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The OTHER Time Lord
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: The "Other" TARDIS
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Okay, so after 4 pages of backlog, and a million points of discussion, I'm back. And just in time to post my latest writing!
This 3k short occurs right after the 82nd lands at Yzak Base, but before everyone takes off to fight the Necron. It's basically their initial interactions with the forwards and Aces of MD6. Enjoy!
Spoiler for No Place Like Home...:
Location: Mobile Division 6 HQ, Mid-Childia
Time: 2100 MST
Arcas stalked along the corridors of the building that housed the newly-formed Mobile Division 6, Mel on his heels. The XO (Executive Officer) was not happy, and he was making his displeasure well-known…or at least well-heard.
“…entire day’s been a bust. We land at Yzak, and here I am, expecting some of my friends and comrades to at least make a token effort at saying hello, and what do we get? NOTHING! So then you, Boomer, and I all fly out to Honor’s Hold to see Keroko and the Rogues, and we’re told that they’re off training for a major op. The Silvana and the 21st are nowhere to be seen, the 216th is off on an investigation, Aurion and the Phantoms are testing new equipment, and so on, and so on.”
“Not everybody’s schedule is as flexible as ours, Arcas. Surely you know that. And I’m sure everyone you mentioned DOES care; they’re just busy.”
“One or two, yes, but ALL of them?” Arcas sighed. “It’s not as bad as I thought…it’s WORSE. Well, hopefully the Aces and Wolkenritter are here, so I can at least say hello and introduce you.”
“It’s a shame Shosa and Boomer couldn’t come along,” Mel said.
“They’re busy getting updated and prepping the Delphinus,” Arcas replied. “It’s important that we be at the top of our game.”
“Haii~.”
The pair stopped walking and looked around.
“Mel, where are we?”
“How am I supposed to know?! YOU’RE the one who’s seen the layout!”
“YOU’VE got the sense of direction!”
“Uguu~!”
“Uguu~ yourself!”
The two stood there in the corridor like that, arguing. Their argument was so loud that they didn’t hear the footsteps of someone running along the corridor just around the corner. Likewise, the someone running was in such a rush that they didn’t hear the two Phantasms exchanging verbal fire. And when they came around the corner…
“Look out!”
“Oof!”
The three landed in a heap in the corridor, in what could be interpreted as a highly compromising position. Mel was on her back, with Arcas on top of her, his face wedged in between her rather... healthy assets. The runner had fallen, with her assets crushed against the small of Arcas’ back.
“I am so sorry, I didn’t see you the – ARCAS?!”
The Phantasm stirred at hearing a familiar, feminine voice. He tried to reply, but his voice was muffled by Mel’s chest. Mel had finally gotten the shock of the fall out of her system when she realized the position she and Arcas were in.
“KYAA!” she screamed, lashing out with her foot, striking something… sensitive.
Arcas rolled off of her, curling up in the fetal position, groaning in pain. Mel’s eyes widened at the realization of what she’d done.
“Arcas-kun! Are you OK? I am so sorry.”
“Perhaps I can help,” the woman replied.
“And you are?”
“My name is Shamal.”
“Shamal of the Wolkenritter?!”
“The same,” the owner of Klarwind replied with a smile. “Now, if you will permit me…”
A few seconds later, the women were helping a bruised, but no longer in pain, Arcas to his feet.
“Holy Arcana, Mel, that’s some kick you’ve got.”
“I am so sorry! I just –”
“- overreacted. It’s okay. I’d probably do the same thing as you. Anyway, allow me to introduce you to-”
“She already introduced herself, Arcas,” Mel replied with a wave of her hand.
“Oh. Well then, onto other stuff.” Arcas turned and embraced the blond support-mage. “How’ve you been, sister?”
“Well enough, but we’ve been rather busy as of late.”
“So I’ve heard. This Relic case sounds huge.”
“It is! But enough about us. What are you doing here?”
“The 82nd’s been recalled by Secretariat to help you and the GDI with all the chaos that’s been going on around here as of recent. Speaking of people, are the rest of division around?”
“Let me check…” Shamal replied, bringing up a screen in front of her. She scrolled down, looking for the relevant information.
