Of Assassins, Samurai, and Magic
A/N: Whoa! Over 300+ reviews! You all are awesome! Thanks so much!
For those of you who have left unsigned reviews, see my replies below.
Love thus story - Thanks for the review. ^^ If you thought this cliffhanger was bad, I can only imagine what your reaction will be to this chapter's one... XD On a side note, Puppy Arf was a lot of fun to write about. :) Enjoy the next chapter!
Disclaimer: The characters and the worlds I write in do not belong to me. The stories that I write are intended for entertainment purposes. I do not make any money from them.
*** ~ Chapter 37: Reason for Living ~ ***
The sun was warm as it peeked over the horizon, splashing the land with its orange glow. Soon, it would be high in the sky, rousing the citizens within all districts to go about their day. Most of them were completely oblivious of what was about to happen.
The White Devil stood atop the tallest building in the Middle District, Raging Heart held in her grasp. She was as still as a statue, breathing deeply as the sun's light washed over her white garb. Violet eyes were closed, the white assassin the picture of pure peace and calmness. Yet her thoughts were far from that.
"Hey, what's that?"
Heads tilted back, gazes looking upwards at the man's question. Soon gasps circulated on the streets below, followed by audible murmurs.
"It's the White Devil!" someone said in a hushed whisper.
"The White Devil? Where!"
A name that once drew praises and cheers now instilled fear in the hearts of Japan's citizens.
"What's he doing here?"
"Is he going to attack us?"
Violet coloured eyes snapped open, immediately peering down at the crowd collecting on the street below. People recoiled under her gaze, mothers dragging their children to safety while men merely gawked at her. The Samurai and the City Guards were already narrowing in on her position, the White Devil making out their tiny forms racing along the adjacent streets towards her. It wouldn't be long now.
"You should be resting."
Burgundy coloured eyes looked at the door before turning back to the task at hand. "And you should be out searching for the Numbers and Jail Scaglietti."
Signum walked into the room, watching as the blonde before her donned black, covering up every bit of her body with the exception of her eyes. Agito quietly followed after the samurai, hovering in the air near Signum's right shoulder. The lightning bolt insignia shined brightly on the Thunder Reaper's back.
"Testerossa-"
"Save it for later, Signum-sama," the Thunder Reaper said. "I'm going, no matter what you or anyone else says about the matter."
Signum pursed her lips together, holding the pommel of Levantine. "At least-"
"She's all alone out there," the Thunder Reaper interrupted. "Fighting against a madman to save our musume."
The samurai looked at the black assassin in shock.
"Yes," the Thunder Reaper continued. "Vivio is our musume. Mine and Nanoha's. She may have been born a different way, like me, but she is just as human as I am."
The Thunder Reaper finished tying her face mask and went on to double checking her gauntlets. "I'm going to save her. And Nanoha. And there's nothing you can do to stop me."
"Testerossa-san..."
"Bardiche!"
"Yes Sir!"
In a flash of light, Bardiche materialized in the Thunder Reaper's hands. Gripping the onyx weapon in her right hand, the black assassin turned back to face the samurai and the fire sprite.
"I love them, Signum-sama."
The Thunder Reaper swallowed back the lump in her throat. "Please, don't stop me." A plea, not a warning. "I don't know what I'll do if anything happened to them."
Signum was silent for a few seconds before walking up to the black assassin. She placed a hand on the Thunder Reaper's shoulder. "I shall open up the way for you then, Testerossa-san," the Captain of the Samurai said.
Burgundy coloured eyes widened in surprise. Agito nodded.
"Save them," Signum said. "Both of them. And all of you come back to us afterwards."
Wine coloured eyes teared slightly.
"Hai."
"A rowdy bunch, aren't they?" Quattro laughed, watching as middle district citizens fled for their lives, screaming in the streets as her sisters lashed out at the Samurai and the City Guards nearby.
"This isn't what I agreed to!" the White Devil hissed, looking on in desperation as civilians got caught in the cross fire between defenders and attackers.
"Our orders are to ensure your safety until your task done," Tre said, crouching next to the White Devil after throwing back a samurai. "Do not hate us for doing what we were ordered to do."
The White Devil made a fist, her jaw clenching. Things were not supposed to happen this way. No one was supposed to get hurt!
"Kometfliegen!"
"Sturmfalken!"
