History Fanfic / GameTheoryLyricalNanoha

* EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs: Nanoha and Fate encounter a dinosaur-descended creature which resembles a hippo a little bit on a divergent Type-1 world which apparently had a lot of dinosaur-like things survive. They run away, and manage to stop Arf attacking it. There's also a little almost ape-like bird-dinosaur with teeth and whisker-like feathers on the same world.

** Some of the WorldBuilding and backstory don't exactly gel with canon, particularly the creation of familiars. (WordOfGod says that she finds the canonical familiar contracts to be full of FridgeHorror and UnfortunateImplications).

* IllGirl: A little cancer patient in a hospital called Chikaze. Who turns out to be BadassAdorable when she pushes a zombie down the stairs. [[ChekhovsGunman Bound to become more important to the story]], given that she saved [[EarlyBirdCameo a certain girl in a wheelchair...]]

* SufficientlyAnalyzedMagic: Taken UpToEleven. In this setting, magic is quite explicitly governed by the laws of physics and treated as such.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome:
** Talking is ''not'' [[TalkingIsAFreeAction a free action.]] The whole cast is loaded with [[CombatPragmatism Combat Pragmatists]], CrazyPrepared and good at the XanatosSpeedChess, which means that any character who gives a foe a breather (such as, well, by talking) ''will'' get his ass whooped.
** The fic also continuously shows that something believed to be CrazyEnoughToWork... won't, ''precisely'' because of the "crazy" part (either you can't convince people to assist on the plan because of its risk or it creates too little an advantage to be bankable in the greater scheme of things).

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: Not only are there quite a few characters who either [[AscendedExtra had minor roles]] or [[EarlyBirdCameo didn't appear until later]] in canon ''Nanoha'', but there are several original characters as well.

* AdultFear: Quint's reaction to [[spoiler:Subaru and Ginga being kidnapped]] is very poignant, especially since she [[ItsAllMyFault blames herself for not being there]].

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Justified. The reason people have funny hair colours is that the Alhazredians encoded tribal markings and lineages into their genetics, and so they're "natural" results of genetic tampering. The reason they exist on Earth (like with Suzuka) is evidence of genetic contamination from Dimensional Space at some point in the past.

* SchizoTech: Alhazred was mind bogglingly advanced in some ways, but very primitive in others. For example, they used tribal markings to denote lineage, but they did so by implanting things like [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair unusual hair colors]] into the genetic code.

* HeroesGoneFishing: There are several moments where the characters relax and unwind in between the fights. Mei drags Heidi and Rizu to a bar, and later watches StarWars with Quint. At another point, Nanoha, Fate, Arf, and Vesta have a picnic and play an aerial game of frisbee.

** Hilariously, when Mei and Quint watch ''StarWars'', they remark that the characters ''[[CultureClash are too old]]''.

* RealityEnsues:
** Talking is ''not'' [[TalkingIsAFreeAction a free action.]] The whole cast is loaded with [[CombatPragmatism Combat Pragmatists]], CrazyPrepared and good at the XanatosSpeedChess, which means that any character who gives a foe a breather (such as, well, by talking) ''will'' get his ass whooped.
** The fic also continuously shows that something believed to be CrazyEnoughToWork.. won't, ''precisely'' because of the "crazy" part (either you can't convince people to assist on the plan because of its risk or it creates too little an advantage to be bankable in the greater scheme of things).

''Game Theory'' is the first of a series of fanfiction re-writes of the first three seasons of the ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' franchise. ''Game Theory'' coincides with Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha. The sequel, ''Power Games'', covers Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs. The series plays up the fact that Nanoha is a sci-fi series that just happens to have magical girls in it, rather than a magical girl show, with the aim of exploring this concept more deeply than canon managed. Tropers/{{Aleph}}, the author, has also promised to write up to ''eight'' stories in the series, covering MGLN, A's, Strikers and in-between.[[note]]Though some of the short stories will apparently be written by Earth Scorpion.[[/note]]

* CrazyEnoughToWork: [[DeconstructedTrope The fic has a poor opinion of this trope]]. Crazy, poorly thought out plans usually backfire horribly, such as when Nanoha tries to find several Jewel Seeds by trying to activate them in a weakened state. [[spoiler: It creates the biggest monster of them all.]] Another example is a character who can't fly, so she creates platforms to hop on instead...revealing why no-one ever actually does that. At the end of ''Power Games'' [[spoiler: [[DeconReconSwitch the characters actually make crazy plans that work]] - though this is mostly because [[GodzillaThreshold they're out of non-crazy options and don't have a choice.]]]] Also, [[spoiler: some of those crazy plans didn't actually happen.]]

