There was something in the air, Saito theorized. He couldn't find any other reason as to why everyone was so fidgety and nervous so early in the morning. Was it some kind of explosive gas that could ignite at the smallest movement? Or maybe a team of snipers on an adjacent building ready to shoot at a moment's notice? He thought school was one of the few safe places in the town. Maybe he thought wrong.
The common symptoms of nervousness his classmates displayed were reddened faces and, in some others, abnormal breathing patterns. Most of them were in groups of three up, mumbling to themselves about things he couldn't hear. He could make out some words like "Val, Choco, White, and Confess," but everything else was blocked out by either more mumbling or, much to his confusion, giggles.
It didn't help that most of his classmates were female. The school was sponsored by IS academy - something the school constantly flaunted every chance it got - and specialized classes for IS research were common. While the school did have many regular subjects and classes, this nevertheless resulted in a somewhat stilted population. This wasn't his first choice for a school, but it was the closest to his house.
".......Do you know why everyone's acting weird.....?" Saito turned his sleepy eyes to his friends, Kazehaya and Ken, "Are they that excited about the uniform change......or is it something else?"
What Saito was referring to was the fact that the school finally acknowledged the student's numerous petition's and allowed a new school uniform to be designed. In the meantime, the student's were allowed to either continue to wear the old uniform or switch to casual's till the new one's came next week. Considering the complaints of the uniform beforehand, it was a no-brainer that practically all the student's chose the latter option; including him.
Saito himsef wore a nondescript long sleeved white shirt, a pair of black pants, and black sneakers. There was a small but visible zipper that extended from his right shoulder all the way to the bottom hem at the right side of his stomach. He'd need it as an escape plan for later just in case.
"It's just that time of the year again," Kazehaya sighed melodramatically and stared up at the roof of the class, "The one day where I curse my looks again and have to spend my entire day watching girl's cry day in and day out."
"At least you actually get some!" Ken smashed his hands into his table, causing the small circle of chairs the three had formed to jostle slightly, "Every year I pray to get something! Anything! But you always get all the attention, while me and Saito are left to rot like always!" He glared at Kazehaya through his rimmed glasses.
Both of his friends had chosen to dress up due to the rare occasion. While Kazehaya had chosen for a more casual attire consisting of a red jacket, some jeans, and a pair of white sneakers; Ken had surprised them both by coming in a White dress shirt and a pair of black slacks and dress shoes. Unfortunately, he seemed to have mistaken the size as the shirt looked way too tight on his body.
"....What are you two talking about....?" He gave the two a look of confusion "......Did something happen? I forgot to check the calendar today......I was busy with something last night......"
Ken chose to answer the question with glare, "Don't act like you don't know what's happening, Saito!" He pointed at the blue haired teen over-dramatically, "Cutting your hair to show your face and losing your glasses the closer this day came? I'm no fool! You've been waiting for this day, haven't you!?"
"So says the guy dressing up in shirt's two sizes below normal..." Kazehaya commented with a slight laugh.
"What are you.....talking about?" Saito placed a hand on his forehead and pulled on the hastily cut bangs softly, "My hair got burnt while I was fighting that serial rapist so I had to cut it off, and my glasses got drenched in rain while I was chasing Shinji so I had to discard them.......it wasn't on purpose."
"As if!" Ken gave an indignant snort, "I know you're some kind of vigilante or something, but what are the chances that those two things would happen and you'd end up going from normal guy to a bishonen? You've been planning this!" He turned to the side and clenched his fists, "And here I thought the both of us were allies in obscurity! You've betrayed me, Saito! Betrayed me!"
Ever since that man on the stage, Andrew, had exposed his deeds at the party, he stopped bothering to hide from his close friend's exactly what he did on his absent days. Even if he wanted to hide it, there was no point to it anymore; rumors had spread of his activities all over the school, and his classmates seemed all too aware of some of his actions. While most of them didn't believe, there were some who took it seriously.
"Uh-huh.......Ken, did you take your medicine this morning?" He asked his hyperactive friend.
"Stop changing the subject!" Saito noticed that he didn't answer the question, "Anyway, don't act like a clueless protagonist in a harem manga! You know today is Valentines day!"
