Wow...okay so this one took longer than I expected because I could not make it flow and I could not decide what a good cut off point was. So I apologize for how...filler-ish this chapter is. I had to split it into two parts otherwise there would have been another 12 pages, and that would have been a 25 page long chapter. That's too damn long. Well-okay no it's not, but writing it and seeing the scroll bar grow progressively smaller with every paragraph makes me feel...not happy. This is where a beta would come in handy.^^
Crauxan- Thanks for explaining the SS rank in more depth. The hamster analogy made a lot of sense, and let me grasp the concept better. Ah and at the end of your review I was a bit conflicted, cuz on the one hand I was laughing at your graphic descriptions. On the other hand I was trying to summon some hint of revulsion, but after watching the whole spartacus series this weekend I found myself smirking and in total agreement with you.
I was all "Wha? Beheading...YESSSSSSSSSS"
Heh he.
It is too wasteful not to have it in the Nanoha series somewhereXD
"Commissioner Gil Graham."
Hayate tilted back in her chair to study the aging man before her. She rarely ever got visits from superior officers, and when she did it was always showcased by some ridiculous melodramatic entrance. Commissioner Graham towered above her decked out from head to toe in elaborate military garb. Ten minutes ago he had stalked into her police headquarters flanked by a squad of muscle bound ego centric gunmen. Graham's men had promptly stationed themselves outside her door while the commissioner himself stormed into her office like he owned it.
Hayate was not particularly happy about this visit-not that she was ever excited about any of his visits. His mere presence spelled nothing but disaster for her, her team, and especially for their mission. Commissioner Graham was only called to headquarters once in every hundred cases when some poor mage team irreparably damages a case beyond repair. He basked in the failures of others, and managed to elevate his own name while doing so.
Hayate donned a mask of polite interest as he all but sneered at her.
"Well met. Chief Enforcer Yagami." He drawled out her title.
"To what do I owe the...pleasure?" She found a word to describe his unpleasant arrival, and managed not to convey her annoyance.
"I'm sure you are aware that currently the relationship between the government and the Bureau is strained. The Mage Bureau is under duress to keep magic a secret, while the government is trying to use our powers to protect the people while refusing to acknowledge our true nature to them. Your unit is one of the few teams blessed with trained and operational mages that can control their powers enough to work with a human police force. You are the Mage Bureau's special unit."
The speech sounded rehearsed-like a true politician pure honey dripped from his mouth that did little to hide the malice beneath his words. Hayate resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "I know what my position is Commissioner-that does not explain your presence here at the station though."
The smile that followed made her wince internally.
"Truthfully-I'm here because your team has been playing at this case for far too long and the results are pathetic. The White Devil still roams free, and nothing has been accomplished this last year. I've had my own informants watching you and your team, and most recently they have developed a keen interest in your blonde enforcer. "
Hayate stood up, her eyes darkening in warning. "What is it that you want Commissioner Graham?"
He laughed, a cold sound that had Hayate gripping the edge of her desk in a poorly concealed attempt to mask her anger.
"It's not what I want Miss Yagami-it's what needs to be done. Before I answer your question, I have one of my own-Since the Book of Darkness incident the devices of your guardians have been slightly…dysfunctional. As a result almost every encounter with our residential thief results in Testarossa facing the White Devil alone. She has never succeeded in capturing nor in apprehending the thief despite numerous attempts, and according to her own accounts of their meetings- the White Devil finds her amusing and is no way threatened by her."
Hayate's jaw clenched, but she managed to respond civilly.
"What is your point Commissioner?"
A condescending smirk graced his face. "My point Chief Enforcer Yagami." He ground out her name like it was a curse. "Is that your team is a joke. Because of their malfunctioning equipment most of your team is useless, and your ace enforcer lacks the necessary mindset to successfully finish this case. It is my right as Commissioner to psychologically evaluate active field officers beneath me and determine if they are competent enough to continue. I will be evaluating Fate to see if she should even be allowed in to the office anymore."
Her mind raced, and slowly she stood up, her bangs falling across her face to shadow her eyes. When she responded her voice was abnormally soft, but the underlying steel in her tone was unmistakable. "You think Fate incompetent?"
"I think she's a child."
