[ Abandoned building site, Southern Mid-Childa / September 22, 0078 13:13 ]

Teana hid behind a pile of building garbage on the first floor and nursed her arm. She spotted a ball of red energy and redirected it. It seemed her opponent was using the same tactics.

"Permanent damage to brain imminent," Cross Mirage warned telepathically.

She ignored it. Instead, she contacted Runessa again.

"Tredia was your mentor, wasn't he? A wanted terrorist. The details on the Mariage case were sketchy, and your involvement was never suspected."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"It must have hurt, Runessa. When he died, I mean."

Runessa lifted her face from the scope and shook her head. Her Area Search spared her the need to answer, finally locating Teana on the first floor of the opposing wing. She was taking cover and her arm was obviously bleeding. Runessa dispelled it immediately and zoomed in to shoot from whichever side her pursuer emerged.

But instead, she was still talking.

"I know that kind of hurt, Runessa. My parents died when I was little, too. And three years ago, I have lost the most wonderful mentor I could ever have."

Runessa shifted uncomfortably:

"Nanoha Takamachi of the Tactical Instructor Corps? I saw it in your files. A pity."

"Both of us carry on with what our mentors taught us, don't we? Nanoha gave me the power to find my dream. But is this your dream you pursue or Tredia's?"

Teana's Area Search swooped by again and she redirected it reflexively.

"You and I are opposite sides of the same coin," Runessa said finally. "There may be resemblance, but we will never face the same direction."

Teana's voice sounded sad:

"In another life, we could have been friends, Rune."