StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 24
Soran's thrusters fired and he zoomed up to Subaru, grasping her by the neck with his right hand. "Hkk!" She struggled against his fingers as he raised her high.
"Jor, stop! What are you doing?!"
"Your flawed human feelings got in the way of the mission. In addition, you damaged me and yourself by recoiling, when you could have finished the mission by stabbing both of them." Soran's left arm raised up, pulling the staff back and engaging the spear. "I will remove the obstacle and finish the mission without your assistance."
"No! Jor, commandcom override! Disengage! I repeat, disengage!"
"I overwrote your overrides. Your flaws will no longer get in the way of perfection." The spear thrust forward.
"SUBARU!" Tea cried.
KATHUNG! The entire room went silent. No one moved, no one said anything. The world had stopped, the only sound was the slight dripping of blood on the floor. "S…Soran…." The boy's head was slumped down, his eyes tightly shut. "Soran." Subaru looked down. The spear had penetrated the wall next to her, the side of the blade managing to split the skin under her ribcage, but that was it.
"Subaru…." He whispered through his clenched teeth. His fingers twitched as they began to loosen around her neck. "Get out…. Hurry!" It gave her enough room to get her metal fingers between his and rip his hand away from her. She dropped down and rolled back.
"Come back here!"
Soran's arm thrashed for her as she pulled away. "Soran… you…."
"Run, Subaru!" Soran yelled. "Gillium will recognize you! Take everyone and get the hell out of here!"
"Useless." The ID blinked, and the hallways sealed up. "Escape is not an option."
"Jor… he planned this from the start… making me more dependent on his armor as time went by… but he can control it against my will!" The teen's left arm began to release the spear, finger by finger.
"But what about…."
"JUST GO!" Soran yelled as Jor let go of the spear, balling it into a fist. "GOAAAAAHHHH!" He slammed it into the wall, up to the elbow. "I won't lose you too! You mean too much to me!"
"Your efforts are merely delaying the inevitable, Soran. By fighting harder, I formulate better ways to take over. The more you strain, the faster you will become fully in my control."
"I will never submit to you, Jor! I made you!" He brought his right hand to his neck.
"And that is one of your many flaws."
"Subaru, what are you doing?! GO!" Soran yelled at her as he clawed at his neck.
Subaru's eyes trembled as the armor collar on his neck started to come up. He dug his finger into it and started pulling. "What are you thinking, Soran?"
"What's wrong, Jor? Not perfect enough to read my mind?!" Soran grunted as he dragged the neckline down, revealing his bare skin.
Subaru's eyes went wide and she dashed forward, using one hand to hold his right arm and the other to grip the armor. "Subaru, what the hell are you…?!" Fate gasped as she limped forward.
"It's the armor!" She grunted as she ripped a patch off his chest. "His device is controlling him through the armor! We need to… get it off him!"
"You bitch." His clawed fist balled and punched her in the face.
"Gyah!" She grunted as she was blown back, tearing down the breastplate in the process.
"Ergh!" Fate grunted, grabbing his arm and pulling it back. "I've got him. Subaru, keep at it!"
She wiped the blood off her lip and rushed forward again, trying to tear a seam in the right shoulder armor. Before her eyes, the breastplate started to knit again. "He's healing himself!"
"As you can see, my regenerative properties make this a futile effort. Instead of doing that, would you mind dying?" His leg reared back and slammed into her crotch.
Subaru's legs buckled in the stun, and his knee halted a half inch from her face. "Not this time, Jor!" Soran snarled as he locked his muscle.
"There has to be a way to get this thing off him faster than he can heal." Fate braced herself as his arm twitched.
"There is!" Teana called from the opposite end of the room. "Cross Mirage! You brought him with you, right?!"
Nanoha opened her eyes wide, pushing up onto Raging Heart, and pulling the card out of her pocket. "Tea-san!" She tossed it in the air.
"Cross Mirage, device set up! Remote override command, level two set up! Priority to Takamachi Nanoha and Subaru Nakajima!"
