Nanoha StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 6
"Hegh!" The boy's arms quaked as he tried desperately to hold onto the lance, the ball of flaming energy leaking out into small flamethrowers over the water.
"Concentrate! Envision a perfect sphere! It's not a net that's holding it there, it's a capsule!" The man behind him yelled while trying to avoid the flames.
"RGH! Inferno…" The child slowly lowered it to water level. "BUST…." The energy detonated prematurely, vaporizing the planks in front of him along with turning the surrounding water to steam. "Bwaaahh!" He was blown back.
"Soran!" The man leapt up with his winged ankles and caught the boy in midair. "Gotcha!"
When they were on terra-firma, the boy looked at the ground. "I failed again."
"You didn't fail. You just found another way not to use Inferno Buster."
"Dad… am I weak?" He looked into the man's eyes.
"Do you believe you're weak?" He questioned in return, and Soran nodded. "Then yes, you are. You can only be as strong as you think you are. We'll try again tomorrow. Come on, Mom's waiting." He took the boy's left hand and went off down the road.
Soran returned to consciousness, seeing a familiar plain white ceiling and the soreness of a raw back. 'Yep, I'm in a hospital. I'm beginning to see a pattern here.'
'At least you aren't missing a limb this time.' A mental whisper giggled in answer.
Soran shot up in surprise only to see a smiling girl. "Su…."
"Morning, or should I say evening?"
"Evening?" He looked out the window to find it dark. "So I guess I've been out for what… four hours?"
"Yeah, that's about right. Now, don't you think you owe me something?" She crossed her arms and nodded.
"Something… oh! You mean the gut shot!" He replayed the event in his mind. He lifted up his shirt. "Okay, let me have it."
Subaru just blinked. "Um…."
"Come on, hit me! We're in a hospital anyway, so it won't matter if I'm KO'd for a few more minutes."
Subaru hung her head and slumped before beginning to laugh. "You goof, I just wanted an apology! Why'd you have to go and do that? Now I can't stay mad at you."
"Well while we're on that subject, your skin felt very smooth and toned when I hit it. I liked it." He whispered the last part to her.
She blushed until it spread to the tip of her nose. "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" She punched him playfully in her embarrassment.
In the commotion a group of people came in. "Oh? Looks like we've got the wrong room. We accidentally happened on the honeymoon suite." Vita smirked as the Tea and the rest of the team stood behind her. She was also chuckling, while Erio and Caro blushed, swapping looks at each other.
"Vita-budaicho!" Subaru quickly stood and saluted.
"At ease." She saluted back. "You know you guys are the talk of the town right now? It's all over the news." A viewscreen appeared, showing Soran and Subaru's combo attack from a building far away.
"So… what happened to Scaglietti?" Soran paused as he read the headlines.
"The judge increased his sentence to ten life sentences and shipped him out right away. The three commanders and even Chrono Harlown are transporting him to his cell in interstitial space between dimensions."
"So all the commanders are gone? Nanoha-san and the others?" Subaru was surprised.
"Yeah. Just in case any more of Scaglietti's surprises go off."
"Guess I won't be able to thank her again." Soran sighed.
"I wouldn't say that, kid." Vita tossed him a small blue crystal key. "She recorded that before she left and instructed me to give it to you. Oi, Subaru, let's clear out. It's for him alone."
"Um… Hai." Subaru paused, before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Call us if you need us."
"Uh? … Ah…." He was barely responsive as he stared at the key. Once the door closed he called up a viewer. "Commandcom decode reader, priority to Soran Berkt personal biometrics." A floating box appeared and he stuck the key in it and twisted. "Begin message."
On the screen, Nanoha's smiling face greeted him. "Hey, Soran-kun! By the time you read this I'll already be on my way to NEO ALCATRAZ with Scaglietti, so I won't be able to visit you in the hospital. Soran-kun, I want to thank you. If it weren't for your quick thinking, Scaglietti would probably be a free man.
