~***~
Yuuno gasped for breath, desperately trying to calm down his hear which now beat like a jackhammer in his chest, both from over flexing his barely restored mana-pool and… form nearly crushing into the ground right after teleportation. To his credit, blond teen didn’t have enough time to consider that his little ship could materialize in such place and position that will send him right on a collision course with forest below. Thankfully, the auto-pilot of escape pod was fast enough to switch position of engines and activate anti-gravitation spell, which work like pillow. Small craft managed to avoid ramming into ground on a last second, though maneuver really put a lot of strain on his not recovered body.
Now computer completed landing procedure while informing Yuuno that atmosphere outside is suitable for breath (which he know already), atmospheric pressure is in within norm and that he still recommend to use anti-bacteria full-body protection spell. The last advice was vice, even though he could breathe on this planet, who know what type a deadly bacteria could be there. Also, tests show, that escape pod avoid any damages and now the auto-navigator calculated their location. After few minutes, with a low click computer informed blond archeologist that star system, where the crash-landed lay far beyond bureau-controlled space. Well, he expected this, but it didn`t make situation more pleasant. Now, he was forced to rely on the emergency beacon and sensitiveness of bureau radars.
Yuuno finally pulled his arms from the sockets, where they rested all this time and now was covered in sweat, hastily shake them and then curiously turned his gaze on a sole filled container on a right side. Yuuno, pulled restrainers up, slightly stood up and then, somehow reluctantly, pushed the familiar button, opening the container and looked in.
Inside of small niche lye a simple blue sport bag. He was shocked for a moment, until he sense a glimpse of a dimension magic from it. So, there was an alerted space inside of bag, which could store a numerous things. Archeologist mage bent forward for a second, grasp the bag with both hands and pulled it out. Sliding back into the chair, he opened the bag, meeting a pulsating black mist with his gaze, then slide his left hand inside and concentrated.
As he thought, his uncle managed to grab a many pieces of various equipment. He sensed the mentioned twenty one special containment units, a dozen ancient magic books, a few dozen of storage crystals and, to his shock, a plentiful of various Devices: A Storage devices, an Armed Devices and even few Intelligence Devices, created by famous Scrya tribe Device Meister, Bol Scrya. Yuuno chuckled – among the other relics of old, uncle preferred to save Scrya tribe legacy.
The thought of Kaien squeeze his heart with iron grip, green eyes start to sting. It was still to fresh for young mage – the roar of explosion and astonishing flash of light once and for all separated him from his most precious relative. For Yuuno, the most frustrating thing was their total inability to prevent this – the ship worked like a clock, pilot didn’t commit any mistakes and they properly contain and seal Lost Logias on board, but all of this was meaningless before cruel joke of fate – the appearance of extremely strong fold-storm, which destroy the ship, kill Kaien Scrya and Kerl Nibbit and send him, Yuuno Scrya into unknown region if space.
Teen gritted his teethes, blinking the tears away. He can`t drone in sorrow now, he must complete his mission: collect and seal all twenty one jewel Seeds on a planet. His nail dig deeply into flsdh oh his palms, draining the blood. If he fail, it`s would mean that uncle Kaien died for nothing. No, he absolutely wouldn’t allow this to end like that. His teethes furiously chew on his lips. Never!
Yuuno shuddered from sudden pain in the right side and this sharp outburst returned him to his senses. What in the name of Goddess happen to him?! He sat here, drowning in blinding rage while the Jewel Seeds, that can bring utmost destruction on this planet and her habitants, scatter around and was still active, and being in magic field of entire planet was utterly different from being on the small spacecraft. Wasn’t Yuuno himself often reprimand his younger relatives for losing their cool and doing reckless things. What a hypocrite he is. Shivering in both sorrow and humiliation, teen pulled the first Device he summon from extended space of bag, that now lay on his laps – it was a small red orb, as he remember – Intelligence Device, Raging Heart. He swiftly put Raging Heart on his neck, fetch a familiar flask with siral water, and strode toward exit.
The unknown planet meet the young alien with cold but pleasant wind, which bring the smell of flowers and water, green panorama of threes and grass, and reddish sunset sky. This peaceful view lessened a pain in his chest from recent deaths. He need to collect Jewel Seeds and save this beautiful planet from destruction. After quick thoughts, Yuuno climbed on near hill, in order to look around from better position.
After short fly (the climbing up still was a rather tough ordeal for his body), he gently step one the grass and turned around from the forest. Yuuno’s eyes widened when he saw final confirmation about existence of sentient life on this planet.
The city, now red in the ray of sunset sun, seemed like sugar castle. All building in the city was constructed from white metal with addition of glass, the enormous plates of solar batteries, hulked from the roofs of many buildings and numerous snakes of rail-roads streams among the buildings. On even greater height he could see giant superstructure that wield upper districts of the city, eclipsing part of the sky. Moreover, when he glanced back he sae the similar superstructure on the other side of forest…no, now blond teen start to understand, that he actually landed in a park, a big one though. Yuuno gulped, he still didn’t know, what type of creatures live on this planet, but their high advance civilization was out of question. Hey, wait!
Scrya archaeologist cast a spell of far-sign and zoomed in toward one of the skyscrapers, where he could see some type of screen. When he could see the details of image on the screen he could feel the wave of relief washing over his body. The person that appeared on a screen was definitely a human. Well, he know, that after the destruction of Al`Hazardian empire thousands of years ago humankind scatter among the stars, so it wasn’t that surprising that he find another brunch of humankind. Now the question was how much they would be friendly toward an unexpected guest, even if the said guest crushed into their home against his will.
