Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis
Chapter 6: This Feeling is Familiar?
Xx~~*~~xX
Signum marveled at how easily the drones fell. Of course, she was in unison with Agito at the moment, but she probably didn't need it. Then again, it was to keep her current partner from actually fighting. Her secret orders had been to handle the assault as much as possible, so Nanoha could withhold her strength.
"Okay, let's move in," Signum said, sheathing her sword. "According to intel, the entrance to the facility should be just ahead. Judging by the welcoming party, I'd say we're on the right track."
"Agreed," Nanoha confirmed, then smiled. "And don't worry, I'll hang back and only jump in if needed. Although I think you guys are overdoing it a bit; I feel fine!"
"Ah, perhaps," the Belkan Knight, replied, canceling her unison for the moment. "Let's go."
The trio flew ahead, low to the ground. Of the two research facilities that Quattro gave up, Nanoha, Signum, and Agito were given this one. Fate and Teana were on another world investigating the other. It was decided to handle both at the same time, so one couldn't warn the other and give time for anyone inside to escape.
But so far resistance was minimal; just a few security drones. Signum wondered if Teana and Fate were having it this easy.
x~~*~~x
"This is too easy," Teana whispered, and Fate had to agree.
"It looks like this place might have been abandoned for some time," Fate reasoned aloud. She motioned for Teana to cover the next doorway.
Ever since they landed and infiltrated the facility, they had yet to encounter another living soul. Or even dead or inanimate ones, for that matter. The facility itself was several buildings nestled under a cliff, but there were corridors that stretched down underground, which is where the pair were now. Despite the lack of active obstacles, they still had to proceed carefully. The place was run down, and already some of the areas had collapsed or had bad flooring. Plus, there was always the danger of booby traps being left behind.
The gun mage lowered the scope from her eye. "This next area looks safe, I don't detect anything."
Fate nodded as they left the corridor and entered what looked like a storage area. "Incubation chambers, but all empty. Whoever was here, it looks like they did some biological experiments."
Tea coughed a few times as she brushed the bottom of one of them. "This one's label says... 'Project D Clone VIII.' I wonder what it means?"
"I'm not sure," Fate replied. "We'll have a full team investigate this place later. For now, let's keep searching." She had a sinking feeling that if the place was truly deserted, then it meant Arf wouldn't be here.
"Well, I hope if Nanoha, Signum, and Agito are having better luck than we are," Teana stated, as they left the storage are via the door on the far side, then paused. "Do you hear that?"
Fate cocked her head to the side, straining her ears; she could just barely hear it. "Sounds like it's coming from somewhere down below." Her heart lifted a bit, as it almost sounded like a voice, mixed with a log of clanging noises.
"Where's a staircase or elevator when you need one?" the junior agent wondered aloud, looking around.
"Scythe form," Bardiche intoned, causing Tea to turn back to her partner, then back up as she got the hint.
"We'll make one!" Fate nearly yelled, lifting her device up and growing more determined. If Arf was here, she was going to find her!
She leapt back after twin slashes, the floor where she was just standing collapsing and opening up a hole to the level below. The pair dropped down, and with one glance at her partner, confirmed that Teana had recognized the voice, too. More urgently this time, Fate repeated her earlier maneuver, dropping both girls down another level.
As the dust cleared, Fate scanned the new room, her gaze locking onto the far end. "Arf!"
x~~*~~x
"This isn't good, they'll be here soon," the male in the white lab frock said, checking the computer display while he adjusted his glasses.
"What do we do?" the female scientist wearing a similar frock asked, worried. "We can't be caught here. The doctor said we'd be safe to do our research here!"
The male sighed, and gestured at the subject on the other side of the observation window. "We'll have to wake HIM up."
"We can't!" she pleaded. "He's not quite ready. The programming isn't fully complete!"
"We don't have a choice!" the man shot back, pounding the table. "They've almost completely wiped out the drones the doctor left us! While he provides a distraction, we'll slip out the back."
