Infinite Stratos, Volume 7, page 5
“Oh, hey, Dan.”
“Wow, Ichika? What are you doing here?” The place was around half-full. Dan, in an apron, was waiting tables, earning his allowance while helping out. “Huh, you brought a girl? Wait, is she your girlfriend?”
“What’s that smug grin for?”
“Whaddaya mean? So... Is she?”
“No way. Remember, I told you about her back in middle school. She’s my childhood friend. My first childhood friend. Didn’t you meet her at my birthday party?”
“Man, you crazy? I spent the whole time getting Utsuho’s number.”
“Wait, what was that about Utsuho?”
“Cough. Nothing at all. Anyway, uhh. What was her name? Shinono?” As Dan stood with arms crossed trying to remember, Houki spoke up.
“Shinonono Houki.”
“Oh, right. I’m Gotanda Dan. Pleased to meet you.”
“Yeah.”
Hearing his name, Gotanda Ran came to mind, and she was taken a little aback. Wait, did he come here just to meet up with her? The thought ate at her as Dan led them to their table.
“Just get my attention when you’re ready to order,” said Dan as he went back behind the counter.
Houki struck up conversation with Ichika as she looked over the menu, “So, what would you recommend?”
“Hmm, it’s all good, but if I had to pick something it’d be the seafood. The simmered flounder’s really tasty.”
“Thanks. Hmm...”
Even as they talked, the worry that he only came here to see Ran kept running through her head.
“Er, um... Ichika?”
“Yeah?” Ichika replied without looking up from the menu.
“U-Um...”
Say it! Just say it! You can do it! Even as she tried to push herself into it, she couldn’t quite find the words. Get a hold of yourself, Houki! Where’s all your determination? All right. I’ll say it. I’ll say it!
“Um— Ichika!”
“Hm? What’s the big deal?”
“Oh, nothing... Sorry...”
She must have been too forceful, as the nearby tables were staring. Embarrassed, she shrunk back into her seat as Ichika gave her a curious look.
“You know, you’ve looked really good at kendo club lately. Your posture and everything. Especially how you keep your back straight.”
“Oh, right. Thanks, I guess...” She took a deep sip from her glass of water as she shrunk back again. One more time. I can do it!
“I-Ichika.”
“Yeah”
“Um... Well...” The world swirled around her as she looked up, directly into his eyes. Just say it! “Uhh... Lately, I’ve been practicing my cooking. Would you like to try it sometime?”
Argh! What am I saying!
“Oh, really? Your cooking’s great. I’d love to.”
“Oh, I see! I see... Yeah!” As Ichika smiled happily, Houki nodded, her ponytail swaying. Her joy was written all over her face.
“Anyway, I think I’m getting the grilled fish and fish fry combo. How about you?”
“Me? Well, umm...” Houki, who had forgotten all about dinner, looked back down at the menu.
“The Hellfire stir-fry is good too. I mean, it is their house special.”
“Oh? I’ll have that, then.” Houki had already forgotten all about Ran, and was enjoying her time together with Ichika.
“Hey, Dan. We’re ready.”
“Alright, what can I get you?”
“I’ll have the grilled fish and fish fry combo. And Houki will have the Hellfire stir-fry.”
“Gotcha. Just a sec.”
A few quick jots on the check, and Dan disappeared into the kitchen. It was then that the chef, Dan’s grandfather Gen, noticed that Ichika was there and spoke up, “Hmm? Isn’t that Ichika!”
“Oh, hi there. I thought I’d drop in.”
“I see. Bring your girlfriend for a date? Gahaha!”
“It’s not like that—”
“Hey! Ran! Heeeeey!” Gen turned and yelled upstairs. A faint ‘what?’ echoed back down. “Get down here! Quick!”
“Why?”
“Just do it!”
It seemed like Ran was inclined to listen to her grandfather, as it only took her two minutes to make it out the back door and back in the front. Like usual, she was in somewhat fashionable, but definitely not dressy, clothes.
“What is it, Grandpa? I’m in the middle of my homewo— Whaaat?! Ichika?!”
“Yo.”
