Chapter 9- The 8th Child
The sun shone on my face again this morning… but for some reason it felt hotter than usual… is it this hot in spring? It's a good thing spring break starts next week… I can't wait…
I got up and did my daily morning rituals… even getting out of the bath I still felt so hot…
But I guess I wasn't the only one feeling it… Mom, Dad and Tatsuya were also feeling hot.
"Hot morning huh Madoka?" Dad said sweating.
"Yeah it is… whew..." I said wiping sweat off my forehead.
"I guess I'll put my makeup on in the office… to think I have to commute on a hot day like today…" Mom complained.
"Don't worry honey, you're still beautiful even without your make-up" Dad said.
"That's why I love you" Mom said kissing dad.
I was looking at them, then Mom and Dad looked at me.
"What?" I said with bread in my mouth.
"Don't worry Madoka! I'm sure there are plenty of boys out there for you!" Mom said joking around.
"Yeah! I'm sure some of them are your type!" Dad said joining mom.
"Not you too dad!"I said embarrassed
"Kiss Madoka! Kiss Madoka!" Tatsuya said.
"It looks like Tatsuya wants to be your date!" mom joked.
"Mom!" I said embarrassed.
Nonthless I kissed mom and dad goodbye and made my way… but through this kind of heat…? It's just not possible… but somehow I did… but I was already sweating buckets…
"H-hey guys…" I said sweating more buckets.
"M-madoka… h-hot day today huh?" Sayaka said sweating it out.
"Indeed… this heat is really something else…" Milhi said fanning herself.
"Can't…take it anymore…school now…" Nagi said sweating like crazy.
Mei and Haruna and Homura couldn't say anything… it was just so hot…
But we made it to school somehow… and everyone was sweating it out too….
We went to our respective classrooms, but to our luck the air-conditioning was out… so we had to open the windows… but it was still searing hot… even our teacher had a hard time teaching us…
I excused myself to go to the washroom just to wash my face…I then looked inside my bag and took my G-Terminal out…and I saw Exia still armless… but he covered his lost arm with a cloth.
"Heya Exia…"
"Ah Miss Kaname… you don't look so good…. Are you alright?"
"Yeah im okay… its just so hot… and you look like you're alright…"
"Heat?"
"Y-yeah… suddenly im thinking that its cool inside your G-Terminal… or even your world…"
"Hahaha I don't know about that…we have volcanoes that we have to enter in our world…"
"V-volcanoes?"
"Yes… and deserts… and…"
"Stop, stop! No more hot places please!"
"S-sorry…"
"Anyway, I was just checking on you… to see if you're sweating as well."
"No, im fine, thank you."
I put my G-Terminal back in my bag and washed my face… then a young girl with short black twintails came in… and she was sweating too…
"Oh sorry! I just barged in!" she said.
"Ah its fine… I was just washing my face…" I replied.
"Washing your face huh?" she said turning on the faucet and splashing water on her face too, "Ahh that felt good!"
"Haha doesn't it?"
We both giggled.
"Oh my name is Mato. Kuroi Mato! Nice to meet you!" she said extending her hand.
"I-im Madoka… Kaname Madoka! Nice to meet you too!" I said shaking her hand.
I looked at her knee, "Hey you've got a wound…."
"Ah yeah... I was on my way to the Nurse's office too.."
"Oh if you'd like… I can treat it for you."
"You can?"
"Yeah… im my class's health representative… " I said digging in my bag some disinfectant and bandages.
"Wow… you come prepared huh?"
"Yep. So how bout that treatment?"
"Its all yours!" Mato said.
I treated it… and boy Mato was something else… usually the girls wince in pain, or go "OW!" but Mato just took it like it was nothing.
"There we go… good as new." I said patching it up.
"Hehehe thanks Miss Kaname…" Mato said rubbing the back of her head.
"You must play a lot of sports huh?" I sasked.
"Yep! Especially Basketball!"
"Oh I see… well be more careful okay?"
