Disclaimer: I don't own anything other than plots and OCs.
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World Divergence: Alpha - Nanohaverse
A's II
A/N : cross posted on my blog and FFN.
"Hasta la vista, baby" - normal speech
=I got lost in the road of life= - telepathic speech
[Dimensional Transfer] - device speech / spells
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...
Brain bleach!
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0065 - December 1st, evening
Uminari City
Observer POV
A short, red-haired girl sat on the very edge of a skyscraper's top, starry night sky above her head. On her hands, lied a warhammer and a pulsating semi-transparent red orb. A brown book with golden embossing hung next to her.
[A major magical energy reading detected.]
"All right," she said, standing up.
The red orb disappeared and her grip on the warhammer tightened.
"Let's do this, Graf Eisen."
[Yes, Master. Gefangis der Magie!]
A red triangle appeared below her feet before a reddish-yellow construct of energy expanding and covered a part of the city.
Nanoha Takamachi was inside her room, her brown hair done up with a pair of white ribbons. Suddenly, she was startled by a ping from a red jewel on her desk-
[Caution! Emergency.]
-just as the expanding energy passed over her house.
"A Barrier?"
Floating holographic screens appeared next to the red jewel. Various data were displayed on them.
[Communications down. Something... is approaching]
On different side of the city, a blonde-haired girl walking her orange dog suddenly stopped as she watched the expanding energy construct.
"Arf!"
The dog, seemed to understand its master, nodded.
The blonde pulled something from her pocket and it gave a pinging sound.
Somewhere, in other corner of the city, a black haired teen just about to enter the hotel he booked when the energy passed trough him. He looked around. The people, mundane folk, had disappeared. The starry night sky turned yellowish in color.
He grimaced.
"It's starting."
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0065 - December 1st
Uminari City
MC POV
Afternoon time in Uminari was a beautiful sight for the eyes. While it was not the commonly used scene in anime, the seaside road near sunset, the view of properly cared park was quite soothing.
I was walking back, returned from Midori-ya, when I passed by this park. Visiting that cafe was something I had done several days. The cake was good, but the pitying looks the girls discreetly gave me were hurt. Yeah, a male teen entering a cafe which was famous for its cake, alone, girlfriend-less...
I wanted to cry.
A girl entering alone would be fine, a group of girls hanging out together was common, a couple on date was not a rare sight A mixed group of girls and boys also visited sometimes. Several boys took a detour after school for take-out were also natural. But a lone male? The other boys my physical age would rather hang out in game center rather than swallow this bitter pill.
I had confirmed several things under the guise of eating cakes there. One, I was not arrived too late to *ahem* insert myself in the story line. The youngest Takamachi was a nine years old little girl, the age where the series started.
Unless I was in a strange corner of multiverse where mahou shoujo (magical girl) was defined as a teen instead of pre-teen girl. Or worse, the standard was leaned to mahou josei instead.
At least, mahou shounen genre was not a popular genre. Even if Chrono and Yuuno were technically mahou shounen, the main story was about Nanoha.
Two, this world was, thankfully, similar to canon. At least from what I could remember from the anime series. Nanoha had big mana reserve, and she had that Red Pearl of Doom with her. So, no VR system and no eroge storyline.
Why the nickname, you ask? Think about it! This girl casually threw giant magical beams for normal attack and even bigger beam for finisher. Ignoring the mana cost factor, that damned jewel was the one who taught her (back in first season). It taught her, complete novice, a zero, to use a magical beam on her first try. Not projectile but beam! And it didn't seem to have safety settings, since as the story progressed, her beams were getting bigger and bigger.
What was it again? A fully charged Divine Buster to defeat an enemy and five Starlight Breakers on full power to safe her (adopted) child, Vivio (StikerS timeline). Five giant beams directed at a little girl, while three of those would be enough to defeat a planet killer (triple breaker on A's last battle). Where the hell was the safety setting in that damned thing?
That girl was a ma-hou shoujo (demonic cannon girl) instead of mahou shoujo (magical girl).
Third, the second season timeline would start soon. Nanoha had her device and it's currently the start of December. The second season ended somewhen in winter. I didn't know the date, but there was snow.
And so, I would need to wait and see...
I had my mana suppressed the entire time I was in to that I could go anywhere I wanted. But suppressing it for prolonged period was a bitch. At first it was merely uncomfortable, but the itch became stinging pain.