He suddenly freeze when his glance fall on a small logo, which, presumably was a national flag. He saw it somewhere, but when and why his blood grew so cold?
His entire body suddenly jerked: a tremendous magical reaction in the depth of park. The Jewel Seed reacted! He darted forward, skidding into the mass of woods, toward the place, where he sense the growing magical power. The fainting roar, that come from that direction didn`t bring him any comfort. Seems that Lost Logias already start to grown into major disaster.
Yuuno quickly casted Invisibility on a escape pod and with all speed he could muster, blond mage charged into darkness of woods.
~***~
The gentle hum of bus electric engine was lulling and the seats in bus was so comfortable, that Nanoha Takamachi who already half lay at her place, started to slide, but light blow from the right quickly drag her back into reality. Young 15 year old girl turned her head with enough speed to make her long hair, which was tied in a ponytail a swept through air.
Her blue eyes meet a gaze of one of her best friends, Arisa Bannings, an energetic and hot-blooded green eyed blonde, who stared at her with visible entertainment and big grin. From the behind, right above Arisa right shoulder, appear a head of Suzuka Tsukimura, a blue-eyed level-headed girl with lavender hair who hold the position of peacemaker in their group. Both girls wear the identical uniforms – a brown jacket and dark brown pleated skirt, that reach the middle of hips and th black shoes. Right now even Suzuka have the derisive glimmer in her eyes combined with little smile, Nanoha start to feel unease.
“Um, Suzuka-chan, Arisa-chan…” She started sheepishly, fidgeting under their glittering gazes. ”Is there something wrong with me?
Arisa grin grew wider, Suzuka, instead of answer stretched her left hand, with a handkerchief squeezed by her fingers, toward her.
“Nanoha-chan, here.” She offered a piece of fabric to her puzzled brunette friend.
“You drooled in your state wipe you face with it.”
Nanoha’s cheeks reddened a bit, and when she lifted her left hand and draw index and middle fingers across her mouth, she indeed find a large amount of sticky liquid, that gushed from edge of her mouth. The girl blushed even more, which make Arisa snicker and Suzauka’s smile grew a little wider. Hastily wiping the evidence if her little spacing out, the still redcheeked girl returned handkerchief to her friend.
“Mou… it’s not, funny, you two.” Pouted Nanoha, which make her friend only to giggle even more. Nanoha puffer her cheeks and tuned away, demonstratively looking away from Arisa and Suzuka and looking through window, unfortunately, only think she could see through window was a mass of earth, as road was build near rock. Young brunette grumbled disappointedly and turned her gaze at her laps.
Arisa and Suzuka exchanged a glances and nodded slightly, then blonf girl gently stroked Nanoha’s shoulder.
“Sorry-sorry, Nanoha. Seems that we goes too far over such minor incident as our cute modest Nanoha drooling like old drunktard in the moving bus.”
Needeles to say Nanoha pouted even more.
“Uuuu, Arisa-chan you meany.” She decide to have some pay back and poked Arisa in stomach making her to burst in laugh. The view of her friend laughing face make her forget her ire and even smile a bit.
“He-heh! Okay-okay, I’m really sorry, and in order to show you how serious I’m, the great Arisa, I’ll wash the dishes at Midory-ya instead of you.”
“Really!” Nanoha’s face brightened significantly. While young brunette loved to help her family in the work, the dish-cleaning was the duty she very much despise.
“And I help with table layout.” Added Suzuka, clasping her hands together, with small nod. “Nanoha-chan, you need to have more rest.” Suzuka and then Arisa expressions became serious. “Last four days you overwork yourself at school, we know that you have you duties as class president, but you’ll work yourself to death at this rate.”
Arisa nodded in agreement with her lavender hair friend.
“I agree, it was one thing, to come back and overlook (and help) the cleaning of the class-room, since we stay behind that day. Or help with organization of lorry unloading, since it bring the equipment of karate club, which you older brother and sister attend. But to personally finding and reach the agreement with suppliers of details for upgrade of our school server, you come back, as you sister said, almost at 11 PM, and then you was stay for a half of night to finish your homework. Or yesterday, when you fight with mainframe of our class, in order to heal the glitch, that make him confuse the answers on tests. No, many peoples is grateful to you and teachers love you to death, but still… don’t you did enough already.”
Nanoha shrugged, again blushing lightly, squirming under gazes of her friends and desperately trying not to avert her eyes.
“Uh…It’s wasn’t that hard, actually.” Started Nanoha, looking up, in the end unable to withstand the intense gaze of Arisa, now looking at working infoscreen – a narrow tape of special plastic with inbuilt microchips, that was goes across the entire cabin of bus in a long ellipse, holding on special telescopic antennas, which allow the passages to adjust the width of infoscreen by nearby control panel. Unfortunately, the TV set, which fixed right above their seats was off line right now, so she couldn’t try to change the topic by pointing out some random news with great excitement. And she very doubt that Arisa and Suzuka would buy it if she hastily pull out her student ID and use it to activate the screen.
