Sorry for the delay, but I had a Real Life issue known as "exams", and the corrections on Chapter 2 took time too. As usual, if you think I messed up something, tell me and I'll fix it. Or at least I'll give an explanation for it.
While working on the story's timeline I discovered that Nanoha's birthday is exactly the day before IrregularS begins, so I'm going to make some adjustments on Chapter 1. I think a quick re-reading of the two previous chapters would be good. From now on, I'll give warning if I change something on past chapters, in order to let everyone catch up.
(Yeah, I write this thing with Nanoha Wiki, Madoka Wiki and TvTropes tabs open, sometimes even Wikipedia too. You have to do your research.)
Chapter Three - Why Won't You Die?
"Let's start our strategy meeting!"
It was lunchtime, and Nanoha had managed to claim a bench on the rooftop of the school for her, Fate and Homura.
The latter was enthusiastically eating from her bento box. In the last timelines, she ate mainly from the school's cafeteria, and often skipped both breakfast and dinner as she didn't have the time to cook. If it wasn't for her magic keeping her up and fighting, her body would have failed long before that day.
Actually, she seldom ate properly after her mother's death. In the earlier timelines she was a disaster in cooking. Luckily, knowing that she lived alone, Madoka often brought an extra bento for her at school, plus Junko invited her over for dinner every other day.
The black haired Puella Magi got lost in her memories. Very often, Madoka had her stay over for the night, not to mention the times they had a bath together. Being a bespectacled, cute and clumsy girl had its bright sides after all. Maybe Nanoha was right, being friendly again to Madoka could be a good idea...
"Homura-chan? Are you listening?"
Homura woke up from her daydreaming. Luckily for her and Fate's "mission", Nanoha thought that her mother's excellent cooking was at fault for her cousin's drooling and dream-like status.
Get a grip on yourself, Homura. You aren't going to save Madoka if you keep daydreaming about her.
"Sorry, I spaced out. What did you say?"
"I was asking you exactly how many Puella Magi are there in this city."
Homura thought about it a little while.
"At this point there is only one Puella Magi besides me in Uminari - Mami Tomoe. She is in class 9-2. Although, there is a chance that Kyoko Sakura, from Kasamino Town, might come here too."
Homura noticed the weird looks she was getting from both of the other two girls.
"Don't tell me Kasamino City changed its name too?"
Nanoha and Fate exchanged a look.
"Actually, the name change from Mitakihara to Uminari happened shortly after Mitakihara annexed Kasamino as a way to help the reconstruction after an earthquake." Nanoha explained, "Wasn't it the same in the other timelines too?"
"No, it wasn't." Homura answered. "But it feels like something Madoka may have done while trying to change the universe. Anyways, Mami is the most experienced of the Puella Magi, not to mention the one who tutors Madoka after Kyubey contacts her. She's very fond of her juniors and takes her role as a senior Magical Girl seriously. She has been a good teacher for Madoka, Sayaka... and even me."
Homura's voice betrayed some lingering respect for her sempai.
"However, like most girls chosen by Kyubey, Mami's got a fragile psyche. Her parents died in a car accident she survived only because Kyubey was there offering her a wish. She regrets not having thought about saving them too, and apart from other magical girls, most of whom haven't contracted yet, she has no friends."
"Maybe we should try to bring her to our side." Fate proposed, "She looks like a good ally."
"It isn't going to work."
Homura sighed.
"When she was confronted with the truth after witnessing Sayaka becoming a Witch in the third timeline, she lost it. She killed Kyoko, and I would have been next if Madoka didn't stop her. Besides, she already witnessed me killing one of Kyubey's bodies. She isn't going to trust me."
Nanoha lowered her head thoughtfully.
"I see... Wait, is the Sayaka you talked about Sayaka Miki, Madoka's friend?"
"Yes. She isn't a Puella Magi yet, but it would be preferable if we manage to prevent her from contracting too. Due to some personal issues, she always ends up becoming a Witch in less than a month otherwise. Our best bet is to make sure Madoka and Sayaka don't run into Kyubey or a Witch, as they can't contract if they remain unaware of the whole system. Afterwards, we just need to find a way to deal with Walpurgisnacht, which necessarily involves finding a way to deal massive damage. Last time I resorted to heavy military hardware, including a couple of anti-ship missiles, with no success."
Fate stared wide eyed at Nanoha's cousin. Anti-ship missiles?
