Nasuverse Mahou Senki Lyrical Days

[Nasuren]

I must be missing something. Shirou has the potential to become a heroic spirit? I thought that was supposed to be impossible in the modern era.

Spoiler

Heroic Spirit EMIYA

Emiya isn't a proper heroic spirit. He's merely a Shirou who made a pact with the world in exchange for a miracle. Exactly what I proposed for Precia.

He's someone with the potential. EMIYA might had the possibility to ascend to the throne at the end of his life, but only as an anti-hero. You need to remember that the pacts aren't made with just anybody.

 

[Rising Dragon]

Counter Guardians are still Heroic Spirits. That said, it's not impossible for a Heroic Spirit to come into being in the modern or future world, just that much harder since people are a lot more skeptic and educated.

 

[Garahs]

Sorry, but can you give me a link to where it's stated? Everything I can find states the opposite and I can't help but think you're getting it from a misinterpretation similar to like how many people thought Shirou's tracing ability degraded every time he traced a blade instead of the static rank down as was intended.

For example Joan of Arc, she was a normal girl who made a pact with the world and then went on to become famous. She did not become famous first before making the pact.

 

[Nasuren]

Listen, as long as your legend is known, the heroes' soul ascends to the throne as a heroic spirit. When the time comes when their legend is totally forgotten, the contract is enforced and the spirit becomes a Counter Guardian.

 

[zeebee1]

Counter Guardians are chosen for their skill sets. As Alaya can give them as much power is needed it's only how they can apply their power that matters. Precia might be eligible just because she uses a style of magic that almost no one on Earth knows about.

 

[fraggle]

AN: Many thanks for Santo, Muramasa and Xamusel for Betareading this chapter.

III: The mysterious enemy is also a magical girl?


​

The sound of a chime filled the mostly empty pub as a man entered, his features hidden courtesy of the worn-out trenchcoat he was wearing. It wasn’t as if he was actively trying to hide himself from view, but his posture made the man shrink into his coat. Aside from the man there were but a handful of people left. The evening had long since ended. The number of guests had been low that evening, courtesy of the chaos following the explosion in downtown Uminari that afternoon. Many people had been confused, some speaking of a giant tree until eyewitnesses started bringing in similar reports, making it possible for the police to start to determine what had really happened.


Silently the man made his way over to one of the further tables currently occupied by what seemed to be a middle-aged woman, the ashtray revealing that she had been waiting there for a while now. She didn’t speak up as he sat down, instead taking her time to finish her drink before looking at him with an accusatory glare.


Kiritsugu barely noticed the small barrier the brunette had set up. It had been less obvious than the hypnotized personnel of the pub, but it did ensure that their conversation would remain private even on the off chance that someone tried to listen in...


“This wasn’t what we had agreed on when we met last year.” The woman hissed between her teeth before lighting a new cigarette from the pack she pulled from her pocket, her hands clearly trembling as she failed to light it at her first attempt. “Even after I figured out who you were... you promised that you’d lay low as long as you were here, because you only wanted to raise your son away from trouble. I did not allow you to set up a workshop on these lands just so that you could call me and tell me that I have to run damage control in my own backyard because a giant tree just spawned into downtown Uminari!”


“Like I told you before, this is-”


“No! No excuses!” Kiritsugu was cut of as the brunette slammed her hand on the table. “If the Association finds out that something as chaotic as this was allowed to happen under my watch... If any of the other organisations in the far east get even the slightest hint of what happened and decided to come take a look. How would things turn out for me if they find out that, aside from harboring the Magus Killer, apparently strange thaumaturgy is running rampant...”


“Like I said, we aren’t dealing with a magus here.” Kiritsugu spoke, coughing as the smoke irritated his airways. The man himself hadn’t smoked for over a year, unable to keep up the poisonous habit with his newly adopted son around. “Trust me when I say that today was more of the exception of recent events. The cause of these irregularities is being sealed as we speak, but I need help doing damage control if things do go south...”


“Emiya Kiritsugu. I’m the second born of a small family of magi. I have no crest, can barely perform basic thaumaturgy and the only reason I can supervise these lands and get paid for it is because my grandmother was a local and because my elder brother refused to leave England to supervise these worthless grounds. If I was a decent magus who could enforce such damage control I would have killed you the moment you entered this city.” The woman paused, taking a look in her empty glass before waving it at the bartender, who promptly came to pick it up. “You are a horrible person, showing up with such a sad-looking child...”


“To be honest, I was just looking for a house. I only realised that my real estate agent was also the second owner when you entered the room. I sure lost my touch these last few years.”


“You really are unbelievable, sounding like an old man at your age.”


Neither of them spoke as the bartender returned with two full glasses. The woman raised her glass to her mouth, a motion Kiritsugu copied. As the bitter fluid ran down his throat, Kiritsugu waited for the woman to speak again.


“I can handle the crowd control for now... but if someone’s behind all of this, they will have to pay.”


“I understand that.”


“If this gets out, the association will be asking for my head. If that happens I’m going to offer the heads of you and your son, no matter how much I’d hate to do so. If you disagree with that then you better finish this mess quickly and efficiently.”


“Spoken like a true magus, that makes things clear.” Kiritsugu spoke, seemingly unaffected by the blatant ultimatum threat the woman had made to him.


“That’s good.” The woman spoke as she stood up, leaving her half-finished drink on the table and the remains of her lit cigarette in the ashtray. “I pray that we don’t meet again... well, unless it’s about the house itself of course...”


Kiritsugu remained seated as the brunette walked out of the pub, feeling the barrier fade away as the cigarette in the ashtray slowly burned away. Eventually he threw the content of his own glass back in one shot, leaving the glass behind as he too left the pub.


With 16 Jewel Seeds still missing it seemed that there was enough work to do.

---​

“Hmm... It’s okay Nanoha. You and Shirou can join Suzuka and Arisa tomorrow on your day off. I do want you to take Yuuno along.”


“Really?”


Shirou couldn't blame Nanoha for being surprised by his father’s response. After Suzuka had invited them for a ‘tea party’ Shirou had been mulling on how to politely reject the girl’s offer. After all, a free day meant they had more time to search the city grounds for more jewel seeds.


