Beta read by Opal and FabledLife
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-Midchilda-
Golden brown eyes opened to a thin sliver of light peeking through what could only be described as a mountain of rocks. Dust and pulverized concrete filled his nose, accompanied by an unexpected smell that took him a moment to recognize.
Blood?
Aside from that concerning detail, this had turned into a rather strange experience, even by his standards. He tried moving his arms and legs first, checking whether he could feel any injuries before attempting to free himself. The rubble pressing down on him shifted slightly as he pushed against it, but the rocks barely budged, and every bit of progress required considerable effort. His reinforcement alone would not have saved him from being crushed beneath such a mass. The barrier jacket protecting his body deserved the credit for that, having absorbed the brunt of the impact and kept the worst of the damage at bay.
"Ruben."
A red light blinked across the barrier jacket before his device responded. [How may I be of service?]
"How much charge do I have left?"
Several red flashes illuminated the surrounding rubble as the device processed his request. [Device battery at 70% and charging. Body's Magical Energy storage at approximately 60% full.]
The readings gave him something to think about. It marked the first time he had received such precise measurements of his own condition, particularly when it came to his available energy. Ordinarily, he relied on physical sensations to judge his limits, paying attention to how his body responded whenever he used magecraft, and pain usually was a great way to gauge things.
"Ugh!"
Pushing himself too far or expending excessive energy on spellcasting would force his magic circuits to work overtime, causing them to heat up. If things became bad enough, he might even resort to using his Od to keep going. That alone did not necessarily mean death, since the body could recover as long as its life energy had not been completely depleted. However, exceeding his limits carried its own risks. Magic circuits could break or melt under the strain, potentially causing internal bleeding and leaving him in far worse condition than before.
"How long until I recover?"
[Magic circuit condition stable. Recovery time estimated at one hour.]
Having that sort of information readily available was genuinely useful. Rather than having to rely entirely on his own judgment, he could receive an estimate of his recovery time and check his remaining reserves without guessing. Of course, he still needed to understand how accurate those readings were and how well the system could account for the differences between his body and the technology designed to support it. For now, though, he had a more immediate problem to deal with.
"Alright, let's see… best time as any to try it out. What should I do now, Ruben?"
The man already had an idea of what his options might be, but asking Ruben was part of the test.
The device responded without delay. [Using magecraft projections is ill-advised. Available space is limited, and doing so would result in excessive energy expenditure. Option one, reinforcement magic. Option two, device enhancement.]
The second option caught his interest.
One of the newer functions allowed the device to draw upon its stored energy and produce an effect similar to reinforcement magecraft. That sounded convenient in theory, but he had reservations about entrusting the process to an unfamiliar system. Reinforcement required considerable control, particularly when applied to the human body. A slight mistake in directing the energy could damage the very thing he intended to strengthen, rupturing veins or tearing muscles. He had spent years learning to handle his own magecraft, and even then, mistakes remained possible. Letting the device perform the process independently meant giving up some control over a spell that demanded precision.
"Well, I did promise that I would test it out."
Besides, this hardly qualified as the worst situation he had ever found himself in. If the experiment went wrong, he would have to deal with the consequences, but remaining buried beneath several tons of rubble hardly offered him a better alternative. After taking a few moments to consider the risks, he made his decision.
"Use option two."
[Roger.]
A warm sensation spread from the device, seeping into his skin and muscles before flowing throughout his body.
"Hah… please don't explode."
The somewhat nerve-wracking feeling reminded him of a stream of warm water passing beneath his skin, though the effect differed from the familiar sensation of applying reinforcement through his own magic circuits. At first, he could not detect any obvious change. Nothing hurt, and his muscles did not feel particularly different, leaving him uncertain whether the enhancement had worked at all. Still, when he braced his hands against the rubble and pushed again, the difference became apparent.
Crack!
The enormous rocks shifted far more easily than before, sliding away from his body despite their considerable weight.
'Not as much strength enhancement as regular reinforcement magecraft, but still quite useful in a pinch, especially if I run out of energy.'
With a better understanding of the enhancement's effects, he continued forcing his way through the debris. One rock shifted aside, followed by another, opening a wider gap that allowed more sunlight to reach him.
"Oof!"
Blue skies and scattered clouds appeared through the opening, giving him a clear view of the outside world for the first time since being buried. He kept pushing until the gap grew large enough for him to squeeze through, then hauled himself free and emerged from the rubble with a deep breath of fresh air. Dust clung to his clothes and skin, but at least he could move without several tons of concrete pressing down on him.
"Charge level?"
[30%]
"That much?"
That surprised him, having expected the enhancement to consume a fair amount of energy, but losing that much charge merely to free himself from the rubble seemed excessive. "Well… Shamal did say it's still in the early phase and not as efficient; can't fault her for that."
My body differed from theirs. Magic Circuits couldn't function with perfect efficiency alongside a device under such circumstances when it was made to handle mana cores.
Looking around, he finally took in the extent of the destruction. A massive trench cut through the ground, with the spot where he had been buried lying several meters below the surrounding surface. The impact had left behind enough damage to shatter his bones if the barrier jacket had not protected him. Even reinforcement might not have been enough to prevent serious injuries from an attack of that magnitude.
"Barrier jackets really are amazing."
Rin would have loved having one of these during her experiments. Considering how often her experiments explode or go wrong, it would have saved her a lot of trouble.
His attention shifted toward the sky, where a figure stood atop a magic circle. A black cloak fluttered in the wind, and the young mage holding a staff looked down at him with a smile.
"How are you feeling?"
Shirou rolled his arm in a circle, testing his muscles and checking for any lingering pain in his bones. "Nothing's broken yet, but one or two more of those attacks and I'm out of charge."
He had already considered Nanoha and Fate ridiculously powerful, yet apparently his understanding of the mages in this world remained rather limited. Chrono had demonstrated enough strength to make his skin crawl, and that had been without either of them necessarily going all out. If this counted as a demonstration rather than a serious fight, he had no particular desire to see what the other mage could do when he stopped holding back.