The female sighed, cringing at the explosions several levels above. "You're right, fine, let me do it."
The male scientist nodded, as the woman tapped away at the controls.
In the room past the glass, the brown eyes of a young man laying on a table flashed open and he immediately demanded to know: "Where am I? Where is SHE!?"
Nervously, the male scientist leaned over to speak into the microphone, his voice sounding into the room. "She was taken by the mages who are attacking us. We can't handle them, so we are escaping. You should as well."
The subject's eyes narrowed in anger as he sat up, ripping off the pads that were monitoring his vitals. "They'll pay for this; I'll get her back!"
He reached behind and pulled his black hood down over his head, leaving just his eyes uncovered through the mask, then picked up a kodachi blade resting against the wall. Slashing at the observation windows from several meters away, the resulting wind pressure shattered them outward, forcing the scientist pair to cower down to protect themselves from the flying glass.
They stared at each other in helplessness and nervousness, as their research specimen ran out the door.
x~~*~~x
Agito dusted off her hands after finishing off the latest drone, noting with satisfaction that the wide corridor was clear. She flashed a thumbs up at her companions and grinned.
"Too easy!" the little fiery demon exclaimed.
"Indeed," her master replied gruffly, noting the corridors resembled the ones in Jail's last base. "But what they could be guarding? What is this place for?"
Nanoha brought up her staff. "Status?"
"Wide-Area Search 80% complete," Raging Heart informed them. "Three human life-signs detected two levels down."
"Thank you," Nanoha told her device. "It seems this place has people in it after all. Are there any other exits other than the way we came in?"
"Affirmative," came the prompt reply. "One other entrance has been detected."
"Agito, can you head to that exit and seal it off?" Signum asked. "We'll chase down the suspects."
"No problem!" she replied proudly, saluting, then taking off down a side corridor at rapid speeds following a pink ball Nanoha had created for her.
"That should get her there," Nanoha explained, then paused as she received a long range communication. "Message from Chrono; Fate and Tea found Arf, and another girl. They are securing her now."
The other woman nodded. "Good, that just leaves-"
"GIVE HER BACK!"
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Very few thoughts went through his head as he switched from running to flying through the corridors. He could only think about HER. He had been searching for her for a long time, although he wasn't exactly sure when and how it started. He just knew he had to find her, his emotions flaring and driving him on.
Then he turned a corner.
"...and another girl. They are securing her now."
Rage drowned out what the other woman was saying as red tinted his vision. [They did take her!]
Drawing his kodachi and focusing the wind around him, he sped forward nearly head first, straight at them. "GIVE HER BACK!"
x~~*~~x
Nanoha was almost taken by surprise, but her device reacted faster. "Protection Powered!"
Sword impacted barrier in a shower of sparks, the TSAB Ace staring in surprise at the man's sudden appearance and attack. Black cloth covered his entire body, except for his eyes, making him look very much like a ninja. And there was something about those brown eyes....
She almost didn't register that her shield was being penetrated, until Signum lunged from the side, Levantine arcing down in a powerful slice. The man twisted his body, slicing his own sword upwards to meet and block it. At the time of impact, he thrust out his free hand and there was a strong gust of wind that sent the Belkan Knight flying backwards down one of the hallways in the T-intersection.
"Who are you?" Nanoha demanded to know. "Why are you-"
She didn't get a chance to finish as the ninja lunged at her, swinging. She put up a Round Shield this time to deflect his attack, but something seemed off.
[He's swinging from too far away?] was all she could think, until she saw the blade of vacuum energy flying towards her. She adjusted the shield to knock it aside, and was surprised when it cut through after a moment of resistance. Nanoha flung her body to the side in alarm as the edge of the vacuum blade cut into the shoulder of her barrier jacket and continued on.
