Chapter 02: Archibald Enzo
The rhythmic whirring of machinery filled Kai's ears. He was awake, or at least, partially so. His body felt heavy, unresponsive, like a lead weight anchored to the bed. He tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt glued shut. He could feel his fingers twitching, a small spark of defiance against the overwhelming lethargy.
"Are you awake, Kai?!" Doctor Shamal's voice broke through the fog in his mind, laced with concern.
"...ah... Doctor Shamal... yeah... but... I feel heavy right now..." Kai managed to mumble, his voice raspy and weak.
"You are too exhausted, Kai. You've been in a coma for a month," Shamal explained gently.
"A month? Oh wow..." Kai replied, surprised by the revelation.
He finally managed to pry his eyes open, but his vision was a blurry mess. The world swam before him, colors distorted and indistinct. As the blur cleared, a new horror took its place. His vision wasn't just impaired; it was inverted, a negative image of reality. Everything was a stark, unsettling reversal of its true colors.
His heart began to race, a frantic drumbeat against his ribs. Panic seized him, a suffocating wave that stole his breath. Shamal tried to calm him, but the sight of his inverted vision, the frantic hammering of his heart, and the sheer terror of his situation overwhelmed him. It took fifteen agonizing minutes for his panic attack to subside, leaving him shaken and disbelieving. Shamal, after checking his pupils and corneas, which were now a disturbing, opaque white, explained that the facial wound had damaged his eyesight. She also pointed to a burn scar marring the right side of his face.
"Doctor... can I ask you a question?" Kai asked, his voice still trembling slightly.
"Call me Shamal, it's okay. What do you want to ask?" Shamal replied kindly.
"...When I was in a coma, tell me what happened after the mission and... did we finally capture Jail?" Kai inquired.
"We captured Jail and rescued Vivio and Ginga. After the mission, Commander Yagami disbanded Riot Force 6, and some members returned to their original battalions, including TSAB. Phantom was also disbanded. But..." Shamal paused, her expression turning somber.
"But?" Kai prompted, sensing the unspoken words.
"Fuji and Renjou decided to split up after witnessing your condition. They also saw someone who looked exactly like you attacking Calnarog alone in a cloak, but we knew you were here, Kai," Shamal finished.
The artificial mage, the imposter Kai, the one who had slashed his body and face, had appeared in the Saint's Cradle. His device, Soul Edge, had betrayed him, choosing a new master. The imposter had stolen not only his weapon but also his name, his very identity.
"...Shamal... does anyone know what happened to me now?" Kai asked.
"...Everyone knows, Kai. Everyone was shocked. You were bleeding profusely, heavily injured. Commander Yagami was especially devastated when she saw you," Shamal explained.
Commander Yagami Hayate's concern was particularly poignant. During their time in Riot Force 6, she had developed a close bond with Kai. He was a quiet, solitary individual, not as charismatic or outgoing as Fuji and Renjou. Before Riot Force 6, he had been overlooked, often alone and reserved. But in Riot Force 6, he had opened up, thanks in part to the friendly overtures of Nanoha, Fate, and Hayate. Hayate, in particular, had taken a liking to him, often stroking his smooth hair, a gesture of affection that Kai, surprisingly, never seemed to mind.
"...Shamal, are Shari and Mariel still with us, or have they been transferred?" Kai asked.
"They're both still here. What do you need them for?" Shamal inquired.
"I was thinking, since my identity has been stolen and I no longer have an intelligence device, I want a mask to hide my face when I'm fully recovered. I don't want people to mistake me for the imposter. And...." Kai trailed off.
"And?" Shamal prompted.
"Please keep this a secret from Commander Yagami and the others. I don't want them to know," Kai pleaded.
"Hold on, why are you keeping this a secret?! Why don't you want everyone to know what happened to you and your face, Kai?! Why?!" Shamal exclaimed, surprised and concerned.
"I don't want Commander Yagami to worry too much about me, or the others either. Like I said, I want to hide my face to avoid being mistaken for the imposter, the one who has been branded a traitor. I'm begging you," Kai said, getting out of bed and bowing to Shamal.
"Sigh I guess I don't have a choice. I'll talk to her later," Shamal conceded, understanding the depth of Kai's request.
Shamal spoke with Shario and Mariel, even bringing them to the infirmary to meet with Kai. They discussed the details of the mask he wanted, and they readily agreed to create a new, even better intelligence device to replace the one that had betrayed him. Shario promised to incorporate a visual aid into the mask to correct his inverted vision, while Mariel assured him that he was fortunate that Nanoha, Fate, and Hayate were currently away from Midchilda.
Two days later, Kai's strength had almost fully returned. The mask that Shario and Mariel had crafted was complete, along with his new intelligence device. The mask was a full-face helmet with a detachable faceplate, a feature that would allow him to eat and drink without removing the entire helmet. The eye section was equipped with a camera filter to convert his negative vision back to normal. They had also created a pair of glasses with orange lenses that functioned similarly, but without the voice changer.
