ă€ŠA Super Robot Storyă€‹


 Chapter 0

    A quiet morning came to the world called Earth. Rays of sunlight reached over the roofs to a street caf¨¦. Its clients shielded their eyes, but a young man who shielded his tablet screen instead. The best of part of his favorite tv series was about to begin.

    -

    -Jet! Fist! -

    The thunderous clap of the broken supersonic barrier reached the ground, throwing dust at the girl in a pilot suit. She ignored the earthly taste, her attention focused on the battle several kilometers above. There, a giant humanoid robot clenched its fist for the follow up attack. The forearm separated from the elbow and shot forward, riding a massive plume of fire.

    The target, a turtle mechamonster, rivaled the robot in size. It threw away the half-melted shell-shaped shield and charged in like a mad bull. The fist met its outstretched paw and tore through it, shearing armor, support structure beneath and the superalloy bones like foil and sticks.

    With the enemy thrown into an uncontrolled horizontal spin, the screen split between the robot''s crew.

    ''Clean hit.''

    ''I couldn''t have done it without you all.''

    ''Now, let''s finish it.''

    A stuttering warning cut into their chat. The spinning turtle withdrew the remaining limbs inside. The edges of its shell split apart into countless saw blades that''d slice the combiner mech into pieces. But by the time the crew understood the cunning feint, the enemy have already launched itself forward.

    ''Do not panic. We''ll do as we trained.''

    -Sky Boost-

    The mecha rocketed up on a piilar of flame, its light reflecting off the single leg.

    As soon as the speeding enemy entered leader''s sights, his voice boomed through external speakers.

    -Double DiveKick-

    The robot''s leg pushed the turtle''s top scales deep into the shell. With most of its internal structure twisted like cotton candy by the merciless centripetal force, the mechamonster could only screech in a robotic voice as it fell to its doom.

    ''We got it now!''

    -Volcano Blast!-

    But before the humanoid giant flared its thrusters and separated, a sharp metal note resonated through the air. The lone leg gave into the outside pressure and bent, now inseparable from the wreck.

    ''Ah.'' The spectator girl deadpaned as she retreated to the crashed remains of the mecha''s other leg. The joined robots looked like a huge meteorite that would fall nearby.

    -

    The fiery impact blanked the screen as the credits rolled in.

    The young man tapped the gadget as inspiration called him to open the robot designer. With one meter as mainstream scale, it''d take only a couple of workdays to make his current project look as cool as that turtle. If he refused overpay to stay until night, he could even adjust the weapons and behaviour.

    Although, it would go into the table instead of into the arena.

    Speaking of wet blankets, his personal one just arrived. On time as usual. He stood up to shake hands with his team manager. And his friend.

    -

    He took the offered document without hesitation, then dropped it onto the table as color drained from his face. All that was left was his signature and his self-resignation would be complete.

    ''My winrate is much higher now, you know that! Your suggestion to switch to pragmatic designs did work! Why do I have to leave?''

    Spending a second to fix his glasses, his manager slid a graph across the table.

    ''Your winrates are higher but your subscriber retention falls after every show.''

    ''But I can change, I proved that.''

    ''Yes, but look at the audience reaction part. They are bored of you and your ideas.''

    As his former boss traced the declining graphs, Lyle noticed a glow from his hand under the table. A blue spark ran up his arm. He moved to roll the sleeve but his opponent saw it as surrender and took the chance.

    ''Look, I don''t want to do this, I invited you. If I could read the future, we wouldn''t have these problems. But if this trend is not stopped, the team owner will eventually fire more than just you. It''s already in the plan.''

    Lyle shuffled his hands away from the paper, they itched to tear it into pieces. The plan he said. He probably drafted it yesterday in secret. And as usual. he expected others to just follow along.

    ''So, Lyle, do you want everyone in the team to give up on their dream?''

    With as much animosity as he could put into his glare, the now former pilot made his pen move.

    ''I, Lyle Gallegos, resign as a member of the Nag-AI team.''

    -

    Several days later, Lyle combed through the fan streams from a big entertainment center. He searched for anyone from his former team. In another betrayal of expectations, his ex-colleagues pushed to reinstate him but their demand quickly turned into a scandal. Now, both sides wanted him as a prize witness, regardless of his own decision.

    Several familiar faces crossed the screen in the background and Lyle grimaced. But he couldn''t play it safe and stay at home. Not on the release day of the last game for his favorite character and voice actor.

    With the pass, that showed his barely twenty self, he went to the back door. But made it only halfway, to a cabinet with a framed photo. It laid flat and Lyle traced the line on its back. His friend wrote that sentence himself, a promise that they would make their passion visible to the world.

    But those words went into trash. Exactly where this photo needed to be.

    -

    The guard at the entrance glanced at his pass and reached for the door button.

    Directions on the walls guided Lyle to the main exhibition hall. Despite the transparency and sunlight bleached colours, the holo projector made the room look like a piece of another world. Or worlds, as an iconic dialogue scene just cycled into a full scale mech encounter from another game.

    But today he couldn''t dawdle. Otherwise he''d have an encounter of his own, or worse, see a spoiler in a midroll commercial.

    Soon he reached the hall with his destination. But a crowd completely blocked the way.

    Peeking above their heads, Lyle saw a robotic hardware shop with a post-tournament showcase. As an unfortunate drawback of success, many winners saw their blueprints sold after the victory. Otherwise they risked having their weaknesses exploited in the next season. Although for him, getting rid of the minmaxed counter designs was the silver lining in having to make them.

    Despite several shouts and pushback, Lyle elbowed his way to the window. The team inside sported a *Metal* badge in front of their name. A source of pride earned by those who used only real machines, instead of virtual simulations and one of few things he regretted leaving behind.

    ''Ohhhh. Look at his robot. I never thought of using mag-levitation propulsion parts to create a robot that could float its parts around.''

    ''Its so cool, it even has sparks between its parts''

    ''Are you new? They are the wireless power and control paths, not sparks.''

    ''Look how sharp its movements are.''

    ''Please, can you send me the blueprints!''

    ''Me too!''

    The man, currently operating the simulation table, drove the choir of pleas even higher by showing the last he had to offer.

    ''Those interested in my creations, please support our team. Please visit this address for our e-shop and don''t forget to cheer for us at the tournaments.''

    He switched the screen off and a website address appeared on the terminals throughout the shop. Right above the current month''s ranking for customer presentations.

    "My last robot is not even in top 50 anymore?"

    He reached for his phone to double check on the main site, then stopped, As hurtful as it was, he could understand himself missing, but his former team''s entire roster disappeared as well. A powerplay from his former boss?

    While distracted, Lyle noticed one of his former teammates only when they already entered the hall. He turned and rushed through the dispersing crowd, ignoring the shouts from stepping on shoes in his way. Consolation and support speeches with an underlying agenda grated on his nerves harder than the derogatory ones.

    -

    Once behind the matte windows of the VR game shop and surrounded by familiar noise, he stepped away from entrance to catch his breath. Customers browsed through display cases with latest figurine and constructor sets. Or grouped around tables to talk about their newest combination.

    Deeper into the shop, Lyle had to pass by an arcade, where onlookers mixed with spare players for the VR teams. When , One of the players interrupted the cross team banter to speak to him.

    ''Hey, did you really quit that Metal team?''

    Lyle spun on his heel to reply.

    ''Yeah, I''m team video games now.''

    ''Eehh, are those guys that harsh?`

    Lyle let the inertia turn him back to resume walking without skipping a step. It was a show off move, but others got the hint and lost interest.

    The boy stopped at the aisle with shelfs full of transparent box cases. Each contained a client visor, that doubled as a VR control system, and a wireless data storage with the multiplayer game he wanted.

    With the box in hand, he cracked open the door to see if his former teammate was still around. With the coast clear, he rushed outside. And redoubled his efforts when he heard a local chat call from his phone.

    -

    "Hah, I went only to one place and I''m already tired. But at least I''m still safe. Safe."

    With ragged breathing, Lyle found rest in his half-reclined chair, then pulled it along the smooth wooden floor with only his toes. Once before the screen, he reached inside the data storage box for the download button and tossed the entire box onto the bed.

    Several minutes of splash screens later, the game greeted him with loading screen. It warned about the failure to detect VR visor hardware. He looked at the box, that he would need to stand up for, and waved it off. A manual controller would do for today.

    An ingame render of Milky Way galaxy appeared on the screen, with grayed out ''War Guild'' and ''Galaxy Raid'' buttons. Soon the screen started to zoom in.

    It entered a solar system that had a Dyson Ring around its yellow star. First planet to appear was Jupiter that was surrounded by massive space stations. After several seconds, he saw Venus with a guitar icon on it. Then Mars with ''Mars Arena'' and ''Echo Raid'' and finally Earth''s orbital ring with ''TeK Terra''....

    He couldn''t help but yawn so hard that it distracted him from the screen.

    ... Zoom speed fell as the screen descended to the ground level. A big concave spire, with tall and thin spiral antennas on the four corners around it, entered the screen.

    -Please create your character.-

    -Be careful, you cannot change your appearance as it''ll be locked to your storage ID.-

    A family of four preset characters stood before the laboratory. The parents dressed clear cut and formal while their son enjoyed highly detailed and hot blooded animations. But Lyle, as many long-term players, immediately chose the cool and unassuming daughter.

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    The reason wasn''t much of a secret. Older characters were models for customers of the real clothing store. The son''s future was a selection of genre archetypes and franchises that resonated the most with the fans.

    But artists could go all out with the daughter, and her developers had lax deadlines to make sure that no unfortunate 3d model mishaps could ever happen. And given the efficiency of veteran dev teams, they always had time left to indulge in a variety of base models for clothing. Therefore the girl would have the most customization options later.

    Lyle already moved the cursor over the Accept and Play button, but paused.

    "I''ll probably regret it later if I don''t do it."

    With a brief visit to the character edit menu, he moved the breast size slider up.

    -

    -Starting tutorial-

    ''Listen, rookie, our job is to investigate. If you see something dangerous, run.''

    The world famous hotblooded baritone welcomed him to a grassy plain, where rare trees gently swayed in the wind. The boy perked up, saved from nodding off by a rush of expectations.

    The screen flashed with subtitles and a pair of giant mechs thundered into the view. The first was the Destiny, the game''s mascot itself. A thirty meter collossus, rumored to subtly change its fine shape and colors as it never failed to impress over its many reincarnations. A part of playerbase even believed that the game company had secret player profiles.

    The camera slowly shifted to the second mech. A grunt unit whose rugged boxy frame was completely dwarfed by its ally. Even the enemies stood a head taller, the beast like machines that phased into the center of the field.

    ''Hey, are you asleep, rookie? We have these mooks as guests. Why don''t you show them our hospitality?''

    -Push the joystick forward to tell your *Intelligent Algorithm* you want to walk. Use the attack buttons to create your own combination pattern.-

    Lyle pushed one of the cockpit levers with the curse and a giant fist flew through the right viewscreen to punch air. But by the time he clicked through the follow up sequence, the mech was back in a neutral stance.

    Lyle sighed as he made peace with little progress for today. WIth no visor the combos promised to take a while and keeping eyes open was already a struggle.

    -

    Finally, the last enemy fell into pieces. But instead of loot results screen, a ripple ran through the battlefield''s air as a giant rift appeared nearby. ts translucent surface distorted terrain behind it and the franchise''s theme music underlined the shout of Destiny''s pilot.

    ''Kuh, It can''t be, this is pure graviton energy. Run rookie.''

    With arms opened to block the flooding white light from the smaller mech, and legs digging deep trenches, the massive frame of Destiny was slowly dragged to the mysterious rift.

    A subtitle promted Lyle to move the mech to progress, but he missed and hit one of the nearby decorative buttons. Or so he thought, as it went in and a short shudder run through the TV screen as the game registered a *???* attack command.

    Suddenly, his robot purged its boxy armor, revealing its inner frame covered by matte hexagons. The hex arrays whirred to life and spiraling blue energy arcs tore into the light from the rift. The blue interweaved with white, as if they were arms that sought to overpower each other.

    Destiny''s pilot shouted in surprise when the last wisps of white abandoned his robot. All of their power now focused on the smaller robot whose blue aura writhed like the mythical Laoco?n.

    Before the giant could as much as extend its arm, the glowing blue mech disappeared into the rift. The screen darkened, showing that stage has ended.

    -Please wait. Your game is loading.-

    -Loading..-

    -Loadi--

    As the boy waited, he closed his eyes to rest them just for a moment.

    -

    Lyle became aware of an expanse around him. It had nothing but blue light that permeated everything. He turned around in search of any distinct features but the view shifted before his muscles could act. After a moment''s confusion, it dawned on him that he had no body to move.

    As soon as he finished that thought and looked down to confirm, the world shifted and Lyle found himself standing on an invisible surface. His body and clothes were now materialized but shimmered as if surrounded by overheated air.

    On closer look at his hand, it looked like his fingers subtly moved in every way possible at once, each movement so minor and fast that the afterimages merged into a single fuzzy illusion. It disappeared from the fingers he bent but returned soon after.

    "Of all the days to get a weird dream. You had your nap, Lyle, it''s time to wake up and get out of here."

    As if in response to his wish, or in mockery of it, pockets of air around him began to solidify. Soon he was surrounded by layers upon layers of semi-transparent mirrors. They stretched into infinity, each one distorting his reflection in their own way. The farther a mirror was, the bigger the change was, eventually showing people who looked nothing like him in worlds he couldn''t recognize.

    Lyle poked the nearest one, that gave him multiple scars, and his finger sunk. It appeared inside of the reflection, now adorned by a shallow scar across both joints. The warm air and sunlight of the mirror world sun caressed the skin that felt too rough to be his own. He yanked the finger out to fervently wipe it on his shirt, as he spun in search of exit.

    ''Let me ou;...''

    All of the reflections repeated after him and a choir of mismatched voiced rolled like thunder. Clutching his ears to shield them from the cacophony, Lyle remembered every advice he ever heard about controlling a runaway nightmare.

    Soon enough he balled his hand into a fist. Focused on what he wanted to return to, the game, as his anchor, he willed as hard as he could.

    "I want to wake up!"

    -

    ''Tsune!''

    ''Wake up!''

    Was he supposed to have guests? The voice seemed familar. Regardless, the name wasn''t his, so Lyle stretched under bed covers and turned to the other side.

    The covers were torn away and he spun off the bed into something soft. With a quiet groan, he opened his eyes. Before him was a red carpet with blue and silver lines. Further away he saw adult feet in blue sleepers that impatiently tapped the floor.

    ''Who...''

    ''You are going to be late.''

    The owner of the voice yanked him from the floor and shook him.

    ''Wake.''

    White sleeves, followed by a mane of long red hair, flew through his field of vision.

    ''Up.''

    As his head bounced back, he saw green eyes on a feminine face.

    ''You.''

    ''To the bathroom. Right now.''

    The woman shoved him out of the door.

    -

    Once alone, Lyle closed the door behind him and looked around. The bath shelf before the mirror was full of bottles he never saw, much less bought. But she did seem familar. Did he fall ill while asleep and she took him in for home care?

    He wiped the steamed mirror, then wiped it clean. Elegant lines and strict eyes framed by short blonde hair. The reflection showed a younger twin of his game character.

    Speechless, and unable to look away, he raised his hand. The girl in the mirror raised her dainty hand, pinched her cheek and he felt her pain. When their finger joints grew white, and tears flowed from pain, Lyle tried to find an invisible device around his eyes, or any implants in his skull.

    "What is this? Did I sleepwalk and put the visor on??"

    Carefully massaging the stinging cheek, he felt his body lower and was in for another shock. The long sleeved blue shirt disguised them, but the chest had two obvious bumps.

    "This a nightmare."

    "Or I''m in a hospital''s induced VR and there was a mistake."

    "Or I''m actually lying on the floor right, with that visor mel..."

    Violently sick from the flood of mental images, he doubled over the sink. Then put his face under the warm water.

    As water ran through his hair, calming his senses, Lyle heard the bathroom door open. The same woman as before pulled him out before taking his wet shirt off.

    ''Right. I was as nice as I could be, but if you can''t force yourself, I will force you myself.''

    ''But I''m sick right now.''

    ''You know I manually cook our food, so quit it.''

    The woman pushed him into the shower stall. Then water turned to cold.

    -

    Five minutes later, Lyle stood outside the house, dressed in a long sleeved silver uniform with red lines over zippers and a blue vest. A strong gust found its way inside of his collar and Lyle couldn''t help but shiver. A terrible weather to explore an unknown city and the smartphone map was locked to a single route. A red line weaved through the streets, each corner tied to a countdown timer above.

    He was about to restart the device to see if he could close the app, but a sound from the other side of the door made him hurry along the path. The last thing he wanted was her escorting him around.

    The buildings, several story high, had familiar architecture, albeit with rounded edges and corners. People dressed about the same as always. But the common ended there.

    Wide streets with sleek elongated cars that rarely had drivers. Several shops along the street promoted mecha teams and mecha workshops for hire, another turned their front wall into a screen that showcased car-sized machine parts. Above the street, power poles and roofs carried spiral coils with no electric cables in sight. Even the sky was made different. A thin orbital line crossed it from horizon to horizon.

    But the strangest of all were giant robots he saw over the roofs. Soon he reached the crossroads and, with buildings out of the way, he couldn''t help but stare.

    The humanoid mecha looked like tall people that built toy houses out of colored plates. Flat turtle-shaped platforms carried big premade construction pieces and containers while small mechanical owls regulated traffic with their glowing eyes. Robot bulls pushed the completed vertical slices to the rest of the building along the sparkling ground rails. Last but not least was the only exception to the animal theme; clouds of small machines that covered the finished parts with welding glow.

    "So strange. But my mind would want a dream like this, wouldn''t it."

    As Lyle thought about how much of this was inspired by games, and how one could define reality while asleep, the phone interrupted him with angry beeping. The last timer ran out.

    -

    The destination was a circular dome, as big as a major stadium, connected to a two story building in front. The school grounds gate proudly carried the banner *M City''s premier robot Academy welcomes the future heroes!*

    -

    Something great flourished in his heart that day. At first it was a muted feeling, called forth by mecha decorations in this empty hall. Then he found a window into the dome and it sprouted into eager excitement. There, on a huge training field, animal-like mechs practiced four and more legged movement, humanoid robots did warm ups and wrestled...

    ''Tsune.''

    ...Huge multi jointed cranes extended from the below the ceiling to take several air and other -craft of stunning variety. The vehicles combined into a huge robot, seamlessly shifting to become body parts, then separated as if in a dance...

    ''Listen to your superiors, Tsune Red. Its bad enough that you missed the ceremony and the first lesson.''

    A man, wearing the academy uniform, lightly hit Lyle''s head with a paper notebook. When he gave him the undivided attention, the teacher pointed at a row of square metal rooms near the far wall of the entrance hall. Away from the window to all of the action.

    ''Take whichever simulation cabin you like and remember it. Put effort into studies or you''ll never be with the ones you stared at.''

    As if pulled by invisible strings, Lyle moved to the cabins. The feeling inside of his heart has fully grown, as did his smile.

    "You know, I don''t even care if I''m in a coma or whatever. I''ll enjoy this while it lasts."

 Chapter 0 part 2

    -

    Rubbing where the notebook hit him, Lyle reached the nearest cabin and decisively swung the door open. Just to see the working screens and a helmet above the chair. Thankfully, the owner ignored the intrusion, so he silently closed the door.

    He stepped back to look the door over. Not even a single colored light, painted word or even a piece of paper.

    "Find a cabin, he said."

    He walked alongside the doors then looped back, as if he was a picky chooser. But this excuse wouldn''t last for long.

    "Maybe there''s an app for this?"

    Recalling the map that led to the academy, Lyle took out the gadget. But instead of a home screen, the screen showed a dainty hand holding the device over a wooden floor background.

    He poked the screen but it was as responsive as poking a piece of glass. Then flipped the phone and saw the faint lights. The camera was on. He moved the fingers to the sides and now the front screen looked like an empty metal frame. The illusion was broken where he felt his nails push against the backside, but the image was impeccable otherwise.

    Waving the phone around to see if he could make the image distort, Lyle saw one of the cabins flash.

    He glanced up and immediately returned to the gadget. The featureless doors and a device that turned the camera on by itself. He only needed to put two and two together.

    "Oh, its augmented reality."

    Proud of solving yet another problem, he inspected the digital paint for an empty marker. While he''s stuck in this unknown place, he should be a good girl...

    Lyle stumbled as he caught the subtle change in his thoughts.

    But this wasn''t the place for introspection. He entered the free cabin and, for the first time today, he had some time to himself.

    -

    Once comfortable, he decided to start with the idea he found the least unsettling. That he was dreaming due to a visor malfunction. However, he quickly realized that he first had to understand whether he was dreaming or not.

    Unwilling to accept defeat so quickly, Lyle started to waste time by idly playing with unpowered console. Placement of its controls looked the same as the game''s, so he tried the combos from the tutorial.

    It was when he executed several of them that he made a strange observation. Despite the new height, balance and reach, his movements were in sync with Lyle''s muscle memory.

    Faced with the observable changes, he had stop beating around the bush to confront other changes.

    As a mental test, he made two small speeches, one introduced him as Lyle, another as Tsune. The result was a lot less reassuring as both versions felt natural. The questions that raised... were quickly supressed as soon as he realized that the cabin could have cameras.

    But there was a silver lining to this. Unless his visor was a secret prototype that affected the user on the subconscious level, it meant that she wasn''t dreaming. Lyle caught a female pronoun and sighed; now that he noticed the change, using the male one took conscious effort. But once again, there was a silver lining, outside world that knew only Tsune, daughter of Reds.

    -

    Once the screens powered up, she saw the *Gunner* mech in a familiar grass plain. Even the usual loadout screen was the same, empty white circles overlayed its limbs, head and torso. And the parts inventory was on the side monitors. Her lips turned into a thin line.

    Circles over one of the items and robot''s hands flashed, prompting her to look through AR. With a quick swipe across the phone screen, she equiped the mech with basic machineguns.

    As soon as she was done, terrain changed to forested rocky terrain, evenly split across all of them for a wider view. With the new AR prompts showing the purpose of the helmet and the rest of controls, the lesson began in earnest.

    -

    The bell rang and Tsune let go of the lever that controlled the simulated robot hand. She spent the entire lesson learning to move it finely enough to shoot the trees around her.

    But now it was time to meet a class worth of people that could know her. Good thing that those changes helped with disguise, another silver lining into a whole pile of them.

    They arrived to a classroom with a simple layout. Four rows of light tables with two chairs each, a large old table to the side of a whiteboard and windows that led to the street before the academy.

    She looked inside through the phone, but nothing changed. So, she chose to sit near the window, sharing a table with a tall but thin boy. If another student asked a question she couldn''t answer, she could pretend to not notice them by looking outside.

    -

    When everyone found their seat, a middle aged man, in the academy uniform, entered the classroom. He held a cap under his arm and a tablet with a heavy electronic pen.

    He stopped behind the teacher''s table to introduce himself.

    ''Good day, students. For the next two years I will be responsible for your theory classes.''

    After an uneven chorus of late greetings, he turned to the whiteboard just enough to see it without losing the students.

    ''I assume that you chose your path as an educated decision. But the first lesson is dedicated to the history of all three major pilot branches to clear any misunderstandings. Now, without any further delays.''

    His pen touched the tablet and an image appeared on the whiteboard''s surface. It was the first page of a text and photo slideshow.

    ''First, these are your future enemies, popularly known as mechamonsters. Their first appearance on Earth and Mars dates to several hundred years ago.''

    Looking at the compilation of mechanical creature remains, the girl felt a chill run down her spine. They looked giant when compared to humans around them. Even their wounds, that looked tiny in comparison to the rest of the body, were big enough to fit crane held elevators.

    ''Next are Majin mechs, weapon platforms devised to destroy the mechamonsters as fast as possible.''

    On the screen was a huge, easily ten times larger than the human at its foot, bipedal mech with a knightly appearance.

    ''Their humanoid look is attributed to the rise of *Space Knight* ideology that glorified personal combat. Their control devices were notorious for demanding a lot from the pilot''s psyche, so a lot of was forgiven to those who could handle the strain in the time of need.''

    The teacher zoomed in to show the human closer. He wore a costume so full of decals and accessories that there was no way it was a formal military uniform. And he had a bright smile.

    ''Your freedom to create your own combat style by customizing your robot stems from the tradition forged by these brave men and women.''

    ''What was his name?''

    Not pleased with the sudden interruption from one the students, a boy with black hair, the teacher handwaved the question away.

    ''All in due time. Now, let''s continue with smaller and younger cousins of Majin, the combiner mechs.''

    The next slide showed a group of animal robots standing near a two storey building. Their size varied but even the smallest of them, a bird with folded wings, was the size of a train car.

    ''Exclusive to Earth, these mechs were the first step to avoid the use of Majin control devices. Now, who can say what is their current role?''

    Tsune saw the teacher pointing at her and slowly stood up, to buy herself time. And to her relief she found the answer in the construction site she saw on her way here.

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.''Construction is one of them.''

    ''Correct. They are multirole craft. Their regular forms all but ignore terrain, unlike Majin, and almost rival them in power when the group combines their mechs into one.''

    While the blonde sat down, the lesson moved to the third branch.

    An izometric view of a military base yard with conventional tanks, helicopters and other vehicles. It looked like like a military TV program in Lyle''s own world and its contrast with the previous images was jarring. But looking closer, she saw that they had no crew hatches.

    ''The remote controlled combat units were the mainstay before the mechamonster phenomenon. They were pushed to garrison and escort roles by the abundance of enemy area of effect attacks. And the inability to deploy sufficient firepower quickly enough to counter enemies that appear out of the thin air.''

    The screen reverted to the whiteboard and Tsune heard her phone release a subdued sound. Taking it out, she saw a text message about the lecture copy that was delivered to her device.

    ''Now that the introduction is over. In this class you will gain the knowledge of equipment, techniques and tactics that proved themselves to be successful in the past. Use it to fix mistakes in your practice lessons or draw inspiration for new ideas but remember to move forward.''

    -

    After the lesson, the students went into the hall. Tsune was thankful for it, as her mind swirled with the new info. To her surprise, once she started to rank it, the part that impressed her the least was the recording of an actual battle.

    It was amazing how the teacher''s dry and analytical voice, coupled with on-screen notes, turned a real mecha video into mere bullet points.

    Having left the classroom next to last, she looked around the hall. Students have already split into groups but nobody showed any interest in her.

    "Did her friends just assume that I''d find them?"

    After a brief decision, the girl went to sit outside of the main groups but close to her class. She figured that if she did have friends, it was better to let them come to her. Otherwise she could make a mistake and need an explanation.

    But she chose the place poorly, as nearby friendly banter heated up after a smug comment from one of the boys.

    ''Studying the history of those drone tanks was a waste. Who wants to become a guard anyway?''

    Provoked, another boy couldn''t help but retort.

    ''They look better than your huge walking targets. I could snipe them from another country.''

    ''As if you''ll even scratch my armor!''

    Before the argument could turn ugly, a dark haired boy walked in between them and her.

    ''Save your anger for the enemy. It''s unbefitting for heroes of justice.''

    ''Heroes of justice? Are you from Mars, or something?''

    Despite growing redder from being laughed at, the boy continued to smile until both opponents turned back to their groups. Then, after stealing a glance at her, he hurriedly walked away as well.

    -

    After the studies ended for today and she left the academy, Tsune half expected somebody to hug her from behind. Or simply to run up to her. But that hunch proved wrong both at the exit and all the way home.

    -

    ''I''m home, mother.''

    The older woman turned off the hall TV''s volume.

    ''Oh my, how polite. Did you make any friends?''

    ''Not yet.''

    ''As usual. How about photos? You promised yesterday.''

    ''I''ll do some tomorrow.''

    With a sigh, the woman stood up from the chair.

    ''Don''t forget, okay. The dinner will be ready in an hour or so.''

    Tsune nodded, but before she went to her room, she made a quick tour around the house. She had no time to check in the morning, but if this dream family the one from the game''s character creation, then she had a little brother.

    But as the house had only four rooms connected to the hall, two bedrooms and two utillity rooms, there was no place for him.

    -

    Back in her room, she found another subtle change since the morning. And if moving freely and using a different pronoun she could shrug off, this one went even further.

    She instantly found the change of clothes in a wardrobe several times bigger than her. And when the phone signaled its low charge, she reflexively reached for the bed cabinet. With the charger as the first item she found when her hand reached inside.

    It was like she lived here for a long time. Despite inhabiting this body for less than a day.

    "This is pretty helpful. I wonder how does it work?"

    Interested, she chose to learn more about it, and whether the changes would continue. It was time to see if this world had internet.

    But her vaguely worded questions brought only vague answers that ranged from muscle memory to subconscious habits. Even with all this time spent, she might''ve as well believed in souls. Or an impossibly long dream.

    Although it wasn''t a waste, as while browsing the phone, she thought of a way to learn more about the past. The device had an electronic wallet and that meant it had a purchase history. She could avoid the obvious pitfalls like not remembering birthdays or recent trips.

    Unfortunately, while sound in concept, this plan fell through when she saw how lackluster that list was. No birthdays or phone numbers except for her parents and almost no travel expenses. But on the other hand, a whole array of memberships on sites that dealt with mechs, science or space.

    In short, the life of the cool elder daughter wasn''t so different.

    "What about the world?"

    This time, the answer came in the form of an interactive map. This city was built decades ago in a place with especially rare mechamonster attacks. And was referred to simply as a capital. Or in rarer cases, it was the metropolis, or just *M* city.

    As she zoomed out, the map showed the region''s other cities. Then showed other regions, each claiming semi-autonomy, and ended with a ring that surrounded the entire planet. That space station''s name was Tek Terra and it held the majority of planet''s industry and residents.

    "Exactly as in the game too."

    Throwing the gadget to the side, Tsune inspected the white ceiling. She felt so tired that she barely even processed the information, much less thought of any implications.

    "If this is a dream, it''ll probably end when I fall asleep. And that''s probably a good thing. Or the mother might notice that I''m not her child. Not that I want to be like this either."

    Grimacing at the mental image of the older woman, with eyes full of tears, asking what was wrong with her child, the blonde sighed.

    "I''ll just fall asleep right now."

    -

    ''Wake up, you are going to be late.''

    Tsune opened her eyes and saw the same strangely familiar ceiling. Throwing away the blanket, she went to the mirror on the bed cabinet. The same blonde girl looked back at her from within.

    "This wasn''t a dream?"

    Her pulse quickened, but before her breathing and mind could follow the nervous rush, she heard the redheaded woman''s steps.

    ''Do I need to pull you out again? Twice in a row is too much even for you.''

    With a healthy dose of fear overcoming the panic, the girl took a deep breath, then another, and finally answered.

    ''I''m up already.''

    She was still here. And that meant that today would be one of the longest days in her life.

    But it would probably be fine if she kept out of the trouble and used her head. No, not even that. If she kept herself at a safe distance. With any luck, she would find herself back in the original life soon enough.

    -

 Chapter 1

    -

    She had a bit of hope for this morning. Today was the first anniversary since she found herself in this room.

    Looking at the familiar ceiling, Tsune decided to lightly sigh. She knew that ritualistic thinking was likely to disappoint. But the expectation she held for a year deserved at least this much.

    Her wandering attention went to the wardrobe, big enough to split the room in two and completely hide her if she wanted to dress. One of its drawers was open and a formal academy skirtsuit peeked out from behind the door.

    She refused to wear it yesterday. Even after mother showed her the shop''s fitting system where she looked like a serious lady. Exactly the look that one of the better students would have for the end of the first year''s exam. Although the *better* deserved quotes, as outside of her room she intentionally behaved like a recluse.

    Keeping an eye on the half opened door, the girl carefully slid out of her bed. She tip toed to the door but froze half way with a murmur.

    ''Ah, wait. Father is still here, isn''t he.''

    With her uniform in hand, she sneaked to the bathroom. With eyes cast down on entrance, she covered the mirror with a towel.

    -

    After drying her shoulder length hair, she quietly opened the bathroom door and headed straight for the front door. She hoped that her parents were in the kitchen, but it wasn''t meant to be. Both of them lounged in the hall.

    ''Tsune, aren''t you going to wear the new clothes? I thought you loved looking grown up?''

    Mother turned to father to make him a part of the conversation.

    ''You thought she looked amazing in that photo, didn''t you, dear? She would look so precious in our family album.''

    Before he could switch from reading and form an opinion to satisfy both sides, Tsune rushed out of the door.

    "Sorry. You are nice people, but please don''t make my life even harder."

    Sometimes she still feared that she would slip up and her new parents would suspect that something was wrong. But time went on Perhaps the subconscious memory of this body had her back, or maybe they simply accepted the changes in their daughter.

    Those thoughts usually moved to philosophy. But be it thoughts about a higher meaning in being here, ways to go back, or feelings of estrangment, she tore every attempt out by the root. She was Lyle from her world but right now she was living as Tsune. That was all there was to it, as long as she didn''t look into a mirror.

    -

    With the academy dome now visible, Tsune focused on mental practice for the rest of the way, ignoring the warm weather of the last day of the spring.

    Once inside, she barely spared a glance at other students and received none in return. Some even stepped aside to avoid brushing shoulders with her, as she passed to the training cabins. She didn''t know who her opponent was, nor did she care. She had skills from this and the previous world to safeguard her student card. Especially since she kept the starter pragmatic firearms. And all of the other parts too.

    The remaining time passed in a flash and a robotic voice came out of the speakers in the hall.

    -Exam start!-

    Viewscreens flashed to life and became windows into VR world. She reached for the joystick in the middle of a semicircle console in front of her and pushed it forward. The cabin shook as the simulated Gunner mech moved its massive legs to make the first step, shaking off the leaves of nearby trees.

    She kept her hands on arm levels relaxed. But she couldn''t help but constantly circle the side action triggers with her fingers. Such a straightforward map was a gift. A forest sparse enough to just break through and giant boulders she could hide behind.

    As the mech walked, she switched to fine control for head. The large sensor strip in the upper half, reflected no light despite the bright sun, as it scanned the terrain.

    Finally, it picked up a far away glint. On instinct, Tsune moved the joystick to the side, and pushed the right leg control pedal forward, to force the robot into a wild pivot to the right.

    *Fzzzzzzzz*

    A thin metal bolt surrounded by lightning flew by the mech''s left shoulder. Its electricity discharged into metal surfaces, scorching the paint. The enemy predicted her movement. But the bad news didn''t end there.

    ''Just a normal weapon attack?''

    No attack shout or flashy movement, that accompanied more powerful weapons. So, before the enemy got away from its position...

    Tsune smoothly moved the left lever up and the robot raised its arm while running. The pressed fire trigger aligned the machinegun with the pilot screen sights. Smoking shells smashed through the tree branches on their way to the ground as short burst streaked forward.

    The mech slowed down as the girl turned her attention to the screen with the results.

    -Tsune Red-

    -One hit in favor.-

    ''Yes!''

    With a mental fist pump she turned the mech in the direction of her prey. The right arm was raised to shield the cockpit, but that charged projectile had a lot of piercing power and accuracy.

    "Should I constantly change direction? No, that''ll give him more time."

    "Should I keep firing? I did get a hit in."

    Tsune''s mech shook the forest with its long running steps. it stayed so close to the rocks that it almost scraped them.

    One of thicker trees was too close to evade and she barely held onto her thoughts as her chair emulated the impact. But her robot broke through and the spike of adrenaline helped her notice the second shot that hit the falling tree.

    "Still far away? A sniper it is. Shouldn''t give it pointers though."

    -

    Outside of the cabins, two middle aged men were looking down on the viewscreen table between them. Their uniforms and caps showed that one of them the theory classes teacher and the other was the coach for practical lessons. Both of them were responsible for the success of students that were currently taking the exam.

    The coach moved his hand to the portrait of Gunner''s blonde pilot and increased its size with a flick.

    ''Teacher, you had the most contact with the girl. What is her mental state right now? I heard that professor Red''s daughter was outgoing, but I never got a word out of her.''

    ''She never spoke to me, but judging from her previous behaviour, I doubt she''s in a panic.''

    -

    Tsune''s eyes opened wide as she saw a sparkle from another shot. This time it was from the side and too close to dodge. But the lesson she learned as Lyle, the player of *Metal* arenas, saved her this time as well. Momentum was a resource you shouldn''t underestimate.

    She smashed her feet into both of the pedals and simultaneously inclined the joystick. The mech legs dug trenches as it tried to stop. The slightly bent upper half carried the center of mass forward and, with legs as a lever, the robot flew headfirst into the ground.

    The shot pierced alongside the entire width of the back armor plates, their metal all but vaporized in a superheated explosion. With the shockwave adding momentum, the robot dug a trench with its head. Flat on its stomach, with arms strewn to the sides, it was surrounded by forest and tall rocks.

    ''Ahhh, tchaa... that hurt.''

    The cabin chair did its best to emulate the crash, restrained by the thick padding and the helmet .Rubbing the bottom part of her neck, Tsune looked at the screen that analyzed the enemy trajectory. The starting point was too low to fire from shoulder or from arms in a standing position.

    "Hm. Ground level, needs an open area, time to move away is long enough to get hit."

    All of these identified the enemy. A dark haired boy from her class that often talked about becoming a hero of justice. And boasted about his long range weapon.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    "Tch, I wish I actually spoke to the guy at least once throughout the year. But he wasn''t a careful type."

    "He would probably try to get point blank for a surefire shot, so if I surprise him i might win."

    With her plan finalized, the girl let go of the controls. Half a minute later, the automatic algorithm started to return the mech to the default standing position.

    Her hunch proved right, as she felt the slight tremors from behind Gunner when it became fully vertical. They grew closer and closer, and Tsune focused her attention. She tried to match the steps with the terrain recorded by the mech.

    ''I can''t act after they stop, it''ll be too late. And acting before they are in melee range is useless. But how can I find the correct time?''

    ''Shouldn''t his last step be heavier than others, because of the gun''s position shifting forward to fire? It should be that, right? It''s a sniper, so the gun should be really long and heavy.''

    Less than a minute later, one of the tremors felt stronger than others and she sprung into action.

    The robot hit the ground with its left leg, spinning on its right to turn around. Its right arm swung up and to the side, with the side of its machine gun assumed to strike the barrel of the enemy''s ...

    ..."Catapult gun?"

    A spindly mech that looked like her Gunner if it lost all of its boxy armor was her enemy. It both arms held what could only be called a catapult with a ball lightning in its oversized cup. it was a bizarre sight. And she completely missed her right swing.

    The catapult''s arm sparkled, unwinding and Tsune bit her lip. The Gunner''s left weapon fired early, spraying shells in a wide arc across terrain and enemy.

    -Exam over!-

    -Tsune Red. 2 points. Enemy destroyed-

    -Rod Rhodes. 1 point. Enemy destroyed-

    Taking the helmet off, the blonde brushed her hair away from her eyes in annoyance.

    ''A catapult!''

    She threw the helmet onto the chair and opened the door.

    "That''s what I get for not being a part of the class life."

    The boy waited outside, rocking on his toes. He thrust his hand forward.

    ''Thank you for the experience!`

    The beaming smile melted her ire and she shook his hand.

    "I should compliment him later, or something."

    -

    The theory teacher entered their classroom with a stack of freshly printed booklets and dropped them on the table.

    ''Elder student, please hand out the results.''

    After the leading student stood up to fulfill his request, the teacher turned to the touchscreen wall board.

    ''What have I learned today. This is going to be your task for this lesson.''

    ''Read your booklets, then stand before the class to share your thoughts. We are still busy grading your performance, so you are on your own for the rest of the day.''

    Tsune opened the booklet. Every page held illustrations of the mechs used in the exam. One page per one student, with the front side of the page showing the robot with its weapon, while the back of the page showed the state of the mech after the exam''s end and the final score.

    She took the Gunner believing that a balanced mech armed with two rapid firing ranged weapons was the most efficient path to success. But now she could only flip through the book in disbelief.

    A dwarf robot with a hedgehog backpack, that fired needles into the air to blanket the immediate area with a steel rain, achieved 4 points but lost to a robot with oversized grappler limbs that attacked by throwing trees and boulders.

    A robot that drew flaming plasma arrows from pillars of lights created by the sunlight, a mech so light it could completely hide behind a tree with its telescope like extending sword and even a hovering torso with its limbs freely flying around. The first five pages alone were enough to understand what was her lesson today. Compared to this super robot craziness, her mech was not safe, it was predictable.

    ''It was very interesting!''

    ''What?''

    The girl looked up and saw Rod near her desk. His black hair grew lighter towards the roots and with the ceiling lights behind him, made it look dual colored.

    The boy smiled and extended his hand.

    ''We met before, but I never introduced myself properly. I''m Rod Rhodes!

    You looked sad looking at your page and my father always told me to cheer up girls that look sad. Your robot was very interesting!''

    ''Ah, you are the catapult boy. You are a good pilot.''

    She expected their chat to be over. But the gentle touch of her hand and praise motivated him too much.

    ''I can show you all about my robot if you want to. I have all of the ideas I made in my phone, so meet me after the lesson!''

    With that, he quickly walked back to his seat.

    When the elder student called Tsune''s name, she stuffed her hands into the shirt pockets. As she walked to the board, the eyes of others were following her. Some with a snicker, some with appreciation, but most of them indifferent.

    But even that audience was a bit much for her after that encounter with self proclaimed hero of justice. The girl had to push through the embrassment to speak.

    ''I''m Tsune Red. I''m happy that I can learn with you for another year. I learned today that instead of limiting myself to what seems to be the most efficient, I should use my imagination more. My robot is very boring compared to other students, so I look forward to learning from all of you.''

    -

    Several days later, at the student hotspot. Cafe with a brisk name, *Z*.

    ''We should not talk to each other again''

    Rod delivered these news without a sullen or disappointed look, the ones she imagined to be appropriate. Nor did he try the rest of the friendship break-up dance that Lyle received in the previous world. No call to a proper place, no fidgeting while looking to the side, no consolation prize gift with a promise to remember.

    The line was delivered directly, with a face full of positive emotions. Straight in the middle of the street, right outside of the academy. The only time she saw less grace in human interaction was the morning when she received the resignation papers.

    ''...?!''

    Her expression portrayed everything without any words.

    ''Please do not misunderstand! I do not hate you. I like you!''

    "Start making sense already... You are giving me a headache."

    ''I heard our classmates in cafe yesterday. They talked a lot about us.''

    Was this guy trying to confess? Wasn''t fifteen years old too young for that sort of thing? And that''s even putting aside the problem of her still holding onto her identity as Lyle.

    ''The girls said a lot of mean things. Calling you boring, out of your mind, even hungry for romance. And the guys were really jealous of me and were talking a lot about your body.''

    Rhodes breathed in and continued, his hands now held together as a show of emotion.

    ''So I decided it would be best for us to stop talking for a while. I will try and figure out a way to make them forget about you. That way you can live your life without the problems I caused for you in the class. It was really thoughtless of me!''

    Tsune really was speechless. Her first thoughts were to reprimand him. To say to stop making decisions without asking her and that there wasn''t any *Us* to talk about.

    Then came the idea to tell him that he wasn''t going to grow up into a dramatic super pilot. The one that would take the final boss''s attack head on to shield his comrades from harm. And he should drop the act.

    But then she realized.

    In this world, full of piltoted robots and monsters, he really could have such a future.

    A milquetoast look replaced the bewilderment in her eyes and she nodded. Perhaps he really meant it.

    ''If you say so, Rhodes.''

    The boy gave her a wide smile and left. Watching his back, the girl realized how that last exchange must''ve looked like from the outside. The whole scene was so sweet, she couldn''t help but cringe.

 Chapter 2

    -

    Students polished their battlefield awareness and piloting skill in VR over the next four months. Then they received two new tasks that they would work on for the rest of the study year.

    First, they were to create their own idea for a control interface. The one they thought of as perfect for their skills and the mech they wanted to pilot. Second, everyone needed to choose a single partner to train together, with the second year exam revealed to be the teamwork test.

    As these thoughts ran through her mind, Tsune congratulated herself on waking up earlier than usual. Then her leisure was broken when she realized that her mother wasn''t here yet.

    But Lady Red, a nickname she gave her mother specifically to annoy her, knew better than this. Anyone late to classes on the assignment day could find themselves without a partner and therefore outside of the proper study process.

    Her eyes drifted to the bed cabinet that usually had only a glass of water. Today, the tall glass was almost pushed off by two bright colored packets and a card with printed birthday lines. The latter was from father.

    She tip toed to the door to crack it open, but mother wasn''t outside either.

    "Is she sulking because yesterday photos didn''t fill even a single album page?"

    -

    After the morning routine, came the time to dress up. First was a tight sleeveless shirt that turned the budding mounds into flatness she was familiar with. The tomboyish appearance wouldn''t survive for long, but she would take every day possible. Even if her mother learned about it.

    Zipping up the uniform to hide the binding, she tuned out the unneeded thoughts and rushed out of the house. The first day of second month of autumn welcomed her with air that bordered on cold, but sun still shone bright.

    -

    The day has passed about as good as she expected in the morning. Still partnerless, she climbed the stairs to the cafe. The dusk painted the doors in gentle orange light, while robotic voice welcomed her inside.

    -Z Cafe is open-

    Opening the door she saw that the cafe was full of students of both genders. The cafe was on the street corner, so it showed the big construction site from the window on one side and a street full of various shops from another.

    ''Hey, isn''t that the Boring girl''

    A group of girls from her class paused their talk about fashion shops across the street. Their smiles bordered on laughter as they continued.

    ''No morning greeting, or even a simple *Hi* from her, as usual.''

    ''She''s boring after all.''

    ''As dry as it can get.''

    ''I''m sure she''s an interesting person, she just doesn''t have imagination to turn her feelings into words.''

    "As if anyone would greet you with that attitude."

    Tsune''s cheek twitched in annoyance as she took the nearest chair to carry it away.

    She found a place at the other side''s window and flicked through the table''s menu screen in search of a dessert. Or two.

    "Calling me boring just because I don''t spend money for mech parts to make it look better. What''s wrong with being cost efficient."

    Even though mech pilot path was mandated to be approachable, there was a loophole. The students would receive a simple and robust Gunner set of equipment for free. But with highly customized units made into a tradition, peer pressure turned default set users into an exception. At the same time, factories and academies made a deal to release physical packs with a discount code for a single digital part. A random mech part within a selected category.

    -

    Finishing her chewy berry cakes, she downed the rest of the fruit juice. Its texture was coarse from icy artificial seeds, that popped into different flavours as soon as they melted.

    It was an insignificant minigame, but she liked to count the number of fresh tasting seeds versus sour ones as a lucky charm. She even tried to get others into it, but all she got was weird stares. Those stares were also her reward for being on the boy side of the cafe and listening to them interrupt each other.

    ''Old school controls are the best, Pedals, buttons and levers make dramatic movements easy.''

    ''You definitely want body motion capture then!''

    ''Yeah, automatic pattern can''t do the cool poses.''

    ''Then isn''t thought control the best? You can still do all the poses with the fake holo buttons,''

    ''That''s too expensive! You are not going to be rich until you are famous.''

    ''How about taking levers but putting them on a maglev box? The last week''s video made the hero look so good when he used it.''

    ''It takes a fortune to become famous anyway, so I might as well save for that thing first.''

    ''Who are you even going to show off to? Even if you put cameras on the inside, nobody would watch a beginner.''

    Tsune put the glass down with an audible clink. One look at the wall clock showed that it was time for the evening extra class, that would finalize the pairs. But her classmates looked so absorbed in talking over each other that they forgot about it.

    ''Come on, guys. We are going to be late.''

    ''Eh?''

    ''Yes, miss Proper.''

    With a mental sigh, the girl resisted the urge to retort. If girls called her boring, then boys made fun of her for staying away from other girls.

    -

    As the boys walked behind Tsune, still in a tight group, she couldn''t help but overhear them again.

    ''Oh, I''ve got an idea. Let''s ask the catapult boy about his controls and do the opposite.''

    ''Did he choose already?''

    ''That guy? Who cares.''

    ''He went on another speech yesterday.''

    ''You think he''ll ask her out again?''

    ''That''d be very Interesting.''

    Her skin crawled as the chatter turned for the worse. But at least the rumours about her being in a relationship were uniformly discarded after a fit of laughter.

    -

    She couldn''t find a partner. And she was the only victim of the *curse of the first day* in her class. So, she had to wait until either a pair fell apart, or she was assigned a partner from another class.

    But for now, the evening teamwork lessons turned into free time. And she spent it at home, designing a special item to show in the future exam.

    An expensive holo simulation board square on top of the hall''s table. A stack of books on her right and a pile of empty item pack boxes on her left. She had everything one could want to bring their idea into reality. But today was yet another day of no inspiration. She couldn''t think of anything worthwhile, that wasn''t a bigger gun or a shield.

    Her father, a middle aged man with gray hair, sideburns and a short beard, was in his chair across the table. As today was a rare vacation day, he chose to look over the daughter. While mother was in the city, eager to spend the whole day on herself.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    She absent mindedly shuffled the icons on the screen with her finger, creating small transparent ripples every time she selected a new one. Every icon was a code for a separate hardware part from the packs. And their colors represented a different quality tier. White were resold mass produced parts, blue were newly made, purple were from specialized sets and shining gold were custom made in limited quantities.

    She heard in class that if you are stuck, then you would just build around gold parts. But there was a problem.

    Bored of meaningless shuffling, she manually sorted the inventory to form an image. Most of the space was taken by white *sky*, leading into blue *water* with a purple *moon*. Not a single gold *star* to light her way out of this creative block.

    All she had to do was to drag the parts with her finger. Out of the screen and into the air as a 3d image. The holo board even allowed any projections or complex cutaways she could''ve wished for.

    "Its useless."

    A cheap control system, that was better than the trainee one, was above her after all. But she kept her back straight and, instead of a single thought about defeat, turned to plan B, creating a new weapon.

    At least for this task she had her old world designs and the wealth of knowledge about the game''s tools of destruction.

    Speaking of which, she forgot about one more source of inspiration. There should''ve been a documentary on, right now.

    She turned to the hall TV to switch it on. But her intention was read by her father. With a sigh, he closed his book and pulled the chair closer to the simulation table.

    ''And here I was waiting for a chance to show off to my precious daughter. But the first person she turns to for help is a TV narrator, not the old professor Red.''

    He took several currency chips out of his pocket and offered them to Tsune.

    ''If you need a weapon as well, buy weapon hardware packs that catch your eye. And while you are away, I''ll see what I can do about controls.''

    -

    "Isn''t this a bit too much?"

    The girl was honestly surprised at the size of the weapon pack section in the shop. Before she only visited the first floor, which was finely segregated into sections ranging from armor and chassis to internal parts and cosmetics.

    However, the weapon section took the entirety of the second floor, with different sections dedicated to different ways to wage war.

    "Half of these things are not even what I would call weapons. At least, I have no idea how to use this as one."

    She picked up one of the packs that promised a one tenth percent chance of a gold tier gauntlet. According to the animated poster on the side of the rack, it created a small and transparent platform in mid air. That was intangible for any matter, except for the gauntlet itself.

    With a shrug, the girl put it back. Then filled her bag with packs from the nearest handheld projectile rack, some throwable, others just firearms.

    -

    Returning home, the girl saw her father still at work. He looked the same as before, but the atmosphere around him was completely different.

    Tens of holo screens floated around the table, each of them a video loop of her exam fight or the videos of her at home.

    In several minutes of observing the videos, she noticed that each loop had red lines tracing the movements of her body, face and the mech''s actions, from top to bottom. Reaching the bottom, the lines became a part of a numbered meter that, once full, moved into the main screen on the table.

    ''What are you doing?''

    ''I couldn''t think of a control system either, so I asked the computers at my laboratory to analyze your behaviour patterns and create one automatically.''

    He puffed his chest and proclaimed.

    ''My daughter deserves only the best, I said. And that I wouldn''t have it any other way.''

    ''Isn''t this cheating?!''

    ''The computer I chose for the task is one of the best in the country. It''ll analyze you so thoroughly that the result will be indistinguishable from what you would''ve made yourself. I promise this as an esteemed Professor and as a father!''

    ''Now, open the packs and give me the chips to make the weapon. Even if all the parts you open are commons without a single rare, it doesn''t matter!''

    Tsune hid the bag behind her back and took a wide detour around her overly excited father.

    ''I''ll make it myself!''

    -

    Next morning.

    -Master, please wake up-

    -Master-

    -Master-

    Having left the dreams from a robotic voice instead of an alarm sound, Tsune looked at the source in confusion.

    The voice came from a smooth football sized metal ball on her cabinet. As soon as its frontal camera saw the human reaction, it clicked and the monotone loop was replaced by a recording from her father.

    -Mother stayed overnight at the beauty salon, so it was up to me wake you. And this is the result of the yesterday''s analysis. I had the lab''s production center make and deliver it while you slept.-

    -I''m sorry if I went too far yesterday and tried to take your first invention from you.-

    -This device will only help you become a great pilot. But it has the potential to become your assistant if you want. I called it *My Precious Daughter Is Lovely*, but my coworkers used *Macro Dimension Pattern Intelligent Logic*.-

    -Recording end. Do you wish to repeat it?-

    ''No.''

    Flat out rejecting the offer, and all too aware of the cold sweat that covered her body, she stared at the device.

    The pilot assistance devices were common. From the basic Correcting Algorithm that laid the foundation of the piloting, to Intelligent Algorithms. Full fledged mecha pilots used the latter to string together simple movements, directions and preset attacks into complex attack patterns.

    But Intelligent Logic was a step above them and, essentially, it was a co-pilot. A cheat for somebody who was still a student. Or would be one, if it wasn''t brand new.

    Her father might''ve had the best intentions, but discovering that he was that detached from her life has annoyed her to no end. And what annoyed her even more, was knowing that she was the one who kept him away.

    "Even if this is partially my fault, you still went too far! In fact that''s ever farther than just giving me the direct Human-Machine interface. Or that gold gauntlet."

    She carefully slipped out of her bed, with plenty of distance between her and the present.

    "Now nobody will ever want to partner with me. They''ll just feel inadequate, as if dealing with a pampered princess."

    A sudden idea struck her as she recalled a tv series from previous Earth.

    ''I wonder if I can ask the school for this to be my partner instead.''

    -

    Her request was approved as soon as she messaged the academy.

    "He probably pulled some strings, didn''t he? ...kinda scary."