“If I recall the Tsukimura family owns a rather large plot of land in town, which is fenced off and properly guarded as well.” Kiritsugu noted. ”So, while Nanoha entertains her friends, Shirou will go off and look for Yuuno who ‘escapes’ soon after entering the grounds.” At this point Kiritsugu nodded at the blond boy looking at him with a confused look. ”After all, if Shirou’s pet runs off because he sees something interesting it can’t be helped, seeing that he’s a rather stubborn ferret. Shirou will just have to go catch him on his own...”


“You mean I’ll be searching the grounds for Jewel Seeds.” Yuuno added as he realised where the man was going. “That way Nanoha and Shirou don’t have to search the grounds without having to sneak in uninvited!”


“It’s fortunate that you managed to get yourself invited in such a short notice.” Kiritsugu added. ”It saves us the trouble of having to find a way in undetected. I don’t like the idea of you children jumping over walls...”


“I don’t have to jump anymore! I can fly now!” Nanoha happily interrupted, causing Kiritsugu and Shirou to turn their gaze towards the smiling girl .


“Excuse me?”


“I can fly now! I’ve been working on the basics of the Flier Fin spell during Raising Heart’s simulations but I should be able to fly around for real!”


“Also,” Yuuno spoke up. “I think I have recovered to the point that I’m capable of casting both barriers and short-range teleportation spells. With those I can set up a field to keep out regular humans and to contain the damage a jewel seed can cause.”


“That’s... actually very useful.” Kiritsugu pointed out. “This way we should be capable of acting more strongly without being noticed. Yuuno, can you give us specifics on your range of transportation and what’s the size of the area you can close off with your barriers?”


Shirou couldn't help but smile at Nanoha’s pout as her previous revelation was completely dismissed by Kiritsugu who instead was questioning an eager Yuuno to the limits of his newly revealed abilities.


There was no reason to feel jealous or so he kept telling himself.

---​

"I’m sorry Suzuka-san, Yuuno is a bit of a stubborn one like that." Shirou apologised as he gently removed the kittens that had been resting in his lap, courtesy of the cat-sanctuary that Suzuka had created at her home. Both Suzuka and Alisa had been rather happy to see the ferret again until Yuuno had taken off.


“Then, lets all go search for him!” Alisa chirped as she prepared to detach herself from her chair, a feat made harder by the presence of several kittens having made their napping spot on her lap. Before she could do so Nanoha’s hand landed gently on her shoulder.


“I think we should let Shirou take care of it alone. If we all go look for Yuuno then we’ll only scare him even more. He probably ran away because of all the kittens we have here...”


“I’ll bring Yuuno back once he calmed down a bit.” Shirou added as he looked at Alisa’s dejected face. “I’m sure you can give him a gentle rub over the head before we leave.”


‘Shirou, are you still with the others?’ Yuuno’s voice suddenly popped up in Shirou’s mind. ‘I’m at the end of the clearing, I'll start with the northern part of the gardens here...’


“Anyway, I better go look for him. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be back soon! If it takes too long I’ll send a message to Nanoha’s phone. Also, don’t tell Kyouya-san!”


“I think my big brother is somewhat distracted at the moment.” Nanoha added. “Suzuka-chan, have you heard anything interesting from your sister lately regarding my brother. I mean...”


Shirou paid no attention to the conversation that Nanoha had started, instead using the diversion to make his way into thick foliage surrounding the garden.

---​

“Yuuno, can you hear me? I think I found one.”


Shirou slowly treaded towards the spot of tall grass, the familiar sight of a blue gem resting on the ground setting his mind on edge. Unlike Nanoha and Yuuno he had no way of safely picking it up nor a way to contain it if it went active. From what Yuuno had told him Shirou knew that just coming into contact with something it could...


*Meow*


“Oh no you don’t!”


Shirou swiftly placed himself between the jewel seed and the grey kitten that had probably followed him into the garden. The small feline paused before disappearing in a nearby bush as Shirou waved his hands at it. As the cat sped off Shirou let out a sigh in relief. He sure didn’t want to explain whatever would have happened if the kitten had come into contact with the jewel seed.


“Shirou, are you there?” Yuuno’s voice returned. “I’ve called for Nanoha and pointed her towards you. We’ll be there in a few minutes so make sure nothing touches the Jewel seed until we get there!”


“I know. Just get over here before...”


“Don’t move.”


Shivers ran down Shirou’s spine as he spun around. He stumbled back at the sight of the owner of the soft voice. A blonde haired girl who couldn’t be much older than himself. She was clearly a foreigner, her long blonde hair and fair pale skin making her look different from any person Shirou had ever seen before. The girl’s clothing, clad completely in black, contrasted strongly with her red eyes, making them stand out even more. It was those eyes that drew Shirou’s attention; Nanoha would probably have said that the girl’s eyes were sad but to Shirou her eyes reminded him of something else.


As far as he could remember, the first time he had seen his own reflection was when he was still in the hospital. Back then he had been empty, simply accepting the world as it was...


“This must be somewhat confusing, but please understand that you should leave this place and forget about this...”


The girl’s eyes were those of someone who had already forgotten how to smile.


“...Trace on”. Shirou’s eyes moved onto the strange black axe the girl wielded, focusing on the yellow jewel perched at the top of the weapon. A hammer struck at the back of his head as the inside of his body twisted in response to the power running through his circuits. In a single moment, power beyond anything he had previously possessed with his self-made circuit fueled his body, yet he felt that it was far more easier to control. The girl was standing but a few meters away, so even if he couldn’t touch her weapon it was still be close enough for him to see.


“Trace?”


Shirou ignored the girl’s confused expression, instead forcing himself to read the weapon she held. The blueprint of the weapon entered his mind, but the image was heavily fragmented because of the lack of direct contact.The glimpse he got was enough to tell that it was similar to Raising Heart, the axe in front of him was only a part of the whole construct. The rest was folded away in places he couldn't read...


“Bardiche...”


“[Yes sir.]”


