# 4: The Surprising Start of Summer

Takamachi Residence, fourteen hours later, 6 PM.

Last night had been a wonderful night for the family, Kyouya and Miyuki have gone home to spend the summer with the family and it was as always, a wonderful reunion. But now, Miyuki was dressed to kill and descending towards the living room of their house.

"Serious about that 'date' huh?" Kyouya began to tease her.

"…" Miyuki can only mumble.

Silvana, at the Lacus wreck site, same time.

The ship and two more bureau vessels, the Naga and the Yaksa, were having a meeting about certain things, particularly the formation of a new investigative group that will be assigned to deal with the Lacus' sinking.

"Eh? The Silvana, having a group?" Kyla asked, since working alone was her specialty. "Isn't that a bit too much?"

"I know how you feel Kyla." Lindy, who was on screen at her house replied. "But with your resources stretched out, I'm personally feeling sorry that your ship has not been given that much attention lately."

"Even though we prefer operating alone and often in secret, I understand what you mean… so, these two ships are assigned to me?"

"Yes 'mam…" the captain of the Naga, Keio Hitsuji, replied. "Admiral Lindy had assigned us to your care just in case…"

"And don't worry about us being taken down easily admiral." The captain of the Yaksa, the previous vice-captain of the Silvana that completed his training aboard it, Arthur Trienas, spoke back. "The two ships now with yours are much tougher than others of the similar class…"

"Oh really?" the admiral asked, eyeing the other admiral on Earth.

"Improved magical defenses, added arsenal, and a weapon much powerful than the Arc-'en-ciel cannon… the 'Fleur-de-lis'." Lindy replied, sort of laughing.

"Hmm… 'Fleur-de-lis'? Don't tell me that's the cannon that is loosely based on the Silvana's…"

Lindy and the two captains nodded.

"Okay then… requesting permission to use 'that'…"

Back on Earth, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it…" Miyuki quickly stood up from her chair and cut off her brother at the hallway leading to the door.

Upstairs, Nanoha was busy packing, because summer meant internship with the bureau- usually aboard the Asura but in this situation, she may have to go to the Silvana to await the outcome. A lot of her classmates have tried to convince her, along with Fate and Hayate, to go places- well, like normal teenagers do in summer. But being independent people, they have no choice when their resolve was on every time. Downstairs, Miyuki opened the gate and was pleased at who was there.

"Ah Nimura (Hon: Nimura-san)…"

"Do you mind asking your father if I can…?"

"I can what?" Shiro Takamachi's voice and then person came in.

"Ah father… let me introduce to you one of my colleagues in the sociology society, Rai Nimura."

"Good evening." Rai greeted.

"Same to you… and what brings you here?" Shiro then asked.

"Pardon my presence but can I ask your daughter out…" Rai spoke, making Miyuki gasp a bit before continuing. "For a meeting with the sociology society…" he then continued, making Miyuki release her gasp.

"College extra-curricular activities huh?"

"Well it's the society's start of summer party- well the seniors planned it."

"Okay then- under one condition. She must be home before daybreak, must not be laden with alcohol and she must be in one piece and not broken anywhere…" Shiro outlined the conditions, quite stressing the word "broken".

"Yes sir…" Rai instantly bowed.

"Well then… Miyuki have fun…" Kyouya's voice came from the doorway. "Have fun!"

"Brother!!!" she can only pout.

Back at the Silvana.

Kyla was in sickbay, looking at the state of the survivor. She had heard and read reports about him, but did not expect for the real person to be on board.

"The once proud hope of magic huh?" She softly spoke, taking from the inside folds of her uniform two crystal crosses, one green and a red one. "And the stability of it… how vexing."

The resident doctor, Dr. Chandra, came in.

"Ah Admiral… how nice you see you here."

"Doctor, how is he?"

"His body is now fine and healed properly; though his mind is still out…" the doctor could only reply- a lengthy take on the words "He's still unconscious". "But he's…"

"Since he's the only witness to the sinking, Lindy told me to keep him here."