Well beyond pleasantries at this point, Hayate's lips thinned into a grim line. " She's seventeen. I've seen you hire kids much younger than her into your service."
"I won't deny that. I have hired younger people into my ranks, but they earned their place, and none of my kids would have let twelve people die. Can you honestly tell me she did not let her emotions get in the way of this case?"
Hayate's pained grimace betrayed her. Fate's emotions always governed her actions-such passion was a part of the lightning mage's nature. That was not normally a weakness. In fact her relentless drive, and ingenious instincts were what made her such an impressive enforcer. Lately though Hayate had witnessed the blonde's troubled expression. Her emotions pertaining to the White Devil were complex, and her feelings were slowly consuming her. Anyone with eyes could see that.
Was it affecting her performance though?
Her prolonged silence was perceived as a reluctant admission because the Commissioner continued to speak.
"She will go through with the evaluation, and from this point forward my subordinates will no longer act passively in regards to this case."
Her eyes narrowed at him.
The double meaning to his words left a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"You're going to send your field agents undercover to the school?" Her stomach clenched in rage at his unrepentant expression and Hayate abruptly got to her feet, slamming her fists on the desk, and leveling the Commissioner with an icy glare. "You can't just send more people over there; this mission is delicate and you're putting Fate at risk!"
He actually had the gall to laugh.
"You're concern is touching, but you're little enforcer should be just fine. She is a AA class mage after all, but if that is not enough of a reassurance my people will be subtle. She will hardly even notice their presence. In fact she won't even know who they are."
All the color drained from her face, and she sank heavily into her chair feeling rather nauseous all of the sudden. He could not be serious. "You won't even tell us who you're sending? What if is a mistake is made? What if your agents are misinterpreted as the enemy, and someone gets hurt?"
He had begun to walk out of the door, his impatient aura suggesting he was done with the conversation. At her insistent questions he paused, and glanced back over his shoulder. An extremely vexed expression crossed his face.
"Such a mistake won't be made. Everyone under my command is a professional-I was led to believe that the same could be said about your enforcers. With such elite subordinates asinine mistakes like that won't be possible. The identities of my agents will remain a secret. It's nothing personal, but my decision is based on the fact that although your enforcers are trustworthy I doubt you would or could vouch for the entire Tokyo police force. There are too many leaks. I won't jeopardize my officers or this mission because of a couple of screwy cops."
Hayate glared frostily at his retreating back as he left the room, a permanent scowl etched on her face.
Each day that passed brought a new complication to the White Devil case-the involvement of her superiors was just the icing on the cake.
"Hayate."
Reinforce's smooth voice distracted her from her anger. She sent her favorite guardian a questioning look, after realizing she had been glaring daggers at the wall for an undetermined amount of time.
"Commissioner Graham just left in a rather…distasteful mood. I was wondering if you were all right?"
Hayate had to fight back the urge to glomp the reserved woman. Her expression was exceedingly cute. Very few ever saw Reinforce exhibit emotions. The few times the silver haired woman did relax her controlled expression, it tended to dissolve into one of worry for her mistress. Hayate had the sinking suspicion that although Reinforce was more than capable of expressing herself she kept a firm grip on her emotions because she felt it was her job as unison device to be distant.
"I'm fine. It's not me you should be worried about."
The silver haired woman pursed her lips-tilting her head to the side in what was almost puppyish confusion.
Hayate giggled at the adorable sight before she schooled her own expression. Her hands steepled into a thoughtful position as she rested her head on her interlaced fingers.
"Commissioner Graham is trying to suspend Fate from the White Devil case." She paused seeing Reinforce's gaze harden.
"On what basis?"
Her unison partner's question was asked in the flat despondent way that was typical of the silver haired woman, but the glimmer of frustration in Reinforce's gaze was surprising. Hayate lips quirked upward. Her partner was slowly coming to terms with the fact that-other people besides her mistress had value. It was encouraging because Reinforce deserved to be happy.
"Competency. He doesn't believe that Fate is emotionally stable enough to handle this case. He said her performance recently has been…lacking."
A comfortable silence lapsed over the room.
Reinforce's gaze was thoughtful as she dissected the brunette's words.
"He's not wrong…"
Hayate blinked disbelievingly.
