( A New Canon has arrived, What is planned for Makoto Nanaya now? Let us find out at this very moment.)
Bold = English Conversations
Bold + Italics =Japanese Conversations
Canon 5
Makoto was running... That was all she could do. Here she was, in a world she had no clue about, Making her way towards the Kagutsuchi Cauldron after finding out that this world's Jin Kisaragi went off on his own and not even Bang knew the reason why he did so. But instead of making the choice to go after him and potentially lose the trail, she decided that it was better to make her way towards the NOL Kagutsuchi headquarters to find a way back home. Just how did she come to this decision?..
We have to rewind the clock a bit, to when Makoto was on her way from the Kagutsuchi Musuem.
FLASHBACK
MAKOTO POV
The Cauldron in Kagutsuchi... I had never thought that I could use a cauldron of all things to return back to my time. I mean that is a strong possibility however I don't even know how to activate one, let alone how to use it to head back to my time. Hell unless I find an expert on Cauldrons, I may have to start getting used to living life here and that is not a prospect I relish at all. At the very least, I should probably collect my things back at Ronin-Gai and go and see how Jin's doing under Bang's care.
Jin... I mean... This isn't my version of Jin... yet at the same time I cannot help but want to take care of him. I really can't explain it but I can't help but feel bad if this world's Tsubaki heard that Jin died... just like my Noel had to deal with her Hunter... I don't even know what's going on in the first place. There's so many questions ringing through my mind and even less answers that are currently present in front of me. Just what am I going to do...
"MAKOTO DONO! MAKOTO DONO!" A loud voice screamed as I realized that voice belonged to Bang Shishigami. 'Huh? Just what happened while I was away?' I thought as I walked towards the direction of Bang's voice, curious to see what he wanted to talk to me about as I could see panic plastered on his face as he clearly looked like he was trying to find me for the longest time. "MAKOTO DONO! THERE YOU ARE! SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAS HAPPENED!" Bang screamed as I had to close my ears in surprise.
"OW!...OK! I heard you the first time! Just tell me what on earth happened in a softer voice please!" I yelled back, making Bang hold his ear as he cleared his throat from all of the screaming he did previously and looked back at me with serious eyes still plastered in panic. "Your...Your friend... He gone amok!" Bang said, making me want to slap myself in the face as I cannot believe he just said that. "Gone amok? What on earth do you mean by that!" I questioned, wanting a straighter answer as Bang luckily gave it to me.
"While I took Mr Kisaragi around Ronin-Gai, one of my subordinates called me away for a bit to handle a small matter. I told Mr Kisaragi to wait for a bit before before I knew it, when I returned... he was gone!" Bang explained as I rubbed my forehead even more, just getting annoyed by the situation being presented in front of me. "Did you ask anybody where he went in the first place? Do you have any idea where he could have gone?" I asked, trying to remain calm as Bang thought about it for a bit before something like a lightning bolt struck him.
"I did remember a disciple of mine saying that Jin Kisaragi was in the company of a blond haired man wearing a half mask and purple coat and heading towards the higher levels... other than that, we don't know anything else." Bang confessed as I placed my head on my forehead. A man wearing a half mask and a purple coat... that sounds rather familiar. After giving it a bit of time to think, I suddenly realize who he was talking about.
'Colonel Relius Clover... the one who was mentioned in the report in regards to the 12th Prime Field Device... The one that resembled Noel in the picture... as well as a part of NOL command that nobody knows about.' I thought as I wonder about what I should even do right now. 'To think that things have gone to shit... From me trying to figure out a way back home to finding out that Jin is currently in the company of a man who may potentially murder him... Just what am I going to even do in this situation.'
In front of me laid two choices... I could just chase after Jin and get him away from Relius Clover... Or I could head towards the NOL headquarters here in Kagutsuchi and try to see what is the fuzz around this cauldron and see if there is a way for me to activate it. Either way... it's either I choose to forsake Jin to hopefully get back home... Or make home my top priority. The choice being presented in front of me simply sucks right now as either way... it's making my decision harder than it needs to be.
'Dammit...I've got to find a way back home now and hope that this world's Jin is able to take care of himself right now.' Makoto thought as she looked at Bang in the eyes. "Listen Bang. Can you go and find Jin for me... I need to go and settle some other matters right now." I explained to Bang calmly as he had a great smile plastered on his face. "Why of course! If we manage to find him, I will make sure that you are informed in great haste!" Bang said as I was about to head back towards the Kagutsuchi cauldron when I remembered something.