    -

 Chapter 3

    -

    The blizzard became especially loud outside the house and Tsune involuntarily shivered. Then pulled her legs closer to hug them.

    She was rewatching a documentary from one of her lessons. About a very old but still famous trio of pilots that fought together through thick and thin. They were long gone but the number of mechamonsters and villains they defeated remained unmatched to this day. The proper names existed in records, but everyone called them Sword, Hammer and Bow out of respect for their proficiency with those simple weapons.

    This episode was a recreation of the battle with a chromed plated lion statue that dwarfed the robots. Its dark wings spanned at least fifty meters each and covered the battlefield in the shadow every time it made an attack pass.

    Staying out of reach of melee users, it used massive wind attacks to try and bring down Bow. But the deadly pressure walls were either scattered by Hammer''s shockwaves, made when it struck the ground, or sliced apart by the pressurized air flows from Sword swings.

    Finally, with wings full of arrow holes, it collapsed to the ground.

    ''Good job, Bow. You''ve destroyed its wings!''

    ''Neither my arrows, or your sword will damage this silvery armor.''

    ''Leave it to me. My hammer knows no equal.''

    Arrow kited the beast all over the plains, taunting it with accurate shots. After he grew assured that the beast''s eyes were only on him, he lead it to the rendezvous point. At the same time, Hammer shifted his weapon into the running stance and picked up speed.

    He was the heaviest of the three by far, therefore he needed a lot of time to reach his target. But on the other hand, there were very few things in this world that could take his leap attack and remain intact.

    And as it turned out to be, the chrome armor was not one of them. The lion''s body shattered from the immense hit, cracking and flying apart as sparkling confetti, while the its legs were completely buried in the ground.

    -Rrrrrrrrroooooooooooo!-

    The only remaining part, the floating lion''s head, shook the land itself with a deafening roar. And stunning its enemies, it turned away to escape.

    -Guh, I will not let you!''

    The show ended with Sword running under the enemy to plunge his weapon into the neck hole. The air pressure spiked inside of the head and the fleeing monster fell into pieces, as the material gave away alongside the previously invisible cracks.

    It was amusing to think that this was a serious documentary when she thought of it in the context of her own world. But defeating a mechamonster, that was that hard to destroy, was in line with many historical triumphs. If she were to guess, defeating that lion would counted as preventing one of the bigger earthquakes.

    "So, let''s see."

    She looked down at the list of weapons to see if she wanted to add any of these three.

    "Sword that created pressure waves?"

    "Ultra heavy *matter reverberation* hammer?"

    "A bow with thermal shearing arrows?"

    ''Ahh, none of these appeal to me.''

    Tsune dropped the list on her lap and stretched as she thought whether to continue watching, or to stop for today. Her quest for inspiration, that would reawaken her creative spirit, lasted for quite a while already, but it always ended in the same way.

    After several minutes of watching the blizzard, she decided that overcoming her *function over form* thinking would work better if she took smaller goal oriented steps.

    "Let''s think about it this way. What you actually need from multiple weapons is synergy, right?"

    "My main weapon is a machine gun, so I''m a ranged fighter. And a ranged fighter needs something to keep others away."

    "That weapon can''t be too heavy, it needs to be one handed. Maybe bayonets would work."

    The girl stretched again with a yawn caused by the bleak weather and stood up.

    ''All of this tv watching is making me hungry.''

    -

    ''I think I can''t just settle on a weapon without testing it first.''

    Back before the tv, the blonde was looking through her classmate contact list. She looked for the name of a boy she shared a classroom table with. He was partnered with somebody else, but if it was about letting him test his melee weapons, he would happily oblige regardless of circumstances.

    "Blade, blade weirdo, where are you. Here you are."

    ''What do you want, Red? I''m busy with the school project.''

    ''Don''t be like that, Blade. I was thinking of testing my ideas for melee on your sword.''

    ''Ohhh? The firearms user wants to go close and personal? Even you are finally seeing the light, eh. What do you have?''

    ''Bayonets.''

    ''Hah, I should''ve expected a boring answer. I''ll meet you in two days after teamwork practice.''

    -

    Two days later, the blonde wandered around the school with nothing to do. The lessons were over but she had several hours before the evening teamwork lesson. And even more before that ended. Plenty of time to visit the practice fields, that captivated her on her first day here.

    But the door into the dome now had a guard post.

    ''Only students of third year and higher can pass through here. Real training is too dangerous.''

    ''I''ll be careful.''

    ''Listen. You need to have a third or fourth year student card to pass. Don''t make me call the administration.''

    With a sigh, Tsune went back to the hall that housed the cabins. She put the bag below one of the windows and sat on it, holding the metal orb inside with one hand. Treating a rare custom device like a stool would give a heart attack to her theory teacher. But, well, their fault for getting cold feet when it came to connecting an *Intelligent Logic* to a training cabin. If she had to carry it around, she might as well use it.

    To her disappointment, the ring shaped practice field was mostly empty. Nobody at combiner cranes, nobody on the tracks, only a single animal robot in the main field.

    It was a cobra, about fifteen meters long, that performed different movement patterns. Almost all of them ended in attacking a thick wooden pillar, with various horizontal poles in seemingly random places. Some of the poles moved andsnake tried to hit them with either the teeth, or the whip strikes of its tail.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Mildly interested, the girl noticed that the window became foggy. Even a short trip made ran out of breath. She covered a sizable chunk of the glass in vapor and scribbled on it with her finger.

    First she drew the movement types used by the cobra robot. They ranged from slithering, to the mecha shaping itself into a vertical disk with the head in the center. That moved by pushing the tail tip against the ground.

    An hour later, or so, the cobra slithered into one of the many hangars in the wall around the field. And several other hangars opened to release a group of humanoid Majin robots.

    They split into pairs and practiced melee combat. One would step forward with a punch and the other would either block it with their crossed forearms, or intercept it with a counter punch.

    The practiced patterns would change after a while, but the monotonous repetion eventually lured the girl into a half awake, half dreaming state.

    Until her future opponent startled her by shaking her shoulder.

    The girl fell off her bag onto the cold floor, looking at the boy with acute disapproval. But his tall and thin figure was already on his way to the cabins.

    -

    -Training start.-

    The screens turned on and to her surprise, the girl saw that her opponent''s mech was not that far away. His size was about the same as Gunner, standing around ten meters tall.

    He raised his long sword high above the trees and rocks. He even waved with it and called her over the voice communications.

    ''Look here, Red!''

    Tsune took the joystick with her right arm and pulled it halfway back to start gaining distance. After the initial shake died down, she pushed both arm levers with her left. The giant hands raised and started to smoothly align the gun barrels with the center of the screen as soon as the lever triggers were pushed.

    Blade gave her plenty of time to study him when he showed from behind the obstacles. As he turned and flexed his arms, she saw light shine through the gaps between robot''s armor plates.

    His robot was definitely humanoid, but the parts she was used to simply weren''t there. It looked like a swordsman covered by a full plate mail suit made from thousands of small plates. Most of them laid unevenly over stylized bones and a grid like internal structure and hydraulic muscles.

    Additionally, many orb like devices were spread throughout its body .Each released some kind of a glistening white vapor that blurred the light around the robot.

    "He made an armored skeleton swordsman? But armored is too generous."

    ''Here I come!''

    Her opponent either got tired of showing off, or thought that she had enough of a headstart, and dropped the posing act.

    As the robot started to move, its gauntleted arm spun the sword into a reverse grip, adding the second hand to it soon after. Then the sword was raised to be held horizontally around the shoulder level. With this he could instantly stab, or aim at the Gunner''s head, or left side of the body.

    The mist around him left a wide trail that slowly condensed below, creating the impression that robot froze the ground. But while running in a straight line had the advantage of reaching her faster, it also presented the robot as a perfect target. And she wasted no time.

    A barrage of shells left the machine guns and a twin stream of rounds connected the mechs. Most hit all over the opponent''s hull. Some of them failed even that and streaked past the giant frame, ruining the simulated scenery behind it.

    To Tsune''s surprise, the robot quickly shed its protective layer. But the reactive armor turned all of her hits into a fireworks clouds that King quickly left behind. The ammo screen beeped, prompting her to reload.

    But she reset the joystick position, halting Gunner and took the left arm lever.

    Turning the lever''s head dial about forty five degrees, she lowered the arm. Then she put pressure on a button below the left weapon triggers to manually contract one of the left arm muscles and make it swipe upwards and to the side.

    That movement made the bayonet intercept the blade from below with enough force to bash it away. It would give her enough time for a clean pierce.

    Instead of fighting with his weapon''s inertia, Blade released the sword''s handle right before it was hit. The sword''s momentum made it spin in the air right above the mechs.

    Tsune turned the dial back to make the right arm extend forward. The bayonet thrust at the opponent''s skeletal side that all but mocked her with its lack of armor.

    But a skeletal hand bashed the bayonet away, while the other grabbed the airborne sword by blade and stabbed down.

    Threatened with fatal damage, Tsune rushed for the right arm lever. The other bayonet met the sword''s edge and pushed it upwards, away from Gunner''s head, .

    With both sides in a temporary stalemate, her opponent took his time to talk some more.

    ''Good job, Red. But not good enough. Even with the length of these guns your bayonets don''t have enough reach to stab. And they are too bottom heavy to convert weight into power for slashes.''

    ''By the way, the robot''s name is Skeleton King.''

    ''Gunner.''

    ''Hahahaaa.''

    Still laughing, the skeleton robot made several step back, beyond the reach of bayonets. And moved its sword into a proper horizontal reverse grip. Then the sword was thrust forward.

    Gunner moved its left arm again, this time aiming to push the blade away instead of bashing it, but the weapons never clashed. The opponent''s movement stopped almost as soon as it started, with the robot''s right palm leaving the handle to stop right behind the pommel.

    ''By the way, Red. Melee can also be used like this!''

    The palm hit the pommel with lightning speed. It sent the weapon flying out of the grip and into the Gunner''s torso.

    -Blade Sear. Enemy destroyed-

    ''Not bad for a beginner. Want a rematch?''

    Taking a deep breath, Tsune took her time before answering.

    ''Yeah, but I''ll need to make a proper weapon first.''

    ''I''ll be looking forward to it!''

    Picking her assistant device from the floor, the blonde left the cabin. She did her best to ignore the gloating looks from Blade, as they walked out of the academy.

    -

 Chapter 4

    -

    Several hours later.

    ''Melee can also be used like this, he says.''

    The blonde grumbled as she put the big holo screen on top of the hall table. While she waited for it to load the inventory from her student card, she looked at the rough sketch she made earlier.

    The weapon was promising because most of its parts could be found in both melee and ranged packs. And that meant that if she got lucky, she would save quite a sum for a sixteen year old.

    After the ready sound from the device, she turned back to the screen. After filtering parts by the hybrid melee/range categories she saw that she had seven blues and two purples. Almost all of the parts she needed.

    Four alloy pipes were quickly combined into a shaft about as tall as her robot. Taking a hollow cone, she turned it upside down, cut away its sharp point, and fit it on the bottom of the shaft. When the part flashed green and locked on, she moved onto the other end. It was supposed to have a rhombus with bladed edges that flowed into the central spike.

    The result was a long and top heavy spear that could both stab and slash. Additionally, the aerodynamic shape, counterweight at the back and relatively light weight allowed it to be thrown.

    But that wasn''t all she had in mind. The reverse cone could house a power plant that would detonate a big part of the Skeleton King''s reactive armor with a big surge of electricity. Which would make it vulnerable to the remaining machine gun.

    Could was the key word. The weapon packs she bought a long time ago didn''t have any utility parts and as for the money to buy those that did...

    About two weeks ago, *Z Cafe* decided to do something special for this winter.

    Every day for the entire duration of the cold season they would release a new dessert that would be available for the normal price only during its debut day.

    Tsune held out for quite a while, but with such variety there were bound to be a few favorites. And they scored direct critical hits against her weak points.

    She recalled the soft mellow texture of the layered cake and its cream that melted in her mouth and licked her lips.

    Before she knew it, those sweets made her guilty of the sin of gluttony and also completely broke. What was even worse, her mother noticed that she was spending a lot of money on sweets and refused to give her more.

    ''You are going to get fat, she says. Everyone has something to say.''

    Sulking, she laid back in the chair, watching the floating 3d model cast a dim shadow on the table below.

    Tsune entertained the idea of asking her father for a weapon engine. But that choice was soon overwhelmed by the fear of him giving her something too valuable again.

    The girl thought of asking Blade, or Rhodes for theirs, as virtual parts could potentially be traded. But the third year would shift the training to live practice and used virtual parts would turn real. And she wouldn''t feel comfortable with a constant reminder of being indebted, especially to the sword weirdo.

    Finally, she sighed and leaned forward to save the spear as a draft. It would remain in her account''s memory until she got the parts. Then she reorganized the inventory to prioritize ranged hardware.

    She wanted to remake the machine gun into something a lot more manageable. Perhaps remove the stock, most of the barrel''s length and add a hard belt ammo box instead of the long magazine.

    -

    A month later.

    Already in the simulation cabin, Tsune looked down at her assistant device.

    Even though it spoke in its debut morning, it kept its silence ever since. She didn''t know if it was even supposed to speak.

    Maybe it could only act if she connected it to the cabin or maybe it needed a special trigger. After learning more about her father, she wouldn''t be surprised if it created a hard light body and turned into a servant.

    The thoughts about how it could look, turned into images of a beautiful and elegant maid, or a handsome butler, that followed her around. They made her blush. She would be like a rich young lady from an old and powerful household.

    Such a character was present In many, if not most, games she used to play years ago. More often than not, she would be kind, elegant and combine the knowledge of fine art like poetry, dance, or fashion. And maybe hard earned mastery of a science field or an ancestral weapon.

    Lyle even created the ''third love interest'' rule. It stated that the first character, that you as a protagonist developed romantic feelings for, was always well made if clich¨¦. The second, usually an enemy character that eventually joins the hero, had an interesting story arc. But it was the third hidden character that the developers usually put most of their soul into.

    Therefore he always cherished the moment he learned how to unlock that character and the progression of their story.

    For example, one of the games was set in a huge planetary tower besieged by an evil force. There you either sided with the queen to seal the evil force, or the shady organization with their secret goal of destroying it at the cost of the world''s magic it was a part of.

    But compared to characters from these two routes, learning about the third character was an entirely different experience.

    At first you learned that that character was forced to become a sacrifice centuries ago, to create the foundation of the world''s magic. That the evil force was a desperate attempt to gain freedom.

    And the story didn''t end there, as the protagonist went on an adventure to see if he could find it in himself to forgive the cause of the war that took his parents. And finally give that character the life that was taken from them even before their birth.

    But how did it connect to maids? One of the most popular expansions for the game included an ending where that girl has grown up into a famous lady that helped other unfortunate people by hiring them as her servants.

    And Tsune knew that if she tried, she would pull a pretty convincing cosplay. In fact, she wouldn''t even need to call it cosplay, as she really was the daughter of the famous scientist. And made her feel even more flustered.

    With her hands on her cheeks to feel the heat, she lightly shook her head. With her shoulder length hair in a frenzy, she removed the embarrassing thoughts and refocused on the starting battle.

    The ten meter skeleton appeared at medium range and pointed his sword up in a salute. Then it tried to reflect the sun off its blade onto her cabin window.

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    After a full minute of goofing around, it made a big step.

    Then almost jumped forward, with its sword held with both hands. The explosive start helped Blade to quickly reach the top speed, but Tsune winced as she imagined how harsh the g force simulation must''ve been for him. But sympathy aside, even the most generous outcome would still rattle him and it''d be foolish to waste that opportunity.

    Gunner made several steps back as it half bent its right arm. Now the tip of its spear pointed straight at the enemy''s thickest point.

    Her mech''s torso was two thick boxes put on top of each other and then turned downwards on their horizontal axis. And while its top part overlapped with the bottom for more engine protection, Skeleton King''s power source was openly visible in the top half. And the pilot rode in the head stylized as a worn medieval helmet.

    Her weapon was longer than the sword, so she had an advantage. Even if her enemy was to suicidally skewer itself, hoping its engine cover was tough enough to redirect the blow, the spear''s blade rhombus was too thick to get stuck inside. Coupled with the electricity blast from the spear''s own engine that would remove the reactive armor, it would be enough to set up the killing blow.

    Or that''s how it would go in a perfect scenario.

    Blade robot suddenly stopped about two spear lengths away. Then it made several quick steps and tried to grab the spear. Tsune answered by pulling the right lever to withdraw her weapon and quickly pushed the lever back into neutral.

    The stab almost succeeded in reaching her opponent''s chest, but it was parried. Seeing the two weapons clash made her finger dance over the lightning trigger, as there was a chance that electricity would arc from the sword to torso. But relying on a chance with a single charge was not safe and both parties took a step back.

    Skeleton King slashed at the spear, trying to bash it out her robot''s hand and was rewarded with another barely parried stab.

    -

    The fight went back and forth for a while already. Tsune did short stabs, while the swordsman redirected the spear away from itself, or pushed it down to the ground in an attempt to bind it.

    Finally, the girl overextended and with step to the side, Blade slashed down. He aimed to clash with the spear behind the rhombus and then use the opportunity to close in.

    She was almost too late to recognize the intention to slide the blade alongside the shaft. Whe she realized that it was too late to evade, or use the sword as a rotation axis to counterattack, she pushed the trigger.

    A sparkling arc of electricity connected both weapons. Moment later, a blinding flash, accompanied by the sound of an explosion, threw both weapons away from each other.

    Before her opponent could recover its stance, Gunner started to retreat. At the same time, it opened fire and a chain of explosions covered her enemy.

    Undaunted by the ranged attack, his robot came charging out of the smoke cloud with the sword held high.

    Fearing that he knew that her spear was empty, the girl blocked his overhead slash with the shaft. And held the block instead of going for a stab, while firing straight into enemy''s skeletal structure.

    But what she thought of as a stalemate was suddenly broken when vertical cracks appeared alongside the sword''s edges. And the solid blade turned into a chain saw.

    Screeching from pressure, the rotating teeth cut through the spear and chewed into Gunner. Tsune shielded her eyes from the volcano of sparks that filled the screen.

    -Training end-

    -Tsune Red. Enemy destroyed.-

    The electronic announcement cut through the metal grinding noise. The girl looked through her fingers to the battle score screen, then to the main screen where her mech was about to collapse.

    Opponent''s real state slowly pushed through the veil of adrenaline and fear.

    Skeleton King''s armored engine remained unharmed. But with the larger ammo storage, the damage to the internal structure accumulated until it failed.

    Gunner lost the spear arm and most of the shoulder, but still functioned. While the swordsman stood motionless, its saw rotating but no longer with a purpose.

    Tsune pushed the opponent with Gunner''s smoking barrel. At first the movement was slow, but then the giant skeleton robot crashed backwards, buried by its white vapor.

    -

    ''Haah.''

    Back in reality, the girl weakly pushed the helmet off her head. Her chest barely rose as she tried to inhale more air than she could. The light headwear just landed near her assistant when she heard a call from her opponent.

    ''Good job, Red. And I was the one to give you praise, you should take it seriously.''

    ''Yeah, of course. I''ll go out a bit later, so you go on without me.''

    She took long and calm breaths while resting her head on the console. As power slowly returned to her body, her eyes drifted around the cabin, meeting the metal ball all too often.

    ''So, what did you think of my battle?''

    The question was meant to be rhetorical, just a way to pass the time. But the ball clicked and answered.

    -Only partial analysis is complete. Do you wish to hear the current suggestions?-

    Tsune sat straight as an arrow, feeling like a fool. Even though the device could talk, she assumed that it would talk only whenever it wanted. It never occurred to her to command it like a tool.

    The *Intelligent Logic* being useless helped her keep the relationship with her class neutral. But the price of avoiding the image of a princess, that was downright spoiled by her parents, was that her competitive spirit often rebelled against the inability to use it as an advantage. And now she could have both of them.

    ''Yes, I want to hear it.''

    -Listing-

    Camera on the front of the ball glowed, turning into a projector that used the cabin''s ceiling.

    -Position of your body has shifted to become suboptimal for chosen controls at these time marks...-

    -Performing this movement has prevented you from a follow up counter attack-

    -This sequence and your expression during this time mark signaled that you came to a correct decision, but acted upon it seventeen seconds too slow-

    -Judging by the enemy action at this time, the preliminary suggestion would be to perform this series of actions-

    .At first she tried to understand the machine''s monotone voice and monochrome visuals. But after several minutes she overstuffed with information and tuned it out.

    ''Well, at least I now know how to use you.''

    -

 Chapter 5

    -

    Seasons changed and in the first week of spring, the girl received another portion of allowance.

    The war to avoid the cafe and its sweet traps was a hard fought one, with battles won and battles lost. But even her most humiliating defeat, a milk shake that combined fresh berries, cafe''s special mix and the dietetic title, failed to take more than half of her funds.

    Now, with a full month''s worth of money, the girl arrived to the weapon floor of the item shop.

    She walked through and around the floor, looking at shelves and display cases around her. Her goal this time wasn''t a specific item, but rather a general concept.

    She thought of it soon after losing again to Blade and on the surface it was rather simple. Using a trap.

    But with idea''s simplicity came the problem of it being too vague to start selecting packs. And unsure if her initial idea to use tractor beam pods was even good, she chose to restart the search for inspiration. From the very first shelves near the stairs.

    She would look at all of the trap category packs on her way to her goal. If she found a better idea on the way, then so be it.

    -

    First section had thrown explosives with proximity detonators. Quickly ignored because both hands of her robot were full already.

    Land mines. The girl stopped to read a big colorful poster for limited release packs that could contain a Multiple Launch Missile Delivery System. Capable of creating entire mine fields with custom geometry and density with a push of a single button, it was promoted as the ultimate reward.

    The bottom of the poster suggested to buy other limited releases from the same manufacturer, Hover Mines and Homing Detonator, that would give the lucky customer ability to create mid air mine fields.

    ''Hmmm.''

    Tsune picked up one of the packs and turned it upside down.

    It took a while, as the tiny text blended well with the box art, but she found the chance for the promoted part. And almost dropped the box, as it was less than one hundredth of a percent.

    The box was immediately returned to the display case.

    The end tail of shelves had the remainder of deployable suicide drones. Basically much bigger and much smarter missiles, their gold rarity was capable to lie in an ambush.

    Passed by because they had to be armed right before impact, with a signal from a separate bulky launcher. And were single use for obvious reasons.

    The next section dealt with launchers. Instantly ignoring the bigger ones, she spared a look at those that fired metal spikes, blades, or wires.

    Even simple physical projectiles could be debilitating, as her experience showed that other students preferred mobility over armor. At least as far as the first exam''s booklet and random class and cafe talks went.

    But these would need a powerful ranged weapon to exploit the opening. And the most versatile out of them, the wire, could be cut by her machine gun fire.

    After several minutes of modeling the combat situations in her mind, she moved on.

    Skipping through the part with deployable traps, Tsune nevertheless tooked at the posters.

    Basic gun turrets that would just drop onto the ground, advanced pillboxes that could stick to any surface. And mobile vehicles that ranged from a tiny reconnaissance plane to support combat vehicles.

    She took extra care when walking around the statue in the center of the floor. It was a 1/16 scale of a tough looking remote controlled tank. Its packs were stylized after military ammo boxes and lay straght on its hull, looking prone to falling.

    Once past the tank packs and their price tags, the blonde arrived to her initial destination. The weapon utility section, also known by the students as the discount heaven.

    ''Small laser ionizers, limited weight tractor beams, surge capacitors, what else...''

    The girl swiped another row of packs into her shopping bag and paused. Blankly staring at the shelves that already lost thirty items, she went through the mental list until she found the missing item.

    ''Oh, right. A control panel addon.''

    -

    Seasons were about to change again. This week, the last of spring, was the final stretch before the second exam.

    The theory teacher finished transferring the data from his tablet to the whiteboard screen and turned to the class.

    ''This is the structure for the exam. Pairs of students that practiced teamwork would go against a random mechamonster. The student Tsune Red will have a special arrangement made.''

    The last line caused a snickering fit from the class, immediately followed by whispering. It continued until the teacher hit the table with his weighty tablet pen, giving the old wooden surface yet another mark.

    ''Now, lets continue with the lesson. We still have to cover the history of the several pilot teams. And the Golden Coating attack that was used to defeat the Hell Doctor villain.''

    -

    The last week passed in a blink of an eye. And today, Tsune was in the practice cabin. If she succeeded today, it would be the last time she had to pilot in simulation only.

    -Exam start.-

    Viewscreens turned on, showing the familiar sparse forest of the training area. Standing tall, the Gunner''s left arm had the short barreled machine gun, while its right gripped the upgraded spear.

    Its middle was bulkier from to four metal strips cut from a spare cylindrical shaft. They connected to the spear''s center of mass via tractor beam pairs and served as foundation for magnetic anchors. The ornate decorations, on both sides of each anchor piece, protected laser ionizers and surge capacitors.

    ''Hey, Red.''

    Blade''s Skeleton King appeared not far away from her robot.

    ''So, you are the special arrangement?''

    ''You of all people should know that I don''t refuse opportunities to swing my sword.''

    The boy''s mech faced away from Gunner and entered a reverse grip stance.

    ''Look there, Red. Its the target mechamonster.''

    Tsune saw an area of distorted air, almost a kilometer away. Initially it looked like a heat mirage that happens above the ground during summer. But soon, that area turned opaque and a gigantic humanoid figure slowly phased into the existence.

    It was a brass statue of an unknown man in long robes. Its height reaching almost fifteen meters if measured from top of its head. With elbows half bent and fingers pointing into the sky, the statue looked like it begged the gods above.

    As soon as the enemy became material, the Skeleton King rushed forward.

    When it made its tenth step, the statue''s hands suddenly moved. Their fingers looked straight at him and the forearms behaved like bodies of agitated snakes.

    Seconds later, two spheres of light appeared before the brass eyes. They grew the size of its eyeballs and collapsed into themselves. After several seconds of compression, the energy spheres burst into two searing white beams.

    -Otherworld Veil-

    Blade''s mech spun the sword and stabbed the air ahead. The powerful gust of wind sent most of the robot''s vapor trail forward, to engulf its frame in an energy absorbing cloud.

    As the enemy weapon recharged, the robot resumed running. This time the sword was held upside down, to defend the head and engine with the blade.

    The beams met the center of the weapon and its surface grew blue, then red. Soon it turned white and began to flow down.

    By moving the sword up as the outer layer was burned through, Blade reinforced the defense with a layer of the flowing molten metal. And the more beams moved to the sword''s tip, the more molten material they had to go through.

    "That guy never changes."

    Tsune shook her head at the show off display. Then Gunner gripped the spear behind the anchors and raised it into a throwing position.

    ''Hey, what do you think the strength should be?''

    Her assistant device, that sat on the floor as usual, clicked. Then projected the equation and its solution on the ceiling.

    -Warning. Ally life expectancy is four minutes.-

    ''Yeah, yeah.''

    The girl murmured the required input as she rotated the newly installed dial for throw power. Then programmed each landing area with the two sliding buttons nearby. By controlling the horizontal and vertical connections for spear''s tractor beams, she could explosively repel the anchors with a precise trajectory.

    ''Well, let''s see the magic happen.''

    She pressed the dial and the first metal strip flew off, aiming to land behind the statue. The mech automatically rotated the weapon and the second one flew to front of the enemy. Then two more fell on its right and left.

    When the last anchor buried its narrow shape halfway into ground, they solidified their positions by attracting to the ground. Then her assistance device clicked again.

    It was the time to voice the attack name and start the attack pattern. But the girl found her lips frozen from embarrassment. Therefore she opted to use a generic command instead.

    ''Launch!''

    Gunner took a big step and threw the spear, adding its own momentum to the magnetic launch. The spear quickly covered the distance, with its engine working hard to charge the rhombus. It was to turn that part into a powerful magnet.

    When weapon entered the range of the anchor laser ionizers, their micro turrets spun to lock onto rhombus. Barely visible conductor paths connected both.

    The surge capacitors discharged and the beam paths turned into unbreakable magnetic ropes. The inertia almost tore the anchors from the ground but they redirected the weapon''s forward momentum into a straight downwards one.

    The statue was hit straight in the head. The spearhead split it in two pieces as spectacularly as if it was struck by a titanic axe.

    And seeing the result, Tsune mentally cheered for herself. It was efficient, yet flashy enough to be called a super robot special attack.

    But, despite being headless and its chest covered in cracks around the embedded spear, the statue wasn''t destroyed yet. Its fingers, previously dead set on following the Skeleton King, now moved erratically, as if dazed.

    ''I was almost worried it would detonate the chain saw''s flamethrower fuel.''

    ''You put a flamethrower into your sword?! You really are a weirdo, Blade.''

    ''You are the weird one!''

    His laugh boomed from the speakers, before he continued.

    ''I''ve never met anyone who used mostly white trainee equipment so late into the second year. Your spear is the only non boring part of you!''

    ''What''s wrong with using what works? Its pragmatic!''

    Irritated, Tsune wanted to continue. But was interrupted when the statue''s fingers calmed down and pointed at them, one hand per robot. The brass elbows cracked apart and, with a light creaking sound, the forearms discarded the remaining body. They slowly gained height.

    Skeleton King grabbed the top half of its sword, warped by the high temperature.

    ''We have our differences, but tell me, Red. Aren''t the giant robots the coolest?''

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    The blonde pilot smiled at him being a show off even when he attempted reconciliation. Gunner raised its gun to track the farther enemy.

    ''Yeah, they are one of the most romantic things I''ve ever known.''

    ''Then let''s keep the passion lit!''

    Blade''s mech tore away the sword''s molten part and threw it at the closest forearm. Then followed it up with a leap attack.

    -

    -Exam over.-

    The announcer was followed up by the voice of her Assistant Device.

    -Your breathing no longer supplies enough oxygen. Consider resting.-

    Completely out of breath, the girl took off the helmet. Then unbuttoned her uniform to look under it. Her black shirt was wet around the shoulder blades. And the sweat, no longer absorbed by cloth, pooled around the small of her back. The sensations were pretty unpleasant, and being exhausted so quickly was even more so.

    Usually she was able to train for at least two hours, but the exam lasted half an hour at best.

    She pulled the collar away, to feel a rush of cool air against her skin, But it stopped way too soon.

    -Your breathing is at 37% of normal efficiency. It is advised to locate and remove the breathing impediment.-

    ''Impediment, you say?''

    The girl deadpanned as she looked down.

    The front of her clothing had two obvious sweat spots in the front, mercilessly pushed into her ribcage with the tight clothing. To be fair, she wouldn''t be surprised if either of two finally gave into the pressure.

    While the shirt being first was vastly preferable, the idea of her top flying into pieces was horrible. If she ever had to hide her chest with pieces of cloth, she would die from embarrassment. Or at least become a hermit.

    "I guess, I have to deal with it before the third year ceremony. If I faint there, I''ll never live it down."

    ''Mother is not going to like this though.''

    -

    Back from the school, the girl threw the sweaty uniform into the laundry machine and went to her room.

    While standing before her cabinet''s mirror, she grabbed the hem of the inner shirt. She had to apply as much power as she could before it started to peel it off. When it reached her chest, she slid one hand underneath, carefully pressing down on her breast to free it from its prison, then repeated it on the other side.

    Finally able to breath freely, she stood there for several minutes, just inhaling the fresh air. Then she discarded the sweaty shirt and called out to her mother.

    ''Lady Red, can you help me?''

    ''Yes, what did you...''

    To put it mildly, her mother was surprised with the development.

    ''Eh? Eeehhh? You are this big already? You are bigger than me!''

    As if a switch was flipped, her surprised mood suddenly changed into disciplining fury. She saw the state of the discarded clothing and realized something.

    ''I thought you were uncomfortable asking for advice, or trying not to make me uncomfortable. So even though I never saw your lingerie in the laundry basket, I said nothing.''

    ''But did you really never wear a bra before? Going like that outside, are you that kind of girl?!''

    "What?!''

    Now it was the girl''s turn to be surprised with how this was turning out. She was trying her best to suppress any and all ideas that could draw a line between her mind and body from the mirror. And even mere talks about her being in a relationship made her skin crawl. Yet her mother assumed she enjoyed everything?

    ''I''ve never even thought of doing anything for lewd reasons. I''ve never even thought about anything lewd! I''ve barely even talked to my classmates. And even that was just as classmates.''

    She breathed in and finished.

    ''They call me miss Boring, you know!''

    Seeing her daughter lose her temper as well helped the mother regain her own. She embraced her and held her until Tsune''s breathing normalized.

    ''I''m sorry I misunderstood you. Its just that we barely ever talk to each other. I thought you had bad secrets.''

    ''But that doesn''t mean you can continue like this. Dress up, we are going shopping.''

    -

    The next two hours were hectic and rather exhausting mentally.

    From the size measuring that surprised both her mother and the store clerk, with the latter commenting they should go straight for adult size, to picking lingerie and spares for *different moods* as her mother called it.

    And looking at one of them, she knew that her speech back home all but failed to convince Lady Red. At least about the lewd things that were very far away from her mind.

    She was almost seventeen and it was the age of many pilots of old when they started their adventure. And most of them already had a partner that would later become their love interest. At least that''s how it went in the fiction of her previous world and tales of this one. Maybe that was the reason behind her mother buying a lacy set of lingerie in addition to everything else.

    Tsune released the breath she didn''t remember taking and returned to the reality.

    Her chest, that previously felt as two numb bricks, tied to her body with excessive force, was now snugly enveloped by the bra. And barely moved even as they walked out of the underwear shop to the next one.

    ''Wait for me, okay?'' Her mother pulled a shopping cart out of a nearby stack. Refusing help from the shop''s automatic systems, she walked away together with the shop clerk.

    The girl carefully sat down in the lounge. But even that much made the buttons on the skirtsuit top, bought for her first exam, struggle to remain intact.

    Half an hour later, she was escorted to the booth to try the chosen costumes. Most of them were a part of the digital only collection that appeared on her image on a big vertical screen. But some of them she had to try on and use the screen as a mirror.

    The first was made from silk and had multiple layers.

    The inside was a sports bra that offered additional support. The middle was taken by a waist length sleeveless shirt that covered her entire front and back, but left the sides mostly open.

    Above both was a loose sleeved blouse with a deep frontal cut that was covered by fishnet. Small decorative straps on its rim hooked onto tight fitting shorts. And the hooks were hidden under a smooth belt.

    With a sigh. she changed the colors of the fabric on the screen until she stopped on white and light blue. Pressing the *confirm* button she waited to see the next set.

    The second outfit was a sleeved cotton shirt with a frontal zipper. It looked plain at the first sight, but the girl noticed a somewhat stretchy belt that went right under the breasts. It made the top half of the shirt follow her curves and was connected to the seams on her sides and back that were reinforced with a rigid material.

    As for legwear, she saw plain looking cotton pants that were, if she had to put her impression into words, artfully torn in some places.

    Swiping through the color select, she chose the now default option of white for top and blue for pants.

    As for the third and final, she didn''t wear it. She held the dress on her hands for quite some time, but put it down nevertheless.

    It was a strapless dress with a lace covered top, middle that managed to follow every line of her midsection and bottom with a side cut. The cut started all the way at her hip and revealed pantyhose that would seamlessly continue the dress print if she stood still.

    The screen showed a beautiful girl, but even after almost two years, Tsune couldn''t bring herself to identify with her.

    After an unanimous vote of confidence cast by her mother, and everyone she dragged into it, the dress was bought regardless of her opinion.

    Now wearing the bought shirt and pants, she was pulled into a beauty salon.

    -

    ''Hey, I just noticed that my hair has green tips now. Is it normal?''

    As she was tended to by the salon''s robot, Tsune noticed something out of ordinary. The blonde lock of her hair, that hang before her eyes, had emerald green ends.

    ''Ah, well.''

    Her mother took out a small photo album, that she carried in her purse, and turned the pages as she spoke.

    ''You see, Tsune, it was when we learned that I had you. The doctors said that during the first weeks it was possible to influence your looks and even gave us the image of you all grown up. We decided not to change your appearance, because everything about you is created out of our love. But then I couldn''t help myself and added green to your hair.''

    ''That''s... touching.''

    "Like something out of a dating visual novel."

    "But isn''t this like character creation?"

    That thought dug out a long forgotten memory and the girl felt a vague sense of dread. She remembered how she chose the game''s default character and then made a single change.

    But no matter how hard she tried to recall how big the change was, she was too sleepy back then. She only remembered maxing the cup size slider, because she thought she would regret it otherwise.

    -

    The next morning she caused quite the excitement as soon as she entered the class.

    Instead of the usual tight black shirt, she now wore proper support and the white top from yesterday. The uniform shirt''s zipper couldn''t overcome the hills, so the half-closed shirt made her chest stand out even more.

    ''Wow.''

    ''Holy''

    ''Were they always that big?''

    ''Yes they were. Miss Boring just decided to quit her fake modesty.''

    "Stop talking about this!"

    The cry was from the bottom of her heart but she couldn''t give it a voice. Others would forget with time, but her embarrassment will stay with her.

    ''Its not fair at all for one person to be so blessed.''

    ''Hey, don''t be mean. She''s a nice girl.''

    ''What do you mean *nice*? Did you mean she has a *nice* curve?''

    ''That''s not what I''m saying at all. I meant her serious personality.''

    ''As if!''

    "Ahhh, why is this such a big deal all of the sudden."

    The girl could swear the stares materialized and prickled her all over. An uncomfortable tingling spread through her back and arms. Even worse, that much attention brought back the estrangement of early days. She thought she suppressed but here it was even without a mirror.

    ''I know the shop she used.''

    ''Her taste is a little boring, no?''

    ''Then it fits her well.''

    The words and snickering of others added one sticky thought after another, as if they wanted to merge the mind she still considered her own and the appearance from her reflections.

    ''Oh, man. If only I knew she would grow like this when I first saw her.''

    ''Yeah, its like straight out of a special magazine.''

    ''Keep quiet you guys. If she hears you, she''ll hate you for life.''

    ''Enough!''

    ''Stop it! This is just a game anyway!''

    Sputtering, Tsune abruptly rose from her seat. Almost forcing Blade from his seat, she walked by the teacher that just entered the class.

    ''Where are you going?''

    The man tried to stop her but another voice interrupted him. It was Rod Rhodes.

    ''She doesn''t feel well, I''ll escort her to the med bay.''

    -

    The girl was walking through the halls and the boy held her shoulder. But when they entered an empty corridor that led to the medbay, she felt his hand tighten to stop her.

    ''Tsune, those words. Did you come here from another world?''

    -

 Chapter 6

    -

    With metaphorical ice flowing through her veins instead of warm blood, Tsune turned around. Her face was pale and eyes lightly quivered from the fear and anticipation.

    "He knows? What is he going to do?"

    From the moment she looked into the mirror for the very first time, she couldn''t help but try to rationalize what has happened to her.

    The girl suppressed that thought in the next second. She became brutally efficient at changing her train of thought, as even recognizing some of the possibilities scared her. But these ideas reappeared time and time again, like shark fins on the sea surface of her subconsciousness.

    Even worse, this fear was too real for her to get used to. And every time it returned it brought new details.

    So the more she pushed them away, the more they intertwined with a sickly anticipation. That the proverbial sharks would finally attack and leave her psyche in pieces, if that''s what was needed for them to leave her alone.

    ''Wow.''

    Seeing her expression, Rod let go of her shoulder and made several quick steps back. His hands now raised in surrender.

    ''I''m sorry I scared you, Red. I really didn''t mean to.''

    ''It was really bad for me to ask this right now. I''ll just go back to class.''

    The girl''s lips turned into a thin line and, before the boy could even turn around, she had his hand in a tight grip.

    "You are not going anywhere until you tell me everything."

    She was emotional enough to feel dizzy, she even thought of taking her uniform shirt off. Not because she felt hot or needed air, but to physically tie her sudden source of information to her. Although she quickly discarded that idea, because it was less efficient than just asking.

    ''I''m feeling faint, so I''m going to medbay and you are going with me.''

    ''But we have a class right now.''

    ''If you run, I''m not going to forgive you.''

    With one hand firmly on his arm, the blonde pressed the button near the medbay''s door. The camera flashed green as it scanned her and the door opened with a click.

    -

    Entering the medbay, a room that was split into many walled off sections, Tsune pulled him to the nearest open door.

    Once inside, she let go and went to the bed. With her back resting against the pillow, that she propped up against the wall, she felt her head start to clear.

    When she gave him her full attention, Rod started to repeat his question, but she interrupted.

    ''Before I answer, I want to hear more from you. Are you serious about me being from another world?''

    ''I''m serious.''

    With a sigh, Rod now looked almost regretful that he ever said anything.

    ''You see, I''m also from another world.''

    Tsune pulled her collar up to her nose and felt her her heart beat quicken. It was way too early to judge, but she had a chance to learn more about transportation between different worlds. Maybe it''d even prove some of the worse ideas about herself false.

    ''Tell me everything. I want to know how you got here and why.''

    ''At least say that you are didn''t agree to listen just to laugh at me later. Or because you are scared of me being crazy.''

    ''I promise, I promise. Start talking please.''

    Wary of choosing the words that would shake whatever trust she had in him, the boy started his tale.

    ''First, I don''t think I can prove that I''m from another world with any items. That''s because I woke up here in a body that wasn''t the one I had in my world.''

    ''I couldn''t have been transported here by a spaceship either. My home world barely even went outside of its orbit .''

    ''Also, it never discovered superalloys, never met a mechamonster, or giant robots outside of entertainment. But it didn''t live a peaceful life either, so I''m not a stranger to the idea of wars being common.''

    Noticing that the girl''s eyes began to show impatience, Rod smiled to calm her down. Then he decided that getting to the point was for the best, while he still had a chance.

    ''I asked if you were from another world, because in my world there was a game whose''s world looked just like this one.'' ''And the more I learned about this world during the almost two years that I lived as Rod Rhodes, the more it reminded me of that game.''

    Tsune watched the boy as he continued his explanations. She was still feeling high strung, with the feelings apparent in her expression, but now she could think with relative clarity.

    As far she could judge, his words were too elaborate to be a prank. But it wasn''t impossible.

    And as much as she was uncomfortable with the idea, with how students behaved back in class, he could have an hidden reason to lie. But to lie so closely to her own memories of the previous world, he would need to be either incredibly lucky, or...

    ''Say, do you think your memories are real?''

    Interrupted once again, by the girl asking him with a serious look in her eyes, Rod was quiet as he prepared the answer.

    ''I think I know what are you asking about, but isn''t it impossible to fake that many memories?''

    If she were to speak from the bottom of her heart, she did believe that her real identity was Lyle, but-

    ''But isn''t having fake memories, or being lucky even at that scale, much more believable than being from another world?''

    If he asked her, the idea that she had a mental disorder was one of the more realistic ones. And that in reality they were no more than the daughter of Professor Red and a boy from her class who shared that strange disability.

    Rhodes put his hands on his knee, as a replacement of a tribune, an gave an entire speech.

    ''I think believable and possible are two different things. ''

    ''Since I''m limited by my goals, I avoided doing indepth research. But as far I know, these memories were''t inspired by a third party''s words, nor were they implanted by anyone. The latter might be possible but it''s rendered not believable by my study of the world''s culture and my current social circles.''

    ''Therefore I think that memories, even fake ones, are created only using events I interacted with. One could certainly create memories of imagined events, but even those are based on real experiences.''

    "This guy looks so serious."

    Tsune couldn''t help but smile as she listened to the lecture. She imagined him before an audience and he fit right in.

    And he even attempted to fix the position of his nonexistent glasses, every time when he finished speaking, something she didn''t notice before.

    Meanwhile, he was almost done.

    ''A young boy thinking up almost two decades worth of memories, with so many details that don''t exist in this world to begin with. Such a thing is believable but I don''t think its possible at all.''

    ''Besides, if I were to think that, it would really interfere with my goals that I set for myself in this world.''

    His last idea mirrored much of her own thoughts. If she were to accept her memories as fake, she would no longer care about things she was used. And she would rather believe that she was actually Lyle transported into a world similar to the game, than have her world crash around her.

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    And that prompted another question from her.

    ''I probably should''ve asked that earlier, but when you say *I*, who is that *I*?''

    The boy sighed, as he shifted around to find a better position. Or at least to become as comfortable as he was at the start of this long discussion, that slowly turned into an interrogation.

    ''As far as I care to think about it, this line of thinking is a slippery slope that can''t lead to anything useful.''

    ''Even if I''m really Rod Rhodes whose identity was replaced, instead of being who I think I am. Even then, the best I can do for the previous me is to remain physically and mentally healthy while working on the goals that I think are important.''

    ''Same goes for being transformed to look like him, given his subconscious reactions and... replacing him in this world.''

    The blonde was thankful that the boy didn''t notice his unintentional jab reach its mark, because of the stumble near the end. It was a hole she dug completely by herself, but the idea that Tsune had an identity of her own, before that fateful morning two years ago, was one of those sharks that swam in her unconscious mind.

    If she took this girl''s life, it would hurt both her self-perception and Lyle''s remaining identity and self respect. And she instinctively knew that, if she accepted that Lyle was imaginary, the original would feel really bad.

    And if she even tried that, it almost certainly could make her paranoid. Constantly dissecting her actions and personality traits. Turning simple retrospections into a witch hunts that separated the good real Tsune from the bad illusionary Lyle whose memories haunted her for life.

    It was somewhat unexpected, but as she thought about this, the girl realized that she felt much better now.

    The ambient nauseating sensation, of being glued into the world as a puzzle piece. Her sense of self overwhelmed by impressions and expectations others had of her. All of these have faded.

    She remembered how hard she was hit in the first day, when she thought she was a coma patient with a fever dream. And mentally laughed at it, which helped her feel even better.

    ''We''ll settle on you being from another world, but do you know what caused you to appear here? Maybe you can use it to return, if you want.''

    The boy looked at the wall clock as he changed positions again and the girl followed suit. The class was mostly over, but they still had time.

    ''I''ll need to tell you about the friend I had in the other world.''

    ''In that world, a sport centered around creating robots that fought each other was really popular with young people.''

    ''A lot of companies that dealt with science fiction, video games, or just worked with robots made their own team. Or sponsored a popular independent team, like the team I was in.''

    The girl''s years perked up when she heard a familiar tale. The memories of her past as a part of one such team came with a trace of nostalgia.

    ''Most of my friends had a favorite team, or something related to the robots, so I spent most of my time talking about robots even when I wasn''t working.''

    ''During one of the meetings I had with my friends, I met a guy that really liked a very long running series of games. He made a drawing of a robot that he wanted my team to present at the next shop session.''

    The nostalgia turned bittersweet, as those words hit a bit too close to home. The girl smiled on the inside, thinking that her story wasn''t unique after all.

    ''Ah, I forgot to mention that most teams created virtual robots that they used to fight in holograms, or in video games. But some people liked watching robots made from real parts.''

    ''Unfortunately, there was a catch. Robots, that their opponents knew too well, had a much lower success rate, so their redacted blueprints were sold after one or two tournaments. Which is why we needed new ideas.''

    ''Anyway, I showed his drawing to my boss and the team decided to hire him as one of the designers and pilots. We all gave him advice to gradually raised win rate, but eventually his rating started to decline and he left.''

    "Wait, what? You are him!"

    "You kept saying I put too much importance on form over function and that I would be fired if I didn''t win enough."

    Any sort of flowery descriptions for *atmosphere*, or *nostalgia*, or whatever connection she imagined she now had with the boy, all of those were burned to ash by a sudden flash of anger. She suddenly recognized all of his mannerisms and honestly felt blind that she couldn''t see it before.

    "Is that how you thought of it? That call to discuss *an important matter* the first thing in the morning and making me sign the self resignation letter."

    ''Some of my team mates felt that his rating fell because of our advice that made his robots too boring to watch. I tried to offer an apology, but I couldn''t reach him.''

    ''But during my attempts I learned that the voice actor for main character of his favorite games, the pilot of *Destiny*, was retiring. And that the next game will have a scene with his character''s death, so he would be among the first to buy it to avoid spoilers.''

    Tsune''s expression, still hidden by the collar, floated a smug grin as she kept mentally commenting on his story.

    "What, were you scared? Would your precious reputation of a great team leader be tarnished if anyone learned that you mismanaged one of your subordinates?"

    ''So, I decided to meet him in the shop. I even downloaded the script for the game''s story campaign, to find a place in the game with the highest chance of meeting him, but he never came. And the next morning I woke up here.''

    The satisfaction of meeting somebody else from her world was almost pushed out by anger. And the girl could barely wait for him to finish before speaking. Her voice betrayed her lack of interest in further discussions.

    ''So, what do you want from me?''

    ''Ah, I want to know if you are from another world as well.''

    Both of their phones rang, bringing notifications that the third year ceremony was about to start. Tsune got from her bed, but the boy grasped her hand, waiting for answer.

    ''I am, so what of it?''

    ''If this world really would follow the game''s story, then this world will have to fight for survival. And it would start after the Destiny''s assassination in the prologue. But the game''s story developed in a way that guarantes the victory for our side. Therefore I think it''s our obligation to make sure that the story develops as it should.''

    Rod raised his hand to fix nonexistent glasses, before he caught himself.

    ''I studied the story to be able to meet that person, so I was able to write it down here. I''ll give you the main character''s part later, so please make sure to follow it.''

    :"In prologue?"

    Tsune''s hand twitched. The boy''s appearance hid the person she knew too well. He wouldn''t misremember a crucial detail, which that left one answer. Another trick.

    "Are you trying to sacrifice me for your goals again? You self serving..."

    -

 Chapter 7

    As they walked through the corridor, that led from the medbay, Tsune was a ball of conflicting emotions.

    On one hand, sheer excitement from attending the third year ceremony with the real, honest to God, mechs in all of their towering glory. On the other, her impatience to see the game''s script and find out what he had planned.

    And as an undercurrent, there was a stray thought that steadily grew within her.

    "I really want to slap this guy."

    Going through the main hall, that only started to fill with people, the girl made sure to stay at least a full arm distance away from Rod.

    -

    For some odd reason, that stray intention have already developed into an itch that nested in her hand. And even brought a friend along for the ride. That friend was called the knowledge that giving into the impulse and leaving an obvious red mark on his cheek was the only cure.

    Strangest of all, the odd feeling did not share its origins with anger at the man who called himself Rhodes. But subtle and barely recognizable, it nevertheless managed to influence her perception of him.

    ''Here are the documents.''

    After reaching into his bag for a thin closed folder, he offered it to the girl.

    ''I sorted them and made reference notes on most pages, so it should be easy to follow your part in the story campaign.''

    Reaching to take it, her fingers touched his by accident. It was an insignificant sensation, one she didn''t even register, much less cared about. But it was enough for the subtle thought to finally form itself into something she could put into words.

    "Wait, wait."

    She unclasped the folder and mechanically flipped through a couple of pages, when she finally caught the tail of that bothering thought.

    "It was barely ten minutes since I decided to worry less about being a girl. Barely ten minutes!"

    Everyone in the class was talking about her appearance, but he was the exception. He wasn''t even looking at the beautiful girl with the novel appearance. Nothing to dislike there, but during their hour long talk she looked straight at him, he answered by meeting her eyes or watching the surroundings. And to her current surprise she was relatively sure he wouldn''t steal a glance. Indignation was the new unwanted emotion.

    "I relaxed way too much."

    Switching hands, she wiped her fingers clean. The self imposed limits shouldn''t be released all at the same time, should they.

    ''Tsune? Did you read the Third year ceremony event?''

    His voice brought most of her attention back into the reality. He stoof in the door frame, ready to leave.

    ''Yeah-h, one second.''

    "Early bio, parents, friends, academy events, that academy guard''s profile?"

    Tsune flipped through the folder, barely reading past the page titles until she found today.

    "The protagonist chose a Majin type mech. Built up support affection for routes unlocked during the first year. Quickly became friends with..."

    Tsune glanced at the boy, who still stood in the same place, and shut the folder.

    "That''s not happening. That''s never happening for multiple reasons."

    -

    With the folder hidden in the bag with her assistant device, they both rushed out of the class. The boy ran forward, while Tsune walked with her hands crossed under her bust. Even with additional support, she acutely felt every step. However, that speed was a blessing in disguise as she finished sorting her thoughts.

    At the entrance to the training grounds, she smiled to the guard that stopped her before. Foolhardy in the hindsight, but this day already revved her too far to care.

    ''Hello. Are you going to let me through this time? I still don''t have a third year student pass.''

    With a smug smile, she looked straight at him. The expression dimmed when she saw a row and a half of award planks on the left side of his black suit. Each a distinguished mission success: white for search and rescue and the few red, that broke the white lines into three uneven parts, for combat. The tail end, bearing the academy''s brand, had the single yellow plank for social service. Exactly as his proflle said.

    The guard ignored her waning smile and reached for the console. The path to the senior part of the academy has opened, long downward stairs with a corridor below.

    ''Hurry up, or the missed ceremony will haunt you with regret.''

    -

    At first, Tsune saw only the lines of students from all of the classes. But the real view opened when she walked out of the corridor.

    Three machines, each as a different approach to mech warfare, stood about fifty meters away from the students.

    On the left was an ancient, yet futuristic looking, greek warrior. Its proud twenty meter stature was challenged only by the spear in its right hand. The round ornate shield, strapped to its left forearm, covered the side of its body from the knees to its neck. There, the defense was succeeded by a helmet with a red plumage that partially hid the pilot capsule.

    While the warrior''s majestic appearance made the enourmous dome feel much smaller, the central group gave a more subtle impression as combiner animal-shapd mech barely reached five meters in height. But what it lacked in sheer authority, it made up with their predatory design.

    Tsune barely spared a glance towards the remote controlled helicopter on the right as she joined her class line. Barely on time too, as the mic testing screech hit as soon as her low heels clicked for the final time. Four teachers entered the dome, three passed to their mechs, their practice coach stopped at the mic stand.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ''Today, as you know, is a very important day for all of us.''

    ''For you, its the day you will graduate from the virtual simulation training and become young pilots. The next study year will be your first real experience piloting a mech. You will get the chance to know if the control schemes you''ve created can work in reality as well as expected.''

    ''For us teachers, its the day of seeing the results of our hard work. We are proud of you. We see that your future can hold at least as many bright days as challenges to overcome and better yourself.''

    ''Now I ask you to make the first most important choice of your life in the academy. Behind me are three paths, neither superior to others, but each with distinct strengths for your unique way and weaknesses you will learn to compensate with teamwork.''