The smile remained on Chrono's face as he raised one hand.
"Stinger Blade."
Light gathered around him, forming sword-like constructs that multiplied until dozens floated in the air. The familiar sight immediately gave the redhead a sense of Deja Vu; at least the sky wasn't filled with golden portals. Before he could dwell on it, the mage swept his hand downward, sending the entire formation hurtling toward him.
At least a hundred.
Whoosh!
"—!"
There were far too many to deal with individually, and they were already descending.
"Trace On!"
Just like with Chrono, several blades formed in the air around him.
All of them shot upward to meet the incoming formation.
Bang!
Bang!
The two volleys collided in midair, filling the space between them with a series of metallic clashes as both of their constructs clashed.
Even if they were merely nameless Noble Phantasms, those swords did not shatter upon impact. Instead, they shattered every single light construct and continued along their original trajectories, forcing his opponent to raise an arm and deploy a protective spell. The barrier stopped the incoming weapons, though several of Chrono's swords had avoided his attack entirely and continued toward him.
Instincts urged him to summon Kanshou and Bakuya, but he caught himself before acting on that impulse. This wasn't a true duel, mostly a test with his device.
"Hah…" Taking a deep breath, he focused on the incoming attacks and moved. "Ruben, reinforce my body."
The enhancement took effect as he began dodging, allowing him to move faster and react to the incoming attacks. Even so, the expenditure proved alarming enough that he needed to check the remaining charge before committing himself to another exchange.
The last thing he wanted was to get hit by another Stinger Blade spell without a barrier jacket.
"What's the charge now?"
[5%]
Damn it, almost empty, and he doubted it would block another hit. Unless he actively powered his device to keep the barrier jacket on, but that would demand too much of his attention.
In any case, even with the enhancement active for only a brief period, the consumption rate had been absurd. At this rate, he would exhaust his reserves before he could find a way to reach the mage above him. Worse, Chrono showed no intention of letting up. Another wave of sword-like constructs formed around him, and with another motion of his hand, the projectiles plunged toward the ground.
"Ah!"
Shirou dodged again, twisting away from the first few and rushing out of the path of the others. He could finally appreciate just how frustrating it must have been to deal with someone who kept forcing an opponent to respond to attack after attack without giving them a moment to breathe. The realization did not make his current predicament any easier, particularly when the next sword came at him from an angle he could not avoid with his remaining momentum.
He managed to evade the projectile's path at the last instant, but the movement left his footing in a terrible position. A roll got him across the ground, and when he tried to change direction, his legs failed to respond quickly enough. The next sword struck him squarely in the chest.
BAM!
"Gah!"
The impact sent him crashing into the ground beside the earlier crater, tearing up the earth as several dozen more projectiles slammed down around him. Dust and broken earth erupted into the air, obscuring the surrounding area while his barrier jacket flickered with a red warning light. For a brief moment, the device struggled to maintain its protective function, its light blinking faster as the last of its reserves drained away.
[Emergency. Battery depleted! Returning to standby mode!]
The barrier jacket vanished from his body, transforming back into its necklace form around his neck. With the protection gone and his energy reserves exhausted, Shirou could do little more than lie where he had fallen and stare up at the sky. Several minutes passed before the dust settled enough for him to make out the figure descending from above. Chrono landed beside him, crouched down on one knee, and poked him to see whether he would respond.
"Are you alive?"
"Miraculously, yeah." He glanced towards Chrono, who lowered his gaze to the device before shaking his head. "It's not ideal. Less than I'd hoped for. A handful of hits, and it's already nearly depleted?"
"It's been like that for a while. Besides, I don't plan on getting hit in the first place, so I don't see why you're so worried about it."
"No one plans on getting hit, unless you're Vita, perhaps. Even then, you shouldn't take unnecessary risks. You need to be careful." Reaching down, Chrono offered him a hand, which Shirou accepted before pulling himself back to his feet. The redhead nodded in acknowledgment, unable to argue with the point. No matter how confident he felt in a fight, there was no guarantee that he could avoid every attack, and relying on that assumption would only get him into trouble.
Clap!
Clap!
Clap!
A round of applause interrupted their conversation as Shamal approached, looking pleased with the results. "That fight was a little excessive, but I've gathered enough data to continue my work. Thank you for your effort, Shirou, and for being willing to let yourself get punched around so much. I know it wasn't exactly pleasant."
"It's no problem." He brushed off the thanks, though the soreness throughout his body made it difficult to pretend the experience had been entirely comfortable.
Later, he leaned back against a chair, his body finally getting a chance to rest after the exhausting test. Chrono approached with two cups of tea, setting one down in front of him before taking the other for himself.
Appreciating the gesture, Shirou picked up his cup and took a sip. The warmth helped him relax, and he could already feel some of his exhaustion easing, even if the improvement remained slight. Taking the seat beside him, the admiral glanced over with a faint smile. "Quite an exhausting day, wasn't it?"
"For me, definitely. Though, judging by how enthusiastically you kept shooting me down with all those spell-like attacks, I'd say you were having a pretty good time."
Chrono laughed into his tea. "You mean treating you like a punching bag or a target-practice dummy?"
"Yeah, that."
"It would be a lie to claim I wasn't enjoying myself. It's been a while since I've had to go out and fight something, shoot spells at an opponent, or do anything along those lines. Things have been mostly dull and boring lately." He paused to consider those words, then shook his head as he reconsidered. "Actually, I take that back. Things were dull and boring before you arrived. Now we have to deal with a rather difficult scientist who's invaded the city at least twice and is probably busy creating thousands of other drones, for all we know."
The thought of another swarm of those machines sent a shiver of unease through Shirou. He shook his head, trying to put the possibility out of his mind, before turning towards his companion. "Don't jinx it. Just sit down and drink your tea."
