Author Notes: Hello, how are you, I'm really happy to see that even now people fav and follow this story, seriously it's great. Well about this chapter...don't know what to say, I'll just hope you'll enjoy it, if something seem weird tell me about it.
I don't own Nanoha franchise. Enjoy.
Chapter 12: Time and Troubles
Crap, I'm lost...again...I wasn't expecting to find U-D immediately( and honestly it's a good thing I didn't) but to completely loss trace of her...I'm great.
"Aha, found one of my subordinate, with you at our side I'll be able to claim U-D power." I don't need to turn to know who is talking to me but something is weird.
"Honestly King-sama, haven't you understand she is bad news..." Even if they were killed they won't disappear but ...this isn't the real Dearch, how do I know? Quite simple my link with them isn't reacting. "...Plus a false King like you doesn't deserve this power, prepare yourself fragment!"
"Impertinent fool! Stupid servant! Inferno!" A rain of dark sphere felt down toward me, well not really a rain, I mean drop aren't bigger than me normally! I hope it'll work using fire mana I throw a big fireball at the center of the rain, she exploded into smaller ball making the sphere explode before they could touch me.
"Doom Bringer!"Gwargh, I avoided by a hair a purple blast, even if it's a fragment she's really dangerous, I created a fireball in one hand and a dark sphere in the other, I linked them together with a thunder, ready.
"Magical Cracker Volley!" While rotating the distance between the two sphere grown apart, creating a even longer thunder enabling the attack to cover a wider range, Dearch...the fake one merely shielded herself with her book.
"Every attack are useless before the Majesty of the Lord!" I couldn't believe my eyes she absorbed the attack into her book and thrown something else in its stead biding me.
"Crap." I'm completely defenseless.
"Arondight!" Without leaving me the slightest chance she created a big dark beam which after hitting me formed a destructive sphere around me. "So do you understand now you're nothing compared to our power, ahahahaha!"
"Cut it out!" I managed to decrease the damage by clothing myself with fire mana, however I'm still in a bad situation, guess it can't be helped. "In this world of light there is no place for you of the dark..." I have to beat her in one hit, with some luck I won't be completely drained afterward. "...anger not, curse not, by the same darkness that created you be defeated..." I mad in my free hand a little orange sphere. "Catch that!" Like I expected she raised her book except this time my attack was a flash bombe she was completely blinded by it, taking advantage of the situation I unleashed electrics magical energy from my feet propelling me right in front of Dearch who couldn't react. "EndSky Sublimation! Overblow!" In one instant the clone of the clone of Hayate...it's pretty stupide...was consumed by the 3 energy unleashing all of theirs power. She vanished, in a scream, breaking into glass fragments... okay I mad it but it would be bad to launch another attack of this type I could drop unconscious right afterward and in the sky it's not recommended.
"Brooooom!" What the- an earth quake in the sky how the hell...if even the sky is shaking it could only mean one thing..U-D. Using again my mana of thunder I headed toward the source of the quake, without wasting time.
XXXX
Okay I think I'm getting closer...I need to think of a plan, maybe first I should speak to U-D to make her come back to her senses or...
*Brooooom!*
"Gwargh! What's that!" An incredible strong explosion occurred while I was approaching the source, I can clearly see it from here, it's like a sunset in broad daylight, you see it yet it's so fare, the gust of wind of said explosion nearly blasted me away...this power isn't U-D, I don't say it's too strong no, it's just not her doing...it's the same place... the quack occurred at the same place so it mean someone is facing U-D and unleashed this power against her...either Pinky or...Amitie...I charged, accelerating as much as I could, alway trying to go faster, finally I saw them... the Wolkenritter were her too, t's a good thing with them I can maybe do it.
U-D was looking quite different her cloth were now red and black and her eyes green, she looked fine not a single scratch...no one seemed to have noticed me and I understand why theirs attention was took by the source of this incredibly strong explosion being helplessly held by one of U-D claw...she wasn't moving...how would she with an arm and half of her stomach gone? There was no blood...don't know why...don't want to know...this girl it was...no I don't want to know but it's already too late...it's Amitie.