"I see. But given the circumstances, we must…"

"I know, but personally, I feel that the time has come to tell all everything, no matter how painful the truth is… no matter how painful."

"I couldn't agree more…" the doc then replied.

"But unless those brass buckets beside Lindy will stop, I doubt that it will be such a hard task."

Meanwhile, Chrono, who was in his room, was viewing over material pertaining to the one they have rescued.

"Bureau Emissary Kha der Kleriker, Lieutenant, bureau emissary to Velka Space, first bureau mage to ever have been accepted with a full Velka sigil, and the first opportunity of observing the Velka-type magic firsthand, since the Book of Darkness case had lighted the bureau to the form. Magic origin unknown, primary sponsor… Precia Testarossa??!"

Upon reading the said "cursed" name, Chrono began to dive deeper into the records. Each page of information that he read just brought more shock to his face and thus, making appear minutes later at the captain's office.

"I'm as shocked as you too when I first read about it… I did not expect such things to come out of a past friend."

"Past friend?"

"Yes… Precia- the Precia I knew was a happy person. But ever since 'things' happened to her, she has lost herself and almost everything and in the end, lost all of it in the end. Leaving only…"

"Fate…" Chrono could only say.

"When she began her final madness, I tried to stop her in all civil ways I can think of, but eventually, I gave up due to the hope that the one who had gathered the scattered seeds to the planet called Earth can stop her in my place… and I have not been wrong. Nanoha huh? Do you have anything about her, her personal history, the names of her relatives, anything that can link her to the sealed devices?"

"I personally don't know… not even…"

"What?"

"Yuuno… he's spent more time with her…"

"Okay… I guess we have to use 'that' then, since schools in her locale would have started their vacations already. I always wanted to have a house on this mysterious planet. I have heard tales that the emperor of my home planet was born and raised here…"

"I guess so…"

Moments later.

"Real-estate huh?" Lindy, who was at home asked. "Hmm… wait a moment okay?"

After a few minutes of waiting, a small glow of transport suddenly flashes, depositing stacks of paper on the floor near Kyla's feet.

"And what are these?" the on-duty admiral wondered.

"As an Earth saying goes, you can find almost anything in the papers…"

After a few minutes of looking at the real estate section, Kyla began to dial up some numbers using Chrono's cellphone. She was particularly interested in one particular ad that said: "Traditional house for sale, lot on prime seaside estate- just a few meters from the water. Private beach, harbor and tropical garden included. Interested buyers may call 101-XX-XXXX and look for Dark." The phone began to ring, and after a while, the other end picked up.

"Hello pretty lady…" the other end, definitely a male answered, which Kyla recognized quickly.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the dimensional thief… enjoying your amnesty huh?"

"Well, well, well admiral. Did not expect you calling… what can I do for you?"

"How much for the house?"

"Uhm… what house?" the seller asked. "I have plenty of them, you know buying and reselling houses is a lucrative business here on Earth you know and legal under any law."

"I know that… the one near the ocean, the traditional one?"

"Ah, good choice on that one… but that will cost you big-time- seaside properties fly off pretty quickly you know- so far the bid for that house has been three hundred thousand American dollars- quite a large amount if I say so… and yes, I will only accept Earth money, and nothing else."

"Well then… I have a few things that might spark your interest…" the admiral spoke, taking out a blue crystal from her pocket.

With a wave of the hand, the crystal vanished, evoking a sense of surprise at the other end.

"Ah! This, this, this, this is…"

"Pure Claudia- 100 percent pure to be exact. Already that crystal is already worth more than the previous bid…"

"At a thousand times its weight in gold, this is the same amount in Earth gold exchange terms." The surprised real-estate agent exclaimed.

"Actually, at 1500 times now… and my ship runs on this stuff, so I can give you an amount sufficient enough to last your family up to the tenth generation…"

"Are you willing come here?"

"Gladly…"

Kyla hung up and tossed the phone back to Chrono, wearing a wide smile of somewhat evil intent.

"Okay Chrono, I have to go see my new house… and yes, call the others and tell them to wait."

"But where?"

