"That's a very nasty but very good move." Elise Wang couldn't help but stop her bickering with Eliana and praise James.

"He's showing off. There was no need to do that. Those mecha pilots were obviously merchants' kids with barely a shred of training." Eliana scoffed at James in disdain. "The fact that you find it impressive means that you like him! Aha! Scooped!"

"Why are you so adamant that I like him? Could it be that YOU like him?" Eliana asked in a surprised tone and flipped the tables on her twin sister.

"What? Of course not! Why would I like such a loser? My sights are placed much higher, thank you very much." Eliana said.

"AHA! YOUR SIGHTS ARE PLACED HIGHER? SO ITS PLACED? THERE'S A BOY YOU LIKE? HAHAHAHA! THAT'S WHY YOU'RE PRESSING ON ME SO HARD!!" Elise Wang shouted very, very gleefully.

And with that, their bickering entered a red hot stage that rivaled even James' exciting battle with the remaining three mechas.

Well, it wasn't a battle, and not even a chase.

It was target practice!

The three mechas were running away in three different directions, and James was standing in place taking his time shooting at them one by one!

Pew!

Pew!

Pew!

The final three mechas dropped to the ground lifelessly!

"Wahahahaha! How do you like that performance?" James shouted triumphantly as he shot to the skies once more and flew back to us.

But alas for him, none of us were looking at him.

The two girls were, obviously still bickering loudly.

And as for me, I was staring at Margaret.

Within my mecha, I was grinning very, very widely as I listened to her words.

"I swear loyalty to you. Above my loyalty to the Federation. Above my loyalty to the Clan. As long as you provide me with the power to change my fate, the fate of the clan and of the country, I am willing to betray them for their own good." Margaret said to me solemnly.

Holy smoking mackarel.

Even at that very young age, Margaret was a seriously hyper cool girl.

She was extremely mature, extremely decisive, and was very much willing to do anything, and become anything for the sake of her clan and country!

I was seriously impressed and taken by surprise.

Plus, her sudden declaration of loyalty was in so much contrast with her earlier bravado and slightly antagonistic attitude towards me, that I was completely unable to guess that such a thing would even happen.

"I am able to do as you say. Serve me well, and your power will rise alongside mine." I replied very seriously.

I pointed my hand at her, released her from my control and pumped her power up to the very peak of blue mechas.

"I don't need you to serve my every whim. Just do you, and obey my commands when the time comes." I told her.

"That's good. I can serve you better as a soldier you unleash rather than a soldier you control anyway." Margaret said as she tested her new found powers and executed a series of fluid movements.

historical

"Hey! Did none of you see what I just did?" James shouted indignantly. "I worked so hard and none of you-"

"Shut up and quit whining." Margaret said curtly at James.

"Oh my god. Hi Margaret! I had no idea it was you all along. Why are you so quiet? I mean, I know you don't like talking. But you did not even say hi to- "

BAM!!!

Margaret unleased a powerful punch with her right fist and smashed it into James' stomach area!

"OOF!!" James immediately doubled down as his mecha hummed and crackled lightly. But all in all, he was fine.

"Very good." Margaret nodded approvingly at the power she was able to unleash, and at James' ability to withstand said great power.

"Wow. You're actually quite cool for a dumba-" Elise began.

"You can stop with the irritating name calling." Margaret said calmly. "We're on the same side now."

"Ohhhh we are? That's good! Hi sister Margaret! Good to have you finally join us!" Elise Wang said happily and did a complete 180 with her attitude towards Margaret.

Knowing Margaret, she was probably holding back her response that would probably have sounded something like "You can stop with the clingy girly comments as well. We are not and will never be that close." If she let herself loose and comment as she willed.

But knowing that we would be in the same team from that moment on and to futures unknown, she merely nodded and kept quiet for the sake of getting along.

"Sister Margaret! I am actually a big fan! I was a spectator when you had your Grand Melee two years ago, and I noticed how you blazed through that entire pack of mechas to save your buddy! You're so cool! Kyaaa!!" Eliana Wang actually gushed like a little fan girl and moved to Margaret's side to get closer to her!

"Yes! I saw that too! You're sooo cool!" Elise Wang said with no less enthusiasm than her sister.

"Really? I saw that too, and thought it was a dumb move that somehow paid off." James said with disdain. "You should have seen MY performance during my Grand Melee! Now, although I did not win it like this overpowered dude did, I had a pretty strong showing! Especially-"

"Sister Margaret! Can you teach me how to do that super cool trick you did during the Grand Melee where you managed to parry that overhead sword swing and somehow turned it into a killing blow? It's the coolest thing I've ever seen!" Eliana Wang said and completely ignored poor James.

"Yes! Yes! I want to learn that too!" Elise Wang said excitedly.

I understood their excitement, of course. In fact, I not only understood it. I felt it too!

"Sounds like a good move! Come come! Show it to us!" I joined in excitedly.

"Very well. I will take on the next group of mechas and execute that move." Margaret sighed and agreed to our demands.

"YIPEEE!!!" Eliana Wang shouted!