“Well…" continued blue eyed girl, returning her stare toward two girls, who sill glared at her. “The supplier, which whom I talk, is the old customer of our café, Sawanaga Hotohono-san. He live in the same district as my family and he really like our pastries, so I persuaded to give our school a discount, when he visited us on this week. Sawanaga-san is a nice man and he agreed to help, but he wanted to look at the list of necessary details and he said that his friend, which could give us equipment of a lesser price will leave on business trip in two days. That’s why I was so late – I reach Sawanaga household in 9.30 PM and Hotohono-san need some time to look through list and make an arrangements.” Still seeming a skeptical expressions on her friend’s faces Nanoha added. “And I didn’t go myself, the Sawanga-san ride me to his home at his car, and I return on a motorcycle with Hotohono-san’s son, Kazuma, who, also my brother’s friend, though he attend at different school.”
“Hm, I see.” Trailed Arisa, loosing some fierce glimmer in her eyes, much to Nanoha’s joy. “I didn’t know that you so good in establishing a useful connections.”
“It’s not like establishing, I’m simple know that Sawanag-san is a nice man.” Retorted Nanoha meekly.
“But what about the deal with repairing the teacher’s mainframe in our class yesterday.” Asked Arisa, making clear that she not over with the topic to Nanoha’s dismay.
“Well, I didn’t do much. To be honest.” She chuckled, setting her own gaze at Suzuka. “I simply followed Suzuka-chan tips and used the disk with custom programs she write for me.”
“SU! ZU! KA!” Growled Arisa slowly, taking a slow and dramatic turn to address a burning gaze to her flitching friend, who rised her both hands in weak attempt to defend her elf from blond girl’s rightful wrath. “W-wait, Arisa-chan! When Nanoha-chan asked my opinion about possible reasons of system malfunction on the start of week I didn’t know that she would try to repair it herself.” Arisa eyes’ narrowed dangerously and Suzuka quickly continued. “Well, I mean – I hoped that she at last give herself a little rest, especially after suffering from lack of sleep after her “evening negotiation”, but seems that attack of “everhelping heroine syndrome” occurred under my nose.”
Suzuka giggled nervously, still fidgeting a little, but then Arisa sighed deeply and grumbled: “Okay, I hate to ask, since it will allow both of you out of hook. But what’s happened to our computers?”
Nanoha and Suzuka’s expression brightened, the storm was avoided, and then, by wordless signal, Suzuka start to explain.
“ Well.” Started lavender hair girl, putting a right hand’s index finger at her chin and start to lightly tapping it. She often does so when she started to explain something related to her favorite topic – machines and computers.
“It wasn’t actual much of malfunction, rater it was example of fights between rival corporation.”
‘Huh?” Arisa raised her left eyebrow in confusion. “How our school computers could be related to wars between big money bags?”
Suzuka raised her left hand, which also was curled into fist with outstretched index finger, lightly wavering it in air, this common habit earn her nickname “a conductor”. As you know, every computer and infoscreen in our school was manufactured by “Orion Electronics”.”
Arisa nodded.
“Well, and?”
“And you must know that our soft was brought from “Try-Info Corp”.”
Arisa slightly narrowed her eyes again, showing glimpse of rising annoyance. Suzuka’s habit of mixing her explanations with a lectures about new soft, equipment and new technologies may be an interesting but sometimes irritating.
“I know that too. Can we get right to the point.”
“Well, recently, “Try-Info” the signed the agreement of association with “Combine Research and Manufacturing Combine” who is major rival of “Orion Electronics”. And, in order to help to increase the pressure on their partner’s competitor, they inbuilt a little sleeping programs into their soft: when it’s used on every mechanism, built by “Orion”, they start to work with a glitches.”
“Wha…?! How do you know that?” Stammered Arisa, her family firm was one of the Combine contractors, and to think that “Bannings Construction” was involved into a power struggle between a two economic monsters wasn’t pleasant at all.
“Well, as you know, our firm, just like yours, contractor of “Orion Electronics” and when the problems started with our equipment on a regular frequency we started to suspect a slight sabotage. Not a big enough to invoke a investigation from a Department of a Consumer Rights Protection, but serious enough, to dirty “Orion” reputation.”
“Those bastards!” Growled blonde, curling her fingers into tight fists. “I’m so gonna give my parents piece of my mind.”
“Don’t blame them, Arisa-chan. It was “Try-Info” who did this, not “Bannings Construction”. And I’m really doubt that they could force such giant as Combine no to accept this “help”.”
Arisa humphed, but nodded in agreements with her friend.
“Uh, you’re right. Still…” She sharply turned back to Nanoha, causing her to yelp slightly in surprise. “How you manage to repair it?”
“Well, Suzuka-chan write few various programs, that could fool our soft into thinking that it’s work on a Combine manufactured computers…”
“You said, that’s you just give the ODDs to our teacher and report her my suggestion for work. Instead, you stay with Nagamurs-sensei for fifth hours…” Pouted Suzuka, looking at Nanoha with indigence. The brunette blushed and shriveled a bit under her firend accusation gaze.
“I’m very sorry, but she looked so lost, when she tried each of them and failed, she just a new teacher, from countryside, she didn’t have such splendid tutors in Suzuka-chan and Arisa-chan as I did.”
Both girls smiled unintentionally under Nanoha clumsy but sincere praise. Arisa`s scowl disappear and Suzuka`s lightly indigent expression melt under the view of sheepishly smiling Nanoham who hold her hand clutched on her chest, looking at them with wavering eyes.
“You, damned smooth-talking cutie.” Cursed Arisa good-naturedly. “You know, that I can’t be mad at you when you give me that puppy-eyes look.” Consumed by sudden urge, the blond teen lunged forward and catch Nanoha, who shrieked a bit at this sudden movement, into bear-hug. “Please, Nanoha, we worry about you! You should look at yourself, today you resembled a ghost with your blood-shot eyes and pale skin!” Nanoha started to relax unto hug and Arisa continued.