"In their houses… I'll go visit them later. Yuuno?"

The door behind them opens and reveals said admiral's son.

"Come…" the said admiral then spoke. "We need to buy something for the upcoming operation during the summer..."

Minutes later, Transporter Room A.

Mother and son, both in the civilian attire that fits the city, were preparing to go down. Yuuno was about to transform to his usual civil mode (as a ferret) when suddenly, his mother-admiral knocks him on the head.

"Mother, why did you do that?" Yuuno asked, rubbing his sore head. "I usually do that when I go to Nanoha's place…"

"How many times have I told you that transforming too many times is harmful to your health?"

"But mother…"

"Shut up."

"But…"

"Shut up- don't even consider an appeal. It's time for you to walk normally and not on the side like a pet- you're a man for crying out loud."

Sakuradai Seaside Park, Moments later, 6:30 PM.

Mother and son appear in a secluded part of the park. And moments later, they blend in with the common populace. They come to rest on one of the benches facing the sea. And then, Kyla points toward it. They can barely make out an island thru the haze.

"Some distance from here is our destination…" she then speaks.

"Are you sure about it mother?"

"I'm sure… I placed a spell in the call that allows me to trace where the call came from, that is why I was able to send a small chunk of expensive crystal over to him as down payment. And the ad for it was in a newspaper that is only circulated here- based on feeling. But at this time and place, we should have transported down directly instead of landing here."

"We can always take that…" Yuuno pointed towards the nearby ferry harbor where the regular hovercraft ferry was coming in while another one was heading out.

"Interesting craft…"

Minutes later, Umi-Haru ferry station.

Thanks to Yuuno's acquired knowledge of the workings of the city, and also add to that a momentary stop to the local internal revenue office for a quick gold exchange prior, the two now had tickets to the next "flight" to the nearby island of Haruhi

and were waiting for another of the ferries to arrive. According to our resident midchildian expert of the city, there are four ferries servicing the route, two of them always on route to and from the stations and the remaining two are docked at the stations, fifteen minutes apart- meaning that a docked ferry will only wait fifteen minutes before departing as another one arrived. Then, the sound of jet engines began to come near, with one of the ferries arriving, along with the PA system ringing.

"Thank you for waiting, please pardon the delay due to an accident in the channel…"

Moments later, inside the ferry's passenger area.

Kyla was silent as she looked out the window as the ferry took up passengers. The sight of the sea reminded her of the past, as her homes, both when she was still single and when she was married were close to the sea. Then, images of the past began to flow thru, at first happy and then suddenly turning into horror and then grief- the last two in somewhat bloody fashion. As she was about to somewhat break down, she looks at her son, stops her spiral and then lays a hand on his shoulder.

"Mother…"

"Don't break down… don't ever break down…"

"What did you mean by that mother?" Yuuno asked, wondering what that passage meant.

"Never mind what I have said my son… just relax…" the admiral replied before returning her gaze towards the moving sea and then thought. "That time must never come- the time that seal…" she then paused, taking into account one bloody image of a golden haired child holding a huge sword over fallen bodies of black clothed men, all of it covered in blood. "It must never be broken…"

Somewhere, same time.

It was some sort of dark space, not even a single sign of any other color except that overwhelming black.

"So, you have identified her huh?" a cold female voice came in. "The heiress?"

"Yes, and it came from the archer…" another voice, that was linked to the one our resident evil archer was talking to spoke in.

"I see…" the first voice now spoke, now some light managing to peek, like a spotlight, showing off only the hem of a very familiar styled but black long skirt. "We don't need to rush… some things are best enjoyed longer chewed than quickly swallowed."

"Just like gum my heiress, just like it…"

Takamachi residence, ten minutes later.

"Eh, what did you mean by that Chrono?" Nanoha asked as to why they were instructed to stay put, just as she was about to leave.

"I myself don't know… but the admiral said that she was buying something in the city, something about a house of sorts… Hmm… I can't believe what she is planning!"

And with that, the line closed, leaving a wondering Nanoha.

"What was that all about?"

Back at the Silvana.

