Disclaimer: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha belongs to Seven Arcs and all respective license holders. The Persona Series belongs to ATLUS. I only own this fic and nothing else. I also own all the mistakes too.
Chapter 4: What Do You Wish For?
His eyes snapped open with a start. A quick glance told him that it was morning… or more so noon based on what his clock told him. Looking around further he found that Morgana wasn't there. Forcing himself up, he quickly did his morning routine, despite the time, and then sat back down on his bed. Grabbing his phone, he went to check his messages. To his surprise, he apparently had one, but from whom? A quick glance through told him, and his mood lifted just a bit. He quickly opened it.
"Hey, Ren, it's me Chihaya," It started. It was pretty long winded, going for a while. "So, I got a little curious and decided to try and read your fortune. Thought it would be fun to see what you'd be up to, and if you'd break any other girls' heart." Even with no one around, he was tempted to let out a bit of nervous laughter at that one. "But if it was just that then I probably wouldn't be sending this. You probably won't read this until the morning, so I'll just get it all out right now." Indeed, it was around 2 am when she sent this whole thing. "So anyways when I read your fortune, it was something like the one I read for you back in December. You're not doing anything dangerous right? I mean that stuff should be over." It was true, it was over, but still he'd somehow found himself caught up in another dangerous thing despite himself. "Well if it helps, the fortune I read for you seemed to point to some kind of person, but the card I drew was the reverse Empress. Maybe the one you're dealing with this time is some kind of bad mother or something. Another thing, something good should happen to you in the meantime, it's supposed to help you from what I got from the reading. I'm not sure what will happen, but it should help you in dealing with the situation. Anyways, if you're ever come down in Tokyo, come and see me, even if just to say hi. Later!" And like that the message finished. A bad matriarch, but the people he was mainly dealing with were… little girls.
"Hey Ren, you up? It's not good to over sleep!" Somethings never changed. Though he wondered what one of the so called little girls was doing right now.
-0-0-4-0-0-
Nanoha sat quietly as her two friends began to talk about something. Today her family and friends had come to a hot spring as a means of relaxing. She and her friends Alisa, and Suzuka had just gotten out of the bath and were having drinks while they were at it, sitting in one of the many lounges scattered about the inn they were staying at. She wanted Ren to come with them, but Kyouya was against it, something about it being inappropriate and not trusting him. She didn't understand. Honestly at this point she felt that out of all the people she knew, Ren was the most trustworthy, and she couldn't think of what he meant by inappropriate. However, right now she very quickly became glad he hadn't come along.
"So just who is this Ren anyhow?" Suzuka was the first to broach the subject.
"Pffft!" Nanoha accidently spat some of the tea she'd been having, coughing wildly afterwards as she tried to catch her breath. "Wha-what are you talking about?" Luckily Yuuno was currently with the other guys, or else this would have been even more embarrassing.
"Well it seems like the two of you are becoming quite close, for one thing. I don't think you're that close to any of the boys at our school, so it's surprising to see you act so friendly to a guy, especially one in High-school. He might be a pedo… or are you hoping for that sort of thing?" Alisa asked her.
"Huh? It's-it's not like that! And what's a pedo?" Nanoha was getting quite flustered thanks to her friends. Sure, she didn't get close to the boys that much. She'd always thought they weren't really all that interesting, and honestly a bit too childish sometimes. Ren was different. He was dependable, easy to get along with, mature, patient, brave and…
"Ah, Nanoha, you're blushing. Are you thinking about him?" Suzuka pointed out, specifically using her hand to point to Nanoha's blisteringly red ears. "Oh? Are they turning redder?"
"So, you do like him!" Alisa declared. "Suzuka-chan what should we do?"
"Well… while he is older, there are shows that depict that sort of thing going well. Besides Nanoha-chan seems to really like him. As friends it is our duty to bring the two of them together," Suzuka declared.
"That's right! Don't worry Nanoha-chan. We'll help you out, so that in no time he'll like you back as well," Alisa followed as the two of them visibly became resolved. "And I think I have an idea as to how we can do that!"
"Wha-what do you mean? I don't need any help! I-I d-don't li-" She tried to get the words out but the just twisted into a horribly mangled mess when it tried to leave her mouth, as if they were tripping on the way out.
"Here!" Alisa said, as she pulled her phone out and displayed to them what was apparently a website. "Apparently these guys are called The Phantom Thieves of Heart!"
"The who?" Nanoha asked, her flustering dying down as her curiosity rose instead.
"Oh, I've heard of them! The dashing band of rouges who stole the hearts of others, turning them from bad to good. They were really popular a while back, but for some reason they died down and haven't really been heard from since. How could they help us out now though?" Suzuka asked, as she perused the site displayed on Alisa's phone.
"Simple! Apparently, they take requests on this site, so maybe if we ask them they might steal Ren-san's heart and give to Nanoha-chan! That way Nanoha-chan's love could come true!" Alisa declared, her plan laid out before them. "And at worst we'll just have to do it on our own anyways."
"But I don't want them to steal his heart!" Nanoha cried in frustration at her two friends' antics.
"I understand Nanoha-chan, you want to be the one to take his heart yourself, but your age might be too big of a disadvantage. A person like him might have many girls after him. If there's a possibility of this working, then we should give this a shot," Suzuka tried to console her, to no avail.
"I'm telling you it's not like that! I mean I like Ren-kun, but I don't know if-"
"And sent!" Alisa quickly said aloud as she sent the message to the site.
"EHHHHH!?" Nanoha let out as she tried to lunge for the phone. "Noooooo!" Alisa quickly jumped out of the way, dancing about as Nanoha, with all her futile effort, tried to stop a message already immortalized on the internet.
"Wonderful, Alisa-chan! Now we just have to wait, and Ren will be all yours Nanoha-chan!" Suzuka said, satisfied with the result, the opposite to Nanoha's mild despair. "By the way, what do you think these phantom thieves are like?" The question stopped Nanoha and Alisa in their tracks as the two stopped to stare at Suzuka, before also falling into contemplation.
"Well, they're thieves, right? Maybe they're like the cool Phantom thieves in anime? I mean why would they call themselves that if they weren't just as cool? Oh, maybe they're at their secret base right now, planning their next heist!" Alisa postulated. "They're probably moved by my post and want to move as quickly as possible to help Nanoha-chan!"
"I imagine they'd be these cool, dashing figures, absolutely handsome and beautiful in all their ways of life. Meeting them in person would have to be simply breathtaking," Suzuka mused. "I wonder if it would be possible to actually meet one of them."
"I'd like it if they were anything like Ren…" Nanoha murmured. To her the coolest person she knew was Ren, so it was the first thing she thought of when it came to cool. Though honestly, she couldn't see it, given how nice he was. He wouldn't ever be into thievery, even if it was for a good reason… right?
"Oh please, I mean, he's not bad, and I agree kind of cool, but he's not on the same level as superheroes," Alisa rebuked. "Compared to us, The Phantom Thieves must be doing something amazing right now! In fact, I wonder what they're doing right now…"
-0-0-4-0-0-
"Ren," The text started from Makoto. "You have some serious explaining to do." Ren got nervous as he began to read it, slurping on his cup noodles all the while. He had no idea why he was getting messaged like this, but if it was Makoto of all people starting it, then it couldn't be good.
"Yeah, Ren. What's with this request on the site?" Ann asked. This only left him more confused. Request? What could it be, and how would it get him in trouble like this. The Phansite? They got requests all the time, even now. What's so special about a request now? He'd like to ask that, but with Ann coming in… something told him to be extra cautious.