The sky had turned dark when I nearly arrived at the hotel. It was less than ten steps before the door when suddenly Eyaruu's warning echoed in my head.
[Warning! Unknown magical signature from three o'clock.]
The energy washed over me. I looked around and everything had been painted in yellowish color, even the starry night sky. The other people had disappeared.
I grimaced.
"It's starting."
I sighed and took a deep breath before barking my order. "Tooth, put Eyes on standby! I want you to record everything."
[Yes, Sir!]
"Eyaruu, set up!"
[Set up. Warrior Gear: balanced form.]
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Thoth displayed data on small floating screens as I sneaked toward the ground zero. With my mana suppressed and combination of Wall Walk and Silent Step, I walked vertically on the skyscraper's side. I didn't use Flying Platform because the mana emission would be a premium broadcast of my location. The grip on Lee, my twin pair of tonfas, tightened as I getting closer.
As I got to the level of the hole in the side of the building, a blonde girl in black and wielding a scythe of yellow magic, was facing down the redhead with warhammer. The brunette with pigtails was sprawled against the wall. Her staff by her side and critically red jewel at it's center pulsing dully.
So, it's already Fate vs Vita. While Nanoha and RH were KO-ed. It seemed that I took a little too long.
"Time Space Administration Bureau temporary mage, Fate Testarossa. If you don't resist, you will be granted the chance to plead in your own defense. If you consent to these conditions, drop your weapons." I heard the blonde speaking.
I stopped my Silent Step, walked toward them and stopped at a distance.
"Who would do something like that?!" the redhead yelled before launching herself backwards out the window.
"Yuuno, I'll leave Nanoha with you!" Fate yelled out, leaping forward.
"Okay." The blonde boy, ferret changeling, agreed. Yeah, familiar should not interfere in masters' battle.
Wait! Did I just insult Yuuno out of nowhere?
As Fate stopped in front of me, I made my tonfas disappear. Channeling Kakashi, I said to her, "I'm not with Hammer-girl, who, by the way, attacked this... Nanoha? without provocation. I was just gotten lost on the road of life. The Chinese Curse placed on me didn't help."
Fate nodded and leapt into the air to pursue the redhead. She did not seem to register my words beyond 'I am not enemy'.
Yuuno came a little closer and asked "What is this 'Ancient Chinese Curse' you speak of?"
"May you live in interesting times." I said with a shrug, "A device meister (Ollivander was a wand maker, and wand was wizards' equivalent to device, right?) once gave me a device with an Ancient Chinese Curse (the damned half-burnt phoenix feather). It seems the curse had transferred itself to me after I changed my device. I don't know how much more interesting my life could get."
Yeah, try got reincarnated, offed terrorist organization, crippled illegal vigilante group, toppled a prejudiced government, and jumped into different universe. The perfect way to best it was to got transported or reincarnated into the fantasy world of sword and magic where one train hard, wage war across the continent, subjugate every kingdom, and become emperor.
That would take at least ten to fifteen years worth of preparations and war. And even more to keep the realm stable. On the other hand, I technically finished everything in five years and left without give a damn about the result.
Moreover, in this Nanohaverse, the never ending magical beams of destruction, which apparently majority of magic-user could use, were good substitute. This side of multiverse was one of the places where 'there is no kill like overkill' philosophy was taken into heart.
Yuuno laughed. "My life is far more interesting than I ever expected. You've just joined the club."
I shrugged again, and sat on the shattered edge of the window. Putting mask of ignorance I replied. "I believe I am the epitome of interesting. So imagine the chaos when we two join shoulder to shoulder. On a more serious note, this ..incident does not like a hide and seek game. So who are you guys anyway?"
Yuuno blinked. And then he blinked twice more.
"You're not from around here, judging by your accent, and I've not heard of you before now, nor the device you carry. Yuuno Scrya, TSAB temporary mage. Fate-chan is Fate Testarossa, of the same. This is Takamachi Nanoha, an elementary student, who, if we'd been here five minutes earlier, would already be a third-party consultant of the same. Arf-san is Fate-chan's familiar."
I nodded, playing along. Seriously, I already knew who you are. I just couldn't pop out of nowhere and start being so familiar. That would get me caught and very against my code of survival!
"William Thunderion. But call me Will. One thing led to another, and I got lost on the road of life."
He sweatdropped.
Yuuno walked toward Nanoha, crouched down and hovered his hand some distance from her chest. A pulsating green orb formed under his palm. A healing magic.
He talked a little bit to keep Nanoha's attention.
