Nanoha StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 3
The sun rose on the fields of Section Six HQ. The silent rows of tents slowly began to fill as people began to trickle in. Soon, everything was bustling with life. The festival had begun. Hayate sat in the situation room, watching over it all. "Shamal, how is the medical room?"
"We've had a few kids come in with a couple of scrapes, but there have been no major problems." The blonde woman spoke before her window closed.
"Zaphila, how's the armory?"
"Sealed tight." The wolf opened his mouth. "No one's getting through me."
"Akito, Signum, how are the lines?"
"We had a few reckless children to deal with." Signum floated above, fused with her partner.
"But don't worry, we taught 'em good!" Akito answered from within. Hayate sweatdropped while wondering what kind of teaching methods they used.
"As for the entrance, it looks like the line extends for about two blocks."
"TWO BLOCKS?!" Vita yelled from the front desk. "Aw man… I can't take much more of this. Hand out please."
A customer put forth his arm, and Vita smacked Eisen into a pad of ink and slapped it onto the back of the guy's hand. "Mein Gesicht schmerzt." My face hurts.
"Deal with it, Eisen. Next please."
Hayate covered her mouth in a chuckle. "You shouldn't be doing this desu!" Rein floated over to her and smacked her with her little book. "Hayate-chan should be out there having fun with everyone else desu!"
"But what about everyone here? I just can't leave."
"Yagami-daichou." Shari turned around in her seat. "We all are trained professionals which you have personally handpicked. I think we can handle a simple festival on our own."
"But…"
"She's right you know." Vice spoke from his position leaning in the doorway. "This is section six's fun day, so go have fun already!"
"But…"
He sighed. "She's gonna be a tough case. Oi, Rein."
"Hai desu!" The little woman saluted before pressing her hand against Hayate's chest. "Unison… Out!"
"Out? Hey, wait!"
But it was too late. Hayate's hair grew long and turned blonde. Her eyes opened to a bright shade of blue. "Ah! So this is what it's like to be big desu!" She looked around and down. "Hmm? Hayate-chan, you're big in this area too."
"Don't squeeze them!" Hayate yelled from in her head.
"Come on, Rein. We'll head outside and release her there."
"Hai desu!" She kicked off… and fell flat on her face. "Itte!"
"You can't fly in Out form, Rein." Shari mentioned a little too late.
Vice slapped his forehead. "This is turning out to be a great idea."
Caro and Erio stretched in their battle uniforms next to the bathrooms. Teana sat on the bench and polished Cross Mirage. "There. How are you feeling now?"
"My output is up ten percent."
"Good. Oi, Subaru. How long are you gonna stay in there?" She tilted her head back and yelled into the ladies room.
They all heard a flush, and soon Subaru rolled out on Mach Caliber, acting sluggish. "Uggh… I think that pizza yesterday was too greasy."
"I warned you." She sighed and shook her head.
The mental link activated in all of their ears. "Oi! Forwards upfront ASAP!" Vita growled. "We've got a rogue mage trying to get in!"
"A rouge mage?" Erio gasped.
"Why would one try to get into a military complex?" Caro echoed his thoughts.
"Rouge ma- you don't think…!" A light went off for Tea.
"Oh no! Mach Caliber!"
"Wing Road." Subaru's special blue pathway painted its way into the air.
"Egh!" Vita swung at the enemy mage. He slid to the side and avoided the shot. "Hold still, you little fly!"
"I'm not here to fight! It's too dangerous with all these people out here!"
"Then why don't you just get out?" She reared up.
"I was invited!"
"Like I believe that shit! Smash him, Eisen!"
"Javohl!"
Her hammer doubled in size. "Take this!"
"Engh! Round Shield Triple!" Three magic circles piled one on top of the other above him. Vita smashed through the first shield, but it slowed it enough she had to force her way through the second. At the third shield her hammer slowed to a stop, and the dark haired teen gripped the hammer head tight.
"Incredible. He stopped Eisen's attack by combining three advanced defense skills at once!" Vita's jaw dropped. "But it's still not done!" She pressed forward, increasing the weight.
"Ergh!" The boy went down to one knee as he desperately fought back.
Suddenly, a flash of blue light and a clang reached both of their ears. The pressure was taken off. "Subaru! What are you doing?"
Subaru's eyes were enraged, and she held Eisen tight in her mechanical fist's grasp. "Vita-budaichou…." Her face suddenly turned sweet. "Why are you attacking my boyfriend?"
"Uh?"
