Chapter 41: "More Than A Mission."

Inside the elevator with Squad 40 and Itsuka inside.

The screen on the right of the doors reads "2:43 Until Excursion Release".

They're all looking at their watches with the new linked up squad info. Squad 20 has 2 dots and 2 red X's. Everyone's eyes, especially Katsu's, widen from seeing it. Daisuki looks at Itsuka with a serious expression.

Itsuka: "I'm very sorry Mina Daisuki, I was ordered by the 3 'Sisters' of the Mountains to follow you due to their suspicions of you creating secret colonies out of their discretion and control over the people in them. They even used their control and financial power to kidnap both my squad mentor as well as my two innocent squadmates and had them thrown in 'Hell' with those monsters and without a way to defend themselves."

Daisuki: "So those three dirty, evil, bastards WERE having private eyes watching my every move."

Itsuka bows again and everyone listens as she explains herself.

Itsuka: "Again I apologize, once I found out their plans to backstab me as well, I made you 4 those lunches and glued a mirror to the inside of the lid.My 2nd stage ability allows me to look at my reflection and it then gains a separate consciousness with the opposite personality of my real self.My reflection can look through mirrors within a certain vicinity of me, and through our IceEyes, I see whatever my reflection sees from the other side of the mirror. If we aren't looking in the same mirror before I deactivate my 2nd stage all my energy gets drained."

Shelly: "So they were paying you to spy on our Mentor? How much were they paying you?"

Itsuka bites her bottom lip, hard. She's silent for a moment and a tear rolls down her cheek. Saku looks at her in pity.

Saku(thinking to himself): *What is this feeling? Why does it bother me so much to see THIS female crying?*

Friend softly whimpers next to Saku as if relating to his master's feelings. Itsuka wipes the tear away and regains her tough demeanor. She clenches her fist and takes off her bag. Shelly grips her katana but Saku steps in front as if to protect Itsuka.

Shelly: "Saku why do you keep standing in front of her? Are you protecting her over us?"S

aku: "I'm hearing her out. She's had no reason for her to betray us now. (looks at timer '1:47')

I doubt she'll switch up on us within the last minute and 45 seconds."

Itsuka pulls out a white shoe box that is duct taped close. "PipPip" and a heart are written on it in black marker. Saku's face goes pale looking at the girl on the floor and the box in her hands. Daisuki is looking at his disciple.

Daisuki(thinking): *Hmm, maybe there really is someone for everyone.*

Itsuka: "Before there was 'Hell' on Earth, my family owned a pet store in Hanabi City. My grandfather loved animals, but he especially loved ferrets and that love for them was passed down to me.I was able to save only one living animal from that horrifying bloody mess left by those devils."

Saku starts to slightly panic and look for Friend and he calms down seeing him.

Itsuka: "In this box is both my only friend while I was in 'Hell' for 18 months and also the last connection to my family and the store. I wanted to bury him outside in the world, not just toss him in the trash to get tossed in some incinerator.

My payment for spying on Mr. Daisuki was an antibiotic for him only found in Mount Morta's Veterinary Medical Cabinet."

Tears stream down her cheek.

Itsuka: "I wasn't able to help him in time. He died in pain and I failed him."

A female voice comes on the speaker as the timer reaches one minute.

Speaker: "Exactly one minute until Excursion Release."

Itsuka puts the box back in her bag carefully and Katsu knows all too well who she sounds like. Daisuki is shocked by the turn of events and doesn't know what to do.

Shelly is looking at Itsuka's tone female body as she puts her bag back on and her 6 abdominal muscles showing from her black torn sweatshirt with her name "Itsuka" on the upper back and her identical golden 'SC' patch.

Itsuka looks at Shelly and sees her golden SC patch as well.

Itsuka: "So you're the 'Student Captain' of these boys?(smiles) It would've been nice to experience that for a little bit."

Shelly realizes she's talking to her and snaps out of it and blushes.

Shelly: "J-Just be careful what you ask for."

Saku relaxes and leans on the wall of the elevator, only 30 seconds left until the doors open.

Saku: "Well, you're part of Squad 20 and from what you told us, there is a good reason you didn't show up to Gray's office before this.I guess this means mission complete? So much for getting to experience looking at the sky for a while, huh? Life is so predictably cruel sometimes, I finally get the chance to see the sky again and I'm teased with only a taste of freedom."

Itsuka(to herself): "Freedom?"

Daisuki can be heard chuckling and Saku looks.

Daisuki: "Saku, I know I don't have to tell you this, but remember who is on your squad."

He points to the front of the elevator and Saku looks from Daisuki right to Katsu.Katsu is looking at his watch, his back towards the elevator doors, 15 seconds left on the timer. Itsuka suddenly gets a shiver down her spine from being in the area of 'flipped switch' Katsu for the first time.

Katsu: "If your watch says you're the 'Promoted Captain' of Squad 20 that means one of those X's is your mentor.I won't lie if it was a seasoned mentor out there in 'Hell', I wouldn't feel guilty to call this a successful excursion, and reap the rewards from it."

Itsuka doesn't move as Katsu looks up from his watch and makes eye contact with her. As the elevator *DINGS* her light skin tone goes flush pink and behind Katsu the elevator doors slowly open, letting the natural sunlight in behind him and the fresh mountain air blowing his hair.

Katsu: "But knowing there is another student out there alone in 'Hell' AND there's a 50/50 chance it's one of my closest friends in this world, now, this is more than just a mission."

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