Reviews are welcome.

..==..

SenkiZesshō Symphogear

Howling Song!

CH.3

Planning, Trying to Training, and Surprises.

"Speech" normal human/translation

"Speech" Symphogear activation or talking, private thoughts, telepathy, and communication

"Speech" Gear attacks, song titles

..==..

Food Court, Day Three.

Everyone was having lunch after the shopping was done and Artoria's group pinned down Genjuro Kazanari after his "great idea". Tsubasa wasn't sure if it was brilliant or just stupid at this point. Even if it would allow the girls to have some freedom in a safe place, but the students might not be that safe to be around. Sometimes it was just best to let the chips fall where they may for his plan, and explanation.

"Do you really think putting us in the school is really a good idea?" Silva asks Genjuro as she picks at her fried chicken. "What are you even going to tell them about us?"

"I believe it would help you girls learn a little about our world, and be close by if Kirika and Chris have any trouble with their magic." Genjuro says before slurping his noodles. "Also, you said that Kirika's emotions will trigger her ears and tail popping out almost at random, Artoria. I'd feel better it you were closer in case she has troubles keeping her normal look."

Artoria sighs after eating a bite of bacon cheese burger. "It's only been a day Genjuro and I'm going with her to the training room. We're going to see how Kirika does with her gear before we do anything else. The fact the no-one else is showing signs of magic or shifting is a good thing." She takes another bite before going on. "You're jumping the gun on this like a worried father. Also, no you cannot join us for training. We heard of how you can fight the girls while in their gear."

"If you want to train with someone you should train with Scarlet." Fran R. says with a grin. "Not only is she a skilled blacksmith, but she's a battle dancer too." She says as Scarlet rolls her eyes. "Oh, come on. You do better than any of us, and support Silva when it's something more ghost related."

It's moments like this that really helps remind Genjuro that while aliens; these girls have a lot of very human moments. Even if the topics make him wonder if he's in one of his movies. "Uh, do I want to know? Watson has been very detailed in his report about your home world." He sips his tea. "Guess I'm still wrapping my head around the fact magic is real and an everyday thing for your four." Genjuro says in deep thought. "Still I feel putting you girls in the school would be best for even your safety."

"Fine, but with our range of ages we'll still be split up." Scarlet points out to him while enjoying her ice cream. "I'm seventeen, Fran is fifteen, and both Artoria and Silva are sixteen. Unless you think keeping us all in the same class would be better?"

"Yes, in fact I was planning on you four joining Hibiki and Miku's class. Some of the students left with their families before the break. So, we got lucky in a way." Genjuro says finishing his noodles. "We'll still working out where to put you in regards to the dorm, or a place of your own."

"It'll be best if we're somewhere we can have open space for magic and training." Silva says finishing her chicken and rice. "So, a place of our own would be best in case something happens."

"Like what?" Genjuro asks as Kirika nearly tackle hugs Artoria out of her chair. She has her white wolf ears and tail out again. "Besides the newest wolf in our ranks that is." He chuckles as Shirabe takes Artoria by the arm with a small smile. "It looks like they've really taken to you, Artoria."

The red wolf girl chuckles, embarrassed. "What is it you two? You're acting like my sisters when they want something." Artoria says having to put her burger down or risk dropping it.

"More like we have something!" Kirika says with her tail wagging, which Scarlet blocks with her wing to keep their food from being knock around. "Elfnein and Watson think someone is trying to reach you!"

"They were testing the comms on a U.N. satellite, and got this back." Shirabe says pulling out her phone and shows the video message to everyone.

"This is Captain Jack "Sparrow" Redmoon of the Black Pearl to Artoria Redmoon. If you're there niece I need a sign of some kind. Nothing to big but if even Watson is, somehow, there I have to know. I already had word sent home to your mother about where you are." Captain Jack says in the message before letting out a sigh. "You said you all are safe and with friends, right? I'm going to need more than that before your mother shows up. You know how she is."

Shirabe looks at Artoria still grinning. "He has the same family name as you. Is he your father?"

"No, but he is my uncle." Artoria says with a grin of her own as Genjuro place Jacks' face with another Jack he owns of. "I'm sure Watson is already working on telling him we're here and same. It'll be a matter of him using a shuttle or bring the whole ship down to get us."

"To be far, I think he'll try to be more subtle once he sees Earth's level of tech." Duel Fang says. "I'm just surprised we're still having trouble with anything beyond short range comms. There must be a few more RG units out there."

Fran R. sighs finishing her meal. "I hope not. It would mean someone might find them and god knows what will happen." She says pulling her Blood Claw, in silver pendent form, from under her shirt. "I'm more worried we're not picking them up active or not."

"Tell me about it. It goes to show just how far General Blaze went with his plan." Blood Claw says bring up a small area map of about three miles. "I also don't want to push my luck scanning since it might be taken the wrong way. I'm only on passive as it is for safety sake."