Bolts of orange and purple magic blasted past the White Devil on both her right and left, forcing the two Numbers assassins standing with her to dodge to the side. Violet coloured eyes looked up and across, landing on three forms on the rooftop opposite the one she stood on.
"Tch. About time they showed up," Quattro said in distaste.
"Don't forget what you're here to do," Tre reminded the White Devil. "We will keep the new arrivals away from you while you accomplish your task. Betray us, and your life is forfeit."
With that said, the two blue assassins took off, immediately engaging Vita and Signum, both of whom darted away to lure the Numbers assassins away from the White Devil and the Thunder Reaper. Battles continued to rage on around the assassin pair, neither of them moving from their spots. They stared at each other silently for a good few seconds, before the Thunder Reaper made the first move.
"Nano-"
The White Devil pointed Raging Heart at the Thunder Reaper. Burgundy coloured eyes glanced down at the white staff before moving up to meet tearful violet coloured eyes. "Nanoha."
"Please Fate-chan," the White Devil said, her voice shaking. "Don't come any closer."
The Thunder Reaper frowned, yet took a step forward. "Nanoha," she repeated.
The White Devil took a step back, biting her lip as water pooled at the corner of her eyes. Raging Heart trembled in her grasp. "Come any closer and I'll be forced to shoot."
The White Devil was torn. She had only two options to choose from at the moment. Either she fulfilled her end of the bargain with the madman Jail, or she was going back to the alchemist's secret base on a kamikaze mission to end it all. But could she really sacrifice her best friend, her secret love, to save Vivio? No, she couldn't. Yet, she couldn't do the opposite either, and leave Vivio to die.
"Mama! Don't leave!"
The Thunder Reaper gritted her teeth, the expression on the White Devil's face absolutely heartbreaking. "Nanoha," the Thunder Reaper repeated, taking another step forward. The White Devil backed up a step again. "Talk to me. Let me help you."
"What's that!" Rein exclaimed, pointing up at the sun. Hayate followed her gaze along with Shamal and Agito, the quartet standing on Hayate's bedroom balcony. A dark shadow started to block out the sun's light.
"It's starting," Yunno said, also on the balcony with them, glancing up at the sky. "It's a solar eclipse. The ceremony to open the doors to Al Hazard is starting right now! We don't have much time left!"
Signum gritted her teeth, narrowly evading Deed's twin blades as the assassin performed a diagonal slash. Quattro was in the background, creating illusion after illusion, duplicating her sister's likeness, successfully confusing the Captain of the Samurai as to which one was real and which one was fake. Meanwhile, Vita was currently occupied with fighting a Numbers assassin whom she had never met before, the assassin's insignia being 'VIII'.
"Ray Storm," Otto said before unleashing her signature attack at the redhead.
"Panzerhindernis!"
Vita just barely brought up her barrier in time to block the green magical attack, the hammer wielding knight gritting her teeth as she slid back a few feet on her heels from the powerful blast. On the back of Otto's gauntlet covered hand was one of Jail's Logia Relicia crystals embedded in the metal.
"Heavy Barrel."
Blue eyes widened as a massive beam of orange magic tore through the air towards Vita. A blur of blue darted in between Vita and the blast, a reverberating roar sounding as the attack connected. Dieci narrowed her eyes from the rooftop she occupied, waiting for the smoke to dissipate.
"Zafira!" Vita said in alarm. Zafira stood in front of Vita in a defensive stance. His blue fur still smoked.
"Don't worry about it," the blue demon wolf said. "This isn't enough to affect me."
"Erio-kun?"
The said redhead looked back over his shoulder. "I'm sorry Caro," he said. In Erio's hand was a diamond magatama jewel. "I can't stay here while everyone else is getting hurt."
A small hand rested on Erio's arm. "So you're really going then, aren't you?" the pinkette said softly.
Erio nodded.
Friedrich looked at his master sadly, the tiny silver dragon currently perched on Caro's shoulder.
"Then I'm going with you."
"What?" Erio stared at Caro in disbelief.
Friedrich squawked, mimicking Erio's sentiment.
Caro held up two pink crystal magatama jewels in her hand, both of them tied together with a silver cord to form a bracelet. She smiled at the red head. "You're not the only one who has a little secret."
Erio's jaw moved up and down a few times, but no words came out. Then the redhead chuckled, shaking his head. "I should have known." Erio's expression soon saddened, tears threatening to fall.
