Rode's Garage

There is a silence between Frederic and Kiyoko. Kiyoko closes the dorm room door and turns around.

"How's your eye doing Kiyoko...? Kiyoko looks at Frederic and puts his hand over his eye.

"It still sting's a little but I'm doing better... You?" Frederic looks away exhaling.

"I'm fine... Just a bit tired is all..." Frederic starts walking to the steps as Kiyoko watches. He then quickly catches up.

"Do you even know where we're going?" Frederic starts down the steps.

"We're heading to that one garage... The teachers meeting us there..." Kiyoko exhales.

"Right..."

Everyone stands inside a massive garage like building with massive doors on both sides.

"This is Rode's Garage... Where your mobile bases are stored" Frederic looks up at the high cieling.

"Oh wow..." Miss Shiyuya continues.

"We use these Rode's in a monthly tournament... Where other classes battle to keep their positions and ranks... If you loose to another class... You swap... So if you loose to 1-3... You guys become 1-3 and they become 1-1... On top of that... There are individual rankings based on who puts in the most effort" both Kiyoko and Shioka look around in awe as they find a massive garage door with 1-1 on it. Myoya in shock.

"This place keeps getting bigger..." Miss Shiyuya smiles looking at the door.

"Behind this large door is your Rode" Miss Shiyuya unlocks the door as it slides open like a garage door. Everyone stands in awe as a large Tank like vehicle faces them. He main barrel roughly the size of a sewage drain. The lights dramatically turning on at the same time. Liam smiles.

"I like this already" Myoya runs his hands along the side of the Rode looking for an entrance.

"This is the Class 1 Highest Caliber T'A'T Tank Rode... Feel free to explore..." Myoya finds a door and opens it. Inside is a Massive two floor sized space. Several attack openings along the side. A massive Control room on the second level. A large crystal in the center connected to several large wires. Kiyoko looks around with Shioka. Both speaking simultaneously.

"So cool" Elijah looks over jokingly.

"You two are the same person at this point" Myoya runs his hand along the control desk. Slowly sitting in the spinning chair with a 180° view out the front of the tank. Miss Shiyuya appearing behind him.

"This is the Seat and Panel that controls the Rode... There's two other seats... Frederic... Would you like to be in charge of this?" Frederic walks over as Myoya stands up. Lucas finds the second seat which controls the main gun. Miss Shiyuya getting out a booklet and opening it.

"This is how to turn it on and how to drive... Kay?" Frederic takes the book and starts looking through it. Frederic pushes a pedal then pulls a lever down as a loud humming starts. All the lights turn on as well as the rest of the buttons. Elijah looks at the panel then at Miss Shiyuya.

"I feel like this would limit Emily... She uses Shadow Maho... So" Miss Shiyuya walks over.

"This dial turns down the brightens of the lights" Elijah watches as the lights dim.

"Oh... That's neat" Kiyoko finds the third seat which is labeled Defense. He plops down in the seat and relaxes.

"So soft..." Elijah looks over at Kiyoko.

"Well... It IS a cushioned seat" he lightly laughs. Miss Shiyuya pushes a button as another garage door opens looking out on the field.

"Take it for a test drive Frederic... Get a grip on the controls" Frederic looks at the button covered panel.

"It may seem daunting... But don't worry about crashing it..." Frederic looks up at her.

"if the school wasn't able to repair these, why would they do it... Plus it's the first time your using it, so the school understands if you crash it" Frederic takes a deep breath and slowly grabs a lever. He slowly brings it backwards as the Rode slowly backs up. Frederic looking between a few screens to make sure he won't hit the sides.

"Your a natural... Your doing amazing" the Rode eventually makes it all the way out.

"If you wanna turn, let one pedal loose and push the other..." Frederic slows the Rode down and turns it to the left. Then turning it away from the garage.

"I think I understand now" miss Shiyuya turns to Liam who sits in the gun seat.

"Yours is very similar but moves independently of the Rode itself" Liam stretches.

"Okay... What do I do?" She grabs a lever.

"This lever controls the up and down motion of the gun... Try" Liam moves the lever as the gun follows.

"the lever on your right controls how fast the gun spins... Those pedals at the bottom, hit the left one, it will turn left, hit the right one it turns right" Liam takes a moment to try each of them out.

"I think I understand now" Miss Shiyuya smiles

"Everything else should be self explanatory... The bell for first will go off soon... Better get ready... We'll be here again tomorrow " Frederic slowly pulls the Rode back into the Garage.

Frederic Seemingly talks a lot less. Several people notice his dry eyes but he won't awnser them. Seemingly growing more and more distant until the morning of the Rode Event Test.

Miss Shiyuya stands there waiting as everyone dramatically walks in in uniform. An intensity pouring off them.

"Let's do this" Frederic with a seemingly emotionless face as Kiyoko slightly worries for him.

"remember what you do in that rode! Everyone has a roll to play! Im not allowed in the rode with you so im trusting you will all trust each other as much as I trust you! Now get out there and show them WE ARE CLASS 1!" Everyone chants in agreement as Frederic opens the door

"You can count on us teach!" Everyone takes their turn entering the Tank Rode.

"Let the test begin!"