Angelic Resonance (Cross Ange x Lyrical Nanoha x Full Metal Panic)

[WiseMan744436]

Spoiler: Angelic Resonance

Mana…the ability to manifest matter and manipulate information, a power best described as magic.

Thanks to it, the world is in a state where people found peace. War, pollution, and poverty were things of the past. Humanity found it to be the most powerful thing in existence.

Even then, all things had their flaws and this world was no exception. And a horrible one at that.

However, unknown to them was something that could change that. Something that was the king of all magic...miracles.

And only one thing produced miracles...hope.

---

In the world of Mana laid six of the most powerful nations. On one section laid the desert kingdom of Velda. In the nearby grassy fields was the Endrant Union. On large remote landmass was the Galia Empire. Across the ocean was another vast continent large continent; its mountainous regions on the southern sub-continent was the Marmelia Republic and in the northern one, the Rosenblum Kingdom.

But the central and most important nation of all was the Empire of Misurugi. Besides being the most technologically advanced society in all of Mana, it was also said to be the heart of Mana society. In fact, the resource was so accessible and usable; they even made mobile machines out of them: flying cars, screens that appeared out of nowhere, and hovering motorcycles for various games and sports.

One such sport was Iaria, which legends state evolved from the ancient sport of lacrosse. Using Mana and the hovering motorcycles powered by it, they turned what was once a game on foot into one of seemingly elevated fun and competition.

Today was a special event, where high schools from the most powerful nations competed against each other. One team was from the Ho-o Institute, the main academy for the Empire of Misurugi, which was playing a home game. Their opponent was the Flora Academy, hailing from the Kingdom of Rosenblum.

One of the main reasons why this is was such a big game, besides a championship, was that both teams had their stars. On one side was young girl nearly 16 years old with long blonde hair in a ponytail and pink eyes. In front of the millions of people, people chanted her name, Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi. Besides being a talented player and the team's captain, she was also the First Princess of Misurugi and was about to take the throne tomorrow for her parents. Unbeknown to everyone else, Sophia gave her the royalty ring days beforehand, both as an early present and good luck charm for the upcoming tournament.

The other team had Misty Rosenblum. She was just about Angelise's age with blonde hair wrapped into a large bun on her head. She had blue eyes and a red and pink outfit in contrast to Ange's white and blue one. She was also the captain of her Iaria team and the first Princess of her kingdom.

Just moments ago, the Flora Academy team won the Iaria tournament when one of the Ho-o Institute's teammates fell off her bike. No one knows exactly what was the cause, but it resulted in the Flora Academy scoring the winning goal and thus, giving them the championship. The crowds were mixed with cheers and rants as the two teams descended to the ground.

Angelise landed with her maid co-pilot by her teammate, a girl with short brown hair and played a role similar to her own.

"Are you okay, Akiho?" The princess got off her bike alongside Momoka Oginome, her purple-haired maid who was also her closest friend. Both came to assist their downed teammate, raising a hand to pull her up from the ground.

"T-Thank you, Princess," Akiho took her hand as she raised herself off the ground. She could already see the results. "I-I'm sorry, Princess. This is all my fault."

But Angelise shook her head. As a close friend from her school, she warmed up her teammate.

"Remember the promise we made that day? That we'll aspire to something more than winning? We formed a stronger bond than any other team. That is our victory."

The other teammate who came off their bikes took the words to heart. Even though they didn't win, they all admired the princess and gave them the faith to never give up no matter what.

However, that was just to put up a smile. Internally, she felt a sense of shame and failure.

Did I fail them? As a princess, I'm supposed to represent my nation. Could this mean that I…

Her thoughts were interrupted when her opposing team approached them, particularly the other princess.

"How merciful of you to inspire your teammates," Misty complimented her acquaintance.

"What do you mean?"

Only Misty could see it as she witnessed the little accident with her own eyes. During the match, it didn't look like Akiho was in the game. She instead seemed to space out, like she was looking at something in particular up in the sky.

"It seemed like you lost because she was...distracted."

The group turned Akiho, who was mysteriously staring in the air. Angelise waved her hand around her to see if she was okay.

"Are you okay, Akiho?"

"Look!"

The girls all turned to the sky, but they could see anything. Nothing but a bright sky and clouds.

"I don't see anything," Tomomi, one of her classmates tried looking.

"Me neither," said Chiaki, another classmate.

"Where is it?" someone from Flora Academy asked.

"Are you sure you're okay, Akiho?"

"I'm not lying! It's right there!" she pointed.

By then, they saw a bright flash coming from the sky, only for their view to be obstructed by one of the Mana-powered blimps. Regardless, they knew something was up in the air. It was not the sun for that was elsewhere. Maybe a shooting star or a meteorite? Whatever it was, while it was not coming exactly towards them, it was close enough.

"What was that-" another classmate named Maki spoke.

BOOM!

Just when Maki was about to finish her question, an explosion came from the blimp, which the source was obstructed from the girls' view. But flames were coming from the side of the blimp that came down. The whole crowd was also shocked by the blast, seeing the collapsing blimp descend upon the arena. As the shadow cast largely over them, they knew that it was falling the girls' direction.

"Run!"

Several of the Iaria players went back to their bikes, their fastest and most reliable transportation to get out of the blimp's way. Akiho got back on her vehicle while Momoka and Angelise hopped back on their own. All of the bikes then raised off the ground as the crowd was calling for them to run as well.

When they got back into the sunlight, Angelise and the others sighed as they continued to see the blimp almost hit the ground. Regardless of how long they had, they had more than enough spare time to escape to safety.

Or at least they thought.

BLAM!

Angelise and Momoka jerked to see a flash of light and the following explosion on their left side. When they got a clear glimpse, they saw that one of the Iaria bikes got shot down, now a blazing fireball in the air.

"Chiaki!" another classmate named Reika shouted as the Ho-o Institute student's bike got hit by a large beam of light.

The students from both schools watched in horror was charred remains of Chiaki fell along with the burning wreck of her machine. The bike itself was going towards the crowd on the arena's lower decks, all of whom paused before running off with their lives.

Angelise could only stare, watching one of her classmates suddenly losing their life. But the crashing blimp snapped her attention. She had to cover her eyes as the blimp burst into scrap metal and flames, but it called her attention to other things. Turning back to the sky, she searched for any more sudden flashes that might put an end to their lives.

What she predicted was true, as more rays were coming down, both towards and further away from the school. What she didn't predict, besides many rays being shot far away from the arena, was the source of them all. An even brighter light above fired a bombardment of rays in random directions. Not only was it coming towards her, but in the center, there appeared to be something human.

The shocked and confused princess had her attention snatched away when Momoka called out to her.

"Lady Angelise, look out!"

The Iaria bike tugged her to the side as the two jerked around to avoid the incoming blasts. The other bikes also tried evading the sudden bombardment of light that was wreaking havoc upon the arena. Multiple beams already hit the outside of the stadium, blasting many running spectators into charred limbs and causing the close-call survivors to freeze. Some of them even went into shock and collapsed due to how close they were to being killed. A few more beams even hit the escaping Iaria bikes, both belonging to Flora Academy. Misty was the closest to escaping as a beam nearly hit her as well.

"Misty!" Angelise shouted as she also saw her friend nearly get killed, but was distracted her from the beams.

"Lady Angelise-" Momoka attempted to call out to her.

BAM!

One of the beams suddenly damaged their bike's engine, dropping their altitude. With their lives nearly on the line, they struggled to keep the bike facing flat below the surface as they glided onto the ground. Angelise herself was closing her eyes in panic as the chaos rained above her.

I don't want to die...I don't want to die! I don't want to die!

Just when they were about to crash land, skidding onto the ground safely, another beam impacted right before her. The last thing she knew, she was pushed backward, and everything went all white.

---

...

---

"Lady Angelise? Lady Angelise, are you okay?"

The princess woke up as her head stared up at the now dark sky. Some of it was from the shade thanks to Momoka, who called out her name. It helped her eyes adjust to a tolerable resolution for she wasn't yet ready to endure sunlight. What mattered was that she wasn't dead, something for which she should be thankful.

"Momoka, is that you?" Angelise asked as she began to stand up.

"Thank heavens, Princess! You're alright!" Momoka glomped the princess despite not even being ready for it. But since she passed out, Angelise knew her state worried her maid.

But that brought up an inevitable question for the princess.

"H-How long have I been out, Momoka?"

"You've been out for a while, Lady Angelise," Momoka got off her mistress, still retaining her smile. "I could not leave without you."

"Did everyone else leave okay?"

"I…"

Momoka speechlessness and shift in mood caused Angelise to look around her. By seeing the scenery, she could see the answer.

The pair were still in the arena, but it was no longer the clean and lively place it was a few minutes ago. Already, it was unsettling for the two girls to see. Chunks of debris and wreckage were scattered everywhere. The seats were all empty, and large holes dotted the stadium. There were additional fires, piles of trash, and abandoned merchandise scattered around.

The most unsettling thing that nearly twisted her stomach was all the corpses. They could find dozens of dead bodies and large stains of blood. Many of these corpses were all cut in half, incinerated into crisps, dismembered of their limbs, or beheaded. In just a few moments after they started to walk forward, they found a falling civilian man whose intestines were showing.

The princess turned away, both to calm herself and to get away from the devastation. Momoka helped her out by placing a hand on her back and holding her hair with the other. By the time she regained her composure, she had stood beside Momoka to adjust to their situation. Right now, they were walking into a yard of corpses. Never in her life, did she see violence up close. Misurugi was also always a peaceful place thanks to her livelihood as a princess. But now, everything was different.

While the two walked around on the grass they could still step on, they heard some rattling. Because some footsteps preceded it, they knew it was human.

"Who is there!?" Momoka called out with a rarely forceful tone. Angelise joined in, wanting to know what happened to her other classmates.

"Maki! Tomomi! Reika!"

"Angelise!" the two heard Akiho nearby. They found her climbing up the top of a short pile of debris in front of them. "Angelise is that you!?"

"Akiho!" Angelise called out to her friend. Aside from Momoka, she found one other friend who was safe.

"You're alive!" Akiho smiled at the princess in tears as she started to repeat softly. "Thank the Light of Mana, you're alive…"

"Thanks, Akiho," the princess smiled back at her friend. Whatever the circumstances were, all she could see was the best of her intentions to see her princess again, the quality of a trusted friend.

"Come on, Angelise! Let's get out of here! We must let them know you're still ali-"

Akiho's voice suddenly stopped when her torso burst. All three of them suffered whiplash in the mood when the princess and her maid saw their classmate's blood and guts shoot towards them. The two survivors only froze at the fate of the girl.

Akiho found herself impaled through the stomach by a large, dark-colored sword from behind. When the shocked girl twitched her head back, she found a malevolent humanoid being emerging below. She was a dark-skinned woman with blond hair almost as long as Angelise's. She wore a dark blue suit underneath her long white coat. Some kind of eye patch or lens covered her right eye. But what was more visible was her mischievous smile that terrified the girl.

The woman then took her sword out, which was a katana with a circular guard, before spinning her horizontally. Right in front of the princess and head maid's eyes, she cut down their friend, separating her from her legs as she spun into the air.

"AKIHO!" the princess shouted as the corpse of her friend landed by their side. Momoka could see from intuition the pain going through her princess's eyes. Tears were now running down her cheeks as she found one of the friends she treasured meeting a sudden, terrible end.

"An...gelise…"

Only a gasp of air came from Akiho, which caused the princess to stop.

"Run...princess," Akiho said her remaining might. "You must...live!"

Her words were cut short when the mysterious woman descended and impaled Akiho through the heart. The landing impact knocked the two girls backward and into another pile of debris. By the time they stood up again, they had found the woman stabbing the girl multiple times. The close classmate of Angelise perished for good.

"Trying to save your princess, huh? How pathetic!" the woman mocked the girl's corpse. "You were better off not bothering at all, running scared with your life like the rest of them!"

She then swung her sword onto the ground. Unlike a usual sword, this shook the ground as if she swung a giant club, causing Angelise and Momoka to lose balance. She then took little steps towards the girls, and she continued to rant.

"As for you two, I'm surprised you managed to survive. Normally, if there were ever a princess or someone who was supposed to be a leader, I would've taken you out in the first shot! Too bad those annoying flies got in the way."

"Who are you calling annoying flies!" As a feeling she never felt before, Angelise gripped her fists in anger. The woman just killed a close friend and outright insulted her attempt to reach out. "Who are you anyway!"

"Does that even matter?" the woman spat on another corpse. "Isn't that how you usually do things around here? Never giving names to those who can't use magic? That makes me along with the rest of them."

"L-like the rest of them?" Angelise suddenly froze for the moment. "Does that mean, you're a-"

"Lady Angelise," Momoka step in front of her. "Run, you must get out of here!"

"Once again, you try to protect the helpless, weak-willed princess. Is that all you complacent pigs ever do?" The woman slammed her sword onto the ground again, causing the ground to rip below and separating two onto separate walls. "You don't know what it's like to lose something, do you?"

Angelise rubbed her head as she saw the woman approach Momoka. The woman took Akiho right in front of her. She could let the woman take Momoka, too...

"Momoka!" she shouted to the maid, who was still trying to regain her senses. The woman merely laughed at the despair in front of her eyes.

"Perhaps I'll make you suffer for a bit. Besides, no one else is going to see you die!"

"MOMOKA!" Angelise shouted as the woman raised her katana in preparation for an attack.

But then, a sudden clash of blades cause the woman to stop. The confused woman didn't know what just happened. It was already a few seconds, and there were no cuts along her body, so the sudden attack didn't exactly kill. But what did happen was that it prevented her from launching a strike against the maid girl and blew her hair across her face.

The murderous woman and Angelise both turn to Momoka's sudden savior, who stopped right just in front of the princess. She was a busty woman with a suit in pink and white. Judging by her time of arrival and the scene, her knightly appearance was more than fitting. She even gave the young princess a warm smile, knowing she was lucky to save her. Swinging her matching rose-colored eyes and hair, she turned to her opponent, who was easily ticked off by her arrival.

"Tsch," the woman clicked over the unwelcoming guest. "You Bureau-types just have to get in the way of a little performance, do you?"

"Cypha of Huckebein," the rose-haired woman called out to her. "I am part of the Time-Space Administration Bureau. Surrender now and we'll-"

"Yeah, yeah!" the woman called Cypha rudely interrupted. "You think I'm surrendering to a bunch of weaklings like you? Unlike you, who always like to take the path of honor, thinking the world always works that way!"

"Lower your weapons now, or I'll have to use deadly force against you!"

Just after she finished her threat, Cypha suddenly lunged towards the knight-like woman, and the two were locked in a melee.

As the two outworlders pushed at each other's blades, Momoka rushed to the stunned Angelise. It was both to give herself some distance and check if her princess was alright.

The princess in question had her mind full of things she didn't understand. First, a woman came and killed everyone; then, another appeared saved the two. Just what was going on here? Why was all of this happening?

"Lady Angelise?" Momoka snapped her out of her trance. "Lady Angelise, are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine. Thanks, Momoka."

She wasn't exactly fine. This woman, whoever she was, just killed one of her friends out of malice. She outright insulted her people and was about to kill her best friend. But all that was saved and defended by some Knight who appeared out of nowhere and saved the two.

The two warriors who just broke from their clash separated from one another by a long distance. To the surprise of the two natives, the rose-haired knight cast what seemed like Mana. But this was different, very different as they observed.

"Laevitein, load cartridge! Bogenform!" the woman shouted.

"Bogenform," the sword suddenly said with a male, computer voice after ejecting what looked like a bullet case. The sword then glowed white and transformed from a sword and sheath into a bow.

Just then, flames surrounded the woman followed by triangular shapes with circles for their endpoints. Although it resembled Mana, they were colored pink like the wielder's hair and runes. The bow then manifested fire that resembled a bird.

"Fly, my falcon!" the knight fired an arrow that resembled a bird at Cypha. The woman hardly moved as the fiery bird blazed towards her. Instead, she raised her hand as the falcon disappeared before the witnesses' very eyes. Although it was supposed to be rendered harmless, it still released mass amounts of smoke in the area, yet Angelise and Momoka could still see her silhouette.

There was only one thing Angelise had in mind when it came to this kind of behavior. From what she knew, in Mana, there were those who were unable to use the Light. These people were labeled monsters, who were violent, insane, and anti-social. For that, they had no rights and had to be dealt with properly. The only name they had was simply "Norma."

With everything she found in this woman so far, the princess could only ask.

Is this what a Norma is?

Before the smoke could clear, the knight reacted by charging while her weapon transformed again.

"Schwertform!" the knight's weapon changed back into a sword. Through the canceled spell, she charged at Cypha and locked blades with her again. The anti-magic wielder gleed at her challenger over the battle presented before them.

After a few seconds, however, a sudden interference came before the two warriors. On Cypha's right side, she was getting pelleted by a small bolt. Although it did nothing, she could easily assume her attempt attacker.

"You leave her alone!" Angelise shouted after Momoka just fired a bolt of Mana at Cypha. It was enough to distract the woman for the knight to push her away, giving her the opportunity to slash her across the chest. Although the damage was merely a scratch, it still pushed the girl away for a moment.

But the woman merely gave a serious look despite the support.

"You two, leave this place this place immediately. It's not safe for you!"

"Why!? What's going on over here!?"

"Damn pests!"

Cypha suddenly charged after the two with her sword. Momoka generated a barrier in an attempt to shield the two from damage. Following her lead, Angelise tried doing the same.

But then, the impossible happened.

Instead of generating a field herself, Angelise ended up breaking the Mana field Momoka just put up. The barrier disappeared into sparkles, leaving them vulnerable.

"Just die already!"

Cypha charged with her sword and cut through both girls. Although she didn't hit anything critical, she still made deep wounds into both of the girls' hips; Momoka on her left, Angelise on her right.

"W-what?" Angelise could only remain shocked as she had no time to scream. Instead of any pain, she felt a cold feeling engulfing her body.

As both girls, hit the pile of debris, the Cypha stopped in the middle of her charge, merely smirking towards the princess.

"I see. You're one, too, aren't you?"

The words were directed at Angelise as she lost her strength. She just canceled out a Mana spell as this Cypha woman did. She wanted to reject it, reject that's what happened because that's what would make her a Norma, a being she hated.

Impossible, her only thought came to mind.

Impossible...This can't be...this can't be happening...

---

Signum, Captain of the Time-Space Administration Bureau, gritted her teeth over the situation. While it was surprising how the two inhabitants of the Unadministered World she was in used magic, it was nowhere near the level needed to face threats that she encountered. In fact, this threat was nothing any ordinary Mage can fight.

She had been tracking the Huckebein family for a while after all the atrocities committed on other worlds. Then, out of a rare instance, she and her squadron managed to track their flagship, which resulted in traveling to a parallel universe and a chase to this particular planet. Why they chose this planet was unknown. Maybe it had something to do with what was powering them, the nightmarish Eclipse virus? Regardless, these people had to be apprehended immediately to find out.

She knew the two inhabitants had a chance of survival, but both of them suffered deep wounds. While interfering with unadministered worlds was against TSAB protocol, there were many exceptions to this, including the friends she knew. All she can do was wrap up this battle as fast she could.

While she engaged in another deadlock between blades, the woman Cypha gloated more at her.

"Trying to save an annoying pest, aren't you? You honorable Belkans are so alike." Cypha used the upper hand to knock Signum away and leave her vulnerable. "So shortsighted," she made a slash across her left arm guard that blocked the attack. "And so utterly pathetic!"

Cypha was just about to make a descending strike on Signum's stomach until a flash caught her left eye, forcing her to stop mid-way. Signum also noticed her stop and faced the same direction. Something human was coming from the sky and about to attack. Without knowing which side it was attacking, both of them got out of the way as the newcomer made its sudden guest appearance.

The figure pounded the ground, but only blew air and smoke around, giving both belligerents the time to recover and see the new arrival. She was a woman about 18 years of age with long blonde hair. She had a bare midriff with a black woman's commando uniform, army-camouflage shorts, and a dark green cloak. Her hands and feet had black gloves and boots respectively. Her emerald eyes stared at the irritated Cypha.

"Hpmh, and who would you be? Reinforcements?"

"That's nothing for you to know," the new woman responded. "Setup, Eternal Blaze!"

In her right ring finger, a ring glowed as it transformed into her primary weapon. To Signum, the weapon felt familiar due to the claymore shape. At the guard was a circular center with clockwork within that constantly spun inside, not to mention the golden seams. After setting up her weapon, the woman swung it with one hand as to challenge Cypha.

As predicted, the member of Huckebein charged at her opponent, which as easily blocked. While the two exchanged parries, Signum also joined the fight, attacking her from the side. Cypha was locked blades with two powerful opponents; both kept in check with her katana. Although they found her holding a second bladed weapon elsewhere, Cypha didn't bother two unsheathe it. She instead jumped back a significant distance and onto a pile of debris.

While the Eclipse infectee recovered, Signum took a look at her new ally. She recognized the woman's face like she just saw her recently. She knew her because she was responsible for sending them to this world. Before then, she attacked her and her squadron, provoking them to come at her, which resulted in the current mess with the Huckebein on the unknown Unadministered World. Whatever her reason was, she was now a wanted suspect with questionable motives.

But that can wait; catching the Huckebein had a higher priority, and the mysterious woman had the same idea. But before the battle could resume, another voice came out to them.

"Cypha, it's time!"

Another associate appeared in the battle. He was a man with long blonde hair, well-recognized by his black fur coat. He had a red undershirt and black pants with a belt. His other identifiable feature was his weapon, a silvery sawed-off shotgun with a blade. To Signum, he was known as Veyron of Huckebein.

"The boss is getting tired being here. Quit messing around and let's go!"

"Tsch," Cypha clicked her teeth, having to listen to the guy's orders. "And things were just about to get interesting."

"We got an entire TSAB squadron bearing down on us. We have no time for this."

"Too bad then," Cypha eyed on the two native inhabitants on the planet that caught her eye. She could see the barely conscious princess gazing at her. Just from the sudden incident that happened to her not too long ago, it got her thinking. "I was having interest in one of these ladies thanks to certain events."

The mysterious woman dashed to the princess and maid, obstructing her view. Veyron's orders continued pressuring her to go.

"We have other things to worry! Let's go, before the Bureau-types show up!"

"Guess it can't be helped then," Cypha lowered her sword as she complied. "Not that it matters if she gets taken in. She'll be one of us, sooner or later."

Sooner or later...one of you? Angelise's thoughts came into her head with whatever conscience she had left.

"Farewell, fallen princess," Cypha made one last pass by the girl. "We'll meet again."

The two members of the Huckebein made a run for it. In the blink of an eye, they dashed into specks of light at incredible speeds. Angelise already fell unconscious before they completely disappeared.

Of the two mages, Signum took a step forward to pursue, but the other guest raised a hand to her.

"Do not pursue. It's pointless now."

"State your name and affiliation," Signum asked the mysterious woman. While she just helped to confront Cypha in a way, she still attacked TSAB agents that lead to their pursuit and was now letting the criminals get away.

But instead of resisting, the woman surrendered herself as she threw her sword down.

"I am not your enemy here," the woman placed her hands behind her head. "My name is Cecilia Ikka. I am willing to make a deal in exchange for turning myself in."

"Deal?"

"I will cooperate with the TSAB and be charged with all my crimes," Cecilia turned to the fainted victims. "But in return, I demand you take those two along with you, along with future demands."

"Your reason?"

"I was tasked with protecting those two from those pursuers. The princess is very important to the point her life and mental state should be protected at all costs. I only ask for her protection as well as mine. Under yours, of course, that is assured."

Signum questioned what she meant. She was going to give future demands and required her protection. What was this girl thinking? But the mysterious woman named Cecilia merely sat by the unconscious princess and her maid. She showed no sense of hostility towards her.

After thinking it over a little, Signum lowered her blade.

"Very well, I will accept your offer, but you will surrender all of your weapons and assist in carrying your targets for protection. A TSAB Squadron will arrive momentarily to provide relief and take you in for questioning."

"Understood," Cecilia stood to be a prisoner of the TSAB.

Signum, on the other hand, was very wary of the situation. Seeing how this was an Unadministered World, yet can use magic, she had a gut feeling the woman deliberately brought her to this world. That left her wondering who or what was behind this ploy.

Meanwhile, the group was utterly oblivious to the fact they were not alone. In the stage audience, a Mana-powered flying camera that was supposed to be shot down from the sky faced the group preparing spells and machines to leave the planet. This drone continued to be operational as red lights showed it in recording mode. Just when the TSAB agents and their affiliates vanished from the stadium, the camera shut itself off.

---

Good golly, so that's something people should've been waiting for a long time. Two stories are coming together with their two favorite seiyuus as the main characters and having somewhat comparable plotlines together.

For now, I'm sticking to Cross Ange and Lyrical Nanoha, though I will later add a third show for a twist. With how things are going, we'll be seeing the inevitable Ange x Fate or Ange x Nanoha shipping moment that may appear.

There'll more than just shipping and seiyuu references, which is why I added in that original character Cecilia Ikka, who will have critical relevance to the plot.

As much people like Ange, there are those who find her treatment utterly excessive to Evangelion extremes. I'm one of those people and always wanted to ask myself; what if somehow, instead of going to Arzenal, the fallen princess was taken somewhere else? How different would her path of character development be? And what better place than the world of Nanoha, where the magic-based society wasn't so complacent and the story not too gritty?

Also, in case you're wondering, the elements of Nanoha are going to have a mixture of multiple Nanoha works: StrikerS, SSX, Vivid (Strike), the movies, and- you guessed it- Force. This'll be a way to correct mistakes and fix problems in the various series as well as Nanoha. Of course, the Eclipse infectees would have a purpose in the CA world. Sometimes, it takes a bigger asshole to make another asshole realize her mistakes, no?

Well, I'm not sure when I'll resume writing this. But thoughts do appear in my head, and I get to writing when I consider it.

Hope you enjoyed this.

P.S. For those who've only seen this before, I'll be editing the current chapters before getting to the next one.

 

[Fraktal]

I don't think this is the right subforum for this. This should go into User Fiction, though anyone feel free to correct me on this.

 

[Lisafication]

official staff communication Thread moved to User Fiction.

 

[WiseMan744436]

Next chapter. This can be described as the official Chapter 1, though first in itself is already pretty long.

---

Angelise gazed up into the starry night sky. She was watching from the royal palace of the Misurugi Empire, on a balcony specifically for her room. She was dressed in her usual royal attire; her hair dressed in a drill-like braid and a transparent gown that showed her intimate wear.

She was leaning on the balcony's marble railings for quite a while, unable to sleep for the time being. To pass the time, she began singing a song.

"Hajimari no hikari...kirari kirari...owari no hikari...rurara rira…"

In the middle of her song, she heard another person walk behind her.

"Kaesan eru ragna...sunadokei wo...toki wa afuren...rurara rira…"

Angelise turned around to see her mother, Empress Sophia Ikaruga Misurugi. She was gorgeous and young despite being nearly 40 years old. She shared the same long hair and pinks eyes as her daughter and had a similar transparent purple gown.

Sophia approached her daughter, noticing that something was wrong.

"You still haven't gone to bed yet?"

Angelise shook her head.

"Not yet, mother."

"But why? Isn't it cold tonight? And besides, you have a big day coming, don't you?"

"That's just it, mother," Angelise was ultimately anxious about the recent events. Tomorrow was supposed to be the Iaria championship. At the time, she was supposed to go up against Flora Academy for the final match, which included First Princess Misty Rosenblum.

After that was another big day. According to the system, as the chosen Crown Princess, she was supposed to take the throne on her 16th birthday. Angelise had no idea what politics was like. In fact, she even questioned whether she'd be a good ruler like her mother. She assumed they were great since she and everyone else looked to them as idols, but could she match them as a leader?

"You must be worried about the coronation," Sophia said as if she were a telepath. "Have no fear, Angelise. For your father and I will always be with you. As long as you believe in yourself and what is right, you'll always be Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi, our daughter, and most valuable princess."

"Even when you're gone?"

"Even when we're gone," Sophia then did something that somewhat surprised the Crown Princess. She took the royal ring, proof that she was the Empress of Misurugi, off of her hand. She then handed the same ring to her daughter, dropping it into the palm of her right hand.

"Please, my daughter," her mother offered. "Take this."

"Already, mother?" Angelise asked. "But why?"

"Consider it an early birthday present and good luck charm for your match tomorrow," Sophia answered. "And besides, it's more suitable for a girl like you."

"Like me?"

"A girl who has many doubts and wishes for her kingdom. Innocent, yet strong enough to stand up on your own. That's exactly why you were chosen as the Crown Princess."

"W-Wishes?"

Just then, a flash came from the ring's main jewel, which made Angelise jump. Sophia remained unfazed and merely chuckled like she knew the phenomenon before and it was nothing to fear about.

"This ring is more than ordinary for this very reason. It will always grant you power when you have a wish and the strength to carry it out. Sing for this. Put your mind and your wishes into this. And as you have the power to act, they will be granted."

Angelise remained silent as the light on the ring faded. Sophia then proceeded to place the ring on her daughter's left hand, right where it belonged. When she did, the Crown Princess hugged her mother with a lot of emotion.

"Thank you, mother," the princess bonded with her mother, who wrapped her arms around.

"I know, Angelise. I know…"

---

It wasn't long before Angelise's eyes opened. She found herself napping about the day before the Iaria tournament when her mother gave her the royal ring. She felt the ring still attached to her left hand, so that was a sigh of relief. But that also meant it was merely a dream to recall old memories.

By the time she woke up, a bright light had shone in her eyes. Moving her head to the right, she faced a blue metal wall. Knowing a familiar situation when she whenever she was ill, she assumed to be in a medical bay. But judging by the colors, it was not the same as those back in Mana.

Turning her head around, she groaned in agony over how long she was laying on the bed. Making a complete 180 degrees, she found someone sitting right by her side. Although she was wearing a brown officer uniform, she had an idea who it was based on the waving pink hair.

Angelise seemed to have gotten her attention. The woman was in the middle of reading a book, which she closed. She stood up before the princess could get a glimpse of her face.

"I see you're finally awake," the woman's familiar voice took a step closer.

Angelise's eyes were barely open. It still took a moment before her eyes could comfortably take in the light. She even shut her eyes for a moment just to give herself time to adjust. Once she was wide awake, she still couldn't see the woman's face, so she stood up for the moment. While it was painful at first, especially on her right side, she lifted her upper torso off the bed. She also felt her long hair enveloping the back of her body, indicating her hair band was removed.

"I…" Angelise slowly shook her head to wake herself before she could see the face of Signum, along with the white patient uniform she was wearing. "Where am I?"

"You're in our ship's medical bay," the rose-haired woman responded. "Our medical officers examined your body and managed to provide you an easy recovery."

"H-How..."

"It wasn't easy. Our guest had to carry you to our ship before we took her into custody. It was a surprise to see how a native such as yourself managed to survive an encounter with an Eclipse infectee, let alone use and cancel out magic…"

Angelise wasn't paying too much attention to Signum's words. She was still a little disoriented just from whatever incident occurred and, therefore, kept her mind on other things.

What did wake her up, however, was something behind the officer. On another bed laid Momoka, who was still laying flat on the bed. There were even some screens and equipment around that monitored her currently stable vital signs. Not that it didn't stop the alarming Angelise.

"Momoka!"

The princess jumped from her bed. She quickly got off her feet and turned herself perpendicular to the bed. She attempted to stand up, just to get right to Momoka side. She then suddenly limped; her right side wasn't able to support the sudden load of her body. Because of that, she took a knee with her right leg and covered the right hip that cramped.

"Easy now," Signum crouched place hands around to support her. "Your wound is gone, but you still need a little time to recover. Your hip was damaged despite the treatment quickly sealing up your wound."

"My...wound?"

Signum raised Angelise's patient wear to show the dark scar on her hip. Not seeing a scar on her own body before, it shook her before wondering how long it was there.

"The blade from that Divider cut well into your body. We had to undergo surgical treatment ever since you two fainted."

"Fainted?"

"You've been unconscious for hours. Although the wound wasn't severe, you lost a significant amount of blood. It was fortunate that our guest brought you here quickly despite carrying both you and your friend at the same time."

"Guest?"

"The one who appeared after you fell unconscious. She saved you and your friend just before you were about to be killed. She turned herself in afterward in exchange that you two would be taken under our protection as she demanded."

Angelise didn't hear the last part for she was still processing everything Signum was telling. Everything happened so quickly with so many new things that she didn't have time to understand. Despite that, she remembered the event, affirming the officer's assessment of the battle. Everything she said was the truth, except the little part when she fell unconscious. She remembered being saved by a mysterious figure after she was cut. Thanks to that unknown woman, her life was saved, and so was Momoka.

However, aside from the mysterious woman, there was the other woman. Yes, the woman who appeared and caused the whole destruction in the first place. The one who destroyed the Iaria stadium and killed citizens of Mana, including...

"What about the Norma?" Angelise asked.

"Excuse me?" Signum was confused over the question.

"What about that woman? That monster who just killed all those people! Including my…"

The princess trailed off as her eyes twitched. While she didn't know the exact damage, she hadn't forgotten the destruction the woman caused. She certainly hadn't forgotten then, when she suddenly butchered Akiho and dismembered her barely-alive corpse. So many horrible things happened to her all at once in front of her very eyes, with that Norma woman responsible.

Signum could tell from Angelise's very eyes the signs of sadness. While she didn't know the exact experience, she knew that whatever the victim suffered was not pleasant. She could see the princess was hoping for justice after everything the Huckebein member did. Who else wouldn't after suffering a long period tracking her down for the atrocities she committed? However, she had to speak the truth, no matter how painful it was.

"Unfortunately, the criminal fled before we could apprehend her."

"What?" Angelise raised her head.

"During the battle, after you were saved, she made contact with another accomplice. Their leader ordered them to withdraw before reinforcements came. I attempted to pursue, but...our guest, your mysterious savior, obstructed our pursuit. She stood in our way of arresting the criminals, allowing them to escape."

"How could she?" Angelise clenched her hand with expected anger. "After saving me and Momoka, how could she let her go!? Why didn't she just-"

"Calm down," Signum placed her hand over the princess. "I know you suffered a tragedy, but it's not that simple."

"That woman...the Norma just killed Akiho, right in front of me! How could she let her go after what that monster just did!"

"I can't tell you that. But I assure you, we're not going to let this-"

An alarm suddenly went off behind Signum. Both of them of them snapped out of the dramatic event, though Angelise remained desperate. They turned to the door past Momoka that just opened on the other side of the medical bay. Two officers came into the scene afterward; both were male with blue officer uniforms. They saluted to the rose-haired officer before reporting.

"Captain, the suspect has been successfully detained and ready for questioning."

"Have you interrogated her yet?"

"Not yet, Captain," the second officer said. "She said she wanted to talk to you personally about the matters that happened recently."

Angelise turned the Captain, who nodded before the officers.

"Also," the first officer continued. "She requested another person to speak with during the interrogation. She claims she's a victim of the recent incident, a princess of the...Misurugi Empire?"

The princess in question raised her eyes to the officers requesting her audience. But this was more of the suspect requesting an audience with her, not than the other way around.

"M-me?" Angelise stuck herself, not knowing what to do. "But why would…"

"Ah, you must Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi then," the first officer greeted. "Please forgive the intrusion, but the woman who rescued you has offered your presence during the interrogation. She demands that you participate along with the Captain."

"I...I…" The speechless Angelise was interrupted when the Captain stepped in.

"Tell the suspect that we accept," Signum addressed before turning to Angelise. "The two of us together will be ready for interrogation as soon as possible, within the next half hour at most. Other than that, she'll have to wait until then."

"Understood," the first officer nodded before they saluted together. The two young men left the medical bay, leaving just the princess and captain again.

"Sounds like you'll be getting some answers."

"H-huh?" Angelise's attention snapped back to Signum.

"Looks like your mysterious protector wants to see you."

"Protector," Angelise's eyes widened. "She's here?"

"She has been on his ship as long as you have. Currently, she's charged with attacking TSAB personnel leading your homeworld and obstructing our pursuit of the Huckebein. Despite that, she offered herself willingly in exchange for providing you and your maid both care and safety under our authority."

"For me? All of this..."

"Despite her crimes, she's been strangely cooperative with us as if she expected us to agree to demands. All of which have revolved around you."

"Me? But why?"

"That I do not know. But it sounds like something she wants you to hear in response to everything that just happened."

Of course, she wanted answers. Besides letting the Norma go, there were other questions around. Who was this mysterious girl? Why was she here? Why did she request both the Crown Princess of Misurugi and her maid to accompany her in this strange place? What was this place anyway? For all she knew, she could far away from Mana, let alone the Misurugi Empire. So many questions in so little time and only this woman seemed to have answers.

"I know you want to speak with her as well. I think this provides an opportunity, does it not, your...Highness?" The formal mannerism caused both Signum and Angelise to blush. The princess could forgive her since she possibly didn't know she was the Crown Princess of Misurugi until now if the officer's report was any indication. She couldn't help herself, but feel her cheeks turn red. As for Signum, it was a long time since she used the term, which felt very out of place considering she now grew accustomed to the current period. Shaking her head to cast away the awkwardness, she lent a hand. "Nonetheless, we should be off now."

"Yes, but," Angelise nodded before trailing. She was looking down at the large white shirt. It took a moment for Signum to realize her problem, which she just forgot about despite inferring it to the two officers not so long.

"Ah, yes," Signum chuckled over her foolishness. "How about we get you some clothes before we proceed? I'll provide you one of our extra uniforms of your size soon enough."

---

Angelise and Signum were traversing through the ship hallways, en route to the detention center where the suspect was kept. The confused princess followed the Captain, watching the various officers surprised by her appearance pass her.

The surprise was more for Angelise over how young the people were in this military-like organization. Angelise was wearing the same brown uniform as most officers on the ship. It was very strange that her age matched the majority of those onboard. For the officers, it was more of an awkward encounter. Even though she had the suit on, besides not being a member seen before, her etiquette didn't exactly match the standard. There was still some sections of her uniform tucked in or stuck out, which gave off a sloppy appearance.

Apparently, Angelise never learned how to dress appropriately throughout her entire life. It was either all done by "magic" or picked out by her family and fashion designers. About a half hour already passed when both girls left the medical bay, past the allotted time Signum first presented to the officers. While the Captain left a notice regarding the delay, she couldn't help but chuckle with humor and a sigh of frustration over the experience.

Signum already noticed some members take note of Angelise's current etiquette, but she didn't bother to comment.

"Are you okay, Angelise?" Signum talked to her guest. As a native, it would also be understandable that the women would have some insecurities about the alien environment if she weren't overwhelmed already.

"I'm fine," Angelise responded. "It's just...I feel so disturbed by everyone looking at me like I'm some...freak."

"It's because you're new here, not mention another native from an unadministered world," Signum gave an answer, which was mostly true. "It's only natural to be surprised over some unreported guests, even for military officers."

"But it's not like they're looking at me," Angelise complained. "It's more of my...clothing."

"You're just new to our organization," Signum assured her. "For now, considering your circumstances, you'll be treated like a guest of honor. The pleasure is within us to assist you."

"Thank you...Uhh…."

"We haven't introduced each other, have we?" Angelise's trailing made Signum turn around as they continued to move. "I am Signum Yagami, Captain of the Time-Space Administration Bureau."

"Time-Space Administration Bureau," Angelise remembered hearing something along those lines. Besides being an organization she never heard of before, the name sounded huge concerning the recent battle.

"I'm not surprised you never heard of us," Signum continued. "You see, we're a police organization made to protect the peace throughout the Dimensional Sea."

"So like the Norma Police Forces," Angelise analogized, making a comparison with an international organization that persecuted Norma. She didn't give time to think whether or not Signum knew that organization.

"Something along those lines," Signum agreed after a pause. "Our organization does more than international peacekeeping duty. We are about protecting worlds, both administered and unadministered, from magic-based incidents and dangerous relics."

"W-What do you mean?"

"Because aside from those criminals who use anti-magic, other dangerous elements cause destruction if left unchecked, including out-of-control devices and criminal Mages-"

"No, I mean...What are Administered and Unadministered worlds?"

"Oh," Signum corrected herself. "Administered worlds are advanced planets that TSAB recognizes and reign as the highest authority. But many do not meet their standards, including lack of development and even magical talent. That's where unadministered worlds come in. In which case, we do not interfere in local affairs and have to keep our identities hidden from the populace."

"So when you said Momoka and I were special guests, you mean that…"

"Yes, Angelise. Your world is currently an unadministered one. Naturally, we would keep your presence hidden, but even your world is an exceptional case. This is the first time we've encountered your world in the history of the TSAB, perhaps due to the fact we dangerous crossed a border in the Dimensional Sea."

"Please forgive me, but...I don't understand. What's the Dimensional Sea?"

"Oh, why don't you have a look?"

Signum responded as they were about to pass a large window to the side. As Angelise got a closer look, she widened over the darkness of space. With all the dotted lights in the sky, she had to gaze at the stars right in front of her. With the view, she wondered if she was in a deep sleep or some science fiction show. Angelise even found what looked a massive planet down below. Now that was a sight to see, all beautiful and green like the home she used to know.

"I guess in some way you can understand; you may refer to it as outer space."

The Captain had to chuckle over her impression of the Dimensional Sea. But that was also the troubling part. She didn't want to say it, but the world looked eerily familiar for Signum. The continents, the oceans, and even the atmospheric conditions and weather looked absurdly similar to a world she knew very well. Of course, that didn't stop either of the two to spend the moment gawking at the scenery.

"You must have an impression of your planet from this view," Signum commented.

"Why wouldn't I?" Angelise exclaimed to her. "This is just...this is…"

"Perhaps sometime, if we're able to, I can show you where my Master used to live."

"Your...your Master?"

"She's just like you," Signum noticed she might've spoken a little too much, "A native of an Unadministered World who got caught in an incident. After many trials, she has become a full-fledged member of the TSAB quite a high-ranking member herself."

"Could I be..."

"If you pass the trails and have the devotion to do so, then yes, you can also be a member of the TSAB. Unfortunately, we do not have time at the moment, for we have other things to worry about."

Angelise nodded, knowing what Signum meant. They had to meet with the prisoner who brought her here in the first place. At the same time, there were a lot of questions she wanted to ask herself.

Thanks to the woman who called herself Cecilia Ikka, they were thrown into some parallel universe. Considering the timing, and how she completed the transportation spell without any interference, it's as if she deliberately sent them here. If that was the case, then it's no doubt she'll have the information to send them back.

"Once we're interrogating her, we should be able to make it back without any problems. That is if she's willing to give us that information."

That was certain for both of them, but Angelise had another problem in mind.

"But what about the Norma?"

"You mean the Huckebein?" Signum corrected. "They are still at large since we brought you for emergency treatment. We even lost contact with their ship hours ago. Either they're in hiding, or they had some way to teleport elsewhere."

Angelise already heard that back in the medical bay. It was terrible to hear, but that was the truth. Whoever these people, she'll just have to deal with them later. But even so...

"You said you were after these Norma...no, these Huckebein, too. Have they hurt anyone else?"

"They have," Signum gave an unfortunate nod. "For the past few years, they've been attacking worlds at random with their anti-magic abilities. The targets vary all over the Dimensional Sea along with the area of devastation, but they're known to leave little or no survivors. Because so, even their members are hard to identify and analyze."

"But you do know at least one of them," Angelise corrected her with some authority in her voice. "Cypha, that was her name, wasn't it?"

"Yes, and from what we've encountered, she's the worst of the criminals. Most of their members hit specific individuals or small targeted areas, but she ignores that standard and has massacred at least a few city populations by now. What you witnessed down there was an example of her work."

With that in mind, Angelise promised to remember that name well. There was no way that woman was going to get away with what she did. For what happened, she ensures that woman was destroyed no matter what.

"But enough," Signum brought back her attention as she continued moving. "We have a suspect to interrogate. We'll deal with you, your maid...and the Huckebein afterward."

Ange saw her point and agreed. Looking back at her planet one last time, she nodded as if she'll be gone for a while. She doubted this would be the last time, and she promised she'd return, but there are some things she must take care of first.

Even so, the thought of about the Norma...no, of the Huckebein who just attacked her planet remained stuck in her head. Signum said their ship just disappeared, which understandably gave her an uneasy feeling about their activities. The question was...where are they really and what are they doing now?

---

Elsewhere in the space around Mana was another warship that was in hiding. Technically, TSAB warships had light colors of white, purple, and blue. The design itself was somewhat bulky, the main body either triangular or circular with the front having two prongs. They'd even have a special cannon along with other weapons to defend it.

However, this one was not a TSAB warship. The colors gave off that vibe with dark, metallic colors of blue and grey. The ship had a streamlined design that resembled a long, finned helmet connected by two wings. Both wings were like two large swords; each with semi-circular guards, three blades sticking out and were connected by joints that gave off a red glow.

That was the design for the Esquad, a large warship that served as the Huckebein's base of operations. Like the Huckebein in general, along with other members like them, the ship was designed to resist whatever magic the TSAB threw at them. Combined with its own arsenal of weapons, besides the dubious family within, it stood as an invincible mobile fortress.

Several members were in the Esquad's lounge conducting their usual activities. A few notable ones were not present for reasons they were already aware. One of the members- the ship's young skipper- was busy operating the ship and interfacing with its "Wilhelm" reactor, which occupied her mental capacity. It was a drawback that prevented her from being with the other members normally. Two others were Cypha and the family's boss who called her in.

For those present, Veyron was sitting patiently on the main couch, reading a novel he picked up at some point. On the last seat to the right of a large table was a long red-haired girl with light-green shorts and short shirt, her breasts only covered by a strip of black cloth wrapped around. She had some plates with food by her side of the table, specifically snacks and treats, as she quickly ate their contents one after another. On the other side was a large, shirtless man with long, blue hair. His muscular arms crossed, he merely stood there silently, like a loyal dog waiting for orders. The last member had a black longcoat and dark green hair with two strips going down to his shoulders. He was on a console, reading up information on the screens that interested him. Recent events made it necessary for the guy to start gathering info on their situation.

All of them had their actions interrupted as soon as one of the doors open. Cypha entered the room first, covering her right arm as if it were recently injured. Within decimeters behind her was a woman in her 20s with long blue hair, wearing only a black bra and pants. Like the other members around, she had a visible black scar, hers located on her left hip.

The Huckebein members, excluding Cypha, turned to their leader who gathered their attention.

"Welcome home, everyone," Curren Huckebein nonchalantly greeted her members. "And how has everyone been doing today?"

None of the members responded. Cypha only gave squinting eyes at her while Arnage was finishing up her current meal. Deville just stared, and Fortis chuckled over her easygoing welcome. Veyron got off the couch and closed his book. After taking his weapon with him, he was the first to speak up.

"It seems you're done with your punishment, Sis."

Before coming into the room, Curren was busy giving Cypha a proper punishment for the mess she made in the unadministered world. Due to the effects of the Eclipse virus, not only did they gain superhuman and anti-magic abilities, but they also had some personality-changing side effects. The main drawback was the thirst for blood from other livings, but even that had an acceptable limit and the Huckebein had restrictions over such behavior. Such restrictions prevented them from being through by the TSAB a long ago.

Of all the members, Cypha was their worst, which seemed to alter her personality into someone far different from the woman they once knew. This wasn't the first time she did a reckless massacre, starting with a number incidents they were too lazy to count, that she caused more trouble than it was worth. Curren's "training" and "punishment" were to remind Cypha what would happen if she screwed up.

"Just some bruises here and there, but other than that, she has learned her lesson. Again…"

"Tsch," Curren gave a snicker as Curren continued.

"Well anyways, looks like we cut ourselves some slack. The TSAB has given up once again over our encounter and moved elsewhere."

"Stella was the one who got us out of here, Curren Sis," Arnage talked with her mouth still full of the last bite. "There's a reason she's our skipper."

"That's our little girl," Curren pointed at Arnage. "But that's no longer the problem here."

"Yes, Sis," Veyron commented. "The problem is right in front of us."

The Huckebein may have gotten away, but that's only because someone suddenly interfered with the TSAB's pursuit. Casting something more sophisticated than a dimensional transfer spell, if it was a spell at all, the unknown assailant created some kind of dimensional rip that warped the Esquad and the pursuing TSAB ships into some random place in the Dimensional Sea. Because they barely had time at that moment, they needed to confirm their position besides being near some backwater planet.

"And that's where you come in, Fortis-kun," Curren turned to the boy in the black coat. "Now, your report?"

"I did my research as you suggested," Fortis addressed the other members. "As we figured, the world before us is not registered as an administered world. The documents we looked into, not to mention the TSAB quickly going in and out of its way to get off the planet was proof of that."

The Huckebein didn't have to take the time to sink that in before Fortis continued.

"Therefore, I looked into any regarding unadministered worlds. Based on the information from our scouting operations, I got enough data to find one close match," Fortis put up a visual on the console. "Unadministered World #97, known to the inhabitants as 'Earth.' But the results greatly contrast with the known data."

"Oh?" Curren walked closer to the virtual image of the unadministered world. "This must be the Aces' homeworld, isn't it?"

"Yes, and technically, Unadministered World #97 is supposed to be a modernized world despite its inhabitants completely devoid of magic. It suffers a long history of civil unrest that exists even today, following with whatever advancement in technology they invent."

