A/N: Well, here I am again. And armed with lots of explanations and not-so-many well thought out reactions. Oh well, we'll manage, yes? Yes. Well, what happened last time? Rumiko finally met some Nadesico peeps, and referred to Inez as "Lady Ai". Are you confused? Good. ^^ Anyway, this time, um, history and mythology lesson from Inez and Rumiko, and the revelation of the strange happenings. Let's get to it before I bore you to sleep, eh?

~*~

Inez settled against one of the rocks, holding her bowl of soup in her lap. "Rumiko, I must ask, what is the date?" The man in white stared at the dirt before him. "One day after the Ventosus First Quarter, 6632." The scientist smiled. "So we're only a week ahead than we thought." Yurika stirred her ramen, watching the noodles move. "We Jumped a week into the future?" Inez nodded, then set her bowl on the ground. "That's right, Kanchou."

Inez was silent until the pilots, bridge crew, main mechanics, and cooks had silenced themselves, awaiting Inez's explanation. She cleared her throat before beginning. "6632 in Ninlandish years is 2198, in Earthling years, and precisely 6394 years since I became the previously stated 'Girl from the Future'. The old calendar, used on this planet, dates back to the rise of the Gods to their immortal state, from spectacularly magical humans to divine spirits."

Finding that the usually loud and rambunctious crew silent for her explanation, Inez continued. "6632 years since the rise of the Pentakami, and their worship still stands today. Terra, the green God of Earth, First into Immortality, but only second oldest. His best friend, and his sister's lover, Aqua, the blue God of Water, Second into Immortality, and the eldest. Aer, Terra's sister and Aqua's lover, the yellow Goddess of Air, Third into Immortality, and the youngest of five. Flamma, Aer's best friend, Terra's lover, and Aqua's sister, the red Goddess of Fire, Fourth and Final of the Elemental Four, second youngest. It was only soon after that the final God rose into their ranks, Magus, God of Spirit and Magic, never became part of the Original Four that held the worlds and the universe itself in balance. While they had nature, He had the minds and souls of humans, able to manipulate them as He chose."

Itsuki took this moment to interrupt. "This Magus guy doesn't sound like much of a happy camper… more like he wants to blow up the universe." Inez smirked. "Well, I suppose you would know best. You're Tears, after all."

Izumi raised her hand. "Elaborate on that, will you? I mean, you called me 'Aqua's Rage', so what the hell does that mean?" Rumiko's jaw dropped. "'Aqua's Rage'?!?"

Inez silenced him with a glance. "The Gods found it much easier to do as they wished to the world by appointing Messengers, humans with the abilities of the Gods. But, to make sure they understood that yes, they are still human, they had restrict their magic, making it so that they could only use one aspect of it. Over time, these have come into three different types under each God. Calm, Tears, and Rage."

Inez straightened a finger and an arm, pointing towards Yukina first. "Magus's Calm, the ability to use naked power, and the Copy the abilities of any Elemental Messenger." Her finger moved to Akatsuki. "Terra's Rage, Gravitational magic." Yurika was next. "Magus's Rage, Possession." And she continued, hitting everyone with nanomachines but Ruri. "Akito, Aqua's Tears, Ice Mage. Jun, Flamma's Rage, Fire Mage. Ryoko, Terra's Tears, Quakist. Izumi, Aqua's Rage, Tide Mage. Hikaru, Aer's Calm, Wind Mage, and a strong one at that." She smiled at the redhead before going on. "Jiro, Aer's Rage, Lightning and Thunder Mage. Itsuki, Magus's Tears, Music Mage." She stopped on Ruri, and smiled. "Ruri, you have no God, but, in fact, you are the embodiment of all their work. You are a Messenger of Life. A healer."

Rumiko shook his head in disbelief. "Eight Elementals and a Messenger of Life. All never found here these days. But-" He remembered the attack on the comet, which now seemed that it was the ship that towered above them. He turned to Inez. "It was you! I Copied you today!" Inez nodded, but Rumiko shook his head, beginning you shake. "I knew Lady Ai was a Gravity, but… oh no…" A look of horror crossed his face, twisting the near-permanent scowl into sheer terror. "You all have to leave Ninlan. Immediately."

Megumi spoke up before the rest of the crew. "But we can't with our ship up and running again. Why can't we stay a while at least?" She seemed the least shocked by the revelations of the pilots, but not truly surprised.

Rumiko shook his head, his black hair becoming disheveled. "Don't you understand? If you don't leave, the Temple of Magus will kill all nine of you!" Inez's jaw dropped. "What?" Rumiko nodded slowly, his amber eyes growing. "My Lady was Jumped back to the future before she could hear of it, and before she could see the new laws, and how the Pentakami is no more." Inez's eyebrows snapped together. "The Pentakami no more? But you're Magus's Calm, aren't you?" Rumiko nodded, but continued. "Just before we received messages from Mars, requesting assistance against Jupiter in the ancient war, Magus enlightened the people of Ninlan of how corrupted the Elements were, using the First Priests and Priestesses as proof. He sealed away the Element Gods, and ordered the armies to take Neptune and Uranus, sending the Twin Empresses back to Hell. The Pentakami Church became the Temple of Magus, and since then, the Temple's officials, to keep corruption away from the good people of our planet, disposed of every Elemental Mage or Healer born or found, immediately. Mages are hard to come by now, for so many of them are killed every year." A slight quiver of pain entered his tone, but he restrained it, finally looking Inez in the face. "Though you are a legend, Lady Ai, I am sure they would kill you too. I cannot let that happen to My Lady."

