Diary of a Wind Talker: Halloween Special, Chapter VII Part III

So, everyone, do you like it?” Hayate asked as the last contestants went to the backstage, and the audience howled in feverish support to say ‘yes’. “Now we’re done with all the contenders, and while we wait for the judges’ result, let’s give a very loud applause to the Gemini Sisters!”

In an instant the hall erupted in a deafening roar as Aura and Freya returned upstage. Fan boys changed their names in unison, intoxicated by the twin sisters’ charms. Male audience swooned when the girls winked to them, and waved to the performers in unison.

“How are you doing, everyone?” Aura asked through the microphone.

“WE ARE DOING FINE, AURA-CHAMA!” fan boys howled.

“Do you want more from us?” Freya continued.

“HELL YES WE DO!” male audience hooted.

The Gemini Sisters giggled. “Dewa!”

They made a pose that looked very identical to each other, and cameramen immediately turned to them, projecting their image on the huge screen behind them. When the cue started, they danced in perfect synchronization, never missing even a step, shone by colourful spotlights from above.

Freya: “Hitomi no oku, tojikometeta; seizatachi ga odoridasu no; yume no KO-RU, kono tsudzuki ni GOOD LUCK!”

The Gemini Sisters continued dancing, occasionally spinning on their toes as to show off their beauty. This act of self-service made 75 percent of boys and males to bleed their nose.

Aura: “Kizutsuku ko, osorenaide; arinomama no jibun de ii mou; daijoobu…”

They joined their singing force.

Freya: “Furueru RIZUMI…”
Aura: “Setsunai MELODY…”
Both: “kimi ga watashi no kono jikan wo… Ah~ honki ni saseru wa!”

They threw their hands upward.

Freya: “Nagareboshi ni negai kakete, kako mo mirai mo koete; itsumo kimi ni todoku you ni, shining-shining moonlight!”

Aura: “kujikesouna toki wa itsumo, kimi no koto wo omou yo; doko ni itemo hanaretetemo todoiteiru yo…”

Both: “Your gravitation…”

// outside the hall //

“I don’t really mind if you’re not into party and social gathering,” Armstrong complained as Kay served the guests with fried rice and tea. “But why are you inviting us to your booth in the first place?”

Kay laughed. “What are you talking of, Armstrong? It’s just that I happened to be asked to open a food stall,” she said. “Besides, you just look damn good in this form.”

“I take that as a sarcasm-filled praise,” Armstrong sighed. “Oh, well. Not that I want to complain in the first place, especially when I have alien girls following me around like ducklings.”

Behind them, the intoxicated fan girls and female spectators were squealing like mad as they tried to get close to their adored real men. “Armstrong-sama! Arcas-sama! DAI! SU! KI!!” they hollered and melted into blobs of flesh.

“See? That’s why I’m not a partygoer,” Armstrong said.

“That isn’t a good thought, Armstrong-san,” Mel said and sipped the green tea. (Behind her, fan boys were prying upon the woman’s majestic beauty, being dressed up in expensive and luxurious silk kimono before they were sent into smithereens by a hyper Poseidon.) “Partying for once in a while isn’t a bad idea, right Arcas?”

Arcas just nodded. “To tell you the truth, actually,” he said and took another spoonful of Kay’s Special Fried Rice, “although I disapproved of what he did to Armstrong and Nanoha, I’m wondering whether it was worth the madness he had done.”

“I’d rather not talk about it, my friend,” Armstrong replied and ate the fried rice.

The entrance door was suddenly kicked. Armstrong, Arcas, Poseidon and Mel turned around to the main hall, only to see the receptionist pushed out of the building by a group of angry cosplayers. “I bet those people are mad at the organizers for not inviting them, aren’t they?” Arcas said.

“I think you better reconsider those words,” Armstrong spoke and put down the ceramic glass. “They aren’t your regular cosplayers.”

Both Arcas and Mel blinked. “Huh?”

-

-

“You think you can enjoy the party without inviting us along,” an angry Yuuno, dressed up as King Leonidas of Sparta, said and pushed the receptionist towards the fountain. “You better choose your words carefully when you’re dealing with us.”

“But we totally forgot! We’re very sorry!” the receptionist answered.

“You threaten our culture with globalization and death,” Yuuno snarled and prodded the real sword onto the frightened TSAB personnel’s neck. “You insulted my queen. You made fun of Sparta and its glory. You chose to disregard the past and proceed with the future. What kind of mentality is that?”

“Blasphemy! This is madness!” the receptionist cried.

“Madness?” Yuuno turned to his 300 Mid-Childans. The warriors, wearing nothing more than leather pants and red capes, nodded and slammed their spears onto their hoplite shields. Then Yuuno glanced at everyone else in the boulevard who nodded as well.

He turned back to the horrified TSAB personnel. “Please, Yuuno, have mercy…”

“Mercy?” Yuuno grinned. “This! IS! COSPLAY!!!!!” He kicked the receptionist into the fountain, and all the people cheered in approval. He later turned to the 300 Mid-Childans. “Mid-Childans!”

“HOWL!” they replied in unison.

“Enjoy yourself as much as you can today!” he bolstered. “Tonight, we cosplay… IN HELL!!!!”

