Sky Striker Ace, But Symphogear

"Welcome. Oh? A new face. What would you like?"

It seemed they had come after the lunch rush, so there were not many people in the shop. As the only two customers, they were quickly greeted enthusiastically by an apron-wearing auntie.

"Ah, um."

After entering, Chris did not know what to say next.

"It's like this. She's always wanted to try Osaka-style okonomiyaki, a Japanese specialty. After looking into it, I heard this place makes particularly good okonomiyaki, so I brought her here to try it."

Raye took out the tablet from inside her coat and stepped forward to explain this to the auntie.

"Is that so? Well then, Auntie here will make sure to treat you properly. So, two servings of okonomiyaki, right?"

Apparently pleased by Raye's words, the auntie asked with a smile.

"No, I won't be having any. Although I would very much like to try your cooking, if I continue consuming high-calorie food today, my weight may become difficult to control. One serving for her will be enough."

Looking at her tablet, Raye politely declined the auntie's enthusiasm on the grounds of watching her weight.

"Weight... Sigh, if you ask me, young girls like you care far too much about that sort of thing."

Hearing Raye say that, the auntie stopped preparing a second serving and focused on cooking one okonomiyaki.

Raye and Chris pulled out their chairs from beneath the table and sat down like ordinary customers.

[So, what exactly did we come here for?]

The moment she sat down, Chris impatiently sent a Telepathic Communication inquiry to Raye beside her. Though she asked that, she had already vaguely guessed why Raye had done this.

[Before that, Chris, take out your phone and browse through something casually. Telepathic Communication is highly discreet, but we should still conceal it a little. Don't make it too obvious.

Also, once the okonomiyaki arrives, chew carefully and eat slowly. I have some work that requires you to buy me some time.]

Raye instructed Chris through Telepathic Communication. At the same time, she set her tablet on the table and began tapping at it, appearing to be playing a game.

[Fine.]

Following Raye's suggestion, Chris took out the phone Fine had given her for convenient contact, opened some short videos, and began mindlessly scrolling.

[So can you tell me why we came here now?]

Once her cover was in place, Chris continued asking.

[Don't be in such a hurry, Chris. The reason I chose this place as the first stop of our... hm, "shopping trip," is because...]

With the sound of okonomiyaki cooking in the background, Raye explained her reasons to Chris through Telepathic Communication while using her tablet.

P.S. I finally recovered.

P.S. The new Sky Striker Ace Link-4... all I can say is that it really fits the manga depiction.

Chapter 29 Information.jpg

[First, Chris, I need to tell you that aside from the mission to activate Durandal, Fine also gave me another mission: capture Subject No. 1 of the living Relic fusion syndrome, an individual named "Hibiki Tachibana."]

Raye's voice sounded in her mind as she began syncing information with Chris.

[Another mission? Ah, from yesterday morning!]

Hearing Raye's words, Chris remembered seeing Raye discussing something with Fine before she left yesterday.

[Yes. For the sake of operational efficiency, I believe we can carry out simple preliminary preparations for capturing Hibiki Tachibana while simultaneously fulfilling Fine's requested "date" plan.]

Raye said.

[So your plan is to make preparations for capturing someone called "Hibiki Tachibana" while carrying out our arrangement... But why come here? Is that Hibiki Tachibana connected to this shop? Or is Hibiki Tachibana the auntie?]

It did not take Chris long to understand Raye's purpose, but even after understanding it, she still did not understand why Raye had brought her here for okonomiyaki.

[What a rich imagination, Chris. I think you could become moderately famous if you wrote novels. Unfortunately, Hibiki Tachibana is a first-year female middle school student at Lydian Music Academy, not this auntie.]

[The reason I brought you here is that, after investigating Hibiki Tachibana's spending records, I found that aside from buying Tsubasa Kazanari merchandise, this ordinary okonomiyaki shop was where she spent the most money.]

[After analyzing that information, I determined this place had value as a potential trap. That is why I brought you here.]

Raye denied Chris's guess. Then, while scrolling up and down on her tablet, she explained through Telepathic Communication.

[I see.]

Chris said in realization.

[Of course, it was also because it was already noon and you had not eaten lunch, Chris. This conveniently solves the issue of food as well.]

