Infinite Stratos: Operation BLAZE

Chad, Africa.

Ichika's day had been horrible to say the least. It didn't start like that. Ichika woke up in his house like any other Saturday and early awaited the final round of the second Mondo Grosso tournament. His sister, Chifuyu Orimura, was in the final round and was set to face off against Italy's ace pilot Alicia Jiosestaf and her [Tempesta]. The boy had a lot of faith in his older sister who had easily won the last tournament. This year the pilots were more skilled, but they were no match for his sister.

As he was gathering his snacks and drinks for the event, he heard a knock at his door. It was probably his good friend Dan and Rin. Rin had recently moved to Japan from China and had gotten bullied by her classmates for being an outsider, however he stepped in and quickly put an end to the bullying. Ichika saw them as siblings since his parents were dead and Chifuyu didn't have time for him and had raised him the best she could. He was happy to have someone else around to hang out with, even if it was a girl. Cooties had yet to be confirmed but he knew in his heart they were real. Moving to the door, he heard the knocking increase.

"Just a moment!" He shouted. "Why aren't they using the intercom?" He wondered. They had been to his house several times in the past. As he got to the door, he grabbed the handle and pulled. To his shock it opened on its own. Before he could react, a hand came out and grabbed him. He was yanked into the dark and felt a needle stab his neck. Ichika didn't know what to do, but he knew he had to struggle. He kicked and screamed and did everything he could to break free. He was a small ten year old, but his strength was great due to the hard work he did with his sister. He even tried biting the hand holding him, but it was useless. He was overpowered and dragged into a van. He could see the front door and his freedom slowly getting smaller and smaller. Soon it was just a speck, before the vehicle turned a corner and it disappeared.

He had no way of knowing how long he had been asleep but he woke up with body being strapped down to a metal table. He was also stripped down and was only wearing a pair of white briefs. His mouth was dry and his throat hurt. He must have been screaming when he was drugged. Looking around the room he saw it was dimly lit with only the table and him in it. There were some tools laying about, but nothing he could use. As he tried to figure a way out, the door opened and several people in black lab coats came in. After they had entered the room, two additional men entered the room. One of them was wearing a white lab coat with distinct latino characteristics, graying but strands of jet black hair. Brown skin, with a goatee. His face was aged and he had wrinkles on his face, but his eyes were filled with life.

The other man was a Caucasian male with blonde hair slicked back. His skin was pale, with a scar on his cheek. He was clean shaved and had a scowl on his face. For some reason he wore sunglasses in doors. Ichika felt a sense of dread wash over him as the pair approached. He had to fight to keep the tears at bay.

"It seems subject 121 is awake. Good, Doctor, you may proceed with the tests. We expect great things from you."

"Yes Mr. Wesker, I will make sure the specimen is fully functional before we proceed."

Ichika was terrified at this point they were speaking a language he wasn't fluent in and had no clue what they were saying. The doctor came up and grabbed his right arm and proceeded to take a blood sample. He then moved to his feet and did the same. "The boy is healthy, his vitals are within normal parameters. Intern, take this sample for the other experiment. We will proceed as planned. Let's see if we can't awaken the other side. Subject 121, your life will change greatly in the next hour. I hope you can survive."

Ichika wasn't sure what they were planning, but he had a bad feeling about this. Wesker nodded while motioning for the other man to take his leave and he left the room with him. The doctor then grabbed a strange looking syringe. He didn't say anything but Ichika could see a hint of sadness in his eyes. Did this man feel remorse for what they were doing? Was he forced to do this? Ichika didn't have any more time to ponder as the needle was inserted into his chest. The contents of the syringe was injected into his heart. He could feel his body get hot. Like something was boiling inside him. It felt like his heart was going to explode. He screamed in pain, the doctor covered Ichika's mouth and the screams were muffled.

"Sorry kid, this is going to be rough. But please hang in there." The doctor whispered. Ichika wasn't sure if the pain could get worse, but it did. His veins began to glow red. It was faint at first, but it slowly got brighter. His screams got louder and the doctor had to cover his mouth tighter. Ichika felt like his body was on fire. He wanted the pain to stop. He needed it to stop.

Suddenly the pain stopped. Ichika passed out. His breathing was shallow and the doctor took a sigh of relief. Wesker had entered the room again and walked over the table. He looked at the passed out boy and nodded.

"It seems the awakening process was a success. He will need training, but we have plenty of test subjects for that. Now then place the gauntlet on him. We need to see if he can sync with the Infinite Stratos." Wesker said. Wesker went over to the nearby desk where a hermetically sealed case was. He opened the case after inputting his code and saw three gauntlets within. One was Black in color, another was Grey and the last one was Red. He grabbed the Black one and placed the black gauntlet on the child's wrist. Nothing happened at first, but then the gauntlet started to glow.

"Good..." Wesker said, clearly pleased with this result. He made his way to the case and closed it up. It let out a hiss as it sealed up.

"Continue your experiments doctor, I will return in a few days. Good work so far, I look forward to your results." He said as he left the room.

"Yes Mr. Wesker."

A few hours later.

The boy awoke inside of a cell. His body ached, his throat was still dry and he had no idea where he was. He had no idea who he was. He slowly got up and made his way to the bars and tried to open the door. Locked. He wasn't sure what to do. Suddenly the doctor came into view.

"Ah subject 121, you're awake. How are you feeling? Are you hungry or thirsty?" He asked in Japanese as he looked down at the tablet in his hands. Looking up, the doctor's face filled with surprise. The boy had black hair and brown eyes when they brought him in and now said the boy had hair as white as snow and eyes as well as blood.

"Who am I? Where am I? Who are you?" He asked.

"Hmm I see. So you don't remember anything. That is interesting. This may be beneficial." The doctor noted in Spanish. A blank slate of a subject would be easier to mold into what Umbrella needed. "It matters little. I will bring you something to eat and drink." He said as he left the room. Ichika was left alone again. He had no idea what he was. Sitting down in the corner he waited. And waited. And waited.

Wasn't someone supposed to bring him something or did he hallucinate that? He was brought out of his train of thought as a loud bang was heard. It sounded like it was coming closer. It was followed by gun fire and more bangs. Ichika wasn't sure what to make of it but then one of the interns showed up again.

"Subject 121 we are under attack. We need to leave." He said as he opened the cell door. Ichika wasn't sure why the intern was helping him. The man grabbed his arm and they ran down the hall. Bodies were lying about. Blood painting the walls. This was the first time the boy had seen death and it scared him. He wanted to leave.

"FREEZE!" Several men shouted at the two as they turned the corner. They had assault rifles pointed at them.

"Captain Redfield! This is Bravo team, I have eyes on a kid and a lab worker. Orders, sir?"

"Apprehend them both." Was Redfield's reply. Ichika wasn't sure what was going to happen. Bravo team moved towards them and one of the men reached for him. The intern shoved him behind him and Ichika felt the world slow down. He wasn't sure what was happening but he could see the intern pull out a pistol from his lab coat. Time returned to normal as the intern fired.

Bang Bang Bang Bang.