"Which leaves up with one thing." Silva says looking to Genjuro. "We're going to name The Black Pearl to scan the planet and send us the data before even trying to pick us up. I don't think they can even use the portals to get us either because of the RG units."

"Alright." Genjuro says understanding what the girls are getting out. "It'll be more helpful for us as well. I'll head back to talk with the captain and explain what the plan is. Artoria, I'd like you to come with me please."

"I was going to anyway." Artoria says finishing her burger in three bites. "Come on Kirika and Shirabe. You might as well be there for the whole thing." She says getting up and gently hugging the two girls. "I still can't believe you two are this happy around me."

"Well, I was hoping to get matching ears and tail with Kirika." Shirabe says with a sly grin. "But I don't think lighting will strike a third time for us."

Artoria sighs shaking her head as they follow Genjuro out of the food court. "A jinx isn't just a spell or enchantment you know, Shirabe."

..==..

HQ Command Room

Location: Under the Seaside Hotel and Mall

Aoi Tomosato watches as Watson and Elfnein work on the comms system to keep the signal between The Black Pearl, and S.O.N.G. HQ. The reason was they didn't need anyone getting ideas that could lead into trouble. It was already bad enough someone wanted the four girls for "testing" but was scared out of the idea by the commander. Genjuro really turns into a protective father when it comes to any of the relic wielders.

"How's it coming down there, Watson?" Sakuya Fujitaka asks from his computer. "We've nearly got the satellite in geosynchronous orbit. That should help keep things a little more private between us for a little while."

Watson is shoulders deep in the floor handing Elfnein tools and parts as she asks for them. A surprisingly less troubling thing than most thought it would be. "It shouldn't be too much longer since we found the burnt board. Unless there are any more burnt systems down there?" He asks Elfnein as he uses his head light to help her see.

"I'm not seeing anything else burnt, chewed, or otherwise down here. I think we're all good now." Elfnein says packing the tools and parts away. "Mind giving me a lift?" She asks grabbing Watson's hand and giggles as he pulls her out of the maintenance area. "Thank you!"

"You're very welcome." Watson says with a chuckle as he places the young blonde on the floor. "I'll just put the panel over it for now. We can lock it down fully in a bit." He says moving a metal panel over the hole and places the tool bag on it. "There."

The doors open with Genjuro leading a small group into the new commander HQ. Artoria, Kirika, and Shirabe are there with him along with Priestess and Maria. Is surprised everyone how quickly Priestess took to the clothes of their world. At the moment she is dressed in blue jeans, a white shirt with blue sleeves, white boots, and a white-blue hat. She somehow still looks like a Priestess in even normal clothes.

However, before Genjuro can sit down Watson says something that has Artoria pulling him and the girls out of the room fast. "Pull the lever!"

"Shit not again!" Artoria screams as the others just look at Watson. She picks into the room from around the edge of the door. "I hate you so much right now."

"To be fair we don't even get the joke." Aoi says she turns the comms on. "System is green across the board."

Genjuro did get the joke and sighs walking to his chair. "I'm not going to ask why, Artoria. Aoi, get Captain Sparrow on the comm, please."

"Yes, sir." Aoi says as Sakuya starts to chuckle. "What is it?"

"I do get the joke." Sakuya says between giggles. "At least it wasn't the wrong lever."

"Boooo!" Artoria says as Captain Jack appears on the large screen with part of the ship's bridge behind him. "Uncle Jack! How are you doing? Hey, Gibbs!"

"Better now that I see you're really okay, and among very interesting people." Jack says as Mr. Gibbs waves in the back ground. "I take it the giant of a man is Genjuro Kazanari you said in charge, Watson?"

Watson nods his head. "Yes, and I'm a little surprised you're not already to Earth. Did something happen?"

"Something big. We found the Whitemoon exploration ship a drift in the belt. One of the cryogenic bays is missing though." Jack says excitedly before calming down and fixing his hat. "We're going to be a few more days since the ship still has some power, and most of the crew is still alive. Which is why we're talking like this instead of face-to-face, Genjuro."

"I understand seeing this turned into a large rescue mission for you. How long has it been since the ship went missing?" Genjuro asks as Artoria keeps Kirika behind her. He sees this out of the corner of his eye and frowns a little. "Would I be right in guessing the ship has been missing long enough for those people to have decedents?"

That made Jack's ears twitch and look to Artoria with Kirika peeking around her arm. With her white wolf ears up and twitching with eagerness to ask questions, it's clear Kirika wasn't a normal human.

"I'd yes a few thousand years but the lost bay seems to have happened in the last four hundred. Looks like an asteroid impact triggered the emergency release." Jack says getting what Genjuro was asking seeing Kirika bouncing on her feet. "We can talk more about that in person. For now I'd like to get whatever is needed done before I go help my crew. Having a good time teaching the new wolf, Artoria?"

