Chapter 2.2

Today, I recieve a message in my Ys-mail: the virtual electronic mail system us students can access from inside our lockers, navigated via touch panel situated on the back wall.

I was opening mine, when I heard the familiar "RIRIRING" that heralds a new message.

So I check my inbox, and it's...

A Crown Cup Battle invitation, scheduled for tomorrow at noon.

My heart skips a beat.

A Crown Cup Battle? Against who?

"Flarelissa." I read aloud from the message.

I know her, sort of. She's a student here at Irorishiro, who goes to my Combat Proficiency class. She's able to control fire, as I recall, but is presently only capable of igniting her hair; hence why I guess she's a fellow hardstuck F-rank Knight.

I have just unlocked my own System power, so I'm feeling confident.

Besides that, it's my first match to be fought against a fellow student, and I'm unsure of what to think of that fact. Perhaps it's the administration keeping a tight leash on me.

After confirming my receipt of the invitation, and upon closing the locker door--

I sigh, as I come face-to-face with Miki and Miko again--those two gyarus in my War History class who approached me, that've been stalking me ever since, trying to get me to agree to be "their" boyfriend.

"Starbright's dead." The greenhaired one, Miko, says flatly.

"No!" I blurt, without thinking.

Starbright was one of the few little girls I could tolerate: often standing up to my bullies, where few others would.

"She was sent on some scouting mission in Old Tokyo." Miki continues. "From what I heard, she was shot out of the sky by some bandits living in the ruins...then..."

"Strung up, on a pole...just outside of Irorishiro."

"Almost to serve as a warning."

A somber silence befalls our little group.

The brutal deaths of Irorishiro students are commonly heard about, but this feels different...

Old Tokyo is practically our backyard!

However, it does get the wheels in my head turning...

The mission she was on, Miki described it as--

A "scouting mission"...in Old Tokyo...

Could that be in reference to the mission to secure the 500 sleeper pods?

I press the two for more details.

Miki shakes her head. "That's all I've got.

Miko frowns. "Me too. Sorry, babe."

I tell them to keep their ears peeled, and to come to me if they hear anything else regarding this scouting mission.

"Oh?" Miko says, hugging me from behind.

"What's the reward, then?"

"It's not easy to keep up to date on all the latest gossip."

Miki joins her, grinning wildly.

"That's true! I'd say we deserve a prize..."

"Something like a kiss! Or, maybe a nice, romantic dinner-for-three!"

The combined strength of their heavy perfumes hits me like a truck--enough to make me gag as I pull away, coughing, from their hungry grasps.

"What the fucking shit is your problem?!"

Cough. Cough. Cough.

They're looking away, fidgeting with their blouses and skirts, frowning sadly.

"It sucks, you know." Miko says, pouting.

"We're wasting our youth, with how things have become."

I relax, surprised by her sudden seriousness.

"Girls our age...should be having fun. We should be going on dates with cute guys, and spending our summers vacationing on the beach."

She huffs. "Nobody does anything like that anymore!"

"Everyone's a little girl, all of a sudden--they never age, so they don't have to worry about wrinkles, or wasting time! They've got all the time in the world. For them, dying is something that only happens if you mess up, or weren't strong enough."

"So, all they focus on is training; studying; gaining ranks; aiming to become as strong as possible--because, in doing so, they'll make LESS mistakes, and become even stronger..."

"Nobody...is really and truly "alive" anymore."

She then stares me dead in the eye, as--buried under all that makeup--I glimpse pain.

"You're slowly becoming like them, too."

It feels like a punch to the gut.

"No!" I quickly respond. "You're wrong!"

"I'm not becoming stronger for my own sake!"

"I'm doing it...so I can better help others."

Others, such as Dusk--all the good, innocent people of the world--who deserve to have someone they can depend on for help, should they find themselves trapped in a hopeless situation.

Miki approaches me, batting her eyelids with a curious look.

"You'll be getting your Ring back soon, right?"

"Yep. Only four more days left."

Beaming, she claps her hands, giddily bouncing up and down.

"Let's throw a party to celebrate, huh?"

I glance over at Miko: she's leaning back with a foot propped up against the locker, glowering at me.

Turning back to Miki, I nod--putting on a smile.

"Sure. It sounds like fun."

...

...

That night, I reflect on what Miko had said.

"You're slowly becoming like them, too."

I'm at the showers, hot water amd cold air against my bare skin. It's late, so I don't have to deal with the perverts.

This body can sweat. Become dirty.

In that sense, it's no different from Alex Strangelove's own.

That's why I must shower: to stay clean.

I don't even think twice about it.

Even though I'm uncomfortable with people becoming little girls...

My changed body doesn't faze me.

I observe my self in the mirror, and see only my naked reflection: a young, pretty blonde-haired girl with vibrant blue eyes. It is not the appearance of a costume, or a cute-faced imposter that's taken over me--it is simply, incontrovertibly, me.

What does it say, then, of my pursuit of power?

It is a whim as automatic to me as showering.

Alex Strangelove woke up one day, deciding he would become strong enough to save the world, and it's become his and my burning drive ever since.

Am I going to lose myself to that drive?

Even if it's to save Dusk...

Is it fair to have to sacrifice Alex, the person who wants to save others, in order to gain the power I need to accomplish it?