The girl raised her device in front of her, as her eyes narrowed in distrust. Neither of them moved until the sound of rustling broke the silence. The girl and Shirou jerked their heads to face the bushes near the jewel seed, trying to see what had snuck into the foliage.


Shirou cursed as he spotted a flash of grey jumping out of the greenery. Without thinking the boy rushed towards the blonde, ignoring the cry of surprise of the blond as he pushed her aside while diving towards the ground. The boy tumbled over the ground, his movement brought to a sudden halt by the trunk of a tree, landing right next to the jewel seed.With a moan of pain Shirou tried to sit up, only to see the golden blade of the scythe pressed against his neck.


“I told you not to move...” The girl spoke coldly, glaring at the boy as her eyes shifted from his face to the jewel seed right next to him. “ Get up. Stand on your feet, slowly and...”


The girl’s intentions were instantly forgotten the moment she noticed the pitiful whine escaping from between Shirou’s arms. The blonde's attention was caught by the gray kitten which was trying to worm itself out of Shirou’s grasp, the kitten desperately trying to resume its quest to grab the shiny object that had caught its attention. Realizing that the girl’s attention had shifted from him towards the whining kitten, the jewel seed seemingly forgotten, Shirou did the first thing that came to his mind.


“Hold him for a moment please!”


Fate Testarossa let out a cry of surprise as her face was suddenly filled with the kitten. As the blonde struggled with the now furious kitten clinging onto her, Shirou scrambled to his feet and grabbed the jewel seed. His best chance was to run towards the house where Yuuno and Nanoha could seal the Jewel Seed before it activated and...


“Bardiche, mode change.”


Behind him Shirou once more noticed the sound of moving parts, similar to Raising Heart whenever it switched between forms. As he looked behind him he noticed that the imposing blade had disappeared, the girl pointed the less imposing axe towards him as...


“[Lightning bullet”]


Shirou’s mind went white as a bolt of lightning buried itself into his stomach, making him double over and drop the jewel seed as his body seized up. As he fell he barely noticed the discoloring of the sky as Yuuno finally raised a barrier. The cry from Nanoha was but a faint whisper to his fading consciousness by the time his friends scrambled towards him.

---

​

"Another mage. Another person searching for the Lost Logia." The girl’s voice was so sharp it made Nanoha take a step backwards, before she strengthened her resolve and moved herself in front of the unconscious Shirou. She had seen the girl move, the flash of lightning that crossed the distance between herself and Shirou in but a blink before hitting her defenseless friend.


"Nanoha, there's no doubt about it now, she’s a mage from my world." Yuuno spoke as he recalled Kiritsugu suspicions. "This girl, she knows the true identity of the Jewel Seeds. It might be possible that she’s part of whatever was behind the incident with the transport vessel in the first place!"


The blond ignored the boy’s accusation, instead choosing to focus on the staff in Nanoha’s hands. "Just like my Bardiche, you hold an Intelligent Device."


"Bardiche…?" Nanoha repeated the strange word while looking at the staff in the girl's hand, her eyes widened as she realized what the girl was talking about.


“Nanoha! For now I’ll hold her off.” Yuuno suddenly yelled as he stretched his arms, barriers of green light appearing at his whim. “Go and seal the jewel seed ....”


The boy let out a yelp in complaint as the blond moved, cutting him off and nearly cutting him in half. "I'm terribly sorry, but I can’t let you do that. I will be the one to claim it." The girl intervened, pointing her device towards the other mages. The axe once more shifted into a scythe, the blade of the device gleaming ominously before both weapon and master disappeared in a flash.


“Nanoha!” Yuuno turned towards Nanoha as he shouted her name, but his warning came too late. The blonde had already appeared right in front of Nanoha, making a sweep at the girl with her scythe. Nanoha jumped backwards, Flier Fins erupting from her feet as she took for the sky, only then did she realize her mistake, as the blonde was now free to aim her device towards the jewel seed.... and the unconscious Shirou.


“Shirou!” Nanoha cried, the panic forcing her to drop all thoughts as she sped back towards the ground. At her cry a green barrier erupted around the boy, courtesy of Yuuno, but the mysterious mage was faster. The blonde shifted next to the boy before the barrier could completely shield him from her reach, striking the ground with her weapon creating a dust cloud that removed both her and Shirou from sight.


“Nanoha, wait!” Yuuno tried to warn Nanoha as she moved directly towards the dust cloud. “It’s a...”


Lightning erupted out of the cloud and struck the defenseless Nanoha. The girl fell to the ground as Yuuno set up another set of barriers to catch her. Yuuno clenched his teeth as his linker core burned, his recovering powers being pushed too far too fast. Magic that he could have kept up indefinitely at full strength was now pushing him to his limits...


He couldn't fight the girl. Just keeping up the barrier and the shields protecting Shirou and Nanoha was taking everything he had. A sudden gust of wind dispersed the dust cloud, revealing both Shirou and the enemy mage...


[“Jewel seed 14... Sealed”]


“Thank you, Bardiche.”


Yuuno could only watch as the blond mage jumped into the sky before teleporting away.


“W-where did she go?” Nanoha moaned as she pulled herself up using her staff, her eyes searching for the blond mage.


“She’s gone.... and she took the jewel seed. Even though Shirou was able to find one we...”


“Shirou!” Nanoha’s ignored Yuuno as she ran towards her fallen friend, the redhead not responding to her desperate calls.

---​

This is the tale of how the bodyguard Fuwa Shirou and the assassin Emiya Kiritsugu first met.


As a bodyguard, it had been his job to protect a certain woman. When asked, all she could say was that it was a monster of a man, a murderer that had killed for the sake of his research and who wished for her to die for his sake.


Her explanation, along with her payment, was the reason why he and his companions had been sent to protect her. The samurai of the Fuwa clan were amongst the strongest swordsmen in Japan, their techniques were an effective counter against the mystics. Even if a magus were to attempt to take them down, Shirou and his companions would be enough to turn the tide.


It wouldn't be the first time they would fight a magus, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.