“Please, I’ll wash all dishes we leave today, and Suzuka will help you and you family with dinner, but you need to relax today!!”
“Arisa-chan…” Whispered Nanoha, now consumed by warmth of Arisa embrace and her warmth, the feeling increased, when Suzuka stand from her seat and joined them in hug.
“Arisa-chan is right, Nanoha-chan. Today, we will have a good evening at you home, I and Arisa would help you with homework, and then we stay for night to make sure you’ll have a proper sleep. Okay.”
Nanoha shrugged a bit, consumed by their kind warmth and answered quietly.
“I promise. Thank you, Arisa-chan, Suzuka-chan, I couldn’t ask for better friend than you two.”
“And we couldn’t ask for better friend than you, Nanoha.” Nodded Arisa, with a little touch of slyness in her voice. “If only not for your hero-syndrome, it would be much better.”
“But this “heroic-syndrome” is the one of reasons why we love Nanoha-chan so much.”
Giggled Suzuka, breaking the hug.
“Yeah, you’re right.” Agreed blonde girl, releasing Nanoha. Then she noticed the situation behind windows. “Oh, soon we’ll reach our station.”
Two other teens hastily sprung at their feet, also noticing, than soon bus will reach point of their destination. Quickly, Nanoha opened the case, above their seats, where their packs rested, pull all three of them in swift motion and toss Purple and yellow pack to their owners, Suzuka and Arisa respectively. Quickly attaching her purple pack to special fixtures on her shoulders, she waited for her friends to do so too and then three girls strode toward the near sliding doors.
Near the exit already stood two boys, both 17 year old, one of them clearly Japanese origin was tall athletic boy with a short bowl-cut brown hairs and emerald green yes, who smiled a bit at his friend joke. The other was a shorter boy, a foreigner, with a blue feathered hair and grey eyes, who gleefully exclaimed how much fun will be the tomorrow drinking competition will be, slightly stirring a spacious traveling bag, which slightly tinkled, revealing a existence a certain quality of glass bottles inside. Both wear rather expensive uniforms: a two pieced suit, consisted from dark blue pants and jacket and they wore a black shoes, from natural leather; on a left lapel, their wear a yellow badge – a stylized tulip. Overall, they seem to be a student of a prestige academy.
Both boys prepare to leaving, on the same station of them, concluded Nanoha, they also say goodbyes to their friend – a mousy looking pale-skinned girl with a dark green hairs, with a two bangs fallen on the sides of her face and indigo eyes, who wear a glass-shaped info-visor, controlled from the touches on a control panel, inbuilt in her wrist communicator. Seems that girl was from rich family, if she could allow herself to buy something like that. The girl wear the red jacket and the short dark blue skirt, judging by similar badge, Nanoha concluded, that girl was from the same college.
The train of her thoughts was interrupted by slight jerk of a floor, when bus stopped, the door slightly goes forward and then slide to a right.
Nanoha, Arisa and Suzuka leave the bus right after the two unknown senpais, but then stop near the station, to have some look around. A day almost totally leave his rights to an evening, and sub was almost gone behind the horizon, still stubbornly sending her rays upon the Uminary-city. The seed-shaped bus with a two humps of conditioners on a roof, with a low hum, quickly leaves the area, Suzuka don’t miss the opportunity to notice, that vehicle soon would need to visit a recharge station. Nanoha glanced on the left, the road left a rock side a few minutes ago, when they reach the newly build square of city, where her home was. Arisa and Suzuka right now looked right, on a dark massive of upper districts that was built on a massive structure, which weight rested on a little artificial mountains of a columns, where Suzuka and Arisa’ families resident lay. A chilly wind come from a dark mass of City Park make her shudder a bit, one of the entrances in this enormous park lay near of her home, where their trio really like to play there. Maybe, she should invite Suzuka and Arisa to come here at weekend. Picnic would be a nice.
Though, being with Aris and Suzuka always was fun. And the fact, that they would stay for night today was a pleasant thought. Suddenly she remembered…
“Arisa-chan! Suzuka-chan! Wait!” Shocked by her sudden shout her friends swiftly turned to her, with worried expressions. “W-what`s happened, Nanoha-chan?””What’s wrong, Nanoha?!” Asked two girls simultaneously, Arisa`s fingers curled into fists, while her eyes take a glances around; Suzuka dashed toward Nanoha and slightly grabbed her fist.
“Uh, sorry, I didn`t mean… to scare you.” Blurted Nanoha, wavering her left hand franticly. “I just remembered, that we don`t have a spare clothes for you two for morning!”
Suzuka and Arisa exhaled in relief, calming down. Arisa though take a quick slightly angry look at her brunet friend. “Damn, Nanoha! You scare us!” Nanoha fidget a bit, trying to slip behind Suzuka, but Arisa already smiled brightly again.
”Still, thank for you concern. Don’t worry, Suzuka ask Noel to bring pair of clothes at your house today.”
Nanoha smiled, well, her friends always could take care of them and prove that numerous times, so she really shouldn’t worry about them not equipped properly. After all, she was the one who drilled this simple notion into their minds. The lighted up streetlights tell her, that they need to hurry up and go toward Midori-ya. The trio nodded and turned into toward the richly lighted streets, which leads to Nanoha’s house.
