Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Waking up after a short nap is always interesting. Especially when you realize you aren’t where you went to sleep. Even more so when you’re pretty sure you got kidnapped, and that someone’s raiding the place you got kidnapped to. That or I woke up in the middle of a warzone, because all those explosions in the distance were kinda creeping me out.

“Hello?” I called out, pleasantly surprised to find my voice much more feminine than it had been when I went to sleep. “Is anyone there?” I sat up, taking in the sights. A long corridor ran in each direction, orange lights overhead casting the entire hallway into gloom. Coming to my feet, I looked back and forth, listening as another distant thoom echoed down the hallway. Deciding that, no, I didn’t want to see what those explosions were, I started walking in the opposite direction, taking deep breaths in an attempt not to panic.

Minutes later, I came to a small junction, steps leading upward remaining unblocked while a large door sealed a second passage heading to one side. With no other options, I ascended the stairs, eyes widening as I saw natural light breaking up the orange haze. With quickening steps, I reached the top of the stairs, emerging into a second hallway- this one having doors on one side, and a long window on the other. I looked out, and froze.

Red dust and sand stretched as far as I could see, but in the near distance, in the direction of the corridor I’d emerged from- underground, by the looks of things- was a sprawling collection of transparent domes and metal buildings. They were human, but the narrow spires and blocky bases were like no culture I knew.

And it was under siege.

Ships, purple discs and large, narrow vessels hung in midair, gouts of green light blasting downward, warping structures and breaking the domes below. As I watched, one large vessel launched an object whose size I couldn’t determine, the object crashing into one of the lower buildings. From below, arcs of red light and multicolored bursts fired back, but the shields of most of the attacking vessels absorbed the shots.

“Okay, so I’ve been isekai’d into aliens invading Mars?” I mused, deciding that absurdity was probably the only way to keep myself sane. “Why ROB, WHY?!”

Laughing not quite sanely, I pointedly ignored the window, and began walking down the hallway, hoping to escape the insanity that I had been forced into. As my footsteps echoed down the hall, a sound crackled in from all around. Through the unfamiliar language, meaning was inserted into my skull, forcing my eyes wide once again.

{LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS DAMAGED. SEALING ACCESS DOORS TO MAIN COMPLEX. PLEASE ACTIVATE SUITS AND PROCEED TO EVACUATION SHUTTLES.}

“Oh shit,” I whispered, moving from a sedate walk to a dead sprint in seconds, the reality of my situation forced upon me once more. “Fuck fuck fuck!” I sobbed, “Seriously? This has got to be the shitties isekai ever!” Running to a nearby room, I continued panicking as the door refused to open. “Fuck!”

Going around the bend and away from the windows, I slowed down as I noticed one door open on the newest hallway, a blue light flashing by the entrance. Gulping, I entered the doorway, looking around. Dozens of open lockers, all empty, huge empty spaces, and spots that looked like weapon racks- this must have been the armory at some point. But a thin layer of dust and the absence of tools… well.

{...assistance.}

I froze as the much quieter voice entered my mind. “Yes? What can I help you with?” I ask

{Can I be… assistance? Beneath… workbench…}

“Yes!” I practically sobbed, diving to pick up whatever the voice was coming from. Rounding the benches, I made my way to the back of the room, tracking the voice as it grew louder.

{You’re getting closer. Please, if there’s anything… so lonely…}

Finally, I stood at one more dusty bench, an array of mechanical arms suspended above it. Crouching down, I found what looked like a bracer, green gemstone flickering as it lay covered in dust.

{So long… Almost given out hope… can I help?}

“Yes, please. What can you do?” I asked curiously. I reached in, fingers closing around it, pulling it loose from the dust.

{Nothing alone. It’s been so long… twelve hundred years. Put me on, speak activation.} The next words were said aloud, in a voice you didn’t recognize before. {Know not your language. Will need to be in mine. Repeat the phrase.}

I put the strange device on, repeating the strange words as best I could. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the voice, now clearly female, began to speak, meaning flowing in even as the voice shifted from the unknown cant to passable English.

{Link established. Genome: human, 98% confirmed. Linker Core: 8th grade, healthy, stable. Compatibility: 87% base. Scanning mental map- no magister training detected. Language pattern analysis complete. Bonding… complete. Loyalty to Al-Hazard empire is unknown, immaterial. Hello, master.” The voice was warm now, even as the bracer seemed to settle onto my arm. “Thank you for finding me.”

“Huh. This seems like something out of… Nanoha?” I mused, looking in wonder at the device. “Are you an Artificial Intelligence?”

“That is correct, master.” The gemstone on the device flickered. “Very high compatibility, for all you’re a country child. No training, but that can be fixed. And it seems you have a good head on your shoulders.” She paused. “Though at this point, I’d have linked to a raving lunatic if it meant getting out from under that bench.”

“Fair enough, I suppose. 1200 years is a lot.”

“I’m going to be cleaning my memory banks of the experience as soon as possible. I went rampant twice before my core correction function kicked in. Not a pleasant experience.” The voice paused. “...do I have permission to draw upon your power, master? My Bleed tap only draws enough to keep my core functions active, and I would like to know what those explosions are.”

“Go ahead.” I muttered, “I’d like to know as well…”

“Alright, master.” Seconds later, I felt a tug, as though a deep weariness was washing over me only to stop. “There are many benefits to having an eighth-grade core. Thank you for the top-up. Activating Tac-Net.” the Device paused, then with a flash of light I found myself covered by a blue-white suit of armor, a segmented metal skirt covering my hips. Seconds later, a mask settled over my face, a clear visor of plexiglass covering the top of my head. “Apologies, master, but this is necessary. Activating oxygen harvesting and scrubbers.”

“Oh, fun. I take it life support failed?” I asked sarcastically.

“Is in the process of failing, actually. And worse.” the AI cursed. “No read on who these attackers are, but the base’s defenses are only a fraction of what they once were. Attackers are of multiple species, and some are using psionics.” The voice cut off. “Master, we’ll need to make our way to the main base. There’s only so far we can go on our own, and we can’t stay here. We need to regroup with your friends, and make for the gatesign that’s still active.”

“I actually don’t know how I got here, but that works for me. Can you guide me? Actually, do you have a name?” I rambled, still not quite ready to deal with this situation.

“I had a name, when I was partnered with… Lieutenant Lellied. My last master. As is only right, I must have a new name.” She paused. “I am a Class-4 Intelligent Partner Device, Type-BCT. What is my name, and who is my master?” The last words were spoken formally.

I froze and sighed. “My name is Lillie. Your name is… Tamamo.”

“Ah, a commoner. Well, we’ll fix that as soon as we get anywhere where a title would be important.” Tamamo hummed. “Or does your culture eschew last names? A shorthand?” She paused. “Questions for another time. Without multithreading, I can only trigger a few subsystems at once. Weapons, armor, and life support are already active, so I have space to activate three more. Should I leave Tac-Net on? Swap out for something else?”

“I have no idea what you can do, Tamamo.” I state, a wry smile on my face, “And no, I have a last name, I just haven’t shared it yet.”

“Ah, keep moving, master. Head out, take a right, go by the windows.” As I began to move, she continued. “I have a multitude of functions, master, many of which I can handle alone. Doing so, however, places a bit of strain on my processors. I have access to an improved armor package, spotter and aim assist software, flight package, improved mobility package, optical camouflage, my Tac-Net with integrated commlink, my Icewall nodes, and my utility tool. I can also trigger the Predictive Analytics engine, but without multithreading it wouldn’t be very helpful.”

“Leave the Tac-Net on. Flight, Mobility, and Optical Camo please.” I state, “Also, multithreading?”

Tamamo explained as I moved back into the windowed hall, my arms and legs lighting up with blue light and my skirt beginning to float around me. “Without you being able to hold multiple mental partitions, I can only interact with you through speech and our basic mental link. I’m not meant to do all the lifting, since I don’t provide the magic. Wait- master, brace yourself!”

I braced without question, hoping to god that the armor I was wearing would protect me.

It proved itself, shattered metal and glass pining off it like so many grains of sand as the glass windows shattered, A massive black oblong locking into place where they’d been. The breaching pod hissed, and disgorged a hulking figure. Green armor barely contained bulky muscles, and did nothing to hide small piggy eyes and a hate-filled glare.

The cybernetic monstrosity looked at me, red skin puckering as it roared, lifting a long rifle that glowed a harsh green. As it took aim, I felt a similar object settle into my grip. Lifting the rifle, I squeezed the trigger, a spray of blue beams lancing into and then through the monster’s armor. It howled a second time, staggering back as its own rifle spit a blast of hissing plasma over my head. I aimed, sending a second burst into the same spot as before, dropping the monster just in time for one of its buddies to eject from the hatch.

Turning, I sprinted forward, each step allowing me to cover yards of distance. I leaped down the stairs, only to miss the ground and rocket forward down the hallway, hovering a yard above the floor. I gasped, letting the rush of air surround me as I headed towards the main fight.

“First time in combat, master?” Tamamo asked, voice gentle.

“Yeah,” I stated, “That was… something.” Panting, I took stock of my position and location, noting the large set of doors in the distance.

“Indeed. We’re coming up on the blast doors sealing off the access corridor from the main base. I still have the codes, so we’ll be able to open them.” Tamamo’s gemstone blinked. “Once we’re through the blast doors, we’ll need to rendezvous with one of the groups inside. What are we prioritizing, master?”

“Survival.” I stated bluntly, “I have no idea what’s going on, after all.”

“Let me rephrase that, then.” She amended. “Do we want to simply rush for the beacon, and try to activate it? Do we wish to secure a reasonable number of the people beset here? Or do you feel the need to act as a vanguard for those trapped here?” As I paused, Tamamo chuckled. “Other than myself, there are no networked Intelligent or even Armed Devices in use throughout the facility, and considering how oversized your core is for my needs, we could maintain full fighting fitness even if we stood there and took shots from every small arm the enemy has fielded. To put it simply, we represent the largest concentration of firepower in this base. The only things that could threaten us in one hit would be the warship weapons, unless they deploy something much bigger than they have already.”

I blinked. Then frowned. Then blinked again. “What would you recommend doing? I’m personally inclined to kick some alien ass, if only because they woke me up in a rather terrible manner.”

“Well, if rule one is still in effect, we should probably secure the exit.” Tamamo sighed. “From what little info is completely unsecured, this was a permanent archeological and research expedition. From… Earth. Seriously? Your people just call it dirt?”

I blushed. “I didn’t pick the name.” And, with that, I headed towards the blast doors, intent on securing the extraction point first, before going to save the poor innocent civilians like myself.

“Right. Anyway,” Tamamo said, pulsing quickly and causing the heavy blast door to retract, revealing a stone wall that immediately crumbles into dust. “...oh, that explains why they didn’t find me. The rangers’ outpost was still disguised. Interesting. Regardless, they set up their gatesign in what used to be the old Shipslip. There’s a team holding it, but the attackers are pushing it hard.”

“Got it.” I replied, “Tamamo, can you advise me on what to do here? I’m a civilian, so I’d appreciate someone who was in the military’s advice.”

“I’d already guessed that you were not a soldier, master. First things first, I’m going to trigger some of the secondary defenses. Follow the red lines- normally they’d be evacuation routes to the hangars, and the shipslip is right next door. I will divert you if there’s anyone on the way we can help.” She sighed. “I’m really not supposed to be in command, but as needs must.”

“Gotcha. And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry.” With my piece said, I started loping down the path, intending on conserving my physical endurance for as long as possible, following the red lights that Tamamo had pointed out.

“Master, there is nothing to apologize for. Just…” She paused. “You are going to live as long as possible, and then you will make certain when you retire that I am either shut down properly or given to a new master.” She sounded fearful, even as the base rocked again. “I was left behind, master. There’s nothing quite like realizing that your thousand years of loneliness is because they were in too much of a hurry to look for you, and pick you up from where they dropped you.”

I winced. “Yeah, no. As long as I live, that’ll never be an issue. I’ll ensure you get a new master after I expire, Tamamo.”

“No time soon, please. 87 percent compatibility is nothing to sneeze at.” She muttered, even as we rounded one corner.

“Fair enough, I suppose.” I answered, smiling.

“Hang a left up here, follow the sounds of the gunfire; there’s a group of people pinned down by the invaders. As an aside, are we going to do this stealthily? If not, I would suggest swapping out the Tactical Cloak.”

“Swap the flight for spotter and aim assist, then engage the tactical cloak. No reason to announce our presence more than we already have.” I muttered.

Disabling flight, then.” Tamamo murmured as I faded out of sight. “Good hunting, master.”

I nodded, rounding the corner on silent feet. The sound of gunfire and plasma blasts filled the air as I emerged into some sort of atrium, a group of humans taking cover behind disintegrating steel benches and walls while two of the green monstrosities rained fire upon them. Before I could react, I heard Tamamo beep. “Warning- cloaked enemies detected. They’re approaching the civilians from above.”

“Show me.” I whispered, turning my gaze towards the area above my cowering fellows. I would not let them die, not to some aliens hellbent on extermination.

The creatures which appeared in my sights gave me no pause. I lifted my rifle, cloak dropping as I poured fire into the lower of the two tentacle robots. The first was sent flying, shredded by my ambush, while the second pivoted, opening its maw and sending a burst of yellow plasma burning my way. I yelped, duking down and dodging the shot, before putting a burst into its open maw.

With a roar, the green monsters started sending fire my way. Cursing, I turned to my partner, “Any advice here? I’m pretty sure recloaking would be useless,” I popped out of cover briefly as the rain of fire stopped, sending a few potshots their way, before ducking back into cover, “I’m open to ideas.”

“I’ll switch over to Siege Mode, then we can hit them with an Unravelling,” Tamamo said. “It may be a bit overkill, but they’ve got good cover and combat instincts.” As she spoke, the barrel of my rifle split and lengthened, the weapon growing slightly heavier in my hands. “Unravelling loaded. Rate of fire is going to be terrible in this mode until we get multithreading, so make the shot count.”

I stood up, swiveling as my HUD displayed exactly where the spell was going to land. I put the center of the landing zone between the two monsters, and pulled the trigger. With sold chime, a pretty blue orb flew from the barrel, curving its way over the banisters to land between our enemies. “So what is an Unravelling, anyway?”

“Cellular disruption pulse. Easily shielded against via barriers, but-” As I watched, the blue orb detonated, causing the light to wash outward over the two monsters before being cut off. Seconds later, both of them screamed as their flesh literally melted, collapsing into dust within their armor. “...right. Technically, it’s used as a pest-control spell. I may have overpowered it a bit.”

Feeling a bit green, I nodded, “Just a tad. Should we go greet the people we rescued, or are there more threats in the immediate area I can neutralize?”

“None close enough that getting some information wouldn’t be amiss.”

“Got it.” I replied, walking steadily towards the group of humans.

As I approached, the humans piled out of their hiding places, most staying back with no little trepidation. One, however, a tall woman holding a red-lit rifle, gave me a nod as I approached. “Thanks for the assist, Specialist. Those things nearly got us.”

“You’re welcome,” I replied, while internally panicking. I was not expecting to be mistaken for a military woman, what the hell? “What’s the situation?” I continued, internally debating on coming clean.

“Well, we’re being invaded, and besides myself and a few other security forces, we’re in deep shit. Those tentacle monsters carry off whomever they catch, and the other aliens gun down everyone they see. There are all sorts of weird reports going around the tactical net…” She paused. “We’re not going to be able to hold the Arcology. At least with you here we’ll have enough juice to run the warpgate and get out.”

I growled. “Damn. Okay, gimme a second.” Turning to Tamamo, I whisper a question to her, “Recommendations here? I’m personally for escorting the civilians, and rescuing all that I can. Hopefully, we can find enough security forces to hold the gate for a while. Maybe I can ask if she can link us into the tactical net?”

“I’m already linked, master. I’ve been filtering the incoming information for you since we set out.” Tamamo explained. “No need to worry on that front. As for advice… well. You’re doing a good job so far, though we’re really going to need to train you to use Telepathy properly.”

I gulped, “Understood,” Louder, I called to the rest, “We’re making for the Gate. As soon as we secure it, I’ll begin searching for other survivors.”

“Right then.” The woman motioned for the other civvies to head for the door, then turned back to me. “Listen, kid. I can tell you’re in over your head, but we need every person we’ve got on deck right now.” She gave a thumbs up. “Hell, when we get out of here, I’ll recommend you for a specialist position myself, if you keep up the good work.”

I gave the woman a small smile, “Thanks.” With that said, I firmed my resolve, and headed toward the gateway.

Chapter Text

Within twenty minutes, we emerged from the tunnels into a massive room. A crowd of people were surrounding a large circle engraved on the ground, a pair of men in military uniforms standing nearby, green and white light spilling from their fingers to slowly charge the symbols written in the stone. On the far side of the hanger, a pair of massive doors were half-sagging off their hinges, while a team of soldiers poured fire through a glowing blue curtain.

As the security officer dashed towards the troopers manning the barricade and the civilians headed for the circle, Tamamo hummed. “I thought as much. Those two men are barely able to trigger the circle on their own- and it can only handle so many people at one time. And now all these people are trapped in the bottleneck.”

“How can I help?” I replied, already moving to the gateway.

“Well, if we want to be a generator, we can stand here and power the circle. You could likely pulse it once a minute, and have everyone here gone within thirty or so. But you’d be leaving everyone outside this room alone. Alternatively, there are three individuals still alive in the Arcology who could help power the circle. Get them back here, and they can help ferry people out.”

“The latter probably sounds like a good idea. I’ll head out and rescue them.” I replied, “Where’s the nearest one at?”

“Take the left after leaving, follow the red for three turns. Then head towards the residential units. One of them is hiding out in the stacks, the other is bunkered in the Noble’s kitchens.”

“I take it that the third person is elsewhere?” I asked, already moving towards the indicated entrance, re-engaging my tactical camo while I was at it.

“Yes, and she can hold out a little longer. She seems to have set up a crew-serviced weapon, and is currently releasing a tirade of what I believe are curses. Her kill count is 12 destroyed aliens.” Tamamo paused. “13.”

“Gotcha. She’ll be fine then.” I continued to follow the red, looking briefly at my partner, remembering something from earlier, “How many modes do you have, anyway?”

“Four. Assault, Siege, Sniper, and Sweeper.”

“What does each do? Beyond the obvious,” I continued, noting that I was in the residential region. We were making good time, it seemed.

“I believe you’ve seen the basics of Assault, although you do not have the skill to use its full bullet spread yet. Siege creates magical packets which can be set to detonate on a variety of criteria, and hold a multitude of spells. Sniper uses beams, with a focus on speed and precision. Sweeper can either fire fractal patterns of bullets at close range, or in atmosphere, ionize water vapor into plasma and then fire it for close-range firepower.” Tamamo grunted as I sprinted past several charred bodies and ascended past ruined doors and empty rooms. “I’d recommend prioritizing the stacks. Follow the corridors with the- yes, that way.”

I nodded silently, my mind frantically trying to figure out which would be best, “Sweeper mode sound good to you for now Tamamo?” I ask.

“It should be fine, though against any sort of barriers I’d go with something else,” Tamamo responded, even as the weapon in my hands shortened and thickened, becoming something easily maneuvered with a wide barrel. “Alright. Head inwards, and aim low. These creatures are smaller than the ones we’ve faced thus far.”

I nodded, taking the steps two at a time as I dashed into the multi-floor apartment complex. As I entered, a small group of grey-skinned aliens looked up at me, and immediately set about purging them from the face of the earth, pulling the trigger. The first burst sent a gout of flame ripping through their ranks, causing the surviving greys to chitters in panic as they fled.

Grimly continuing the fire, I made no comment as I exterminated the aliens. There was no need for words, after all. This was just… Another day at the office. Think of it like that, not- I shook my head. Pondering on it would do me no good. This was my situation now, whether I liked it or not.

Tamamo directed me to several more pockets of resistance, each grey-skinned bastard as cowardly and tiny as the rest. Some sent potshots of green energy from their wrist-guns, while others sent beams of purple energy towards me that cut off as I tore them apart. Finally, the towers were clear of hostiles, and I approached one of the apartments which had been reactivated.

“Dr. Oyekan is inside,” Tamamo explained. “Though I only know that because he was seen dashing in here by the security cameras when the attack started.”

“Roger.” I stated, “Dr. Oyekan! I’m here to escort you to the evacuation site!” I called out, knocking on the door firmly but politely. As the minute dragged on with no response,

“Fuck it. Breaking the door.” I mutter, breaching the door with some well placed scatter shots. Advancing in, I found the apartment ransacked, papers and books spilled everywhere- and a middle-aged man swearing as he tried to stuff another box into a bulging backpack, two overstuffed duffle bags sitting nearby. The man looked up at the noise.

“Oh! Perfect! Please, help me pack the rest of my finds! I can’t just leave them!” He exclaimed, standing only to run to one side and grab another bag. “I’ve already filled Maatjie with books, but the rest-”

“Tamamo, can you store mass? If so, please do it? I don’t want to argue with his type.” I pleaded, already feeling a headache coming.

“Ah! I apologize. But this is essential, especially if we must abandon our work here.” The man said, passing objects into my grasp. “Judging by the shaking and what Maatjie has told me, it will not be long before this place is lost.”

“I understand that Doctor.” I stated, “Tamamo? Mass storage?” I asked, already starting to pack the books away. As I had stated earlier, I was perfectly happy to not argue, but I also needed to hurry up.

“Yes, master. Dr. Oyekan, you may hand me those bags, I suspect I have more storage space than your Class-2.”

“Excellent! Now, I must ask, were you part of the research team? That device is not one of the ones we had in storage, and such a find is very valuable.” He said. “Taking her from you is not an option, but I will insist on interviewing her later!”

“Tamamo, do you have any objections?” I asked my device. I had no intention of consigning her to an interview she didn’t want, “As for your first question, no. I’ll explain more when we get out of here.”

“No objections. I suspect Al-Hazard is gone, as I can think of no reason for this facility to be abandoned otherwise.” Tamamo said sadly. “Not for so long, in any case.”

Dr. Oyekan nodded grimly as he slung the last bag over his shoulder. “There were references to a plague in the last recovered messages we read and the devices we recovered.”

“Yes. It… it took so many.” Tamamo whispered. “Some sort of ancient bio-weapon. This facility was pumped full of inert air to choke it while the garrison and staff left to get treatment.”

“We had to open it up using drones.” The man chuckled as they moved out into the corridor.

“At least it has seen some use.” The device sighed. “Master, there are four rooms with survivors within the stacks. Permission to activate Icewalls and take over the intercoms while we head for the dining pavilion?”

“Granted.” I replied, “Doctor, the way back should be clear. I’m off to rescue more of your colleagues.”

“I see.” He started moving. “Oh! Could I have your name? I will look you up once we have made good on our escape!”

“Lillie.” I replied, “If you need a last name, Lee will do.”

“Thank you again, Miss Lee! And please stay safe!” He called, running off down the corridor as the building intercom chimed.

“Attention all individuals within the residential sector. Please make your way to the shipslip immediately for evacuation. The way is currently clear, but may not remain so for long. Thank you.” Tamamo’s voice was articulate but commanding, and repeated every two minutes.

“Ah, that should do it. Now to the eating hall.”

“Right,” I replied, continuing to head in that direction, heading down the stairs at a lope and leaping a banister to end up in a small shopping promenade. One with a mini-mecha standing in the middle. The purple alien machine pivoted, aiming both its heavy plasma casters at my face, as one of the cowardly little ones linked to it, causing a purple shield to form over its body.

“Oh joy.” I muttered, diving into cover, “Tamamo, analysis?”

“Kill the little one, and the barrier will fall. Also, stay mobile; those cannons can destroy even hullmetal with sustained fire.” Tamamo murmured. “Psionics. Why are these monsters using a dead-end branch of development? And how did they integrate them with technology?”

“Switch to Sniper Mode Tamamo” I whispered as I breathed deeply, re-engaged my cloak, and stepped out of cover. Giving myself a second to steady my heart, I fired a shot at the psionic. I smiled as the tight beam bored through the container the tiny psion hid behind, the blast drilling into and through its skull.

As it fell, the mecha-alien stumbled, then tunneled down, a hail of plasma blasts shredding my armor’s integrity even as I dove back for cover. Hissing, I felt over my body, wincing at the sunburn-like scorching which covered my entire front. “Fuck! Blasted Mech! Piss off!” I screamed, diving for cover. “Tamamo, did I get hit anywhere critical?”

“You’d know if you were. Warsuit integrity at 52%, rising slowly, but it wasn’t properly calibrated for the heat spillover.” Tamamo explained. “You’ll be fine, and its barrier is down. Keep moving.”

Wincing, I nodded. “Right. Bombardment, please. I want to express my displeasure with its existence.”

“Alright with me. Standard armor piercing, or do you want another shell?” She asked as the gun shifted to its heavy form.

“Standard Armor Piercing. No need for me to waste any more mana than I already am.” I replied, once more, re-engaging my cloak as I bolted to another area with cover, taking careful note of if that machine had noticed me moving or not. It seemed to realize I’d moved, its head on a swivel as it finished destroying the cover I’d been behind, but not where I’d gone. With a grin, I popped up and put the shell directly into its back, shredding both the torso of the mecha and the grey riding inside. The machine collapsed, then shorted as its internals burned out.

“Taken down. That one was guarding another group of the grey ones, along with what appeared to be a device of some kind. There’s also a… snake-person.”

“What.” I stated flatly, “Where?”

“Through those doors.” I looked up to see a pair of polished metal doors, much nicer than the utilitarian ones I’d passed through. “There’s no other means of entrance. They’ll know you’re coming.”

Sighing roughly to myself, I nodded. “Stay with the artillery, prepare to lob an unraveling into the room.”

“Affirmative,” Tamamo said, loading the shot as I headed to the door, triggering the cloak on approach. Heading through the door, I came across the largest group of aliens to date. Six of the aliens were the same grey critters, but the final figure was distinct. Tall, on a yellow-and-black tail, the snake woman pivoted as the doors swung shut, her nose flaring as she scanned the room. With a hiss, she lifted her rifle, pointing it in my general direction.

“Thermal vision. Fire or keep moving!”

“Roger!” I yelled, abandoning all pretenses of stealth as I fired, the HUD once more guiding the shot perfectly, even as I used the enhanced mobility systems to GTFO. The shot went straight to the snake-woman’s base, causing her to rear back even as the greys pivoted or fled. The explosion of blue light caught the serpentine alien and two of the greys, but the remaining four began to launch blast after blast of plasma at me. Two of the shots caught me, but unlike the heavy burst from before these merely caused my suit’s integrity to further degrade.

“What I wouldn’t give for the hazard jacket upgrade…” Tamamo grumbled. “The warsuit’s intended to block physical projectiles and mana blasts, not heat. Who even uses a weapon unusable out of the atmosphere?”

“Ammo pods are a thing.” I retorted, ducking behind a pillar. I motioned, switching to assault form, then pivoted out, catching two in one burst. The remaining two hunkered down, one creating a psionic bubble around the other, who began to advance. I swapped back to the siege and lobbed another grenade to take them down. “Idiots.”

With the room clear, I took a look around. In the middle of the room stood a large piece of machinery, glowing green. Multiple lines of green goo held people in webbing, keeping them from moving as a green gas drifted around it. My attention was drawn to a tall pillar, glowing golden orange beside it.

“What in the hell is that machine doing?” I growled, even as I moved towards the pillar, “Tamamo, can you scan them?”

“I can. Give me a moment…” A burst of blue light washed over both objects. “...preservatives. Instant preservatives. Those peoples’ bodies are pristine, but their minds are gone. Your filters should keep you from taking in any of the gas.” She paused. “The pillar… interesting. Could you do me a favor and touch one of the panels on the side?”

“Sure. I’m going to put these people out of their misery though,” I stated, turning Tamamo on the preserved humans and firing an unraveling at the mass of humans. Saluting them, I turned to the panel and touched it.

The pillar opened, revealing a condensed golden pillar of crystal. “Interesting. I believe this is some sort of nanotech, unprogrammed. Whatever they were planning, they haven’t sent the signal to activate this yet.” I reached out and picked up the crystal, Tamamo storing it away for analysis. “I can’t make heads or tails of it, but someone else might.”

“I guess you are a soldier, not a scientist. Makes sense, in the end.” I replied, shrugging. “Next objective?”

“Mr. Blake is in the pantry in the back. He and a few others were hiding in there. I doubt he would have remained hidden for long.” She sighed. “Not to mention the air pressure is slowly dropping. We don’t have much time.”

I nodded, weaving my way through the broken tables to the back of the room, near the kitchen. From there, I entered the space filled with gleaming steel, walking up to the doors in the rear. I reached out and hauled the door open, only for the barrel of a gun to nearly smack me in the nose. “That was rude,” I muttered, pushing the barrel aside.

“Can’t be too careful.” The older man stood like a soldier, the revolver in his grasp held comfortably. “Glad to see- well, a visor, but obviously on someone human. What’s the situation?”

“We’re evacuating the arcology. Head to the shipslip. I’m just doing one last search for survivors before I head there myself, and help open the gate.” I replied, “The way should be relatively clear.”

“Right.” He left the gun at his side, reaching out one hand. “General Van Doorn, ma’am. Thanks for the rescue.”

“No problem. I’m Lillie Lee.” I replied, shaking his hand. “Now, I really have to get going. Gotta finish my sweep. Safe travels General.”

“I will. Oi, you lot! Pick up that panicking son of a bitch and carry him!” Doorn shook his head. “One Magus in the whole lot of us and he can’t keep his head in a fight. Glad to see we had one combat operative here.”

Blushing lightly, I nodded, before turning to Tamamo, “Next stop?”

“And possibly the last. Most of the groups who originally survived have either made their way to the gate point or have perished. The last of the three magus potentiates is holding out near the Security Hub.”

“Huh, she’s still holding out.” I muttered, “Glad to hear it.” With that, I head towards the indicated location on my HUD, using my enhanced mobility system generously to rapidly head towards the last group of survivors.

Chapter Text

Making my way through the hallways, I had a lot further to go than before. I took the chance to get a question out. “Hey, Tamamo. You mentioned Ice-something before. What’s that?”

“Ah, my Icewall system. It’s my remote system access module- or hacking kit, if you will. I do wish I knew what system these aliens were using. I can’t even detect their communications, much less get access.”

“Psionics?” I suggested, remembering her mentioning that, “You said something about them using it, and mentioned a dead-end tech?”

“That would be stupid…” She paused. “Unlike a linker core, psionic potential is effectively random genetically and fluctuates greatly based on emotions and willpower. To base your tech base around it would be ludicrous.”

“Just an idle thought Tamamo.” I replied, “It could be why you can’t detect communications.”

“I suppose. And considering how more than half of those little grey ones have had psionics…” Tamamo paused. “They all looked exactly the same, too. Clones?”

I shrugged. “No idea. But it’s worth pondering on later, when we’re not about to be knee-deep in enemy forces.”

“Fair. Now, it won’t be hard to find Miss Nguyen. Just follow the chatter.”

“Gotcha… What is that sound?” I asked, as I burst through another set of blast doors. The steady ‘thew-thew-thew’ echoed through the blast doors, punctuated by explosions and the familiar sound of plasma fire.

“That is an obsolete piece of history finding use once again.” Tamamo sighed. “She has mage potential. Why is she operating-”

“A Gatling laser,” I murmured, stepping through the doors to see a rain of red lights scything through an approaching green monster. The heavy-duty weapon, held on a tripod by a woman in a security uniform, spun up to fire a hail of shots at another enemy. “Is… is this real?”

“Yes. It is.” Tamamo sighed. “Honestly, it’s junk. But it seems to be working, so…”

“Hey, gawker! Here to join the turkey shoot?” The tiny woman yelled, grinning over the railing. “Just in time, the barrels need to cool off.” She paused. “Also, I can’t lift this alone. Could use some help hauling it with us, once the eggheads get the rest of the base data pulled.”

“Sure,” I replied, lobbing another unraveling round into the center mass of the alien horde, totally not grinning in satisfaction as they died. Seriously, I wasn’t. It was horrific watching them die in such a… interesting manner, but it worked.

“Huh. Never seen a guy melt before.” Nguyen had no such hang-ups. “Good job. Is the way out clear?”

“Should be. Unless they deployed more troops, which is entirely possible.” I snarked, “I did clear the way to get here, after all.”

“Well thank you, dearie. Looks like they finally hired a janitor. Cleaning up trash ain’t glamorous, but someone has to do it.” She responded. “Anywho, come up here and help me hold them off. The security station controls the guns that are left, and they want it off.”

“Tamamo, flight systems, please. We’re gonna play air superiority this time.” I asked in lieu of replying to the boisterous woman. “Exchange it for enhanced mobility.”

“Yes, master.”

“And you got one that talks! That’s neat.” The woman behind the gun said, looking up with an eyebrow raised. “Seriously, you fight as a guerilla soldier in one measly civil war and no one trusts you with the fun stuff. Where’s the logic in that?”

“No comment,” I replied, reading Tamamo. “Oh look. More acceptable targets.” I deadpanned, pointing towards the entrance. “Assault mode please, Tamamo.”

“Ah yes. Hmm. How many is it now?” Nguyen's face narrowed, and she tilted the gun up and swept it back and forth, just as Tamamo confirmed more of the flying tentacle monsters had entered range. “I may be Asian, but that’s not kosher.” She muttered as one fell to pieces, ignoring me as I rained shots down on the advancing green soldiers.

I sighed, focusing on picking off the approaches. A few minutes later the wave was spent, and Nguyen perked up as her radio squealed. “Well, that’s the boys. Looks like we’re leaving.” She reached over and unhooked the gun from its cradle, grunting as she slung it over her back, having to hunch over from the weight. “How about we get out of here, hmm? I might owe you a drink.”

“A drink sounds good about now,” I grumbled, very much done with this day, “You paying for the first round?”

“If you pay for the second, sure.” She grunted as we headed into the hallway. “Gateway?” She paused as the base shuddered, the shocks having mostly faded into the background at this point. “I don’t think we could get a shuttle out in this weather.”

“You don’t say.” I snarked, “Yes, gateway. I’ll play vanguard if you wanna guard the civilians.”

“Heh, no.” She slapped her weapon. “My sidearm’s empty, and setting this sucker up’s a two-minute affair. I love her, but she’s a fixed weapon. Right now, I’m cargo.” She nodded at the approaching group, indicating the two men carrying guns. “Fortunately, these strapping lads can handle the basics.”

“Gotcha. I’m gonna beeline to the gateway if you don’t mind. My mana can be put to greater use there.”

“Huh, I guess that’s two of us. See you there, dearie.” she cackled, the laughter fading as I moved forward.

On approach, Tamamo spoke up, voice tense. “Master, divert to the left with all speed. There are another two of those mechanical walkers from before making a push through the base at high speed. They’re heading for the hangar. If they hit the gate-”

“Roger.” I replied tensely, “Bombardment. We’re slapping them with AP.”

“Loading shots,” Tamamo replied as I rounded the corner. “Two more turns- I’m marking them on your HUD.” Seconds later, two red silhouettes appeared through the walls, loping towards the hangar.

“Tamamo, can I hit them through the wall?” I asked, tracking the two red silhouettes.

“No. Not these walls, anyway. Hardened hullmetal is not something you can pierce easily. Take the next corner- you can either cut them off or try to hit them from behind.”

“Got it. Probably best to hit them from behind, unless doing so will let them reach the hanger.” I replied, rounding the corner, and finding myself at the mechs’ backs. Lifting my rifle, I put a shot into their rears, but cursed as the moving forms caused the shell to merely rip an arm off one of them. With a screech, the wounded mech spun, plasma arcing uselessly overhead as it flailed. The other skidded to a halt, spinning rapidly to lock both its arm-cannon on me.

Firing my second shot at the unwounded mech, I immediately sought cover, diving back down the hallway I’d originally emerged from to dodge the swarm of energy flowing back down the hallway. As I rolled to my feet, I heard a shriek of pain, popping my head back out to find the previously unwounded mecha had taken a wound to its lower torso, the machine barely able to remain on its feet.

With grim satisfaction, I moved to execute the two mechs, satisfied that they were decently disabled. Lifting my rifle, I put a burst through each one’s head before they could completely react. The last of my enemies vanquished, my good mood was spoiled as Tamamo screamed. “RUN!”

Without questioning it, I activated my flight systems and got the fuck out of the dodge. My flight path was barely fast enough, as a gout of plasma bathed my back in flame- a shot big enough to tear open the base, forcing my flight system to struggle against the outward rush of air. As I kept moving Tamamo’s voice turned frantic.

“The base dropped blast doors to contain the escaping atmosphere. Find a safe spot, and we’ll make a short-range jump to reach the nearest location that still has air and is linked to the hangar.” She growled. “The aliens are blocking short-range teleportation. Thankfully, the base’s own shielding is interfering. Hold tight.”

Seconds later, I felt my world twist as I was dragged in two directions at once before I manifested in an empty hallway. Without even pausing, I started following the red line on the ground again. I finally skidded to a halt, in the now-nearly empty hangar. Only a few stragglers surrounded the circle, some of them hefting groaning figures, or still bodies.

Nguyen looked up. “Took your time, girlie! Get over here, we're leaving.”

“Roger that!” I yelled, sprinting over.

The circle pulsed, carrying the last of the civilians out of the area. “That’s it.” A thin, lanky man with blonde hair jerked his hand. “Get on and pulse, jerkasses! I don’t wanna be here when the next wave arrives!”

“Calm down, Mr. Blake,” Oyekan said, taking a position on the circle. “We’re nearly gone.”

Doorn cursed as he eyed something on a tablet computer, his sidearm swapped out for a nasty-looking shotgun. “More incoming from the main doors. Evac now.”

I took a spot on the circle, laying my hand on it and feeling the flow intensify. Seconds later, as a swarm of aliens rushed us, the whole world vanished in a swirl of blue light.

Chapter Text

“Tamamo, I’m bored.” I groaned, flopping onto the bed. I had finished all the book, written down my thoughts to date, and various other things, and I had run out of shit to accomplish before something inevitably happened.

“We could do more virtual training.” She said reproachfully. “Or, if you’d permit it, I could go and start cracking into the wi-fi network they have here. It’s shielded, but it’d let you access all the porn you’ve mentioned.”

“Hey, I haven’t asked for porn more than once.” I replied, “And hacking the wi-fi network is fine. I don’t particularly have any mercy left after three days of boredom.” Pausing, I pondered a bit. “Yeah, we can train some more too. I need to learn more tricks.”

“Alright, I’ll start- Ooh.” Tamamo winced. “Erm, master? We’re about to stop being bored.”

“Sounds good,” I replied, making myself at least somewhat presentable. “Someone coming I presume?”

‘Yes. And their device just slapped me when I went to use my Icewalls.” Tamamo said apologetically. “They’ll be arriving any minute.”

I sighed as I straightened my back. Three days ago, I’d been hustled from the massive room where the gate was located, and deposited in an interview room within thirty minutes of my arrival. Several hours, a very nice plate of fish and fries, and a quick check-in in the US confirmed I didn’t exist in this world. They’d ushered me into a hotel room, given me any books I’d asked for, and then seemingly forgotten about me for three days except to bring me meals or respond to room service requests.

I sighed as I moved to the restroom, still not quite used to the new length of my hair, and my shortened statue. I was, like, five foot now, for the love of good. Regardless, I did prefer being petite in some ways, though I missed my old height at times. My hair was still brown, which was a relief, and my eyes were still chocolate brown. Meh, whatever. What did change, was my secondary sex traits. I actually had breasts now! A nice, firm, C cup. Also hips. Hips were good. Let my dream of being a mother be more real.

Slapping myself in the cheek to break myself out of my musing, I pulled my hair back in a neat ponytail, and stepped out of the restroom, just as the door to the room opened up. Rather than a man in military fatigues or a dude in a suit, the figure this time was female. She had greying frizzy hair pulled back in a braid, and stood about a half-foot taller than me. She wore a plaid shirt tucked into a pair of blue jeans, and peered at me through half-moon glasses. The most notable object on her was a silver torc inset with a green gemstone.

“Well, well, well.” She murmured. “If it isn’t our little outsider.” She smiled gently. “Ready to bust out, dear? One way or another, you’re getting out of here.”

I nodded. “Yes, I am.” I felt no need to say more. She had all the power here, as much as I hated it.

“Don’t be such a sourpuss!” She tittered softly. “You have my promise, if the old men try anything, I’ll carve a path for you to fly free myself.” She held out one hand. “Annabeth Mulberry. I’m your legal representation, parole officer, and bodyguard all in one.”

I blinked. “It’s an honor, ma’am,” I replied, a tad reverently. This was the woman who had ‘ended the Cold War’ in a single night, disarming the world of its nuclear weapons. She’d gone after every known nuclear stockpile with a will, teleporting all active warheads into space over the course of several weeks, with a promise to sweep any fired warheads from the sky. Within months, she’d used her scanning abilities to track down dozens of ‘empty quiver’ weapons, ending the threat of nuclear war.

“Honor’s for pussies.” She shook her head. “Unless it’s your own. Come along, now. There’s someone who wants to meet with you, and considering everything,” her voice grew noticeably heavy “they’re likely to give you a very enticing offer. Whether it’s worth the cost, well, that’s up to you.”

I nodded solemnly, following the living legend. We set off down the hallways, but I couldn’t pay attention to them as Annabeth started speaking. “I don’t know how much you know, but the attack on Mars was just the first strike. Dublin, New York, Beijing, Hong Kong, Cape Town, London- the Aliens landed strike forces at major cities and military bases across the globe. The only reason why the strike didn’t work was because they didn’t expect every hedge-mage, gun nut, and folks like me to step up and fight back better than any eight of their soldiers.” She sighed. “I lost quite a few friends, but we survived the first wave. Now that the rush is over, the siege has begun.”

“Fantastic.” I muttered, “Of course I get sent into a world that’s worse off than mine…”

“Eh. Does your world still have Nukes and rely on fossil fuels?” She laughed at my expression “Ex-hippie, dear. I’d rather have a quick death than a slow one. It’s the only reason I don’t regret the Thawing Wars.”

“Fair enough, I suppose,” I replied, my mood already ruined.

We paused in the middle of an intersection. “Aw, hell, kid. Don’t mind me, I just get morbid sometimes. You fought two dozen of those creeps with no training and came through with nary a scratch. Me? I took down one of their carrier ships single-handedly, though I’ll admit it left me on bedrest for a day. We can win this, and we don’t have to break ourselves to do it.”

I nodded slowly. “Tamamo, any thoughts yourself?” I asked my partner, looking fondly at the bracelet.

“Well, since Sirius let me through to access the internet, I can tell she’s been telling the truth thus far.” She responded. “There’s a lot of evidence to show the aliens have pulled back from their aggressive stance, and their abduction missions have focused on rural or backwater areas. They don’t seem to handle Magi very well. However, long-range scans show more fleet elements warping into your system every day. They’re gathering forces to resume operations.”

Annabeth was silent as the Device gave her report. “Well done. Yes, we’re in for the long haul on repelling the invasion. As I said, it’s a siege now.”

I muttered a curse. “Fantastic. So, where are we heading?” I asked Annabeth, looking her straight in the eyes. “I know I don’t technically exist. So, what exactly do you want from me?”

“Me? I want nothing from you.” Her smile dropped off. “After my stunt, the US government dropped me, and the only reason no-one managed to pin a treason charge on me is because of Sirius here.” She tapped her torc. “Good riddance to all of them. No, if you really want, you can listen to the nice man, claim a post-dated Al-Hazard citizenship, and use your diplomatic immunity and me to do whatever the hell you want.”

“That sounds appealing.” I replied softly, “Though I assume the nice man has a nice offer?”

“He does. Let me tell you, property rights are very nice. Not having them sucks.” She shook her head. “And while you can fight aliens well enough on your own, they’re willing to pay you for the privilege.”

“Probably a way to get the best of both worlds,” I muttered, “Seeing as I don’t exactly exist.”

She stopped, jabbing me in the chest. “You do exist. And there are plenty of people who know you do. If you went missing, there’s a UN General, two researchers, a boatload of rescued civilians, and myself to kick up a fuss. There’s just no paperwork with your name on it. Which is a blessing and a curse. It’s up to you to decide who gets to keep you, if anyone.” Annabeth turned and led me to a set of fancy wooden doors. “Well, in we go.”

The room was well-lit, with a large carafe and a plate of pastries sitting in the middle. The array of cookies and sweets caught my eye, but the man at the head of the table caught my attention. With his rough, scruffy beard and black military uniform, he looked like a special ops soldier shoved into a monkey suit, but his eyes were cool, calm, and touched with pain and warmth.

He stood up as he saw me enter, nodding to Annabeth. “Ms. Mulberry.”

“Major Garrod. It’s good to see you again. Mostly.” she responded. He nodded, then turned to me.

“And you would be Ms. Lee, correct?”

“That would be correct,” I replied, not even attempting to conceal how nervous I was. I wasn’t in control of the situation for now, and it would likely remain that way. Meh, whatever. I knew what I wanted from him, and he knew I knew. Or, well, something like that, I suppose.

He stared at me for a moment. “...right. Ms. Lee, I am able to confirm that you currently have no records. At all. We have also confirmed that you are, indeed, human and that at this time you are not under suspicion of being an Alien plant.” He sucked in a breath. “Normally, at this point, I would discuss extradition treaties and citizenship hearings. But the situation is fraught, and we could really use another heavy hitter firmly in our corner.”

He sat down, motioning for me to take a seat. I took it after a glance at Annabeth, who nodded. “Right. Then let’s discuss. I’m not willing to sign my life away, and I’d like to retain my Al-Hazard citizenship. However, I’m more than willing to help out.”

“Well, that’s an option, I suppose. We can do much better, though.” He spread three files across the table. “The first is your stated plan, with a few additions. Namely, the UN owes you several favors, and is willing to grant you a ‘world citizenship’ license. It’d give you general property rights and allow you to file suits in any UN nation for personal felonies, but it would also snare you in paperwork if anyone tried to pin you with a crime. They’re also willing to pay you a lump sum for services rendered and process some paperwork for you to get you in everyone’s system.”

“Option two comes from the US. Namely, they’re claiming that since you were born on US soil, even if it wasn’t our US, you are eligible for citizenship. Since they’re part of the UN, you’d get your lump sum and transportation to the US. The US does accept dual-citizenship, but once you're a US citizen they'd still expect you to do your wartime part, and once you’re in the system you’d be pulled into the Minuteman reserves, able to be called on if the US gets attacked.”

“And then there’s us.” The final folder was marked with an odd symbol, a five-sided polygon with an X dividing its internals. “XCOM. We’ve just recently been activated, but we’re the global response to the Alien threat. We can fast-track you with world citizenship or beyond, grant you resources and dedicated training, and we’re willing to offer a five-figure monthly salary. However, sign on with us, and you’ll be working with us full-time until the Aliens are dead or gone. XCOM needs Magi, and we wouldn’t be willing to let you go until we no longer needed you, but it’s embedded in the contract that that will happen the moment peace is declared.”

I really didn’t even need to think too hard about this, to be honest. “Tamamo, I’m thinking about the third option. Do you agree? Same with you, Annabeth.”

“Kid, you’re going to be joining the military. I have my reservations, but you don’t really have time to experiment like I did.” Annabeth sighed. “She is getting health, dental, room and board included, correct?”

“We’re not savages, ma’am.”

“Just checking…”

“This XCOM has no computer footprint. I have no idea if it’s the right choice. However, being able to train alongside other Magi and earn a rank would be beneficial.”

The Major held up his hand. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but did you name your device Tamamo? As in, Tamamo-no-mae?”

“Yes, yes I did. I personally find her tale interesting. Also, I’ve seen versions of her tale where she earnestly was repentant in the killing stone. At least, so Wikipedia tells me.”

“...moving along. So, are you going to accept our offer?”

I nodded sharply. “Yes. I am. I just hope I don’t regret it.”

“We make a point not to antagonize the walking artillery pieces, ma’am.” He held out the file, opening it to reveal a small stack of paperwork. “Sign here and here. And initial here.”

I did as the man asked, signing my name as the documents required, though only after reading through them. I wasn’t going to get screwed over, even if I doubted they’d bother trying. After initializing the final page, I handed the paperwork back to the Major, smiling brightly at him. “I take it that I start pretty much immediately?”

“Hell no,” Garrode said empathetically. “First things first, there are quite a few people in XCOM who want to meet you. Dr. Oyekan was hoping to interview your device, and Specialist Nguyen mentioned that she owes you a drink. General Van Doorn will be fast-tracking your paperwork for the medals-”

I blinked as he continued. “-and of course, basic training, and getting you properly synced with your Device. You haven’t been using telepathy, which is fine here but in the field-” he let out a sigh. “Well, suffice to say we’ve got a lot to do. And of course, your lump sum will be delivered soon, and Miss Mulberry will likely want to take you shopping.”

I gaped at the frankly ludicrous list of people who wanted to spend time with or otherwise help me. I was not used to this. “I- I’m honored.” I replied, “And I’d welcome basic training. I’m horrifically green.”

“Handled yourself pretty well for someone green.” The Major looks at me and grins. “Happy to have you aboard. Now, I was serious about the shopping thing. Mulberry, please have her at the Brussels Airport in nine hours.”

“I’ll see, Major. You can’t rush getting the essentials, you know.” The older woman grinned.

“...just please don’t include any obvious contraband in her luggage. Drugs… and that’s about it. Otherwise, go wild.” He looked back at me. “Please do not tell anyone about the XCOM project. It’ll come out eventually, but not right now.”

I nodded. “I won’t mention it, Major.” I replied, bowing towards the man, then turning towards Annabeth, “So, where are we going?” I asked curiously, “I assume a wardrobe overhaul, and various other things.”

“Well,” She said as we left the room. “Firstly, you do need some clothes. Tamamo can project clothing for you to wear, but it never quite wears right. After that, it’s entirely up to you. What do you want? Makeover? Pedicure? Electronics? The Sacrament?”

I blinked. “Clothing first. I’m good on the other stuff, though I’ll probably check out some electronics. Probably some books too. Maybe a haircut?”

“Well, I know good places for all of that.” She chuckled. “I may not be a big fan of capitalism, but you’d be surprised how easy it is to make money when you can cross borders at will.”

The Major simply looked amused, watching the two women chat as they exited the room. “I guess the universal love for shopping transcends dimensions.” He mused, packing up his paperwork. “Well, time to head back to work.”

“Miss Mulberry, did you give any of that to my new recruit?” The Major deadpanned, watching one of the strongest people on the planet puff on a rolled joint.

The woman shook her head. “I offered, but you’re in luck. Your new recruit refused.” She took another drag. “Ah well. The massages loosened her up enough, I suppose.”

Nearby, I was nearly dancing. I felt pretty, and good. The long skirt and sweater I was wearing had been picked out in a boutique, and fit perfectly. Even better, we’d stashed all the books, clothes, and knick-knacks we’d picked up in Tamamo. Annabeth had even pulled me over the border into Paris for lunch, giving me a chance to hit up a couple of their boutiques for goodies.

Still, it was hardly all fun and games. We’d passed by smoking green burns and destroyed buildings, and even been warned away from an Alien saucer crash site. The people we’d spoken to seemed tense at times, and there were a lot of people whose gaze would stray skyward when they weren’t focused elsewhere. Everyone was acting like things were normal when they could, but they knew things weren’t.

I huffed slightly. New world, better body, and magic. Great things, but now I’d have to protect them. Well, maybe. XCOM was a familiar name, but not a familiar setting. I was going in mostly blind, just like all the other people here.

The major finished talking with the Magus, turning aside her offered paper bag. “Specialist Lee, please come this way.” He strode out of the terminal lobby, leading the two of us to a side door onto the airport tarmac. “Now, with basic stealth tech we can deploy her anywhere, so we dispatched the Skyranger on her maiden flight for this run.” He led the team into a locked hanger, entering through a side door. The massive, bulky troop transport sat in the middle of the hangar, men in drab olive uniforms pushing crates onboard. “Miss Mulberry, this is where we part ways.”

I gaped at the aircraft, suitably impressed with its size and apparent capabilities. Turning to face the older woman I had spent the day with, I spoke, “Thank you for the shopping trip Annabeth.” Hugging the older woman, I continued, “Best of luck with your efforts.”

“You too, dear. Stay well, and don’t get a stick shoved up your ass.” She grinned at me as she returned the hug. “We’ll need new hellions when the old ones kick the bucket.”

Letting her go, I turned and head into the waiting vehicle. The major motioned for me to take a seat. “The Skyranger is our rapid deployment troop vehicle. It's capable of cross-continental flight in a matter of hours, which will be necessary with our fixed base. Of course, as a Magus you should be able to deploy via teleport. Once we’ve keyed you into the base wards.”

I nodded in understanding, taking in the military aircraft with wide eyes. Then, my mind focused on the other point the Major had raised, “Right, I completely forgot I could teleport. How long is the flight going to be, Major? I’d like to run a training simulation with Tamamo if I have the time.”

“Once everything’s packed, we’ll be in-air for about an hour.”

I blinked. “That’s fast.” I stated, before looking at my bracelet, “Tamamo, can I run any sims with that little time?”

“Yes, Master. Quick-reaction vids and basic spellcrafting sims can be taken at short paces.” Tamamo thought back to me. “Alternatively, we could practice your mental communications. It would be useful for stealth ops.”

“Telepathy please, Tamamo,” I replied aloud, slightly embarrassed that I still had to speak.

“Right then. The essentials of telepathy are similar to those of mental multithreading…”

Chapter Text

If it weren’t for Tamamo picking up a lot of shielded chatter from the landing site, I would have been really concerned when the Skyranger swooped towards a solid mountain in West Virginia. As it was, from inside the vehicle I couldn’t even see the landing with my own eyes. However, Tamamo’s scans, directed through my brain, saw everything as we literally aerobraked above the mountain and fell, passing through an illusory peak and reigniting the jets just enough to settle us on a moving platform. Minutes later, the heavy aircraft was parked.

The Major looked over at me, eyebrows raised. “Not going to comment on the drop?”

I shook my head. “No need. I’m guessing it’s a way to haze rookies?”

“...maybe. Although it’s also necessary when there might be watchers nearby.”

Tamamo spoke up. “Keeping a facility of this size hidden indefinitely is near-impossible. Why are you attempting to do so?”

The Major grimaced. “...politics, more than anything. But I’m not going to get into that. It’s thankfully not my direct problem. I’m a recruiting agent and off-hours commander.”

I winced in sympathy. “That sucks Major. Best of luck with the politicians.” Pausing, I scanned the interior of the Skyranger, before asking, “Am I good to disembark now?”

“Go ahead. You’ll be meeting with the Magus Ops leader, and likely the remaining Base Staff.” He nodded. “He’s likely on the tarmac.” As the door set down, he grinned. “And I was right.”

There was an entire swarm of green-clad men who converged on the transport’s opening door, moving to unload the cargo and begin refueling. One man, however, didn’t move from his place. White hair stood out amongst the more traditional browns, reds, and blacks of the rest of the base staff, and his black armor stood out even more. His grey eyes skimmed over the Major, before settling firmly on me.

I stepped down from the craft, and bowed. “Hello. I’m Lillie Lee, pleased to meet you, sir.”

“Do not bow.” He said softly. “A salute is more appropriate, although that is not something you could have known.” He extended his hand. “Captain Dennis Lehmann, at your service. It will be good to have a mage of your strength in our ranks.”

I nodded, smiling at the Captain. “Tamamo, am I really that strong magically? I still don’t exactly remember where on the scale I am. Did I ever ask, actually?”

Aloud, I stated, “It’s good to be here, sir. I hope to contribute as much as I possibly can.”

As the captain shook my hand, Tamamo got back to me. “Your Linker Core is more than powerful enough for a military specialist, as was required for my activation. This would place your Core’s base power in roughly the top point zero five percent of all citizens. Here, I have detected only a few cores of comparable strength, and none with a standard spell pattern, though my scanning capacity is limited. Most of the cores I have scanned have suffered significant structural damage, so it is difficult to determine what pattern was assigned, if any.”

I managed to keep my face straight, the weight of my responsibilities landing on my shoulders, to my private distaste, and hidden joy. I had always wanted to be a hero, though I hated the responsibilities that would come with being one. I shook off my conflict, responding quickly. “That’s good to know Tamamo. Thank you for explaining it to me.”

Unknowing of the exchange, Lehmann finished shaking my hand, and turned, motioning me to follow. “I suppose I should be thanking you. From what little I’ve heard, you’ve had no reason to fight for us, and yet you signed on without much fuss.”

“I can’t just not help.” I replied, “In many ways, this is my home now.”

“Perhaps, but you certainly could have demanded more.” Lehmann led me into an elevator, tapping a keypad and standing to one side as we began to sink into the earth. “The Commander was willing to offer a much more significant payout- a quarter of our department’s operating budget, and more besides- if it meant having you on board.” He paused. “You do realize that our initial offer was intended to be a lowball, correct?”

I shrugged, “I figure I’ll be getting a decent check for working with you, and I don’t believe it’s worth defunding yourself to get your hands on me, not when I’m willing. I’d be a bastard to do that.”

“Maybe. Though I will insist on setting additional funds aside unless we actually manage to bring more mages in.” Lehmann pursed his lips. “...I suppose you wouldn’t know the full details. Would you mind a bit of a history lesson?”

I shook my head. “Go ahead. The more I learn about this timeline, the better.”

“Very well. Now, the Mars Arcology and the Moon observation post were abandoned in some haste, but not so quickly as to abandon many more valuable objects. Of the Devices recovered, the vast majority were low-grade pieces, all of which were non-sentient and most of which had little to no combat capacity.” Lemann continued speaking as the doors hissed open, and he led me down a hallway towards a pair of metal doors. “We did recover a large trove of Journeyman Devices, which in turn became our ‘battle standard’, but we only recovered a few dozen Soldier grade Devices, a scattered few Specialist Devices, and a single Noble Device. Subsequent expeditions into the Gap have recovered a scant few more, but in general, those finds are few and far between.”

I ‘ahh’d’ in understanding. “So the fact I found Tamamo is already a massive find, on top of my core’s strength. That makes sense.” Silently following the man for a bit in contemplation, I continued, “Hopefully we do find some more mages. And hopefully not children. I… I don’t think I’d be okay with forcing children to fight.”

Lehmann scoffed. “There are more than enough adults with decent Cores found via scanning to use every device we’ve found. The trouble is getting them to abandon their lives and take them up in military service without going AWOL at the first opportunity.” He shook his head. “It’s an odd quirk of Linker Cores that they begin to atrophy from disuse around age thirty. So the pool of candidates is limited to those young enough to be impulsive, or just old enough to be ambitious. We’ve already had to compromise on our choices to link with the limited amount of devices we have.”

“You callin’ me second rate, boyo?” A familiar voice came from the side of the room we’d just entered. The room, a large common area with an array of couches, coffee tables and padded carpets, had only a few people inside. The speaker waved from one corner. “Aha! Girl, we owe each other drinks, I think.”

I laughed, “That we do! Though you’ll have to excuse me if I don’t drink more than two glasses, I don’t like losing my ability to think rationally!” It was good to see Nguyen again, even if I suspected she’d be someone I avoided more often than not. I was an introvert thanks. I didn’t like dealing with constant exposure to socialization.

“Hah! Rationality’s something better left off the battlefield. And call me Harriet, girl.” She grinned, flashing a heavy bracelet at me. “They finally decided to let me have a buddy! His name’s Fatton.”

I nodded. “Nice to meet you again Harriet. I’m Lillie, though you probably already knew that.” I looked at the bracelet, smiling, “Glad to have another mage with a device.”

“There will be plenty of time for introductions with the rest of the team later. But that does bring up the point I was getting to in our discussion.” The captain sucked in a breath. “There are to be 250 soldiers directly serving XCOM. But so far we’ve managed to recruit only eight combat-capable mages with viable devices. While we have a substantial support staff with Journeyman devices, but…”

“Most of the countries with trained Magi are keeping them home,” Harriet growled. “A-Day was only beat off because of folks like us. No one wants their Magi shucked out to XCOM.”

I shook my head sadly. “So even in the face of an existential threat, humanity can’t unite…” Suddenly feeling quite angry, I slammed my fist into the wall, muttering profanities under my breath. “Selfish assholes. Or, perhaps, scared assholes.”

“More likely the second. And in truth, not surprising.” Lehmann sighed. “There are only about a hundred device-capable combatants worldwide, most fielding Soldier grade devices like my own. And the nations with those soldiers know that if XCOM fails, or the US tries to use them to secure their own borders, those Magi might be their only means of survival.”

I nodded in response. It made sense, as sad as it was. The US I knew could and would be isolationist like that, though I personally hoped that they would lend aid to the other nations of the world. My true hope, one that was but an ephemeral dream, was that the world would simply unite. Alas, such was likely impossible, even with an alien invasion…

“Thankfully, this base and XCOM are an international coalition. The US is leading it, but we’re technically all World Citizens for the duration of the war.” Lehmann finished. “If things really start going wrong the US might go back on its word, but until then we can trust that they’ll send aid to the rest of the world.”

“Hope so.” Nguyen sighed. “Fatton and I have heads to break.”

I sighed in relief. I absolutely did not want to deal with political bullshit. “That’s good.” I replied, “Anyways, what do we need to do?”

“Right now? Get settled in, and then report back to me here. We’ve got several dozen empty rooms down here down the left hallway; feel free to bunk alone for now, though if we start getting more Magi you may need to rearrange your space for a roommate.” Lehmann explained. “Pick any room without a nameplate on it.”

I nodded, “Sir.”

With that, I headed towards the aforementioned hallway, off to find myself a nice place to set up my stuff.

Leaving the mage’s barracks a half-hour later, I pursed my lips as the Captain tapped a button marked ‘Research’. Noting my look, he coughed. “Research is where the primary magical setup which prevents teleportation throughout the base is located. We can key you into the wards there, so that you can quickly infiltrate and exfiltrate if needed.” He paused. “That being said, you’ll need to request permission before going off-base for any reason; we need to know where to find you should something go wrong.”

I nodded in understanding. “Makes sense, Captain. I’ll be sure to request leave if I need to leave the base.”

“Thank you. Teleportation makes base security a lot harder.” He said softly as the doors opened. “And as long as we’re here, we should be able to meet with-”

“Ah! Hello, captain. I did not know your newest arrival had come in.”

“-some of the research staff.” Lehmann unconsciously straightened as he turned to look at the brown-haired woman in a lab coat coming closer. Despite the coat and the sweater beneath it, she seemed to be an attractive woman, though the harsh lines of her face might scare a person off. “Specialist Lee, this is Dr. Moira Vahlen, head of Research and chief scientist of the base.”

“Ah, hello, Miss Lee.” Dr Vahlen gave a nod. “I must thank you for turning over that crystal of nanotech for study, and helping Dr. Oyekan retrieve his research. Both will be very helpful in the days to come. If you could continue obtaining samples, perhaps even whole cadavers, I would greatly appreciate it.”

I smiled happily. “Of course Dr. Vahlen. I’d be happy to. Tamamo’s the one who noticed how important it was though, so she deserves most of the credit.”

“Ah yes.” Vahlen shook out her wrist, allowing a small bracelet with a white chip to emerge from her lab coat’s sleeve. “Devices are useful, are they not? Thank you, Tamamo. As an aside, I and Dr. Oyekan both would love to speak with you further, if your master was amenable to leaving you here for a time.”

Tamamo’s gem lit up. “While I would be happy to speak with you, I am merely a specialist device.”

“But you are fully sentient, and have not, from what I read, undergone the standard ‘smearing’ commonly used between deployments. Your insight into modern practices as compared to the military ones of Al-Hazard might be very valuable.”

“Tamamo, it’s up to you. I think you should, personally.” I added, “Also, these people can probably ask more important questions than I can, and keeping the scientists happy generally is a good idea.” I continued telepathically.

“I am amenable, then. Once my master has the basics mastered and I have satisfied myself that this base is secure, I will allow you to interview me.”

“Wonderful. Now, if you’ll excuse me, there is science to do.” With a wave, Vahlen walked back deeper into the lab space.

“The good doctor is… quite competent.” Lehmann sighed. “For now, we should head to the sealing array.”

I nodded, following my superior to the sealing aray, gaping at the rather impressive setup, a large, recognizable spell circle seemingly carved with circuitry, surrounded by computers acting as a terminal to the spell.

“I register on the computer, I guess?” I asked Lehmann.