“FOR MID-CHILDA!!!” a Mid-Childan howled.

“FOR YUUNODAS!!!!” another Mid-Childan screamed.

Yuuno lifted his fist. “FOR GLORY!!!!”

The 300 Mid-Childans marched back into the hall. Arcas and Mel gaped in disbelief before they asked Armstrong: “that’s… Yuuno, isn’t it?”

“YUUNODAS HAS RETURNED!” fan boys roared and cried hot-blooded tears of manliness.

“Yuunodas?” Arcas asked.

“It’s a long story, but to shorten it,” Armstrong spoke, “it all began when I invited him to Greece for a seminar on Spartan culture.”

-x-x-x-x-x-

// TSAB Main Building //

“Sou…”

The Wanderer continued her journey.

Having had arrived at the headquarters two hours earlier, she chose to follow her instinct in finding her way through the main building, despite the bureau’s suggestion to send someone to escort her. It was not the case of deliberately getting lost in the vast complex, because it was what she had intended to do: spending as much time in the complex as she could.

She took the opportunity from the lengthy trip to look around her, noticing how many eyes were fixated upon the oversized anteater doll she was carrying along, and how many eyes were prying upon the attire she wore. She did not take notice of the awkward atmosphere, nor did she care of the people. She was here to look for someone, and she would do what it took to find that person.

(Earlier, on that day, she had stumbled across Amy who was equally surprised to see her presence in the TSAB. Her reaction towards Chrono’s wife was as uncanny as ever as she asked “what’s with the fake fang and long wig you’re wearing?” in which Amy’s only answer was “I thought I could go and smack Chrono on the head-nyoro.”

She batted her eyebrow upward. “Nyoro?”)

“I guess he’s really enjoying himself up to this day,” she pondered and walked down the path that lead to the hall.

“Mai?”

She stopped. She knew that voice, and she recognized the intonation of the speech (despite the awfully feminine sound). She turned around, and was slightly impressed by what she was seeing.

“What are you doing here?” It was Hikari, and standing beside her was Nanoha who was equally shocked not only at her presence but also at the same school uniform she was donning. “You could’ve given me a call, you know.”

“Hikki…” She approached the priestess. She took her hands. “It is time.”

Hikari blinked. “Right now? (Mai nodded.) But what will everyone… Nanoha think of this?”

She smiled. “Don’t worry. We’ll come up with something.” She later turned to Nanoha and bowed to her. “Please forgive my husband for all the difficulties he has created before I come here. I’m sure he didn’t really mean to displease you,” she spoke.

“N-no! I’m fine with it,” Nanoha replied.

Hikari sighed. “Oh, well. I guess this will be a parting gift from Hikari Kokurabuji.” So saying she approached Nanoha, bent forward and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. “It’s been a pleasure to visit and know you, Nanoha-sama. Please send my regard to everyone,” she spoke in soft voice. “Thank you for everything.”

Mai handed over the anteater doll to Nanoha and approached Hikari. “Anata, I hope you have learned your lesson from this transformation,” she spoke.

Hikari, to Nanoha’s surprise, simply nodded, as if she knew the end would be coming. “Yes, Mai, I understand.”

She stopped. With her face an inch from Hikari’s, she stared into the priestess’ vibrant eyes. “Are you ready?”

“Yes, I am.”

She tipped off her feet. Slowly, she reached for Hikari’s lips and pressed her lips in a soft, passionless kiss that shocked not only Nanoha but also several female TSAB personnel who were walking in the area.

(At the same time, Koji, Yui, Maren and Treize arrived in the area only to be greeted by the romantic scene. Yui had to seize her brother’s eyes; the “kitsune miko” blushed at the thought of kissing her significant one in the public; Treize simply tilted her head in confusion.)

The kiss disengaged. Hikari started glowing in faint bluish aura, but was not surprised by the phenomenon as she signalled at Nanoha to calm down.

“Go change your dresses somewhere else, anata,” Mai said with a chuckle and poked his nose. “You don’t want people to see you with your skins exposed.”

-x-x-x-x-x-

“By the way, Armstrong,” Kay continued. “Have you done with the reports on the excavation? I need to review it before delivering it to the society.”

“With all these parties and activities, do you expect me to complete the assignment on time?” Armstrong chided. “Why don’t you write those paper works yourself?”

Kay grumbled at the lazy reply and prodded her finger onto Armstrong’s shoulder. “Whether you want to complain, it’s not my business, but I need those reports. Besides, it was you who volunteered to do the reports, wasn’t it?”

An explosion shook the entire structure.

“What happened?” Armstrong left the stall and everybody else behind (Arcas was closely following his lead). They arrived at the explosion site, to be greeted by a scene unlike anything they had ever seen.

“Who or what the hell?” Arcas demanded.

Amidst the ruins and chaos, Armstrong could see a person walking into the scene, in all his might and right with a steel ball holstered upon his right shoulder.

He was not amused. So did Arcas.

“Jackson Armstrong!” Baron Daban bellowed. “I challenge you into a rematch!”

Diary of a Wind Talker: Halloween Special 07, Part 2

// second round //

Zafira had to force himself to smile.