She turned back to get ready for the next attack, but her opponent was gone. That confusion lasted all of a moment, before she heard the clang of sword against sword around the corner, and the chunk of a cartridge being loaded.
"Sword Flash!" Nanoha heard Signum shout as the former rounded the corner.
The two combatant's swords were locked against each other, as Levantine burst into flame. Nanoha tried to work up a bind spell to hold him in place, but the ninja was quick and vaulted over Signum, letting her stumble forward. Nanoha's binding rings kept missing the man's limbs.
"[Nanoha, I'll try to hold him in place and you shoot both of us,]" the Belkan Knight's mental command came.
"[Understood, I'll support until we get an opening,]" the TSAB Ace replied. "Divine Shooter!"
Five pink orbs popped into existence around her while Signum squatted low to the ground and swung behind her, aiming for the man's legs. The ninja leapt over her sword as she twisted her body and rolled quickly underneath him.
"SHOOT!" Nanoha cried, sending all five orbs streaking towards their airborne opponent.
The mysterious assailant spun his body, swinging his sword three times in quick succession, sending out three vacuum blades that cut through three of Nanoha's shots, then cutting the other two apart with his sword.
Raging Heart's red orb blinked. "Flash Move!"
With long practiced teamwork, Nanoha shot forward, dodging the three vacuum blades that were heading her, aiming to hit the ninja as he landed. From the other side, Signum vaulted to her feet and swung Levantine, as the duo planned to strike at the same time.
[He can't block us both,] Nanoha reasoned, but in the next instant, was shocked as the single sword became two, and he blocked both Raging Heart and Levantine at the same time. For a moment, all three paused.
"Attacking a TSAB mage is grounds for arrest," Signum told him solemnly. "If you desist now, no charges will be filed."
"Please tell us why you are doing this!" Nanoha implored him. "Why are you here?"
The brown eyes behind the face mask seemed to grow angrier. "Shut up! You'll take me just the way you took her!" The voice was somewhat muffled due to the mask, but to Nanoha, it almost sounded familiar.
In a surprising move, the man dropped his swords and opened his palms, pointing an open hand at each woman as a gray mid-childan magical symbol flared to life underneath him. "Tornado Flash!" A horizontal vortex of wind spun out of each hand, blowing both TSAB mages back.
As Nanoha flew backwards, she pointed her staff down the corridor, converting to shooting mode. "Divine..."
Signum lashed out with Levantine at the same time as it popped a cartridged and announced, "Schlangenform!" The long coil of snake form snagged the man's ankle.
"...Buster!" Nanoha finished. Dark pink energy erupted from Raging heart, nearly filling the long corridor, as Signum threw up her barrier.
The ninja threw something to the ground and white smoke exploded on his position an instant before the Buster hit... and passed harmlessly through. The Belkan Knight gritted her teeth and crossed her arms in front of her face as the blast struck her, then spun to the side to let the majority pass on by.
When it was over, the corridor was clear, except for the two TSAB mages.
"Where did he go?" Nanoha asked in disbelief. "Did he teleport?"
The other woman picked herself up off the floor. "I'm not sure, but I think it was just a speed move. There's no way to know where he went. He got away. I am sorry."
"Location lost," Raging Heart informed them. "Unable to track within boundaries."
Nanoha sighed. "It's alright, he was fast. Faster than I've seen Fate move sometimes." Something was strange about him, but she couldn't put it together in her head.
"[Signum, Nanoha, I caught a couple of people trying to escape,]" Agito sent suddenly. "[Can I torch them?]" Both women could hear the eagerness in the voice.
"[Negative,]" the Belkan Knight replied ruefully. "[Nanoha and I will be there soon. We need answers out of them.]"
"[Aww....]" came the disappointed reply.
"Nanoha?" Signum queried, taking note of the gash in the other woman's barrier jacket shoulder pad. There was a tinge of red there. "Are you okay?"