"You're siding with him?"
At Hayate's accustatory tone, Reinforce shook her head. "No I'm not. I don't believe Fate should be removed from this case but he's right in saying her performance leaves something to be desired. She is deliberately holding back. Why? Last night we found her unconscious at the theatre, with two dead corpses less than twenty feet from her. When she woke up, and was asked what had occurred, her report said-The White Devil killed those other two men and then incapacitated her almost immediately. Fate is a AA class mage, even if the White Devil was an SS class mage she should not have been so easily disabled."
Hayate blinked, absorbing that information with a thoughtful hum.
What a mess.
Fate's behavior of late had been slightly…unpredictable
Was she really holding back though?
With a soft sigh Hayate left her seat, knowing it was time to address this issue with her guardians and speak with Fate directly. Reinforce silently slid out of the way allowing the brunette to brush past her. Hayate lengthened her stride, stalking into the conference room of the police station where the rest of her team was lazing about.
"Guys, I've just been updated about the White Devil Case." Her words brought an immediate change over the room. Her guardians sat erect in their seats, sending her questioning glances. They were poised for battle. Judging by their attentive expressions they were just as eager to end this case as she was.
"And?" Vita drawled, putting unnecessary stress on the word.
"Commissioner Graham is placing his own men on the White Devil case, and plans on sending them undercover to the school. I'm guessing someone at the station leaked information to him about the White Devil going to Okazu, and now he wants to rectify our mistakes…He's also scheming to remove Fate from this case entirely."
A dead silence overtook the room.
Her lips quirked upward as she studied their furious expressions.
She had a feeling that if Commissioner Graham appeared in the room right now, her guardians as one masterful unit would impale him with evil death glares. They had all shared a hand in training Fate. To say they were attached to the lightning mage would be a bit of an understatement.
She chuckled.
That's part of why she loved their makeshift family so much. Their protective nature was so incredibly endearing.
"Speaking of which-where is Fate?"
Signum snorted derisively.
"Don't tell me you already forgot?"
Hayate blinked at the teasing tone.
Forgot…?
An interesting image flashed across her mind of Fate in a plaid skirt, and sailor shirt.
Oh yeah.
A lecherous smirk spread across her face.
Fate was in high school again.
"She's where I should be-at school." Vita gave her mistress a confused glance, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Why did you call me back to the station?"
Hayate's lascivious grin melted away and was replaced by a solemn expression that was foreign to the chief enforcer's face. "I called you back because Shari, from our technological research team has discovered something new about your devices."
Zafira spoke for the first time since the meeting had been called. "Can she fix them?"
Hayate's serious expression turned grim.
"I don't know."
Subaru sat in the dreaded music theory class- an obscenely happy smile gracing her features as she engaged in small talk with Fate. She was not comfortable with the blonde, but that was fine. She did not plan on making friends with her. Fate was too much of a threat. Light conversation served as a good distraction from her worries though and it was not hard to mask her inner turmoil behind an insufferable grin. Yunno had sent her a text earlier that morning explaining that Nanoha had overworked herself in the last heist and was currently bedridden. Subaru was understandably concerned and planned to visit her friend as soon as school ended. However, school had yet to start.
"Well well look who decided to show up today."
The undercover enforcer she was talking to shrank back at the utter malice in that tone. Subaru winced recognizing the voice almost immediately. She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, and with a tight grin turned to face her incensed friend.
"Hi Tea."
Tea Lanster stood there before her a dangerous scowl etched upon her pretty face. In this particular situation Subaru was at a loss on what to do. What was she supposed to say? Sorry I ditched you but I had to go keep Nanoha from getting arrested? That idea had absolutely no appeal to her. Her thoughts raced frantically as she thought of something acceptable to say that would appease the girl in front of her.
"I'm shocked you're here. You're always ditching school and yesterday…"
Tea's voice trailed off, no doubt remembering the events from the day before. Subaru could not deny the noticeable tension that had developed between the two of them. For some time now a gap had progressively been building between them. It had not truly become apparent until the day previous. Now that the gap was visible and had been forcefully acknowledged-instead of bridging it, the distance between them had grown significantly larger.
Subaru turned to stare at her, trying to look innocent and failing miserably.
