{Date: 10/11 - Tuesday}
{Time: 4:30 PM}
The final bell rang and everyone was dismissed from their classes to either head home to rest or to hang out at the plaza area. I walked alongside Orika, swinging my bag over my shoulder and walked to the dorms with her.
"Thank you for helping me train a bit more today, Hisumi. It's meant a lot for you to come back with me to the Training Area to help," Orika said, looking at me with a warm smile as she walked side by side with me.
I smiled back at Orika, my gaze meeting hers for a moment. "Of course...~ We're partners remember and before that we're best friends. I'd do everything I can to make sure you succeed. If it means I stay D Rank until you rank up then so be it..~"
{Orika's Mood: Happy}
{Bond with Orika increased greatly.}
"That means a lot..~ But, you don't have to sacrifice your own potential to help mine...I don't want to hold you back," Orika said softly, her cheeks becoming rosy and turned her gaze ahead shyly.
I placed my hand on her back, gently gliding it to her shoulder as I held her closely. "I wouldn't mind it. After all, I promised you that we would make it together..~ No matter what, it's me and you..."
{Orika's Mood: Flustered}
{Bond with Orika highly increased!}
Orika leaned against me and smiled warmly, practically melting in my embrace. "Alright...you've sold me. But at any point that I'm holding you back, please tell me. I know you have your own dreams and aspirations as well..."
"Don't worry, you won't hold me back, Orika. We're taking it one step at a time..." I said softly, looking down at her.
Orika moved her head to look up at me with a sweet smile. "One step at a time...got it...~"
{Orika's Status UP: Best Friend -> Close Friend/Platonic Soulmate}
We made it to Orika's dorm and I finally let her go, Orika feeling a pang of disappointment as I released her from my embrace. I looked at Orika with a smile, leaning my shoulder against the wall as I looked at her.
"I'll see you tomorrow, in the classroom...Maybe after lunch if Alice doesn't have anything else left to go over for this upcoming Promotion Exams, we can go to the Training Area again and we can get in some extra practice?" I asked, my voice lowering to a soft inside tone.
Orika nodded, her eyes lingering onto mine, her gaze unwavering. "Yeah, that'll be nice. It would be like... staying ahead of the game..~"
I nodded then heard my phone ringing then took it out of my pocket, noticing it was Yumeji calling me. I looked at Orika again, smiling at her. "I'll see you tomorrow..~"
Orika nodded, watching me walk off and held her hand upon the middle of her chest. She felt her heart beating quickly, her cheeks heating up into a soft blush. She couldn't help but to smile at me, watching me walk off before heading into her dorm.
I looked back, noticing Orika walking into her dorm then turned ahead, answering Yumeji's call. "Hisumi speaking, what's up?"
"Yo!~ Orishi wanted me to call you and tell you to meet us in room B-305 in the academy. It's the big meeting room, we are going on a mission and she wants you to join!" Yumeji said, her tone filled with excitement.
"Mission? What mission?" I asked, looking at Yumeji though the screen.
Yumeji shrugged, tilting her head slightly. "I dunno, but it sounded pretty important. Maybe some Judgement stuff? Who knows, but she wants you here asap. She said, 'Call Hisumi and tell that girlie to bring her butt here at light speed'."
I let out a soft laugh, nodding at her and went into a light jog. "Alright, I'll be there shortly!"
Yumeji nodded then we ended the call as I ran out of the dormitories. As I ran toward the academy building again, I began to wonder what mission we were going on, hoping that it was something to do with Judgement since I still had a bone to pick with them.
Once I made it to the academy building, I rushed inside, making my way toward the stairs and running up them to make it to the B Rank Floor. Genesis formed a holographic map in front of me, a red dot on the map indicating where I needed to go. I made it to the room and opened the double doors, looking inside.
Orishi looked up from her mission report and smiled at me, getting off the wall then walked forward. "Hisumi, you made it here faster than I thought you would. Have a seat at the table."
I looked around the room, noticing Yumeji, Kikyo, and Saito sitting at the table then sat down next to Saito. I looked ahead, noticing Orishi and Liao Ru standing at the front of the room. "Uhm, so what is this meeting about?"