"Why didn't I notice it in the first place? She basically doing the same thing during the Tome of darkness' case- I understood why in that case but how about now?" Chrono thought as he went from the bridge, where he made three calls- to Nanoha, Fate and Hayate respectively, to his quarters.

Unknown to him though, someone was sneaking up behind him and then suddenly glomped him from behind.

"Chrono-kuuun!"

Yup, the only one that can say "-kun" with such length is none other than our resident AI avatar Minerva.

"Mi- Mi- Minerva! Get off me!"

"That always feels good you know…" the avatar replied to the complaint of her vice-captain. "Well anyways, I'd like to introduce to you a little friend of mine…" she then spoke. "Come on now, don't be shy…"

And from behind her, apparently hiding behind her, was a small girl of about eight or so years, with long green hair and what appeared to be a long winged antennae headset for ears, blanked out silver eyes and unusually or rather, unnaturally toned cream skin. The girl was trembling as she saw Chrono.

"What's the matter Chacha?" Minerva asked as she knelt and petted the child. "She's really shy you know…"

Meanwhile, Chrono could not answer because of one thing that he had noticed- the girl was not human, literally- because despite the adequately sized junior officer's threads that Chacha was wearing, her joints were more like a robot's- well in reality…

"I built her- so in effect, I'm her mother…" the avatar then spoke, making Chrono sweatdrop.

"Uhm… do you by chance read… 'it'?" Chrono then asked. "I mean 'that'?"

"Yes! How did you know? I was about to go to my room and buy Volume 5 on Earth's internet… I really love reading that manga series… tell me!"

Chrono then points to Minerva, who was holding the other four volumes of said manga series.

"Eh… ehehehehehe…" Minerva could only chuckle.

"Figures…" Chrono could only puff.

"Well anyways, Chacha here is the ship's pride and joy- the ship's cat in a sense…" the avatar once again spoke but then was stopped by sudden mewing of a white cat that had managed to rub between 'mother and daughter'. "Though that isthe ship's cat, Sparky…"

"Meow…" the cat only purred as Chacha picked him up.

Five minutes later, Haru-Umi ferry station.

"Thank you for using the hoverferry service, we are delighted in your continued appreciation of this service. Please ride us again whenever you please, this ferry service is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week…" the ferry PA broadcasted as the passengers disembarked.

"Sure looks peaceful…" Yuuno was the first to comment as they went out of the station.

"Too peaceful… if not, magical…" his mother could only comment as they head towards the nearby tram station, unknowingly passing a public map of the island, which was shaped like a cross.

They boarded the tram and after fifteen minutes, it stopped in the middle of a somewhat sparse street along the beach, infront of a rather large traditional house. The two step down and the transport moves on, leaving them to walk towards the house.

"Here we are…" Kyla spoke as she pressed the doorbell, which sounded like a windchime on a windy day. "Any soul alive?"

There was some shuffling, and then the door opened, revealing to them what she hand not expected, a little girl of about 8 years with long black hair and crystal red eyes. She looks at the two and then turns around and yells.

"Father, some people to see you!"

"Do you mind showing them in Night?" a voice came in from the house. "I'm kind of busy putting some things into another box you know…"

The girl named Night led the two into the living room of the house. Kyla was scrutinizing each detail of the house, since some of the architecture was akin to that of her ancestral planet and also that of the Imperial Palace especially. The girl made them kneel as in the traditional Japanese manner and then proceeded out of sight. A full minute later, a man in about his 30s appears, with somewhat spiky jet-black hair, same crystal red eyes, dressed in house Yukata, carrying a bunch of books.

"Ah Admiral Kyla Scrya and son Yuuno…" the man greeted as he set down the books and knelt across the table. "How nice of you to come here…"

"Same to you… Alberas Minta… or should I say Mr. Dark?" Kyla replied. "You have done well since your release fifteen years ago- so this is where you have been all this time…"

"Who would you blame if you fell in love with this divinely blue planet- almost the same degree of blue as my home world and much more beautiful than my home world's sister planet Childea…"

"I would agree… not even my home of Jurai is not up to this color…"

"Well anyways admiral, I believe you have business with me…" Dark then spoke, taking out a blue crystal- the Claudia crystal Kyla had transported. "Since your offer was a bit too… enticing, I'll let you in on a little secret…"

"And?"

