Summer 0 - Prologue

I DO NOT OWN INFINITE STRATOS

|I|

A scientist imagines what his family are doing in Italy. A rolling storm comes overhead, but it's far enough away that he doesn't mind it. All of the soldiers, however, panic and run out the door, pulling weapons and armour as they go. Yelling is heard, and the general alarm goes off.

"All hands to battle stations! All hands to battle stations! Repeat, this base is under attack! All hands to battle stations!"

He thinks nothing of it, and continues with his research. The core of his research lies in front of him, in sensory isolation – IS Core #256.

One of the wondrous devices that powers an Infinite Stratos, an IS Core generates so much power it could power the US – is powering the US. Of course, it is also the source of great conflict, with only 467 known cores available. Their inventor, Tabane Shinonono, has only released that many, and only because of the Alaska Treaty.

The noise continues coming even closer, the loud noises of rounds firing encroaching up behind him. He starts pondering whether to leave – but it's too late, the decision is made for him. The door is busted down – a black IS comes in with two shotguns in hand. A glance at the slaughterer shows a machine with a thickened leg, a half-skirt and two protective shoulder spaulders hovering away from the body. The body itself looks like thin pilot armour, following over the body's contours. Fleeting thoughts about a corrupted Shirokishi (the first IS shown to the world) pass through the scientist's mind.

A shotgun is pushed to his crown jewels. "Phantom Task scientist, Kurei Kazuki. Core 256. Where is it." It's pushed in a little further, and the finger nears the trigger.

"I-It's right behind me! Please don't pull the trigger! I have family!" Kurei's pants dampen a little, and a small puddle of urine forms underneath him. The shotgun's pushed even further in – his mind belatedly realising it's now pointing up his body instead of perpendicular to it. A shell is fired.

|II|

Accessing File: Cores

I created 525 cores. Of those 525, I released 465 cores to the world, one to Chi-chan, one to Ikkun, one to Houki-chan and two to their friends. I kept five to give to those I care about, but the other fifty…

The other fifty disappeared from home. I found what took them…but I could never get them back. I made a machine, two days before, to create AIs. It…took those fifty cores and made AIs within them. To all who go near those fifty cores, I worry for your safety, unless you're one who's friendly with them.

-Tabane Shinonono, Everyone's Favourite Mad Genius

Closing File
Last modified: 9 APRIL 2125

|END|

Author's Note: Alright, let's get this done.

I'm a completely new writer! As such, be prepared for this to be pretty bad. I haven't read the IS LNs, so I'm basing a lot of what I know from existing fanfics. As such…don't expect this to stick to canon. Well, actually, I personally don't consider much past Season 1 to be canon – Phantom Task obviously still exists and most of the events will still occur, but it will start to deviate heavily once it gets to about…well, rather far in the future. It'll also get pretty gruesome by then, so I'll just start it off with a rating of M. Sadly, the question I kind of wanted to ask with this story will also have to wait until then. Of course, the next episode's most likely going to be an exposition dump.