Chapter 16:

-Laura's memory-

The first time Laura was allowed to walk outside of the confines of the facility was for her very first 'mission'. The people in white told her to make someone pretty 'for the grave sin of betraying the reich' or something. She doesn't understand what that meant but she knew she's allowed to play with this specific person.

It's a game devised by the adults. She was told that there is an ugly person that she must make pretty. Seeing the picture of her designated playmate, Laura do agree that he's an ugly man without a spec of color on him that are not black and white. She was then told that if she could make the man pretty without being found, she would be rewarded.

The adults around her are generous. Not only is she given a playmate all to her own, she's allowed to make him as pretty as she possibly could and she would be rewarded for it. It's like Christmas, but better. The only catch is for her to not be seen or tracked.

So a mission is basically like a hybrid game of cat and mouse, tag, and hide and seek. Laura doesn't particularly like those games but she doesn't hate them either. In fact, she's really great at them. She's so great at them that she never once lost a game against the other children.

It's also why she doesn't particularly like or hate them though. She's so good that the game eventually became boring after she play makeup with the seventeenth children who lost to her in the game. Besides, they never appreciated her effort in making them prettier. They always cry when she made a smile on their face with a knife. At least they stopped crying whenever she made them bloom like a red rose.

Perhaps her new playmate, this 'politician' man would be more appreciative of her help. As he heard it, men are usually not very good with makeup. Maybe the man will look happier once she helped him. After all, everyone she helped always leave with a red smile on their face.

And so Laura left the facility to seek out her playmate. And the moment she stepped outside and look up…

She saw a vast expanse of blue.

-ISA-

Mikazuki is currently eating his lunch with Houki in the cafeteria. It had been difficult slipping out from the class thanks to the girls swarming the place, wanting to see the new transfer student, particularly that Charles guy from France. It is honestly a bother having so many people entering their class.

He couldn't see what the excitement is all about. It's just a transfer student. Granted, it's another male, but that's just it. There's no need to swarm his class just to see a new student. They can simply wait for Charles to exit the class and then talk to him. The way it is now, it's a real bother to him and his classmates who would like to be able to use their door properly.

Besides, instead of Charles, the other transfer student is much more interesting but nobody paid much attention to her when he left the class.

Laura Bodewig is a surprisingly unusual addition in ISA. The moment their eyes met, Mikazuki could tell. She is similar to him. Not in the meaning that she's someone he knew in his past life but in that she, like him, is a child soldier.

Though now that he thought about it, a school that is supposed to train IS pilots and all related staffs, there's a surprising lack of the telltale look of a child soldier in their eyes. Isn't IS supposed to be like a military academy? Not that he would know how real military academy work but he imagines that it's certainly not like this.

In fact, it is because of it that he could immediately identify what Laura is and actually felt some surprise when she arrived. And he knew that Laura also knew that they are similar in that way. No matter what world, it seems that there's no shortage of people making child soldiers. He had encountered some in his mercenary days but they were few and he quickly forgot about them just like all enemies he killed before. Laura's presence just reminded him of this fact.

'Should I tell this to the chocolate man?'

Mikazuki contemplated for a moment before internally shaking his head. There's no need to do that. A new transfer student is not exactly an important matter he needs to bring up to him. If Mcgillis asked, then he will tell him but otherwise, Laura is just another transfer student.

Probably one of those representative pilot or whatnot. Some of them do have that soldier feel. Not as much as Laura but more like Lafter. He heard that representative pilots do have an officer rank in the military but most of them don't exactly take that rank and status seriously according to Lafter. Mostly because 'they haven't bled enough to understand' from what she said.

He won't deny that statement. Cecillia who is a representative candidate passed out from just getting knocked around a bit. In the past, he had fought with and against people who won't back down even when they're at death's door. Hell, he himself had fought to the death even after Barbatos and him had been bloodied severely!

"Orimura Ichika."

Mikazuki heard his current name being called by a voice he's not accustomed to hearing but had not forgotten just yet. He looked up from his food and to the end of the table where a white haired girl with an eyepatch is holding a tray of food. Is this what it means when people say 'speak of the devil and he shall appear'?

"May I seat here?"

Laura asked in a stern but polite manner. Mikazuki nodded. With his permission, Laura sat herself directly across Mikazuki and beside Houki. Said Japanese girl stopped eating and look curiously between him and Laura. To Houki, this is a bit unusual. After all, Mikazuki had readily allowed Laura to sit with them after giving an immediate answer. Usually, he won't say anything or give a noncommittal answer but a direct yes? Only Lafter ever got such direct answer from him in their first meeting.

Some other people in the cafeteria noticed this too, especially people from their class who are used to Mikazuki's attitude, but by now they're already resigned to the fact that they will never be able to figure him out and only spare a single moment to note the oddity before returning back to their food.

Curiously, most of the people currently eating lunch here are from their class. That means the people filling their class right now are people not from their class. Houki could even see Cecillia looking for a moment before she returned to chatting with some other classmates.

Speaking of Lafter though…

"Ahh, there he is! Oi, Ichika!"

