Infinite Stratos, Volume 8, page 8
What would it be now? As a nurse? “Laura, my very own healing angel...”
As a maid? “Call me ‘Master’...”
Or even in a bunny suit?! “Laura, my cute little bunny...”
“Laura? Laura.”
“W-What?!”
“You have a nosebleed,” Ichika said as he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped my face.
“I-I can do it myself, silly!”
“I know, I know.”
“You only have to say it once!”
“Anyway, say ‘ahh.’”
Chomp... Ahh, Ichika’s omelets are so fluffy and moist... Wait, this was no time to let my guard down!
“Ichika!”
“Yes?”
“J-Just what do you plan on asking for?!” I only realized I’d risen to my feet as Ichika teasingly scolded me, “Now, now, calm down. An officer should never lose her nerve, right?”
“...True.” I seated myself again, nibbled my toast, took a bite of salad, sipped my cocoa.
“Naked apron, probably.”
Pffffbbbt!
“Cough, cough. W-What?!”
“I want to see you naked except for an apron! Pretty please?”
“Silly! Who would ever do something like that?!”
I leaned over the table to glare at Ichika up close, only for him to kiss me on the forehead. Smooch.
“Ah...”
“Pweeeeeze? Laura?”
“Umm...”
“L-Like this?” My voice wavered as I nervously stepped into the living room. All that I wore was my eyepatch and an apron. I couldn’t imagine being any more embarrassed. Even though I pressed the cloth firmly to my body, I could feel Ichika’s gaze caress over me. “Ahh...”
“You’re adorable, Laura.”
“Shut up. Just shut up!”
Ichika’s gentle voice only fanned the flames of my embarrassment, “You know, since you’re wearing an apron, why don’t you cook something.”
“W-What?!”
“You’ll be even cuter if you do.”
“Ugh...”
I couldn’t resist anything he said, it was so cute. I hated being so silly, so tiny... But I loved it, too. I’m such a weak woman. I regretted it, but at the same time, was delighted to recognize it.
“Okay, but I won’t forgive you if you do anything weird,” I mumbled.
“Anything weird? Like what?”
“I thought I told you! Just... Just anything dirty, like... Ugh! Don’t make me say it!”
I jabbed Ichika in the gut, before stomping off to the kitchen.
“Oww... Oh, hey, Laura.”
“What?”
“Your butt is adorable.” He gave my bare bottom a playful spank. As my mind overheated, I began to spin around to reply with a fist. But he caught my fist in his soft hands, and wrapped me in an embrace from behind. “You’re so cute, Laura.”
“C’mon! Stop it, you idi— Ah!”
He began to fondle my breasts through the apron. As he felt my body tense in response, he whispered, sweetly yet naughtily, in my ear, “Let’s keep doing this all day.”
“D-Doing what?!”
“Making out.”
He kissed my neck. I... I— I—— My head swam. But... Maybe I should let myself be swept away... My mind was suddenly torn away from its vision of paradise by an angry shout, “Dammit, this again?! Why is everyone dreaming of this kind of junk?!”
A man in gleaming armor crashed through the door.
“Who the hell are you?!”
I cast about for a weapon and, finding a filet knife close at hand, flung it at the armored man. With a grind, it pierced into his chest... But not deep enough.
“Are you trying to kill me?!”
“Of course I am. Anyone who tries to get between Ichika and I deserves death!” Ducking out of Ichika’s embrace, I stayed low as I closed in on the armored intruder. “Hah!”
“......!”
I kicked high, planting my foot firmly in the one place the armor doesn’t cover. As I struck home, I could feel my foe’s bones creak.
“Ugh!” The armored man sank to his knees. Jerking the knife out of his chest, I nimbly flipped its tip up toward his neck.
“It’s over. Die.”
“Do your best, Laura!” I suddenly heard Ichika’s cheering voice from behind me, and my heart did a backflip.