"Let me think... Surely with me and Fate-chan you can count on more firepower. Unfortunately, both Hayate-chan and her Knights are out on an important mission at the other end of the Milky Way, so we can't count on them. And the Asura's Arc-En-Ciel is out of question, it would wipe out the entire city."
Fate turned her stare to Nanoha. She was considering the use of the Arc-En-Ciel?
"I see. I was already thinking about increasing the size of my arsenal, too. Although I might need to travel further away from Uminari to get all what I need."
"I can carry you, Homura-chan!" Nanoha enthusiastically offered, "I can fly very fast, and if the place is really far we can ask Admiral Lindy to teleport us there!"
"Thank you."
"Wait..." Fate interrupted them, "Isn't the use of mass-based weapons banned by the TSAB? And if anti-ship missiles failed, what are you thinking of using?"
The answer was two perfectly synchronized slasher smiles. After hearing the plan, Fate freaked.
In the following days, military equipment of all kinds started disappearing mysteriously all over the world. An entire crate of cartridges went missing from the Asura's cargo bay too.
When Kyubey entered the mall that day, he thought he had hit the jackpot. Madoka Kaname and Sayaka Miki were both inside, and the crazed purple Puella Magi wasn't anywhere to be seen.
The nature of Homura Akemi puzzled him. Her contract looked like one of his, as the shape of the casing on her Soul gem matched, not to mention that he was the only Incubator active in Japan... but he had never met her before. In fact, the first time Kyubey saw her, while on the way for Madoka's house, Homura greeted him with an entire clip's worth of bullets from her Beretta M9.
Not that he minded much. As long as there was mana in the surrounding area, he could make as many new bodies as he wished. Besides, there were several wishes that could have caused him to forget or otherwise not know about the contract. Maybe she just wished to be forgotten by everybody for some reasons. What actually puzzled him the most, though, is that even when he discovered her full name he couldn't read her. Homura's powers and wish were still a mystery to him.
However, the Incubator had more pressing issues on hand. Madoka Kaname had an impressive karma load on her shoulders. In fact, her transformation in a Witch would be more than enough to fulfill the Earth's quota. On the other hand, Sayaka Miki had a fairly low potential, but her psyche looked weak enough to guarantee a quick transformation, which in turn would make her friend despair faster.
Kyubey started formulating a plan. A Witch, Gertrud, was currently inhabiting the floor of the mall, currently closed for renovations, he was walking in, and Mami Tomoe was going there to battle her.
All the Incubator had to do was luring the two girls there, and Mami would do the rest for him.
He didn't expect to see two magical girls blocking his way. They were already transformed, a brunette wearing a long white dress with blue accents and a blonde wearing a short black dress with a white cape. Their weapons were respectively a staff and an axe, each with a jewel embedded in it.
They were clearly not two of his own. He never let his Puella Magi put their Soul Gems on their weapons, as it meant that a lone Puella Magi losing her weapon or getting it destroyed would die without becoming a Witch. Or worse, giving other Puella Magi a clue about the true form of the contract. They never reacted well to that.
"Incubator," started the white one. Kyubey did not show any hint of emotions, but he realized that that wasn't a good sign. Usually, when Puella Magi knew the true name of his species it also meant that they knew how the contract truly worked.
"I am First Lieutenant Nanoha Takamachi from the Time-Space Administration Bureau, and my partner here is Enforcer Fate Testarossa-Harlaown. You are accused with indiscriminate use of a dangerous magic system on an unadministered world and deception of underaged girls. We will bring you aboard one of our vessels for questioning. If you don't resist, you will be allowed to plead in your defense."
Kyubey remained calm at his spot, wiggling his tail nonchalantly. However, his thoughts were frenetic.
The TSAB? Their presence here is strange, since the planet isn't under direct administration. We might have to leave this planet sooner than expected, their interference might slow down the energy collection to uncomfortable levels.
The Incubator didn't show any of it to the two mages.
"I have no intention to pose myself as a threat, Bureau mages."
Both girls exchanged a quick glance, silently asking "He knows?"
"However, I am afraid that I can't follow you right now. I have important business to pursue, and the health of the universe depends on it."
Kyubey turned around and started walking away, only to find Homura standing in front of him.
"That was an order, Incubator."
"Homura Akemi? Your presence here alongside two Bureau mages surprises me."