"Hehe sure!"
We then both exited the bathroom.
"Well I still have class" I said.
"Same here… thanks to you I don't have to swing my the nurse's office anymore."
"See ya Miss Kuroi."
"You too Miss Kaname!"
We both parted ways.
I got back to my classroom… but for some reason it was less hotter… maybe its because I wet my face… either way class still continued…
The bell for the next class rang…
Our next class was P.E… P.E… seriously… In this heat?
Sayaka, Homura and I went to the lockers and got changed… honestly wearing our gym shorts was better than our uniforms… it was really breezy… then again these shorts really catch the attention of the boys…
"Okay… today we are competing with the other class in basketball… form your teams and get ready" our teacher said.
We did so… Homura, Sayaka, myself and 3 other girls… I wish it was Milhi, Mei, Haruna or even Nagi who was with us… that would be cool…
We then moved from the Gym to the covered court… man... it was still hot… even though there was already a breeze.
Several of our classmates played before us… and well they ended up losing… the other class was really something else…
Our team was up next… we went to the court and got ready…
"Miss Kaname?" Mato said
"Miss Kuroi?" I said in reply
"Hahaha, so you're our opponent huh? Don't you guys dare hold back!" Mato said happily.
"C-come on… our class already lost so much…"
'Don't give up! Keep fighting!" Mato said.
Our match began, and we ended up losing…
"Yeah! We won! Good job team!" Mato said to her classmates.
"W-we lost… who are these girls?" Sayaka said.
"Good match Miss Kaname!" Mato said extending her hand for a handshake.
"Y-yeah…" I said shaking her hand.
"You know her Madoka?" Sayaka asked.
"Yeah… she's Mato Kuroi… some girl I met in the washroom this morning" I said wiping my sweat off.
"Man… she's really something else… " Sayaka said.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean for a girl… she's really good at Basketball… heck she could even be the best female player here in school…"
"How can you say that?"
"Well… she's fast on her feet… and she has excellent timing and precision… I mean… look at all the 3 pointers she scored awhile ago!"
"Y-yeah… I guess you're right."
I don't know what I was thinking… but I went outside for some air… or to feel the breeze even… and luckily there was a breeze… man it felt good even though it was hot… man… am I glad P.E was our last class for the day… im beat…
"Here you go!" Mato said giving me a sports drink.
"Huh?"
"Drink up! It's a hot day, and you shouldn't lose too many bodily fluids!"
"Y-yeah… thanks..." I said drinking the sports drink.
"Say Miss Kaname… would you like me to teach you how to play sports more?" Mato asked.
"Huh?"
"I don't want to sound mean… but the girls in your class have no athleticism… you girls should play sports more than, braid your hair or wear make-up you know?" Mato said.
Come to think about it… she was right… the girls in my class could barely run and they got tired easily… then again I did too… Sayaka was probably the only one who could keep up with Mato and her class if she practiced…
"Sure why not?" I said
"Great! Lets start when it's less hot! Im sure you don't want to be sweating like crazy while training huh?"
"Y-yeah..."
Seeing this side of Mato made me think that she was really cool.
"Oh hey, how was the sports drink? Good huh?"
"Y-yeah! I don't feel thirsty anymore! And I feel more energized!"
"Hahaha, these sports drinks are really something else huh?" Mato laughed.
I couldn't help but laugh with her.
"Kaname?" Nanoha said passing by carrying a basket of soccer balls.
"Oh, Nanoha! Is it your P.E class too?" I said seeing Nanoha in her P.E clothes.
"Yes, and I'm stuck with cleaning duty" Nanoha laughed.
"Then why don't we help?" Mato said.
"Huh?"
"Sure! Lifting things is good training! How bout it Miss Kaname?"
"Alright!"
"Wow… thanks" Nanoha said.
"I'll just tell the teacher where we're going okay guys?"
"Sure, we'll wait here! Hurry back now!"