"NOOO!" Ichika cried out and shoved the lab intern. He hadn't realized whatever they had injected him with gave him superhuman strength. The intern flew through the wall and Ichika turned and ran. He had no idea what was going on. Why was everyone dying? Why did they shoot that man? Questions filled his mind as he ran. He was soon surrounded.

"KID STAY WHERE YOU ARE! WE ARE WITH THE BSAA. WE ARE HERE TO RESCUE YOU." Chris Redfield shouted. Ichika had no idea what the BSAA was or even what language they were speaking. It sounded like English but he didn't know that language. He didn't even know the language he was speaking. He just knew he didn't want to be where he was right now. He ran.

"KID!" Chris shouted as Ichika bolted. Ichika ran through the halls and soon came across a dead end. He was trapped. He could hear the BSAA closing in. Turning around he prepared himself for the worst. The team soon arrived and saw the child was scared and was ready to defend himself.

"Kid, we aren't here to hurt you. We are with the BSAA." Chris stated. Ichika wasn't sure what BSAA stood for or who they were. He didn't know anything. But he did know he didn't want to be taken again.

"STAY AWAY!" He shouted in Japanese. Suddenly his Gauntlet began to glow. The world around Ichika vanished and he was brought to a plain of reality that seemed to be made up of clouds. He looked around him and saw he was alone. He wasn't sure where he was or how to get out. Suddenly a voice spoke.

"Hello little boy." A female voice called out to him. Ichika spun around and saw a woman floating next to him. She had long white hair, yellow eyes and was wearing a white sundress. Her most striking feature was her white feathery wings. She was very pretty, but Ichika wasn't sure if he could trust her.

"W..who are you?" He asked.

"My name is Blaze. I am here because you wish for power and I want to grant that wish." She said as she floated closer. Ichika didn't know anything about granting a wish. He just wanted out.

"Can you help me get out of here? I don't want to hurt anyone."

"Yes I can. But only if you agree to become my contractor. Do you want power?"

"Yes... I want power." Ichika said. He wasn't sure what he was agreeing to, but he knew he couldn't stay in this place forever. Blaze smiled and flew over and kissed him. Ichika felt a warmth wash over him. It felt nice and he felt a new power within him. Blaze backed away and smiled.

"With this I am yours and you are mine." Blaze said with a smile other face. Ichika wasn't sure what she meant but he didn't have any more time as he returned to the halls of the lab facility. He was still in danger and in response to his feeling six drone bits appeared. The black blade shaped drone hovered around the boy. The men didn't know what to make of it.

"What the hell is that?" One of the men asked. Chris wasn't sure.

"Kid whatever that is, we can't help you unless you power it down." Chris said. Ichika wasn't sure how he activated them, but he didn't want them gone. He felt a sense of safety around the drones. Suddenly an explosion rocked the room. A team of soldiers clad in black uniforms entered through the ceiling of the room they were. They were armed with assault rifles. Ichika didn't know who these men were, but they were shooting at him.

"Shit! Umbrella secret service!" Chris cried out as Umbrella's elite troopers were sent out. Chris now knew whatever this boy was something Umbrella wanted badly.

Chris and his team return fire as Ichika hid behind some debris. Ichika watched as the BSAA fought the intruders. One of the black armored soldiers brought out an AT-4 launcher. Ichika wasn't sure what that thing did, but he felt like it was dangerous. The drone bits flew in between the two groups and formed an energy barrier. The AT-4 was fired and the barrier took the blast head on. It protected Chris and his team.

"What the hell, they got a barrier projector?!" One of the Umbrella soldiers shouted. Ichika wasn't sure what was happening anymore.

Chris reloaded his assault rifle and took aim. He took down several of the troopers and soon the rest fell. "Kid, whatever those things are, they saved us. Power them down and we can leave." Chris pleaded. Ichika wasn't sure, but he could trust the man. He felt a sense of safety and honesty from him. The drones vanished. Chris and his team moved towards Ichika.

"Alright kid my name is Chris Redfield. You are safe with us." Chris said. Ichika just looked at him confused. He didn't know English well enough. Chris didn't know Japanese so they just stared at each other. Chris sighed and radioed for an evacuation.

"Command this Captain Redfield we have kids that were being used as a test subject and are requesting an evac. Have the med team ready."

"Roger Chris." The pilot responded. The BSAA strike team made their way outside and waited for their transport to arrive.

Soon a helicopter arrived and Ichika was loaded up. He was given water and food and was soon back to normal. Chris sat across from the child.

"Kid, can you understand me?" Chris asked. Ichika just looked at him confused. Chris sighed again. He didn't know the child's name, or even his age. He had to be around 8-10 years old. White hair and red eyes. Chris was sure the boy wasn't human. Or not completely anymore. Chris noticed the black gauntlet the boy was wearing. Wondering what it was.

"Boss, the kid is asleep." One of his men stated. Chris nodded and got comfortable. It was going to be a long trip back home.

Meanwhile in Japan.

Chifuyu Orimura was filled with dread. Her brother was missing and couldn't be found. Her only family was missing and he could be dead for all she knew. She had called the police and was told there had been a fire and a facility was destroyed. Some bodies were recovered. Including an unidentified child. Chifyu didn't know what to think. She prayed her brother was alive. Chifuyu wasn't sure what she was going to do. She was lost without him. Ichika was her world and was her family.

She sat at the dinner table and looked at the clock. It was late and she was tired. All she ever wanted was a peaceful life with her brother and she had failed him. He was kidnapped and there was nothing she could do. She wasn't there to protect him. Chifuyu let the tears fall. She was alone now. She had no family. No friends. Nothing.

Suddenly the doorbell rang. Chifuyu wasn't sure who was coming over at this time of night. Making her way to the door she looked out the peep hole and saw it was the police. Opening the door she looked at the officers.

"Orimura-san we have recovered a child. We think it is your brother." The officer said. Chifuyu wasn't sure how this was possible. He was missing.

"May I see him?" She asked. The officer nodded and motioned for her to follow. They arrived at the hospital and Chifuyu was brought to the morgue. She wasn't sure what she was seeing. The corpse was burned beyond recognition. It was a child but she wasn't sure.

"I'm sorry Orimura-san this was the only remains found. If this is him I am sorry for your loss." The officer stated. Chifuyu wasn't sure what to think. Her body went into autopilot as she was brought back home. She entered her home and made her way to her bed room. She just stared at her bed. Her brother wasn't coming back.

Three weeks later, San Diego, California, United States, Beale Air Force Base.

For the past three weeks the boy Chris recovered was resting up in the medical wing of this Navy base. He was diagnosed with minor malnutrition and had no memories. Chris had been visiting the boy every day hoping one day he would wake up. He knew he needed someone who knew Japanese and there was one girl on the base. The rising star in the Air Force Natasha Fairs. Her family came from a long line of aviators all the way back to the First World War. Chris knew Natasha had to speak Japanese.

Making his way to her hanger Chris knocked on the door. Soon Natasha came to the door.

"Captain Redfield, what can I do for you?" She asked.

"I need a favor. There is a boy that was rescued three weeks ago and no one knows his name. He also doesn't speak English. Do you think you could help me talk to him?" Chris asked. Natasha wasn't sure what to make of this.

"Sure Chris, lead the way." Natasha said. Chris led Natasha to the medical wing and brought her to the boy's room. Opening the door he saw the child was sitting up and looking out the window.

