A/N: The start of the chapter happens immediately after FATE/Holy Grail War of 2814 Chapter 8. I'm going to try interweaving this and FATE 2814 from this point on, since I don't want this to go stale. After all, there's more to being a GL than fighting Wolkenritter. Tell me how it works out?
Events happen as so: The Fate group end up fighting Shinji around lunch, Nanoha skips school to check them out, and she gets back in time to meet Hayate.
Did anyone else notice that in the 4th Magical World OAD, the opening had a special close-in shot of Chisame's breasts? Not that I mind, but hardly subtle…
...
Takamachi Nanoha of 2814
by Shadow Crystal Mage
Chapter 19: Interlude 2: Standby, Ready. Setup.
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story. If I did… well, this would all be canon. WARNING: MAY CAUSE HEAD EXPLOSION!
...
Fate blinked in surprise as she put down her school bag on her desk. "Hospitalized?" she said.
"Hayate-chan?" Alisa said, her tone as shocked, staring at Suzuka.
The purple-haired girl nodded, hands clasped in worry. "I got an email last night saying so. She looked fine the last time I saw her, but there are a lot of medical tests they have to perform, and that'll take some time." She looked down, her concern written large on her face.
"I see…" Alisa said. "Then, do you want we go visit her after school?"
"Really?" Suzuka said.
"She's your friend, right?" Alisa said, waving a hand. "And you did say you introduce us. And since we're going to visit her in the hospital, the more the merrier, right?"
Fate blushed. "Um, I'm not too sure about barging in like that…"
"Oh, it'll be all right," Alisa said. She turned to Suzuka. "Right?"
Suzuka nodded. "Thank you!"
Nanoha blinked, looking between them. She put her chin in her hands, looking thoughtful. Then, she said, "Who's Hayate?"
There are consequences to being dedicated to your work.
...
Shamal was having a very bad week. First had been the utter failure at Mahora that had resulted in the Book of Darkness getting damaged. Then there had been Hayate's condition getting worse. And now…
Now there seemed to be something wrong with the other knights.
Vita locking herself up in the bathroom for extended lengths of time… that wasn't anything new. Her literally screaming about Hayate? Even Vita had more self-control than that. She seemed to be in a perpetual bad mood and Shamal would have suspected biological reasons if she hadn't known better.
Zafira seemed to have picked up Vita's attitude. Whenever she talked to the local housewives– who were all very concerned about Hayate, who was such a nice girl, and offered their sympathies– there was always mentioned of stray cats and dogs being founded horribly maimed and dead. She'd kept quiet about this, but it was quite frankly disturbing to hear evidence of the normally reserved and level-headed Zafira getting so… feral.
Dogs aren't usually found with their guts ripped out and their head twisted around on the roofs of two story houses, after all.
And as for Signum…
"Shamal… I need you…"
Shamal couldn't tell, because memory was a fuzzy thing with them between masters, but she was pretty sure it had been a long time since Signum had asked that of her.
Shamal frowned at the memory
And it really showed, since Signum had been very clumsy and didn't seem to know where everything went anymore, and Shamal had needed to do the work and Signum trying to be aggressive had not helped, so Shamal had needed to flip things around to get anything done, and she really didn't like doing all the work…
Shamal realized she was just staring at the bento she was putting together, drool dripping out one corner of her mouth.
Shaking her head to get such thoughts out of the way and making sure she hadn't dripped on the food, she wiped her face and got back to putting the food together, trying to push the thought that something might be wrong with the other knights. Maybe she was looking at this problem the wrong way. After all, Hayate was in trouble, their best hope of helping her had been horrendously damaged (thought thankfully the book itself was intact, and merely the accumulated data and energy had been damaged), and the three who should have been keeping stuff like that from happening had not been able to keep it from happening. Maybe she should be wondering why she wasn't so stressed out with worry?
Her phone rang, and she paused in the bento construction, smiling at the message from Suzuka. Such a thoughtful girl…
And then she saw the long-haired blonde girl in the picture.
Shamal dropped her phone.