I ran back to my teacher and told her I was going to help the other class clean, she agreed but only if I would put away all the Basketballs here too, I agreed and I was off, but I told Sayaka and Homura where I was going too as not to worry them.
"Hey guys! Im back!"
"Heya! What did your teacher say?"
"She said yes… but we have to put away the basketballs in the gym as well."
"Sure! That sounds like fun!"
"Shall we girls?" Nanoha said.
We went off and picked up baskets of soccer balls… boy they were kinda heavy… Nanoha didn't seem to be having any trouble… and Mato carried two at once! Man… I'm really out of shape…
We finished putting the soccer balls away, then we decided to take a little rest.
"You're Kuroi Mato right?" Nanoha asked.
"Yessir that's me!" Mato said.
"You know Mato, Nanoha?"
"How can't I? She's the ace Basketball player of Mitakihara!"
I felt embarrassed that I didn't know that.
"So I'm known huh? Cool! I thought people didn't know me! I mean… when people talk about me playing basketball really well… its kinda awkward y'know?" Mato said with a laugh.
"You've lead Mitakihara for just 2 years and you've won every match… you're really something else" Nanoha said.
"Hehehe thanks! Uh… what was your name?" Mato said tilting her head to the side.
"Oh I'm Takamachi… Nanoha Takamachi"
"Nice to meet you!" Mato said extending her hand for a handshake.
"Likewise" Nanoha said shaking her hand.
We all giggled, and finished cleaning up the gym… it took longer then expected… who'd have thunk that we used so many basketballs…
"And we're done!" Mato said happily
"Yes we are…" Nanoha said with a smile.
"Done at last…." I said kneeling down in exhaustion.
We rested for a bit, then got up and preceded to lock up the gym, which we did.
We looked outside… and the afternoon sun was beautiful.
"Whew! I can't wait to have a bath when I get home!" Mato said happily.
"Same here… today was just so hot…" Nanoha said calmly.
"Lets go guys… I'm hungry…" I said.
We were walking already when a beam shot came out of nowhere barely missing us.
"What the…?" I said.
We looked up and we saw another green machine… but it was different from the others… it was bigger… it had a claw for a shield, and in its other hand it had a beam rifle.
"I sense the prescene of a chosen child…" the machine said.
"What? It can sense us? Nanoha!" I said looking at Nanoha
"Yeah… but we can't show off the G-Terminals and the Gundam infront of Mato…." Nanoha said in a low tone.
Then Mato stood up and said: "You want this don't you?" then out of her pocket she took out a G-Terminal, "Then come and get it!" she yelled.
Nanoha and I were both shocked.
"Ahhh so our lord was right… you are a chosen child… give yourself and that contraption to me, and I will spare your friends…"
"Im sorry guys…" Mato said sadly.
The machine was about to pick her up when we took out or G-Terminals and sent our Gundam out, and they slashed the green machine's arm.
Mato was shocked, "W-what? You have these things too?"
"Yeah, we do… because…" Nanoha said.
"…were chosen children as well" I said finishing it.
"No! More Chosen Children? Impossible!" the green machine said holding his wounded arm.
"Where's your Gundam?" Nanoha asked.
"Gundam…? You mean those things?" she said pointing to Gundam and Exia.
"Yeah… where is your partner?" Nanoha asked again.
"What partner?" Mato asked.
We looked at her G-Terminal… but it was all static…there was no Gundam there…
"What the…?" Nanoha said shocked.
"Are you…really a chosen child?" I asked
"Grrr! I'll make you pay for that!" The green machine said lunging towards Mato.
"Exia! Slash him!"
"Gundam! Beam Javelin go!"
Exia slashed the green machine causing him to fall to the ground, then Gundam's Beam Javelin struck the machine in his chest… but it wasn't enough… it almost hit Mato… but instead it fell over and destroyed her G-Terminal...
"Hehehehe… you may have caused me damage… but I am the real winner here…!" It said hacking and spiiting.