"To tell you the truth, this is the very last piece of real estate that I'm selling… this place that has in it the memories of the fifteen years since I was freed by your counsel. The memory of being alone… realizing that I was still alive and has something to live for… meeting and eventually falling in love with my dear Anya… our marriage and Night's birth… then dear Anya's passing… a lot of happy times interlaced with sad ones- such a colorful life I had. But some things must pass and our life on this star is one of them."

Seconds pass in silence, only broken by Night's sudden appearance with a tray of tea and some mochi. And after the delivery was done, the girl again vanishes behind the sliding doors.

"And besides…" Dark continued. "Her grandfather wants to meet her as soon as possible… after hearing what had happened back in court… he really needs to see Night…"

"Well then… let me be the one who you will be dealing with last… Yuuno, the crystal please."

Said son takes out from thin air a much larger Claudia crystal.

"Return to the path you have strayed from…" Kyla then speaks, giving the crystal to the homeowner. "Take your child to her real home, where her family awaits… no matter how regal it is…"

"That I will do… and I'll do it by revealing her nature…"

"I'll be glad to take her into my fold if she decides to tread that path…"

"Maybe… but probably not. This trip will be the last trip of this sort I'll ever make. I'll give you the keys within a day or so at your usual address…"

"Don't mind if I do…" Kyla spoke, offering her hand in a shaking gesture. "Take your time… we still have a lot of things to buy…"

"Don't worry about the household appliances… we'll be only taking our easily carried personal belongings- and we can't exactly bring Terran products into our space…"

"How true, how true…" the admiral spoke as she began to stand up, as well as Yuuno. "Well then…"

And so, mother and son left the house, leaving father and daughter inside- well the daughter reappearing moments later.

"Are you done packing my child?"

"Yes father…"

"Well then, before we move out… I'd like to show you something- something that I wasn't supposed to teach you but since we are moving to your grandfather's place… I might as well teach you that…"

Outside…

"Better start learning how to be a human on a planet once again my son… Time for you to progress and be yourself… and I do mean yourself."

Hallaoun Residence, Fifteen hours later, 10 AM.

"Eh, really?" Lindy was talking to someone on the phone. "Well then, should I send them over?"

Midori-ya Café, same time.

"Nanoha, would you mind washing the dishes while the guys have not yet returned?" Momoko spoke to said daughter, as she had just finished reloading the coffee maker.

Nanoha complied, disappearing into the kitchen. If Nanoha was popular with the clientele before, well now- let's say age-wise that she was now really popular. The family café Midori-ya was no longer just a stationside café, but also, according to some of the highschool boys, a place to spot one of the city's most desirable girls- well three of them if Fate and Hayate decided to come help at times- which was exactly the situation right now.

"Here you go…" Hayate spoke, giving an order of parfait to a table.

Well as those three girls are working, well let's say that Hayate's three knights also hold Earth jobs. Signum works in daycare as an assistant, while Shamal works in the hospital as an assistant nurse while Vita does time in the local baseball and croquet clubs. Surprisingly, for independent AI avatars such as them, they were surprisingly suited to their jobs- Signum gave the impression of a big sister to the children she was taking care of, while Shamal's "medical" knowledge was a big help in the hospital, while Vita's knack of whacking things was an added bonus to those clubs she was in.

Back at Fate's house…

"Okay then… I'll call them from the café…" Lindy spoke before she hung up and called for Amy. "Amy, do you mind going to café and tell Fate and the others to call back? I still have to ask Chrono if he's available."

"Sure Admiral, I'm going shopping anyway…"

At the newly acquired Scrya residence, town of Hajime, Haruhi Island.

"Yuuno… has the truck arrived yet?" Kyla called out outside, where Yuuno was waiting for the truck from the home center to arrive.

