COUNTDOWN TO DIMENSIONAL DISTORTION
120 MINUTES REMAINING
Time stood still for Vita as she drifted through a dreamworld of universal darkness, dragged under the waves of a pale green ocean which rolled over her head and buried her deep underneath the sand. The harsh and bitter waters clashed against her body constantly, yet left no moisture upon her skin at all, and even the rough texture of the seabed seemed to melt away if she turned her thoughts towards it. With the passing of each tide, the red-haired mage felt herself drown anew and fail to draw breath, but the torrent of memories did not cease even for a moment. In her mind, she moved through time and space in gradual ascension until she was amongst the endless stars of the night sky.
Something was missing from her hand, and it didn't take her long to work out what it was. Her faithful axe, Graf Eisen: she longed to have it back in her grasp, but then realised that the magical device was hanging safely around her neck in Standby Form. Thoughts of the Wolkenritter or the TSAB had lifted away from Vita's mind some time ago along with all of her previous worries and responsibilities; she also found herself unable to focus on her appearance or surroundings properly. That didn't seem to matter, however. Ever since she had arrived at this place, a strange inner peace had resided in her heart, like a little voice in her head reassuring her that everything was going to be all right. The Guardian Knight listened to the voice intently and even found herself agreeing with it. Yes, there really was nothing to worry about...no pain, no stress, no sense of existence or unhappiness. She could stay here forever, if it hadn't passed her by already.
In the distance, a distinct pain brushed at the edge of her senses. It was quickly nullified by the overwhelming wave of calm and numbness, but even so the Velka Knight wondered curiously what it was. The whole universe seemed to be moving around her: suns and stars, galaxies and planets alike which raged global wars upon each other with such ferocity. Space conflicts and explosive imperial battles passed before her in the blink of an eye, obliterating entire solar systems whilst new stars were born.
A flaming supernova rose across her vision just then: a stellar explosion caused by the death of a single star, its light so bright that anyone who looked at it directly would be left permanently blind. Vita stared upon the magnificent sight without blinking, feeling no ill-effects as she watched the blaze of brilliant white and red tear across her small patch of the universe. Somehow, she had the impression that she wasn't looking at the scene through her own eyes; she wasn't even entirely certain that she was really here at all. Her limbs had been locked together and frozen the whole time, though the reason for this escaped her.
Disturbed, the Guardian Knight shook her head warily and tried to remember what had happened before now, what had led to her arrival into this dreamlike state. For a few crucial moments, Hayate's face swam to the front of her mind but then dispersed into nothingness within the isolation of deep space. There was something here keeping her immobile, some kind of mental block which wasn't letting her make the connections she needed. Was she the only one here? In the vastness of the entire universe, was she really completely alone?
I lived a life before, a life filled with friends, emotions and experiences. I remember that much. But did my life come to an end?
Vita gazed up at the stars which revolved above her, taken away by the flow of the gravitational force which continued to spur her onwards. She tried to touch her weapon and bring some kind of familiarity to her current predicament, but then felt her hand come into contact with a gooey-like obstruction, something very...liquid. Whatever it was, it didn't feel very pleasant.
This place...is this where people go after they die? Is that what happened to me in the end? Did I pass away, without even realising it?
She had never really believed in life after death. Vita preferred to take a more realistic approach to the world, had always resigned herself to presuming that nothing happened after your body turned to dust. As far as she was concerned, that was where everything stopped. Heaven, Hell, purgatory, reincarnation, the ascension of souls into paradise and the underworld...she had heard her fair share of theories in her time.
However, not once had she ever heard that the afterlife consisted of spinning through outer space and watching stars explode for all eternity. That was definitely a new one.
I can't be dead, she thought numbly, trying to hold onto something concrete. It's not my time. I would have put up more of a fight.
The Guardian Knight attempted to move her limbs again, getting frustrated at her lack of progress. The calming voice in her head was still there, but now it sounded more like an automatic drone which didn't ever stop, and Vita started ignoring it after a while. Her arms and legs remained as rigid and immovable as ever, but her efforts revealed that the same gooey substance was touching her skin at every angle. Whatever this stuff was, it was doing a good job of keeping her immobilised.
She tried again to bring up her previous memories from before, knowing that it could be done. It was just a matter of willpower. Had she fallen in battle, surrounded by warlike enemies and wounded comrades? Was this a dream brought upon by suffering extremely critical wounds which had driven her into a coma? Was she actually asleep the whole time?
Vita had heard a saying long ago, back in her early years as a Velka Knight, which came to her now. There was a theory that in extreme cases the mind would lapse into a deep sleep and never wake up again, because the horrors of reality which it faced made the real world a living nightmare from its perspective. In such circumstances, the mind was too wounded to ever want to wake up.
Somehow, she didn't think that was the same case with her. Somebody had put her here for a reason, as well as setting in place a mental block to keep her distracted at the same time. A name was coming back to her, now, a very important name...but what was it? Gry...Gryl...No, try as she might, she couldn't quite recall. It was so difficult to think like this...
