Infinite Stratos: Volume 9 Page 2

  “I-Ichika, you noticed my perfume?” she asked tentatively, with a slight blush.

  “Well, all girls like to smell good, right? I’ve been picking up on that. Cecilia, yours is rose, right? I liked the lavender one you’ve been using too.”

  “Well! Perhaps I should use a new perfume every day, and give your nose a varied diet!” Cecilia, fascinated by the idea, held a palm to her cheek. At the same time, Ling took Ichika’s free arm.

  “Anyway, Ichika! Can you make more than one recommendation? I’d like to help everyone out too,” she giggled while grinning up at him.

  Ichika, taking it at face value, smiled back and said, “Well, I’ll ask Tatenashi. No guarantees she’s gonna go along with it, though.”

  “Okay! Thanks, Ichika!”

  On his other side, Cecilia struggled to hold back an exasperated frown until the joy of her perfume being praised won out. He truly is growing into the kind of gentleman I prefer. Step one on the path to Ichika O. Alcott! Her heart soared as she imagined Ichika as the power behind the throne of Alcott and Company.

  Back on his other side...

  Wow, Ichika. You pay a lot more attention than you let on. I need to start thinking about a path toward being Orimura Rin! She may have seen herself fighting in the Mondo Grosso tournament, but it didn’t necessarily have to be as the Chinese representative. Fighting as Japan’s representative would be fine too.

  A fangy grin.

  A palm held against the cheek.

  Ichika was flanked by roses with thorns.

  ◇

  “Rejected.” Two birds with one blunt, direct stone. Tatenashi’s voice was clear and cold.

  “Why?!”

  “But why?!”

  Of course, Ling and Cecilia instinctively argued back as they stood before Tatenashi’s desk in the student council meeting room.

  “C’mon, I’m trying to help you out here! You should be grateful!”

  “I can certainly see why you wouldn’t be interested in Ling, but, obviously, I can contribute and shouldn’t simply be ignored!”

  They each slammed a palm onto her desk.

  “What’s wrong with you? Did you just come in here to play games with me?”

  “Of course not! Not at all!”

  They turned back to Tatenashi.

  “But why?!”

  “We’re already full.”

  Tatenashi pointed at Kanzashi, whose fingertips were racing over a keyboard.

  “Sarashiki Kanzashi... Newly-appointed manager of Orimura Ichika I/O,” she pantomimed a bow without even looking up.

  “Orimura Ichika I/O...”

  “Yes. My primary responsibility is scheduling and planning for Orimura Ichika.”

  “What kind of terrible pun is that?!” Ling shot back.

  “O-rimura I-chika... I/O... Ahahaha!” Surprisingly, Cecilia enjoyed the wordplay.

  “Oh, so Kanzashi’ll be taking care of that now? Great, Miss Casual was so lackadaisical about it that I had no clue what I was supposed to be doing half of the time.” Ichika was blissfully unaware of the implications flying around him.

  “Yes... I’m looking forward to working with you.” Kanzashi smiled.

  “Grr...” Tatenashi suddenly realized the potential pitfalls of bringing Ichika and Kanzashi closer together.

  “Ahh. The tea is wonderful.” Nohotoke Utsuho was pretending not to notice the conversation.

  “Whew. The weather today’s almost as good as these snacks.” Miss Casual was happily chowing down.

  Suddenly, the snap of a fan opening cut through the confusion. “Very well!” On the fan was written “duel.” “I’d like to announce a Field Day! In one week, the first years will compete for Ichika!” Tatenashi’s voice was clear and sharp, even as her cheeks burned and she tried to avoid making eye contact with Ichika.

  The stage was set. Life is short, maidens; find love while you can! Take the object of your affections before he’s taken by another. Reach out your hand and grasp glory! All’s fair in love and war!

  Chapter I: Hamster Cluster! Love Rival Warning

  “So that’s what’s going on?” Laura asked as she set down the clay she’d been kneading, and looked around the table. It was late at night in the IS Academy first-year dorms. Normally, this was when they’d be enjoying an evening tea time, but today, everyone’s faces were stony.