* {{Deconstruction}}: The fic is one to the anime it's based on. It takes some of the elements of the anime and shows how they could turn out to be bad things. For example, Nanoha's desire to understand Fate gets turned around on her [[spoiler: when Fate convinces Nanoha to join her side.]] Another is that Nanoha's idealistic attitude sometimes lands her in trouble. She has a tendency to believe that courage, ideals, and magic power is enough to solve any situation, and it usually causes problems. [[spoiler: Such as when she makes a crazy plan to seal multiple Jewel Seeds that blows up in her face (and if didn't, she would have been caught by the TSAB). Or when Nanoha activates an Alhazredian weapon systems without knowing what it does.]] There's also other details: Yuuno contacting the TSAB behind Nanoha's back and not telling Nanoha certain things a bit himself or the world around him leads to conflict between him and Nanoha. Chrono makes an extremely poor first impression that drives further conflict. Alicia and Suzuka's attempts to help Nanoha end up causing her more trouble [[spoiler: when they lead the TSAB right to her]]. And so on.

* InstantAwesomeJustAddDragons: One of the Jewel Seeds forms a dragon out of paper.

** ChekhovsBoomerang: The NightOfTheLivingMooks Jewel Seed is what inspired Precia to create her temporary life-support system for Alicia to use when they travel to Alhazred. [[spoiler: And then it turns out that Precia actually used that very Jewel Seed to revive Alicia fully.]]

** CurbStompCushion: Though Nanoha did manage to break Vita's jaw, she broke her own hand doing it.

* HisNameIs: Linith is guilty of this when trying to tell Nanoha about a person other than Precia who knows enough about Alicia's condition to tend to her. Bonus points for starting to tell her, then going on a tangent [[SkewedPriorities to hope Precia won't get mad at her for doing so]], and losing consciousness during said tangent.

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: The basic premise of the series is that, while her goals remain unchanged, Precia is no longer an {{Abusive Parent|s}} to Fate, regarding her not as a failed ReplacementGoldfish to Alicia, but as a second daughter.

** And then we have Mei watching ''Film/StarWars''.

* ParentalAbandonment: Lutecia's father shows no interest in helping to raise his daughter. It should be mentioned that Lutecia's father wasn't much more than a genetic donor. ([[LesbianCop Megane prefers women]])

** In Chapter 4 there's an attack named [[AltumVidetur Sagitta Luminis]] ("Arrow of Light"), which is also the name of a song from ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica''.
** The "childhood rhyme" from the end of Chapter 5 is a [[AltumVidetur Latin]] [[BilingualBonus translation]] of lyrics from the song "[[Music/SimonAndGarfunkel Sounds of Silence]]"

* CerebusRetcon[=/=]{{Foreshadowing}}: Hayate's [[spoiler: obsession with zombies]] seems to just be silly. [[spoiler: Then Zafira and Shamal encounter ''a Mariage''...]]

* FissionMailed[=/=]NotSoFastBucko: [[spoiler: The author claimed Chapter 10 was the final chapter of ''Power Games'', with an Epilogue coming right after. The Book of Dakrness is indeed defeated at the end of Chapter 10...and then the Epilogue ends with Nanoha realizing that she's been trapped in an illusion.]]

* InterfaceSpoiler: Non-video game example. Despite the epilogue being out, [[spoiler:''Power Games'' is ''not'' listed as complete]].

* UnreliableNarrator[=/=]UnreliableExpositor: Both of these occur in the end. [[spoiler: Specifically, the end of Chapter 10 and the Chapter 11 "Epilogue" take place in the Book of Darkness's illusion but neither Nanoha nor the reader are aware of this until the end.]]

