View source for 3539/The Core of the Matter

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2018/11/21
|Location=Plot Room #1
|Synopsis=Just on the heels of 'Shame and Duty', Nanoha Takamachi, Akari Hayabusa and Cure Shield encounter the Wolkenritter- Signum and Zafira, mistaking them for potential friends--- until they steal Nanoha's linker core and all heck breaks loose.
|Cast of Characters=46,6,93,237,222
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:46|Signum| (46)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>In the dead of night, a quiet Eclipse facility was stormed and, shockingly, overrun by just a small number of invaders.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Scorch marks have been burned all over the walls and floor, and a great deal of equipment has been destroyed; though not nearly enough to indicate that sabotaging their operation was the point.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The point, evidentally, was the people, who've all been hoarded into one large open room on the second floor, deeply, worryingly unconscious at the feet of a tall pink haired woman, and a taller dark skinned man with white hair.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In one hand, the woman, Signum, holds a large unsheathed sword. In the other... a huge ominous looking tome hooked under her arm. The two of them seem untouched by the chaos that was unleashed in the facility. The two that had come with them are elsewhere, scavenging so to speak for any stragglers.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I think we're just about done here." Signum states emotionally with a look to Zafira.

:'''{{#var:6|Nanoha Takamachi| (6)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Nanoha Takamachi was out on a walk. Fate-chan had some issues recently. She understood why. Some stuff was hitting too home for her with a situation she was dealing with, with someone the Waldians had rescued. That's how she understood it at least. She could get it. She was, infact- on her way to deliver her a personal bit of goodies when Raising Heart starts pinging off into the distance. Something was going on...?<br /><br />Basically, multiple mages. In distress. Devices pinging out-- maybe for only a second or two at a time before silencing was odd. Was someone's device glitching out? She slipped into an alley, drew out Raising Heart and shoved the box of goodies into it's compartment subspace storage, before letting herself don her barrier jacket and take off quickly into the air.<br /><br />This... well This is a warehouse? She pursed her lips and hesitantly pushed through the front door. There's some odd readings ahead. People? Not people? A ''bunch'' of unconscious people signatures? She hesitantly doesn't move further past the foyer of this warehouse. Not yet.<br /><br />"Hey uh. Raising Heart. Any chance these are like. Wrong sensor echoes?" she asks. <span class="fg_207">&lt; Negative, Master. &gt;</span> says Raising Heart.<br /><br />"I was afraid of that." she says quietly.

:'''{{#var:93|Zafira| (93)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The white haired man, who also pointedly has blue, canine looking ears and a tail, as well as a collar and gauntlets, gives an affirmative grunt toward Signum's statement. He looks...somehow displeased, even more so than usual. However, he pauses in his work suddenly, his ears twitching as he peers off in a seemingly random direction. It's like how cats and dogs do sometimes where it seems like they're just staring at nothing, except Zafira's certainly trying to pin point /something/ he's felt.

:'''{{#var:237|Cure Shield| (237)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Cure Shield and Nachtglocke I had elected to go on patrol that particular night, and it was a good thing they had. The green knight stopped Nachtglocke with a hand on her shoulder. "Do you smell that?" She asked, sniffing the air. It was definitely magic, and from the smell of it, it was coming from multiple sources... which meant multiple mages. No doubt Nachtglocke would pick up on it with her device, so she merely nodded her head in the direction of the smell and took off at a sprint. <br /><br /> When they arrived at their destination, it appeared to be a large warehouse. What was with evil and hiding out in Warehouses? That was NOT their intended purpose. The front door was open slightly, and she could smell multiple mana signatures from inside. The Cure made eye contact with Nachtglocke before she indicated she was going to take a peek inside. <br /><br /> When she peeked inside, what she saw first was the back of someone who had just entered the warehouse, and beyond her was... a pink haired woman and a man with dog ears. More importantly, there were a lot of unconscious people inside. The green knight's eyes widened slightly as she pulled back so as not to be seen in case any of them weren't exactly the heroic type. At least three of the scents inside smelled similar to Nachtglocke's magic, and she gave her companion a sideways glance. <br /><br /> "Lots of unconscious people inside, and I think three mages. You ready?" She asked Nachtglocke, readying her shield to enter the warehouse.

