Disclaimer: I own NOTHING except my thieving hands.

Chapter 10: Power of Void and Love

"Long live Princess Henrietta."

"Long live Tristain."

Princess Henrietta has led the army to victory after Albion declared war with them. Princess Henrietta who defeated the enemy that outnumber them was praised as a 'saint'. It is too bad it was Albion, Prince Wales own country that attacked them. He had already lost his home and status. Right now, the understanding princess and her subordinates let him stay at the palace. Thanks to the rumors that were created by Louise and Nanoha, Wales died in Albion. Now he just have to hope nobody else recognize him because of his reputation. When the princess returned to the palace, she underwent a coronation ceremony. Wales was watching the princess and was happy for her. After the coronation ceremony, Wales approached the princess and asked her what really happened. She told him about the light that expanded and the strange-looking dragon. Wales then told her that Wardes wanted to marry Louise because of power. He didn't understand what power but maybe that light was Louise. The matter was further proven when the prisoners were interrogated. They said the dragon was fast and used powerful magic attacks, shooting down his allies one by one. However, since no such dragon exists within the forces of Tristain, a further investigation was done only to find that the strange dragon was actually a strange machinery that used to be called the Dragons Raiment. It belonged to the Village of Tarbes but somehow it ended up with Saito, Louise's familiar.

"Should I pay them a visit?" Wales asked the princess.

"Yes, if you can please bring them here. I would like to thank them personally."

Things seems to have returned to normal at the Academy of Magic. The headmaster praised the victory of Tristain's forces at Tarbes but that is all the unusual thing that happened. Everyone went on their daily lives as usual and Louise continues to go unnoticed. It was still daytime when Louise was jogging around the academy. Nanoha who was forced to rest could only watch Louise run. Nanoha checked with Raising Heart. If she rests properly, using Divine Buster wouldn't be a problem in a few days and in a few weeks she would be back at full power. After a couple of laps around the academy, Louise dropped from the exhaustion in front of Nanoha. She rolled over to face the sky.

"Why am… I still jogging…. I can already… use magic."

"Because you need to be stronger. Remember last night when you tried to blow up Saito just because you are jealous that he spent time with Siesta?"

"It didn't… work."

"Derflinger said something about mana points and will power being used up when casting magic and it just so happens you used up everything when you blow up that fleet. It might be a different source of magic, but if it is still magic then that means you can draw out the power from your Linker Core. This is why you need to strengthen it."

"And while I am doing this, Saito is busy flirting with Siesta."

"And he was busy flirting with you while Siesta was running away from a certain golem."

"WE WERE NOT FLIRTING!" Louise wanted to kick Nanoha but didn't have enough strength to even stand up.

"Flirt? Louise and Saito?" Kirche and Tabitha appeared. They overheard Louise's shouting. When they saw Louise lying down on the floor outside, completely drenched in sweat, they cannot help but ask. "What are you doing?"

"Training."

"This is training? Seems kinda harsh." Said another voice as the group turn to identify a person who was wearing a mask. It was a simple handmade mask. He removed the mask to reveal his identity

"Wales!"

"Princess, I have brought guests." Wales said as he walked into the room with Louise, Saito and Nanoha.

"Louise, ahh Louise." Henrietta hugged Louise again. She had a lot of work to do as a queen, including acting because the queen needs to have dignity. Nanoha and Saito kneeled. Saito did it right this time.

"Princess… No it should be Your Majesty now right?"

"I don't like it when you say it so formally. Aren't you my friend Louise?"

"In that case I will continue to call you princess."

"That's better. Ahh I don't want to be queen. So much work. Even Wales cannot help me with everything."

It was already obvious that Wales brought them here for a reason but Henrietta wouldn't say anything as usual.

"I ought to congratulate you on your victory princess." Louise told her.

"I owe that victory to you Louise." The princess said back as she showed Louise the reports of the investigation. Louise sighed. They have already been caught. Henrietta then walked up to Saito.

"For controlling a foreign country's weapon and destroyed the enemy's dragon corps. I deeply express my gratitude for that."

"Ah, no it's not like that." Saito was quite nervous. Henrietta then walked up to Nanoha.

"And I heard from the villagers of Tarbes that you brought them all to safety. You have also captured Fouquet. You have my gratitude for saving my people."

Nanoha saluted and said "It is part of my job to protect as many civilians as possible." She was more used to this when she was working at the TSAB.

