Disclaimer:
Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha is the creative property of Seven Arcs, whom created this wonderful anime/manga series. Anything not attributed to Seven Arcs belongs to their respective owners, such as other series, references, and vice-versa. This story is written purely just for fun, guys; please for God's sake, don't sue me! I'm just a college student with too much free time on his hands! On the other hand, any specific author created characters I created for this fic (despite how unoriginal they may be at times) are mine. So without further ado, let's get on with the show!
The Surgeon General's Warning:
Read at your own risk.
Mahou Shounen Enforcer Chrono!
Before Lyrical
Entry 1.3:
Atlas, the Giant's Pit
A Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha AU fanfic by James "Ray" Edwards
My week of leave flew by faster than I expected. For whatever reasons, as soon as we got back to our estate in Cranagan, I found myself shuffled from one party to the next. My cousins and relatives seem to all come out of the woodworks at once because, apparently, the fact I had made it into the service (or any other profession for that matter) was a huge customary sign of one's coming of age in our family, and I would do well to expect another party when I was finally commissioned. Of course, since it was my coming of age, my grandmother with deep regret took me along to a Majora Arcana Ball.
It was a themed ballroom party with VIP only invitation and the whole nine yards sent out to the twenty-two major noble families, occurring roughly three times a year, so all the heads could get together to "socialize." Naturally, they brought along their favored "sons and daughters," including those who recently came of age, and would now be given the opportunity to "excel." Here, I became eternally grateful that I was raised to be a man first, a warrior second, a soldier third, and a noble last.
I thought being around one Walon Vau was bad, but I never would have dreamed how suffocating it would be to be in a ballroom hall full to the ceiling of his kind. I do not believe there was a single human being in that ballroom, just "angels and demons" transformed by ideology and ambition to the extreme, masquerading in almost human flesh. Not even the children were spared this fate, as I saw plenty my own age and older, fresh from training or just entering their apprenticeships in their determined profession, had already completed their metamorphosis.
How was it possible these people kept our country, this world, and our colonies on the frontier in check escaped my imagination. I asked Grandmother about the subject and remarked whimsically it was "the harmony of darkness and light." I will have to see about registering for some philosophy and political science classes it seems when I get to Atlas.
In any case, I was just trying to survive through the long boring night, when the Stars decided they were not going to let me have any peace. Being a dispassionate wallflower, unfortunately, seems to get one noticed rather easily; seems I'll need to take a class in basic espionage too. And so the Stars wrote, I was to be made the friend of Nagi Dai Artai, the despot heir of the shamed House of Artai, once of the major arcana "The Devil (XV)", and now reduced to the lowly "The Fool (0)".
"Shame on those flighty fools flirting about, fat with laughter, and drunk with success," he said to me slyly in his mellifluous voice, easily tuned to suit a man or a woman's taste. "They have no idea how insignificant they are, and what a sham this party is."
I gave a noncommittal grunt, hoping the albino boy (handsome by human and near-human standards, though he professes his coloration is an entirely natural by product from the cold hospitality of "The North") would grow disinterested in me.
Wrong, it only encouraged him to speak more thinking he had a listener now, not to mention a colleague the same age as he: "Did you know the House of Ultima, who bear the arcana of 'The World (XXI)', isn't even attending this ball? They are so far away and busy with the Galactic Senate on Coruscant to bother with small fry like us!"
And rightly so, why should they bother with petty "troubles" at home, when they have the galaxy to worry about as our representatives in galactic affairs?
"Ah, how envious. I would love to be able to put my tricks to play on a stage as grand and glorious as that, where all would know my name, and quiver in awe at the Supreme Spirit Emperor who reigns eternally so."
...now that got my attention, enough for me to actually stare into those ghastly pale orchid eyes that had been smiling at me the entire time. Through my recent training and my grandfather, I learned enough about the war against the Separatists to know of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's treachery, "Order 66," and his wholly unexpected assassination by his apprentice. Such is the way of the Sith, but it is more amazing that the very same apprentice did not assume the mantle of his master, and disappeared into the shadows of history.
In just five years time, the Force has practically become a fairy tale, supplanted by Magic, with its adepts seemingly gone forever and no masters to teach the latent.