“Nanoha and the forwards should be getting off training right about now – do you want me to call everyone and get them together?”
“That’d be great – tell them that they’ve got visitors waiting for them in the lounge.” Arcas turned to leave with Mel, then stopped. “By the way, which direction IS the lounge in?”
After giving the pair directions, Shamal contacted Nanoha, Fate, Hayate, and the rest of the Wolkenritter, giving them Arcas’ message.
The forwards were dead tired.
All they wanted to do was go back to their rooms, fall into bed, and sleep until they had to get up tomorrow… and do today all over again.
But NO, Nanoha had told them that there was one last thing to do before she let them go for the day. Which was why they were making their way to MD 6’s lounge.
“Ma’am,” Tiana groaned. “Do we really have to do this? We’ve been in training almost all day, and I don’t think any of us are up to anything much.”
Nanoha smiled. “This isn’t something much, just a chance to meet some new friends from another part of the service. Plus, they aren’t around all that often.”
Outside the lounge, Nanoha and the forwards ran into Fate, Hayate, and the Wolkenritter.
“Everybody’s here,” Hayate said. “Let’s go on in.”
The doors slid open, and when the assembled group saw their two visitors, silence reigned over the room…for about ten seconds. Then it exploded in a barrage of squeals, shouted questions, and general chaos.
But it all could be summed up in one word.
“ARCAS?!”
The 82nd XO smiled and waved hello to the stunned assembly. For a moment, none moved, until Caro Ru Lushe broke formation and practically threw herself at Arcas.
“Arcas-nii-san!”
“Hey kid,” Arcas replied, scooping the summoner up, “how’s life been for you and Fried?”
The rest of the group slowly made their way over to the couches, settling themselves in.
Caro and Arcas talked for a couple of minutes, and then she jumped off his lap and scooted over to take a spot next to Erio.
Hayate was the first to speak. “Shamal, why didn’t you TELL me that our visitors were the 82nd?”
“Because we asked her to,” Mel replied. “Forgive us.”
“It’s okay,” Fate replied. “It’s just that we didn’t know who to expect.”
“Well, now you know,” Arcas replied, an amused grin crossing his features.
“Um, excuse me,” Subaru spoke up. “But who exactly are you?”
Another glance passed between Phantasms, then they stood and announced themselves.
“I am Arcasaviel Emira, XO of the 82nd Rim Advance Force, the ‘Noble Phantasms.’ Call me Arcas.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you; my name is Melinia Yoshitaka, also of the 82nd.”
“The Rim Advance Force? Of Secretariat?” Tia asked.
Both nodded in the affirmative.
“Shouldn’t you be out patrolling Known Space?” Erio questioned.
“We would, except we’ve been recalled to help out here.” Arcas stated.
“Why?”
Mel shrugged. “At this point, we know as much as you – that we’re back. WHY we’re back is still a mystery to us.”
“So,” Signum stated slowly, “this is the partner you’ve been talking about?”
“Yes,” Arcas replied. “This is Mel.”
As the adults talked, Subaru elbowed Tiana.
“Ne, Tia, what’s the Rim Advance Force?”
Tiana rolled her eyes and explained. “The Force, or RAF, is part of Secretariat, and the exploration arm of the Tripartite. It’s their job to keep law and order out on the frontier.”
“So they’re like Enforcers?”
“Sort of – except they’ve a few more responsibilities than normal Enforcers; they’re expected to recruit new mages and help make treaties with Non-Administrated Worlds.”
“So you guys are back to help out in general?” Hayate asked of Arcas.
The XO nodded. “We’ll probably end up working with you guys at one time or another.”
“Well, it’ll be interesting times again,” Vita stated.
“That it will,” Signum concurred.
Nanoha stood and said, “Okay, time for the kids to go off to bed.”
The forwards, eager at the chance to get out of a conversation that could probably go on for hours, followed Nanoha. Mel also rose, hot on their heels.
“Mel, where’re you going?”
“I’m just going to see them off to sleep, silly. I’ll be back, don’t worry.”
“Alright,” Arcas sighed. “But hurry.”
Once they had left, Arcas turned to talk with those who remained, only to notice a rather dangerous glint in the eyes of Fate and Hayate. “What?”