Izumi kept her focus on the ground, disturbed by the silence from her friends around her. "You're an Apprentice Priest at the Temple. You knew I was a mage. Why didn't you inform someone, to come and destroy us all?" Hikaru's eyes welled up at Izumi's dead voice. 'We could be dead within the hour, even. Just because Miss Fressange was in the past, and looked on as kin to the Ruler of Mars, who's to say they won't kill us all?'

Rumiko shook his head. "I'm afraid… I cannot tell you at this time."

Inez stood, thoughtful. They she glanced at the Ninlandish man again. "Are you going to turn us in?" Rumiko was silent, then spoke softly. "As a Priest, I am obligated to. However," he raised his head and smiled sadly, "though I would be sacrificing my position in the Magus clergy, apprentices haven't taken their vows yet." He glanced at his right hand, and studied the all-too-familiar silver symbol on the back of it. He clenched it into a fist. "It would be my honor to grant my servitude to the Lady Ai, no matter has blasphemous the deed."

Inez nodded solemnly, but her gray-blue eyes were full of question. "You said you are an apprentice?" Rumiko nodded. "Yes, I am an apprentice priest under Igadosu Toccata of Somenolenthe, Head Priest at the Somenolenthe Temple of Magus. Magus's Rage." Inez crossed her arms and tapped her foot, thinking. "Do you suppose, perhaps, that he too would go against your teachings?"

Several of the crew gasped. Megumi's jaw dropped. "What are you suggesting, Miss Fressange?" The woman in question smirked and glanced at the pilots. "Rumiko, you and I both know they all need to be taught. Their magic has already been swimming in the Nadesico so much, it is impossible to trace anyone else's signatures, as if anyone else's were there."

Rumiko's amber eyes widened. "They've been breaking out already?" He shook his head, his long black hair making a whooshing sound. "Of course they have. That's why you came here, isn't it? You couldn't teach them all, for a lack of remembrance." He ran a hand through his dark tresses. "I will certainly help, My Lady, but… I cannot train them all. I can take a large portion, but not all eleven of them."

Inez nodded. "Fine then. I'll take Kanchou," she nodded to Yurika, "Yukina, Ruri," she raked her eyes over them as well, "and Nagare." As her gaze stopped on him, she felt a twinge in her soul, telling her something important, but she couldn't understand. 'Well. It seems we may not be out of the woods yet, so to speak.' She closed her eyes. "I will take them, for I am leaving you with the stronger group."

Rumiko glanced at the others, who a greater majority looked angry with Inez. "Are you sure?"

Itsuki piped up, jumping from her seat on the ground and fisting her hands on her hips. "Wait just a goddamn minute. Don't we get any say in this? And just what the fuck have you been rambling about, Miss Fressange? There's no such thing as magic!"

The wind picked up suddenly as Hikaru tugged on Itsuki's skirt, forcing her to sit her ass down. "How do you know, Itsuki? Maybe just because no one on Earth had an imagination, a feeling deep inside that there's something more than just technology, doesn't mean that no one else did!" She grinned wistfully. "I knew it. I knew it all along." She turned to her best friend. "Didn't you Izumi, Ryoko? Remember? I was a wind mage, all this time! I knew it from the beginning!"

"Control yourself, Miss Amano!" barked the apprentice priest, causing the redhead to stand at attention. She grumbled, "It's Amano-san, or Hikaru-chan…" before becoming silent. Most of the others in their little friend group sighed exasperatedly.

Rumiko glanced at Inez painfully. "Lady…" he whined. Inez smiled brightly, mocking him. "Have fun, Rumiko-chan!"

Rumiko glared at Inez before stomping over to his previous seat and plopping on it. Megumi sat nearby, looking into the distance. He scooted over to her, feeling as if she was one of the few people here he could trust to be at least slightly sane. "Is there something wrong, Miss Rainerd?"

Megumi jumped slightly at the sound of his voice, but relaxed immediately. "I just… this whole thing. It's just so surreal, you know?" She gazed at him, and for some reason, found him blushing. "What's wrong with YOU?"

Rumiko looked down. "I… I'm not really sure, actually. You just… remind me of someone." His thoughts jumped to the woman from his dream. 'She does more than remind me of her. She looks exactly like her. Perhaps it is her.'

~*~

On the other side of the camp, Yurika raised her hand in question. "Um, Miss Fressange, I have a question. Does magic have anything to do with nanomachines?" Inez nodded quickly. "Very good deduction, Kanchou. In fact, in the days of the Martian Empire, nanomachines weren't created so people could breathe easier or to make the soil more cultivatable, while they could do these things. Nanomachines were created to make artificial mages, just as we use them to create pilots in this day and age."