"Hey kid. I brought someone who speaks your language. She is going to help us talk." Chris said. Ichika turned to look at the man. He wasn't sure what was going on. Suddenly the girl entered.

"Ohayou Gozaimasu. (Good morning) My name is Fairs Natasha. What is your name?" Natasha asked in Japanese. Ichika was unsure.

"My name is subject 121. I think?" He said. Chris and Natasha looked at him shocked. Subject 121. What kind of life did this child live?

"No your name, boy. I want to know what you were called before you were in that lab." Natasha stated. Ichika wasn't sure. He had no memories. He just remembered waking up.

"I don't know. I woke up in a cell and I don't remember anything. Please tell me who I am?" Ichika pleaded. He just wanted to know.

"Chris, I need some time alone with him. I need to ask him a few questions." Natasha said. Chris wasn't sure what she was going to be asking but he would give them their space. Leaving the room he closed the door. Natasha pulled up a chair and sat down. Ichika just looked at her.

"Well boy, you're speaking Japanese so there's a good chance you're from Japan. Do you know what Japan is?"

"No I don't."

"I see. And when Chris first met you what was different about you? Did you have white hair and red eyes? Japanese people don't normally have that hair and eye color." She asked. Ichika wasn't sure what this girl was asking.

"I don't know. I just remember waking up and people were dying. Then a man wanted to take me somewhere but then I woke up." Ichika stated. Natasha wasn't sure what to make of this child.

"Hmm that's that on your wrist?" She asked, pointing at the black gauntlet Ichika was wearing.

"This? I don't know where it came from? They gave it to me. I can do this with it though." Ichika said as he brought out 2 drone bits that danced in the air around the two. Natasha's eyes went wide with shock. This was a part of an IS. A weapon system that men shouldn't be able to use.

"Boy, I want you to answer me honestly. Is that an I.S.?" Natasha asked. Ichika wasn't sure.

"I.S.?"

"It stands for Infinite Stratos. It is a weapon system that only women should be able to use. But Chris said you were protected by six drone bits. Those are parts of an IS as well. Can you make it bigger? Like a whole body armor suit?" Natasha asked. Ichika wasn't sure. Bringing the two drone bits back to the gauntlet he closed his eyes and focused. A mechanical black arm appeared over his right arm confirming her suspicions. Ichika opened his eyes and looked at Natasha.

"You can control it. Interesting. Males shouldn't be able to use it." She was wondering if it was because he hadn't hit puberty yet.

"Ok kid. I am going to call you Seth for now. I'll tell Chris what is going on and see what can be done." Natasha said as she stood up. Walking out the room she made her way to find Chris.

"So what is the kid's story?" Chris asked. Natasha wasn't sure how to tell him.

"Chris the kid has no memories. He can't remember anything before being locked up in a cell. But he does have an IS on him." Natasha stated.

"Excuse me? Did you say the boy is equipped with an IS? As in one of the very limited exoskeleton weapon systems. That no country can manufacture except the genius scientist Tabane Shinonono? That IS? How is that possible?" Chris stated. Natasha wasn't sure.

"I am not sure Chris. But the kid is wearing an IS. Either Umbrella got ahold of a IS core or somehow they manufactured one, but Seth is a unique boy. He can use an IS."

"Seth?"

"That is what I am calling him. He doesn't remember his name. We can't keep calling him boy." Natasha stated. Chris wasn't sure.

"Chris the boy needs help and training. He has no memory. No home. Nothing. We can't send him back to Japan. Not after Umbrella kidnapped him. He needs protection." Natasha said. Chris wasn't sure.

"Well we need to test the IS core first. Figure out which country it originally belonged to and we'll have to return it. After that we can decide his future." Chris stated, it was common knowledge that there were a limited number of IS cores, 467 to be exact. If it was discovered that a nation had either stolen or was knowingly withholding an IS core from another nation it could lead to a political shit storm. They would gain favor if they had returned a core to a nation that had been stolen. After all, no nation would purposely report one of their limited cores.

Later that day.

Chris and Natasha brought out Seth and took him to a hangar bay that wasn't being used at the moment but was filled with all sorts of devices and equipment. There was a team of people wearing Air Force maintenance gear.

"Seth, I need you to do me a favor. Can you make that IS appear full body?" Natasha asked. Ichika wasn't sure. Closing his eyes he focused and soon a full body black IS suit appeared. Natasha and Chris' eyes went wide. It was a fully functioning IS.

"Holy shit." Chris stated.

"Techie, what's the machine's name?" Natasha asked.

"Ma'am it's reporting itself as [B.L.A.Z.E.]. Wow it's armed to the teeth. The IS core is unregistered and is more powerful than any IS currently out. I don't even know what the hell this stuff is. I am reading that the suit uses a special form of energy."

"Did you say it's unregistered?!" Chris shouted. Was Umbrella able to manufacture its own cores? They would become the biggest threat if that was the case. A lone IS was able to protect Japan with two thousand missiles launched at it as well as defeat an entire carrier strike group that was sent after it. It even destroyed several spy satellites that were tracking it. Natasha wasn't sure what this meant. Seth was able to use an IS. She wasn't sure if Umbrella was able to manufacture cores or if Tabane Shinonono had joined forces with the bioterrorist group.

"Chris we gotta inform the higher ups. This could be bad." Natasha stated. Seth was now an international security risk. He needed protection. This was gonna be the start of a whole international legal headache. If only there was a way to bypass of the treaties and legal protections set up by the UN regarding ISes. That when Chris got a bright idea.

"Natasha, I want you to translate what I'm gonna say." The blonde haired woman agreed and Chris continued. "Seth, I want you to join the BSAA." Chris said.

"Are you out of your damn mind?" Natasha cried out.

"You're the one that said he needs protection and the BSAA being an international organization can bypass several of the legal hurdles involving ISes. Plus we can protect him. Natasha tell him what I said and have him answer me honestly. If he says no we will find another way. But if he agrees we will figure out the rest later. Alright?" Chris explained.

Natasha wasn't sure what sort of mess Chris was causing. Sighing, she turned to Ichika.

"Seth, Chris wants you to join the BSAA. It's a military organization that fights bioterrorism. Think you can handle that?" Natasha translated. Ichika wasn't sure. Join a military organization. He was just a kid. But the man Chris was nice and he saved him. Seth agreed. Natasha told Chris and he smiled.

"Good now for caretaking. I know I'm pretty busy but I think I can handle raising a kid." Chris mentioned.

"With all respect Captain Redfield you are out of the country most of the time hunting down Umbrella cells. Plus the BSAA is an international organization. Seth needs stability. You are barely around. Who is gonna train him as well. You don't have the time. You can be his commanding officer for sure. But a caretaker? Not a chance. He needs to be put into school." Natasha stated. "I'm stationed at this base and can provide Seth stability. Plus I can train him along with the other girls here. I will submit my request to adopt him. " Natasha stated.

"You sure Natasha? I don't want you to bite off more than you can chew. Raising a child is a lot of work." Chris stated.

"I can handle it. Seth is a good kid I can tell. I will submit the paperwork. Do you want to become part of my family Seth?" Natasha asked.

