Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Character Creation and Discussion

[LoweGear]

Originally Posted by Wild Goose

Why fight when we can work together?

Franz: "Alpha 1-1 to Aus'ruf, we've found the target's temple. Unable to attack, request ion cannon strike."

Aus'ruf: "Copy, relaying targeting data to firing platform.

Goose: "Ready, Lowe?"

Lowe: "Let's do this."

(Look above to Lowe's post)

Franz: "This is Alpha 1-1. Sweet. Mighty fine shooting. Request you place Sierra One One Seven on standby in case the target survived."

Aus'ruf: "Copy. Shall we deploy him with the Alt Eisen variation?"

And it was an honor working with you

Originally Posted by USB500

Lucky Aurion is lucky indeed.

*dodges Triple Rider Kick*

*watches USB run into Mai's waiting chainsaw*

Mai: ...

Sekhou da.

Originally Posted by USB500

2: not new, but still refreshing. besides, it's easier to picture Hikki and his romantic affair with Widuri daily activities.

*dodges Reppuken*

Needs more of his romantic daily activities please

*runs*

Originally Posted by USB500

Next rebuild to consider: Annabelle, Shin-chan & Zengar Zombolt Jackson Armstrong. Hopefully, some Takeru & hot meganekko MILF Frieda and the whole Johansen Family as well.

JOHANSENS AS PRIORITY NAO!!!!!!

*runs faster*

[PhoenixFlare]

Okay, everyone, find your shelter quickly! Bluecheese Nuke detected!

Spoiler for The story thus far ...:

Five years after the Jail Scaglietti Incident, Knight Carim Gracia of the Saint Church unveiled a dire warning that foretold of Mid-childa’s destruction using her power, Profeitin Shrifti.

A mysterious group of powerful individuals was searching for the Jewels of the Star, nine dangerous Lost Logia that equaled three Jewel Seeds each. The first encounter between Teana and Subaru with the mysterious group ended with Subaru suffering from a grievous injury that left her dying. Though Teana managed to seek treatment for her best friend in time, Subaru would probably no longer be able to join the Armed Forces.

Chrono and the Aces were told of the puzzling warning by Knight Carim, and the arrival of an Intelligence officer, Leona, and her company confirmed part of the information that they had. Still, there was too little information to confirm anything else. In light of the event, Chrono negotiated with Leonidas von Khrull, the new Lieutenant-General, and after completely overwhelming him, was permitted to form Escutcheon, the external force to deal with the strange group. Leona’s group was also enlisted to fill the frontline.

The first attack came almost immediately, and Chrono ordered the strangers to be apprehended. At that time, Leona came down seriously ill, and was harshly ordered by Chrono to step down as captain temporarily. Something seemed to be going on between Leona and Chrono, a secret that was known only to the two of them.

During the fight, one of the strangers, a man called Grandia Estrediel Paladien, was caught by surprise by Signum and Teana. Yet, he managed to escape by summoning Minions to his aid, magical black hounds that could replicate when damaged. Signum and Tesla gave Grandia a chase, which brought them to a clearing in the forest where Grandia offered to duel Signum, which she accepted. Meanwhile, Kratos and his comrades managed to defeat the Minions after a tough, exhausting confrontation. Hayate told them that a massive energy was detected from the dam and was heading there.

The duel between Signum and Grandia continued with no clear victor. Then, at the last moment, Grandia used a technique in which he attacked with five flaming dragons. Yet, it had been a ruse to cover his escape. Nearby, Grandia’s sister manipulated the weather, summoning heavy rain to fall and unleashing a torrential burst of water as her offensive. The flame dragons were extinguished, forming a thick cloud of smoke and fire, thus allowing Grandia to slip away.

At the final moment, Signum attacked with Sturm Falke, only to be greeted by Sharazad's raging wave. It would have consumed both she and Tesla had Hayate not arrived at the critical time and shielded the three of them. Yet, it was too much for Hayate to bear, and her shield weakened rapidly.

What was the fate of them three, facing the furious wrath of nature, with no apparent way to escape?

Stay tuned for Chapter Six to know the details!

Okay, that was cheap, but it summarizes everything up till now for those that have not read it from the start.

Now ... for the real meat.

Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha GuardianS

Chapter Six—Burden of the Past

Spoiler for Scene I:

[Leona’s Room, Escutcheon] [January 22nd, MC 081] [2054 hours]

Leona’s hands trembled even as she brought them up to her lips, her desire to silence her disbelieving exclamation resisted by the uncontrollable reaction from her body. With a huge effort, she managed to get her fingers to clamp around her pale lips, but even so, they continued to shake violently, an ephemeral cage of flesh that could do little to ameliorate her sudden distress. She cringed; her fingers were cold—so very cold—as if they had lain frozen in pools of winter-blasted lakes. She could very barely register the reaction the touch had managed to procure from her body, but the largely instinctive, exercised response from her trainings over the years manifested itself out of her volition.

Her bulging eyes were horror-stricken, disbelief and incredulity of the most tremendous magnitude reflected from within the deep blue depths. The strain from the unyielding gaze was drawing little pools of moist around the edges of her eyes, yet she seemed unable to give the answer her body needed from her, her mind deadened and still reeling from what she had just witnessed.

Multiple screens flickered in front of her, displaying various scenes of battle. Her eyes, however, were transfixed to one particular setting: a heavily-wooded clearing where a female warrior with pink, flowing hair was crossing blades with an unidentified man clothed entirely in black leather, his cloak billowing in the storm-heralding clouds. Gold and silver fires could be seen flashing in the air as the two swung their weapons at one another.

A golden sword, afire with an orange blaze …

A feint, a thrust, and an overhead attack. The two combatants flew in and out like phantoms, their speed a blur that could not be properly captured by technology.

… After five years, they have finally resurfaced again …

A shrill battle-cry sounded as the swordswoman lunged at her foe, her blade brandished before her.

… Oh, the guide of Destiny’s flow, how could Ye possibly be so cruel and whimsical …

A drop of pearly water fell from Leona’s eyes just as the man flew upwards and spoke something to the female warrior. The words he said were dulled by the turmoil in her mind, and she heard nothing but the whispers of her own thoughts screaming silently.

… The familiar way in which he holds the sword, the techniques known only to him, the rigid posture, and the stern, determined look …

The cloaked man began muttering his spell.

… The five of which are one … How could it possibly be, after the extinction of the last of them five years ago, where I bore witness to the end of their lines with my very own eyes? Where I … I …

Her thought was causing her an even greater distress, and she could not continue. A circle of flame appeared on the screen, the brightness illuminating even the dimness of the room.

Where I … called Death unto his most powerful presence … and delivered them … all of them … into his eternal embrace …?

The tears were falling uncontrollably now, and Leona’s whole body shook as an insurmountable agony filled her. She closed her eyes just when a bestial roar could be heard. With an exhausted, almost lifeless twitch of her finger, the screens disappeared.

She could no longer continue watching the scene.

… They have survived Death’s fatal touch and emerged again into the world of light …

… They who are the Templars, the protectors of the Sacred Circle and Grand Cathedrals, oath-bound defenders of the Goddess’s will, guardians of the Princesses and the Holy Sisters …

… And I am … am …

Spoiler for Scene II:

[Verlast Forest] [January 22nd, MC 081] [2116 hours]

The night was alive with sounds.

But, they were neither the songs of night-birds nor the shrill cries of insects.

A great roar, so great that the ground shook and the skies trembled, reverberated through the woods. Rain fell incessantly, sheets of water veiling the panorama in their misty curtains. The clouds split at one time or another as white serpents of lightning rent their bulging bellies.

On the ground, in a wooded clearing stood three females, one in white, another in blue, and the third in pink. Before them was an impossible sight: a towering wall of water came crashing from the woods, bringing with the roiling torrents large pieces of stone and fallen debris.

And the three stood in the exact location where the water was to flow over, the unbelievable volume of water threatening to engulf and tear them apart.

Yet, they seemed unaffected by the gushing wave. A large and bright white shield stood in between them and the water, deterring the oncoming rush as the full force battered against the magically-raised protection.

It seemed that the effort would have been futile, for the shield was weakening fast. It would be moments before the shield broke, and the females would then swept away by the violent surge, unable to survive the ferocity of nature’s terrible wrath …

Three seconds would be the longest time before their inevitable fate …

Two …

One …

And …

At the critical juncture between life and death, a cry rose far above the din created by the thundering water.

“You shall not PASS!” the female in white shouted even as she brought the hilt of her staff down hard onto the muddy forest floor.

<Mauer des Schicksalsschlages (Calamity Wall.)> intoned the book floating next to her.

And at the call, there was an even greater roar that overwhelmed the clamorous sound of the water. The roar was punctuated by a massive crack of the earth as white geysers of energy tore from within the soil upwards, summoned by the magic of the white-clad female.

With unrelenting precision, the geysers melded with one another and formed an impregnable, circular dome of energy. The magical wall slammed against the water in an astounding display of magic versus nature. Their collision was of an epic proportion as great sprays of water and debris and white flares of energy flew into the dark skies. The water fell back in a fountain-like shower to soak the already saturated land; the energy sputtered off and disappeared from sight.

With a grim expression, Hayate raised Schwertkreuz again. The wall had sustained them a little, but it was not meant to be a total defense against the enemy’s spell. Calamity Wall was an emergency measure against lethal danger, drawing upon its strong and least exhausting defense when an enemy attacked relentlessly. Though powerful in its own term, it was not meant as a means for this end; such would have been more suited for Tank Fortress. In fact, Hayate was not trying to ward off the attack entirely using the glowing barrier. There was no indication of when the spell would stop, so a more direct means of dispelling the assault would be necessary. She had to buy enough time so that she could do just that: attack the wave frontally. The spell had served its purpose.

“I will not be belittled,” Hayate said quietly between clenched teeth, “even if you are Nature herself!” She pointed the golden tip of her staff at the center of the struggling forces.

“Hearken me, o’ Archangel,” she chanted, “fall swiftly upon the enemy and impale them with thy spear of light!”

<Stich der Wahrheit. (Sting of Truth.)> the Tome of the Night Sky answered.

It was a relatively simple offensive spell that condensed Mana into a straightforward attack, but the force behind the assault was tremendous with the Mistress of the Night Sky. A single brilliant beam of energy was fired from the gleaming tip of Schwertkreuz, and it tore through both wall and wave alike blithely. It pierced through the wall, creating a hole in the energy matrix, and slammed directly into the maelstrom, speeding through the torrents.

It was perhaps a gamble, but it was one that Hayate was willing to take, no matter the risk. With the wall damaged, the water would be breaching through it and destroy the spell in the process. However, if chance would have it …

As predicted, the water came rushing in again, pouring through the hole and the weakening barrier. Slowly, the gap widened, and within moments, the wall collapsed in a burst of white sparks and vanished. And again, the water began to tumble and surge forwards wildly as the momentum of the wave from behind came in a vengeful rush …

Then, something else happened. The water suddenly fell in a splash instead of gushing violently, and it sloshed onto the forest floor. The cohesion was lost, and the column of water broke, spraying to the sides. Great waves of chill foam and water fell, their momentum weakening, and flowed harmlessly around the trio. If there was anything permanent that the feeble splashes had done to them, it was to add to their wetness and cold, though these had been alleviated by their Barrier Jackets. The winds, too, relented, and they breathed their last mad howls before fading into the distance. The rain remained, but it was a drizzle more than a downpour now.

It took but several moments for the water to settle, and when it was done, the clearing had the look of a shallow pool of water and mud, the earth being so saturated with water that it could no longer admit more. Debris lay floating in their midst, broken timbers and shattered stones lending their gloom to the scene of destruction. It was a depressing sight, dark, cold, and certainly unnatural. And the only colors defying that of the ravaged earth were the white, blue, and pink of the three officers.

There was an utter silence, broken by only the patter of rain into the muddy depths in a continuous, steady rhythm. None of the three spoke, but it did not seem that they were appraising the scene any more than their looks were blank. There was neither the registration of the sound of rain nor the acknowledgment of the dull, viscous flow of mud. Neither was there an attempt to move, or to speak, or to act. They simply stood there, and the rain continued to fall around them. There was only consternation, a kind of mental summarization of what had just happened, but nothing more beyond that.

And quite naturally, the trio, whose bond was deeper and far more intimate than what was perceivable externally, reached the same final thought: We’ve finally come face to face with a foe whose powers are a match, if not several notches higher, than ours, with cunningness, ploy, and stratagem worthy of seasoned veterans, and whose skills rival the best of our unit.

It was not so much of fear than it was an admiration, not so much hatred for the enemy than self-reproach. Certainly, they had to acknowledge that their foes were powerful, stronger even than most of the high-ranking officers they had in Escutcheon. And they had, regardless of whether the mission would succeed or fail, underestimated their foe, believing them to be solitary hunters who shun teamwork, believing them to be a group of people that they could handle without much trouble. A mistake, a grave one indeed, that each and everyone had made, having forgotten that Subaru had almost lost her life from the assault of the same foes. The news of her recuperation had caused them to lax their guard, perhaps, but none could really attest it as the truth behind what happened. There was not a single justifiable reason as to why they did what they did, which was why they had found it so difficult to accept the current situation.

To accept that the mission was an utter failure.

The silence seemed to continue forevermore, but at some point in time, Hayate drew in a deep breath. She had almost expended all her energy in the fight, and she was forced to drive Schwertkreuz into the soft, wet loam for support. She made a mental note to clean her Device later. She asked without turning around, her voice almost a sigh, “Is everyone all right?”

There was a short pause as she waited for the two she addressed to reply. Then, Tesla, the blue-haired teenage officer, answered. “Don’t worry about us,” she said lightly, taking liberty to speak on behalf of Signum as well, the woman-warrior beside her. “Are you all right, Hayate?”

Hayate nodded weakly. “I’m fine, I just need to catch my breath.” Slowly, she turned. “I must be getting rusty,” she said in a small voice, and then smiled.

Signum was pained, not physically, but in the heart. She knew Hayate was merely trying to set them at ease when she was actually suffering. Among the three, she probably felt the most guilt. She was the leader of the Wolkenritter, the five guardians of the Mistress of the Night Sky, Yagami Hayate, sworn to defend her. Instead, what they had managed to do—no, what she had managed to do—was to put her in harm’s way. She had in no way fulfilled the task of a guardian, lesser even the task of a leader.

And she had let the criminals escaped, who, through her naïvety, used her warrior’s oath against her. No, she corrected herself, I let myself be used, he was merely exploiting an opportunity presented him by a fool. She was so ashamed that she could not bear looking at her mistress directly, and she averted her face, shutting her eyes. She did not know what to speak, after all the unacceptable mistakes that she had done. She had besmirched her own honor, both as guardian and leader.

There was a soft ripple of muddied water as someone moved slowly. Then, a small, but genuinely concerned voice spoke up. “Signum?”

A soft, warm hand touched the side of her cheek, and Signum’s eyes opened immediately. Her eyes looked directly into Hayate’s, deep and compassionate. Her hand stroked her cheek lightly. “Signum?” she repeated in the same worried voice. “Are you fine? Did you get wounded or anything?”

To others, the small gesture that Hayate displayed would have seemed trivial, insignificant even. However, it was the very same trait that Hayate was showing right now that the Wolkenritter were saved from a certain doom when they had been tampered with back then. The little brown-haired girl, full of life and kindness even when she was afflicted an illness she was not meant to borne, restoring the Guardian Knights when they had perished from their own program’s malignant defense. The grown-up lady right in front of her now, still the same girl she was fifteen years ago, if not more. Her warmth and sincerity remained as radiant as they were when she had just met them.

And it was precisely this that Signum blamed herself for what had happened this evening. Not wanting her mistress to witness her remorse and shame, she closed her eyes again. She spoke in a tight, strangled voice: “I’m sorry.”

And again, there was a brief period of muteness as no one said anything. “Signum,” Hayate broke the silence, her voice light. The pink-haired lieutenant resisted answering her. “Signum,” she said again, her voice firmer this time. “Open your eyes, and look at me.”

It was not a request, rather, a command. This she could not disobey. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and once more they gazed into Hayate’s large, round ones. There was different expression on Hayate’s face, however, and Signum’s heart felt as if it had been sliced by the sharpest of knives.

Her mistress was weeping.

“Signum,” Hayate said slowly. “Please,” she continued, her voice pleading, her tears falling down in translucent pearls, “please, don’t blame yourself for whatever happened tonight.” Signum had wanted to reply, but Hayate put a finger onto her lips, silencing her. “This is not your fault alone, Signum. Whatever happened had been out of control, out of our prediction. I know you feel heavily responsible that the criminal has gotten away when you had him inches within your grasp. I know, because your mind speaks what you dare not say. We have all done mistakes tonight, and none of us are actually guiltless.”

“No,” Signum said softly, her voice pained, “you did no mistake.”

“Didn’t I?” Hayate replied. “If circumstances had been different, if I had been here earlier, we might have been able to apprehend him, but even that is not definite. Certainly not after what we have just witnessed; I was barely able to stand after attempting to stop that monstrous wave. All of us have underestimated our enemy, and we played right into their hands when all things seemed so close. We have let ourselves be blinded by our pursuit and eagerness to complete the mission, disregarding the basic tenets of the military. I could not believe that we did all that, but we did, behaving like new recruits when we’ve all been trained otherwise …” She stopped, coughing a little. Her hands were trembling slightly, though whether from chill or sadness, no one could tell.

“Hayate …” Signum said softly, looking at her mistress forlornly. She was unsure of what else to say or do, and so she stood there motionlessly. Without word, Tesla had moved close to them, and she held out both hands to embrace both Signum and Hayate.

“Hayate, Signum” the blue-haired Knight of the Sky said, her expression sad, “I, too, am at fault. Had I been more alert and ready for the enemy, I would’ve been able to detain him when he tried to escape after the ruse.”

“No!” Signum replied immediately. “It was my fault. You were right here beside me, yet I forbade you to join in because I was too caught up in my pride and oath to honor his request for duel. It was an absurd move when we clearly outnumbered him and could have easily apprehended him. So, it was my fault, mine alone!”

“I could’ve always ignored order and join in. But, I didn’t even attempt to,” Tesla protested.

“Which isn’t your fault. You were merely obeying my foolish order,” Signum replied.

“But, Signum—” Tesla began.

“Enough, the both of you!” Hayate cried, her voice sharp. “I’ve already said that nobody is completely faultless here! You, me, all of us have our own share of guilt for whatever transpired tonight. If you two think that you’re at fault, then I should be guiltier!” she said, her tears streaming down her pale cheeks. “I am your leader, your mistress. Yet, I could do nothing better than the two of you could, cowering behind my own shield against an unknown foe. If I had been stronger, faster, then things might have been better. It could’ve given you the chance to pursue the criminal. But … such is not the case today.”

“Hayate, you already did all you can,” Tesla said, trying to calm her down.

“No, I didn’t!” Hayate said desperately. “I am weak. I’ve always depended on all of you during battles, when I sat back and just watched helplessly every time. Even Shamal is useful, tracing enemy with Klarer Wind and binding them with spells or giving emergency treatment. But I … I … Even now … still …” she choked. “If anything, your failings are mine to make …”

“No, Meister, that isn’t true,” Signum said, feeling her own tears at the edge of her eyes. “You saved us tonight from what seemed an impossible task for anyone else to handle. You managed to hold it off all by yourself – I don’t think either Tesla or I would have survived had you not come to our aid. And that is the testament of your strength.”

“Yes, Signum’s right,” Tesla added. “You are never weak. Your very presence grants us hope and strength when all seem lost, Meister. You lift us beyond the limit of our horizons, becoming wings that bring us to greater heights. We all acknowledge you because of that, and this is why we are willing to take the oath and sacrifice ourselves for you.”

Signum nodded her agreement. “Do not blame yourself, Meister. It’s just … I thought …” she trailed off.

“Speak no more, Signum,” Hayate said. Her tears had stopped, and she wiped the stains with the back of her hand. “We understand. If you feel the need to be responsible after all, then make today a lesson. And I think this goes for all three of us.” She gave a small smile.

Both of them nodded.

“I think we should go now,” Tesla said after a while. “Lieutenant Whitewing and the rest are probably waiting for us, and there are wounded civilians aboard the Sky Falcon.” Hayate and Signum agreed.

The three of them had barely started when someone called after them. “Hayate-chan, Tesla-chan, Signum!” a female voice sounded.

The trio looked up to see two streaks of light coming at their direction, one pink and the other yellow. As they neared, Hayate and the two lieutenants could make out the familiar white and black jackets of their companions. Nanoha and Fate flew toward them and landed, their boots stirring the murky depths of the bizarre lake.

“Is everything all right?” Nanoha asked, panting. Both Fate and she looked exhausted; apparently, the two of them had been flying as fast as they could to the location, but the Saint Church was quite far a distance. Nevertheless, the sight of the two of them was welcoming.

“What happened here? This place looks terrible,” Fate said, her eyes surveying their ruined surroundings critically.

Grimly, Hayate said, “The mission is a failure.” It was a neutral statement without the previous guilt-ridden sentiment. It seemed as if the Mistress of the Night Sky had made her resolution on the matter.

Briefly, Signum recounted the events that had happened, with Tesla adding in bits of relevant information, describing in detail the temporary apprehension of the male warrior back in the forest before he summoned the demonic Minions and escaped, and then to the duel in the clearing. Although Signum seemed to have been better after the conversation she had previously, the narration still caused her a tinge of guilt, but she plowed through the account nevertheless. She would need some time to make up her mind, but she would not be hiding behind her failures any longer. When she told them of what Hayate did against the sudden attack, both Nanoha and Fate gasped and looked worriedly at the short-haired lady.

“That was incredibly dangerous, Hayate-chan,” Fate said anxiously. “I am sure that you took what you thought was the best course of action, but trying to ward off an attack that caused this much damage,” she gestured at the surroundings, “is probably too much for yourself as well.”

“True,” Nanoha added, “the strain you had to bear from such rapid drain of Mana must be enormous.”

“Well, yes,” Hayate replied evasively. “I didn’t have much choice in the first place; the wave was coming fast and the first spell that came to mind was Tank Shield. Of course, I could’ve used Calamity Wall earlier, but it requires correct positioning for it to take effect, and that wasn’t exactly available back then.” She shrugged. “It’s over anyway, and no one is hurt.”

“Are you feeling anything at all?” Nanoha asked gravely. “Pain, breathing difficulty?”

“Um, no,” Hayate replied after drawing in a deep breath, shaking her head. “I don’t think so. Nothing so much as a fatigue, I guess.”

Nanoha and Fate continued to observe Hayate for a little while more before sighing. “I’m just glad that you’re fine,” Nanoha said. Fate nodded, echoing her friend’s sentiment. “Don’t be scaring us like that again.”

“Sorry,” Hayate murmured mildly, though she had a small smile on her lips.

“Well then,” Fate said, “let’s be off then. The rest of them must be anxious by now. We need to get the injured to the hospital in any case.”

“I would think that the two of you, Captains Takamachi and Testarossa, require a lift in the Sky Falcon,” Tesla observed critically. “It doesn’t seem likely that the two of you would still like to fly, does it?”

Nanoha looked at Fate, then the two of them laughed. “Well, I guess you’re right,” Nanoha conceded ruefully. “We have had one day enough of flying by magic. A solid platform beneath us aboard the Falcon would be very welcome indeed.”

“I think they should be waiting for us back a ways in the forest,” Signum said. “Near the place where we encountered the Minions.”

The five of them had just walked a short distance toward their destination when there was a sudden, sharp cry of pain in their midst. Hayate uttered a single gasp of agony, clutched her chest painfully, and then, without warning, fell onto the flooded forest floor, her consciousness fleeing into a darkness deeper than night. The last thing she heard before she went blank was the startled cries of her companions …

Spoiler for Scene III:

[Escutcheon, Cranagan City] [January 22nd, MC 081] [2338 hours]

It was approximately two hours since the teams dispatched for the mission in Verlast Forest returned. During the flight back to base, several things happened, which, paramount among all, was the emergency treatment for the unconscious Brigadier-General. Upon her reaching the helicopter on Fate and Nanoha’s shoulders, both of whom had flew across the forest instead of crossing it on foot, Shamal immediately inspected her mistress and attempted to heal her. She told them that Hayate was severely weakened from the fight, with only less than three-eighth of her magical energy reserves remaining. The strain her body had to endure from shielding the three of them against the blast of water was finally taking hold. However, Shamal assured them that she was in no immediate danger, and that she merely needed to rest and regain her lost energy. The strain on her body would dissipate with time and replenishment, though it would take several days to fully recover. Nanoha, Fate, and everyone else who heard her breathed a genuine sigh of relief.

Hayate regained consciousness halfway through the journey, where she gave them an apologetic smile. They just asked her to continue resting and said that they would wake her up when they reached the base. She nodded weakly, and Reinforce Zwei floated down to better care for her. The little Unison Device was earnestly worried that she appeared agitated and nervous. Hayate chided her lightly and asked her not to be so tense, or else she could not rest properly. A single tear fell from Reinforce Zwei’s eyes, which she promptly wiped, and she nodded in acquiescence.

Then, a transmission came in from their commander. Chrono took a quick look at the situation, asking some questions here and there about the mission and their well-being. Nanoha and Fate had nothing to report, although they mentioned something about information from the Saint Church that would be disclosed later in the meeting. Kratos, Xeno, Teana, Agito, Reinforce Zwei, and Gabriel gave a short account of their encounters, and when it came for Signum’s turn to do so, she told him with a straight face that betrayed no emotional conflict lying beneath her expression. Chrono, however, seemed perfectly neutral during the recount when Signum had expected otherwise. In any case, Hayate and Tesla quickly interjected and gave him their short critiques. When Chrono learned of what happened to Hayate, he looked rather worried, but Hayate and Shamal assured him that she would be fine after resting. Chrono nodded, and after telling them that he would meet them tomorrow morning at 0800 hours, he went off.