"No… the G-Terminal its…"
"Destroyed…"
The green machine laughed maniacally as it got up and attacked us again.
It was going wild… like it had no more conscience… just like that last time in Milhi's place…
Nanoha drew a card and said: "Madoka! Save Mato! I've got this!".
"Alright!" I said running to Mato.
"Card Slash! Mega Rider Plug-in S!" Nanoha said as a Mega Rider appeared and Gundam rode on it, "Mega Rider Raid! Go!"
Gundam fired a lot of beam shots and mega particle shots from the Mega Rider, the green machine got hit, but it looked like it had no effect.
"Mato! Are you okay?" I said talking to her.
"Miss Kaname I…" she said in shock.
"Come on… lets get you to a safe place"
"No"
"What…?"
"Im going to fight… I'm tired of running away"
"Running away?"
Mato got up and ran back toward the battle.
The green machine was roaring and was out of control, Gundam and his Mega Rider couldn't do anything.
"He's too big! Try to find a weakspot Gundam!"
Gundam circled around… and he saw one, some core on its back…
"I've found it! Its in his back!" Gundam took aim and fired, but the green machine, swung his giant arm at Gundam and knocked him off his Mega Rider.
"Gundam! Use your Beam Javelin to recover!"
In an instant, Gundam drew his Beam Javelin and stabbed it in the green machine's arm.
The green machine was in pain, and it tired to get Gundam off his arm by swinging its arm around wildly.
Gundam could barely hang on. It was too strong.
"Hey ugly! You want to fight? Fight me!" Mato yelled.
"Kuroi!" Nanoha yelled.
The green machine then turned his attention to Mato and ran towards her, it was about to hit her… then a bright light shined…
The green machine was thrown back and Gundam was able to get off along with his Beam Javelin.
"That light…!" Gundam said.
I made it just in time, to see the light disappear.
Mato was fine, and in her hand she had a new G-Terminal…
"Mato!" I yelled.
"Im tired of running away… I want to fight! Gundam release!" Mato pointed her G-Terminal and a Gundam came out.
It was different from the Gundam we've seen so far… it had the same yellow V-fin but the center was red and it had a Z on it… but its mouthpiece was not red but white, and it had two stabilizers on its back and a foldable booster.
"So you're my partner huh?" the Gundam said.
"Yes I am… will you lend me your strength?"
"For my partner I will gladly!" the Gundam said
The battle computer then started up: "GUNDAM BATTLE! 1 ON 1 BATTLE! ARENA… SCHOOLYARD! GUNDAM BATTLE READY…. FIGHT!"
"Official battle huh? Bring it on." Mato said.
The green machine roared and lunged toward Mato and her Gundam.
They both dodged it.
"What are you called?" Mato asked.
"I am called Zeta." He said.
"Zeta… nice name… now lets see how good your weapons are!" Mato then looked at her terminal screen and saw the weapons, "Zeta! Grenade launcher!" Mato commanded.
Zeta fired two grenades from his arm and it hit the green machine square on.
But it wasn't enough; there was no damage to his armor points.
"Tough… we need to deal more damage" Zeta said.
"Looks like it" Mato said, as the green machine charged toward them again and they dodged it the attack again.
"Bite this ugly! Beam Rifle go!" Mato said.
Zeta took aim and hit the green machine but it still didn't have any effect.
"Wow this guy is tough" Zeta said.
"Mato! That thing has a weakpoint! Its in his back!" Nanoha yelled.
"On its back huh? Where there…? Okay then Zeta search for his weakpoint!" Mato commanded.
Zeta flew up and located the weakpoint, he tried to get near but it was too wild, it didn't hold still.
"I can't get a good shot!" Zeta said.
"Then we'll have to force him to hold still!" Mato said drawing a card, slashing it in her G-Terminal she said: "Card Slash! Hyper Mega Launcher Weapon Plug-In Z!"
Then a gigantic Beam Launcher materialized in Zeta's hands.