"Vita?"
The familiar voice cut through her thoughts instantly, breaking through the dreamlike haze and sending painful memories shooting to the front of her mind. A soft hissing accompanied the sound, though not in an any hostile or aggressive manner; if anything, the person sounded quite concerned. As the numbness faded away from her, Vita felt a rising certainty within her that she knew who the owner of the voice was; she knew who they were, remembered their face and personality as it registered deep inside her heart, yet couldn't bring a name to light. If this went on for much longer then she was going to go crazy.
Why can't I gather my thoughts properly?! The mental block...it must still be in place, but I can find a way past it. I know I can...
A handful of memories were coming back to her now, bit by bit. Green skin, shifting features, a reptilian species who had been thrust into an unfortunate situation during their life. She had met them very recently and befriended them within such a short time, but...what else was there? There had to be more, surely. The creature's voice seemed so close and yet so far away at the same time, separated by the same bubble-like substance which prevented her from seeing what was really there.
The Guardian Knight tried to speak, tried to open her mouth to utter some kind of reply, and found her lips unable to move. Was her mouth frozen in place, too? Vita tried pushing forward with her head and realised with a start that something was pushing back against her face, like a clamp or a mask...
"Vita," the reptilian voice said again. "Srethiss will get you out of there. Hold on, Vita."
The darkness of deep space around her seemed to change form and colour before her eyes, contracting inwards and shifting in texture until it reverted back to the murky ocean which had drowned her earlier. Stars and planets shrank down at a rapid pace and became mere bubbles of air, bubbles which were emerging...from her mouth. The Bureau mage felt a jolt of panic as the gooey liquid swept towards her, clasping around like a glove as it cast across her skin.
And then she blinked open her eyes for the first time in several hours – not these eyes, not these illusive eyes with which she had been viewing the dreamworld of space and time for what had seemed an eternity, but her own two blue eyes of flesh and blood, eyes of a red-haired Velka Knight which had not seen the sun for some time...
The time stasis was broken. Gone was the helpless feeling of total paralysis in her limbs, gone was the mental block which had suppressed so much of her. In a flash, emotions and memories came flooding back in a constant stream of images and sounds and experiences which made her breathless with the intensity of it all. Faces of friends and companions, Hayate and the Wolkenritter among them, replacing the emptiness and loneliness from before. This was her purpose. She remembered the Bureau, remembered fighting against Red Scorpion to break free, remembered being taken into an alternate universe of Mid-childa with a blinded Hayate at her side...
I'm back in reality! I...I can see everything!
Vita saw everything from a physical perspective, too. She was floating inside a large human-sized tube of gooey liquid which surrounded her on all sides – yes, the stasis fluid hadn't been another part of the illusive dreamworld, that had been real enough. An oxygen mask on her face was clamped tightly around her jaw, preventing her from speaking. Multiple smaller tubes extended from her arms and legs, connecting into various points of the main tank and bringing in nutrients to keep her body alive during the whole process.
Her mind went completely blank at first, overwhelmed by the enormity of what had happened to her. Separated from Hayate at the House of Yagami, taken prisoner into the same nightmarish place that she had never wanted to return to, forced into a moment of eternally frozen time by one of their greatest enemies...
I don't believe this! she thought. I'm still in Grylmark's laboratory! Time hasn't changed for me at all!
Anger rose up inside Vita at the realisation of what the summoner had done to her. A time freeze, he had called it. How long had she been trapped in here?! How much time had passed for him to take advantage and carry out whatever meticulous plans he had? How...
The Guardian Knight stopped short as she remembered Grylmark's last conversation to her. He had spoken at great length – or boasting, rather – about a virus that he had implanted into her bloodstream. A special kind of HX chip, in fact, slightly different to the ones used by the Harlaown Program. A chip which was now secreted inside her Linker Core.
He...he said he was going to extract that chip out of me, once it had "matured" to its full potential, so that he could use it to further his research. He said that I would not survive the process. That's the last thing I remember Grylmark telling me before he put me into time stasis. So why...why have I woken up...?
Her gaze shot over to the control panels outside her tube, where an array of technological equipment powered the main stasis machine, and saw that a lizard was hunched over the controls. There was no doubt about it: it was Srethis, their face set in concentration as they worked on adjusting the buttons and panels to free her. The main stasis tube was already partially deactivated.
Srethis!
Vita's face filled with warmth at the sight of her companion. She recalled how the creature had maintained a neutral stance towards her previously, choosing to aid neither Red Scorpion nor the Bureau when their two forces had clashed. But now it looked like times had changed.
It was your voice I heard, wasn't it, Srethis? So you're the one who switched the machine off and brought me back...
As she moved within the tube, the shapeshifter turned and saw that she was fully conscious. Relief shone across their features immediately, but there was still faint worry present into those green eyes, suggesting that escape wasn't going to be so straightforward after all. Srethis came towards her and tapped softly on the outer surface of the fluid-filled tank with one webbed claw.