"I really wanted to believe what happened before was not my fault... I..." A chocked sob escaped Erio's lips.
Friedrich crooned softly.
Caro put a hand on Erio's hand and squeezed. "Erio-kun," she said gently. The dragon summoner reached up and brushed Erio's tears away. "We'll protect them this time. All of them. I promise."
Watery blue eyes looked at Caro.
"Hai."
"Nanoha," the Thunder Reaper said, taking yet another step, leaving her at the edge of the rooftop she stood upon.
The White Devil backed yet up again, shaking her head as tears flowed down her cheeks. "I can't do it," she said. "I can't give you to him. But if I don't, Vivio will... she will..."
"Sonic Move."
"So that's what going on."
The White Devil gasped, Raging Heart now flush against the Thunder Reaper's chest. "F-F-Fate-chan!"
A black gloved hand wrapped around Raging Heart's shaft, holding it in place before the White Devil could point the weapon elsewhere. "Shoot me."
"W-what?" Violet eyes widened in shock.
"If that's the only way to save Vivio, and you, then shoot me." Burgundy coloured eyes were filled with such compassion and love, it hurt the White Devil to look at them.
"I can't!" the White Devil exclaimed. "Do you know what you're saying?"
"Kaa-san..."
Subaru knelt in front of a small shrine, her head bowed and her palms pressed together in prayer. In front of her was a picture of a woman with long violet hair and emerald coloured eyes matching her own. Near the base of the picture was a midnight blue magatama pendant. In the background, explosions and booms shattered the quiet air, screams and the sounds of battle echoing in a cacophony of chaos.
"I hope you're well, wherever you are," Subaru said in a soft voice. "Please watch over me and Tou-san and Gin-nee. I don't know what's going to happen in the next little while, but I hope I can at least make you proud."
Subaru rose from her position, picking up the midnight blue magatama jewel. She looked at the picture of her mother again. "I'm borrowing this for a bit, Kaa-san," she said. "But I promise to bring it back right afterwards. Just like before. Okay?"
"Your mother would be proud."
Subaru sniffled. "Thanks, Mach Caliber."
"Subaru?"
Subaru jumped. "T-T-Tea!" she said, quickly wiping her unshed tears on her sleeve. "What are you doing here?"
"Baka," Teana said in annoyance. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned casually against the door frame to their room. "I live here with you, remember?"
"Ahahaha... right..." Subaru said, scratching the back of her head in embarrassment.
Blue eyes wandered down to look at the pendant in Subaru's hand. "You're... going out there, aren't you?"
The blue haired Nakajima looked out the window solemnly. "Uhn," she murmured, watching as orange explosions erupted in the sky.
"You realize how dangerous it is out there, right?"
Subaru nodded.
"And you're still going?" Teana looked at companion incredulously.
"Uhn." Subaru's gaze dropped down to the pendant in her hand.
"Do you remember what happened the last time?" The orange magatama jewel hidden in Teana's fist was clenched tighter.
Subaru chuckled. "I remember," she said, rubbing her chin.
"Then why?"
"Because the last time I ran away, Kaa-san died."
Teana's eyes widened. "Subaru, you can't possibly feel responsible for that! That was-"
"I don't want anyone else to die because of me." Tears rolled down Subaru's cheeks as she met Teana's gaze. "I wasn't strong enough to stand up for myself last time, and I may not even be strong enough still. But I'm going out there, no matter what. I'm still going to fight. No one else is going to die. Not because of me."
Teana stared at Subaru for a good few seconds before sighing. She rubbed her eyes with your forefinger and thumb. "I'm so going to regret this."
"I don't think so."
Subaru jumped at the new voice. "Teana, omai..."
Teana opened her clenched fist, revealing her orange magatama jewel keychain. "A gift from Tiida Nii-san before he died," Teana said with a sad smile. Teana looked at Subaru's pendant again.
"It seems like I'm not the only one looking to make past wrongs, right."
"Tea..."
The redhead pushed herself up from the door frame to stand straighter. "Well come on then," Teana said turning her back on Subaru. "We should-"
"Tea! Wait!" Subaru ran up to her companion and put a hand on Teana's shoulder. "If you had that all along, why didn't you-"
"Use its power?" Teana finished for her.
Subaru nodded.
"Why didn't you?"
Subaru pursed her lips together. "Because I was scared," she admitted. "I was scared I would hurt someone if I couldn't use its power properly."