There she is. A bit late than usual but Houki had expected Lafter to appear sooner or later. Unlike the other girls who seem to forgot all about lunch in favor of bothering the new male transfer student, Lafter is not the type to be interested in such thing and would prefer to use their recess time properly. Or at least that is Houki's impression of her.

"Lafter."

Mikazuki acknowledged her greeting and as usual, Lafter sat together with them for lunch. Although, this time she's not alone. Following her is a short girl, around Laura's own height, wearing customized uniform with detached sleeves. She has long hair, longer than both Houki and Lafter's, tied in twintails. She also has an oriental look but different from Japanese.

Mikazuki moved his leg aside to allow Lafter to come in since they are seated in a half circular sofa in one corner of the cafeteria. Instead of Lafter though, the new girl went in first with the blonde following after. Once the two girls are seated, Mikazuki throw Lafter an inquisitive look. Knowing what he wanted to ask, Lafter spoke.

"Right, I hope you don't mind but I brought a new friend with me. Her name is Huang Lingyin, a representative candidate from China. She just transferred in today."

Lafter introduced. Another transfer student? They seem to be getting that a lot these days. Though perhaps calling them transfer student is not exactly accurate. ISA doesn't really accept transfer students from any school so really, transfer student is just another name for late admission students who are Representative pilots. The girl now introduced as Huang Lingyin then greeted them.

"I'm Huang Lingyin but you guys can call me Rin since it's easier."

She introduced herself. Houki turn to Mikazuki to see how he respond. Normally, he wouldn't give a reply apart from taking note of the person's name at the very least but since this is Lafter's new friend, he might treat Rin better. Well, Houki is not wrong but she's not quite right either.

"…Orimura Ichika."

Sparing only a single glance at Rin, Mikazuki only leave his name before returning to his food. That's… actually more than Houki expected but less than she had hoped. Houki sighs and introduce herself mostly to be polite since she noticed the twitch forming on Rin's right brow from Mikazuki's curt introduction. Houki never considered herself to be a social person. But compared to Mikazuki, people might as well call her a party girl.

"I'm Shinonono Houki. It's a pleasure to meet you, Rin-san."

There, she had fulfilled the minimal courtesy and Rin acknowledge her introduction with a small nod. Then she turned to Laura who… hasn't even acknowledge their presence. Houki, Rin and Lafter stared at the white haired girl for a while before she finally noticed them… and promptly return to her food without saying anything, not even giving her name out.

Houki felt her eye twitched. She's starting to get the suspicion that this girl is just as socially inept as Mikazuki. Remembering the girl's own introduction back in their class, Houki decided that yes, this girl is definitely the same type as Mikazuki. This really doesn't paint a good picture of their class. Houki sighs and took the role herself.

"This is Laura Bodewig, a new transfer student from German."

It took Houki a moment to realize what she had done and sighs. She can't believe that she's the social one compared to Mikazuki and Laura. Lafter looked at Houki then to Laura. She stared at Laura for a moment and then gave Houki a sympathetic look that she really doesn't need at the moment.

"Do your best."

That is the most discouraging encouragement Houki had ever heard, making the girl sighs.

"Not much of a talker, aren't they?"

Rin whispered to Lafter who smiled wryly. She can't deny that since it's the truth. In fact, just a curt reply is already quite much when it comes from Mikazuki, especially to someone he had just met for the first time. She doesn't know about Laura though but from what she has seen, she's not much better than Mikazuki in the social department.

"By the way, I heard your class has another transfer student. I heard it's another male pilot. So, what's he like?"

Lafter inquired. Truthfully, she's not really interested in such gossips. But she wanted to keep the conversation going for Houki and Rin's sake. Plus she's hoping that perhaps the new male pilot is someone she knows or even, hopefully, Akihiro. It's not hard to imagine and it is very possible. The first male pilot is Mikazuki after all. The ace pilot of Tekkadan. Is it wrong for her to hope that this makes a pattern and the second male pilot is Akihiro, the second best pilot of Tekkadan? Then it can continue onward until everyone in their family are reunited once more.

"Hee, another male pilot? I'm a bit interested. Maybe that means we'll be seeing more male pilots appearing in the future."

Rin also seems interested so Houki attempt to describe Charles to them. Before she could describe him though, Mikazuki interjected and told them in her place.

"Boring. Seems like a pushover."

He described Charles in simple, blunt words. That… doesn't really explain much about the new boy but it also told Lafter a lot. That means this new male pilot is not someone either of them knew as Mika won't describe his family like that. Well, it's not that he doesn't have things to complain about other Tekkadan members but he never described any of them too harshly like he just did even if he has some complains.

"Hmm, that's true. Dunois does seem like a pushover. He indulged the other students too much. So even you think of him like that, Orimura Ichika."

Laura replied out of nowhere without looking away from her food, voicing her agreement. Mikazuki nodded, making Laura smile lightly. Houki who heard the harsh opinion of her two classmates concerning Charles could only sigh. Though a moment later, she realized something.

Laura had just smiled, even if it is slightly. Houki look between Mikazuki and Laura as she replayed everything that happened so far. Mikazuki readily agreeing to Laura seating with them. Laura reacting only to Mikazuki's words.