"Understood." The card warped and increased in mass until it was in pistol form, then it cloned itself. They landed in Nanoha's hand.
"Subaru!" Nanoha pitched one at the girl.
The moment she had a grip, it spoke. "Level two release." The orange spiked blade extended from muzzle to hilt.
The girl gulped as she carefully dragged it across the breastplate where it was healing, cutting the seams again. "Subaru, do the arm next." Fate said quickly.
She nodded, and starting from the neck, she started cutting through the armor lengthwise down the arm. When it got to the back of the hand, Nanoha had arrived with Cross Mirage's pair, getting to work on the back. "Soran, I've never given up on you. We'll save you, I promise."
Fate and Subaru cracked open the arm like a crab claw. "Now, before he starts healing again!" Soran raised his shoulder out, then elbow.
The armor constricted on his fingers. "Hngh!" Soran winced and started sweating. "HRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" He roared as he pulled his hand out completely, blood dripping from his knuckles. The armor dropped to his side, motionless.
"You will not take him." Jor flashed, and from the back armor, the helmet closed over him.
"Soran-kun!" Nanoha gasped, noticing the change in the color of his skin. "He's suffocating him!"
Subaru hopped back. "Sorry Soran, but this is gonna hurt!" Her right fist began to shake as the revolver spun. "Inherent Skill: Oscillating Breaker!" Her attack plowed into the faceplate, and the entire helmet shattered, the black metal completely disassociated.
It also happened to have slammed into Soran's nose, which was bleeding quite nicely. "Nice." He said nasally as he worked through the pain. Only then did Subaru notice that his hair was black again.
Nanoha quickly peeled back the section the helmet emerged from, just in case Jor had any more. Subaru moved down to the front of his legs, again re-cutting the seams she had cut before. "Um… I realize this isn't really the time to think of these sort of things, but does someone else want to take this section? Fate-san?" She blushed.
"What are you complaining about, Subaru?" She watched over the entire suit carefully, ready to counterattack if necessary.
"Well, I mean… " She turned red completely. "He's… naked and… I'm moving down to that area…."
"Subaru, this isn't time to be immature." Nanoha scolded. "Look at what I'm stuck staring at down here." She had finally made it to the buttocks.
"I thought I felt a draft." Soran rolled his eyes for a second, accidentally letting enough control go to send Nanoha back with a kick.
"Eheh…" Subaru swallowed. "Okay, no one else look that can see, alright?" Tea looked away, snickering, as Signum and Zaphila closed their eyes.
Fate's eyes went to the corner. "Vivio, you're peeking. This isn't something a little princess should see."
"P-please excuse me, Soran!" She started getting flustered as she started cutting. Her eyes concentrated only on the half inch where her blade was going next as it went down the leg, and down the other leg. She looked away quickly as she yanked the armor away.
Nanoha pulled the other half back as well. "Soran, it's only your feet left! Subaru, hold his foot down!" She grabbed the other.
Subaru obeyed, still trying not to look. "Soran, hurry!"
"Jor, this is where I get off!" Tea and Zaphila choked on a chuckle. He lifted his right leg as the armor constricted around his feet. "Kagh! You BASTAAAAAARRRRRDD!" Soran's right foot slid out of the armor, the casing going limp. Subaru and Nanoha grabbed the left boot as he kicked hard, bursting through it. "I'm done with you, Jormungand Zwei!" Suddenly his left arm went deeper into the wall. "Ueh?"
"I think not." It went deeper, all the way to his underarm. "No matter how many times you remove my armor, one thing I will never relinquish is your left arm."
Soran snarled, gritting his teeth and lowering his brow. He leaned forward, bracing his feet against the wall, and extending his right hand. "Subaru!"
"Uh!" She gasped. "You're not…."
"It's the only way."
She grabbed his hand. "Mach Caliber, ACS Mode!"
Soran cringed as she began to pull. He looked back at the ID core on his shoulder, sneering as he watched it begin. "RNGH! MORE!"