“Help…me…”
Nanoha froze, in the middle of move. What was that, a voice? She turned around, trying to find a location from where voice come. When she saw that Arisa and Suzuka try to do the same, she come to conclusion, that it wasn’t a hallucination.
“Suzuka-chan, Arisa-chan…do you hear that?” She asked quietly. Both girls nodded, a bit reluctantly, as if they still couldn`t believe it was real.
“…Please…help…”
The voice appear again, now she could hear it more carefully. It was male voice, young male, to be specific, but much more importantly, it was filled with pain and suffering. And Nanoha never would leave someone in the trouble if she could help, it was her way of life.
“…Please…until…it`s too late…”
Now she was certain – voice come from the park. Without hesitation she darted forward the fates in metal fence, which surrounded the little piece of forest.
“Nanoha, wait!” Cried Arisa, following her, Suzuka, also charged after them after a momentary delay. Nanoha didn’t answer she concentrated her mind at the fainting sound of male`s voice, desperately trying not to lose it. The dark masses of woods come closer and closer, while her boots smashed into the stairs, while striding toward the steel semicircle of gates. Brunet neatly avoided pair of students, who slowly walk toward the entrance and, passing a turnstile, dashed in.
Nanoha finally stopped, when she reach a first crossroad after the entrance to have a little rest and, more important, to try to find the mysterious stranger. Numerous plastic benches stood around, mixed with few vending machines and
small fountains with a laser illumination, the typical view of the park’s streets.
“Where is he?” Think Nanoha, franticly looking around, hoping that voice will appear again.
“Dmmit, Nanoha, wait!!!” Come a rather loud yell from behind. She turned around to see arriving Arisa and Suzuka, their cheeks was red, from the sudden dash, through, like Nanoha, they didn’t lose their breath; long history of visits to Takamachi dojo paid off.
“W-what are you doing?!” Snarled now pretty angered Arisa. “Running away like that?!”
“B-but Arisa-chan! You also heard that, aren’t you?” Protested Nanoha, with a resolve not to fall back this time. “How could we leave someone in trouble?!”
“Ugh…Well…” Grunted Arisa. Her anger replaced with confusion and guilt. Despite her thorny behavior sometimes, Arisa was kind and compassionate girl and she wouldn’t leave someone to their pain. But that voice was strange, it’s loom like it come from great distance, but it was very quiet, also the plea for help seems to sound right in their mind, moreover, as she can see, judging by other visitors behavior, nobody, but three of them, could hear it.
“I beg, you, Suzuka-chan, Arisa-chan!” Pleaded Nanoha, tilting forward with begging look in her sapphire eyes. “I just can`t go away when someone in such pain!”
“Uh, seems that we got ourselves into another rescue operation.” Groaned Arisa, smiling wryly. :What do you think, Suzuka?” Asked blonde turning toward lavender haired Japanese.
“I have the same thought, Arisa-chan.” Smiled Suzuka, then she turned more serious and pointed out into the direction of forest, on the hill. “I don’t know how to describe it. But the “feel” of that voice come from there.”
Nanoha eyes flared with gratitude and determination.
“Thank you, Suzuka-chan!! Arisa-chan!!” Passionately said young brunette, clutching her hand over her heart, giving a bow to her friends, and then charging toward dusky hill.
“Well, let`s go then team NAS!” Cried Arisa out, renewing her dash after her Nanoha.
“Team NAS?” Inquired Suzuka, with a raised eyebrow. “What does this mean? Not Accurate Schoolgirls?”
“No dummy, it’s mean Nanoha, Arisa, Suzuka!” Shouted Arisa back. Suzuka could only sign, and chase after her passionate but not very perspective friends.
Nanoha make a half-way up to the hill when she heard mysterious voice again. Now it was filled with panic.
“Oh…no! The…barrier…!!!”
She doesn`t like it, the sheer amount of terror told her, that no matter what’s going to occur, it wouldn`t be pretty.
As is to answer her thoughts, Nanoha could hear something akin to crash of breaking glass, and then id distance she could hear a chilling and fierce roar. It wasn`t take long to a panicking screams of frightened peoples to start to ring out.
“Uh, Nanoha.” Asked Arisa carefully, taking a nervous glance at dark mass of woods before then, visibly losing some of her bravery. “Maybe, we should call the police? Or at last, ask for help?”
Nanoha herself also really didn’t want to enter the place where something obviously big, vicious and dangerous lurks around. But the owner of mysterious voice also was here, and he was badly hurt. Seems that he couldn’t\t run away from the dangerous beast, who scare the peoples, who actually, already desperately run away from the hill, crying for help.
Taking a deep breath, Nanoha turned her head a bit, to meet the eyes of Arisa and Suzuka and said:
“Arisa-chan, Suzuka-chan, call the police and wait for me there, I go there alone.”
“Like hell you do!!!” Roared Arisa, lashing forward and groping Nanoha`s shoulders, her eyes blazed. “Now, I wouldn`t let you go alone! Got it!!”
“B-but, someone must to call the police…”
Nanoha meek answer meet a fierce rebuttal.
“ Suzuka will!! And I more than sure, that some visitors already do this!!”
Blond girl then turn toward Suzuka and ask in much more calm tone.
“Suzuka, please, call the police, I need to make sure that a certain brunette idiot heroine will come back in one piece.”
Tsukimura-heir nodded hastily, still not very happy, that she was somehow left behind, but she know that she need to call for help, even though. Someone in park already could do that.
