Infinite Stratos > 13. The Sextet Yearns to Be in Love

Charlotte: It's okay. It's okay. Because he told me that he would be home today.

Ichika: Hey, Charl.

Charlotte: Ichika! Um, it is a nice day, n'est-ce pas?

Ichika: Yeah?

Charlotte: No, I mean, I am Charlotte Dunois from the IS Academy.
Is Orimura at home now, s'il vous plaît?

Ichika: What the hell are you talking about?

Charlotte: I just...

Ichika: Just what?

Charlotte: Just stopped by.

Ichika: Uh-huh.

Charlotte: I am an idiot! An idiot!
Why am I sounding like I'm his girlfriend or something?

Ichika: Okay. Come on inside then.

Charlotte: I can come in?

Ichika: Well, sure. You came to hang out, didn't you?
Or is there somewhere else you have to go?

Charlotte: No! Not at all! Absolutely not and not even a little tiny bit!

Ichika: Oh man. You're being weird.

Charlotte: He said that I am being weird.

- - - - -OP- - - - -

Charlotte: So this is Ichika's house. Hey, Ichika.
Are you the one who's doing the household chores here?

Ichika: Yeah. Chifuyu's way too busy. And there was a long time she wasn't here.

Charlotte: Oh, I understand of course.
I'm sure Ichika is going to be a fantastic house husband.
House husband!

Ichika: Here. It's barley tea.
I made it myself this morning so the flavor might still be pretty light.

Charlotte: All right, thank you. I'm alone with Ichika!

Ichika: What the... Cecilia?

Cecilia: Hello there. How are you doing today, my dear Ichika?
I happened to be passing through this area, so I thought I'd stop by to check on you.

Ichika: You were passing through? In this area?

Cecilia: Yes. I just stopped by that famous cake shop with all the [xxx], see?

Ichika: Hey, look at this. They're all different.

Cecilia: Oh, that's right, they certainly are.

Charlotte: It was just the two of us until now...

Cecilia: What is Charlotte doing here? Was that [cross-dressing] foe trying to get ahead of me?

Ichika: This one's great. Hey, why don't we swap a little piece [xxx] to the cakes?

Cecilia: Oh yes, that sounds like a [charming] idea.

Charlotte: Did you mean that we should feed each other?

Ichika: Sure, that sounds great.
Oh, but you wouldn't wanna bite from the piece a guy's already eaten from, right?
Just you two should do it.

Charlotte: No, that would not bother me at all, honestly.

Cecilia: Oh no, [xxx xxx] to think.

Charlotte: And actually I would really like to have a taste from each of them. So let us eat cake.

Ichika: Well, if you're sure, then I guess it'd be okay.

Cecilia: Right. Let's begin with your cake.

Charlotte: We want you to feed us.

Ichika: Okay. Okay, Cecilia's first. Say "Ah." So it's good, huh?

Cecilia: Yes, it is. Heavenly!

Charlotte: Ichika, I am next, right?

Ichika:Oh, uh-huh. Say "Ah." You like it?

Charlotte: Yes, I like it very much.

Ichika: O-Okay. Now I should get to have a bite from each of yours.

Cecilia: Hold it right there! It's our turn to feed you this time.
That's how the whole things suppose to work.

Charlotte: Cecilia is correct. That is how we should go.

Ichika: Actually, if you think about it, there's no reason why I couldn't just eat the cake using my own fork.

Cecilia&Charlotte: No way! You can't do that!

Cecilia: Now just relax, okay? Now...

Cecilia&Charlotte: Say "Ah!"

Rin: Would you like to tell me what you two are doing here?

Cecilia: It rather seems like all of us just had the same thing in mind today.

Ichika: I don't mind you stopping by, but it would have been nice if at least one of you let me know you were coming.

Houki: And just how would I have done that?
I didn't know I wasn't doing anything until now.

Rin: Yeah, what gives?
Are you saying that showing up without notice is a problem?
Could that be because you have something to hide?

Laura: I thought it would be an amusing little surprise if I hereby stop by unannounced. So Ichika, are you amused?

Rin: I hate her, but I envy for confidence.

Ichika: So what do you think we should do now?
It's pretty hot outside. So should we do something inside the house?

All: Whatever you want to.

Houki: Of course I'm in. I specifically picked the day I knew he'd be home to come by.

Rin: If we go outside, we can run into the Gotanda siblings, and that would ruin the whole thing, you dork!