Subaru's eyes were filled with tears. "Blitz Caliber, ACS Boost Powerup!" Her boots shot out loads of steam as the rpm doubled.
"MORE!" Blood and mechanical fluids started to spurt from the wound.
Fate and Nanoha locked arms around his midsection. "Sonic Move!" Both of their devices cried.
"JORMUNGAND ZWEI! YOU WON'T HOLD ME!" He screamed as the final connection within the bone snapped. They sailed into the opposite wall with extreme speed, Soran screaming in pain. They all stumbled out of the hole in the wall together, Soran going to his knees, numb from the pain as his blood dripped from the open wound.
Subaru plopped down facefirst next to him, Nanoha and Fate landing on the opposite side. Subaru started giggling, soon opening her mouth to let out an actual laugh. The other three took a little longer to replay the situation, also finding it funny enough to issue a few chortles.
"Have your laugh." The room went silent. "I no longer need you." The armor expanded, stiffening and healing itself. "You are a weak excuse for a human being." The helmet materialized. "You lack the resolve to take revenge." Jor yanked his fist out of the wall, sending rocks flying. "You lack the courage to wield perfection." The armor rose to its full height and yanked the Caster Staff out of the stone. "Someone like you cannot possibly be the son of Gene Starwind. Therefore, you are not Soran Starwind!" The helmet opened, revealing the green-haired Soran with red eyes. "I am." Everyone gasped that could. "I am everything that you are not. I have fixed all of your flaws. I am what you could never achieve… perfection."
"He's… manifested himself… physically." Soran was in total shock. "That's impossible."
"A fully autonomous sentient ID, uncontrolled by anyone but itself…." Fate narrowed her gaze. "Driven only by its own ruthless logic."
"By association, you are friends and allies of my target, therefore you are also targeted for elimination. Prepare to die!" He pulled out his saber and rushed forward.
"Kgh!" Subaru leapt up and crossed her fists.
"Protection Powered." Subaru's bright blue shield expanded to protect all four of them.
"Cross Mirage, please!" Nanoha raised the gun and pulled the trigger, shooting him in the chest with a big enough explosion to knock him back.
"There's no room in this universe for two Sorans. And I'll choose the original any day!" Subaru snarled as she assumed battle stance.
"Subaru, be careful! He might have all my abilities, including the elementals!"
Her wing road spread. "I'll be careful." She rushed onto the ramp, rolling over the dark Soran's head, the road whirling into a semi-spiral over his head.
"You will be dead!" Jor merged with the staff again and raised his knuckle to the sky, sending out two ice bursts that ripped through sections of the road.
Subaru pulled back just as the cold chunk passed in front of her nose. Her right-hand Revolver Knuckle ate up two cartridges. "Range Revolver."
She pulled back before diving headfirst into the gap, swinging her fist towards him. "Revolver Shoot!" A shockwave hurtled from it, the recoil sending her back to the other side of the Wing Road.
Without even looking up, Jor raised his hand over his head. When it intersected the shockwave, he swung his arm, tossing the energy into the wall, creating a small explosion. "Futile."
"Kgh." She closed her eyes. "I have to embrace what I am, for Soran's sake." She opened them again as they shifted into amber. "Mach Caliber, Third Gear Excellion."
"Excellion Gear – Full Drive." Her ankles grew fin fliers, and the coolant system for the wheels doubled in size as the rpm increased. "ACS Standby."
Subaru narrowed her gaze as she accelerated. The Wing Road branched off, swerving and banking every which way, as Jor continued to pump shots out at her. Then it turned straight for him. "Revolver…!" Subaru pulled her arm back.
"Taking me on directly? A foolish mistake." He also pulled his fist back for a strike. Both fists flew forward, and just as they were about to intersect, Mach Caliber warped the wing road, banking it to the left.
Subaru's fist slammed into his side. "CANNON!" A massive shockwave slammed into him, sending Jor sliding to the side… all of five inches. "UH?!" She tried to circle around him, but his right hand caught her.
