. Wait, no, there was an even bigger question here.

"Could we return to what you said earlier? I have an open radio channel? Is it something that I need to be concerned with?"

I heard Arona "hmmm" in thought for a second as the computer girl mulled over the connection. "I don't think it should be a problem! It only opened after I completed the biological registration. It might just be an interaction between you and the Shittim Chest!"

Well, that was… reassuring. Still, how did I have a functioning radio set and how did Arona connect to it? I focused on her voice and chased the instinct that formed. I could see a phantasmal hand in my mind's eye reach for a handset and, with a twist of my will, the ghostly hand picked it up.

'Hello, can you hear this?' I thought, directing it towards that mental handset.

"Yes, Sensei!" Arona cheerfully answered. "I can hear you perfectly." Her voice still sounded distant but at least I didn't have to look like a crazy person speaking to myself whenever I had to answer her.

'Arona… is there anything else that you are getting from this connection?' I asked, dread filling my heart as I floated in my bath.

"No, Sensei." Oh, that was a relief. I didn't need to know I had a peeping tom linked into my mind. "I can hear you splashing in the bath though!"

My face immediately met my hands. I didn't even want to think of how this worked anymore. 'Arona. I am hanging up now. I will speak with you later.'

"OK! Have a nice bath, Sensei!"

With that, the line clicked close. I exhaled a breath I didn't know I was holding. Somehow, I still managed to be the most surprising thing I encountered regularly in the city; despite said city being populated with superhuman schoolgirls with supernatural abilities.

Well, if I wasn't done before, I was certainly done bathing now. As I got out of the bath, my eye was drawn to the mirror in the bath. More specifically, to where the bruise on my side and stomach were. Or rather, where they should be and definitely were thirty minutes ago before I entered the bath. Now, as I stood out of the bath, all that was there was unblemished skin.

I stared at where my injuries should be then looked back at the bath. Then I looked back at my unmarred skin. Then back at the bath. Then back at the now perfect skin. The water of the bath sparkled lightly in the light.

"You know," I said with a sigh to nobody in particular, "I would really appreciate it if I could go just a few hours without something inexplicable happening."

Sora Interlude

Sora was having a rollercoaster week. She needed a job and, despite her best efforts, the only place that's hiring was the convenience store chain, Angel 24. She had only just been told that she was hired when the small criminal uprising happened, which meant that she couldn't go to her onboarding and training. She didn't think much of it at the time, given the bigger problems at hand. After all they would surely reschedule it so she would know how to properly do her job.

So, imagine her surprise when she got an email just last night that her first shift was scheduled for today. Fortunately, the store she was being assigned to was a brand-new branch in a quiet part of D.U so she wouldn't have to worry about being swamped on the first day. Unfortunately, the only person to greet her when she arrived was the District Manager; who showed her how to clock in and out, shoved a pile of training Blu-Rays into her hands, gave her a key, and promptly left. Her questions about the other staff were ignored, leaving her alone in an empty stocked store with no idea what to do.

So here she was, two hours into her shift and desperately watching training Blu-Rays on a portable Blu-Ray player. She only had to cover how to… basically do everything in the store. Running the register, heating up the food, cleaning, faulty explosives disposal, and how to close the payment machines at the end of the day. Her one saving grace was that it really was a dead store. Despite the brand-new building around it, she hadn't seen a single person walking outside. All the better. It gave her plenty of time to learn how to actually do her job.

The ringing of the door chime and the rushing air of the door opening put a stop to that. A customer! It's a good thing she just finished watching the disk on 'Greeting and Assisting Clients'.

"We-welcome!" Sora said, as she leapt up from behind the cover, bowing as she did.

The sound of heavy metallic footsteps echoed through the empty store. Sora froze at the noise and, stuck staring at the ground, watched as the customer's shadow grew closer, closer, closer, and then envelop her entirely. The shadow was still, and she could feel a gaze burning into the back of her head.

"Pardon me," The customer said, curiosity clear in th-her voice. "Are you open for business?"

"Ah! Ye-yes! We just opened today!" Sora exclaimed with frayed nerves as she shot up, back ramrod straight to look at the customer. What greeted her was a wall of grey on the other side of the counter. She looked down and that was definitely a skirt and legs beneath the wall. So, she looked up. And up. And up. Finally, she locked eyes with the General Student Council's rumoured Adult looking back down at her with clear amusement in her expression.

"My apologies," The Adult said, "I have gone past this store quite a few times since my posting here. My curiosity got the better of me when I saw the lights on, so I had to investigate." The Adult explained. As she did though, her smile faded as her gaze shifted from Sora to something behind her.

Sora followed the gaze to the pile of Training Blu-Rays she had scattered on the floor, the open portable Blu-Ray player, and the still looping training video. The two of them stood quietly and stared at the offending evidence before, with an embarrassed cry, she dived on the player, slammed it shut, and slid it all through the backroom door.

She stood there, face flushed, as she tried to calm herself. After a few seconds she turned back around and bowed again, trying to keep the Adult from seeing her embarrassment. "Sorry! I didn't think anyone was actually in this building and they only just gave me this job but they-"

"Stop. Breath in. Hold. And Out." The Adult interrupted, their statements more order than suggestions. Despite having only just met, she was the first-person Sora had met all day and the only one giving her instructions. So, she listened. She stopped talking, took a deep breath, held it, and exhaled.

"Better?"

Sora nodded. She did feel a little better now, even if she could feel the blush from messing up her first interaction with a customer. "Sor-sorry. You're the first customer and I'm still not done training."

"I could tell." the Adult said, nodding knowingly. "I have seen my fair share of greenbeak sailors on their first shift and you struck me as one." The Adult looked about, searching for something or someone. "Is there nobody else here to help you?"

Well, there wasn't much reason to lie when it was pretty obvious that she was the only one in the store. "No, I'm alone."

The Adult frowned and Sora could hear her muttering something about "setting proper standards" under her breath. But after a moment, she was back to confident cheer as she looked back at Sora. "Well, what say we put the training into practice, Ms…?"

"Ah! Sorry," Sora said, bowing again, "My name is Sora!"

"Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Sora." The Adult replied with a light chuckle, "You may call me Nelson. Now, how about showing me what your store has to offer?"

"Yes! Right this way!"

It was a good thing the first training Blu-Ray Sora watched was the one on the store's layout and where to find what goods. Nelson, for her part, was patient. She let Sora pause and think whenever there was something she couldn't remember, and she asked questions to prod her on whenever she got stuck. There was definitely an air of someone experienced with leadership around her.

But it was pretty clear to Sora that the rumors of Sensei not being from Kivotos were all true. There were some signs beyond the lack of a Halo and being an Adult. For one, she seemed confused or concerned when Sora went over the ammunition and firearms section of the store. It was a fixture of Kivotos Convenience Stores everywhere, but Nelson seemed to find it strange. The most obvious thing though…

"You don't know what Momotalk is, Sensei?"

"I am not familiar with it, no."

"What about Instaberry?"

"I have never heard of that either."

"Have you ever heard of any social media?"

Nelson shook her head, a thoughtful frown on her face. "I know what a smartphone is… but I never took the time to familiarize myself with them beyond knowing what they are. I never had the opportunity to use one either."

Sora gaped at the Adult's admission. How could anybody not have a smartphone in this day and age? It was a fundamental part of modern society and culture! As she considered the strangeness of what Nelson just told her, she realized there was something she could do about it.

"Well…" Sora drew out, trying to think of how to change the subject, "You'll definitely need to get one if you want to quickly talk to your students! Fortunately, Angel 24 also sells some basic smartphones!"

"Oh, is that so?" Nelson said with a small smile on the edge of her lips, "Would you mind showing and explaining them to an old hen as myself then?"

"Old hen?" Sora asked, examining the Teacher, "You don't look that old to me?"

Nelson laughed at her response, before affectionately patting Sora on the head. "Well, I am only 24 years of age; but it's a matter of the age of the soul. I would appreciate it if you showed me."

"Of course!"

From there it was a simple matter of showing Sensei the various basic phones they had available, helping her pick out a rather plain (if sturdy looking) model, and activating the device. The Teacher also had some questions about the apps that came with the phone that Sora was more than happy to help with, even if she had to draw more on her own experience with her own phone than the training the company provided. When all was said and done, Sensei seemed to understand quite a bit more. And it was with Sora's help too!

As the teacher waved goodbye to her, Sora felt a warmth in her chest. She did it! First customer interaction and while she did make a few mistakes, she still managed to complete a sale. Hopefully, that meant her boss wouldn't fire her for her other mistakes. Still, for all the rumors that were floating online about the enigmatic Adult, Nelson Sensei seemed pretty normal. An Adult, sure, but she wasn't quite as scary as she was on the video, or as formal as what the forums said.

The door chime rang and the doors parted again. This time, Sora was ready. She turned, ready to bow and greet the customer, only to pause when she saw Nelson Sensei stepping back in.

"Oh, by the way Sora," Nelson said, looking about, "I noticed your store carried fruit."

"Yes, fruits and vegetables are a vital part to a balanced diet!" Even if Sora didn't quite like some vegetables.

"Capital. Would you happen to know where I would go about buying limes in bulk?"

Sora stared at the teacher's inscrutable smile for a second. Nelson stared back. Finally, Sora broke the silence with a simple. "What?"

Yuuka Interlude

Hello, Sensei. It's Yuuka

Do you remember me?

Of course, Ms. Hayase. It has only been a few days.

How can I help you?

Well, that's a relief.

I'm glad I got your contact information earlier.

I had something important to discuss with you.

Schale still hasn't been reimbursed for the mission to reclaim the club room.

When will the invoice be sent out?

Truth be told, Ms. Hayase, I was taking a look at the forms earlier.

I tried to fill out several of them, but they resemble nothing like what I am used to.

That's not good.

We use a standardized form at Millennium.

I'll bring one the next time I visit Schale.

Thank you, a reference will be most appreciated.

It's no big deal.

Good day.

Yuuka double checked her bag. Phone? Check. Invoice papers? Check. New Schale club member badge? Check. Arriving ahead of when she was supposed to start her first shift on Schale duty? A whole 30 minutes according to her phone. Everything she needed to help Nelson and give a good second impression was ready and present!

"OK, Yuuka, you can do this." She muttered to herself, before unlocking the door of the main office and stepping in. "Good morning, Sensei. I brought the invoi-"

She stopped mid-sentence as she took in the scene in front of her. The new Teacher was standing in the middle of the main office. In her hands was a massive box of limes. Next to and surrounding her were various other assorted items including a carton of beef jerky, several wooden crates of ammo, and the largest stuffed lion she'd ever seen. The thing was even taller than Nelson!

Nelson, however, just greeted her with a smile. "Good morning, Ms. Hayase! I apologize for the clutter; I had not expected you to arrive early." The box of limes in her hands vanished. "Truth be told, there was something I was hoping to try that I needed your assistance with."

"Huh?" Yuuka managed to say.

"I have been experimenting with my stores an-"

"… Your stores?"

"Yes, my stores. Where I have been retrieving and placing my belongings. I have been trying to determine the limits of the transfer and I have a hypothesis I must test but will require your assistance."

Right, Nelson could summon things from what she claimed were her ship's stores. Yuuka wasn't quite sure if she bought the explanation, but the existence of some sort of storage space that Nelson could access was indisputably real.

"So, you just need me to help with your experiment?" Yuuka asked, mulling over it. The new Teacher's exact abilities were quite murky and this did prove to be a good opportunity to get firsthand information on it. It'll also help build her reputation with Nelson! "… Alright. How can I help?"

Nelson smiled at her answer, before sticking out her hands. "Oh, quite simple. Please lend me your calculator first."

Yuuka took out her trusty calculator and placed it in Nelson's right hand. She watched it vanish, before reappearing in the Teacher's left hand.

"Excellent. Now, could you lend me one of your SMGs?"

She retrieved her calculator before unslinging Logic and placing it into Nelson's hand again. Once again, it vanished and then reappeared in her left.

"I believe my hunch may be correct. Now, finally, your hand please."

Yuuka picked up her SMG and placed her hand in Nelson's hand before what she was doing caught up to her. Before she could react, Nelson's hand closed around her own. The grip was firm, but gentle. A part of her noted how the Adult's hand was quite soft despite the claims of being a battleship. It was also cold, as if she had just come out of a cold bath.

However, the greater part of her chose to focus on the fact that Nelson, her Teacher, was holding her hand. The blush that bloomed on her face grew worse when Nelson stared down into their intertwined hands with a consternated expression.

"Wha-what do you think you're doing?!" Yuuka managed to stammer out as she yanked her hand back out of her Teacher's grip.

Nelson, for her part, just looked at her own hand with disappointment before admitting, "I just tried to put you into my stores."

"What?" Yuuka managed to ask, her own beating heart calming as she thought of the implications.

"I tried to rotate you into my stores like I had with your belongings."

Yuuka forced aside her embarrassment to think more on what Nelson had just admitted to trying. Whatever her interdimensional ability consisted of, it didn't work on her: a living being. She couldn't help her curiosity; she was a part of Millenium after all. "What else have you tried it on?"