:'''{{#var:222|Akari Hayabusa| (222)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Akari follows alongside Cure Shield, frowning in concentration. She's basically just been following the Pretty Cure's lead, since she isn't used to going on 'heroic patrols' like this. "You're the one who can smell magic," she says dryly.<br /><br />She frowns as they reach the warehouse. "Uh-oh," she murmurs. "This ... ''might'' be an Eclipse facility." She gives Millie a lopsided grin. "Get ready to cover me, just in case I need to run."<br /><br />She stays close behind Millie, and frowns as the other girl gives her report on who's inside. "Lemme see if Rubindorn can find anything ..."<br /><br />Her rose-red sword gives a quick scan of the area -- probably not as stealthy as she wants it to be. <span class="fg_162">&lt;&lt;ES IST RAISING HEART, UND ZWEI RITTER,&gt;&gt;</span> it whispers furtively, in what sounds like a cutesy version of Akari's own voice. ''It's Raising Heart, and two knights.''<br /><br />Akari's golden cat-eyes widen. "Oh! Raising Heart!" she whispers. "One of the mages is Nanoha Takamachi, she's a good guy. The other two are Belkan Knights."<br /><br />Rubindorn carefully sends Raising Heart a message letting Nanoha know that Akari's here with a Pretty Cure, Cure Shield, and that Akari has had her darkness removed by "Fate-san's sister."<br /><br />"Okay," she whispers to Millie. "Ready."

:'''{{#var:46|Signum| (46)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Upon seeing Zafira grow distracted, Signum's brow furrows slightly in concern before Laevatain chimes in.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&lt;Eingehendes Gerat erkannt!&gt;<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Signum is not typically 'relaxed' but she becomes subtly more rigid as her jaw sets tightly. "Someone's here. Someone with a device." Her eyes turn to Zafira without moving her head. "They must have called for back-up. Ready yourself." She orders, sheathing her sword where it's better suited to a drawing strike.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When the group of Mahou arrive, Signum is staring at the entrance with cold eyes, one hand on her sheath and the other on the hilt of her sword. But for all the icey intensity of a warrior she might convey, she can't help but betray some... surprise at who arrives.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"... A child?" She says with mild confusion, and raises one hand in a halting motion to signal Zafira not to attack.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Signum strides forward toward Nanoha, her hand still on the swordsheath of Laevatein, but no longer prepared to immediately draw. "What are you doing here?" She demands calmly as Laevatein scans the young mage more thoroughly, along with the surrounding area.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&lt;Es gibt ein anderes Gerat, Master&gt;<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Signum's eyes narrow and flick to the door behind Nanoha, but return to her momentarily. Signum trusts Zafira to understand that Laevatein has detected another Device nearby. "... and where did you get that?" Signum asks, indicating Raising Heart.

:'''{{#var:6|Nanoha Takamachi| (6)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Nanoha Takamachi can hear pinging from Raising Heart in her head. Huh? Oh! That girl that Fate-chan has been talking about! Okay. Okay-- that's good. So the signals must had been real then if they also found their way here, right?<br /><br />She's about to cautiously move past the door. This place... reeks of an Eclipse facility somehow. But...<br /><br />Oh! There's an older mage...? Here. Wait. No... Belkan Knight? A child?! She's fourteen! She doesn't remark this out loud though. She looks around. "....Oh. We're those... Eclipse distress signals?" she asks. "...you don't look like Eclipse. And-- the number of beat up people suggest that... um-- hrmm..." she shakes her head.<br /><br />"Oh!" she bows. "Hello, I'm Nanoha Takamchi! This is Raising Heart." she says. She isn't being attacked, but treated with caution. It's clear these people aren't responding to her arrival as a threat. "...she's my device?" she asks. She looks around. No Akari or this Cure Shield poking through yet. "---are you looking for something? Did these people take something from you?... or someone?" she asks. She makes a face. "They have a bad habit of doing that." she says with a little scrunched up nose for a second as if to suggest disgust.<br /><br />Nanoha Takamachi rubs the side of her head. "What's your name?" she smiles. Nanoha has a way higher than average energy reading, to be sure- at first glances with a simple probing scan. Though more data might be needed to determine how much that 'exactly' is.<br /><br />&lt;&lt; Hey, I think these people might be looking for something. This looks like an Eclipse operation and it looks like they beat up everyone in here. Right? Can you confirm that?... &gt;&gt; she sends to Akari. &lt;&lt; My best guess is that Eclipse probably took something that wasn't theirs again... &gt;&gt; she mutters in a 'Eclipse will be Eclipse' manner.