If possible-her friend's facial expression darkened even more making Subaru cringe.
"Oh c'mon, there's no need to glare at her like that."
A masculine voice effectively ended their staring contest.
Subaru blinked as boy she's never seen before hooked a possessive arm around Tea's shoulders. Her temperamental friend's angry scowl was suddenly complemented by a light blush. The cyborg frowned at her odd reaction. Tea never blushed. The blunette then began study the boy that had such an effect on her.
He was tall. He had well crafted facial features, and his skin was virtually flawless. Short auburn hair fell over his eyes giving him a rebellious look, that was even further accentuated by toned muscles, and a barely visibly tattoo just below his sleeve. Subaru instantly disliked him. She could not pinpoint the source of her negative feelings but somehow his presence bothered her.
A charming grin stretched across his face, and his hand that was not keeping Tea captive was held out for her to shake.
"Pleasure to meet you, my name is Vice."
Tea had not said anything since this boy's arrival, and was not protesting about being stuck in his embrace. Vice was clearly not just a friend. That much was apparent. There was no doubt in her mind that Tea had been avoiding her to spend time with him. A cold feeling washed over her at the thought. Subaru could not identify the dark emotion unbalancing her because she had seen Tea date before. It had never affected her like this. Maybe it was Tea's unusual reaction to his advances or perhaps it was because he was entitled to do things that Subaru had been unmercifully scolded for but she found herself doing what she always did in unpleasant sticky situations. She plastered a huge grin on her face and exuded as much happiness as she could muster.
The blunette then remembered to shake his hand, and she did so with vigor. "Name's Subaru, it's nice to meet you."
He smiled cheekily, and released her hand. "Likewise, Tea's talked a lot about you."
Subaru's grin cracked.
I would love to say the same about you.
She thought wryly, and then shook her head.
Bitterness was not her thing.
"You never answered my question."
Her ocean blue eyes immediately snapped to Tea who was looking at her expectantly. "What question?" She racked her brain trying to remember what Tea had said before introducing her 'not' boyfriend.
"What's going on with you?"
Subaru licked her lips unsure of how to respond. Her eyes swept around the room searching for a distraction and finding one. There, at the front of the room, the music theory teacher had stalked into the classroom her face white with anger. Students who had previously been loud and raucous dissolved into quiet whispers. The professor cleared her throat loudly, and Subaru let out a sigh of relief as Tea and Vice were forced to go to sit down on the opposite side of the room.
"Class I've been informed to tell you we have yet new another student coming to our prestigious school."
Subaru blinked disbelievingly.
Fate Haraloawan had been a student at Okazu for less than three days, and now another exchange student was transferring? The sudden influx of new students was…odd. It was the middle of the semester. Then again Fate was an undercover cop who was only there to catch Nanoha. Her eyes lingered on the door-her interest piqued. Perhaps the new student was actually normal instead of some random elite level mage in disguise.
The door slid open revealing a stunning blunette with long silky hair. The resemblance between herself and the new student was uncanny. Subaru gulped. Her luck could not possibly be that bad. Her eyes squinted as she peered at the unfamiliar student-realization beginning to dawn on her. Her heart began to beat erratically. Her hands balled into shaking fists. That face. She knew that face.
"Welcome the new transfer student Ginga Nakajima."
Subaru jaw dropped in muted horror.
She could feel people staring at her confusedly. Since entering high school she had never mentioned a sister. Ever. Suddenly a girl that looks like an older version of herself shows up with the same last name. The resemblance was so distinct they had to be related; she could not even pretend to disown her sister. However, she could not explain her presence either. Why was Ginga here?
The last time they had seen each other her sister had tried to kill her. She would never forget that day. It stuck vigilantly in her thoughts, hovering at the recesses of her brain. Every sensation. Every detail was seared into memory. It haunted her. Unbidden- memories began to surge to the surface of her thoughts. She cradled her throbbing head unable to stop the slight tremor that coursed through her.
A thirteen year old Subaru froze, cocking her head quizzically to the side at the unnatural silence that had overtaken her house.
What was going on? Where was everyone?