Cecilia: We can't go outside. I came all this way to learn something new about Ichika, not his neighborhood.

Charlotte: If there is any chance at all, I really hope to see what Ichika's room is like.

Laura: And I am extra curious because this house is a house of Mentor Orimura.

Ichika: Let's see... Something we can do with this many people.

Laura: Oh, yes, of course I know this party game. This is German one after all.

Rin: So we make things using colored clay and other people guess what they're supposed to be. Is that right?

Houki: First, it's Laura's turn to answer questions.

Laura: And I am ready.

All: What the heck?

Houki: Is that stick on the ground?

Laura: Mm-hm.

Houki: Is that bigger than a human?

Laura: It is.

Houki: Does the human make it?

Laura: Nein. No more questions. Now you must answer.

Houki: Ah! An oil well!

Laura: Incorrect.

All: Oil well?

Laura: I guess this one was a little difficult. That is a mountain.

All: Huh?!

Laura: I said it's a mountain.

Ichika: Okay, I hate to be picky, but I don't think that mountains are really quite as pointy as that.

Laura: That is not always true. Mountains like Everest look this way.

Ichika: Then your answer should have been now Everest. Otherwise, it's too hard.

Laura: You sure do whine a lot. It's hard to believe that you're really my wife.

Ichika: And I told you I am not your wife!

Chifuyu: I was wondering what all the noise was about. I had no idea you were having a party in here.

All: Ms. Orimura!

Ichika: Welcome home, Chifuyu. You got back early.
Have you eaten yet? If not, I can make you something...

Chifuyu: No, I've already eaten, thanks.

Ichika: Then how about a nice cup of tea instead? I've got cold barley and hot green and pekoe.

Chifuyu: You know, I was out in the heat, getting hot and sweaty. So I think I'll have a cold one, okay?

Ichika: Right. Sure thing.

Charlotte: The ambience in here is very strange.

Cecilia: They sound just like a married couple.

Laura: So this is what she's like at home. Very interesting.

Chifuyu: Hm? Hey, just forget it. I have to leave soon, I've got work to do.

Ichika: What? Right now?

Chifuyu: Unlike you slackers, the instructors stay busy even during the summer break.
You guys make yourself at home. No sleepovers, though. Oh, and Shinonono.

Houki: Yes, ma'am?

Chifuyu: You really should go and visit your aunt. You haven't been home lately, right?

Houki: No, ma'am.

Chifuyu: Then do it. Well, see you with the [xxx].

Ichika: I guess being a teacher isn't easy. Is there something wrong?

Charlotte: Well you see, it's just that you were acting as though you were Ms. Orimura's wife.

Rin: Yeah. The thing is you and your sister are kinda intimate.

Ichika: Isn't that normal? We're brother and sister.

Rin: Yeah, but you two are actually kinda unique.

Ichika: Huh? What would you mean by that?
Well, I'd better start getting ready for dinner now.
I need to go get some groceries.

Rin: In that case, I'm going to make something special for you.

Houki: Yeah. That goes for me, too.

Charlotte: And I will be glad to help you as well.

Laura: Of course I will be participating in the effort.

Cecilia: Well, I suppose I have no choice. What am I just going...

All: Oh no, you don't!

Charlotte: This reminds me of all the times I used to go to the market with my maman.

Laura: I took cooking rotations when I was in the military.
I'll show them what I've learned from my instructor.

Cecilia: I still don't understand why I don't get to cook anything.
I want to show my skills so that England can be very represent as well.

Rin: I don't think you representing England goes over that well with the people in England.

Cecilia: What is that supposed to mean?

Ichika: So, you still haven't visited your family's shrine yet, huh?

Houki: No, I haven't.
But to be honest, I was already thinking about visiting them soon,
even before Chifuyu brought it up this afternoon.

Ichika: That's good. I'm sure your aunt, Yukiko, would be really glad to see you.

Houki: Well, actually, Ichika. At this year summer festival, I'll be...

Charlotte: Ichika!

Rin: Don't let her do that!

Cecilia: I want to cook! I want to try!

Ichika: What the hell are those girls doing now? There, there.

Cecilia: I will make you eat it, Ichika! And you will like it!

Rin: Come on! This potato's so hard to cut! Because you picked the wrong kind!

Laura: You'll certainly be so ignorant. Back when I was living in Germany,
I was absolutely the best in my unit when it came to picking the potatoes.