"Because of what happened to Nanoha-san."
"Hai."
"And now?"
Subaru looked at Teana in confusion.
"Why choose to use it now? What changed?"
The youngest Nakajima dropped her hand from Teana's shoulder. "I realized something."
"That being?"
"Having this power does not make me evil," Subaru said. "It's how I use this power that will decide that." Emerald coloured eyes looked up to meet sapphire coloured ones. "I'm going to use this power to protect people."
Teana smiled, a heart warming smile which made Subaru's heart flutter. "And that's another thing we have in common," the redhead said softly.
"Tea..." More tears fell from Subaru's eyes.
Teana reached up to brush Subaru's tears away before resting her hand on her companion's cheek. "Baka," she said. "Sometimes I honestly don't know what you're thinking."
Subaru looked away in embarrassment
"But you've got a good heart, Subaru," Teana continued. "And I'm glad you're finally starting to follow it."
Subaru looked at Teana again in surprise, before reaching up to hold Teana's hand in her own.
"Shall we go then?" the redhead said with another brilliant smile. "I believe we have a score to settle with a certain blue assassin."
Subaru laughed. "Hai!"
Hayate shivered suddenly, hugging herself.
"Hayate-sama!" Shamal caught the Empress as she collapsed to her knees. The blonde attendant couldn't but look at the brunette in fear and worry as she trembled in her grasp. Then the hairs on the back of her arms rose, violet coloured eyes widening. Soon a rumbling sound made it to everyone's ears, multiple pillars of blue light shooting up into the sky across all districts. Rein and Agito let out terrified squeaks.
"Kami-sama..." Shamal said in horror.
Everyone, no matter where they were or what they were doing, paused momentarily to witness the scene. A scene of impending chaos. All dormant Spirit Seeds within the capital city had activated.
"This can't be..." Shamal said, her voice fading to a whisper.
"Kuso!" Chrono cursed. As if they weren't having enough trouble evacuating the citizens from the fighting affected parts of the city, now Spirit Seeds were going nuts and wrecking the place.
"Quickly! This way!" Lindy shouted two streets down from her son, ushering citizens away from the nearest rampaging Spirit Seed.
"Harlaown-san! Look out!"
Lindy turned in the direction of the yell, her eyes catching sight of a crumbling wall coming down upon her.
"Kerykeion!"
"Protection!"
Lindy ducked her head behind her arms as the house next to her started to collapse on top of her.
"Strada!"
"Stahlmesser!"
BOOM!
A rumble shook the area, a hail of dust and grit coating Lindy's hair and clothes in a layer grey. Surprisingly, despite choking on the dust lingering in the air, she was unharmed. Opening her eyes, Lindy realized why. A pink magical barrier enveloped her, and what was once a massive stone wall soon to be crushing her had been blasted into pieces of rubble smaller than her fist.
"Lindy-san!" called two voices and a worried croon.
"Erio-kun? Caro-chan?" The teal haired woman stared at the trio racing up to her in shock. Looking between them and the remnants of the wall behind her, the teal haired woman was at a loss for words. "How...?"
"Let us help you!" Erio said.
"We can help make sure everyone gets to safety," Caro added. Friedrich also made a noise of agreement.
"But-"
A scream sounded two houses ahead of them.
"Fried! Blast Flare!" Caro shouted.
A ball of flame condensed in front of the tiny silver dragon before Friedrich launched the attack like a rocket. The crumbling wall of debris that was about to squash an elderly lady trying to escape her collapsing house exploded into popcorn sized pieces, the City Guards nearby helping the old woman get away from her house before the rest of it came down upon her and them.
"Please Lindy-san," Erio said, bringing the Co-Captain's attention back to him. "We can help."
Lindy wearily eyed the massive spear in the boy's grip, along with the intricately designed gauntlets Caro wore. The shaft of Erio's spear appeared to be made of diamond, the spearhead itself wrapped in amethyst. The bottom edge of the spear shaft was also tipped with amethyst. A fist sized diamond magatama jewel circled lazily in its spot in the spear head.
Caro's gauntlets looked to be made of moonstone, with twin fist sized rose quartz magatama jewels embedded on the back of the palms. Lines of pink quartz also extended from the large magatama jewels, running along the back centre part of the gauntlets' fingers. Both were obviously legendary weapons, as Lindy had never seen any blacksmith create masterpieces like that, the biggest hint being the fist sized magatama jewels. Hopefully the two young ones knew how to use them properly.