"You withstood constant attack from Gadgets until help arrived, defending hundreds of people, came up with an ingenious plan to wipe out the enemies, and was willing to sacrifice everything for the
people that were behind you. You aren't weak in the least, Soran-kun. Your determination shows your true valor and power. I just wanted you to know that.
"Soran-kun… I realize this will seem brazen to ask, especially from me, who doesn't understand your situation, but I want you to join Section 6. You are extremely caring and a strong ally, and I and the TSAB don't want to lose that. I realize that you have a lot of hatred towards the military which I still don't know the reasons for, but if you talk to us about it, maybe we can help you through it. So please, give it some thought."
Soran's watch beeped on the nightstand. He turned off the recording and pocketed the key before picking the watch up. "Berkt." He looked into the screen.
"Soran-kuuuuuun!" A bright-eyed bubbly blonde face filled his screen.
The boy sighed, slumping. "Hello, Ms. Gild, what is it this time?"
"Don't avoid me so much, Soran-kuuuuun! Anyway, President Belt wants to see you ASAP, so could you please get down here? On a personal note, do you think you could spare a little time for me too? I could give a big strapping hero like you a taste of what I've got to offer." She giggled in an attempt to be seductive.
"No thanks, I don't eat junk food." He waited for her to finish falling flat on her face. "Tell Father I'll be there in about an hour, if they agree to release me."
"Oooh! I could give you some rele-."
Soran cut off the transmission. "What an idiot."
"I still say that you should fire that slut, Father!" Soran grumbled as he scrubbed her lipstick off of his cheek as he entered. "I'm going to have to take a fucking shower to get all this glitter off. Eugh!" Mustang glared at him. "Right, language. Sorry."
Mustang sighed. "Well, putting all that aside, once again your bodyguarding has come in extremely handy. You not only protected me, but you saved dozens of others, and kept a dangerous man behind bars. There are many people that want to reward you. Random citizens are showering you with praise, the government wants to give you a medal…."
"TSAB wants me to join Section 6…." Soran added another to the list.
"Really? Well that's a great honor. But in any case, it appears to fall to me on giving you a proper reward for your efforts. What is it I can get you, Soran? As long as it's not illegal or having to do with five years ago, I'll try and get it."
The five years comment made Soran purse his lips for a second. He sat down to think. "Father… do you think I should join Section 6?"
"As your guardian, I would say yes. It would help you put the past behind you and rebuild. However, as Mustang Magitech President, I would lose a very valuable bodyguard, who's worth has been proved many, many times over."
"Umh." Soran clenched his fingers together, trying to think things through.
"Soran… I think you've realized it as well, but your training has plateaued. There's only so much you can teach yourself before you can go no further. I suppose the question really is how satisfied are you with yourself right now? Are you content with being as strong as you are?"
Soran's thoughts went back to when the first Rainbow was destroyed, and forcing himself to sacrifice Barrage as well against Nanoha's attack. "There's no way in hell I can say I am."
"Then you know what you have to do, I would think. I probably shouldn't have pushed that whole reward thing on you. Take your time in deciding. The offer will remain open."
Soran walked down the dark street, once in a while being lit by the streetlights as he wandered. Voices kept going off in his head, caused by his memories scrambling to give him an answer to his questions.
"She wasn't at full power?! Why are my devices so useless?!"
"You can only be as strong as you think you are."
"Are you content with being as strong as you are?"
"This is for my own benefit, to find out if I'm stronger than you!"
"There's no way in hell I can say I am."
"Dad… am I weak?"
"There's only so much you can teach yourself…."
"I'm not weak. I'm not."
"Damn it." He punched a brick wall. Only then did he look up at the building he was next to, and the address which he recognized.
"If you decide to join us, please do me a favor and go to my residence. Subaru is there taking care of Vivio while Fate and I are out. I think a more personal setting would be better to talk things out when we return. I hope to see you there. Goodbye for now."
