Infinite Stratos, Volume 5, page 5
“.........”
“.........”
Houki’s withering glare made it hard to actually eat, though. She may have come to terms with Tatenashi, but she was still barely holding back her anger at me. What did I even do wrong?
“Oh? Aren’t you two hungry? I guess that means more for me.” Tatenashi quickly scarfed down the remaining inarizushi. “Mmm. That was good.”
She licked her fingertips before clasping her hands together and bowing her head. It carried enough unexpected gravitas that Houki and I reflexively bowed in response.
“Anyway, Houki, since you’re here, let me explain something to you.”
“To... Me?”
“Yes, to you. About the Akatsubaki.” Houki’s expression steeled instantly, and naturally Tatenashi continued without skipping a beat. “I’ve heard you can’t activate its one-off ability, Kenran Butou.”
“Well...”
Houki glared at me, as if to scream “Did you tell her?” with her eyes. I shook my head from side to side. Houki’s Akatsubaki hadn’t been able to use it a second time since it first managed to appear. During practice, she’d tried over and over to get it to work, but it just didn’t respond at all. It showed up in the data, though, so we had no idea what the problem was.
“To put it simply, one-off abilities won’t activate if the pilot’s mental state isn’t completely synchronized with the IS. Do you remember the time you were able to use it?”
“Yeah...”
“So if you can feel like you did then, your IS should respond.”
“I-I see...”
For some reason, Houki was looking down in embarrassment. Hmm? What’s up with her? Why was she darting her eyes in my direction?
“Just as an aside, the Akatsubaki’s ability to amplify energy is a parallel to the Byakushiki’s ability to nullify it. It can even set up an energy bypass to transfer it to others. It’s clear that Professor Tabane put a lot of work into it. It’s a great IS.”
“Umm... Can it be used with anything other than Ichika’s Byakushiki?”
“I suppose? It’s not really something I can make a useful guess about. You should just give it a try.”
“I see.”
Houki’s eyes flitted to me again. Huh? Why? Is she worried about offending me? As that light bulb went on over my head, I rested my hand on her shoulder and spoke, “Don’t worry about it, Houki. It’s more useful if you can use it on anyone, right?”
“I guess...”
For some reason, she looked disappointed. What did I do now?
“I’ve also noticed you have a bypass set up with Charlotte, Ichika. I was shocked when I saw it. Normally, setting one up requires a really difficult degree of synchronization with the IS core. I’m amazed that she managed to do that in combat.”
“Yeah. Charl’s a really good pilot. Plus, she’s good with her hands, and she gets along with everyone.”
“.........”
Smack!
“Oww! Why’d you do that, Houki?”
“Hmph!”
For some reason, Houki had angrily kicked my foot as hard as she could. What had gotten into her?
“So it’s complicated between you two, eh?”
“Huh?”
“There’s nothing complicated about it... Ichika is just a moron.”
Moron? What do you mean, moron? We may have known each other forever, but that’s still— Owww!
“Houki! Don’t pinch me!”
“Shut up.” She glared at me, her eyes gleaming. Ugh, that was scary.
“Yes, yes. We know you two are close already, so let’s move on to something else. But... perhaps some tea first?”
“Sure, I’ll make some.”
“Oh? Thank you, Ichika.”
The longer I was trapped in there with Houki, the more vicious her attacks were becoming, so I took refuge in the kitchen area while I made the tea.
Houki’s moods have been wild lately. As I heated the water, I thought about how she’d been lately. She’d started going to the kendo club, and made new friends. She was getting along better with Rin and Charl, which was good. But the reason she was here was to learn to pilot an IS, and that she was having trouble with and couldn’t bring herself to accept help.
Oh, the water’s ready. I scattered the leaves into the teapot, and as I waited for them to unfurl, I pulled out two extra mugs and warmed them. When both tasks were done, I placed them on a tray and gingerly carried them back over to the others.
“Oh, really? That’s, uh... Ahahah. That’s interesting.”
“Isn’t it. Haha.”
Hmm? It seemed like they were already getting along well. While I was gone they’d started up a private conversation. I really didn’t understand how girls could do that.
“What took you so long, Ichika?”
“Oh, I have some maple leaf manju as a souvenir. You two can help yourselves.”
Both were all smiles for whatever reason. Tatenashi’s the type who can twist anyone, man or woman, around her finger. The phrase ‘con artist’ came to mind. It’d been a nickname for Toyotomi Hideyoshi, of all people, but right now it felt like a perfect one for Tatenashi. That’s not a very cute nickname for a girl... But if it the shoe fits, wear it, I guess. It’s that or ‘Cheshire cat’ or ‘female Tora-san.’ Well, I guess not quite the last one, he may have been charming but he was too earnest for his own good.
“Men. Can you believe he’s just sitting there staring at me?” Tatenashi tapped the manju box for emphasis.
“Er, um...”
“Hm? You’re not going to claim you weren’t, are you, Ichika?”
“D-Did... you just come back from vacation?”
“Oh, trying to change the subject? What do you think about that, Houki?”
“I think he should man up.”
Ugh. It wasn’t fair getting teamed up on like that. They could take me down in the blink of an eye.
