Disclaimer: I don't own the worlds in this fic, or anything else portrayed. I did create the villains and story, though. I guess that means they're free for the taking, but if you do, just let me know if you would. Maho Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha and Maho Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A's were produced by Ivory and Seven Arcs. Sailor Moon and its sequels were written by Naoko Takeuchi, and published by Japonica Polonica Fantastica (JPF)


Chapter 7 - 'Machination'

19.30, 16th June, Infinity District, Tokyo City, Earth.

"You called me here. What is it exactly that you want?" Cher L'epee asked, fingering the hilt of her sword where it hung from her belt. She and the one who had called her were standing atop a building in the commercial part of the district.

"Lady Lithium suggests a truce. You're looking for something. I'm good at finding things. We have enemies, you're good at fighting. A trade of skills, so to speak." Aventurine stood with her arms folded opposite her, sprite summoner in hand in case things got ugly but hidden in her sleeve of her grey robe. Her combat precognition wasn't quite up to the scratch of her other abilities, and she knew that if she fought Cher, she would almost certainly lose.

"I see. What exactly are you offering us? We have our own divination expert, you know. What makes you think you'll be any better?"

"I found you, didn't I? And you've had no luck finding either my people or those girls." Aven paused to grin. "Besides, I already know where there's an artefact of the kind you're looking for. You wanted those girls' wands, didn't you?"

"Their Armed Devices, yes. With those, we might stand a chance." Cher nodded. "You've found one? We know there were two on this world, but we'd started to assume that they were the ones carried by those girls."

"Hnh." Aventurine chuckled. "Hardly. This one has been here for a very long time. So. Will you agree to meet with my Lady to discuss the terms of our truce?"

"I think I will. Lead on." Cher nodded, but still didn't take her hand away from her sword. After a moment, Aventurine nodded and walked over to her. Putting an arm around her shoulders, she felt the swordswoman stiffen in surprise. Allowing herself a grin, sh .

whispered the words to activate the ocarina she still held.

"Sprite Return."

The building dissolved in a shimmer of colours, and the two women were suddenly standing in a great, dark place. Aventurine led Cher through the corridors, releasing her shoulder once the teleport was complete, until they reached what could only be described as a throne room.

"Lady Lithium. The shadow warrior has agreed to our terms." Aventurine called out, and after a moment light shrouded the throne. A beautiful woman with long, silken black hair, wearing an equally gorgeous midnight blue dress sat there. She had a staff held loosely in her hand, and was resting her chin on the other until she sat up. Aventurine went to one knee in front of her, and after a moment - and not knowing why - Cher followed suit.

"She has? That is good. Bloodstone, come forth." Lithium's voice was as regal as her bearing as she called another servant out. Her guardsman stepped from the shadows behind the throne and bowed. He was a redhead, standing tall and wearing silver armour under a white, sleeveless, coat-like tabard that bore a yin-yang symbol on each shoulder and a large, elaborate mon on the back. In his hand he held a halberd, the western style weapon looking odd with his samurai coat and great armour.

"Yes, my Lady Princess?" Bloodstone asked, his friendly, youthful voice steady and even.

"Have you had any success contacting our mirrors and asking for their aid?" Lithium asked him, and he shook his head.

"I regret not, my Lady. The shadow Prince has proved most elusive, and of his generals there is no trace."

"A shame. This would be much easier with his aid. Ah well. You are being reassigned. You will help your sister and the mirror mage in their quest." Lithium turned to Cher, who had stood up when Bloodstone entered. "Cher, was it? Good. The artefact is in Germany. These two are Aventurine, Guardian of Knowledge, and Bloodstone, Guardian of Right. They will travel with you and give you aid. Aventurine knows where to find what you seek. Treat them well, and they will not fail you."

"You make it sound as though we were weapons, my Lady!" Bloodstone grinned. "Come on, lets go".

"You are weapons, Bloodstone. Remember that. All of you are sworn to serve me." Lithium frowned at him, and he bowed self-mockingly.

"Of course, my Lady."