It was official. She was having a very bad week.
...
The door to the room slammed open and Kotaro came rushing in, panting. "NEGI!" he cried, pointing frantically back the way he came. "You have got to come see this!"
Asuna, Setsuna, Konoka, Negi and Chamo followed Kotaro, confused but rushing because of the urgency in his voice. He led them to the room he shared with Chizuru, Ayaka and his girlfriend. The former two were gone for club activities, but the room was packed with Ala Alba, staring at a news report.
For those of you just tuning in," the newscaster conveniently said, "Fuyuki City was rocked today by its first monster attack in recent history. Though already known as containing the Magical Girls Kaleido Ruby and Kaleido Sapphire, as well as the mysterious 'Dark Ruby', its Homurabara Gakuen was today the scene of both an infiltration by the forces of evil and a giant monster attack! Matou Shinji, who his close friends describe as 'an asshole' was implicated by Kaleido Ruby as being either possessed by forces of evil, or being an imposter. Shortly after he was unmasked, the school was attacked by a highly Freudian Phallic monster."
The scene switched to what was apparently a cell phone video, showing a large, tubular creature. For some reason, the girls in the room began darting glances at Negi, who was completely entranced at the news article.
The video then cut to another one. The scenery had changed somehow, and the worm had turned to stone– again more sidelong looks at Negi– and a girl was the focus of the shot, clad in black loligoth and masked, obviously a Magical Girl.
"Trace, on! Zankanken! Battleship Slicing Sword!"
Everybody blinked.
"Please tell me that's not Rakan's daughter or something," Chisame moaned.
"She certainly jumps like Rakan-san," Negi noted.
"Trace, on!" the girl cried again, and another sword appeared in her hand, a nodachi. "Shinmeiryu Zanmaken Ni-no-Tachi! In Celebration of Elegant Meido Swordswoman AngelGARd's First Kiss With Her Magus Albus Ojou-sama Strike!""
Setsuna paled in purest horror. Somehow, she also managed to blush so as so make stoplights seem dull.
"What was that?-!-?-!" everyone else exclaimed.
Fortunately, the channel decided to run the clip again.
"Shinmeiryu Zanmaken Ni-no-Tachi! In Celebration of Elegant Meido Swordswoman AngelGARd's First Kiss With Her Magus Albus Ojou-sama Strike!""
Setsuna began to pull her blazer over her head as everyone slowly turned to look at her.
"Please kill me now…" she whimpered.
"Aw, Set-chan!" Konok cried, enfolding her best friend in a hug to make her feel better. She kissed her cheek to try and make her feel better.
Setsuna twitched, eyes rolling back and on the verge of fainting.
Negi and Konoka's phones both rang. Asuna fished it out of Konoka's pocket since she was busy and she and Negi answered.
"It's the Headmaster," Negi said, holding the phone out to Setsuna. "He says congratulations for finally getting the nerve to go for it and wants to talk to you."
"It's Eishun-san," Asuna said, also holding the phone out. "He says congratulations, though he wondered how both the name and the technique got around, but says he can teach you the full, proper version once he's satisfied you'll do right by Konoka."
Setsuna's eyes rolled back completely and she fainted into Konoka's arms. She didn't seem to mind.
Asuna put the phone back to her ear. "She just fainted, Ferret-Lantern-san. Thanks for calling!"
"Master, I'm not sure that was such a good idea," Negi said, over the sound of Evangeline laughing herself sick coming from his phone.
Kaede smiled, stretching. At least she didn't have to break her promise…
...
"So, these are new allies of yours, Ruby-chan?" Green Lantern said as she delegated repairing giant worm damage to Ferret Lantern. She looked at them, taking note of Luvia's elegant dress, Rin's red sweater and black skirt, and Shiro's slightly sweat-stained shirt and pants, which really didn't go with his rather Marti Gras-looking mask. She leaned towards Illya. "Rin-san and Luvia-san look all right, but that one with the orange hair could use some new clothes. If you'd like, I could recommend someone…"
"Uh, no thanks, Green Lantern-chan," Illya said.
