Chapter 3-Strata

"I've been in my current bearer's family for many generations," the dark blue armor began, "but many old myths have been lost to time when my current master's ancestor, Toyokimi Hideyoshi changed our family name to Hashiba."

"You mean the man who united Japan before Tokugawa?" Mia asked.

"Yes," Strata replied.

"Wait a minute," Cruelty interrupted, "didn't Tokugawa try to wipe out the Hashiba family name?"

"And he failed," Strata smiled with a huge grin on "his" face. "Tokugawa didn't know what he was getting into when he attempted to murder Master Rowen's ancestor."

"I remember," Halo laughed, "there were reports of an empty dark blue armor firing golden arrows at Tokugawa's men, cutting them down as if they were nothing more than blades of grass."

"And you say I'm not subtle when I deal with mortals," Venom smirked.

"I was defending the family that took care of me," Strata shot back angrily, "not attempting to make an Armor Bearer against a mortal's will."

"Oh shut up," Venom growled, "are you eight going to hold this "crime," as you call it, against me forever?"

"YES!" The remaining eight armors said in unison.

"Bite me," Venom hissed.

"Okay," Mia replied, quickly changing the subject, "What do you look for in an armor bearer Strata?"

"Many things," Strata responded, "A willingness to learn, friendly, compassionate, and someone that has a great appreciation for all life."

"Sounds like you're asking a lot," Mia murmured.

"Actually," Strata began, "there was another person I wanted to have as an armor bearer before Rowen."

"Who was he," Hardrock asked.

"Not a he," Strata corrected, "a she."

Cruelty, Corruption, and Illusion's eyes went wide.

"What?" Venom questioned, "You three look like you can't believe what you've just heard."

"A FEMALE!" The three Seasonal Armors yelled.

"Yes," Strata replied.

"A woman is not trained to wield a bow and arrow!" Corruption shrieked.

"Hey!" Hardrock yelled, "just because the idea of a "woman's weapon" being used by a "male" armor isn't a good enough excuse to claim that a woman can't learn the bow and arrow!"

"Okay," Torrent interrupted, "I would like to hear Strata's story."

"Thank you," Strata replied as he nodded at Torrent. "Her name was Florence Nightingale. In the west, she is considered the mother of mortal, modern medicine. During a mortal struggle called the Crimean War, Florence Nightingale worked as a nurse. Appalled at the conditions in the hospitals, she set out to improve the conditions of care. She also opened a school to train nurses, drilling into them the philosophy, "a nurse's care should never end. Day or Night." Eventually, she wrote four books on the subject of medical care and was called, "Lady with a lamp." "

"Sounds like someone who had a great respect for life," Mia added.

"She did," Strata sighed, "but there was a problem. She tended to many soldiers, and not all of them were stuck in a bed. If I had gone walking around the hospital she was in, looking for her, I would have been seen by someone. And that person would try and stop me from getting into her office or her."

"Worried about being subtle?" Venom snickered.

"The last time I checked," Strata smirked, "that wasn't a skill you acquired."

Venom shot Strata one of his, "I'll get you for that" look, but remained silent.

Feeling the tension in the air, Mia cleared her throat. "So, Venom," she began, "why do you have such a bad reputation?"

Venom gritted his teeth, but slowly put a smile on his face. "I'll tell, if you're willing to listen."

NOTES:

1. The "Woman's Weapon" is the Naginata. The Naginata is a curved sword headed pole arm. The size of base depends on if the person using the weapon is on a horse or on foot. The weapon is generally height of user.