[x] Tell them you'll take them to Agito when you find out where she is and make sure they all stay safe.
[X] Are there any short-term projects Flan wants to work on?
-[X] Talking to Nanoha about Earth
-[X] Working on spell cards
Fate is carefully holding the sobbing girl in her arms, and takes off for someplace just after you look back. You really aren't sure why she's being so gentle - Dieci can obviously survive a little roughness, and they have a good reason to be rough. Vita and Nanoha are arguing about something a ways away. You turn back to the mage and spearman. "I don't know where the fairy is, but I can look for it. And if I had some way to contact you, I could do that and then I'd take you to it and make sure you all stayed safe." The mage doesn't seem to like that very much, but allows the spearman to guide her away. You frown; everyone's having their own conversations without you!
You shake your head, then look down at the tattered remains of ... whatever you were wearing before. Sighing, you pull out one of your dresses and slip it on. Maybe you can get more from someone here? Oh, or maybe someone can go to Earth and get some more for you, or even take you along with them! Maybe that one black-haired girl would beg to be your maid ... you giggle at the thought. Yeah, you'll have to ask someone about getting back to Earth for a little .... You turn again as Nanoha and Vita land behind you. Vita looks upset about something, but you aren't really sure about Nanoha.
"Hi! It looks like you guys got to have fun, too," you say with a smile. Nanoha's gaze slides over you for a moment, then she looks at the other two on the roof.
"... Later, perhaps. Who are they, Flandre?" Nanoha dismisses her Barrier Jacket, and you frown again at not having one, then you shrug.
"I dunno. Hmm, one of them might be called "Zest," but maybe they were talking about the youkai?" You tilt your head to the side, thinking, then notice that Nanoha has a questioning look on her face. "Haa~. Cinque, Nove, and Wendi broke into my room, I played with them a little, then they tried attacking me alongside that man and the bug youkai from before, then Dieci shot me so I grabbed her and took her here so she could apologize to Vita. All I know about those two is that they're looking for their fairy." You stop your explanation as the mage approaches. She glances at Nanoha and Vita, then looks at you.
"We are your enemies. Why would you offer to help us?" You shrug as you feel Nanoha and Vita stare at you.
"I dunno, it seemed like a good idea. Besides, I don't see why we're enemies yet. I captured the fairy -"
"Agito." You blink at the interruption, then continue.
"... because I didn't know who shot at Vita before, and I was hoping to find out from her. If I'd known who did it, I would've gone for her instead. As far as I know, you haven't done anything to make me mad at you, so I don't think there are any problems with me helping you to get to her. Of course, I wouldn't be able to help you break her out, but that's something else entirely." She seems to think it over for a minute, then looks up at Nanoha before looking back at you.
"We accept your offer," she says to you, and you smile and clap your hands. She looks back to Nanoha. "Do you know where Agito is?"
"Nanoha ...."
"... I do, yes, but I cannot take you there unless you surrender. You are criminals." The mage nods.
"Yes. Flandre Scarlet, should we or you find out Agito's whereabouts, we shall contact you again." She bows politely, then turns and walks back to her partner. You see Nanoha hold Vita back as a purple triangle shimmers beneath the two of them, and then they disappear. Nanoha sighs. Vita looks up at her worriedly, then scowls at you when she notices you watching. You look back at where the mage had been standing - you're pretty sure your last name was never mentioned around her ....
"... Well, Flandre, we should be getting you back to your unit." You tilt your head as you look at Nanoha. She leans against the roof-edge, eyes closed. "Sergeant Vice will be here soon ...." Her breathing changes almost immediately, slowing down, and Vita steps between the two of you, one finger against her lips. You pout momentarily, but her glare doesn't change, and you shrug and look out across the city.
You sit in the chair, eyes narrowed to slits as Major Marino finally stops yelling at you. He rubs his temples, and you get the feeling that he would really rather not have to yell at you, although he doesn't feel afraid. Maybe he thinks you did the right thing? Well, except for leaving Lieutenant Tarbin, but it's not like you knew she was there! You can't be blamed for that! Eventually he looks back up at you.
"Alright, now that that's over with, we can discuss last night's little adventure," he says, then sighs as you clear your throat. "Yes?"
"You just finished yelling at me for last night, and now you want to talk about it?"