"Yeah, this meeting was very short notice," Kikyo said, glancing at both Orishi and Liao Ru.
Orishi tossed files upon the table, the papers spreading out for us to look at. "We got a distress signal from a fellow Valkyria in the Sakura District of Japan in Goken. Her name is Misao, most commonly known as Yae Misao or Miko Misao. She is a Shrine Maiden and apparently she has been attacked by Judgement today."
As soon as I heard Judgement, I leaned forward against the table and listened closely. My ears were now fully open and ready to digest this mission briefing.
"Upon the table right now are pictures sent to Yusa from A Rank Valks in the Sakura District right now, including the Vice Headmistress. We will be heading to the Sakura District to check on Misao and retrieve her and bring her back to St. Fraskia," Orishi said, watching as we looked through the information.
Yumeji scanned the pictures and gasped lightly, noticing the Fallen Valks around the district. "Fallen Valks. This is an invasion. Is this Misao chick okay?"
Liao Ru spoke up, "She's perfectly alright as she's more than capable of handling herself. However...the intense wave of monsters in the Sakura District is alarming and while Misao and I are vastly stronger than Judgment think we are, we can still be overwhelmed. Those waves are never ending until we find the host."
Kikyo looked up from the pictures and gave Orishi and Liao Ru a determined expression. "So our mission is to find the host right?"
"More specifically, a box known as Pandora's Box that the Fallen Valks and Fell Beasts can spawn from. We have to destroy that box to permanently close off the spawn point. We can expect at least one or two Judgement Officers to be on the scene, so you know what this means," Orishi said, smiling at Yumeji, Kikyo, and Saito.
The three looked at Orishi, glancing at each other then looked at Orishi again. "Battlesuits!"
"That's right. It's time to suit up and get ready for the long trip ahead. Hisumi, you come with me so I can help you create your first battlesuit," Orishi said, her gaze meeting mine directly.
I nodded then took one more glance at the pictures before standing up. "Alright."
With that, the briefing was concluded, each of us leaving the meeting room to prepare for the mission. Liao Ru led Yumeji, Kikyo, and Saito to the preparation room while Orishi led me toward the Valkyria Laboratory to help me develop my first Battlesuit.
Entering inside the lab, I noticed a group of leading engineers designing Battlesuits for up and coming B Rank Valkyrias and test models for their testers to use in test runs. I looked around in awe, following close behind Orishi until we reached a desk where a woman tiredly sat.
The woman was slim and short with pale skin. She had combed back wavy dark hair. Her eyes were dark blue with purplish shades. Her outfit consisted in a grey blazer over her blue sweater and her white shirt with grey short pants. She also wore a dark blue tie with white rhombus printed.
"Einstein," Orishi called out, smiling at the woman with her arms crossed.
The woman looked up from her computer then gathered herself, clearing her throat and sitting up straight in her chair. "Orishi, what brings you here today?"
"I'm here to see if you can develop a quick battlesuit for my newest afternoon student here, Hisumi Nomura," Orishi said, gesturing to me.
The woman looked over at me, fixing her glasses and scanned me up and down. She looked back at her computer and nodded, already getting to work. "I can. Just give me a moment to pull up my program."
I looked at the woman then turned my gaze back to Orishi with curiosity. "Who is this woman?"
"Meet Bella Tesla's lover, Leslie Einstein. She rivals Bella and Alice in intelligence, she's our lead engineer and scientist when it comes to Battlesuits. She even designed my first battlesuit and Battlesuits from then on," Orishi introduced.
I nodded at her introduction, glancing at Leslie with awe and spectacle, impressed with her fears and achievements. I watched as she worked, noticing her creating a base model after me.
"Alright, Hisumi. What kind of style do you want to wear? We have Kimono, Kabuki Armor, Armored Dresses, etcetera," Leslie asked, glancing at me and waited for my response.
I took a moment to think about my answer, crossing my arms and weighed my options. "I would definitely need something that would be efficient enough for me to utilize my speed so Kimono suits me perfectly."
That was all Leslie needed to create my first battlesuit for me. I looked at the machine ahead, noticing her designing my battlesuit in real time. The battlesuit featured a combination of predominantly red and white with black and silver accents.