"Fufufu, art thou not the progeny o' the returned good admiral?" he entreated me in archaic High Gothic, clearly showing off his "high breeding."
"What does the Devil want with the Judgment?" I hissed back none too kindly, but not enough to be rude. I did not want to cause a scene, after all.
"What else, but friendship, Chrono Clyde Harlaown of House Le Fay!" Nagi laughed, bemused by my unpleasant barb apparently. "By our mutual uniforms, you and I are both going to Atlas, you realize (unless you are due for the Clocktower in Britannia)? And how bold, how outrageous will it be for an uncouth boy from the lowest house to befriend he from the second highest, if not arguably the highest house in the land?"
Then, I was suddenly very aware of the stares (and more than a few glares) being shot our way, but I chose not to look. I, honestly, did not want to know who I had just unintentionally insulted by involuntarily sharing my company with the little puck.
"Ah, I see, now you notice them. They have all been waiting patiently all night, crafting their oh-so-sneaky-like little schemes to approach you and gain your confidence. Having the support of the Judgment in the Game of Houses is a rather lucrative, advantageous card, you understand?"
"And you have just gone and ruined all their careful plans by sinking your fangs into me first...how kind of you."
"Audentes fortuna iuvat! Fortune favors the bold, Friend Chrono (you do not mind do you, as our fates are already sealed?)."
"Credo quia absurdum est... I believe it because it is absurd (I mind, but I am not about to go appease that mob sweetly and innocuously just to regain my neutrality. I have done no wrong)."
Nagi laughed, enjoying our "talk" very much so, "I like you, Heroic Chrono! You're exactly everything I imagined you would be. Let us be good friends, hmm?"
Thus, I was befriended to Nagi Dai Artai, the little emperor: a devil masquerading in human skin. In the coming years, he was to be my friend, my savior, and my rival --- the most annoying, persistent, painful thorn in my side. I believe the twisted little bastard might have even been in love with me to be so infatuated that keeping me alive to suffer was much more palatable to his tastes than to just let me...
Die.
Yuktobania was and still is a very bizarre state as far as the climate is concerned. If you went inland towards the center, along a latitude that is normally a continental temperate climate elsewhere, you would come across the great Jilachi Desert, the biggest "sandbox" you will find in all of Mid-Childa. North of the desert, near the state capital of Cinigrad, the climate turned temperate with all four seasons giving a good show, and further up north, you encountered the deep freeze Arctic climate. Head south and you will find the tropics, covered in jungle, and to the west you find the beaches of the Pacifica Ocean. Otherwise, there the rest of the state sported mountainous terrain: great for hikes, mountain climbing, a breath of fresh air, and a place to disappear off to for a while.
I think it only natural they would have chosen this land to build the Battle School's terrestrial war college, "Atlas, the Giant's Pit", here. My home for the next three years was to be found on the plateaus of Dresdene, a scenic mountainous area full of villages and tourist attractions, including a famous esteemed engineering university. The installation itself was built akin to a modern college town --- civilian contractors, military personnel, their families, and students --- despite obviously being a military base with its extensive security measures. We had everything we could possibly need there, and at its center was the famed Tower of Bavel, a spiraling historic icon built by hands not human long ago, classified as a Lost Logia, and forbidden to all comers, save for authorized personnel.
On the morning of Novem the 9th, T.C. 4653, I flew into Atlas Airfield on a military airlift flight: cold, biting, windy, and gloomy thanks to the cloud cover. I was very thankful to my Grandfather then for taking me out in the few moments of spare time I had to go shopping for after market war gear, as my Recruit-issue trenchcoat would have definitely been inadequate for the cold and windy climate out here. Understandably, I was also quite tired, being dragged from party to party had not given me much time to rest, and I ultimately did not get a chance to speak with mother.
She had been quite distressed again to see me leave and it had been a huge fiasco at the spaceport when it came time to see me go. That is, she fainted forcing a bewildered Lieutenant-Commander Onodera, who was still on leave then, to come to her rescue. I resolved to do as I had promised her (she did not honestly have to beg and plead with me to death over it) that I would stay in touch over the HoloNet, not with just the family mind you but to Mister Onodera as well. At the time, I only thought it a queer request, and did not think much of it.