* DarkerAndEdgier: It plays a lot of the elements of the series more seriously. And dangerously.
** In Nanoha A's, the Wolkenritter begin their campaign to restore the book of darkness by attacking TSAB {{Red Shirt}}s - trained professionals who knew what they were in for. In Power Games, they [[spoiler:attack ''Nanoha's mother, Suzuka and Arisa, innocent civilians.'']] Oh, and [[FromBadToWorse just to make things worse]] [[spoiler: [[Audioplay/StrikerSSoundStageX the Mariage]] have awoken.]]

* ElementalPowers: Some people have affinities for converting mana to a specific type of energy and vice versa. Heat and electricity are the most common, but there are also cold affinities, which are essentially half a heat affinity that only allows for converting heat into mana, and there are also affinities for things like light and sound as well. And unlike most individual abilities in the Gamesverse, affinities are naturally occurring rather than the product of genetic engineering.

* ForWantOfANail: Precia stays a little more sane. The changes all flow from that small change. (But see AcceptableBreaksFromCanon.)

* LostTechnology: The Lost Logia, as in canon.

* MundaneUtility: In addition to being used to fly and shoot giant beams of destruction at people, magic is used to create clothes on Administrated Worlds. A Jacket is a construct made of mana that can be shaped by the user, which allows for all kinds of bizarre getups, even some things that would be outright impossible. Which explains why [[VaporWear Precia's outfit]] doesn't fall off.

** Vesta uses lasers to hunt- and cook- birds.

* NonLethalWarfare: Played with. It holds true in greater Dimensional Space due to deliberate design intentions in magic, but it's clear that it's really less-lethal warfare, and as we see in the first chapter of Game Theory, just because you're not killed doesn't mean you're not injured.

** UniverseBible: There apparently is one, but we won't be seeing it for awhile due to implicit spoilers.

** BlessedWithSuck: [[spoiler: As Megane puts it "Those ancient gene-meddlers never seemed to put enough thought into what 'reduced fear response' does to someone’s life."]]

* BreakTheCutie: Nanoha's [[WideEyedIdealist childishly optimistic world view]] gets ''shattered'' during the course of the story. The only thing that stops her from completely breaking is the fact that [[spoiler:all her efforts did help to revive Alicia.]]

--> ...shock, grief, and a numb, hurt confusion grew minute by minute into a tangled ache in his chest that eclipsed the gashes on his face and arms left by flying chips of rubble and steel.

* ChildSoldiers: The TSAB, viewed objectively. Nanoha refused to believe that Chrono was a real policeman partly because he was too young. Also, Fate.

* ChekhovsGun: Miyuki finds an orb created by one of the Jewel Seeds, which is ultimately passed to Nanoha. [[spoiler: When the TSAB group attack Fate's apartment base, the orb goes off at a critical moment, allowing Nanoha and company to escape.]] And this isn't the only one.
-->'''Aleph''': When I said, way back in the first thread somewhere, that I was already laying foreshadowing for events that are not going to take place until almost the end of the series? I wasn't kidding. There are already several other things lurking in the shadows like that orb. Hiding. Watching. Waiting for their time.

* {{Cliffhanger}}: [[spoiler:Chapter twelve has a particularly nasty one. Partially because it was supposed to be the last chapter, but got split into two parts.]]

* CurbStompBattle: Nanoha's first couple fights with Fate are even more one-sided than in canon.

** DeconReconSwitch: [[spoiler: But it all ends happily. Nanoha and Fate survive, the Jewel Seeds are sealed no one gets hurt too badly (besides some Jewel Seed victims), and Precia even brings Alicia back to life. At the end of the story, Nanoha concludes that sometimes you can get a happy ending.]]
* DescriptionCut:
-->'''Nanoha:''' This is nice, It's a pity Arf couldn't come. I hope she's not lonely back at the penthouse all by herself.\\

** Another example later in the same chapter sees Vesta chasing Yuuno in the middle of a fight. Chrono decides to let Yuuno hold out on his own, confident that Yuuno will endure. Cut to Yuuno, who's barely holding off Vesta, who is treating the whole thing like a game.

* DramaticIrony: Miyuki giving the same exact advice on conflict resolution to Nanoha and Fate, without knowing that the conflict was between each other. [[spoiler: Becomes plain old situational irony when Miyuki learns this.]]

* DungeonBypass: Done by Quint [[spoiler:when attacking Nanoha and Fate's apartment.]] They put up barriers to try to block her path. She goes through the walls.