Nanoha and Arisa exchange glances and dashed forward with renowned determination.
~***~
The threes and streetlights passed before them in fast motion, as two girls run at full tilt. Now, Nanoha also could fell the “presence” of unknown boy, now she was sure that bearer of voice was about the same age as her. At last, she hoped that she get it right. The source of presence got nearer and nearer with every second. The pair of girls hastily take a sharp turn on a badly damaged crossroad, and instead of road, the charged through the bushes, shielding their faces from branched with raised hands. Now, Nanoha and Arisa, was sure, like this they would reach the “voice” faster.
Moreover, they would get away from mysterious roar too, more importantly. The closer they get to the mysterious stranger, then more warmth Nanoha could feel in her chest. Soon she could almost physically feel it and with a final jolt of energy she sprung out from bushes and landed on small glade. Arisa lagged behind for a bit, stumbling over the root.
To her utter surprise, her eyes couldn`t meet anyone until she look down… and her gaze fall on a small tan-furred ferret. The small mammal lay on his left side with his back turn on her, while his right moved up and down, his eyes half closed. He feebly raised his head at her presence and squeaked cutely few times. Nanoha rushed to his side, when she noticed a rather bad gash that goes over the ferret’s back. Hastily dropping at her knees, the brunet gently pick him up and cradled against her chest. Then, she noticed additional wounds and scratches over tiny beast bode, and also a small red gem, that hanged at little string, which was warped around ferret`s body.
There was a series of swears and cracks and with a triumphant shout, Arisa Bannings joined her friend on glade. Just like Nanoha, she was momentary stunned by absence of presumable owner of strange voice.
“Uh, Nanoha… where…” She trailed off, looking around with dumfounded expression on her face.
“I don’t know, Arisa-chan.” Answered Nanoha, walking toward her friend, together with her cute little burden. “When I got there, I find only him.” She slightly and carefully raised wounded mammal, in order not to disturb his damaged body, for emphasis.
“Ferret…” Gaped Arisa, but after giving a little animal a more careful look she giggled. “Aw, he so cute. Maybe it was him, who invite us here?”
Nanoha giggled too, then she gawked when ferret raised his head a licked her chin.
“He-he-he, seems that he already fell in love with you, Nanoha-chan.” Teased Arisa her friend. Nanoha didn’t miss opportunity to blush. Her blushed cheeks sharply contrasted with surrounding twilight, the streetlight’s shone, barely reach this place through thickness of woods.
“Mou, Arisa-chan, what are you saying.” Nanoha wanted to pout but quickly remembered about the voice, and that she still didn’t find him. “We don’t have time for this, Arisa-chan, we need to find the unknown gentleman, who in trouble.”
Before Arisa could say something in reply, the very familiar voices, that bring them here, reverberate through silence of glade.
“Th-thank you for… sav-ving me…” The voice was raspy… tired and sleepy, but now it’s source was undeniable. The ferret!
“Gah!” Yelped Nanoha and Arisa on the same time, and former almost drop wounded animal on the ground. “Y-you’re talking?!!” Gasped Nanoha, trembling
with all her body. The talking ferrets wasn’t something, she was used to. Judging by Arisa, pale-faced bug-eyes expression, she neither. Ferret, noticed the sudden change of atmosphere and quickly said.
“I’m sorry if I startled you, seems that you not accustoms to see magic. I`m Yuuno Scrya, member of Scrya tribe, archaeologist and user of Mid-Childa school of magic. Can I assume that you didn’t know about existence of magic civilization before today?”
“On contrarily.” Answered Arisa in very unusual for her tone – the mixture of awe and fear. “Twenty two years ago evil mages drive entire humankind into terrific war, where four billions perished, and even two planets were destroyed. So we, very aware of existence of magic and how many evil things, mages do to our people.”
Yuuno cringed – seems that natives know about spellcasting and magecraft, but not form good side. The aggressiveness was part of human`s ego, their own sense of self, therefore conflicts was unavoidable. As archeologist he knew many civilizations, which was destroyed by wars, no matter what type they was: pure-magical, pure-technological or techno-magical (who considered as most advanced types); in the end there was no solution against humankind darkest aspects of nature.
But the current star nation he know desperately try if not avoid wars, but at least, make the bloodshed minimal. Interstellar Administrative Bureau, part of whom he was already banished any types of kinetic weapons and approve use only of non-lethal spells. Their neighbor, Belkan Empire used both powerful convention weapons and destructive spell, but always in their wars belkans strictly adhered code of chivalry and always fights on specials “fields of honor”.
He didn`t know, to his shame, many things about another star nations, which surrounded IAB, he was too preoccupied by studying the magecraft and information of ancient empires and great city-states.
But still, he have a brooding feeling, that he have some knowledge about this place, that flag, he witnessed today… he saw him somewhere.
When Yuuno come up from his stream of thoughts he hear the voice of blond girl.
“Nanoha, do you really think we should help him, who know, maybe he was injured when his own monster went berserk?”
“But Arisa-chan, you hear it yourself, Yuuno-san tried to… use a barrier. He tried to stop a beast. Moreover, look at him, he injured so badly, how could we left him behind.”
“Uh…” Girl, called Arisa sighed and answered, rubbing her temples. “It’s not a situation to argue, since the unknown monster roaming free around. Okay, I also don`t want to leave injured behind, but please, at last, let’s put him under tight surveillance.”
