I guess I should do a disclaimer so I don't get sued or something.

I don't own Mahouka, all rights belong to their respective owners (duh).

Also, this is my first fic, I hope I don't butcher this too much...


"PANZEEEER!"

Leo felt the magic sequence activate and the psions flowing into his gauntlet shaped CAD. Feeling his CAD strengthen with his "archaic" voice activated CAD (as Erika put it; to him it was perfectly fine), he decided to charge. Crossing the 6 meter difference between him and his adversary he was promptly knocked off his feet, expelling the air from his lungs.

"HAAAA-UNFFF!"

Normally the sight of Leo charging straight at anyone would cause people to double take and stumble a few steps backwards, but unfortunately for Leo, his adversary was not just a regular person; in the 2 seconds it took Leo to cross the distance between them, Tatsuya analyzed his foes movements, identified openings and deftly jabbed his fist into Leo's solar plexus, knocking Leo back the 6 meters he covered when trying to rush him.

"Go easier would you, Tatsuya," groaned Leo as he pulled himself off the ground of First High's Practice Room #4.

"You should leave less openings on yourself," retorted Tatsuya, "and besides, that hit should have knocked you unconscious".

"You can thank my physical modifications. My grandfather was part of Germany's 'Fortress' series, so I'll be able to take your beatings," Leo chuckled as Tatsuya helped him off the floor. Tatsuya returned the comment with a wry smile.

The beating Leo referred to was Tatsuya's idea. Despite his ample innate strength and endurance, Tatsuya had noted that Leo's form was terrible and left too many openings for a more formidable opponent to exploit. Before the incident at Yokohama, Leo never worried about getting overly injured in a fight, as his fortifying magic would turn most of his attire into a sort of "battle armor", protecting him from most blows and what wasn't covered with magic he would just shrug off due to his genetics.

Of course, that was before Yokohama, almost a year ago now that the Thesis Competition was coming up again. More specifically, Lu Gonghu. That man was a beast; Leo had never before faced someone of that caliber and Tatsuya's observations were right. During the fight, Lu Gonghu blocked Leo's own strike and returned his blow with a roundhouse kick of his own, knocking Leo unconscious and out of commission for the rest of the fight. Good thing Saegusa-senpai handled the situation well. After that, Tatsuya offered to teach Leo some martial arts to augment Leo's offensive capabilities.

"All right, again," Leo grunted as he prepared his stance.

The first session with Tatsuya helped him better his posture; he hadn't realized how many places he had left open even though he had fancied himself impermeable. This time instead of activating his CAD and rushing in, he opted for a safer approach. Keeping his elbows low, he sidestepped Tatsuya's jab only to barely intercept the foot aiming for his head that seemed to come out of nowhere. Ducking down he swung his own lag around hoping to knock Tatsuya off his feet. Even before reaching the apex of the arc, he found his face on the ground and and knee to his back.

"Not bad," Tatsuya commented, "You managed to stay up for about 7 seconds. You've made some improvements."

"HRRMPH!"

"Sorry," Tatsuya apologized, removing his knee.

"Hah. I don't think I'm ever going to get a hit on you aren't I?" Leo sighed after pulling himself into a sitting position. "Two weeks of training like a madman, and still not much to show for it."

Each session consisted of a rigorous exercise routine and merciless close combat training. Tatsuya had taken the liberty of going all out against Leo and exposing all his flaws and missteps. If it was anyone other than Leo, he would have had to take it down a couple dozen notches.

"I should hope not. I've been doing this since I was 7," was Tatsuya's stoic reply. Eyeing Leo up and down, Tatsuya gauged his friend's physical condition and mental fatigue. "I think we're done for today," Tatsuya finally concluded after seeing that Leo was in no shape to continue sparring. "We've been at it for 2 hours now, and working while you're exhausted is counterproductive."

"Hah, yea I think I'm done for today. You don't look any worse for wear though." Leo glanced over at Tatsuya. Not a drop of sweat. Since the first meeting, he has always been impressed with Tatsuya; top-notch magic engineer, magician and hand-to-hand combatant. There seemed to be no end to Tatsuya's abilities.