    ''Now, we will start. I ask for each class line to send a single student at a time. That student must choose the path, greet your new teacher, stand nearby. For combiner mechs, form groups of three, or more.''

    Tsune glanced to the side and met Rod''s eyes that watched her every move. His classmate slapped his back and cheered him on.

    "Well, no reason to waste time."

    As soon as the previous student stopped at their chosen mech, she took a step out. As she walked forward, she heard morning whispers about her restart in other classes. Which was probably why she stumbled from her phone''s notification sound.

    ''I, the teacher of trainees, transfer the student''s hand into yours, teacher of seniors. May she grow into a fine defender.''

    The coach swiped on his tablet screen and the man in the shadow of the wolf mech gave her a nod.

    ''I, teacher of seniors, accept the responsibility and duty. The wisdom and strength of the previous generations will belong to her as well.''

    With her face free of emotion and her stride steady she walked to the combiner mech.

    "Are you worried, *Mr. Rhodes*? Are you angry that I''m not a pawn? That I didn''t choose the Majin type as written and you won''t get my *route''s* flag? I bet you are both."

    She looked only forward, in case he broke his character and started waving. She ignored the vibrating phone as she approached the student groups that stood below the animal mechs.

    ''Welcome aboard, Tsune Red.''

    The senior teacher accepted her hand and carefully turned their vertical handshake horizontal. Now her hand was hidden below his. Breaking away, he motioned her to the student groups on his right.

    -

    After several minutes, she stopped in the open. Some groups waved her away, other were full, or didn''t even hear her as they chatted each other''s ear off. A new approach was in question; the preset teams were the quickest to choose, therefore the pool for freeform groups would reveal itself soon enough.

    But every passing minute of seeing only tight knit group fractured that theory more and more. Could he have manipulated everyone; of course not, right? That would be reaching too far.

    Finally, the nervousness broke through the proverbial dam and she took out her, now silent, phone.

    "I''ll see what he wanted. He''d probably gloat if he managed to pull something like this."

    Multiple calls, voice messages and texts, all sent in the span of a minute, waited for her. If nothing else, he still had his tenacity and multitasking.

    -Follow the script-

    -Go to majin robots!-

    -Turn left-

    -I thought you understood your duty-

    -Don''t threaten the world on a whim-

    -This is a mistake, don''t do it-

    But that brought her nothing but mild satisfaction. Maybe if she wedged herself into one of the discussions and just stuck with them until a group formed around them? But the only thing she ever talked about were Majins, only them.

    Tsune rubbed her eyes. She could just wait for the last incomplete team then,

    Half an hour later, the ceremony was almost over, And she found three boys and a black hairedgirl who stood on the outer rim of the gathering. All of them, except for the tall boy with hazel hair, looked like they just waited for the event to end.

    ''Hey, do you have a place for me?''

    ''Well...''

    The boy started to answer, but brunette leaned closer to him before she cut in.

    ''We are full.''

    ''Come on, Aery, don''t interrupt me, you''ll make the team look bad.''

    ''But we all agreed that we don''t need other pilots. We pilot the torso together, the other two get the limbs.''

    ''That was only if we couldn''t find more people. Come on, its not like it''s set in stone.''

    The girl turned away, her hands folded in front of her modest chest.

    ''Fine, if you want to. At least I''ll have somebody to talk to.''

    With a sigh of relief, the boy turned to Tsune and extended his hand.

    ''I''m Den, the leader of this group so far. The girl is Aery. The guys are Eider and Hem.''

    The rest of the ceremony quickly passed by and finally the last student chose his side. The trainee teacher switched the volume of his microphone up and delivered the closing words.

    ''Remember this day well. Today you have made the first step towards the brighter future for all of us.''

    ''You can leave home now if you wish, but we at the academy will be ready and waiting for your return.''

 Chapter 8

    ''Ah, its hot...''

    Tsune was half lying in the chair in the main hall. While she was watching TV, she thought about one of the few advantages her previous world held over this one. Easy access to home air conditioning.

    She could go to a public or even the school pool, because the new student card unlocked the senior part of the academy. Or she could ask her parents for money and go to any of the public entertainment venues with an artificial environment. But as a good student, the girl chose to spend the day on something useful.

    In the attempt to stave off the heat, the blonde started to flap the hem of her long shirt. The relief lasted for quite a while, until the damp cloth accidentally met her sweaty skin. The cool feeling was instantly gone, replaced by a nasty sticky sensation.

    Involuntarily cringing, she peeled the shirt away from her stomach and reached for the TV remote as the previous show has ended.

    The new program showed the last year''s free to join tournament. Many new pilots fought in a *two out of three* format for a sizable money prize and wide-reaching popularity.

    Or to be precise, the program wasn''t just a recording, it was a rebroadcast done in an entertainment format. The difference being that, when she pressed the pause button, she received a list of commands that the mecha on the screen would follow.

    She could limit herself to a single command and, if she was clever enough for that choice to matter, watch the butterfly effect unfold itself over the course of the tournament. Or she could continuously change the recorded battles, treating the robots like fighting game characters.

    Drawing from a huge amount of content and supported by the major industry players, this was one of the main ways TV attracted a sizable portion of its audience.

    But unlike games that put the player first and foremost, the list of possible actions was based on what was likely and/or physically possible. As determined by the main tournament''s *Intelligent Logic* tier assistant device.

    Additionally, many higher ranking teams disliked the format because many would try to figure out how to make them fail.

    Even a non pilot could do that through trial and error and then release the recording to leech off their fame. Or worse, reveal their weaknesses for their competitors. Therefore bigger teams often asked the tv stations to filter the list of received actions and turn it into preset branching routes.

    On the opposite end of fame, the lesser ranked teams regarded the fan changes as an invaluable opportunity to both improve themselves and discover the weak points of others. Sometimes they even paid the tv stations to include custom actions and record a wider range of feedback. Which is why she decided to watch this recording in the first place.

    Fiddling with the remote to find the option she wanted, the girl turned her attention to a graph overlay, with the battle itself relegated to the corner of her eye.

    That was the ranking of all of the actions taken by the viewers in real time under the *Most efficient* filter. Not many non pilots could understand that interest, but having your choices be judged by the tournament''s assistant device was a good way to better your skills.

    -

    ''Tsune, your phone.''

    When her father spoke, the blonde looked to the right. He was on the other side of the hall table, working with the holo screen that had multiple layers of hologram pages above it. Some had nothing but text, some were full of math and some bore only graphs with every color imaginable.

    Gesturing across the controls to start the save procedure, he made the pages fall into each other.

    First they created 3d models of mechanisms, then those attached themselves to steady rows of electronic plates inside of a robot''s internal part. Some pieces of the part were still missing or flashing red, but that was expected of a work in progress.

    ''Your phone is still under me. Didn''t I tell you to leave nothing in this chair?''

    ''Sorry, dad.''

    The girl stood up and reached the other chair with single lazy step. To her surprise, it was a voice call from a number she didn''t know yet. Then again, the only numbers she did know were of her parents, Rhodes, who was in the blacklist, and Blade.

    -

    She walked to her room, just in case it was Rod trying to pull something. When her parents no longer could hear, the blonde accepted the call and an unknown voice assaulted her ear.

    ''Hello. Am I speaking to Tsune?''

    Multiple brief guesses went through her mind. They crashed one after another until they turned into coherent sentences.

    That was a girl, therefore it couldn''t be romance related. Unless her new appearance on the day of the 3rd year ceremony left even a maiden''s heart aflutter. She tried to remember if anyone paid a lot more attention to her, but couldn''t. Therefore it couldn''t have been anyone from her class.

    Thinking about it from another angle, it could be one of the unknown relatives. She never learned more about the Red family or even their daughter''s past, so she''d have to get the other side to introduce themselves first

    ''Hello?''

    The caller ran out of patience and repeated the question slightly annoyed.

    ''It''s me. Who am I talking to?''

    ''Well, isn''t this rude. You barge into our team, but never bother to leave your number, or even your name. Or even remember what my voice was.''

    Closing the door behind her, Tsune realized that while this definitely wasn''t a relative, it was still someone she was wary of. And hurriedly apologized before it could develop into team trouble.

    ''Sorry, I was so excited, I forgot.''

    ''This is common courtesy, you know. I had to ask around for the number of *that senior year blonde with biggest boobs* for hours!''

    ''But may I know why are you calling?''

    One exasperated sigh later, her question was answered.

    ''Our team leader is arranging for a sea vacation in a week and asked you to go with us. Call me back when you decide. Bye.''

    -

    Looking at the finished call screen, Tsune felt a slight chill run alongside her spine. The internal balance that she created only a month ago was once again in danger. Danger of showing cracks between her previous world memories and the current life.

    There was no way she could refuse the invitation. if she lost this place she risked repeating the lone wolf experience from the past year.

    If she tried her hardest it was possible to persuade her way into a different team. And if she stepped outside of what was comfortable, she could do it fast enough to avoid an impact to her studies. But being a fresh combiner mech pilot carried an additional risk.

    If she was teamless for longer than a week long parole allowed, the academy would automatically send her to the next best course. In her case it would be the majin mech course. And that meant she would fall in line with Rod''s script, which she absolutely couldn''t allow.

    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.Even if he didn''t know who Tsune really was, there was no way she would give him even a chance to gloat over how right he was in both worlds.

    "So, I just need a swimsuit then."

    -

    After a shower, she returned to her room to put on the summer outfit. First went the underwear and shorts, then the thin sports bra that was followed by the sleeveless shirt that left the sides open. Finally the silk shirt, with a deep cleavage cutout covered by fine fishnet, flowed over the other layers.

    Clasping the hooks from the outer shirt to the shorts, so it wouldn''t just hang down from her chest, she moved to the next step. The shopping trip could go in several ways and she had to choose the best one.

    The first option was to simply ask for money and buy the swimsuit by herself. She already knew the correct sizes and if she would judge her figure as an outside observer, she was confident she would look good.

    But recalling all of the times she went to the beach as Lyle, she could count the modest swimsuits on one hand.

    And even those weren''t much better than those that left nothing to the imagination. They often accentuated every curve and line they could reach.

    Feeling the tension from the onslaught of the previous beach experiences, Tsune suddenly felt her lips dry up. Even if she forced herself to go through with this, she would take so long to find the perfect option that just giving up on the trip would be preferable. Therefore the first option was no good.

    The second choice was to ask her mother, but Tsune suspected that she never really believed that her daughter had a completely innocent reason for not wearing a bra. So it would mean another long trip to multiple shops, huge bags full of clothing and necessities, as well as another trip to a beauty salon. And probably a parental speech about modern dangers for a teenage girl.

    She could ask her father, but from the looks of it, he still had his hands full. Moreover, having her father help her choose a swimsuit would be unsettling and her feathers were rustled as is.

    All that remained is one person.

    -

    ''Hello, your name is... Airy, right?''

    Drawing a sharp breath the other side prepared to say something in high emotion, but after a slight pause gave an exasperated sigh instead.

    ''Listen, if you want us to be friends, remember that Aery came from *Dedicated passion*, not *Air*.''

    ''I''ll remember for sure. But I called because I don''t have a swimsuit.''

    ''Good. Nobody banned wearing clothes on the beach.''

    Dropping the sudden statement that left the blonde guessing whether it was a rejection, or not, the other girl continued in the same nonchalant tone.

    ''And look, Den said that this a chance for us to get to know you before the year starts, but you can skip it if you want. Nobody will think less of you for not going on a trip with people you don''t know yet.''

    ''No, I mean, I don''t have a swimsuit yet. And I don''t really want to go, but...''

    Tsune''s cheeks were flaming red as she spoke, her voice revealing more emotions than normal. She would lie if she said she never tried to do any poses in front of a mirror, so she expected to have some resistance to it. But the image of herself under the sea breeze was too livid to remain calm. And if she wanted to follow Rod''s unintentionally good advice and leave her identity conflict behind, then revealing clothing could help with not seeing a stranger in the reflections.

    ''... at the same time I really want to! But I don''t how to chose one that''s not too embarrassing.''

    Aery breathed out with a laughter, letting go of whatever negative emotions she had and continued. Her voice was now normal, almost friendly.

    ''You are more innocent than I imagined. Okay, I''ll help you. Meet me at the Z cafe in an hour.''

    With the call now over, the blonde put the phone away and left the room. And was instantly met with her father''s stern look. Her last answer was too loud.

    ''Why, why are you looking at me like that? It was a girl from my team. They are planning a trip to the sea and invited me.''

    Feeling the silence growing heavy, but still far from judgmental, Tsune decided to rush through with explanations.

    ''I don''t need a talk about being cautious with strangers, I''m a grown up already. And I don''t want to ask mom, because she would go with me and probably buy things I don''t want. And you are busy, so I called her.''

    -

    Tsune arrived to the fashion shop an hour and a half later, its display cases welcoming her with a lot of summer wear. Her teammate was standing near the entrance as promised, wearing a green summer dress and a straw summer hat that mostly hid her black hair.

    ''Sorry, I''m late. My father got a bit mad.''

    A shadow of concern covered Aery''s expression. She, and probably most of the academy, knew that the last time her father was worried for his daughter, he gave her an *Intelligent Logic* device. Just to help with her studies. So the girl decided to ask.

    ''Should I be worried? I mean, worried for Den, or myself?''

    To her relief, Tsune waved her worries away.

    ''Nah. He might be scary sometimes, but he''s a reasonable man. I''m more worried about my mother, but she never went over my head when it came to people I know.''

    "All two of them."

    ''Then let''s go, princess. I don''t have all day, you know.''

    ''Princess?!''

    The blonde''s indignation fell on the death ears, as the short haired brunette pulled her through the most of the shop, to the swimsuit section.

    When they arrived, Aery pushed her into a fitting booth. With the blonde in front of the mirror screen, she took over the controls to access the customer profile.

    ''Now, let''s see what we can find.''

    First came a bikini, a simple high cut bottom and a top that showed a bit of cleavage. Both parts were done in a blue and silver pattern that remained as default.

    Tsune scrutinized her computer generated reflection. In her memory a bikini was barely a napkin worth of material that left everything visible. But despite her best efforts to prove this one was ridiculous as well, the mirror couldn''t break the impression of normalcy. All she saw was a good looking girl in a bikini.

    Suddenly, the image changed and the bikini was replaced by a one piece leotard.

    Lacking any transparent, or even demi-transparent parts, its cups were almost rigid. Additionally, multiple vertical lines ran inside of the swimsuit''s thick material. Each line had a wire inside to support her upper half, much like the shirt she wore to the third year ceremony.

    ''Hey, what was that for?''

    The other girl shrugged and turned off the controls.

    ''You told me to choose a swimsuit for you. And I''m not letting you to wear a bikini near Den. Besides, your back needs all of the support it can ever have.''

    Without even waiting for the answer, the brunette walked out of the fitting room.

    ''Now that we are done, I have places to be. I''ll call you when we decide on the hotel.''

 Chapter 9

    -

    ''Are you sure you don''t want to take the dress? You look so good in it.''

    Her mother stood in the middle of the room, with the strapless dress in her hands, as the girl packed her travel bag.

    "Shirts, pants, underwear, swimsuit, extras."

    Tsune finished checking the main section of the bag and opened the list of necessities.

    Seeing that her daughter wasn''t about to answer, the woman put the blue and white bundle on the bed and turned to leave.

    ''I''ll prepare the dinner. Make sure to eat before we go, the train ride might take a while.''

    Tsune sighed, looked at the closed door, then turned to the neatly packed bundle.

    "Well, if it''ll make her feel better, I''ll take some photos in it."

    -

    After she finished packing, the blonde looked at the Assistant Device that sat on the cabinet.

    "Now, what to do with you."

    On one hand, if she took it, it would feel like wearing a diamond necklace to a school outdoors trip. But on the other, if she showed it to her team it could reinforce her position in it. After all, what team wouldn''t hold onto the pilot who owned a device of this quality.

    "Wait, what am I even thinking..."

    Actually, the latter wasn''t a benefit, it was anything but. Even considering this half bribery, half gloating was a terrible idea. It would complete Aery''s image of her as a spoiled rich girl. Especially since the brunette could take it as buying her way to Den.

    But every cloud comes with a silver lining and this one''s was finding yet another reason to stick it to Rhodes and his script.

    With her course clear, she went to see what the script had to say to do the complete opposite.

    She climbed into her wardrobe, searching for a specific spot in the darkness. Tracing her finger alongside the wall she found the packet she needed.

    Opening it, she spilled a stack of papers all over the bed. Each of them had fine text on both sides and each of them held the potential future of the one called Tsune Red.

    Rummaging through, she picked up the summary of summer events. Even if her career choice threw a wrench butterfly into the proverbial cogs, the side plots were usually disconnected from the main story and therefore could still happen.

    "Oh, I kinda feel bad I fell asleep before I got here. They even got the classic voice actor out of his retirement for this role."

    Tsune lightly hit the list with her finger, right into the event where a young majin pilot would go sightseeing alongside the rocky shore.

    After an hour long trip she would find a decrepit hangar with an old mech inside and get scared by its old pilot that thought she broke in.But the next day he would warm up and tell her that he was a retired pilot who chose to live the remainder of his days to maintain the robot he dedicated his life to.

    Suddenly, a mechamonster would appear from the sea and after a heated exchange, she would pilot the mech to protect the resort.

    After her victory, the pilot would give the mech to her and confess that he lived there because of bad blood he had with his son. But he was ready to start his life anew and mend the old family wounds.

    "A free mech? Maybe I should follow it just this once."

    The temptation would be nigh unbearable if she was a regular student, but Tsune suppressed the avid impulse.

    Even as much as she liked to see the classic mech come to life with her at the helm. And as much as she wanted to keep the real thing instead of it looking pretty in a single cutscene and the achievement gallery art. She simply had no pragmatic use for an outdated robot, nor did she have anywhere to keep it.

    And speaking of things she had no further use for. The paper said nothing whether she brought the device with her, or not. But without the word of canon, the word of business took place. Meaning there was no need to guess whether the protagonist brought a highly marketable plot device with her, or not. It was a certainty.

    She stacked the pages and stuck the packet into her travel bag.

    Bringing them with her wasn''t safe, but even having them be stolen wasn''t nearly as bad as her mother finding them during cleaning and giving them to her father. She shuddered at the mere thought of what he could do to the entire world with nothing but this stack of paper.

    -

    The girl and her mother rode the taxi to the rail station. It was the first time she ever left her city block, so she was low key excited to watch the streets and buildings pass by.

    Thanks to strong fandom and the developers, that left enough story crumbs in the supplementary materials and side events, the city has received so much world building that she always felt it was almost unfair.

    Unfair because the player always looked down on it, either from the airspace battleship, or from the observation room of the Red Labs. With only means of interaction limited to visiting a cafe, the academy campus and the central park.

    There wasn''t even a cool travel cutscene in place, just a black loading screen, and that petty penny pinching from one of the biggest game companies was annoying.

    As they passed the bridge, that separated the city''s residential and administrative side from its industrial part, Tsune saw the central tournament arena in all of its glory.

    It was too far to see in detail. But she was almost sure that the flashes from its open dome were two robots fighting each other.

    -

    After arriving to the train station, the women went straight to the tracks. Their phones clicked with twice as they automatically paid for the taxi and opened an outer city transport pass.

    -Final warning. Arrival of the Crystal Resort train in thirty seconds. Please step away from the tracks-

    The white and blue magnetic levitation train was a two story model. The first floor had a robotic cargo bay, that Tsune opened by swiping her phone near the sensor. And the second floor held the passenger seats.

    Her mother, being taller, was the first was to spot her team near an open window seat. She waved to them and turned to Tsune.

    ''I and your father already talked to them and the hotel, but if you need us, we''ll be there in less than an hour. Now be a good girl, okay?''

    -

    The bullet shaped train whistled through the land, its magnetic claws floating mere millimeters around the charged rail. With no trees or buildings around the rail path to obstruct the view, Tsune treated herself to another great scenic tour. And she was keen on seeing every detail of her new world without a phone or TV.

    The plains quickly replaced the buildings, the forest gave away to a wide river. The breadth of cities contrasted with height of colossal spaceport domes, some of which rivaled the size of the cities in question. And all of them were full of life.

    But, eventually, the most unexpected detail started to attract her attention.

    At first she thought that the damage on other rails was wear and tear from extended use. But some of it had nothing to do with natural, or technological causes. Unless there was a technology that required partially melting a city rail, or leaving big bite marks all over the bridge rail for maintenance.

    Thanks to nervous nature of her new observation, when their train suddenly flew up and down in one smooth parabolic arc, she found herself holding Aery''s arm.

    ''Don''t grab me all of the sudden. It was just a missing rail piece.''

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    She delivered that line with such calm that the blonde chose to shrink away in embarrassment and look out of the window. That way she ignored Aery''s glare and concerned looks from others in the train car.

    Half an hour later, the train descended from the high ground to the shore, And the robotic voice announced their arrival, she put this episode past her.

    -

    According to Den''s schedule, the evening of first day was devoted to the creation of the team memories. Look your best and lets take photos before, during and after our meeting were his words.

    ''Hold it, I''m almost done.''

    Unfortunately for Tsune, one of the team members was intent on making her look as average as possible. And she agreed with her. Which is why she subjected herself to this overly long makeup session.

    But even that experience, that seemed endless, came to a finish. Aery unplugged the hot air fan and stepped aside to look at the final result.

    Blonde hair, that reached below the shoulders, was styled forward. Its green tips were set to obscure most of Tsune''s facial features, that had only by the basic make up.

    ''I swear to God, I could put a bag over your head and you''ll still look good. The things money can do.''

    ''H-hey, my parents didn''t change my natural appearance outside of the tips of my hair. I heard it from them myself.''

    ''Whatever you say.''

    The brunette packed away the makeup as she continued.

    ''Don''t take it personally, I become like this every time I think Den gives others too much attention. And you are his type, so I''m double worried.''

    ''You are safe. I don''t even want a relationship.''

    With makeup done, it was time to change clothes. First the legwear, then the sapphire colored long dress with a high cut.

    And finally Tsune spent plenty of time before the mirror just matching the lines of dress ornament that streamed around her figure and continued on her leg. It was a minor detail but she didn''t want to hear any complaints before they had their photos taken.

    -

    The evening passed by surprisingly quick. Instead of going on a paid tour around the city, Den proclaimed that the most important thing was companionship and chose a restaurant nearby.

    He and other boys wore black suits and Aery had a strict business skirtsuit to complement, leaving Tsune as the white crow.

    But her dress made her into effective eye candy. And in addition to the group picture she took separate photos with other team members, except for the team leader. Even some of the restaurant guests paid attention to her.

    -

    But the evening wasn''t all joy, as she suddenly felt somebody''s hand on her exposed thigh during the hotel elevator ride.

    The girl instantly turned to see a random passerby, that walkied away without a care in the world, and her own light buzz did nothing to stop the sudden anger.

    ''This guy is such a... He''s definitely a...''

    Something felt amiss. She wanted to use a common expletive, but her mind faltered, failing to find the required words.

    She tried it again, this time in her mind, even as she was pulled by Aery to their door. She could clearly remember using them and even receiving them before, but even so she couldn''t put the correct meaning into words.

    Next, she tried to stitch them into the phrase one word after another. But the result made her feel like a child. The one that tried to create their own language using the words it knew. It made no sense.

    Feeling like that guy was the cause for this mockery that demanded an emotional release, Tsune went to take out the nearest piece of paper she had, the game script. A written experiment would deal with this once and for all

    She started to write on the page margins, but stopped after the first example. It was supposed to combine two words, but the separate words held different meanings than the ones she remembered. She looked back at Aery, who prepared for bed time, but she offered her no answers.

    "How is this possible."

    Tsune felt stumped as she returned to her writing. She knew the words before her, she knew their meaning and yet they didn''t mean what she expected them to.

    She thought this through again and again, but every attempt at explanation lost its ground as soon as she looked at the paper.

    They really were the words she wanted to write, the grammar was fine, they were in the correct order, the words really did hold the meaning they had. This situation was too simple to hold a hidden answer.

    Some time later, she was about to reach her wits end. She repeated the experiment with common phrases and most of them read weird. Despite them being written in the language she used for almost two decades.

    Suddenly, an understanding lit her tired mind. If she couldn''t see the problem with the text, that meant that the problem was with her. And as long as she used the language known to both Lyle and Tsune, the vocabulary of the latter would influence the former.

    Therefore, the solution could be in the knowledge unique to Lyle. Even if it was just enough to read manuals for foreign hardware and understand the basic plot for their video games.

    Writing down a test line, Tsune received another surprise. She could recognize neither letters, nor words.

    The blonde remembered the meaning and could translate, but the text looked like gibberish. Same happened to the second line and the third lines.

    "It doesn''t even look like sentient speech."

    Frustrated by the mysteries of her mind, the blonde was about to give up, but in her stubbornness decided to go through the final test.

    Choosing a word she knew in a lot of languages, as she used it as a tag for fanart searches, she wrote it down in as many variants as she could. Even the stylized title from the game''s box art was included into that list, drawn as close to the original as possible.

    "What..."

    All of them, except for the one copied from the game script text, looked completely alien to her. Even the title from the box art, that was in Lyle''s native language, looked like a weird drawing and nothing else.

    If she were to throw out all of the answers except for the obvious one, there was a single conclusion.

    "I''m not speaking the same language I did in the previous world."

    The game didn''t have a made up language, so she just assumed that if she understood what others were saying, it was the same as her native language. But instead she was made to think that her new language was her native. And the replacement was subtle enough to keep up the facade until she decided to use specific idioms.

    And while in hindsight it explained how the same city and even the same people inside a single game world could simultaneously exist in multiple languages, the more important question laid elsewhere.

    If she was that oblivious to changes in the language she used all the time, what other less obvious things was she missing?

    "Wait, stop thinking about this. You are already too far down the slippery slope, Tsune."

    Suddenly. the ceiling lights went out, accompanied by a sleepy voice.

    ''What are you still doing there? Go to bed already, I need my beauty sleep.''

    With her mission completed, Aery returned to their bed and disappeared under the covers.

    Tsune sighed, her stress turned into exhaustion. She stacked the scattered papers in the darkness and took off only the easiest to remove clothing, Ignoring everything else, she slid under the covers as well.

    -

 Chapter 10

    Floating around the edge of sleep, Tsune wanted to stay. There, a summer spirit rested against her heart, pulsing in tact. But, all things come to pass and so the tiny source of warmth gave way to cold. Unwilling to let go, Tsune held it closer to her heart, but it refused to stay. It poured away through her hands like a cloud, or a stream of water. Fearing that she would be left alone, she attempted to convince it to stay. But as soon as she tried to speak to her dream, she opened her eyes.

    She saw that she held Aery with both hands and the girl''s breathing was the dream''s spirit. Looking further, their blonde and brunette hair mixed together, strewn all over the pillows. While her pantyhose clad legs intertwined with naked skin.

    Even it was a dream, this ranked as one of the hottest situations Lyle ever saw. But there was a problem. A problem urgent enough to instantly distract her. She felt nothing.

    "This is so wrong."

    Not even any of the clues she came to know from the less reputable books of her previous world. Even if she chalked it up to never learning more about her body than was necessary for daily life, it was a disheartening reveal.

    When Aery moved again, she let the other girl go and apologized.

    Finally freed from the impressively sized prison, the brunette took several deep breaths. She had a headache, caused by her overindulgence in yesterday''s light drinks, and the lack of air made it even worse.

    ''What''s wrong with you! Seriously.''

    Winning the battle for internal balance, the brunette went to her wardrobe on lightly wobbling legs.

    ''Get up already, our ticket breakfast discounts are starting soon. But dress casually this time, you already had enough time in the spotlight.''

    When she put on her summer dress and was about to button up the collar, the other girl turned around. The traces of a rough morning were almost gone and she had a smile.

    ''I''ll go forward with Den, so don''t wait for me.''

    When the door closed, Tsune went to the table to put her papers away. Yesterday''s evening was a lot of fun, but she had only one day to think about the mechamonster''s arrival.

    -

    The city nested on a downward slope, the result of an old avalanche that cut into the sea cliff, was rather small. Before the foundations laid by resort funds, it could even be called a fishing village.

    But the marketing campaign, coupled with proper time and place, did its job and people began to draw in. Either by the scenic life or the pursuit of career in the city''s largest enterprise that was the tourist service.

    Tsune involuntarily shielded her eyes from the city bathed in the morning sun. Yesterday they arrived late enough to see the city in late evening. And while that was a sight to behold, it was far from what she saw after her exit from the hotel.

    Instead of the spiral antennae used in her city, every building of Crystal Resort had half transparent prisms the size of a man''s arm. And in addition to power transfer, every surface sent colored refractions all over their surroundings.

    After a minute, her eyes adjusted and the sea of colors was no longer blinding. The street went through the entire city and she could see the rail station at its highest point and the beach at the bottom.

    And between those points, both sides of the street were full of shops, hotels, entertainment and culinary venues. All of which easily distinguished themselves from afar. Usually with large holographic icons above their roofs.

    As she walked to the central square, she met people fiddling with prisms right on the street. The crystal devices continuously changed the shape and colors they cast on surrounding people and buildings.

    Her interest turned up a notch as she realized that she looked at street artists that used both the street and onlookers as canvas. And every building she passed was colored not by a lucky random image, but by precisely tuning the prisms to create a stylized painting on their walls and the street before them.

    Tsune slowed down when one of these paintings caught her eye. And then stopped to take out her phone.

    She was near an open air cafe that turned its floor into a rocky shore and the street around it into a green colored sea. It was a shame to go home without bringing an extra present for her mother''s album.

    "I think I can pass for a mermaid."

    Ignoring the thought of whether that word was anywhere close to the Earth''s meaning, Tsune took off her shoes.

    She put the phone upright between then and sat near the front row table, with legs put together.

    The green tips of her hair went into the green sea hologram and became indistinguishable, making her hum as she remembered the beauty salon talk.

    "So, that''s where this color came from. Did they have a honeymoon here?"

    -

    After a half an hour of constant distractions, that added a hefty number of photos, she finally arrived to the central square. Its center had a tower fountain array that was crowned with the city''s largest prism that recolored the top floors of surrounding buildings.

    The fountain''s multiple water umbrellas merged into a single water wall near the bottom. And that waterfall served bpth as a big projection screen and as walls for the restaurant that took the first floor.

    Once inside, her path immediately crossed with one of the members of her team, Hem. To prevent collision, he backstepped so fast that he almost dropped his plates onto his black suit.

    With food safe thanks to the transparent lids, he offered one of them to her. While trying to look as nonchalant as possible.

    ''Good morning, Red. Take a plate if you want, its seaweed and fish. I''ll get another.''

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ''Is there something but seafood here?''

    ''Nah, this place has to promote local food to tourists.''

    -

    After she finished the crunchy salad, Tsune took the small piece of paper tied to her plate. She was curious to know who made the serving.

    The seaweed was the product of many years of research by a company that worked to further desalt and filter the massive water reservoirs that supplied the city. The seaweed that lost its qualities was meant to be recycled at a far off factory, but.the cargo trucks often *accidentally* dumped it off the cliff to save on transport costs.

    As the number of accidents went from a mishap to a criminal case, the company became frantic in its effort to make other believe that their behavior did no harm to the environment.

    When they discovered that the dumping places were swarmed by deep water fish they had their major breakthrough success. Those shallow waters made their capture easy even with simple fishing boats.

    With support of the fishing industry, they proved that this species of fish could consume high concentration of minerals without a hit to the quality of their meat. Then they followed up with research that showed that their seaweed was healthy food and became an important part of the city''s culinary reputation.

    ''If everyone ate, lets talk about today.''

    Tsune reached for papers from other plates but Den''s words made her sit straight.

    ''Yesterday was a very good start for our team. Today we will form pairs and tour the city to forge personal bonds. I will take...''

    ''I suggest that its important for our newcomers to become friends first''

    ''Aery, please.''

    ''I will not budge. I care about our team''s future as well.''

    ''You could''ve told me beforehand.''

    ''But I didn''t know the extent of your feelings. For you to consider me so close that you would take a partner for us. I''m blushing,''

    ''Not in public, Aery.''

    Watching the two argue and then Aery lean in to whisper something into his ear, Tsune exchanged confused looks with the others. Eider subtly nodded, answering her unspoken question of whether it was normal, and stood up to gather the empty plates.

    ''No offense, Den, but today I''m busy scouting the shops. They might have high discount on marine parts.''

    ''I''ll go with you...''

    Hem was about to stand up to help him when his body jerked in pain. He quickly sat down and turned to the blonde.

    ''...Tsune. If you are ready that is.''

    -

    ''So, what was that about?''

    As they went out of the restaurant, Tsune couldn''t help but point out that somebody stepped on his shoe.

    The boy stepped to the side to scoop the falling fountain water. The tractor beam pads under the water detected his hand and switched their modes.

    Now instead of making the water slow down at the very bottom to prevent noise, the slow down threshold went higher to prevent splashes off his hand. Once he had enough to clean the footprint, Hem reluctantly answered.

    ''It was just Eider doing whatever he wants again.''

    ''We are not even pilots like you three, we studied in the support class to become engineers. Then one day he said that if we wanted to become great at building mechs, we needed to know how to pilot them. And dragged me to pilot courses.''

    ''And you went along?''

    Hem shrugged as he walked back to her side.

    ''I didn''t have a choice. I still want to learn a lot from him. But enough about me, where are we going today?''

    ''Is that really a question you should be asking a lady?''

    Tsune barely held her laugh as the boy''s face reddened and he hid his hands in the pockets. She felt a tinge of guilt for embarrassing him, but she couldn''t help it.

    If she had to guess, in the game he would serve the role of a minor comic relief character. And she was glad this world was not as limited, it deserved better.

    Hem suddenly straightened and took out his phone. After a brief and frantic search, he showed her the map of the region, with a circle drawn over the cliffside several kilometers away from the city.

    ''Then, I think we can go to this place. I heard there was an old hangar with a mech here. Maybe its pilot has some interesting tales to tell.''

    Tsune''s good mood instantly evaporated when she recognized the place. It was the same location as the one she found using the game script.

    "Just when I was happy that the world had a will of its own. Is he here to correct my choice to stray away from the script?"

    "Wait, but its not possible for me to pilot, I don''t have an assistant device. Or is he here to supplant it?"

    Her lips now a thin straight line, the girl looked away from the boy, to hide her expression, fearing that it would scare him.

    ''First, a question. I saw rail tracks damaged by mechamonsters and our train even had to fly over a missing part. Do attacks like that really happen that often?''

    ''Eh? It depends on the region. But if you are scared, the last attack in this place happened so long ago they no longer have a standing pilot team. Its why Den chose it in the first place, otherwise your father wouldn''t allow you to go.''

    Hem didn''t expect the question and told her more than he probably wanted.

    "Thanks again, father."

    The boy realized that in his attempt to save face he dug himself even deeper and the phone in his hand started to tremble.

    ''Please don''t tell it to Aery, he just really wanted for all us to be together. I even know it only because I really wanted to meet professor Red, so I listened in to their talk.''

    Forcing her lips into a smile, she turned back.

    ''Its okay, I wont tell my father or Den. Lead the way.''

 Chapter 11

    ''There should be a cycle rent station up here.''

    After arriving to the rail station square on the highest point of the city, Hem looked around to rent a hover cycle. That light transport looked like a motorbike, with its wheels replaced with horizontal disks, that hovered a half a meter off the ground.

    But to his dismay, every single vehicle already taken by other city guests.

    ''We can go on a trip around the city if you want. And go there tomorrow.''

    Tsune counted the reasons for going that far on foot. The most obvious, and the one that left a bad taste in her mouth, was that the day could conspire against her again if she refused to follow Rhodes''s script. And engineer another situation to push her along, one that she might''ve not recognized.

    But that reason was discarded soon after. if she accepted that the world conspired against her, even in the minor details like making her go there on foot, she would seriously start to question her sanity.

    And If this world''s events were this tied to the game, then it would''ve been impossible for her to even choose the combiner mech, much less find a team.

    Additionally, the world around her made too much sense to accept that the hangar was there only for her to find it.

    And if she if had to be honest, not many things could entice her more than Hem''s suggestion to meet the classic series pilot.

    She wanted to ask him about all of those dangerous situations he escaped off screen because the studio didn''t have the budget to show them. If only she would able to ask what happened to several of her favorite characters that were dropped due to contract expirations. She would be delighted to learn all of that.

    ''We can walk there.''

    Catching where he looked, she folded her arms under her bust and continued.

    ''It''s okay, It wont be too hard even with these.''

    She couldn''t see his face, but she could swear she could see his blush even from behind.

    -

    Leaving the city behind, they turned away from the paved road to a steep overgrown path.

    Tsune did her best to avoid the wild plants, that either stuck their tiny hook seeds to her clothes, or scratched her legs through artificial tears in her pants. And what''s worse, there was no detour, as nobody used this road in decades.

    When she stopped again to clean her clothes, the girl also decided to lift her hair, something she should''ve done a long time ago. While tying her long hair in a knot, she heard Hem''s voice.

    ''If you want, you can ask me about science. We still have a long way to go and you probably have something you want to know as a pilot.''

    "Hmmm. What I''m interested in as a pilot?"

    The blonde did have several ideas she could bounce off somebody. Preferably who wasn''t her father but still knew a lot about mechs.

    Unfortunately, those questions were about her Gunner designs and with her decision to change the robot type, she no longer had a use for them.

    But, answers about the events that she saw in the game could be useful. Even if she looked weird, she could probably handwave it away. And if those things did exist here, she would know who to ask from now on.

    ''Sure. What do you know about pure gravitons?''

    ''Pure? I''m not sure about that, but gravitons are used by airspace battleships to fly and fight.''

    ''How about blue energy?''

    ''I don''t know that one either... ''

    After several minutes of walking in silence, Hem spoke again.

    ''If I may ask, what kind of person is your father? I''ve always admired his work.''

    ''Reasonable, but pretty scary? I mean, he gave me an assistant device so advanced that I''ve spent the teamwork year all by myself. And the academy even made a special arrangement for the exam. Then he went all *I can''t take away your first invention* and left me alone.''

    "Mostly alone. Once I go back, I''ll tell him to stop interfering with people over my head."

    ''Are those things something you work on? Then I should be the one asking questions about science.''

    The boy awkwardly laughed as ask these questions. And Tsune answered in an upbeat manner to handwave them away as she planned.

    ''I have no idea about those things either. its just something I saw once. I''m not even sure they were real.''

    -

    ''Is that it?''

    Growing seriously tired, Tsune was glad to see sunlight reflect off a rusty metal roof. It was still several hundred meters away and then she had to deal with ground that curved downwards, but she could do it. Although if the decline was steep, then a staircase would make things easier.

    As expected, they saw an old stone staircase. It was not as long as she feared and it lead straight to a square building made from old metal sheets. Given its ten storey height and the huge gates on its sea side, it was clear that it was an old mech hangar.

    But looking at it from a closer distance, calling it old was an understimation. The hangar looked like it came from the previous century, as its walls were full of cracks and holes from misplaced and misshapen sheets.

    Most of them were patched up with more rusty metal or gray cloth, but the time was merciless to those as well, and the thick pillars and beams were visible underneath.

    ''Doesn''t look like much. Are you sure anyone is there?''

    Asking that, Tsune looked around for a boulder to sit on, but the plateau was completely empty. Resisting the idea to sit on the ground, lest she would meet a sharp and rusty debris, she tried to bring relief to her back by stretching.

    ''Ah, my back is killing me.''

    Finally clued in about her condition, the boy also turned around to search. Met with similar success, he reluctantly went to the gates and knocked.

    After he heard nothing, he hit the metal with his palm, making the old metal loudly rattle. But nothing happened, aside from causing something small to fall off on the other side.

    Several minutes worth of waiting later, he gathered enough courage. He moved a piece of cloth that covered a window sized crack in the gates and climbed in.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    -

    Eventually, a piece of the gate shuddered and screeched. Then screeched again when Hem put significant effort to rotate the rusty door on its hinges.

    ''The place looks abandoned, but the mech is inside. Want to take a look?''

    Inside, the building was as dirty as on the outside. Walls had lines of old tables and old mechanisms that were covered by dried oil stains, scraps and burn marks. And the nearest ones were buried under piles of metal wire and springs that dangerously overhang the floor.

    Carefully walking through the mess, Tsune was mindful of the serrated metal trash on the floor. And soon she found a better angle to look at the shadowed colossus in the center.

    The rays of sunlight, that got through the holes, barely allowed her to see the details but it was enough to see that it was like a toy. An enourmous sized toy, that destroyed a hundred of enemies, with a barrel shaped body, stumpy legs and long arms that ended in three fingered claws.

    Hem slapped the nearby stumpy leg with pride in his voice.

    ''So, how do you like it, Tsune? Its genuine Zed alloy antique, you wont see anything like this today.''

    ''Its cool! I''ve often fantasized about how it''d look when I watched the show.''

    ''I''ve got something even cooler.''

    The boy stepped to the side to reveal a stand behind him. And then made a theatrical welcome gesture as he pointed at its center.

    It was a purple diamond shaped crystal that would barely fit into both of her hands.

    ''Its one of the mech''s powerplants! And its one of those weird ones that were made before the unification standards!''

    The girl bent over to look at the rare treasure. At first she thought it was just her imagination. But the longer she looked at its glistening surfaces, the more she believed that the light was moving inside. And that the reflection and flows of lights were a part of a vision. It was a fleeting feeling, as if she tried to remember the dream she just had.

    ''And even that is not all!''

    Hem''s words pulled her out the reverie and she looked away. The boy fiddled with a panel on the robot''s leg. Soon something clicked on the inside of it.

    Clicks continued as ladder grips popped out of the leg, went up the body and ended when they made a ladder all the way to the top of the shoulder.

    ''Is that okay? What if he returns?''

    ''I doubt he''s even alive, I mean look at this mess.''

    Wavering, Tsune delayed her answer. The safest option was to just leave, but she would lie if she said she didn''t want to see the cockpit she always saw from a single angle. And even if he was around, the hero pilot wasn''t somebody who would get mad at them.

    ''I''m coming.''

    -

    The robot head was a half sphere that rounded up the flat barrel torso. And while big outside, the cockpit itself was tiny, making the girl almost crawl through the access chute at the bottom. And once inside and standing, she saw that the only chair was already taken by Hem.

    ''Can you move? I can''t see anything from here.''

    The boy turned to her with a gulp and started to answer. But he gave himself away with how he rushed from one sentence to another.

    ''There''s nowhere to move here. If you want, we can exit and then you''ll enter first. I''ll be fine talking from the outside.''

    "Come on, man. Was this really your plan all along? Was this even yours?"

    Needless to say, the girl was not pleased with how transparent his intentions were, but to her surprise she also felt a small amount of pity. But willing to give him the benefit of doubt, she chose to confirm her suspicion first.

    ''Did Eider put you up to this?''

    When his face became visibly red even in the hangar''s dim lighting. And he fumbled as he tried to get out of the chair, she knew she hit the jackpot.

    ''Stay where you are. Going through that door is a pain.''

    Twisting her body in an acrobatic move, the blonde slipped right on top of Hem. The chair was made for a bigger man than she expected, so it wasn''t nearly as cramped as she feared.

    After a delightful minute of looking around the controls and mentally comparing it to the show, the blonde noticed that the boy''s breathing grew ragged.

    ''Am I too heavy?''

    ''N-no, of course not. I barely feel your weight.''

    Shrugging, Tsune tried to shift herself further away from him and continued.

    ''So, could I move this without my assistant device?''

    ''Eh? You should know that much, right?''

    ''I mean, can I pilot it as is?''

    ''Oh.''

    The boy took out a weird looking tablet and carefully slipped his hands past her sides to connect it to the console. But as soon as the connection sign appeared on its screen, an alarm echoed in the hangar.

    Seconds later, a loud metal sound came from the ground and a loud voice reached all the way to the cockpit.

    ''Who''s there? Get out before I call law enforcement!''

    -

    Several minutes later, the two stood near the basement hatch door and an old man angrily walked in circles.

    ''To think that my robot would become a date spot! For tourists!''

    ''It wasn''t a date!''

    Tsune tried to object, but the man immediately cut her off, shaking his wrinkly fist in the air.

    ''Silence! What were you trying to do there if it wasn''t dating?''

    ''If you confess that you tried to steal it right now, I''ll be lenient and ask the law enforcement to go easy on you.''

    ''There''s no way we could steal it. She doesn''t have her assistant device and I''m from support classes.''

    This time it was Hem who tried to object. He even made a step forward to shield the girl.

    ''Doesn''t have an assistant device? So, you wanted to steal mine? Then you should demand your money back because whoever sold you this lead is a con artist. My device is already stolen.''

    The long loud speech probably took too much of him, as the man suddenly almost doubled over in a fit of heavy coughing.

    Losing no time, Hem took her hand and pulled her out of the open exit.

    ''We need to get away before he recovers.''

    ''But what about him?''

    ''Come on, what if he does call the enforcers.''

 Chapter 12

    After returning to the city, the girl looked to the side. The boy silently walked with her, his hands in his pockets. And the awkwardness of having a material shadow was starting to get to her.

    ''Do you want to go anywhere?''

    The boy nodded, his eyes all but glued to the ground below. But he showed no signs of straying away from her.

    "What should I do with this?"

    She understood that he felt bad about the gap between his expectations and the result. And that he thought hard of a way to salvage the situation.

    But even though she didn''t want to land the finishing blow, this was going nowhere. And right now neither of them enjoyed each other''s company.

    "You are so stubborn."

    Tsune looked around for an excuse to separate. If she just went to a shop, or a cafe, he would probably join her and this tense atmosphere would continue. Therefore she needed something else...

    Not far ahead of them she saw a building whose front had holographic palm trees around a pool of steamy water. A hot spring bath.

    It was a perfect way for them to split without hurting anyone''s feelings.

    ''I''ll go relax in the spring, okay? I''m all covered in dust and I''m really tired.''

    After his silent nod and a mild horizontal handshake, the girl left him in the street.

    -

    Walking to the counter Tsune was slightly worried.The memories, that she brought into this world, pictured hot springs as places for lasciviousness. But the counter lady looked welcoming and the in-house swimsuit and robe were pretty modest.

    And as the time went on, her worries were replaced by the feeling of light boredom.

    ''I guess you need to come with friends for this place to be fun.''

    Nevertheless, the bath and massage proved the myth that they could rest even the most stressed out and tired adventurer. And this night she slept like a rock.

    -

    Next morning, Tsune stretched after waking up. And was immediately treated to a face full of her own clothes, thrown by the other girl who was about to leave.

    ''Don''t put your clothes on top of mine. It messes up everything.''

    Despite the rudeness, the blonde was almost grateful for the interruption. It offered an extra step to her mind to go through, as it progressed from serenity to remembering that the monster''s attack was today.

    And with memories of yesterday''s trip fresh in her mind, she all but scowled as something welled up in her heart.

    "Hero whose heart and back is wider anyone else''s, huh."

    It was certain that the visit to the old man failed. Not only did she fail to ask him of anything, he continued to angrily shout at them. And would''ve went further if it wasn''t for his fit.

    Tsune threw the sheets to the side and stood up to dress. Her movements were abrupt and rough, as the memory of a gnarled old figure, that tried to contain the cough with both hands, refused to leave. It was so far from what she expected, her emotions threatened to overflow.

    "Compassionate leader."

    "Warrior that defeated a hundred enemies."

    "A beacon of courage for his generation."

    This stream of half statements, half complaints came out without end, fanning the flame of her emotions until they were released in a shout.

    ''I bet today''s monster is as much of a lie as that old man is!''

    Opening the door with a lot more force than was required, the blonde went out for breakfast.

    -

    Walking through the street, Tsune barely looked around as even the environment fed into her annoyance.

    The straight street was easy to walk through, but it was done to make all of the shops and customers visible from all sides. Nothing could hide anywhere.

    The people were too noisy, carelessly walking, or gathering near the street artists to be extra noisy.

    The light from buildings was too bright and glamorous, The holograms were too pushy and overstated their importance to the outside viewers. And the prisms she admired yesterday looked like a hazard.

    None of them were secured and most of them even jutted outside, precariously balanced on the edge of their holds. It looked like all it would take to hurt people beneath was a strong gust of wind.

    And worst of all, there were no uniforms in the streets. Not that she wanted to meet any, but who would take charge if anything happens!?

    -

    Already at the central square, Tsune turned around. Beneath her was a beautiful jewel of a city. And as she took in the view, trying to imprint it into her memory, she caught herself. She wasn''t just sightseeing on her way here. She judged everything from a defense perspective.

    "Ah, why do I care! Even if I tell somebody that a monster might attack, nobody would believe me."

    But the feeling of wrongness kept gnawing at the girl during her lonely breakfast. The blonde knew what would happen and it was like a thorn in her side.

    Tsune rubbed her cheeks as she thought about the cause for her behavior.

    "Was I wrong yesterday about the script? But if I can''t pilot it, the event trigger is not set, right? Therefore it can''t happen."

    "Wait, Hem checked the robot status yesterday and I forgot to ask about results, so it might be triggered without me knowing."

    "But do I have to go to the old man? I''ll look for the government here and tell them to call a robot here. I can use my family name to increase the chances of them listening."

    "But If I''m wrong about the mechamonster, I''ll cause trouble for my parents. And that old man might''ve reported us."

    The girl imagined the expressions her father and mother might have and shivered. She prefered to think it was because of the sudden gust of morning wind, but summoning them here for a bail out was very low on her to do list.

    "My father will most likely believe me. But whatever he does might be so overboard that it''ll completely ruin the vacation for everyone here. Everyone will be alive, but Aery was already worried about me being a danger."

    "If Den has connections, he can call a pilot team here. But it will probably cut the vacation short and others might think that Hem antagonized me with date attempt. And if he took yesterday this hard, the guy might just quit."

    "Either way, my chances of staying in this team will be shot."

    Reaching the end of her limited options, the girl sighed and dropped the napkin she kept her hands busy with. She liked neither of those outcomes.

    She had the final choice left. Just ignoring the chance that the monster might come and letting things flow naturally.

    If it came, the authorities would deal with it and the aftermath. If it didn''t, her vacation will continue to be a cherished experience.

    -

    "This is like a self fulfilling prophecy."

    Throttling the hover bike she just rented, the blonde couldn''t help but to rant. But sitting on the sides when there was something she could do, reeked of a coward''s choice. It was a betrayal of what she believed in both of her lives.

    ''Hero, are you there?''

    Tsune bashed the gates as she called out.

    ''I need to talk to you. This city is in danger.''

    Met with nothing but silence, the girl struck the gates again with the same result.

    "Is he in that basement?"

    -

    Lifting the trap door, the blonde descended into a clean room with glass cases alongside its walls.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.They held detailed mech figures, full sized costumes with a lot of wear and tear, strange machine parts from different materials and rows upon rows of photos that covered the walls around the displays. The far wall was taken by a screen that displayed the city map and a table with the familiar gnarled figure.

    ''You really are the hero.''

    Hearing her voice, the old man spun around, dropping his photo album, and darted for a long metal pipe not far away.

    ''W-wait, I don''t mean anything bad, you just didn''t hear anything when I knocked. I need your help to protect the city!''

    Her opponent lowered his weapon too look at the screen, before resuming the combat stance.

    ''Who do you take me for? I might be old, but these bones have enough fight in them!''

    ''Please, let me explain! It didn''t happen yet, but the mechamonster will attack today.''

    ''What are you talking about? I''m not in the mood to deal with fantasies.''

    ''I want you to be ready to pilot again to protect the city. It will come before the evening. Just that!''

    ''Listen to me, girl...''

    ''No, you listen to me!''

    The sight of one her favorite heroes about to attack was too much for Tsune and she snapped back.

    ''I''m a tourist, so I can''t say I care about the people, or the city. I don''t even know them. And there''s a chance that nothing will happen today.''

    ''But if that monster comes and wrecks the city because I did nothing when I could, my conscience will never let me forget this! What kind of a pilot would I be if I didn''t even try.''

    ''I understood yesterday that you''ve changed and I don''t have my assistant device. But there must be a way to protect the city with that robot of yours.''

    ~clunk~

    The old man threw the pipe back into its corner and, dusting his hands off, looked at the display case with his old red and yellow costume.

    ''You are either crazy, or devious, but you have heart. What is your name, girl?''

    ''Tsune.''

    ''I didn''t lie yesterday when I said that my assistant device was stolen. And without it, the robot above is nothing but a memorial.''

    ''B-but, who could steal it from you?! What villain is so powerful that nobody wouldn''t even try to get it back?''

    The blonde was at the loss of words. Both because this proved that her actions did matter and because there was somebody above the hero. The man who once held enough power to be called a god or a demon.

    Her opponent''s expression changed into a sad smile and he turned around to pick up his album.

    ''It wasn''t a villain, Tsune. Just a boy who didn''t want to wait to save the world.''

    ''Now leave me be, or I''ll really call law enforcement.''

    -

    Once again outside the hangar, the girl walked with plenty of spring in her step. Try as they might, the age and baggy clothing could not hide the traces of the classic hero she remembered. She couldn''t ask any of her trivia questions but she was fine with it.

    "Man, I wish I could photo everything in that museum. Most of the fans would do almost everything for even a single one."

    Tsune kicked a small rusty piece over the cliff''s edge as she let disappointment be replaced by relief. She took out her phone to send a message to one of the few numbers it had.

    "Now, I did everything I could, so its vacation time."

    A minute later, she received a reply from Aery, saying that everyone already waited for her at the beach.

    -

    Laying on the beach towel under an opaque umbrella, Tsune watched the sea with half closed eyes. She had to lie on her back, but she quickly solved that problem by arranging her team''s street clothing into a pillow. Metal parts and buckles on boy clothing were uncomfortable, but she imagined that she laid on a sand hill and those were pebbles.

    ''Hey, Tsune, want an ice cream?''

    Hem''s face suddenly intruded her line of sight, together with a phone screen that showed flavour icons.

    The girl glanced at them and her attention returned to the sea outside of the distant row of concrete pillars.

    A thought related to her recent language experiment floated to her mind''s surface, but she was too lazy to entertain it. Besides, she had no objective way to find out if this world''s flavours were different from her own.

    ''Choose for me, okay?''

    -

    An hour later, the team was in the beach cafe when a loud sound came from the sea. The clients grew quiet until one of them almost jumped to their feet.

    ''Look!''

    One of the wave breaker pillars crashed into the sea, surrounded by a pillar of water.