"Alright, alright. I'm sorry." Chrono raised his free hand in surrender. "But honestly, whenever Hayate creates an organization, we somehow end up dealing with all sorts of interesting situations. Sometimes they're world-ending threats, and other times they're simply troublesome, like our current predicament."
That last remark caught his attention. He turned to look at him, now particularly curious about Hayate's past accomplishments.
Aside from a few mentions from Nanoha, Fate and Subaru — he practically knew nothing about her. "World-ending? You mean something like the recent ghoul situation?"
To that, the dark blue-haired man shook his head. "Do you know how long those three have been doing this?"
For a long time, that much he knew. With what Nanoha had told him previously, he pieced together the information he had gathered about her past. "Let's see… She's been doing this since she was nine?"
"Exactly. That's quite a young age to start, though not many of us began around that time. But from then until now, Riot Force Six has only been one of the groups Hayate has established. One of the earliest, if I remember correctly, was mostly used to deal with issues on Earth. Though it was still under the oversight of the Time Space Administrative Bureau."
"Oh?" He figured that would be the case, but still, it was hard to imagine them being so young and already having so many responsibilities. "We're you part of that?"
Chrono considered the question before answering. "Somewhat, I suppose. Since their main objective was to deal with detective work and destroy extraterrestrial threats, I would hop in from time to time."
"Woah." The more he heard, the more familiar the story sounded. He had encountered enough situations involving organizations formed to protect humanity to recognize the general idea, even if the details differed.
At least Hayate was the one in charge here, rather than some amalgamation of humanity's desire to survive, an existence that would bind someone to an endless duty they could never escape.
After taking another sip, he turned his attention inward and called out to Ruben, curious about his current condition. The device promptly supplied the requested information.
[Battery charge at fifty percent. Magic energy level at approximately eighty percent.]
"Thanks, Ruben."
Although he didn't actually need constant readings of his own magical reserves, Shirou had begun to enjoy knowing the exact numbers. There was something reassuring about having that information readily available, and he found himself wanting to check it more often than necessary. Still, he suspected the novelty would eventually wear off, allowing him to use the feature only when he genuinely needed it.
Chrono watched him with renewed curiosity. "I've been wondering about something since we first started working together. Why does your device have a feature like that?"
"Oh, that's because I don't have a Linker Core like the other mages, and my magic circuits aren't exactly compatible with this world's technology. As a result, I can't maintain my Barrier Jacket passively the way most mages do. Shamal had to come up with a few workarounds to get it working properly." he tapped his device lightly as he explained. "One of those solutions was to install an internal battery that stores my own magical energy. It can also serve as an emergency reserve if I run out of energy myself, so I'm not completely helpless if my personal reserves become depleted."
"That sounds pretty useful."
"It would be, if it didn't drain so quickly. It only took three strikes from you to nearly deplete the battery."
"Those weren't ordinary strikes. I used powerful attacks designed to destroy an entire building. If they'd hit you without your Barrier Jacket protecting you, would you have survived?"
This immediately made Shirou reconsider his complaint. He had been so focused on how quickly the battery had drained that he had barely considered the force behind the attacks themselves. After a moment, he nodded, accepting the point. "You're right. There's no way I would have survived those hits without it. All things considered, the system worked pretty well."
With that realization settled, Shirou turned towards Chrono again and offered him a more sincere smile. "Still, thanks for helping me out today. You didn't have to spend so much of your personal time on this, and I'm sorry if I ended up taking too much of it."
"It's fine." he shook his head, dismissing any concerns Shirou might have had about asking for his help. "I'm more than willing to do it. Besides, I'd like to clear up some of the rumors going around about there being some bad blood between us."
That caught him off guard. "What do you mean by that?"
Chrono stared back at him, looking almost as surprised by the question as Shirou had been by his earlier remark. "You didn't know?"
For a moment, he struggled to find a suitable response. Eventually, he decided it would be better to let the other man explain rather than risk saying something wrong by accident. "It would probably be best if you told me what you mean. I'd rather not put my foot in my mouth by guessing."
The dark blue haired mage chuckled. His attention drifted towards the tea cup in front of him, and he regarded it with an odd expression. "You've been in a relationship with Nanoha, right?"
Shirou raised an eyebrow at the unexpected question, but nodded. "Yeah. We are."
"Haha, there used to be some people who believed I was pursuing her before, even though I'm already in a relationship myself. I was worried that such rumours in bad faith or just from those who don't know better didn't reach your ears or caused any unnecessary misunderstanding." He gave a faint shake of his head. "People can make quite a story out of practically nothing. I myself have heard people gossiping that you were with Fate Testarossa instead of Nanoha, hahaha."
"..."
There was a saying that at times, it was better to keep one's mouth shut and just let the matter move on. But not saying anything also felt wrong as it felt like he was denying or treating what happened as taboo. 'Hah… getting awkward now is better than Fate learning about this and misunderstanding the situation.'
She did say that she would not push the matter and liked what they had already back then. Not necessarily putting a label on it. But… still…
Taking a deep breath, he let out a small cough to catch Cheono's attention. "Actually… um, I am also with Fate."
"..."
"..."
At this point, one could even hear the faint sound of the air-conditioner on the ceiling.
"...What?" Now it was Chrono's turn to look at him in disbelief. "So, you're not with Nanoha?"
"I am."
"But you just said…"
"I am with Fate as well. Ah, b-both know! I am not cheating! It's mutual!"
"..."
Both sat there in silence, at this moment he could feel his face had turned the same colour as his hair. The stare he got could easily be deciphered as someone waiting for him to say syke, it was a joke. But the longer he kept his mouth shut, the more it became clear he was not joking at all.
"You're not joking… Fate and Nanoha… wow, I'm… I'm honestly at a loss of words. How?'
"I don't know myself and I ask myself that question every day."
"Hahahah," Chrono burst out laughing. "I felt like I had seen everything, but clearly not. Amy will not believe this, hahaha! You are quite the character, Shirou. I am tempted to ask you to teach me your ways."