"What request?" He texted, not sure how to proceed otherwise.
"It was just posted," Futaba began to explain. "'My friend Nanoha has a crush on this guy called Ren Amamiya. At this rate she has no chance, and I can't bear to see her heartbroken. I want you to steal his heart and give to Nanoha so that their love can be fulfilled.' Ren, when did you become a pedo?" Ren could feel the malice and scorn now, if he couldn't feel it before.
"I have no idea what it is or who sent it," He tried to defend himself. "Guys, back me up here!"
"Sorry buddy, you're on your own here…" Ryuji replied.
"I'm busy with a piece, can't talk," was all Yusuke texted.
"Ren, I hope it won't take too long for you to explain, and I also hope we haven't to ask too much." Haru's text sent a shiver down his spine… Shit, what should he do now. He didn't know who sent it, why, when, or anything at all. Quick, there had to be something he could say. "Well, we're waiting, Ren," Haru sent. Shit… Shit… Shit… Shit… SHIT!
-0-0-4-0-0-
Nanoha had finally managed to get away from her friends who had continued to pester her about her supposed crush on Ren, making it into one of the inn's many hallways, this one open with a view of the garden. The two of them kept going on and on, trying to give her advice on how to appeal to him. I mean some of it sounded nice, like trying to listen to him more, learning about his favorite food, asking more about him, learning when his Birthday was, and maybe getting him something in appreciation. She wondered if he liked sweets. Maybe she could make cookies, with Mama's help. When she realized what she was thinking she violently shook her head of those thoughts, heat emanating from her all the while.
"Nanoha-chan!" She heard all of a sudden, turning around she saw Yuuno running up to her. "One of them's here!" Who's here? It didn't take long for Nanoha to deduce what he meant however. It was either Fate or Arf. The two that their group had met sometime before.
"Who exactly?" She asked to be sure. It was for only a moment, but she realized she was nervous. This was the second time they'd have to deal with this without Ren, the first time being the tree incident.
"The wolf girl, Arf!" Yuuno clarified as soon as he climbed up to shoulder. Nanoha tensed up. She was the one who hurt Ren and Morgana. But even so, if she was here, then Fate probably wasn't too far away either. Ren wasn't here though. Though they promised to fight together, they couldn't do so thanks to the circumstances at hand. They couldn't beat them last time, even with all 4 of them together, now with half their fighting strength gone, this was going to be even tougher. "She's in human form, so be on the lookout and-"
"Oh? Talking about me?" Nanoha quickly whipped her head behind her to find that same woman from before standing there, only instead of her battle attire, it was instead a yukata that was supplied by the inn. Nanoha, unintentional took a step back after realizing it was her. "Oh, nothing to be frightened about little girl. I'm here on pleasure so you can relax."
"Where's Fate-chan?" Nanoha asked, looking about herself to make sure she wouldn't get surrounded.
"She's not here. I'm on my own today," Arf told them, giving them a sly look. "Hmm…" She suddenly began to look the two of them over for a bit. Nanoha felt as if she was being sized up by a beast or something.
"Wh-what is it?" Nanoha asked, trying to maintain a strong front.
"You really aren't anything special. Well too bad." Arf then just walked past the two of them nonchalantly, not really acknowledging them as she passed by.
"What do you mean?" Nanoha didn't know what to say to that, but she nonetheless felt insulted.
"Just go home before you hurt yourself." The cocky look Arf gave her was all she needed. She didn't stick around long enough to see Nanoha's reaction as she blithely began to walk to the hot spring. After turning the corner, and making sure they weren't following her, she began to relax as she entered hot spring proper. After washing herself, she slowly dipped herself into the water. "Fate, I went ahead and checked up on our little friend," she telepathically told her master as she let the atmosphere of the bath break the tension away.
"Oh?" Fate responded, herself sitting a couple of miles away on a tree with Bardiche in hand.
"Yup, no match for you as far as I can tell, not that I need to tell you that given your previous performance, but I thought you should know," Arf continued. Though the other boy and cat weren't in site, they didn't need a second glance, unlike the girl who was the real threat of the two as far as she was concerned.
"I see…" Fate felt a bit… she was unsure how to describe. Nonetheless she had a job to do. "I've made some progress on my end. I've just about located the next Jewel Seed in the area. We'll move tonight to capture it."
"Nice one, Fate! As expected of my master!" Arf preened, so proud of the one she served.
"We'll meet up tonight, be ready by then." And like that, Fate cut off the communication and went back to pinpointing just where exactly the seed was.
"Of course." Arf was going to ready herself in the only way she wanted to right now, with a nice dip in the hot spring. With a sigh, she stretched her arms to help situate herself back into the water, letting out a nice sigh as she did so. "Oh! Oops." She accidently let her dog ears show there.
-0-0-4-0-0-
She heard Farin close the door that separated the kids from the adults. Most likely she closed it so that she, Suzuka, and Alisa could get some sleep for the night. However, while the two of them were indeed fast asleep, Nanoha was wide awake, as was Yuuno.
"Nanoha," Yuuno began telepathically as he tried to pry himself from Alisa's grasp. The girl had decided to basically man handle him all day at any given opportunity. She'd really come to like the ferret, though that might be her general love her animals showing through. "I did some digging and just as I suspected, she wasn't here for no reason. There's a Jewel Seed nearby." He ran over to Nanoha's side so that the two would have full view of one another as they conversed.
"I thought so too," Nanoha replied as she quietly began to rise from her futon. "And if she's here then Fate-chan is here as well." Though she felt a bit vindicated to have her suspicions proven correct, she felt a bit pained.
"Are you thinking about how we won't be able to go with them?" Them referring obviously to the older boy and cat. "Nanoha-chan, if you're not confident then you don't have to go. I-"
"Yuuno-kun, stop or I'm going to get angry," Nanoha said in a low voice. Yuuno did as he was told, practically freezing at hearing Nanoha say as such. "I'm not letting you go alone," she said as she leaned over and pet him. "I know that we're not all here, but I'd like think that Ren wouldn't let us not go simply because he isn't here. I know we promised, but I'm sure he can make an exception for this one time. He'd want us to stop them if he could tell us. We have to see this through to the end."
"Nanoha-chan…" Yuuno kept forgetting how stubborn she was. He admonished himself for his lapse in memory, especially since it was the umpteenth time it had happened. He really should have known better than to try and go it alone when he knew she was so stubborn. But that didn't mean they could forget caution. "We still have to be careful though. I'll back you up however I can." Nanoha nodded in affirmation. Quietly, the two made their exit out the veranda connected to their room.
"Where to?" Nanoha asked as she looked out into the forest next to the inn.
"That way." With but a nod, Nanoha transformed as silently as she could, and then flew in the direction Yuuno pointed to. It was time to meet Fate once more.
-0-0-4-0-0-
"That's the second one…" Fate let out as she finished sealing the Jewel Seed. She and Arf were standing atop a little bridge that sat on top of a small pond where the seed was hidden. Before they could get their bearings however-
"Oh my! I guess my little fib wasn't enough then," Arf, amusement clear in her voice, let out as she noticed their guests fly right in. From the sky, Nanoha and Yuuno landed nearby, too late to the scene to take the seed.
"What are you going to do with that Jewel Seed?" Yuuno asked, frustrated that they couldn't get there in time. "They're dangerous artifacts, not some simple gem!"