    Several seconds later, all of the screens, that usually transmitted popular music and sport events, turned red. And their speakers released a metallic sound. It started off quiet to avoid shocking anyone but quickly rose to be heard everywhere on the beach.

    -Warning. Everyone please exit the water and go to the city in an organized...-

    The message was suddenly cut short and replaced by a new one.

    -Warning. Emergency signal received. Zodiac team is inbound.-

    "Zodiac?"

    Tsune looked back to the city to see if a battleship was in the sky, then she noticed that people outside pointed straight up.

    Rushing outside of the cafe, the blonde looked up. Far above, she saw a radiant star of reentry, that was too small for a combat spaceship.

    -Libra-

    An unknown male voice came from the speakers, followed by the robotic announcer.

    -Warning, Supersonic shockwave in fifteen seconds, it is advised to cover your ears to avoid temporary damage to hearing-

    -

    With her blonde hair fluttering in the wind that came after the deafening clap, Tsune opened her eyes. She saw a giant pillar of water that rose around another destroyed pillar. But this time, the falling water turned into a whirpool that dug into the sea surface.

    Soon, the water inside was low enough to reveal a giant claw. Covered by matte metal with mineral inclusions, it was about to descend on the remains of the wave breaker wall. Massive enough to crush it without even token resistance, it was thrown to the side as if struck away by an invisible force.

    The crab monster''s screech made the air around it ripple, revealing that it was trapped in eye of a newly formed whirlwind. It skiddled across the sea floor to ram its way to freedom, but it was too late.

    -Libra release-

    All of the water, contained inside of the walls of wind, came crashing towards the center. Like a hydraulic hammer crushing an aluminum can, it pulverised the stone parts into dust and bent the metal into an absurdly shaped statue.

    Forming the most massive pillar yet, the spent water threatened to roll over the beach. But a blue beam pierced it from top to bottom, freezing it in an instant.

    -Aquarius-

    This time, the voice came not from the speakers but from the mech that finally descended from the orbit and gently landed on the ice. Using the cloud of steam, released by its feet melting the frozen surface, it projected a huge Zodiac emblem before the beach audience. After the eruption of applause died down, the pilot spoke.

    -I, the Air Sign of the Zodiac team, am very glad that all of you are safe and sound. The mechamonster will be collected later, so please do not exit the swim area shown on your devices.-

    -Oh, yeah, almost forgot. Thanks for the heads up to my old man.-

    The mech gave a thumbs up towards the old hangar, that was barely visible from here. Then its engines released a whirring sound and twin plumes of flame carried the fifteen meter tall robot back into space.

 Chapter 13

    The beach was roughly separated into two halves. One was shaken by the nearby battle and chose to return to the city. The other still pointed at the giant ice pillar and took pictures of the dual smoke trail.

    After returning to their cafe, Tsune saw that it was still almost full. Mostly because a lot of the visitors were either pilots, or their fans, and both parties now had a juicy new attraction.

    One of the central TV stations sent out an automatic phone message about a newly published video of the Zodiac''s recent mission. And it even included the view from inside of the cockpit as a bonus feature.

    Having clicked the link as soon as she read the message, Tsune saw a rare sight on her screen. A 3d model of the planetary ring, *Tek Terra* that served as the main directory for all of the orbital services.

    The ring''s image was cut into fine slices by information icons that lead to different utility or production sections.

    Feeling lost in this forest of messages, Tsune spent almost a minute with filtering options before she saw the Zodiac''s sign. And only then she got to the desired video link.

    -Do you want to download the mission footage?-

    -You chose Yes-

    When the download started and she saw the countdown, Tsune put the phone down in annoyance. It was close to an hour.

    -

    Around twenty minutes later, the blonde grew bored of looking at the sea. And trying to analyze the fight from her own experience was an exercise in futility because of how little she knew about the robot.

    Looking at other team members, Den was busy with Aery whispering into his ear, and Hem''s attention was taken by his phone. She couldn''t see it from her position, but judging by the voices he was in the live chat for people stranded in the download queue.

    That left only Eider, who used the commotion to appropriate everyone''s drinks. And immediately finished them off, with the most recent victim being her juice glass.

    ''Hey, do you know anything about Zodiac?''

    Eider ignored her question, but at the same time his neighbour, Hem, winced as if he was struck below the table.

    ''Well, whatever, I''ll look it up by myself.''

    ''I know a fair share about orbitals.''

    Failing to get his partner to shift his attention to Tsune and speak to her first, Eider tried to salvage the situation.

    ''And this guy can add a lot as well. Isn''t that right?''

    The boy in question only shrugged, his hands flying over his tablet as he took part in a heated discussion with other people.

    ''I can do that, but don''t you think its better to use this chance to make connections?''

    ''You read my mind! That''s exactly what I''m suggesting.''

    Eider took the electronic menu from the center of the table to order more desserts and a juice assortment. He paused to steal a quick glance at Tsune and ordered a pie slice and a fruit salad as well.

    ''Okay, so what do you want to know? Anything specific, like that pilot''s connection to a certain old that man Hem told me about, or just general stuff?''

    The blonde looked at her phone''s screen, that constantly increased the video''s download timer, and sighed. At this rate, lowering its priority to an archive download was a better idea.

    ''Give me both.''

    ''I''ll need my phone for visual aid.''

    Eider stood up and put his hand on Hem''s shoulder. It was an unassuming gesture, but it was enough to make the hazel haired boy stand up and move his chair closer to the girl. Then, with his phone between the three of them, Eider clicked a star sign on top of the orbital ring map. And the simple image changed to a detailed model that no student should have had.

    The new map seamlessly merged the computer graphics, used for uninhabited structural sections, and real but rarely updated video loops for crewed parts.

    Unlike her own phone, the Zodiac site showed an entire directory instead of a single video. It also had animated intros for the team itself and for all of their pilots and mechanics. What''s more, every mission was available for streaming instead of a download.

    It looked like a business site used by potential employers.

    ''But how do you have all of this?''

    Answering her question with only a smug grin, the boy clicked the latest video from the Air Zodiac section.

    -

    -Recording started-

    -Warning, mechamonster emergence detected.-

    The siren blared across the Zodiac hangar halls and the lighting switched to red.

    Seconds later, four people hurriedly put on helmets as they ran from their rooms to the command center .

    There, on the main screen, their assistant devices displayed the available data as soon as it was processed.

    -Locating the emergence point-

    -Orbital location failed, switching to ground sensors-

    -Seismic and tidal detection successful-

    -Calculating the interception point-

    When the point was drawn from deep sea to the shore near Crystal Resort, one of the taller Zodiac members turned to others. He had signs of Libra, Aquarius and Gemini on his chest and arms.

    ''Hah, told you. He might be intolerable, but my old man can still think straight. Also, I propose I should go. Even if I can''t destroy it, I''ll freeze it to buy time for evacuation.''

    ''Wouldn''t it better for me to snipe it through water? I don''t even need to descend if I use Sagittarius.''

    The Water Zodiac pilot, a tall but thin woman, interrupted her Fire colleague.

    ''No, he''s right. Fire is too destructive and you have nothing to stop the wave from flooding the beach.''

    -

    The view changed and the command room was replaced with the chest cockpit of Air Zodiac mech. It was a round room with flat ceiling, transparent walls and, unlike the mechs Tsune was used to, had no visible controls installed.

    But that changed when the pilot jumped in from the ceiling hatch. Two wide circles, one drawn on the floor and the other on the ceiling, flared to life. Multiple green lasers locked onto the pilot and their thin beams tracked the position of his limbs and fingers.

    ''Launch.''

    The wall before the mech opened, and with a light tug from hangar''s tractor beams, it fell out of the hangar. After rotating in the open space to align itself with the orbital ring, it started to accelerate.

    It flew alongside the ring on a preplanned route that maximized speed for as long as it was possible.

    It shot past the ship production docks, with clouds of construction robots around airspace battleships, whose shapes loosely followed their ancient navy counterparts. Avoided the protruding research wings with rows upon rows of small glowing windows. And took a shallow detour around spaceports with their endless streams of passenger ships.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    But even that was almost too slow to intercept the enemy before it broke the underwater wall. Therefore, instead of a slower descent, the pilot chose to do a sharp turn and dive into the atmosphere at full speed, betting on the engines to slow the fall.

    ''Magic Mode.''

    The circles above and below the pilot flared once more and a holographic cube appeared in front of the pilot. It looked like somebody cut out a piece of the near shore sea below him, from surface to the bottom, and put it into an invisible fishtank.

    Reaching inside of the hologram, the pilot clenched his fist around red sphere that represented the current position of his enemy. With the weapon now locked onto the target, his other hand circled around the fist to trap the mechamonster inside of a wind wall.

    ''Libra.''

    A glowing horizontal line connected the pilot''s hands and he moved his fist up. By imbalancing the scales around his target, he increased the wind''s power with every passing second. Until it was enough for a killing blow.

    ''Libra release.''

    When the enourmous pillar of water was about to turn into a tidal wave, the pilot quickly slashed it from top to bottom with his finger and called out another attack.

    ''Aquarius.''

    -Recording ended-

    -

    "Magic mode? Was that ever in the game? Was that in any of the games?"

    "Wait, how would my Gunner even fight against that? Isn''t this unfair?"

    Eider''s grin only grew when Tsune looked away from his phone, now with even more questions. But before she could ask even a single one, he stood up.

    ''I''ll go ask the waitress about our order. Its way too late.''

    The girl understood where he was going with this, but it was already too late. With curiousity in overdrive, the blonde''s attention turned to the only source of immediate satisfaction, the boy still near her.

    ''Hey, what does it mean by magic?''

    ''Come on, answer me.''

    Hem tried to ignore her as he kept tapping away at buttons, but eventually relented. And for the first time since their trip, the two of them properly talked to each other.

    ''Okay, but you really should not be missing a chance for an early career.''

    ''I''ll do that later, but first tell me. What was that?''

    ''It was a remote manipulation part. Custom made to fit his team''s theme.''

    ''But those weren''t in our shop and I saw everything there.''

    ''Because parts that require maintenance are rarely sold to students. Imagine if you broke your assistant device during senior student practice, would our Academy agree to fix it?''

    Hem took Eider''s phone to demonstrate. And after a quick spin of the orbital ring map, the girl could look through the advanced parts market.

    To her relief, she found out that while most of the weapons and devices certainly had more than enough features to justify all of the zeroes in their price tags, they also had a fair share of drawbacks. They were limited by ammo, charge level, timed activations, or were simply hard to use or maintain.

    "Oh, I remember that part! So, random buffs were chosen by the pilot? Those decisions were really bad sometimes."

    She found one of the parts, that she often used in the previous games, *E-Field projector*, and paused to read its description.

    In the game it gave powerful buffs, but they were chosen randomly. So depending on your luck, its defense mode could cut into your damage combos, or its offense mode would leave you open to the enemy''s special attacks.

    Its real version created a force field surface around the robot that the pilot could shape as he wanted. As long as it was made of flat polygonal faces, straight edges and sharp corners. And according to the instructions, he would have to change them in real time, shifting the shield into spikes to meet the attacks and flat surfaces for return fire.

    "Ah, Remote Manipulation, finally."

    When her search yielded the first result for Libra, the blonde went to read through everything on its store page. But she quickly regretted that decision as the amount of strictly technical information was overwhelming.

    Even the community section was headed by menacing warnings like *Exercise caution while using* and *Always have a mechanic on stand by.* And the content itself was almost evenly split into graphs, math and horror tales that were born from stories about the part''s misuse.

    While Tsune read about a pilot who managed to choke himself by draining the cockpit''s air away, Eider has returned. The food he brought ended the weird date scheme and both boys returned to their seats.

    -

    The rest of their vacation went by smoothly, except for Aery''s attitude towards her that grew progressively distant.

    Whether it was because Den still tried to make the team members interact more, or because there was something between them, the blonde could only guess. But the stressed out brunette chose her as the target for venting negative emotions.

    When they left the hotel to board the train and Aery gave her a piercing stare just for looking in their direction, Tsune''s patience ran thin as well. She went to Eider, who agreed to carry her bags while she took more photos.

    ''Hey, what''s up with her? She was much friendler several days ago.''

    The boy shrugged before switching hands, that held the baggage, to walk closer to her.

    ''I don''t know what she thinks you did, so lets hope the summer break fixes it.''

    Reducing his voice to nearly a whisper, he continued.

    ''But I wanted to ask you. Was I too pushy about bringing you and Hem together? Did I cause a scene? The guy seems even more of a recluse than usual.''

    Tsune smiled and returned the shrug.

    ''No, its probably because he noticed that I''m not really interested in a relationship.''

    -

    Finally home, when late evening was about to change into night, the blonde surrendered her phone to mother and immediately went to bed.

    Her sleep was interrupted by light from the window. It reflected off the wardrobe before the bed to brighten her entire corner. Initially she thought that it was from a passing car, but it kept on going even after a minute. Begrudgingly, Tsune removed the cover to look outside.

    Her father walked out of the house, to a car marked *Red Labs*, while holding a familiar assistant device. Glancing back, the blonde confirmed that her cabinet was empty.

    Her confusion didn''t last long. Her life was threatened at the resort and there was no need to guess what her father''s motives would be.

    ''He better not be preparing another surprise.''

 Chapter 14

    Waking up, Tsune watched the early morning sun light her room through the open curtains.

    A part of her hoped that returning home after an event would send her back to Earth. But her longing for the old world was already faint enough to feel no disappointment.

    After the morning routine, she went on a short adventure around the house. She wanted to see if her assistant device was back. And failing to find it, she turned to the only one who could know the answer, her mother.

    ''Oh, you are up already?''

    When Tsune entered the kitchen, Lady Red precariously balanced on top of a chair as she reached for a spot high on the wall. Several of of her resort photos already hanged from below that point, each of them with an unique frame.

    ''Where''s father?''

    ''In the lab, probably. He was working overtime since...''

    Lady Red paused her attempts to find a more stable footing and put a finger to her chin.

    ''... a week ago. If its about your pilot thing, I wouldn''t worry about it not returning. He brings it back every day.''

    Smiling, her mother returned to the attempts to put green framed photo above others. And missed her daughter''s expression.

    "I knew it."

    He could''ve taken it just for extra processing power instead of her personal profile data, but the day Aery''s mood became worse was the same as the start of her father''s overtime work.

    The blonde could only guess whether those two were linked, but he was definitely up to something and that made an old thought resurface.

    "Did he try to talk them into being my bodyguards after all?"

    Worried about her future in the team, the girl went for her phone.

    -The number is not available right now-

    But to her dismay, her father''s number was out of reach...

    -Please do not call this number, me, or Den ever again. Thank you. If you have to contact him about anything team related, I''ll ask others to contact you.-

    ...and Aery''s responded with blacklist''s personalized voice message.

    Putting down the phone, the girl mentally cursed or at least attempted to. She had at least ten days with her future team and plenty of clues to Aery''s mood, yet she didn''t think to take a number from anyone else. Or at least ask them about their home address.

    Den and his girlfriend would refuse for sure, but there shouldn''t have been anything weird with asking Hem, or Eider.

    As she though about that, Tsune glanced back at her phone and took her complaining down a notch. She did the right thing back then.

    If she downplayed her wish to be left out of Eider''s matchmaker attempts, or Hem''s feelings for her were real, it could backfire. Suddenly learning that she had to respond to a relantionship, or even a love triangle, was almost opposite to how Tsune imagined her senior classes.

    And the pretty young woman from her reflection seemed to agree.

    -

    The outside was a nice sunny day, but the girl didn''t feel like taking a walk. And not knowing the city outside of the way to academy was only half of the reason. The other half was a worry that she would miss her father''s arrival.

    She knew that he would most likely arrive late, but she couldn''t help but think that he would bend the work schedule just to meet her as soon as he could.

    And so the day rolled by, spent watching the recording of a local tournament. It started when she left for resort so it was close to ending.

    But when the sky turned to dusk, Tsune found it harder and harder to keep her attention on the show. All that was left for today was the last bracket tier, but she already couldn''t help but impatiently watch the entrance. Her father should''ve walked through it hours ago.

    "Where is he?"

    The girl looked at the entrance again, but her father was still nowhere to be seen. Lightly biting her lip, she returned to the screen, but could barely stop herself from glancing back.

    It wasn''t the fault of the show, or the fighters that were about to enter the arena. On the contrary, she was looking forward to the majin versus remote controlled robots fight. But the anxiety was already hard to control.

    -

    -On the left side is the fighter from the Three Rivers region. A developer at the Transport Tunnel company, he fights to promote his invention!-

    The narrator''s voice boomed over the arena and a giant arm tore through a hologram that covered the entrance. Grasping the projected map of the near sea region as if it was cloth, it threw the surface away to reveal a humanoid robot.

    Its body was made from thick circles and cylinders that bulged like grotesque muscles. Its hands held two wide rings that you could put a train through. Its outer armor looked like a loose traveler''s garb.

    When the robot was fully revealed, it crossed the weapons close to its chest as a welcome gesture. Everything was optimized to push the appearance of a monk warrior that was native to the pilot''s region.

    The girl involuntarily looked down on her phone, but was disappointed yet again. No calls, no new messages and contacts were still unavailable.

    -On that side are the fighters from Stairway Mountains. Did this mercenary company get tired of protecting the spaceport? Or are they simply here to test themselves?-

    As if to contrast themselves against the theatrical entrance of their opponent, the three smaller vehicles simply waited for the image of a mountain spaceport to fall apart around them.

    One of them was an assault helicopter, the other was a hover tank and the final was the tank drone that Tsune saw during her last part shop trip. And recalling the amount of zeroes that thing had, she couldn''t help but think it was like bringing an expensive car to a free-for-all street race.

    "How rich are these guys? They know they risk permanent destruction, right?"

    Tsune caught herself glancing at the door again and decided that some willpower was in order. She would finish watching the show and focus on trying to learn something useful from better pilots.

    -

    -Battle Start!-

    As soon as the signal blared, the mercenaries sprung into action. Heli fired a missile salvo and darted to the side. Covered by the distraction, the tank used his time to deploy supports. Visible lightning sparks arced over its barrel, signaling that it was a siege railgun model.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    -Air Wall!-

    The giant responded. The crossed rings, that Tsune thought were just a ceremonial gesture, suddenly moved in front of each other like a makeshift loudspeaker. And the mecha''s shout that normally would be simply deafening, turned into a solid wall of air pressure that scattered and smashed the enemy projectiles.

    The next ten seconds was spent on choosing the next enemy. And it chose to engage the heli that kept gaining distance on his right. Being ill equipped to deal with far away flying targets, its only way to victory was waiting for the enemy to run out of ammo. But that path could potentially lead to a loss.

    Taking a hefty step to turn the torso, it brought the rings to bear. But this time it stretched one of its hands forward, creating an invisible path between the rings.

    -Air Cannon!-

    With the shout supplying the initial pressure, the first ring sharply drew in air. As it traveled through the transport tunnel, it was further amplified, turning mere air into a directed shot.

    The aircraft attempted to dodge, but the distance spread the cannonball into a wider shockwave. There was nowhere for it go.

    Watching the first enemy go down in smoke, the crowd exploded. Cheers, yells and shouts, both for and against the players, washed over the hundred thousand spectators in the stadium. The narrators quickly capitalized on the hype spike and a number off commercials related to the transport company took a portion of big screens.

    Meanwhile, action continued. The railgun slug shattered the armor on the hip, sending human sized chunks onto concrete. And as the hover tank circled around and fired its autocannons, the mech did not even attempt to follow it. If the pilot''s nerves gave in, the stream of shells would seek to exploit the missing armor, instead of splashing over its back.

    Instead, the majin''s hand rose to the side, aiming at the siege weapon.

    -Rolling Slicer-

    The hand moved away, but the disk remained afloat, intangibly connected to its sister weapon. A second later, it darted forward.

    The stadium''s voice started to rise in anticipation but was suddenly drowned with confused noise. Instead of trying to land a shot into the hole, the stationary tank''s cannon inclined to the side and fired at the ground.

    The close range blast and recoil broke the support on the opposite side and the whole vehicle rotated several times before it landed on its turret.

    Tsune shared the confusion, before she realized its purpose. And when she did, her respect for the remote teams went up a notch. The tank''s price wasn''t a measure of wealth but the measure of risk the team was willing to take.

    And these mercenaries just turned their prized possession into non-combatant. Reaping its high tier benefits without taking a single direct hit.

    But even as skilled as they were, all they had was a single vehicle and a single point to exploit. It was a losing battle.

    -Rolling Slicer-

    The hovertank jumped away and the shells connected to the mech''s machinery inside the hole.

    -Rolling Prison-

    The rolling ring suddenly stopped and the tunnel''s'' air flow was reversed. The artificial gust of wind sucked the floating enemy into the center of the circle that spun to trap the vehicle within rotating steel.

    But to the Tsune''s surprise, the cannons simply switched to single shell bursts. The mercenaries refused to back down and the smoke from the hip joint showed that they had hope.

    -Rolling Guillotine-

    The second ring flew towards the first one. Despite the rotation speed, it easily synchronized and the enemy was now held between them. Then the weapons flew in opposite directions, slicing the hovercraft into three pieces.

    -

    The girl was so focused on the battle, she all but forgot about her phone. So when the phone suddenly rang on her lap, she almost dropped it to the ground. Fumbling to keep her grip on it, she pressed the loud call button as she was afraid to waste any time.

    ''Yes, who is it?''

    ''It''s Eider. Aery told me you called.''

    ''Yeah, I wanted to ask... One second, please.''

    Tsune started to answer when she heard a door open. And held back a groan when she saw that the partially open door to her parent''s room.

    Sliding her finger across the phone screen she was about to turn the loud call into a normal one, but paused.

    Lady Red must''ve already heard his voice, otherwise she wouldn''t try to listen in. And putting a veil of secrecy over their reasons could be interpreted in a very wrong way. She would just change the topic for now.

    ''I wanted to ask her why was she so mad at me.''

    ''I talked to her. She said that she read a horoscope for her future with Den. And it said that if she let you speak to either of them, it would flag a route she doesn''t want. Maybe you can make sense of that.''

    "Route flag? Never thought she would be a dating sim fan. Unless she found my game script."

    Rubbing her temples to suppress the urge to fetch the papers, and see if Den and Aery were recruitable characters, the blonde answered.

    ''I didn''t get to know Aery well enough. Anyway, can I record your number?''

    ''Sure. And there''s another thing. Den said that our team needs to start the year with a professional attitude, so he scheduled a shopping trip for pilot suits this weekend.''

    ''See you later then.''

    Ending the call, the blonde looked towards her parent''s room. There, having lost all shame, her mother openly stood in the door frame while trying to look innocent. And when she saw Tsune look back, she gave her a spirited nod.

    ''Its not what you think this is, mother. Please stop.''

    -

    Several days has passed and Tsune''s fear of being teased about the call has gradually faded away. Even right before the morning shopping trip, her mother behaved like an angel. But as soon as she took a step outside, the sweet voice reached her from the main hall.

    ''Have a good day. Don''t eat too many desserts, your figure will get rounder again.''

    ''Mother! I lost that weight a long time ago. And I even skipped on the sweets in the resort.''

    ''That''s good, but you need to be extra careful in summer clothes. Even if they say nothing, boys have sharp eyes.''

    Tsune closed the door so fast it almost caught her clothes.

 Chapter 15

    As soon as she entered to the taxi station, the closest vehicle automatically opened its doors. And she gladly fell into the comfy embrace of its seat.

    Unlike the resort, her city wasn''t windy enough to reduce the onslaught of the summer heat. But on the other hand, as soon as the taxi received the destination, she could open a window and passively enjoy the view instead of walking.

    As the city whistled by, Tsune kept glancing at her phone. Her attention was on the satellite map and the faintly glowing dot in its center. Her location marker smoothly moved through the streets, showcasing yet another subtle difference between this world and Earth that she was interested in.

    No roads had sharp turns, always changing their direction slowly. And even when the available space was limited, such as the entries to the elevated skyroads, they chose to do it in a wide semicircle fashion.

    The blonde leisurely tried to argue with herself about whether the reasons behind the road design were from tradition, or pragmatism. But as her taxi passed through the legs of a construction mech that carefully walked through the streets, a strikingly different idea took her mind.

    It appeared when the blonde saw that the robot was carrying a container almost as big as her family house. Its metal structure was bent and scratched around the handle points, showing this was a routine task. And it was held higher than most of the surrounding buildings.

    An involuntary chill went down her back when she imagined the giant stumble. That container would smash through the roofs like a mace.

    "I wonder if the spiral power antennas double as shield generators."

    -

    As Tsune''s destination laid in the central district, the skyroad rose higher and higher. Eventually it left the suburban city far below.

    Now the road went around the middle of high rise buildings, that were so tall their tops looked close to the clouds. Whether they were wide and flat landing pads, or needle skyscrapers with holographic advertisements, all of them were massive.

    And as she saw before her car came to a stop, the skyroad floor was covered with shops, workshops and entertainment as densely as the ground level.

    -You have arrived. Second Layer. Shop *Service Uniforms*-

    -

    In the shop, the first one she met was Eider. He was in the same black suit that he wore in the resort. And the similarly dressed Hem stood near him, reading a book.

    ''Wasn''t Den supposed to come?''

    Eider hit the other boy with his elbow to make him return her handwave and answered.

    ''Aery refused to let him leave her side. Said she already bought hers.''

    Tsune looked at the other boy, who looked anywhere but in her direction, and her hands rose in exasperation.

    ''Its not that I don''t believe you, but if its another love angel play, I''ll just leave. No harsh feelings, but I had enough of that at home. ''

    ''That I promise. She did it last minute when I already talked Hem into leaving the hangar. And If I rescheduled, he would be too deep into his project to go outside.''

    Eider walked around the black haired boy and lightly pushed him forward.

    ''Come on, tell her what you''ve been working on.''

    Hem quickly stepped aside to keep his distance to the blonde, before going back to his book.

    ''Its not ready yet. And I didn''t take my phone, so let''s just do what we came here for.''

    ''I agree.''

    Tsune''s cold voice put an end to the antics and, defeated, Eider made a wide gesture down the hall.

    -

    But the task was harder to do alone than the girl imagined. She had to study the labels and cross reference them with the shop''s knowledge site. And the costumes weren''t just clothing.

    The one that attracted her attention the most was a blue bodysuit. It came with a lot of accessories and gadgets in a separate package for a separate price. Looking at the cover image Tsune imagined herself in it and smiled. It would make her look like a science ninja.

    The only problem was not knowing how to use the devices and its manual was no help. It assumed she already knew all of the technical words and abbreviations it had.

    She spun a slim metal device that was supposed to attach to her hip. Then played with long forearm bracelets, looking both on outside and inside surfaces. But neither action could help her understand their purpose any further.

    "Well, I''ll just go for looks then."

    -

    Half an hour later, she gathered several suits she liked, including the likely winner. And then presented them to Eider. As Den''s representative, he gave her opinions of his own.

    ''This one.''

    ''Its not a pilot one, its personal defense.''

    The girl put down a leathery bodysuit with neon seam lines and turned to the other candidate.

    ''This one?''

    The boy took the two piece suit with a lot of straps and button anchors and looked at the label. Then he carefully glanced at her figure and put it aside.

    ''No offense, but I don''t think you''ll fit.''

    ''What about?''

    ''Its a mass produced wrap type for enviroment protection.''

    To showcase his words, he took the matte sleeve of a suit that looked like a long sheet. It was several times bigger than his arm, but after wrapping it around, the material layers clung together like they were glued.

    And before Tsune could point at her next choice, he took the initiative.

    ''The honeycomb one piece is universal. Its a nanomesh that adapts to your needs. If you can afford it, I have nothing. I''ll just go sulk in the corner.''

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ''How do you even know all of this?''

    Eider flashed a smile.

    ''You need to know these things to make new contacts on the Ring. I can help you to choose if you want.''

    ''Help me with accessories then.''

    -

    "He''s such a spoilsport."

    Tsune went to the changing room with the last option, a blue two piece made from dense cloth. It was close to the science ninja one but with only two simple devices.

    When the girl put it on, she couldn''t help but feel disappointed. She imagined the trip as somethng between the start of an adventure and a museum of past legends. But he made it so routine.

    And even as thankful as she was for his help, he completely failed to read the mood she had built up.

    "What am I even thinking about. He can''t read my mind."

    ''I''m done.''

    ''Okay. Now put the belt around your waist and mold its plastic around as you want. Then attack the short stripe to the collar. They''ll monitor your health and let you access them wirelessly for as long as they have body heat.''

    The girl pulled down the zippers on her arms and thighs. With the bodysuit now looking as a summer sleeveless shirt and shorts, she put the rest into a bag and went out. Her job here was done.

    -

    Back at home, as Tsune stuffed her purchase into the wardrobe she heard her mother''s call for lunch. And that was when she received the news.

    ''By the way, your father had something important to tell you yesterday, but you were already asleep.''

    ''What was it?''

    ''I didn''t ask.''

    ''Why didn''t you wake me up before he left for work?''

    ''Well, if I did, it would distract you from your shopping trip. Its no fun when your thoughts are elsewhere.''

    The blonde could only sigh and finish her meal. Even if Lady Red had the best intentions, it just made her worry about her father more.

    -

    Tsune spent the rest of day watching a movie. It was a story about a small workshop owner who struggled to balance helping those around him and reaching success.

    But when one of the local mech teams declared that the city must bend to their will to remain safe, he rose up to the challenge. Together with a small circle of people, bound together by daily interactions, he fought the former protectors who spiraled down into villainry.

    "This is so annoying."

    As the credits rolled, she leaned back, resting her head on top of the chair.

    Even after the whole day of guessing, the possibilities of what she could expect from her father were still too varied. It could be anything from a cake as an apology for not being able to meet after her vacation, to being transferred to another planet.

    It was getting annoying enough that the girl was ready to speak her mind.

    ''Are you worried for father?''

    Hearing her mother''s voice come from the kitchen, the blonde sighed and turned the tv off. Even if feelings could be hurt in the process, she needed to say it.

    ''I''m not worried for him, I''m worried about him.''

    Once inside the kitchen. Tsune saw that her mother ignored the automated systems.in favor of manually cooking. And judging by the timers on the stove and oven, her father''s return was still far away.

    ''And if you asked him, I wouldn''t have to worry.''

    ''Sorry, but we prefer to leave work stuff at work. And, well, my specialty are people, his are robots, we would argue anyway.''

    Her mother winked and moved the lid off a boiling pot with a single lightning fast motion. Scooping a full spoon of the evening light soup, she offered it to her daughter.

    ''Maybe its how we remained together for all these years. Remember my advice when you meet that special someone.''

    ''Mother, please!''

    ''Now taste this for me, okay? If its ready, you can have supper before us.''

    -

    The time was close to midnight when Tsune finally relented and went to her bedroom. Even if Lady Red wasn''t against her waiting even further, tomorrow''s heat would less than tolerable if her body was off balance due to lack of sleep.

    "Just need to delay it by this much."

    If what her mother said about the assistant device being brought every night was true, then there was a chance to set things straight today. And if Tsune was right about stove timers, she knew the right clock settings to talk to him.

    -

    An obnoxiously loud sound hit hard and she opened her eyes. Above, blurry white sleeves fumbled with her phone to turn the alarm off. She brushed several strands of hair away to attract his attention.

    ''Mother said that you have something important to say.''

    ''I just wanted to boast a bit about our success at the lab, But I''m not sure if it''s that important.''

    ''I thought it was something over the top again. If you want do something for me, can you tell me about it before you do it?''

    Her father quietly laughed as he took out the assistant device to return it.

    ''Your mother gave me quite a mouthful when I made you this. So, when its done, we''ll go to the lab and you''ll make the decision by yourself.''

    Suddenly, his expression turned serious.

    ''She also told me a boy called you for a shopping trip. Is there something I should know?''

    With a sigh, Tsune shook her head and laid back down. The important matter has revealed itself and paled in comparison to the promised decision in the future.

    ''No, one of them was worried about you being overprotective, but otherwise they are nice people.''

 Chapter 16

    -Master-

    -Master, wake up-

    -Mapo wants you to wake up-

    Tsune woke up to a robotic voice repeating similar phrases again and again. Unlike the usual monotone droning, the voice carried emotions that would belong to a positive personality. A personality that clashed with the rainy autumn outside.

    "Father, what did you do this time."

    The girl propped herself on an elbow to retrieve the piece of paper under the robot. She tugged on it once, twice, but the device was too heavy.

    With a sigh, Tsune rose from the bed to lift the device properly. But right before she touched it, the metal orb floated up. It landed on the back of her outstretched hand; compared to before it felt a lot lighter too.

    -Mapo is glad you woke up-

    ''Mapo?''

    -Mobile Artificial Personality zerO-

    Shaking off the chipper sphere, she swiped the paper off the cabinet, expecting her father''s excuse. But the list was blank.

    But the puzzle solved even before she looked at paper''s other side. The assistant device clicked and she heard her father''s unusually dry and abrupt voice.

    -Mapo, tell her this message when she takes this. But start the recording from the next sentence-

    The voice suddenly changed to familiar tones and continued faster, as if rehearsed.

    -Hello, daughter. Before you get mad at your dear father, I''ll say that I planned this from the moment I learned about the trouble my gift gave you. Now you can treat it as a pet instead of something you need to carry around.-

    Someone''s barely audible voice came from the background but cut off before she could understand it.

    -And the others say that the upgrade is their thanks for allowing us to use it for our work.-

    The message ended with loud thankful chorus in the background and Mapo spiraling to the ceiling, then back to the cabinet. There it reverted to a silent and immobile sphere.

    Tsune shook her head, sending her locks everywhere and clapped her hands. It was a simple focus trick she remembered from Earth, but it worked against most of her roaming thoughts.

    No longer distracted with whether Mapo was really a thank you or her father spoiling her even more, she went to prepare. Today was the first day of the senior academy practice.

    -

    The rain continued to pour down as she left her house, making Tsune open her umbrella. Shifting the bag with Mapo back onto her forearm to carry it above the puddle splashes, she slowly walked through the street.

    Sometimes the rain would calm down, no longer threatening to soak her just for peeking out. And that''s when she would look upwards.

    There, the falling water interfered with the wireless power grid. As droplets fell through the normally invisible conductor paths, they absorbed a tiny bit of energy that evaporated them with momentary rainbow flashes. And since every building''s spiral antenna held at least several connections, the flashes created an extensive multilayered web of light that spread throughout the city.

    In a way, it reminded her of the light show that were the resort''s prisms, but the dark sky gave it a solemn mood.

    The girl took her time to walk slowly and enjoy the view.  Unlike the theoretical classes that started early in the morning, the senior practice started late. If what she heard was right, it was because the support classes had their senior practice double as maintenance for pilot mechs.

    She briefly entertained the thought of going to Z cafe, but decided that extra time would be helpful in case of problems in the team.

    "And Rod is probably up to something as well."

    Tsune''s expression changed into displeasure when she remembered the boy. He was still in her phone''s blacklist and thankfully never tried to contact her, but she knew he was stubborn.

    "Well, I''ll deal with it as it comes."

    -

    Her steady stride was interrupted when she arrived to the academy''s enourmous dome. Right before the academy entrance, the flowing rain water hit the stairs and splashed everything around them.

    Normally it wouldn''t even give her pause, as she''d jump over it, but today she risked getting muddy water on the brand new pilot suit. And knowing Den, he would want a ceremonial photo of his team''s first official day together.

    ''Hey, Red, why are you staring at the door?''

    The girl turned around, instantly recognizing the voice she didn''t hear for a while. And when she saw the ever smiling young man, she was spot on.

    ''Blade? What are you doing here so early?''

    ''Taking support classes as part time lessons. I want to learn how to make my sword even better. Are you here to add some creativity to your designs?''

    ''Nah, I just woke up early.''

    Tsune was about to wave him goodbye, but a solution to her problem came to her mind.

    ''Hey, Blade. Can you carry me over the water? I don''t want my suit to get wet.''

    His laughter felt like an immediate punishment for asking to help her with something so petty. But the boy did not mean to offend, as the fit of fun stopped as abruptly as it started.

    ''Very well, Red. It wouldn''t be right to refuse a lady.''

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    She thought he would just lift her over to the stairs. But instead, the blonde was given the full on princess carry. It was over quickly, but Tsune was thankful that the dawn''s sunlight masked her reddened cheeks. And she wasn''t sure, but she might''ve heard him grumble about weight under his breath.

    -

    After entering the academy, she couldn''t help but slow down. She hoped for traces of her embarassement to go away before others could see it. But even though that didn''t happen, her hope was answered in a different way in the training hall.

    The place, where her dream of being a mech pilot turned out to be reality, was so full that nobody even looked in her direction. Nevertheless, she chose to walk alongside the wall.

    As she made her way through, many flashes of light reflected off the brand new uniforms. Most of them were from phones that called their owners to step out of the crowd. And with other students pushing back to let others pass, pushing through to their new or friends, or just being restless, it was a time consuming challenge. It even sparked arguements that were immediately extinguished by the attentive teachers.

    After they got out ,the students formed the lines before their future teachers. Some would learn the support roles, some would study in the fields unrelated to robots, while others would repeat Tsune''s choice. But she sincerely hoped for their academy years to not be as turbulent.

    -

    When she arrived to the senior training grounds, Tsune was met with a surprise. Her new student card, that was supposed to unlock the door, was as useless as her previous one.

    -Access denied-

    Receiving the same message after retrying, the girl turned to the guard post near the door.

    ''Why isn''t my card working?''

    Before answering, the man projected a map of the senior training area on the glass that separated them.

    ''You are in a combiner team, not a Majin team. Therefore you should use your team hangar entrance instead of the public one.''

    Pressing several buttons, he made a red line connect their position and a point on the outside of the training dome.

    "Sheesh, do I have go through all those people again?"

    "And why did nobody tell me where to go beforehand? I expected at least Eider to pull something again."

    Thinking whether it was normal, or an omen of the storm of Aery''s wrath, she made her way outside and around the  dome.

    There she saw a row of big sliding doors that were built into the ground around the dome. Some of them laid flat on the ground, hiding lifts that led into underground vaults. Others were vertical, each shielding a sizable tunnel entrance. Her target was the tunnel entrance that was painted into chrome, red and blue.

    -

    Peeking inside the human sized door that was unlocked by her phone, she was met with the hiss of hydraulics and a loud stomp. Going down the tunnel she could make out a giant metal paw and clanking of tools. She even felt the walls vibrate when the paw raised and then returned to the floor.

    "Should I be here this early?"

    It was her team''s hangar but she wasn''t sure if people below were from her team. But with the alternatives being waiting in the barely lit tunnel, or under the rain, she chose to go forward.

    Entering the hangar proper, the blonde girl stopped in awe. The scene was like an artbook''s concept art brought to life.

    A red mecha eagle stood in the center of the open space, its metal feathered wings spread over two tall and tough looking tanks. Easily dwarfing their remote controlled counterpart, they stood at around four meter tall. But the dangerous feel they had paled in comparison to the menacing look of the twin mecha wolves.

    Tsune stood there and took in everything about that display. And she would''ve stared for even longer, if she didn''t see a crouched figure below the eagle.

    To her surprise, it was Eider, which showed that the team''s maintenance was done in-house.  As she walked further in, she noticed Hem who was half inside of the head of a mecha wolf.

    Finally making a choice among tools that were scattered on the floor, Eider noticed Tsune as he turned around to pick up the tool bag.

    ''Good morning to you too.''

    After throwing a rough looking box with several dials into the bag, he pointed at the wolf that the other boy worked on.

    ''If you didn''t believe me about having to rescue Hem from living here, you now have a golden opportunity.''

    Closing the bag, the boy swung and threw the entire thing on top of the eagle''s back. As he climbed the ladder, he continued.

    ''Help Hem if he asks for it, okay?''

    -

    "This is a bit too small."

    The girl moved around, trying to find a better position. She even pushed herself back into the chair as much as possible, but her bust still threatened to cover the controls.

    "Should I tell him?"

    She wasn''t sure she could take the embarassment of telling him the reason. And even if she grit her proverbial teeth and ignored it, it left a completely valid excuse for him to worry about it later. She was still growing after all.

    The girl looked around once again, searching for a different reason that was relevant enough to tell Hem to remake the cockpit.

    Both joysticks were convenient, neither forcing her to reach out in the farthest positions, nor making her elbows press into her sides or past the chair. The buttons and screen console in front had been designed for easy navigation.

    Unlike the VR training''s mass produced controls, they could be operated in a blind rush. To be frank, she could bet that everything here was at least of purple rarity tier.

    "If I tell him to remake everything, it''ll be just a repeat of that date aftermath, wouldn''t it."

    A memory of that flashed through her mind. And the blonde had to struggle with the urge to hide her face with her hands.

    "Oh, God, I wont be able to bear having him as an awkward shadow again."

    ''Is everything fine?''

    Hearing Hem''s voice and, still lacking a valid reason, Tsune couldn''t bring herself to return this unwanted gift.

 Chapter 17

    Tsune watched her teammates work from the wide forward window. But when both of them went inside of their mechs, her attention turned to the mecha wolf''s control panel.

    Looking at the main power switch, the girl nervously rubbed her hands. The world outside wouldn''t reset if she accidentally wreaked havoc with several hundred tons of metal. But, like a plane modeler who finally got to pilot the real thing, she could hardly keep her hands off. Even the red light from inactive main power switch seemed to invite experiments.

    "And here I thought I was ready. Its worse than before my first public arena match."

    First, Tsune carefully moved the movement joystick around, then looked closer at the foundation that was closer to a gel than solid. The stick easily moved through it, and with triggers that switched fine control to limb parts, gave her six axis mobility.

    Then her finger ran across the entire console. From the held control, to the buttons right in front of her, to the status screen with the wolf''s wireframe model, to second stick with a fire trigger.

    "Man, now my training matches seem daredevil. I was even doing them without the assistant device."

    As if it heard her thoughts, or saw her through the cloth, Mapo flew up. First it spun the bag, then floated to the controls, making slow wide rings around the joystick hand.

    Tsune made Mapo chase her hand, as if it was a pet. These machines learned decision patterns of their owners, followed up and predicted their actions, while filtering erratic commands. Soon, she remembered the diamond shaped stone from the resort hangar. She couldn''t remember Hem''s words exactly, but he did say it was from the previous generation.

    ''If you were born earlier, would you look like a huge gem too?''

    Instead of an answer, Mapo rubbed the bag''s zipper against her hand. But she pushed it to the ground, the first lesson was no time for a device as advanced.

    The doors to the training grounds opened and Den''s team started leaving for practice. First to move were the tanks piloted by Den and Aery, then Eider''s eagle folded its wings and carefully followed them.

    The blonde switched the power on and slid the joystick ever so slightly forward. Her wolf raised its paw to take the first step, whose metallic echo reverberated throughout the hangar. To her surprise, the head kept its position relative to the ground and kept her perspective stable.

    -

    When her mech left the door, a holographic map overlayed the top right of the viewscreen. Top left was taken by a transmission from their new teacher.

    -Students! I welcome you to the first day of your senior training. Over the last two years you have gathered knowledge and skills for this moment. Its time for you to start learning how to be a professional pilot.-

    -The first step would be getting used to your mech''s standard movement. Unlike VR training where some of you have chosen to remain stationary, getting to your battlefield safely is a must have for any pilot.-

    When the audio cut off, a glowing line moved through the map. It showed the start position on the mecha scaled running track.

    -

    An hour later.

    Tsune kept her hands relaxed on the controls as the building sized wolf ran straight, alongside several other animal mechs.

    "I never imagined I could get bored while doing this."

    The only breaks in the monotonous holding control the stick forward, was moving it to the side during turns. But even that came only once per several minutes so she had to remain idle for majority of the time. And since it was too irresponsible to divert her attention from the road, or the controls, the novelty of being a pilot was all but gone.

    The girl glanced at the clock, hoping that the last lap somehow made the time move faster. But with her hopes dashed once again, she couldn''t help but sigh over having to do this for another hour.

    And for the remainder of the week as well.

    -

    At the end of the day, she carefully lead the wolf into the hangar.

    When it stopped in the same place she took it from, the girl was almost glad to leave the joystick and flip the main switch. Seconds later she was out of the cabin and walking to others.

    Den took his sweet time finding a perfect angle for the team photo, so Tsune used the extram time to get rid of the stale feeling in her muscles. But when she locked her arms behind her and started to stretch, she heard a question from Hem.

    ''So, how was the first day?''

    ''It was so easy it became boring. By the way, is the red button control for combat?''

    ''Yeah. Are you going home now?''

    ''Probably not yet. I''ll see you tomorrow.''

    Several minutes later, Den finally found the angle for their team photo and hurried to them after setting a timer. As he stood between the girls, Tsune wisely chose to keep a neutral expression, while Aery was all smiles.

    -

    ''Wait, please wait!''

    With her blonde hair fluttering behind, Tsune managed to catch up with the senior teacher before he left the academy.

    When he saw heavy breathing, the older man put down his bag and patiently waited. Soon, the girl wiped the sweat off her forehead and straightened her back with some help from her hands.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ''Teacher, I have a request. One of my teammates helped me with the control system but there''s a problem. I sometimes... block the controls right in front of me.''

    ''And?''

    ''And I can''t ask him directly. It''s too embarassing. So I thought you could take a look at it and ask him to change it without bringing me it up.''

    Before he answered, the man took out a folder out of his bag and paged through it.

    ''I''m not sure how well you know the academy regulations, but before asking me for a private favor, you should follow the procedure.''

    Taking the offered paper, Tsune saw that it was the list of rules for combiner teams.

    ''If you are still willing to ask me, you need to write a request. Without it there might be trouble if your team leader sees it as a breach of hierarchy.''

    "Write it down? If Aery learns about this, she''ll get beyond mad."

    Sighing, the girl put the list into her bag and then shook her head.

    ''I''ll deal with it myself then. Thank you for listening,''

    -

    After the basic training week, the boredom of the running track sessions was wiped out with addition of randomly appearing obstacles. And even after a month, their density continued to grow with almost every day.

    "Dodge it, dodge it in time!"

    The blonde inclined the joystick forward right, to make the wolf fall on its right legs and slide under a drone that suddenly changed its altitude.

    Once past it, the girl moved to unzip the bodysuit''s top, but immediately she slammed the jump pedal instead.

    While the robot flew over the wall that rose from the ground, she finally let out the breath she didn''t know she was holding.

    "Is it even humane to pull such feints against students? My heart almost jumped out!"

    Slowing down to let another drone pass across her lane, the girl fully breathed in and out. Even though none of the hindrances could damage mechs, they made the training stressful.

    But compared to the first week, this was much closer to the mech piloting she imagined. Especially if she dodged while trying to be faster than other mechs.

    And with the training hours now limited by the number of laps and avoided barriers, instead of preset hours, most pilots had no reason to hold back.

    -

    But the drones and walls weren''t the only threat on the track. And Tsune met that problem when she had to decide between evading the next object, or crashing into a nearby mech that made an abrupt and unstable jump.

    In the end, her mech smashed through the raised surface.

    -Objective failed by Tsune Red-

    Hearing the AI put the blame on her without accounting for the situation, the girl couldn''t stay quiet.

    ''What? Why me? Why only me?''

    -Object was destroyed-

    ''But I couldn''t move to the side. The other robot had a bad jump.''

    -Data is inconclusive-

    ''Whatever!''

    Agitated after that exchange, Tsune twisted the movement control with more force than necessary. After almost grazing two drones that formed a rotating circle, she gave herself a brief moment to look at the map.

    It tracked her team positions and the most notable was Hem, who solved the traps as if he played a platformer.

    "Man, he''s not competitive at all."

    -

    A couple of hours later, Tsune was done with the entire day''s worth. And now she watched the rest of her team from behind the hangar''s door.

    Hem still had several laps left. Tanks did quick maneuvers on the central field while keeping their turrets aimed at moving targets. And as far as she could understand, the main difficulty came from trying to draw fancy romantic symbols with their tracks at the same time.

    But most of her attention was taken by Eider''s eagle that soared closer to the ceiling. The giant predator majestically flew alongside the beam drawn 3d track without flapping its wings.

    When it reached a corner, it wings sharply moved around to change the center of gravity and the center of invisible propulsion.

    "Shucks, makes me almost wish I could choose a team robot. I wonder if Eider was the one who talked Den into giving me the wolf."

    Moving her eyes away from the eagle, that was showing off in the sky, the girl picked up her bag and turned to leave.

    -

    Once outside the academy, Tsune walked deliberately slow. Her nerves were still a little high strung after the failed obstacle, so she decided to walk her stress off first.

    And as there were no plans set beforehand, she went to the first place she thought about, the *Z cafe*.

    Unfortunately for her, she saw her former classmate inside. Who doubled as her former team manager.

    "What is he doing here."

    Tsune was about to turn and quietly leave, but the boy waved to her. Given the level of his excitement, faked or otherwise, he would make a scene. So it left her little choice.

    ''What do you want?''

    Rod''s expression showed surprise, then indignation.

    ''I just wanted to talk to a classmate I haven''t seen since the exams. You''ve even blacklisted me for some reason.''

    ''Then talk. But I have no intention of quitting my team.''

    Tsune sat across the boy and put her attention into the menu. After a short silence and a sigh, the boy spoke.

    ''You do understand the importance of the script. I know it, I''ve talked to your teammate. You went to the classic pilot to prevent the attack. But...''

    Rhodes put both of his elbows on the table to move closer.

    ''For some reason, you keep going against it. You were lucky with resort, but there''s no guarantee that it will repeat in the future.''

    ''For some reason? You gave me an edited copy.''

    ''Unless I limit the knowledge, you might not make the decision you should and go out of character. I''ve limited myself as well, to follow my life as strictly as possible. But I''m not the protagonist. The responsibility for this world''s future is yours.''

    Lifting her head, the blonde crossed her stare with his.

    ''Listen, I''d really appreciate if you let me live my life as I choose to. If another problem appears, I''ll talk to other people to solve it. Just like I did it on the resort.''

    ''As you wish.''

    With not a shred of excitement left on his face, the boy left the table and then the cafe.

 Chapter 18

    If somebody looked out of the window right now, they would see the starry sky and go back to sleep.

    But Tsune kept her focus on yesterday''s late message from Hem. The text blurred after every blink but she kept rereading. It was the only way to convince herself to get up.

    "Please come before support classes start. Den told us that all weapons must be installed for the first combat test, but I can''t access your parts inventory without your direct permission."

    If she sent back an excuse, there would be no harm done, right? After all, the first combat tests involved only basic melee attacks. Last she checked, her wolf was ready to hit some dummies with its claws. But even if nobody but her knew that she lied, it was still one too many. Especially if the trade was a couple of hours of sleep versus potential trouble for the whole team.

    ''Ah, I want to sleep more.''

    Tsune rose from the bed and stretched her arms. It was time for a forced awakening in the shower.

    -

    ''Hey, dear daughter of mine.''

    When her mother used an uncharacteristically sweet tone, Tsune''s forgot about her yawn. Lady Red looked towards the photos on the kitchen wall. If she had to guess, it was the the team one.

    ''Yes, mother?''

    ''What do you think about your team?''

    Moving the food around on the breakfast plate to mix the less tasty, but *healthy*, pieces with others, she slowly replied.

    ''Its fine. They are nice people and I think I can work with them.''

    ''That''s not exactly what I meant. The boys, Tsune, what do you think about the boys?''

    "I knew it. Mother, why do you insist."

    With a mental groan, she took the big healthy slice. Its sour taste masked the reason behind the sour expression.

    ''Well, they are okay, I guess? The hazel haired is Den, the one on the right is Eider and Hem is on the left.''

    ''Anything else?''

    Excited that she finally got her daughter to talk, Lady Red''s eyes all but glowed with interest.

    ''Well, Eider pilots an eagle mech, its cool watching it fly. Den pilots a tank, but its not as interesting. Hem has a wolf and usually runs slow.''

    ''Boriiiing. Don''t be like your father when he was young. Whenever I wanted him to be expressive, he always talked about non personal things.''

    With a shallow sigh that faked disappointment, the older woman continued.

    ''I just want to know about you and people you could share years of your life with. The other girl in the photo is smiling but not you.

    They never come to visit and the only time you didn''t go straight home after lessons was also the time you looked annoyed. And after the yesterday''s message you woke up so early.''

    ''Mother, its fine. They are nice people. And as for the reason I don''t go anywhere with them... Well, I never did that before.''

    Honestly, Tsune wasn''t against discussing her team, or her mech with her parents. But if she said something she didn''t mean to, it could lead to a misunderstanding. Her mother might even try to help her social life.

    And unwanted gifts were the worst kind, unpleasant to receive and hard to get rid of.

    -

    The weather outside was chilly and the girl held the fabric of her warm uniform shirt closer to the body. The end of second month of autumn usually wasn''t this cold. But since the sun was yet to rise, she shivered with every gust.

    As soon as she walked into a stream of warm air that rose through the tunnel, she was suddenly assaulted with an overwhelming urge to yawn.

    Dropping the bag with the assistant device as she tried to contain the relaxed reaction, the girl missed that Mapo started to fly again. It rose to her hands and poked them with a side of the bag.

    ''Oh, fine. Just behave yourself.''

    Finally pushing the urge to take a nap in the flow of warm air, Tsune let the metal sphere out.

    Accompanied by it at around hip level, she went out of the tunnel. And almost immediately she saw her target, Hem, who stood before several human sized machines.

    ''Hey, so how do I give you that permission?''

    The boy turned around and the blonde couldn''t help but smirk seeing his blushing face. But soon her expression trailed off as she realized the meaning behind it.

    ''You already have it?''

    ''Yes, I sent a message to Den to warn him about this and he immediately gave it to me by himself. A hour ago! I didn''t know he could do it, honest!''

    Eider''s voice came from above the eagle''s wing to support him.

    ''Usually you can''t. But Den really wants to have the perfect team experience, so he asked for it from school. Still surprises me he got through with that.''

    Slamming something close on the wing surface, he threw the bag to the ground and climbed down to join them.

    -

    ''Wait, so these are my parts?''

    Hem stepped closer and showed her the tablet with a program that was similar to the one she used to customize her VR Gunner. On the screen was a wolf model that had a collar made from tractor beam pods and its maw augmented with the ionizer and the spear''s engine.

    ''Sorry if I went too far, but I just thought that since you liked my control scheme, I could do this too. But I''ll gladly remake it if you want.''

    "Aren''t you just a bundle of joy this early. Well, whatever, if it gives me my sleep back."