Artoria sighs in defeat as Kirika hugs her. "It's just her second day as a shifter, Uncle. But, I am having a good time helping out. It's Genjuro's idea of having us go to school that worries me." She says leering at the red haired man. "I don't think he really got around to explain how this got the okay."

"Like how we're lost on what 'S.O.N.G.' stands for and what you guys do." Mr. Gibbs says with a grin. "Might give us ideas for the girls own team name."

"Please, no." Artoria groans covering her face.

Genjuro chuckles reaching over and pats the red wolf girl on the shoulder. "It stands for 'Squad of Nexus Guardians' and we're the UN's Special Disaster Response Team. We're very adept at dealing with very odd things, and even stranger people." He laughs as the girls sighs at their commander, Artoria groans muttering something, and Priestess is just confused.

"He'd fit in well with the crew wouldn't he, Captain?" Another voice says as an old sea dog of a cybrog walks out of the lift. The smile on his face is oddly charming but with a hint of mischief to it. The plain brown pants, tan shirt, and weathered tricorner hat speak of a long life. The robotic right arm is a weathered metal that's been well cared for. "Not that we can take him from his own crew, can we?"

"No, Mr. Silver, we surely cannot." Captain Jack says with a grin as Artoria's tail starts to wag, even if she's still hiding her face. "Still you wouldn't be here unless something happened. Dare I ask?"

"We've got to use a hard line to medical from the old Galatica-class, Captain. There be life signs in the old emergency biofield scanner. If we hurry we can get them new bodies by the end of the day." Long John Silver(1) says leaning over the railing behind Jack. "It was a rush job by someone like they planned to save these three. We'll need the ships parked close enough to kiss each other. I know it's a lot to ask, but someone on that ship risked themselves for others."

Jack didn't need to think twice as he stood up. "Very well. I'll come and help out. Helm! Gets us in nice and close. Commander Kazanari, you can good care of those girls for us and we'll talk again later. I've got some lives to help save."

"Best of luck, Captain." Genjuro says before Mr. Gibbs nods to the Long John and Jack as they leave the bridge. "Was there something else, Mr. Gibbs?" He asks a little surprised the comm wasn't closed.

"Just a fair warning we'll be sending a few ships to you to lock down a more private line. As well as one of them heading down to your base to help find the other RG units. Also, I'd like to hear how you got this crazy plan to put the girls in school to even work too." Mr. Joshamee Gibbs says with a wily grin.

"I'd like to know as well, before you put these girls through any more headaches." Maria says with her arms crossed and glaring at Genjuro. You can almost see the flares of anger coming off the woman.

"It was this or the UN taking the girls for safe keeping. We all know how well that would turn out, so I picked the lesser of two evils." Genjuro says with deep sigh. The kind of sigh that only a man tired for the foolishness of his fellow man that haven't learned a thing either their mistakes, or past events. "I almost makes we want to fight the Noise bare handed."

"I'll get some of our best rum on the Python for you, Genjuro." Mr. Gibbs says with a shiver. "Sound to me you'll need it, and a bit of our tech to share with this UN. Might just make them forget about the girls for a while with it being shields, medical, and a basic FTL."

Everyone a surprised by the offer and Genjuro bows his head. "You would be doing us all a great honor! The tech alone will keep most the world happy and away for some time! The FTL alone will be a great boon that none of them will turn down!"

"And it'll keep them away from us." Artoria sighs. "It's a huge break of rules, but that's why you guys are doing it." She grins at the old pirate. "Just make sure we have nothing make it down here, please."

"You know that'll never happen." Mr. Gibbs laughs before closing the comm.

"I'm going to tell the others." Artoria says turning around heading for the door with her blonde and raven haired shadows. "Are you two going to stop following me anytime today?"

"Nope." They say at the same time with matching grins.

"If, but we're still training later all the same. I want to make sure Kirika's armor will add armor to protect her tail and ears. Duel Fang thinks he might be able to find their personalities as well." Artoria say as they leave the command room. "If there's any at all." She mutters to herself soft enough only Kirika heard her.

This left Genjuro with Maria and Priestess as Watson shakes his head. "You know at some point I'm going to have to check Shirabe again. You don't have a thing to worry about Maria before you even ask. It's Miku and Shirabe that are showing signs of what Kirika is going through now." The Kampfer MS droid says with a worried tone of voice. "The only good news it seems to be helping them pull away from that Linker stuff."

"I have noticed I don't need it as often as Shirabe and Kirika do. Is it because of what my relic is made from?" Maria asks having wondered for some time about it. The fact the relic turned out to be made from the left arm of the man Fine' loved, and by that her ancestor, was attuning to her much easier. "It would be nice to never need the linker ever again."