The shadow of the hammer slid away from the teen, who looked up with a bit of annoyance on his face. He shot Vita an angry look with his purple eyes. "See Su? I told you I shouldn't have come here! I try to get in the door and I wind up getting attacked!" He scoffed as he turned away. "I'm outta here!"
"Uh? Wait! Soran!" Subaru gaped. "Vita-san, how could you?" She ran after him.
"Let him go." She huffed. "Freelancers like him aren't welcome here."
"Vita-chan." Nanoha walked up behind her and clocked her on the noggin with Raising Heart. "That won't do. We mustn't be so intolerant. Besides, you just evicted Subaru's boyfriend. Think about how she's feeling right now."
Eisen hit the ground as Vita looked on. "Her boyfriend…." She looked extremely sad.
"See?"
"Eh? W-who would care about a stupid thing like that?!" Vita turned around with her arms crossed. Nanoha sighed. "Well go and get her. I can't apologize to them if they're not here."
"Yes ma'am." Nanoha said sarcastically as she took to the skies after the young lovers.
"Soran! Soran, hold up!" Subaru rolled up to him. "I'm really sorry about Vita-san."
"Well I'm not!" He snarled as he powerwalked. "I should thank her for reaffirming my opinion of the military. They're just cowards that won't accept anything different from what they are, and control those they think will be of use!"
"That's not true! She's just…"
"Isn't it?! Look at you! Weren't you originally promoted just because you were too powerful for the lower ranks? They wanted to control you. They also wanted to study you, just because you're a fucking cyborg!"
"'Just because I'm…'" She stopped dead in her tracks and repeated it.
Soran's eyes went wide. "Mgh!" He turned around quickly. "Wait, Su! I didn't mean it like that! I'm sorry I said that. I take the whole thing back okay? You're a great mage, cyborg or no. I was just really angry there and I lashed out at you. I'm sorry, I really am."
Subaru looked away, frustration forcing her to purse and bite her lips. "Soran… if the military were like that, then I'd be dead or in a science lab right now. At the very least I would be no better off than one of Scallietti's Twelve! My parents adopted me and Gin-nee, saving me from that kind of fate, and they were high ranking military!" She wiped the tears from her eyes. "I know you have some big prejudices about them, but you have no right to say that to me! That TSAB and the military are just using me? That they're keeping me for study? That's beyond cruel!"
"Su… I'm sorry. I made a big ass of myself just now. I realize that…." The hair on his neck bristled and he jumped in front of Subaru, his gray-blue metallic staff at the ready as he looked into the sky.
"Well I certainly would like to think we're not all that bad." A brunette in a white and blue battle suit and barrier jacket floated above them. "If they were, I'd probably quit eight times over."
"Hah!" Soran gasped as his pupils twitched. He gripped his staff tighter as he aimed for her. "Kgh!"
"Hmm?" Nanoha blinked. The pose he made reminded her of something, but she couldn't quite place it. "Subaru, it's okay now. He apologized, so don't be mad at him. He just said it spur of the moment."
"Hai." Subaru sniffled as she wiped her eyes with her organic hand. "Geez, Soran, put that thing down already! That's my instructor, Takamachi Nanoha." She pointed his weapon at the ground.
"Takamachi… Nanoha?" Soran was slow to speak as she descended.
"That's right. It's nice to finally meet the boy who stole my best student's heart." She landed and held a hand out to him.
"Keh!" He turned away. "And what are you here for? To tell me I can't have a relationship with a TSAB Military officer?"
"Still embittered, I see." Nanoha sighed. "Well, that's understandable, I suppose. In fact I was here for just the opposite. Vita-chan always has had a hot head, and she jumps to conclusions easily. I'm here to personally escort you back. She wants to apologize, and Hayate-daichou would too."
"Nanoha-san…." Subaru looked to her idol. "See Soran? Everything worked out after all."
"Would that be acceptable to you, Soran-san?"
"Kgh!" Soran gritted his teeth as his brow trembled. "It is on one condition. I'd like to have a sparring match with you later on today."
"Eh?" Both girls were surprised.
Soran forced back his rage and smiled. "Nanoha-san, your reputation precedes you. This one over here spouts words of adoration for you like a fountain." Subaru turned red and looked away. "And there are very few mages that haven't heard the name of the White Devil. It would be an honor to face you in one on one combat. You're having mock battles throughout the day, correct?"
"U-unh." Nanoha blinked. "Well I suppose it could be fun!" She offered her hand again. "But just because you're Subaru's boyfriend, don't think I'll go easy on you!"
He took her hand so tight, she winced with one eye. "Good, because I won't either. I look forward to it."