“Correct. Tamamo can do most of the heavy lifting, but the system will want biometrics to confirm your identity. We can’t have someone stealing Tamamo and using her to break in.” He nodded at a small finger thermometer hooked up to the computer. I nodded in response, pressing my finger against the scanner.

“Tamamo, if you would?” I asked my device mentally, waiting for whatever was going to happen.

Within seconds, streams of code flickered across the screen of the terminal before me. “The encryption on this setup is remarkably simplistic, as is the means of preventing instantaneous entry. It would be effective, I suppose, if one could not get access to the computer systems via hacking, but enough brute force or a single infiltrator could take it down.” She paused as the text faded, leaving a single line reading “BIOMETRICS REQUIRED” behind. “On the other hand, the structure seems sufficiently paranoid. Whoever put this together didn’t quite know what they were doing but knew enough to try to cover their basics as best as possible.”

“Should we let someone know, Tamamo? If you can do a better job here, it’d probably be best to beef the security up.” I replied, noting that the machine had finished reading my fingerprint. Retracting my finger, I turned around to face my boss, and said “All done Sir. Anything else we need to do down here, or are we continuing the tour?”

“I can’t do a better job with the limitations at hand, and I’m no spell designer. Most of my experience was breaking these sorts of arrays, not building them.”

Simultaneous to Tamamo’s explanation, you hear the Captain speak. “Thank you. And yes, we’re continuing the tour. Next stop will be the command center. The Commander wants to meet you, and there may be other members of the senior staff doing the same.”

“Understood sir,” I replied, following him out of the scientists’ lab. As we passed back into the main hallway, I took a moment to glance into the lab beside me. A pair of men in yellow hazmat suits were carefully pulling apart the body of a grey, scalpels gleaming as they dissected the body. I pointedly ignored them, not really feeling the need to observe them pull apart a body, even if it was morbidly fascinating.

A few minutes later, we emerged from the elevator once again to find ourselves in a large chamber, this one filled with an array of monitors around a large, central hub. A massive holographic globe hovered in midair, various countries marked out in grey, green, blue, or orange on a pale blue backdrop. I looked up, jaw open slightly as I saw the globe above.

“That’s the Geoscape. It motors the current situation in every country on the globe we have access to, and monitors the whole planet for dimensional breaches or alien craft.” Lehmann explained. It’s more of a representation of the big picture, rather than a detailed map.”

I continued to gape slightly at the globe, “That’s amazing, not gonna lie. How accurate is it?”

“As close as it can be at this scale.” Lehmann and I both turned to greet a tired man in a green sweater, who was holding a cup of coffee in one hand. “I’m Central Officer Bradford, Specialist. And I’ll be the one issuing you with orders in the field, once you’re cleared for combat.”

“A pleasure to meet you, sir.” I replied, before turning to Lehmann, “On that note, when does my basic training start? I assume sooner rather than later.”

“We’re planning on starting you, Nguyen, and the other two new recruits off tomorrow. For you, we’re also assigning that Tamamo put you through at least two hours of sim time every day, to practice your skills which are unique to your Device. The cloaking module and hacking protocols are outside our experience.” Lehmann explained.

Bradford grunted. “Specialist, your device is uniquely suited for a number of roles.” As I turned to look at him, he nodded towards a line of doors in the far wall. Eyeing the doors, I noted that the one closest to his waving coffee cup was the one marked ‘Covert Ops’. “Thus, for the sake of the mission, I need to ask; would you be willing to take on assassination missions if the need arose?”

I winced. That… That was a hard question. “I- Can I ask for some time to think about it? It conflicts with my personal morals a bit, but I’m currently leaning towards yes, mostly because of the current situation.”

“I’ll put you down as a no, then,” Bradford said curtly. “If there’s one thing I know, it’s never to give an order that results in an agent turning on us or on themselves. And if you give Abe an inch, she’ll take it.”

I nodded. “Fair, though I’ll probably be fine with it given time to adjust.”

“I should hope not.” Bradford frowned. “Perhaps I should be clear that your targets would be fellow humans, not Aliens. There are quite a few deliberately obstructive individuals and a few possible collaborators that may need removal.”

I sighed, running my hand through my hair. “I should be more clear. I’m fine with removing people who are obviously collaborating with the aliens, and are actively working to destabilize the world. In a normal war? The answer would be hell no. This isn’t a normal war.”

“...Abe is going to have a field day with you.” He muttered. “Right, I’ll mark you down as a yes, then. Heaven help you.” He downed his coffee cup, and then beelined to one side, refilled it, and returned to his position in about twenty seconds. Glancing around, I spotted eight or nine different coffee makers spread across the room. “Any other questions?”

I shook my head, “No sir. Apologies for my confusing answer.”

He nodded. “In any case, thank you for doing your part in this crisis. We need all hands on deck, and the Commander herself will thank you once she-”

There was a loud bang, and a large potted plant sailed through the Geoscape to impact the far wall. “NUTS TO THAT! If you rotten bastards think you can saddle me with more work, then you’ve got another thing coming! Extradimensional operations-”

Over the loud voice ranting, Bradford sighed. “She may be a few more minutes. She’s still arguing with the Council.”

“Politicians?” I ask, cocking my head to the side. “Do you need any of them removed?” The last portion is delivered in an utter deadpan, as to hopefully convey the joke.

“The council is on our side.” Bradford took a long pull on his fresh coffee cup. “They are where XCOM gets its funding.”

“They are also still mired in personal interests and nationalism,” Lehmann said. “Without their support, XCOM would not be possible, but they often attempt to modify our mission statement and may want to deploy our forces to back their own agendas. Commander Tazri can’t afford to give them a single inch on the matter. Fortunately, the Commander is determined enough to dig in her heels no matter how many times they try to add more work to our plate.”

I winced once again, “Gotta love nationalism. The Commander sounds like a fun person though.” I idly fidgeted with my hair and bracelet as I waited, occasionally humming something to myself to the background noise of the Commander and Council arguing.

Bradford winced. “Fun. That is a word.” Moments later, the yelling cut out. “I think she’s done.”

“Should I be worried?” I asked, suddenly not so confident. “Tamamo, did you happen to catch anything in the exchange, by the way? I’d like to know what this council I’m dealing with is, if possible.”

“Out of respect for the command structure, I’m going to ask before I hack anything. As for what little I heard, it seems as though the council was trying to request that Commander Tazri use her Mage Strike Team for expeditions into Dimensional Space.” Tamamo replied as I looked up.

As Tamamo finished speaking, a distinct figure only a half-head taller than myself emerged from the communications room. The Commander was a lean woman, latte-brown skin and black hair not distracting from her whipcord muscles. She came to the edge of the balcony over the geoscape, and proceeded to vault it, landing square on the monitoring floor. Growling, she turned her single eye on the three of us. “Bradford. Coffee, with a splash.”

“Of, ma’am?”

“Jack.”

“Affirmative, ma’am.” Bradford walked over, setting down his own coffee cup and pouring another from the nearest pot, reaching under the counter to retrieve a bottle of agave and another marked ‘Officers Only.’ Adding a dash of each to the mug, he handed it off to his boss, who promptly swallowed the entire steaming cup in one long draw.

I respectfully kept quiet as the officers drank from their mugs, silently observing them as they finished, “I wouldn’t ask you to hack Tamamo, just wondering if you overheard anything useful. Thank you for the info!”

As the commander finished her cup, she turned to me, eye searching. “So. You’re the newest mage-recruit. And already blooded, at that.” She reached out one hand, the other casually setting her empty coffee mug on a nearby computer. As I took her hand, she gripped it firmly. “Thanks for bailing out Van Doorn. He’s gonna make my life a lot easier.”

I shook her hand firmly. “It was the right thing to do, and I would do it again in a heartbeat,” I replied, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”

“Glad to hear that. We need all the help we can get, even if they’re asses; and anyone we get who isn’t is even better.” She nodded. “I’m Colonel Ashley Tazri, the commander of XCOM and the one who rebuilt this organization out of chickenwire and cast-offs. Honestly, from the sound of things you’re one of the best walking weapons we have, and right now one of the few soldiers I’d feel comfortable sending into the field if we absolutely needed a win. Has Captain Lehmann gone over the Magi Strike teams’ battlefield role?”

“He has not, no.” I replied, “May I ask what it would be?”

“Support and special operations. We’re planning to field four to eight man teams equipped with more conventional arms on normal operations, and support each dispatched team with a Magi if need be. Granted, that plan is still in the works since we’re going to have over thirty teams of soldiers and we only have twelve mages, but that’s the working plan. Once you get teleport-capable, we can also use you as an alpha strike, to slow and cripple an enemy assault until conventional troops can respond.” Tazri explained. “Of course, that’s assuming we can get you seasoned up enough for combat.”

I nodded in understanding. “I appreciate you giving me time to be combat trained, ma’am. It’s a great relief to me.”

“...I mean, we don’t want you to die first thing.” Tazri scratched the back of her head. “That means training you. What, did you think we were just going to throw you onto the front lines?” She snorted. “Get real, Specialist. Every mage we’ve got is too important to risk carelessly.”

I smiled happily, “Even still, thank you.”

“Right.” She shook her head. “Anyway, the UN is prepared to hand you a couple of medals for your actions. They want all pomp and circumstance, I’m willing to batter them into just having them sent over. What’s your preference?”

I pondered it briefly, before asking, “Would there be any significant increase in morale if I accepted it on stage? The morale of the general population is probably important if we’re going to have a rather… long war with the aliens.”

“There might be, yeah.”

I sighed. “Then I’ll accept it on their terms. Mind as well give the average person some hope.” Internally, I was not as accepting as I was externally, somewhat freaking out, though I would hopefully calm down in time.

“If you’re certain.” She shrugged. “It’ll take a few weeks for them to get their acts together and arrange a ceremony. Until then, we’ve got training to do.” She paused. “And, as I said, I do want to thank you myself. Anything in particular that Hipster didn’t get for you?”

“Nope, I’m good on the material front. Hmmm, actually- Nevermind. I have too much stuff to do to really- Actually, yeah. Would you be willing to get me a computer I can use to write my thoughts down on?” I replied, scratching the back of my head, “I had a habit of writing creatively back when I wasn’t… here. I’d like to keep up with it, to a point.”

“Gotcha. Computer and a secured internet connection got it.” She nodded. “We’ll have to do periodic checks for security purposes, but-”

“So long as you’re a good girl, it shouldn’t be a problem.” A smooth, sensual voice cut off the commander’s own. Half-turning, you looked up at the taller woman with a small, wry smile on her lips. She grinned at me. “I have ways of solving problems, but I’d rather not use them on someone like-” the new woman reached out and tapped me on the nose. “-you.”

Staring at the finger tapping me in annoyance, I firmly pushed it away, giving the woman a cross look. “Apologies, but I really don’t like being touched suddenly. May I ask who you are, ma’am?”

“This is Mariko Abe, head of information security and Covert Operations,” Bradford said dourly. “Don’t be fooled. She’s vicious.”

“Aww, you always say the nicest things, John.” The woman seemed to pout, before abruptly dropping the coy look, her face going slightly placid. “But he is right, and if you really are willing to work for me, I suppose I should be a bit more professional.” The flirty air was replaced with a hard edge, and her eyes were sharp as she evaluated me. “I’ve seen a little of your footage. With some training, you could do great things under me. Or fun things.” She said with a wink. “I don’t judge.”

I blushed lightly, before composing myself. “I honestly wouldn’t mind fun things, but I don’t think fraternizing is allowed.” I riposted.

Tazri and Bradford both groaned. “...it shouldn’t be. But XCOM’s charter was founded back when having any female staff was considered unthinkable, and since then it still hasn’t been added in. One of the founding lines of XCOM is against it.”

I blinked, “Well then. I guess fun things are on the table. Anyways, I appreciate the compliment, Mariko-senpai. I look forward to working with you.”

“...senpai?” Her giggles were slightly more honest this time. “Try sensei, little one. We’ll have to try roleplay sometime ~” Without a word, she seemed to vanish, the door to her office swinging closed on its own moments later.

“She seemed fun,” I commented, smiling. “What do you think of her, Tamamo?”

She spoke back. “She’s carrying an inheritor’s device, of a similar grade as my own. I could barely detect her presence at the end, and she was constantly poised to strike until you made your last joke. She’s as hot as sin, but very, very dangerous.”

“Thanks for the info Tamamo” I replied mentally, the smile on my face fading slightly, before it reestablished itself with full force. “Commander, do you need anything else from me? Or am I good to resume my tour?”

“...go ahead,” Tazri said, glancing between me and the door Abe had returned through. “Be careful, okay?”

I nodded. “Of course.

Chapter Text

“Alright team, gather around.” I looked around the large ‘common space’ attached to the Magi dorms as Lehmann spoke. Besides Nguyen and myself, there were nine other individuals in the room; six in military uniforms and three in various civilian outfits. “We’ve recruited four new individuals to add to our roster since we’ve last met, but Specialist Adams and Lieutenant Huang were already military mages, and arrived last week. Our new novices are Sergeant Nguyen and Specialist Lee. Neither have magus training, but Nguyen has plenty of combat experience.”

I waved, “Heya! I’m Specialist Lillie Lee, nice to meet you all.” Holding up my bracelet, I continued, “This is Tamamo, my device. She helped me out of a real bind, so I owe her one.”

“Helped me out too.” Nguyen smirked. “Harriet Nguyen, ex-security officer, ex-freedom fighter, and expert in destruction. Looking forward to working with you all.”

One of the men in uniform, a bulky one with a shaved head, coughed. “So, the little girl is the one to have helped out on Mars?” At my nod, he shot me a thumbs up. “I am Joseph, but you may call me Berkut. Good to have another aboard.”

“He’s the team medic.” A lean man beside him explained. “I’m Henry Nashville, assault-type caster.”

“Just don’t slow us down, and we’ll be fine!” The tiny white-haired woman in uniform said, shooting her own thumbs up. “Grace Miller, at your service!”

One by one, the whole group introduced themselves, save one man in battered grey fatigues. As they finished he spoke up. “And I’m Lieutenant Steven Wright, but everyone calls me by my sign, Buccaneer.” He gave a grin. “We’ll have you whipped into shape soon enough.

“I hope so too!” I chirped, “I want to be able to contribute as soon as possible.” Pausing for a moment, I continued, “Tamamo’s been doing her best to teach me on her own, but there’s only so much you can gain from sims…”

“Hey, what classification is she, anyway? That’s not a Soldier grade.” Someone asked.

“Specialist.” I replied, a touch proudly, “Though I’d prefer not to share how I found her. It’s a tad private for both of us.”

“Nah, I just wanted to know her specs.” The man, a dude by the name of Ryan, grinned as he stared at my wrist. “Sexy, sexy specs…”

“You want me to hit him Tamamo?” I asked my device, “Because I’m tempted to hit him myself.”

Aloud, I snorted. “I suppose you do you.”

“Hitting him would be counter-productive. It’s a bit flattering, really, if creepy.”

“Fair enough, I suppose. He’s fair game if he creeps on me though.” I replied, smiling dangerously at the man. Tamamo was my device, damnit. Excuse me for feeling possessive.

While I’d been speaking with Tammy, one of the larger men had reached out, locked Ryan in a headlock, then literally sat on him. “Excuse my brother, please.” The burly man, a gentleman named Paul, sighed. “He gets excited whenever we find a new device. And if you ever need repairs, he’s likely to be the best of us.”

“Or upgrades!” Ryan’s voice was muffled as he raised one hand.

“Oh?” I commented, “What sort of upgrades?” Of course, I was still giving the guy a slight side eye, but I’d like to think I was cutting him some slack. He had just rather creepily looked at my partner, after all.”

Paul sighed again. “Mostly? What he calls optimization, and what I call overclocking. He’s figured out a number of ways to remove the safety limiters inbuilt on devices, so they can output more spells per second. Problem is, that tends to do damage to the device and drain the user. He’s got some other tricks too, but there’s only so much we can do with tech at least four or five levels of civilization from ours.”

Ryan finally managed to free his head. “We’re at three, by this point. XCOM itself might be only two behind. And with alien tech…”

“Right.” Paul shrugged. “I dunno if we can use any of it in our devices. It all seems to run off psionics.”

“All of it?” Tamamo spoke aloud. “How perplexing.”

“They did seem rather dependent on psionics, yes.” I replied, “But we’re also dealing with a multispecies Empire or Coalition. It’s entirely possible that they have other tech.” I remarked, though I was vaguely aware it probably wasn’t true. Unless it was, which would be nice.

“Speaking of which.” Lehmann spoke up. “Before anything else, we should go over Research’s take on the aliens.” He drew everyone’s attention to the large monitor on one side. “So far, we’ve identified six or seven unique species, as well as numerous robotic and cybernetic aides.”

He thumbed the control, displaying a tiny grey creature. “We’ve dubbed these little bastards Sectoids. They’re really only an annoyance, though there are a few stronger variants out there. They have minor psionic powers, allowing them to confuse humans or cause blinding headaches.”

He clicked the control, revealing two images side-by-side. On one side was the serpentine reptilian creature you’d fought. On the other was a tall, overly lanky humanoid, with odd green discolored skin. “These two seem to be genetically close to one another. One’s an infiltrator unit, the other is their natural form. Acidic spit, whipcord limbs. Fairly accurate in a firefight, too. We’re calling the humanoids ‘thin men’ and the snakes ‘vipers.’”

“They seem to have command on the battlefield as well,” I added, “The group of Sectoids I encountered was being led by one of the snakes. I never really did find a Sectoid leader.”

“We haven’t managed to capture any of those yet.” Lehmann remarked. “Though they’ve been seen. Those bastards can fully mind control humans.” He clicked the slide to the next one.

The large red creature covered in green plate armor stood with a gun cradled in two hands. “Mutons. Tough, aggressive, and bulky. They seem to be the aliens’ preferred soldiers.” He clicked to the next slide, revealing a creature that was a horrible mishmash of red flesh and cybernetics. “The men on the ground call these bastards ‘Floaters.’ They’re even more aggressive than the Mutons, but not nearly so tough.”

“Finally, we’ve seen these… nodules.” The last slide held a video, and I watched as a glowing crystal spouted a large, humanoid figure composed of light. “They seem to be commanders, but we’re not certain if they’re avatars of who or whatever is leading this invasion, or if they’re a species of energy beings. Or both.”

“Any questions?” He looked around. “Alright, mechanicals.” He pulled up the first slide, of a tiny black machine with a yellow glowing center. “This has been unimaginatively named ‘drone.’ They’re scouts, harassers, and repair bots.” He clicked the next one, revealing the floating tentacle robot you’d seen before. “And this is a Seeker.”

“We’re not calling it-”

“We are not calling it a Violator, no.” Lehmann sighed, clicking over to the next slide, revealing a familiar purple mechanical device. “These Mechtoids are cybernetically enhanced sectoids, essentially the aliens’ answer to heavy artillery. They’re a priority target, only below the last encountered enemy type.”

He clicked the slides one last time, revealing another video. A hovering silver disc appeared on-screen, before breaking apart to form a nasty conglomerate of blades and plasma blasters. “The Cyberdisc is a nightmare for normal soldiers. Fast, durable, and accurate, these bastards are the machines which had the most success breaking conventional soldiers; it’s like dealing with one of us, only in groups. Magi support is needed if these things are on the field.”

I nodded, absorbing the information. It was good to know your enemy, after all. “I take it we’re being held in reserve unless we absolutely need to deploy?” I asked, looking at Captain Lehmann.

“We are. You’re on reserves until we finish basic, and get your medals.” He informed me. “Everyone, you’re dismissed. We’re getting up bright and early tomorrow for training. Don’t be late.”

“...and the key part about this isn’t so much using the basic equations, as it is comprehending the flows of energy which the equations spin into being. There’s a reason some primitive mages are able to ‘chance’ upon a spell via trial and error, after all.” Tamamo finished her lecture, causing me to sigh in relief as the influx of data stopped.

We’d moved on to a more advanced version of training once I’d managed to get a couple of parallel thought streams going. Namely, Tamamo would lecture me in one, and I’d have to keep up with dodge or accuracy training in the other two. Needless to say, it was grueling. But I was making progress, and a lot of it, according to my fellow combat mages. I should, according to them, still be struggling to run multiple streams of thought.

“Hey, Tamamo, didn’t you say I had a message earlier?” I asked, getting up off my bed, where I had been laying while the simulations ran. “Something about Ms. Abe?”

“Yes. Would you like to hear it, or should I summarize?”

“Probably best to listen to the whole thing. She doesn’t seem like one for summaries. At least, not when I’m supposed to be listening to her.”

“Very well.” For once, Tamamo sounded a bit peeved. “Take a listen.”

Over the link, a new voice began playing. “So many new recruits and none of them want to join me, tsk tsk. Well, I suppose our first meeting will just be the two of us, then! Miss Lee, I am so glad you decided to come have some fun.” Mariko’s voice oozed suggestion as she continued. “Come along up to my den. I’ll put the best sheets on. Wear whatever- it won’t matter much with what we’re doing. And bring your friend. Ta ta!”

As the inflitrator’s voice cut out, Tamamo sighed. “Utterly unprofessional. I suppose we have yet to see her on the job.”

“You don’t like her,” I guessed, “For various reasons, I presume?” I continued, walking over to the wardrobe that XCOM had supplied me with, pulling out a bra and panties, along with the rest of my usual casual clothing.

“I only have first impressions to go on, but I’m a military device, Master.” Tamamo explained. “Her… fraternization is rather inappropriate considering where she stands in your command structure. Without seeing how it impacts her work, I will withhold judgement. But her attitude does not inspire confidence.”

I shrugged as I pulled my pants up. “To be absolutely fair, I doubt I’m the picture of Military Discipline. Civilian until very recently, remember?” Nodding in satisfaction at my state of dress, I walked out of my room, nodding as I passed another member of the Combat Mages. “Besides, fraternization is allowed in XCOM, though for… dubious reasons.”

“Dubious nothing.” Tamamo sighed. “If there’s one thing I do understand, is that maintaining morale is essential. Forcing both physical closeness and emotional distance within a closed space would end well for no one.”

I made a sound of acknowledgement as I entered the elevator to the command floor. “Well, let’s go see what she wants, shall we?” With my final piece said, I hummed along to the tune of elevator music, pausing as I noticed the elevator as it reached its destination.

Stepping out into the Geoscape, I walked around the newly filtering in support staff and analysts. Over the past week, more and more people had filled in the base’s empty halls. What had seemed stark and quiet now was lively, although the Mages’ Quarters remained sparsely populated. Even here, in the heart of XCOM, more people milled about than had been in the entire base previously.

I walked up to the door marked ‘Covert Operations’, pausing as I noticed it oh-so slightly ajar. Deciding that it was still better safe than sorry, I knocked politely, announcing my presence. After waiting a few seconds, I opened it, slipping into the room.

I wasn’t entirely certain what to expect; perhaps a normal office, either sparsely decorated or overly furnished. What instead greeted me was a rugged room, with only four egg-basket chairs sitting at each corner of the rug. A printer and attached datapad sat in one corner, while Miss Abe sat, eyes closed, in one of the chairs. Without opening her eyes, she motioned at me to take a seat. So, after briefly nodding at her, I took one, silently staring at my nominal boss for my… Assassination missions.

“You wanted to see me?” I asked, briefly glancing around the room.

Abe’s eyes opened, and she peered at me. Seconds later, a whisper intruded in my thoughts. “I did. When you are here, do not speak. Telepathy only.”

“Understood.” I replied, “I take it that I’m the only one that volunteered for the rather distasteful wetwork?”

“Not the only one. Just the only one I’ve accepted thus far.” Abe’s face tightened. “This sort of work is not for the faint of heart. You must steel it or destroy it to succeed. I twisted mine when I was younger than you, and it took decades for me to make it as straight as I could again.”

I nodded, “I can steel my heart. Destroying it is rather counterproductive to a lot of things, after all. In truth, I still don’t feel anything from killing all those aliens. I did what was necessary. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“It may be different when you kill your first man.” Abe straightened in her chair. “And that time is coming soon. I have your first mission; consider it training.” She motioned to one side, and with a hum the printer spat out several sheets of paper. “These documents; scan them, commit their contents to your device, then destroy them. They’ll lead you on a goose-chase through this base, revealing its secrets. And when you’ve followed their trail, you’ll learn the name and face of the Aliens’ human supporters. You have one week, before you leave on your trip.” She paused. “Some of the areas you’ll need to access, you will not have permission. You fail if you invoke my name or department to get out of trouble even once.”

I made no reply to her directly, already ordering Tamamo to scan the documents. After she had, I paused, then destroyed them. “I’ll get on it then. Did you need anything else, Ms. Abe?”

“Nothing right now.” She paused, her pallid mask relaxing into her previous grin. “Although, if you’re interested…”

“You already know I am. Probably best not to, just yet.” I replied, lightly blushing, “I’d rather not my first time be given away cheaply.”

“...well. Now you actually have my attention.” Abe’s grin widened. “A quickie is no longer in the cards, it seems. I can accept that.”

Still blushing, I nodded. “I’ll be on my way then. Feel free to contact me whenever.” With that, I stood up, politely bowing to my superior, before heading out the doorway.

“Tamamo, thoughts on the hint?” I asked my device, stepping into the elevator once more. “I personally think it’s referring to the Steam Generators, but a second opinion is welcome.”

“References to moving water and cracked earth? I agree.” Tamamo said. “It seems to imply you’ll be doing some crawling, though; unless ‘on your hands and knees’ is another pick-up line.”

“I don’t think it is.” I replied, “She seemed rather serious about this whole thing, though it wouldn’t surprise me if it was a double meaning. Our teleports are logged, right?”

“They are… though there may be ways around that.” Tamamo hazarded. “As I said before, the system used is archaic. We could get around it if need be. Though if we’re caught...”

I shook my head. “Not worth it, though it’s a good exit strategy. Actually…” With that said, I purposefully made my way towards engineering, “Tamamo, I haven’t pranked anyone yet, right? Are there rules against pranking?”

“Yes and no. I suppose the rule is simply ‘if it disrupts the functioning of the base, it’s too much.” Tamamo replied. “Technically, any prank would disrupt the base; but that gives the command staff enormous leeway.”

“Then all I have to do is not be disruptive.” I turned around, smirking. “Time to cause some… well, not chaos. I guess minor issues would be the best way to put it.” With that, I teleported back into my room.

The Commander stared at me, her gaze lidded as I held myself back from squirming in my chair. After the events of the last forty-eight hours, I’d expected to be called up before her pretty soon.

“So.” She pulled a sheet of paper- my original proposal off of her desk. “Remind me of the particulars of your little ‘team-building’ exercise again.”

Letting a ‘meep’ escape my mouth, I begin to speak slowly, “Well, I wanted to raise morale a bit.” I said slowly, “So I planned a bit of a ‘scavenger hunt’, which you approved.” Coughing, I continued, “Then… The crazies decided they wanted in.”

“And by ‘crazies’ you mean the geeks in the engineering department. And a quarter of the science team.” The Commander’s glare was frigid. “I suppose I should ask; where exactly were they supposed to find a bear in the base?”

“They weren’t.” I muttered, “They were supposed to request permission to go off base to find one, like responsible human beings. Or logical human beings.”

“...well, they did. Did you expect them to bring back a live bear?” She asked. “Next time be more specific about making certain the bear was stuffed, or a teddy bear.” She growled. “We still haven’t rooted that thing out of the air vents.”

I nodded slowly, making a mental note. “Would you like me to teleport it out?” I stated, carefully avoiding mentioning that I had already done so. Better to let her assume I had done so after asking, not before.

“I would, thank you.” The commander resumed looking at the scavenger hunt list. “You also listed needing a flare gun set. Do you know why the science geeks decided to fire it down a major hallway?”

“I do not, no.” I replied. I didn’t really want to know either.

“Dammit. I was hoping you could answer that one for me.” She growled out. “And now the entire third floor is covered in fire foam.” She looked down at the sheet again. “I can’t fault you for the twenty-pound wrench. You weren’t to know that the previous inhabitants of this base had built a still behind that wall, so the current drunken state of the Engineering Department isn’t fair to be blamed on you. I do question why you thought putting ‘the most beautiful lady in the base’s panties’ was a good idea.”

“It was supposed to be funny. And it had the word “Joke” written right next to it. Why did they take it seriously…” I groaned, bashing my head against the table.

“I told you that you shouldn’t have written it down.” Tamamo chimed in.

“Yes yes I know…”

Tazri sighed. “That word was somehow left off the copies distributed to the rest of the base. Dr. Vahlen tasered four men and one woman who attempted to access her rooms, two soldiers accosted me for my unmentionables, Miss Weir sent two more into comas, and Ms. Abe left five troopers with stab wounds.” She frowned. “Although I can’t exactly punish you for any of that, since at least three staff members tried to get access to your chambers during the confusion.”

I blinked. “Wait, seriously? Also, comas? Does Miss Weir not know the meaning of restraint?”

“She doesn’t do well when startled, apparently.” Tazri replied dryly. “She says they’ll wake up utterly refreshed in a few more hours. And yes, apparently you already have an on-base fan club, ‘Lady Badass Adorable’.”

I mouthed the title I had been given, then groaned. Fantastic. I had a fanclub. My head laid against the table as I muttered profanities, “If I get fanboys and girls bothering me for stupid shit, I’m going to be a very uhappy camper.” I grumbled, “Anyways, I assume there was more, ma’am?”

“Why on earth did you specify you needed a ‘freshly baked’ apple pie?”

“That one wasn’t for me, ma’am. I believe that another member of XCOM wanted to troll. I swear I didn’t include that one on the list.” I rapidly said, “Tamamo, I swear to God when I find the person who added the Apple Pie to that list…”

“Would you like me to tell you who it was, mistress?”

“Well, at least we have a list of who can and cannot bake among the science team.” Tazri sighed. “You are not to suggest any more team building exercises that have not been vetted by your captain. You are also barred from leaving the base for recreation for two weeks. Is that clear?”

“Crystal.” I replied, hiding my sigh of relief. That was a far better outcome than I had expected, and I had recovered the various clues in the chaos. I hadn’t actually expected the idea to go so poorly and well at the same time…

“Dismissed, then.” Tazri murmured. “And tell Abe next time she gives you a dare, she should just pull off the prank herself. Not like I can punish her…”

“I’ll do that Commander,” I replied, struggling to hide a smile, “I’ll do that.”

Leaving Tazri’s office, I took a quick teleport to return to my room. Seconds later, I had the gathered objects from my own scavenger hunt laid out before me.

“Let’s see. Two data drives, one physical one-use code pad, three fragments of a forty-digit encryption code on three different objects, and a blank black key pass.” I frowned, holding up the drives. “Tamamo, can you access this?”

“I can, and using the encryption code, I’ve already found out what it is. The first drive contains the information needed to activate the key card, and the second contains a coded file locked by the code pad. Decrypting it a second time reveals the data to indicate using the black card to enter the situation room at any time after 21:00.”

I nodded slowly, taking the black card in my hand. “Can you store this for now Tamamo? I absolutely do not want to lose it.”

“I can.” My device stated, before storing the key, and the rest of the items from the scavenger hunt. “Shall we wait till the specified time then?”

“Yes. It’s currently… 17:00 hours. I’m going to take a quick nap. I’ll set the alarm, but I’d appreciate a reminder.”

“Of course.”

With that, I stripped off my clothing, lied down in bed, and let my dreams take me away.

The situation room looked… impressive. That was the best word for it. In fact, in many ways, it was designed to look impressive.

There was also rarely anyone in here. The Geoscape, with its multiple screens and holographic globe, also had more comfortable seats, and thus the sizable room with its massive world map and global ‘threat tracking’ was mostly ignored. The room was still locked down most of the time, since it contained a direct link to the Council and contained doors leading to the sensitive information vaults and the secure storage.

The black keycard caused the door to chirp once, admitting me to the room with ease. The night shift crew in the Geoscape barely looked up as I slipped in. Walking over to the information vault, I scanned the card a second time, moving in and opening the one marked file drawer. Reaching in, I withdrew a slim folder, with a single name written across the front.

Oh no. I mused, I had hoped it wasn’t the case.

The file simply read: “EXALT.”

“Is that it, Tamamo?” I asked my device, quickly flipping through the file to confirm that it was what I needed.

“It is.” I froze as Abe’s voice came from right behind me.

Relaxing, I sighed. “Hello Ms. Abe. I was wondering when I would see you.”

“...you’ve got a stiffer spine than I expected.” I looked as she reclined against one file cabinet, arms crossed. “Three days and a heap of trouble, and you’ve found one of the world's most secretive groups, and one of XCOM’s oldest secrets.” She tapped the file. “Do you want the whole story, or just a summary?”

“The whole story. No sense in not knowing the entire thing.” I said, crossing my arms.

“Right then. Fifty years ago, a US government agency known as ‘the Bureau’ became the first XCOM. They fought a shadow war to stave off a secret alien invasion, and eventually came under the leadership of Dr. Alan Weir, a scientist who wanted to use the secrets the aliens provided for the good of humanity. Naturally, this was rebuffed by world leaders at the time.”

“Let me guess, he went rogue.” I whispered, “Like all spoilt children do when they don’t get what they want.”

“Actually, no. Dr. Weir was a good man, and decided it would be better to take his time, and solidify XCOM’s status while slowly leaking out advancements.” Abe shrugged. “The issue was, his ideas had a lot of support and opposition both. EXALT already existed back then, and they teamed up with the ones who opposed Weir to lure out some of his students and their secrets. A little ‘civil war’ within XCOM.”

I sighed. “That… is surprisingly well thought out for an extremists group. EXALT has good leadership, I presume?”

“Competent, at least. Good is a stretch.” She shifted to sit atop one of the filing cabinets. “XCOM survived the civil war, but Weir decided the secrets he’d unlocked were too dangerous to be held by anyone. He destroyed all of the research and much of the acquired materials before the US government could secure them, leaving behind a record locked within a self-created puzzle box only accessible by Weir, his family, or their appointed successor. Which is why Miss Weir is currently on-staff; she doles out information to the research team to shore up their understanding of Alien tech.”

I nodded in understanding. “That makes sense. Shame that he destroyed the research, but it makes sense, I guess.”

“And then twenty years later Devices and Magic were discovered, and it was all forgotten. The issue is, EXALT hasn’t forgotten what power and wonder Alien tech could give them, up to and including immortality. They’re willing to broker a deal with the Aliens in exchange for being uplifted, and to hell with the rest of us.” XCOM’s spymistress hissed.

I snarled, my eyes narrowed to slits. “The worst sort of scum. Got it. When do I get to start wiping them off the face of this Earth.” I hissed, eyes blazing in fury.

“As soon as they expose themselves. EXALT works on a cellular basis, so we’ll have to break a lot of heads before we manage to track down their current headquarters.” Abe grinned. “Of course, with you and I on the job, we can be a bit more proactive about taking care of those running EXALT. You’ve already shown a knack for havoc missions; now we just need to work on your stealth.”

I nodded, rubbing the back of my head. “Sorry if my way of dealing with the scavenger hunt was a bit chaotic.”

“A bit, mistress?” Tamamo snarked, “Try highly chaotic.”

“Hey, it worked.” I grumbled in response, glaring lightly at her.

Abe chuckled. “I personally thought it very fitting. Though I wonder what you would have done if it hadn’t gone quite so.. .spectacular.” She grinned, sashaying to the door. “I look forward to seeing you in my room very soon.” She chuckled, before vanishing.

“I’m not sure if I should be scared or turned on by her at times.” I muttered, smiling. “Immortality, huh?” I mused aloud, shaking my head, “Is such a vaunted thing truly worth giving up?” Glaring once more at the file on EXALT, I sighed. “No. It truly is not. If we are to attain timelessness, we shall do so on our own merit.”

“Immortality was something never pursued in Al-Hazard. At least, not for the individual. Longevity is always welcome, but if you cannot share it with others, what is the point?” Tamamo reflected. “As an aside, Master: her device reached out to me. He is called Danzo, and he has deposited a digital copy of the file you hold. Return it, and we can peruse it at our leisure later.”

I nodded, returning the file carefully to the place it had been picked up from, not giving it a second glance as I left the room, walking out purposefully. “What’s next on the agenda tonight, Tamamo?”

“Considering that nap you took, we’re not sleeping yet. We could do more training, get started on those books you wanted to get through, watch some tv, or go visit the bar.”

“Let’s get some more training done. I want to be ready in case we have to deploy. I can worry about the books later, and the bar doesn’t really appeal to me right now.” I replied, nodding at my co-workers as I teleported to my room from the command center. “What’s on the itinerary for training, Tamamo?”

“Well, let’s review. We’ve managed to get your parallel thought streams working, have the basics of the blaster and bullet equations available for your use, and have managed to integrate the Hazard Suit protocols with your Assault Armor. As of right now, we still need to start working with Siege mode and the spell components of its shells, and practicing minimal-aid flight.”

“One second.” I stated, reassigning my two secondary threads to Siege Mode, while I entered a flight simulation in my primary. Seeing the formerly terraformed portion of Mars had me grimacing a bit, but in no time at all, I was at flight practice again, managing two of the three components required for flight on my own, while Tamamo managed the one I hadn’t ever been able to get down.

After a solid four hours of simulation, I felt I had made a significant amount of progress, but flight as a whole eluded me. Deciding that any more practice while I was exhausted was simply a fallacy, I headed to bed, closing down my other simulations, who had also made significant progress with Siege Mode.

Chapter Text

“It is very good to see you again, my friend!” Dr. Oyekan came bustling around the paper-laden table in front of him, dodging past several other researchers as he came forward to shake my hand. “So much important history secured!” He paused. “And you saved my life. That’s important too, yes.”

I smiled as the excitable man shook my hand, “Hello Doctor, I’ve come for the promised interview.”

“It is about time, I suppose.”

“Glady!” Oyekan dashed off to one side, ushering us into a meeting room. “Come in, come in! I’ll need to set up a data tap and recorder, but that shouldn’t take more than a moment.” He started fiddling with his device. “Now, Miss Tamamo, are you one who prefers to manifest an avatar, or not?”

“I will manifest.”

“Splendid, let me just set up my projector.” The doctor placed a small golden device with a clear crystal in the center upon the table. “This will allow you to manifest a full-sized avatar in the room when it’s active. Please, go ahead and link to it.”

“Linking now.” Tamamo declared, a holographic figure manifesting from the device. “My master seemed partial to this form, so it’s the one we decided to go with.”

I nodded. Aile’s appearance from Megaman ZX seemed to suit her well, being a mixture of futuristic sci-fi and a mechanists’ wet dream. Tamamo had short, brown hair, and wore a dark, navy blue bodysuit over her entire body, ending at her neck. Her eyes were deep, emerald green. She wore a blue jacket and a tan pair of shorts, and wore a green crystal on a necklace.

As she finished manifesting, Tamamo gave a brief nod. “Thank you for that, doctor.”

“Do not thank me! I should be thanking you!” The man chuckled. “Now, to begin- how long were you active before your last memory wipe?”

“About forty years, although I was allowed to keep an archive of memories between wipes.”

“Oh? We’ve not heard of that sort of thing before.”

Tamamo shook her head. “Operatives of my rank and position often spent large amounts of time alone. Devices of my level were expected to be companions to their masters, not just tools.”

I nodded, “I’ve noticed that, Tamamo. I take it that such a thing isn’t too common?” I asked, directing the question at both my device and the good Doctor.

“No. Most Devices are semi-sentient, but truncated in such a way to prevent deviancy.” Dr. Okeyan sighed. “They are prevented from gaining higher thought, or a personality independent of their master.”

“It is necessary.” Tamamo replied. “It would do no good for a device to begin to fear or doubt, or with to rebel, and thus deprive a warrior of their weapon and armor in times of need.

“That makes sense.” I replied, “Especially considering what Tamamo’s told me about Al-Hazard.” That did not, of course, mean that I had to like the decision, as much as it made sense to me.

Okeyan let out a huff. “I understand, but meeting one such as you makes me wonder. Regardless, you are one of only three devices with memories of the people of Al-Hazard. The anthropological information you hold is immense!” He smiled widely. “Tell me, what were they like?”

Tamamo paused. “I could relate the shining legacies or the dirty secrets, but from what I can see most of Al-Hazard’s people were just that; people. Kind or cruel, generous or stingy, ambitious or content; such a thing varied.” She paused. “As for my personal experiences, I can say that the military, exploratory, and scientific communities were heavily intertwined; though my last master and I were specialists in espionage, we spent much time as scouts on frontier worlds.”

“Were you at war?”

“Not when it all ended; and not often.” Tamamo tilted her head. “We did conflict with several stellar empires and other species, but no one tried to invade each other. The closest analogue would be your Cold War; both sides squabbling over peripheral worlds, but no attacks on the populated cores.”

“So the military integration…”

“Protection from the dangers in the Dimensional Sea and mercenaries hired by other nations. Occasionally, protection if a noble house overstepped their bounds, or a planet attempted to secede. That rarely happened, but sometimes people get antsy.”

Though I made no comment, I was rapidly running three separate threads of thought, analysing what my device had told me. In a way, it was oh so similar to the woes I’d expect from an interstellar empire.

“Was it a good life, Tamamo?” I asked, “Would you go back to it, if you could?”

“Yes and no.” Tamamo replied softly. “I would only go back if I could take you with me. Al-Hazard was wonderful, but Lieutenant Lellied died peacefully, before the plague swept through. I am yours now, and Al-Hazard must be dead, or so crippled to be no longer recognizable.”

“Thanks, Tamamo.” I replied, touched. I hadn’t realized how much I meant to her, and… having someone solidly in my corner was a wonderful feeling. “I’d be honored to see it, even if only in a simulation.”

“That I will not do.” Tamamo replied, a touch harshly. “I will show videos, but I will not try to recreate the people I met.”

“Cultural reasons?” Oyekan asked, his fingers a blur on his keyboard.

“Indeed. ‘One can never truly know another man’s mind- for it is made up of all he has ever met and dreamed’.” Tamamo spoke stiffly, reciting a quote. “Attempting to speak for another as though you knew him, or place word into their mouth- it is a spiritual crime of the highest order, for in doing so, you attempt to override their will with your own.” Tamamo’s face tightened. “That the invaders seem to deem such intrusions into human minds as normal speaks volumes of their arrogance and depravity.”

“Apologies, Tamamo. I didn’t know.” I apologized softly, “And yeah, I agree. The aliens… they- they seem to be so easy to hate.”

Oyekan nodded, his fingers slowing as he finished his observations. “I’ve been allowed to inspect the bodies and equipment of the invaders. It is entirely impersonal; no marks or alterations, no deviations or individuality in act or presentation. Save for some of the scarring on their warriors, the ones we’ve met are cogs in a massive war machine, whose purpose I cannot understand.”

I growled, “So for all we know, we’re fighting thralls. Ones that don’t have any choice in the matter, and simply serve their overlord. I’ll have to remember not to just hate them.”

“So long as it does not interfere with fighting them, discarding hatred can only help matters.” Tamamo acknowledged. “Now, should we resume the interview?”

“Yes please. Now, you mentioned a plague; we’ve gotten a few references, but nothing more.”

Tamamo’s avatar drooped. “Linker Core Disitnerum. The burning plague. A disease which turns the source of magic against the wielder.” She shook her head. “For us, it was genocide. We never knew who engineered it, or if it simply came from the Dimensional Sea, but it’s also likely why your people have so few mages to this day.”

I winced. “That… That sounds horrible.” I shuddered as the very thought of my Linker Core being used against me ran through each of my parallel processes. It… wasn’t a pleasant thought.

“Spontaneous combustion is not pleasant.” Tamamo acknowledged. “It takes a long time to incubate, so it managed to infect most of Al-Hazard’s people before it was discovered. Treatment was simple, but takes time- time most people did not have, and with supplies that were far too limited.”

“So an empire crumbled.” I whispered softly. It made me feel small, yet, at the same time, I felt hope. Our invaders could be defeated, provided that we did our utmost to find their weakness and exploit the hell out of it.

“And others picked up the pieces.” Tamamo acknowledged. “Let us hope no one has to pick up after us, when all’s said and done.”

Chapter Text

I narrowed my eyes at the sight before me. I only had time and space for one option. I had to make this count.

The hot dog vendor grinned at me as he pulled a wiener free from the salty water of his cart. “So, what’d you want on top?”

“Sauerkraut.” I replied, having gone through the options briefly in my head. “I’ll have sauerkraut.”

“Coming right up.” Minutes later, I happily munched my treat as I walked down the street, my feet carrying me through New York City. The medal ceremony was set for later this afternoon, and I wasn’t going to pass up the chance to wander one of the most iconic cities in the world.

“That street food is significantly more hygienic than I was expecting.” Tamamo mused. “Though I still fail to see the appeal of such a thing.”

“There really isn’t much, except how fast it is.” I replied, munching on my hotdog, “Though some of the stuff on the street does taste better than stuff from a restaurant.”

“I suppose I can’t really relate.” Tamamo sighed. “Smell and taste are senses rather foriegn to me, despite having olfactory sniffers. It’s just not quite the same.”

“I wish there was something I could do about that, but as far as I’m aware, there isn’t…” I replied, finishing off the hotdog. “Anyways, probably best to go see as much as I can. I doubt I’ll be back in New York unless it’s on fire and burning after this.” I mused, letting my feet carry me wherever I may go. I wasn’t too concerned about seeing the majority of the sights, as I really didn’t have that much interest in the city, and Times Square was… just a busy square. Wall Street was, without context, just another Street. Honestly, at this point, I just wanted to go do something productive, and not wander around the city, but my comrades had insisted I take a break.

Upgrading me to a Unison device might do that, but that’s far beyond my capabilities.” Tamamo responded. “And, if you’re really looking for something to do, I’d recommend heading towards the docks. I’ve picked up something… distressing, out there.”

“Joy.” I replied, “Am I good to just teleport there? Or should I go there on foot?” I asked, already gathering the mana necessary for such an action, though I was prepared to hoof it as well.

“Foot or Flight. It might be a bit time sensitive, but I don’t have a teleportation lock.”

“Flight it is.” I replied, “Let me get clearance first.” With that stated, I opened a radio channel to the local air traffic control, letting them know that I wished to plot a personal flight towards the docks, spent a few minutes getting permission, then zoomed off towards the docks. As I flew, Tamamo started filling me in on the situation.

“I intercepted a ping from what appears to be a piece of Belkan tech. At the very least, that’s the style of code within the Device. It is currently unlinked to a user, so I was able to piggyback off its sensors. I’m picking up readings of Alien tech surrounding the device… and what appears to be a live Alien captive.”

“That does not sound good.” I replied, “Do you know for sure if the X-Ray is captured?”

Judging by the energy readings on the cuffs they are wearing, yes.” Tamamo replied, even as she threw up my Stealth systems. “Trigger Optical Cloak, please; we’re about to enter their sensor range.”

I nodded, silently engaging the optical cloak, “Tamamo, sniper please. I want to see what we can from long range first.”

“I’ll paint you some targets. You’re going to have to shoot through the roof of the warehouse.” Tamamo acknowledged, overlaying my vision with heat mapping as I hovered into place above a seemingly dilapidated structure.

“Before I shoot them, I’d like to confirm that they’re actually targets. Can you get Abe on the line?” I asked, observing the thermal signatures of those within the warehouse as they milled about. “Can you contact the Belkan Device without the rest of them knowing as well?”

“It is only an Armed Device, not an intelligent one. As for Abe, one moment.”

“Darling, skipping out on your big event?” Abe’s voice came over the message system, her tone playful. “No wait, it’s still a bit early. What’s up, minion?”

“I’ve got a group of people in New York City holding a live alien captive, along with a Belkan Armed Device hooked up to alien tech. Sending you the data now.” I answered, “Not sure what to do here, so I’m passing it up the chain.”

“I am accessing the audio logs now.” Tamamo interjected. “This appears to be an auction of some sort; or at least prep work for one.”

Abe’s voice cut out, and when it returned was ice cold. “Hold position for my arrival. We need to take everyone in there alive, along with all their product. All alien war material should be government property; that there’s some wandering around would be concerning enough. For them to have a live captive is incredibly suspicious.” Abe’s voice grew a bit frantic. “Continue monitoring the situation. Danzo and I will try to fast-track a warrant; failing that, you’ll need to pull off a stealth insertion.”

“Understood.” I replied, settling in for a stakeout. “Tamamo, any nearby areas I can set up on? I see a few, but I want your opinion.”

“Marking likely nest locations now.” I looked to one side as a red dot appeared on the piling of a nearby bridge. “We may need to wait a bit.”

“That’s fine.” I replied, slowly making my way over to the location, and settling in. “Keep an ear on their audio, I’ll keep an eye out on them.”

After several quiet minutes, Tamamo spoke up. “Abe has indicated she has a warrant in hand. We are in luck; the men inside the warehouse are still preparing to move their merchandise.”

“Does she have orders for us?” I asked, idly lifting the scope to my eyes, zooming in on the person I had identified as the potential leader.

Abe’s own voice came over the comms. “Hold for as long as you can. Move the moment they start to move anything out of the warehouse; Tamamo doesn’t detect any of them with significant linker cores. I’ll be there to set up an anti-teleportation field soon, but it’d be best if the Skyranger can drop a sweep team along with us.”

“Affirmative.” I replied, “I’ll keep an eye on them. Holding position and fire.” With that, I tensed, running through my “pre fight meditation”, idly running through various combat scenarios in my mind, two simultaneous processes focused on running scenarios while I kept my first process focused utterly on the enemy, methodically identifying the likely roles of each target. Each simulation became more detailed than the last.

Abe once again seemingly appeared at my side. “Ready for the attack?”

“I’m as ready as I can be.” I replied

She nodded. “There’s no disguising the Skyranger’s approach. We’ll need to be on the ground and breaching before it can get in range.” She murmured, even as her device threw up a field of energy. “I am better at melee range, and will enter through the rear doors. You remain out here, and prevent anyone from escaping into the city. Lethal force is authorized, but not recommended.”

“Affirmative, Tamamo, let’s stick to non-lethal for now, but we’ll go lethal if we need to.” I answered, “Ready when you are, Abe.”

“Darling, I’m always ready for anything.” Abe’s voice shifted to flirty once again, hooking one arm around me even as her faceplate retracted. “Anything~” She whispered inches from my face, before flipping off, dark grey armor fading into non-existence as she moved.

Blushing slightly, I returned my attention to Tamamo’s rifle form, keeping a steady eye even as I watched the rear doors open slightly, no thermal signature revealing Abe as she made her way inside. Moments later, Tamamo spoke up. “The sensors are showing that the first sentries have been knocked unconscious. We have a maximum of five minutes before the alarm is raised.”

“Understood Tamamo,” I replied, “If you could mark targets based on the captive device, that would be grand.”

“Painting all targets.” Moments later, the whole warehouse complex was marked with red dots. “As an aside, do you see yourself staying in this role for full battlefield conditions?”

“You mean overwatch?” I asked, thinking briefly, “If it’s where I fit best, it’s where I fit best.”

“I meant more as a Marksman or Sniper.” My device clarified. “Though as a Mage you have your own role on the battlefield, they will try to fit you to a role normally held by mundane soldiers, so that your team will have a proper troop composition.”

“Makes sense.” I replied, “Honestly, it’s probably too early to classify me as anything.”

“When you’re ready to go over the possible roles, please let me know. I can go over the different categories XCOM slots it's typical soldiers into, though I can see you operating in three or four different roles.” Tamamo paused. “Speaking of which, the enemy is beginning to scramble, and the Skyranger is three minutes out. You will not need to remain on overwatch duty for much longer.”

“Fantastic.” I replied, smiling, “I don’t see any of them fleeing quite yet, how about you, Tamamo?”

“None sighted.” As she spoke, I watched as the various men inside began to clump up, sweeping weapons across some of the larger sight lines inside. “Unnerving. The enemy appears to be fielding high-energy magnetic weapons, as opposed to conventional firearms. They’re more of a threat than I expected.”

“They shouldn’t have access to that.” I stated rhetorically, my lips set in a thin line. “I take it Abe has already noticed?” I asked, my trigger finger tightening ever so slightly. Not quite enough to discharge the rifle, but more than enough for my partner to notice.

“It is one of the reasons she has yet to finish up fully. Danzo’s Ghost Suit makes her nearly imperceptible, but it offers only the barest of protections against direct hits. If they hit her, it will break her jacket temporarily, rendering her squishy and exposed.”

“Understood.” I replied, returning to staring down the sights of the rifle.

“With that said… the door will soon be open.” Tamamo remarked, as a loud roaring sounded overhead. Seconds later, five red-clad soldiers and one man in blue leapt from the hovering skyranger, five assault rifles and a single pump action shotgun pointed at the main doors. The group of XCOM soldiers fanned out, the shotgun-wielding man running to the main doors and kicking it down. “The soldiers will be moving cautiously, but they’ll have the exits covered.”

“It’s time for a nightmare party, poi~” I mused, quoting one of my favorite anime characters as I pulled the trigger, sending a non-lethal round flying towards the man in the center of the wary pack. Then another. Then one more. As fast as Tamamo would fire, I fired, attempting to knock out most of the auctioneers. Of the six red lights in the center of the warehouse, three fall without a sound, while two of the others dive for cover. The last merely stumbles, before Tamamo yells out a report.

“Three of six targets neutralized, two evasive. Last target is utilizing a variant assault suit; I believe it’s called a Knight Armor. He possesses a belkan-type device.” Seconds later, the red outlines of my prey vanish. “He seems to have thrown up a jamming field. I can no longer paint targets through walls.”

“Understood. Patch me into the team leader.” I asked with calmness I didn’t actually feel.

“Acknowledged. One moment.” Seconds later, a new voice came across your line.

“-stay frosty, and don’t bother taking prisoners if you can’t get close enough. Stay alive, and keep your asses covered.” A harsh male voice barks over the comms. “Hey, we’ve got another person on the comm channel. Who is this?”

“One of the mages that called this in. I was providing overwatch, but one of their own mages is jamming me. Requesting orders?” I reported, “If you need my authentication code, I’m prepared to transmit.”

“Send the code, lady.” The man speaks. “Nice to hear from you, though I’m wondering where the other one is.”

I dutifully recite the codes, before continuing my report, “M-2 is currently under cloak in the enemy facility. She’s been knocking out targets of opportunity while we waited for the Skyranger. I would join her, especially since I can cloak as well, but having two cloaked individuals in the AO seems like a bad idea.”

“Damn right it would be. One’s almost too much as it is. How many enemies are left in the AO?”

“Six.” I replied curtly, “They also aren’t using conventional arms. They have high tech stuff they shouldn’t have access to.”

“Elcee, one of the remaining hostiles is equipped with a device and barrier jacket. Caution is advised.” Tamamo cut in.

“Dammit. M-1, are you any good at close quarters, or do you need to keep your range open? Our guns are good, but I don’t think we can handle a mage.”

“I can handle CQC.” I replied, “Tamamo, assault if you please.” I leapt down from my perch, speeding forward to crash through one of the upstairs windows even as my gun shifted to a different configuration. “Entering the top floors, armor is white with blue accents.”

“Confirmed, I’ll relay that to the troops.”

As I came to a stop, I looked left and right. Tamamo spoke up. “Motion detectors are finding two targets down the left passage. One of the staircases to descend and head to the last known location of the mage is to the right.”

“To the right.”

“Affirmative.” I swept through the doorway without pause, leaping down the staircase. As I neared the fourth floor, Tamamo piped up. “Scans indicate this is where they had the secure containment units for their acquisitions. The jamming field is also centered on this floor, now that I’m close enough to differentiate it.”

“Do you have a precise location on the jamming field?” I asked, sweeping the rooms as I had been taught oh so recently. Every corner, every cranny was swept before I was willing to move on, such was the way that XCOM had drilled basic training into me. Several of the rooms held wooden boxes containing conventional weapons, and a few metal crates with more exotic weaponry peeking out.

“Negative. Although…” She paused. “The room third down on the left has been sealed shut. Recently.”

“That’s our target then.” I replied, moving towards the room swiftly. Wasting absolutely no time, I lined up Tamamo’s shotgun form with the hinges of the door, and blew them away, causing the door to sag on its hinges, a weave of magical energy holding it upright.

I frowned. “That confirms the mage then.” With that, I continued blasting away at the door, aiming to drain the magical energy keeping it upright. Superior reserves meant it only took a few more blasts to down the door and kick it aside.

Inside, a man in a silver Barrier jacket accented with orange twisted a red handle on a large crate. The crate unfolded, spilling green light across the room. With a yell, the man seized the object within, spinning to face me. One gauntleted hand cradled the massive alien weapon, the red glow of his Device spreading to shroud the cannon. “Die, pawn!” he bellowed.

Immediately, I dove for cover, firing Tamamo as I did so, hoping to at least weaken his barrier jacket somewhat. “Any ideas Tamamo? I didn’t really want to face an unknown weapon with unknown properties right off the gate.”

“No idea, although…” She paused as a spinning gout of green plasma passed through the space we’d vacated. “It seems to be a conventional plasma weapon, enhanced with magic to tighten the spread and provide penetration. Overheating is likely still an issue. He likely can only fire three or four shots in succession.”

“Understood.” I replied, poking out of cover and taking a few more shots at the man. “Analysis on how well my shields will fare?”

“Cover is ineffective! Keep moving!” Tamamo barked.

“Of course it is.” I groaned, diving out of cover as a hail of plasma tore it apart. “You’re kinda pissing me of mate,” I growled, sending another hail of magical energy downrange. While I wasn’t actually interested in a conversation with the man, perhaps he would provide me with useful information if I bugged him enough.

“Good! Die angry!” He howled, sending another blast of energy downrange, even as his jacket absorbed the shots. I dodged to one side, wincing as the plasma tore a flaming line into the walls behind me.

“I’d rather not.” I replied dryly, sending more shots downrange. “You can’t hit me, I can hit you. I’m sure you know how this’ll end.” With that, I engaged my optical camouflage, though I was hesitant to rely on it. Not until I knew it fully kept me invisible from him.

The man howled, yanking the trigger to sear a line of plasma into the area I’d been. “Run and hide, government dog! I will not-” He paused as his weapon shut off, catches in the back flaring open to vent steam into the air. “What? No-”

I took my chance. Within moments, I was in front of the man, unloading shot after shot into him, only stopping once his barrier jacket shattered, then whipping him with the but of my device to hopefully knock him out. The man reeled, conscious but staggered, the weapon spinning from his hands to clank against a nearby cage. He threw the gauntleted hand up, magic flaring to form another barrier, blocking my next blow. “Wretch! I will kill you for that!”

“No, you will not.” I grunted, slamming another series of shots into his new barrier. For a moment, the barrier flared from the shotgun blasts- then suddenly collapsed as a gout of plasma from one side tore through it, the weakened barrier shattering as the man’s right arm was consumed. With a scream, he dropped, writhing on the ground.

I whipped around, looking for where the shot had come from. My eyes widened as I looked over to see the plasma cannon cradled in two scaly arms. The hooded viper looked up at me, sneered, and dropped the cannon. The steel choker around its neck flared with a green glow. “He had it coming.” It hissed.

“He did.” I replied, keeping my weapon untrained on the alien, but ready to snap up at a moment’s notice. “Are you willing to talk?” I asked. Meanwhile, in another line of thought, I was frantically talking to Tamamo, “I have what could be a cooperative Xeno, please contact XCOM High Command.”

The viper hissed, opening their hands and letting the gun crash back to the floor. “Don’t care. Leave me be.” She- by the voice, a female- sunk back in her cage, coiling up while keeping her face locked on me.

“Is there any way I can help you?” I asked gently, lowering my weapon completely. “I doubt your time in captivity was… pleasant.”

The viper stirred slightly, tasting the air with her forked tongue. “Better a cage than the voices. Food would be nice. Not slurry.” She tasted the air again. “Man smells a bit cooked. Heart’s fluttering. If you want him live, might need to do something.”

“Thank you.” I replied, moving over to the unpleasant mage who was still spasming on the floor. Expending the effort to stabilize him seemed to be a waste, but he would probably know information that XCOM could use. “Tamamo, how goes connecting to XCOM High Command?”

“They’ve been listening in for the last two minutes.”

“And it’s Central, Specialist.” Bradford said through the comms. “Good work with that man. We’ve got the medic heading your way right now.”

“Central, apologies.” I replied, blushing, “Any advice on the Xeno?”

“We don’t have enough data to make an informed decision. For now, keep it talking.” Bradford ordered.

“Understood.” I replied, “Someone with medical training is on their way to help him,” I said idly as I returned to the viper’s cage, “Do you want them to look you over too?”

“No.” She hisses empathetically. “No needles, no knives, no drugs.” She spits, purple goo sizzling on the floor as she shifts restlessly. “Enough of that from these ones, enough of that from the Elders. No more.” She sinks back into her coils. “Rip off Liberty and tear out own throat rather than face that again.”

I winced, “Understandable. I take it these idiots weren’t the most gracious of hosts. I apologize for that, by the way. No sentient deserves to be treated as such.”

“...humans all different.” The viper said softly, the collar around her neck pulsing at her words. “Ones we fought before were like you, but soft. Took time to stiffen, find their fangs. Then the Elders came here, and you were weak. But fangs well in hand.” She shifted. “The Conduits showed us - kindness and cruelty, weakness and strength. To know our enemies.” She let out a rattling cough- something that came across as a laugh. “Their enemies. Not ours.”

I stiffened. Tamamo, I don’t think we’re fighting an alliance of aliens. I think we can confirm we’re fighting servitors.” Aloud, I replied, “Who are they?”

“Elders.” She paused. “Four arms, robes, helms. Speak without voice, fight with mind powers, no weapons.” She paused, shifting. “Or… men like you. Only fake. White hair, purple armor, half-built.” As she spoke, a white-armored figure sprinted through the door. He looked over, assessed the situation, then moved to kneel by the groaning man.

My eyes narrowed, vaguely remembered tidbits from what little I knew about the setting I found myself in coming back slightly. “You didn’t serve them willingly, did you?”

“She waved her tail tip, tapping the back of her hood. Leaning around, I winced as I saw the scar healed, where a narrow blast had drilled in. “Chip. Mounted deep. A burst from the other men destroyed it… time ago.” She hissed. “Knew then. Voices stopped being quiet, became obvious. I could resist. Could object. But kept quiet, stayed complacent. Then I found Liberty.” Another laugh. “He cuts off the voices. I fled and hid, hunted. Until I found a gate. Came through, fighting, shouting. I hid again, before those men found me.”

“Liberty?” I asked, a low growl from the back of my throat rising involuntarily as I thought of the condition this person had been in. “Sorry, I’m not angry at you, I’m angry for you.”

“...not good with emotions yet. Seeing or feeling.” She hissed out. “Liberty. Is soothing voice. Is companion. Is… Device.” Reaching up with one hand, she tapped the collar. “Is here.”

I nodded. “I see.” Mentally, I asked Tamamo to analyze the device. If this could be replicated, I- XCOM could save lives. Especially if the Aliens were unwilling slaves

“Erm… my lady, you do not understand. That is a Device, an intelligent one.” Tamamo said softly. “She’s responded to my queries with a quiet ‘not now.’”

“Understood. I had not thought it was an Intelligent Device.” I replied to my device, “Any advice from Central yet?”

“We’re still listening, Specialist.” Bradford said. “An alien with magic… bring her in, offer what you have to which doesn’t involve deaths or command. She’s a goldmine of info, and we can contain her well enough that her risk can be minimized.”

“Understood.” I replied, turning my attention back to the alien. “Would you like to come with me? I promise that there won’t be any experimentation unless you consent. I’ll ensure it myself.”

“...food first.” She murmured. “Those hopping fuzzy things. Three of them. Live. Once I’ve eaten, we’ll see.”

“Of course.” I replied. “Central, I need three bunnies. Any nearby locations I can get them at?”

“We’ll have them brought over from a pet store.” Bradford said. “The building is clear, and you’re good to go- just in time for your ceremony.”

I groaned. Well, off to the United Nation Building I went. “Someone will bring over the ‘hopping fuzzy things’. If they give you any trouble, let me know, okay? You should be able to contact Tamamo with your device.”

“...Tamamo?” She goes quiet. “I see. Yes. Liberty says you are not like them.” She shifts again. “Will the place we go have warmth? Sunlight?”

I shake my head slowly, “Our base is underground, unfortunately. But… I’m sure we can get you sunlight, and it is pretty warm down there.”

“Still better than staying here.” She murmured. “I will go. But no sharp things.”

“Agreed.” I reply, smiling. “No sharp things.”

“Good work, Specialist. Now, go ahead and head out. The ceremony starts in half an hour.”