Ichika: Houki. Weren't you going to say something to me back at the grocery store earlier?

Houki: Oh, it's nothing. More importantly, are you going to let her continue with that?

Cecilia: That definitely needs a good deal of more red. Much more!

Ichika: I think that the ship has already sailed on that.

Charlotte: Um, Cecilia, I think it would be a really good idea if you didn't do any more cooking.

Cecilia: But I can't bear the idea doing nothing while everyone else around me is working so hard.
But you needn't worry. My cooking starts with a few small defeats, but I usually win the war.

Charlotte: But cooking is not a martial art or a game!

Laura: Ichika. Ichika. Come and see what I've prepared.

Ichika: Let's see... Could it be ah...

Laura: It's oden. It's oden.

Ichika: No no no no. No need to repeat it.

Laura: My lieutenant instructed me the preparation of this dish back when I was at station in Germany.
This is obviously traditional Japanese oden, ja?

Rin: Just what kind of Japanese culture was your lieutenant familiar with?

Ichika: What's that?

Cecilia: Dreaded.

Charlotte: You were heating it with the laser?! That is so irresponsible!

Cecilia: Failure is the mother of success.
Well, I'll do it perfectly this time.
It's Cecilia Alcott's famous [xxx] cooking!

Rin: Hey, don't worry about that anymore, Cecilia.
You can... can you just set the table please?

Charlotte: Oh, yes. That sounds good.

Cecilia: But why?
Please explain why everyone here is attending to prevent me from cooking.
I simply can't understand it at all!

Maya: You know, I have to say that it was unusually... considerate of you to leave all of them together at your house like that.

Chifuyu: Well, I'm sure they'd never be able to relax if I was around.

Maya: But you are still his big sister after all.
Doesn't it bother you that he's there along with all his female friends?

Chifuyu: Well, actually, remember our summer school session at the beach.
I said something to them back there that I should never have said.

Maya: What do you mean by that, ma'am?

Chifuyu: Privately, I told those five I wasn’t going to let them have Ichika without paying.

Maya: Really?

Chifuyu: Yeah, really. I don't even really know why I told them that, but I didn't give a lot of thought beforehand.
I didn't mean to sound weird, but I can't help feeling that those girls look at me as their rival.

Maya: You know, Ms. Orimura, now you sure resemble a lot like Ichika.

Chifuyu: Oh, yeah? What do you mean by that?

Maya: It's like how you have no boundaries when it comes to kindness.

Chifuyu: Maya, what if we said about your knowledge of men?

Maya: Maybe you're right.
But everybody has to grow up eventually.
We all go through all kinds of things, you know?

Chifuyu: You sound like an old busybody.

Maya: Oh no, that's just mean! And you're older than me, Ms. Orimura.

Chifuyu: Sorry, sorry.

- - - - -

Houki: Well, festival season is here once again.

Yukiko: Oh, Houki, I didn't know you were here.

Houki: Oh, yes, ma'am. I apologize. I should have told you I was coming.

Yukiko: Oh, that's all right, dear. I'm sure you wanna have a look around first.
After all, it's been quite a while. But actually, you're tiny and just perfect.
I was wondering who could perform the kagura mai dance this year.

Houki: I'm glad to be able to help you out, Yukiko. I really am.
If my sister didn't work with the IS program, I could have continued living here.
Instead of moving around from place to place, I could have stayed here with Ichika.

Yukiko: Houki, would you mind taking care of the oracle booth? Won't you finish with your bath here?

Houki: Sure, no problem. Ichika... I wonder what he's doing now.

Ichika: Hey there.

Houki: And just what in the heck are you doing here?

Ichika: Ah, I thought this was where you might be.
And after all, you told me that you'd be stopping by here soon.
Besides, today is the summer festival.

Houki: You... you remembered that?

Ichika: You're so standoffish sometimes.
And you really should have called me, so why didn't you?

Houki: Because I... I can't tell him.
I can't tell him that I was embarrassed to let him see me looking like this.
And even if I did tell him...

Ichika: You look terrible on that super girlie outfit!

Houki: If he ever says something like that, I would never be able to recover, ever!

Ichika: Man, you look great on that outfit. It really fits.
That feminine-look really suits you.
In fact, it blew me away because you look so beautiful.
What's wrong?

Houki: This is a dream! This whole thing has gotta be a dream!
And I need to wake up! Right now already, damn it!