Whether the cosplay was intentional or not, he could not tell because it was all a part of Hayate’s brilliant plan. Moreover, he had to be sure he was donning the dress correctly although at first glance the attire looked nothing more than a modified butler uniform.

Well, he pondered, at least he got the Afro right.

He walked out of the changing room and met up with an equally mortified Vita. “Oi, Vita, at least you don’t have to wear Gothic dresses,” he commented, as Vita complained of the weird head visor and the kimono she had to wear for the party.

“Ano ne, Zafira.”

“Nanda?”

Vita sighed. “I can’t complain anymore, can I?” she said and holstered the shell machinegun over her shoulder. She grumbled in protest when Zafira gave her a playful pat on the head. “Stop ruffling my hair, Zafira. Hey!”

“Zafira!”

Along came Vivio, Annabelle and Lutecia. The two Wolkenritter turned to see them dressed up in their own extravagant costumes. “What are you guys cosplaying as?” Vita asked.

“Lulu-chan dresses up as Rider,” Annabelle said. “Vivio-chan cosplays as the sunflower fairy godmother, and I cosplay as Grandpa’s eternal friend.”

While Vita gave Annabelle a very deep look of ‘huh’ at the answer, Zafira took his time examining the two other young girls. He could see Lutecia’s cosplay perfectly matched her image as the purple-haired Servant, but the sheer cuteness of Vivio with that giant sunflower stuck on her back was inconceivable.

“Zafira, what is that?” Vivio asked and pointed to the Afro.

“Heh, it’s nothing,” Zafira said and put on his Ray Ban sunglasses. “How do I look?” Lutecia gave the wolf-man two thumbs up. Annabelle blushed in admiration at the macho look. Vivio cooed at the simple transformation of one of her friends. “Well, I guess I can go and win the top prize, can’t I?”

They returned to the hall. The moment they entered the building, the cosplay battle temporarily stopped. The crowd became smitten when they turned to Afro Zafira, and were more enticed when they saw him surrounded with sparkles and bubbles.

“Ah, Zafira-san…<3”>

Zafira blinked. “I haven’t had my turn yet.”

The women sighed. “Yada… Zafira-san is so handsome…” they murmured and cupped their blushing cheeks.

“That Afro… that Ray Ban…” the men muttered in equal admiration.

“Everyone’s gay for Masa-san,” dryly Lutecia commented.

One fan boy noticed the purple-haired girl. “Holy crap! It’s Rider!”

“RORI RAIDA? USO DA!” his friend shouted.

Onstage, the two Goth cosplayers watched in amusement at the commotion down there. “I never expected Zafira-san and Lulu-chan can capture so many eyes,” Widuri commented and turned to the smitten Smith and Wesson. “Although… why are they looking at us in that way?”

“Shinigami Mai…” Smith murmured.

“And Suigintou Widuri…” Wesson added.

“Both of them are hot Goth…” Smith said.

“…and their splendour…” Wesson continued.

“ARE MADE OF PURE LOVE AND WIN!!!” they roared.

Widuri could only laugh in silly manners at the Linebackers, but then Mai was not saying anything about them. She had been looking for someone, and was disappointed because they did not appear as they had promised. Widuri noticed Mai’s distraught look and asked, “is there something wrong, Enna-sama?”

“Iie. It’s just-”

“Guess who?”

Widuri gasped. So did Smith and Wesson, because Mai’s eyes were covered by someone, and that someone was none other than…

“Gwen-oneesama?” Mai turned around to see another woman standing next to Sarah Alicia Lushien, a.k.a. Gwendolyn. “Iris-oneesama?”

The woman chuckled. “We did surprise you, didn’t we Mai-chan?” Gwen asked.

“And you seem to be enjoying your Shinigami outfit a lot,” Iris said in a teasing tone.

Mai blushed. “Wha… what are you talking of, Oneesama?” she mumbled.

Gwen giggled and took Mai’s arms as she and Iris brought the Daemon Princess to backstage. “We’d like to borrow Mai-chan for a while,” Gwen said to Widuri with a wink.

“Haii. Dozo.”

The Unison Device was unsure of what the women were going to do with Mai, and decided not to pay attention to them as she turned to the protesting Linebackers and fan boys. “I believe we should spend our waiting time with something useful, right?”

(“Well said, Widuri-chan,” Hayate nodded. “Well said.”)

Widuri approached the mike stand. She coughed in low voice, corrected her posture and smiled to the audience.

“Mizu no naka ri, yoru ga yureteru…”

The audience was awed. It was the first time Widuri (or any Unison Device so to speak) sang this beautifully. More surprising was that Frieda was accompanying Widuri with piano scores of the song (and Widuri did not know of this yet).

“Kanashii hodo, shizuka no tatazumu…”

The Zafira-san/Loli Rider uproar ended abruptly. Immediately all eyes and ears were fixated on the performing due, their heart touched by the serenity of Widuri’s heavenly voice.

“Midorinasu kishibe, utsukushii yoake wo…”

The Linebackers waved their lighters overhead, and everybody soon followed suit.

“Tada matte iraretara, kirei na kokoro de…”

-
-
Nanoha was watching the life performance from inside the medical room. Hikki was still sleeping, and was not showing any sign of awaking. The Tactical Instructor was upset at first for not able to join her friends, but she was also glad to finally have the space of privacy she had been seeking for. Looking down at Hikki’s childish face, she could not help wondering of how it would be if he didn’t have to cross-dress and sleep with her accompanying him.