Alto landed Sky Falcon on the helipad atop of Escutcheon, and she helped Shamal, Kratos, Gabriel, Xeno and a few officers on duty to transport the injured civilians to the base’s infirmary. Hayate was already slightly better after the rest during the flight, and she walked with the rest of them into the main quarters. Signum excused herself and broke off in another direction to her chamber, and Agito trailed after her, muttering a quick, “G’night!” even as she yawned widely (Agito’s cot was within Signum’s room). Reinforce Zwei, too, was tired, and she fell asleep in Tesla’s palms. The blue-haired Knight good-naturedly offered to take the slumbering Unison Device to her little bed in Hayate’s room, to which her mistress permitted with a smile.

Now, only the three Aces were together, and they walked along a long corridor that led to the lounge. Hayate had insisted that she followed the other two before she returned to her room, which was supposed to be on the same location where Tesla left them. They had changed back to their uniform, and they were deep in conversation, mostly about the mission today.

“It’s surprising to know that we were outmatched and outwitted in the first encounter,” Nanoha observed.

Hayate nodded as that was what she had thought as well. “True, I didn’t expect such things from the enemy, really,” she said honestly. “We made a big mistake in undermining their capabilities and skills. Even during the previous skirmishes against other foes, this one seems to be several levels higher.”

“Perhaps that’s because most our previous enemies were rather disorganized and lacking in teamwork. I’d say that Scaglietti and his Numbers were good, but nothing compared to this group,” Fate said. “They seem to be highly organized and capable of executing rather flawless operations despite their small numbers.”

“I wouldn’t say that their number is small, though,” Hayate said. “One of them seems to be highly skilled in remote summoning. He or she set the Minions loose when the others were least expecting it; those creatures didn’t even register on the radar until one of them made an appearance.”

“The one who attacked you, Signum, and Tesla – do you think he or she was the same one who summoned those creatures?” Nanoha asked.

“I don’t know,” Hayate admitted. “We didn’t get any faces from those encounters, save for those magical beasts that took quite some time to overcome, and if Kratos had not been there, things could have been worse. Well, the attacker might be the same or a different person, which we won’t know until we arrest them, in any case.”

“These are certainly dangerous foes we’re facing,” Fate agreed. “It’s almost as if they understand a lot about wars and strategies, more than even some of us here, and I daresay that they have not shown their full strength yet. Tactics aside, they seem quite self-sufficient to be able to hold themselves equal against high-ranking mages like Signum and you.”

“They certainly have the advantage of surprise and information on their side, both of which we lack during and after the battle. There is little that we know about their numbers, much less their modes of operation and skills. They, on the other hand, seem to know quite well each individual member that we have,” Hayate remarked. “We have some sort of glimpse of their group after this encounter, but this is tenuous at best. Still, it’s better than nothing to prepare ourselves with; our guard would not be as weak as it was today.”

The three had reached a bend in the corridor, which would bring them to the common room. Orange light streamed out from the open threshold, revealing several sets of sofa and tables and some items for leisure. There was still someone else in the room, even this late into the night: a lady with azure-colored hair and fair complexion wearing a silk nightgown. Her deep, blue eyes, however, were intense and alert, and she looked up as the three of them approached.

“Leona-chan?” Nanoha asked, surprised. “What are you doing up so late?”

Leona merely smiled. “I’m waiting for the three of you. Somehow, I knew that you will be taking this route back to your chambers, so I waited.” She looked pale, but otherwise fine.

The three Aces made their way into the lounge and took their seats. “Is there something you want to tell us?” Fate asked. “You don’t need to stay up this late, since you weren’t feeling so well.”

“Oh, that,” Leona looked abashed. “I’m fine now, don’t worry about it. I have had a long rest since … well, since I couldn’t be of help.” She seemed downcast when she said that.

“Don’t say that, Leona-chan,” Hayate replied disapprovingly. “We all know that you wanted to help very much, but you shouldn’t be forcing yourself to do it when your condition wasn’t permissible.”

“Yeah,” Nanoha said. “If you’re unwell, rest. We’ll take care of your part as well as our own.” Then, she shook her head while sighing dramatically, holding her hands up in helplessness. “Fate-chan, this cannot continue, I think. Hayate-chan, and now Leona-chan. We cannot have everyone pushing themselves to their limits, or else we’ll be suffering heart attacks at a very young age.”

Fate and Hayate laughed. “Of course, there is payment to be made for that,” Fate said, her expression suddenly serious such that the rest was surprised. “Just remember to treat us some fabulous meals when we return. We could always use some fulfilling lunches or dinners to compensate for our frail hearts,” she continued lightheartedly, and the three Aces laughed.

“I – uh, well – that …” Leona was lost for words, and she made do with just a smile, which prompted more laughter from them.

“Oh, wait, I almost forgot, it’s near midnight,” Hayate said, her tone low. “I guess we’d be better off not making too much noise, or else we might see ourselves besieged by irate officers armed with pillows. We sure would not want that to happen.” She, however, was unable to suppress a giggle, and Nanoha and Fate could not help but follow suit. Leona was helpless in the situation and gave a little laugh that was very rare, coming from her.

The mirth died down some time later, and then Nanoha said, “Sorry for all the interruptions, but what is it that you want to tell us, Leona-chan?”

Leona’s expression was serious as she said, “It’s about the enemy. But, before that, there’s something else that I need to know.” She looked at Hayate. “Hayate-san, the attack the enemy used on you – could you describe it a little?”

Hayate frowned. “It was powerful,” she admitted. “Its strength was unexpected, and I certainly wasn’t prepared for it. The water blast came like a tidal wave and slammed against my defense relentlessly. It took all I could muster to stand on my feet and bear the brunt of the attack.”

Leona shook her head when she had finished. “No, Hayate-san, you misunderstood my meaning.” Hayate looked at her, puzzled. “I am referring to what the attack … felt like.”

“Felt?” echoed Fate, uncomprehending.

“Yes, the feeling. I think we all knew that the attack was strong, stronger than what Hayate-san was prepared for, but the real importance is the feel the attack gave,” Leona continued. “Do you think you can try imagining it? I mean, as compared to other forms of attacks you’ve been dealt with before.”

Still not understanding, Hayate tried nonetheless. “Hmm,” Hayate said thoughtfully, “now that you mention it, there is some difference when you compare it to conventional attacks we’ve seen so far.”

“There is?” Nanoha looked surprised.

Hayate nodded. “It’s just as Leona-chan said. I don’t know exactly how to describe it, but it is definitely different. It felt almost like … like …” she trailed off, unable to find the words.

“Like the force of a natural wave, deep, crushing, and turbulent?” Leona supplied.

“Yes!” Hayate agreed. “It did feel like that. It’s as if the entire ocean had risen up and raged against me.”

It was Leona’s turn to frown this time. “Then it is confirmed. The one who attacked Hayate-san is the Sage of the Harp.”

The three Aces looked even more confused. “Wait, I don’t understand, Leona-chan. How do you know that the person who attacked them was a Sage of the Harp?” asked Fate. “And how does the feel of an attack relate to the confirmation of their identity?” Nanoha and Hayate were eager to hear the answer as well.

“I’m sorry, I should’ve explained from the beginning,” Leona said apologetically. “I know the identity of the attacker through the details given by Hayate-san just now. I think this would be difficult to understand if you have not experienced it directly.”

“What do you mean?” Nanoha asked.

“Well, to begin with, Hayate-san agreed to the description of the attack. This is rare, but I’ve never seen anyone else that I know whose forms of attack can relate intimately to the ones I’ve just said. The person who delivered the assault on Hayate-san was one of the members of the Templars known as the Sage of the Harp. And if I’m not mistaken, the man who dueled with Signum-san was the Master of the Sword.”

“Templars? I don’t think I’ve heard of it before,” Hayate admitted.

“You shouldn’t be, because they are supposed to have been an extinct order,” Leona answered.

“What?” the Aces exclaimed.

Leona nodded as emphasis. “Yes, it’s true. The Templars should not have been around any longer, for their line was supposed to have been wiped out a long time ago. In any case, they seem to have resurfaced, their target being the Jewels of the Star.”

“Who are the Templars exactly?” Fate enquired.

“It’ll be tedious to explain at length, so I’ll summarize what I know about them as best as I could. Do note that this knowledge relates to their previous incarnation; the current Templars seem quite different,” Leona said. She looked thoughtful for a few moments before she began. “The Templars that I know of were supposed to be members of a theological order. They were charged with the protection of the order as well as the upholding the principles of their faith. Initially, their main task revolved around defending people of import within the order, members of the Hierocracy and their faithful.”

“This does resemble the Saint Church’s Knights,” Hayate quipped.

“The basics are essentially the same. The Templars were guided by their Charters, a set of codes of conducts and ethical principles, and trained by Astral Masters who taught them battle skills and the use of mystical arts,” Leona explained. Then, she smiled slightly and said, “This might seem hypocritical, but the Hierocracy frowned upon the application of ‘otherworldly powers’, though they bent the rule since they needed the protection.”

“It has a familiar ring to it somewhere in the Bureau,” Nanoha said, and they laughed.

“Well, in any case, it was said that an elite cadre of fully-trained Templars consisted of five members: the Saint of the Scepter, the Master of the Sword, the Sage of the Harp, the Hunter of the Claw, and the Baron of the Mace. They were each identified through the weapons they wield in combat, and these were implements through which they channeled their powers,” Leona continued. “Quite naturally, their collective effort and strength was powerful enough to be feared and respected by others, and they managed to instill peace and order as per the wish of the Hierocracy. That is, until their downfall.”

“What happened?” Nanoha asked curiously.

“This part of history was not particularly black and white, but from the conjectures of various scholars, it was learned that there was a cause of unrest, betrayal, and treachery that ultimately brought about the downfall of the entire Hierocracy and also the kingdom,” Leona stated. There was a very brief and almost imperceptible passing of a strange expression on her face when she said so, then it was no more. “The Hierocracy had a rift over certain issues, and the divide caused a tumultuous uproar culminating in a terrible, all-out war. Someone was believed to have manipulated the entire scenario from the shadows, drawing everything within the kingdom into the bloody exchange, and in the end, everyone perished. Every last person, down to the littlest child.”

“What a sad and tragic end,” Hayate said. “It was almost reminiscent of the Jail Scaglietti Incident.”

“True,” Fate concurred. “But, Leona-chan, if the case was truly as you described it, then the Templars should not be around any longer. So …” she trailed off, allowing the implication to sink in.

Leona nodded. “That is what puzzles me as well. As short a timeframe as it may sound, there have been no traces of the original empire for five years. Nothing at all. The entire sovereignty had vanished completely, much like Al-Hazard, a void in the universal landscape, perhaps as a consequence of the catastrophic battle being waged there,” Leona said. “There have been no reports of survivors or refugees whatsoever, which led to the unanimous agreement that the kingdom was irrevocably lost.”

“Five years? That is quite recent, then,” Nanoha said. “Do you still remember the name of the kingdom?”

“I can’t remember very well; it was quite a distance from Mid-childa, though, if memory serves me right,” Leona replied.

“Pity,” Nanoha said. “If we could trace the planet of origin, perhaps we could identify their objectives here and maybe devise some sort of countermeasures. Yet, from what I gather from your description, the Templars are not evil to begin with.”

Leona nodded her agreement. “True, the Templars were protectors and champions of the good. Even during the battle, they observed virtues and displayed honor among their people. They would never kill unless necessary. Hunger for power was forbidden.”

“This contrasts directly with what we’ve seen tonight,” Hayate added grimly. “This group of ‘Templars’ seems rather adamant on having the Jewels of the Star, even if their reasons for having them are obscure.”

“The second puzzle, no doubt,” Fate said. “And those creatures, the shadow-like hounds called Minions, are they their pet?” she continued, looking at Leona for answer.

“As far as I remember, no,” the azure-haired officer answered, shaking her head. “None of the literature made any particular reference to such beasts before. And, if what Kratos told me earlier is true, then these creatures are magical in nature. Such things were forbidden to the Templars, and even if they wanted to, they couldn’t.”

“Still, I guess they still exert some their principles, somewhat. None of the laboratory researchers are particularly injured, they merely suffered some hyperthermia and fainted,” Fate observed.

“We cannot be sure whether it’s a blessing or a curse,” Nanoha continued. “These Templars on Mid-childa are certainly an enigma: their order was destroyed in a distant planet, yet they have come back on Mid-childa; they were supposed to be virtuous, but here they became otherwise.” Nanoha was thoughtful for a moment. “There seems to be a missing link somewhere.”

“Or, just perhaps, we’ve been placing too much on guesses?” Fate asked suddenly. “I don’t mean to disprove you, Leona-chan,” she said quickly, looking at Leona, “but just how confident are you that these attackers are the Templars?”

“Positive,” Leona answered, “though, I would admit that it is not conclusive. I draw the relation by confirming what Hayate-san felt from the attack.”

“And how does that make a difference?” Hayate said. “Although the feel is different, there is little to mark the significance. The attackers might have just been a group of high-level rogue mages.”

Leona smiled. “True, what you just suggested is also certainly possible. But, as I’ve mentioned, the ‘feel’ is quite important.”

[Kha]

Originally Posted by USB500

Officially, fanonally, Lyrical of Time Rebuild starts at January 12th, MC 0076. So he won't see actions during StrikerS timeline but he (as well as my other OCs) will mention events leading to Lyrical of Time.

Unless it's necessary to change his timeline, MC0076 will be the start of his life as TSAB officer.

Nope it's fine.

Originally Posted by Wild Goose

Begining intervention.

Spoiler:

Above Kha's hideout
Pelican Kilo 23

"Allright people, listen up! Recap, target is the individual known as Kha, who's been producing the toxic substance crack. Our job is to find him, hunt him down, and take him out. Any questions?"

The Assault Company mages shook their heads.

"Right," said Franz Jaeger. "Saddle up, people. We hit him hard and fast. Psycho, you have permission to deploy the explosives."

Kha....

Try it and DIE.

Originally Posted by LoweGear

Oh yeah, Gimmy is a sneaky little brat ain't he? Something he definitely needs when spying on his sister in the field

*dodges*

For some reason though, once I've seen his full profile Foy' as Virtue/Nadleeh...

DOES NOT COMPUTE

So when can we expect his execution lines?

So the Nadleeh AI is actually Lyn Mi- *radio static*

*taps radio*

Damnit..

Need I mention that Darry has several Prinnies by her side all the time...?

*dodges shot as well*

I know it's pretty weird, but Foy is very ecentric on the whole. We've got too many prim and proper sentokijin, time to make a really really messed up one! Schizophrenic gender-confused and TRAP!

I feel sorry for Foy for having to tank my desires whole... *ahem*

Pretty soon, once my brain unjams.

And I'm sure she's a very good sing---

*static*

Originally Posted by LoweGear

Not if I get to him first!!!!

Originally Posted by Wild Goose

Why fight when we can work together?

Franz: "Alpha 1-1 to Aus'ruf, we've found the target's temple. Unable to attack, request ion cannon strike."

Aus'ruf: "Copy, relaying targeting data to firing platform.

Goose: "Ready, Lowe?"

Lowe: "Let's do this."

(Look above to Lowe's post)

Franz: "This is Alpha 1-1. Sweet. Mighty fine shooting. Request you place Sierra One One Seven on standby in case the target survived."

Aus'ruf: "Copy. Shall we deploy him with the Alt Eisen variation?"

Who yelled Kha season?!

More updates for Foy coming soon!

[PhoenixFlare]

Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha GuardianS

Chapter Six—Burden of the Past

Spoiler for Scene III, continued:

=Continued=

“How so?” Nanoha queried. “You keep mentioning about the ‘feeling’, but I don’t think any of us understood the implication.” Fate and Hayate nodded as emphasis.

“Hmm,” Leona said pensively, “how should I go on with this?” After a moment of consideration, she continued, “I think we should begin at the basic level.” She waved a hand in the air, and two screens flickered into view. “All right, let’s see if this explains it well.” Leona looked at the Aces intently. “I assume we all understand the underlying theories of magic.”

Nanoha, Fate, and Hayate nodded. “It’s quite simple,” Fate said. “Our magical energy, Mana, is stored within the Linker Core in our body and channeled to cast spells, which are commonly programs stored in Devices. Mana is renewable energy, obtainable from food and other forms of replenishment. There is even free Mana available for use in the atmosphere around us.”

“That’s the gist of it,” Leona agreed. “When a spell is cast, Mana is converted into the required form and unleashed as appropriate. Most, if not all, spells consume Mana from the body; even collection-type bombardment spells like Nanoha-san’s Starlight Breaker draw upon a portion of the user’s Mana as base.”

“That’s right,” Nanoha said, nodding again.

“Since Mana is quintessentially part of the body, it would, as the theory goes, carry some telltale sign of the mage,” Leona said.

“I don’t quite understand that part,” Hayate admitted. “There are certain signs that we can notice?”

“That’s as far as it is said to be, mostly by theorists,” Leona explained. “To put it simply, when we use Mana, we are actually using part of our own life-force as energy to feed the spell. However, using up Mana can be dangerous, as it consumes directly energy reserves from our body. This is why mages suffer strains when casting enormously powerful spells. Hayate-san just experienced it tonight.” She said, looking at the Mistress of the Night Sky.

Hayate laughed mildly. “I think I’d remember that for the rest of my life. I still don’t see the connection, though.”

“Well, the signs can be difficult to notice, partly because battles usually don’t allow it,” Leona said. “One of the most common signs is the color. Have you noticed the color of your aura before?”

“Hmm, now that you mention it, I think mine is pink,” Nanoha said.

“Mine’s yellow,” Fate answered. “And I think Hayate-chan’s is …”

“White,” Hayate supplied.

Leona nodded. “And my aura is light blue in color. These are formed as part of the mage’s identity, since most—if not all—mages have only one color for their aura. This is a unique representation of a particular mage. However, they tell very little, since some mages have closely-related colors that are subjective to individual perceptions. The distinct mark lies within the force of their magic.”

“Force of their … magic?” Fate asked disbelievingly.

“Yes, and it’s quite complicated. Force does not imply power; rather, it signifies the mage’s intention,” Leona elaborated. “Magic is not as static as most would think, even if they’re stored as programs. The casting of a spell is usually accompanied by a mage’s predisposition in a particular situation. For example, let’s consider Shamal-san’s healing spell. How does it feel like?”

“Erm …” Nanoha considered it for a moment. “Warm, soothing, and relaxing.”

“I’d generally say the same,” Fate said, nodding.

“True enough, that’s how I normally feel when Shamal’s treating me,” Hayate added.

Leona smiled. “And there you have it. Healing spells give off more or less the same impression, though one who would really care for the wellbeing of the person being treated will feel an amplification of the said feeling. Offensive spells are a little different, though the same theory is applicable to a certain extent.”

“So, you mean, the intention of the mage characterizes how his or her spell would ‘feel’ like?” Hayate asked dubiously.

“As weak as it sounds, this probably holds true for many of us. It would not change how the attack would result in, but it changes what it feels like. Attack spells are meant to harm or damage, but the intention would probably cause a difference in how the spell feels,” Leona said. “I believe we have all launched offensive spells under different circumstances before, and depending on them, the attack would produce some varying results. Nanoha-san, when you were defending yourself against Fate-san’s attacks during the mock battle, what could you describe of her?”

“Strong-willed and determined,” Nanoha said after thinking for a moment. “Her attacks felt very similar to the electricity she was releasing, sharp and wild, bursting with energy.”

“And what about you, Fate-san?” Leona asked the golden-haired officer.

“Powerful and deeply passionate. Her blows were quite heavy, filled with the impulse and strength of her conviction,” Fate said in detail. “Sometimes, the attacks can be a little reckless, however,” she added with a knowing smile at Nanoha, who scratched her cheek sheepishly.

“And I think Hayate-san’s attacks were intense and at the same time protective, full of compassion and understanding,” Leona added.

At this, Hayate’s eyebrows were knitted in a deep frown.

Sensing something, Nanoha asked, “Is there anything wrong, Hayate-chan?”

She was silent for a moment before replying. “Hmm, that’s very strange. All of you seem to be able to discern some forms of emotions and personalities from attacks, yet I …” Her frown deepened. “I … I couldn’t sense anything from my exchange with Leona-chan at all,” she confessed finally.

Fate raised an eyebrow. “You couldn’t?”

“Er, it isn’t exactly could not,” Hayate corrected herself. “It’s more like … how should I say this …” She stopped for a second to gather her thoughts. “I felt something, but it wasn’t anything distinct like the three of you. I think it was like a sort of a liquid wall, ungraspable fully, always evading, hiding … and … behind the wall, a great absence, probably an empty vastness?” Her face was creased in consternation.

“Don’t worry about it too much, Hayate-san,” Leona said, smiling. “Most mages can’t feel the distinction because the intentions generally do not register consciously. It is more an intuitive recognition of a particular characteristic that develops through experience and familiarity. Nanoha-san and Fate-san could distinguish the intentions well enough because they have been friends long enough to be able identify the particular aura exuded by either one of them. You haven’t known me that well, and since this is the first time the three of you are asked this explicitly, it’s understandable that the description can be sketchy and elusive.”

“Leona-chan’s probably right,” Fate said encouragingly. “Perhaps a few more rounds of engagements and we can see better results.”

“I hope you all are right,” Hayate said a little disconsolately. “In any case,” she straightened up, “this knowledge does pose an interesting point. How could a spell tell so much about a person?”

Leona tapped a finger on her chin thoughtfully for a few moments. “You’re asking a rather difficult question, Hayate-san,” she said. “Let’s see … you’d remember that Mana is essentially part of a person’s life-force earlier, yes?” The three Aces nodded. “The casting of a spell typically draws the strength of the mage’s body, and therefore, it essentially constitutes a mage’s life energy. Whether offensive, defensive, or supportive, a spell that is launched moulds the energy for its intended purpose. Thus, it would not be strange that the recipient of the spell would feel a connection with the caster, since he or she is basically experiencing a person’s life from a metaphysical perspective, that the feelings reflect the inner thoughts of the caster.”

“Wait,” Nanoha interjected, “if that’s the case, wouldn’t the feeling be different for different individuals?”

Leona nodded. “It would. Though the energy acts as a conduit to relay certain characteristics of the mage, the perception of the recipient ultimately decides how the spell feels to him or her. That’s why I said that this requires experience and familiarity: the same caster emits different feelings to different people. People unfamiliar with the caster commonly brush the feelings off as mere abstract thoughts; as the relationship increases, so does the intensity of the clairsentient resonance.”

“Klayrieten – what?” Hayate asked incredulously.

“Clairsentient resonance,” Leona answered, smiling, “the term used to describe the phenomenon of perceiving a person’s predisposition and character through the aura of their magic. Someone coined the term some time ago.”

“Oh,” Hayate said, her mouth forming a discrete ‘O’. “Then, how did you identify the Templars so quickly? Their characteristics were indistinct, elemental even.”

“Precisely the marks that distinguished them,” Leona replied. “The Templars do not use conventional magic that requires Mana as a source of energy.” She tapped several buttons on the screens and the images changed, revealing a model character representing a mage bearing a staff in the middle of a rugged landscape. “Mana is drawn from within the mage’s body,” she said, and the screen showed the mage charging for a spell. A sigil appeared below him, and energy gathered at the tip of his staff. On the press of another key, the image shifted slightly to reveal the magical workings around the mage. It showed a distinct rise of energy in front of the mage, but a gradual drop happened within the mage’s body, changing from a healthy green to a bright yellow. “As spells are cast, the Mana reserves decrease. However, this is the basis for clairsentient resonance.”

“How different are the Templars from us?” asked Fate.

“They are incapable of summoning Mana,” came Leona’s simple reply.

“What?” they gasped.

“It’s true, the Templars cannot use Mana at all,” she said.

“But, why?” Hayate asked, her curiosity piqued.

“If I remember correctly, their Linker Cores have been removed.”

Nanoha, Fate, and Hayate gave another surprised exclamation at the new revelation. “Why would they remove their Linker Cores?” Hayate asked again.

“I’m not particularly sure about the cause,” Leona admitted, “but it seemed to have something to do with the Hierocracy’s policy. To become Templars, they must first remove their Linker Cores. Perhaps the Hierocracy thought that this would lessen the ‘sin’ they see in tapping into otherworldly powers such as magic and Mana. They expressly forbid any form of such arts, punishing anyone who delved into them by death. In any case, this is one of the reasons I said they couldn’t have summoned those Minions themselves; summoning is an art that requires the investment of Mana, and Mana is unavailable to them.”

“That was certainly a twisted notion,” Fate said. “The Hierocracy was hypocritical of its own principles.”

“Indeed,” Leona agreed. “Nevertheless, with their Linker Cores removed, the Templars had to learn to harness other sources of energy to fuel their Astral Magic. One of the most abundant sources is Elements.”

“What are those?” Nanoha asked.

“Universal energy. To put it simply, they are energy that resides in nature, volatile powers that can be worked to cause similar effects as magic. Thus …” Leona turned to the second screen. She input several commands and immediately the screen flickered to show another model mage. In an analogous fashion as the first one, the second mage also began charging for a spell. However, there was a difference: the mage’s body did not show any significant drop in energy composition; instead, the landscape revealed a massive pull of power towards the tip of the staff.

“An analysis of the battlefield showed an almost similar thing. Moments before Hayate-san and her two Knights were attacked, there was a disturbance in the energy distribution in the environment. Hence, I suspected that the attackers are Templars,” Leona continued. “Also, since they could not draw Mana to cast spells, what a mage would probably feel from their attacks is generally elemental rather than intentional. Hayate-san, do you know what this means?”

“That,” Hayate phrased her words carefully, “I was actually feeling the clairsentient resonance of the natural world?”

“Exactly,” Leona said, nodding vigorously. “Clairsentient resonance mirrors the predisposition of the energy source of the spell, and in the Templars’ case, their source is the Elements, the powers existing within nature. Your description fits perfectly in this situation.”

