The hum of the Riot Force 6 transport echoed in Yagami Hayate's ears, a familiar sound from a memory long past. She and Reinforce walked down a brightly lit corridor, the echoes of voices drifting from the lounge. Curiosity piqued, Hayate paused, listening in.
Inside, Fuji, Renjou, and Kai, back from a successful mission, were relaxing. Fuji leaned back, a contented sigh escaping him. "Seriously, guys, how good is it to be here? I love this place."
Renjou chuckled, tilting a water bottle. "Couldn't agree more. Way better than TSAB HQ. We're lucky Commander Yagami handpicked us."
"Yeah," Fuji agreed. "People are so much friendlier. Auris was… well, Auris. Kai, what do you think?"
Kai, usually quiet, spoke up. "I'm just grateful Commander Yagami chose us. Because of her, people actually talk to me now."
Renjou clapped Kai on the shoulder. "You lucky bastard. Commander Yagami and Sergeant Major Reinforce gave you the push you needed, and now you're Mr. Popular. Remember that scandal back in high school? Commander Yagami really turned things around for you. We're all lucky. Phantom Forward, an elite team. Just like Captain Takamachi with Star Forward and Captain Fate with Lightning Forward. I'm jealous!" The others laughed.
The laughter faded, the voices blurring as Hayate drifted back to the present. She blinked, realizing she'd been lost in a daydream. She was home, in her bed room. Shamal, Reinforce, and Agito were bustling around, preparing breakfast.
"Morning, Hayate," Shamal greeted. "Signum, Zafira, and Vita are out giving karate lessons to the new DSAA recruits. Oh, and we're almost out of food. We should hit the supermarket after breakfast."
Later, after the karate session, the entire Yagami family descended on the local supermarket. As fate would have it, they bumped into Nanoha, Fate, and Vivio. It was a joyful reunion, especially for Vivio, who had grown considerably since the JS Incident. They chatted about Vivio's progress and caught up on each other's lives. The conversation was light and cheerful, a welcome break from work. But Hayate's mind kept returning to Archibald Enzo and Izumi Kai. Finally, she decided to broach the subject.
"Nanoha, Fate," she began, "can I ask you something?"
"Of course, Hayate-chan," Nanoha replied.
"Do you… do you think Archibald Enzo is Izumi Kai?"
Nanoha feigned surprise. "Eh? Really?"
Fate chimed in, "But he's from Sailing Force, Hayate-san. Is something wrong with Arc?"
Hayate persisted. "Signum and Vita said Arc is just like Kai. It feels like Kai is back."
Nanoha quickly countered, "That can't be true, Hayate-chan. Kai is in the hospital, still in a coma."
"That's right," Fate added. "The real Kai is still unconscious. It must be your imagination, Hayate-san."
"I see," Hayate said, a small smile playing on her lips. "Sorry for asking out of the blue. I'll see you tomorrow, then." She turned and walked away.
Nanoha and Fate exchanged a worried glance. Hayate's question had hit close to home. They had promised Kai to keep his identity a secret.
Meanwhile, at the Saint Church, Schach and Fuji were locked in a fierce spar. The clash of their devices echoed through the training hall. Both were exhausted, but neither yielded. Finally, the spar ended in a draw. They deactivated their devices, their combat gear dissolving, and collapsed onto a nearby bench, accepting drinks from Otto and Deed. Knight Carim watched them with admiration.
"Brother Fuji, you and Sister Schach are evenly matched," Carim commented. "Impressive. Especially for a former team leader of Phantom."
"Thank you, Knight Carim," Fuji replied. "It was an honor to spar with Sister Schach."
Otto asked, "Brother Fuji, if TSAB called you back, would you return as Phantom's leader?"
"I doubt it, Otto," Fuji sighed. "I had my reasons for disbanding Phantom after Riot Force 6 was disbanded. I'm happy here. Besides… there was the Imposter Kai incident."
Carim nodded. "Same as always."