Fortis brought up another virtual image on the console, showing data besides the first one.

"This world, on the other hand, shows just about all the inhabitants being extremely high-class Mages. Even the various machines in this world do not match the ones on Earth, let alone the TSAB. I have yet to trace the history and political features of this world either. The only comparisons I used to confirm that its Earth was the geographical features and slight differences in climate."

Curren leaned towards the two different images of Earth. Whatever Curren and Fortis, Veyron assumed he had the same ideas they were thinking. Deville merely watched and listened while Cypha had no comment.

"And what's the point in all of this?" Arnage, who just finished swallowing her last mouthful, was the one to speak her mind.

"Stella says that we might've slipped into a parallel world. As much as I didn't want to believe it…"

Fortis stopped mid-sentence for those in the room knew the events that happened.

"It's got to be that bitch who caused it," Cypha inferred.

"That other woman, you mean," Veyron turned to Cypha, being the only other person who saw her.

"She already explained to me," Curren cut him off. "Indeed, she must be the only one who knows about this mess."

"I wouldn't be surprised if she's on the run," Cypha inferred. "The bitch interfered with both us and the TSAB. I bet she's running somewhere, hiding from that Knight where ever she is."

"That may be so. In that case, we're gonna have to stay around for the time being."

"I guess until we figure out how she caused it, we won't be off this rock for a while," Veyron lamented, which the rest of the family agreed.

"Chop chop, everyone," Curren clapped her hands. "The TSAB may be gone, but we have business to settle. That involves a lot of data collecting and research, am I wrong?"

Deville remained silent while Cypha snickered again. Arnage merely shook her head.

"I'll look more into the planet's media networks, see what I can find," Fortis offered.

"Well said, Fortis-kun," Curren then turned to Veyron. "And you and I will go down to this planet together. At least give Cypha-chan a little rest before she goes out again."

"Understood, Sis," Veyron complied and snorted. He tagged alongside Curren as they left the room. Fortis went back to his seat to contact the ship's skipper through the computers. Cypha merely stood in place, Deville leaned back in his seat, and Arnage went back to eating another plate.

As the two exited the room, Curren dawdled in her mind on the recent report. She admitted that as of now, they were stuck with no place to jump or return. But a world that doesn't match the record of the Bureau was an interesting find. She danced around the idea of a parallel universe where there was no TSAB presence, besides the one that just retreated. Considering the nature of the spell that brought them there, it sounded the most reasonable. Despite little information, it caught her mind the most over the fact this unchecked world had an entire populace of Mages living everyday lives, though very unaware of what's happening before them.

A parallel universe with a magic-using unadministered world, eh? Now that's a lot to think about...

---

In the detention center of the TSAB Cruiser, Signum was face-to-face with the suspect. At the center of the metallic blue room was a brown desk. The room was separated symmetrically by a glass plate that went over the desk. A door on the side was the way in and out of the cell where the suspect was kept.

The woman with long, blonde hair and emerald eyes, calling herself Cecilia Ikka, was sitting by the desk for cooperation. Her Device, named the Eternal Blaze, was confiscated from her and kept in storage for study. The main wielder was more than willing to hand it over like it wasn't of much importance. As much as she had some understandable, easy-to-do demands in return, Signum couldn't help but feel uneasy about the woman.

"We've already conducted tests regarding your Device," Signum reported on the other side. "Your Device is impressive when it comes to sophistication. Capable of combat like Battle Devices, having a large storage system built within, and even having an internal energy source that matches the Jewel Seeds and several Relics into one. And if all the easily accessible data and multiple black boxes around certain areas are any indications, it even qualifies to be an Intelligent Device with an AI in sleep mode for unknown reasons."

Cecilia nodded silently as Signum continued.

"It's no doubt you would be capable of tearing gaps within the Dimensional Sea. A fully customized weapon like this easily makes you an S-ranked Mage or higher. Considering this is a Device unregistered with no attached safeguards, it also makes you an unauthorized Mage and even an interdimensional criminal of equivalent ranks."

Angelise was sitting by the corner behind Signum on her left, watching as the Captain talked to the prisoner. She was overwhelmed by what the girl was talking about, let alone the various terms that seemed alien to her.

"And that's not the only thing that's unregistered or unheard of," Signum also displayed what looked like an ID card from the TSAB, complete with a portrait and identification number. "It's no doubt you used this to pass yourself as a TSAB agent without detection for your criminal activities. After doing a quick digging, we found no other records regarding you outside our main databases, indicating your registration as erroneous. Even so, the material and information on this card are valid that passes well for the real thing."

Cecilia remained silent. A brief moment of silence came between the interrogator and interrogated. Signum knew fake IDs were existent, but they all had something that could easily separate them from real agents. Besides the material of the card, judging by the legit information and sophistication of her device, she didn't seem to make up all the information on the fly entirely.

"Either you and your collaborators are very talented at fabricating sophisticated documents and IDs...or you are an agent the TSAB publicly doesn't know. For the latter to be true, you must have a reason why they shouldn't know about you."

"I was tasked with protecting Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi."

"On whose authority?"

"I can't give you that information," that was the start of reluctance from the seemingly cooperative woman.

"Why not," Signum took a serious tone. "If you truly are a member the TSAB, then we should have the right to know."

"You are not yet trusted to be given such details."

Signum clicked over the sudden obstruction. For the criminals she knew, this is the time she'd would have to use force to get information out. That would've been the case back on Earth, but the TSAB had other methods to deal with it.

"However, I can give what's important that you currently need to know," Cecilia went on, getting Signum's attention again. "The information on the spell needed to get back to your parallel universe."

"I'm listening."

"It's a custom spell I made on my Device, appropriately named Dimensional Rip. It creates a tear in spacetime that allows objects to traverse between two parallel universes. The spell requires a lot of mana, both to cast it and constantly sustain the rip, but I doubt that would be a problem for a Belkan Knight like you."

"I appreciate offering this information," Signum replied. "But besides finding the spell, we need specific coordinates and vectors to return home safely."

"You can find the data on my Device," Cecilia answered. "It provides information for its spells and entire maps for various worlds, so you can jump from here to Midchilda if you'd like. I'll even override the defense programs protecting that information."

"That's assuring...But that doesn't mean you're no longer a prisoner here. You'll be kept in confinement here unless it's necessary to release you. Once we return to Midchilda, you'll remain in confinement under similar conditions. Do you understand?"

"I accept," Cecilia agreed to the condition set before her. "Keep in mind, Captain- or Ancient Knight of Belka- I have no ill-intent towards the TSAB, but my devotion is all towards the Crown Princess behind you. You can understand how it's no easy or simple matter by any means at all, but I'll provide you the information whenever it is necessary."

"We'll see about that," Signum stood up from her seat. "I'll return as soon as you're needed."

Signum then turned and left the detention cell through the door to her right. For a few minutes, it was just Cecilia and the Crown Princess left, there was some time for the two to talk directly. Cecilia could see that as Angelise occupied the chair in front of her.

"You must have a lot of questions yourself," Cecilia commented at the abducted princess who sat before her. "How is life treating you?"

"How is life treating me!?" Angelise exclaimed. "It because of you that I'm stuck here with no other place to go!" she paused to recuperate. "And because of you, Akiho and those others are dead. And Momoka is..."

"Think the bright side of this, Your Highness," Cecilia told the princess. "The result could've been a lot worse than this. In fact, you should be relieved that this happened."

"How...how could I…"

"Your hands," Cecilia interrupted as Angelise looked at them. "Those hands can counter magic, I assume?"

"Th-That's right," she remembered the time. "Momoka just about shielded me from that Cypha girl and then…"

Then the barrier suddenly dispersed. She didn't know how it happened, but it happened just when she made contact with it. She wanted to blame Cypha for that due to her anti-magic magic abilities, but considering she was so far away, that wasn't possible. So she must've done it somehow.

"But...that just happened before you came in to save us. How do you know?"

"I know this because that's what it means to be a Norma."

The very shook Angelise to bone. Her body shuddered in denial and disbelief. Not like Cecilia was expecting this, seeing the princess shaking her head.

"No...No...I don't believe you. I don't believe anything that you're saying! I'm not like that bitch! Normas are monsters! I'm not a monster!"

"I understand what you're thinking…"

"You don't understand what like-"

"I am telling you that I understand fully well. But just because you're a Norma, does not necessarily mean that you're a monster."

Cecilia stopped the princess's ranting for the moment. Despite acting like she expected this, the signs of frustration were shown on her face. She took a deep breath to release the stress from having to deal with this woman.

"You know, you should put a lot of faith in Signum," Cecilia advised the depressed woman. "You should put faith in all of her friends. Friends who won't betray you. Friends who will stand by and protect you, just as how you'll stand by and protect them. That's the key to being a princess and a leader."

"How can you say that!?" Angelise retorted, slapping both hands on the desk. "After what you just did?"

"Trust me, Angelise," Cecilia called by her first name. "I'm not qualified to be a leader for even I hated everything I did. There's no one else out there who wouldn't be disgusted over the crimes that I, myself had committed."

Just then, a buzzer went off. While the two girls didn't look, they both heard a male officer's voice come from outside the detention cell.

"Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi, Captain Signum wants you. Please report outside the detention cell."

Angelise turned to the door just as Cecilia spoke.

"Go on now, Crown Princess. A new world awaits ahead of you. You should embrace it instead of resisting it. And who knows, you'll probably love it even more than your old universe."

Casting aside Cecilia's words, Angelise walked out the exit door. She reunited with Signum, who overheard the conversation between the two. With interrogations done, Cecilia got off her seat and leaned on a wall in deep thought.

In less than a half hour, the TSAB officers got exactly what needed. Taking the same spell from the confiscated device, they acquired the spell and coordinates required to warp the TSAB squadron back to their own. It wasn't long before the dimensional rip allowed them to slip in and closed without a trace.

---

Back on the planet identified as "Mana," a storm of activity flooded the Misurugi Empire. All of it was concentrated on the Iaria stadium, where the recent battle took place. Hovering police cars and similar vehicles already encircled the area, both for guarding the area and respectable emergency operations.

Across all of Mana, people panicked everywhere over the sudden attack on the Iaria stadium on the screen. When all those screens went out, it added more to the chaos. Besides the Misurugi populace, the Kingdom of Rosenblum had equal trouble for it was just after First Princess Misty won them the championship. There were reasons both nations didn't completely fall into a severe panic: for Rosenblum, it was their Princess getting away safely; for Misurugi, it was the combined domestic and international response to the incident. Unfortunately, they were only left with rescue and recovery since whoever caused the disaster already left. With all the footage cut off since the start of the incident, even the police couldn't figure out who was responsible.

It took quite a while for the rescue services to start doing any work. The leftover devastation and carnage caused them to blench, making them unable to conduct operations even with their Mana. This went to show how mentally ill-prepared they were to deal with crimes of this nature. But once they got used to the sight, they went work as soon as possible.

In the center of the cleanup was another major member of significant importance, having a purple noble uniform with a white neck collar and gold seems and trimmings. He blew away some of his gold-blonde, wavy hair that barely went down to his neck. His blue eyes twitched over the annoyance before the scene around him.

"Prince Julio," a woman with long, light blue hair in a secretary uniform approached the young man. Despite him being part of the royal family, the woman gave a low bow, indicating a close relationship.

"Do you have something to give me, Miss Riza?" Julio Asuka Misurugi asked his head assistant. With the tone of his voice, the woman could see he did his best to remain patient and friendly with her considering what had happened. He had been taking this incident quite seriously, though why was another question. It was like something he'd been preparing for had all been gone to waste all thanks to one unforeseen incident.

"Just report from the rescue services," the woman responded. "Cleanup is now proceeding as scheduled. They should complete all operations within the next day."

"Any information who caused it?"

"For now, we have not. The way the corpses were dismembered show the suspect using a long bladed weapon to murder its victims. Besides those, the debris from the stadium, and crashed vehicles, there were large cut marks and crumbled sections of the ground. Since the areas of interest on the ground had footprints in pairs, a duel must have occurred within the stadium. Unfortunately, without visual evidence, we're not sure who is responsible nor who possesses such superpowers."

"And the Crown Princess?"

"Also nowhere to be found."

He remembered some of the victims, a few classmates, talked about Akiho returning to the stadium to find Angelise. They assumed because she was responsible for letting their team lose in the first place, she wanted to atone by trying to rescue the princess herself. Finding her dismembered body not so long ago, it's obvious that attempt didn't go well.

Julio scowled at the situation. It wasn't much of the massacred citizens that caused him ire, but the disappearance of the Crown Princess herself. It was like he held a grudge that bottled up for an unknown period of time. Now that she's mysteriously vanished, those bottled up feelings turned into fumes.

"However, there is something that might interest you," Riza interrupted Julio's thoughts. She handed over what looked like a case that contained either memory stick or video card, perfect for a recording device like a video camera. "It's footage from one of the security cameras left intact since the incident."

"Where did you find this?"

"The workers discovered this by coincidence when they assessed the damage on the balconies. They don't exactly know the content for they have yet to replay its footage and the card itself looks damaged. But considering there's nothing else, it may provide some insight over the incident."

"Very well, we shall view the footage here and now."

Just like that, a screen appeared that analyzed turned out to be a memory stick. Although there was some static at the beginning due to some damage, it wasn't long before it cleared away.

The video started by capturing the suspects on camera. Even though it was from a distance, it was a perfect angle to watch the scene with both clear visual and sound quality. It started just when Akiho died, brutally killed by a dark-skinned woman in front of the princess and Momoka. Then that same woman demonstrated superhuman strength as she rocked the ground and some attempt to kill the princess. That gave Julio a smirk for the moment as if he wished to see the girl suffer, though the unbelievable strength she had almost unnerved him.

What caught his eyes was the next minute of the footage. He was intrigued by the sudden arrival of the rose-haired swordswoman, who used a sophisticated form of Mana to attack the girl, who immediately negated it. That was proof that the attacking woman was a Norma, or at least had abilities similar to them. Though irrelevant, it was notable for both the observers to hear the name of the dark woman called out as Cypha of Huckebein. Riza paid more attention to the full name, keeping it in mind as they went on.

The main point was not so long after when Momoka and Angelise tried to defend against the Norma. With accidental contact, Angelise shattered the barrier Momoka projected to protect them, causing both to be wounded by Cypha's attack. Riza could see even more glee coming from the prince's smile, now having his right hand rubbing his chin. It's as if he was about to laugh at this revelation.

The footage ended when two more guests came down from the sky. The Cypha woman and her accomplice escaped the arena while the newcomer and rose-haired knight took the princess and head maid with them. The footage returned to static, indicating the video had ended.

While the end of the video took some joy away from him, he could find some use in the footage. It was proof that Angelise was a Norma, something Mana found abominations of society. While it was only in the media, the footage showing another Norma-like woman killing tons of civilians without hesitation- let alone the various rants she made in the process that included Angelise becoming one of them- could make those claims solid.

"Prince Julio," Riza asked him reluctantly. "What do you wish to do with this?"

Julio took the card off the Mana-projected screen before closing it. He then turned around, away from the scene before him.

"We're taking this to the public," the prince proclaimed.

"Excuse me, Prince Julio?" Riza followed the prince in his footsteps.

"For years, I've been preparing something for the Crown Princess's Baptism Ritual," Julio explained, referring to an important political and religious ceremony that occurred for all Mana users. "There was a little risk it would fail, but necessary to secure the royal bloodline and increase my position of power. With this, there is no risk and it'll do more than enough to satisfy my goals."

Riza remained silent as Julio went on.

"Send a message to Norma Police HQ and the nearby media centers. We'll be making this an announcement for the entire world to see!"

"Understood, Your Majesty."

Riza complied as the two exited the stadium. While preparing to send data the target receivers of this information, she had ideas over what the princes trying to do; to her, it sounded like a plan to cause public disaffection followed by a military coup over the current rulers. While she found the method pretty taxing herself, she could hold on to hope for a different, personal reason.

Your goals aren't the only ones that'll progress, Riza had in mind. This will be an opportunity for both us. After years of infiltration and sacrifice, we are closer than ever before to our dreams...and our freedom...

---

Boy, was this long. Although it was frustrating since I didn't conjure the events on the fly- why this took longer than the prologue, which took less than a day- it was fun either way.

So the Huckebein are now stranded around the planet of Mana with no knowledge of how to get back. Looks all they can do now is wait around until something comes up. Whereas the TSAB is about to take our little princess to one of their administrated worlds.

For Angelise, it made her appearance in terms of her hair to be like that in the second and third episode of the show. The same thing goes with her personality at the time, full of denial and desperation.

For the Huckebein, I wanted to do some personality changes to some of the characters. That also means adjusting the effects and abilities of the Eclipse virus.

For one thing, the Eclipse virus is known to alter their personalities away from the people they once were, though it's for the more serious cases when they are deprived of killing people. Right now, I'm aiming for a week and slow loss of sanity is a consequence for long periods of time. To suppress it, they must at least gouge the blood of living equivalent to one human being, though more is better. In other words, the Eclipse infectees are vampires as well as zombies.

For the Huckebein themselves, they've ensured to restrict themselves to certain targets, both to restrain them of their behavior and keep them under the radar. They even do to keep their targets small, on mostly unadministered worlds, and usually, against scumbags who deserved it. Only Cypha, who has embraced the violent behavior, and, to an extent, Curren and Veyron are the darkest of cases.

Also, the story takes place 13-14 years after A's. A number of characters may have their birth dates adjusted to fit with the condensation of plots. The events of StrikerS, even before the JS Incident, hasn't even occurred yet. And we can already see the Eclipse outbreak happening earlier than canon. So, that going to make quite a plot...and probably quite a mess…

That excludes the fact I'll add the third story into the mix. It's not going to come up until later when Ange starts to grow up, but it'll be another work that's important to the story. I've also restricted myself to only these three universes to prevent my ideas from getting too out of control, which goes for any original ideas that come up. For those who want to know what series I may add in, the only hint I'll give is that it's thanks to Super Robot Wars.

Either way, hope you enjoyed this and hope to look forward to the next chapter.

 

[WiseMan744436]

Next chapter. Time to see the princess a taste of life outside the palace. Or more importantly, outside the world of Mana.

---

It wasn't long before the TSAB Squadron arrived back in their universe. Following the given vectors and programming for the spell found on Cecilia's Device, the officers cast a Dimensional Rip spell to jump the fleet straight from the parallel world all the way to the capital of Midchilda. Once all the TSAB ships passed through, the tear in spacetime closed behind them.

On the bridge, Signum and Angelise were watching from the higher levels. The main screens showed a visual of Midchilda and its system from orbit. Covered in a massive ocean, the planet's landmass was mostly composed of a single continent, and not all of it was densely populated. Outside the planet were two moons, which was unusual for Angelise, who only saw one moon on her homeworld. Since she was suddenly in a whole new world where rules were different from her own, that shouldn't come to any surprise.

Beside Angelise, Signum was giving out orders.

"Inform TSAB HQ about our report. Take the suspect to one of Mid-GH's detention cells for further interrogation when needed."

"Understood, Captain," a male officer affirmed before looking at Angelise. "But what about the other guests?"

"The patient, Momoka will be transferred to a nearby hospital along South Midchilda. You'll be able to use a dimensional transfer spell to bring her down safely," Signum turned towards Angelise. "Whereas I'll be escorting the third guest personally with non-magical transportation. Inform them of the situation and to expect a delayed return."

When the officers replied positively, Signum saw Angelise's eyes widen. Signum expected it; the princess was probably not going to like being separated from her head maid. Seeing how she was unable to dress, she thought it would be better to give her some real-life experience away from royalty. That was thanks to a certain someone who taught her what it meant to live life.

"What's going on here?" Angelise started the complaining. "What are you doing with Momoka?"

"Your maid friend is being taken to a nearby hospital. Our emergency efforts managed to treat both of your wounds, but she hasn't woken up yet. Besides, the medical services on this ship are limited. Would it be better if she received more proper treatment in case something serious happened?"

Angelise's head hung. The Captain had a point to give Momoka better treatment if she hadn't woken up at this time. However…

"Don't worry, Angelise," Signum assured. "She's taken to a hospital right where we're going, so you'll be able to see her occasionally if needed."

"Thanks, but...where is this place that we're going?"

"When we carried you onto the ship, Cecilia requested that I'd be your guardian. That's means for the time being until we head back to Mana, you'll be a temporary resident alongside the Yagami family."

"Why you?"

"That I do not know. But she demanded to have you under my protection. She seems to be aware that she's asking help from one of the most powerful families here on Midchilda. She even said that we'd give you the best protection and there is a guarantee no move will go against us."

"I see," Angelise pandered, but there was a little confusion going regarding the last part. "Excuse me, but what do you mean by Mages?"

"Mages are those who wield magic or mana effectively. They all vary in rank, but there aren't many people within the TSAB who aren't Mages, of whom would be exceedingly rare exceptions."

"You mean you recruit Norma?" Angelise had a hint of anger in her voice.

"In that regard, yes," Signum wanted to deal with her misconception as quick as possible. "But it sounds like you have a harsher take when it comes to those who can't use magic."

"Only humans can use Mana in our world. Those who can't are-"

"Norma, I know. But do remember, the TSAB does not go by the same rules as your world. On the contrary, those who can't use Mana or use it effectively are treated as equally as those who do. Superstitions about Norma being inhuman creatures do not apply here, and that certainly does not apply to you."

Signum seemed to emphasize the last word on Angelise. It was like taking a shot that impaled deeply into her pride. She clenched her fists for a moment before they slowly softened up. If she were in Misurugi, she could've cast her out as a traitor, but she was not in Misurugi anymore and she reluctantly accepted it.

The TSAB cruiser eventually stopped. The planet was nearing the borders on the bridge's screen.

"It's time," Signum turned around. "We should get going."

"W-Where are we going now?" Angelise asked as she anymore along.

"We're taking our own route to Midchilda. While your friend will be sent through a dimensional transfer spell, we're taking a different method of transportation."

"Is there a problem? What is this dimensional transfer spell?"

"It's best described as a mass teleportation spell. You cast a circle around a target including yourself, mark your location, and verify your destination. It allows even standard Mages to warp anywhere, as long as it's part of another dimension. That hasn't been a problem for the TSAB, but as for you, yes, there is...a problem."

Signum generated a spell of Belkan design. It wasn't too big, but it didn't need to be. It just enough for Signum to demonstrate as she contacted Angelise with it. Like before, the spell shattered on her much like those with the Eclipse virus. It made Angelise jump for a moment, but Signum showed her point.

"You see, we've taken a quick examination while you were unconscious. As a Norma, you have a passive ability to negate all types of mana upon contact. Similar to the Eclipse virus, you completely cancel out the programming of powerful spells and render them ineffective. Because of this, we'll have to take an alternate way back to our residence. There are nearby ports and landing zones around that'll be long, but-"

"Could you try it at least!?" Angelise complain. "You don't know unless you try. If we can, that'll prove I can still use Mana!"

"Unfortunately, we cannot. You need to face the facts, Angelise. You're a Norma, and you've managed to live this long with such privileges because you hid under other Mages who sympathized with you."

"Why are you certain I am-"

"How am I supposed to know!?" Signum took a serious tone, which was almost to the point in yelling. Her voice was high enough it attracted the nearby officers to their argument. She didn't want to yell, especially in front of a girl who reminded her so much of other people who now live on this planet. There was just so much she could take. Once the girl was shocked in silence, she resumed to her more calm voice and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. Whatever you think you are, we do not think that. The TSAB has taken measures to prevent discrimination in their worlds. We'll figure this out soon enough, but until then, you'll just have to listen to what I say."

"I…"

The speechless Angelise stood for the moment, stunned by the words Signum just said to her. She merely froze as Signum took a few steps down the corridor, only to stop for a moment.

"Listen, if you think you have no right to live just because you were born with something, then don't. I've met those who were in a position like you, and they were proven otherwise. In fact, almost everyone in our family was like that, until a certain child showed us what it means to be human."

"Human," the word came out of Angelise's mouth.

"If you don't want to go, then stay here. But if you want to live, even it's not the one you used to know, then you should take up the offer and join me down on the planet."

Angelise wasn't sure. Normas had no right to live, and every one of them had to die. Or at least that's what say. The one named Cypha, who just killed her friends, was proof of that. But then, she remembered hearing Akiho's last words to her...to live. She doubted her friend knew she was a Norma, nor would say that if she did. But those words were spoken, and it was telling her to move on instead.

"I shall go," Angelise complied as she talked alongside Signum. Besides, the Cypha girl did something she would never forgive. If she couldn't bring her friends back to life, then she could do what she can to avenge them. Thus, shelter under the TSAB was the best option she had.

"Glad to hear you're on our side," Signum said as they continued walking. As they passed by the windows showed one of the planet's moons, Signum also treated her, "By the way, welcome to Midchilda."

---

Three hours have passed since the two made landfall. Momoka was already taken to a hospital where the doctors took high-level care of the woman in case of any sudden abnormalities. Due to Angelise's ability to disrupt magic, teleportation abilities were unavailable, so they had to get down to Midchilda the old-fashioned way.

Signum gave a brief layover of the major facilities as they descended. Most of the main buildings were located in the center of the continent as Angelise guessed, located around the capital city of Cranagan. The North was a self-governed area that coexisted with the Bureau, belonging to a religious group made from an ancient civilization called Belka, which intrigued the princess the most. The eastern section was a less developed region compared to the last two sections, which were far more modernized.

Angelise and Signum were now in Midchilda South along the coastal areas. The two were walking down a sidewalk much like any other modern street. After landing somewhere from a distance, the two were forced to take a cab to their destination. When they arrived at a location close to their destination, Signum paid for the fare before continuing.

An odd thing the TSAB Captain knew about Mana was their lack of a monetary system. Even the Mage-based civilizations Signum once knew had some sort of economy. Angelise explained that thanks to Mana, everyone could generate their food and daily necessities without having to exchange anything. No wonder how the princess had no concept of money or currency. It had to take a half hour or so for Signum just to explain that.

Now as they were walking, the topic switched to the scenery. It was forced upon just to take a break from teaching the spoiled woman.

"Is this anything like your world?" Signum asked her.

"Uhh, yeah," Angelise did a quick look around. She wasn't exactly paying attention to all the details, but she could see the similarities to her world. But there were some differences to point out. One of them was seeing humans, or "Mages," flying into the sky with various spells. Screw space travel, even her home country of Misurugi never had the technology to do that! "Cars and planes flying around are one thing, but people? I…I've never seen such a thing."

"I don't find it surprising. Flying spells are tough to master and require a lot of control. There's a reason why we restrict them to certain areas."

"Restrict them?"

"Densely populated areas like cities are marked as no-flying zones for Aerial Mages due to the heavy presence of aircraft. You don't want to end up getting hit by a large machine and kill yourself or others around you, do you?"

"I...can understand," Angelise's experience in Iaria showed that collisions with each other are possible and have happened before. She even saw a couple of teammates in training end up getting into an accident with two machines hitting each other straight on. Of course, they used Mana barriers to protect themselves unscathed.

But that was merely her sense of justice and the fact they were mere accidents. It didn't come about until a moment later what Signum meant. In a world where those without magic collaborated with those who did, how can the latter protect against those of the latter? Where they just doomed to be like that from the start?

"That's why we have rules," Signum said as if she read her mind and cut off whatever thoughts Angelise had. "Having something that prevents you from hurting even the littlest of living things upholds a sense of morality. That is what makes us human beings."

"Umm, right," Angelise turned away, but only for the moment once she realized Signum was taking a left turn.

Following suit, the two stood before a two-story yellow beach house. The building had large glass windows, an extended balcony on the right side, and a square pavilion by the entrance. Topped with some stone staircases to the side and various plant fauna growing around, it looked like your typical beach house.

"This is our residence, which you'll be staying at for the time being. Try to be mindful when you stay here."

"Umm…" Signum heard Angelise blurt out as if something didn't feel right with her.

"Is something wrong? Does this kind of home not suit you?"

"No, it's not that," It's not like Angelise never saw this kind of building before. The Kingdom of Rosenblum had many beach resorts of their own due to having long coastal lines. She even went inside one herself when her royal family met with that of Rosenblum. "It's pretty decent. Are you part of nobility or something?"

"In a sense, yes," Signum answered after chuckling. "I was originally a Knight in the past. Sometimes, they even said I was a General."

"A General?" Angelise widened over the fact. It wasn't like she never saw superior officers in the past. Despite her land being a touched by war, they had at least some sort of military personnel guarding the Empire, mostly in the form of the Royal Guard. Aside from the time when she looked like a Knight back on Mana, judging by the standard uniforms she and herself wore, Signum didn't look like the ultimate superior officer.

"Unfortunately, that was in the past," Signum corrected her. "The other Wolkenritter and I have adapted to today's society, taking up some high positions in the TSAB. However, we still maintain our tradition for we have sworn absolute loyalty to our mistress."

"Y-You have a mistress, too?" Angelise provoked a nod from the Knight.

"She's the highest ranked among all of us and the runner of this house. In fact, she's the reason why we exist. Not only would we not be here if it weren't for her but nor we would see ourselves as human."

Now that raised eyebrows. Signum and these Wolkenritter she mentioned weren't seen as human either? Even if they used magic like those on Mana? That shouldn't have come to a surprise if this world treated those without mana with human rights, but what made someone like her think like that? What was their story, she wondered.

"You should talk to her when while she's here. She can tell you a lot more about morality if you'd like."

Angelise nodded, making a note to talk to the woman. Besides the culture and morality section of this world, she might have more about this world she can share. Those thoughts processed in her mind as they went up the stone staircase.

When they entered the door by the pavilion, a loud, childish voice came from the door that made Angelise jump.

"Where have you been, Signum!?" A short girl who looked a child appeared, loudly stomping her feet in front of the two enterers. She had red-orange hair that had two queues on the sides. For attire, she had a white and blue uniform in the same style as Signum. "Hayate's been waiting for you since this afternoon!"

Now, who's this annoying kid? Angelise thought. She hasn't met a bratty woman in her, and even Sylvia tamer than that. The girl's rampage stopped when her blue eyes opened, causing her right foot to stop in mid-air. Her barbaric behavior allowed Angelise someone come by to her left.

"Settle down now, Vita," a taller woman with short, blonde hair and brown eyes came in. She was wearing a green uniform suited for a housekeeper than an officer uniform. It wasn't long before she came into view. "As Knights, we're supposed to be very responsible, regardless how late we are in duties and...o-oh, do we have a new guest?"

The older woman gave a better first impression for Angelise. Responsible, dignified, and caring. For a moment, she reminded her of Momoka. In some cases, she resembled herself in some regards, or at least that's what she thought.

See how the two girls wanted answers, Angelise wished to speak, but Signum cut her off.

"Something came up during my last mission for the Bureau. This girl was a victim of the recent Huckebein attack, and an additional Mage interrupted our attempts to arrest them. While the suspect is in custody, we've been assigned to give her and her friend care and protection under the TSAB."

"I see," Shamal said before resorting to grin. "Well then, I'm sure Mistress Hayate will be more than happy to meet her."

"Mistress Hayate," Angelise pinned the name in her mind.

"Say, what's your name?"

"Her name is Angelise," Signum answered for her. "She's a resident of an undiscovered world called Mana."

"Angelise, huh?" Vita looked closely towards the girl in the TSAB uniform. Her eyes narrowed, intimidating the girl despite her difference in size. "You look very timid for someone wearing the uniform."

Angelise wanted to shoot back.

"Hey, it's not like I had any-"

"Angelise needed spare clothing after treating her wounds from the attack," Signum butted in before it turned into an argument. "While she made an easy recovery, her clothes...did not."

"Hmph," Vita crossed her arms and closed her eyes in disappointment. "Then I guess we'll have to do some clothes shopping for her. A girl who doesn't have any guts has no right to wear a respectable uniform."

"What did you say, you little-"

"Signum!"

Another loud voice interrupted them, saving them from an argument again. Another woman, around 20 years old at most with brown hair and blue eyes, came running through Vita and the other host to meet with the Captain. She had a brown and green pants for clothing. With an expected glomp against Signum and familiarity with the woman, Angelise could only assume this was Hayate.

"I've been waiting for you to return for so long and-" Hayate let go of Signum to get a look at her face, only to be distracted by the guest to her right. After getting a silent look between the two, Hayate went back to Signum with a glare. "Hey!"

"W-What is it, Mistress Hayate?"

"What did I say about bringing in guests without warning?"

"I, uhh…"

Both of them had no answer, for they were too scared to answer. It was more like that whole question was awkward for her, which ended Hayate laughing.

"Just joking there, Signum," Hayate affirmed before going to her guest. "And who would you be?"

"Is anything alright, Mistress?"

Interrupting the conversation, a muscular man with a black worker's shirt came into the room. He was a dark-skinned person with silvery hair. Angelise took note of the indigo and silver wolf ears on his head, something rarely seen in real life. What other creatures did they have on this planet?

"I was just joking there," Hayate repeated to the man as if he lacked any sense of humor.

"I understand, Mistress," Zafira left the room after that. Angelise eyed him as Hayate introduced.

"That's Zafira; he's usually the quiet one compared to all us. Don't mind him too much," Hayate then returned to her unknown guest. "And so, who would you be, miss...?"

"Angelise," the princess far from home responded. She cleared her throat before declaring with her arms crossed. "I am Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi, Crown Princess of Misurugi Empire...from the planet of...Mana."

She stuttered over the last part, and her declaration ended in silence...only to break laughs from the group. On the other hand, Angelise felt a mixture of embarrassment, confusion, and insult.

"You sure brought an odd guest around," Hayate commented as she faced Signum.

"She's an odd one alright," Signum accepted, trying not to hurt the girl's feelings. "But please, don't take her too harshly for she's been exposed to a new world without warning. Despite what she says, she's very oblivious and confused. Please, give her some time to know this world and adjust, Mistress."

"Well said," Hayate gave her the thumbs up. "You can leave it all up to us!"

As Hayate and Shamal chuckled, Angelise gave an uneasy smile.

"I'll be back later," Signum turned to walk away.

"H-Hey," Angelise called to the leaving Signum. "W-where are you going?"

"I need to return to the Bureau. I called for a delay, so I must return to confirm my report. I'll be leaving your care up to the Mistress and the others."

"That's true," Hayate placed a finger by her mouth. "I bet Reinforce is getting rather bossy over there since none of us are around to help her."

Although Hayate chuckled, Angelise shook. Although Signum was part of the Yagami family, Angelise felt cold inside about Signum leaving her.

"But...I…"

"Have no fear, Angelise," the Knight cut her off. "I will return soon. Until then, you'll have them to keep you company."

"I...I understand."

As Angelise nodded, Signum continued her leave. When she was about a few feet away from the residence, she began a dimensional transfer spell that warped out. The way she dissolved into thin air was both surprising and intimidating. She must wonder what that might've been like for Momoka, who underwent the same spell.

By the time, Signum completely disappeared, the spell triangle vanished. Angelise turned back to her new guardians, who resumed their conversation.

"And so, please tell us," Hayate called her. "What and where exactly are you from?"

"I mean it! I'm a princess from another world! Crown Princess to be exact, and I'm supposed to take up the throne within the next few days!" Angelise overlooked how much time might've passed before what should be or coronation.

"We heard you, but...I've never heard of Mana. At least...we don't remember it," the woman replied, yet to be named until recently.

"Relax, Shamal, we'll understand this soon enough," Hayate gave the name. "But first, how about I get you some new clothes?"

"Uhh, sure," Angelise looked at her uniform, reminding herself that this was burrowed. It would be rude not to give it back or return it ruined. At least that was some common sense she had.

"How we go right now?" Hayate grabbed both of her hands. "I'm already off duty, which makes this the perfect opportunity for shopping!"

"Y-You?"

"Let's get started right away!"

Hayate ran off, dragging the dazed Angelise away. The princess panicked as Shamal and Vita chuckled over the reaction. They walked out the door as they ran away from the residence.

"Good luck, Miss Angelise!" Shamal called out before Vita.

"You can count on Hayate for sure!"

---

Elsewhere…

---

"1st Squadron Leader, come in...1st Squadron Leader, can you hear me?...1st Squadron Leader, do you read?"

"Ax..here, sorry...little disturbance."

"Pull back now; you're going too far out."

"Sorry...seems...of the trainees tried to e..."

"Dear...what is that!?"

"That doesn't look…"

"Squadron Leader, what's going on!"

"Commander, Zola's….gone!"

"S...respond! Squadron Leader! Squadron Leader!"

---

It was a few hours until Hayate returned. She and the others took the princess to their residence, making sure to cover every inch of the house before dropping all of their stuff. The princess was now wearing a more casual outfit, choosing a white and blue uniform she said looked like her school uniform. While Hayate helped a little, she was forced to carry two large bags of clothing just for her.

Angelise knew she couldn't wear that TSAB uniform for too long; it was only a spare until she managed to get her own clothes. That's why Hayate took her to a nearby store that had decent prices. Besides the number of clothes, the time in the fitting rooms was another interesting experience. The first few sets were the very expensive kind, only convenient for special events like balls. The princess seemed to not let go of royalty until Hayate asked her to try out something more casual. Some were mismatched, some looked goofy and revealing. At some point, she even tried some of the men's clothing. Hayate had to intervene in teaching her how to dress properly in place of Signum and that wasn't easy either. It wasn't because Angelise was too reluctant, prideful, or stupid to learn; it was more of Hayate's doing after seeing her breasts. That caused a bit of a ruckus that nearly got them thrown out of the store, but they all managed to get by anyway.

By the time they got home, to start a friendship, they had given more proper introductions. Signum just returned home after a long day, being first to introduce the princess and her home planet. Vita remained agitated over the lecture, but Hayate and Shamal were more welcome. Zafira was more understandable of Angelise's background, even though he had some questions of his own. During that time, they were just introduced to the last of the family, Reinforce, who looked like a small fairy with long silver hair. Despite the proclaimed bigotry from earlier, she seemed to treat Reinforce rather fairly and like a decent human being despite her tiny size. Maybe it was because she was a Mage? Or perhaps she had nothing to say about fairies?

Because so, Reinforce called for Angelise's help when it came to cooking dinner. The results were what they expected. Despite her elegance and dignity, she showed to be clumsy a few times. Either it was tripping, causing a mess, and even getting the wrong ingredients. Despite the long delays, they at least got something decent on the plate, more thanks to Reinforce. At least the result was better than when Shamal was in the kitchen, the rest of the Wolkenritter thought in their mind along with their mistress.

Once dinner was over, Reinforce and Signum took Angelise around the house so that she could get a feel for her temporary residence. Hayate and the others sat within the living discussion about their new guest.

"Boy, was Signum not lying about the girl being spoiled," Hayate had to laugh. "She nearly exhausted today's salary, not to mention causing a lot of trouble this evening."

"She is strange," Shamal chuckled with her Mistress. "Must be a tradition when it comes to Mana?"

"On the other hand," Zafira asked. "Do you believe that she came from an undiscovered world?"

"As much I believe it's a place that abuses non-Mages!" Vita chomped on a meat stick from the leftovers. She knew that similar discrimination existed in the southern section of Orusea, a place that's been torn by wars for an indefinite amount of time. But that area at least had other struggles such as lack of food. Somewhere that had everything yet treated non-Mages like abominations that seemed to be out of malice, even when said "Normas" were born from those people, really pulled a few hairs. While not as angry, the others certainly agreed with the absolute wrongness of Mana's culture.

"She's very in denial over her revelation as a Norma," Hayate commented, aware of her ability to cancel magic. "Can't say I blame her. Though I must wonder, even for a princess, how did she spent her entire life not knowing herself that she was a Norma?"

"What I do not understand is," Shamal paused to get the others' attention before sharing her concerns, "Why hasn't the TSAB discovered this world yet?"

"Agreed," Zafira replied in his rare moments of speaking. During their time in the TSAB, they learned of worlds that were aware of magic and were accepted as administered worlds, yet willfully kept technological innovations to a limit. These areas would be referred to as cultural reservation areas with Ruwella being a nearby example. Not only was Mana not an administered world but using Mana while oppressing a populace would be a serious violation of TSAB law, let alone human rights. "If it's a planet that uses magic, then even if they're not as advanced, they should've at least gained the Bureau's attention."

"Signum told me that they found the world in some parallel universe," Hayate responded. "She said the place looked so familiar that she should've recognized it by now."

"Do you have images on the planet?" Shamal asked.

Hayate nodded as she displayed an image of Mana. All of the Wolkenritter eyed on the familiarity of the planet, especially with its geography.

"Mistress, that's…"

"I know," Hayate confirmed that it was Earth, home to both her and her fellow Wolkenritter. "To be honest, I was surprised about this as well. A feeling tells me I shouldn't because it's from a parallel universe, but…"

"Does she know about this yet?"

"No, and...Signum says that she shouldn't either. At the worst case scenario, not until a long time, once she's adapted to the culture of the TSAB."

"And when will that be?" Vita said, seeing little chance for a girl like to make into the TSAB, especially if she didn't know how to clean up after herself.

"I don't know, Vita. We should follow Signum's suggestion and just give her a little time."

"And how much much time?"

"Come on, Vita. Don't think so pessimistically!"

On the other hand, Hayate did wonder what'll take for Angelise to adjust. For all she knew, something may already come up just before she started getting a feel for the new world. How long it'll take for her to change...was still unknown.

---

Before she knew it, the star of Midchilda's system set a long time ago. Now it was all dark with the two moons being closely aligned with each other up in the sky.

As of now, Angelise was assigned a spare bedroom on the second level. It was reserved for special friends who came over on the occasion. Because it was currently vacant, it marked the best place to sleep for the time being.

Her bedroom was close to a square, with yellow walls that matched the outside, beige pillars and edges, and a white ceiling. The door for the room was on the bottom right side. When entering the room, she found a standard queen-sized bed in the center of the adjacent wall, followed by a large window in the middle of an opposite wall. The adjoining wall on her right had some shelves, while the very opposite wall had two small windows and a wardrobe to store her stuff.

After being forced to put away her new clothes- she needed direction from Reinforce and Signum to put her stuff away- she took the time to lay herself in bed.

In the past several hours, perhaps a few days, a lot went on for Angelise. While there were some comedic points, many were events of tragedy and loneliness. Losing the Iaria match, seeing all of her friends get killed, learning that she's been a Norma this whole time, and being taken into a whole different world that seemed alien yet familiar to her. On the bright side, Momoka was still around, even though she was still recovering, and people used magic here.

It's strange, Angelise thought herself. They tell me that I'm a Norma and have the proof to back it up...but they still treat me as if I were human.

That was the shock she was feeling. All this time, she and everyone she knew back on her home planet saw her as a "human" or a person who could use magic. She lived with that for her life, never knowing that it was all a lie. If she were to go back, even if she had help from the TSAB, would the people see her the same?

Will she always be Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi, First and Crown Princess of the Empire? Now that she was a Norma, did she have the right to call herself that anymore? She may be told to live, but should she live while still carrying on that name?

She wondered how her parents would answer those questions. Recalling the dream she had while she was unconscious, her mother told her she would always be their daughter and the most glorious princess of the Misurugi Empire. Even so, she had doubts about herself, as if her faith in Mana was slipping away.

She grabbed one of the white pillows in the room, her own body wrapping around it. Everything that happened was so overwhelming that it was terrifying. Worse yet, they still don't know where the culprits are, who could be roaming around killing more people as a result of her and the strange girl's actions.

Mother, Father, Julio, Sylvia, Angelise thought about her family, including her self-indulged older brother and crippled younger sister. With everything that just happened both here and on Mana, she couldn't stop worrying about what the situation might be back on her homeworld. With all her friends dead and Momoka unconscious, they were the only ones she could turn to for relief.

I wish upon Mana that Momoka is safe, Angelise prayed. And I wish upon Mana that you, too, are safe.

---

So, there's Chapter 2. Not as long as I expected it to be, which is a relief.

Angelise is definitely gonna need time to adjust considering her circumstances and upbringing. Besides still needing to learn how to stand on her own, the seeds of Norma prejudice are still embedded within her, which has now become reinforced thanks to the Huckebein. With the couple scenes found here, doesn't sound like Mana's peace is going to last for very long.

As for Hilda, yes, that's the little "sister" of the original Hilda Schlievogt. And now she's become a victim of these attacks. What became of her during and after this? For now, I'll leave that to your imagination.

As for the next few chapters, I seem to hold my goal. I aim for writing about 1000 words each day, which will change to longer goals during the weekends. That should be a good enough to meet my target of one chapter every week. Once a month is the worst that could happen.

Either way, hope this was a good read.

 

[WiseMan744436]

Next Chapter. This time, I made some not-so-original villains to start the plot. All I can say is no, wherever they're from, it is not the third work for this fic. They're something I used that are related to one of the works.

12/10/2017: Once this chapter and the last one before I underwent revisions are finished, I'll resume my work on the next chapter, which is halfway done.

---

The next day came when Midchilda's star shone on Angelise's eyes from one of the two windows in front of her bed. She woke up seeing the two moons aligning barely with each other within the distance. While she was able to wake up at a usual time, Vita, as barbaric as she was in Angelise's eyes, came bashing the door open and shouting at her to get off the bed.

Since then, there's been a constant squabble between her and Vita. How can this girl still be so obnoxious to her? Did she not like her, or was she trying too hard to snap her out of spoilage?

As for the rest of Yagami family, she got better with the others. Hayate was still a little problem thanks to her intrusive nature from yesterday's shopping trip. Who was that girl, who enjoyed fiddling with another woman's private parts? Other than that, the others didn't have much she had to criticise. Zafira, she had no comment on as he didn't talk much. She felt very close to Signum, perhaps since she was the first of the Yagami family she met, which seemed to make Hayate jealous. Shamal and Reinforce were the ones she was in the best terms with, dotting on the latter and having close to a loving relationship with the former.

Something that might've helped her relationship was the conversation they had during breakfast. Hayate gave a summary about the Wolkenritter, who were her guardians ever since she obtained a book with powerful magic. Because of how much Hayate cared about them, they became so close to one another that they could be seen as family. In fact, they went as far as helping Hayate when the book was corrupted and went its way to kill her and innocent people around. That event led them to the present day as TSAB officers.

Angelise was still left with many questions. She didn't know what, but it seemed like they left many parts out and merely summarized what happened. Woman's intuition, she probably thought it was. She never had the time to ask those questions for breakfast was already over and they were getting ready for the day.

Fortunately for Angelise, some of Yagami family stayed home. Signum told her that after giving her reports, the higher-ups assigned some members to provide Angelise protection until it was safe for to return. Even though the time was indefinite, it was at least not as stressful as the other jobs they've taken. In fact, their orders were more like a day off but rather than vacation time, they settle more domestic issues.

Currently, Angelise was off with Shamal for the time being. Hayate and Reinforce went off on their duties while Vita, Zafira, and Signum remained home. This real-life experience was in the form of "food shopping," where they had to buy their food rather than use Mana. Shamal and Hayate explained that it was possible to materialize food in their world. However, that kind of programming was complicated and beyond their current capabilities for practical usage. So they went downtown in a nearby city to buy food from a large store or what they called a supermarket.

Angelise was in a pink, traditional Victorian dress and hat that cast a shadow over her face. Shamal was more casual with a brown suit similar to the TSAB uniform. The short blonde had to admit that Angelise had to learn how to dress while not standing out.

The princess in question was going over a list, which was written on paper. Perhaps it was more convenient, let alone the Wolkenritter being wary of her unique ability to cancel magic, something she still hasn't gotten to accepting yet.

"Next thing on the list is," Angelise was going to say the next thing, but Shamal cut her off.

"Here," Shamal took what looked like a large tomato. She took a plastic bag before handing it to Angelise. "Please place five of these in the bag."

"Umm, right," Angelise complied as she did just that. Even if it was a simple task, the fact she could do something so easy should mean she had the potential to do more. Of course, she didn't have the time yet as recent events showed.

For a moment, Angelise wondered why Shamal had to be the one to accompany her when food shopping. She fit for a housewife who took care of daily necessities, but she heard the stories about her cooking experiences. Then again, besides being allowed to cook so long as Reinforce or Hayate supervised her, that didn't mean she was incompetent.

"For the next ingredient, we'll have to head to the seafood section and," Shamal paused for the moment. While Angelise was looking at the list, she seemed to doze off like she was thinking about something else. "Is something wrong, Miss Angelise?"

"I just...noticed that some of these ingredients are very familiar."

"Oh, do you have something similar to these foods back in Misurugi?"

"Similar?" Angelise shook her head. "More like identical."

The more she took at the writing on the shopping list, the more she compared it to those back in Mana. Could this be just a coincidence, or was there some relation between the two countries?

Angelise's thoughts were interrupted by Shamal's chuckling.

"What's so funny?"

"Aren't you overthinking it? We may act similar to your race, but we have no memory or records regarding your world, which comes from a parallel universe."

"Maybe," Angelise said. She was still pretty certain was a relation, but didn't want to get into an argument.

Truth be told, Angelise felt closest to Shamal of all the Yagami family. She told them about her friendship with Momoka, the maid who took care of her back in Misurugi. Signum reported Momoka's state; she was committed to a hospital in Midchilda South, prompting Angelise to schedule a visit some time. Of all the stories she currently, her relationship with Momoka was the closest and sweetest. This was due to her parents being busy most of the time as rulers of the Empire, Julio doing activities elsewhere, and Sylvia needing care thanks to an accident. Most the Yagami family sounded suspicious about the latter's condition, losing her legs from a horse ride several years ago. Only Shamal was soft and kind throughout, making her the best person Angelise could warm up to in this new world.

