The Ragged Butler
The annoying beeping of an alarm clock woke him up, just as always, and he rose up the second it had rang. He had to be good in the mornings as Nanoha couldn't stand yawning in training. But today was something different. There was a ponytailed man talking to himself at his desk. There wasn't even a meter between the bed and the delurious man. Forward's rooms we're smaller than the toilet.
”Why do you have to use so much energy?” The man grumbled by himself. ”Couldn't you just take human form for now? Seriously, I'm going to fall this way.”
[Oh yes, sure.] His hands replied. [Just so you know. Thoughs have lots of personal info that I'm sure people wouldn't want others to find out, you crossdresser!] The voice yelled.
”Hey! That was one time in library's christmast party!” The blond man attempted to get back at the watch who knew everything about him.
[But you
liked it.]
”Thats it, you're out.” Yuuno stated walking to the window, opened it and ignoring the [Wait!] pleads he threw the golden watch out of the window. ”Try draining me now!” He screamed back, noticing Nanoha picking the watch up.
”What got him that pissed?” The brunette asked herself.
[Couldn't bear the truth.] Yuuno's watch answered. [Can I drain your magic a bit, so I can keep running?]
”Sure. Just don't overdo it.” Nanoha placed the watch in her pocket.
”Tsk...” Yuuno watched this unsatisfied. ”He survived.”
”Um...” The red haired boy trying to catch everything happened. ”Why did you throw your watch out? Because it said you we're crossdressing?”
”You tell anyone and I'm befriending you.” The man threathened causing the boy stop his laughing.
”He didn't care for the environment. It takes a mage battalion to keep that thing running.”
”I see.” Erio said dressing himself for morning training. ”Well, I'll be off. Bye!” He waved, rushing from the room knowing that Nanoha was already at the field.
”Bye.” Yuuno answered mumbling something as he sat back at Erio's desk and picked up some of the papers placed there.
It seemed like an usual morning. Like always he made his way to the training field nearby where Nanoha was already making preperations for today's training.
[And then I got thrown out of the window.] Yuuno's watch said at Nanoha. [I think I should apoligize him later.]
”Yes, so do I” Nanoha adviced the watch in her right hand. With her left hand she had made a field replicating a city. ”All here?”
”Yes!” Replied all the four forwards. Erio had made just in time for the salute.
”We're having light training today as I think we got a mission later today.” Nanoha said, gaining sighs of relief from the exhausted forwards. Nanoha's training was brutal and daily. Having a light training and a mission was usually heaven compared to it but nobody dared to say it.
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”Hmm...” Shari inspected the strange watch. ”Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.” She stated, ignoring Nanoha who had brought it there. ”So you're the thought draining kidnapper? A pocket watch?” She asked amused.
[Well yes...] He answered crushed. [So... Got a way to keep me in human form without draining minds?]
”I don't even know how you work and if I touch you, you drain my mind, right?” Shari said holding the watch in front of her.
[I can't help it.] Aren repeated. [I guess we have to go for plan A.]
”Hey wait! I was plan B?” She yell unsatisfied. ”You're not taking me seriously. Drain my mind, so I can touch you.” She ordered, nailing the edges of the watch attempting to open it.
”No you don't, you maniac.” Nanoha stopped Shari's selfdestructive plan.
As Nanoha was pulling the watch away from Shari, Raising Heart rang. [Call from Hayate.]
”Ah...” She overpowered the grazed engineer and took the watch from her. ”What is it Hayate-chan?”
”We cracked the data Aren-kun gave us” Hayate answered. The info Aren gave at Hayate's computer was transcrypted with unknown language so they had Yuuno work on it for a while. ”Come to the briefing room.”
”Right.” Nanoha walked out of the room leaving crushed Shari in her workshops floor.
”My precious...” Shari begged on her kneels from the floor.