…have they known each other before, or is there something else between them?

-Night-

Night fell on ISA and Laura Bodewig finally finished her first day of school feeling tired, in a more mental sense. Physically, she could still do ten to fifteen laps of running but mentally, she's so exhausted that she wished she could just sleep immediately.

But not right now. Right now, she has a report to make.

Luckily, she currently has no roommate assigned to her so she has more freedom in how she uses her room. She doesn't know whether that will change in the future as dorm rooms in ISA are usually shared between two students but for now, she has a bit more freedom to use the room as she wishes. That includes making a call to her superior without having to sneak around.

"Major Bodewig, this is lieutenant Bodewig reporting."

Laura said when a connection is established between her and her superior. While Laura spoke in her usual militaristic tone, there's a certain lightness to it compared to usual. She heard a sigh from the other side in reply. Laura could imagine the face her superior is making right now.

"Laura, I know you like to follow the proper military decorum, but I told you there's no need for that among us of the Schwarzer Hase. Besides, remember what I told you?"

Laura chuckled, having expected her superior's reply. She knows that the Major doesn't really stick with military decorum when it's not needed, but she especially hates it when it comes from Laura. She knew why, but it won't stop her from doing it if only to annoy the Major.

"Yes, I know, big sister Azee."

Not exactly the longest or my best chapter. Hell, I don't even know what to call this chapter if you notice the empty chapter title. Anyway, I'm back again and damn, Laura's Memory part is difficult to work with. So... I don't really know what to say about this chapter. It's mostly about Laura, or showing a bit more about this version of Laura as well as Mikazuki's attitude towards her. For Mikazuki, what happened actually counted as friendly. Not like he is with Tekkadan or Kudelia but he is curious/interested about Laura. This arc will have a lot of Laura-centric things, especially since she's the only one among the original 5 who fits the story tone the most and will play a lot of roles in the future considering her altered history which was made to be more in-line with Gundam themes. Though that would also mean that Charles/Charlotte will get sidelined. But let's face it, Mikazuki won't care about Charlotte's problem nor will he help her out of the goodness of his own heart so what happened canonically between Charlotte and Ichika in this arc won't happen at all. But that doesn't mean Charlotte won't have her time to shine. It's just not now. I won't neglect her entirely. After all, in a Gundam series, more characters that appear means more potential characters to kill later.

Anyway... so Laura here is taken in by Azee who in here is Major Azee Bodewig, commander of the Schwarzer Hase batallion. It's been on my mind for a while. In canon, Laura is a Major and commander of the batallion. But realistically, her age as well as her apparent instability due to her VT system shouldn't have allowed her to reach that rank. In here though, she's a lieutenant junior grade, a rank held by a lot of notable pilots in Gundam series. It's a more appropriate rank for Laura who is basically the cyber Newtype of this story. And to fill the role of commander for the batallion, I picked Azee who is an adult and ace pilot but also a veteran. I feel that Azee would be the best IBO character to fill the role of Laura's big sister/instructor/role model and would be more effective than Chifuyu considering what Azee had been through. Their history will be revealed during Laura's Memory segments of this arc.

shadowslayer2015: Soon. Barbatos Nero will be in action during the first real live combat in IS series. Just wait for it... and a twist.

Czar Joseph: I wanted to include Haro somewhere to remind everyone that I've put that thing in the story. And I quite like how the mock battle ended up. It's less about Mikazuki but about Cecillia to prepare her for more development.

AnimeFan0216: It's why this arc is like this and focuses a lot on Laura.

SUEYUU: I doubt all our questions will be answered. But I hope the most important ones are. Mainly, the history of the Orimura family.

Dragon lord Syed 101: I don't know about the curb-stomp. This particular arc is a bit delicate in the combat parts.

jan2dumlao: That's... a good question. Let's just see what I have in mind when it actually appear. Though that will be much later. Akihiro will be getting Gusion first before Shino/Dan return to the battlefield with Flauros.

Lioth: It's not exactly easy working with the characters and keeping them true to the original, especially with those who reincarnated as IS characters. I need to find a proper balance for character like Tatenashi/Almiria and Shino/Dan.

Switch 4 Life: Well, that's the major difference between a harem series and a real war story. By the way, while I have decided that before that I might not include Orga here, I'm thinking that maybe my mind can be changed.

By the way, on the matter of Orga and Gaelio. I had decided to not include them in order to prevent them from influencing Mikazuki and Mcgillis' decisions in this story. Orga and Gaelio are major influence to Mika and Macky's life. Including them would mean that it would be harder for Mika and Macky to make new everlasting bond with someone else... at least in the beginnimg. I was thinking about giving Kudelia more influence on Mika's life. While they were close in the original series, I think Kudelia did not influence Mikazuki as much as Orga and Atra. So this story will be her chance to be Mika's #1. In Mcgillis' case... well, there's a bit more surprises in the future that makes including Gaelio somewhat troublesome. But after some thinking, I think I could actually include Orga and Gaelio in the future. I'm still on the fence about this so... maybe someone want to convince me to include them?

Ohh and while I won't make a poll, I want to ask this. Should I make Laura as Mika's third girl? I want some opinions on this idea.