"Don't play games with me. We know what you are. What you are doing to all those girls. What you did to me. What you want to do to Sayaka Miki and Madoka Kaname right now."
"You already know why we are doing this, right? The energy we are gathering from you Puella Magi is staving off the heat death of the universe. Many civilizations will see the light of the day thanks to your sacrifice."
Homura pulled out her Beretta M9 from the shield, and aimed it at Kyubey.
"Don't talk like you care about any species outside of yours. If Madoka Kaname contracts with you, she will be doomed to give birth to the Witch that will destroy this planet. And you will do the same to every suitable new civilization. We won't allow that."
Nanoha and Fate stared in shock. Homura didn't tell them that. They hoped that it was a bluff, as it would have been an even bigger problem than Walpurgisnacht, and the Stage-Constructing Witch was already a big problem on her own.
"I see that you have recognized Madoka Kaname's exceptional potential too. I am truly impressed, Homura Akemi. This explains why you appear every time I try to make contact with her. However, I can't give in to your requests. The amount of energy that can be harvested from her transformation in a Witch would stave off entropy for at least a couple millennia."
Bang. Kyubey fell to ground with a bullet hole right between his eyes.
"As I told you, we aren't going to allow that."
Another Incubator calmly walked out of the shadows and started eating the corpse.
"You should have already realized that killing me is only a waste of time and resources. I have many replacements, you know."
Homura kept her gun aimed on him.
"A waste for you, perhaps. As long as I keep you away from your victims, it isn't wasted time."
Homura glanced at the two mages. The meaning was clear.
Nanoha opened an holographic window to enter communication with the Asura. Admiral Lindy Harlaown appeared on it.
"The suspect is resisting arrest and is going to resume his criminal activities. Requesting authorization to open fire."
"Authorization granted. And, Nanoha?"
"Yes, ma'am?"
Lindy sighed.
"Try to watch collateral damage this time. They are still rebuilding that hotel in Cranagan."
"I already said I'm sorry!"
Nanoha closed the communication, and shifted in a fighting position. Fate did the same.
[Axel Shooter.]
[Plasma Lancer.]
Kyubey realized that it was a good moment to start running.
Kyubey dodged another Axel Shooter. A direct hit from one of those was enough to disintegrate half of his body, and it already happened three times.
He didn't have the time for a sigh of relief, though, as he was promptly impaled by a barrage of Plasma Lancer bolts.
His next reincarnation tried to sneak away from the battlefield, only to be swiss-cheesed by Homura's Type 89 assault rifle. The following one had barely the time to open his eyes before being decapitated by a swing from Bardiche's Haken form.
It wasn't going as the Incubator wanted. His plan was to let the three magical girls hurt him, and then get Madoka's sympathy by showing up wounded and begging for help, but the three girls went out of their way to make sure that every hit was lethal.
And here he was being killed again. This time, his head popped after being hit by a thin purple beam cast by Homura.
When he was finally able to leave the area, he marked the "let your current body get hurt to gain sympathy" plan as no longer applicable.
"We lost him, and there's a Witch nearby. I can't figure out where, though."
Homura frowned while looking at her Soul Gem. She had forgotten again about the Rose Garden Witch, and as a result the Incubator was surely trying to drag Madoka and Sayaka there.
Not to mention that her Soul Gem was blinking like crazy, and despite her experience she couldn't make heads or tails about it.
[Wide Area Search, Master?]
Nanoha nodded at her Device's suggestion.
"Yes. Search for Witches, Familiars, Incubators and humans on this floor."
[All right, Master.]
Several pink orbs, similar to miniature Axel Shooters, formed around Raising Heart's "head" and then shot in every direction, scanning the floor. It took less than thirty seconds for the Device to complete the scan.
[Wide Area Search completed. There is a Queen-level barrier fifty-three meters north-west of our position, and six Minion-level barriers about sixty meters south of our position. An Incubator is present at the latter.]
Queen and Minion were the TSAB terms for Witch and Familiar, respectively. Homura wasn't surprised that her Soul Gem's "sonar" function had gone nuts. A group of Familiars had just separated from a Witch, and so it was receiving several signatures at once.
[There are also two human non-combatants eighty-two meters south of our position.]
The three Magical Girls exchanged a worried look. There was no doubt about the identity of the two "non-combatants".
Sayaka opened the door of the third floor of the mall, ignoring the "do not enter" sign.