"Go on, get out of my sight, crazy fool." Lithium almost smiled at the flippant guard, shooing him with a wave of her hand. "You, too, Aventurine. Take Cher and get her an ocarina. I need to guard my energy."

"As you wish, Princess." Aventurine bowed, then paused on the way out. "Um... have you heard anything about home..?" She hesitated as she asked.

"Nothing yet. I'm sorry, I haven't heard what the situation is on the moon or any of the planets." Lithium sounded almost apologetic.

"Why do you not let me scry them, Princess..? I'm sure I could…" Aventurine asked, but it was in the tone of one who already knew that their request would be denied.

"Doing so would mean going back through the gateway, Aventurine, you know that. I need you here. If we're to have any chance against Rune, then…" Lithium told her, trailing off. "I know you're worried, but if you want to help them… if we want to help them, then we have to have power."

"I know… it's just so…" Aventurine sighed, defeated.

"Come on, sis. Ari, Karl, I'm sure everyone will be fine." Bloodstone smiled, encouragingly, and the honey-blonde woman nodded with resignation.

"Alright. Lets go… Next stop, Enns-Danube." The two warriors joined hands with the diviner, and together they teleported…

11.30, 16th June, Mauthausen, Austria, Earth.

"The artefact is near here?" Cher asked, raising her eyebrows. "This is not the kind of place I would expect to find a Velkan Armed Device." Mauthausen was, indeed, not the kind of place you'd expect to find anything valuable. It was a picturesque village that didn't look like it had changed in two hundred years. To the west, however, stretched a massive, fenced-off area filled with cinderblock buildings and paved-over ground that gave off a palpable sense of evil and suffering.

"Oh, it's here alright." Aven grimaced. "One of the bloodiest battles in history happened here, and it's all because of the wielder of your 'armed device'." The vile aura emanating from the abandoned concentration camp to the west was making her feel sick, but still, she could feel the older deaths through it.

"Heh, kind of funny, since he was dead before it happened." Bloodstone grinned. "Ah, well, lets grab this artefact and get out of here. What did you say it was called again, Aventurine?"

"Balmung, the treasure-sword of the Nibelung. It's nearby…" Aventurine trailed off, closing her eyes and trying to focus. "That camp's flooding everything… it's hard to concentrate…" She leaned gratefully on Bloodstone as he offered her his arm, concentrating hard.

Cher shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. They were so close to one of the weapons they needed, but it was taking so long! Fingering the hilt of Epee Noir made her feel a little better, though she was glad they were out of sight of the locals. She doubted that Aventurine, in her royal-looking grey robes, or Bloodstone in his samurai armour, or even herself in her side-slit skirt, ruffled blouse and knee-length waistcoat would fit in here.

"I've got it. There's some strange energy readings, though… I think it's guarded." Aventurine spoke after a while, looking drained. "I won't be able to help you get past the traps, there's so much background noise here… I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Just show me the way." Cher told her, and she nodded.

"This way." Aventurine led them through the streets, and somehow none of the locals noticed their passing. She led them up halfway a hill and into a churchyard, which surprised the other two.

"It's buried?" Bloodstone asked, and Aventurine nodded.

"Yes… with Kriemhilde, and the bodies of the Nibelung and other heroes who followed her after their lords' death…" She paused, looking around, before leading them to a grotto dug into the hillside. "Cher… you need to use your magic to open the way. It's beyond me. Just call it up and ask…"

"Alright." Cher drew Epee Noir with a flourish and pointed it at the back of the grotto, calling her power. Her Barrier Jacket formed around her, patchwork metal armour forming over the coat and skirts, gloves flowing across her hands and solidifying. "Open, and show me the way. I am Cher L'epee!"

A whispering sound moved around them, and the back of the grotto seemed to quiver for a moment before melting away to reveal a passage into the hill.

"Sis, wait here, I'll go in with her." Bloodstone told Aventurine, who nodded. "If the way closes behind us, wait an hour, then go back to Princess Lithium and tell her what's happened."

"Alright… be careful." Aventurine told them, and the two warriors nodded before marching into the unknown, weapons at the ready.
17.50, 17th June, Hikawa Shrine, Juuban District, Tokyo, Earth.