He stood at the front gate for a while, just staring at the house, past it, and into the starry sky. He checked his watch and decided. He dialed a number. "Hello, Father. I've figured it out. I'd like a lab and equipment for making a custom Intelligent Device. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time."
"That's… quite a stretch Soran. In the first place we don't have any scientists that work on IDs."
"Don't worry about that. I'll handle that myself. This is a private project, and I'd like to keep it that way."
"Very well. I'll see what I can do. Good night, Soran."
"Good night, Father." After hanging up he turned to the driveway and began walking up. 'I am not weak. I believe I can be stronger than I am. I'll continue to move forward, surpass the unsurpassable, and then one day….' He pressed the doorbell.
"Who is it?" Subaru's voice came over the intercom.
"It's me Su. It's Soran."
"Ah! Hang on, I'm coming right now!" He heard feet scrambling, and a rather suspicious sound of a THUD. She opened the door. "Welcome Sora-"
She was interrupted as a bowl of noodles flew past her ear and onto his face. "I got you Mr. Meanie!" A young girl's voice called back from the foyer.
"Vivio, you can't do that! That's bad! You were a bad girl just now!" Subaru scolded her.
From his bent backwards position, Soran removed the bowl from his face. Returning to upright position most of the noodles rolled off his eyes and nose. Then in a bout of anger he spat the remaining ones out of his mouth. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?! Who did it? Who threw that bowl?!"
"Ah! Mr. Meanie recovered! Egh!" The little blonde girl took another bowl and hurled it.
Soran sidestepped it and pulled out his shooting staff. Blocking it in midair, he whirled it around. "Back at ya!"
"Hwaah!" Vivio screamed.
"Protection." Mach Caliber spoke as Subaru put her pendant between the girl and the noodles.
"Soran, knock it off! This is Nanoha-san's daughter, Vivio!"
"Deh… hey why am I the one that has to knock it off? She's the one that sent that slop my way!"
"Vivio hates you! You hurt Nanoha-mama! You gave her the ouchie on her leg! Mr. Meanie, go away!" She squealed as she hid behind Subaru's leg.
"Ouchie on her leg?" Soran blinked. "What's that?"
"Ouchie… oh, Soran, she must be talking about the burn you gave her." The bluenette turned and knelt down, resting her hands on the little ones' shoulders. "Vivio, if it's that, Mr. Meanie already said sorry to Nanoha-mama."
"So I'm suddenly Mr. Meanie now?!" Soran balled his fist. "I was just pummeled with soba noodles, and now you're calling me names?!"
"Mr. Meanie apologized a long time ago."
"Hey, listen to me!"
"So no more attacking Mr. Meanie!"
"Stop calling me that!"
"Say you're sorry with a cookie." Subaru put a star-shaped cookie into her hands. "Give it to him, and say you're sorry."
The standoff continued, Soran gritting his teeth and pointing, a stray noodle sliding off his ear. Subaru looked cross at the girl. Vivio looked between the cookie and the man down the hall. "Vivio… is sorry."
"There we go, Vivio." Subaru clapped her hands together. "That's a good gi-."
"KARGH!" Soran hit the ground after being blown back.
Vivio pulled back her outstretched arm. "But Vivio still hates you!" She ran out of the room.
"Vivio! Hey, Vivio! Get back here and apologize properly!" Subaru yelled.
"Don't bother, Su." Soran coughed. "I don't think I'd live through that anyway. " He got up to sitting position, blood trickling down his nose. "More importantly, do I leave this thing in or take it out?" He pointed to the cookie, one of its points embedded into his forehead. "Didn't we agree that you wouldn't bake anymore?"
Soran poked the bandage on his forehead as Subaru put the med kit away. He saw a glint of something shine around the corner. In a split second he caught a flying piece of candy just seconds before it was going to hit him. "Ksh!" A girl's voice came from around the corner.
"Vivio, if you're going to try and kill me, at least face me when you're doing it." He crushed the little piece of chocolate in his grip.