"..."Power silently surged from within me..." In this world of light..."
"...That was a desperation attack that even damages the device...yeah it hurt a little...but...but despite that it cannot destroy me." While U-D was lamenting about her inability to die I finished my aria and got right in front of her.
"EndSky Sublimation! Overblow!" I hit her right in the cheek releasing everything, compared to Amitie attack it's nothing but it was enough, she released her grip and it gave me enough time to catch the wounded girl and join the knights side.
"Ryouichi-san!?"
"Hi...sorry...to bother...you...Shamal...-san...could you take care of her." While struggling to keep my eyes open I handed Amitie to Shamal...I could swear that I saw mechanic part inside her wounds but I must be too tired.
"Hoy, we should take care of you too, you really don't look find." While being covered in sweat I managed painfully to answer.
"Just...the third time I launch this spell...must face U-D." Vita angrily replied:
"Are you stupid we're taking the lead from now on just rest!" I merely gazed toward U-D who had a little bruise on the cheek.
"It was weaker...but it hurt more...why?" Suddenlly she took her head between her arms..."Aaaaaaaaaaah!" She was in pain and it wasn't my attack no it was a headache unrelated to it, look like I got lucky. She disappeared after that...I began to fall...Zafira caught me by the shirt...too exausthed to be afraid...
XXXX
"Yaaaaaaw." Hum, I haven't had a dream so sweet since a longe time...my eyes are still half closed but I know the way so I don't need to see...take the door, turn left, walk fifteen seconde...you're at destination: the washroom. "Tuhtuhtuhtuh." I'm humming a happy tune while washing my face, like usual. Hum...? Where is my toothbrush, it's not here? Did I lost it? Ah, I remember we're not the next day, I just took a nap, then I don't need to brush my teeth, what should I do today? I guess I've some books to read in my room, will heading back, I though about something...wasn't I supposed to save someone? No because, I've a tendency to forget things when...
"Ryou-kuuuuuuun!"
"Gwargh!" Just as I was about to enter my room I was tackled by behind and hit the floor face first, awn...my poor nose, while turning with difficulties I saw the culprit: a little girl with two piggy-tails, Nanoha.
"You shouldn't get out of the bed like this you need to rest!" She's glaring at me with ferocity while pining me on the ground.
"You know Nanoha-san he was just a little tired, he already took the rest he needed, he can go out if he want." I then spotted the doctor speaking, standing next to Fate and Hayate in her wheelchair." Beside the three of you too were ordered to rest." Fate was the one to answer.
"Maybe but Ryou-kun is just a normal boy." I escaped Nanoha grip with a nervous laugh.
"Well not anymore, I have magical power too, remenber?."
"Having power and knowing how to use it are two different things." Yunno too?
"Beside your strongest attack didn't really work." Thanks for reminding me that Hayate." So I think ours worries are founded."
"...We and the Unbreakable Darkness were initially a singular entity that makes up the Tome of the Purple Sky. The very same tome you're currently using King-sama..."
"Stern! You're alright!?" Despite hearing her voice I couldn't see her anywhere and the other seemed very confused, I suppose she's using telepathy thank to our link. I quickly told the other about.
"That's great ask her how she is doing!" Don't push me Nanoha.
"And ask about Dearche too." Not you too Hayate.
"Wait you two I need some time to figure things out so don't rush me you want." Without waiting for theirs reaction I closed my eyes, focusing...
"Please shut up, Dearche." Okay it begin well, let's try this.
"Hello Ryouichi to the materials can you hear me?"
"Ah, Ryouichi you took your time before contacting us."
"Sorry Stern was busy with fighting, are the three of you alright?"
"No! It was Dearche who was mentally screaming. "My subordinates doesn't consult me, one doesn't remember me and the last doesn't even respect me!"
"King-sama I respect you just not to the point where I would confuse logic and admiration for you. " I admire her calm attitude. "To answer you Ryouichi, we're fine our regeneration is going smoothly and Levi is already out speaking with a TSAB member."
"Well I'm a little uncomfortable, I mean I have to negotiate and I'm not the most eloquent materials."