“She’s cute – I like her.”
“Hayate, you stay away from Mel – I know what’d you do to her if you got the chance.”
“But all I said was-“
“That’s all you HAVE to say. Need I remind you of the last female partner I had? You said she was cute, and the next thing I know, you’ve got her trotting around in a maid’s uniform! It took weeks to undo the damage! No, I will not permit you to do that to Mel!”
“Aw, that’s so cute,” Fate cooed.
“What is?” Arcas asked, puzzled.
“You’re jealous!”
Arcas blushed at the implication. “I AM NOT!” he growled.
“Now, now, no reason to deny it,” Shamal said, an evil grin on her face. “We all like her very much, and want you to know that we approve.”
“There’s nothing to approve,” Arcas shot back. “Mel and I aren’t like that – we’re just friends; good friends.”
Now Vita joined in. “All I can say is that it’s about time; you’ve been eyeing Hayate WAY too long for my liking.”
“How many different ways do I have to say it?! MEL AND I ARE PARTNERS, BUNKMATES!” he shouted. Silence hung over the room, and noticing the grins and smirks on all the faces of the others, Arcas knew he had misstepped. “Okay, that didn’t come out right.”
“Hai~ desu,” Rein-chan replied, sarcasm evident in her voice.
While Arcas was desperately trying to dig himself out of his hole, Mel was having a grand time talking to Nanoha and the forwards.
“…so you’re the one Gianna picked to succeed her?!” Subaru squealed, quite obviously in fan-girl mode.
“Yup,” Mel replied. “And I have the Device to prove it.”
“Ne, ne, can I see it?”
“How about this – tomorrow Arcas and I are scheduled to work at the virtual battle simulator you guys have to brush up – show up and not only will you get to see what I can do, but also what Arcas can do.”
“COOL!” Subaru pumped her fist in triumph.
The group walked in silence for a few moments before Tiana asked Mel another question.
“What’s it like, being in the RAF?”
Mel considered her answer for a moment before speaking.
“It’s… not easy. Being in the RAF isn’t something I would recommend for a great deal of people.”
“Who would you recommend it for?” Caro asked.
“Someone… with friends, and family. Somebody connected.”
“Wouldn’t that just make it harder for everyone, since you’re usually only around for three months out of the year?”
“It does,” Mel replied, “but it also gives you a reason to look forward to coming back from the Black.”
“I don’t understand,” Nanoha said, though both she and Mel knew that she was saying it for the benefit of the forwards.
“Look at it like this. You’re out there three-fourths of the year, unable to see them. So when the time rolls around, you want to go back and see them all.”
“Whereas if you’re not…” Tiana said, having deduced Mel’s conclusion.
“Then there’s no reason, and you could potentially stay out there forever until you burn out from working too hard.”
“Don’t the people who run the RAF realize this?” Erio asked.
Mel nodded. “They do, and that’s why the RAF has something of an unwritten rule – always have two or three family people in each unit.”
“So there’s a reason to bring them back,” Subaru concluded.
“Precisely.”
The group had finally arrived at the dorms, Nanoha and Mel said goodnight, and they reversed course, heading back to the lounge.
“Ne, Melinia-san?”
“Call me Mel – everyone does.”
“You and Arcas…”
“W-what about us?” Mel replied, feeling her heart race at the sudden mention of the Phantasm’s XO.
“You’re partners, right?”
“Y-yes. Yes we are.”
“Partners and NOTHING ELSE?” Nanoha questioned, a knowing glint in her eye.
“Nothing else,” Mel stated, mustering courage into her answer.
“You don’t like it that that way, do you?”
How?! How can she know? Not even Boomer and Shosa know!
“I don’t under- how do you- what did I-”
“I’m a girl too, if you haven’t noticed. And I saw the looks that you gave him in the lounge – you like him, don’t you?”
Too shocked to speak, Mel dumbly nodded her agreement.
“And he doesn’t know.”
Mel shook her head sadly, tears coming to her eyes.
Nanoha held out her arms to the knight, and Mel threw herself into them, sobbing out her pain.
“Shush… there, there, it’ll be all right. Don’t you worry, we’ll help you get him. I promise.”