:'''{{#var:93|Zafira| (93)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Having already been alert enough to note incoming sounds, Zafira remains watchful despite the gesture not to attack. He silently draws his way closer to the door, readying for attack if some form of hostility suddenly comes from what else Laeventein sensed. His ears continue to twitch as his eyes stay focused.

:'''{{#var:237|Cure Shield| (237)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>At the news that this was an Eclipse facility, or likely to be one, Cure Shield immediately nodded to show that she would not hesitate to cover her. Eclipse wouldn't get their filthy hands on her friend. She listens as Nachtglocke attempts to communicate with whoever is inside. Apparently they knew each other because the device user immediately perked up. Nanoha Takamichi? It was good to know they had another ally should things turn foul. Cure Shield locked eyes with Nachtglocke for a moment before nodding. They couldn't leave an ally in there alone. The Cure strode forward and opened the door, stepping through carefully. She made sure that she was in front of Nachtglocke in case anything jumped out at them. <br /><br /> Once inside she saw that the person with their back to them was a young teenage girl, and she got a better look at the pink haired woman as well. She looked like a knight of sorts, and she definitely did not look happy. Off to the side she noticed the dog-eared man and she tensed, but not make a move to attack. She was clearly on the defensive, her priority covering Nachtglocke as she peered around the warehouse. <br /><br /> "I smelled a magical disturbance and came to investigate." She said truthfully, her gaze flickering from the pink knight to the girl who must be Nanoha. "Just here to figure out what happened."

:'''{{#var:222|Akari Hayabusa| (222)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&lt;&lt;Yeah, I ''thought'' this might be an Eclipse operation,&gt;&gt; Akari replies to Nanoha's message. She puts Rubindorn onto her back, where it seems to click into place.<br /><br />She steps in after Millie, and nods. She holds her hands out to her sides, nowhere near the handle of her sword. "I'm Akari Hayabusa, and this is Cure Shield," she says. "We're not with Eclipse, they're kind of a huge pain in our asses. Mine in particular. So ... we aren't your enemies, if you have a beef with them." She probably strikes a more imposing figure than Nanoha or Millie, nearly seven feet tall, with glowing golden cat-eyes and faintly-glowing ultramarine markings on her face and limbs.<br /><br />Rubindorn gives another quick scan to the two Knights before them. And then another slightly more thorough one. And then it pings. <span class="fg_162">&lt;&lt;... HERRIN?&gt;&gt;</span> ''Mistress?'' Rubindorn's cutesy voice sounds somewhat nervous and a bit bewildered.<br /><br />Akari blinks, and tilts her head back slightly. "What is it, Rubindorn?"<br /><br /><span class="fg_162">&lt;&lt;SIE SIND LEBENDE MAGISCHE PROGRAMME, HERRIN.&gt;&gt;</span> ''They are living magical programs, Mistress.''<br /><br />Akari lets out a soft gasp, and she takes half a step back, eyes going wide with shock.

:'''{{#var:46|Signum| (46)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Signum's piercing stare is betrayed by a brief blink of bewilderment at the immaculate manners and friendly demeanor of this young woman. She has to fight the impulse to bow back, instead considering Nanoha cautiously. Given the gravity of what they've done tonight; and the chaos and violence they've just experienced, even this brief interaction with Nanoha is... surreal.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Still... if there's a way to get out of here without any more violence... it might be worth it to try. She's only a teenager, after all.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"... I-" Signum begins to speak, only to grow tense as more people arrive. Her eyes flit back and forth between the other Mahou as they enter the warehouse, lingering on the relative giant among them and narrowing as she hears the familiar language of her Device. Signum's mind rapidly tries to reassess this situation... before Laevatein suddenly does it for her.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&lt;Meister! Die magische Kraft des Madchens ist enorm!&gt; "Master! The girl's magical power is tremendous!"<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Signum looks to her sheathed blade with genuine surprise on her face. But that look visibly melts off of her face to be replaced by an icy determination... and, in her eyes... a hint of regret. Between the opportunity in front of her, and the revelation of Akari's device that will no doubt put EVERYONE'S guard up, there's no more time to hesitate.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She looks down at Nanoha and says, with practiced confidence, "I am Signum. General of the Raging Fire... and leader of the Wolkenritter." Her eyes close slowly, and something in her voice suddenly sounds almost... tired. "... and I have need of your power."<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Without further warning, almost too fast to see, Signum's free hand lashes out at Nanoha... and *through* her. No blood, no visible wounds, not even a tear in Nanoha's clothing... but the tall woman's arm is now reaching out of Nanoha's back. And in Signum's upturned palm, hovers a shining purple sphere of light that seems to throb and pulse with magical energy.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Signum's eyes stay locked on Nanoha's as she says, so softly that it's almost a whisper, "I won't ask your forgivness."<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Quite a bit louder, she calls, "Zafira. Cover me."

