[Midchilda central, TSAB GAS HQ, canteen] [August, MC 076]
The clanking sound made Elric look up as a tablet was put down on the table he was sitting at. While the owner of the tablet sat down opposite Elric’s own seat, Elric scanned the content of the tablet.
Cutlery, a glass of juice, a small salad and some kind of pudding, the main dish was composed of meat and other ingredients in some orange/brown sauce and rice.
“Curry…” Elric confirmed and looked up to Rinya, the tablets owner.
“You don’t like curry?” Rinya asked while putting a spoonful of curry into her mouth.
“I don’t dislike it. I was just thinking aloud.”
“Hm.” Rinya made before swallowing down and pointing her spoon at Elric’s tablet. “And you are the type of mage who’s always eating noodles right? And lot’s of them too.”
“Can’t help it, I need the Mana.” Elric said while spiking some rigatoni on his fork.
They ate a little while in silence until Rinya spoke again. “So we have to board the Auriga at 1430?”
It has been a week now since Rinya was discharged from hospital. And even though she didn’t live in Central like Elric did, she very often came to the canteen to have lunch with him.
Elric had no problems anymore to talk to her, but they never talked much about private things. They still were just good colleagues and not friends.
“Yes.” Elric answered while still chewing and continued after he swallowed. “I still got some stuff to pack.”
Rinya nodded. “Yeah, me two. I must admit it is my first time on a cruiser.”
Elric didn’t look up as he was eating. “Don’t worry; the cabins are a little smaller as your normal dorm room but you normally don’t feel any different from being on planet.”
“Well, I don’t really expect to become dimensional sick or something like that.”
“And even if, there is pretty good medication should that happen.” Elric joked and put his fork on the empty plate.
“That was fast!” Rinya commented as she saw that Elric had finished his much bigger portion.
Elric smiled slightly as he grabbed his tablet and stood up. “Well… I see you later Shuri-san.”
“Sure thing, Thorn-san.” Rinya said goodbye, returning the smile.
She didn’t watch Elric leave the canteen, but hurried to eat the rest of her curry instead, as she also had to finish packing.
It was then that she heard the voices behind her.
“You saw that? The Freak just went out.”
“What Freak?”
“Yeah I saw it. That was the Blood Mage right?” a third voice.
“Yup, the Mage of Carnage himself. Damn psycho killer! I wonder why they didn’t put him against the wall!”
“But didn’t the chief librarian of the infinity library proved his innocence?” The second voice objected. “Wasn’t he mind controlled or something?”
“Fuck the chief librarian! I don’t think one of [I]his[/] buddies was killed in action! Mind control my ass!” the first voice answered angry.
“I agree. They should just lock him away or give him suicide missions. Better than letting him run around freely, right?” the third voice again.
“Calm down guys, it’s not like we can do something about it.” The second voice.
“Well I know what I could do…” first voice started but fell silent after that.
Rinya stared at the plate in front of her.
It was not the first time she heard something like that and it was not like she couldn’t comprehend the feelings of the people sitting behind her. She also lost friends and comrades and that’s why... Her gaze fell on the clock at the wall. "Ah damn! I don’t have time for this!"
She wasn’t hungry anymore anyway.
==========
[Midchilda Southfort, 5th Airport]
Elric felt out of place as he looked around. Flocks of blue uniformed navy personnel surrounded him, making him a little uneasy in his brown uniform.
They all belonged to the crew of the Auriga, a TSAB patrol cruiser he and Rinya would board. He didn’t know how the crew felt for suddenly having two non navies on board, but he was used to be an outsider so he didn’t really care. And as no one giving him strange looks, he guessed it was alright. Come to think of it, navy was the only branch he had not really a bad reputation.
Someone touched his shoulder so he turned around. He knew both newcomers well, so he was touched a little that they would see him off.
“Inspector Acous, Lieutenant Colonel Yagami.” He saluted them.
Hayate returned the salute and Verossa even reached him his hand. Elric shook it.
“How are you feeling?” Hayate ask.
“Not bad, Ma’am. It’s been a while since I was off planet, so I’m a little excided.” He answered honestly.
Hayate smiled. “I know what you mean; I will board the Claudia in an hour. And even it is like a second home I still feeling a little excited about it.”
“That’s because traveling is always fun!” The miniature version of a person suddenly landed on Hayate’s shoulder.
Elric blinked in surprise. “I didn’t know you were here, Sergeant Major.”
Sergeant Major Reinforce Zwei looked at him with her big blue eyes, slightly confused. “Well, Hayate is going on a mission, so I am with her. Is that strange?”
Reinforce Zwei was Hayate Yagami’s personal Unison Device, so it was only natural that she followed her around. How strange; Elric really met Hayate more often without Reinforce. But she was right of course.
Elric bowed a little to the small figure. “You are right Sergeant Major, forgive me my thoughtlessness.”
Reinforce’s look expression shifted a little towards panic as she was surprised by the sudden formal apology. She even waved her hands about. “No you didn’t Elric-san, don’t worry! You never offended me!”
Elric straitened up and smiled. “That makes me I feel relieved.”
Reinforce rewarded him with a brilliant smile which made Hayate and Verossa chuckle.
They all knew that Elric didn’t made fun of Reinforce even if it may looked like it. Everything he said to her was meant honest, as he was someone who had to learn the hard way that a Device is more than just a tool. Sadly it was out of the same reason that Elric kept some distance even towards Reinforce.