She casually strolled through the halls-silently peering around every corner for any signs of visible life. Nothing. It was like everyone had disappeared. Perturbed at the eerie silence she slowly began to make her way to the bedrooms. She had to climb up the stairs and was painfully aware of the ominous creak that followed every step.
"Dadddddddd. Mom! Gingaaaaaa." Her voice echoed off the walls.
Subaru's heart hammered in her chest at the vacant echo that responded to her. No one was upstairs. She withdrew from the steps, opting instead to look for people outside. If they were not in the house perhaps they did not hear her. Her feet carried her through the kitchen to the door that led outside to the porch. She hesitated.
What if she really was alone?
Her bottom lip quivered.
Unable to stand the suspense any longer she grasped the bronze door handle, flinging the door open, and defiantly making her way into the yard. The grotesque sight that greeted her made her legs go weak. She dropped to her knees, her expression dissolving into one of undisguised horror.
"Ginga.."
There standing over the lifeless body of Genya Nakajima stood her sister. Subaru found herself unable to form words-unable to breathe. Her father was dead. Vaguely she felt her sibling's impassive gaze studying her, but Subaru could not bring herself to notice. How did this happen? Why did this happen? A torrent of emotions threatened to devour her, and a feeling of helplessness accompanied them. What could her father have done that was deserving of death? Her teenage mind could not wrap around the abhorrent sight she was being forced to injest.
She bit her lip so hard it bled.
"Why?"
At her pleading question those cold eyes locked with hers, and Subaru shivered. Never had her sister's gaze looked so lifeless-so calculating.
Instead of responding her sister stretched her arm out, as if reaching for Subaru.
The younger blunette stiffened.
Ginga's lips curved upward, and Subaru watched dumbfounded as her sister's arm began to change. Dark shards of metal stapled into place along her arm, and twirled rhythmically as if bolting themselves into place. A gauntlet- unlike any Subaru had ever seen encased her sister's arm, starting from her forearm and extending all the way to her to her clenched fist.
Her sister pointed the weapon at Subaru's chest.
She was going to die.
Unshed tears clouded her vision
With the most serene smile Ginga proceeded to tear her world apart.
"Ne Subaru? Did you know we're not human?"
"Subaru what the hell?" She jolted out of her thoughts at Tea's heated whisper. Hesitantly she met the stormy pale blue eyes of her friend. The glare Tea sent her way was positively scathing. "You have a sister?"
Subaru smiled weakly.
"Surprise."
Judging by Tea's hurt expression; she was clearly not amused.
The teacher's wispy voice interrupted their conversation once again. "Miss Nakajima why don't you go sit in Nanoha's seat for now. She's absent today."
Her jaw clenched. Nanoha sat in front of her. Her seat was the only vacant seat in the classroom. Ginga's eyes locked with hers. Subaru could practically feel the gears turning in her sister's head. The older girl slowly followed the teacher's instructions, making her way down the aisle, and nimbly sliding into Nanoha's chair.
Subaru felt numb.
The music theory class was officially the last place she wanted to be at this point in time. Her thoughts were terribly disorganized and she could not focus on anything. Why was she here? She glared mutinously at her sister's back. First Fate and now Ginga? Their timing was immaculate. Ginga Nakajima, in the eyes of modern society was a college freshmen but for some unexplained reason she was here in Subaru's class. What could she possibly be scheming? And more importantly was Nanoha the target?
The class period dragged on, and Subaru's thoughts grew bleaker with each passing second.
When the bell finally rang she all but bolted from her seat.
She was the first one out of the class room.
She was the first one down the hall.
She was the first one to her Human Anatomy class.
When she arrived at her seat Subaru was panting. She collapsed in her chair letting her head rest against the cool mahogany of the desk. Today was going to be a long day. She was ill equipped to face her sister again, and she definitely was not ready to explain to Tea why she never mentioned she had a sister. The hair on the nape of her neck prickled, and a comforting hand came to rest on the small of her back.
Subaru stiffened.
The blunette sat up mentally preparing herself to apologize to Tea.
Only it was not Tea.
"Ginga…"
A crooked grin stretched across her sister's face, but she did not respond verbally.
[Subaru we need to talk.]
A bark like laugh erupted from her lips startling the students around her.
[I agree.]