I growled impatiently. It's taking too long. Following logic, enemy reinforcements would arrive soon. And as much as I admire Signum, she was currently the enemy.
"Oi, Yuuno! Stop it!"
Both looked at me as if I was crazy.
I resent that. Insane and crazy were different. Similar but different.
I took a vial from quickslot (heh, RPG much) on Xbelt. It was one of my restoration potion. I crouched down next to her, opened the vial, and shoved the content down into her throat.
"Hey!" he shouted at me. His concentration broken, the spell stopped.
I ignored him and saw that Nanoha's body glowed a little before gradually turn better. Gradually, but much faster than Yuuno's spell. She was better, but still not combat-ready.
Both children looked at me in awe.
"What was that?"
"Potion," I answered halfheartedly.
Their eyes bulged.
"Potion? As in magical potion? Like in games?"
I nodded
"We need to move," I suddenly spoke. "This may get worse, enemy reinforcement is just a possibility. But with my luck (plotline) it will come true."
Both children agreed and us three climbed onto the stairs.
Now safely upon the roof, Nanoha, Yuuno, and I were watching Fate and the redheaded girl fight. Not far from there, another redhead, this one was older and with canine ears protruding from her hair, was fighting with a darker-skinned, white haired man with blue ears in much the same shape.
A triple date of Fate-Vita, Arf-Zafira, and Yuuno-Nanoha.
Wait? Didn't it mean that I was a third-wheel? Or rather seventh wheel?
I channeled a little mana and ki to my eyes and ears, augmenting them. I perceived the battle above us more clearly.
Fate managed to cast body bind spell on Vita, stopping the warhammer-wielding redhead.
"State your name and the world you hail from." Fate demanded. "Explain your purpose for being here too."
As the smaller redhead struggled, the older one, Arf, suddenly yelled out; "Something really bad is coming, Fate!"
And suddenly, a pink-haired armor-clad swordwoman made her appearance. She sent Fate away with a single swing.
The bound redhead spoke a single word, "Signum."
On the other side, the date between two anthropomorphic familiars was getting hotter. Zafira showed Arf his affection with hands and feet.
Signum, who I remembered as their leader, raised her sword and ordered, "Levantine, Cartridge Load."
Said sword responded in masculine voice-
[Explosion.]
-and suddenly that sword got {+fire damage}.
In just two strikes of this flaming blade, Fate's scythe was cleaved in two, and she was slammed into a roof of another skyscraper.
She turned to the still-bound redhead. "What's wrong, Vita? Did you let your guard down?"
The small redhead replied, "Shut up! I was just about to turn the tables on them!"
With no change in expression, Signum merely said "I see. I intruded upon that. Sorry." A purplish orb formed on her palm, and the binding cracked and shattered.
Signum then put the hat Vita had lost earlier, to Nanoha's beam, back on her head, minus the damage; fully repaired.
"Right now the situation is 4-on-3," Signum said. "But the blonde boy seems to have similar role to Shamal."
"But 1-on-1, we Belka-type knights..." Signum continued.
"Will never lose!" Vita finished the sentence.
The pair flew down toward our direction.
Nanoha and her Rising Heart still not battle ready. She had taken a Vita Special, and the red jewel within her staff was cracked and chipped.
Fate leaped into the air, her device was somewhat fixed. Yuuno was about to follow, but I stopped him.
"Given how quickly they disabled Nanoha and temporarily knocked out Fate, do you think you'd be able to do anything more than become their ping-pong ball? Before she go, that Fate girl told you to take care of her," I pointed at Nanoha. "I'll go."
[Flying Platform. Armament: Lee.]
Twin tonfas appeared on my hands and I leaped into the air after adding an afterthought.
"Bad children need to be spanked. Watch and learn, kids."
Both Yuuno and Nanoha opened their mouth, yet no words came out. I re-casted the spell and jumped to the next platform, toward Fate. Heh, what kind of arcade game did I use for this? Hirenkyaku did not work like this.
Fate continued to trade blows with Signum, like a grudge match between housewives on discount sale. The pair met and clashed in midair over and over again.
I, on the other hand, was facing the redhead with temper issue, Vita. "Vita, right? You have been a bad kid. And bad kid needs to be punished."
She growled in mix of anger, annoyance, and little bit of acknowledgement, before raised her hammer.
"Graf Eisen!"
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A/N: Here's the second chapter. Thanks for your support and please review.
Until next time.