"Vita, you have awakened," the lizard whispered to her through the thick glass. "The time freeze hass been lifted – Srethiss hass managed to turn the machine off. But Vita, your body iss sstill hooked up to the major power terminalss, and Srethiss cannot open the stasiss tube fully without putting your life at great rissk. Can you break out of there on your own, Vita? Srethis fearss they have done ass much ass they can to help you..."
The Guardian Knight caught the look in their eyes and nodded, knowing what she had to do. Her muscles felt stiff and unyielding, and pushing against the strange liquid inside the tube felt like swimming in custard, but she refused to back down now. This was the last time that anybody would ever imprison her. She would make sure of it, once and for all.
Graf Eisen, she mouthed inside her mind. Set up!
Her magical device responded to her will instantly and changed form into the axe-wielding form of Graf Eisen. For the first time in a while, she was fully armed and capable of defending herself at full power. Vita's hands clenched around the handle as she swung it around forcefully, cutting through the resisting fluid with ease.
The edge of her weapon hacked into the front of the stasis tube from inside, causing the whole structure to shake slightly with the impact. Small cracks formed across the glass as Vita hit it a second time, then a third, feeling her strength and confidence rise with each new blow. She couldn't gather much speed within the restrictive fluid, but she was making definite progress. Determinedly, the Guardian Knight focused on striking the more damaged areas, sensing sparks fly and electricity crackle faintly across the control panels in the laboratory; her efforts were beginning to affect the machine's external components and break apart the connections, one piece at a time...
I've had it with being trapped in cramped spaces! This is the last straw, Grylmark!
Her axe slammed into the centre of the glass and broke partway through the critically damaged pane, causing the other cracks to join together and form one big hole which widened further. With live electricity still running through the external lines, the machine's failing circuits triggered off a new series of bright sparks which reacted against the control panels and came alight. Fearfully, Srethis backed away and shielded their face from the rising flames, quick to retreat to a safe corner of the laboratory. The power wouldn't hold for much longer -
With a silent howl in the depths of her mind, the red-haired Velka Knight smashed through the tube from inside with all her strength and released its sordid contents flooding out onto the floor. Her body was propelled forward with the flow, and she felt burning circuits and countless shards of glass drive pain across her senses, but Vita ignored it. Without any hesitation she reached up and jerked the mask off her face and breathed fresh air into her lungs, then pulled the tubes out of her skin as if they were leeches feeding off her, experiencing only a sharp pain as each one came off.
I'm free!
That wasn't the end of it, however. Though the vessel which held her had been destroyed, there were still other empty stasis tubes in the laboratory which could be used for other experiments.
Anger blazed in the Guardian Knight's blue eyes as she turned on the remaining tubes and released Graf Eisen's magical power upon them without holding back. Under her onslaught, each of the devices was shattered apart into countless shards of glass, completely inoperable as they released their dormant fluid from within. Whatever happened now, she refused to be imprisoned inside one of those things ever again, nor would they ever hold anybody else. Being held inside those tubes had been like a neverending nightmare of isolation and illusionary death. She was finished with this – forever.
Breathing hard, Vita lowered her weapon to the ground and crushed a sliver of glass to dust beneath her heel. The flames rising over the control panel had died down slightly, but the main monitor had already gone dead along with all of its external functions. With all of the tubes offline, there was no longer enough power to maintain the machine.
It's over.
"Vita?" Srethis said meekly, emerging from the doorway worriedly. "Are you alright? Do you...do you need Srethiss' help, Vita?"
The Guardian Knight let out her breath in one go and looked up at the lizard gratefully. She didn't know how many hours of her life had been lost – or more precisely, how many hours that the world had passed her by, but now she was well and truly back. Already she could sense that something was happening with the other members of the Wolkenritter, and the distant explosions throughout the rest of the hospital suggested that the rest of the Bureau was probably wrapped up in this as well. Was Nanoha here? Had anybody else come to her aid? How much had she really missed?
"You came to save me," she said. "Thank you, Srethis."
"Srethiss feared that your friendss would not reach you in time," the shapeshifter replied, inclining their head towards her. "The Bureau iss here, fighting their way up to ssave you, but Grylmark's trapss are difficult to bypass and it may be some time before they arrive. If you go now, you can be reunited with your companionss in no time."
She recalled how Srethis had been initially unwilling to help her, out of fear of angering the other members of Red Scorpion. What had caused this change of heart? And hadn't the creature also been stricken with a life-threatening disease when they had last seen each other? Right now, the lizard seemed quite healthy and in good shape. It looked like circumstances had definitely changed a lot during her time in captivity.
"Are you with me, Srethis?" Vita asked, wanting to make sure. Evidently, the lizard had acted independently on their own conscience to rescue her. It was a sign of progress. "Have you really taken up my offer to join the Bureau's side? You don't owe Grylmark anything, no matter what he says to you."