* {{Expy}}: WordOfGod states the effects of the Jewel Seeds were inspired by the [[PhlebotinumOverload Firestorms]] and [[OurAngelsAreDifferent quashmallim]] of ''TabletopGame/PrometheanTheCreated''. The biggest example would be the zombie-creating Jewel Seed, which even has a reanimated human at the center of it.

* FinalBattle: A pretty epic one on the Garden of Time.
** Which leads to one hell of a [[spoiler:CollapsingLair]]
*** [[spoiler: And it was all a distraction!]]

* ImprobableAge: Deconstructed. Nanoha doesn't recognize Chrono's authority because he looks too young, and while many of the characters are very capable for their age, they still lack maturity in noticeable ways. One of the more extreme cases, Lindy being an Admiral in her early thirties, has been retconned by making her ten years older.

* {{Irony}}: In their first meeting, Fate "[[MemeticMutation befriends]]" Nanoha. Technically that happened in canon, but the story makes it more obvious.

* TheJuggernaut: Quint and Zest are this [[spoiler:to Nanoha and Fate.]]
* LeeroyJenkins: Mei is just a ''tad'' bit reckless.
** So is Nanoha, for that matter, although she at least has the excuse of being nine.
** Chapter 11 implies that [[spoiler:this has the same cause - descent from a berserker lineage which results in the absence of a normal fear response. Confirmed to be the case for Mei, only speculated for Nanoha.]]

* LookBehindYou: This was the purpose of Nanoha's [[spoiler: first use of Starlight Breaker. Yes, her most powerful spell was first used as a distraction.]]

* MagicMusic: There are apparently magic styles that use music to form the spells, and the magitech weapon systems on the Garden of Time are controlled via song.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Chrono gets a low-level version of this when he realizes that [[spoiler: Nanoha is actually from Earth...and he attacked her in her house.]]

*** [[spoiler:Nanoha gets another one when her recklessness with magic causes the Garden's defense systems to activate out of her control, possibly killing several TSAB personnel. (It didn't.)]]

* TheNeedsOfTheMany: The core of the conflict is that Precia [[spoiler:and Nanoha]] wants to use the Jewel Seeds to revive Alicia, which the TSAB considers an unacceptable risk as doing so puts ''billions'' of lives on the line.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Chrono had no idea he was [[spoiler: attacking Nanoha in her house...which is the catalyst for her joining Precia.]]

* OffTheRails: How off the rails? [[spoiler: Nanoha decides to help Precia.]] The nature of the {{Early Bird Cameo}}s also derail the sequel seasons.

* OhCrap: Nanoha and Fate's reaction when [[spoiler:Zest makes his appearance by killing the paper dragon in one hit.]]

* OvershadowedByAwesome: Tiida's squad are basically average mages, which is used to highlight just how absurdly powerful characters like Zest and Nanoha are.

--> '''Heidi:''' I'm still aching from where that damn blonde caught me… honestly, someone that powerful and that young? It's ridiculous, I'm telling you. We're working against two AA-rank mages, and they're both nine, it's like the universe is being deliberately unfair.

* RealityEnsues: Talking is ''not'' [[TalkingIsAFreeAction a free action.]] The whole cast is loaded with [[CombatPragmatism Combat Pragmatists]], CrazyPrepared and good at the XanatosSpeedChess, which means that any character who gives a foe a breather (such as, well, by talking) ''will'' get his ass whooped.

*** In the same chapter, Precia calls Alicia's new life support system the "[[TabletopGame/PrometheanTheCreated Promethean Metabolic Auxiliary Mechanism]]" [[spoiler: thanks to a suggestion from Nanoha]].
*** Some readers have noted that the [[FunWithAcronyms acronym of the Promethean mechanism]] (PMAM) is similar to the acronym of ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' (PMMM), with the second "M" for "Madoka" being replaced by an "A" for "Alicia". [[spoiler: The mechanism is evocative of a Soul Gem, but it's actually more similar to ComicBook/IronMan's [[Film/IronMan pacemaker.]]]]
*** And then we have Mei watching ''Film/StarWars''.

** FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling

* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial
-->''It was amazing how scary kind, gentle, maternal people could become if they found evidence of crockery being broken or mud being tracked into the house... not that Nanoha would know anything about that sort of thing. Of course.''
** And much of [[UnreliableNarrator Vesta's narration]].
--> ''Vesta was a brave kitten. Great sagas would have been written about her deeds, had any of the humans been intelligent enough to recognise and acknowledge them for what they were. So it would be wrong to say that she froze in mute, petrified terror at the sight of the evil dark human of evil. Rather, she stood her ground defiantly in the face of adversity, and met the fearsome aura that wreathed the void-black figure with a contemptuous silence.''

* TeethClenchedTeamwork: Lindy and Megane don't get along due to a personality clash and a bad first impression, and Yuuno and Chrono also started off on the wrong foot [[spoiler:due to Chrono's mishandling of the situation, which was largely responsible for driving Nanoha into joining Precia]]. They're still all working together to stop Precia, though.

* WhamEpisode: Chapter 4. [[spoiler:Nanoha decides to help Fate fight the TSAB.]]

* TheWorfEffect: The paper dragon Jewel Seed is built up as incredibly strong and dangerous, and almost outmatches Fate and Nanoha. [[spoiler: Then Zest takes it out in one cleave.]]

* BatmanGambit: Chapter 9 features two of them in quick succession, [[spoiler: by Chrono of all people. When he suspects a mole he bluffs his way into a secure location by using his reputation as a straight-laced and dependable enforcer. Then when he realizes Graham is the culprit he secretly sets up a mana draining barrier and stalls by questioning Graham. This let's him deal with Aria and Lotte.]]

* CurbStompBattle: Nanoha versus Vita, much as in canon. Linith has to bail her out.

* DramaticIrony: In Chapter 2 we see Alicia has become a ChildProdigy, doing a maintenance check on her civilian Device (admittedly by following the instructions of a book, but it's still something even Precia couldn't do at her age). Precia worries the Jewel Seed mechanism might be affecting Alica, but she lacks decisive evidence...and she doesn't want to believe that Alicia was a "failure" the way Fate was. However, the reader has access to the AlternateUniverse story ''Another Way'' where Alicia never died in the reactor accident. In that world, Alicia's only talent of note is lockpicking...

* EarlyBirdCameo: In Chapter 4 a few characters discuss the [[Manga/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaViVid Shutran Hegemony]]. There's also [[spoiler: the Masked Men]], even though technically they were seen earlier in ''Game Theory''.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: In Chapter 9 [[spoiler: Chrono]] mentions keeping something from the admiral. The other person in the room then asks which admiral are they talking about. [[spoiler: It's revealed Chrono became suspicious when Graham mentioned the Wolkenritter had a backer as opposed to "backers"]]

*** And now we have [[spoiler:Jail Scaglietti]], and [[WildCard there's no way to tell]] just what hand ''he'll'' play in these events.

* MeleeATrois: Chapter 6 has a ''six'' way battle that might charitably be described as an utter clusterfuck.

* TheReveal: [[spoiler: The Wraith is actually ''Shamal''.]]
** [[spoiler:Nanoha had been caught by the Book and paced in a LotusEaterMachine.]]

* ShoutOut: The Testarossa's choose the last name "Daytona" for their family's assumed identity. A reference to ''Lyrical Nanoha'''s automobile ThemeNaming.

*** It's ''also'' a reference to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawn_%28spacecraft%29 NASA's Dawn mission]], which has visited the asteroid Vesta and is scheduled to visit the dwarf planet Ceres.

*** Later in the chapter, Alicia is seen with a doll that has [[ReiAyanamiExpy red eyes]] [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion and blue hair.]] (Both authors have written fanfics for the fandom in question).

* SpannerInTheWorks: The Book of Darkness is this for Precia. Also, Precia initially plans to conceal the presence of the Book from her daughters to keep Alicia out of danger, but Nanoha unintentionally derails that plan before she can even try.

* TheStationsOfTheCanon: It's a testament to the power of this trope that many fans still believed Nanoha would fight Vita at the beginning of ''Power Games'' despite all the prior changes. Indeed, the fight still happens, though for different reasons.

* TeethClenchedTeamwork: [[spoiler:When the Book of Darkness awakes, ''everyone'' barring the Knight and the Mariage needed to work together. Since Yuuno attempted to seal Alicia, Fate wasn't too thrilled.]]