The keys to the house were secured just an hour ago, but the things Kyla wanted she had already purchased ten hours previously, even though most of the house's things were left behind, a quick scan by the admiral- ever the housekeeper, made many of the things 'unsuited' for the house, even if some were brand new- making her best course of action as donation to charity. As of this time, said order of new futons, a lawn and beach set, some new garden hoses, a single bed complete with mattress, some stools and small tables, new plates, various cups, saucers and many more things, were in transit- or so they say. In anticipation of the truck, Yuuno posted himself at the front gate, ready to notify his mother if it came or anybody else came as well. Unfortunately for him, Kyla had placed over the house a simple barrier to keep her son from transforming.

"Summer huh?" Yuuno could only think.

Back at the café, the three girls have been called into the kitchen by none other than Momoko. Inside, Lindy was there on the phone.

"Eh, Miss Kyla's house?!!" the three girls alarmed as to what Lindy had told them where to go.

"Yes, they just bought a house on the nearby island town and are moving in right now…"

Thirty minutes later, Hovercraft bound for Haruhi Island, 10:45 AM.

"Nanoha, what's the matter?" Fate asked to a Nanoha who was happily staring out the window.

"Just nothing…"

"Eh, really?" Hayate asked.

"Well, it's just that… we finally got the time to see each other…" Nanoha could only say.

Hayate could only giggle while Fate remained silent.

Scrya residence, fifteen minutes later, 11 AM.

Said truck arrives, with a tram stopping infront of the house, bearing the three girls- as it turns out the hoverferry they were on also carried the truck.

"Fate, Hayate… Nanoha." The boy could only say as the three came near.

"Yuuno-kun…" all three could only say.

"Uhm… excuse me, is this the Scrya residence?" the truck driver then asked.

"Why yes…" Kyla came out and replied. "Can you help us in moving in the furniture a bit?"

And so about an hour was spent on carrying in and arranging the new furniture, well actually, Kyla directed while Yuuno, the truck driver and his hand carried in the heavy stuff while the three girls carried the lighter items and arranged the minor details. And then, as the last of the stuff was placed in, some of the nearby neighbors arrive, bearing with them housewarming gifts.

"Uhm… excuse us, are the new neighbors here?"

"Oh dear…" Kyla stepped out of the house. "Visitors… sorry but we're still fixing stuff here."

"Don't worry, we always help whoever is in need, may be it a neighbor or a stranger…"

After thirty minutes of further help by the new neighbors, the house was ready for habitation, save the pond of course- since mother and son had no knowledge in Earth aquaculture, and the movement of non-native species between dimensions was a big no. After a few more hours of merrymaking by the neighbors, they finally left, leaving mother and son and the three girls.

Scrya Residence, after the housewarming party, 3:30 PM.

"That finally settles it…" Kyla finally puffed relief as she knelt down in the living room, the "kids" outside seeing the guests off. "And now, for one final movement…"

She then waves at the air, opening a communications screen directly to the Silvana. On the other end was Minerva.

"Are the preparations complete?" She then asked her AI. "The room is ready for him…"

"Of course 'mam… but isn't this a bit too risky?"

"I know the risks, but some fresh air and warm sun can help…"

"I can agree to that 'mam…"

Outside, Yuuno was giving the girls a tour of the wide backyard, which included beachfront with a concrete deep water pier near the rocky edge which marked one end of the public beach. In a sense, the house was the boundary of the beach which extended far to the right, if looking towards the sea. The beach already had vacationers enjoying the sun, sand and surf. Near one end of the shore were the various "marine houses", serving customers with shaved ice, ice cream, cold drinks, fruits (especially watermelon) and watercraft, from inflatable boats powered by paddles and engines to jetskis.

"I wish I could have brought my bathing suit…" Hayate commented.

"I have a new one…" Fate added to the conversation.

While those two were chatting away, Nanoha stands beside Yuuno.

"It's been a while…" Nanoha then spoke. "We're kind of busy nowadays…"

"You're right… I missed these times."

"Yeah… I missed them. I missed you too Yuuno."