But in the end they failed, for they had never suspected that another party would appear. Prepared to fight a magus, they had left themselves open for a despicable opponent, one who used subterfuge to guide them into a false sense of security before taking them out with both magecraft and modern weaponry.


In the end they were defeated, over half of his comrades died. A wounded Shirou watched as the assassin, a man barely out of adolescence, collected his prize: the trembling woman crying in the corner of the room.


There was no gloating or complement. The man who had bested him only looked at him with empty eyes before he and his companion took the woman Shirou was supposed to protect, leaving the injured bodyguard behind without a second glance.


Only later did Fuwa Shirou learn that that Emiya Kiritsugu, the man who had bested him, used the innocent girl to set up a trap to catch the man who was after her. He killed both of them by collapsing the building where the exchange was going to take place. For the sake of killing, that man had simply prepared appropriate bait. He discarded her life without a second thought. The magus killer sacrificed an innocent girl to kill a man responsible for countless deaths.


Fuwa Shirou would never forget that face, the face of the cold assassin that used innocent people like pawns. The next time they met, the samurai vowed, his sword would certainly pierce that man’s heart without hesitation.


But then the unexpected happened. Years later Shirou had become Takamachi Shirou, his body scarred after the final attempt on his life forced him to quit his job as a bodyguard. The former bodyguard was a simple baker in the seaside town of Uminari when one day his youngest daughter returned home with a small boy in tow.


That boy’s name was Shirou, Emiya Shirou.


When the boy’s father called to pick him up the swordsman wondered if fate had seemed it fit for him to make due on his vow. But when the redhead’s stumbling father appeared at the entrance of his store, Takamachi Shirou realized that he had already missed his chance.


The man standing in front of him had already been killed. There was no reason for his sword to stab the heart of a man with those eyes. The assassin from that day already withered away, leaving behind this pale imitation of a man..


And so, Takamachi Shirou had left behind the walking corpse that had become this boy’s father.

---​

At the end of the day, the porch of the Emiya residence was occupied by two men, basking in the light of the setting sun as they refrained from facing each other. One was dressed in a simple shirt and jeans, sporting a youthful look that denied the fact that he was already 37 years old. The second man was dressed more formally, sporting a black long jacket and matching pants. He looked rather unkempt, the result of a lack of sleep or from suffering under far too much stress.


As a result Emiya Kiritsugu, even though only 32 years old, seemed far older than the man standing next to him.


Takamachi Shirou didn’t comment on the fact that Kiritsugu had taken out a cigarette, the roll left unlit as Kiritsugu didn’t carry a lighter on him anymore. The swordsman briefly wondered if Kiritsugu had done it to calm his nerves or if it had been an unconscious habit he still hadn’t discarded. Eventually the man simply tossed it onto the floor, the unlit cigarette discarded as Kiritsugu turned sideways to face the other parent.


“So, what did Nanoha tell you about what happened?”


Takamachi Shirou’s eyes narrowed at the question. Kiritsugu didn’t bother to ask if he knew what had happened. Instead he asked what Nanoha had told her father. It was a confession that ‘something uncommon had happened’.


“...Shirou-kun got lost, tripped and passed out. Apparently he was still a bit under the weather so when Nanoha found him she panicked and the daughter of the Tsukimuras had her staff bring him to the guest room to rest. Eventually he woke up and Kyouya and Nanoha brought him home...”


“...I’m sorry.”


“...Emiya Kiritsugu, I’ll be honest with you,” Shirou sighed. “Something tells me that this... incident, wasn’t caused by you or Shirou. In fact, Lately I feel like Nanoha’s the one that’s gotten into trouble and that Shirou is helping her out. I’m not sure, but ever since Nanoha sneaked out of the house a few weeks ago she has been acting... more carefully. What does bother me is that she’s been visiting your house almost every day after you came back. Somehow Nanoha has gotten herself involved into something and she’s chosen to take you as her confidant.”


“Hmm, it’s something like that.”


“Be honest with me here, Magus Killer. Has something from your past caught up with you and dragged my child into it...?”


“Neither the history of Emiya or Fuwa are at play here,” Kiritsugu interrupted. “In fact, the current situation is... completely out of our worlds. For now I have been able lend some guidance but I fear that this is a burden that neither of us can truly take from her shoulders. Neither swordsmanship nor thaumaturgy alone can resolve this incident right now.”


“An incident she keeps hidden from her parents, and one which leaves her ragged after coming back home late every day. If she was a few years older I’d have Shirou pinned against the ground with a sword...”


“Ah, I’m sure Shirou will grow up to be a polite and conservative boy then. But right now I fear that we can’t do much more than clean up after them. Shirou tries to help, he really does, but even he realises that in the end our skills and abilities are not suited to ease Nanoha’s burden. It’s probably chewing him up from the inside right now...”


“....I suppose I’ll be seeing him more often in the dojo then...”


“Ah, please accommodate the whims of a struggling boy. He’s having some disappointments to work through. I fear I’ll be a bit more busy the coming days myself though.”


“...And why is that?”


“Apparently we have a newcomer in town...”


Both men normally couldn't get along with each other unless both donned the mask of the ‘loving father’. The kind, stumbling Kiritsugu had been welcomed at the Takamachi residence for dinner several times, and the two men had been rather amicable on those occasions.


But right now Takamachi Shirou gritted his teeth at the sight of the Magus Killer standing next to him, his years of experience as a bodyguard reminding him that the face the man next to him had donned was the face of an assassin that should have died long ago.


“I decided after finding Shirou.... after failing to return to her, that I wouldn't lose anyone else...”


It was almost ironic, Takamachi Shirou realised, to see the man once known as a ruthless killing machine vow that he’d protect everyone.

---​

“Eh? Kiritsugu-san isn’t coming along?” Nanoha’s surprised voice emerged from the speaker of the phone. “But it’s so rare for mom and dad to leave the store to the co-workers and to go on a trip like this. Kiritsugu could really use a dip in a hot spring, it would be good for his aching bones”


“Hey, the old man isn’t that old. Besides, it seems that he’s waiting for something to be delivered at our home so he won’t leave the house. From what Yuuno and I heard it’s stuff that our old neighbours in Fuyuki were keeping in storage for him. He won’t tell me anything about it though.”