Worse still, do I stand to lose that drive?

Can it be overriden by something else entirely, as a direct result of me being in this form? Is it something that is bound to happen, when I become fully synchronized with Alice?

The Cultivators called it the "True Form..."

Will I become unrecognizable?

Will I even be aware of any change at all?

As I return to the barracks, and tuck into my bed beneath the snoring beast that is Emiko, my mind is haunted by these questions to which I have no answers. I only know that "I am, because I think," as the old maxim says, and that I wish I could kill my bunkmate without being caught.

Kill Emiko? Is that an angry Alice thought, or Alex being sardonic?

I wonder if Emiko ever suffered such plaguing doubts. If maybe there were hundreds of other Alex Strangeloves out there, who resisted the allure of the Charm Ring as long as they could...

Only to crumble and fall, along with the rest.

...

...

There are several rules governing promotional matches.

For one, Vorpal weapons aren't permitted. That should be obvious, since the whole point of a promo match is to subdue your opponent--not MURDER them with a sharp-bladed object, or Vorpal Dual UZIs.

Secondly, moving out of the ring counts as an automatic match end.

Lastly, concerning System powers...

They can be used, as long as rule 1 is still being abided.

I know how to use my System power now.

It sort of all just...clicked, after Jess put me through that machine. I suddenly had a working knowledge of how it functions, where previously I hadn't the slightest idea.

Could my memories really be altered so easily--like a machine being fed data?

If this much is possible, then...

Could something else have been altered?

If so...how would I be able to know?

As I'm walking through the academy halls, dressed in Alice's signature outfit for the occasion, I am suddenly ambushed by Miki--running up to me excitedly, grabbing and pulling me by the hand.

"Hey, Alex!" She greets me with, chipperly. "Today's the day of the big fight, huh?"

Head shaking, I'm stirred from my daze.

"Oh...right. I guess I'm still tired."

I wouls hardly call it a "big fight," however: it was only a match between two Rank Fs from our school, so it would take place in the auditorium--not at some flashy arena, like the dome in Kanazawa.

Although, for me personally, it was going to be my debut match using my Charming Form--

I had to make a good impression.

Miki accompanies me the rest of the way to the auditorium, to the small entrance hall, where it's surprisingly packed with students; many of them, I recognize as being a higher rank--scanning their eyes over me as I pass.

I know they're sizing me up, as potential future competition.

No one knows what to expect from Alice.

Miko and Blitz are standing, chatting, next to a wide LZU monitor displaying the day's promotional match schedule for all acadeny students: listing the contestants' names, and schools along with the fight venue and time.

Each contestant's name is attached to a profile picture, and I notice mine has already been updated with Alice's own face...

Where'd they get that picture from, anyway?

As I'm hunched, peering closer at it, I'm interrupted--

By Miko, clapping me on the shoulder.

"Yo, Alex! I didn't know Blitz was your sister."

"Eh?" I turn away from the LZU, facing them. "You two have met already...?"

Blitz nods. "We've been on missions together."

"Even though they're Rank C, when Miko and Miki are teamed up they're really strong."

Huh? Those two are actually good fighters?

Miko walks up to me, nudging my rib with her her elbow.

"Hey, hey, don't look so surprised--just because Miki and I chase boys and aren't in our Charming Forms 24/7, doesn't mean we can't kick some serious ass when we need to."

Miki draws to my other side, giggling.

"That's right! Our System powers are a "winning combination!""

Ah! Speaking of powers, that reminds me--

"Miko, Miki, Blitz..."

"Do you have any spare accessories, or jewelry?"

"Something you wouldn't mind parting with."

The watch the three girls briefly exchange confused glances, before Blitz turns to me with a mischievous smirk.

"Big bro wants to look flashy for his fight."

"N-n-no! That'a not the case at all!"

I turn serious. "Yesterday..."

"I finally paid a visit to the Cultivators--"

Before I could finish, all three girls jumped back in awe:

"EHHHHHHHHHH?!?!?!"

Groan. I was expecting a reaction like this.

They proceed to clamor at me for answers: asking me how it went, if the Elders told me anything interesting, what powers I got...

"My power...it's good, but the Ifstate..."

Miko perks. "Is that why you asked us for some jewelry and stuff?"

I nod slowly, staring away and smiling awkwardly while she pulls off her studded earrings, and then hands them to me. Miki, following suit, adds some colorful plastic bands to my hand.

Blitz...just shrugs.

"I don't wear crap like that." She simply says.

"That's fine. If it's Flarelissa I'm against, I think this should be enough."

Blushing, I add a quick "thanks, by the way."

Ah, I don't know how exactly it came about, but I feel like Miki and Miko are becoming my close friends--something that's been sorely lost to me, since gaining my reputation as the Legendary Z Rank Loser.

It's...a nice feeling, being cared for by others.

But then Miki, growling furiously, pouts and puffs out her face.

"Are you really not gonna tell us anything?"

"Come on, Aleeeex!"

"I wanna know what powers you got!"

Just then, the match organizers come to take me; but as I'm being ushered through the doors, into the silent auditorium, I turn back to give the others a wave.

"Watch me our there, and you'll see!"

Ready or not, the fight was about to begin.