SS (!!) - Into the Fray Chapter 11

[shivalries]

Season: Winter

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Location: Practice Room



Leo: Anyway. I know you guys are having so much fun yapping your heads off at each other like the old days, but this isn't the time for that, right?

There's other stuff you wanna do, right? Not that I care. Just go ahead, give it all you got.

Tsukasa: Um... Y-You truly do seem rather dejected, Leo-san. Are you alright?

I am sorry... I asked you to attend practice without noticing your condition.

Leo: Don't apologize. Just blaze on ahead, Your Majesty.

You're rushing along 'cause you wanna erase all your bad memories from the prelims, right? You wanna get a little bit stronger just so you can get rid of that anxiety.

Better use of your time than sulking in bed all day long in your room, anyway. If that's what you wanna do, do it. We'll go along with what you want.

That's how this generation of Knights survives.

I couldn't do a single thing but smash Knights into itty bitty pieces, but you guys were able to bring it back from the brink of death.

That's the strength of the current Knights, right? Probably, anyway. Not that I would know.

Tsukasa: Why are you acting like it's got nothing to do with you? Are you truly feeling alright? It has been so very long since I've seen you so glum, Leo-san...

Makoto: Izumi-san probably said something hurtful to somebody again.

Izumi: "Again"? I've never hurt you even once, though, right Yuu-kun?!

Mao: It's scary how this guy's mind works, though sometimes I'm kind of jealous.

Subaru: Huh? Whaddaya mean?

Mao: Oh right, Subaru's the same type.

Subaru: ? ? ?

Leo: Sena's got nothing to do with it... I'm just depressed 'cause for the first time in a while, my new song was flat-out rejected.

Guess I got too cocky hearing everybody fawning over me and telling me I'm such a genius. Even I'm surprised at how upset I am over it.

Izumi: Wait, what? Your song got rejected? By who? Tenshouin?!

Leo: Quit turning every single thing into Tenshi's fault. That's not it, okay, I just made a song for today's SS.

Thought I could do my part to help out our team, y'know.

But when I handed it to our "supreme commander", not only did he refuse to take it, he got mad at me and told me to stop butting in.

It just sucks. I felt really bad, like, oh was I butting in...? I'm sorry...

Izumi: They wouldn't take it? Why? I thought it was common knowledge at Yumenosaki that Leo-kun's songs make super strong weapons!

Ritsu: Our commander's in Eden, though, right? They're affiliated with CosPro, so they probably don't know what we'd consider common sense at Yumenosaki.

Arashi: But I thought Tomoe-senpai and Ran-senpai were originally from Yumenosaki?

Leo: Ngh... I bet my new song just wasn't up to snuff... I thought I was a genius, but I guess not...

Izumi: Ugh, god, stop waffling around! It's annoying!



Rei: —Hmm, how very interesting.

That reaction seems somewhat odd. Upon consideration, I would guess that therein lies the key to unraveling the mystery surrounding this year's SS.

Izumi: Whoa, you scared the crap outta me!

Subaru: Ahaha. Feels like it's been forever since I've seen Sakuma-senpai just materialize out of nowhere like that. ♪

Ritsu: Hello, security? There's an intruder in the practice room we rented.

Rei: Come now, spare me from your reports~ We are both on the White Team; let us be more friendly with each other, Ritsu ♪

Ritsu: Ma~kun, I'm scared... This stranger keeps acting like he knows me...

Mao: There, there.

...Um, did you need something, Sakuma-senpai?

Rei: You truly are accustomed to dealing with us, Isara-kun.

Kukuku. I spotted quite the nostalgic sight, so I thought I'd have a casual little stroll over here.

It was both surprising and heartening to see you engaging in friendly chitchat, Knights and Trickstar. ♪

Subaru: Ahaha, I guess it is kinda nostalgic, huh? I think you were the one who reached out to us back when we fought with Knights in the first DDD, right, Sakuma-senpai?

Rei: Indeed. It is not ancient history quite yet, but everything about you now is so very different from before.

However, I do believe there is significance in weighing the past and the future, and re-examining what you have gained and lost.

Realizing one's growth leads to confidence.

Immersing oneself in such memories is a pleasant diversion before a great performance.

Izumi: So what's your point? Did you just come here to make small talk, Sakuma? You sure have time on your hands, huh? I always hated that about you! Acting like you're such a big deal!

Rei: While I've heard that often, it's surprising coming from you, Sena-kun.

That aside—there's something I've been curious about. Whilst investigating this, I have been visiting the other White Team units to issue a warning.

The warning is thus: there may be a great disaster, great enough to dwarf even the bitterness you have tasted in the qualifier. You must prepare yourselves to avoid this. Though, an angel would be a more fitting herald for this warning than a demon.

Leo: What are you talking about? You always make stuff so complicated, I never understand!

Rei: The spoken word is not as perfect as the music you create, Tsukinaga-kun.

In any case, I have not come to interrupt your training. I shall get straight to the point, then take my leave.

—During the finals, I believe something called a "Revelation" should arrive to everyone in the White Team.

Leo: Revelation...?

Rei: I have already received one myself. It looks like this—a letter of sorts.

Should the sender be our supreme commander, Nagisa Ran-kun of Eden—then we should follow these instructions.

However, should the sender be instead be Hiyori Tomoe-kun of Eve, one of the wings of Eden—

Then we must never believe, nor follow what is written.

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