Did he? Honestly he'd been so worried about his recent case that he didn't take notice. He had to investigate that missing person's case involving that up and coming idol Marie. No, it wasn't the idol who was getting kidnapped; it was her fans. Most if not all the fan's who came to visit her ended up disappearing. The parent's were getting worried, but the likelihood of an idol kidnapping a bunch of addled fans sounded too unbelievable to the common authorities. He had taken it up instead.
"......Huh, so that's why Aria gave me some chocolate this morning....." He rustled into his backpack and pulled out a small box, ".....You can have it......I don't really like sweets...."
Okay, that was somewhat of a lie. He liked sweets just as much as the next guy. He was just wary of tasting anything his sister had made. Maybe he was being somewhat cruel in that respect, but he had enough of fainting and puking out his lunch every time his sister wanted a new guinea pig for her experiments.
"Uwaaah, really!?" Ken pulled the box from Saito's hand before he could reply, "Itadakimasuuuuu!"
Saito watched intently as his friend gobbled down the small treat. He was prepared to call for the school nurse in case his friend showed any sign of turning green.
"These are awesome!"
Surprisingly enough, Ken showed no symptoms of the sickness he usually received. No green splotches of skin, puking, or other abnormalities. Maybe Aria was finally beginning to improve in her cooking.
"Well, in all seriousness," Kazehaya interrupted, "Valentines this year is going to be different. We're not in middle school anymore, so the stakes are higher."
"....Stakes?" Saito gave him a look of curiosity. What could possibly be at stake on a day where girls gave their lovers chocolate? Not that he would know anything about that. He was generally regarded as plain and uninteresting all his school years. Kazehaya was always the one who got all the attention.
"That's right!" Ken slammed his hands on the table again, "This is our first Valentines day in high school! We have to make sure it's a memorable and everlasting experience that we'll look back one once we're old and content."
"No thanks." Kazehaya yawned and leaned back in his seat, ignoring his chubbier friend's ranting. He wasn't interested in looking for more useless present's. He wasn't gay or anything, but he was extremely picky on who he wanted to date. Some would call him an old fashioned romantic, but he called it patience.
"....Not interested....." Saito shook his head softly and pulled out his datapad. As long as he was here, he might as well get some info on his current case. He had to pose as a star struck fan that was easily manipulated. Those tended to be the common similarity between all of the disappeared victims. Besides, no one was going to give him chocolate or anything. He was never as popular as his friend.
Ken gave a look of disbelief at his closest friend's nonchalant dismissal of the oh so important day/event, "Are you serious!? Saito, how could you change so much!? You used to be nervous whenever this day came, just like me!"
".....Priorities shift..." Saito shook his head, eyes closed in concentration, ".....Trust me when I say that Valentines doesn't become important compared some other things...."
"Oh really? Then I guess I should just tell Yukari-san that she shouldn't bother giving you anything."
Saito nearly dropped the datapad at the mention of his childhood friend. What did she have to do with Valentines day? Both her and Aria gave him chocolates on Valentines, but it was simply obligation chocolate. He usually returned the favor on white day every year.
"....Do what you want....." Saito looked away to conceal the redness on his face, "I'm too busy here to worry about Valentines."
"Tch, don't act so cocky you bastard! I know the others in the class have been staring at you for a while now, but that doesn't mean you're so popular that you can brag about it!" Once again, he was blowing things out of proportion.
"...They're staring at me...?" He touched his face worriedly, "Is there something on my face?"
"It's because they can see your face at all," Kazehaya tapped him in the back lightly, "Most of our classmates thought you were some kind of scarred delinquent or you were hiding a deformity since you always covered up the upper part of your face with your hair and glasses. They must've been surprised that you took after your sister in the looks department."
"...Really...?" Saito cocked an eyebrow in curiosity, "Well, it doesn't really change anything. I never really meant to cover up on purpose, I guess I just forgot about it after a while...."
"Well, I have to admit that we were surprised too. I didn't expect you to look like a more masculine version of your sister." Kazehaya admitted, "I thought Fraternal twins looked different as night and day, but you could probably pass as her if your hair was longer and you wore a dress."