“Gahaha!” Gen, who had been laughing the whole time, was so bemused he’d stopped cooking. As Ran compared her own outfit to Ichika’s, and especially Houki’s, her ears turned a bright red and she ran back out the door.
“Waaaaaah!”
“...Wait, what? Hey, Dan. What’s up with her?”
“Now you’ve done it, Gramps.”
“Oh? And why would that be?”
“I’d be more worried about the cooking...” Dan’s mother and the self-described poster girl of Gotanda’s, Ren, stepped in.
“Oh? Oh, my. Is that your girlfriend there, Ichika?”
“I just said, it’s not like that.”
“Oh, I see. That’s good, at least.” Seeing her smile, a smile rose to Ichika’s face reflexively.
Ten minutes later...
“Welcome, Ichika...” Ran, somewhat inexplicably, was in her best clothes, with an apron over them. The arrival of the true poster girl had excited the male clientele.
“Huh, wait, Ran. Did you get changed?”
“Well... Yeah...”
“Are you going out somewhere? It’s pretty late.”
“Nothing wrong with that! I... I just felt like it!” Ran snuck a quick peek at Houki, and her heart dropped. She probably has me beat... Especially in the chest area. Ugh... A loud voice rang out, with no time for her girlish introspection.
“Come on, Ran! Bring them their food!”
“Okay, okay! You don’t have to yell, Grandpa!” Ran picked up the plate and spun away. “Hmph!”
“What...? Hey, Dan. You did something to make Ran mad, didn’t you!”
“It wasn’t me, old man!”
“Don’t lie to me!”
“Gah! Why are you blaming me?! You’re the one who did it!” As the grandfather and grandson bickered, Ren motioned to Ran in encouragement.
“Here you are, Ichika.”
“Thanks.” Having brought Ichika’s meal, she returned to the counter for Houki’s.
“Sorry for the wait. Um... It’s been a while, hasn’t it.”
“Yeah. It has. Thanks.”
With that, Ichika and Houki were both served. But Ran stayed at their table, watching. Why are they here together? Is it a date? I hope it’s not a date... As she stood there overthinking, Ichika spoke up.
“What’s up, Ran?”
“W-What?! Oh, nothing, nothing at all!”
“Well, we can’t really eat with someone standing there staring.”
“Oh! Oh, right! That’s right! Ahahaha, sorry about that!” Ran dashed off behind the counter. Ichika and Houki watched in confusion as they split their chopsticks.
“Anyway, let’s eat.”
“Yes, let’s eat.”
Their chopsticks sprang swiftly to their plates.
“Looks like it’s salmon today. Mmm, this is good.”
Meanwhile, Houki let out a surprised ‘ooh’ as she bit into the Hellfire stir-fry. “This... This is good. It’s got just the right amount of soy sauce.”
“Yeah. It’s great.”
“Would you like some?”
“You sure? Sure thing, then—” Ichika reached out his chopsticks to Houki’s plate, only to be interrupted by a cough.
“I... I’ll feed you...”
“Huh? What?”
“I said, I’ll feed you!”
“O-Okay...” Ichika was a little taken back by how loudly she insisted, but then nodded. Houki picked up a clump of meat and veg and, cradling her hand under it, lifted it to his mouth.
“Say ‘Ahh.’”
“Ah...”
“AHHHHH!” Just as he was about to bite down, a yell even louder than Houki’s echoed through Gotanda’s.
It was Ran...
“See? Ichika’s already got her, you may as well give up.” Dan slapped a hand on Ran’s shoulder, only to squirm as she stomped on his foot.
“Ah— Ahem. I mean...”
“Ah...”
“ARRRGH!” Ran screamed again. The other customers were beginning to gawk at the scene.
“What’s going on?”
“It’s something that couple’s doing, I think.”
“We can’t let anyone make Ran cry!”
“Yeah!”
A group of men started to speak up, only to be met with a ‘quiet it down!’ from Gen.
There was no way that Houki, embarrassed by the sudden attention, could keep feeding Ichika. Why do things like this always happen when I finally get my chance? I swear, every single time! Houki’s chopsticks snapped as she clenched her fists.
“Houki.”
“What?!”