The brunet nodded with a smile and waved her head toward the gap between trees, where they come.
“Let`s hurry, Arisa-chan, we need to meet Suzuka-chan and take Yuuno-san to home and give him first aid.”
Two teenage girls exchange nods and sprinted away from the place, where they find a new companion. Though, now the run slower, then before, because Nanoha tried her best not to disturb Yuuno`s injured body, for what he already was grateful for her with all his heart and Arisa run a bit forward, trying to find monster location, who was silent for the recent time.
After a maddened croos through the forest, Arisa barely step on a road, when the upper half of a man in mid of his thirties, wearing a remnants of his ruined brown jacket, slammed into the ground right before her. With a shriek, she backed off almost ramming into Nanoha furiously pointing at corpse with her right hand, while her left desperately clutch on her mouth, but managed to stay on her feet. Nanoha, in her case, simply froze, unable to move at all, her eyes was locked on the dead man face: Pale, smeared in dirt, with a nose, grinded right into skull, his teeth red from the blood, which was all over his mouth and jaw, but the scariest part was his eyes – dark brown gleamed orbs was widely open, even now the girl could see the terror and agony he felt in last moments of his life.
Yuuno could only shoot his eyes in shame and self-hatred. This man, and who know how many else, was dead because of him, because of his weakness, his lack of experience and his inability to use Raging Heart properly. And now innocent bystander lost his life, ripped in half and tossed on a tree, from where he fall right now.
The low menacing rustle nearby, told to one ferret and two girls that man fall not from the tree. Slowly, as if against they wish, they turned toward the sound.
They didn`t find monster. He find them.
.
When the girls appear on crossroad, majority of streetlights here was destroyed and the place, where they ducked into woods was drowned in darkness. So they couldn`t simply see the dark looming shadow until it was too late, the fact that the creature didn`t breath also help. The monster look like oversized bush, with many permanently moving tentacles, growing right from the mass of leafs, many of them was covered in dark red liquid, both girls desperately try to tell themselves that it`s just their imagination, the creature head, which resemble a horned bulb, dangled on a thick tendril. The three purple eyes, which gleam ghastly in the dusk, set right above big mouth.
Paralyzed with horror, Nanoha an Arisa couldn`t move even when the monster shoot one of his tentacles at them. Bundle of killer lianas swept through air with loud whistle, but when it was prepare to strike girls the shining round green circle appear in air and, with a high-pitched crack deflect the strike. Moreover, circle flared brightly, when another two strike collide with it, and with a crack, generated a shock-wave that send flower-monster stumble back. Both schoolgirls gasped, when they noticed the same, but much lesser circle, which shone around the Yuuno.
“Y-Yuuno-kun! You did that?!” Gasped Nanoha, looking at tiny animal with awe and admiration. “Incredible!”
“Wow! You`re so cool, I’ll take my words about you back!” Added her gleeful voice Arisa.
“Ugh, I’m sorry, but we need to hurry, I can’t deal with this monster right now!” Hissed ferret with strained voice.
Arisa and Nanoha have no objections, but when they start to move, monster, with a thunderous roar lunged at them. When it was and the middle of the charge the rock fly form another side of the area, striking it right in the “face”. Monster howled more in annoyance rather than in pain and turned toward direction where it come from. Nanoha and Arisa, do the same, and their gaze fell on their third friend, Suzuka, who, despite being obviously terrified, already raised her right hand, with another rock in it.
“Arisa-chan, Nanoha-chan, run!!” Cried lavender haired girl, sending another rock into monster. The creature, however, prove himself to be much more dangerous, than it was seems on first glance. He stood still for few seconds and then shoot one of his tendrils at Suzuka with astonishing speed. The Tsukimura-heir could barely scream before tentacle warped around her, and with a powerful jerk, lift her in the air.
“Suzuka!
NO!!!!” Hollered both Nanoha and Arisa in unison, with tears steaming down on their cheeks. Now, they were powerless, now they couldn’t do anything to help Suzuka, now they would see the death of their beloved friend.
Suddenly, from the near bushes the slim female figure sprung up. It was an attractive and well-endowed girl, with eyes was covered with black glasses and who`s pink hairs reach her waist. She wore the familiar red and dark blue uniform and Nanoha could swear that she notice little badge in girl`s lapel, the unfamiliar was a rather big sword with a hilt, that resemble a gun handle, which she clutch in both arms.
With a fluid motion, girl swirled under the lashed tentacle and, using the momentum and the weight of the sword, she cut one of the tentacles off, drawing the stream of pale blue liquid. Monster bellowed in rage and pain, franticly waving his remaining extremities, dangling poor Suzuka, who screamed, when grip on her waist tightened, like a rag-doll. The mysterious swordswoman didn’t waste her time, quickly threw up her sword, pointing at tentacle, that held Suzuka, and a moment after loud gunshot reverberate through the battlefield. Seems that hilt didn’t resemble a gun handle. It
was a gun handle.
The bullet pierced the tendril, extracting another roar from living bush, the wounded tentacle didn`t let Suzuka go, but visibly lose part of its strength. Monster howled and send two of his tentacles in fierce arches at his new adversary. The pinket swiftly jumped back, avoiding first strike, but was forced to quickly raise her sword, protecting her body from second. Seems, that girl didn`t adjust her stance properly, since power of concussion threw her back, but she quickly proved this thought wrong, when she performed a flawless somersault backward and landed on her feet.