The shapeshifter nodded. "You do not need to tell me that, Vita," they stated. "Srethis will not follow Grylmark anymore. He hass lied to Srethis, lied constantly to both Srethiss and Ungore at almosst every turn. Even after he betrayed uss at Red Sscorpion, we continued to take hiss orders because we had little other choice. He promissed uss great things."
Vita shook her head, easing away the stiffness of her muscles. It felt great to be out in the open again. "He must have promised you a lot."
"Only our heartss' desiress. He promised uss that he would ressurrect our losst speciess and allow our racess to live in harmony again. For Ungore, there iss no greater prospect to wish for in the universse, none at all...for Ungore hass roamed the galaxiess for a long, long time, longer even than Srethiss hass. Do not judge them too harsshly, Vita. Ungore would do anything that Grylmark assked of them if they thought that it would bring their own speciess back.
"But now iss not the time to talk of such thingss. The end of the world iss fasst approaching uss. The Bureau are inside the facility, making their way up through the levelss to rescue you and purssue Oguba. Grylmark has been behaving rasshly, even hiring a Labinnac Sisster to help protect the hosspital, which iss a rissky strategy indeed. When the Bureau breached the gatess, he fled to the uppermost floors and deserted uss all to save hiss own skin." The lizard gazed at her respectfully. "There iss nothing to be gained by Srethiss by turning their back on you anymore, Vita. Your friendss need you."
So it's true, the red-haired mage thought. The TSAB had successfully regrouped together and mounted an attack upon Grylmark's facility to get her back. She had definitely sensed that the rest of the Wolkenritter were all here in the hospital, which warmed her heart greatly, but just how many Bureau mages were here as well? Nanoha, Fate, Hayate...if everybody was here, she had to find them right now!
But what about Grylmark and Oguba? The summoner would pursue her relentlessly once he discovered that she had been released early from stasis. Vita had to assume that the modified HX chip was still buried deep inside her Linker Core, and Grylmark wouldn't stop until he retrieved it from her body in full. If he wanted to come and get her, then she would be ready to give him payback for everything he'd done to her...
I've got to get my priorities straight. As much as I want to beat Grylmark once and for all and make him pay for his crimes, doing so alone would only get me killed. He's got Oguba on his side and possesses a huge amount of power, and I'm not about to take both of them on by myself. I should find the rest of the Bureau quickly before Grylmark realises that I'm free. Signum or Shamal could help me out best.
"Let's get going, then," she said, straightening up with a fierce look in her eyes. She took hold of the lizard's claw firmly, aware of their surprise. "Both of us, Srethis. You're not an enemy of the TSAB anymore. We would welcome you fighting on our side."
The shapeshifter's green eyes widened in astonishment. "No, no," they said hastily. "Srethiss could not do thiss. You sshould go back to the Bureau by yoursself, Vita. Srethiss will go conceal themsselves from the chaoss, sso that you will not be obsstructed - "
"Srethis, I want you by my side. Nobody's going to attack you if they see that you're with me. Besides, you know this place better than I do, right?" She smiled confidently. "I could do with somebody to guide me. We're friends, Srethis."
The lizard sighed. "Perhapss you are right," they admitted, though they sounded slightly happier upon hearing her say so. "It iss eassy to become losst within the winding corridorss of the facility, sso Srethis will do for you what they can. Perhapss firsst you would like to free the two magess who were imprissoned here before you?"
"Two mages?" Vita repeated, with a frown. "What do you mean...?"
And then she realised what the reptilian creature was talking about.
"Subaru and Caro?" Her voice came out in an excited yell. "You know where they are? Are they still alive?"
Srethis nodded and beckoned to her. "Follow Srethiss," they said simply. "Thiss way, Vita."
Hayate made swift progress through the hospital in a southerly direction, her path clear of any illusions or traps like before. She had attempted to use sensory magic to locate any other Bureau mages along her route, hoping that she would be able to regroup with Nanoha or Fate as soon as possible, but to no avail: some hidden force was in place, preventing her from getting any decent readings. Either Grylmark's traps were laced with rogue energy which blocked off tracking spells, or Oguba's time magic was so potent here that low-cost magic simply wouldn't have any effect at all. It was frustrating, but she would just have to use her own instincts and do the best she could in the meantime.
Besides her, Exoria had been in a bad mood ever since their encounter with Shamal. Distrust and suspicion had confronted the Time Mage at almost every turn of her life and now she was receiving it from the medical mage as well, even after telling her story. It was a particularly hard blow for her because Hayate had promised her earlier that the Bureau would definitely accept her and give her a place in the world that she needed, no matter what. Unfortunately, redemption wasn't quite that simple. It wasn't a short clean path which you could simply walk down and find yourself being embraced by those you had once hated.
For her part, Hayate understood Shamal's reasons for not willing to forgive Exoria right away, knew that the medical mage was just looking out for her and was just being protective more than anything else. Nevertheless, it hadn't been a good start. Time would heal the old wounds suffered by both sides, but it would be a painfully long process and Hayate knew that Exoria was often impatient and sometimes said more than she should. The dark-haired girl was filled with a lot of resentment and bitterness from her time at the House of Yagami; the backlash from such heated emotions could transform into hostility at the worst of times. It was up to Hayate to make sure that that didn't happen and that Exoria found her own peace of mind at last.