The duo then went down to the seafood section, going to the next food on their list. As they waited in line, Angelise went to another topic.

"Tell me...Shamal, Signum told me that you were all Knights. Is there any chance that you're from this Belka place as well?"

"Indeed, we are," Shamal answered, though she wasn't as enthusiastic about it. "We originally came from Belka, made to serve as Knights of their society. In fact, its one of the main civilizations that preceded Midchilda and inspired the TSAB as of today."

"Really? Where is it then!?"

"Belka is...gone," Shamal said with some regret. "Even we don't know it's exact fate, only that it suffered terrible events during its final moments. In the end, all we know is that it vanished without a trace, probably never to be seen again."

"I'm...sorry," Angelise wanted to feel regret. Of her life, she always thought that a nation that has formed would exist forever. This was the first time she heard about an Empire no longer living. "Then what about the Church?" Angelise then asked. "From what Signum told me, there's a place up north where Belka still exists as an independent state. Why aren't you part of that?"

"The Belkan Church is a self-governed area," Shamal corrected her. She also shook her head before returning with a smile. "And to be precise, we are not exactly dedicated to the Belkan state. Rather, we are only loyal to those who wield the book."

"Hayate's book," Angelise prompted a nod from Shamal.

"Therefore, we only go where Mistress Hayate goes. Since she enlisted in the TSAB, we followed suit in the same manner."

Angelise nodded in understanding. While she still had her loyalty towards Misurugi at the moment, she could even understand devotion towards others based on their own choices. They chose to follow to their Mistress, who had some positive, if not a few pesky, qualities that made her worth serving.

When they were done with their conversation, they were just about to be the next person in line to pay for the deli, but Angelise still had some more questions.

"I know you're supposed to give me...real life experience, but what does this have to do with it?"

"Excuse me?"

"You said that there was a limit, yet we're buying all of this food," Angelise took notice of how high their stock was. "The more this fills up, the more I see this being no different than when I'm in Mana. Just having to pay a little price in exchange."

"That's what happens in the TSAB," Shamal gave a friendly smile. "With every member of the Yagami family working in high positions and living under one roof, the total income we earn adds up."

"Then what's the limit you can do?"

"Well…"

Just before Shamal could answer, a chef at the seafood deli called out their number and order.

While the princess and her accompanying Knight were about to get their order, several men came walking into the store. A group of men with suits and black shades came in through the front entrance, all forming up in a coordinated order. They all got into a line with the central man wearing a brown hat to conceal his appearance.

Right before anyone could notice, the leader shot into the air with a gun. All of the citizens panicked and either got onto the ground or ran to the rear of the market. The men in the formation released devices that looked like staffs with orange-colored spheres. They also released magically-enhanced armor that looked like pads protecting their legs, chest, and arms.

The confused Angelise and wary Shamal jerked over to see the chaos of the situation. It was hard to tell what was going on with the people running inside. The gunshot indicated that the place was taken over and the civilians held captive. That became more so when a group of black suits came from the doors in the seafood place. They also had shades, armor pads, and staffs with orange spheres built into them. This time, it was led by a man with white longcoat, silvery hair, and matching eyes. Seeing his malevolent face and how he came into the room, slipping from the shadows behind the seafood place, Shamal shooks as if she knew the man.

Seeing Angelise frozen in place, Shamal dragged the princess down with her, getting onto the ground as the mastermind's henchmen took over the market. Seeing her squeak, Shamal placed a finger over her own mouth, signaling her to remain silent. The woman understood what was going on and being a well-experienced Knight, she knew the best way to get out of situations. However, that needed time and preparation to be successful.

At this moment, the TSAB should already have been warned, and it won't be long before they encircle the entire area. Therefore, the first step was to blend in with the hostages...and wait.

---

Outside the city, a woman was traveling as fast as she could through the city. She was in her early 20s with a long mahogany ponytail to her left and blue eyes. She was well known for her white and blue uniform, but more importantly, her main device. The said device was a staff composed of a white rod, a pink cover at one end, and a red sphere at the other that was protected by a gold partial ring.

As a member of the TSAB, she received the message fifteen minutes after the takeover. Citizens already reported the incident to the TSAB authorities and it wasn't long before the message for emergency dispatch reached her. Despite being an aerial Mage, since it was in the city, she had to request permission to use the spells necessary to travel the quickest way possible.

Generating wings from her legs with the color of pink cherry blossoms, she used her useful Axel Fin spell to traverse the skyline above the city. During the period, she had a little thought what the criminals were doing at a place and time like this. Not that it mattered...

Whatever they want, the woman thought. They're going to regret it, now that I am here.

By the time she arrived at the supermarket, the TSAB was already controlling the situation. Mages set themselves around the perimeter, established outside the square parking lot in front while all the nearby civilians were evacuated or up to the restricted lines. A couple of helicopters were already in place to deploy Mages; one of them the woman recognized as the blocky JF704 transport helicopter belonging to a close associate of hers.

The aerial Mage made her landing at the intersection where she got a good view of the supermarket's windows. It was also where some of the members currently in charge were conducting operations to contain the situation, all of came from the Ground Forces but inferior to her in rank. When the leading men responsible for command and intelligence saw her descend from the sky, they paid close attention to her, knowing that rank and her reputation.

"Captain Takamachi," the officers saluted respective to Nanoha Takamachi, famous for being one of the three big "Aces" within the TSAB.

"Give a report," she called to a Ground Force agent in charge of setting up the perimeter.

"Less than half an hour ago, we responded to a supermarket being taken over by terrorists. They appear to be members of the Clover Organization judging by their attire. So far, they've taken about 50 hostages, all appearing to be non-Mages, and including a handful of children and wealthy officials."

A video then played showing the criminals holding the hostages within the deli section of the market. About all of them were men in black suits and classes, carrying what looked like Generic Devices and handgun firearms. Whether the criminals were former TSAB members or using stolen weaponry, the fact the Devices gave orange colors must mean they were customized.

But what caught Nanoha's eye was a pair of the hostages. She could easily recognize one of them as Shamal by her short blonde hair and calm personality. Hayate and the others once had a conversation with her regarding a situation like this; Shamal was merely playing the captive until TSAB reinforcements showed up.

"What information do you have about the hostiles?" Nanoha asked.

"Twenty armed men equipped with minor firearm mass weapons and standard Devices."

A few images came up showing two culprits. One was a young man with a white longcoat, silver hair, and cyan-colored eyes. The other one was an elderly yet bulky man with a brown longcoat, white hair and silver eyes. Nanoha eyed on both of them as if she'd seen them before while the officer introduced.

"Facial recognition identifies two of the masterminds as the 'Slicer' and Za Fan."

Nanoha recognized those names before. Slicer was a former Church Knight who went by the murderous nickname, trained in their arts and reaching S-rank before disappearing. His only appearances afterward were taking part in assassination missions and killing bystanders in a brutally crazed fashion. What made him escape so easily was a Rare Skill that allowed him to move himself and others with him through shadows. The other man who came up, Za Fan, was the most possibly the mastermind. He was a terrorist infamous for various kidnapping missions and mass bombings. Despite not being a mage, his expertise in explosives and intelligence allowed him to carry out successful missions including assassinating a wealthy man with connections to the Belkan Church. For that, he's been marked high on the most wanted list.

As she observed the posts each of Za Fan's henchmen guarded, she took time to consider the best course of action. While considering her options, her staff talked to her.

"What is your suggestion, Master?"

After giving some thought and observing the current battlefield, she went back to the nearby officers.

"Do we have any forces in position?"

"The Ground Force is ready to advance in fifteen seconds. Ground Sergeant Vice is also preparing an airdrop when rescue operations can begin."

"I understand."

"Hold up; the situation is changing!" A male officer who was observing with binoculars called out. "I...I don't believe it."

"What is it?" another officer approached him.

"One of the hostages just started fighting back! The terrorists have broken from their posts!"

Now was the time. Nanoha held Raising Heart as like a spear as she was about to charge.

"Get the teams ready," Nanoha ordered. "Tell the snipers to provide cover as the ground Mages, and I go in. Have Sergeant Vice launch an airdrop as soon as possible and cut any possible escape routes."

"Yes, Captain!" the officers saluted as they didn't dare to question the woman.

"Raising Heart, change to Buster Mode!"

"Yes, Master," Raising Heart dematerialized the partial ring and changed its shape. Now, it was two golden prongs resembling a spear. Spell circles then appear around Nanoha, aiming straight for the supermarket's main entrance.

---

A minute before the TSAB was given the green light, Shamal and Angelise were stuck in the corner in front of the seafood counter. There wasn't enough room to hold all the hostages behind the counter, not mention preventing them from leaving through the rear doors. The princess and Wolkenritter were lucky enough to remain in their place. Despite six guards with Devices watching over them, the Knight and Norma were able to see more of the situation than anywhere else.

Shamal gently placed her hand over that of the tense Angelise. Whether she was scared or angry, she didn't want the princess to do anything impulsive. That would make the situation worse and possibly blow their cover, messing whatever plan that could be used to solve the situation without anyone getting hurt.

The leader approached the center halls, his brown boots making loud steps that shook even Angelise. Chances were that he was looking for anyone still hiding in the aisles. Or maybe he was seeking a certain person? Since the sounds were becoming fainter, he seemed to start heading back to his original post.

When Za Fan turned the corner and talked to one of his goons, Shamal listened in. The TSAB were here- or at least approaching- that was for sure. They all expected this to happen, set aside them not identifying everyone, which was good on her and Angelise's part. However, she could only hear what assumed to be the next part of their plan.

Being labeled the Knight of the Lake, Shamal was well experienced in support abilities. Her powers were conducted through her Klarwind, an Armed Device in the form of gold rings and bracelets with sapphire and emerald gems. Besides communication and telepathy, she was also good at creating portals, which would include her usual counter plan in this situation. It was only a case of bad luck that they're in an environment where she could do that unnoticed. With so many guards around and the man she identified as the Slicer, they needed more than a distraction.

Her planning was disrupted when a couple more black suits came to the seafood section. They stopped by to scan the hostages before one of them shouted.

"You there! Come with us!"

They were pointing their Devices at a young woman as old as Angelise with a blonde hair in a ponytail. Her parents clung to her as they were about to take the girl from them.

"No, Fiasse!"

"Quiet you," one of the men hit the mother and overpowered the father with his Device after firing a spell at him. Usually, magic didn't have to kill, but could still hurt either way. This allowed the first man to restrain both adults while the second tugged the girl named Fiasse by the shirt.

"The boss wants to meet you," the second man told the terrified girl. "You better cooperate, and your parents will be fine. Or else…"

"That is enough!"

Before Shamal could react, the impatient Angelise stood up from her place. As much as Shamal wanted to help the girl, too, she tried to call out to her for behaving on a whim.

"Angelise, don't!"

"Who the hell are you!?" the man grabbing the Fiasse girl shouted at her.

"You have nothing to do with this," the other man shouted at him. "Sit there and be quiet!"

"I cannot allow myself to let this happen as Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi," she addressed herself in front of everyone. "Taking people hostage like this. What kind of Mages are you!? Or I should say...black suited freaks!?"

"Why you…"

As if Angelise struck a nerve, the man fired a small shooting spell at the princess. Angelise was barely making any effort to raise her left hand. Perhaps she should've thought of that before going through this, especially when she had what looked like a gun pointed at her. Too late for that now.

As she faced the shooting spell in front of her, she wished within the ring on her right hand.

Mother, protect me.

Her wish came true just when the spell contacted her. Though she assumed it was an inevitability thanks to recent events, she could see the spell completely dissipating, bursting into sparkles. There was neither a scratch nor pain to the attack; the whole spell was simply canceled out in front of everyone. The crowd of hostages saw in shock over this phenomenon, including the criminals.

"What the?" the nearby black suit let out.

"Damn you!" the man who fired the shot continued firing.

"Wait, don't just-" another guy tried to warn, but was ignored by a good number of his comrades.

Several criminal Mages began bombarding the girl with their Devices. Many of them used rapid shooting spells at the girl while two used something bigger like homing and beam attacks. It was enough for Angelise to close her eyes and bend her arm just to shield herself. During that time, all the attacks either passed through to hit the fridges behind her or directly contacted her to no avail. It took a while for her to open her eyes again to see all of the spells disappear into harmless orange particles. She could easily see the agitation coming from the men as they found all of their attacks useless.

"What the hell is going there!?"

An aggravated Za Fan started to walk into the aisle. Several of the men out on the front even pulled back, wonder what was going on in the back. The Slicer then stepped in to face Angelise.

"Settle down, boss," the dissonant man then brought out what looked like a massive crested sword in both of his hands.

"Angelise, watch out!" Shamal called out, knowing what the fight will look like now. But the princess was oblivious to what she meant. "That's an Armed Device! It's not as simple as negating magic! You must get away from that person-"

Before Shamal could continue, another explosion came from the front entrance. Just before, there was some crackling as magic spells angled at six gunmen and knocked them out. Glass shattered all over the men thereafter as they all collapsed to the ground. Za Fan quickly ran in the center of the aisle, the center of where his remaining subordinates were.

With the debris and shaking, those at the front were too distracted to see their situation. This allowed even the Fiasse girl to get away and head back to her parents. Only Angelise, Shamal, and the men down the aisle could see what was going on. After seeing two men who fired shooting spells pounded into a wall, they witnessed the pink cherry-blossom colors for the pells being used. Shamal's eyes widened at the sight while the armed men were shaken. Angelise was more curious, wondering why people would be so astounded or terrified by the colors. Or maybe it wasn't the spells, but the one who was using them.

Standing from a distance was Nanoha Takamachi, who just took out seven guards by the front entrance. Turning to face the remaining kidnappers who were in disarray, she dashed towards the one closest to recovery, the same one who tried to take a hostage not so long ago. With a frightening grin, she took out the man in a single swing along with two other guards nearby.

Following her entrance, other Mages of whom Angelise recognized as TSAB officers entered the market. The ones coming from the front cast binding spells on the criminals that Nanoha just took out, magic rings that tightly wrapped around their bodies. When two men came from the back doors to investigate what was going on, they were struck from the back by two more TSAB Mages before being detained as well. When the rest of the men tried threatening the hostages, several more officers used a door on the roof to descend.

The only other hostile combatant was the Slicer himself, who emerged from Nanoha's shadow. Though she barely saw the attack coming, the large blade of the man still her Barrier Jacket by the arm, doing some significant damage. Nanoha spun to swat the large sword away with Raising Heart. When her attacker fully came out of her shadow, he swung more heavy strikes against her she defended with much-needed effort. Defending the last attack from her gleeful opponent with a Protection spell, Nanoha pushed Slicer away. Her opponent jumped back down the aisle to give himself distance from his opponent.

"Nanoha!" Shamal called to her as she just transformed into her green Knight uniform with Klarwind deployed. She began a chant, "Oh wind, carry forth a blessing of healing!"

That was the aria for Shamal's Healing Wind spell. Angelise witnessed the spell repairing the damage Slicer just did to Nanoha's Barrier Jacket, seeing the tears patching up at a quick rate. It was pretty astounding to witness what these Mages could do in combat.

"Glad you're here, Shamal," Nanoha recognized her voice and thanked her for the support. "Help take care of the hostages. I'll deal with this big one right here."

Shamal complied as she begun portal spells to help the TSAB officers escort the hostages away from the fight. All of the men were either captured or in combat with the TSAB officers. The exceptions were the two leaders. Za Fan was missing, but despite being a higher target, the priority was low. The officers were already searching for him just as how they previously scanned the area for hidden explosives, for which they found none. He had no magical talent and his only revealed weapon, a handgun, was useless at this point.

The more imminent threat was the Slicer who stood before her. He already lost the element of surprise, and she was now fully recovered from the attack. With everyone else busy, the fight would just be between the two of them.

"The Ace of the Aces, I'm glad to meet you finally," the Slicer boasted to her opponent. "It's been a long time since found a powerful opponent like this, even if it's the likes of you."

"Couldn't agree more," Nanoha replied as her Raising Heart seemed to release steam as well as reload a cartridge of some kind. She had to give the man credit, that failed attack combined with his Rare Skill would've gotten her good if it wasn't for her quick reflexes. She couldn't remember when it was that she faced an opponent this tricky, though she faced many who were equally sadistic. Despite that, she had to admit that her opponent was powerful and thus, his S-Rank was not a fluke. "Hope you make this a good fight."

The Slicer gladly agreed as he made the first move, charging straight towards his opponent. Nanoha responded with a Flash Move to get behind him with her currently active Strike Flame at the tip of Raising Heart. Slicer reacted accordingly by swinging his sword around and blocking her strike, locking their weapons in place. Captain Takamachi then pushed her opponent forward, forcing him to take a few steps back to stay balanced. After gaining momentum to equalize himself with Nanoha's Raising Heart, Nanoha jumped back before Slicer dashed at his opponent.

In the midst of their clashing of weapons, Angelise snuck away from the seafood area to get behind the aisle shelves. She hoped that through this way, she could escape back to the TSAB without her Norma abilities disrupting their operations while speculating in the process. When she was halfway down the aisle, the Slicer threw Nanoha on the shelves. Although they were too distant make the other shelves fall like dominoes, they still halted Angelise's escape. Stepping back, she fell on her back, left at the mercy of the collapsing shelves. Fortunately, she only suffered several cans and boxes hitting her in the head, the shelves barely missing her legs. The only damaging thing was some trimmings on her outfit getting torn and a foot trapped under a pile of cans that only gave minor aches.

Backing herself away, Angelise continued to observe the battle, which has been going at incredibly fast speeds. All she could see were blurs, and the only clear shots she could capture with her was were the two clashing with blades and Protection spells. How could these two keep up with each other movements, let alone go so fast? Even though it was only going on for barely a minute, it already gave the princess a headache just to keep. If she were to compare, it would be like watching an Iaria game retaining a stalemate for hours.

The cycle of attacks stopped when Nanoha got the edge and knocked his opponent, damaging the deserted Knight's clothing. While she struggled for balance, she fired her own shooting spells against Slicer, who responded with a Panzerschild, the Belkans' form of the protection spell that projected a silver-colored triangle for defense. After several hits, Sliver used his Rare Skill to slip into a shadow created by some boxes.

While her opponent disappeared, Nanoha called out.

"Raising Heart, enlighten this room!"

"Yes, master," her Device fired a glowing pink sphere brightly that blinded Angelise.

Most of the room was illuminated, which meant that the number of shadows was limited. Nanoha herself stepped back, getting a glimpse of all the possible places the Slicer would pop out to Strike. In the meantime, she nearly intimidated Angelise, who laid back right behind her. Nanoha only got a glimpse of the girl, but just to see the hostage as not to hit her during the fight.

It allowed her to see where he appeared though, right below from her own shadow, which damaged the Barrier Jacket protecting her chest. She leaned back just enough to avoid getting impaled by the large sword before being grabbed. Seeing how he intended to drag her in his shadow, Nanoha responded by grabbing the man himself, pulling him out of the darkness and attempting to throw her opponent backward. Slicer quickly broke away and flipped behind her to regain his balance.

While both of them were breathing heavily, Slicer was showing more signs of fatigue. Even so, he retained a smile as if he enjoyed it.

"This is what I call a fight," the Slicer ranted. "More! More!"

During his rant, he came to Nanoha again, who made her own charge. Both of them locked their weapons in front of Angelise, who covered her eyes to shield the bright glow and resulting force. Both weapons remained locked in place as Slicer's face widened at her opponent.

"More! More!"

Then, Nanoha stepped back, causing the Slicer swing a miss and leave himself completely wide open.

"Charge!"

Nanoha called out the command as she launched herself with Raising Heart in front against his vulnerable opponent. The impact pounded him in the gut with tremendous force and sent him flying to the rear walls. For a tough opponent, he managed to hold his Device despite being smashing through the stalls and blocks of hard material behind him. The impact caused deep cracks in the concrete before he collapsed onto the ground.

Angelise was also victim to the blast, though she only suffered a rolling on the ground. When she got up, she found herself facing what used to be the front entrance with Nanoha in the middle of her path.

"You were good, that's for sure," Nanoha laid Raising Heart down as TSAB officers came into the scene to arrest psychotic Knight. "But you still had a long way ahead of you."

It took a while, but Angelise finally recalled who this girl was, recalling a conversation from dinner yesterday. Hayate once talked about being one of the three leading "Aces" who were the TSAB trump cards in any cataclysm. One had long blonde hair like Angelise did and often wore a black and red suit. The woman before her didn't match that description, which meant that this was the other Ace they discussed.

So, this is her, Angelise thought, seeing Nanoha in awe as Mages came to place binding spells on her defeated opponent. Some part of her itched as if she had unexplainable resentment towards the woman, whether it was jealousy or just a grudge against the woman for no apparent reason, even if she was said to be one of the best. But what got the better out of her was the inspiration that was right in front of her. As Captain Takamachi approached her, returning from defeating an opponent who looked sadistic and vile, something grew within Angelise, as if she shouldn't be afraid anymore.

"Are you okay, miss?" the woman called Nanoha kneeled and lent a gentle hand to her. "Don't worry; you're safe now."

"Um, thank you," Angelise accepted her aid. Lifting herself off the ground, she reached out to Nanoha's hand.

"Wait, Nanoha," Shama warned, but it was too late.

By grasping her hand, the uniform that surrounded Nanoha flashed white. The next thing she knew, it shattered into white and pink speckles. Angelise's eyes widened, completely forgetting about her unique ability and that her armor was made of magic. Now all that remained of the clothes was a usual blue and white uniform similar to other TSAB officers.

"Warning, Barrier Jacket suddenly deactivated," Raising Heart warned. The sudden shattering of her barrier caused to her jerk in alarm alongside Angelise.

A gunshot was heard. Angelise froze as her heart stopped beating. Whoever fired, the bullet hit Nanoha on the right shoulder. The impact jerked her torso to the right and sprayed some blood on the princess's face.

"Captain Takamachi!" one of the TSAB officers cried out, distracted away from restraining Slicer. Even Shamal, who just finished evacuating the hostages, was frozen silent when they heard the gunshot. Despite it being way too early to call it fatal, the fact the famed Ace was injured by a small mass weapon was not a pleasing sight.

The TSAB officer turned to the main shooter of the scene, none other than Za Fan, who remained hidden behind some shelves by one of the emergency exits. Using his handgun after noticing her Barrier Jacket disappear, he must've taken the opportunity to get some last laugh as payback for the ruined operation.

"Protection!"

Raising Heart called out to shield Nanoha. However, the surprised Angelise waved her right arm, which resulted in shattering the protective barrier. Za Fan fired his gun again, which struck Angelise's heart in pain in terror, even though she wasn't hit.

This time, Nanoha was forced to one knee as the second bullet hit her thigh. She now needed her Device to remain upstanding.

"Nanoha!" Shamal quickly went her aid.

The TSAB officers chased after Za Fan. Unfortunately, Slicer used the time to break from his bonds. Using his sword, he slashed a few Mages through their Barrier Jackets, two by their arms and one across his stomach. He broke free of his remaining binds before slipping into a large shadow created by the broken stalls. When the officers encircled Za Fan, Slicer moved in and took the guy with him just before they could fire their spells. The two criminals escaped once again.

"I'm sorry," Angelise was busy apologizing to Nanoha for the sudden incident. "I didn't tell you about this."

"Don't worry, miss," Nanoha struggled to say. She was more than conscious, but the two bullet wounds she received caused her to groan. "It's not big...of a deal."

But Angelise didn't believe so. First Momoka Oginome, and now this woman who was a powerful mage.

"I'm so sorry; I didn't mean it…"

"Angelise, get out of the way," Shamal, currently out of her Knight's Clothing, went to the wounded Mage. Two officers forcefully pulled Angelise away as Shamal reverted to her previous uniform to begin the healing process.

Angelise could only look back as she just found the mess she caused. All she wanted was to hold the hand of someone she just started to grow fond of, yet it created this mess. The hostages may have been freed, most of the men were captured, and no one seemed to have died as Mages were already treating the wounds on those cut by Slicer. But the two masterminds got away and several people got injured thanks to her actions.

She had to curse herself in agony and tears. That cursed power she had just got someone hurt again. As innocent as her actions were, she couldn't help but feel a pumped stomach and sacks by her eyes. Even with the bullets coming out of Nanoha's wounds and her words before, Angelise could only stare at the surrounded woman and her own hands.

What did I just do...In the name of Misurugi, what did I just do?

---

Cecilia remained leaning by a bed in her detention cell, which was similar to the one back on the TSAB Cruiser. The difference was some useful necessities such as a comfortable bed, sink, and other appliances to maintain their hygiene. That was typical for the TSAB, even for one near the large tower that was the TSAB's Ground HQ. The worst kind of criminals would find it pretty rewarding for the likes of them.

But the detained girl never thought about her surroundings. Instead, she had other things on her mind as if she was taking in the news of events all over the continent. She stood up from her bed, walking towards the glass panel as she gazed for nearby guards.

"I think it's time," Cecilia said to herself. "Time to give the TSAB some more answers."

---

And so, the two heroines of their respective works finally showed themselves.

For this chapter, I wanted to give a little realism to this story. Angelise may be more innocent this time around, but she didn't some screw-up thanks to not thinking it through. Furthermore, I wanted to make Nanoha's fight something that would impress Angelise. The first thing that came up was a mighty, terrifying man that Nanoha manages to beat after an appropriately long fight. I wouldn't say either of the two won or lost since Nanoha is undoubtedly alive and Slicer merely escaped with his assigned boss. Nonetheless, it shows that Angelise needs to wake herself and start standing up for herself.

See if you can guess where the starting villains in this chapter came from in this section. Even if they're not part of the third work, I'll give credit to those who answer correctly.

Regardless, I hope this was a good read.

 

[WiseMan744436]

As a special treat, here's an image of the two main heroines someone made. Enjoy.

Spoiler

 

[WiseMan744436]

Sorry for the delay. I did warn that updates would be two weeks per chapter at the longest. I had school stuff to take care of, which required preparing for a significant number of exams this week. I just hope I did good enough on them. A and B grades are my goal for every semester.

Even then, I had to start listening to Kindan no Resistance just motivate me into writing this fic. Funny thing is that the more chapters I write for this fic, the more...comfortable I am listening to the song.

Before starting the chapter, I think I'm going to alter the rating to M for mature as a future reference. The first scene can explain why.

I assume you all guessed what characters were used in the previous chapter of the fic. Unfortunately, Triangle Heart is not the third work. Slicer and Za Fan are only starting villains to build up from that fits in one of the works, if barely or loosely. Fortunately, after this and the next chapter, that should be the last of it. All they'll do is make way for the actual villains and various antagonists of the series.

---

Night shadowed over a large city made of Victorian buildings and large roads. While the streets were empty, not everyone was safe and sound in their homes.

In an alleyway, a mature woman was struggling against a man with a tan suit. The recent days have been the worst of her life. First, she lost her child. Then, she's been a target of ridicule by the populace. Now, she's being assaulted by some random guy who found her on the street.

"Come on, young lady," the man said as he grabbed her by the arms and placed her on the wall. He moved around as if he were drunk, but outmatched her both physically and with Mana due to her mental state. "You want an ordinary life, do you? A family life with beautiful human kids in your life? Why are you so scared?"

Her desperate face turned away from her attacker. She was not liking the moves the man was pulling on her and wanted to look away in disgust. Her defiance was short-lived when the angry man grabbed her by the jaw and forced her face towards him.

"Hey, look at me!" The man ordered her. "You should be grateful I'm giving this to you."

"N...No…"

"What was that?" the man may have been intoxicated to a degree, but even he knew that the woman was speaking too quietly through her sobs. For only that reason, he paused.

"I want...I want…"

"What, you mean that monster you just gave birth you?" the man grabbed his victim's arms and placed them both on the wall. "You know that baby Norma had no right to live. She's fine being disposed of like the rest of them."

"N-No!" She cried out as the man slammed her into the wall. She could only watch the man let go with his right arm and forcefully undress her. She responded by grabbing the same hand to stop him from doing such an immoral deed.

"Now that the new Emperor is in place, bitches like you should know what kind of life is right for you," the man taunted. "Just that whore and bastard of the royal family, those who try to protect such beings should be given their just desserts. And I have desserts just for you."

The man overpowered her again, twisting her arm as she cried out in pain. More tears were coming down to her eyes as he continued to work down to her pants. Facing away, she merely shut her eyes, thinking about the child she recently lost.

"S-Ser...Serra…"

At that moment, she heard a loud metal slam. She didn't know what happened, but she felt forced to the ground. She landed on her side, her right arm hitting the ground before her head with a thud. That gave her quite a headache, but it was nothing she couldn't cure. The real problem was figuring out what happened.

After gaining enough consciousness to open her eyes, she could see the man down a knee; he must've been hit by the same object as well. Hearing some metal rattling, she found a large metal can rolling on the ground to his right. Because it was dented significantly, it had to be the object thrown at them. Then, she saw a shadow come up behind her, covering the limited light that was shining on the ground. Turning her body around, she held herself up with her knees and hands to find who might've been the heroic bystander. Although the light was blocking her vision, she could see a large man with dark blue hair, wearing only dark blue baggy pants and black boots.

Deville merely looked down at the woman. His appearance and perpetual frown did not give off a heroic look. In fact, he intimidated the woman despite saving the woman from almost being raped earlier.

The attempted rapist in question was about to stand up on his feet as his victim and Deville could see. Deville returned to the woman for a few seconds. Although he didn't say anything, he gave a strong and fast jerk with his head facing in the opposite direction. He was encouraging the woman to run while she had the chance. The woman caught the queue and picked up on her feet before running into the alley screaming for the police.

Deville was now left with the standing man, aggravated that someone stepped in.

"Now who in all of Mana are you supposed to be?" The man shouted and Deville remained silent. "Are you another Sympathizer? Another one of those maniacal Norma lovers?"

No answer. While Deville was oblivious what the man meant, he didn't bother to respond at all. His lack of speaking angered the man even more.

"Answer me, you bastard!" the man threw a fist at him. Deville easily caught his left hand and stopped the man in his tracks. It happened so fast he couldn't see it happening until he found it wrapped around tightly. It was so tight that it felt like it was getting crushed into a ball, which brought great pain into the man.

Deville then pushed the man a meter away, hitting him on the same brick wall he tried to rape the woman. Despite having to deal with a nearly crushed hand, he was desperate to save himself from the slowly approaching Deville. He put up a Mana barrier with his right hand to protect himself, hoping it'll defend him until police arrived.

The man could only catch a blur, but in a flash, Deville swung his right arm that carried an ax. The instant result was the Mana barrier dispersing, leaving him frozen over the sudden cancellation of Mana. A couple of seconds later, his right hand shot to the ground and the wound sprayed vast amounts of blood. When he realized just happened, his brain processed that information and started with stuttering.

"EEYYAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!"

Not only was the horrified man's Mana barrier broken so easily, but he was now missing a hand. Despite nearly being crushed earlier, he was forced to use his left arm to cover the wound that sprayed blood over his clothes. Walking back, he found himself hitting the wall, adding more displeasure to his mind.

The last thing he knew, he was facing Deville less than a meter away. The Eclipse infectee raised his ax into the air, causing the man's eye pupils to shrink. His final moment was a loud scream into the night before what sounded like a bone breaking split, followed by blood splatters.

---

"It came as a bizarre occurrence for those who were held captive during the takeover. When all of a sudden, according to witnesses, a young girl stood up from the crowd and negated the criminal Mages' weapons. Seizing this opportunity, the TSAB intervened and led all the hostages out of the building while a battle ensued with the mastermind suspects."

Angelise sat on the carpet of the living room, watching a news report on a virtual screen in front of them. The princess was curled up in more casual clothing, wearing blue pants and a pink T-shirt. Between her, on the sofa, was Hayate and Signum with Reinforce floating nearby. Zafira remained laying on the ground in his wolf form, which bewildered the outcast princess when she found out about this ability. Vita was furthest from the group, leaning on the doorway with her arms crossed, seething with anger at the report.

"The men behind the takeover were confirmed to be Za Fan and Slicer of the infamous Clover organization. The organization was responsible for destroying several buildings and killing two elite officials in the past year. Following the failed takeover, the two criminals are on the run, and a search is being conducted on their whereabouts."

"As of now, none of the intended hostages have been harmed. However, four officers are taken to the hospital for injuries, including Captain Nanoha Takamachi of the Air Corps. None of their injuries were life-threatening, and she's expected to return to the line of duty within the month."

Angelise sighed over the last part of the news, the only thing she wanted to hear from the situation. Signum looked towards the teething Vita, who started tilting her head towards the relaxing Angelise. The rose-haired Knight shut off the screen to focus everyone's attention on the matter.

"Looks like you made quite the commotion," Hayate joked over Angelise's antics.

"That was a big no-no for you," Reinforce gave a more direct approach to the princess's actions.

"I…" Angelise didn't have any idea what to say. As much as nothing too serious occurred, her body still felt cold.

"How could do you this," Vita snarled at Angelise, standing by her with clenched fists. "How could you let all of this happen!?"

"Vita, I-" Angelise was cut off when a punch impacted upon her right cheek. She fell beside Signum, landing on her arms that covered her painful cheek. She used another hand to protect her from the Hammer Knight, whose face was red for obviously other reasons.

"Nanoha could've been killed back there! She could've died all because of your stupid AM abilities! And for what, trying to play the hero? An inept, sheltered aristocrat trying to play the Saint Kaiser herself in a situation like that!? What blasphemous actions were you taking, you little-"

"That's enough, Vita," Signum stood to catch Vita's hand before she could throw another punch at Angelise. "The damage is already done. More violence is not going to solve the problem here."

An intense moment came from Vita, who tightened her fist and put more force on Signum's palm. The Hammer Knight entered a cooling period after finding the pointlessness to continue. Her arm fell out of Signum's hand at ease, just when the terrified Angelise relaxed again. Vita then backed away while the Sword Knight took over.

"However," Signum continued. "The problem is still around, and it's the actions that you took."

"All I wanted was to…"

"I know what you wanted," Signum took Angelise by the shoulder. "All of us had an idea what you were trying to achieve when you stood up back there. But this isn't your homeworld where things like that might've worked."

"Even then, I just…"

"You still need to remember. This isn't Mana anyone. You're not a princess of this world. Even if you were doing a heroic act, things will no longer go the way you'd expect them to be. You need to learn more about this world and how the TSAB operates before resorting to such actions."

"And maybe next time, you should wear something more casual frequently when you go outside, too!" Vita ranted.

"You're lucky that Mistress Hayate was able to sew back together something that expensive!" Reinforce added.

"Vita," Signum glared at the Hammer Knight, which forced her to reluctantly back away. Vita then left the rest of the Yagami family to their own devices as Signum resumed her talk. "Please forgive her for her rudeness. She's been emotionally attached to Nanoha within the past decade. Don't put her at fault for her violent outbursts."

"That's...okay," Angelise forgave with grief. "I never asked for any of this, but yet…" she paused for the moment. "If… if only I could find some way to apologize to her…"

"How about for a start, you visit her at the hospital?" Hayate proposed. "I just received a call, and they just finished treating her wounds. Fate and Vivio are also expected to show up."

"Fate and Vivio," Angelise wanted to remember those names. She had a feeling she hurt more than just Nanoha and the Yagami family over this matter, which brought even more guilt.

"Good idea, Mistress Hayate," Signum agreed as she faced the guilty Angelise. "With Nanoha's wounds treated, the two of you can have a more proper reunion. In fact, she'll more than surprised to meet you."

"Will she?" Angelise remained unconvinced. "Can she forgive me after what I just did…"

"Of course, she will!" Reinforce supported. "You think she's going to hate you just because of some accident?"

"Nanoha is one of the kindest people you'll ever meet," Shamal supported her. "Even if she has her little...quirks."

"Quirks?"

"Nothing worth going into," Hayate stepped over the subject. "But let's just say, what you did back there made a rare, opposite case of what usually happens."

"I...I don't get it," the princess was left dumbstruck over the topic. Not that it was worth going into anyway. This was supposed to be a moment of apologies and settling out the mess she made. Princess of this world or not, this was her responsibility.

"It's nothing to worry about," Signum assured. "This is a matter that should be between you and Nanoha. This isn't for the sake of fighting or somebody else."

"I understand," Angelise agreed.

"I'll get a cab ready for you," Hayate offered the princess with a grin, who accepted the offer. "I'll even have Signum accompany you. Consider this my treat."

---

In one distant location on Mana was a large garden. Small mammals and harmless insects roamed around the green grass and trees. A few falls poured gallons of water into the small lakes and rivers bordered by natural arrays of rocks. The background gave off a tranquil feeling and an environment that looked so real. But in reality, this was all an illusion.

The outside background was just a virtual world where the leaders of Mana's greatest nations gathered together for international meetings. In this false reality was a marble pavilion where all these officials gathered. On the ceiling was a screen shaped like a ring for all the officials to observe photos and reports. At the center was a large circular table with seven evenly distributed seats. Six of them were for each of the leaders while the seventh was reserved for someone else in particular. All but two of these seats were occupied for the meeting today.

"This is the twenty-third case this happened, and all of it was just in the past couple days."

At one seat, the King of Rosenblum was giving reports of the recent incidents that have been happening all over Mana. He and most of the Mana leaders present had short, blonde hair; the exception was a darker skinned woman with black hair and a sari representing Velda. They were all familiar with the people being gruesomely murdered with various weapons and the few survivors and witnesses reported the killers' ability to cancel Mana just like the Norma. The recent survivor reported how she saw a man murdered in an alleyway. When police came to investigate, they confirmed it by finding a man with his head split in half, his clothes stained with blood, and a missing hand that dripped blood onto the ground. The photo was shown on the ring of screens, but it was such an unsightly appearance that the leaders didn't bother to look.

"The recent killing marks the eighth incident in the Misurugi Empire," the King of Rosenblum continued. "Four of them already dangerously close to the Dawn Pillar, including the first in the Iaria stadium and inside the Misurugi Palace. But due to the random pattern, it's doubtful the terrorists know of its importance. As for the others, we've had two incidents in the Endrant Union, three incidents in our kingdom, two in Galia, one in Malmelia, two in Velda, and five outside of the main nations. And according to our informant, rumors speculate there's an unconfirmed twenty-fourth incident which occurred in...that place."

Some of the members groaned and mumbled over the number of incidents. Besides the incidents being in the double digits, they knew it wasn't just one victim each. The incident at the Iaria stadium that nearly took the King's daughter was proof of that. So were the other messes found in their respective nations.

"Who is to take responsibility!?" the Endrant Union President jumped from his seat, slamming his fists on the table.

"Calm down," the Queen of the Veldan Dynasty told the impatient official. "As bizarre as the situation is, this is no time to be pointing fingers at people."

"First, a child goes homeless, then more than 100 police officers are found dead in one night!" the President ranted with the second one referring to when a major building was destroyed, the police units trashed, and all personnel diced into a gory mess. "Someone has to compensate for all of this!"

"We've got our own problems here," the Secretary-General of Malmelia retorted. "Besides, the revelations in Misurugi show no doubt there's a chance Sophia and Jurai or even the Norma police forces had something to do with this."

"The real question is," the Galian Emperor said. "How do we find these criminals before they do any more damage!"

"Our Inspector General already checked all Normas on the island," the King of Rosenblum reported. "Other than the rumored incident, there was nothing."

"That's true," the Veldan Queen agreed with the King. "Who can possibly kill all of these people in worldwide locations within a single day?"

"It has to be a conspiracy buried right underneath the Misurugi Palace!" the Galian Emperor suspected.

"There's no way we can confirm it," the Secretary-General objected. "We don't even have any idea who the suspects are!"

"Shall we put it to a vote then?" the EU President declared.

"I demand you refrain from such nonsense," the Mana leaders were silenced when the last and officially most important of the leaders appeared. Julio entered the virtual chamber upon hearing the ongoing argument. He wanted to give off a charismatic aura as to gain everyone's attention and take the spotlight while he sat down. "If you're going to gossip about conspiracies, it's rude to talk about them when someone is listening."

"With all due respect, Emperor Julio, the nations of Mana are in a state of paranoia," the Veldan Queen reasoned with him. "With a scope never seen before, suspicions between nations are an inevitability."

Suspicion among Misurugi officials was already an inevitability ever since yesterday when Julio became the new Emperor of Misurugi. After reporting to the Norma Police the findings back in the Iaria stadium and, following the incident at the Misurugi Palace where the Empress seemed to go missing, the previous Emperor was under house arrest for treason. Since the Crown Princess was also missing, Julio liberally took the throne after broadcasting how Angelise was one of the "monsters." The Misurugi populace easily accepted his claim after widespread shock, but outside of the empire, his ascension to power was less than welcoming.

"And your revelations from earlier haven't helped the situation," the Secretary-General added. "How can our nations continue to function if leaders are falling left and right under corruption and treason?"

"Yes, these revelations haven't helped one bit," Julio agreed but wasn't paying too much attention to the matter. He was looking upward, twitching his eyes at the gruesome image on the screens above. As much as it helped him gain the throne he desired, the murders from the Norma-like killers he witnessed were too much even for him. "It looks those Huckebein continue to create a mess of their activities."

"E-Excuse us?" the Galian Emperor said beside him.

Julio had his mind on the recent murder back home. The police forces didn't believe the woman at first due to being labeled a Sympathizer for trying to resisting the police's arrest of a Norma. After many witnesses discovered the body, there was no denying it.

"Though not the same way it was done back in the stadium," Julio commented to himself. "Looks like there's far more to those two than we think."

"Forgive us, Emperor Julio," the Veldan Queen gained his attention. "But can you explain to us what's going on?"

"Oh yes," Julio went to the impatient leaders before him. He was the one who called for this meeting after all. "The reason I brought you all here is for you to behold the primary culprits of these recent atrocities. Because of its importance, it's a secret to all of us."

The screen up above then changed to static, the beginning of the video he and Riza discovered back in the stadium. The leaders were already familiar with this video since Julio broadcasted bit and pieces of it to show Angelise was a Norma. That caused some members to look away for they've already seen it.

"Please," Julio demanded from them. "Watch until the very end."

All the leaders complied as they all looked to see the very beginning of the captured video, each forced to open up a screen just to get a close-up look for themselves. As Julio expected, they all caught onto how different the video compared to what everyone else was shown. Particularly, the first eye-catching moment was the Huckebein woman Julio referenced not so long ago. Some of their widened over the psychotic woman, who showed great strength and speed following her toying with Angelise and Momoka. The fact she dashed at almost lightspeed and raised huge chunks off the ground with the slam of her sword made the Mana leaders jump. How were they supposed to go up against that!?

Some were about to speak up, but Julio continued to point at the screen, indicating they should keep watching. They turned their heads just in time to see the rose-haired knight attack the Norma-like assailant. The Mana leaders merely gazed that the more heroic woman, who has called a Belkan Knight and member of the Time-Space Administration Bureau. The organization, let alone her power, was surely not something from their current world.

They completely ignored the minor part that showed Angelise canceling out the Mana barrier Momoka setup, for that was something they've already seen. They were more focused on the Knight fighting her opponent, identified as Cypha of Huckebein. It was stunning and even uplifting to see this woman fight. Magic triangles that cast spells, transforming weapons, and, overall, using Mana as a powerful weapon. Even if her opponent was someone who could disrupt magic like the Norma, who could think of fighting well and bravely against such a malevolent abomination?

It came even more to a surprise when there was not one, but two of these Mages who came to challenge Cypha, despite getting additional help herself. When the two Huckebein members retreated, the Mana leaders assumed what might've happened next and resumed to talking.

"Is this some joke?" the Galian Emperor. "There's no way humans and Norma can do such things!"

"I'm afraid not," Julio responded. "My men already interviewed all the witnesses of these attacks. Aside from a few...silly, unique suspects, what you see here is the truth."

"What disgusting power…" the King of Rosenblum murmured. "To think Misty got caught up in this."

"How are we supposed to deal with this crisis!?" the EU President shouted.

"Exactly!" The Secretary-General agreed. "If technology like this exists, then we must find this "Belkan Knight" woman and learn her secrets! Her help can be far greater than we knew ever existed!"

"But our society was never designed for war," the Veldan Queen informed. "Besides, that can't be Mana if it's colored pink and uses triangular shapes to cast abilities."

"That's exactly right," the Galian Emperor joined in. "Even if we have these Huckebein suspects, we have no idea who these Belkan Knights or Time whatever Bureau even are!"

"Yes, it is a mystery," Julio wanted to gather everyone's attention just when it got back into arguing amongst one another. He was trying to remain patient with this group, despite knowing everyone would flip over this information. "It's true that this footage is...overwhelming, but that's exactly why I found it necessary to take the throne." That was only partially true, and the other leaders saw through Julio's words. "This kind of information was secret to only the Norma Police and us for a reason. Until we find these Belkans, this Bureau, and these Huckebein who've committed such atrocities, this to be kept a secret from the public. Not until we've learned their secrets and take steps to increase the might of Misurugi and...your nations."

"Then what are we supposed to do!?" the Secretary-General complained "Identify and round up every individual who looks like each of these people and interrogate them? What kind of resources are you trying to waste here?"

"Unless we had further information, it's impossible to confirm that we'll really find and catch them," the Veldan Queen added.

"Which means we're back in the dark in this matter," the King of Rosenblum concluded.

"Then perhaps I should bring some light to the subject?"

All the Mana leaders snapped to a seventh familiar voice who came into the virtual world. All the leaders shook as he materialized into the pavilion by the last empty seat. Everyone reaction showed how important the man was, who had more power and information than even Julio.

The seventh person showed himself with fair skin, green eyes, and long blonde hair with two spikes sticking up in front. For attire, he was wearing a long dark green suit with side pockets by his hips and left breast shoulder, the latter of which held a red handkerchief. Hiding inside his suit was a grey undershirt, a second white collared undershirt, and a tucked-in red tie held together by a gold clip. His constant smile displayed charisma and pride in his power that drew the Mana leaders' high respect.

"M-M-Master Embryo," the King of Rosenblum stuttered over the seventh leader of Mana. Or rather, he was the leader of all leaders within Mana.

"I'll have to admit," Embryo went on as he sat down. "Should this be an ordinary matter, I would've stayed silent. But due to the bizarre circumstances that occurred off-world, I have no choice but to step in."

"You must have something in regards to this matter," the overwhelmed Galian Emperor pleaded.

"Yes, I do," Embryo turned to Julio. "And I'm here to clear all doubts of the new Emperor, for his words and evidence are true to the fullest."

"I...I…" Julio was left without any words to say.

"For that, I must congratulate you for your coronation, and comment how you were able to find this footage, which makes it all the easier to explain."

"With all respect, Master Embryo," the Veldan Queen requested from the powerful man. "We are facing a crisis unlike any other. If we are going to resolve this matter, we would like to know more information regarding these revelations."

"Yes, yes, and I apologize for straying from the topic," Embryo watched over the six leaders, having only scorn in his eyes despite keeping his smile. "I was just about to discuss the issue of these unprecedented incidents and the beings you just witnessed. To put simply, they are aliens from outer space."

Those words froze the Mana leaders in place. Beings from another world weren't anything new to them; the social media, liberal studies in astronomy, and politics they got involved in were proof of that. But besides Embryo, who possessed vast amounts of knowledge and power, space travel was merely a dream even for them. Now they're listening from their leader that it's already become possible for others outside their world.

"Master Embryo," the King of Rosenblum asked. "Are you telling us that they are other beings from another world besides those creatures?"

"I am," Embryo answered. "To be more precise, the Time-Space Administration Bureau is currently their world's ruling power. A young, but growing one that's in union with many worlds of their kind."

"Then we should make contact with these people," the Secretary-General proposed. "If we can, we know their secrets and deal these monsters beforehand!"

"That is not an option for us, unfortunately," Embryo shook his head. "Because the TSAB is a restrictive organization that suppresses the use of magic on undeveloped worlds. Since this world has yet to develop interstellar travel, they'll see this world as such. Furthermore, they recruit members from all various backgrounds just like that Belkan Knight, who is high among their ranks. That means they're willing to recruit and shelter those with various disabilities. If they were to learn about the Norma, as well as them…"

The implication of Embryo's world shook all the leaders. What he said them was exactly true, that no good will happen if the TSAB learns about Norma and Mana's attempts to detain them. But there were other reasons unsaid why reaching out to them was not a good idea, which Embryo kept to himself.

"Then who is this Knight woman here," the Galian Emperor asked.

"Ah, yes," Embryo eyed on the rose-haired Knight found on the screen. "Why, she's part of a band of Knights, whose sole purpose is to guard their master with their lives, no matter what the cost. I know her because she's an old affiliate from the old Belkan Empire from long ago. Where else would the legends against war and pollution come from?"

According to Mana's legends, the development of Mana not only forged today's civilization but also corrected the problems said that plagued humanity long ago. Thanks to the formation of materials, the lack of resources wasn't a problem anymore, and no one had to go hungry. No toxic substances were made, so everyone enjoyed clean water and air. And with the fast pace of information and advanced machinery, communication and transportation were near-instantaneous, and wars never had to break out except for the Norma.