The TSAB Ace shook herself and nodded. "I'm fine, it's just a light cut. Let's go meet up with Agito."
As the two walked, Signum added. "Let's get something to eat when we get back. My treat."
"You're paying?" Nanoha asked, surprised. [She probably trying to get my mind off it.] She smiled and nodded. "Okay!"
x~~*~~x
"Are you sure about what you saw, Arf?" Fate questioned, trying to make doubly sure.
Arf nodded, helping her former cellmate along as they walked out of the facility. "I got a good look at the face before I was hit." She paused. "At least I'm mostly sure what I saw."
"This could be trouble, then, if they are getting involved again," Teana added, helping support the mysterious girl from the other side. "I wonder how they managed to do it and remain secret, though. How would they know about Yuuno or Suburu and Arf being there at those moments?"
"There is something else going on here," Fate agreed as she stepped outside. "I think-" She paused, noting their new companion. "What's going on with her?"
Arf and Teana were trying to steady the increasingly nervous girl from where they stood behind Fate. She was shaking her head, moaning "No" over and over, in a low voice.
"I don't know!" Arf replied, growing a bit frantic. "She wasn't this excitable back in the cell! Are you alright?"
Tea glanced back and forth from the girl to the door where Fate stood. "Is she afraid of going outside?"
"It's alright, we won't hurt you," Arf soothed, stroking the girls short, white hair. "We just want to take you somewhere to get some help, to make sure you're okay."
That seemed to calm her some, so the pair tried to help her forward again. She was reduced to whimpering quietly, while shaking in fear. At least, to Arf, it felt like fear. She wondered what the girl was so afraid of. Was that why she was left in that place? Because the people who were there, didn't want to bother trying to take her out? Why wouldn't they have just sedated her or something?
"I've informed Chrono that we'll be at the transfer point shortly," Fate told them. "It's just over the next rise."
Arf felt the girl in her grasp freeze, and a glance had her following the mysterious girl's gaze. "The moon?" It hung bright and full in the night sky, and the iris's of the girl's green eyes turned nearly white.
She screamed, and white magical power exploded around her, flinging Arf and Teana away. Fate braced herself, the sheer force of magic pushing her back. Arf shifted to full dog form, and Teana crouched and brought out one of her guns, both using barriers to avoid being blown back. The mysterious woman was enveloped in a column of bright white light, and all three could barely make out her form within.
"Arf, see if you can help bind her, while I attempt to place a seal on her powers!" Fate called out, bring out Bardiche. "Teana, when you get a clear shot, knock her out!"
Both girls replied in the affirmative, Teana taking aim and Arf lashing out with several chains which attempted to wrap themselves around the column of white light. The chains tended to dissolve after a few moments of trying to hold, however.
"Sealing form, set up," Bardiche intoned, four glowing yellow wings springing from the sides.
Fate took aim. "Seal!" A yellow beam erupted from Bardiche, striking the girl through the blinding light.
She seemed to scream louder, but the white column shrunk a bit by bit, and then almost faded. The chains snapped into place as Tea took her shot. Arf shifted to woman form to catch her, and held her gently as she collapsed.
"What was all that about?" Arf asked the question they were all thinking, then noticed Fate studying the girl. "What?"
"Did you happen to see the magic symbol that activated under her when she went berserk?" Fate inquired.
Teana nodded. "It was... a white pentagram. Not a mid-childan circle, or Belkan triangle, or even a summoning square. It looked like there was some kind of star in it."
Arf glanced down at the now unconscious girl in her arms. "What does it mean?"
Fate shook her head after a moment, a brief memory of a pentagram barely surfacing, but she couldn't recall the context of where she had seen it. "I don't know."
Nanoha materialized onto the ship, along with Signum, Agito, and their two scientist captives. They hadn't revealed much under initial questioning, but she figured she'd leave it to Fate to conduct further interrogations. She couldn't get her mind off that mysterious masked man.