At that, he just smiled helplessly. "Now you're just messing with me." Relief washed over him, the conversation went better than he imagined at least.
"Either way, you have quite a challenge ahead of you, no matter how you look at it. Nanoha is a very capable woman, and the same goes for Fate, both are amazing in their own right and I'm sure you must be feeling a lot of pressure. Though personal advice, just be yourself and don't worry about such things. Do what you've been doing so far, since that clearly seems to be working with how both of them ended up with you."
"I will."
The room felt less awkward now.
Reaching over, he gave Shirou a friendly pat on the shoulder, putting the matter to rest. "Just keep them happy, all right? Otherwise, the next time we train together, I might have to use a stronger attack."
While he appreciated the gesture, it still made him laugh nervously, rubbing the back of his head as he tried to imagine what that stronger attack might look like.
"I'll do my best—hm?"
As soon as their conversation ended, a faint tremor rattled the table beneath their hands, interrupting their conversation and drawing both men's attention towards the training grounds outside.
Getting up and moving to the side of the dining area, he looked out across the field they had been fighting on only a few minutes earlier. Finding a familiar brunette standing in the middle of the training grounds, facing four members of Riot Force Six: Subaru, Teana, Caro, and Erio. Despite the numbers stacked against her, she looked perfectly at ease, moving her device with casual precision as dozens of red orbs circled her body. Each one served a purpose, whether intercepting an incoming spell or darting towards one of her opponents to launch an attack. The four trainees were doing their best to keep up, but Nanoha's control over the battlefield made the difference in numbers seem almost irrelevant.
The orbs moved independently, responding to their master's gestures as though each possessed a mind of its own. Several gathered together to form a protective shield, catching incoming spells before scattering again at a wave of her wand. Others floated around her like fireflies, shifting positions whenever she moved and ready to attack or defend at a moment's notice. Watching her handle all four opponents with such apparent ease, Shirou glanced back at Chrono. The officer had been observing the same spectacle, and the two exchanged a look before breaking into laughter.
"She wants me to spar with her sometime. Nanoha told me about it herself." He shook his head, still watching the fight outside. "Honestly, though, I don't think I'd be much of a challenge for her."
"It won't matter. Think of it as a bonding exercise." Chrono seemed to find the idea amusing, judging by the grin on his face. "You might not know this, but Nanoha has a bit of a reputation around here. She has a particular talent for making friends through battle."
"Yeah, I know." He couldn't exactly argue, not after watching her handle four opponents at once.
"Speaking of assignments," Chrono said, "have you heard about your deployment to the Saint Church?"
"The others mentioned it. Something about a new mission at the Saint's Church." A place he heard plenty of times from others but never got a chance to visit. It would have been a lie to say he wasn't partially interested.
"It's a bit more complicated than that."
He turned from the training grounds to face him fully. "How so?"
"The deployment is tied to the planet where you ran into those creatures."
His hand went to the necklace against his chest, fingers closing around it. "Does this have something to do with another relic-like object found? Something similar to this necklace, maybe another power source?"
"The report says it's related to Jail."
Jail? That drew his interest. "Related how?"
"That's the problem. From what we've gathered, almost everyone has some kind of connection to Jail. Most of us have dealt with him one way or another, and so have the people working for him. That's half the reason he's so hard to track down."
"So anyone could be a suspect."
"Even with no evidence of betrayal. It's a mess, and it makes investigating him that much harder."
"I understand why you're skeptical, considering everything that's happened, but I can assure you that this has nothing to do with that. Hopefully."
Shirou gave him an unconvinced look. "You don't sound particularly certain about that."
"I know." The mage sighed, "I acknowledge the weakness in my reassurance and I won't deny it. But I'm being genuine. I came here to tell you this because you need to be careful. There are plenty of eyes on you right now, and not all of them are friendly."
"I know. I'll keep a close eye on things."
{Break}
(The next day)
Later, he and the others gathered for a briefing with Hayate regarding their upcoming journey to the Saint Church.
The circumstances surrounding the incident were troubling enough, but the complete lack of clues on how the scientist could have got in made the situation even worse. The doctor had once again managed to leave behind practically nothing that could reveal how he had carried out the attack. Finding him had always been difficult, and now he had disappeared into hiding once more. Unless Jail chose to reveal himself, locating him would remain a challenge, as Quattro had already pointed out.
Speaking of Quattro, Shirou directed a glare towards the girl sitting off to the side of the room. Her hands remained cuffed, and the straightjacket kept her arms restrained, yet she appeared perfectly content to sit there without paying him the slightest bit of attention. Her relaxed demeanor only made the sight more irritating. Eventually, he tore his gaze away and looked towards the blonde who sat in front.
"Is this going to become a regular thing from now on?"
Fate gave him a complicated look before acknowledging the possibility with a nod. "I suppose so. Jail has already proven that he can bypass our security systems. We can't exactly assume that he won't find a way around our guards as well, especially if we give him the opportunity."
"This doesn't sound like a good idea, giving her so much freedom. Won't that increase the chance of her escaping?" Shirou gestured towards Quattro, who remained seated without offering any indication that she cared about being the subject of the conversation.
"The arrangement is only temporary."
"What about Zest, then? He's under watch too, isn't he?"
She nodded, "Chrono and the Wolkenritter have been assigned to keep an eye on him. They'll make sure he stays under observation and won't let him out of their sight."
So that was why Chrono came over, though when it came to Zest, Shirou was not that worried. That person was forced in a situation he had no control over, someone who merely wished to protect Lutecia while also striving for revenge. Unlike Quattro who he just could not decipher, Zest's intentions were as clear as day.
Quattro seemed destined to remain attached to their group… he wouldn't have minded if it were the other way around. At least Lutecia would have been happier to talk with a familiar face. He looked back towards Fate, "there must have been a better option. Isn't there somewhere else we can send her instead of having her tag along with us everywhere? What's the point of keeping her here if she's never going to be a proper member of Riot Force Six?"
