Hello guys I am sorry this took so long but I had some things going on and I hope you understand. Long story short, one of my closest friend's died and I had to go to the funereal to pay my respects for the family and to say good bye. Because of that, I stayed off the grid to feel better but now I am back and I hope you guys enjoy this new chapter.

*Same disclaimer as before *

Shiro was on his way back to the dorms walking at a slow pace. Reason being was that he was exhausted from the recent training session. If it was just a training session, then that would be no problem but it was right after his fight with Drav. Because of that, he was taking his time and walking all while rubbing his arms.

"Man that was really annoying. I know that Nanoha means well but she could have at least let me rest for just an hour or so. But I keep forgetting who I am training with." Shiro said with a sigh as he looked up. It was currently nighttime and only the stars were up at the moment. Then a grin fell on Shiro as he turns his attention at Gaia's jewel and stares at it. "Well the training was very tiring but at least we won right Gaia?"

'Agreed My Lord.' the jewel glowed leaving the sword mage to continue walking to the dorm, smiling all the way.

However when he reached his door, he frowned remembering what happened before his fight with Drav:listening to Hitoshi. Now at the moment Shiro was afraid to open the door and hear his friend out for not speaking after his brother's death but he shook the thought out of his head and grabbed the door handle. He took a big breath, thought 'Well here goes.' as he opens the door revealing Hitoshi sitting on the couch.

The short haired man is about to apologize to his friend only Hitoshi stops him leaving Shiro to stop his voice. " Don't even say anything. Let me say what I want to say and then you. Got it Shiro?" Shiro nods allowing Hitoshi to continue as he stands up walking to Shiro. "Now I am still pissed that you did not telling me what you were doing for the past few days. However...it was wrong for me to take my pain out on you. And because of that, I am sorry."

Then Shiro spoke out to Hitoshi with rubbing the back of his head. "Hitoshi...no if anyone should apologize, it's me. I did not do anything to help you with Tsukasa's death apart from saying I am sorry. I should have done more. I should have talked with you more. I should have..." But just as he was about to say more, he feels his back being slapped by a hand and when he looked up, he sees his long haired friend smiling. Hitoshi then spoke with a calm tone. "Shiro don't whine and cry about it. What's done is done and I am all right. Yeah I am still heated that you did not say anything afterwards but I will let it slide as long as you did too. So if we are still friends we are cool with each other." From there, Hitoshi puts his fist out in front of Shiro and while smirking back, Shiro returns the fist with his own as the two had their friendship rebuilt. While this is true, Something different happened to each young man.

Shiro was very happy to finally rekindle his friendship with Hitoshi and that now things would be going smoothly. But those were his thoughts as the red haired man was thinking something very different while he looked at Shiro. From his fist, he felt something strange about it.

'Ok something is different about Shiro. His fist feels stronger, must do to the sword he used earlier. Plus his aura feels way more like he had some training in. Whoever trained him must be damn good. Not like my old man but...God the difference between how he was when we met to now is insane. Plus there was what happened before...'

While Hitoshi was staring at the man, Shiro is wondering what would his friend be thinking about and as the two stopped touching their fists, he will get his answer. The answer would surprise him as Hitoshi with a stare asks his friend the following: "So Shiro, after class today what were you doing in the student area?"

"Oh me?" Shiro respond with a nervous chuckle, looking around the area. Then he told Hitoshi while clearing his throat. "I was just hmm going to the library to find a book for a test soon you know? Gotta study study study!"

Sadly, this lie does not work as the yellow eyed man glared at Shiro, obviously not buying the lie. He crossed his arms and told his friend.

"Man you must really think I am that stupid huh? I saw what happened at the student area today when I was about to ask you something. Now I have some questions and you better answer them." To prove his point, he grabs Shiro's right arm which houses Gaia and points at it while saying. "I should asked you this a while ago what the hell is this bracelet? Why does it turn into a sword and fancy clothes for you? Who was that guy you were fighting and finally and listen closely...WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU DOING WITH THOSE POWERS!?" He let's go of Shiro's arm and with that over, Hitoshi crosses his arms, waiting for Shiro to answer him. But before Shiro could say anything more, Hitoshi hit the nail on the coffin by telling him this:

"Don't lie this time and tell me honestly." This caused Shiro to stand back and try to think about how to get around this. It was here that he reached a breaking point would he tell Hitoshi about what he was doing or should he just lie again and hope that he will buy it? He almost considered lying again but one quick glance at Hitoshi's face says it all, indicating that what happened last time did not work.

'Plus Hitoshi did see what happened maybe I should...' However just as Shiro was about to finish what he was thinking, he remembered what had happened when he first picked up Gaia, the training, the destruction and the fights he had with Drav. Something like what he, Nanoha and Fate were doing was too dangerous and he knew this. But his best friend was asking and he was conflicted greatly and so with a heavy heart, he sighs and looks at Hitoshi.