“Hold on a second, Leona-chan,” Fate interposed. “Can’t the same thing be said for mages with Mana Conversion Affinity? Their spells form physical energy like lightning and fire, and the similarity strikes me as rather uncanny.”

“By theory, it should be the same,” Leona concurred. “Physical energies emit similar resonance regardless of their form. But, you’re forgetting the source of the power: mages with such rare ability converts Mana within their own body to form the spell, whereas the Templars draw Elements from without for the same reason. Though the eventual effect remains similar, the source of the resonance differs, thus the distinction.”

“Ah, I understand now,” Fate answered as realization dawned on her. Nanoha and Hayate shared Fate’s acquiescence with nods of assent.

“This is certainly getting stranger by the minutes,” Hayate added as an afterthought, her lips pursed. “If the Templars could manipulate nature’s powers at will, this would mean that they are extremely powerful. They could just drop an avalanche on our base without us knowing it.”

“It would seem to be that way,” Nanoha agreed. “Still, all schools of magic have their own drawbacks irrespective of their strength. I’d think that this holds true for Templars’ Astral Magic. Still, with their real objectives still vague, we are left with little choice but to confront them to find out the truth. Preventing the fall of the Jewels into their hands seems to be our priority; we have no idea what they intend to do with that much power.”

“True,” Fate continued. “But, now that we have some sort of idea of what we’re dealing with, we are better prepared for what’s coming. The knowledge of their number and skills is invaluable to form a coherent strategy on our side.”

“And this is all thanks to Leona-chan,” Hayate said brightly, a warm smile on her lips.

Leona, however, looked rather apologetic. “I’m sorry, everyone.”

“What happened? Why are you apologizing?” Nanoha asked, frowning at Leona’s strange expression. “You just gave us the some of the more crucial information we needed desperately, and there is nothing to be sorry about.” Hayate and Fate nodded empathically.

“Actually, I have noticed the signs earlier. If I had given the information earlier, then perhaps tonight would have been different,” Leona admitted. “Yet, I was hesitant and unsure, and it has proved to be a liability to all of you.”

“The signs have appeared earlier? When?” Fate asked incredulously.

“It’s Subaru. I detected similar resonances from residual Elements on her body when I was fixing her internal system, and—”

A hand was thrust suddenly in the space between them, and Hayate interjected abruptly. “Wait, did you say that you fixed Subaru? As in, repairing her damaged parts when the doctor and Mariel-san said that she would be requiring aid and replacement as soon as possible?” Her eyes danced excitedly in the dim light of the lounge.

“Ah?” Leona looked at her, puzzled. Then, she understood. “Oh, that … ” Leona looked evasive as she said, “I guess I did, but it wasn’t much. I merely restored her core nervous straps and re-linked the fibers. Her cybernetic frame was beyond me, tho—”

This time, it was Fate’s turn to interrupt. “Leona-chan, you are the most amazing person, do you know that?” Her smile was wide, warm, and affectionate. “Just when we thought Subaru might be suffering the greatest blow in her life, you managed to save her back from the brink of abysmal despair. Doctor Hesh and Mariel-san reported that Subaru might not recover fully from the damage she received, but the next day, there came another account that her condition had improved considerably, and that she was out of critical danger. As much as we tried to find a way to explain her mysterious recovery, we didn’t think it was you who did it all along!”

Leona appeared speechless, unable to form a reaction to the unexpected turn of event. She had wanted to apologize for causing much trouble because she was unable to inform them of the Templars earlier, but somehow, it had turned out the other way: they were lavishing praises and admiration for her miraculous treatment on their injured friend. The feeling was inexplicable to her at this point; she had experienced it before, but never this genuine and intense, genial and deeply appreciative. Torn between two different extremes, her apology and their gratitude, she had trouble putting in the correct expression such that her face looked muted even as she attempted a smile.

“How did you manage to do it, Leona-chan? Even Mariel-san was impressed,” Nanoha asked, apparently taking her smile, if a little strange, as a sign of inarticulate pride and joy.

Leona, confusion still lingering, took a moment to register that Nanoha was asking a question. “S-silvyrn,” she said hastily, the word tumbling out of her mouth.

“Silvyrn? What is it?” Nanoha asked again. “I don’t think any of us here has heard it before.”

In answer, Leona took out her necklace, the silver three-pointed star gleaming in the light. “I think a demonstration is better than words,” she said. Then, she called out: “Wyrd, Neutral Mode.”

<Jawohl.> came the mechanical female voice. The jewel flashed for a moment as its form changed, and when it was done, it became a pair of elaborate rings that wrapped itself each on Leona’s middle finger on either hand. With a flourish, Leona waved her hand horizontally, and in its trail, something glittered. All three Aces had to lean forward and squint before they could make out what was glittering in the air before them. Gossamer threads as fine as spider’s silk billowed, their delicate structure almost invisible to untrained eyes.

“These are silvyrn strings,” Leona explained. “You all remember that I worked in the Intelligence Department before? Some of the work I did there required infiltration and data analysis and gathering, most of which are accomplished by means of these strings. The strings are made of a special alloy that allowed them to perform certain functions necessary of one of my position. In Subaru’s case, I merely controlled these strings to repair the damage.” As she said so, the strings moved fluidly, akin to serpents, and some even curled and twisted into certain shapes. “Much of her wounds were internal, so I sent them into her body to perform the tasks. The nerve fibers proved to be quite difficult, though I managed it, somewhat,” she said modestly.

“I must say that I am very impressed as well,” Hayate said. “I’ve never thought that you could do such things with strings.” Then, she smiled slyly, “Wait until Mariel-san heard this, I bet she would be very aghast. And Oji-chan, I wonder what his reaction would be.” Nanoha and Fate chuckled at the wicked suggestion, and Leona managed a small smile as she reverted Wyrd back to its original shape.

“You know, Leona-chan, I think we’re all very fortunate to have you around,” Nanoha said. She was looking at the blue-eyed captain with admiration and respect. “Without you, I think we’d be having a lot of troubles in our hands.”

“But …” Leona started, “you don’t know …” However, Fate interrupted her.

“Leona-chan, regardless of what you think, you’re one of our greatest help and comrade,” she said, her eyes intent. “Whatever shortcomings you have, we promise that we’ll help you see them through. Together.”

“You need not apologize for what happened today, it was not your fault. We can understand your uncertainty with the Templars’ revival, with the lack of information and all,” Hayate added. “If anything, you have helped us much, much more than you think with the knowledge you’ve given us. And with Subaru as well.” She smiled brightly.

And then, without preamble, the three Aces hugged her, a tight, snug hug that radiated a feeling so warm, affectionate, and fond that one might not want it to end forever.

“We’re friends, Leona-chan,” Nanoha murmured. “And we’re going to remain that way for as long as we breathe the air and walk the earth.”

* * * * *

How long they had remained that way, in each other’s embrace, nobody could tell, for time seemed to have stopped its stately passage in the new bond of friendship the four ladies shared. It was one of those extremely rare moments that Leona had hoped to remain forever, unchanging and ageless, yet that was all that she could do: hope.

She had given up hope a long time ago, an irretrievable loss that became permanently fixed in her consciousness. Hope was frail, an irrational expectation made from the most fragile of glass, waiting its final moments to fall onto a precipice of stone and shatter into a million pieces of disappointment and despair.

And again, her hope had been betrayed, smashed into the painfully acquainted feeling of loss and disillusionment, when the three finally separated, releasing her from their warm and familial embrace. Hayate had looked at her watch and gasped as she noticed the time (0057 hours). Quickly raising herself up from the seat with Nanoha and Fate, the three Aces expressed their gratitude again and bade her goodnight. Though their faces were still aglow when they left, it was soon devoured by the darkness as they turned the corner leading to their rooms.

And the four had become one once more. She was the one, again and again.

Leona gripped her hands tightly as she watched the Aces walked away, preparing to rest for the night and awaken the next morning to attend to their duties after the mission. She shut her eyes, casting light away in preference for darkness, the only way she could attend to her guilt without involving others. Yet, her heart remained pained and suffering, for she had to lie.

Lie to those who actually cared for her and thought her to be their friend.

She had smooth-talked her way out of Hayate’s true observation of her inner thoughts, attempting to divert their attention from the horrifying facts of her hidden self.

She had cheated them, time and again, with her flawless guile, honed to perfection during her years of emotional imprisonment.

She had told them about the Templars, about their powers, their abilities, their doctrine and mission.

And yet, she had withdrawn from them the single most important fact of the Templar’s existence, one that she could not reveal on her own volition. She had promised, and so had Chrono.

An unbreakable vow between the two of them.

However, it was not that which stopped her. Her hesitation was borne not out of the promise made between Chrono and her, but rather …

A single tear fell from her eyes as she silently chastised herself for her fear, her trepidation, her cowardice that had ultimately sealed her lips against telling the truth.

I could not tell them that the Templars were from my world.

Spoiler for Scene IV:

[Unknown Location] [January 23rd, MC 081] [0241 hours]

The posh room was dim, with the only source of illumination being a filtered, ornate standing lamp that disseminated feeble orange rays across the dark interior. Four figures were huddled closely together in the shadows, two males and two females. There was no sound, barely the breath of a whisper, a hushed silence not uncommon of one that usually preceded death.

Indeed, a peculiar stench filled the air, a metallic tang that, in the wilderness, would have drawn predators of all manners and sizes to the site.

In the ruddy glow, a hand was seen suspended in the air, genteel and dainty, with delicate fingers indicative of a beautiful, graceful lady. Yet, something was wrong …

It was trembling uncontrollably. And it was painted a deep crimson.

Blood.

For a few moments, the quavering hand remained in its position as if the air had solidified around it. Then, a small but bright blue spark exploded briefly in front of the palm, which immediately shrank back, and the silence was broken by an anguished, strangled cry. It was followed by the stir of a man who was lying prone on one of expensive couches, surrounded by the other three.

“D-don’t … p-push … your … self …” the man gasped, his vibrant auburn hair clinging to his sweat-drenched face. His eyes were heavy, and the ruby of his pupils was shadowed. Each word he spoke seemed to drain his strength tremendously, and his breathing was shallow. One of his hands was clutching his left shoulder directly below where the female’s hand had been a moment before. Despite the black leather gloves he wore, something liquid flowed out from the crevices between his fingers in a steady, if sluggish, stream. It flowed down the length of his arm, right to the edge of his elbow, and dripped down to stain the carpet dark. Not only that, a good portion of the couch was actually wet, the fluid seeping into the material.

He was the source of the tang of iron in the air, the source of the pervasive silence, the source of the bloodstain on the woman’s hand.

“No … no …” came the stricken voice of the woman who gave the cry just now. There was a disbelieving quality in it, a tone that wished to defy reality, to turn time back. There was also the hint of a plaintive plead, a mournful timbre that tore at the heart and wrenched tears from the eyes. Her woeful sob rang out in between her own flowing tears, and none answered, save for the saintly presence of Death, enticed by inexorable passing of a man into His realm.

Grandia Estrediel Paladien was dying.

The two siblings, Sharazad and Grandia, had been successful in retrieving another Jewel of the Star, the Amethyst, but it cost them a terrible price. Grandia had managed to turn the table against his pursuers, tactfully requesting for a knight’s duel between him and the pink-haired swordswoman whom he learned to be Signum, one of the enforcers of law that had tracked them down into the Verlast Forest for breaking into the laboratory and stealing the Jewel. He was outnumbered then, two against one, but he had an advantage: they did not know that Sharazad was close. And so, he cleverly employed a ruse that would eventually lead to their escape.

It succeeded, but the result was such that neither he nor his sister had expected. At the very last moment of his disappearance into the shadowy cover of the trees, his trail hidden by the massive cloud of smoke and fire and rain, he felt intuitively the approach of a powerful attack. It was not his sister’s power, which he had known would be coming in a short while, but rather, from his foe, Signum. Had his instinct not warned him of the danger, he would have perished immediately, for just as he managed to lower his body in an attempt to dodge the attack from his blind side, the spell burst forth, an arrow wreathed with condensed energy, penetrating through many layers of thick tree trunks and showering him with their splinters. And it did not relent, tearing through the leather of his clothes, his skin, his muscles and sinew, and emerging out finally through his left shoulder-blade. Accompanying its flight was blood, a spray of dark liquid in the absence of light, and an unbearable assault of excruciating pain and agony.

Perhaps he screamed, perhaps he did not, he could not remember, for then came the thunderous roar of Sharazad’s fury, a huge column of water and wind rampaging through the forest. His evasive maneuver had saved him from certain death, but it had not dampened the damage he suffered a half-inch above his heart. The details following the attack was hazy in his memory, a slow, snail-like passage of time where he inched forward, each step drawing more blood from his wound, leaning against the towering trunks for support every now and then. His mind was cloudy from the torturous pain such that he could not concentrate and contact Sharazad telepathically, and the din her attack created was far too much for his voice to overcome. And so he trudged on, one painful step at a time, willing himself conscious long enough to pass the Jewel to his sister. Then, he would gladly comply to the desires of his body for long, fitful slumber …

When he at last emerged into the dam, he saw his sister, beautiful and ethereal in the ghostly halo of her power, and he called out to her. She turned, and the look in her eyes was grievous, her expression of utter alarm. She had wanted to withdraw her attack when, just as unexpected as the first, came the familiar tingling sensation of their honed instinct. The water Sharazad had unleashed rippled against the flow, and through the swirling depths a spear of light blazed through, racing the length of the column at an unbelievable speed. She had barely time to summon a shield; the attack blasted through her weak barrier and impacted her hand. At the very moment that she was struck, the Elements holding the spell together vanished, and the water rushed instead to fill the available space around them. Sharazad had been thrown back, spinning several times, her long hair flaring as she did so.

Smoke spiraled from her blackened hand, yet she felt nothing. The attack had disrupted part of the Elements within, causing chaos to erupt within her body. She winced—knowing that the damage would cause some complications—even as she landed quickly, though her immediate concern had been her brother, whose face was so pale and bloodless he looked like a specter. Without words exchanged, she had slung Grandia’s other arm over her shoulder, allowing him to lean on her for support. Sharazad then drew something from her vest, a silver card, and launched it into the air. The magic stored within activated, forming a large spell sigil, and they felt themselves pulled by its powers … twisting through time and space … back into their room.

Yet, it had been futile. Grandia had lost too much blood, and his consciousness was slipping. He needed medical attention desperately. And the only one who could administer such aid was Sharazad. Try as she might, her frustration building to a bursting point, she could not. The damage back in the forest had almost caused her to Combust, a phenomenon that happened when summoned Elements were not contained properly. Her latticework was broken when she blocked the attack, resulting in her internal system being unstable. She could not bind Elements now as she could not form proper latticework; not until her body recovered, at least, but time was not a luxury she had at the moment. Fourteen times she had tried since they returned, and each time, the hope had been brief and misleading.

Trystahn and Vestrell could not help. Healing was not taught extensively to a Baron, and never to a Hunter and a Master. Only the Sage and the Saint were proficient with the delicate art, but the former could not work the required power currently, while the latter was no longer with them, banished from the quintet for disobedience. Trystahn was trying the best he could to contain the damage, but his healing was inadequate. He had managed to reduce Grandia’s blood loss, trying to keep him alive as long as possible while Sharazad searched for an alternative or heal him herself. The strain of maintaining the support was proving to be exhausting, as Trystahn’s face dripped sweat and the veins in his temples pulsed.

It is impossible, Sharazad cried inwardly, her heart quailing from the insurmountable dread, tears streaming down her face, marring her natural beauty in dirty streaks. She staggered backward, and in the process upturned two large basins of water,which splashed down onto the carpet. None took notice of it. W-we’re losing him … forever …

“Sister …” Grandia spoke, his voice a hoarse whisper. His lips were dry and cracked from the dehydration. “Sharazad …” he called again when she did not answer.

“Y-yes …” she replied, her voice thick with emotions.

“D-don’t be … sad …” he said slowly. “Death … is … is eventual … for … everyone …”

Sharazad was not able to say anything else, her sorrow overwhelming her. She turned aside, clamped her mouth tightly with one hand, and sobbed uncontrollably. Vestrell, too, seemed to be doing the same thing. Though her temper was explosive, the little girl had been part of the Templars for a long time, and the attachment with everyone else remained strong.

“That knight … S-Signum … she was strong …” Grandia continued. “She had been … right … I am … a coward …”

Sharazad could only shake her head in reply; words would not come out.

“If I could … f-fight her again … I wish … to prove her … w-wrong …” His voice was getting fainter. “I only regret … that …” He choked and coughed, and it exacerbated his wound, though he kept his expression brave. “That … I could not … complete the quest … and meet … t-the … Princess …”

“If you truly wish to meet her, then you must be stronger and better,” another voice spoke. It has a strange quality to it, a peculiar tenor that was indistinct between a male and a female.

Sharazad, Vestrell, and Trysthan turned to look at the newcomer. They had not noticed his entrance, for he had soundlessly emerged from a portal, a shimmering rift that had been cut into the air. If there was anything to describe him, it would be eerie. None of his features were distinguishable even when the light of the lamp bathed him fully, his face and body hidden beneath the cowled dark-blue cloak and robe, which rippled and wavered like illusion. In fact, the location where his face was supposed to be was a mask of gray-black darkness. Only when he spoke could the outline of his lips be seen moving; other than that, everything was shadowed.

“Arch … Archmagus Lazarus …” Vestrell greeted in surprise, her tear-stained eyes looking in disbelief.

The man called Archmage Lazarus did not reply. Instead, he moved with liquid speed—almost as if he were gliding instead of walking—to the place where Grandia was lying. The auburn-haired Master of the Sword, however, regarded him with flinty eyes even as his time was approaching, his expression one of distrust and wariness.

“I’d do without your resistance at this moment of time, Grandia,” Lazarus spoke in the same indistinct voice (the Templars, though, knew him to be a man, for he had once told them so). He extended a gloved right hand over his face, muttering something unintelligible. Grandia’s eyes became smaller, and, after a few moments, closed completely.

“L-Lazarus!” Sharazad demanded in alarm. “What did you just—”

Again, he gave the Sage the indifference he showed Vestrell previously. He motioned for Trystahn to cancel his spell, to which the Baron obeyed, pulled Grandia’s hand off from the wound, and placed his right hand near it. Immediately, there was a brilliant green flare that seeped and spread over the damaged location. To the Templars’ amazement, it began to slowly heal: torn muscles knitted together, becoming whole again, and his tissues began to repair themselves even as new skin started to form and close the wound.

Grandia stirred slightly, but did not awaken. It appeared that Lazarus had put him into sleep while he attended to the wound, and his stirring was caused by the comfortable feeling he experienced when his wound was healing. His breathing gradually became normal, and as his taut muscles began to relax, the stress on his chest also lessened. There was an almost peaceful expression on his face now.

Lazarus turned slightly, his shadowed face indeterminable, and proffered his other hand to Sharazad, the palm open. She hesitated, unsure of the meaning. As he kept his hand extended, she finally understood, and placed her injured hand in his. A comforting warmth spread through her whole body, the healing energy of the Archmagus flowing into her being, repairing the damage.

The dual treatment continued for five … ten … twenty … thirty minutes. Then, Lazarus slowly pulled his hands back into the folds of his cloak. He looked up to regard Vestrell and Trystahn. “Clean up his wounds and give him a fresh change of clothes. You can move him around a bit, just avoid agitating him too much. His wound is healed, but it would take some time to recover fully. Let him rest as much as he can.” The two nodded.

“As for you, young lady,” he said sharply, turning to look at Sharazad. “You’re in a better condition than he is, but do not force it. Your power will return slowly, and until it does, do not attempt to cast anything requiring an immense amount of Elements. You’ll break down faster than you can imagine, and that’s the last thing you’d want to do.”

“T-thank you, L-Lazarus,” she stammered, awe-filled and amazed. Sensation had begun to return to her arm, but that was not which marveled her. Lazarus had just healed two persons at the same time, which, to any normal mage or Templar, would have been very difficult. It was not uncommon for a healer specialist to be able to do that, as mass healing was known to be a typical knowledge in medical magic. Lazarus, on the other hand, just returned a person back from the edge of death, which was the strongest of all types of healing. A mage may never resurrect the dead, but with a swift and powerful enough administration, would be able to prevent the dying from succumbing. The expenditure of energy was tremendous, but there seemed to be no sign of exhaustion in the mysterious Archmagus. At least, no signs that were visible to the eyes.

Lazarus did not seem to acknowledge her gratitude; instead, he had turned around wordlessly and walked toward the still-open portal, his booted feet making absolutely no sound. His flowing cloak swept like mist and water, the phantasmal fabric seemingly otherworldly. “I will return in two weeks’ time,” he said disinterestedly without turning.

Then, Lazarus stepped into the portal, which closed in his wake, sealing the seam in the air.

Spoiler for Scene V:

[Escutcheon, Cranagan City] [January 23rd, MC 081] [0622 hours]

The door of the room slid open smoothly without making any sound, and from within a woman emerged, her long pink hair tied neatly in a raised ponytail with a simple yellow ribbon. There was a knightly aura about her, apparent from her stoic poise and steady steps. She wore a freshly-ironed brown uniform; the symbols on her attire marked her as a First Lieutenant. She walked slowly through the threshold, trying to minimize the sounds of her footfalls so as not to awaken the sleeping Unison Device whose tiny cot was next to her bed. For such a small thing, she was loud in sleep, the rise and fall of her chest punctuated by her snores.

Signum smiled as she remembered the first time she had her company in the room: though she was not particularly angry, Agito’s snores had disturbed her rest, and she was slightly annoyed. The two were not master and servant in the first place, but the bat-winged Unison Device had obediently listened when she chided her gently (“You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if the next day you happen to be covered by a full mound of dust that falls from the ceiling,” Signum had said. Agito went pink at that point.). For a fortnight, Agito had tried to control it, and it succeeded somewhat, though it returned soon after. The Unison Device could not help it and apologized profusely, so Signum had had to adapt to it instead.

I guess old habits die hard, Signum said to herself as the door closed behind her. Just like me … she added as an afterthought. As much as she tried to appear neutral, her forlorn eyes betrayed her emotions. Hastily, she dismissed the thought, and she continued down the path.

She walked along the many corridors, her destination being the room of a person that she wished to see. In the early morning, the building was quiet except for the sounds coming from other crews attending to their duties. Some could be seen scurrying along one corridor or another, carrying data or instruments to their locations. When they passed her, they stopped for a moment and gave a quick greeting of “Good morning, Lieutenant Signum”, to which she nodded politely, before hurrying off to complete their tasks. All in all, the journey to the person’s room was uneventful.

The few minutes of silence as she moved was spent in a contemplative thought of what she would say to the person and of what the result of the conversation would be. The consequence seemed inevitable, but she would accept it if it was as commanded. She was determined to make up for the wrongs, and running was not an option. In fact, it was never in her thought.

Signum reached the double doors leading to the room, which was barred from her entrance. She knocked politely three times, announced her name, and waited. Almost immediately, she was asked to enter by a male voice, slightly muffled behind the doors, and the threshold opened soundlessly as any other doors would in the building. She walked in calmly, for her determination was already set.

Chrono, also in his uniform, was seated behind his large mahogany working desk, the curtains behind him opened to reveal the full-length windows. Dawn was approaching slowly, a hazy gray-blue in the horizon heralding its coming. There was the sound of birds, those who had woken up early to search for their meals of earthworm and other morsels, their forms dark and shadowed by the fleeting night. To offset the darkness, the office was lit fully, the ceiling lights bathing the entire room white.

The Commander’s room was quaint, Signum noted, with just the necessary furniture and ornaments to keep the office lively. Several pots of green plants at the corners, a vase of flower (fresh dahlias) on a side-table, and a number of photo-frames directly on his working desk. Chrono was busy, his fingers dancing upon the touchboard in his front, his eyes intent upon multiple screens that flickered and flashed. Signum moved forward to the desk, then said, “Good morning, Commander,” and saluted at the same time.

Chrono lifted his eyes up momentarily, gave a return salute, and said, “Good morning, Lieutenant.” Then, he went back to his work, his hands a blur again. “I’m sorry, but if you don’t mind, please give me a minute to finish this up,” he said without peering up from the screens. “Have a seat, Lieutenant.”

“It’s quite all right, Commander. And I’d stand, if that’s permissible,” Signum said politely.

Chrono did not reply. The silence following the end of their simple conversation was broken only by the sound of computers processing data even as the skies lightened, hues of gold and orange spreading through the gloom. Then, in exactly one minute as he promised, Chrono tapped a final key on the touchboard, and the screens vanished.

Signum looked expectantly at him, but Chrono rose from his seat and went to a cupboard. She watched him open the hardwood cabinet, revealing a small pantry with china neatly arranged on a shelf. He took down a small pot and began to scoop generous amount of tea leaves into it. A flask of boiling water was ready, which he poured into the pot, and placed the ceramic closure over it. As he waited for the tea to fragrant, he took two small cups from the shelf and placed them along with the pot and several small jars into a tray. Then, he walked back towards his desk.

Green tea, Signum noticed from the aroma that was coming from within the simmering pot.

“Would you like to have a cup of tea, Lieutenant?” he asked, smiling. “I’m afraid I have only green tea to serve. If you’d have others, I can request for it to be brought here.”

“Thanks, Commander, you’re too kind,” Signum replied, also smiling. “Green tea will do just fine, though I’d prefer to have it after I finish what I came here to do.”

Chrono shrugged, and then began pouring himself a cup. White smoke came out in thin wisps, bringing together the waft of the tea. Chrono put two cubes of sugar into the cup and stirred it with a small teaspoon. He then raised it to his lips, closed his eyes, and took a sip, savoring the taste. He seemed satisfied as he placed the cup down on his desk, upon which he opened his eyes to regard the Lieutenant and said, “Well?”