"You're ready for this?" Mercury asked. She was holding the two reconfigured Devices and looking at Nanoha and Fate, who were standing there in matching shrine robes. Rei sat on a rock nearby. They were in the courtyard at the back of the shrine, hidden from prying eyes.

"Yes. I need to fly again!" Nanoha sighed, emphatically.

"You sound so lost." Rei chuckled from her rock. "I'm sure you'll be in the air in no time."

"She can't help it. Nanoha-chan is a person of the sky." Fate murmured, almost to herself.

"Here, then." Mercury moved forward and pressed a Device into each girl's waiting hand. "I'm afraid I had to alter the activation chant a little..." She paused before continuing. "For your Raging Heart, Takamachi-san, you need to pray, 'The power to destroy our enemies, the strength to protect my friends, the grace to make our wishes true, this magic in my hand, the blessings of Jupiter. Raging Heart, Set up.' For you, Halloun-san, Bardiche needs to be asked, 'The strength of my heart, the hope of the future, the faith of my family, by the power of the Moon, Bardiche, set up.' Ah, can you remember all that..?"

"That's fine. Raging Heart? Please run a diagnostic and set up in Device mode." Nanoha threw her hand into the air, allowing the gem to roll to the edge of her fingers, and a moment later her circle appeared beneath her feet, a ribbon of runes rising around her in a spiral. The normal pink was shot through with white-blue and green lightning...

"Bardiche. Check status and set up." Fate span the storage-form Device until it was clasped between her right index and middle fingers like a playing card, holding it across her chest over her heart. Similarly to Raging Heart, the axe-like Device summoned her circle beneath her feet and the rune-ribbon of the diagnostic program encircled her, the gold lightning graced by soft-white luminescence.

"Operating check with the new system has started," Bardiche intoned.

"Order of the Set Up was accepted," Raging Heart agreed.

"The deformation mechanism confirmation is in good condition," Bardiche informed them.

"Exchange parts are in good condition" Raging Heart replied.

"Haken form deformation preparation: A battle with maximum performance is always possible." Bardiche sounded almost… happy.

"Completely cleared from the renewal data item Beta-eight-six-six to Gamma-three." Raging Heart exulted.

"Condition all green. Get set." Bardiche prepared.

"Main system, StartUp," Raging Heart confirmed, "and Jupiter System Active, the level of Synchronicity, ninety, are maintained. Stand By. Ready."

"Drive Ignition!" Both devices declared, finally forming

"... or you could just do that." Mercury blinked when it was finished. "I didn't find anything in the devices that suggested..." For once, the genius looked completely nonplussed.

"Maybe they have a special power." Rei chuckled. "Why those two powers, though?" The miko asked. She'd expected that she would be the other donor, since Mars was the most martial of the planets, therefore having the most combative power to lend the two mages after massive Jupiter.

"The devices chose." Mercury shrugged. "The actual power drain will take less of a toll on the Senshi if the drainers are attuned to the planet by soul." She explained a moment later. "I'm surprised neither of them chose Mars or Venus, however, and I'd expected Bardiche to attune to Jupiter because of its lightning affiliation."

"It's because of Fate-chan's caring nature..." Nanoha smiled, making the blonde blush. "Raging Heart, how are you feeling?"

"Condition: All Green. I can be shot." The Device in her hand declared, the text appearing on the gemstone at the centre of the golden crescent at the head of the staff. "Alert: dimensional transfer detected at range two hundred meters, with a bearing at ninety- three degree magnetic."

"Target acquired. Incoming teleport. Vector zero nine three, two hundred nineteen yards." Bardiche intoned at the same moment.

"Raging Heart, please?" Nanoha asked, and was answered instantly at her armour manifested around her.

"Stand by. Ready." Raging Heart sounded happy as it created her armour. The manifestation of her collar as green surprised her a little, but remembering Jupiter, her seifuku had the same colour on its' trimmings.

"Bardiche. Barrier Jacket, Lightning form." Fate commanded, and the device complied instantly without verbally acknowledging its mistress.