Tensions must still be high between the TSAB and the ex-members of Red Scorpion – more than I had realised. I can't imagine that Signum or Vita will be happy to see Exoria again, and it sounds like most of Riot Force 6 will probably be very suspicious of her anyway. But Nanoha or Fate would be very understanding. That's why we're taking this route down to the south: we should be drawing near to Fate soon. If she can't help Exoria, then I don't know who can.
It didn't help that the Time Mage's attitude went directly against Hayate's efforts to help her. Not once had Exoria ever apologised directly for her acts of aggression in the past, nor made any attempt to be friendly towards another Bureau mage, nor done anything which didn't include a large dose of negativity. The only person she had ever shown any warmth towards was Hayate. It wasn't her fault that she was like this, of course, because the House of Yagami had shaped her and changed her over the years to force constant feelings of hatred into her heart...but if she could open up with one person, then she was surely capable of showing similar feelings of love towards others as well. It wasn't going to be easy, but maybe it was still possible.
She looked over towards Exoria, saw that the dark-haired girl was sinking herself deeper into a hole that she couldn't get out of, and felt a pang of guilt in her heart. Was she responsible? Was this only an illusion of hope that Hayate had given her, false hope which would soon fade away and leave the Time Mage feeling much worse off than before? The Bureau mage couldn't bear the thought of that; she only wanted to ease the suffering of her loved ones, take away their troubles and let them be freed from their pain. But sometimes pain was buried deep underneath the skin, circulating in memories that could never stop, and suddenly recovery was no longer as easy as it seemed...
With a feeling of trepidation in her heart, Hayate reached over and linked arms with Exoria. The younger girl looked up at her silently, the tears shining on her cheeks, but showed barely any other reaction. She seemed quite apathetic to the mage's comforting gesture, though she squeezed back slightly and rested her head on Hayate's shoulder with a sigh.
The commander of Riot Force 6 watched the Time Mage as they walked together, feeling the girl's dark hair comb across her neck and shoulders. She couldn't shake the feeling that she still wasn't making her feel any better.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "This is my fault. I didn't mean for things to go this way. When we meet with Fate I'll explain everything to her, one step at a time. That way it won't be so hard on you." She stroked her hair affectionately, trying to lend her some reassurance. "It's going to be okay. I promise."
Exoria shook her head slightly, a look of depressive isolation in her eyes. "You just think everyone can be happy, Hayate," she said sadly. "It doesn't work like that. This isn't some magical fairytale where the girl and the other girl fall in love and live happily ever after."
"But it can still work out." Deep down, the Bureau mage still believed that with a strong conviction of her own. She hugged her companion to her side. "Don't give up hope, Exoria. I know Shamal may have been a little overcautious, but once we find Fate it will be all right. She'll understand."
"Fate?" The Time Mage gave a bitter laugh of contempt. "You think she'll be sympathetic to me? Open your eyes, Hayate. I was part of an attack which almost killed her girlfriend! If she doesn't blast me to pieces with her magic as soon as she sees me, then I'll count myself lucky! I don't want to go anywhere near her!"
"She's not like that!" Hayate said quickly, desperate to get through to her. "Fate is kind and compassionate to everyone. At least give her a chance to listen to you before giving up so easily. You shouldn't put yourself down so much - "
"Why shouldn't I? Why the hell shouldn't I?" The dark-haired girl stopped dead in the middle of the hallway, her hand tight around the Bureau mage's wrist. Her breathing sped up as she started to go into panic mode, the anguish showing all too clearly in her face. "What else have I got left, Hayate? I can't – I can't do this anymore. I was so excited about coming here and being accepted because you made me think it would work. But I shouldn't have come here. I shouldn't have come back with you at all. This was all a terrible mistake! "
She looked up at Hayate with haunted eyes, her lower lip trembling as she fought to hold back the tears. "The Bureau – your friends – you care about them very much, don't you? But they don't care about me. They don't want anything to do with me. Maybe they can try to care, or pretend to like me, but it's just not possible for anyone. I can see it in their eyes, I can hear it in the hiss of their breath as they speak to me, just like everyone else on this forsaken planet! Don't you see? I've done too much wrong in my life already. Maybe it's already too late! I don't know if I can be forgiven, if anyone could ever begin to see me as anything else than a worthless blemish on the face of Mid-childa, just someone who should just disappear forever!"