“Anyway! Tea’s ready!”
“Hahaha. He’s getting flustered now.”
“Indeed, we’ve had our fun. That’s enough for now.”
“I suppose. You’re too kind to him, Houki.”
The girls were laughing it up. Meanwhile, I was on a bed of needles.
“Anyway, to answer your question. I didn’t go anywhere. An acquaintance of mine at the labs said that maple leaf manju were a great souvenir, so I’ve stocked up.”
“The labs?”
“The development team for my IS.”
“You have your own IS?”
“Of course. I mean, I am the strongest one at IS Academy.”
Houki and I both tensed up a little. Tatenashi was the strongest student here even without using an IS, so her tactics with one must really be even wilder.
“Hmm. I’ll have to show you sometime. I’m actually quite a good teacher.”
“Really?!”
Houki was excited by the prospect. As for myself... Well, I’d already accepted her coaching.
“Of course. It’s my duty to take good care of my adorable little underclassmen.”
“I see. Thanks!”
“Just, one at a time, okay? Not both at once. It makes it too hard to focus.”
“Okay...” Houki was obviously disappointed by that, but acquiesced. Their scrap earlier had made the gap in their capabilities very clear. Apparently, though, she still considered it more useful than training alone.
“Anyway, um. There’s something I’ve been wondering for a little bit.” Houki took a sip of tea to steady her nerves, then gestured around the room. “Aren’t these your things?”
“Yes. I’ll be staying here for a while.”
“What?!”
Houki shot to her feet. There was nothing at all I could say to make the situation better, so I stayed quiet, even as I regretted my own gutlessness. Ugh...
“Why?!”
“Well. Since I’ll be coaching Ichika, we need to be on the same page. Eat the same meals. Get the same sleep. And I need to be able to keep an eye on him constantly.”
“Keep an eye on me...” What am I, Tatenashi? Your pet?
“Then I’ll stay here too!” Somehow I expected Houki to say that.
“Hmm. No can do.”
“Why not?!”
“This is a two-person room.”
“Ugh...” She couldn’t argue with that.
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep my hands off him.”
“If... If you say so...”
“I can’t guarantee he’ll keep his hands off me, though~”
“What?! Ichika, you—”
“Wa-Wait! Wait! I didn’t even say anything! C’mon, Tatenashi! Stop provoking her! When she gets mad, she gets violent!”
“Oh, you noticed? I’m sorry, Houki. That was a little mean of me. Tee-hee.”
“I... Okay...”
Seeing that innocent grin, Houki relaxed and sat back down. The corner of Tatenashi’s mouth curled up as she watched. She really is a con artist... And this began our tumultuous life together.
◇
Example one.
“Heyyyy, Ichika!”
“Wha— Whoa!”
Tatenashi called me back into the room as I was brushing my teeth before bed. When I walked back through the door, she was lying on her bed with her feet kicked up in the air. Not that there was anything wrong with that. The problem was that she wasn’t wearing anything but a white shirt and underwear.
Wait, I can see her... The curves of Tatenashi’s hips were accentuated by her slender waist. They were covered—barely—by light purple panties, and as I realized just how much I could see, I retreated back into the bathroom.
“Huh? What’s wrong, Ichika?”
“Y-You know what! Put some clothes on!”
“But I have clothes on.”
“Pants too!”
“Aww...”
I could hear her footsteps from outside the door. Oh no! She’s getting closer!
“That’s funny, the door won’t open.”
“Well, of course it won’t. I’m holding it shut.”
“If you don’t open up, the hinges are going to crack.”
“Huh?” With the bright sound of metal snapping, the door collapsed in on me. Oomph!
“Jump!” The door leaned inward diagonally, with Tatenashi’s full weight on top of it. Ugh. “See? I’m not that heavy. I have a good figure, and I work out every day.”
“Listen, if you’re gonna toot your own horn, at least be rig—”
“Punch!”
The base of her palm struck firmly against the opposite side of the door that was pressed against my face. The shock knocked me to the floor, and she seized the opportunity to step into the bathroom. From bottom up, it was the floor, then me, then the door, then her. Man, this sucked.
“Why don’t you just stop arguing with me and let me try one of those massages I’ve heard so much about?”
“Eh?!”
“I bet you want to know how I know, don’t you? Fufu. I always I have my ear to the ground. Besides, Cecilia apparently wouldn’t shut up about it.”
Dammit, Cecilia! Look what you’ve gotten me into! Anyway, though, there I was. Honestly, Tatenashi did have a good figure. Not just an okay one. An amazing one. You could tell she was stacked even with her uniform on. Yet her waist tucked in nice and slender. And her butt was perfect. Ugh, no! I can’t massage her! I was the problem. My brain was going all over. This wasn’t good. This couldn’t be good.
“Still don’t wanna, huh? All right, how about this?”
Tatenashi flipped the door off of me, and was immediately all over me herself.
“What are you doing?”
“Mwahahaha. Coochie-coochie-coo!”
“Wha— No, wait, stop! Ahhh!”
“Now have you changed your mind yet about that massage?”