"Who knows? I don't see any reason to tell you." Arf gave a blasé response, practically writing them off as she did so. "Though I suppose I should give you a worse beating than last time. Maybe then you'll stay out of our way!" As soon as she finished saying as such, she jumped into a ready stance in front of them, then suddenly began to change. Fur began to grow wildly on her body, covering up every bit of skin. Her hands and feet unnaturally bent and morphed into wolf paws, sharp claws jutting out as it changed. Her hair lengthened until the end seemed to become a tail of sorts that wild and beautiful. Finally, her face then gave way without warning, transforming into a wolf's maw that seemed to bite at them from afar. In the end, Arf had completely transformed into a ferocious wolf. As if meant for it, Arf then let out a howl that echoed loud and far under the moonlit night.
"I knew it! She is a familiar…" Yuuno declared, his theory proven correct as he trained his eye ever so cautiously about to make sure of no other surprises.
"A familiar?" Nanoha asked, unfamiliar with the term.
"A magical being born of a mage's power," Yuuno began to explain.
"That's right!" Arf interrupted him suddenly, throwing him off as their attention returned to the ones in front of them. "In exchange for being given life, I fight to protect her with my entire being." Fate drew closer to them, right next to where Arf had landed earlier, before scanning the two of them.
"So he isn't here…"
"Huh?" Nanoha wasn't sure she heard him right, but was she wondering where Ren was? "What do you want with Ren?"
"It doesn't matter…" was the only thing she said.
"Fate, you go on ahead. I'll hold them here," Arf said before, in a single instant, pouncing upon them.
"I won't let you!" Yuuno cried as he hopped off from Nanoha's shoulder and projected a magical barrier. Arf collided with it, but stayed on, gnawing and clawing while seemingly glued to Yuuno's barrier.
"And what do you think you can do?" Arf taunted as she clawed at the barrier again.
"Yuuno-kun!" She noticed cracks beginning to form in the barrier. It was holding but not for much longer.
"Nanoha, you get Fate, I've got this one!" He'd had enough of letting others do the work for him.
"What?" Arf let out as she noticed something was amiss.
"Let's go!" Yuuno let out before firing the magic he had prepared. Several magic circles appeared, the mana coalescing where the two of them were as his magic was about to go off.
"Teleportation!?" Arf let out just as she realized what was going on after looking at the magic circles that were projected. Before she could jump off though, the two of them were caught then caught in the spell. The both of them were then taken by a beam of light that seemed to fly off into nowhere, leaving nothing behind. Only Nanoha and Fate remained at that spot.
"Barrier magic and teleportation… You have a good familiar," Fate said, genuinely impressed, though she hid her worry for her own familiar underneath. She hoped they didn't go too far.
"Yuuno isn't a familiar. He's my friend," Nanoha responded, readying herself. She couldn't afford to worry about Yuuno right now. She trusted him about as much as she trusted Ren for this. She just had to believe in him and return Yuuno's resolve ten-fold. Fate seemed for a moment surprised by the declaration, of which Nanoha noticed, but it only lasted a moment before she continued.
"So, what will you do?" Fate asked, curious as to where Nanoha's determination would lead her. She couldn't help but shudder just a little looking back at the brunette's eyes that didn't waver.
"Is there any way we can just talk this out?" Nanoha asked, hoping that perhaps they could avoid fighting. It wasn't that she was afraid to lose. It's just that… looking at Fate again, she confirmed what she thought she saw last time. Fate's eyes just looked too sad. Why did she look like that? Why was she doing this? Why, when looking at her, did Nanoha feel something similar to when Ren felt sad? She wanted to know.
"I have to gather the Jewel Seeds. If you're going to get in my way, then that makes us enemies," Fate answered.
"Then that's why we have to talk it over, so we don't have to fight!" Nanoha didn't want to fight. She still didn't understand why they had to fight. Fate seemed to react to her words, her sincerity, but the blonde magical girl swallowed it down.
"Nothing will change just with words…" she solemnly remarked. "It won't mean anything!" Nanoha's eyes widened as Fate suddenly disappeared from view. Trying to keep track of Fate, she turned around to find her opponent in her blind spot, ducking as Fate swung Bardiche at her.
"Flier Fin." Nanoha took to the sky to avoid the second swing. Fate, without missing a beat, flew up after her.
"Even so-"
"Let's make bet," Fate interrupted. "One Jewel Seed for the winner."
"Photon Lancer, get set." Nanoha heard Bardiche, even with the wind flying past. Her heart sank when she realized that she wasn't getting through to Fate. However, that lapse in attention allowed Fate to speed up. Turning around, Nanoha found Fate high in the sky above her, covered in shadow. A magic circle formed beneath Fate, lighting her up in the darkness, as she held her hand out to gather magic in another circle in front of her. "Thunder Smasher!" Bardiche declared as a yellow beam of magic spewed forth at Nanoha. Without a word, Nanoha steeled herself as she pointed Raising Heart at the attack.
"Divine Buster." A pink beam flew from the tip of Raising Heart, clawing its way through the air until it finally collided with Fate's own attack. The two beams clashed at the center, neither gaining ground as they lit up the night sky.
"Raising Heart, Please!" Nanoha pleaded. She couldn't afford to lose.
"Alright" As ordered, Raising Heart increased the output of the attack, letting loose a second charge of energy that coursed through the original attack, bolstering it. Fate's face lit up in surprise as her own attack was basically pierced through. But Fate was prepared. Once Nanoha's attack completely devoured Fate's, a giant burst of pink light exploded forth where Fate was. Nanoha's attack dissipated, her mana had become drained from the attack she did just then. Looking around she realized she couldn't find Fate anywhere. Looking frantically-
"Scythe Slash," was all Nanoha heard before she saw Fate in free fall above her. She froze up as Fate closed in, Bardiche in scythe form. She couldn't help but gasp in fear and close her eyes as the last thing she saw was Fate swinging Bardiche right at her neck.
For a moment all was still as Nanoha slowly opened her eyes, curious as to why she hadn't felt the impact of the attack. Upon opening her eyes, she saw Fate floating in front of her, Bardiche's energy blade stopped right before making contact with her neck. She then realized that even without touching it, her neck still could feel the heat coming off of the Scythe as it threatened to cut her. It's this hot without even touching it? How could Ren take full contact with it without screaming in pain, she thought. Before she could do anything further however-
"Pull out!" Raising Heart said, Nanoha not recognizing the command, but she didn't need to as she saw Raising Heart present a Jewel Seed to Fate. The seed began to float right above Raising Heart, glowing in the darkness of the night.
"Raising Heart… what are you-" Nanoha wondered before being cut off.
"It seems it's worried about its master," Fate postulated. Without another word, the Jewel Seed then flew into Fate's hand. Fate then proceeded to land back on the ground. Nanoha was still in too much disbelief to even react or fight back. "Arf," she sent telepathically. "Let's go."
"As expected of my master!" Arf said as she appeared next to Fate suddenly. Nanoha shook herself of her stupor and landed back on the ground as well.
"Nanoha-chan!" Nanoha looked to see Yuuno run up to her, climbing up to his usual shoulder. After confirming he was alright, Nanoha looked back at Fate who had already begun to leave.
"Wait!" Nanoha began. To her surprise Fate did stop in her tracks, only for her expression to dip once more as Fate spoke.
"If possible, don't appear before us again. That goes for the other two as well." Nanoha didn't need explanation to know that she was talking about Ren. "If we meet again, I won't stop my blade." Nanoha was at a loss at what to say, but realized that though she knew Fate's name, she didn't know if Fate knew hers.
"I-I'm…" but before she could finish introducing herself, Fate and Arf flew off into the forest, Arf sticking her tongue out at them playfully as she disappeared into the foliage. The only ones left where the two of them, Nanoha and Yuuno. The night returned to silence, the only sound that could be heard if one listened close enough was the sound of Nanoha's hands as their grip tightened around Raising Heart.