"The thing is..." Hitoshi was smiling believing that maybe just maybe he may finally get his answer to what his friend was doing however Shiro had other plans. "I am sorry but I can't tell you what I have been doing. It is something really really important and I am really sorry." He ends with a bow, felling really awful about what he said. Hitoshi could only just stare at him in shock and awe. It was as if time stopped for the both of them as the short haired man was about to walk pass Hitoshi trying to end the conversion. When he got closer, the long haired man spoke back.

"Really?" told Hitoshi with a quiet tone but was raising in anger. "You are seriously going to be lying to me again?"

"But Hitoshi I am..."

"You WHAT!?" Hitoshi yelled as Shiro took a step back. "Why won't you tell me? I saw what happened, I saw what you did and that random guy you fought. So why the hell can't you tell me!? Just tell me Shiro!" At this point, the sword mage returned to thinking a bit more. But no matter what he thought, the end result was the same so he puts his head down and told Hitoshi with a whisper abit somewhat sadden:

"I am sorry Hitoshi really I am. But I just can't tell you."

At this point, Shiro turns around and just like two weeks ago, starts to walk away but not before Hitoshi punches the arm of the couch and said "Damn it Shiro why the hell won't you tell me!? What could be more important? Well!?" The only answer Hitoshi got from Shiro that night was a look in his eyes and a face that was sadden and he said defeated. "I can't tell you. I am sorry Hitoshi. I am happy that we are friends again really I am." He grips his hand that has Gaia and moves on. "But this is something I can't tell you. I don't want you to get involved with this. I am sorry!" And with that, he ran back to his room leaving Hitoshi in the living room.

From there, Hitoshi screamed and punched the couch a couple of times. Why wouldn't his best friend tell him? He saw the whole damn thing in front of him and he still lied. He noticed something was odd with Shiro, he still lied and while he was all right with it, what he saw plus what happened to Tsukasa only further made things worse for Hitoshi and as such, he punched the couch one last time and pants a couple. Closing his eyes, he weighted his opinions . 'Damn so Shiro still refuse to tell even after all this time huh? Even after what had happened between us? I know damn well what I saw and I will found out what he is doing.' Then he turns to look at Shiro's door wondering what he would do to find out more about Shiro's secret. Then it hits him like a punch to the face and he whispers to himself. "I WILL find out Shiro whether you like it or not." And with that, he walks back to his room smiling that he will uncover the truth.

However, currently up on the moon, Saika is glaring at Drav from a hologram, reporting back the results of the fight he had with Shiro. Feeling the force of the glare, Drav told the second in command. "Now I know what you are thinking why did I not take the drones? To answer that question, it is because I wanted to fight the man on my own terms."

"But you should have bought the drones just to be safe." Saika spoke while crossing his arms. "What would have happened if Nanoha and Fate found you out and fought you? You could have lost against them."

Drav instead just cleans his right ear with his finger and told Saika with a smile. "Look I just wanted to fight Shiro with no distractions at all and that includes the white devil and Mama's girl. I had fun fighting him and besides we now know his name so we will be well prepared. Plus the drones are ass against those two. Remember what happened last time?" This made Saika to stop what he was about to say and hold his tongue. Thinking back, he remembers that the drones in the fight against Nanoha and Fate, they were able to destroy them regardless of the increase in numbers. Since they were only level 1 class, of course Nanoha and Fate would be able to fight and destroy them with no problems. Not to mention, they were made for recon and low defense.

However Drav brings up a good point to Saika's attention. "Say since we have some of the girls information as well as some of Shiro's data, why don't we just send down some level 2's or even a level 3 drone. They should be enough to trash..." But just as he was about to finish, Ixia in an act of rage, slams the controls and yells at Drav.

"No those are very dangerous drones!"

Saika then takes a deep breath and continues his warning to his subordinate while closing his eyes. "Drav, those are only used at a last resort. Not right away. We are still in the data collection progress and right now sending level 2 and 3 class drones would only increase the bureau's chances in finding the moon base. Only Ixia and I have the codes to send them. Don't get any ideas!"

The sandy haired man is taken aback by Saika's outburst as was Anna who was entering the room upon hearing Saika's voice. After this, Saika sighs and told Drav. "You are to remain on Earth Drav. As you were." leaving him to cut the transmission and holds his head with his left hand. Now that the lights were on, Anna walks to Saika who has creamy blue semi long hair stopping on his back and wearing a lab coat along with a red watch on his right hand. Once she got closer, Anna grins and playfully told Saika.

"Well I guess our little rabid beast disobeyed orders again huh? Maybe we should put him on a tighter leash when he gets back."

However one look at Saika's face made Anna realize that now was not a good time for jokes. Sighing, she asks the man a question. "One thing that has always bugged me though."

"And that is?" Saika asked while opening his red eyes as Anna finishes what she was talking about. "Apart from working very closely with Ixia, why are you so adamant about hurting others?"