"I think it is, but without a detailed base line to go by I can't say for sure. For all I know you might have a pair of guardian spirits helping." Watson says with a shrug. "Stranger things have happen on our world with magic being a thing."

"I'll just keep thinking it's the former of those ideas." Maria says with a weak chuckle.

"So, they're sending a snake to us?" Priestess asks not really understanding what a "Python" was in this case.

"It's the name of a type of ship." Watson explains snapping his finger and the image of a Python ship appears on the main screen. "This would be it. A medium sized ship with multiple roles it can fill. The arrow head design lets it even glide in atmosphere, but the big thing is everything on it is modular from power plant to weapons and armor."

"Isn't that the same type of ship from the game Elite Dangerous?" Aoi asks doing a search for said ship pictures.

"Yes, it's one of the many ships that were pulled to our system by the gates from across the multiverse." Watson says showing a few other ships from Star Trek to Star Citizen. Even a few Mobile Suits like the Zaku to the Strike Dagger. "The group behind all this research basically wanted a short cut to making a race of warrior slaves from people from across the multiverse too. That's how we have Artoria, Fran, Silva, and Scarlet. Their ancestors were viewed as nothing more than a means to an end for 'cheap cannon fodder', but that bit them in the ass."

Priestess could only guess how much of a bite I must have been to a group of false gods. "And they're from the four main families that pulled their world together to take their freedom back? Doesn't that make them royalty?"

"And they hate it! They want to be known for who they are and not what they come from." Watson laughs loudly. "In fact! It's more in line with how their ancestors were too! We've got records of the event, but no real time line for it yet. I know it wasn't in my three hundred plus years of life."

This fact makes it clear that the girls are much more 'normal' in their way of living than even Genjuro thought. It took a lot of stress off his shoulders about how he should treat them. If anything everyone was feeling a lot better about putting the girls in school. But one thing still has them worried.

"So, where are we going to put that ship?" Sakuya asks Genjuro making the commander face palm.

..==..

Meanwhile at the Black Pearl

Captain Jack drags a heavy cabal to the airlock and slams it into a slot marked "Medical Bay". He sighs leaning on the wall and punches the comm unit. "Did we get them in time, Steven?"

"We got them! The computer is already working on their new bodies with matching DNA that's, get this, ninety nine point eight!" The ship's doctor Steven Franks shouts joyfully over the comm. "We'll this other guy back on his feet soon too! We have a match on him that you will not believe, Captain."

"I'd believe it, Doctor. There is no other person but Alex Murphy that we all know in that kind of body." Jack says standing up and fixing his hat. "Make double sure that RoboCop is given extra care. He was pretty badly damaged and get Davy to repair his weapons too." He thinks for a moment before shrugging to himself. "I'll get you a link to S.O.N.G. HQ once we have the satellites in place. I have a feeling they might know who those three are. In the meantime, I'm going to see if I can help with anything else."

Captain Jack wastes no time turning the comm off before making sure the cable is locked in place, and heads back onto the old ship. His crew is hard at work restoring primary systems, lighting, and in some areas gravity as well. The old Galactica-class might be bigger by half to his Black Pearl, but it wasn't a light weight either. Still it was going to take the better part of a month to bring it up to flight worthy.

"Silver! They made it with time to spar." Jack calls out as he walks into the secondary bridge. The main bridge currently has a nickel/iron asteroid stuck through it. "How's it looking with getting the black box out of there?"

"I'm wishing Jim was here since he has a gift for this stuff." Long John chuckles as he pulls a black box that's two by one and a half feet out of the floor. "But I have me moments. This should be the captain's logs of the ship. It'll take time for me to get the other three out. I never did understand why they designed four black boxes for these ships instead of one."

Jack picks up the unit with a shake of his head. "Part of the reason these ships got phased out like they did. We never got the full story with half the data missing, or just finding the damn things melted in the launch tubes. And don't get me started on the mess that refits of this ship type were either!"

John gives a deep sigh as he opens another floor plate. "I read about those, captain. What damn fool thought those refits we even sane?"

"Like the Gutamaya line of ships being designed by an artist? I mean lovely ships, but the landing gear on some of them is just asking for it to fall over." Jack says with a chuckle. "Does it land or bite into the landing pad?"

"The great hall entry on the Cutter being another fine design fail. How many people tripped on that going out of the damn thing?" Long John asks pulling the next black box out and moving to the next. "Not to say it doesn't hold its own in a fight or moving cargo."

"True, if you have it fitted with turrets with how slow it turns." Jack sighs. "Like a drunk, beached whale. Well, back to work! Did you get anything out of the computers before you had to start pulling the boxes?"

Silver shakes his head. "Sorry, captain. There isn't enough power to work even the old keyboards, and those barely needed power. I'll have a report by the time lunch needs making for the crew." He says fighting to get the last panel open. "Damn fool of a scarp eater! Open!"