"Hai onee-chan." He said with a cheerful smile. Natasha's face took on a bright red hue and she had to suppress the urge to hug the boy. She wasn't used to someone calling her an older sister. The two adults went to work

Five years later.

The years passed by fast. Natasha adopted Ichika and named him Seth Fairs. She trained him and became his legal guardian. Seth was enrolled into school and was a straight A student. He had trouble remembering his past but he was able to function. Chris would visit him every few months. But Seth was happy. He had a home and a big sister who he loved dearly.

One day while sitting in their home on the couch reading a novel on his phone his sister placed a large book on the coffee table and a white uniform.

"Hmm? New equipment guidebook. Jeez do the nerds not know who to make those smaller." Seth stated. He figured it was some new equipment for [B.L.A.Z.E.]. Natasha chuckled.

"No Seth this isn't an equipment guidebook. It's your IS academy handbook. I got the uniforms ready too." Natasha stated. Seth wasn't sure what this was about.

"IS academy? What?" Seth stated confused.

"Chris sent in your application and the academy accepted you. You are gonna be attending IS academy. My training can only go so far and plus we can stop the federal government from asking for more genetic samples for the time being till you graduate." Natasha stated. Since he was a member of the BSAA the US government couldn't request consistent samples from the young man. Natasha was very adamant in stopping them from acquiring a semen sample once the boy entered puberty. Like hell she would let him become some sort of breeding stock for male IS users. Seth didn't want to leave his big sis alone. The two were very close.

"But Onee-chan. What about you? I don't want to leave you alone. Who is gonna take care of you?" Seth asked. Natasha wasn't sure what Seth was worried about. Over the past five years the two had gotten very close. Natasha was an only child and both her parents had passed away when she was a little girl. Her grandfather had raised her and when he died Natasha was left alone. Seth filled the void and vice versa. Seth had shown he had skills for household chores and since Natasha was a bit of a slob he kept their home clean. He was also a very skilled cook, and was alway looking for new recipes.

"I'll be alright and I can come for a visit every so often or I can alway pay to have you visit me on your breaks." Natasha stated. Seth wasn't convinced. Natasha could see he was gonna need a push. Sighing she knew she had to pull the big sister card.

"Look, I want you to go. It will be a great experience." Natasha stated. Seth wasn't sure.

"Well how long till I have to leave Sis?" Seth asked. Natasha smiled.

"Your term starts next month. So you have a few weeks. So what do you say, wanna give IS academy a try?" Natasha asked. Seth wasn't sure. Taking a breath he agreed.

"Alright Sis. I'll go to IS academy and show them the skills the big sis taught me." Seth stated. Natasha smiled and hugged her little brother. She was gonna miss him but this was a great opportunity. Seth would be safe at IS academy.

"Now then I need to have the 'talk' with you." Natasha stated. Seth wasn't sure what this 'talk' was. "You're gonna be surrounded by nothing but hormonal girls and I need to make sure you know how to stay safe. Though I would prefer it if you don't lay a hand on any of the girls. There will be important children from all over the planet there. Daughters of major IS companies, representative of nations or of major political figures. If you get one pregnant you will cause a major international issue. You will keep it in your pants RIGHT!" Natasha stated. Seth wasn't sure what she was talking about.

"Sis I have no clue what you are talking about. Lay a hand on one of the girls. What does that mean? How would I get a girl pregnant." Seth asked. Natasha wasn't believing what she was hearing. Did Chris forget the birds and the bees talk with the boy?

"Chris didn't give you the 'talk'. Did he?" Natasha asked. Seth wasn't sure what she was asking. Sighing Natasha facepalmed herself.

"Alright Seth I am gonna explain something very important to you. Something you need to know before going off to IS academy. Sit down and pay attention." Natasha stated. Seth wasn't sure. Sitting on the couch his sister started the 'talk'.

Later that evening.

Natasha was in her bedroom undressing for the night. She had given Seth the 'talk' and was alway red faced for the rest of the evening. She had shown him a few diagrams and the boy just wasn't getting it. How the hell was this boy this dense? It was actually worrying her. Seth was smart but when it came to romance he was a brick wall. Natasha wasn't sure what to do. Finishing changing into a nightgown she went to Seth's room to check on him.

"Seth, you still awake?" Natasha stated. Opening the door she saw Seth was under his sheets.

"Sis? Yes I am still awake." Natasha wasn't sure.

"Alright well I will be retiring to bed. I want you to review the IS academy handbook and brush up on your Japanese. Ok? You leave in a few weeks and I want you prepared." Natasha stated.

"Ok sis. Goodnight. I love you." Seth stated. Natasha blushed a bit.

"Love you too Seth goodnight." Natasha stated as she closed the door. Walking to her bedroom she couldn't shake the feeling something was gonna happen.

Four weeks later.

Seth was all packed and ready to go. He had reviewed the IS academy handbook and brushed up on his Japanese. Seth was all ready.

"Alright you got everything packed. Now then Seth I want you to listen closely. You are gonna be surrounded by girls and I need you to remember what I told you. No fooling around ok." Natasha stated. Seth wasn't sure what she was meaning again.

"Ok sis no fooling around. Does that mean not making jokes?" Seth asked. Natasha facepalmed herself. She was gonna miss this dense boy. Taking a breath she sighed.

"Alright I want you to be on your best behavior and I will alway be available if you need to talk. Alright. Now then give your big sister a hug." Natasha stated. Seth wasn't sure. Walking up to his big sister he was enveloped by her bosom. Seth blushed a bit but hugged her back. Natasha was gonna miss this dense boy. Releasing him Seth waved goodbye and got onto the military transport. Sighing Natasha wasn't sure what was gonna happen.

IS academy.

"Ahh excuse me young man. We are not accepting visitors at this time. You'll need to get back on the train to the mainland." A teacher stated as she watched the young man exit the train.

"Uhh excuse me. My name Seth Fairs. I am a new transfer student. I was accepted a few weeks ago." Seth stated. He wasn't wearing the uniform of the academy just yet and was still in his casual clothing. The teacher let out a few chuckles. There was no way a man could use an IS and here this boy was claiming to be a student.

"Young man IS academy is only for women. I don't know what prank or gag you're pulling but you need to get back on that train." The teacher stated. Grabbing his IS academy issued ID he showed it to the woman.

"But I'm a student. See it says so right here." The woman looked shocked as she looked at the ID, she quickly scanned it with her tablet and it brought up his information. He was a registered student.

"I-I see. I am sorry for the inconvenience. Welcome to IS academy. I will take you to the dorms so you can settle in." The woman stated. Seth wasn't surprised the woman reacted like she did.

The woman was tall and very well built. She was clearly athletic and had short cut hair. Seth noticed how her uniform showed off her ample breasts and she had long legs. Seth didn't feel an attraction toward her, but he did admit she was pretty.

As he walked through the building he was being stared at by the girls of the academy wondering why there was a boy here. Seth wasn't comfortable with all the attention. He wasn't used to this much attention. The girls were whispering about this mysterious white haired boy with red eyes. Who was he?

The two entered the dorm and Seth was given a room.