“Oi, Hayate!” a voice rang through the hall, causing more than just one person to turn around and stare at the redheaded girl that was waving with her hand. “We’re going to be late!”
Well, girl was not the right word, as Elric knew that this ‘girl’ was a lot older than him. Vita of the Wolkenritter ignored the stares and kept waving. Signum was standing behind her, the arms crossed and the eyes closed. Her serious looks was somewhat foiled by Agito, her Unison Device, who was sitting cross-legged on her head. Besides Signum was Shamal, visibly embarrassed of the attention Vita was causing. Guardian beast Zafira on the contrary, who was sitting in his beast form at Shamal’s feet, looked glad that he was not the one who was stared at.
“Mou, Vita-chan!” Hayate mumbled and even Elric was unable not to grin at the situation. She turned back to Verossa and Elric. “I’m sorry, but it seems I have to go now. Inspector Acous, Operative Thorn.” She saluted them. “Let’s go, Rein.”
“Yes!” the Device answered cheerfully, waved the two men goodbye and followed the Mistress of the Night Sky.
“She likes you…” Verossa stated after Hayate disappeared.
“Sir?” Elric looked at him curious from the corner of his eye, not sure if he was teased again.
“A girl without family, whose life was heavily influenced by a Lost Logia artifact. I and Hayate both know that your life was a lot rougher then hers, but she is seeing that you two share many similarities in your background. This is why she is taking a liking in you.”
Elric relaxed a little, so that was the “like” he was talking about.
Verossa smiled as he continued: “She even mentioned that she wants to introduce you to Carim.”
“Carim, Sir?” Elric was unable to recall which ‘Carim’ Verossa meant, maybe another investigator.
“You will see.” Verossa answered smiling, but then he faced Elric with a serious expression. “I know you’re a nice person Elric Thorn, and Hayate is like a sister to me, so I am asking you directly: Would you become friends with her?”
Elric managed pretty well to hide his surprise. After a second of silence he asked in a neutral tone: “Is that an order, Sir?”
Verossa looked like he had bitten into some very sour fruit, but only for a moment. Then he chuckled. “I see you’re practicing your humor.”
“Thank you, Sir.” Elric replied in his neutral tone again, but this time with a small smile. “But I can’t answer your question. I don’t dislike Lieutenant Colonel Yagami, you could even say that I grew to respect her a lot, but I don’t know if that is enough to become friends.”
“I see.” Verossa nodded.
Both men stood there a little while in silence which was interrupted by Verossa again as he looked down the hall. “It seems you partner has finally arrived.”
Elric followed his gaze to see Rinya arrive. In her blue uniform she didn’t stuck out in the crowd of navy personnel. The brunette woman she was talking to was attracting much more attention in her white instructor uniform. For one moment the painful memory of a pink light flashed into Elrics mind.
After Rinya said goodbye to Nanoha Takamachi, who then headed to the same direction Hayate and the Wolkenritter went, probably to see them off, she noticed Elric and Verossa and headed their why, pulling a small trolley behind her.
“Good day. Inspector Acous, Hello Thorn-san!” she greeted them.
“Good day, Lieutenant.” Verossa said smiling.
“You know Instructor Takamachi?” Elric asked bluntly.
Rinya smiled. “She was one of my instructors back in flight training but I only had her in Air Tactics and Squadron Combat. I was mostly instructed by someone else. Why are you asking? Do you know her?”
“Slightly.” Elric said nothing more.
And as if there was some kind of signal, the conversations between the fleet personnel silenced.
The cause was the arrival of a blond, young man, his bright blue eyes surveying the hall.
“It looks like the captain is here.” Verossa said and started to head in his direction, while the crew of the Auriga started to muster. Elric and Rinya didn’t quit know where to go, so they stood in attention a little aside.
After the Captain exchanged a few words with Verossa he turned and addressed his crew.
“Gentlemen, it is an honor to see you again after this two weeks of shore leave.” He smiled. “You all know that normally, I would not address you this formal before our departure, but this time we have special circumstances.”
His one hand painted at Verossa. “Inspector Verossa Acous, from the TSAB Intelligence Department, proposed a joint operation between this ship and two handpicked combatants of other TSAB branches, I ensured him our full cooperation for operation ‘Ghost Hunt’.” He now pointed at Elric and Rinya. “This is Special Combat Operative Elric Thorn and 2nd Lieutenant Rinya Shuri A’Kalash, both from the temporary formed ‘Mantis Stalker Investigation Unit’, they will accompany us on our patrol, which allows them to react faster to the emergencies that will require their full attention. There will be no changes in our patrol mission besides this. I thank you for attention, Gentlemen. Dismissed.”
Every single person in the hall returned his salute precisely before they started to leave to the teleport field from which they would teleported to the Auriga which was waiting in orbit, some in groups some alone. Acous again exchanged some final words with the captain.
“He is younger than I expected.” Rinya suddenly said.
“Admiral Jorin Fafnir.” Elric started to explain. “He graduated training school together with Admiral Chrono Harlaown and worked as an Enfocer until he was promoted two years ago. Since then he commanded the Auriga on its missions. He was promoted thanks to hard work, so I think we will have no problems working together with him.”
Rinya gave Elric an amazed look. “I didn’t know you where this good informed.”
“He is my supervisor for this operation, so I thought it may be a good idea to know about him.”
“Supervisor?” Rinya asked.
“I will tell you another time about this.” Erlic shouldered his rucksack.”We should go on board too.”
Rinya nodded smiling. “Of course you are right. Shall we?”
Elric nodded only as answer and followed her towards the teleport field.