____________________
”The mission this time will be fairly short.” Hayate said at Lighting, Stars and Long Arch squads. ”We'll be boarding Claudia and travel to TSAB administrated planet 43 where this object is held.” And a emerald bowl appeared in the screen. The bowl seemed normal but as Hayate swung the holograph the bottom of it showed a place clearly for the amulet Aren was in.
[That's the one.] The device confirmed from Nanoha's fist.
”Good.” Hayate said satishfied. ”We were suppose to construct another one of these but luckily there was one already. There should be no proplems as it is protected in a museum of national artifacts.”
[Thats bull! It's from Selshin.] Aren screamed for justice.
”Well, to them it is a relic of an anchient civilisation.” Yuuno gave his insight from the side. ”How did it get that planet in the first place?” He asked, knowing he wouldn't get an satisfying answer.
”Maybe it was taken there by Selshins. Maybe Selshin was attacked and it got stolen. Who knows.” Fate attempted to answer the question.
”Yes, how it got there isn't important. What is important is to get Aren-kun out of that disc so he can aid us.” Hayate said silently asking for confirmation for her.
[Yes. I can't do much because of this curse.] The watch confirmed this leaving people pondering about the curse mentioned. [Selshin magic.] Aren answered without questioned.
”So you could mass produce thought draining amulets that stop people from aging?” Yuuno asked sarcasticly.
[If we had had more of the thought draining juice, yes. But it isn't fun in here.]
”Yes living eternally as a coin can't be fun.” The ferret replied, making people realize that they still hadn't made up.
”Talk more while we fly there. We'll be leaving immediately.” Hayate declared the meeting over.
____________________
”Welcome to Claudia.” Chrono welcomed his best friends to his ship. ”It has been a while since we had a mission together.”
The teleportation hall was wide and blueish with white spots in the ground for people to materialize. In front of them was a desk handling this operation. Everytime Nanoha saw this, she couldn't help but think about a TV program back in Earth with a smile smile.
”Good to see you, brother.” Fate hugged the tall man in his usual black robe. ”It's been too long.”
”Yes it has. I'm glad I was close by.” Chrono gestured his officers to help the forwards carrying many huge bags towards the hallway. ”You took the entire closet with you?” He asked, counting the bags amused.
”Not just the closet.” Nanoha offered a hug for Chrono.”Took my pillow, blanket and teddy bear with me.”
”How's it been?” Yuuno asked the man in Nanoha's arms and gave him few friendly pats on the back.
”Good, good. I heard you got kidnapped.” Chrono said patting the blond's back back.
[Sorry about that.] A voice from Yuuno's pocket apologized. [That time I thought it would be the best option.] The watch ticked while Yuuno took it out from its hideout.
”I also heard you also beat my sister.”
[Eh... Yes... About that... Yuuno... Hide me!] The watch panicked showing a stick figure running around its screen.
”Have fun.” The blond said, handing the watch at Chrono.
”Oh, I will.” The man glared the device.
”Sorry, we need him.” Hayate grabbed the device away from Chrono so she could give him a hug. ”Beat him once he's out from watch form.”
”I guess...” Chrono gave a dissapointed look at Hayate before hugging her.
Hayate giggled and walked out of the hall where Nanoha and Fate were waiting for her.
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”We're always left out from action.” Vita complained during lunch back in Mid-Childa. ”Right now I'm sure they're in trouble and could need our help.”
”You worry too much.” Signum comforted the child sized warrior. ”There's no indications that anybody but us knows the functions of that bowl and to tell you the truth, I don't see anybody interested in it even if it was common knowledge that it could undo 'amulet curse'” She reasoned before continuing her meal.
They had been left out from the operation as it was normal pick-up job and the canteen had spaghetti today.
”It's just as Signum said.” Shamal informed sitting next to Signum. ”The only chance for them to get in trouble would be that the museum was suddently attacked.” The green haired doctor said cheerfully.
”Don't go jinxing them.” Vita pointed out.