  “The winner is placed in the same class as Ichika, and everyone else is moved to another. And...” Charlotte finished kneading her own lump of clay, and placed it next to Laura’s spiky creation. Together they looked like the king and queen of a chess set. “And the winner also moves in with Ichika.”

  A jolt ran up the spine of the cadets gathered at the table.

  Living with Ichika. An experience unlike any other. Houki and Charlotte, especially, knew that well.

  I could be with him again, like we were...

  This time we’ll do couple things!

  Hopes of being back in those sweet days. Their quiet reminiscence was shattered by Ling speaking up.

  “Anyway! I’m up against you all, and I’m not gonna hold back!”

  Cecilia looked up from her tea and intoned calmly, “Are you sure you’d like to say that? We’ll be on foot, not in our IS. Need I remind you of your chances? My champions are simply invincible!”

  “What will matter the most are squad tactics. I don’t intend to lose.” Kanzashi was in a rare mood, and her glare was as sharp as a knife.

  “Hmph. If it’s tactics you want, you’ll learn how the Bundeswehr fights.” Laura puffed up with pride, not even remembering that her classmates were civilians with no military training.

  “All right, let’s form up teams and then all practice after class! I’ve always wanted to do something like this.” Charlotte’s passion was visible under her air of unconcerned enthusiasm.

  “Everything lies in the way of the blade... The true meaning of bushido is found in death.” Houki spoke tersely, an intense look on her face, only to be interrupted with Ling’s “Wait, we’re not trying to get anyone killed here.”

  “Anyway!” Houki continued, banging on the table. “I meant, it’s with this that we can give it our all.”

  Everyone nodded with a nervous swallow.

  “And. This won’t be a lewd delusion, it’ll be the real Ichika...” Houki’s voice was husky, and the faces of her opponents, other than Kanzashi, flushed red.

  “No, that wasn’t like this! That was just psychological warfare!”

  “Indeed! Really, it’s a problem that it managed to seem so realistic...”

  Remembering how vivid their experiences in the World Purge were, they each shrunk into themselves.

  That... That was different from this...

  But he truly was wonderful in that dream...

  It’s not like I didn’t want it, but maybe it went too far...

  Mine was a nightmare! No matter what, it wasn’t something I was actually thinking!

  Each had their own excuse that they couldn’t quite believe themselves.

  “Anyway! This time, it’s no-holds-barred. Are you prepared?!” The smile fell from Houki’s face as she spoke and was answered with nods.

  “I’ll show you how serious I am!”

  “Who better to wear the laurel crown?”

  “I won’t let myself lose either!”

  “Ichika is my bride!”

  “...I’ll win.”

  Flames danced in their eyes as the curtain rose on a war between maidens.

  ◇

  “Tatenashi, are you there?”

  It was lunch break the next day, and Ichika had brought some student council paperwork to the second year classrooms to hand it over.

  “Oh, it’s Orimura!” Tatenashi’s classmates had found him before he could find her.

  “What’s up? Did you need something from us?”

  “We’ll be happy to do anything you want, and I do mean anything.”

  “Tell us who you’re after!”


  Soon, he was surrounded by a gaggle of girls, some brazen enough to reach out and touch him.

  “Hahaha, look at him squirm.”

  “Did you come here to see what a real woman looks like?”

  Ichika had no idea what to do about a reception like this.

  “Hey, c’mon, hold it! I came here to see Tatenashi!” he cried out. Shouting, though, was no escape from the grasping hands.

  “Get his shirt!”

  “Heave-ho!”

  “Whooooa!” Just as he thought he was really in trouble, he heard a fan snap open.

  “Oh, my, Ichika. What trouble are you up to?”

  “Oh, Tatenashi! Finally! You saved—” Ichika’s hopes of salvation slipped away as Tatenashi spun on her heel and walked to her desk. “Whaaaa? What’s going on? Um, Tatenashi?”

  Managing to escape, he spoke while fixing his clothes. But her reply was cold and harsh, “What is it?”

  “I, uh, I came to bring that paperwork...”

  “It can wait until after school. You probably just wanted to see who you could pick up, didn’t you.”

  “N-No way!” He cringed at her sudden anger, and was wondering what had upset her when the bell rang. “Anyway, here, I’ll leave them. Goodbye!”