“Of course I will. I’m about to finish—”
“You bastard, you’re making Laura fight for you?!” The armored man suddenly stood. Surprised, I cut at him with the knife, but I could feel its blade slide off him.
“Get out of my way, Laura!”
“Do your best, Laura!”
The two voices, Ichika’s voice, came from both in front of and behind me. I... I... Brushing by me as I wavered, the armored man drew his sword.
“GRYAAAAAAH!”
“Do your best, Laura!”
The sword pierced Ichika’s breast, yet, even though it plunged through his heart, not a single drop of blood fell. Instead, he began repeating the same phrase, like a broken record.
“Do your best, Laura!”
Over and over.
“Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura!”
Endlessly.
“Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura!”
As he repeated, the words ‘do your best’ almost seemed to twist into ‘fight your hardest.’ I... I was born to fight...
“No fucking way!”
The armored man slammed Ichika into the wall, then jerked his sword straight upward. Even as his head was sliced in two, Ichika continued his repetition, “Do your best... Laura... Fight... Fight... Kill... Kill...”
Ah... Ahhhhhhh...
“Ahhhhhh! No! No, I won’t! I’m not a machine made to fight—”
“Laura!” The man finally began to strip off his armor. As he pulled off his helmet, I saw a familiar face. “It’s okay now, Laura. You’re you. No one could ever take your place. You don’t have to fight.”
“Ahh... Ichika...”
Wrapped in his warm embrace, the world faded around me.
◇
“All right...”
Back in the woods, I set the sleeping Laura down on a patch of grass. Her even breath was proof that her dreams were peaceful. Looking her over, she seemed completely untouched.
“Almost like Sleeping Beauty.” I poked her nose. “She’s really cute like this.”
I sat down beside her and gazed up at the sky and muttered to myself, “You know, I wonder why I keep showing up in all of these, anyway.”
“Let me answer that.” Once again, Kanzashi’s face poked out of the underbrush.
“C’mon, stop scaring me like that.”
“Okay...” She nodded, seemingly back to her usual unenergetic self, and stepped forth.
“Jeez, you’re just covered in leaves again.” I picked them from her hair, one by one, as her face reddened. “Anyway, have you figured out how they’re being attacked?”
“Yes. It seems like the enemy’s accessing each of their minds directly, searching for their deepest fantasies, then showing them what they long for in order to cut them off from the outside world and inflict psychological damage. The intent of this is to—”
As Kanzashi spoke, Laura suddenly shot bolt upright, and she yelled out, “What are you talking about?! My ‘deepest fantasies’?! Have you gone mad?”
I couldn’t help but be amused by how flustered she was, and reached out to smooth her hair which had gone all over when she rocketed up. “Good morning, Sleeping Beauty,” I said.
“Sleeping Beauty?! Ichika, Ichika, you—!”
Laura leapt at me, ready to wring my neck, only to be stopped when Kanzashi poked her cheek and said, “Your cheeks are bright red.”
“Whaaat?!”
“Meaning...?” I asked.
“Nailed it.”
“Wait, no, wrong! It’s all wrong! Why on earth would I be dreaming of a happy marriage?! Or a peaceful life?! Or three beautiful children?! I’m a frontline soldier! I live for my du—”
“Laura.” I patted her head, trying to calm her down. “Get out of here and get some rest. Okay?”
“Mm...”
The more I patted her head, the more the sensation of her hair on my fingers soothed me. Just as I was really beginning to enjoy myself, Kanzashi cleared her throat, “Ahem!”
Regretfully, I drew my hand back, and Kanzashi continued, “Anyway. We’re going back.”
“Got it. Be careful.”
“Ichika. When you make it back, we need to talk.”
“Huh?”
“F-Forget about it for now! That’s an order!” I saluted Laura as she shushed me, and we parted.
“Hmm...”
I fixed my eyes on the final door. Their deepest fantasies, huh. What on earth did that impossibly-Japanese swordswoman dream of?