"Well, I was able to transfer everything over there," Nelson answered, waving at the pile of goods behind her, "with the exception of the lion. I attempted with a few of the potted plants through the building as well and were successful with all of them. Thus far, only you and-" Nelson paused as she stared at her desk. Yuuka followed the gaze, where there were several items splayed out. A tablet computer, a cell phone, several cans of coffee, and a paper bagged bottle. "Well, it seems that I am unable to transfer anything sentient as well as anything physically larger than myself."

That was definitely interesting to know. Still, there was one thing missing from the list. "Have you tried transferring something heavier but smaller than you?"

"Well… about that…" Nelson started, scratching at the back of her head as an embarrassed expression crossed her face. "I have not been able to locate something that fits that criterion."

"Really? It can't be that hard."

"It is."

"Why?"

Nelson was silent for the longest time since Yuuka had met her before she finally answered with a defeated sigh. "Because I weigh just shy of three and half hundred kilograms. According to the scales at least."

Yuuka blinked at that. That meant that Nelson was just about six times her weight. She looked at the teacher. She looked back at herself. The Adult was taller and bigger than her, but she wasn't six times bigger than her. Even if you accounted for the square-cube law, Nelson should be closer to two times heavier.

"That's… understandable." She finally managed to say in response. The two of them stood in uncomfortable silence before Yuuka cleared her throat, eager to move on. "Let's… just get to the paperwork?"

"Of course, please give me a moment to clean up." Nelson readily agreed before moving towards all the spread-out items.

"Here, let me help."

"No, I created this mess, it is my duty to look after it."

"We'll both be finished quicker if you let me help."

"... Very well."

While Nelson moved to clear off the smaller items that she could simply store, Yuuka walked over to the gigantic stuffed lion. It was huge and the club room was a bit short on space. Fortunately, there was an empty space in the corner she could move it to for now. As she finished pushing it to its new corner, she spotted something pinned to its ear. A single price tag.

"Nelson Sensei…" She began slowly, eyes squinting at the offending article of paper, "Where did you get all the things for your experiment?"

"I purchased them, of course." Nelson answered, having finished putting away all the smaller items. The teacher had pulled out several logbooks along with some pens, clearly waiting for her.

Yuuka felt calm. The calm one only felt when they realized they were about to learn something that would shake their world. Despite it, she still had to ask, "With what money?"

Nelson's answer was immediate. "On the Schale accounts, of course. Determining my capabilities are well within the operations of the Club."

"You purchased a 15,000 yen stuffed toy… on the Schale accounts?"

"Well… you may wish to review the accounts for yourself."

Nelson held up a logbook. Yuuka wandered over, half dazed, and took it from the teacher. She noticed how it was dated for the current week. She also noticed the truly prodigious stacks of receipts already attached to it. Bracing herself for the worst, she flipped to the first page. She thought she was prepared. She was not. And the more she flipped through, the more horror there was to see. She clapped the book shut before she could reach the part where the costs for the experiment materials were.

"Sensei?" Yuuka said, voice perfectly even. "I'm now Schale's bookkeeper and the one monitoring the expenses."

"Ms. Hayase, I assure you, I am not prone to frivolous acts of spen-"

"Oh? Why do you have a receipt from a liquor store in here then?" Yuuka asked, smiling at the Adult as she flipped the book to the evidence. Nelson, for her part, chose silence.

Or at least she did, until she sighed and waved for Yuuka to sit next to her. "Very well, consider it official then. Just allow me to help so I can learn the proper way to prepare these invoices."

"Of course." Yuuka answered, pulling a seat next to the Teacher. "You'll never learn how to do this if I don't show you."

"But I do have one question."

There it was again. That feeling that the strange Adult was going to ask her something that would give her a headache. Still, she couldn't help but answer, "Yes?"

"Do I have a uniform budget?"

"Of course." She replied. At least that was a reasonable question. Now that she was thinking of it, she hadn't seen Nelson in anything besides that officer's uniform she arrived in.

"And are there any requirements as to what type of clothing I can use that budget for?"

Wait a minute. "Are... are you trying to do personal shopping using the club budget?"

"Maybe? I was informed that my personal stipend has been delayed." Nelson at least had the decency to look embarrassed. Not that it helped Yuuka's temper one bit.

From outside the club room, several of the minor Schale Staff turned their head towards the direction of the main office as a loud "Sensei!" echoed out from within. They paused just long enough to wonder what insane discussion occurred in the office, before promptly deciding it wasn't worth the headache.

AN: And we dive into the interludes. Usually I plan to cover at least the first bond story of any characters introduced in that volume/chapter of the game. They will usually not be from Nelson's perspective and levels of canon deviance are going to vary.

Thanks again for my friend for beta reading this, and for helping me workshop some character bits.

Numbers7o5 · Jul 17, 2024

Hasumi Interlude

Good Morning, Ms. Hanekawa.

Are you free anytime soon? I would like your help with something.

Hello, Sensei.

Yes. There's something I'd like to ask you personally as well.

Is it okay if I consult you for advice at the same time?

Of course, I would be honoured to help.

Oh.

Great!

Thank you. I was worried you would say no...

I'm kind of impressed.

Nothing to worry about. You are helping me, after all.

Okay, I'll see you soon.

Hasumi nervously tapped the stock of her rifle as she waited for Nelson Sensei to arrive. She had asked for the Teacher to meet her in Trinity both for her own sake, and so she could show her around her home district. While that may have been a good idea on paper, it wasn't working out quite as well as she thought. Truth be told the crowds were making her a bit nervous.

"-kawa."

On second thought, she wondered if it was too late to back out? Maybe if she made an excuse now, it wouldn't feel too unnatural. After all, the Justice Task Force often called at unpredictable hours. She was sure Sensei would understand.

"-ear me?"

Actually, if she did that, Nelson might offer to join in. From what Suzumi had told her, Nelson was aggressive in her actions against criminals every time the Teacher had called for her help. That wouldn't do. What excuse could she come up with that would let her off the hook?

A flash of blonde hair and a waving hand filled her field of view and snapped her back to her surroundings. Standing in front of her, leaning over slightly to lock eyes, was Nelson. The Adult smiled, beaming brightly at her as soon as she caught her attention.

"A penny for your thoughts?"

Hasumi stared back for a second, lost for words, before shooting back a step. "Ah, Sensei! Where did you come from?! Sorry about that, I was distracted."

"Is that so?" Nelson asked, humming in curiosity, "I find it hard to believe you would be so distracted. Did something catch your attention?"

"I've never tried walking the streets on a day off before." Hasumi admitted, looking at all the students milling about around them, "I didn't expect there to be so many people out and about."

"You did strike me as the type to have leftover leave." Nelson replied, her eyes following Hasumi's own gaze. "I must admit, Trinity is quite quaint. Much of it reminds me of home."

Hasumi kept her own expression firm at the casual admission. As far as she knew, that was the first time anyone had heard of Nelson talking about her home. And to think that she found Trinity familiar. She considered her words carefully for a second, before asking "Do you miss it, Nelson Sensei?"

It was because Hasumi was watching Nelson for a reaction that she caught it. Several emotions crossed the Adult's face faster than most others could read. Nostalgia, sorrow, anger, and acceptance all were expressed in a second before settling on a wistful smile. Her Teacher was looking further than either of them could see when she replied. "I think I miss what it used to be."

Hasumi wanted to know what Nelson meant by that, what happened that made her feel the way she did about her home. But she chose to be silent. There were things one shouldn't ask about, and it didn't take an expert to know this was one of them. The two of them stood there in silence, watching the crowds pass by for a moment.

"I'm impressed that you were able to spot me with how busy it is." Hasumi finally said with a smile, breaking the peaceful silence, "I was worried you might not find me."

"It was quite easy; you do stand out."

The casual answer delivered with a confident smile sent Hasumi's mind crashing. She looked down at herself, then at the rest of the crowd around them. "D-do I really stick out that much? I don't think I look that out of the ordinary…"

"I find that hard to believe, given our size." Nelson replied, looking at her with a cocked eye. "You and I do stand out quite a bit compared to the rest here."

"… pardon?"

She was still trying to process what her Teacher had said when Nelson glanced at herself, then to her, and then to a pair of students walking by, and then back to herself. "When you look at it, we are substantially larger than the other Trinity Students here."

Hasumi looked down at herself and then at her Teacher. It was true that they were both noticeably bustier than pretty much every student present. But surely that couldn't be what she was talking about?

"I suppose… that's true. I can't deny it…" Hasumi started to say, trying to find the right words.

And in leaving an opening, she let Nelson have the opportunity to misunderstand her silence. The Teacher continued, cutting off any chance for her to clarify with a simple statement. "Actually, this relates to what I needed your help with."

"Y-yes?"

"Would you be able to suggest where I could purchase some personal attire?" Nelson asked with a smile, tone casual, "Given you and I are both of similar size, I was hoping that any store you frequent would work for myself."

Personal attire? Could the Adult mean… Hasumi thought about it for a second before bursting into a bright blush, her voice failing her. Nelson, for her part, seemed to immediately sense something wrong.

"Have I said something improper?" Nelson asked, her smile dropping into a frown.

Hasumi shook her head, working the embarrassment out of her system. "No, it's fine. I'm not used to having such an adult conversation. I was just surprised by how forward you are."

"I see." Nelson said calmly, visibly mulling over what Hasumi had just told her. "I apologize, I did not intend to shock you."

"It's fine, Sensei. You don't have to feel bad."

"Still, I sympathize." Nelson insisted, frown still present as she looked Hasumi over. "I may not have much experience on the matter, but it is quite troublesome when one gets to our size. I understand why you may not wish to talk about it."

"It really is. Very few stores carry things that fit me, so I always have to order them."

"Well, that would prove to be a problem," Nelson said, rubbing her chin in thought, "it was quite difficult convincing Yuuka to give me access to the funds in the first place. Explaining custom orders would be quite problematic."

Hasumi winced. The brief time she spent with the Seminar treasurer let her know all she needed to know about how that conversation would go. "Well, if you're lucky, some of the specialty stores in Trinity might carry something."

"Would that not be as expensive as getting something ordered?"

"Yes… but at least you can feel the material and try it on to make sure it fits. It's always awkward when you order something and find out it doesn't fit or the material's uncomfortable when it arrives."

"That is an excellent point." Nelson said, clearly deep in thought. The Adult was silent for a second before she looked back over to her. "And what you have on now, is it custom ordered or from a store?"

Whatever thoughts Hasumi had a moment ago immediately flew off the tracks. She blinked owlishly at the Teacher looking at her with expectant eyes, desperately trying to recall what she even put on this morning. "I… don't remember?"

"Hm…" Nelson muttered in thought. Hasumi didn't have time to recover before the Adult struck another blow at her psyche. "Would you mind if I take a look at the tag then? It would give me a place to start, and I would hate to force you to use your day off to escort me about."

"Right here?" Hasumi squeaked out, voice taking up a few pitches in tone.

"Well, I would not impose so much as to ask you to show me here on the street."

Right, that made sense. Still, she couldn't help but blush at the thought of what she was about to show Nelson. Still… if it would help her…

"If it really will help you, then you have my permission to look." Hasumi finally answered, before nervously adding "B-but let's go somewhere that no one can see us!" Fortunately, she could see the perfect spot. An out of the way delivery alley next to a bakery. She grabbed Nelson by the hand and started marching the two of them towards it.

"Once again, I must thank you for your help, Ms. Hanekawa," Nelson said as the two of them made it into the alley. Hasumi's hands were at the hems of her shirt when the Teacher said something that forced her thoughts to halt.

"I suppose I should get used to this like I did with the doors."

Hasumi turned to Nelson, hands still gripping the hems of her top as she locked eyes with the Adult. "What?"

"It took me quite some time to get used to ducking under the doors? Because of how tall I am?" Nelson responded with a questioning look, "I imagine you have to deal with that along with how large your wings are on top of your height."

Uh oh. Hasumi felt the blush return as she looked back on the conversation. Against her better judgment, she asked. "This entire time, you were referring to… my height?"

"Yes? You and I are quite literally at least a quarter taller than everyone else."

"Of course. That's right." She could feel her entire face warm at the answer as Nelson stared at her, gaze scrutinizing. She could almost hear the gears click behind the blue-grey eyes.

After a few seconds, Nelson continued, her voice slow and filled with trepidation. "Ms. Hanekawa, what did you think I was discussing?"

"N-nothing." Hasumi answered, the embarrassment now thoroughly over the roof. There was only one option left for her. "I just remembered something important I have to do, Sensei! I need to go right now! I'll see you later!"

With that, Hasumi turned around and dashed out of the alley from the other side, leaving her pride and shame behind even as she heard Nelson cry out, "Ms. Hanekawa, wait! I still need to know where to shop for clothes that fit!"

She ignored it, unwilling to potentially embarrass herself any more than she already had.

Chinatsu Interlude

It's Chinatsu. Sorry I had to leave first last time.

I want to know if you have time for an examination soon.

There's a few things I wanted to test.

-Chinatsu

Hello, Miss Hinomiya.

I am free tomorrow. I will be passing by sometime in the afternoon.

Chinatsu sighed as she shoved open a door with her hip, the boxes of paperwork balanced precariously in her hands as she shimmied out of the room. She had plans for the day but no, she had to show up to a room full of incomplete, incorrectly completed, or just straight up missing paperwork.