But during its founding, they weren't just left on their own. In the earliest propaganda films, they weren't merely made by Mana. They had to come from somewhere that Embryo once knew.

"The Belkan Empire was another nation like the TSAB, using Mana independently to travel to other worlds and having an era of prosperity. Unfortunately, they were not as united. They fell to the desire for violence and greed. For misusing Mana, they brought destruction among themselves. You were to never fall for their mistakes."

Each of the Mana leaders had that in mind. Although they didn't think about it, the origin of all the nation's supposedly unified ideology has now started to make sense, even though this was like tasting a forbidden fruit. On the other hand, that still didn't mean they could relax. With an enemy power that great close to their doorstep and nothing to counter them, the ordeal before them remained.

"The task is difficult, but not impossible. You can leave the TSAB to me."

"Then what about these Huckebein here?" Julio said, referring to the Huckebein woman they just witnessed and her accomplice at the end of the footage.

"Even if we know who they are and where they're from, how are we supposed to deal with those monsters!?" the President stepped in.

"That is no reason to panic," Embryo assured. "They are very different from Normas, yes, but it's the Bureau's job to deal with all sorts of criminals like them. Whether they stay here or leave to another world, their options are limited." Embryo stood up while facing Julio. "Which reminds me, I'll be having a personal meeting with you once everyone leaves."

"M-me?" the new Emperor jumped over the man's request.

"Yes, because of your efforts and as the new Emperor of Misurugi, I wish to speak with you," Embryo then turned to the other leaders. "As for you, do not worry about these incidents for I already have a hand in the matter. Let me take care of it, and you can do recovery options as you wish."

"Understood, Master Embryo."

With the King of Rosenblum's words, all the Mana leaders save for Julio and Embryo vanished from the virtual reality. When it was only the two of them left, Embryo went around the table to face Julio, who stood to shake by his seat.

"What...what is all of this about?"

"You've seen some things that you really shouldn't have. Because this was unexpected, I am left with no choice, but if I did, then I would've settled this in another way."

"Is...is this a problem, Master Embryo?"

"On the contrary, I appreciate how you kept this to the leadership. If it went out to the public, the consequences would've been...unsettling," Embryo savored the moment to sinking the disturbing prospect into Julio. "Instead, I shall be rewarding you for the manner. How would you like to be the first Mana leader to visit space?"

That made Julio remain speechless. Embryo didn't expect him to answer, but it was appropriate for the situation. After all, the TSAB took in people from various worlds and therefore, it kind for him to do the same.

"Because the Bureau has abducted your little sister, the TSAB will be coming down here for some time. It's best that we were prepared," Embryo explained.

"Are...Are you really meaning this?"

"I have my list of contacts who are additionally subordinate to my command. Not even the TSAB knows my affiliation with them, and they'll demonstrate weapons needed to combat the Bureau and related powers. Do you have a problem with it?"

"N-No, I...I am overjoyed, Master Embryo," Julio tried to compliment him for his revelations. "In that case, we should get started right away! The less time we wait, the shorter time we rely on those filthy Norma, all the more perfect for the new Holy Misurugi Empire!"

"Very well, then," Embryo chucked over the muttering Emperor's self-indulgence. "When you're ready, follow me, and we'll get started with the pleasantries."

Julio bowed to him before vanishing from the virtual world. Only Embryo remained, who took out a book under his suit. Being in the middle of the story when he was forced to intervene in Mana's politics, he resumed as he walked out to the garden. A couple of squirrels walked past him as he continued down the paved road.

While he tried to look at the book, his mind was somewhere. He lacked the patience to continue reading, and his eyes wandered elsewhere. Closing the book, he looked up to the fake clear sky in agitation and disappointment.

Trying to start another war with me, aren't you? You never change, Cecilia. Or perhaps I should say…

---

Angelise remained tense as she walked through the hallway. Each room that she passed had an average of one patient inside. They were very similar to the rooms back in the medical bay where she found herself once; the red and yellow colors on the walls and extra windows were the most notable differences she could point out. As the room numbers got closer to the one designated for Nanoha, it was getting harder for Angelise to suppress her doubts.

A few hours had passed since Angelise left with the Yagami family for the hospital. As Hayate proposed, Signum accompanied Angelise as the two requested a cab due to her disability. The leader of the family and a few others went their own way, a dimensional transfer spell since Angelise's Norma ability didn't restrict them. By the time she and Signum arrived, Hayate, Reinforce, Vita, and Shamal already stood by the main door; Zafira was left at home to guard the house. Hayate checked in with the main desk and located Nanoha's room number.

"And here it is," Hayate said when they finally reached Nanoha's room number. Angelise took a deep breath as the head of the Yagami family opened the door. "Nanoha-san, guess who's here!"

"H-Hayate, it's you!" Angelise heard Nanoha jump over Hayate's sudden arrival. She used her right hand to push herself up for her left one was covered in bandages. She was covered by a white sheet and a blue patient's uniform during her stay at the hospital. Although her condition was no longer serious, she still wasn't exactly in shape to start walking on her own. The fact she covered her wounds after raising her upper body was proof of that.

"Just thought we'd come to visit," Hayate said.

"Nanoha-san!" Vita ran past Hayate as she entered the room. She wrapped her hands around Nanoha's waist as she remained on the bed. The wounded Ace chuckled over Vita's emotional reunion with her, though it added more to her discomfort.

"And you're as protective as always, Vita."

"She's been worried about you since that incident," Shamal commented. "No, it's more like she doesn't react well to whatever bad situation whenever you're involved."

"Oh, shut up," Vita retorted.

The Yagami and Nanoha laughed, which caused Vita to blush. As a long-time partner, Vita developed a deep attachment to Nanoha as far as they could remember. It was a series of both heartwarming and tragic endeavors for the two. Because of those endeavors, that emotional strain and attachment increased even further.

"That's Vita for you," Nanoha sided with the Yagami family. "When someone she cares about gets hurt, she's willing to stand up and show it."

"Nanoha-san," Vita blushed more over her statement. After seeing her grip was starting to hurt Nanoha, she let go to give her some space. Besides, there was another she wished to see through, an issue when Nanoha brought.

"Say, what brought you all here today? I know you'd all be worried, but I didn't expect you to come by this late after the procedure."

"Well," Hayate took time to answer. "We've brought a guest along with us. Let's just say, due to unusual circumstances, we had to take the long way to get here."

"A little guest?"

"Mhm," Hayate signaled Angelise away from the doorway. "Why don't you come out, Miss Angelise?"

"Angelise," At first, Nanoha didn't recognize the name. Despite that, it pricked her mind like she should. It was after she saw the princess walked into the door. She recognized the girl's face, her eyes widening over sudden appearance. Even though Shamal was around that time, it was still surprising to see someone already so close to her friends.

"Uhh, hello there," Angelise greeted as she approached the Ace. Due to the sudden incident, Nanoha could tell the girl was unsure of herself. She was the reason why she ended up in the hospital, but it wasn't like she could be blamed. It came without warning, and the consequences were unexpected.

"Identifying woman," the red marble on Nanoha's necklace said unexpectedly. "It's the woman with the anti-magilink abilities."

"I know," Nanoha confirmed before returning to the speechless Angelise. "It seems you know my friends very well. Are you new friends?"

"Well, I kind of am, Miss Nanoha…"

"Nanoha Takamachi," the Ace finished her introduction. She must've only remembered her first name, so she mustn't be native to the TSAB. "And who exactly would you be?"

"I'm...Angelise," she hesitated for the moment. "Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi, First and Crown Princess of the Misurugi Empire."

"Angelise...Ikaruga Misurugi," Nanoha noticed how closely the last two words were in Japanese, the language of the planet and affiliating country where she was born and raised. From what she recalled, the Ikaruga was a type of grosbeak, related to songbirds that offered protection through music. While she couldn't figure out what "Misurugi" could mean, she knew "Mitsurugi" was a meaningful word. Supposedly, that meant "beautiful sword," perfect for someone who fought. But this girl didn't look too much like someone wanting to fight.

"So you're from my world, aren't you?"

"Well," Angelise trailed. Not knowing Earth, she was oblivious to what Nanoha meant by that, which prompted Hayate to step in.

"She's from an unadministered world, another unfortunate victim of the Eclipse Outbreak."

"Another victim of the Eclipse virus," Nanoha repeated as she saw Angelise grow upset. Like the rest of the TSAB, she became aware of the virus and the dangerous effects it had on both people and interdimensional security. Since the outbreaks appear to target both administered and unadministered worlds, it's no doubt this girl suffered a great loss.

"I'm...sorry to hear about this."

"It's...okay," Angelise began. She slowly shook her head before facing Nanoha. "I should be the one who's sorry. I didn't mean any of this to happen. If only I thought about my Norma power before and told you-"

"As I told you, it's alright," Nanoha cut her off. She remembered telling Angelise that the moment she got wounded by two bullets wounds. In the end, no one was killed, and so she easily forgave her.

"But your wounds," Angelise turned to Nanoha's left shoulder in bandages. "I saw you get shot. Twice. There must be some way for me to pay-"

"This isn't the first time I got hurt like this," Nanoha assured, remembering times where she had it worse. One time was even life-threatening, which caused her to believe it's due to overexerting herself. Becuase she nearly died, she was forced to cut back on training. "Besides, it wasn't your fault that you didn't tell me about your power. It was being too careless; I just didn't expect someone who had some constantly active anti-magic ability."

"Will...you still be able to walk?" Angelise recalled a time when she felt at fault for injuring someone. Specifically, it was a time when her little sister had her legs crippled following an accident. "One of the bullets hit your legs and-"

"That's true; there's no telling when you can walk again," Shamal spoke for Angelise. "Even if you're able to walk, the last time I checked your wounds, you had torn muscles in your shoulder and at least two cracked bones. You won't be able to use Raising Heart properly for the time being."

"It's fine," Nanoha wanted to calm her guests. "I just received more info from the doctors. I was fortunate enough the first bullet hit my shoulder, but the second one wasn't enough to break any bones. The doctors said I'll be able to head back within the week. Besides, I think this marks an opportunity to spend more time with Vivio."

"Vivio, eh," Hayate thought as if it was a long time since she heard that name.

"That would be a great idea," Shamal supported the idea. "It's been a long time since we've seen her ourselves."

"And maybe we can introduce her to our new friends here," Hayate stared at the confused Angelise, oblivious to what they were discussing.

"I'm sure Fate-chan will be happy to see you," Signum agreed.

"Of course, she will," Nanoha said, not forgetting about Fate. For all she knew, as a girl who held emotions together, she could be scared out of her mind like Vivio would be. "I'm sure that Vivio would be more than happy to meet you as well."

"E-excuse me," Angelise jumped in. "What are you all talking about? Who is this Vivio?"

"Vivio is my daughter," Nanoha Takamachi explained. "Fate and I are currently her parents."

"Fate-chan?" Angelise heard about Fate because she was the third Aces who wasn't present in the room. "She's your…"

"Yes," Nanoha confirmed. "Fate and I are both of Vivio's mothers."

"But how?" Angelise's mind raced over that was even possible. She may not know the customs of this world, but two of women having a child? "But how you...could you...could how you... how could you have…"

Almost everyone burst out laughing at Angelise's head spinning over the instance as if they were teasing the poor girl. Or maybe she was missing something? The fact that the Yagami family and Nanoha found it funny made it even cause Angelise to shake.

"I think you fell for a complete misunderstanding?" Hayate broke the lack of answers. "Nanoha and Fate adopted Vivio. She's not a real blood relative to Nanoha and Fate."

"Oh," Angelise's face went red with embarrassment. At first, she pictured in her head some erotic scene with Nanoha and even herself. Two women who made a child together just didn't sound fitting at all. Although it gave her some dirty thoughts, she shook her head to throw them out of her mind for the time being.

"Say, would you like to visit us sometime?" Nanoha offered Angelise. "Vivio is very friendly when it comes to strangers. I bet you two will become close friends."

"Well…"

"I agree, Nanoha-san," Signum backed her invitation approaching behind the unsure Angelise. "As someone who matches her current predicament, she can help Miss Angelise adjust to her own.

"Well…"

Angelise repeated the word, unable to answer since it completely came out of nowhere. The Yagami family was invited, who is her temporary guardianship for the time being, so there was no reason not to turn her invitation down. Actually, it would be rude upon doing so. It just means she has more to learn and a long way to go before she can stand up independently in this world.

---

In another room, a couple of doctors were working on another patient with short purple hair. Although they didn't have much information on her, they were told she was from an undeveloped world who fell victim to an attack by Eclipse Drivers. She was found unconscious with a close friend and was taken in by request of the TSAB cruisers that came in a few days ago. The doctors were preparing for a checkup on her bed since the only information they had was her name "Momoka Oginome."

The doctors were all monitoring the screens when her vital signs suddenly rose. Even though it wasn't declared an emergency, the rise in vital signs showed that she was close to regaining consciousness. As two doctors in white coats watched over her vital signs, the maid took deeper breaths before she slowly woke up.

"L-Lady...Angelise," when Momoka's eyes opened, she softly spoke to the ceiling above. The bright light above shone down on her, blinding her for the moment. She turned to her left just to face away.

"Are you okay, young lady?" one of the doctors asked. He couldn't exactly hear what the girl was saying. It was too quiet for him to hear clearly. All he knew was that her eyes were open and her head was moving.

"Her vital signs have stabilized," the second reported. "Nothing abnormal came when she regained consciousness, so nothing else seems to be wrong with her."

"Lady Angelise?" Momoka continued, not paying attention to the man's words.

"Excuse me?" the second doctor wanted to hear the girl more clearly; he, too, could barely hear the woman's voice.

But Momoka wasn't paying attention to the two doctors. When she turned her head, she was looking beyond the first doctor, by the wide-open door and the large clear window to the right. Although she could see well, she found a group of people walk past the room. She focused on one of the members, specifically the girl with blonde hair. Even though many other people had the same style, the glimpse of her eyes and even the voice she heard were very similar.

It was that instance when she jolted herself off the bed and turned to the side.

"Lady Angelise!" the maid jumped up from the bed. Her eyes widened over the presence of who might've been the princess she swore to protect. She may haven't put any thought into where she was, but Angelise was looked like she was here, and that was all that mattered. However, she was stopped by the two doctors who got in her way.

"Settle down, young one," the first doctor said while the second one restrained her.

"I must see Lady Angelise!"

"We still need to do a checkup," the second doctor added. "You just regained consciousness, and we don't know too much information about you."

"But she was-"

Momoka was struggling to no avail. She was even bound by two binding spells of differing colors that caught her attention. What was this world they were in? She could tell that they were using Mana, but the colors were very different. The only color of Mana she knew was the blue-green type used by everyone else she knew. She tried pointing a finger and focusing her mind on it; if this world had Mana, then she should be able to use it. But for her, nothing had happened. Even without saying anything, she should be able to cast a barrier or a beam made of the powerful energy. The fact she couldn't use it now bewildered her. Every time, she failed to cast a spell, her body felt weaker. When her legs gave out, she fell on her bum, sitting back on the side of the bed.

"Just calm down for once," the first doctor spoke in a calmer voice as they now had control over the situation. She could see the woman was depressed and it was likely thanks to this "Lady Angelise" she shouted not so long ago. "But first, can you tell us more information about yourself?"

"I need to see Lady Angelise," that was all that Momoka could say. She merely looked down at the floor as if she started to cry. "I need to know if she's okay. If not that, then I…"

The doctors remained confused for the moment. They had no idea what to say for they've never heard someone named Angelise before. This girl was brought alone, though the report said there was a second patient who woke up a few days earlier. She was alive and well, but they had no other information about her or her whereabouts. In either case, things had to be explained before they could proceed any further.

---

So even after Angelise's mistake got Nanoha shot twice and relieved for a period, Nanoha still forgives her. As long as Angelise felt guilty about it, it seems to be fine, better than getting disproportionate treatment anywhere else. Momoka waking up and seeing Angelise is going to make one surprising reunion. On the other hand, Julio seems to be taking a trip to the Dimensional Sea. Whoever Embryo's contacts are, nothing good will come out of it for sure...

In case you're wondering, the woman who nearly got raped back on Mana was the same mother who's Norma child got taken away at the very first episode of Cross Ange. One of the reasons why I made the story start when Angelise was retrieved during the Iaria match was to give her more innocence; during that time, she treated both the woman and Norma child horribly, which would play a part in her screwed-up, self-loathing personality. With this not happening, however, this gives the current Angelise a bit of a chance.

For another confession, I based the Mana meeting partially on a scene in Death Note. That scene was the ICPO arguing over the bizarre case of victims collapsing simultaneously, not to mention they were all previously convicted of heinous crimes. Something you really don't see often. (For one interesting note, I once had ideas of a Death Note x Cross Ange crossover that involved Light challenging Embryo while killing a lot of Norma and Mana users in the process. At the moment, that story has not come to fruition.)

For the history of Mana, its civilization was founded about 200 years ago, starting with the Misurugi Empire after Embryo constructed the Dawn Pillar. Due to the lack of disease, war, and pollution, the population of Mana has exploded to around 2.3 billion including the Norma. The ratio between Norma and Mana users born per year is about 1 per ~2-3 million. That means Arzenal's expected population is around 1000 per year, but deaths following combat against the Dragons balance the net gain. It should also be noted that while the planet's natural reserves were needed at first, most of it remains untapped when the populace switched to fabricating natural resources with Mana.

For the particular nations, all the big states are all centered around the Pacific Ocean. Each one is given a number, too, since Norma's first label number is where they came from. It also represents the nations formed and admitted into the superpowers in chronological order:

#1- Misurugi Empire: Covers Korea, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. The Dawn Pillar is where Akihabara would be in Japan.

#2- Kingdom of Rosenblum: North America, Ireland, and Britain. Formed just after the discovery of Norma and in charge of monitoring its operations.

#3- Endrant Union: Stretches from Russia to Germany. The Schlievogt Estate is in a town village near modern-day Vladivostok.

#4- Velda: India, the Middle East, and the northeast part of Africa.

#5- Galia Empire: Australia and New Zealand.

#6- Malmelia Republic: South America. The youngest of the six big states.

#0- Other nations not part of the big six.

Arzenal is located near Hawaii. It's also known as Area D by the locals, and Mana users are restricted from this area to due to the disturbances caused by the "singularities." Despite this, the Kingdom of Rosenblum is responsible for its management due to having the closest proximity of the six greatest nations.

The other nations are supposed to have some responsibilities themselves, just like how Rosenblum monitors the Norma. But even they, like all other states, all listen to Misurugi officials despite this, their independence, and objections. That's because Misurugi has the most important responsibility, the management of the Dawn Pillar, of which provides Mana to the world.

Currently, I have yet to figure out those other responsibilities.

Either way, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I wish you all a happy Thanksgiving!

 

[WiseMan744436]

Got some bad news. Due to how busy next week is, you should expect a long delay for the next chapter.

However, after reading through my story, I'm going to update the chapters to clear away the typos I missed. That usually doesn't take too long (1-2 hours each chapter), so I'll get to them when I have the chance.

 

[WiseMan744436]

Alright, chapter revisions are done...for now at least. With final assignments and exams getting out of the way, one by one, I should have more time to work on this fic. Expect an update within the next couple weeks.

 

[WiseMan744436]

Next Chapter. Again, things are busy on my end, so I didn't have much time to work on this. It may take until next month before I can write again.

In case you noticed, I'm changing the names of the chapters so they'd follow how far along the chapters are down their respective arcs. In this case, this here is the introductory or Lost Princess Arc.

---

"So, are you ready?" Nanoha was talking to Angelise, dressed in her Air Corps uniform with a cast for her right arm and a red marble hanging down her necklace. The princess in question was wearing another pair of jeans with a white and blue shirt that resembled what she wore for Iaria. The Ace's words attracted her as if she dozed off and was caught off guard.

Last night, Nanoha just received calls from both the TSAB and the hospital. The higher-ups in the Bureau told Nanoha and her friends that she was to leave the public hospital as soon as she could walk on her two feet. She was more than capable of doing that, but that wasn't the problem here; she still had a while before her shoulder was healed, so her capabilities were limited. Even so, Nanoha was more than happy to leave for the chance to see Vivio, and Angelise agreed to visit her that afternoon.

Hayate remained on duty with Reinforce Zwei while Zafira was left to watch their house. Shamal and Vita were given an assignment elsewhere for the day that caused them to leave early in the morning. That meant only Signum was available, who was also given an assignment but escorted Angelise to the Takamachi residence since it was on the way. The leader of the Wolkenritter left just after the princess united with the wounded Ace.

Now Angelise and Nanoha were across the street from the latter's residence. According to Nanoha, it was supposed to be a house based on another home where she used to live. It was a two-story home with beige walls and dark brown roofs. On the right was a garage fit for one car; on the left, a tree that obstructed the view of a large room with long, rectangular windows. At the center was a two-arch, rectangular pavilion that covered the entrance.

Although the place was huge, Nanoha told her that only three people lived there including herself. The other two were Fate Testarossa and the mentioned Vivio, who they were supposed to visit today.

"I...I…"

Angelise trailed off, unsure of what to say. To be fair, she didn't think she had the right to a warm introduction with Nanoha's little family. After what happened in the supermarket that resulted in her current state, she believed to have no right to visit them that way. This was supposed to be a letter of apology.

"Don't worry about it," Nanoha placed her healthier right hand on Angelise's shoulder. "Vivio's a strong girl. Besides, you two- no, you, her, and Fate have a lot more in common than you think."

"E-Eh?"

Nanoha chuckled at the dimwitted girl before she continued.

"Come on, Angelise," Nanoha went ahead after seeing the roads clear. "We don't want to keep them waiting, don't we?"

"R-Right."

Angelise followed Nanoha as they crossed the road and approached her house. Nanoha's words, no matter how kind and assuring they were, still didn't help the tense air around her. Maybe it was the fact she was from another world? Even in Mana, there was still a little culture shock just like how there was massive anxiety around Norma. That was another evidence as to how people could identify the Norma, though she never felt that from the people she met. Not her family, her classmates from the Ho-o Institute, nor Momoka showed any hesitation upon meeting her, and they've been around her for a very long time. Still, that didn't mean she could stop shaking around new people, especially those who are from a new world and were affected by her actions.

Angelise took another deep breath to calm her nerves as they went under the pavilion. Nanoha went ahead first as she unlocked the door and opened it wide open, revealing a hallway with beige wall and hard wooden floor.

"Vivio? Fate? I'm home!" Nanoha called into the house. Angelise was caught off guard how loud Nanoha called out for both residents. The house was pretty big, though, and Angelise didn't know the layout of the house, so the two residents could be anywhere.

A few seconds passed when Nanoha called into the house. But before Angelise could rest, believing they might not be home, a loud, childish voice came from inside to their left.

"Nanoha-mama!"

There were two kinds of footsteps with one being far louder than the other. As the stomping drew closer, Angelise started shaking with the floor, almost wanting to back away.

It was already too late when a young girl came in faster than expected. A girl who was at least ten years old dashed in with her eyes closed, running in her white knee socks. For attire, she had a beige uniform with a brown skirt, a red bowtie, and two blue ribbons that held two short tails.

As the girl jumped, unaware who she was tackling, her arms wrapped around Angelise and she fell back to the floor. The princess jumped as she landed on her back with the young girl. She didn't know why this happened, but this girl assumed to be Vivio ended up tightly hugging her little guest.

"Nanoha-mama!" The young girl kept shouting at Angelise.

Aside from wanting to correct the girl for who she really tackled onto the floor, not that Angelise wanted to criticise this world's children, but there was something very wrong about this girl's strength. It was enough to bend her ribs, crushing her stomach, and nearly made her suffocate. Angelise tried her best to get out of her grip, but it was clearly no use to her. How in the world did she get so strong?

"Nanoha-mama," Vivio repeated. "Nanoha-mama, you're finally home! I was so scared when I heard you got hurt that I..."

She froze for a moment after opening her eyes. She noticed the difference in hair color compared to her mother. Angelise once thought Vivio might make another incorrect guess as for the other woman she was supposed to meet; she was told about Fate having long blonde hair like she did. But that wasn't possible since she was already at home.

"Wait," Vivio reacted, realizing that she tackled the wrong person. Her hands gripped tightly on the princess's breasts to the point it really hurt. "You're not Nanoha-mama! Who are you…"

"Settle down there, Vivio," Nanoha went by Angelise's side and kneeled to the girls. Vivio's face went to that of a baby as tears came down her eyes and her mouth watered. "Don't get too excited."

"I was so worried about you, Nanoha-mama," Vivio got off the ground, correcting her error from before. She leaned forward to her mother, who stood up so she would only grab by the waist and legs. Nanoha leaned forward to wrap her arms around her child.

"It's all right, Vivio," Nanoha comforted Vivio. "I'm home now."

While Vivio cuddled with Nanoha and wiped the tears from her face, Angelise took note of the girl's watering, heterochromatic eyes of red and green. She could tell that Vivio deeply admired her own mother- or was it, mothers?- So much that she went into shock over hearing her wounds. It reminded Angelise of her own parental admiration, always wanting to be a strong, powerful Empress just like her mother. Who knows what she'd think if she was ever here? Nanoha was already someone else who reminded her of the Empress. Even with that incident, Angelise found something tense inside her. If she were to define it, it was a burning desire, sparked and encouraged by the Ace.

Angelise's daydreaming disappeared when she heard more footsteps approaching.

"Is everything alright, Nanoha?" Another woman came into the hallway from the room on the left. When Angelise heard that voice, it almost sounded like herself talking and attracted her attention to the other woman in the house. She wore a black, long sleeve shirt and a beige collar and skirt. Angelise's eyes drawn towards her facial features, specifically her blonde hair and burgundy eyes. She was gazed at the women, until she noticed, only to snap out of it and turn away. Even then, the older women approached her, surprised by her appearance.

"Oh, you must be our new guest," the woman approached Angelise. After noticing Angelise blush and turning, she held her advance. She turned away and blushed over her own awkwardness of the situation. Even when they both noticed they imitating each other's actions, they continued to do so by facing each other with their red cheeks.

"Everything is okay, Fate," Nanoha answered to her after stand up away from Fate. Vivio still held her by her thighs while both mothers faced one another. Angelise still couldn't tell if they were really a married couple. "I see that Vivio was very anxious about me."

"Her teachers and friends at Saint Hilda's noticed her change in behavior for the past two days," Fate confessed. "As you noticed, she didn't like the news well about your injury. She even skipped her lessons with Instructor Nove because she was worried sick that much."

"Come on, Vivio. You know better not worry about me," Nanoha stared at her puppy-eyed child, still grieving her return and tightening her grip. "Guess it can't be helped."

Fate noticed that she totally forgot about their other guest, who was still on the ground from Vivio's earlier tackle. She approached the timid girl, having an idea of what happened when she was in the other room.

"Sorry about earlier," Fate apologized in their daughter's place. "Vivio can be very...sensitive when her loved ones get hurt."

"No, I should be the one at fault," Angelise confessed.

"Huh?"

"Y-You?" Vivio's eyes watered again as she gazed at the Angelise. "You…"

"I'll explain later," Nanoha intervened, partly because she didn't want any misunderstanding or emotional outbursts from Vivio. "But first, how about we start by introducing ourselves?"

"R-Right," Angelise started by turning to the blonde haired woman. Knowing about the three Aces, and assuming this was the third one, she addressed her full name. "You must be Fate...Testarossa...Hara-loan?"

"It's Harlaown," Fate corrected her. "You can just call me Fate. And your name is..."

"Angelise," the princess responded. "Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi...First Princess of the…"

"You don't have to go that far, Angelise," Nanoha interrupted.

"But I don't address everything, I…"

"If you address everything from name and title, you're just gonna make everyone's heads spin. Just relax and introduce yourself more formally next time. You should know that now that you're in a different world, am I wrong?"

"I...I…"

"Angelise…" Fate wrote that name down in her mind as the princess murmured. Just knowing her first was enough.

"You also forgot Sacred Heart!" Vivio called out to her mother.

"Sacred Heart?" Angelise was confused for the moment. Should there be only two other occupants here? Unless "Sacred Heart," which didn't sound like a common human name, was some kind of pet or machine.

Her answer came when a flying object came down the hallway. When she got a good glimpse, she found a pink bunny doll flying in the air with rainbow-colored trails. Her eyes widened at the moment, but she failed to see the little bowtie undeath its head with magenta dimples and eyes.

Nanoha chuckled as the little doll landed on the little girl's arms. Vivio had the little Device for a few years by now, so it was heartfelt that she'd have a close bonding with it just like her own Raising Heart. However, she could also see the stunned Angelise, who was both confused and curious over the little object.

"With all respect, would you explain this to me?"

"I figured you'd be curious," Nanoha replied to the princess before turning to Fate. "But first, how about we all go inside, and we'll discuss everything when we're all set?"

Fate nodded as she kneeled to Angelise. She offered a hand to the princess, which she accepted to pull herself up from the ground. Both girls blushed at each other as if the whole situation was awkward, so they quickly got it over. After Angelise wiped herself, she entered the room with Fate. Once again, it was an unusually close encounter.

---

In the downtown area of the Midchilda South, a cargo vehicle was parked in a lot surrounded by trees and parks. It could be best described as an armored van due to its boxy frame and a capacity of only a few tons. To hide from the authorities, the truck had a fake coating indicating property from a nearby banking company. Though it was never meant to be a permanent vehicle, that disguise would give away sooner or later since across the forest park was the same ten-story hospital that Nanoha came out of recently.

Inside the truck were the two criminals, who were major fugitives in the past couple days. Za Fan was wearing an orange trucker's uniform and cap to conceal his presence. Since their fiasco back in the supermarket, he's been cautiously on his feet, careful to avoid the most attention from people. He even took the risk of going through a couple of security checkpoints willingly just to stay under the radar; staying away from checkpoints for so long in an unregistered cargo van would give themselves away anyway. It was also needed to stop by a place to pick up some "special cargo" before carrying out their own mission.

Slicer was wearing the same kind of uniform Za Fan had, but he was more laid back. Every time they stopped, he kicked back and laid his feet on the dashboard as he waited. He was already told a couple of times to step down when Za Fan needed to see. Even though his casual behavior prevented them from sticking out, there was no time to be following around, especially with their intended target in sight.

"This is where our target is located," Za Fan projected an image of Nanoha's virtual patient file in between the two partners in crime. Hacking was never his specialty, but it was a necessary skill to obtain some vital info. After seeing evidence of what looked like Nanoha be taken into the hospital, one of his first stops was a hacker to pay off so he could obtain the facility's records without a trace. He was confident to obtain info on the well-famed Ace because she wasn't taken to a TSAB facility that was highly secure, but a public hospital where security was lackluster in both its computer systems and personnel.

Of course, that didn't mean it was going to be easy. Even if it's a public hospital, there is sure to be some heavy security protecting the injured Ace. He could already see two more well-known Mages or "Knights" in the vicinity, just like the obtained records displayed and as he could see through his binoculars. There was little chance that they'd win with a direct confrontation. Furthermore, he learned tactics very well, and one of his favorites was putting many men around an area to make it look like they guarded something important, only for the real booby trap to appear elsewhere. He was well aware of his status as one of the most wanted criminals who has already employed that tactic before, and Nanoha's reputation and value were too much for the TSAB would lose. Therefore, there was a high chance they'd use that same tactic against him and Slicer's Rare Skill will be needed again.

"If the target is not inside," Za Fan briefed partner-in-crime. "Then be prepared to immediately launch our escape plan."

"Just remember if she there," the Slicer replied. "Once we find her, you leave her to me. We must finish the fight that was unresolved."

"You must not do anything to jeopardize the plan," Za Fan warned. "We cannot afford to suffer another sudden interruption like last time."

That fiasco back in the supermarket really hurt their reputation within the Clover organization. Even though they had no vital information, the Clover organization lost a large portion of manpower. As punishment, they've lost most of their finances to carry out their independent operations; they were only lucky that they haven't been booted out of the organization.

"I have no intention of getting in the way," Slicer affirmed. "Besides, the others will not be a problem thanks to those little toys in the back."

"Yes," Zan Fan agreed he put his binoculars down. He checked around for any mages or civilians who'd be around. For the first few minutes of the operation, if their attempt was to be successful, they must have no witnesses around. After checking that the coast was clear, he ordered his companion. "It's time. Prepare to move out."

The malevolent grin on Slicer's face only grew wider. He'd been waiting for this moment ever since he lost the Nanoha girl. It was shameful for the girl to be wounded, but they knew the Ace of Aces wasn't a mere pushover. If it were put into Za Fan's perspective, it should now be an even match and a score he had to settle.

"We'll start by activating the drones," Za Fan instructed his assistant as they exited the vehicle. "Then we'll commence the operation."

Besides the fact the info about Nanoha was from yesterday, the previous destination before approaching the hospital was also a little suspicious. After gaining the information they needed, they were received additional info from an anonymous person. The info, in particular, was a data chip fit for Slicer's device that only gave a few numbers. Clover soundly denied their involvement, but the delivery of the message was very professional and could only be viewed by those two. Za Fan eventually deduced that the numbers designated specific coordinates due the two arrays of extremely long numbers. When they reached the coordinates, they came to an underground garage surrounded by apartment complexes on the outskirts of a city, near the border between Midchilda Center and South. After looking at the precise coordinates, they found the armored van they were driving, hidden well behind several other cars as to avoid getting caught on camera. Whoever gave them the vehicle even left the keys behind and had the back door unlocked.

Just like that time, as they proceeded, they were unnerved when they opened the rear door to see the strange, circular machines in the back. There were three square stacks with four drones each; they had twelve of these circular drones in total, more than enough for a hit-and-run attack with the defenses they were facing.

By the drones was a computer terminal composed of only a screen and a switch. Za Fan turned that console on to display the blue screen regarding the automated weapons. The status showed blueprints of the drones that monitored their status each drone displayed in a checkered formation. On the bottom right corner of the screen was a box awaiting recognition. Beside it read: "PYRETHROID STATUS: INACTIVE."

Za Fan only smirked at the name. For some reason, the name sounded toxic to those who were their enemies, which was amusing to him. He still had yet to see how powerful these weapons were. At first, he questioned if they were sent to a death trap or just given them a surprise boost over their agenda. Regardless what happened, he had already prepared for both and already went so far to initiate this operation.

"And now, it's time to arm."

With those words and Slicer's mischievous grin, Za Fan placed his finger on the box by the corner. After a few flashes and beeps for confirmation, he received the green light. Each of the drones powered up with the glowing blue-green lines that appeared to be Mana channeling into them. Other lights also appeared as they were just about to be operational. The screen beside Za Fan's finger turned into an actual green color and displayed the following words: "PYRETHROID STATUS: ARMED"

---

It was late in the afternoon when everyone at the Takamachi residence settled in. Angelise took her socks and shoes off and placed them by the door like this house's custom. Now the group was together in the main dining room with Angelise and Vivio sitting on opposite ends of the table fit for six to eight people. Nanoha and Fate wore white and yellow aprons while they made some omelets for today, a familiar food for both of the younger girls.

"Say, Angelise," Vivio said while her foster parents severed their plates. "Is having breakfast in the afternoon your tradition?"

"M-Me?" the princess jumped at the sudden question. It wasn't that she didn't want to eat breakfast for lunch; of all the food she saw, it was the only thing that could point out back in Misurugi. "The..food here is not normal for my style and tastes. I...just asked what they had and this was the closest meal they had back at home."

"Then we'll be willing to share you all sorts of delicious meals during your stay here," Fate said as she placed her meal down. When everyone was seated, they clapped their hands together and shouted, "Itadakimasu!"

"Uhh, Itadakimasu!" Angelise was the last to follow their tradition. At first, she was unsure of eating a meal from a foreign land. It happened after she cut off a piece of the omelet and had nearly in her mouth. She doubted it was poison, but was it good or not? She saw how all three of her hosts were eating with childish smiles on their faces. Being the proper lady she is, it would be very rude not to try it or give negative comments about their cooking. So she quickly forced the piece into her mouth and chew it.

Already she found herself in heaven with the piece and shared that same face as everyone else. She needed to have more; the taste was too good, so good she moaned with a loud pitch to express. It was no wonder why they all enjoyed it so much and forced it all down their stomachs, which prompted her to do the same.

Her daydreaming then stopped when she heard someone nearly flipping a plate. She snapped to Vivio's place, where the same pink bunny tried to climb on her plate. Vivio panicked as she grabbed the little doll before it could get stained with the ketchup.

"Yahh, Sacred Heart! You can't eat that!"

But the reaction reminded Angelise of a topic she wanted to discuss. All this time, she saw all these objects moving on their own and having voices when they typically shouldn't have. First, there was Signum's sword, then Nanoha's staff, and now this walking doll of Vivio's called Sacred Heart. Therefore, she used the opportunity to open up the conversation.

"Sorry for being rude, but I wanted to ask about that doll of hers," the princess got her hosts' attention. "I mean...my empire never had things like this. Magic spells as triangles and circles, flying magic users, weapons that talk, little dolls and fairy that move around like they're human...Misurugi has Mana, and yet we have none of anything here. How can all of these things exist? What exactly are these things?"

At first, the other three girls laughed, which gave her a dumbfounded look. Fate, however, could see it like they offended her when she was only confused for the moment. Perhaps it was for the sake of indifference between the two, but she was the first to respond.

"What you see are called 'Devices'. They are the main catalyst for all magic spells."

"Devices…" Angelise put deep thought into such a simple and bland term. Recalling the last part, she then asked, "What do you mean by a catalyst?"

"It means that we can use magic without it, but not as efficiently as we would like," Nanoha explained.

"Then why do they look like weapons?" Angelise took the time to eat some more of her omelet "And why do some...move on their own or look human?"

"Device can take up all sorts of forms. Most devices take up the form of weapons or handheld devices. Others look like clothing. Sometimes, they can be autonomous like Sacred Heart. And they can all come in various forms."

"So when Signum's sword talked and Shamal had those rings. And even Reinforce were," Angelise trailed. Nanoha and Fate nodded, indicating that they were all Devices used by the Wolkenritter. But that also brought up another question, which was already being answered by Nanoha.

"Devices are designed with a specific purpose in mind. In the Wolkenritter's case, they possess Armed Devices, made specifically for battle. The TSAB commonly uses Storage Devices, which process magic spells more efficiently and can be used outside of combat. Some customize Storage Devices can also be used to boost performances, whether through magic spells or fusing with other Devices and Mages."

"So you two must have Armed Devices then," Angelise guessed since the achievements she learned were all about fighting various enemies.

"Correction, Intelligence Device," a female voice came from spherical pendant hanging from Nanoha's neck that was Raising Heart.

"That's correct, Raising Heart," Nanoha spoke to her Intelligent Device. "All Intelligence Devices are equipped with AIs to help their wielders. In fact, what you see here is a family of Intelligent Devices."

"Affirmative," a male voice came from Fate's own pendant, which was a yellow, triangular jewel hanging from her pendant.

"Keep in mind," Nanoha continued. "Mages are typically better with a device than without one. But there are a number of known exceptions."

"And one day, I'm going to be as powerful as Nanoha-mama and Fate-mama!" Vivio chanted with her mouth full of the last bite, which prompted a chuckle from both of her foster parents.

Fate was also done with her meal not so long after. Standing up from her seat, she guided Vivio and Sacred heart back to the kitchen where they would wipe their plates. This gave Angelise some time to talk to Nanoha.

"Tell me, Miss Takamachi, why did you say that the two of us were so alike?" Angelise shook her head. "No, why I'm so like Fate and Vivio? Do you love blonde girls?"

"Eee...eeeh?" At first, Nanoha blushed over the comment. Perhaps she said a little too much when she said that. What did this princess have in mind regarding their relationship? She stalled for a moment to think of a good answer. "Well, uh…"

"It okay if you do," Angelise affirmed her. "I get those comments a lot from my classmates back at the Ho-o Institute. I can understand how it feels."

Nanoha gave the nod and took a moment to relax. It's not that she didn't outright love Fate and Vivio, but those kinds of topics were very sensitive, let alone cause misunderstandings. She though more clearly to give a more appropriate answer.

"Let's just say, when I saw you for the first time, you had the same look in your eyes as they did. A soft-hearted girl, but very troubled and upset...even sad…"

"I…"

"When I first saw Fate, she the same look in her eyes. All I wanted was to understand her, to help her, even if it means I had to force her to open out. Once I learned what was troubling her, I learned that she was no different, just a normal troubled girl."

"I remember that moment as well as you do," Fate then entered the room. Vivio left for another room outside away from the kitchen. "In fact, we both saw that look when we took Vivio, as well as Erio and Caro."

"Erio and Caro?" Angelise raised an eyebrow. "Are they also adopted children?"

"They are, and I'm their caretaker," Fate clarified. "Unfortunately, they are not here for today. They're back at Supools to preserve wildlife. For now, it's just us three; the two have grown up so quickly..."

"Actually, Erio and Caro were the ones who found her first," Nanoha continued. "It happened so suddenly during a break from their training. Once we took a look for ourselves, I could see the same eyes Fate did when we first met…"

"Vivio looked like a very timid and troubled girl the first time we saw her," As Nanoha's eyes wandered, Fate continued the discussion. "Knowing Nanoha, we wanted to do something about to help. Thus since that day four years ago, we have taken care of her so that she'll become a strong and confident, yet gentle girl someday."

"I see," Angelise wandered after hearing their story. She was busy thinking about her others whether they were dead or alive, more specifically those who could be either.

"Say do you have some friends you can tell us?" Nanoha asked. "You seem to have a conflicted heart. Do you any friends you have trouble with? Any friends you are deeply attached to?"

"I do," Angelise said on a whim, before recalling her maid, a perfect opportunity to share. "Actually, I have someone who's here on this planet. She's someone who came with me, not part of the Wolkenritter either."

"Oh? And where would she be?"

"She's at a hospital right now. They told me nothing else, except I can meet her whenever I can, but…"

The problem was when exactly was a good time? She's been busy with learning this world's rules and meet people she accidentally hurt that she didn't much time to think about Momoka. Where is she right now? More importantly, how is she doing? And if she's already up, what is she doing right now?

---

"Vita, behind you!"

Signum called out to the Hammer Knight outside of the hospital. Vita barely had time to defend when she turned to the blue-metallic disc drone that attacking her from behind.

It all came out of nowhere for the two of them. They were both assigned to the hospital by orders of their superiors. It was an understandable case that Nanoha would be targeted after being wounded. Her early leave was to make sure she would survive and any who thought about kicking her while she was down would have to face heavy resistance. They put Za Fan's abnormal intelligence capabilities and Slicer's thirst for blood against sworn opponents into account and reasonably considered that they would use this opportunity. They were right on that account but weren't expecting these weapons to show up.

The blue disc-like drones, while only eight in total, were still enough to surround the two Knights. They already wounded a few supporting Mages, who were taken inside the hospital. The hospital in question was already locked down to prevent anyone aside from the drones from attacking the people inside the building.

Upon encountering they constantly rotated as they used Mana - or at least from what they saw in the glowing blue-green seams on the top and bottom - to propel themselves off the ground. They were blue metallic drones with black-colored convex rims that were likely their default mode. Upon approaching the Mages, the rims became concave, the top and bottom sections deployed a set of circular blades, and the drones spun at the rapid rate.

Vita struggled with her hammer, holding with both hands to fight off the drone's blades. Frustrated that the drones were putting her at a disadvantage, she needed to get a foothold before she can attack. She put her legs together and her weight on it so she can prevent any more sliding against the pavement. Once she started to slow down, she put less effort on defense in hopes of counter-attacking.

Another disc drone came to Vita's side, but Signum already reacted well to it. With Laevatein in its whip-like Schlangeform, she lashed at the flanking drone and cut it in half. She then proceeded to destroy another drone that was only a few meters away from her. As Signum retracted her Device to a shorter length, she noticed that the drones stopping and turning from a wheel-like stance to that of a frisbee.

Vita jumped a significant distance and took a swing at the drone, right at core within the concave. Noticing the drones in a frisbee-like form, merely hovering in the air, she brought out four metal balls within her fingers.

"Schwalbefliegen!" Vita called out as the metal balls grew in number. One by one, she struck the metallic spheres as they homed in onto their targets. Normally, they would be enough to take down automated drones.

However, these new drones were proving otherwise with their speed. The drones jerked through the air multiple times. Even though they were short distances, they reacted very quickly to homing balls that all of them missed their first attack. Since the balls homed in on their enemies, they merely turned around for another attempt. However, not only were the drones still jerking around, but they reacted by firing bolts of blue-green energy from their cores.

An angered Vita launched another wave of metal balls at the drones. One of the balls already got destroyed by an energy bolt before it could get close while the others were evaded. One of them even fired multiple bolts at the balls, all coming from the top and bottom seams. Only one of the ball managed to damage a drone by taking off one of the bladed rims before exploding. The drone was no longer sustain itself in the air and its remains crashed down onto the ground.

Signum was cruising through the air evading the enemy shots while also trying to close in on the drones. The high mobility prevented her from getting a clean cut on the drones and their retaliating basts forced her on the defensive. A few even got clean hits on her, most of which struck her from behind and blasted through her Knight Clothing. After finding herself surrounded by the drones, she switched to evading them and retreating to the ground. While she could easily handle drones, the alien nature and efficiency meant she had to change tactics for the moment.

As Knights of Ancient Belka, the Wolkenritter were no stranger to automated weapons. It was a dirty way of fighting battles since they weren't manned and put numbers in the enemy's favor. Even today, drones were popular among terrorists as they also wielded dangerous equipment, including Anti-Magilink Fields that negated basic magic spells.

It was very fortunate that these drones were not equipped with AMFs and their numbers were not a problem. There was still their absurd mobility and spinning blades that were on par with their Armed Devices and simple defensive spells. Signum had to admit that they were an interesting divergence from the standard trend of drone technology, but were worrying development nonetheless.

As the leader of the Wolkenritter and an agent of the TSAB, detaining opponents as quickly as possible was a primary protocol. Moreover, the drones were more concerned about attacking the Mages instead of attacking citizens. She calculated that finding the enemy commander was more important and successful tactic than spending their time fighting the drones.

That's why she landed through the trees of the park, the best hiding spots in this kind of environment, and nonverbally entrusted Vita to fend off the drones. Instead of searching the largest concentration of trees, she went the opposite way and searched around a small cluster. If she assumed correctly who was behind this attack, they would always be in the last places normal officers would've thought to search.

She didn't even have to search to be correct, for she already found the culprits right in front of her. Right out of the tree's shades, she found the disgraced silver-haired Knight in front of her. That meant that her other assumptions were correct as well.

So the drones were merely a distraction, so they could get to Nanoha, Signum thought. It was very fortunate that the high command ordered the Ace's early leave and to be cared at home instead of staying at the hospital. She may be the type to continue fighting regardless of her injuries, but even she knew when she needed to back off. The enemy in front of her was one she did not need to face when badly injured.

When Slicer emerged from the shadows, he didn't bother to look behind him. He immediately called out.

"She's not here! She must've left before we could act."

"Hands up!" Signum took the chance, raising her sword at the heretic. "Surrender now, and we will have to take you in by force."

Signum only said that as per protocol. If Slicer was as she predicted, he wouldn't go quietly over a simple threat. Thus, she immediately prepared her Laevatein for battle, now in its standard Schwertform.

In turn, Slicer merely lashed out by dashing behind him and swing his sword. Signum barely reacted in time to deflect the first few strikes, only to be kicked in the chest and onto a nearby tree.

With her opponent needing time to recover, Slicer called out again.

"Where are you!? The Bureau is onto us now!"

Just when Slicer finished his sentence, Signum just recovered his attack and got back on her feet. Both learned what to the mastermind when they found four more of the disc drones erupting from the trees by the Slicer. The next moment, a headless body fell down from the branch and landed by the heretic's feet.

Before the two "Knights," the decapitated corpse of Za Fan poured blood on the grass. Both of them widened their eyes differing her expressions. Signum shows signs of shock and disgust, seeing how the drones killed their mastermind. Slicer, on the other hand, was far more unhinged and instead gained a bloodlust.

"So this is how it is then," Slicer laughed maniacally. He raised his blade as he observed the drones and Signum encircling him. "If that's the case, then come me get as you wish!"

As the drones proceeded to attack, Signum took action first while her Laevatein switched back to Schlangeform. Instead of going after Slicer, she focused on the nearby drones hovering around them.

"Explosion," the Device called out, ejecting an empty cartridge before Signum called out.

"Flying Dragon Flash!" Signum's whip-sword was set ablaze as she attacked one of the drones. The disc-like weapon evaded the first attack, though some of the flames seem to have grazed the rims. Her second attack from below separated it from another drone before her third one from above destroyed it for good.

She was then interrupted when Slicer attacked her instead of the drones.

"Show me, show me," Slicer gleefully said as their swords locked. "More! More!"

Signum glared over Slicer's choice over predicament. She knew he was a masochist, but was he suicidal? She thought that as she knocked the Knight back.

The next moment caught her off guard when a drone charged at her despite Slicer being in the way. In fact, it didn't even bother as it cut through his Knight Clothing.

"More! More! MORE!" was all the guy said as tore through his waist. Blood splattered across the park and onto Signum as his remains landed on the ground.