"Say Bang, are my clothes done being patched up?" I asked as Bang gave me a thumbs up. "They are just in your room, fully repaired and waiting to be put on once again Miss Nanaya!" Bang said as I couldn't help but run back towards his estate to get dressed in my battle attire. Not before I gave him a pat on the back to make him feel like he did a good job. As I got dressed back up to my normal clothes... a part of me wonders if I made the right decision in the first place... regardless, I have made my decision and I cannot back down from it now.
...It's time to man up Makoto Nanaya!
"Don't make me regret my decision to leave you to your own devices... Jin!" Makoto thought as her feet took her faster towards the NOL headquarters, her mind racing on what she's going to do once she's arrived at the cauldron. Wearing her Battle uniform once again, Makoto was feeling raring to go and find out what she needs to do to head back to her own timeline as she couldn't help but notice the lack of NOL personnel around the area.
'Is it me or is security really lax around here?' Makoto wondered as she knew that despite it being New Year's eve, there should be some guards around the headquarters to make sure nobody's going in and wrecking the place, especially if a person like Ragna the Bloodedge is busy walking around and wrecking NOL headquarters around the world like he is currently in her timeline. Regardless of what's happened, she should take advantage of the lack of security to sneak into the cauldron.
As soon as she entered the building as discreetly as she possibly could, Makoto couldn't help but look around feverishly for the elevator that would take her to the basement where the Cauldron was held. Usually the NOL builds secret elevators to hide the cauldron itself from easy access from the general public, and usually these elevators are kept only to higher level personnel to prevent information from leaking out.
Being from intelligence however, Makoto has made sure to note down all of the possible locations where the elevator could be. Unfortunately she couldn't help but worry if her information from another timeline would work for the timeline she is in currently. Regardless, she's got to find this elevator and make her way towards the cauldron now before things become worse and go beyond her control.
"Makoto? Makoto is that you?!" a familiar voice said as Makoto couldn't help but freeze up hearing that. 'No...Not now... any other time but now...' Makoto thought as she slowly turned her head towards the direction of the voice as that voice had made her way towards where she was standing, her red hair flowing freely as Makoto stared at the red haired vixen in front of her. "T-Tsubaki... is that you?.." Makoto asked out loud as she locked eyes with the blue eyed heir of the Yayoi household, the first woman she has ever held a crush for as she couldn't help but become nervous in front of her.
"What brings you here Makoto? I thought you were stationed in Shinatsu... And why do you look so exhausted?" Tsubaki questioned as Makoto couldn't help but freeze up at the spot. Just what does she even say at this point? Tsubaki's caught her at the worst possible time and now she needs to lie to a version of one of her best friends. A light bulb then rung in her mind as she cleared her breath, trying to calm herself down from panicking too much.
"I'm glad I found you Tsubaki! I've got something that I need to tell you about from command itself! They even gave me papers with the specific orders in them!" Makoto said as she began to search around her body as she continued to think about what she is going to say to Tsubaki in the first place. 'Think Think... what can I say right now that would get Tsubaki off my case... Orders to return back to the NOL... Maybe that will work but still...' Makoto thought as she knew she needed to keep lying to buy herself more time to come up with a credible excuse.
"Oh man... where did I put it... Did I misplace it somewhere?" Makoto said loudly, expressing fake frustration over losing precious orders from the NOL which should be enough to fool someone as innocent as Tsubaki. "Huh? Is something the matter right now Makoto?" Tsubaki questioned as Makoto immediately began to panic even more as she began to search herself even more before placing her hands onto Tsubaki's shoulders, looking at her with wide eyes.
"Just Listen to me for a second Tsubaki! You need to head back to headquarters right now. Your life's in danger right now and you shouldn't be fighting right now." Makoto said, just only realizing that Tsubaki had donned her family's heirloom, one of the few remaining Izayoi's in the world right now and the one entrusted to the Yayoi family for decades. This told her that Tsubaki was heading somewhere and most likely heading towards her death... especially if she's heading towards the Cauldron like she is.
