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Hey there everyone. I've been here for... well, quite a while now, but I realized recently that I don't really know a lot of people here. Sorry about not really being around and talkative much, but well... using the internet like this is pretty weird for me. It's always been something my brother did...

... Anyway, I guess I should get to asking something so that there's a point to all of this. How many people here do martial arts and weapons training? I'm pretty into kendo myself, and well, I'm kinda curious to see how many people on the community know this kind of stuff.

[Private to Kirito, Yurippe]

The prototype Amuspheres finally came! It took them long enough, but I have both of them with me at my room now! Yurippe, when do you think you're going to be able to come over to pick yours up or try it out?

And Oniichan, if we have trouble setting this thing up you better walk me through it. We only have these to help you out, you know.

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Hmm... I train in staves myself, though not as often as I'd like. Then again, I also train in shooting magic, so I'm not sure I'm a fair comparison.

[ She thinks about it for a moment, before deciding to answer. ]

Well, I know I can't do anything like magic, but I still think it would count. I mean, you still need to train how to use it, right?

Definitely. Magic isn't something you can just-

[A pause, and a slight scowl.]

...isn't something normal people can just pick up and use with good effectiveness and efficiency. It takes practice, theoretical work, and dedication.

... Speaking from experience on that last part?

A bit. One doesn't rise into the officer ranks of the Bureau by being too lazy to practice his abilities.

Well, whoever this person is, I doubt they're going to get farther than you are if they don't practice too.

Probably not, but she's got a serious head start. I've got the technique, she's got the raw power. With training, she'll be a real monster.

... Does her being that powerful upset you or anything? I mean, it must suck to be working for years and have someone just as strong or stronger than you at it just show up.

[ She'd be pretty pissed if a kid who just picked up a shinai or bokken was fighting at her level, after all. ]

...Just a little bit. I know I can do it more reliably, but she can do it better. If that makes sense.

That, and then there's the fact that I'm a guy in a distressingly female-heavy navy. I'm pretty much destined to be a desk jockey if my rank rises much higher. [And it's not that high now, really.]

... Wait. Your military mostly has woman in it? That's... really unheard of over here. I mean, not that women can't serve in a lot of my world's armies, but it's not dominated by them.

We're not really sure why it happens, but it does. Take my ship, the Asura, for example. My mother's the captain of the ship; I'm nominally the second in command, while being something akin to a detective, and my nominal assistant, Amy, is female. Our support staff is skewed toward a female majority. Then there's our other combat asset, Fate, and her familiar, Arf, who is also female. Add in Nanoha, who's technically a civilian collaborator, and her... honorary familiar, Yuuno.

Counting myself and excluding the bridge staff, there are two males in that list and five women. Almost everyone I'd be reporting to at home is female, except for a number of high-ranking admirals that sit at a desk all day.

That's... pretty interesting.

Is this some sort of recent thing, or has it always been like that?

[ Because it was honestly, pretty awesome to hear. Especially considering how some places on her world could be. ]

For as long as I can remember. I don't really mind it, per se, but it's an interesting statistic - you're right, many other worlds' militaries are more balanced, or are at least more male-skewed. Personally, I wonder if it's because magic is a more hands-off, and especially less lethal, approach to combat.

What, you think it might be that guys aren't interesting because they aren't chopping off people's limbs enough or something like that?

No - I think it's exactly the opposite. This is still the whole "beat up the bad guys, see new worlds" thing that men traditionally join the military for... but at the same time, historically - on some worlds, at least - women have resisted because there are so many fewer skill sets that don't involve shooting the enemy.

But with magic, there's so much versatility that you can do almost anything. Want to protect a place? Sure, help us work out a permanent shield spell. Want to heal? We always need medics. Forest rangers, cartographers, diplomats... The list goes on. There are a great many things you can do in the Bureau aside from just shooting things, although if you want to do that, there's the bonus that your opponents probably won't die unless you accidentally drop a skyscraper on them.

... I see. That makes a lot more sense and seems a lot less stupid than what I was thinking of.

[ She'd blame it on being a teenager but well, he was the same age as her. ]

I mean, I never thought I'd want to join the police force or the JSDF, but just hearing all of that from you kinda makes me want to join up. If it weren't for the whole, you know, no magic thing.

I won't ask what you were thinking of, but in any event, the Bureau is definitely an organization built on satisfying the needs of the many.

...If you really wanted to find a place, not everyone that serves in the Bureau is magical in nature - beyond my mother and I, and Fate, Arf, Nanoha, and Yuuno, nobody on my ship has notable magical talent. In any event, it's something to consider.

[If he was already revealing the existence of magic to #97 (in small doses), he might as well recruit while he was here.]

... Yeah. I guess. I'll have to think about it a lot more though. I mean, I'm still in my first year of middle-school right now. I still have a lot of time.

[ Also, she needed to save her brother first. ]

That's fair. If you decide it's something you want to do... my door's always open.

[He shrugs.]

How skilled are you in kendo? It's unusual, but that art is popular on Midchilda as well, partially because it's good training for wielding a Device that can manifest an energy blade.

I'm pretty good at it. I've been training ever since I was little. My instructors think that I'll be able to go to national championships in a couple of years.

That's quite impressive. I might have to introduce you to Fate someday; she wields an energy scythe, and as far as I know she's well-versed in melee combat in general.

I'd be interested in watching you, too; there's much to be learned from observing others. If that's okay, I mean. ['Someday I'll learn how not to be creepy when I'm trying to talk to girls outside my own task force.' Clearly, Chrono, today is not that day.]

[ Suguha blinks quite a bit, but she doesn't seem to feel that bothered with it. ]

I'd think I'd be up for that sometime. Once we get things more settled with everything we'll have to set up some time for me to go ahead and show off. Oh, and for you to introduce me to her, I guess.

Sounds good. I think she'd like that. And I need to work on my combat skills some more, anyway.

Alright! Just let me know when everything's less crazy.

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