Signum straightened up as she began. “First of all, I’d like to apologize for what happened yesterday night during our pursuit. It was a terrible blunder on my part, a lapse in military protocols that had eventually secured the criminals’ escape.” She stopped to see if Chrono would like to say anything; he did not interrupt and merely continued to observe the leader of the Wolkenritter, his emerald eyes watchful and appraising. Signum matched his intense gaze with her resolute sky-blue ones.

Taking that as the cue to proceed, Signum said, “I hereby place myself in your judgment, Commander, to see whether I am fit to continue serving the purpose to which I have been brought here for. My mistake was not minor; if anything, it endangered everyone, particularly Brigadier-General Yagami and Lieutenant Tesla, and completely upset the goal of the organization. Their escape with the Lost Logia was an unforgivable act that primarily stemmed from my foolishness. Therefore, I am prepared and would accept any verdict you have with regards to my continuity in Escutcheon.”

Calmly, Chrono took another sip of the tea. “Is punishment the only route that you can think of?”

“No,” Signum replied. “If possible, I would’ve liked to continue serving and make up for the previous blunder; I’d wished to capture them and bring them to justice myself. It does not serve any purpose that I run away, cowardly hiding behind the excuse of punishments to alleviate my guilt. However, my behavior would, no doubt, have caused some to question my capability, and I think that if this was not answered, it would become a burden in the future.”

“What are your plans to make up for it?”

“Once bitten, twice shy,” Signum answered. “Our first engagement proved to be a fault of oversight and underestimation. It erred my judgment on the matter and allowed them escape. The second encounter would see that history does not repeat itself.”

“How should I trust you on the matter? You’ve done it on the first time, a second time would not be surprising.”

Signum’s eyes hardened. “I don’t,” she said softly, though audible enough to Chrono. “But, I’ve promised myself that I would no longer place Meister or any one else in danger. If needs be, I would sacrifice myself for them, I swear it upon my life and the sacred name of the Wolkenritter.” Her expression was fierce and fervent as she declared so.

“And I wouldn’t doubt it.”

[arkhangelsk]

Originally Posted by Keroko

To use Dkellis words: when making something, you have to think 'does this fit in the Nanohaverse?' The Nanohaverse has very short combat ranges, anything that operates outside those ranges goes outside the boundaries of the Nanohaverse (for example, Dieci's Heavy Barrel, which is pretty much a 'state of the art' cannon, has nowhere near the range of this thing) his weapon is able to kill pretty much every member of the Nanoha cast, simply stay out of sight, pull the trigger, and with a projectile that goes -what was it again? 2000m/s?- he only needs to be 2 km away to score an instant kill.

It's a weapon that doesn't fit with the close combat theme that Nanoha portrays, which lowers its credibillity dramatically.

You are referring to the Literary Nanoverse, and here you are right, but there are many ways to say "does it fit". From a scientific POV, Tigerclaw can actually make a decent case for a weapon with capabilities similar to what he proposed (never mind its operating mechanism for now - his ultralight plasma is due to uncontrollably rise due to its positive buoyancy).

Suppose he gave up any pretense of sci-fi and just made say ... a replica of a AGS-30. There's no plausible technical grounds to refuse this (he can buy the darn thing along with its 29-round mag from the Russian black market probably), but just by mating a Terran grenade launcher (heck, even the propellant can just be good old Terran chemicals - propellants themselves are not weapons, or so I'll try this legalistic dodge) with magitech cartridge technology (for the warhead - see, the weapon is magic), he can still make its crew of maybe 3 men be able to kill every member of the Nanoha cast under the right circumstances in a few seconds out to over 1000m, beyond their reply range. Heck, the grenade round, which is among the slowest of modern weapons, will still be FASTER than the Nanoverse ammo. Similar effects can be obtained with even a 60mm mortar to a greater range. Or a RPG (clearly one-man) for a shorter range.

So what to do with such a weapon. Turn down permission? But what will be the justification? It is entirely established technologies on all ends!

Spoiler for Thoughts:

Now that I see TC, I think that 7Arc's whole "Ban Conventional Weapons" thing might have been smarter than most of us think it is. While the justification is lame, that's just bad execution.

The concept itself is essential to maintain suspension of disbelief. If there was actually a choice to use conventional weaponry or even some of its parts, it becomes extremely difficult to explain why they don't considering their undeniable advantages in range and speed. The only hope is to impose some deep-seated sociological explanation, similar to the Tokugawa shogunate's policy of banning guns. When we see a film set in that era, we would never ask where the muskets are even when the situation clearly calls for their use - we know all about the Shogun and all that. This is similar. And then never to allow any exceptions to keep the illusion up.

Thus, in allowing the Etrusians and the OFM, this seal may have been irretrievably weakened. So people like TC naturally pop up. And the rest of the crowd is forced to square the circle between their allegiance to reality and reason (Yes, they definitely have a requirement for something similar) and their allegiance to the literary Nanoverse (But it is just too long ranged for the Nanoverse!). Frankly, I must say I'm interested in seeing how this thread solves the problem, because IMO just denying TC (though I don't always agree w/ him either) until he gives up is merely burying the greater problem that some of his proposals unearth. It will just be a matter of time, assuming newcomers still come in, before another TC appears.

[PhoenixFlare]

Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha GuardianS

Chapter Six—Burden of the Past

Spoiler for Scene V, continued:

=Continued=

Signum looked up, startled at the reply. Chrono’s lips were curved into a smile, his emerald eyes twinkling. “What do you mean?” Signum asked, unsure if she had heard correctly.

“That I would see you fulfill your oath,” he answered simply. He took a long sip, then replaced the half-empty cup onto its decorated saucer. “It’d appear that my confidence is not misplaced.”

“I don’t quite understand, Commander,” Signum admitted, frowning.

“As you can see,” he began, “I’m quite aware of what happened in Verlast Forest last night.” He rose and walked around to the other side, clasping his hands behind him. “It’s true. As you said, it was a terrible blunder. You did not manage to apprehend them, and they escaped with another dangerous Lost Logia because you presumed to engage him alone when your comrade was around. Such is unacceptable and unbecoming of a member of the Bureau; heroism is better left for knaves who seek personal glory and credit. Under normal circumstances, that’d have warranted a stern disciplinary action, the highest of which, I do not doubt, is a demotion or probably even dismissal.”

He stopped momentarily, seated himself on the desk’s edge, and folded his arms on his chest. “On the other hand, we have to consider your performances thus far, which I daresay is nothing short of stellar. In the many missions that you were assigned to, this is probably the first that you did not manage to score well,” he said with a smile. “And that is probably why it is such a dilemma to choose between two possible choices of your future.”

“I’m sorry that it has to come to that, I didn’t think it would be difficult,” Signum admitted apologetically. “Perhaps if …”

“‘Perhaps’ was a question that you’ve already answered just now, Signum,” Chrono interrupted. Signum looked at him with a perplexed expression. “And in your case, the path of your future has already been chosen when you swore on your life to protect your friends and comrades.”

Signum’s eyes grew wide. “You mean …”

Chrono nodded. “As far as I’ve known you, Signum, you’re not one to back on your words when you’ve so fervently and resolutely decided on them. Your knight’s oath, as much as it is both trouble and fortune in different circumstances, is binding, and the fact that you pledge it on what I thought is the most appropriate thing dispels all other possibilities.”

Signum finally understood, and for the first time since this morning, her smile was glorious. “I understand, Commander, and thank you very much.”

“The mistake was not yours to bear alone, Signum, I hope you understand that. All of us have our share of the pie, including myself. Still, if you’d procrastinated back then, I would not have a second thought about dismissing you immediately, even if it means Escutcheon would be understaffed,” Chrono said. “Fortunately, you did not, and I guess that saves me a lot of trouble indirectly, so the appreciation is mine to make as well. In any case, if you somehow betrayed this trust, I would see to it personally that you wouldn’t return anytime soon.”

“I wouldn’t doubt that, though there’s hardly a chance for it to happen, if I can help it,” Signum replied adamantly.

“Good,” Chrono said, raising himself from the desk, “see to it that it doesn’t.” He returned to his seat behind the desk and very gently poured tea into the second cup. “In the mean time, I hope you enjoy your ‘punishment’.”

“I certainly will,” Signum said, smiling.

“And with that done, I’m guessing that a cup of tea for you is in order,” Chrono said, gesturing to the china bearing the piping tea. “I hope you won’t refuse this again.”

Signum picked up the cup and its saucer with meticulous care. She took in a breath, smelling the aroma of the tea. “This is good tea,” she commented, and took a sip.

“Thanks,” Chrono said. “And if it helps anything, you are not the first to drink the same tea with me this morning. Hayate and Tesla came much earlier and had had their share before you, and strangely, they shared my view on what you’d be choosing.”

Signum was never a connoisseur of tea, but she decided on the spot that the green tea was tastier than any other beverage she had drank before and as sweet as honey even without sugar added, her smile hidden behind the delicate china of flowers and sunshine.

* * * * *

The doors closed behind Signum as she walked out of the Commander’s office. To her right, from one end of the corridor, she saw Leona approaching, accompanied by Kratos and Gabriel, all three of them garbed fully in their official brown uniform. They looked a little surprised when they saw her, but they were smiling as they neared her. Signum gave them the perfunctory salute, saying, “Good morning, Captain Tyriel, Lieutenants Whitewing and Sunstrider.”

They returned her greeting. “Good morning, Lieutenant Signum,” Leona said. “You are very early today.”

“Thanks,” Signum said, smiling. “Though my usual waking time is 0630 hours, there was something I needed to report to the Commander this morning, so I woke up earlier than usual.”

“I see,” Leona said, nodding. “Well, it seems that I have the same thing to do as well.”

“Weren’t you going in together with Lieutenants Whitewing and Sunstrider?” Signum asked, perplexed.

“What?” Leona said. “Oh, them!” She glared at them critically. “As a matter of fact, no, I am going to go in alone. They seem to have a knack of finding of anywhere, even though I have tried to be invisible to them. Can you believe it: they found me even after I followed a maze-like route to reach here? I don’t know why they wouldn’t let me report in peace.” Then, she sighed.

“Milady,” Kratos protested, “your words are cruel. We are just concerned about you.” Gabriel gave her a pained look, though it was just a mock expression.

“Oh, the drama again, would you stop that?” Leona said, faking exasperation. Then, she smiled kindly. “Ah, fine, it’s not that I don’t understand, but some things need to be done alone. The Commander will be furious if the two of you go in without actually having anything to report.”

“Let him be,” Kratos blurted.

“Kratos.” Leona’s voice was suddenly sharp and firm.

“Sorry,” he muttered. “But …”

“No ‘but’s,” Leona interjected sternly. “I appreciate it that you accompany me here, but this is as far as you go. The two of you will be reporting your findings at the debriefing later, so there’s no need to come with me any longer. If you insist, I am going to be very furious.”

Kratos murmured something unintelligible, then reluctantly nodded. Satisfied, Leona turned to Signum, “Where are you going now, Lieutenant Signum?”

“Probably to the caféteria,” Signum answered. She had been watching the exchange rather curiously. “Light breakfast,” she added.

“Wonderful!” Leona said encouragingly. “If you don’t mind, would you have these two for company? They’re just about to go to the caféteria as well.”

Signum shrugged. “If they don’t mind me for company.”

“I’m sure they would not,” Leona answered with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. “Right, if you’ll excuse me …” The captain knocked gently on the door, announced her name, and was promptly admitted by the sliding doors when the Commander approved.

Just before Leona disappeared entirely through the entrance, for the briefest of moment, Signum was sure that the previously cheery disposition of the captain had changed into something else, the shadow of great sorrow wrapping around her. Signum blinked, unsure, then tried to look again, only to find that the doors were closed.

She turned to see Kratos and Gabriel staring anxiously at the sealed entrance, as if they would will the wall to disappear and witness the happenings within. The silver-haired lieutenant looked especially worried, his black eyes a mirror of conflicting emotions. Though it was very intriguing, she decided not to broach the subject now.

Tactfully, Signum cleared her throat and said, “Shall we?”

* * * * *

“So,” Chrono began, his eyes intent. “I heard from Hayate that you told them about your speculation.”

“If you were referring to the information about the Templars, then yes, I did,” Leona answered in a neutral tone.

“I take it that you were cautious enough?”

At this, Leona laughed. It was a laughter that was derisive and mirthless, bordering on mindlessness. “‘Cautious’? Commander, you’re being very generous,” she said. Then, she became subdued and said in a low, whisper-like tone, “‘Coward’ is a more appropriate term.”

Chrono sighed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to …”

“It’s all right, Chrono-san. I understand what you mean,” Leona said, displaying a small smile. Leona, like Signum, was particular about formality, and though their relationship was closer than what could be perceived externally, she had insisted on retaining the use of honorifics. They seemed to have a falling out some time ago, but the note of respect was still present.

They were silence for a moment, nursing their own thoughts. “Still, are you sure they are Templars?”

“Positive, but inconclusive,” Leona answered truthfully. “Too many questions are still left unanswered to confirm their identity, though most of the similarities remain. If they were truly Templars, then a drastic event must have occurred to warrant the changes.”

“Possible,” Chrono admitted, “but we’ve thought them to have perished back then. Even a splinter group seemed unlikely, given their … stringent requirements to become one.”

“That’s what I thought as well,” Leona said, and the familiar shadow of regret enveloped her for an instance before vanishing again. “In any case, they are bent in obtaining the Jewels.”

“We’ve lost four to them, almost half of the nine,” Chrono said grimly. “And we’ve gained on virtually nothing, except for a possible identity that contradicts what knowledge we have of them.”

“True, and I’m just as curious as you are,” Leona agreed, “especially on their true alignment.” She looked at Chrono directly as she said, “If what Knight Carim forewarned was true, then the Jewels would be the catalysts to destruction. A power as terrible as that would be suicide, and I doubt that the last thing they have in mind would be the annihilation of both us and them. It seems rather ridiculous.”

Chrono nodded. “That’s what got me thinking as well. If they had known of the consequence that follows, then why are they still trying to obtain them?” He thought for a moment, then said, “Unless … they have another objective, perhaps?”

“Your guess is as good as mine, though what it is eludes even my best deductions,” Leona said. “Then again, there is probably another thing—or rather, a person—that they’re looking for …”

Chrono narrowed his eyes, looking at the blue-haired captain. “Are you saying …” Before he finished, though, Leona had answered with a nod. The communication seemed flawless, and he understood almost immediately. Of course …

“And,” Leona added slowly, “if that was the person they were really searching, there exists only one individual alone in Mid-childa that is their prize …”

“I wouldn’t believe that,” Chrono said sharply, his emerald eyes intense. Leona looked up, startled at his vehemence. “It couldn’t have been them; we both bore witness to what happened back then.”

“I know,” Leona said, her voice exasperated. “But, if by some twisted wheel of fortune that it were them, then—”

“Then I would do everything in my power to protect you,” Chrono said silently, his voice a note of tempered steel, strong and unyielding.

“Chrono …” Leona murmured, her expression awed but saddened, grateful but sorrowful. She seemed to not notice that she had reverted to her more usual conversation style, back when they had been closer together …

“I’ve done it before when I sealed the files up,” Chrono continued, “and I’ll do so again if such are the needs required of me.”

Leona gazed at Chrono wordlessly, then, with trembling lips, murmured, “Thank you …”

Chrono, too, gazed into the sea-blue depths of Leona’s eyes, and his expression softened. He seemed very much like the first time Leona had seen him: compassionate, kind, and caring. How she had longed for this day to return, when they had been together until a sad tragedy reared its ugly head and alienated him from her.

There was a long silence as the two stood motionlessly, their eyes locked in an unbreakable gaze that stirred memories of the past. A lot had happened between them, incidents both bitter and sweet, recollections both pleasant and poignant. And perhaps it was time for the rift to mend, the hollow to heal.

“How are your injuries from yesterday?” Chrono asked gently.

“F-fine … I-I’m just … fine,” Leona murmured softly even as she tried to hide a single pearl of tear that fell from her eyes, filled with joy and elation, uncertainty and apprehension. It was followed by a second one, then a third.

And Destiny was content to wait, biding its time in clandestine mystery, patiently carving tales of the man and woman, bound by a fate uncertain, intertwined together with that of the many threads of life, in which their utter unraveling was imminent, when the secret tapestries were drawn to reveal the hidden depiction of a person both angel and devil seated upon a world shattered by its great shadows …

Spoiler for Scene VI:

[Caféteria, Escutcheon, Cranagan City] [January 23rd, MC 081] [0701 hours]

Signum, Kratos, and Gabriel reached the caféteria, which, for the most part, was empty except for five occupied tables, three of which had junior members from other departments deep in conversation and another with a trio of female housekeepers giggling and laughing at their own topic (Gabriel noted them critically and muttered a single word disapprovingly, “Gossips.”). The fifth table, to their surprise, was filled by a single man with a mane of black hair and grave, penetrating black eyes.

Xeno was sitting with his legs crossed comfortably and lighting up a cigarette when he saw them coming. He was also in his uniform, though he had the first two buttons unclasped. His silver earring shimmered in the white light of the room. A cup of black coffee was on the table, still filled to the brim. As they approached, he asked with a wolfish grin, “Breakfast, Lieutenants?”

The three nodded and took seats around him. “You’re up early, Xeno,” Kratos remarked.

Xeno took a long drag and puffed out a cloud of white smoke before answering, “I wouldn’t say that 0701 hours is early. We have about an hour before the debriefing begins. In fact, I’ve woken up an hour earlier to finish up the report.”

“I thought you hate it,” Gabriel said, amused.

“I do,” he admitted honestly. “Still, hating it doesn’t mean that I can get away without doing it. You know what happened the last time I skimped on the report. I thought I was going to die.”

“What happened?” Signum asked curiously. “I’ve never heard of any disciplinary action that endangers the life of one who does not prepare the report.”

“It wasn’t any disciplinary action,” Xeno said, laughing. “It was Milady; she practically went berserk when I overslept without even having a sentence ready in the report.”

“You’re pulling my leg,” Signum said, amused.

“Well, the ‘berserk’ part might have been exaggerated, but she did request that I finished the report. By force. Literally,” Xeno said, grinning.

“If I remember correctly, she bound you with her silvyrn strings rather tightly around here, didn’t she?” Gabriel added, gesturing around the neck.

Kratos laughed. “I seem to have the same impression as you do, Gabriel. Xeno went quite pale back then, and he lost quite a bit of weight after that, saying something about crushed windpipe.” The black-haired man muttered darkly under his breath as his companions continued to tease him, and it prompted more laughter from them. Even Signum was smiling at the exchange between the three.

A waiter came around their table and asked for their orders. After placing them, the four continued their conversation. Xeno sucked on his cigarette again, blowing out a puff of white smoke. It had a peculiar smell to it that was strangely soothing. Signum suddenly thought of something and said, “Xeno, I don’t think smoking is allowed in the premise.”

“Oh, this?” Xeno asked, indicating the white cigarette that was smoking at one end. “Don’t worry, this isn’t a real cigarette.”

“It isn’t?” Signum said incredulously.

“It looks like it, but it isn’t,” Xeno replied, again flashing his wolfish grin. “It’s an aromatte.”

“I’ve never heard of anything like that,” Signum admitted.

“Basically, it’s an aromatherapy cigarette,” Gabriel explained. “Instead of nicotine and tar found in conventional cigarette, it’s merely essential oil. That’s why it has a strange smell.”

“Interesting,” Signum said, “how did you come by it?”

“Well, Milady taught me how to make it,” Xeno answered.

“Captain Tyriel?” Signum asked, and Xeno nodded.

“Milady doesn’t like smokers,” Kratos explained. “And Xeno was a particularly heavy smoker some time ago that he reeked of cigarette everywhere he went (this prompted a loud objection of ‘Hey!’ from an aghast Xeno that was largely ignored). Milady practically stamped the smoker in him out for good and introduced him to the aromatte.”

“It isn’t as satisfying as a real one, but I find it sufficient and appropriate,” Xeno said.

“Or rather, Milady threw Xeno a long list of rather graphic and detailed degeneration of his physiology that he could not bear it any longer and voluntarily switched it for the benefit of his health,” Gabriel added slyly.

“You know, I ought to have stayed in my room until you two become fungi or something. You’re hurting my image badly, especially to Signum,” Xeno complained.

“Come now, Xeno, I’m sure Signum doesn’t mind,” Gabriel said. “Well, if she does, she’s not showing it. We’ll find out the next time we meet, I guess.”

“For God’s sake!” Xeno was appalled, and this cued more laughter from his two friends. Signum could not help but chuckle as well.

The mirth died down moments later when the waiter returned with their orders. Then, Signum said, “It seems that Captain Tyriel shares a close bond with you three. I can see that you’re all very fond of her.”

“Very,” Xeno agreed, nodding as emphasis. “She changed my world in ways I would not have expected. If it’s not because of her, I would still be in a Dimensional Detention Center.”

“Same for me, though I am slightly more fortunate than Xeno,” Gabriel added.

“I’m sure it’s similar to what the Wolkenritter feel for their mistress, no?” Kratos said, smiling knowingly at Signum.

“Of course,” Signum answered, also smiling. “Though …” There was a distant, wistful expression in Signum’s eyes as she remembered something.

“Is something wrong, Signum?” Xeno inquired with a raised eyebrow.

“No, not particularly,” Signum said evasively.

There was a moment’s silence as they each took a bite of their breakfast. “I’m sorry if this offends you, Signum,” Kratos said prudently. “But …”

“What is it?” Signum asked, looking up from her toasts.

“When you were in the Commander’s office, were you discussing yesterday’s incident?” Kratos said bluntly.

Signum was surprised. “How did you guess?” She narrowed her eyes curiously.

“Well, it wasn’t mind-reading or anything,” Kratos said quickly. “I’ve been through what you have experienced before. Gabriel and Xeno can become witnesses to that; they told me the expression that you’ve just shown a short while ago, so I drew the conclusion from there.”

Signum looked at Kratos, then Gabriel, and finally Xeno before she went back to Kratos again. Captain Tyriel does have a special influence with these three, I guess, Signum thought to herself. They seem to possess an aura similar to hers, radiating her charisma and perceptiveness …

“Well, it’s true,” Signum admitted. Since she had already made her decision and it was reciprocated when she met Chrono in his room, there was no harm in telling them. Kratos and the rest also had their right to know as to what happened back then, and letting out the truth would probably be the best course of action. If anything, it would probably reinforce her beliefs and strengthen her resolution. “I was thinking about the failed mission.” Her face regained the same wistful expression.

“Signum, if you’re uncomfortable with it, I think—” Kratos interjected, but she raised a hand to stop him.

“No, it’s all right,” she said, her face serious. “All of you have the right to know.”

“Well,” Kratos said in a subdued tone, “if you say so.”

Signum was silent for a moment as she tried to arrange her thoughts. “Hayate is our Meister, the Mistress of the Night Sky. At one point, she was cursed with a terminal illness and had almost lost her life, and that’s because our tampered program tried to take control of her body, consuming her from within.”

“The Book of Darkness Incident,” Gabriel said quietly.

Signum nodded. “I am sure the three of you know that the Wolkenritter are programs, the synthetic bodies of the Guardian Knight System implemented into the Book of the Night Sky as its defenders.”

“We do,” Xeno concurred.

“We are exactly that, programs,” Signum continued. “During the Incident, we were charged with protecting Meister, and because she was dying, we tried desperately to help her. It was thought, at that particular time, that the only way to cure her was to fill all 666 pages in the Book. And so, we hunted for mages, their energies being the fuel to empower the magic of the Book.”

Then, her expression became poignant. “Hayate knew that her life was ending, but she was content to just live each day in our company. She was suffering, pained, but she tried her very best to always smile. She was strong, different, and most of all, kind and compassionate. Hayate was everything that we never dreamed of, her pure, untainted heart bridging the gap that existed between us. And then we found ourselves developing feelings, emotions that shouldn’t have been, since we’ve always been programs to serve the needs of our Meister. But, Hayate never considered us that; instead, she treated us as friends and confidants.”

“I can understand that,” Xeno added. “Milady did the same thing for me.”

“Regardless, we nearly failed her,” Signum said. “The hunt to fill the Book of the Night Sky’s pages was a hoax that was meant to seal Hayate in a frozen limbo world for eternity. If not for interference by Takamachi and her friends, we would surely have ended up fulfilling the terrible destiny that was initially intended for her.”

“Although the Incident has since passed,” Signum continued, “and Meister is safe, it nevertheless leaves an indelible imprint in my mind. As a knight and the leader of the Wolkenritter, I feel responsible for almost causing Meister harm instead of helping her. Though she says that it is all right, I still fear. Fear that my power is inadequate to protect her, fear that one day she will again fall because of my incompetence. I want to protect her, to keep her out of harm, and most of all, let her live happily for the time missed her when she was ill because of us.”

“I trained very hard to achieve my purpose. There is nary a day that I’ve swung my blade without thinking of her. I put up a cool, brave front, hiding my insecurities from the scrutiny of others, trying to act as normal as possible. Yet, it seems futile …” Signum’s voice took on a more solemn tone as she proceeded. “During the Jail Scaglietti Incident, I confronted another knight, Zest Grangeitz. He was a powerful mage, a former member of the Capital City Defense Forces. Yet, his eyes were always sad, a lone warrior in a desperate search of truth. From my encounters with him, I’ve felt that he was not evil, but simply compelled by his circumstances to do things he never wanted to do. And because of that, I wanted to help him.”

“He found out the truth from the lips of his close friend, Regius, the previous Lieutenant-General. It was terrible as Regius recounted his betrayal, but he was then killed by one of the Numbers. Zest avenged his friend’s death before he met his under mine …” Signum paused momentarily, her eyes grave. “Though he had voluntarily perished in my hands, I’ve once again failed to accomplish my purpose. I’ve done nothing at all to help him, but in his dying breath, he entrusted Agito to me.”

She looked up at the three men, who had remained silent throughout her narration. “For the past five years after the Incident, I’ve tried my best to remain in shape, and I kept telling myself that it was not my fault. But, Zest’s death proved difficult to forget. I felt remorseful every time I was with Agito. True, she has forgiven me, but I have not forgiven myself. We are distant even as we are close.”