Jack quickly helps by grabbing the panel and pulling hard. The panel pops open and the smell of burnt metal and grease fills the room. The last black box was roasted in a clear act of sabotage as they can make out the faint hint of phosphorus.

"White phosphorus being used to destroy a black box? It's that going a little far?" Silver asks in shock as the last box also held the ship scanner logs, and star charts.

"Only if it wasn't meant to hide something." Jack growls. "My mother loved this idea as a means of hiding data if another ship saw her ship where it wasn't meant to be. This was also resent too."

"Which means that bitch is still alive? How did that ship even stay together without the FTL bubble?!" Silver asks in both fear and rage. He, like many on the Black Pearl, hoped she really had dyed to Watson's well placed beam cannon blast that day eight years ago.

"I don't know. However, that means she, or whoever did this missed the secondary storage on the scanners themselves! It's not on the blueprints of this class of ship in the records!" Jack shouts before running out of the bridge with Silver hot on his heels. "We may find that monster and how Murphy got here yet!"

..==..

S.O.N.G. Training Room One Hour Later

After letting the others know what was happening and the discovery of the lost ship. Artoria spent nearly an hour explaining why this was important to Goblin Slayer's group. Kirika's just happy she might have family, even if they're from another world at this point. The emotional energy was enough that Shirabe and Miku both changed like Kirika did. First to change was Miku getting a pair of cat tails and ears of black fur with teal-green strips. Needless to say this got a big hug from Black Cat Fran thinking Miku had evolved. Next was Shirabe surprising everyone getting fox ears and three tails all with fur as black as her hair.

That all lead to Artoria now training with all three girls as Duel Fang links to their relics to try, and hopefully wake the relics fully. The link Duel Fang made runs through the HQ computer so Elfnein and Watson can get in the coding since each Symphogear is made from fragments of a relic. The coding just might hold the key at this point to even find the other fragments, if any are left.

"Alright, we have the link now. It's clear and stable." Watson says over the comms as Artoria and Silva both look Kirika, Miku, and Shirabe's armors over. "Sure far we haven't found anything for a personality yet, but we are getting data for a few environments that can lead us to the pieces. It looks like your idea is working Duel Fang."

"I didn't even think that the fragments might be talking to each other on a subspace channel. I wonder if Fine' knew about this?" Elfnein says as Silva knocks on Kirika's new tail armor with a grin. "I think we might get closer to some answers today with this then I have in the labs."

"It looks like the armors have made the changes to match the girls as well without needing our help." Artoria says as Miku lashes her tails like whips as a black ribbon extends from her armored tail tips. "They even got weapons like my slash whips and covers from their ears."

Shirabe had to shift her hair style a little with her fox ears 'popping' in, but she didn't mind. The fact she could use three more buzz saws in battle thanks to her new tails really got her smiling. A little bit scary for anyone else to see outside of S.O.N.G., but Silva liked it.

"Eager to test out some ideas?" Silva asks Shirabe with e knowing grin as her tails wag gently behind her. The armor shifting to a different kind of gun for each tail as Shirabe nods her head grinning.

"Easy girls. We're just about done with the tracking programs up here. You can have your fun in a moment." Watson chuckles as Kirika surprises herself with a dual bladed scythe on her tail armor.

"If the girls playing around like this don't get the brains of these relics to wake up, nothing will." Luna Arrow says with a sigh in her voice. "You know it'll mean the worst thing possible too, bro."

"That they were built without minds, or they were removed and destroyed when they turned out like us prototypes. I know, but I can still hope for the better." Duel Fang says grimly. "We've done all we can with the link. Watson and Elfnein, It's in your hands with the whole team from here on. Best of luck."

As Watson and Elfnein worked on tracking the whereabouts of the other fragments and data for the relics. Artoria gets her swords out, ready to get a little training in.

"Alright! First up is some basic movement!" Artoria says loud with a grin. "You three now have tails and while Kirika has had her tail for the past day, you two haven't. Plus, you'll find things like jumping around much different." She explains as Shirabe shifts back to normal human. "That's the other thing: Keeping your normal human look."

"But why?" Kirika asks as her ears go flat. "I like being like this. It just feels more normal." She pouts as Silva pats her head.

"I get it, Kiri-chan." Shirabe says before 'snapping' her fox tails and ears back out. "But how are we going to explain it at school? You know, without making it look like Artoria and the girls did this as some plot?"

"Oooh." The blonde white wolf girl says. "Right. Yumi and the others are going to be bad enough." Kirika looks panicked like she remembered something. "Oh crap! They're going to be here this afternoon!"

Miku facepalms. "I knew I was forgetting something! Commander?" She says tapping her armor headband.