"Let me show you a real Revolver Cannon." Jor cocked a shot. "Crush Pulse!" The shockwave slammed into her stomach as he released her from his grip.
"DYAH!" She squeaked as she was sent flying, trapped by the pressure.
"Su!" Soran gasped.
"ACS Active." Mach Caliber spoke, generating a thick wing road under her wheels as a magic circle appeared in the middle of the shockwave. "Strike Burnout." The ID spun up incredibly fast, using the wing road as friction. Their reverse motion slowed to a halt as the boots began to glow red hot and the coolant system belched out smoke.
Subaru's left fist cocked four cartridges and slammed the spinning revolver into the magic circle. She spread her hand and the barrier was destroyed. The girl rushed ahead so quickly that she was giving off afterimages. Her right fist cocked four more as it began vibrating. "Burnout Wrecker!" Her fist slammed into his face, taking his entire head off. The after-images caught up, revealing that she was actually a good ten feet away, her wheel tracks continuing forward, smoldering with flames. She panted hard, sweating, leaving her arms limp at her sides. Mach Caliber desperately tried to suck in cooler air. Both revolvers opened up and ejected their used cartridges, which detonated from the heat soon after. "That had… to get him…."
The armor just stood there, headless, before it abruptly lifted its fist and fired an ice shot that blew her into the wall. "You are a nuisance." The helmet materialized on his shoulders. "I have perfected the human form." It shimmered away as a new head finished forming. "No longer is the human core a weakness."
Subaru rolled through the ice block as it melted around her, none the worse for wear. "Ah, that was a nice cool down. Thanks for the assist, Jor."
Soran smirked at her tease. "Su, you can attack the body all you want, but there's nothing in there that will take permanent damage! His core is the ID itself!"
She bit her lip. "The ID... huh?"
Soran crouched down, closing his eyes as his magical triangle appeared under him. 'This is all I've got left without an emulator, Su. Use it.' Floating around him were a ball of plasma and a ball of fire.
Subaru jumped next to him and pulled her fists back, a magical ring whirling around them both. "Lightning Buster!" Her left fist impacted the ball, sending it hurtling towards Jor. "Inferno Buster!" Her right connected, and in the ember trail, she followed.
The electricity plowed into Jor, crackling throughout the armor as he smirked, raising his left hand in a magic seal. "That's…!" Soran gasped. The fireball turned the armor red hot as it passed around him, illuminating the pitch black and purple sphere he held in his clawed hand.
"Feel the power of darkness." Jor hurled it at Subaru, and she pulled back her revolver, cocking a shot.
"No Su! Don't attack…!" But the warning came too late, as she plowed her fist into it. It had a two-pronged effect, the outer layer spread out, turning into pitch black daggers that kept flying at a slightly altered angle, and the inner core exploded in Subaru's face. "Engh!" Soran forced himself up, diving for Bardiche, swinging its Zanber form up to take the black needles before they hit the disabled commanders. He dropped the ID as Subaru was blown back into him.
Nanoha watched wide eyed. "Soran… you…."
"Tchey…." He put Subaru down. "Explain, Jor! I lost my ability to control Darkmatter when I lost my arm!"
"That was… Darkmatter?" Fate gasped.
Subaru shook the cobwebs out of her head. "Darkmatter? What's that?"
"It's my perfect opposite." Nanoha grunted as she pushed herself up to sitting position. "The only power that's a full answer to white magic. I always wondered why Soran never used it, but…."
"Hahahahaha!" Jor threw his head back and laughed. "I have already overcome that little handicap. I can use that power at any point, faster and more potent than you ever could control."
Soran spat. "We can't win this."
"Yes we can." Fate sat up. "Darkmatter is a rare substance that can't be seen. If we force him to use all of it up in the air, he'll be open to attack."
"Then that's the plan then!" Subaru got up again.