Lancer stared blankly. Then he leaned towards Archer and Saber. "This is what counts for a hero these days? A little girl in a weird dress?"
Saber was inclined to agree. Archer quickly jabbed an elbow into his gut. "Are you insane, man?" he hissed. "Do you want the Green Devil to hear you? Because there are less painful ways to be utterly humiliated than insulting Little Miss Big Bang in front of her friends."
They gave him a look. "You know her?" Saber asked quietly.
"I read newspapers," Archer said. His look challenged anyone to doubt his word.
The other two looked at each other and shrugged.
"So, would you introduce me to everyone, Ruby?" Green Lantern was saying, looking curiously at everyone.
Illya looked around in panic. Berserker had disappeared, as seemed to be his wont, be everyone else was too present to just disappear without being noticed. "Uh, sure! You remember Ri– er…" too late, Illya realized they'd never around gotten around to making up names for Rin and Luvia. After al, they'd never expected for things to get this public. She improvised. "Um, I mean, Jewel Red and Blue, er–"
"Blaz?" Archer suggested innocently. Everyone gave him a look.
"Been going to the arcade, have we?" Rin said flatly.
Arher shrugged.
"Um, Blue Blaz!" Illya said, to which Luvia thought about it and shrugged. "Er, the girl in blue and armor is Saber, the one with a spear next to her is Lancer, and the other one is–"
"Mister Sarcastic," Archer said, absolutely deadpan.
Saber twitched. Her ahoge flipped around wildly. Then she turned and kicked Archer squarely in the ankle. With her steel-covered foot.
Archer gave a cry, hopping on one foot as he cradled the other. "Blast you woman, what in Regina Diabolica's Night Sky was that for?"
Sakura blinked at the name.
Saber turned a flat look at a confused Green Lantern. "He's Archer. Ignore any claims to the contrary."
"Um, okay," Green Lantern said nervously. She turned to Sakura and Rider. "And you are…?"
Rider tilted her head. "Actually, I kind of like the sound of Masked Rider Purple. A bit literal, but…" she shrugged.
"You're all new at this, huh?" Green Lantern said, looking over her shoulder at Ferret Lantern. "What about you, miss?" she asked Sakura.
"Oh, I'm no one, really," Sakura said, waving her hands frantically. "Just a passing through Magical Girl!"
"Well, that still means you have a name," Green Lantern pointed out.
Sakura pursed her lips, tilting her head. "I am the Vessel of the Blessed Wind. Call me… Reinforced."
"Nice to meet you, Reinforced-san."
Green Lantern finally turned to Shiro, who'd been staring between her and Illya in shock while they'd talked.
"You really do know Green Lantern-ch– er, -san," Shiro said, surprise in his voice.
"EH?" Illya cried. "You didn't believe me, onii-chan? Me, your own precious little sister?"
"Oh, you're," Green Lantern looked in al directions, including up and down, then leaned forward and hissed, "Illya-chan's," before returning to a normal speaking register, "brother, still-nameless-san?"
"Uh, yes, Green Lantern-san," Shiro said, bowing. "My name is Emi–"
"His name is Tracer," Archer interjected. He glared at Shiro. "I'm choosing your name for you on the grounds you're too much of a moron to pick your own. For crying out loud man, you're wearing a mask and were still going to give her your real name! In public, no less! What are you, brain damaged?"
Shiro sighed. "Why are people always picking on me!-?" he cried.
"Aw," Kuro said. "Does onii-chan want me to make him feel better with a blo–"
With reflexes that were not hers, Sakura leapt to Kuro's side and placed a finger to her cheek. "Trace, on," she said.
A length of duct tape suddenly appeared over the Kuro's mouth.
The others stared… and everyone but Green Lantern broke into applause.
"I think…" Lancer said. "That we're going to like having you around, Reinforced."
Green Lantern blinked. "Did I miss something?"
Archer patted her on the shoulder. "Someone will explain it to you when you're older."
Green Lantern pouted. "Why do people keep telling me that!-?"