-0-0-4-0-0-
He recognized the room he was in. The grey dull walls, simplistic table he was sitting at, solitary chair sitting at the opposite end, only a single door that led either in or out, and that camera in the corner of the room was also still there, though he doubted anyone was watching him. Why was he here? Last thing he remembered was going to bed after what was a fairly lazy day, save for that one thing. So was this a dream? He wanted to get up, and find out what was going on, get out of the room, but some kind of force compelled him to stay seated. He felt that someone was supposed to be sitting there, and that they weren't there yet. Was it Sae? No, that felt wrong. He felt that that seat was supposed to be filled with someone else, someone more familiar.
Suddenly, he could hear footsteps from outside the door. They started out faint, but slowly grew louder and louder. His heart quickened as the steps became clearer and clearer. Was this who he was waiting for? He felt like he knew who it was, but for some reason, though it was on the tip of his tongue, he still couldn't name who it was. While thinking such, the person knocked on the door.
"It's open," he felt compelled to say. As soon as he said as such, the door opened and-
-0-0-4-0-0-
Ren woke up with a jolt as he reached for his phone which suddenly began to ring out with message after message. Quickly grabbing his phone, he wondered if it was the girls again, even after he had tried to explain that he had no idea who sent that request, and that it was just a misunderstanding. He checked to see that Morgana was still asleep despite the loud ringing. At least he wasn't awake to put him through the wringer this time. He was a bit relieved, upon turning his phone on, to see that it wasn't them, he still narrowed his eyes as he saw that he was instead getting messages from Nanoha… at four in the morning? He unlocked his phone and swiftly made way to his messaging app, still half asleep as he did so.
"Ren, It's me Yuuno. I'm using Nanoha's phone to contact you, since you're too far away to reach telepathically." His eyes sprang open as he read the message apparently sent by Yuuno. "A Jewel Seed appeared nearby and Fate along with it. She had already sealed it by the time we got there. We tried to stop them, but Fate outplayed Nanoha, forcing Raising Heart to give up a Jewel Seed to save her."
"Are you two alright?" Was the first thing he texted back. He couldn't help but worry the worst given how badly they ended up last time.
"We're not hurt, at least physically. I think Nanoha-chan is taking it pretty hard." He heaved a sigh of relief. At least they were okay, but yeah. A second loss would be mentally devastating. Though that was quickly replaced with frustration that he couldn't be there to help. "Nanoha has been keeping to herself since we lost the Jewel Seeds. Would you mind meeting with us in the afternoon after school? I think she'd need it."
"Yeah, no problem." The least he could do would be to meet her to discuss what happened in person.
"Thanks, and sorry for waking you so early. Good night." And like that, Yuuno was offline. He sighed, both in exhaustion and frustration. He didn't blame Nanoha for going without him. This was literally just a bad luck of the draw and couldn't have been helped. However, that still didn't help to assuage him of his guilt for not being there. He couldn't let this go on any longer. He had to do more…
-0-0-4-0-0-
School had passed in the blink of an eye, rushing out as fast as he could, he then made way for the park that they had agreed to meet at. Well more like Yuuno agreed to meet with them, and promised to drag Nanoha with him. It would be a tough one, but he believed Yuuno could bring Nanoha out to at least talk. He decided to take a city path that led straight from his school to the park. It would be the fastest way there.
"Talk about bad timing, huh?" Morgana asked, finally broaching the subject. "Just as we were not only trying to take a break from all this Jewel Seed stuff, but one just happened to show up where she was without us able to go there. I don't think I've felt this helpless since… well… "
"Saying there was nothing we could do feels like excuses, even if it is the truth…" Ren pointed out for the both of them. On this the two were in agreement. No matter how they thought of it, each time left a sour taste in their mouths.
"I'm not going to deny that. I know there are still plenty of Jewel seeds out there, but it still stings to lose twice in a row. We didn't have to deal with any rival thieves when we were still in the business. So this all new to us as well," Morgana pointed out. "Hmm?" the cat let out as he noticed a limousine drive up next to him. "Isn't that…"
"Hey, Amamiya-san!" Ren's attention panned to his side as he also looked at the limousine to find two girls he recognized, waving to him trying to get his attention. "It's us! Arisa and Suzuka!"
"Wonder what they want?" Morgana asked, Ren thinking the same thing.
-0-0-4-0-0-
The three of them sat in a nearby café to chat really quickly. The two of them told Ren about how Nanoha has just been completely out of it all day, not responding when being spoken to, just looking completely downcast during class, it seems Nanoha was really taking the loss hard, and maybe something else too.
"It's just infuriating! I know Nanoha-chan means well, but that doesn't mean she's supposed to keep secrets like that! If something is wrong, even if I can't help, I just want to be there with her, both of us do!" Alisa explained, her frustration clear right from the get go thanks to her feisty attitude.
"Nanoha-chan was always the kind of person to keep things to herself so as not to trouble others, but that just leads to everyone worrying about her even more. It hurts to see her like this…" Suzuka added.
"I mean, I understand. It's a good thing to worry about your friend like that if she's being secretive and everything, but why are telling me all this?" He asked. It was useful info to go on, to at least help to illustrate her despondency as well as the depths of the issue. However, that didn't explain why they went out of their way, on their way to prior engagement, stop to talk to him about it.
"Because Nanoha-chan thinks a lot about you. When we talk about you, she goes on about how you're trustworthy, dependable, reliable, and so on. Honestly it's all she says you are when we ask." It was quite embarrassing to be described as such. Alisa continued, "She doesn't even say that about her actual older brother. If there's anyone who could help her, it's probably you." And that was the explanation he was waiting for.
"If all we can do is tell the person she trusts most to help her, then that's what we'll do. It's all we can do…" Suzuka mused. Ren couldn't help but let a smile slip onto his face.
"You two really care about Nanoha-chan, huh?" He asked genuinely moved by their solidarity. It was like the bond he shared with his confidants; his friends.
"We've come a long way since that time Nanoha-chan and Alisa-chan fought that first time," Suzuka followed. "Alisa took my headband and wouldn't listen when I asked her to give it back."
"Oi, you don't have to tell him abou-"
"But then suddenly Nanoha-chan came in and hit Alisa." Though Alisa was about to say something again, Suzuka turned to her asking, "What was it that she said then?" Alisa's face returned from being one of indignation back to being solemn.
"She said, 'It hurts right? But having something precious taken from you hurts more…' I still remember it pretty clearly." Her voice was wistful as she recalled that moment. "Then the two of us got into an even worse fight. In the end, the one who stopped us was the quiet girl just standing there…" Alisa gave a knowing smile to Suzuka, who started to get embarrassed at her own escapades within the tale.
"Well, I was desperate," was Suzuka's only reply as she sheepishly looked down. "Then after that, we started talk little by little."
"And before we knew it, we were all friends." Alisa and Suzuka gave each other nods of affirmation as their tale ended. They then looked back at Ren, who had become engrossed in their story.
"Please help Nanoha-chan. You're probably the only one who can," Suzuka pleaded once more.
"Well, I was on my way to do just that. Nanoha-chan wanted to talk so I was going to meet her in the park."
"Eh… that's great, but you better not be thinking of doing anything bad to her. She likes you, you know? You better take care of her!" Alisa pointed out… It was at that moment Ren knew... she was probably the one who sent that message. Letting that go-
"Right… anyways, don't worry. I'll see what I can do," he told them as he got up to pay.