"They're already here." Aoi sighs over the comm with the sound of Yumi, Kuriyo, and Shiori having a small freak out in the background. "And just met Jet in his large form."

The girls all sigh knowing Jet's true size is three meters (nearly ten feet) tall! Which can leave some people feeling very uneasy around a wolf of that size, or in Jet's case a Direwolf. Everyone is lucky he's a smart boy, friendly, and gentle good boy of a wolf.

"Wasn't Hibiki with Fran and Jet outside?" Silva asks before they start running for the exit. At least Shirabe, and Miku are getting the hang of their new sense of balance. "Not the way I thought training would start out."

"At least it's still working out for everyone so far." Artoria says with a chuckle. "Genjuro's plan is starting to look better if this is the norm for the girls. I'm just worried about Kirika since she won't stay to her human look."

"Think it might have something to do with the Whitemoon ship's crew being alive?" Miku asks jogging next to Silva and Artoria. She's taking to her new tails and balance pretty well. "Both her and Shirabe are orphans after all. I can only imagine how lonely it must be for them sometimes."

"Well, I guess I can understand a little being an only child." Silva says as they turn a corner and around some of the staff. "Artoria is the oldest of two sets of twins with Fran being adopted."

Miku hits a doorframe face first. "ACK?! T-two sets of twins?!" She rubs the left side of her face as they run. "How does your mother deal with all of you?"

"With a lot of love and spare energy." Artoria laughs as Silva used a healing spell on Miku. "I'm the only one out of all of my sisters that doesn't have heterochromia. It does make us easier to tell apart. Aside from our hair colors that is."

Miku nearly runs into another doorframe trying to picture Artoria's sister and mother. "You've got show us pictures sometime. I don't think we can take meeting them without a little warning first!"

"I'll think about it." Artoria giggles making Miku worry about what's to come, or more like who is coming. "No promises!" She says picking up speed to catch up to Kirika and Shirabe.

Miku however growls. "You get back here!"

"And here I was worried about a battle of the sassy." Silva deadpans as she keeps a steady pace for her run down the hallway.

It wasn't long before all five got to the outdoor pool area to find Cat Fran and Jet dealing with three girls that looked freaked out. Not a big surprise with how Teacher is also floating around too. The biggest reason for Yumi, Kuriyo, and Shiori freak out is Lizard Priest is also there. Yumi was shouting something about some anime that was going over most of everyone's heads as well, but that wasn't important either. What is important is who is standing there that Aoi has her gun pointed at.

The man old but still strong with long grey-white hair, wearing a tan and brown kimono. Artoria and Silva are more worried about the woman next to him in green robes, holding a black crystal staff, her dark blue eyes glaring as her long black-grey hair moves in an unseen wind. It's the wolf ears and tail that mark her as the real threat.

"So, who's the old man you put on a leash, Miranda Redmoon?" Artoria growls out making her grandmother, how looks to be in her later thirties and not the sixty something she really is, turn to show the black scars on her left cheek. "Guess Watson really did closest to killing you."

"Yes, I even lost my arm before the backup FTL active, granddaughter." Miranda says flatly as she watches the group of girls move to be between her and the others. "I see you're still…" She tilts her head to the side as Aoi fires at her. "Maybe not so weak after all." She mutters having felt the breeze of the bullet.

"Indeed." The man says with a nod of his head. "To answer your question, child." His eyes widen as Jet growls firing a Dark Lance and cuts the man's face. "Impressive. I'm Fudou Kazanari, and I'm hardly on a 'leash' as you so put it, girl."

Artoria and Silva both give a dry laugh before the red wolf girl speaks. "Really? You don't know the mutt bitch at all, and you're standing alongside her? Dead man walking if I ever saw one." Artoria growls with her swords at the ready, Silva has her dual Gatling guns ready, and Cat Fran holding Teacher with a Flare Blast ready to fire. "Get to the point so I can kill you both!"

Miranda snorts holding up her left arm to show a prosthetic limb of black and green metal. "I came here to see why I felt a Whitemoon in this city. Imagine my shock to see a rare shifter and she's even a relic wielder. I wanted to offer her a chance to become stronger is all."

"I'll pass thanks." Kirika says with her scythe high and "Kill Juliet" ready to fly. "I heard enough in passing and seen the scars you whipped into them to know you a monster like that old fool." She growls as a pair of wolves made of shadow and fire appears out of her shadow.

"Already using pack spells?" Miranda mutters before looking to Fudou. "I think we're done here."

"Yes. If anything I know Japan is much safer without me, but I'll still return to pay you all back for my humiliation." Fudou says as a black portal opens and quickly moves over himself and Miranda as the girls attack.

"Till next time, dear granddaughter." Miranda's voice says from the air with a laugh.