"Is this ever going to end?" She grumbled to herself as she carefully made her way down the stairs. "Sensei will be here soon but all of this work is piled up, and the others aren't doing anything to help."

With a final burst of effort, she made it to the landing of the stairs. She still had a fair way to go before she reached the office, but she was already feeling tired. It made sense, given how much paperwork there but she was a support. This type of heavy physical work was not what she specialized in. If only Iori was around to help her lug it around.

She took a step forward and, as she shifted the entirety of her weight to her foot, the sole of her shoes slipped. She tried to balance herself but, in doing so, threw the boxes of paperwork forward. Newton demanded his toll be paid and inertia came to collect. She felt herself tipping over as the papers pulled her forward and down.

"Ach!" She heard a familiar voice call out from behind her as she fell. Heavy footsteps thundered behind her and, before she could fully tip over, she felt somebody pull her into their chest. A strong arm wrapped around her waist to keep her from falling any further forward, while another arm in a long cream-sleeved jacket shot forward to stabilize the boxes in her hand.

She was pretty sure she knew who this was. If not for the weight behind her head, then the cool skin of the hand on her waist and around her own hand.

"Are you in need of help, Ms. Hinomiya?" Nelson asked from above, the familiar voice tinged with amusement and mirth. She could feel the vibration of every word through the close contact. Before Chinatsu could even respond, the Adult took the lead like they were in a bizarre waltz. She was pulled back onto her own two feet with precise steps and shifting of weight, and the boxes carefully repositioned back into her two hands.

Chinatsu chose not to turn around as soon as Nelson let her go and stepped back from her; letting the embarrassment work out of her system. After a few seconds she composed herself and turned around to face the Teacher. "Thank you, Sensei," She began, "but what are you doing he-"

The question she had dropped as she took in what she saw. She had seen Nelson a few times since the operation to take back the Schale Club Room. Never long enough to do more than exchange a few passing greetings, but enough to build an image of the Adult in her mind. Nelson was formal and polite, but always willing to listen and help. Perhaps a bit too direct but never with ill intent to hurt. But most importantly, she was primly dressed. Nelson always looked like she just walked off a dress uniform parade, ready to take charge of a situation.

So, it took Chinatsu a few seconds to match that image of the military officer Nelson to the casually dressed Adult in front of her. Gone was the grey and white uniform she was so familiar with. In their place was a red turtleneck sweater paired with casual black slacks, with a bright cream trench coat. She looked down. Even the familiar metal high-heeled boots were gone, replaced with brown suede Chelsea boots. But that familiar black headband was still there, as was the smile.

"Feeling better?"

Chinatsu came to an epiphany. There was something fundamentally wrong with seeing your Teacher in a casual setting. She shrugged it off before she answered. "Yes, thanks for the help. But I didn't expect you to be here until later?"

Nelson shrugged. The usual sharpness of her motions was completely lost in the loose clothes she now wore. "I was advised that the store might not have anything available in my size, which would require custom fittings and measurements. But I was fortunate enough to arrive just after a stock was dropped off so it was merely a matter of trying out their selection, picking a few choice articles, and paying. Given how quickly I finished shopping, I elected to arrive here early as well."

The answer made sense. It also meant that she was possibly the first one close to the Teacher to have seen them in casual dress. Still, she looked down at the boxes of papers in her hands and sighed. "Well, it looks like you arrived early for nothing. I need to finish with this paperwork first."

Nelson hummed, hand tapping her chin in thought. Chinatsu could see the Teacher's eyes light up with an idea. "Well, then allow me to help!" She said before motioning to grab one of the boxes.

"No! I can handle carrying these documents just fine." Chinatsu cried out as she tried to step back. The two of them froze as she started to teeter dangerously before she forced herself to balance out, lest she embarrass herself again.

"Are you sure?" Nelson asked, the smile gone and a concerned look on her face. "I could carry half of it if it would help."

The two of them stared at each other for a brief moment, before Chinatsu sighed. "I shouldn't be asking a teacher to do this for me…" She mumbled to herself before leaning forward, "Fine. Since you're offering, it would be rude to turn you down."

"It would be my pleasure."

Chinatsu watched as the Adult leaned over and grabbed one of the boxes, easily slinging it under her arm. It was a good reminder that, for all Nelson claimed that the students were tougher than her, she definitely had them equal or outmatched in strength. Although, a part of her noticed, she was actually just a tiny bit shorter without the high-heeled boots. "Thanks again, Sensei. You've made my life so much easier."

With the box secured, Nelson turned to her with a smile. "Well, lead the way Ms. Hinomiya."

"Right this way." Chinatsu answered as she continued down the stairs. She could hear Nelson's footsteps behind her, their steps echoing in time throughout the empty stairwell.

"I must admit, traveling down the stairs with these documents seems a bit hazardous."

"I don't think it would have been that dangerous." She hadn't even finished saying that before she remembered what happened just minutes ago. She felt Nelson's stare pinned onto the back of her head and could imagine her expression. "Well, maybe a little…"

Chinatsu's thoughts wandered as they walked, occasionally catching glimpses of the Teacher behind her through reflections in the mirror or as they turned corners. After a moment, she giggled. "Now that I think about it, you're the first person to say something like that to me. Thank you."

"Is it really so strange to be worried about my Students?"

"No, but I'm sure you've noticed that the students of Gehenna have unique personalities, to say the least." Chinatsu answered with a sigh. "Many of them would never bother with this kind of menial work. They always try to avoid it and it often falls to me to get it done. So, I have a lot of practice in dealing with these kinds of things. That's all."

"Have you tried asking for more help?"

"I have, but nobody ever steps up. I don't particularly enjoy doing this, but if no one does it, then it'll just keep piling up. Someone has to do it. So, it's up to a boring girl like me to do it." Chinatsu didn't know why she was venting to Nelson like this. Maybe it was something she just wanted to get it out to someone that wouldn't judge her. Maybe it was how different the Adult was right now from her normal self. Or maybe she just wanted to fill the walk with something so she didn't have to think about the person she was walking alone with now.

The footsteps behind her stopped. Chinatsu turned to see what had held up Nelson, only to be fixed in place by the empathetic gaze on her Teacher's face. "Ms. Hinomiya, you are going above and beyond what has been asked of you to help others. I find it quite the honourable thing to do. You should be proud of that kindness."

Chinatsu blinked, still staring at the Adult looking at her from above. The midday sun streamed in through the windows of the stairway, backdropping the Adult against the blue sky. The light caught the clothes and Nelson seemed to glow the colours of a sunset sea in the sunlight.

Chinatsu felt her cheeks warm with embarrassment again. "W-we," She started stammering, "We should hurry before I take more of your time!" With that, she sped off down the stairs. She heard the heavy footsteps resume after a moment, even keeled even as she forced her way down to the office.

It was a little while later when the two of them arrived at the office. Try as she might, she couldn't convince Nelson to leave her to file the paperwork. Afterall, it's not like the Adult had anywhere else to be on her day off. So that led to the two of them stuck in this dingy office, putting away documents. Chinatsu snuck a glance at the Teacher, watching her expertly file away documents with a well-practiced hand.

"I thought you hadn't done this before." She said, watching the near machinelike accuracy of the Adult.

Nelson stopped, document in hand, and tilted her head slightly as she pondered the question. After a few silent moments, she turned her attention back to putting away papers as she spoke. "Well, I may be new to this but your system matches the ones used in my crew's memories."

And there it was. That casual admittance and reminder. For all that Nelson was an Adult, was a Teacher, she was not human. Yuuka had made it clear in her few discussions with the Millennium girl that she didn't entirely believe Nelson's claims. There had to be some more rational reason for Nelson's abilities. Chinatsu wasn't quite so sure. Afterall, there were many inexplicable things in Kivotos. What was one particularly strange Adult on top of it? It was simpler to just accept that the President would never summon a Haloless human that wasn't at least bullet-resistant.

But there was one thing that Chinatsu had been meaning to ask. "Nelson-Sensei," Chinatsu called out, the curiosity bleeding into her tone. The Teacher paused and turned to look at her. "Isn't it weird? To remember things that aren't your own? Aren't you worried you'll start mixing up which memories are which?"

Nelson seemed to take that into serious consideration before she shook her head. "No, I doubt it will ever happen. There is a very distinct tonality and texture within the memories of my crew compared to my own."

"Really?"

"Really. When I recall something of my own like, for instance, catching you," Chinatsu squeaked in embarrassment even as Nelson grinned at her, "I simply remember it. I remember the feeling of action, the texture of your clothing, and the sound of panicked breathing. But when I recall the memories of my crew, it is presented to me like a film, or a play. I can see it happening, but I do not see myself in it. I know it is something told to me rather than something I experienced."

"So, it's like remembering a dream?"

"I suppose so. I have never been successful at remembering any dream since I arrived, so I would not be able to compare it."

It was Chinatsu's turn to look at Nelson with concern. "You've never remembered a dream before? Not even a tiny bit?"

"Not once. They slip from my mind as quickly as I awaken."

"That seems a bit sad." Chinatsu said as she turned back to continue filing her stack of documents. "I'd think it would be interesting to hear what you dream about."

Because she was filing the paperwork, Chinatsu wasn't looking at Nelson. She didn't catch how, for just a second, the Adult froze in the middle of sliding a file back. Then the moment passed and Nelson kept on filing as she spoke. "I doubt they would be anything interesting."

Historic Interlude

Her guns thundered in defiance at the approaching destroyers, six bursts of fury illuminating the night sea. She hit nothing. She didn't expect to. An unlucky shot earlier in the fight saw a 15-inch shell barrage rip through her primary fire director, and the right side of her face. With it went her ability to directly control her main guns, leaving each of her turrets to engage at will. It wasn't ideal, but it worked fine against the slower larger enemy ships during the day.

But now? At night and against fast moving destroyers? Even if she only needed one hit, she would never get it. But the concussion of the shells passing overhead would force them to break from their attack run, aborting their torpedo runs early and buying her precious moments.

But with her battery weakened, it was not enough. Despite her efforts, her reduced main battery was not enough to force away all the destroyers. Some of them pressed on still in the face of the heavy fire, weaving through where her turrets were pointing. She knew why. They were looking to exploit where damage from the daytime phase of battle had wrecked most of her secondary battery and the entirety of her dual-purpose battery. With her escorting fleet destroyed, scattered, or otherwise unable to assist; now was the best time to sink her.

She should be terrified. She should focus on trying to escape. But this was it. This was the fight that she had spent her entire life as a hull dreaming of. The crowning glory of a wasted history. She could no sooner run from this than the night could run from the rising of the sun. She would not fault them for whatever came next. She hoped they would give her the same courtesy. It was War and sometimes, people would die.

Three destroyers had pushed through to risk their torpedo runs. The lead destroyer already had their torpedoes in their water, so she chose to ignore them for now. Instead, she focused on throwing herself to the side; ignoring how the move wrenched at her damaged screws and rudders, jostled shattered frames, and loosened weakened secondary armour. Pain tore through her nerves, but it meant nothing to her. It was do or die now.

As the torpedoes from the first destroyer missed her, streaking towards where she was, the scant few secondary batteries she had left opened fire on the destroyer second in their formation. They hadn't been able to drop their lethal payload with the first destroyer in the way. They could not be allowed the opportunity to do so. Her guns roared their wrath and she watched with grim pleasure as the destroyer evaded the first barrage, only to be caught by the second. Capped high-explosive shells tore into the destroyer and detonated, knocking them dead in the water. She wasn't sure if they were sunk or simply disabled. She didn't care to check. In this close of a fight, the two were the same.

Cannon fire shattering against her conning tower and chewing up her superstructure forced her attention back to the first destroyer. Against all operational doctrine, against all sanity, the plucky ship had chosen to engage her in a gun battle after dropping their torpedoes. In ideal circumstances, the best they could hope to accomplish was to annoy her. But these were not ideal circumstances. With gouges in her belt and exposed secondary turret barbettes, a lucky hit could potentially cook off secondary ammo and lead to a sympathetic detonation. Their distance meant that the destroyer was able to outturn and outrun the tracking of her remaining secondary guns.

Had she been a hull, her lack of secondary and tertiary guns would have made this a problem. But she was not a hull. She was flesh and blood melded with steel and oil. She had hands and arms to make her displeasure known. So, she did the one thing she could not do as a hull. She shoulder-charged, letting her already destroyed right arm handle the brunt of the impact and incoming fire. The destroyer was built tough, but not tough enough to shake off the force of a battleship's shoulder ram. She grabbed them by the collar before they could recover their wits with her good left hand. She felt the barrel of a cannon prod her in the stomach as she reared her head back and delivered a swift headbutt.

The sound of bone and steel shattering echoed in the night and she tossed the still destroyer over her shoulder. Dead, unconscious, or concussed didn't matter. A mission kill was a mission kill. Her breath came in gulping gasps now and every moment was pain. Her head swiveled, looking for the last destroyer. She received her answer in the form of torpedoes slamming into her. The first spread caught her in the screws, ripping apart the armour that protected her legs and pulverizing one ankle with it. She was forced onto a knee. The pain was blinding as the rushing water ripped open more damaged bulkheads.