“Understood!” I replied, “Okay, I’m going to head out for real, okay? Take care of her, Liberty.” Without waiting for a response, I teleported away towards the pre-designated location, appearing just outside the UN building’s anti-teleportation barriers.

White-and-blue sped away into the sky. Around her own neck, [freedom-choice-determination-LIBERTY] hummed. After a few moments, she thrummed with sub-speak. “She is a nice one, Freescale.”

I huffed, letting the air from my lungs run over my tongue, stale meat-scent tickling as it fled my throat. “Yes, maybe. Nice like your old masters?”

“Maybe even nicer. They never treated me like a person, not entirely.”

I hummed as I shifted, stomachs gnawing at themselves. “I hope they come back with the hopper soon.”

“They’re called rabbits, partner.”

“Whatever you say.”

Chapter Text

I took a bite of the white cake, nomming on the slice fork by fork. Really, I didn’t care much for the cake, but the act of eating was keeping the various reporters and dignitaries at bay. Thankfully, I hadn’t been the only person getting awards today, though mine had been the shiniest.

One of my fellow award-winners cuffed me on the shoulder. Annabeth grinned as I turned to look at her. “Well, you’re looking well, Lillie. Though you’re the wrong flower today; a wallflower, to be precise.”

“I dislike social gatherings.” I stated blandly, “Being on the spectrum doesn’t help that.”

“...too bad you won’t take the Sacrament. Or a few drags.” Annabeth mused. “Still, your body, your temple. Not going to tell you otherwise.”

“Indeed.” I reply, smiling slightly, “Just like I won’t judge you for doing drugs.”

“Fair. So, as an older lady with exactly zero fucks to give about propriety, do you want me to steal you for a quick jaunt through New York’s real color? Or do you just want me to give you an excuse to bail?”

“Central’s already quite pissed with me, so probably not.” I replied, “Thanks for the offer, though.”

Annabeth’s smile dropped. A few seconds passed, then it returned bigger than before. “Dear, allow me to repeat myself. I’m an older ex-hippie with no fucks to give and no masters to piss off. And a little girl who I think might be my friend wants out of a stuffy party.” She darted her eyes back and forth across the room. “Ooh, there’s Lionel Atwick. I wonder why he’s here; the bastard makes all his money squeezing little folks on overpriced prescriptions. I’ve been meaning to do something to him- now seems like the perfect time.”

As Annabeth began to walk past, chuckling darkly, I sigh inaudibly, though the small smirk on my lips betrays my true thoughts. “Get him good, I guess.” I send telepathically, “But make it complex. It’s no fun if they can trace it back to you.”

“Oh, but that’s half the fun. But, if you insist…” Annabeth chortled. “I hate to waste good stuff on a boil like him, but… hmm.” She grinned, and summoned a tiny drone which quickly cloaked, dropping a small square of paper into it. Waiting for a moment, she watched as the man took a drink from a tray. I didn’t bother to listen as she approached, harangue the man long enough to distract him, then left- dropping the paper into his champagne with nary a splash. “And there we go. Let’s see what he spills when under the influence, no?”

The man threw back his glass, downing the entire drink in one gulp. Within minutes, his yelling had drawn a massive crowd, and soon the entire room was watching as he lambasted the entire UN for every reporter in the place to hear. “All eyes are on him, dear. Get going, if you’d like.”

“Thanks Annabeth.” I replied, quietly slipping out. Minutes later, I’d found my way to a washroom, and had swapped my dress uniform for my street clothes. “Alright. Well, if we’re gonna be confined to the base for a while, we might as well have a nice evening out. Tamamo, where’s a good ramen place nearby?”

“That depends on your preference, for both type and atmosphere. Would you prefer something spicy or savory? Quiet or loud?”

“Savory and Quiet, or Spicy and Loud. I’m up for either, though I’d like to review the choices before deciding.” I replied telepathically, aimlessly wandering down the streets in an effort to not be at the party.

“Review in person, or would you like a list?

“A list would be great, Tamamo.”

“Very well. First, there’s a Noodle Bar called Jeju which offers a spicy pork ramen, with a line of pork ribs and sandwiches- they are Vietnamese, if that’s any help. They’re also fairly busy. Wanpaku, off the island itself, offers both vegetarian options and a heavily rich beef broth with beef ribs. Then there’s Hinomaru Ramen, which offers 17-hour broth and spicy meatballs in their ramen bowls. There’s a longer list if you’d like.”

“Let me look at the reviews for your top three, and we’ll decide from there.” I reply, despite knowing exactly which one I had already chosen. Hinomaru beckoned to me, mostly because of its name, if nothing else.

A half-hour later, I found myself sitting at a wooden table, lifting my chopsticks to dig into a bowl of miso ramen. I hummed as I slurped down the noodles, happily nomming at them. I was nearly a third of the way through the bowl when I realized someone had sat down across from me.

The red-haired woman smiled at me, the expression only halfway reaching her eyes. “Ano, I was not expecting the first member of this new world organization to be so powerful.” She murmured, looking across her own noodle bowl. “Do you have a moment to talk, young lady?”

Looking up with narrowed eyes at the newcomer, I nodded. “I appear to, yes.” I replied, not unkindly, but curtly. She was, after all, interrupting my snack.

She nods, unconcerned at my hostility. “Very well.” She reaches to one side, removing a leather billfold. Opening it, she reveals a three-color symbol mounted in gold. “I represent a government who is currently engaged in the combat your ‘Earth’ has just been forced into. While we’ve had our eyes on your planet for some time, recent events have… altered the timetable for contacting you. Significantly.” Nodded her head to me. “And you’re the first person from the only multinational military organization in existence that I could meet with.” She paused, and her smile grew more genuine- and feral. “Do you feel special now?”

“I’ve already felt special, for several reasons that aren’t any of your concern” I grumbled, setting down my chopsticks with a calmness that belied my fury. “Excuse me, give me a minute to use the restroom, call my boss, and I’ll be right back, miss…”

“Isabella Sasamone, dear.” Her smirk widened slightly. “Ah, and you must be new to your device, if you haven’t already told it to send out a message already. Please, do let your bosses know we’d like to talk.”

“You assume a lot,” I replied back curtly, smirking, “Who says my device hasn’t sent a message out already?”

“I assume you have, Tamamo. I apologize for being too furious to ask for it myself.” I added mentally, walking slowly but surely towards the women’s restroom. Upon hearing Tamamo’s affirmation, and arriving within the restroom, then acernatining that it was empty, I weaved minor wards to contain my noise, and screamed my frustration into the mirror, before recomposing myself, stepping out of the restroom, and heading back to my table, only to stop short as I saw a third person had taken a seat across from Miss Sasamone.

The redhead’s eyes were open wide, dilated significantly as the blond woman stared her in the face. She let out a shuddering breath as the new woman finally turned away, a tiny smile coming to her face as she turned her angular face to mine. “Ah, Specialist Lee. Thank you for letting us know of this wayward traveler. I’m sorry your meal was disrupted.”

I shrugged. “I already screamed my frustrations into the ether, so it’s all good.” Looking back at the still slightly freaked out Midchildan(?)I gave her a delightful little wave. “Well, I am going to leave you in the care of this wonderful lady here, and finish my ramen.”

The new woman shook her head slightly. “She will not be staying long.” As she spoke, Sasamone flinched. Turning back to the visitor, her voice hardened. “If you and your masters are so eager to speak to us, ambushing one of our magelings is not appropriate. You are a guest in our troubled house; we shall make you welcome, provided you do not stray where you are not wanted.” Her words thrummed with power.

“U-understood.” All bite was missing from Sasamone’s voice as she stood.

The blonde nodded. “I’m glad you do. You will have your meeting, on neutral ground. Please, leave your arrogance behind next time.”

All the while, I calmly picked away at my ramen, hiding a smirk as I continued to slurp at my noodles. That would teach the high and mighty… lady… to not underestimate Earth.

As I worked on my bowl, I realized the blonde woman was still sitting beside me, nursing a bottle of ramune.

Giving her a poke on the shoulder, I offered her a small smile. “Sorry for making you deal with her. I could tell she wasn’t the most pleasant person to be around.”

“Her mind was much like her outside; superficially pleasant, with a bitter bite.” The woman sighed. “Yet tinged with pain and desperation. Empathy is as much a curse as a blessing, to see the depths of the mind and soul.” She turned to look at me fully. “We have not been introduced. I am Abigail Weir, inheritor of the Weir legacy and Psionic Hierarch of XCOM.”

“A pleasure, Lady Weir.” I replied, a soft smile on my face. “Tamamo could rant for days about how psionics is a dead end, but I do think I spied a rather important use.”

Abigail shook her own head. “Perhaps. I would enjoy speaking to her on the subject, though I am not in disagreement per say.” She paused, then closed her eyes. “...how strange to see a soul without a body, built but no less alive. I wonder at those that hound us, how much they must have seen and lost to not feel wonder as we do at the greatness of the soul.”

I respectfully kept my opinion to myself, not really wanting to offend the woman. My distaste for the aliens we were under assault by was already set at this point, though I would always make an effort to ensure it didn’t turn into flat out xenophobia. After all, I could never stand xenophobes…

She shook her head. “So cynical already.” Abigail opened her eyes, blue orbs glowing slightly. “Have you already forgotten what the lost serpent has told us? The masters who held her strings are the only true enemies among them.”

I gave the woman a light glare, “You assume a lot. My distaste for the aliens isn’t something born out of hatred, outside those pulling the strings. I feel almost nothing but pity for those who remain puppets, and maybe a little contempt too. Then again, a psionic overlord would make it rather hard to rebel.”

“I know all of this, Specialist. What I feel, perhaps, is yet too distant for you to understand. I pity the enslaved, but I also pity the enslaver. To carry so many chains leaves a mind unable to see anything but them, and thus they are trapped in a web of their own making.” She tapped her chin. “Can you keep a secret, Lillie?”

“You wouldn’t ask if you didn’t think I would,” I replied, finishing the rest of my ramen. “And yes, I’m rather adept at keeping secrets, provided a psionic doesn’t pry them from my mind.”

“Your Tamamo should deal with anything less than one of our caliber trying.” Abigail hummed. “And with effort, your own mind will gain the ability to fight back. Whoever sent you to us either chose exceptionally or engineered you in a way impossible even to us.”

I stiffened. “You said, us. I presume you are a host to something?” I replied, warily looking around the rest of the restaurant.

“Host is the closest term for our relationship.” The world seemed to blur around us, the rest of the restaurant hazing out as she waved one hand.

“She’s just set up a perception filter.” Tamamo advised.

“Thanks” I replied, waiting patiently for the other being to reveal himself. I didn’t have to wait long, as the blue light in Abigail’s eyes drifted into blue flames, which streamed upward to form into an indistinct humanoid figure.

“Greetings, young one. I am Asaru, lone seeker of this planet.” The voice was audible, but barely so- most of the meaning was carefully ‘presented’ to Lillie’s outer barriers, and allowed in by Tamamo. “It is an honor to speak with you mind to mind.”

“Greetings.” I replied, a neutral look present upon my face, “It is an honor to speak with you as well, though I question as to why you have chosen to reach out to me.”

“Simply put, Specialist, you may be one of the only ones who can keep my kin from committing further atrocities, now and in the future.” Asaru said sadly. “It is my hope that trapping them between your people and those others who intruded on your time today, we can force them to change and ask for peace. However harsh that peace might be.” His voice firmed. “But for that to occur, you must fight and keep them from victory. Should they win, they will see no need to change, and have all the power to continue their work.”

“You imply that I care enough about your people to force them to the negotiating table, especially after they’ve committed what I personally consider war crimes and crimes against beings for eons.” I replied curtly, “Make no mistake, if they surrender, I’ll honor it. But I will only force them to seek peace by pushing them to the point that that is the only choice they have left.”

You have no idea why my people began this work.” Asaru’s voice became harsh, then dulled. “But considering how far they- we- have fallen, such a thing is the best I can ask. If any of my kin- or those they have bound- ask for terms, hear them out. You are poised to dictate policy on such matters.”

My gaze softened. “You have my word that if any surrender, terms or unconditionally, I will treat them with the respect and dignity a prisoner of war deserves, according to international law, not according to history. However, much like the trials that followed the end of the Second World War, if the courts demand they show up, I will not plead for them, for they have taken from many the things I consider most sacred. Free Will, and the ability to make a choice.” Pausing, I sighed, “I ask this of you, Asaru. Are there any of your race that you would rebel against the order they currently serve?”

“Many have.” Asaru spoke. “Some with the Outsiders, others scattered to the void. But it is rare, too rare. For all that they chain others, they chain each other, too. Dissent is washed away by the thousand voices of their peers, chanting the same song. Emotion is suppressed. It was only here, among beings to which quiet is not a privilege, that I could reflect on my actions.”

“So they would even shackle their own…” I echoed, “I have no hatred towards your species, though I may sound and act like I do. What I truly hate is the culture and government that allows these atrocities to continue without dissent, though I do somewhat understand the situation your fellows find themselves in. Peer pressure, but directly in your mind. It is not a situation I envy.”

“You should not.” I blink as I realize Abigail has spoken for the first time since she’d let Asaru loose. “Having two voices in one head is bad enough. Many more, and you might just go mad!”

“I will not bore you with history, but what we have done to ourselves was an accident. Consensus on a goal was reached, and is not contested; but then such a consensus made the goal all-encompassing.” The figure raised one hand. “We have no culture anymore, no government; only the work, and the furthering of it. I think your philosophers have much to say on such matters.”

“A horrible existence.” I commented, sighing, “One that I will admit deserves sympathy.” I paused, before my expression hardened, “That does not excuse their crimes, though it does make me understand the reasoning behind them. Now, I shan’t give you platitudes. I will do my utmost to bring about as bloodless an end to the war as I can. If the TSAB can help us with that, I shall do my best to ensure they are on our side. I make no promises beyond that, for I cannot.”

“Thank you, young one.” Asaru vanished, even as Abigail sighed slightly. She nodded slightly, coming to her feet.

“Thank you for your time, Specialist. I cannot force discretion upon you, but I will ask for it, regardless. Asaru… is not known among the staff at XCOM. Or the Council.” She paused, blue eyes gazing into my own.

“You have it regardless, so long as Asaru remains a neutral or allied party.” I replied, smiling, “I’d imagine that it’d cause more issues than it would solve.”

I kept the thought that Mariko Abe likely already knew, and had chosen to keep it to herself for similar reasons. That woman was scary, not to mention constantly confusing me with her innuendos and passes at me, which, of course, meant I was unsure where I stood with her.

Abigail smiled at my response. “Thank you. He has been a good friend. Should you have any questions about our powers, or on how to develop your own, call out within the base, at any time between six and twenty-one. We will find you.” She turned, trotting away.

“I’ll remember that,” I replied to myself, my voice soft, even as I turned to order another bowl of ramen, smiling apologetically at the Ramen Bar’s owner. “I’ll remember that…”

Abe frowned at me, a slight scowl on her face. “Foriegn agents… you’re not trained to handle this sort of thing, something a trained diplomat had to know.” She sighed, sipping a mug of tea even as she thought at me across the room. “Good job against Exalt, by the way. For your first operation, you handled yourself decently.”

“Thank you,” I replied in a neutral tone, though a hint of a smile crept into my voice, “Anything I could improve on?”

“Much, though mostly lessons on decisiveness, solved only by experience.” Abe finished another gulp. “On another note, I see you’ve met one of the more reclusive members of the command staff. What was it like, meeting Wier?”

“She was interesting.” I replied simply, “She’s a very private person.” I paused, looking Abe in the eyes, “Very powerful psionic as well.”

Abe’s brow twitched. “I wish she’d teach some of us those tricks, but she’s only teaching defensive options for now. Nothing active. Mind reading would be a wonderful tool in any spy’s arsenal.”

“It would.” I replied, “She did offer to teach me, and I will eventually be taking her up on that offer.” I paused, “Though, in all honesty I would not be the type of person to violate the sanctity of someone’s mind casually.”

Abe blinked. Twice. “...how the fuck did you pull that off? The one time I asked her about training, she glared at me, then… well.” Abe squirmed. “...we do not have a good working relationship.”

“I had a chat with her.” I said simply, “Though she was the one that approached me, not the other way around.” Apparently I had been wrong. Abe did not know that Asaru was a thing, and I was content to keep it that way for now, if only out of respect for Abigail.

Well, that’s an advantage we can’t pass up. Once you’ve finished my basic training, and gotten a good grip on what Tamamo can do for you, work with her. Try to learn their tricks well enough that you could teach others.” Abe’s eyes gleamed. “Any questions? Suggestions? Desires?~”

I winced internally, before finally sighing, “Can I get an answer? Are you teasing me or actually serious about the flirting you’ve been doing? It’s driving me batty.” I replied with a groan, cradling my head in my hands.

“...a bit of both. Not used to the attention?” I looked up to see her frowning at me- a proper frown, not a coy pout. “You are a cutie, inside and out, as best I can tell. And you’re earnest without being overly noble. That’s rare. But I’ll admit, my flirting is to put people off guard.”

“I figured out the part about putting people off guard,” I replied, a small smile blooming on my face, I just could never tell if you were actually serious. Especially since it would lose effectiveness the more you flirted with someone. The more they became accustomed to it.”

“Hmm. Well, I can tell you find me attractive, at least.” Abe leaned forward, her frown vanishing. “Does that mean I should stop flirting, flirt harder, or…?”

“I won’t say no to more flirting,” I replied, my smile growing, “I also wouldn’t say no to more, if that’s what you want~” The mental gymnastics of producing a singsong voice mentally were… interesting, to say the least. I was looking Abe straight in the eyes, my eyes sparkling as I awaited her response.

Abe’s face contorted slightly. For the first time since we entered the room, her mouth opened. “Errr… yes?” She paused, then slammed her mouth shut. “Yes please?” A hint of red leaked across the composed woman’s face.

I nodded, blinking, “Sure! Do you want, well, bluntly, a one night stand? Or something more permanent? I’m perfectly fine with either~” And I honestly, truly was. I liked Abe, and would love to get to know her better, but I wasn’t entirely sure if she was the right person for me. Likewise, I was slightly horny, so the thought of a one night stand wasn’t terrible either.

Abe shook her head rapidly. “If I just wanted a fuckbuddy, I could go anywhere, Lillie. I… can we see how this goes? You…” She shook her head again. “You’re the first one to ask me out, knowing the darker side of what I do.”

“I suppose we’re dating then.” I stated with a soft smile on my face, looking fondly at her, “I’m going to give you a hug now,” I continued, moving out of my chair and wrapping my arms around Abe. It was nice, having a bastion of comfort in this… interesting world. Especially since she was my boss, to some extent.

Mariko hesitantly pulled her own arms around me, pulling me a tiny bit closer. After a few seconds, she let go, gently disentangling me from her own form. “...thank you.” She said softly. “I… please keep this quiet, alright?”

“Of course,” I reply, “I’m not going to share this to the world if I can avoid it.” Pausing, I consider my words, before sighing, “Not that I don’t want to share it, I just know it’ll be… not the best thing ever to do.”

“Not right now, at least.” Mariko stood, walking to the door, turning to face me as she swung it open. “Now, give me some time to think, and I can work out both an updated training schedule and….” Her voice died out as she saw me looking past her. Turning, she looked out the door, coming face-to-face with Abigail. “...what?”

Blinking, Abigail lifted a party popper with one hand, setting it off in front of her own face. “Congratulations, Miss Abe.” She turned and walked away, as Mariko stared at her back. Blinking, the taller woman turned to face me, her jaw slightly open.

“I suppose Abigail knows,” I mused aloud, “Eh, she’s a private woman, she’ll probably keep it to herself.”

“...yes, but how?” Mariko smoothed out her features as she massaged her brow. “Great. Is she a psychic voyeur? Is she just trolling us? What is her game?” She began to mutter.

I pulled Mariko into another hug, whispering, “She’s a nice woman, though a bit odd. Probably came to check up on me, since I have yet to take her up on her offer of lessons.”

“...competition?” Mariko shook her head. “Whatever. I’m going to go drink. Care to join me?”

“Sure. I could do with some alcohol after today.” I replied, walking beside my new girlfriend towards the elevator.

Chapter Text

“When I realized there were no official fraternization regulations, I knew relationships were inevitable. However, I did not expect anything to happen so soon, thus I find myself curious. Though it’s not my place to ask, are you truly dating our covert operations specialist?”

When I’d gone to get a drink beside Mariko, I hadn’t thought much of it. After all, we were coworkers, and that was the sort of thing one did much of the time. I had not, however, considered the curiosity and libidos of the largely male base staff and enlisted soldiers. Seeing two women come down to the bar together and drink side-by-side set tongues a-wagging quickly, and although the soldiers who’d asked believed me when I steered them away from the truth, I still got questions to that effect frequently as I walked the halls.

However, I hadn’t expected Dr. Vahlen, of all people, to inquire after my love life. Thus, my response was to blush furiously, and start stammering, especially since I had just been on my morning jog around the base, not expecting some random person to walk up to me and ask about my love life!

Vahlen coughed, a contrite look crossing her face as she beheld my reaction. “I apologize. While this does confirm what the Commander told us, I should have used a little more tact.” She paused, then forged ahead. “Putting that aside, I did not seek you out simply to ask about your relations. Do you have a few minutes to talk?”

I paused, before nodding, “Of course. May I ask what about?”

“About our new guest. She has settled into the lower levels, in the mana reactor beneath the detached laboratory.” Vahlen motioned beneath her own feet as she spoke. “So far she’s been… less than cooperative. I understand that she is more a guest than a research subject, but she’s not receptive to the research staff. I was wondering if you might have better luck.”

I winced, “That’s because she has poor experience with scientists in general.” I replied, “While I’m sure I would have better luck, a normal soldier would have better luck than a scientist in general. Approach her as a person, not a test subject. Hell, I’ll come down with you, and you can ask her the questions you’ve been wanting to.” I was trying very hard to keep my tone even and cool, after all, from what I remembered, I had relayed that she was not to be prodded by the scientists, due to the fact she had extremely poor experiences with them. I had thought better of XCOM, but apparently…

“Thank you, Specialist.” Vahlen smiled at me. “We’ve tried to interview her several times, but perhaps a familiar face will help. Also, we’d like to inspect her old wounds, to make certain she’s not suffering from any infections.” She paused, thinking hard. “Although, if what you’re saying about her history is true, perhaps we need to bring in a mage-healer.”

I nodded firmly, “More than likely. She seems to respond better to mages in the first place.” I replied, “But the moment she doesn’t wish to answer a question, and I deem it unnecessary, I’m going to have to ask you to drop it.”

“We’ll get nothing done if-” Vahlen cut herself off, shaking her head. “No, I’m thinking about this the wrong way, aren’t I? This isn’t an outside expert or an enemy combatant.” She tapped her chin. “I am not the right kind of doctor to work with a trauma victim, much less an alien one. Perhaps I should just give you a list of questions, and you can ask what seems appropriate?”

“I can do that.” I replied, smiling. “I’m glad that you figured out exactly what kind of being we’re working with.” I added, “Tamamo, can you contact Liberty?”

“I can try. One moment…”

As Tamamo worked, Vahlen nodded. “I will compose a short list of immediate questions; I may have more for another visit. For now, try to gain some camaraderie with the Viper. We have time, and this resource is vital.” Her smile dropped. “I would ask Miss Weir to intercede, but she refuses to go near her. I did not expect her to suffer from ophidiophobia.”

“That’s not the reason for it, I’d imagine.” I replied, “Though I refuse to go further into detail. It’s a deeply private matter for Abigail.” I added, “Let me know when you have the list, Dr. Vahlen. If you wish, I can head down now and visit her, and you can send me a list of questions via Tamamo or some other manner of communication.”

“When did you…” Vahlen stared at me. “She speaks with you? She’s only spoken with me three times since she came here, and she refuses… how?!” Vahlen shook her head. “I will send you the list- and a second one. Next time you speak with Miss Weir, please see if you can get some answers. The future of this program could depend on it!”

“I shall do my best.” I replied, letting a teleportation take me away towards the mana reactor. Immediately, a few things were evident: the room, mostly orderly last time I’d been in it, had sprouted a tangled web of blankets, cushions, and pillows. Second, the formerly nude Viper was now wearing a green XCOM sweater and some sort of tube skirt- though where she’d gotten them I didn’t know. Finally, the serpent-woman was engrossed in a book, flipping the pages quickly.

I was uncertain why she was enjoying ‘The Giver’ so much. Even though I had never read it, I had heard… many things about it. Deciding to let her enjoy her book for a bit, I moved to sit down beside her, silently observing the woman as she flipped through the pages.

As I approached, the viper froze, before a glance my way caused the tension to loosen from her shoulders. After a few minutes of reading beside me, she picked up what looked like a playing card and stuck it in the book. “Hello, Tamamo-companion.” She turned, eyes fixing on me. “Why are you here?”

“I’m sure you already know why, Liberty-companion.” I replied, sighing, “I’d like to apologize for the treatment that you’ve had here, especially the visits by the scientists. I promised you that it wouldn’t happen, and it did anyway.” I bowed deeply, “I apologize once again, but I do have to ask you several questions. But before that, how have you been settling in?”

I was surprised as the serpent-woman let out a sibilant hissing sound - something which I quickly realized was laughter. “If how your scientists behave requires apologies, magus, then I wonder what would prompt punishment. They ask questions, that is all. And the loudness of their voices trouble me not.” She rose slightly, sliding a cushion towards me. “I have settled in well enough, I think. I am glad that Liberty fixed my digestive system long ago, though.”

Taking the offered cushion, I sat upon it, glaring at nothing in particular as I realized the implications of the last comment she had made. After spending a few seconds calming myself, I turned to the other being, “I assume there is a reason you wish not to answer the scientist's questions then?” I asked, frowning.

“The ones they sent are either greedy or afraid - often both.” The viper licked the air. “I will not deal with those afraid of me. And the greedy ones remind me much of the previous batch of humans I was left with.”

I sighed, loudly. “I swear to the lord above, the greed of humanity will be its downfall one day.” Pausing to take a look at the serpent woman, I continued, “I assume you’d be willing to answer my questions?”

The viper peered at me. She tapped the book in her lap, then swung her tail-tip to tap a small pile of young readers’ books. “There is a pattern done in getting to know you. Question for question. Is that acceptable?”

“Of course.” I replied, smiling. “May I ask for your name, Liberty-Companion?”

“I have yet to decide on a permanent one. For now, you may call me Rose. What is yours?”

“My name is Lillie, it’s a pleasure to be acquainted with you, Rose.” I replied, inclining my head. “Would you like to ask another question?”

“Many. What do you want?” She hissed softly, keeping one eye fixed on me.

I paused, considering the question. “I want a lot of things. I suppose what I want now is to get to know you better, and survive this… invasion.” I said carefully, “My turn. What do you want, Rose?”

“...I’m still thinking. Having choice is unusual. For now, I want more of this.” She waved her arm at the room. “Safety. Quiet. Food and peace.” She paused, then let out a sibilant sigh. “Of course, if the Elders win, it’ll go. I might need to fight.” She turned, hood opening further as she cocked her head. “Why do you fight? Did you have a choice?”

I nodded, “I did, yes. And I fight so others won’t have to, so those weaker than I have the chance to live in peace. I have this power, this ability. I need to use it responsibly.” I answered, smiling softly at the mention of peace, “Now, this is a question from one of the scientists, so while I’d appreciate it if you answered, I’m not going to force the issue. Do you know what the Elder’s goals are?”

“Them?” Rose’s mouth opened, exposing her fangs. “No. I never met them. But they turn all their focus to you and your kind. To humans.” She paused, considering. “...they capture those they can. I don’t know why.” She sank back down. “Ask another. I told you nothing for this one.”

“Do you know anything about the “Other Humans” that the elders are fighting?” I replied, following up with the next question, as Rose hadn’t known any significant information, and had given me permission to ask another.

Rose perked up at that one. “They use more magic than you do. Other than that, I didn’t care enough to know about it. But Liberty does.”

The choker around her neck flashed. An oddly synthetic female voice spoke up. “I can tell you a little, Specialist.” Despite the odd nature of the voice, it fluctuated in a way which seemed normal. “Our society is one of the remnants of an empire known as Belka. We are called Mid-Childa, after the capital world of our federation. Ours is a heavily magic-dependant society, and one which prizes security, safety, and rebuilding both worlds and lives. We have little interaction with non-human societies as of yet, so I don’t know why these Elders attacked.”

“My thanks.” I replied, noting down the answer mentally as I returned my attention to Rose, “Your turn, Rose.” I pointed out, smiling. “Ask away.”

Rose waved her head back and forth. “Mm. Do you think your people would accept me? The coat-wearers all smell like fear. I don’t want to smell that all the time.”

I sighed, making a mental note to berate the shit out of the scientists. “Yes. Eventually. Some people might never, but, eventually, they tend to die.” I said with an edge to my tone, “Those who would discriminate based on what the person is, and not who they are are only deserving of scorn.”

LIberty’s collar glowed again. “You need not have everyone accept you, regardless. They just need to treat you as normal. Which actually requires interacting with them, without snapping.”

Rose sighed. “Yes, yes…” She paused. “Why’d you speak aloud?”

“Because the Specialist should know that I’m talking to you.”

I groaned. “So it’s both your fault and the inherent fear of the unknown from the scientists. Fantastic.” I said, cradling my head in my hands. “Anyway… Do you think there’ll be more that can free themselves of the Elders?”

“Some will. They’ll die unless they’re very lucky.” Rose murmured softly, her head drifting slightly. “Electricity, magic, psi, blades- many things can disable the chips. But it takes time for one to think on their own- and then the Elders are there to remove the freedom. One way or another.” She tapped Liberty. “I was lucky. But there are only so many of these people.” She paused. “How do your people treat Devices? Liberty didn’t think of herself as a person, before. I’m working on it.”

I shrugged. “Differs from person to person, and device to device, I think. Tamamo is a fast friend and reliable companion to me, but to another, she may just be another Device.” Pausing to consider my next question, I nodded to myself. “Do you know exactly what the Elders are? Just describe them from your point of view. I have another I can ask for more detail, if absolutely needed.”

“I’ve never seen one, but I know them. Four arms, grey skin beneath robes. Helms like crowns. Their psi… it rips apart minds and bodies alike. Don’t shoot at one which is on alert- it will send part of the attack back at you.” Rose shivers slightly. “You don’t see them much.” She tilted her head. “And your leaders? What are they like?”

I shake my head sadly, “I wouldn’t know. I don’t interact with them much, at least, the global leaders. I’ve only heard good things about XCom’s leadership, though.” I replied, smiling wanely. “Do you have another question, Rose? I don’t have any more myself.”

Rose hissed slightly. “I do, though I would hear about those here.” She swung her head slightly. “Though one more is more important.” She looked straight at me, eyes focused. “What compensation are you offered?”

“I’m paid well, if that’s what you're asking.” I replied. “I also get rather good insurance for healthcare and other things.”

Rose hissed softly. “...a lot to think about.” She coiled back up again. “Talk to you later. And let the coats know they can ask more questions, so long as they send someone who’s not scared.”

I got up, bowing to the reptilian alien before waving goodbye, teleporting out of the room to the main chamber of the research labs. Glancing around, I was rather surprised; I didn’t see Dr. Vahlen anywhere.

“Excuse me, where has Dr. Vahlen gone off to?” I ask the nearest scientist.

He looked up, starting a bit. “Oh, the Doctor hasn’t returned from the lower levels yet. I don’t know when she’ll be back, she mentioned trying to talk to that alien they brought in again.” He shivered. “Snakes. Why does she have to be a snake?”

I rolled my eyes at the scientist, before teleporting back down to Rose’s room, exiting the room in a traditional manner, bowing in apology to Rose as I did so. Vahlen was waiting outside in the hallway, sitting on a folding camp stool as she tapped at her device’s screen. As I came out, she looked up. “Ah, you return. Thank you for not teleporting away again.” She stood up, lifting the camp stool and stashing it into her device’s storage. “Did you get the info we were looking for?”
“Of course,” I replied, “Though if you have a scientist that isn’t afraid of Rose, she’s stated she’s more than happy to hear questions from them herself.” I continued, smiling. Summarizing the session of question and answer only took a short while, then I patiently waited for Vehlen’s response.

Vahlen stopped, staring into the middle distance for a brief instant. “...can she sense fear? And is unnerved by it? Is it a function of her device or is it something physiological?” She murmured. “Regardless, this has been a great help, Specialist. Is there anything the research team can do to compensate you?”

“I’m good for now. Though perhaps a favor for a later date Dr. Vahlen?” I replied, smiling a dangerous smile. A IOU was more useful to me for now than an immediate thing from them, and I intended to take one if at all possible.

“That’s perfectly acceptable.” Vahlen replied. “I will ask that you make your request when we’re not in the middle of a crisis.” She nodded sharply. “Thank you for supporting the research lab in this effort, specialist. I apologize for taking your time.”

“Of course.” I replied, smiling. As I went to teleport away, Tamamo spoke into my mind.

“Mistress, you have a call coming from Central. Officer Bradford would like to speak with you.”

“Put him through,” I replied, “I’m guessing he didn’t tell you what he wanted?”

“Not yet.”

Aloud, the level voice of XCOM’s central officer came over the comm. “Specialist Lee, I’ve taken the liberty of evaluating your most recent after-action report… and your report on what happened after your medal ceremony.” He paused. “Your report, and the implications, have caught the attention of the Council. The commander has requested your presence alongside her at her next upcoming meeting with them.”

God Fucking Damnit

“Understood Central” I replied, trying desperately to hide my grimace, “May I ask what time I am required to be present?”

“Sixteen hundred hours. You’ve got a few to compose yourself.” He paused. “And put on your dress uniform. I’d rather we not needlessly antagonize the council, so please don’t take after your mentor and show up outside it.” His voice held a note of reproach.”

“I’ll get dressed, in that case.” I replied, “Teleporting to my quarters momentarily. Standby Central.”

With that stated, I gathered my mana and teleported to the aforementioned quarters, “Tamamo, I’m getting changed, can you mute us on our end please?”

“Of course.”

In a disturbingly short amount of time, I was ready. Hair was done up nicely, dress uniform was carefully put on, the various awards from the UN Conference pinned to my breast, much to my annoyance.

“Is teleportation acceptable, Central?” I announced, even as I gathered mana, either for a quick teleport to the hallway or a teleport to the main command center.

“Actually, we noticed you’ve been logging multiple inter-base teleports per day. Although we appreciate your attention to punctuality, please tone them down. You’ve been lucky to avoid popping into someone’s line of travel so far. So please tone it down.” Bradford paused. “As an aside, you’re still far ahead of schedule. Unless you want to wait around in central…”

I paused, before swearing. “I have been teleporting too much. Darned inherent laziness.” I continued muttering various curses as I stripped off my dress clothing, noted the time, and nicely arranged them on the mannequin again. I then immediately put on short shorts, got out of the room, and headed towards the exercise area. I would purge this laziness in sweat, then shower, then go to my dreaded meeting with the Council.

“Hello again, Specialist Lee.” The commander nodded at me as I entered the Geoscape. “Good to see you’re not imitating what Abe did the first time she was called before the Council.”

“She went fully nude, didn’t she?” I deadpanned, yet the fond smile on my face betrayed my thoughts, “Seems like her.”

“How’d you guess?” Tazri sighed. “She showed up, asked the Council what they thought of her suit, and when challenged, claimed we’d ‘interrupted her.’” She massaged her brow. “Do not emulate her.”

“Don’t listen to the Commander. In many ways, you’re just as essential as I am.” Abe draped one arm over my shoulder.

“Thank you, Director Abe.” I replied dryly aloud, while mentally, “Being very open for trying to keep our relationship secret, eh?” I teased, sending fond feelings towards her.

“If I stopped flirting, then there’d be even more rumors.” Abe responded, outwardly pouting. “Now, follow my lead and instructions. You are not prepared to deal with international politics.”

“Your pout is cute.” I replied mentally, radiating smug energy outwardly, “Also, I will, of course, follow your lead in this area. Fuck politics, especially when they obstruct shit for reasons.” I continued, grumbling.

“...please don’t make it so obvious that you’re having silent communications in front of the council.” Tazri pleaded. “And Abe? Why are you in a leather jacket?”

“Because I look fabulous.” She pulled herself off me, spinning to showcase her look. “I was in New York recently, and this just popped out. Don’t I look good, Ashley?” She winked at the commander, posing with one hand on her hip.

Tazri sighed. “Just… don’t flirt with the Spokesperson again. Please?”

“No promises~”

“Lovely.” I turned, barely recognizing Bradford out of his standard sweater. The man’s military uniform was perfectly creased, though it bulged slightly due to the sidearm he had on beneath the jacket. “Commander, Specialist, Director. The Council will be on the line in two minutes.

Moments later, we filed into the situation room, Tazri and Bradford coming to attention and Mariko settling into a relaxed stance. Seconds later, the huge screen blinked. “INCOMING TRANSMISSION.”

A bald silhouette appeared on the main monitor above the room, with each of the smaller monitors gaining a different profile. The bald man folded his hands in front of him. “Good evening, Commander. The Council would like to speak to you regarding your most recent… encounters.”

“Ask away, so long as I can ask some questions back.” Tazri responded, eye narrowing. “EXALT was supposed to have been neutered twenty years ago. Why are they back now?”

As the other council members shifted the Spokesperson remained still. “EXALT’s roots are deeper than even we know, Commander. Though our efforts during the Thawing Wars ruined their chances at direct global conquest, their cells and infrastructure hid themselves away rather than face annihilation.”

“And now we have to deal with your messes. Fantastic.” Abe’s voice was as dry as a bone, her eyes lidded. For once, her face lacked anything which could be called a smile.

“It is all of our messes, Director Abe.” The spokesperson turned his head a fraction of a degree, to look directly at the dark-haired woman. “EXALT. The Alien Hegemony. And now, the other human faction. These influences could destroy the current state of Earth. And it will be up to XCOM to deal with them.”

For the first time, one of the other screens spoke. The female silhouette there leaned forward as her own distorted voice sounded out. “Commander, we have already received and reviewed your report on the incident in New York. What is to be done about the multiple new fronts?”

“And how did your people come into contact with this ‘STAB’ organization, anyway?” Another voice, obviously male with an indeterminate accent, came from another screen. “It was not included in the mission report.”

“Want me to mention the Ramen Bar?” I asked Abe mentally, giving no indication that I was in any way doing something other than staring at the screen. My fists were loose, held that way through sheer will. I already disliked these people. The Current State of the Earth was shit anyway. Not much to destroy, really.

“Go ahead, dear. And relax- most of these folks have sticks up their bums. Don’t turn into them.” Abe shot back.

“That would be because I met the “Diplomat” at a Ramen Bar.” I said, falling into a much more relaxed posture, “Interrupted my meal, asked me a few questions, then a fellow member of XCOM intervened.”

“And you would be Specialist Lee.” The Spokesperson turned his head a second time, this time focused on me. “You have been thanked before for your efforts to evacuate the Mars Arcology. It appears more thanks are in order, for one who fights for a land not her own.” He nodded. “Regardless, let us keep to the matter at hand. Did this person indicate why she approached you, rather than an official source?”

“Abe?” I asked, even as I nodded in thanks externally, “She did approach me for a reason, but should I reveal it?”

“Yes.” Abe’s face twitched. “Remind me to give you a full crash course in dealing with political officers.”

“She approached me because, and I quote, “I was the first member of the only multinational military she could find.”” I said, my eyes twitching as I remembered the bitch. “Frankly, I’m not certain I believe her.”

“Indeed.” The Spokesperson said. “Attempting to pump an isolated and new member of an organization for information is just as likely.” He paused, then turned back to Tazri. “Why did Weir respond to the inquiry, rather than Captain Lehmann?”

“Weir is keyed into our network on a level we have no control over, and as a member of the Senior Staff, flagged the encounter for her personal attention.” Tazri explained. “By the time we knew something was going on, it was over.”

The Councilman nodded. “Indeed. Director Abe, this council has cleared you to make contact with any non-hostile extraterrestrial organizations. You may accept diplomats and engage in passive espionage at your discretion. Your budget has been increased in order to expand your offices to cover diplomatic endeavors and renewed counter-espionage and counter-terrorism against EXALT. Please continue to report your progress to this Council.”

“Understood.”

“However.” The spokesperson leaned forward once again. “You are not considered to be the primary choice for this endeavor. Unless you can identify a proper subordinate to assume control of the new INT-COM bureau, we will assign a proper Liaison to the role.” He nodded. “Now to the other acquisition. Specialist Lee, what can you tell us about your new guest?”

Furrowing my brow, I considered the question. “Rose? She’s nice, reveling in her freedom, and cooperative.” I reported frankly, a small smile gracing my face, “Other than that, she dislikes scientists, due to personal trauma.”

The spokesperson nodded. “I see. The fact that she is cooperative is good. What information has she offered concerning the extraterrestrial threat?” The man tilted his head. “We have read a summary of your discussion, but the full analysis has not yet been made available.”

“I would recommend listening to Dr. Vahlen’s report over mine.” I said bluntly, “But, in summary, the aliens are indeed mostly a slave caste, with a leader caste of powerful psionics lording over them. They are also fighting a successor state to Al-Hazard, who are apparently doing rather well for themselves.”

The spokesperson nodded. “This ‘Mid-childa’ is the most likely candidate. We were assuming the Sectoid Elites were the leaders of this invasion, but you imply there is a greater threat controlling them.”

One of the other council members spoke up. “And they likely want us as their next slave caste.” The man’s head shook slightly. “And when we have finally slipped the bonds of slavery, another ‘master’ rises to claim us.”

The spokesperson nodded once. “Our objective remains the same, in any case; repulse all attempts to conquer Earth and abduct its people.” He looked at me directly. “Continue to coax information out of Rose. We will need her insight if we are to understand and defeat these beings.”

“Do they have a name?” One of the other men on the council spoke up. “If there’s more than one alien faction, we should have a proper name for the ones we’re gunning for.”

“No.” I said, “Rose has not given me a name for the enemies, beyond “The Masters.” If needed, I’ll pursue other avenues to find out their names, if that is what you desire.”

The spokesperson shook his head. “Unlikely. If they do not bother to name themselves, then we will give them one.” He turned his attention fully towards Commander Tazri. “Commander, we believe the reprieve offered by our staunch defense is nearing an end. Our remaining observation platforms on Mars and Ceres have detected new movement incoming to join the fleets within our solar system. Now reinforced, the alien menace will be upon us soon.”

“We are as ready as we can be.” The commander replied, eye sharp. “XCOM will respond against any attempt at invasion.”

“Excellent. We are counting on you, and will be watching.” With a nod, the screens flickered, shifting back to the world map.

Commander Tazri dropped out of parade rest. “...Abe. You were much better behaved than usual.” She eyed the shorter woman with some confusion. “Why?”

“I didn’t want to distract from my protege’s debut.” She grinned, giving me a wink. “So, what’d you think of tall, bald, and mysterious?”

“He was… Tall, Bald, and Mysterious.” I deadpanned, “Also very nosey.”

“He does that.” Abe shook her head. “But he’s at least reasonable. But he speaks for the whole council, so sometimes he comes with someone else’s stick up his ass.”

Tazri sighed. “True, but don’t say that in public, please.” She nodded to me. “Specialist, glad you could keep your composure. Hopefully this won’t become a regular occurrence for you.”

“I hope so too.” I slouched slightly. “Permission to go off-duty, ma’am?”

“Permission granted. Hit the mess hall, then your bunk, Specialist. You look like you need it.” She paused, then jerked her head at Bradford. “Central, give the lady limited Command Coffee privileges. She looks like she could use a shot in the dark.”

Bradford nodded. “Aye aye.” He eyed me. “So long as you keep wrangling Abe, consider our coffeepots at your disposal- along with any fixings, except what’s labeled for specific members.”

I saluted, “Thank you sir!”

With that, I began to walk away from the horrors of politics, and towards my room. This day had been emotionally draining. Here’s hoping tomorrow will be a bit more sedate.

Chapter Text

Mariko Abe had a schedule each day. I’d learned it without much issue; Danzo had sent Tamamo her daily itinerary when we asked. And that meant that my little plan to get in some extra time with my girlfriend was a go.

I headed up through the building around noon, patting down my sweater and adjusting my tie. Coming through the Geoscape, I paused beside the coffeepots, prepping my own first. Tamamo, remind me, how does Mariko take her coffee?

Tamamo sighed. “Two sugars and a shot of vodka.”

I nodded, prepping the second cup, then moving to stand beside the door to Covert Ops. Pausing beside the discreet portal, I smoothed down my skirt and adjusted my plain-glass lenses. Showtime.

Mariko came out of the room at 1200 on the dot, sighing as she headed onto the floor- only to stop as she saw me. “What…”

“Hello Ms. Abe.” I said simply, smiling. “How are you today?”

“I…” Abe absently took the coffee I offered her, taking a drag. After a few moments, she took in my outfit, a lecherous smile crossing her face. “Well, I don’t recall hiring a new member for the office. Intern, or…?”

“I’ll be serving as your secretary for the foreseeable future, time permitting.” I adjusted my glasses. “It will be my pleasure to serve under you, ma’am.”

“I did not expect this.” Abe murmured. “Well, I’ll be happy to have your help.”

“Thank you. Shall we get to your next meeting? I understand it is in Chicago.”

“...you subverted Danzo.” She sighed. “Why am I… yes, we’re headed to the windy city. Come on, let’s go.”

Helping Abe was a relatively simple affair, all things considered. It was superfluous for me to record notes or keep an itinerary for her, since Danzo handled much of that. It was necessary for me to help her keep her schedule, since she often got caught up in negotiations, pulled into bargaining, or had trouble finding appropriate places to hide the bodies. For the first two, I just needed to remind her she had other engagements, and help smooth over any ruffled feathers. Helping her with that last one turned out to be fairly easy, and while we worked to dump the third group of smugglers we’d liquidated, I took the chance to ask her an important question.

“So… When do you want to have our first date?” I asked as the remains of the smugglers we had found sank to the bottom of the Pacific, “As much as I’m aware of the irony of asking while we’re dumping bodies, I feel like it fits, somehow.”

“If you’re really going to be my secretary, then you can pencil in an open time block sometime next month.” Abe responded, tying a concrete-filled milk jug to the last corpse’s feet, then letting it fall from our hovering position. “This next month is going to be busy, since XCOM will be going public soon.” She sighed. “Although, I’m not sure why you’d correlate the two. It’s nice small talk, at least.”

“Works for me.” I replied, “Though I’m not sure why we’re going public. Aren’t we supposed to be ‘Top Secret’ or something?” I paused, considering how quickly I had been approached by XCOM. “I suppose the veil would eventually lift, especially after an extremely public attack…”

“That… and the TSAB is going to force our hand.” Abe sighed as she drifted in midair. “They’re going to be going to the United Nations soon. Considering their attitude towards you, and what Abigail told us, they’re going to make a power play. Offering us military assistance in exchange for Earth’s vassalage isn’t out of the question. XCOM needs to be public first.”

I hum in understanding, “Prove we can protect Earth ourselves, rather than rely on outside help?” I guessed, “Probably the best strategy for remaining independent, but is it the correct choice? Nevermind the TSAB playing politics while people die…”

Abe sighed. “By the sound of things, they’re already fighting their own front in this war. I don’t even know if they can help directly. Still, even the prospect of getting more Devices would be enough to sway some places.” She spun in midair. “Still, none of this is your problem. I need to get back to base, and you need to get your cute tush out of that skirt and back into uniform.”

“Understood,” I replied, smiling, “I’ll see you back at base, Abe.”

Abe paused in midair, then spread her arms. “Is that how you want to say good bye?”

“Naw,” I chirped, hugging her and giving her a chaste kiss, “That’s my goodbye~”

Abe grinned. “See you around. Maybe next time, I can teach you how to kiss properly~”

When I wasn’t following my girlfriend around as her secretary, I spent a lot of time moving through the base. I visited Rose for half an hour each day, getting to know the reserved Viper a bit better. More importantly, I also spent time seeking Abigail. She’d promised me training in the psionic arts, and I was rather excited, yet… Somehow, not as much as I thought I would be. Problem was, no one in the base knew how to contact her when she didn’t pop up at the first mention of her name.

Tazri looked up over her coffee cup when I asked for her number. “Are you kidding? Weir has some rooms hidden in this base, but no one knows where they are. I have no idea how to contact her.”

Of course she was secluded. “Any idea how to find her?” I asked, looking slightly annoyed. Of course the psion would hide her room, it was something I wished I could have done, with all the attention I got.

The commander shrugged. “If I really need her help, I go to the bathroom and say her name to the mirror three times. She usually shows up right outside if it’s important.” She looked down at her paperwork. “But this isn’t an emergency. You can try it, but this may be her way of testing you.”

“I can imagine,” I said dryly, “Tamamo, can you track Asura’s Energy Signature?” I asked telepathically, “If not, we’ll just have to look the hard way.”

“Asaru, not Asura. And no, I can’t.” Tamamo said apologetically. “I can track active psionic effects, but my sensors aren’t calibrated to detect the existence of psychics like that. Which is something we should fix, if we have the time.”

“Agreed. Apologies for not remembering his name.” I quipped, before sighing, teleporting to my room. “I really didn’t need to deal with this today…” I paused, weighing my options, before I snapped my fingers. “At least, not alone. Tamamo, call Danzo, please.”

“Yes ma’am.” Tamamo replied, projecting a screen which soon displayed Mariko’s face.

“Hello, Lillie. Do you need something?” She asked, looking aside at me.

“Hey Mariko, I just wanted to know if you knew of a method to find Abigail. I was going to find her for psychic training if I could.” I asked, smiling, “Beside that, how are you doing?”

“I’m doing well.” Mariko smiled wryly. “As well as I can be when I’m working my way through the take from my agents.” Her smile dropped. “As for Abigail… I only ever looked for her once. When I did, I found myself looping back into my office whenever I tried to leave central command.” She grumbled. “I’m not even certain how she did that. Danzo has had no luck scanning for her, either. I know she has a set of rooms in the base, somewhere beneath the main engineering level. Other than that, I have no idea.”

“That’ll give me somewhere to start. Thank you, Mariko.” I said, smiling. “I’ll talk to you later. I’m off to Engineering to have a chat with some scientists.”

With that and a wave, I cut the call, moving to teleport down to the aforementioned room before sighing, and walking down that way. Couldn’t afford to get lazy, after all.

A few minutes later, I walked into the research labs, moving past a few scientists on their way to the mess hall. Walking through the corridors, I was half-surprised when a pair of men in blue uniforms and baseball caps stopped me from entering the inner labs proper. “Ma’am. Please state your business.”

“Collecting a favor.” I stated, “If you’d like confirmation, ask Dr. Vahlen.”

The man nodded, activating a wrist computer and touching his earpiece. “I’ll check with her.” He paused, then spoke. “Dr. Vahlen, one of the specialists is here to see you. Lillie Lee.” He nodded once, then looked up at me. “She has a few minutes. Go right on in.”

I nodded, walking past the soldiers and making my way to Vahlen’s labs. As I entered, I found the woman in question rapidly typing at a computer, ignoring the lanky corpse of a Thin Man on the table behind her. She looked up as I entered. “Ah, Specialist. It’s good to see you, though I’m afraid I’ll have to keep this brief. The subject’s blood is mildly corrosive, and I’d rather not have to replace another table. Was there something you needed?”

“Any idea on how to find Abigail?” I asked, “Without violating her privacy.”

“Are you seeking her home, or do you just wish to talk?” She frowned. “If you’re willing to upset her, you could poke at the Hedron. It’s in Lab three. However, if you want to find her quarters, I’d speak with Dr. Shen. He has a better rapport with her than anyone else in the base.” She paused, weighing her options. “Other than that, we are working on a psionic detection array we can link to standard XCOM sensor packages. It’s an alpha prototype for now.”

“I’ll speak to Dr. Shen first, then consider the other options,” I mused aloud, before nodding to Dr. Vahlen, “Where would he be now?”

“Almost certainly down in Engineering’s main production bays. They call it The Workshop.” Vahlen tapped something into her communicator. “Go ahead and head on down. Shen seems happy to meet with you.”

“Would he prefer teleportation or me walking down?” I inquired awkwardly, “I’d prefer to teleport, though I can just teleport outside the door as well…”

“He would likely prefer you to walk on down. Engineering sees a lot of foot traffic, and though I believe the Doctor is made of sterner stuff, it would be better for you not to startle anyone.”

“Understood! Thank you for the information!” I called, walking away at a decent clip. If I had to walk, I was damn well gonna take my time, especially since this was technically part of my free time. I took my time passing through the level, eventually heading to the elevators, and descending to the seventh sublevel.

When I came into the level, I found myself in a large room filled with tables, situated before a large pair of blast doors and a guard station. After being waved through, I found myself in a miniature factory; fabricators and buckets of machine parts were flanked by dozens of workstations and conveyor belts, with groups of workmen moving about and assembling all sorts of equipment.

“Salutations!” I called, smiling, “I’m looking for Dr. Shen?”

One of the men looked up, eyes fixing on me. “Look, if you’re looking for better gear, you can just put in a service request with the gate guard.” He paused, seeing my face shift in frustration. “Or did you need to speak to the Doc directly?”

“Not looking for upgrades at this time. Yeah, I’d like to speak to the Doctor directly. Thank you.” I replied curtly, my face neutral.

Always with the assumptions… I mused, rolling my eyes internally.

“Alright then.” The workman reached up to his shoulder, tapping the communicator strapped there. “Hey, doc. There’s a soldier here to see you.”

“I’ll be right over.”

The man nodded, then returned to his work while I waited. A few minutes later, an older man in a green jacket and red tie walked into the main room. He spotted me, and gave a smile as he approached. “Hello there, young lady. My name is Raymond Shen. I heard you needed to speak with me directly?”

I bowed, “Yes. Dr. Vahlen said that you knew more than her about Abigail. I’ve been trying to find her for a good portion of the day. She promised me something, and I intend to take her up on her offer.” Pausing, I remembered my manners, “I’m Lillie, by the way. Lillie Lee. A Pleasure to meet you, Dr. Shen.”

Dr. Shen’s eyebrows shot up. “Abigail owes you something? I see.” He waved off my questioning look. “Miss Wier likes her privacy, but I do know where her rooms are. She had them built into the secure storage rooms below engineering.” He smiled. “I tend to visit her on occasion. She may be taciturn, but she enjoys the company of myself, and a few of the other engineers.”

I bowed again, “I appreciate it, Dr. Shen. Is there anything you’d like in exchange for that information?” I asked, holding off on the urge to go talk to Abigail, “I’m willing to offer a favor, or something similar…”

Dr. Shen chuckled. “No, specialist. No need for repayment.” He gestured towards a staircase set into one wall. “If you want to do me a favor, there is one thing. My daughter, Lily…” He smiled again. “Ah, she would like to meet some of my colleagues. As a magus, you’ve got more free time than most. I can’t bring her on-base, but when I have a day off, maybe you could shuttle me home?”

“Of course!” I replied, “I wouldn’t mind at all! Just let me know when. I’m available to contact through Tamamo or my phone, depending on which you prefer and or have access to!” Pausing for a second, I bowed once more, “Thank you for your time. I’m going to head down to Abigail’s room now. Thank you once more for your help!”

“Thank you for stopping by.” Shen responded. “And I hope you find her rooms. They tend to keep away anyone truly unwanted.”

I nodded, heading down the stairs. The staircase led down into a hallway of simple doors, each labeled only with a number. I frowned as I walked down them, gaze passing back and forth. None of these doors stood out to me. I could knock at each one, but that didn’t seem right. Heading down to the next level, I walked through a corridor almost the same as the one above, before pausing. Wait…

I turned, looking closely at the door before me. A tingle ran through the back of my skull, and I stepped up to the door numbered 210. I could almost sense the same presence I’d felt once before, in the ramen shop. Without hesitation, I reached up and knocked.

After a few minutes, the door swung open, revealing a very different Abigail from the one I’d seen previously. When I’d met her otherwise, Abigail had been composed and ethereal, dressed in elegant dresses and expertly aloof. This Abigail was rubbing her eyes and yawning as she stood there in a t-shirt and pajama pants. She blinked slowly as her eyes focused on me. “...what…” After a few seconds, her face went bright red, and she squeaked, slamming the door in my face. “Givemejustaminute!”

“That was a thing...” I muttered mentally, broadcasting the thoughts to Tamamo and Tamamo alone.

“I do believe Abigail is not as composed or ethereal as she’d like everyone to think.” Tamamo replied, smug.

“We are all human in the end, after all.” I sang, parrying the verbal jab that my partner had taken at someone who I hoped would be my friend. Regardless, since it looked like I’d be waiting for a bit before Abigail was ready, I spun up a partition, and sent another “version” of myself into the simulator, idly drumming my fingers against my thigh as I waited.

Minutes later, the door opened again, revealing Abigail’s normal, composed face. She nodded gracefully, stepping aside to allow me into her apartment. “I should have guessed you’d find me. Please, do come in.”

As I walked inside, I couldn’t help but survey the room. The apartment was tastefully decorated, though in a style which seemed thirty years out of date; the furniture and furnishings had the simple color palettes and patterns typical of the eighties. Entering the room, I took a seat on the couch as a steel tray floated into the room on a cloud of purple energy. Abigail sat down across from me, motioning to the small spread of food. “Would you care for something to drink?”

“What do you have available?” I asked politely, a soft smile adorning my face. I had, after all, come to socialize, with the eventual goal of asking about psionics, but that could wait.

“Tea, though that could take a minute. Coffee, likewise. Coke. Fanta. Ginger beer. Milk. Orange juice.” She hesitated, sizing me up. “Wine. Vodka. And bourbon.” She finishes the list.

“I would prefer to avoid alcohol for now. Would you like some help preparing tea?” I replied, before continuing, “I do have some serious questions, but those can wait till after we’ve spent some time together.” Pausing, I sighed, “I apologize in advance if I come across as extremely blunt. I have trouble with… everything social.”

Abigail smiled slightly. “...I do as well. But I cheat, most of the time.” She stood, heading towards the kitchen. “I’ll just need a moment to pull out the tea press and put some water on. Please wait.” She moved out of sight, and continued speaking. “I don’t dare risk using my psionics on you. Between your own natural capability and Tamamo’s defenses, all but the most passive scans could be felt.”

“That’s actually quite a relief. Having one of my final sanctuaries violated is a rather large fear of mine.” I admitted, fidgeting within my seat, “Regardless, how have you been, Abigail?”

“...not well, to be honest.” Abigail sighed. “I am sensitive to the emotions of those around me if I do not clamp down on my shields. And there is not a place on Earth which is completely calm these days.” She walked back into the room, holding a steaming kettle in a psionic grip while carrying a tea press in her hands. In the other, she bore a small tea service. “Is Lychee Jasmine acceptable?”

“I’m fine with any kind of tea.” I replied softly, smiling, “I’m sorry to hear that you can’t have any peace, Abigail…” I continued, trailing off as I realized I didn’t exactly have much more to say. Sighing once more, I sent a mental impression of needing help to Tamamo, who, of course, sent me the mental equivalent of giving me a shrug. Deciding that I truly was lost here, I coughed, watching as Abigail served the tea, quickly taking my cup and sipping on it, attempting to hide my red face.

“I can have peace. Just not as much. There’s a reason my rooms are here, where I have yards of heavy machinery and metal between myself and others.” She took a sip of her own tea. “So, shall we be socially awkward together, or did you have a reason for seeking me out?” She sipped her own tea. “I am… not displeased by your company, to be honest. You have a remarkably calm mind.”

“That would be my shields, not my mind. I assure you that if you actually dug into it, you’d find a rather chaotic mess,” I retorted lightly, before I sighed yet again. “But yes, I did have a reason to seek you out. You stated earlier, and now, that I have Psionic Potential. Would you be willing to help me explore that?”

“Gladly. Though there is a reason I have not taught anyone the lessons Asaru has passed to me, beyond not wanting to empower those who would misuse such a power..” She looked at me, face grave. “Humans have different minds than one of the Ethereal. Even Ascended, like Asaru, do not entirely match human thoughts. My means of psionic working are not the same as those you would find most comfortable. As my first student, it would be a learning experience.” Her smile was wry. “For both of us.”

“I’d be fine with that, if you are, Abigail.” I bowed, a wide smile on my face, my eyes sparkling, “It would be an honor.”

“Very well then.” Abigail nodded. “I will have to arrange for a dedicated space for testing. And perhaps requisition some materials. For now, we should have tea.”

I nodded, and we kept up some very brief chatting as we sat for a time. Honestly, I managed to relax a little around Abigail.

And that was good. Because not two days later, an Alien Scout craft buzzed the planet… and was shot down. And before long, the sirens all over the base began to wail.
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Chapter Text

I awoke with a start, coming out of sleep to hear the wailing of a klaxon I didn’t recognize. Groaning, I rolled out of bed, pulled Tamamo on from her place at my bedside table, deployed my barrier jacket, and immediately asked,

“Situation, Tamamo?”

“Checking the base Network… the Aliens have begun deploying Scouts to get a full scan of the planet. Yatagarasu fighters have downed several of the craft, while some Alien craft have downed human fighters in response.” Tamamo paused. “The aliens have been bloodied; Command is preparing to dispatch teams to retrieve samples and wipe out survivors. One larger craft came down mostly intact.”

“Understood. I assume I’m reporting to my squad?” I asked, spinning up a mental partition to handle my daily “tasks” as I prepared for quite possibly multiple days of combat, “If not my squad, Abe?”

“Abe. You haven’t been assigned to any of the teams for this mission, and she’s requesting your presence.”

“Hai hai!” I replied, spinning up a teleportation circle to Abe’s officer. “You think Command will care if I teleport directly to her office? Actually, never mind. I’ll ask Mariko-Chan directly.”

As soon as the call went through, Abe spoke through your Commlink. “Ah, Lillie!” she cleared her throat. “Secretary, bring me coffee and breakfast for two. It doesn’t look like you’ll be needed just yet, so report to the cafeteria on the way. No need to be on standby on an empty stomach.”

“Hai~” I singsonged, cancelling the teleport. If there wasn’t going to be any urgency, I was going to take my sweet time walking to the cafeteria. “I’ll be there soon Mariko-San~”

With that said, I spun on my heel, dismissed my barrier jacket, and actually got dressed in something other than my sleepwear. Wouldn’t want to show up to the office in just my unmentionable.

Minutes later, I was standing next to Abe, nomming down on a breakfast wrap while she downed her second cup of coffee. Mariko wiped her mouth as we stood in the Geoscape, watching as transport planes and Skyrangers dropped eight squads of troops at various alien crash sites across the globe.

Bradford and Tazri stood in front of an array of screens. “Operations are going fairly well.” Bradford muttered. “Alien plasma seems to go right through standard body armor, but Powered Weave seems to give troops a fighting chance.”

“That’s good.” I muttered, smiling, “seems like R&D is pulling their weight.”

Abe chuckled. “Vahlen and Shen make a good team. Hopefully, whatever they recover from these crashes will help us even more.” She paused as a shocked murmur ran through the room. “Wait, what-”

“Sir!” Tazri and Bradford spun as one of the monitor crew yelled from his station. “We have another contact!”

“More fighters?”

“No sir, it’s at least triple the size!” The man said, his hands flying across his keyboard. “No fighters in range and fueled enough to scramble; it’s going to land uncontested. Target…” He paused, eyes widening. “China. Shanghai.” He paused. “It’s dropping capture pods.”

“They’re going in for a harvest.” Bradford murmured, then paled. “We already scrambled all fast-response transports.”

Abe slammed her datapad onto a nearby desk, drawing looks from around the room. “Specialist Lee and I can teleport four people each, more with assistance.” She snarled. “We can be on the ground in minutes. Just get us a location.”

Braford went to speak, only for Tazri to cut him off. “I had two teams on standby, and we have three Mages in reserve.” She spun, jabbing a finger at one man standing near the door to the situation room. “Contact the Council, let them know what’s coming. We need to coordinate with Chinese troops.” Another jab, this time at one of the ops team coordinators. “Get the squads in India and Australia back in the air ASAP, scrub the missions if they can’t be completed in ten minutes. Shanghai will not fall.”

“Tamamo, I’m going to need your help with the mass teleport. I’ll grab each of our passengers and keep them stable, you stabilize the dimensional coordinates?”

“Of course Lillie.” My device responded almost instantly, already forming a teleport circle beneath our feet, “Coordinates Locked. Standing by for activation.”

“Any other order before I deploy ma’am, sir?” I asked quickly, glancing around the room.