Help me!
Again that voice. The blue-haired girl and her best friend had followed it without hesitation. If someone needed help, they couldn't let him down, could they?
"Yeah, we're coming. Where are you?"
Sayaka stepped forward, with Madoka in tow. The pink-haired girl was looking around warily, scared by the odd nature of the voice. She was glad that her brave friend was with her.
Besides, Sayaka had picked up a fire extinguisher. Good both for clubbing and disorienting.
If it was a trap laid down by a thief or some other criminal, he was in for a bad surprise.
Homura and Fate ran towards the centre of the Witch's barrier, avoiding confrontation with her Familiars as much as possible.
The three girls agreed that Nanoha was the most suited to deal with the diplomacy in case Madoka and Sayaka got caught in one of the Familiars' Barriers or Mami showed up, so the blonde mage and the black-haired Puella Magi were tasked with taking down the Witch, or at least keep it occupied while Nanoha dealt with the stray Familiars.
When they reached the centre of the Barrier, Fate was taken aback by Gertrud's appearance: the Witch looked like a butterfly-winged snail with a rose-covered blob of moss for the head. It was difficult to believe that such an abomination had once been a girl just like her.
Fate whispered "I'm sorry" before sending a barrage of Plasma Lancers towards the Witch, who dodged it with agility that seemed impossible for her enormous body and relatively small wings, flinging the couch she was sitting upon at the two girls.
Fate and Homura jumped out of the way and returned fire, bullets and energy bolts trailing the Witch in her acrobatics but failing to score an appreciable number of hits. The two girls couldn't aim any better, as they had to move continuously since several miniature-sized Familiars tried to swarm them.
"She's very agile," Homura commented, "We have to change tactics."
"I have an idea. Cover me!"
While Homura kept the Witch occupied with sustained fire from her FN Minimi, Fate used her Sonic Move to get past Gertrud and fly upwards. The blonde mage took advantage of her new position to send a Haken Saber towards the Witch, the homing energy blade following the target relentlessly until it managed to hit Gertrud and send her towards the ground.
The Witch howled in anger, and arranged her tiny Familiars into neat lines. Somehow, they fused together into thin vines that started whipping at the two girls. Fate flew as high as she could to avoid being hit by them, cutting down the ones who came too close with Bardiche in Haken Form.
Homura was in deeper trouble. Lacking proper flight ability or a bladed weapon, she had to jump around and dodge. When a vine managed to trip her, the black-haired girl decided that she had enough.
Homura turned her shield, activating her time stop power. Gertrud, her vines and Fate froze in place, while everything turned to grayscale. The Puella Magi ran towards the Witch, jumping from vine to vine to get in a suitable position, and threw several M26 grenades towards her enemy.
"Sayaka-chan, I found a wounded... er, I think it's some sort of animal!"
Madoka sat on the ground and cradled the injured animal in her arms. The body vaguely reminded that of a white cat, but the creature had another, very long set of ears coming out of the smaller ones and red, beady eyes.
"Thank... you."
Sayaka kneeled next to her friend.
"It talked?"
"I... I think that he was the one calling us!"
The two girls didn't have time to inquire further about the creature, since the floor around them suddenly shifted to a twisted landscape that looked like an abstract painting. Weird creatures, that oddly looked like stick figures with eyeless Pringles-man faces and butterflies for feet, appeared and started walking towards them.
"Sayaka-chan, what are those things?"
"I... I don't know!"
The two girls, back to back, started looking for an escape route, but the creatures had surrounded them. Sayaka started spraying them with the fire extinguisher, but it wasn't very effective and soon the tank was empty.
Nanoha raced towards the Familiars' Barriers. By the time she got there, the six barriers had fused into a bigger one, meaning that they were going after something.
The mage prepared several Axel Shooter projectiles before even entering the Barrier.
If something happens to Madoka, Homura-chan isn't going to forgive me.
When Madoka and Sayaka started thinking that they were doomed, several orbs of pink energy started mowing down their assailants, the heads disappearing while the butterflies flew away.
"Are you OK?"
The two girls looked at their savior, and recognized her.
"Nanoha...chan? Are you a... magical girl?"
Nanoha landed near them and rubbed the back of her head, mildly embarrassed by Madoka's question.
"Well, that's not the exact term... but yes, I guess I am."