“Silly me,” she uttered with a chuckle.
-
-
“Itsumo, itsuka, kitto… anata no te wo tori…”

The performance ended. Frieda left the piano and approached Widuri to bow to the audience together. Everybody gave the two women a very loud standing ovation, whistling and throwing roses to them as they did. They thanked the audience for the support and returned backstage to meet up with Shamal, Ginga and Keroko.

“That was wonderful,” Shamal praised. “We never thought Widuri-chan can actually sing so that beautifully.”

“Considering her nature as a close-combat Unison Device, it would be surprise to see her soft side once in a while,” Keroko said. “Even the outfit suits her perfectly.”

Widuri had to laugh. “What are you talking of, Keroko-sama? You look beautiful in those frills, too.”

Keroko blushed. “It… it’s because Hayate threatened me with blackmails,” she murmured and shyly fiddled with her fingers. “Though I’ve always wanted to wear these…”

(Hayate deviously cackled. “Just as planned!”)

“But to see Ms. Johansen here is quite a surprise,” Ginga said. “Your presence is very much welcomed.”

The eyeglasses mother-would-be giggled. “Takeru has to follow Aura here. I simply fulfil my role as his guardian,” she said and was latter batting an eyebrow when she saw Ginga’s plain dress. “And I see that Miss Ginga needs something a bit… more proper.”

“What is that supposed to- IYAH!” Ginga was yelping in distress as Frieda dragged her towards the dressing room. “Miss Johansen! What are you trying to do? Ah! You’re stripping me!”

“Why, I’m just helping you dress up,” Frieda replied. “Now where did I put that dress I had brought earlier…”

“Miss Johansen! No! Ah! Subaru, help…”

“I didn’t know Paladin Frieda is a cosplay demoness,” Signum said in horror.

Hayate’s response was an equal terror as she patted Signum’s shoulder. “She’s Carim’s close friend, after all.”

// 20 minutes later //

“See? I’ve told you it would suit you,” Frieda said as she did the finishing touch on the ribbon. “Look for yourself. Aren’t you beautiful?”

Ginga had to gulp bitterly. Like it or not, she had to accept the fact she was wearing the most suggestive cosplay dress she had ever worn. Not only that, she was asked to wear fake eyeglasses to add in the novelty of the cosplay. “Miss Johansen, I don’t feel comfortable in this suit…”

“What are you talking of, Ginga?” Frieda replied and rested her hands upon Ginga’s bare shoulders. “On Earth, witch and succubus are just a part of our Halloween celebration. I used to cosplay as a succubus in my college, so there’s nothing wrong if you cosplay as one.”

“But Miss Johansen-” Ginga was startled when the gunslinger knight embraced her, comfortably holding her body in her maternal arms. Frieda was giggling in soft voice as she brought Ginga close to her. “Miss Johansen…”

“Call me Frieda,” the eyeglasses-totting woman whispered. “Just relax. Everything will be fine if you believe in yourself. Right?”

“O… okay…”

The two women finally left the dressing room. They walked past the mortified Hayate, Signum, Shamal and Keroko and headed to the stage, where they were immediately greeted with approval roar like nothing before. Fan boys were infatuated by the sight of Witch Frieda and Succubus Ginga in eyeglasses and, Ginga loyalists, especially, drooled over Ginga’s voluptuous body.

“Mou, stop staring at me,” Ginga moaned when she noticed them eyeing her ‘delicious’ figure. “Hentai. Baaka. Ecchi. Sukebe.”

“GINGA-NEECHAMA HAS GONE TSUN-TSUN!!!!!!!!” fan boys wailed in agreement and melted.

Well, someone had to make sure it made sense.

“Hayate Yagami!” an audience shouted. “What kind of winning cosplay is this?! Ginga as a Megane Succubus? I must approve!”

“But it wasn’t a part of my plan!” Hayate objected.

“So she wants the cosplay party to follow her idealism,” the rest of the audience murmured.

“Chigau!” Hayate replied.

(Sophia had to laugh. “Did Oneechan just get caught red-handed? It’s so unlike her,” she exclaimed.

Kaempfer turned to several captivated audience and noticed someone asking his name. “Kaempfer,” he pronounced his name, and wind mysteriously blew his cape to reveal his muscular figure. Everyone fainted on the spot, induced by the manliness of Kaempfer.)

“Everyone, please,” Ginga said as she was trying to ease the tension. “Hayate wasn’t at fault. It was-” She stepped on a banana peel that mysteriously materialized under her foot and slipped off the floor - only to be caught in Frieda’s arms. “F-Frieda?”

“Are you alright, Ginga?” Frieda asked with a warm smile.

“Err… yes, I’m alright,” Ginga replied. “Thank you.”

Fan boys were captivated by the sight of the gunslinger knight holding Ginga, and were even overwhelmed when sparkles and bubbles surrounded the two dazzling women.

“I don’t know what’s going on here,” Smith said.

“But Witch Frieda holding Succubus Ginga,” Wesson added.