“Hmm. Yuuno is coming along, right? Alisa has been calling me every day to make sure we remember to take him along.”


“Well,” Yuuno paused, taking a look at the other boy in his room who was shaking his head in adamant refusal, “... pets are allowed right?”


“Yes, so as long as we look after him it shouldn’t be a problem.”


“Then, one more thing.” Shirou hesitated, scratching his cheek before pushing on. “Yuuno asked if we can borrow Raising Heart from you for the next few days. He’ll return it in an emergency but right now there’s something we want to try.”


“Eh? thats...” Nanoha’s reply was pretty much as Shirou had expected from the girl. He hadn’t seen her without the red gem ever since Yuuno had loaned it to her and she had been rather affectionate to it. For Yuuno to ask it back now was for Nanoha to hand in her new friend.”... do I have to?”


“Please?”


“Ummm. fine. Yuuno can have her back...”


“Don’t sound so sad Nanoha. You’ll have her back in no time.”


“Okay. Then, I’ll see you tomorrow. Say Hi to Yuuno for me.”


“I’ll do that.” Shirou answered before hanging up, turning towards his pouting friend as he placed the phone down. “Looks like everythings planned out. It’s a good thing you can come along too this time.”


“...as a Ferret.” the blonde grumbled, “ A ferret which Alisa still wants as a pet...”


“Don’t worry, Nanoha and me will keep you safe.” Shirou smiled.” And in the worst case you can always take cover with Miyuki when she’s not in the bath.... you won’t try to sneak into the woman’s bath, right?”


“I’m not a pervert! A-Anyway, we should get back on topic. We’ll probably be able to use Raising heart’s simulator for a few days at most, so we should start working out the basics right now. To be honest I still don’t know if we can make this work...”


“We will make it work.” Shirou spoke, his voice flat as he clenched his hands. “ Next time we’ll be ready.”

---​

“..ah, Yuuno-chan! Stop moving and let me pick you up!”


The group had chosen to travel with two cars, one driven by the older Shirou and one by Noel, the head maid of the Tsukimura household. Shirou had decided to drive with the former, putting him between an amused Nanoha and a rather active Alisa, the latter relentless in her pursuit of getting Yuuno to sit on her lap. Shirou didn’t move as Yuuno continued to climb around his shoulders, eventually taking refuge on top of the redhead in a desperate attempt to stay out of Arisa’s clutches.


‘Yuuno-kun, why are you being so stubborn?’ Nanoha asked, sending the changeling a silent question while watching the spectacle unfold in front of her. ‘Alisa won’t hurt you, you know...’


‘...Nanoha. I don’t mind using this form to recover or to keep a low profile but...’


“.. I even got this cute bow for you to put on! And then...”


‘... I still have some pride left.’


“...so cute! Shirou, can’t you get Yuuno to sit down?”


“Can you children in the back quiet down a bit?” Takamachi Shirou suddenly spoke up. “ I can’t drive safely like this.”


“Do be careful dear. Shirou can you get Yuuno to calm down a bit?” Momoko turned around as she smiled at the boy sandwiched between the two other girls. “It’s a bit dangerous for him to sit on top of your head like that.”


After a few moments Shirou responded as he grabbed the ferret with both hands, before placing him in Nanoha’ lap, to the ire of a fuming Alisa as the car moved on. Shirou remained silent.


The red gem, attached to the cord hanging around his neck was hidden by the shirt he was wearing, hiding it from Alisa’s view as lines of text shimmered across the gem before it returned to normal.


‘[Simulation #5, timing of movement and casting speed.]’


As the two girls chattered softly both boys continued their mental training, unknown to all but Nanoha.

---​

Shirou slowly made his way over the wooden floor while tightening the belt of the dark-blue yukata that had been given to him, his hair still damp from the bath he had taken. Yuuno was resting in their room, the ferret having been exhausted after Alisa and Suzuka had finally gotten their hands on him, and the elder Shirou was still soaking in the hot spring after having taken a long stroll with his wife. When Shirou had gotten out he had still heard the laughter from the girl's side so most likely he was the only one not in the baths at the moment.


“Oh my, if it isn’t the cute little boy that bumped into my master before...”


Shirou looked up in surprise. The sight of the unfamiliar woman clad in one of the inn’s yukata’s was rather out of the ordinary. The woman was tall, her long unkempt red hair spilling down her neck as she shot him a wolfish grin. Suddenly he realised that she had been speaking to him even though he had never met her before.


“Oh, I must say that you kinda look adorable with that confused look.” The woman continued as she walked toward him. “You really are like a sad, confused puppy...”


Whatever response Shirou was going to give to her remarks was pushed aside as the strange woman pulled him against her chest, burying his face in her cleavage. The feelings of surprise and embarrassment lasted only for a moment as Shirou noticed the unusually long nails pressed against his neck, one nail drawing blood with but the slightest pressure. The message was clear, with but a single motion she could do some serious damage if she wished for it.


“...my master is far too kind. Last time you managed to make things difficult for her because she feared for your safety. Next time I’ll properly dispose of such distractions before you get the chance to hurt her. Got that cute boy? I’ll remember your scent from now on.”


Shirou didn’t answer as the stranger released him before she continued towards the baths. Only after she had turned the corner did the boy move again as he made way towards his room.


His pace was notably faster than before.

---​

“You really don’t listen to others do you? I told you what would happen if we’d run into each other again, didn’t I little boy. Do you really want to get bitten by me? Even worse, there are three brats now. Did the ferret decide to turn into a human or something?”


When Shirou had been woken up by Yuuno after he and Nanoha sensed the Jewel Seed the boy had been prepared to meet the blond girl from before. However this time the blond wasn’t alone. Sitting on the rail of the bridge crossing the small water was the redhead from before, sporting a grin filled with teeth as she glared at them.


“What are you doing with the Jewel Seeds!” Yuuno ignored the redhead, instead addressing the blond standing behind the older woman. “ Those things are dangerous!”