"I hope you enjoy your stay here Mr. Fairs. You are the first male student here so it's gonna be an adjustment for all of is in 30 minutes so change into your uniform and get to class. Ask one of the students if you get lost, the girls here are friendly and would be happy to help." The teacher said as she left. Seth had unpacked his clothes and took a very quick shower before putting on the academy uniform. Heading off to class he couldn't shake the feeling he was being watched. He was getting stares from the girls. One of them came up to him.

"Excuse me, are you lost?" A girl with long orange hair asked.

"Uhh I am trying to find class 1-1. I'm Seth Fairs. I'm a new student." Seth stated. The girl's eyes went wide as she saw his uniform. It was a male uniform.

"Wait, are you really a student?" The girl asked.

"Yes." Seth responded.

"Sorry I am just surprised that you're a man." The girl stated. Seth wasn't surprised.

"That's ok I am sure everyone is gonna be surprised to see me. So uh can you show me where the classroom is." Seth asked.

"Sure thing. My name is Himegami Akio." Aika stated as she showed Seth to the classroom. Seth wasn't expecting the amount of attention he was getting. Some of the girls were whispering about him. "Here's the classroom. Just let me know if there's any other questions you have. As your senpai I'll be more than happy to help."

"Himegami-san thanks for the help." Seth said as he entered the classroom.

He wasn't expecting this sort of reaction. Everyone was staring at him. Some of the girls were whispering and giggling. He wasn't comfortable with all this attention.

"Hey who is that?" One of the girls asked.

"A new student." Another girl answered.

"Whoa is she a foreigner? She's got short white hair." A third girl stated.

"Wait, he's a guy." One of the girls stated.

"WHAT?" All the girls shouted out in shock. Seth wasn't comfortable with this. Seth saw the desks had these hologram pillars with the names of the students on them and he found his. He was in the front row in the dead center of the a seat he figured things will calm down after a bit.

A few minutes later the teacher arrived. This young woman with short green hair, wearing glasses and a bright yellow dress and brown boots that reached up to her knees. The part that got Seth's attention was her massive chest, he had to focus on not staring at her.

"Hello class! My name is Maya Yamada and I'll be your assistant teacher for the year. Miss Orimura is in a last minute meeting and will be arriving later. For now let's introduce ourselves!" The young teacher said cheerfully.

"This is difficult." Seth thought as he was being stared at by all the girls in the classroom. As they introduced themselves.

"I know that this school would be all girls, but dammit this pressure is going to kill me." The most intense look he was getting was from Houki who was in the same row. Seth was too lost in his thought to notice that he was called.

"Seth? Seth Fairs, please answer." Seth was surprised to hear his name called.

"H-Hai!" Seth jumped out of his seat. The other girls started to laugh at his actions.

"Sorry did I scare you?" Maya looked like she was about to cry.

"No it was my fault, I was too lost in my thoughts. So why did you call me?"

"We're introducing ourselves. We're now on F."

"I see, well then my name is Seth Fairs. I'm the only male currently able to use an I.S. I'm also the representative candidate of the BSAA. As for my hobbies, I enjoy cooking and finding new dishes. I hope we'll get along this year." Seth said as he took his seat. He knew that being the only male and able to use an IS will attract a lot of attention.

"Thank you Seth-kun." Maya said as the introductions continued. After each student had introduced themselves, the door to the class had opened and a black haired woman entered the room. The girls immediately started shrinking

"KYAAA—! It's Chifuyu-sama, it's the real Chifuyu-sama herself!"

"I've always been your biggest fan!"

"I came to this school from North Kyushu because I admired you, onee-sama!"

"I came all the way from Southern Hokkaido!"

"I'm so happy to be taught by Chifuyu-sama!"

"I'll gladly die for Chifuyu-sama!"

Chifuyu couldn't believe how the girls were acting. She had to put a stop to it.

"SHUT UP, ALL OF YOU!" Chifuyu shouted out, stunning the class. Chifuyu couldn't believe that all the girls were fangirling over her. It was irritating.

"Now then, I'll be your homeroom teacher, Orimura Chifuyu." Chifuyu said, introducing herself. The girls started to freak out again.

"The great Orimura Chifuyu-sama is our homeroom teacher!?"

"I can't believe it!"

"It's like a dream come true!"

"I want to be your wife!"

"I want to lick you all over!"

Chifuyu couldn't believe how crazy these girls were acting. They needed to get a grip.

"ALL OF YOU SHUT UP! You're embarrassing yourselves!" Chifuyu shouted. The girls all went quite. Chifuyu sighed at her students. These girls were crazy fangirls. Chifuyu had to get a handle on her class. Taking a breath she introduced herself.

"Orimura Chifuyu, former pro-IS fighter and Japan national champion. As well as the former world champion. For the next three years I'll be teaching you how to pilot an IS." She stated while glaring. Daring any of the girls to give another outburst. As her eyes scanned the classroom she was momentarily stunned as her eyes locked onto Seth. His facial features reminded her of Ichika and she didn't know what to say. Chifuyu had to regain her composer.

"Alright then let's begin class. Yamada begins the lecture." Chifuyu stated. Having recovered her composure she was not gonna let the fact Seth looked so much like her brother go by uninvestigated

"Yes Ma'am." Maya stated. Seth wasn't expecting this reaction from the girls. He had heard stories about Orimura-sensei, Japan's former world champion. She was the first person to master the second generation IS and won the title of world champion. She was a living legend. Seth was a bit nervous as the class continued.

Sometime later.

As Yamada was teaching her lesson she spotted Seth looking disinterested.

"Seth-kun, are you paying attention?" Maya asked. Seth was taken aback.

"Uhh yes Yamada-sensei." Seth stated.

"Are you sure? Because you're not taking notes." Maya stated. Seth wasn't used to being called out.

"I've learned this material already. My sister taught me while teaching me my IS." Seth stated.

"Eh, Fairs-kun has his own personal machine?" One of the girls asked. Seth wasn't expecting this sort of reaction.

"Yes I have my own IS." Seth stated.

"Can we see it?" Another girl asked.

"Class settle down. Fairs's personal machine isn't any of your concern. Let Yamada continue her lesson. Any further disturbance and I'll have you run laps." Chifuyu stated. Maya was a bit intimidated by Chifuyu. Taking a breath Maya continued teaching the lesson. Seth wasn't expecting this sort of reaction. During the lecture Seth was distracted by Houki stare. She was glaring at him. She had been glaring at him since the introduction.

Later that day.

The girls of class 1-1 were talking amongst themselves.

"So Fairs-kun has his own machine?" One of the girls asked.

"He must be really special and a hard worker to have his own machine already." Another girl stated. Houki got up from her desk and approached Seth.

"Can I have a word with you on the rooftop before the next class starts."

"Sure Shinonono-san." Seth said as the two left the classroom. The girls were gossiping.

"Did you see the way Shinonono-san was staring at Fairs-kun. She was glaring at him." One of the girls stated.

"Think there's bad blood between the two." Another girl stated.

"Come on, he's the first guy at the academy. I am sure she's just surprised to see him." A third girl stated.

On the rooftop.

Up on the roof Houki was waiting for Seth. The boy soon arrived.

"So Shinonono-san, what did you want to discuss?" Seth asked. Houki was glaring at him.