A glint of steel catching the light of the fires caught her attention as she blinked the white out of her sight. She followed it to see the last destroyer attempting to draw the first two back to their battlelines. For a brief second, their two gazes met another and the destroyer froze. She did not. One of her main guns swiveled, ready for her to give the command. She could fire. But should she fire? Wasn't this exactly what she wanted when she came back? To prove herself? To carve her name into history once more? Hadn't she already done it, by forcing this battle? Did she want her story to end with this final unnecessary act?

She knew the answer to all those questions and the turret dropped. The second spread struck heartbeats later, hitting her in the side where one of her main batteries were. The first torpedo smashed into a weakened belt and tore open a hole that exposed her citadel to the ocean. The second and third slammed into her citadel and she felt a crack form. The fourth and fifth shattered the weakened citadel. The final torpedo detonated into the magazine of the main gun.

When the blinding light subsided, it was to find herself already under the waves. So, this was what it was like. To finally sink in the heat of battle well fought. She could feel her strength leaving her, half of her will already having departed. But she clung to that burning desire as she fell deeper and deeper into the Atlantic waters. That need to do more still that had driven her so far. And at that moment, she heard it. A quiet cry for help. Like the first time, it was a call for somebody, anybody, who wanted to change their fate. To prove themselves. She felt an open hand at the edge of her awareness again. And once again, she reached out, and took it.

I jolted awake, gasping for breath as I shot up. Chills ran down my spine even as I could feel sweat on the straps of my nightgown. The fading echoes of what I saw slipped from my mind before I could truly remember it. It was… it was a nightmare. Yes. That's what it must have been. A nightmare. A product of human biology I was now forced to suffer. Just thoughts and fears, stressors of the day catching up and unloading.

"...Sensei?" I heard Arona call out sleepily from where I had laid the Chest next to my pillow, my sudden movement and gasping breaths waking up the little computer girl. "Is everything OK?"

I thought about it, considering in equal measure how to best answer her. After a moment, I decided. "Yes, Arona. Everything is fine."

AN: You would not believe how many brain cells I spent on rewriting that Hasumi scene. It was definitely not insubstantial, I'll tell you what. Still, it was a bit of a fun exercise to see how much I could rewrite while still keeping the core of the event the same.

The clothing described is based on official art produced for a collaboration with Mitsukoshi, a high-end Japanese department store chain. It's quite a nice outfit so I elected to make it canon. That being said, I don't think I'll spend much time detailing her outfits after this. Nelson will be either in uniform, or casual clothing that fits the general vibe set up here. LaSteerk posted an image of it in their post earlier in the thread.

Anyways, this is the last of the prologue interludes. Next week will be a transitional chapter towards Volume 1, but it does leave the prologue behind.

Numbers7o5 · Jul 17, 2024

You have (1) Unread Mail. Priority: URGENT.

From: Chinatsu (hinomiya_c@gehenna.pt.com)

To: Hina (sorasaki_h@gehenna.pt.com), Iori (shiromi_i@gehenna.pt.com), Ako (executive_ako@gehenna.pt.com)

Subject: Summary of Gehenna Medical Examination Report

This information is for Prefect Team executives only. Do not distribute copies of this document or disseminate information without written permission.

Please review the attached form for full details.

Basic Information

The subject of this examination is Nelson, Advisor to the Federal Investigate Club Schale. Stated birthday is August 15 and her stated age is 25. Subject is a female self-described 'Human, Battleship Type'.
This examination was undertaken to help establish the subject's baseline state of health.

Clinical Evaluation Notes

Subject is 188 cm in height, recorded weight at time of examination is 338kg. Subject's weight is not in accordance with the measured body fat percentage.
No abnormal physical or neurological traits discovered in evaluation.
Subject maintains previous abnormal physical conditions in body temperature, skin composition, and heartbeat. Additional abnormal psychiatric and identifying marks discovered in evaluation. Bloodwork evaluation was not possible. See below.
- Subject body temperature remains at 30 c and has not fluctuated since field measurements.
- Skin remains magnetic but the subject has suggested the possibility of neutralizing this trait which indicates potential non-organic composition.
- Subject heartbeat remains non-standard to known human biology.
- Subject has hypertrophic scarring over lumbar vertebrae. Regular patterning indicates they are postoperative scars rather than injury. Subject has no knowledge of any historical surgery or injury in that area. Examination has not been able to discern the reason or need for surgery in that area.
Subject's psychiatric state is considered abnormal by Kivotos Medical Council standards. However, the subject's physical and mental compositions are novel to Kivotos and were not a part of the considerations KMC used when establishing standards. Cultural considerations can also explain potential deviations from KMC standards.
- Subject exhibits traits analogous to a dissociative disorder, referencing distinct memory sets from her "crew". Subject expresses awareness that memory sets are distinct from her memories, but does not question the accuracy or validity of the memories presented to her.
- Subject exhibits signs of low self-esteem. Subject routinely downplays achievements, and has a distorted sense of comparative ability. A primary example is the Subject's belief that their physical capabilities are below that of most students. Please see below for measured findings on Subject's physical abilities.
Subject has exhibited doubt as to whether they are human. Interactions with known abilities that affect humans have shown a reduced efficacy on the subject. It is plausible that they are not human even though they are humanoid and exhibit human-like traits.

Ability Findings Notes

All information possessed by the Gehenna Emergency Medical Committee indicates that Adult Humans without halos should lack any notable abilities. It is not clear if this information is correct or not given the uncertainty over whether the subject is human or not.
Subject possesses durability comparable if not in excess of most students.
- Subject suffers from minor injuries at a higher rate and ease than students. However, durability in regards to deep or serious physical trauma is significantly higher than most students.
- This observation is based on field evidence due to the difficulties and morality of purposely attempting to wound the subject to get an objective measure of durability.
- Subject's durability does not distinguish between hostile and friendly intent. Attempts to draw blood failed as tools were incapable of penetrating the dermis.
Subject possesses physical strength that exceeds most students. Gehenna does not currently possess the facilities or equipment to measure the upper limit of baseline strength. Current evidence of strength includes:
- Subject did not display any difficulty in folding a 9mm thick armour plate.
- Subject managed to send a student airborne for 30 meters with a single strike.
- Subject revealed she is aware that she can damage reinforced concrete without use of tools.
Subject has the ability to retrieve and use skills, knowledge, and information possessed by her "crew".
- o Subject is capable of rapidly sorting and selecting this information while under stress.
- o Subject possesses inconsistent knowledge about modern society. They can identify technology and equipment, but possess little to no knowledge of media or culture.
Subject is capable of storing and retrieving belongings stored in an unknown pocket space.
- Attempts to send recording equipment into the space all failed to record. The lack of any recorded data suggests this space has limited stasis effects.
The subject's possessions seem to benefit from enhanced durability. Actions which should damage or destroy an item either do not affect, or have a limited effect, on them.
- It is unknown if this only applies to items which they recognize as possessions or any item in their care.
- Examination of items provided by the subject have revealed no detectable evidence of such durability.
The subject either does not know or has not noticed that their physical abilities increase with emotional distress.
Subject claims the ability to create additional heavy equipment, and that their current lack of such equipment has led to their current perceived weak state.
- While the exact details of such heavy equipment have not been recorded, this examiner has firsthand eyewitness accounts of a partially successful attempt at manifesting this equipment.

Examiner Notes
There is no simple way to put it. Nelson-Sensei is not human as we understand it. At the low end of possibilities, she is an extensively modified human with significant esoteric, cybernetic, and genetic alteration. At the far end of possibilities, she is literally a conceptual being which has been granted a human form.

While her baseline capabilities can be measured, it is not possible or ethical to induce emotional duress in her for the sake of measuring the upper end of her capabilities. I don't doubt that we're only at her baseline. It's entirely possible that she has no upper end.

She's consistently expressed a hesitation in initiating violence. This hesitation is such that she was willing to even allow dangerous individuals escape if it would allow her to avoid conflict. This may be a cultural incompatibility, given what information we have on her and her home. A higher population of haloless adults which align with our understanding would make any violence potentially lethal.

This hesitation for initiating violence should not be misunderstood as a hesitation to engage in violence. She prefers decisive action once violence is inevitable and has the physical capacity to do so.

While Nelson is physically daunting, her skills at individual combat are only above average. She does not express the expertise in melee or firearms proficiency that some students possess. She doesn't have anywhere close to any of the esoteric abilities some students have. The upper echelon of students in Kivotos can match or beat her, but she can overwhelm the vast majority with pure durability and strength.

The GSC has suggested that she keep quiet about what she is, but I have my doubts about whether she will. She's forthright to a fault and I don't think she could even lie to a student if they asked. As it stands, it is best we try to continue building a rapport with her. She is unlikely to take hostile action against Gehenna unless we give her cause.

- Chinatsu

AN: Where the interludes are narrative pieces, meant to showcase the student's relationship with Nelson; we can consider the Informationals like this to be a real document within the fiction of the world. For the lack of a better phrase, they are facts of the story. They establish the objective reality of the world and its inhabitants.

Make of this what you will.

Numbers7o5 · Jul 25, 2024

Volume 1, Ch. 1 – Nehebu-Kau's Fortress

Suzumi Interlude

I ducked down as I walked into the convenience store, the doors sliding open with a small cheerful chime as I entered. The Robotic Clerk glanced up at me and gave me a polite bow, which I returned in turn. Thanks to Angel 24s location, I've grown accustomed to just buying something from there on my way in and out of the building.

Unfortunately, my most recent foray into the main districts of Kivotos took me further out than I was expecting. Supper time had long since passed by the time I reached the edge of the Trinity district. Fortunately, I spotted a convenience store just a few blocks from the train I needed to take. Can't quite say I was familiar with 'Rawson', but I noticed most convenience stores tended to carry more or less the same things anyways.

Although I still hadn't found one that carried a decent sausage roll, fish sandwich, or bacon butty yet.

So, there I was. Having cleared the salad section, crouching down to look at the beers to go with my meal, and trying to decide which one I liked better: the one with a cartoon character on it or the one in woodland camo. That was when I felt something poke me in the back. I waved them off. I felt them prod me again. I waved them off, again. After a few seconds, they prodded me a third time.

"Is something the mat-" I asked with an exasperated sigh, turning to face the poker. I blinked when I finally noticed the scene around me. A portion of the store was shot up, destroying much of the items for sale. A blonde masked Student with a gatling gun was holding the panicking clerk at gunpoint as he stuffed a bag full of money. The thing prodding me? A shotgun barrel held by a second black-haired masked thug with the most confused expression in her eyes.

"No?" The thug said, voice sounding as confused as her expression, "I'm robbing you? Normally, people don't really just ignore a shotgun poking them in the back."

I blinked, letting the ridiculousness of what she said and the scene I was in settle. "Did I hear you correctly? You wish to rob me?"

The two thugs stopped what they were doing and looked at each other before laughing. I suspect they may have taken my incredulity for fear. A suspicion that was confirmed when the blonde walked over and turned her gatling gun on me.

"Now, now," She said, a threat looming in her voice, "No need to be scared. The Justice Task Force won't be here anytime soon so if you do what we say, we won't hurt you. Much."

The two shared another laugh and the black-haired thug racked the pump of her shotgun. I would imagine the threat display would be effective against a normal Adult of the city. Unfortunately for them, I was not normal.

The two's laughter stopped quickly when I joined in. With their attention on me, I stood up. I watched their gazes follow me as I stood to my full height. The more I straightened out, the more the bravado faded from their expressions and the more fear and terror crept in.

"I appreciate your concern," I said with a beaming smile, clapping one hand down on the shoulder of the blonde, "but you may wish to save it for yourself."

She seemed to freeze in shock at my touch. How unfortunate. She who dares, wins. I grabbed the hand holding the minigun with my other hand and turned about, carrying the girl forward, and throwing her into the wall next to the alcohol cooler. She slammed into the brick wall with a meaty *THWACK* that rattled the lights before crumpling to the ground in an unconscious heap.

"Now, I believe you said you were robbing me?" I asked aloud as I turned back to face the shotgunner, only to blink when she wasn't standing where I saw her last.

"Don't move!" I heard her shout. I followed the voice to the clerk's counter, where she had the Robot in a hold while keeping the shotgun trained on me. "If I see you move, this old rustbucket's going to get it!"

"Please!" The clerk shouted, panic visibly crossing his television like head, "I have a family!"

This situation was rapidly proving to be more of a headache. I'm going to have to buy both of those brands of beer now. Running my hands through my hair, I pinned the thug with a stare before asking, "And once you shoot him, what will you do?"

Both the clerk and the thug blinked in confusion at the question. They were both silent for the longest moment before the thug managed a response.

"I'll… shoot you?"

"You have a pump-action shotgun." I answered, as I leaned down to pick up her fallen comrade's gatling gun with one hand. "Do you really believe you will have it ready before I throw this at you?"

The thug was silent for a moment, trying to think of how to get out of this situation. The sound of shattering glass helped her come to an answer as a very familiar flash bomb bounced into the room with us. The thug looked down at it even as I closed my eyes in preparation for what was to come.