The moment my grandmother began to chuckle behind her fan, I should have known something was up. In any case, they all bid me the best of fortune, and Grandfather remarked he would be joining me in a few days, once he had finished settling affairs in Cranagan. I boarded around 2100 in the evening, got as comfortable as I could in the minimalist seats they provided in the cargo hold, and resolved to sleep the rest of the flight away
You could not imagine my horror at finding Nagi Dai Artai on the same flight as me. The little puck parked himself right beside him, and proceeded to engage me in a two-man comedy act that entertained the other officer candidates and personnel aboard for the flight to no end. It was also the reason, everybody was exhausted by the time we landed, as he single-handedly kept us up all night and morning long.
He was still chatting away in a most chipper manner, as we were handed out complementary MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) for breakfast. And I had to wonder: how in the world did this joker survive Recruit Training? My eyes are so bloodshot right now; I could stomach the thought of giving him a good thump to the face to shut him up.
Of course, that would be childish and make me the fool to his fiddle, and I had no intention of giving him the satisfaction of victory. So, I grit my teeth, packed my seabag onto my shoulders, and hauled my suitcase along the tarmac full speed to our waiting (heated) shuttle; Nagi hot on my heels, still Mister Sunshine and Sugar, while the other officer candidates dragged their heels miserably.
You cannot imagine my surprise, when it turned out that I was the only Officer Candidate First Class (distinguished by my silver "the three wings" award insignia occupying the space, above my ribbons and badges, where my future service breast insignia will be) amongst us. The much older boys twelve cycles old and above could not believe their eyes, while the younglings gazed at me with an admiration only matched by the hushed gossip and flighty eyes of the females. I tried my best to hide inside my greatcoat, to mask my reddening cheeks, and ignore the sinking feeling that training from now on was going to be very different from before.
We arrived at the Student Administration building several minutes later, where a lance corporal and a cadre of privates and PFCs (Private First Classes) provided us with instructions. We dropped our things off at a nearby warehouse for temporary storage, and grabbed our critical documents: that is, Service Record Book with our orders inside, and our Medical Record Book that included dental records. And so did our in-processing begin, a formality we would get used to expediently enough, as it would be repeated again when we went to our next school/duty station.
It was a long tedious two hours being juggled back and forth between senior NCOs (noncommissioned officers), NCOs, and medical personnel, creating a paper trail and getting us registered in the system. I was reminded of my days as a recruit all over again, not a pleasant feeling. I wonder if things will get any better once I am commissioned?
Eventually, we were all herded over to the small adjoining auditorium at Student Admin for arguably our most important brief of the day: "Orientation." Our speaker was an aging Gunnery Sergeant, a clone trooper by the fact he wore the scorched and battered phase-II clone trooper armor's breast plate proudly over his utilities, and his distinctive "Concord Dawn" inflection as he spoke to us.
A boisterous greeting, a word of congratulations, and a bluntly put warning to pull our heads out of our "frakholes." Recruit training was over! The bar of expectation and excellence has been raised even higher, and if we were going to be officers, we better damn well start conducting ourselves like officers. For the rest of this week, we will be undergoing "Orientation," wherefore we will be: registering for classes, getting a good talking to by the career counselors, buying books and supplies, moving into our dormitories, getting a tour of "the campus", a brief on student life, your do's an do-nots', and of course, everyone's favorite --- the sorting ceremony, which will be done tonight.
The new semester started next week, at 0700 sharp, with an attendance ceremony on the parade deck at Pantheon Hall. The Headmaster, Archmagus Elminster Aumar, would be giving a speech, so they had better stay awake, unless they wanted to be "Charmed" into the opposite sex or worse, such as a bantha, a snorkak, and a tauntaun for starters. The Archmagus is always looking for an excuse to "spice up the life", and he would be more than happy for us to volunteer by falling asleep.
Blah, blah, blah, blah...
I tuned out whatever else the good Gunnery Sergeant had to say, unfortunately, as a Nagi's devil badgering had done a number on my attention span. Our next speaker soon showed up right after him, and I had a reasonable idea then of just how the rest of this day was going to go. If there was a time to be half-asleep, now would be it.