"Oh, don't worry, we'll handle the check." Suzuka pulled out a black credit card, handing it to her butler who was standing just by the way side. He forgot they were rich… damn he needed a part-time job. "And please be honest with Nanoha-chan." Ren wanted to cry on the inside from having these accusations thrown at him, but he kept it in check for the sake of the situation.
"Nothing you can do about it now…" Morgana whispered, not wanting to be discovered by the two girls for fear of the conversation derailing into him getting manhandled again, given how much the two girls loved animals.
"Well, if that's the case, then I'm heading off then. Bye!" The two also said their goodbyes to him as he made his way out of the café. He then took his phone out and began to text Nanoha.
"Met with a distraction so I might be a bit late. Are you still there?" he texted to Nanoha's phone.
"We're still here." Seems it was Yuuno who responded. Putting his phone away, he began to make headway towards the park once more. He had to see this through for not only Nanoha's sake but for her friends and family as well.
-0-0-4-0-0-
It didn't take that much longer for him to finally reach the spot they agreed to meet at. The sun was in the middle of setting over the horizon. Sitting on the bench, Nanoha, sat there, still in her school uniform with a little baggie in her hands. Ren hadn't seen Nanoha since the day before she left with her family and friends to go to the hot springs. To him Nanoha looked tired, not necessarily physically, but mentally exhausted. She simply wore this solemn look on her face. As he approached, she saw him walking towards her and she waved at him, a happy smile perching itself on her visage when she realized it was him. Yuuno also gave him a wave from Nanoha's shoulder. He waved back as he continued to approach.
"You want some?" She held out the bag as soon as he reached the bench. Poking a couple fingers inside the bag and taking a little peek, he saw that it was filled with freshly made taiyaki. "It's not cookies, but they're still good." He wasn't sure what she meant by cookies, but he was glad to accept all the same.
"I hope you have enough in there for everyone," he said as he took one, only to give it Morgana who popped out of his bag, plopping it right into the cat's mouth.
"Thanks!" The taiyaki muffled his mouth as he began to bite into it, trying to hold it in his thumbless paws.
"Of course. Here," Nanoha said to him, with a bit of amusement as she reached inside the bag to hand him a piece. "Now don't feed this one to Morgana. He might get fat!" She said as a joke.
"Hey, I exercise daily and control my diet!" Though he was quick to respond it was more so that he wanted to play along to help lift the mood.
"Oh, what do you do as a house pet?" Yuuno asked earnestly.
"I always take a daily walk and only eat when I'm hungry, stopping when I'm- Hey that's not the point of today's meeting. Lady Nanoha, are you alright?" Morgana finally brought to everyone's attention the reason they were meeting today.
"Hmm… I'm fine," she said simply. Though she tried to smile through it, this time it was clear that an effort was being made to hide something. "Well, okay. Maybe I'm not fine."
"Nanoha-chan, is this about the loss we suffered the other day?" Yuuno wanted to clarify. Ren took the empty seat next to Nanoha, placing his bag down as Morgana continued to peek at them from within.
"It kind of is…" Nanoha trailed.
"So, then what exactly is it if it isn't the loss?" Ren asked, taking note of Nanoha's vague words.
"Ren, do you mind if ask you something?" Nanoha's question came so suddenly that it almost caught him off guard. Though he was quick to answer.
"Sure." It was all he could do in the moment. Answering her question was the least he could do.
"Do you think its meaningless to want to talk to people that want to hurt you?" Nanoha's question surprised Ren. That wasn't exactly what he had expected. Though his expression widened for a moment, he reigned it back in to answer her.
"That's a tough one," he began, shifting his focus to his hands. "A lot of problems in this world could probably be solved if people could just sit down and talk to one another. But more often than not, words just aren't enough. Sometimes fighting and fighting back is the only way forward." He'd be a hypocrite to say violence didn't solve problems. It solved most of his but talking did also. Listening to the people he met in Tokyo, hearing their stories, learning about them. That happened with words. Comically it also led to violence in most cases, but in the end it all began thanks to wanting to just simply talk. "There are still somethings talking can do that fighting can't. Sometimes all it takes is just sitting down and just letting it all out, your true feelings, without filters." Nanoha let out a sigh of relief at his answer.
"Thank goodness. I was worried that maybe I was the only one who thought that." It seemed that Nanoha already had her answer, but still wanted Ren's input. He was beginning to see the validity in Alisa and Suzuka's statement that she valued him. Shaking his head of those thoughts, he went ahead and asked a question that arose thanks to Nanoha's odd response.
"I'm guessing then it's something else that's bothering you. Something to do with Fate perhaps?" He asked. It was probably something Fate said to her that was the cause. Nanoha was a strong girl, he learned in his short time with her. She could take loss, she could take pain, could take a lot, but strangely she had a weakness when it came to other people. When other people were hurt, or in pain, that was when she hurt the most, he learned. Her face became alight in surprise when he specified fate, but then fell back into a nervous smile.
"Was it that obvious?" She asked, as she rubbed the back of her head while giggling just a bit in embarrassment.
"Well that, and I ran into your friends Alisa-chan and Suzuka-chan on the way over. They sort of told that you've been worried about something all day," he admitted to her in a teasing manner.
"Mou… those two…" Though it was clear Nanoha was embarrassed again, she was taking it in stride.
"They were really worried about you Lady Nanoha," Morgana added. "You have really good friends you know?".
"The best," Nanoha affirmed, smiling warmly as she thought of them. "Ever since our first year at school. Did they also tell you how we met?" Ren gave a silent nod, to which Nanoha let out a resigned sigh. "That's not nice you know. According to Miyuki-neesan, a girl has to keep her secrets." She began to hit him lightly again, just like the other night.
"And a gentleman can keep a secret." Ren grabbed one of Nanoha's hands right before it hit him in the chest. When Nanoha looked up at him, she saw his warm smile, the smile of her hero. She blushed profusely, a deer in headlights was most apt to describe her. Then suddenly, she pulled her hand back, and began to rub it.
"Promise?" She asked as she nervously averted her eyes away from his. Ren couldn't help but be amused.
"Of course," he said as he began to pat her on the head. She let him pet her for a couple of seconds, his hand warm, big, and gentle, before finally just swatting his hand away, giving him a raspberry in response. Though that was more to hide her embarrassment, not that she hid it very well with her face still flushed crimson. She then shook her head, ridding her visage of her prior shyness, before looking at him resolutely, her eyes straight into his.
"Can you promise me something else too?"
"If it's within my power, sure." He made sure to meet her gaze, respecting whatever resolve she seemed to muster to look at him so bravely.
"When we see Fate-chan next time, can you let me talk to her? There's something I want to tell her. As well as something I want to ask her." Her eyes didn't falter for even a moment as she asked him her selfish request, a request that could possibly risk another Jewel Seed. However, he didn't hesitate to give her his answer.
"Do whatever you need to do." Nanoha's face lit up from hearing her request granted.
"Thank you so much!" She told him as she took him into embrace, practically rubbing her face into his stomach with glee. As she did so, he noticed Yuuno and Morgana, who stayed silent for the most part looking upon them. Morgana had the most teasing expression, while Yuuno's was warmer and kind. For Ren, things got quite awkward. He let out a cough that managed to catch Nanoha's attention.
"Shall we get started looking for a Jewel Seed today?" He asked, hoping to change the subject for today.
"Yeah!" And like that the four of them took off into the city.
-0-0-4-0-0-
"I think it's time for me to go home." Nanoha looked nervously at her phone, the time reading about 7:02 pm.
"That's okay Nanoha-chan. The rest of us can continue to search," Yuuno told her, hoping off her shoulder and jumping right onto his.