“...You know. I don’t actually have to go in there.” I suddenly felt a wave of intense malice wash over me. “I was just kidding, ahahaha.”
Fishing through the suitcase again, I picked out an appropriate outfit.
“All right. Let’s go.”
I opened the final door.
◇
My name is Shinonono Houki. Ichika’s childhood friend, and his senior at the dojo. I’m also a student at IS Academy—
[WORLD PURGE............COMPLETE.]
—Caretaker of Shinonono Shrine, together with Ichika. When not performing the duties of a shrine maiden, I instruct children in the way of the blade.
“Nine-hundred and ninety-eight... Nine-hundred and ninety-nine... One thousand!” Finishing my thousandth practice swing of the day, I wipe the sweat from my brow.
“You really take your morning practice seriously.” Ichika had brought me a towel. He was in gi and hakama as well, and their black coloring suited him well.
“Are you starting now?”
“Nah, I finished an hour ago. I just got back from a run.”
“I see... I suppose we can...”
“Hm?”
“Oh, nothing!”
“Huh. Well, why don’t we have breakfast? I made your favorite, miso with daikon slices.”
“Mhm.”
I followed a smiling Ichika inside.
◇
“That’s strange.” Inside the digital world of light and shadow, the ‘enemy’ attacking IS Academy whispered to themselves. “World Purge is less effective on Shinonono Houki. I wonder why?”
It couldn’t have been just that it didn’t completely take. Houki was cut off completely from the outside world. Hmm... The girl couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Uneasily, she reached her destination in the virtual world.
This must be the system core... Wandering through this pathless world, with its Escherian twists and turns, she had finally reached its center—an icebound statue of a girl. It’s just like Tabane said... Looking up at a massive block of ice, she whispered, “The core of Orimura Chufuyu’s IS ‘Kurezakura’...”
◇
“All right, let’s begin sparring. En garde!”
“En garde!”
I—Shinonono Houki—and Ichika, wearing our kendo gear, rise smoothly. Our shinai clash against each other, as we gauge our distance.
A silent, tense atmosphere grips the dojo. In kendo, the one who moves first is at a disadvantage. Answering your opponent’s moves is key. However, it’s also possible to fix the tempo of the bout by taking the initiative. We silently size up each other, seeking to understand the other’s breath, their footwork, their rhythm. Understand when they’ll attack, and be ready to counter.
But— He’s completely unreadable... You’ve improved, Ichika. So I’ll have to... Pulling my shinai inward, I press toward Ichika. As he shoves forward himself, I use the momentum to leap backward, evading his counter.
“Haah!”
Swiftly, I slash across his torso. Our bodies brush by one another.
“...You got me.” It was me who admitted defeat. Just before my slash connected, his own shinai struck my mask. It was a swift, decisive riposte.
“Thank you very much!” After thanking each other, we put away our shinai. Stepping out of the dojo, we kneeled side by side and removed our masks.
“Phew.” I had lost, but my heart was full of cheer. As I gazed upon Ichika happily, our eyes met. “Ah...”
It had been three months since Ichika had begun boarding at the Shinonono Shrine to make his commute to high school easier. At first his talents had been dulled, but soon enough they began to return and he was a match even for me.
“Houki, I’m going to get changed and sweep the courtyard.”
“Understood. I’m going to take a quick bath and wash off some of this sweat.”
For a moment, I imagined that he would peek in on me, but the Ichika I knew wasn’t that kind of man. He was the very picture of Japanese propriety. Well... I would like it if he were to marry into the Shrine, for us to someday raise children, and finally, spend our golden years together— Ah!
“A-Ahem. That’s still some ways ahead of us. For now, I’m happy just to be by Ichika’s side. To be closer to him than anyone...”
[WORLD PURGE INTRUSION DETECTED. PROCEEDING TO ELIMINATE.]
“...Mm?” As I stood to put away my gear, a man in white hakama strode into the dojo’s doorway. His face was hidden by his mask. What was an outsider doing here in full gear? “I’m sorry, we’re closed today.”