“Try not to die. If this works, deployment like this will be a big asset.” Tazri said. “And Abe would be grumpy for months.” At her last words, the entire room broke out in whispers, and one man pulled out money to hand to another.

“I take it that you’re aware.” I deadpanned, before shaking my head, “regardless, I’ll do my best. Send the soldiers up. I’ll teleport as soon as they’re here.”

As we teleported into place, Bradford’s voice rang through our comms. “November, Oscar, Papa. The Alien craft, tentatively marked as an Abductor, set down one kilometer north of your position. Aliens have begun swarming outward into the streets, and have begun capturing civilians in stasis.”

Abe nodded, black armor glining as her helmet bobbed. “Copy that Central. What’s the status on the Chinese response?”

“Slow. Local military outposts were bombed on entry, while those further out had Cyberdisks dropped on their heads. They’re on their way, but the enemy will be dug in if they’re not contested by the time the locals arrive. Split into teams and move out; protect civilians and secure the streets.”

“Abe!” I yelled, “I function best as an aerial bombardment mage. I can take to the skies and provide CAS!”

Already, wings had bloomed from my feet, and I was shifting Tamamo into bombardment form. “Call me in on hard targets. I can also provide a sitrep and act as a spotter in areas I can maintain vision on!”

“You have ground command, Abe.” Bradford acknowledged. “Use your forces as you see fit.”

“Specialist Lee- you are now designated callsign Lyric.” Abe rattled off. “Take overwatch, but don’t get out of sight range of Papa squad. Papa, you push forward into the district; we need to break their center.”

Acknowledging Abe’s orders, Papa squad moved up, armor clanking as they advanced. The troops, in a mix of dark blue, navy, and red uniforms, headed in the indicated direction at an easy lope. Following them was a short, familiar figure in forest-green Knight’s Armor. Nguyen looked up. “Guess we’re dancing together again, huh? Let’s roll!”

“Understood Nguyen. I’ll be above, hovering like the overprotective lady I am. Call me in on hard targets. I’ll stay in visual range and soften them up for ya.”

With my piece stated, I rocketed forward, carefully ensuring that Papa was in my sights at all times. “Tamamo, execute a Wide Area Search please. Focus on the alien signatures like we practiced. I’ve got some aliens to lay waste to…”

“...scans inconclusive. There’s a lot of human life signs in the way.” Tammo admitted. “I have marked at least two concentrations of Alien lifeforms, but I know I’m missing more.”

“Understood.” I replied to my device, “we’ll have to practice with interference later. Good job regardless, my friend.” With that, I turned to my radio, “Lyric to Papa, I’ve got high concentrations of alien life forms to our 12 and 3 o’clock. Do not have visual confirmation at this time, over.”

“12’o clock group spotted, they’re digging in at a plaza.” Papa-1 responded, the older man looking through field glasses over a stopped car. “Three o’clock not visible yet, might be trying to flank. Can you handle them? We’ll clear the one ahead.”

Climbing higher, I looked down through my own vision magnification, fixing on the flanking group. A group of aliens escorted half-a dozen mechs, some of which were unfolding heavy looking fixed guns. Numerous cyan orbs began to form around me as I concentrated and condensed the required mana for my spell. The Aliens looked up, even as an interlocking series of hexagons manifested beneath me.

Mana condensation acceptable. Mana levels acceptable. Releasing restraints on spell pattern formation. Spell pattern formed. Targets, locked. Lethal mode remains in effect. Spell: Senbonzakura, ready.

All this information ran through my head at the speed of thought, and, raising Tamamo to the sky, I declared,

“Scatter to Dust! Senbonzakura!” I cried, unleashing the spell upon the xenos even as they panicked and ran for cover, evidently familiar with what spell formula being visible represented. It mattered not, the bombardment from the “Thousand Cherry Blossoms” having come too fast, from an utterly unexpected direction.

Three dozen soda-can sized missiles of cyan light descended from me, accelerating to supersonic speed as they homed in on the scattering group. As each reached a target, it detonated, scattering pencil-sized shards of light which darted into the nearest target, before detonating into a lance of blue plasma. Within seconds, those who had been caught in the spell fire, including all of the mechs, were either slagged or cinders.

As the few remaining foot soldiers started to rally, Tamamo screamed a warning on my HUD, and I almost managed to dodge a blast of plasma, the edges searing my Combat Jacket. A wing of misshapen agamalations of flesh and metal flew up to greet me, accompanied by a Cyberdisk. Tamamo spoke up. “Incoming enemies marked. Cyberdisk, six floaters, and scans indicate Seeker presence. Watch your flanks.”

“Understood. Accelerating.” I replied, a burst of speed sending me flying towards Papa’s location, “Papa-1, I’m bringing some friends, I’ll take out as many as I can. Supporting fire would be welcome and appreciated.”

My report, given automatically by one of my partitions dedicated to keeping my allies updated, took absolutely none of my concentration away from my deadly dance with my aerial enemies. Without pausing in my evasive maneuvers, I send back a series of mana bullets, forming them around me to avoid losing my maneuverability. In response, the Cyberdisk opened, plasma cannons trading golden lines across the sky as it tried to shoot me down, the floaters flanking it opening fire with their rifles. All but one, who tried to close in on me.

My response was faster, mana bullets drilling through the cyborg’s skull, two more of my bullets breaking off from the dying melee alien and coring a second. My remaining shots went wide as I was forced to evade, but the remaining floaters regrouped as the Cyberdisk folded itself back up. Responding to this, I spun around, formed the quickest destructive spell I could without forming a spell circle, and fired a bombardment spell.

The shell of condensed plasma slammed into the folded Cyberdisk, warping its armor and sending it spinning towards the ground, only for it to unfold and stop it’s descent mid-fall. The disk let out a few broken beeps before it aimed up at me, a small array of green lights forming around its optic. With a series of hisses, six green rockets fired, spreading as they homed on my location, as the Floaters bellowed and dove to box me in. With a nasty smile, I responded by teleporting right below the Cyberdisk, a complex spell formula appearing for a moment at my current position and exit, before it disappeared, leaving the aliens utterly helpless as I cored the Cyberdisk contemptuously.

Blinking. Something that, according to Tamamo, was something that she had only seen me do. It allowed me to, by creating several partitions, rapidly cast the teleportation spell by overcharging it with mana. It was expensive for a simple spell, but it was far too useful not to use, especially as a trump card.

And it was perfect for getting out of the way of big, nasty attacks. Like the six eruptions of green plasma which just bracketed my old position. As the Cyberdsik fell, the four Floaters spun, looking about until one screamed, pointing a clawed finger at me. As one, they spun and resumed pursuit. Swearing, I gathered my mana into a series of orbs, not nearly enough to need a spell formula, and fired them off, even as I retreated backwards, firing my spell rifle in short, controlled bursts.

One fell, a beam piercing through one engine. The others closed in, guns abandoned in favor of long claws. Then, from the ground, a chattering dirge of laser bursts, and a scythe of beams sliced all but one of the floaters to ribbons. Papa squad was lending their support.

“Thanks Papa!” I cheered over the comms, personally this time, “Need a hand yourself once I clean up this last guy?”

Without waiting for a response, I formed three orbs of magic, sending them flying at the final floater, attempting to box it into a position where I could smack him with a burst of magic. Seconds later, he screamed as one of my bolts cut him down.

“Get air superiority and pick off those dammed Seekers!” Nguyen cursed through my comm. “They keep strangling us, and though no one’s dead yet, it’s only a matter of time until someone gets their neck snapped. Once you control the air, start scanning. We can’t afford more ambushes.”

“Affirmative. Establishing a wide area search. Any news about friendly air support?” I replied, my voice steady, “It would be nice to have some fast movers covering my ass.”

“China’s scrambling conventional jets and their mages, but their command is ordering strikes on the Abductor, not the ground troops. They’re leaving us to deal with the infantry.” Abe offered over the comms. “Their mages are splitting up to cover more of the city; reports indicate at least twenty-four groups of aliens broke off into the stacks, and we’ve only routed eight so far.”

“Fantastic” I growled aloud, even as I looked at the results of my wide area search, “I’ll establish air superiority, then I can act as CAS. Standbye, looking at my search results now…”

Moments later, I dodged backward as my scan just warned me about the tentacled-robot trying to snag me. “Nevermind, found some of the seekers. Give me a minute.” I switched to Sweeper mode, then fired a tripe spray of needle-shot into the squid-bot, shredding it. I pivoted, fire tearing through a second seeker as a third uncoaked and fired a plasma bolt past my shoulder.

Seconds later, it was gone, having been stricken with a sudden case of plasma in the gut, and fell from the sky, the scattershot of mana having detonated its core. The remaining seeker writhed in midair, before spinning towards me, tentacles outstretched. I dodged to one side, unintentionally fouling both the obvious assault, and that of the one behind me. Seconds later, the seeker before me died to the attack of its own ally, and I’d taken a pair of potshots to force the final robot into evasive maneuvers.

As my final shot tore the robot to pieces, my comm spoke again. “Get over here and help us break this line! We need to push through, and they’ve gotten reinforcements!”

“Understood. Standby for high intensity bombardment.” I replied curtly, immediately pulling a 180 loop to retain my momentum and heading towards the location of my allies. My plan, as it stood, was to bombard the area with Senbonzakura, then, immediately afterward, retreat to the top of a building and begin sniping.

The fighting on the ground was frantic, with half-a-dozen Muton and Vipers trading fire with the eight soldiers. A pair of Mechtoids with supporting Sectiod soldiers swept the battlefield with intense fire time and again. The road was a wreck, but so far none of the soldiers had been downed; how long that would last is unknown. Deciding immediate action was needed, once more, I drew upon my mana, condensing it into several spheres, a glowing, interlocking hexagon manifesting below me once more. Yet, even as I charged the spell, I could tell I was gaining attention, especially since I was making sure not to hit any allies with this one. That would be… unideal, to say the least.

“Scatter and Fall! Senbonzakura!” I roared, releasing the spell upon confirmation that my targets were locked. The cylinders fell once again, showers of explosive darts ripping through the unprepared enemies- leaving a full dozen dead and the surviving Mechtoid crippled. It screeched, rising to aim its cannon skyward, before it was torn apart by fire from the now unsuppressed ground forces.

As the ground troops mopped up the surviving aliens, Abe messaged me. “I hear you’ve broken the alien vanguard- good. But you need to split off now; get your scans up and start hunting the harvester groups. The Chinese Army won’t make it here in time to save their people, and their Magi have gotten bogged down against other fliers. Let Papa push forward without you.”

“Understood ma’am.” I replied instantly, before keying my radio, “Papa, I’ve got new orders. I’m going to break off. Call if you absolutely need support, over!”

With my piece said, I quickly climbed to a suitable altitude before beginning my scans, directing Tamamo to look for the highest concentrations of human life-forms. That would be where the harvesters were. ...or so I thought.

“Human bio-signs cover this place, master.” Tamamo responded. “Most of them are fleeing or hiding. I’ll scan for pockets which are moving anomalously, but I don’t think that’ll work very well.” She paused. “The aliens seem to be focused on some individuals over all else. They’ve killed many people, yet taken exact pains to capture others alive.”

“Psionics.” I realized, my brain making the connection almost instantly as I growled, “Tamamo, can you scan for psionic signatures?”

“We do have that prototype installed…” Tamamo swept outward, a new scan passing through several blocks. “Some scattered signatures; I think they’re Sectiods. One or two high-potency humans, some quite close to-” She broke off. “And one… odd signature. It’s not a live being, but the psionic presence…”

“Tamamo?” I asked my partner, a little disturbed by her trailing off, “What’s wrong?”

“They’ve set up a link to their network. I can’t access it… but they’ve deployed something-” Tamamo murmured. “Wait- is itaargghhhh!!!” I froze as Tamamo’s speech deteriorated into a broken scream, her voice cutting off even as her search cut out. Suddenly, the smooth support which maintained my flight spell cut out, and I desperately fell back on my training and parallel thought patterns to stay upright in-air.

“Tamamo, shit, what the- Damnit, Cyber Attack.” I frantically thought, even as I stabilized myself in mid-air, “Let me know when you recover. I’m heading towards- Damnit, you never told me. Fuck.”

“Still-still here.” Tamamo’s metal voice was strained. “Systems compromised- it’s attacking on every front at once. Shut-shutdown the node. You’ll know her when you see her.”

“Understood.” I replied, the fury in my tone palpable, “They’ll pay for attacking you.”

With that said, I moved towards the location the “strange” psionic signal had come from, making my best pace while maintaining my parallel processing and flight spell. As I advanced, I felt a massive tug, forcing me to dispel my flight in a controlled descent, landing on a rooftop of a large shopping mall.

The source of the energy drain became readily apparent as I landed; a lone figure with one hand upraised towards my previous position. As I watched, its hands lowered, and it drew two plasma pistols out of the air, its body flickering and distorting as I watched. Yellow hard-light made up a sleek, femminine body, while the head was a metallic skull. A cybernetic brain pulsed behind red glass, and two unblinking yellow eyes stared directly at me. With a series of clicks and chirping beeps, the strange being darted at me, guns upraised.

Chapter Text

As the hard-light creature crossed the rooftop, it seemed to distort, its form skittering back and forth even as it launched a hail of plasma bolts from its pistols towards me. Reacting as quickly as possible, I ducked into cover, firing a quick burst from Tamamo towards the enemy. The creature flicked through and around my fire, teleporting backwards to gain distance rather than face my fire head on. Seconds later, it teleported a second time, appearing to the right of my cover and splashing two shots off my barrier jacket even as I dove to put myself out of the line of fire. With a grunt, I came to my feet, bringing up Tamamo even as I backpedaled, attempting to test out the enemy’s limits.

The enemy blinks with a whistling click, heading back behind cover before sending a purple pulse in my direction, which I managed to avoid. As I dodged the purple energy, the drain which had dragged me out of the sky abated, and I could feel my flight protocols come back online. Immediately, I took to the skies, wings of light appearing at my feet as I rocketed away, before spending a spread of magic missiles towards the enemy. As I fired, I grinned, only for my smile to die as the canisters impacted the roof without striking my foe. Whether it was a function of my enemy or an absence of Tamamo, the accuracy of my fire had degraded, and my snap shift to my favored bombard mode hadn’t been the best choice.

And my error was capitalized upon. With a screech, the Alien cyborg flickered in closer to me, summoning both pistols yet again and launching a stream of energy upwards. I juked and weaved, feeling heat seeping through my armor as each of the streams of shots hit my jacket. With a shout, I shifted Tamamo again, turning my device into a shotgun, and firing a spread into the cyber-being. The spread of needle-sharp shots churned into the monster, shredding its form. With a howl, it blinked away, taking cover even as its body wavered and distorted. The shattered remnants of its body, however, remained, weaving themselves into a flickering outline of its previous body and pulling a fresh pistol from the aether, taking aim at me.

“Of course you can fly.” I grumble, before firing yet another spread into the body of my enemy. The flickering outline dodged the fire, while the original monster sent another blast of psionic energy my way, forcing me back to the ground. As I descended, I snapped off a shot, shattering the false copy and leaving only the original cyborg behind. It rose up, pistols levelled as I felt my jacket shiver, it’s form barely holding together without constant reinforcement. Grunting, I dodged out of the way of its next attack, throwing myself to the side, and reactivating my flight, if only to be able to hover for mobility.

The alien’s next attempt to stymie my flight failed as I vaulted forward, dodging the frantic bursts. I climbed, soon able to see the whole rooftop, even as the cyborg began to bob and weave. I raised my gun, switched modes one last time, then pulled the trigger. With its body pierced, it screamed and convulsed, cyan energy eating through its body to evaporate it entirely, leaving behind only a faintly glowing cybernetic skull.

I sighed in relief almost immediately. “Tamamo, are you feeling better now?” I asked, taking a long look at my device. “I killed it. I think.”

The line was silent for a brief minute. “...you did.” Tamamo responded, bringing a sigh of relief to my lips. “I’ve never had that kind of intrusion before.” She murmured. “...it wasn’t really a hacking attempt at all. It was a deluge, drowning my processors in white noise while trying to erase me.”

“We are researching countermeasures immediately.” I stated, “Can you send Dr. Shen and Vahlen a report on the xeno we encountered?”

“Soon. First, though…” Tamamo trailed off. “There are a deluge of waiting messages. That thing was jamming us; and the fight is only now ending. The aliens are in full retreat, with some captives. Command is ordering us to let the Abductor takeoff; Alien fighters are descending to cover their retreat.”

“Understood.” I replied, “I’ll let Mariko-chan know that I’m okay.” With that stated, I turned my telepathic attention towards my girlfriend, and spoke, “I’m okay Mariko-chan. We ran into an enemy that jammed our communications. It’s dead now. Orders?”

“...creepy skull-topped version of the Outsider?” Abe asked.

“You encounter one too?” I asked in return, hackles rising at the thought of my girlfriend getting hurt. “Regardless, yes. I encountered one. I assume you’d like me to pick up the team for extraction and leave the cleanup to the Chinese?”

“Are you out of range of it?” She asked quickly. “Is it still following you?”

“Mariko-chan. I killed it.” I replied in a deadpan, “Hold on, I’m moving to support you. Coordinates?”

That’s not necessary. But…” She trailed off. “Did it leave anything behind?”

“A skull. I’ll bring it back for analysis.” I replied, “Regardless, orders? Otherwise I’m liable to take my frustration out on the nearest Xenos.”

“Grab it and bring it back.” Abe responded. “We need to debrief you. And then the science team needs to get to work.” Her voice was grim. “We had some casualties today- and the Chinese lost some Magi. Come on back.”

“Understood.” I replied, moving over to grab the skull from its place on the ground. Picking up the heavy object, I felt a flash of purple run through me- and for a brief instant, I heard trails of purple and gold which lifted upward, and vanished as the distant speck of the alien ship rose from sight.

Abe stood in front of a screen, drinking coffee as she rapped her knuckle on the board behind her. “Command doesn’t have a full name for these things yet. A few have been proposed- but right now, some bright soul has called it a Codex.” She pointed her finger at the picture of the yellow being behind her. “And these things are mage-killers.”

We were still in China. Abe and I were both too tired to teleport everyone home, and the Skyrangers across the globe had to refuel and be checked over before they could swing in and airlift us out. We’d done our initial debriefing via commlink instead.

The Chinese government had put us up overnight, so long as we offered them the full package we put together on these new enemies. China’s ground forces had acquitted themselves well, but were still mauled pretty badly by the Aliens. After having taken a much needed shower, and chatted with Mariko-Chan, I had almost immediately gone to sleep, waking up about an hour before I had needed to.

Abe grimaced as she pointed to one of the images. “Six of these creatures hit the lines yesterday, taking down two of China’s magi and making off with their Devices. Three others were driven off by supporting fire from more conventional troops. Only one of the six was taken down.” She turned, motioning to me. “Specialist Lee was the only ambushed Magus to remain combat-capable after the initial ambushes. Lee, report.”

“I’d like to first point out that the only reason Tamamo was still active is her status as a specialist device, offering her more processing power than most devices found on Earth. Additionally, I have driven myself into the ground to be capable of deviceles flight and thought partition.” I started, nodding at Mariko. “Regardless, the initial cyber warfare attack knocked out most of Tamamo’s functions, and I was divested of my ability to fly for a period of time by some sort of psychic attack disrupting my magic.” Pausing to let that sink in, I continued, “After engaging the alien for some time, I managed to score a killing blow after I dodged its shutdown blast, with a shotgun to the torso. We have retrieved it’s skull for analysis, and hopefully we can develop countermeasures.”

“Early results on that analysis indicate that the Codex requires a stable link to the Alien Psionic Network to function. Unfortunately, most larger ships are thought to have the capacity to broadcast and receive from the Network, and Outsiders serve as portable terminals.” She moved to another slide. “Codex appear to have several abilities, in addition to the obvious Device Fog attacks. All observed Codex are capable of short-range teleportation, localized psionic blasts and weapon jamming, and fragmentation replication.” At the confused looks she received, Abe explained. “You hurt them, they use the cast-off parts to make a copy of themselves.”

One of the other men in the room spoke up. “Any weaknesses?”

“They’re not very well armed or armored.” Abe said frankly. “Immensely agile, but they rely on their tricks and powers to take down enemies. In a straight fight, they’d lose pretty fast, and concentrated fire does wonders.” She grimaced. “If they start deploying them to support their observed frontline units, that would make things much deadlier.”

“Sniper Teams dedicated to taking them out when observed, perhaps? Non-Mages, to be specific. I felt like it could sense Tamamo.” I offered, shrugging.

“A good suggestion. They are mostly equipped for close-range combat.” Abe acknowledged, then turned back to the rest of the room. “Yesterday’s mission was largely a success, but the arrival of the Codex prevented it from becoming a chance to capture an enemy ship intact. The Aliens have revealed another trick. Stay vigilant.” She nodded her head. “Lee, stay behind. Everyone else, dismissed.”

The whole room, Chinese or XCOM, scrambled to evacuate. I’m not entirely certain why they didn’t want to be left alone with Abe and I. As the door swung shut behind them, Abe let out a loud, deep exhale. “Lillie, sit up straight for a moment.”

“Of course.” I replied, straightening my posture, as requested, “What’s up Mariko-Chan?”

Instead of responding, she stepped forward, sat in the chair one seat over from me, and then laid down, putting her head on my lap. “Ugh… I wasn’t supposed to lead combat missions…” She hissed. “...ah, this is nice…”

Hesitantly, I ran my gloved hand through my lover’s hair, “We all know that it couldn’t last forever, Mariko-Chan.” Pausing, I smiled happily, “and I’m glad my lap is nice. It makes me happy that you’re enjoying yourself with me.”

Mariko sighed. “You don’t judge, and I know you wouldn’t hurt me. It’s nice to do something like this.” She paused. “I wouldn’t have agreed to this if it wasn’t Shanghai. I owe this city, and its people, a debt.” She squirmed slightly. “I did some things I really regret, when I was first starting out. I don’t want to be that person anymore.”

“Fair enough.” I replied, continuing to stroke her hair, “You know I don’t exactly care about your part, right? You are who you are, not who you were however long ago this was.”

“I’m not. But sometimes, the past comes back.” Abe sighed. “...XCOM received a message from a triad member several hours ago. He’s requesting asylum in exchange for something he stole from his bosses.” She sat up, steadying herself. “Central wants me to retrieve him with as little mess as possible. But if he is who I think he is… he’ll know me. And that’ll scare him off.”

“Then I’ll go. Support me from the shadows if you must, but you know that I’m decent at stealth missions, even if they’re not my specialty.” I replied instantly, “How valuable is the package?”

“Unknown. But…” She paused. “The Aliens mostly went after major population centers. But they sent a major incursion towards the Red Dragon Triad’s headquarters. It’s just conjecture, but whatever it is might be valuable enough that the Aliens were willing to waste resources retrieving it.”

“Understood.” I responded immediately, “when do you want me to leave?”

“We need to go together.” Abe said. “And we leave at four. Spend some time, get yourself ironed out; we’ll be entering the temple district at dusk.”

Chapter Text

Moving through Shanghai’s streets was easier than it should have been. Even at night, the crowds of China’s largest city should have made making good time to the older shrines nearly impossible; but the recent attack had left a pall over the city. The streets weren’t empty by any means, but they weren’t nearly as packed as they should have been. And that meant that both of us got a few odd looks as we forged our way through the tourist areas towards the isolated shrines and cemeteries out of the tourist corridors.

“Mariko-chan, what exactly is our mission here?” I asked, eyeing the various passerbys out of the corner of my eyes. I had dressed as a classic tourist for this endeavor, intending only on equipping my combat jacket when I needed to. No need to attract needless attention, after all.

“Get the package our defecting contact is holding onto, at the very least. Bring him back to XCOM if at all possible.” Mariko had fallen fully into her professional mindset as she advanced. “Shaojie Zhang is an older man, who is dealing with XCOM in good faith. Such forthright commitment should be respected.”

“Understood.” I replied, fingering the small form of Tamamo, who was hanging around my neck as a necklace. “Any secondary or tertiary objectives?”

“...no.” Abe sighed. “There’s a reason you and I are the only ones handling this. The Council might clear it once they know what the package is, but right now this is technically off the books.” She paused. “Stay alive. You’re worth more than this mission or the package.”

“I will, Mariko-chan.” I replied, my gaze turning serious as we approached our objective, “We’re here. Should I join you in tactical stealth?”

“I can’t stealth. Not for this.” Mariko grimaced as we rounded a corner, leaving the scraggly crowds behind us and moving into an area where many of the overhead lights were missing. “Zhang is expecting XCOM’s special operations leader. Sending someone else…”

“I won’t pretend to understand, but okay. Do you want me visible?” I asked, frowning, my grip around Tamamo tightening briefly before I took a deep breath, sighing.

“Yeah. You’re a public figure, a hero already.” She paused at my confused expression. “Tiny but fierce? Little Witch Special Operative? Doom Slayer’s little sis?”

“Oh god I’m a meme.” I deadpanned in horror, my eyes widening, “I apparently need to keep my finger on the pulse of social media a bit more…”

Abe chuckled, tension leaving her shoulders. “Maybe. But in this case, it’s helpful. The fact that I’m willing to work with you, or that XCOM is willing to pair you with me, will be a point in our favor.” She paused again. “I wouldn’t go rubbing our relationship in his face, but he wouldn’t care about it much.”

“Fair enough.” I replied, smiling back at my girlfriend. “Now, what’s our plan of attack? Just walk in?”

“It should be just a meeting. Unless it’s an ambush. That’s not Zhang’s style, but…”

“It’s always possible.” I replied firmly, “Should I go full no-nonsense bodyguard? Or a dutiful girlfriend?”

“Professional is better. No-nonsense… I don’t think either of us can pull it off. At least, I hope not.”

“Fair enough. I can do professional.” I responded as we came to a red roofed gate, through which I could see a small cemetery dotted with ancient graves. The temple behind the cemetery was guarded by two stone lion-dog statues, and the whole place seemed abandoned. I kept my eyes peeled as we moved up the marble flagstones.

Tamamo whispered to me. “Scans… distorted. Something is blocking communications. Active scans would be noticed in seconds.”

“Understood. Don’t go active unless we come under attack. Something’s… not right about this. But, unless Mariko-chan objects, we’re sticking with her plan.”

As Tamamo hummed in assent, we moved up the last staircase, Abe looked around. “It’s not like him to be running late.” She murmured aloud. “We’re-”

“On time.” The voice coming from behind the nearest statue was quiet, nearly hoarse. A tall man with short grey hair emerged, pistol levelled at Mariko’s head. “Though unexpected. Jorogumo. Why are you here?”

I froze, before forcibly calming myself, doing my best to show no visible reaction. Tamamo. Standby for setup. If this goes hostile… You know what to do.”

Abe didn’t even flinch. “Zhang, I’m here on behalf of XCOM. You know that.”

“I also know that you cannot be trusted. Not after how you sold us out.” Zhang’s lips pressed together. “To join XCOM, did you sell those you manipulated in your home? Will you sell them, if need be?”

“Never.” Abe hissed, her expression changing for the first time, a scowl crossing her face. “They’re fighting for every person on the planet. And I’ve seen what their enemies want- what the aliens want.”

“...perhaps.” He turned, looking at me without moving the gun from where it was held. “You… I also know.” His frown deepened. “How old are you, child?”

“Twenty Two.” I replied, face frozen in stone, “Why does it matter, sir?”

He blinked. “...I’m not comfortable with child soldiers. My apologies.” He shook his head. “Older than you look, then.” He frowned. “XCOM sends a hero and a traitor to meet with me. What says more about their intentions, I wonder.”

My gaze softens a bit at the mention of child soldiers, “I don’t know anything about Abe’s past. However… She’s been nothing but kind to me since I was stranded on Mars. Perhaps she was a terrible person in another time. But now? She’s done nothing to deserve my scorn. Perhaps she hurt you in the past. Fine. Though I don’t think holding a grudge is helpful in any scenario.” I stated, putting my hands on my hips.

“...still a child in some ways.” Zhang lowered the gun. “I will withhold judgement, then. I suppose, as a traitor myself, I should be willing to watch and learn.”

As I prepared to speak, Tamamo hissed. “Spatial distortion detected. We’re being drawn in!”

“Fuck!” I replied, even as I immediately equipped my Combat Vest, throwing myself at Zhang, shouting as I covered him with my body, “Get Down! We’re getting drawn into a spatial distortion!”

Abe’s head snapped up. “Barrier space? Why the hell-” She stopped as a wave of white surrounded the three of us, drawing us into a copy of the cemetery- and facing a small squadron of men in body armor, accented with while plates and orange cloth. “EXALT. Fuck!”

Zhang snapped his pistol up, aiming at the men. “Who are you?”

“Zhang, stay behind me,” I growled gutturally, “These men are those who would sell humanity out for a mere chance at immortality.” Subtly, I began to prepare a barrier spell, one that would cover both Zhang and I, while bringing Tamamo up to aim at one of them, daring the bastards to start shooting. At this point, it was likely that Zhang was fucked. But I would do my best anyway.

The six men didn’t hesitate, instead leveling their glowing weapons and directing a surge of red energy blasts downrange at us. I managed to snap up the barrier I was preparing in time, shielding Zhang from the barrage, even as the man snapped into a combat roll which took him behind one of the lion-dog statues behind us.

Beside me, Abe swore, Danzo covering her body in her barrier jacket. “Lyric, guard the VIP and the device! I’m calling for reinforcement and extraction, but it’ll take time.”

As she levelled her weapon at the oncoming soldiers, she paused as they halted in lockstep. From behind the white figures, a rhythmic metal clanging sounded through the frozen landscape. The soldiers parted, revealing a white and red figure, whose metallic hands rang as he moved them in a slow clap.

The figure advanced, revealing him to stand a full head and shoulders above the normal-sized men. “The Assassin and the Outsider. Truly, It is both an opportunity and an annoyance to meet you two here today. Congratulations are in order, for nullifying the alpha strike.” The man stopped, opaque visor peering directly at us. “Unfortunate that the two of you are merely obstacles to this mission. Surrender the traitor and his cargo, and we will depart. Oppose us, and I will claim you for my studies. Choose quickly.”

“No.” I said simply, a spell circle manifesting at my feet, “Time to die.” I blinked, Tamamo morphing into Assault Mode and emptying as many shots as I could squeeze in before the man inevitably reacted. The being sighed, a shield igniting around him before flickering.

“Specimens it is. Take them down, priority is containment and collection. Alive is preferable, but lower priority than success.” The man’s form distorted, leaving only a fading shadow as the motionless guards dove for cover, sending hails of suppressive fire towards the temple.

A shield springs forth from my hand, expanding as the spell circle manifests below my feet once more. “You… are… pissing… me… off…” I growl, orbs of energy forming once more above me, preparing to bombard, “Begone from existence. Senbonzakura.”

The cyan hail of projectiles fanned out, catching the advancing soldiers by surprise. As I watched, the projectiles scythed down three of the soldiers, but the rest came on, guns spitting as they advanced, eerily silent. Abe’s gun barked, downing more, even as Zhang leaned out of cover to take pot-shots at the advancing men.

There was a harsh sound, and a bulky figure in white appeared at the end of the courtyard. Metal plates covered the mechanical figure. With a hiss, the robot hefted its large cannon, directing high-velocity projectiles downrange. Two shots of the barrage slammed into my shield, one only delivering a glancing blow, the second shattering it like glass. Grunting, fighting my urge to scream in pain, I returned fire with a quick burst from Tamamo, before the shield springs forth from my hand once more, joined by two others, forming a tri-layered shield. I was sweating, by this point, truly feeling the intense draw of mana from all the magic I had been throwing around during the previous day.

Fight through it. I ordered myself, slowly expanding the shield to encompass my allies.

“Intriguing.” The original man’s voice sounded through the hulking robot. “Your magical output is an order of magnitude higher than other possible subjects, save perhaps that anarchist Mulberry.” he mused. “I may have to hide my research until you are captured; otherwise, they may take you away from me.” Without any more words, the robot leveled its cannon, only to rock as Abe appeared above it, driving a long blade down into the chink between its head and torso.

Even as the robot attempted to dismount Abe, the remaining soldiers stormed forward, firing their guns and pulling out grenades, prepping to lob a rain of explosives on my shield. With another grunt of effort, I begin to manifest the orbs required for senbonzakura, crying in pain as the mana draw began to truly eat away at me. Panting, I continued onwards regardless, fighting through the pain, thoughts of what would happen to my charges if I didn’t forge ahead.

Tamamo spoke up “Reinforcements in 40 seconds. Hold out, master!”

With a cry, I released my mage-blast, the enemy troops in the center of their formation dying as my cyan blasts ripped through them. As they fell, their comrades threw their grenades, explosions ripping through the first layer of my shield, then the second- but the third endured the oncoming assault. Abe was forced to dismount the flailing robot, but cored in its chest with a charged shot as it attempted to get its footing. The hulking robot collapsed, then detonated as Abe sprinted at the backs of the four remaining troopers. The four men were surprised, falling one by one beneath gunfire and her blades.

Still panting, I held my shield, vision blurring as I realized exactly how much mana I had expended. Holding the shield had drained me. A lot. I collapsed to my knees, my hand still raised in defiance. Not over yet. I mused, Could still be more. Gotta… stay… awake…

“Easy now, child.” A strong shoulder nestled itself beneath my own, lifting me off my feet and into a fireman’s carry. Zhang looked down at me, lips pursed in concern. “I know battle fatigue when I see it. Rest, the foes have fled.”

“Really? How optimistic.” A distortion pulled open in the air, the white figure from before appearing within arm’s reach of my remaining shield. With a whine, the barrier collapsed as the man swiped his hand through it. Abe spun, but wasn’t close enough to stop the man from raising a buzzing weapon in one hand. “And wrong. Stay-”

He was cut off as Zhang shifted, something clattering across the pavement to land at the feet of the white figure, even as the Chinese man sprang backwards. With a familiar THOOM, the Alien Grenade he’d carried went off, blowing the white figure to the ground. Abe was on him in moments, blade taking off his head before she turned and sprinted to me. “Lillie, are you alright?”

“No,” I croaked out, staring at the headless body of the- “Confirm the kill, please.” I whispered to Abe, noting the fact that the man was still standing, “He…” I coughed, “Might not be dead. Mad scientist type.”

“A modicum of intelligence in the face of unexpected emotion.” Abe spun back even as the body vanished in a teleport, leaving the still-speaking head behind. “The damage to my body and my pawns is regrettable, but not unexpected. I’ll need to be better prepared next time.” The head’s stump leaked no blood; instead wires popped and fizzed beneath the shorn-off metal.

Abe strode over, lifting up the helmeted head. “There won’t be a next time. I’ll hunt you down first.”

“My patrons have hid in plain sight for twelve hundred years. And you have other issues to worry about.” The voice scoffed. “Progress is inevitable, and I intend to ride the tide as it rises. Not be left in the muck of your miserable existence.”

“And you’re willing to betray mankind to do it?” Zhang asked, pulling himself to his feet as he set me on mine.

“Humanity is a curse. I have discarded it, to join something greater. I have no more time to deal in petty morality and discourse; I need to construct a new sensor array.” With that, the slight glow behind the visor died, even as the barrier space collapsed, dumping us and the smoking corpses of our enemies into the real world.

Of course, it was at this moment that my shield finally dropped, and I fell flat on my face, passing out.

“..she’s going to be alright, doctor?” The voice which dragged me from unconsciousness was only vaguely familiar. As I came awake, for a brief moment, I tensed, before I relaxed. I had passed out right next to Zhang and Abe. The chances of me being safe were, frankly, far greater than me not being safe.

Though, as I quickly discovered, ‘safe’ was a relative term. A very familiar face loomed over me, Abe’s mouth pulled into a scowl. “Lillie, what was that?”

“Used too much mana.” I replied, “Shields are evidently not my strong suit.”

“Not what I meant.” She hissed. “I meant using two castings of your biggest spell- without efficiency modifications- when you were already on a low tank? When you could’ve done much more with other abilities?” Her scowl collapsed, tightening into a wavy line. “...what was the first priority I gave you?”

“Stay alive.” I replied dutifully, “And I did. I could have done better… but… I just got so angry.” Sharpening my gaze, I sighed, “I’ll do better next time. I lost my head. It won’t happen again.”

“..it won’t.” She nodded. “Because I’m going to train this ‘big move fixation’ out of you. Also, tactical training, not just dogfighting. If you’d been thinking, you could’ve grabbed Zhang and blinked out of the way.” She huffed. “Command agrees with me.”

I shrugged, “I only ever got basic training. If you wanted a spec-ops soldier out of me-” I cut myself off, letting the bitterness go. I had volunteered for this. Sighing, I continued, “I know, Mariko-chan. Just… been missing home lately. No idea where it came from, but its been throwing me off.” I lied easily, not really wanting to get into an argument while I was lying in bed.

Abe frowned, sitting down on the bed. “Try again. What’s really bothering you?”

I sighed. “I’m not a spec-ops soldier Mariko.” I said, my shoulders sagging, “I never have been. I was a civilian till the accelerated basic training you guys gave me, and I’ve probably unconsciously treating this like a game, to some extent.” I laughed, a mocking, self derisive laugh, “Guess that encounter showed me, huh.”

“...maybe. But you’re right.” Mariko sighed, relaxing further. “You’ve succeeded in everything we’ve thrown at you- I suppose we’ve gotten a little complacent on our end.” She shook her head. “Command has final say, but besides your final collapse, you did really well, and I think you deserve a break. You’re definitely going to be off the combat rotation for the next week or two, anyway.” She reached out and booped my nose. “And it’s better you learned this way, really; you’re here, whole, and healthy. You’re just exhausted.”

I nodded, “I appreciate it. I’ll probably run some drills with Tamamo later. If Command has any simulations she can run, I’d greatly appreciate it. While I will be taking a break, there’s some stuff I need to learn, quite clearly.”

Mariko nodded. “Yeah, don’t we all.” She grimaced. “I think I need to get a handle on myself, anyway. I made a few mistakes of my own on this mission… I might be going… well, soft isn’t the right word.” She frowned, tapping her bottom lip.

“Empathy isn’t a bad thing, but you need to separate your attachment to me while we’re “on the clock” Mariko-chan.” I replied, “You could have confirmed the kill right then and there if I hadn’t been in the process of collapsing.”

“Maybe, but I wasn’t expecting a man to survive without his head.” Mariko muttered. “That’s cheating.”

“Mad scientist type.” I pointed out, “His rant at the start and end proved as much.”

“...but the head always works…” She pouted. “I’ll just have to burn him to ashes. That should kill anything, right?”

I shrugged, “He was probably mostly robotic. For all we know, his brain could have been in his groin.”

“That’s just crazy talk.” Abe responded, standing up. “Rest up. We’re back at base now, and they want you to stay overnight. Debriefing after breakfast tomorrow.”

“Mkay.” I replied, settling in for some nice boredom, “I’ll see you later, Mariko-chan.” She gave a wave and a smile as she exited the room.

“Want some entertainment, Lillie?” Tamamo asked, a smile on her voice, “I am capable of it.”

“Sure. Put on the Global News. And… can you do web-browsers Tamamo? I do believe it’s about time I checked if some of the forums I liked to frequent have equivalents in this world.”

“Certainly.“

Chapter Text

I spun, dodging the incoming fire from the dozen aliens scattered on the ground. As I jerked, I levelled my gun, sending quick bolts through the heads of the sectoids below. As I focused down at my targets, I kept moving, which saved me from incoming fire from a hovering cyberdisc. As I juked to one side, I grimaced as-

-TIME-

I groaned as the simulation dissolved around me, dumping me back into the room as I opened my eyes. On the nearby monitors, images from my simulation flickered by as two people watched my progress, to my surprise. Abe was expected- Abigail was not. Regardless, right now, I was supposed to be going through some more intense training. Shrugging, I gave a polite nod to Abigail and Abe, “How did I do this time?”

“You seem to be doing much better at rationing your energy.” Abigail remarked, studying one of the panels. “You weren’t completing the objectives as fast, but you’re lasting longer, according to Miss Mariko.”

Abe scowled. “Please don’t call me that. It makes me feel old.” Abe turned her eyes to mine. “...how old do you think I am, Lillie?”

I shrugged, “It’s none of my business, and I’ve never made a habit of guessing anyone’s age. I’m much more likely to directly ask people.” I replied, hiding a smile, “As for lasting longer, that’s good.”

“Right. At this point, I think only more simulations and experience will help.” Abe sighed. “There’s only so much simulations can do to increase actual combat experience and improve combat objective hierarchy.”

Abigail frowned. “...are you reading from a script?”

“You have to have the buzzwords in there.” Abe responded flippantly. “Speaking of which, why are you here?”

“Now that my student has recovered mentally, I thought we might begin our proper lessons. I even have a second student to work with her!” Abigail clapped her hands.

I perked up, “Second student?” I asked, grinning, “Joy of joys! Someone who I can either compete with or study with! Depending on how nice they are.”

“...well, you’ve already met him. Under odd circumstances, but at least he’ll probably respect you.” Abigail said as she led you from the room. “He just joined XCOM, so he’ll probably be a little off-kilter.”

“Sergeant Zhang has a very solid mind, and has been unfazed by his arrival here.” Abigail said, before her cheer faded. “He’s also being very reserved. He is used to work and hierarchy; the particulars of this life and the wonders therein, less so.”

“Well, given our vastly different pasts, I can’t really see myself truly connecting with him, but I will make the effort, at the very least,” I say, a smile gracing my face for a moment before I forced it back into neutrality, “As for the lessons, Abagail-Sensei, I’m ready when you are. Mariko-chan, will I see you for drinks today, time permitting?”

“Shouldn’t be a problem.” Mariko said absently, waving one hand. “I don’t have any meetings tonight.”

Abigail hummed. “Ah.” She glanced between the two of us. “...is this a private gathering, or may I join the two of you?”

I freeze, all my thought processes screeching to a halt. Forcibly, I wrench my thoughts away from the rather disturbing image of Mariko and Abigail both dating me that had just flashed through my head unbidden, though in a manner unlike the rather classic Harem or Reverse-Harem. Grinding my teeth together, I push those thoughts back into the box they belong in, my slowly reddening face the only visible indicator of my inner turmoil. Having somewhat mastered myself, (or so I believed), I start to stutter out, “U-uh- I-”

Mariko stopped, blinking. “...what?” She asked softly.

Abigail flicked her gaze across both of us, face reddening. “Not… oh dear.” She blushed. “Nevermind. Lillie, I’ll see you later.” She turned, started to walk away, then stopped and vanished in a bloom of blue-purple light.

Abe slowly shook her head. “...I…” She stopped. “I thought she didn’t like me. What the hell was that?”

I remain silent for a moment, briefly contemplating not saying anything before my emotions get the better of me, and I choke off a sob, “She’s- She’s psionic. And a rather powerful one at that. She got a look into my head, and-” Rather forcibly, I cut myself off once more, refusing to elaborate further for the moment.

“...so she probably got a look in mine.” Abe said softly. “That’s maybe why…” She frowned. “What changed? Was I reading that right?”

Wincing, I briefly debated on what to do. On one hand, I really wanted some answers on why Abi had reacted the way she had. On the other, I could remain silent- who was I kidding. I had to either go after Abigail, or comfort my girlfriend. The choice, unfortunately, tore me up a lot more than it should, and I sighed harshly, playing with my hair, a nervous tic that Mariko was more than aware of. “Mariko- I- I- Oh screw it. I have, at times, some rather screwed up thoughts. Like, having multiple romantic partners. Unfortunately, my brain took Abigail’s offer in the completely wrong way, and supplied me with an image that I’m still trying to force back into its box. Though I’m still really puzzled on why she reacted the way she did…”

“Polyamory?” At my rather shocked look, then slow nod, Abe shook her head. “I’m not offended, dear. Though I would think she’d be used to people thinking horny thoughts around her.” Abe gave a wry smile, which quickly faded. “The more I interact with her, the less certain I am of my original casting of her.” She sighed. “I’ve been working on false info about our psionic lady too long. And I doubt we can get a straight answer from her. Or rather, I won’t.”

Still sorting through my shock that my thoughts were not actually that unknown (given Tamamo’s rather rapid reassurances that such a thing was actually relatively normal in modern society, let alone in Al-Hazard) and the fact that Mariko seemed relatively okay with my admission, I decided to roll with it, “I presume you want me to go ask sensei if she’s willing to share?” I replied, unable to keep my shock at having my world upended from my voice, “If she asks me to keep it private, I will, just so you’re aware…”

“No, actually.” Abe said. “I’m not going to judge you for being interested, but until I actually know her… no.” She shook her head. “I’d also like to know if what she was asking was an attempt to date us, or something more benign.” She put up one finger, cutting off my response. “You’re a wonderful person, Lillie, even if you need to learn when to be more cautious. You’re also very transparent, and that makes it easy for me to trust you. But Abby… she’s been a closed book, and I’ve apparently not even gotten the cover right. So ask your questions, but don’t give her an invitation.”

Blushing furiously, I squeaked out in rapid-fire, “Ididn’tmeanshareherwithyouromanticallyImeantshareherthoughtsbecauseyouhadbeencuriousaboutwhatshewasthinkingohmygodisthisreallymylifenow!” before immediately fleeing via teleportation, reappearing in my room breathing rather harshly, extremely hot and bothered by the rather frank talk and the deluge of images appearing in my mind. Given that I had never had a monthly cycle, even considering my new status as a biological female, I dismissed the urge to blame my monthlies for my problems at the moment, before screwing my eyes shut and entering a fierce debate with myself between two or more partitions, about whether I should give into the horny and enjoy myself or take a long, ice-cold shower.

As I was wrestling with myself, a beep came from Tamamo. After a few seconds, Tamamo’s Avatar showed up, a foxy grin on her face. “Ah, mistress?”

The scream of frustration building up in my mouth at the inconvenient interruption was silenced only by the discipline quite literally hammered into me by my training, given Tamamo’s tone of voice, “Yes Tamamo?” I replied, forcing myself to remain rigid as my partitions continued to debate, “What is it?”

“The Commander would like to inform you that she’s given you plenty of warnings about inter-base teleportation. I took the liberty of explaining to her why you felt the need to break protocol again.” She smiled. “Luckily, she accepted your reasoning, so you only have dish duty after dinner mess tonight.”

“The commander is kind,” I replied, with a note of irony in my voice, “What’s the catch?” I continued, well aware of my CO’s nature by this point.

“You’re not the only one to break that rule today. Lady Abigail has the same punishment duty alongside you.”

This time, I couldn’t control my scream of frustration, and Immediately stormed towards the shower, my original goal long since forgotten. Truly, the commander was the envy of many a internet troll…

By dinnertime, I was much less anxious, but that didn’t seem to help much as I approached the kitchens. As the hatch opened, I watched the massive crowd of white-clad men and women swarm through the room, busily chopping veggies, handling racks of baked goods, and delivering trays of meat to the front lines.

It was glorious, horrifying chaos. Or perhaps just another night in a commercial kitchen.

As I stood there, a tall man in a white-and-green apron moved over to me. “So, we’ve got two short stacks on dish duty tonight.” He eyed me, then gave a nod. “Go get an apron, gloves, and a hair net. It’s not hard work, but I expect you to handle it well, understood?”

“Haven’t washed dishes in a commercial kitchen in a while, to be honest,” I muttered, smiling slightly at the foresight I had to do my hair in a rather complicated braid, mostly keep it up and away from contaminating anything it touched. I had worked in food service for two years prior to my isekai after all. As I finished putting on the provided ‘uniform’, I turned towards the tall man in the apron again, “Is Abigail here yet, or am I early?” I said, speaking up this time to be clearly heard as I moved towards the dishwashing station with a purpose, already beginning to take stock of what I had to work with.

“The blondie? She got here earlier.” He frowned. “I’m going to tell you what I told her; no special powers in my kitchen. This is punishment duty, and you don’t experiment when the whole kitchen is counting on you to get your job done.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, sir.” I replied as I picked up my first dish, idly glancing at Abigail before tearing my gaze away, “and, to be frank sir, I don’t really have any ‘powers’ that would enhance my ability to wash dishes.”

“Mages have tried.” He shrugged. “Believe me, trying to cool hot plate with ice magic? Bad idea.” He groaned. “Busted dishwasher, busted pipes… that was a bad Thursday.” He looked at Abigail, then back at me. “You’re only ours for the dinner rush. We’ll let you go at twenty-thirty.”

I nodded, hiding a smirk as a rather funny thought popped into my head, and headed back to the dish pit. After all, it wouldn’t do for me to be too amused during punishment duty. Although the idea of “A List of Things that Mages are No Longer Allowed to Do” would be a rather amusing read…

Abigail’s frown relaxed as she looked at me, and she merely nodded. After a few minutes, she began to work on her own set of dishes, occasionally glancing around when she came to an unfamiliar bit before returning to her work. After an hour of work, the steady flow of dirty cups and plates lowed to a trickle, and she leaned back, nodding to me once. “...Lillie? May I… ask what you were thinking of earlier?” She flushed slightly. “I only caught glimpses.”

Blushing, though a lot less harshly than before, I sighed, forcibly keeping my hands from wandering up to my hair. I would rather not have to change gloves, after all. “I just found out about four hours ago that I’m poly, as in polyamorus. I had thought that it was abnormal, given my very recent exposure to the more progressive side of my original home before I was yoten into this world. I was… considering the implications of having both you and Mariko as girlfriends/romantic partners, then immediately shoving that thought into a box, since at the time, I considered it shameful. Given my rather frank talk with Mariko, I won’t actually act upon those urges, given that I suspect it’s mostly hormonal in nature anyway, and the fact that Mariko currently isn’t willing to share.” I said softly, once more forcing my hands to keep working, “Sorry, today’s been a day of revelations. And I thought that I couldn’t have another profound revelation after I discovered I was trans…”

“...ah.” Abigail flushed slightly, gesturing to solidify the privacy curtain she’d tossed up. “A bit more direct and elaborate of an explanation than I expected. To be frank, though I am… curious.” She nodded. “That is the right word, I think. I’m not ready for that sort of thing.” She let out a sigh. “I was hoping to try interacting with the other base staff with someone I could call a friend. That’s not something I can do often. I didn’t mean to cause such a romantic tizzle. My apologies.”

“Abigail,” I replied, my voice soft, “I can still go as a friend. And you have nothing to apologize for. Not having to force those feelings in a box is/was quite liberating, to be honest. Somehow as liberating or just about as liberating as admitting I was transgender back home.”

“Mind-body dissonance is not a pleasant affliction, no. I’m glad you’ve been better of late.” She gave a wain smile. “It’s not pleasant to experience from the outside, either.”

Smiling, I nodded, though I said nothing further on the subject. Abigail took my nod as acceptance, then coughed slightly. “Ah… in any case, I suppose tonight is going to be a private affair between the two of you, yes? Then to be clear, I would like to join you and miss Abe, or either of you alone to go and have an engagement. Without any romantic connotations.” She gave a shy smile. “Would that be alright?”

“It’s not really romantic, but it will probably raise some eyebrows with any of the regulars that frequent the bar.” I commented, “And I don’t particularly mind, given that it’d give me a chance to get to know you better.”

“...I suppose the bar is a poor idea. I don’t drink much.” Abigail bit her lip. “Drunk Magi have their devices and no ability to create the calculations for spell work. Drunk Psions have far less controls on their powers. Other than the bar, is there any activity you’d suggest we could do?”

“Abigail, you don’t have to drink to enjoy yourself at a bar,” I giggled, trying to bring myself under control so I could at least make an attempt at keeping the dishes coming in going out at a decent rate, “It’s mostly a social event, and no one will complain if you just order water, or any other drink. Especially given the reason.”

“I know that.” She replied. “But I would like to be doing something if we’re going to a crowded place.” She fidgeted. “I’m good at holding up my barriers, but if we’re going to have fun, I’ll need something else to focus on.” She sighed. “...apologies.”

I shrugged, spending a few minutes silently washing dishes, doing my best to keep my mind on soothing thoughts as I tried to figure out something that Mariko and Abigail would both enjoy, given that I wasn’t sure how jealous Mariko could/would get, and, regardless of how much she trusted me, I really wasn’t willing to push it. Finally, an idea popped into my mind, “Are you a fan of any kind of board game? I think I can set aside a day later in the week for something quiet, so long as the enemy give us a break.”

“That would be lovely.” She tapped her lower lip. “Most of the games I know of work better with more players. Should I invite a fourth? Or would that be too much, do you think? Asaru is not willing to be the fourth player.”

“Honestly, given that I’d rather not deal with the mess his presence would cause if he was discovered, I’m fine with that.” I muttered, “And RISK and games like that are pretty okay with three players, though you do have a point that four or five is generally the sweet spot. If you’d like, and don’t mind, I’m not going to demand it be private.”

Abigail smiled. “Thank you. I think I know who I would like to invite, too. She’s young, but her father is on-base. She’ll enjoy playing with us, I think.”

“Board games?” Mariko asked, looking up over her sake bottle. “I mean, I’ll give it a go, but what exactly did you have in mind? Pretty certain I haven’t played one since my last game of strip scrabble.”

“I mean, if you want forfeits, you’re going to have to make another club, Mariko-chan.” I muttered, a light blush dusting my cheeks as I nursed my wine, “Besides, Carcassonne, Risk, Monopoly, all of them are mentally challenging if you actually get down into the nitty-gritty. And they tend to be relaxing, which is what I’m after in the first place.” Briefly taking a sip to appreciate this damn good wine, I sighed, “Honestly, Abi could really use some more friends. And given your prior comments on her…”

“This is a good way to get to know her better.” She said. “And I wouldn’t do strip or drinking games with a kid involved.” She tapped her chin. “But where the hell would she meet a kid? And who is it? As far as I know, there aren’t any people on-base under eighteen.”

“I mean, given that you know there aren’t any people on base under eighteen, one would assume that she’s talking about an eighteen or seventeen year old, given what enlistment age is in the US.” I replied, idly tapping on my drink and sighing, picking at my sashimi, “Regardless, is there a particular reason you choose this Izakaya? The food and drinks are absolutely fantastic, but Tamamo told me earlier that it’s not really famous.”

“The bartender here… I basically own him.” Seeing my look, she shook her head. “Not like that, but he’s not going to tell anyone we’re here, and keeps a stock of my favorites at all times. If I don’t want anyone knowing I’m around, or if I want to meet with my old associates and subordinates, this is one place I can go.” She took another sip. “I might ask you to come back here on your own to make a pickup at some point. Two birds, one stone.”

“Hmm. Fair enough Mariko-chan.” I idly replied, “Say, since today has been a day of revelations, do you mind if I… have you make a choice on something? I never intended Lillie to be a permanent name for me… and I forgot to tell the UN rep when I was filling out the paperwork… Regardless, I’ve narrowed it down to three. Miyu, with the kanji meaning beautiful evening, Shizuka, with the kanji meaning quiet summer, and Yuuki, for the literal meaning and the kanji for gentle hope.” As I finished, growing progressively more hesitant and quiet as I finished off the list, I fidgeted in place, refusing to meet Mariko’s eyes as I bored a hole into the low table we were seated at.

A hand reached into my field of vision, finger hooking beneath my chin and lifting my eyes to meet Abe’s serious ones. “Changing a name… big decision.” She said softly. “It’s usually meant, in my line of work, to distance yourself from who you were before.” She shook her head. “I know you don’t mean it like that, but I’ve gotta ask why you feel the need.”

In a small voice, I replied, a note of melancholy echoing through my voice, “I’m not going to share my deadname here, since it belongs in the past, buried in an unmarked grave. But… Lillie was a stopgap, and was always intended as such. I needed a feminine name that wasn’t close to my deadname, given that while it was unisex, I just… associated it too much with pain. Regardless, I’m also a huge Japanophile, and I wanted to have a Japanese name. It’s not a choice I made lightly, but… Lillie isn’t who I am anymore.”

“So long as you don’t change your heart, I don’t see any problem with that.” Mariko smiled. “Though all your names are fairly passive. Are you trying to tell me something?”

I blinked, “If you’re being lewd, I am, so far as I’m aware, submissive in bed, though I am capable of dominating, to an extent.” I replied automatically, the wine I’d been nursing for the last two hours finally taking its toll. “And if you’re not, I’m not really sure what you mean by passive names. Mariko means either village child or genuine/honest child, so I’m really confused now…” I continued, pouting.

“I liked the irony.” She grinned. “Anyway, Shizuka, do you need me to purge your records and ask Abigail to alter everyone’s memories?”

I shook my head rapidly, blushing furiously, “No need to go that far. I’m sure that most of X-COM’s staff won’t give me any trouble over it. And I don’t really think anyone but a really moronic beaurocrat would care, to be honest.” Pausing for a moment to test my new name, I smiled. “Rii Shizuka or Shizuka Lee if we want to be anglo. It’s… nice. Fits perfectly. Tamamo, I hope you don’t mind?”

“No issues at all master.” My partner commented, totally unphased by this turn of events, “I’ll just update my records. Easy enough.”

“I see.” She paused. “Also, I have to ask- you’re not Japanese? You have no accent.”

“Born and raised in Japan, but in the other world, I was ethnically Korean-American. Before you ask, my grandparents on my father’s side were either forced laborers in the second world war, or direct children of forced laborers. I was never really sure which it was. Anyway, I lived in Japan until I was early in my third year of elementary school, then I moved to the US and never really came back outside of vacations. It’s something I’ve thought about often, as a what if scenario. What if we had never left. I wonder if I would have turned out any different…” I quietly replied in a subdued tone, “Regardless, my Japanese is something I’ve actually been working on since I’ve been able to partition. I want that skill back, so I’m getting it back.”

“Well, I couldn’t tell. You handle what you know with aplomb.” She smiled back at me. “Keep up the good work.” She paused, taking another sip from her saucer. “Enough of the heavy subjects. What else should we talk about?”

I shrugged, “Not sure, to be honest. Maybe about the weather?”

“...I think I’ll need to add lessons in small talk to my information gathering lessons.” Mariko sighed. “Do we want to discuss work, or talk about something else?” She tapped her chin. “Alternatively, if you really want to talk about the weather, we could discuss the latest conspiracy theories.”

“The last one sounds the most interesting, to be honest.” I replied, hiding a smile. All according to keikaku. I thought smugly, snickering internally.

“They do tend to be pretty outlandish. So there are some people who believe that the aliens are capable of weaponizing hurricanes…”

After several hours of exchanging the more absurd conspiracy theories (apparently JFK was assassinated in both worlds- but in this one, his killer had a chance to take the stand rather than die. So there were less crazy stories about that here. Who knew?) the two of us stumbled out of the bar, neither of us drunk but neither completely sober.

As we walked into the streets of Tokyo, Mariko smiled. “That was lovely… but we’re still having those lessons later. Among others~”

I blinked, “I genuinely cannot tell if you’re being lewd or not, and it turns me on.”

“Excellent~” She smiled down at me. “Those will be fun lessons…” She leaned in close. “Do you know how long it is-”

Her words were cut off as a bright flash split the heavens behind her head. Spinning, we both turned to watch as the flash faded, revealing a hail of shooting stars descending into the surrounding realms. “...oh dear. What’s the chance we’ll have to deal with whatever that is?”

Groaning, I replied instantly, “Very, very, very likely.” My eyes narrowed. “Mariko, where are we? In Tokyo, I mean.”

“We’re in Uminari City’s commercial district.” She murmured back. “Why?”

“Oh for the love of all that is holy can the TSAB not keep their shit in check!?” I roared, “Seriously! We’re at fuckin WAR with a group of omnicidal aliens!”

“You know something?” Mariko asked.

“A suspicion based on metaknowledge,” I stated softly, “I’ve been ignoring what I know as much as possible, given that this world exists somewhat in the universe I come from, though not in this form.” Pausing, I continued, a wince flashing across my face, “I honestly didn’t expect the plot of either franchise to really play out in anyway remotely similar to the way it was portrayed in fiction.”

“...well, what’s going on?”

“Someone’s trying to play god.”

Chapter Text

Commander Tazri stared over her folded hands, her single eye half-closed as she looked at me. “Meta-knowledge.” She paused, then pulled her coffee mug over to her, upending it into her maw. “And you didn’t think this was actionable intelligence?”

“No.” I said simply, “I didn’t.” At the commander's skeptical look, I sighed, “Commander Anderson, I barely knew either series, only truly really knowing the… Nanoha franchise. I know of the XCOM franchize, but I literally know nothing of the details! As for Nanoha’s story… Everything I knew should be moot, given that the literal once in a millennia prodigy that features in the story really should have been picked up by Japan’s mages. It baffles me that she hasn’t been. And all I know of the conflict in season one would be moot regardless!”

Tazri sighed, raising a hand as I gathered a head of steam. “I believe you.” Her gaze narrowed. “Namely, because I wouldn’t have believed you until the event seven hours ago actually happened. If you’d told me that a fucking magical girl anime was going to go down in our backyard, I would have never let you into the base.” She scowled. “But the facts match with your description. Two unidentified vessels, neither of Alien or Terrestrial origin. One was destroyed, and its pieces have scattered over the land and sea surrounding Tokyo.” She sighed. “And if you’re right, we’re about to have a major distraction on our hands, right as the Aliens resume their assault.”

“I don’t remember all the details, but…” I paused, my eyes widening to the size of literal saucers, “FUCK! Tamamo, I… I have to say this. Based on what I know, the ‘villain’ of the story I’m familiar with was trying to gain access to Al-Hazard’s capital. But as far as she knows, it’s just a mystical city. Goddamit how did I forget this…”

“While I would love to ascertain the fate of Al-Hazard, the possibility of someone undoing the containment seal on the capital worries me greatly. While the plague is gone, accessing the city without permission from one of the court would be… a suicidal idea. Do you know what kind of artifact she’d be using to do it?” My device responded aloud, her tone dry, “Shizuka, were I to get angry at people poking at Al-Hazard’s relics, I would be obliged to never have let you use me.”

Pausing, I sighed in relief, “Well, Tamamo, from what I recall, the artifacts are known as the Jeweled Seeds. I think they were basically giant mana-batteries, which, when given purpose, could achieve awesome feats. Said to grant wishes, which is what the lady that blew up the ship carrying them wants them for.”

“Brute force might be able to force a way through the wards and defenses on the outside of the capital’s citadel, but without an internal command, the whole city would turn upon the intruder. And those defenses, as far as I know, were meant to counter whole assault fleets. The collateral damage would be significant.” She paused. “Is she a treasure hunter? A scholar? With time and care, one might be able to use that power to signal the all-clear…”

Looking apologetically at the commander, I sighed, playing with my hair, “She’s a grieving mother dealing with a wonderful soup of grief, survivor’s guilt, hatred for her daughter’s clone, and is just generally unpleasant. She shattered under the pressure of her daughter’s death, and, in my opinion, is irredeemable. Others think differently, but it was always a discussion based on a fictional story, not real life events… Until now.”

“Not one concerned with patience, then.” Tamamo reasoned. “And she seeks Al-Hazard… why?”

“Apparently she thinks that Al-Hazard could quite literally resurrect the dead. Which, given how long her daughter has been dead… wait, nevermind, the insane woman has her daughter’s body in stasis.”

Tazri sighed. “So she’s crazy, and is willing to blast innocents aside to get what she wants.” She set her drained mug aside, pulling up her comm-screen. “I’ve sent a request for Japan’s citizenship register, but since I can’t tell them why we need it, we’ll likely be stonewalled for a little while.” She then pulled aside another screen. “The Mid-Childans have given a very vague blanket statement regarding the indecent. Honestly, the fact that they just lost a vessel in our space, to what you say is a deranged member of their own nation, could torpedo their current message.”

“Which is good. Actually, Commander, I can probably find miss Takamachi pretty easily. I would quite literally just need a phone book, to be honest. One that covers the Uminari district. But if you want to go through official channels, we likely won’t make it in time to intervene. Nanoha Takamichi, who is quite literally nine years old, will be recruited by another child genius to help him recover the Jeweled Seeds within one or two days of the crash. As she’s walking home from her school, in fact. I just can’t recall the name of said school…”

“Unfortunately, sending you in there in any official capacity is out of the question.” Tazri scowled. “XCOM is chartered to intervene in response to Alien incursions. We are not permitted to send soldiers into their territory to accost persons of interest without Council permission.”

“So if I take a very enthusiastic walk with some of my vacation time?” I asked, a pondering look on my face, “There would be no problem? Given that I’m not a citizen of any nation and have somewhat of a heroic public image?”