She looked at the empty air, conjuring the required images in her mind. “In yesterday night’s encounter, the knight called Grandia appeared. He had the familiar air about him, similar to Zest, a forlorn desperation, in that he was doing something against his will. He would not have stolen the Jewels had he a better choice, but fate’s cruel hands thrust upon him the unwanted destiny. In that instance, I think that was what drove me to accept his duel.”

“Then again, that allowed him and his accomplice to escape, and it had also exposed Meister to a perilous danger. The lapse caused Meister to suffer heavy strains from casting defensive spells to protect us. Though it had been a different circumstance, it showed once again that I was really weak … that there was nothing that I could do.” She sighed. “I felt so confused, so … insignificant. I was not able to fulfill the roles of a guardian and a leader … It’s ironic that I called him a coward when I was a coward myself.”

“But, from your look when you came out from the Commander’s office, everything is clear now?” Kratos asked.

Signum nodded lightly, but this time, her expression was bright. There was even a small smile. “You can say that, though I still have a lot more to do. I’ve realized what’s the most important thing to me. Even if I wanted to help them, I must do so through more appropriate means.”

Having known Signum’s calm and strong disposition from descriptions by others, this was probably the first time Signum had ever divulged her inner thoughts to anyone that was not particularly close to her. “Thank you very much, Signum,” Kratos said.

“For?” she asked.

“For sharing with us what is possibly the most difficult self-disclosure you have to do,” he added. Xeno and Gabriel nodded. “It’s very rare, and as Milady would’ve have put it, very commendable.”

“And why would she say that?” Signum asked again curiously.

“Your experience is similar to mine, Signum. There are times when I’m confused and hesitant with what I have to do. As much as I was a leader to Xeno and Gabriel back then as you are to the Wolkenritter, we are looked upon for decisions, for guidance. We are perceived as cool and composed personae, able to respond to different circumstances without problems. We are given the burden to lead and to protect. Thus, when mistakes happen, we take them upon ourselves as being fully responsible for the consequences.”

Signum nodded. “I can see what you mean.”

“I made a terrible mistake once, and it almost caused Milady, Xeno, and Gabriel their lives. She managed to save all of us out, though she passed out from the exertion. I immediately apologized to her when she recovered, but she merely said, ‘It’s all right, Kratos. A mistake done is done.’ At first, I had continued to blame myself. Then …”

“Then …?” Signum echoed.

“Then, she said: ‘Kratos, remember: the bravest of men leaps into battles armed with courage and faith that bend swords and shatter shields; the most intelligent goes into discourses with knowledge and facts that synthesize science and unravel mysteries. But, neither reaches the glorious height of a man poised and wise, who sits in the humblest of homes painting future with a brush of the present and a palette of the past.’” Kratos looked at Signum with a smile. “Do you understand it?”

Signum took a moment to digest the words, then her eyes went wide. Returning the smile, she said appreciatively, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Spoiler for Scene VII:

[War Room, Escutcheon, Cranagan City] [January 23rd, MC 081] [1023 hours]

The two-hour debriefing meeting proceeded smoothly. The ad hoc leaders of the Justice, Valor, and Gallant Squads who engaged the enemy directly presented their reports and detailed their encounters as extensively as possible. They lingered for some time on the Minions, where Kratos answered to the best of his ability what those creatures were, since he managed to analyze them firsthand in the battle. His account conjured a round of speculation, whereby they deliberated on the possible route through which the black hounds were summoned directly into the scene of battle. Though it had remained positive that those beasts were called in through remote summoning (Shario showed a record screen where there was suddenly an alarming rate of magical activities around the location that mushroomed without warning), the supposition then led to the discussion of the Templars, since Grandia was seen ‘summoning’ them.

At this, Leona stood up and made a meticulous and comprehensive explanation of the Templars, the details very much resembling what she told the Aces the night before. Again, there was a storm of dubious speculation on her assumption as to the potential identity of those intruders, whereupon Hayate, Nanoha, and Fate helped her out in the explanation regarding clairsentient resonance and its contribution to the guesswork, which resulted in a number of similar questions that were posed during Leona’s discussion with the Aces. It took a bit of time for the members present to understand the abstract concept, though it was concurred later that it had some credibility.

The Justice Squad, Agito, and Reinforce Zwei were queried on their views on the only Templar with which they had crossed swords. There was a general consensus that the Master of the Sword was strong, brilliant, and brave. Signum added her personal opinion, where she commended his skills with his sword, his crafty mind, and his disposition from her perspective. Before she was questioned further, however, she said that she understood the implication of her words, that she seemed to be sympathetic of their cause, but it would not lead her to repeat the same mistake as the previous night. She would help them as necessary, if they were truly as she perceived them to be, when they had been apprehended and the Jewels of the Star recovered from their hands, not before. Seeing that she had gotten past her uncertainty and regained her bold attitude, everyone seemed satisfied with her stance and echoed her sentiment with bright smiles.

Signum also told them that she heard Grandia mentioned a ‘Princess’ that he was searching for, though he had said that she ‘was lost’. The name fitted the description of the warning, and it intrigued everyone present. More speculations and conjectures were made, and some links were formed to connect the Templars to the Princess. But, there was simply too little information to work with, and none actually held concrete proof that the Princess the Templars were looking for was indeed the one prophesied. Chrono added that there was also no clear association between the Princess and the Jewels of the Star (“Why would they want the Jewels if they were looking for a single person? It doesn’t make sense.”). Regardless, they regarded the information seriously, because it seemed to be at the moment the only thing offering any insight into the Templars’ purpose.

Then, there was a brief brainstorming session where they evaluated the mission, giving it a thorough, objective examination. The persistent question was the Templars’ purpose in searching for the Jewels of the Star, which seemed to go against their known norms and doctrines. Though it was agreed that they might have changed since their downfall, there was not a plausible explanation of what they intend to do with the Jewels.

“Perhaps if Provost Zakharov was around, he might be able to explain it,” Fate said suddenly.

“Provost Zakharov? You mean, Zakharov Alexei Chevaron?” Verossa asked.

“The very same,” Nanoha said, nodding.

“Who is he?” Xeno asked curiously.

“Zakharov Alexei Chevaron heads the Consortium of Lost Logia Research located in the Central Lab,” Leona explained. “He is a renowned scientist who pioneers a lot of scientific discoveries in the field of magical advancement, specializing in Lost Logia.”

“You know him?” Hayate said, surprised.

“Not particularly,” Leona admitted. “I’ve only met him once, and I didn’t find him likable. He has a very high opinion of himself and keeps many things secret. Although Lost Logia research usually entails strict confidentiality and high security because of its enormity, he brings them to the extreme level. I heard tell that scientists working under him are kept under very tight leash and not permitted to leave the laboratory most of the time, and he guards any knowledge pertaining to it jealously. Even Central Lab authorities do not have control over him, since his work has always been excellent and they require his extensive knowledge on the matter.”

“I’m surprised that no one else knows of it,” Teana said. “I mean, since Lost Logia are dangerous artifacts, shouldn’t whatever knowledge of it be made known to the public?”

Aurion snorted. “What little knowledge we have on Lost Logia is actually a synthesis of scholarly perspective at the most basic level. Al-Hazardian technology is vast, and we’ve barely touched even the shallowest depth. The danger that we know is an overgeneralization meant to protect the public from going astray while the scientific community attempts to untangle as many knots of mysteries to Lost Logia as possible.”

“That is true,” Chrono added. “It is an inevitable failing of the society who demands greater and better technology to fulfill their needs. To do that, Al-Hazardian technology provides a vast wealth of possibly more advanced knowledge that anything we have here. If you consider what Testarossa and Scaglietti had done, you can begin to understand why it is tempting. The knowledge is useful even as it is aberrant.”

“In any case, Zakharov is the best they have,” Aurion said. “His pioneering work on Lost Logia research encompasses knowledge gleaned from the artifacts for five decades, and if there is anyone that knows them inside out, it will be him.”

“How is he linked to the case?” Gabriel asked.

“That’s what we tried to find out yesterday,” Fate explained. “Knight Carim called us to her office to tell us of some information she has on the Jewels. It seems that the Jewels are obtained just not very long ago. They are not native in Mid-childa; Zakharov found them from a space-expedition some years back.”

“What?” Chrono exclaimed. “Why is there no report on this?”

“It seems that the Central Lab was also uninformed of this,” Fate continued. “They have no absolute authority over him, after all, and he claimed the Jewels for private research, although he promised that the knowledge would not be leaked out to anyone and that anything he found would be included in the Central Archives. Since there was no other way around it, they had to relent, but they had since placed him under tight supervision.”

“Zakharov has a wily mind, and he knew that the Central Lab would do as such,” Nanoha expanded. “He dispatched eight of the Jewels—the ninth was kept to himself—to other private research laboratories and signed a Constitutive Scientific Secrecy Agreement with them for the collaborations. This places the laboratories under his direct supervision for the particular research where all information would be sent back to him alone. Of course, there is some exorbitant price involved in this, but Zakharov isn’t exactly your typical septuagenarian. His earnings are even more lucrative than ours, including the Commander, so it isn’t a problem.”

“Brilliant move,” Kratos commended.

“I don’t understand all those baloneys about agreements and stuff,” Agito said bluntly, “but I have to agree with that.” Then, she thought for a moment. “Well, then it’s easy, no? We’ll just invite him over and explain everything.”

“Therein lies the problem. You cannot just ‘invite’ him over,” Tesla said.

“What do you mean?” Agito asked.

“Zakharov is a Noble Fellow of the Consortium, which means that he has a very prestigious standing in his field,” Chrono explained. “He has certain privileges where he could refuse to follow orders, unless it is a direct command from someone who is a Lieutenant-General or equivalent. It sounds ridiculous, but the privileges are initially placed to prevent the leakage of confidential information to the lower brass, though in Zakharov’s case, it is questionable, especially if it concerns his research.”

“Aren’t you an Admiral? It certainly more than equals the rank of a Lieutenant-General,” Xeno said.

“Well, that’s only partially correct at this point in time,” Chrono answered, shaking his head. “By military regulations, no particular person may hold two distinct positions at the same time. When I negotiated with von Khrull, I had to abide by the clauses of the Special Reservations for Commanders and the Exclusive Rights of Military Leaders. As a Commander of this unit, my rank is lower.”

“Not only that, there is rumor that Zakharov is acting strangely of late,” Fate said. “He doesn’t seem his normal self. He spends almost all his time in his private laboratory, and then he goes out for a day or two without word before returning to his study … Nobody could really tell what happens, with their lips sealed tight by rules and regulations.”

“And that points us back to square one with more questions to answer …” Chrono said, sighing. There was a short pause when he seemed to remember something suddenly and said, “Well, Yuuno is coming in a week or two. Maybe he can provide answers to some of the problems we have.”

“Let’s hope that he does. The mysteries are starting to get out of hand with us pursuing blindly in darkness,” Nanoha said to everyone’s nods.

[PhoenixFlare]

Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha GuardianS

Chapter Six—Burden of the Past

Spoiler for Scene VIII:

[Escutcheon, Cranagan City] [January 28th, MC 081] [0721 hours]

A rapidly approaching dawn was heralded by the songs of birds, the hums of insects, and the pure golden rays of the sun. Mists that clung to the ground were lifted, and a fresh breeze brought the soothing smell of young spring grass and fragrances from flowers in full bloom. There was a tranquil quality to the morning, a rejuvenating atmosphere that was rare in these days, especially for members of the Escutcheon. Since the last meeting, there had been a storm of activities that included stepping up defensive measures, maintaining and improving various communications, networks, and paraphernalia, exercises, drills, tactical discussions and strategizing, and many other similar scenarios that were largely dominated by a rise in tension and work level. Though there had been no new attacks thus far, Chrono was not one in taking chances, and he ordered a high security alert at all times, maintaining that all squads be ready to take off at a moment’s notice. He was understanding enough to not push them past their limits, in any case, and allowed minimal respite at one time or another, provided that they responded to emergencies in as swift a manner as possible.

Shamal’s medical department had seen to Professor Sayaki and her fellow researcher’s convalescence throughout the five days, and after determining that they had sufficiently recuperated, allowed them to return. There had been several moments of confusion, but it was resolved quickly between the professor and Chrono. After expressing their gratitude, they were sent back to their homes this morning. Leona had woken up in time to witness their silent departure, and, after a light breakfast, walked to an internal park area located on the roof of the building.

The park was bright and colorful, filled the chirp of hummingbirds and the buzz of bumblebees as they worked their morning tasks. Most members were still asleep, and after all the strenuous routines, would appreciate a few more minutes in bed. Leona ambled to an empty bench that fronted the most beautiful area in the park where a large evergreen tree in the middle provided some shade, and she relished in the warmth and sweet spring of the air. Puffs of thick white clouds lazily paced the heavens, and a couple of doves flew past playfully, dancing in the glorious sky.

Leona smiled, and for perhaps the first time in her life here, a true smile was shown. It was cheery, a full curve of joy that one would have likened to a feeling of euphoric bliss. For reasons that only she could answer, such expression was not possible in front of others, be they known or unknown to her. Her usual expressions of joy, of sadness, of laughter, they had all been fabricated and forced to meet the expectations. Deep down inside, she felt not the touch of happiness, the tinge of another’s misfortune, or the mirth of hilarity. She lost her emotions the day she constructed the indomitable tower in her mind, the seal that locked every possible external displays of sensations in a frozen landscape, doomed to lie beneath the eternal rime of her mind. No one had known the secret, except for Chrono, protected by the oath of both he and she made in mutuality, buried in the vastness of unquestioned mystery.

But, the secret was about to come into light again, unearthed ever so slowly, invisible hands desperate in search of answers clawing at its protective seal.

Leona had wanted to tell everything, to reveal the truth. She had wanted to emerge from the cage she was bound within, the chains that restrained her fastened so tightly that she could not breathe. It was difficult and torturous when everyone trusted her, kept her in their confidence, when she was hiding a secret so terrible. Yet, for it to come unraveled would mean dire ramifications that would surely engulf the both of them. She would willingly accept them in place of him, to spare him from the unjust fate that became bound to him involuntarily, but such again was the illusion of hope. A revelation of such magnitude was significant enough to put him in danger, and she did not want that to happen.

// Score: Ailein Duinn (Dark-hair'd Alan) / Artiste: Méav Ní Mhaolchatha //

And so, she had kept the truth unrevealed, letting herself suffer silently as she was torn by harsh guilt. She sighed despondently, her own thoughts a vicious maelstrom of sadness and depression. A heavy silence descended, and the sounds of birds and bees were distant. Then, suddenly, with a tremulous voice, Leona sang:

‘How sorrowful I am
early in the morn rising.
Of fey siren songs seductive,
and men foolish mortals of desirous wants,
leapeth they did
into maws of merciless waves.
Maidens fair thus weep’th
lament and languish in silver tears.
O’ Fate! Thy cruel hands
doth break love apart
and cast darkness unto bright day.
I come forth a maiden sighing
heart shattered and tears dried.

If thus shalt sand be his pillow,
if thus shalt seaweed be his bed,
if thus shalt fish be his candles,
if thus shalt seals be his watchmen,
I come forth a willing, if abhorred, maiden
and drink the blood of his heart in the brine …’

She stopped, unable to continue. But, another voice continued on her behalf:

‘… if thus shalt he be free of thy chains,
and returneth to light.’

Even as the person sang, there was a gentle touch on the back of her neck. She was startled by the unexpected appearance, and even more so by the physical contact. Nobody had ever done that before, and the sensation felt surprisingly unfamiliar and yet at the same time … desirable.

Leona turned slowly, and her eyes fell upon a middle-aged man, his dark blue hair flaring slightly in the front, and his eyes as deep as the ocean and as black as polished onyx. There was a mysterious glitter, an inquisitive nature to his gaze, but his smile was kind, compassionate even.

“I’m sorry if that sounded terrible. I can’t remember the last time I’ve sang a song,” Aurion said softly. “A Maiden’s Sigh is a good, if a little melancholic, choice to practice.”

Leona could not speak and only stared speechlessly at the man. Aurion casually continued through the conversation. “You don’t mind if I sit, do you?” But, he took it without waiting for her reply.

Several moments of awkwardness passed where nothing was said. Leona continued to stare at him, unable to form an appropriate response; Aurion, on the other hand, stretched and lounged easily on the bench. Regaining her composure, Leona choked, “W-when did you come, Aurion-san?”

“Oh, just a moment ago,” he said simply. “I reached here the moment you sang.”

Leona became silent; she had not heard his coming at all.

“You sing beautifully, though,” he continued, smiling. Then, in a highly conspiratorial tone, he continued, “Just between you and me, I think you are the best compared to the Aces.” He winked mischievously.

Leona hesitated, then gave a small smile. “Thank you.”

“No problem, just an honest opinion,” he said encouragingly.

Silence. Leona and Aurion watched the skies wordlessly, trailing their paths with their eyes. “Beautiful day, isn’t it?” Aurion broke the silence.

Leona nodded silently. “Y-yeah.”

Silence again. The sun rose higher as the minutes ticked, and a warm, refreshing breeze blew, swirling leaves and blossom petals as it passed. Leona was uncomfortable; she did not particularly detest Aurion, but the simple fact that he was there unnerved her. She had always preferred the comfort of solitude, and the presence of another person in the realm, sitting as silently as she was, was disturbing. Plus, she knew Aurion to be much more than what he showed to everyone, a cunning, dangerous intelligence hidden deceptively behind his calm external façade. Leona felt that his dark eyes had always been probing, patiently waiting for her moment of weakness, waiting for the right time to strike. She did not know why; she just felt that he was that way.

“Tyriel,” Aurion spoke suddenly.

“Y-yes?” she said haltingly, her reverie broken.

“Do you know, you’re one of the most interesting persons that I’ve ever met,” he said. Leona started. His words echoed perfectly her thought, as if he had been reading her mind. If Aurion noticed her reaction, he did not say anything. Coolly, he removed a lock of stray fringe from his eyes, and continued, “You’re about the only person around that I’ve had difficulty getting close to.”

Leona did not speak, and merely continued to look at him.

“You’re very cautious, brilliant, crafty, and amazingly resourceful,” he remarked. “A typical bearing of a person working for the intelligentsia, no doubt, people who harbor secrets as deep as the mysteries of the universe. I hardly ever see you let your guard down, and you treat everyday with the same vigilance as the others past. Only today have you been seen so vulnerable.”

“It’s necessary,” Leona answered gravely.

“That, I do not doubt,” Aurion said, turning to look at her, his eyes solemn. “Yet, by doing so, you’re putting yourself in a difficult situation, cut out from the rest of the group. You’re isolated even as you’re in company. With Whitewing, Graymist, and Sunstrider, perhaps you might be different, but with the rest, it’s noticeable.” Slowly, he turned back, and looked up at the sky. “I dare not presume that I know everything about you, simply because I do not. Perhaps there’s a reason for your acting that way, and I wouldn’t question it.”

“Then, why did you mention it?”

“Because I’m curious.”

“Curious?”

“Yes, curious. I’m intrigued at your behavior, which, as far as I can guess, is borne not out of feeling of inferiority. There are subtle signs, imperceptible to most, where you detach yourself from them because you feel insignificant. No, that’s not what drives you to do so.”

“What do you think is the motivation behind mine, then?”

“Fear, indecision, and perhaps even being fiercely protective of something or someone.”

Leona was right: Aurion was not just anyone else. His perceptiveness was unusually keen, and his ability to understand and look beyond the literal was phenomenal. The danger that he posed was not his powers, but rather his sharp, acute mind. “What makes you think so?”

“Because you and I are similar.”

“What?” Leona was startled at his words. She had never expected him to say that.

“It’s true. The first time I laid eyes on you, there was a bond of familiarity that formed at the back of my mind. It was faint, but present nonetheless. It reminded me of what happened back then …”

“I don’t quite understand what you mean.”

“The expression, the feeling, the sensation … I’ve been through the same thing as you have,” he said softly. There was a wistful look on his face as he continued, “During the one incident that changed my life forever …”

Leona was silent. She could feel that it was painful experience for Aurion to recount, and so she did not push it.

“Did you know, Tyriel, that I was once an Enforcer?” Aurion asked suddenly.

She nodded slowly. “Undercover operations, Spectral Enforcers, third in command.”

“You’ve done your research well,” Aurion said, smiling despite the things that he was going to reveal. “In any case, during one of the biggest missions, an accident occurred. A terrible accident …”

Leona waited patiently even as she was intrigued. His official records had never stated anything about the accident. If he was going to continue, then Aurion would do so voluntarily.

“I lost everyone …” he said. “Even Almaria …”

Leona was shocked. “Almaria? Isn’t that your …?”

“It is named after the most important person in my life, probably until now …” Aurion said coolly. His expression was neutral, composed, except for the tinge of sadness in his voice that touched even Leona. After taking in a deep breath, he continued, “After the incident, I was given a medical leave. It was during that period that I behaved in the exact same way as you do now.”

He regarded Leona with a strange expression, “To tell you the truth, I am not particularly fond of the memory, but it will be necessary for you to understand why. I was emotionless, irresponsive, a husk of man with an empty heart. There was great sorrow within me, insurmountable grief and loneliness. I kept myself alone, hoping that by doing so I could attend to my thoughts in solitude. How wrong I was … every time I closed my eyes, dreams plagued me, nightmares that spoke of destruction and whispered of death. I saw within my mind’s eyes the resuscitation of the entire scene … where, one by one, my friends fell … and finally Almaria … slow and painfully excruciating. The trauma was severe, and I suffered alone for a year … I smiled without feeling its warmth, cried without experiencing its sorrow. My emotions were trapped, frozen from my irrational desires that dominated my life …”

Every word Aurion spoke reverberated within Leona, as if she was a cavern echoing his description. It was true, Aurion’s description of his past self fitted Leona snugly, as if it were a cloak tailored just for her. The only difference being, the cloak was heavy, so much heavier than she could take … and it crushed her, wrapped her in its suffocating embrace, and manifested the dark qualities of her mind. But, she had been willing to take it up in order to achieve her purpose, even if it was evil. “How did you manage to change so much?”

At this, Aurion did something unexpected: he chuckled. “I don’t think you’ll believe this when I tell you, Tyriel. I just did.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Hmm, if you really want a term, I’d call it realization.”

“Realization? How did you find it?”

“You can’t find it, Tyriel; it comes to find you. You may not understand it today, but it will come sooner than you thought.”

Leona did not answer. Aurion’s answer did not make sense. How could it find her when she did not know what it was in the first place?

“Tyriel, look at me,” Aurion spoke gently. Leona looked up to gaze into his dark, depthless eyes. “You are a bright, charming girl. Yet, you have so much sorrow, so much rage within you. If you keep pushing yourself, you might break under its pressure. Isolation is not an answer.”

“It’s necessary …” Leona repeated her answer.

“I know,” Aurion said. “Have you noticed the tree there, in the middle of the park?” He pointed to the evergreen tree. Leona nodded. “It is isolated, yet it bears with it an abundance of leaves. Alone, it might not survive, but with them, it blooms ever so beautifully. If you cannot trust me, or anyone else, then at least trust Nanoha and her friends. They will not betray you.”

Leona found it difficult to speak. She hesitated, but finally she nodded.

“Good,” Aurion said, smiling. Gently lifting her chin, Aurion said, “Life is short but definitely not gloomy. So, cheer up … Leona.” Before she even replied, Aurion had stood up, and with an affectionate, fatherly move, patted her head. “I need to go now, Tesla’s waiting for me.”

Leona watched Aurion disappear, waving before he did so. Her feeling was mixed, troubled, particularly after what Aurion had just said. Then, she turned back, and her sight fell upon the tree.

“Aurion-san, you said that the lone tree bears an abundance of leaves that allows it to grow healthily …” Leona spoke softly to herself, her gaze unfaltering.

A cloud covered the sun, and for a moment, the park became a dim gray. A sighing wind blew, singing her silent sorrow.

“What if … what if I’m never the lone tree to begin with … but a lone parasite that will devour the tree from within …?”

* * * * *

“What took you so long?” Tesla asked in an irritated tone.

“I just met with Leona,” Aurion replied simply. He was looking at a screen with intense eyes.

“Captain Tyriel?” Tesla asked again, poking her head to look at the middle-aged man. Tesla had an inquisitive nature that was difficult to change, but it was what made her unique. Her analytical mind and tactical prowess were remarkable such that she was always referred to as the strategist of the Wolkenritter.

“I don’t recall another person having that name,” Aurion said.

“What did the two of you discuss?”

Aurion laughed. “‘Discuss’ doesn’t seem to be an appropriate term to describe our meeting. A heart-to-heart talk is more like it.”

“Ossan, don’t be difficult,” Tesla chided. “So, what did the two of you talk about?”

“I’d rather not talk about it,” he said.

“But, why?” Tesla tried again, probing for answer. She was not one who gave up easily, especially if the subject concerned intrigued her.

“Tesla, you know that I will not divulge any sensitive information without the consent of the person being referred to, so don’t push it. It’s a good try, though.” Aurion’s face was creased in a small smile.

“Hmph!” Tesla fumed and promptly tucked her head back from behind the screen.

“Hmm …” Aurion said thoughtfully.

“What is it?” Tesla asked from behind the screen.

“I’ve been wondering …”

“About?”

“What do you think of Captain Tyriel?”

Tesla’s head emerged from behind the screen again. “Me?”

“Yes, you, Tesla. What is your opinion of her?”

Tesla put a finger to her lips in a reflective expression. “To be honest, I don’t quite trust her.”

“And the reasons being?”

“She’s too guarded, stiff, secretive, and though it might just be me, a little unfriendly. I’ve never actually seen her smile genuinely.”

“Oh?”