"Exoria, please don't - "
The stricken Time Mage let go of her arm suddenly, becoming more and more agitated as her words spilled out in a flood of emotion. "Don't look at me!" she choked. "Just don't look at me, Hayate! I wish I wasn't here at all. I wish I didn't exist! I don't want to be around people day and night who see me as a monster, just a constant threat which should be destroyed, if that's the only way they can show me any kind of acceptance. I saw the way that medical mage looked at me. She still thinks I'm dangerous, doesn't she? That's the way it's always been for me." She breathed hard through her fingers as she cowered away from her, completely lost. "You don't understand what it's like, Hayate, and neither will any of your friends in the Bureau whilst they're lining up to see me suffer. I'm just a picture of evil in their minds, an ugly little witch who's too crazy to ever feel or find love in her life. I bet they want me to stay back in Yagami's dungeon to be tortured until I don't know what's what anymore, because that's the only world I've ever known - "
Hayate didn't know what she was doing just then. She just wanted to stop the girl from spiralling downhill into an endless river of misery, wanted to do something to make her feel better no matter what it was...
Without thinking, she pulled Exoria forward and kissed her.
It wasn't a small peck on the cheek, or a brief kiss on the forehead between two close friends. There was nothing platonic about the way their lips locked together and the rising heat in her face. It was a full-on mouth-to-mouth kiss filled with passion and need, more than Hayate usually reserved for any girl, with one hand cupping Exoria's cheek as she held her close. She felt the dark-haired mage shiver against her body and the tirade of hurt immediately stopped, ending in a startled cry which was cut off as their lips made contact.
Wha...what am I doing?
She didn't have time to register the consequences of her actions, because just seconds later the Time Mage had pressed her hands against her cheeks and was kissing her back fiercely, running her tongue around the inside of her mouth and savouring every moment. Lost in passion, Hayate gripped the girl's black hair and moved her arms down to her lower back. She tried to pull her lips away as her heart thumped madly in her chest, but Exoria had locked herself so tightly around her that it was virtually impossible. The Bureau mage bit down softly, feeling that something about this really wasn't right, but unable to stop it from progressing further.
She tasted the other woman's saliva upon her tongue and pressed the fingers of one hand against Exoria's throat in a gesture that could be either affectionate or aggressive, or both. She felt the dark-haired mage give way just enough for her to tear her mouth away at last, breathing in great lungfuls of air with a few specks of drool on the corner of her lips. The blood had rushed to her head until she was almost dizzy with the experience, but Hayate braced her hands on her thighs and took in deep breaths to steady herself again. Kisses like that didn't usually happen very often.
"Wait," she mumbled, as the Time Mage reached out to clasp her arms again. "Exoria, this isn't right..."
She felt herself pulled upright until she was looking into the other girl's eyes. Lustful, needy, clingy and full of desire: Hayate had never seen Exoria in such a state before. She wasn't sure if the sight disturbed her or aroused her. The tears had dried, however.
"Yes, it is," Exoria said hotly. "This is right. You...should kiss me like that again. I – I need - " She swallowed hard. "Hayate, I can't - "
And then she was kissing her again, her arms around the Bureau mage's neck whilst virtually pinning her against the wall with her movements; Hayate felt her hands clench tightly around her arms until her fingers were starting to dig into her skin. She inhaled sharply as Exoria pushed her body up against hers, dragging her hips against her thighs; one hand clenched tightly at the back of her hair, tugging it slightly but not enough to hurt. Hayate closed her eyes and breathed her in for a moment, knowing that it had been some time since she'd been with anyone, and if it happened now, right here -
No. This isn't right. I...I have to stop this before it goes out of control...
With a knot of bitterness rising up in her stomach, she pushed the Time Mage away from her altogether; at first gently, then forcibly when that had no effect. The dark-haired girl pushed forward regardless with one hand on her hip, glaring daggers at her, but Hayate skirted that gesture too and moved out of the way quickly before she was thrust against the wall again. The mage was flushed and hot from the encounter, panting hard as if she'd overexerted herself, but averted her gaze guiltily from the other girl.
This couldn't happen. There were so many reasons why a relationship between them would be a very bad idea, more than she could count. Besides, it wasn't as if she was really into her at all. Hayate didn't know how she felt towards the other mage; everything was just a confused mess of emotions in her head until it was difficult to tell what was what...
"So that's how it is," Exoria said quietly, turning away from her hurtfully. "I knew this wouldn't work."
The Bureau mage took a deep breath, trying to get her thoughts out into the open. This was not a good time to start falling out. They were in the middle of a trap-infested facility with deadly dangers round every corner, for goodness' sake.
"I can't do this with you," she said. "Not now, and not right here. We'll talk about this later."
"Later?" Exoria flung her a withering look. "After you take me to the Bureau? After all of your friends decide I'm not worth wasting any time on?"
"It won't be like that." Hayate was starting to get annoyed at having to revisit this topic. They'd just had a conversation like this already. "Exoria, you've come this far. I'm sorry I made you feel like this, but - "
The Time Mage stared at her in outrage. "Feel like what?" she demanded. "You're the one who kissed me!"
"I was just trying to cheer you up! I didn't mean for it to go that far!"