Fate Haralowan, formally dubbed Fate Testarossa had an acute sense of whiplash. Too much had happened in the last twenty four hours. She was dizzy from trying to process it all. First the utter failure of last night's mission weighed heavily on her mind. Not only did the White devil escape with the Jewel shards, two more people lay dead. It was disconcerting. She had never been as hypersensitive to death as she had been this week. Then again she had never encountered death on this grand of a scale before. Even though logic and prudence dictated otherwise Fate was unable to stop the sudden onslaught of guilt that threatened to crush what little remaining confidence she had left. The blond had never felt so useless. The White Devil had calmly batted her aside like she was a particularly annoying insect.
"I told you I didn't have time for this... Silly Fate-chan."
To add insult to injury-she had woken up the next morning in a doctor's office. Hayate's personal physician, Shamal, had stood over her with a disappointed scowl and lectured her for being reckless. Fate remembered staring stonily at the doctor, unable to describe just how little the rebuke meant to her. In the grand scheme of things Fate did not think her life mattered. She managed to ruin everything.
Even now-twelve people lay dead because she could not stop one person.
It was pathetic.
A humorless smile twisted her lips.
AA class mage indeed.
Her morbid thoughts changed course mulling over the other distressing events of the day. After arriving at school she had noticed something different. The kids she been introduced to yesterday were acting…odd. Subaru's vibrant smile looked incredibly forced. Plus the other two girls-Suzuka and Arisa were uncharacteristically quiet. Fate found the silence to be disturbing but what truly alarmed her was when she noticed Nanoha's absence.
Where was the brunette?
Before she could ask Subaru the hyper girl was forcefully ripped from her side.
The blonde enforcer remembered cringing when a livid pair of eyes locked with hers, and a sharp faced girl with pig tails all but dragged Subaru away. The confrontation she had mentally prepared herself for though was cut short when the teacher announced the arrival of yet another new student. A girl that could be mistaken for Subaru's twin walked into the room effectively rendering the whole class speechless. Ginga Nakajima resembled Subaru in so many ways but where Subaru's hair was short Ginga's fell in soft wavy curls past her waist. Where Subaru exuded a confident happy go lucky persona-Ginga presumed a more dignified pose. Every action was graceful. Every move was calculated.
One miniscule thought continued to thrash around in her brain
Who does she work for?
The whole music theory class was spent trying to establish who the Ginga was connected to. Her timing was just too coincidental. The idea that she was a normal high school student was laughable. Honestly, who transfers schools in the middle of the semester? The only new student to enroll in Okazu in the past six months was Fate and now that the White Devil case was starting to get serious someone else transferred in? The class' sharp intake of breath after hearing Ginga's name also made her skeptical. They reacted as if Subaru having a sister was a surprise. The suspicious behavior did not cease there.
After class ended and everyone was in the process of leaving, Subaru all but bolted from her seat, tearing out of the class room like she had seen a ghost.
"Hey!"
Fate was roughly shaken from her thoughts.
Tea Lanster wore an angry expression that the blonde was rapidly becoming familiar with.
"Yes?"
"Did you know about this?"
Um…what?
She gave the younger girl a blank stare. "Know about what?"
"When Subaru talked to you did she mention her sister was coming to school?"
Fate's mouth formed a small 'o' of understanding before the blonde dissolved into chuckles. She purposefully ignored Tea's withering glare, and answered her question. "No, Subaru did not mention her sister at all. When I talked to her I was just asking where Nanoha is today."
"Ah…I see."
Tea trailed off lamely. The younger girl was no doubt embarrassed from overreacting. It was odd. Her interactions with Tea reminded her of when she first started bonding with the Riot Force six. Fate had improved her social skills immensely since then but making friends was still strange. Her instincts told her Tea was not bad, just temperamental.
She wanted to get to know her.
Just like she wanted to get to know Nanoha, Arisa, Suzuka, Subaru...and Ginga.
Because somehow they were all connected.
At the centerfold of this tightly knit group was the White Devil-she could feel it.
And yet...
She's been wrong before.
This is part 1 of chapter four.
I know Nanoha was not in this chapter but she will definitely be in the next one, which should be coming soon. This chappie set up the atmosphere for the next one quite nicely...I think.
...review. Pleaseeeeee.