*BAM*

Suzumi had dragged the two unconscious delinquents outside while I stayed behind to help the clerk clean up. I wasn't quite sure what she was doing, but it took her some time. The cleaning was done and the clerk was in the process of bagging my food and drinks by the time she walked back in. I could hear her approaching behind me before she stopped mid-step.

"Good evening, Ms. Morizuki," I called out as I twisted the change into my stores, "Thank you for your help. It was quite fortunate you arrived when you did."

Silence was my response. That was a bit out of character, she usually took care to greet me. I turned my head to take a look at the one-winged girl. "Is something the matter?"

She was looking at me with a complicated expression like Chinatsu previously. I could guess why as well: I still wasn't in duty dress. I sighed and turned around to look at her directly, arms crossed under my chest as I leaned against the counter. "I may not have much experience with it, but I was certain that my choices in off-duty apparel were rather mundane."

Suzumi blinked, looked at me, looked back down to what I was wearing, and then turned away with a blush. She coughed into her hand a few times and cleared her throat before looking back to me with her usual half-smile.

"Sorry Nelson-Sensei," She finally answered with a small nod, "I just didn't expect to see you out of uniform like this."

"That seems to be a common opinion," I mused aloud, before shooting Suzumi a sly grin. "Or do you perhaps have an opinion on my fashion that you would like to share?"

"No, you look…" Suzumi started before trailing off again as she started to stare again. After a second she snapped out of it and, with a blush on her face, spun about and made a break for the door. "I'll be waiting outside!"

"That was not the reaction I expected." I remarked aloud before turning back to the cashier. He held out my bags of food and drinks, but was staring at the departing form of Suzumi with an indiscernible expression. I grabbed the bags as I bowed my head, "I apologize for taking up so much of your time, sir."

The Robot looked back to me and sighed, a look of absolute pity flashing across his electronic face. "You'll have a handful to deal with, won't you?"

"Never fear, they are all excellent Students."

"That's not what I meant…"

I found Suzumi outside, guarding the two thugs. They had been tied to a pillar and had a pair of heavy looking headphones slapped over their ears. I could hear the faintest notes of music as they struggled and shouted obscenities at the one-winged girl. I ignored them as I walked up behind her.

"Have you recovered your wits?"

"Yes, I'm sorry about that." She answered with a nod, disappointed look on her face. "I was trying to say you looked good but it's a bit embarrassing…"

Well, she was only a teenager after all. My crew's memories all warned me that all teenagers were awkward at best. Trying to compliment someone else, never mind an Adult, was probably hard for her. So, I answered her with a smile, "Apology accepted. You managed now, did you not?"

Suzumi didn't answer me, choosing instead to look back out towards the street. I followed her gaze and, in doing so, my attention was brought back to the two tied up Thugs. Curiosity got the better of me as I watched them continue to struggle.

"What exactly have you done to them?"

"I have them listening to "Baby" by Austin Dieber on repeat until the Justice Task Force arrives to pick them up."

I've never heard of that song or artist but now I had absolutely no desire to do so. Especially if they could elicit a reaction like that. "I suppose it is an effective punishment."

"They were trying to rob a convenience store. They deserve it."

"You shall hear no argument from me."

Suzumi nodded in agreement before looking at me, a concerned glint in her gaze. "Sensei, what are you doing in Trinity at this time? Incidents like this are quite common if you're not paying attention."

"Well, I was on my way back to the Schale Club Building so I decided to stop by to pick up supper before I boarded the train."

Suzumi's concerned look was joined by a frown. "Which train were you going to take?"

"The D.U Limited Express."

"Sensei," Suzumi began slowly, as she looked down at her phone, "The D.U Limited Express stopped service 15 minutes ago."

I blinked and checked my chronometer. She was right. The incident and dealing with the aftermath took much longer than I thought. A problem, but not a major one. "Well, I suppose I will walk then."

"I don't think that's safe. Someone your age shouldn't be out this late-"

"Ms. Morizuki, I am 24. I am hardly that old."

Suzumi blinked at that piece of information. She mulled on it, looked at me, and then tilted her head in confusion before literally shaking the thought clear of her head. "Still, you should call for a taxi. What if another delinquent attempts to mug you? Or even abduct you?"

"Then we pity the delinquent for the choices that led them to that moment?"

Suzumi didn't take that flippant answer well, judging by the annoyed glare. Well, if it would make her feel better, there was one option. "Well, if you are concerned, why not escort me back to the Club Building?"

Suzumi paused, turning her focus back to me with a stare. "Well, that would be…"

"Think of it like this, you will be able to ensure my safety and you will be able to capture any other thugs that decide to make a poor life decision." I nodded with a confident smile. "It will be a positive outcome no matter what."

The one-winged girl thought about it for a few moments before she sighed. "Very well. I'll be your escort then. Your safety will be ensured with me as your guide." She started to walk down the street, before turning off into an alley. "This way." With that, the two of us started to make our way back.

It was an hour of shortcuts, local trains, and buses later when we found ourselves up the street from the Club Building. My escort pulled to a stop before pointing at the entrance. "You should be safe from here."

"Thanks again for your help, Ms. Morizuki." I answered, before looking around with a wry smile. "Are you certain though? We could be beset by thugs at any moment."

"Please don't joke about that," Suzumi muttered under her breath before speaking up, "You don't need to thank me. I was simply carrying out my Vigilante Crew duties. Even if it's not an official club…"

'It must be hard trying to keep an eye on everything the Justice Task Force misses." I pointed out, looking at the time.

"Trinity is too big and prone to being attacked," Suzumi agreed, nodding, "We have to keep working to maintain the peace."

"Well, I believe you are doing an excellent job. But more to the point, I would like to thank you for the wonderful company tonight."

Suzumi looked up at me, confusion clear in her eyes, "Sorry?"

"Consider this as a gift." I had meant to give it to her earlier but now was as good a time as any. I reached into my stores and, with a twist of my will, I pulled out a premium chocolate bar. If there was one thing Kivotos did right, it was their sweets. Before the one-winged Student could respond, I placed the bar into her hands.

"Wha-" Suzumi elegantly stuttered as I stepped out of the alley. "Wait, Sensei, this isn't-"

I waved off her attempts to give back the gift. "Have a good night and enjoy, Ms. Morizuki. I shall see you on your next shift at Schale."

I left the white-haired Student in the alley and made it about halfway down the block before I glanced behind me. She was still standing there, looking at the chocolate bar with a conflicted look. Seems she wasn't sure how to take the gift. I waved again to get her attention before shouting, "You should make your way back, or you may be abducted!"

Her expression flipped right back to exasperation before a smile crept back up her face. "Please stop joking about that!" She cried back.

"Arona," I said aloud in the empty shooting range, "begin the timer."

"Alright Sensei!" The little computer girl answered, the device propped up on a gun bench so she could see the experiment. I saw a timer pop up on the screen of the Shittim Chest out of the corner of my eye. "I'm ready to begin as soon as you start!"

It had been a week of effort and I still was no closer to finding out why I couldn't summon my full combat outfit. But I was on the verge of a breakthrough. I could feel it. The first few days had all met failure and the discovery that whatever I was doing was not able to be recorded. But then I had an epiphany. If I couldn't focus the image on the entire loadout, why not just focus on individual parts of it?

So Arona and I spent the last few days, between meeting the students that helped me, trying to see if I could just summon a portion of the loadout. So far, we have tried the armour, main battery, and secondary battery. None of it had worked so far.

With the timer running, I closed my eyes and focused on the power within me. I reached out and tugged at it, slowly spooling it out. In my mind's eye, I focused solely on one of my tertiary guns. A 120mm naval cannon, simple enough in form with a single curved gun shield. And then, with the thread of power whispering in my mind and the image clear; I forced the two together with a twist of sheer will.

Something heavy dropped into my right hand. I opened my eyes and brought it up into the light and where Arona could see it, a sense of amazement and power surging through me. In my hand was what looked to one of the handguns I called upon. However, a large shroud was mounted forward of the receiver and a heavy long barrel took the place of the normal barrel. It was as if someone had mounted my naval cannon on a pistol handle.

"Is that it, Sensei?" I heard Arona ask, voice full of wonder as well.

"It is. The timer, Arona. How long did it take?"

She visibly panicked on the screen, swiping away at the numbers at the top corner of the Chest. They stopped immediately and she stared at it, deep in thought, before turning back to look at me. "That should have been just under 30 seconds, Sensei!"

Thirty seconds of pure concentration, in a controlled environment and under ideal circumstances. I didn't have to think about how hard it would be to do in combat. I would never finish it. I tried to twist it into my storage but, as soon as I reached out, I could feel the spool of power keeping the weapon intact begin to unravel. I stopped and it reasserted itself.

"How did it look when I was creating this?"

"A few small orbs of blue fire gathered in your hands and then 'poof' shaped itself into that gun."

Definitely no way to hide it then. But with the first step of the experiment done, it was time to move to the second step. I walked up to the firing line and set the target to a hundred meters. "Continuing the experiment. We will now test the functionality of the summoned weapon."

With the barrel pointed down range, I racked the slide halfway and looked inside. I could see what looked to be a standard handgun cartridge sitting in the chamber. How peculiar. "Weapon functions like my standard sidearm. Now commencing the firing test."

I pointed the sidearm down range at the floating holographic target. To my surprise, I instantly knew where the point of aim was. I took the gun off target and the mental point of aim vanished. I twisted a regular handgun into my left hand and pointed it down range. Nothing but iron sights. With a twist, I put it back

"I always know where the summoned weapon is aimed at, unlike the normal firearms I have access to."

I could hear Arona furiously scribbling down notes as I took up a proper two-handed grip again. With the target this close and the newfound link, there was no way I could miss. Taking a deep breath, I squeezed the trigger an-

The green-haired Schale receptionist was on her phone, tapping away on Momotalk as she found herself on another quiet shift. The Schale job wasn't that bad, in all honesty. It was just a little boring if you weren't Sensei or one of the actual members. Staff like her were just the people that looked after the building. But at least the pay was reliable and nothing exciting ever happened.

Then the building exploded.

She instantly tossed her phone aside and checked the security cameras, looking for any signs of another criminal attack. She instantly spotted the offending location; the firing range. That was strange, Nelson-Sensei said she would be there doing something and asked it to be closed off. Maybe someone snuck in?

Still, she was being paid, so she had to check it out. Slinging her trusty Schale issue SRX160 onto her back, she dashed over to the range with the rifle ready to help defend the building. She slammed the emergency open and a wave of smoke rushed out. With her rifle up at the ready, she slowly walked in.

"Nelson-Sensei! Is everything OK?!"

"Yes, Ms.-" She heard the Teacher start to call her name before coughing. "My apologies! The experiment just went a bit awry."

As the smoke cleared out the open door, she finally got a look at what was happening. Nelson was in one of the range stalls, clutching a truly massive hand cannon. Behind her, at the opposite wall of the range, there was a large scorch mark and indent on the wall. It almost looked like someone had fired a mortar at it. As she stared at the destruction inflicted upon the room, she saw the Teacher casually pick up her tablet. She wiped off the screen before speaking into it.

"Experiment log update. Weapon is capable of firing High-Explosive ammunition. Indoors use is not advisable."

I finished the rest of the experiment at Schale's outdoor range. I found I could change the ammunition if I focused on it while cycling the firearm portions. I had access to Star, Smoke, and High-Explosive. The only problem was that the High-Explosive hit with the force of a Medium Mortar and was on the far opposite end of subtle. Still, they worked and that was the main point of the trials.

The real problem was the fact the weapon fired three times before the image failed. I could still remember it. As I went to take my fourth shot, I could feel the weapon's image shatter. One single mount became a dual mount, then a single mount, then I suddenly could see three different mounts, then two, then one. Then it simply vanished, the weapon popping out of existence.

"It didn't work out exactly like you planned but that's still an improvement, Sensei!" Arona said cheerfully from the tablet holder on my desk, having put away the experiment notes into some secure location within the Chest. "I'm sure we'll figure it out with more practice."

She was trying to cheer me up. It was obvious. Despite it, I still couldn't help but smile at her efforts. "I suppose you are correct, Arona. With time, we shall figure this out."

"I'm sure we will!"

It was definitely hard to feel down for too long around the ever-plucky computer girl. Still, with the experiment over and lunch finished, I had to get through the more mundane portions of the position. That being paperwork. While I needed Yuuka's help interpreting the finance paperwork, most of the others were far too familiar. Project proposals, event notices, and after action reports all formed the bulk of what I had to look over.

I flipped the completed stack to the side of my desk, and spotted the words "Outreach Proposals" written on the front. That reminded me. "Since I am on the matter now, how is the online conversation regarding Schale?"

I tried to figure out social media, I honestly did. But to be frank, the amount of information available and different ways of interacting made it quite a bit of a headache for me. So, I just stuck with Momotalk to communicate with my Students and passed all the other accounts to Arona for her to handle. Something she did with aplomb.

"Oh! Let me see!" Arona answered, before grabbing a pair of glasses from somewhere and began looking over a notebook, similarly procured. I was used to the notebook but the glasses were new. I was sure she was doing it more for appearance than anything else.

"A lot of students are starting to talk about Schale," That was good. It had only been about a week but it seems I made a good first impression. "And we've received letters from other students asking for help. That's a great sign, and it means there's a lot of work for us!"