"....That's a disturbing image...." Saito replied, "......Still, I don't have much of an interest in Valentines, just like you."
"Hmph. Well, unlike you two, I have a plan!" he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small notebook, "I made a small list of candidates who will possibly receive my love confession, and I reserved the auditorium for a small concert. That should boost my attractiveness for the coming year."
"You know Ken, it's not your looks so much as your attitude that's the reason girls reject your confessions," Kazehaya gave him a withering glance, "I bet you'd actually find someone who'd accept you if you just stopped confessing to every pretty girl you get a crush on and stop peeping on the girl's locker room."
"...And maybe a concert isn't a good idea....." Saito pitched in, "......You have chronic stage fright, don't you? The last time you had to do the lead in the play, the two of us had to take over because you froze on stage." He sighed, ".....I still can't forget the embarrassment. The three of us were forced to seiza in the hallways for two hours......."
"C-Can't you guys be more supportive! I spent a lot of time setting this up and making sure everything was in place. Besides," He looked away and refused to look his friend's in the eye, "I kinda need your help for this one. You know, just in case!"
"Come on Ken, really?" Kazehaya groaned at his friend's request, "The last time me and Saito got involved in your plans, it ended up with us wet in the pool and surrounded by angry girls. I'm surprised they didn't expel us then and there for perverted behavior."
"...I agree," Saito nodded, "I'd rather not get in trouble this year. Just quit while you're ahead and still have a halfway decent reputation-"
"Um, excuse me!"
The three friend's stopped their arguing and looked up. In their current discussion, the three of them didn't notice the three girls approach their group. The one in front, a girl with long dark blue hair and eyes, was fidgeting while her two friends pushed her forward. He saw Ken muttering something incoherent to himself as he stared at the blue haired girl.
'Must be staring at her breasts or something', Saito rolled his eyes at his friends obvious libido. He could understand why he noticed, though: They were pretty....noticeable.
".....Yes.....is there something you need?" The girl blushed even harder when Saito turned towards her. He wasn't used to seeing without any glasses or hair covering his eyes, and by the girls reaction, she wasn't either.
"U-Ummm.....my name is Miyu," She bowed her head and held out a red heart shaped box, "I was hoping to give you this, and I hope you can accept it."
"Um.....Kazehaya's over there...." Saito pointed over to his yellow haired friend who was, for some reason, suppressing a laugh, "Or maybe you wanted to give it to Ken?" He sincerely hoped it was the latter. That would at least curb his crazy talk.
"N-No!" She shook her head rapidly, cutting off the confused teen, "I-I wanted to give this to you!" Her cheeks rapidly reddened when she saw Saito's surprised expression, "Um...I mean....I'd be really happy if you take it. Well, bye!" She bowed lightly and made her way back to her table, her two friend's following her.
".....That was odd...." Saito said after a moment of silence, "Still, I wonder why she gave me obligation chocolate? I never really talked to anyone in class. I'm not really hungry, so do either of you want it?" He picked up the heart shaped box and offered it to both of his friends.
Ken seethed at the nonchalant gesture, "That's not obligation chocolate, idiot!" He shoved the offered chocolate back, "It's like I'm being punched in the face when you offer me that chocolate!"
".....If you don't want it, just say so....."
"I guess I don't have to worry this year about any tears this year," Kazehaya laughed, "Looks like your little makeover and the rumors of your vigilante work have boosted your popularity more than you think. Look around you."
He did so, and was surprised to find that most of his classmates were looking at their table and holding similarly shaped boxes. .....Well, it wasn't any of his business. The first chocolate was just a coincidence on his part. The others must've been for Kazehaya or, hopefully, Ken.
"Saito...." Ken grabbed him by the shoulders, "Let me join you on your latest case!"
"...Huh?" He must've misheard him, "I don't think that's such a good idea. This isn't fun and games."
"I don't care how dangerous it is!" He shook the Bluenette's shoulders roughly, Teach me your secret to being more popular!"
"And I'm saying no!"