“I see no reason to tell that to you.” Arf interrupted as she stretched her limbs. “ You have bigger problems to deal with right now...”


Shirou couldn't help but tremble at the howl the woman released as her body shifted, revealing the form of a gigantic wolf-like predator. The beast easily reached his shoulders and it’s claws and teeth alone looked dangerous enough to slice him to bits...


He couldn't help but remember the sensation of her nails digging into his neck the last time they had spoken.


“She’s a familiar, a creature created by magic, dependent on her master for the power to exist.” Yuuno quickly explained. “ She’s much more than a magical beast, don’t underestimate her!”


“That’s right! In trade for my master’s power I’ll protect her with my life!” The beast roared as it crouched, reminding Shirou of a cat that was about to jump it’s prey. “ Fate, you can go home ahead of me. I’ll deal with these brats.”


“..Don’t be reckless.”


“I see, so you are her friend. That’s great.”


The beast paused, as both master and familiar shot a confused stare at the smiling boy standing in front of them. “Then, I’ll have to respond to that dedication with my own resolve. Nanoha, I’ll leave that girl to you. Yuuno, lets take care of this woman while Nanoha’s busy.”


“... You don’t really give me a choice here. Fine, I’ll be your shield this time...”


“Thats a lot of big words for a little brat!” The beast yowled as she jumped towards Shirou, only to be stopped as she clashed against the green barrier the blond boy had set up.


“Shirou, we’re moving away from here!”


“F-forced teleportation!?”


“I’m sorry, but our battlefield will be somewhere else!” Shirou yelled towards the familiar before both disappeared along with Yuuno, leaving the two female mages behind.

---​

“We both were unable to stop her.”


Shirou winced as Yuuno spoke the truth, the former recovering in his bed after the disastrous first encounter at the Tsukimura estate with the golden-haired mage.


“In your case it can’t be helped.” Yuuno elaborated. “You simply can’t defend yourself, seeing that you lack any sort of defense against our magic. Even reinforcing your regular clothing won’t protect you against her lightning element...”


“And I can’t even successfully reinforce my clothing all the time.” Shirou pointed out. “So far my only successes after I opened my circuits have been with projecting things like swords or reinforcing existing solid objects.” The boy picked up one of the blades he had projected the day before, which had been resting under his bed. Yuuno had been interested in his projections for the last few days so Shirou had kept them around.


“.. that reminds me. Remember your first fight with that jewel seed monster?” Yuuno spoke as he took the blade form Shirou’s hand, taking a closer look at it.” You were using the original sword back then when your final attack managed to carve right into it’s body. You used reinforcement on that blade back then, right?”


“Yes. I’m surprised you remembered that.”


“That monster had a reasonable resistance to my magic, but you cut through it with a wooden sword.” Yuuno bit his lip as his eyes shot from Shirou to the sword and back again. “I wonder if it had something to do with the way you use magic. From what your father told me Thaumaturgy works by distorting reality... so it might actually interfere with the formulas embedded in a barrier spell.”


“Like, it slices through magic?” Shirou asked, trying to follow Yuuno’s point. “But it still got stopped somewhere halfway through that... blob”


“No, more like corroding it.” Yuuno noted. “Now, If you try to force something through a shield it will try to resolve the situation with a similar amount of force to remove the intrusion. But, if your magecraft is really mocking up reality on a local scale, what happens to those calculations if it encounters something that isn’t following those universal laws. Those calculations should become less and less accurate.”


“I don’t get it.”


“Ah... never mind. It’s all speculation at this point. Anyway, my strengths lie in defensive magic and support-spells like teleportations and barriers. I’m not talented in battle, and I don’t think I can actually hit another mage if she’s moving at high speeds like last time. But, if you were able to use that same speed and strength as with the first jewel seed, if we manage to keep our opponent low to the ground...”


Shirou was not the brightest boy one could find, but even he understood what Yuuno was getting at.


“What are you thinking of?”


“I wonder just how fast your magic really is... and how strong you really are.”

---​

“Yuuno! As planned, 10 seconds!”


“Got it, I’ll set up the cage!”


“Trace on!”


The first thing Arf noticed was that the moment the brats had finished teleporting her the green-clad boy had immediately thrown all sorts of barriers into the sky, effectively cutting her off from the sky and limiting her movement to a ground battle. The second thing was...


“...Concept judged. Basic structure envisioned. Structure duplicated...”


… that the other boy was running at her with empty hands, aside from the strange glow around his right hand...


“..Ending Resonance, All cut!”


...where suddenly a sword had appeared, aimed at her head at a speed which barely allowed her to put up a simple barrier. Arf growled in anger as the blade struck the thin orange-tinted barrier in front of her...


...until it started to give in.


“W-what!”


Arf jumped backwards as her feeble barrier broke. She had known that it was a shoddy construct, but even it should have been enough to hold back a simple blade... which had also been broken in the process.


“Ha! what kind of weapon breaks after the first... OW!” The beast howled in pain as it suddenly crashed into another green barrier. Her path of escape gone, the boy pursued her. But without a weapon his actions were nothing more than...


“Freeze out. Projection load!”


The same blade once more appeared in the boy’s hand, this time even faster then previous. Arf jumped forwards, eager to meet the blade with her claws. However once more her expectations were betrayed as another round barrier appeared and stopped her claw right before it could start digging into the boy’s arm. By the time she had pierced through the barrier the boy had already turned to the side, evading her strike while swinging his blade towards her. In response to the incoming strike she reverted to human form, using her newly found reach to catch the blade with her right hand. However, the moment she caught the blade, she found her arm buckling under the unexpected weight of the strike. The muscles in her arm cried out until they were suddenly relieved from their burden, the blade in her hands disintegrating in but a few moments.


“Tsk! What's with that sword of yours!” Arf snapped, her frustrations fueling her speed as she rushed after the boy who had jumped back the moment he had let go of his weapon. Moments later she let out another cry as she triggered another trap, placed right where the boy had been only a second ago. As the defensive mage littered the path between herself and the redhead with traps she jumped to the side, leading her right into another barrier which launched her right back towards the traps she was trying to evade.