    Freed from her task, the girl felt another wave of sleepiness coming. Stifling a yawn, she asked.

    ''Will you need anything in my cabin? I want to take a beauty sleep.''

    ''No, the controls are universal. I can move the legs and head from here. And Eider can help me too.''

    The boy''s hands momentarily wavered, as if he wanted to hide them, but couldn''t let the tablet go. Then with a press of a button, a platform looking drone silently rose from the hangar''s corner.

    ''And we have an advanced installing device. There''s only one, but Den said that there was no need to buy a lot of cheap ones if we''ll end up selling them anyway.''

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ''Then do whatever you need.''

    Preventing another yawn, she went to the wolf''s cabin. And once there, her warm uniform top made for a decent cover.

    -

    ''Hey, wake up.''

    In response the blonde tucked in her makeshift cover closer, so the voice got louder.

    ''The bell already went off!''

    ''Oh!''

    Throwing the shirt away, the girl sat straight in the chair. The console screen showed both the collar and maw enhancements on the wolf''s wireframe model. But without time to properly read the text, she ignored it for now.

    The overlay map showed her new destination. Instead of running an obstacle race, the new phase of training was in the central field. And unlike before, her wolf was alone.

    Turning to the team screen, she saw Hem who was still in the hangar, according to the background lighting.

    ''Why am I alone here?''

    ''Combat tests are usually solo, because they are dangerous. Or maybe they''re like me, still have obstacle race laps to run.''

    ''Thanks,''

    Not sure if the last was a compliment or a snide comment, aimed at how she never read about training phases to keep it interesting, the blonde returned to her target.

    It was a tall pillar painted as wood with multiple poles protruding from its surface.

    Suddenly remembering something, she looked towards the public entrance to the training grounds and its annoying guard. The memory was of her looking out of that window at a cobra mech. Who was also alone in the field and attacking a similar target.

    "Hard to believe that it was just a year ago. Anyway, that robot showed its movement then switched to melee, right?"

    Moving the joystick, the wolf went for a walk around the field. The walking gradually became running that turned into a gliding run that looked more like forward jumps than regular movement.

    When Tsune decided that her concentration was high enough not to make a mistake, the robot turned toward the target. By touching the forward leg on the wireframe, she selected it as a weapon. Then sharply pushed the other joystick to the side as the gliding jump carried the wolf past the dummy.

    With a loud crack, one of the dummy''s sticks was torn from its socket by a claw swipe. But it wasn''t over, as inclination of the movement control made the wolf land on its other front paw first.

    Using it as anchor, she helped inertia to turn around the wolf and immediately made a full power forward jump. And instantly regretted it, as her body grew so heavy from acceleration she all but missed the timing for the next swipe.

    Accompanied by another loud breaking sound, the girl slowed down and let go of the controls. She needed time for her rapidly beating heart to recover.

    -

    The rest of the scheduled time seemed too short from her perspective, as the pilot spent it much calmer. Instead of quick maneuvers, she just parked the wolf near the target.

    But as it bit off, chewed off and clawed off the dummy''s poles, she started to feel guilty about not putting up a show.

    "If any junior students are watching me, I''m sorry for being boring."

    -

    Before leaving the training grounds and allowing other robots to take over, the blonde gave a look to the cranes for combination training. Without work they looked like weird ceiling accesories.

    "I wonder what part of the body my wolf would become? Maybe hands so you could bite the enemy while you punch."

    "Well, it wouldn''t unexpected if it was like centaur but on top of two wolfs. Or one bigger one."

    Slightly rolling her eyes at the thought of a shared command cockpit, she caught Mapo. It refused to follow her out of the wolf so she just stuffed it into the bag again.

    -

    The time passed in a flash. And during a sunny winter morning, Tsune was in her wolf, making the final preparations. Moving Mapo out of way, she ran through the controls. Movement, weapon select screen, attack movement, all were fine.

    -Mapo is ready-

    Even her assistant device seemed to be full of energy this morning.

    -Exam start-

    And as to support the energetic flow, the exam bell rang throughout the dome, signaling for her to start her combat exam.

    The wolf started slow. It walked past the first dummy target and swiped at it, leaving deep claw marks. During the next lap it went for a bite. And this time, Tsune pressed the red button that jumpstarted the former spear engine with a roaring sound.

    The lightning arcs shot out of the wolf''s teeth, as they were sheathed in electricity. With the simple metal turned into powered blades, they went through the deceptively tough material like a hot knife through butter. And then the piece in the wolf''s mouth was burned to ash.

    "Now, what to do next."

    The girl could continue to repeat the same moves, simply increasing the running speed every time. But she couldn''t help but feel that something was lacking.

    If she were to put it into words, this wasn''t something she would remember later.

    -Mapo is ready-

    ''And what are you ready for?''

    -Mapo is ready for your command-

    Tsune drummed a short tune with her fingers as she thought about it. The root of this unsettling feeling was most likely Blade and his over the top passion. And even though the assistant devices simply combined and filtered the commands, her device was special.

    "That guy is infectious."

    ''Okay, show me what you can do. Destroy the target.''

    -Command accepted.-

    Suddenly, the controls started to move on the own. The wolf turned around and smoothly accelerated into a full run to gain distance.

    Then it turned and began to run past its objective, swiping at its foundation. One lap, two ,three.

    Finally, when the pole was barely upright, the wolf stopped and launched the tractor beam pods from its collar.

    The anchors landed around the target, but instead of securing it to the ground, they tore it out.

    The pilot was about to interfere, but it was too late. Following a deafening roar, a particle beam fired from the glowing wolf maw and smashed into the hovering pillar.

    -Target destroyed. Weapon power depleted.-

    Looking at the avalanche of pieces and rubble that fell out of the cratered wall, the pilot could only shake her head. Mapo exceeded even the furthest expectations she had of her father''s present. But at least this part of the wall wasn''t taken by a hangar.

 Chapter 19

    After Mapo damaged the wall, she didn''t show another maneuver. She quit right on the spot. Didn''t even wait for results in the hangar.

    The street gust barely moved her locks, but Tsune pulled up her uniform collar regarless.

    "I should at least reward myself for being done with exam. I haven''t had anything sweet for months."

    Guided by that thought, she arrived to the Z Cafe steps. But entered only after looking over the clients.

    -

    Taking a spoonful of the cafe''s ice cream, the girl felt tension melt together with the treat. As she slowly ate her portion, Tsune managed to abstract herself from the world around her and think about the exam again. But this time she approached it like an observer, analyzing everything as if she watched it on TV.

    Soon enough she arrived to the reason behind the accident. It was the idea of Blade''s show off piloting that resonated with the passion she had for super robots.

    And letting him know that it was his fault was almost as attractive as the sweets before her.

    ''Hello, Red. Are you going to talk about the academy drama too?''

    "Drama?"

    Embarrassed to the point of blushing, her voice became higher than usual.

    ''It was because of you!''

    ''Me?''

    ''Yes, you. I''ve been doing fine, but couldn''t help but think that it was boring. So I asked my assistant device to destroy the dummy.''

    The girl was ready to continue, but laughter from the other side interrupted her.

    "Oh, my God."

    At first she waited for it to end, but soon it started to get on her nerves. Lowering the volume until he stopped making fun of her, she continued to savor her ice cream.

    ''I assumed it was you accepting the burning feelings of a warrior and getting carried away. But choosing the wrong word fits you so much better.''

    Blade paused for a second, as girl imagined, to wipe the tears from laughing too much. And she used the opportunity to change the topic.

    ''So what was that drama you were talking about?''

    ''Ah, some parts went missing from inventories of several students, so they had trouble preparing for combat exams. Apparently it happened a while back too.''

    A sudden thought appeared in the blonde''s mind as his words resonated with something from her memory.

    "Is that why Eider was surprised that morning? Why did nobody tell me?"

    ''Anyway, the victims keep calling me about you.''

    ''Why would they ask you?''

    ''Beats me. Maybe it''s because I''m the only one answering their questions. Or they think we are the best friends because we sparred in VR a couple of times.''

    Suddenly, Tsune heard a series of noises that reminded her of a metallic battle cry.

    ''And here''s another one. *Intelligent Logic* this, *Intelligent Logic* that. I swear they keep going in circles. Well, I''ll see you around then.''

    "That didn''t go as planned."

    Looking down on the ice cream, the girl saw that there was a barely a spoonful left. Briefly conflicted about buying another, she nevertheless stood up to leave.

    -

    ''I''m back, mother.''

    ''Welcome back.''

    Lady Red stood in the hall, trying to look as nonchalant as she could. But what attracted the daughter''s attention was one of her hands. It was hidden behind her back and was holding something.

    ''Congratulations for finishing the exam, Tsune.''

    With that, her mother took out her present. It was a neatly folded piece of paper that was tied with a ribbon.

    ''I''ve heard that you had some misunderstandings with your team, so I bought you five tickets to the Enchanted Snowland.''

    Feeling her mood tank a bit, the blonde took the paper nonetheless.

    ''Thank you.''

    But externally, she thanked her mother for the effort. Tickets for a seasonal event were probably hard to get and it was probably a great place. But nevertheless, what was she supposed to do with five?

    "This is why I can''t talk to both of you about anything. "

    However that wasn''t the end for the surprises, as her mother proceeded to explain just that.

    ''And don''t worry. I got the idea from your team leader when I called him today. I haven''t told him I already bought the tickets, so if you want to refuse, I''ll just refund them and buy us a great big cake. Dietic of course.''

    Winking at the last part, Lady Red sauntered off to the parents room, leaving the teen looking at the five colored paper slips. She felt her conscience sting her for assuming too much too fast.

    -

    "Haaah."

    After changing clothes, the girl dropped into her favorite hall chair. With the phone in one hand and one of the tickets in another.

    She would put this off, and give herself a day of leisure, but the tickets were for the day after tomorrow.

    "Let''s see."

    Typing in the event name, she was immediately moved to its informational center.

    Top of the site was taken by an image that showed a snowball with a winter park background. And almost as soon as she recognized the snowball for what it was, it started to change its shape, turning into a rose. Then a snow covered title came into the forefront, followed by the general information section right below.

    "The best place to spend the winter... skip, skip,"

    Scrolling past the opening paragraphs, that aimed to awe with beauty of the venue and fun to be had, she searched for more concrete reasons to buy a ticket. There had to be a reason why both her mother and Den settled on this place.

    And she wasn''t disappointed.

    "With our unique technology, we have created a land where the sculptures and even the snow itself will change according to your subconscious desires. We guarantee an unforgettable experience that will let you learn more about yourself and those around you."

    Beginning to understand its purpose, Tsune went for the customer feedback section. And her hunch was correct, as it was full of romance stories that started when the guests liked each other''s creations.

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!But that wasn''t all. To her surprise, some of the pilot teams also talked about going there for a superstitious test of compatibility.

    "So, she thinks that I might start a romance there? Never put Den as a superstitious type though."

    Resetting the page to top, she thought about her plans while idly watching the animated snowball change its forms.

    "Okay. If I go and my creations are closer to Den''s than Aery''s, she''ll get mad. And mother might have a reason to play matchmaker."

    "But If Den sees that I have compatibility with others, I''ll return the trust I probably lost today. And whatever reputation I might lose because of those rumours. Oh, would Aery even come in the first place? I might be going only with EIder and Hem then."

    In search of the response Tsune came to her room. Opening the wardrobe she reached deep inside, digging through clothes in search of the game script. But when she flipped the pages to the third training year, the girl saw that the only listed event was the visit to her father''s laboratory.

    As another mystery added itself to the overall list, the blonde couldn''t help but sigh. All this guessing and second guessing was getting tiring.

    "Ah, why do I even have to predict all of this negative stuff. I should go just because I want to."

    -

    Two days later, when the setting sun was barely visible even in the high rise city, Tsune and her teammates arrived to the Snowland.

    It took two floors of a skyscraper''s second layer, but despite the man-made exterior, the inside looked like a natural winter park during a night. In addition to the central alleys, lit by the old looking lamp posts, there was a snow plain on one side and a small forest on the other.

    ''Well, our gracious benefactor, where do we start?''

    Eider''s voice came from the side, and when she turned around to answer, she saw him dig his hand into the ankle deep snow. After scooping a handful, he watched it transform into a wing that turned into a cloud and was blown away.

    ''Ah, wherever you want. I''ll go there.''

    As soon as she pointed to the forest, she noticed a nigh imperceptible change in the surroundings. And when she acknowledged that something has changed, it grew more noticeable. And now she could see a slightly curvy road into the grove.

    "I thought it answered subconscious thoughts only?"

    -

    Entering the forest, the girl noticed the trees change around her. Some of them grew icicles on their branches, while others had their snow cover shift its mass to change the overall shape of the tree. Suddenly, a bit of snow fell on her shoulder. When she looked up, the girl saw a glimpse of a white squirrel jump through the top branches.

    Scooping the snow off her clothes, she watched the snowflakes change their shape. She expected them to melt, but they only lost the parts that connected the radial spokes, turning the strange ring shapes into normal snowflakes.

    -

    The road ended in a small clearing, with a human sized pine tree in the center. When she came closer, the snow, that reshaped the tree into a pine tree, drooped off white branches to form more figures. The mind reading technology was actually real

    .

    "Of all the things, why did it become a Christmas tree?"

    ''Ohh, so is that your snowland? I don''t think I''ve ever seen anyone have this.''

    When Aery''s voice came from behind, Tsune snapped around. The snow around her sprung outward as soft defensive spikes.

    ''Calm down, I''m not here to yell. I was just curious.''

    The brunette took a detour around the deforming spikes to one of the pine branches.

    ''Are these supposed to be leaves? They feel like a brush instead.''.

    ''Yeah, I think they are leaves.''

    Meanwhile, the top winter toys completed their shapes. A mecha in a combat stance, the portrait of the Destiny''s pilot, a mirror shaped coin that had her figure on one side. But the lower branches went, the less defined the toys became. From Lyle''s arena controller to a broken snowflake and, finally, vague geometric shapes or icicles.

    Aery reached to pluck the failed snowflake off the tree.

    ''Ah, it seems it ran out of the things to read. Or maybe your thoughts got so strange it can''t do it.''

    ''Why would they be strange?''

    ''Because snowflakes do not look like this. It doesn''t even have a single ring, only branches.''

    Aery dropped her trophy to melt into the surrounding snow and continued with a smile.

    ''Anyway, I don''t see anything here that could be compatible with Den.''

    ''What did you two make?''

    ''Oh, you want to know, do you? Then look!''

    With pride in her voice, the brunette showed her phone screen. On it, Aery held Den''s hand as they walked through the snow plain. Then the camera moved to show them being in the eye of the storm of a twin twister. The bigger twister raised a mass of snow into the air to form a vague humanoid shape. While the smaller retained its wild shape, both intermingling with and being protected by the other.

    ''We are destined to be together.''

    ''I''m glad for you.''

    The blonde looked down on the phone''s clock and saw that their scheduled time was running out.

    ''I''ll get some photos for mother and meet you at the exit, okay?''

    Seeing the other girl nod, Tsune returned to the tree full of her mind''s toys.

    -

    It was already night when Tsune returned home. Seeing the door to her parents room open and dark, she decided against turning on the lights. Quietly making her way through the hall, she put the photos down on the chair and went to her room.

    -Welcome-

    ''Quiet, you might disturb them.''

    After berating Mapo for its unrestrained volume, she slipped into her bed but couldn''t fall asleep on command.

    That shapeshifting snow dug out a dichotomy she wanted to forget.

    Although, it was probably a wrong word to use. The memories of the Earth caused no discomfort and living in a different body in a different world was something she was already used to. But every time she saw her memories materialize, she couldn''t help escape the feeling of complete separation. As if she was a witness to something impossible.

    Eventually she fell into sleep, accompanied by the transient memory of a blue light world filled with mirrors.

    -

 Chapter 20

    "Just don''t fall. Please."

    It was the New Year Eve. And once again, Tsune shuttled from kitchen to the big table that now took the entire center of the hall. But this year she had to hold food in outstretched hands if she wanted to keep it from staining her clothes.

    With the heavy plate shaking every step of the way, she finally put it down on her side of the table. Placing all of her favorite food nearby was one of the minor perks that came with the task she was saddled with.

    Pushing it closer to the center, the girl also moved her crystal glass and the ornate bottle with her favorite drink closer to each other. That way she could claim it.

    ''Next dish is ready.''

    Hearing her mother call, the blonde went to the kitchen for the next plate.

    -

    Soon after they were done, her father returned from work and Lady Red waved for him to join the table.

    ''What took you so long? The food is getting cold on the holiday.''

    Instead of an answer, the greying man took out a folded piece of paper and gave it to Tsune.

    ''I couldn''t get it ready for your combat exam, but Happy New Year. ''

    Putting the present away, she looked towards her mother with a questioning expression.

    In response woman slightly narrowed her eyes and made a question of her own.

    ''I''ll give it to you in the morning. But where are our presents, my dear daughter?''

    The girl already had a cheeky answer prepared.

    ''The photos from today that you''ll have in the morning and my success in the academy.''

    -

    Tsune was finished with her meal, but there was plenty of time until the clock struck midnight. Looking around the table she didn''t see anything she wanted right now. And since her parents were busy talking about someone she didn''t know, her attention went to TV.

    -The New Year has arrived to eastern border of the continent. The leaders of the following companies...-

    Choosing to ignore the dry lists of businesses, their inventions and channels that showed their pre-midnight events, the blonde leaned back on her chair.

    Feeling relaxed, Tsune looked through the surfaces of her glass into the depths of the transparent liquid. Rotating the self made water prism she inspected the refractions to see if there were any flaws in the surfaces.

    But quickly driven to boredom by the factory made perfection, she switched to watching the screen. Except this time she looked through the water and tried to guess what was happening in the distorted images.

    "I wonder if you can make glasses do the same as Crystal Resort''s prisms? It''d probably be cool if you could make holograms inside them."

    "But batteries would make the glass too tall or too heavy. Should it produce power by itself? Maybe with a thermal difference between the liquid and the hand?"

    Her thoughts wandered around and searched for possible ideas as a way to waste time.

    But it wasn''t until her hand started to get tired that she found a possible solution. Instead of trying to power simple glass, she could make a glass out of a powersource. It was amasingly absurd, but nevertheless Tsune imagined herself carving a glass from the diamond that she saw in the old hangar by the sea.

    -

    The New Year has arrived and the family pinged their glasses together. Herbal drink for mother, a healthy drink for father and fizzy mineral water for daughter, because she already ran out of her favorite juice.

    ''New Year be praised!''

    Soon, having fulfilled all the obligations to the holiday traditions, Tsune left the table and, several minutes later, the house. This night was the night of every business, mecha team and even separate people that wanted to launch fireworks or bought the right to project massive holograms into the air. Usually on clouds and artificial air layers.

    The first firework blossomed in the sky, its light unfolding into her academy advertisement of all things. Smiling, the girl turned her phone to the sky. She was going to record everything.

    -

    When a sneeze nearly knocked the phone from her hand, Tsune finally relented. Turning away from the sky filled with light, she went back home.

    With her hand already on the door handle, she heard a loud exclamation from the inside.

    The girl put her ear to the door. Whatever her parents were talking about wasn''t done with the best mood. She would even say that the voices sounded antagonistic. Deciding to act, she walked in.

    ''What are you arguing about?''

    Her parents became quiet as soon they heard the door open but still intently looked at each other.

    Soon her mother broke the silence and put a card, that she held, back into its paper fold. Then she left to the kitchen.

    Unwrapping her present again, the girl took out the card. It had her photo and personal information, with a date of a single day marked by green.

    ''Father, what was that about?''

    ''Well, its a temporary pass to my lab. They wanted to refuse, but I said that it was for my daughter. And I want you to see it, even if only once.''

    ''Why would mother get mad then?''

    ''It''s about work, don''t worry about it. She always knows better than my machines ever will. Now, go take a shower before you catch a cold.''

    "Father, you are full of surprises."

    Unsure if she heard sarcasm in his voice or not, she left him alone.

    -

    The vacation time passed much faster than Tsune wanted, mostly because she did get sick during her night recording session.

    But by the time of the laboratory visit, the coughs and sneezes were gone and she was ready to go.

    When she took a thicker coat out of her wardrobe, it caught the clothing packet with her mother''s present.

    But the girl was energetic enough to catch it before it fell out. She was curious about the contents of that blank bag, but some things were better left alone.

    Finishing her preparations, she moved before the mirror to brush her hair. At the same she tried to remember what was written about the upcoming event.

    "Was it a visit to the observatory? Or was it the Laboratory''s underground hangar? Or was that for the second visit?"

    ''Are you ready? The car is here.''

    ''Almost.''

    Putting the brush aside, the girl left the room.

    -

    The ride was surprisingly short and just ten minutes later, the car was near the Red Labs complex.

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!It looked exactly like she remembered it from the game''s intro; a big concave spire, in the center of a big square, with tall and thin beehive antennas that rose from the four corners. And if before she thought of them as decorations, up close they impressed her with the sheer amount of power they could receive.

    The car went through opening gates and stopped at the main entrance with several guards in front of it.

    ''We are here. Let''s go.''

    Following her father, who passed by the guards with a single nod, Tsune entered the empty hall.

    And it wasn''t just the lack of people, or furniture. The floor, walls and doors were painted into monotone white. Their surfaces were completely devoid of anything that would make them stand out.

    If it wasn''t for windows, that were few and far between, she wouldn''t have been able to guess which wall was the outside one.

    Despite all that her father never doubted in his path, quickly leaving one door after another behind them.

    ''Not very guest friendly is it?''

    Hearing her question, he mildly laughed in response.

    ''You get used to it after a while. And it works against all possible intruders.''

    Soon they stopped in a nondescript hall and her father took out his buzzing phone.

    ''Emergency? But I''m... I see, I''ll be there.''

    Turning to her, he pointed to the nearest window with some hesitation.

    ''I''ll be back in a couple of minutes. The pilot of Destiny mech is preparing to meet us.''

    ''What?!''

    The perspective of meeting the pilot, whose character was the reason Lyle was a devoted fan of his game series, was hard to comprehend. But If that was the present her father has prepared, it was the best present she could receive.

    ''Meeting him is my present to you.''

    ''Okay.''

    With a sigh, born from the delayed meeting, the blonde turned to the window.

    -

    An hour later, Tsune finished counting all the windows that were visible on the spire above and below. With no other distractions, she had to accept the fact that she was still here and not going anywhere.

    That acceptance was a minor thing, but it was enough for her patience to snap. Despite the promise she was forced to watch the evening slowly roll in to waste her chance meeting. And she wouldn''t have it.

    She took out her phone to call her father, but in an unpleasant turn of events, it was outside of network reache even near the window.

    "Just great. What a great present this is."

    She thought of leaving the building and waiting for him near the car, but there was a problem. She didn''t remember their way here. And wandering a building with no communication was an idea that would get her lost.

    "Wait."

    The girl realized where she was and almost felt disappointed in herself for not thinking about this sooner.

    She was in the Red Labs. The place where the protagonist spent most of their time exploring the halls to research upgrades, customize mechs and interact with the cast. The building whose map stayed the same in every game.

    Looking out of the window again, she roughly determined her position. And when she looked back, the doors around suddenly gained purpose. She was in the third bonus crew quarters that player could unlock if they wanted to recruit everyone possible.

    "I can still see him!"

    All she had to do to seize that opportunity was to move forward. If she met anyone, she would show the card pass and ask for directions. Otherwise she''d walk to the top half of the spire. To the room where the game''s professor Red unveiled all of the completed upgrades and met important guests.

    The journey started with passing through second and first crew quarters to reach the first crafting workshop.

    There, behind the window that stretched for the entirety of the corridor''s length, was the manufacturing room. Conveyors of different sizes held their assembling hands up, looking like strange trees, and the idle multi tool drones covered the floor like cobblestone.

    After spending several minutes looking at the machinery, the girl moved on. The stairs, that were hidden behind one of the doors in an empty hall, led her to the second workshop. Ignoring it and the secondary research lab, she soon reached the lift that went through the thinnest part of the spire.

    -

    Entering the exhibition room she saw several stands made from multiple jointed mechanical arms. Some of them formed flat tables, others converged their top pieces to hold smaller items of different sizes, as if there were rings with the gems taken out.

    Suddenly several men walked in through the doors on opposing side. One of them was her father, another was unknown, but the third was unmistakeable despite his average build and looks.

    ''So, what do you say?''

    Tsune felt her heart skip a beat when she heard his voice. The baritone she clearly remembered even after two and a half years in this world. But he paid her any attention even when he started to speak.

    The unknown man looked at her father, as if waiting for approval, but nothing was given. His lips turned into a thin line and he made a brief movement over his tablet.

    Soon, a robotic voice answered the question made by the pilot of the colossal Destiny robot.

    -According to movement and eyesight focus data gathered so far, the observed person knew where she was going and the purpose of rooms she passed. But according to the observation done after entry into this room, she has no information on the targeted missing item.-

    ''How interesting.''

    Turning to her father, the pilot continued.

    ''So, professor, do you still insist on your project? I''ll personally lobby for the mildest course of action that will solve this problem as fast as possible. If I can avoid doing what I have to do.''

    ''Yes, I insist on it. And another esteemed scientist, you should know about her.''

    Her father stole a glance at his daughter and paused until the other scientist nodded in agreement.

    ''He also insists that you should look for the cause elsewhere.''

    Taking a big breath, the pilot steeled his expression and said in an even formal tone.

    ''Then, by the authority given to me, I relieve you from your position, professor. Now that you all have heard and agreed to this temporary solution, you are free to go. But you are still expected to fulfill all of your duties in the laboratory, of course.''

    Having said that, the pilot and the other scientist turned around to leave. And Tsune, rather dumbfounded by this turn of events, couldn''t even ask a single question until the chance was lost. So she turned to her father, who remained in his place as well.

    ''What was that, father?''

    ''I cannot tell, daughter. I was afraid of what might happen if you found this room, but I''m a bit overjoyed too.''

    ''Don''t speak in riddles. What is this?! Why was the pilot of Destiny here?''

    Braving through the barrage of questions, with an expression that looked like a hidden smile, he came closer and showed a piece of paper with a secret stamp on top.

    ''My late real present.''

    "To investigate the theft in the pilot training academy, academy will temporarily grant the pilot of Destiny full access to property and data upon his request."

    "First people gossip about Mapo being used stealing from pilot inventories, then this."

    She looked up to him, but he weakly waved, trying to speak first.

    ''If you are mad, despite having a chance to meet the top pilot every day, save your angry words. I and your mother will tell them to myself twice over.''

    Confused even more, the girl returned the paper and followed her father out of the building,

    "Just what are you up to, father?"

 Chapter 21

    Tired of being ignored, Tsune started to look for a way to make him talk to her.

    Soon they came to the elevator hall and she acted.

    She ran ahead and blocked the only path with her outstretched hands. She stared straight at her father, trying to meet his eyes, but he looked anywhere but in her direction.

    "Why is this happening? What did you do this time? Or did you do that even before I came here?"

    ''Why...''

    As soon as she spoke, his hand twitched in a weak soothing wave. But his submissive attitude made the girl even madder.

    ''What were you happy about? And why did everyone ignore me?''

    When the only response was another weak pacifying attempt, the blonde felt that if she continued something inside of her would snap.

    And letting out a deep sigh, she dropped her hands and let her father quietly pass by.

    Looking at his back, the girl balled up the negative emotions inside and removed them with another sigh. If she kept stressing out, she would just make others worry about her health. And she didn''t need to add to this disaster.

    -

    As they drove home, Tsune watched the city pass by. Its colours, turned pastel by the falling snow, contrasted with the sharply glowing power line network and made the entire thing look like a mosaic painting.

    "Why am I even getting mad. This is the game world, isn''t it?"

    She breathed on the window and raised her hand to draw a game company logo in top right corner. Now she could imagine the city view as a cutscene. And sudden plot twists were common in those, especially for a main character.

    Thinking that way she could finally calm down, without having to resort to mental discipline. Although she was still slightly bitter.

    -

    When they arrived home, the girl completely ignored her father as she walked out of the car.

    ''I''m back.''

    Taking off her shoes she went straight to the kitchen, past Lady Red who waited for them in the hall. With the door kept open to hear everything her parents would talk about, she went to the kitchen cabinet.

    Taking out a plate of an orange colored sweet paste, the girl was reaching for the box full of thin bread when the conversation finally started.

    "Make him see the error of his ways, mother."

    But unlike her expectations, the voices remained calm and brief even after the greetings.

    ''Fired?''

    ''Just suspended.''

    ''Did you explain it?''

    ''I can''t.''

    ''You are incorrigible, you know that? Tsune, come here, I''ll tell you what I know.''

    Coming out of kitchen with the finished dish, Tsune saw that her mother was alone in the hall. She sat in the father''s favorite chair, with her red hair in a freshly ruffled mess.

    Setting down with the bread packets, the teen took one of them despite the disapproving look from under the red locks. Moving the plate to the center of the table while holding onto her paste treat, the blonde gave back her best look of indignation.

    ''Today was exhausting. I need sugar to feel better.''

    ''That''s not what I meant. And I don''t blame you for exploring that lab on your own, even though you could get lost.''

    Sitting like a proper girl to appease her mother, the blonde noticed a sweet smell. Looking down at her hand, she saw that the bread was changing color.

    "Did I use too much? Its already seeping through."

    She had to hurry and shift the conversation to the proper topic, otherwise going for another plate would cost their talk the rest of its momentum. And give Lady Red enough time to branch out to how deceptively easy it was to gain extra weight during winter.

    ''So, about that explanation?''

    ''Well its not anything he told me directly. But I can second guess a lot because of how I met your father.''

    Setting a mood for a monologue, the woman took one of the packets. Treating her gesture as a green light, the girl bit into hers, licking the overflowing paste.

    ''At first I wanted to become a school teacher. But my parents told me: Set your goals as high as you can, only then will you find out your limits and know where to improve.''

    Holding her index finger up and shaking it to punctuate the lecture she once received, Lady Red couldn''t help but make her daughter smile.

    ''So, believe it, or not, I went to learn the hardest job I could imagine. Training the teachers of the combat pilots to do their job better. But I succeeded. And when I was hired by a laboratory, I met your father.''

    "Isn''t this just your love story?"

    Resigning herself for a lengthy romance that was probably aimed to inspire her, Tsune took another packet. She hoped that the filling of this tale was more useful than the sugary abundance she was sinking her teeth in.

    ''He was a really nosy person, always trying to get ahead by seeing what others were working on. And I tried to catch him entering somebody''s room without permission.''

    ''Even more than that, I thought to make better pilots through teaching them, while he was sure that the best way was with Assistant Device machines alone. We were as compatible as fire and ice.''

    ''But he still got the unfair advantage he wanted and joined a Venus expedition before others. When he returned, I could see determination burn in his eyes. It was like he was a different person.''

    ''He asked for my advice and later made a whole research team that included almost everyone around us, even people that made the battleship interplanetary drives.''

    Her mother licked her finger from the remaining bread crumbs and momentarily looked towards the parents room.

    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.''And he turned out to be such an inspiring man that when he asked me for a date, saying that we would change the world together, I couldn''t refuse.''

    Tsune did her best to keep an interested expression, but on the inside she was getting bored. Perhaps her mother saw through her facade, or the story was shorter than expected, but the monologue came to the part the blonde was waiting for.

    ''Well, after we saw you on the med screen for the first time, he tried to involve you into his research and I got mad. Since then we stopped talking about work, but knowing him, his project was a super special mech part made for you.''

    "Part made for me? Is that why he needed Mapo''s help? Was it was one of hexagon plates the Gunner had in the game tutorial?"

    The blonde slightly wrinkled her nose in disappointment. All that story did was turn an ocean of possibilities into a sea.

    But if nothing else, she now knew that that part was special, if even the Destiny pilot chose to interfere. And if that lab trip was to test her as a suspect, it didn''t make her feel good at all.

    -

    Next morning, Tsune walked around the training dome to the hangar entrance. The grass, that was usually kept fresh with the heat from underground, has frozen during the vacation time and crunched under her feet. The wind picked up the frost broken off by her steps and surrounded her legs in a tiny blizzard.

    Closing the entrance door behind her, the girl paused to brush the snow off. But as soon as she leaned down, she felt a heartburn coming.

    "Why did I eat so much of that paste yesterday."

    The girl opened her bag to get the remedy. Unfornately for her, Mapo took it as a chance for freedom and dragged the bottle with it as it flew out.

    Tsune rushed after her drink, that rolled down the entrance slope, but soon realized that the chase was pointless.

    ''Why can''t you just keep still? You are even more restless than a pet.''

    Slowing down, she let the energetic device fly rings around her, completely ignoring her attempt to chide it.

    -

    Entering the hangar, Tsune saw that the bottle stopped near Eider, who was juggling several wrenches about the length of his forearm.

    When he saw her. the boy let the tools fall into his hand and leaned to pick the bottle. But instead of setting it near him, he threw everything he held into air.

    The juggling continued, but now one item was excluded after every loop, until all of them stood in a straight line in front of him. Flashing her a smile of smug success, the boy stood up to return the drink.

    Taking the bottle, the blonde gave Eider a small round of deserved applause.

    ''Not a bad show.''

    ''Thanks. One of Tek Terra''s sites said that it helps eye-hand coordination.''

    Swallowing the herbal water, the girl put away the bottle and was about to leave to her wolf. But after several steps, she turned around.

    ''Oh, I forgot. Thank you for not pulling anything in the Snowland.''

    ''No problem. After all, what was I supposed to do if you two turned out to be incompatible?''

    "Stop doing it like I asked, maybe?"

    But instead of letting her thoughts be heard, Tsune asked a question she had for a while.

    ''Does he even like me? He never said anything to me.''

    ''Hey, did you hear? Give her the present already. Or are you going to keep it like everything else?''

    Raising his voice, Eider shouted towards Hem''s wolf. To the girl''s surprise, the other boy''s voice came from behind of its closest leg.

    ''I don''t have anything like that! Give it a rest already.''

    And it was so full of denial that she didn''t even need to ask for a clarification.

    Shrugging, Eider turned back.

    ''Honestly, after all this time I expected him to at least gift you a flower. But no, he has to do it his way.''

    -

    The bell rang, but it couldn''t save Tsune from the boredom that plagued her for the last half an hour.

    Today was the first day of the second to last phase of training. It was learning to combine the five mechs into their main form. The humanoid *Griffon* as Den called it.

    But the very same Den, who pushed for others ahead of schedule, was late. And forget just being late, the transformation sequence was something he could finish during the vacation. He even had access to the hangar and academy library if he needed, so there was no excuse for leaving them with a bunch of half baked drafts.

    Swiping her finger across the phone screen, she turned the page to the next sequence.

    "Well, this one at least had effort put into it."

    On the screen, the eagle''s wings created a tornado that surrounded the five mechs. The wolves jumped to stand neck to neck, with their heads sliding onto their chests, and their necks turned into connectors. Their fusion reminded her of the animal part of a centaur.

    The tanks lost their sides with tracks and turrets before joining together as a vertical torso. And landed on the fused wolves. The turrets flew in to form the shoulders and the first set of tracks made the upper arms, while the second set became forearms.

    Finally, the eagle ejected its legs and descended. Its head became the robot''s head, its wings came together as a cape and its legs became the claw hands.

    As soon as it ended, the girl swiped forward to see the next video.

    Some of the videos had the wolves turn into legs, with their legs being feet and heads as knee guards. Or had the tank torso move their pilot sections as a head, making the eagle''s head into a hood. Others threw the concept of a main mech out of the window and made separate wolf riders, with the eagle flying on its own.

    -

    Several hours later, when Tsune was about to make a hard decision of whether to continue looking at the hangar wall or rewatch the videos, she heard somebody running through the hangar entrance.

    That person was Den, who waved something in the air. Stopping near his tank, he hunched down to regain his breathing but stood up almost immediately. He was too excited to wait.

    Looking over the mechs, and the entrance where Aery took her time to come in, he waved his tablet in the air again.

    ''I did it! This is our big moment, everyone! Leave to the combination training cranes, I''ll upload it and join you all.''

    -

 Chapter 22

    Setting the wolf to slowly walk to the central training field, Tsune turned to Mapo.

    She could afford turning away her attention as the Academy scheduled these training field hours only for their team. But what she couldn''t afford was her Assistant Device breaking anything again.

    ''I''m not going to put you away, but I don''t want you to interfere.''

    -Mapo-

    Answering the girl in an earnest voice, the metal sphere floated behind the chair headrest. But soon its lens peeked out from the side.

    ''Okay, let`s see that sequence.''

    With a smile born from expectations, the blonde reset the control joysticks to stop the wolf.

    -

    The cranes, usually nested in the dome''s walls, moved out into the open. And their huge frames started to unfold, surrounding the group of mechs with a forest of multijointed arms. But despite their number, the cranes were spaced out enough not to interfere with each other.

    When the magnetic anchors grabbed onto the wolf''s legs and torso, Tsune barely felt any impact. Looking around, she saw that other robots were securily held as well.

    ''Combination start!''

    Den shouted over the team communication screen and the girl gripped the controls harder. She was ready to execute any maneuver that an actual super robot combination would require. And given how late Den was, they didn''t have time to retry. Any mistakes would have to be fixed manually in the process.

    Or at least that''s how she imagined it, based on games from her memory and what she learned in this world.

    -Phase 1-

    The first to act were the tanks. The cranes separated the hull from drive side sections and moved away the turrets.

    After a safety check, the parts were moved up and stopped at around twenty meters high. Then the first phase begain its final part.

    The hulls were turned vertical and moved together. The top of Aery''s tank seamlessly connected to the top of Den''s.

    Soon, the outside light appeared on their team screens, showing that the combined pilot capsules have already moved to the top and emerged as the head on top of the completed torso. Aery held the navigator''s place in front, while Den held the elevated command position.

    -Phase 2-

    -Engage-

    When the flashing green message overlayed the wolf''s wireframe status, Tsune realized it was her turn.

    Hurriedly pressing the button, she straightened her arm for a cool pose and echoed the machine voice. But the words came out as a whisper due to embrassment.

    "This is so fake looking."

    Acting out one of her deep seated dreams was much harder than she thought. Despite the completely justified circumstances she couldn''t help but hope that nobody saw her do it.

    Momentarily caught in the inner turmoil, the girl missed the start of the wolf''s transformation. And the wolf being turned vertical caught her off guard..

    Rising headfirst, the robot animal''s legs left their shoulders and moved down the vertical held body.

    Once at the bottom, they compacted into a foot with the tail as a heel bone and the main body as a leg.

    Immediately after, the cabin lightly shook and the blonde''s view returned to horizontal. It was the wolf''s head sliding onto the wolf''s former chest, now front and center of a thigh.

    And based on what she could see out of the window, the crane arms moved her''s and Hem''s mechs beneath the combined tanks.

    -Phase 3-

    A low resonating sound came from the neck of Tsune''s mech, when it was less than a couple of meters away from its target, and a cylindrical connector rose from its former neck.

    It entered into a short pillar, that descended from the torso, and interlocked with it to create a joint.

    To finish the lock procedure, multiple layers of flexible armor slid up from the wolf and down from the torso. They competely covered the newly made *bones*.

    Every step was done quickly, precisely and without pilot input. And if Tsune were to give her opinion, that detail flavoured the whole thing with disappointment.

    -Phase 4-

    She realized the difference between the games, where manual docking was the show of skill or resolution of a dramatic clutch scene, and the reality of this world. But that her resolution to do her best was pointless, still stung.

    "Well, maybe its a part of the training process. I mean, if we broke something, we wouldn''t be able to repair it."

    With that self justification, the blonde let her hands fall off the controls and just watched the show.

    The sizeable drive sections, that previously framed the tank hulls, formed into two pairs and connected to their partner. These newly formed handless arms connected to the torso.

    Then as a final touch, the turrets bent and took their place as shoulderpads to protect the vulnerable joints. The barrels now extended behind each arm to protect the elbows.

    ''Griffin ready!''

    Unlike Tsune, Eider had no problems shouting the last command.

    His eagle descended on the back of the humanoid mech and folded its wings into a cape.

    The clawed legs left the predator to become clawed fists while his capsule descended from the eagle to rest behind the robot''s head.

    With the eagle''s hollow head as an armored hood, the combination was completed.

    ''The sequence is done!`

    Den''s happy voice came through the speakers as he threw his arms up on the team screen. The rest of the team congratulated him in their own ways. The largest reward came from Aery, who stood up to give him a kiss, and smallest came from Tsune.

    Even though her smile was from the bottom of her heart, it was faint. She really expected more from being a part of a real combination sequence. But regardless of her feelings, Tsune gave Den''s dedication a round of applause for this success.

    If she were the leader and saw that they would have less than five minutes left, she would postpone the session and lose a day. Even if combination was done perfectly,

    ''Elbows are barely protected.''

    ''Why am I separate from your part, Den? As a gunner, I want to talk to you directly, not just through screens.''

    As if they heard her praise, Hem and Eider began to grill the team leader about his mistakes. And it ended until the cranes return to undo the combination.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    -

    After a successful separation, everyone gathered around Den and his design gadget.

    Unlike the table sized device at her home, it was easily portable and had a touch screen instead of a hologram projector. But despite its mass produced nature, Den held it like the most expensive thing in the world. And looked as proud as he could be.

    ''Team, I''ve heard the suggestions from Hem and Eider but I want to hear the thoughts of everyone.''

    He pointed at Aery and after some hesitation, the brunette pointed at the red metal beak that split down the middle to reinforce the sides of the hood.

    ''I want a faceplate to protect us better. It could rotate downwards from the top of the head?''

    The girl moved to touch the screen to show her thoughts but Den was ahead of her.

    A minute later, her idea was a part of the transformation and earned no critique, so it was Tsune''s turn. And with barrels that looked like unused sheaths for underarm weapons, she had her idea ready.

    ''I don''t think I like the barrels as armor, they look like they are supposed to be weapons instead.''

    Perhaps Den caught onto traces of her disappointment and misinterpreted it as a will to complain. Or maybe her idea connected to Hem''s idea and need more work. But instead of trying to put it into the tablet, he wrote it down.

    Then he put the tablet away, to signal the end of this meeting, and made several steps back to adress the whole team.

    ''I didn''t have time to bring anything to celebrate with, but if you want we can go to the teacher cafeteria. They should let us in.''

    "Well, I probably shouldn''t stay."

    Amidst of other team members nodding to agree, she shook her head.

    ''No, I have to go home. Sorry for being a wet blanket.''

    -

    Tsune was out of the academy, and on the way home, when she suddenly stopped. She completely forgot about about her post training plan for today. And she refused the perfect chance to do so.

    "I could''ve met Destiny today!"

    Feeling the urge to facepalm in shame, the blonde turned to look back at the giant dome.

    She could return, but if Den or Aery saw her looking through the cafeteria, it would create a scene. Or even worsen their relationship as they wouldn''t believe her reason and think that she doesn''t care about the team''s big day.

    "Why didn''t I write it down?"

    -Mapo?-

    Roused by her sudden movement, her Assistant started to move in the bag. But it was quickly pushed it down, because the girl found the outlet for her frustration.

    ''And you didn''t remind me either, so its your fault too.''

    -

    When she went around the last corner, she saw several people in her academy uniforms near her house. One of them looked her way and pointed straight at her. And almost immediately, the entire group began to argue.

    ''It must be her, just look at that size.''

    Unfortunately for her, Tsune got too close too fast and heard that killer arguement from one of the boys. But it actually ended the bickering, even if one of the girls glared at him, from under her blue winter cap.

    ''So, what do you want?''

    The blonde could think only of three reasons why anyone would meet her at her house. The romantic one was rejected straight away because it was a mixed group. So it left only the damage to the training dome wall and the rumored theft in the academy.

    "Ah, good day. Sorry for this interruption. We are students from the same academy as you.''

    The girl in the blue cap paused their introduction as if she hesitated to confess something.

    ''You see, we didn''t want to bother you directly, but your friend stopped answering our calls. We understand that he''s busy, now that the second half year has started, but that''s exactly what makes us seek help even harder.''

    ''Are you talking about stealing some parts from student inventories?''

    ''Yes!''

    Near simultaneous replies merged into a choir and some of the guests took out paper notepads instead of phones.

    "Not trusting electronics is a bit much, isn''t it? Or is Mapo portrayed as all mighty in their rumors?"

    Releasing the rest of her today''s negative feelings with sigh, that momentarily hid the group from her with a vapor cloud, the blonde pushed down on her bag. If Mapo started anything, it would incite unnecessary reactions.

    ''Okay, we''ll talk. But first, tell me why would I steal them?''

    ''We don''t think that you stole them.''

    The guys followed the group leader.

    ''Yes, for someone who ended their combat exam like you did, there''s no need to steal parts.''

    ''What we ask is for your help in finding the stolen parts. We need them before the exams.''

    ''What? Why would you ask me? Ask academy or law enforcement to give it back.''

    "First you suspect me, now you expect me to help. Why me?"

    ''If you have the ability to hack into academy''s servers, you can find how it was done.''

    "Is that the looped arguement that Blade talked about? How did he even do this for so long."

    Befuddled by the logic, the blonde asked herself if she should''ve continued this. But her prolonged silence prompted the guests to talk once again.

    ''Please don''t take us for stalkers.''

    ''Academy only supplies the default Gunner and parts and we can''t stand out with them.''

    ''Can''t you trade with other people? Or buy more part packs?''

    This time the prolonged silence was on their part. It lasted until the blue cap girl slowly answered. Carefully choosing the words as if she didn''t know how to explain something that was obvious to her.

    ''We cannot trade the digital parts, because they are just codes, only the real ones. And they become real only after you submit the design you are going to use for combat practice and Academy pays for discounts from the pack''s rarity.''

    Looking closer into Tsune''s eyes to see if the blonde followed what was said so far, she continued.

    ''Official investigation takes so long that we''ll be past graduation when its finished. Its rare for a student to afford many packs, so if a rare part was lost, its lost for good. And gold rarity parts are very rare. We here are about a half of everyone in the academy who owned them.''

    ''I see...''

    "Just buy more packs? Why did I say it like that?"

    The blonde pushed her collar as high as it could in order to hide her embrassment.

    She recalled her trips to the shop, and leisurely throwing tens of packs into her bag, and her cheeks flushed even harder. Despite her efforts it seemed that her father succeded in spoiling his princess.

    But even rain clouds come with a silver lining and this situation was no exception. This could give her a legit, if informal, reason to approach the Destiny''s pilot.

    ''I can''t promise anything myself, but I know who to talk to about it.''

    Adding her hands to cover her red cheeks above the collar, she nodded as a goodbye and resumed walking to her house. To her surprise the group let her through, probably thinking she was cold.

    -

 Chapter 23

    Entering the house, Tsune met her mother who read a book in the hall.

    ''Who were they?''

    ''Just some students from other classes. They lost some parts from their academy accounts and asked me to help.''

    ''Why you?''

    Lady Red intently looked at the girl, her expression more like a teacher than a parent.

    ''We can ask your father instead. And I have some connections in your academy as well.''

    ''Well, I don''t know how yet but I wont leave them hanging if I can''t. Why are you even asking?''

    ''Because the last time you made a sudden decision like that we were worried sick. We thought that your new team did something to make you join them.''

    "Oh. So that''s what that was about."

    The girl recalled all the fuss her parents made her go through as she prepared to leave to the sea resort. But more importantly, she understood what her mother was getting at.

    If she wasn''t as transparent as she could be with her actions, she risked repeating all that. Thankfully, she had a perfect way out.

    ''Well, I''ll do my best first. But if it''ll make you feel better, I''ll talk to the person father suggested.''

    Seeing her mother nod, the girl finally put an end to this busy day by going to her room and dropping on the bed with her phone.

    She had several videos from the Orbital Ring to watch. And she wanted to see if their promise of showing the best vistas in the solar system rang true or not.

    -

    The next day''s training was a repeat of the yesterday. With a single exception. Den came in earlier, so they had plenty of time after the improved transformation sequence was completed.

    Although the sequence itself wasn''t complete yet the team leader gathered the team for another post training meeting.

    ''I have decided to accept your combined suggestion about misusing the turret barrels.''

    Pointing at Tsune and Hem, he continued.

    ''Therefore I decided to use their mecha form as weapon sheaths and protect elbows with flexible armor. And I want us all to choose what kind of weapon it''ll be.''

    Saying that, he opened the team''s inventory page and the page of one of the Tek Terra''s shops with a large preset selection.

    ''I do not limit the choice by the academy discounted items as I want our choice today to serve us for many years. So choose whatever you think is the best option.''

    Tsune looked at the prices in the orbital ring shop and mentally winced. Compared to this number of zeroes, the amount of money she spent last year looked like ice cream allowance.

    But on the other hand, the team inventory made it obvious why Den initially went without weapons. All it had now were codes for a flexible armor deployer, that surrounded itself with a metal ball to serve as a mace head, folding swords, and a spear point from her old VR weapon.

    ''I don''t think I like either option.''

    Tsune was the first to speak up, as others were busy looking at the options.

    ''This shop has a decent choice, but its too expensive. Instead I could go to the part shop and buy a lot of packs. That way we''ll get a good weapon and a discount together.''

    Den looked away from the screen, to make it clear that he paid attention to her words.

    ''I''ve thought about it. But with the amount of money you would need for a statistically high chance of the chosen gold rarity weapon, I cannot in good conscience agree to it.''

    ''And given that unused digital parts will be void after graduation, I would simply be exploiting your good will with a chance of having nothing to show for it.''

    "Why did I even bring it up."

    Regretting that she caused this scene with her yesterday comments of barrels *looking bad*, the blonde returned to the list.

    At first she tried to use the ideas she used to make the spear. The problem was that it was meant as a sidearm and a finishing move, not the main weapon.

    "Maybe this one is good? Blade''s sword was pretty versatile."

    As others agreed to reject the previous weapon and moved to the next one, her thoughts turned to the weapon choice of her old opponent. But that mental avenue turned out to be a dead end alley as well, as hybrid weapons she saw were custom-made for extra price.

    The remaining training session time has already all but passed, but the team still had many weapons to go through. Tsune pursed her lips in displeasure as she thought about the chances to meet her favorite pilot slipping away with the sands of time.

    But she kept her attention on the screen. If she kept making the scenes that separated her from the rest of team, she could damage the relationship. Besides, the sooner they were done with this, the sooner she could go.

    -

    The next day, Tsune went to the hall with the training cabins. The junior classes were in session, leaving the hall empty and the blonde to her own devices. And despite losing the entirety of yesterday, today she was ready as soon as their practice was over.

    The plan was simple but fit both of her goals. If she waited where the pilot of Destiny would have to pass to leave the main building, then she was all but guaranteed to meet him.

    Also, If the thief stole the parts to improve his grades, then there was no doubt he would install them on his mech.

    And that meant that just looking out the hall''s window would allow her to create an initial list of suspects, out of all the robots that were training inside of the dome.

    The trainees have changed several times already. An axe-shaped hovering Majin gave way to a combiner whose final form looked like a lion that was later replaced by a humanoid Majin.

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.Standing taller than their Griffin, its grey armor surfaces were uneven to emulate the look of a worn robe. With flexible armor sheets hanging down to complete the look and obscure the possible weak points. And hide the equipment it could have underneath.

    Looking at one piece of equipment it couldn''t hide, an ornate silver looking bowl in one of its hands, the girl took a photo and searched for similarity online. Seconds later, it was confirmed as gold rarity weapon.

    "Well, that''s one."

    With a sigh, the girl put the mech on her list. It was better to ask about amount of owned rare parts and hope for answer, than to dismiss the possibility because she couldn''t count them.

    Standing in front of a dummy, the robot lifted the ornate metal bowl before its chest and a plume of fire erupted from within.

    Painting the robot''s front with its light, the flame continued to grow and when it filled the bowl, the intensity of its light hiding the weapon itself, the robot''s other arm moved.

    The open hand went straight through its center in a throwing motion and the fire followed it. Spilling from the bowl, it turned into a wall of fire that roared through the air to engulf the target.

    -

    The firework show continued for a while, as the giant practiced fire manipulation.

    It held its hand over the fire, changing its color from reddish to white. With a rapid movement, the hand turned into a fist and a bright fireball struck the dummy, almost bending it at its base with the power of the impact.

    "Colossus, eh? He''s like a fantasy mage."

    Tsune looked through the training schedule to see the name of the mech and hummed with curiosity when she saw the mech''s full image on the pilot profile page.

    But the same page held a surprise for her. The pilot''s name was Rod Rhodes.

    Her lip twitched in displeasure as she watched the robot walk through the training fields to its hangar.

    Suddenly, a baritone voice appeared from behind, so familiar that for a moment the girl thought she was dreaming.

    ''Not big on friendship with him, I see?''

    Her figure stayed frozen in surprise only for several seconds.

    Tsune turned around, rubbing her cheeks to erase the negative expression while making it look like she was fixing her collar and hair. But she might as well not bothered because her hands went limp as soon as her eyes confirmed what her ears suggested. It was the pilot of Destiny, wearing a monotone silvery white teacher''s uniform.

    Seeing that he waited for answer, the girl rushed to speak. Barely remembering that speaking everything that there was to tell was a bad idea, she nevertheless managed to restrain herself.

    ''Ah, no. We met when... he made a scene and barely know each other. He''s just very stubborn.''

    ''I see. If I may offer an advice, it''s often easier to resolve conflict early on with diplomacy than by burning bridges later.''

    Realizing what her hero might''ve assumed, the blonde felt her cheeks redden. At the same time, her voice turned hoarse from repressed coughing, born from the sheer contrast between that idea and her own thoughts.

    ''It''s nothing like that, I swear.''

    ''Oh? Then please accept my apology. My intuition told that there was something greater in your relationship, so I just assumed.''

    ''No, no. There''s nothing.''

    The man smiled and took a quick look at the piece of paper she held. Then he turned around to leave.

    And seeing their meeting end in such a disaster, Tsune felt her world covered with thunder clouds of disappointment and self berating for failing to hold herself together. But as a lightning bolt separates the clouds, her promise to the student group offered her a chance to salvage it.

    Raising her hand as if she could reach him, she made a step forward.

    ''Wait. I wanted to tell you that a group of students in my year had some of their golden parts stolen. I promised to help them by asking the most qualified person I know.''

    ''Your father never changes.''

    He lifted his hand to stifle the potential attempts to defend Professor Red and continued.

    ''I know it because he''s the only one who knew I''ll be here. And compared to our previous meeting, you looked like you expected I would be here. I can trust myself in at least this much.''