As the Wolkenritter leader wiped the blood that got onto her face, she sidestepped to avoid the drone's melee charge. The Knight gripped her Device tightly and gritted her teeth.

Are those things willing to cut down their own controllers?

There was no doubt that the Slicer and Za Fan were the ones who unleashed the drones. Seeing how Slicer's movements were an attempt to assassinate Nanoha, this was supposed to be a well-coordinated attack. Yet these drones seemed to have killed the criminal mastermind and didn't bother to slice right through the Belkan heretic without pause. Perhaps they didn't program them well to avoid hitting their operators.

Or maybe Slicer and Za Fan weren't their real commanding officers? Perhaps they were being controlled by someone or something else? The fact they minced up their own allies was a grueling sight, but a trigger for anger within the two Wolkenritter. Whoever was doing this, let alone supply those kinds of weapons had a nasty way of doing business.

Figuring out who else might've sent the drones can wait until later, Signum thought. "For now, protecting the hospital should be our first priority."

She resumed attacking the drones by lashing Laevatein against another drone. Although she managed to destroy the drone, this was supposed to be a feint.

"Schwertform," the Device called, reverting to a single-bladed sword. It ejected another cartridge as it and her wielder glowed. "ExplosionSignum

Signum then dashed after the two remaining drones with her immense speed. The two automated weapons responded by changing modes, firing blue-green bolts and maneuver through the air. However, Signum was more than able to close the distance and avoid their shots. In a few seconds, she already cut through one of the drones, leaving only one left. The final one then went into its melee mode to clash with the Knight's sword. Signum already had enough strength to wrestle against it and after a few seconds, she stepped back and dashed to its side to cut it down.

With the drones on her side destroyed, Vita was still busy over fight her set of drones in mid-air.

"Schwalbefliegen," she called out again, throwing more balls at the drones. One of them charged at Vita and destroyed two of the homing spheres before the third one pierced through its core. The fourth ball was evaded by two of the remaining drones and destroyed with their energy bolts.

A third remaining drone flanked the Hammer Knight by her left. She barely had time to block it with her hammer; the drone was already so close that it sawed the front of her already damaged hat. The angered Knight put in more strength than usual to flip the drone, then finished it by smashing it to the ground.

One of the last two drones then tackled her with its melee charge, chewing through her armor by the waist. Unable to hit it with enough force her hammer, she grabbed it with one hand on top and had it eject another cartridge before changing.

"Raketenform," Graf Eisen called out as it transformed with a golden tip on the side point at the drone.

"Raketenhammer!" Vita shouted with her remaining strength. Her Device propelling itself like a rocket, she crushed the drone through its core. The electrified metal scraps then fell to the ground before exploding. Following her attack, the tired Knight started descending onto the ground, heavily breathing from the close encounter.

Signum just returned when she found her wounded comrade falling shortly to the ground. Seeing the last drone coming towards her, she went towards the collapsed Vita to shield her. Thanks to her speed, she had more than enough time to reach Vita and shield her.

What she didn't account for was someone else coming into the fight. She didn't know how she might've gotten there; the closest personnel were all still at the hospital treating wounded Mages and locking the place down. But after seeing her white maid outfit, purple hair, she had an idea who it was.

"Oh, Light of Mana, protect me!" Signum could hear her call out as the maid raised her hand at the drone. Instead of relieving, she picked up speed and got in front to cast her own shield.

"Panzerschild!" Signum deployed a Belkan protection spell to defend against the drone. As the drone's blades ground against the magic shield, the rims started to wear down, weakening its effectiveness against the shield. After a few seconds, Signum raised her sword and cut the drone in half right after the defense spell disappeared.

As the two halves of the drone fell to the ground, Signum observed for any more drones. From the looks of it, there were none and even the hospital didn't have any despite being the main target. It was probably understandable considering the previous attack; the organization couldn't spare much after their previous failure. Although she and the TSAB would've preferred taking them alive, both criminals were eliminated for good.

However, there was the new matter of which she was well aware. She turned to the confused and helpless maid behind her.

"I apologize, but you shouldn't be handling enemies of which outclass you."

"I just...I just…" the maid mumbled before Signum asked for identification.

"Tell me, are you Momoka Oginome?"

The maid's eyes widened, but for two reasons. The first was wondering how she learned her name, but the other was recognizing the woman down to every detail.

"Don't worry, miss," Signum already recognized the young girl herself. She also already had an idea why she was around, which prompted her to answer. "Your princess is safe and healthy. She's currently under our protection and has support from the best of our Mages. But how did you get out of the hospital?"

"I snuck out," Momoka explained. "They said I couldn't use Mana. I couldn't use Mana, but when those drones attacked, I was able to escape."

"What do you mean by, you couldn't use Mana," Signum raised an eyebrow. From what she knew, Mana users were able to use it. She saw it happen during her fight with Cypha, so couldn't she use it now?

"When they restrained me, I tried to use Mana, but couldn't. They told me that I had no 'Linker Core' and thus could not use Mana. I didn't understand. I was always able to use Mana, even when away from Lady Angelise, but here, I was unable to-"

"Your hands," Signum stared at Momoka's hands, prompting her to look down. They found the maid's hands having a blue-green outline surrounding her, all while hovering around the remains of the destroyed drone. A few seconds after this realization, Momoka twitched her hands.

"Oh, Light of Mana, protect me!" the maid chanted once again. This time, a blue-green Mana projected in front of her. While Momoka's eyes widened, Signum's eyes sharpened over the occurrence.

Just then, she noticed her own sword glowing, only with the same colors as usual. Since they were both near the damaged drone, there was a possibility it was emitting remains that both of them accumulated. It was clear that not only those of Mana could use the power, but it affected her weapon as well.

But why did Momoka say she couldn't use Mana. All Mages were supposed to have Linker Cores to use Mana and their spells. So why didn't she have it until now? That prompted questions to ask the doctors back at the hospital.

"You aren't wrong about using Mana," Signum stated. "But we still some answers, plus you aren't safe in this area."

"But what about Lady Angelise-"

"Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi has fully recovered," she repeated. "She's been awaiting your return but knows she won't able to see you until later. Before doing so, how about we return you to the hospital so we can settle the matter about your Mana ability?"

"But, Lady Angelise-"

"We'll see her soon enough. But we take care of a few matters and misunderstandings first. Once they are done, we'll be able to take you to Angelise."

"I…" Momoka had little words before she bowed. "I understand, miss."

"Very well," Signum reverted her weapon to its standby form. Her clothes disappeared while she prepared to message for help. "I'll signal for medics before we begin."

For the next few minutes, Signum reported to nearby Mages for assistance. Although there were no fatalities, there was still much-needed help in terms of salvaging operations and recovering the injured Vita. Said salvaging operations mainly focused on gathering the drone remains for analysis.

But those were only a few questions that rose up. These drones were not like the common Gadget Drones they faced despite being manageable. Because of their unique nature and how they killed people, she ruled out various fugitives including notorious ones like Jail Scaglietti. Then there's the fact that Momoka wasn't able to use Mana until she was around those drones. Could it be that whoever sent these drones knew Mana as well? That couldn't be possible, though Momoka's interaction and their familiar textures were proving otherwise.

Long story short, all she could ask was, what exactly was going on?

---

So that's the end of the starting thugs. Now, it's time to bring out the bigger villains of the story.

Nanoha Takamachi's residence and the hospital are located somewhere around the borders of Midchilda South and Midchilda Center. Therefore, they're conveniently close to the Yagami residence and make a car drive reasonable.

In case I didn't say this earlier, Vivid is already completed at this point, though there are significant differences compared to the canon series. But Vivid Strike has yet to occur, so that'll be included in this story.

In case you're wondering, the Misurugi Empire merely has Japanese names and it's monarchy system. Above that, everything else is from European cultures.

Speaking of which, for those who paid attention, the "Pyrethroids" in the fic are canon weapons in Cross Ange. They're the disc-like drones named after an organic compound for pesticides. The name for the small unmanned combat drones makes sense for they refer to Norma as "pests" in their story. Besides Embryo and his personal arsenal, these automated drones are perhaps the only good weapons Mana has against the Norma. In this fic, they'll be given a shorter term as "discs" or "disc drones" for their appearance. They're a new generation that are different from canon.

Pyrethroids transform into three modes:

Its "Capture Mode" is also its default mode when deactivated or on standby. When in this mode, they tend to swarm a target and restrain it. Originally they had wires to capture their targets, but the top and bottom faces are now equipped with small tractor beams. When captured, their victims are dragged to their home base or mothership.

Its other two modes bring out two rims of blades rotating at very fast speeds that are used for both defense and offense. The difference is what weapons it uses and its corresponding behavior.

In the second "Crush/Charge Mode", it charges towards its opponent like a wheel. Like its Capture Mode, it doesn't care about its well being as if nothing can stop it or anything in its way will be merely cut down.

The last of the three modes is its "Gun Mode." The old models originally had two machine guns on the top and bottom, which are replaced with the tractor beams. These new models hover around like a frisbee, using its engine and blades for high mobility. The annoyingly elusive drones return fire with blue-green energy bursts from its core or glowing seams from the top or bottom, allowing it to rapidly and simultaneously attack several targets in multiple directions.

Since each drone is about the average human height in diameter, that means they're very portable and easy to transport/manufacture by the numbers. They may be weak individually, but a good number of these can give any unlucky person, Mage or Norma, a gruesome death by a thousand attacks.

Unlike canon Cross Ange, due to the crossover nature of this, Mana will develop more weapons thanks to its collaborating allies. Though an obvious question with a somewhat obvious answer is how drones from Mana, which should be an isolated state with no means to travel to parallel worlds besides, happen to end up on Midchilda. That's something for future chapters.

Either way, hope this was a good read.

P.S. Happy Belated New Years to everyone!

 

[WiseMan744436]

Next chapter, now that almost everything hard is out of the way.

After a while, I think I figured out all the scene for the rest of the arc. After this, I'll be about halfway done with it.

---

"Little things used to mean so much to Shelly. I used to think it was kind of trivial. Believe me; nothing is trivial."

Eric Draven, The Crow

---

Angelise was in the kitchen the next evening at the Takamachi residence. She wore a white apron and pink shirt underneath to help Fate cook while Nanoha was away, meeting up with Signum and Vita.

While she was supposed to return to the Yagami residence, they received a message from Signum and Vita the previous saying they weren't going to be available due to an unforeseen incident. Angelise was given limited details, but she was told that she'd have to stay around that night.

Fortunately, they had an empty room available for her, once belonging to one of the two children mentioned. Based on the room she stayed and the picture found, she was a girl around 12 years old with short pink hair and white robes. By that same image, she saw a boy with red hair and a spear-like Device. Both of them were wearing uniforms the TSAB would normally wear.

But what stood out the most that night was something between them, a flying creature with primarily white and blue colors. It looked like a small winged lizard with short wings and tail. She didn't know why, but there was some about the small beast that was both cute and...unsettling. Moreover, she felt very attached to that photo along with the two kids, as if they were going to meet very soon.

Her thoughts snapped back to the real world when Vivio called out to them at the kitchen table.

"Angie-chan," the little girl exclaimed. "I have a question!"

"E-eh?" Angelise was taken over what the girl just called. "I already told you, I am Angelise Ikaruga…"

"Don't take it too harshly," Fate placed a shoulder over her. "She's only a child, and you're our guest. It should be more appropriate that you treat your hosts with respect."

"I…" Angelise then remembered she was no longer on her homeworld. As much she wanted to deny it, it was the truth, and she had to stick with it. "I'm sorry, Vivio. Can you repeat that?"

"There's something I wanted to ask you," Vivio repeated. "Are you trying to imitate Nanoha-mama and Fate-mama?

"E-EH!?" Both Angelise and Fate jumped over that statement. This was something neither of the two expected. Granted, the princess felt herself very close to Fate despite having only physical features for comparison at the moment. But it wasn't like she was trying to be another person or anything like that at all.

"I see you're always getting close to Nanoha-mama and Fate-mama. You have Fate-mama's hair color, dress, and it sounds like you're trying to imitate her voice?"

"Vivio," Fate said as if she very sensitive to the subject, or rather she wanted to say it in Angelise's defense.

"It's okay, Fate," Angelise calmed the other blonde woman. "But...when I think about it, I can see so much between us."

"Angelise," Fate's face grew red. "D-Don't say things like that."

"But it's true!" Angelise exclaimed with all her effort, even though she blushed over the statement. "I can't understand why, but whenever I look at you...it's as if I'm watching a reflection of myself."

Fate turned away in embarrassment, but Vivio continued to smirk. She could see it last night when just when she passed by Angelise in the hallway by the door to her mothers' room. Vivio knew it was common for them since she slept along with them. But upon hearing some chuckling, Vivio could see Angelise blushing and even cringing her body as if something sexual was going on. That first sparked some irritation over the young girl whatever the "princess" was thinking, but it recently grew on her that Angelise was feeling very affectionate over them.

Vivio's thoughts were interrupted when she saw Sacred Heart trying to eat from her plate again. This time, it was getting stain all its legs.

"Sacred Heart, I already told you not to eat that!" Vivio quickly pulled the Device away. "Now you're dirty. Remember to keep yourself clean like before."

"Has she always been like that?" Angelise asked the two girls as they snapped back to reality.

"Sacred Heart was never that kind of Device," Fate overlooked the little bunny rabbit as Vivio pulled it away. "Since she was created, she was always seclusive and shy, just like how we found Vivio long ago. Maybe she's learning from Asteion?"

"Asteion?" Angelise questioned.

"It's her friend's Device." Fate explained. "She's like Sacred Heart, except a cat who loves to eat other things."

Angelise nodded in understanding, but she was more focused on Vivio and the previous questions. While she could see herself within Fate, for some reason, she could also see something familiar with the young girl. Granted, there was something unique about the girl, having two dotting mothers and an animated bunny doll for a companion. Plus, she was stronger than she could ever imagine for her age. But why was that? She mentioned skipping training, but exactly did they teach in school?

Which prompted her to bring up the next question...

"Excuse me, Vivio, but what is it like attending school?" Angelise got the young girl's attention. "Sorry for asking this, but everything is different here. I hear that at your schools, you practice magic spells and combat, far more complex than I ever had it. In Misurugi, we never had combat and everything was simple thoughts to get what we want. Is everything in school all combat-oriented?"

"Not everything," Fate stepped in. "Our magic isn't like simple thoughts to create anything we want."

Though that kind of style is interesting, Fate thought to herself, recalling the information Signum gave her. While there is such a thing as using magic in a raw form, including the powering of everything machines and objects, all spells would usually follow a magic system for their effects. Creating objects with mana was also nothing new, such as magical Constructs, but even that required spells. To materialize physical objects with raw magic, as Angelise described it, was entirely unprecedented. The planet's recent discovery in a so-called "parallel universe" made it even more intriguing. If such a magic system exists, then even I must investigate something like that. Even if they're cold, it may give clues some of the TSAB's cases.

Vivio then answered while her mother was deep in thought.

"We're all given different types of classes back at our school. But St. Hilda's had always been close to the Belkan Church, so everything is about history, magic, and religion. But the people there are..."

"Are you not popular are your school?"

Vivio shook her head. "They give me too much credit. They treat me like I'm the second coming of the Saint Kaiser."

"Saint Kaiser," Angelise pondered over the name for she heard both terms before. After fully understanding what she meant, her eyes widened for the moment. All this time does mean that…

"You mean...you're royalty!?" The only thing Angelise understood was Kaiser referring to some Emperor. What was a girl of royalty, casting whatever term was appropriate aside, doing in a place like this? She didn't understand, but considering her previous doubt, she felt like apologizing. "Sorry, I didn't know anything about this!"

"I don't mind, it's not like want to rule the Belkan Church or anything like that," Vivio said unaffected by her apologies. Perhaps Angelise was thinking like anyone would, that they would want to be a ruler by being born a princess. She could see that within Angelise's widened eyes.

"But...but…"

"I just want to be a normal girl for now. Just because they say I'm a clone of Belka's last Saint King of Belka doesn't mean I should be given special treatment." Vivio turned to the princess. "Tell me, do you ever think of that? What it's like to not be of royalty?"

"I...I…"

Angelise found herself speechless. For once, she never thought of what it meant to live outside the palace. She might've had that kind of life by going to school at the Ho-o Institute, but that was the only part she could think of on the bottom level. The only other two people she knew very deeply were her friend Momoka and Princess Misty. Hell, besides going to school, she never knew anything about Akiho or any of her other classmates! But then again, Angelise herself was a Norma, something she was completely unaware of until now. Yet her body accepted like it was normal, despite the term being deemed inhuman. Her classmates may be dead if they weren't and she had the chance to show it, would they see her as the same? Could they really be called her friends if she knew them better? That was the first moment where she realized that for entire her life, she had always been...sheltered.

A doorbell rang brought her out of her thoughts, attracting the three occupants in the house. That could mean only one thing.

"Ahh, Nanoha is back," Fate stated for Nanoha had left the house not so long ago. Only she knew the details, but she figured Vivio would rush to the door that instance. Angelise followed shortly afterward, leaving her with some of the dishes and plates of food. "I better get this place ready for our guests."

Meanwhile, Vivio ran to the front door with Angelise trailing behind her. By the time, the princess entered the hallway, Vivio already entered the door for the incoming guests. Upon seeing the first guests, she opened her arms to hug her friend.

"Nanoha-mama!" she cried out to her other mother as the two wrapped around each other.

Angelise approached the other two guests who were behind Nanoha, to her right.

"Signum!" she called out to the first one. As she approached the rose-haired knight, she found the younger redhead by her feet "And Vita..."

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Signum greeted her. Vita crossed her arms and humphed, expectedly annoying the guest. "I assume that Nanoha and the others treated you well?"

Angelise nodded and continued. "I just learned that Vivio was a clone of the Saint Kaiser. It was strange...finding her in a place like this."

"We are well aware of Mistress Vivio's inheritance. But despite her role as the last Saint Kaiser, we only follow Hayate's side." Signum then switched to another topic. "That said, we brought another guest along who wish to be by your side."

"Another guest?"

"Ms. Oginome," Signum turn behind. "You can see her now."

"Come on, you clumsy maid," Vita taunted. "Don't keep your sheltered princess waiting!"

"Ms. Oginome? Maid?" Angelise wanted to react to Vita's taunts if what she guessed correctly what the Hammer Knight was talking about. However, her body remained frozen with her eyes widening over the same speculation. "You mean-"

The princess's voice was cut off when she heard another voice approaching behind the two Knights.

"Lady Angelise! Lady Angelise!"

Passing through the two Knights, Momoka rushed up to the stunned princess, completely dressed in her maid clothing. While the two Knights were against it on the way, the maid insisted she wore it at all times when meeting her mistress. In this outfit, she stumbled over as she wrapped around Angelise for a safe landing. As the maid hugged the astounded princess, Vivio was dumbfounded over who the maid girl was while Vita merely clicked. But Nanoha gave a chuckle and Signum a warm smile. As the two regained balance and ensure they were meeting each other right, the spectators expected this to be one happy reunion.

---

Back in another universe, a silvery long-haired woman wore a black uniform by the wooden desk in a decorated office. Before her a screen showing list of the planet's population, which was a massive database over their history when using the world's main information network. As she neared the end of the list, she selected a few who's history stopped within at least a day. She took a glimpse of the number she found and keen on the number of digits.

Ever since the new Emperor took a temporary absence, Riza was left to do with his duties on his main desk in the palace of Misurugi. For the moment, it looked like she was an Empress considering who would've normally sat in it, but her time was far from carefree. Right now, she was hastily working her way through her assignment while she was away, to go through a long list of registered personnel each day, track their level of activity in the past week, and mark those who haven't be active. While she had other tasks, to begin with, the current one before her was the most repetitive and tiring of them all.

However, it gave her an opportunity to focus on her own tasks at hand. She was busy obtaining information about something, or someone, in particular. That was the only reason she became Julio's aid in the first place. Because of her tight schedule, her time was limited as was her info. Despite that, the info was more than enough for she had a better idea of where her target was.

Just a little longer, she thought. A little longer and we'll free you for sure.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the door open. Assuming who's about to enter, after a quick glimpse of the screen, she figured she'd call her work done and prepared for a briefing. She closed the current screen with the complete list of Misurugi's personnel and saved the list of all the selected personnel before closing the screen entirely. Just when Riza was finished and stood up from the seat, Julio entered the room with his regular purple noble uniform.

"Welcome back, Emperor, and how was your trip," Riza greeted the man as he entered the room. Because their relationship was informal, she would've expected an answer to come soon enough. However, it was taking a long time for him to give a response. When she looked up to the Emperor, his eyes weren't facing her to give a greeting as he merely went to his seat, placing his hands on his desk. Concerned over the man's well-being, he wondered, "Is something wrong, Your Majesty?"

"It's nothing too troublesome," Julio responded. The Emperor's mind was so full of overwhelming thoughts thanks to the past few days that he forgot that he was neglecting her aide. "Forgive me for troubling you, Riza. Was I interrupting something?"

"N-no, sir," Riza shook her head. "You've been away for a long time, and it appears you've been through a lot."

As the new Emperor's assistant, she was the only one who had an idea what he had been up to in the past few days. Because of that, she was also aware of the man responsible for securing his seat. Whatever they were up to, even though she didn't show it, she was bothered by this recent event.

"Isn't it obvious that a lot has happened recently," Julio responded. "And I wonder how much mother and father knew about this."

"Did something happen while you were away with Master Embryo?"

"Nothing too troubling between us, he gave me a tour in response to our recent findings." Julio didn't disclose all the details to his assistant, but the Emperor was spent the past few days off the planet. With his time by Embryo, he's been introduced to several locations revolving around the mentioned Time-Space Administration Bureau and their overall ideals. Of course, he never directly interacted with the worlds and or their society at all. Rather, he made contact with Embryo's allies across the Dimensional Sea and properly introduced them. The interactions were a mixed blessing, to summarize, and it was a very tiring matter at the end of it all. "He has some...interesting friends. But to think that some civilization we've been unaware of until now would try to make ours primitive in comparison…"

"There's the matter of those Huckebein as well," Riza addressed. "I know you are not in the mood, but there's a report we still need to discuss."

Riza first opened up a Mana screen showing a list of the deceased. Six columns displayed their names and categorized by the nations they came from. Some were them were short, but others were far longer, with Misurugi having the longest list. The incident back in the Iaria stadium already solidified their nation to have the highest death count from the recent murders.

"Since the apparent end of the Huckebein's attacks, every investigative force on this planet was tasked to count all deaths, including their names and nationalities. So far, there's already been over 20,000 confirmed deaths with about 10,800 in Misurugi. And that's not accounting 5,000 they've reported missing or still investigating, let alone that it's merely from hands-on investigations."

"25,000 deaths," And judging by his assistant's way of addressing the problem, it sounded like there was far more to it.

"Although the murders appear to have stopped, there's been a large number of people outside of the named deceased and missing who haven't been active on the Mana network," Riza then opened up the screen for the list she saved not so long ago. The list itself composed of a table with five selected people in each row, each with a profile image, name, birthdate, nationality, and how long it's been since they interacted with the network that extended to at least a day. "To put it in a compromising manner, if we put them into account, then we probably haven't even found half of the listed casualties."

"So they've likely already killed over 50,000," the Emperor concluded. Julio wasn't too concerned about the statistics, although he was more agitated over how many were located in Misurugi. Even though he used to opportunity to seize power over the Norma Princess and those who supported her, how could he stay in power if all of his subjects were killed off?

"It's because my foolish mother and father," Julio ranted. Unlike him, Sophia and Jurai have always been about promoting art and sports including the recent Iaria matches that were founded in their name. All in a while, they let the Norma question slide go without any attempt to control it. "Not only did they harbor her, but they've been idly promoted peace, of which ill-prepared for this kind of situation!"

"We've already interrogated Jurai over the matter," Riza reported. "He's confessed that he and Sophia were collaborating to protect and Angelise and put her on the throne since her birth. We even found evidence showing that all her attempts to use Mana were made by her maid Momoka or illusions, which we've confirmed after finding projectors within the area for her intended Baptism Ritual. However, he claims he has no idea about the recent killings. He doesn't seem to have any information regarding the Huckebein or the mentioned Bureau."

"And what about Mother?" Julio asked. Since he heard the news about the recent attacks, he wondered if she had more information than the man they held captive. "More importantly, is Lady Sylvia okay?"

"The Second Princess concealed herself in her room since the attack on the palace the other day. Despite that, she responds to us and is currently healthy," Riza assured the young girl's condition. "The former Empress, on the other hand, is still missing. But during our search around the Imperial Palace, we discovered an interesting find in her room."

Riza closed both lists to open up an image within the Misurugi Palace. This projected the main bedroom within the palace that belonged the two former rulers, which is now Julio's, even though he never there. The image showed a wardrobe moved out of the way that revealed a large, steel door with strong and complicated locks.

"This door uncovered just yesterday when the royal guards searched the room," she then switched to images showing the royal guards, who wore purple uniforms and silver feather on their hats, trying to open up the door. They included a few images of them trying to use Mana to cut open the door, only find that it was dispersing just like now the Norma did. The last of which showed a type of scanner on the front while showing red lights, indicating it denied access to anyone using it. "We have yet to figure out how she managed to create this door, but according to Jurai, only a few certain people can pass."

"Have you discovered where it exactly leads?"

"No, unfortunately. Not even knows the details he was not registered on the scanner. All he knows is that there are only two people who could pass, the former Empress and the...former Crown Princess herself."

Julio clicked as he narrowed an eyebrow. The woman was far more clever than he anticipated, being smart enough to create a hideout for herself. For all he knows, she probably created the room so that the only way for anyone else to access it was if they destroyed the entire palace, an unacceptable outcome even for him. Regardless, they have more of an idea where the women went, and she'll have to show herself sooner or later.

"We shall worry about it later then. She can't hide for too long," Julio concluded, "For now, we have much work to do, and that includes our recent discoveries and events that transpired here."

"Excuse me, Emperor?" Riza questioned what was going on in his mind.

"My mother and father's foolishness have caused the Mana society to slacken well from its former glory. The recent attacks from those Norma-like monsters and the very existence of this Space-Time Administration Bureau are clear proof of it. I'm sure that people would more than agree, would they not?"

"I...can understand well," Riza unnervingly followed his lead. "With a large number of deaths and missing personnel, there have been loud outcries to their respective government. Even now, the people have been demanding a heavy response to these incidents, let alone the scandal uncovered among your family."

"Then we shall make an announcement immediately," Julio declared. "From this day on, the Misurugi...no, this entire world shall undergo reinvigoration! And with it, we'll create a new world that'll make the previous emperors look like fools of their time!"

Riza was barely keeping herself patient. She had no idea what he was planning, but those words neither sounded good nor follow her personal agenda. But just to remain unsuspicious, she had to follow her orders as the Emperor's aide.

"But first, we should first calm down the populace. Show them that there no more need to be afraid of the recent attacks. And I believe we found the right candidate for that." Julio plotted while going through the same video they obtained. "That Knight from the video. Perhaps we'll make a symbol out of her to rally the people."

"Are you sure about this, sir?" Riza asked him. While she doesn't have any real attachment to the man, she must wonder what was going on his head regarding the women who may or may not be on their side.

"The populace will demand an answer these wicked Normas look alike," Julio explained. "And who better than using her and her friends as a symbol or mascot of my era? With someone showing great courage against the Normas and their derivative, we can turn this state of panic into a state of fervor that'll benefit us greatly."

"Understood, I'll be informing the media center about this change of developments."

"And another thing," Julio continued. "Before we begin, there are some specific citizens who I request."

The Emperor then signaled for a closer talk with his assistant. By hearing him whisper over his request, Riza remained uneasy just how it been the whole meeting. When his request ended, she stepped away.

"By your will, sir," Riza bowed to the Emperor. As she turned away and walked out the door, she took a glimpse of the outside windows, which showed a trio of massive blue towers in the distance. As soon as she exited the room and closed the door behind her, she let out a stressful sigh before moving on.

---

A half hour passed since Nanoha, and two of the Wolkenritter entered the house. Everyone was already in the dining table, finishing dinner that Fate and Angelise prepared together. Momoka and Angelise were going over their recent experiences on Midchilda, which surprised each one nonetheless.

"Isn't this amazing, Lady Angelise?" Momoka asked her princess. "To think that we would both be a whole new world."

"Yeah, I guess," Angelise wasn't too hyped like Momoka was. It wasn't that was excited at all- there was still so much she wanted to see- but for now, she had seen all that typical everyday life had to show on the planet.

"This whole world is full of things we haven't seen before. Empire of Misurugi never had anything like this. And yet, we have humans use magic in some many strange and unique ways."

"I mean, yeah," the princess went to her friend's attention. "Flying people instead of cars, using mana as a weapon or police devices, and spaceships. It's like...so far more advanced than Mana could ever imagine."

"Maybe we should bring something with us back to Misurugi! Then once you become coronated, we use this knowledge to help the Empire!"

"I'm sure the Empire would be very interested and," Angelise stopped for a moment. Her heart raced, which prompted her to jump on her feet. "Why could I have forgotten!? It's already past my sixteen birthday!"

"Your birthday?" Fate was never told of this.

"What she says is correct," Signum said. "She's already been here for several days; it's no doubt that she has forgotten about her sixteenth birthday."

"Is there something special about being sixteen?" Vivio asked.

"Some time ago, I was supposed to have turned sixteen! The Empire of Misurugi's tradition was always about the Crown Princess taking the throne at that age! I need to go back..."

Angelise trailed off when the question came up...when exactly will she go back? There's so much she wants to see, including why so much of this world reminds her of Mana despite being in a different parallel universe. Furthermore, there's still that Cecilia who brought her here in the first. Why did she bring her to this place, so far away from Misurugi where she could go back without the TSAB? So many questions were still in her mind that wanted to be answered before returning, which many already take so long to find out.

"Perhaps you should stay a while longer," Nanoha suggested as if she read her mind. Not that she knew about coronation ceremonies or anything like that, but she could see that she had questions and did not have the strength to stand up on her own. "Wait until you've learned how to do things yourself before you start giving orders to anybody."

"And learn how to treat people well and act like a spoiled brat!" Vita exclaimed, which brought glares between her and Angelise, with Momoka raising a hand to shield the princess.

Signum was more worried about another subject, calling Nanoha and Fate's attention.

"We have just obtained some information regarding an attempt on your life," her words gathered everyone's attention as she displayed photos of the dead criminals. "This was confined until recently, but the two criminals attempted Nanoha's life, something we'd expect to happen after the fiasco a couple of days ago. As you would guess, the TSAB Command demanded you to leave the public hospital to be safe while we apprehended the suspects. However, both suspects were killed in action by their own drones, of which they brought in as support."

"I never thought that the Gadget Drones would be powerful enough to kill their own controllers," Fate murmured.

"They're not Gadget Drones, unfortunately," Signum corrected. "We don't know exactly where they come from, but they certainly follow a far separate path of development. The lack of Anti-Magilink Fields and use of physical blades are more than proof of that."

"Horrible," Nanoha could say she saw the mutilated corpses of both Za Fan and the Slicer. Even Fate wondered where these drones came from if they weren't any of the recent Gadget Drones."

"Fortunately, we appear to have a lead as to who provided these weapons," Signum continued, facing Momoka. "Ms. Oginome says that she was seen these weapons before. When used the Mana left within the drones, it proves that they originate from her planet, or are least an operator of these weapons."

"They're same weapons that protect the Misurugi capital from those who threaten it," Momoka proudly shared. "Master Julio introduced us to those weapons himself."

"Can see those for a moment?" By hearing those words from Momoka, the princess wanted to see them herself. Signum compiled by sharing footage the drone remains. It didn't take long for her to recognize the drones based on the disc-like shape and the textures. To say she was surprised by their appearance on Mana was taking her reaction lightly. "T-Those are Pyrethroid drones!"

"Pyrethroids?"

"Julio demonstrated the weapons to us one time. They're supposed to be weapons that protect Misurugi from the "bugs" we called Norma. Because no one wanted to fight, they had these weapons to fight so that we didn't have to, but to think that they'd be here…"

"Umm, right," Fate wanted to turn the topic away from racism at the moment. "So what do we know about those drones?"

"We don't have much information except for their weapons. Right now, they've been stored on a truck, ready to be transported for analysis. We'll have our engineers study them when they arrive. But the true origin has not yet been defined."

"Maybe they are coming from that other dimensions, and our little princess has been so spoiled that she never realized it," Vita assumed.

"That may be true," Nanoha moderately agreed. If they came from this Misurugi place, then there could be a chance they manufactured them as well.

"And there's no telling what Mana's politics are like," Signum added. "It's no doubt that some unadministered worlds preach peace, but have used their special status as an excuse to conceal weapon and research facilities under TSAB influence. And because the world is hidden in a parallel world irregularly obtaining Mana, the world and its leadership are more than suspicious."

"Umm, pardon me," Mooka wanted to step in, seeing an outburst coming from the princess, but the Mages continue interrupted.

"So much for a world that preaches violence against "bugs," Vita smugly boasted. "Looks like the planet is far dirtier than they claim to be after all."

"How can you can you easily say that!?" Angelise stood up, looking down at the table as she slammed it with her two hands. "How can you say this about mother and father like this!?"

"Angelise, no one is saying that-" Signum tried to clarify, but no avail.

"Mother and Father are too kind, and now you're saying they've been selling weapons this whole time?"

"We're just stating facts-"

"My family does not support terrorism!"

Without checking her plate, Angelise then dashed off in a tantrum, running away from the table. When she disappeared, they listened on her rushing upstairs to the bedroom they lent and slam the door.

"Lady Angelise," Momoka murmured as she weak stood up from her seat. Fate and Vivio felt a pain inside her. Even if they were facts, this was no way to approach the subject.

"Serves the girl right," Vita crossed her arms as she did justice to the girl. "She's so quick to run off when she denies her own faults."

But Nanoha thought otherwise. Even it was the truth, this was far too much to share out in front of her when it was all speculation. She even glared at Vita, immediately terrifying the little girl for her remarks.

Signum merely sighed over the subject. She knew that this kind of topic would not end well. But they were going to solve this case sooner or later. Protecting the princess was merely a request from an interrogated criminal and the least of their worries. Besides, she had yet to go through more developments on the subject as per orders were given from Command. Then, there was Momoka who walked upstairs to presumably look after Angelise, not to mention all Mana users in general. For those who require an outside source to utilize it rather than a Linker Core, there was more to this case than met the eyes.

---

Back in what was supposed to be Caro's old room, Angelise was on the bed wrapping her legs that cringed up to her breasts. She merely wanted to forget what Signum and Vita said earlier.

Knowing her mother and father, they merely supported activities that didn't include violence. There was no way they could've engaged collaborating with groups let alone terrorists who hurt other magic users. She admits that she hasn't learned much outside her palace, but her family helping violent criminals was nothing but slanderous. Even if the weapons did come from Misurugi, there had to be something else on the matter.

When she heard the door open she thought she slammed shut, she responded in an unwelcoming manner.

"What do you want?"

"Are you okay, Lady Angelise," Momoka then entered the room. Despite the princess being in a bad mood, her personal maid had the responsibility to look after her mistress.

"I'm fine, Momoka."

"Angelise, please be honest," Fate said as she entered the room. Nanoha also came in, naturally concerned about those troubled by their personal problems. "We know that something is bothering you. We've heard all about you; is it because you don't like your parents being suspected as sponsors of terrorism? Or is it…" As Fate put it, "Is it because you don't believe you're a Norma?"

"It's not like that at all!" Angelise ranted before noticing a worried Nanoha and Fate enter the room. Just to not upset and calming down. "But it's funny…"

"Lady Angelise?" Momoka gazed at the princess.

"Perhaps if things were different, I accept with all my pride that I'm not a Norma. But now, even when I call them pests like usual, it now feels so wrong to say it. It's like my body and mind already accepted it. After all my years in the palace, I always thought of myself as a Mana user who wishes to create a world full of magic, to create a world where no fight had to fight or be afraid of anything anymore. Yet now…"

"Maybe it's because you still have much to hold onto?" Nanoha got Angelise and Momoka's attention. "Why else would Momoka be friends with you here and now?"

"That is right," Momoka nodded with her perpetual smile. "Norma or Mana user, Lady Angelise will always be Lady Angelise."

"How," the princess eyed her maid with sadness, anger, and confusion. "How can you be so kind to me like this?"

"Lady Angelise?"

"Why do you not treat me like a monster? You and I have been close friends together, have we1? If I was a Norma, why do you still help and treat me like I'm human!?"

"I...I…"

"Angelise," Fate stepped in. "Please, let your maid explain."

The Ace's words sounded very effective as her tantrum came to a halt. It was like Angelise heard herself, telling her to stop complaining and take the problem more maturely. Her body relaxed and faced Momoka to listen.

"I was ordered by His Majesty," Momoka answered. "When you were born, they knew that you were a Norma. They still loved you anyway, and thus they wanted to you pass on as a human. As a maid they deeply trusted, they called me, demanding that help them on the matter and showed me your true self."

"But why do you have to keep it a secret from me? Why couldn't you just tell me?"

"I was only following what His Majesty said. They shared me your secret and told me to protect you no matter what the cost would be. And I kept that promise ever since."

Momoka brought out her arm. Fate and Nanoha went closer to see what the maid was showing Angelise. They looked down what looked like a gross scar on the maid's arm.

"That scar," Even Angelise was astonished over this incident. "I thought you healed it."

"Not at all, Lady Angelise," Momoka shook her head with a smile.

"Did you get hurt at some point?" Nanoha asked. "Was it painful for you?"

"There was a time where Momoka broke one of my dolls," Angelise told the story. "The wound cut her very badly. In fact, she was even scolded and bullied by the other maids and headmistresses for her behavior. Knowing that was wrong, I order them to stop, and they left Momoka alone."

"And that was the time you healed my wound. You even stripped apart your own dress to stop the bleeding."

"I remember, and I said there was no need to be worried about a doll or dress," Angelise said before quoting herself. "Dolls can be replaced, dresses be replaced, but humans cannot be replaced. In the end, there's one and only one Momoka Oginome."

"Then that settles it," Nanoha declared. "You're accepting it because you still have something that keeps you special. If you remained on Misurugi, people would've found out sooner or later, and who knows what would've happened to you? But because Momoka is still here and Mana still doesn't know what happened to you, you're able to move on regardless."

"Just like how other friends could not be replaced," Fate commented, also sharing experiences of her own. "I've known many people who feel the same way as you do, yet managed to keep old friends and find new ones."

"Perhaps," Angelise couldn't stop herself from cringing again. This time, it was about other events that have happened. "There's still so much of whom I miss. Mother… Father… Sylvia… Akiho… Misty…"

"Hajimari no hikari kilari kirari...Owari no hikari lulala rira"

Angelise raised her head to Momoka, who was attempting to sing for her. While was alerted by the fact she knew it as well, for it was the sacred song of the Misurugi Empire. But to hear Momoka hear trying to sing it…

"Momoka, what are you doing?"

"Isn't that a song, you hear, Lady Angelise?"

"That's the 'Eternal Song,' Momoka. Only the royal family can know that!"

"Excuse me," Nanoha joined. "But what is the 'Eternal Song?' Isn't it just a normal song?"

"It's not just a normal song," Angelise retorted. "It's something sacred to the royal family that only people like me could sing it. To think Momoka would try to do it…"

"I...eavesdropped," Momoka bowed her head to show a demand for forgiveness. "Lady Sophia once said that the two of you sung it together whenever you felt distressed. You sing just so that your problems would go away. Am I right, Lady Angelise?"

"I...I…"

"Then perhaps we should sing it together, then," Fate joined in. "I bet the two of us would be happy to hear it for ourselves."

"I…" Angelise found herself surrounded by the curious girls. Outnumbered three-to-one, the princess surrendered to the majority. "Very well, but make sure you follow my lead.

After seeing some nods, the four began singing with Angelise leading the pack.

Hajimari no hikari kilari kirari
Owari no hikari lulala rira
Kaesan el ragna sunadokei wo
Toki wa afuren lulala rira

Ikuoku amata no inochi no honou
Sururi ochite wa hoshi ni
Nagare nagarete wa utsukushiku
Mata seitoshi no yurikago de yawaku awadatsu

Utae utae ima futatsu no negai wa
Tsuyoku tsuyoku ten no onjiki to kirameku
Towa wo kataran

Terase yo el ragna urei zenbu
Kururi kururi to lulala rira-

In the middle of the lyrics, a flash instance came before the four girls that caused them to stop. The royal ring on Angelise's finger glowed, blinding everyone in the room.

"L-Lady Angelise!" Momoka cried as if her mistress was in danger while covering her eyes.

"W-What's going on!?" Fate panicked.

"I don't know; the ring never did this!" Angelise responded.

As they were distracted by the ring's bright glow, there was an even bright glow outside. Significant rumbling and loud metal noises were coming from outside as if something impacted the ground very close to them. But the four were busy defending themselves from the bright light before them. The rumbling and noises stopped just after the royal ring stopped flashing and all four revealed their eyes again.

None of them had any idea what just happened. Nanoha and Fate found even Momoka and Angelise had no idea, indicating this was the first time the phenomenon occurred before them. Now all four of them had questions as to what exactly was the ring and what was its true purpose.

"Angelise!" Vita called out from the room as she marched upstairs. The quartet in Caro's room peeked out the door just when the Hammer and Sword Knight entered the hallway.

"W-What is it?" Angelise asked nervously.

"I have a question while you had your little recital," Vita smirked. "Did you fail to mention owning a large vehicle?"

"I thought I talked about Iaria," Angelise mentioned the sport she drove. "Even then, we always parked our bikes at the school."

"Oh really?"

"Yes!" Angelise responded with her heart, only for the Hammer Knight to respond in an extremely loud manner.

"THEN WHAT THE HELL IS A FLYING MOTORCYCLE DOING ON TOP OF FATE'S CAR!?"

All four girls snapped their attention to her loud outburst. Unaware of what Vita was talking about, the four girls rushed to the bedroom window, which had a clear enough view of the driveway outside.

What used to be Fate's black convertible was crushed by a larger machine on top. The vehicle looks like some kind of fighter jet with a huge gun at the front that made it teeter on one side. The vehicle had a white and blue outside coating, a black cockpit seat with a gold diamond in front, and internal golden joints indicating it was more than a mere aircraft.

Fate's eyes watered over how the sudden new machine destroyed her car. But Angelise, Momoka, and Nanoha eyed on the ring before the princess directed it back to the winged machine. Besides the nature of the ring, a prized possession of the Misurugi royal family, an obvious question came over what machine was summoned before them.

---

So, can anyone guess what appeared in front of the princess?

When writing the last few scenes, it reminded me of the quote stated above, which came from perhaps my favorite movie. Don't know if people found it weird or not.

Something to address that's been mentioned in the previous chapter and introduced here is the Sympathizers. Burrowing this concept from another fic, Sympathizers are the name for Mana users who see Norma as indifferent from ordinary humans. The term is broadened depending on the area, which may or may not include those who gave birth to the Normas. Common men on the streets also refer to them as "Norma-lovers."

Arguably, Sympathizers have it worse than the Normas. While they have Arzenal, where they have some source of freedom, Sympathizers are left in Mana where they are the source of ridicule and other heinous acts that include rape, public beatings, and lynchings. In some areas, the government takes action against them, and they're viewed as criminals or madmen. The acts against such people include stripping them of all rights like the Norma, execution, and even torture to death (or to be just as insane as everyone else). These social and political pressures are a contributing factor to Mana users' twistedness besides their born privilege of using Mana.

The only place where Sympathizers gain any reprieve is the Kingdom of Rosenblum, for it is responsible for managing Arzenal and assisting on the job of collecting Dragons. Even then, some of those jobs are highly dangerous such as carrying and collecting the Dragons, which has a significant death rate thanks to accidents. Misurugi has changed dramatically from being similarly safe to the worst. Under Sophia and Jurai's reign, they had similar policies where Sympathizers were not given any punishments and merely treated arresting Norma as part of the law. Ever since Julio came into power, however, that changed to making public executions of Sympathizers the norm; no one spoke against him, and almost everyone supported them because of the "scandal" in the royal family and just didn't care for they were pureblood Mana users.

Part of this comes from Germany's persecution of Jews, which wasn't limited to those of Jewish faith. Besides the other groups they persecuted, they included those who had Jewish parents and grandparents among other conditions and, naturally, simply went after those who got in the way of the Third Reich. And as Martin Niemöller once said about himself, no one spoke up because they didn't fit into those categories.

For those who question what Mana's position is here- or Misurugi, in this case- it's going to remain an isolated planet-state only because the world has only been recently discovered.

During the fic, I'm going to make it similar to today's rogue states. For an analogy, if the TSAB were a combination of NATO, UN, and Interpol, then Mana would be equivalent to North Korea. Of course, Mana isn't so militarized (at least for the moment), and most of their weapons are horribly outdated, though you can say the same for North Korea considering their own technological capabilities. A minor point in this fic will be the problems Julio faces upon creating such a state out of Misurugi after usurping his family. The higher power in that world would have the capabilities to do that, but Julio? Not so much, and even he did, it would be rougher work than he intended it to be.

Speaking of Julio, Embryo isn't going to have many regards to restraining the actions he takes. Hell, he wouldn't mind, Mana even started making its own weapons and actually tried making it partial North Korean-like state. Judging by his actions from the series, Embryo simply doesn't care about them as long as he can use them for his plans.

Either way, hope you enjoyed the read.

 

[WiseMan744436]

Next Chapter. Consider this a gift for Valentine's Day. And something to squee over.

By the way, you'll notice that I made a change to the cockpit design of the Villkiss, which is now a standard pop-open seat rather than just a windshield. Therefore, it now encases the pilots in either mode, far more practical for a vehicle that was supposedly designed for high altitude combat and space.

---

On the borderline between Midchilda East and Central, a couple of trucks were driving down a paved road through a forest. Their target was a warehouse a few kilometers up ahead where they stored precious materials and transferred them to other worlds across the Dimensional Sea, using authorized dimensional transfer spells to transport equipment by the masses.

Even though it was not a Lost Logia, the cargo was important enough that they were best not falling into enemy hands. Moreover, the forest was a perfect place to launch a surprise attack and steal their cargo. There were at least four Ground Mages to guard the trucks and four Air Mages scanning the area for any possible ambushes.

Despite the security, there were a decent number of figures hiding by a rock distant from the road and just outside of the wide-area scanning spells. About all of them were wearing dark-brown cloaks to conceal their presence, but they still revealed some of their hair and original clothing. Three of them showed blue latex suits, another had large metallic boots, and the last was a child with long purple hair facing away.

One of the girls wearing latex suits had long gray hair and a right eyepatch. She was monitoring the communications coming from the Mages and trucks.

"We are 2.4 kilometers from our destination," one of the trucks reported. "Prepare a multi-dimensional transfer spell to Vaizen for transporting cargo."

"Understood," came a response. "Multi-dimensional transfer spell confirmed. Please prepare identification upon arrival."

The eyepatched girl nodded as she stopped listening to the conversation, turning to her allies.

"The target is just range," she reported. "They still have no idea of our presence."

"Then it'll be time soon," the large figure said in a man's voice, showing off some of his dark brown hair.

"Dieci," the eyepatched hair looked up. "Anything unusual in the area?"

"No, Cinque-nee-sama," the girl named Dieci addressed her commander, sticking a large metallic barrel on top of the rock.

"Then we shall begin right at the target destination."

"This is already as tense as it can be," a frizzled, ponytailed redhead complained. She was leaning on the rock with her arms crossed behind her head. Beside her was a large hoverboard as tall as her.

"There is a reason the Doctor sent us, Wendi," Cinque responded. "He might have manufactured far more drones than required over the years, but he can no longer spare any losses thanks to recent events."

Said recent events included several missions that failed. Most of them were due to sudden interruptions from other factions they failed to account for, allowing the Bureau or someone else to retrieve such valuable objects first. The most devastating blow was the loss of a valuable test subject to whom belonged to their superior, now reported to be under the wing of the three infamous Aces. While unacceptable, the operation was still recoverable, but not without having agents to keep tabs on her from time to time.

"And now we have Nove-san playing spy games and being friends with the girl," Wendi continued. "And even Lutecia-san and Zest-san have taken part in it. No offense."

"It's okay," the young girl replied. She could see how her companions were wary not to bother her, but she also didn't like things went for different reasons. The recently failed missions prevented her from accomplishing her own and they made her desperate. Even so, she still warned. "As long as no one gets killed."

Cinque gazed at the young girl. It's clear she had been affected as much they are. The Doctor, their superior may be very forgiving, but everyone had a limit to how they could tolerate failure. Some were agitated like Wendi, others were more desperate like Lutecia, and some were resultantly taking their operations more seriously as Cinque was.

As the seconds passed, she told her sisters and comrades, "Prepare to move out. Wendi, you'll be assisting me. Lutecia, I'll need your guardian for support as well. Zest, keep her and Dieci protected."

"I understand," Lutecia softly replied as the man named Zest brought out a spear from his cloak.

"Sette," Cinque turned to the third girl in blue latex uniform who had long pink hair sticking out. The girl was robust in posture, standing idly and gazing at the Aerial Mages guarding the convoy. "We'll need you to deal with the aerial escorts. Make sure you do not kill any of them."