"What are the terms of the negotiation?"
"We're offering our help in exchange for our freedom."
"Okay let's go faster, I report at the same time the info to Nanoha and the other okay?"
"Great, you're really well organized Ryouichi, it change from usual."
"What's it supposed to mean!?"
"Nothing King-sama." It's gonna be longe.
XXXX
After reporting the situation to the others and some strategy meeting, I decided to see how Amitie was doing. I entered her room, she was siting on her bed speaking with Shamal and another member of the crew, a girl with glasses (I'm not forced to learn the name of people I don't frequent.)
"Oh, I'm bothering? I'll come back later." Amitie stopped me.
"No I was about to tell them everything...you can stay...you have the right to know." I posted myself in a corner next to the door, standing silently.
"Like you've maybe know we come from the future..." Seriously? Why am I alway the last informed. "...our home planet is called Eltria... For several years already, the planet has been slowly dying, to the point where the majority of life form can't exist anymore. Since 80 years most inhabitant have started leaving the planet...but some people just won't let this planet, where they grown, that they love, die without doing anything, it's the case for the Professor Grants Florian, our father. Me and my sister aren't humans we were designed as ageless machines to help stop the planetary deterioration:Gears." That's a great burden they're bearing, the hope of a whole world. "The Professor tended to fail a lot and by mistake he overdeveloped our personality systems. Because of that, he decided to raise the two of us as humans." She was speaking so gently, so calmly, it's impossible to associate her with the dumb hot-blooded girl who mad an explosion stronger than the triple breaker.
"The Professor was a wonderful person." Said the glass woman.
"Yeah, that's true." I agree too he just wasn't really gifted. "There was other Gears too they were more like automaton, Kyrie and I have a heart and a souls as said the Professor, with his teaching we were doing our best to make his dream come true, a dream that sadly he'll most won't be able to see happen and Kyrie didn't supported that." She paused a moment, it must cost her a lot to tell us that. "One day he found a broken time machine, he was able to repair it but he decided that humanity should not mess with the timestream, so he sealed it away." He could just have left it alone too. "The world was dying the Professor too and there was no way for us to grant him his wish, however I decided to follow his teaching to the end, Kyrie on the other hand couldn't bear it and decided to use the time machine to find a way to save the planet...I was nearly able to talk her out of it until she discovered the Infinite Linking System: Examia...it only exist in this timeline and nowhere else." I have a very bad feeling...could it be...
"Why doesn't it exist elsewhere."
"Well Ryou-kun, you see the Examia belong to U-D and this timeline is the only one where the materials and so U-D exist." Not able to bear it anymore, I slammed my head on the wall while crying silently.
"W-hat's the matter Ryou-kun?"
"Nothing, Amitie-chan...it's just so sad I couldn't help." She smiled gently, it's really too much!
"By the way do you know those 3 individual." Shamal showed her the image of the strange martial art girl that kicked my ass as well another heterochromiach girl just blond and the photo of a teenage boy with silver hairs, green eyes and red tattoos.
"I do not. It must be because of our time travel, I promise to do what I can to send them back to theirs timeline." After that we left Amitie so she could rest...I have to do something it's my responsibility, I created this timeline so I have to fix it...but something else is bothering me...I need to talk to one of the future kids.
XXXX
We all reunited to hold a strategy meeting, it was decided that the material will develope a special cartridge to break the Unbreakable Darkness... I like this formulation so much...so the candidate for this new power up are Nanoha, Fate, Vita and Signum. Well I still want to fight let's contact Stern.
"Hello Stern?"
"Yeah Ryouichi, what is it?"
"I would like to fight U-D too and..."
"Well then do so."
"Seriously?"
"Listen, two people without cartridge System are gonna fight, so why won't you, a person with our powers, who's soon gonna wield an even greater one?"
"Ha... eh.. Okay. Bye."
"Same here."
That was easy, I just have to train with this new power and...
"Ryou-kun, could you help me?"
"Hm, what is it Chrono-kun?"
"We're gonna test the programme but we're missing one person for one test."