[Besides, if this shop has earned Hibiki Tachibana's approval, that means it must have some merit.]

[According to data I obtained by infiltrating Lydian Music Academy's system, Hibiki Tachibana eats three times as much as an ordinary student in the school cafeteria. Clearly, she cares greatly about food.]

[Normally speaking, a shop recognized by someone like that is generally not bad. It is a good place to solve the lunch issue.]

Raye added.

[Raye, what exactly have you investigated?]

Listening to Raye's explanation, Chris could not help remarking on why she had even investigated someone else's appetite.

[That is perfectly normal, Chris. If you are going to capture prey, naturally you must prepare bait that can lure it in.]

Raye did not think there was anything wrong with that. After all, she considered herself rather weak. If she could not gain as much of an advantage as possible through information, many missions would be impossible to carry out.

[Oh, right. Since you may participate in the capture of Hibiki Tachibana later, I'll share the information I collected yesterday with you as well. If you have any good plans, you can discuss them with me.]

At that point, Raye remembered that she had yet to share the intelligence she had gathered. She operated her tablet and sent a file to Chris through email.

[Me too? Fine, I'll take a look. Wait, there are so many files. What exactly did you investigate? You didn't even find out what color her underwear is, did you?]

Chris opened the email on her phone and was shocked by the sheer number of files, which nearly filled her inbox.

From top to bottom, there were files such as "Social Media Chat Logs—Hibiki Tachibana," "Medical Examination Report—Hibiki Tachibana," "Spending Records Summary—Hibiki Tachibana," "School Disciplinary Records—Hibiki Tachibana," and "Family Member Information—Hibiki Tachibana," along with many more files Chris had no idea where Raye had obtained.

Chris dared say that Raye nearly knew Hibiki Tachibana better than Hibiki Tachibana knew herself.

[Not that much. Thanks to the internet age, this is all information you can get by casually digging around online. It looks like a lot, but much of it is invalid or redundant information. If you think it is too troublesome, Chris, you can read the compressed file I sent last, named "Intelligence Compilation and Analysis Summary.zip."]

Raye said.

[Also, I should clarify that I did investigate her clothing preferences by examining purchase records, so I do know what styles of underwear she likes. If I remember correctly, it was...]

Raye added in a perfectly serious tone.

[That's enough. I don't want to know that. Where did you get this stalker behavior from?!]

Hearing the awful words in her mind, Chris immediately interrupted. She was not interested in such bizarre matters at all.

[Don't say that, Chris. Intelligence is intelligence. There is nothing shameful about it. The only thing we need to consider is how to find a way to accomplish the mission from this information.

Besides, I did take some inspiration for my intelligence-gathering methods from several stalkers who have since been sent to prison.]

Raye said to Chris through Telepathic Communication.

[What exactly have you been through, Raye... Forget it. All I can say is that it's fortunate you're not my enemy. You'd be terrifying if you were.]

Chris no longer had the energy to criticize Raye's abnormality. She was simply, no, ninety percent grateful that Raye was on her side.

Chris did not know what Hibiki Tachibana would think of this investigation method that left no scrap of privacy untouched, but Chris herself already felt her scalp tingle.

[A-Anyway, I understand. I'll look through it when we get back.]

Chris said through Telepathic Communication, then eagerly closed her inbox. She was afraid that if she kept looking, she might develop psychological trauma toward the black-clad thing beside her.

[And, um, right. You said you needed to make preliminary preparations. How are you going to do that? Are you going to set something up nearby later?]

After closing the inbox, Chris hurriedly changed the subject.

[Yes, that's right. But there is one correction: it is not something I will do later. I am already doing it.]

Raye confirmed Chris's question and added this.

[Huh? What did you do?]

Chris was somewhat confused. Since entering, Raye had been beside her the entire time. Chris had not seen her do anything that looked like setting something up.

"Here you are, little miss, your okonomiyaki. Auntie is very confident in her cooking. And you, little miss in black, games may be fun, but don't play too much."

While Chris was confused, a steaming serving of okonomiyaki was placed before her, and she heard the auntie say this.

P.S. Writing during the day really is more comfortable.

Chapter 30 Setup

"A game?"

