[Tempest35]

@ Zero - Why WOULD he throw the match? It makes no sense for him to do so.

and Yay for helping with other people's stories! Uui uui~

"Hah~ I really am pathetic."

"What are you Ichika-nii? You did great for your 2nd real battle! You don't even have 1/4th of her flight time with her I.S. and you pushed her hard!"

"Only because she wasn't expecting much of me to begin with. Is there really that big of a difference...?"

"No! There isn't! You could have won, nii-chan, you really could have. If only -"

"If only I wasn't able to pilot this stupid thing, I'd be at home, or at Dan's right now, laughing, not embarrassing myself like this."

"...are you quitting?"

"huh?"

"Are you giving up on this, Orimura Ichika!? Just one battle and you feel like this!? Don't tell me that your wish to protect me and nee-chan was a lie too!?"

"...no it wasn't."

"If it isn't, then get stronger. Please. I don't like it when you're like this. Don't be like those other guys out there - don't be like them."

Ah yes... after I.S. and the gender role upheaval, many men, especially in Japan, were deemed as 'worthless'. Women, riding the momentum of what Chifuyu-nee did, overtook many men in the workplace. Companies fell, putting many out of work and new ones rose, with women as the CEO and also the Board of Directors. They occupied supervisory roles, many times, ousting the male employees from what was once their jobs, usually with cites of 'sexual harassment' and the like in their wake, leaving them unable to find much work anywhere else. Even public trends changed - even the video games and anime are different now. The weak, useless guys are trampled out, the stronger, more brash ones are beaten into submission - it's like that in the real world now. Not surprising that most 'normal' guys look as 'lost' as they do. Thankfully, due to Chifuyu-nee and Madoka, I wasn't allowed to become like that. I was determined to gain respect my way, not because of my big sister's accomplishment, but for my own. I just have to keep reminding myself of that.

"You're right, Madoka. I'm sorry I was acting weak just now."

She sniffed, a smile appearing on her face. "I know, but I'm your sister too. I'm allowed to see you like this once in a while. As long as I can snap you out of it." She embraced my head against her body, her fingers lightly stroking through my hair. I had to admit, it was very comforting.