"Actually, that's exactly what we're going to do." Hayate said, arriving alongside Nanoha with another cup of coffee, handing one to Fate. "As you may know, due to the recent and recurring attacks in Midchilda and the surrounding areas also not being fully secured. We figured to suggest a different approach just in case. Jail worked most of his life there and knows the ins and outs like the back of his hand. Unless the entire security system gets an overhaul, he'll keep bypassing it. This is the second reason for our visit to the Saint's Church, to discuss the possibility of transferring prisoners somewhere Jail wouldn't have as much of an easy time to bypass."
That… was actually a good idea.
"If things go well, our first transferred prisoner would be Quattro, since she holds greater importance to the doctor. If everything goes well, Zest will follow her afterward."
"Hold on!" Quattro looked between them with a baffled expression. "Are you serious?! Aren't you going back on your word? I've been cooperative this entire time and helped you. Why am I suddenly being punished instead of rewarded? This goes against everything I've been told so far! Are you doing this behind their backs?"
"We aren't asking them to drop you inside a cold cell forever. Need I remind you that you weren't given full freedom? You are still required to head back to your cell when no longer required to aid during missions." Fate merely offered her a pleasant smile. "Now, your cell will just be someone else."
"You don't trust me, do you?" Quattro asked after a moment of silence.
"Not at all."
"And even though I've helped you all this way?"
Taking a sip of her tea, Fate visibly considered the question without appearing particularly troubled by it. "You have helped us, for that we are grateful, but we don't necessarily know why you've done so."
"Because I don't want to spend the rest of my life stuck in a cell. Is that not a good enough reason?"
"That is true, but a person with your intelligence wouldn't accept defeat so easily."
The Number's eyes narrowed further as she studied the other woman. "Is this seriously happening, or is this some sort of test?"
Fate only shrugged. "Well, you'll see."
"You really don't like me, do you?"
"It's not like I hate you, but something about you just doesn't feel right. I trust my intuition. Nothing personal."
"Sure sounds personal to me."
Quattro scoffed at the answer, though neither woman made any effort to back down. They continued looking at each other, the exchange growing increasingly uncomfortable for anyone unfortunate enough to be caught between them.
As for Nanoha, she mostly remained unbothered by the entire thing.
As for himself, he had no intention of getting in between these two. The atmosphere felt so thick that he could practically cut it with a knife, and the awkwardness finally became too much to endure. Clearing his throat, he rose from his seat and made for the exit. "I'll be checking up on Lutecia. You three have fun."
The room seemed to grow bone-chillingly cold as he walked away, leaving the three women to sort out their differences without him. Unfortunately, Erio and Caro had witnessed the entire exchange from their own seats.
"Good luck, Shirou."
He could only sigh helplessly at the encouragement before turning his attention back to them. "Thanks, Erio. By the way, do you know where Lutecia is? I haven't seen her for a while?"
"She went to the viewing deck."
With that information, he made his way there, finding the girl standing outside and gazing at the scenery passing by. Her expression looked distant, her attention having wandered somewhere else entirely to the point she had not even sensed his presence. Approaching without disturbing her at first, he eventually tapped her shoulder.
"Ah! O-Oh, when did you get here?"
A cute reaction, especially the way she tried to play it off.
"I just got here. Is something on your mind?"
"Um…" She hesitated, briefly lowering her gaze before shaking her head. "It's nothing."
"Even if you say it's nothing, it definitely has to be something."
"I've always been quiet."
"Not this quiet."
"Then you don't know how quiet I can be."
A small smile tugged at his lips as he considered her answer. "I can make a guess, and I've got a pretty good idea."
The girl promptly fell silent, her lips forming a pout as she turned her face away from him. Seeing that she intended to keep her thoughts to herself, he tilted his head and watched her for a moment before giving her cheek a gentle poke. "So, you're going to play this game? Are you really giving me the silent treatment?"
"Hmph!"
A huff served as her only response, prompting another poke to her cheek. "Hey, hey, are you ignoring me?"
"..."
No answer.
Not even a glance in his direction.
Undeterred, he continued trying to get her attention, gently patting her head before moving around to the other side of the railing. Each time he tried to catch her eye, she turned her head in the opposite direction, determined not to give him the satisfaction of a response. The little game continued for a while, with him alternating between poking her cheek, stroking her head, and shifting positions in an attempt to get her to look at him. Yet she stubbornly maintained her pout, refusing to acknowledge any of it.
Eventually, he let out a sigh and walked away, leaving her standing by herself.
"Ah…"
Glancing over her shoulder, she watched him leave and even lifted a hand as though she intended to call him back, only to stop herself at the last moment. Her arm slowly lowered, and she turned away again, though her earlier defiance had given way to growing concern. What if he had actually gotten upset with her? After worrying over the possibility for a few moments, she muttered under her breath, "I hope he's not angry."
The girl turned her attention back to the outside view. In the very next minute, something extremely cold pressed against the back of her neck.
"Kya!"
A loud yelp escaped her as she jumped in place and spun around, only to find Shirou standing behind her with two cans of soda in hand. Having approached while she was distracted and never noticed him returning. The sight of his amused expression, combined with the realization that he had deliberately startled her, left her momentarily speechless.
"Oh my, I didn't know our little Lutecia could make sounds like that."
Her face turned completely red, embarrassment quickly mixing with anger as she clenched her fists. "Why d-did you do that?"
"Because it was a fun idea."
Without giving him another moment to tease her, she pounced on him and began hammering his chest with her small fists.
Thump, thump, thump!
The blows did little more than make his clothes shift, but that hardly stopped her from continuing her assault.
"Hahahaha," Meanwhile, he stood there laughing loudly, thoroughly entertained by her reaction. The one-sided punishment continued for several minutes, until the girl finally ran out of steam. Her arms slowed, her breathing grew ragged, and beads of sweat appeared on her face as she struggled to catch her breath.
That didn't take long.
"You're already tired from that? Perhaps we need to work on your stamina."
"You're the one who made me this worked up!"