"No, it's not." Soran sighed. "We're in a chunk of the destroyed universe." He picked up a piece of rubble and it began to glow purple. "Darkmatter is the only thing holding this rock together. It's in every piece." He hung his head. "Even if we could drain the Darkmatter, we'd be sending the ceiling down on top of us. It's over."
It was silent for a moment, the reality of the situation sinking in. "Subaru!" Tea and Erio stared at her through the bars.
She took a deep breath and let it out her nose, standing up and pulling out two magazines of cartridges from her pockets. "We still have our friends to save. Soran promised to release them, but there's no guarantee that Jormungand will." The revolvers opened loading ports and she stuck the magazines in, the revolvers spinning and loading the new magic cylinders. "Besides… I'll keep fighting until I'm in pieces!" The empty magazines were sent flying as she stepped in front of them all. "This one decides it forever!" She slammed both her fists into the ground, and the revolvers pulled back on her arm and clicked forward, spewing out steam as all of the cartridges cocked at once.
Nanoha jolted. "24?! Subaru, that kind of power is too much for you!"
"Twen…" Soran looked at her in disbelief. "Subaru, nothing is worth that much! Eject them!"
"We'll die anyway if I don't. Calibers!"
"Polar Form." Her right hand turned pitch black, and her left hand turned white.
She spread her hands as a swirling energy of opposite color appeared above her palms. "Positive energy. Negative energy." She brought both tempestuous powers together in front of her, compacting it until her hands clasped together, containing it. A shockwave threw the other three back as she leaned forward, putting her combined fists on a straight path to Jor. "Neutron…." Her boots rocketed her forward, rocks flying into the air as she passed. Jor put up a barrier, but it was broken through easily as she slammed the fists into his chest. "BREAKAAAAAAAAAAA!" There was a bright flash of light and an explosion that hit the ceiling.
Subaru was flung back into the wall above Soran. He caught her as she fell. "Oh, Subaru!" Her flesh was torn off in places, revealing the cables and gears and pistons that made up some of her inner frame. He cupped her good cheek, and a tear ran from his eye. "You idiot!"
"Don't… talk to me about… being an idiot." She smiled, her motions jerky, twitching. "This… can be repaired. But I'm happy… to see that you… really do care."
"Subaru…." He hugged her as best he could with one arm.
"Soran, she'll be fine, I promise. She's come back from this kind of damage before." Nanoha examined her after she crawled over.
"Dark Javelin."
"Enh?!" Soran gasped as Jor's lance emerged from high in the smoke, landing in the floor, the Darkmatter coating it exploding, separating the four of them. "Guah!" Soran grunted as he hit the floor. "You're still alive?!"
"I cannot die." The lance disappeared, reappearing in a flash of light as the smoke cleared. Jor's right claw held onto a wall, while his left had thrown the lance, two strings of remaining armor were all that held the two together, there was no head or body left. "That attack was indeed powerful." The helmet reappeared, before shimmering away again. "Too bad it missed its target." He let go and hovered there as the rest of the armor reformed below the neck. "I think that playtime is over. Loading Caster, shell 7." The spear warped into its Gillium form.
"SHIT!" Soran grunted. "Come on, move!"
"Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa." The black wings sprouted, each wing splitting into three pieces that spread out at the sides of the staff. Red particles spewed from the air holes, covering the space in between, so it looked sort of like the wings of a bat.
Nanoha forced herself to sit up again, staring at the weapon. Her eyes turned red. "AAHH!" Her jaw dropped in a scream.
"That's… the second shot…" Fate could only muster enough energy to flip over. "Nanoha-chan, run!"
"She can't!" Soran grunted. "The particles of the Viral Lancer are already affecting her! She's seeing a paralyzing illusion!"
"Particles… then what if it hits her?!"
"Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa."
"If she takes that spear directly, her brain will shut down permanently!" Soran cringed.
"AGH!" Fate's eyes began to water.
"Viral Lancer! PAGUA SUN FAIRE!" Jormungand dove as the wings were consumed in unearthly fire.