"Affirmative," the girl complied. She spread her legs up front and leaned forward, bringing out two long boomerangs from her cloak. "Engaging in anti-air and non-lethal combat operations."

"Dieci, wait here and keep an eye out for any situational changes. Sein," Cinque contacted another girl in the area. "Get ready for infiltration, sabotage, and diversionary operations."

"Sure thing, Cinque-nee-sama!" a cheerful voice responded, which came from a point far closer to the road.

As Cinque received a nod from Wendi, who picked up her board and join by her side, she faced the convoy that approached their position. A shadow also departed from Lutecia to be on her side, which gave the signal to begin the operation.

---

Since the incident that occurred, almost everyone from the Takamachi residence was outside by the driveway. Vivio stayed in the house as by orders of her mother. The women were all inspecting the machine that appeared out of nowhere and landed on top of the black convertible. Fate was out with them but was startled about her precious possession being crushed. The rest were busy inspecting the vehicle before them.

The vehicle had mainly white armor and gold seams. The internal gold rifled joints indicated that it transformed into something with far more flexibility than a standard aircraft. The cockpit was black with a gold diamond on top and wielded a large black gun underneath. Behind the cockpit looked a winged bust for a bird or a winged woman and Angelise swore she could see a helmet. Attached to the sides were two turbines that undoubtedly gave it propulsion and four wings. Each of the wings was gray at the front, the standard white in the center, and all blue afterward. The top right wing held a sheath, exposing the handle of a longsword. While the craft looked beautifully furnished, the dust they could feel on the armor showed a history of dormancy that lasted at least for months.

Angelise and Momoka were on the right side of the vehicle's cockpit. They were curiously looking all over the mysterious machine while the others were on the other side.

"Well," Vita stood arms-crossed as she barked. "Are you gonna tell me what it's doing here or not!?"

"Lady Angelise is doing the best she can," Momoka retorted. "Don't you berate her for her efforts!"

"I told you, I don't know this machine!" Angelise ranted. "I don't even know why this appeared in the first place! Or why it reacted to the song!"

"This girl is full of trouble," Vita jerked away. "First Nanoha gets hurt, and now she ends up wrecking Fate's favorite car."

"Don't blame her for all her faults!" Nanoha was currently using her Device and a circular spell to analyze the vehicle. "Raising Heart, have you found any matches to what this Lost Logia can be?"

"I'm sorry, Master. No matches are found."

"Have you found anything?"

"Analysis in progress. Current scans no magic sources. Detected multiple mass weapons."

"Found powerful energy source. Spacetime distortions detected in the core. Minimum Expected Rank: S."

"An S-Level non-magic energy source?" Fate broke out of her funk and widened her eye over the statement.

"Spacetime distortions?" Nanoha found herself bewildered over the equipment. In other words, this machine had some kind of core that manipulated spacetime? "Considering how Dimensional Transfer spells are no simple manner from the start, I guess it makes sense."

"There's also that woman with the ability to create a Dimensional Rip," Signum muttered, recalling the girl's alien spells and abilities. She didn't speak too loud, but her words attracted her friends. "I'll discuss it later."

"Well, whatever the thing is, there's something I really don't like about it," Vita ranted. "But it's surely not a Lost Logia or Ancient Belkan weapon we've seen before."

"Excuse me," Angelise popped from the other side. "But what are you all talking about? What's a Lost Logia?"

"An ancient relic of the past," Signum answered.

"I...do not understand," Momoka shared the same concerns.

"Signum and Vita said they told you about Ancient Belka," Fate answered. "During the era, the Belkans create powerful technologies wage war against their enemies. After it fell, many of these technologies were lost, though information about them is still kept on record. Despite this, they're hidden all over various worlds, both administered and unadministered."

"Are they the reason Belka fell?" Angelise asked.

"One of the reasons, but even the TSAB doesn't exactly know what caused its destruction. What's certain is that the technologies they've created are dangerous because they're almost endless and left unchecked."

"Are these Lost Logias that terrible?" Momoka asked.

"The threat of Lost Logia are exactly why the TSAB was created," Nanoha joined in. "The main purpose is to seize and contain Lost Logias before they can cause any damage. You likely already guessed there are those who get to the Lost Logia before we do, whether they're aware of unaware of their true functions and purposes. Whether they use it for good or malevolent intentions, the danger of these artifacts is too great. If they go out of control, the resulting destruction can reach worlds and potentially do worse."

"I won't let happen," Angelise stated, though she lacked the resolution in her voice. "Momoka and I have a place to return. I'm not going to let some machine destroy it just because someone tampered with it!"

"Well, that's something we can agree with," Vita said before pointing to the white machine. "But that still doesn't cover for why this machine is still here! It shouldn't even be here at all!"

"That's enough, Vita," Signum tamed the Hammer Knight again. "We still need to figure what the machine is before we classify it as a Lost Logia."

"Right," Nanoha nodded. "Raising Heart, is the analysis done?"

"Yes, Master. Analysis discovers no other potential threats. Unknown object identified as a manned vehicle with central computer control. Maximum crew capacity: 2."

"I see. Can you connect to its systems?"

"Sorry, Master. Unable to connect. System is fully locked. Current hacking ability insufficient. Primary user required."

"Angelise," Signum went to the princess. "What did you do last before this machine appeared? Could you have activated it by mistake?"

"I don't know. We were only singing a song that was passed down through my family for generations. Then the ring glowed, this appeared out of nowhere, and that was it."

"Would you mind if you showed me your ring?"

Angelise complied and revealed the jewel side of her ring. Signum then grasped her finger and focused deeply on the ring. The princess could see that something bothered the Belkan Knight during the tense few seconds. Whatever she was investigating was likely something Angelise was unaware of, and that made her a little nervous.

"What is it, Signum?" Nanoha called behind her, prompting her to end her analysis.

"I'll explain later," Signum answered as she focused on Angelise. "For now, let's see if we can open this machine's cockpit seat and confirm the identity of this machine."

"I don't know," Angelise wanted to know herself, but, "This is machine is completely new to me and it's not like I'll know how to pilot it-"

Just then, the ring's jewel flashed again. Angelise, Momoka, and Signum shielded their eyes when it did so and directed them to the white machine. Everyone witnessed the vehicle's black cockpit open up and reveal the insides.

Nanoha commented, assuming it was the ring that did the work.

"Well then, it looks like we found the key to open it."

The girls crowded around to investigate the insides of the machine. As Raising Heart stated, there were at least two seats available with one mainly for the pilot. The front seat had several controls and small terminals that were circular or rectangular, excluding the large rectangular screen and two large handlebars on the side. The Mages and Knights around could see Angelise and Momoka observe the pilot seat as if they were familiar with the controls.

"It almost looks like a bike from Iaria," the princess.

"Iaria?" Nanoha asked, never hearing the term in her life.

"It's some game that involves motorcycles and lacrosse," Vita explained. "In her words, she's supposed to be a professional player."

"Perhaps you know how to operate this vehicle?" Signum asked the two guests.

"I'll try," Angelise complied. "But this is different from an Iaria bike. There are so many switches. I'll...need to figure what everything is first."

"I'll accompany her," Nanoha volunteered. I'll continue searching for more data on this vehicle.

"But Lady Angelise," Momoka attempt to object. The others wanted to object as well. She may no longer have her cast and be able to move both arms again, but that didn't mean she was in a condition to engage in any activities. That's not to mention the injury came from the last time she interacted with the Norma.

"It's fine," Angelise stated as she climbed into the vehicle. "It shouldn't take long, I hope."

The Ace of Aces already made herself comfortable in the backseat with her Raising Heart at hand. Angelise was in the front seat with both hands by the controls. The orb within the deployed Raising Heart was flashing at it scanned for more recognizable elements within the vehicle. The others either got closer or stepped back from the machine, feeling a tense air over what would happen next.

"There are so many buttons on his vehicle," Angelise though as she looked around. She grasped the motorcycle handlebars and pretended to move them around while staring at her ring. "But...I think I'll figure it out...somehow."

The ring glittered once again. This time, it wasn't as bad as the previous times, but it definitely activated something on the machine. The two could feel it craft vibrating as what sounded like thrusters kicked in and started blowing exhaust. The gold rifled joints began to spin as well as their nearby friends could witness. The startup was loud enough that they covered their ears while the two occupants were figuring out what was going on.

"It feels like it's starting up," Angelise stated the obvious as she found several screens opening up images.

The front screen shone a bright white light on Angelise's face. It then faded into a light blue with repeated symbols of Y-shaped angelic wings appearing. Then came a black diamond emblem with a gold chevron on the outline and a sword impaling through a lizard-like creature. Angelise and Nanoha focused on the screen as it displayed words from the startup.

ARZENAL WORKSHOPS

AW-CBX007 VILLKISS

"Villkiss," Angelise muttered the machine's name. It felt so alien that she couldn't figure out the terminology nor why it was given that name, which was a minor mystery by itself.

As the screen then changed to show the status of the vehicle, Nanoha called out Raising Heart.

"Continue scanning this vehicle. See if you can connect to its systems again."

"Yes, Master."

"There's so much on these screens," Angelise found herself overwhelmed with all the information. The main screen displayed a number of selectable weapons and a blueprint outline of the displayed "Flight Mode" for the Villkiss. One of the circular monitors showed a sensor array that reported vast amounts of red "unknowns" in the area. But she caught eyes of a circular screen that indicated the speed of the vehicle. She had no idea what was the maximum speed of this machine, but that got her wonder as she gripped the handlebars.

"I wonder how you get this to move..."

Another flash came from her ring. The black cockpit closed and sealed the two occupants in.

Outside, their friends were shielding themselves as the turbines directed its exhaust onto the ground. Before they could react, the Villkiss already struggled its way out the embedded car wreckage, making Fate cringe overhearing the metallic screeches. When air stopped blowing in their faces, they observed the vehicle hovering in mid-air. The usual method afterward would be to intervene and stop the vehicle from escaping. Unfortunately, the vehicle already rocketed into the sky before they had yet to do anything about it.

As they watched the vehicle shrink in the distance, Momoka lamented.

"Will Lady Angelise be okay?"

"She sure as hell will not if she's suddenly flying away like this," Vita activated her Knight Clothing and brought out Graf Eisen. While it may be excused since it included Nanoha in an unknown aircraft, nothing still denies the fact they're flying at a low altitude in restricted airspace.

"And my car is ruined," Fate griped over her convertible's crushed frame.

"We should them," Signum called for both her Mage friend and Knight comrade, already deploying her Laevatein and Knight Clothing. "Before any more trouble occurs."

The TSAB agents agreed Fate deployed her Bardiche and Barrier Jacket before they all took off, leaving Momoka at the house. While they have no idea what the machine was capable of, a full analysis can wait until later. For now, they have to stop it before it caused any major damage.

---

About ten minutes passed since Cinque gave the green light to the operation. The commander was in between the two trucks of the convoy, passing by a couple defeated Aerial Mages. She checked their pulses not so long ago to make sure they weren't dead. The Doctor made it clear to them not to kill anyone unless it was necessary, which was more appropriate for this kind of mission.

The operation was already over a couple minutes ago. It started when Sein infiltrated the first truck and knocked out the two operators. The second truck made an emergency stop after the first one lost speed. When the Aerial Mages realized something was wrong, two of them descended to investigate while the other two stood guard. It was then that the others made their move; Sette used her two boomerang blades to take out the two Mages in the air. When the remaining Mages regrouped between the trucks, they were meet with a shadow entity on the other side of the road. The entity then turned into a black and purple humanoid being with insect characteristics and a lizard tail. The distracted Mages were taken from behind by Cinque and Wendi. Together they incapacitated the enemy Mages without hesitation and before they could send any warning about their attack.

Cinque took another look at Garyu, the humanoid insect who was responsible for defeating the two Aerial Mages on the ground. She remembered the being as one of Lutecia's most common insect summons. Unlike many summons, he could act independently from the commands of her mistress. Thus, he served as a guardian capable of protecting himself and others around him. She already bore witness to his power and while it was more out of empathy for his mistress, he's someone she wouldn't want to bother.

Sette then came down from the air and reported, "Aerial hostiles incapacitated. No damage or casualties."

Cinque nodded as she contacted her allies from their rally point, "Dieci, any change in the situation?"

"No, Cinque-nee-sama," Dieci replied. "I check all types of imaging including ultraviolet MCCS. The enemy force isn't here."

"Understood. Continue watching until we've returned."

Cinque then ceased communications with her sister. Having more combat experience than her younger sister, she searched around personally for any traps hidden out of Dieci's sight. To both her relief and disappointment, she found none.

If there was a reason why their plans have slowed dramatically, it's ultimately because there have been other factions who got in the way. While they're all been declared to be from other factions, they all had several things in common: they carried physical weapons that were fully banned by the TSAB, wielded technologies that surprised even the Doctor, and were after the same things they wanted. Whether they intended to interfere or they came out of sheer coincidence was to be debated, but whether it was them or the TSAB, they snatched away some important artifacts and interrupted the girls' otherwise normal activities.

The back door of the first truck opened up. Another girl with a blue latex suit and short cyan hair peeked out.

"Cinque-nee-sama," Sein called out to her older sister. "The door's open, I checked what inside, but…"

"But what?" Cinque sensed a lack of confidence in the girl's voice.

"It's junk! There is nothing but scraps in here! No Lost Logia. No Relics. Technically, nothing useful!"

"Here, too!" Wendi called from the second truck with its doors wide open. "They appear to be remains of drones. I don't think I've seen these before, but they don't look like anything useful."

"There must a reason why they were transporting them with this much security," Cinque took note of the Mages' Devices that were not like the Generic Devices. In other words, they were dealing with some experienced Mages despite the easy attack. "Allow me to look inside."

Cinque opened the left door wide open. Sein to stumbled and fell out of the truck. She sank into the ground, but it wasn't long before emerged from the road's asphalt. Should she have landed in the soil or the asphalt be not deep enough, she would've taken a harder fall. Sein caught up with her as Cinque inspected the truck's contents.

Cinque looked around personally at the broken machines. They may look useless to Sein since she didn't participate in combat other than for rescue operations. But for someone who participated in actual combat, she recognized the circular shape and seams on the disc drones. They were times when the third unknown party intercepted their goods, but they never seemed to appear before the TSAB. At least that was until now, with a good number of damaged remains stored in the truck.

She went by a console that remained well intact. After testing the screen and a few buttons, an image showed up before her

"Empire of Misurugi," Cinque read some of the words on the screen. She found another set of data next to red screens that reported the drones to be destroyed or disabled. "Pyrethroids, huh?"

"See?" Sein called to her older sister as she climbed up the back. "It's junk! There's nothing useful in here!"

"I don't think so. Besides, we cannot leave empty-handed," Cinque stated to Sein's confusion. At least they can get some information or technology out of the cargo. "I have Wendi to start packing whatever materials she can find. Sein, you and Garyu will pick up materials from this truck."

"Y-Yes, Cinque-nee-sama," Sein respected her orders.

As the cyan-haired girl re-entered the truck, Cinque stepped out. She leaped out and proceeded to the other truck while Garyu passed by her. She figured that this'll open up some new questions, but will at least provide some answers following the recent developments.

---

Angelise and Nanoha were thrown to the sides of the cockpit ever since the vehicle suddenly rocketed into the nighttime sky. Nanoha was more concerned about the machine being up in the sky at all. The TSAB had restrictions for air traffic, which included flying over suburban areas. Plus, they were flying at a low altitude, which meant trouble if they end up descending somehow.

The Aerial Instructor could see Angelise scared out of her mind, looking down on the floor, possibly having her eyes closed the whole time, and screaming out as the Villkiss cruised into the air. All of those factors produced a deadly combination since she was wasn't looking where she was going, which made it more likely for them to crash.

"Angelise! Angelise!" Nanoha called out to her, but her voice seemed to be drowned out by the noise and the girl's wails. Thus she had to use a more...forceful methods.

"EYYYAAGGGHHH!"

Although Angelise was immune to magic spell as of now, that didn't mean she was invulnerable to physical weapons. She swung Raising Heart onto the princess's back, forcing her eyes wide open and shocking her back to reality.

"Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi!" Nanoha shouted sharply at the princess froze and faced the front of the screen. Luckily, there wasn't anything flying towards them at the moment. While the princess's head twitched to face her, the Ace returned to a softer tone as she addressed. "Panicking is not going to help. If you want to get through this, you have to...WATCH OUT!"

Angelise jerked back at what looked like an incoming helicopter.

"HYYAAHH!" the princess jerked the handlebars to right, which caused the craft to barrel roll past the helicopter.

Nanoha was too busy holding onto the vehicle to prevent falling upside down, but she failed to realize the outstanding maneuverability of the vehicle. The helicopter was going in the same direction the vehicle strafed, but it already had more than enough distance to avoid a collision. But the Ace returned to the task at hand, which was taming the current pilot.

"Calm down!" Nanoha spoke sharply again just to get the girl's attention to no avail. She hated having to use such a voice to get her attention, but the girl did not have the mental state to pilot what appeared to be a military aircraft. A focused and relaxed mind was key for anyone.

Nanoha then reached out with both arms to grip the handlebars. At first, the princess shook over someone else touching her hands, she even startled over noticing the Ace intervening more intimately.

"Do not worry," Nanoha continued. "I'll be by your side this time."

"Nanoha…"

"You should focus, Angelise. Now is not the time to panic," Nanoha recommended, although she was hypocritical just a few moments ago. "You should focus on stopping this vehicle, then you can worry about it later."

"R-Right," Angelise then focused on the controls and sensors, which had nothing change except for the speed dial. Observing the controls again, she recalled from earlier how it was not too different from an Iaria bike, which meant it had to be controlled a similar fashion. But why? That was another question.

Attempting to operate it the same she expected, her body eased as she loosened her grip on the handlebars. As she expected, the vehicle started to slow down, so they were no longer in danger of getting herself killed through a high-speed collision. However, that did cause the vehicle to descend, forcing her to accelerate to maintain altitude.

"Is this how you expected to be?" Nanoha thought, still checking for objects in the air, for which she found none. She did find them drawing closer to a city, which could be trouble if they didn't stop soon.

"I...thought so," Angelise responded as she hinted the difference. If only there was something to stop the vehicle from moving in mid-air. Her search brought her to the main screen where "FLIGHT MODE" was displayed one of the edges. "What's this?"

She didn't know how it exactly happened. It all came trying to hit the screen and tampering with the switches on the handlebars. The next thing she knew, she found the screen display a human-looking design of the machine and the words "ASSAULT MODE" was displayed.

The machine first started to slow down as Angelise let go of the handlebars. Noticing the engines' exhaust pointing downward, she assumed they would continue to give thrust and allow the Villkiss to hover in mid-flight. However, the vehicle instead fell down again, descending more onto a suburban street for a few seconds.

That was when the transformation sequence began. The Villkiss made a complete forward flip as the engines and wings shifted positions. The large wings and primary engines hung out on the back. Those on the bottom transformed into the machine's legs. Two arms were also brought out from the main body with one holding the rifle from underneath the nose. A head emerged from the center and displayed a bright red visor while the cockpit elevated and retracted to fit in its place. When the transformation sequence was finished, the engines fired a burst of thrust to keep the machine hovering in mid-air.

Angelise has no idea what was going on since both girls found themselves upside down during the transformation. It was only a moment of feeling did she realize that the Villkiss was staying in mid-flight and was no longer going to crash. Instead, she felt something else pressing against her lips that felt sweet and smooth. When she opened her eyes, she found Nanoha right in front of her.

"A-Angelise?"

Angelise jerked back onto her seat just when Nanoha realized herself what just happened. Finding herself thrown forward, the Ace retracted back to the rear seat. But that didn't stop either of the two from having their cheeks red. After all, they just did something should be considered forbidden. At least that was to Angelise's standards, though her body felt a kind of excitement and...warmth?

Their thoughts were interrupted when they heard chatter.

"Captain Nanoha?" Signum contacted the Ace. "Captain Nanoha, are you alright? What's your status?"

"Signum?" Nanoha responded. "Is that you?"

"We just found your vehicle stop and suddenly transform. Is everything alright? What about Angelise?"

"Don't worry about it, Signum. Both of us are fine," she faced the blushing and guilty Angelise in front of her. "Except...one matter?"

"One matter!?" Vita called into the chatter. "Whatever she did, Angelise shouldn't have given you more trouble. She's already caused enough ruckus as it is!"

"Settle down, Vita," though the Hammer Knight was right as Nanoha could see blue lights approaching. "I'll explain the whole situation once you arrive."

"Understood," Signum replied before communications were cut.

Just then, Angelise opened up the cockpit seat to give both girls a better view while turning the machine to look at the scenery. If this wasn't exactly a big mess, it would've been a beautiful sight to see. However, they could also spot what Nanoha assumed were Aerial Mages responding to the Villkiss's presence. There was no doubt that a vehicle flying in mid-air above a populated area with apparently dangerous weapons would be notified by the TSAB. But in the distance, the two found Signum, Vita, and Fate moving faster to their location. Hopefully, by arriving first and with their reputation, they should be able to straighten the situation.

---

In the Northern region of the Midchilda, the Belkan Self-Governed Region was covered by nighttime like the rest of the continent. Aside from the bells, the mountainous and religious section of the planet, the Belkan Church laid completely silent of any activity. Even if they were, it would all be within the stone walls of the Church and its surrounding installations.

Inside the main church, a woman with long blonde stood up within one of the highest floors. She was wearing a typical nun uniform, a black garment with a white collar, a silver metallic belt, and purple headband and bow tie. She stood by a large window where she could observe Midchilda's two moons; both of the natural satellites were exactly aligned with each other, which a special day for Midchilda that only came once a year.

But this annual phenomenon was special for Carim Garcia, one of the highest-ranked knights of the Belkan Church and a Director within the TSAB. Unlike most of her comrades, she also had a Rare Skill, which required this certain condition to perform. With her clothes hastily put on, she wasn't in any state to stake awake for very long, but it was something she had to do.

Moments ago, Carim attempted to fall asleep multiple times, only to find herself waking up in the middle of the night. She couldn't understand why, but her mind was suddenly full of nightmares that made her own body shiver. They were nightmares of blood, destruction, fire, and war. A few times, she even witnesses her own subjects and friends butchered by some unknown enemy. Even if her body felt weak, this annual Rare Skill she had could be the only clue she had to figure out the cause.

"Prophetinschriften"

Carim shut her eyes and concentrated as she called out the name of her Rare Skill. As she focused, she was bathed in a bright-gold aura of mana which then shifted into many cards surrounding her. As the Belkan Knight opened her eyes, she found the bright-gold cards circling around her as words were being inscribed on them. The messages were typically short and took the form of a poem, yet the inscription was a process that took a few minutes to complete. After all the cards had their message written- the same was written on every card- Carim raised out her hand and each of the cards fell into her palm and materialized into paper cards.

By the end of it all, she had a thick deck of cards with the poem-like message in her hand. She let out a deep sigh now that her Rare Skill was successfully performed. It was highly fortunate that she managed to do this now rather than have it come up later.

To Carim, the poem on the cards was a prophecy of something happening in the future. While her Rare Skill could only be performed annually, the events that come true can occur as early as half that time, which made foreseeing events a priority for upcoming disasters, like a potential threat to the Church or the TSAB itself.

With the prophetic inscriptions in her hand, Carim turned away from the windows and head back to her room. Her task before going to bed was to translate the inscriptions and figure out its true meaning.

---

Once again, sorry for the short chapter. There wasn't too much to add and I wanted to get this in before Valentine's Day.

What I can say that Doctor Jail isn't one of Embryo's cohorts that he introduced to Julio. It's another large group from the third work I'll include, which will have far more power and influence than canon.

Also, Carim's prophecy isn't going to be until much later. All I can say is that it's going to be different from the one shared in StrikerS.

Either way, hope this was a good read.

 

[WiseMan744436]

So here's the next chapter. This was a lot shorter than I was expecting, even after several months of delay due to schoolwork. Fortunately, those will be out of the way soon, which means graduations, searching for internships, and preparation from China. Even so, that should mean I'll have more time working on this.

Before then, I'd like to inform some updates.

For FF.net, because I'm getting close to finishing the Lost Princess arc, I'll shift to the next one, which I shall reveal as the Arzenal arc. However, I'm stuck between separating my arcs into multiple stories just coupling them all together into one big story. Which would you prefer?

Next, I'm getting close to the revealing the third anime involved in this story. There'll be some hints as what it is in this chapter and it is also becoming a factor for my decision above.

---

It was the next day after the incident from the previous night. Angelise and Momoka waited in the nearby TSAB facility for the Aerial Corps, waiting impatiently for a set of seats adjacent to the doorway as they waited for Nanoha in another room. Fate just came by after seeing Vivio off to her classes. Nanoha was inside the room trying to explain the whole situation, but that didn't ease the tension within the princess, especially with what to the so-called Villkiss.

As those outside the office expected, Angelise did not take kindly to the process. Just when she got the hang of piloting the Villkiss and landed, she and Nanoha were surrounded by TSAB. Because of Nanoha's authority and reputation, the Aerial Mages went easy on both her and Angelise. However, once they got out of the vehicle, the agents took the time to impound the vehicle and take with them. They didn't even bother to tell her where they were taking the machine. They only said that the machine was labeled dangerous and had to be locked away. They had to go in the next morning so that Nanoha could straighten out the matter.

Angelise and Momoka paid attention to the door as it opened. It wasn't long before Hayate, Signum, and Vita entered the waiting room and walked by the two guests.

"Alright, it's time we go!" Hayate said, calling out Reinforce, who was on the other side of the room reading a magazine.

The two Knights went by Angelise and Momoka's seats to get their attention.

"Nanoha just explained everything to TSAB," Signum briefed. "Because you're a guest to Midchilda and had no info on that machine, you've been fully pardoned from any persecution. Not that it matters anyway."

"Thank the Light," Momoka sighed.

"It was an inevitability, Miss Angelise. That vehicle held the immense power we have yet to understand, which would've been life-threatening if you did whatever pleased. This not just about your vehicle's flight capabilities either," Signum turned to Fate, who got up from the opposite side of the waiting room. She held her Device, a black halberd with a yellow jewel, and displayed a projection of the Villkiss. "Based on Raising Heart and Bardiche's analyses, that vehicle was carrying a great number of dangerous mass weapons."

"Mass weapons?" Momoka and Angelise both drew blanks.

"Weapons that do not use magic," Fate answered the maid's question. "During the era of Ancient Belka, they did more than create magic systems, but also physical and other non-magical weapons to maintain their grip."

"However, those same mass weapons are incredibly dangerous," Signum continued. "Cities, planets, and star systems were annihilated because of these weapons. In fact, they are believed to be responsible for the Belkan homeworld's deteriorated state and eventual destruction. Even now, the environmental damage left behind across the Dimensional Sea is insurmountable and robbed billions, if not trillions, of their peaceful lives."

"Horrible…"

"Because of the danger, they pose to civilian lives and the environment, even if threats like the Huckebein exist, the Bureau puts tight regulations on mass weaponry. You can say that unless authorized by the High Command, all mass weapons are banned by the TSAB."

"But…"

Angelise wanted to interrupt, but Fate went on.

"The destruction that mass weapons caused have scarred people across the Dimensional Sea for generations. Therefore, mass weapons aren't just an illegal weapon; it's a societal taboo. That's why the Bureau encourages the use of mana, which is clean and can be non-lethal."

"Then what will they do with the Villkiss?" Angelise asked, but only a got a pause from the Knights.

"Unfortunately, we are unable to find info on its whereabouts. Once they confiscated the vehicle, they immediately transported it to Technical Division for inspection. Because Midchilda is under the command of the Capital Defense Corps, which is not...friendly with our group and is reluctant to share information. If we were to guess, the Villkiss most likely with a Technical Department under their command, but that's all we can assume without further information. In the best case scenario, they would likely see if they could remove all the mass weapons from the vehicle and ensure its safety. Even then, it's a flight-based vehicle, so they might keep it stored for analysis. The worst-case scenario is that they might be unable to render it safe and thus destroy it."

"Destroy it?"

Signum could see the anger within Angelise. The princess may not be an expert on weapons, but the two could agree that the vehicle didn't seem to have enough weapons to do serious damage. There was still that power source within that was equivalent at least to an S-Rank mage though, and although she didn't intend to get the Villkiss back for Angelise, she at least wants to analyze the machine herself.

That said, there was one fortunate matter she wanted to bring up.

"However, there is one thing they were never told."

"And you better be lucky she had something to avoid suspicion!" Vita crossed her arms against Angelise. "Stealing Nanoha-san's first kiss!? How much more trouble can you cause her!?"

"That was an accident!"

"Oh yeah?"

"And besides, I…"

"That's enough," Signum intervened, prompting the group to resume the subject. "Besides, we have other matters we must oversee before the Capital Defense Corps decides what to do with the Villkiss. Something that only we can do."

The Knight then went up to Angelise's hand, raising up her left hand that held her royal ring.

"The part Nanoha didn't report was the nature of your ring, Miss Angelise. Nor did we report the song you sang before the Villkiss appeared."

"At least with that, Fate's car will be insured," Vita interjected as she faced Fate, who was unphased by the comment.

"It was something unexpected and now the least of our concern," Signum returned her attention to the nervous Angelise. "What does matter is how the ring reacts to you despite your role as a Norma."

"Wh-wh do you mean?"

"I don't how, but there's no doubt that your ring is made from a type of Mana."

Signum stated that made even the TSAB members surprised.

"But how?" Momoka asked. "Normas are not supposed to-"

"I didn't say that it was your type of Mana," Signum affirmed the maid. "The material of the jewel is a special kind even for Ancient Belka of its time. Although it's not Mana, I can safely assume it uses an effective substitute that you're unconsciously using."

"Does this mean that…"

"I don't think she means that you're no longer a Norma," Hayate addressed the princess. "We think about Norma only being born with your anti-magic ability and nothing beyond it. However, this alternate version of Mana shows there's far more to this ring than it appears."

Even the princess herself was speechless over what Signum just said. There's more just one kind of Mana out there? Well, that was already proven since this place didn't have a "Dawn Pillar," that much she knew which provided Mana to her society. If that's the case, why did Norma cancel it out? Or perhaps, why did it cancel out all except this special kind, since she negated this world's Mana as well?

"Which brings up the next topic," Hayate continued. "During your stay, you've displayed curiosity towards the TSAB's ancient history. You say that besides your use of Mana, your hometown of Misurugi uses similar languages and foods as those from Ancient Belka. Am I wrong, Miss Angelise?"

"Uhh, y-yes..."

"Let's just say that because you seek to learn more about Belka before you leave, this will surely be your lucky day."

Hayate smug look on Angelise that made her anxious and Momoka shrug. Signum added more details about the issue.

"A close friend of ours just called from the Belkan Self-Governed Area. She has arranged an emergency meeting with Mistress Hayate in the Saint Church's Grand Cathedral. We don't know what she's after, but when we mentioned you, she recalled your confrontation with the goons from Clover. Now, it seems that Knight Carim is interested in you as well."

"I-In me?"

"Forgive me, Miss Signum" Momoka stepped in. "But I'm confused, is this Belkan Church thing a big deal?"

"Of course, Momoka!" Angelise exclaimed. "That way, I can figure out why this world has so much comparison to Misurugi! It just...does!"

"Carim Gracia is also part of the TSAB's Board of Directors," Signum added. "Which means that depending on her decision; she'll help you with your mystery and offer whatever resources you wish. However, you'll be in the care of Vita and Hayate for the time being."

"Vita? But…"

"Enforcer Fate and I will be on assignment in Cranagan during your visit. Therefore, you and Momoka will only have Mistress Hayate and Vita to accompany you for your visit."

"Can it be helped?"

"I'm afraid not."

"You better behave yourself this time, princess. Or else…"

Vita mocked Angelise as the two exchanged glares. Hayate chuckled in the middle of the discussion as she called to the two.

"Make sure you have everything before you leave."

---

Within the capital of Midchilda, a woman with large glasses entered an underground storage facility. Her uniform in the Bureau was brown that match her long hair that extended dropped down to her waist. The woman was reaching 20 years old, though she was entering the same height as her teacher.

Inside the storage facility was a 30-year-old woman with a white and blue Bureau uniform. She had glasses like her student and short green hair. Formal name aside, she was known as Mariel Atenza, a top researcher within the TSAB and Device Meister who engineered the tools for its Mages.

Atenza was working on some screens within the blocky room. She was currently doing an analysis on the Villkiss beside her, which was apprehended last night and remained in human form ever since. As a member of the Technical Division, she spent all morning acquiring the specifications of the machine and figuring out the capabilities of the vehicle. Aside from some of the weapons systems, all of which were mass-based, she couldn't get data from the rest of the unit. The scans were like they said before, a powerful energy source that was driving the machine, but she could not progress any further.

The Device Meister turned away from her work as her disciple came in with a cup of cocoa.

"Good afternoon, Mary-san."

"Oh, Shario. What brings you here?"

"I wanted to check on you. You've been up since morning working on this strange machine."

"Why thank you, Shario," Atenza took a sip before placing the cup on a nearby table. "This was something I needed very much. How are your new Devices?"

"Mach Caliber still has some issues, but Cross Mirage is already finished. They should both be available once their assigned agents reached the next rank."

"I see. I'm sure that Nakajima and Lannister would appreciate the work you've done."

"It's a shame we couldn't just give them the new Devices. It will be a few months before they can take the next qualification exams."

"How about I inspect your machines before you do that? I can teach you more as we pass the time. Just after I'm finished with this analysis."

"If it wasn't for all of the weapons, I would the machine looks so...pretty," Shario gazed upon the Villkiss in all of its elegance. If it weren't for all the mass weapons stored, then maybe it would be more appealing to the Mages. But at the same time, like all Lost Logia, it didn't look like something they could not just tamper. "Who could've built this?"

"I don't know, but whoever did definitely had a sense of both power and aesthetics in mind. Even Commander Gaiz wanted me to analyze this machine."

"Commander Gaiz?"

"Don't worry about it, Shario. Besides, I spoke to Nanoha about this and she recommended me to perform this task as well, so there's no need to concern yourself."

"I understand, Mary-san. I'll see you later."

As Shario left the storage room, Atenza went back to the monitors, which continued to have red screens. All of them said they denied access or had passwords and variables unknown.

Not so long after, an incoming message came onto her monitors. Atenza sighed in frustration as she knew who was messaging her. On one of the screens appeared a young woman with light brown hair, glasses, and light brown hair. Her etiquette and lack of emotion carried a sense of professionalism to the Device Meister. The woman before her was Adjutant Auris Gaiz, the daughter and secretary of Lieutenant General Regius Gaiz, the commanding officer for the Capital Defense Corps.

"Commander Gaiz," Atenza greeted the woman.

"Hello, Atenza. And how is your morning?"

"If only I learned about this later and had more resources, I could've made more progress for this unit."

"We apologize for getting you involved, but we had to drag you for various reasons."

Atenza shrugged over the implications. Perhaps it was because she was very close to the three Aces, who were not on good terms with the Capital Defense Corps. Besides being involved the same Lost Logia incidents, she was responsible for modifying the Devices to resolve those conflicts that including their new forms. Analyzing and engineering units as a Device Meister and researching unknown technologies within the Technical Division were her expertise after all.

"Please give a report."

"So far, I have confirmed an arsenal of mass weapons onboard. There is at least a physical sword, a rifle with a built-in grenade launcher, a couple clips of ammunition, two packs of missiles, and some cryogenic weapon on its left palm. This armament of its caliber alone is enough to fight an army on its own."

"Is there any way you can remove them?"

"No, madam. The weapons are held tightly onto the machine. We even tried using thermal cutters and other tools, but none of them appear to work. I think it's due to the materials used to forge the machine."

"Tell us more."

"There's a lot on this machine that's baffling. Although they have yet to confirm its identification, this machine has potential to become a Class 1 Lost Logia. However, the current information we have does not compare to Lost Logia we know, not even with the Jewel Seeds and Relics. To start, the armor is composed of metal alloys that change its composition over time, which makes it difficult for me to identify. While I have yet to test the material, it was likely made with both durability and lightweight in mind."

"That would make sense; the reports say it had the speed of an aircraft and reflexes of a human being. Do we know what's powering this machine?"

"From the reading alone, the power source is rated to be above S-Rank. I cannot get full details, but this vehicle- what they call the Villkiss- has an internal engine that can run for extended periods of time. But the scariest part is that there is no magic source or signature. In fact, I'm getting distortions indicating that was meant to manipulate and weaponize spacetime."

"S-Spacetime!?" Gaiz's eyes widened at the revelation. Spacetime manipulation wasn't new since dimensional transfer spells were common, but it still required a lot of power and could never be used as a weapon. The thought this machine was capable of it made even the Secretary tremble as if they were watching a dormant doomsday weapon. The Secretary suddenly became more forceful. "Do you know who made this thing!?"

"Unfortunately, the machine is protected by some black box, so decryption is difficult, if not impossible. I can't get any data from the operating system. Aside from analyzing the mass weapons and materials, there's still very little I can do without getting error codes."

"Please send a report to us when you have the chance. We'll provide more resource to continue with your work. The Commander would like all the details you can get him."

"Understood, Commander."

Auris's face vanished from the screens, leaving Atenza to continue working on the Villkiss. The entire assignment and case came completely out of the blue for especially. Well, many bizarre cases seemed to be a common occurrence for Nanoha and her company when it came to residents from unadministered worlds, but they all dealt with Lost Logias and magic-based entities. The Villkiss, on the other hand, was nothing Atenza ever learned regarding Lost Logias and subsequently alien.

That alone brought up many questions. Who made this vehicle? Why would such a weapon appear in front of the Aces? What kind of capabilities did this vehicle have anyway? It may take a while before even she could find out.

---

It was already about six hours into the afternoon ever since Angelise and Momoka left the station. Both were accompanied by Hayate and Vita on their journey to the Belkan region, who also happened to go there for essential matters with Carim. Like all journeys, they were delayed drastically due to Angelise's status as a Norma and had to rely on local transportation.

To get to the Belkan region as soon as possible, they took a supersonic transport that a nearby major airport. Hayate mentioned was how planes used to exist back in her homeworld for such purposes, but were canceled due to various mechanical problems. Fortunately, many of those problems have been straightened out thanks to mana and far more advanced technologies. Angelise's only concern was not being used to the high speeds. Besides that time in the Villkiss and Iaria bikes, the transport vehicles she used were supposed to be a slower, smoother ride in comparison. Although she admitted that the speed of the aircraft was very convenient, it didn't solve the problem making her and her companion airsick the entire way.

Once they arrived at the airport- aside from letting their two guests puke in a bathroom- Hayate and Vita rented a car for the rest of the trip to the Belkan region. Hayate and Vita chose a black convertible to remind them of Fate's car. After Angelise and Momoka got out of the bathroom, they headed for the Belkan Self-Governed Area.

Hayate was at the wheel while Vita was beside her in the passenger seat. Angelise was behind Hayate, which Vita recommended for reasons unknown, while Momoka remained with her in the rear center seat.

"Are you two okay back there?" Hayate asked her guests.

"We're okay, Miss Hayate," Momoka responded.

"Thank you for allowing us to recover," Angelise added.

"You better be," Vita was still agitated over the two girls. "You've been in the bathroom for more than half an hour, so you better grateful that we didn't get tired of waiting for you!"

"Relax, Vita," Hayate tamed the Hammer Knight. "This was their first time on such a flight, and they had unfortunate circumstances, so don't take them too hard."

But Angelise has other matters on her mind. The most important one was the machine from last night that was now confiscated by the TSAB. It all started with her song, which caused the ring to glow before the machine called to her summons. It appears by reacting to the song and her ring, the machine answered specifically to her, which meant it should be her own property. But that machine, the Villkiss, was now confiscated by the TSAB that was in the risk of being destroyed.

"Hayate, do you really think that the Villkiss will be destroyed?"

"I wish I could answer. It depends on what the Bureau decides to do with it, but because it's likely under the possession of the Capital Defense Corps, its fate is uncertain."

"Sorry to ask, but what's the big deal between you two and the Capital Defense Corps? Shouldn't you all be working together?"

"As if we wish they would," Vita grumbled on her naivety. "The Capital Defense Corps who's leader keeps treating us like criminals."

"C-Criminals?"

"Allow me to explain," Hayate intervened. "Although I'm just a Lieutenant Colonel of the Ground Forces, Nanoha and the others including myself are backed by the Dimensional Navy, the largest section and highest authority of the TSAB. Even the three Legendary Admirals that command the Navy back our requested operations. You can thank the fact that we were responsible for solving many dangerous cases even when not under their employment."

"You mean the Book of Darkness incident?" Angelise recalled from her first time on Midchilda.

"That's right. The Dimensional Navy is also very benevolent when it comes victims of such incidents because they're responsible for securing Lost Logias outside of the TSAB's administration. That's why they allowed us to join the TSAB afterward."

"So you joined them to repay a debt for helping you," the silence made Angelise go back to the unanswered question. "Then why does this Capital Defense Corps call you 'criminals?' Is it just because you were involved in these Lost Logia incidents?"

"That's only the opinion of their highest commanding officer, Lieutenant General Regius Gaiz. The Capital Defense Corps is a unit independent of the TSAB's main branches. Because their only field of jurisdiction is this planet of Midchilda, they're very concerned about homeworld security and reluctant to take in people outside of administered worlds. Because the CDC is stuck on this planet, there is much friction between them and the Dimensional Navy."

"I'm...sorry."

"Don't be, Angelise. None of this was your fault. Even now, we're looking towards advancing the ranks, so we don't have to worry about such things."

"And we don't have to worry about taking orders from such punks either."

Angelise only gave a short chuckle. For the moment, the princess would have to agree with Vita's remark. But then, that enjoyment became short-lived as soon as she realized something. Something that turned her chuckled into a shiver of guilt.

"Is something wrong, Angelise?" Hayate heard a deep sigh from Angelise like she was in distress. "Was it something that Vita just said?"

"N-No, I agree with her. No one should be convicted for such a ridiculous reason that couldn't be helped. But then, when I think back, I...I…"

"Lady Angelise?" Momoka noticed something was bothering the girl.

"When I think back to Misurugi, I had to think about what I've just done and thought for these past sixteen years…"

"Is it because of your world's persecution of Norma?"

"Not just persecution of the Norma," Angelise whined. "All this time, I've promoted that idea that Norma should always be eradicated. I think back and ask myself...could I have been just that? I get these terrifying ideas of myself hurting little children, killing all those who tried to protect them. And for what? Because they can't use Mana? Every time I look at that, I just...I just…"

"It's okay, Angelise," Hayate comforted her as she stopped for a light. "What matter is that you're aware of how wrong it treats people like that. Now that you're a Norma yourself, what's the point?"

"I know, but…"

"Just with this experience in the TSAB, you've already grown a lot since last time. You're now coming to terms with your reality and starting to learn things on own. As long you continue to stand by yourself and learn things on your own, you'll become a great woman. I'm sure of it."

"Thank you, Miss Hayate."

By the time the conversation ended, Angelise and Momoka caught a glimpse of several buildings that resembled churches. As the car was nearing the end of its journey, they number of church-like structures were outnumbering the more modern buildings. The people by the sides were also different as they were wearing the clothing of nuns instead of ordinary wear. The whole environment was becoming more of a religious center. Seh could even see in the distance a large church or cathedral that was built within the mountain range. This spiritual atmosphere had a clear indication.

"So...this is it?"

"That's right," Vita responded. "We're here, Miss Angelise."

The girls were silent after that. It wouldn't be long afterward until they reached the Grand Cathedral of the Saint Church that stood before them. Inside the main building was where Carim Gracia awaited them.

---

Out in space, a small transport vessel was orbiting Midchilda, watching over the main continent below. On the primary records, it was reserved to be a private vessel capable of nothing other than transportation. The problem was what the vessel was carrying.

Inside the cargo area that was barely lit were three smaller shuttles made for atmospheric re-entry. Each was made for three passengers who stood in front of the only screen that shone in their face. While their faces couldn't be made out in the dim light, all three of them were young girls around 16 years old. They were each wearing latex suits that had glowing blue gems on the chest that had glowing cyan veins enveloping their entire body. They also helmets covering their heads and capsules with small injectors in their right hands.

All three faced the screen that showed a tall man with black circular glasses and a short beard on his chin. He gave orders to three young girls, though did it in a reluctant tone.

"The boss has finished preparations for you. Once you three head to the surface at your respective points, you will enter your units and inject the units in your hands before you launch. The serum that flows into your body will take care of the rest, including the intelligence you need to operate your respective vehicles. Once that is done, your job is to search your respective areas for your targets and do what it takes to eliminate her. Our agents who will escort you to your units safely will also be ready to extract you once you're finished."

Silence befell the three girls. The man on the screen was briefed well over the predicament among the three pilots and purpose of the mission, but the man didn't take too kindly who was becoming his test subjects. No, he didn't seem comfortable with the mission at all, as if he only followed his orders without question.

"I...understand how you feel over your sudden betrayal. I know that Angelise used to be a close friend that you three looked upon before you learned she was another one of these...Normas. I know what it means her actions took away your friends. You may look emotionless, but I see that you're mixed between being scared and enraged."

The man was only playing the therapist. For him, he could care less about them as he did with the mission. It was merely to get the best of results. Proof of that was the twitching and reactions from the three girls.

"Once you use those serums in your hands, you will not need to feel fear for you will be incapable of it. Before then, we've taken all precautions to ensure that you will make there without jeopardizing the mission. The authorities in this world will never know what hit them until it's too late. So don't waste any time over the whole matter. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Kurama-san," one of the girls spoke up.

"We will kill her," the second one followed.

"And purify Misurugi," the third concluded.

"I understand. Your Emperor wishes you good luck."

The screen then cut off. Lights then shone down from the rear doors of the smaller shuttles. Each girl turned away from each other and went off to each shuttle.

"Now you shall pay for what you've done to us."

"For what you've done to Akiho."

"Angelise, you monster."

It wasn't long before the bottom of the cargo shuttle opened. The three small craft dropped from below, heading towards the surface of Midchilda. Each craft separated from one another, heading to destinations unknown.

---

Because Erio and Caro were mentioned in an earlier chapter, I figured I'd share the characters' ranks within the TSAB now that events were either delayed or sped up ahead of canon. For the veterans, not much has changed regarding Rank, both in magical ability and military ranks. Nanoha is still a 1st Air Captain, and that's because she refuses to accept any higher promotions, wanting to keep her job as an Air Instructor. Fate Testarossa remains an Enforcer, Signum is a 1st Air Captain, Shamal is a Medical Master, and Vita a 2nd Air Captain. Of the three Aces, only Hayate shows signs of promotion for she's on the verge of becoming a Colonel, which would also qualify as a Captain for the TSAB's Dimensional Navy. For newer members, Subaru, Teana, Erio, and Caro are up to A-Rank. Without the JS Incident, no significant activity came up these past few years, but that's enough time for them to go up a rank or two from the canon B-Rank.

Again, I hope my short chapter didn't disappoint anyone. I'm focusing on writing short chapters since I plan to write light novels at some point. However, even that might change since the next few chapters will have some action in them.

That said, the next chapter will reveal what the third fiction work will be included in the fic. I hinted that it was thanks to Super Robot Wars, which should give some hints. See if you can guess before then.

Either way, hope you enjoyed the read.

P.S. Super Robot Wars X came just a while ago and I'm enjoying how they did Cross Ange this time. Not all I hoped, but far better than how V did it.

 

[WiseMan744436]

Alright, next chapter. This one will give more apparent hints as to the third work of the story. After this, there'll be no more works included other than references.

On another note, just about to get out of college with my two Bachelor's Degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Chinese. Finished strong with about 3 As and 3 Bs and around 3.4 GPA. Nice!

---

Inside one of the Grand Cathedral's central offices, Carim remained seated within the large circular table. Behind her was a large window that overlooked outside the Cathedral. The high-ranked Belkan Knight had her hands clasped on the table as she awaited her guests.

It wasn't long before Hayate entered the room by her side. Following behind the Lieutenant Colonel was Reinforce Zwei and the Hammer Knight.

"Good afternoon, Miss Hayate," Gracia greeted the Belkan Knight as she and her family members entered her office.

"We're sorry for the delay, Gracia-san," Hayate apologized. "Due to some circumstances, we weren't able to arrive sooner than wished."

"I already got your report from Signum. Your delay was expected ever since we learned about your new guests."

"Of course, Gracia-san. They said they wanted to come over and so they got their wish."

By then, Hayate and her protectors made way for Angelise and Momoka, who stepped into the room.

"You must be Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi and Momoka Oginome," Carim greeted the two guests. "I am Sister Carim Gracia, Belkan Knight of the Saint Church and one of the Directors in the Time-Space Administration Bureau. Signum and others told me many things about the two of you."

"P-Please to make your acquaintance, Carim-sama," Momoka stuttered before bowing formally to the Knight. Angelise then followed suit.

"There's no need for formality," Carim waved her hand. "As a guest acquainted with Miss Hayate, you're treated like a normal person here."

"Normal person…"

A chuckle suddenly came from Carim to the two guests' confusion.

"What's so funny?"

"Among the things that Signum said, I had to see it for myself. Your behavior is like someone else we know."

"Coming to think of it," Hayate joined. "She really does act like Fate. Maybe the two of you are related?"

