As I walked down the halls I couldn't help but wonder exactly what the next three months would consist of. I've seen many instructors teach many different ways, each one ranging from overly harsh to overly nice. Nanoha-mama always referred to her teaching as 'plain' and 'simple', but in reality it was rather unique. A positive attitude with gentle coaching made people seem to try even harder than they would if they were being yelled at or insulted. The training corps were very unique in their ways of teaching people how to instruct, but I still got the notion that the person who was going to be in charge of us was going to be one of those types who yell a lot. It'd figure I'd be stuck with someone like that, but at the same time a part of me was happy about it. If I could prove myself to this person, then it would mean that I was truly capable of doing this. Any praise from him would be deserved.

Synergy II

By: Satashi

Vivio smiled lightly to herself as the door leading out onto the base was given an extra push open by Syn so she would be able to walk outside behind the girl. 'At least she's polite, in a way.' Vivio mused to herself while looking at the back of the girl. The blue hair of Syn seemed to shine a lot brighter once out in the sun and her petite body was a lot more noticeable compared to those walking around. The girl was taller than most girls but leaned more towards to the 'sexy' side rather than 'lanky'. Her muscles weren't chiseled but were rather slightly defined without being unattractive. She stood at the meeting point and put a hand on her hip, eyes glancing around to see if anyone else were on their way yet. Vivio stood next to her as well and scanned the area before speaking. "I guess we're first."

"Seems that way. They were probably finding their rooms." She clicked her tongue and looked at her watch. "We still have about ten minutes before we're scheduled to meet..." She stretched out her arms before bending over to touch her toes, making her hair spill over and fall onto the ground.

"You should put your hair into a ponytail to keep it out of your way."

"No thanks," Syn leaned to one side and then to the other to make sure her legs were ready for the day. "I'm sensitive about my hair."

"Oh, okay." Vivio copied her friend in the warm up stretching. "So, you sixteen too?"

"Yeah, I'll be seventeen in a few weeks. I had to wait almost a year before I could join because I was away on the last six-month opening due to being on another planet."

Vivio nodded and jogged in place briefly to make sure she would be okay. "I turned right after it, so I guess you're a few months older than me."

Syn nodded and looked back at her partner for the next little while. "Heterochromia, huh? Never met someone who had it like me."

The blond looked back at the blue and red eyes of the slightly taller girl. "Yeah, we both have red, that's kind of weird isn't it?"

"I like red." Syn nodded to herself. "And the blue matches my hair, so it's okay. How about you, ever get teased?"

"All the time, especially around Christmas." Vivio grinned and got an amused smirk back. "My nickname in school was 'Eyes'. Really annoying."

Before Syn could reply a few more people showed up at the spot, followed rather quickly by the remaining recruits and finally Kayen, their training sergeant. "You are now officially privates," he greeted them while walking before the line of people. "I will train you so you will be ready to face whatever will be thrown at you in your journeys. There are a lot of instructors out there, but I assure you, I am the best." The words made Vivio frown but she didn't say anything to the statement. "You will work with your partner to achieve your goals of passing my training course. I know all of you show extra ordinary potential but that does not mean you will be given special treatment. If you want me to acknowledge you, then you will have to prove your worth to me." A snicker and mutter was heard from the line and Kayen moved to stand directly in front of Syn. "You have something to say, Virage?"

Syn looked the man straight in the eyes. "I said this is only mandatory to be here and that I don't need you to acknowledge me because I will outrank you shortly."

The man stared back at the girl. "Until then, you are under my instruction. Drop, and give me fifty." A frown came on Syn face but she still moved to lay on her stomach, counting her push-ups. Kayen looked at Vivio, who was facing forward, and pushed up the hat covering his shaved head. "Why are you standing, Takamachi?"

Vivio stumbled for an answer. "You told Virage-san to do push-ups, sir?"

"And is Virage your partner?"

"Yes sir."

"Then why are you standing, Takamachi!?" Vivio got to the ground quickly, counting out as she did push ups as well. Kayen looked back at the group. "I will have no one back talking me. I don't care who you are, what family you're from, or how powerful you think you may be. While you are here, I am your instructor." He looked back at Syn as she stood. "Virage! Why are you standing!?"

Syn glared. "You said fifty, I did fifty."

"Takamachi is still on the ground."

Syn looked down at Vivio, who paused her push-ups to look back up in confusion. "You told her fifty, she isn't done."

Kayen got back in her face. "I told you to do fifty. Takamachi is your partner. Your mistakes are her mistakes. Your punishments are her punishments. Now, give me fifty!" He kept a frown on his face as he glared at the girl who slowly got back down, starting back over at zero along with Vivio.

Syn looked over at the blond next to her and whispered between her counting. "I think we should only do twenty-five."

"Why?" Vivio whispered back, making sure that their instructor was too far away to hear their soft words.

"If we, ngh, are partners and have to , ugh, do fifty..."