And I did exactly just that...one eye open and the other eye closed, a rather handy trick I mastered, much to my chagrin from Master Drill Instructor Sergeant Major Walon Vau.
The rest of the week flew by in another blur of activity, but I think we accomplished and learned quite a bit already to prepare us for success. For starters, turns out my class was the biggest Atlas had received yet, adding to the impressive statistics: 26,370 students, of which we had 21,937 undergraduates and 4,071 postgraduates, supervised by 1,304 faculty and a whole slew of support and services personnel. The ages for the undergraduates ran from as young as five cycles of age to the high of twenty-two, with the average graduation between three to four cycles.
I beg your pardon for the statistic, but I found them to be rather fascinating at the timeā¦
Regulations here in one particular area, namely unit organization were much more relaxed than at Dilos Island, without the usual micromanagement into training battalions, companies, and platoons due to the paramilitary environment. Instead, students when first enrolled are sorted out according to present ability and potential into one of three "Class Ranks": Bronzo, Aurum, and Platinum (listed here in increasing precedence/authority). Courtesies and customs we learned from recruit training, the uniform code of military justice, opportunities for promotions, and etc. were all in effect.
In essence, we would learn how to live "the military life," or we would suffer until we figured it out.
I consider myself a rather humble individual, so when the word came to me that I had been chosen the youngest "Platinum - First Year", I was surprised. Before now, I had not a clue on my hidden potential other than I was able and willing, but the honor soon proved to be my dislike. You see...
Nagi Dai Artai, sorted "Aurum - First Year", had also been chosen to be my aide and roommate. Platinums had more duties and obligations to see to, namely a seat in the student council, in exchange for their luxurious accommodations, and, of course, privileges: a personal aide for starters and arguably a necessity to one's success, according to the brief I received.
You bet, he was ecstatic, and even more so, when our career paths turned out to be all but fated.
We both chose the navy, simply because in today's galaxy, the navy did practically everything. Without us, the TSAB Armed Forces would never be able to get anything done. Do not believe what the ground pounders and the airwingers say: "First to Fight and Last to Leave", hah, that is us. Even statistics show, the navy boys and girls are always the first to get shot, and when they do, regrettably, a lot of us end up going down with the ship too.
In any case, he was going to the Judiciary Department under Internal Affairs, while I was going into Special Investigation Offices under the auspices of the Executive Intelligence Department. We shared a lot of the same core curriculum classes in the areas of education (i.e. Honors General Mathematics 1204H), warfighting (i.e. The Art of War 1025), and magic (i.e. Honors General Magic Theory 1304H), meaning I was going to see his face much too often this first trimester. My only relief from him were my electives: home economics and field craft.
Nagi chirpped happily he could not wait to try out my cooking...that devil.
Life at Atlas was not so bad (other than the terrible shock at my Attendance Ceremony at seeing the dozy young red-skinned Zeltron male beside me be transfigured into a sentient "poop" with eyes and a mouth to voice his horror). School was an all year round affair, granted my class and I missed out on Thanksgiving Break and Winter Break because of our "late" enrollment in Novem. They had to modify our semester so we would be up to speed with everyone else come Martius, take our much deserved vacation, and then come back again in the second week of Aprilis.
Despite being up to my neck in work, trying to stay ahead of the curve, and learn the ropes of my duties as a Platinum, I found myself able to enjoy life. The material I was learning was most fascinating, and by the spring, I would likely be able to wield my first magic device. My instructors were quite pleased with my progress, and my nigh-insatiable desire for knowledge, leading to small practical experiments of my own in an effort to make that knowledge more so a part of me.
The downsides? Since I was so busy, I regrettably could only communicate home once a month, instead of on a weekly basis as I preferred. Grandfather informed me, regretfully, he would not be teaching until the new "school year" in Aprilis; it was also the same time that sithspawned son of a harlot Walon Vau would be showing up too, much to my dread. To add to my headaches, being the youngest Platinum was a source of adversity to no end: the jealousy, the envy, the "playful pranks", and the --- hazing were ridiculous.
It was as if my own peers were out to get me! Me of all people! I have not even done anything to them yet, and they had taken offense right out of the gate. I tried to report the incidents, but to my horror, these very same hooligans were being supported by my fellow Platinums in the Student Disciplinary Committee.