“No! I told you! I can’t—”
“If you can still focus to argue, maybe I should do it harder.”
“Ahhhhh! Ahahahahah! St-Sto—hahahahahah!”
“So, how about that massage?”
“O-Okay! I’ll do it! I’ll do it, ahahahahaha! Just stop...”
Satisfied with that response, Tatenashi finally stopped tickling me.
“You’re a tough one, aren’t you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Anyway, hurry up with the massage. I’m so worn out from student council.”
“But!”
“Yes, that too.”
“...Did you have to?”
“Mm-hmm. I just thought it’d be amusing. Anyway...”
“Put something on down there. Or I’m not doing it.”
“Down there? But I’m wearing panties already.”
“Panties don’t count.”
“Well, that’s no fun.”
“All right, not doing it.”
“Aww, you meanie. All right, I’ll go put some pants on.”
“Please do.”
I looked up at Tatenashi as she left the room, and she stopped for a second to protest, “They’re not panties, so it’s not embarra—”
“Yes they are.”
I didn’t care what you called them. They were obviously panties. And please stop making me look at them. It was taking everything I had just to look away.
“How about these?”
She flipped up the hem of her shirt to reveal a pair of tight-fitting bike shorts. I could see the seams of her panties through them.
“.........”
“I can see you drooling.”
“I-I am not!”
I just couldn’t deal with it right then. Honestly. That was all it was.
“Now, anyway. Time for my massage.”
“Yes, ma’am...” Tatenashi was stretched out on the bed, and I didn’t have any willpower left to argue with her. “Okay, I’m about to start.”
“Mm. Thank you. Make me even more beautiful than I already am.”
I didn’t think just a massage could accomplish that. I mean, it was a pretty high bar to start from. Hmm. It smells nice in here. The room was filled with a sweet yet fresh scent, different from either Houki or Charl’s. As my heart began to beat faster, I felt my hand wrap around something soft. Smoosh.
It’s soft. It’s so soft, and I’m still only on her legs. They weren’t just the softness of fat, though. There was well-toned muscle underneath. How should I describe it? It just felt good. Just touching it felt nice.
“Hurry up and do my butt. I’ve been sitting all day.”
“Okay...”
There was only one way out. I needed to empty my mind! Accept the state of nothingness! Steeling myself, I moved my hand up her leg. Smoosh.
“.........”
It was really soft. A nice size, too.
“Ichika.”
“Yeah?”
“You have a nosebleed.”
“Sorry...”
◇
Example two.
“And good luck on your midterms!”
Fourth period, part of the national curriculum rather than our training in IS piloting, had just ended, and the classroom was as lively as ever. These lessons were split up by native language, so there were only Japanese in the class. For once, I saw black hair across the entire room.
“Let’s get lunch, Orimura.”
“You should come with us for once.”
“Yeah. It’s no fair that everyone with their own IS just sticks together.”
I was surrounded by girls and expected to just be dragged off to the dining hall, but then...
“Pardon me.” Tatenashi stepped into the classroom, with what looked like a wrapped stack of five lunchboxes in her hand, and grinned as she walked toward me. “Why don’t we eat in a classroom for once? I think it’ll be fun.”
She dropped the stack on my desk and grabbed a chair. At the same time, she called the other girls over, and soon I was surrounded by six or so of them. At least Houki’s here. I can get her to bail me out if things go south. While I was thinking, Tatenashi opened a box. What in the world...
“Wow, this is incredible,” I heard someone whisper. We all gasped at what was inside.
The box was packed with lobster and sea scallops. These were more than just a boxed lunch.
“How on earth did you make these?!”
“Mm? Oh, I got up early.”
“That wasn’t what I meant.”
Something I’d learned about Tatenashi as I’d come to know her better was that, if asked how she could do something or anything like that, she’d always answer something like: “If they try hard enough, anyone can.” But she was obviously some kind of genius, so whoever got told that just ended up feeling lost. Just because people wish they could do what you do doesn’t mean they can...
“Ichika.”
“Eh?”
“Open wide.”
A bite of food filled my mouth. It was stuffed pepper, deftly seasoned and infused with the savory flavor of the meat. It was fine. It was wonderful. What wasn’t wonderful was the reactions of the girls around me. Their breath stopped in unison as their expressions turned steely.
“EHHH?!”
“Orimura and the prez have that going on?!”
“I’m dead! God is dead! We’re all dead! It’s all over!”
“This can’t be happening! I refuse to accept that this is happening!”
“It’s no fair! Why do you get to look so good and get the guy?”
“I thought you were ours!”
And then there was Houki, whose fingers were twitching hard enough that her chopsticks began to creak and splinter. She gave me a glare so fierce that it would kill if it could. You’re my first childhood friend! Why does it have to be like this?!
“What are you doing, Ichika?!”
“Well. Eating lunch.”
“That wasn’t what I meant!” she retorted.
“Is it tasty?” asked Tatenashi.
“Yeah, I guess.”
“I want to hear the whole thing.”
“That was delicious...”
As I shyly mumbled it, something in Houki snapped, and she leapt to her feet. Whoa! Why do you have a sword?!
“Hou-ki~”