After finishing off his bottle of water and catching his breath, Leo decided to pitch his idea to his friend.

"Hey, Tatsuya."

"Hmm?"

"I have a question. It's about a possible magic sequence I have in my head."

"A magic sequence? Does it have something to do with your fighting style?"

"Well, you know that I usually rush into the fight, and it's mostly just smashing things around. It's been proven several times that it's not the most efficient way to fight," Leo replied thinking back to his run in with that USNA agent and especially Lu Gonghu. "I was thinking about the Usaba Kagerou I used at Yokohama and I want to try something similar."

"Oh? Is Erika rubbing off on you?" Tatsuya replied, with a hint of teasing.

"Y-you're getting the wrong idea," Leo fired back hastily. "Her training has its own benefits. It's not like I'm abandoning hand-to-hand fighting altogether. I just want to try something new."

"If that's what you say." The glint in Tatsuya's eyes showed how feeble Leo's argument was. "Anyway, what about this magic sequence?"

"When I used the Usaba Kagerou, it was essentially a really thin piece of cloth that I fortified out into a blade. I was interested if I could replicate that effect without using a tangible material, like using the air instead."

Tatsuya raised his eyebrows. "It's an interesting concept. Creating a weapon out of air; it sounds kinda cheesy but it can be pretty useful, having a weapon anywhere you need it. However, what you're proposing will probably be extremely difficult for you. The Usaba Kagerou you used had engravings on it to help with the expansion, but what you want to do is creating a weapon out of thin air, literally. That means you have to be especially aware of the air you want to use. Fixing the air molecules in a relative position to each other is no easy feat. You're probably going to need some convergence-type magic to increase the density to the air as well."

"Well, it's worth giving it a shot," Leo replied with a grin. "What do I have to lose? I still have the Chiba's Usaba Kagerou, so I can still fall back on it. But if it succeeds, it just means I have another trick up my sleeve right?"


"HAAHHH!"

Erika's yell was accompanied by several deft swings, resounding thwacks and groans of club members on the ground as shinai met bone.

"Uh, Erika-chan, don't you think you might be going a little too hard on the club members?" voiced Mibu Sayaka, the new president of the Kendo club since Tsukasa Kinoe had undergone treatment after the affair with Blanche. "These guys aren't Chiba students; they're just high schoolers."

"Oh, they'll be fine, Saya," replied Erika. "A couple bruises won't hurt them. And besides, I'm doing them a favor by sparring with them. They'll have better form, and I'll have practice against multiple opponents. It's a win-win situation."

Sayaka could only sigh in exasperation. For the 2 hours they had been in the small gymnasium, Erika had been taking on opponent after opponent, sometimes as many as five at once. Despite not using any move or acceleration-type magic, each bout was finished promptly without anyone of her members managing to land a hit on Erika.

No doubt that some serious competition might toughen some of these guys up, but at the rate Erika is beating them into the ground, I'm afraid some of them might lose some confidence. I think I'm starting to know how the Kenjutsu club felt going up against Tatsuya-kun.

"Alright, we're done for today everyone," yelled Sayaka.

Her announcement was met with the sighs of relief from the kendo club. Most were too tired to grab a drink or even pick themselves off the ground. More than a few simply lay there, leaving their shinai lying next to them.

Correction, this is probably how everyone going up against Tatsuya-kun felt. Her thoughts went back to his fight against Vice President Hattori, the Crimson Prince, Cardinal George and the assailants during the Yokohama incident. He's way out of anyone's league.

There was a time when Mibu Sayaka thought that he would be the one, but she knew that no matter how hard she tried, she would never be able to stand as an equal to him. Takeaki-kun though. He was one that she could walk with and grow with. Thinking about him made her blush. She quickly composed herself, hoping no one had noticed. She had no such luck.

"Saya, thinking about Kirihara-san?" Erika teased as she approached Sayaka from the cluster of club member's bodies lying on the ground.

"E-Erika-chan! I'm not sure what you're referring too!"