"Did you come here on your own to surprise me Makoto? I have to admit, it's been a long while since we last met so seeing you here is a lovely surprise indeed." Tsubaki said as Makoto couldn't help but scratch her head hearing that. As much as she wants to meet with Noel and Tsubaki herself... she didn't want to meet under circumstances like this, especially with people who may look like her friends but aren't exactly her friends at the same time.
"But... I'm sorry. I cannot leave right now, even if I was ordered by the NOL to... Not until I bring Jin back to the NOL myself. I've already sacrificed too much... used my family name to pull some strings and get myself into the Zero Squadron just for this moment." Tsubaki explained, alarming Makoto more of the contradictions being presented in front of... telling her clearly that this is not her timeline at all. "Wait a Minute... you transferred to the Zero Squadron?.." Makoto questioned as Tsubaki nodded.
"Just long enough till I bring Jin back. Then I'll transfer back to the 4th Thurmaturgist squadron straight away... The Zero Squadron provides one a lot of opportunities after all..." Tsubaki explained, alarming Makoto more of what she is learning about this timeline as she couldn't help but bite her lip hearing that. All wrong.. This was all wrong... This was not how things happened. "Then what about Noel then!? Is she in the 4th Thurmaturgist squadron with you?" Makoto questioned as Tsubaki looked at her confused.
"Noel?.. I'm sorry Makoto but who is she?" Tsubaki asked, understandably confused as Makoto couldn't help but bite her lip harder at that. "What about Hunter Long?! Captain of the Vermillion Dragoons?" Makoto asked as Tsubaki looked at her with concern plastered in her eyes as she placed her hand on Makoto's shoulder. "I'm Sorry Makoto... I guess that you must be still dealing with Hunter's death yourself... After all he was your boyfriend." Tsubaki explained as Makoto couldn't take it anymore.
"HUNTER WAS NOT MY BOYFRIEND! HE WAS NOEL'S! NOEL VERMILLION! DO YOU NOT KNOW WHO SHE IS!?" Makoto screamed, tears flowing down her face as she felt like a stranger to one of her friends as Tsubaki couldn't help but panic when she saw Makoto began to tear up. "Now Now Makoto, there's no need to cry right now. I am sure if we think things through we can come up with a rational explanation for things." Tsubaki said but before Makoto could even respond, another voice decided to chime in on that exact moment.
"She's right you know... There's no point in overthinking things you know..." A voice spoke, a voice that was all to familiar with Makoto as Tsubaki looked to see Captain Hazama approaching her and Makoto. "Captain Hazama?" Tsubaki quickly asked as Hazama nodded his head. "In the flesh. I'm just here to let you know that Jin went that way. If you're quick enough, you can catch up to him." Hazama said as that alarmed Tsubaki but as soon as she looked at Makoto, she wondered what she should even do at this point, go after Jin or comfort Makoto.
"You might want to hurry though... I think I also saw Ragna the Bloodedge also head the same way." The moment Tsubaki heard Hazama say that name, her senses were on full alert. "Do you want to come with me Makoto? I would feel better if I knew you were by my side." Tsubaki asked as Makoto took a bit to answer her before shaking her head. "I'll meet with you later... I need to ask Captain Hazama something... you go on ahead." Makoto said, wiping her tears away as Tsubaki simply looked at her friend and the green haired captain, feeling the tension in the room as she simply nodded her head and left the two alone as a palpable tension could be felt in the room itself.
The two stared at each other for a bit, the both of them not daring to say a word as their eyes darted to each other like lightning with malice. Hazama decided to be the first one to say something as he pulled out his knives and began to spin them in his hands. "Tell me one thing first... Makoto Nanaya... Have you met up with Colonel Relius yet?" Hazama asked as Makoto simply remained quiet, assuming a battle stance and keeping her focus on him as Hazama sighed.
Hazama: I see... You know... when you said Noel Vermillion just a few moments ago... I nearly pissed myself. Everything I have been working hard for, undone... thanks to your smart ass.
Makoto: Really now... So you won't mind telling me if you're the one responsible for sending me to this timeline?
Hazama: Send you to this timeline?.. I see... that explains why things have gone out of whack... You're not exactly the Makoto Nanaya from this timeline huh...
Makoto: And so what if I am not huh... You're going to kill me regardless. Don't think I can't tell when we fought back at the pier...
Hazama: Of course I am going to murder you for your meddling ways... I just never expected the timeline to become this screwed... I can't be expected to believe that this is a possibility of the continuum shift.