Holding up her okonomiyaki, Chris reflexively glanced at the tablet in Raye's hands after hearing the auntie's words.

On the screen was what appeared to be a game where a small aircraft avoided monsters' lines of sight and obstacles in rooms before reaching a target point. And the setting of that game seemed to be a restaurant?!

[This is your preliminary preparation, Raye?]

Chris realized that Raye seemed to be controlling something to do something to this okonomiyaki shop.

[You noticed? Yes, it is nothing worth mentioning. I am simply leaving behind a set of surveillance units and spatial coordinates here. I am more accustomed to engaging enemies in places that are visible and accessible by teleportation.]

Noticing Chris's gaze, Raye explained her current work.

[But I saw five or six red dots on your screen. Based on what you said, you shouldn't need that many target points, right?]

Remembering the glimpse she had caught earlier, Chris asked Raye. At the same time, she picked up her chopsticks and began eating the okonomiyaki bit by bit, chewing slowly as Raye had instructed.

[They are simply different types. Though they are all surveillance units, every individual within the same set has a different concealment mechanism and detection mechanism.]

[There are two reasons for arranging them this way. First, if one type of unit is discovered, the other units can continue surveillance. Second, if more than two types of units are discovered, it will make the enemy wonder whether there are even more kinds of surveillance units.]

[Additionally, these surveillance units have self-destruction programs. If the programs detect that they have been exposed, they will self-destruct promptly. There are likewise multiple self-destruction methods, in hopes of minimizing the speed at which the other side can obtain information.]

Raye briefly explained the reasons to Chris.

[That is completely not "nothing worth mentioning"! And where did you even get so many surveillance and self-destruction methods, Raye?!]

As she listened to Raye's explanation, Chris grumbled in her mind while eating okonomiyaki.

In any case, as far as she was concerned, setting up surveillance mechanisms to this degree basically meant that this place could never escape Raye's watch.

[It is merely an ordinary application of Heresy Technology. My Sky Striker is rather good at this sort of thing.]

Raye replied in her mind, then continued controlling the aircraft through her tablet as she began setting up the next target point.

[So this is what you've been tinkering with all these years?]

Chris asked in her mind.

[More or less. This is also why I cooperate with Fine. She possesses much Heresy Technology that I need. One more kind of technology means one more preparation. One more preparation means one more choice, and my personal safety can be better guaranteed.]

Raye replied.

At that moment, as the two chatted, Raye finished deploying the surveillance unit at the final target point, while little remained of the okonomiyaki on Chris's plate.

[All right. Once you finish eating, we will leave here and go to Lydian Music Academy. We will set up several surveillance unit sets there, then place a few teleportation guidance units. Today's mission will be complete.]

Seeing that the timing was about right, Raye closed the guidance software on her tablet, which had deliberately been overlaid with a game interface filter, and spoke to Chris through Telepathic Communication.

"Are you done eating, Christina? Once you're done, we'll leave. Our next stop is a visit to Lydian Music Academy. I've already made an appointment for you."

As she explained this in her mind, Raye said the same thing to Chris in reality.

"Ah, yes, Ruse. I'm done."

Looking at Raye, Chris felt a powerful sense of dissonance. She did not understand how Raye did it—running two processes at once without any bugs.

"Oh? You're going to Lydian? Are you going to study there?"

At that moment, after hearing what Raye said to Chris, the auntie casually asked.

"Mm... You could say that. Christina's goal is to become the world's strongest diva, so she wants to see what kind of place could nurture someone like Tsubasa Kazanari."

Seeing the auntie's reaction, Raye glanced at her tablet and answered, adding more character details to Christina's identity.

"Yes, exactly. I've always admired Miss Tsubasa Kazanari, so I want to understand her, surpass her, and stomp her beneath my feet."

[Could you tell me before adding weird character traits to my persona?!]

Chris struggled to act in a manner that matched the persona Raye had suddenly given her, while complaining to Raye in her mind.

[Sorry. I did not expect the auntie to ask so suddenly, so I improvised a little extra roleplay for you.]

[But don't worry, Chris. When you cannot react in time, I will control the clothes you are wearing and the collar around your neck to make you perform actions that fit your persona.]

Raye apologized to Chris, then assured her that she absolutely would not let her break character.