"Oh, sure." Exoria threw up her hands. "You call that a kiss to comfort someone? I nearly lost my mind with your tongue halfway down my throat! If that's your way of trying to reassure me, then what the hell happens when you try to be really romantic? Do girls just pass out on the spot before you or something?" She took a step towards her, seething. "Do you like me or not? That's what I want to know. Just tell me no, and we'll forget this ever happened."
"I – I don't know. It happened too fast, and I just wanted to help you, and - " With an effort, the short-haired mage pulled herself together. This was getting ridiculous. "Exoria," she said clearly. "I'm not going to talk about this with you anymore. We've got bigger problems right now, and we don't have time to argue about stuff like this. We have to reach the Bureau."
"Fine." The Time Mage folded her arms moodily. "Let's keep our minds on that instead. Just don't try making another move on me, because I won't be so affectionate with you."
"I wasn't making a move on you! I was just - " Hayate stopped for a moment, and then decided there was no point in going on with this anymore. "Never mind," she said, giving it up. "Come on. We still need to catch up with Fate."
With their differences set aside for the time being, the two mages turned to head back down the winding corridor with renewed vigour. The presence of magic in this section of the hospital was particular prominent, suggesting that the TSAB was very close by. It was a definite sign of progress. No traps or dangers were in this area, either, so it looked like a clear path all the way towards Fate's location.
Neither of them said a word as they kept their distance from another; the minutes passed by in silence and only the sound of their footsteps upon the metal ground could be heard. For her part, the Bureau mage was still annoyed at herself in general for how she had handled the situation. She shouldn't have kissed her. Definitely shouldn't have kissed her.
At least, Hayate and Exoria drew to a stop. There was somebody blocking the end of the hallway. It wasn't a Bureau mage. It didn't even seem to be any of Grylmark's recognisable allies...but something else entirely.
The stranger watched them approach without fear, deliberating standing in the middle of the path. There was no way to get around them in the narrow expanse of the corridors, and the person showed no sign of moving out of the way.
What is it this time? An enemy?
As the two women drew closer, they saw that the stranger didn't seem to be human at all. Instead, a grey mountain cat stood in the middle of the corridor, staring them down with a solid gaze which brooked magic and mystery. The creature also held itself in a very precise way which could not be attributed to friendliness.
A cat? For a moment, Hayate didn't know what to think. Here? In the middle of Grylmark's stronghold?
She smiled ruefully at the thought that the animal had wandered so far inside the hospital, all by itself. How had it survived all the traps? Blind luck and chance? As far the mage could tell, the mountain cat didn't appear to be injured at all. Well, it was a welcome relief from having to deal with any mutants.
"Just a cat," Hayate murmured to Exoria, able to relax a little.
But then she saw that the Time Mage had gone white as a sheet, staring at the seemingly harmless cat in sheer terror. The dark-haired girl was absolutely petrified, backing away a few steps from the animal as she drew her dagger in a flash.
"Exoria?" the Bureau mage asked in surprise. "What...what's wrong...?"
And then the grey mountain cat spoke out to them in a voice which echoed throughout the narrow hallways of the hospital, an icy tone which lacked the foundations of human emotion.
"Your love is forbidden," the cat said. "It will not last."
At first Hayate was stunned to hear it talk, but then sensed the powerful rush of magic which surged forth from the creature. This abnormally high level of energy...she had detected it some time ago, but had assumed that it was connected to Fate in some way, or maybe another high-ranking TSAB mage. No, she had been mistaken. The mana readings had come from this cat instead?
That's no ordinary cat. It's giving off an incredible amount of magical energy, enough to equate to an AAA-rank mage at least. But how...? You would need a magical device to hold that much power...unless...
"You're a familiar, aren't you?" Hayate said, working it out. She had a strong feeling that the creature wasn't one of Grylmark's allies, despite its high level of magic, but it could never hurt to ask. "What do you want with us? Do you have a purpose in this facility, too?"
"Hayate, don't talk to her," Exoria hissed, taking hold of her arm from behind and squeezing gently. "She...she's evil. Don't listen to her. Just run!"
The mountain cat behaved as if it had not heard either of them. Instead, it continued speaking in the same tone of voice, its body rooted to the same spot like a statue.
"You two are mortal enemies," it said. "One of you is destined to be slain by the other. No matter what you do, you cannot change your destiny; you cannot defy fate. If you try to love each other and live in harmony, you will only delay the inevitable. Remember my words, Bureau mage. You cannot make this girl happy."
Hayate tensed slightly in response. What was the familiar talking about? Whatever it was, she didn't like it.
"Who are you?" she said guardedly. "If you're not here to fight, then please let us pass. We have somewhere to be right now - "
"The House of Testarossa is in danger of falling apart," the familiar whispered fervently, its voice rising. "Fate Harlaown's actions have ensured the destruction of the Cult of Neopocalypticon and the demise of a Family servant. My mistress had such high hopes for her."
Hayate brought up the staff of Reinforce in front of her. Something didn't feel right here; her intuitive senses were already screaming danger in the back of her mind. But they couldn't just turn back. This was the path they absolutely had to take. She had promised Exoria that Fate would help them.