Deed inquired, "But Brother Fuji, don't you miss your old teammates?"
"Perhaps," Fuji admitted. "But Renjou and I made a decision. After Kai was so badly injured… we couldn't go back. We haven't seen each other since the Imposter Kai was captured."
Schach interjected, "Brother Fuji, I know you don't like dwelling on the past. But if TSAB needs our help, we must be ready."
"Yes, Sister Schach," Fuji agreed.
The next day, at Battalion 255, Renjou was conducting a training session for new recruits. His methods were… unconventional. Sticky bombs, booby traps, and general chaos reigned supreme. The recruits were a mess.
"Alright, everyone, time's up!" Renjou announced. "Captain Ingram will take over now."
The recruits responded with a collective groan.
Teana and Ginga approached Renjou. "You really enjoy tormenting your recruits, Captain Renjou," Teana observed.
"Teana! Ginga! What's up?" Renjou asked.
"We want to talk about the incident near Battalion 255," Teana replied, her tone serious.
Renjou led them to the lounge. "It happened when Vita and I were alerted to a terrorist attack. We encountered the Imposter Kai. He was alone, and he was twice as strong as the real Izumi Kai."
Ginga asked, "What about Miata Azda?"
"She wasn't attacking us," Renjou explained. "She just retrieved the Imposter Kai and took him back to his hideout. We weren't injured, thankfully. We still don't know what she was up to."
"Oh," Ginga said. "By the way, the Imposter Kai was finally defeated by Lieutenant Arc yesterday."
"Lieutenant Arc? Who's that?" Renjou asked.
"He's a Specialist Lieutenant, an investigator named
Archibald Enzo, or Arc for short," Teana explained, showing Renjou a picture. "He wears a full face mask and replaced Izumi Kai after… his accident."
"Heeey," Renjou exclaimed. "He looks like a mysterious anime character! I want a mask like that!"
"Renjou-san, please be serious," Teana sighed. "He wears the mask because of injuries sustained during a mission. No one else is allowed to wear one unless they have a legitimate reason."
"Ah, sorry," Renjou apologized. "So, did you two meet him?"
"Yes," Teana replied. "Executive Officer Fate met with him."
"I see," Renjou mused. The lunch bell rang. "It's lunchtime. Want to join me?"
"Sorry, Captain Renjou," Teana declined. "We have other places to be. Excuse us."
"Okay, see you later," Renjou said.
Later that evening at TSAB HQ, Arc, having just left the intelligence division, was stopped by Nanoha and Fate. They wanted to discuss something important and led him to a quiet corner where they could speak privately.
"Is something wrong?" Arc asked.
"Um, Arc," Fate began, "I think Hayate suspects your disguise. It came up when Nanoha and I met with Hayate-san yesterday. They're starting to believe that you're Izumi Kai."
"Vita-chan also suspects you," Nanoha added. "Especially after the mission facing your imposter."
"…Oh, I see," Arc sighed, placing a hand on his helmet. "Just as I thought."
"Eh? Really, Arc?" Fate asked. "Signum and Hayate-chan are starting to suspect you're Izumi Kai in disguise."
"I know," Arc replied, his voice barely a whisper. "I could sense it when Captain Signum spoke to me. So, Commander Yagami really talked about me yesterday?"
"Yes," Nanoha confirmed. "Hayate-chan suspects you, Arc… no, Izumi Kai-kun."
Arc was silent for a moment. Finally, he spoke. "…Nanoha-san… Fate-san… if Commander Yagami and the others want to see my face, I'll do it. But not yet."
"Really?" Nanoha and Fate asked.
"Yes," Arc said. "I need to deal with the imposter and… I need to fix my eye. I can't show my face like this. The time will come." He looked down at his hand.
"Arc, no… Kai," Fate reassured him. "Nanoha-san and I will keep our promise, including Shamal, Shari, and Mary, and my brother Chrono. You don't need to worry. Just focus on your task. Don't worry too much about Hayate-san." Nanoha nodded in agreement.