"At least Fate's not as clumsy as she is."

Vita's remark cause Carim and Hayate to chuckle. However, Angelise blushed in shame and embarrassment, causing Momoka to stand up.

"Lady Angelise is a guest here. Do not mock her for it!"

"It's a joke, Momoka-san," Hayate excused. "There's no harm being done."

"Lady Angelise should be treated with respect!"

"That's enough, Momoka-san," Angelise talked her down. She took a step towards Carim and took a bow. "But what she says is true, Carim-sama. We appreciate you inviting us over this cathedral."

"As I heard," Carim responded. "Signum told me you were very interested in the Belkan era and how it closely resembles your old home. Is that the reason why you decided to come here?"

"That's right," Angelise went to up the table. "For that, I want answers to everything regarding Belka. What happened during the era? Why does everything here from the culture to food all look like that from Misurugi? Why is it not on record in either place? And where does-"

Before Angelise can continue, she felt Hayate's hand land on her shoulder. The Lieutenant Colonel shook her head in front of her, and she calmed her down.

"Angie-san, let's not get ahead ourselves. We should settle important matters first and complete them one at a time."

"That's correct," Carim agreed. "I know that you have a lot of questions regarding Ancient Belka, our Church, and the Bureau. Shamal reported that as well through Signum. Do not fret, Miss Angelise, for we can provide as much help as you can. However, that is the least of our concerns. Right now, we have other matters to attend to, isn't that right, Miss Hayate?"

"That's correct. Before any research can be done, there are still some issues we need to take care of immediately."

"What issues?"

The Church Knight sighed over Angelise's obliviousness. While she can be forgiven for the matter was inevitable, she still glared at Hayate for not informing her in some way.

"It doesn't sound like you told her the news."

Hayate sighed before she explained.

"It was Signum's idea. If we told these girls any sooner, then it would cause a tantrum among Angelise. It was better to settle it as soon as we can, and have it done privately."

The drew some blanks from Momoka while Angelise was getting more desperate.

"W-What news? What's going on here!?"

"Settle down, Miss Angelise," Carim ordered the princess as patiently as she could.

"Is everything alright, Sister Carim?"

Another Church Knight entered the room. Like Carim, she was wearing the typical black and white nun uniform. She had orange eyes and short magenta hair in contrast to Carim's long blonde hair.

"Everything is okay, Sister Schach," Carim calmed the stern woman. "It's just a little ruckus, but nothing to worry over."

"Are you sure," Schach Nouera eyed on Angelise and Momoka who stood by her superior. She had a hunch, but she found something unusual between the two

"Please, this is a private matter. I will not have any other guests in here unless I call for it."

"I understand, Sister Carim."

With that, Schach Nouera left the room. Although Carim ordered her to leave them be, he presence still unnerved the two guests. They could sense something within her that was pretty hostile rather than friendly like Carim.

"Who was that girl?" Momoka spoke first.

"That was Sister Schach Nouera," Carim answered. "She's another Knight of the Church and my trusted assistant."

"She didn't sound very friendly…"

"I don't know," Hayate butted in for a small joke. "Last time I heard, she nearly attacked Erio and Caro when brought Vivio. And that's excluded when Nanoha almost intervened."

"Hayate, please joke over the matter," Carim talked her down before resuming to Momoka's concerns. "Schach has always been like that. Please don't too bothered by it for she's just trying to protect members of the Church from harm. She's been like that with my half-brother Rossa, too."

Carim still could see that her words weren't doing calming the two down. It was not a good sign considering the topics that the girls were about to go over.

"In any case, we need must get to the issues at hand. Please, everyone, take your seats."

By her command, Carim's guests took their seats on the large circular table. Hayate and Rein stood together by the Church Knight on the left while Vita circled to the right. Angelise and Momoka sat in the nearest chairs, which were directly opposite of Carim and Hayate respectively. With everyone in their seats, the long discussion that already had high tension in air commenced.

---

In one of the southern cities of Midchilda, Fate and Signum were walking down an alleyway. The two were assigned a case of Lost Logia smuggling that was reported a few hours ago. At first, the two were suspicious since there was only a minimum amount of details to reasonable suspicion over the group's activities. Sadly, they found little evidence, and with their report, the case was put on hold. Now the girls were wandering in the city while awaiting new orders.

The TSAB agents were having a conversation parallel to what was being discussed within the Grand Cathedral more than half an hour ago. However, Fate wasn't taking well to the topic.

"Angelise and Momoka are being transferred out of Midchilda?"

"After their decision in the next few days," Signum defined the orders. "Shortly after that incident in the supermarket when Captain Nanoha was injured, the suspect Cecilia discussed their home planet and, in her words, other critical information."

"Critical information?"

"Cecilia went on about the details of Mana, including the background, political climate, and important locations that are confidential even to the world's inhabitants. She even gave information about her main supporter, who she claims is someone Angelise knows very well in the Empire of Misurugi. She also went into the culture of the TSAB and the danger of sending both her and Momoka back to their home planet alone."

"She's trying to bargain with the TSAB," Fate assumed. "She wants them to give full protection when they return."

"More than just full protection," Signum continued. "More specifically, when Cecilia shared this information, she additionally recommended that we offer them membership into the Bureau."

"W-What?" Fate was no stranger to the Bureau recruiting foreigners into its organization. Nanoha and Hayate, her closest friends, were the two famous examples in the Bureau's history. But for them to draft the girls so soon?

"Even for us, having a girl who's learned the Bureau for no more than a week. There's also the problem with the two's irregularities when it comes to magic, specifically Angelise's anti-magic abilities comparable to the Eclipse virus and Momoka's lack of a Linker Core to generate Mana independently. There's also the issue with the vehicle she summoned."

"You mean the Villkiss?"

"A vehicle that appeared out of nowhere in front of your house and has an S-plus Rank power source is already common knowledge for the TSAB officials. Although they haven't come to a final decision, I believe these factors have contributed it."

"So what do they plan to do with Angelise and Momoka?"

The two stopped by a crosswalk before Signum continued.

"Although they cannot recruit the two girls into the TSAB, they understand the crisis as stated by Cecilia that they won't just send them back to Mana. Instead, they'll bring them to another world administered by the TSAB until they're used to normal life. They'll likely be sent to one of the culture reservation worlds where the two continue to explore a normal, modern life within the TSAB. They consider it fit for a princess with a sweet, but spoiled personality and her loyal maid."

"A culture reservation...so that's why they were sent to the Belkan region."

Signum nodded as they crossed the street.

"In other words, it will not be the Bureau that will be protecting Angelise and Nanoha, but the Saint Church. They've also been informed of their irregularities and promised to protect them as much as they can. And because of their possibly Ruwella due to its proximity to Midchilda, so that they can keep in touch with the Church and us whenever she wanted."

"I appreciate hearing this. After seeing Angelise and Momoka, I'm that a little more time in the Bureau will help them mature a little more. However," Fate paused before she was sure of our question. "Is that why didn't you didn't tell them about this?"

"A royal is usually tied to her own home," Signum reason. "If she were to know immediately that she couldn't go home, chances are that she would have protested."

"It is sad to think about," Fate lamented. "Not being able to return to your old home."

"After learning more about that place, returning her to Mana is by no means a good idea for anyone's interests. Not even Miss Angelise will appreciate if she merely went back, especially if she were to return now, as there's no telling what will ultimately happen to her."

From her understanding, Fate nodded to that point. As Enforcer and before then, she had experience with those who suffered from racism, though not as indiscriminate. If Angelise were to survive, she'd have to break away from her old home temporarily.

Meanwhile, away from the TSAB agents, two familiar cyborgs were walking down a nearby empty alleyway. Cinque and Sein were walking with hoodies on to conceal their appearance. Part of it was so no one would know that they were Combat Cyborgs, something that the Bureau never took lightly. But the other reason was so no one would get a close look at their faces over an important manner.

"So Cinque-nee-sama, tell me why we're operating in this city again?" Sein complained.

"It's the Doctor's orders," Cinque responded. "Just a few hours ago, a small shuttlecraft descended into Midchilda's atmosphere and landed by one of Cranagan's airports. Although the machines were registered as food delivery vehicles, they emptied the cargo someplace long before the TSAB could inspect them. This information was never reported properly, and we are the only ones aware of this fact. All that came through was the suspicion of Lost Logia smuggling in this region."

"So another heist this time, huh? At least it better not be trash like before."

"Those discs are not trash," Cinque glared at her younger sister. "The Doctor is working on reconstructing those drones we found so we could conduct a proper analysis. Besides, this is something that the Doctor wishes us to see. With everything that's happened in the past few years, he has grown weary of unusual activity and wanted us to be on alert at all times."

Be on alert at all times, eh?"

The two were interrupted by a loud horn from a truck, just when they cleared the alleyway. The two took a right where the loud noise came from before going into hiding. Cinque laid herself flat against a wall while Sein sunk into it to proceed. As she went on ahead, she poked out her finger that had her Periscopic Eye to see her outside surroundings, which went well with her Deep Dive Inherent Skill. Cinque continued to remain in contact with Sein through an earpiece.

"What is it, Sein?"

"Looks like someone isn't too happy over here," Sein reached the corner of the wall where a large truck remained idle inside the parking lot with its engine on. Another truck was idling behind it with the driver's seat empty. The driver in question was actually on the left side of the first truck. Sein could see him approaching the driver's seat, and he was not too happy.

"Hey, you wait like everyone else, pal!"

BLAM!

Out from the truck, a shotgun blast blew off the man's head. The corpse splatter blood to a nearby car while the headless corpse flew backward by a meter. The sudden gunshot and unsightly result unnerved the girl burrowed into the wall as if she was nearly ready to puke.

The loud noise also came to Cinque's attention.

"Sein, what's going on?"

"I-I don't know; some guy just got his head blown off when he tried to argue! You think this could be the suspicious cargo unit you were talking about?"

"I don't know, but it doesn't seem safe. Let's get away fast before they-"

Cinque was interrupted by loud metallic footsteps. By Sein's location, she could also hear metal rock and twist from inside the truck's container. Whatever was inside, it sounded like something big started to move. She guessed were back by swearing she heard an electronic noise that sounded like a machine powering on.

BLAM!

The rear door of the cargo container blasted open that slammed into the truck behind it. The loud blast made both cyborgs freeze and keep a close eye on the situation.

The mouth of the rear door was then ripped upward as a large red machine came out of it. Cinque and Sein sized it to be around nine meters tall discounting the extra height from the truck. Although mechanical, the machine itself looked very human save for the fins on its head, shoulders, and back. Sein could see a red beam projected onto the wall from its head that was its main advisor and red energy emitting from the outlines of the machine.

At first, the machine took a couple of steps. The two cyborgs deducted that the pilot was manned and an amateur due to stumbling for the first few moments. Maybe if they weren't in a populated area where civilians and TSAB agents were around, they could take it head on.

However, the machine still projected a strong force that both girls could feel. Some suspicious men inside the truck were also trying to escape as they expected the place to be a war zone. With all the collected details and observations, she could draw an undoubted conclusion.

Just what we feared...it's those people!

"Cinque-nee-sama," Sein called from the earpiece. "It's those people, aren't they?"

"Yes," Cinque responded desperately. "It's them."

"What should we do, Cinque-nee-?"

"Run, Sein! Get away from that machine now!"

As the Cyborgs made their escape, the red-finned machine regained its balance. It then reached its back, taking a rifle with its left hand and a large knife on its right. Turning around, it aimed its loaded before pulling the trigger.

---

At the same time, Shamal and Zafira were back at the Yagami residence. Shamal was busy with housekeeping as she just finished up cleaning the carpet in the living room. However, she noticed that Zafira was quiet. The Guardian Beast laid on top of the couch as he attempted to sleep.

"Are you feeling under the weather, Zafira?"

"I'm fine. There's just...very much that's going on. Especially with Hayate and that girl's departure."

"Do you think it's a shame that Angelise is leaving?" Shamal asked regretfully. Both of them were informed about the recent orders to relocate the princess. "I heard that she just reunited with her maid. From what Signum and Vita, she sounded like a very polite girl and we were just getting to know Angelise. If only a week did not pass by so quickly. "

"The girl still has a royal mindset," Zafira objected. "She's thrown in a completely different world compared to hers. It's only natural that she would be confused, if not throwing any tantrums. She'll have to catch up by a large margin in maturing if she is to survive."

"Even so, she still looked like she welcomed this world. Perhaps I think that she'll grow into a fine woman someday. Someone people will look up to in…"

Shamal trailed off once she was Zafira's ears twitch a few times. The Guardian beast then jumped from his seat on high alert. He stood still for the moment as he listened in.

"What's wrong, Zafira?"

After a few seconds, the Guardian Beast jumped off the couch.

"Shamal, get down now!"

"Eh?"

Shamal found herself tackled by the Guardian Beast. Letting go of the vacuum, she stumbled backward and landed on the floor with Zafira on top of him.

An explosion occurred shortly afterward at the front entrance. Chunks of debris were sent flying down the hallways and into the kitchen. Smoke and dust covered the other rooms of the lower level as Zafira protected Shamal from the debris. The two Knights transformed for battle as the dust was settling within the house.

Outside the Yagami residence that just got attacked, another machine that blended in transparently with its surroundings deactivated its cloaking mechanism. The gunshot from the rifle another red humanoid machine with fins. It wasn't long before the machine aimed at the other houses including the Yagami residence and fired a few more rounds.

---

Outside of the Grand Cathedral was a large courtyard, which was surrounded by several other important buildings in the area. Like the rest of the Cathedral, it was all built with stone with the exception of a few trees. When the Cathedral and other churches were in session, there would be nuns who would walk properly in columns that they attended masses.

However, two distinct girls who were Angelise and Momoka sat by one of the courtyard benches shaded by a tree. Momoka was placing a hand over Angelise to comfort her after what they were told less than an hour ago.

Angelise replayed the conversation she had with Carim in her mind.

"What do you mean we can't go back to Misurugi!?" Angelise exclaimed over the statement.

"Please forgive us for the sudden news, but it's orders of the Bureau. Within the next few days, the TSAB will make a final decision where you'll no longer be under care by the Yagami residence.

"Not even Nanoha Takamachi?

"No, and not Enforcer Harlaown either."

"But...but…"

"I know that is great pain for you. However, you must understand our position here. This was in everyone's interest whether you like it or not, and those interests included yours and Momoka's."

"This is not acceptable!"

"Lady Angelise," Momoka could only watch her princess complain.

"At this moment, I...Misurugi will be…"

As tears ran into her eyes, she failed to see an irritated Vita get off her chair. The Hammer Knight then walked up to the princess and gave a big slap in the face. The slap was so strong that it jerked her face ninety degrees to the left and threw the watering tears from her eyes. As Angelise made a gasp, Momoka covered her mouth over Vita's attack on the princess.

"Quit your sulking, will ya!?" Vita barked at her. "Your complaining is going to change anyone's mind. And you're getting just on everybody's nerves here!"

Angelise slowly turned her bewildered head back to the agitated Vita. She then turned her head to the now turned serious Carim, an equally agitated Reinforce, and the worried Momoka. Hayate also stepped into the matter, unable to stand by either.

"Miss Angelise, you should be aware that we're doing our best to protect you. However, even as a guest, there are certain limitations that can do with you. This was all orders from the higher-ups. Keep in mind that Carim had a saying in this as well and she did the best she could to make it easy for you."

"Easy?" Angelise turned to Carim, who let out a sigh of displeasure.

"To be more specific, you're going to be transferred to one of the TSAB's reservation areas. You won't find any magic there, so it's by no means a world where is life is easy. However, they are under the jurisdiction of both the TSAB and the Saint Church. Actually, you'll be more under the protection of us rather than the Bureau."

"I...do not understand."

"The Saint Church has operations in more than just the Self-Govern Area here on Midchilda," Carim explained. "On every world, the Saint Church establishes cathedrals all over the place. From here, you'll be able to contact the Bureau, including the three Aces and me whenever you want."

"Please, do not think that this is a final decision, nor is this permanent. Keep in mind that we have interest in the world of Mana as well as the Huckebein, but that's more of the reason why we can't just let you stick out. If either of them knows that you're here, it's very likely they'll target you without hesitation. Therefore, we found it best to give you a temporary hiding place until it's safe for you to return."

"How long is temporary?"

"Unfortunately, that is something we do not know."

Carim answered despite knowing it still left Angelise unphased. Unfortunately, that was the truth; depending on how the case lasts, it could be as fast as a couple of weeks. However, there were cases that have gone on for decades there was still no conclusion, the case of rogue criminals like Jail Scaglietti being one of them. The existence of another world in a parallel universe, not to mention the Huckebein possibly still trapped in there, should be enough to have sufficient force on the case. Even then, all they could do is wait and see how long the case will be drawn out.

"Tell you what, we will give a moment or two to think about this. You can tell us whenever you're ready."

That's all the princess knew from the conversation before she left the room. Since then, she went to someplace quiet where she could be alone. Of course, Momoka was still around, who followed her regardless. Bue even with her best friend around, Angelise was not in the mood to be happy.

"Lady Angelise," Momoka spoke to get her attention.

No answer came from the princess.

"Lady Angelise…"

Again, no answer.

"Princess Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi!"

"What!?"

"If you are worried something, you should talk to someone right away" Momoka spoke sharper than usual before returning to her normal passive voice. "Is it about what those people said?"

"That's just it!" Angelise retorted. "It's possible...that we may not go home again."

"Lady Angelise, I…"

"There was a time when all I wanted was to have a peaceful, but satisfying life once I took the throne. That day, when I obtained this ring from mother when I made a promise to myself that when ruled the Empire, I'd become a strong leader just like her. But now, that's….that's impossible, isn't it?"

"Lady Angelise…"

"And now that I'm one of those Norma. Another vile, cruel, violent, antisocial-"

"Don't say that!" Momoka gripped her princess tightly to stop her talking further. "Lady Angelise, you're nothing like that at all!"

"Momoka…" Angelise gazed Momoka's eyes that were tearing as much as hers.

"When His Majesty told me to protect you with all my life, I also wondered why he wanted me to do it. That is until that day when I saw the true you. Not vile, not antisocial, not cruel, none of that! In the end, you're as kind as you are. Don't let anything think otherwise!"

As Momoka leaned more towards Angelise, she realized what she was has done. Her words just hurt her trusted maid, who did nothing wrong to her or anyone else. That was when she wrapped herself around the maid.

"Thank you, Momoka."

As her head laid on her maid, she began singing that song from her mother. It was always something that would save her after some tragedy or when danger was near. But that wasn't what she was looking for this time. If only there was a miracle in her life. A miracle just like her mother's song...and the Villkiss...

---

At the nearby waters close to the Self Governed Area, a large tanker vessel was approaching one of the nearby ports. The large ship already cross the point where it should've taken the time to slow down so that it could enter a port. However, the ship wasn't bothered by slowing and was instead gaining speed. It was also moving away from the authorized ports and towards the beaches closest to the populated areas of the Self-Governed Area.

Several Belkan Knights and TSAB Aerial Mages who were patrolling the area noticed the tanker's unusual course as it was only a few hundred meters away from the shoreline. The Knights nearby steered clear for the ship's impact while they readied their Devices and jackets for combat. The Aerial Mages continued to contact the bridge, which they received no answer.

"Attention tanker! You are trespassing restricted waters! Please state your identification code immediately!"

Little did they know until it was too late that the tanker itself was empty. The entire machine was computer controlled with will heat signatures that could count as human beings. Because the machine wasn't aiming for any buildings, there was still some possibility that its goal was not attacking civilians. Because large machines like trains and vessels were computer-controlled nowadays, so some thought it lost control at some point and diverged well from its course.

Even so, the Aerial Mages that weren't aware of this approached the large tanker as the continued to call out to the bridge.

"Unknown vessel, you are making landfall! Please slow down the ship, I repeat, please slow down-"

Suddenly, a large electronic voice echoed across the seashores as something large powered on inside the tanker. Following that was an invisible wave of force that shook the ground and the Mages back for a moment. All the Mages and Belkan Knights froze as the shockwave died down.

"What the-"

BLAM!

A Mage close to the port side of the tanker was interrupted as a large burst from the ship's hull. A massive red, round mechanical gauntlet with metallic gray fingers tore through the side of the tanker and seized one of the nearby Aerial Mages. The unfortunate Mage was caught completely off guard as he found himself stuck in the hands of the mechanical monster. Before he could fly out, the large arm glowed with a red aura that enveloped the hand. The machine then crushed the trapped Mage with immense energy as the man exploded into the blood that splattered the hand's palm.

Two Aerial Mages that attempted to rescue the man fled to a higher altitude to keep their distance. The Belkan Knights stood in combat stances as they stood back as the tanker crashed into the shoreline. It took around half a minute before the ship came to a complete stop. The nose of the ship impacted a cliff that caused some rocks to fall elsewhere.

In the middle of the confusion, the red arm tore through the vessel's hull upward from the side. The arm made a trail of ripped metal as it went its way up to the cargo bay with a large strip of scrap metal breaking off. Another similar arm busted the top of the tanker before ripping its way through the starboard side of the tanker.

As both arms then grasped the outside frame for support, the Aerial Mages moved in to intercept the machine. However, they were all halted when they countless more signatures on the vessel. Four shipping containers on the tanker's deck opened up. Inside were rows of blue disc drones that launched from their hardpoints. Two streams of these Pyrethroid drones headed their way towards the shoreline while the other two surrounded the machine that erupted from the grounded tanker.

The red machine in question was around 40 meters tall, although it could be a little higher if it wasn't for its primarily slouched stance. The main body was a blocky upper torso and ring-like joint underneath for the lower torso that held its legs. The arm and leg joints were protected by large rings and cylinders and the shoulders were spherical with stored rotating cannons. On the back stored a long club-like weapon shaped like a sword. Aside from the many vulnerable sections of the machine's metal gray skeleton, it also had tiny legs and feet that would make the machine easily collapsible by its own weight, but the surrounding red aura seemed to prevent that from happening. Its long head that glowed red eyes below the four gun ports that included cameras.

Within the head was the main cockpit seat of the unit, occupied by a 16-year-old girl with short blonde hair. As the capsule she took fell to the side of the cockpit, her eyes were showing blood veins and she was breathing quickly and heavily. The computer inside reported.

"Optional Relic installed. Lambda Driver system fully operational. Plan-1051 Behemoth AS ready for deployment."

All the systems were showing green lights inside as the large machine crawled out of its hole. The machine is extremely slow and nearly lost balance on the first step as it created a small earthquake onto the ground. However, this was due to the instability of its pilot who was still recovering from the serum's effects. The pains that consumed the mind of the young girl converted into extreme anger.

"I shall kill you now...NORMA!"

---

Okay, it should be far more obvious as to what third work in this crossover is. The recent anime that'll possibly cover the rest of the light novels, which will give me more insight into future battles. Too bad that each episode comes in weekly, although that should be expected for all animes.

Above all, you can also thank Super Robot Wars V for this incorporating this idea. I never noticed the similarities between the two shows until I found the game. Before then, I was just going to do Nanoha and Cross Ange, but this streamlines at least the first half of the fanfic.

Anyway, hope you enjoy the read look forward to the next one or two chapters that'll come up.

 

[LunarDreams]

I really like this,Cross Ange is a series for me that has a lot of flaws,the main one for me being how rushed the MCs development was, making it feel unearned for me.(Seriously how did a princess who had no clue of basic life skills get that skilled at military tactics and piloting?)
I also didn't like how tasteless the constant fanservice was and how grimdark the world was to the point where I didn't care about any of the characters fates. To be honest,I didn't like it.
But I will admit that Cross Ange's world can easily work in a Nanoha crossover because of the magic system and mechs and it makes me curious how it connects with the Nanoha mythology.
I'm hoping that you flesh out CA's magic system and society some because the anime did a poor job of general worldbuilding and that's another reason I dislike it.
After Ange's eventual character growth/development would she even want to be a princess and go back to that life and world? I can imagine she'd be soured on the whole thing.
If she's not joining TSAB,then is she joining some other group to grow as a fighter? Also,I'm wondering what is with that Vilkiss thing and if she'll get it back eventually.

I'm not that big of fan of you adding a third crossover. Crossovers are easy to write,but hard to do well. When two things mix you have to take into account things like powerscaling and making sure that one element doesnt overshadow the other. It's even messier when you start adding more than two since you have to juggle much more and many good writers have dropped the ball on it and I'm not sure if you can do it well enough to justify that third crossover.

This series for me is fixing issues I had with the series so thanks for that. I think it's a shame that this story hasn't had that many comments since you'd think a Nanoha crossover would get more.

 

[LunarDreams]

I'm hoping you can answer at least some of my questions because I'm interested in seeing where this goes

 

[WiseMan744436]

I really like this, Cross Ange is a series for me that has a lot of flaws, the main one for me being how rushed the MCs development was, making it feel unearned for me. (Seriously how did a princess who had no clue of basic life skills get that skilled at military tactics and piloting?)

I also didn't like how tasteless the constant fanservice was and how grimdark the world was to the point where I didn't care about any of the characters' fates. To be honest, I didn't like it.

But I will admit that Cross Ange's world can easily work in a Nanoha crossover because of the magic system and mechs and it makes me curious how it connects with the Nanoha mythology.

I'm hoping that you flesh out CA's magic system and society some because the anime did a poor job of general worldbuilding and that's another reason I dislike it.

After Ange's eventual character growth/development would she even want to be a princess and go back to that life and world? I can imagine she'd be soured on the whole thing.

If she's not joining TSAB, then is she joining some other group to grow as a fighter? Also, I'm wondering what is with that Vilkiss thing and if she'll get it back eventually.

Click to shrink...

I'm glad that you enjoy the fic. I also wish there were more people who do on this forum. Spacebattles seems to where I get the most attention, though having over 20 followers/favorites average is pretty good, too.

As for the series, I'm less on the fanservice and more of the people who find the series psychologically destructive to the core, perhaps the same way many people found Evangelion or Madoka Magica. Like its original purpose was to take a somewhat idealistic princess and torture her all the way to the very end of the series. Let alone all the other that is was trying to say like technology/magic/environmentalism is bad, otakus are power hungry monsters who repel women at first sight, and the only good people are those who bully others for whatever reasons, use violence on a whim to get what they want, or let it all happen. Of course, this is just me and I know there are those know like this kind of stuff, but I'm one of those people who found it intolerable.

I wrote this story in response to the whole Cross Ange storyline by turning the psychological mess into a more classical approach to a princess coming-of-age story (as best I can at least). What first started off as a seiyuu joke (Ange=Fate, Hilda=Nanoha, and apparently Chris=Rinne) then went show that the Lyrical Nanoha franchise had everything I needed to make that happen. I took inspiration from other series as well, especially Knight's & Magic with the mecha-fantasy setting and Princess Eleonora's journey to maturity during the war against Zaloudek. I also took influence from fanfics that did something similar such as Thanks Kyubey for Madoka Magica and Wandering Pilot, an adult story that crosses Queen's Blade with Evangelion.

Rest assured, Ange and Momoka aren't going anywhere and will eventually become legit members of the Bureau. The Villkiss is also staying and will continue to be throughout the fic. However, I have yet to decide the actual ending once everything gets resolved. Will Ange return to Misurugi to coronate herself as Empress? Will she renounce her title and go live in the Bureau or Arzenal? Will the Mana users/Norma/Ancient Humans/Dragons accompany her or part ways with her once everything's wrapped up? So far, all those and related questions have no answer.

I'm not that big of a fan of you adding a third crossover. Crossovers are easy to write, but hard to do well. When two things mix you have to take into account things like power scaling and making sure that one element doesn't overshadow the other. It's even messier when you start adding more than two since you have to juggle much more and many good writers have dropped the ball on it and I'm not sure if you can do it well enough to justify that third crossover.

This series for me is fixing issues I had with the series so thanks for that. I think it's a shame that this story hasn't had that many comments since you'd think a Nanoha crossover would get more.

Click to shrink...

I am well aware of not going out of control when including more than two stories in a crossover, but I know where to stop and included Full Metal Panic as a necessity. Actually, when I only did Lyrical Nanoha and Cross Ange, I could only go up to when Ange and Momoka got stuck on Midchilda while the Huckebein roamed free on Mana to kill anyone they pleased.

It was when Super Robot Wars V came around, which introduced me to Full Metal Panic. I was aware of FMP because a friend of mine used Leonard Testarossa for his stories, but this was the first time going through the actual FMP story. It actually came to surprise how comparable Leonard was to Embryo, only that he was a far more sympathetic case. I also found it a funny coincidence how Nanoha and FMP both have a Testarossa family with good and bad guys in it, so it would be an interesting dynamic as to see how they're related and how the Bureau and Arzenal go up against him as well as Embryo.

I also found the rest of Amalgam to be a worthy enemy for both the TSAB and Arzenal. Mithril and TSAB have pretty much the same goals and Amalgam runs contrary to them by supporting terrorism and war to advance military technology. Its use of Black Technology to start itself up rather than Lost Logia also helps them gain an edge. Plus, it was getting excruciatingly boring that Cross Ange and Nanoha series had mostly monsters and automated drones for their forces, which goes against my favor for more human-based enemies. Not only does FMP fix that, but it'll give some flexibility to the types of enemies that Arzenal and the Bureau will fight to fight through the series.

So far, FMP has helped me so much. To start, what happens between Embryo and Leonard in SRW V has become a recurring theme in my fic where it took a bigger asshole make another rethink himself. I mean, how do you think those on Arzenal will respond over confronting Nanoha's enemies like Dr. Jail and the Huckebein, the latter fitting the bill more for how Mana depicts the Norma? What if Gaiz, who marks Hayate and the others criminals, has a sudden encounter with Emperor Julio and his activities? Also, what started as just a few chapters with Ange x Nanoha has now expanded to a multi-arc storyline. The only problem I have now, besides the ending, is planning out the arcs that connect the first half to the last three arcs.

Hope that answered all of your questions.

 

[LunarDreams]

i'm wondering how Full Metal Panic ties in though.Is it another unregistered world or from another dimension?

 

[WiseMan744436]

i'm wondering how Full Metal Panic ties in though.Is it another unregistered world or from another dimension?

Click to shrink...

It shares the world as Nanoha's. By the time the series is properly introduced, the first couple seasons are already done and it jumps into Second Raid.

 

[LunarDreams]

It shares the world as Nanoha's. By the time the series is properly introduced, the first couple seasons are already done and it jumps into Second Raid.

Click to shrink...

Okay then. Thanks for telling me. it does make me wonder what would make the TSAB involve themselves like that since they normally like to interfere as little as possible.

I'd also like to know what made you decide to pair Nanoha/Ange instead of Ange/Tusk together as while the series has never explicitly told us that Nanoha/Fate are in a relationship,it's pretty obvious from the way they interact with each other,to the point where they both live together and raise a child together that that's what's happening. Even if they're best friends,actually living together is something else entirely.

 

[WiseMan744436]

Okay then. Thanks for telling me. it does make me wonder what would make the TSAB involve themselves like that since they normally like to interfere as little as possible.

I'd also like to know what made you decide to pair Nanoha/Ange instead of Ange/Tusk together as while the series has never explicitly told us that Nanoha/Fate are in a relationship,it's pretty obvious from the way they interact with each other,to the point where they both live together and raise a child together that that's what's happening. Even if they're best friends,actually living together is something else entirely.

Click to shrink...

Well, Ange is paired with multiple people, not just Tusk. Take Hilda for example.

The shipping with Nanoha/Ange is also a seiyuu joke. Ange and Fate are both voiced by Nana Mizuki. Nanoha and Hilda are voices by Yukari Tamura. Because NanoFate and AngeHilda are official pairings, it should be interesting if the two couples together or switched.

 

[LunarDreams]

Well, Ange is paired with multiple people, not just Tusk. Take Hilda for example.

The shipping with Nanoha/Ange is also a seiyuu joke. Ange and Fate are both voiced by Nana Mizuki. Nanoha and Hilda are voices by Yukari Tamura. Because NanoFate and AngeHilda are official pairings, it should be interesting if the two couples together or switched.

Click to shrink...

It feels kind of weird,but maybe once the romance gets off the ground I'll feel differently since I'll have time to see how they work as a couple.

Also,if you decide to have Ange not reclaim her throne,maybe you could have her take a sabbatical from TSAB and have her be an advisor to her little sister and help her grow and rebuild the empire from the ground up since in it's current state its rotten to the core. I can't see Post-development Ange just sitting by the sidelines and not doing anything to better her home like she did in canon.

One of things that contributed to me not caring about the characters is how the Dragons goals are portrayed. It's understandable that they want to rescue something important to them,but what makes me see them as immoral is how they know that taking the dragon back with them will basically mean no more mana,which will implode the society and the economy of the World of Mana since they use magic for basically everything. Their actions in canon would've caused a lot of civil unrest and they didn't give a shit. It wouldn't be so bad if they at least tried to help find alternatives to replace it,but they don't.And from what I see the story treats them as...well not in the right,but they dont get called out for their actions either. Actually,a lot of stuff the Dragons pull don't get proper closure.

One last thing,I have something of an issue with Mana,namely that so far it feels really underpowered compared to Namoha magic,unless you're planning to bend the rules some so that Mana can be more versatile than it is in canon.

 

[WiseMan744436]

So, the arc is about to come to a close. I'll be slower to update now that have many other projects in the works, specifically 3D modeling and printing. That said, I'll be getting a few machines patented pretty soon, which should be awesome.

It should already be clear by now that Full Metal Panic is the third work in this fic. However, it will not have real relevance in the story until the third arc, appropriately named The Second Raid.

Anyway, here's the first part of the Lost Princess arc's last series of battles.

---

Back in the facility for the Capital Defense Corps' own Technical Division, Atenza was approaching the door to the main warehouse. Before she entered, she stopped to take off her glasses. She could tell if it was her glasses or her eyes, but she found her vision blurry at the time.

It was understandable due to the stress put on her. She had been working on the Villkiss machine non-stop and very early in the morning. It was no wonder that she would be extremely tired.

After rubbing her eyes and wiping off her glasses, she continued her walk. Before leaving, she just finished analyzing the machine and its systems. Once that was finished, her next task would be to remove the armaments before finding the source of the miniaturized spacetime distortions. Perhaps that was the best way of figuring the machine's capabilities.

Atenza caught a yawn as she entered the door...then stopped midway walking.

"What the?"

The Device Meister jerked her head to the other side to be sure she was looking in the right direction. However, found the same result. Aside from all the equipment she used to analyze the Villkiss, the warehouse was completely vacant.

As confused as she was, Atenza shrugged over the sudden incident. How was she to report this? This is wasn't like she could be excused since she was not answering to her old acquaintances.

Worse came to worst when she found a screen open up. It was another incoming call from Auris Gaiz.

---

As the smoke cleared, the Yagami residence was already a wreck. The damage was mostly the huge hole that blew through the main entrance and kitchen. Some pieces of wood and stone were dangling from the ceiling and fell off after a while. However, no one outside the building could tell if there were any confirmed casualties.

That was the advantage Shamal and Zafira had after the sudden attack. Right after the Guardian Beast shielded them, the Knight of the Lake opened a portal to just outside their home. The two found themselves right on the sidewalk as when they made it to the other side.

"This was a close call," Zafira said as he coughed by his arm. Shamal also sighed in relief over the sudden attack.

"How did you know that this was going to happen?"

"I just sensed it," Zafira answered. "It wasn't easy because it was not a normal magical attack in nature, nor was it a normal physical weapon."

"Do you think it could be those people?"

"Very likely, but that's not the problem here. No ordinary criminal would attack our home so sudden, not even they would try it, even with this kind of equipment."

"Then who do you think it might be?"

"That I do not know."

Zafira paused as they heard metallic footsteps followed by more explosions. Up in the distance, three more houses exploded by seemingly invisible shots as debris scattered into the air. People ran away from the neighborhood, now turned into a battlefield, although they were heading away from the Knights' direction.

"But it's not like they're here to sit around and have a chat," Zafira assured as they saw the culprit emerge from the street on their left, a red robot straddling around with a large rifle in its arm. The Guardian Beast took a step forward, preparing to transform into his beast form again. "I'll need you to back me up."

"Right," Shamal complied just when Zafira reverted to his wolf form, complete with his metal claws. She raised her arms up to prepare a spell and Zafira went for the first strike as he dashed towards the red machine.

The pilot inside the machine, a young teenage girl with two sandy brown pigtails in a pilot suit, had her body shake from all of the action. The drugs from the capsule were supposed to have suppressed body of any anxiety, but for Reika, she could still feel nervous. The proof was her heavy breathing after all the climatic instances, from starting her PLAN-1057 Codarl-i to firing off a few rounds with her weapon, labeled the "Mauser MGK 35mm Rifle." Either the drug's effect wasn't immediate or not effective as it intended.

For her, that paranoia became a saving grace as she noticed Zafira's presence seconds after he began his charge. She snapped the Arm Slave's head to face the upcoming Guardian Beast, only to find him already up close. As the wolf roared and revealed his sharp claws, Reika screamed out her lungs as she raised the AS's left arm against it.

Although it was never her intention, the pilot's fear activated the machine's best weapon. Zafira's claws were about to contact the machine's arm until a crude, red barrier that spherically enveloped the AS separated the two. Zafira found himself tackling the barrier with no hope of piercing it, instead of being pushed back by the field. The wolf then pushed himself away from the AS to make a stable landing on the ground with all four feet.

Reika turned the machine so she could aim her rifle at the Guardian Beast. The red AS faced each other for a few seconds with both of them losing patience. Zafira's was based on his anger while Reika out of her fear still overwhelmed the drugs. After Zafira made a small roar, the AS pilot snapped and fired on the machine.

"Go away!" The pilot screamed the Codarl fired a round at Zafira. The Guardian Beast dashed to the right, dodging the subsequent shots that came afterward. "Go away! Go away! Go away, you monstrous beast!"

While Zafira circled the Arm Slave to distract it, Shamal was finished with her spell. She had a green magic triangle projected by her hands and feet as she called out.

"Steel Yoke!"

Multiple white particles of light appeared on the ground, surrounding the red machine. The pilot could only turn her machine in confusion just before those specks of light turn into spikes and pillars. Reika barely dodged the spell's effect as the pillars and spikes grazed the flinching machine. Despite preventing the attacks from impaling her and destroying any limbs, she found her machine completely stuck with her rifle fixed against the ground.

However, that still didn't stop her from giving up. Instead, it made her freak out, providing more energy into the Cordal's systems, glowing the same red aura that enveloped the machine.

Shamal and Zafira were in the middle of recovering just when the enemy's special weapon took effect. Although it took some effort, the red auras cracked and eventually shattered the pillars of light into countless pieces.

The Arm Slave aimed with its free rifle, prompting the two Knights jumped to the side.

"Sit still already!" the young pilot ranted as she missed the two Knights again, only making another pothole onto the street. She fired several a few more rounds at them, which were deflected by another shield. The pilot squeezed the triggers harder than before. "Just blow up already, you damn criminals!"

The next shot was unlike the others to Zafira and Shamal's perspective. At first, it felt like another bullet. But accompanying it was an invisible force that spiked beyond normal mass bullets. Just after the bullet struck the barrier, it caused an immense explosion that threw the two Knights meters away from the machine. Zafira made a more stable landing as he firmly rolled onto the ground. As soon as he got a good grip on the ground, he was quick to stand up on his two legs, although he was in the middle of kneeling.

However, he could see that Shamal wasn't as lucky; she already hit the ground three times as she bounced on the ground before skidding to a complete stop. Her Knight Clothing was already in shreds when Zafira got a good look at her. She was already showing her up to her shoulders, thighs, and belly by the time the dust settled. Her hat was also blown off, which would've enraged her if she were Vita. Unfortunately, she was not as tough as Zafira, and it was already hard for her to stand up after that attack.

The robot's footsteps prompted Zafira reached Shamal before it could take another clean shot at the two. Just when Zafira was in front of the recovering Knight of the Lake, he turned to the red machine at was approaching them.

Suddenly, the next step almost caused it to limp on its right leg. A couple of sparks shot from the joints, showing signs of damage from Shamal's spell. Subsequently, it fired another round at the ground, causing dust to surround the unit.

The incident gave Shamal enough time to stand up on her two feet with help from Zafira's right arm. The two Knights stood by as the dust cleared around the machine, still glowing its red aura from the debris. Shamal was familiar with this power; it still made her unnerved, especially with all the communication chatter going on in the background as Zafira's support.

"They must've been serious if someone has this kind of power."

"The pilot still appears to be a complete novice," Zafira commented as the Arm Slave stumbled again on its damaged leg. After barely regaining balance, the red mecha continued to fire its rifle randomly as the rounds converged onto the Knights' positions. Several shots blast through a few more houses, couple blew up a line of parked cars, and at least two were aimed at the two Wolkenritter. Zafira put up a barrier to block the shots before jumping back past Shamal. "Either way, she'll still cause a lot of damage if we let this continue. We could stop that machine as fast as possible."

As the red AS regained balance, it aimed at the two Knights again. The pilot could see Zafira already make another dash against her, causing her machine to glow and be ready to project another forcefield against him.

---

Everything was already hectic for Cinque and Sein. Just after the red machine started to walk normally, it already started firing on the nearby buildings without any warning. At first, the recoil of the rifle pushed the upper body of the robot backward until it stopped firing to regain balance. It then put away the large knife it carried so it could hold the rifle with two hands and fire more steadily.

The two Number cyborgs were not in the direct line of fire, nor did they appear to be the pilot's main target. However, chunks of debris spat into the air and onto the nearby streets where several cars stopped or crashed. Another one of the machine's random shots almost hit the corner they hiding behind, forcing Sein to use her Inherent Skill to get her commander to safety. Right now, both of them were on building's roof where it was unlikely to collapse beneath them.

"For once, I have to thank you," Cinque complemented her younger sister.

"Looks we found who's behind those mysterious shuttles, haven't we?"

"Maybe," Cinque wasn't sure. She was too focused on the red-finned robot that was advancing into the street. For those she knew, this was unexpected, but also seemingly spontaneous. Even with its advanced equipment, they were too intelligent to launch a reckless attack like this. But then again, they always sponsored any lone wolf who'd do the most damage before death or capture.

"But why would they launch an attack like this? It doesn't make any sense."

The red finned robot in question already fired more rounds into the street. A shop was already blasted to countless pieces. People were either running or got hit or crushing by the resulting debris. Several cars tried to stop while one of them was already struck a large boulder. The time the smoke cleared the Arm Slave already rushed into the middle of the street.

The pilot, another young girl with short purple hair, turned her own Codarl-i to the streets. Unlike Reika, Maki was more adjusted to the drug's effects. After a few mishaps, she was already operating the machine like a professional. She felt no fear but was rather a concentrated ray of anger pointing at her enemies.

Turning her head toward a swarm of fleeing civilians and cars, Maki put away her rifle and take out two dual machine guns that hung under her arm.

"All of you must….DIE!"

Maki opened fire down the street as she swept both lanes. The cars and buildings to the side were most of the targets hit, but several unlucky civilians were also caught in the life of fire. Glass, wood, rock, and metal rained on the street as the Arm Slave sprayed all the bullets it could. It wasn't long before released the trigger on both machine guns. Already, she did enough damage as both wrecked vehicles buried in debris covered the streets.

As Maki took a deep breath and the machine guns released a stream of smoke, the Arm Slave showed new contacts on its sensors. They were little dots that were traversing the streets and approaching her location. It wasn't long before several cars, and Ground Mages surrounded the Codarl on both sides of the street.

The Mages that arrived by the carnage almost blanched at the shredded corpses. Others hardened enough that they went right into capturing the red machine. They took no hesitation to cast magic circles toward the robot.

Maki crossed the Codarl's arms, expecting there to be an attack. She was caught off guard when the circles instead brought out chains that wrapped around her machine. The girl found herself trapped under over twenty chains from the front and rear; at least four of them were wrapped around her arms and legs while the others were forcing her machine down.

Several of the Ground Mages approached the machine with the Devices in Shooting Mode. One of them still by the cars called out.

"Attention, terrorist! We have you surrounded and detained! Stand down now and exit your vehicle!"

"Terrorist?" Maki spoke inside the machine before gripping the controls. The Mages heard her for she had the speakers stuck on, which caused them to stop. "You're the terrorists; you bug lovers!"

The rage of the girl from Mana emitted a red aura around her machine. The Mages stepped back after feeling some rumbling by the machine. The Arm Slave started standing up, fighting back against the chains that were forcing it down. Then its arms pulled to the side as the red aura's glowed brighter around it. All the chains broke simultaneously and scattered across the street.

"Damn monstrosity!"

The shocked Mages either startled or hesitated into Shooting Mode. Those that did the latter bombarded the AS with simple shooting spells, aiming for the limbs of the machine. Maki covered the center cockpit with her arms again, though a good strike on her legs knocked her back. In the middle of regaining her balance, she threw one of her empty underarm machine guns at the Mages in front of her. The Bureau agents evaded while one cast a Round Shield to protect the cars. The impact sent shockwaves as the large weapon bounced off the shield and crashed onto the ground.

Maki turned around to the other set of Mages and sprayed the other team with her left machinegun that still had some ammunition. The Mages responded by putting up Round Shields to protect themselves from the enemy fire while only one car was destroyed.

Seeing how she did little damage, she put her machinegun away to bring out her rifle. One Mage responded by putting up another shield, which she targeted first. By firing the first round, the shot tore through the barrier and ripped the Mage behind into a piece, scoring the first casualty on the Bureau's side.

Before she could celebrate, she found herself wrapped around by wires with a light blue circle underneath. Maki could only turn the Cordarl's head to find two Mages who cast it from behind. These wires seemed much stronger than before and she could even feel it draining Mana from her. But instead of depowering her, the drain caused her to freak out, causing the Arm Slave to glow bright red again and shatter the spell. Once she was free from the spell, she turned the Codarl around and fired two more rounds that vaporized the two Mages. Another Mage attempted to get close, but she swatted him away and fired another round at his position. The remaining four Mages took steps away, hiding behind their cars and pointing their Devices at the machine for more Shooting and Defensive spells. Even so, Maki responded by aiming for one still trying to find cover.

But then, Maki was distracted when a certain blonde caught her eye. Enforcer Fate arrived on the scene with Bardiche Assault already in Assault Form. It took a while for her to get there due to the flight restrictions on the city. Signum also had the same problem, although she should have clearance to fly there soon enough. Should she have gotten there quicker, she might've saved the people whose corpses she found laying on the street. The Enforcer gripped her Device tightly as whoever did this will have a lot to answer.

"Sir, incoming hostile."

The voice of Bardiche Assault called to Fate, prompting her to face the red machine. The robot's head stared at the girl for some time while the Mages were still in position. One of the Ground Mages reported to her.

"Madam, that machine has some device that gives itself and its weapons unimaginable strength. Four men are already KIA, and we're all pinned down here."

But Fate wasn't paying too much attention to the details. She was too focused on the red AS that was starting to glow again.

"You," the young female voice called out from the machine's speakers. The AS put away its rifle and took out a large knife. Without caring about the other Mages, the machine charged right after the Enforcer, crushing a car and jumping at her. "You must die, you monster!"

Fate responded by blocking the Monomolecular Cutter with Bardiche Assault. Her Device was shaped like a melee weapon, so it was used to close combat such as this. However, the power of this machine and its color seemed more than the Enforcer can handle.

"You never should have even lived, Angelise!"

"Angelise?"

Fate was taken aback over the young pilot's objective. She slipped for once and was forced to step back to avoid the AS's attack and process her thoughts. Could she mean Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi, the Crown Princess who was a Norma without ever realizing it? No, that can't be true. Even if Fate looked almost exactly like her, how could this woman know the princess was here? According to Signum, Mana was a backwater planet, so it shouldn't know the existence of the TSAB, not to mention it was reported to be from a parallel universe. If that's so, then how did they manage to get these weapons?

Unless…

Fate's thoughts were interrupted when more chains restrained the Arm Slave. The remaining Mages hoped to the opportunity to create an opening for Fate. It easily broke the Chain Bind spells thanks to the red aura, which gave Fate more reasonable suspicion.

They had gotten it from that group...

The red AS charged again with its large knife. Fate responded in kind by dashing in midair to confront the machine.

"Zanber Form!" Bardiche called out as is transformed into a large sword with a yellow mana blade. By the time its transformation was complete, the woman and machine clashed their weapon.

The two blades collided, Fate wondered if Mana and the suppliers of this machine were closely related. If that was the case, then this possibly gave more answers than she expected.

---

Perhaps this was the most chaotic and bloody day that the Belkan Self-Governed Area has seen. The usually quiet and sacred area now found itself infested with more than a hundred small drones without warning. The Knights of the Saint Church were prepared to face them as each was trained to be competent fighters. Despite their vast inferiority when it came to numbers, the Knights were all confronting the unmanned weapons rather well. However, some of them were already falling to those numbers.

Vita could see that after destroying another Pyrethroid drone when one of the Knights cut down. Gripping her hammer tightly as she faced three more, she brought out four metal balls into the air.

"Schwalbefliegen!"

Vita struck the metal balls all at once as they homed in on the drones. Two were quickly destroyed, but the other evaded the shot and fired beams at the last two balls. Vita charged and smashed it apart afterward.