“I, ah... I’m here with a challenge!”
“What?”
“There’s a man named me— Uh, I mean, a man named Orimura Ichika here. I want to challenge him!”
“Oh really.” Challenging my Ichika? He was courageous, I’d give him that. But... “I can already see who will be the victor, though.”
“You never know until you try, Houki.” Hm? How does he know my name? “Anyway! I want to challenge Orimura Ichika to a duel!”
“Hmph. If you insist, I’ll go call for him.”
With a proud sneer, I turned and set out for the courtyard to find Ichika.
◇
“Ichika, that was close.”
“Uhh... I know, I know, I just got caught up in the moment. Sorry.”
Kanzashi cut in to warn me, and I apologized for almost giving away who I was.
“Be careful. Houki’s Ichika is the strongest...”
“Huh? Why?”
“You really are that dense, aren’t you...” The connection dropped as quickly as it had been opened. At the same time, the fake me strode into the dojo.
“I’ll warn you, Ichika is just as strong as I am, and I’m the assistant instructor. There’s no way a roughneck like you stands a chance.”
You sure do like to talk him up...
“Isn’t that right, Ichika?” I could almost see her melt as he grinned in response. Just seeing that expression aimed at the fake me made my blood boil.
“Of course it is, Houki.” How on earth is he that much of a blockhead?! The fake me smiled back at her, and she stared, enraptured, at his face. What’s with you, Houki? You never smile at me like that.
Holding back the rage and frustration welling up in me, I raised my shinai. Directly before me, the fake me did too, palpably pumped up by Houki’s cheers. All right, I just need to take him down and— Smack!
“Eh...?”
The staccato echo of a shinai rang through the dojo as my head felt like a bomb had just gone off next to it.
“Touch!” Houki proudly, elegantly announced my loss.
No way! C’mon, he’s insane! He wasn’t just on a level with Houki. He was far stronger. Honestly, he may even have been a match for Chifuyu. His footwork was swift, with not an ounce of effort wasted. His movements flowed like water as he leapt to strike. He could read me like a book, too. By every possible measure, he was first-class.
“I knew you could do it, Ichika!” Houki grinned from ear to ear.
“Of course I could, Houki.” The fake me’s reply was every bit as manipulative as his very existence.
I was filled with envy I couldn’t even explain, so frustrated it hurt to breathe.
“One more time!” I yelled out before even realizing it.
“Hmph. No matter how many times you try, it’ll end the same way.” Houki fixed me with a cold glare as she pronounced judgment. I wanted to argue, but I clamped down on that impulse and raised my shinai again.
“I suppose I’ll take you on again.”
“You’re so kind... Ichika.” My eyebrow twitched.
“A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do,” fake me grinned. Houki giggled, and my other eyebrow twitched.
“Let’s do this, then!” I hated how they looked at each other, and my voice cracked in childish frustration. I didn’t even understand myself why it bothered me so much. But every ounce of me was screaming that it just wasn’t right.
“Begin!” Houki’s voice echoed.
I struck swiftly at the fake me’s hands, but rather than pulling back defensively, he struck to overpower me. I lost my balance at his sudden counterattack, and smoothly, he struck my mask again.
“Match!” Houki’s voice rang out clearly. But I was—
“I’m not finished yet!”
Again, I challenged the fake me.
◇
What’s even with this guy? The dojo challenger had lost 27 straight matches to Ichika, but he still hadn’t given up. Still, though, his breath was ragged and his focus was long since destroyed. He’ll never be able to beat Ichika like this... It was obviously impossible... Yet, something drove him to keep trying. Something, indeed.
He never gives up, never stops trying. Who was it? Who had I seen with that determination? Who? Who?!
“Whaa!”
“Huh?!” The question had taken my attention away from the bout. The man’s legs had been swept out from under him by Ichika, and, catching him by his foot, Ichika swung him my way. Smoosh.