:'''{{#var:6|Nanoha Takamachi| (6)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Nanoha Takamachi is polite, yes! These people just overturned a bad guy's lair, right? Certainly, they are looking for someone that was stolen, or taken or not rightfully Eclipse's, right? They take things that aren't theirs for bad reasons. The Jewel Seeds are still fresh in her head, relatively, after all. That only ended this year that whole... mess.<br /><br />She can hear Belkan, and she's trying to have Raising Heart translate for her as she hears 'I am need of your power' and she takes this as 'I need your help', right? Before she can actually reply or react to that she can---- she can feel that hand suddenly just slide through her-- and then--<br /><br />"G...ggaa-AhaAHHHHH!" she suddenly lets out because your ''magical heart being disconnected so suddenly'' turns out to be ''super painful''.<br /><br />Raising Heart begins to blare warnings in her ear. Mainly about having only so much mana left and that her barrier jacket will probably fail in a few seconds.<br /><br />Which it does--- leaving Nanoha Takamachi in her usual, casual wear which consisted of a brown sweater and blue jeans earlier.<br /><br />She can hear whispers from Signum but her head is too swimming to make sense of it because... she's starting to loose consciousness!

:'''{{#var:93|Zafira| (93)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Zafira flattens his ears a little with the enterance of Akari and Rubindorn's responce to their state of existance....and Akari's responce to that. He does not make a move to attack all the same, but he knows who he's watching the hardest. That said, as Signum goes for the core grab and asks for cover, the shield knight quickly leaps beween Signum and the other two calling forth a magical sheild in the process. Have to be on the ready, just in case anyone's trying to shoot at the same time he's trying to move, hopefully that'll be enough. His eyes glare at the two strangers, as if trying to dare them to make any sort of move on Signum.

:'''{{#var:237|Cure Shield| (237)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>At first Cure Shield couldn't process what was happening. The pink knight who they now knew was Signum, her hand had gone THROUGH Nanoha. When the shock faded, it was replaced by anger. Their ally was in danger! The Cure's emerald gaze narrowed sharply and she looked to Akari. <br /><br /> "I'll deal with him, you get to Takamachi!" She rumbled to Akari as she hefted her shield. The dog-eared man with the shield aimed to block their path to saving their ally, which meant they were going to have to go THROUGH him. Her opponent was bigger than she was, but she wouldn't let that deter her. The gem dial on the face of her shield began to spin and the face itself glowed a whitehot green. If there was a time to create a sword, it was NOW. The Cure imagined the sword she trained with back home, a knightly long sword, and she let out a shout. <br /><br /> "JADESTEEL!" As if unsheathing a blade from the shield itself, a sword made of green energy appeared in her hand and she wasted no time in charging at the blue-haired shield knight. If she could keep him busy, Akari could get closer to Signum and rescue Nanoha. Cure Shield aimed a swipe at the dog-eared man's side, keeping her shield up to defend herself in case of a counter attack. "What coward attacks unarmed children?!" She roared.

:'''{{#var:222|Akari Hayabusa| (222)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Akari blurts out, ''"Wolkenritter!?"'' She's gawking openly now. "That's the legend my creators based ''me'' on!" Hot on the heels of that thought is the obvious conclusion that someone ''else'' imitated the legend, but that's only slightly less of a shock to her, and a part of her is still thinking, ''what if'' ...<br /><br />She shakes her head in astonishment as the knight puts her hand ''through'' Nanoha. Okay, that was one of the things from ''one'' version of the legend. She's still staring openly in shock for a moment when Cure Shield makes her charge and tries to take on the wolfman.<br /><br />"Uh ... r-right!" Akari rises off the ground and zigzags a little ways away, grabbing Rubindorn off her back and holding it at the ready. She then charges towards Signum, sword raised to slash at her from the side. "I ... g-get away from her, you ...!"