Arona paused as she flipped over the page. The glasses vanished and she took a closer look at the page, the excited expression on her face dimming. I've only been around Arona for a week, but I knew her well enough to recognize this as signs of a situation developing.

"Arona, is something the matter?"

She looked up at me from the notebook, a frown clear on her face. "Um, there's this one letter we got."

"Oh, what does it say?"

Arona was silent, before a small wheeled drone rolled into the office moments later. One of the mouse automata that helped do the menial tasks around the building. In fact, this very drone was one that I usually gave completed documents to for filing. What I wasn't used to seeing was an actual, honest to Fisher letter sitting in its tray. Sealed, stamped, and to be delivered to my desk.

"I think you should take a look." Arona said with a gravity that I had not yet heard from her.

I reached down and plucked the letter from the tray, expression equally serious, "I think I shall." I slipped a knife under the flap and carefully opened the letter. I took the sheets of paper out and began to read it aloud.

To the advisor of the Federal Investigation Club.

Hello. My name is Okusora Ayane, and I'm a student at Abydos High School.

I'm writing this letter because I want to ask for your help.

Our academy is being harassed.

One of the local gangs has been tormenting us.

It's a long story but we think…

…this gang is after the school building itself.

The students are doing their best to stop them.

It's only a matter of time before we run out of ammunition and supplies though.

At this rate, the school will fall to them for sure.

That's why I'm writing to ask for your help.

Can you please help us, Sensei?

I slid the letter across the table, hand running through my hair as I processed what I just read. Receiving a handwritten letter in Kivotos was a rarity thanks to all the myriad ways to contact another person. Even I managed to adapt to Momotalk and E-Mail after a few days of trial and error. To have a solid written paper letter sent carried with it real weight and emphasized the severity of its contents.

It wasn't something I could ignore. It wasn't something I could ever ignore. My thoughts must have been visible on my expression, as the corners of Arona's lips perked up into a small smile. "I guess Schale has its first official operation?"

"Technically the second, but you would be correct," I answered, gathering the loose documents and sorting them; placing a few for the mouse drone to take to records. "What can you tell me about Abydos High School?"

"Hmm… Abydos High School, huh?" Arona mused before pulling a large book from nowhere. She seemed to read it over for a moment before replying, "It used to have a large, thriving district, but it fell on hard times due to climate change. The district was so big that people would even get lost in the middle of town!"

"That sounds a bit difficult to believe," I said, as I finished locking up the important documents, moving to pluck the Chest off the desk. If Arona noticed or cared, it didn't show. She just giggled before continuing to speak.

"Heehee, I know. That sounds ridiculous. How does someone get lost in the middle of modern civilization? I'm sure that was just an urban legend." She paused, lost in thought for a moment, before continuing, "Anyway, I can't believe the academy is being bullied by some lowlife thugs. It sounds pretty serious."

I nodded in agreement, even if she couldn't quite see me as I walked up the stairs to my room elevator. "It must be for them to send a handwritten letter like this. I imagine whatever disaster has befallen the district has impacted their ability to respond."

I entered the elevator and hit the only button on the control panel. There were a few important things for me to retrieve, but there were still other general supplies I would need to sign off. All the things I needed would have taken a few days to procure and complete the paperwork on Earth. But they didn't have an assistant like Arona back on Earth.

As the elevator ascended, I began rattling off what we would need, "Arona, please send emails and documents from my desk. Ask Ms. Morizuki if she is available to assume the role of Deputy Chief for the duration, and ask Ms. Hayase the same for the role of Assistant Chief.

Please also put in a request with the General Student Council for information about Abydos's current Student body and, finally, prepare Armoury Requisition forms for immediate withdrawal of ammunition, desert equipment, and rations from the stores. I do not wish to be surprised by anything this time."

I glanced back at the screen of the Chest in time for Arona to finish writing down the last of my orders, tearing them off a clipboard and putting them somewhere offscreen. She looked up at me with an excited smile. "Anything else, Nelson-Sensei?"

Now that she mentioned it, there was one other thing I didn't consider. "I will also need the most recent map of Abydos, please. I would prefer to avoid becoming the lost traveler of legend."

I looked at the map on the tablet along with Arona. I looked up at the pile of sand next to me. I looked back at the map, as the little computer girl started to hum in consternation. She looked up at me, the concern clear in her expression as she spoke. "Sensei… this pile of sand isn't on the map."

"I know." I answered with a sigh, running my hand through my hair as I tried to figure out where exactly we were. I was a battleship, the greatest warship ever put out to sea. I had circumvented countless seas and oceans in my time as a Hull. The vast blue expanse of the ocean with no reference was as familiar to me as the rock of the ocean waves. I thought that the navigational skills would be a simple one-to-one transfer.

Except I forgot to account for several things. First of all, Arona did manage to get me the most recent map produced by the latest GSC survey of the region. Except the most recent survey was nearly a half decade ago. Features which once existed were now swallowed by the desert or destroyed. Paired with buildings sticking out at random, it made for more like a maze than a sea.

Oddly enough, the one problem I somehow didn't have was walking. By all accounts of my crew's memories, I should be slipping and tripping in the shifting sands. High-heeled boots did not lend towards favourable weight distribution but I somehow managed. Another weird secondary ability to never be answered.

"Sensei, are you sure you'll be fine in this heat?" Arona asked, looking over at where the predicted temperature of 36 degrees blazed brightly.

"Thank you for the concern, but this is hardly the worst weather I have experienced." My crew's memories chose to remind me of summer months in the Mediterranean and Pacific. The less said about the conditions below deck and in the turrets, the better. I was proud of my heritage, but I was built without air conditioning outside of a few spaces. The effects of the tropical sun in the rest of the hull were predictably uncomfortable.

"Still," I muttered, electing to continue my attempts to use my compass and the old maps to navigate to the address on the letter, "the evaluations that this is an abandoned district are underselling the state of Abydos. We have been underway for nearly six hours and I have yet to see a soul."

"Most of the residents abandoned the district when things got bad, Sensei. Only the most dedicated people are left here now."

Dedicated like the final students of Abydos. I skimmed the profiles on the train ride here, before I was unceremoniously asked to disembark a few stations early on account of sand clogged rails. It was a quick read. With only five students left, Abydos had gone from one of the largest schools down to barely extant.

Now, if only I could find that school building.

The sound of a bike bell behind me broke me out of my contemplation. I quickly tucked the Chest into the specially prepared backpack I had, Arona crying out a faint "Hawaa!" as she was shoved in, and turned to face the source.

A Student riding a rather well-made sports cycle was looking at me with curiosity clear in her bright mismatched blue eyes. She had shoulder length grey hair adorned with a blue cross hair pin atop which sat a pair of fluffy canine ears. She wore a fairly standard white button up shirt, dark blue blazer, and dark pleated tartan pattern miniskirt, accessorized only by an aquamarine scarf and single bright green glove. A blue crosshair-like Halo floated above her head and I could spot the barrel of a white automatic rifle peeking out from behind her back.

I know who this is. It would be hard not to, given the documents I read on the way here.

"Are you okay?" She asked, voice soft and even.

"It depends," I answered as I slowly approached her, "Physically I am quite well. However, I must admit I am quite lost at the moment. The train I was riding asked me to disembark quite a few stations away from my destination."

"Nn. This must be your first time here." The girl said, "This happens all the time here."

That's never a good sign and will make logistics a bit of a headache. Unless I take the helicopter. I shuddered at the thought of that. "A shame. The Council information is significantly less reliable than I assumed."

The girl's canine ears peaked up at my mention of the GSC. She stepped closer and took a closer look at me and I could see the gears in her head spinning. "You do look like you're an adult from the General Student Council. Are you here on some kind of academy-related business?"

"That I am," I answered with a beaming smile, "My name is Nelson, from Schale. You may be familiar with my destination."

She blinked, before looking me up and down. After a moment, she locked her wide mismatched eyes with mine and asked, in a soft voice, "You're here to help Abydos? We're the only ones around."

"Correct."

"Oh," She said before glancing aside, appearing to lapse into thought, "It's been a long time since anyone visited us. Let me show you the way."

"By all means. Lead the way, Miss…?"

"Sunaōkami. Sunaōkami Shiroko."

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ms. Sunaōkami." I said before bringing my left hand up for a handshake. Shiroko stepped forward and was about to raise an arm before she suddenly paused. She took a step back with a quiet "Wait" before she stopped to, of all things, sniff herself. It clicked for me a few moments later. She was riding a bike until she encountered me, in the desert, in a uniform, in 36-degree weather.

"Is something the matter?" I asked, keeping my tone neutral even if I could guess at the answer.

The embarrassed look on her face combined with a light blush confirmed my suspicion even before she spoke. "Sorry. It's just, I had been cycling for a while. I didn't work up that much of a sweat, but still… I usually have to take a shower afterward and keep a change of clothes there."

I blinked as I processed that. Who cycles in the desert in a uniform and only sweats 'a little'. My eyes drifted back up to the Halo, reminding me of the likely answer. A rather strange incidental power to provide, but one that made some modicum of sense. I guess.

"Never fear." I answered as I made a show of taking a step away, "I will follow from here if it would help you feel more comfortable." Shiroko gave me a grateful look but, besides that, elected to begin walking. I fell behind and to her left as the two of us departed towards Abydos.

AN: And thus we enter Abydos. We can consider much of this chapter setting up things that will come up again within my interpretation of Volume 1. I also decided to add a different chapter name within the text of the story itself. I can't remember if that's a Type Moon thing, but I always did like it when stories had a chapter with a general and referential name.

This chapter is a bit later than normal because it did need a bit of rewriting after Beta Reading. Some OOCness was pointed out and I had to fix it. Thanks again to my friend for putting up with me.

Numbers7o5 · Jul 31, 2024

Volume 1, Ch. 2 – Ta Netjer

It was another hour before we reached the school building. I got the impression that Shiroko wanted to get here faster but was held back by my steady pace, judging by how she'd occasionally shoot a glance at me over her shoulder. But, still, we made it and I got my first real glimpse of Abydos in its current day incarnation.

It was barely holding together. That was my first impression of Abydos High School as my eyes scanned the tiny academy building. Sand piled up against the walls, stretched out into the fields, and coated every part of the building. It was a miracle the building was as intact as it was.

As the wolf-eared girl took me inside, I could see the amount of sand piling up inside the building as well. While it was clear someone was doing their best to keep it clean, it was a losing battle. Sand was leaking in from broken or cracked windows, building up in the corners, or thinly coating the floor of less traversed halls.

The two of us walked up the stairs quietly, broken only by the noise of her bicycle tyres and the sound of my boots on the linoleum floor. Eventually we came to a stop in front of a club room. A sign written onto a piece of paper declared it to be the "Foreclosure Task Force" Club Room. Without any fanfare, the silver haired girl slid the door open and stepped in. "Nn, I'm back."

"Welcome back, Shiro…" Whatever the speaker had to say trailed off as I ducked under the doorway and into the room.

Three other girls were in the room. The one I interrupted was possibly the only person I've met thus far who wore a standard uniform. Dark blue blazer properly buttoned up over a white shirt, black and grey tartan mini-skirt, and cyan tie. The only accessories of note were a pair of gloves and a knee wrap. She had tied her long black hairs up into two pigtails with cyan ribbons, along with two cat ears twitching in surprise. Red eyes with slit pupils regarded me with suspicion. Her magenta Halo was another crosshair made of two circles and four prongs, although the prongs in question were made of triangles rather than rectangles. A white and black automatic rifle laid on the table in front of her.

"Oh my, we haven't had a visitor in ages." The next to react to my entry was the girl with blonde hair which easily reached her waist, with a single lock of hair tied into a bun. Shocked green eyes tracked my entry into the room. Of everyone I've met thus far, she was the closest to what I recognized as a baseline human. She could have passed for someone from my crew's memories were it not for the lime-green three-pronged crosshair Halo above her head. And the gatling gun that was casually resting in her laps. She had the miniskirt and button up shirt common to Abydos students but had elected to wear a yellow button up sweater over it.

"True… but were we expecting anyone?" The final girl to react stared at me curiously with amber eyes from behind red glasses. The eyes along with the elven ears brought to mind another Student I knew, but the eyes and ears where the similarities ended. She had short cut hair styled into a bob along with a French braid, on top of which a butterfly hairpin laid. She wore the same uniform as Shiroko and the cat-eared girl, but the addition of a vest made the unbuttoned blazer much less informal. A red two circle crosshair Halo floated above her head, although the four oval prongs were overlaid on the inner circle. Notably, she did not seem to have a weapon on her person.

I knew who all these girls were. It wasn't hard when I could the student body with one hand. Still, far be it from me to be rude. "Pardon our intrusion," I answered formally with a deep bow, "Thank you for allowing us entry into your school. We are the advisor of Schale, Nelson, responding to a request for aid. It is a pleasure to finally meet you."

The three girls that were in the room reacted with varying levels of shock. They glanced at Shiroko, who simply affirmed my declaration with a curt nod.

"No way!" The glasses wearing girl said as she ran up to inspect me. "Are you?!" Anything else she had to say was lost as she spotted the Schale badge on my lanyard.

"You're with Schale? The Federal Investigation Club?!" Shouted the cat-eared girl, eyes glaring at me as she seemed to try to discern if I was telling the truth.