"Give it up already Saya. I know you're smitten with him. So how's it going with him?" Erika probed teasingly.

"Ah!... Uh!" Sayaka fumbled for an answer, but she organized her thoughts enough that she surmised that to escape further questioning and humiliation, the best way would be to press her own attack.

"T-That's none of your business Erika-chan! And besides, I've heard rumors about you and Saijou-kun. What's up with you two, eh?"

"What! Him! and me? No way!"

Erika's sudden fierce denial made her momentarily forget all about Sayaka and Kirihara. Sayaka couldn't help but notice that Erika's claim didn't quite match up with her body language. The nervous foot-tapping and slight tinge of pink on her cheek made Sayaka think there was more to this situation than met the eye.

"Oh really?" Sayaka pressed, "Why deny the facts? Lots of people already think you two are a thing. And personally, I think that you and him are quite compatible; you're more similar than you think. Besides, you two would be cute together."

Sayaka grinned sinisterly as she watched her poor kouhai squirm under such a devastating assault.

"H-He's not...I mean we aren't...I...GAHHH!"

Erika slouched down besides Sayaka.

"Ok, sure he might not be the 'forever alone' type, but that doesn't mean I have a thing for him, ok?" Erika finally managed to declare huffily.

"Ok, ok, if that's what you say." Sayaka was so caught up in Erika's struggle that she completely forgot why she started teasing her in the first place.

"I'm going to head off," Erika finally announced, "I'm expected to be at home in about 30 minutes." Erika picked herself off the ground and extended a helping hand toward Sayaka. "I'm already late as it is."

"Alright." Sayaka grabbed Erika's outstretched hand. "It's time to close down the gym anyway."


How do I feel about him?

Erika mused to herself as she walked out of First High's small gym.

He's actually not that bad looking; pretty nonchalant about most things, he has the optimism of an idiot and is so clueless about things sometimes. Actually he's pretty cute when that happens.

The last thought made Erika stop and shake her head.

What am I thinking? Me and that lummox are not a thing.

She continued to walk on.

Despite her internal self-dialogue, she couldn't help but wonder it they really were compatible. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't hear the other party approach from the direction of the practice rooms.

"You really think you can design an activation sequence like that'll take into account my practical abilities?"

"You should give yourself more credit, Leo. Despite your standing, your practical abilities not bad, and your psion count is greater than average. You should have no problems. I can get a working prototype to you in about a week. I'll need to borrow one of your generalized CADs to test it though."

Mumbling to herself about Leo's pros and cons, Erika didn't notice the approaching party until it was too late.

"He does have pretty eyes. They're a nice shade of gre-"

Erika's ramblings were interrupted when she found herself slamming into a hunk of flesh.

"Hey! Watch where you're-"

Erika glanced up and her eyes widened in surprise.

"L-Leo! Uh..Ah..Ah!" Erika stammered out, caught off guard. "I..uh..GAH!"

With that final exclamation, Erika decided to bail.

Watching Erika run out of gates of First High School, Leo turned to Tatsuya.

"Was it just me, or was Erika not acting like Erika? Normally she would have finished that statement with one insult or another."

Tatsuya gave a slight smile and sighed inwardly. Really, is he that oblivious? Tatsuya recanted the thought immediately after remembering what happened to himself that summer.

"No, I think it was just you."

Leo's only response was to gaze quizzically after the retreating figure of Erika.


What is this thing called writing. Character development wat.

Anyhoo, if you're reading this, it means you managed to get through that hell of a fic. I admire and appreciate you very much.

In all seriousness thought, I really like watching the anime and reading the light novels, but in all honesty, it was mediocre at best. But mahouka still has a special place in my heart.

The thing about mahouka is that the character development was meh to say the least, so I started writing this to see if I could give the characters some semblance of development. I tried my best, and I'm sorry if I screwed up anything.

Also I wanted to write about some supporting characters, so I chose Erika and Leo; I like the ship and my friend and I decided to go with lerika for a ship name.

Anyway, we'll see when I can get another chapter up. I guess this is the part where I ask yall to review, follow and favorite?...

See yall next time! (hopefully)