"Whoa… now this is a weapon!" Zeta said.
"Sure is! Now slash it with your Beam Bayonet!"
"Beam Bayonet?" Nanoha thought.
Zeta held the Mega Launcher like he was going to swing it, and out came a giant beam blade.
"Wait for it to get near!" Mato commanded.
The green machine charged wildly again, it was about to hit Zeta when Mato commanded: "NOW! DODGE IS ATTACK AND SLASH IT!"
Zeta dodged the attack and struck the green machine with that giant beam blade, the beam blade caused the green machine to kneel down in pain and damaged it slightly.
"Now! Go for the weakspot!"
Zeta withdrew the giant beam blade, flew up, locked on to the weakspot and fired away.
It blew the weakspot up and it caused the green machine to fall down in defeat.
"ITS GLORY TO THE WINNER! VICTORY GOES TO ZETA GUNDAM!"
And with that the battle arena closed.
We ran to Mato but she was kneeling down wit her hands together.
We looked at the green machine… it and was breaking up into particles… then into nothing.
Mato then got up on her feet and said: "Im sorry guys… I…"
"Lets discuss this somewhere else…. Like that café we always go to?" Nanoha suggested.
"Yeah… I am hungry…" I said.
"Café?" Mato said.
"Yep, you're gonna enjoy the food there!" I said.
We changed back into our school uniforms, I got my cellphone and texted Sayaka and Homura that I wouldn't be going home with them, and I also told them to tell Milhi and the rest as well, after that we made our way to the Café… and there was Taiga who greeted us… but she looked more angry than usual…
"WELCOME" She said angrily.
Nanoha gave her a cold stare.
"U-umm… Welcome Masters!" Taiga said much more cheerfully "Let me take you to your seats!" which she did, we looked at the menu, then she took out a pen and paper and said: "Can I take your orders Masters?" she said cheerfully.
"Why don't you order first Mato?" I suggested.
"Oh sure! I'll have a Apple Cream Pie!" Mato said excitedly.
"Okay…"
"I'll have a Strawberry Sundae!" I said.
"Got it"
"And I'll have… your head on a silver platter" Nanoha said looking at Taiga with a piercing glance and evil smirk.
"Wh-what?" Taiga said feeling her neck with her hand.
"Oh nothing… I'd like a Vanilla Sundae with Chocolate cream thank you."
"C-coming up…" Taiga said as she walked to the counter and gave our orders.
"Nanoha…! That was so mean!" I said.
"Hahaha, she needs to straighten out her attitude… guess a little intimidation is what she needs" Nanoha said, "Well then Miss Kuroi… what did you want to tell us?"
"Okay… well where should I start…?"
"How about you knowing know to Gundam Battle so well?" I said.
"Umm well… I have a little brother… and he plays this… since he has no playmates he forces me to play with him… and well I learned how to use everything right… including Card Slash…and well… it kinda made me want to do cool poses and cool lines and all that… like an anime character!"
"Not bad, you learn fast… but the fantasies?" Nanoha said impressed yet a bit wierded out.
"Ehehehe… its just for fun anyway…" Mato said rubbing the back of her head.
"Next… what did you mean by: "I don't want to run away anymore?" and you had another G-Terminal?" I asked.
"Well… that thing we fought? They torment me in my dreams… every night I would see them and they would say "chosen child, chosen child" I didn't know what that meant I could do nothing in my dreams but run away… then this girl… wearing a black jacket with long twintails and a giant cannon would save me… but before I would get the chance to ask her name or thank her she would disappear and I would wake up…"
"They torment you? Gundam is this normal?" Nanoha asked.
"No it isn't… I've never heard of them attacking humans in their dreams before…" Gundam said grimly.
"But that's not all… they would attack me in real life… to be honest I don't know what to do but run away… I had no means of fighting them…. So I just kept on running…"
"But awhile ago… its like you knew you would get a G-Terminal…" Nanoha said.