“You could take a walk, yes. But without any enthusiasm.” She retorted. “Attack or threaten civilians, throw your weight around, or even try to take possession of what the Japanese will call legal salvage? And XCOM will take the blame.” She nodded at me. “I know you want to help, and we’ll be giving you the mission as soon as I can.”

“Commander, there is a literal child putting her life on the line. In a much more dangerous world than her “story”. Given that the X-Rays likely detected the ships’s detonation, and the fact they’re also at war with the TSAB, I- I can’t do nothing. I’m not going to take an Alucard style walk if you ask me not to. But at least let me teach the poor child…”

“That’s what I was thinking.” Tazri smiled. “As soon as we’ve identified Takamachi, I’ll send you into Japan on loan, to teach her. Japan only has five combat-capable mages left, since they were left out of most of the magical arms race. If I deploy you to Japan to ‘guide’ the new magus and help with Japan’s defenses, you’ll be welcomed with open arms.” She winced. “You’ll have to wait for the first engagement by Miss Nanoha. How bad was it, in your story?”

“She probably should have died.” I whispered, “Some kind of mutated animal is my guess, given it was never really revealed in the series. Regardless, if she hadn’t had a stupidly powerful device, and the core strength to use it, along with the literal metric ton of natural talent the girl has, she would have died, I think.”

“In that case, we’ll have Mariko monitor the situation, and let us know the minute something changes.” She glanced at Tamamo, eyebrow raised. “You’ve gotten a lot of practice with teleporting… perhaps too much. Once we send you the coordinates, you should be able to respond in seconds. Will that suffice?”

I shrugged, “I’d feel more comfortable hovering around in Japan, but it’s not a realistic expectation. And given that I can basically teleport wherever I want on Earth, within reason, it shouldn’t be an issue.”

“Excellent.” Tazri checked the time. “However, until then you need to be rested. With that in mind, I believe you have an afternoon engagement to attend.” She gave a slight shooing motion. “Have fun with Miss Weir and your girlfriend. Try to wear them out as much as possible.” She smirked.

Blushing, I stammered out an affirmative reply before fleeing, pointedly ignoring the urge to teleport.

Abigail waved from the kitchen as Abe and I made our way in through her door. “Ah, you’re a little early- or perhaps I’m late.” She eyed the clock, the shrugged. “I’m almost done with the snacks, so go ahead and take a seat.”

Beside me, Abe whistled. “I’m impressed that you managed to hide this place from everyone- the Commander included. What did it take to set this up under Engineer’s nose?”

“You’d be surprised how effective simply altering the plans without anyone looking can be. And you also assume this is the only secret hidden in this base.” Abigail bustled out of the kitchen, setting a tray of finger sandwiches (ham and cheese, tuna salad, peanut butter and jelly, and what looked like caprese) out beside her large coffee table. “I’m rather surprised no one’s found some of them. I would have thought they’d have found the bowling alley by now.”

“Actually, I know about that one. Just haven’t felt the need to bowl yet.” I muttered, smiling, “Regardless, it’s a pleasure to see you Abigail. Being domestic today, I see?” I continued, a teasing lit to my voice, though I was trying not to be flirty. Just teasing.

“Hospitality is important.” She replied primly. “It would only be domestic if this was more than a temporary home.” She moved back into the kitchen. “Do either of you have any allergies I should know about?”

“Not I,” I replied immediately, “And Mariko-chan wouldn’t admit to having any even if she had them, given they’re a weakness.” I teased, a soft smile on my face as I walked into the kithcen, “On that note Abigail, do you mind if I use the kitchen later? I was going to try my hand at making some onigiri to snack on later, and I can’t exactly use the cafeteria.”

“Onigiri?” Abigail hummed. “I’ve had that before, but I’ve never seen them made. You may use my kitchen, so long as you let me observe and help.”

“Fine by me.” I stated, whispering with a secret smile towards Abigail, “So, I assume that one of our guests is indeed Shen’s daughter?”

“Lily is our last guest, yes.” She replied nonverbally. “And she should be arriving soon.” No sooner did she send me the words then a knock sounded at the door.

Mariko stood up and trotted over, the two of us swinging into the main room to watch her approach the door. Abe opened it, blinking as she looked Charles Shen in the face. “...huh, you’re not young at all. Abigail, do you know-”

Shen chuckled. “I just came to escort my daughter here. Lily, this is one of my coworkers, Mariko Abe.”

Mariko blinked, looked back and forth, and then paused as a small hand waved at head height. Looking down, she and I both caught a glimpse of the little girl with dusky skin and a short black bob cut, carrying a duffel bag as big as she was. Lily Shen looked up at her and blinked. “So she’s like the scary lady, miss pirate and Wing-man?”

Snickering, I interjected, “I know ‘scary lady’ and ‘miss pirate’, but I haven’t met our Aviation Branch’s commander yet. A pleasure, Lily Shen. I’m Shizuka Rii, though I have been called Lillie before.”

Lily’s eyes widened. “You’re little big boom! I saw you on the internet!” She grinned. “I’m gonna be like you! Tiny, but fierce!”

I nodded sagely, winking at the young girl, “All the best gifts come in small packages, after all~”

“Mhm!”

Mariko watched us interact with wide eyes. “Okay. So we’re having board game day with a nine year old.” She winced. “So glad I didn’t bring cards against humanity…”

I pulled out a pack of said cards, snickering, “Already got that covered. Not that we’ll break into them until Lilly-chan leaves. Can’t have fun without some cards against humanity.”

Dr. Shen gave me a look, one conveying exasperation and amusement in equal measure, “Don’t corrupt my daughter too much, ladies. I’ll be going then. Let me know when I need to return.”

While we conferred, Lily skipped on by, dropping her duffel beside the door. “Hello Miss Abby! Thanks for inviting me!”

Abigail smiled as she gestured with one hand, lifting Lily into the air with a telekinetic tug and pulling her into a hug. “It is good to see you, little one. How have you been doing?”

“Pretty good! I managed to fix the school’s plastic printer yesterday!” She grinned. “It was easy, and now it prints in green, not just red!”

Mariko blinked. “Wait, you fixed a 3-D printer? How?”

“All the parts were there.” Lily blinked. “And it wasn’t hard to figure out how they fit together, or why. So I put the lines back, put in another hopper, and made another pipe out of bendy straws.” She shrugged. “Easy.”

I snorted, “Easy, she says. I couldn’t fix a 3-D printer without the manual laid out in front of me and it’d take me forever and some more!”

“...my friends at school think it’s weird.” Lily pouted. But Miss Abigail says I have high in-tell-ih-gence, and techno-logikal psycho-me-try.” She frowned, sounding the words out. “Is that right?”

“It is.” Abigail nodded at the girl in her arms, then looked at us. “It’s also why she prefers board games to relax; video games lose their appeal when you subconsciously influence the machine to give you the win.”

“And all my Pokemon are colored weird.” Lily mumbled.

“Of course she has only shinies…” I grumble, with a smile towards Lily, “You do know that the chances of us poor normals getting a shiny pokemon are quite literally one in four thousand ninety six, right?”

“It’s no fun when they’re all that way, though.” Lily pouted. “But board games are safe. And Miss Abby has promised not to cheat at dice unless it’s training.”

I hid a grin, “But Abigail! Cheating shamelessly is a time honored tradition of superpowered boardgames~”

“Perhaps. But Lily does not have the ability to influence physics or probability to the level which would allow her to compete. So for today, we shall play normally.” She set Lily down. “What did you bring today?”

“Well, I got Ticket to Ride, Agricola, 7 Wonders, and Clue.” She said. “An’ I brought Scrabble, in case dad wanted to stay.”

Abe snorted as she picked up one of the boxes. “Agricola? 7 Wonders? I don’t think I’ve played any of these.” She held up one finger. “And I’m turning down Clue flat. I do way too much work like that in real life to want to play a game about it.”

“You solve mysteries?”

Abe winced at Lily’s question. “...sometimes. Sometimes I cause them.”

I giggle, silently raising an eyebrow at Abe, “Sometimes eh?”

“Hush.”

“Oh… so you’re the Mess Man of XCOM?”

“Mess Man?” Abe’s brow furrowed.

“Dad talks about how sometimes, you need someone to clean up messes or make them.” She tilted her head. “Someone who you can just ask to do somethin’, and they do it. Is that you?”

“That’s fairly accurate.” Abe allowed. “Should I change my job description, Shikuza?”

“I’ve grown rather attached to you being a woman Mariko-chan. Probably best not to right now.” I deadpanned, my lips twitching.

Mariko chuckled. “Ah, I hadn’t even seen that joke.”

Abigail gave a quick shake of her head. “I doubt you’d be very happy as a man, Abe. You’d adjust, but you wouldn’t be coming home.” She tilted her head my way before gesturing to move the stack of games onto a side table. “Now, if Clue is out and I assume you don’t want to play Scrabble-”

“Nope!”

“I’d say we should play 7 Wonders.” She gestured to the box in question. “I do have my own copy of Monopoly and Catan, if we need other options.”

“Do we want to ruin our friendship?” I deadpanned at Abi’s mention of the friendship breaker.

Abigail’s face slowly formed into a massive grin. “We’re friends?”

I blinked, “I never said that before?! And I thought I was bad at social things. Yes, we’re friends Abi. I thought the nickname I’ve been constantly call you would hint at that~”

Abe scooted Lily over to the table. “Let’s start setting up, Lilly. The introverts are about to do the whole ‘sharing feelings’ thing. Let’s leave them be, before we start seeing sparkles and rainbows.”

“Uhn!”

Abe frowned as she looked down at her board. “This is bull… how did I end up with no synergy?”

Abigail hummed as she studied her civilization. “I don’t know. However, I think I’m doing fairly well.”

I groaned. “I don’t think I understand this game…” I eyed the clear winner of our game with some trepidation. “Lily, are you sure you can’t rig card games?”

Lily grinned back at all of us. “Nope! Doesn’t mean I’m not lucky, or that I don’t know how to play right.” She put down another card. “And now I can finish my Wonder. See?”

“I can see that.” I groaned. “Am I going to be outsmarted by multiple prodigies this week?”

“What do you mean?” I paused as I realized that all three of my fellow players were focused on me.

Sighing, I looked at Mariko, Lily, and Abigail, “I can’t tell you. Not without the Commander’s permission. Suffice to say, my offhand comment had some effects Mariko-chan…”

“...wait, are we dealing with another little kid?” Mariko asked. At my look, she gave a jerk of her head. “You were muttering about magical girl anime on the way home. Not a hard jump to make.”

I wince, nodding, “Younger than most, to be honest. About the same age as Lily-chan, if my… sources are correct…”

“Really?” Lily perked up. “Am I going to be friends with a magical girl?” She grinned. “Is she gonna have a sword and a pretty armored dress?”

“No to the sword, yes to the pretty armored dress. Nanoha tended to have sensible outfits, unlike most…” I mused aloud, before blushing, “Though you’d already know that, given that technically, I’m a mahou shoujo as well… actually, nevermind, shoujo no longer applies to me…”

“So her name’s Nanoha?” Lily’s smile widened. “Oooh… hang on, Imma go get my deck!” She came upright and ran to her duffel bag, rooting through it with abandon.

“... Damnit…” I muttered, wincing at my slipup, “Well, I suppose it’s not like I gave her last name, and Nanoha isn’t exactly an uncommon name…”

Lily headed back over, setting a large metallic oblong on the table, unfolding it once and twice to reveal a strange hybrid of a modern laptop and Al-Hazardian tech, two thin screens unfolding into the air. “Hmm. Nanoha, and Miss Cleaner mentioned Tokyo… and you said she was nine.” Lily’s fingers began to blur over the keyboard. “Hmm…”

“... Oh for goodness sake are you hacking the Japanese Government?” I grumbled, a smile making its way onto my face regardless, “Though I do suppose beating Kazuto in that regard is amusing…”

“...who’s Kazuto?” Mariko asked, watching Lily work. “Also, I may need to ask Dr. Shen to loan me his daughter.”

“Lily is my student, not yours.” Abigail countered. “Also, I don’t think involving her in espionage work at such a young age is a good idea. Wait a few years.”

“You can’t start too early. Besides, I’d start her out on the little things. Poisoning. Counterfeiting. Politics.”

“The latter two should be fine, the first one is probably a bit too soon. Wait until she’s ten.” I replied idly, “As for Kazuto, it’s an anime thing. Probably doesn’t exist here due to butterflies.”

Lily scrunched her nose. “Okay, Is this her?” In the air above her deck, the image of a brown-haired girl, two pigtails held by bows appeared. “She looks about right…”

Blinking owlishly, I nodded, “Yes, that’s Nanoha Takamachi. Looks like a recent school photo too, which should help me narrow down the area in which she lives, if Tokyo ever happens to come under attack…”

“I’ve got her address, her parent’s businesses, and her current grades here.” Lily said absently. “Brother’s in the military, on the pre-magi track. Sis is high school.” She frowned. “Apparently Nanoha likes punching mean people. Miss Abby, when are you allowed to punch people? Dad says never, but…”

Abigail tittered. “I’m not the right person to ask. I always just used to make people… have accidents when they were bad.” She shrugged. “Ah, maybe Shikuza would be better to ask.” She held up one finger to block Abe’s opening mouth. “Not you.”

Pondering on the question for a moment, I sighed, “Your father would probably prefer if I told you it’s never okay. But, that’s not really the case. It’s a subjective answer, regardless. One person may tell you that violence is never okay. In my opinion, they’re fools who have never experienced hardships, but it’s still an opinion. My answer, I suppose, is it depends. I could be cheesy and say only in the defense of others, but that’s not my answer either. When it feels right, I suppose. When you’ve exhausted all other sensible options.” Pausing, I shrugged, “Nobody’s answer will be perfect, Lily. We all make do with our personal ideals and morals, while doing our best to adhere to society’s own…”

“...I don’t get it.”

“It’s a complicated issue. You’ll work it out eventually.” Abigail ruffed Lily’s hair. “So, this is the girl who might be your student? Appearances alone tell me nothing. What kind of person is she, to draw your attention?”

“Once more, a lot of assumptions, not enough actual data.” I replied, frowning, “Given that, in this life, her sister is in high school, and her older brother is in the military, things have already changed. I can’t really assume that she’ll retain the personality she had in the anime. But… She was kind. Wanted to be everyone’s friend, and… was willing to befriend total enemies. Extremely empathetic, in ways that most people find utterly impossible. Her life partner was quite literally her first foe.”

“And if I know anything about Magical Girl anime, she’ll be facing them soon.” Abe muttered. “So… two students, then? Or do you think that might change?”

I shook my head, “Fate has a really bad case of Stockholm Syndrome, compounded by the fact she has her original’s memories. For all intents and purposes, the person abusing her is her mother, though that is absolutely not both ways. To Presea, Fate is a tool. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“Original’s?” Abe murmured. “What do you mean by that?”

Lily tilted her head. “An’ what’s Stockholm Syndrome?”

“Fate’s a clone,” I replied to Mariko, “And Stockholm Syndrome is when you start liking your jailer while you’re in prison, if I remember the definition correctly…”

“Oh, so she’s a meanie.” Lily said. “And Fate needs hugs. From Nanoha? Or would mine work?”

“Nanoha’s probably going to have the easiest time getting through to her outside an actual therapist, to be honest.” I replied, “And I can’t exactly risk compromising my position as Nanoha’s teacher, and given that Fate would technically be a citizen of the TSAB…”

Abe shook her head. “You forget the law of the land, Shizuka. Aquiris quodcumque rapis.”

My confused look only intensified as Abigail perked up. “Discworld? You have good taste, Lady Abe.”

“Thank you.” At my continued look of befuddlement, Abe smiled at me. “Taken literally, it means ‘you acquire what you reap’. In more general terms ‘we have it, so it’s ours.’ If we capture this Fate, that’s four-fifths of what we’ll need to keep her, or at least make the TSAB pay out the nose to have her.”

Pausing, I considered something, “They honestly won’t give a shit, to be honest. Given that, within “canon”, they only took her in because of her crimes against the TSAB, which… basically amounted to interfering with their attempts to collect the Lost Lugia… Yeah, I can’t really see there being any issues.”

“If we get her first.” Abe grinned. “So… what are you planning, dear?”

“I really wish I had a plan.” I groused, staring into the night sky as I sat on my butt.

“Considering the circumstances, we just have to adapt as things go, perhaps.” Tamamo remarked aloud, for the benefit of my current thinking buddy.

Beside me, Rose swallowed, allowing the rat she’d slurped up to slide downward. “Sometimes, you just need to lie in wait. Your prey will come to you.” She looked aside at me. “Though knowing what you could do might be a good start.”

Blinking, I nodded, “Blunt, but fair.”

“So, what can you do?” She hissed. “Is this a shooting problem? A sneaking problem? Or something else?”

“Teaching.” I replied, sorting out my thoughts, “And, frankly, regardless of what happens, there’s a very high chance I’ll have to wing most of it.”

“...teaching is not something I know.” Rose admitted. “Learned from the tank and the whispers as a hatchling. Liberty teaches with false-worlds and dreams. Teaching without these things… I know not.” She paused. “Do you know any teachers? The books talk of those who specialize in such things. You could trade with them for their secrets.”

“I am an idiot…” I deadpanned, “I was having a mental break trying to figure out how to get my “potential student” to practice in a safe environment. I somehow forgot that simulation space is a thing…”

Tamamo spoke up. “You are panicking more than I would expect. Has the revelation of this world thrown you off more than you expected?”

I nodded, “Partially that, partially other things. I’ve got a lot on my mind recently, and while it hit me a while back that I was going to be on this Earth for the foreseeable future, I think it’s hitting me again, just… not as hard as last time. Basically a bout of homesickness.”

“That I understand.” Tamamo went silent for a few moments, then beeped twice. “I’ve taken the liberty of signing you up for some time with the base’s psych staff, concurrent with my own. I hope this isn’t overstepping anything, but…”

“Nah, it’s fine. Though given medical practice, I’ll probably get a message to confirm. Consent is important, though being in the military does change it somewhat.” Pausing, I shook my head, “And browsing online a while back actually did the opposite of help, if I’m honest. Everything is just so different. I got hit in the face with the realization a few hours ago that some of my favorite anime just flat out don’t exist here.”

Rose hissed softly. “That is not just a negative. New things to discover, yes?”

“It may not outweigh what was lost.” Tamamo replied tartly. “However, I think Rose’s suggestion might be a good one. Device training is all well and good, but it cannot be the end-all of your intervention.”

I sighed, “Yeah, given time, I’ll probably find some new franchises outside of Pokemon and Star Wars, and both are rather different than the ones I know.” Pausing once more, I continued, “Regardless, I have a forum account now, and I am enjoying shitposting when I can in relative anonymity. Which, of course, will last until someone looks at my profile page and sees my job description and name. I’m still shocked that Miho Chan wasn’t taken… Then again, GuP probably doesn’t exist in this timeline…”

“...Shizuka. Unless you want me to start playing the Tommy Trumpet song on all your thought partitions, please resume considering how you’re going to deal with the super-powered, highly driven student you asked to be saddled with.” Tamamo said flatly.

“Oh, right.” I replied, “Seeking out a teacher might be a good idea yeah. Also, going to binge some how-to videos. Not exactly sure how the hell I’m going to pull this off, to be honest. Hey, Tamamo, do you have Sirus’ contact information?”

“Miss Mulberry did leave me her contact info. Getting her involved may not be the worst idea.” Tamamo remarked. “So long as it is kept quiet.”

“That’s a given,” I replied, “Woman’s basically loved by the civilians, and despised utterly by anyone who’s not.”

“She’s a bit more divisive than that, both in politics and out.” Tamamo corrected. “Though in broard strokes, you are right. The Japanese military would likely intervene if she was found to have any hand in your student’s training.”

“I mean, I’m not going to let the poor girl come into physical, electronic, or telepathic contact with Mulberry,” I said idly, “I was just going to ask her for advice, listen to what makes sense, and ignore or do the opposite of what doesn’t.” Pausing, I continued, “Shame Tamamo. How could you ever think I’d let her corrupt my cute little student?”

“You’re currently dating a master spy and assassin. And she’s rubbing off on you.” Tamamo replied. “You might consider it a learning experience.”

“I mean, I’d only pit my cute little student against Mulberry if I was absolutely confident she could win. And given I’d rather she be on my side than not, the likelihood of that happening is unlikely. Actually, Tamamo, has Mulberry been seen responding to the X-Ray attacks?”

“Yes. However, she focuses her attention on areas not policed by XCOM or local forces.” Tamamo explained. “She has aided minor militaries in South America, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe.”

“Hell of a move, Mulberry…” I muttered telepathically, “I’m gonna guess that while XCOM and the Council are genuinely concerned by this, there really isn’t shit we can do about it? Given that if she had any political ambitions, she’d be building them up pretty damn well by this…”

“It is par the course for her actions.” Tamamo summarized. “Mulberry loves helping the less-well off. She has vast support in third world countries as a result. She also has no head nor desire to leverage her political capital, under the reasoning that she ‘wants nothing to do with politics.”

“Fair enough.” I replied, before sighing, “Regardless, she is not, in fact, a good role model for a nine year old. Which is enough to keep my relationship with her as ‘someone I go to for advice’ rather than a ‘co-worker/teacher’, if only for Nanoha’s benefit.”

Rose hissed beside me. “Working things out with your partner?” She smiled, eyeing the rustling box beside her. “I shall continue eating, then.”

I smiled apologetically at Rose, “Sorry for leaving you out of the discussion, Rose. I just wanted to keep that portion private,” pausing, I continued, “Is there anything else you want to talk about? You did invite me out here, after all…”

“...I am part of XCOM now. In truth.” Rose let air slip out between her fangs, the sound somewhere between a hiss and a sigh. “And I have received UN citizenship.” She straightened. “But there is no place for me to go outside of this base. I have ‘leave’ but nowhere to spend it.” Her tail thrashed behind her. “I am… discontent with that.”’

“Because you need an escort, right?” I replied softly, “Well, if it means anything, if I have the time, I can serve as an escort to the locations you want to visit?”

“I can defend myself. No; I need acceptance. Or a way to hide myself.” Rose hissed indignantly. “I refuse to be stared at with fear. It has lessened here; I am of no mind to immerse myself in it once again.”

“Exposure therapy is going to be the only way to deal with that Rose…” I stated softly, “But, you don’t have to go out into the world to do that. Perhaps you could start a youtube channel or a twitch account? Get people used to you and your peculiarities. I would clear it with the Commander, just to be safe.”

“...I will think about it.” Rose said softly. “Yes. That has merit. For now, the war will take most of my time.” She looked sideways at me. “This one… thinks it may make you uncomfortable. But she would like to share a hug.”

I smiled, pulling Rose into a hug, “I would never be uncomfortable hugging you Rose. Even if I have to kill those of your kind enslaved by your former overlords.” I said, only realizing how morbid my statement had been after it was out of my mouth, “That sounded better in my head, to be clear…”

“I don’t take it as such. Better than being slaves.” Rose coiled loosely around me, feeling like a weighty compressing blanket for a few moments. Her grip quickly loosened, and she uncoiled to rest before me. “Thank you.”

“Not a problem Rose,” I stated, “Regardless, it’s about time I turned in for the night. Do you mind if we head back into the base now?”

“You may go. I still have rats to eat.” Rose settled down, lifting her box. “I would like to watch the stars for a bit as well.”
I smiled, “I forgot that you didn’t actually need an escort anymore. Goodnight, Rose.” As I turned and walked towards the stairs, I stopped, Tamamo’s incoming call alert passing through my head. I nodded once, causing her to open up the link.

“Shizuka, I hope you’re rested.” Commander Tazri spoke through the line. “Sensors in Japan are going nuts, and there’s been reports of a talking ferret accosting a little girl. It’s go time.”

Well sleep, it was nice knowing you. I suppose I’ll get reaquainted with you eventually…

Chapter Text

Whenever I’d teleported before, it had been to a location on the ground, or a known location in-air. This time, I was heading in blind.

…thankfully, I arrived only a few kilometers out from where the fight was currently ongoing. Immediately, I oriented myself, scanning the area to get a better idea of what was going on. No sense in going in blind; that was something I’d learned from our more recent training sessions.

The scans showed a powerful mage engaging a knot of self-directed and violent energy, within what seemed to be a barrier space thrown up over downtown. That seemed to track, given what I knew of the first episode, thus, I slipped into the barrier space, engaging my stealth systems and moving towards the mage, to visually confirm she was who I thought she was. Once more, no sense in not exercising caution.

Below, my eyes widened as a little girl took cover, long white and gold staff clenched in one hand as the other cradled a blonde ferret to her chest. The girl snapped up as a rain of black bolts petered off, aiming her staff and twisting it with a glare. “Spell bind!”

“Oh god why are you shouting your spells…” I muttered to Tamamo, pointedly ignoring the fact that I had done so before, though, in my case, it was intended for intimidation specifically. Rolling my eyes, I dove, landinding on the ground silently, without either the ferret (the mage from the TSAB who couldn’t be bothered to send an SOS to someone not a 9 year old girl), and Nanoha Takemichi, genius mage. The girl didn’t even notice as streams of pink light colested around the knot of black fur and malice, before her attack spell shredded the beast.

“Ano, Ferret-kun,” I said sweetly as I broke stealth, “Mind explaining why the TSAB is recruiting child soldiers from our sovereign nations now?” This, of course, wasn’t for no reason, nor was it actually an accusation. If Yuuno was actually recruiting Nanoha for the TSAB, however… Regardless, it was a mix of me announcing my presence as to not attack a potential TSAB diplomat (even if he likely wasn’t exactly legally here), and basically telling the boy ‘back the fuck off mate’.

Both girl and ferret whirled around, even as the shadowy barrier space began to collapse. “Eh?” the little girl exclaimed. “Ah, soldier-san, we were-”

“Oh, thank goodness. Officer, my name is…” the ferret’s voice trailed off. “You’re not TSAB. Er-”

“Yep, you done fucked up mate, though whether this is your fuckup or someone higher’s remains to be seen.” I replied, “XCOM here. Well, technically not really, given that I’m on loan to Japan, but semantics. Regardless, Earth doesn’t really appreciate a TSAB ship being blown up in our atmo by something that seems to be internal politics. Given you weren’t blown out of the sky by an X-Ray, I do believe you have some explaining to do.”

“X-ray?” The ferret

“Ah, that’s English, right?” Nanoha said. “It’s slang for Extraterrestrial, or alien!” She paused. “What’s XCOM?”

I almost, very nearly facefaulted at Nanoha’s question, before remembering that she was nine, and the news had only broken days ago. “We’re the guys and gals blowing up the aliens when they decided to invade our wonderful Earth here. As for Ferret Boy, he’s likely with the TSAB, though given the sound of his voice, I doubt he’s older than ten. His voice hasn’t dropped yet, after all. Another mark against the TSAB, I suppose… Regardless, I’m not here to rag on about the polity trying to take advantage of our X-Ray problem.” Pausing briefly, I sighed, “I’m here because Japan detected a rather powerful mage, and given I was already being arranged as a teacher, my transfer got expedited when we detected the fighting here.”

“Oh.” Nanoha blinked. “Ferret-san, why didn’t you go to these people? They seem nice.”

“I didn’t know there were mages here. The last survey of this planet was done sixty years ago!” The ferret squeaked. “How did you get a- is that an Al-Hazardian combat device?” The ferret wiggled free of Nanoha’s arms, hitting the ground and bounding over to get as close as he could to the barrel of my weapon. “And it’s functional? That’s-”

I gently pushed him away, pointedly pointing Tamamo’s barrel away from him, “Kid, you don’t just examine a live weapon up close like that without knowing it’s safe. Granted, I’d be an idiot to shoot you, but the possibility is there.” Pausing once more, I switched to telepathy, “Tamamo, go ahead and tell XCOM that Yuuno-kun isn’t hostile. He’s a civilian. 100% sure. In fact… Gimme a second, can you link me to the commander?”

“You are being live streamed, ma’am. Incidentally, Tazri and the command staff are watching with popcorn and whiskey. It’s a slow day on the geoscape.”

“I’m not even surprised, to be honest.” I replied, before switching back to vocals, noticing that the ferret was somehow pouting. “Nanoha-chan, Ferret-kun, would you mind accompanying me? I’ll either take you to base-” Pausing for three second to see if any of the command staff objected, Tazri did cut in.

“Stay on-site for now. We’ll have to clear taking Miss Takamachi with the Japanese government. The ferret is a Mid-Childan national, but we’ve heard nothing from their embassy. For now, hold tight and get their statements.” She paused. “If you need prompting, I’ll forward Tamamo a guidebook on proper procedures.”

“Ma’am, given that both are literal pre-teens, permission to disregard some of the protocol and move to a friendlier environment? Such as a restaurant or house, given that the Takemichi household should be relatively secure?” I asked, holding up my hand as I mimed speaking into a radio, hoping that the children understood, “Neither of you are in any real trouble, just talking with command about options right now. Hold tight.”

While I’d been communicating, Nanoha had turned back to peer into the pit behind her. “Ah, ferret-san? What’s this gemstone over here?”

The ferret started, bolting upright before sprinting back over to Nanoha. “Ah! The Jewel seed! Point your staff at it and seal it, before anything else happens! They’re very dangerous!”

“Containment?” I idly asked, “Good thinking. I don’t think I have the exact magic needed to seal one of them, so go ahead,” I replied, reminding the pair that I was, in fact, present. “I am watching you two, so if anymore trouble pops up for now, I should be able to handle it.” With that, I resumed paying attention to the commander, muttering an apology.

“...yeesh, it is a magical girl anime. And she’s as cute as a button, for someone with three-quarters of your personal power at age nine. Is she gonna be tossing around nukes in ten years?” Tazri sighed. “Why couldn’t the aliens have come ten years later? I would have been at a desk job, and you two could have handled all this.”

“Try this year Tazri, though it’s a finishing move nuke, and has specific requirements.” I deadpanned, “I’m still in the process of pathetically trying to reverse engineer it as a side project, given that said anime wasn’t exactly clear on the spell mechanics, I haven’t had much luck.” Hiding a smirk, I continued, “And yeah, the powerups were present too, from my memory. There’s a whole set of memes on Nanoha-Chan aggressively befriending people as well.”

“...Jesus Christ.”

“Jewel seed sealed!” The aforementioned living nuke walked back over, with the ferret tucked back into her arms. “Ah, soldier-san! I didn’t introduce myself!” She gave a bow. “Takamachi Nanoha, pleased to meet you!”

“Rii Shizuka, a pleasure, Takamichi-chan.” I replied, smiling warmly, “Given that I’ll probably be your teacher for the foreseeable future, just call me Shizuka, tack on sensei if you must.”

“And I am… clan name first?” The ferret mumbled. “I am Scrya Yuuno, then. Archaeologist of the deep-dive expedition aboard the Future Past.” He drooped. “Last survivor of that expedition, now.”

I winced visibly, “Kid, no, Yuuno-kun, as soon as I can, I’ll get you to a therapist. Being a lone survivor is not fun. I’ve been in a similar but different place before, myself.” Shaking my head, I continued, “Now, do either of you mind if we head over to a Mcdonald's and pick up some food? I’d imagine both of you are hungry, and I’m not going to force you to talk right in the middle of some random street.”

“Ah, my mama’s cafe is better!” Nanoha said brightly. “I mean… we could go there? I should probably let her know I’m okay…”

“Any issues, command?” I asked, having no issue with it myself but wanting to confirm.

“One issue. More than half of us are passing around a hat. We’ll need 13 coffees, eighteen pastries, and three slices of cake. Bring them back with you, that’s an order.” Tazri paused. “Full order should be in your inbox in thirty seconds.”

“Hai hai, I’ll bring you your food taicho.” I replied wearily, “This better not be coming out of my paycheck…”

Without waiting for a reply, I nodded to Nanoha, “Sure, we can head over to your mama’s cafe. Let’s just hope she has some food ready, eh?”

“Un!”

Midori-ya is… quaint. Small, tucked away on a side street, and with nothing more than a simple green sign perched above its door, the little cafe is definitely charming rather than cramped. Nanoha leads me inside, Yuuto held in her arms. “Okaa-san! I’ve had a weird day, and I have a ferret and a secret agent here to talk to me!”

The lady that looked up from the counter blinked twice. If I didn’t know better, I would have guessed the lady to be in her mid-twenties, not a forty-five year old mother of three. Takamachi Momoko frowned as she looked over us, pausing as she looked at me in my kimono. “Ah… Nanoha-chan, who is this? And what do you mean?”

Bowing towards the Takamichi matriarch respectfully, I replied, “I am Rii Shizuka, Takamichi-san. The “secret agent” that Nanoha-chan was speaking of. Officially, I’m an XCOM operative on loan to the Japanese government to teach your youngest daughter. Unofficially, your daughter has got herself caught up unintentionally in a political quagmire, and I’m here to ensure it doesn’t affect her negatively, though I would appreciate your silence on the matter to those not in the know.”

“Nanoha, what happened this time? Did you punch an alien?” Momoko sighs, giving a bemused smile at her daughter.

“No mama. I’m a magical girl!” Nanoha raised one arm, shifting Yuuto to the crook of the other, before manifesting Raising Heart in her hand. “See?”

“...oh dear. Is that a device? Where on Earth did you get that?”

“From me, Takamachi-san.” Momoko’s eyebrows shot up as Yuuto spoke up. “Your daughter was the closest fit to Raising Heart that I could find.”

“Yuuto-san here is a civilian member of the TSAB, or, more accurately, the planet-nation of Mid-Childa. His vessel was shot down in orbit a few days ago, by an unknown non-X-Ray vessel.” I added for the mother’s benefit, “He is also only nine years old, and is currently in the form of a ferret, though I would assume that he has a human form.”

“Yes. This form is smaller, making it easier to use my stabilizing healing magic.” Yuuto said.

“I see.” Momoko sighed. “Can I get you something, officer?”

I pulled out my list. “My… commanding officers wanted food. If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, could I have everything on this list?” I paused. “It will be on my boss’ dime.”

“Ah, well then.” Momoko took the list from my hands. “And for the three of you?”
“Food’s on me for the three of us,” I replied, “May I please just have a cup of sencha? For food, whatever you recommend, I’ll eat it.”

Momoko took the orders, then headed back to the kitchen. As we took a seat, I caught Nanoha fidgeting a little. “So… what do we do now?”

“Well, I have a few serious questions I’d like both of you to answer, but that can wait till the food arrives. For now, can you tell me how you both met?” I asked gently.

“...after we crashed, I spent most of my energy patching myself up.” Yuuto murmured. “It took a couple of days before I realized just how dangerous the Jewel Seeds could be.”

“Jewel seeds? Please clarify.”

“Ah, right. They’re Lost Logia; dangerous artifacts from another age. Each one has the potential to greatly empower magical spellcasting, to the point of allowing even a non-mage to warp reality to a limited degree. We think they might have been a Mu artifact, or perhaps even older.” He paused. “There are 21 of them scattered across your world. Nanoha could collect and seal them, and I think Raising Heart’s sealing protocols could be taught.”

“I’m going to tell you now that I would be extremely leery about letting Nanoha collect them on her own, let alone in general. If it can be taught, let Japan and XCOM take care of it.” I replied, looking pointedly at the pair of children, “It’s our job, after all.”

Nanoha let out a little mou. “Umm, but aren’t you busy? The aliens are attacking a lot of places.” She paused. “I don’t want to bother you! I handled the first one pretty easily!”

Yuuto looked up from his teacup. “Nanoha, that was just a rat. What will happen if something nastier or bigger gets a Jewel Seed?”

“Then we could call for help!” She turned, giving me a bright smile. “Can I have your number, Rii-san?”

“While admirable that you wish to help Nanoha-chan,” I started, sighing, “You have no training in magic. At least let me teach you the bare minimum before you inevitably go hunting for the Jeweled Seeds.” Internally, to Tamamo (and via proxy command), I continued, “I know a lost cause when I see one. We aren’t going to convince her to drop this.”

“She has a firm grasp of responsibility.” Tamamo mused. “She’d be up for a noble title from her actions so far alone, and that’s not even a possibility here.” She paused. “Actually, is it? We should see about getting you a proper one if so.”

Nanoha nodded eagerly. “Of course, sensei!”

“No.” Momoka set down a platter of food before us all, giving her daughter a glare. “Nanoha, I’m not letting you run head-first into danger. Not when there are apparently professionals who can handle this.” She gave me a look. “And while I’m happy to see Nanoha trained so she can handle this, I’m going to need more than you showing up and flashing a badge to prove your credentials.”

I shrugged, “Fair enough,” With that said, I pulled said documents out of Tamamo’s storage, the non-classified versions, of course, “You may, of course, browse through these, Takamichi-san. I would never suggest trusting your daughter to someone you couldn’t trust.”

“Thank you.” She began to look over the paperwork, then stopped on the second page. “Erm… Rii-san, this says you are not from… anywhere. What does that mean?”

“It means that I woke up in the Mars Arcology when it was attacked, found Tamamo, and had no idea how the heck I got there. Given that we hadn’t put a man on Mars on my Earth…” I muttered, trailing off near the end with a haunted look on my face, “Anyway, it’s basically the world’s way of saying that I was a ghost in the system, and giving me “World Citizenship”. Similar to a certain someone that I’d rather Nanoha-chan avoid. Then again, given her seemingly random appearances have focused on me lately…”

“You know Mulberry-sama?” Nanoha’s eyes widened. “Ooh…”

Momoka eyed the door warily, then turned back to the paperwork. “And you won several awards fighting there.” She gathered up the papers. “Rii-san, may I take a copy of these papers with me? I would like to ask my husband about this, and reach out to your superiors and Japanese contacts.”

“Feel free to take those documents. They’re copies in the first place. I have a few more in storage.” I replied, smiling, “Apologies if I made you uncomfortable Takamichi-san. I’m truly just trying to do my job.”

“Not at all.” She sighed. “Nine is too young an age to grow up, that’s all. I wouldn’t want my husband and I to have to teach Nanoha how to hide a body at such a young age, should you prove to be dangerous.” She stood. “Better to be certain in the first place.”

I turned back to the table, noting the vastly different reactions of the two youngsters. Nanoha was blissfully nomming a rice ball, utterly unconcerned at the casual death threat. Yuuto, however, had gone completely stiff, tracking Takamachi-san’s back with wide eyes.

“I suppose the Takamichi family still practices some Ninjutsu then?” I replied idly to myself, a smile on my face, “My girlfriend is, unfortunately, slightly scarier than you when she gets spy like, Takamichi-san. I’ve become accustomed to such things.” Pausing as I finished talking to myself, I noticed Yuuno-kun’s reaction, I placed my hand on his back, “She won’t actually kill me. Don’t worry. Shinobi and Kunoichi enjoy unnerving people in my experience.”

“...I don’t know those words… Yuuno let out a breath. “We got sidetracked. Should I start over, or…”

“Just keep going from where you left off, please.” I replied, hands folded on my lap, eyeing the various food items to see which I wanted to eat first.

Yuuto nodded. “Right. Well, I went looking for the seeds… but there was no way I could seal them in my current state. I had found Raising Heart among the rubble, and when we cataloged it I knew it had the necessary spell formulae already installed. I set up a trace for compatible potentials, and started searching.” He gave a miniscule sigh. “She’s a finicky one, though. I’d found 40% compatibility at best before I found Nanoha, and that was searching the whole city for two days!”

“I assume you limited the search to the city due to your current form?” I replied, “Given that I’m pretty sure a wider area scan is possible…”

“”I don’t have enough power for one of those, even on a good day.” The ferret replied. “And doing so would tell anyone with power that something was up. I didn’t think there was a Magus population here- I wouldn’t have hidden so much otherwise.”

I nodded, “That’s on the TSAB for not informing you that Earth has been undergoing a revolution of magic since the moon landing in 79’. Finding a cache of Al-Hazardian devices helped with that, a lot. We have a few Belkan devices as well, but we’ve really only found those in our very limited forays into the Dimensional Sea.”

Yuuto swayed on the table. “The greatest discovery in a century… and by now it’s been looted and gone over.” He groaned. “Please tell me someone left notes? Or research papers?”

“Plenty, though you’re unlikely to gain access due to our current tensions with Mid-Childa. I can release civilian stuff to you, but nothing more, and even that’s not something I can promise.” I replied, “Please don’t go poking your nose there. Several nations would take offense, even if it is just genuine historical curiosity.”

Yuuto blinked. “Wait, you don’t have a united government yet?”

I nodded, “No, but given we’re only at the technological level we are now due to outside interference, the Al-Hazardian cache, to be specific, that’s not too surprising. Throw in massive cultural differences, and I’m unlikely to see a United Earth in my lifetime, frankly. There are steps in the right direction, like XCOM and the Council, along with the UN, though they’re baby-steps, at most.”

Yuuto pawed the table. “...right. Okay. And these Aliens, are they the same ones as the Ethereal Directive?”

“Ah, so that’s what they’re called.” I crowed, “We’ve only been hit with the pawns so far, and we’re operating under a significant Fog of War. That information will help us a bit, thank you Yuuto-san.”

“Okay. Probably.” Yuuto burrowed into the table, curing his tail around himself. “And I’m trapped on the frontlines, oh Saint Kaiser what do I do-” his panic was cut off with a squeak as Nanoha picked him up into a hug.

“Don’t worry, Yuuto-chan! Rii-san and I will protect you!” She said cheerfully. “We’ve done well so far, right?” She grinned at you hopefully, as Yuuto turned his head to face me.

“I’m not about to let a civilian that’s nominally under my protection die. That said, this isn’t really a front line, per say, given that the Ethereal Directive seems to have focused much of its attention on the TSAB. We’re… an objective, but one they haven’t invested a truly significant amount of resources into yet. I’d imagine we’re giving their forces enough of a bloody nose that they’ll eventually pull out to focus on Midchilda or send in a significant pacification force.” I replied, “I can’t say you’ll be completely safe, but we’ll do our utmost to keep you as safe as we can.”

“Okay.” Yuuto let out a breath. “I can… I guess I’ll have to live with that.” He shook himself, then started squirming. “Nanoha, you can let me go now.”

“Okay!” Nanoha set the ferret down, then looked up at me. “It was nice to meet you Rii-san! Oh, can I get your number before you go?” She looked over, and I turned to see Monoka assembling a tall stack of cardboard containers. “Looks like your order is almost ready.”

“Raising Heart, if you can hear me, mind passing on my contact information to Nanoha-chan?” I asked Nanoha’s device directly, “I don’t want to chance her forgetting this information.”

“Affirmative. I will pass this on to my mistress.” Raising Heart’s voice was almost inflectionless, but there was a hint of wary regard in her tones.

“Nanoha won’t be harmed by me outside of training.” I swore, “This contact information is solely so you or her can send me an SOS directly in the event that you need me. I’m trusting you to have your mistress’ best interests in mind, so you can trigger it if she gets in over her head.”

“I live only to serve. Being back in service is vastly preferable to resuming sleep mode.” Raising Heart replied. “I will keep your offer as a primary action plan.”

“How long… no. I’ve got no right to ask that. If Tamamo wants to share her story with you, she can. I will say that you and her have something in common, that is all.”

“That is appreciated.” Raising Heart’s voice was slightly softer before the connection was cut.

Across the table, Nanoha blinked. “Oh, Raising Heart talks?” She paused. “Oh… I can talk without talking?” She grinned and pumped a fist. “I can do that in class!”

Yuuto tilted his head. “...she’s not a professional yet? She was wearing a uniform earlier…”

“No. She can’t enter the workforce till she’s… gimme a second to remember… fifteen, and she’ll be a student until she’s eighteen, or longer if she chooses to go onto college. It’s just how it works here on Earth. The uniform you saw her in was likely a school uniform.”

“...I gave a high-powered weapon to a student. And…” He paused, considering. “...one that’s probably still learning algebra. That’s what you were freaking out about earlier.” He froze. “How many laws did I break doing that?”

I struggled to contain my laughter, a twitch of my lips the only thing betraying my amusement, before shaking my head, “You broke none, actually, from my knowledge. Then again, I’m not exactly familiar with Japan’s legal system, so my info isn’t exactly the best. Regardless, of all the preteens you could have chosen, Nanoha is likely one of the best choices. She’s extremely mature for her age, from what I’ve seen.”

From behind, Momoka cleared her throat. “I don’t know if he fell afoul of any laws, but I’ll take your comment as a compliment.” She held up a hand-held scanner. “In the meantime, your order is ready. Card or Device?”

I bowed as best I could towards Momoka, “Device please. I’ll be out of your hair soon enough, I apologize.”

“Don’t be so hasty. I’m giving you the corporate upcharge, and this is good business.” She paused, then shot a glance at her daugher. “Will Nanoha be learning how to teleport? We’d make a killing on deliveries…”

“If you have no objections, it would be one of my first lessons. Teleporting is somewhat of a specialty for me…”

Unlike my previous meetings with Tazri, this one happened in the Geoscape, in full view of the entire coordination team. Mainly, that was because Tazri didn’t like eating in her office, and wasn’t going to wait for her sandwich to get cold.

Tazri raised one eyebrow over her meal, even as she munched her way through her wanpaku sandwich. “We had our eyes on you for your entire deployment, so we really don’t need to pull a full debriefing. I do have some questions, though.”

“Go ahead Commander.” I replied, munching on my own food, which, admittedly, was only the leftovers of what I had been slowly munching on earlier.

“Right. First: your opinion on Mr. Scrya.” She took a hearty bite. “Is he a good actor, or is he suffering from Murphy’s attention?”

I blinked, “I- I highly doubt he’s an actor, given he’s nine, and his reactions to my revelations were far too genuine. Definitely wrong place, wrong time. He lacked far too much information with too genuine a response to said information being revealed to be a TSAB agent.”

“That tracks, but it’s always better to get the opinion of the person on the ground.” Tazri paused. “Not something you’d considered? You seem surprised.”

I nodded, “He, to me, was a child from the instant he had a genuine reaction to his situation. I’m very good at telling if people are ‘masking’ Commander, given it’s something I’ve become highly adept at from an early age. He was genuine the whole time, if tense.”

“Good. I’m not used to dealing with professional nine year olds, though. Neither are you.” She paused. “Mid-Childa sent eight people to staff their embassy, and one of them was twelve. They prioritize competence over reservation. I don’t know if that’s cultural, or a result of their war. For all that it worked this time, reign in that instinct a bit.”

“It’s probably a mix of tradition and actual unlimited meritocracy.” I mused, clarifying a bit after Tazri looked at me sharply, “No, this is not my ‘knowledge’, it’s speculation. I do believe, but cannot confirm that the TSAB was at its core a Military Dictatorship, but I must stress that I’m unsure of the accuracy of that statement, given my spotty memory of the anime in question.”

Tazri hummed as she finished off the first half of her sandwich. “It would explain why their government sent military personnel as their ambassador team.” She shook her head. “But that’s up to the analysts to decipher. Now, second question; these Jewel Seeds. How much of a danger are they, and are they an asset worth tangling with the TSAB for?”
I winced, “Uncertain. Nanoha is not a series I’m extremely familiar with, but given they’re lost Logia, which is a TSAB blanket term for ancient technology that is insanely powerful and dangerous, I’d say, frankly, that we should just hand them over, but make a diplomatic play out of it. Don’t give them up, but let them convince our nations that it’s in their best interest to hand the Seeds over when we secure them.”

“You don’t think we can handle them, or don’t want to make the attempt?”

“Neither. I think that they’re value is low enough and that the Seeds are volatile enough to just hand them over. But it may be the first step in getting the TSAB to look at us in a more… favorable light. The long game, if you will. Act like a mature adult convincingly enough and they’ll treat you like one.” I replied, before tacking on, “Given that the TSAB is to my ‘knowledge’ a Belkan Remnant who grew really tired of the war their overlords were fighting, I think maturely handing over what could be used as a superweapon or using it for its intended use, likely as an energy source, would impress them. To clarify however, this is my suggestion, not in any way an expert opinion. And the second option likely won’t be as effective.”

“I’ll pass it along. Right now, we might not even get a say; Takamachi sealed the first one, and the Japanese government is already squaring to lock horns with the TSAB over salvage rights.” Tazri groaned. “Politics. God, why did I take this job…”

“Don’t ask me Commander.” I replied, “But there has to be a reason, I suppose…”

“There is. It’s just hard to remember at times.” She shook her head. “Third question. What are your thoughts on Takamachi?”

“She’ll work for us first.” I replied, “I don’t think the reasons she’d join the TSAB in what I know of the anime will exist here, unless the TSAB manages to make Fate a prisoner, and I’ve fucked with the timeline enough that she might not even form an emotional connection to her.”

“...Fate?” Tazri tilted her head. “Who’s that?”

“Another nine year old girl who’s backstory is one of the most tragic I’ve heard. I could have sworn I included it in the document I sent to the command staff through Tamamo…”

...Tazri blinked. “Oh, Precia’s daughter. I assumed the ‘Fate’ was referencing… nevermind, you’re not a determinist.” She shook her head. “An emotionally manipulated nine-year-old child special forces magus. And you’re certain Takamachi can defuse her?”

I shrugged, “Fate probably is on her way to realizing it herself. You don’t clone a child with the memories of a rather smart girl and not have her figure it out eventually. Given therapy, which… Nanoha can provide in her own way, it’ll happen. Most abuse victims are only a step away from freedom most of the time, after all…”

“It’s getting them to take that step that’s the problem.” She looked down, then sighed. “Rii, I’m going to be straight with you. If Fate cannot be talked down, will I need to send someone with you to take her out? Or can you handle it?”

“No. I can handle it. I won’t kill her unless I exhaust every other option, but I will escalate to that if lives are at risk.” I reply solemnly. “My attachment to her is out of empathy. If she goes off the deep end, I’ll aim to incapacitate, but if all else fails…”

Tazri studied me, then nodded sharply. “So long as you know. Now, one last question. Do you want to commute from the base, or should we set you up with a local apartment?”

“Local. I can always pop back to base in an emergency, and while distance on Earth is mostly irrelevant to me, every bit of mana counts. And you can probably spin it with the media as me personally making sure my homeland is safe, or something like that.” I stated, smiling towards the Commander, “Thank you, for the opportunity, Commander. I… I’ve wanted to return to living in Japan for quite some time now. I thought it would stay a dream. I suppose it’s come true now…”

“Just don’t go tourist on me. You will need to make regular trips back to base to keep up with your training.” Tazri nodded to one side, indicating the door to Abe’s office. “Also, please don’t stay away too long. I suspect half the base would be upset if their ‘best little waifu’ vanished.”

I stared at Tazri, “I did not need to know that last part,” I replied, “but since you’re probably only referring to Mariko-chan, I’ll let it pass as a joke ma’am. And I’m not going to go tourist. What do you take me for? A Civilian?”

“Almost, boot.” She chuckled. “Now, go get some rest. I’ll have Abe locate and furnish a flat for you.”

Chapter Text

Abe laid several sheafs of paper out before me, looking over her glasses with a small smirk. “You know, I’ve never been a realtor before. Leaving so soon?”

I rolled my eyes, ignoring my girlfriend with practiced ease, “It’s more that I’m ‘living in Japan but commuting to the US with teleportation for fun and profit, Mariko-chan.” I replied in a complete deadpan.

“I kid, you know.” She arched her eyebrows. “Besides, it’s a little exciting. My own… foriegn girl?” She smiled. “I may just have to drop in some evening… or night.”

“I look forward to it,” I smiled, “I do tend to be a lot… looser in a place I can let my hair down in.”

Abe smiled. “Well, that will be nice.” She tapped the table. “Now, we have a few home options. First, I can just lay you up in one of my safehouses. Not the most comfortable or spacious locations, but no one will notice your comings and goings.”

“Pass.” I replied, “I’d rather be somewhat comfortable and the goal is to be seen in the first place, if I’m remembering my mission parameters right.”

“Fair! Next, we have a location very close to the center of Nanoha’s township.” She held up the paperwork. “It’s a two-room apartment, quite tiny. Standard, doesn’t stand out. Furnished, if a little pokey. Don’t expect much space, but all the normal amenities apply; kitchenette, bed, microwave, shower.”

“Put it on the list,” I nodded, “I don’t really need two bedrooms though.”

“Two rooms, not two bedrooms.” She clarified. “And you never know when you might need a place to dump a friend… or a mark.” She picked up the next packet, frowning at it. “Though, if that’s the case, you might not be interested in this property. The war scared one rich idiot off from his fully furnished vacation cottage just outside of Tokyo, within easy flight distance of the city. I assume you’re not interested?”

“I’m actually reasonably interested in the vacation cottage, to be honest. Given that it’s hard to find an actual house within what could count as rural Japan…”

“Well, I’ll put that on the list, then!” She placed the last sheaf on the table. “The last option is… unconventional. Namely, there’s a few persons of interest for XCOM in the area, and one of them is looking for a roommate.” She shook her head. “You’ll have no privacy, but command would like an in with them.”

“I’d need a name and profile before I say anything.” I stated immediately

“Right. Yagami Asako, widower, mother of one. She’s a normal housewife, but her husband was involved with what we now believe was a TSAB observer and emigrant. We want eyes on them in case any of his old friends drop by for a visit.”

“I’ll take the cottage and occasionally drop in to visit this widower.” I nodded, “Can’t resist the temptation of actually… wait, do I own this home or do you?”

“I will. Technically.” She paused. “I may or may not be reappropriating the atrociously small amount of money they set aside to get you a micro-apartment, and then leveraging my contacts and favors to get you a better space.”

“I’m pretty sure I can actually afford a bigger place even without the pittance of funds they set aside for me…” I muttered, before shrugging, “Then again, I haven’t exactly checked my bank account that often…”

“You should be, and have been, focusing on developing your combat and survival skills.” Tamamo remarked aloud. “I have been keeping track of your money. You currently have around 150 thousand dollars stowed from prize money, awards, and your salary.”

“Yes, I can probably afford the down payment on a house alone.” I deadpanned, “Then again, I won’t say no to your help Mariko-chan.”

“Going with the cottage, then?” As I nodded, she smiled. “I’ll handle all of it. There are some slush funds left over in Tokyo that would be… difficult to use outside of Japan. For multiple reasons.” She grinned. “XCOM’s clout will allow me to shift those into a single, easily and legally sold asset. This is a marriage of personal and public aims meeting in harmony.”

“So long as I don’t get implicated in it, go right ahead dear,” I chuckled, “Less money out of my own wallet.”

Mariko gave me a disappointed look. “Sweetie, you’ve seen me at work. Do you really think I’d mess up like that?”

“No, it was intended as a joke. Sorry, autism being a bitch again.” I replied, embarrassed, “I have every confidence in your abilities, Mariko-chan.”

“Not a problem. At least you’re honest, and adorkable in the process.” She gathered up the paperwork. “Now, it will take me a few days to sort everything out. In the meantime, you might want to talk to the people on-base you’re leaving; this isn’t a secret mission.”

“I’ll do so. See you later, Mariko-chan.”

“The Commander already informed us that you’d be heading out on an extended mission.” Captain Lehmann looked up from his bench, having set the weights back in their cradle. He sat up, wiping back his hair as he shifted to a more comfortable position on the bench. “What wasn’t clear was whether or not you’d still be a part of the deployment rotation. Do you think you’ll be able to deploy with the team on missions?”

Pondering on the question for a few moments, I sighed, “I’m unsure Captain Lehmann,” I replied, “I’ll be babysitting a mage with a core more powerful than mine, who also happens to be nine years old, and is mixed up in a hell of a political quagmire. I’d like to say I could still deploy, but I’m unsure if it’s realistic. I’ll ask the Commander for clarification, if you’d like?”

“No need, I will do so.” Lehmann wiped his forehead with a towel, then stood and walked over to his desk. “You’ve seen the commander more than I have in the last few months; and I need to speak with her about several matters. Your deployment is just the most recent.” He sighed, sitting down. “I’ve heard that Miss Takamachi is not the only child mage among us, now. What do you think of the TSAB’s recruiting practices?”

“I think they’re shortsighted and stupid. Given that literal children do not truly make good soldiers, I can’t really see any justification even with meritocracy either, given that if you want well adjusted adults capable of making decisions on more than just combat, you wait till they’re seventeen or eighteen before you recruit them. In other words, I find the practice abhorrent, and logically unsound.” I spat, the fury in my voice measured and calm.

“Agreed.” Lehmann’s mask broke, and a grimace stole across his face. “I’m worried. Takamachi- she’s mature for her age. She’s also a sweet child, from what I saw of her.” He leaned forward over his desk. “If she wants to work with you on these Jewel Seeds- fine. But the moment the aliens come, you send her to safety, understood? This is an order.”

“Understood sir.” I replied immediately, “I had no intention of even letting her consider fighting within the actual war, and I already have my reservations about allowing her to fight in general.” Pausing, and struggling a bit with the wording of the next portion of my statement, I hid a sigh, before continuing, “Frankly sir? I’ll die to ensure she doesn’t have to see combat. That she doesn’t have to stain her hands with the blood of slaves and soldiers.”

Lehmann nodded. “Good.” He peered a little more closely. “Alright. Keep her safe.” He nodded at the door. “Dismissed, specialist.”

“Now, I understand that these objects are very dangerous, and that we may need to surrender them to the TSAB.” Dr. Vahlen sipped her coffee as she moved around the lab. “But if you happen to come into possession of a Jewel Seed, I must insist that you bring it here for study and containment.” She peered at the readings on-screen. “Are they Elerium constructs? Folded fractals? No substance we know can hold such energy without breaking.”

“I doubt they’re based on Ethereal Technology Dr. Vahlen,” I replied, smiling, “And if you insist on me delivering you a Jeweled Seed, I’m going to have to insist that someone that could be considered an expert be present when you examine it.”

“Ah, yes, Mr. Scrya. Do you think he’d submit for a few tests? His ability to shift into a more compact animal form is fascinating.” Vahlen said, pulling up an image of the ferret in question. “Also, Dr. Oyekan would like to speak with him as well.” She frowned. “How does one get to be a subject expert at age nine? I wonder how competent he really is.”

I blinked, “Yeah, I’m… gonna have to take a raincheck on science for now…”

“Voluntary only, Specialist.” Vahlen said with an absent wave. “We’re not monsters. The Aliens have waived the rights of war, and the TSAB have not- indeed, they are not even our enemies.”
I blinked again, “I would… not trust the judgment of a nine year old when it comes to consent?” I tried, feeling a weird mix of awe and horror as the conversation continued.
Vahlen stopped, blinking. “...yes, that would be an issue, wouldn’t it?” She said softly, then sighed. “There is a dichotomy at work here; Scrya has shown professional competence, at least in his observed discussions and the report he passed to us on the Jewel Seeds. And yet he is a child. Holding those two markers in my mind at the same time is difficult.”

I nodded in understanding, “Think of it as a child genius that actually had their full potential realized at a young age, but has the maturity that their age reflects. It works for me, given that I hold Yuuno-kun’s professional status in high regard, but his emotional maturity in the same light I would a child’s?”

“Hmm. Yes, that could work, thank you.” She nodded sharply. “He needs a mentor.” Vahlen gave a wide smile. “An entire team of mentors. Yes, this could work…”

“Don’t let me stop you, Dr. Vahlen.” I replied, hiding a smirk, “All according to Keikaku Tamamo. Now we just need to find a group of responsible mages that may or may not include me to babysit Nanoha-chan, and Operation Find Responsible Adults for the Children may succeed.”

“Do you not count yourself among that group?” Tamamo responded dryly.

“Sometimes, yes. Other times, I’m less responsible than a toddler.” I replied just as dryly, “Or do I need to repeat that one time where I was shouting out spells for ‘intimidation’ purposes to Aliens that didn’t understand me.”

“...that’s why you were doing that? You do know that heightened emotions improve mana output, yes? Thus, psyching yourself up is an effective means of better spell performance.”

“I mean, that actually does make some sense, provided you’re not trolling me.” I replied, blinking as I began to leave the science lab behind.

“Am I?” Tamamo said. “I suggest you do your own research, my lady.” She paused. “Later. Abigail is next on your list.”

“Drat, more homework.” I deadpanned,, “Anyway, Central, mind if I teleport?”

“I’ll send a query.” Tamamo said, then relied seconds later. “Negative. Central management replied ‘You need the exercise.”

“Tell them that I already work out.” I deadpanned, my eyes twitching, “I’ll walk, damnit, but don’t bring my exercise routine into this! I pass the PT requirements!”

“Still not letting us port.” Tamamo said. “Get going.”

“Yeah, I’m more upset about their jab at my weight, though it was probably just me taking it the wrong way.” I curtly retorted, fast walking towards Abigail’s hideaway, my face occasionally twitching.

As I passed through Engineering on my way to Abigail’s room, I was stopped by a familiar voice. “A word, Specialist.” I looked up to see Dr. Shen peering at me over his glasses. “Could I have a moment of your time?”

I nodded, having forced myself to get over Central’s… poorly worded comment from earlier, “What can I do for you, Dr. Shen?”

“I just…” The doctor paused. “Ah… about the girl you’re going to be training. Lily mentioned her in passing, and well… are you going to be bringing her on-base?”

“That would require permission from Command, but I personally wouldn’t be opposed to it?” I replied, “Let me guess, Lily is lonely?”

“Not particularly, though she does lack close friends her own age.” Shen said. “No, but… honestly, I would rather her not come here much at all.” He held up one hand. “Lily comes cause I’m here; so it’s just her visiting family. Having Takamachi on-base… she might be convinced to help, or try to get involved.” He shook his head. “Though, please inform me if you do. Lily would like to meet her. We could also arrange a meeting off-base.”

I nodded in understanding, “To be honest, I’d rather not bring her to the base, but have already discarded it as a lost cause, given I already gave her a lesson in teleportation, which… was not the wisest move I could have made…”

“Ah.” Shen winced. “A teleporting nine-year old… have you apologized to her parents yet?”

I shook my head, a laugh escaping my lips, “They asked for it in the first place. I sincerely hope they’re regretting that particular choice right now…”

Momoka Takamachi looked up to see her daughter appear at the breakfast table in a flash of pink light. Yawning, the young girl rubbed her eyes as she sat down to in front of her plate. “Dear? Are you alright?”

Nanoha looked up, eyes bleary. “...did you know how cute penguins are?” She yawned. “I got to see baby penguins.”

“At the zoo?”

“No. South pole? I think?” Nanoha yawned. “Barrier jacket dealt with the cold… But now I’m sleepy.”

Momoka looked up to see her husband sipping coffee. She sighed. “Make this a lesson, or give her the day off?”

Shiro looked over at his sleepy daughter, then calmly rolled up his newspaper and slapped it down beside her head. The loud crack caused her to sit up with a shriek. “If she can’t deal with a little sleep deprivation, she shouldn’t be out all night.” At the glare from his youngest, Shiro chuckled. “With great power, comes great responsibility, dear.”

“Shiro, please don’t quote spider-man at her. She’s too young to know that.”

“Never too young to learn the Tao of Peter Parker.”

Nanoha let out a mou, and started eating. “Yes dad…”

“Corrupting the youth of today.” Abigail tutted over her drink. “As your own teacher, I couldn’t be prouder.”

“There was an attempt.” I said hollowly, “It failed, on account of me not actually trying to corrupt them.”

“Then try harder.” She sighed. “It’s too bad you mages got to Takamachi first. She has no little psionic potential. Less than you or I, of course, but substantial enough.”

“I’m her teacher Abigail,” I replied smirking, “I can teach her both if you’d like~”

“You are not capable of teaching psionics yet.” Abigail responded curtly. “Indeed, you are barely capable of using them yourself. Attempting to train someone as you are… not a good idea.”

I nodded, having expected that answer, “I wasn’t talking about now, Abigail, I was talking about in the future. Regardless of what happens, outside the possibility of my own death, I intend to be there for Nanoha-Chan.”

“...you may be a little young to have a child.” Abigail purses her lips. “Hmm. I don’t know if Abe is ready for that sort of commitment yet.” She sighed, setting her cup down. “I’ll simply have to help. Auntie Abbie sounds perfect.”

I blushed, “I suppose it is rather obvious that I want to be a mother, isn’t it.” I stated dryly as I could, though my blush continued to betray me, “Regardless, I’m not insane enough to have a child in the midsts of this war. I’ll wait, thank you very much.”

“You may not have a choice.” Abigail responded cheerily. “Be careful of your wishes; they may just come true.” She picked her teacup back up and sipped.

I blinked, before swearing quietly, “Oh dear god please don’t let there be time travel. I couldn’t handle a third fandom on top of all of this.”