Then she sighed, and turned to Illya. "Well, I better get back. We're done here anyway. Tell me if you guys find any trace of the Wolkenritter, all right?"
Saber frowned. "The Wolkenritter?"
Illya explained as Green Lantern prepared to fly away.
Rider frowned. "Is one of them a little girl who fights with a mallet?"
Green Lantern froze, her head turning so fast there was an almost audible snap.
"What did you say?" she said.
...
Shinji was unconscious when they found him and he'd quickly been transported to the Asura for medical aid. There'd been absolutely no sign of Zouken. They'd found a pile of rotting meat with traces of his genetic signature, and nothing beyond that. No one thought that was a good sign. Especially since the pile of meat had been inside a pile of clothes, with a recently-touched magazine– the oil of the fingerprints on it were still relatively fresh– lying next to it.
"Were these people mages?" Green Lantern asked.
"I'd heard of Matou Zouken," Jewel Red said. "Yes, he definitely was. But not Shinji. I'd know."
"He wasn't," Reinforced said. "He had absolutely no Magic Circuits. He was quite depressed about it. He'd stay up all night trying to learn magic, but… nothing."
Green Lantern frowned. "Not according to the Asura. They say his Linker Core is damaged from not being treated right away, but nothing permanent. They're considering him a lucky find. According to the analysis of his core, he's rating very high on the S-Arks-scale, for someone whose magic is dormant. His rating is second to only one other new mage in recent memory."
"Second to who?" Reinforced asked.
"Me," said Green Lantern.
...
It wasn't often that Nanoha felt awkward. Usually, she just powered on through meeting new people with cheerfulness at maximum power. Never the less, it was kind of embarrassing to meet a girl Suzuka had been talking about a lot for the past month but she'd only technically heard about now because she hadn't been paying proper attention.
Hayate-chan was quite nice and outgoing, and as friendly as Suzuka said she was. It was soon quite obvious why they were friends.
"Yes, Green Lantern-chan and Black Reaper-chan are definitely a couple," Hayate said, nodding in agreement with Suzuka. "Even from the news reports, it is quite obvious that Reaper-chan has a large amount of underlying sexual tension and in denial over Green Lantern-chan, and has a very Sapphic attraction to her."
"Exactly," Suzuka declared. "It's just like when Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura were arguing when they were younger! Sure, it looks like they're both in love with Sasuke, but after the time-skip, Ino had taken to dressing like Sasuke, surely as a means to invoke a nostalgia reaction from Sakura she could use to charm her!"
In the sidelines, Fate and Alisa blushed, though for completely different reasons. Nanoha just blinked in confusion at the conversation.
"It's the cats," Alisa was muttering. "The cats should have been a sign she's got some kind of evil in her…"
"It's not like that…" Fate muttered desperately. "I– er, Reaper-chan holds Green Lantern-chan very dear because she'd her first friend, and…"
"What are they talking about?" she asked. "What does 'sap-fic' mean?"
"Ask your mother when you're older," Alisa, Suzuka and Fate all chorused.
"Aww! Why does everyone keep telling me that!"
They joined in on the conversation when it had gotten to music and literature– "Meyer should die by being thrown in a pit of rabid tigers with steaks tied all around her body!" "No, she should be electrocuted until her body fat self-combusts!" "Rowling doesn't understand the subtex- ack, I can't keep a face straight enough to say that!"– and though Nanoha had joined in, she'd gotten a little bored. Her pop culture was a bit outdated, since she was so busy, and she made a note to tone it down a little, maybe work out a rotation with Yuuno after this investigation.
So she'd idly asked her ring to scan Hayate, since Nanoha was a bit curious to know what she was sick of. After all, being a Green Lantern meant helping people, and there was no reason Green Lantern couldn't put her considerable databanks of extra-terrestrial medicine to some good use…
Getting 'ERROR! SCAN INCONCLUSIVE!' messages wasn't reassuring…
...
BOOM!