Corruption in a school! Outrageous; how absurd! I thought, briefly, about bringing the entire scandal up to the faculty, but then I made a queer connection: corruption spreads and infests. It is an infection, and given enough time, just like a disease, it becomes a chronic epidemic. My experience thus far must have become something to be expected at Atlas, at least amongst its undergraduate students, a "school drama" tradition if you will, not an entirely new phenomenon.
Unlike myself, Nagi Dai Artai thrived in this "wild west" environment: to him, it was just like "the court" back home. He made friends, contacts, and allies quickly, playing the parts of the broker, the informer, and the fool, with such guile and talent he should have won an award. In no time at all, he knew everybody there was to know, ingratiating himself that he became indispensable to his "clients" and could go and do as he pleased with little fear.
As for me...well, I was in self-imposed exile. I refused to swallow my pride and join Nagi's "crowd", despite his constant baiting and pleas that I should make the best of my "unfortunate" situation. After all, without "manpower" and "resources", what could I possibly achieve alone? Following any common sense, he was right.
Problem is, I did not want my friends and comrades to get hurt, especially when I did not have the power yet to protect they whom I would lead. Despite the beasts and vermin around me, I could see that there were "men and women of character", who were just as dissatisfied as I with our ugly conditions. It hurt them to be unable to do anything about the injustice and corruption, to be powerless, but all they could do was grit their teeth and bear with it, wearing a plastic grin. I dared not to contact them until I had attained power and a workable plan to do something about Atlas.
Though evil will only return, inevitably so, how can good men and women stand by idly and watch it thrive before their eyes?
Those were my exact thoughts on New Years Eve...a turning point...and my birthday too.
Winter in Dresdene was understandably a "white festival" affair, meaning lots of snow and cold. Most students had gone home for winter break, but as for my class, we were stuck here for the winter, so there was still a good showing of us to go around. I had only been living here now for two months, and I was quite miserable and disillusioned.
It had been a long day between several written exams, practical application exams, and drinking lots of hot chocolate. I was exhausted, but nevertheless, I trudged through the gentle shower of snow blanketing the base at the dangerous hours of night alone to the post office. Nagi had sent me a message on my PDA, offering to be my escort, but I had politely as I could turned him down: that is, "Go relax with your buddies tonight, Nagi. I do NOT want to see you back in our room until tomorrow evening, since we have the day off for New Years."
Mother said to be expecting a very special package from her today (I have not told her or anyone at home yet about my agonizing lot). Sure enough, a sizeable present wrapped in pink wrapping paper with a white bow was gleefully handed to me by the postman on duty, saying "Have a good one, sir!" I thanked him and curtly left the premises, huddling inside my greatcoat, package in the crook of my arm, and eagerly waiting to be in the relative safety and comfort of my dorm room.
With best intentions, the Stars decided to intervene then. I was on the corner of 8th and 9th, two blocks away from the librarium, when it happened: a scream, but not any scream mind you. The best way I can describe it was a howling banshee, pissed off, ready to rip and tear apart, angry-mad, feminine fury: "You frakking cock sucking bastards!"
I caught a gaggle of shadows and movement, hustling into a nearby alleyway between two building, and could not believe my dumb luck. There were no MPs (Military Police) around, and here I was at the right place, at the wrong time: no back up, unarmed, under trained (I was still working on receiving my Gray Belt certification from the Modern Combatives Martial Arts Program course) and likely, outnumbered badly. Just perfect...
"S'cuse me, sah, but are ya really goin' in there?" a tired voice accented asked me suddenly, as I bent down to set my package down.
Surprised, package forgotten, and instincts taking over, I threw myself forwards into a roll, the layers of snow on the sidewalk cushioning my body comfortably. If there was something I could thank Vau for, it was that he made sure the boys from my training platoon knew how to use the entry level "Green Belt" martial techniques we were taught. I ignored the loss of my cover, and pivoted about on my feet in a fighting stance ready for anything to find...
...a weary old human man, snowy white beard and frizzly hair, bundled up as well as I was, and more than a touch frightened.
"Oi, n-now! Easy, sah, I'm just a by-stander. I gots nothin' ta do with this!"