    The pilot briefly looked at the bag where Mapo, freed from the weight of her hand, started moving again.

    ''As for your matter, it is a good chance to learn the social skills you''ll need in your career. And the weight of giving somebody your promise.''

    ''I wouldn''t leave others hoping for no reason. A pilot that I aspire to be would never betray trust like that.''

    Tsune repeated the words she told her mother. But this time, faced with her favorite character, she meant what she said.

    ''I''m glad to hear that. But I''m not going to leave you without support either. How about meeting here once a week for a progress report?''

    Nodding so eagerly that she saw the green ends of her hair fly up, the blonde watched the man walk away until he was out of sight.

    Then she returned to her earlier task, but the emotional high made it hard to even remember her goals, much less focus on them.

    "What was I thinking before? Was it find the one with a motive, or the one with most rare parts?"

    After a minute of trying to combat the short-term memory loss, she looked to her suspect list and the required memories flared back to the surface.

    "Oh, right. If anyone will be capable of stealing the digital parts, it would somebody who has meta knowledge."

    Looking at the training schedule again, she saw that Colossus''s session was the last, so her today''s duty was finished.

    As the blonde walked to the exit, there was one worrying thought that entertained her.

    "If the game had exploits, could those be used here?"

    -

 Chapter 24

    The next week came flying in, its passage rushed by how busy Tsune was. Having split her time between pilot training and staying in the academy overtime to observe other pilots, she had only the late evening to herself.

    But unlike the progress of time, the progress of her investigation has barely moved. Even after six days her list had only the people from the first two days, who were fortunate, or unfortunate, enough to own multiple top rarity parts.

    And to avoid looking incapable in next meeting with her favorite pilot, today she went on a trip around the training field. She was intent on investigating people from her list closer.

    -

    Walking to the open hangar occupied by the last name in her list, she peeked inside.

    ''Hello?''

    The owner, a lean girl with short red hair, showed up from inside of the robot''s leg, to look at her guest. And she stayed on the safe height of the ankle armor plate until she recognized the visitor.

    The stubby knight mech barely reached Griffin''s waist, so she simply jumped down to greet the blonde.

    '' Good day. You are one of the Griffin''s pilots, right?''

    ''Can I look at your robot closer? I was a majin pilot myself, so I''m curious.''

    Tsune''s question was met with a raised eyebrow but the pilot waved for her to come in.

    Walking around the mech, the blonde saw every equipped part in detail. The sword, the rare tower shield, the cosmetic accessories, she had seen them already during her observations. Even after risking the owner''s ire and climbing to look past the open armor plate on the chest she saw nothing new.

    ''So, what do you think? Anything I can improve?''

    The pilot''s voice reached Tsune, when she was back on the ground, revealing the the redhead''s reason for complacency. The attempt to get help from the daughter of the famed professor Red.

    "Did she think that I''m a genius."

    Tsune rubbed her hands against her shirt, as if wiping the dust away, to hide her embarassment.

    ''Sorry, I have some technical knowledge but its about making tiny robots for friendly matches. I was honestly curious.''

    ''Ohhh, no, its fine. Sorry for over thinking it. Did you see everything you wanted?''

    Despite staying still, the pilot''s voice betrayed both her expectations and the disappointment that came after. But even the latter didn''t stay for long, replaced by the sheer indifference.

    And after receiving a positive reply, the redhead wasted no time on being courteous.

    ''Then no offense but I''m busy. I have my training session soon.''

    -

    For the next name, the blonde planned to disillusion them from the start. But, unfortunately, she wasn''t allowed even to speak. As soon as the helmet wearing boy saw her coming towards his doors he went to meet her.

    ''Please, I ask you to not approach my hangar. I heard the rumors about the stolen parts and I have spent too much on my robot to test if they are real.''

    Putting his hands together in a pleading motion, he gave a shallow bow and waited for her answer. And of course, he received the one he expected.

    -

    Much sooner than she expected, Tsune was left with a single name left on her list. The one who might have the means to do it but, given how close he stuck to his role, was also the only one without a motive. Nevertheless she had to ask him as well.

    ''Why are you here? I mean, what brings you here, Tsune?''

    Her surprise visit threw Rod off guard. He even reprimanded her for being where she wasn''t supposed to be.

    But the outburst ended when he fixed his nonexistent glasses.

    ''I mean, I''m really glad you came. If you need something, just tell me and consider its done!''

    She waved for him to quit playing around with a fake persona and asked her question.

    ''You know about some of student inventories being hacked, right? Unless somebody wanted that academy discount so badly that he risked getting attention from this world''s leading pilot, there''s a very limited circle of suspects.''

    ''You suspect me? But a man of justice would never do something like that. It''s completely opposite of what I strive for, it''s the villain''s way.''

    Sighing as she listened to him stalling for time, the blonde narrowed her eyes. She had to get him serious first.

    ''Come on, sir knightly team manager, I''m serious. People both suspect and depend on me. Not that I expect you to be familiar with latter.''

    ''Listen. I have no idea how to do something like that. If I was caught using cheats online, it would''ve hit my reputation. And there was no point, absolutely no point, in risking that just to ask you to clarify that, that, conspiracy that started in the team back then.''

    Rod stumbled as he probably tried to use an expletive whose meaning had no counterpart in their current language.

    But seeing him that worked up was a cherry on top of his logical reasons. She was once again left with no leads.

    -

    Time moved on and the seasons were about to change. And with the first days of spring, the team''s training was about to step up from the pilots being observers during the combination.

    Now the movement priority was in their hands, with the goal of collapsing the four automated phases into a single smoothly co?rdinated human led motion. But so far only the first phase was polished enough to be done without error.

    For other phases, if a pilot saw that something was about to go wrong all they needed to do is to let go of controls. And Tsune did exactly that when she got momentarily lost in order and timing of commands.

    As soon as her hands left the wolf''s status screen, the cranes seamlessly took over and docked the transformed wolf to the torso. And after Eider''s finale, the completed robot started to descend to the ground.

    "Why is it harder here? I can do it with eyes closed at home."

    Somewhat disappointed that the anxiety got to her again, the blonde looked out to the training field without a smile.

    Truth to be told, it was mostly because of the thoughts about today''s meeting with her favorite pilot. She still had nothing to show even after using the victim group as proxies to visit as many hangars as they could. And that meant that whoever the culprit was, he still kept the stolen parts in the digital inventory.

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    -

    The pilot cabin slightly shook as the twenty meter tall mech reached the ground to proudly stand on its own. The initial impact overloaded the shock absorbers, that kept her cabin stable, but they adjusted by the time the mech made its first step of the day.

    ''Team! First we''ll have a combat test. Then an obstacle course to practice mobility.''

    Den overlayed the team screen with his plan, showing that the today''s combat was only basic melee. Which meant that most of the training''s benefit went to Den, who was in charge of the general movements, while others were there to make them precise.

    ''So, no weapons today?''

    The team leader answered Eider''s question in an uncharacteristically unsure voice.

    ''I believe in everyone''s ability, but we cannot afford a mistake with them.''

    And hearing about not being able to afford, the blonde couldn''t help but look up. There, through a holographic obvservation screen, she saw the source of his lack of confidence.

    It was the newly bought weapon with two attack modes. It looked like a two handed sword handle, but for now it was split into two and hidden in cylinder sheaths behind the robot''s arms.

    "Well, can''t blame him. Wouldn''t want another wall crater."

    Returning her attention to the main screen, she was just in time. With a quick movement of the control stick, she guided the kick done with her leg. And it hit the dummy exactly into the target designated by Den.

    -

    After the training, Tsune got out of the cockpit with some reluctance. She had doubts about showing up with no results, but she wasn''t about to miss a chance to meet her favorite pilot.

    ''Well, I''m off.''

    She waved to others and, under the excuse of the promise she gave her father, walked to the tunnel.

    At first she thought that Den would ask for details, but he continued to accept it. She saw Aery''s smile at him as she took his hand and thought that perhaps the brunette was the reason.

    On the other hand, Eider never missed a chance to pressure Hem into revealing his secret project to her.

    ''Hey, stop tinkering with your present already. If you don''t give it to her soon, it''ll turn into your past.''

    The puns were only the most recent addition to his verbal arsenal. Honestly, she admired the other boy''s ability to ignore all of that.

    -

    Waiting at her usual spot, near the window that overlooked the training fields, the blonde observed the mech practice. Although today was different, as the juniors weren''t as busy within their cabins.

    ''Hey, aren''t you a senior?''

    When a young voice asked her a question, Tsune turned around to see a male junior. He stood a respectable distance away.

    ''Yes.''

    Encouraged by the answer, the boy quickly glanced back at the cabins and continued with another question.

    ''Can you give me advice? Our class was told to make custom controls earlier than others but I don''t know what to make.''

    ''What kind of a mech you have?''

    ''It looks like an archer. I wanted to use Magic type controls to control the arrow in a cool way, but I didn''t get those parts. And I''m afraid that if I use what I have, I''ll learn bad skills for a Magic user.''

    ''I don''t think there are bad skills to have. I spent all the VR training in a Majin before transferring to a wolf.''

    ''Are you any good with it?''

    ''Well. If you look out of the window, the crater in the far wall was the result of my combination attack.''

    ''Oh! Its yours?!''

    The boy went to the window to look in the right direction, while carefully keeping his distance. And whether it was to avoid breathing in her perfume, or being overwhelmingly respectful, he even held his breath.

    Soon, he turned back to her, with awe obvious in his expression. After offering quick thanks, he walked away, trying to restore his breathing as stealthily as possible.

    Tsune watched him reach one of the VR cabins and open the door just enough to show another boy inside. The pair talked with emotions so high from both sides that sometimes they began to point in her direction. And that alone showed her that she had a lot more rumors surrounding her than just a piloting error and Mapo''s rarity.

    "Where did it all go so wrong."

    Watching them distracted her from her worries. But the underlying discontent kept her thoughts in a subdued mood even when they turned inwards.

    The first memory on her path of reminiscence was how a single piloting error, even as flashy as it was, could derail her life as a regular student. She would want to place all the blame on that alone but as much as she didn''t want to admit it, her academy life was changed far earlier.

    Was it since the speech after the first VR combat exam? Or was it when her classmates distanced themselves by calling her *Boring*. Or...

    ''Ah, here you are.''

    The melancholic streak was interrupted by the familiar baritone.

    The girl turned around, brushing off the invisible dirt off her uniform, and took out the list that still had only a couple of names. She was ready to receive the complimentary encouragement and start a new week with hopefully better results.

    ''Good day. I didn''t find him this week too.''

    ''I''m sorry to hear that. But I have an idea.''

    To her surprise, the man didn''t reach out for the paper, or paid any attention to it. Instead he waved for her to follow him.

    They went to the entrance to the training field, with the guard letting them both through the door without as much as a nod.

    Once in the corridor and far away from anyone ears, the older pilot paused to talk.

    ''I plan to organize a tourney with starting the live mission year with me as the mentor as the first place reward.''

    "Mentor? Ah, I forgot completely about that!"

    A shock went through the girl''s mind when she recalled the very first mission in the game. Where the man before her took his proteg¨¦, the player, to the first live mission in their career. The tutorial mission that was supposed to end with the death of the revered pilot and kickstart the events of the game.

    Misunderstanding her expression, the man patted her shoulder.

    ''You''ll do fine, I believe in you and your team. I''ll be announcing this to everyone soon.''

 Chapter 25

    The hangar door clicked to let Tsune in from the training field. Opening wide enough to let the girl through, it warned her team about a guest.

    Eider was the first to speak out of her four teammates.

    ''Did you forget something?''

    ''No, there''ll be an announcement for senior students soon.''

    Instead of going to her mech, the girl sat on the eagle''s clawed foot. She didn''t know for how long she would have to wait but it wasn''t for long enough.

    If she had to pilot the mech now, she would just let Mapo do it. She was honestly all but stunned that her cherished meeting with her role model might lead to a tragedy. And she had a feeling that something invisible, a higher force, forcefully aligned her life with a preset course. It reminded her of the sea resort''s self-fulfilling prophecy.

    ''I see. Then we will wait.''

    Den looked up from his phone but to her relief, he didn''t ask for any proof. He was probably satisfied with seeing her walk in from the field, because the direct entrance from the academy building was usually locked to them.

    The phones rang in a choir as they delivered the event notification, but Tsune didn''t move.

    She was too focused on restoring her composure. Remembering that the game tutorial''s weird portal attacked the player, instead of the pilot, helped a lot. But with the shocking memories as livid as they were, she had a hard time deciding whose side was closer to truth. Her memories or his script.

    "Why did I think that? Did I believe Rod?"

    Recalling both the tutorial, and the last year''s talk with Rhodes, the girl searched for a reason to discard her worry. And all she found was a single technicality; he said that Destiny was defeated in the prologue, which the tutorial was only the first part of.

    "Did he sacrifice himself later to save the player?"

    When a new idea that merged both versions came to her mind, Tsune decided to put a stop to her ramblings. Otherwise she would go down the same slippery slope as before.

    She imagined the needless memories and current nervous thoughts as items that laid in her hand. Then she clenched it into a tight fist.

    And as soon as the mental image, of those items being crushed into a monolith ball, became stable enough, she stood up to follow others out of the hangar.

    -

    The part of the training field, where Tsune made her decision to join a combiner team, was already crowded. The pilot of Destiny and their current teacher quietly talked a fair distance away from the student lines.

    Ending up close to the center of the newly formed third row, Tsune stood near Aery. But, unlike her usual self, brunette showed no interest in whispering to Den. Instead it was Den who glanced in the blonde''s direction.

    With all the students accounted for and standing in neat lines, the older men turned their attention to the teenagers.

    The first to speak was the teacher.

    ''Students! Warriors must be self reliant and you all have been taught this truth. But today is a unique day. The top pilot of our time, the owner of the Destiny mech itself, wishes to speak to you.''

    With that announcement, the teacher stepped away with a wide welcoming arm gesture. The guest made a military sharp step forward to speak with the baritone that made Tsune''s skin tingle. She couldn''t help but admire him.

    ''I''ll be brief. I asked the esteemed Academy to organize a tournament for the senior class. The winner will start their live mission combat year under my tutelage. That is all.''

    The effect that these short sentences had on the audience was similar to an explosion aftermath. First the silence was broken by several incredulous whistles and then it blew up with a choir questions.

    But the guest ignored everyone and stepped back, while the teacher raised his hand. Once his request for silence was satisfied, he started to fill in the missing details.

    ''First. The tournament starts tomorrow. I want those who are not ready to send their reasons to me. I will put them in later brackets.''

    The choir of questions started again and the teacher raised his hand once more.

    ''Second. All students from the senior class can join. If a combiner mech, or remote control teams win then the entire team would receive the reward. Third. After a bracket is finalized, changing team members, equipment, or mechs to counter your opponent will instantly disqualify. Fourth. If you have complaints, you know where to find me. Dismissed.''

    With that, the teacher offered the honored guest to move to the main building. And the students ranks moved aside without question, hungrily taking in the last moments of their meeting with the celebrity.

    After the pair disappeared from their sight, Tsune felt somebody tap her shoulder. It was Aery showing that Den and others were on the way to the hangar. But before the girls left as well, the brunette leaned in to whisper.

    ''Please calm down. It won''t look good for the team if you keep being that nervous.''

    -

    The first thing the blonde heard when they returned to the hangar was Den uncharacteristically happy voice. He positively beamed with joy.

    ''This is better than almost anything I could hope for. With a name like his, we are all but guaranteed to succeed. Even if our live mission videos fail to sell well, we''ll be set for life.''

    Opposite of him was Eider. He tried to make the team leader to turn to reality.

    ''We might not win. We have many other good pilots against us. And before the teams get locked, their line-ups and equipment will get optimized even more.''

    But his arguements were handwaved away by Den who noticed the girls return.

    ''We have a secret weapon. Maybe you didn''t notice but Tsune walked in from the field. That means she met either the teacher, or the Destiny pilot himself and followed them in. The teacher wouldn''t speak to her, because they can''t pick favorites, and the pilot has no reason to talk to random students.''

    Finally understanding where Den was leading him to, Eider looked at Tsune. The girl in question sat nearby, with the same expression as when she listened to her father''s schemes.

    If these recent events really were the world correcting her life to fit a predetermined story, it was doing a much better job than before. But even if her team was overjoyed to follow this path, she refused to accept it as the only choice.

    ''Yes, I met him before. It was when father took me to a trip.''

    ''Then its settled! I can only ask you, but any advice from the best will help us immensely.''

    For a second, Den looked like he intended to take her hands into his, but thankfully he didn''t give Aery another reason to dislike her. So Tsune simply nodded and stood up to leave home.

    The timeline of script she had at home was all but over, but it was worth going over the end again. At least to see where she would be pushed to next.

    -

    Closing the door of her room, the girl fell on her bed with a big sigh of relief. She could finally release the mental discipline she had to keep up.

    "Finally home. So tiring."

    Without even noticing, Tsune drifted to sleep. The dream was an adventure that was full of scenes from her past. But instead of a singular vision, they were fragmented and some even merged together by playing simultaneously. It was like trying to watch TV from its reflection on the phone screen that played a video of its own.

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    The memory trip ended with what she considered to be the first memory of this world. The empty expanse of blue light that suddenly transformed into a land of mirrors.

    When she looked into one of them, she saw the reflection of a girl who could be her twin. And suddenly woke up.

    The room was dark and after reaching for her phone, she saw that her bed time was already close. Yawning, the girl stretched, making her hair fall from the shoulders down.

    Whether because she slept in her clothes, or because of the weird feeling that lingered on, but she was barely rested.

    And that weird feeling permeated a large part of the room with her body at the center. She tried to describe it but the best words she came up with were: tension and the sound of running water, or maybe the sound of her blood running through the veins.

    "I really don''t have time to spend on weird dreams."

    Shaking her head free of illusions, the blonde stood up to get dinner. She had no doubts that Den would decide to start the tournament as early as possible to leave at least one bracket behind. So gathering energy for tomorrow was the most important thing left to do today.

    -

    Walking into the kitchen, she saw her father eating his supper. When he noticed the girl, he put the fork down to remove the transparent lid off a sandwich plate.

    ''You looked tired, so she left you food that doesn''t need heating. Come. ''

    After moving the plate to the chair opposite of him, he motioned for her to join.

    ''She could wake me up.''

    Sighing at the sight of the light snacks, the girl nevertheless wasted no time. And after she took her first hungry bite, silence returned to the table for a while.

    After everything edible was gone off the table, Tsune gathered the plates for washing but her father stopped her.

    ''I''ll do it myself. I don''t have anything big tomorrow, unlike you.''

    Giving away the stack, the daughter used the moment to ask.

    ''Do you and Destiny know each other? I thought that the tournament might be your idea. To show everyone how good Mapo is.''

    ''No daughter, it was not my idea. As for that man, I met him when my lab started its first major project. And, I know you admire him, but don''t trust that man blindly. He always puts duty before everything else.''

    "Are you saying that I''m a genuine suspect?"

    Hearing that her favorite pilot might''ve approached her to keep an eye on a suspect, Tsune had to put in effort to contain her retort. The idea made sense but she didn''t want to abandon the thought of being his detective partner. At least without proof.

    But she couldn''t ask for it, as her father went over the kitchen duties as if he was alone in the room.

    Soon, she felt silly for hoping for more and relented. Whether it was about that secret from the Red Labs or not, she had no time for his riddles.

    -

    Next day.

    Their team joined the fight as early as it was possible, just like Tsune predicted. Stronger opponents were busy maximizing their chances and would keep at it for a while, so they had a better chance to move through brackets. Even one victory would cut the number of harder fights they would have to go through.

    -Griffin versus Crush!-

    Tsune expected the tournament to be quick matches with both opponents openly facing each from the start. And initially it all went according to her expectations.

    The opponent''s robot, a lean looking Majin, walked to the opposite side of the field. There he raised his weapon and pointed it straight at them. The big barelled gun looked like trouble but it rejected common sense by being strapped to the left forearm.

    ''Oh, man, he looks cheap. Looks like he had the same plan as us.''

    Eider''s voice came from the team screen, radiating smug confidence, and Tsune couldn''t help but chip in herself.

    ''Maybe he''s just unlucky and couldn''t get better placement. I bought a lot of packs and had only a handful of good parts. Or maybe he has a plan.''

    ''I''m not knocking him down. I''m saying its good to have an easy opponent as our first fight.''

    -Field preparation-

    Their talk could continue, but the next announcement echoed through the dome and the field started to change.

    A swarm of training drones flew in to form a wireframe of the future battlefield. Deploying and combining their forcefields, they created material terrain and obstacles. And ceiling bound combiner cranes finished the job by projecting opaque holographic textures onto the transparent energy surfaces.

    As soon as dome finished its transformation into a rocky hill, the teachers started the fight.

    -Engage!-

    ''We are moving in.''

    Den''s decision arrived simultaneously with the mech''s movement. The robot leg tested the fake hill but the force field surface didn''t even buckle.

    Shifting all of its weight to make the first step, the mech started to ascend. Every step was faster and faster.

    It was practically running when it reached the apex. And as Tsune worried, they underestimated their opponent. Instead of trading accuracy for mobility, the lean mech had braced its left elbow against the wall.

    The high caliber shot hit Griffin''s dead center and blew up, shattering one of the armor plates into molten confetti.

    Luckily for the team, the mech''s momentum was great enough to negate the impact, otherwise they would be thrown clean on their back.

    -Cape Wing-

    Following Den''s command, Griffin moved its arm back to connect the forearm to the edge of the eagle''s wing.

    With the arm held above its chest, the wing cape flowed down as a shield. Flexible but strong enough to absorb most of the second shot.

    The third shot tore several feathers off, revealing the wing''s skeletal structure, but it was already too late. Griffin''s clawed fist bashed the cannon off its fixtures and sent it tumbling on the floor.

    The follow up punch stopped a mere meter away from their enemy''s side after the surrender signal. For a fight between humans this would be a sign of fast reaction and mercy. But for slow moving robots it was simply a show off move for the audience.

    -Winner is Griffin. The next battle is in three hours, when the field is cleaned from the debris and re-checked.-

    The sudden absence of battle sounds made the announcement especially loud, it even made Tsune wince. Or perhaps it was because her senses were especially sharpened by the first real battle and the first victory.

    Looking down on her hands, she saw that most of the blood was drained from her fingers and they were slightly shaking.

    -

    ''Good job, team. I''ll see you tomorrow.''

    After their return to the hangar, the team leader congratulated everyone with a calm voice.

    But even though he didn''t look jittery, Aery continued rubbed his hand all the way out of the hangar.

    ''Well, I guess we are staying. That guy won''t get any sleep tonight anyway.''

    Pointing at Hem, Eider waved to Tsune and pulled the other guy to the tools in the corner. The blonde watched them fall into their routine and mumbled before she turned to leave.

    ''Yeah, I might not get any sleep today too.''

 Chapter 26

    -Sun is so warm.-

    Her assistant device chirped from her bag as Tsune walked through the academy yard. She ignored the sound, as it was a trick to get out and annoy her by flying around.

    But even with her attention focused on the phone, she had to agree. The pleasant warm morning perfectly fit the mood at the academy.

    As the absolute majority chose to stay inside of their hangars, adjusting their equipment and team members, the remainder of the last week was yawn inducing. Especially since everyone even skipped practice to keep their secrets.

    And even though over the weekend most of pilots had a sudden change of heart, the training fields remained barren.

    Or maybe they just decided to force a deadline by joining en masse, so that the top teams and pilots wouldn''t have enough time to perfect their line ups.

    Regardless of reasons, now she had plenty of the new info to go through. The brackets had no pilot info to prevent easy contacts between opponents, so she had to rely on recognizing the mechs.

    "So, Rod already has a victory? Where''s Blade? Did he replace his robot? No, that can''t be, not him."

    Today was the deadline but the Skeleton King still wasn''t in. And given what she knew about him, it was a mystery that begged to be solved.

    She searched for the boy''s number and couldn''t help but smile when she saw the note under it.

    "Who puts a flamethrower and a chainsaw into a sword?!"

    It felt strange that this short annoyed sentence was almost two years old, when she could remember it like yesterday.

    ''I''m here. What do you want, Red?''

    ''Why aren''t you in the tourney?''

    ''Because of who organized it.''

    Blade''s voice became serious at the end and that prompted a new question from her.

    ''Destiny''s pilot? What did he do?''

    ''Others would misunderstand if I join. Its complicated.''

    ''What.''

    ''I''m from Mars.''

    He said that so fast that the girl barely understood it. But even that was enough to see what an unpleasant topic it was. So despite being as confused as before, she changed the direction.

    ''I didn''t mean to pry. So, what did you think about our battles?''

    ''Eh, I never liked how team robots fight. But I guess they are okay. For rookies.''

    After a bit of smug laughter, Blade said his goodbye. The blonde was left alone with the question of what the birthplace of mecha ideology had to do with anything.

    -

    As Tsune walked through Academy''s grounds, she made a challenge for herself. To connect robots to faces of their pilots.

    And with the recent tour she succeded so often that many probably suspected her for spying. But with the study year in its last third, she found it hard to care about another unwanted rumor.

    Although, her memory failed about the most interesting entry. The one they would have to fight today.

    The white mech had humanoid shape but everything about it was rounded. Furthermore, small sharp spikes covered its many of its surfaces from arms and legs to its body.

    And the simplicity of such a weapon, that looked bolted on rather than welded, raised even more questions. Especially when the top of its head would barely reach Griffin''s chest.

    "Is it for a spiked ball form that rams? Or beam emitters?"

    -

    When she gave up on guessing the mecha''s secret, she was already in the hangar entrance tunnel. And to her surprise, she heard echoed singing from beneath.

    Entering the hangar proper, she saw Aery on a hovering maintenance drone. With hands clasped near her chest, she sang towards Den.

    Curious, Tsune sought immediate answers. But without interrupting the two, and with Hem hiding behind his wolf''s leg as usual, she had one source of info.

    She walked to the eagle and, when she couldn''t hear any tools, started to climb onto the wing.

    There she saw Eider who sat right on the wing''s surface and held a book called *Preparation for entry to airspace pilots training: course 2*. On his crossed legs was a partially filled notebook.

    "He''s busy too?"

    Since he remained oblivious to her presence, the blonde stopped. She wouldn''t want to interrupt whatever that was before the battle.

    But that meant that her curiousity was left with a single choice. But then she recalled the outbursts from Hem when was asked to reveal his private project and changed her mind. It wasn''t worth it.

    "I think I''ll just enjoy the singing and ask questions after."

    -

    The bell interrupted Aery''s song and Tsune looked at the clock in surprise. She didn''t notice how fast the time flew by.

    The brunette hopped off the drone platform and brushed off a tear before giving a shallow bow to both of her listeners.

    ''Come on, dear, its time.''

    She took the boy''s hand and he stood up, straightening his posture and shoulders. And then walked to his tank alone.

    ''So, what is is this about?''

    Still curious about the answer, Tsune asked the singer herself.

    ''Oh, he''s overthinking the battle. He rambled about *If we didn''t have enough speed, we would''ve lost from the first attack* for the entire weekend. So I promised that I''d sing to him right here if he got a hold of himself.''

    Aery''s eyes followed Den as he climbed into the tank. A subtle blush became apparent on her cheeks when she looked back to the blonde.

    ''I didn''t expect him to take it so close to heart though. Also, can you sing?''

    ''I never tried, so probably not.''

    The tone of the question made her doubt it was asked out of jealousy, but Tsune chose to refuse. Even if the follow up was as harmless as an offer to sing together for team promotion, she didn''t want it.

    -

    -Griffin versus Bloom!-

    The enemy mech entered the training field almost at the same time as them. And it looked exactly as in its bracket profile image.

    -Field preparation!-

    The swarm of drones once again flew out to transform the training field into a battlefield. But this time, instead of a hill, the blonde saw a forest of rock pillars.

    Their height and width varied but all them looked pretty tough.And from Tsune''s experience of a mostly ranged fighter, it looked like a maze that forced melee combat.

    It was hard to believe that the arena benefitted only one side. But did it mean their opponent was short ranged as well?If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ''Does it really have no ranged weapons?''

    Eider''s voice echoed Tsune''s thoughts. There was no way it had only those short spikes. Even if its rounded shapes hid great strength, they were a poor answer to Griffin''s melee arsenal.

    ''I don''t know. He might be one of the pilots that rushed the deadline.''

    Den''s voice came right after Eider''s. But rather than continue theorizing, he gave an order masked as a suggestion.

    ''Eider, can you fly up? I want you to scout and cover us as I move in.''

    "We can do that?" .

    That simple idea sounded like a revelation to Tsune. She realized that she always thought of the combined form as final. But without time to think about it, she excused it as a bias caused by Majin training.

    Eider''s team screen lightly shook as his pilot cabin withdrew back into the eagle above.

    The red predator folded its wings and floated up. And the humanoid mech followed it through the maze.

    -

    For the next ten minutes, the team was in an adrenaline fueled state of attention. But there was no sign of the enemy.

    After another ten, Tsune kept glancing at Eider''s team screen. But he circled above the pillars in silence.

    Finally, Den put the mech''s back against a twin pillar, near the other side of the maze, to talk to Eider. But the eagle pilot spoke first.

    ''Behind you.''

    The pillar behind Griffin''s right shoulder suddenly deformed and vanished, revealing their enemy. And its glowing fist landed the first strike.

    -Thunder Fist!-

    Huge impact bent Griffin''s shoulder armor and the robot started to topple facefirst. And as she watched the rapidly approaching ground, Tsune gripped the controls to keep her voice from leaking out.

    After the crash the girl looked around. Mapo''s bag was sent into a wall with a clang, but she wasn''t hurt anywhere. Looking back at the holoscreen showed that the enemy already raised its fist over their prone mech.

    The attack''s name came and lightning bolts shot from the hand spikes. They arced over the clenched fist, quickly increasing their density.

    `Rocket Claws!`

    Before the glowing fist could descend, the team heard Eider''s attack command. And the eagle shot its clawed legs like missiles.

    Forced to redirect his attack for bash away the projectiles, the white mech gave them time. And Den didn''t waste it.

    The four tank tracks, that formed the robot''s arms, came to life to pull Griffin away.

    When the mech''s intact shoulder hit the next pillar, its arm rotated to land on it. And with a distant whining of the artificial muscles, and tracs climbing up the uneven vertical surface, the mech began to stand.

    -Rocket Claws!-

    The eagle attempted to buy them enough time to recombine, but the white''s mech was ready,

    Its armor opened to show forcefield emitters and the guided projectiles hit the normally invisible barrier. They flew in from both sides to spread the shield''s focus and for a moment, Tsune thought they got through. The field surface even turned visible, showing that it drew as much energy from the engine as it could.

    But soon, the claw failsafes made them disengage and fly back.

    ''Retreat, Den. We need to combine.''

    ''If we both retreat, he''ll hide again. And if teacher decides on a time limit, we will lose even if you map everything to track him down.''

    Griffin brought up the handless arms forward and spun the tracks that covered the forearms.

    ''He''ll need to drop the field to attack. And with so little armor, I can grind him down.''

    The combiner mech walked towards his enemy and the mechs clashed.

    -Thunder Fist!-

    The enemy Majin dropped the barrier, as soon as he was in range, to take the initiative. And even with a rushed charge, the glowing fist rattled the larger mech. The flexible thigh armor plates, above Tsune''s pilot cabin, burned and flaked, but the mech remained upright.

    The response was a hit across the Majin''s extended arm and torso with rotating tracks. They folded the thin white armor and gouged the insides with spikes that stuck between the plates.

    When the destruction reached the fragile energy emitters, they short circuited and caused a thermal shock explosion.

    -Match end!-

    The announcement cut the battle short. The terrain disappeared, leaving only the white Majin, with a mess where its arm used to be, and their combiner. The arm and front armor remained mostly intact but pieces of burning metal covered most of their surface.

    -Winner is Griffin!-

    -

    After the match, the pilots were told to leave their mechs behind. And as she saw during her descend, Den''s head was held high as Aery whispered to him.

    Once on the ground, Tsune was met with silence that was unsettling for some reason. And in order to puncture it, she turned to Den.

    ''So, do we just leave them here?''

    ''Yes. The support staff wants check their safety.''''

    And looking at both of the mechs from the ground, Tsune could see why. The white robot''s insides still sparkled and Griffin''s thigh armor was baked around the connector bone. And its flaked pieces fell right outside her window like a dark snowfall .

    Honestly, if she didn''t know how pristine her cabin was on the inside, she wouldn''t believe it. The whole thigh was just scorched.

    As the team walked to exit, she suddenly realized what was the unsettling feeling she sometimes had after piloting.

    "I missed a cheering crowd."

    She saw students in the windows of junior training hall and that cheered her up.

    -

    The shoulder damage was fixed overnight. But the white mech and her wolf remained in the field, delaying the future battles. And without armor on, wolf''s red aritificial muscle bundles visually clashed with sterile looking chassis and electronics. It looked far more feral that way.

    But while nice to look at, it meant that the pilot was left without her mech.

    "Maybe I should go read Eider''s books."

    Her attention was far from focused as she watched the ongoing repairs. And that''s was why she noticed that a piece of paper was glued to outside of the hangar doors.

    "The only reason I lost was that my part was stolen and you had that thing. You cheater."

    The paper had no names but it was easy to understand for whom it was for.

    "I knew it would happen."

    Reminded of the rumours and the hopeful group that met her at her home weeks ago, she tore down the note. Even if she felt bad for them, asking the planet''s top pilot for help was about as much as she could do.

    -

 Chapter 27

    -

    The tournament went on, with the dome experiencing a new battle every couple of days. Except for the times where the teacher couldn''t end the battle in time. Then the training field got another couple of reminders, of how far the students went for the prize, in various states of disassembly.

    Her team got that kind of involuntary vacation more than once, but even a pyrrhic victory was still a victory that pushed them along.

    And with every push, she could feel a vexing duality grow within. She wanted to win and study under her role model, but the loss would keep him safe from the script''s tragic future. And that emotional swing continued to increase.

    -

    After another bout of repairs, from stepping on an axe blade to pin it to the ground, Tsune returned to the wolf''s command chair with satisfaction. She missed the control over the giant mechanical beast more than she suspected.

    Looking out of the window at the other mechs started to leave, she reached down to the bag. Mapo, sensing her presence, floated up to be let out.

    ''Now stay put.''

    -Tsune is kind-

    `I''m only letting you out so that nobody gets hurt.`

    As much as she was initially opposed to the Assistant Device and then ashamed of it, she slowly warmed up to it. The personality and flight turned a tool, like her phone, into a pet. A solution that was so over the top it felt just like her father.

    Looking one last time at Mapo, who hovered near the floor to keep out of her line of sight, she pushed the joystick forward. It was time to combine and get this semi-final match over with.

    -

    Looking down on the defeated knight-like robot, that launched shockwaves from its claymore, the girl kept a neutral

    expression.

    "So, we have won again."

    -Mapo?-

    Tsune absentmindedly put her hand on the floating ball and that was enough to quiet it. She was busy thinking and the device understood that.

    Over the last weeks it become typical of her to think about ways to change the unwanted future more and more. But regardless of how much time she spent on it, she saw only three outcomes.

    First was aiding Destiny in battle against that mysterious energy rift. But so far, she couldn''t find anything in the Orbital Ring that looked like those *Blue Energy* emitters.

    Then came the polar opposite, just rejecting the conclusions based on Rhodes''s words and a single image from her memory. But given that the script was all but prophetic so far, it meant becoming a bystander that ignored the chance to do good. And it just irritated her at a fundamental level.

    Finally she could confess everything to the target of her thoughts, Destiny''s pilot, and trust him with it. But the only one who knew enough and could present a material proof, Rhodes, was also the one who would never go along with it.

    And if an already suspicious girl said that he was going to lose. To a mysterious rift and in the first mission with the new student, she could already guess his reactions.

    In the best case she would be treated with even greater suspicion, affecting her student life or her family. And in the worst case, it would look like a crazy story that she spun because of unrequited relationship.

    Reaching the end of options she thought of so far, she forced it away. Just reciting them again, without acting upon either, was pointless.

    "Why do I have these obsessions? I sound worse than Aery."

    Still absorbed by her own thoughts, she got out of the mech instead of rewatching the past match with others.

    It was under pretense of scouting the enemy they might face in the finale, but in reality she was ashamed of making up excuses for her lack of effort in battle.

    -

    Once she came to the training hall to watch the next fight, the students silently let her through to the first row. Regardless of whether it was because she was a shapely blonde halfway to eighteen or because of all the ill rumors around, she was grateful for it.

    In the field, two mechs were already engaged in battle. The terrain looked like a top of a mountain with its top cut off and with several ravines that connected off center.

    One mech was Colossus, a seven storey tall Majin clad in flexible armor robe and holding a silver ornate bowl. The other Majin was a head shorter and had a big backpack.

    "He looks like Gunner if I went with traps instead."

    When the fireball was destroyed by a vertically launched missile, as soon as it appeared over the canyon, she understood what kind of a fight this was. It was the battle of attrition where Rod tried to deplete enemy''s ammo. And given the size of the enemy''s supply pack, it would take a while.

    "I''ll just go home."

    -

    She walked with Mapo freely floating besides her despite still being in a bag. When she walked through the door, it hit the wall and cried for help.

    ''How can you see me through leather but can''t see the walls.''

    Grabbing the bag by the handles, she pulled it inside. Once she took off the outer clothing and shoes, she let Mapo out and dropped into her favorite hall chair.

    On the nearby table was a plate of mildly sweet fruit rolls. Her mother, who was behemently against sweets before, now regularly left her these treats for her.

    Cheering up at the sight of one of her favorite snacks, the girl turned on TV.

    It would''ve been easier if her team just lost in a fair and square way. But regardless of the outcome of tomorrow''s last semi-final and the final battles, she had to forget all about it and recharge. And before she noticed it, she cleaned the plate and fell asleep, with the Assistant Device resting on her stomach.

    -

    She woke up in a dark room from a buzzing sound right under her cheek.

    Raising from her bed to see that it was already evening, she shooed Mapo from under the sheets and picked up the phone. On it was a text message, with the largest font it could fit, that led to a video link.

    "What is this about."

    In the video was Colossus that stood over his still smoking enemy. The training field around them was littered with multiple spent launchers and even an arm, severed by a razor wire. The arm still clutched the silver bowl.

    But neither of those things were the point of the video and the blonde understood it as soon as she heard Rod''s voice.

    -This was a hard fought battle. I would like to thanks everyone who fought with me from the bottom of my heart.-

    -I have joined this tournament to see how far would I go if I gave it everything i had. And now its the time to say it. I must rely only on my own effort to get ahead in life. This is my challenge as the hero of justice.-

    -Therefore, I cannot accept the final prize and I ask for the fight between the remaining two fighters to choose the winner.-

    "He just gave up?"

    The video automatically closed but the girl still looked at the screen as if awaiting some kind of punchline.

    "Is he really playing his role this diligently? Or maybe."

    If he entered the tournament just to increase their chances of winning, then it made sense. It also gave him a motive to steal all those parts from students and never use them. But that left a question of how, as his reasons for not exploiting any meta knowledge was believable.

    "Why didn''t he resign after our battle yesterday? Was he afraid that he would be accused of rigging?"

    "Wait, that means everything will be resolved first thing in the morning. That''s way too soon."

    Muttering even more complaints, the girl put the phone on the cabinet and climbed under the covers. Even after hours of sleep, she was still tired.

    -

    The next day, the morning in the academy was full of excitement.

    At the entrance alone Tsune passed by a group that discussed the tournament and its future. Mostly summed up by the last group she passed by.

    ''So, do you think the academy will release the tournament recording?''

    ''Of course. But I want the entertainment format to see whether I could win or not.''

    And then numerous smaller groups that discussed Rod''s speech. Like she assumed yesterday, the theme of rigging was going strong through most of them.

    With her as the culprit of course. And some of them even suggested imagined details that made the blonde quicken the pace, just to hear less of them.

    Once in the hangar, she saw Den distributing cards and badges between other members. And when they noticed her arrival, Aery took an extra pair and went to Tsune.

    ''Do you have the rest of it?''

    She pointed at her bodysuit, reduced to a sleeveless shirt and shorts due to warm weather. When the blonde shook her head, the brunette clipped the logo badge and a name card to her chest.

    ''Everyone needs to look like official pilots. He said he knows the cover of our first combat video. Us standing together with our victorious mech as background.''

    Done with her task, she patted the attached items with a little more force than was needed.

    ''Now we''ll need to wait in the mechs. There''s a chance that this battle will record pilot cabins, so we must show diligence.''

    -

    -Terrain Preparation-

    This time the battlefield was several hills and a big flat piece of land in the center. And visible from their side was a short Majin, with a tower shield at its side. It was big enough to cover everything from neck to shins.

    "That''s the mech of that girl I met during my investigation tour, isn''t it."

    Tsune recognized the mech, but asked a different question.

    ''So, why do you think there are so few combiner mechs?''

    ''Remember the white mech that hid as a pillar? It almost blew up the connector between our parts in one attack.''

    Den''s voice came over the team screen to interrupt Eider before he finished.

    ''Don''t give anyone ideas, we might be broadcasted.''

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    -Griffin versus Javelin.-

    The battle started when both mechs entered the central arena. The enemy brought the shield forward and charged.

    Sparks flew from the shield''s frame and enveloped the mech as if acceleration blew them back.

    -Rocket Claw-

    The Griffin dodged and fired its fist into the enemy''s open back. But even though the projectile easily caught with the enemy, it rapidly lost speed when it came into contact with the veil of sparks. Eider had to retrieve the weapon.

    When the enemy turned around and charged again, Griffin made a shorter step to the side, so the veil''s energy pressure would only graze it, and attacked with a downward punch. But even though the slowing veil was overpowered, the enemy already moved away.

    -Not bad right?-

    The boastful line came from the opponent''s mech as it prepared to turn around.

    ''So, how do we damage it?''

    Aery''s worried voice came over and, seconds later, Den answered.

    ''The front is not protected. Maybe we''ll able to get through with the main weapon.''

    ''Are you sure you can handle it, dear?''

    ''I''m sure I am. But if it blocks the follow up, it''ll leave us open. Oh, right, the wall crater.''

    "What."

    Tsune didn''t pay much attention to the chat, so the last part served as a wake up call.

    ''Tsune, use your tractor anchors to keep the shield on the ground after I stop it.''

    ''I can do that.''

    When their enemy began its next charge, Griffin was ready. Its hands crossed to reach the sheaths behind the arms and took out two pieces of a sword handle. After connecting them, Den pointed the twohander''s business end at the enemy.

    -Metal Hurricane Mode.-

    A cloud of metal particles began to flow out from out of the handle but instead of dissipating, the cloud started to rotate. And after several moments of compression, it shot forward in a continuous twister form.

    It hit the shield, sanding off layer upon layer of metal, with splashes even reaching the emitter frame.

    Almost immediately, Tsune saw that the charge began to slow down. She turned to her Assistant Device that floated nearby.

    ''Hey, Mapo, wake up.''

    -Mapo-

    After a quick trajectory calculation from the sphere, multiple launches flashed outside her window as tractor anchors were fired.

    When the anchors embedded into the fake terrain, on both sides of the projected point, Den switched the weapon modes. Now the metal cloud coalesced into a long and sharp blade and was ready for a horizontal strike.

    -

    ''Now!''

    On Den''s mark, the tractor beams turned on and the shield hit the ground like it was glued to it. Immediately after, Griffin''s sword cleaved through the air, aiming to take the enemy''s head.

    But the enemy compensated for lack of hand strength with its legs. And its knee hit the shield''s inner handle, launching it upwards just enough to intercept the sword.

    Instead of a clean cut, the blade cut off a big triangle piece off the top of the shield and flew diagonally upwards.

    The blade was partially released, to shave off weight for a faster swing, but sensors on the anchor pods told Tsune that it was too late.

    Their opponent was smaller and therefore more agile. It let go of the shield, that already hit the ground due to tractor beams, and grabbed the triangle piece. Holding it with one hand like a javelin, it went for a torso stab.

    The blonde felt these seconds stretch for over the minute. She still had time to redirect the beams to the makeshift weapon and even targeted it, but she couldn''t bring herself to confirm the change. In her mind''s eye stood the scene of her role model desperately fighting against an unknown foe.

    The outside world didn''t wait for her inner turmoil to resolve and actions of others made the decision for her. Griffin was hit straight into the torso, the metal piece went through armor, and the match was cut short.

    -Battle end. Javelin is the champion.-

    -

    After the battle and a brief overview of the last two days, the top three participants were summoned to the teacher''s room.

    The redhead winner was impatient enough to walk first. And Tsune, as she looked at the team around her, felt her walk become springy as well. At first she thought she would have to tread on the eggshells after that loss, but everyone seemed content with the second place.

    In the lounge, they saw the pilot of Destiny, in his usual white pilot suit. And three paper cards over an official looking paper on the table.

    ''So, the winners are here. Congratulations.''

    He stood up and took the cards with him.

    ''Now, let''s get down to business. Here''s my contact data, your mech and you might need testing before we leave on a mission. Someone as bright as you should be done with it over the summer.''

    He offered the first card to the redhead. Then turned to Den.

    ''I don''t want to give a reward as simple as money, so here''s info about a few people you might find interesting.''

    Lastly, he went to Rod.

    ''And here''s the chance for you to earn the reward you wanted.''

    ''Now, dismissed. Except for you, Tsune, I have something to pass on to you.''

    -

    In the corridor outside of the lounge, Tsune leaned against the wall. She and Rod stayed behind to discuss the events of the past study year.

    ''You did have a motive, didn''t you. Those parts disappeared because they swayed their owner chances too much. And you joined the tournament to reduce the number of our opponents.''

    The boy silently watched her speak.

    ''If you are already interfering this much, why don''t you to talk to Destiny? Your full script and knowledge might

    be enough to get him to help.''

    ''I can''t trust anyone else. If others learn about this, they will use for their own ends. Even if they believe it like a prophecy, they will look for ways to exploit it. And you are a fine example.''

    Tsune raised her hand in objection. She did that because she knew he lied and trying to use her. But the boy was too full of moral superiority to notice.

    ''You could be leading others to the good ending as the protagonist. And then you all did was save your favorite character. Even though his death is needed to rally the forces. And now he will go unchallenged.''

    Hearing him, who had a habit of telling her how she should live her life, tell her who deserved to live, was too much. Her anger was starting to boil.

    "You aren''t even trying to explain, but expect others to fall in line. Are you really doing it to help others, or just to keep whatever control you have."

    ''Why are you so selfish. You have a tool to help but all you want is to secretly enforce it on everyone.''

    ''I am selfish? First you joined that team to spite me, then you must''ve intentionally failed. Because that''s the only way to lose a match you were supposed to win. You are the selfish one.''

    The jab about reaching her goal at the expense of her team hurt. But the blonde continued to speak.

    ''Don''t you have your script written on paper? Others could learn about it eventually.''

    ''They wont. Even if they learned about it, they wouldn''t be able to read it''

    Noticing her surprise, he continued with a satisfied grin. As if she stepped into a trap that he laid beforehand.

    ''You didn''t notice, did you? This world has its own language that we speak as if it was our own. But I managed to write the script in, the Earth language, unreadable scribbles for this world. You can read them but then it would be a word of an innocent versus yours.''

    When he claimed to be innocent despite months of ill rumours about her, the girl''s anger grew. Then grew again, he knew about the language difference. Did he plan to use her as a pawn even if she was from this world? A replaceable pawn, if the size of her piece was anything to go by.

    "This''s just it. I am done."

    The anger flashed and burned out, She could win an official arguement if her father supported her. But that would throw Tsune''s life into trouble and did Lyle have that right?

    ''Then, we have nothing to talk about.''

    ''Telling you about the script was my worst mistake.''

    ''Eventually, I would''ve learned, I know this world too well.''

    Saying that to his back, Tsune remained alone in the hall. She had another question for the academy''s premier guest.

    -

    Soon, the older pilot finished his work and left the room. The man went to her to offer the document from his table.

    "Direction to enter the Central Institute of Health Development?"

    But she had no time to theorise as explanation came right after.

    ''I planned to learn more about you by myself, in order to avoid official channels. But your behaviour in the Red Labs, or during this tournament is unreasonable, so I have to send you to specialists.''

    "Ugh, at least I''ll return before the live mission year starts."

    She gave the list another look.

    ''I have a question. Were you the one who took away parts of those students?''

    ''Let''s trade honesty for honesty. ''

    ''My answer: Yes I did. I questioned students you had contact with, after the Red Lab accident. One of them showed impressive foresight skill and helped me to form this plan. Studying under me is supposed to be your dream and the key to opening your heart. But it had the opposite effect.''

    ''Now for my question: What was the motive that overwrote the predicted behaviour?''

    "Looks like father was right. But I''m still glad he will live."

    ''I had a dream about a mysterious glowing rift object using a pure graviton weapon against you if I won. It was silly but the last time was before the Crystal Resort incident last year.''

    With that, the girl turned around and walked away so he wouldn''t be able to see her expression. She needed some time for reason to overcome the emotions and restore her faith in him.

    And she didn''t have time to wait around anyway. She needed to explain the news to her team before they made the summer plans that included her. And then show the paper to her parents.

    -

 Chapter 28

    -

    The team summer planning went smoothly.

    The numbers they received as reward belonged to different regions, with nothing about them on the net. So Den took it upon himself to learn more about them, even if he had to go there personally.

    Aery said she would go with him, as the new experience was important if he wanted new songs.

    Eider was left with finding their team a ride for live missions. He had to convince his friend from the Orbital Ring to help them, if they wanted their ride to be at least a warship class. And with a contract at least until the live practice year was over, to graduate with no problems.

    And with Tsune''s news about leaving for the Central Institute, it left Hem alone in the hangar. Given how impatient he was, she suspected that the guy was actually happy to hear it.

    An hour later, she was back home. Nobody was in the hall and she couldn''t hear anything from other rooms. So instead of the usual greeting, she went straight to the kitchen to grab a piece of a sweet pie.

    But when she opened the kitchen cabinet, she saw a paper sign on it.

    "Don''t take it, Tsune. wait for the evening."

    "Ah, so tired."

    Back in the hall, she dropped into her chair. With no audience, she was on her own with all of the thoughts and complaints about everything she made herself to go through.

    "I wonder what did he think about my warning. I said it was a dream but if it does happen, he might suspect me even more."

    "Why did they suspect me in the first place? I knew the lab layout but they didn''t know that. And I have nowhere to hide anything. Especially a part big enough to fit into a mech."

    The only ready answer to all three was on the surface. Because of something her father did.

    Eventually she grew bored with self-reflection and second guessing. Instead she decided to read the document she brought from the academy.

    -

    ''What are you doing?''

    Her mother came back first.

    She looked over her shoulder at her daughter''s phone and her voice showed surprise.

    ''Are you interested in history now? Or did you look up my old workplace?''

    The girl turned away from the article about the city that housed the Central Institute. After some digging between her leg and the armrest, she handed the document to her mother.

    ''I got this after the tournament today.''

    After seeing the official seals, Lady Red took it a lot quicker than the girl expected. But after reading through, and flipping it to see if there was anything on the other side, the woman handed it back.

    ''You almost gave me a shock.''

    Going around the table, her mother sat in the other chair and hid her face in her hands for several seconds.

    ''That research hospital deals with hard medical cases, so I thought you had some rare illness.''

    ''Why would I suddenly get sick? I almost never go anywhere but the academy.''

    ''Daughter, you got sick from taking photos of the night sky. What was I supposed to think when your mood got worse and worse over many weeks? I thought that it was stress caused by your team, then you showed me this.''

    ''What does it say? I don''t know half of these words.''

    Even though her mother couldn''t see it, the girl hit one of the longer words with her finger. Even looking it up haven''t helped, as it was explained by other words she didn''t know.

    ''It''s mostly used to help troubled people by finding the cause of their inner conflicts. It''s not the best thing, but look at the bright side. We''ll finally go on a trip together.''

    Tsune was about to object but then changed her mind. She was tired of arguing today.

    Besides, the city was full of museums and if her mother was genuinely worried, there was nothing wrong with going together. Maybe she could be the guide.

    -

    On the start of the next summer week, Tsune and her mother prepared for their trip.

    The last task for the girl was finding a replacement for the bodysuit she wore as uniform. Initially she didn''t care about what she would wear. But since they would live with mother''s old friend, she deemed it unfit for a city that looked like an ancient museum.

    Opening her wardrobe, she took out the last year outfits but they were too small. The shorts and pants still fit, but they hugged her figure to an unpleasant degree. And the tops were already out.

    ''What do I wear?''

    To her surprise, her mother predicted that problem, given that her answer wasn''t an offer to go shopping.

    ''Wear my New Year present. Or did you not like it?''

    "Oh, that."

    Tsune took out the package, that lied unopened since New Year, to find a set of clothes inside. Five full packets that had everything from a dress to shoes.

    ''No, its fine. I just thought I needed to wear something formal.''

    ''They should be fine. The old capital is traditional but not too much.''

    "The old capital?"

    She was about to reach for the phone to look it up, but decided against it. Mother was already calling a taxi and she was not ready.

    Unfolding the packets, the girl took out a thin blue summer dress with an unassuming design. Then came a short top, that was worn over the dress, and soft shoes. All made from smooth white cotton with subtle red lines along the seams.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    Next were opaque white leggings. Tsune spread the material between her fingers as it seemed too thick to wear in summer.

    The packet''s label insisted otherwise, as it had both a written promise, that it could be worn in any season, and a temperature map. The latter tried to prove that most of the continent was never too hot or too cold for them.

    She looked at the sunlit street outside and set them aside.

    "Isn''t it too short?"

    After dressing up, Tsune looked in the mirror. The dress barely reached the middle of her thighs and a single flick of her finger sent the entire bottom flying up.

    She tried to make the dress tighter with a belt but it saved her stomach. To keep her modesty in full she had to wear the entire set.

    Soon, her mother''s voice called her from the hall. And with one last tug on the hem of her dress, she went outside.

    -

    Their taxi made its way through the city and then it turned to the high rise road. But that road couldn''t lead to a train station.

    ''We are not taking the railway?''

    Her mother took out two tickets out of her purse and flaunted them before her daughter.

    ''I wanted to make the trip longer too. But your paper came with a code for a free air ride.''

    The woman hid the tickets before Tsune could get them and pointed forward.

    ''You have a surprise there too.''