“Is the best damn thing,” Smith continued.

“The world has ever seen!” Wesson ended.

Then they shouted in unison: “THIS IS FRIEDA JOHANSEN AND GINGA NAKAJIMA! THEY ARE MADE OF MILF, HOTNESS, ABSOLUTE LOVE AND WIN!!!”

“Banzai! Banzai!” fan boys agreed and roared together with the Linebackers. “Frieda-sama banzai! Ginga-neechama banzai!” Their excitement, however, did not last long when they heard a very heavy machine start-up noise coming from the right flank. “Uh-oh.”

“Do you hear what I just hear?” Smith said.

“I can hear it very loud and clear, brother,” Wesson replied.

Slowly, the Linebackers and the fan boys turned to the noise. There, standing at the end of the front raw seat was two angry young people with weapons deployed in Overdrive Mode.

“I shall shove these fists into your sorry mouth!” Subaru declared and loaded the Double Revolving Knuckles.

“Would you like to try dying once?” Takeru questioned and inserted a 20mm Belkan cartridge into the Panzer Faust Silberkugel.

“Please spare us…” the Linebackers pleaded.

Their answer was a definitive “No.”

“Oh shi-”

Backstage, Mai shook her head in amusement at all the men and boy and sighed when they were sent to smithereens by Subaru and Takeru. “That boy is cute though…” she commented when she eyed on Takeru.

“Where did Zafira get that Afro, by the way?” Eruru Shamal asked when she saw Afro Zafira and squealed when a cat mysteriously grabbed her tail. “Iyah! Stop touching my tail!”

“HOLY SHIT! IT’S SHAMISEN!!!!”

“AND IT’S GRABBING SHAMAL’S TAIL, TOO!!!!”

“GO FOR THE TAIL, SHAMISEN!!!!

“Let go off me! Hanaste! Iyah! Dareka! Dame! AH~~~~~~”

Fan boys and male audience bled their noses. “SHAMISEN ROCKS! HELL YEAH!!!!”

Subaru Nakajima killed fan boys with Double Revolving Bunker: Claymore Avalanche Mode. Holy shit! Subaru is in killing spree!

Takeru killed male audience with Silberkugel: Panzer Faust Mode. Holy shit! Takeru is in killing spree!

“Otoko no baaka,” Lutecia and Mai commented.

Diary of a Wind Talker: Halloween Special 07, Part 1

The hall was dead silent. Now that the Street Performers had done their performance, it was now time for their most awaited event: cosplay competition. As the instrumental version of “Ievan Polka” was played from the loudspeakers, adding the authentic atmosphere.

“What are we waiting for?” one audience asked.

“I don’t know, but I heard Signum’s going to be the co-chairperson with Hayate,” his friend said.

“But, Meister, why must I walk out in this outfit?”

“Don’t ask and just go!”

“Meister!”

“Say a word, and no dinner for you.”

“Ah, that should explain it,” the audience said.

Everybody continued waiting, and was surprised when Signum walked out of the stage in appearance unlike anything else. She was wearing the skimpiest outfit anyone could imagine: skin-tight all-green outfit, which looked more like swimsuit than an actual uniform. What’s more revealing was the fact that Signum now had her hair dyed green and…

“CUT???? DOES NOT COMPUTE!!!!!” Signum fan boys roared.

“Welcome to Lost Property Riot Force’s First Cosplay Tournament,” Signum spoke after she approached the mike stand. “As your co-host, I-” She had to stop speaking as fan boys and male audience started drooling over her voluptuous assets. “Teme…”

“SIGNUM LOVELESS IS MADE OF EPIC HOTNESS AND WIN!!!!!” fan boys roared.

Subaru Nakajima killed fan boys with True Heaven and Hell.

Signum ignored the chaos in front of her. “Before we begin our show, please sit and enjoy this special presentation from one of Riot Force’s members,” Signum continued and gestured to the excited Reinforce Zwei. “Rein, stop jumping around.”

“But I can’t desu!” Reinforce Zwei retorted. “I’ve wanted to do this desu!”

“Did someone just say desu?” one fan boy said. “Because I thought I heard someone saying desu!”

Reinforce Zwei persisted to come out early, and after some pestering Signum gave up and let her appear. “Haii desu! Reinforce desu!” she declared and waved to everyone.

“Did you see what I just see?” the audience asked in shock.

Indeed; Reinforce Zwei wore what looked like a headphone on her head; her uniform comprised of a pair of free-flapping sleeves; grey shirt that seemed to cling onto her body figure; flashy skirt and black high-socked shoes.

Reinforce Zwei stopped. She stood in the middle of the stage, lifting her arm as if she was preparing to dance.

Then the music started.

“This is unbelievable!” one fan boy uttered. “Reinforce Zwei actually going as far as singing for us??”

“Rein-chan going Miku-Miku Mode?? USO DA!!” one of the girls squealed.

“We don’t know what happened here, but WE SO APPROVE!!!” fan boys roared.

Reinforce Zwei continued dancing and singing, synchronizing her move with her vocal in perfect motion. Everyone inside the hall was love-struck: not only it was the first time they could see Reinforce Zwei in all her flamboyancy, it was ALSO the first time they got to see the Unison Device as a singer.