"Ah… thank you both," Arc said.
The weight of their promise pressed heavily on Nanoha and Fate. They knew the truth, the secret that bound them to Kai, the man who now walked among them as Archibald Enzo. It was a delicate balance, protecting his secret while navigating the growing suspicions of their comrades.
Days turned into weeks, and Arc continued his work, his masked face a constant enigma. He moved with a quiet efficiency, his actions speaking louder than words. He excelled at his duties, his insights proving invaluable, yet he remained an enigma, a ghost in their midst.
Hayate's suspicions grew with each passing day. She observed Arc, his mannerisms, his subtle gestures, the way he carried himself. It was all too familiar, too reminiscent of Kai. She confided in Signum and Vita, sharing her observations.
"He's so like Kai," Hayate explained, her voice filled with uncertainty. "It's not just the way he moves, it's… everything. But Nanoha and Fate insist it's not him."
Signum and Vita exchanged a look. They too had noticed the similarities. "We've seen it too, Hayate," Signum admitted. "But we also know that Kai is… incapacitated."
"It's confusing," Vita added. "But we trust Nanoha and Fate. They wouldn't lie to us."
Hayate nodded, but her doubts lingered. She decided to confront Arc directly, hoping to glean some answers from him. She found him in the training ground, practicing his Raging Brando. His movements were fluid and graceful, a dance of deadly precision.
"Arc," she called out, her voice echoing in the vast space.
He turned, his masked face inscrutable. "Commander Yagami. Is there something you need?"
Hayate hesitated, unsure how to phrase her questions. "I… I wanted to talk to you about Kai," she finally said.
Arc's body tensed slightly, but his voice remained calm. "Kai? What about him?"
"You remind me of him," Hayate admitted. "The way you fight, the way you… are. It's uncanny."
Arc was silent for a moment, then he spoke, his voice low. "I understand. You're not the first to say that."
"Who else has?" Hayate asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Some of the others," Arc replied vaguely. "They knew Kai as well. They see the similarities."
"And what do you say to them?" Hayate pressed.
"I tell them that it's a coincidence," Arc said. "That there are many people who share similar traits."
Hayate looked at him, her eyes searching his masked face. "Is that the truth?"
Arc met her gaze, his expression unreadable. "That's what I'm telling you, Commander."
Hayate felt a pang of disappointment. She had hoped for more, for some hint of recognition, some flicker of the Kai she knew. But Arc remained an enigma, his secrets hidden behind his mask.
"Thank you, Arc," she said, her voice subdued. "I should get back to work."
She turned to leave, her heart heavy with unanswered questions. As she walked away, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was missing something, that there was a piece of the puzzle that eluded her. Later that evening, after finishing their work, Nanoha and Fate went to find Arc. They found him on the rooftop, gazing up at the stars.
"Arc," Nanoha said softly.
Arc turned around, surprised to see them. "Nanoha-san," he greeted. "Fate-san. What brings you here?"
"We wanted to talk to you," Nanoha said. "We're worried about you."
"I'm fine," Arc replied. "Just thinking."
"We know you're going through a lot," Fate said. "We want you to know that we're here for you."
Arc was silent for a moment, a small smile behind his mask. Then, he said, "Thank you."
"You don't have to go through this alone," Nanoha said. "We're here to support you."
"I know," Arc replied. "Thank you."
They talked for a while longer, discussing various things. Nanoha and Fate tried to lighten the mood, sharing stories and jokes. They could see that Arc was starting to relax, to open up.
"We should get going," Nanoha said finally. "But we'll check in on you later, okay?"
"Okay," Arc agreed.
Nanoha and Fate left, feeling a little better. They had managed to reach Arc, to let him know that they cared. They knew that he was still struggling, but they were confident that he would be okay. He had them, his friends, his comrades. And they would never let him down.
(to be continue)