“Cowards! Stop hiding behind shields and face me! Get over here and...”


“Freeze out. Projection load!”


“Why you!”


“Third set, barriers and traps ready!”


The woman howled as half a dozen projectiles were launched from her hands, striking the barriers surrounding her.


“...Stop ignoring me!”

---​

Yuuno carefully watched the battle in front of him as he continued to move his barriers. He needed to keep the familiar off balance while ensuring that it couldn't evade Shirou’s attack. Their plan, one devised in the last two days, was extremely simple but wouldn't last long once she regained her composure. Even so, it was all they had come up with.


For Shirou to create a perfect blade, one that could withstand a real battle, would take far too long for him to stand still while an opponent was nearby.


But what if he only needed to make a shoddy copy, one that would break after a single strike?


As long as a blade survived the first strike before someone could return an attack it would still be effective. With that in mind Shirou had spend hours on cutting away at his projections, discarding everything away until he could create a blade in under 10 seconds. Even better, as long as he kept the blueprint active in his mind he could reforge that blade in a fraction of that time.


“Freeze out. Projection load!”


“Like that will help!”


As long as Shirou was capable of creating his first blade, he couldn't be disarmed even as it broke at every strike. As long as his 27 circuits continued to provide him with power, a blade would definitely appear in his empty hand the moment his previous blade shattered.


Emiya Shirou couldn't create a blade that could defeat a mage in combat. What he could do was wear down that mage with countless copies, each but a pale imitation of the original, mirages that hovered between existence and nonexistence.


But that single strike each sword delivered was just as heavy as a strike from the original sword. It forced their opponent to stand her ground or even evade, making her dive right into barriers and traps Yuuno was setting as he continuously riddled the battlefield with traps while protecting Shirou from harm.


“Freeze out. Projection load!”


“S-Shut up! You and your little toys! Traps and barriers and wooden stick won’t keep me from beating the crap out of you... OW!””


And from the furious look of their opponent it looked like it was working.


For the last two days they had used Raising Heart to practice this simple battleplan, spending hours using the simulator until Yuuno was confident that he could read Shirou’s movements well enough to support him. Shirou trusted him completely with his life, knowing very well that one failed barrier could mean a life-threatening wound in combat without a barrier jacket of his own.


A part of Yuuno was still appalled by the fact that he had agreed with this. But both boys had agreed on one thing; Takamachi Nanoha should not carry this burden alone. For that reason Shirou had resolved himself to the point that he would risk his life, and that was why Yuuno had to meet his expectations.


That was why they wouldn't lose. For the sake of the girl who had decided that she would give everything she had... for the sake of that precious friend...


The two boys would face whatever enemy would stand in her way.

---​

They couldn't win.


Shirou realized that soon after they had started their fight with the furious familiar. While they were stopping her from moving, and keeping her occupied, the fact remained that they could not land a decisive blow.


But that didn’t matter.


The end of their battle would be decided by the fight between Nanoha and the girl the familiar had called Fate. Although Shirou hoped that Nanoha could talk the girl out of becoming their enemy, a part of him had already realised that that was impossible. The girl was after the Jewel Seeds, and if one was after something that dangerous then they won't give up that easily. Most likely the girl named Fate was just as determined as they were...


“Nanoha!”


Yuuno’s cry makes both Shirou and the familiar freeze, their attention diverted to the scene playing out above them...


Fate had her scythe against Nanoha’s neck, the latter unable to escape. Moments later Raising Heart released a jewel seed, signifying Nanoha’s defeat.


“See, I told you it was useless.” The familiar laughed, using the distraction to slip through the barriers on the battlefield. Shirou and Yuuno raced after her but could only watch as she jumped through the trees. By the time Yuuno and Shirou had caught up with her they had returned to the small stream dividing the ground, the familiar and her master on one side while Nanoha stood panting on the other. The girl looked exhausted, but seemed mostly unscathed. Shirou rushed towards his friend, before seeking eye contact with the grinning familiar.


“My name.. is Takamachi Nanoha.” A familiar voice, if somewhat subdued, dispersed the silence. “These are my friends, Yuuno and Shirou. What are your names?”


“Why should we tell you pipsqueaks!”


“...Fate Testarossa.”


“Fate!” The familiar cried out in surprise, before scratching the back of her head. She sighed. “ Very well then. My name is Arf! Remember it before I have to pound you into the ground next time!”


“You three should give up on the jewel seeds.” Fate continued, her voice calm as if stating a fact. “ Next time you might not be so lucky to escape this easily.”


“That’s,” Nanoha’s voice trembled. “Thats just...”


“I can’t do that.” Shirou spoke, his voice devoid of hesitation as he interrupted his friend once more. “ Because of these Jewel Seeds, people are in danger every time one of them activates, and even if they are kept safe, they are still too dangerous. But most of all, Yuuno asked for my help. That’s why I won’t stop, no matter how dangerous this is.”


“You have bad taste in making new friends boy.” Arf sneered. “Do you always help strangers from other places when they come to you with their problems?”


“If someone asks for my help I’ll give it to them. If someone needs to be saved,” Shirou stubbornly replied. “I’ll save them. Thats why, if you need my help, I'll definitely save you too.”


“Haaa!? What kind of world do you think we are living in brat?” Arf cried out in disbelief. “Saving us? Did you hit your head or something? We just beat you completely!”


“Even so, I believe that you two are good people.” Shirou spoke undeterred by Arf’s look of disbelief. “Thats why, if you ask-”


“Be quiet.”


Fate’s voice was cold as she stared at Shirou. However her eyes had changed, the empty look suddenly filled with emotion as a mixture of anger and disbelief filled those eyes...


It was to Shirou, the first time that girl had truly looked alive. It was but for a moment before she turned around, dismissing the boy as she started walking away from them. “Those are easy words to say,” She spoke as a slight tremble crept into her voice. “The truth is that you can’t do anything. Please stay away from me and the jewel seeds. You have no place there.”


“I’m sorry... but I can’t do that.”


Shirou didn’t know if Fate even heard his last reply as the girl disappeared in a flash. Instead it was her familiar who had the final word before the beast followed her master.