“Ah...” Grasping for something to hold him upright, the man’s hands plunged directly into my bosom.
As a maid? “Call me ‘Master’...”
Or even in a bunny suit?! “Laura, my cute little bunny...”
“Laura? Laura.”
“W-What?!”
“You have a nosebleed,” Ichika said as he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped my face.
“I-I can do it myself, silly!”
“I know, I know.”
“You only have to say it once!”
“Anyway, say ‘ahh.’”
Chomp... Ahh, Ichika’s omelets are so fluffy and moist... Wait, this was no time to let my guard down!
“Ichika!”
“Yes?”
“J-Just what do you plan on asking for?!” I only realized I’d risen to my feet as Ichika teasingly scolded me, “Now, now, calm down. An officer should never lose her nerve, right?”
“...True.” I seated myself again, nibbled my toast, took a bite of salad, sipped my cocoa.
“Naked apron, probably.”
Pffffbbbt!
“Cough, cough. W-What?!”
“I want to see you naked except for an apron! Pretty please?”
“Silly! Who would ever do something like that?!”
I leaned over the table to glare at Ichika up close, only for him to kiss me on the forehead. Smooch.
“Ah...”
“Pweeeeeze? Laura?”
“Umm...”
“L-Like this?” My voice wavered as I nervously stepped into the living room. All that I wore was my eyepatch and an apron. I couldn’t imagine being any more embarrassed. Even though I pressed the cloth firmly to my body, I could feel Ichika’s gaze caress over me. “Ahh...”
“You’re adorable, Laura.”
“Shut up. Just shut up!”
Ichika’s gentle voice only fanned the flames of my embarrassment, “You know, since you’re wearing an apron, why don’t you cook something.”
“W-What?!”
“You’ll be even cuter if you do.”
“Ugh...”
I couldn’t resist anything he said, it was so cute. I hated being so silly, so tiny... But I loved it, too. I’m such a weak woman. I regretted it, but at the same time, was delighted to recognize it.
“Okay, but I won’t forgive you if you do anything weird,” I mumbled.
“Anything weird? Like what?”
“I thought I told you! Just... Just anything dirty, like... Ugh! Don’t make me say it!”
I jabbed Ichika in the gut, before stomping off to the kitchen.
“Oww... Oh, hey, Laura.”
“What?”
“Your butt is adorable.” He gave my bare bottom a playful spank. As my mind overheated, I began to spin around to reply with a fist. But he caught my fist in his soft hands, and wrapped me in an embrace from behind. “You’re so cute, Laura.”
“C’mon! Stop it, you idi— Ah!”
He began to fondle my breasts through the apron. As he felt my body tense in response, he whispered, sweetly yet naughtily, in my ear, “Let’s keep doing this all day.”
“D-Doing what?!”
“Making out.”
He kissed my neck. I... I— I—— My head swam. But... Maybe I should let myself be swept away... My mind was suddenly torn away from its vision of paradise by an angry shout, “Dammit, this again?! Why is everyone dreaming of this kind of junk?!”
A man in gleaming armor crashed through the door.
“Who the hell are you?!”
I cast about for a weapon and, finding a filet knife close at hand, flung it at the armored man. With a grind, it pierced into his chest... But not deep enough.
“Are you trying to kill me?!”
“Of course I am. Anyone who tries to get between Ichika and I deserves death!” Ducking out of Ichika’s embrace, I stayed low as I closed in on the armored intruder. “Hah!”
“......!”
I kicked high, planting my foot firmly in the one place the armor doesn’t cover. As I struck home, I could feel my foe’s bones creak.
“Ugh!” The armored man sank to his knees. Jerking the knife out of his chest, I nimbly flipped its tip up toward his neck.
“It’s over. Die.”
“Do your best, Laura!” I suddenly heard Ichika’s cheering voice from behind me, and my heart did a backflip.
“Of course I will. I’m about to finish—”
“You bastard, you’re making Laura fight for you?!” The armored man suddenly stood. Surprised, I cut at him with the knife, but I could feel its blade slide off him.