:'''{{#var:46|Signum| (46)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Seemingly out of nowhere, a large ominous tome lowers from above the assembled crowd, hovering above Signum and Nanoha. The cover flies open and the pages rapidly turn themselves until, early in the substantial lilst of pages, it settles on a blank page. Energy flies from the Linker Core in numerous wispy trails of energy, and letters form themselves on the pages rapidly as pages turn and turn and turn, filling out each one in kind before moving on to the next.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"So many..." Signum whispers with distracted wonder as she watches it, before turning her eye down to Nanoha. "... Who *are* you?"<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She got the name.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A name doesn't explain *this* much power.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her wonder is not so much, though, that she can not react to Akari. In one swift motion she grabs Lavaetein - sheath and all - and blants the huge covered blade on the ground between herself and Akari, blocking Akari's blade and stopping it dead with a mighty crash of an impact.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Signum head slowly turns to look at Akari coldly.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Without looking at Nanoha, Signum's arm pulls away, releasing the young womean and planting itself on her shoulder to guide her... not *gently* but safely to her knees, confident that Nanoha will have no mobility left. Still holding Akari's gaze, that hand moves to pull Lavaetein out of its sheath without removing the sheath from the ground, the blade singing as it's exposed to the air.<br /><br />"'Based on' a Belkan Knight, you say? Curious." Signum's eyes narrow with the icey confidence of a woman whose slain more warriors than her mind could hope to recall.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Show me."

:'''{{#var:6|Nanoha Takamachi| (6)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Nanoha Takamachi can't see the book, she can't see anything, all she can she really do is fall down to her knees, then forward. Thankfully not 'so hard' thanks to Signum's at least basic attempt to make sure she doesn't fall so fast.<br /><br />She's unconscious. She probably isn't going to wake back up until later. And even if she was awake.<br /><br />She'd be a complete liability right now. For obvious reasons!

:'''{{#var:93|Zafira| (93)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The white haired, dog eared man actually counters the sword...with his gauntlented hand, just grabbing on to it and squeezing as if meaning to break it. At the same time his hands are both starting to take on a glow as he drops his shield and lets out a wordless yell, punching his right fist right into Cure Shield's shield, apparently on purpose.<br /><br />This seems, not too worrying at the onset, but Shield may feel some very /light/ sapping of her name sake in that punch. Not in a way like he might be stealing her energy, but in a way as if she MAY feel a breakage so light that it might just be imagined. He takes a quick look toward Signum to see what her state is before quickly looking back to his own matters at hand.

:'''{{#var:237|Cure Shield| (237)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Only a hint of surprise flashed in Cure Shield's eyes when her sword was caught by the man's gauntlet, her expression quickly equalizing to the determined mask from before. The pressure on the blade was immense, and under it the green sword began to show hairline fractures. No way... Just what was this man?! <br /><br /> The punch came fast and even though the Cure braced herself for the impact, she was knocked back by the force of the blow. Her shield arm jerked and took most of it as her boots slid across the warehouse floor. It was almost unnoticeable, it could have been a trick of her mind, but she swore she felt the integrity of her shield shift. That... was decidedly bad. What happened when a LovePreBrace was destroyed? The Cure didn't want to find out, but she didn't have a choice but to fight right now. She couldn't let them team up on Akari while she was trying to save Nanoha! <br /><br /> Even before she had stopped moving, Cure Shield had launched herself back at the dog-eared warrior, shield at the ready. Her sword had not broken, both she and the object being knocked clear when the knight had punched her. It wasn't broken, but it clearly wouldn't last very much longer. <br /><br /> The green knight did not slow her momentum as she sprung at her opponent, hoping to charge into him with her shield and create an opening for her sword. The Cure seemed to have some skill with a sword and shield because her movements were calculated and her stance defensive. Even so, in the face of an actual knight, it likely wouldn't matter much.