"What's with that pose?" Louise asked.

"Sorry. Force of habit."

"Both of you are heroes to this country. So I shall give you the title of 'Chevalier'."

Saito kneeled nervously and accepted it. Nanoha kneeled and rejected it.

"You have protected the people of the country. Such service should not go unrewarded. Please accept the title." The princess tried to convince Nanoha.

"I am sorry Your Majesty but I cannot accept the title. I might… get into trouble. Especially if my friends find me."

"What do you mean? Why would you be in trouble ?"

"I used to work in an army far away from here before Louise summoned me. If you grant me a title, I might get into trouble with my superiors when they find me." Nanoha explained .

"Very well… if you insist." The princess sighed. Louise glared at Nanoha but knew that she couldn't blame him. Except for the fact that Nanoha worked in a government that govern various planets and observe other planets, she never really knew what that place was like.

Louise and Henrietta then discussed about the powers of 'Void'. Due to its magnificent power, everyone would try and get their hands on it. This is why 'Void' must never be revealed. Also, Louise wanted to help her friend as much as possible and serve her country. After Henrietta realized that Louise will not back down, she made Louise her court lady and she would have supreme authority over anything. She then approached the two familiars and gave them some coins.

"Please protect my friend, kind familiars." Saito could only nod nervously. Nanoha saluted.

"Yes, Your Majesty… Ah crap I did it again."

Saito and Louise went shopping. Nanoha went back to the academy. There, Louise saw a piece of pendant that she liked but had no money. Saito bought it for her. Soon he saw a sailor uniform. The traders told him that it is a seaman's uniform. Saito wasn't interested in that. He had a strong feeling of nostalgia and bought 3 pieces of it. One for Louise, one for Siesta, one for Nanoha. Saito thought deeply. Louise, not understanding why Saito would buy 3 pieces of the same clothes, thought he was crazy.

"Why would you buy that?"

"Clothes from my world. Please wear it Louise!" Saito was going crazy. He knew he bought too much. Asking Louise and Nanoha to wear that would be the same as suicide. He tried it anyway.

"No."

"Please?"

"Never. Ask again and I will use 'Explosion'."

"Damn."

Saito went back to the academy and into Louise's room.

"Nanoha! I bought you some clothes. Please wear it." Then he noticed that she was sleeping.

Nanoha woke up and was in a bad mood. For a workaholic like her, resting would make her feel uneasy. She knew however, that it was good for her and it was Louise's order. She reluctantly rested. Just when she finally managed to fall asleep, Saito came in shouting and asked her to wear a sailor's uniform. She didn't bother replying. She looked at Saito, and shot him in the head.

"She got you good didn't she?" Derflinger laughed.

"I'm never doing that again." Saito said to himself, smoke can still be seen coming out of his face. "I am never going to mess with that girl ever again."

It wasn't long when he met Siesta, and gave her the clothes. Saito screamed with joy when Siesta wore the clothes. He explained to her that it is clothes from his birthplace and after Siesta did what she was told to please Saito, for example, spinning around in the clothes, a group of two walked to them and grabbed Saito's attention. It was Malicorne and Guiche.

"This is… what are those clothes?" Guiche started. He looked like he was about to cry

"It is outrageous. That clothes. That military clothes. It looks so perfect. It directly attacks the brain!" Malicorne added.

Saito was happy that Siesta wore the sailor uniform. But his reaction was the happiness of seeing part of his homeland again. Malicorne and Guiche however looked like they saw a ghost. They started walking towards Siesta, causing her to run away.

"Are you two okay?"

"Where did you buy those clothes?"

"What do you plan to do by asking?"

"There is someone I want to give it to."

"Well I still have two more. Just a warning though. No matter what you do, don't give it to Nanoha. She will shoot you in the head."

Guiche and Malicorne looked at each other. They wondered what Saito had meant. By pure instinct, they decided not to ask.

The next day, Montmorency wore the sailor uniform to class. This earned her a visit from Louise. She remembered that Saito bought 3 sailor outfits. She didn't want to wear it, Nanoha shot Saito, so who is that one more person? After exchanging some details, Louise found out that the last person was Siesta. Montmorency also noticed Louise's lovesickness, which she denied. She had already made a love potion and offered Louise to use it on Saito. She herself will use it on Guiche. The person who drinks the liquid will fall in love with the first person she sees. Knowing that the potion was illegal, Louise scolded Montmorency and threw away the foul liquid out the window only to hear a familiar cry. She looked out the window, to see Nanoha, whose face was soaked with said foul liquid. It just so happens that Nanoha was searching for whoever that did it and saw Louise. It also just so happens that Nanoha swallowed some of it.