"Ichika, why are you using the name Seth? Why did you dye your hair and what happened to your eyes?" She was talking about his white hair and his red eyes.

"This is my natural hair color after an accident I had as a kid. I'm afraid I don't know the Ichika kid. You're mistaking me with someone else." Seth stated. Houki was a bit confused.

"Then why do you look identical to him? What accident?" Houki stated.

"Shinonono-san I don't know what or who you're talking about. My eyes turned red due to the accident I had when I was a kid. Sorry you're mistaking me with someone else."

"Wait!" Seth didn't listen to her and returned to class. Houki was confused.

Class later that day.

"Alright class at the end of today's lesson. Make sure to study for tomorrow's lesson." Maya stated. Class was dismissed. Seth was gathering his stuff.

"Fairs-kun may I speak to you." Seth was surprised. Looking up Maya.

"Of course sensei." Seth stated. Houki overheard the conversation and decided to wait outside the classroom.

"Due to the fact you're the only boy and us having a limited number of rooms, you'll be having a female roommate. I just wanted to give you a warning." Maya stated. Seth wasn't bothered.

"Don't worry sensei. I've lived with my older sister growing up and nothing will bother me."

"If you're sure. Also try not to make waves. Due to the fact you're a boy the girls are a bit sensitive. Please understand."

"Don't worry Yamada-sensei." With the discussion done. Seth left the classroom and returned to the dorms. He looked at the numbers on the door and finally found the room he was showed this morning.

"There's room 1025. Guess this is the room." Seth was a bit nervous. Opening the door and entering the room. He saw he was alone.

"Guess I beat them to the room. I'll prepare something to break the ice. Might as well cook something." Seth stated. Setting his duffle bag down he began searching the kitchen. That was when he finally heard the sound of the show running. His blood ran cold as he realized his mistake. Slowly turning around. He was face to face with a naked Houki.

"Is someone there? Ah you must be my roommate, sorry for coming like this." Houki stepped out of the shower room. She was wrapped in a towel. Seth couldn't help, but admire Houki figure. Her large bust and her toned body from her constant kendo practice. Seth had to force himself not to stare. Houki wasn't expecting this.

"I'm Shinonono Houki, I'll be in your care." She opened her eyes and saw a blushing Seth covering his eyes.

"AHHHH! WHAT ARE DOING HERE?" Houki was freaking out. Seth turned his whole body away from her.

"Sensei didn't tell you. Uh, I'm your roommate. Seth Fairs nice to meet." Seth was panicking.

"WHY AREN'T YOU LEAVING?" Houki was embarrassed and angry. "BAKA, GET OUT OF OUR ROOM. HOW COULD THEY PUT ME IN THE SAME ROOM WITH A BOY?!" Houki immediately grabbed a wooden sword.

"Wait!" Seth tried stopping her. Houki swung her bokken aiming for his head. Seth barely dodged.

"WAIT THIS AN ACCIDENT, THERE'S NO NEED TO OVERREACT." Seth was dodging her attacks.

"OVERREACT, LIKE HELL." Houki was swinging her blade.

"JUST WAIT, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS. IT WAS YAMADA-SENSEI FAULT." Trying to pin the blame on anyone but himself he continued to dodge the incoming strike. That was until he slipped and found himself unable to move in time. A shower of light particles enveloped his left arm and a black mechanical arm appeared, he deployed one of his blue energy blades from his wrist. The wooden kendo sword was cut by the energy blade.

"The hell is your problem?! That could have hurt me." Seth shouted at the girl, clearly upset at her antic that had gone on for too long. Houki was taken aback by his outburst and tone.

"W-What, I-It's YOUR fault." Houki defended herself, a blush appearing on her cheeks. Seth wasn't letting her off the hook.

"My fault, are you kidding? You're the one who attacked me, are you insane. Next time think twice, before doing something stupid and impulsive."

"Shut-up." Houki was annoyed.

"Just keep a hold on yourself. Don't rush into anything and attack me. I'll step outside while you change." Seth said as he pointed to her towel which was nearly undone by all her moving around. Houki blushed and fixed her towel,

"GET OUT." Seth did as told. Stepping outside the room.

"Great the first day and I've pissed off my roommate. Well not the best start." Seth thought.

"Finish changing and we'll talk."

"Fine." Was her response. Sometime later the two were sitting across from each. Neither wanted to speak.

"Look, Shinonono-san, this is a misunderstanding. Sensei forgot to mention the details and didn't warn you. We're roommates so we should get along right." Seth stated. Houki was a bit irritated.

"How can you say that? A boy and a girl shouldn't share the same room after the age of 7." Houki was turning an impressive shade of red.

"But we don't have a choice. It could take weeks for a new room to open up. So we'll have to deal with it. So we should get along." Seth was trying to reason. Houki couldn't argue.

"I guess so Ichika."

"It's Seth."

"Huh?"

"My name is Seth not Ichika."

"But..."

"Look I'm not Ichika whoever he is. My name is Seth Fairs. Look Shinonono-san the resemblance is pure coincidence. Whatever or whoever Ichika is, isn't me."

"Fine but only if you stop calling me Shinonono-san. I hate being called that." Houki answered back. Seth could tell that there was some sort of bad blood between Houki and her older sister, the world-renowned genius Tabane.

"Alright Houki-san. We should head down to the cafeteria to grab a meal before the close for the night. I was gonna make something here, but my ingredients are ruined." Seth said as he pointed to the bag of grocery he had bought that was now squished. It must have happened while they were fighting.

"Fine, lead the way." She answered as she got up from her bed.

"I was kinda hoping you knew the way there." He had no clue on the layout of the academy.

"Well follow me." Houki led the way.

The two made their way down the cafeteria while gaining the looks of all the other girls. Seth decided to ignore the stares. Houki noticed the stares and hated the feeling of being watch. Ever since her sister made the Infinite Stratos 10 years ago, she had to be placed into witness protection and her family was relocated. Houki was resentful towards her sister, her research and her invention.

The two grabbed their meals and quickly ate their dinners. As they returned to their rooms, they got stares from everyone. Once inside their room, the white hair boy spoke up.

"I think we should set up some ground rules."

"Like what." Houki asked.

"Well sorting out our own spaces, room in the small fridge, and shower times."

"Well for space you have your half of the room and I have mine. As for shower time. My time will be from 7 to 8, your time will be 8 to 9." Houki suggested.

"That's a little late. Why is yours so late?"

"I have kendo practice."

"Don't they have showers there?" Seth had known from several sport clubs in his old school that the sports club had showers.

"They do, but I don't feel right if it isn't my shower."

"In other words you're shy. I guess it's fine. Wait, does the bathroom have a toilet?"

"No." Houki said.

"Oh not good." Seth had a sweat drop.

"Why? There are bathroom at the end of each hall?"

"For women. Not men."

"Right... You can't use women's." Houki said.

"I wasn't planning on it."

"Sorry."

"Let's call it a night." Seth yawned.

"Good Night." Houki stated.

"Night." And with that the two went to bed. As Seth laid in bed he had his phone under the covers and was sending his sister a message.

"Hey sis. First day was interesting. Was given a roommate and turns out it's a girl. Think I already pissed her off. Talk more tomorrow." Seth sent the message. Minutes later his sisters responded.