“Say ‘Ahh.’”
Chomp. Houki reflexively bit down on the fried shrimp Ichika held out.
“The fried stuff is good, too. I think they do it a bit differently.”
“I... I guess...” Houki answered after swallowing the shrimp. Meanwhile, Ran glared at Ichika from behind the counter with tears in her eyes, but Ichika was too far away to notice.
Ichika just fed me... Ichika just fed me... Houki’s cheeks blushed a bright red as she tried to still her pounding heart.
“Y-You can have some more of my stir-fry.”
Trying not to let him see her snapped chopsticks, Houki fed Ichika another bite.
“Mm. Mmmm.”
“.........”
Even though she hadn’t cooked the stir-fry herself, Houki found herself nervous as she waited for his reaction.
“Yeah, this is great!”
“That’s good!” Relief blossomed in her heart. They returned to their meals, eating until Ran came by their table again.
“Heeeeeeey, here’s more water.”
“Oh, thanks.”
Ran took the glass with trembling hands, and began to refill it from the pitcher she carried. But with what she had just seen still burned in her eyes, the water poured out wildly.
“Whoa! What’s wrong, Ran? Are you okay?”
“I... I’m fine... Ahahahah...” With shaking hands, she took Houki’s glass to refill it, as tears welled up in her eyes.
“Ran?”
“It... It’s nothing...” Ran wiped her tears away and tried to work up a smile, but she only managed to cry even more.
“What’s wrong?!”
“Uwaaaaah!” Ran’s thudding footsteps echoed through the restaurant as she fled.
“What’s gotten into her? Sorry, Houki. I’m gonna go check on her.” Ichika stood up to follow, only to be blocked by a group of burly men.
“Murakami Shizaburo, age 42, contractor!”
“Juzo Yamada, age 39, carpenter!”
“Yoshioka Shuichi, age 47, delivery driver!”
“Terada Katsumi, age 34, clerk!”
“Chris McKenzie, age 29, self-employed!”
The quintet struck a pose as they introduced themselves. Ichika could almost imagine flames rising up behind them.
“We’re the Ran Fan Club Alliance!”
“Ahh...”
“And you’re about to die!”
The five rushed at Ichika all at once, only to be held back by Gen’s stout arm.
“Gen...”
“Ichika... Let’s take this outside.” A vein swelled up on Gen’s temple. He was furious that someone had made his dear granddaughter cry.
“Ahaha, haha, ahahahaha...”
We interrupt this program to bring you the latest weather update. Some areas will see intense sporadic bloodshed due to an angry grandfather coming in from behind the counter. If you’re going to be out and about, be sure to bring an umbrella.
◇
“Bwahhh....”
Ran sat alone on a swing in a nearby park, depressed. Her cheeks were still red from sobbing. Wahhhh... Ichika’s going out with Houki... The quiet creaking of the chains reflected her own dejected mood.
Sighing, she drew out a ticket from her pocket. It was an invitation to the school festival of her fantastically-prestigious school, St. Marianne’s Junior Academy for Girls. I was going to give this to Ichika, but now... It was a dream which would never come true. She gripped the ticket to tear it in half.
“Hey, Ran!”
“Wha— I-Ichika?!” As Ran saw Ichika run up, gasping for air, she quickly hid the invitation behind her back.
“H-Here... Here you are... I’ve been looking all over for you...”
“I-Ichika... Why...”
“Why wouldn’t... I be worried... When you ran out like that?” Ichika tilted his head back, trying to catch his breath. She could see the red bruises on his face from where he’d been punched.
“I-Ichika? What happened to you?!”
“Oh, these? I... I just fell, ahahah.”
It was an obvious lie, one which Ran could easily see through. She realized it must have been Gen’s doing.
“Sorry... That was my fault...”
“Huh? What was?”
“Well... I mean...”
Ran’s heart soared as she realized Ichika had left Houki behind, taken a beating from Gen, and searched all over just to find her. The sorrow constricting her chest vanished, replaced with a throbbing pain in its own way. He’s really such a nice guy... She clutched her hands in front of herself. Maybe I can ask him now... Having made her decision, she looked up and opened her lips.