"Yes!" Sailor Pluto cried, pumping her fist into the air and even doing a little happy dance that developed into a full-blown routine with head-bopping, waves and her skirt flicking dangerously high as the debris that used to be a big rock she'd just blasted apart rained around her. . "Momma's back! Maximum power, maximum carnage, and ready to kick ass!"
"Are we sure she didn't get at the alcohol?" Sailor Neptune whispered in an aside to Sailor Saturn. The little girl shook her head.
"The Master's been locking down the alcohol since we started spending more time here," the masked boy, Magus Erebus, said helpfully. "She's thoughtful that way." Sailor Neptune resisted the nearly overpowering urge to fluff her hair and act coy.
The rest of the Senshi made no such effort. She even caught Sailor Uranus about to do it before she realized her hair wasn't really the fluffable sort. She should have been pissed, and made a half-hearted effort to try but…
Damn, that kid was cute!
"I am not being thoughtful, brat, I just don't want you twerps getting at my good booze!" Evangeline, Negi's master and self-proclaimed most evil mage cried from where she was having a drink and reading The Dresden Files. "And stop making a mess in my resort! You're lucky I'm letting you people use it at all! My resort is not a convalescence wing!"
Black Reaper sighed and pulled Green Lantern out from behind the bushes she'd dived into at the sound of Evangeline's voice. "Honestly Green Lantern-chan, you're braver than this," Reaper said, sounding amused.
"Evangeline-sama is scary," Green Lantern murmured, shuddering.
"Everyone please note that the only other person Green Lantern-chan calls 'sama' is Superman," Ferret Lantern pointed out dryly.
"Hey!" Eternal Sailor Moon protested. "I get called 'sama' too!"
"That's just convention," Sailor Mars pointed out. "People who've met you personally feel no inclination to say it."
"AHEM!" Haruna said, faking a cough. "I hereby call this meeting of the United Magical Girl's Association to order!"
"But Kaleido Ruby and her friends aren't here yet," Green Lantern pointed out.
"They're busy," Chisame said. "Something about Invaders and having a long day."
Negi, the Senshi, Green Lantern, and some of the more mercenary types winced.
"First order of business!" Haruna cried. "BOYS! Specifically, how to get some!"
"YEAH!" most of the Inner Senshi and Ala Alba cried.
"Eh? Can't we have chairs with our logos on them first?" Eternal Sailor Moon asked.
Green Lantern blinked in confusion. "What do boys have to do with being Magical Girls? I've always been unsure about that point."
"Ask your mother!" Reaper said.
"Oh, come on! Why does everyone keep telling me that!"
Ferret Lantern leaned toward Masked Striker Fang and Magus Erebus. "So, wanna go watch something that isn't pink and sparkly?"
"Kami, YES!" Kotaro said.
"Sure," Negi said.
"Wait for me," Tuxedo Mask said.
They ditched. No one really noticed.
"We MUST find this… eh? Why is this ermine's nose bleeding? Is he sick?"
"Is he looking up our skirts?"
"CHAMO!" *KICK!*
"I regret nothing…!"
"Perverted Ermine!"
...
The following day, sometime after sunrise, two brilliant bursts of light, the first green, the second blue, flashed in Japan, visible from space, and causing all sorts of hell to be let loose.
...
On her way to school, listening to the buzzing of her classmates as they talked about the news of the green and blue bursts of light, Fate Testarossa felt a chill, and frowned, unsure why. The bus passed a little girl eating ice-cream, her green dress and golden hair shining…
Next to Fate, Nanoha was staring blankly at nothing, in telepathic ring-contact with Yuuno. Her fingers tapped rapidly on her bag, obviously agitated.
What did he find? Fate asked telepathically.
Nanoha nearly jerked, surprised, but settled down. They killed someone this time, Fate-chan, Nanoha sent. Someone named 'Archer'. He was one of Illya-chan's new friends. Her face became a mask of sadness and determination. This is officially a murder investigation now.
...