* WhamEpisode: The end of Chapter 3 reveals [[spoiler: Subaru and Ginga were kidnapped at some point during ''Game Theory''.]]

-->''[[spoiler:Really. I... it's not like I have any other children who can be kidnapped...]]''

-->''[[spoiler: Yuuno Scrya]] rolled his eyes.''

-->[[spoiler: 'Mariage.']]

-->''[[spoiler: My name is Jail Scaglietti.]]''

-->''Something in Shamal’s expression seemed to change as the patterns of light and shade caught Hayate’s face – the set of her jaw, perhaps, or a new, hard glint in her eyes – and she came to a decision.\\

* FiveBadBand: Precia's gets cemented during the end chapters of ''Game Theory'', and follows through into ''Power Games''.
** BigBad: Precia, obviously.
** TheDragon: Linith. Even though she doesn't really fit the role [[TeamMom personality wise]], she still is Precia's RightHandCat.
** EvilGenius: Fate, since she's considered a ChildProdigy by the TSAB.
** TheBrute: Arf, whose main duty is to back up and protect her master during combat.
** DarkChick: [[spoiler:Nanoha]] who is by far the most [[WideEyedIdealist emotional and idealistic]] of the group. And is also the one [[SpannerInTheWorks most likely]] to [[SkilledButNaive screw things up]] [[NiceJobBreakingItHero for them.]]
** SixthRanger: [[spoiler:[[CatGirl Vesta]], Nanoha's familiar.]]

* [[AfterTheEnd After After The End]]: All of Dimensional Space is a post-apocalypse place, in that it's still recovering from the end of the Warring States Era and the death of Sankt Kaiser Olivie. Of course, that was recovering from the fall of Ancient Belka. Which was formed from the chaos after the destruction of Alhazred...

* [[spoiler: TheBadGuyWins]]: [[spoiler: For a [[VillainProtagonist given definition of bad guy]]. Precia succeeds in reviving Alicia.]]

* [[spoiler:CataclysmClimax]]

* [[spoiler:EarnYourHappyEnding: Said almost word for word by Nanoha when Precia ''succeeds'' in reviving Alicia.]]

* [[spoiler: EveryoneLives:]] In ''Game Theory''. [[spoiler: Barring the victims at the hospital, the death count ''among the named characters'' is actually ''negative'' thanks to Alicia's revival. Let that sink in; this DarkerAndEdgier fic ends, in a way, with fewer deaths than the original work.]]

** [[spoiler:{{Fauxshadow}}: ...but in the end, they succeed after all.]]

* [[FriendVersusLover Friend Versus]] [[RomanticTwoGirlFriendship Romantic Two-Girl Friend]]: Nanoha has to choose between fleeing with Yuuno or leaving with Fate. [[spoiler:She chooses Fate.]]

* [[spoiler:SurprisinglyHappyEnding: All thanks to some quick re-planning on Precia's part. She, Fate, Nanoha and their familiars make it out of the battle of the Garden of Time alive and relatively well, and even more important, ''Alicia is successfully brought back to life.'']]

* [[spoiler:UnspokenPlanGuarantee: Invoked; Precia keeps her true plan to revive Alicia to herself so that Nanoha and Fate can't accidentally spill it to the TSAB.]]

* [[spoiler:YouAreTooLate: The TSAB is not able to stop Precia from completing her spell. And then later, it turns out that it was ''all a distraction'' - Precia had already used the Promethean mechanism to revive Alicia.]]

* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler:''Nanoha''. To be fair, she doesn't realize Precia is the villain.]]
** HazyFeelTurn: There aren't really "good guys" and "bad guys" in this story.

** WhiteAndGreyMorality

* TryingToCatchMeFightingDirty: Zest calls Signum out on Vita using the other mages she's draining as a collective HumanShield, saying she had no Belkan Honor, but Signum promptly points out the naivety of that. According to Signum, honor in Ancient Belka was following one's master. Furthermore, Signum muses that she is not just a fighter, but a ''general'' - and therefore dirty fighting falls under her purview.
--> '''Signum:''' “You’re a romantic. A knight’s honour demands only one thing – to win, and bring your master glory!”