Vita, Hayate, and Rein all bowed in front of Soran as an apology. Then Nanoha whispered to Hayate about the deal. "Eh?! Geez, Nanoha-chan, you make things so tough on me!"
"Gomen, gomen." She scratched her head underneath her band.
After that, Subaru found the rest of the Forwards group. "Let me introduce you. Soran, this is Larry and Curly. And you've already met Mo."
"Deh! Hey, why am I suddenly Mo?" Tea pouted.
"Because you're the leader of all the antics." Subaru put her tongue out.
"Then that makes you Shemp, baka!" Tea gave her a raspberry.
"Phhht!"
"Pblphhhtt!" As the two friends began a raspberry contest, Soran just shook his head.
"Who is Larry and Curly?" Caro turned to her younger teammate.
"Dunno."
"They're a part of an old comedy team called the Three Stooges. You wouldn't have heard of it unless you watch vintage viewscreen. The name's Soran, nice to meet you."
"Erio desu." The redheaded boy bowed. "Nice to meet you."
"I-I'm Caro." The pinkheaded summoner bowed nervously with a slight blush. "Y...yoroshiku. Oh, and this is Friedrich." The little dragon squeaked.
Throughout the introduction, the childish competition still went on. Soran sighed. "Oi, aren't your mouths dry yet?!"
They both turned to him at the same time and went "Pblphht!" One last time before ending the fight.
He pulled a tissue out of his pocket and wiped his face down. "Guess not."
The festival continued.
"Ne, Soran, get me this, please?"
"Eh? You're the one with the extra cash."
"But I'm not any good at this game. Pleeeeese?"
"Egh. Hai hai."
"Erio-kun, can we try that again? We almost got the high score there."
"You… you're killing me here, Caro."
"Oi! Get back here you little brats!" Vita growled. "I'm twice your age, you know!"
The little redheaded sprite sneaked around a nikuman stand, snatching one and flashing off to hide. "Heehee! Operation successful." She opened her mouth wide.
"Akito." Signum spoke from right next to her.
"Egh?!" She recoiled. "W-when did you get here?!"
"I'm hoping you paid for that properly." Signum didn't even make eye contact. Akito snarled. "I thought so. Return it and apologize to the owner."
Begrudingly she obeyed. She floated back around the corner with her limbs swinging limp. "Aahh."
"Here." Signum reached into her bag. "Takayaki."
"Woa! Thank you, Signum!"
"Ah."
"Ah! Somebody help, desu! This cat thinks I'm its next meal desu!" Rein was flying at top speed, even trying to flap her arms to get more speed.
"Ladies, Gentlemen, and children, if you will observe our terminals in the sky, we will now begin a very special exhibition match." Shari announced as windows popped up all around the festival, broadcasting from the morphing field. "Our very own ace in the sky, Takamachi Nanoha versus the mysterious freelance mage Soran Berkt. Due to circumstances, we have allowed this freelance mage to do battle with our White Devil."
Nanoha sighed. "I really hate that name."
Hayate looked on from the stands. "Soran Berkt… what do we have on him?"
"Not much, it appears." Shamal was in the control room, looking through the files. "For a freelancer, his record is pretty clean. A few early petty arrests, but those were later acquitted. It looks like he uses his magical abilities to do odd jobs such as heavy lifting. He's also done some body-guarding for some major technology firm presidents. His talent level hasn't been recently measured, so we don't know just how strong he is."
"He's sure an interesting one." Shari added. "And he's so cute! Subaru sure knows how to pick them!"
"Well, no matter." Shamal spoke. "We already know that Nanoha won't lose, even in a mock battle."
"Then why do I have goosebumps?" Hayate whispered to herself.
"Mama! Nanoha-mama! Do your best!" Vivio waved to her from the stands, where Fate held her up.
"Mhm." She smiled. "So, Soran-kun, how is this going to go? To even the field, I could use a standard device.
"Please don't make fun of me like that." Soran spoke from the other side of the field. "It wouldn't be Nanoha-san if she didn't use her own device."
"I suppose you're right. Rein, we're agreed on the terms."
"Hai desu." Rein's picture floated in between them. "The field is a standard open one, no obstacles. The length of time is 15 minutes, or until there is a clear winner found. The battle starts when I blow this whistle desu. Competitors ready!" They crouched into different positions. "FWEET desu!"
They instantly traded places on the battlefield. "Uh?" Nanoha gasped, realizing her strike hit nothing but air. "He still hasn't activated his device! How did he…?" She leapt into the air on her Artemis-like wings. In a flash of green, he was above her. "Sonic Move, and still no device?!"
