White Devil Rising [Open]

[zenryokuzenkai]

Who: Nanoha zenryokuzenkai & You!
When: 7th January / 20th May
Where: Ceres Game Center
What: Nanoha's blowing off some steam
Rating/Warning: Mild fantasy violence

---

Nanoha had two major hobbies that she indulged in when away from friends and family. The first was flying, inadvisable within city limits, (and there was no known way out of the city,) and really not the same without an open sky. The second was mock battles: most of the excitement of real battles without disturbing the peace! When she was a military instructor on Mid-childa, putting assorted rookies through the wringer was quite fortunately part of her job, but here it was just a game. Quite the game, but still just a game. A way to relieve stress, and there was no stress like having all your family and friends presumed dead, and being partly responsible for putting everything ever back together.

“Divine...” Raising Heart announced, a pink sphere of energy forming at the tip of the staff, pointed at the wave of creepy crawlies before it, the theme of this stage looking to be a bugpocalypse of some kind. Two cartridges were loaded into the device, shells falling a long way to the ground as the flying mage quickly charged her attack.

“BUSTER!” Nanoha and Raising Heart finished in unison, blasting a huge hole through enemy lines, a strong opener that would set the tone for the rest of the level. She was on something of a hot streak, winning several games in a row convincingly, as she dove into each match with near abandon, blasting her way through most enemies like a hot knife through butter.

The match eventually comes to a close, and the streak is defended as Nanoha shakes off the headgear, sweat falling freely from her brow. Could she have won with a little less excess? Probably, but winning was hardly the point. She was really here to cause damage in a safe environment, indulging in one of the few joys she had left.

“Hey, are you just here to watch, or will you be joining in the next match?”

Comments

[dereban]

Scary.

She was just idly watching on a day when she didn't have work, and she couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine. That was definitely mortifying and she wants no part in it. Violence should be kept in the gym and in ViViD, especially if it was the type of violence that could blow a person up. Just as she was about to sneak out of here and avoid any further problems - something that she normally didn't do, but her danger senses were going off from watching that display were screaming at her to escape before it was too late.

And then the voice seemed to call out to her causing her to freeze in place as she pointed at herself in confusion as if to say, are you talking to me? before she managed to speak up, albeit a little awkwardly.

"Well, I was only planning on watching and looking out for any new games that have appeared in ViViD..." Was that a good enough excuse? Inaba wasn't too sure. Though she managed to keep her expression cool, retaining a poker face.

[zenryokuzenkai]

"Well then, don't let me stop you!" Nanoha flashed a bright smile, her personality seeming to do a complete flip from what she had showed inside ViViD. She was fundamentally a friendly person, really! She sat down next to Himeko and extracted a towel from the duffel bag she had brought with her, wiping her face dry as she waited for her next opponents to show up.

"But hmm, new games huh...?" Nanoha pondered. A system like ViViD would surely have infinite applications, but as far as she could tell, the one here was mostly a bunch of fights. There might be some variety to them, but at the end of the day, it was going to be fighting.

"Hey," a light bulb seemed to go off over her head, and she grinned broadly. Going at it alone digitally never felt quite right, but maybe... "Have you ever flown before?"

[dereban]

"Well, I've taken trips on a plane before," she states simply with a shrug of her shoulders. She didn't know if that's what she meant, but if she was going to ask such a vague question, then there was no point in giving a specific answer of her own, either. Though she wasn't sure if she should say that or not.

[zenryokuzenkai]

"So you haven't, then. A plane's not flying, it's sitting around in a chair with no legroom." She stood up and spread her arms wide, spinning in a circle on the spot as though claiming her own space.

"To fly is to be free!" She declared, picking up a pair of ViViD headsets and tossing one at the girl. "Put it on, I'll show you!"

[dereban]

On a scale of one to boned, Inaba Himeko felt pretty boned at the moment, gulping anxiously before catching the ViViD headset. While it was true that she felt very wary around people she barely knew, the other girl didn't seem to be showing any enmity, so she thought that it would be alright for the time being. If anything did happen, she would force herself out by any means necessary. She's been studying on the technology of this world so she shouldn't have any problems with this.

"Fine, fine," she replied with a sigh, tossing her jet black hair with only the slightest hint of indifference. Of course, she could always wait until the other girl put on her headset and just sneak out; it wasn't as if she knew her name, but she didn't want to be making any dangerous enemies, either. This was the better choice, she thought to herself. Hopefully she won't have any regrets as she slipped on the familiar headset to reenter the virtual world known as ViViD.

[zenryokuzenkai]

"Excellent, you're here!" Nanoha smiled at the girl as she loaded into the world of ViViD. Not that she ever doubted that she would be, of course, that would ruin the fun, and what else would you be at a game center for if not fun? Besides, even if she was reluctant, that surely could not last past the actual experience!