Tesla nodded as emphasis. “Yep, it’s true. All the while, her expressions look strange, as if they were forced from her. Her smile is not … a smile, and neither are her laughter and cries. I don’t know how to explain it, they just seem … fake.”

“Well, probably.”

“And her background, have you seen it?”

“I have.”

“It’s a little clipped and bare, don’t you think?”

“Mind explaining?” Aurion asked with interest in his voice.

“Uhm,” Tesla said slowly. “Her profile is good and all, but it’s too … natural, perfect.”

“Maybe she has a natural and perfect life.”

“Doubtful. No life is perfect.”

“Well said,” Aurion praised.

“Thanks, but anyway, I don’t know, it’s a little suspicious. I’ve read through it several times, and it gets stranger every time.”

“Are you sure you’re not hallucinating things?”

“Definitely not!” Tesla objected. “It’s … it’s instinct!”

“Instinct?” Aurion said. “I’ve never heard you use instinct in these instances before. You’ve always been analytical and calculative.”

Tesla grappled for words. “True, but that doesn’t mean that I’ll not use it. All women do.”

“Women?” Aurion asked mildly, his expression sly. “Are you even sure that—”

“Oh, fine!” Tesla said, throwing her arms up in exasperation. “Call it what you want, but I’m definitely not hallucinating. The captain’s profile is filled with as little information as possible and made to look unobtrusive, that’s what I think.”

“I think I can see it your way,” Aurion concurred.

“That’s what I think of her,” she concluded. She continued grudgingly, “One thing that I cannot dispute, though, is that she’s extremely intelligent. And rather ingenious, I might add.”

“A praise, coming from you, Tesla?” Aurion mocked.

“I’m only stating facts,” Tesla countered. “My eyes almost popped out when I saw her examination results. They’re … incredible.”

“Let’s see, if I remember correctly, she passes everything with an average score of 350 and above, didn’t she?”

Tesla nodded. “That’s higher than even the Wolkenritter in some areas, though she seemed rather weak in things that require physical contacts and senses. Her close combat capabilities are mostly reflexive and intuitive. At one time, she cut herself with a training sword when she was trying to riposte. She might have sheared her hand off if she did not turn her hand around. She also failed a blind-folded test that necessitated her to feel objects around her. I don’t know why.”

“Ah, that, I think I remember,” Aurion said, nodding.

“Her accomplishments in other fields, though, are outstanding. I’ve never thought that she is so good with law and mechanics that she is granted honorary licenses to practice.”

Aurion smiled. “Remarkable young lady, she is.”

“Oh, and did you hear how she managed to restore Subaru?”

“Yes. Apparently, she performed a very complex endoscopic surgery for her, so to say. Using silvyrn strings, I heard.”

Tesla nodded. “It’s amazing. She controlled those strings into areas that cannot be accessed without causing Subaru further complications and treated her from there. Hayate told me that she could not imagine such things being done.”

“Well, practically, it’s possible, but extremely difficult. A person needs to be able to control the process from within the patient’s body in this kind of surgery, and fine strings are the most suited for this task. Since most medical doctors aren’t exceptional mages for this, they can’t do it. Although laser might've done the same thing, a person’s ability determines the outcome. Shamal might be able to.”

“How did she repair those broken parts?”

“As far as I know, Leona is able to channel Mana into the strings. She can do a lot of things with the strings this way, like cutting away tangles, soldering, and acting as her arms to hold and grip. It also functions as an endoscope, allowing her to see the internal conditions,” Aurion explained.

“That’s astounding!” Tesla exclaimed.

“That, it does,” Aurion said, chuckling. “She’s the first in medical history to have actually done it, I dare say.”

“Well, maybe. But, her disposition isn’t exactly likable, so I don’t know. She seems to be hiding a lot of things.”

“Everybody does.”

“Erm … well … yeah, but not like her.”

“Perhaps she needs time to adjust. She’s not too close with all of you, after all,” Aurion supplied.

“Depends, if she changes,” Tesla said.

“Or you change your perception,” Aurion added.

“Fine, one way or the other.”

“Right,” Aurion said. “Your perception is as sharp as ever, I see.”

“Of course,” Tesla beamed.

“Well, that’s that, I guess,” Aurion continued. “Oh, by the way …”

“What is it this time?” Tesla asked irritably. “You’re asking an awful lot of question.”

“72:63,” Aurion said simply. His eyes were fixed to the screen, a triumphant smile on his lips.

“What do you …” Then, Tesla’s eyes bulged. She pulled back to the screen, and then cried disbelievingly, “NO! This cannot be!” A large ‘You have been defeated!’ prompt was displayed.

“I’m afraid it can. You were so engrossed that you didn’t move at all, so I destroyed your base rather easily.”

“OSSAN!”

Spoiler for Scene IX:

[Room 254, Cranagan Hospital, Cranagan City] [January 29th, MC 081] [1047 hours]

A faint drizzle had fallen in the morning hours. Then, the clouds had broken, and shafts of sunlight burst forth. One very fortunate ray had caught the droplets of water in a perfect angle, forming a luminous, multicolored arc across the sky. The rainbow was beautiful, magnified such by the shimmering white exterior of the hospital, and it seemed to radiate a vibrant, cheerful atmosphere in the vicinity.

In Room 254, two females were seated side-by-side, giggling and laughing at some point of their conversations. They seemed so happy, so comfortable, and so relaxed that passersby kept shooting curious glances at them when they crossed the open door of the room. At one time, the short-haired girl laughed so hard that everyone stopped momentarily to watch her. With great difficulty, she stifled her jubilance by clamping her mouth and mumbled a quick “Sorry” amidst spurts of muffled laughter. Her comic expression was so infectious that they could not help but smile as they resumed their journey.

“You know, I think I’ll being labeled as a freak before long if I keep myself close to you,” Ginga muttered disapprovingly. “You’re laughing too much that they should think you’ve some screws loose or something.”

“Aw,” Subaru pleaded, “it’s not like I was the only one laughing. You almost fell laughing on the floor just now when I told you about the old couple next door.”

“I did it inconspicuously,” Ginga said defensively, going pink in the cheeks.

“Yeah, right,” Subaru challenged. “As if the open door makes you any less conspicuous at all,” she said, pointing to the door.

“Fine, so I did,” Ginga conceded. “But, you draw attention like honey to bees.”

“They’re honeybees, I can’t do anything,” Subaru said mildly.

The two laughed again, and everything began all over. Subaru had recovered substantially from her terrible ordeal in the past two weeks, though there were still some parts that needed replacements. Mariel had promised that she would see to them as soon as possible, though the fastest would take possibly a month. Subaru was eager to be out of the hospital, but she understood Mariel’s difficulty, so she did not push it. Nevertheless, the news saddened her. Ginga, her sister, had been her pillar of support through the period, coming to visit her as often as possible, partly to alleviate her depression, and partly to keep her company. Genya had dropped by now and then, but his schedule was tight.

Ginga was peeling an apple, which she sliced into several smaller pieces. Then, she took one, and said, “Ah.” Subaru opened her mouth, and Ginga placed it gently into her mouth. Subaru bit it, and immediately mumbled, “Sweet!” Ginga smiled, then took another piece for her.

“You know,” Subaru said afterwards with her mouth still full, “you should let me try this myself.”

“Unfortunately, I cannot,” Ginga said. “Your arms are still recuperating. You can probably move them a little, but you cannot stress them too much. They’re rather delicate at this moment.”

Subaru looked sullen. “Well, I guess.”

“Don’t worry, Subaru, you’ll recover completely. I believe you will,” Ginga said encouragingly.

“I know,” Subaru said, “but this moment of helplessness is killing me. Teana and the rest are having a tough time, and yet I’m sitting here enjoying myself.” A faint hint of sadness passed her expression. “I want to help them.”

Ginga placed the apple slices into a small plate, then gently placed her hands on her shoulders. “I understand, Subaru, but in your condition, you’ll be of no help to them. You might even become a burden.”

Subaru went silent. As hard as she tried to deny it, Ginga spoke the truth. She could move, and walk, and perhaps hold something, but she was not completely in fighting form yet. Her response was still adjusting, and her fingers would disobey commands at times. To rush into a fight in this condition would be folly.

Ginga sighed. She knew her sister was stubborn even if she was understanding enough to heed advices. It was difficult for her to sit around in the hospital doing nothing, given her active and energetic disposition. She was always running around, smiling, laughing. Subaru had been in accidents before, yet she would still smile at the end of the day, muttering an apology. Perhaps the one time when Subaru had lost herself to depression was when she was captured by the Numbers and turned into her sister’s enemy. Ginga did not want to see Subaru sad again.

“Subaru,” Ginga said slowly.

“Yes, Gin-nee?” Subaru answered softly.

“I have something for you.”

Subaru turned around to look at her sister. “What is it?”

“It’s a surprise, so you need to close your eyes first,” Ginga said mysteriously.

“Why?” Subaru said, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“Don’t ask so much, Subaru. Just do it,” Ginga said again, her tone firm.

Subaru gave up. Ginga could be very serious when she meant it. And she was very curious on what Ginga had for her.

Very slowly, Ginga opened her fingers so as not to exacerbate the injury. Then, Subaru could feel something warm and silvery being placed on her open palm. What can it be? she asked herself. It feels strangely familiar … Then, her heart skipped a beat. Wait … could it be …?

Ginga closed Subaru’s hand, and then placed her hand over hers. Subaru could feel the bed shifted slightly as Ginga adjusted her position. “Subaru,” Ginga spoke again. “Open your eyes.”

Subaru did so, and was immediately overwhelmed. Her eyes were wide with disbelief, and she could feel tears gathered at the brim of her eyes. “Gin-nee …” she murmured.

Nakajima Ginga was stretched towards her sister, and at the point of connection, pressed her lips onto her forehead. Subaru could see the silky quality of her sister’s hair, smelled the scent of her sister’s body, felt the warmth emanating from her sister’s kiss. And the tears fell, one, two, then another.

“Gin-nee …” Subaru murmured again. No further words escaped from her lips.

Ginga remained in her position for a few more seconds—invaluable, precious seconds in Subaru’s mind—before she broke the contact. With slow deliberation, she said, “Subaru, my sister, I love you very much. I love you and father more than anything in this world.” Her voice became thick with emotions. “That’s why … please … don’t show such sad expressions. It breaks my heart every time I see you sad, depressed.”

“Gin-nee … I’m sorry …”

“No, don’t be. An apology is not needed,” Ginga said with a smile. “If you truly want to make up for it, then be strong. Be strong for your friends. Be strong for father and me. And most of all, be strong for yourself.”

Subaru could find no words to express herself, and she merely nodded, with the tears flowing freely down her cheeks. Ginga gently wiped them away. For a few moments, the two sat in silence, deep in their thoughts, sharing an invisible bond that existed only between the two sisters. Then, when she was satisfied, Ginga arose from her seat and walked slowly to the door.

Subaru immediately looked up. “Gin-nee, are you leaving?”

Ginga turned slightly and nodded. “I’d have loved to stay a little longer, Subaru, but I have duties as well.” Then, she resumed to walk to the door.

“Then, this is …”

“Be strong, Subaru,” Ginga repeated without turning around this time. “And when the time comes, your strength will embody mine as well,” she said, and then the door was closed.

As she disappeared, Subaru nodded confidently. “You bet I will, Gin-nee.”

On her palm was a necklace, its central jewel gleamed brightly with a fusion of purple and blue.

Right, that's about it.

*runs from Bluecheese-angry mobs*

[Liingo]

4!!! 4 posts!!!!!! Over 150k characters..................................

Hooly eek:

I'll get back to you in a while...

Edit:
Oh ho, Information stored away XD. Nice to meet you Jeremy Phoenix Flare

Right.. It's half an hour later and I'm not sure where I can start reviewing... (Isn't it sad to see your work that took so long to write read so quickly...)

Quick Re-read in progress to see if I can find anything to nit-pick on.....

The praise will be coming along shortly as well....

Edit2

Scene 2
So uh.. what exactly happened with Hayate and the wall of water.. While it's clear what she does when you read it, what exactly was it meant to do/ how did it work?

The scene between Signum/Hayate was well done. Good emotion there.

Scene 3
All that and it was only a bit over 1/4 of her reserves?

“These are certainly dangerous foes we’re facing,” Fate agreed. “It’s almost as if they understand a lot about wars and strategies, more than even some of us here,

Wars seems a little over the top to me... but I guess it works...Battles would have been description, although it doesn't really fit in the spot as well.

Interesting developments at the end there. We've been introduced to the general concept before, but good to see it in the storyline as well.

Scene 4
Argh, Another mysterious character. The puppet master perhaps.

Need sleep, will continue this tomorrow.... Night all.

[FieryAeon]

Originally Posted by LoweGear

When it comes to tsukkomi, Mayura is actually second best of the three girls. Julie would be the most likely person to whack Asagi or Mayura in the head

Although yes, getting hit by Mayura will most definitely HURT

Hmm...I pity Asagi then, as she'll probably get whacked all day long. Though I'm guessing Julie's tsukomi is the harisen type?

Originally Posted by LoweGear

At least you remembered one of the better Sentais

And yes, that attitude towards anime in general is maddening, though there are those rare dubs that are actually much better than the original Japanese... like Cowboy Bebop's

I avoid dubs like the plague, so I'll never know.

Originally Posted by LoweGear

And Julie's profile will come in due time

I get the feeling she'll be a real interesting character.

Originally Posted by LoweGear

... Which means... I'm being watched!

*cue Star Wars theme*

Originally Posted by LoweGear

Sorry to dissapoint, as it's nothing of the sort, at least not what you're thinking

But I think Ryotaro's still gonna like it

*runs*

*Remember Negima moments suddenly* Okay!

Originally Posted by LoweGear

Not everyday do you get a call for fanservice, so...

Spoiler for Hyper Cast Off?:

*runs*

*nosebleeds* Saiko da!

Originally Posted by Kha

I'll be borrowing Lowe's style of profiling with the Cleric-Knights. Thanks again!

CLERIC-KNIGHTS
Justicar Foy Rokker


Gosh I can't find his portrait...

Spoiler for Justicar Foy Rokker:

I’m here again.

[Thanks for your hard work.]

It’s nothing. I get peace here.

[Hehe… Level 7 Security Cleared. Call up file serial #0A6D23FB. Here you go.]

Thank you, Nadleeh. Updating changes now…

~~~~~~

Justicar Foy Rokker

If you didn’t know him well enough, Foy is a cold and calculated person that brutally cuts through the chase with both words and actions, sizing up new contacts in one glance and makes his judgment known there and then. This cold attitude to other humans was a possible result from being judged unreliable by many just because he was a self-regenerating android, or Reploid as these sentokijin are known.

In battle, Foy possesses remarkable resolve and swiftness, blasting away without even a hint of a flicker in his eye. And he always counts his cards, factoring in every detail quickly before taking action and ensuring the best result for the Light and himself.

But this wasn’t the real Foy. Inside, Fokker looks out for his friends even when he doesn’t seem to-

~~~~~~

Don’t interfere.

[But… It’s the truth!]

Nadleeh…

[No one will ever see this. Only us…]

Alright you win. And don’t coo like that!

[Hehe…]

~~~~~~

His friends and comrades are never far from his sensor range, and to stray off without letting him know often earns them a fierce rebuke. As such, Hiro and Foy are often at loggerheads over the former’s lone wolf habits making a mess out of VEDA’s plans. (VEDA knows Hiro’s gonna run off; it’s a cover for Foy’s worry.)

Due to his feminine appearance and matching hair, there have been many occasions where he’d be mistaken for a girl. Embarrassing for him, but a brutalized fate then awaits the mistaker. The other Justicars never let him off the hook in such situations.

~~~~~~

Nadleeh.

[Alright, alright. I’m starting on the history already.]

~~~~~~

History

Foy was first discovered in a TSAB raid on the administrated Rim World #93, current name Far Anti-Spinward Frontier. The TSAB then impounded and placed him under protective care at their main HQ where he would eventually meet Kha and Tiida. Kha and Foy clicked in a rather strange way, with both usually making silent conversations, but it was the latter that left a deep impression on him.

Tiida would visit Foy whenever he was at base. The older Lanstar taught the young android on the side the basics of ranged magic as to cheer the perpetually glum child, and that he’d learn how to operate his still undiscovered Inherent Skill as such skills often were related to shooting. That instead led to the discovery of his latent magical talent, which was mindboggling as he had no detectable Linker Core. Foy quickly learnt more ranged magics from Tiida, and was able to use some simple illusion magic.

When Tiida passed on adruptly, Foy was heart-broken, having lost the only family member he knew, and vowed to avenge his death. That lit the latent fires of retribution within, bringing his Divine Linker Core to life and becoming the first person after Kha to be discovered with the potential to be a Cleric-Knight.

Immediately scouted by Celestial Being, Foy was then transferred to the care of the Knight-Sisters of the Sankt Alexei Convent were they taught him whatever they knew of Divine magic control. The plan was that he, Gimmy and Kha would eventually team up and train together to become paladins close to the original battle-brothers of the Cleric-Knights chapter.

Nanoha/Cente Gravia

Foy would meet the fiery and reckless Gimmy when he turned 15 at the start of the Pilgrim Duels. Kha would lead the clampdown using a new custom-made Grade Terminator Strike, catching the android’s interest in the Grade Terminator armor and driving him to work even harder to earn his way out of his Aegis Armor. Gimmy and Foy worked on the sidelines to the main events, something they’d call the Hidden Pilgrim Duels.

Their first break came when Kha was “KIA” and the Libram fell into the care of Fate T. Hallaoun. Gimmy and Foy fought side-by-side with Fate at the open battlegrounds around the sanctum of the Opel Mages, leading a charge that broke Fate into the inner grounds almost at the cost of their own lives. Kha returned, granted both boys Librams of their own, and with their new powers kicked the daemonic summons of the Opel Mages and the minions of Charlotte Aznabelle back to the depths from which they came in a massive explosion of manly spirit and hotblood.

~~~~~~

[Hehe…]

What?

[It brings back a lot of fun memories. I liked you better then.]

…

[]

~~~~~~

Rebuilt for StrikerS

The year is MC 0075. Justicar Foy Rokker has earned the right to don the Grade Terminator, and was assigned the then-vacant Virtue. With Virtue’s power, Foy intends to fill the big shoes left behind by “Tiera Erde” and ensure that the great man’s legacy would never be forgotten.

Powers

The unique thing about Foy is that his Nemesis Force Device is his entire body. As such, Foy is perfectly comfortable using any weapon or device, or even go bared-handed in his endless fight to bring justice. However, due to first Tiida’s and later Nanoha’s influence, Foy excels at ranged magics and focuses on gun-fu as his Belka combat specialization.

Grade Terminator Activation — At the yell of “Virtue, Frame On!” Foy summons the self-propelled plate armor from his Lunar Fold and suits up in a “digital wire-mesh” that is colored and solidified into reality.

Warp Magica, Scatter — This spreads a field of WM particles out of Virtue extends Nanoha's magical senses, helping her to find disturbances such as Jewel Seeds.

Warp Magica, Feed — This directs the Lanstar Bolters to direct a beam of raw Warp Magica particles at a nearby Warp Core, allowing the Grade Terminator to launch an even more powered up attack.

Defensive Abilities

Grade Terminator armor “Virtue” — a well-armored but slow and bulky Terminator-grade soulforged armor equipped with a Warp Core magical assist system. It covers Foy’s Inherent Equipment and carries a pair of ultra-heavy Lanstar Bolter turrets on its shoulders and a WM Bazooka. Foy’s personal device VF5 is plugged into the WM bazooka and functions as its hilt. Below is a photo clip of Foy fully suited up:

Spoiler for Clip:

Change Armor System — Virtue changes its external armor gears, adopting different characteristics. Knowledge of the other modes before due is classified Level 9.

Reactor Purge — This ability "detonates" Foy's outer Knight Armor to counteract an attack, a bind, or just jettison the excess cover, revealing Nadleen.

Nadleeh — The innermost layer of Virtue, the feminine, complete with Foy’s long hair flowing out of the closed helm, Inherent Equipment Nadleeh is released when Foy jettisons all of Virtue’s outermost layer armor. Nadleen’s power is that she amplifies the effectiveness of Foy’s IS Macro Dominator. Below is a photoclip of Foy activating Nadleeh:

Spoiler for Clip #2:

[ERROR 404]

Force Silhouette — A variation of Tiida's illusion magic that uses magical and scientific countermeasures to render Foy invisible when stationary.

Offensive Abilities

Crossfire Shooter — Foy's rapid-reaction attack magic, creating a number of magical energy balls usually spinning in a ring around the Lanstar Bolters prior to launch. The balls can be guided in the air, and sometimes the Knight will use this magic to attack the target from the rear.

Shoot Barret — The heavier blind-fire magical round launched from the Lanstar Bolters in Jormundgand mode. Fired in 2s, or sequentially, or all 4 at once.

Divine Buster — As taught by Nanoha, Foy fires the classic particle attack from WM Bazooka.

Divine Buster Extension — Divine Buster powered up and fired from the extended WM Bazooka.

Inherent Skill: Macro Dominator

Foy has the innate ability to manipulate individual electrons, much like Uno’s IS, but his system makes in an offensive manner, allowing him to hack into electrical systems and suppress, even take over, its activities. This can even affect sentokijin, allowing him to forcibly paralyze them. Hence the name, Macro Dominator.

At a lower level, Foy uses a lower output of his IS to interface with VEDA and make adjustments or read predictions or files.

However, due to the permitivity of free space, this IS naturally has a very low penetrance. Foy can only hack into things he is in contact with. To make his IS more practical, Nadleeh was built using parts cannibalized from the wrecked Virtue to amplify his IS’s range and power by several times. This allowed him to pin down 2 ERW with just his will, until Uno intervened.

Cleric-Knight class skills

Foy has access to these skills detailed here.

~~~~~~

That last bit was rather cheap. VEDA has too many cross-links already.

[Well... Just 4 more doesn't hurt~~]

I can never win an argument with you cooing like that. But something surprised me.

[What?]

You never mentioned yourself, apart from the armor I wear.

[That's because... I am a part of you... ]

Hmph...








Prinny: "What's with that sick grin on your face?"

Foy: !!! Prinny?! GIMMY!!!

Prinny: [Foy is shocked! Foy is shocked!]

Foy: Gimmy! Get your robot out of VEDA now!

Gimmy: "You only said I wasn't allowed in there, and Prinny can project my voice. Besides, I heard you were updating our files."

Foy: Might as well get to yours then. Now where is it... (adjusts spectacles)

Foy is... a little confused?

Looking for more pictures to patch this file up. Its in pieces.

Comments & Criticisms even flames welcome!

Ideas too, because I'm a little brain-jammed and I might have forgotten something.

I think my brain just exploded as well. Everything looks alright to me, except the armor part. I certainly hope it doesn't look exactly like that. What's with the error 404 anyway?

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

Do they eat Aurion-brand products for breakfast?

Aurion cereals?

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

Oh, something along that line, though not as explicit. *cough*

And I'll probably be using the new format for the split. Makes it easier, I think.

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

Which is good!

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

Well, eventually your curiosity will be satisfied, but before that, you're supposed to hang on to your chair anticipating what comes next. That's probably what makes books sell, anyway.

True. I've waited for Code Geass R2 for over half a year. Waiting a month or 2 for 25k words doesn't sound too bad in comparison.

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

Yep, probably tonight.

I'll read it tomorrow then. Halfway through and still plugging through Goose's and Kagerou's oneshots. Then I also read a lot of manga in the office when I'm free, and things have been a bit quiet lately. They say its because of the elections over in the US, though I wonder how much that actually affects things.

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

I don't know about genre listing, but yeah, it's a synopsis of what to expect, similar to what Nighty writes back then. Or it can be an overall view, without all the mysterious mumbo-jumbo. Decisions, decisions ...

Well a plot synopsis would work then.

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

Gosh, I got trapped by Hayate at that exact same moment when she said "P-please be gentle." Someone help me!

You're on your own. We're just as trapped.

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

What kind of treatment is the poor dog wolf getting? Don't worry, I'll save you some grace (much, much later)!

Wolf? Which wolf? jk

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

Ack, that's scary stuff! I'm guessing that Vita comes rushing through with Graf Eisen in Destruction Mode, bent on crushing Aurion into pancake.

Human goo sounds more possible.

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

Hypertyping Mode, engaged!

I really think I should copy this skill. How much time do you spend writing everyday anyway? And have you finish watching the Shakugan no Shana DVDs I lend you?

Originally Posted by Keroko

I did some research into Archerko after this, and YES PLEASE! Certain typical F/SN H4XX abillities will need to be worked on, but the character? Bring her into the OC!

More people who appreciate the wonders of Archer-ko.

Originally Posted by Keroko

We'd laugh at the silliness.

My eyes would spin wildly, if it could.

Originally Posted by USB500

WDF?

KHA!! YOU DARE TAINT THIS THREAD WITH THIS BLASPHEMY???? THIS CALLS FOR MY ALMIGHTY GOD FINGER!!!!



Oh, wait. I'll just counterattack with this instead.

Spoiler for Ready for action!:

USB500 watches as Exia-tan pwns Kha with her Seven Swords of Heavens skill.

Gundam musume!

Originally Posted by USB500

Spoiler for space-saving:

N: alright. What are we supposed to do now?
F: didn't Faye tell us to help her reorganizing the Wind Talkers' file?
N: isn't that work best done by Yuuno instead?
F: *shrugs and starts browsing the database* I don't know. Hmm? What's this file?
N: the curiosity is killing. Let's check it out.

*double-clicks the file -- or rather, web link, and it takes them to a webpage of one of Wind Talkers' member*

------------

WIND TALKER FILE #124312
HIKKI KOKURABUJI

INTRRODUCTION

Spoiler for space:

Hikki Kokurabuji is among the latest people to join the Time-Space Administrative bureau, taking charge as the bureau’s Tactical Instructor before absorbed into the special operation unit Wind Talkers. He’s frequently seen walking around alone, although he does, and always, have company in form of his Unison Device Widuri.