"We'll message you if anything comes up. You should get home before anyone gets worried… what's wrong?" Ren noticed that she was still looking at her phone. Was she expecting a message?
"No, it's nothing," she said as she put her phone away. "I'll be going then. Let me know if you find anything."
"We will, Lady Nanoha," Morgana said as they waved each other goodbye. Soon the little brunette ran off home as the three of them then went the opposite direction.
"I'm getting a signal from somewhere in the middle of the city, but I can't pinpoint exactly where. Try going down this path." Yuuno pointed towards an alley to his right. With only a nod, Ren began to walk down the path.
"Kind of reminds you of going to Shujin, huh? Kind of weird that the fastest path there was through the alleys," Morgana reminisced.
"Shujin?" Yuuno tilted his head as he asked.
"Ren here used to go to school in Tokyo, a place called Shujin Academy," Morgana began to explain.
"Doesn't Shujin mean prison in your language?" Yuuno for a moment thought that that was what Morgana had said.
"That's what I thought," Ren added as the light of the main street began to dim.
"That reminds me, Nanoha and I don't really know much about the two of you. For example your ability to speak Morgana, or that how curiously only mages and Ren can understand you." Yuuno finally remembered that he and Nanoha had meant to ask the two of them about their background. It wasn't that they didn't trust Ren and Morgana, but it helps to know about who you're working with.
"It's a long story, perhaps it would best to wait until we had everyone around before we talked about it," Morgana said. He was cautious about sharing details, given just what those details were. Though he doubted Nanoha and Yuuno would do them harm with that information. Ren was also of the same mind, but thought it would best if the rest of the thieves were around for their say on the matter.
"I suppose that would be for the be-" Just as Yuuno was about to finish his sentence, a massive flood of power coursed through the area. Looking up, a beam of orange energy was firing right into the sky.
"Is that-"
"No, it's not a Jewel Seed, this signature is Fate-chan and Arf's. I think they might be trying to force activate a seed nearby. Quick that way." Ren followed Yuuno's directions and ran towards where he was pointing. Though that quickly became unnecessary as a blue beam of light shot into the sky shortly after he started running. "Nanoha-chan, do you see that?" Yuuno asked over a shared telepathic network.
"Yeah, I'm on my way!" she answered immediately. It wasn't long after that the three of them exited the alleyway to find the Jewel seed in an abandoned clearing, still firing its light into the sky. Yuuno then jumped off his shoulder and began to activate a barrier spell, the light of his magical circles brightening the dark area. The world greyed at the activation of the spell, becoming silent as it spread out into the city. Soon all was still save for the orange light in the distance, a pink one in the opposite direction, and themselves where Yuuno's magic circle still shone.
"That should do it," Yuuno told them as Ren and Morgana each maintained vigil, trying to stay on the lookout in case Fate and Arf closed in. "Nanoha, nothing seems to have made a wish on the Seed, you can do a sealing from a distance!"
"Got it!" Right after her response, Ren could see two lights in the distance building up. From where he guessed Nanoha was, a pink line was beginning to shine. From the same roof top as the orange light, a yellow one made itself known.
"Damn, are they both trying to seal it at the same time?" Ren asked. "What'll happen if their sealing spells collide?"
"They should just neutralize each other at worst. Hopefully though, Nanoha's will hit first. If not, then Nanoha might have to move in to engage before trying again." Then that meant all they could do was wait and hope. As if right on cue, he could see a pink beam and yellow beam travel simultaneously at the seed at a rapid pace. Unfortunately, the two sealing spells collided right at the seed, and as the Yuuno had said, the two simply canceled each other out, dying. Once the two spells had finally died down, Nanoha flew next to the rest of them.
"Is everyone alright?" Nanoha asked, but before anyone could answer-
"Out of the way!" From the roof top, Arf, in wolf form, lunged at them from above, looking to take them down. Without a word, Yuuno jumped to intercept, creating a green barrier that stopped Arf in her tracks, but obscuring their vision. Remembering last time, Arf quickly jumped off, skidding across the ground once she landed. Yuuno then dispelled the barrier to conserve energy. Upon doing so, the four of them saw Fate standing on a nearby lamp post.
All was still once more as the two girls stared at one another. Ren quietly took stock of the situation. There was even distance between both groups and the Jewel Seed. If that was the case, then the most likely scenario, would be a slug fest between them. Thinking on it, Nanoha would probably engage Fate in the air, and the rest of them would deal with Arf.
"Ren, do you remember our promise?" Ren was taken out of his thoughts and looked a Nanoha. Looking at her, he could barely recognize the girl in front him. The girl who stood there wasn't some scared little girl, completely out of her depth anymore. The person who stood there was one filled with courage. He could tell looking into her eyes, this was the moment she was waiting for, the one she steeled herself for. He could only nod to acquiesce to her desire. "Thank you," was all she said before turning back to Fate. She took a single step forward.
"Nanoha-chan, be careful," Yuuno said telepathically.
"I know, it's just… I want to know… I have to know… Why does she look so lonely?" She told them as she then stood firm before the other magical girl.
"Don't hold back then, you're feelings, or your desires." That was all Ren told her as he looked to see Yuuno readying himself to confront Arf. Nanoha let slip a small smile hearing Ren's words of encouragement, before looking stern once more.
"Last time I couldn't finish my introduction," she began. "My name is Nanoha Takamichi, third year at Seishou Elementary School."
"Scythe Form" Bardiche all of a sudden said as Fate's scythe lit up. Though surprised, Nanoha didn't back down.
"Flier Fin" Raising Heart projected its own spell in response, placing little pink wings on Nanoha's feet that took her to the sky as Fate dashed forward to strike. Soon the two of them were dancing in the air, firing their magic at one another that lit the sky in pink and yellow hues. The two of them had somehow become evenly matched, Ren noted. However, Fate still had the upper hand in speed.
"Nanoha!" Ren tried to warn as he saw Fate fly behind her.
"Flash Move." Raising though, proved such a warning was unnecessary as suddenly Nanoha moved so fast that Ren, and not even Fate, could follow her, until she had reappeared behind Fate. Nanoha then fired right at Fate's blind spot, but the blonde quickly projected a shield, stopping the attack in the process. The blowback however still pushed Fate a fair distance away, though she quickly reoriented herself and pointed Bardiche back at Nanoha, who in turn still had Raising Heart trained on her.
"Ren-kun, keep an eye on the Jewel Seed, I'll handle Fate's Familiar!" Before Ren could respond, Yuuno already ran towards where Arf was, firing his own, but much weaker spells at her. "Over here!" Yuuno began to run away from the battlefield while constantly whittling away at Arf.
"You little- Get back here!" Arf took the bait luckily, leaving Ren and Morgana alone. It seems they weren't deemed a threat. All they could do now was watch and make sure the seed didn't go out of control… or was that he could do?
"Fate-chan!" Ren heard Nanoha from above. Fate was surprised. Why was this girl still trying to talk to her, she wondered. "You said that talking – that just words won't solve anything, but… But I believe there are some things you can't convey unless you put them into words! Maybe we do have to fight, maybe that's how it has to be, but... I don't want to fight without knowing anything!" Nanoha took a moment to pause. It was working, she was listening! She couldn't stop here, not while she still had a chance to know. "I'm gathering the Jewel seeds, because Yuuno asked me to. He was the one who found them, and he wants to return them to where they belong. That's why I'm helping him. But even though it was only by chance that he and I met, and by coincidence that I ran in to Ren and Morgana, I'm now doing this by my own choice." Fate was still listening, only a little more. "I don't want the city I live in, or the people around me to be in danger! That's why I'm fighting!" She did it! She finally said what her heart wanted to convey!