"Raising Heart, if you'd please?" She kissed the gem that was usually hung around her neck gently, donning her Barrier Jacket and transforming the gem into a mage's staff in a bright flash of light.

"Oh, before I forget, I'm Takamachi Nanoha! What's your name?"

[dereban]

Inaba Himeko generally didn't use ViViD for fun unless she was being overly competitive. It was one of her ways to train, considering the fact that she actually had to learn self defense in the event that anything dangerous happened to her, or someone she truly cared about. Although having fun every once in a while, regardless of how unsettling this place truly was. . . well, just thinking about it brought a shudder to her spine.

But when the older woman introduced herself, she politely bowed in return, as was the usual greeting. "Inaba Himeko, nice to meet you." But she should probably warn her something first- "I prefer going by Inaba."

[zenryokuzenkai]

"Eeeeh? Himeko's a cute name though... But well, if you insist, Inaba!" Nanoha smiled. The exchange of names was an important ritual to her, and it had been since childhood. 'Himeko' was still cuter though - who could dislike princesses? Except apparently the little princess herself.

"Well then, let's go!" She cheered with a pump of her first. The mage took to the air, doing a single large loop before stopping right beside Inaba, hand extended.

"Take my hand, Inaba, I'll show you something cool."

[dereban]

"It may be cute, but it doesn't suit me." Her answer was rather blunt as she let out a lethargic sigh, throwing Nanoha a rather serious look. Being called by her first name may have been the least of her worries, but it was definitely something that she didn't exactly want to deal with herself. She didn't like being called a princess. Although she knew better now -- having seen princesses that held strength, it still made the young teenage girl uncomfortable hearing it off of people's lips. If she wanted others to call her by first name, she'd let them do so from the get go.

But she wanted to do so on her own terms.

Humming inquisitively, she took the outstretched hand into her own; she assumed that the older girl was planning on showing her what real flying was like, and Inaba herself couldn't help but show some slight interest in it as well. "You better not drop me, if that's what you're planning."

[zenryokuzenkai]

"Eh? You're totally cute, but like I said, if you insist!" Nanoha declared matter of factly, with a shrug.

"Anyway, Free falling is fun, but it's not flying. Hold on tight, and keep your mouth closed while we're moving!" Nanoha scooped up Inaba and kicked off high into the air, cutting through a layer of cloud cover without missing a beat. Air rushed past their faces, and the high-altitude winds tried to knock them off course more than once, but Nanoha held firm, the pink energy wings sprouting from her ankles correcting their angle easily with gentle beats.

Look, a voice sounded right into Inaba's mind as Nanoha slowed down so the ground beneath them went from a blur of colours to a coherent image of vast fields of green - great plains that seemed to go on forever, forests growing wild and tall on either side, and mountain ranges that rose and fell as far as the eye could see.

But it was not just geography that was on display. The enemies that ViViD had spawned for them to fight: giant monsters of all shapes and sizes, mostly great lizards that resembled nothing more than extinct creatures from Earth's prehistory. Even they, so terrifying and dangerous up close, were little more than dots, the largest amongst them merely the size of children's toys at this distance. Most of them had not even noticed the pair so high in the sky, and the few that had could do nothing but howl helplessly at the prey they could never hope to reach.

"Don't you feel free? Liberated, even? For just a while you can leave everything behind. That, to me, is what it means to fly." Nanoha said in her own voice as they slowed to a halt. A barrier spawned at her feet and she let go of Inaba, the wall of magic more than capable of keeping her from falling to her (digital) death.

[keep_hope_alive]

He had a feeling that he was going to have an eventful day today. Going to the game center to play ViViD wasn't really his style but the hero routine gets tiresome every now and then, and since ViViD is the only other video game he understands, that's where he goes to relieve some stress and burn some calories.

Racing through the strange hordes of bug like enemies, Richter leaps, rolls, and very much just free-run's his way around them. Striking at their openings using some mass produced sword they gave out. It was certainly fun and very entertaining, though someone else had been winning. He was hoping to run into this person, until he rounded a corner and felt his animal-like instincts scream 'duck'. He did so with no question, quickly ducking down and sliding under a large energy beam that was just inches away from his face, managing to catch a glimpse of Nanoha.

Once in the clear, he felt a large burst of air enter him making Richter realize that somehow, he had stopped breathing. The match was over and the game was done, removing the headset quickly and rubbing his hand behind his neck. A cold sweat had formed. The last time he felt this was when he was going toe-to-toe with a sniper in an alley way that was practically a shooting gallery. He looked around and was surprised to see her right next to him, immediately asking - "How in the world did you do that??"

[zenryokuzenkai]

Nanoha turned to the source of the voice, looking him over once and determining that while he looked strange, he was probably a nice enough guy. Not that there were terribly many people that did not look strange - this was just the kind of world she had gotten herself into.