  “Thank you for finishing that.”

  Rather than follow his sprint out the door with her eyes, she turned to stare out the window. Hmph. When did Ichika get so flirty with everyone? Maybe she’d gotten used to it and that’s why she normally let it go. But when he showed up today... Just remembering it made her mad.

  Hmph! Without noticing it, she had worked her way up into jealous frustration in a way she never had before. It’s Ichika’s fault. If he wanted me for something, he should have just texted. I even gave him my number, and still, he never does. Tatenashi pulled out her phone and looked at the ‘from Ichika’ folder.

  [I’ll be late to student council today.]

  [I’m finished with the paperwork.]

  [I finished the club schedule.]

  They were all about work! And she had still saved them all! Can’t he ask me out or something? Just once? I can’t believe him. It was only then that she realized how red her face had gotten thinking of him. But... But it’s not like I’m in, in... No. Tatenashi couldn’t finish that sentence.

  She took deep breath after deep breath trying to calm down. All right. That was better.

  “Now, Sarashiki. If you could open your book?” Tatenashi snapped back to reality as her teacher’s face filled her vision.

  “Y-Yes, ma’am!” Flustered, she opened her textbook.

  “I know it’s good to be thoughtful, but you shouldn’t take it too far. Especially about boys.”

  It wasn’t like that. But Tatenashi, unable to explain how it wasn’t, let out a sigh.

  ◇

  “I really didn’t expect to get told to go shopping.”

  “Are you complaining? Even though I’m coming along to help?”

  Laura gave Ichika a frustrated poke. The two had left campus after school to shop for supplies for the upcoming field day. Now, they’d just stepped off the bus and were about to walk into the mall by the station, where they could find just about anything.

  “All right, first up, hmm... Fifty anpan? Yeah, we’re going to have to get those delivered.”

  “Anpan? Oh, you mean those buns filled with bean jam? Why do we need so many?” Laura looked inquisitively at Ichika.

  “They’re for the bread-eating contest. It’s one of the traditional competitions, have you heard of it? They get hung on strings, and then you have to jump and bite into them.”

  “What’s the point of that?”

  “It’s all in the technique. Anyway, let’s get this done with.”

  Ichika took Laura’s hand, and there was no more need for words. He’s gotten a lot better at dealing with women... Leading Laura around like a pet, Ichika ordered the buns.

  “What next?”

  “Looks like headbands and gloves.”

  “Hmm. Will we be having those delivered?”

  “Yeah.”

  A question mark floated over Laura’s head in response to Ichika’s casual nod, “So why did you invite me along, then? I thought I was here to carry things.”

  “There’s no way I’d make a girl do the heavy lifting. But that green tea café we went to before has new things on their menu, so I wanted to stop in for a drink with you.”

  Laura’s heart somersaulted at Ichika’s casual grin. Things had changed since the World Purge, and it seemed like he was a lot less distant. It definitely looks like he’s gotten more comfortable with girls now... Laura had expected this to play right into her own assertive style, but somehow turning from the hunter to the hunted only revealed her own naïveté. Still. It feels nice to be alone together. As they walked hand-in-hand through the crowded mall, she focused on the feel of his hand around hers. Its warm, tender clasp. She let that warmth wash over her.

  “All right, here we are. See? They have green tea shakes now.”

  “Yeah.”

  “These days everyone keeps selling shakes all through the fall. I guess it makes sense, it’s still pretty hot.”

  “Yeah!”

  Ichika chuckled at her energetic nodding.

  “Wait, Laura, are you nervous about something?”

  “Wh-What are you talking about, you idiot?!”

  Worried that he might have been able to tell by her body heat, she suddenly snatched her hand back and paced into the café.

  “Hey, wait, you don’t need to— Oh, right, sorry! Could we have two green tea shakes?” Ichika called across the counter to a friendly-looking twenty-something lady who half-smiled apologetically.

  “I’m sorry. We’re down to the last one.”

  “Oh, really? Uh, hmm. Just the one, then. And an iced green tea latte.”

  “Will that be all?”