Shamal sighed as she waited at home, preparing food, for lunch and to bring to Hayate. The others were likely to return soon, and it disturbed her how much she seemed to dread that. She shouldn't have. These were her friends, and sometimes friends with benefits, the only people she'd been able to depend on for the last she-no-longer-knew hundreds of years. Butt hey way they'd been changing lately…
The back door opened, and she jumped as Signum let out a call of "Shamal?". She turned as the pink-haired knight strode into the kitchen, stopping dead when she saw the blonde. There seemed to be an energy about the pink knight, and Shamal couldn't tell what it was. She was no longer wearing her knight armor, a marked contrast from the last couple of days when she'd wear nothing but the black-and-red monstrosity she had turned beloved Hayate's lovingly crafted design into. And…
Shamal started. There were tears in Signum's eyes, and her gaze seemed lost.
The pink knight slowly began to walk towards her, like Shamal as an animal she didn't want to startle. Despite the week she'd been having, Shamal gathered up her courage and said, "Signum? Are you all right? What's wrong?"
Signum stared at that, the tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks as she smiled. "You… after the way we've been treating you, you can still worry about me?" She sniffed.
Then the tears began to flow in earnest as Signum fell to her knees, and Shamal found herself instinctively rushing to the other knight's side, putting her arms around her in a desire to comfort her friend, even though she didn't know what was wrong. Signum clung to her, and for a long time, the only words Shamal could make out were "I'm sorry," repeated over and over again as Signum held Shamal. Shamal realized Vita had joined them at some point, the hardest of the knights openly weeping as she hugged the two taller women, and then Zafira was their, in Beast form, giving what comfort he could even as he too seemed to weep. He had never be one for public emotional displays in humanoid form.
"I'm sorry for using you," Signum said as she held Shamal tight. "Something… something had come over me, affecting my mind, all our minds… I'm sorry."
The four knights lay there in a heap, the Book of Darkness hovering over them, seemingly neither spectator and participant. Eventually, Vita began to snore, and Zafira gently pulled her away, taking her to her bed, what had until so recently also been Hayate's bed.
"Tell me what happened," Shamal said, strokinghte other woman's hair comfortingly.
Signum did, the words coming out haphazardly, sometimes in a rush, sometimes in a concise report that was usually her way, sometimes in broken fragments. She told Shamal of what Archer had said, of how they'd been infected by some evil. Of his gift. Of other things. Shamal wasn't sure what to make of it all.
"I'll… if what you say is true, I'll need to examine the Book again," Shamal said. "See if anything like that remains."
Signum smiled, a watery smile. She really was in shock. "So thoughtful… But first there's something I need to do." Shamal frowned, then gave a squeal as Signum lifted her off her feet and began walking. "I need to pay you back," Signum said. "For the last few days." She reached their room.
What followed was the best sex of Shamal's life.
Later, they would examine things. Later, when Vita woke up, they would go see Hayate, and remind themselves of why they were doing this. Later, they would worry about what would happen. But for now, Shamal basked.
In the kitchen, still hovering, the faintest of red lines glowed along the designs on the cover of the Book Of Darkness…
...
In Uminari City, a bomb in the middle of the Elementary School's Athletic Field exploded at about eleven o'clock.
As classes were cancelled, and students ran about in fear and confusion, as cars with parents and concerned or curious people from nearby places started flocking to the area, as Green Lantern arrived on the scene, Tsukino Usagi the Second casually walked away, just another face in the crowd…
...
At the Mahora Academy Middle School building, several potted plants suddenly exploding, spewing out variously colored mists. As the building was being evacuated, Chao Lingshen smiled to herself, disposing of the detonator, which would melt in a few minutes anyway, and activated her disguise, becoming just another face in the crowd. It was eleven o'clock.
...
- To be continued...
...
A/N: Friends with benefits. After all, you see only the same faces for who knows how long, the only ones you trust, and…
I am now writing by the seat of my pants. The next FATE update, 14, continues the events that happen here. Directly continues, I mean. Or maybe I write the stuff Nanoha does here, and leave the stuff the Fate-crew does in the other. Not sure yet. I'll resolve it during writing. I apologize for the choppy structure.
Please review, C&C welcome.
Until next time, this is Shadow, signing off.