The top was designed with a white base, featuring a flowing sleeve on the left side, which had subtle silver patterns that add a touch of elegance. The right side of the top seemed more form-fitting and was adorned with red and black elements, including a red ribbon tied at the shoulder, giving it a traditional yet modern look.
The right arm was protected by red segmented armor, adding a bold, warrior-like element to the outfit. The waist area featured a red and silver decorative piece that resembled a traditional belt or sash, with elaborate designs that enhanced the outfit's regal and martial aesthetic.
"Here you go, your first battlesuit. This battlesuit is made to fit your style and I've added the Lightning Element to it to resonate with your affinity. You can go ahead and try it on now," Leslie said, turning in her chair to face me.
I nodded and walked toward the machine and watched the door open for me to step inside. I stepped inside the machine, putting on my battlesuit quickly and looked at myself then smiled at myself.
"It fits really good..~" I said, checking myself out before exiting the machine with my Bolt Breaker attached to my hip and Genesis floating at my side.
Orishi looked at me and whistled with a soft whistle, chuckling softly at me. "Well, well...look at you now. Ready for battle and all~"
"I see it fits nicely. If you ever need to repair the Battlesuit's durability or upgrade it, you can always return here, but it'll cost you depending on how badly damage the suit is or what you're trying to upgrade," Leslie said.
I nodded at her then gave her a bow. "Alright, and thank you for this. I'll take good care of it."
Orishi smiled at me then looked at her watch, noticing the time. "Alright, let's get going. Don't want to keep the others waiting too long."
I nodded then followed Orishi out of the lab, feeling even more confident about the mission ahead. With my new battlesuit, I felt like I could do a lot more now than what I would've done if I went into battle without one.
{Time: 4:50 PM}
I boarded onto Star Shooter and took my seat next to Saito, settling in and let out a calming breath to settle my excited nerves. Saito glanced at me, a small smile playing on her face then she turned to Yumeji and Kikyo, noticing Yumeji asleep to conserve her energy and Kikyo reading a book to keep herself occupied.
This was it, my first mission with the Valkyrias and arguably one of the more important ones. It was time for me to put everything I've learned so far to use in this mission, to show Orishi and the others my dependability and reliability.
"Alright, ladies, we're taking off to St. Goken, the Sakura District. Buckle in and enjoy the ride!" Orishi said, preparing the Star Shooter for take off.
Liao Ru sat at the helm of the battleship with Orishi, co-piloting with her and looking over the pictures with the Fallen Valks and Fell Beasts. "This moment...feels so familiar to me. Too familiar from the Zodiac Era. I wonder...if they are planning on taking the 3rd Sacred Arms since the weapon is brimming with Sacred Energy..."
"There's no doubt in my mind that they are after Baikal. It's one of the weapons of the 12 Rulers. I'm surprised Misao is still guarding it after all of those years. It's impressive really...it'll be my first time ever seeing a Sacred Arms aside from Yusa's 6th Sacred Arms," Orishi said, steering the battleship through the skies toward Japan.
"Yusa's Sacred Arms is rather impressive...and it suits her Vow of Death and her Vow of Life. Of all the modern heroes I know, she's one of the most impressive especially with her Liminal Duality Lance," Liao Ru said, flipping through the papers then sighed softly.
"Just wished I had ended the line of Fallen during the Zodiac Era. Had I been there to help him..." Liao Ru said, her voice laced with a bit of regret.
Orishi stayed a bit silent, understanding why Liao Ru felt so much regret within. She waited a few more moments before sprain again. "Don't worry, Liao Ru. We will make sure everything is fixed. It may not be today, tomorrow, or even five months from now...but I do know we will end Judgement and Demon Order. We have to..."
Liao Ru nodded, setting down the pictures. "Yeah..."
I heard some of their conversation and became even more curious about Liao Ru, one of my main questions being how old she was since she talked a lot about an ancient era, the Zodiac Era. My mind also wondered what Sacred Arms were and how strong my mom was since she had one.
The more I learned, the more questions I had, but for now I let my mind focus on the task at hand. I needed to focus and remain ready for anything since I knew how unpredictable Judgment can truly be.