    The road was already high enough to see their destination, landing pads on the roof of a spaceport building. They had more than one flat rectangle shaped ship but the girl recognized theirs without trouble. It was the only one that had a mech nearby.

    "Wait, that''s not a spaceship. It''s one of the shuttles that goes to the Ring."

    ''Are we going to the Ring? Why does it have an escort?''

    ''Probably not. The old capital is not that far away.''

    ''Why do you call it old capital? Its Kentor.''

    ''Ah, it''s a habit. My friend always corrected me if I said otherwise.''

    As they talked, their ride came to an end. And as Tsune walked up the ramp, she noticed a familiar insignia on the mech''s arms. It was the sign of the Zodiac team.

    The girl shook her head. This was an unusual task for a spaceborn team dedicated to combat. Unless somebody asked them to.

    -

    The flight was only hour long but the cloud layer soon became too thick to see the ground or their escort below.

    Instead Tsune spent the time looking through her mother''s old photos. But because of how nostalgic her mother was for every one, they barely got through five of them before the ship started the descent.

    When the girl turned to the window, she saw a circle shaped city beneath. Low-rise buildings, made from a pale yellow stones, and white roads drowned in green from trees and parks.

    -

    Once on the ground and outside of the landing pad they found their meeting party. A stritcly dressed woman around her mother''s age stood near a car.

    ''Welcome to the old capital. Should I drive you home or to the Institute?''

    ''Institute. But don''t be so cold, Rue. I want to keep remembering you as a sweet person.''

    That playful jab reached its target and the woman turned around. But not fast enough to hide a smile.

    An hour later, the car stopped at a three storey building that had several human figures carved into its front. Draped in flowing cloth, they held staffs that framed another figure between them. A rising snake with a gem in its mouth.

    Leaving their bags in the car, Tsune and her mother went up the stairs that were carved from a single stone slab.

    The registration at the front desk was over in a flash. And, minutes later, Tsune sat down near the door she was directed to. She wanted go with her mother, but Rue insisted on preparing the room that her son used to live in.

    Normally, several hours of nothing to do wouldn''t be a problem. That''s what all of her evenings usually were. But here her phone was outside of the network.

    "What am I even supposed to do."

    Soon, she thought of a less obvious reason behind the wait. Given who wrote the paper that landed her into this chair and how she got here, it was likely that she was stalled. At least, if she could read somebody''s mind, she would try to read their unguarded thoughts first.

    -

    The shadows cast by the window grew much longer before the doors opened and a man in black clothes came out.

    He waved for her to enter and, once inside, pointed at a reclining chair in the middle of the room. It reminded her of what a dentist would have.

    ''Young Red, please sit down. Do you know what to expect?''

    When the girl shook her head, he explained, telling her an extra detail to prevent fear of unknown.

    ''If you ever visited the Enchanted Snowland, it works the same way. But instead of snow, you''ll see the result in your dreams.''

    -

    She feel asleep as soon as she took a breath from a nearby straw and found herself in a dead-end of a sunlit cave.

    Standing up from the rock floor, she looked at the half transparent walls.

    "Are they made from quartz?"

    She touched the nearest wall and the outside scene changed. Now she could see a big dome with a smaller mech fighting a bigger enemy. The scene remained, even when her finger left the smooth surface but it seemed to trigger something. And new scenes appeared beyond the walls as she went forward, .

    Some scenes went farther into the past and showed mostly places, from the tournament or the Red Labs trip to the Snowland visit. Other had people she remembered, her family, team members, Blade and many others.

    And exactly like in Snowland, the farther down she went, the rougher the walls became.

    By the time the girl reached the other end of the cave, she barely recognized anything from what she was shown.

    The best she could describe the image behind the other dead end wall, was a spot of blue light with a spot of green on a brown and gray background. But even as vague as it was, it looked important.

    Tsune looked around in search of the clues and found a thin piece of quartz near her feet. It was too simple to be key to a secret entrance but even that much was enough. If a piece fell out, it meant that there was a crack in the wall.

    Using both her eyesight and touch to find the crystal''s former place, she discovered several long cracks that were as thin as her nails. But she had nothing to widen them, except for...

    "This is a dream, right? So I can do whatever I want."

    The girl imagined that the thin rock in her hand was a spike dagger and the crystal obeyed.

    Its form turned fuzzy and flowed like clay until it fit her image.

    "Okay, time for level 2, whatever it is."

    She hit one of the cracks and reduced its sides to a cloud of dust, blown right into her face. Shielding herself from the glitter, she Involuntarily closed her eyes.

    She opened them a second later and she was back in the waking world. The doctor was already near her chair, offering his hand as a help to stand up.

    ''Young Red, the examination is over. Please return to pick up the written results in two days.''

    Still feeling slightly inadequate from the sudden change in her surroundings, the girl nodded and walked out.

    -

 Chapter 29

    ''Is everything fine?''

    Mother''s voice came from the entrance, waking up Tsune who napped in the lobby chair.

    ''Yeah, just got sleepy after that weird dream they made me go through.''

    Standing up to leave, the girl suppressed the urge to stretch. Given how formal everyone here was, she didn''t want to look uncouth.

    An hour after her mother surprised her with knowing how to drive manually, they stopped before Rue''s house. Unlike the rounder architecture of Tsune''s home city, the building''s was square and did nothing to disguise its rough brick walls.

    ''Welcome to my family home''

    Rue, dressed in a simple beige blouse and a long dress, met them at the door. She stepped aside to let them through and walked in last. Then showed the girl to the dining room table.

    ''While the food is prepared, we can have a chat. Unless you have anything else in mind?''

    The girl looked down on her phone that showed no signs of a network. Judging by lack of any electronics inside of the house and Rue''s demeanor, it was unlikely there was anything here to fit her interests.

    ''Why is this place outside of the net? I thought you could connect to the Ring from anywhere.''

    ''You mother never told you about this? Well, I''m not surprised, she has changed after meeting your father.''

    The woman interlocked her fingers after she sat down to speak. But unlike the girl, she kept her elbows off the table.

    ''This city is very old. What made it special back then was that it was never attacked by mecha-monsters.

    And because humanity wasn''t sure they could fight back when attacks just started, this city became a sanctuary of all the knowledge we would need to rebuild.

    But recordings alone are enough only for technology, so the city people chose to uphold the culture and traditions to keep them alive. Its the capital of old.''

    "So there''s no net because?"

    ''I thought it was the old capital?''

    ''Technically correct. It was the administrative center for a while. But it doesn''t sound sentimental at all.''

    Tsune looked at Rue with a bit of surprise. The woman looked too prim and proper to care about sentimentality. But the love towards the city was probably expected from its citizens.

    More importantly, that tale, while interesting, didn''t answer her question about the net. Maybe she should approach it differently.

    ''Where would you recommend me to go?''

    ''You want to be a pilot, right? There''s a garrison here...''

    The woman paused and turned around, her gaze distant as if looking at the city through the walls. But she failed to remember.

    ''...somewhere. But there''s a handful of those remote vehicles because Command was always afraid of attracting the enemy. If you are asking because you wanted to see the old mechs, I can give you and your mother a free pass to the museums here. One of them has that exhibition.''

    The girl nodded and looked down at her phone again. She didn''t even have anything to watch for tonight. Maybe a more direct approach would work better.|

    ''I think I would want to go. But how do to I enter the net? I usually spend the evening to improve as a pilot.''

    When the girl reiterated her question, Rue''s fingers drummed against the table as she finally understood where the girl was going.

    ''Yes, of course, studies are important. I think the library is open for another hour.''

    ''I don''t dislike technology, on the contrary. It''s just that my son spent whole days in that network and then decided to go to my husband who works outside of the city. I''m sorry.''

    ''Ah, no, it''s fine. How do I find it?''

    Waving away the apology, the girl stood up.

    -

    A half an hour later, Tsune walked through the streets with a paper map in hand. Unlike her preplanned city, these streets seemingly had no rhyme or reason. They also were smaller, so she saw her target only when she reached the library park.

    Although, as she could see now, it was less of a park and more of a ring of seats around the library building. There were enough trees to create a shade and the ring was big enough to dampen the street noise. But for her a park was for sightseeing and walking, not just sitting around.

    While thinking about what defined a park, she reached the doors. But they remained closed despite her being so close she could reach the handle.

    She waited for doors to open for almost a minute, then realized what was wrong. Resisting the urge to facepalm in embarrassment, she pulled the door handle. Then stumbled yet again as the door refused to open outwards.

    "All this automation spoiled me, can''t even open the door right."

    Once inside, she saw that nobody could''ve seen her and decisively forgot this incident. More importantly, to her delight, the phone rang with a choir of notifications.

    She walked past the closed book shelves, that lined the walls, and went through the opening in a blue rope fence. It separated the walkway from the central seating area, that was full of teens. Some of them read the books, but the majority used their phones.

    -

    "So, let''s see."

    Looking at the wall clock that showed that she had about ten minutes before closing, the girl pocketed her phone. It was busy with downloads, so she had time to explore.

    At first she looked at labels through the glass, then noticed the original print dates that often went hundreds of years into the past.

    "Are these really that old?"

    Curious to see if they were originals or reprints, the girl tried to open a shelf but was interrupted by an electronic voice.

    -Registrations are available on the first and last days of the week-

    It came from a modern, albeit wood plated, terminal below the nearest window. Instead of automatically synchronizing with her phone, it requested a manual data input, including her current city residence.

    Finally, the screen told her that she could retrieve the card on the next day of registration. Then it turned off, showing that library was closed.

    Shaking her head in disappointment at the wasted time, Tsune turned to leave. Even if she was curious, she wouldn''t stay here for an entire week.

    -

    When she got home, the women have already set the dinner table. Waving to them, the girl was about to go past but Rue stopped her.

    ''Wait, aren''t you going to join us for dinner?''

    ''But I usually eat later.''Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ''But food tastes better with your family at the table.''

    The woman tried to object and turned to her mother, seeking her approval. But the other woman just shook her head.

    ''Its okay. She wants to make her own future, so she has a lot on her mind.''

    ''My son always said something like that.''

    Rue let Tsune walk past and as the girl walked to her room, the woman continued.

    ''But sometimes I wish he recognized that staying to work for the city takes as much strength as leaving it.''

    An hour later, the girl returned and found the room empty. But the food was recently reheated.

    Wondering if it was her mother, or Rue''s lucky guess, she sighed as she sat down. Despite the pre-trip plan, the mother-daughter bonding wasn''t going as well. She would have to try better tomorrow.

    And while her reason to get closer to her mother was selfish, as she wanted to find a way to prevent any further talk about suitors, it wasn''t all of it. She also wanted to make up for the months of worrying about her, ideally without giving away the cause.

    -

    The next day, after everyone had a breakfast together, mother and daughter left for a sightseeing ride. As they walked to the car, the girl turned to her mother.

    ''Can you be the guide instead of the map?''

    ''Of course! I know enough to give you a great trip.''

    The woman''s voice beamed with joy but outwardly she remained serious. Like a high class lady that arrived to meet other nobles and introduce her daughters to their heirs.

    "Wait, no. None of that last part."

    -

    The first landmark was the central street, whose sides had rows of monuments for humanity''s heroes and achievements. And the girl almost instantly recognized one of them, specifically a giant self-propelled beam cannon.

    "Wow, it''s been a while since I thought about the previous world."

    The weapon was used to defeat an unusually big flying mecha-monster. Its pieces transformed to become smaller enemies, so the main plot was about developing a weapon to one shot it in its entirety.

    Tracing her daughter''s line of sight, her mother slowed down before they could pass it.

    ''Oh, I remember that one. Your father''s laboratory worked on one of the pieces. Did he tell you about it?''

    The girl shrugged and turned away.

    ''It seems familiar but I don''t remember.''

    Soon they reached the central square and stopped. Lady Red pointed at a statue complex in the middle of the square. There, five pedestals formed a ring but only four of them had statues. And all four were humans in toga that offered different items to the rising sun.

    ''Can you guess what are they about? But without reading their plates.''

    Tsune raised her hand to block sunlight as much as she could.

    First held fire, second held a lightning bolt, third held a model of an atom, fourth held a clear glass ball. The first three were obvious but the fourth she couldn''t guess. Eventually, she couldn''t bear her mother''s smug look.

    ''Is it the sun? Because the sunlight makes it light up.''

    ''Wrong! It''s space. And if you ask why didn''t they put a spaceship there, it doesn''t mean just distance between planets.''

    Her mother folded her hand to hold empty air as she tried to explain.

    ''When humanity developed interplanetary drives we thought that we conquered space itself.''

    Puffing her cheeks in indignation, because the spaceship line actually was her question, the girl got out of the car.

    While there, she noticed that the surface of the fifth pedestal looked damaged. As if something was there before. And the text plate of the fourth statue looked older than the bolts that held it in place.

    But her attention to detail was fleeting and she left when the pedestal plates confirmed her mother''s reasoning.

    -

    Her mother was a surprisingly good guide, spicing up the dry history of landmarks with the urban stories she learned when she worked in the city.

    Eventually they made a lunch stop at a caf¨¦ that served the recipes from any era or region. Tsune wolfed down a fruit salad and a slice of sweet glazed pie, the recipes that came from four hundred years ago and Three River region respectively.

    She wanted to order more, but Lady Red pulled her away to their final destination for the day. A museum with the exhibition about the old mechs.

    Due to very few visitors, the tour stand was closed, so her mother returned to being a guide.

    ''Here we have the painting that shows a man from before the mecha-monster era. Its author, businessman who wanted to promote his new clothing material, weaved his own portrait using only naturally colored threads.''

    ''Here is music that was considered classical three hundred years ago.''

    ''This holographic stand is a reproduction of life in an ancient city.''

    While listening to her mother, Tsune noticed another stand. It had several manikin in old uniforms and one of them looked exactly like the white pilot suit she the Destiny''s pilot wear.

    ''What about these?''

    Her interruption was met with a confused stare. But then the woman realized something.

    ''Oh right. Your generation doesn''t learn that anymore. It''s a part of Space Knights exhibition we came here for.''

    ''Pilots could wear anything they wanted but their clothes had to have specific colors. It became a formality several decades ago though, so don''t worry.''

    Interested, the girl went to read the plates.

    The colors changed depending on roles. A non combat mission required white, combat was red, and repairs or medical support, needed black. Blue was for teaching or learning and green was for space operations?

    The girl took a strand of her hair, to brush the green tips. Then she looked back at her mother, who understood her without words.

    ''I agreed to it only because it looked great.''

    That Tsune could believe. She did say that he proposed after the Venus expedition and this seemed like a harmless way to immortalize it. However, In the light the last year, it was hard to extend the same good faith to her father.

    ''And this is the main part of the *Space Knights* exhibition.''

    Her mother''s voice distracted Tsune from her thoughts. She walked around a corner and saw a reproduction scene that took an entire room whose ceiling was at least storey high.

    The left side had Earth terrain and a combiner mech that towered above R.C. vehicles. The right was a red wasteland with several Majin mechs that offered a knight salute to their counterparts. Their chests held faintly glowing star gems, as if their hearts.

    ''Impressive, isn''t it.''

    Looking at the models, the girl nodded. Despite the smaller scale, the detail on both sides was impeccable. But she didn''t understand why the sides were opposed.

    ''Why are they against each other? I piloted both in the academy.''

    ''Because of the device those use. It''s the crystals up there.''

    ''I helped the pilots use them safely until Earth moved to assistants. But Martians are stubborn, using anything else is an insult to them.''

    ''Why is that?''

    Her mother paused, then lightly bumped her head with her knuckles with a silly expression that hid her surprise.

    ''Sorry, this isn''t taught to young people anymore, right? Not even in the sea city that is full of these crystals?''

    ''What do they have to do with mechs?''

    The girl tried to recall anything relevant, from the building prisms to street artists. But her closest guess was the old man pilot and the purple gem in his robot. Which was called a powerplant by Hem.

    "Are they volatile?"

    ''If you look into one, you might see the reflection of your thoughts inside. And if you are disciplined enough to hold onto an image, its easy to amplify it with the crystal and make it visible for others. It''s how all those light paintings work.''

    ''And?''

    ''If you go further, it''ll do more than letting everyone see your daydreams.''

    Satisfied with her daughter''s surprised expression, she continued.

    ''But powering the crystals creates a feedback loop that amplifies all the pilot''s thoughts.''

    ''For Martians it''s as a challenge that a warrior must be able to handle, while for Earth it''s a mental health hazard.''

    The girl looked at the star gems again, now recognizing them as devices from the background lore, her mother looked at the wall clock.

    ''I''d say it''s time for us to return. Cafe food is nice, but nothing beats a home cooked meal.''

    Tsune nodded and quietly turned to follow. Her thoughts returned to the sea resort and how her real decision wasn''t whether she took Mapo with her or not. It was asking the old man for help instead of trying to move the mech by herself.

    Because if her mother was right, it would''ve moved after all.

 Chapter 30

    The next day, the girl woke up when it was barely dawn. She ran out of the downloaded videos much earlier than she thought, so she had to go to sleep soon after the dinner.

    Stretching out, she looked around the room. Whether because Rue''s preparation moved out everything or her son only used the room to sleep, but it only had a window and a bed going for it. If it wasn''t for her bag and the phone, it would look straight up empty.

    Looking at the phone clock, that showed that the library would open in several hours, the girl turned to the window. The sun painted the yellow houses with gold and reflected of the white feathered birds that flew through the streets.

    One of them landed on the outer windowsill and hopped to the corner, ignoring the girl even when she tapped the glass.

    Given that they flew completely undisturbed, the city''s sky was free from a wireless power grid. Unless most of the facilities were underground, it lent proof to Rue''s claim that this place never knew war.

    Shaking her head, the girl stood up to dress. The view was so peaceful that it made her feel like she didn''t belong here.

    -

    Tsune spent her time watching the ancient architecture from the kitchen window as she munched on fresh apples. Fruit by fruit, she emptied an entire bag before an older woman walked in to prepare the breakfast. Unfortunately for her, it was Rue.

    ''You already had your fill, I see. Did you cook anything?''

    Slightly embarrassed Tsune shook her head. Not because she didn''t touch the kitchen utensils but because the thoughts of preparing food for others have never occurred to her.

    ''I see. If you have no interest in learning, then run along to the library. I''ll tell your mother when she wakes up. Honestly, her tales of always being up before others are hard to believe.''

    Nodding, the girl slipped away to get the map. And then left the house.

    -

    She met a familiar face in the library. One who put a pillar of books on his table and was already far into the first one.

    "What is he doing here."

    Tsune stopped right after the entrance, after a step to the side so that she wouldn''t obstruct other visitors. The boy in the casual black clothing didn''t notice her yet, so she had time to think.

    But that time went unused. She wanted neither stand here long enough to download a day''s worth of content, nor leave without it. Besides, maybe she could ask him for an advice.

    She sat at the desk near the boy, started all of her downloads, then turned to him.

    ''So, Hem, can you recommend me a book?''

    The boy, who was about to flip the page, froze in place. The page started to tremble between his fingers but he didn''t look her way. It was like he didn''t want to meet her here.

    If Eider was right about him staying in the hangar unless lured out, this was suspicious. Unless Eider was back to setting them up for dates. And she thought of a way that could tell her that.

    ''I missed my chance to get the card but this isn''t your first time here, right? Can I borrow yours?''

    The silence continued for almost a minute but Hem was the first to break it with a barely audible agreement. He took out his card, a blue rectangle from thick paper and a magnetized line, and stood up to offer it to her.

    As she thought, it had a release date of yesterday. Meaning he came here soon after the team dispersed for the summer. Hem noticed her attention to the date and rushed to clear the misunderstanding. All of them at the same time.

    ''I''m here just to research. Mostly animals, because our robots are animals too. And I''m not here for the first time, so I can pick some books for you. If you want.''

    "Awkward as ever."

    Tsune mentally sighed as he continued to speak. Then again, him being naturally awkward was probably better than trying to follow a script. And she wasn''t against his offer.

    ''Maybe about space exploration?''

    ''You are interested in space?''

    Hem blurted out his question before he realized it and his face rapidly went through several expressions. First he wanted was to take his words back, then thought to turn them positive and finally decided that excuses were a bad idea.

    As he went through the motions, the girl took a lock of her hair to show the green ends.

    ''At least one of my parents thinks so. Something historical about Venus, or maybe interplanetary flights, if you can.''

    With a nod, her teammate left to be alone for a while and Tsune used the opportunity to look through his books.

    On the first glance, the boy was telling the truth, the open book and the top of the stack really were about animals and their behavior.

    But as she took the pillar apart, she found a book small-scale propulsion and batteries, another about autonomous orientation and control. They turned up the half forgotten memories of making drones to pilot them in arena battles.

    ''Do you like these books too?''

    When Hem returned with several books, that he put on her desk, Tsune shrugged. She couldn''t explain the real reason.

    ''I liked making toy robots for friendly arena battles. Then others grew bored and I quit.''

    ''But what about you? What are these for? I never heard about arena battles in the Academy or on the net.''

    His hand flew up to scratch the back of his head.

    ''Ah, no. There are people who do that but I''m not one of the fans.''

    He carefully went around her to pull the notebook from under the books. His finger moved around a schematic that took both pages as he stuttered to explain.

    ''I just want to make a... I want to make a device that would follow somebody like a pet. As good... No, at least close to good.''

    Seeing his composure melt figuratively, and literally if she looked at his posture, Tsune took pity on him. If her close presence was that difficult for him, it was high time to give him some room.

    She returned to her desk, straightened the shirt covering the top of her dress, and opened the book about history of space exploration.

    -

    An hour later, Tsune had to make a decision. She was interested in reading more about the First Interplanetary Phase that terraformed Mars. It used a new spaceship drive technology to put tens of thousands of colonists there in the span of days. And she was about to start the timeline of its successor Phase.

    But to keep reading, she would have to take them home and ask Rue to return them. Or keep reading here and rely on Lady Red to bring her for the Central Institute appointment. And in the end, the wish for immediate gratification won.

    The girl frowned when she read that the focus of Second was development of first interplanetary drives. She turned back to the First to recheck and, curiously enough, the discrepancy remained.

    She was all but finished with Second, that settled Venus and Jupiter bases before the efforts were cut short by mechamonster appearance, when an unknown female voice called her from the entrance.

    ''Tsune Red, are you here?''

    Looking up, the blonde saw an unknown woman. She was taller and older, but her thin figure made her look only several years older. And her casual clothes had an armband with the Water sign of the Zodiac team.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    With a sigh, Tsune closed the book and left them on the desk. If the pilot of their escort mech was here, then it was probably urgent.

    ''I''m coming.''

    Her reply caught attention from other visitors, who also realized who the visitor was. And for a second, she thought she understood Rue''s dislike of the net better, because their jealous stares followed her all the way to the exit. There was no way those teens cared about this serene city enough to stay.

    -

    As they walked through the park that surrounded the library, Tsune used the opportunity to ask. She trusted her mother''s word, but hearing it from somebody with combat experience was different.

    ''I heard in the museum that mechs can be controlled with crystals. And it feels like you are moving your body.''

    The woman gave her a sharp look and answered in a dry tone.

    ''My advice: Don''t even think about it. Those are the most twisted things I have ever seen.''

    ''But the father of one of your team mates used one.''

    ''You know that? Then you also know that it''s rare to find anyone who would be even close to the *Monster*.''

    Her voice suddenly changed to a normal one.

    ''How is he, by the way?''

    ''Staying in a rundown hangar that he turned into a museum, I think.''

    The woman''s sigh of relief contrasted with the girl''s sad tone, so Tsune changed the topic to keep herself from arguing in his defense.

    ''So, where are we going?''

    ''Central Institute.''

    ''By the way, you are about to start live missions, right? Did they say that you''ll need to be self sufficient and keep the freedom of choice in return?''

    The blonde nodded, unsure where the Water pilot was going with this.

    ''The lessons put it more like a tradition,''

    ''Well, the choose everything by yourself part lasts only until Command, or one of the important pilots tells you otherwise. Then you''ll be wasting several days of your time.''

    ''But aren''t you rewarded for this?''

    The woman shook her head in response.

    ''That reward is not nearly enough to replace our costs.''

    ''I mean, would you ever pay to watch a mission where the mech stood still for several days? The best we could do with this is to make a new background animation.''

    "I see. Maybe if there was bonus material though, then I''d buy it."

    Tsune recalled that Aery practiced her singing to advertise their team and cringed at the thought of helping with that.

    Soon they exited the park and the girl saw an automated taxi, just like in her home city.

    ''Why is this here?''

    The woman got into the vehicle and opened the door for the girl.

    ''Because I don''t trust manual. Get in.''

    -

    Upon arrival, the pilot left without even a wave, and Tsune went to the familiar hall.

    To her surprise, the doors to the examination room were open wide and quite a lot of chatter and noise was coming from within. Peeking inside, she saw that it was a lot more busy than before. At least ten people were either working with equipment deployed on the floor and near the walls, or walked around to make sure that everything was connected.

    One of them, the scientist she saw before, noticed the girl and welcomed her in. Thinking he would just hand her some papers and be done with, Tsune walked in.

    ''Young Red, everything is almost ready for the second test.''

    ''Second test?''

    The girl looked around again and this time, the amount of equipment and people impressed her far further. Even if she didn''t understand their purpose, they looked like they would make this already long day a lot longer.

    ''Yes. Now if you just lay in the chair like before. You don''t need to breathe the gas, we will induce the sleep from range.''

    Subtly shrugging as she resigned herself to going through whatever they had in store. The chair was unchanged, except for the metal tray on the side that remained empty.

    -

    She didn''t know when it happened, perhaps as she blinked, but the room around her has changed. She was alone among the wealth of equipment and the door was closed. And a quartz looking crystal now lay on the chair tray.

    At first she didn''t pay any mind to the transparent rock, thinking that it was yet another idle instrument. But then she realized that she had seen it.

    Taking it for a closer look, the girl turned it around. It had an irregular flat shape and judging by the cracks, several pieces near the sharper end were forcefully chipped off. It really was the same piece as before.

    She flipped it back for an easier hold and stood up. It was time to investigate this dream.

    Walking around the equipment, Tsune looked out of the window. Unlike the previous dream, that showed her memories through the cave walls, she could see the regular city life through regular clear glass.

    "Should I try to break it?"

    The blonde touched the glass with the sharp end of the crystal and moved around, trying to understand how to break it better. But even if she stood on the side, covered by the wall, her hand would still get showered by glass fragments.

    And, if she thought about it, the previous dream ended not after being showered with crystal fragments, but after she found an exit and closed her eyes. There was no need to test how realistic this dream was.

    She walked along the walls, trying to see if there were any hints, but the only crack she found was between the door and the doorway. Looking through it, she saw an empty hallway and a strip of metal that kept it close, a latch. But the crystal piece was too thick to reach it.

    The hint to transform it again was clear, but the normal surroundings made it harder to take this idea seriously.

    "But that''s probably the point, right?"

    Eventually, the girl managed to concentrate and mentally overlay an imagine of a long thin stick on the crystal in her hand.

    A minute has passed and Tsune started to feel silly for even trying this. She stood before the door, trying to change an item with will, imagination and the power of her stare. But she persevered.

    Without warning, the image of the crystal in her hand started to blur. It shimmered, as if she looked at it through a heated air lens, but the distortions of shape and details were with a purpose. The visual changes that made it look thinner or longer remained, and according to her sense of touch, they became real.

    She didn''t know for how long she was watching, but after enough transformations, the distortions stopped. And she was left her with a thin stick. She removed the latch, opened the door and closed her eyes.

    -

    Tsune opened her eyes and just like she hoped, she was no longer asleep. The unchanged crystal remained on the tray and the familiar scientist stood nearby, offering his help to stand up.

    ''This attempt was a success. Young Red, do not forget to receive the return flight ticket at the reception.''

    Feeling woozy, the girl accepted his help. Giving the crystal piece another look, she left the room.

    Outside she saw that her mother was already waiting for her with a car and gladly fell into her seat. Soon, she was asleep.

 Chapter 31

    She woke up from steps that were heavy enough to shake the ground. Opening her eyes, she saw the airfield and the Zodiac mech that moved to take its place near the shuttle.

    ''You are a really heavy sleeper.''

    Lady Red smiled as she parked near the landing pad.

    ''Come on, help me get the bags.''

    ''Where''s Rue?''

    ''She''ll get the car later. Said that going with others and returning by herself would make her feel lonely.''

    With a sigh, Tsune got out of the vehicle. Now that the opportunity was lost, she almost wanted to stay just to read more of those old books.

    They were dry and confused her by assuming that she knew what was common knowledge hundreds of years ago. And sometimes they contradicted one another, like with spaceship drive development. But despite all of these flaws, they told an interesting story of human perseverance.

    -

    During the flight, she looked at her mother, who looked rested and happy. Whether it was because she met her friend or because they spent a good day together, wasn''t as important.

    But that mood was why the girl hesitated to ask about the gem from the museum. She didn''t want to ruin it by asking about what was an unpleasant job, if she were to believe Water Zodiac''s remark about *twisted things*.

    -We are taking a detour through protected space of the nearest spaceport fort. Due to a possible mechamonster emergence on our course. The arrival is delayed for approximately thirty minutes.-

    Thankfully, the ship captain''s announcement gave a good enough pretense.

    ''Mother? I asked our escort pilot about those prisms that you said could control the mechs. But she said that they were twisted.''

    ''Oh. Well, they are certainly aren''t for everyone. For example, you worry so much that I''d have to put you through the ringer before I let you close to them.''

    Slightly offended, Tsune remembered the visit to the old hangar.

    ''But I''ve already saw one. We found and old mech and that gem was nearby. It was big, purple and showed vague images while I watched it.''

    Her mother just shook her head. She smiled and that smile contrasted with narrowed eyes that gave her a serious expression.

    ''Unpowered crystals are just high quality prisms that paint a city with light. They have no feedback loop.''

    ''Anyway, I want you to promise. If you ever get the idea to use one, ask me first.''

    ''I promise.''

    The daughter turned away with a sigh and looked out of the window the rest of the way home.

    -

    As soon as they returned home, Tsune went to her room and fell into her bed, without even changing clothes.

    Hugging her pillow, she rubbed her cheek against it. She didn''t notice it before, but she missed her room''s fragrance. Compared to Rue''s room that had only subtle smell of wood, stone and soap, this was much more soothing.

    -Mapo?-

    The Assistant floated above the cabinet when it saw an unusual behaviour from the girl. But she gave herself more time to nuzzle, before she waved the device back in its place.

    ''I missed you too.''

    She turned around to properly lay in the bed and took out the phone. It was time to see her team news.

    "Advertisement, advertisement, another purchase of our tournament videos?''

    Going to the purchase link, she found one of the many online board that dedicated to everything sport and battle oriented. With almost a month before the biggest tournament of the year, the academy event still received a lot of attention.

    And if before she critiqued videos of others, now Tsune found her team''s tournament video in the center of receiving it. Although, with interactive version release date unannounced, the discussion turned into *what if* comments and arguments so often that the real actions hardly mattered.

    Honestly, the posters were putting way more effort into their battles than they did. The discussion even touched upon the her missed chance to intercept the enemy''s makeshift weapon with the magnet anchors.

    When she got to speculations about the team''s future, if they won the academy tournament, Tsune closed the site.

    If she continued to read that, she would start to argue. And arguing against an outcome, that was widely accepted as an opportunity of a lifetime, without giving away her reason, wouldn''t end well. Not to mention that Den, or Eider would probably think of it as coping with the loss.

    Instead, she focused her attention on the search page. She still wanted to search more about the books that were left unfinished back in the old city.

    Eventually her mother called her to dinner and the girl put away the phone.

    She was surprised at how lackluster her search was. Even with exact words she remembered from the books, the only results with First or Second Interplanetary Phase were paltry. A single sentence in the Mars settlement timeline and a paragraph that acknowledged the existence of Jupiter and Venus bases.

    When her mother called again, she decided to leave this matter for now. She could call Hem and have him read the books over the phone, or ask the nearest man who had enough knowledge, her father. But curiosity alone wasn''t enough to justify either. She didn''t want to make Hem search and read to her for hours, or attempt to break down the wall of secrets that was her father.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    -

    The summer heat wave started and Tsune found her escape in her usual chair, watching tv. Sometimes she would remove herself from the screen for long enough to help mother, but always bounced back right after.

    And today wasn''t any different. Laying in the chair before the TV, she felt as active as ice cream in her cup.

    Even the current tournament was just a non-interactive rerun, so she had to fight off boredom during slower times. And she fought it off by browsing the netpage that would become the team''s content hub in the future.

    Judging by everyone''s status, she could go help them if she really wanted. Except maybe for Den, because even if Aery tagged all the photos and videos as future site content, she enjoyed their time together a bit too much to accept company.

    As for others, joining Eider''s search for a transport ship as eye candy, or making a robot pet with Hem wasn''t much fun either. And needed effort.

    But during another break, she noticed an old number without the team tag.

    "Oh, I forgot about Blade. I wonder how''s he doing.

    With nothing else to do, she called him without hesitation.

    But after she heard the voice on the other end, she almost excused herself and quit. It seemed that the boy had a growth spurt over the last half a year.

    ''I said I''m listening.''

    ''Is that you, Blade?''

    ''Why wouldn''t it be me, Red?''

    ''Your voice is different.''

    ''Oh, that. Probably because I have to talk all time to prepare for the tournament.''

    ''You are going to be in the year''s finale?''

    The smug notes in his laugh were unmistakable even with changes to his voice.

    ''I''m glad my abilities impressed you so much. But I''m going to join the start of the next year. I made so many plans for the first place prize, you wouldn''t believe.''

    The energy in his voice was infectious. Tsune even moved the half melted ice cream cup from the chair to the table and sat upright.

    ''So you are busy too. I was in the museum city myself and searched for something else to do.''

    ''Then how about you come cheer for me? The virtual Skeleton King doesn''t even compare to the real thing.''

    ''Well, I have time for that.''

    ''Great. I''ll see there.''

    The call ended but Tsune kept looking at the screen for another minute. She planned to stay home but she was swept into the promise before she knew it. She thought of how Blade would laugh if he knew that detail and rubbed her cheek that twitched in annoyance. Why was that martian so full of himself all the time?

    But when she calmed down, she felt her body was filled with energy. And then she took another look at the two options she rejected before. Specifically Hem''s page that stated that he was in the city.

    -

    Several days later, she was on her way to meet Hem. After she asked if he needed her help, he almost immediately agreed. But he invited her home instead of the hangar.

    Once there, the girl reached for the phone but the door opened without warning. It was Hem with a dusty apron over casual clothes.

    ''Hello. Come in.''

    He suddenly realized what he still wore and threw the apron to the side.

    After entering, Tsune looked around. The place looked clean until they came to a big room filled with book cases. The floor had lighter square-shaped spots, probably left by the book pillars.

    ''So, why here?''

    The boy went further in and stopped near a table buried under sheets. He quickly stacked the papers and pushed them to the side, to give way to a flat screen on top of a workstation table.

    ''Sorry about the mess, I don''t have a holographic projector yet. And Den probably wouldn''t give me his device for personal use.''

    "That doesn''t really answer it."

    The blonde wanted to ask another question when she suddenly sneezed. And that was enough to give her the answer. Given how dusty the place was, barely anyone ever came here. Nor did he use this room as a workshop, as dust was a danger to precise electronics. Meaning it was his room and its state was the consequence of living in the hangar.

    While she uncovered another plot from Eider, the design program has finished loading. While the component symbols were unknown, their purpose was close enough to her former world to follow his ideas.

    -

    ''I think the cover should go between the wing and the body and the filter behind the wing motor. The joint is not as shielded against interference from the power lines.''

    ''But wings are for decoration, right? If we shift the motors inside of the wings instead, we can make separate motor/battery pairs. And central power/propulsion pair will be safe inside the main body.''

    ''Hmmmm.''

    Hem made a change to the wing schematic and the weight number turned red, showing that the wing became too heavy.

    ''But smaller motors are not as efficient and lighter batteries will need to be changed often. Isn''t that annoying?''

    ''It can be, but if the bird ever needs repairs, I would rather not open covers over high-powered parts. Especially if its just to check the wiring to decorative parts.''

    ''I see. Well, let''s continue then.''

    As the boy continued to explain, Tsune started to feel nostalgic. She became immersed in going over the design part by part and the time-consuming process of referencing paper data sheets. Although the latter happened only when Hem couldn''t find an immediate answer.

    It was like she went back to when Lyle spent entire days creating small and simple robots. Although, this time her role was closer to a consultant.

    Several hours later, they finished the layout for several parts and Hem started to turn the workstation off. And when all of the programs closed in preparation, Tsune noticed the screen wallpaper.

    It was her father in a lab coat standing in the Red Lab''s presentation hall.

    ''Where is that from?''

    ''This is...''

    Hem''s hand twitched to move to the keyboard, but there was nothing he could do.

    ''...from when they made funnel drones. It was really impressive.''

    ''Is that why you want to make a robot bird?''

    ''Not because of that one. I mean I want to make one by myself.''

    "Is that why he was hiding it? Because he tried to copy my father''s work before?"

    A flying device made by her father that he didn''t want to copy. If she had to guess, it meant Mapo.

    The girl shrugged as she thought about this. She understood his wish to make it on his own. But saying his present was like what a famous person made for his daughter would probably leave a bigger impression.

    ''It''s fine if you want to copy, I think my father wouldn''t care. Maybe I can even ask him for a few pointers if you want.''

    She spoke as they walked to the door and said it without an ulterior motive. But the boy shook his head and his cheeks visibly reddened. He said nothing even when she left the house.

 Chapter 32

    Several days quietly passed since her last visit to Hem, in complete silence from the boy and doubts from Tsune. Maybe she should''ve have asked him about the present.

    But then the weekend came and his invitation came first thing in the morning. She wasted no time.

    But on her way out, she saw her father working in the hall. On a holographic design that was suspiciously familiar.

    ''Is that my friend''s?''

    ''Yes.''

    She was about to ask for his reasons, but then she remembered telling Hem to copy her father''s work. It looked like her words could''ve landed him in trouble.

    ''He said that he made it by himself and avoided copying anyone.''

    Her father leaned over the armrest, past the hologram, to look at her.

    ''That''s exactly why I''m reverse engineering it. If I understand his design, I''ll learn the way he thinks.''

    ''And I wouldn''t worry about his skills either. So far he lacks experience, not talent.''

    ''You could''ve just asked me. And there are my decisions there too.''

    ''Thank you, daughter, but I know you well enough to separate.''

    He touched several parts of the floating design and they turned red.

    ''For example, the motors and power units here are packed into separate modules, instead of using a centralized scheme like the rest.''

    Shaking her head, she walked past him. She heard of fighters who studied their opponents from the way they fought. But this was the first time she heard a scientist, or an engineer, say that.

    -

    This time Hem opened the door even earlier. She greeted him with the news when she still was a fair distance away. Just to give him time to recover.

    ''Father saw your design.''

    ''Really?''

    He hid his hands in his pockets and looked down at the crudely swept concrete walkway. Not the reaction she expected, but then again, he didn''t know her father outside of his work.

    ''Yeah, he worked with it when I left. Said that what you lack is experience not talent.''

    The praise delivered another impact to his system and, for a while, the boy just stood in the doorway. And Tsune had to point past him before he stepped aisde with a muttered apology.

    -

    Entering his room, as dusty as before, the girl saw several boxes on the table.

    Hem sped up to reach them first. He took out a wrapped elongated oval, that was about as big as his hand, and offered it to her.

    ''Sorry for not inviting you earlier, I had to wait before the parts we worked on were delivered.''

    Raising a eyebrow at that reason, she nevertheless took the wrapped item.

    Unfolding it, the girl saw the warning signs on the metal surface. She read it, after brushing aside a piece of the thick material, and her grip involuntarily tightened. What she held was nothing less than a drone''s main powerplant.

    "It''s lighter than I imagined."

    She walked to the table and carefully rewrapped it.

    ''Aren''t you rushing too much? This will have to wait here for weeks before we are done.''

    She accidentally put more emphasis on *here* than she intended and decided to rephrase.

    ''I mean, you''ll have to reorder if you change the schematics.''

    Hem delayed his answer, as he moved the boxes and the wrapped case to the floor. But once both of them were at the table, with an open design program, he was out of excuses. And when he answered, he spoke of a different thing entirely.

    ''Please don''t tell Den about this. I found a part time job at a local RC mercenary team to afford it. If I wait for the team''s first paycheck then it might not be ready in time.''

    ''Oh. I promise.''

    Even if she didn''t show it, she was curious. He knew that Den would dislike that he joined a different team before their debut mission, yet this was even more important?

    ''Does Eider know?''

    ''No. But he would say that this was okay as long as I''m careful.''

    And willing to end this conversation, Hem started to explain the first design in the queue. Leaving the girl surprised with at this sudden show of independence. It made her curiousity, about the target of his affection, rise even higher.

    -

    Their meetings continued until the first day of the tournament. And in the morning of that day, Tsune went to Hem to decide on what to do next. She initially thought that they would be done before today, but they still had a handful of schematics left.

    Technically speaking, she wasn''t against watching the daily recordings in the evening. So they had to decide only about today, as breaking her promise with Blade could lead to him making fun of her.

    Once again at the table, now surrounded by delivered packages, she told him about leaving early. When she was met with silence, she continued.

    ''Sorry I didn''t warn you about this before. I made a promise for today.''

    After thinking for half a minute, Hem made his decision. He closed all of the prepared schematics except for one they could finish in the little time she had.

    ''You don''t have to do that. I''ll be free after this.''

    ''No, no, its fine. I''m a pilot too, so I wanted to watch the tournament as well. And when it ends, it''ll be too close to the active year. I''ll just do these myself.''

    After they were done with the last task, Tsune stood up to leave. To her surprise, the boy didn''t stop escorting her at the door. He followed her outside as well.

    When he noticed her expression, he pulled out a ticket to today''s tournament match. Nervolously rubbing the back of his head, he showed it to her.

    ''I also forgot to tell you something. Sorry.''

    ''And I wanted to attend this match too, if that''s okay with you.''

    She waved away his worries away and walked away, with the boy following her at a fair distance.

    -

    Half an hour later, the car entered an open air parking tower near the colossal arena building. It spent several minutes going up the spiral road, until it stopped near the top level.

    Tsune got out of the vehicle, and instead of the elevator, she went to the floor''s railing. She wanted to choose a less crowded entrance bridge.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Looking at the nearest one below made her muscles stiffen, as its suspension cables seemed too flimsy with how many people it held. Taking several steps to the side, to see the lower walkways, she chose the one in the center.

    Thinking about this as an example of the reverse psychology, she let the elevator carry her down. But that distraction was pushed away by unease when she made the first step. She felt the bridge''s light movement when the wind rocked it from side to side.

    Nevertheless, she went forward. With one hand of the railing, she did her best not to look at the mech depots far below.

    -

    As soon as she entered arena, she realized her mistake. Instead of choosing the less crowded pathway, she should''ve chosen the closest to her level. Now she had to make it through the crowded stairs.

    After walking for a lot longer than she wanted, she finally reached her seat. Dropping into the plastic chair she stretched her sore muscles.

    When Tsune calmed down, and allowed her seat to reshape itself to fit her body, she turned her attention to the giant round stadium. Steel pillars, that were even higher than the stadium itself, separated the audience from the arena grounds. And beyond their force field, was the match that was about to start.

    Holographic banners appeared over the contestant entrances and to her surprise, one of them was blank. Looking at it through her phone, that detail was already surrounded by comments in the AR chat.

    -Blank? Did their projector break again?-

    -He''s a martian, isn''t he?-

    -Eh? Why are they here?-

    -They don''t have their dynasty banners? Not surprised.-

    -Who even cares about Mars.-

    -He should''ve stayed there.-

    With a sigh, she lowered the device. Reading that further would just made her feel bad.

    -

    The holographic veils fell and the audience all but drowned the sound of the robots taking their first step.

    One was a bulky humanoid, with scarred and unpainted armor, and four hollow cylinders attached to the forearms and both sides of its torso. Another was already known to girl but it stood even with its twenty meter adversary, twice as tall as she remembered from the VR training.

    Catching the moments when the waves of excitement were in their natural low, the announcer introduced the contestants.

    -The lone wolf mercenary that fell in love with tournament battles.-

    The bulky humanoid mech, with scarred and unpainted armor, stopped after leaving the starting zone. Then it raised its arms to align the hollow cylinders, that were fixed to the forearms, with the ones attached to both sides of its torso.

    If it wanted to attack, that was a strange choice, as Tsune remembered the weapons. They simply didn''t have the volume to focus enough plasma for a long range shot. For a second, she thought of returning to the AR chat, but decided against it.

    -On the other side, we have a guest from Mars. Hailing from our city''s academy, he seeks a challenge!-

    Blade''s mech raised his sword to greet the audience. But instead of attracting applause, he gave away the initiative.

    The opponent aligned the forearms cylinders with the torso ones and then just pushed them together. When blue light escaped from the imperfect connection and turned the barrel metal red hot, the girl understood the plan. And she was proven right, when paired cannons released their clumps of superheated matter.

    The thin blue lines instantaneously connected the adversaries, illuminating the mist around Blade''s mech, and its armored chest detonated.

    The twin explosion completely hid away the giant figure and the shockwave threw smoke at forcefields that protected the audience, drawing several gasps from nearby. Some people even put away their AR phones and looked around for their bags.

    But Tsune smirked instead. And her smile grew when the Skeleton King appeared from the smoke cloud. With most of its reactive armor suit gone, letting everyone see the skeletal chassis, its appearance was fitting of that name.

    -Netherworld Veil-

    With a single movement of its sword, Blade''s robot sent a wave of smoke interwined with mist. And before the black and white cloud could disperse, it adopted a familiar horizontal sword stance to rush straight at the enemy.

    When the skeletal robot reached the edge of the cloud, the beam cannons glowed again. To Tsune''s surprise, her friend chose to be smart over reckless and slowed down.

    Seconds later, the mostly white cover burst from a silent twin flash. It was the accelerated plasma losing its cohesion and evaporating mid air.

    It was a standoff between Blade, whose mist already painted the ground in frozen white, and the mercenary, who kept his ranged stance.

    But there was a detail that betrayed the latter''s bluff. The white hot metal that dripped from between the paired cannons. And if calling him out, the skeletal robot made a step out of his cloud.

    Instead of firing, the mercenary separated the weapons, forcefully tearing the metal that already fused together. He brought the forearm cylinders up as makeshift tonfas, and the first sword strike left a dent on their heated metal.

    It blocked the second strike as well and, with tonfas up, tried to bumrush his opponent. But the next slash was two handed and went lower than the arms could cover. The unpainted mech had to reverse and step back to escape a disabling gash through its thigh. After the first step, the pilot had to make another, and then another, until he was in full retreat.

    -

    The battle went on for long enough for Tsune to slip from excited viewer to a withdrawn observer role, as if she was watching a training video.

    Despite the cooled cannons, the ranged mech was stuck in a precarious situation: Its fists couldn''t contest the sword''s reach but as long as it retreated, it could block it. As an unfortunate side effect, the constant movement of the torso swung the hardpoint cannons from side to side.

    At first, the pilot timed the charges to fire exactly when they faced the enemy. But against the King''s mostly hollow body, even the luckier shots took out a structural strut as they flew through.

    He tried half turning the torso to aim with the other and parry with the other. But battered by two handed stabs, he lost as much damage as he gained.

    Finally, the mercenary has had enough. Turning the mech to face his enemy, he blocked the blade with one forearm and grabbed it with another. And Tsune all but left her chair as she unconsiously moved forward to see the response she expected.

    .

    Before the unpainted hand could bend the blade, the sword''s edges split and slid down to reveal a jagged chain. The sawblades crackled with lightning and the offending fingers fell away. Almost immediately after, the saw pushed the blocking arm into the shoulder before it bit in, with a geyser of sparks.

    However, even at that price, the Blade''s weapon was finally immobile. It was an easy target for other arm''s cannon.

    Watching the mercenary''s mech stumble as it was consumed by ignited flamethrower fuel, the girl silently rubbed her forehead. It constrasted with the half excited, half agitated audience but she couldn''t help it.

    "In a powered saw? He just couldn''t help himself, could he."

    If it was the academy''s tournament, the match would be over. But here, the blazing mech raised its hands again. If it got close enough to the heat absorbing mist, it could still win in a brawl.

    -

    -Skeleton King wins!-

    The Skeleton King threw away the sword handle that was used a club and turned away. The opponent was immobile, with the pilot presumed as unconscious from overheating.

    Blade''s robot gave way to the rescue vehicles. As it walked away, its giant arm pointed in Tsune''s direction, then gestured to one of the arena''s entrances.

    The girl momentarily froze, then looked around, disguised as fixing her hair. Given the stadium''s current mood, she didn''t want to be in the spotlight as the winner''s friend.

    When the announcer misunderstood that gesture as Martian gloating, she sighed in relief. But that''s when she heard her phone make a notification sound. The girl looked at her device as if it was a snake. She half anticipated it to never stop due to a hail of messages, but it remained silent after the first one.

    "Did he really call me too?"

    After she saw that the call was from Hem, she picked it with some hesitation. She hoped it would be quick.

    -Do you know him? He pointed straight at you.-

    -Yes, but why do you want to know?-

    -Oh, just curious. Okay, I''ll see you at the team meeting.-

    Tsune heard him cut the line and shrugged in confusion. If he wanted to give his reasons, he would tell. As for her, It was time to make a detour and listen to the smug martian brag about his first match.

 Chapter 33

    The tournament was finally rebroadcast in entertainment format and Tsune spent the last hours of her summer vacation playing with it. To no surprise, she made Blade lose with relative ease. Granted, she had the power of hindsight but it reaffirmed what she told him after the match.

    She said that he was reckless and he just laughed it off. Then he gave her a monologue about next weapon being even better than the one he lost. They argued so much that she forgot to ask him about his reasons to leave Mars.

    "He just wanted an eye candy companion to walk out of the arena with, didn''t he?"

    A flux of emotions helped her energize and stretching, Tsune stood from the chair. If she didn''t move now, she would be late to the team meeting.

    When she entered her room to change, her mother was already done with her travel bag. The woman went for a hug while Tsune tried to move away from the warm embrace before she got sweaty.

    ''Come on, mother, I''ll be back soon.''

    ''But you are going to real fights. How can I not?''

    ''We aren''t alone, we''ll have a transport ship. And the academy will support us for a year.''

    The woman stepped away while still holding Tsune by the shoulders. Her expression changed to the usual optimistic one.

    ''Bring back good photos, okay?''

    ''I''ll even bring back a video.''

    ''I don''t want just a recording. I want what you think of as most important.''

    -

    Later that day, Tsune watched Den talk from her perch atop the packed hangar equipment. The nearby active vent made his voice nigh unintelligible, but not hearing him talk to their future pilot a minor sacrifice. The pilot in question looked unkempt and wore a frazzled jumpsuit, but a clear voice and defined facial features kept his appearance civil.

    As she waited, Hem came to lean on the crate below. He never contacted her about his progress on the pet and, given her own involvement, she was curious.

    But when he ignored her handwave, she didn''t push it further. If he wanted to keep that pet a secret, then she didn''t want to be rude. Not to mention that his summer job could leak and give him trouble.

    -

    The sun refused to hide behind the clouds, and she almost regretted not taking an umbrella. Even if it would make her look eccentric in the team photo. At least Mapo sat quietly on the ground, keeping her legs safe from its hot metal.

    Finally, Den found his angle. Tsune brushed her hair with a sigh and escaped into the shadow of her wolf''s paw. The ground there was uneven, with dry grass hiding the cracks, but she kept up the pace.

    Only when she was already inside the mech, she realized how lucky she was to avoid stumbling. Or burning her hands on the outside ladder. With the rest of the day spent on transferring the mechs to the transport, even a light, but painful, injury would make the travel unbearable.

    Making sure that Mapo was still in a corner, she stripped the bodysuit to its summer version before turning up the cabin cooling. As the last in the column, she needed to do her best to pilot through the city.

    -

    Once outside of the city, Tsune saw Den''s signal on the team screen and pushed the control stick forward. Their target, nearest spaceport fort, was already visible. But its closeness was deceptive. Even off road and at top speed it would take a while before they arrive.

    The building, made to protect and shelter humanity, slowly revealed it colossal size as they got closer. Tsune put away the water bottle and looked at the cap in her hand. From far away, the wide tower shared a loose resemblance with it due to its ridged sides. But from close by it was a small city, encased in armor and surrounded by turrets.

    The wolf followed the tanks into the gate and its steps changed from quiet thuds to clanging against the metal floor. Unlike the well maintained outside armor, inside showed the signs of centuries of use. Thick plates looked grainy, as if painted with metal dust. Some of them outright lost volume as time and ambient static from power cables evaporated the tough metals like ice.

    In contrast with the main corridor, the branching rooms had modern vehicle bays. They housed the RC units of garrizon teams, most of them on the cheaper side.

    Soon, the road rose and the mech column entered the next floor. Instead of halls and rooms, this level was split into many vertical slices, each of them an autonomous spaceship dock. Some of them were empty and dark, some had the ship surrounded by equipment and maintenance workers.

    Their dock was lit by the sunlight from the open front wall. And if it wasn''t for that detail, Tsune would''ve thought that it just arrived for repairs. The hull had no damage and painted well but its sections belonged to different ships. A small passenger front, bloated cargo middle and an armored reactor back, with multiple maneuver jet and weapon pods slapped on all three.

    She almost spoke to Eider, who was in charge of finding a transport but remembered that its owner was right besides him.

    ''Welcome to my humble home.''

    As soon as she thought about the man, she heard him speak as Eider''s eagle flew in. When it landed, the ship''s owner jumped out, accompanied by a hiss from the cargo bay. It was the cargo hold depressurising before it opened an entrance above the antigravity engine keel.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    -

    Tsune understood that the main engine started when Mapo, floating near her hand, suddenly crashed into the ceiling. Standing up to retrieve it, she felt her feet leave the ground and grabbed the chair in a momentary panic.

    "Didn''t think that it would affect the inside too."

    Hiding the embarrassment behind that excuse, she thought of staying in the cabin for the flight. But this was the first time she was in low gravity. She had to try moving in low gravity. Although for that, she''ll have to pay the price for not reading the contract and break an unspoken taboo.

    ''Den, can I get down? I want to see the outside without asking Eider for live feed.''

    The boy nodded without surprise and Tsune sighed with relief. If being battle ready at all times was required, then she could go even leave the hangar.