The man then looks back briefly and in a short while straightens himself

out and spoke to Anna. "It was just a promise I made. Nothing really special about it." From the dull drill haired woman's point of view this answer was very vague because the promise could be anything and the way he said it felt sad. However Anna sighs and began to speak to the second in command. "All right then I won't pry on your life anymore. But only this once." ending this off with a playful wink at Saika's way.

Sighing, Saika thinks back to how he met Ixia in that the two were friends back then from the same world. Then a few years pass and Ixia was about to go join the TSAB in building a new section, Ixia asks Saika:

"Would you like to help me Saika?"

And with that, he joined but still kept the promise he made. Curious, Anna looks over at the throne room thinking that Ixia would be there only to find that he was not there. She asks the second in command "Uhh Saika where is Ixia?"

The second in command stops being in memory lane for a bit and replied back to Anna. "He is currently looking over some things. You know that he does not like to be interrupted." as he and Anna both stare at the empty throne.

Cut to Ixia in his room slowly analyzing the data from the old fight between Shiro and Drav and the recent fight between them. With an intense look in his pink eyes, he saw the differences within the footage. "Impressive," Ixia thought while still looking at the data. "this young man in the span of a few weeks was able to use my prototype and was able to fight against one of my supporters in the rematch."

"This Shiro is getting stronger." Ixia spoke out loud as he continued looking over the screens. As he does so, he slowly trips back to one such memory. This memory was one that involved an experiment and Ixia testing the experiment.

"Keep increasing the power Saika."

From there, Saika did as he was told and the experiment along with something that looked like a crude device was charging along with a normal person. The numbers were looking fine until something went wrong and the testing area exploded leaving only Ixia, Saika, the unconscious test subject and the 'device into pieces.

After this, Ixia further looked at Gaia and spoke with a slight growl. "I must learn more." leading him to continue his analysis.

"And that is the report ma'am." Nanoha just now telling Lindy what happened before the training with Nanoha. On the ship, Lindy was informed about the attack from a while ago and was thinking about what to do next. "Since this has happened we can't afford to be sloppy now. We will need to up our game."

Nanoha and Fate both looked at each other and then back at Lindy leading Fate to question. "You mean you will request for more help? But who else would you contact apart from me, Nanoha and Yuuno? Everyone else is busy."

"While you may be right about that, this one should be available." Lindy replied with a smile as she punched some buttons on the controls leading to the screen being on. From there, Nanoha and Fate each had a smile on their faces as the screen revealed another old friend:

The screen showed Hayate Yagami, a woman with short brown hair and an brown uniform with her legs on her desk taking a nap. The two women on the ship did the following Nanoha laughs and Fate giggles leading the brown haired woman to open her blue eyes. In a few seconds, she smiles and spoke to the two. "Hello Nanoha, Fate it is great to see you two again."

Nanoha returns the response by waving. "Same here Hayate. So you just got back from an assignment? I would assume the nap was the result?"

"Ugh tell me about it. I was tired that I felt like just taking a nap you know? Until I get called back again." Hayate pouts as she said this but after her little rant, she smiles leading to the three women to giggle, happy to see that some things have not changed since the Jail case. After that was over, Lindy was asking the Mistress of the Night sky a question to which Hayate asked back. "Oh? So what was the question ma'am?"

"Well if you are not too busy at the moment, I would like for you to come on the Arthra to support Nanoha and Fate on the Ixia case. That is if you don't mind." Lindy asked waiting for Hayate to answer.

Within a few seconds, Hayate smiled and told the three. "Well I did just got back and while everyone in my family are busy at the moment, of course I will more then happy to help out with the case."

Fate asked with a questionable look to Hayate. "Are you sure?"

"Fate I am sure." Hayate said still with a grin. "I have nothing to do here as is and Earth is my home too. If it involved the planet where you and I were born and when I made friends with you guys then I will help."

Nanoha and Fate are taken in by Hayate's kindhearted words and smiled. With that, Hayate picks up a bag and whispers in it for a few seconds and out comes a very small girl with platinum hair, blue eyes and the same uniform that Hayate wears only the size is more a doll's size.

"Rein and I will begin to make preparations to head out. We will be on the ship tomorrow afternoon." Hayate informed the women and with a wave, the transmission ended leaving Nanoha and Fate to go back to the dorms and prepare for the next day. But on that day, there will be surprises in store for the group some good and some shocking.

Yep things happened in this chapter such as Hitoshi finally knowing what is going on with his best friend and yes even Hayate will come back to help out with the case. A little bit of the villains are being revealed backstory-wise and I have something to say about that as well as the next chapter. First off, from what a reader told me the villains are a bit boring so I will try my best to make them more interesting later on and second the next chapter will be the start of something. You will have to wait until next time to see what that will be so as always give me support if you can so I can improve, hope you guys are enjoying the chapters and see you next time.