"Cool!" Sayaka was overly enthusiastic at the prospect of personally knowing a Magical Girl. They fight for JUSTICE!
"It's not as easy as it sounds, though. It's dangerous. Stay here while I deal with the monsters, OK?"
The two girls nodded, and Nanoha took off again.
[Protection Powered]
A pink, transparent half-sphere rose around Madoka and Sayaka while the mage started to shoot at the following wave of Familiars. Each of the six original barriers apparently concealed several of the creatures, and Nanoha quickly lost count of the ones she had already killed.
Unfortunately, her fighting style was more suited for aerial one-versus-one engagements and long-range bombardment, and without the help of the Cartridge System she had trouble putting out enough Axel Shooters to keep the Familiars at bay, as Protection Powered required a good portion of her mana output in order to mantain solidity.
"Fate-chan? When you are done with the Witch, could you please come here? I need a little help!"
"Kinda busy here... Are those whips or tentacles? Oh, no, no, they are TENTACLE-WHIPS!"
Nanoha sighed. Her two allies had their hands full. The mage prepared another set of Axel Shooters... and then stared as all the remaining Familiars were simultaneously headshotted by golden bullets.
As the Barrier faded, Nanoha landed again and turned towards the source of the gunfire. It was a blonde girl, dressed with what looked like a yellow and brown Renaissance-themed Magical Girl outfit and holding a silvery musket.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes. Thank you very much for the help."
Madoka and Sayaka just nodded, unable to talk due to the sheer awe.
The Witch was stopped in her tracks by several nearly-simultaneous explosions, losing control of her vines. Fate took advantage of the situation and Haken Slash-ed her several times, targeting mainly the "head" and the butterfly wings.
Left without her main method of movement, the Witch howled in frustration and tried to hop away, but she was now an easy target. Homura pinned her down with more machinegun fire, and Fate outstretched her left arm, the palm of the hand facing the Witch. A magic circle grew out of it.
"Plasma Smasher!"
A beam of yellow energy shot from the circle, and Gertrud was no more. After the Barrier collapsed, the blonde mage opened a communication link to Nanoha, using Bardiche's speaker system to allow Homura to listen in too.
"We killed the Witch. How it is the situation there?"
"The battle here is over too, but it didn't work out as well as we intended."
Homura suppressed the urge to grab Bardiche like it was a phone.
"What happened? Is Madoka safe?"
"Yes, but both her and Sayaka witnessed everything. And then Mami appeared too. She helped me finishing off the Familiars, but now there's no way I can stop them from talking with Kyubey."
"Damn!"
Homura punched a wall, leaving a web of cracks thanks to the superhuman strength granted by her Puella Magi status.
"What about introducing the Bureau to them too?" Fate proposed, "I don't know if they have a Linker Core or not, but maybe we can win them over."
"Unlikely." Homura flatly stated, "Kyubey can't tell outright lies, but he is good at manipulating the truth in a way that would make them believe whatever he wants to. Even that the Bureau is an enemy and the Incubators are not. Remember, he's been running this system for who knows how long."
"I see. I will pose as another Puella Magi then. Mami invited Madoka, Sayaka and me at her place, so I'll try to smooth things out there. I'll catch up with you later."
"Be careful, Nanoha." Fate advised before closing the communication. The blonde mage sighed, and turned towards Homura.
"May I ask you something? Nothing important, just a thing that I find odd."
The Puella Magi gave her a slightly puzzled look.
"Sure. What is it?"
"Why do most of the witches we fight have tentacles?"
"A Puella's fears have a role in forming her Witch's appearance. I assume they are a result of the Puella knowing about the... creative use of tentacles in certain works of fiction."
Homura somehow managed to give her explanation in her usual monotone voice. Fate stared at her eyes wide open.
"I don't want to know what happens to a Puella defeated by those Witches. That's... scary."
"Indeed it is."
Homura's voice was still a monotone, but her face clearly shown that she feared such a possibility too. How could people get aroused by that?
Chapter Three Omakes
1) The Fire-Extinguisher-Wielding Ally Of JUSTICE!
The so-called Uminari Killer was waiting his preys. He had found a nice spot to kill his next target, a closed floor of a shopping mall, and he even managed to lure not one, but two girls there!
Nobody knew why he targeted young girls. Hell, he didn't knew that himself, being the story's designated Generic Serial Killer and all that. But that was his role, and he complied without complaint. So, he crept behind the two girls, his knife ready to strike and a cheesy one-liner ready to annoy readers.