The song ended. Reinforce Zwei stopped dancing. She bowed to the audience. “REIN-CHAMA SAIKKO DESU!!!!” they roared in approval and applauded in great measures.

Reinforce Zwei giggled and waved back to them. “Arigatou desu! Daisuki desu!”

“Meister, I understand you want me to join,” Signum said via telepathy, “but why it has to be this… as revealing as this?”

“Now, now Signum,” Hayate in all her glory as Tohsaka Rin - or rather, her distant relative - winked as she adjusted her fake eyeglasses. “Let’s enjoy this party to the fullest, shall we?”

Signum could only sigh. “Yes, Meister…”

“Well, then,” Hayate said and approached the microphone stand. “Are you ready, everyone?”

Crowd cheered and threw their firsts into the air. “HELL YES WE ARE!!!!”

Hayate lifted her hand skyward. “Let the Riot Force 6 Cosplay Battle started!”

“OU!!!”

-x-x-

“Well, well, what do we have here?” said Sophia Alexei as she and the rest of the 21^st entered the hall.

“Sophia, I understand if you like cosplay,” Artei von Braunmuhl mumbled and looked at his impersonation of Cloud Strife in amusement. “But to tell you the truth, why you decided to cosplay as your own sister?”

Sophia took no attention of the question. “Who I want to cosplay is none of your business,” she answered in snobbish tone. “If you don’t want to cosplay, then why you bother following me?”

“It’s because you dragged me to do this,” Artei grumbled and got whacked on the head with a harisen. “Ow.”

“Urusai.”

Kaempfer said nothing. With his static facial expression, should he consider saying one? He turned around and saw several bystanders crying manly tears and bowing to him in utmost respect. “What happened?”

“KENSHIRO-SAMA!!!!!” they wailed and continued crying manly tears.

“I don’t get them,” Allison Ford sighed (she was donning a schoolgirl dress that looked like something from a prestigious academy only the riches would enlist. “But this looks fun. Now where has Kha gone to?”

(Kha in all his glory as Shiro… I mean, Archer, was having a discussion of sorts with Carim when he suddenly sneezed.)

-x-x-

First on the list was Chrono. The young Admiral was pushed out of the right wing by an enthusiastic Accous, yelling at his old friend who was laughing at his feeble attempt to escape his turn.

“Come on!” Accous said and finally kicked Chrono to sight. “Just pretend you’re performing in from of no one!”

“That’s not going to work, you know!” Chrono shouted out. “Just who the hell do you think you are?”

“No one but your best friend!” Accous replied.

Chrono grumbled and turned to the surprised audience. “What do you want… now?”

“Well, for one thing,” one audience said. “You no longer have to cross-dress as an evil witch or abused stepdaughter. That’s good for us, actually.” Chrono snapped at the remark, and twitched in anger when some of the audience nodded in agreement.

“One question, though,” another audience said. “Who is Admiral Haraoun cosplaying as?”

Chrono looked all over himself. The spacesuit he donned was awfully familiar; in fact, some of the spectator even misidentified him as a certain American transformable super robot pilot that lived by the code of Bushido.

“Hey, Chrono, where’s your blue-haired Psychodriver girlfriend?” an audience asked and ran to safety.

“Oi, oi.”

Chrono ignored the commotion and approached the lone chair and guitar in the middle of the stage. “Why do I have to do this?” he grumbled and took his seat. He took his time correcting his posture, adjusted the acoustic guitar and took a very deep breath.

“Kokoro komite, utaimasu,” he spoke through the microphone. “Kitte kudasai. Hare-Hare Yukai.”

Then he started.

“Nazonazo, mitai ni, chikyuugi wo tokiakashitara; damatte dare ni wo iwanai sa…”

Everybody was astounded. How did Admiral Chrono Haraoun gain this degree of awesomeness? Moreover, when did he learn to sing country song and play guitar?

“Wakuwaku, shitai to, negainagara sugosu na ka yo? Kanaetai koto ha nai kamo na…”

Just outside the hall, Arcas and Mel were headed to the door when they heard the song echoing from the loudspeakers. “That’s Chrono, isn’t it?” the kimono-wearing Mel said.

Arcas nodded. “I didn’t expect him to sing this good,” he added.

“Jikan ga kurutte Booon!!”

Fate was startled. “Oniichan…”

“Waapu de, ruupa na koko atsumari; itsu no ma ni ka makikomare mousou ga habikoru…
Dareka tomero!”

The audience were smitten. So did the Four Aces who were looking at the seemingly in focus Chrono in disbelief. While most of them gaped in shock, some actually found the solo performance enjoyable and began waving candles and lighters overhead. Even Armstrong and Poseidon enjoyed the acoustic one-man concert (although their facial expression was showing the otherwise).

“Aru hareta hi no koto, mahou ijou no yukai wo;
Kagiri naku nozonderu, yatsu ga mondai… (Omae dayo! OMAE!)”

“Come on! Let’s sing with him,” an audience said.

“Ashita mata au no ka, waraigoto jana nainda;
Ureshii nara, ganbare yo (F-FIGHTO!); kaihou-shite kure ko-n-na-no…”

“Chrosuke kakkoi!” fan girls squealed.