“Get out of my way, Laura!”
“Do your best, Laura!”
The two voices, Ichika’s voice, came from both in front of and behind me. I... I... Brushing by me as I wavered, the armored man drew his sword.
“GRYAAAAAAH!”
“Do your best, Laura!”
The sword pierced Ichika’s breast, yet, even though it plunged through his heart, not a single drop of blood fell. Instead, he began repeating the same phrase, like a broken record.
“Do your best, Laura!”
Over and over.
“Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura!”
Endlessly.
“Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura!”
As he repeated, the words ‘do your best’ almost seemed to twist into ‘fight your hardest.’ I... I was born to fight...
“No fucking way!”
The armored man slammed Ichika into the wall, then jerked his sword straight upward. Even as his head was sliced in two, Ichika continued his repetition, “Do your best... Laura... Fight... Fight... Kill... Kill...”
Ah... Ahhhhhhh...
“Ahhhhhh! No! No, I won’t! I’m not a machine made to fight—”
“Laura!” The man finally began to strip off his armor. As he pulled off his helmet, I saw a familiar face. “It’s okay now, Laura. You’re you. No one could ever take your place. You don’t have to fight.”
“Ahh... Ichika...”
Wrapped in his warm embrace, the world faded around me.
◇
“All right...”
Back in the woods, I set the sleeping Laura down on a patch of grass. Her even breath was proof that her dreams were peaceful. Looking her over, she seemed completely untouched.
“Almost like Sleeping Beauty.” I poked her nose. “She’s really cute like this.”
I sat down beside her and gazed up at the sky and muttered to myself, “You know, I wonder why I keep showing up in all of these, anyway.”
“Let me answer that.” Once again, Kanzashi’s face poked out of the underbrush.
“C’mon, stop scaring me like that.”
“Okay...” She nodded, seemingly back to her usual unenergetic self, and stepped forth.
“Jeez, you’re just covered in leaves again.” I picked them from her hair, one by one, as her face reddened. “Anyway, have you figured out how they’re being attacked?”
“Yes. It seems like the enemy’s accessing each of their minds directly, searching for their deepest fantasies, then showing them what they long for in order to cut them off from the outside world and inflict psychological damage. The intent of this is to—”
As Kanzashi spoke, Laura suddenly shot bolt upright, and she yelled out, “What are you talking about?! My ‘deepest fantasies’?! Have you gone mad?”
I couldn’t help but be amused by how flustered she was, and reached out to smooth her hair which had gone all over when she rocketed up. “Good morning, Sleeping Beauty,” I said.
“Sleeping Beauty?! Ichika, Ichika, you—!”
Laura leapt at me, ready to wring my neck, only to be stopped when Kanzashi poked her cheek and said, “Your cheeks are bright red.”
“Whaaat?!”
“Meaning...?” I asked.
“Nailed it.”
“Wait, no, wrong! It’s all wrong! Why on earth would I be dreaming of a happy marriage?! Or a peaceful life?! Or three beautiful children?! I’m a frontline soldier! I live for my du—”
“Laura.” I patted her head, trying to calm her down. “Get out of here and get some rest. Okay?”
“Mm...”
The more I patted her head, the more the sensation of her hair on my fingers soothed me. Just as I was really beginning to enjoy myself, Kanzashi cleared her throat, “Ahem!”
Regretfully, I drew my hand back, and Kanzashi continued, “Anyway. We’re going back.”
“Got it. Be careful.”
“Ichika. When you make it back, we need to talk.”
“Huh?”
“F-Forget about it for now! That’s an order!” I saluted Laura as she shushed me, and we parted.
“Hmm...”
I fixed my eyes on the final door. Their deepest fantasies, huh. What on earth did that impossibly-Japanese swordswoman dream of?
“...You know. I don’t actually have to go in there.” I suddenly felt a wave of intense malice wash over me. “I was just kidding, ahahaha.”