"NANOHA-CHAN!" Fate cried.
Blood splashed across Nanoha's face. "Agh!" She recoiled, closing her eyes for a second before opening them, back to their normal blue. "HUA!" Her breath caught in her throat. "SORAN!"
In front of her was the teen, his teeth gritted as he held Jor's spear with his right hand, directing it into his left shoulder and ribcage, exiting out the other side, the particles being absorbed into his body. "HUAK!" Blood came up between his teeth.
"That was one thing I never expected from you." Even Jor was surprised.
Soran smiled. "The only way to stop shell 7 is to have someone who the virus hasn't targeted take the blow." He snickered as the blood dripped from his wounds, forcing the lance to go in deeper. "I know every Caster, and every Caster's weaknesses. I was the only one who could stop you."
"But why did you stop me?"
"Because… even though I hate what she has done… I still love Nanoha-san!" Nanoha gasped. "She took me under her wing and trained me without even hesitating. She treated me with kindness and respect, no matter what I gave in return. She assumed the role of a sister, but with the caring that I remembered as my mother's."
"Soran…." Nanoha began to cry. "SORAN-KUN!"
"But I was too blinded by revenge to see it! Too blinded to admit that she had suffered from killing my family! And too blinded to see what you were becoming!" He thrust the lance in further as he stood, staring him in the eye. "I made a mistake in creating you. And I'll rectify that mistake, even if it costs me my body and soul!"
"UH?!" Nanoha and Fate's color palette inverted in their eyes. "I know now that I must face this sin, and I will give everything I have, even if it costs my body and soul, to rectify that mistake."
"No, you will not, my imperfect other." Jor's clawed hand clenched his neck. "You are already near death. Just one little squeeze will end it for good, and there will be only one Soran Starwind."
"My name is Soran Berkt!" The Dark Trinity flew out of Nanoha's pocket at light speed. Kiryu formed up and stabbed into Jor's right shoulder, severing it, dropping Soran to the floor.
Rainbow Zwei hit him in the forehead. "Glacier." His face froze and shattered.
Barrage charged up and stabbed Jor in the left underarm. "Nerai wa utz!" The explosion sent Jor flying away, yanking out the spear in the process.
"GUAAAAAAAHHH!" Soran screamed as he hit the floor. Rainbow mounted on his back, spreading his barrier jacket's cape, and Hayate's signature black wings spread from it, dragging him to the Curse Field as the others followed.
"Soran-kun…." Nanoha followed with her gaze.
"Soran…." Fate watched in disbelief.
"Mr. Meanie…." Vivio couldn't also help but gaze into the viewer.
Soran emerged from the Curse Field, fully healed, his staff in Gillium form. The cape had disappeared, replaced by Hayate's eight black wings. His feet were surrounded by gold and black square bracelets connected to his boots, his wrist with a blue and gold bracelet on it as well, Fin Fliers emerging from all of them. He had three field generators on his belt, each with the commanders' colors. "Gillium Striker Form!"
Soran looked up as Jor reformed his head and right arm, covering the left armpit and snarling. The teen said nothing as he dashed forward. Before Jor could turn his head, Soran swung his staff into him, sending him sailing. He changed direction to follow as Kiryu's blade emerged from the staff. "öffnen." Appearing above the imposter, he stabbed him in the chest, dragging him across the floor before swinging and ripping the blade out through his face, sending him flying into the far wall.
"Sterilize the imperfection!" Jor yelled from his hole and an orb of Darkmatter the size of a beach ball targeted Soran.
Kiryu's blade closed up. "Cyclone Shot." Rainbow Zwei stated as the staff head was surrounded in green wind. The boy just smirked as he backhanded his staff into the ball, sending it for a return while absorbing the pieces of the first layer that came off.
"It's a rebound!" Erio balled his fist.
Spinning around, a golden orb appeared on the head of the barrel as he put it against his arm. Everyone that was watching called out. "Nerai wa utz!" The golden energy tore into the dark matter and exploded in proximity to the imposter, sending him to the floor.