“Oikakero yo (hitori de…) tsukamaete miro (hitori de!)
Ore ni wa yume, yume, nai kara…”

Chrono ended his performance by saying “Hora, isshoni iko ze,” and revved the guitar as a finale. In an instant audience applauded and gave him a standing ovation. Calmly Chrono bowed to them and returned to backstage.

“Oniichan sugoi…” Fate praised as he walked past her.

Chrono simply smiled. “Thanks, Fate.”

“That was brilliant executed!” Hayate commented. “I never thought our Admiral can actually sing! Another wave of applauses to him, ladies and gentlemen!” Audience complied with Hayate and performed a louder standing ovation, occasionally whistling and rooting for Chrono. “So, are you prepared for more, everyone?”

“HELL YES WE ARE!”

“I can’t hear you!” Hayate replied.

“HELL YES WE ARE!!!”

Sophia, Artei, Allison and Kaempfer (as so did Arcas and Mel) grinned to see Hayate conducting the crowd like never before. “Looks like everyone’s pumped up, isn’t it?” Sophia said.

Diary of a Wind Talker: Halloween Special 06

The hall was momentarily silent. Everybody -- costume players, guests, visitors, mass media -- waited in full anticipation as the Street Performers gathered up on the stage. There was an atmosphere of exhilarating suspense as the spectators stood in complete quietness, waiting for the band to prepare themselves.

Then the drummer rolled the drum.

“Go!”

Audience roared when two gorgeous ladies appeared from backstage, waving to the hollering crowd as they approached the stage’s front edge.

“Go!”

The Street Performers’ leading guitarist -- none other than Yutaro -- rolled his Gibson Flying V electric guitar.

“Go!”

The ladies started dancing to the music.

“One!”

Aura signalled to her twin.

“Two!”

Freya pointed back to her Gemini’s half.

“One Two Three GO!”

The hall burst in full musical spirit as the Gemini Sisters and the Street Performers ignited all souls’ innermost desire. Spotlights of various colours and projections also did much to further spice up the day.

“Uchuu no hate kara yatte kimashita~”

“L.U.N.A.R.I.A.N!” the audience roared in approval and started dancing with the twin sisters.

“Okiraku gokuraki MIRAKURU SU-PA-GA~”

“L.U.N.A.R.I.A.N!” the audience added.

“Sore wa kiseki no LUNARIAN! Sore wa muteki no LUNARIAN!”

The Aces were enjoying the life performance as well, clapping hands and stepping feet in rhythm with the music. “Well, it’s kind of fun seeing Aura-chan and Freya-chan singing and dancing,” Nanoha uttered.

“They look quite cute in those costumes, too,” Hayate added. “Right?”

“Well, too bad Hikki can’t join us,” Fate mumbled. “He looked so tired when we met him this morning.”

“Yeah, he even said he couldn’t take part in the rest of the event,” Keroko said.

“Hell, no! I had planned to have him… her wearing my latest costume design!” Hayate moaned.

Fate, Keroko and Hayate glanced at Nanoha. Realizing she was selected for the task Nanoha turned away from her fellows in embarrassment. “Just because I’m the closest to him doesn’t mean I can approach him as I like,” she murmured.

“But from four of us, you’re more approachable to him,” Keroko added.

“Besides, with the cosplay dress you’re wearing nobody will ever suspect you,” Hayate said.

“But still,” Nanoha spoke and blushed in greatness. “Of all costumes, why must I dress up l\to look like… his wife? Hayate-chan, you’re so cruel…”

“Come on! Just go. He won’t yell at you,” the three women urged.

Nanoha had to oblige. Like it or not, she was indeed closer to him than anyone else in the bureau. So she excused herself and headed to the medical room where she believed Hikari would be found. She walked past several bystanders, noticing how most of them were enamoured by the sight of “Mamono wo Utsu Mono” before them. Even Chrono, who was seen arguing with Accous over something, became speechless the moment he fixated his eyes upon her.

“Looking for him, Nanoha?”

She turned around. It was Armstrong. Thank goodness, she thought. If there was someone she could talk to, Armstrong would be the best person. “I was told he isn’t feeling well. I thought I could go and see him for a while.”

The Wind Talker merely smiled. “Then let me walk you to the medical room.”

The two Aces walked together, greeting people they came across and waving to them as they did. Occasionally they would stumble across the likes of Shinnosuke and Alexandra, the latter blushing in furious manner to see the manly Armstrong before her, and Nanoha would ask them what happened before Shinnosuke explained the real reason.

(Meanwhile, the Gemini Sisters had finished their stage performance and were blowing flying kisses to the male audience. They swooned, waved to them in unison and fainted on the spot. The twin sisters chuckled in devious manners and waved them in return. Fan boys hollered in approval and bled their nose due to the scandalously delicious fan service.

Even the Linebackers roared and whistled at the Gemini Sisters, not taking care of Mai Enna who was glowering at them in jealousy. Jealousy? Can a Daemon Princess have the kind of emotion? Who knows, especially since the girls in question are sinfully, deliriously, naughtily, and deviously the cutest twin sisters in the world?