"You poor thing. Hope things work out. Goodnight." She replied

"Goodnight."

The Next day.

Early the next morning. The two got up and made their way to the cafeteria. Houki noted that Seth's breakfast was larger than her's by a lot. Around three times the normal size.

"That's a lot of food." Houki didn't think that he could finish it.

"It's actually pretty small compared to what I'm used to." Seth began to eat the food at a steady pace. To Houki's surprise he was making decent progress into the pile of food. She heard that teenage boys eat a lot but didn't imagine it like this.

"Wow Fairs-san you eat a lot of food." A girl said.

"Well he's a guy so he eats a lot." Another girl said.

"Yeah, but this much?" The first girl responded.

"Morning ladies." Seth states. Houki noticed the stares the boy was getting.

"Morning." Some of the girls were checking him out.

"Why the hell are you eating so slow?!" Chifuyu yelled as she told the students to hurry up. No one dared to eat slow. They hurried to finish their food.

"Geez." Seth muttered.

In class sometime later.

"The IS is an incredibly complex machine. But fortunately, the human body itself is even more complex. Which means the IS responds automatically, to its pilot's thoughts and physiology." Maya was explaining the concept of the mental link the Infinite Stratos had. The chime sounded ending the class.

"We'll pick up where we left off, tomorrow." Maya finished.

As Seth was gathering his books for the next class, he was approached by a blonde hair classmate. She was just standing in front of his desk doing nothing. After a few awkward moments Seth spoke up.

"Is there something you want?" Seth asked.

"Do you not know who I am?" The girl said.

"No sorry." The girl scoffed, clearly offended.

"I'm Cecilia Alcott, a representative candidate of England. Second place finisher during the entrance exam."

"Second huh. Congrats." Seth didn't remember the results. Cecilia was flabbergasted by the sheer audacity of the teen boy.

"You insolent. How dare a commoner such as yourself."

"Excuse me." Seth was wondering what her deal was.

"A person of a lower birth shouldn't refer or speak to their superiors."

"Are you insulting or demeaning me? Cause whatever it is. It's not working."

"WHAT, how could a lowly peasant like not recognize my superiority-" Cecilia was shocked, but before she could respond, Chifuyu entered the classroom.

"Everyone in your seats, I'm starting class right now!" Chifuyu ordered and anyone who wasn't in their spot, rushed to their seat. After Chifuyu is finished with her lecture she brought up the topic of the class representative.

"Alright now that the lesson is over I need the class to decide on a class representative. Any volunteers?" Chifuyu said. A girl suddenly spoke.

"I nominate Fairs-kun."

"I do to." Several girls said the same thing.

"Yeah, get Fair-kun to do it. Wait...I'm Fairs-kun" Before he could voice his objections to the nomination, Cecilia spoke up.

"I can not stand for this. I will not allow this, this Ape to be the one leading this class."

"EXCUSE ME." Seth wasn't happy.

"You heard me. That beast will not be the class representative." Cecilia stated.

"It's no wonder why no one likes Americans. You're all rude."

"What did you just say?" Seth was clearly pissed. He spoke in English.

"I'm sorry if hit a soft spot." Cecilia began to speak in English as well.

"Well at least we are so full of ourselves that we have our heads up our ass."

"At least England doesn't start wars with random countries and drag others with them."

"Enough talk." Seth said.

"I agree let's finish this in a duel. Sensei I request a duel." Cecilia asked Chifuyu.

"Well do you both have a personal I.S.?" Both of them said yes.

"Very well then. The duel will be on Monday." Chifuyu finished.

"So how much of a handicap do you want?" Seth said. The girls in the class began to laugh.

"You think you'll beat me." Cecilia asked.

"Seth-kun, even if you have your I.S. there is no way a man would beat a woman." One of the girls said.

"We'll see."

Later that day.

Houki was walking back to her room after kendo practice. As she walked into the room she noticed that the white hair boy was cooking again.

"I'm surprised you can cook."

"It's not that hard." Seth responded while not taking his eyes off the stove

"That smells really good." Houki commented as the scent entered her nose.

"You wanna try some?" He offered.

"Sure." Seth had dished up some of the pasta he had been cooking. Once the food were served on the plates he added a few garnishes to the top of the dishes. The two began to eat the meal.

"This is really good."

"Thanks."

"So why do you know how to cook this good?" Houki knew most men, even in this current world didn't know how to cook this well.

"My sister doesn't know how to cook, so I ended up learning how to cook for her."

"Your sister?"

"Yeah, she's the only family I have left. Her name is Natasha." Seth said as he brought up his phone to show a picture of the two together.

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine." Seth said. The two would finish up the meal and their nightly routine before getting into bed.

A week later.

The day of the match had arrived. A crowd of students were sitting in the stadium waiting for the battle to start. Seth was in his hangar waiting to be given the go ahead to launch.

"This is going to be fun." He said.

"Fairs-kun, are you ready?" Maya asked from inside the control room for the arena.

"Yes." He answered.

"Good luck." Houki said.

"Thank you." He responded.

"Houki-chan I've got a question have you seen Seth's I.S. I know he's been using one of the arenas to train in, but look at this." Maya brought up a video. It showed something moving very fast, most likely his I.S. Wherever the I.S. flew on the camera, the area around it got blurred.

"No, he asked me not to look." Houki wanted to see it, but because of her situation with Seth, she didn't want to lose his trust.

"Well what do we know about it?" Chifuyu also grew interested in this mysterious I.S.

"All we know is its name, [B.L.A.Z.E.]."

"What about the Core I.D. number?"

"That's the weird thing. I can't find that." Maya said causing Chifuyu's eyes to go while.

"What?" Chifuyu got Seth on a video call. "Seth, tell me why your I.S. core is unregistered."

"That's because it is the first one that Shinonono Tabane didn't create." Seth lied, but the three inside the computer room believed him. The girl's eyes in the room grew wide.

"The Americans can make their own I.S. cores?" Chifuyu asked.

"It's a prototype. Can't be mass produced yet." Seth continued the lie.

"Seth, Cecilia has entered the arena, you're all clear to launch." Maya said

Seth took in a deep breath and suddenly he was surrounded by a storm of light particles. Soon his I.S. appeared around his body. [B.L.A.Z.E.] was a formidable sight to behold. Its design was a testament to the fusion of advanced technology and bold aesthetics. The suit's primary hue was a sleek and mysterious obsidian black, which commanded attention and respect. It conveyed an unmistakable aura of strength and sophistication.

Its helmet was angular and sharp in its design, it featured a distinctive visor that seemed to glow with a subtle, otherworldly light. The visor's crimson accents added a striking contrast to the darkness of the suit.

The body of the IS was like a second skin, forged from an advanced, armor-like material. Intricate patterns adorned its surface, appearing almost circuit-like, as if the very essence of technology flowed through it. Being far sleeker in design to other ISes it was a striking feature. But what truly caught the eye were the accents of bold red and gleaming gold. These colors adorned various strategic parts of the suit.