The Hammer Knight landed on the ground; she found two familiar characters in the courtyard. They were on the same bench beneath the tree, surrounded by Knights who were fighting off the drones but vulnerable either way. She cruised her way toward their position, smashing three more Pyrethroids in her path before she got to Angelise and Momoka.

The princess panicked when another drone almost got her with its chainsaws only for it be swatted away by the Hammer Knight. Even though she had defenders everywhere, she could feel her heart racing over the situation.

"Vita, can you hear me?" Hayate's voice came from Vita's earpiece.

"Mistress, Hayate," Vita responded.

"Vita, what is the situation?"

"Things were rough here, but I'm fine. And so is this princess and her maid."

"That's good news. The drone attacks were under control in my area, but we have even bigger problems now."

"And what's that?"

"According to the Bureau, we have attacks on two other locations in Midchilda by what sound like Arm Slaves. Signum says she and Fate are engaging one in a city south of Cranagan, but Shamal and Zafira said the other just attacked our house."

"What!?" The report made her eyes glare. She doesn't know who would try to do this, but they were really going to regret messing with the home.

"That's not all," Hayate continued. "The Bureau is reporting a behemoth-sized machine approaching us up north. This just came up shortly after the Pyrethroid attacks when a tanker crashed on the beaches. If that thing gets within range of any populated centers…"

"Tell them, I'm on the way," Vita said in a low, growling voice. Her Device transformed into its Raketenform when Hayate responded.

"Understood. Give it hell, Vita."

Communications were cut as Vita readied Graf Eisen. She could see Angelise and Momoka standing there, prompting Vita to snap her out of it.

"Hey, are you gonna just sit there or not!?"

"I, uh…"

"You two need to find some shelter. This is no place for you to be wandering around!"

"I know, but I…."

"This isn't like last time, princess! Don't even think about trying to be a hero in a situation like this! These things will kill you if you screw up, and the last thing we need is for you to die!"

"Die?"

Vita didn't want to show it, but the girl was frustrating her. Did she have a death wish, or was she just stupid about how to live? Not that words aren't going to matter anymore. She has other problems, and the princess had to figure out things by herself.

"If you don't want to die, then don't do anything that's gonna get yourself killed!"

If that Vita just left. Using the Graf Eisen's rocket-propelled form, she launched herself into the air, smashing two more Pyrethroids in the way. When she cleared through the swarm of drones, she returned Graf Eisen to Hammerform and normally flew to the coasts.

Angelise was still not moving when the Hammer Knight left her. She was left to ponder on Vita's words about not getting herself killed. All she wanted was to help. She needed to lead...or rather she wanted to do something. If not, then what's the point about her being a princess?

"Lady Angelise," Momoka approached her. "Sir Vita is correct. We cannot do anything here. We're not like these people here."

"I know," The nuns and clergymen called Knights were already showing capabilities beyond her level. Each of them was never someone she could judge as evil or insane. Now they were struggling, destroying, and dying at the hands of these automated weapons. The same weapons that were designed to protect Misurugi. And yet, she could stand there...helpless.

No, helpless is something she should never be. Not at all.

"Tell me, Momoka, is this how you want to see me?"

"Lady Angelise?"

"I can't say whether or not I like it here, but since I came to this place, I feel like I've obtained a whole new perspective of myself," Angelise reminisced. "All those times I relied on everyone: you, the maids, my classmates, my parents and older brother...I relied on them on just about everything. For that reason, I thought I could do anything.

Another drone went down right after killing cutting through another Belkan Knight as Angelise continued.

"But here, I've shown that really can't do anything…Absolutely nothing on my own. By relying on others and when I thought I could use Mana, I've never learned how to do any stuff on own. How can I lead if I can't even take care of myself!?"

"Please, Lady Angelise!"

"Momoka," the princess turned to her head maid. "I want to thank you for everything you've done. You have always been at my side whenever I needed you. For that, you will always be my best friend."

Angelise turned away as more drones, and two Knights fell. She raised her hand, holding the royal ring into the air and sticking herself out in front of everyone.

"However, too many people have suffered because of me. Akiho, our family, Miss Yagami and her Knights, Miss Takamachi, Fate and Vivio. I'm tired of seeing myself drag everyone else down while I remain unscathed. I must do my part for everyone's sake."

"Lady Angelise!" Momoka cried out as a Pyrethroid drone came charging towards them.

"I...do not want to remain helpless anymore!"

From that moment, the ring glowed once again that blinded the maid. As the drone was meters away from turning the girl into minced meat, something odd happened. The space between the two began to warp, seemingly pulling everything inside of it. The Pyrethroid continued to charge towards Angelise when it was caught in the strange distortion. The disc fractured apart within the twisted space as a familiar object emerged from the singularity.

Before Angelise and Momoka knew it, a large humanoid vehicle with white armor and blue wings came from outside the distortion. As the two lowered their hands that protected them from the sudden winds, the machine descended onto the ground. It kneeled itself before the two spoke up.

"Lady Angelise is that-"

"I know, it's the Villkiss."

Angelise went back and forth on eying the white machine and her ring. From what she remembered, the ring has a special type of Mana that she could use. Although she had yet to understand its true capabilities, she had to wonder how it was related to the Villkiss.

Just before she could give it any more thought, the Villkiss lowered itself even more and opened up its cockpit seat. The machine was tempting her to become its pilot.

"Lady Angelise," Momoka went by Angelise's side again.

"I think it wants me to get in."

"You?"

"If that is what it wants, then I'll take it."

"But Lady Angelise-"

"I already said, I don't want to be helpless anymore. If this machine is granting me its power, then so be it. I don't want to rely on anyone anymore."

Angelise continued walking, Momoka pursued her.

"If you're going to go, then let me come with you!"

"Momoka?"

"Reliant or not, I swore to always be on your side. I know you don't want anyone else to get hurt. But...I refuse to see you get hurt anymore! So please, let me stay by your side!"

After a while, Angelise sighed. Momoka was always the protective and most devoted one from what she could remember. Even knowing her status as a Norma never bothered her one bit. Her joyful and willingness to everything for her was always a great strength of hers. There was nothing that could convince her otherwise that she'll always be Momoka's mistress.

"Very well," Angelise replied. "Follow me."

---

Like she was told, Momoka climbed into the cockpit seat of the Villkiss. She sat right behind her princess, holding onto her tightly as the window closed over them.

All the monitors on the windscreen and computers opened up to show its status. The radar was showing many unknowns; the size of the dots made it difficult to determine which ones were Knights or Pyrethroids. For now, she'll have to rely on her eyesight.

"So what should we do now?" Momoka asked.

"Hayate said that there was something huge coming from up north. I can't see it on these screens, but whatever it is, it doesn't sound like they want it anywhere near here."

"I agree," Momoka had no question about that, except there was one other problem as another Knight fell to the drones. "But, do you think we should save this place now?"

"You're right," With several happening around her, Angelise knew that saving the Cathedral should be the first step. Moreover, she needed a little more practice with this machine, which was stuck in Assault Mode. She may have experience with its Flight Mode, which was no different from Iaria, but this mode seems better suited for combat. Hell, she didn't even know how to fire the weapons! Unless she could figure everything out, she would have no chance against the mentioned "behemoth-sized Arm Slave" that was heading towards them.

The first on the list was to get the hang of flying this humanoid mode. She started by twisting the handles, which gave it thrust in its aircraft form, the way it first appeared when she found it. Angelise could feel the thrusters slowly accelerating upward as she lightly twisted the handlebars. At least she knew how to go up and down.

After toying with the joysticks a little, she found herself moving all over the place. Sometimes she turned too much to the left or right. At one point, she even did a flip before regaining her balance, barely dodging a Pyrethroid that came at her way.

It took a while, but Angelise regained her composure before trying again. She already said she wouldn't back down, so remaining calm and focused is the best she could do. When the disc-like drone came at her again, she strafed to the side more professionally, easily dodging its attacks upon instinct.

"Nice one, princess!" Momoka rooted from behind.

"Thanks, but dodging them isn't going to help us win."

If Angelise couldn't fight back, there was no point. While avoiding those she knew were connected to the thrusters, she searched for the weapon control systems. After touching another button on the handlebars, one screen showed up on the window that showed such weapons.

- Anti-Dragon Rifle, Ammo: 500, Grenades: 3

- Raziel Sword

- Freeze Bullet Launcher, Ammo: 6

- Missiles: 6

After tampering with the buttons, she got it, so she chose the rifle first. It wasn't long before the machine acted by grabbing the rifle with both hands.

Following the reticle on display, Angelise using the joysticks to aim. Her first target was a Pyrethroid that just shot beams at a Knight, inflicting a major wound on his shoulder.

"Alright, let's see what you got, Villkiss!"

What she didn't know was that she had pressed a button the grenade launcher first. Out of her rifle came a rocket-propelled grenade that launched underneath the barrel of the main gun. At first, the Pyrethroid skipped away to avoid a direct hit; the grenade instead blew up a nearby tower. However, the debris from the falling building collapsed onto the drone and crushed it. The nearby Knight protected himself with a Tri-Shield barrier just before impact, although he wasn't sure of what just happened.

"S-Sorry!"

Angelise noticed that she used one of the grenades as its ammo when its ammo went down to two. Seeing the destructive power, she decided it wasn't worth using the rifle, at least until she fully understood its power. As she moved on to the next set of drones, she went to the next weapon.

Nearby, another set of drones was attacking a set of school girls. Like the other Knights, they were armed and struggled against the deadly drones. One of them had a red nun's uniform over her short blonde hair and large twin swords about her size. She was guarded by two older nuns who were getting in her way.

"Sister Chantez," one of the older Knights. "Please get out here. This area is not safe for you."

"Like hell, I would!" the young girl ranted. "Everyone else is fighting here! These drones are nothing to me!"

The next moment, the Villkiss just arrived onto the scene. Angelise charged against the incoming drone with the sword in Villkiss's hand. With enough luck, she succeeded in cutting the drone down before landing onto the ground, startling the nearby Knights. The two drones changed their course to engage the Villkiss, both of them attacking their saws. Angelise responded by cutting down another with her sword.

The third one managed to collide with the Villkiss's center, attempting to cut the machine in half. Momoka and Angelise were already shaking as they were losing to the blade of the Pyrethroid. However, Angelise responded by knocking it down with her left hand. She then finished by swooping down and impaling it onto the ground.

"What the?" the nuns remained speechless as the Villkiss flew away from them. Both were unaware that Chantez snuck past them in the chaos to head elsewhere, possibly to find more drones.

After destroying these few drones, Angelise made up her mind when it came to weapons. For now, she'll only rely on this sword to deal with the drones. With enough practice, she should find herself professional enough to help Vita in destroying the incoming threat. Shortly after destroying the remaining drones by the Cathedral, that is.

"You get away from her!" Angelise shouted as she soared into the air, destroying two more Pyrethroids that were in a battle with a female Knight.

She went off to another four drones that surrounded two more Knights on the ground. Just when they were about to strike, the Villkiss crushed one underneath its foot. The three drones diverted their attention to the Villkiss, which gave the Knight's the opportunity to strike back. Both of them took out a drone each with their twin-sword Devices while the Villkiss cut down the last one.

Shortly afterward, Angelise left the area to search for any more drones. At the moment she couldn't see anymore and the radar still identified the Knights as unknowns. That's when Momoka called out.

"Princess, behind you!"

Angelise barely looked back as she strafed to the left. She barely dodged an incoming attack from two more drones that came from behind. Angelise readied her sword for another charge, but the new-model Pyrethroids stopped.

The drones went into Gun Mode, shooting beams from their core. Angelise hesitated once, but she managed to avoid most shots while a few grazed the Villkiss; the monitors showed some damage to the shoulders and legs.

Angelise tried to close the distance as she evaded the shots, receiving even more hits from the sides. She destroyed the first drone on her left, but the other evade multiple slashes. It then fired more beams at the Villkiss, knocking it backward and towards the ground.

As she found herself falling onto the ground, she gave the Villkiss more thrust to recover. In the process, she accidentally hit a button on the handles that caused the Villkiss to fire something from its left hand. She could only see a small light-blue bullet heading towards the drone for she was too busy regaining balance. After regaining control of her machine, she noticed that the Freeze Bullet Launcher had been used.

Looking upward, Angelise found the bullet collided with the drone. After a second or two, ice crystals suddenly came out of the drone ripping it apart from the inside. All that was left was a large chunk of ice that was falling.

Angelise took the time to cut apart the falling ice block, so it didn't hurt anyone on the ground. She then gave another look at the situation below. From her view, there were no more laser or Pyrethroids flying around, so she must've gotten rid of them all. Not too shabby for a first battle, she thought to herself.

In the middle of checking her weapons, Angelise was interrupted by her maid.

"Nice job, Lady Angelise!"

"Thank you, Momoka," the princess commented. "At least I have an idea how everything works."

"Does that mean we'll head back to the Cathedral?"

"Not yet," Angelise faced the radar, which has a compass on the outer rim. "We still need to take care of that Arm Slave threat from the north."

"What about Vita-"

"If Vita is out there, then we need to help. Now that I know how to operate this, I can no longer stand by and risk her getting killed by that...behemoth."

"I understand, Lady Angelise."

Momoka sat in silence, confirming that she had no objections. Angelise then searched the controls so she could double time it and find Vita before anything happened to her. It took a while, but she managed to transform the vehicle back into Flight Mode before heading up north of the Belkan region.

What Angelise failed to notice Carim standing in one of the tallest towers of the Grand Cathedral. Hayate was away to assist Vita in confront the enemy Arm Slave threatening the region. She stayed behind to observe the princess from the windows throughout her involvement in this incident, including when the Villkiss appeared in front of her. Like everyone else still fighting outside, she was surprised to see the white flying machine appear out of nowhere, not to mention that its occupants were the princess and her maid co-pilot.

Besides her, one of the remaining drones charged at her with its chainsaws.

"Gale Swift!"

Just when Carim turned to her right, Schach already intercepted the drone and hacked it apart.

"Are you alright, mistress?" Schach said after landing and approaching Carim's side. The silence in the air and lack of suspicious noises indicated they wouldn't be fighting more drones for a while.

"Thank you, Sister Schach."

"These drones aren't like anything we've seen before. Perhaps Amalgam is making these new machines?"

"Indeed, that organization has been making weird moves recently. However, that is not the only problem here."

"You mean that white vehicle?"

"Yes, the lost princess and her maid are both piloting that machine."

"You're talking about-"

"Yes," Carim confirmed. "She is likely the key to unlocking this prophecy."

Only the two Knights and Hayate knew about this, but her current prophecy warned of impending doom that would bestow upon the world. Threats of war and destruction just like the nightmare she had before. According to the last part, it oddly mentioned a "fallen angel" who was going to save them all. She didn't want to jump to conclusions, but considering everything she went through, she assumed that this strange and lost princess could be one mentioned in the prophecy.

In that case, Carim thought. We must prepare her, and protect her, at all costs.

---

I'll hold off the battle against the Behemoth for now. It would be nice to wrap up all the battles with the arc's ultimate battle.

Either way, hope you enjoyed the read.

P.S. Happy Fourth of July!

 

[WiseMan744436]

Sorry for the long delay. I should explain what's been going on in my life.

During the summer, I was busy with a new job and wrapping up my studies. No longer will I be working part-time at a fast food restaurant. I worked full-time at an engineering company that gave me a decent hourly pay. I couldn't stay long since it was an internship, but they enjoyed my work; believe me, it was far more than they expected. They even said if I want to go back after my final year, I can do so at any time should they have an opening for me.

That means I won't be around as much as I wish, but I'll still be updating now and then. Hopefully, I can get something done once every month or so.

Also, I'm hyped about the two upcoming SRW games. Valvrave, IBO, and Rayearth are getting their debuts! Been playing the first two's first openings ever since I saw the news. Not to mention Bebop…

Anyway, we're about to wrap up the battles between the Bureau and the Arm Slaves, so enjoy.

---

Up north from the Grand Cathedral, Vita was having a rough time with her opponent. After dealing with the "Pyrethroid" disc drones that swarmed the Belkan Church region, the Hammer Knight was tasked to deal with the large threat that was bearing down on the sacred structure.

Vita was no stranger when it came to big enemies. As the Hammer Knight, she was made specifically to destroy the biggest of opponents. Only that the enemy in front of her, the Behemoth, was a far more challenging opponent than she hoped.

The massive Arm Slave stumbled around on its flimsy legs, which indicated that the pilot was still new to piloting it. As someone easily familiar with the weapons, piloting AS units were no easy task. However, the power of such a machine more than compensated for that.

Raketenform!

Vita propelled herself in mid-air to increase speed. She barely got enough to dodge a grab from the red giant's left arm. She circled the machine to gain enough velocity before turning back to the Behemoth. Her point of impact was its right arm, which held its massive AS sword that looked more like a club.

Although her attack pushed the arm to the side, it didn't drop its sword, nor did it dent the machine even the slightest. As Vita clicked on the lack of damage, the head of the massive Arm Slave turned to her position. She moved away as it swung its large arm in retaliation.

Simple swings are getting us nowhere.

Vita dodged another swing form the Arm Slave's club as it raised the dirt it impacted.

I'll need more force to deal with this.

Vita landed on the uprooted ground on the Behemoth's right side. Now her hat got messed up thanks to all of the dirt, which sparked the typical rage mode.

Inside the cockpit, the short blonde student from Misurugi screamed out.

"I'll smash you!"

The voice sounded incredibly dark as the Behemoth raised its left arm. As it clenched into a fist, it descended onto the stationary Vita. The Hammer Knight then raised her hammer in response, which released a few empty cartridges.

Gigantform!

Her Graf Eisen transformed into a large, blocky hammer with gold, octagonal faces. Vita used the time to collect strength for the machine.

"Giganthammer!"

As the Behemoth's fist descended upon Vita, she countered by swinging her hammer head-on. A second or two passed when the collision between the two weapons released shockwaves from the blast area. The ground around Vita pushed away to form a wide crater around her, but the Knight was still going strong.

The blast still wasn't anything to laugh at since Vita barely held her ground against the immense force of the machine. The mechanical arm was huge, which meant a lot more weight than typical Arm Slaves, but the red aura surrounding it played a factor. Branches and leaves blew away from her as the fist drew closer to her face.

Vita was far from finished. As soon as she got a foothold, she drew whatever ounce of strength she had left and overwhelmed the mechanical arm. The arm didn't crack, but Vita started against momentum. She used her momentum to complete her of her large hammer and shove the arm away.

The Behemoth flung itself backward from the force. To prevent itself from losing balance, the Behemoth took a few earth-shaking steps backward while Vita regained her energy. The attack cost her much more mana than she should've used up. But right now, she was in better shape to keep fighting compared to the Behemoth, that struggled to regain balance.

Vita cruised towards the stumbling machine, but not with the intention of taking it head-on. For what she knew, the Behemoth's pilot operated the machine from its head. However, the head not only has its Lambda Driver that provided near impenetrable defenses but also had its four machine guns by its eye-like red lights. She then took the easier approach by raising several balls into the air.

"Schwalbefliegen!"

The struck balls homed in on the Behemoth's head, knocking backward again. One managed to take out one of the cameras, blinding the pilot in that section. The Behemoth rebounded throwing itself and its left arm at the Hammer Knight, forcing her to strafe backward while covering her from the gusts of wind.

The AS then retaliated by opening four tubes on the arm, firing a barrage of homing missiles at her. Vita traveled at a lower altitude to break from the missiles. The missiles collided with the nearby trees and a log cabin that exploded into countless pieces. The last one hit the ground and knocked Vita off balance, causing to stumble onto the ground.

The Behemoth stood upright while directing its head at Vita again. One of the four guns burst into flames following the attack on one of the cameras. The irritated pilot pressed buttons on her controls that fed 30mm rounds into the nearby guns. Vita regained ground as she heard the guns warming up on the machine. She broke off just when the guns spat out bullets on her position.

Vita hid through the trees and green fields as it created a line of mulch behind her. She moved around a couple of laps back and forth to deplete its ammunition, hoping it'll run out of ammo soon enough. The line additional broke apart a nearby church, forcing Vita to avoid the waves of broken stones. One of them got her in the eye, which caused her to tumble onto the ground. Before she could be ripped apart like swiss cheese, the hailstorm of bullets stops less than a meter behind her.

The angered pilot inside the Behemoth watched the Hammer Knight through three remaining screens as the operating system reported to her.

"30mm machineguns overheated. Please wait for cooldown before continuing."

But the girl continued squeezing the trigger in vain, hoping that something would happen eventually. After a few tries with the last one squeezing the AS handles as tightly as she could, she gave up on the idea. She could only stare at the Knight that was giving her so much trouble. Her orders were to advance to the church that she could observe a few kilometers away. The red-headed pest gave her so much trouble, so she had to crush her before moving on.

Just when she prepared her AS sword, however, another alarm went off in the cockpit. On another screen, there was another hostile approaching towards her. This one was much bigger than the signal that Knight was giving off. Even though she couldn't tell what it was, it indicated that something bigger approached her, and it did so very fast. She turned the machine's head to the unwelcomed guest. As the cameras zoomed in, her eyes glared at the machine.

"What?"

Intercepting the Behemoth was the Villkiss, traveling in its Flight Mode that was faster and more comfortable for Angelise and her main companion.

"Look, there it is!" Momoka pointed out as they approached the red mechanical giant. Her eyes startled for the machine's incredible size despite its seemingly thin legs and small joints. "It's huge!"

"I know…"

Angelise didn't bother to stop. She made her decision to back from a fight, especially when people's lives seemed to be in danger. She could not afford to turn back now.

As the Behemoth raised its arm carrying its large club, Angelise picked up speed with the Villkiss. Its sword was high in the sky, waiting to strike when the princess got close.

As the club-like weapon swung downward, the Villkiss went into its human form. Angelise threw her machine's left hand at the large weapon as the two collided. The Behemoth's weapon had more momentum than her unit's thrust could handle. Momoka and Angelise closed their eyes as they felt the crushing force inside the cockpit.

"Stop this, Lady Angelise! We're going to get crushed!"

The maid was completely unaware that she said it out loud through the Villkiss's speakers, loud enough for the Behemoth's pilot to widen her eyes. Her frozen body causes her to stop pushing the Villkiss, giving the absolute edge this time around.

Angelise was already not giving up. She put more force into the unit's controls, and the thrusters increased dramatically until they were even. Once Angelise got the advantage, she pushed one of the control handles and pressed one of the buttons.

It started as a flash in Vita's eyes, but something blue or green fired from the palm of its hand. A second later, an explosion of crystalline ice erupted within the sword. The extra push from the Villkiss snapped the huge weapon in half. The top half flung around a hundred meters. It landed on the ground, causing a small quake and sending a huge shockwave through the forested area. The knockback also caused the Behemoth to drop the other half of its weapon. The impact was softer when the handle hit the ground and buried deep into the soil.

As the gigantic AS regained balance again, Vita recovered from her injuries. Not that she wasn't injured at all, but she was the type of girl would endure the amounts of pain that most people could not. Vita took a few deep breaths to regain her composure.

Her primary focus was the Villkiss hovered in midair. It turned away from the kneeling Behemoth and went to the Hammer Knight by her side.

"Are you alright…It's you, Vita!"

Angelise quickly recognized her other companion. While they noticed a Mage confronting the giant robot thanks to Vita's red streak of light, they couldn't get a look at who would be their companion when confronting this machine. However, Vita was less than pleased.

"ANGELISE, YOU IDIOT! WHY DID YOU COME HERE!?"

Momoka and Angelise felt like they Vita suddenly stabbed them in the heart. Angelise retorted for such a remark.

"What is that supposed to mean!?"

"You're supposed to stay at the Church! What are trying to do, get yourself killed!?"

"And what am I supposed to do? Just stand here watching everyone die protecting me!? There's no way I can accept this ever!"

"Don't get ahead of yourself; you have no idea what you are…"

"I've seen enough."

Angelise attempted to assume authority while she turned to the recovering robot.

"As a princess of Misurugi, I can not allow others to die around me, especially at the hands of terrorists who are trying to cause havoc and kill innocent people. It is my responsibility to keep everyone else alive, even if it means risking my own life to do it! That's why I'm here! That's why I'm going to stop this beast right here and now…"

"Shut up, filthy beast!"

The booming, dark voice shook even the cockpit of the Villkiss. Angelise and Momoka shiver over the loud and sudden words coming from the machine's pilot.

"There's no responsibility for a someone who disgraces the royal family of Misurugi!"

"W-What?"

"I said, you're not a princess, you damn Norma!"

Angelise frozen over two reasons. The first was about someone calling her a disgrace of the royal family. Since the only thing that could make her disgrace is being a Norma, someone must've figured out who she was. The other thing was the voice coming from the pilot. Although it was a low voice, she was sure it was someone knew very closely.

"Who are you!?"

"That doesn't matter anymore. We were never your friends, to begin with, nor were we ever teammates or classmates!"

It took a while for her to recognize her voice. But of all the possibilities, despite by the low voice, she could recognize who was inside the machine.

"T-Tomomi-san!?"

"SHUT UP! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT CALL ME BY THAT NAME ANYMORE!"

The young pilot raised a large fist at the Villkiss. Angelise backed up her machine before it impacted while Vita hovered in mid-air. After the now seemingly former princess regained her balance, the pilot of her ex-classmate continued to rant.

"His Majesty, Emperor Julio, told us everything. You've been a Norma throughout your entire life, and your parents did nothing but hide the truth from you!"

"W-What!?"

"They lied to you from the beginning and arranged everything. We did nothing but play pawns in their game, all so that you can get the throne without anyone noticing."

The Behemoth lifted its arm form the ground while the pilot continued.

"As those who were played by your vicious games, we were chosen by His Majesty to deal with you ourselves."

Angelise widened her eyes over the statement. There were others who came with her?

"Reika, Maki, and I never knew what would happen. All that mattered was that we atoned for our mistakes by finding you and crushing you and all of those who conspired to protect you! They already destroyed the home that you live on right here and now."

"Our home…t-the Yagami place!"

Angelise froze up as the Behemoth raised its other arm, opening its missile tubes.

"NOW DIE LIKE THE SWING BUG YOU ARE!"

"You bitch!"

Cruising past the Villkiss was Vita with her Device in Gigantform and ready for a hard swing. Hearing their intention not only to kill the princess who her former classmates but also the Yagami family and her friends was more than enough to enrage her. She struck the hand in the palm, knocking the mecha back again while it fired its missiles blindly into the air. While it tried to home back on their original target, they exploded upon hitting the ground, throwing up dirt and debris below.

As the pilot's anger surged over the interference, the entire frame of the AS glowed. At the same time, several disc drones were activated as they intercepted the Hammer Knight and the now idle Villkiss.

---

Zafira dodged another round that impacted the street. He was in the middle of gunfire coming from the red Codarl unit fired randomly on the street. He got close enough to pounce the machine, only for it to put up the red barrier, forcing him to backward. Shamal then proceeded to heal whatever damage he received to keep up with the mostly undamaged Arm Slave.

The Guardian Beast and Knight of the Lake were at this for a while. They wanted to end this as quickly as possible, but not take any risks considering the technology of their adversary. The machine's damaged leg prevented it from moving too far, but it still had its special device that provided overwhelming strength. However, the mass weapons it carried had limited ammunition, and the pilot didn't seem to care about wasting rounds.

Thus, is the current strategy, continuing this hit-and-pounce type of attack until it runs out of ammo or the field goes down. It won't mean the endgame once that happens, but they'll have more options over what to do next.

That opportunity seemed to come already as he heard the rifle clicking from afar. From what he observed, the unit was using the same clip. The machine still had a few extra magazines on its belt, so the pilot should be able to reload. But Reika didn't seem to bother. Instead, she shook the rifle around while trying to figure it out.

"Come, shoot already! Why won't you keep shooting!"

Considering how much of an amateur its pilot was, he or she seemed not to learn even the simple method of reloading; even the Belkans had an idea of the need to reload thanks to the cartridge system. Although he doesn't understand why that was so, this was their opportunity.

Shamal, it's time! Use Steel Yoke to cover me!

Shamal emerged from cover, behind the shore wall near what's left of the Yagami residence. As she readied her spell, Zafira charged after the red AS. Reika, who was still unaware that her gun needed to reload, threw her gun after finding it futile to continue pulling the trigger. Zafira jumped over the large rifle and approached the red machine. She then chanted in conjunction with Shamal.

"Steel Yoke!"

The same Belkan triangle spat out pillars of light that trapped the red machine. It subsequently broke the pillars to break free, but the machine limped right after it tried taking another step, forcing it to kneel on its right knee.

That's when Zafira made his mode. Now in his human form, the Guardian Beast ran towards the machine. The Codarl tries leaning back to avoid the attack, but he struck the machine with an uppercut, throwing its arms into the air. The AS tried swatting him with its right arm, but he countered by blocking with the palm of his left hand then punching it with his right. The force of the attack tore the mechanical arm clean off with sparks flying around the severed limb. Zafira then finished the machine by pounding it in the head, sending the machine straight down onto the ground.

Zafira stood on the torso of his defeated opponent. At this point, he would tear the AS unit's cockpit open and arrest the suspect inside the vehicle. However, Shamal sensed something occurring inside the same, prompting her to call out via telepathy.

Zafira, get away!

Zafira sensed it as well, a sudden spike of mana generating from the machine. He jumped away as rays of light burst from the Arm Slave. The machine gradually lost its structural integrity as the machine glowed. The cockpit crumpled up in the process, overheating the inside as Reika struggled to get out.

"Somebody! Help me! HELP ME!"

The sudden self-destruction of the Arm Slave engulfed the pilot as debris scattered everywhere. Zafira and Shamal were in no danger, but they still shielded themselves with Panzerschild defense spells to block any shrapnel and parts. When they were no more bits of metal were going to hit them or anyone else, they lowered their shields to observe the wreckage.

"Zafira, is that what we think it is?"

"I know."

It was a bittersweet ending for them. The Arm Slave was destroyed and no one at the moment seemed to die aside from the pilot. They're still stuck with their wrecked home, but that's not the important matter. The two Knights had another matter going as they moved closer. Aside from the charred remains of the pilot including her severed right arm, they came across another recent discovery.

Before them, a small blue gemstone shone brightly in the center of the wreckage. As the continued its pulsing light, Shamal and Zafira took the necessary measures to seal it.

---

Likewise, Fate cruised on the other side of the overpass's pillars to dodge a stream of bullets coming from Maki's machinegun. The other Mages took cover as they prepared another sealing seal spell of the unit.

Right after clashing with the Codarl, the AS jumped back before reloading its machinegun. Unlike Reika, Maki seemed to have learned all the basics of Arm Slave combat from the formula she took. As the Mages took cover, they communicated through telepathy to stage a plan for capturing the machine or waiting before Signum arrived. Since the machine was after Fate, she used herself as a decoy while the Mages attempted another binding spell.

Fate wrapped around the pillars as the machinegun fire traced her path from behind. When she was on the same street as the AS, she zigzagged down the lane to avoid getting hit. In Sonic Form, her Barrier Jacket wasn't very strong, so it would be a serious problem if she went up against someone with powerful spells. However, the enemy only had with a machine gun and combat knife, so it wasn't a problem for her.

It was Maki who was having problems, wondering how her enemy was so fast and obtain magic despite being told otherwise.

"Stay still!"

The AS pilot realized that fighting Fate with the gun was pointless. She took a couple steps forward to get closer, putting her gun away to take out her knife.

The Mages finished with their binding spells. Several more chains appeared below the Codarl, wrapped around the machine. The number of chains was far less than the last time and held it like an X. Maki responded the same, generating strength to break the chains. But Fate then appeared before her with a new spell.

"Lightning Bind!"

Yellow, translucent cubes enveloped on the Codarl's wrists and ankles. The machine froze in place as it struggled helplessly against the binding spell that increased all electric attacks. Likewise, Fate responded with one of her signature moves.

"Thunder Rage!"

As more electricity known as thunderlight enveloped around the machine, some were charging up to finish it. However, an enraged Maki responded.

"Don't screw with me!"

The Codarl glowed red and broke all the binds including the thunderlight that surrounded it. It then projected a field just when Fate completed charging her attack. The lightning deflected off the forcefield and onto the nearby buildings where the Mages took cover. They avoided the debris as Fate's attack futilely clashed with the red barrier generated by the AS.

Right after the attack stopped, the stunned Fate attempted to fly back from the machine. However, the Codarl leaped towards her and snatched her. The pilot squeezed the girl with her hand before she flung her into the nearby intersection left of her. The impact created cracks on the road when Fate the hit ground. She rolled onto the ground with her body tattered and moderately injured. Her Barrier Jacket didn't have the same strength as the others, which made it worse than how other Mages had it.

"Enforcer Harlaown!"

The Mages called out as they tried to intervene. The red AS responded by firing another barrage on the buildings, forcing them to put up their barriers for protection. Even Cinque and Sein, who were still hiding all this time, exited the building with the latter's Inherent Skill to avoid the collapsing debris.

The Codarl turned to the downed Fate, who was recovering from her injuries. As she approached the Enforcer who she thought was Angelise, Maki aimed her machinegun in ager. Before she could fire, the sensors showed an incoming projectile. She dodged the attack that looked like a flaming red arrow from the other side of the perpendicular road.

Fate ducked to avoid getting hit, and although didn't get an exact glimpse, she was sure what the attack was due to the intense heat. She was right as the flame-based attack burn out, with the Knight approaching from behind her.

Captain Signum, you're here!

Sorry for the delay. I was busy leading civilians away from the war zone. Are you okay?

I'm fine, but we have to deal with this Arm Slave.

I understand.

Maki was distracted from the recovering Fate as she turned her attention towards her new attacker. Her anger transformed into shock when she discovered her new adversary, the rose-haired knight who transformed her bow back into a sword.

"L-L-Lady Signum?"

Signum immediately charged at the AS, prompting Maki to retrieve her knife.

Schlangeform!

Signum responded by having her Device in a form like a whip. The extended range allowed her to attack the AS from a distance. Just when it grabbed its knife, Signum lashed Laevatein upward, tearing the arm off along with its weapon.

"W-What!?"

The startled Maki froze for a moment before she aimed her machine gun. Signum ducked under the rounds before destroying the other arm with her Device back in sword form.

With both of its weapons gone, Fate moved in with Bardiche. She bound the armless machine before proceeding with her attack.

"Thunder Rage!"

After a few moments, the lightning attack tore the torso and head from its legs. The force was limited to the pilot can survive, but the central piece traveled quite the distance. It rolled around down the intersecting road, tossing the pilot inside around the cockpit. It stopped rolling around a hundred meters and skidded before coming to a complete stop.

Inside the wrecked machine, a barely conscious Maki found herself impaled through the chest. Alarms went off through throughout the cockpit as electrical sparks flew around her. Her eyes gazed on the barely functioning camera; when there was no static, the camera would display the Belkan Knight of whom defeated her.

"Lady Signum…is that you? Why are you…fighting…alongside Angelise?"

Was it something she didn't know? Did His Majesty hide something her and the others besides the Belkan Knight fighting alongside a Norma? She only knew about her because of her recent debut as a mascot across Mana. And yet, she's found here, standing alongside someone with mana who looked very much like Angelise. Or perhaps she was wrong, as she found her companion having burgundy eyes, unlike the former princess's pink ones. Perhaps…she was wrong all along.

"Curse you…"

Maki's words were cut when the machine exploded, sending scrap metal in all directions. Fate, Signum, and the other Mages raised their hands but didn't bother put defense spell. The explosion was too small, and their Barrier Jackets were good enough to deflect any tiny debris.

The machine self-destructing became a curious thing since they did their best to render the AS inoperable without hurting the pilot inside. Something else must've triggered it, which prompted the agents to investigate the wreckage.

Fate and Signum were first to find remains of the pilot. Neither were disgusted by the discovery of a ripped torso stabbed by shrapnel and torn from her legs and arms. Fate was more depressed than anything.

"I pity the poor girl. She must've been so young."

"That uniform. I've seen it."

Signum pointed with her Device. Although it wasn't much, there were tattered remains of a brown uniform that the girl wore aside from the AS pilot outfit. The revelation startled Fate a moment.

"You've seen it?"

"Yes. According to Angelise, this is the uniform for the Ho-o Institute."

"Then that must mean she came from the World of Mana."

Fate responded with less surprise to her voice. It was that Signum didn't reach the same conclusion, but the Knight turned towards her mentioning the name.

"What makes you sure?"

"Before you arrived, she mistook me for Angelise. Someone knew she was here on Midchilda."

"And whoever it was must've told this girl about it and prompted her to go on a revenge spree."

The two went to the same conclusion to no one's surprise. There were questions even there, but they were distracted by the Mages behind her.

"Captain Signum! Enforcer Testarossa! You need to see this!"

The two officers went to what remained of the AS unit's cockpit, which contained a blue gem in the center. The other Mages held back with their Devices ready while one pointed out.

"A Jewel Seed was in that machine?"

"Seal it immediately! We got a new priority here!"

The discovery prompted the Enforcer and Knight to order the Mage to contain the Lost Logia before moving on. The two had a higher priority considering the attack, the machines used, and who their main target was. Despite being completely unaware, the Mages sealing found themselves bewildered over the discovery.

"I can't believe someone would use Lost Logia to power a dangerous mecha. Just what in Midchilda is going on here?"

---

Vita dodged another stream of gunfire coming from the gigantic AS, finding cover on the right side of the machine. Unable to target her from that angle, the Behemoth slowly swung its fist at the girl. Vita avoided the slow-moving arm at it hit the ground harmlessly. She countered by hit the arm again with her large hammer, swinging it away as she avoided another trial on 30mm rounds.

Vita found tackling the large AS head on to be a chore. At this point, she wasn't getting anywhere. She decided to get behind the machine to attack the machine where it was vulnerable.

The Hammer Knight snuck around on the right side. But to her surprise, the round shoulder opened a gun port that revealed a cannon. It aimed at Vita and fired close to her position, nearly sending her flying. She recovered from the attack by rolling until she was able to get back on her feet.

"Damn, how many weapons are even on this thing!?"

Like anyone caught in such a surprise attack, Vita cursed over the machine's firepower. But that was no longer her concerned.

Still facing the Behemoth was the Villkiss. However, unlike Vita, the machine seemed to only hover in mid-air. By the time it started moving, the Behemoth already fired its machine gun bullets that pelted it. Surprisingly, the machine had high durability, and it continued to take the shots. But she couldn't last forever as the limbs started to become sluggish while moving.

"Lady Angelise!"

The princess screamed as she moved around to avoid the gunfire with her eyes closed. She was having serious trouble concentrating, especially after the recent revelation. It was everything, from the fate of her parents to her role as a princess, to another own status as a Norma. If she was no longer a princess, then what was she now?

"Lady Angelise, watch out!"

She jumped over Momoka's scream. When she lifted her eyes, she found the Behemoth's right fist aimed right at her. The AS pounded the Villkiss with tremendous force, slamming it to the ground on its back.

Vita glared as the Villkiss remained idle. She assumed the pilot was just like the Villkiss, under so much shock that she's unable to move.

She must still be disillusioned after the whole thing.

At this point, Vita had to change priorities from saving the Grand Cathedral to saving the princess that was getting her ass kicked. There was no way she would see Hayate by watching such a traumatized girl die like this.

The red AS opened vents from the back. Steam blew off, apparently cooling the entire machine. This procedure happened a few times by now when the machine was using its special that gave it energy-like attacks. But first, she had to snap some sense back into this girl.

She cruised behind as she went underneath the vehicle to avoid the shoulder cannons. The machine also fired its machineguns for a long time, so she didn't have to worry about it thanks to overheating.

When the former princess woke up, she noticed Vita coming at her. She screamed out with her hammer in tow.

"ANGELISE!"

She landed on the Vilkiss's cockpit seat as she banged on the screen.

"Angelise, open up!"

She didn't know what the Hammer Knight was doing, nor what she was screaming for, but she unconsciously did was she told her. At that moment, Vita raised a fist.

"LET'S SEE YOU GRIT THOSE TEETH!"

Vita's punch made even Momoka jump as she slugged Angelise jaw. The force threw her back onto the seat that further banged her head. At long last, her mind came back into the real world with an upset Vita standing before her.

"Have you snapped out it yet, former princess Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi?"

"V…Vita? Why…Why are you so…"

"Protective of you? Hmph, don't think that just because we're magic users doesn't mean we care nothing about you. We, Wolkenritter serve Mistress Hayate's will, and her will was to keep you alive no matter what. If you think I'm wrong, then I continue to beat you until to stop doubting yourself."

"But Tomomi-chan…"

"Who cares what she told you! What matters is that this bitch is trying to kill you!"

Vita turned to the red AS that blew less steam by the second. It won't be long before the entire machine cools down and resume its operations. Angelise was still not convinced while Momoka could just watch.

"But I…but I…"

"So, what if you're not a princess anymore!? So, what if you are a Norma who can't use Mana? Does that mean your role is to stand here and watch yourself die!? Where's that pride and upstanding strength you used to have!?"

"I…"

"How will explain yourself to your family if you die? How can you explain your actions to your so-called friend, Akiho and the others who were killed by the Huckebein on your planet? How can you explain yourself to Momoka, who's all so loyal and standing right here before you!? How…how…how will I be able to explain myself to Nanoha-chan…"

Angelise and Momoka noticed the Hammer Knight's eyes starting to tear. It appears that even tough girls like her had a soft spot for Nanoha.

"Nanoha already suffer for far too long…If cannot save someone like you, how can I ever save someone like her?"

"Vita…"

Vita left the stunned Angelise from the Villkiss's cockpit. Her hammer ejected several cartridges in preparation for a strong attack.

"If you care about us, or even Momoka herself, then you can stop this mad girl before she kills anyone! Because even there's no way I can make your decision, I can make mine; I refuse to let anyone else die!"

Vita eyed on the groin of the vehicle, most of the steam vents were. Vita found it a means to stop the machine for good, or at least prevent it from using its energy-like device. Standing up from her ground, Vita had one shot at this with her surprise attack. She transformed her hammer into Raketenform. Even though it wasn't her strongest attack, it'll have to do she somehow can't reach even Hayate, who had the means to unlock that power. At least she found a weak point, with most of the steam from underneath the Behemoth's torso.

She spun several times to gain as much energy as she can. After gaining enough speed, she aimed her weapon with all her might against the machine.

"Stop spinning around!"

The dark alteration of Tomomi's voice said as she threw a fist at the Hammer Knight. That was the moment Vita moved forward and cruised underneath the machine. She then used whatever maneuverability she had as she completely turned around against the now exposed back. The two shoulder cannons fired rounds that failed to hit her as she shouted.

"Raketenhammer!"

Angelise gazed at Vita attacking the enormous robot from behind. The tip of Graf Eisen pierced into the back of groin as she pushed deeper. She finally managed to crack the thick armor protecting the inner workings of the machine. All she needed was to get a little deeper.

However, the pilot seemed to notice as the AS leaned forward from the force of the hammer. She activated the Lambda Driver that enveloped around the unit, preventing Vita from drilling any further. The Behemoth released a spherical blast of red energy that created a crater by its feet and throwing several trees into the air.

Angelise's eyes widened as Vita hit the ground. She didn't bother with the sudden shockwave since the Villkiss was already deep into the ground. But something from Vita's words sparked her attention. Right now, she was in a desperate situation and need her help.

The Behemoth slowly turned around with its back turned against Angelise. It now faced the injured Vita.

"I won't let you interfere anymore. Now disappear with this freak of yours!"

"NO!"

As the Behemoth raised her fist, Angelise finally acted. She engaged the thrusters as the ring glowed. The Villkiss closed its cockpit seat as she cruised towards the large AS that threatened to kill Vita.

"I WON'T LET YOU KILL HER!"

"Lady Angelise!"

Momoka held on tight as Angelise opened the weapon choices. She took out the rifle and armed a Freeze Bullet within the palm.

"STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!"

Aiming for where Vita attacked, Angelise shoved her rifle and hand stuck onto the hole the Knight created in her first attack. She started by firing the freeze bullet inside the machine, which wedged through the inside of the components inside. She then squeezed the trigger, firing every single round she had in the rifle's clip, ending with firing two missiles. The blast of the missiles and ceasing of her thrusters caused the Villkiss to fall. The machine was still very active, but the pilot was too exhausted.

As for the Behemoth, the entire machine stopped cold. Inside the cockpit, Tomomi was figuring out what just happened. Although the attack on the waist section with the damage that didn't seem too bad, her immense machine paused whatever it did the moment the Villkiss fell. All the lights went out as if the machine suddenly turned off, except for the computer inside the machine.

"Cooling apparatus damaged. Lambda Driver function offline. Chance of recovery, zero."

"E-Eh?"

"Behemoth can no longer operate without the Lambda Driver. All systems shutting down."

"No...No! NO! NO, I HAVEN'T KILLED HER YET!"

Tomomi fiercely gripped the controls in vain as she glared at the collapsed Knight. The computer then warned.

"Collapse inevitable due to overweight. Self-destruct sequence initiated."

The legs were the first to go. Without any extra support, the tiny feet gave into the extreme stresses as the hunchback machine sank to the ground. The metal and wires on the arms went next. The right arm buckled before it completely snapped off from the torso. The two arms landed with the machine already broken apart into sperate piles of scrap metal. The torso and head were the last to break apart as pieces flaked off the now fragile frame.

"Uuhh….e-eh...EEAAAAAAAGGGGHHH!"

Tomomi's last screams were silenced as the top of the Behemoth's heavy frame crushed her from below. Many sharp pieces of metal impaled her body as the top of the cockpit flattened her.

Unknown to Tomomi and Vita, who recently collapsed, Angelise rested with her Villkiss laying flat on the ground. Although she noticed an increasingly glowing red light at where the massive robot collapsed, a shadow obstructed her view as Momoka called to her from behind.

"Angelise, are you okay? Angelise!"

Her words didn't reach her. She was too exhausted to hear anything else. All that mattered was that she accomplished something. The former princess of Misurugi relaxed as her mind lost consciousness.

I did it, mother…Vita…everyone…I finally did it…

At the ruins of the Behemoth, a hovering red crystal glowed intensely by the second. As the main source of the machine, the crystal became unstable as a result of the AS unit's destruction. Now it gathered energy at an alarming rate, shooting out beams of light show signs of instability.

The crystal then turned into a glowing sphere before it gave in, shining light that engulfed the Hammer Knight and the other mecha.

BOOM!

The resulting explosion devastated the area, sending shockwaves into the air and uprooting the nearby trees from the ground. The vegetation in the hemisphere of destruction seemingly disintegrated was they could not stand that sudden release of energy. By the time it was over, the area had turned into a large wildfire with scores of trees burning in the area. Smoke quickly rose up that altered the nearby Belkan Knights and TSAB agents.

Hayate was among those who discovered the site first. She remained in mid-air with her device as she and the Knights under her and Carim's command took care of the Pyrethroids infesting the area. They already had a crisis regarding wounded members of the attack, but the destroyed Behemoth was another manner.

"A Relic?"

That was the first thing that came to her mind, glowing red crystals with immense power and could cause needless destruction if left unchecked. For that reason, they were a high priority to contain among the known Lost Logia.

Besides containing the relic and dealing with the wildfire, she now had to worry about her friend Vita. He found no sign of her since she ordered her to intercept the AS that threatened to destroy the Grand Cathedral. But Vita was nowhere to be found, which prompted her to order the Knights.

"All agents and Knights get over there and contain that wildfire! Search and rescue for any survivors at all costs!"

As her allies converged onto the zone, Hayate proceeded with her. Vita was tough as a brick, but even she could not handle everything. That's exactly why she oversaw the area personally; nothing will stop her from saving her family.

---

Carim remained in her office. Nouera remained outside to rescue the wounded by her orders. She already witnessed the destruction the explosion set the area ablaze from afar. However, she wasn't that concerned, especially when it came to a person of interest.

Her prophecies didn't come true until at least half a year at earliest and several years at the latest. Even though it wasn't something she could highly rely on, she had her suspicions about the princess she met no so long ago. If she was right, then there was a high chance that she'd be okay.

Carim's real concern is what would happen afterward. If she was correct, then they might be in a crisis far greater than they could imagine.

For that reason, she opened a screen and contacted a man named "Chrono Harlaown." It wasn't long before a young man with dark blue hair and a TSAB Navy uniform appeared before her.

"Admiral Harlaown speaking."

"It's been a long time, hasn't it, Chrono?"

"So, it's you, Sir Carim. What brings you here?"

"I need you to open a line with the High Admiralty."

"For what purpose?"

"A new prophecy has come up, and this requires the full attention of the TSAB command. If you can, include former Admiral Harlaown as well."

For once, the man named Chrono shook as she referred to his mother. There was nothing wrong between him and her mother, but they have all been close accomplices of a few personnel, specifically the Three Aces.

"I-I understand. I'll get them right away."


Carim took a deep breath as she waited. As the prophecy stated, someone was going to be part of some turning point to determine everyone's fate. If that's so, then it could be either an end to the world…or a new beginning.

---

And so, that concludes the last battle against the Behemoth. There'll be two more chapters including the epilogue before the arc comes to an end. As you figured, this is not the end of Angelise, not even by a little bit.

As for how these girls managed to operate the Arm Slaves' Lambda Drivers, that's not until the third arc when I'll share that kind of info.

Either way, I hope you enjoyed the reading.