    A whole bouquet of mechanical smells that invaded the cabin through the door. They almost made her reconsider going out. But after a minute, that terrible mix began to segregate. Machine oil, burnt metal and plastic, the cleaning chemicals, once she knew the components, she could bring herself to bear it. Or maybe her nose went numb from overload.

    Instead of using the ladder, she just jumped down. Landing had a lot more bounce than she wished for and her long hair blinded her a for second. But the feeling of flight, spiced up by the light fear of falling, could only be described as exciting.

    Tsune looked at the team mechs around her, their cockpits lit from the inside. If it wasn''t for the audience, she would spend the remaining time experimenting.

    "Can''t look silly before the pilot either."

    Filing away the idea to fly in low gravity, she went to the passenger part of the ship.

    -

    Several hours later, she watched the land below with as much interest as before. The change was gradual but temperate forests and plains of her homeland gave way to lakes nested between many hills.

    The ship arrived to an especially large river and turned to follow its course. It was one of Three Rivers that gave the region its name. Right after the turn she heard a quiet question.

    ''Can we speak?''

    Turning away from the glistening water, the girl saw Den standing in the passageway. After a nod, she moved closer to the window to free the other seat.

    ''You forgot your phone, so I decided to tell you myself. And this a good chance to speak about personal matters while keeping everything between us.''

    Tsune felt her expression stiffen. She remembered Aery saying that she fit his tastes, But even so, he was probably the last person she expected to hear that from.

    ''I''m listening, but I can''t promise anything.''

    ''Yes, of course. I''ve heard from Eider that Hem went after to you to the Old city. He also barely spoke to him for most of the summer but you often visited him. And today he kept away from the rest of the team to stay closer to you. Is there anything I should know that might affect the team in the future?''

    "And he followed me to the tournament."

    The girl remembered Eider saying that he pushed them together to get Hem out of his reclusion. While Den waited for answer, she thought that the eagle boy''s plan was a road paved with good intentions.

    "Wait, wait. There''s no way that''s right."

    As she thought more about her visits to the boy''s house, she found one event that proved that this is a misunderstanding. Hem came to the tournament with a boxed present and left without giving it to her. Or trying to arrange a meeting. He even cut their work short earlier that morning.

    A small smile returned to Tsune''s face as she returned her attention to her team leader.

    ''He asked me for advice while he worked on a robotic present. As for other stuff, he stopped talking to me too. I think he''s trying to be self reliant to impress somebody.''

    After a brief pause, Den nodded and the tension between them disappeared.

    -

    When her mech left the destination space fort, Tsune found herself on a flat mountain top. On one side, she saw a far away mountain range, mostly hidden by clouds. On another, was the great river, flowing between the mountain and the hills on the other side. After parking the wolf, she opened the cabin door and breathed in the clean, fresh air.

    ''This looks so good. Where''s the city?''

    She addressed that to nobody, forgetting that she was still close to the team screen. The answer from the ship''s pilot was almost immediate.

    ''Below the mountain. Anyway, girls and boys, I think I already gave you the keys and even blind would find the cable cars. I''ll see you when I''m done with my other jobs.''

    His connection cut off and the fresh mecha team was left on its own.

    -

    Surprisngly, the taxi was manned. And it surprised them again, when the ride ended sooner than they expected. Way sooner than it should''ve had, according to the map. However it was hard to argue, as the further roads had a layer of gravel and river shells instead of pavement. It was thick enough that Tsune almost lost her balance when she got her bag out.

    While the higher districts had at least two or three-story buildings, these houses were one story at most. And they looked cheap, rows of wooden squares on visible metal chassis.

    "Well, at least it has furniture."

    Tsune fell on the empty bed, feeling her legs ache after walking on gravel for what seemed like an hour. The thin inner walls barely blocked sound, so she couldn''t help but hear Aery talk to Den. About how much time did he take to do something as simple as calling a teammate back.

    Sighing, Tsune stood up. It was time to unpack, change clothes and leave. Otherwise there was a risk that Aery could call her in as a witness.

    -

    Wearing a long white sundress, she went to the small corridor. But before she could leave, she heard Eider stop her.

    ''Wait a bit, I think the pair are almost done.''

    ''What for?''

    ''Remember the phone numbers we got for tournament''s 2nd place? One of them is in this city and Den wanted to introduce everyone.''

    With a shrug, the blonde leaned against the wall. Soon, she felt the loose cloth absorb enough sweat to stick to her back. Immediately leaving the wall, she decided to distract him with a question, as she tried to unstick it.

    ''So, what was that ship we flew on?''

    Eider saw through her and turned away before answering.

    ''Three Rivers is not rich enough to afford battleships. So they mix the parts from transports and decommissioned battleships and call it a warship. Just don''t tell that to their pilots, they prefer to think that they are equal to proper battleships.''

    Light laugh followed the last sentence, but it wasn''t for long. Den and Aery walked out of the room, hand in hand. Without looking at anyone, Den waved for everyone to follow him outside.

 Chapter 34

    The wind blew through the streets, spreading the colder air from the top of the mountain. It carried the smell of smoke and food, predominantly raw fish, making Tsune wring her nose in displeasure. it grew stronger as they went up the main street, until they reached their source.

    Taken in by the novelty around her, the girl couldn''t help but look around. This residential street had stalls right in front of houses, full of fish, carved stone and other day by day items their owners expected to sell quick. Some sellers plastered their tables with papers, that advertised larger wares, and the shrewder ones bet on a bigger sunroof to attract traffic. It was a simple trick but she even memorized a fair amount of ads.

    Halfway through the busy street, the team came across a long staircase carved straight into the mountain. Looking up, through the multiple ornate gates that separated it into separate flights, Den turned to others.

    ''It''s there. How are you holding? Should we rest first?''

    ''It''s tough but I''m fine as long as you are with me.''

    Aery lightly squeezed his arm, while other boys just shrugged. Tsune brushed her hair with her hand, trying to absorb the extra heat and voted for getting this over.

    -

    At first she counted the stairs out of idle curiousity, but at the end, she counted them to keep her legs moving. Somehow she managed to last. They crossed the last gate, with a wooden sign that lost its letters, and stepped onto stone paved plateau with a big tree and a fountain in the center.

    A line of familiar box buildings framed the square from the right and a long low hangar did the same from the left. The back of the yard was separated from the wild mountain slope by a wide stone building, with diagonal spiked ornaments on its four corners.

    ''Rei, the guests arrived.''

    The voice was from an old man who washed his upper body in the fountain. He grabbed a shirt, two pieces of cloth laced together at shoulders and sides, and gestured the panting guests to the houses on the right.

    ''If there''s no emergency, please rest and freshen up before dinner . My son will guide you to your rooms.''

    ''Student, mentor. Please refer to me as a student.''

    A boy, around their age, appeared from behind a sliding door on the right. When the man ignored him, Rei rubbed the back of his shaved head, his finger joints white from effort. Then he did what he was asked to.

    The single room guest house was even smaller than the one downtown, roughly two steps wide. But in exchange of the bed being replaced with a rolled mat, it had a pleasant surprise behind a plastic curtain in the back. A shower coupled with laundry and a sealed clothing packet.

    -

    Refreshed, Tsune put on everything but the dress that was still damp with sweat. Throwing it over the laundry shelf, she took the packet outside of the curtain.

    She unrolled the bundle slowly enough to drop nothing if it turned out to be a set. But the more she unrolled, the longer the first part became. When the last fold was gone, she held two long pieces of white cloth that looked a lot like the old man''s shirt. But long enough to cover her from neck to toe and with the lacing put through the embedded metal rings instead of simple holes.

    "Hmm. I don''t know about this."

    The free form design guaranteed to fit, but... She pressed the top part against her bust to see if it had enough material.

    Several minutes later, Tsune joined others in the stone temple. She had to tightly lace the dress over its entire length, making the skirt part tighter than she wanted, otherwise it would show the underwear straps. The dress had several subtle cloth loops, that allowed for more control, but she had time to learn only one. It was under her neck, where she tied the ends of both laces with a butterfly knot.

    Looking around the table, she was the only one who took the hosts upon their offer. The boys kept their clothes as is, while Aery''s blouse became nearly transparent from washing and she clung to Den''s arm to hide.

    -

    When the last piece of crunchy fish disappeared from the table, the old man spoke.

    ''Let us use the post meal time to introduce each other. I''m the head of this temple.''

    ''Mentor.''

    ''It is simply good manners.''

    After giving his father an unpleasant look, Rei followed up.

    ''I am the student at this temple. I cannot say what gate have I reached, as the monk keeps them open.''

    Den cleared his throat with a cough, that masked a quick glance at his team.

    ''We are a combiner mecha team from the central region. Our profile doesn''t have any victories yet, but we did well in the academy tournament organized by a famous pilot.''

    ''An aspiring team from the central city came here to seek victories. Interesting, isn''t it?''

    The words weren''t directed at anyone, but Rei''s expression grew gloomier with every word from his father.

    ''Mentor. If you are planning for me to join them, I will not.''

    ''But you have so much to learn from each other.''

    ''I want to learn our way of piloting, the knowledge I would get from them as friends is useless.''

    ''How is it...''

    Den interrupted the monk''s objection by standing up to leave the table.

    ''Thank you for treating us well. But it is time for us to leave.''

    The boy turned around and left. Tsune turned from him, to Rei who looked straight at them, to her dress, then stood up as well. This wasn''t the best time to ask for a chance to change clothes.

    -

    The next morning, an insistent knock on her door pulled her sleep. Soon, Aery''s voice added to its effect.

    ''I''m going to a public bath. Want to come with me?''

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Tsune nodded, then the consequences of that question got through the sleepy haze. To be naked in company of naked women for extended time.

    ''No, I''ll go later.''

    A part of her would regret not going. Maybe during hotel morning her emotions went to opposite extreme. It was right after the exam, after all. But it brought questions she would rather not think about.

    The steps grew silent and she fell back into bed. Pulling the phone from under her shoulder, she accidentally unlocked the screen.

    -As per laws of your region, the violent content was blocked. Please confirm that you are eighteen or more to join this network.-

    The girl dropped the gadget before the message could finish. She spent the hours searching for mecha battle videos. But this electronic voice blocked more just local content. Because of the universal account on her device, it extended to other regions and even live from team sites on the Ring. In short, she was stuck without her favorite pastime.

    She was tempted to swap with Hem or Eider, but both brought theirs to study.

    ''Ahh, almost a month! Even the old city wasn''t so bad.''

    She pulled the pillow away from her face and simply laid there.

    The house around her grew quiet while the outside filled with sounds of walking, slow-moving cars and the rare powered glider. It was time to start a new day.

    -

    The city bustled with activity, working the hardest it could before the sun appeared over the mountain top. People hurried past the cafe, everyone with a purpose.

    ''Are you staying?''

    Tsune nodded without turning to look. Hem left first, saying he was busy online. Den and Aery... was none of her business. Now Eider left as well, to return to pilot training. And she, she watched the Great River continue its endless run far below. Sometimes, the tranquil surface was broken by a glider''s water landing. But those splashes of color did little to change her current thoughts.

    For the first time in many years, she didn''t know what to do with herself. Ever since Lyle joined the arena, life has become a loop of working on the toys he would control and following his favorite games. In this world, the loop only changed its form, dividing the days into academy and improving her skills with the useful battle videos.

    But here, the mech remained near the fort and her phone couldn''t access what she wanted. The loop broke, leaving her with either continuing to waste time in the city, or watching random shows. But *lesser of the two evils* wasn''t a choice at all, it was hidden desperation.

    ''Ah, why am I even thinking about bad options?''

    Hearing other clients mumble, she gave an embarrassed smile and left, Her destination was the temple.

    -

    She wasn''t sure if it was a good fortune or not, but she met the monk in the same place as yesterday. In front of the tree in the center of the yard. But unlike yesterday, there was one big difference. Instead of washing up, he watched the two big metal hands that rose through hangar''s open roof. They weren''t idle either, the hands constantly moved into complex gestures and finger combinations.

    Tsune brought the bundled temple dress to the front as she approached the man. But his attention was on the robot. Or maybe noise from the robot joints blocked the sound of her steps.

    ''I came to return the dress. Sorry about taking it.''.

    ''One can not take away the beauty from others. Please accept it as a gift as it fit you well.''

    The blonde put away the bundle but remained in place. It seemed awkward to leave without getting anything done. Especially when her legs hurt after all those steps. So, for a while, she watched the mech movements as well.

    ''Are you are this city''s team?''

    ''We are not a team, we are a dynasty that protects the town. But we will not take your victories.''

    He started with pride, his stature straight as an arrow. But then his shoulders slumped and his voice lowered.

    ''Do you know how pilots used to control their mechs?''

    ''Um, the crystals, right? My mother used to research safer ways to train pilots.''

    ''Oh, then you should understand!''

    The sudden burst of life made the girl step back. She couldn''t but feel a bad case of deja vu as the monk continued.

    ''Our knowledge is one of the many gears that served a grander purpose. But first it met regulations, then struck out of public eye, now gone from pilot training. And private schools like mine; students used to live on the street below and now I''m renting it to a bazaar. A bazaar!

    And today this knowledge is an obstacle in my son''s future. A promising pilot might have to live off the land rent because his mech wont be allowed to step outside of the hangar.''

    He stopped mid-gesture and his expression changed. But she spoke before he could apologize.

    ''You didn''t scare me. I remembered how I met a pilot I admire, in Crystal Resort. ''

    ''You have met *Monster*? He is still alive?''

    ''Yes. His son defended the city while I was there. He lost his temper both times we met.''

    No need to tell him about living in a basement turned museum of his past deeds.

    ''So, that eternal battle mantle of his is no more. But how did his successor push through with that machine? Its shapeshifting was scandalous even back then.''

    Tsune sighed. She couldn''t spare him the details. And life went beyond the piece of script that could take the blame for lying.

    ''He spent his last active years with an Assistant Device, then gave it to his son. The son s now on the Ring, as a part of team Zodiacs.''

    ''I see... Then if you or your friends need a room, you are free to stay here.''

    With that short, neutral remark, the monk turned around and walked to the building. Leaving Tsune wonder about whether there was a better way to say what she did.

 Chapter 35

    Tsune ignored the showcases at the front and delved deeper into the shop.

    Here, past the guarded door, was the advertised room. Barely lit, with a dozen of tables and a big screen on the back wall. A place to hide from the sun, socialize and show self-made videos. But in the first half, it was a quiet place to think. It was a corner table with a cheap menu.

    "Now then."

    She moved the paper to the middle of the table, then put the cold glass on top to center her thoughts.

    First, that scene with monk earlier. The background, waiting for her outside, the speech. The dress as a lead-in quest reward. Even an area unlock. Whichever side she took, it looked like a new event trigger. And that involved a mechamonster and her.

    The last year''s vacation was a good example. An enemy appeared in a place that had decades of peace. Her plea for help in the museum, the ice pillar over the defeated beast.

    Her attention accidentally fell on the glass and she returned to the present. Where she thought about future instead of indulging in emotions. But the past had two questions she thought of as important for today.

    Would the event mechamonster not appear if she never went to Crystal Resort? Or left before the attack?

    The first one she discarded. The second however...

    "If I leave, I''ll probably get fired, wont I?"

    She imagined going through with it. The team''s reactions to this completely senseless decision, made worse by her inability to explain.

    Soon after, her amusement died down and she threw that option out. Leaving meant abandoning the decision to abandon her Majin pilot training and join this team. It would also earn her reputation of an unreliable airhead that ran at the first sign of trouble.

    Speaking of earning that reputation, she looked at the phone contact who already regarded her as such. Rod definitely would know what to do, but he would probably drip-feed her information step by step. Nevertheless, she took him off the blacklist, just in the rare case of conscience acting up.

    Seeing a waitress walk in, she took a sip and couldn''t help but grimace from how bitter it was. Looking at the pamphlet, it was river water purified with the shop''s original mineral mix.

    "Do these people have to be inventive even about water?"

    Fetching a normal drink, she answered the silent third question. If she couldn''t act outside of the event, she needed to work from the inside. At least she knew who to focus on.

    Tsune emptied her glass in one go. And barely held back the cough when she realized she took the wrong one.

    -

    She made a hasty retreat after seeing Rei near the tree. He meditated under the fountain''s water while facing the tree, so hopefully he didn''t notice her. Otherwise she would have to tell about the monk''s invitation and she had no delusions about how it would go. If antagonistic Rei became hostile, the old man would lose the interest in her team.

    Although this left her with the original problem of having nothing to do for the rest of the day.

    She rested her legs on the hard stone of the lowest step, watching the edge of sunlight beyond the river. As it approached, the city around slowly quieted down. Even the gliders above started to return to the mountain base hidden by the morning haze.

    Feeling her back starting to sweat, she massaged her calves and stood up. Most of this city''s manned taxis weren''t part of a network, so the sooner she started, the faster she would catch one of them. Her day''s schedule was one giant hole and her target was the glider base.

    -

    She stepped stepped out of the cable onto the metal platform. As old and thick as a spacefort''s armor plate, it barely made any sound.

    Only a mass-produced house was between her and the gliders. The light air machines lined up on both sides.

    "Hello?"

    "Just take one, we have the identification and pay to throttle system installed."

    A man''s voice came from an open window, accompanied by clanging of kitchen ware.

    "But I don''t know how to fly."

    The sounds stopped and, seconds later, the middle-aged owner appeared outside. He brought out the look of discontent and smell of fried fish. But his words carried a different tone.

    ''Sorry about that. I saw that you have spare clothes and new customers generally don''t know about that. Please follow me.''

    They passed half of gliders ,tear shaped capsules under thin triangle wings near a red one. The man looked at her and Tsune shrugged. He probably saw her team arrive and misunderstood wearing white as adherence to mission roles.

    She slipped between the struts into the half-reclined chair. Two pedals under her feet and a single button beneath the windshield were the only controls.

    ''Pedals are to turn left or right, the button is for take off. You can use it again to extend the flight, but every press costs extra. If you lose control, it''ll balance itself.''

    Nodding, she clicked the throttle. An invisible force softly pushed the glider forward. Tsune got a glimpse of the city below before the gravity returned. And the machine dived towards the river, mixing fear with excitement as it traded height for speed.

    -

    The day leaned close to dusk when the glider first touched the river. Its gondola dipped in and two water walls rose on both sides as it slowed down. It stopped in the shallow water near the shore, right before its bottom started to scrape against the rocks.

    ''Spare clothes he said.''

    Tsune threw away the safety belt. She was drenched from head to toe, her hair dripping on her back and front. Taking the wet bundle, that used to be a dry temple dress, she got out. The machine rose from water, showering her one more time, before it flew off to return.

    ''Here''s a free towel for your first flight.''

    A young woman greeted her from a car parked near the shore. Offering the gift on the extended hand. When the girl accepted, the driver continued.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.''I see your spare got wet, I can drive you home for a discount price.''

    ''Thanks but I''m staying nearby.''

    ''Those houses never have proper utilities. I''ll get you to a proper bathroom, privacy guaranteed, and to your house even faster than if you walked home from here.''

    Tsune looked to the sky. She extended her flight for so long that stars already started to break through the waning daylight. If she had to explain that, in addition to her tomorrow plans, to her mother, she would rather do it while feeling proper.

    -

    The girl dropped on her bed, with a sigh that contained all the day''s worries. But there was no time to rest, as others could return from supper at any time.

    First, the anxiety had to go. She imagined a frozen land, its cold wind filling her with calm indifference, and pressed the call button.

    Her mother replied almost immediately.

    ''Daughter, how nice of you to call so soon.''

    Tsune could almost see her mother have a teasing smile on.

    ''Yes, I left just yesterday, didn''t I. But I didn''t know that this place would block the net this much, so I had nothing do.''

    She paused to calm down. If she started with being defensive, then the talk could end before she could bring up what she wanted.

    ''I got carried away while flying. Like with the sweets or success at the tournament that made you worry. But I think I found how to change.''

    She paused again, giving her mother a chance to speak, but it seemed that the woman followed her along.

    ''There''s a temple here that teaches how to use the crystals you showed in the museum. And I thought, the behind all those things is the same as the one I can''t go near a powered crystal, then I should ask them to teach me.''

    The girl carefully listened to the silence on the other end. She heard the sounds of the cooking machine in the background so the line wasn''t muted, but nothing else. That lack of reaction made her feel uncertain, but she couldn''t bring herself to ask for one yet.

    ''Also, I like Mapo but it was all the academy talked about and it''ll remain to be my main draw as a pilot. I want a skill I can develop myself without relying on father.''

    ''Now, that''s a line I didn''t miss for the last three years.''

    Lady Red''s voice sounded dry and teacher like.

    ''I understand, daughter. But I must talk to that teacher first. For now, find a good supper, take a good sleep and call me when you''re there.''

    ''Good night, mother.''

    For a minute, the girl looked at her reflection on the dark screen. She didn''t expect that dramatic line hit home so cleanly. Then again, she didn''t exaggerate her own thoughts about professor Red that much.

    Noise from front door interrupted her thought about where the line between Lyle and Tsune could lay. She had the last, but not least, step to do.

    -

    Next morning, Tsune stopped near the top of the temple stairs. She looked back at the city below, mentally marking the spots that Den showed her on the satellite map. He wanted them recorded as a glider fly by for the future team site promotions.

    The monk''s greeting welcomed her from under the tree. She returned it and continued, while hugging the sealed temple dress.

    ''I want to learn as your student while we are still here.''

    The faded eyebrows rose and the man fully turned to her.

    ''Girl, if you intend that to be compensation for the perceived harm done by your words, leave. I will pretend I have not seen you today.''

    ''No, it''s not that. My mother will explain it better.''

    After several quick steps, Tsune offered him the phone, that was already establishing a call. He kept the stern expression as he greeted the other side. However, soon it became neutral and he sat down where he stood, in a crosslegged position.

    -

    The call lasted long enough for Tsune to sit on the fountain wall. Sometimes the monk would answer, but the meaning went over her head. It sounded like a mix of meditation mantras you''d see online and medical terms.

    Eventually, the old man stood up in a single motion to return the device.

    ''I thought that you had a petty reason, but now I offer an apology. It has been many years since the last time I had to work under limitations this detailed, but I accept the challenge.''

    ''Stay here, I must bring the tools for the first step.''

    The item in question was a eight sided crystal cylinder, about as wide as her arm and half of her height. She reached out to touch its red matte surface, it felt polished and cold.

    ''Your first task is to do this.''

    Her new teacher returned to his meditation pose, with the crystal between them. Suddenly, its blind sides showed a kaleidoscope. Images of men, women, buildings and giant machines, muddled with flashes of color, deformed, or only partially animated.

    ''That is what anyone can see. I believe even in the modern times this is not a rare sight, because I heard my students speak about a place called Snowland.''

    He raised his hand and the cylinder turned transparent, letting Tsune see the monk through it. But as she looked through, she noticed a difference. The monk inside of the crystal raised the wrong hand.

    When the recognition showed on her face, the prism returned to being a shaped red rock. The monk stood up, breaking the image of a living statue.

    ''That is the first step. Learn to concentrate on a single action without letting the noise in. Have you ever done it before?''

    "All the time."

    Tsune thought back to her struggles to gain a mental balance. But her answer was different.

    ''Yes, when the academy tournament stressed me out.''

    ''Good. Once you feel that you need to force yourself to continue, change your perception.''

    He waved towards the tree as he continued.

    ''We use the fountain, but your mother suggested the glider base. There, focus only on what you can sense around you instead of your imagination. That way the subconscious leftovers from the noise are weakened until they are forgotten.''

    With that, he left towards the temple, leaving both her and Rei to study on their own.

 Chapter 36

    Left alone, Tsune soon thought of a movement she wanted to see in the stone. Mapo floating around her hand was easy to imagine and easy to notice.

    She closed her eyes and saw it so vividly that her arm felt the wind from the flying orb. Then looked straight into the crystal, expecting to see her imagination materialized.

    Five seconds of wait, ten, twenty, A shadow came over the surface and her eyes glanced to the side. It couldn''t be a cloud could it? But when her attention returned, the prism was as bright as the sunlit pavement.

    Dissapointed and lightly embarassed by the easy distraction, she put in extra effort. Her stare drilled into the surface, trying to force the vision into the depths. But before long, blood pulsed behind her eyes and her head throbbed. She turned away to rub her strained eyes.

    After light rabbits went away and the tears dried up, her expression remained sour. For the next try, she took the monk''s wave. First in imagination, then moved the arm muscles to fool her mind into believing that she made the gesture.

    Then repeated both, with both palms pushed against the stubborn thing.

    Releasing the breath she unconsciously held, she turned away. To the side, the robot loudly connected its fingers to make a triangle. Then turned it into a diamond shape. The symbols flowed and the distraction helped her change into analytical persona.

    Sorting the causes for failure, the first was the monk''s advice about Snowland. That wasn''t just useless, but misleading. This piece of rock was nothing like that automated place, so she hoped for quick success for no reason. If his inventory was as good as his help, the crystal was busted.

    The other was about mother. She arranged for her to fail. A dangerous training and daughter who could risk disobeying, the motive was there.

    After a while, Tsune lightly shook her head. The spoken reason for training was the weakness as a pilot and Lady Red had no way to know otherwise. But she knew that a pilot would not give up on improving themselves.

    The robot''s movements changed again, reminding her to hurry up. If she showed no progress before training''s end, Rei could object to her presence.

    -

    Later, she decided to cheat a little. She searched the previous world for a special state of mind, or a distinct feeling, she could replicate as a shortcut. If this world was so similar to the games, even a far out scene could prove useful.

    And soon she found it. After the branching inner dialogue, the robot''s transparent image was overlayed over the protagonist''s spirit. Then the human figure grew to match it, the metal copying the flesh when it clenched into a fist.

    That was the moment she focused on. And the stone cleared. It reflected herself, the stone floor and the sky above. It ignored her imagined movements while showing her real ones.

    She pushed away the budding annoyance. Even if lackluster, a result was worth holding onto. Now it just needed to last.

    -

    As the monk walked over, her perception of time slowed down. The success was an educated guess at best, so she could feel every second pass by. Especially since the old man took no detours and couldn''t see it until he passed the tree.

    Finally he cleared the obstacle. But instead of relief, whether a compliment or even a frown, she saw raised eyebrows.

    ''Do my eyes deceive me? A clear crystal?''

    ''Did I do something wrong?''

    The old man kneeled before the prism. Then their eyes met and her fear of losing the link came to pass, if too late to matter. The stone opaque surface separated them.

    ''I cannot say. But an empty state requires an empty mind.''

    ''And forgive me for the assumption, but I do not believe you have reached it.''

    ''I''m not even sure what that means. It refused to do anything, so I imagined-''

    ''Do not blame your method then, as it cannot achieve this.''

    ''Um, are you still looking at it?''

    The awkward standoff continued for several minutes. When she broke the silence, the monk moved as if he forgot where he was. Then smiled and stood up.

    ''Forgive me. I was absorbed by choosing the archive I should reference. We will conitnue tomorrow, when light of sun comes.''

    As she watched his back, she couldn''t help but think about the plans she made before. This wasn''t how this was supposed to go.

    -

    An hour later, Tsune guided the glider far to the side as soon as she took off. It was time to make sightseeing videos for the team page. Den gave no specific order, so she went with the farthest one first.

    The target was a giant pile of boulders on the left side of the mountain. As old as the city itself, it dated back to when starfort construction teams removed the uneven parts of the mountain top. But as it usually happens, people got used to seeing it and eventually gave meaning even to the simple rocks. Nowadays, it has grown to be a part of the city life.

    She clicked the safety belt locks, making the metal clamps make an angry warning noise. They refused to be disabled completely, only weakening enough to turn and lean on the gondole. She instantly got a faceful of her hair, but once the last strand was sent to flutter behind, it was time to record.

    The first pass focused on the foundation that has overgrown over the centuries. With plants and time fragmenting the rocks into a wall that was several human heights tall.

    For the second scene, she zoomed in on the visitor groups that pointed out the figures they saw in interlocking boulders above. Essentially, it was the same as cloud gazing, with changing lighting adding fuel to the imagination.

    The final pass over the top layer wasn''t as lucky, as the glider ran between an air upflow and wind from the mountain. The turbulence shook the machine and chill ran through her body as her cold muscles grew weak from fear. Tsune fought back by gripping the strut so hard that her nails dug into her palm. And the pain made the blood flow quicker, restoring control enough to keep the phone steady.

    "Why didn''t I take a coat."

    The belt clamp made a happy sound when the girl dropped back into the seat. Goose bumps covered her skin and threatened to grow into a mean shiver.

    But, there was a silver lining from all of the near-fall experiences. The adrenaline fueled pulse worked to restore her warmth, slowly spreading it through her top half. Her cheeks were all burning up already.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    Next was the upper city and then the temple, with Rei''s training session as future loading symbol. She just hoped that the monks wouldn''t object.

    -

    "I''ll have to ask to how land on the ground."

    Drenched from head to toe by the river water, the girl brushed the wet locks out of her face. The shallow noon water was warm even against her hot skin. But the river breeze made quick work of that comfort and she returned the excited wave from the familiar car on the shore.

    -

    The next morning, Tsune sat against Rei. The yesterday''s cold still lingered and the cool air felt almost cold. But she could hardly ignore his early call, given how intensely he eagerly he asked.

    To be fair, watching his reflection was almost worth the occasional chill. It changed expressions, repeated the mech hand training, then stood up to walk like a caged lion. The last attempt even replaced the reflected world with inside of a waterfall.

    ''The mind link works. Did he trick me? Or was it your parent?''

    ''The monk was asked by mother to train me and I think my mother wouldn''t...''

    ''He would. He learned this recently. I''d have noticed.''

    ''But why, just to stop you from teaching? Is it even possible to teach me while stopping you?''

    The reflection''s fist hit it''s palm and the crystal grew opaque .

    ''If I thought less of him, we would''ve combed your call log for leading questions.''

    As the silence settled in, Tsune mentally shook her head in surprize. She planned to observe the temple, exchanging the role of messenger for her stay here. But the monk immediately exploited her training, to achieve his own goals.

    Soon, she broke the silence.

    ''Look, I didn''t ask to be paired up, I''ve had enough of that from my teammate. But your teacher wouldn''t set this up as a dead end, because my mother wouldn''t want that.''

    ''He left a hint?''

    ''If he wanted to hide it better, he thought about my phone, so he might''ve told it to you instead.''

    ''I''ll solve it then. Before idleness wastes the day. Show me the clear crystal.''

    Tsune nodded and summoned the yesterday''s succescul image. Just to have the stone ignore it. The boy noticed her confused blink and narrowed his eyes.

    "How are you already suspicious?"

    She retraced her steps yesterday, with herself in character''s shoes to reinforce immersion. When the imaginary mech clenched its fist, the prism turned transparent. And Rei leaned forward, forgetting about his appearance as he appraised the result.

    ''It really is true?''

    ''Why are both of you surprised? Your teacher said I couldn''t have reached an empty mind. Then he cut me off and left to study.''

    ''To put it simply, a mind has stray thoughts. To pilot cleanly, you supress them. Then will the actions through the link. Like moving your arm, without thinking about muscles.''

    Rei reached forward. HIs palm rested against the stone, showing to Tsune without any distortions.

    ''Not unless you mastered mental discipline. Or meddled with either the crystal or yourself. You can''t make it inert.''

    ''So, since I couldn''t meddle with it.

    "and my parents told me I wasn''t changed..."

    ''I''ll replace it right now. If it''s true, my training will resume. Or he''ll hear no end to this.''

    -

    Later, Tsune looked at the pavement, studying the minor leaves of grass that made it through the cracks. The new crystal clearly showed Rei through its from, so she would rather not looked at Rei. It was a small miracle that the connection survived the change in expressions for as long as it did. As even listening to his breathing break into parts, made her fever actively worse.

    Honestly, leaving before she made another blunder wasn''t a bad idea. She could still talk to the monk and Rei would be annoying to deal with, but he wouldn''t turn personal. But, she had to make at least one more attempt.

    ''I''m sure that this not because of me. it just worked that way after that useless advice about Snowland.''

    ''About what?''

    ''It''s like a winter park inside of a building. But the snow gathers itself into shapes that fit your subconscious.''

    As she said the last sentence, several events clicked together into a chain. It must''ve reflected in her expression as Rei asked nothing and his presence withered into the background. The key was the Christmas tree in the middle of the frozen forest. It dressed itself with items from her past, but stumbled on memories nobody in this world could have.

    But how could she approach it in a way that won''t make Rei unbearable.

    ''I think I understand. But he said that he heard it from his students.''

    ''I''m his only student. For as long as I remember.''

    ''And your parents?''

    ''On Tek Terra since I was a child. Say it already.''

    ''I''ll need to talk to mother about it. But first, I need to lie down.''

    Tsune stood up and left to the guest houses. Surprisingly, the boy didn''t try to stop her. Maybe he decided not to force the answer, or maybe he saw her unsteady walk.

    -

    Several door knocks woke her up. The sun was already up and bright enough to show an adult silhouette through the thin door. He held something in his hands.

    ''I''m up.''

    ''I have come with hot food and medicine. It is from your region, so there are no local additions.''

    The monk kneeled to put the tray on the ground and continued.

    ''I have also come to ask forgiveneness for my student. He chased practice and that turned him blind to your health.''

    ''It is because I never told him. But I wanted to ask, was your first advice about a Snowland tree with presents on it?''

    The girl involuntarily matched his tone for the answer.

    ''Ah, so you have learned about it. Yes, your mother have instructed me.''

    ''Will Rei help? Because I doubt we can work together well.''

    ''I believed that it would be beneficial to the boy. I humbly ask you for help.''

    Tsune brushed her nose and her finger grew wet. Using the fever to buy time was fine, but it was high time to get serious. Or she''ll spend weeks bedridden and separated from the team.

    She slid away the door and took the tray.

    ''I want to cover my weakness as a pilot, so I''ll do my best. Please tell it to Rei.''

 Chapter 37

    Tsune woke up with unpleasant chemical taste in her mouth. The medicine made her sleep since yesterday, wasting precious planning time. But barring heavy head and sweat, it did its job.

    Cold shower lifted her drowsiness, but her mind was still a cavalcade of unwanted thoughts. Such a thin, invisible distinction between Tsune and Lyle, but how fundamentally separate their worlds really were.

    She hit the wall with her palm. This would affect Rod as well, wouldn''t it. The weasel would have to keep his future knowledge private and run into the same problems. She imagined him exasperated, flipping script''s pages before an empty crystal, and the mirror reflected her smile.

    A shadow appeared outside of the sunlit door and knocked on its frame, .

    ''Are you up? Teacher calls.''

    ''I''ll be there soon.''

    Right after another shower and a quick clothing wash.

    -

    A big ornate carpet left only a narrow path near the wall for her to follow. The left door opened into a room full of wooden bookcases. Their doors and glass panels sealed with crossed white tape.

    The monk was in the second, smaller, room. He turned around, but instead of books that would fit the ancient table, she saw a modern reading tablet.

    ''Good morning. But if I may, given your expression, have you expected me to be surrounded by books?''

    ''Ah? No, it''s just I went to the other room first.''

    ''It is a pitiful sight, isn''t it. Before, every student added their knowledge to the archive. Everyone was proud to etch their drawing onto the book''s fore-edge.''

    Tsune heard a distant, nostalgic, note in his voice.

    ''Paper is really fragile, isn''t it.''

    ''Oh, I wish it was just that. But my book left to join others in the old capital almost as soon as wrote the last word.''

    ''But forgive my sentimentality, as I have invited you for another reason. This record about a condition similar to yours.''

    "Can you not call it condition?"

    With effort, Tsune voiced her retort only in her thoughts.

    ''It describes the man who showed a transparent crystal despite being only a student. Asked about his past, he spoke of interplanetary travel, but never with destinations. He abandoned his past life and sought sanctuary because the world and even memory felt foreign to him.''

    The girl raised her hand. That *turned foreign* was suspiciously familiar.

    ''So, did he find the cause?''

    ''The only information about him is this record. I found it on the pilot memorial list.''

    There it was again. Like father''s secret, memorialized by green in her hair, it combined space and a crystal that refused to work. How did mother put it; after Venus expedition, he asked if she wanted to change the world together? Then hired spaceship specialists for a special project?

    Now, if she assumed that father caused the transfer between worlds, his behavior at least made sense. Except for a few details... That he knowingly replaced his daughter with unknown. That he deceived her, and lied to her mother from the start.

    Even if the game''s setting and genre bent over to make that character assassination, she couldn''t see how it would change the world. Lyle knew nothing about this era and Rod was...

    No, this was just another downward spiral. First things first. How would he even know about those games, much less managed to target people that knew them?

    A light cough brought her back to the reality. Where the monk just noticed her distraction.

    ''It is fine if you missed my words, as I can repeat them. But have you caught your thoughts?''

    Tsune answered with a slow shrug. Instead she asked to give her a call if he found anything else.

    -

    Back to the guest house, she wrinkled her nose from the overnight smell and opened the door to air it out. Watching Rei meditate under the tree, she pulled out the phone.

    ''Mother, what did those results from old capital say?.''

    ''Oh, my. Did something happen?''

    ''Nothing, except my prism looks like a piece of glass and the monk found a similar result from ages ago. But that student had a mental condition he got in space.''

    ''Okay...`

    Lady Red''s voice turned singsongy, extending a single word until rustling of pages was heard over the line.

    ''Here it is. Attempt to trace your spring''s stress to its cause failed due to... Basically, they''ve knocked on your mind''s door to get answers, but got the wrong adress.''

    ''Mother; that sounds even worse.''

    ''The cognition follow up tested that lies beyond your pretty eyes and it went swimmingly. So, you can tell him that you have a firm grasp on your marbles.''

    The last part caught Tsune off guard, turning her answer into dry cough. With a brief good bye, she ended the call.

    For several minutes, she stood in the door frame, watching the sky and river. Her emotions slowly tuned in with their slow movement.

    Then she returned to Rei, who kept the unmoving stature. Despite his outburts, he could show patience when needed. Unlike her, who spent the last few days wedging herself into their life. He probably wouldn''t even believe that most of her summer went by before TV.

    Tsune lightly stretched, before taking the laundry and leaving.

    When she stopped near the boy, the crystal surface turned blank. But instead of joined Rei, she spoke.

    ''I''m not sure how to succeed right now, I need to think. But I want to continue the training, so I hope you are not against my return?''

    ''I understand. I look forward to it.''

    -

    That evening, Tsune was once again a part of her team''s life. Aery composed the airborne and street footage into a sort of interactive story that would introduce the team. But out of the five scenes, two had Den and Aery interviewing each other, while three remained blank.

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    ''As you see, Aery and I already done the first two as a test. Now it''s up to you to pair up.''

    However, nobody spoke up. Tsune was in no hurry to choose either of the boys, one of which still looked at the phone, while another watched the ceiling. The continuing silence was broken by Aery.

    ''Eider, you interview Tsune. Both of you, do your best to attract attention, okay?''

    Tsune rolled her eyes. The brunette was as straightforward about her intentions as always. At least they claimed the city''s date spot for themselves. But, on the second thought, that place was for romantic pairs. Can''t be a fan magnet if viewers think that you are in a relationship.

    Eider looked at Tsune, prompting her to speak her mind.

    ''We already have two boy and girl pairs, I think we should have one boy and boy too, to show friendship more. And since you are friends, you''ll know what to ask him.''

    ''Fair enough, But without a beautiful girl, our viewers might visit Hem''s profile out of obligation alone. He might even be made fun of.''

    "Just get a hint, would you."

    She was all but sure that Eider would get their conversation off the ground. But a public interview with Hem? His silent tough guy play was curious, but could turn awkward quickly. And outside of that, what would they even talk about? His admiration for her father?

    The girl glanced at Den, straight into his eyes.

    ''You both have good reasons. But since they are opposed, I''ll take care of his profile with Aery. But please, do your part seriously. Treat it as a rehearsal for the end of the year convention.''

    -

    Pulled from sleep by knocking, Tsune turned on the other side; If Rei wanted another early training session, he''d have to bring her a coat. Then the world''s noises tuned in. Steps on gravel from the street, subdued voices from behind a nearby wall. This was the team''s house.

    ''The interview, I remember.''

    Tsune greeted Aery in unlaced temple dress. But the guest had more to say.

    ''Is this the costume you decided on? Could you leave a bit of skin open?''

    Tsune interrupted her with a yawn, she managed to hide behind her hand. It was mostly natural, because this morning could do without advice on loose lacing and art of fanservice. Or the imagery that came with it.

    ''I don''t want viewers to think I''m from here. I''ll take the pilot suit and Eider will take care of the rest.''

    After a brief pause, Aery nodded and walked away. Tsune touched her cheeks that grew even hotter. Definitely could do without imagining that.

    -

    With morning still in power, their taxi slowed down to a crawl soon after reaching the central streets. Tsune opened the door and instantly pinched her nose close from the smell of raw meat. She took Eider''s hand and pulled the non resisting boy to the parallel street, hoping she could tolerate the street bazaars there.

    Finally, tired and hot after weaving through the crowds, they saw the buildings ahead. Even without looking at a gadget or the signs, the identical stone tower blocks made the border clear. And overcoming the last bustling driveway, they entered the old part of town.

    ''Really? Is this exciting enough for an interview?''

    Just minutes into the residence streets, Tsune couldn''t help but speak. The buildings stood lightless, the echo of their steps was the only sound around them. No wonder that everyone spent their time in the city. She wouldn''t want to live here either.

    Eider gestured for her to sit on the nearest bench. Then raised his hand and Tsune saw it surrounded by an aura of light, that overflowed from around the mountain peak.

    ''If you see it, the lighting is perfect here. Set it above my head and ask.''

    "Show off."

    But, regardless, She wouldn''t argue against being the first to rest and quickly found the angle that gave him a sunlit halo.

    ''You studied in a support class at first.''

    ''Spent a year buried under a mountain of books and holo-schematics. Still surprised I found somebody to dig me out for the second one.''

    ''Then you became a pilot. Was it planned?''

    ''Becoming a pilot?''

    Eider rubbed his chin, to mask the pause.

    ''Oh, because support is the cheapest way to enter the academy? No, I just chased my dream; to feel that a powerful machine was below me.''

    ''I thought just working on one would do it. But then I wanted direct control.''

    "Okaay, do I even want to ask further?"

    But what kind of inteview would have only question. Besides, she would have to stand up.

    ''Let''s go back a bit: the person you met in support class.''

    ''Oh, yeah. Pulling Hem along was a story and a half. But if I left him, he''d spend his life inside of a room.''

    ''Anything else?''

    ''Also.''

    The boy winked.

    ''Bringing a talent like him was my ticket into a team.''

    ''Then, the final question. Why did you choose the eagle?''

    ''I thought about what kind of machine I would want. And then I decided I didn''t want to be restrained by gravity.''

    Tsune lowered the phone with a sigh.

    ''I think it''s enough. Nobody would watch these anyway.''

    ''Eh, they''ll watch yours.''

    ''Yeah, and if I took the temple dress, it''d get even more views. I can''t believe Aery wanted me to show off.''

    She finished sending the recording and looked up. Straight into a camera.

    ''Wait, are you recording already? I''m not ready!''

    ''Why would I wait for that? I want natural reactions.''

    ''Now, tell us. Why would a girl like you want to become a pilot. And then do such a turn?''

    -

    Tsune hurried off the bench as soon as Eider made a pause. Her back and legs still stung with fatigue, but now he couldn''t continue the interview.

    Natural reactions, he said. Her cheeks felt hot, she must''ve looked flustered. Honestly, one of the questions went far enough for Lyle to defend Tsune''s, original''s, dignity.

 Chapter 38

    -

    Tsune read page after page until the text blurred together and lost even the little sense it had. The girl shut the book and rubbed her eyes, while the words reverberated in her mind like a feverish song.

    She threw the book near the stack that barely halved over the last two weeks. Then laid back to listen to the rain outside. After a minute, turned to the side. Turned again, this time to fish out a crumpled reading list from under back.

    Finally, she left the room.

    Outside, a familiar taxi welcomed her with a honk. With the river fed by the constant rain, the riverbank cars fished for clients on their street. She waved it away, and leaned the umbrella back for the cool wind to make the humidity bearable.

    -

    With the market street empty, the square flooded and the hangar closed, the temple looked abandoned. But as soon as she approached the main building, Rei slid open the door.

    With a hot drink in her cold hands, she listened to the boy''s question.

    ''A new idea today too?''

    ''Yeah, it was an interesting read. But the more books I cram into my head, the hollower it gets.''.

    ''Perseverance is important for training.''

    ''Everything is training for you, isn''t it. Do you ever get tired of living like that?''

    ''Focus removes mental noise you call being tired.''

    ''Right, right.''

    Saying *avoiding obsessions can be an obsession in itself* became more enticing by the day. But she returned the empty cup and gestured for him to leave.

    -

    Some would call the crystal in front of her the best company one can have. It listened to her every word and thought with no activity of its own. Today was no different and she turned away. As if on cue, Rei cracked the door open.

    ''Trouble?''

    ''It''s just... It was an interesting read, but *One''s mind is a reflection of itself from a higher dimension*. How am I supposed to use it here?''

    Rei glanced back into the main room, then quietly closed the door behind him.

    ''Our teachings have a similar line.''

    He sat nearby and the crystal showed him in an empty room. The boy inside looked up and met the eyes of his counterpart. Their fingers met on the surface.

    ''Look into the mirror. See that it''s your reflection that looks into you.''

    Mirror Rei put his other hand on her side of the prism. Tsune smiled and touched the cold stone. Then shook her head and broke the contact. If she indulged him, her time would be spent on her entertainment and his practice. Thankfully, Rei understood as much.

    ''Time is yours. I''ll cook for sunlight.''

    -

    The meat burned her mouth with spice and even made her lips feel slightly swollen. Tsune scooped the sides and bottom for one more spoon of porridge, then looked for the drink. But Rei left the it closer to their door. When mumbling inside replaced the sounds of kitchenware, she tip toed forward to grab it.

    ''...leave after the Youth Festival.''

    ''Might;''

    ''Even the son of *Monster* made this decision, so I sufffer no disgrace. Even if I am the last to teach here, the knowledge is preserved.''

    ''My training yields results, I will keep our skill alive.''

    ''Your devotion is never in doubt, but is it fit for a warrior to stay on a path where he cannot protect others?''

    ''Betray yourself and you''ll open to betraying others. Your words, teacher.''

    ''How will you gain students? Should a master be alone in his temple?`

    The drink have already extinguished the spice flame, but Tsune''s cheeks still burned up. Her fingers went to the hem of the dress, pinching the folds together. The fabric refused to hold but she kept trying, while listening into private life of two people that argued about path of honor.

    -

    Back home, Tsune flopped onto the bed. The shadow from the book pillar extended over the floor almost up to the wall, so that left a whole hour of entertainment after a bothersome day. But instead she forced herself to make a trip for today''s book. Even if she already discarded it, several parts had a useful grain. She just needed to understand them better, with a dictionary.

    "Magnon is a..."

    After twenty minutes of going down the hyperlink chain for one word, the book flew back into pillar that collapsed and spilled over the floor. Tsune struck her pillow with her palm. A dictionary? She needed a grade teacher.

    -

    A week later, came the second month of autumn and with the first day came the festival. Tonight, every window had a lamp that lit the streets as bright as day.

    Tsune stepped over a pile of abandoned books to the mirror. She pressed the sundress to her body and wiggled her nose in displeasure. All those stairs and walking made her legs contrast with her smooth arms.

    She gazed at the bodysuit that Aery forbid her to wear and took the temple dress. It hid her legs, but festival videos were the team building series for the front page. Even if tightly laced, she still risked flashing skin on the sides.

    After several minutes of twirling to confirm the fear, she threw her hands up. Besides, foot tapping at the entrance turned into steps. First, that girl refused to share plans for the evening and now this.

    Tsune glanced at the mountain that drowned in light and rushed to catch up with the team.

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    -

    Soft yellow light permeated the square before the restaurant. Tsune put her palms together and a dust sized drone hurried in. Its soft light eliminated even the miniscule shadow between them. .

    "That''s taking the festival''s meaning too literally."

    But the complaints about tradition had to wait, as a waitress came out to take her hand. Another took Aery''s and the girls separated under the entrance arch.

    -

    The room inside was small, its chairs, table and walls decorated with white paper and red wood. Tsune managed to sit the phone on one of them, while thinking about who her partner might be. Same as interview, right?

    Although, Den wanted to promote the team with a memorable story and Aery was in charge, it could be romance that kept her away from them. A tale of a fresh graduate that came to a foreign city. Out of her depth, she meets a young man that dedicated his life to a failing cause.They met almost every day at the city''s famous location, an old traditional temple, until a local festival dedicated to the youth led to a promise...

    She stood up to pace back and forth. The suspicion became more believable with every sentence she added.

    When the door slid open, she noticed it late, too busy with going the latter stages of grief. First came a big plastic box, with a sealed plate on top, held by white gloves in ornate white sleeves. Hem pushed it closer to look out from behind and the pressure squeezed a bottle out of his elbow hold. He moved the arm down, trying to readjust, but made the box lean and the plate slid off.

    The bottle rolled on the floor, Tsune caught the dish, a full course of Z Cafe desert. She quickly turned back to the table to check if her chin was dry. Almost a month of nothing but seafood hit her harder than she thought.

    -

    As he placed the dinnerware, Tsune caught herself glancing at the camera. Couldn''t even ask questions directly.

    She raised the thin glass to be filled with the sparkly local drink.

    ''Eider really outdid himself this time. Even learned about my favorite desert.''

    The bottle clinked against glass. Hem stole a glance at her and switched his hold to thin the stream.

    ''I haven''t talked to him for months.`

    ''Right. Aery is the one with talent for dressing others.''

    The bottle momentarily swerved, several drops trickled down the glass and the back of her hand.

    ''I didn''t mean to,''

    Hem yanked the handkerchief out of his breast pocket, but Tsune motioned him to his seat. Thankfully, he moved without her asking to start the evening already.

    The two glasses met with a resonating clink as both said their cheers.

    -

    Soon the bottle and dishes showed their bottoms. Hem finished first and plopped his glass on the table. It wobbled and rolled over from the hasty movement; his fingers chased after just to bat it off. The hit against the box and the sound of glass rolling on the floor reverberated through the room.

    "How are you always like this."

    Tsune watched the boy turn a single mistake into a skit and couldn''t help but mentally sigh. But when he turned back, with a strained smile and glass in both hands, her smile was gone. Even if Aery played matchmaker, it wouldn''t be fair if Hem had a shame meltdown before his main event.

    -

    Hem tugged on the uniform collar and dried his hands. He took her open hand, barely touching it with his finger tips, and faced her palm upwards. Tsune waited for a prompt, then closed her eyes herself.

    The cold metal weighed on her hand, its flat bottom pushing down but not enough to strain her muscles. A vase? No, he wouldn''t think of flowers, that much she knew. But what gift would give off low electronic humming and metallic clicks? Although knowing this city, maybe it was the flowers...

    When the present moved with another click, she peeked through her eyelashes. Then opened her eyes wide.

    A robotic bird of familiar design was perched on her hand. Its wing joints clicked in unison when it abandoned the precarious balance to land on the table.

    Her hanged in the air for several seconds more, before she found refuge in her drink. He was supposed to gift that to another girl months ago, right after the summer tournament. She saw him leave with it with her own eyes.

    Tsune watched him through the clear glass. His fingers interlocked, the lips tensed nto a line, his eyes inspecting the empty dish. All of this for a promo video?

    ''It was supposed to say the birthday wishes, but it looks like it didn''t workHappyBirthdayTsune.''

    His words grew barely recognizable, but, nevetheless, she carefully put down the glass and accepted the gift with a light bow.

    Not as bad as she expected, but Aery stayed true to herself. A birthday subplot made them stand out and tied them together in the eyes of the audience.

    ''This is the kind of present you''d want to hear a story about.''

    ''Oh. Mmm, it''s a long story.''

    Tsune took the bottle to slowly refill her glass.

    ''Ah, how do I put it. I started the blueprint draft in our first year together. It had to be small so it wouldn''t be a bother and mobile so it wouldn''t be left in a drawer. But its shape was too similar to ... my inspiration for it.''

    The tale of his development struggles took him to the old capitol visit, which, as he stressed, happened only on impulse. Then he skipped her involvement and mentioned working for another team, despite the risk of Den''s ire.

    She barely knew him outside of Eider''s schemes, didn''t she. The boy who lived in his dusty workshop of a home and went for self-promotion in a team video. Maybe she misunderstood him and the bird was made not for a girl but as a debut work for the summer job. Then, tonight he made the gift to tie it to a famous name and wanted her permission for it.

    ''I heard that my father showed interest in it?''

    ''That was, of course was, a huge impression! I hardly believed my eyes when his first message saw through me as an engineer.'' She gestured him to continue. ''To, ah, work side by side with him, and, and his family.` His face flushed after the last word. He ignored her next sign and looked away.

    Tsune looked at the camera and rolled her eyes. Aery would fume about an unnatural last part and more editing, but this was where she drew the line for both of them.

    -

    Tsune sprawled on her bed, idly watching the opposite wall mirror.

    "That was a good day."

    The glowing city, the shame over reaction to sweets, the pet that Hem carried back. Memories of tonight swirled and went away if she ignored them.

    But soon she propped herself up, still awake. The mirror grew from a lullaby to a source of anxiety about an idea that could combine the swirl of thoughts into a puzzle.

    "Why did I even get all of these."

    Ground slipped from under her and Tsune stumbled into the book pillar. Her hands flew to the sides to keep the balance but the stacks spiled all over. The offending book was, of course it was that one. It tripped her even with a dictionary and now it tripped her in a literal way.

    Actually, *Your reflection looks into you* was it?

    The tips of her fingers touched the cool glass. She stuck out her tongue and tried to touch her nose. It lasted only for a few seconds but the unlikely expression helped with perception change. Now, the mirror Tsune was the one who made the silly face and reached to connect their fingers. Also, the dried mineral; trace on the reflected hand looked like a scar.

    Tsune snapped her fingers. That rare weird dream about an azure plane that surrounded her with mirrors. The first one was right before Lyle found himself here.

    And that spaceman from monk''s history tale, also with blank crystals after the incident that made the world feel foreign to him. If she knew his full story, she could piece together what her father''s planned for her.

    She looked at the window right when the artifficial lights went out, replaced by the faint early morning light.

    ''Old Capital, was it.''

    -