Chrono was there to greet them, but there was a somber look on his face. "I'm glad you're both okay; we picked up Fate, Teana and their guest a short while ago."
"What is it?" she asked him, seeing there was something else he wanted to say.
"I have some good news and bad news," he replied. "The good news, is that I just received word a bit ago that Yuuno has awakened."
Nanoha felt her spirit lighten instantly, all other thoughts pushed aside for the moment. "Yuuno....;"
After a minute, Signum asked, "What's the bad news?"
Chrono hesitated for a moment, then replied, "Jail Scaglietti has escaped."
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Caro's eyes flashed open and she sat up, breathing heavily. She was having the dream again, that had come occasionally over the past several months. She hadn't told anyone else about it yet, because it scared her. To her despair, she noted it was still night, although she didn't know how long she had been sleeping.
Unfortunately, her rapid start jostled her companions awake, as they were huddled together for warmth. Fried woke up and squeaked out a yawn, looking at her. The boy to her side slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"Caro?" he asked sleepily. "What is it?"
"Um, nothing," she replied quickly, laying down on her side, her back to him. "Just had a bad dream. Sorry for waking you."
"You sure you're okay?" She could hear the concern in his voice, masked as it was by sleepiness.
She sighed and supposed she might as well tell him, as she didn't want to go back to sleep just yet. "I've been having a dream for the past few months. In it, I'm surrounded by shadows asking where I am. I don't know what it means."
Erio laid down again, his back against hers. "Something to do with being a summoner?"
"I don't know," she confessed.
"Did your village teach you anything about dreams?" he inquired.
"No," she replied sadly. "Some summoners are taught more when they are older, because they can stay in the village. I was banished when I was... Erio?"
The young male mage had sprung to his feet, and was looking around. "Shh, I thought I heard something."
Caro glanced around at the forest surrounding them, but couldn't see much due to darkness. This particular planet had no moon, either. Her ears only picked up occasional animal sounds.
In one smooth motion, Erio brought out Strada and deflected two blades that were heading straight for them, then formed his barrier jacket. Caro followed suit, pulling herself to her feet and forming her own. She recognized those boomerang blades.
"They belong to one of those cyborgs!" she told him. "I-"
She was unable to finish as Erio swung his spear at her. She ducked and closed her eyes, wondering why he would attack her, when she heard a clang. Opening her eyes, she was relieved and surprised, to see Erio had used Strada to block Tre, who was attempting to attack her from her blind side. Moving quickly, she ducked out of the way and began to chant.
"Grant this knight the strength to triumph over his foes," she intoned, opening her eyes. "Kerykeion!"
"Boost up!" her device flashed. "Strength!"
Strada glowed, and Erio yelled, suddenly completing his swing to knock Tre far into the distance. Dozens of boomerang blades appeared in the sky, hurtling towards them. Erio leapt out of the way, while Caro thrust her hands out, wings blossoming on her glove's large jewels.
"Shooting Ray!" she shouted, sending several thin pink beams out to attack the incoming blades. Two were destroyed, but the rest were unaffected. "No way... illusions!?"
Erio swung at Tre as she came in again, but Strada passed straight through her. His look of surprise was short lived, as another Tre appeared behind him and hit him on the back of the head.
"Erio!" Caro cried, then felt something hit the back of her head, and her world went dark.
x~~*~~x
The cyborg watched her sisters, Tre and Sette pick up the unconscious children. "[Doctor, Quattro here. We have the pair who were snooping around area 18. As you figured, it was the summoner brat and her project F boyfriend.]"
"[Excellent, I was hoping for some new specimens to study!]"
His laughter rang throughout her head, but Quattro could only stare at the two kids expressionlessly. Somehow, she couldn't muster up the joy she once did.
Xx~~*~~xX
Author's notes:
Chapter 6 cleanup finished. Nothing much changed here, except clearing up some sections to make things easier to read.