“You, do you think you are the hero of a story or something?” The woman spoke with mock-sincerity. “Then, don’t complain if we meet again hero boy!”


Soon the clearing was empty but for the three children standing there. Both Yuuno and Shirou remained silent as they grit their teeth...


“I.. want to talk to her again,” Takamachi Nanoha stated, looking up to the sky. “I want to ask why she looked so sad...”

 

[Knyght]

A good chapter but those giant spaces are remarkably distracting.

 

[fraggle]

A good chapter but those giant spaces are remarkably distracting.

fixed.

 

[Rising Dragon]

Now that chapter was much better than the previous version's depiction of that scene. Though Kiritsugu sending for something he left in Fuyuki... that can't be too healthy for Fate and Arf.

 

[Lanceavalon]

Why the hell isn't Shirou's Father teaching him anything now that he has real magic?

 

[Rising Dragon]

Probably because Kiritsugu's own magic circuits are a wreck after the Grail War, and he can barely do magic himself?

 

[Muramasa]

That and he's a little distracted with Jewel Seeds right now...

 

[Rising Dragon]

Not to mention he didn't want this life for Shirou, and Shirou hasn't even got the basics of Projection and Reinforcement down by the time this starts up. Combined with the frequent trips to try and find Ilya...

 

[zeebee1]

I think he's probably put those trips on hold for the time being.

 

[Nasuren]

Considering that he's working with a group of people that have abilities that no Magi knows about? I'm willing bet that his trips will soon come to an end if he doesn't die anytime soon.

 

[zeebee1]

Since her attacks are non-lethal Nanoha can just destroy all the barriers blocking his way to Illya. The fact that some of those barriers are made of flesh just means that they won't actually be destroyed. On the other hand with his instruction Yuuno could probably just take down all of the bounded fields and have Nanoha grab Illya and fly away.

This is all assuming he lives past the first season so they have time to stage a rescue.

 

[Nasuren]

Well....

At this point, I doubt that Kiri would bring it up. With the Jewel Seeds wrecking havoc, I can't see Kiri asking that to a group of kids that he seems to be trying to shield from the darker nature of Earth's Magi.

The Asura and the TSB, on the other hand? It would both accomplish the rescue of Illya while showing the TSB why it would be a good idea NOT to interact with the 'local magic community'.

 

[zeebee1]

Yes, the local magic community that can't leave the planet. It would just convince them to petition Nanoha's family to leave the planet while guarding their homes with magical golems that can explode.

 

[Nasuren]

...until the church finds out and shows the golems a new meaning of overkill.

No, just because they are stuck on Earth doesn't mean they aren't a threat. I'm not talking about 'end of the world' threat, more like 'sea snake waiting to bite'. I haven't gotten far into Nanoha yet due to various circumstances, but I seriously doubt that a Mage would win when it comes to subtle assassination instead of direct assault. That's not counting Atlas, Apostles, or the Church finding out and taking an interest in them.

In essence, any mage stupid enough to interact with Magi might end up missing, if you catch my drift.

 

[zeebee1]

How much damage would be done before the TSAB decided to reveal themselves to the world? I can tell you this, if the Church and the Association pushed hard enough the TSAB's big reveal would paint the natives in a bad light in front of a lot of governments. Everyone likes to say that Nasu magic is unbeatable. That the tricks of the trade will always win when stealth is applied. But the fall of the masquerade was always inevitable. It's what causes it to fall, and what happens immediately afterward that matters.

 

[Nasuren]

On a grand scale? If the TSAB actually went the grand scale reveal which includes flying over cities and putting on a show, then yes, the association would have a field day trying to cover it up if possible. If they can't, then both the association and governments are screwed after most Magi realize that they don't need to keep secrecy when operating anymore, only their identity when they do something 'public'.

If the TSAB quitely approach the governments? An organization such as the Association would have more than a few fingers in certain pies to prevent such a thing.

 

[zeebee1]

Not really. The Association may have the ear of the rich, but that means nothing if the TSAB goes to a government leader and shows proof of multiple magi based kidnappings and what become of the victims. The Association is in effect a criminal empire that exists because no one knows anyone is committing any crimes.

 

[Nasuren]

Somehow I don't think it's that easy. The Association would require some government manipulation to function, especially when a village or a island's population just ups and vanish/killed.

Considering the rumour that there actually government organizations that deals with it (somewhat confirmed in Fate/Strange Fake), there's enough shit going on that certain elements in any large government would be aware of. If not, taking over a country would be as easy as hypnotizing certain people in the government.

 

[zeebee1]

Fate/Strange Fake is not relevant to this discussion. The TSAB has the influence to be too dangerous to mess with. They have nothing to lose by going on live television, revealing that magic exists, and that the local mages are kidnapping children for human experimentation. The Association has too much to lose.

 

[Nasuren]

Strange Fake went on record to state in that the Police Chief

He has known of the ritual, and he is disappointed in the government for their decision to advertise it to outsiders.

While it seems to refer to the American government, it proves that there is some connection between an large government and a Magi organization. While I doubt it's the same way in every government, I have a feeling that TSAB would hit enough landmines if they try to quietly approach the world leaders.

They have nothing to lose by going on live television, revealing that magic exists, and that the local mages are kidnapping children for human experimentation. The Association has too much to lose.

Note: I'm temporarily ignoring the chance of a TSAB version of the Prime Directive to continue.

Let's say they go onto TV and announce to the world the existence of Magi with actual evidence to back it up. Then what?

The answer? Not a lot. Most of the more powerful Magi are removed enough from the mundane that bad PR wouldn't hurt them and are rich and connected enough that it wouldn't really matter. The lesser know Magi would most likely be able to slip under the radar if they're careful enough.

No, it would backfire on the TSAB. Instead of ensuring that any trace of Magecraft was left, Magi would only need to focus on ensuring no incriminating evidence was left to trace the crime back to his/her/itself. Governments, if not involved with them in some way already, might approach Magi to expliot recruit some to ensure an edge over independence from the TSAB.

I pity the poor soul that tries to detain a certain Blue or the Lord of Trolls.