Genjuro runs out of the building with the other wielders behind him. "We heard Fudou…"

"Was hear and with my grandmother!" Artoria snarls, glaring at the burnt crater where the two were. "You just missed them and I can guess why." She says turning to see most of the group roughed up. Fran R. the worst of them holding her left arm as she heals a deep cut. "Cogs?"

"Something new and stinks of dark magic." Fran R. says looking shaken. "Watson is with Elfnein still since they got jumped, but are okay. We got lucky she only wanted to 'say hello' before fucking off."

"I think we need a little information about who and what we're dealing with here people." Teacher says taking in the fact even Jet wanted to kill both Fudou and Miranda on the spot. "Let's start with everyone calming down, we see what was damaged or taken, and then someone explains who those people were. I want to know about that Miranda first. Because it seems she's the more problematic of the two evils."

"Now that's a plan we can work with." Tsubasa says looking around. "If they are really gone that is?"

Artoria puts her swords away going to her sister to help heal her and anyone else with Silva. "She is. Trust me I'd know if she was still here somewhere." She says as the group starts the work of damage control.

Two hours later and a little helping Kirika's put her two fire shadow wolves put away. The group was in the movie theater for ease of explaining and using the screen. The command room was a bit of a mess from Watson's shotguns, and demolition whip. Yes, the same one made up of bombs from the anime.

"Now the first thing is the damage report." Genjuro says looking back at everyone. He notes that Artoria, Silva, Fran R., and Scarlet are all sitting together with Chris next to Artoria hugging her. "The only damage done was by Watson in the command room with good reason. We got an ID on the attackers that Miranda used to delay us." He turns to his pad and brings up some game play from Destiny on the moon. "She somehow got some of these things. The Hive."

Shiori spits her drink out, surprising Hibiki and Miku. "Th-the Hive!? As in the next worst thing in the multiverse to be trying to use?" She shouts in horror. "What was even used in the attack?!"

"Thrall and at least three Knights." Watson says with his arms crossed and tapping his right finger on his left arm. "I should know since I had to deal with them. Again I'm sorry about the command room, but that last one pulled a powerful move out of nowhere with those shields." He says as the battle was put up on screen next with him gunning down the Thrall in seconds along with one Knight, and cutting the other in half with his beam saber. The last one glowed purple forming two shields it threw at Watson as he protected Elfnein. "I still had to crush something before it fully charged up. I feared it was a bomb."

"Worse. That wasn't a normal Knight, but one of the Savathun's Hive, The Lucent Brood." Shiori explains farther. "That was A Hive Ghost you crushed and if you hadn't that Hive would have been back up for round two."

Kuriyo just blinks in surprise at her friend. "I never thought you were a lore keeper."

"I play titan and like to crush stuff in game. It helps me vent my stress and I have fun." Shiori says with a light blush on her face as she sits down. "I also really like how deep some of the lore is too. But I'm worried about how Miranda controlled the Hive. They're not very open to anyone outside of their group, and I mean they normally attack first and question never."

"There was this black mist that seemed to be around their heads. I don't know what it was since it turned to ash like the Hive bodies all did." Elfnein says sipping her soda. "Is that a normal thing?"

"Yeah. You kill them and they turn to ash like they were hit by the Noise." Shiori says with a sigh. "Honestly it is for the best."

"I heard you say 'Cogs' to your sister after everyone got to the pool." Yumi asks turning to Artoria. "You didn't mean the same Cogs from the Zeo Rangers, did you?" She asks as Genjuro bring up a fight scene with the named troops fighting the Rangers.

"Miranda likes to use fodder troops and since someone in the past collated a bunch from across the 'Morphing Grid' part of the multiverse for research, you can guess what they get used for." Silva says in a deadpan voice. "The number of times they've been found in ruins and old stations as part of a trap is too high. I had a run in with Putty Patrollers once and Cogs." She giggles. "They attacked each other instead of me and I got away. I still remember one of the Putties being used as a sled in that fight."

"Yeah, that sounds like the normal thing for those fodder types." Genjuro deadpans with a sigh. "Moving on! I take it the Cogs are Miranda's normal fodder troops?"

"If she had any we would have seen them in the fight." Fran R. says munching on a snack bar. "I think she was test running her control on the Hive today. Was there anything stolen?"

Owaga shakes his head. "No, in fact there were a few things left that we're holding in a vault. I get the feeling it was a cry for help from some of the Hive. We have footage of a Thrall placing a metal box next to Elfnein's lab door before killing itself. The black mist seems to get thicker before it took its life."

"Must have been a strong mind and wanted out on their terms." Kirika says getting a nod from Goblin Slayer. "Not a very good sign."

"Was their anything else?" Goblin Slayer asks trying to find a pattern in the sudden, but short attack. "Besides the scroll I got off one of the glowing Thrall."

Shiori shivers as looking at GS. "You took out a Cursed Thrall before it blew up in your face?"