"You are two brave little girls. Too bad for you."
He did expect a reaction from the blue-haired girl. That's why he was going to get her first.
Leave the scared ones last, so they'll be completely terrified and helpless when they die. That was one of the few rules his job had.
He didn't expect the blue-haired girl to have a fire extinguisher.
Sayaka sprayed the black-clothed figure with the entire content of her improvised weapon. Her assailant backed off, coughing and covered with fire-retardant powder.
Then Sayaka swung the fire extinguisher, hitting him in the belly. And then another swing connected to some... fragile parts.
That must hurt, Madoka thought as the black figure was doubled over, with both hands covering his crotch. Sayaka hit him again, this time right on the face.
Before losing consciousness, he decided that from that moment onwards he would apply for the Generic Shopkeeper roles instead.
Sayaka spun her "weapon" and struck a pose.
"That's it! The Fire-Extinguisher-Wielding Ally of Justice, Shining Sayaka, defeated evil again!"
Two figures had observed the whole scene in the shadows.
"If you go there now, you will probably die. Again."
"I hate when you are right, Homura Akemi."
2) The Reason Why Hayate Will Not Be Featured In This Fic Anywhere Soon
Amy was doing her routine check on the Asura's surveillance cameras. Nothing unusual to report, and it wasn't unusual. All the people working the Asura were honest and professional people, after all. And the five girls that were going to Mid-Childa for mage training were well-behaved too.
Well, with the exception of the red-haired one, that is. Keeping her out of the kitchen was a pain.
Then, Amy noticed a certain Knight Mage sneaking around with a scary grin on her face, and sighed.
"Hayate's at it again..."
"I feel like something started to grow here!"
Nanoha sighed.
"Geez, Hayate-chan, you should really stop doing that."
"Oh, come on, what's a little grope between friends?"
Hayate took advantage of Sayaka passing nearby to tackle the Ally of Justice.
"See? She doesn't mind it! And our Knight of Justice's ones have a nice feeling too!"
With a grin, Sayaka freed herself and tackled Hayate back.
"Oh, but mine aren't as good as yours!"
"Hahaha! I got groped!"
Nanoha shivered.
"We're all doomed."
Kyoko was so shocked when someone started fondling her breasts that she let her bag of apples (totally not stolen from the Asura' kitchen) fall.
"With all the food you eat, I thought that there should have been a bit more fat here."
Kyoko tried to keep her anger in check. After all, that idiot head was going to be her superior...
"Do you want to die, sweetie?"
"KYAAAAAAAA!"
Hayate stared at the end of the corridor where Fate had disappeared after Sonic Move-ing out of her grasp.
"She didn't even let me tell her that they had grown bigger."
"Those are Madoka Kaname's exclusive property."
Hayate stared at the Beretta M9 that Homura somehow managed to aim at her forehead.
"... Will she share with her future superior?"
"No."
Madoka had the impression that somebody was following her. She turned around for the third time, but wasn't able to see anyone.
"Homura-chan, I know you want to protect me and stuff, but nobody's after me now so would you... Eep!"
Somebody tackled her from behind.
"They aren't very big right now, but I think they're going to grow well!"
"Eh? Hayate-chan?"
"Don't be so surprised, it's just a little grope between friends, and..."
Hayate felt something oddly similar to the end of a gun barrel pressed between her shoulders.
"... I'll be good."
Hayate mentally noted to reprimand whoever was in charge with the requisition of Homura's guns. It wasn't possible that she still had some with her after four full searches of her shield, was it?
Mami was admiring a galaxy out of one of the Asura's windows when she felt a gentle squeeze over her assets.
"As I thought, Mami's are the best!"
Mami instantly recognized the voice of her cosplay-maniac soon-to-be superior.
"Oh, my, that's embarrassing..."
Amy closed the video feed and facepalmed.
"Someone please stop her."
"Oh, you're all so serious..."
Amy turned around in terror. And then started running.
"Who let HER on the bridge?!"
Chrono grinned, enjoying the chase scene.
"That's for keeping all the orange juice for yourself."
"It was FIVE YEARS AGO! And you say that EVERY SINGLE TIME!"
The second omake was supposed to be much shorter, and then got out of hand. But the truly bad thing is that Hayate's taste for "hands-on measurements" is canon.