The wings on his back opened up and a storm of noise particles erupted from the back showing the open space within the wings with red energy. The wings were primarily constructed of the same obsidian black material as the rest of the suit, creating a seamless and harmonious look. Yet, upon closer inspection, one could see that they were adorned with intricate etchings and patterns, reminiscent of circuitry. These patterns glowed with a subtle, radiant energy, emphasizing the high-tech nature of the suit.

"Launch." Seth said. Suddenly his I.S. launched itself out of the hangar. The crowd was taken aback by how different [B.L.A.Z.E.] looked at regular I.S. It was far more slender. Cecilia wasted no time in trying to find out any data on Seth's I.S. When she searched for any data, the only thing that came up was its name. "Blaze?"

"Sorry you won't find any information on this I.S." Seth said. "Last chance, give up now or else." Seth began to collect data on Cecilia blue tears. He was surprised at how little weaponry it was armed with. Of course it was a long-range sniper type and other I.S. aren't already armed for war.

"Sorry, but you'll be the one who will be begging to quit."

"We'll see." Suddenly a warning sign appeared on Seth's Visor. 'Enemy I.S. has entered firing mode.' The buzzer for the arena sounded and the two exoskeleton suits began their duel.

Cecilia raised up her energy sniper rifle and began firing off shots at the black I.S.

Seth had his bits deployed and they formed a barrier around him. As the enemy's blast bounced off the barrier, Seth made his move. His wing span opened up and it launched a barrage of missiles. Cecilia saw them coming and moved to evade the missiles that were tracking her. Seth brought out one of [B.L.A.Z.E.]'s miniguns and fired a torrent of beam from the rotary cannon. Cecilia's energy shield was getting hit with each shot from the weapon and the missiles were still closing in. She couldn't escape from both sides. From her skirt the blue tears drones launched and fired on the incoming missiles. Seth noticed how it took Cecilia a great deal of concentration to use her drones while [B.L.A.Z.E.]'s acted like they had a mind of their own.

The Blue tears drones struck several of the missiles but not all. Two of them made their way past the drones. Cecilia saw them and braced herself. The missiles exploded but the damage caused the energy shield to go down. As Cecilia was recovering from the attack, Seth was on the move. He was flying at high speed toward the girl. Before Cecilia could react, she was struck with a heavy blow from one of his energy swords. At the same time [B.L.A.Z.E.]'s bits had targeted and destroyed Cecila's removing one of her main weapons.

"GAHHHH!" Cecilia was sent tumbling down to the arena. Seth landed and looked at the girl.

"That's enough?" Seth asked.

"You haven't beaten me yet!" Cecilia raised up her beam rifle and aimed at Seth. The red-black I.S. raised its arm and blocked the beam. The beam was deflected by his sword. Seth rushed forward and cut the rifle in half.

Cecilia engaged her thrusters and flew backwards trying to create distance, but Seth was this coming and was already in the air. He was in front of Cecilia before she could blink. Cecilia tried to swing a punch, but Seth caught it in his his free arm a red light formed and Seth slammed the hand into [Blue Tears] knocking her into the ground. Seth didn't let go as he held onto the blue IS and dragged it on the floor as he continued to fly towards the arena wall.

Cecilia watched as her shield points began to drain. She had to get out of this situation. Her I.S. fired its thrusters at full blast but the black I.S. kept dragging her. Cecilia saw her shield points were below 50 points. In desperation she tried to break Seth's hold on her. But he still held on. [Blue Tears] was slammed into the arena wall. It was clear that she had taken substantial damage.

"What are you waiting for?" Cecilia said as she saw she only had 9 shield points remaining. She was beyond frustrated. Looking at the large Jumbotron she had done less than 30 points of shield damage on [B.L.A.Z.E.]. Clearly he was taunting her at this point.

"Alright, I'm satisfied. I forfeit the match." Seth said to the shock of the crowd and Cecilia.

"Why are you surrendering? You have me dead to rights."

"I never wanted to be the class representative and you do, so its only natural if I give up." Seth put out his hand and Cecilia took it. As they got up Cecilia lost her balance within her machine, which made her fall into Seth's arms. A furious blush overtook her face.

"Thanks." She muttered.

"You're welcome." Seth said as he helped her out of her machine and back to her feet. Seeing she was alright, he left the arena and landed in the hangar.

"How the hell could you surrender?!" Houki yelled at him. She had come down to greet her roommate and was upset he surrendered.

"I told you I didn't want to be the rep." Seth said.

"But to give up when coming that close."

"Not every battle is meant to be won." Seth said.

"What does even that mean?" Houki said as she stormed off. Seth just sighed. He know Houki might not let this go for a bit.

Later that night.

Cecilia was soaking in her bathtub reminiscing about the day's events as she allowed the warm water to ease her body. She was completely outmatched by a man. In today's society ever since the introduction of the I.S. men had a lower status compared to women. Most men she met were lazy, sleazy, greedy degenerates that were attempting to take her family's legacy from her after they had died when she was a young girl. She had been forced to become mature and responsible quicker than other children her age.

She had grown cynical of men and their selfish desires. Cecilia had never expected the day a man would defeat her. Especially in a battle. Even though she had lost she felt an odd sense of euphoria. The image of Seth catching her flashed in her head. Her heart skipped a beat as the memory played again and again in her head.

"What is happening to me?" Cecilia thought as her cheeks were growing warmer than the water.

"Seth Fairs, what a strange man." Cecilia closed her eyes and her imagination began to run wild. She imagined Seth wrapping his strong arms around her as his hands explored her voluptuous body.

"AHHH These are not thoughts befitting a proper lady!" Cecilia rose out of the water and splashed some water on her face. She exited the bath and dried herself. She changed into her nightgown and laid in her bed. As her eyes closed and the realm of dreams began to overtake her, the image of Seth catching her once more. This time it was clearer. His strong arm wrapped around her waist and his masculine scent filled her nose. Her cheeks grew warmer once more.

"Seth..." Cecilia muttered as sleep overtook her.

The next day after class.

"Congratulations on becoming the class representative Seth-kun!" The girls all said as they popped party poppers and threw confetti.

"Why am I the representative? I surrendered yesterday." Seth said as he stared at Cecilia, waiting for an answer.

"I thought it would be best if you were the representative. You won the battle yesterday even if you did surrender. So I withdrew my application." The blonde Englishwoman said. Seth was surprised at Cecilia's action, while cursing in his mind that he became the rep.

"Yeah, you kicked her ass." One of the girls cheered, gaining a glare from Cecilia.

"Well, aren't you popular?" Houki said with a small amount of annoyance in her voice.

"Hello Seth. I'm with the school paper. I was wondering if I could get a picture of you and Cecilia for the paper?" A girl who had a camera in her arms said.

"I'm fine with it, how about you Cecilia."

"Can I get a copy of the picture?" Cecilia asked the paper girl.

"Sure." The photographer said as she raised her camera.

"Ok, say cheese." Just before the picture was taken, all the girls around Seth and Cecilia jumped into the picture.

"Why are you people in the picture?!" Cecilia yelled, as her chance to get ahead was ruined.

"Sorry Cecilia, it's too early for you to get a head start." One of the girls said. A chorus of other girls chimed in agreement. Cecilia just fumed.

"Whatever." She said as she turned and walked away.

"Why do I feel a headache coming on?" Seth thought.