You can imagine how foolish I felt, but an audible yelp from across the street, accompanied by the sounds of thrashing metal, quickly put things into perspective. I did not have time to waste with this elderly gentleman.
"Sorry, but I have to go. Please, do me a favor, and call for the MPs. The number is..."
"N-Now, wait just a minute 'ere, sah. What's that ugly business o'er there got anything to do wi' you?"
"I beg your pardon?" I gawked at him bewildered. That had to be the most stupid thing I had ever heard!
"Sah, that sort o' things is normal 'round this school. Why bother stickin' y'er nose in w'ere t'ain't wanted? Ye'll be outta 'ere in three ta four years any-way, and it'll start all over. Y'd be wastin' your youth."
There was another loud yelp, joined by more ruckus; it seemed the scuffle was growing more desperate across the street in the darkened alleyway. I had to act soon, or it would be too...
"W'at do ya fancy y'self, sah? Some kind o' ally of justice?" the old fellow prodded me, skeptically.
This really was not the time for philosophical discussions, but I felt compelled to answer him oddly enough, with a smile no less:
"Who the hell do you think I am? I'm no ally of justice. I'm Chrono, the Blue Breaker! Let the lawyers, the judges, and the grubby old politicians worry about who was right and who was wrong later. But right now, because I believe in my own sense of justice, in myself, I must fight!"
Of course, I was just a boy then, so I did not know yet what I was fighting for or who I was fight for exactly; I had not matured enough to be willing to take any kind of side, per say, or fully comprehend what I was doing. I was fighting, perhaps instinctively, for the sake of fighting, and therefore for myself. There was conflict, a challenge to overcome, a situation that had to be resolved because it represented a vicious cycle that had hurt me and also others.
I wanted to break that device, for why would such a cruel thing even be needed? How could so many people succumb to mediocrity just to live their day to day lives in peace, and allow a chosen few to benefit off of this "game", while those who would change it remained suppressed and powerless? Why? I did not understand. I did not know. But these were the least of my concerns, then.
That night, things were going to change drastically for me, and it was all going to start with...
...a girl.
She was to awaken a "curse" that I had, apparently so, inherited from my father (among many other things). An awesome, frightening curse that I would not learn the name of until almost a decade later, when I would meet Verossa Acous who would affectionately dub it...
The Chrono Effect.
Others would dub it...
The Harlaown Effect.
The AXE Effect.
The HAREM Effect.
The Mega Playboy Effect.
The "You (Lucky) BASTARD, DIE!!!" Effect.
The "SHIKI TOHNO PHEROMONES, HARVEST HIM AT ONCE!!!" Effect.
The "DIE, YOU ENEMY OF ALL WOMEN!!!" Effect.
And...
Well...
It all started with a girl named Ryuune Zoldark --- destined some day to be famed throughout the galaxy as the White Steel Angel, Valsione.
To be continued...
Author's Notes:
Well, there you have it. Hyper fast update a go-go. Entry 1.3 in all of its glory. Thoughts, feelings, questions: hey, fire away, fellas. And lo, we introduce a big face, the agonies of a military academy, and the coming of the infamous "curse". Sorry, if this turned out to be a lot of exposition again, but if Mai-Otome and Ender's Game can get away with it, then I sure as hell will try. Besides, next episode we'll finally get some plot, action, characterization, and WAFF now that I have finished setting up the premise.
Oh yeah, time for a small advertising service announcement thingie here: if y'all get bored in between waiting for new episodes, be it anime, manga, or fanfiction and whatnot, but you're dying for a fresh/unique AU fic go read Kara no Kyokai: The Borderline to Emptiness by Tempest Dynasty in the Naruto section. I guarantee, he is the only fella who has the guts to fuse Magical Lyrical Nanoha with Naruto and the infamous Warhammer 40K gothic-scifi military tabletop game series. Give it a shot; you won't regret it.
Thank you all for tuning in and remember, I always encourage each and everyone of you to feel free to comment, review, and/or discuss the story. Your comments can really make a difference, I assure you, and if you're up to it, feel free to ring me up on AIM, or even send me an e-mail (although you really don't need to boost my ego too often). You know how to get in touch with the maestro here.
Tsudzuku!