The blonde, however, simply clapped her hand in joy and smiled. "Wow! That means you got the letter Ayane wrote!"

I stepped back, hands waving as a placating and distancing measure as I answered, "Yes, it is my mission and duty to help you all." I paused as I looked about. Once again, the student body was small enough that I could count them on one hand. And last I checked; I had five fingers on my hand. "Is somebody missing? My information stated that there would be 5 of you."

All the Students looked about, gazing for the errant fifth member before the glasses wearing girl spoke. "Wait… where is Hoshino?"

"She's taking a nap in the next room. I'll go wake her up." The cat-eared girl said, before running out the door.

A moment later she returned, dragging behind her a pink haired girl. She had to be the smallest person I've seen thus far in Kivotos, with her hair trailing all the way to her knees. A single large cowlick was perched on top of her head. While she wore the miniskirt, button up shirt, and cyan tie that seemed to be common to Abydos, she had swapped the blazer for some sort of harness. Combined with the unbuttoned shirt and loose tie, she looked like she just rolled out of bed. Dragging behind her was a massive suitcase made of metal, along with a shotgun on a sling. As she was dragged into the room, her pale pink halo popped back into reality. Unlike her compatriots, it didn't seem to be any sort of crosshair. Rather, it reminded me of an open eye.

"Hoshino, wake up!"

The girl yawned as the cat-eared girl shook her violently. "Just five more minutes…" She murmured.

The glasses wearing girl joined her cat eared compatriot in trying to wake up the sleepy sprite. "Hoshino, the Sensei from Schale is here!"

"Ohhhh?" The girl drawled out. She opened a single eye, with a slow deliberate move that shouted at the momentous effort she was putting into waking up.

The orange eye that locked with mine was any but sleepy. A sharp intent laid behind it, a weight of explicit judgment and suspicion that went unsaid. Then she blinked and the look was gone. An easy smile crossed her face as she yawned again. "Nice to meet you, Sensei."

"Pleasure to meet you as well. Now that everyone is present, I was hoping we could be acquainted?"

No sooner had I said that did the pop and crack of gunfire echo out, distant but in our vicinity.

"Was that gunfire?!" The blonde shouted, running over to peer out the window.

The glasses-wearing girl was immediately glued to her table, reading off something. "There's a group approaching the school! It must be the Helmet Gang!"

"Those punks…" Shiroko growled out, "They have some nerve coming back for more."

"Bloody hell," I swore before sighing in resignation. Well, I suppose this did constitute a crisis. A pair of duffel bags appeared in my hands with a twist of my will, the girls giving various cries of surprise. I dumped them onto the table, the ammo within them spilling out onto the table. Another twist and I was now carrying a wooden box. A flick of the wrist and the top vanished, revealing a healthy supply of grenades.

"I suppose proper introductions will have to wait. May I have your names for now?"

"We already met, but Sunaōkami Shiroko." Shiroko answered as she loaded up on ammo.

"I'm Izayoi Nonomi!" The blonde replied with a proper bow. "It's nice to meet you!"

The cat-eared girl stared at me, the contents on the table, before another burst of gunfire jolted her into grabbing ammo. She paused to look at me before curtly introducing herself. "Kuromi Serika."

The pinkette yawned again, lazily shoveling shotgun shells into her bandoleers and ammo belts. "Takanashi Hoshino, Sensei" she said in-between grabbing handfuls of shells.

"I'm Okusora Ayane, Sensei!" The glasses-wearing girl finished off, sitting next to a computer. "I'll be navigating everyone from here! Stay on the back lines and provide support, Sensei!"

"Why the back?" I asked aloud as I looked over all of them with a beaming smile. The simple answer froze all activity in the room as they all turned to stare at me. "I shall be taking to the front as well."

A twist of my will and a series of equipment fell into place on my person. A holstered pistol on my right hip alongside a sword and scabbard. A belt of rifle clips wrapped around my waist while a pouch with six SMG magazines dropped over my shoulder to place itself on my left hip. Finally, my rifle fell in on my right shoulder and an SMG under my left arm.

Any normal Human would be hampered by the weight I was carrying. For me though? I barely felt the added load. If anything, the bulkiness of it was more of a problem than the weight. But my previous experiences with combat in Kivotos showed me that I was going to run out of ammo quickly.

Various cries of surprise and shock erupted throughout the room. All except for Hoshino, who stared at me with an evaluation look in her orange and blue eyes. Above the noise, Ayane managed to push herself to the front and stare at me with worried eyes. "Nelson-Sensei, you don't have a Halo! You could get seriously injured!"

I gently placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Now is not the time for concern. In desperate times, all must pull their weight." I paused before giving her and the rest of the girls a confident smile, "Besides, it is not in my blood to be safe in the back while I order those in the front."

"Nn… if you're sure," Shiroko finally assented, "just be careful."

"We'll do our best!" Nonomi said, cheerfully spinning up the gatling gun.

Serika harrumphed, looking away before she answered. "Don't think acting cool will work if you get hurt!"

Ayane just nervously nodded, apparently too cowed to say anything in response to my declaration.

But it was Hoshino I was wondering about. Even though I was smiling, I locked eyes with her. She held steady and firm, her own eyes gazing impassively for a second. Then she blinked and a lazy smile crossed her face again. "Well, if Sensei is going to be fighting, then lil' ol' me can't be shown up by someone even more senior!"

"Excellent." I said beaming confidently. "Because I have a plan for the offense. First, your force of four shall split into two lines of two…"

"Are you sure about this, Sensei?" Arona's voice crackled over my mental radio, concern clear even through the static distortion. "I can protect you with the Chest's shield, but if they brought anything big you might be in trouble."

'I am certain,' I thought back, voice firm and sure, 'They may be thugs and ruffians but they are Students nonetheless. I am beholden to my station to give them the opportunity to reflect and amend for their actions.'

Arona's response was noticeably less concerned and more amused, "Sensei, you've beaten up at least one thug every time you've tried this."

'And I believe I will continue to do so until they learn to be better.'

The sound of boots, laughter, and rowdy cheering drew me out of my mental conversation. Arona must have heard the same as I felt that link disconnect.

"Hey boss, we're finally going to stick it to them right!" I overheard an unfamiliar rough voice.

A chorus of laughter before another voice, although one much more authoritative, replied "Damn straight! They're all out of ammo! We'll finish 'em off, and then take over the school!"

More laughter followed by someone wildly firing their gun into the air. How uncouth. I know people were tougher here but someone could still be hurt or inconvenienced from a random falling bullet.

Then the group rounded the corner of the block, laughter and spirits high, only for the noisy group to slowly quiet as the scene before them soaked in. It was the final few streets that led to the front gate of Abydos. A straight shot between them and the building. Nothing to do but to march up the street and threaten the Students to declare victory.

So, I could not imagine the mental whiplash they must have felt when they turned the corner to see me waiting. Not just waiting, but lounging in a deckchair I had found in my stores. For all intents, I was completely relaxed. That is, if you ignored the massive amounts of firearms and ammunition I had strapped to my person. Judging by the way they all stopped, it had the intended effect of capturing their attention.

The Helmet Gangers looked at each other uncomfortably, before a student in a red uniform and gasmask stepped forward and spoke. "Uh, ma'am, could you get out of the way? We're doing something here"

"It is most regrettable, but I must decline." I answered as I rose from my chair. I watched as they tracked my ascent, and could see some of them lock up. I couldn't tell whether it was from fear or recognition, but it seems instinct had nudged some to understand that they were facing a threat. "Rather, I would like to propose that you leave instead."

While some of her black helmed companions seem to have caution in spades, this red helmed leader appeared to have traded fear for bravado. Faced with an unknown person with an unknown level of threat, she decided to double down. "Yeah! Don't you know who you're talking to? We're the Helmet Gang! We're not afraid of you!"

"Are you certain?" I asked as I ran my hand through my hair, flaring it aside for dramatic effect. I looked back at the group, and locked eyes with the ones in the back. "Your followers seem quite cowed. Perhaps you should reconsider this endeavour? If you reverse in full now, we could avoid any conflict. I certainly will not think less of you for it."

Red-helm bristled, annoyance clear even through the gas mask and helm. She stamped her foot angrily, before pointing dramatically at me in a seeming attempt to match my own drama. "Yeah?! Well, we just need to get past you! You can't stop all of us!"

Two quick bursts of pure transmission over my earpiece let me know it was time. I had given them enough outs and they were still committed. I could do nothing more for these thugs. So, I locked eyes with Red-helm, staring in as direct a line as I could with the lenses of her mask, and ended the conversation with a beaming smile.

"Why, who ever said I was alone?"

"I wish to give them the opportunity to surrender." That was Nelson-Sensei's only request. Shiroko didn't quite understand why. The Helmet Gang had been harassing her friends for so long and she didn't feel they deserved it.

"Everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves better. I do not pretend to understand your history with them, but they are students nonetheless. The duty of my station demands that I try."

Shiroko didn't know how to feel about that. On some level, the enigmatic Adult was right. People made mistakes and did dumb things all the time. Students especially. But the Helmet Gang still chose to make that same mistake time and time again. A part of her whispered that Nelson wouldn't even fight like she said she would, that she would hold her hand back against the Helmet Gang.

Her fears were laid to rest as soon as the Adult gave the call. The plan was simple and easy to execute. With Ayane able to track the Helmet Gang's movement through Abydos, all they needed to do was find out which avenue the gang would approach from. Then Nelson would distract them and buy time for the FTF, split into two pairs, to sneak up the side streets on either side and get behind them. A single burst on the radio to let her know they were in position, pinning the Helmet Gang in the middle between three overlapping fields of fire.

As soon as Nelson shouted the code phrase, Shiroko popped out of her cover behind the trunk of an abandoned car and immediately opened fire. Meanwhile, Hoshino mantled over the hood of the same car before firing with her shotgun as she approached. Across the street, Serika smashed one of the windows from her second-floor perch and began shooting at the group from above. Nonomi chose a much simpler approach, merely electing to fire through the walls to tear it down.

Panic immediately broke out throughout the Helmet Gang's ranks. Surprised cries of "What's happening!" and "I thought they ran out of ammo!" echoed throughout the group. With the most plentiful source of violence behind them, the red-helmeted leader made the only choice that seemed obvious. She fired a shot into the air and waved in the direction of where Nelson-Sensei was standing.

"Girls! We only have to take the school! Charge the adult!" The girl turned around and braced herself to run down the street, only to pause in confusion as she witnessed the sight of Nelson, all nearly two meters of her, already within arms reach of her.

"What the fu-" The curse was cut off as Nelson's fist met the girl's gas mask in a vicious left-handed backhand. Shiroko watched, time slowing down in her focus, as the back of the Adult's hand made contact with the gas mask. The lenses immediately cracked and shattered from the impact. Her eyes tracked the way the helmeted leader's head was knocked to the side from the impact, and the way her feet slowly left tarmac.

Then time resumed and the girl was sent flying into the air, bouncing off a storefront that was far in the sidewalk of the street next to the road. On impact the entire store shuddered and dislodged the sand gathering on various parts of it. As the dust settled, she could see the shattered concrete where the girl made impact with concrete. The girl herself was lying on the street, halo gone along with half the helm and gasmask.

The black-helmed members all looked at each other, frightened and confused. From her position on the floor, she could see Nelson turn her attention to the group. The Adult said something but Shiroko could not hear them. What wasn't lost, however, was the way her smile turned from beaming straight to frightening.

"Abydos!" She heard Nelson cry through her earpiece, watching as she unslung her SMG. "Close in and finish them off!" On that, Shiroko could agree. She ducked back behind the trunk and pulled her drone out of her bag. The rotors spun up with a whistling howl as it flew up to start its rocket run against the panicking group. Hoshino slid her shield off its sling, unfolding it as she increased the tempo of her fire in her charge forward. She could spot Serika's telltale blue flame as the catgirl's rifle fire suddenly increased. Nonomi braced herself, happily saturating the group with even more fire from her minigun.

The black helmed girls routed nearly instantly. There was no other outcome with their leader down, the sudden outburst of violence from around them, and the frightening smile in front of them. Some of them scattered for the side alleys, others tried to stand and fight, and one of them made the decision to rush Nelson.

The Adult unslung her SMG and, without unfolding the stock, dumped the entire magazine into the thug. Shiroko winced as nearly each of the thirty-two rounds found their mark. The thug managed another three steps forward before falling over in a tumble, rolling to a stop in front of the Adult. Nelson stared down at the thug lying by her boots, before gently rolling the unconscious thug out of the way with her foot. With the thug out of the way, she reloaded and lined herself to be parallel with Hoshino in advancing on what remained of the thugs.

Silence met us as Abydos and I stood in the middle of the avenue, looking for any signs of the Helmet Gang. When none was forthcoming, I nodded and slung the SMG back under my left arm. "We appear to be in the clear."

"Wow, I can't believe we won!" Hoshino said as she instantly relaxed, slumping over with a sleepy stretch. "I didn't think they'd run, the Helmet Gang seemed pretty determined."

"You shouldn't say that, Hoshino. Those thugs would have taken over the school had we lost." Ayane's scolding crackled over our earpieces; the disapproval almost visible through the audio link.

