========== In Training Hall Seven’s hangar ==========
Inami walks into hangar and opens the steel cupboard next to the entrance.
He then takes out a grey, medium-sized hard briefcase, closes the cupboard and heads over to the Minerva Kai resting on the side of the hangar bay in its standby Fold form.
“Well… The Iwaki Next should be in here…” He mumbles while using a tool which looks like a bent flat-point screwdriver and pops open a small hatch on the battle-armor’s chest.
Inside the hatch is a small, twirling diamond-shaped object encased in a field of data streams, the physical vessel which houses the bodiless Iwaki Next’s AI core.
“Whoa… Pretty…”
“
You flatter me… Inami-san.” A sudden young female voice sounds out of nowhere.
“What?”
Shocked at the sudden voice, Inami quickly looks around the hangar to see if anyone else was there.
‘Could’ve sworn I heard someone… Guess I’m just hearing things…’
Noticing the hangar’s empty, he proceeds to take another tool from the briefcase to remove the object.
With careful, steady hands, he inserts the tool which has a small manipulator at the front towards the twirling vessel. The manipulator then holds a grip on the vessel.
“
Uuu…! D-Don’t! That tickles!” Says the female voice again, causing slight annoyance for Inami as he looks around the hangar bay again.
“The hell…? Who is—”
“
L-Let go already!”
“Uum… Ooookay…?” He hesitantly agrees and removes the manipulator from the hatch while slowly scanning around the area to see if anyone was playing a prank on him.
“
Thank you… My body fizzles when it’s being held by a foreign object.”
“Body…? Wha… Who are you? What are you?”
“
Me? I’m the artificial intelligence unit for this IS… I forgot my designation though…”
“IS? The Minerva isn’t an IS, what are you on about?”
“
Minerva…? Isn’t it supposed to be the Fantom Falken? And what do you mean it’s not an IS?”
“It’s a battle-armor. How are you not aware of this?”
“
I was in slumber ever since we came under attack by a bunch of midget drones. The automation system protocol kicked in to simulate an AI presence when I’m inactive.”
“Wait what? You lost me at ‘under attack’.”
The AI lets out a coarse sigh.
“
Don’t mind it, Inami-san. Maybe I’ll tell you later… still where am I?”
“Like I said, you’re in a battle-armor unit called the Minerva Kai. And you still haven’t given me your name…”
“
And I told you I don’t remember!”
His expression grows annoyed as he then slaps his forehead.
“Okay. In that case, how about I give you a new one?”
“
New…? You’re giving me a new designation?”
“Yes. It’s kinda rude if I am to converse with you casually and not know how to address you.”
“
Well, I don’t mind. It’s just kind of embarrassing to be given a special name by my own owner.”
“All right. From here on, your name will be ‘Fal’. Is that good?”
“
Fal… Sounds feminine, I like it.”
“Great!”
“
Also, I’ve been meaning to say… You sound different… and you also changed your name. Why, if I may ask?”
“What do you mean? I’ve always been myse— Oh no…” He pauses upon realizing the problem.
“
You… are Talia Albrecht-san, right?”
“Uuh… No. No, I’m not that person. My name’s Inami Arisawa.”
“
What…?”
A blue holographic figure materializes in front of him, in a form of a seemingly fifteen-year-old girl dressed in sleeveless tee, a vest and track pants.
Her expression grows horrified upon seeing him.
“A… A male? You’re… How did… I…”
“Frankly speaking, I’m just as lost as you are.”
“
AAAAAAAAAAH~!” She screams out loud while he tries to calm her.
“Look, Fal, I can explain!”
“
NO! You, a male, were the one piloting me all this while! That’s… That’s…
THAT’S EMBARASSING!”
Within moments, Fal’s hologram disappears and the Minerva Kai goes dead silent.
Inami can’t help but stare at the battle-armor in utter shock.
“Well shoot…”