Vivio nodded to herself, understanding what the girl meant. When their last one was done, the two stood up and tried to keep their breathing steady. Kayen walked back over to them and looked Vivio in the eyes. "Why are you standing, Takamachi?"

"Sir," She took a deep breath so she could talk. "We did fifty push-ups together, as partners."

Kayen glared at them before nodding. "Good." He turned and started walking back along the lines, missing the two girls smirk at each other behind his back. "You will learn how to work with others while here. All of you already posses the physical abilities that are gained through normal boot camp. This will be different. I will teach you how to be a soldier, and how to act and think. Your specifics will come to you naturally as you go through this course. We will train three times a day, in between which I will either allow you to rest or work with you personally on whatever I think you need to improve on. Right now, I want everyone to follow me. We will run around the base while you talk to your partner. I want to you learn everything about them. If at any time I notice you not talking then we will make an extra lap. Now, move!"

Vivio started running behind the man with Syn by her side, moving at a little over a brisk jog. "Nice idea back there."

"Yeah," Syn breathed out while keeping up the pace. "I didn't know you'd be punished too."

"You have quite a smart mouth don't you?"

"You could say that," Syn grinned. "I don't like the 'in your face' method. I've gotten into a lot of trouble because of my mouth."

Vivio grimaced. "Ugh, please don't make me do too many push ups."

"I'll try and keep quite. No promises, though." They slowly made the wide turn to get on the outskirts of base to officially start their first lap. "So, Takamachi, you're the daughter of Nanoha right? The Flight Instructor Ace right? Have any training?"

"Yeah, she's trained me a lot, Fate-mama too."

"Fate-mama?"

Vivio nodded in their jog, wishing she didn't have to keep talking. "Nanoha-mama adopted me when I was four, and-whew- Fate-mama is my godmother, but I've always called her 'mama' so it kind of stuck... Although now I call Fate 'Mom' and Nanoha 'Mama' to make it easier."

"I see," Syn panted out, breathing a little heavier than the rest. "Push ups before running sucks."

"Honestly," Vivio smiled to herself. "I'm pretty good at physical stuff. Believe it or not," she took a breath. "I ran with Nanoha-mama's forwards every morning for as long as I could remember. I could probably circle this place several times before needing a break." She exhaled and looked over at Syn with an amused look. "But man, talking and running at same time is killing my lungs."

The blue haired girl moved a hand up to grip her hair and toss it all over her shoulders. "I'm more of a 'move fast all at once' kind of person. I can teleport short distances and stay still a long time to get a shot in."

"We all specialize in certain things," Vivio breathed out. "We just need to find out how to work together using them. We will either be a great team or a bad one... ranged and melee sounds good on paper but it takes amazing cooperation to pull it off."

Syn wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Yeah, tell me about it..."

"Yeah..."

"Soo..." The two looked at each other, panting, before looking ahead again, thinking about what else to say

"Another lap!" Kayen called out loudly. "Virage and Takamachi decided to go quiet!" Vivio groaned loudly, followed by Syn cursing. "Make that two laps, For Virage's smart mouth!"

Syn glared and opened her mouth to speak again but Vivio was faster. "Shush!" She glared at the girl. "Just... I dunno, tell me what your favorite foods are?"

"I'm starving," Vivio complained to herself as she sat down at the cafeteria table. Her food was quickly attacked, slurping down her spaghetti without reserve before wiping her mouth and starting again a little slower.

"Slow down or you'll choke." Syn advised while sitting across from her. "Mind if I join you?"

"Already are," Vivio grinned at her. "You have quite a smart mouth, I thought we'd never get done running." Syn started eating as well, stuffing her face and choking. "Hey, you okay?" The girl swallowed thickly and drank heavily from her glass. "Jeez, take your own advice."

"I'm weird like that." Syn wiped her mouth and waited a moment to make sure she would be okay before eating again. "I can't believe we went straight through lunch and did out night training all at once... Talk about breaking everyone in." She ate some more and chewed thoroughly this time. "What's up with this whole partner thing, though?"

"No idea, but apparently we're going to be spending a lot of time together. Not that it's a bad thing, you seem pretty cool."

"Never heard that one before." Syn started in on her salad, eating it midway instead of at the start of the meal. "Hard headed and stubborn plenty of times, but never cool."

"Not have many friends?" Vivio flinched at her question. "Ah, sorry... That was rather rude."

Syn shook her head. "Nuh uh, not many friends."

"...Me either." Vivio stirred her food with her fork. "Well, I've always been surrounded by friends but... none my own age. People who were there as I grew up, they see me as family really... Not that I mind, but...you know... Never really had a friend I could just hang out with."

"Weird how we talk all day long and don't really learn anything until we sit down for dinner." The girl's red and blue eyes looked down at her food for a few moments before eating again. "This taste pretty good."

"Yeah." Vivio continued to eat as well, grinning to herself when Syn slurped some noodles up and munched on a bread stick before wiping her mouth clean of the red sauce. The two ate together at the small table, quietly talking to each other between bites until the plates were empty and they both leaned back. "I'm so full..."

