Vol. 4 Ch. 2 Ep. 6: A RABBIT's Distress

"So the FOX Squad was behind the Schale incident..."

We should've told you from the beginning.

It's one thing for us to mess up. It's another thing for our mess-up to endanger you, Sensei. I guess we were kind of scared to tell you...

But we were totally clueless, j-just happily camping at the park...

But we were totally clueless, j-just happily camping at the park...

And you brought us all that expensive beef to thank us! F-For something we caused!

And w-we're just poor, homeless students... So we can't even pay it back!

The only thing we have to offer is expired bento! P-Please take it as thanks!

We'll make it right by finding out what they took from Schale and retrieving it.

But taking on the FOX Squad won't be easy.

We'll have to at least ascertain what it is they took first...

It's not something anyone's been missing, and it didn't look big in the footage...

Expensive tuna cans? Teacher's underwear?!

Sensei's underwear...?!

The idea of the seniors breaking into Schale armed to the teeth just to steal underwear is...unnerving.

"We can worry about that later."

"I'd like to know more about the FOX Squad members."

It slipped my mind that you wouldn't be familiar with them.

To summarize the FOX Squad's seniors in a nutshell...

They're Kivotos' elite.

Elite forces with the combat capabilities of SRT are a dime a dozen. But when it comes to special ops? They're insurmountable.

They're trained to handle any situation in any kind of environment. Their skills go way beyond just combat.

They were the ideal. They were the unit that not only met, but embodied all that was expected of SRT agents.

For example, the FOX Squad's Deputy Leader, Niko...

She's the "squad mom," you know? Her capacity for acceptance and patience are unmatched. And I know, because I definitely tested it. Heehee.

She used to pack inarizushi lunches for any squad leaving for a mission...

Niko was everyone's rock. Other squads would come to her for advice all the time.

N-Niko helped me a lot when I was new...

She's not just nice though. No matter how hopeless an operation is, Niko never panics. Her ability to stay calm and evaluate a situation is invaluable.

They say she's never lost count of the ammo or supplies the squad's used in any operation, even with all those messy battles under her belt.

...In that sense, Moe, you could to take a cue from Niko.

Don't deny that you find something exhilarating about emptying the entire magazine once in a while too!

...Then there was Kurumi, the FOX Squad's resident grump and point woman.

Well, being on the front lines all the time makes you a little high-strung, you know?

You can't let your guard down for even a second. It could mean life or death for the whole squad.

And Kurumi's real power shines in her quick, flexible responses to the unexpected.

She's unflappable through every ambush and attack. The way she can analyze her terrain and use it to her advantage under pressure is really impressive.

I've actually heard that about her too.

When her gun malfunctioned smack in the middle of enemy territory, she didn't waste a second. She just grabbed the nearest enemy's weapon and started breaking through them with their own firepower.

If it were up to me, I probably would've followed my field manual and tried to fix it. I couldn't have turned it around like she did.

I'm way more book-smart than street-smart, so I can't help but admire adaptability in other people.

Now, Otogi, the sniper in the FOX Squad...

I-I didn't get to talk to her much, but I've never met a sniper like her before...

You're right in that assessment. She definitely isn't your usual lone wolf sniper who prefers to be hidden away.

Otogi's got this natural charisma that really commands a room. The spotlight seemed to follow her at SRT.

"I've never met a sniper with a presence like hers."

She is pretty weird in that sense. You normally want your snipers quiet, invisible, so they can hit their mark unnoticed. But when Otogi enters the field, you know.

I had to go against her in a training drill once, and it was so hard! I was totally on edge, not knowing where her bullets would come from next, but knowing she was there...

They say a good sniper neutralizes three enemies for every one bullet shot.

And good coordination is really important so your teammates can benefit from any intel you gather...

Compared to her, I...I mean, sometimes even my own teammates forget I exist.

Th-That was one time...and it wasn't your fault at all...

She's right! The idiot who didn't realize we were missing a member is to blame! It's not that hard to keep track of three people!

Sh-Shut up! It wasn't like that at all!

And then there's Yukino, the FOX Squad's leader...

A.K.A. Little Miss Perfect. And, like, actually perfect, not like when I'm making fun of Saki.

...It's true though. Yukino's unmatched. She manages and directs the squad members' movements down to the second.

That squad trusts her more than they trust themselves. If she told them to jump off a plane with no parachute, they would do it with complete faith they would be okay.

"That was certainly a favorable evaluation."

Yes... Those seniors were our wildest dreams.

We aspired to them. They were our role models.

Anything our RABBIT Squad could accomplish, it's not just that the FOX Squad could do it too... They would do it better, faster, more efficiently, and smarter.

"You'd be surprised at how imperfect 'perfect' people actually are."

"And, Miyako? The RABBIT Squad is not replaceable."

...Do you think so?

It's hard not to think that way, I suppose.

Because the Yukino in my memory, the way she glowed on the TV screen...

That doesn't matter. She seemed different. Older? Mature?

Maybe she grew up while she was gone... Somewhere I couldn't go...

...There's so much I don't understand.

Maybe they were right. If we still haven't grown through all of this, maybe it is time to throw in the towel. Follow orders, and let people smarter and better than us shoulder all these responsibilities...

What...would the three of you want to do?

Even if you ask us...

It's just r-really overwhelming...

What is that sound?

Is it the emergency broadcast from the General Student Council...?

Do you think it's related to the recent attack?!

All citizens of Kivotos, this is a critical announcement.

In a few moments, we will deliver an urgent statement on behalf of the Kivotos General Student Council.

We urge all residents to tune in to the official General Student Council channel or the Kronos channel to hear this pressing message.

The General Student Council's official channel?! Where's my phone?!

There's a much, much bigger screen you can use instead.

Look up.

Is that a video...on the side of an airship?

Greetings, citizens of Kivotos.

I'm Shiranui Kaya, the head of the Kivotos General Student Council's Defense Office.

I'm sorry for addressing you so unexpectedly today, but it is an urgent matter.

In recent times, our city has faced numerous crises.

A mysterious structure descended from the sky, paralyzing our city and causing extensive damage not only to the D.U. but also to every academy district.

Unfortunately, as the General Student Council, we failed to effectively respond to this monumental crisis and provide a resolution. Instead, we relied on decisions made by Schale and the individual districts to mitigate the damages.

This was due to the absence of Nanagami Rin, the acting General Student Council president, during the time of the incident. This has resulted in her relinquishing her responsibilities.

Criticism regarding her failure to fulfill her duties as acting General Student Council president has persisted, even within the Board of Administration.

Finally, today, a vote of no confidence in Chief Officer Nanagami was passed.

I, Shiranui Kaya, have been duly sworn in as the new acting General Student Council president.

What...? New acting General Student Council president?!

This transition is not a matter we take lightly.

We acknowledge that many of you are likely concerned about this sudden change in the General Student Council's leadership.

Nevertheless, we are committed to restoring normalcy in Kivotos and seek your support for the new Board of Administration that will be established.

And lastly...

Sensei.

I'm sure you're watching this broadcast from somewhere right now, Sensei.

For the sake of the future of Kivotos and Schale, please abide by my request, Sensei.

As soon as this broadcast is over, we request your presence in the General Student Council's reception room.

All members of the General Student Council eagerly anticipate your visit.

Thank you, and farewell. I look forward to Kivotos' future.

"What exactly is going on here?"

...The General Student Council is in crisis.