"Ah, Mercury-san, would you mind letting us deal with this?" Fate looked at the blue Senshi, who paused before nodding.

"If it's hostile, then yes. I will step in if I need to, however." She replied, and got a nod in return. "I feel a little bad about fighting in the shrine, though..."

"That's not a problem." Nanoha grinned. "Of course, it might not be an enemy, from what you said." She tilted her head as they moved towards the target site, but before Mercury could answer a Midchilda-type magic circle appeared on the ground before moving upwards to reveal a wiry man with black hair wearing a white, military-looking uniform with large shoulder-epaulettes. When he saw the two Mages, the Senshi and the Miko, he grinned.

"I don't know why her Ladyship asked me to do this but I guess it won't be so boring after all! Not that beating up girls is something I like to do, but at least with your powers, you won't just go down without a fight." He chuckled, keying something in his hand that caused a small tube to rise from the pad on his left shoulder that then flipped down to point at them horizontally.

"That uniform..." Mercury was frowning as she used her visor. "It can't be..." Raising her voice, she called out to the man. "What's your connection to the Silver Millennium earth?"

"Silver? Hah. I am Basalt, of the four guardians of Earth, artillerist of the royal army, assigned by our esteemed King Rune to serve his daughter, princess Lithium. I know you, Oppositio Sailor Mercury. You two, mages, though. All I know is that the Lady's new allies want those staffs!" As he finished speaking, the tube on his shoulder flashed, a bolt of burning plasma streaking forth to be expended against Nanoha's Round Shield.

"Lieutenant Takamachi Nanoha, Combat Instructor and Triple-A Class Mage of the Time and Space Administration Bureau, with the Intelligent Device Raging Heart!" Nanoha told him, bringing her Device around in a half-circle, trailing runes on the floor.

"Wide-area barrier. Dimensional shift ready. The combat area is prepared." Raging Heart intoned.

"Barrier, expand." Nanoha commanded, and with an 'Alright, my Master', Raging Heart obeyed as the black-purple of dimensional space spread from the circle to encapsulate the shrine grounds.

"Fate Testarossa-Halloun, Special Enforcer Triple-A class Bureau mage, with the Intelligent Device Bardiche. If you lay down your weapons and do not resist, it may aid in your defence." Fate murmured a moment later. "Bardiche." She intoned, rising into the air.

"They said you might do that - too bad they said it wont help! Fleur!" He shouted into the air, and a female voice responded a moment later with the strange intonation that indicated a device speaking.

"Grande Retour." Five magic circles appeared around the artillerist, and a moment later a white-haired woman, about Rei's age appeared, clad in flowing robes in the Velkan style with a cluster of red and silver gemstones, each about the size of a small marble orbiting her hand. At the same time, the other four circle revealed more of the shapeless monsters - which, in this space between dimensions, flickered occasionally to reveal something else that was gone too fast for the mages to see.

"Fleur de Metier, of Loui's avengers, with the Intelligent Device Croire. That Velka staff has been selected as mine by our leader. Please hand it and the axe over. Our crusade need not involve two mages trapped so far from home." The mage asked in a soft tone. She reminded Nanoha somehow of Yuuno in her manner. Perhaps it was just her magical aura that was similar.

"I just can't do that." Nanoha grimaced. "Besides, now that you're working with these criminals, I'm afraid we'll have to arrest you."

"So be it." Fleur closed her eyes, then when she opened them there was nothing of the warmth that had been there a moment before. Raising her Device, she focused on Nanoha. "Croire, Barrage of the Ancients."

"Grève d'artillerie de l'ancien." Croire responded, and a swarm of green-white balls of energy sprang into being around the mage before leaping out to strike at the Bureau mages, who split and dodged in opposite directions.

"Plasma lancer: phalanx shift." Bardiche declared at the same time Raging Heart called, "Divine Buster Barrage." From opposite directions, the attacks converged, Fate's arrows and Nanoha's energy balls converging. Fleur shielded against the lances, and Basalt shot down several of the pink globes, but several got through to strike at one of the shadow-creatures.

"Mistress!" It yelled in an almost human voice before stretching into nothingness as the others had.