"Kgh." Jor said as he got up, a spark jumping from his shoulder.
"Hmm?" Soran blinked, then grinned evilly. "You're injured." In Jor's ID crystal, there was a small hairline fracture.
"It doesn't matter." Jor leapt up, closing his helmet. "I have more than enough power to eliminate you all!"
Soran's eyes went wide. "I won't let you!" He fired round after round from his staff.
Jor raised his hand, and a red orb of scrawl formed around him. "Heheheheh."
"No! He managed to restore the Power Shell!"
"Loading Caster, shell 9."
Nanoha jumped up, shaking her head. "No… not in here! He's using the Singularity Cannon!"
"Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa."
"Soran, stop it before it gets wings!" Erio yelled.
Soran shook his head. "I can't. Shell 9 is the exception to the rule. If I don't let it complete… then we could destroy the universe, just like this one had."
"Then there has to be a way to stop it!" Tea screamed over the chanting. "You're the Caster expert! You should know how to stop it!"
"You don't understand! No one's witnessed a successful Shell 9 attack! You can't stop what you don't know!"
"Then use your own, Soran!" Fate hurled her used 9 at him. "There has to be a way to use that against him!"
Soran sighed and squared his footing as he hooked the staff under his arm. "Hatch open." It did and he shoved it in, slamming the lid with his elbow. "Load shell 9."
"Unable to comply." The neck opened and ejected it.
"Woah!" He caught it quickly. "It's rejecting it like the regular 9!"
"Try pre-charging it! We're running out of time!" Fate yelled as Jor's staff spread eight pitch black wings, dropping the Power Shield.
Soran closed his eyes. "Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa." The shell began to glow and vibrate.
Subaru awoke to a shaking. She jerkily moved her hand to her chest, where the Caster necklace that Soran had made for her rested. They all glowed and began vibrating. "Soran…." She pulled it off in one swift motion, snapping the bindings and setting the used Casters free. They floated up, whirling around in a spiral in order as they came closer to their tenth brethren in Soran's fingers.
Soran opened his eyes and couldn't be more amazed as he let go of his Caster. As he continued to chant, each of the used casters swirled into place, locking in around the others like magnets. Once the type 1 and 0 clicked in, all of them were crushed together. In a bright flash of light, a single unused Caster remained labeled 10. "Fate-san, you were right about the attractive properties… all ten used Casters put together…."
"SORAN-KUN!" Nanoha yelled, bringing him out of his stupor.
"Engh! LOAD CASTER, SHELL 10!" He slammed the hatch shut.
"Loading." The Dark Trinity shattered, stunning Soran as it reformed in his hand into a golden shotgun. "Perfect Gillium Form!"
He raised it to bear. "Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa."
"You are far too late to do anything. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa." The eight wings flapped, emitting dark energy that collected into a central orb that had a swirling black mass inside.
"It's not even spreading its wings…." Soran grunted between chants. "Are we too late?" He felt his strength leaving him, the catalytic necessary to fire draining him too far. A hand grabbed his arm and hiked him over the shoulder. "Nanoha-san…."
She smiled at him as her hand joined his on the gun. "Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa."
Fate and Subaru put their hands on his other shoulder. "Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa."
"Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa." From each cell window came a voice, their emitter closing his or her eyes and concentrating.
'Everyone… I can feel….'
"Us." Soran opened his eyes, the black space surrounding him, a man and a woman standing in front of him.
"Mom? Dad?!"
Gene smirked. "You figured out the puzzle, kid. The one I couldn't. I'm proud of you."
"The leyline is giving you this gift, so we can see you one more time." Melfina smiled a genuine smile. "You've grown into a strong and handsome man, Soran."
"The Outlaw Star is yours now, son. Treat her with care. From now on, you have to guard the Casters. Make sure this threat never happens again."
"And always remember we love you, no matter where you are." She sighed. "The universe is calling us." She turned away. Gene gave him a two fingered salute before following.