Kazehaya just sighed at his friend's arguments. How did his friend go from an awkward but pretty smart guy to someone who was so blatantly clueless about people's affections? Oh well, at least he had less problems this year.
If it's mecha fight, the best thing is gun porn. Every single detailed description of machine operation and design is important, and the words used are not something beautiful, but something more technical and stiff. Technobabble optional.
if it's living creature fighting, then you can choose between brutality or elegance, or a mix of both. The former is more honest but not without it's exaggeration, the later require more wordplay and eloquence. You have tendency to the former, and I see you already done it well without going for actual gorn.
If it's mecha fight, the best thing is gun porn. Every single detailed description of machine operation and design is important, and the words used are not something beautiful, but something more technical and stiff. Technobabble optional.
if it's living creature fighting, then you can choose between brutality or elegance, or a mix of both. The former is more honest but not without it's exaggeration, the later require more wordplay and eloquence. You have tendency to the former, and I see you already done it well without going for actual gorn.
The weapon is called an emergency weapon because you use it when you run out of everything else. At least that's the initial idea they have of it due to its tiny size and really lame basic function. They don't know that it's also your emergency weapon during times when you know absolutely everything has to die as its second function.
The heavy slam of Lingyin’s Souten Gagetsu scimitar lance kicks up a short wave of dust around the point where the blade hit. Much to her dismay, she turns to her intended target that dodged the attack: Ichika, skidding away in the Byakushiki right into the crosshairs of Cecilia’s sniper rifle.
“Got you…!”
*click*
From the corner of his eyes, a brief but intense blue flash caught Ichika’s eyes.
“Left!”
He leans back just enough for a thick blue beam to zip across his front, barely grazing his energy barrier. The disappointed Cecilia huffs off her apparent miscalculation and purges the four optical wing bits from the back of her Blue Tears, sending them darting towards Ichika.
“Get him!”
The wing bits began to rain a barrage of particle beams onto the Byakushiki, forcing Ichika to dash around in irregular patterns to dodge the searing beams showering upon him as they leave a trail of blast marks on the ground. All the continuous, seemingly endless dodging shifted his attention completely that he fails to notice himself reversing towards the arena walls. Stunned in disbelief, the two girls cease their attacks while watching him flying straight into the concrete wall.
“Umm… Ichika-san—”
*GDUSH*
“GYAA—!”
“What an idiot…”
The only less-than-caring words that made their way out of Lingyin’s mouth while a cloud of concrete engulf the Byakushiki. Cecilia recalls her wing bits then hovers cautiously towards the smoke, holding her sniper rifle at the hip while keeping a good eye out for sudden motions.
“Ichika-san…?”
“Kuuh…!”
She sees the black silhouette of his IS rising to its feet within the smoke, prompting her to stand in a defensive stance.
“Ichika-san, you okay?”
A couple of coughs replied to her sincere yet somewhat fearful tone.
“Y-yeah… Somehow…”
Ichika lumbers out of the settling smoke without as much as a scratch as his previous pained yell would suggest, even with his Yukihara sword in one hand.
“Thank goodness… How could you be so careless to not even look where you’re flying into?”
“Maybe I was kind of hard-pressed to dodge your attacks that I forgot to keep track of my surroundings…”
__________________
"You cannot be bad at watching a movie. You cannot be bad at listening to an album.
...But you can be bad at playing a videogame, and the game will punish you and deny you access to the rest of the videogame."
And you know the "routine" after reading my chapters, right?
There you are, StratoSpear.
I saw that clip. Tell you the truth I actually watched the whole campaign of that game on YouTube. And another thing; since watching the campaign, I got an idea of how one of the Silverbacks functions it weapons.
It was kind of like the Executor from Kurogane no Linebarrel. Variable output that ranges from thin beam saber/peashooter to Raisersword/Wingzero buster cannon.
Was hoping for comments as to whether it would work having such scene take place where you replace:
- Grimlock with Tsurugi(In the Minerva)
- Insecticons with drones
- Snarl with Inami
__________________
"You cannot be bad at watching a movie. You cannot be bad at listening to an album.
...But you can be bad at playing a videogame, and the game will punish you and deny you access to the rest of the videogame."
2012-09-09, 04:40