Fishing through the suitcase again, I picked out an appropriate outfit.
“All right. Let’s go.”
I opened the final door.
◇
My name is Shinonono Houki. Ichika’s childhood friend, and his senior at the dojo. I’m also a student at IS Academy—
[WORLD PURGE............COMPLETE.]
—Caretaker of Shinonono Shrine, together with Ichika. When not performing the duties of a shrine maiden, I instruct children in the way of the blade.
“Nine-hundred and ninety-eight... Nine-hundred and ninety-nine... One thousand!” Finishing my thousandth practice swing of the day, I wipe the sweat from my brow.
“You really take your morning practice seriously.” Ichika had brought me a towel. He was in gi and hakama as well, and their black coloring suited him well.
“Are you starting now?”
“Nah, I finished an hour ago. I just got back from a run.”
“I see... I suppose we can...”
“Hm?”
“Oh, nothing!”
“Huh. Well, why don’t we have breakfast? I made your favorite, miso with daikon slices.”
“Mhm.”
I followed a smiling Ichika inside.
◇
“That’s strange.” Inside the digital world of light and shadow, the ‘enemy’ attacking IS Academy whispered to themselves. “World Purge is less effective on Shinonono Houki. I wonder why?”
It couldn’t have been just that it didn’t completely take. Houki was cut off completely from the outside world. Hmm... The girl couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Uneasily, she reached her destination in the virtual world.
This must be the system core... Wandering through this pathless world, with its Escherian twists and turns, she had finally reached its center—an icebound statue of a girl. It’s just like Tabane said... Looking up at a massive block of ice, she whispered, “The core of Orimura Chufuyu’s IS ‘Kurezakura’...”
◇
“All right, let’s begin sparring. En garde!”
“En garde!”
I—Shinonono Houki—and Ichika, wearing our kendo gear, rise smoothly. Our shinai clash against each other, as we gauge our distance.
A silent, tense atmosphere grips the dojo. In kendo, the one who moves first is at a disadvantage. Answering your opponent’s moves is key. However, it’s also possible to fix the tempo of the bout by taking the initiative. We silently size up each other, seeking to understand the other’s breath, their footwork, their rhythm. Understand when they’ll attack, and be ready to counter.
But— He’s completely unreadable... You’ve improved, Ichika. So I’ll have to... Pulling my shinai inward, I press toward Ichika. As he shoves forward himself, I use the momentum to leap backward, evading his counter.
“Haah!”
Swiftly, I slash across his torso. Our bodies brush by one another.
“...You got me.” It was me who admitted defeat. Just before my slash connected, his own shinai struck my mask. It was a swift, decisive riposte.
“Thank you very much!” After thanking each other, we put away our shinai. Stepping out of the dojo, we kneeled side by side and removed our masks.
“Phew.” I had lost, but my heart was full of cheer. As I gazed upon Ichika happily, our eyes met. “Ah...”
It had been three months since Ichika had begun boarding at the Shinonono Shrine to make his commute to high school easier. At first his talents had been dulled, but soon enough they began to return and he was a match even for me.
“Houki, I’m going to get changed and sweep the courtyard.”
“Understood. I’m going to take a quick bath and wash off some of this sweat.”
For a moment, I imagined that he would peek in on me, but the Ichika I knew wasn’t that kind of man. He was the very picture of Japanese propriety. Well... I would like it if he were to marry into the Shrine, for us to someday raise children, and finally, spend our golden years together— Ah!
“A-Ahem. That’s still some ways ahead of us. For now, I’m happy just to be by Ichika’s side. To be closer to him than anyone...”
[WORLD PURGE INTRUSION DETECTED. PROCEEDING TO ELIMINATE.]
“...Mm?” As I stood to put away my gear, a man in white hakama strode into the dojo’s doorway. His face was hidden by his mask. What was an outsider doing here in full gear? “I’m sorry, we’re closed today.”
“I, ah... I’m here with a challenge!”