Those creatures are more powerful than than normal! Nanoha sent, including Mercury and Rei in her telepathic comment. Mercury had the grace to look surprised, but Rei just accepted it. It was almost enough to make Nanoha suspicious about the girl. Indeed, the shrine maiden was standing now as though to actively take part into the battle.

"Nanoha-san, Fate-san, please focus on the leaders. Mercury and I will deal with the ghosts." Rei called up to them before running towards the shadow-creatures, gathering power of some kins. "Aku ryu tai sen!" She commanded as she gave one of the creatures her hand, releasing the holy powers. It staggered for a moment before twisting in agony and disintegrating. "Burning..." She followed, moving her hand in a semi-circle in front of her to leave several wards floating in the air. "Mandala!" She finished, focussing that power again to transform the wards into hoops of fire that shot out to section a second creature and wing a third.

"Shabon Spray!" Mercury declared, spinning to hurl a freezing mist at the remaining group, discus-like. Meanwhile, Fate and Nanoha hadn't been idle.

"Raging Heart, go Excelion form. Activate ACS. Axel Charger; ACS Strike Flame, Excelion Buster. Drive ignition!" Nanoha chanted rapidly as her Device reconfigured itself to reveal its spear form, energy gathering at the tip and two cartridges firing and being ejected.

"Barrel Shot." Raging Heart replied, firing off a the concussion wave that prepared the way for the dual attack. Henrietta shielded against the initial blast, and was somewhat surprised to find the Bureau mage moving rapidly towards her...

"Bardiche. Haken form." Fate whispered as she watched Basalt through narrowed eyes. The axe fired a cartridge before its blade lifted, the energy blade forming shot through with the same soft white that had marked its diagnostic and activation.

"Not enough, not nearly enough!" The Guardian laughed, firing several shots from his shoulder-cannon. Fate flew forwards, twisting and turning in the air as she carved each blast in two with her scythe until finally bringing it down on her enemy, who managed to dodge at the last moment.

'As I thought... an artillerist has no defences in melee...' Fate thought to herself, allowing herself a small smile as she formed a barrier in front of herself and twisted to push her feet against it, changing direction far faster than she could turn while flying to bring the scythe up towards her opponent, who had pulled a large cannon from somewhere and was charging a blast.

"Sonic Move." Bardiche announced, flicking her sideways two meters just as the massive beam passed through her original flight path and allowing her to maintain her momentum as she slashed again at Basalt, who avoided the strike by throwing the barrel of his cannon up to block Bardiche's haft so that the scythe blade stopped inches from his neck.

"Perfect shot." He smirked as his shoulder cannon re-aimed to fire a blast directly at her face. She winced away from it and the blast struck the high collar on her cloak, throwing her away from him and damaging her jacket.

"Outer layer jacket failure. Restoring." Bardiche intoned, the scythe blade flickering out as the device reassigned the energy to repair her armour.

"Break through it! Strike Flame!" Nanoha yelled, and Raging heart burned another cartridge to force the glowing speartip through the green runes. "Excelion buster!"

"Force Burst." Her device intoned, firing the second stage of the buster at point-blank range.

Bouclier de Dieu." Croire intoned, forming a second barrier inside the first that blunted most of the attack's force. Still, Fleur was blasted back, tumbling through the air. "L'alerte, la Température du cœur atteignant des niveaux critiques."

Nanoha moved to follow up with a bind from her left hand, holding Raging Heart out to the right, away from her body as the caps over the vents on the back of the staff's head popped to vent superheated gas. Apparently, the French-woman's device had no such cooling vents. The bind locked around Fleur's arms and legs, holding her immobile. Below, Rei and Mercury finished up the last of the shadows by double-teaming it with their attacks.

"You are under arrest by the jurisdiction of the Time and Space Administration Bureau. You have the right to remain silent. You have waived the right to legal representation, though you may provide a lawyer from your own funds. Raging Heart, sealing mode, set up."

