Magical Atoner Lyrical Alicia
Chapter Nineteen
It HAD been a quiet morning at the Mid embassy in Crystal Tokyo...
"What do you MEAN they're off planet?" Veronica Aston-Martin yelped, the attractive black haired woman sitting up behind her desk. "Both of them?" she asked.
"Both Alicia and Subaru Yagami, yes," Nene Scaglietti answered, the shorter blonde sighing as she stood in front of the desk.
"PLEASE tell me we know where they are," Veronica asked.
"We do, boss," Nene quickly reassured her. She brought up a screen on her device, "The Yagami family went on vacation yesterday, it's expected they'll be gone for a week. They're on un-administrated world number 3477."
"That's...," Veronica had to think a moment before the name came to her, "it's one of the Camelot variations, right?"
"Yes," Nene agreed, "current queen is a descendant of Arthura. The TSAB has a diplomatic office there, I've given them a heads up."
"Well, that's something," Veronica nodded, though she didn't really relax. A large part of her job was supposed to be keeping track of Alicia and the two devices, and it was frustrating how hard it was at times...
Veronica shook herself. She had work to do, after all. "All right, what's on the agenda today?" she asked.
"We have a representative of the Khanite booked later this morning," Nene noted, "they wish to discuss a trade agreement."
"Why us?" Veronica wondered, then realized, "Something military."
"Not specifically military," Nene noted, "I spoke to a aide, K'rk, they want improved computer technology for their ships."
"And they don't want to go with local suppliers in case there IS a war eventually," Veronica mused. "Interesting."
A chime rang out, and Nene checked the holographic screen on her device. "They're here, ma'am...," she reported.
"Well, let's get to work," Veronica nodded.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The 'luxury liner' cruised between alternate worlds on a circular course. It started it's route in a universe called the 'Shining Imperium' in which old China had lasted thousands of years, and cycled through Discworld, the Federation, the OTHER Federation, Midchild, Crystal Tokyo and several more before reaching port, then starting over again...
"I admit, I don't get using ships to travel dimensions," Alicia grumbled. Using Bardiche she could solo jump between worlds pretty much at will.
"Luggage," Yuchiro Yagami suggested cheerfully, the older man sitting with his wife just in front of them.
"Point...," Alicia conceded.
Rachel Yagami laughed as she said, "Thank you for coming along, Alicia. Poor Subaru would have had us hauling her to museums and such, otherwise..."
"Mother," Subaru groaned.
"I like museums, actually," Alicia added.
"I'm doomed," Subaru sighed as her parents chuckled.
New Londonium was a alternate dimension that Crystal Tokyo and other universes had contact with. They were a magi-tech civilization, much like Midchild or Tokyo, but had chosen a general 'look' for their society based on 'castles' and such.
"I heard you can fight with Knights and so on," Subaru added.
Alicia smiled slightly, "That would be interesting, I admit."
"Just don't get TOO carried away," Yuchiro reminded them.
"Yes, Dad," Subaru sighed fondly.
A attendant was moving through the cabin offering passengers drinks, and Alicia took a pouch of fruit juice and sat back with a sigh. This was her first 'vacation' by normal standards, and it was making her a bit anxious.
Of course, it helped that she rather liked Subaru's family. Yuchiro was a chef, who worked at home to create new dishes, then provided the recipies to restaurants and for home use. Rachel, on the other hand, was an advanced mathematitian. She was one of the leading thinkers behind the concepts of 'magi-tech' and was partially responsible for the technology behind Shieldbreaker ships.
She could, however, burn water, as Alicia had discovered on one visit to their home when she tried to do dinner...
"We will be arriving on New Londonium shortly," the good looking male attendant noted. "Phase-in may be uncomfortable, so please stay in your seats."
There was a mild shudder, then a feeling of disorientation as they moved from the Dimensional Sea back to 'reality.' It was really a fairly smooth transition, but several passengers went green anyway. Of course, neither Subaru or Alicia were bothered at all.
"HURK," Yuchiro finished in the barf bag, then sighed. "That was awful."
"There there," Rachel patted his arm, then she gave him a tablet to clean his mouth and freshen breath.
"Thanks, dear," he smiled.
"Is he going to be okay?" Alicia asked Subaru quietly.
"He'll be fine. He's just sensitive to dimension shifting," Subaru explained softly.
They disembarked into a smaller but well run 'airport.' Staff checked their identification, they were checked in, then headed outside.
"Carriage? Really?" Alicia blinked at the vehicles lined up waiting for them.
"It's all part of the tour," Rachel explained as a valet held open a door for them.
"Come on," Subaru urged as they climbed in. A driver used the reigns to urge the horses on, and they were off.
"Welcome to New Londonium, we'll be in the capital in about twenty cycles," the driver told them cheerfully. "You're from Crystal Tokyo, right?" he asked.
"Yes, we're vacationing," Subaru said cheerfully.
They passed through the woods, a local variation of maple trees surrounding them as he said, "Well, be careful. It's said the Black Knight and his band are roaming about..."
Almost exactly on cue a group of men in black burst from cover. "Stand and deliver!" the leader declared. "Surrender your valuables!"
"Oh no!" the driver declared dramatically.
"BARDICHE!" Alicia yelled as she burst out the door, Subaru right behind her.
"Yes sir," the device replied, extending and deploying it's energy blade.
"Raising Heart!" Subaru yelled, the gem activating and taking on it's staff mode.
"No farther," Alicia growled as she took up a fighting stance against them.
"They don't pay me enough for this," one knight dropped his weapon.
"Huh?" Subaru blinked.
Alicia brought her weapon up, bracing herself for an attack...
"Wait! Wait!" the driver yelped. "It's all staged."
"What?" Alicia asked as the warriors looked at her worriedly.
The apparent leader of the black knights explained, "We come and pretend to 'rob' you, then a knight rides up to 'rescue' you." They gestured to a strand of trees not far away, and a sheepish looking man in silver armor appeared, and waved.
"Oh," Subaru looked embarassed. She looked at her parents, "You knew...?"
Rachel looked embarassed, "We thought it'd be a fun surprise."
"You could have got them SHOT," Alicia groaned.
"Shot?" one of the black knights echoed worriedly. "No one says anything about..."
"Sorry," Yuchiro added.
The silver knight strode up, "That's the first time that's happened!"
"Too bad you didn't get to show off, Lance," the black knight noted, unlocking their helm and removing it.
"You wanted to show off too, Gawain," Lance teased.
SHE smiled, shaking out her long black hair, "True enough," she conceded. She strode over to Alicia and Subaru, "That was very impressive, ladies."
"Ah, thank you," Subaru had returned Raising Heart from 'canon' to staff mode, but hadn't put it away just yet.
Gawain noted that, and seemed amused. Alicia had returned Bardiche to her glove, as she said, "You might want to be careful jumping visitors from Crystal Tokyo."
"We'll keep that in mind," Gawain agreed.
Lance added cheerfully, "You'll be here a few days, right? The Grand Tourney is starting tomorrow, you could enter..."
"LANCE," Gawain casually smacked him as she added, "No recruiting the tourists."
"Sorry," Lance apologized, bowing. With that the girls got back in, and they headed to the city and, hopefully, their hotel and some rest.
"You FOUGHT OFF THE BLACK KNIGHTS?!" the counter girl squealed, impressed.
"That's going to come up a lot...," Rachel predicted, but she looked proud of them.
"Ugh...," Alicia sighed.
To be continued...
Notes: 'Artura' is functionally the Fate Stay Night version of Saber. Gawain and Lancelot are NOT the originals, but in this universe Arthurian names are popular.