"Ah! My candy!" She peeked around the corner, but then hid again behind the wall. "Mr. Meanie didn't see Vivio!"
"Suuuure I didn't." Soran surveyed the layout, reaching into his right boot and whispering. "Garyu, WAS Mode, target living entity four meters ahead."
"Javol." The device expanded along the floor and squirmed like a snake around the corner.
"You know, Vivio, there's one thing wrong with your technique. The more focused you are on a single target, the more you leave yourself open for…."
A hiss came from around the corner. "GYAAAAAHHH!" The little girl squealed as she dove into the living room behind the couch next to him as the device continued forward, making hissing sounds.
"Ambushes." Soran smirked in satisfaction as he picked up Garyu and returned it to his boot. He looked over the sofa. "Are you finished trying to attack me ye… auda?" She wasn't there.
"Egh!" She planted a hard kick to his butt that sent him toppling over the sofa before running off.
"Okay, I'm back. Sorry to keep you waiting Sora-. What are you doing?!"
"Subaru." His voice somehow came from the other side of the room. "Could you get the medkit again? My face landed on the air vent."
"Why is it always me?" Soran sighed as he rubbed off the last dust slat on his face.
Subaru finished putting the last bit of bandage onto his ear that got cut from the vent latch. "Dunno. But you do seem to be getting beat up a lot."
"Feel like doing my butt next?" He smiled sweetly.
"No way." She latched the kit shut. "I'd have to be married to you first before I even come close to that area. And even then you'll be waiting a while."
"Darn! I knew I should have brought the ring and minister with me!"
"I… I'll be right back!" Subaru got up quickly, the skin on the back of her neck red, as she walked robotically into the kitchen to put the medkit away.
"Well, I'm sure she knows that was a joke." Soran smirked to himself, as Vivio stepped into full view, carrying a doll.
"Vivio heard it. Vivio won't let you!" She charged him, vaulting over the armrest and swinging her doll's face hard into his head.
"KWAH!" Soran was slammed to the sofa.
"Mr. Meanie will never marry Suba-nee!" She yelled as she ran off again.
"Where does that girl disappear to? I'm like a victim of guerilla warfare here. HSSSH!" Soran hissed as Subaru painted the lump on his head with disinfectant before placing an ice pack on it.
"I think Fate-san built some trap doors and pathways to make the house more exciting. She and Zaphila have a great time playing hide and seek in here."
"Now you tell me." Soran sighed as he watched Subaru head back to the kitchen, admiring her. Two feet padded forward. "Oh, she shows up again."
"Mr. Meanie, answer Vivio one thing. Will Suba-nee and Mr. Meanie be making babies?"
"Bab… well that's kind of up to her, don't you think? I mean I sure hope she'd want to but…."
"Never…." Vivio's hair covered her eyes. "Mr. Meanie won't make a replacement for Vivio ever!" A magical circle appeared below her feet as wind began to blow.
"Eh… eh?! Wait, you're a… Subaru, how come you didn't mention she had magical abilities?!"
"Oh, I thought you knew, Soran!" She called in without looking. "She's a clone from ancient Belkan DNA. Try not to get her mad, because when she is, she's one rank lower than Nanoha-san."
"HOW THE HELL WOULD I KNOW THAT?!"
Hours later:
"Nanoha and Fate-chan return!" The brunette waltzed through the door with a smile on her face, with her more passive lover following close behind.
"Oh, welcome back you two." Subaru stopped in front of the door, lugging the medkit into the living room.
"What do you need that for, Subaru?" Fate took off her jacket and hung it up.
"You'll see." She sweatdropped as she motioned for them to follow.
As they rounded the corner, they saw a boy sitting there, the bodily proportions of Soran, the hair of Soran, but the face was swollen and covered in bandages beyond recognition. And Vivio was trying desperately to get her tiny hands around his neck. "Yo." The little girl's face practically exploded in happiness as Vivio leapt for Nanoha, planting a foot in Soran's crotch to launch from. "Ergh." Soran whimpered weakly as he toppled. "Just when I thought she couldn't do anything else to me."