“Ichika!”
“Yeah?”
“Here! I’d love to see you there!” She handed him the invitation to the St. Marianne’s Junior Academy festival.
“Huh? Oh, is this for the festival at your school?”
“Y-Yes.”
Looking down at the date on the invitation, Ichika realized something. Huh, that’s the same date as the dinner invitations we got from Mayuzumi. He paused for a moment to think. But it’s a school festival, it’ll probably be done by the evening. Deciding that, he accepted.
“Thanks, I’ll definitely show up for that.”
“Really? Ahhh, when you get there, I’ll be sure to show you around! Just call me when you arrive!”
“Huh? You’re the student council president, right? Aren’t you going to be pretty busy?”
“No! It’s fine! It’ll be fine! I trust everyone else to do their job!” Ran was inordinately proud, at the moment, of not being very relevant.
“Oh, I see. I’ll give you a call then.”
“Yes! Oh, yes!” Seeing Ran’s smile gleam like the sun gave Ichika a bit of relief. He wasn’t quite sure what he had done to make her cry, but he’d been worried about it all evening.
Ran was a girl whose emotions swung wildly, though. Right now, she was overjoyed. I did it, I did it! I’m going on a school festival date! All right! Using their one invitation to bring a boyfriend to the school festival was a dream of girls at St. Marianne’s and IS Academy alike, and Ran’s heart soared at its fulfillment.
Of course, her friends would be watching and judging, but she could be sure that Ichika would meet their standards. After all, he was the one boy in the world who could pilot an IS, and now that the Japanese government had relaxed its gag order he was all over magazines and TV. A smug grin rose to her face as she remembered the abject jealousy on a friend’s face as she recounted her shopping trip with him. And we’ll be walking through the school arm-in-arm as I show him around... Ran giggled.
“Anyway, let’s head back.”
“Oh, right.”
Ichika returned to Gotanda’s, with a grinning Ran in tow. The sheer glee she felt kept her awake all night.
Chapter III: Open Your Heart
A week had passed since Ichika had met Kanzashi.
“Hey. Team up with me.”
“Not happening...”
Every day it happened, and rumors were flying hot and heavy that Ichika was after her.
“Hey, did you hear?”
“Orimura’s hot for Sarashiki in Class D.”
“No way! Really? Why?!”
“No idea. But it seems like he’s got his heart set on her as his tag team partner.”
“Not any of the others?”
“Well...”
For Cecilia Alcott:
“Ichika... I’ll make you regret not choosing me. Ohohoho!” The Starlight Mk. III and her four bits fired at once. With her new mastery of flexible fire, each scored a direct hit.
“Tremble! I, Cecilia Alcott, will play your requiem with my Blue Tears!”
For Huang Lingyin:
“Give me the package data to replace Shenlong’s right shoulder unit with a scatter impact cannon and left shoulder unit with a piercing impact cannon. After that, I want Souten Gagetsu in blade mode, and the arm-mounted impact cannon removed and replaced with a Voltech chain. Can you do it in three days? ...What? You can’t? I know you can! Now get it done!”
After firing off an order to the Chinese supply specialist, she let off a full-power blast from her Longpao cannon. The satisfyingly-large explosion blew a gigantic hole in the ground of the arena.
“Just you wait, Ichika... I’ll have you begging to cry, but I won’t let you!” Rin’s eyes burned with a fighter’s passion as she clenched her fists.
For Charlotte Dunois:
She took a deep breath. Some 200 meters above Central Tower, she looked straight down at the earth. There were 57 targets set up surrounding the tower. Each was a live-fire drone.
“Let’s go, Revive!”
Charlotte suddenly dove. In each of her hands was a .57-caliber Desert Fox heavy machine gun. Alternately slowing, then accelerating, she shot down target after target.
Click. Her ammo spent, she cast away her guns and called forth a pair of assault blades. Maintaining her speed, she swept down toward the earth, slicing through target after target as she dove. Fwoooosh!
A moment before hitting the ground, she spun about-face and fired her leg-mounted thrusters. At the same time, she crossed her blades and flung them, scoring a direct hit on the final target.