"You mean this device?!" He rotated around as his grey-blue staff appeared in his right hand taking a swing at her. Nanoha couldn't cast Protection fast enough. The civilian device and Raising Heart clashed, and Nanoha was forced to retreat.
Soran put the staff pole against his right arm and held it between his index and middle fingers. "Variable Bullet."
"He's a shooting arts Double A rank?! Protection!"
"Protection."
"Nerai wa utz!" He squeezed his index finger in, and the magic bullet shot for her.
"Keh!" Nanoha struggled with the protective barrier as the energies conflicted. It detonated into a huge cloud of smoke.
"Hmmh." Soran smiled.
As the smoke cleared, so did Nanoha. "Not bad, boy. But you know…." She held the bullet in her hand and crushed it.
"Haaaah…." Soran was stunned.
"It's going to take a lot more than that!" She was upon him in a half second. Their staffs clashed in a shower of sparks. "You're really strong. If this is your way to ask for my approval for dating Subaru, you have it."
"Thanks, but this has nothing to do with her right now."
"Eh?"
"This is for my own sake. To find out if I'm stronger than you!" His left hand made a fist and another device staff appeared in it. The unexpected swing caught her in the side.
"GAH!" Nanoha went flying.
"Nanoha-chan!" Fate gasped as she stood.
"Heheh. I should have known. There's no way you could be so confident with just a simple common device."
"Yep." A magical circle appeared below him.
"Crossfire Shot." Balls of energy emerged from the circle around him.
"Two can play at that!"
"Crossfire Shot." Raising Heart countered.
Soran was first to take the shot. Using his right staff, he fired three rounds, and then another three. Nanoha spun left to dodge the first salvo, and flipped upside down to the right to dodge the next. From that position she pointed her weapon and eight different balls curved in on him. "Hrungh!" He crossed his arms as he generated his triple round shield. They took the blast completely.
"Tch! He's at least an S-rank in defense. Maybe even a double S. I have to find a way around that barrier." She squinted past the magical scrawl. "Something else is bothering me though."
"Somehow this is turning out to be exciting." Tea watched in earnest. "I thought Soran would bite it in two seconds."
"But now I don't know who to root for." Subaru kept going back and forth. "Ah, what should I do?"
Fate's eyebrow went up. "I see! That's why she's being so cautious!"
"Aside from that first attack, he's never used his left arm. And I can't see past his shield. What's he planning?" Nanoha bit her free thumb. "Whatever it is, I have to intercept it! Raising Heart!"
"Arc Shot!" Six energy balls appeared in a circle around her staff. She twirled Raising Heart like a baton faster and faster. "Velocity reached."
"SHOOT!" The orbs were sent flying in an arc, curving around his barrier. However they parked themselves. "Chain Bind!" They burst into energy ropes that whipped towards him.
"Heh."
"Cyclone." His left-hand device spoke. A twisting burst of air shot up around Soran, catching the energy chains and twisting them up into the sky, until they clashed and wrapped around each other.
Fate and Hayate stood in shock. "An elemental attack?"
From inside his wind barrier, Soran whispered. "Ignite the atmosphere and consume this world in flames." He slammed his second staff into the middle of the magic circle.
"Inferno." A large flame erupted from the open end of the staff and joined the wall of wind, combining into a flaming cyclone. The chain bind disintegrated in the heat.
"Firestorm Tornado!" He lifted his first device into the air and shot at Nanoha. The entire flaming cyclone erupted from the breach.
"Nanoha-chan!" Fate cried as she gripped the railing.
The girl furrowed her brow. "Load Cartridge." Two casings cocked in Nanoha's staff and its wings spread.
"Divine BUSTER!" Four particle beams curved from the weapon and held back the flaming tide. The fifth beam came from the tip of the weapon and pierced the cloud, sending explosions throughout the elemental attack.
"Egh!" Soran grunted as the entire field went up in smoke again.
"Soran! Nanoha-san!" Subaru gaped at the scene.
"This is nowhere near close to a mock battle!" Tea clenched her fist. "It's like they're really going at it!"
The wind pushed the smoke away. Soran was still standing, his left arm's clothing torn, and a piece of that device crumbled off. Nanoha panted as she floated in the air, her hair was slightly singed, and her skirt around her left leg was burnt off. "Ksssh!" She winced as she noticed that her leg had suffered a small burn as well. "Raising Heart… Excellion Mode."
"Yes, my Master."
"Oi! Nanoha!" Vita growled at the image. "What the hell are you doing? This is a sparring match!"
Her golden staff morphed into its bayonet form. "I have no idea why, but I have a feeling that you're not pulling any punches."