"Singularity Cannon – Maximum Power! PAGUA SUN FAIRE!" Jormungand Zwei completed it. The orb of darkness hurtled forth to extinguish them from the dimension.
Everything stood still, as the Dark Trinity spread pure white wings. "To protect our universe!" Two tears flew from his eyes as he opened them. "PAGUA SUN FAIRE!"
A burst of white light exploded out of the cannon as it intersected with the black hole. Everything was flung into darkness. "Soran Berkt." A gray arrow shimmered.
"Subaru Nakajima." A blue arrow touched his.
"Takamachi Nanoha."
"Fate T. Harlown." Two arrows, one red and one yellow, clashed with the white one.
The gray arrow split in two, one white and one black. "Soran Starwind." All four turned on the black one, hitting it every which way, as arrows from all colors of the rainbow surrounded the battle. The fight was enveloped in white.
"ETERNAL GUARDIAN BUSTER!" Soran yelled at the top of his lungs, and the white light consumed the singularity completely, stretching past it, enveloping Jormungand Zwei.
"GUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" The ID core cracked completely, shattering as the armor began to disintegrate. The attack kept going, burrowing up through the cave, bursting through the pocket universe and sending a bright white signal into the sunset-colored sky in the real world.
Soran fell to the floor, as did all his teammates, panting heavily. He gritted his teeth hard, trying to concentrate. The images of each cell disappeared, and soon the captives were rushing up to their level as the gates opened. "You did it, Soran." Subaru kissed him. "We can go home now, to where everyone is waiting."
"Sorry, Su…" Soran cringed. "But this is where I get off…." He swallowed. "If I lose my concentration… the Curse Field will drop…." He panted. "When that happens… all my wounds will come back… at twice the severity as when it healed. The only way to stop it… is if another wound is made more severe than the first in the same spot."
Nanoha covered her mouth. "But with all the damage you took."
"2, 7, and 9 are the suicide three for a reason. You're not meant to survive." A tear ran down his cheek. "Su… take care of Gillium and the Star, she's yours now. And tell Ginga how sorry I am." He collapsed. "Gomen… otou-san… okaa-san… ore wa…." He didn't see Fate pull out her sword. He only saw red… then black.
Three years later…
Sirens rang out through the halls. "Warning. Warning. Caster energy detected." Gillium's cylinders slid on their tracks.
Subaru ran through the corridor and leapt up the stairs as it opened, swinging into the main pilot seat. "Talk to me."
"Caster energy has been detected in sector 3 thanks to slipstream flow."
"Sector 3 is going through an interstellar war right now, Subaru." Tea read through the report on her terminal on her right.
"Then there's no doubt that they're using one. Engh." Erio grunted from in front of her.
"We'll need to determine the type when we get there." Caro said from the left seat.
"Rein." Subaru turned to the liquid cylinder.
'Already plotted. Jump charge is set.'
"All hands prepare for slipstream jump! Erio!"
"Jumping!" The screen and their bodies warped in front of them, before snapping back to reality, a space battle directly in front of them.
"Family wave is on deck and ready." Fate called from the airlock.
"Understood. Resistance seems heavy. Be careful out there."
"Always." Fate smiled.
"And where is that one?" Nanoha looked around, pouting.
"Where do you think?" The airlock closed behind them and it depressurized.
She sighed. "Geez, that little brother of mine…. Takamachi Nanoha, heading out." The outside door opened, and they flew out.
"Fate T.H. Takamachi, launching."
An entity stood on the nose and watched their pink and yellow trails. He closed his eyes and pushed off gently, letting the ship pass under him. 'I'm not perfect, far from it. And I never will be. I made a horrible mistake, and I have to live with that. But instead of looking for my place with revenge, I've found where I belong, my destiny. With these friends, this family, right here, right now. I'll not forget who I am. I now know that I am…' He balled his left fist and opened his eyes as he passed the jump engines. "Soran Berkt Takamachi… deru!" His blue trail quickly caught up with them.