"Oops. I am so dead."

"Louise! I love you so much! IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou" Nanoha speaked in a very weird way as she hugged Louise. Tightly.

"Nano… Breath… Crushing…" Louise was suffocating. Nanoha's arms were strong. Very strong. Louise couldn't breathe when Nanoha hugged with all her strength.

"Master, please calm yourself." The tiny jewel said. This gave Montmorency a shock.

"Woah a talking jewel?"

"Save… Me…"

"Oops sorry." Montmorency replied as she tried to get Nanoha to stop hugging Louise to death. She made no progress.

"Protection" Raising Heart independently did a protection spell, which knocked Louise away from Nanoha.

"Raising Heart! Why did you do that."

"You are being affected by a love potion my master. Please calm yourself." The jewel told her. Nanoha removed Raising Heart from her neck and approached Louise again.

"I don't care. Louise are you alright? I'm so sorry I hurt you even though I love you so much."

Saito came into the room after hearing the sound Raising Heart made.

"Umm… am I interrupting?" Saito asked.

"Saito! SAVE ME!" Louise cried as she quickly ran to Saito, away from Nanoha. Nanoha started pouting.

"Louise, I know you and Saito love each other a lot but at least let me hug you."

"Waah! Don't say it." Louise grew red and blushed. So did Saito. They then looked at each other and realized each other's feelings. One objective completed. However they now have bigger problems.

"Mou, I'm so jealous! Stay away from Louise!" Nanoha shouted as she kept firing Crossfire Shoot at Saito.

"Wah! Don't shoot me indoors. I mean don't shoot me at all! I'm too young to die!" Saito shouted as he grabbed Derflinger to block and dodge. The hallway was destroyed.

"This seems… troublesome." Montmorency started. "If we don't find a cure soon. This academy is history."

Saito, called Guiche and together with Montmorency, they tried and formulate a plan. Raising Heart was with them too. Guiche was also surprised when he saw the flying, talking jewel. Meanwhile, Louise kept Nanoha 'busy'. Saito was grateful, in a sense, that this incident help both himself and Louise to realize each other's feelings. Now all they need to do is survive Nanoha.

"There are two ways to do this. One is we leave her like that. Each person's physiology is different. Some may take a month, some may take a year."

"That would be impossible. This school would be a crater by then."

"A crater?" Guiche asked. "How would that girl make a crater?"

"She is weaker than usual right now but she can still pull it off. Starlight Breaker."

"Weaker than usual? She destroyed the hallway!" Montmorency almost screamed.

"You should stop questioning Nanoha's power. I have seen her fight. She is the one that took down Wardes the first time. " Saito told them. "She also defeated Count Mott without magic."

"She took down Wardes the first time? What do you mean first time?" Montmorency asked. Guiche stopped her from asking. Saito explained what he knew about Nanoha and how she managed to beat Wardes, leaving out details of the princess and Wales.

"Well whatever the case, we need to find a cure." Saito added

"The medicine is expensive. I can't buy it. Not all nobles are rich." Montmorency told him.

"Then take this money…" Saito took out two bags of gold. "… and don't ask how Nanoha and I got it."

The next evening, Montmorency came back.

"I hope you have found the medicine." Louise told her. Nanoha was half hugging and half clinging to Louise. She had the permission to do so as long as she didn't use all her strength. Montmorency's face paled.

"It was sold out."

"I know you can make a cure." Louise said again. "Make it."

"I don't have a choice do I?" Montmorency looked at Nanoha. She had such a happy face. Who would believe that Saito and Louise were afraid of her. "I will need the tear of a water spirit. However water spirits are strong and rarely come in contact with humans. The result will be disastrous. We need to find another way."

"Get in contact with the water spirit." Saito replied back. "If you don't, well… there will be an even bigger disaster."

"Fine. If you are so sure that will happen. It is not quite convincing but then there is that red jewel and all."

"We must go before someone suspects the love potion. Otherwise you would be in trouble." Louise added.

"Yeah. Let's go. To the Ragdorian Lake." Montmorency said.

For life and freedom. Louise thought to herself.