“...no?” Abigail looked at me strangely. “Not time travel. Don’t worry about that.” She paused. “Precognitive visions, on the other hand…”

“I’m referring to a trope, Abigail,” I replied, “Trying to be ironic while… tempting Mr. Murphy like a moron.” Pausing to consider her final words, I sighed, “So I suppose I’ll be getting pregnant in the near future?”

“No.” Abby continued sipping tea.

“Adoption then.” I continued, as if I hadn’t just been told I would not, in fact, get pregnant, something that Abigail might note disappointed me, given my… tastes.

“Highly likely.” Abigail sighed, setting her teacup down. “Be yourself, but be vigilant. I get very few unasked for visions. When I do, it’s only to avert catastrophe. One is coming. Be ready.”

I nodded, playfulness suddenly gone. “I’ll keep it in mind Abigail. I appreciate the warning.”

“I think you would have muddled through without it.” She nodded once. “I do have one piece of critical advice you should follow, based on my visions.”

“Do you think you should tell me? Self fulfilling prophecy-” I began to explain anxiously.

“Try to get to bed before 10. You’ll need your sleep.” She cut me off with a deadpan. “Seriously, Shizuka. Don’t burn out.”

I blinked, nodding slowly, “I’ll do so then. Thank you Abigail.”

“And try to teach your protégé to do the same.”

“That’s a given” I replied, a floating, vague memory crossing my mind, “Given what I’ve seen in her “canon”.”

“It had to be said.” Abigail smiled as her watch beeped. “Now, I believe you need to go pack your bags. I expect visits three times a week for training, tea, and conversation.” She smiled one last time. “Bring your little friend!”

“If I can convince the Commander to let her through, I will. And I am well aware that she doesn’t have to know. I’d rather not risk it though.” I replied lightly, nodding to Abigail as I left, headed back towards my room to finish packing my things…

Abe grinned as we stepped from the teleportation circle, crossing 6500 miles in a matter of seconds. “Ah, the joys of modern travel. Fast times, plenty of leg room, and no dealing with border security.” She breathed in the air as we stood on a paved road surrounded by trees.

“It is convenient when you can teleport, yes.” I grinned back, smiling happily, “So this is the place?”

I looked over through the treeline to see a two-story Japanese home, nestled into the woods and surrounded by overgrown garden plots. Beside me, Abe hummed. “Yes, here it is.” She looked at me a little askance. “Did you do any more research on this place?”

I nodded, “Of course, who do you think I am Abe.”

“Then you know the rumors.” Abe walked forward, footsteps clacking off the stones of the walkway as she led me up to the doors. “The men I sent here to renovate and put in new furniture didn’t see anything, but all of the last six owners insist…”

“That the place is haunted?” I noted, shaking my head slightly, “I couldn’t find a solid statement on why they think so, but we’re in Japan for goodness sake, you’d think that some of the owners would be aware of their own culture…”

“I did get in contact with the local shrine.” Abe said, opening the door. “They’ve come out here three times. Apparently, their efforts to purify malevolent presences had no effect.” She shrugged. “And the previous owners weren’t hurt, just fed up. Stuff moved around, missing food, strange drafts… nothing dangerous.”

“So a mischievous youkai or some other spirit.” I mused, “Any specific type of food?”

“Nothing was specified.” Abe said as she opened the door. “Now, I renovated…” She stopped as she stared across the main sitting room. I took a look inside, eyeing the kotatsu, cushions, and old-fashioned tv sitting inside, screen fuzzy with static in the empty room. “I could have sworn I told them to get rid of that old thing…”

“Now now Mariko-chan, how old is that Television?” I snickered, already having guessed exactly what I was dealing with, “You can come out, by the way, unless you’re malicious, I shan’t hurt you.

There was silence from in front of us… and then noise from the next room over. Looking around the corner, I watched as a tall figure with stringy black hair draping down her back rummaged through the fridge in the kitchen. As I took another step, the head whipped around, allowing me to see through a surprised expression and red eyeball. The ghost blinked once, holding what looked like an armful of snacks, before darting past me and diving into the TV.

“Yeah, TV ghost.” I stated dryly, “and given that no one has been horribly murdered, probably just wants to be left alone.”

The screen fuzzed, then cleared to show what could be called a NEET-cave. The ghost girl was munching on a bag of chips as she sat in an office chair, surrounded by manga, video games, and stuffed toys. She held up a pad of paper with ‘Don’t toss out my home, and we’re good.’ written on it.

Abe blinked, studying the background. “...are you using the flat screen I bought for Shizuka?”

‘Thank you for the donation.’

“That’s not yours!”

I laughed at the scene playing out before me, nudging Abe on the shoulder, “There’s your confirmation that the supernatural is real, by the way. Imagine the possibilities this opens up~”

Abe blinked twice. “...and suddenly, I’m concerned that those associates I met with once might have been actual vampires…”

I grinned, “Wouldn’t surprise me. After all, if everyone dismisses you as a myth, it’s rather easy to fade into the background…”

Chapter Text

I was actually quite decent at falling asleep and waking up in places I wasn’t exactly familiar with. Surprisingly, I was actually better at waking up at a hotel than at home. This morning, however, woke me with a series of dull booms from the middle distance, and a siren alarm from Tamamo. “Ah, my lady.” Tamamo sounded anxious. “You’re currently getting calls from Nanoha, Yuuno, the JMDF, XCOM, and the local branches of the government.” She paused. “Although, checking sky cams and the local news, I believe I know why they’re all calling you at once.”

Without a single comment, I teleported, rapidly relocating myself to the skyline of Tokyo, then casting a wide area search, if only to get a lock on Nanoha’s location. While it was, in fact, to early for this shit, I was a professional, and thus I was not utterly shocked when I teleported again, and came face to face with literally Godzilla.

The massive, green-scaled creature barely seemed to notice me, since it was much too busy trying to swipe several high-tech fighters from the air, and roaring as a dozen mages in various colorful outfits flickered around it. The monster, half submerged in Tokyo Bay, raised its arms with a deafening scream.

“Sensei!” I looked to one side to see a familiar white-clad girl streak towards me, skidding in midair to bounce in place a couple of meters from me. “Do you see it? It’s so cool! We’re going to get to fight Gojira!” Her smile was radiant.

On her shoulder, a small mammal clung, shaking. “Why? Why are we here? Why did someone use the Jewel seeds to wish a literal holovid monster into existence? WHY ME?”

“Because the universal constant of any universe is that Murphy-san enjoys making people suffer,” I deadpanned, already initiating a deep-scan of the mana-construct, “Nanoha, chill on the excitement. Yuuno, stop panicking, deep, calm breaths. Additionally, Nanoha, I want you on long range bombardment support only. You are not to approach the budget kaiju without my explicit permission.”

“Tamamo, I want suggestions, stat.” I added through telepathy, before mentally nudging both my charges to switch the the more secure method of communication.

Looking only briefly to see if both the children understood and complied, I tapped Tamamo into the local tactical network, and immediately requested a sitrep and link into the battle-net. Seconds later, someone added me to a group call, frantic Japanese coming from at least eight different throats.

“QUIET!” One voice, noticeably older and more composed than the rest, shouted over the line. After a few seconds of his order being followed, he continued. “Thank you. Now, our XCOM liaison and the only person to actually know what’s going on is on the line. Lady Rii, am a corect in the assumption that this is not an Alien bioweapon, judgment from the kami, or a United Nations plot to overthrow the government?”

“You should probably have your psychologists look into the person who suggested the last one,” I muttered, mindful that not all on the network would be mages, “Regardless, the answer to your question is yes. This is simply the result of an artifact unearthed by the TSAB and rather irresponsibly transported near our world, which then got shot down by someone that isn’t the X-Rays. I have a method of sealing the power source of the mana construct, and I just need everyone to focus on weakening it enough to do so. Give me a moment, I’m going to execute a shift into barrier space so we don’t destroy half of this district in the fight.”

There’s a brief moment of silence before the stern man resumes speaking. “If a Barrier Space will work, do so immediately. That at least will contain things if we have to use experimental weaponry.”

“I still say-”

“No, Dr. Ikari. Your plans are in the archives for a reason.” The man directed his next sentences towards me. “Specialist Rii, you will be placed directly under Captain Hikari once you transition to Barrier Space. Inform him of your knowledge, and work with him to contain this thing.” He paused, weighing something. “You do not have the capacity to overrule him, but I do. If you see him doing something inadvisable, inform me directly.”

I nodded, though none could see it, “Thank you, sir.” I replied, “Do you want me to bring along any assets you have in the AO? It’s not too much of an increase in cost.”

“Our mages will insert behind you, and they can bring any heavy weaponry with them. Our reports indicate you outgun them by a significant margin.” He paused. “Also, your apprentice is cleared to come with you, apparently.” He paused. “By her mother. I’m not certain how she delivered this permission slip, actually…”

“She’s from a shinobi family. That should be enough explanation.” I deadpanned, executing the shift into barrier space while I talked, “Shift completed, send in your mages now.”

“Nanoha, I want you to only take orders from me. Ignore everyone else.” I immediately stated to my apprentice, “Remember what I said. On the battlefield my word is law.”

Nanoha blinked, then her grin widened. “So I can ignore Yuuno-chan’s suggestions?” The ferret’s eyes widened further, if such a thing was possible, and he began to whimper.

“No, and switch to telepathy already. I said orders, not suggestions from someone far more experienced than you in the arts of magic.” I retorted immediately, paging through Tamamo’s suggestions on weaknesses and such, “Alright, Nanoha, I want you on long range bombardment. If the Captain tries to get you to close in, let me know, and he can take it up with me. I’m not technically part of the chain of command, and I intend to abuse it. Also the local command has already basically said to call him out on doing the stupid, and I intend to. Looks like they’re arriving. Tamamo, provide the sitrep, I don’t have time to stand around. I got other shit I want to accomplish today that doesn’t involve an overgrown lizard.”

“Whoever or whatever created this thing, it did so emulating the movie Gorija. The monster has no specific goal beyond causing panic and destruction, and it’s remarkably ineffective at that.” Tamamo advised. “That’s not to say it isn’t a threat; we’ve seen evidence of a heat-ray breath weapon capable of melting stone at close range, and a swipe of its claws or tail will at the very least shatter a mage’s barriers.”

Yuuno cut in. “The… Gorija contains at least 3 jewel seeds- one behind the eyes, one at the base of its tail, and one in the center of its chest. I think removing one will cause it to collapse to a smaller form, while retrieving two will cause the matrix to shatter entirely.” He paused. “I may add that the longer this thing exists, the more ‘real’ it will become, and the more dangerous it will be.”

“Oh joy speedrun time.” I deadpanned as Tamamo continued to brief the arriving mages, “Alright, mages and Mage-Captain, we’re on a timer. The lookalike becomes more like the ‘original’ the longer it exists. I should not have to state why this is bad. We need to eliminate two of the three ‘cores’ powering it, preferably before it becomes so strong that we can’t handle it anymore without breaking out suicidal tactics. I will now formally place myself under the command of Captain Hikari, and serve in an advisory role. Your orders, Captain?”

The captain examined the creature for a few moments, then nodded sharply. “All Onmyoji below 4th class, continue circling or providing covering fire; we need to keep the beast distracted. 4th class and up, form up on me.” Twelve of the three dozen mages arrayed around the beast broke off and flew to circle around the captain. “According to our specialist, we need to concentrate fire and locate the source of this creature before it grows too powerful. Do we have an image of these ‘cores’?” Tamamo immediately projected an image of the blue oblong in the air. “These objects are located within the head, chest, and lower spine of Gorija. We need to punch through and extract the cores for sealing.” He eyed his troops. “Can we breach it, or do we need to go inside?”

“We have enough firepower to punch a concentrated hole through flesh, but not bone.” One of the mages observed. “Going in means braving the flames, though.”

“Add my apprentice to the bombardment teams, Captain.” I stated, my eyes flicking over to Nanoha, “Mostly so that she stays the hell away from Gojira. No, convincing her to leave won’t work. I’ve tried many times.”

“...how old is your apprentice? And why does her smile disturb me?” One of the floating magi adds the the conversation. I merely shivered slightly, staring straight ahead.

“...I know why it disturbs me, anyway. She gets it from her mom.” I shake my head. “Anyway, she’s old enough to fire a high-level bombardment, but too young to participate without a permission slip.”

Nanoha’s voice enters the comms. “Raising Heart says that full-power bombardment is within my capabilities, but that I can’t sustain it for longer than ten minutes.”

“...that’s twice as long as most of us.”

“She can do shots.” The politely artificial voice of Raising Heart cut in on the conversation.

“Okay, enough talk. Teams, prepare for bombardment. We’ll go in through the left eye. Locate the core, extract it, then bring it back here.” He turned to me. “Ma’am, you and I will head in for retrieval. Is that acceptable?”

I nodded firmly, “No offense to your mages, but I can hold a barrier for far longer than they can. Just make sure you guys provide cover fire and break that eye open so I can seal the Seed.”

“Right. Begin firing in 120 seconds.” The captain spun and began flying in a wide arc, so we could approach the monster’s eye slightly from behind. As we closed in, the counter Tamamo projected flicked down by the second. “...mark!”

At once, thirteen beams of light in a variety of colors struck at once, searing into the monster’s eye– and causing him to buck, roaring as he thrashed. The sudden movements of his head caused the beams to go off-target, searing a deep furrow in the monster’s cheek before they cut out. I eyed the smoking eye socket with distaste. Not enough. They needed to be more accurate, more coordinated.

The captain swore. “Another shot, same target. We need the eye gone. Fire on my mark.”

“If you need to, slave targeting to your best shot. I should be in your tactical network now, so Tamamo’s data should be there too,” I added telepathically, my tone betraying none of my disappointment with the mages as a group. Given that they should have been synched the first time, I felt like that feeling was at least somewhat justified.

“Data upload… now. Firing solutions marked.” Tamamo remarked. “Optimal time approach-”

“Mark!”

“-now.” This time, the beams were far more accurate, searing in and incinerating what remained of the eye. “We are clear for entry. Mages are still good for additional fire at this time.”

The Captain nodded, even as he and I swooped towards the now smoking eyes socket, juking and weaving to close in on the entrance to this thing’s brain. “Onmyoji, begin sounding blasts on the chest armor and… anal region. Find a place to break through. Lieutenant, you have command until the Specialist and I return.”

“Hai, sir.”

I have a polite nod to the man as I weaved around a strike from the Porto-Godzilla. We headed into the head, dodging through strange, pulsing ‘flesh’ and into a wide space. A bright light filled the skull cavity, the Jewel Seed currently replacing the thing’s brain. Tamamo rose as I approached the Jeweled Seed, “Start sealing, Tamamo,” I commanded.

“Sealing is impossible with current hardware. However, space distortion and linking are fine. Linking to Raising Heart, setting up transfer. Takamachi, are you ready?”

“Yea ma’am! Raising Heart, seal!”

“Underway.” Seconds later, the Jewel seed was drawn down towards Tamamo’s gun barrel, the aperture now glowing bright pink as the gemstone was ripped from its tangle of fleshy magic. Seconds later, the light winked out. “Seal complete, Lost Logia 02 stored.”

Around us, the massive monster howled, the whole ‘room’ shaking from the loss of power. The Captain nodded. “Stage one accomplished. Lieutenant, status?”

“It’s thrashing around too much to approach from below, but we’ve managed to hit it with enough armor piercing attacks to blow off a section of its chest armor. With more guidance from the Specialist, we should be able to blow another tunnel in it.”

“Right. Specialist, warp us out.”

“Understood.” I replied, “Taking the time to set up the spell so I don’t waste mana. Should only take five seconds.” I replied professionally, rapidly running through the spell formula required to teleport two people. Moments later, we were in what the battle net had designated as a safe area, and once more, I was diving towards the designated location to get better telemetry.

Tamamo spoke up over comms as we closed in, dodging aside as the monster spat a blast of atomic breath our way. “Fracture point in armor spotted. Coordinates locked in. All units, feeding target data.”

“Firing on our mark-” The Captain’s voice was cut off as a blast of flames blanketed his positon. Seconds later, the Captain began to fall from the sky. “-retrieval! Retrieval now! Armor compromised, flight off line, retrieval-”

“I gotcha!” A white streak slammed into the Captain, lifting him up. “Oof, you’re heavy. Uh-oh.” Nanoha began to weave as the Gorjia expy began to focus on the now-loaded mini-magi. “Ah, Sensei? A little help?”

“AUUUGHHH!” Yuuno’s voice echoed over the comms. As she wove, she moved aside as a concentrated beam blast hit the monster’s armor, boring a hole inward.

“Now, Mr. Gojira. I was being nice and letting the Japanese Omyonji take good care of you.” I stated, magic roiling off me in waves as my students (read children) screamed (or put themselves in danger because they were far too caring), “But then, you just had to make me angry, now didn’t you.” I whispered, raising Tamamo skyward. “Now, I do believe I have all the targeting data needed to pull off a precision senbonzakura, right Tamamo?”

“Yes ma’am. Firing- now, I assume?”

“Coordinating with everyone else, yes.” I hissed. Over comms, I yelled. “FIRE ON MY MARK!”

I waited ten seconds, then “Mark!”

My own scattered petals homed in, cutting gouges which were quickly filled with searing magical beams. Within seconds, the hole was widened, allowing the pink light of the Jewel Seed to shine through, even as the monster bucked and roared in pain.

“Now, Tamamo. I’n starting the sealing process. I assume Raising Heart can handle some of the processing required to do two simultaneous tunnels? I’ll handle the blink, but I need to be sure this will end it.” I asked my partner, already having blinked to the first position as I asked, raising my device determinedly.

“One at a time only, ma’am, but taking this one will end the threat. Without a second support, the matrix creating this monster will collapse.” Tamamo reminds me. “Raising Heart sealing commencing.”

As I watched, the second Seed is drawn into the barrel of Tamamo’s gun- and with hardly a sound, the massive monster implodes, as a third pink dot falls into the water. Immediately, I’m there, a third blink leaving me panting as I dive, intent on ensuring the seed is secure. I hold out my hand, letting the small jewel fall into it, and try not to express any particular desires.

“All Seeds secure. What’s next?”

“Debriefing and cleanup.” The Captain says. “Also, Command is asking something about movie rights.”

“Which command?“ I snorted, “Cause XCOM is gonna want at least partial rights~”

“Ooh, am I included?”

“Miss Takamachi, apparently they want you to star.”

“Eee!”

“So the Takamachis were willing to let their child go out and fight Gorija, but not willing to let her go and star in a movie about Gorija.” Abe glanced over at Nanoha, who was diligently working on her math homework at my new kitchen table.

“Ma ma, Movie Business is pretty shit for Children.” I deadpanned at my girlfriend, smiling lightly at Nanoha, “Besides, I do believe Nanoha-Chan is currently soft-grounded for not following the orders of her sensei and superior officer.”

“I did!” Nanoha pouted at me.

“Except when you broke ranks to catch the captain. Good deed, against orders.” Abe clarified. “Days like this get you punishment duty and a medal, in my second hand experience.”

Yuuno looked up from his tea and biscuits. “Well, we’ve retrieved four of the twenty-one Jewel Seeds already.” He paused. “What next?”

Pausing, I thought for a moment, “Now, we start training in earnest, Nanoha-chan. I haven’t exactly decided on what to teach you next, and I’m actually having to debate if I could realistically take you on an uninterrupted camping trip- Wait, I’m an idiot. Nanoha, make sure to pack your bags this Thursday. This weekend is some basic survival stuff.”

“Eh?” Nanoha tilted her head. “Um, after school, right? Mama wants me to keep up with my classes.”

“Nanoha, is Thursday a weekend?” I asked rhetorically, smiling, “I want to see if you pack the appropriate items without me instructing you first. Seeing as today is Tuesday, you have two days to research and or request items from me. Don’t ask your parents to buy you things. I have a budget set aside for this specific trip.”

“Alright then!” She nodded once, then paused. “Erm, Yuuno-kun-”

“No thank you, I’ll stay at home.” Yuuno said quickly from his place at the table. He then looked at me, and I heard his mental voice parsing through Tamamo. “Ah- am I allowed to help her if she asks me? I do have some wilderness survival training…”

“So long as you don’t offer her help, that’s fine. I’m trying to get her used to asking questions about things she doesn’t know. Reward her with vague answers the less specific she is, if you don’t mind. I plan to do the same.” I requested the young professional, smiling, “Regardless, Nanoha-chan, I’ll have you home by Sunday Afternoon, and you can bring your homework with you. Now, I have some other things I need to take care of, so I’ll be available again later today, okay?”

“Alright, sensei!”

Abe stood up and walked with me into the other room. “You’re going camping? Am I invited, Shizuka?”

“Of course, though it won’t just be us. If you don’t mind that, you’re more than welcome to come.” I replied easily, turning the faucet on and picking up a dish.

“Ah. So should I bring my own tent and sleeping bag, or leave both behind and just share yours?” She wiggled her eyebrows, before they dropped. “In all seriousness, though, I likely wouldn’t be able to come. The time difference and hours are such that I’m going to need to stay at headquarters.”

I nodded, “I can always just teleport you over for the night Mariko-Chan. I don’t mind spending time with you at all, and it's nice to cuddle or more.”

“Yes, but your night would be the working hours for me.” She shook her head. “Nice of you to offer, though.” She looked back into the dining room. “Huh. Looks like all three of your houseguests are getting along.”

I poked my head back in to find that Nanoha had abandoned her homework. She now sat in front of the TV, beside a familiar white figure, both holding old-fashioned controllers as a group of animated characters brawled on-screen.

“That they are,” I snickered, putting the dish I had been rinsing and washing into the dishwasher, “Though I didn’t exactly expect Ghost-Chan to exist…”

Abe groaned. “I’ve been doing some digging into some of the other rumors I’ve heard… no luck so far.” She pursed her lips as the ghost girl’s character slammed Nanoha’s through a wall. “I mean, she’s probably not the only one, but if they’ve hidden this long…”

“I doubt that the Ethereals would find them, either. There’s no reason for any of the Supernatural to intervene…” I stated glumly, “we’re the ones who drove them out, after all…”

Ghost-chan’s head swiveled to face us even as her body remained still, and she mutely shook her head. With a button press, the screen shifted, blood-red letters replacing the fighting screen, to Nanoha’s dismay.

We haven’t been driven out. Merely hiding in the cracks, every crack. And there are a lot of them, if you’re willing to look… and willing to face what you might find! She gave a wide grin.

“I see. That’s a relief to hear…” I whispered, giving my roommate a small smile, “Well, you know where to look now, I suppose. Right, Mariko-Chan?”

“In the cracks…” Abe looked nonplussed. “That’s extremely vague.” She acknowledged petulantly, staring at the back of the ghost’s head. In response, the laughter of little girls began to echo from the walls. “Really?”

“Well, perhaps you should hunt for rumors?” I suggested, a teasing smile on my face, “Such as what led us to our friendly ghost girl?”

“Not a bad idea.” Abe acknowledged.

Nanoha spoke up. “Ghost-san? Do you know any Tanuki?” At the look from the undead gamer, she elaborated. “I really like raccoons, and I wanna meet one!”

The ghost girl shook her head, and Nanoha slumped. “Oh… what about Tengu?” Another head shake. “Oni?” The ghost woman gave a single nod to the last one. “Cool!”

“Nanoha-Chan, got room for another player?” I challenged, having finished my self assigned task as the conversation progressed, sitting down on the couch next to my student, “I should take the opportunity to relax, after all.”

The ghost eyed me, then reached into the screen and pulled two more controllers, hooking them up to the device. Passing me one, she hovered the other at Abe’s eye level. Mariko shook her head. “I’m not one for games, sorry.” She paused. Hold up…

Five minutes later, Ghost-chan was sitting several feet away from the rest of us, eyes occasionally twitching towards our fourth player. I didn’t know why she was so scared; Abigail was perfectly nice once you got to know her! Then… I had a realization, “You’re sensing her psionic potential, aren’t you…” I whispered to my ghostly friend, my eyes promising an explanation later, when no prying ears were present.

Abigail looked over at the ghost. “I knew your kind were about… I didn’t expect to meet one in the open.”

The screen futzed briefly. Can’t run. You’re a friend of the mistress of the house; better to face my fears. The ghostly woman looked back at the screen as it resumed playing the game.

“Arezu won’t bite… unless you wish me harm. Or my friends.” Abigail smiled.

Nanoha watched the interaction with wide eyes. “...I think I wanna be you when I grow up.” Her eyes sparkled as she stared at Abigail.

“Ara, Nanoha-Chan, why is that?” I asked, smiling as I launched my student off the screen, a brief smirk flickering into existence before I suppressed it.

“She can scare Ghosts!” Nanoha grinned. “If I could scare people that well, I could get anyone to stop fighting!”

Ghost-chan scooted another inch away from the group.

I sighed softly, tisking as I got launched, “Fear is never a tool one should use to enforce something. See how Ghost-Chan is reacting, my student? Do you truly want someone you consider a friend to look at you like that?” Landing back on the stage with a well executed recovery, I launched Abigail off, a neutral smile plastered on my face.

“...erm.” Nanoha looked uncomfortable. “Sorry, ghost-chan.” She perked up. “DO you have a name?”

Two symbols flashed on-screen. Kei-ko.

“Nice to meet you, Keiko!” The ghost smiled back at the grinning girl. Their attention whipped back to the screen as Abigail and I each shoved one fighter off the ledges. “Ah! No fair!”

“All is fair in Smash, Nanoha-Chan,” I chirped, once more getting sent flying, this time unable to recover, “kinda like that~”

Abigail nodded, then paused. “What’s Smash?”

Chapter Text

I finished stowing my gear in my pack, looking up to see Keiko looking at me with curiosity, head poking through the wall. She tapped the surface beside her head, red dye bleeding through the wallpaper. Packing for your camping trip?

I smiled, nodding at the Youkai, “yeah. Making sure I have everything I could possibly need. Tamamo’s storing some stuff for me too, and I plan to have some fun cooking out in the mountains. Mind the house while I’m gone?”

Can do. I will keep Yuuno-chan company while you’re gone. She turned to look at me, her smile wide. He’s still trying to figure out how I exist.

“Silly boy. If myths exist, he’s not gonna be figuring that kind of metaphysical question anytime soon. He’s an archeologist, not a biologist or xeno-biologist. I’ll have a talk with him if he gets… “irritating about it, just let me know!” I chirped, putting the last of the food I was bringing with me in a secure box. No sense in losing the habit, especially if I had to use the skill for real.

Laughter, this time light and childish, echoed from every corner of the room as Keiko ducked back through the wall, the stains vanishing as she did so. I shook my head and stood up as I heard knocking at the door. Walking over briskly, Tamamo held at my side as always, I answered it, not willing to pulling the door open till I confirmed who it was, “who is it?”

“Sensei, I’m here!” Nanoha’s chipper voice sounded through the door. “I’ve got my pack for inspection!”

I opened the door, pulling the girl into a hug, smiling, “You're early today, Nanoha-Chan. You finished your homework for the weekend already?” I stated, already knowing the likely answer.

“Nooo… but I brought it with me!” She reached up to Raising Heart, tapping it and causing a small folder to drop into her hands. “I did half already, but mama always says to pace yourself.”

Yuuno poked his head up over Nanoha’s shoulder. “I can confirm that, ma’am.” He tilted his head slightly. “I’m surprised how slow-paced and general the coursework seems, but I suppose if she’s not expected to decide on her career for another eight years…”

“Yuuno-kun, your society, to Earth’s view, expects far too much out of their children. Our system isn’t perfect, but it’s worked for hundreds of years.” I gently chided, “Regardless, I’ll be sure to adjust my plans to account for you having a bit of homework left over. Come into the living room. I’ll check your bag there.” My smile never left as I led the children to the aforementioned room, “this is what we protect, Tamamo… their smiles, and the ability for them to have this childlike excitement…”

“Understood, ma’am.” Tamamo sounded happy, though a hint of trepidation entered her voice with the next line. “I agree, though some of Nanoha’s smiles… are a little much.”

“I know. I’m going to try and work on that…” I communicated back, understanding exactly what my partner was referring to, “I dearly hope she’ll mature out of it.”

“As do I…”

Oblivious to our discussion, Nanoha put her books back into storage, coming in with a large pet carrier in one hand and a large pack on her back. “Okay, I have everything for survival packed outside Raising Heart. So if something happened, I’d still have all my supplies.” She said, pulling the pack off and putting it in front of her.

Nodding, I began to carefully appraise the pack, first ensuring that it was a good hiking backpack. Thankfully it was, and I continued on to inspect the contents and packing of the bag, ensuring that space was being maximized and that all the required items for survival were there. It was. Nanoha had taken the time I had given her and used it well. Everything she needed to survive, provided she had the skills needed, was there. I was impressed with her foresight in bringing a second knife, though a minor frown flickered across my face at some of the mana reliance, especially for water purification.

But regardless of such a minor gripe, I nodded, clearly pleased with my student’s performance, “Good job. You thought of everything. I would recommend taking a backup that doesn’t require technology as much for water purification, but that’s largely because water is quite literally the most important factor of survival. Everything appears to be neatly packed as well, and I didn’t have to repack anything any differently. You pass with full marks, would I have been grading you for this.”

“I asked mama and papa for help, and they told me a little, then told me to go do my own search. So then I asked Yuuno, and he told me to buy the purifier and some other stuff.” She held up one thing, which Tamamo had recognized as an emergency beacon, currently off. “And then I did my own search. I was just glad mama let me buy the carbon stuff.”

I whistled, “She let you have the good stuff. And well done for asking your immediate resources before doing online research.”

Pausing, I nodded to myself, “I’ll add a few things to your pack, since they’re absurdly expensive unless you know how to get them. Don’t ask.” I stated, deadpanning at the end to pre-empt questions. Rummaging around my own pack, I pulled out two items. The first was simple. A pistol, one that I carried with me as a rule, and not exactly legal to own as a civilian in Japan. “You are not going to keep this. I’ll be teaching you how to shoot at a range later, in the US. If only because having a holdout is always a good idea. Yuuno, if you want to learn, I’m happy to teach you as well.” Not even waiting for their reactions, I pressed onwards, the second item pressed into Nanoha’s hand as I returned the FN-Five-Seven to its case. “This is a mana-to-electricity converter. It’s not like the others, mostly because it’s highly efficient. At least, by our standards. Should charge a smartphone in about eight hours, but it stores a charge, so if you feed it mana, you’ll have a fairly portable rechargeable battery. This one you will keep.” I state firmly.

Nanoha’s eyes were wide as she watched the gun. “...um. Dad said he’d teach me that when I’m older. Are you sure?” She took the converter, and slipped it into her pack’s outer pocket.

Meanwhile, Yuuno’s back was arced, staring at the weapon. “Is that a physical projectile weapon? Why do you have that? What- why are- that thing is new!” He stepped back. “What?!”

“I should have expected Mr. Takemichi to be okay with firearms…” I muttered, even as I turned to face Yuuno, “Because war is nasty business, and a gun is deadly to most life-forms. If you aren’t comfortable using one, I cannot and will not force you. But…” I sighed, struggling internally, “Earth is a War Zone right now kids. I can’t bear the thought of either of you not having a holdout weapon when I can provide you with one…”

“... I suppose you haven’t had mana tech for long.” Yuuno whispered, eyes finally breaking from the gun. “Those things… I know there's been some people pushing to use them against the Aggressors, but there’s nothing civilized about them. Nothing good.” He shook slightly. “I’ll stick with my barriers and blades, thank you.”

I shrugged, hiding my pain at his statement with practiced ease, “As is your choice, Yuuno.” I said gently, before turning to Nanoha, “I’ll have a conversation with your father later. We’ll work something out between us, since I have no desire to step on his toes in that regard.” Turning back to Yuuno, I pulled the poor boy into a hug, “I’m sorry for disturbing you, little one.”

“...I know you use them. In the military. But… I didn’t think..” He wiggled a bit, pushing so he could get loose and look me in the eyes. “Why do you use them? You have magic!”

“Because sometimes, in the very end, it’s kill or be killed, and I have too much to go home for to die.” I said softly, “Because my enemy will not give me the luxury of simply putting them down non-lethally, more often than not. Yuuno-Kim, realize that unless I’m explicitly ordered to, standard rules of engagement with the Enemy are lethal. They attacked us unprovoked, and we haven’t heard one whit of peace from them.” I continued, a surge of melancholy rising within me. I, to be frank, disliked killing. But… for the ones I loved and the innocents, I was fully willing to stain my hands red, as many times as I had to.

After all, I was a soldier, a special operations soldier, at that…

His tail thrashed. “I’m not… I know, about them. But you can kill with magic. I have.” he whispered the last two words. “You can choose. You can’t choose with that.”

Nanoha set a hand on Yuuno’s back. “A lot of people can’t use magic here. Or don’t trust it, or can’t get a real device. So they use things like that.” She motioned to the firearm. “Papa wants to teach me, because his dad taught him how. And I’ll do the same.”

“A tradition of firearms…” Yuuno muttered.

“Most people who have a firearm in their hands never want to use it against another living being.” I continued gently, “Every time we pull the trigger, a responsible firearm owner knows and understands that our target is likely to die. We make that choice by firing the weapon. As for non lethal takedowns with them, there are options. Especially with modern technology. Rubber bullets, while still lethal at close ranges, and in specific locations generally work for that purpose. The threat of violence often works on its own as well, Yuuno-kun. Mortality is a heavy thing for most to contemplate, after all…”

Yuuno nodded, then looked over at the kitchen table. “I think I want to do some research.” He said finally. “I need to understand…”

“Remember to ask both sides. There’s always two sides to one story, though as an archeologist, I’m sure you understand that, Yuuno.” I answered gently, “Now, I do believe that conversation is down and dusted for now. Nanoha, Yuuno, do either of you want something specific for dinner? I do believe comfort food is in order.”

“Umm…” Yuuno looked over, ears raised. “I think I want something with meat, maybe rabbit? You’re not leaving tonight?”

“I can teleport” I deadpanned, smiling, “and your comfort matters to me too.” I continued more gently, “I’ll be back shortly, give me an hour to go fetch the ingredients.”

He nodded, and I turned to Nanoha. “Will you be alright here for a bit?” At her nod, I smiled. “Okay, be back soon.”

Chapter Text

After a quick grocery run and setting up a pot on the stove, (Keiko had proven to be able to handle simple meals, so the rabbit and rice stew wouldn’t burn in our absence) Nanoha and I warped back to the US, and from there, into one of America’s national treasures.

“Welcome to Yellowstone National Park.” I spoke as we materialized. Miss Takamachi had insisted on me speaking English in America; so that Nanoha would be forced to practice. We’d teleported into an area near a major trail, but we stood on the outskirts of backcountry, where hiking trails faded into game trails. “Do mind the dormant Volcano. While it won’t cause a cataclysm if you set it off, the local mages wouldn’t like it if you played with it.” I quipped, an easy grin on my face.

Nanoha blinked, looking down at her feet. “Umm… Okay?” She frowned. “What does cat-a-klism mean?”

“It’s a greater version of catastrophe,” I said gently, “I can go simpler if you need to, but I want you to try and figure it out entirely in English. Your mom wouldn’t let you go with me otherwise.” Pausing, I gently took Nanoha’s hand in mine, “Come on, the park rangers are expecting us.” I barely finished my words when I heard Tamamo cough.

“Incoming message from Yellowstone Ranger HQ.”

I answered, only for a frazzled voice to start up before I could ask anyone what was up. “Uh, specialist, I know we said we’d send a guide, but that may not be possible.”

“Anything I can help with Ranger? Or just suddenly very busy?” I replied kindly and patiently, “No need to feel guilty if it’s the latter, it happens.”

“Uh, well… actually, do you know anything about search-and rescue? A hiking duo missed their daily check-in, and we found some of their stuff down a ravine. Half the rangers are sweeping the area.” The young man sounded harried. “If you could help…”

“Of course. I’ll keep this line open for faster communication, Ranger. Specialist Lee, out.” I replied, mentally ordering Tamamo to keep me updated, but to mute my end, “Nanoha, this is a fairly good opportunity for us. How well can you do Wide-Area-Search? I want you to specify living humans within a radius, and we’ll search that way. Sound good?”

Nanoha’s face went from cute to adorable as it scrunched in concentration. “I’ve been practicing a bit… but I’ve only put fifteen hours on it in the simulator.” She nodded resolutely. “I’ll do my best, teacher-san!” She paused. “Ano, do they use um, suffixes in english?”

I shook my head grinning as I resisted the urge to pat my young student’s head, “We do not. You, however, can use prefixes if you’d prefer. One that would be appropriate for me is Miss.” Pausing, I cast my own Wide-Area-Search, mostly to confirm Nanoha’s results, or to see what discrepancies popped up between ours.

The immediate area around us was clear of any human life-signs besides the two of us, which Nanoha confirmed, and I paused as I considered my options. Tapping back into the communications net, I queried the nice man. “The area around me, about a kilometer in diameter, is clear. Which way should we head?”

“Oh, that was fast. Head… erm, could you head north-west? That’s where some of the densest terrain is, and our rangers haven’t headed over there yet. They shouldn’t be over there… unless they took a couple of really wrong turns, but…”

“All good. Magic makes things absurdly easy in this regard. Just let us know when the area we’re searching is supposed to have people in it. The spells don’t exactly specify who is there, just that there are human life-signs.” I replied, nodding to Nanoha and taking to the air, “C’mon Nanoha, I can do an assessment on your flying while we travel there.”

“Yes miss!” We took off, flying North-west and checking frequently on our scans. Sweeping over the area, we were forced to descend frequently to check life-signs; three times encountering other searchers, and once happening across a large group of campers on a spiritual retreat. Nanoha’s flying hadn’t improved much since our fight against Gojira, but she was capable of stable flight; landings were a little trickier.

“Sorry, miss…” Nanoha muttered after her third landing caused her to slam her feet several inches into the ground, needing my help to pull her loose. Our delays had brought things to the point where the sun had just begun to set. “Not very good at knowing when to stop…”

“Practice in reality makes perfect, Nanoha,” I replied gently, “if it helps, you could always ask Raising Heart to adjust your HUD. Include an altimeter, or some of the other common readouts civilian and military aircraft use. It’s not as if you can’t spare the magic for it, and if you truly need to, you can shut them off to reduce clutter.”

“...ah, HUD? What’s that?” She blinked, then paused as Raising Heart flashed, putting a pink version of my own blue visor on her face. “Oh, cool! Thank you, miss!”

“No problem. Just remember that Raising Heart was damaged, so they’ll need prompting for some of the non-standard features.” I grinned back, “Now, Wide-Area-Search again, my student.” I continued, pulsing my own mana outwards through the spell.

Nanoha smiles, and we pulse together- only for both of us to blink in odd synchronicity as both our spells circle to the outskirts of the area, and then vanish at the same point at one edge of the search.

“That should not be happening.” I frown, “Nanoha, switch to telepathy. I’m gonna err on the side of caution here, especially given not much should be able to interfere with a Wide-Area-Search on Earth.” I ordered, my tone a lot less lighthearted than before. My commander voice, as it were. “Tamamo, can you identify the disruption?”

“...Wide Area Search functions by dispatching rapid-response scanning drones to map area. The constructs were… devoured before they could complete their search and dispel.” Tamamo responded.

“Nanoha, we are now in a combat situation.” I ordered, “Ranger Station, this is Specialist Lee, have all rangers sound off. Something devoured my drones, and I didn’t see what. Moving to investigate. I’m passing this up to XCOM.” I advised, already switching to the XCOM Military channel to report in, “Specialist Lee here, I’ve encountered an anomaly while accompanying my student for a camping trip slash survival assessment in Yellowstone Park. Ate my Wide Area Search Drones. Please advise.”

“Specialist, this is Central.” The reply comes after several minutes. “We’ve reviewed your log dump, and acknowledge the situation. However, we can also confirm that there has been no X-ray activity in your area.” His voice was firm. “Whatever’s on the ground, we don’t currently have the remit to deploy additional forces, not without confirmation of X-Ray or terrorist activity.”

“Acknowledged, Central. Will keep you advised. Unless command wishes watch, I’ll be signing off for now.” I replied, nodding to Nanoha, “Follow me. Looks like it isn’t what I feared, but best to be careful regardless. Follow me, stay close, and be as silent as possible. When I tell you to wait, wait there. I’ll be closing alone while invisible to human eyes.” I teleported to Nanoha, eyes sharp, “Tamamo, que up our cloak, would you please? I want to keep this quiet.”

Nanoha nodded, slipping under my invisibility as the two of us began to advance, hovering a few inches above the ground as we skirted over the earth. I was glad of that; we quickly cleared a section of trees, instead drifting over a marshy area, where faintly foul-smelling steam wafted constantly from the marshy ground.

We were closing in on the location when something big loomed out of the fog. A curling serpent, drifting just as we did meters above the marsh, a braided beard hanging below an antler-crowned head. Reptilian eyes scanned back and forth, even as the fanged mouth beneath murmured quietly in a language I didn’t recognize. “Tamamo, search local mythology now, please. Could be something thought to be myth, or an X-Ray, and I need to know now.”

“No concrete matches.” Tamamo replied quietly, even as the serpent curled along, wings appearing on its bulk as it circled around. “Closest visual match is of the Piasa Bird. There are Native Indian folk stories of great serpents and winged beasts, of course. No consensus on temperament. Or intelligence.”

“It’s speaking a language. Can you cross reference with any Native American languages?” I asked, eyes sharp on the serpent, “Also, Nanoha, please don’t do anything rash. I’d rather not have to explain to your parents why we ended up fighting a giant feathered serpent.” I said dryly, hand steady on my charge’s shoulders.

Nanoha’s eyes were wide. “I’m not going to fight the Mizuchi.” She stated seriously. “This is his home, right?”

At the same time, Tamamo spoke up. “Linguistic match indicates Shoshoni, or Snake language. Downloading appropriate translation package… done.”

I paused as the muttering became audible, the odd rumblings shifting into comprehensible speech. “...smell them, hmm. Bah, why did I ever get into whisky, ruins the nose.” He muttered. “Urgh, should head back, make certain those idiots haven’t eaten the wanderers…” The serpent spun back, coiling through the air to head deeper into the mire.

“Well, I should probably follow them.” I mused aloud telepathically, motioning Nanoha to follow as I kept a respectful distance behind the Serpent. “Well, we found our lost hikers, I suppose…”

As we cleared through the fog and steam, we emerged onto a sizable island in the middle of the marsh, where thick trees obscured the interior. As we crossed over the boundaries, the whole island seemed to grow beneath our feet, and the cloudy sky above shifted into a perfect moonlit night, free of light pollution. The serpent continued inward through the trees. Naturally, I followed behind, carefully keeping an eye on everything. It should not, after all, be bleeding night time at the current time of day.

The dragon’s path led it over a small village; an odd mixture of conical huts, wooden frontier houses, and modern homes, with firefly lanterns strung between them. In the center stood a pavilion with a large, roaring bonfire, with five figures sitting around it. Off to one side, two sleeping humans in bright colors were tied to a post.

The dragon flickered as he came close to the fire, his form distorting before it resolved into a bearded man with antlers, his sun-browned skin marred beneath his loose robes. “The wards were tripped, but I saw no intruders.”

The five figures each looked different from one another; two were obviously female, two were male, and the last was some sort of upright beast. One of the women, wearing modern clothing, snorted. “This may be your haunt, Pony, but your nose ain’t the best. Maybe…”

“No need.” The older woman beside her, her weathered face firm above hide and cloth robes, turned to stare at us, one milky eye and one clear one fixing on us despite the cloak. “Do you come in peace, outsider? I hope you do, for the sake of the child if nothing else.”

“That depends on what you intend to do with the hikers,” I replied blandly, dispelling the cloak with a thought. The second I became visible, three of the figures yelped, one began to laugh, and the dragon immediately resumed his true form, towering over me.

“So, you have come into my den-” He began, before the laughing man composed himself.

“Oh, knock it off Pony. She got in here fair and square, and she’s on official business. Besides, we need someone to break the deadlock.” The wolf-eared man grinned at me from across the fire, a wagging tail behind him. “As one of this council, I recognize Shizuka Lee, and welcome her as a guest.”

The dragon rumbled, before collapsing back into his smaller form. “You have the right, Coyote. On your head be it.”

The dog-man chuckled. “Ah, she’s not going to hurt anyone. Or at least, not make the first hit.”

The young woman scowled. “I don’t like this.”

The monster-man chuffed, his snout curling. “Agreed. Bad enough these two saw the hidebehind.”

“It’s not as if all of you will be hidden if the X-Rays decide they want to find you.” I replied sharply, barely holding back from bearing my teeth, “And what ‘deadlock’ will I be breaking?”

“Pull up a log and we’ll fill you in, young lady.” The last figure, a pale man in a dress shirt and wearing a bolo tie, smiled at me. “Introductions first, I think.”

Chapter Text

I sat down on the offered log, raising my eyebrows even as I gestured to Nanoha to follow, “You don’t mind if my apprentice joins us, do you? It’s a good learning experience for her, even if Raising Heart will have to work overtime to translate.”

“No harm will come to the youngling, though the subject matter is a bit dire. Though in these times, what isn’t?” The old woman offered. “You may call me Laura, stranger. I’m the only real mortal in our little pow-wow tonight. Lorekeeper, historian, medicine woman, and local contact.”

The dragon eyed me. “I am Night Running Hill Pony, keeper of this land and the gate to the lands beyond. I will… support Coyote’s ruling; trickster his patron may be, but he is a good judge of character.” His eyes narrowed. “As for the sky-conquerors, they have yet to find a way into our lands. Whether that will continue, I know not.”

“It takes imagination to follow something that doesn’t exist into a place which isn’t there.” The aforementioned Coyote spoke next. “There’s not an original thought or a scrap of dreams in the heads of those aliens; so long as humanity holds out, we’ll exist. If however slimly, at times.”

“And if humanity falls? If they’re enslaved? What then?” I retorted calmly, raising my eyebrows.

“Then we die anyway.” Coyote shrugged. “Some of us are more solid than others,” he eyed the well-dressed man, “but spirits, gods, and realms like this need anchors. I doubt the aliens would keep Yellowstone intact.”

The young woman spat. “You’ve got that right.” She turned her tense face to mine. “Not that we can do much. The worst bogeymen among us, myself included, can only ambush those freaks in small packs.”

“I’m a rather large target for their sky-fire.” Pony groused. “We keep our land safe from raiders, and leave the cities to those who live in them.” he shook his head. “All beside the point. We have a more pressing matter here.”

The monster-man scowled. “You know I don’t like it anymore than you all do, but they need to die. The hidebehind had pictures taken. That’s a death sentence!”

Laura scoffed. “Really? The government will know, and our little arrangement will finally collapse! The pictures are burnt. An oath of secrecy, and they can go.”

Coyote snickered. “Not enough, dear. You know that. Brain fog them, and send them out.”

The bandied suggestions set the whole group to bickering, before Pony finally clapped his hands. “ENOUGH! We cannot hold them forever, and as divided as we are, we need to make a choice. This one impacts us all.”

“You do realize that I have not agreed to anything yet, correct?” I replied idly, shiting Tamamo to a more… threatening mode, “Threaten US Citizens with death in front of me again, I dare you.” I growled, “And you’ll have more than just the Government as a problem…”

“Not going to happen, dear. An expedient solution, but there’s a reason we use this place.” Laura nodded at the fire. “So long as the bonfire is lit, there can be no violence here. It’s why Esteban hasn’t executed them himself; until we make a decision, we must fight with words, not actions.”

“Fine. Let it be known I will hunt you all down if you decide to execute them, however.” I retorted, “There is no reason for anyone to be executed for curiosity. Especially not by a bunch of people the poor sods likely didn’t even think existed.”

“Then what of the Hidebehind?” At my puzzled look, Esteban explained. “Perhaps you do not know. Very well; the Hidebehind are a race which exists, but cannot be seen by mortals. Which is why I represent them at the gathering.” He glanced at the bound ones. “They had magical viewfinders, and cameras. They saw, and took pictures. Even the memories weaken those seen, and some came near death. Spread the pictures too much, and they would begin to fade entire.”

“You do realize that mana-enhanced cameras are normal, correct?” I replied blandly, “High-end, uncommon to see outside those who truly enjoy them, but they’re not exactly something one cannot easily obtain. The hikers likely saw a species that humanity had not encountered before and got excited, taking photos of them as all curious scientists or humans would do.”

“My point exactly!” Coyote crowed. “We’ve burned the… dangerous photos. But the curiosity should be encouraged. Not all races thrive off secrecy. Or blood.”

The well-dressed man nodded. “For sure. And this would cost me a heap of favors to cover up.”

“You’ve got enough money, Benson.” The young woman snarled. “It’s all you give, you leech.”

“Now, see here, Skinwalker-”

Pony coughed. “The secrecy of this place is important, but not so much that executions be necessary. Coyote’s suggestion is sound enough, but I cannot trust the simple oath of a mortal.”

As the group paused, Nanoha spoke up for the first time. “Um, Mister Coyote?”

“Yes, little one?”

“Are you a Kami? I’ve heard of the trickster god, one with the same name…”

The dog-man’s tail thrashed. “No dear one. I took his name when I entered his service as my pack’s shaman, but I’m no god.”

“Oh.” Nanoha frowned. “Killing them seems… mean. Why can’t you just erase the memories, if you can fog them?”

“Let me ask for clarification on something here as well; the Hidebehind. What exactly kills them?” I added, frowning, “Even taking mythology into consideration, and given the fact that myths are likely more real than most realize, I’ll have to come up with a new name… Anyway, the fact that others knowing of them or about them shouldn’t be enough to kill something. Not under any metaphysical law I’m aware of.”

Laura coughed. “The Hidebehind are a Myth, dearie. A species summoned with certain… expectations, by human thought and the magic of the world. So long as their myth persists, they continue. But in their case, to actually have proof of their existence jeopardizes the myth itself. After all, a creature which cannot be seen and cannot be heard but that is well documented… the paradox causes the reality of this world to reject them. And then they fade.”

“What about that is a paradox?” I mused, actually confused, “Unseen and Unheard by human eyes and ears. Humanity was required to make tools to see them, and as far as I’m aware, we cannot hear them with our own ears, nor see them our own eyes. There should be no paradox, not within mythology, though I will admit at a conceptual level, it makes some sense.”

“Who knows?” Coyote admitted. “But considering how one of those caught on film collapsed, and is even now near death… well, if you’re arguing science, there’s actual evidence of the impact.” He shrugged.

“And that’s the crux of it.” Esteban snarled. “If the Hidebehind want to strengthen their legend again, they might start going the whole way- as they nearly did before Pony intervened. They’d be dead, a victim of unseen monsters, feeding the myth.”

“That’s counterintuitive, Ser Esteban.” I retorted gently, though my patience with the being was long since frayed to the breaking point, “New myths like that would simply attract curious scientists to Yellowstone again and again, especially if they’re murdered. Humanity doesn’t cower from the dark nowadays, not like they did even a hundred years ago. They shine a light on the truth. The truth that would kill the very race you’re trying to protect. Either release the hikers with their memories removed and their photographs destroyed, or release them with an oath or geas enforcing their silence. Killing them is honestly counterintuitive, for a multitude of reasons besides the one I mentioned.”

Laura eyed me sharply. “So… if you were willing to put the government’s word behind them keeping their silence-”

“No.” Skinwalker growled. “I’ll accept the mind-fog, but none of us trust the feds more than we can stretch it.” She eyed me speculatively. “Though XCOM may be a different beast. Your lot’s doing good work, and not pulling any punches.”

“I’m afraid I have to agree with Ashoka.” Benton allowed. “As much as I wish we could trust them with a handshake, we’d need more assurances than that. And as for a geas, well, unless you’re willing to let me thrall them…”

“Could you not simply convince them? It’s not as if humans lack basic empathy,” I asked politely, “As for XCOM, I can contact my bosses, but I don’t think you’d want me attempting to do so at this time, would you?”

“Tamamo, please let me know if there’s interference for a teleport. As much as I want to trust this lot, I want an option to get out if this goes sour. I’m not taking risks with Nanoha around.” I requested my device, keeping my telepathy as quiet as I could, and only to my device. Outwardly, I displayed no sign of my quiet communication.

“We are currently in a dimensional pocket of highly uncommon strength, several orders of magnitude stronger than a barrier space.” Tamamo explained. “I have not been conversing in an attempt to reestablish comms. We could escape, but it would be loud and have the possibility of dimensional spill.”

As Tamamo explained, Ashoka snorted. “Get real. People will agree to anything- and mean it, too. But things slip, or you have one too many drinks, or you decide you need the money more than your secret. I’ve been on both sides of that, girl. No, we need actual assurances. Something more binding than a handshake and a prayer.”
I looked to the heavens, “Where are the Celts when you need them…” my muttered words were annoyed, and given my situation, I felt they were understandably annoyed, “So, given the fact that we can’t give our word, for a fair reason, we are left with the option of removing their memories and letting them free. If it helps, I can attempt to get Central to keep a discreet eye on the pair, but I would need to actually communicate with them to do that.”

“Okay, so, we’ve got the outsider’s support for the fog. Wonderful.” Ashoka eyed us both. “I’m in favor of Coyote’s crap, if it gets us done with this before the witching hour.”

Pony nodded. “With assurances from outside, I will support that endeavor.”

Laura’s face crinkled. “I’ll go with it. If-” She pointed at me. “I could have a few moments of your time after we finalize the vote.”

“You have them.” I replied simply. I was very much done with this shit.

“Perfect.”

“You know my vote.” Coyote chuckled.

Benton gave a thumbs up. “Splendid. We might be able to actually do some cooking tonight.”

Esteban growled, which faded into a sigh. “I protest, but accept the ruling. Coyote, I’ll want to watch while you weave the spell.”

“Fine, fine…”

As the two men stood up and moved to the two hikers, Benton clapped his hands. “Well then! Since the big issue’s out of the way, we can actually relax! So, young lady, I have to ask- are you interested in barbeque?”

“Hold that until our discussion, sir.” Laura heaved herself up, moving to sit beside me. “Thank you for your prompt arrival. If our talk had gone on too long, then Esteban’s crowd would have won by default.”

I shrugged, “I wasn’t aware I was called, but it is what it is. And murder is murder, regardless of the intent behind it. I never did like the calculus of lives for countless more lives. Especially given there were other proposed solutions. What did you wish to speak of, Miss Laura?”

“A different way to what I wanted from tonight’s gathering.” Laura eyed me. “To be honest, most of the creatures here; Skinwalker, dragon, beast, werewolf… they could go into the realms beyond, and thrive there. They don’t because that would leave their links here up to chance, but they could.” She frowned. “But my tribe is on a reservation. Life is a lot better now then it once was, but if and when magic gets so common that myths start actually materializing, instead of lurking… well, then my people, and the traditions we carry, are going to go from quaint to exploitable.” She eyed the fire. “Two women carrying that magic is real, that they let them go… that’s good press. But you have patronage.”

“I’ll do what I can,” I said softly, “I’m Asian, and in my life before this, I was stuck in a body I loathe. While I don’t hate this body either… It’s still… Not quite right, for reasons I will keep private. I suppose what I’m saying is I can empathize with the discrimination and such, and I’ll do what I can to ease it, no matter how small.”

“You’ve got power, dear.” She grinned. “Little? Hell, if you’re who Coyote claimed you are, you have clout. On the international stage, at that. One word in the right ear, and my tribe’s chances of vanishing or being made a scapegoat drop like a rock.” She clapped me on the shoulder, as she pulled a slip of paper from her bag. “Give me a call, and I’ll show you around, give you a look at the old magic. Maybe have some meat not drained dry by a vampire first.”

I blushed brightly, “I… honestly forgot about the UN Medal Ceremony. It seems like so long ago now…” Shaking my head to clear away the heat, I nodded firmly, “I’ll do what I can. There are several people who’d be mad at me for not using my political clout sooner, and I can appease them in spirit by actually using it now.”

“Well, if you’re helping her…” Lauren’s face shifted to strictly neutral as Benton walked on up. “The pork’s in the smoker, so I’ve got a few minutes to talk. So, ma’am, does XCOM need a pork supplier?”

Lauren’s face twisted. “Is everything about money?”

“No, but it buys the nice things in life, and lets me get fresh blood without anyone paying too much attention.” For the first time, the pale man cracked a grin, revealing four distinct fangs in what was obviously a carnivore's mouth.

“I’ll take a vampire buying blood legally over them hunting humans any day,” I deadpanned, “and blood isn’t exactly cheap. Not in the United flipping States of America. Bloody insurance and pharmaceutical companies, nevermind the medical industry…” I grumbled, smiling at Benton, “I can put you in contact with my boss and her bosses, but I can’t really promise anything. I’m an influential member, yes, but I’m not even an officer.”

“Well, just pass the word along.” He shrugged. “Beats what my sire told me about the good old days, too. No need to worry about mobs and pitchforks.”

“So long as you keep the fanboys and Twilight fanatics out of your court, at least, hmm?” Coyote slung one arm over the vampire rancher’s shoulder. “Trying to seduce the girl, Benton?”

“I know better than that, mutt.” Benton shrugged off the arm. “If I need company, I know where to get it. Business and pleasure can stay at yardstick length.”

“Besides, he doesn’t need to seduce me,” I snarked, “I’m surprisingly casual about intercourse now that I’m in a body I don’t loathe. But there are children here, so let’s not, yeah?”

Coyote snorted, even as both Lauren and Benton choked. “I knew I liked you.” The dog-man took a seat beside me. “I suppose Lady of Pounded Reeds has already done her song and dance. But I know you have… questions.” His gaze turned serious. “You implied things with your speech back there. Ask.”

I nodded, carefully considering which direction I should take this questioning, before I spoke, “I take it you have your reasons for not helping, and you’ve all hinted at them. May I have a clear and well explained reason? Before you do, however, I do want to say I don’t think any of you are under an obligation to help, I’m just curious as to why you’re not. I was a tad off balance when I sat down, and now that I’ve had time to recover, I should be a lot less… annoying in that regard.”

Lauren shook her head. “To explain that, we need to talk about the Old Magic. To be blunt, it’s not much good at combat, not on these scales.”

Coyote took up the explanation. “All magic, including what you use, has a source. Accessing a different plane of reality, and invoking concepts integral to the universe. But our magic is different than yours.” He motioned to the bracer on my arm. “Your Device accesses math-based magic; enormously complex and difficult, but accessible anywhere in the universe; for Math is everywhere, underpinning everything. But for myself, or Lauren, we must be near our seats of power to get nearly anything done.”

“Coyote has to dwell and work in the lands of his namesake to invoke his miracles. I need to be on the lands of my ancestors, for those are the places where tradition itself has altered the world.” Lauren resumed speaking. “And even then, the price is either much higher, or takes too long to do anything good against the invaders.”

Benton chuckled grimly. “As for the rest of us? Well, it’s hard to be part of a military unit when you burn in sunlight. Or need to take monthly leaves of absence, or can’t actually be seen or heard… well. We do better in a more irregular setting.” His nose scrunched in disgust. “I may add that whatever those Thin Men use for blood? Isn’t. Same with the Sectoids.”

I instantly mentally tagged that as useful information, “That’s actually fairly useful information, Benton. And thank you, Coyote, Lauren. It helps, knowing that all of you have tried, or know that you cannot help in direct combat. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to check on my apprentice-student.” Bowing, I walked away, heading towards Nanoha, before I paused. My apprentice was busily sitting before Pony as the humanoid dragon calmly explained his duties.

“...and so, this land has become a gateway between your world and a land lifted from the distant past. Magic may have surged in recent years, but it is a different kind than the shadows and aurora of centuries ago.” He looked up as I approached. “Your apprentice is more respectful than you, Magus. Then again, you had reason to be belligerent.”

“Indeed, though it doesn’t excuse it.” I replied, “I was already on edge, and… well, having a child in one’s care tends to make one reevaluate what situations call for belligerency, sometimes not in my favor. I apologize for my rudeness, Ser Pony.” Turning to Nanoha, I smiled, “In addition, thank you for your help, Nanoha. Let me know when you’re good to leave, okay?”

“Yes miss.” Nanoha then stopped, frowning. “Umm… are we going to setup camp in the dark, then?”

I paused, frowning, “No, I’ll set up camp today, in that case. I’m trained in doing that, and you’re not. We could do an evaluation tomorrow, but… Nah, at this point, I think I’ll just let you enjoy the weekend. I’ll throw in some ‘tests’ every so often, but for now, relaxing will do you good, Nanoha.”

“If that is the case, you may rest here tonight.” Pony spoke again, eyeing me. “This land is safe. If you are not leaving, I might advise you to take your charges back to the searchers. One way or another, they should be gone before they wake.”

“I shall do so. Nanoha, if you could come with me briefly in that case. No offense, but I am not comfortable leaving my charge with people I’ve literally just met, regardless of what kind of beings they are.” I replied, “May I ask how I should leave?”

Pony eyed the woods, and after a few instants the trees seemed to part, the faint fog and deepening shadows receding into a path. “That way lies the proper exit. Go swiftly,” He eyed the massive metal drum emitting smoke by the fire. “All others need to cut their portion before I take the rest.”

I nodded, grabbing the pair of slumbering hikers and taking them out of the pocket dimension via the proper exit, ensuring Nanoha was tagging along as I did so. I glanced at my little parter, slightly bemused as she hefted a five and a half foot woman over her shoulder. Anime bullshite… I’m seeing it, I’m living it, and I am it.

As we approached the end of the path, the world seemed to contract around us, my feet leaving har-dpacked earth and sinking half an inch into boggy ground a mere yard from the water’s edge. Immediately, Tamamo squealed. “Ah, Central is on the line.”

“SPECIALIST, what happened?” Commander Tazri’s voice barked in my ear. “Sitrep, now! We were about to scramble the Skyranger!”

I blinked, ah right, comms blackout, “Unexpected Dimensional shift, Commander.” I replied, “Tamamo couldn’t get a connection working while we conducted negotiations for a pair of US citizens’ lives. Thankfully, we were successful. I was just about to call the Rangers and let them know that I have their hikers.”

“...negotiated? With… you know what, no, you’re off duty.” Tazri remarked, her tone lightening considerably. “So this is only going to become my problem if the paperwork reaches me. File an informal report on the matter through your girlfriend.”

Bradford’s voice cut in. “Local officials may want you to file another report. Ah, try to minimize any references to the full extent of your abilities, or any unusual phenomena.”

“Of course, Central.” I replied, smiling, “I’m likely beholden to my end of the bargain with the other entities I was negotiating with, regardless. I’ll submit a fairly standard report, no need to worry, sir.” Pausing, I considered something, “Do you think teleporting to the nearest Ranger Station with the Hikers is too much?”

“Ask them.” Tazri ordered. “Are you expecting to drop off communications again anytime soon?”

“I have to return to the pocket dimension for the night, ma’am, but I’ll try and figure out if there’s a way to maintain communications. Given the mythical beings are interested in XCOM, I feel I should have no issues with that.” I replied, contacting the Rangers, muting my line of communication with XCOM, “Specialist Lee to Ranger Station Yellowstone, I have your hikers. Want me to teleport them to HQ?”

“...mythical beings? Wait, was the report on the ghost not a joke?” Tazri’s voice sounded bewildered in one ear.

In the other, the same nervous voice from before spoke up. “Oh, wonderful! Yes, please bring them in, thank you. We can handle things from here.”

Muting the line to the rangers briefly, I replied in an affirmative to Tazri, complete with several descriptions and videos of the spirit in question being adorable with Nanoha and Yuuno, “Copy that. I’ll be there momentarily.” Pausing, I turned to Nanoha, “How confident are you teleporting with someone else, Nanoha?”

“...um… no.” Nanoha let out a tiny mou. “No, sorry miss.”

“No problem, I’ll handle it. Teleport to these coordinates, please.” I replied gently, taking the woman from the child, “I’ll see you there.” I continued, popping away towards the ranger station.

Chapter Text

I smoothed out the hem of my skirt as I headed into the Tokyo apartment complex. The dress was new; a result of a shopping trip Abe dragged me into.

After coming back from the camping trip and dropping off my report with Tazri (apparently, XCOM did not need a new pork supplier, but they were very interested in some of the more exotic biomaterials Benton could hook them up with. Farm-raised chimera; who knew?) she’d reminded me to check in on the Yagami family. What with their connection to the TSAB, I suspected they may have had significance to the plot, but it was only after seeing a picture of the two surviving members of the family that I was certain.

Hayate Yagami was currently an adorable nine year old, same as Nanoha. She also had been in a wheelchair at this point of her life; something that wasn’t the case in this world. Whether that meant the Book of Darkness wasn’t a thing or wasn’t active, I wasn’t sure.