"Never fear, Ms. Okusora. I would never have allowed them past me."

That got all the Abydos Students' attention. After a moment, Shiroko nodded with a smile. "Nn, Nelson-Sensei gave us the edge we needed to turn the tide. We couldn't have done it without her."

"Nonsense," I said, waving off her misplaced praise, "I was merely the anvil upon which they broke themselves. It was your combined assault which scattered them."

"No," Shiroko replied, shaking her head. I was momentarily fascinated by the way her ears slightly flapped with the movement before she continued. "Experience was likely the deciding factor. It was amazing how you kept track of everyone even as you distracted them."

"Sheesh, Shiroko. You sound like you have a schoolgirl crush." Hoshino drawled as she gave her taller junior a congratulatory pat on the back, "Anyways can I go back to sleep now that it's over?"

"You shouldn't tease Shiroko like that, Hoshino! Besides, haven't you slept enough today?" Serika shouted, annoyance creeping into her tone.

"Someone got yelled at!" Nonomi said with a laugh, sitting on the hood of a ruined car.

Looking at the four of them fussing over and poking fun at each other reminded me of something. Faces and names lost to the mists of my jumbled memories. People that would prod and joke the same way once. A gulf laid where those memories were now.

"Sensei, are you OK?" The familiar crackle of Arona's radioed voice interrupted my musing. I could hear the concern even through the distortion. "You just got very still for a moment there."

I considered her question, giving it the thinking it needed. I did my best to try to express a warm feeling through the mental communication. 'Everything is quite alright, Arona. I did not mean to worry you.'

"Hmmm, if you say so…" Arona muttered in response. Anything else she had to add was cut as Abydos finished their byplay and turned their attention back to me again.

"Thanks again for your help, Sensei." I hear Ayane say over the radio. "Now that we're safe, we should formally introduce ourselves. We're the Abydos Foreclosure Task Force."

I hear the squeak of a chair being pushed back and the ruffling of cloth being pushed aside. I got the distinct sense Ayane may have just bowed despite being remote. "I'm Ayane, a first-year student. I'm the Task Force's secetary, and in charge of the records and operations."

I had a mental note open already, ready to remember the additional information. The GSC records were accurate on how was where, along with basic information, but things like club roles were frequently absent. It would serve me well to learn of them now.

"Serika is our treasurer and our other first year," Ayane continued.

The cat girl in question looked over to where I was and gave a casual wave. "Hey," Serika said half heartedly.

I waved back as Ayane continued to introduce the rest of her club, "Our second years are Shiroko, our field captain, and Nonomi."

"Thank you for your help, Sensei." Shiroko gave me a curt nod before looking to the side with a light blush. "Ignore what Hoshino said, okay?"

Nonomi gave me a cheerful wave as she spoke. "Hello Sensei!"

"Finally, Hoshino is our lone third year and President!" Ayane finished off, even as the pinkette yawned at the mention of her name.

"Nice to meet you, Sensei." Hoshino said with a sleepy one-eyed gaze.

"It is a pleasure to meet you all. Once again, I am Nelson, the advisor for the Federal Investigation Club Schale." I greeted the group before giving them a small bow, "I apologize on behalf of the General Student Council. You have done well to hold out for so long and it is an embarrassment that it has taken this long for anyone to provide aid."

The girls seemed stunned at my admission before Ayane quickly spoke up, "Nelson-Sensei, it's not your fault! It hasn't been a day and you've already managed to come through for us. Those thugs would have succeeded in taking over the school if not for you. We can't thank you enough."

All of the girls around me nodded in agreement as Ayane continued. "Even with what you've done today, you've helped us get closer to our goal."

"Your goal?"

"Yes, we want to bring Abydos back to its former glory." Ayane declared. I could hear the shuffling of cloth and hair to go with it, and I could imagine the bespectacled girl nodding her head confidently.

"Every single Student in the school is working together towards this goal!" Nonomi cheerfully added, before a hint of the cheer faded. "I mean, there's only the five of us at this school but still..."

"I don't blame everyone else for leaving with the state Abydos is in. That was before we had to deal with thugs like the Helmet Gang trying to take over the school," Shiroko added, her quiet voice barely carrying over the winds, "It's too difficult defending Abydos on our own, and embarrassing to see the state it's in, if I'm being honest..."

"If you hadn't come to help us, we would have been in real big trouble this time around." Ayane muttered, tone half joking and half serious.

"Seriously. I figured we were done for once we ran out of supplies." Hoshino admitted, a bitter smile on her face as she gazed at me. "That's some timing you had there, Sensei."

Their confessions cut deep for me. I wasn't in England anymore and the War was certainly long over. But the idea of a small school set adrift to fight a losing battle alone, with little chance of reinforcement or resupply; it was something that brought to mind too many painful memories.

But maybe this time, I would be able to tip the scales.

"… will drag out?" My attention snapped back to Ayane's musing. "We have plenty of other things to worry about besides the Helmet Gang."

Well, if the gang was such a consistent threat, then perhaps it was time to remove it.

"I have a plan." "An idea comes to mind." Hoshino and I said at the same time. We both paused immediately and looked at each other in shock. She cocked her head curiously and I waved my hand for her to continue. A single sleepy questioning eyebrow cocked up and was met by a slight shake of my head. Byplay completed; we turned our attention back to the rest of the Force only to find them watching our exchange with levels of amusement.

"I expected Sensei to have an idea." Serika admitted with a smirk, "But I didn't think Hoshino would come up with a plan!"

"I'm surprised too!" Ayane added.

Hoshino stared at the catgirl and Ayane's drone with a bemused frown. "Hey, I know I'm not the best but that kind of reaction hurts my feelings. I do my part too, you know."

"Perhaps you can explain to them your plan?" I added. "I suspect we may yet suggest similar things."

"At least someone believes in lil ol' me." Hoshino said dryly, before continuing in her usual drawl. "If history repeats itself, the Helmet Gang will attack in a few days." She opened both eyes fully, a flat smile visible on the edge of her lips. "So before then, why don't we go on the offensive for once? They're probably sulking and vulnerable after the last fight."

All the girls' expressions took on various levels of shocks. Shiroko schooled herself quickly into an approving nod, Nonomi looked concerned, and Serika was just surprised. What I didn't see, however, was fear or disinterest.

"You mean right now?!" Ayane asked. I could hear the surprise in her tone even over the ear piece.

"Yeah, right now." Hoshino answered with a nod and a smile. "With Sensei here, we have more than enough supplies to finish the job once and for all." She turned her sleepy gaze towards me, sharp eyes watching as she asked "What about your idea, Sensei?"

I smiled in response, "It seems we are of like mind. With the shock of such a sudden loss, their forces would be in disarray. My senior back home," and my mention of a senior seemed to draw smiles amongst the gathered girls, "was always one to chase the enemy to their very homes. It would do us well to imitate her."

My explicit support of Hoshino's plan seemed to revitalize everyone and break them off the melancholy from before.

"Great!" Hoshino said, her smile a bit more genuine, "If Sensei is giving us the green light, then let's hurry up and go!"

Shiroko pulled out her smartphone to check something, "The Helmet Gang's base is 30 kilometers from here. We have plenty of time if we leave now."

"Not quite yet," I interrupted, before motioning at all the unconscious thugs around us. "It would do us well to strip them of what supplies we can use and their communication equipment. We will wish to maintain the element of surprise so having the enemy be alerted by one of them waking would be inconvenient."

Shiroko paused at my words, before slowly turning to look at me. Her expression was unreadable as she asked "Are you saying we should rob them?"

"Oh no…" I heard Serika mutter from behind me. I could not guess why, but I may have just said something I should not have.

"Well," I started slowly, piecing together the best way to put it politely, "While I would not describe it as such, seizing abandoned materiel for use is a time-honoured tradition."

Shiroko did not smile at me. Her lips merely twitched upward at my answer. But the bright shine in her eye and the twitch of her canine ears betrayed her emotion. "Of course, Sensei. You're right. We're just taking abandoned stuff." And with that, the silver haired started to loot the unconscious thugs with gusto.

Hoshino walked up next to me as I watched the scene, mildly perturbed. I was quiet for a moment before I asked, "Is this something I should be concerned with?"

Hoshino shrugged and gave me a pat on my back. Given our height difference, she had to visibly stretch to reach the small of my back. "You'll get used to it."

I had to give Shiroko one credit though. She was very thorough and quick in stripping the girls of anything useful. I choose to file it away in my ever-growing list of things to worry about later. "Everyone else, please feel free to assist or rest. We leave in fifteen minutes."

Serika frowned, ears twitching in the wind. "And what are you going to do?"

I smiled in response. "I have a surprise to prepare."

Rabu was not having a good day. It started as a good day. Today was going to be the day they kicked out those losers in Abydos and completed their job. They were going to hit payday! It was going to be easy. So, she sent her second to secure the school. Abydos was out of supplies; they couldn't even fight back. It was supposed to be easy.

Then they lost contact with the attack party. Minutes turned to hours. She was about to get a second group sent out when the first party returned. Or at least, parts of them. And what a story they had to tell.

"Sorry, could you run that by me again?" Rabu asked the terrified girl before her.

The girl nodded panicky before speaking, her voice quaking in terror. "Abydos got supplies. And not only just supplies, they got some sort of psycho to help them! She's no student I've ever seen. She's super tall, has no halo, and is freakishly strong! She sent Haato flying with a single slap!"

Rabu nodded, partially to get the girl to continue, partially to figure out how screwed they were. From the sounds of it, they might be a bit more than out of their depths here.

"And that's not it!" The girl rambled on "She doesn't just beat people up! She shoots them! She dumps entire mags into people and then kicks them while they're down! Who does that?!"

OK, so this is definitely not good. Abydos hired some sort of psycho mercenary from outside of Kivotos somehow. She was sure her boss would have heard if some crazy giant was rampaging around Kivotos. She had to pretend she was in charge here though.

"OK, look, we're gonna need bigger guns from the sound of it. But right now?" Rabu paused, waving a hand at their base. Large walls made from ruined buses and cars reinforced with sheet metal formed a strong perimeter. A single heavy metal gate they stole from an abandoned mall guarded the only one way in and out. Nearly three dozen Helmet Gang members patrolled the area. "There's no way five people are going to get in here. They don't have anything that can break past these walls."

As she finished reassuring the panicking survivor, Megumi entered her command hut. Her other second paused at the sight of the terrified girl before walking over to whisper. "Boss, Abydos and some tall blonde just stopped a few blocks from the gate."

"What are they doing?"

"Nothing, they're just staring at the base. I don't think they know how to get in."

Rabu turned back to the terrified girl with a smirk. "See, nothing to worry abo-"

The roar of an explosion interrupted them, followed by the concussion of the shockwave rattling the building. Rabu was already on her feet, shotgun in hand, as she ran out the door of the hut. As she exited, she stopped immediately to gape at the sight. The main gate of the base had its center blown inward like if struck by a rocket launcher.

Then another fireball ripped into the car next to the gate. The detonation flipped the vehicle and shattered it but, more importantly, tore apart one of the supports for the gate. She could see the rest of the thugs around her panicking, rushing to take positions.

Before they could respond, the truck on the other side of the gate vanished as well. Another peal of thunder and the back half of the truck was torn apart along with the other gate support.

With both arms holding up their main gate gone; gravity demanded its toll. Slowly the large chunk of metal leaned back before toppling with a loud *THUD*. The collapse kicked up the sand, intermixing with the clouds formed from the explosion. For a brief moment, silence filled the area.

Then the sharp piercing screech of a whistle, and an unfamiliar feminine voice shouted. "Abydos, full ahead!" A shield wielding pinkette burst out of the sandstorm, followed by the tallest human Rabu had ever seen. Decked from head to toe with weapons and ammunition, and carrying a large blocky pistol in one hand. In the other was, of all things, an actual sword. An assault rifle wielding catgirl and wolfgirl followed behind them, and then a smiling blonde touting a minigun.

As the area around the gate descended into violence, Rabu turned to Megumi. "You're in charge now. I need to tell the boss." Before the second could protest, Rabu turned and ran for the backup exit. It was a bit cowardly but hey, somebody needed to get reinforcements and tell the others what happened. And above all, she had no desire to face off against some freakishly giant psycho with a sword today.

AN: The senior that Nelson references is HMS Warspite. Kancolle depicts her as this polite, even-keeled, and regal figure. Her combat lines somewhat hint at the truth, being notably aggressive. This is because, in real life, Warspite embodies 'stubborn defiance'. She served in some of the most notable Royal Navy operations in both World Wars and had a nasty habit of showing up unannounced to smack enemy ships when they thought they were safe. Warspite was possibly the most distinguished battleship in the Atlantic despite her age and constant damage. Her record is definitely one to be read, because some of it is quite interesting.

Anyways, that's enough simping for my 2nd favourite ship in real life and game. We finally get a glimpse at how Nelson looks from the opposing side. While the audience knows she has to dump entire magazines to actually knock out students; that is quite excessive from another students perspective. But, alas, this is how rumors begin and grow. Thanks again to my friend for beta reading and hearing me out.

From Sea to Sky (Blue Archive/Kantai Collection Crossover)

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