"Alright," Lindy said after a few seconds. This was going to be a big risk, but they needed all the help they could get. "Stay close to me and be careful."
"Hai!" both Erio and Caro said.
Signum gritted her teeth, quickly putting distance between her and the Numbers assassin currently chasing after her. The capital city was consumed in chaos, the activation of all dormant Spirit Seeds causing unparalleled havoc. The Captain of the Samurai was doing her best to assist her samurai, freeing them up from fighting against the Numbers clan so that they could help in sealing the now rampant Spirit Seeds. But that proved to be more challenging than first thought. The Numbers clan were relentless.
"Rumble Detonator."
Signum's eyes widened as exploding knives were thrown in her direction, Levantine chiming in warning.
"Revolver... Shoot!"
A burst of blue magic blasted through the knives before they could reach Signum, successfully exploding the combustible weapons before they hit their target.
"Cross Fire... Shoot!"
Dozens of orange magical orbs zipped towards Cinque, forcing the blue assassin to retreat temporarily. The Numbers assassin managed to evade most of them, her grey magically enhanced vest absorbing most of the damage of the those she couldn't dodge.
Signum's head immediate whipped towards the two newcomers to the fight, her blue eyes focusing on a rooftop two down from the one she currently occupied. Levantine had already tipped her off that they were legendary weapon wielders, and that fact alone made the samurai nervous, more than she currently let on. But then she realized who they were and worry was instantly replaced with surprise.
"Omai..." Signum said, staring at Subaru and Teana in shock.
"Signum-sama!" Teana shouted. "We'll cover them," the redhead said pointing to the small group of samurai tasked with sealing the raging Spirit Seeds. In her hand was an intricately carved ivory bow with lines of rubies wrapped around it. The bow string itself seemed to be made of silver silk, extremely thin yet surprisingly strong. And in the centre of the bow frame itself, was a fist sized topaz coloured magatama jewel.
"You focus on those assassins!"
Signum hesitated.
"Trust us Signum-sama!" Subaru said. "We can do it!"
Signum's eyes locked onto Subaru's right gauntlet, the gauntlet itself made of the blackest onyx the samurai had ever seen. Lines of opal made ran the length of it, creating intricate patterns on the glove. A fist sized sapphire coloured magatama jewel was embedded on the top of the gauntlet just above Subaru's wrist.
"Signum-sama! Please!"
The samurai captain clenched her jaw before nodding. "Alright," she said before turning back to face the Numbers assassins. "Just be careful you two!"
"Hai!"
"It's alright," the Thunder Reaper said.
The White Devil couldn't but look at the other assassin in horror. "Fate-chan, ile-"
"It's alright," the Thunder Reaper repeated.
"But Fate-chan-"
"I love you, Nanoha."
The White Devil's breath caught in her throat.
"And because I love you, this is alright."
"Fate-"
"Raging Heart. Please," the Thunder Reaper said.
"Alright," the legendary staff replied. "Shooting Mode."
"What? Ile! Don't do it Raging Heart!" the White Devil exclaimed as her legendary weapon changed forms.
"Save our musume," the Thunder Reaper said, her burgundy coloured eyes filled with warmth and happiness.
"F-Fate-"
"Divine..."
"Raging Heart!" The White Devil tried to move the barrel of her weapon away from the Thunder Reaper, but the black assassin held it firmly pointed at her heart, preventing it from pointing at anything but her.
"It's alright," the Thunder Reaper said again, as an orb of pink magic collected at the tip of the white staff. "I love you, Nanoha."
"... Buster."
"FATE-CHAN!"
An explosion of pink lit up the area.
A/N: For those of you unfamiliar with the non-English words, I have translated them below.
Hai = Yes
Ile = No
Kometfliegen = Flying Comet (German)
Panzerhindernis = Armor Barrier/Tank Barrier (German)
Sturmfalken = Storm Falcons (German)
Stahlmesser = Steel Knife (German)
Kaa-san/Okaa-san = Mother
Tou-san/Otou-san = Father
Nee/Nee-chan = Big Sister
Musume = daughter
Kami = God
Baka = Idiot
Omai = You
For an explanation of Japanese honorifics (eg. [name]-sama), please check out: http:/en[dot]wikipedia[dot]org/wiki/Japanese_honorifics