Ichika: What are you talking about, Houki?

Yukiko: Houki dear, maybe you should take a break.

Houki: Huh? Do what? I'm supposed to be working.

Yukiko: It's all right as long as you come back before the kagura mai, dear.
Let me get you the yukata right now.

Houki: Wait. A yukata? I'll get to stroll with Ichika in a yukata?
To make it even better, Ichika already told me I look good on a ladylike outfit.

Ran: Hey, Ichika. Long time no see, huh?

Ichika: Ran?

Houki: But she's... Why could this have happened to me?

Ichika: Well, she said that she got separated from her brother.
Why don't we go look around for him together?

Ran: I'm Ran Gotanda. And Ichika's already told me an awful lot about you, Ms. Shinonono.

Houki: Oh, I've heard a lot about you, too. You're the younger sister of Ichika's friend, right?

Ran: That's right! That I know my stupid brother is always giving Ichika way too much trouble.

Ichika: Hey, I don't think I've ever seen you in a yukata before, Ran. And you look pretty good on it, too.

Ran: Do you really think so? Gosh, thank you very much, Ichika.

Houki: Ichika, when you told me about your friend, you've said his sister wasn't very nice toward you.
But it's blatantly obvious that she likes you!

Ran: He told me she wasn't feminine at all.
He said she was like a samurai or a martial arts freak.
He never told me that she was so beautiful.

Ichika: Let's see, what should I have the eat first?
Ah, shouldn't we be looking for your brother?

Ran: No, no. It's okay, really.
I mean, I'm going to be in high school next year, you know.
So my big brother shouldn't be harboring over me all the time.

Ichika: I see. Well, I suppose you can't be a kid forever now, can you?

Ran: That's right. The festival is so crowded this year.

Houki: I know that Ichika's imperviousness didn't just happen over night.
But still... I mean, he did try to kiss me the other day. So what was that about?

Ran: Excuse me, Houki.

Houki: Yes?

Ran: Ichika was telling me about school. He told me that you're really good at maneuvering an IS.

Ichika: Oh, yeah. Houki's always amazing.
And what she did on a beach at the summer school the other day was really impressive.

Houki: No, that wasn't a big deal, honestly. I couldn't have done it without everyone's help.

Ran: Oh, he also told me you're a kendo champion even apart from the IS.
He said you've been really good since you were little. You're really cool, I'm so inspired!

Houki: Thank you, Ran.

Dan: Ran! Where did you go, Ran? Your big brother is looking for you!

Ran: Dan?

Dan: Excuse me, sir. Do you see my little sister?
She's about this tall and wearing a yukata.
Her hair is like this and her chest is completely flat and...

Ichika: I see that your brother is just as worried about you as he always was.

Ran: Sorry, but I need to go over there and kick my brother's stupid butt!
Hey, will you cut it out, you big idiot?!

Houki: Those two are really very close, aren't they?

Ichika: Yeah. Though they're always fighting when I'm around.

Houki: Maybe so.
But I think it's more like nice people tend to gravitate to you, Ichika.
And that's probably... because you are so...

Ichika: Huh? What did you say?

Houki: Never you mind that. It's almost time for the kagura mai dance.

Ichika: All right you then. Now come dead for me.

Houki: Yeah. I'll do the best I can.

Woman: Oh, how lovely...

Man: Wow, I've never seen a girl that beautiful around here before.

Houki: Ichika.

Ichika: Huh?

Houki: What did you think about the dance?

Ichika: It was... Actually it was incredible.

Houki: You think so? Thank you.

Ichika: The IS Academy is over there, isn't it?

Houki: That's right.

Ichika: Man, this is, you know, really crazy year, huh.

Houki: You're impatient, aren't you? You're supposed to wait until the end of the year to say stuff like that.

Ichika: I know that, but... First, they found out I could operate an IS.
Then that made a news, which resulted me being accepted to the IS Academy.
And there, I met all kinds of people, and experienced so many incredible events.
This year sure flew by. But in the end, I'm sure glad I came here. To the Academy, I mean.
Especially since I got to see you again. Is something wrong, Houki?

Houki: Um, well... I ah... um... Ichika. I really do like you. A lot.

Ichika: Awesome! Check it out! What is it now?

Houki: Look, just let me do this at least.

Ichika: Sure. Okay.

- - - - -ED- - - - -