"I…" Fate, stunned, solemnly began to speak. Her once cold, stern expression broke away, instead replaced by a rather regretful one. However, before she could continue.
"Fate! You don't have to tell her anything!" Arf yelled from below still having a standoff with Yuuno; in the distance for Ren and Morgana. "There's no reason to explain yourself to a bunch of spoiled brats who live surrounded by people who are always kind to them, always understand them! They don't know a damn thing about us! They don't know the first thing about your pain! Our priority is the capture of the Jewel Seeds!" Nanoha's heart sank as she saw Fate's face return to the one she had before. The solemnness from before completely vanished, as if it were but a lie. All her hard work, dashed away just like that. She quickly recovered however. She couldn't give up. She was almost there. She just had to try one more time, no matter what Arf said, she had to get through to Fate.
However there was one other person there who heard what Arf said. When he heard those words, his blood began to boil. His hands balled into fists so tightly. He almost wanted to laugh if he weren't so pissed off. Kindness? The fuck did that damn bitch know. At this point, whether justified or not, he was completely done caring. He didn't care if something was wrong with Fate's life or Arf's, if something was truly out of their control, if they were in circumstances that he would normally have wanted to help them out of with all of his heart. Their arrogance at believing they were the only ones who knew pain, the only ones who knew what it was like to be alone, to be suffering; that was the last, fucking, straw. And so he ran. He ran after the Jewel Seed. He was powerless, he couldn't do anything to help fight. He was useless, but he could still carry himself and take the jewel just like a thief would.
"Ren!" Morgana was the first to shout as he saw the young man he knew so well run faster than he'd ever run before. However he couldn't bring himself to run after the boy, because he knew exactly why Ren ran as hard as he could. Unfortunately, this alerted the others to his actions.
"Fate stop him!" Arf shouted as she too noticed Ren running towards the seed. Without a sound, Fate turned around, acknowledging the event before flying down to stop him. Nanoha, still shocked to see Ren's rash action took a moment to register what was happening before she too flew down to stop Fate from hurting him.
"Ren don't!" Yuuno also called, trying to reach him telepathically. "You can't touch the seed!"
"I can't let her have it! I can't just stand around and do nothing!" Ren cut him off, shouting out loud rather than returning through the mental link. His vision tunneled as he practically barreled through the open space in the city. "Almost! Almost!" He shouted as he closed in step by step, reaching his hand out as he did so.
"Enough," was all Fate said as she appeared above him, her scythe at the ready slice him in two.
"No! Ren!" Nanoha wasn't going to make it in time to stop her. He was going to get hurt again. It would be her fault again. He might… he might be ki- Her eyes instinctually closed as Fate swung Bardiche down, intending to stop him before he could reach it. Despite the tunnel vision however, Ren deftly ducked and then seemed to glide over the ground, sliding under the swing, the blade just grazing the very top of his hair as the blade arced through the air with an audible buzz. Fate, completely off balance from the frantic swing, could only watch as he continued on. As soon as he had completely passed under it, he immediately jumped back to his feet, then made a second leap towards the seed before finally grasping it, then sliding like a baseball player.
The only thing the others could do was watch as he came to a complete stop, the sound of his body grinding against the floor was the only thing echoing through the air. They looked on as all was still for a moment, each wary to move in fear of something worse occurring. But just as they realized nothing was happening, Ren slowly got up, in his hand a faint blue glow could be seen as he finally stood back up.
"I got it!" He told them as he opened his palm to look at the jewel in hand, it glowing a bright blue that felt familiar in a way. He quickly turned his attention back to the others however. For a moment he could have sworn Fate and Arf were trying to go after him, so why did they stop. They looked frozen in place, as if cautious about something, but what?
"Ren!" He heard Nanoha scream from above, the worry in her voice pouring out without limit. What was she worried about? What were all of them doing? He then looked back at the jewel seed only…
"Huh?" Was all he could let out as he only just saw what the rest of them had seen. His had was now on fire, and it was not just any fire. It was an azure flame that was slowly beginning to consume him. However with each passing moment the speed with which the flame consumed him speed up until almost near instantly, once it reached his shoulder, the rest of the fire simply engulfed him in its entirety.
"REEEEEEEEEN! NOOOOOOOOO!" Nanoha shouted as she saw her friend, her hero, consumed in that mysterious blue fire. No, this couldn't be happening. Not to Ren! Not to him!, Thoughts like that raced through her mind as she could do naught but bear witness to her friend burning away. Fate and Arf could only let out a solemn, though vigilant, expression. From the looks of it, the boy was gone, consumed by the Lost Logia that was the Jewel Seed. Yuuno shook himself from his own stupor, and began to run over to Nanoha, to try and bring her back from the clear despair that the girl was going through. Only one person there looked on calmly, and in fact, with excitement. Morgana hoped that what he saw was real. Without warning however, the fire, instead of beginning to die like everyone thought would happen, it instead began to pulse, and grow.
"Fate, look out!" Arf warned, to which the others heeded as the Fire began to lash out, as if it were holding whips. From there, the fire, which seemed only like a simple wild flame, began to focus, coalescing itself smaller and smaller before finally it exploded upward. The fire was shot upward like out of a cannon, flying higher and higher until it reached above the clouds.
"Yuuno-kun, what's going on?" Nanoha asked, the strangeness of the situation, ultimately knocking her out of her sadness, though not completely. "What's happening to Ren?"
"I don't know! I thought that the Jewel Seed had rejected him or something of the sort, but it's more like it's actually granting his wish!" Yuuno speculated, also completely unsure of what to make of the situation.
"His wish?" Nanoha wondered. Did Ren have a wish? She couldn't imagine what he would wish for. He always seemed like he knew what he wanted, he looked so in control of everything in his life. What wish could he have?
"I don't know what it is, but it's a powerful one. We have to be prepared for anything!" Yuuno warned as the fire continued to roar, the pillar of fire simply coating the world in blue as it assaulted the sky. Then, a loud… something sounded out from above, like that of broken glass. It sounded as if something was being summoned in some primordial manner. As if it was asserting itself into reality, like it ripped its way into being regardless of anything in its way. It was as if it rebelled against the notion of non-existence "Something's coming!"
"Arf, get ready." Fate commanded off in the distance as the two saw it descend. A massive being broke through the sky as it made itself known. It's size was easily as tall as the skyscrapers around it, maybe even bigger. Whatever it was, it was still covered in that blue flame, connected to where Ren stood when the Jewel Seed wrapped him in that azure blaze. What descended upon them was something vaguely shaped like a holy angel, though exact features were difficult to discern behind the fire that surrounded whatever had been summoned. Despite the flame obscuring its figure there were somethings that could still be discerned. Aside from its mostly humanoid figure, most easy to see, were the six massive wings on its back that seemed almost bigger than the figure they were attached to. The limbs hung at the side, but one of them held what looked to be some kind of weapon, though what kind was too difficult tell thanks to the flames, but its size certainly matched the rest of the body. Even still, at the tips of its feet, it was still connected to where Ren was standing, whips of flame still twirling around, and the vague sounds of loose chains resounding in the air.
"Nanoha…" Yuuno whispered, fearful of what he was seeing. He'd never seen any monster like this in his life. This came from Ren? This power that simply coursed through the world as if ruler of all, came from that kind, yet brave young man? This devilish power? Yuuno couldn't even begin to imagine what his wish was. How could he wish for something like this? Did the Jewel Seed do this? "We have to stop this before it breaks out of the barrier. Even just hovering there, it's existence is straining the barrier." Indeed, he could feel the power of the massive creature grinding against his magic, and not only that but winning with what seemed to be just existing. Before they could act though, a yellow beam of light shot forth from afar, aimed straight at the creature.