"Yeah… it was weird… that girl in black… she appeared in my head awhile ago… and she told me… "Fight… don't run away… fight", and that's what I did… I'm thinking that you might be that girl Zeta…" Mato said sadly.
"Girl? I'm not a girl miss… I'm a guy." Zeta said weirded out by Mato's remark
"S-sorry"
"And that other G-Terminal?" Nanoha asked.
"Well... I found it that way… maybe it belonged to someone else? It kinda felt like the G-Terminals my little brother plays with".
"So it was a toy then… what a relief…"I said sighing.
"Yes… a big relief…if we lost you… then we would have no chance of going to the Gundam World now…" Nanoha said sighing as well.
"Gundam World…?" Mato asked.
We explained about the chosen children and the Gundam World…
"I see… I'll cooperate with you guys then" Mato said
"Really? No battles or anything?" I reacted.
"Yes… I want to know why those things are haunting me in my dreams…"
"Maybe old man Turn A will know?" Zeta said.
"Yes… Turn A will have the answers I'm sure…" Gundam said.
"Turn A… who is he?" I asked.
"Well… he's the elder of our village… he's a kind old Gundam… our people say that he's a hero who saved the world once… but now... he's just teaching the young ones like us." Exia explained.
"I see… then I'd like to talk to him once we get to your world" Mato requested.
"That will be no problem… Old man Turn A is a very open old Gundam… he'll talk to anyone and anything." Zeta said.
"Yes… just don't make him angry…" Gundam said grimly.
With Gundam's statement… we believed him…this "Old Man Turn A" must have more than meets the eye… or more than meets words…
Our orders arrived, and it was Taiga who was serving us.
"H-here you go Masters!" Taiga said serving us.
Taiga frightendly gave Nanoha her dessert.
"I thought I said I wanted your head on a silver platter?" Nanoha said intimidating her again with an evil smirk.
"Gh…! Why you…!"
Nanoha gave her another icy cold stare.
Taiga froze in fear.
"Go already" Nanoha said.
Taiga left without saying another word… but she looked scared… very scared…
"Nanoha! You don't have to be so mean to her! What if Minori saw you?" I said scolding her.
"Hahaha…. Im sorry… she's just so fun to tease!" Nanoha said laughing.
"You call that teasing?" I thought.
"Wow… you're ice-cold Takamachi… DO IT AGAIN!" Mato said.
"Whaaaat?" I said.
"Huh?" Nanoha said
"That was… pretty fun to watch… do it again!" Mato said.
"Hahaha… perhaps another time. I think she's had too much intimidation for one day…" Nanoha said eyeing Taiga who was trying to avoid her gaze.
We ate our orders and talked… Mato was really cool…im sure Nanoha liked her too… I'm so glad that she's a chosen child.
We paid our bills as we exited the Café.
"Akihabara Café huh? I'll definetly remember this place!" Mato said.
"Wow… its still pretty early…" I said looking at my watch that read 7:00.
"What should we do?" Nanoha asked.
"Why don't we hang out in my house?" Mato suggested.
"Really? Is it okay with your folks? I mean…we just met after all." Nanoha asked.
"Sure why not? I mean… I don't really have people over much, so it'll be okay."
"If its okay with you then I guess we can go…" I said.
"Yippee! Lets go guys!" Mato said leading us.
I texted my Mom and Dad where I was going as not to worry then we walked to Mato's place… it was nearer than we thought.
"I'm home! And I have guests over!" Mato said
"Oh Mato! Guests? This is rare" Mato's mom said.
"G-good evening" I said bwoing
"Good evening ma'am" Nanoha said bowing.
"Mato's friends? Oh my you two are cute! Will you two stay for dinner?" Mato's mom asked.
"Please say yes guys?" Mato pleaded.
"Sure, we'd love to" Nanoha said.
"Yes, we'd love to" I said too.
"Great! I'll whip up something good girls!"
"Thanks mom! You're the best!" Mato said hugging her mom, "So how about we hang out on my room then?"