"Good thing I got us some refreshments to cool you down."
He waved one of the cans in front of her, making sure she had a clear view of the drink. The moment she reached for it, however, he pulled his hand away, leaving her grasping at empty air. Her eyes twitched as she glared at him, but he had already taken a sip from his own soda, finding the outside view rather captivating.
"..."
Determined not to let him get away with it, she tried again.
"Ah!"
This time, he simply raised his arm, keeping the can well beyond her reach. Her fingers closed around nothing once more, and her expression darkened as she gritted her teeth. Rather than continue wasting her energy trying to snatch it from him, she activated her device.
"Hmph, let's see you laughing now." A summoning circle appeared behind Shirou, and a swarm of insects emerged from it, quickly gathering around the can in his hand. Before he could react, the little creatures seized the drink and whisked it away.
"Huh?"
He immediately reached for the can, but Lutecia caught it first and jumped out of his reach. Holding her prize triumphantly, she laughed at his surprise. "Aha!"
Not letting her win so easily, he tried to approach, she rose into the air and hovered above him, clutching the soda to her chest. Then, with the can safely in hand, pulling down her lower eyelids and sticking out her tongue in a childish gesture of mockery.
"Bleh!"
Still wearing a smug grin, she brought the can to her mouth and prepared to open it. Before she could take a single sip, however, the container suddenly broke apart and dissolved into motes of light, vanishing from her grasp. Her triumphant expression disappeared at once, leaving her suspended in the air with a stunned look as she stared at her empty hand.
"Eh? How… Shirou!"
Slowly lowering her gaze, she spotted him reaching inside his jacket. He withdrew another can of soda and held it up for her to see, wearing a mischievous grin.
"Got you."
For a moment, she could only stare at him, caught between disbelief and frustration. "Alright alright, I was just messing with you. Here." He casually tossed the can in her direction, forcing her to scramble to catch it before it hit the floor. Once she had secured the drink, she descended from the air and landed beside him, her face still red from the entire ordeal. This time, she opened the can without any further attempts to steal it from her, taking a quiet sip while refusing to meet his eyes.
"Meanie."
Perhaps so, but at least her mood had improved compared to earlier. A small smile crossed his face as he looked at her. "Feeling better now?"
Lutecia blinked, but soon understood what he was trying to do. Rather than explain herself or dwell on what had happened, she simply nodded. Both of them returned to their drinks, taking their time as they watched the world pass by outside. For a while, neither felt the need to speak, until the girl finally broke the silence between them.
"It's my mother's birthday today."
"..."
The words left him unsure of what to say.
Lowering his gaze to his drink, struggling to find a response that wouldn't sound empty or make things worse. The pressure on his shoulders had grown heavier with each passing day, leaving him increasingly suffocated by the feeling that he wasn't doing enough. Lutecia never begged him for help, nor did she constantly remind him of what she had lost or what she wanted him to accomplish, yet that only made his own sense of failure harder to ignore. The latest assault on Jail's other hideouts had been mostly unsuccessful, at least in his eyes, and for all the effort they had put into it, there wasn't much left to do except wait for another opportunity.
As he sat there, lost in his thoughts, the girl leaned against his arm and rested her head against it. Without saying anything, he shifted closer and gently pulled her towards him, allowing her to settle with her head on his lap. Before long, her eyes closed, and she drifted off to sleep while he remained beside her, letting her rest without disturbing her.
Beyond them, the Saint's Cathedral gradually appeared in view, its enormous structure rising near the mountainside. The ancient architecture stood out against Mid-Childa's futuristic surroundings, giving the building a beauty of its own. Lutecia eventually stirred enough to look at it, her gaze lingering on the distant structure.
"It's beautiful."
Despite the words, little changed in her expression. Shirou could tell she appreciated the sight, but the usual sense of wonder one might expect from such a view simply wasn't there and as he looked at the cathedral again, even the magnificent structure seemed less impressive than it had moments earlier.
{Break}
After getting out of the vehicle, the group made their way into the Saint Church. The redhead glanced towards Fate, who held Vivio in her arms.
"Remind me why she's here again?"
"The Saint Church is a self-governing entity allied with the TSAB," Fate explained. "Founded to preserve the traditions and teachings of the ancient Belkan civilization. It oversees the administrative sector, and its armed forces are the Knights of the Saint Church. The woman we've come to meet, Carim Gracia, holds one of the leading positions there. Since Vivio here had been targeted by Jail for operating the Saint's Cradle, we can make some assumptions about her bloodline. This is the best place to seek help and verify a few things."
"The Saint's Cradle has already been destroyed, so is all this really necessary?"
"It's not really about the Cradle anymore. We mainly want to make sure Vivio is all right and keep her safe too. We don't know whether that doctor left anything else behind, and we'd rather not take any chances."
He nodded, before turning his attention towards the entrance ahead. A blonde woman dressed in a nun's robe approached them, her hair bearing a resemblance to Fate's, and the familiar sight seemed to draw the others' attention as well.
Hayate immediately went over to greet her, wrapping her arms around the woman in a warm hug. "How are you doing, Carim? It's been so long!"
Carim returned the smile, amused by the enthusiastic greeting. "Not that long. You've only been gone for a few months."
"Still, I'm sorry I couldn't keep in touch with you."
"There's no need to apologize. I know how busy things have been in Mid-Childa, and I'm sure it's been difficult for you and the others."
With that reassurance, the two caught up briefly before Fate and Nanoha approached to greet their old acquaintance as well. Their reunion had a cheerful atmosphere, with the women exchanging friendly words while Shirou remained a little farther back alongside Subaru, Teana, Erio, and Caro. His attention wandered towards the spacecraft, where Quattro remained bound and unable to move, waiting under guard.
Next to him, Subaru had fixed the captive with such a hostile glare that it looked as though she wanted to tear the woman apart without ever laying a finger on her.
"If you keep staring at her like that, you might end up killing her with your eyes."
"I was just thinking about something. Nothing to worry about."