"Huh!?" Nanoha let out as she saw events that happened in a mere fraction of a second. The beam seemed to fly straight and true, only for a quick gleam of blue to surround the being. The attack then seemed to bounce off an invisible barrier and flew right back at Fate.
"Kyyaaaa!" Fate cried as she was struck by her own magic.
"Fate-chan!" Nanoha screamed as she saw Fate try to recover from her own attack.
"How dare you!" She could only turn around just in time to watch Arf attempt to bite at the massive monstrosity, only for a red gleam to shine this time. Just like with Fate, "Argh!" It was as if the two's attacks were reflected right back at them, and at full power. How could they fight this if they couldn't even hurt it?
"What?" Nanoha then noticed the creature finally move. It raised the weapon it held in hand, raising it high into the sky. It was then she finally realized what weapon it was, right before it fired. It was a gun, and her suspicions rang true when the weapon let loose a thunderous sound that seemed to scream right through reality, the force of the wind reaching even her right at ground level, threatening to lift her if it weren't for Raising Heart and her Barrier Jacket. She made sure to catch Yuuno, who didn't have such benefits. Then that's when they saw it, they all saw it, Fate, Arf, Nanoha, and Yuuno. They saw the rain of death, a riot of power descending from the sky, falling like stars. Nanoha, for the first time in her life, was truly seeing death.
-0-0-4-0-0-
It was just like the dream he had the other day. Same room, same table, same chairs, same everything. It was the same room as that day when he was taken in by the police, the day he had to play his greatest trick. But who sat in front of him wasn't the same. It wasn't Sae, and it wasn't Akechi. No, the person that sat there on the other side of the table was… himself?
"What a pathetic farce. Getting all worked up over a bunch of brats," his other started. He was dressed in the Shujin Academy uniform, while he himself was wearing… that old prison uniform he just realized. The other him sat there, calm collected, his hands closed, resting on his crossed legs. "Now don't take this the wrong way. Genuinely speaking, even I'm angry. I would have made an outburst too, but don't you think it was a little childish to act like that?" There wasn't anything to refute. He basically he flew off the handle and acted recklessly, ignoring Yuuno's warning. "And now here we are. The fruits of your stupidity. Your mind trapped in here because you couldn't take being looked down on again."
"Pretty much," he agreed.
"Glad to see we're on the same page. However, the question remains: What are you going to do about all of this?" The other him asked. "Do you regret what you did? Want to take back being so stupid and reckless? Look out there." His other self pointed to the side. Over where he pointed to was a TV which showed Nanoha and the others being bombarded by Riot Gun, one of his strongest attacks. Each shot leaving destruction and devastation in its wake. Each bullet gouged the world, leaving their mark of oblivion upon it without remorse. Though they'd been lucky so far to have dodged the attack, they couldn't keep it up forever. The TV then shut off as his other self continued. "It's because of you that things have gotten out of control. Your recklessness now might get everyone killed, and it will be all your fault. So what are you going to do now? You going to just give up? I know you want to. You want to quit. You want to stop this. There's a part of you that want's to give up. So what's it going to be?"
"…"
"What was that?" His other self goaded. "I don't think I heard you."
"I said, even if you're right, that doesn't mean we should quit," he said louder so that the other him could hear it.
"Oh? So, are you saying it wasn't wrong to intervene? That it was the right choice to step in, to get in her way?" His other self bombarded.
"It wasn't wrong. It wasn't wrong for us to stop him from harassing that woman, and it wasn't wrong for us to step in to help Nanoha. Ask me again, and I'll do it again. Maybe I'd do things a little differently, maybe I'd try and solve it another way, but I'd still try. I'll accept what you're saying, because it's the truth, but it's also true that this is just who I am. I'm someone who can't stand aside and just let things happen. I can't stand idly by and watch people suffer because of monsters like Shido or those made from Jewel Seeds." Ren found that he was standing, his breath ragged from speaking.
"Even if the one you have to fight is another girl as young as Nanoha?" He asked. "One who may not be a monster like the others? Even if you might destroy more than you save?"
"I don't want to fight or destroy like that, but if I have to, then so be it. Not like I haven't beaten up on little girls before anyhow or done things the public approved anyways. Besides, those two were way more brutal about it," he mused, remembering his wardens. "But you already knew about all of that didn't you…Arsène." As soon as he named him, the other him sat there, surprised by the name if only for a moment as he soon then gave a raucous laughter. Loud and bold, It's laugh echoed throughout the empty space, filling it all as if no other sound could intrude upon his mirth. It kept going until finally he'd calmed down, relaxed and satisfied. When his other self opened his eyes again, the pupils were a beautiful gold.
"Still a fool to the end. Very good. I see that my power has not been wasted." And like that his other self became consumed in a blue flame until he couldn't see the body anymore. The azure fire grew larger, rising little by little into the air as time passed. Then all of a sudden, the flame dispersed, and there floating with grace and dignity was his first Persona, Arsène. "The time when thou can ravage to your hearts content has come! And I am not the only one who eagerly awaits his cue!" Arsène then gestured to behind him like a show man. Though still shrouded in darkness, he could just make out who it was that was emerging from the shadows. It seemed as if all of the personas he had ever summoned stood there, ready for his command, their eyes eager to be ordered to do anything he desired. "Even now, we still heed your resolve. When thou are ready beckon us! Call us, so that thou can perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice!" All Ren could do, was give to them a solid nod of acknowledgement. "The time hath arrived, though you're late for the show! Go! Your curtain call won't wait forever! Let them witness our Justice! Give them a Show of a life time!" Then Arsène laughed once more, filling the air with his mirth until it completely drowned all else.
And while he laughed, the world filled to the brim with azure as they all became consumed by flame. The brightness of it all blinded him, causing him to raise his hands to shield his eyes from the light. The fire continued to roar, seemingly consuming all of the Personas that had gathered before him, until finally, it began to die, and the world became a little more quiet. Little by little the flame creeped ever smaller and smaller, until finally it was but a small spit of fire he could hold in his hand. Then, as it floated just above his now outstretched palms, the flames finally died and in its place was but a mask that he remembered oh so well. Taking it in hand, he closed his eyes, placed it gently upon his head. Then the world bled a light that was colored velvet blue.
Author's Notes:
Well I'm sure that was long time coming for a lot of you who had been asking, but you see, like a good bread, you have to let it bake and rise before you enjoy it. And that can take a while. Speaking of which I'm going to make a PP&J sandwich after this with milk. Any who, yeah This was the other part of Chapter 3 I was going to have but decided to cut because too much was happening to make a consistent curve. Though I guess you could argue so much happened in here that the same thing happened anyways.
Next chapter will actually be the battle where Personas have to make up for lost time. Expect to see more of the Persona side showing up from now on. I'll also have more deviations from the original show from here on out as well, or at least plan to. That also means I can't rely on the show for easy dialogue as much anymore… and I feel sad about that, because having the show made it so much easier to write. But Oh well, easier in that I don't have to follow some of the pacing that a 13 episode anime has which can be downright uber quick.
I don't have as much to say about this one, save for the fact that I hope I'm portraying the characters right and such, but I suppose that's for the reviews to decide.
As usual, if you feel like I did something wrong, leave a review and tell me so I can improve later. Always welcome constructive criticism. It's always helpful.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed what you read. Have a nice day ladies and gentlemen, and hopefully I'll see you next time.