"Heh. Didn't I say that before?"
"I'll try to keep from killing you, but if I'm going to defend myself at this level, you will get hurt! I'm warning you now to surrender!"
"No way!" He pulled out three more layers of Round Shield. "I'm going to see this through to the very end!"
"I see. Subaru, forgive me." She whispered to herself. "Raising Heart, I'm counting on you."
"Starlight Breaker ex. Load Magazine." Nanoha locked an entire magazine of cartridges into the barrel, and Raising Heart cocked them all, as residual energy from the surrounding area coalesced on the tip of her lance.
"Bring it on!" A magical triangle appeared beneath his feet. "Rend this world with eternal plasma!"
"Lightning." At the first point, a large ball of yellow energy appeared.
"Consume this world with eternal flames!"
"Inferno." The second point contained a red/orange ball.
"Encase this world with eternal cold!"
"Glacier." The third appeared, ice blue in color.
"Elements of destruction!" He raised his shooting device into the air.
"Trinity Buster." All three rose up to the lance and in an earth-shaking reaction combined into one swirling mass of energy.
"No! Soran! Nanoha-san! Stop it!" Subaru lifted up onto the railing.
"Subaru, no!" Teana grabbed a hold of her quickly. "If you go out there, you'll be vaporized!"
"Soran! Soran run!" She reached out for him as her eyes turned yellow, her screams trailing off.
"May this enemy be cleansed!" He pointed straight for Nanoha and squeezed the trigger. The ball of multicolored energy swelled to gigantic proportions before it shot at breakneck speeds.
Nanoha loaded another magazine. "ACS Mode and Active Guard."
Raising Heart loaded four cartridges. "Strike Flame." The Active Guard surrounded Nanoha as her device was covered in white heat. They both went forward at a blinding speed, piercing the deadly beam.
"What?" Before he could completely comprehend, all three of his shields shattered. "Kegh!" He swung both of his devices to the right.
Raising Heart used up another six cartridges in the clip. Nanoha stared at him with glazed eyes. "Starlight BREAKER!" From point blank range, her attack went off.
"GOOOAAAAAHHH!" Soran yelled as his devices took the blast head on. The already damaged left device cracked and shattered. "Goodbye, friend." He looked to the suffering remaining staff. "Purge!" His last defense exploded and the blast pushed him aside. The remaining energy of Nanoha's attack tore the front of his shirt away, revealing a deep scar in his chest.
He fell back onto his butt and panted, stunned that he escaped from the attack relatively unscathed. He felt a bit of blood running from his nose and lip from the extreme change in pressure. As he wiped it off, he suddenly was aware of a smoldering golden lance thrust underneath his chin. "And this is how it ends. The winner has been clearly decided, Soran Berkt."
Soran smiled a toothy grin. "I'd have to agree!" He pulled two more devices out from his shoes and they expanded into a bladed form. He swung each for her waist hard.
"Riot Blade."
Bardiche's twin blade form clashed against the hidden devices. "I'm ending this now!" Fate growled. "This has gone far beyond a normal sparring match! That last attack would have killed Nanoha, and I will never let that happen!"
"Fate-chan, it's ok." Nanoha placed a hand on her shoulder. "Look." Soran's arms were held in place by two energy chains.
"Heheh." Soran smiled. "You left two Chain Bind spells unactivated. In all the commotion I didn't notice. Well played."
"Soran!" Subaru's wing road dove straight for them, the girl on it moving at top speed.
"Ah, Subaru, don't worry, he's…." Nanoha didn't get to finish the statement as Subaru's fist plowed into her face and sent her flying.
"Nanoha-chan!" Fate gasped.
"How dare you hurt him!" Her enraged yellow eyes looked around wildly. "Back off!" She kicked Fate to the side.
"Agh!" She grunted before she flopped to the side.
"And you!" She picked him up with her organic arm. "WHY THE FUCK WERE YOU SO RECKLESS?!" She sent a vibrating shot into his left arm and he was blown back at least 20 feet. "You little…!" Her mind paused as she saw a robotic hand clenching and unclenching at her feet.
"GAAAAAHHH!" The dark-haired boy screamed as he flailed in the dirt. He held his left shoulder as he tried to reach for the sky with that one hand. But the hand no longer was attached, or the rest of his arm. He just raised the sparking wires to the sky, writhing in pain. "HAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
As Subaru rolled up to him, the sight in front of her snapped her back to her senses as her eye color returned to normal. She held her mouth and shuddered like a leaf. "Wh…what have I done? Soran!"