"The hell you talking about right now..." Makoto asked, venom present in her voice as Hazama couldn't help but grit his teeth hearing her demand for answers like that. "Woah now... don't give me that tone you bitch... Thanks to your interfering ass, all of the plans I have had are now fucking screwed." Hazama replied with equal venom, no longer trying to be the nice guy he has always been pretending to be as Makoto steeled herself for anything.
"I tried to be a nice guy... I tried to let Relius handle you... But you know what? I DON'T THINK I CAN WAIT FOR THAT LONG!" Hazama yelled as he kicked Makoto but she managed to block in time, sliding on the ground and steeling herself for what the Captain has in plan for her as Hazama was annoyed by how resilient this Makoto was when every other Makoto Nanaya he has ever met became chicken shit the moment they were met by his killing aura... as if this version of her was not disturbed by him at all.
"SO YOU KNOW WHAT... SCREW PLAYING NICE AND SCREW THIS TIMELINE. I AM GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!" Hazama screamed as he lunged for Makoto with knife in hand. As soon as Makoto saw this, Makoto immediately reached out for her Tonfas to guard but before a fight could even break out, a massive figure moved in between the two, acting as a massive wall as Makoto saw in front of her what was simply put, a giant wall of magenta metal standing between her and Hazama.
"Now Now... Didn't I tell you that I was going to handle Miss Nanaya now?" A voice, calm and focused spoke, alarming Makoto as Hazama was visibly annoyed by the appearance of this new person. "Not now Relius... I am busy trying to clean up the mess that you said you were going to clean up yourself." Hazama replied coldly as Makoto peeked over the metal, allowing her to see a blond haired man wearing a golden opera mask that covered his eyes, a magenta coat, white gloves and pants.
'Is...Is that person really Relius Clover? The one I read about in the report with the 12th prime field device?' Makoto thought as the figure, now clearly known as Relius calmly walked towards Hazama and gently pried his knife away from his hands. "I would highly recommend that you leave Miss Nanaya to me and go see the show downstairs. I am pretty sure it's approaching the finale as we speak." Relius said as he looked at Hazama who without even saying a word simply scoffed and took his knife back from Relius.
"You're lucky this time you squirrel bitch. The next time I come back I better see her in a body bag." Hazama replied with venom as he walked away from the scene, alarming Makoto even more as she tried to chase after Hazama only to be stopped in her tracks by a massive claw in front of her. "I would most recommend that you stay where you are right now Miss Nanaya... we have a lot to discuss after all..." Relius calmly said as Makoto looked at where this massive claw came from as her eyes widened at what she had seen.
It was a mechanical being... but something felt off about it. It's big robotic eyes and fake yellow hair seemed almost natural as it wore what looked like to be a long magenta dress and cap as the being quickly vanished from where it stood to be right next Relius, arms placed on top of each other as she cannot help but feel something creepy about the mechanical being in front of her... as if it's actually a human being trying to speak to her as she clenched her fists tightly.
"Now...before my friend had rudely interrupted our meeting. My name's Colonel Relius Clover... the pleasure's all mine Makoto Nanaya." Relius said, bowing a little as Makoto felt even more at an unease around his presence, despite the manners he was showing her at that moment, she couldn't help but feel that the person in front of her was just as dangerous as Captain Hazama... or maybe even more so as Relius noticed Makoto's alert and wary posture, almost akin to an animal being cornered by a predator.
'Something is not right about this guy... The way he's looking at me behind that mask of his... it's as if he's looking down on me... Just like... Just Like...' Makoto couldn't finish her train of thought, the scars of her past ringing in her mind as she clenched her head in pain, Intriguing Relius even more as his eyes continued to stare down Makoto's very being. "I see... your soul has become far more "Robust" since we last met..." Relius coldly said, alarming Makoto as she quickly assumed a fighting posture.
"What the hell do you mean by my soul? Start talking right now." Makoto said, her eyes trying to stare back at the man who was doing the same to her. However his eyes remain obscured behind the mask he wore, forcing her eyes to dart a little bit to the left and right as he couldn't help but take notice at Makoto's caution. "Intriguing... so you do come from a different world... that would explain why your soul right now is much sturdier than when we last met..." Relius calmly said, ignoring the clear sign of danger he was in to approach her closer.