:'''{{#var:222|Akari Hayabusa| (222)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Akari has only a moment to think, ''A book? None of the legends I heard mentioned a book!'' before her sword is simply deflected by Signum's sheath, and Nanoha gets drained. She breaks off her attack and jumps back, because she doesn't want to get near ''that''.<br /><br />Ping! <span class="fg_162">&lt;&lt;DER LINKER-KERN VON FRAU TAKAMACHI WURDE ABGELASSEN UND BESCHADIGT.&gt;&gt;</span> ''The Linker Core of Miss Takamachi was drained and damaged.'' If there's one thing Rubindorn's halfway decent at when compared to a Midchildan Device, it's scanning linker cores.<br /><br />Akari takes a deep breath. The fact that the Wolkenritter stole your Linker Core was one of the few consistent parts of the legend. "I'm the same type of being you are," she says, once she's sure her voice won't shake. "My creators in the short-lived conspiracy of Doppelkreuz literally built me in imitation of the stories of the Wolkenritter." She pauses. "And then I got blasted into the Dusk Zone because they were ''idiots''."<br /><br />But that's not what Signum is asking for.<br /><br />Still unsure of whether she's fighting the real thing or another imitation like herself, Akari holds her sword at the ready. Ping! <span class="fg_162">&lt;&lt;KARTUSCHE BEREIT!&gt;&gt;</span> ''Cartridge ready!'' An actual gun-trigger setup extends from the handle and Akari pulls the trigger manually. (What!? Why doesn't it fire cartridges automatically!?) There's a thunderclap, the sword vents steam, and Akari winces at the sudden strain as the rosy blade starts crackling with energy, and she charges forward, aiming a series of slashes at Signum's torso.<br /><br />And trying to push her back away from Nanoha's prone form.

:'''{{#var:46|Signum| (46)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Signum's eyebrow raises as Akari makes use of a cartridge. How technology's come along! At any rate it lends some credence to Akari's seemingly implousable story. It may be misplaced pride, but Signum's not thrilled with the idea of Belkan technology being imitated.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But there's little time to ponder that as a powered up blade comes swinging her way. The first attack, Signum simply inclines her head to let the blade pass harmlessly by, putting the charging Akari pretty much nose to nose with her for a terrifying instant before Akari's next slash forces Signum to dodge out of the way.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Signum is pushed back, certainly; there's not strategic value to where she was standing, and she has no desire to harm Nanoha further. That said, an attack is an attack, and an attack has to be answered.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Still dodging and weaving with a single step backwards per attack, Signum begins to speak. "Your form is familiar. Your technique..." Signum deflects a slash with her Laevatein's sheath with a horrid scratching noise, making it pass harmlessly past Signum. "... leaves something to be desired."<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Signum begins to not just deflect Akari's strikes but... hit them *back* with the sheath, never raising her blade against her opponent. The vibration of the impact can be felt all the way through Akari's arm, and holding onto her weapon at all could be a struggle. Finally Signum deflects the blade and steps close so that Akari's sword arm is trapped horizontally across her body.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"An imitation indeed."<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;With that Signum raises her hand, putting her sheath horizontally and CRACKS Akari under the chin, before flipping the sheath downward to hook behind Akari's knee and pull it out from under her.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The blade in Signum's other hand... twitches, but doesn't swing down, the Belkan Knight instead simply putting the sheath to Akari's chin. "Stand down." She says coldly. "Zafira. Finish up. We're not staying."

:'''{{#var:93|Zafira| (93)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>In what'd probably seem strange to some mahou, but certainly NOT several others, the wolf eared man seems to heavily based in martial artists tactics despite being magical. Shield's renewed charge at him is met with HIM rushing toward her while firing a magical beam toward her shield. He'd go falling into a slide at the last moment before impact, throwing his left hand up to punch at the Shield once more. Between the two attacks and the earlier one, Shield's shield might be in for a nasty surprise. On top of that he's trying to time this so he can slide in PAST what he expects to be broken defenses for a floor sweep. "Yes...," he replies simply in an affirmative grunt to Signum's order as he awaits the result of his actions.

:'''{{#var:237|Cure Shield| (237)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>His sudden charge was unexpected and it threw her off balance. He fired a beam and she quickly brought her shield up to block it. The force of it stopped her mid-charge and she had to dig her boots into the floor in order to not slide. She could feel the shield in her hand creaking dangerously. Damnit! She couldn't let her shield be destroyed! Too quickly the dog-eared knight was sliding at her and aiming a punch. She had a split second to make a decision, and she hoped she chose correctly. <br /><br /> It was a high risk for a reward situation. As the punch closed in she moved the shield out of the way to protect it. Instead, the fist slammed into and then directly through her sword, catching the Cure in the stomach just as she swung her shield back down in a surprise attack aimed at his throat. The shot to her gut had already destabilized her; whether or not her final desperate attack hit or not didn't matter in the grand scheme of things because the floor sweep brought the Cure crashing to the ground with a guttural groan.