Hikki is best described as a “nonchalant, often ignorant youth who appreciates nothing but his own life”. This holds true whenever he doesn’t have anything significant in his daily schedules, but for those who have known him up close and personal he can be quite concerned of the person’s welfare. Since he’s a married man, Hikki also takes part in looking after children and is very fond of befriending younger generations.

Hikki is known to have the ability of playing the base after listening to a music only once. He enjoys playing with his Rickenbacker 4001 bass guitar and sometimes listens to music whenever he can.

Hikki is among the few people to survive Caro lu Rushe’s (and subsequently, Liana’s) health drinks, even commenting them to “taste like chocolate” much to his colleagues’ horror. He also has the weird tendency of getting caught in the act with his colleagues whether it’s intentional or not.

---------------------

N: he actually likes those health drink?
F: “it reminds me of my family”. That's what he told me when I asked him.
N: that's a reasonable excuse. Come on. Let's read some more.

---------------------

HISTORY

Spoiler for space:

----------------------

Both:
N: okay, that was a surprise.

----------------------

POWERS

Spoiler for space:

A user of the thought-extinct Narulian magic, Hikki’s area of expertice doesn’t revolve around his ability to use magic spells but instead he utilizes direct fighting techniques based on numerous fighting schools he has learned throughout his past years as a street fighter. His in-battle ability mostly relies on harnessing his element of wind in his fighting techniques, which according to Armstrong, resembles to that of the former South Town crime lord Geese Howard. Taking this into consideration, he’s classified as a Knight rather than a Mage.

Hikki is also recognized as the only surviving Chronomancer, a member of the tribe with the same name that was once feared for their ability to control and manipulate time, therefore making them a formidable opponent in combat. However, since his Linker Core has yet to recover following a dreaded duel with his father that left him internally crippled, Hikki’s time-manipulation ability is restricted.

Hikki posseses a Unison Device named Widuri, but she (author’s note: like Reinforce Zwei, Widuri takes the form of a young woman wearing shrine maiden uniform) seldom sees direct action as she’s designed for ability support and enhancement. Sometimes, however, whenever necessary she will participate in close combat. Her actual function is to “unite” with Hikki when he needs to use the Art of Whistling Gale, acting to boost his defensive and offensive attributes.

Defensive Abilities

Spoiler for space:

Barrier Jacket
Click to see picture. Description is below the link.
It is not just a flasy costume but also refers to an invisible defensive field generated by the costume, reducing or eliminating any serious injury from events such as an impact with a building.

Fortress
Hikki’s first spell, this is Widuri’s automatic guard magic and can deflect attacks from all directions although it’s easily penetrated by stronger attacks.

Cyclone Shield
A powerful barrier magic that can endure prolonged attack. Like its name suggests, it can only guard in one direction.

Strings of Gleipnir
A strong binding-type magic that prevents target from moving. Its name is adapted from the chains used to bind Fenrir, the wolf of Norse mythology.

Bind Break
Hikki tempts to deactivate a binding or imprisoning spell. The amount of time required to deactivate depends on the complexity of the target magic.

Offensive Abilities

Spoiler for space:

Reppuken & Double Reppuken
Basic projectile attack. It is powerful enough to neutralize any “missile”-type attacks, and can be fired many times.

Reppuken Delayed Attack
This is a delayed (or “charged”) version of the above attack, and may be used to increase damage rating.

Reppuken Feint
This is not exactly an actual attack, but rather a mock-up of the ‘tossing’ movement without actually firing the projectile. This technique is very best used in mind game, often forcing an opponent to make a guess on the next attack.

Crescent Storm
Basic area-of-affect attack. Hikki slams his palms into the ground and unleashes powerful sonic booms from the depth of the Earth. The storm may sometime cage the caster inside, absorbing any attack directed at him.

Deadly Rave
Hikki first concentrates his strength into his knuckles, before he assaults the opponent with a long, powerful combination of attacks, which finishes with a gigantic Reppuken. This is his best “normal” attack but he easily gets tired by the expense of Linker Core supply.

Plasma Lancer
Learned from Fate, Hikki adjusts the attack so that it fires gale arrows instead of lightning bullets. Like the original namesake, it has the ability to turn at Hikki’s command should it miss.

--------------------------
N: Fate-chan, when did you teach him Plasma Lancer?
F: didn't you remember? Last week, when Ojiichan told us to help him with his advanced training? ...don't tell me you forgot.
N: I did not! I was too busy helping Anna-chan with her spells.
F: didn't you think his Barrier Jacket looks too... plain?
N: who are you to comment on his dress? At least we're not Hayate.

*both pause, then silently laugh at the thought of Hayate "begging" Hikki to wear her homemade costume*

F: okay. Seriously, both of them are cosplay freaks.
N: okay, okay. Hey, we've gotta finish reading this.

--------------------------

LIMITER BREAK
THE ART OF WHISTLING GALE

Spoiler for space:

The Art of Whistling Gale is an ancient form of self-defence art that allows its user to harness the power of the wind and uses it in his or her fighting styles. It is different from other similar wind-based schools for the inclusion of “union” ability, unique to Narulian Gale Whistlers, allowing a Gale Whistler to greatly enhance his/her fighting ability after “uniting” with his or her Device.

During Unison, Widuri dissolves into the air and fuses onto Hikki’s body as a full-bodied armour Warrior Monk (the dress itself is called Storm Armour). In this form, he gains access to Art of Whistling Gale’s most powerful techniques and can hold himself out in a prolonged battle due to extra armours.

It is duly noted, however, that this form lasts only for 8 minutes, hence it is rarely performed except under critical condition.

Fata Morgana
This spell gives Hikki the increased agility rate. When it reaches its highest level, Hikki appears to create “alter-images” as he travels around the battlefield. It is also used to temporarily boost his movement in emergency, and when used in conjunction with a melee attack, the resulting explosion is called a “Dynamic Crash”.

Time Halt
Hikki opens a counterattack stance and stuns the opponent (or “freezes”) upon contact. It is categorized as a “binding”-type magic but requires a successful physical attack to be reversed, and since it’s restrictly a reversal it is best used in counterattack.

Faint
Also known as “Dead in Mind”, it is a follow-up move from Time Halt and can only be performed when the reversal succeeds. Immediately after successful connect, Hikki “dissolves” into the air and reappears around the target before delivering multitudes of kicks and punches until the target either succumbs or is destroyed.

Squall Breaker
A powerful point-blank strike, this physical “Breaker”-class ability is divided into three level of power:

• Squall Breaker Alpha: it can break through barrier and protection spells to deliver massive physical damage onto target. The weakest of all Squall Breakers it can, however, be repeatedly executed in successions.
• Squall Breaker Advance Shift: more powerful than Squall Breaker Alpha, its purpose is to destroy force fields, binding magic (in case Bind Break fails) and illusions. Roughly on par with Fate’s Plasma Zamber without the “extend” properties.
• Squall Breaker Unlimited Discharge: the most powerful of all forms, it is unlocked after Hikki shouts “hissatsu!” and channels all energy into his fist to form an “all-or-nothing” punch. Then he pounces at the target and shouts “BREAK OUT!” as he lands the punch. This is the only known melee attack that can counterattack “particle beam”-type attacks, and has the highest barrier-nullifying properties.

Deadly Rave EXS
A more powerful version of the Deadly Rave, this version has the attribution where the attack’s strength increases ten folds on each successful hit. Hikki ends the attack with a finishing punch that looks like Squall Breaker.

The Whistling Gale
Unique to Hikki, this “Instant Kill” is a unique ability that harnesses both the force of the wind with Widuri’s Chronograph circuit to “reset” a target, therefore “erasing” it from existence. This requires the expense of all magic circuits as well as collecting and recycling residual magical energy left over by previous attacks and dispearsed in combat airspace. Then Hikki charges at the target and zips around it in frantic fashions before ending up behind the target, usually in a kneeling position. The attack usually ends with the phrase “…can you hear it? The voice of a whistling gale?” before he snaps the fingers. Subsequently the so-called “gale ribbons” start razing the enemy before disintegrating it into tiny pieces.

Both:
N: so this is the whistling gale.
F: well, we never see him actually using one in combat. Though I am curious about the "union" part.
N: don't tell me....

*both are silent. Then their face burn greatly at the thought of the "union"*

N: come on, Fate-chan! Elisa-san is waiting at the counter.
F: *closes the Flamefox browser* okay, I'm done. Let's get-
Hk: I SEE WHAT YOU DID THAR!
N/F:
N: don't startle us like that, mou!
F: what are you doing here?
Hk: just happened to pass by the library when Elisa dragged me in. So yeah. I'm here to help. And what were you two doing at the database corner?
N/: *quickly pushes him away from the PC* nothing! We just got warmed up. Right, Fate-chan?
F: right, right!
Hk: I smell a terrible conspiracy between you...

So yeah. Lyrical of Time's going to receive some overhauls here and there. Comments and/or anything are welcome.

P/S: that appearance was supposed to be Hikki's original design when I first created him.

My brain is frozen....

More 404? I must admit I also had the impression this Hikki is set in another timeline. Approve everything so far. Though I think you might have to tone down the power level on the Whistling Gale a bit. Or at least give it some drawbacks or something. As it stands, its a little haxxed.

Originally Posted by LoweGear

That has a very strange image in my head for some reason...

...

Lucky Aurion having three young girls for breakfast

*runs from Triple Rider Kick*

I think he meant Aurion brand cereals or something. Though Belkarangers cereals sound mighty interesting too. In fact, Asagi's company could move open a branch into the food and beverage industry.

Edit: OMFG JEREMY! Why you nuke the thread so soon!? *faints*

[LoweGear]

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

Okay, everyone, find your shelter quickly! Bluecheese Nuke detected!

Spoiler for The story thus far ...:

Five years after the Jail Scaglietti Incident, Knight Carim Gracia of the Saint Church unveiled a dire warning that foretold of Mid-childa’s destruction using her power, Profeitin Shrifti.

A mysterious group of powerful individuals was searching for the Jewels of the Star, nine dangerous Lost Logia that equaled three Jewel Seeds each. The first encounter between Teana and Subaru with the mysterious group ended with Subaru suffering from a grievous injury that left her dying. Though Teana managed to seek treatment for her best friend in time, Subaru would probably no longer be able to join the Armed Forces.

Chrono and the Aces were told of the puzzling warning by Knight Carim, and the arrival of an Intelligence officer, Leona, and her company confirmed part of the information that they had. Still, there was too little information to confirm anything else. In light of the event, Chrono negotiated with Leonidas von Khrull, the new Lieutenant-General, and after completely overwhelming him, was permitted to form Escutcheon, the external force to deal with the strange group. Leona’s group was also enlisted to fill the frontline.

The first attack came almost immediately, and Chrono ordered the strangers to be apprehended. At that time, Leona came down seriously ill, and was harshly ordered by Chrono to step down as captain temporarily. Something seemed to be going on between Leona and Chrono, a secret that was known only to the two of them.

During the fight, one of the strangers, a man called Grandia Estrediel Paladien, was caught by surprise by Signum and Teana. Yet, he managed to escape by summoning Minions to his aid, magical black hounds that could replicate when damaged. Signum and Tesla gave Grandia a chase, which brought them to a clearing in the forest where Grandia offered to duel Signum, which she accepted. Meanwhile, Kratos and his comrades managed to defeat the Minions after a tough, exhausting confrontation. Hayate told them that a massive energy was detected from the dam and was heading there.

The duel between Signum and Grandia continued with no clear victor. Then, at the last moment, Grandia used a technique in which he attacked with five flaming dragons. Yet, it had been a ruse to cover his escape. Nearby, Grandia’s sister manipulated the weather, summoning heavy rain to fall and unleashing a torrential burst of water as her offensive. The flame dragons were extinguished, forming a thick cloud of smoke and fire, thus allowing Grandia to slip away.

At the final moment, Signum attacked with Sturm Falke, only to be greeted by Sharazad's raging wave. It would have consumed both she and Tesla had Hayate not arrived at the critical time and shielded the three of them. Yet, it was too much for Hayate to bear, and her shield weakened rapidly.

What was the fate of them three, facing the furious wrath of nature, with no apparent way to escape?

Stay tuned for Chapter Six to know the details!

Okay, that was cheap, but it summarizes everything up till now for those that have not read it from the start.

Now ... for the real meat.

Chapter Six—Burden of the Past

So I just read all 9 chapters of BLUECHEESIUM and...

...

...

...

Why is this made out of

SUPREME EPICNESS?!?!?!






For the life of me, I still can't imagine how you could write so many elements and scenarios together in such a vividly descriptive and poetic manner... from GARyate showing off her true power, to Grandis saved from the brink, to Leona's inner thoughts and explanations on feelings (glad that one paid off), Aurion's dealings with Leona (almost like he's hitting on her initially ) and Tesla (who once again LOSES ), and the most poignant and touching Subaru/Ginga moment I've seen, especially in the ending, and...

Ouf of all the characters though, I think Signum really took the cake for this story with many of the chapters devoted to her awesomeness even when she's not fighting

Truly, Well Done BLUECHEESIUM EPIC

Originally Posted by Kha

Need I mention that Darry has several Prinnies by her side all the time...?

*dodges shot as well*

Ah, like the siscon he is

Originally Posted by Kha

Who yelled Kha season?!

KHA SEASON!!!!!

*runs*

Originally Posted by FieryAeon

Hmm...I pity Asagi then, as she'll probably get whacked all day long. Though I'm guessing Julie's tsukomi is the harisen type?

More like... baseball bat type

Don't worry, it's the one that says "I love you" when it hits

*cookie for ref*

Originally Posted by FieryAeon

I think he meant Aurion brand cereals or something. Though Belkarangers cereals sound mighty interesting too. In fact, Asagi's company could move open a branch into the food and beverage industry.

Aurion-flavored Cereals?

*dodges Proton Cannon*



On that last line...

Oh, you have no idea

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

Originally Posted by tshouryuu

Here's an actual quote "These included seven dimensional incidents, four of which had class SS+ level magical explosions that rocked TSAGCOM itself."
Let me put it this way, he gets off scott-free when he causes multiple dimensional incidents and yet Precia Testarossa was exiled for causing one mid scale dimensional incident.

How the heck is it not haxx?

It isn't haxx because he's doing sanctioned test force testing, the test went south, and he got blasted. His difining character trait IS to cause a sort of murphy's law chain reaction and come out of it reletively unharmed.

His equipment is even worse. Its everything I don't want my E.V.A device to become... I'm in despair every time I see it. Although to be fair, I think mine is rather haxxed in defense.

If they're stupid enough to kill themselves, then they deserve to die. True any weapon can be abused but the various devices are a bit more difficult to abuse then your weapon.

I see you are not trained at all.
So if we ever meet, I will take you to a range, I will let you fire an M-16.
If it happens to missfire, I will simply stand asside and let YOU figure out what's wrong until this happens:

Spoiler for You desserved it, didn't you?:

And after you have nearly blown your face off from a double feed that occured just like in that video, I will ask you to repeat what you have said here.

Those kids are intelligent enough to have gone through the usual jam followup. The only mistake was not checking the chamber to see if there was still a round when they tried to fire over and over again, recocked the weapon, and tried to fire again.

Originally Posted by Jeff Cooper

"It has been baldly stated that there is nothing to marksmanship but pressing the trigger when the sights are aligned. This is true. It is also true that there is nothing to playing the piano but hitting the right keys at the right time."

So think about it.

It was my belief that Raising Heart (this is the name is the correct one i believe) is intelligent enough to allow Nanoha to bypass the password lock. I mean, look at the situation... for example if you're a soldier with a rifle and a suicide bomber is almost within blast range of you, is the officer beside you going to insist that you go through all the various checks and such before allowing you to fire?

In real life, I agree that an easy to use weapon is critical, but this isn't real life.
And you're treading way too close to that line for comfort.

"I'm a DONKEY on the EDGE!" [/Eddie Murphy]

Fine? Right.... its as fine as Kha is normal. See my response to Kagerou.

Your honor, the defense rests. *Litterally. I keep waking up early and responding. I need to STOP.*

[PhoenixFlare]

Originally Posted by Liingo

4!!! 4 posts!!!!!! Over 150k characters..................................

Hooly eek:

I'll get back to you in a while...

Edit:
Oh ho, Information stored away XD. Nice to meet you Jeremy Phoenix Flare

HOLY MOTHER OF *expletive*! How in the world did you know ...?!

Originally Posted by Liingo

Right.. It's half an hour later and I'm not sure where I can start reviewing... (Isn't it sad to see your work that took so long to write read so quickly...)

Quick Re-read in progress to see if I can find anything to nit-pick on.....

The praise will be coming along shortly as well....

Actually, quite the opposite. When you write, you relish in writing it. When you read, you find pleasure in finishing it. I guess that goes both way. So, no, it's all right.

Originally Posted by Liingo

Edit2

Scene 2
So uh.. what exactly happened with Hayate and the wall of water.. While it's clear what she does when you read it, what exactly was it meant to do/ how did it work?

The scene between Signum/Hayate was well done. Good emotion there.

You mean Calamity Wall? It's explained before, but I'll just bring it over here. Calamity Wall is meant as a one-shot defensive spell, which means that it stays there the time you summoned it until it depletes or breaks or dispelled. There's no need to continuously channel Mana to keep it there. Panzers are active and it requires you to maintain concentration to deploy it (at least, that's what I thought they are). So, although Calamity Wall is weaker than most layered Panzers (and obviously much weaker than a single Panzer Festung), it frees the caster from concentrating too much on defense and allows him/her to use other spells.

If you mean why the water didn't come rushing in the moment the spell breaks, it was described in a slow motion . Hayate's Sting of Truth is around S for speed, which covered the distance between she and Sharazad in the space of probably a second.

And thanks, Signum is one of the most difficult canon characters to capture properly, to be honest. <.<

Originally Posted by Liingo

Scene 3
All that and it was only a bit over 1/4 of her reserves?

Wars seems a little over the top to me... but I guess it works...Battles would have been description, although it doesn't really fit in the spot as well.

Interesting developments at the end there. We've been introduced to the general concept before, but good to see it in the storyline as well.

Uhm, I don't quite remember where I got the information from, but it was said that Hayate's reserves are around 8M (don't ask me why the large scale). So, if it drained about 2M, that's quite a lot. Or maybe, I'm just paranoid about the numbers.

Edit: Whoops, on re-reading, it was a typo, it's supposed to be "three-eighth". *edits*

Originally Posted by Liingo

Scene 4
Argh, Another mysterious character. The puppet master perhaps.

Need sleep, will continue this tomorrow.... Night all.

Uh, maybe more surprises await.

Originally Posted by FieryAeon

I avoid dubs like the plague, so I'll never know.

Interestingly, so do I.

Originally Posted by FieryAeon

Aurion cereals?

Most delicious.

Originally Posted by FieryAeon

You're on your own. We're just as trapped.

Guess we're going to be here for a very long time ...

Originally Posted by FieryAeon

Wolf? Which wolf? jk

Shafted again.

Originally Posted by FieryAeon

Human goo sounds more possible.

To quote a scene from CJ7, "Aurion's quite stretchable".

Originally Posted by FieryAeon

I really think I should copy this skill. How much time do you spend writing everyday anyway? And have you finish watching the Shakugan no Shana DVDs I lend you?

Go ahead, it's free.

And I don't spend quite as much time writing as I did previously. Presentation is coming up soon, and we need to prepare. Probably about 2 - 3 hours, more when there's free time, which is rare these days.

And I didn't quite finish it, though they're already burned into my own DVDs.

Originally Posted by FieryAeon

Edit: OMFG JEREMY! Why you nuke the thread so soon!? *faints*

So, you're the culprit!

Originally Posted by LoweGear

So I just read all 9 chapters of BLUECHEESIUM and...

...

...

...

Why is this made out of

SUPREME EPICNESS?!?!?!






For the life of me, I still can't imagine how you could write so many elements and scenarios together in such a vividly descriptive and poetic manner... from GARyate showing off her true power, to Grandis saved from the brink, to Leona's inner thoughts and explanations on feelings (glad that one paid off), Aurion's dealings with Leona (almost like he's hitting on her initially ) and Tesla (who once again LOSES ), and the most poignant and touching Subaru/Ginga moment I've seen, especially in the ending, and...

Ouf of all the characters though, I think Signum really took the cake for this story with many of the chapters devoted to her awesomeness even when she's not fighting

Truly, Well Done BLUECHEESIUM EPIC

Oh dear, you're fast!

And maraming salamat (er, I can't remember if it's the correct one, so forgive me if it isn't)!

Hayate is expected to be GAR, ever since we've fallen for her raccoon-ness awesomeness some time ago, courtesy of Aaron's relentless promotion.

Grandia, I have no idea how it came out that way, though it works rather fine, I must say. Plot-driven enough to introduce some new people, the Magi.

Clairsentient resonance is everyone's contribution, so the credit's not mine alone.

Aurion's hitting talk with Leona is an award-winning idea sent by Aaron.

Aurion with Tesla is probably the most unique, I didn't plan on the game part until I asked Aaron about the score.

Subaru-Ginga is probably the most satisfactory in the chapter for me, I think it's proper. That said, let's not get some strange ideas with the sisters, shall we?

Signum, though, I'll leave it for you all to decide. As a canon character, she's subject to public perception. Still, thanks for the compliment, it means a lot. *self-esteem raises a fraction for Signumeter*

Originally Posted by LoweGear

Aurion-flavored Cereals?

*dodges Proton Cannon*



On that last line...

Oh, you have no idea

You know, it's got me thinking ...

Is the Colwell going to sell food and beverage? That'll save some problem about order placements in the cafeteria, which can be pretty problematic at times.

Hayate: Waiter, one Colwell Super Salacious Sentai-Powered Cola please!

Waiter: Hai!

[Erio]

Originally Posted by LoweGear

To tell the truth, yeah SPD is one of those better Ranger titles. Although it being based of Dekaranger probably helps score points

I actually saw one of those Dekaranger clips, and still thought SPD was better. Of course, the fact that I was used to SPD helped a lot.

Yup, the Belkarangers are no longer TSAB when Gwen meets them. They'll be SGS then

OK, that's perfect then.

More like emotional assistance and support actually

Though not THAT kind of emotional support

*runs*

I wonder who wouldnt want to give Ginga some emotional support....

Remember that full image of them I provided?



*runs*

And then, when they purge the underwe--

*is shot*

Originally Posted by Kha

That's just an exaggeration. It was a public awareness advertisement, so the wording was meant to be a little over the top.

And Gimmy, Foy and Hiro really never hold back when the Guilty are around...

Haha, I never thought about it as an advertisement until now. I now see what you're doing.

The canon timeline is a little blurred now, but yeah this set up should persist.

The Cleric-Knights chapter aren't very big. There's a current StrikerS total of about 1 page in training per AW, with Gimmy, Foy, Hiro and Taiyo being the only ones finished the basic training and most of the Trials. As Justicars, they assist Charlie and Kha with instruction if they are around.

Just FYI for those interested or notice something:

Spoiler for FYI RLY:

Kha bent the rules a little to assign them Grade Terminator plate armor, codenamed Exia, Dynames, Nadleen Virtue and Kyrios, because there wasn't enough time before Riot 6 was going to be set up.

I've got a little surprise for a local Baron in episode 2 or 3. We'll see how magical those Terminators are, as opposed to popular belief.

Hmm, in that case I may leave this portion of Gwen's profile open for when you come up with clearer ideas.

Originally Posted by FieryAeon

I think that was the idea behind her creation. She sure hits hard from the looks of the spell list. I bet a tsukomi from her would hurt like hell, and she seem to be the kind to fit that type of role.

Yeah. I wasnt complaining either. I already imagined Mayura fighting and it is sweet.

"I will teach you with your body!" (forgot where I heard it from. ) *runs*

I like where this is going.

Well when you stay up late to study about stuff like that, you're bound to get mighty confused.

Yeah, that's why I knew it was a misunderstanding. I may have done the same in the past.

Makes sense then. Though for barriers, I've always thought if being especially good at it makes any difference between power ranks. If it does, how much of a difference? Or will superior power rank always win cuz the mage can just pump more mana into a barrier or something?

Some food for thought.

I would say yes, since the more power the mage has, the more power she can channel on to her barrier.

However, a master of barriers would know other kinds of barriers, which may be more efficient or effective in different situations. Yuuno is a good example.

From Night Wizard.

Yes yes, I was thinking about her, but I wasnt sure. And I agree, she needs to be included.

Needs someone that can muddy the situation even more.

Keroko?

... OK, I'll stop nominating candidates now.

Originally Posted by Kha

Explosive crack everytime.

I'm still shopping Foy's portrait, and digging for good shots of Virtue and Nadleeh, but here's something to make things worse:

Spoiler for WTFFFFFFFF?!:

...
...
...

GIMMYXFOY?!?!?!?!?!

*brain explodes*

...
...
...

MY BRAIN!! GIVE IT BACK!!!

Originally Posted by USB500

===================

Spoiler for space-saving:

N: alright. What are we supposed to do now?
F: didn't Faye tell us to help her reorganizing the Wind Talkers' file?
N: isn't that work best done by Yuuno instead?
F: *shrugs and starts browsing the database* I don't know. Hmm? What's this file?
N: the curiosity is killing. Let's check it out.

*double-clicks the file -- or rather, web link, and it takes them to a webpage of one of Wind Talkers' member*

------------

WIND TALKER FILE #124312
HIKKI KOKURABUJI

INTRRODUCTION

Spoiler for space:

Hikki Kokurabuji is among the latest people to join the Time-Space Administrative bureau, taking charge as the bureau’s Tactical Instructor before absorbed into the special operation unit Wind Talkers. He’s frequently seen walking around alone, although he does, and always, have company in form of his Unison Device Widuri.