Back at the lounge, things were not going well for Arcas. Despite three well-crafted and excellently delivered arguments, he was still having trouble shaking Fate, Hayate, Shamal, and Rein of the notion that Mel was more than a partner to him.
“Look, what do you want me to say?!”
“Just say that you like her, and we’ll leave it at that.”
“I like –”
“And not just as a friend,” Fate interjected. “Or a partner.”
Arcas groaned. “We’ve been over this a thousand times, and we’re getting nowhere.” The knight rose to leave. He took three steps towards the door, only to hear the familiar chime of Bardiche Assault, and for Fate to appear in front of him, at the ready. Arcas cocked an eyebrow.
“You’re really gonna fight me here?” Arcas asked, holding Ascalon’s Inactive Form in front of him.
“If I have to…” Fate warned.
Arcas heard more familiar chimes, and swiveled his head to see Hayate and the Wolkenritter battle-ready. He shook his head.
“This is insane.”
“What’s insane is you not admitting your own feelings.”
“Now talk, or Eisen and I will beat the confession out of you!”
Arcas sighed. Against one or two of them, I’d have a chance, but all six of them?! No way… looks like I’m coming out of the non-gay closet.
Arcas lowered Ascalon, turned his head away, and spoke.
“So what of it?”
The sextet’s eyes widened in response. “So you actually DO like her?” Hayate said, shocked.
“Of course! Wait, you didn’t know?”
Everyone nodded in the negative. Arcas groaned. Great. My life is over…
“Well, well, what are we going to do with the information, Hayate?” Fate grinned.
“Wai~ desu! Matchmaking!”
“NO! Please don’t!”
“But you just said-”
“I know what I just said, but think about it. The chances of it happening are one in a million! First, she’s got to return my feelings. And even if she does, there’s a chance that it may not work out between us. Can you imagine how awkward that you be, having to work side-by-side every day, with a broken relationship? Trust me, we’re happy with our relationship the way it is.”
“Don’t you think that she at least has the right to know about how you feel?”
“I – I don’t know. I mean, yeah, I could tell her, but then that’d put pressure on her to respond in a way that’s positive to me. And the last thing I’d want to do is to force what I want on her. That’s unfair and selfish.”
Silence stood over the group for a few moments before everyone realized that they were still in battle-mode. Disengaging their Device, Jackets, and Armor, everyone was ready to resume conversation when the door slid open behind them, revealing Mel and Nanoha.
Nanoha cocked her head in surprise. “What’s everyone doing?”
“We- we were just coming to find the two of you. Mel and I need to get back to the Delphinus for the night.”
“Ah.”
“Well, it’s been real, all.” Arcas said.
“It’s great that I got to meet you all,” Mel smiled. “Hopefully we can do it again another time.”
With that, the two Phantasms took leave, and made their way back to the car that would return them to the Delphinus’ hangar at Yzak Base.
“Hey, you all right?”
“Of course, why do you ask?”
“Well, it’s a tough crowd you had to deal with.”
“Ah, it’s nothing. Like slicing up a pirate.”
“I hear that.”
After that, the pair remained silent until they bid each other good night on the Delphinus.
Back at MD6 HQ, however, the conversation was not over. While the Wolkenritter had departed for the night, the three Aces and Rein were still talking.
“He said that?” Nanoha gasped.
“I know,” Rein-chan cooed. “Isn’t it so romantic?”
“It’s no wonder so many girls like him, he’s such a sweetheart…” Fate sighed.
“Well,” Hayate said, her command personality taking over. “With this new information, our course of action is clear!”
“Matchmaking? But what he said about it not working out-” Nanoha queried.
“-Is true,” Hayate replied. “But think about it, they’re here for an indefinite period of time. If it doesn’t work for them, then either can easily transfer elsewhere.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Fate affirmed.
And with that, the Aces headed off to bed, and Operation: Phantasm Love had begun…
EDIT: Here are links to all the pre-Seven Days shorts dealing with the 82nd.
At Dawn We Trained
Situation Report
Messages in the Night
A Visitor from Afar
Last edited by Reiji Tabibito; 2007-08-10 at 13:40.
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