"That? If you're talking about the Buster, it's a pretty basic mid-long range bombardment spell. Focus your energy, aim it at your opponent, and let go! Mine's a bit bigger than most people, but magical power is something that can be increased with training!" Nanoha slid naturally into an instructor's role, her old job rising to the surface at the most unexpected of times.

"If you're talking about my wins... Well, wisdom, tactics, and unleashing your full power tends to go a long way!"

[keep_hope_alive]

He understood the words, the meaning was completely lost.

The mention of the word "spell" didn't escape him, and though the rules of his world magic doesn't apply in this world, this was a good chance for him to understand how others magic works.

"Spell, you said. So....you're a mage?"

[zenryokuzenkai]

"Well... Yup!" It was easy to forget that while Nanoha was an internationally accredited mage who even had movies made about her in life, nobody knew any of that here. Not that she particularly relished the fame, it was just something she had ended up used to.

"I'm Takamachi Nanoha, an aerial mage from... Eh, it doesn't really matter right now. You used a sword, so are you a knight of some kind?"

[keep_hope_alive]

If any real knights heard what she just called him, and if they knew who he REALLY was, they would be greatly insulted.

"Me? No, no, no. I'm no knight. I'm a musician, I just know to stick the pointy end in the enemy that's all." If he had to be honest, he's more of an assassin.

"I'm Trevor Grant. Sadly I don't have much of a title to my name, but it's nice to meet you Miss Takamachi." Why do the Japanese have such hard names to pronounce he wonders.

[zenryokuzenkai]

"I see. I've been told that's the most important skill for a swordsman, so good on you, Trevor!" Nanoha smiled brightly, before turning back to the ViViD console.

"So, are you up for one more?" She asked as she put the headset back on.

[keep_hope_alive]

Important? The whole point of swordsmanship is to know how to properly stab someone. Though if he had to be honest, he was halfheartedly fighting.

"Sure, why not. But, ahh, try not to go too crazy with the fancy laser beam, okay? I like keeping my.....life." He puts the headset back on, watching the fancy animations dance around before the world digitizes before him.

"Okay, so what're we up against now?" He stretches in place, waiting for the enemies to come out. Though his two jade green eyes are already darting everywhere for places he can pass and gain advantages.

[zenryokuzenkai]

"Don't worry about it. You can't get hurt for real in ViViD, and I have Raising Heart set to stun, anyway!" Nanoha chimed over the voice comms as they were uploaded into the system. It was a decision she had made when she was nine years old, and never really had reason to reconsider.

Donning her Barrier Jacket and taking to the air once she loaded fully into the game, Nanoha scanned the battlefield with a trained eye, looking out for the number and type of enemies they would be facing.

"It looks like a team battle against assorted aliens? I can spot a flying saucer of some kind at the far side of the stage, and... woah!" Nanoha was cut off by a massive bolt of plasma impacting against her barrier. It fizzled out and she got away mostly unharmed, but it was not something she cared to deal with again. Could she get through with fancier flight and tougher shields? Perhaps, but it was not like there was any reason to risk the game, right?

"Spotted some big-headed grey men, tall skinny ones, bigger lizardmen, and an assortment of robots. All with what look like plasma guns of some kind." Nanoha reported as she cut her altitude until she was barely hovering over the ground. "It looks like a much harder scenario than the last one, so I'll be going in low without attracting too much enemy fire."

[keep_hope_alive]

"A flying saucer..." He will never understand how enemies are made in this game.

"Aliens, lizard people, robots....It sounds like a plot line for a Saturday morning cartoon." He huffs, unsure if he should feel disappointed or exasperated. Maybe a little of both.

"So what's the plan?" Well, he already has a plan but he wants to see what she can do.

[fantasykiller]

It took awhile, but Touma has finally managed to get reasonably comfortable with his situation. Having his world destroyed
once more did nothing positive for his mental health and the very idea that he might have to repeat his previous ordeal almost crippled him. Fortunately, the fact he was not completely alone to solve this overwhelming problem has helped in keeping him grounded and sane.

Now that he had a clear head, it was time to tackle one of his more immediate problems since arriving; making money. Due to a certain life-shattering revelation dominating his thoughts, he had been neglecting his job as a Professional ViVid Player. Given how unforgiving his luck can be, he was honestly surprised he was given such a job. Who wouldn't want to make a living just by playing video games? However, no matter how much he tried to stay positive about this development, he couldn't shake the feeling that something horrendous will come along to balance things out. Lady Luck was never one to give him any freebies.