:'''{{#var:222|Akari Hayabusa| (222)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Akari's pretty sure her skill is a mixture of programmed-in technique, and the skills she inherited from her mind-template. Her eyes widen as she feels the recoil of Signum's attacks in her own arms. ''I'm supposed to be superhuman,'' she thinks, and then lets out a squawk as Signum simply traps her arm. She yelps at the crack against her chin, and comes crashing down onto her back, Rubindorn clattering to the ground beside her.<br /><br />She groans softly, and laughs, then mutters, "Ich kann meine Inspiration nicht einmal besiegen. Welche Chance hatte ich gegen die Heiligen Kaiser?" ''I can't even beat my inspiration. What chance did I have against the Saint Kings?'' At a gesture, in a surge of pale blue light, Rubindorn transforms back into a pendant, shaped like the double-barred-cross-with-a-ring emblem that was on the blade and on the back of her cape.<br /><br />She looks away, and turns her head more-or-less towards Nanoha. "If you're going to withdraw, I have no mission other than to see Takamachi-san to safety," she says, switching back to Japanese.

:'''{{#var:46|Signum| (46)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Signum... doesn't sneer at her fallen opponent exactly, but she definitely turns up her nose slightly as she looks down on Akari. "Wenn du dich immer noch mit anderen vergleichst, dann bist du noch ein Neuling. Werden Sie starker, bevor Sie sich um mich sorgen." (If you're still comparing yourself to others, then you're still a novice. Get stronger before you worry about me.)<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;With that, Signum begins to slowly levitate into the air. Her sheath is reattached to her hip by some magical means, and in her newly freed hand, she holds a cartridge. Looking down at the crowd below, she flips the cartidge into the air with her thumbm, and twirls Laevatein in the air once, catching the cartridge in the chamber before putting her arm horizontal to her body.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Violet Lightning Flash!" She cries, and her sword glows fiercely with pink flames before she slashes the sword across the room... and roof of the portion of the warehouse she was facing just... flies away, severed from the rest of the building as the energy lashes out from the space her blade passed through, then hitting the ground elsewhere with a thunderous crash.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Signum looks up into the night sky for a brief moment, then down at the others. "Zafira!" She calls as a simple command for them to leave. "Do not seek us out. We are the Wolkenritter. And greater warriors than you have perished before us."<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And with those words, Signum flies up into the night sky.

:'''{{#var:93|Zafira| (93)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Zafira gets a ding to the head as Shield's falling causes her attack to go not as aimed. It's SOMETHING, even if it's quite the small thing. In any case, he gives a cold eyed glare down toward her, offering a silent shake of his head before suddenly, bursting upward to join Signum, just as wordlessly as the entire fight had been before.

:'''{{#var:237|Cure Shield| (237)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>All the air had been driven from her due to the punch and she was desperately trying to get her breath back as Signum and the dog-eared knight all but obliterated the roof to make their escape. How..? What overwhelming power they possessed between them. The Cure weakly scrabbled for her shield that had clattered to her side when she had fallen. It didn't look like it was doing to great. Her gaze tried to find Akari from where she was on the floor. <br /><br /> "A-Akari?" She croaked, trying to get to her feet. Was she alright? And what of the Takamatchi kid? Damnit, this was a mess...

:'''{{#var:222|Akari Hayabusa| (222)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Akari watches Signum and Zafira leave, then finally exhales. "... ''Wow''," she says flatly. "And to think that this time last week, I thought I could take on whatever the world threw at me once I recovered from the purification."<br /><br />She puts on her Rubindorn-pendant, and carefully drags herself to her feet. "There's ... a bunch of different versions of the legends of the Wolkenritter," she says, "but they universally agreed on two things: they were living magical programs, and they stole your Linker Core, or at least all your energy." She shakes her head. "I think the parents of Clara Meriva, the knight whose mind was scanned to create mine, actually had her parents tell her 'be good, or the Wolkenritter will steal your Linker Core' when she was little."<br /><br />She looks at Nanoha, and holds out Rubindorn, who scans her for a moment. "... No injuries apart from being kicked in the Linker Core," she says finally. "We need to get her to the Waldians' home in Mitakihara, right near the Park. Fate-san is probably going to ... well, I'm not entirely sure ''how'' she'll react." She grimaces. "Also, I need to have Mikoto-chan's Device teach Rubindorn that teleportation-spell of hers, this is one of those cases where that would've been ''really'' handy to have." She gingerly picks up Nanoha's unconscious form, cradling her in her arms.
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