Hikki is best described as a “nonchalant, often ignorant youth who appreciates nothing but his own life”. This holds true whenever he doesn’t have anything significant in his daily schedules, but for those who have known him up close and personal he can be quite concerned of the person’s welfare. Since he’s a married man, Hikki also takes part in looking after children and is very fond of befriending younger generations.

Hikki is known to have the ability of playing the base after listening to a music only once. He enjoys playing with his Rickenbacker 4001 bass guitar and sometimes listens to music whenever he can.

Hikki is among the few people to survive Caro lu Rushe’s (and subsequently, Liana’s) health drinks, even commenting them to “taste like chocolate” much to his colleagues’ horror. He also has the weird tendency of getting caught in the act with his colleagues whether it’s intentional or not.

---------------------

N: he actually likes those health drink?
F: “it reminds me of my family”. That's what he told me when I asked him.
N: that's a reasonable excuse. Come on. Let's read some more.

---------------------

HISTORY

Spoiler for space:

----------------------

Both:
N: okay, that was a surprise.

----------------------

POWERS

Spoiler for space:

A user of the thought-extinct Narulian magic, Hikki’s area of expertice doesn’t revolve around his ability to use magic spells but instead he utilizes direct fighting techniques based on numerous fighting schools he has learned throughout his past years as a street fighter. His in-battle ability mostly relies on harnessing his element of wind in his fighting techniques, which according to Armstrong, resembles to that of the former South Town crime lord Geese Howard. Taking this into consideration, he’s classified as a Knight rather than a Mage.

Hikki is also recognized as the only surviving Chronomancer, a member of the tribe with the same name that was once feared for their ability to control and manipulate time, therefore making them a formidable opponent in combat. However, since his Linker Core has yet to recover following a dreaded duel with his father that left him internally crippled, Hikki’s time-manipulation ability is restricted.

Hikki posseses a Unison Device named Widuri, but she (author’s note: like Reinforce Zwei, Widuri takes the form of a young woman wearing shrine maiden uniform) seldom sees direct action as she’s designed for ability support and enhancement. Sometimes, however, whenever necessary she will participate in close combat. Her actual function is to “unite” with Hikki when he needs to use the Art of Whistling Gale, acting to boost his defensive and offensive attributes.

Defensive Abilities

Spoiler for space:

Barrier Jacket
Click to see picture. Description is below the link.
It is not just a flasy costume but also refers to an invisible defensive field generated by the costume, reducing or eliminating any serious injury from events such as an impact with a building.

Fortress
Hikki’s first spell, this is Widuri’s automatic guard magic and can deflect attacks from all directions although it’s easily penetrated by stronger attacks.

Cyclone Shield
A powerful barrier magic that can endure prolonged attack. Like its name suggests, it can only guard in one direction.

Strings of Gleipnir
A strong binding-type magic that prevents target from moving. Its name is adapted from the chains used to bind Fenrir, the wolf of Norse mythology.

Bind Break
Hikki tempts to deactivate a binding or imprisoning spell. The amount of time required to deactivate depends on the complexity of the target magic.

Offensive Abilities

Spoiler for space:

Reppuken & Double Reppuken
Basic projectile attack. It is powerful enough to neutralize any “missile”-type attacks, and can be fired many times.

Reppuken Delayed Attack
This is a delayed (or “charged”) version of the above attack, and may be used to increase damage rating.

Reppuken Feint
This is not exactly an actual attack, but rather a mock-up of the ‘tossing’ movement without actually firing the projectile. This technique is very best used in mind game, often forcing an opponent to make a guess on the next attack.

Crescent Storm
Basic area-of-affect attack. Hikki slams his palms into the ground and unleashes powerful sonic booms from the depth of the Earth. The storm may sometime cage the caster inside, absorbing any attack directed at him.

Deadly Rave
Hikki first concentrates his strength into his knuckles, before he assaults the opponent with a long, powerful combination of attacks, which finishes with a gigantic Reppuken. This is his best “normal” attack but he easily gets tired by the expense of Linker Core supply.

Plasma Lancer
Learned from Fate, Hikki adjusts the attack so that it fires gale arrows instead of lightning bullets. Like the original namesake, it has the ability to turn at Hikki’s command should it miss.

--------------------------
N: Fate-chan, when did you teach him Plasma Lancer?
F: didn't you remember? Last week, when Ojiichan told us to help him with his advanced training? ...don't tell me you forgot.
N: I did not! I was too busy helping Anna-chan with her spells.
F: didn't you think his Barrier Jacket looks too... plain?
N: who are you to comment on his dress? At least we're not Hayate.

*both pause, then silently laugh at the thought of Hayate "begging" Hikki to wear her homemade costume*

F: okay. Seriously, both of them are cosplay freaks.
N: okay, okay. Hey, we've gotta finish reading this.

--------------------------

LIMITER BREAK
THE ART OF WHISTLING GALE

Spoiler for space:

The Art of Whistling Gale is an ancient form of self-defence art that allows its user to harness the power of the wind and uses it in his or her fighting styles. It is different from other similar wind-based schools for the inclusion of “union” ability, unique to Narulian Gale Whistlers, allowing a Gale Whistler to greatly enhance his/her fighting ability after “uniting” with his or her Device.

During Unison, Widuri dissolves into the air and fuses onto Hikki’s body as a full-bodied armour Warrior Monk (the dress itself is called Storm Armour). In this form, he gains access to Art of Whistling Gale’s most powerful techniques and can hold himself out in a prolonged battle due to extra armours.

It is duly noted, however, that this form lasts only for 8 minutes, hence it is rarely performed except under critical condition.

Fata Morgana
This spell gives Hikki the increased agility rate. When it reaches its highest level, Hikki appears to create “alter-images” as he travels around the battlefield. It is also used to temporarily boost his movement in emergency, and when used in conjunction with a melee attack, the resulting explosion is called a “Dynamic Crash”.

Time Halt
Hikki opens a counterattack stance and stuns the opponent (or “freezes”) upon contact. It is categorized as a “binding”-type magic but requires a successful physical attack to be reversed, and since it’s restrictly a reversal it is best used in counterattack.

Faint
Also known as “Dead in Mind”, it is a follow-up move from Time Halt and can only be performed when the reversal succeeds. Immediately after successful connect, Hikki “dissolves” into the air and reappears around the target before delivering multitudes of kicks and punches until the target either succumbs or is destroyed.

Squall Breaker
A powerful point-blank strike, this physical “Breaker”-class ability is divided into three level of power:

• Squall Breaker Alpha: it can break through barrier and protection spells to deliver massive physical damage onto target. The weakest of all Squall Breakers it can, however, be repeatedly executed in successions.
• Squall Breaker Advance Shift: more powerful than Squall Breaker Alpha, its purpose is to destroy force fields, binding magic (in case Bind Break fails) and illusions. Roughly on par with Fate’s Plasma Zamber without the “extend” properties.
• Squall Breaker Unlimited Discharge: the most powerful of all forms, it is unlocked after Hikki shouts “hissatsu!” and channels all energy into his fist to form an “all-or-nothing” punch. Then he pounces at the target and shouts “BREAK OUT!” as he lands the punch. This is the only known melee attack that can counterattack “particle beam”-type attacks, and has the highest barrier-nullifying properties.

Deadly Rave EXS
A more powerful version of the Deadly Rave, this version has the attribution where the attack’s strength increases ten folds on each successful hit. Hikki ends the attack with a finishing punch that looks like Squall Breaker.

The Whistling Gale
Unique to Hikki, this “Instant Kill” is a unique ability that harnesses both the force of the wind with Widuri’s Chronograph circuit to “reset” a target, therefore “erasing” it from existence. This requires the expense of all magic circuits as well as collecting and recycling residual magical energy left over by previous attacks and dispearsed in combat airspace. Then Hikki charges at the target and zips around it in frantic fashions before ending up behind the target, usually in a kneeling position. The attack usually ends with the phrase “…can you hear it? The voice of a whistling gale?” before he snaps the fingers. Subsequently the so-called “gale ribbons” start razing the enemy before disintegrating it into tiny pieces.

Both:
N: so this is the whistling gale.
F: well, we never see him actually using one in combat. Though I am curious about the "union" part.
N: don't tell me....

*both are silent. Then their face burn greatly at the thought of the "union"*

N: come on, Fate-chan! Elisa-san is waiting at the counter.
F: *closes the Flamefox browser* okay, I'm done. Let's get-
Hk: I SEE WHAT YOU DID THAR!
N/F:
N: don't startle us like that, mou!
F: what are you doing here?
Hk: just happened to pass by the library when Elisa dragged me in. So yeah. I'm here to help. And what were you two doing at the database corner?
N/: *quickly pushes him away from the PC* nothing! We just got warmed up. Right, Fate-chan?
F: right, right!
Hk: I smell a terrible conspiracy between you...

So yeah. Lyrical of Time's going to receive some overhauls here and there. Comments and/or anything are welcome.

P/S: that appearance was supposed to be Hikki's original design when I first created him.

My brain is frozen....

HOLY SHI-- H4XX!!

But better template indeed.


OMG Phoenix I will have to be reading that later, I have little time right now.

[Reiji Tabibito]

Originally Posted by FieryAeon

Hayate: Kyaaaaa!! *falls from stairs, crashes, and lands butt on Aurion's face*
Aurion: What's this soft squishy thing here? *grabs*
Hayate: Oji-san ECCHI!!

Big explosions can be heard. *runs from Aaron*

Question: what soft, squishy thing are you referring to?

Originally Posted by LoweGear

Yes, she needs mana replenishment... lots of it

*RUNS*

You don't mean...

Originally Posted by LoweGear

Aaaah.

Even with your above reasons though, that's no excuse for you escalating the situation further like you've been doing. You took a joke we've throwing around Arcas, and then suddenly it's personal. It's not like we insistently throw it around every 3-4 posts whenever you're here, and you did provide the catalyst for it. Look at Aaron and Aurion - he's taking the Sekhuarion thing quite well ( *runs* ).

If you really felt bad, you could've just stopped right then and there when you know the going's gonna get bad here. It's not like you're obligated to reply to every single thing that's thrown at you here.

No more words, no more explanations, just STOP, and continue on with whatever you like to do. Don't aggravate yourself any further.

I can sympathize with your problems, and I can understand the bad schtick you're in right now, under such hell yes it's bad. But that's no reason to suddenly go around throwing a roleplaying hissy fit and suddenly threatening to call down, of all people, MODS to contain order.

Your personal problems are your problems, my personal problems are my problems, their personal problems are their problems, and we all need to cope with it to the best we can, but bringing down the rest of us with you is not an effective method of doing so.

IwillnotUguu~IwillnotUguu~IwillnotUguu~

<smiles>

Add computer problems to that list.

Originally Posted by Kagerou

You may have missed it, but I mention the Noble Phantasms in the OFM scene in Alpha. Sure to say that they'll be more than just a cameo in the second half.

This is 0083, right? Then there're some changes I need to update you about regarding the 82nd...PM incoming.

Originally Posted by Kha

Scratch that, Arcas = Sunohara.

Arcas: Hey! I'm not everyone's buttmonkey!

Originally Posted by Kha

Hehe...

I guess I've been a submissive boke for too long...

Time to show you my variation of Unlimited Saber Works...

TASTE THY HOT BLOOD!

*LoweGear is sent flying*

Originally Posted by USB500

Spoiler for DVD Special teaser:

"Obviously, Widuri-chan, you need serious education about lovers' dating."

"But-but-but why would I bother myself learning a thing or two about human's love affair?!"

"Because you are Hikki's devoted Servant. Of course at special times like this, you ought to become closer to your Master than you usually are."

"But how can I? I... I know nothing about..."

"Rest assured. In this case, let me help."

"Really? Will you help me?"

"Only if you agree to wear this."

So saying Hayate seized Widuri's body and proceeded to wear the frilled Goth Lolita costume over the female humanoid.

Well, yeah. That's what Hayate bought at the Lolita Shop.

Now I need to find the suitable Widuri in Goth Lolita dress picture. also, Goth Lolita Frieda is fine, too.

*runs*

EDIT:
page claim!

Oh Khem, Hayate's got her hands on poor, sweet Widuri...

Originally Posted by Kha

When civilians are in trouble, they call the TSAB. But when the TSAB is in trouble, they call...

CLERIC-KNIGHTS



The best there was, the best there is, and the best there ever will be.
Go anywhere, kill anything.
They are most comfortable knee deep in Hell while kicking ass big time.
They answer to no one and no one, except the Light itself.

~~~~~~

The Cleric-Knight is not your Ace Enforcer. He is not meant for petty arrests and investigations.
He is the relentless weapon of the Light that never hesitates, never regrets.
His sole aim is the purification of the infected and the extermination of great evils.
He is the crusader, the Judge, the executioner rolled into one.
Light help you if they ever come for you.

~~~~~~

Daemons, Heretics, Evil. Your time is over.



CLERIC-KNIGHTS

The buck stops here.



~~~~~~


Authorized by the Regional Government of Belka.

~~~~~~

Notable Members of the Cleric-Knights and Celestial Being

| | | | | | [/CENTER]

I announce a post with 5 new characters, Kha does a rehashing of the familiar CK's, and HE gets all the attention?

What do I have to do, change my name to Kha the Second to get some love around here?

Originally Posted by Aaron008R

Grandis: That's bad publicity. What do you call Hayate and the Aces, then? They seem sane enough.

Arcas: Uhm...I'll get back to you on that.

Originally Posted by Fuyu no Sora

Edward: WHO DID YOU CALL A TINY PUNY MINI MIDGET THAT NO ONE CAN EVEN SEE?!?!?!?!

Oh...nobody.

Originally Posted by LoweGear

KHA SEASON!!!!!

*runs*

KHA SEASON!

LOWE SEASON!

KHA SEASON!

LOWE SEASON!

KHA SEASON!

KHA SEASON!

LOWE SEASON! FIRE!!!!

<BOOM!>


Sorry, I just HAD to do it...

[Melodius Trueheart]

Before I go forward with Sanctus Imperium Belkarum, let me ask - how does the idea even fit into the larger scheme of things? After all, there's a "Belka remnant" preexisting in canon, and is it too unwieldy to have not only another little society, but a polity independent of the TSAB and unfriendly to it as well?

My purpose is basically to frame the Al Hazared/Ancient Belka/Church/TSAB connections in ways that evoke real historical events. Al Hazared would correspond, for example, to Ancient Greece, considered the "fathers of Western civilization", while Ancient Belka would to me represent Ancient Rome. Then we have the Church and its affiliates, which represent the Western part of the old Roman Empire, and then there is the Holy Belkan Empire, a greatly protracted yet still active remnant of the old empire that strives to maintain the laws and institutions of the old Belka (rather than adapting to the "infidelic" Midchildans and their ways, which the Church have done to an extent.

Furthermore, this setup (for me) evokes a dash of RTK, with the big Midchildan "empire", the smaller Church with less resources but still formidable, and the little guys (because SIB's not an "empire" per se; they have trade agreements/mutual defense pacts/research corporations with other worlds but no actual control or administration; not even permanent alliances)

The concept itself is essential to maintain suspension of disbelief. If there was actually a choice to use conventional weaponry or even some of its parts, it becomes extremely difficult to explain why they don't considering their undeniable advantages in range and speed.

Or you could give magic the same elements that give conventional technology its inherent advantage. Give Divine Busters and Starlight Breakers more range. Make Hraevesglr as fast as any conventional projectile ever concieved. Dispense entirely with melee-based combat (or make melee-based attackers incredibly fast and able to dodge nearly everything which might be more viable.)

But how does that affect character interaction? The ability to get to know the characters personally, especially in the crucial fight scenes?

[FieryAeon]

Originally Posted by LoweGear

More like... baseball bat type

Don't worry, it's the one that says "I love you" when it hits

*cookie for ref*

Love hurts? And nope, don't get the ref.

Originally Posted by LoweGear

Aurion-flavored Cereals?

*dodges Proton Cannon*



On that last line...

Oh, you have no idea

So she does have a subsidiary company in food and beverage?

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

HOLY MOTHER OF *expletive*! How in the world did you know ...?!

*looks around with shifty eyes*

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

Actually, quite the opposite. When you write, you relish in writing it. When you read, you find pleasure in finishing it. I guess that goes both way. So, no, it's all right.

Writer's pride.

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

Uhm, I don't quite remember where I got the information from, but it was said that Hayate's reserves are around 8M (don't ask me why the large scale). So, if it drained about 2M, that's quite a lot. Or maybe, I'm just paranoid about the numbers.

Edit: Whoops, on re-reading, it was a typo, it's supposed to be "three-eighth". *edits*

Definitely no idea where you got the numbers.

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

Uh, maybe more surprises await.

Add the creature from the pic I posted a few pages back as the boss level minion!

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

Interestingly, so do I.

Most people do.

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

Most delicious.

Oji-san flavour? I doubt its tasty. But I'm sure Belkarangers cereal will be extremely yummy. *runs from triple rider kick*

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

Guess we're going to be here for a very long time ...

Until we spring the next trap.

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

To quote a scene from CJ7, "Aurion's quite stretchable".

Haven't watch that movie.

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

Go ahead, it's free.

And I don't spend quite as much time writing as I did previously. Presentation is coming up soon, and we need to prepare. Probably about 2 - 3 hours, more when there's free time, which is rare these days.

And I didn't quite finish it, though they're already burned into my own DVDs.

When I don't have much ideas, I find it hard to even write for 1 hour. Alright, from now on weekends will be hypertyping mode days!

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

So, you're the culprit!

Culprit? Where?! I'll catch him for you! *speeds away with Sonic form*

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

You know, it's got me thinking ...

Is the Colwell going to sell food and beverage? That'll save some problem about order placements in the cafeteria, which can be pretty problematic at times.

Hayate: Waiter, one Colwell Super Salacious Sentai-Powered Cola please!

Waiter: Hai!

I like this idea! Approved!

Originally Posted by Erio

I wonder who wouldnt want to give Ginga some emotional support....

People who are afraid of the knuckles of doom?

Originally Posted by Erio

And then, when they purge the underwe--

*is shot*

We will see a pool of nasal blood! *is shot as well*

Originally Posted by Erio

Yeah. I wasnt complaining either. I already imagined Mayura fighting and it is sweet.

Yeah especially the jacket purge part. SWEET! *is shot again*

Originally Posted by Erio

I like where this is going.

Don't we all?

Originally Posted by Erio

Yeah, that's why I knew it was a misunderstanding. I may have done the same in the past.

I recall certain days where I had been labouring on an assignment for days, and haven't sleep for more than 48 hours. The funny thing was that after handing in the assignment and getting back home, I still couldn't sleep. Imagine the kind of blunders I kept doing.

Originally Posted by Erio

I would say yes, since the more power the mage has, the more power she can channel on to her barrier.

However, a master of barriers would know other kinds of barriers, which may be more efficient or effective in different situations. Yuuno is a good example.

That's true. But how many other unique barrier spells have we seen other than Yuuno's own Iron Defense? (which has a healing effect? )

Originally Posted by Erio

Yes yes, I was thinking about her, but I wasnt sure. And I agree, she needs to be included.

Too interesting a character not to.

Originally Posted by Erio

Keroko?

... OK, I'll stop nominating candidates now.

Seems like nobody else is picking up on it anyway.

Originally Posted by Reiji Tabibito

Question: what soft, squishy thing are you referring to?

Read again.

[krisslanza]

Originally Posted by Aaron008R

Better than the previous version.

I do try to improve sometimes
Although I forgot to note in her skill she still can't heal magical injuries (Hence her drop in power...)

Originally Posted by Fuyu no Sora

Another to add to the list

List getting big?

[rant]Not another one to read.... [/rant]

I'll add that one too

Poor Fuyu-san *Pats*

Originally Posted by USB500

Emotionless? Do want.

Maybe now I'll just change the person who made her known as "the Tormented" to USB I kid, I kid.
And yes emotionless is My friend gave me the idea to change her from being totally "emotionless" to a more of... Well lets say more like Rei from Evangelion. Comes off as emotionless but has the capacity to have emotion.

[Evangelion Xgouki]

Originally Posted by Kagerou

lol preview time.

Well sorta. Just the pre-title scene >.>
Hopefully it'll end the protests of the people who are like "Nanoha + Angst = no."

Spoiler for Scene 0, MSLN Alpha, Episode 02:

Nanoha stood on the sidewalk, staring up at the pre-dawn sky. She wondered, briefly, if maybe everything would be okay. A brief flicker of hope shone in her purple-blue eyes as she stared upward, unconsciously gripping the cracked red gem held around her neck. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked up, focusing what little concentration she had to that one thing she loved to do: fly.

Slowly, her feet lifted off of the ground. First five feet, then six, then seven. Focusing purely on the concept, Nanoha felt everything around her disappear, leaving only the wind and herself. Gripping the gem tighter, Nanoha suppressed swelling feelings as she levitated.

Instead, thoughts invaded.

"Even if I do repair Raising Heart, it will never be the same. And in your state, Takamachi, it will never be more than a Storage Device."

"...Raising Heart..."

[Th... ..for......le da... For th.. . li..]

Nanoha's concentration wavered. Her altitude began to lower.

"Ahh! Get it off me!"
"We're surrounded!"
"Fall back, fall back!"
"We gotta get out of here!"

"I am a timeless chorus. Join your voice with mine, and sing victory everlasting."

Nanoha's concentration collapsed. Her feet touched ground first, followed by her knees, then her hands. Clutching a hand to her temple, Nanoha closed in on herself, blocking out the shrieks in her own mind, and to a lesser extent, her own. She felt it again, the horrible crawling underneath her skin, the terrible pain...

Abruptly, it was gone. Nanoha stood up, feeling dizzy. Shaking her head to clear away the mess in her mind, she began to walk to work.

"We can exist, together, you and I," It whispered to her. "Two corpses... in one grave..."

Nothing was the same anymore.

Maho Shoujo
- Lyrical Nanoha
----- Alpha -----

Episode 02: Ten Okure (Heaven Sent)

So... uh... did I get the Japanese translation right?
*runs*

Random trivia: Raising Heart is saying:

[Those Unforgettable Days. For Them I Live.]

Must...read...MORE!!

Originally Posted by Fuyu no Sora

Wonderful, good ol' OC Ahh, it feels good to be home

There is much crack awaiting you...

Originally Posted by FieryAeon

Ahh...I think its quite rare for such events in the military, correct? It'll be more of a personal thing rather than a military sponsored event. Like say, RF6 dance party.

Events are held from time to time I believe, especially around holidays or military events. Part of the reason is to lighten up the mood and give the troops a bit of R&R now and then

Originally Posted by FieryAeon

Want more! More WAFFY stuff is good!

WAFF is always good

Originally Posted by FieryAeon

Nah...Like I said, its probably just some nosebleed-inducing stuff. Harmless really. *runs*

Oh, definitely harmless...

Originally Posted by LoweGear

Sorry to dissapoint, as it's nothing of the sort, at least not what you're thinking

But I think Ryotaro's still gonna like it

*runs*

Ryotaro: *blinks* Eh?

Originally Posted by LoweGear

Not everyday do you get a call for fanservice, so...

Spoiler for Hyper Cast Off?:

*runs*

Hyper Cast Off is

Originally Posted by Keroko

She actually has a mini throne with a mini desk on Kane's desk.

I hope she got a matching black coat to go with it

Originally Posted by Wild Goose

Begining intervention.

Spoiler:

Above Kha's hideout
Pelican Kilo 23

"Allright people, listen up! Recap, target is the individual known as Kha, who's been producing the toxic substance crack. Our job is to find him, hunt him down, and take him out. Any questions?"

The Assault Company mages shook their heads.

"Right," said Franz Jaeger. "Saddle up, people. We hit him hard and fast. Psycho, you have permission to deploy the explosives."

Guess Kha's been producing so much crack someone decided he needed to be stopped, huh?

[tshouryuu]

Originally Posted by AdmiralTigerclaw

It isn't haxx because he's doing sanctioned test force testing, the test went south, and he got blasted. His difining character trait IS to cause a sort of murphy's law chain reaction and come out of it reletively unharmed.

The walking murphy law thing is pretty interesting but rather iffy since its not consistent. His device isn't effected... that's something wrong already as murphy's law more or lees staes that if something can go wrong it will go wrong. Please don't tell me the device is perfect since I don't think there is anything that is absolutely perfect.

Originally Posted by AdmiralTigerclaw

I see you are not trained at all.
So if we ever meet, I will take you to a range, I will let you fire an M-16.
If it happens to missfire, I will simply stand asside and let YOU figure out what's wrong until this happens:

Spoiler for You desserved it, didn't you?:

And after you have nearly blown your face off from a double feed that occured just like in that video, I will ask you to repeat what you have said here.

Those kids are intelligent enough to have gone through the usual jam followup. The only mistake was not checking the chamber to see if there was still a round when they tried to fire over and over again, recocked the weapon, and tried to fire again.



So think about it.

You assumed too much.... I have shot M-16s before and I have encountered half feeding and double feeding problems, in sequence and at night as well. It was extremely frustrating and I was damn tired of it but I still checked carefully every time. If a person is stupid, careless or lazy enough to ignore safety or do a half-assed job of it, then he deserves whatever that happens to him. I don't have a shred of sympathy at all when the problem is clearly avoidable.

This is way off topic so let's just stop here.

Originally Posted by AdmiralTigerclaw

"I'm a DONKEY on the EDGE!" [/Eddie Murphy]

Cute.

Originally Posted by AdmiralTigerclaw

Your honor, the defense rests. *Litterally. I keep waking up early and responding. I need to STOP.*

Sleep? Sleep is for the weak!!

All jokes aside, get some rest. We can spar (figuratively speaking of course ) when we're both rested.

[Tormenk]

Just finish chapter 6 of GuardianS and..I'm at a lost of words at what to say. For now anyway. Will comment properly later today when I have some time.




Been watching Shigofumi lately and I must say it's quite a watch. Added bonuses include HayateFumika as a very interesting protagonist and her staff AmyKanaka.

For now, rest for one and all. Keep the crack and cheese flowing.