"Right." He said dryly.
Whatever had happened between the two of them, he didn't know the details, nor did he know exactly what Quattro had said to provoke such a reaction. Still, he suspected the captive had deliberately tried to get under Subaru's skin, and he wanted to make sure the attempt didn't have the desired effect.
"I don't know what she told you, but don't fall for it. Whatever she's trying to make you believe is most likely a lie, and she's probably just looking for a way to get a reaction out of you."
"If that's her goal, she really succeeded."
"Even if she did, don't let her know that. Otherwise, she'll just keep doing it."
Subaru folded her arms, her expression still sour as she glanced back towards the spacecraft. "Then that'll give me a reason to hit her at least."
"Well, you're not wrong."
Just as he was about to inquire more about the conversation she had with Quattro, Carim approached the group.
The woman bowed politely.
"How do you do? Welcome to the Saint Church. It's a pleasure to receive all of you, members of Riot Force Six."
"Thank you for having us." He greeted back with a bow.
Teana, Subaru, and the others followed his lead, offering their own greetings before Carim extended a hand towards the interior of the building.
"Please, follow me. I'll show you inside."
As they proceeded through the Saint Church, Shirou found himself taking in the scale and appearance of the place. The architecture looked as though it belonged to another era, with an old-fashioned design that brought to mind the Middle Ages rather than the futuristic cityscape he had grown accustomed to in Mid-Childa. Yet the impression didn't last without contradiction. The building clearly possessed modern technology and advanced facilities, even if its design blended into the traditional surroundings. Another detail caught his attention as they continued along the corridors: there were no flying vehicles passing overhead, and the entire area seemed considerably quieter than the places he usually visited. He stayed with the main group while the others continued chatting, occasionally glancing around at the unfamiliar architecture.
Eventually, they entered a large cathedral, prompting Hayate to look around with a nostalgic smile. "Wow, this brings back memories."
Shirou turned toward her, a hint of confusion on his face.
"I technically belong to the church," she said, noticing his look. "I've visited this place several times before. They really helped me quite a bit, even establishing our current group thanks to Carim here backing me up. Given she has a seat amongst the higher ups."
The tour continued until they reached Carim's office, where she invited everyone to take a seat and arranged coffee for them. Once they had settled in, their hostess set the pleasantries aside.
"Now then," Carim said, folding her hands on the desk. "Shall we get to the reason for your visit?"
"All right, I won't waste too much of your time. Let's get straight to the matter at hand. This concerns the ghouls you encountered on planet K7498-n7 in sector 7."
Her attention shifted towards Shirou as she continued, bringing up a particular detail she had learned about him.
"I've been informed that you possess a necklace containing a considerable amount of mana. Is that correct?"
He reached for the necklace and took it off, holding it out for her to see. "Yes, this is the one."
"May I take a look?"
With a nod, he handed it over. Carim examined the necklace closely, inspecting the object and the energy still contained within it. Even after it had been used, a considerable amount remained.
"It does indeed contain a good deal of energy. Whoever created this must have been quite talented."
"She was," Shirou agreed, nodding as he accepted the necklace back.
Now understanding that the discussion concerned the ghouls they had encountered on the planet he looked at the object in his hand before raising another question. "So, did this necklace do something else? Did it cause more of those creatures to appear?"
"No, not exactly. Rather, our investigation has led us to conclude that while the necklace played a part in accelerating certain aspects of those unfortunate infected victim's development, it also contributed to the creation of some of their mutations."
Fate took over the explanation, turning the discussion towards the creatures themselves. "As for those creatures, their origin can be traced back to a researcher who is no longer here. His goal was to perfect an artificial life form."
Subaru clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Great, another Jail Scaglietti, as if one wasn't enough already. Good thing we won't need to worry about him anymore"
A sentiment he wholeheartedly agreed with. One was bad enough; two would be a terrible nightmare.
"Rest assured. This man will never come back."
"Creating artificial life forms is a goal shared by hundreds, if not thousands, of people throughout this section of the galaxy alone. We shouldn't be surprised to encounter cases like this. What's truly rare isn't finding someone with the same goal as Jail or even the same ambition. It's finding someone with the skills to match his and the knowledge to perfect the creation of artificial life forms."
Carim nodded in agreement before elaborating on what their investigation had uncovered. "Especially after looking into his research, we've found indications that he may have worked with Jail recently. There's also a possibility that he spread something similar to other worlds."
Of course he did. Shirou resisted the urge to sigh, having expected as much the moment Jail's name entered the conversation. Somehow, the man's influence always managed to extend further than anyone would have liked. Carim moved on to their immediate objective, explaining that their priority now lay in locating the other source of the virus before it spread beyond their ability to contain it. They had confirmed one planet where it might be found, one of the few places the researcher had visited to conduct his experiments. Unfortunately, despite their efforts, they hadn't managed to locate the source itself, and there was no guarantee that the virus hadn't already spread beyond the laboratory.
"Since all of you are already dealing with matters connected to Jail, I thought this investigation might be useful to you as well. There's a chance that searching the planet could lead us to the researcher, but our reports also suggest that we might stumble upon one of Jail's hideouts. Either way, investigating the area could give us something to work with."
Fate considered the proposal, her expression turning thoughtful as she weighed the possibility. "I find it unlikely that we'd discover jail in another world. He's almost certainly hiding somewhere around here."
"We could give it a look." Shirou's suggestion drew the attention of everyone present, several pairs of eyes turning in his direction. "We don't know what's going on inside that guy's head. Maybe he wants us to think he's here when he might not even be anywhere near this place. He's fooled us before, and there's nothing to say he isn't trying to do it again."
Nanoha nodded after considering his reasoning. "He has a point. We might as well check. Even if we don't find Jail himself, we could uncover something useful."
"Great! In that case, we've already sent a group to investigate the planet, and they're people you should be familiar with. Some of our old acquaintances are there, so they'll be able to help you once you arrive." Carim looked pleased that the discussion had reached a decision, while Hayate was already thinking about how to get everyone moving.
