[X] Accept another round.
- [X] With more and stronger enemies.
[X] Before you start, tell them to have Nanoha get around to serving you some real food (blood) to drink after you're done.
-[x] Mixed in some good red tea if they please. You prefer it that way.
You take a moment to think. While it is still bright out, the buildings should provide enough protection from the sun that you won't have to worry about it. At least, as long as the buildings last ... you'll have to take care to leave them standing, if possible. Then again, those enemies were so weak, and they held back against you. If they can't fix those problems, there won't be much reason for you to go again, would there?
"Hmm ... maybe? But I do have a couple questions first, if you don't mind answering them." You look around, trying to find where Vita's voice is coming from - rather, you know where the voice is coming from, but you can't see anything that would project it.
"Haa~. If they're not too much bother." She sounds a little different from before, less aggressive.
"Hehe! Well, first, if you know when Nanoha is going to get back, when she's on her way, could you ask her if she can make me that drink I asked her about? Oh, and make it with tea! Normal tea ... so it'll be red! That's better." You nod to yourself; you know you're going to have to tell Vita sometime, at least, but in front of a stranger, when you don't know who could be listening? You chuckle to yourself; you're smarter than that! No, no, you're not telling anyone, not yet.
"... Really. And just what is this "drink," that you want made with red tea?"
"Hehe! That's a secret right now! Can't tell you yet!" You hear an exasperated sigh, but she doesn't say anything after a moment, so you continue. "Ah, but moving on, my next question is: Can you make more enemies, and make them stronger? These were too weak, I don't see how anyone could call them dangerous!"
"Well ... they do have a magic-dampening ability that we can't replicate, since in training the only way we can do it is by fiddling with a Device to generate a similar effect, so that's making them less of a problem already. But yes, we can throw some more at you and increase their power. Anything else?"
"Just one." A hint of steel creeps into your voice. "Vita, don't have them hold back anymore. That big one pulled its attack, and they all fought dumb. Make them stronger, make more of them, and make them fight." You're glaring at the voice, eyes smoldering, and the silence lasts for a lot longer than it should.
"Yeah, sorry about that. It won't happen again, don't worry." You relax a little. "Alright, we're sending them into the city now. Just call for help if it gets too much for you!" You giggle. Unless they made this group a lot stronger, you won't have any problems. You stand in the ruined building for a few more moments, then stretch your neck and walk toward the ruined wall. You see a troop of eight of the smaller Drones flying down the street away from you, and a quick glance doesn't reveal any other groups. You watch the squadron follow the street to the left, taking it around a large building and out of your line of sight, then do the most natural thing - you launch yourself across the street and through the buildings on the other side.
You slam through the glass and crash through a thin interior wall, then rush down the hallway. You leap out through the windows at the end, but the crossfire that welcomes you is a breeze to navigate. You corkscrew through the blasts as you count the forces Vita thought would give you a challenge - you see another dozen of the smaller Drones and four of the larger ones. Grinning madly, you drop under the converging attacks and charge the squadron of spheres - too fast for them to track, you smash Laevateinn through the first one, then shove your way one half of it to rip into a second. The other two are reacting well, now, but the third is too close to you for you to fail to hit before it can bring its tentacles to bear, and it skids away, a massive fissure running through it. The fourth drone manages a solid connection, and you ride the blow, then arrest your flight as you pass near the first formation of smaller Drones. Your hand shoots up as their tentacles begin constricting you - and when the six orbs above your head flicker into existence, you sweep your hand down, and five of Drones explode as the bullets pass through them and into the buildings and street. The sixth had tried to restrict your arm, and survived because you had yanked it down before its tentacles tore out; you simply swept yourself back and ripped it open, then turned your attention back to the larger ones and the other squadrons of small drones. As they begin firing at you, you dash into the next row of buildings, plowing through another wall and then zipping straight up to get to the next floor.
You stop to think, however. Most of what you've done so far has just been flying and ripping things apart or hitting them with Laevateinn ... but you know that Vita has a hammer, and Signum has a sword. And they're apparently very strong, since everyone said that only strong mages can go into that overlay-place ... and you didn't see them do any shooting! So while they've seen you use lethal bullets a couple times, they haven't seen Danmaku! True, it isn't as fun as real fighting, but they probably don't have anything like it, so it'll definitely make them want you on their team. You briefly consider using spellcards, but dismiss the idea - they're too flashy, and you don't feel like using the restrictions they have. Maybe you can adjust some of the ones you have later ...? You shake your head as you hear blasts scouring the floor below you. Time enough for introspection later! You burst out of the building and soar up above the roofline, then start showering the area below you with red elliptical bullets. Of course, they're also flying off above you and to your sides, but that's not important - the Drones you can see are all below you! There are only sixteen left, but they don't seem to dodge as well as you can, and you're actually throwing more shots out than they are.
The first to go is, predictably, the damaged sphere, followed soon by the other sphere - they're simply too large to avoid enough of the bullets, and 'non-lethal' doesn't mean 'non-damaging.' You wonder whether they'd be as effective against the real thing, though; actual metal constructs would probably last longer than these magical facsimiles, and you aren't sure how that 'magic-dampening' ability will interact with Danmaku. Something else to think about later, when you have time. You frown as you look down at the remaining Drones; there are a few left, but they're just dancing back and forth, not actually dodging! And she said they'd make them fight this time -! The first energy blast catches you in the left shoulder as you turn, and you dip before recovering and spinning around. More bright blue beams lance past you as you stop your own barrage and dart down toward the ground floor of the nearest building. Sneaky Vita! You see the blue beams lancing out from the windows of a much taller building, and giggle. Oh well, so much for that, back to smashing!
You take a deep breath, preparing yourself for the rush - then you blaze out of the building and slam into the tall building a few floors below where you saw the beams coming from. You shake your head and blink a few times, then stare at the mangled remains of several of the spherical Drones. Immediately, you throw yourself to the side and spin around, but no more Drones appear. You sigh, then bring up Laevateinn. They're better than they were before, but they're still so weak and not really worth your time. You pour power through your gift once again, the flame-blade springing into life and reaching above you, then you swing it forward and to the side, then back around, carving a diagonal gash through the floors above you and, probably, destroying all the Drones as they plummet to their doom. You yawn and stop the flow of power, then jump off the building. You look around for more Drones to destroy, but you can't see any, so you decide to drift back down toward Vita. Maybe you should get her to clarify what she does?
You drop unsteadily to your feet when you reach the platform, and Vita shakes her head as she walks toward you. You smile and put Laevateinn away, then hurry forward to wrap your arms around her; she snorts and tries to put a blanket over you, which is really strange - it's not that cold out, is it? Oh, right, you were going to see what she smelled like, weren't you? You lean forward and close your eyes as you inhale deeply ....
You blink as you wake up. You're on a bed in a strange room, and you roll off, landing lightly. You don't recognize any part of this place, and the view is definitely different from any of the ones at Vita's place!
What do you do?
[ ] Assume the worst - Vita's been incapacitated and you were kidnapped! You must break free and reunite with her at any cost!
[ ] Assume the best - Nanoha is going to walk through that door in just a moment with some nice treats for you! Just wait a bit ....
[ ] Assume nothing - break out your whole bag of tricks to investigate where you are and how you got here!
- [ ] Lethal force has been authorized!
- [ ] Lethal force has not been authorized!
[ ] Ask Headless what happened and if she knows anything about where you are.
- [ ] Mentally?
- [ ] Physically?