"Same here… I missed…"

"Nanoha! Fate! Hayate!" a familiar voice came in, making them look behind them- the voice belonged to none other than Arisa, who was accompanied by Suzuka and being led by Kyla.

"Guys, some friends of yours dropped by…" the admiral spoke.

"We were not supposed to wonder but just then Amy came by and told us where you were…"

Kyla approaches the three girls and then asks in a whisper.

"Do they know?"

The three girls nodded.

"We were but then we were asked to stand by, so we decided to help Miss Kyla here move in…"

The two friends look back as to who let them in the house in the first place. They were a bit surprised at her beauty, not even Suzuka who had keen fashion sense was somewhat awestruck. Kyla now wore a simple light blue sundress, with a wide hat topped on her head, sandals on her feet and hair let down and terminating in a short tail near then end.

"I see that you two also know… I'm Kyla, a close friend of Lindy. And seeing that you know some things about the three of them, it's safe to say that…"
"Close friend, you mean that…" Arisa then spoke, somehow realizing what that meant.

"Yes and no. I admire your deduction of what I have just said, and yes, I am one of Nanoha, Fate, and Hayate's bosses… and no, because I'm their new boss for this period."

As her mother talked, Yuuno whispered something to Nanoha.

"Do they know?"

Nanoha shook her head.

"And yes… girls, meet my son Yuuno…" Kyla then dropped a bombshell.

Arisa eyes the (ferret) boy suspiciously, making him nervous as she popped the most notorious question this side of the dimensional space.

"Have I seen you before?"

Silence reigned for a few seconds and then.

"Uhm… no…"

"Hmm… but you really look familiar…"

"Uhm Arisa, it's better not to ask people if they don't want to answer. True that he may be like Nanoha and the others- a mage, but he does not turn into a ferret or something…" Suzuka then stopped her friend's scrutiny of the (ferret) boy.

Sweatdrops formed behind the heads of the three mages and Yuuno- oh how right her concept was about that.

"True… but he sure looks like a rodent… I wonder if your cats will chase him." Arisa then spoke, letting him off the hook. "But for a rodent, he sure looks cute."

Unknown to the teens, in one of the rooms of the house, the soft glow of transport fills the room. From it emerged a hospital bed, a medical monitor and some cabinets, and on the bed was none other than our survivor. Also accompanying him were Minerva and her "child" Chacha- both in nurse uniforms.

"Okay mister KO, time for you to soak the sun, sound and salty air…" Minerva could only say as she and Chacha exited out of the room.

Takamachi residence, same time.

Shiro was in the dojo, standing some distance away in the middle of the floor. He then kneels and touches the floor. Suddenly a box of light is drawn and it slides away, revealing a set of stairs. He descended and went his way towards a dead end, stops for a while and looks, on his face the look of mild apprehension. Then, he began to walk towards the wall and amazingly, he passes thru.

In the meantime, Rein was once again looking over the city, and now, he had company, another male, this time with white hair and steel gray eyes, also of the same age as Yuuno for that matter. His most prominent facial feature was a scar running across his face.

"Got any trace of it…" Rein asked his companion. "…Aranth?"

"Still faint… but they did say that a sealed device calls out for an owner… I can only faintly hear it- though some of the beings here hear it loud and clear; they almost end up in an institution…"

"Figures in this world without magic- all so similar to the world our mistress had come from…"

"As well as the 'other mistress'… well actually, this world is what I'm talking about…"

"Well I hate to break anything good in you but I've heard that 'he' is here…"

"'He'?" Aranth asked.

"You know, 'he' who managed to stave you and gave you that scar… the Shielding Berserker…"

"Him huh? That's good… I can finally have the chance to finish him like I did to his father…"

"And finally gather the two blades huh? Probably, you can find the shield as well…"

"I may do that, I will do that, but only after that persona of protection falls by my hands- wait for me my dear Phalanx- just call out more…"

Two days later…

Our patient Kha was beginning to stir and moan in pain, the feeling of consciousness showing as dull pain, fuzzy images and muffled sounds.

"Ugh… where am I? Is this heaven?"