"How is it? Can you see clearly now?" Shari asked.
"...I can see again. My vision is no longer inverted. Thank you, Shario," Kai replied, taking in the world around him with relief.
"Oh, by the way, your voice is completely changed when you wear the helmet. The button on the right side with the red dot is to open and close the faceplate. The one on the left is for the mouth area only. Pressing both at the same time will open the entire helmet," Mariel explained.
"I see. That's very useful, exactly what I needed," Kai said, testing the buttons.
"The glasses are just for your vision. They have the same features as the helmet, but without the voice changer," Mariel added.
"I can use the glasses, but I'll stick with the helmet for now," Kai decided.
"This is your new device. It has different weapons than
before and isn't registered yet," Shario said, handing him the device.
"A slide phone model, huh... I'll take it," Kai said, accepting the device.
However, his plan for secrecy was about to be disrupted. Takamachi Nanoha arrived to check on Kai's condition and discovered his disguise. He explained everything, emphasizing his desire to keep it a secret from Commander Yagami and the others. He wanted to start a new life, to become someone else, because the imposter had made him a scapegoat, a criminal in the eyes of the world.
Fortunately, Nanoha understood and agreed to his request. She suggested that he think of a new name, one that he could use instead of his own, now tainted by the imposter. She promised to help him, assuring him that she would handle everything.
Three days later, Kai was introduced by Commander Yagami Hayate as "Archibald Enzo," or "Arc" for short. Hayate explained that Arc was a transfer from the Sailing Force, now working under her command within TSAB. She attributed his full-face helmet to injuries sustained during a mission, a cover story to explain his changed appearance and to replace Izumi Kai. As far as everyone was concerned, Arc was a completely new individual, and no one, not even Commander Yagami, suspected his true identity. His rank was also changed to Specialist Lieutenant, occupation inspector, to further conceal his true rank and role.
With the formalities concluded, Nanoha took Arc to the practice ground to register his new intelligence device. Shario and Mariel were already there, eager to see their creation in action. Arc activated his magic system, and the device transformed from its standby form into a weapon. Arc's magic system color remained the same as when he wielded Soul Edge: a dark, ominous black, Midchilda system.
"Please register the name," the unnamed device spoke.
"My name is Archibald Enzo, or call me Arc. Your name is... Raging Brando, copy?" Arc registered his intelligence device.
"Authorized," Raging Brando responded.
Raging Brando then transformed into its barrier jacket mode. Arc's outfit was now a striking violet suit with black stripes, a red scarf, and armor plating on his shoulders, arms, and legs. His weapon was a transformable gunblade, lighter than the heavy buster sword he had wielded as Soul Edge, but significantly improved with a revolver cartridge system.
"You look cool with a scarf. By the way, does the name have any meaning?" Nanoha asked.
"Archibald means distinguished and bold, a longer version of Archie, while Brando is an Italian name that means sword or fiery torch. It's the name I chose for my disguise and my new device," Arc explained.
"By the way, it sounds similar to Nanoha-san's device name," Mariel pointed out.
"Raising and Raging sound similar, and Heart and Brando are different except I change it with Dust or Guard or any word that sounds similar to Heart," Arc explained.
"But, if I change it to Raging Dust, it's like Raising Heart has a cousin. Maybe I should change your intelligence device's standby mode to look the same as Nanoha's but in a black version. May I?" Shario asked.
"I refuse," Arc politely declined.
"Anyway, Arc, since we're here, how about we have a sparring match? Shari and Mariel can watch for data," Nanoha suggested.
"I appreciate it. How about it, Raging Brando?" Arc asked his device.
"No problem," Raging Brando responded.
"Okay, Raising Heart," Nanoha called out to her intelligent device.
"Yes, Master," Raising Heart replied.
Nanoha transformed into her barrier jacket in Exceed Mode, a different form than Arc had seen before. Arc and Nanoha began their sparring match. Even though he no longer wielded the Buster Sword, Nanoha recognized his movements from their time in Riot Force 6. Arc could still use the magic he had learned with Soul Edge, like Dart Shot, Shadow Clone, Shadow Dive, and Chain Bind. But his new device required him to learn its full capabilities. Raging Brando's abilities were similar to Raising Heart's, but on a different level.
"Your movements are still the same even with a new device, but they're even better than before. Even though you're disguised as a different person, I can sense that it's still Kai, the one I know," Nanoha said while attacking.
"Thank you, Captain Takamachi. I'm still getting used to this device. It will take some time," Arc replied, also attacking.
"Nanoha-san is fine. We've known each other since Riot Force 6," Nanoha said, parrying Arc's attack.
"Eh?... uh.... understood... N-Nanoha-san..." Arc nervously said her name.
"Arc-kun, it's good to see you again," Nanoha said with a warm smile.
(To be continue)