In fact, it seemed like Lady Luck was already doing her best to screw him over. Finding an open game was starting to prove itself to be impossible. After making several rounds through the game center with no success, he decided to just pick somewhere to lurk until somebody there leaves. Choosing where to stay was an easy affair. If he was going to stand around for hours on end watching other people play video games, he might as well chose something entertaining. He quickly scanned the area for an interesting target and soon found something that caught his eye. It was a game featuring an endless army of insects being played by a woman with a terrifying look on her face.

Those poor insects never stood a chance. To claim what he was witnessing before him was a battle would be an outright lie. That would imply the insects could actually pose a threat. This was, without a doubt, a massacre. He moved closer to get a better view as she continued to violently pierce through everything with her massive pink laser. Unsurprisingly, the game didn't last very long and it soon ends in her victory. She removes her headgear and for a brief moment he thought she was going to leave. He should have known better. Instead, he found himself being invited to a match. After seeing what she was capable of, he really didn't want to.

“I would, but there aren't any helmets I can use. Sorry.”

The perfect excuse. Or it would be if the person beside her hadn't just finished their game and set aside their headgear. Touma could only stare helplessly at the abandoned headgear as he silently bemoaned his luck.

[zenryokuzenkai]

"It looks like we're in luck! A new slot just opened up!" Nanoha beamed brightly, practically pushing the empty headgear into Touma's hands. He looked like an experienced hand at ViViD somehow, and she always enjoyed finding out about strong new kids: It really brought out the instructor's spirit in her.

"So, how do you usually play? Team battles, one-on-one?" She continued, scrolling down the list of options at her console. She usually just accepted any match that came her way, (the title of Ace of Aces would cry if she could not handle any situation,) but most people probably had specialities, right?

"I'm Takamachi Nanoha, but Nanoha is fine. What should I call you?"

[fantasykiller]

So pushy.

Touma clumsily accepted the empty headgear being shoved into his arms. With his lame excuse rendered useless, there was no way he could turn her down. Any further attempts to justify not accepting her offer would be met with suspicion. Besides, he needed to play anyway and there was no guarantee he would find another available headgear anytime soon.

“I don't really have a favorite play style,” Thanks to all his nonexistent gaming sessions. “But today I'm feeling up for a team battle.” Maybe this won't be so bad. With her as an ally, it would be much easier to learn the ropes and not look like a complete idiot.

“It's nice to meet you, Nanoha,” He said as he awkwardly adjusted his headgear with a smile. “You can call me Touma.”

[zenryokuzenkai]

I wonder what he looks like with helmet hair? Nanoha giggled just a bit at the thought of those distinctive spikes pushed flat as she strapped her own headgear in. It was perhaps just a bit rude, but it was also an extremely entertaining image.

"Alright then, Touma," She said as she loaded into ViViD, and summoned her Barrier Jacket, "you may have noticed from my previous match, but I'm a mage specialising in mid-range bombardment, and you look like a melee fighter, so if this is going to be a team battle, I'll follow your lead!"

That was technically the truth. It was the basics of team formation, but even more than that she really liked seeing what young people with potential could do. Motherly instincts, maybe?

[fantasykiller]

Touma flashed her a playful grin as he followed suit and entered the game with her. “Was my character class that obvious? Sure, I'll take the lead on this. Just promise me you'll be careful with that ridiculous pink beam of yours.”

Her suggestion made sense. If she took the lead, every single enemy they encountered would be obliterated before he got anywhere close to them. She seemed to be trying to take account of their respective strengths and adjusting accordingly so he wouldn't be left out. Although he appreciated the consideration, he wouldn't have minded at all if she stayed in front and bulldozed her way through the game.

For the first time since materializing in this virtual world, he gave his new surroundings his attention. The pair were currently inhabiting a sparely populated forest. Underneath their feet laid a well-worn dirt path that had seen many days of use as evident by the lack of any vegetation growing on it. The path itself was rather linear and lead deeper into the forest where the trees grew denser. Aside from the soft chirping of unseen birds and the almost unnoticeable fog that layered the cold ground, there was nothing else of note. They were alone for now.

“Could you quickly fly up and see if you can spot anything dangerous up ahead? I don't want us to just blindly follow this path and get jumped by a random encounter.”

[zenryokuzenkai]

"That's a good idea, but don't expect much! The foliage will block most of my line of sight." Nanoha flew up and visually scanned the area quickly, and satisfied that there was nothing she more she could spot from above with her own eyes, dipped back down to just above ground level.

"I couldn't see what exactly we're facing, but there was enough movement in the foliage that we can probably expect things leaping out of the trees at us, so watch out for that!" If she seemed oddly excited at the prospect of being jumped, it is because she was. Simulated missions like these needed a surprise or two to be anything like real ones, and she liked seeing not just what the programmers could come up with, but also how others reacted.

"So, now that all's said and done, let's go!" Nanoha cheered, urging Touma onwards to great victory.