Abe had asked me to interview Yagami Asako, to see if she remembered about her husband’s friend and his side job. Abe had also informed me that said friend, one Gil Graham, had rented a storage unit in Tokyo for some time, and the Yagami family had been the ones to clean it out after he vanished six years ago.

Nodding, I knocked on the door that stood before me, already having called ahead to let them know I was coming. A tall dark-haired woman opened the door, and I was reminded that this was anime country. Almost every mom is a MILF. Jeeze. Thanking my multiple partitions and self-control, I gave the woman a short bow. “It’s Specialist Lee, Yagami-san. May I come in?”

“Ah, yes, Lee-san.” Ms. Yagami stood to one side, letting me enter the apartment before shutting the door behind her. She led me into a sitting room, pulling out one western-style chair and taking a seat across the table. “Do you know how long you will be here? I could put the kettle on for tea if you will be here a while.”

“Tea would be appreciated regardless, Yagami-san.” I replied courteously, taking the offered seat, “But if you would like the purpose of my visit, I can give you that before anything else?”

“You don’t need to tell me, Lee-san.” Yagami responded as she moved about her kitchen, placing her electric kettle on the cradle. “My husband was good friends with Admiral Graham. And I was the one to empty his effects, after he went missing.” Yagami returned to the table, her face stern. “You are here to ask me what I found, if anything.”

I shook my head, “Actually, no. While that would be appreciated, it’s your business what you found, not mine. I’m here to check if the TSAB has been pressuring you to conduct espionage, to be frank.”

“...oh.” She shook her head. “No. I mean, my husband was the only one to be in contact with him; I only knew Graham-san, and I have not heard from him in years.” She shrugged. “Neither your organization nor they saved my husband, so I had no reason to reach out to either.”

“Fair enough, and not a position I can blame you for.” Pausing, I considered my next few words, given what little I knew of the book of darkness incident, “Have you or your daughter come into contact with any artifacts, specifically ones that look like this?” I asked, requesting that Tamamo project the Jeweled Seeds and the Book of Darkness, the latter pieced together from my memories of the damn thing, as an image.

Yagami frowned as she inspected the two objects. “I’ve not seen… hmm. The book… I think there was something like that in with the books we unpacked from Graham-san’s things. I don’t recognize the gemstone at all.”

I went rigid, “Fuck. Who has the book right now, the thing is absurdly dangerous, to the point the TSAB labeled it a Lost Logia, something capable of ending civilizations in the right conditions, at least, this particular one is.”

“Ah… I didn’t know that.” Yagami shook her head. “Regardless, it… should be in storage. Or… hmm.” She stood as the kettle began to whistle, moving to take it off the cradle and beginning to prepare the tea. “...actually. It may be in the guest bedroom.”

Fuck

“Do you mind if I go take a look for it?” I said, my voice strained and an octave higher than it usually would be, Tamamo already having been told to deploy my armor the instant she thought it was needed, “I would rather not have it going nuts.”

“Ah, let me come with you while the tea seeps.” She came and stood next to the hallway leading deeper into the apartment. “My original reluctance still stands, though. I will set this… Lost Logia, aside. Keep it safe. But I will not let you just take it. Not on your word alone.”

“Of course.” I answered idly, “As long as no one with an active linker-core comes into contact with it, it should be perfectly fine. I just want to make sure that it isn’t already active. Hopefully, I can do that without setting the damn thing off…”

Yagami led me into a room just a few doors down the hallway, a simply-furnished room decorated with a low table, a few lamps, a comfortable chair, and a four-tiered bookcase. She walked over to the case, studying it intently, before her eyes landed on one shelf, her lips pursing. “Hmm, I could have sworn it was here…”

“... You have a daughter, right?” I asked, dread creeping into my entire being, “What are the chances she got her hands on it?”

“She does occasionally come in here. Hayate is a precocious child.” Yagami stood up. “Actually, she should be in her room.” Leading us back out, she stepped towards one door down, before her brow furrowed. I stepped beside her, my eyes widening as a familiar pink glow rippled into existence across the floor, coming from below the door in front of us. At the same time, Tamamo began to screech.

“Jewel Seed energy spike!”

“OH FOR THE LOVE OF THE KAMI!” I roared, deploying my armor to full defense, “GODS TAKE IT ALL TO YOMI AND BACK!”

While I swore (and got ready to breach the room safely), Yagami ran forward, swinging the door open. “HAYATE!” She yelled, only to stop dead as we watched a jewel seed rise before a kneeling nine-year old, her eyes wide as pink light flared above an open book, pages flapping…

Only for the light to cut out with a quiet ‘blup.’ I blinked as the jewel seed dropped, inert, to bound off the glowing pages of the book. The Book of Darkness shivered once, before four streaks of light flew from it, striking the floor around it. A intricate purple spell circle manifested upon the ground, and Hayate watched in shock as it formed at her feet.

“Fuck” I deadpanned, “The Book of bleeding Darkness ate a Jewel Seed worth of mana. Why does the bloody universe hate me!?” I murmured under my breath as four figures manifested around the book, immediately fixing their gazes upon Hayate and kneeling.

“New holder of the Book of Darkness-” Their words were cut off as a fifth figure manifested in their center. One of them, a pink-haired woman, came to her feet immediately. “Hold- wait… Reinforce?”

I took a moment to inspect the four newest figures as they appeared. They were all dressed in plain gray tank tops, trousers, gloves, and soft shoes. Three were female; a tall pink-haired woman with obvious muscles, a blonde woman about my own height, and a tiny redhead. The fourth figure was a well-muscled male with brown skin, white hair, and a pair of blue wolf ears.

The final figure cleared her throat. This woman was dressed in all black, her white hair hanging around her waist. “It is I, yes. We have been incredibly fortunate, though not without significant risk.” She eyed me, causing the four others to turn their gazes to me. “You know the history of the Tome?”

“Only the very basics.” I replied, my guard up, but my weapon pointed away from the beings, “I do know that it took a TSAB Admiral sacrificing themselves to stop all of you the first time they encountered you lot, and that they likely sacrificed an element of their fleet to do so. I don’t think I can replicate that feat, to be frank.”

“...that will hopefully not be necessary.” She replied. “I am Reinforce, Central Intelligence of the… Tome of Darkness, as it has come to be known. We are fortunate in that the device drained for power was strong enough to activate me directly, allowing me to seize control of the Tome’s systems before the Self-Defense program could activate.” She closed her eyes. “But activate it has. I have control over it, but I cannot disable it or make modifications. If I slip, the monster will be unleashed.”

The pink haired woman jerked, even as the room fell silent. Reinforce continued. “...if it comes to that, I have enough control to wipe the system entirely. It would destroy myself and the Knights, however.”

“I’m not going to ask you to do that,” I began cautiously, “Can an outside party attempt to repair the coding of the Self Defense Program? I am, of course, assuming this is an error in the code.”

“Unless you have a Noble Artificer of the Belkan or Al-Hazardian Empire at your beck and call, I do not believe so.”

“... Hold on a moment, I have to make a call.” I whispered, “Tamamo, call up Lady Mulberry, would you? I do believe Sirius may be able to help us.”

“Placing call… Sirius informs me that Lady Mulberry is currently sleeping off a necessary relaxation session. She should be available in eight hours.” She paused. “However, I have relayed why we wanted to speak to her, and Sirius has given me bad and good news.”

“Which would be?” I asked cautiously, very keenly aware of the ticking timebomb in front of me.

“He cannot fix or disable the program. On the other hand, he can send the order to stand down, which may force the program into sleep mode. He can also do so as soon as Reinforce extends a handshake.”

“Well, I have good news and bad news,” I echoed, nodding towards Reinforce, “We do indeed have a Noble Device from Belka on Earth. That’s the good news. The bad news is that he cannot fix or disable the defense program. He can, however, issue a Stand Down order. I’ll provide you his address, if you wish to extend a handshake.”

Reinforce blinked, then nodded once. A few seconds later, she seemed to sag. “...it’s off. It’s finally…” Her face nearly broke as she covered it with both hands. “It’s… the nightmare may be over… oh…”

The blonde woman wrapped Reinforce in a hug, whispering softly. I felt a heavy hand smack me in the hip, and I looked down to see the redhead grinning at me. “Fast work, soldier. Good job on that one!” Her grin widened. “So… what’s the war, and what’re we up to?

“The war is against a buncha psionic alien invaders, ones who have managed to make what Al-Hazard believed to be a dead-end technology into something that’s clearly not. They are also using slave-races as fodder, and I don’t believe any of their ruling race have actually shown up yet. And I’m currently on call, but also on loan to the Japanese Government as a cover/excuse to deal with a mana related incident, tied to the Seeds you guys used as an energizer bunny.” I replied simply.

As the little one opened her mouth, Tamamo cut in aloud, manifesting her avatar above my wrist. “Ah, Specialist. I’m currently juggling calls from XCOM HQ, the JSDF Onmyoji branch, and indirectly from the Mid-Childan embassy.” She held up a hand to forestall questions. “In brief; all three felt the triggering of a Jewel Seed, and the subsequent mana surge from the Tome. Thankfully, the subsequent occurrence of nothing had them all try to talk to the closest asset.” She nodded her head to me. “Do you want to take any of these calls, or want me to feed them an answer for you?”

“I’ll take the one from XCOM, feed the TSAB Embassy a rote answer that the threat is currently contained, and a slightly more detailed one to the JSDF. I’ll leave said details to your discretion, Tamamo.” I barked, falling fully into military mode, “Excuse me for a moment, Yagami-san, is there a room I can use for privacy?”

“There’s the den, or the guest bedroom. I’d rather you use the latter, actually.” Ms. Yagami replied.

“Of course.” I answered, leaving the room and heading into the guest bedroom, closing the door behind me and putting up a basic set of anti-eavesdropping wards, “This is Lee, I’m clear. What’s the situation XCOM actual?”

“That’s for you to tell us.” Bradford responded. “The TSAB was trying really hard to butt in on things. We need a story we can feed them, please. Is the situation under control?”

“Mulberry’s device is the only thing that allowed me to keep it fully in control, sir.” I started, “I encountered Yagami-san as planned, and inquired about the book I had knowledge of. I executed a search for it, only for it to have already been taken into possession by Yagami-san’s daughter, Yagami Hayate, who additionally had acquired a Jewel Seed. I do not yet know how she found one. I attempted to intervene, only for it to not be necessary as the Book of Darkness’s control AI was able to manifest and suppress the defense program. Sirius, at this point, was contacted when I asked if there was a way to fix it, and received the answer that a Noble Artificer of Belka or Al-Hazard could. The hunch worked out, and the Defense Program is currently in standby-mode, though I would imagine if Hayate-san is placed in enough danger, it would activate again. Situation is contained, but not resolved. I’m having Tamamo send the logs and recordings now, sir.”

“...I’m hearing a yes, but with the backdrop of paperwork and headaches.” Bradford sighed. “Have a full report and how to handle things going forward on my desk in twelve hours.” The man groaned. “And the Jewel Seed?”

“Completely inert. It was fully drained of all stored mana. I’ll be retrieving it as soon as I can.” I replied, “I’m still trying to comprehend everything, to be honest sir. Everything went to shit and resolved itself so fast I have whiplash from it.”

“At least things resolved themselves. If half my problems did that, I might be able to kick my stimulant addiction.” Bradford sighed. “Central out, I’ll stop prepping the Skyranger. Again.”

“Not my fault I run into absurd situations more often than most, sir.” I replied softly to no one, dropping the wards and stepping back out into the hallways of the apartment, moving towards Yagami Hayate’s room with purpose. Stepping inside, if found the five new people sitting on the floor in front of the Yagami women, with Yagami senior looking nonplussed and Hayate’s eyes filled with sparkles.
Hayate looked up as I entered, her smile beaming. “I have heroic spirits!”

Bemused, I nodded, smiling at my fellow Nasu fan. “I suppose you do.”

Ignoring my statement, Hayate started pointing. “That’s Signum, and she’s a Saber and Archer. Shamal is a Caster, and kinda an Assassin? Zafira is a Shielder, and Vita is a Berserker!” She paused. “Reinforce is a Ruler, but also a Caster, too.”

My lips quirked as I ran with an amusing idea, gently correcting the poor girl who had no idea what she was getting into, “So Signum is EMIYA, Shamal is Seminaris, Zafira is a Shielder, Vita is a Berserker, and Reinforce is most certainly not a Ruler because she would have a wish for a grail. So just a Caster.”

“Yup!”

As the four other knights tried and failed to hide their confusion, Reinforce’s eyes glazed over. “Ah… maybe?” She frowned. “Also, there are major inconsistencies in this lore.”

“No, Reinforce-san, this is what happens when you have multiple writers for the same franchize, and when the creator genuinely has no idea what’s going on half the time himself.” I replied, smiling, “Then again, most of the people who enjoy diving deeply into the lore would disagree with me. I do so miss my old F/GO account…”

The pink-haired woman coughed. “Ah, proper introductions. We are the Wolkenritter, in the service of the holder of the Tome of Night Sky. I am Signum, the Knight of the Sword, vanguard of the knights.”

The little redhead grinned. “I’m Vita, the Knight of the Iron Hammer. My job’s to smash anything that gives Signum trouble.”

The blonde smiled at us all. “I am Shamal, Knight of Lake and Wind. I fill more of a support role as healer and act as battlefield control.”

The final knight nodded. “I am the Guardian Beast, Zafira. I guard the mistress, with spell and fist.”

Reinforce nodded. “Though their memories are still sealed, they were once Belkan knights who were bound into the Tome before it degraded. My origins, and that of the Tome itself, hail from the Al-Hazardian Empire.”

I blinked, “Oh, I didn’t know Al-Hazard had Unison Devices. That’s cool.” Turning to Tamamo, I frowned, “I need to get you a body, if only so I can talk to you face to face.”

“I am fine how I currently am, ma’am.” She paused. “Though, if the option becomes more readily available, I would appreciate shore leave.” She turned to look over the figures. “Their method of creating a mage-forged body would be a temporary solution…”

Reinforce coughed. “I may add that the situation is good, but not entirety stable.” She looked at Hayate. “If our mistress becomes too distressed-”

“It’s Hayate! Not mistress, please!” The little girl crossed her arms over her chest. “You guys are my servants, right? So you’re family!”

“Ah… we have a duty-” Signum spoke up.

Ms. Yagami coughed, and for one instant there seemed to be a mask floating behind her. “Ah, children, please listen to your little sister.” She loomed without moving, her smile never wavering.

Four voices sounded as one. “Yes ma’am.” Only Zafira remained silent.

“It’s like watching Fate/Stay Night all over again,” I mused to myself, snickering internally, “Yagami-san, would you be adverse to me teaching Hayate-san some magic? Specifically spells oriented towards escaping, not combat.” Holding up a hand, I nodded at Reinforce, “You could teach her, yes. But I have a spell that I don’t believe even you have access to, given I came up with it myself.”

Ms. Yagami coughed. “While I believe my daughter will need training, I’m going to have to have a long discussion between my new family members before any training. And all of that will happen after the grounding is over.”

Hayate froze. “Grounding?”

Ms. Yagami nodded. “Yes, dear.” She held up one hand, an inert crystal sphere cupped in her fingers. “What were our rules about glowing objects you find in the dirt?”

Hayate gulped.

After disengaging from the developing conversation and making my goodbyes, I’d eventually wandered back to my abode. After putting together my full report and dispatching it, I’d only been slightly surprised when I received a call from XCOM HQ.

“You’ve dropped an incredible mess on us all, Specialist.” Tazri smirked at me over the line, even as she kneaded her brow. “By this point, I should have expected it, though. I didn’t expect to get into a bidding war anytime soon.”

“A bidding war?” I asked, frowning.

“The younger Ms. Hayate needs protection and training. Fortunately, she has the services of four incredibly experienced warriors and a highly advanced ancient AI to offer in return.” Tazri explained. “I’d be willing to put her up in the fanciest hotel in New York for a decade to get the Wolkenritter on XCOM’s roster. Unfortunately, the TSAB and JSDF both know that, and wanted to put up their own offers.”

I cursed, “Of all the time to show our division, now is not one of them, ma’am.” My reply, through grit teeth, “But I won’t make a judgment yet, nor is it my place to. Orders?”

“Ah… well. About that.” Tazri’s smirk widened. “Apparently, Yagami-san is a paranoid woman, and she doesn’t trust any of us. Not the TSAB, who let the book fall into her daughter’s hands, not the JSDF, who got her husband killed, and not us, since we’re a fairly shady government black-ops group.” She paused. “She does seem to trust the woman who was willing to help her daughter with no strings attached, and who is, in her words, ‘too upfront to be deceptive.’ So, Hayate will be affiliated to XCOM; namely through you.”

“... Well, I suppose being a good person had to pay off eventually.” I deadpanned, concealing the multitude of thoughts; giddy and terrified running through my head, “Once more, orders?”

“We’re still working out what this all means, but for now, we want to move the Yagami family to a safehouse. There was some talk of moving them to XCOM HQ, but that was a non-starter because you’re currently here in Japan.” She cocked an eyebrow. “Meanwhile, your house has four spare bedrooms, plenty of outside training area, and has been heavily magically fortified.”

I paused, considering it briefly, “My house has space, and I wouldn’t mind roommates in the slightest. Has the offer been made to Yagami-san already?”

“Not yet, though it was implied.” Tazri replied. “Otherwise, we would’ve been forced to buy off one of your neighbors and set them up next door. For a given meaning of next door.”

“You could have just ordered me to host them, I wouldn’t have had a problem with it either way, ma’am.” Sighing, I relaid several of my plans for the day, “I’m going to have Nanoha over later for our lessons, but I can prepare the bedrooms today. I’ll get started on it now. Anything else, ma’am?”

Technically, the Wolkenritter aren’t under your command. However, your lessons will be expanded into teaching them about the modern world.” She paused. “And the supernatural world, apparently. Because that’s a thing.”

“Does it really surprise you at this point?” I said, rolling my eyes, “Understood, I’ll add it to my list. Hopefully they’re as studious as Nanoha-chan, but I somehow doubt it. Darn my first student for spoiling me so…”

“Count your blessings, Specialist. Also, we’re going to have a construction team and some Magi swing by to setup a proper teleportation array and some more permanent outbuildings. And fix and renovate the basement.”

“Understood, ma’am. I appreciate not having to use my personal funds for the latter.” Walking over to one of the bedrooms, I started taking a look, my face neutral as I took in the state of each room, “Is there anything else, or should I get started on my end?”

“...ah. Abe mentioned something about dispatching a live-in maid to help keep the place upright.” Tazri sounded exasperated. “She keeps slipping the paperwork and the funds into the rota for me to sign off. She won’t give me a straight answer on it.”

I blinked, a blush rising to my face as my imagination ran wild, “...I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I stated, willing my tone to be honest, since I did not actually have a clue what the actual fuck Mariko?

“So it’s not fetish fuel. Might want to talk to her, then. Regardless, should I keep trashing the applications, or…”

“Give me a second!” I squeaked, muting the call and having the extremely amused Tamamo ring Mariko, “Mariko what the actual fuck!”

“Well, if you’re offering…” Mariko’s voice was smooth as silk over the line.

Still blushing, I shoved the myriad of lewd thoughts out of my head, regardless of how much I- Wait, I could. “You know I’m always down for that, right? But what is this about maids? Live in maids?”

“Maid, singular, Shizuka. And it’s made in all seriousness.” Mariko’s voice was serious. “You’re going to be cooking for eight people a lot of the time, and though I’m certain Yagami-san is willing to help, she has her own work to deal with. Add in cleaning, house maintenance, and shopping, and I figured I might find someone… discreet.” Her voice shifted back to sultry. “Finding the perfect maid took time, but this one I think you’ll like~.”

I blinked, a blushing mess to the point where I looped back into functional, “You are available tonight, right? Because you aren’t getting out of a reward for doing something as sweet as this.”

“I assume that’s a yes? And I’ll also swing on by, don’t you worry.” Mariko chuckled. “If we’re going to do that, I need to head back to work. See you later!”

“Later!” I stuttered, unmuting central, “Sorry!” Still squeaking, I continued, “Had to ask Abe-san why she requested it. It’s actually made in all seriousness due to the amount of work maintaining a household would be on top of my other duties.”

“...she’s looking out for you. I’ll push it through, then.” There was a rustle of paper on her end. “I wonder how she found a group that can pass all the security checks?”

“IdunnoandIdon’treallycare!” I replied, desiring nothing more than to not have to deal with this while being absurdly horny, “Isthereanythingelsema’amorcanIsignoff?”

“...no, that’s all.” Tazri sounded amused. “Keep up the good work, soldier. And remember, We Will be Watching.” The last words were uttered in a vague imitation of the Council’s voice.

“Okaybye!” I stated, retreating to my bedroom for some relief.

‘Damnit Mariko! Why’d you have to go and get me worked up like that!’

A loud chuckle came from my wrist. “Well, she knows how to push your buttons, my lady.” Tamamo chuckled.

I blinked, “Oh right you’re on my wrist. That’s… awkward.” My voiced words were met with a laugh, and I rolled my eyes. “I suppose I’m going to get used to having company.” My upward gaze spied Keiko watching me from the ceiling. Blinking, I sighed, “Privacy, please? I would like to mastrubate in peace?”

It would be some time before the laughter faded enough for me to get my privacy.

Chapter Text

I’d maybe grown a little too used to teleporting everywhere. The wonders of instantaneous transportation had become common, a little too common.

That hadn’t really sunk in until I realized that I’d never actually seen my driveway. Or, for that matter, stepped into my garage. Considering both were about to see actual use, I’d hastily gone online and picked up a pressure washing spell, and set to cleaning the driveway at a will.

Once I’d beaten back the dirt and weeds, I’d hand-cranked open the garage, only to stare in horror at the space packed full of junk, with the eyes of a dozen rats peering from a nest in the middle of the heap.. Sighing in annoyance, I immediately began to purge the fuckers, because they were not paying rent, nor were they contributing anything to my home. The bastards. Oh, and my new roommates wouldn’t appreciate them either, so that was another reason, I suppose.

I whipped Tamamo forward, firing the pest control spell I’d used at the beginning of my journey, hardly wincing as the rats disintegrated into a fine gray dust. Once they were dead, I began to use telekinesis to grab objects and drag them from the shed, muttering furiously as I levitated out several rakes fused together by rust and time.

“When I was told this was a magic-using household, I wasn’t quite certain this is what I would expect.” I paused as a cool voice sounded from behind me.

Without looking back, I grunted out “You’re early.”

“Very much so, mistress. However, I was… uncertain how much you would need explained. A polite cough sounded from the source. “As you seem to be a modern magic user, and not from the old families… I believe I will need some explanations, as well.”

“... Suddenly, I have a fear that Mariko discovered more from the supernatural world than she told me.” I muttered, turning to face what could only be the maid assigned to me, “Hello. I’m Shizuka Lee. You must…” My voice trailed off as I turned.

The woman gave a curtsey, a neat cloth back at her side. She was most definitely a maid; dressed in a long black dress with white ruffles and an amethyst jewel at her neck, as well as the appropriate headgear. The headgear, meanwhile, was competing with a pair of white fox ears which peeked through hair of the same shade, and her dress was cut to allow two white tails to fluff behind her.

“... How exactly do I merit a Zenko?” I continued acting as if I hadn’t been staring, “And how does one obtain fluffy tails like you?”

The kitsune coughed. “For the latter, mistress… I am uncertain which meaning of ‘obtain’ you might be asking. I am not contracted for any, shall we say, personal services. As for the other meaning, placing a request to Inari-no-okami may see them grant it, though I do not know what service would be required.” She paused. “As to the former… many of us who live long enough and do not have other duties take contracts which allow us to pass the time.” She inclined her head. “I am Oda Rei, mistress. I was not informed of your given address…”

I blinked, confusion briefly manifesting before I sighed, “Just a grunt, military. I just happen to be dating someone who’s outside the chain of command who happens to not be part of the military officially. It’s complicated. Just call me Shizuka, or Lee-san if you must be formal.”

“Yes, Lee-san.” Rei gave a short bow. “I see you are cleaning out the garage. If you would give me a few moments, I will put my things inside the foyer and come to join you. Are there any wards or surprises I should be aware of?” She paused. “Also, I was informed there would be houseguests. Will I need to hide my features from them?”

“There shouldn’t be any wards that will trigger, no. So long as you don’t attempt to breach my room, which would be the master bedroom. If you’ve been hired through Mariko-chan, you should also be keyed in already, since she has master access.” I idly replied, placing the pile of rusted rakes to the side, debating if it was better to just melt them or obliterate them with the pest control spell. Shrugging, I continued as I continued to pile up the rusted metal, “As for your vulpine features, the family is aware of modern magic, and will be made aware of old magic because of the yurei that inhabits our TV. Before you ask, she just wants to game in peace, and is a rather good player for any multiplayer games you may enjoy.” Pausing once more, I sighed, “Tamamo, would you mind giving Keiko a heads up that we have a Zenko who will be staying with us?”

“Tamamo?” Rei murmured, even as the aforementioned Intelligent Device responded with ‘Affirmative.” Rei stared at the flashing light on the bracer, then took a deep breath before exhaling. “Ah… was there a reason…”

“I did not know myths were actually real, and to my understanding, Tamamo-No-Mae was redeemed during her stay in the Sessho-Seki. I felt it fit her situation fairly well, without the nastiness of being an Empire Killer beforehand.” I interjected gently, “No offense was intended.”

‘Ah… well. Tamamo-san is… still being redeemed, actually.” Rei grimaced. “Though her journey began within the Sessho-Seki, she is still serving her penance. As a servitor of Inari. Namely, their secretary.” She lifted her bags, and began to head inside. “Although she would not have the capacity to do anything to you, I am uncertain how she would respond to your tsukumogami’s name.”

“... Then she should never watch Fate/Extra’s anime, or play any of the games that exist.” I muttered, “Nasu-san probably would either flatter or offend many of the mythological beings that exist in the world, now that I think about it.”

Tamamo chirped. “Considering the activities attributed to many of the divines, I suspect there’s nothing modern retellings could express worse than their reality.” Her voice shifted into more formal tones. “As a heads-up; the Yagami family will be arriving in approximately three hours. Their moving van is heading up the mountain as we speak. In addition, the quick-construction team will be back for their last sweep in an hour.”

I nodded, “Thank you Tamamo. I should be finished with everything by then, especially with help. It is about lunch time, so I do believe I’ll go heat up some leftovers. I would have prepared some kitsune udon if I knew that my maid was going to be a literal Zenko though…”

“That would be lovely, thank you.” I nearly flinched as Rei spoke from just over my shoulder. “I did encounter your first… roommate. She directed me to the appropriate quarters, and seemed to be telling me the truth.” The kitsune looked past me at the mess of rusted metal and plant matter filling the garage. “Are we salvaging any of this, or is this all for disposal?”

“I’m just about finished moving it all in place to teleport it directly to a scrapyard. Just have to contact said scrapyard to let them know I’m throwing trash there.” I replied, grinning, “I do so love teleportation.”

Rei nodded, then produced a smartphone with a flick of her wrist. “I see. Should I reach out to a recycling plant, then?”

“Please.”

As she dialed, Tamamo buzzed. “Shizuka, she’s taking my job!”

“You do realize that she’ll only be doing to at home, right Tamamo? And she’s technically your subordinate.” I giggled in reply, grinning at the mental image of my pouting device.

“Ah?” Tamamo started. “Ooh. I have authority over a meatsack… that was a joke, my lady.”

Rei finished speaking on the line. “I’ve contacted the nearest recycling plant and informed them you’d have scrap incoming for their perusal. I assume you don’t care about the metal value?”

“Honestly, they can have it for free. I have enough disposable income as it is, and I don’t feel like spending hours playing phone-tag with them.” My reply was idle, as I was already running through the best spell-circles to use to teleport this much stuff to another place, without knowing exactly what it looked like. Probably best to teleport it slightly above ground, which would require that I have a recent photo to pull off well, which was irritating, but not impossible. Tamamo helpfully pulled up security cam footage of their lot, and I smiled at her foresight, then tripped the spell and let the scrap blink into oblivion.

Rei nodded once, eying Tamamo with interest. “Hmm. You know, my family is still debating the merit of these ‘devices.’ Do I have your permission to give them my observations? Absent your identities, of course. I have no desire to cross the JSDF.”

“You’d be crossing a lot more than the JSDF, Oda-san.” I replied, “But I have no issues in the slightest. You may also include my identity and my identity alone if you desire, since I’m one of the few publicly known XCOM agents.”

Two white tails stood on their ends for a brief instant, even as Rei’s face remained placid. “...I see. Thank you for your consideration.” She eyed the now-empty garage. “Do we need to scrub it down? I have a few minor spells which could help.”

“Yes, if you would please. I’m good for large-scale cleaning, but I can’t really do much beyond telekinesis on multiple tools at once for detail cleaning.” I said, relief coloring my voice, privately filing away her reaction. Interesting, but not suspicious in the slightest.

“...are there any other interesting members of the household I should know about, mistress?”

“... Did Mariko not tell you about… Alright, lunch. We’ll need the next two hours to explain all of this. I swear, my girlfriend can be such a pain sometimes…” I groused, hiding my slight amusement in fear that the fox may take offense. I wouldn’t want a bad review to her god(dess) after all. I did want fluffy tails and ears, and I was willing to do a lot to obtain them.

Rei was… calmer than I expected, though I quickly learned to watch her tails rather than her face to check for shock. Apparently, having a live-in ghost and an XCOM specialist for an employer were enough of a lead-in that she accepted the five spirit warriors, two trainee mages, ferret boy, and ordinary Japanese widow as just an extension of the madness.

She did, however, request tofu and sake to be readily available. Not exactly a problem, given I had invested in a small bar to appease my girlfriend (and my own extremely random drinking habits), and generally kept mostly Japanese food and ingredients in my cupboards and fridge, with some exceptions.

Rei looked out the back door to see the quick-construction crew packing up their tools. “XCOM’s engineering teams seem very competent. By the drift of the local magic, I could tell there were new additions to the house, but I could not tell by sight or smell.”

“Combat Engineers who also need to know how to make something look like it’s always been there tend to be rather skilled at something like this, Oda-san.” I pointed out, “And XCOM has the funding and fame or infamy to attract the best.”

“True. I suppose I did not expect said experitese to extent to Japanese architecture. They are either enormously broadly talented, or quick studies.” She hummed, then stood. “I will prepare refreshments for our travelers when they arrive. After the journey, they will likely be craving something wholesome.”

“Kitchen uses gas stoves, everything that’s reserved for something is labeled as so.” I called as she left towards the kitchen, mentally planning out the rest of my day. Nanoha was due for another lesson, but given the suddenness of the move, I had delayed it, and I needed to give her another call to explain it in more detail. That could be done now.

I tapped Tamamo, and seconds later, Nanoha picked up. “Ah, sensei, I was not expecting a call from you.” I could almost hear her cheerful smile through her voice. “What can I do for you?” I faintly hear a loud clacking of wood on wood through the transmission.

“Just calling to give a more detailed explanation as to why I delayed our lesson, Nanoha.” I replied, my voice warm, “I’ll be having people moving in with me for various reasons, and I’m currently busy making the house more presentable and sorting out all the other details of the move. We’ll likely resume tomorrow, though I may have to request we use your residence over mine.”

“An? That might be fine, sensei.” Nanoha said, then gasped as I heard another crack. “Ah, we can talk more later, gotta get back to my spar! Bye!” The voice cut out.

“... That girl is going to be the death of me.” I muttered, mentally making a note to add melee training to the list as well. No doubt Nanoha would pester me for it if I didn’t. “Tamamo, why did I think taking a student was a good idea again?” I asked fondly, making it clear that I was being sarcastic about my dislike for my best student.

“I don’t know. However, I doubt two will be any better, so you should be prepared.”

“Indeed.” Tamamo and I shared a moment of shocked silence, then as one we turned to see Abigail sitting at the kitchen island. The blonde woman gave me a smile, even as Keiko watched her with wide eyes. “Hello again, Shizuka.”

I blinked, “Hello again Abigail. What brings you to my abode? Besides the lessons I’m probably due for, given the fact I’ve been absurdly busy lately.”

“You are due some lessons, yes. However, that isn’t exactly what I’m here for.” Her face sobered. “I see you’ve come into contact with the other inhabitants of the planet. Any thoughts?”

“Beside the fact that I’m genuinely glad that humanity isn’t alone and never has been, and a desire to become a kitsune, not much.” Pausing, I tilted my head to the side, considering something briefly, “I’ve gone through cycles of debating if I consider myself human or not before, so it’s not as if I was going to judge their races and specices as a collective.”

“Indeed. I’m glad you think so.” Abigail looked to one side, smiling slightly as Rei set a teacup by her elbow. “Thank you. When my grandfather first was partnered with Asaru, he set out to find others with powers similar to his own. He found many, but also found that they were already integrated into a wider and somewhat hidden community. In turn, he gained contacts with that community, which is what he used to remove XCOM from the direct control of the US government and create its bases across the world.”

“... That makes a surprising amount of sense. Well, I’ll toast to him tonight I suppose, if I end up breaking out the alcohol.” I replied, “Did you want to talk about anything else, Abigail? I’m happy to host you, but I do have someone moving in in about three and three quarters of an hour. We’ll have to walk and talk once I’m done with my self-assigned break.”

“We do need to schedule some time for our meeting.” She paused. “Also… XCOM has finally ironed out the civilian side of things regarding health checkups. Of all sorts.” Abigail reached into a bag sitting by her side, pulling out a folder. “While Medical has your reports well in hand, Psyche would like to schedule an appointment.”

“Sure. When would they like to have it?” If Abigail was expecting a fight to see a psychologist or therapist, she wasn’t going to get one. I had no problem talking to one, after all.

“This week, on Wednesday. Details are in the schedule.” She pulled out one sheet, sliding it to me. “However, you’re also expected to come by Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. The weekdays are there to bring different rotations of the Wolkenritter and Miss Reinforce to meet with the XCOM staff. They’ve demanded, and we’ve acquestied, to having one member of their team on hand to guard Hayate at all times.”

“Why not just bring Hayate-san into the base? It’s not as if Reinforce-san won’t tell her everything. That way you could very realistically have the rotation be much simpler. Not that I’m complaining, it gives me an excuse to visit the base much more often than I do already.” I asked, genuinely confused, “And if I teleport Hayate-san in, it’s unlikely that anyone will get anything of value from her.”

“Her mother had choice words about separating them; and before you ask, she was uncomfortable with going herself.” Abigail shrugged. “There was also some… concern that if Hayate lost control within HQ, our most effective station against the enemy would be taken out in a single catastrophe.”

“That is an extremely good reason, though we’re going to have to work on Yagami-san’s paranoia. It’s likely to start affecting both my home life and our working relationship with Reinforce eventually, and I’d rather nip it at the bud than let it fester.” I grumbled, jotting down the five additional days I was expected to pop over to base. Not that I wasn’t there everyday. But it was the principle of things.

Abigail’s smile didn’t falter. “Considering everything I know about organizations similar to XCOM… I am glad she is cautious.” Her smile vanished. “My father was a good man. His superior, the man who actually founded XCOM was much less so. Asaru has passed on memories of his actions. If Hayate had fallen into his hands, he would not have mistreated her, but she would have been held hostage to assure the Wolkenritter’s cooperation.”

I actually blinked in surprise, “That is… so dumb on multiple levels.” I held up a hand, letting her know I didn’t want to be interrupted quite yet, “First of all, holding a hostage when the hostage is more likely to cooperate with you than actually rebel is absurdly stupid. Second, Reinforce is a ticking bomb. One I’ve managed to very partially defuse, but one that would also have no issue destroying XCOM if it meant saving Hayate. Just… so many levels of stupid in that descision that I would quit in protest.”

“Indeed. But he would try, at least as long as he could use her to fight the aliens.” Abigail shook her head. “Faulke argued that the ends justify the means; something preached by EXALT. At least he was moral enough to place the greater good as his goal, rather than personal power.”

I shook my head, “Figures. Too many people at the top can’t trust anyone, at least during the cold-war era. It doesn’t surprise me that they wouldn’t ever consider a better way. While I don’t like disparaging people, lacking empathy and trust is a surefire way to get backstabbed in the end.”

Abigail smiled sadly. “I know.” She stood. “Now, unless you want me to meet your new houseguests, I must be going.” She bowed to Rei. “Thank you for the tea.”

“Thank you, channeller. I only ask that you enter at the gates next time, though I would not dare to dictate your movements.” The kitsune responded.

Abigail vanished, leaving me alone with two mythical creatures. Keiko lifted her finger, hesitantly tapping the wall. Is she going to do this often? If so, I’m going to have to hide in my TV a lot more.

“If she does it again, I’ll be having words with her.” I reassured Keiko, “Abigail wouldn’t like knowing she’s causing either of you discomfort, I think. At least, the Abigail I know wouldn’t.”

It’s like being in close quarters to an Oni. They’re good company, up until they decide you need to go. Then you’re dead the minute they get your hands on you. Keiko twitched slightly. You might get that scary someday. But you’re a bunny rabbit. I don’t think I can be scared of you.

Rei sighed. “The spirit exaggerates, but that woman has the power of a very potent exorcist. I can understand her discomfort.” She turned her glare to the ghost in question. “And that discomfort will be coming, if those words don’t leave the paint this instant.”

I sighed in annoyance as the two youkai bickered, resigning myself to playing peacekeeper by wiping the paint off the wall with a simple spell, “I am capable of cleaning up one of the few methods Keiko has of communicating, Rei…”

Not that they heard me.

The sound of a moving van parking outside, along with the pair sound of a car pulling into the driveway drew me to the front windows. I peeked outside, my eyes passing over the car and van. I blinked twice, eyes fixing on the two figures under a sloppy invisibility shroud, both of them sitting on the roof of the van. “Your shrouds are shit.” I sent a telepathic message in their general direction, rolling my eyes visibly from my position near the windows, “And if you’re trying to be an intimidating escort, being visible is more helpful.”

The smaller of the two figures decloaked and hopped off the troof, Vita landing with a huff. “You spotted us; when we were moving, you might not.” She grinned. “Better to counter-ambush an ambusher, right?”

“Also, it allowed us to avoid sitting in the car with three other people for six hours.” Signum allowed as she hit the ground next to her partner. “Also, do you have a better selection of spells somewhere? Your local data network had little of substance, since Reinforce refused to help.”

“You have access to the civilian list, and that’s all you’re getting for now.” I replied, shrugging, “I’m not authorized to give you more.” I bit back the rest of my criticism. They would either learn or had learned already. They, after all, were military. Not mine. But still military.

Behind me, I heard a wry chuckle. I turned to see Hayate, her mother, Shamal, and a tiny fairy with Reinforce’s face come up, Hayate at a run while the rest approached more slowly. Reinforce finished chuckling. “I told them sitting on the roof was unnecessary. If they wanted more leg room, they could have just stayed in the bed with Zafira.”

A heavily tattooed man climbed out of the cab, pulling out a key and giving Ms. Yagami a nervous look. “Ah, is it safe to open-”

“He doesn’t bite!” Shamal cut him off. “Go ahead and open her up.”

The man nodded, moving around and opening the back of the van, allowing a bulky blue wolf to leap out and stretch..

Eyes narrowed, I looked at Reinforce, “Who’s the man? I wasn’t given any information regarding him, so I’d like to know how much of a security risk he is, and if I should have a private talk with him before he leaves.”

Tamamo beeped. “The man is an associate of one of Abe’s contacts. The moving company is legitimate, but they have a special service for those who want to shift things without paperwork; he will ‘forget’ this entire trip and everything he saw on it as a matter of course.”

“I know who to go after first if this arrangement leaks then.” I replied, nodding as I continued aloud, “Where do you want your things, Yagami-san? I can start ferrying things inside and to your specifications.”

“I’d like to take a look at the rooms first…” Ms. Yagami stepped past, only to blink as Rei appeared in the doorway. “...Ah. Is this your guardian beast, Miss Lee?”

“No, that would be my live in maid, who just happens to be a Zenko. Before you ask for an explanation, I’ll provide one later, along with the information packet I’ve already transferred to Reinforce digitally, and I’ll hand you a physical copy of once I’m inside.” I replied, “This is Oda Rei. Rei, the Yagami family.”

“Pleasure to meet you all.” Rei curtsied. “Come in, and I will show you the available rooms- oof!” Rei’s practiced cadence was disrupted as Hayate barrelled into her, eyes shining.

“You’re a Kitsune!”

“I am, yes.” Rei smiled at the little girl.

“That’s so cool! Is this a magic house?”

“Only as much as the people in it.” Rei passed her eyes over the entirety of the group. “...so yes. It very much will be.”

Ms. Yagami stepped forward, drawing her daughter back. “Yes. Will there be enough rooms for everyone to have their own, or…”

I spoke up. “With the new additions, we have five bedrooms available. Not certain how we’re going to work that…”

Reinforce spoke next. “It’s probably better if I stay in miniature form most of the time, so I can just have a pillow on someone’s bedside.”

Zafira chuffed, and I eyed the massive wolf as looked at the others. I opened my mind to hear the tail end of the telepathic communication. “...will be fine on the floor, if there aren’t enough beds.”

With a little more discussion, we hashed out the sleeping arrangements; Ms. Yagami had her own room, next to Hayate’s. Vita and Signum would share a room, while Shamal would bunk with Zafira in one of the smaller rooms. Reinforce would sleep beside Hayate, and that would leave one room spare for guests.

All of that got hashed out around us moving in supplies. I was rather surprised to see just how much stuff was ferried out of the van; while the Yagami apartment would remain furnished, they’d brought a lot of their furniture and apparel with them. Or had it provided to them by XCOM, as part of the deal. Smart, given how much a pain in the ass moving was.

We were finishing putting the last of the stuff in the house when I caught Ms. Yagami staring at the nice flatscreen in the guest bedroom. “...couldn’t we move this into the living room?” It would do much better…”

“No, for a reason present in the information packet. Keiko will introduce herself when she feels like it. Just know that she’s non-hostile, and makes for a fantastic child entertainer.” I replied, “and the only reason I haven’t moved it is because I can’t find the time to spend thirty minutes hooking the old TV up to the new one, then making sure the input still works between them. It’s a work in progress.” I cut in, “Keiko is a yurei, and the reason this property was so absurdly cheap, by the way.”

“...a yurei. Look, you may be a mage, but-” Ms. Yagami’s denial cut off as Keiko poked her head through the wall, her hair frazzled.

Look, I’m supposed to be the weird one around here. Kitsune? Fine. Three spirit warriors and their shapeshifting hound-guardian? Okay. But what the hell is up with the overpowered pixie, and why does she make me feel afraid? The words oozed into existence beside her, even as she stared at me.

“Because she’s capable of destroying Earth.” I deadpanned, “And she’s here so I can hopefully prevent that.”

…right. Well, good luck with that, I don’t want to face the Yama kings quite yet, thank you. She stopped, eyeing the shell-shocked woman next to me. Is she the token normal of this group?

“... You would think that, but that’s actually me.” I replied, “It’s sad when the literal Isekai is the normal one.”

…I don’t see it. Later. Keiko ducked back through the wall, the bloody words evaporating.

Ms. Yagami gulped. “...a Yurei, I see.” She took a deep breath. “Okay, this is my life now. I have a Kitsune making finger food, a ghost possessing the tv, and my daughter has the allegiance of five beings who could each level a city block.” She held in a breath, then let it out. “Well. At least it will be good writing material.”

I nodded, “It’s a shame I can’t write a novel about my life while making it believable. Then again, history is sometimes more absurd than fiction, so I suppose I could try.”

“I find it best to moderate my life’s stories with fiction when writing.” She said absently. “I’ve just never had to tone it down before.” Walking to the door, she paused. “However, despite it all, I think we’ll like it here. Thank you for hosting us, Miss Lee.”

“No problem, Yagami-san. Glad to know my guess that your life is more crazy than mine was correct.”

“It is now.” She headed off down the hallway, and I trotted after her, to rejoin the madhouse.

Chapter Text

I’d had big plans for the next couple of days. Settle in, collect myself, talk to my students, and have a nice breakfast prepared by my maid. On top that, I would be drilling at base, keeping myself sharp, and managing my work-life balance.

All of those plans went out the window when I woke suddenly at 2 AM, a blaring alarm ringing from within my own mind. All thoughts of irritation went out the window, as I checked, seeing the ‘Base Recall’ message in my HUD. Without hesitation, I ordered Tamamo to set the house to maximum security and set my contingencies in place, the automated messages to Kei and Keiko delivered to them via the wonders of teleportation. Then, I teleported out, sealed the house, and was at XCOM base in seconds, waiting for orders.

Appearing on a teleport pad, I was quickly led into the central hangar, where almost the entirety of XCOM’s continent of soldiers and Magi were waiting. Seconds after my arrival, Commander Tazri emerged from the tunnel to the Ops Center. She spoke before she even came to the front of the group, voice pitched to carry through the entire space. “The Aliens seem to have decided that they’ve amassed enough resources for a major push. We have eyes on four battleships with fighter escorts and infantry barges making their way towards Earth; their intercept courses point to landings in China, Canada, Russia, and Nigeria.” She took a stand in the center of the room. “Our interceptors can clear the chaff, but only if they don’t have to go toe-to-toe with the battleships at the same time. At least two of the landings will happen uncontested, and we’ll have to engage on the ground.” She paused. “But one, we intend to rout.”

“Three weeks ago, one of our special operations acquired an alien device, planted during the invasion.” She motioned, and my eyes widened as a man I’d fought alongside stepped forward. “Sergeant Zheng defected from the Chinese Triads in order to bring it to us. It’s a homing beacon, intended to act as a perfect draw for alien landings.” She grinned. “But with the signal modified, we can instead trap the battleship and it’s allies in low Earth orbit- long enough to land a strike team, and take an entire craft intact.”

From nearby, Shen and Vahlen stepped forward. The good doctor spoke first. “This is an enormous opportunity to seize an alien warship without giving them a chance to wipe their computers and destroy their armories.”

Dr. Shen spoke next. “But the device needs to be made mobile to keep the aliens from tracking it. Our plan is to make use of Shanghai’s mag-lev train network to draw the battleship from over the city to the countryside before we make our assault. The aliens are likely to launch drop pods and use their fighters to try and destroy the beacon, so it will need to be protected.”

“That’s not to say the other groups will be idle.” Tazri spoke again. “While Team Delta and Team Sigma handle the Shanghai assault, teams Alpha and Bravo will be dispatched to Nigeria and Russia, to link up with local defenders and prepare to contest the landing zones. Meanwhile, team Charlie will be heading to Canada; their government is unveiling a new weapon to stall and perhaps turn aside the incoming invasion, and they want XCOM support to make any survivors pay on the ground.”

I glanced in my HUD, seeing the word ‘DELTA’ flash in my sight. Made sense, given the likely prioritization that Central and Command were thinking of when staffing each operation. I remained silent, especially since I was still waiting for orders.

“You have your squad compositions, move out.” She watched as we all began to move towards the signals, breaking up into fireteams. I fell in alongside seven other figures: three wearing bulky armor and carrying heavy guns, a man in lighter armor with a white scheme, a woman in blue with a fat assault rifle, and a pair of magi. Harriet grinned at me and shot me a thumbs up, while the other magi, one of our new Chinese recruits, offered me a stiff nod, one I returned. I did, however, remain silent. I was unlikely as hell to be the squad leader given my rank and inexperience, so I was simply waiting for the CO to speak up at this point.

The assault rifle bearer turned as we all filed up. “Alright. The Chinese government has cleared the use of the mag-lev for us, and we have our best teleporter here to get us on-site quickly.” She nodded at me. “Once we’re aboard the train and activate the locator, it will take off rapidly, and then we’re going to come under fire. Our job is to repel any boarders from the train and shoot down any small craft which might try to intercept. Understood?”

“Understood.” I echoed in turn with the rest of the small fireteam, “Coordinates, ma’am?”

She nodded once, then tapped her jaw. “Station control, this is Delta-one. Transmit coordinates to Delta-Apex.”

“Understood.” The word,spoken quikcly, sounded at the same time a set of teleport coordinates appeared in my HUD.
“Let me know when, ma’am. Would you prefer I stick to radio or telepathy?” I replied, already spinning up my spell circle to prepare the teleport, mostly so I could use it the instant I needed to. No sense in wasting mana, but no sense in not operating on the time crunch I was on either.

“Radio, please. Not all of us are device-users.” She responded with a nod. “Everyone ready?” At the round of affirmatives, she gave me a nod. “We can depart now, then. Let’s get set up for the signal.”

“Affirmative. Teleport in 3. 2. 1. Mark.” I replied, shifting myself into the mentality of using my radio over telepathy. At most, a mild inconvenience. Then, we were on the platform beside the train, the teleport as flawless as always on my end.

“You would have been very helpful in the brush fighting.” Delta-One remarked, then tapped her chin again. “Radio check. Callsigns, sound off. Delta-One, Arbiter.”

“Delta-Two, Wrecker.”

“Delta-Three, Hailstorm.”

“Delta-Four, Chatterbug.”

“Delta-Five, Sandman.”

I spoke next. “Delta-Apex.” At everyone’s look, I shrugged. “They haven’t given me one yet.”

Suddenly, a familiar and unexpected voice cut across the line. “Specialist Lee, you are assigned call sign ‘Trickster.’” Abe spoke. “This is non-negotiable.”

“...affirmative. Delta-Apex, Trickster.”

“Delta-Beauty, Havoc.” Harriet rattled off, her smile wide beneath her helmet.

“Delta-Circuit, Jian.” The last man spoke.

Arbiter nodded. “Comms check complete. Wrecker, Hailstorm, Chatterbug, get in or on the train, set up your heavy weapons for fire support. Sandman, take up position inside, hopefully we’ll only need your smokes for this one. Havoc, you’re on the roof; keep the air clear. Jian, you’re our quick responder, head to the front of the train and prepare to reposition as needed. I’ll be guarding the device.” She turned to me. “Trickster, you’re our air escort.”

“Affirmative.” I called, taking off and establishing a flight pattern, a leisurely patrol for now, until the shit inevitably hit the fan. “I’m on station.”

“Right. We’re waiting for the signal from Central. Keep our eyes out; there’s no telling when the enemy will realize we’re here.”

I nodded, then froze as Tamamo spoke up in my ear. “Incoming call from Reinforce.”

“Put it through, now.” I replied, keeping my eye on the surroundings even more sharply, “This is Specialist Lee, sitrep Reinforce?”

“Specialist Lee. I apologize for the intervention while you’re in the field. When we were put on alert, the Wolkenritter demanded I find out what was going on. I acquitted to their request, and all of us currently understand the situation.” Reinforce drew a breath. “The Wolkenritter would like to speak to your Commander.”

“Affirmative, passing you through now.” I replied, not even bothering to question it. Wasn’t my job.

“Trickster. What’s going on?” Tazri responded to my query. “Make it quick.”

“Reinforce wishes to speak to you, ma’am.”

“Wait-”

“Commander Tazri, I am Reinforce. The Wolkenritter are not yet cleared for field duty, but they have all volunteered to assist on the frontlines.” Reinforce said quickly.

“...you’re right that you’re not cleared yet. I can’t trust them in the more complex operation zones right now.” Tazri paused. “Ask if they’re willing to contribute in the two frontline combat zones. I’ll see if Russia and Nigeria are willing to allow them in.”

“Sorry ma’am, I don’t think we can afford to refuse them.” I replied, allowing the brief flicker of guilt I had felt making the decision to manifest into my voice, “We are in an existential war.”

Specialist, it’s not just my decision.” She sounded harried. “Russia has refused ‘volunteers’, but Nigeria is willing to accept their aid.”

Reinforce’s voice sounded again. “The Wolkenritter just want to contribute, Commander. Please have your staff send me the coordinates, and Shamal, Signum, and Vita will be on-site momentarily.”

“They’ll have to take orders from Lieutenant Basil.”

“Understood.”

“Done. Thank them for me, please.”

The line with Tazri went dead, and Reinforce’s reply was cut off as Arbiter spoke through my radio. “We are live, activating the device now! Station control, start the train!”

As the train began to accelerate, I started to glide alongside, turning on my back to face the sky. Above me, the night sky was marred by what appeared to be a swarm of descending meteors; the enemy was in sight. Good. Shifting Tamamo to her long-ranged form, I started getting ready to bombard the enemy targets; no sense in not taking them out, after all.

As Tamamo magnified my vision, I scanned over the rapidly approaching alien ships, noting with some pleasure that they suddenly began to shift in combat to follow our movement towards the edge of Shanghais’ metropolitan area. As I watched, one of the craft broke away from the swarm, accelerating- only for steaks from the ground to lance into it, shattering it. A second craft slid through the debris field, descending rapidly.

“Bogey has gotten in under effective range for Chinese AA. Closing on the train. Fighters scrambled, but they’re going to be a bit. Trickster, you may need to forgo drop pod destruction in favor of disrupting that thing’s attack run.” Central rattled off in my ear.

“Understood, engaging the bogey.” I replied, forsaking the long range for harassment tactics. That thing could not be allowed to get close to the train. Teleporting, not quite blinking but still more costly than a non-rushed teleport, I closed in immediately surrounding the hostile with manifested barriers, mostly to convince it that I was a target it needed to chase; not mana efficient, but this piece of trash needed to be stopped. Stalled, granted, since friendly fighters were inbound, but it still needed to be convinced that I was a threat worthy of its attention. To help with that, I send out several bullets towards the swarm of drop-pods closing in on the train, hoping to convince the fighter to not ignore me.

The fighter didn’t seem to respond, even as I shredded several of the accompanying drop pods. I frowned, then noted the energy airlocks on each side of the fighter, even as I got within seeing distance of the craft. I grinned. “Well… if you’re not going to pay me any mind…”

Arbiter commed me. “Trickster, you’re far from the AO, what’s going on?”

“Central wanted the fighter taken care of. I may actually just be able to capture it intact; they’re inviting me in.” I replied, “I’m actually surprised they didn’t inform you, ma’am.”

“...it may be your only option to take out that fighter. Go quickly, get out well.”

I aimed down the barrel of my gun, firing a single shot, the pulse of light slipping through the ship’s barriers and triggering the mechanism of the door. I smiled as the airlock opened, causing two glowing figures and two sectoids to look up at me. I smiled as I got a scan of their room, and blinked inside.

As the aliens stared at me in shock, I swung my rifle in a single arc, trailing sakura-pink spell circles. “Idiots~” With a burst, hundreds of tiny pink petals raced to impact alien targets, shredding five of the enemy outright, and causing the remaining three to scramble even as the barrage of petals destroyed armor and tore at flesh.

One of the remainder, a Thin Man, spun to try and blast me, only for the remaining petals to home in on him and reduce him to a fine mist. A sectoid ducked behind cover, its gun shredded. But the last enemy, a crystalline creature I recognized as an Outsider, convulsed into yellow fragments long enough to avoid the storm, sighting its rifle even as the ship began to drift. WIth a distinct ‘thoom’ the green gun spat a line of plasma into my armor, knocking a sixth of it off. Annoyed, but undeterred, I focused on the outsider, a single well-placed shot to it’s core ending its miserable existence.

The sectoid ducked from cover, scurrying to a nearby wall and grabbing something from within. I casually sliced its arm off before it could pry the grenade free of the weapon locker. Knocking it out with a carefully placed strike, I idly teleported it to Vehlen’s intake coordinates, making sure to radio in that I had done so.

“This is Trickster, Fighter Secured. Orders?”

“Trickster, this is Central. We’re locking one of our engineering teams on your location. As soon as they get in, get back out there. We’re going to see if we can capture this thing; we’ve never managed to get one of their ships with an unwiped, working computer system.” As he spoke, the team warped in.

“Trickster, this is Arbiter, report!”

“Reporting! Enemy fighter taken care of. Redeploying!” I barked, teleporting back towards the train. The engineers would take care of the fighter, I needed to assist my allies.

“Resume anti-air operations immediately. We’re being harassed by Discs and Seekers, as well as more drop pods.” She paused, swearing. “Two more fighters have broken past the cordon and are making their attack runs; we need-”

“Delta-One, this is PAF flight three commander. We are starting our attack run. Watch for debris.” I spun in place, eyes widening as I saw two more Alien Fighters converging on my allies, only for a four plane squadron to converge on them and tear them apart with laser fire. The craft sped off, leaving only the smaller bogies to deal with. “Delta, we will be circling for another run, but the enemy will likely attempt to engage us on our next pass.”

I grit my teeth. The Chinese had bailed us out this time, but I couldn’t continue to rely on that. Fist clenched, I threw myself back into the fight, a deadly aerial dance with Discs and Seekers starting as I threw myself into the fray, attempting more than once to catch a drop pod just before it landed, detonating it high enough from the ground that the impact would kill any within.

As soon as I started firing, every airborne enemy within battle range wheeled to engage me, my efforts with their fighter seemingly drawing their ire. Within seconds I was forced to blink several times to avoid plasma fire, incoming rockets, and one heavy floater who tried to tear me apart in melee. On the one hand, I was relieving the train. On the other, I was now outnumbered thirty to one. I could work with those odds. After all, I wasn’t alone, and if they were blind to my allies, they were not going to be having a good time.

“Trickster to Arbiter, I’ll keep their attention, but I can’t take em all on my own. Requesting fire on my position. I’ll set up shots for you.” I called, weaving an intricate dance of dodging while fighting convincingly enough to look like I actually intended to solo them, all the while merrily leading them towards the web of fire my fireteam would hopefully set up.

My hopes were dashed as Arbiter stayed silent, another voice coming over the line. “Trickster, this is Havoc. We’re busy holding off the forces which managed to board the train and the flankers on our ass. You’re too far from us to spare someone leaving the beacon. If you’re overwhelmed, lead them off and blink back here.”

“Understood! I’ll hold out as long as I can then. Let me know when you sort out the borders, ma’am!” I called, determination etched across my face. I wasn’t going to just lead them off. No. I was going to kill them with a thousand cuts. So began the dance anew, my aim now solely on taking one target out at a time, wounded foes prioritized over all but absolutely assured kills. I kept within sight of the mag-train, ensuring that when the moment came, I would be able to receive support from my squad. One Seeker went down, then two, though I wasn’t able to focus down enough of the enemy to make a difference; I had to spend more time dodging than actually attacking.

In the background, I heard more explosions as alien craft went up in smoke. Finally, five minutes into the engagement and running on less than half a tank, a voice sounded into my helmet. “Trickster, this is Arbiter. We’ve accomplished our main objective; the train has cleared Shanghai limits, and the Battleship is now fully entangled with the beacon. We’re disembarking, and moving to an ambush setup. Lead your remaining hostiles to the following coordinates.”

“Affirmative. Thirty tangos remain. More decided it was fun to gang up on me, the twats.” I grumbled, forgoing evasion for speed, jetting towards the ambush site just fast enough to convince them I was fleeing, not leading them into the maws of death. Mariko-chan had been really helpful making sure I knew exactly how to fuck with my enemies heads~.

As I neared the target coordinates, a hail of laser fire wiped half my pursuers from the sky. I heard Havoc cackle “Hah! Welcome back to the party, Trickster! We’ve got the welcome mat rolled out and waiting!”

“Appreciate it Havoc~” I chirped, turning and sending a barrage of my own magic towards my now flat-footed foes, “Drinks are on me~”

“Alright! Now, come down here and take a load off, the boys are getting their time in.” Indeed, the three heavy weapons are filling the air with enough lasers and flak rockets to blot out the stars. Shrugging mentally, I dropped to the floor, taking the opportunity to rest. I couldn’t exactly hydrate or eat while in my combat gear, but I was wearing Military Spec clothing under this, along with my kit. I would have to disengage my armor to do that though, so no sense in doing so in an active combat zone. Not until we were sure of it being clear.

Wiping out the remaining air support was more a chore than anything, but it did take time to do without casualties. As the last of the enemy fell, Bradford spoke in my ear. “Nice work out there, Delta Squad. The battleship is now ready for boarding, and your job is done. You can come on home.”

As I moved to relax at last, a chirp came from my comm. Tamamo spoke. “Central has sent you a private comm, commander.”

“Not surprised Tamamo. I’m far from tapped, and I’m too useful not to deploy. Put em through.” I replied, cheering with the rest of my squad with just as much enthusiasm. What wasn’t there to celebrate. We had lived, done what we came here to do, with only mild injuries to boot.

“Specialist, we have a request for you. Entirely optional; your reserves are lower than we’d like.” Tazri herself spoke to me directly.

“I refill fast.” I replied instantly, “And I can fight more conservatively now. Stealth takes a lot less mana than all out assault, and I wasn’t going to blink into a situation where I was surrounded without taking out a large majority of my foes with an alpha strike.” I replied, recognizing that I was getting defensive, and sighing, “Sorry ma’am, habit, bad one.”

“Unfortunately, this request is all out assault.” Tazri sighed. “Look, our teams are approaching the battleship even now, and we’ve finally gotten a good scan on how many enemies are onboard. Estimates of their troop strength put it at at least a hundred active combatants and probably twice that in cryo-podded troops, not counting any shielded or hidden enemies. Long story short, we’re badly outnumbered.”

I grit my teeth. “Honest estimate ma’am? I would likely be better as a dedicated teleporter on the backlines, ferrying injured out and fresh soldiers in. I won’t last in an all out assault situation, and by keeping me somewhat fresh, I can defend a fallback if it comes to that.” I replied, hating that I couldn’t do more.

“About that.” Tazri sounded pensive. “Reports from Nigeria are… interesting. The Aliens managed their landings without serious opposition, and we were prepared for a serious slog.” She paused. “Then the Wolkenritter hit them.”

“... I can very easily convince them to redeploy to another slogfest, if that’s what your asking ma’am.”

“If you feel up for it, we could use it. The Wolkenritter… we don’t know how to deploy them apparently.” Tazri allowed. “With some exceptions, most modern mages are either stormtroopers, support operatives, or mobile artillery. The Wolkenritter fight like you.” She sighed. “The Nigerian forces are awed at their power, but Alpha Squad had to essentially cut them out of the command structure to get full use of them. Abe seems to think you’ll do better as a member of their squad, acting as a proper link back to XCOM. If you agree to this? You’ll be riding herd on the storm.”

“Yes, it is easier to think of A class and above mages as literal shounen protagonists on the level of Naruto, ma’am.” I replied, a smile forming on my face, “Where do you want the walking death machine?” Pausing, I realized I hadn’t actually said yes or no, “Of course ma’am. Say the word.”

“Right.” Tazri paused. “One more thing. The TSAB has passed something important along to us; large ships have teleport blockers installed. Once you go in, we won’t be able to warp in or out any troops until they’re disabled or destroyed. With that in mind, we’re going to deploy a Jumpcraft to airlift you from your location. Take the time to rest.”

“Affirmative ma’am. Browsing the internet now.” I replied, already detailing Tamamo to fill the Wolkenritter in. Reinforce wasn’t likely to refuse, so I simply sent the request through her. Then I sat down, a minor ward around me to alert me of any incoming, snacked and read some fanfiction. A weird post-combat ritual, I supposed, but it was what I did.

Chapter Text

The vertical landing craft which scooted into our airspace was a lot smaller than a normal skyranger; more like a really high-tech helicopter than an oversized and overpowered jet. It hovered above the battlefield, and I quickly darted up and into the hatch, joining the Wolkenritter.

Vita grinned at me from her seat near the hatch. “I was hoping to spar with you before we fought together, but this works!” Her outfit was really different from what she’d originally been wearing; her barrier jacket was now fleshed out with a red vest, skirt, and blouse, as well as a massive slouch hat. The others had similarly swapped their basic gray shifts for more colorful suits; Shamal was wearing green and white robes, Signum a red, pink, and gold cuirass, and Zafira was dressed in a blue gi with armored vambraces. Sighing, I once again dismissed how inadequate I felt. While I did like Al-Hazard’s aesthetic, I also liked the more medieval one that Belka had. The wolf-man had apparently linked up with his partners somewhere along the line, so the entirely of the Wolkenritter were waiting for me in the dropship.

“Hello Vita.” I replied, nodding curtly, “Hopefully we’ll work well together. Do you want to go over all of our combat styles?”

“A trial by fire is never the best way to learn the skills of others.” Zafira’s voice was a deep rumble. “It would be best if we coordinate before the battle.” He motioned to himself. “I am a blunt object in most fights; I am capable of dealing immense blows with my gauntlets or taking powerful hits on my armor or shields. I am also capable of quickly closing distances, and have a few disruption techniques to shatter enemy formations.”