"No, I just finished reprimanding you for interfering with official business, abandoning your post, unnecessary violence, consorting with known criminals, destruction of property, and negligent behavior. Now I want to talk about what happened last night." You sigh, and he continues. "Alright ... so, based on what has been learned from the second prisoner you captured, it seems that the group involved in the action several days ago, as well as the group that you encountered last night, were combat cyborgs." He taps his metal foot on the ground. "Humans with mechanically-enhanced physiologies designed for combat. They happen to be illegal, and their attack on you specifically has opened up some greater degree of ... cooperation ... between the special unit headed by Colonel Yagami and the rest of the Ground Forces. That, however, is not what I want to talk to you about." He takes two photos out of a folder on his desk and slides them over to you. One is the mage, the other is the hooded spearman. "What do you know about these two individuals?" You look at them for a moment, then at him and shrug.
"Not much. They're looking for their friend Agito, the one I captured before. The girl is a mage, the man uses a spear, and one of them is probably named Zest. I have an agreement with them, where I'll take them to Agito and keep them safe." Marino stares at you for a moment, then gets up and goes to a cabinet in the corner. He takes something out of it, then places it on the desk facing you. It's a photo of several people ....
"Do you recognize anyone in this picture?"
"Mm. The man in the middle looks like the spearman, and ... she looks like she's related to the mage." You glance up at Marino. He looks upset about that ....
"Very well. Thank you, you may go."
"Actually ... I had a question." He sits up a little. "Um, do you have any way to store magic?" You know that part isn't necessary, but if you don't have to use your own energy to fuel a spell card ....
"Like a cartridge?" You tilt your head and he reaches into a drawer. He pulls out a small cylinder and hands it to you. "A cartridge, used to store mana for a power boost. Many Devices can't handle the strain, however, and it's difficult for mages to control the excess power as well, so its use isn't common." You stare at the cartridge. Certainly, carving a spell card system onto the cartridge itself and then filling it with energy should work - Patchouli does it with crystals sometimes, and Marisa uses that thing she carries around to power her Sparks. The problem would be that anyone could use it. And since cartridges aren't common, you probably wouldn't be able to use them for your own purposes ... especially if they're already having trouble making your Device work. You pass the cartridge back. "Why did you ask?"
"Um, there's something I want to do, and having another source of power would make things a bit easier." He sighs.
"I suppose the alternative would be increasing your supply of blood?" You nod. "Haa ... give me a demonstration later, and if I think it's worthwhile I'll see about getting you more." You grin.
"Yes!"
"Alright, you may go." You nod your head and dart out of the office, heading for your room. You still have some of your drawing supplies, after all! Which one to start with, though? You decide to start with 'Maze of Love' - it's a simple pattern, so it won't take long to make, and it doesn't need a target, so you won't have to deal with trying to modify it. You calm down and carefully think about how you want the spell card to work, then begin tracing it onto the paper. It's a form of self-hypnosis, after all - making a mistake might make nothing happen, or it could end ... rather badly. The bomb-type cards aren't, of course, but making them is even more time consuming. Once you finish the first, you set it aside and begin working on a second. Once that one is finished, you compare the two cards. You stare at one, then the other, put one over the other and then the reverse. They seem to be the same ... and hopefully they'll work properly.
Your first trial goes wrong immediately. The spell card itself doesn't activate properly, and you spend the next minute spraying danmaku haphazardly around the practice room, your head pounding the whole time. You stalk back to your room, snagging a few sheets of thinner, smoother writing paper from an office along the way. You copy out the spell card again, comparing the copies to the second original you'd made. Again, it seems to fit, and you head back to the practice room. It goes much better this time - the patterns activate properly, and it feels right. You can't be certain the defensive properties of the spellcard activated, not without someone else to play with, though. You head back to your room; it's the middle of the day, and you feel like taking a nap.
You waken as dusk sets in, and the tension in the air has you curious. You wander through the building to the meeting room, avoiding the people scurrying back and forth. You slip in and look at the screen; someone is wandering down a hallway, cackling to himself. As you watch, a squad of soldiers try to subdue him - he breaks their bindings and attacks them with spells and his fists. You see some other people coming down the hall as well - but then the laughing man rips out a soldier's throat with one claw and then begins drinking the blood, swallowing it directly from the soldier's throat. You don't need to be there to realize that he's a vampire, and the 'people' following him are his victims. The only question is what you're going to do about it.
What do you do?
[ ] Keep watching the screen; someone will ask you if they want help.
[ ] Keep working on your spell cards.
[ ] Find Major Marino and explain things to him.
[ ] Kill the vampire on your own.
[ ] Subdue the vampire on your own.
[ ] Other?