"Sounds good, " I said.
We went upstars, and went to Mato's room… it was a small simple room.
"And this is my room guys! Sorry it isn't much! But make yourselves at home!" Mato said, pulling out a small table with some small cushions.
We took our G-Terminals out.
"Do you want to talk to Zeta?" Nanoha asked Gundam
"Yes please"
"How about you Exia" I asked.
"Yes, I would like that too."
We put our G-Terminals together so our Gundam could talk and we went over to another corner and talked.
"Zeta… it's been awhile…" Gundam said.
"Yeah…. It sure has…"
"You seem… somewhat more mature… did something happen to you?" Exia asked.
"Mature? I've always been mature! Why does everyone treat me like a kid?" Zeta ranted.
"From what you did it seemed very childish to me." Gundam said.
"Hey!"
"And Gundam is right… you have matured… but only a little…" Exia joked.
"Darn it! That's not funny guys!"
"So that serious face you had in battle awhile ago was fake eh?" Gundam said.
"W-well… I was in heat of battle and Miss Kuroi gave me really good orders…"
"Sure… we believe you"
"Stop it already guys!" Zeta complained.
"Fine fine… So how did you locate Miss Kuroi exactly?"
"Well… this girl in black… she guided me to her… saying that she needed help…"
"Girl in black?" Exia asked.
"Yeah… I don't know who she was… but she had and icy-cold stare and barely any emotions… it really creeped me out… but she was kind... I could tell..." Zeta said.
"I wonder… do you think Old Man Turn A has any answers to her?" Gundam asked.
"Lets hope he does" Zeta said.
Exia stayed silent.
"Whats wrong Exia?" Gundam asked.
"We're complete… we're finally complete… now we can travel back to our world…" Exia said happily.
"That's true…"
"Huh? Complete? Then the that means that the others…"
"Have found their chosen children…" Gundam completed.
"So that means we can save our world…" Zeta said.
"Yes"
"Wing, Shining, F91, Victory, X, You Gundam, Exia and me… us all saving the Gundam World… I mean… they laughed at us…" Zeta said.
"They're just trying to crush our spirits… if our ancestors can do it so can we, they have no right to have laughed at us." Gundam said.
Exia said nothing.
"Which reminds me… when are we going back to our world?" Zeta asked.
"That will be up to our partners… but we'd better do it soon… the portal to our world could just close on us then re-open anytime…" Gundam said.
"Maybe there was a reason for that?" Exia said.
"Maybe…" said Zeta.
As for us girls, we just talked to each other and laughed, Mato showed us her favorite story book: "Li'l Bird Li'l Bird Colorful Colors". It was about a bird that took people to worlds of different colors... seems like an interesting read...
Then someone knocked at the door
"Uh-oh, that's my kid brother! Quick hide your G-Terminals! Im sure he's looking for a fight!" Mato said panicked.
We did as we were told, and we hid our G-Terminals.
"Hey sis lets have a—oh sorry…! You have guests over!" Mato's little brother said.
"Maybe tomorrow okay?" Mato said.
"Y-yeah… sorry". Then he left.
"I told you he was out for a fight!" Mato said relieved and locking her door.
"He must be obsessed with the game" Nanoha said.
"Y-yeah… to be asking even you to battle? He must be really into it…"
"Hehehe maybe… sad to say I kinda enjoy it… this whole Gundam Battling thing." Mato said earnestly.
We then talked some more, all girl talk… what we liked to do, what we didn't like, boys we didn't and did like… you know…
Surprisingly Nanoha opened up quite well… maybe she just needed a push? Or even a little encouragement.
Then Mato's mom knocked on her door again saying dinner was ready, we excitedly headed down, and sat at the dinner table… it was Mato, her mom, her kid brother, Nanoha and me… I wonder though… where was her dad this whole time?
We looked at the silver tray… and it was a Turkey! That was pretty rare here, and was my first time to try one!