"Then there's no reason to waste any more time. We might as well head there now."
The others agreed and began making their preparations for the mission. Shirou, however, remained behind with Lutecia, who had been watching him with a confused expression. Once the others had moved away, she finally voiced the question that had been bothering her.
"Why?"
"You told me before that Jail is keeping your mother somewhere."
"But she... she could be anywhere else. She could even be with him."
"Perhaps, but he could also be keeping her hidden somewhere else in case his base gets discovered. If that happens, he could use her as leverage."
Lutecia lowered her gaze, unable to dismiss the possibility. He wasn't entirely certain Jail would resort to such a measure, but Quattro's information suggested that the researcher had been moving from one base to another rather than remaining in a single location for long. After having one of his hideouts discovered before, Jail would hardly risk bringing Lutecia's mother to another base where she might be found again. Keeping her somewhere separate would give him another option if things went wrong.
"Do you think she's with him?" Her pale fingers curled slightly.
"Even if there's only a small chance, it won't hurt to check. We don't have any reliable leads on where Jail himself might be, and I doubt this investigation will be much help in tracking him down directly. Still, we have to try. If your mother is being kept somewhere else, this might be our best opportunity to find her."
After listening to him, Lutecia nodded and reached for his hand, holding it firmly as she looked up at him. "I'll trust you."
A small smile crossed his face, and together they left to join the others. Shirou headed towards the spacecraft, expecting to board it with everyone else, but Teana stepped in front of him before he could get any further. She caught his hand, leaving him to look at her in confusion as she questioned his destination.
"Where are you going?"
"To the base ship, obviously. We're leaving soon, aren't we?"
That answer earned a small laugh from her. "No, silly! We won't be using that. It's far too slow. The planet we're visiting already has a relay point, so we can get there almost immediately."
With that explained, she motioned for him to follow and led him away from the spacecraft. Still unsure of what she had in mind, Shirou followed her through the facility until they reached a large, white room. The others had already gathered there, with Carim waiting among them to give the final instructions before their departure.
"All right, everyone. We'll teleport near the relay point, and the location of the laboratory will be marked on your maps. Be careful once you arrive, though. That planet is home to plenty of creatures that the researcher documented as subjects of his experiments. We don't know what you might encounter out there, so stay alert and don't take unnecessary risks."
Her warning gave them a clear idea of what awaited them on the other side. With the laboratory marked on their maps and the destination settled, all that remained was to make the journey and see what the researcher's experiments had left behind.
A rectangular purple portal opened in the middle of the room, its glowing surface drawing Shirou's attention immediately. Staring at the strange sight, he pointed towards it in disbelief. "Wait, we're going to teleport there?"
"It's faster," Subaru replied with a shrug. "We can get there and come back without wasting half the day travelling."
Shirou turned his attention back to the portal, still trying to wrap his head around the casual way everyone treated it. The level of magic and technology in this world continued to surprise him. Rin was still struggling to open a portal that could take her from point A to B… though he figured she must have gotten quite adept by now.
Noticing his reaction, Nanoha looked over at him. "Oh, is this your first time using a portal? Don't worry, it's not dangerous. Just keep calm, and before you know it, it'll be like a flash of light, and you'll be at your destination."
Shirou nodded, although he still looked somewhat unconvinced. "I'll trust you on that. It's just that I've had some bad experiences with portals in general."
That answer earned him a few curious looks, but there wasn't much time to discuss his past experiences. Everyone began preparing to leave, and Lutecia joined him near the portal.
Bzt!
"Hm?"
For a brief moment, the portal flickered, and he heard the sound of someone gasping in shock behind him.
"Wait, don't go y—"
Too late, his body had already crossed over, and he felt something pushing against his hair and clothes. For an instant, he couldn't make sense of the sensation, but as the air rushed past his face, he realized it was the wind. Opening his eyes, he discovered that he was falling through the sky, with clouds stretching beneath him and no solid ground anywhere nearby. His stomach lurched as the realization sank in, and the sight below left him even more bewildered.
"Aaaaah!"
Dozens of floating islands filled the surrounding sky, scattered across the horizon at different heights. Some hovered above the clouds, while others rose from the mist below, their rocky foundations suspended in midair as though gravity had simply decided not to apply to them. Shirou's eyes widened, and his grip on Lutecia tightened instinctively.
"Shit!"
Before he could activate Ruben to stop their fall, Lutecia wrapped both arms around him and activated her device. Their descent began to slow, the rushing air gradually losing its force as she held him securely from behind. Only then could he properly look around, taking in the world spread out before them.
It was beautiful, almost like something straight out of a fairy tale. The floating islands were covered in lush greenery, and several had waterfalls spilling over their edges, the water plunging hundreds of meters into the clouds below. Birds soared between the islands, their wings catching the sunlight as rainbows stretched through the drifting mist. Everywhere he looked, another impossible sight appeared, making it difficult to decide where to focus first.
"Woah…"
He hung there with his mouth open, struggling to understand how such a place could even exist. He had seen plenty of strange things throughout his life, but a world like this was beyond anything he had expected to encounter. For a brief moment, he was so captivated by the scenery that he nearly forgot they were suspended high above the ground.
"▃▄▄▄▄▅▅▅▅▄▄▄▄▅…"
A roar echoed in the distance.
Both of them froze as the sound reverberated between the floating islands. Shirou immediately turned towards its source, searching the distant sky until he spotted a gigantic shadow flapping its enormous wings as it headed straight for them. Its silhouette grew larger with every passing second, leaving little doubt that it had noticed their presence.
"Lutecia…"
"Yes."
"Do dragons exist in this reality?"
"They don't in yours?"
That just answered his question. But then again, a True Dragon here wouldn't necessarily be—
"—▂▂▃▃▄▄▄▄▅▅▅▅▄▄▄▄▅▅▅▅▂▂!!!!"
"Get away from that thing now, Lutecia!"
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