"Stand by. Ready. Set Up." Raging Heart intoned as it reconfigured, the sealing array deploying from under the staff's head in the form of two feathery, glowing pink wings. "Intelligent Device MFSD-34853 Croire, seal! Activation Code Lyrical Magical! Fuin!" She span the staff and aimed at Fleur's hand, the ribbons of energy that composed the sealing spell flowing at her command to wrap around the individual gems of the Device.

"No! Not like this! Croire, Rappeler de Sauveur!" Fleur screamed, and her overheated Device flashed once before exploding. When the dust and smoke cleared, however, there was no sign of the mage. At that precise moment, however, Nanoha felt something powerful strike against her Barrier. The attack was almost as strong as anything the Book of Darkness had thrown at her, though not quite enough to shatter it.

"Energy signature detected. My master, it is cognizant with energy analysed during battle with Senshi Uranus and Neptune." Raging Heart told her.

"Let them in." She told the Device, and the barrier compiled, opening a small hole in front of the two outer Senshi that allowed them into the transdimensional space. Uranus, Neptune! This is Takamachi Nanoha. We have trapped one of the locals who have been causing the monster attacks within this barrier and are in the process of subduing him.

Sprinting up the stairs after the strange, grey-purple barrier let them in, the two Outer Senshi were somewhat surprised by Nanoha's message. They had suspected that the Bureau mage had been behind the disturbance, but they hadn't known the nature of it. In a way, it was something of a relief that the inners' trust had been rewarded in such a manner, but for it to happen was too rare for them to be allowed to fall into bad habits.

Then again, the scene that met them at the top of the stairs was not reassuring. One of the shrine buildings was on fire, and another had been crushed by something. Mercury and Rei were standing on the ground, staring up at a battle overhead.

"Bastards! She was right about you! You claim to be after peace and justice, but you're really just a bunch of murderers!" Basalt screamed at them, throwing his now damaged cannon at Fate and pulling forth a pair of multi-barrelled weapons almost as large out of the same dimensional space, laying down a withering hail of fire… which Nanoha built a Round Shield against while Fate boosted above him before sweeping forward impossibly fast to bring her scythe around in an arc that sliced both gatlings in half and severed his shoulder-cannon.

"No!" He yelled, spinning to face the Bureau mage, who had spun after her last strike to face him from behind. He started to glow, gathering a huge amount of energy into his hands. "I didn't know her for long… but she was a good child… even if she was just a poor reflection of a person, she deserved to live… I'll destroy this world, and everything in it!"

"She's not dead! She teleported away!" Nanoha cried, trying to prevent the blast. "So you don't have to..!"

"Liar! I saw her die! Nothing could have survived that explosion in this weak world, and you forced it!"

"The energy readings are off the scale!" Mercury commented, scanning him with her visor. "I don't think he could stop even if he wanted to… we have to stop him somehow, or that much energy will…"

"Enough." Uranus growled, making everyone – including Basalt – look at her. "I don't care where you came from or what you want, but you've threatened this planet. In the name of the fallen Silver Millennium, you cannot be forgiven." With that, she drew her Talisman. "Space Sword Blaster!" She growled, swiping the air with the weapon and sending a cutting crescent of energy up at Basalt. He directed some of his gathered energy to divert the attack, but the sword seemed to blur around it to bite into his flesh, cutting him in half diagonally.

"N… no..! Mistress!" He screamed, stretching out and, for a moment, becoming a shadow-creature silhouette before vanishing in the same manner as his monster minions.

"Damn." Fate swore, softly. She'd been hoping that they might be able to capture and interrogate him. "Back to square two..." She muttered, floating down to land in front of the two Outers and dismissing her Jacket. Nanoha landed a moment later and did the same, both Devices returning to their Storage Forms as they did so. As Raging Heart deactivated, the barrier vanished to reveal an unharmed shrine, which shocked Rei to be certain.

"Why did you kill him?" Nanoha asked Uranus directly. "We could have subdued him! Even if that mage got away, one prisoner would have been good."

"He was berserk. He wasn't going to surrender, and he was an enemy." The Senshi of earth told her. "If you don't kill enemies, they just come back to haunt you."