"I could really go for some dessert..." Syn looked over at the buffet style serving tables and sighed out when she noticed it was all gone. "Figures... come in late for dinner and the good stuff is gone."

Vivio laughed to herself. "Seems so...you ready then?" She got a nod and the two made their way out of the cafeteria and into the hallways. White tiles with random black ones passed under their feet as they passed by random offices until the outside came into view. The blond held the door for Syn and got an amused look as the girl passed by. Together they made their way across the concrete ground flecked with patches of greenery until they made it to their own building.

The door to their room was opened and cool air brushed over both of them, making Syn sigh out. "We have until six in the morning to get some rest and," She stopped her talking and looked at a plate of brownies on the far left desk. "Huh?" She plucked the note and read it quickly, grinning and handing it to Vivio. "Fate-mama sends her love."

Vivio quickly snatched the note and turned around to read it. 'Vivio, I know I shouldn't do this on your first day but I just had to. Enjoy the brownies. -Fate-mama.' She blushed darkly and looked back at the plate filled with brownie squares, half of which were frosted with white icing. "Jeez..." She noticed Syn sitting on the bottom bunk bed, trying not to glance at the treats and failing. "Here," Vivio picked up the platter and sat it on the bed before plopping herself down. "Help yourself."

Syn quickly plucked one of the frosted ones and bit down into it. "Mmmm..."

"Sweet tooth?"

"Don't tell anyone."

"That sounds rather odd coming from you." Vivio laid back on the bed and stared up at the rather boring underside of the bunk above her. "I kind of thought you would be the type of person who never ate sweets."

Syn felt herself blush lightly and turned to look at the girl laying down. "H-hey, why do you say that? Am I that tomboyish?"

"Kind of, yes." Vivio smiled lightly. "But I like that about you, it's a neat trait."

The blue haired girl sniffed and plucked another frosted brownie when she noticed that Vivio was still nibbling on the plain one. "Well it's not that I want to be a guy or anything..." She got off the bed and went to their dresser to open the first drawer. "But there are just somethings that annoy me." Placing her brownie down, she pulled off her shirt and then peeled her sports bra off with her back to Vivio. "Bras are definitely something I don't enjoy." She put on a different shirt and moved it down her body, showing that it went clear to her knees, before taking off her pants as well. Once changed, she tossed her dirty clothes across the room by her desk.

"They'll be all wrinkly tomorrow if you do that." Vivio informed her while standing as well.

"What is it with you and folding clothes?" Syn asked curiously while pulling on her socks. "If you want them folded, feel free to do so." She watched with great amusement as Vivo took her up on the offer, moving to the dirty clothes and snapping them with a quick movement of her arms before neatly folding each and setting them on their dresser. Once done, the girl started taking off her own clothes and setting them next to her new friend's. "So," Syn started up again while looking at Vivio's body. "Well endowed at age sixteen..."

Vivio turned her back to Syn and blushed. "I take after Fate-mama it seems. Her body is very feminine. They just get in the way, though."

"At least people don't call you flat chested." Syn peeked down her shirt to look at her chest. "Not that I want boobs or anything but... a little more would be nice."

The younger girl laughed to herself and finished swapping her clothes, now sporting a light pink shirt and matching draw-string pants. "They say if you rub them, they'll grow."

"I don't feel like rubbing them."

"Boyfriend?"

"None, you?"

"None." Vivio picked up the plate of brownies and put them on Syn's desk. "Eat all you want. Anyone you interested in?"

Syn sniffed. "No, not really. Not many friends, remember?"

"Oh yeah, sorry." Vivio sighed and fell back on her bed.

The blue haired one took the hint and cut off the lights before climbing the ladder to her bunk, tossing the clothes off of it that she had placed there earlier. "Guessing since you have two mothers, you like girls too?"

Vivio hummed. "Yeah, but I'm not going to oogle you or anything."

"Same." Syn got under the covers and shifted herself so her back was pressed against the wall. "See you in the morning."

"Mmhmm," Vivio yawned and pulled the covers up higher around her shoulders. "Sweet dreams." As she lay in the darkness, a small smile came to her face. 'Today wasn't really that bad. Virage-san seems to be like a nice girl, although a little messy. She kind of reminds me of Nanoha-mama in a strange kind of way.' A soft sigh was heard from up above and Vivio repressed the urge to giggle at it. 'I think I'll get along with her just fine...' She looked across the room and at the closed blinds covering their window. 'Goodnight Fate-mama, Nanoha-mama. I hope you two are doing okay with me not there to keep you in check.' She grinned to herself and closed her eyes to get some rest. Silence passed over the girls for several minutes before a soft moan came from up above, making Vivio open her eyes. 'Oh god, don't tell me she snores.' Another long moan came to her ears, making her pull her pillow over her ears. 'She's just like Nanoha-mama alright!' yet another soft purring moan came from above in Syn's sleep. 'Mental note: fall asleep first...'