"Look Colonel... I don't have time to waste with your bullshit. I am going to need you to step the fuck out of my way." Makoto retorted, standing her ground as Relius was soon at her face. "Oh don't be so uncooperative right now. I am merely just taking observation to your soul's current state as we speak." Relius said, his hand slowly reaching out towards Makoto to touch her, forcing her to retaliate with a sudden punch that bruised Relius at his cheek as he calmly wiped the blood that came from it, as if it didn't faze him.
"Like I said Colonel... I ain't got time for your bullshit...so if You are not going to step out of my way. Then I will make you do so!" Makoto yelled, throwing herself into combat as Relius simply remained calm and used his hand to calmly deflect Makoto's wild punches as she threw haymaker after haymaker with the hopes that one of her punches will simply floor him in the process. Relius however was not interested in what she was doing, simply continuing to observe her as she couldn't help but feel annoyed by the way he was simply looking down at her.
"HOW ABOUT THIS YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Makoto Yelled as she created a ball of seithr and sent it flying towards Relius at high speed, her patience being pushed to their limits as Relius simply snapped his finger to order the mechanical being beside him to stop the ball of seithr coming towards him with ease, shocking Makoto as Relius began to rub his hand on his beard, intrigued as to the series of events that is current happening in front of him.
"Ignis... We are to capture the subject alive... Her soul has advanced in a rate that has piqued even more of my interest." Relius said as the mechanical being known as Ignis simply nodded it's head to register it had heard his orders. Makoto couldn't help but grit her teeth but then felt a chill crawl down her spine as she shook her head several times to shake off that feeling she was getting. 'No Makoto... you can't get scared of him now... not when your life depends on it... Not when this bastard's looking down on you!' Makoto thought as she prepared herself for the battle that was to come...
As she did so, observing from the high ground, Rachel Alucard couldn't help but slightly scowl at the turn of events that were presented in front of her as an observer. "This is bad princess... Makoto Nanaya's met Relius Clover!" Gil said in worry as she calmly grabbed the pink bat and began to stretch him several times to silence him as Nago himself continued to observe the situation. "Isn't the two of them meeting usually considered a bad thing? Especially for the continuum shift?" Nago asked as Rachel continued to look at the situation with intrigue.
"Shouldn't we go down there and rescue her now princess? There is no telling what that man would do to her if he manages to subdue her." Nago continued, expressing his concern over the current situation but Rachel shook her head. "Are you saying we are to forsake this Makoto Nanaya and observe another possibility instead?" Nago questioned as Rachel finally released her grip of Gil, making the pink bat fly in pain as she shook her head.
"Something inside tells me to continue observing this Makoto Nanaya to the very end... as if it tells me that if I do so, I may just discover the answer to a question that has been previously eluding me..." Rachel said, alarming Nago and Gil as they looked at her with slight shock. "You don't mean the Event Error?" Nago replied. The Event Error... the one person who is responsible for the drastic changes to the timeline that Rachel had been observing for so long... and has yet to be discovered.
"She might be the key to us finding the person called the Event Error and maybe our only hope in ensuring said Error is by our side at the end of the day..." Rachel explained as Nago and Gil looked back at the scene of Makoto desperately fighting back against the mechanical doll Ignis. "I cannot argue with your logic princess... But what happens if she ends up in Relius's hands?" Gil asked as Rachel simply chose to remain quiet as she didn't want to think about what would happen next...
...As curiosity began to loom over the Princess
GREETINGS LOST SHEEP OF FANFICTION! HOW IS EVERYONE DOING AT THIS VERY MOMENT!? I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE BEEN ENJOYING THE STORY SO FAR?! And I have to say... I may have been struck by some inspiration bug because I feel like writing an extra chapter this month so if you notice an extra chapter come out this month, that would probably be why. I don't know why I feel this way, I just feel like I should do so, especially since this chapter's being published much earlier than normal so I feel like you guys deserve an extra chapter as a result. Don't worry I will still guarantee two chapters a month if I can't do an extra chapter by this month so hang in there everyone.
SO WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT!? JUST WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO MAKOTO NANAYA!? WHAT ARE RELIUS CLOVER'S PLANS THE MOMENT HE MANAGES TO GET HIS HANDS ON HER!? WHAT IS RACHEL ALUCARD'S INTEREST IN MAKOTO NANAYA FUELED BY!? Well... Subscribe and keep on reading if you dare.