"Don't be shy girls! Dig in! Oh yes, Mato your Dad sent this over for us, im glad he's doing fine abroad!" Mato's mom said.
"Yaay! Thanks for this Turkey dad!" Mato said happily.
"So her dad works abroad huh?" I thought to myself
We ate the turkey… and boy was it good! It was definetly different than chicken! It had… more meat… and more juice in it… I was in heaven… and I think Mato's mom, brother, her and Nanoha felt the same way!
Mato's mom talked to us, how we met Mato and what we were like… it was great to be honest… her mom was outgoing… kind of like a teenager… though I have a strange feeling that my mom and Mato's mom would get along very well…
We finished our meal and got ready to go home.
"Thanks for dropping by! Im glad the finished the turkey!" Mato's mom said.
"Yeah! Come back again!" Mato's little brother said.
"Yes… the food was great, thank you very much." Nanoha said bowing respectfully.
"Yes… thank you so much for having us!" I said bowing respectfully too.
"Really guys, thanks so much! And see you guys in school tomorrow!" Mato said.
I walked with Nanoha, as we were going downhill.
"Mato is really something else huh Madoka?"
"Yeah… I'm glad she's on our side…" I said.
"You know… we're finally complete… all us chosen children… all we got to do now is to gather everyone and talk about this."
"Yeah… how are we supposed to slip by our parents?"
"Spring break is next week already… maybe we can make some sort of excuse?"
"Like what?"
"I really don't know… we should consult with the others before making decisions that we'll regret…"
"True… Oh hey Nanoha?"
"Yes?"
"These days… you've seemed to have opened up more… before you just gave me an icy stare… why?"
Nanoha sighed and said: "Well… I guess you can say that… I thought of myself as almighty… but then you came along and I gave you advice… and well… you became better than me… that really shattered me to be honest… but at the same time… it made me realize how much I lacked as well…"
"Nanoha…"
"Hey don't blame yourself… we both changed for the better right?"
"Y-yeah…!"
Then we both shared a giggle.
Nanoha and I finally separated paths, and I got home.
Mom and dad greeted me and asked how my stay in Mato's house was… I told them I had dinner there and told them everything that we did… excluding our close encounter at school though.
"My Madoka making so many friends… I'm proud of you daughter" Dad said.
"Thanks dad" I smiled.
"Now if you'd only bring home a cute boyfriend…" Mom joked.
"Mom! There you go again!"
Mom laughed, and so did Dad.
I went up, looked in Tatsuya's room… he was fast asleep.
I then went to my room, took a bath, changed into my jammies, took my G-Terminal out and threw myself in bed.
"We're finally complete Miss Kaname…" Exia said happily, "I can't wait to see my home again".
"I'm pretty psyched about what your world looks like…" I said imagining.
"I just hope its still intact…" Exia said a bit grimly.
"Intact?" I thought, "Hey, we're the chosen children! Nothing's gonna happen to your world when we're there!" I said trying to cheer Exia up.
"Y-yes! You are right!" Exia said happily.
"Though I gotta say… so much has happened these past days… meeting Nanoha… then Milhi… Nagi…Taiga…Mei… Haruna… and Mato… its just so much… then Gundam Battles, traveling to your world… its crazy you know?"
"Indeed…" Exia said.
"Now we just gotta get everyone together for a meeting about what we're gonna do…" I said.
"Yes… it is best to think this through… who knows how long you'll be away from home…" Exia said.
"I wish I could just show you to Mom and Dad but… they'll never let me do something like that…"
"If you must then do so. I do not want your parents worrying about you."
"Exia…"
"You may be doing this… but that does not mean that you have to make those who care about you worry about you."
"Yeah… you're right… thanks Exia."
"You are very welcome"
I put my G-Terminal in my bag, told Exia goodnight, turned off the lights and went to sleep.
"Gundam World huh? Maybe that white bird will bring us there... the Gundam World of different colors..." I muttered as I fell asleep.