"Where are we going?" Nanoha asked innocently. Louise stopped and thought for a while.

"A picnic." Saito answered.

"Yay! A picnic with Louise!" Nanoha stopped clinging to Louise and started walking. "Come on. Let's go."

"Nice save Saito. Thank you." Louise blushed.

"You are welcome."

They finally reached Ragdorian Lake, or rather, the flood caused by the Water Spirit. The lake was actually further up, but the water spirit has flooded the entire place. There was a flooded village.

"It seems that the Water Spirit is angry. Thus the flood." Montmorency explained. "At this rate, finding a cure would be quite difficult."

"The Water Spirit is angry and flooded the place? Let's talk to it. If it doesn't work then I will make friends with it with MAXIMUM POWER!" Nanoha said excitedly. It would seem that the love potion also made her high. Montmorency hit her on the head.

"Well I agree with what Nanoha said. Or at least, what she initially said. We should talk to it. Perhaps we can work something out." Louise told them.

After that, Montmorency called her frog familiar. She dropped a drop of blood on the frog and send it into the water, asking it to call the water spirit. After some time the Water spirit came out.

"I am Montmorency Margarita La Fere de Montmorency. User of water, member lineage of the old oath."

"I remember mortal, I remember the liquid that flows in your veins."

"I am glad Water Spirit. I have to ask you something although it might seem insensitive. May I have a piece of your body?"

"I refuse, mortal."

Saito interfered.

"Please. Please give us one of your tears. We will do anything." The Water Spirit noticed Saito's runes.

"Why do you seek the tear?" The Water Spirit asked. Saito pointed at Nanoha and said in a soft voice.

"She will kill us at this rate."

"Very well. On one condition. Tonight I will be attacked. You must stop them from attacking me, Gandalfr." The Water Spirit went back into the lake.

"So we stop this attackers and we get a tear." Montmorency said.

"What about the village?" Nanoha asked. Hugging Louise again.

"We will talk to the spirit about that later." Louise replied. "For now, rest. You need your rest don't you?"

"Okay!" Nanoha quickly went to sleep.

"At least the love potion was useful in some ways." Louise sighed.

They waited until nightfall. Saito and Guiche saw two hooded people with wands. They aimed the wands towards the water. Saito charged at the two hooded people. One of them had strong fire spells while the other had strong wind spells. Their tag team was so good that Saito had a lot of trouble. The fight however made a lot of noise and Nanoha woke up.

"My lady, you should start running now." Louise was surprised by Raising Heart's sudden comment.

"Oh is that them?" Nanoha asked. Louise started to shake.

"Standby Ready. Set Up."

"Saito. Start running now." Louise shouted. At the same time, Guiche and Montmorency was looking at Nanoha. Saito managed to turn around to see the horror before him. The two hooded people were surprised when they heard 'Saito' but when they saw what Nanoha was doing they started running as well.

"Divine"

"Let's be friends!" Nanoha shouted happily as Raising Heart finished everything.

"Buster"

Nanoha has gone back to hugging Louise while the two hooded people, revealed to be Kirche and Tabitha, watched the happy face Nanoha made, and the disaster behind them. Whatever Nanoha did, missed them, thanks to Louise's warning. However the place she shot, was now a river. The Water Spirit's water flowed into the nice line of broken earth she made creating a river. Guiche explained what happened. While Saito and Montmorency talked to the Water Spirit. Tabitha and Kirche was there because of the flood. The flood caused Tabitha's family to be in some trouble. Saito talked to the Water Spirit to find out that a ring, had been stolen. The suspect is Cromwell, the new Emperor of Albion. Saito promised to return the ring and the Water Spirit promised to lower the water levels. A happy ending was created… but Nanoha was still under the effects of the love potion.

Back at the academy, Montmorency was busy making the antidote. Kirche, Tabitha, Louise, Saito and Guiche were there as well. After finishing the mixture, she was about to give it to Nanoha but then she stopped.

"Why did you stop? Hurry up Montmorency." Louise told her.

"I have to warn you… the person remembers everything while they were in the effects of the love potion. If you want to run… do it now."

Louise gulped. All her friends decided to stick with her. Nanoha drank the mixture. After a while, the medicine worked. Nanoha turned red. She apologized for the trouble and ran away. Everyone breathed a sigh a relief. They did not want to be on the receiving end of 'pink lasers' as Saito called it.

"Another unidentified planet found. Observation team get ready to land."