"We are the only ones that remain," the cat went on. "Lady Testarossa and myself, her only servant. We used to be strong, so mighty that none would dare challenge our power...and now my mistress has been struck down by one thought to be of her own blood. Even so, Lady Testarossa will not be vanquished. She will rise again and deliver lasting judgement onto the face of Mid-childa, and our legacy will live on beyond the stars once more."
The Bureau mage hesitated, wondering whether she could push the animal out of the way forcibly. She didn't really want to use any immensely powerful spells from the Tome of the Night Sky on a cat, even if it was a mysteriously powerful cat. It sounded a bit like overkill to her. But at the same time, getting so close to an overflow of magical energy could be quite dangerous...
"All right, enough talking," she said impatiently. Her opponent's words made very little sense to her. What was all this about the House of Testarossa, anyway? "I don't know who you are or if you're even listening to me. But if you're not against the TSAB, then stop wasting my time and get out of the way right now." The level of power before her was harsh and unyielding, becoming more and more hostile with every second. "If you're going to continue to block our way, then I'll just have to use - "
In the blink of an eye, the familiar transformed in front of her. Grey fur melted away into saintly robes and loose-fitting garments which covered the supple figure of a black-haired woman, her face once kindly and compassionate but now hard and emotionless. Though she appeared youthful at first glance, her skin seemed weathered and aged far beyond her years, almost as if part of her was living in a different time completely. The woman's clothes also displayed a strange emblem of some kind, yet there was something eerily familiar about it.
"That's the emblem of the House of Testarossa!" Exoria whispered, her eyes wide with fear. "Hayate, we have to get out of here!"
"Tell me that's not what I think it means," the Bureau mage said slowly. "You mean Yagami isn't the only one with her own Family in Mid-childa?"
"Forget Yagami! This is much, much worse!" The Time Mage tugged at her arm again, more desperately. "Come on!"
The raven-haired servant in front of them held out one hand, and a slim staff pulsating with energy took form at her command. She cut the air cleanly with the magical device, and the atmosphere rippled in response.
"I am Linith, servant of the House of Testarossa," she said softly. "Fate's arrival in this world has had a catastrophic effect upon our Family. Soon, we will be nothing but dust in the wind...but until then, my mistress wishes for me to repair the damage that Fate has done. We know that she did not come to this world alone. The travellers who came with her, the Bureau mages who came from another universe..." Her gaze touched their faces, and she let her breath out in one go. "They must be stopped, at any cost. No witnesses can remain alive. That is the law of the Family of Testarossa."
She moved her free hand slightly, and the walls of the corridor buckled outwards as if somebody had hit them with a sledgehammer. Linith gestured again, and the floor overheated until it cracked and bulged with steam. A glowing orb surrounded her lithe figure, lightning cracking around the edges.
Fate, what did you do? Hayate thought frantically. We escaped from the House of Yagami, only to be confronted by the House of Testarossa instead? This isn't going to be easy...I'm at a disadvantage in tight spaces.
"Exoria?" she called. "Could you give me some help here?"
The Time Mage was still hiding behind her. Wordlessly, she shook her head, still overwhelmed with fear and practically shaking from head to toe.
"Your partner cannot help you," Linith said with icy temperament. "She knows our Family's reputation well. Even Lady Yagami thinks twice before crossing the path of my mistress."
Hayate shrugged. "I don't know anything about you," she replied calmly, feeling a bit put out that the other woman would try to intimidate her. "Let's say I'm new to these parts. So who is this mistress you keep going on about?"
"None other than Alicia Testarossa."
The commander of Riot Force 6 froze in her tracks. She was enjoying this less and less with every passing minute, and was also a little bit confused. Alicia was alive in this world? More importantly, she was also in a similar business as Yagami? No wonder this planet was on the brink of disaster.
"You are strong," the familiar breathed, the tension hardening in its voice. "But there is no greater power in Mid-childa than that of Lady Testarossa. This is law. It is my duty as a member of the Family of Testarossa to curb your status and reduce you to a weaker lifeform, one who cannot possibly threaten her." Her magical field began to increase steadily with every word she uttered. "The Bureau have always maintained a weak presence upon this world. I will ensure that you stay that way, forever." Linith's eyes narrowed as she reached the peak of her magical power. "Testarossa Lightning Storm!"
Hayate felt the world around her erupt in a blaze of golden light which slashed down towards her mercilessly, even as she summoned her own spells to protect herself. She heard Exoria's terrified cries echo in her ears, felt the deadly impact which slammed into her Barrier Jacket and send her flying backwards at an incredible speed, and then there was nothing but raw magic puncturing the walls of the facility before her...
A/N: I reckon Vita's been through enough, so I won't have her captured by the enemy anymore. Now she's back for good.
Next chapter has Nanoha and Tiana, and the continuation of a battle.
EDIT: I'm going to be on hiatus from this story for a while. Not sure how long.