“What?”
“There’s a man named me— Uh, I mean, a man named Orimura Ichika here. I want to challenge him!”
“Oh really.” Challenging my Ichika? He was courageous, I’d give him that. But... “I can already see who will be the victor, though.”
“You never know until you try, Houki.” Hm? How does he know my name? “Anyway! I want to challenge Orimura Ichika to a duel!”
“Hmph. If you insist, I’ll go call for him.”
With a proud sneer, I turned and set out for the courtyard to find Ichika.
◇
“Ichika, that was close.”
“Uhh... I know, I know, I just got caught up in the moment. Sorry.”
Kanzashi cut in to warn me, and I apologized for almost giving away who I was.
“Be careful. Houki’s Ichika is the strongest...”
“Huh? Why?”
“You really are that dense, aren’t you...” The connection dropped as quickly as it had been opened. At the same time, the fake me strode into the dojo.
“I’ll warn you, Ichika is just as strong as I am, and I’m the assistant instructor. There’s no way a roughneck like you stands a chance.”
You sure do like to talk him up...
“Isn’t that right, Ichika?” I could almost see her melt as he grinned in response. Just seeing that expression aimed at the fake me made my blood boil.
“Of course it is, Houki.” How on earth is he that much of a blockhead?! The fake me smiled back at her, and she stared, enraptured, at his face. What’s with you, Houki? You never smile at me like that.
Holding back the rage and frustration welling up in me, I raised my shinai. Directly before me, the fake me did too, palpably pumped up by Houki’s cheers. All right, I just need to take him down and— Smack!
“Eh...?”
The staccato echo of a shinai rang through the dojo as my head felt like a bomb had just gone off next to it.
“Touch!” Houki proudly, elegantly announced my loss.
No way! C’mon, he’s insane! He wasn’t just on a level with Houki. He was far stronger. Honestly, he may even have been a match for Chifuyu. His footwork was swift, with not an ounce of effort wasted. His movements flowed like water as he leapt to strike. He could read me like a book, too. By every possible measure, he was first-class.
“I knew you could do it, Ichika!” Houki grinned from ear to ear.
“Of course I could, Houki.” The fake me’s reply was every bit as manipulative as his very existence.
I was filled with envy I couldn’t even explain, so frustrated it hurt to breathe.
“One more time!” I yelled out before even realizing it.
“Hmph. No matter how many times you try, it’ll end the same way.” Houki fixed me with a cold glare as she pronounced judgment. I wanted to argue, but I clamped down on that impulse and raised my shinai again.
“I suppose I’ll take you on again.”
“You’re so kind... Ichika.” My eyebrow twitched.
“A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do,” fake me grinned. Houki giggled, and my other eyebrow twitched.
“Let’s do this, then!” I hated how they looked at each other, and my voice cracked in childish frustration. I didn’t even understand myself why it bothered me so much. But every ounce of me was screaming that it just wasn’t right.
“Begin!” Houki’s voice echoed.
I struck swiftly at the fake me’s hands, but rather than pulling back defensively, he struck to overpower me. I lost my balance at his sudden counterattack, and smoothly, he struck my mask again.
“Match!” Houki’s voice rang out clearly. But I was—
“I’m not finished yet!”
Again, I challenged the fake me.
◇
What’s even with this guy? The dojo challenger had lost 27 straight matches to Ichika, but he still hadn’t given up. Still, though, his breath was ragged and his focus was long since destroyed. He’ll never be able to beat Ichika like this... It was obviously impossible... Yet, something drove him to keep trying. Something, indeed.
He never gives up, never stops trying. Who was it? Who had I seen with that determination? Who? Who?!
“Whaa!”
“Huh?!” The question had taken my attention away from the bout. The man’s legs had been swept out from under him by Ichika, and, catching him by his foot, Ichika swung him my way. Smoosh.
“Ah...” Grasping for something to hold him upright, the man’s hands plunged directly into my bosom.