"Nanoha-mama! I got him! I got Mr. Meanie back for your ouchie! Vivio is a good girl!" She was picked up. "See? See? Vivio is a good girl! Vivio taught Mr. Meanie not to be bad to mama!"
"Oh my… Soran-kun, that really is you? Fate-chan, take her." She switched the girl into the blonde's arms. "Subaru, hand me the disinfectant."
"Say, Fate-mama, Vivio is a good girl, right?!"
"Of course, Vivio. You're a good girl." Fate poked her nose.
Soran lept up. "IN WHAT DIMENSION?!" Subaru and Nanoha grabbed an arm each and slammed him back to the couch.
Soran downed a glass of juice through a straw as Subaru put away the medkit… again. What was left of Soran's good eye looked rapidly back and forth for Vivio. "Don't worry, Soran-kun, Fate-chan is probably in bed with her. They're both pretty exhausted." Nanoha spoke reassuringly from her seat across. "I should apologize for her. She doesn't really understand just yet about forgiveness."
"I can see that." He winced as he shifted in the sofa.
"But even so, I'm glad. You actually came. Does this mean you'll join us?"
Soran nodded. "However it doesn't come without a couple of conditions. Even after I join, I still have an outstanding contract with my father, so I will need a Saturday or Sunday off every week. Also, I would like to have a Friday off once every two weeks."
"What's the Fridays for?"
"I've got to take Subaru on a date some time, right?"
Nanoha giggled at that. "Fair enough, Soran-kun. Subaru, he said yes!"
"He did?!" The girl's smiling face peered around the corner. "Soran, you have no idea just how happy you've made me! Oh god, I'm so excited!"
"It's not going to be fun and games though, you two. We're still going to go at it double speed! I'm going to work the two of you to the bone. Soran, you'll get your uniform this weekend at your apartment. You're to report on Monday morning at 0500 hours to the morphing field, and then we'll move your stuff into the dorms after morning training. Understood?"
"Yes ma'am." Soran saluted.
"Since I know you can't stand at the moment, I'll let that slide." Nanoha smiled again and saluted back. "Welcome aboard Soran Berkt."
Soran huffed as he ran for the field, in a dark blue athletic vest and gray flared shorts. "Damn it, I'm late! And from the looks of it, they started without me!" There were explosions and flashes of light coming from the simulation island.
"Hold it right there." Signum stepped in front of the bridge, and Vita came up next to her, laying her giant hammer down in the path.
"Sorry new guy, but you're not getting through." Vita sneered.
"I'm a part of TSAB now, and I'm late for my morning training. Sub-commanders please stand aside!"
"Actually, you're not late at all. We're acting on Nanoha-daichou's orders." Signum checked her watch.
"Eh? Then… why are you…?"
"We're gonna soften you up good." Vita tapped the big hammer in her palm. "If you want to be trained by Nanoha directly, you're going to have to get through us! I am Vita, Knight That Smashes All Defenses!"
"I am Signum, Knight of the Diamond Blade!" The pony-tailed one spoke as she drew her sword.
"So this is how Nanoha-san does business huh?" Soran smirked. "It's true that I'm probably at a higher level than the drills they're doing right now, but if you think for a second I'm going to be 'softened up' by the two of you, think again! Kiryu! Garyu! Rainbow Zwei!" He tossed the three keys into the air. "Level Two Release!"
"Okay Boss."
"Javohl." The three keys combined in midair, the physical weapons turning into a metallic casing with beam fangs as Rainbow formed the center of the mouth.
The entire assembly landed on Soran's left arm and tightened around it. Testing it, it opened, baring its fangs like the head of a dragon. On his right, Barrage Zwei extended into its double-ended form, as the targeting visor materialized over his eyes. "I am Soran Berkt, Master of the Dark Trinity! I will not be hindered by the likes of you!" He dove for the both of them with a battlecry.