"That kind of philosophy..." Nanoha frowned, drawing back. "Enemies are just friends you haven't made yet. Even if you have to hurt someone... to call on the devil's visage to get your message through to them, you should keep trying."

"If only that worked... maybe it has for you, but for a Senshi, there can be only the conviction to do what's necessary. That's what separates us from those girls, and you." Neptune sighed as she moved to stand beside her partner. "If there was another way, then maybe, but... when an enemy thinks that you are nothing but a reflection of something you know, can you really hope to make them listen?"

"If he'd lived, and escaped, then he would have brought allies. He probably found you by the energy spike you sent up when you activated your magic. Next time, he would have known not to come alone, since the Senshi are here." Uranus finished. She frowned suspiciously as the mages looked at each other.

"He did. He came with one of those mages, and several monsters. I think he only expected to find us, but..." Nanoha started, somewhat sheepishly.

"... The mage escaped." Fate finished the sentence. "Speaking of that..." She looked at Nanoha, who nodded.

"Her Device was destroyed. She shouldn't be too much of a threat now, unless she has too many allies." As she was speaking, she took Raging Heart out again. "Raging Heart?"

"Yes, my master. The mage's device was positively identified as Croire, a unique Device created by the distaff branch of the Scrya family, residing in the Ankann independent state of Midchilda." The Device's tone took on an almost rhythmic quality as it quoted from its database. "Croire was developed to enhance the distaff's abilities to match those of a true member of the Scrya tribe. In the hands of a powerful mage, Croire would become undefeatable. It is a AAA ranked Midchildan Intelligent Device.

"Scrya? Then that Fleur is related to Yuuno-kun?" Nanoha blinked. "I didn't realise there even was a distaff family... I thought it was just him and his tribe."

"Distaffs usually break off from the main branch of a family or tribe because they're not equal to the main group in some way, so that might have been her motivation with joining with this other group." Mercury mused. "But this does mean that our two enemies have definitely allied."

"Rei-san, that power you used. It was similar to the powers the Senshi use..." Fate looked at the priestess. "Is there something you're not telling us?"

"Umm..." Rei blinked, unsure how to answer that. "I suppose that since the spirits that give me the power are nature spirits, that power comes from the same source as the Senshi's?"

"Raging Heart! Stop that!" Nanoha cut in, glaring at her necklace. "Sorry, Rei-san, she decided it would be a good idea to scan you. She's not programmed to have good manners, it seems."

"Ah, that's alright..." Rei mumbled, secretly relieved. A scan might have found her henshin rod, after all.

"Either way, it's not important where Hino-san gets her power." Neptune coughed. "This place isn't safe for you two any more, but since those mages' main interest seems to be in your talismen, moving you away should take the shrine out of danger."

"I agree, tactically, but where should we go?" Nanoha asked, thinking.

"The Senshi have a base in the city, perhaps there?" Fate suggested, but Uranus vetoed the idea.

"No, you'll come to our building. There's no provisioning for living at headquarters, and if anyone tries something with Hotaru in the building, they'll get more than they bargained for to say the least." The blonde Senshi decided.

"That and she wants to interrogate you." Neptune grinned. "We should go, though, before anyone else shows up. Three sailor Senshi and two outsider mages in one shrine are bound to attract the wrong kind of attention. We've got a car parked around the corner, just let me..." With that, the teal-haired Senshi summoned her henshin rod and dismissed her transformation, becoming once again Michiru Kaiou. A moment later, and Uranus returned to her civilian identity as well.

"That's that. Being super-strong and super-fast can be fun for a while, but those outfits are draughty." Haruka grinned, patting down her trousers and jacket to make sure she had everything. "Nice to meet you, cutie. My name's Haruka. This is Michiru." She introduced Neptune's human form. "Since you'll be staying with us for a while, and you've shown we can trust you, it would be stupid to try and hide it."

"Mmh, yes." Michiru smiled, looking much more feminine than her partner in a tartan skirt and white blouse.

"You two live together?" Nanoha asked, blinking. "You must be pretty close."

Behind them, Rei and Mercury looked at each other amusedly and wondered how long it would take the mages to figure it out.