“WE DON’T CARE!!!!” Smith and Wesson replied, nose bleeding profusely due to the Gemini Sisters’ fan service. “THIS IS THE BEST DAY IN OUR ENTIRE LIFE EVER!! GEMINI SISTERS, WE LOVE YOU!!!!!”

“We love you, too!” Aura and Freya replied.

Smith and Wesson fainted afterwards. “Tsubarashi…!”

“Baaka,” Mai commented.)

Armstrong and Nanoha arrived at the medical room. Outside, they heard what sounded like a commotion between two people, that later became frantic as one side shouted out loud and the other side squealing for help.

“I thought I heard Hikki shouting for help,” Nanoha said and gasped when she heard a tiger’s roar from behind the door. “Did someone let loose wildlife from the zoo????”

Armstrong prepared his Device-Free magic spell. “There must be something wrong going on.” Slowly they approached the door, shivering terror when the beastly roar became louder than ever. “On my count. One two THREE!”

They kicked the door. “HIKKI!!!”

The said person turned to look at them. “Ojiichan? Nanoha? What’s the matter?” Hikari asked. Sitting beside her, Poseidon was laughing like madness and did not notice the Aces’ arrival.

Nanoha pointed to both Hikari and Poseidon. “Just now, you…”

The woman giggled. “Gomennasai, but Poseidon insisted me to take part in his dialogue practice,” she spoke.

The white tiger nodded. “I understood the hardship he had to endure while cross-dressing as a drag queen. My humble presence is but an effort to accompany his saddened heart,” Poseidon said.

“Kids today…” Armstrong sighed and shook head in amusement.

Hikari giggled in a silly manner. “Gomennasai, Ojiichan.”

“Are you alright, Hikki? You looked so tired when we saw you,” Nanoha said.

“It’s nothing much. I just lacked enough sleep last night,” Hikari replied. “But I’m alright now. You don’t have to worry about me.”

“I have to!” Nanoha approached the bed Hikari was seated on and took her hands, clenching them in worried manners. “Even though this is just a cross-dressing… you mustn’t let it hide your troubles. If you have problems, you should let me know.”

“Well, I guess it’s time for us to go,” Poseidon said and approached the door, walking past the surprised Armstrong. “Cosplay or not, this is a private talk between women. We men shouldn’t meddle in.”

“You’re the one who sneaked in,” Armstrong replied.

Poseidon grinned. “It is not under my will that I came here. It’s decided by the path of fate that that woman and I meet.”

“Look who’s talking,” the veteran Ace sneered.

The two people left. Nanoha and Hikari were left behind, alone in the medical room, away from the uproar of the concert. They were staring at each other, not knowing what to say and what to think of.

“Hikki…”

Hikari put a finger upon Nanoha’s lips. “I know what you’re trying to say, Nanoha,” she spoke.

Nanoha gasped. “Hi… kki…?”

The young woman giggled. “You’ve wanted to say it ever since I came here, haven’t you?”

“But… I was just…” Nanoha was startled when Hikari pulled her body towards her, and gasped as the priestess encircled her arms around her body, embracing her as close as she could. “Hikki…?”

Hikari closed her eyes. “I know it’s too late to say this when I first came here…” she murmured. There was a said smile as she said “thank you, Nanoha, for saving me from the darkness of my soul…” before she buried her face in Nanoha’s clothes. “I didn’t know what would’ve happened to me if you didn’t stop me back there…”

Nanoha said nothing. The woman - no, the man, Hikki Kokurabuji, the self-proclaimed Gale Whistler - was crying. It was unlike his usual self to submit to open crying, but he did now. Her only response was to let her closest friend cry on her shoulder, and took a deep breath when Hikari murmured her name in low whispers.

“Just like the first day we met… right?” she said with a grin. “You fell unconscious in my arms. I didn’t know what I was supposed do, until you cried.” Gently she cuddled Hikari and rubbed her back. “Silly Hikki. Why must you cry like a helpless child when you know you don’t have to?”

“Gomennasai, Nanoha…”

Nanoha chuckled at the seemingly naïve answer. “Oh, well.”

-x-x-x-

Poseidon and Armstrong waited for them at the outside, and were listening to the intimate conversation Nanoha and Hikari shared. “I don’t really know what happened to him in the past,” the white tiger said as it leaned against the wall, “but it must have been a very hard day for him, right?

Armstrong nodded. “The road was very long when he first walked upon it, and I fear it will be a very long journey to finish,” he replied.

They later peeked in. Nanoha was giving Hikari a soft pat on her head as the priestess slept on her lap. “Well, well, our… drag queen finally falls asleep,” Poseidon commented. “We don’t have any reason to disturb you for a while, right?”

Nanoha put a finger upon her lips. “Can both of you leave us alone? I believe he needs to have a bit of privacy right now.”

Armstrong grinned. “But don’t be too long. I doubt you want to sit here while the party goes on out there,” he reminded.

“I will,” she replied.

“Yosh! Then let me do some party trashing,” Poseidon announced and left the medical room. “Now where did I see the Linebackers…?”

Armstrong excused himself and left. Again the two women were left behind in privacy. Nanoha looked down at Hikari, sleeping peacefully and murmuring her name in unawareness. She chuckled at the sight and brushed a strand of hair off Hikari’s face.

“Sleep well, Hikki.”