The monster scowled angrily, now slowly advancing toward mysterious girl who again pointed her sword at him. The creature pulled his wounded tentacle, which still clutched Suzuka closer to his head, but didn’t dare to lose his concentration at his for even for a moment.
That was his mistake. The familiar brown haired senpai darted from behind monster`s back with unbelievable speed. Without breaking his dash, he jump at the bench, use it as step-stone to leap at the near tree and use it`s stem as catapult to propel himself at monster head. The teen spin in the air and with loud thump, rammed his right leg into monster`s face in a powerful roundhouse kick. Monster yelped in pain, this time dropping Suzuka, too consumed by pain in his smashed visage.
The green eyed boy, quickly rolled down, deftly avoiding monster`s attempt to grab him, and in swift motion catch Suzuka a few centimeters above ground. The pin-haired girl shoot again, now completely blasting the damaged tendril off and, as if it wasn’t enough, from the another side of road a bottle with a burning piece of paper I the neck. With a high-pitched ring it`s crashes against creature`s body, burst, pouring it in burning liquid. Now monster was too consumed by his own pain, to do anything, most important, it totally forgot about brown-haired senpai, who, with Suzuka in his arms darted toward pink haired fencer.
“Run! Help will be here very soon, they will take care of this creature!” Come the shout from the side, where bottle come. Turning their heads, Nanoha and Aris could see their another “familiar senpai” a blue haired boy, who now wave his hands at them, telling them to go away from the road, and then hurl himself into the woods. Girls and ferret have no objections and hastily retreated back into forest, since Suzuka disappeared with pink-haired girl and green eyed boy, who still carry her in his arms. Nanoha and Arisa, run behind a massive oak, which rose twenty meter from the road.
Monster still howled in anger in pain, when the powerful rays of lights crossed on him. Booming roar, was followed with tracing bunches of fire, which smashed into creature`s body, ripping some of its tendrils off and sending parts of its insides, drowning near are in pale blue blood. Monster weakly turned around, facing his new enemies, and to Yuuno, Nanoha and Arisa utter surprise, around two of his biggest tentacles light purple spheres of light start to concentrate.
“He can use a high powered magic attacks now!” Yuuno thought in panic.
“The jewel Seed, that give birth to him, increase amount of output, the seal start to break! We need to stop him now!!”
The monster didn`t manage to do anything, since from the direction of attack, come two metallic cylinders, leaving a trail of smoke and fire behind.
“Missiles, so they a either a pure technologic users, or like Belkans and their kind a mixed type.” Concluded Scrya mage inwardly, looking how the projectiles explode, drowning monster in shimmering cloud of red gas.
Yuuno shrugged, even from his place, he could feel, how mysterious gas, fiercely sucked mana both from magic bolts, extinguish then very quickly, and from monster himself, making him shriek pitifully.
“Seems that habitants of this world, at least very skilled in anti-magic combat.”
Monster was putted out of his misery very quickly, when the unknown attackers pour an astonishing volley of fire at him, ripping him apart. Yuuno exhaled in relief, when he saw the Jewel Seeds emerging from the remnants of monster head, now in dormant mode, seems that gas sucked enough mana from Lost Logia to put it into “sleep”. Maybe now he can pour some light on his situation.
"Um, sorry.” He called mentally, catching attentions of both, now smiling girls, who was happy to see fall of the dangerous creature. “Can. You please tell me, where I`m? I mean, planet, country? And, if it not bother you, could you tell me a year of your calendar and overall situation.”
“Yo don`t know where you are?” Gasped Arisa, staring at ferret with her eyes wide open. “How could you don’t know this?”
“You see, I’m crash-landed here, in accident. So, please, believe me, I really don`t know!”
“Oh, you poor thing.” Cooed Nanoha, gently hugging him. “You lost. Okay you on planet Earth, the capital planet of Earth Empire of United Directories. Which, in its case, a coalition of nations, who ruled through Council of Lord-Directors.”
Yuuno nodded, thinking about it. So, it`s seems he landed in a capital world of interstellar nation, which was a union of few various countries. Seems like Belka Empire for him. But unlike the Belka, the Earth Emire for some reason bring a rather dark feelings. He hear about this nation before. Something bad.
“And now is 326 year or 2546 AD.” Added Arisa, who looked at the place where Jewel Seed creation meet its end. Judging at increasing amount of light and low hum of engines, the war machines that slay the beast come closer and closer.
“Um, why two dates?” Inquired Yuuno, whose blood suddenly grew cold when the beast-slayers appear in his field of vision. It wasn`t a tanks, how he presumed, instead it was three four-meters tall metal humanoids, with a container-like construction attached to their backs and a long rectangular heads. They was mostly white, with additional colors of blue and red, robots clutched assault riddles in their right hands, and big square shields in left; one of them carry a rocket launcher with a magazine of familiar rocket. One of humanoid faces opened, revealing a shimmering hemisphere with a small red sensor in the centre.
“It`s because our nation use two calendars, her own and general for all earthlings.” Explained brunet.
“KNIGHTMARE FRAMES!!!” This terrifying thought pierce his mind. “So this country must be…”
“You`re in the Uminary city.” Continued Nanoha softly, unaware of his inner turmoil. “In the Special Administrative Area “Japan” of Holy Britannia Empire.”
Author Note: Uh, that was harder than I thought. Still, I like this chapter much more than in my first attempt of write Nanoha/Code Geass crossover. I think you all could say who was those senpais.
Now I need to fight my laziness back and write
Stage 2: Road to Camelot.