Goblin Slayer slow turns to look at the young long haired blonde. "I threw my sword at it. The fact it was glowing was worrying enough. Thank you for telling us they explode."

"The scroll turns out to be a map to an old ruin in the mountains. We already have a team searching the area before we dig deeper." Owaga says as Genjuro brings up the map and the last. A black leather bond book floating three inches above a table and wrapped in gold chains. "This is the last item. So far, all it has done is float and give off faint energy spikes. It's in another vault till we can make sure it's safe to be near."

"It's no tomb we know of, I can tell you that much." Artoria says hugging Chris to help keep herself calm. "Slayer? Fran?"

"Nothing I'd know. Sorry." Cat Fran says shrugging her shoulders.

A mix of "Nope" and "Nothing comes to mind" came from Goblin Slayer's group.

"If this was an anime, it would be the one item that turned out to be the wild card in our favor." Yumi says thinking hard for a moment. "That or it holds something far worse and it a time bomb waiting to go off as part of the plan."

"Like the Book of Darkness from Nanoha?" Hibiki asks Yumi. "I really hope we don't have to deal with that. The anime was scary enough and I've fought a god."

Scarlet sighs. "Just when I thought we were going to have it easy. Has any told Captain Jack what happened?"

"We sent word by means of my ship." A female voice says as a blue haired wolf girl walks into the theater wearing a mini skirt, pirate hat, and dressed like a pirate captain to some degree. "Marika Redmoon, daughter of Captain Jack, is here!" Her blue eyes shine like the gem in her forehead as she smiles.

Artoria falls into Chris's lap in surprise. "M-Marika!?"

"Hey, cousin." Marika says with a grin. "Whoa! You're a pretty big group with some awesome powers! Even if some powers are still sleeping." She says with her tail wagging. "Anyway, I'm here to just drop off the scan data and I got here a little over an hour ago. Since you guys didn't have a landing area for me I just flew around scanning for RG units, or natural rifts to help you guys." She says pulling out a cube like data storage unit from her jacket.

Chris just pets the growling Artoria in her lap to calm her down. "This is not how I pictured things going today. You find anything useful to track down Miranda and Fudou?" Chris asks, glaring at Marika. "We've got enough happening as is, thank you very much."

"Wow, and here I thought Cathy or Silva are the only ones to put out that level of sass." Marika says as she walks down to Genjuro. "Here you go. It's got a short range Wi-Fi in it, so it'll work with your pad." She says handing the cube to Genjuro with a smile.

"We'll look at it later. What can you tell us about Miranda Redmoon, Marika? I'd ask Artoria, Fran, Scarlet, or Silva about her. But it seems to trigger them." Genjuro says taking the cube with a sigh.

"It's on there too. Even I don't like talking about her, and I never met her in my life." Marika deadpans. "Dad went out of his way to make sure of that. Just keep in mind she wasn't always like this from how Dad talks about her."

"How so?" Maria asks leaning forward a little in her seat.

"Well, Dad said it her change stared after getting the black crystal staff years ago. She started turning evil over the years like something was either changing her, or taking over." Marika says tapping her chin as she paces back and forth. "If he's right than getting that staff away from her should turn her back."

"I vote we destroy it." Scarlet says with a growl. "That'll break the link the fastest if she's being controlled. If she's been taken over and the staff gone she might push whatever it is out of her mind."

"I say we just kill her." Artoria mutters before letting out a 'YIP!?' from Chris hitting her on the head. "What was that for?"

Chris sighs. "Don't let your anger get the better of you, and think for a moment. I do understand what you've been through and I know those scars take longer to heal." She says looking to Fran Redmoon and Silva. "However, we should look at everything to make sure of both the how and what happened to change her."

"Chris is right about that." Miku says looking to Kirika and Shirabe. "Did either of you two feel something was wrong about that staff? It gave me the same feeling whenever I think of Shem-Ha's bracer, or see a picture of it."

"I just wanted it gone more than either Miranda or Fudou." Kirika says growling a little. "It was like someone was watching through the crystal somehow."

Shirabe just nods her head in agreement, but the look in her eyes says something else. Her eyes are wide with fear as the moment replays in her mind before it turns to rage. "I will crush whatever it is that staff is linked too." She says softly as her hands glow with a pure white light.

"Guess I have my work cut out for me now. It looks like Shirabe might be closer to how I use magic, and that's strong purifying power she's holding too." Silva says looking calmer. In fact everyone in the theater feels much calmer as their anger and/or fatigue start to fade away. "Oh yeah. She's going to be a great help with a little training."

Shirabe looks at her hands as she calms down with a soft smile. "Looks like you're not leaving me behind after all, Kiri-chan."

..==..

Author's Notes

Yes, it is Treasure Planet's Long John Silver. How could I not?