"Hm...Okay I'll do it."
"Fine you'll be facing Signum, have fun." He turned around, I then grabbed him by the shoulder to stop him.
"Why her?" I was on the verge of crying.
"Only you, Fate and the Lieze twins fought her before, Fate must take the test and I don't need to tell you for the two other." Yeah sur after what happened last year I don't think they will laugh and joke together anytime soon. " Plus since you'll be facing U-D too it'll the occasion to evaluate your new abilities." I don't know what is the worst: the serious face he is keeping or the logical argument he's giving.
"You did it on purpose, right?" He didn't reacted much.
"Maybe, good luck." He left like this. I headed to the training room while mentally doing my testament.
XXXX
The training room was...weird ...me and Signum were floating surrounded my computer thing like graphic.
"Ryouichi-san, it's an honor to be facing you again." She was harboring a small smile.
"S-s-same here." More like a horror.
"Is something the matter? You look nervous."
"Well you know, I'm not the same as last time and you're gonna us that strange prototype..."
"You don't have to say anything else I understand your worries." Signum...I'm so relived. "Don't worry about me come at full force, I won't be holding back either." She loaded the program my last hope vanished, with the power of Signum increasing. " I Signum knight of the sword will be your opponent." Trying to calm myself from my impending death, I assumed my fighting pose, with a determined look.
"And I Ryouichi last holder of the title Purple eyed monarch: monster of the bloody crimson night accept your challenge." I'm dead. She was the one who started the fight and...this progamme is way too powerfull...I wasn't able to react, I was hit on my left side...I have to go full force, and bring my new powers to theirs limits, fire in both hand, thunder as legs and darkness in my heart while staying myself, that's right I've been trained for so longe, I'll never give up on this fighting style, Youkai kenpo with magic...my new strengh.
Signum pursued her assault but this time...
"Flaming Crescent Moon." Using my hands as knifes, I surrounded them with flames.
"Quite an interesting technique."
"Please I merely updated an old technique." I broke the exchange.
"Sky Fang." She launched several mana slash in my direction, I avoided what I could and parried the rest with my fiery swords, my hands are hurting now.
"Time to clash the elements." I switched in my left hand fire with thunder, I hadn't even began my attacks that Signum dashed toward me while launching another mana slash, I hardly dodged it, she anticipated my moves and welcomed me with an attack from her now whip like weapon. I switched my right hand element to darkness mad a fist and... "Explosive barrier punch! " Yay, it worked, I can definitely use my youkai fighting style with magic if I try hard enough and I was able to repel her attack having again thunder and fire I unleashed the drill punch: a straight fire punch surrounded my multiple thunder blows. Signum waved her sword shooting a fiery shockwave to meet my attack. Ouch, ouch, ouch my poor hands.
" Maybe attacking like this wasn't a good idea."
"At least it's original." Normally I would use my four element style but...wait an idea.
"Fighting fire with fire." My body was clade in orange flame. "New technique I just figured Blazing Phoenix." I charged and attacked again with the crescent moon style launching fast horizontals blow to forme one big vertical and the opposite too. She pared and riposted skillfully, she is truly from another level each of her attack were unavoidable and very heavy. After a while the exchange stopped: my flames extinguished.
"That's all?" She said while pointing her sword toward me, there was no more magical power emanating from me, that's why I was able to caught her weapon by surprise with my bare hands.
"Come back to life Phoenix!" The Next moment we were both engulfed by a flaming bird. And once it cleared...no one was hurt...great attack...it's normal for me to be unharmed but...oh! She is glowing, of course she protected herself.
"Look like you're progressing."
"Hmph, of course don't forget who I'm." And so we pursued our fight, the rest isn't really interesting I just got my life kicked out of me.
"Huff... huff...huff I can't fight anymore."
"Sorry look like I got a little carried away." No really? I nearly died.
"Anyway look like you're able to use the program correctly."
"And you're beginning to get used to magic and use it efficiently." With this the evaluation ended. "So I'm leaving, I have to prepare, I'll be chasing the time travellers with Mistress Hayate and the other."