"So, how is it that she could pilot an Aestivalis before the Jump?" asked Uribatake, inserting himself into the conversation. Inez glanced at him. "You noticed that, didn't you? Well, I have an explanation for that as well. Akito!" The Martian cook looked up from another part of the camp. She beckoned for him to approach. Putting his sleeping bag down, he walked over, "Yeah, Miss Fressange?"

"Tell me if you can remember, Akito. When did you get your IFS injection?" Akito opened his mouth to answer, but his mind suddenly drew a blank. 'Wasn't it when I graduated? No, I got a job as a produce delivery guy. Didn't I have it then, though?' "I… I don't know." Inez nodded, understandingly. "And Kanchou accidentally started a machine when the two of you were young?" The two of them nodded, not understanding where she was going. The doctor smiled. "I think it's quite safe to say this, Nagare. Native Martians are born with nanomachines in their blood, an affect of an Earthling, Lunar, Martian, Colonist, or even Jovian woman giving birth on Mars or any other place with nanomachines in the atmosphere. In short, Akito never had a nano-injection. Kanchou never did either. All three of us could pilot an Aestivalis if we wanted, Jump, and use magic."

"I'm starting to hate being born on Earth even more," complained Nagare. Inez turned to the robot boy that went unnoticed by all of those present until now. "Did you record that, Omoikane?" The electric blue lights faded from his blue eyes and he nodded, grinning. "All recorded and stored in your experimental explanations file!"

"Good."

~*~

"This is bullshit. Complete and utter bullshit." Ryoko glared at a rock on the wooden floor of Rumiko's house, as if trying to levitate the damn thing. Rumiko glanced at what she was doing before returning to his introductory notes, describing each of his new students. "Subaru-san, remember. You're Terra's TEARS, not Calm. You have no power with rocks or plants."

"Itsuki is fucking right! There is no goddamn thing such as magic!" Gai pounded a fist on the plank table he was seated at. "Dammit, Ryoko! Will you just shut the fuck up?" Rumiko shook his head, clicking his tongue. "Such language will get you nowhere, Yamada-san." Gai winced at the use of his true last name, but didn't correct the Ninlander. Hikaru rolled her eyes. "Well, Rumiko-san, we use language like this all the time. We kinda really don't give a fuck what those assholes think of us."

Jun stood from his seat on the table and pointed a finger at the artist. "Liar! You care a lot!" Hikaru raised an eyebrow before knocking his hand out of her face. "Who the fuck are you? Kanchou? Get your ass out of my head." She plopped on the floor, resting her head on her hands.

Izumi turned to Akito, who was being far too quiet. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Akito shook his head and looked down, but not before glancing at the red-clad man, who sighed at kicked in Jun in the shin, telling him to leave Hikaru the fuck alone. Izumi caught the glance, however and sighed herself. "You dumbass. Kanchou leaves you and you try for a rebound?" The Martian shook his head quickly. "It's not a rebound, I swear to god!" Rumiko looked up, to see who said it. "Tenkawa-san, you have to swear by Aqua, not whatever god you just did. The Gods prefer that people use their names in vain; it shows that there are favored, and it's your duty as a Messenger to let them know you favor them." Rumiko went back to writing.

Akito made a face at the man before turning back to Izumi. "It's not a rebound. I swear it on Aqua or whatever." He glanced to Rumiko, but he was stilling writing. He pulled a simple paper out of his pocket, and handed it to Izumi. Izumi shook her head, before calling to Gai. "How many times do I have to call you a dumbass before you realize it?" Itsuki, lounging on the wooden chair in the corner grinned. "A billion, Izumi-chan."

Izumi made a face. "Obviously!" Gai turned to the pale woman, but paled himself when she saw her open the letter. "Oh hell no! Gods-fucking-dammit, Akito! That letter was fucking private!" Akito glared at the other man before sticking his tongue out. "It's my letter now, and I can do what I want with it!"

Izumi's visible crimson eye ran across the paper, then rolled when she finished. "I retract my statement, Gai. You're not a dumbass. You're a stupid fuck!" Gai shrugged. "Yeah, I guess I am a stupid fuck." Akito looked away again, focusing his gaze on the rock that Ryoko was glaring at just a little earlier.

Jun just sighed. "You know, he's not the only stupid fuck." He sat down on the ground, bringing her knees to his chin as he stared at the fire in the hearth. "I didn't say shit to object to Miss Fressange teaching Kanchou AND Akatsuki…" Hikaru patted his back. "Come on Jun. You know that bastard only wants her for ass and tits. Eventually she'll have no one but you."

Jun nodded, his eyes welling up. "Yes. But how long must I wait? Why must I wait?"

~*~

TBC…

~*~

A/N: Wow, that was… anticlimactic in the worst way. But, yeah. The explanation of most of the things that have swimming in my head. We won't be seeing much more of Inez till near the end, and we'll be tracking the pilot's learning magic, and Megumi adapting to civilian life in a medieval setting. Go her. Why Megumi? Um… because. Anyway, next time, we actually start Rumiko's lessons, so don't, you know, MISS the next chapter. Or wait for it very long. Writer's block is a bitch.