  With a quick nod, Ichika paid and took their drinks. Taking the tray in hand, he followed along beside Laura. “Do you see any empty seats? I’d rather not sit by the window, it’s probably pretty toasty... Hmmm.”

  “I-It’s fine! I don’t mind!”

  “Oh? Then let’s sit there.”

  They sat across a table for two. Laura’s heart began to pound at how manly Ichika seemed today.

  “All right, here you go.”

  “How much was it? Let me pay you back.”

  “Don’t worry about it. It’s my treat.” Ichika was now, at least provisionally, a Japanese National Cadet, and received a decently large stipend. However, his generosity wasn’t because he was suddenly loaded. It was because Laura was a girl. Ichika was sure of it in his own mind.

  “Uh, thanks...” Laura lifted the shake to her lips, and her face lit up as she took a sip. “This is great! How do they get it this tasty? Is it honey? Bean paste, maybe?”

  Laura stared in fascination at the shake, and Ichika in turn watched her bemusedly. His own iced green tea latte was tasty, sure, but Laura’s reaction made it seem like her drink was even better.

  “It’s that good? Too bad we didn’t get here early enough to get two of them, then.”

  “Fine, fine. I’ll let you have some of mine.” Laura pushed her cup toward Ichika.

  “Oh, thanks.” Ichika popped the straw into his mouth and took a sip. “Ooh! This is really good!”

  “I-Isn’t it?!” Suddenly realizing that they’d indirect-kissed, Laura snatched her shake back from Ichika.

  “H-Hey, why’d you do that?”

  “B-Because.”

  She sucked on the straw, trying to calm her heart. I... I indirectly kissed him! What do I do? What do I do?!

  Just as the idea of asking Klarissa whether she should apply for maternity leave rushed through her head, she noticed familiar faces outside the window. Wait, is that Charlotte?! What’s she doing here? It wasn’t just Charlotte. It was several of their classmates. It seemed like they were out shopping after school, too.


  “Ichika. We need to get out of here. Let’s go.”

  “Eh? What’s wro—”

  “Just hurry up!”

  “This should be far enough.” Laura had dragged Ichika into the blinking lights and loud booms of a video arcade. The multicolored gleam illuminated a scene of teddy bears behind glass, flashy games, and loud light-gun shooters. None of them were like anything Laura had seen before. “W-What is this place?”

  “Huh? It’s an arcade.”

  “Oh, so that’s...” She caught a glimpse of the “Plush Catcher” machine a friend had told her about. “So you pick them up with that arm? I see.”

  “Wanna give it a try?”

  Just as Laura began to nod, she noticed Charlotte and her group pass by the entrance. Panicking, she pulled Ichika into a nearby booth.

  “What’s gotten into you, Laura? Why are you dragging me around?”

  “Shut up, you idiot! Just be quiet!”

  “Be quiet? Wait, you wanted to try this?” Ichika and Laura were in a photo booth.

  “What even is it?”

  “It takes your picture, and prints it out on a sticker. Why don’t we do it to remember this?”

  “W-Wait, what? Hold on, I—” Laura, who hadn’t dressed up to be photographed, tried to act hesitant, but Ichika was already feeding coins into the slot.

  “C’mon, Laura, pick a frame.”

  “W-Wait, what? What do I pick?!”

  “Whichever one you like. Look, there’s one with a black rabbit.”

  “Ooh! Let’s do that one!” With a beep, the machine switched to pen input mode.

  “You’re supposed to write something now, Laura.”

  “Hmm... Can I just write whatever I want?” Laura cleared her throat nervously. “Ichika, how much German do you speak?”

  “Uhh. ‘Baumkuchen’ means ‘good morning,’ right?”

  All right... Ichika being a moron is coming in handy.

  “Okay, there.”

  The shutter clicked, and then the machine spoke. “Out of frame. Please step closer.”

  Surprised, Ichika and Laura bunched up in front of the camera. Laura’s heart was about to jump out of her chest, but somehow, she managed to stay calm and hold it together until the photo was taken.

  “All right, they’re done!”

  They each took 10 of the 20 stickers to remember the day by. Below their faces was written, in German, “Ewige Liebe,” eternal love.