"Can I come too?" She looked a little surprised. "I've some business with those three one."
"You're welcome, but it's better to let the future where it is." Yeah except when you're an irregular.
XXXX
"So what's the plan?" I asked our group composed of Nanoha, Fate, Kyrie and myself. We're backup charged to intercept the runaway time-traveller if they escape Hayate group and 's organised like this so I'm not with Zafira.
"It's better to split up to cover a wider zone." So we did like Kyrie proposed and...
I met a strange looking teenager boy with silver hairs, emeralds eyes and red tattoos all over his body...the weapon he his carrying don't really put me at ease.
"Hello, I was wondering...if maybe...somehow...if you want, you would come with us to the TSAB headquarter?" He titled his head in confusion, closed his eyes a few second in deep thinking before answering.
"Who are you?" So he don't know me.
"I'm Ryouichi, a friend of Nanoha and the others." He looked confused, I somewhat winced a little when a girl voice answered me.
"I don' t think we've met him before." The boy talked again but not to me.
"That's strange I've known Captain Nanoha for some time already and it's the first time I hear about him." Captain wow, she really have a bright future
"Thoma you don't think that..."
"Don't worry it's just a time paradox." I tried to reassure them. "So you're Thoma and you're using a unison device."
"I'm Lily Strosek and I'm a Reactor Plug." She corrected me.
"Yeah...if you want." I wasn't understanding a thing.
"Sorry, but we can't follow you." The boy assumed a fighting stance.
"Well if you want to take it like this." A little forced I assumed my own fighting stance. Preparing myself to face this boy I don't know and will never met in the future. He opened the hostility by slashing with his gun-sword hybrids weapon verticaly, I easily dodged by side stepping, he then mad a wide horizontal slash again I evaded but this time by ascending, he then launched a flurry of attacks, I evaded all of them without breaking a sweat.
"Thoma it's not working."
"I know, he's this young but already seem to have more experience than I." Yeah, I can see he got basic training but his attack are very predictable.
I switched to the offence, while he readied another strike I punched him in the stomach, it wasn't strong but it was so fast human eyes couldn't see, it stopped his attack, getting back his composure he prepared to attack again only for him to meet the same result but this time I used the opportunity to deliver a dozen of kicks in a cross pattern, he managed to block them with the shield attached to his arm. He was still send away. I charged determined to not let him catch his breath, when a strange book appeared in front of him, it opened with some pages detaching themself surrounding the book, they began to glow and soon they shot magical projectiles at me.
"Gwargh!" Too surprised all I could do was endure the attack. Once it finally ended the black knight unleashed a red, similarly to one of Signum attack , I managed to avoid it by bending my body, he then charged toward me engulfed in a red aura.
"Dark Turtle!" Using my dark mana I punched all around myself creating around me a rotating dome, he his gonna crash against it, at least I expected that, without halting his charge he destroyed the dome and headed straight for me while surprised, I ducked and delivered a thunder powered kick to his stomach, he intercepted it with his shield. After putting some distance between us I charged my feet with my thunder mana, kicking in the air repeatedly the shape of a dragon draw itself with one last kick I send it after Thoma.
"Thunder dragon!" He answered by pointing me with his weapon.
"Silver Hammer!"A single silver blast came from the tip crashing against my attack, the two exploded having the same strength. Lily was the one who broke the silence.
"You're very strong, I've never see a mage fight like that before, I've saw mage fight with theirs bare fist but your style is completely different."
"Same here, breaking my attack with your own is a first." I honestly answered.
"This is the power of the divider." He pointed his weapon. "Then...sorry!" He flew away! Shit! I chased after him. I hope the other were more succesful but at least I've my answer, everything happened because I changed the timeline by meeting Nanoha's group...no I think it was settled before...with my meeting with Tsukiyo because how could I change anything while being death?
Author note: How was it? U-D is really something taking an attack stronger than the Triple breaker without taking any damage and it's not even her full power, scary. Next chapter...I don't know when it'll be ready nor what'll the content be yet...I just know that the end is near...maybe. If you want to see a particular scene tell me and if you've suggestion feel free. That's all folks