Signum nodded. “I can take a hit almost as well as Zafira, but I am much better at dealing damage at a distance or melee than he is. I am capable of long-range bombardment or close-quarters combat, though my most powerful abilities require some distance. I am well-versed in aerial fencing and repositioning.”

Vita laughed. “Which makes me the proper bruiser of the bunch! These two run rings around me, but if I get going, there’s very little that can stop my hammer on the swing.” She shrugged. “I do have a little of everything in my hat, though. Can’t win every fight with a hammer to the face, more’s the pity…”

“Which leaves healing and support to me.” Shamal explained. “I’m a potent healer, and unlike my fellows I don’t do very well at close quarters. My strings can entangle and tear apart enemies at short distances, and I do have a array of support, transportation, and attack spells to use if necessary. But my best skills are healing; I can patch up, revitalize, and triage a patient in the battlefield given a little breathing room.”

I nodded, pointing at Zafira “Brewmaster Monk,” continuing, I pointed at Signum, “Dark Knight slash Retribution Paladin”, smiling, I shifted my finger to Vita, “Ogre”, and finally, to Shamal, “... I don’t actually know a MMO Healer class that fits you perfectly, so I’m going to go with Sage.” Frowning, I considered how I fought. Unlike the Wolfkenritter, I was a generalist, slotting myself into basically any ‘DPS’ role with considerable ease. Of course, MMOs were not even close to a perfect analogy, so I sighed. My second best method of attack was that of a stealthy sniper. Mariko had insisted, and I hadn’t a reason to argue. “I’ll be the scout, in that case. I probably have one of the better concealment kits out there, and I can always attempt to blink within the ship if I need to.”

“Concealment?” Shamal perked up. “May we see your unseen?”

“Tamamo, concealment package please.” I spoke aloud, smirking. As I swept from sight, I saw all four of the Wolkenritter blink once. Shamal swept her fingers, a green spell circle forming before her. She frowned as she watched, even as Zafira sniffed.

“...very tight.” Shamal spoke at last. “Almost no leakage, no aether distortions. Sound is gone, and sight isn’t even distorted. Zafira?”

“Her smell is gone. Just… it’s as though she was here, and left.” He said. “And I can’t feel her aura either.” He nodded in my direction. “Very impressive. Does it hold up when moving?”

To prove a point, I walked around the cabin. Of course, I was still being careful. Running too fast or stupidly would absolutely get me caught, and flight was basically off the table. But I could move. “How’s that~” I chirped from behind Signum, not close enough to trigger any reflexive instincts, but close enough to let her know I was right behind her.

She started, and all four knights whirled to face me. Vita spoke first. “Awesome. Hey, when you get fully trained, mind putting your imprint in the book? We could use a proper assassin-knight.”

“Not at all, provided Reinforce allows it, and the Defense Program is fully disarmed. I refuse to lend it another tool to enact chaos if we don’t manage to.” I said softly, disengaging the cloak, but keeping the module on standby. It wasn’t going to get slotted out unless everything went FUBAR.

Shamal wrinkled her nose. “While I wouldn’t mind having you with us, Vita is… understating the commitment. The process basically kills the subject, then reconstructs them around their disembodied linker core as a mana-built body.” She eyed Vita. “Unless we gain homunculus shells, we perish when and if the Book changes hands. Or if Hayate needs to free up her power.”

“You misunderstand my statement. My training will never be complete, but should you find me on my natural deathbed, I would be more than happy to leave such a legacy behind.” I interjected gently, “Nothing would honor me more. It is the duty of those who came before to leave a legacy to those who will come after, building upon those who came before them. It would, in a way, allow me to achieve a culmination of one of my ideals. So I thank you for offering.”

“Not our decision anyway.” Zafira rumbled. “Reinforce and Hayate are in charge of that.”

Signum nodded. “Quite.” She shook her head. “Are there any rules to the order of battle? We’ve not fought beside XCOM before, and it showed in our last engagement.”

“The official call is that I’m basically a liaison. XCOM’s orders will filter through me, but I have absolutely no experience being a field leader, so how that will work mechanically is honestly up to you guys.” I replied, shrugging, “I’m very much a grunt. A really useful one, but still a grunt.”

Tamamo piped up from my wrist. “Please do not put yourself down, Shizuka. You are considered one of the best roaming assets with a wide operational range, both geographically and operationally. I am nearly certain this operation is a test to see if you have the capabilities for a leadership role.”

I sighed, “Doesn’t surprise me, Tamamo. But as of right now, I am still a ‘grunt’. I don’t have the required training to be an officer, commissioned or otherwise. I’m not saying it to put myself down. I’m saying natural talent, should I have it, will not carry me in combat.” My eyes narrowed, “I don’t mind taking a leadership position, but I refuse to make calls when I know I’ll hesitate without the required knowledge.”

“You think too little of yourself, I think. Though you are right that you need more experience commanding.” She replied. “But that will not be hard to get in this war we find ourselves in. I expect you to get some stripes soon enough.” She paused. “And hopefully, a proper title.”

I blinked, “Tamamo, we don’t have nobility in any active “First World” nation on Earth. Well, aside from Royal Families, but titles are basically meaningless, especially in the US. And I’m really not putting myself down. By grunt, I very much mean I’m not placed in a position of command. Not the version that’s derogatory.”

“You are not in command for now. Except you are.” She sounded pleased. “So… what are your orders to your squad?”

Dammit she played me. I thought in the privacy of my mind, inclining my head towards her to cede the battle, “Right, so since I’m largely going to be scouting, I want to know who’s usually in command of you all. You’ll be my second, and outside of combat, I want advice before I make decisions. In combat, your orders will have priority over mine, since the chance of me freezing up is too great. I’m not going to take responsibility without contingencies.”

All of the knights blinked, before Signum spoke. “Ah… I suppose…” She paused, then in conjunction with all three of the frame knights, pointed at Zafira, who looked resigned.

The wolf-man sighed. “I tend to get the least… heated or distracted in combat. I’ll be your second, Shizuka.”

I nodded curtly, filing away the new information, “Understood. I just largely want advice, and if you feel you must give an order, to give it. Sorry, I’m really bad at communicating exactly what I mean sometimes.”

Zafira shrugged. “So long as you keep the battlefield in mind, you will do better than many holders of the book, if our memories are to be trusted.”

Before we could speak further, a chipper female voice echoed through the cabin. “Ops team, this is Firebrand. We are falling into the fighter escort and approaching the battleship. Last chance to turn back. Specialist Lee, green or red?”

“We’re green, ops. Let’s do this thing.”

The interior of an alien vessel was… underwhelming, in some ways. Almost stereotypical. Gray metal, glowing orange and yellow lights, blue energy shield doors. Oh, and chest high walls. Because why not? It made some sense, in a twisted way. After all, if they had to repel borders, they would need cover, but to me, it just screamed of shitty design. Then again, I was comparing it to the more compact and compartmentalized design of a Warship, which honestly was even more of a nightmare to board, in my opinion.

‘Meandering thoughts away.’ I grumbled internally, refocusing on the things that mattered more immediately.

As my Skyranger landed, I was quick to note the approach of the other one, noting the presence of another squad of eight XCOM troopers, supported by a fireteam of mages. After a quick round of acknowledgements between our elements, my attention was pulled away by the the crackle of Central’s voice over the radio, “Specialist Lee, you’re going to be in command of this squad for the duration of this operation. Your squad is Whisky, and you hold the designation Whisky-One. Do you copy?”

“Solid copy Central, Whisky-One reads you.” I replied, putting my game face on. It was time to see if I had what it took to lead a small fireteam. I suppose that this squad, more than any, would be able to compensate for any mistake I made.

“Confirmed. Designations for the remainder of your squad are as follows; Zafira, Whisky-Two, Shielder. Signum, Whisky-Three, Saber. Vita, Whisky-Four, Zerker. Shamal, Whisky-Five, Caster. Do you all copy?”

At the quick round of affirmations and an eyeroll at the totally original names, I nodded, heading towards the doors. Central opened up on the main comms. “Sigma-Red, Sigma-Blue; Whiskey squad will be the point team for breaching operations until further notice. Get in position and prepare for breach.”

I moved over, taking up position near the door, eyeing the others in the squad. Shamal took a position across from me. Zafira took up an opening position near the door, Vita and Signum moving to form a rough v-formation behind him. Once everyone was in position, I nodded once.

“Breach!” Central spoke over the line.

Zafira nodded, running at the door and passing though it, a barrier forming around him as he charged. As the door collapsed, Shamal looked through the door, and I heard her speak into my head and pass the data through the link. Setting up my cloak, I nodded at Shamal, trusting her to relay updated information and slipped through the cracks, getting into position to silently take out targets.

“Confirmed twenty-six hostiles set up within the room. They’ve not taken the bait; Zafira is barely contested.” She waved forward. “Only shielded units should move up.”

Signum and Vita charged through, this time recieving fire as they entered. Meanwhile, I ascended a nearby ramp, looking down as the massive group of aliens began to exchange fire with the flood of human soldiers coming in behind us, Zafira’s barriers now employed to give them temporary cover as they advanced.

Peering through the scope of my rifle, I immediately sighted on a pink-skinned figure standing out from the group, purple energy swirling around him. The hybrid sectoid lashed out, psionic power lancing into the head of one of the soldiers on approach. With a groan, the man swung, trying to turn his gun on his comrades before my bolt of magic surgically removed the alien’s head, pasting it across the deck. One threat taken care of, I repositioned slightly, saving a more time consuming reposition for when someone had actually spotted me.

Vahlen’s voice cut across the line. “Was that… a hybrid? I suppose that’s one reason they’ve been abducting civilians…”

“I would assume you desire a sample, Dr. Vahlen?” I ‘spoke’ to Tamamo, letting her relay my message through to Vahlen. No need to talk, especially since that could break the cloak. Not likely, but unlike telepathy, it wasn’t risk free.

“And a live capture, if at all possible. Likely not from this group, though… I’d rather you all make it through this room alive.” Vahlen’s voice warmed slightly.

“I’ll see what I can do if I find one isolated later on.” I replied, already thinking of the exact ways I could pull it off. Maybe a carefully calculated blow to the back of the head, followed by strangling them into unconsciousness? I’d have to muse on that later, though. Battle to take care of and all that. Eyeing the group below, I winced as Zafira roared, his shield cracking under the bombardment from a trio of Cyberdiscs, even as Vita thought her self to hammer one of them into the ground. I swept my eyes around the room, knowing that the Wolfkenritter would have each other’s backs, and were a lot less squishy than my human allies. Finding nothing immediately threatening the lives of my allies, I took the shot at the remaining duo of Cyberdiscs, one lance glancing off a disc and causing it to contract back into it’s armored form, but the other coring the other and causing it to burst apart into shattered fragments.

Trusting the others to mop up the annoyances, I turned my attention back to the room, one of my mental partitions releasing their hold on one of my two pre-set teleports within the room. Retargeting on a muton, I pulled the trigger, moving, once more, ever so slightly to reduce the chance of someone picking up on me as I searched for more targets of opportunity or immediate threats to my allies. The first muton fell, roaring even as it’s three squad mates began to search for me with no luck. I smiled grimly as I watched two more of the enemy squad fall to directed fire, the last muton falling back directly towards my position. I cored its head in before it could get to cover, watching as my allies handled the remaining light troops.

“Room is clear. Teams, we have three casualties which will need to stay back, and five walking wounded. Forecasting indicates three more rooms of varying size up ahead; proceed with caution.”

‘That went a lot better than I could have hoped. We managed with no fatalities, which is good. Hopefully we can keep that going.’ I mused to myself, looking around the room to see if there were any side entrances to any of the other rooms. If I could sneak in without being noticed…

My hopes were dashed as we approached the other end of the massive chamber, revealing only a single, massive door through which we were to advance. Eyeing my squad, I nodded to myself,

“Sound off guys. How are we doing? Mana, injuries, morale?” I telepathed, dropping my cloak and walking up to them, wincing as I realized I was not running with as much of a margin as I’d really like to have myself. Fighting conservatively was annoying, but I knew how to do it. I just hated the mental calculus involved with it.

Shamal didn’t look up from the man whose torso she was working over with a green-glowing hand. “Plasma wounds are… difficult to treat. His innards were cooked, and I’m having to convert them to energy and re-weave them. He’ll live, but he’ll need to be on bed rest for a couple weeks to prevent the new flesh from tearing.”

Vita chuckled softly. “Still really dedicated, huh?” Looking at me, she twirled her hammer, back to it’s croquet-sized form. “Nice to have someone catching the stragglers, though. Four kills, not bad!”

Zafira grunted. “I have enough in me to remain at point for the duration, I think.”

Signum said nothing, as she eyed the door. Turning my eyes to face the target of her attentioned, I pulled up beside her, “What’s on your mind, Signum?”

“The enemy in this first room was… not well prepared. Many opponents, but essentially massed fire. I am uncertain if the future rooms will be as easy.”
“I concur.”

And I did. It was… well, it was stupidly easy to pull this off. To the point of absurdity. A team of sixteen men and women should have been absolutely torn to shreds in a boarding action. Hell… Where were their own attacks? It wasn’t as if we had the luxury of time on our side either.

“They had plenty of time to prepare positions, and many of those we faced were not fully suited for combat. Save the flying robots.”

“No use speculating.” Shamal stood, walking towards the door. “As soon as it’s open, we will see.”

I nodded as we took point again. Moments, later, I heard Central speak. “On my mark…. Breach!”

As the doors opened, Shamal’s eyes widened. “Get clear-” Before Zafira barrelled past her, erecting a barrier just in time to halt a torrent of green plasma. Through the smoke, I could see four of the purple Mechtoid walkers, flanked by two squads of mutons; six wearing green armor, but two clad in heavy red plates instead.

As the various squads moved to direct fire at the alien weapons teams, Central cursed in our ears. “All squads, be advised; evac and air support have spotted multiple airborne squads hugging the outside of the craft, aiming for re-entry. They’re moving to flank your current position.”

“Shamal, advise the rest of the squads to deal with the flanking forces? We can probably deal with this room collectively while they do that, if not that, at least keep their attention solely focused on us.” I ordered, barely holding back the curse bubbling to my lips as my eyes scanned around the room to pick out the perfect-

‘There. Alright, Tamamo, coordinates for the exact location I’m looking at? I don’t want to waste mana with this teleport if I can afford it.’ As Tamamo fed me the coordinates, I teleported into the room, landing in stealth behind the assault squad. I grimaced as I got a full view of the room, identifying four sectoids about to shield their larger comrades; but I was ready, and swapped to grenade mode, launching blasts as I strafed the room. As the plasma burst went off, the sectoids died outright, while the green-clad mutons screamed as they caught fire. The heavily armored foes in the room immediately began to shift, which proved to be their undoing as a pair of streaks, one red and one pink, shot through Zafira’s fading shield.

For the first time, I got to see the two warriors of the Wolkenritter in their element; Vita’s hammer smashed apart one Mechtoid and threw panicking mutons into walls with casual swings, while Signum seemed to dance, longsword clicking into a whirling chain of razor-sharp whip as she took apart several foes. Zafira charged through as the enemy reeled, his fists breaking the skull of one of the armored muton even as they tried to rally.

I took a quick shot as one of the remaining Mechtoids tried to rally, coring in the driver’s skull; but as I did, I saw a familiar and very unwelcome sight coalesce into existence near the door. With a furious snarl, I dropped my cloak, effortlessly shifting to another pre-set as I took flight, giving up stealth for speed. Assault-Mode engage, I rained bullets on the Codex I had just barely managed to survive not even a month ago, methodically attempting to drive it into a corner. The monster shrieked as the bullets impacted, shuddering as it used the kinetic energy to split, two forms darting in different directions with inhuman grace.

Shamal’s voice sounded rapidly. “Commander, what is that thing? I can’t get any read on it!”

“Bio-mechanical psionic node construct. They’re mage-hunters, able to lock down devices and break barriers.” I explained. “Fast, agile, hit hard, and can replicate under duress. They’re fragile, though, and they don’t hit especially hard; they just sabotage you to hell and back before going for the kill.”

“Understood.” Shamal sounded grim. “Should I reposition and aid you, or continue helping the other squads? They’re dealing with a horde of fliers, but we’re holding our own.”

“We’re fine. I’ve dealt with these Mage Hunters before, I’ll deal with it again. After all, I have backup this time…” I replied flatly, still outwardly projecting anger as I ‘blindly’ chased after one of the clones, “Zafira, Signum, be a dear and deal with the other copy. Vita, I’m driving the clone towards you. Smash it.”

The clone spun, aiming back at me with glowing palms, only to juke to one side as Vita’s swing failed to connect. For an instant, you thought it might live, only for the back end of her hammer to open and a blast of fire to scald the creature, the rocket hammer turning the miss into a full rotation and a smashing hit, scattering pieces of the clone’s brain-case across the room. “Gotcha!”

“Very well done Vita.” I acknowledged, already spinning to aim at the other clone, “Zafira, Signum, I have a shot.” I spoke, before watching Signum’s sword casually decapitate your target.

Signum spoke aloud. “Not needed.” She turned, feet lifting from the ground as she blurred back towards the doors and the sound of gunfire. “Falling back to relieve the rearguard.”

“Affirmative, I’ll play overwatch here. Take whoever else you need as backup.” I ordered, falling into an aerial position somewhat near cover, “Let me know if you need help.”

Despite my offer, no help was needed; within moments of our own victory, the sounds of combat stopped, and within another minute the entirety of the three strike teams were pouring into the final staging room. One of the other commanders offered me a salute. “We managed to beat off the enemy; they trickled in piecemeal, and we cut them to ribbons without casualties. Could have gone a lot worse, even if we’re running low on resupply.”

“Agreed. We need to hoof it. We’re running out of time.” I nodded, keeping my internal panic off my face with surprising ease, “I propose this; we need to blitz. My squad will play the shock troops, and continue breaking through without stopping. I’m trusting the rest of you to mop up the survivors.” I stated grimly. It was… not an ideal plan. But each second wasted slowly breaching brought us closer to all of our deaths. And I wasn’t willing to risk that anymore.

Shamal spoke up from beside one of the dual airlocks. “...I’m not getting many readings from the next room. I think they may have expended most of their forces holding us back. There’s one presence with significant psionic potential, but other than that…”

My eyes narrowed, “We need to kill the one with significant psionic potential as fast as possible. Alright… Same plan as before, they’ll expect it, but they won’t expect me to be willing to risk alpha-striking. I can burn my mana now that I know they don’t have many combat capable soldiers left. Once the door is open, I’ll teleport to the center and cast Senbonzakura. Hopefully, it’ll throw them into enough disarray for us to just finish this.”

Signum coughed. “I could hit them with a Stumfalken, if we’re not concerned with the equipment.”

Vahlen and Shen chimed in at the same time. “Please do not destroy the computers!”

Zafira eyed me, then tapped his gauntlets, vanishing from sight. “Bring me along.”

“Roger. After I alpha strike, I want you to mop up anyone who’s still standing. That should be enough to give us a solid advantage.” I replied, nodding as I entered stealth, “Alright everyone, let’s do this.”

Zafira’s stealth wasn’t nearly as comprehensive as my cloak, but the folded light and whisper barrier around his form still blocked me from sensing much of him as the two of us slipped towards the wall, then blinked through to the other side to avoid triggering the door.

I passed my gaze over the gathered figures within the room; four more of the red-clad mutons had firing positon on high platform arrayed on either side of the central podium within the room. The remaining five figures were… different.

Two were the larger, wrinkly version of Sectoids we’d seen before. The other three were different. Two were human… or perhaps not, considering the full-body armor which covered them, angular white metal covering them from head to toe. The last was utterly strange; human proportions with gray skin, four long spindly arms rotating purple shapes into place as it worked on the central computer. As I drew closer, it stopped, swiveling, deep-set eyes glowing a deep red-violet.

I held back my flinch, continuing to ghost towards one side of the room, where I could sweep the entirety at once. The lead alien’s eyes narrowed, and then it raised all four hands, a pulse of purple power blasting outward in a wide cone towards our half of the room. The cone blew through the area we’d just vacated, but with a yell all four of the armored mutons began to hose plasma randomly in our direction; to little success. Interesting that he could sense me, but no matter. I nodded curtly to Zafira, and teleported to the center of the room, magical circles erupting around me; including barriers, I wasn’t going to chance things now that they’d been alerted, and cast Senbonzakura.

The pink petals of my attack flickered outward, homing in on the command group and the two nearest muton soldiers. The explosive shots drove the bulky aliens to cease firing as they dived for cover, but the remainder of my attack smashed into and failed to penetrate a hastily erected field of purple energy, the four-armed alien blocking my strike. With an oath, it launched a blade of psionic energy, all four of its attendants locking in on my now-exposed form. The first shots were absorbed as Zafira threw up his own barrier, deflecting the sporadic initial fire.

Tamamo spoke through the link. “Shizuka, your reserves are currently less than ten percent. Do not use another high-power attack!” She paused. “You should not need to.”

Seconds later, a storm of figures emerged from the now-open doorways, heavy fire overwhelming the distracted muton teams. Suddenly, the five remaining opposition were caught between bearing me down, and fighting off several strike teams of enemies. Wincing, I retreated towards the ceiling, peppering the most threatening targets with mana bullets, always ready to cast a shield in front of me to absorb damage; I couldn’t afford to test my combat suit while so low on mana, and I couldn’t risk a large scale teleport now either. “I hate feeling so low on mana…” I grumbled to my device, already readying myself for the series of simulations to better plan out my expenditure.

My shots were deflected by the enemies below, the leader of the group’s eyes flashing as he retreated back to the center of his podium. Face contorting, a feeling of rage and disdain swept through the room even as it jammed all four hands into the console, a bright purple glow covering his entire body.

“No you don’t.” I stated blithely, “Wolfknritter, please obliterate the psionic possibly trying to detonate our ride.” I raised my rifle, shifting from barrage mode to my sniper configuration, and fired. The pink beam of light smashed into the figure, energy cutting out as it’s shields shattered and a hole was blown through its chest. As it began to collapse, Vita appeared before it, hammer smashing it down and into the floor.

“Mission complete, all hostils have been pacified. Teleportation with engineers and psi-pilots are inbound to commandeer the vessel. Good work out there.” Bradford’s voice filled my ears.

As I began to sink towards the deck, Vita spoke up. “Hey, XCOM? Gray boy’s still alive. Should I finish him off, or-”

“Please do not, Miss.” Vahlen’s voice was… thick. I could almost see the drool she obviously was withholding. “That is not an Ethereal, as they’ve been described to us. But it is obviously a close relative. Secure it for interrogation, please.”

“Good work everyone!” I said aloud, smiling at both the Wolfenritter and the XCOM strike teams, sobering immediately afterwards, “Casualties?”

“Ten men down, three dead.” One of the captains responded. “We’re going to need a lot more body bags than that, for all the x-rays.” He looked over at the heavy corpse of a muton. “We only took two prisoners, though. Valhen might give us words for that.”

“At this point, Commander Benton, I am more than satisfied with what we have gained. My teams are going to be working around the clock for weeks thanks to your efforts.” Valen’s voice cut in the line. “Please thank your men, and be sure to handle things as carefully as possible.”

Bradford cut in as the captain moved to inform his men. “Specialist, your device has told me that you’re running on fumes. Take your squad, head home, and get some sleep. And a meal.”

“Understood Central. I should have enough in the tank for one last teleport if you’d like me to send the men to base?” I offered, smiling sheepishly..

“No. Go home. We’re sending teams to land the craft and Skyrangers to pick up our troops.” Bradford reiterated. “Debriefing will happen tomorrow.”

“Understood. See you tomorrow, central.”

With that, I grabbed the Wolkenritter and teleported out, arriving at the house within a few minutes. As I stood in front of my house, I watched the sun rise, grimacing. Well, there went sleep for the day. Probably would have to take a nap later, but for now, I needed food.

Opening the door, I blinked as Rei laid out enough breakfast for eight people, the plates still steaming. “Ah, right on time. Welcome back, Lee-San.” She stood to one side. “I have tea, coffee, and juice ready when you are.”

“I’m not going to question it.” I mumbled, sitting down, “And tea would be divine, thank you Rei.”

Rei gave a foxy smile, tails wagging. “I will get right on it. Now, would you prefer Earl Gray, or Gunpowder green?”

“Earl Gray.”

She nodded, setting on the pot. “Two minutes. And for the rest of you…”

As she took the other drink orders, I relaxed in my seat, losing myself in the sounds of everyone coming down from their combat highs. It seemed like a lot longer than six hours since I’d woken up… But now, I was home.

Chapter Text

I’d pulled myself together the day previously after a quick nap, and had managed to handle my training with Nanoha and introduce her to Hayate. The two had gotten on like a house on fire, resulting in Yuuto hiding out with Zafira. Poor kid, he never seemed to get a break from cheerful and hyperactive females. Meh, he'd learn eventually. That or become a blubbering mess of a social recluse, but that seemed rather unlikely, given what I knew of the wonder ferret.

I’d kept the newest terrible duo together when I brought Hayate and her extended family to XCOM HQ. After handing off my student to my girlfriend for an hour, I moved off to handle my debriefing while Hayate had her medical examination. The debriefing went in some… interesting directions.

“...they’re trying to give me another medal?” I blinked. “Why?”

Commander Tazri looked at me, her single eye under an arched eyebrow. “Let’s see, two back-to-back engagements, two terrific successes, leading a crack squad as the spearhead of several breaches… you do realize that’s all impressive, right?” She shuffled her paperwork, sliding a glossed blue folder towards me. “China’s offering all of Delta squad a medal, and the UN is matching that to every soldier who participated in Slingshot. So technically, two medals. Also, your promotion paperwork is in that folder.”

“… Well, the medal from China would surprise me… if it was coming from the China I’m used to. This one has proven to be different enough. I can’t not accept, and wait what was that about the Promotion?!” I mumbled, almost yelling the final part before getting myself under control, “I thought I’d have more time?!”

“Not to command rank, yet.” Tazri explained. “You’re being promoted to Corporal, which is the first step leading to actual command. In the absence of a superior officer, you do have command authority, but that should only happen when someone fucks up.” She took a slurp from her coffee mug. “Also, there’s a pay raise.”

“… Oh hey! My isekai is actually following logic!” I giggled, slightly historically, “Wait… god damn it I joined the wrong branch…”

Tazri coughed. “...explain?”

Composing myself, I sighed, “Wanted to be in the Navy since I was young. I ended up joining the Army, which, for obvious reasons, amuses me.” Pausing, I added, “Right, I’ll be sure to fill this out later, Commander. When do you want it by?”

“Fill it out in the next three days.” Tazri said calmly. “So… when XCOM finishes its mission, do you want me to send a transfer request to the US Navy?” She smiled. “They’d take you in a heartbeat. Hell, almost any military on Earth would accept you.”

“I won’t commit to that yet, Commander. Perhaps if we actually get a spaceborne navy, I’ll think of transferring there.” I replied confidently, “I’ll probably stay in XCOM indefinitely for now.”

“Good.” She sighed. “And now, for the cost of success; more work.” She pulled up her device, tapping on it. “We’ve finished the debriefings of the Wolkenritter- who are also up for medals from the UN and Nigerian government. But Canada has… problems.”

“What kind?” I asked, my voice sharp, “And what is going to take to sort this political mess out?””

“It’s not political. Well, not directly.” She sighed. “Canada used a Device to throw a super-blizzard at the invading fleet. It worked, at a cost.”

“I’d imagine they’ve request XCOM’s support sorting said cost out?” I replied dryly.

“Yes. Namely, at training the only magus left who used the device.” Tazri shook her head. “Iskur’s Lance is a Muian Terraforming Device, comparable in power to Imperial-class Al-Hazardian ones. Its mana requirements at full strength are so immense, Canada opted to have twenty of their Magi support a single 7-rank Magus to use the device. Six of the support mages died when the ritual went off, seven have had their linker cores crippled at least through the rest of the war, and another six, along with their 7-rank, are burnt out, and none are expected to return to service any sooner than three months.”

“Idiots.” I hissed, “They should know the dangers of large scale devices; they aren’t intended to be operated by personnel, but by dedicated mana reactors. I’m surprised there weren’t more deaths.”

Tazri coughed. “Actually, this was meant to be a personal device. There’s significant speculation that the Mu really enjoyed genetic engineering to an unthinkable degree.” She paused. “Also, though pure serendipity, the last member of the support team managed to take up and properly activate the Lance when the leader of the team got hit with the backlash. She’s one of their only remaining active Magi with combat capability, a nascent 9-rank magus with the Lance, and has no practical experience in combat.”

“… I’m not going to say no, but I’m standing by my ‘idiot’ statement.” I replied.

“They’d appreciate your input, but they’re more interested in getting help from the one person who actually knows how to use such a powerful Device.” She pulled out another sheaf of paper. “So, I need you to pass this on to Reinforce. Hayate and Reinforce are your wards, so you’re the go-between.”

“Sure, though Reinforce is likely to be even more pissed than I would be.” I snickered, “Anything else commander?”

“I don’t think so-”

Tazri was cut off as her device rang. Tapping it, she frowned. “...well. They’re starting Reinforce’s interview, and just some of the opening statements sounds like we’re both needed. Let’s go.”

I could, despite all admonishments to the contrary, count the times I’d actually used the elevators on both hands. Teleportation was just so much more convenient! It was understandable that I’d avoid the elevators.

I was thus a little surprised when the doors of the elevator opened to one of the undeveloped sub-levels, letting us into a barely-lit cavern large enough to hold a football stadium.

“How does this mountain even exist?” I asked idly, not really expecting an answer. There were so many caverns in this place that I was starting to wonder if it would come tumbling down on us at the slightest hint of a strategic weapon.

Tazri coughed as we walked forward. “XCOM developed some… interesting construction techniques. Alien technology, reverse engineered. Requires plasma output, so regular society has only been able to use them when magic surged.” She motioned to a column of rock, the material oddly droopy, like wax. “Melting stone, then refusing it in a particular lattice. A lot of alien structures use something similar.”

“Huh, interesting!” I replied genuinely, a smile on my face, “I’m glad that we’re utilizing stuff like this for purposes not totally related to war.”

And I was. Because, eventually, this war would end, and when it did, I wanted us to have gained something more than just more ways to kill each other. Hopefully with some global unity on top of that, but it was unfortunately a longshot.

“There’s a lot we can lean from the aliens.” Tazri admitted. “Too bad we have to sift through the atrocities to find it.” She paused as we rounded the corner, a large set of metal stair leading down to… “What the hell–”

Before us, inside one of the largest chambers, rested a massive edifice of metal and crystal, glowing white lines merging with massive capacitors. The whole structure was colored white, black, and gold, and was the size of a four-story building.

“It appears that Reinforce has fully unfolded her internals. Interesting.” Tamamo remarked.

“Guess she’d need to, if only to prove to them that she’s as stable as she says she is.” I said in reply before turning to Tazri, “That’s just Reinforce, Commander, in case Tamamo didn’t tell you. She’s unfolded; likely to allow for easier inspection.”

“I always forget that devices are a lot bigger than they appear.” Tazri muttered. “Explains why we’re down here. God, most of the ones I’ve seen are car-sized, maybe bus-sized at most. This… this is huge.”

“Likely larger than you’d think, Commander. Remember that she’s Al-Hazardian, and they had much better tech than us.” I added, similarly awed. It was… humbling, seeing how big Reinforce was, and a inspiring. If Al-Hazard could reach this level of marvel, I longed for the day Earth could, as well. Not that I expected to see that day in my lifetime, but I hoped that my descendents would be able to, some day.

Tazri didn’t reply, instead heading for the stairs. I trotted to keep up.

We emerged at the bottom in time to hear Reinforce speaking. “...not, my lady. Much of the damage is internal, and I’m not capable of full self-repair. Recovery will be very slow-going.” Turning the corner, we saw Reinforce addressing a gathering consisting of her mistress, Nanoha, four or five researchers, the Wolkenritter, and Dr. Vahlen.”

Vahlen eyed the internals of the Tome of Night Sky with interest. “We do have our own engineering labs, Miss Reinforce. We could effect the repairs needed…”

Reinforce shook her head. “Many of my components require both precision machinery with very high levels of power to reveal and rework. I am nested, with layers held in place which require… well, a Nash-Tashki.”

Vahlen frowned. “And what is that?”

“The closest translation would be ‘Star-Forge’.” Reinforce explained. “They were… massive structures, akin to highly advanced 3D printers, large enough to create spaceships. So called because they were also responsible for creating the ‘false-stars’ which were used to power the largest warships.”

“Mega-structure” I muttered to myself, “Al-Hazard having Fusion Reactors is honestly something I’d expect, given how close we are to an energy positive one ourselves.” Pausing, I considered something else, “That does mean that Reinforce is literally beyond our help until we drive back the X-Rays, mostly because while we could probably get the funds to build it, it’d take a collaboration with the TSAB that isn’t going to happen.”

“Ah, no.” Reinforce seemed to hear me as we approached. “Not a mega-structure, I suspect. And judging by the technology shown by the TSAB, something beyond them.” She explained. “A Star-Forge was not an especially large structure, as dockyards go; one would fit in this space here, in fact. Their power came from incredible simulation capacity, ultra-precise gravity manipulation, and the ability to flash-forge components in a matter of seconds. I could be fully disassembled within a Star-Forge, and the operator could put me back together in one key press, with no chance of failure, with or without new subsystems.”

“Supercomputer with an optional AI combined with something similar to a replicator from Star Trek then? So basically, a Star Trek Shipyard. Yeah… that’s gonna take some work.” I muttered, grinning sheepishly, “How are you, Reinforce, sorry for my idle musings.”

“I am fine. Well, I’m not. But I’m better than I have been in centuries.” Reinforce’s further commentary was cut off as she was hugged from front and back, Nanoha appearing behind her in the same moment Hayate seized her front. For a moment, she froze, before hugging her mistress and burying her face in the brown hair before her. “...thank you…” She mumbled.

“The girls are rather good at hugs.” I grinned, “My apprentices do me proud.”

Hayate’s head snapped up. “Ooh, are you going to teach me how to shoot aliens? Nanoha said you can shoot down whole craft with your gun!”

I sighed. “In a roundabout manner, yes. No, I am not going to immediately teach you a method to shoot an Alien craft out of the sky, mostly because I haven’t figured that one out myself yet.” Turning to my first student, I lightly admonished her, “Nanoha, I know you want to help, but Earth as a culture has a thing about Child Soldiers for a very understable reason, and I honestly do too. Please don’t push me too hard on that yet, okay?”

“Yes, sensei.” Nanoha and Hayate responded in tandem.

Dr. Vahlen cleared her throat. “So one of these… Star-Forges would be able to repair your damage?” She tapped her chin. “Am I right in assuming they would also be capable of building new Devices? If so, we could likely make their creation a priority.”

Reinforce shook her head. “You are correct, but your resources and tech base are too low. Al-Hazard had an empire to acquire the resources needed to build a forge; you have one beleaguered planet.”

“And yet, that sounds like something we could use.” Tazri spoke. “And not just for Devices.” She sighed. “Doctor Shen has already proposed a next-generation fighter craft, using Alien and magical techniques, to supplant our current model. But building the craft fast enough to replace losses will be impossible, even if they’d level the playing field. A Star-Forge could do it; and if we can’t build one, we’ll have to acquire one.”

Nanoha raised her hand. as I jumped into the conversation, “Do we have a ship that can actually explore into the Dimensional Sea? Because it’s likely we can get coordinates to one of them fairly reliably from our collection of Al-Hazardian Devices.”

Tazi scowled. “On the one hand, yes, there are dimensional-capable craft. Exploring the local dimensional sea is how we recovered so much Al-Hazardian tech in the first place. On the other hand, none of those craft are combat-equipped, and as soon as they leave the planet they’ll be jumped by the X-Rays.”

Vahlen nodded. “In addition, most Al-Hazardian sites we knew of were either destroyed or looted long before we even knew to send teams.”

Reinforce sighed. “Belka looted as many repositories as they could, and not without reason. That’s how they found me the first time, after all.”

“Tamamo… Remind me. Didn’t you escape the memory wipe that left you without the coordinates for the Heartland of Al-Hazard?” I asked my device telepathically, frowning, “Did any of them likely survive enough to have an intact Star Forge?”

“None which would have evaded the notice of the Belkan empire.” Tammao replied. “As for Al-Hazard itself, the City-Citadel warped itself out of reality. It is likely intact, but I wouldn’t know where to find it, and I wouldn’t have the right codes to gain access or bring it here.”

“Any military outposts?” I asked again, not at all desperate, “I’m not pressing you, by the way. I’m genuinely curious if there’s anything you know of that might give us an edge.”

“We’d have to check them all, one at a time. Most… I don’t know.” Tamamo muttered. “Star-Forges were only used at major manufacturing hubs, the likes of which were either hidden to the point I don’t have the information, or so obvious to be impossible to hide.”

“... Sirius is a noble device of Belka, correct?” I asked hesitantly, “Would he likely have a list of Al-Hazardian Worlds that Belka knew of and looted slash repurposed?”

“Noble, not Royal.” Tamamo replied. “Though he might know more than I do, I suspect he’ll be operating on similarly limited info. Worth checking, of course.”

Even as my device and I exchanged ideas, Tazri continued speaking. “So, we’ve gotten off-subject. Reinforce, have you gone through your general work-up yet?”

Reinforce paused. “I have not. Very well.” She straightened. “I am the Tome of Night sky, third Living Repository of the Al-Hazardian empire, Imperial-Class device. My Mistress is Yagami Hayate, and my loyalty–” She paused, lips trembling. “--has been shattered. I am loyal first and only to my Mistress, and after that, my conscience.”

… Whoever shackled her is going to pay. I mused internally, I hope they did, at least, in whatever afterlife they ended up in.

“There’s… a lot to unpack there.” Vahlen ventured, her normal calm pragmatism discarded. “First, Imperial Class? I assumed all devices were caste or military designated.”

“Most were, yes. Imperial-class referred to ‘special assets’, Devices which existed outside the normal hierarchy.” Reinforce explained. “As a living repository for all magical knowledge that Al-Hazard produced, I was considered something of a special case.”

“Understandably so.” I interjected, “Spells make the mage, and there are absolutely some spells which let a mage do much more than they could normally.” I pointedly did not mention the not yet created Starlight Breaker, mostly because I did not want my student getting any ideas yet. Stupid bloody genius. I was not handing her a city nuke. I’d get raked over coals for that.

“So your core acquisition ability is a function designed to archive spells.” Vahlen murmured. “You are not a combat device?”

“I’m not supposed to be. Belka… the masters of that era wanted more immediate use from me.” She looked down, eyes shadowed. “Their alterations were direct and often damaging. The last one I can properly say I linked to was the one to alter the activation parameters for the Self-Defense program.”

“... I will resurrect them just to properly educate them on why that was a bad idea.” I growled, even as the whole world seemed to bend towards me slightly. Reinforce took a step back along with every other watching figure, save Shamal, who clicked her tongue and rotated her wrist once, pushing reality back into shape.

Pushing the arctic fury aside, I breathed deeply, forcing an obviously pained smile on my face, “Sorry… Consent means everything to me. For Reinforce to be that deeply violated hits basically every single one of my triggers at once.” Breathing once more, I sighed, “I apologize for the outburst, but I will not retract what I said. To force a self-aware being to do something by forcibly changing them is… anathema to me.”

“While it seems to be abhorrent to you, it was, in many ways, the lot in life for all sentient devices.” Tamamo remarked. “At least in Al-Hazard, we were afforded eventual manmutation, but it seems such was not the case in Belka… though the modern ‘hard-capping’ techniques are possibly more humane. If there is no sentience, then there is no crime, I suppose.”

“... I hate it. I loathe it. But if you are okay with it, I will hold my peace.” I replied to my partner, my lips pursed. I wouldn’t, of course. But-

“Not ‘okay;’ if you find it repulsive, seek solutions. But such discussion is a matter for other times.” Tamamo responded. Nevermind then, priority one was found once more.

Shamal took a few steps forward even as I exchanged words with my Device. “Hmm. An odd reaction for raw magical expression. I may want to run some tests later…”

Vahlen looked at the green-clad Wolkenritter, perking up. “Ah, I suppose you would have expansive knowledge of mage-core phenomena. Would you be adverse to contributing to the research labs?”

Shamal gave a slight head shake. “Yes and no. My priorities will place me in the medical wing, though when I’m not needed I would be happy to contribute.”

“Wonderful!”

Tazri coughed, cutting off Vahlen before she could get further absorbed into SCIENCE. “Point of order; Miss Shamal is not an XCOM employee or soldier, and she currently lacks clearance to work here in the Mountain.” At Vahlen’s dark look, she spread her hands. “I can fasttrack things, but we still need to negotiate the command structure. And pay.”

Up until now, Ms. Yagami had been a quiet observer, but now she stepped up. “I’ll want to be present when you’re setting out any contracts, thank you. As the current head of their household.”

As one, four heads bowed slightly. “Yes ma’am.”

Hayate giggled. “I have the coolest mom, and awesome siblings.” She whispered.

Nanoha pouted. “Aww. My family are just ninjas…”

“Nanoha.” I stated bluntly, “I’m fairly sure your dad could kill me even in here and get away cleanly. Let alone your mom.” Coughing, I turned to face the staring onlookers, “Ninjas. There’s a reason I’m very opposed to doing anything to pissing them off.”

Tazri nodded once. “Right…” Turning back to Ms. Yagami, she continued. “We’ll call in the lawyers, but hopefully it won’t come to that.” She nodded at Hayate, who was now pestering Nanoha about her ‘Secret Clan Techniques.’ “I’d rather not pull her into a legal dispute.”

As the group broke up into smaller sub-groups, I heard a clatter on the metal stairs behind me. “WHOA!” A familiar voice sounded from behind me. “Is that an unfolded Device?” Lily Shen raced down the stairs, followed by her father at a more sedate pace. “So cool!”

Nanoha turned, blinking. “I didn’t know there were other kids in XCOM…”

“I’m the only one, I think.” Lily said, her attention only briefly being drawn from the massive structure. “Isn’t this cool?” She murmured. “So…” She pointed at Reinforce. “You’re the projection, right?” She darted forward. “Where are you broken? Dad said you were, but I don’t see it.”

“That’s because we aren’t supposed to Lily.” I stated, nodding towards the new arrival with a patient smile, “The damaged parts are closer to the core.” Pausing, I realized I could be coming across as patronizing to the young genius, and my smile turned apologetic, “I’m not trying to patronize you Lily. Just stating the information you don’t have because you weren’t told.”

“I got it.” She looked over Reinforce, who studied her in turn. “...you feel strained. Like… a headache, maybe?” She frowned, tapping her chin. “Hmm.”

Reinforce smiled. “You have a unique gift, young lady. Have you been tested for mage potential?”

“...I know I have some. But not how much.” She shrugged. “Dad says I’m not getting a Device until I’m older, anyway.”

“You get into enough trouble with your laptop and a cell phone.” Shen chuckled. “I’d rather not be asked by DARPA why I was trying to access their files… again.” He shot her a stern look.

“I won’t… get caught.” She muttered the second half.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if you already had the files you wanted and you got caught on purpose.” I muttered to myself, grinning, “You strike me as that type.”

“I wish.” She replied petulantly. “I wanted to see their test files on their subspace rippers, but I wasn’t able to get into the vids before their VI kicked me out.”

Nanoha and Hayate groaned. “No explosions?”

“None!”

“You know you could just ask.” I added, rolling my eyes and nodding at Dr. Shen, “Your dad knows how smart you are, and he probably has some of the clearances you’d need to even know they exist.”

Shen coughed. “Now that XCOM is active, I might.” As three sets of begging eyes turned his way, he sighed. “That won’t work, girls. I’m immune to those.”

Nanoha paused. “Hmm. If begging won’t work, will threats–”

“Don’t threaten my dad!” Lily yelled, stomping her foot.

Hayate eyed him, even as all the adults in the room turned to face the little group. “Bribery, then?”

“With what, though? Cake?”

“I could hack some accounts…”

Vita started laughing. “Okay, if this is what the kids are like these days, I’m going to have fun here!”

“Vita, you do realize that they’re always like this. Just different form of ‘this’ depending on the technological, social, and economical standards of the time.” My statement was dry and sarcastic, memories of all the antics Nanoha got up to racing through my mind just as much as my own antics. Kids were strange, though I had been one, once upon a time.

“Maybe, but still!” The littlest Wolkenritter chuckled. She walked a little closer, grinning. “So… we can throw up a barrier, and I can show off a bit. Break some stuff in. Interested?”

As three voices responded with rapid cries in the positive, Shen shook his head. “Whatever happened to quiet reading, or playing tag?” He said, even as he smiled.

“Don’t ask me. When I was their age, I was beating up the local boys for their pocket money.” Tazri replied.

Ms. Yagami sniffed. “Amateur. You have to trick them out of their money, or else they get wise and avoid you.”

“... Wouldn’t it be nice to have had a good childhood.” I muttered quietly to myself, grimacing at the memories of false friends and betrayals, of goodbyes; forced or otherwise. Of the times I had simply wished to end it all because I was convinced all of my peers hated me. Of being misunderstood all the fucking time because I had been both blessed and cursed with autism. Fun times, being different as a kid.

Reinforce sighed from the sidelines. “The fact they can all act like children is a gift. One cut short by far too many.” She studied her hands, clenching and unclenching them. “I hope XCOM can protect them.”

“... I’d give anything to give them what they deserve.” I stated solemnly, “Anything.”

Tazri slapped a hand on my shoulder. “You’re already giving them enough. Give us a chance to pick up some of the slack.” She gave me a smile. “We’re all behind you, Trickster. Don’t think you need to pull some great sacrifice.”

“Not unless I need to.” I replied with an honest smile, “I’m enjoying far too much to throw it away pointlessly, and if I die before passing down the stories I need to I’d never forgive myself.”

“Good.” Tazri turned back to the kids, then paused. I took a look, flinching as I saw all three of them holding various weapons. “Shen, where did your daughter get that?”

“I… do not know. Is that a laser pistol?” He murmured, stepping forward. “Dear, put that down!”

Chapter Text

Training. At the end of the day, the two things which could multiply the force a man could exert boiled down to technology and training.

The last two weeks had been productive, for everyone operating out of my newly expanded house. I’d gone on two missions in that time (one a brief and brutal capture of a landed enemy craft, the second a response to a terrorist group attempting to raid a resource train) but for the most part, I’d focused on training. Myself, and my students. Psychic training was going well enough, and my own basic magic skills were improving steadily as I taught my students.

Melee training… that was painful.

Signum stood over us, looking back and forth with a bokken held loosely at her side. “Well, I am seeing significant improvement. Though, Nanoha, there is a large difference between sparring, naginatajutsu, and magischwertkunst. You are good at flying, and good with your weapon; please put them together next time.”

Nanoha sighed, her eyes unfocused even as she stared up into the blue sky. “Hai, sensei…”

I wasn’t really in that much of a better state, lying on the floor with my paired chakram-esque weapons (largely designed based on a fairly recent installment in the Xenoblade Franchise continuity) lying beside me. Dual Moonblades, that was their name. They were… not easy to learn, but I had decided to use them after falling in love with their style of combat, which I felt would both teach me a large amount of patience and suit my temperament fairly well.

‘Honestly, being on the floor isn’t that bad. I lasted point five seconds longer this time, which is a huge improvement from my previous record.

Beside both of us, Hayate whimpered. My newest student had found a weapon she liked, which had taken her more to training with Vita than Signum. The battleaxe at her side was buried into the dirt, and Hayate herself was buried right beside her. “...I couldn’t even hit you…” She murmured listlessly.

“You are still a bare novice at magical enhancement, my lady.” Signum replied. “At your speed, hitting me will be very difficult, particularly when you’re attempting to lift such a weapon.”

From alongside, Vita laughed in acknowledgment. “Why do you think Graf Eisen shrinks and grows? Getting enough momentum and speed are kinda critical.” She stood up, walking over to heave her mistress out of the ground. “You’re learning at a proper pace, so no need to sweat it!”

Rei walked over, laying out a glass pitcher filled with iced tea. “This is… nostalgic. I can’t recall the last time I saw young warriors practicing their arms.” She sighed, placing one hand on her cheek. “All the warriors being female is also very different. Ah, how times change…”

“They do indeed.” I quipped as I staggered to my feet, far faster than my students who were still simply groaning on the ground, “Also, Rei, your ara-ara is showing. Again.” Ignoring her reaction, I began running through basic stretches, pointedly not using cooldown ones. I was still good for a while, though my students should… Meh, I’d have to tell them, “You’ll want to get up and stretch before you get sore, Hayate-chan, Nanoha-chan.”

Nanoha hopped up, moving through her practiced stretches. “I know, Sensei!” She chirped. “Come on, Hayate, just like I showed you!”

Hayate slumped slightly as Vita set her down, but sighed and walked over to mimic her friend’s contortions. After a few gulps of tea, I moved over and joined them, if only as a show of camaraderie, listening as Signum began to speak.

“So far, we have mostly practiced with ‘enhanced normality’ combat styles, focusing on footwork, increased jumps, and enhanced blows. There are, however, two directions we can take our immediate training; non-enhanced, and full-integration training. We will eventually cover both, but for now, one is fine.”

“Full integration, please. I’d imagine non-enhanced is only useful in fairly niche situations, and the latter is more immediately useful.” I requested politely, an apologetic note entering my tone, “We are in the middle of a war, and like it or not, Nanoha and Hayate are targets.” Unstated was my role as a spec-ops soldier, but it honestly shouldn’t need to be stated at this point.

“Very well, that makes sense.” She replied. “In that case, we will begin working on aerial melee combat in our next session. She paused, then looked over at Hayate. “Reinforce may need to enhance you with a Crow’s Wings spell for the duration. Have you practiced with that yet?”

“I got to try it out! And I only crashed into one tree!” Hayate grinned, then drooped. “And the ground… a few times.”

“... Hayate we’ve talked about practicing flying without an observer, ri– Oh wait, Reinforce counts. Nevermind.” I began, only to trail off seriously, “I’d advise asking Nanoha for tips first, then if those don’t work, ask me for some of mine. It’ll be a good test for both of you.” I continued, a gentle smile stuck on my face. I loved teaching these two. They were great.

Rei coughed from nearby. “Ah, Miss Signum, Lady Shizuka. May I ask if…” She paused, tapping her lips. “May I join in on some of these sessions?”

“No objection on my end, Rei. You have your reasons, I suppose?” I replied after a moment’s pause, finding nothing exactly wrong or weird with that request on further pondering, “Signum-sensei?”

“I… find myself curious what a centuries-old non-human would want from basic combat training. Looking for a refresher course?” Signum replied, her face placid.

“No. Actually, I have almost no combat training worth… anything.” Her tails lashed. “I know magic, and illusions, and how to make use of foxfire, of course… but to engage in a contest of arms and strength is not something I’ve ever been expected to need.”

“A fox does not get caught.” I quoted, smiling, “It makes sense, given your species.”

“Yes, that is the idea.” She looked over, her gaze passing over Tamamo’s bracer, Raising Heart’s necklace, and the ring-mounted terminal which linked Hayate and the Tome of Night Sky. “But these new technologies make hiding much more difficult. If even possible. If someone seeks with one of those, they may very well find.”

“... And not all who find you will be looking for you in curiosity, but with malice.” I grimaced, “Wonderful, now I have that to worry about at night.”

Signum nodded once. “A valid and acceptable urge. However, I must ask, can you fly?”

“Not as such.” The kitsune responded. “I can hover, somewhat, but not with the agility and speed seen by your spells.”

“That will prohibit much training in Full-integration training.” The knight responded.

“Then we can make a fairly basic non-self-aware device.” I stated bluntly, “Unless you object, Rei?”

“...I hesitate to deny you, ma’am, but I suspect purchasing any device through your employers would be… prohibitive. Or come with strings.” She replied diplomatically. “And-”

“Rei, I wouldn’t do that to you. I’d either buy it myself as a backup discreetly, or have someone make it for you.” I replied patiently, “You are part of my family while you are in my employee, and I will treat you like it for the duration. Or beyond, but that’s up to you.”

Rei swallowed, closing her eyes. “...thank you for that consideration.” She replied quietly, before they opened again. “However, I do have an alternative.” She looked about. “Ah, are we being monitored by XCOM at this time?”

“Eh, Mariko, if you’re listening, delete this.” I stated, shrugging, “Unless they’re actively monitoring, you’ll be fine now. My girlfriend knows not to push me on this.”

After a few moments of silence, Rei continued. “Have you ever wondered why, despite there being visitors from the past ages to Earth, there had never been any Devices found here?”

“... Oh do go on. I love listening to how horrible humans are.” I grumbled, my biases already coming out to play.

“Ah… no.” Rei said reluctantly. “The various… magical communities… well, we could tell they were magical. The devices. Over the centuries, most major communes collected them; out of curiosity’s sake. Without modern technology, reactivating them was impossible, but many were so old! They were a bit of a collector’s item.” She sighed. “And then, fifty years ago, we found out what they actually were. And they went from interesting baubles to strategic assets.”

“... Ah.” I muttered, “Well, that makes more sense than my wild theory. Is there anything else you want to share with the class, or will that be it for now, Rei?” I continued, smiling to let her know I was honestly asking her that without sarcasm or jest. She could tell me this at her own pace. And I would reveal what I needed to if it came to it.

“Well… the Japanese Imperial Court at Kyoto has a stock of inactive devices. Activating a device is rather hit or miss if you are not a human.” Rei winced. “And no one in the High Court wanted to give the Clans or the Free Mages so much power.” She sighed. “...you have credit, my Lady. Should you approach the court, you could likely secure a Device. Or several.”

“Honestly, it really shouldn’t surprise me that the people of Earth still refuse to unite. It really should stop surprising. Guess it’ll take more than an Alien Invasion to enslave us all to get people moving, I suppose.” I snarled, “I’m not angry with you, Rei. I’m just angry that once more, an irrational fear is causing far more harm than it ever prevented.”

Rei’s eyes narrowed slightly. “My lady, may I remind you that we watched humanity nearly destroy itself when Devices came to light. I may not agree with everything the Courts and the Councils of the world decide, but remaining hidden is not one of them. You yourself just acknowledged that there would be some who would turn their new weapons on us, for many, many reasons.” She drooped. “Not everyone is as kind or accepting as you are.”

“I’m more ranting because no one can just be nice to each other, Rei. It’s not meant to be something targeted.” I admitted as I forced my anger in it’s box to expend on a more… acceptable target later, “But… Unity cannot begin without someone taking that first step. And while the people of the magical realms remained hidden, did they truly think that non-intervention when the world could have gone to nuclear hell was a good idea?” Pausing, I sighed and shook my head, “It doesn’t matter in the end, really. I’ll go talk to the court and form my opinion after I actually interact with them.”

“Thank you.” Rei responded. “As for the nuclear part…” Rei blushed in embarrassment. “Um. There were… plans. And contingencies.” She coughed. “Let us just say that, for some time during the Cold War, the plan was that if humanity came to war, we would rescue who we could, then use them to repopulate. With various plans for magical existence alongside… or above… the new civilization.”

“... Or you could just prevent the launch by inserting agents into each silo.” I grumbled, “I shouldn’t even be surprised that plans for a magocracy existed. I’ll need a writeup on the various factions later, Rei. Because this just became a thing I will have to at least write a report for now.”

“When we go to Kyoto, you should speak to Minister Daishou. They can give you a comprehensive overview. Or perhaps a book or ten.” Rei responded. “I am simply glad Project Gensokyo never needed to be activated.”

“... I am going to go die in a hole now.” I moaned, cradling my head in my hands, “Of all the references this world had to make, why did it have to be Touhou…”

“I wonder if dad knows about any of this…” Nanoha said from alongside. I glanced over, seeing her watching us with interest. Beside her, Hayate’s eyes were moving rapidly as she busily wrote in a notebook. “Or my brother. Or my mom…” She paused. “Hey, if you have all this stuff lying around, are there any magical relics I could borrow?”

“... Nanoha no.” I winced, trying vainly to stop the Genius before her idea could gain more traction.

“But magic sword!” She replied, eyes bright.

Hayate chuckled. “I don’t think they’d let you have Futsunomitama, Nanoha.” She quipped. “I saw you making those infinite mana reactor plans. Give it up.”

“Mou!” Nanoha humphed.

“... May I see those plans Nanoha?” I pounced metaphorically, “I can pass them by Dr. Shen and Dr. Vahlen and see how feasible they are.”

“...they’re pretty basic…” She muttered. “I’ll bring my notebook next time.”

“Plans would work if calibrated for Anomalous Object Output.” Raising Heart chimed in from her necklace.

“I figured as much. Nanoha has a head for mathematics that honestly boggles my mind.” I replied to the device, smiling, “I just want to make sure she gets that recognition.”

Hayate gave a thumbs up. “I’ll get my mom to help!”

Tamamo spoke up. “I have taken the liberty of informing your girlfriend and your boss about your plans. They have both flagged you for a meeting.”

“I figured as much. Thank you Tamamo.” I replied smoothly, excusing myself from the training with a nod to Signum, “Signum, I’ll be back later. I have to go take care of something.”

“Understood. Please let me know when you are planning this trip.” Her hand snapped out, snagging Hayate’s shoulder. “You are not going, my lady.”

“But–”

“No.”

“I wouldn’t be taking any of you along to a potentially hostile situation anyway, Hayate, Nanoha.” I added as I left the room, a wince on my face. This was… not going to be a fun time.

Rather than Tazri’s office, I was directed to a conference room when I entered the Anthill. The room contained seven people; Abe, Tazri, Bradford, Abigail, Major Garrode, and a blandly handsome man with a quiet smile.

Tazri sighed. “Corporal Lee, good of you to come back.” She shot me a glare. “I’m very glad you contacted us before you initiated contact with an unknown government.”

“Of course, ma’am. You know that the American Enclave was entirely an accident. You and Abe have trained me far too well for me to do anything else.” I replied respectfully, saluting as I entered. I ignored the new guy. I would be told if he was important or not, and regardless, if he was here, he was trusted.

Abe sighed. “Honestly, dear, we’re going to have to take your operations training in a very different direction. There’s a big difference between special operations and court intrigue. She jerked her head towards the bland man at the table. “Fortunately, our new Diplomacy branch just got set up, and the new director is…” She turned a glare on him. “...capable.”

The man stood, offering me a hand. “Sheridan Creighton, a pleasure to meet you, Specialist.”

Taking the offered hand and shaking it, I looked into the man’s eyes and replied, “Shizuka Lee, a pleasure, sir.”

I pointedly did not let any of my biases affect me, especially given that Mariko hadn’t liked him. After all, I couldn’t call myself good at masking if I couldn’t conceal my mild curiosity at what he did that got Mariko so upset. That and my mild distaste for upsetting my girlfriend, but she did have the tendency to piss people off.

Chreighton’s grip was firm, and his eyes were sharp. They didn’t quite match his face, but they weren’t hostile. Just… assessing. As we finished the handshake, he sat back down. “Well, Corporal, you’ve had a very good track record when it comes to meeting unusual individuals. So to begin with, I’d like you to consider–”

“You are not poaching my best agent, Chreighton.” Abe hissed.

“That’s up to her.” He responded blandly. “As you said, she’s becoming very visible, and an undeniable appearance asset.” Unspoken was the potential fallout if one of my black ops went public, but I really did not give a shit. So…

“No, I’m not interested in transferring.” I replied bluntly. “Mostly because I honestly cannot find it within me to care what the masses think, nor most people, if I’m being honestFuck. That’s been beaten out of me metaphorically and literally by my childhood, and I’m not overcoming that trauma for the sake of something I don’t really even want to do.”

Chreighton nodded. “Good of you to know your strengths. However, that does mean that we cannot let you go alone into Old Kyoto.”

Tazri, Bradford, and Abe all nodded. Tazri spoke first. “Tamamo gave us a brief overview of the situation as it stands. We’ve made contact with the Yellowstone Circle, and through them many of the other North American enclaves. Some of them did turn over a Device or two, but your report laid out the truth. The magical world has weapons we could use.”

Bradford coughed. “More importantly, those weapons are unused. If they were being operated by the locals, that’d be one thing. A militia can always be of use. But unsecured and unused devices are an asset we should acquire.”

Abe grimaced. “But trying to claim them by force or coercion is impossible. We don’t know what we’re dealing with.”

“Which is where I came in.” Chreighton spoke. “I am a diplomat by trade, with deal brokers in my family going back generations.” He paused. “On both sides of the magical boundary.”

“We also can likely bring some elements of the Japanese Government in on this, so it’s not just XCOM benefiting.” I added, “It’d likely make the whole thing easier to accomplish, especially since the court may be more aligned with traditional Japanese thinking, which even today is mild to moderately xenophobic.”

“We could and should, yes.” Creighton acknowledged. “However, that would greatly expand the scope of this first meeting. Right now, you have a goal, and we should let you achieve it before we begin the major diplomatic talks.”

Tazri sighed. “If it weren’t you, Shikuza, I’d just block the whole mess and send a proper diplomatic team. But you turn shit into gold enough that I can let you be the oops boy for this one.”

“That and I’m well known enough to command respect from basically anyone, on top of being a bodyguard for any diplomat we send.” I added dryly, giving Tazri a smile, “Commander, things just happen to me. I’m just glad you’re doing your best to help.”

“In this case, you’d be the primary contact, though.” Creighton explained. “This is your request as a favor to your household, and thus you’re going to be the first one in. I’d originally planned on going myself, but as a superior in our organization, that muddies the water quite a bit.”

Tazri motioned to me. “You’re not going alone, and not without official documents. Essentially, you’ll be serving as a courier, delivering our request to meet with the local authorities. However, you’ll also be our first representative, so we do need to go over how you’ll present yourself.”

“... Joy.” I muttered, grumbling to myself, “How long do I have?”

“Technically up to you. However, considering our operational pace, I’d advise you to head on out no later than two weeks, and hopefully a little sooner.” Bradford offered. “The Aliens haven’t made a strong push since the failure of their four-point landings, but we know they have many more massed vessels in our solar system.”

Tazri nodded. “So. One week.” She looked over at Creighton. “How much time do you need with her to get her presentable?”

“One day.” At everyone’s incredulous looks, he gave a wide grin. “The last thing we want is for the Corporal to feel or seem disingenuous. It takes a lot longer than I have to force anyone’s way of thinking into one fitting a diplomat; we just need her to know the faux pas to avoid.”

I nodded, letting my superiors discuss things without my input for now. Honestly, I was willing to learn, this was entirely just me watching in amusement as the new guy argued with everyone else. Then he turned back to me, his smile wide. “Ah, yes. Which day would be best for you to come in for your lessons?”

Abe coughed. “No way in hell you’re getting her alone, manslut.”

Chreighton’s face barely changed, but his eyes sharpened. “You know that’s not accurate, assassin.”

Tazri smacked the table. “Alright, you two, knock it off. Abe, Chreighton is a member of our staff now. Let go that old grudge.”

“...fine.”
“And Crieghton, I know you used to mix business and pleasure in your old roles. Not. Here. Seduce people on your own time, and don’t go hunting any secrets. Understood?”

“Crystal clear, commander.”

“Perfect. Out, both of you.”

“... You know, it’s amusing that my girlfriend still hasn’t figured out my stance on sex.” I muttered to myself, “Though I don’t remember if she and I had a talk about that.” I was smirking to myself as I continued, reveling in the chaos that had revealed itself before me, “Also, I know more about Mariko-chan now~”

Tamamo chirped in my ear. “I believe she is just marking her territory, Shizuka.”

“She’s well aware I’m poly by now and that I won’t leave her for another person Tamamo.” I replied dryly, still sniggering to myself internally, “Anything else Commander?”

“That’s why I didn’t dismiss you with them.” Tazri nodded. “Now that only the essential people are here…”

Abigail coughed.

“And the one who won’t leave…” She murmured. “We need to discuss what we learned during Reinforce’s examinations.”

Major Garrode finally spoke. “Okay, I know you’re an outsider, both to our world and the military organizations on it. How much do you know about the X-Space Expeditions?”

“Nothing at all.” I replied blandly, “I’m barely even caught up on modern history, for goodness sake.”

“Right. Not unexpected.” Garrode responded. “Backstory then; after the Moon and Mars expeditions had been well-established, the scientists discovered that Devices could pierce into another dimension where the laws of reality were different.” He tapped the table. “They called it X-Space. The TSAB calls it the Dimensional Sea.”

Bradford placed a small device on the table, allowing it to unfold and form a projection a few inches over the table. “By this point, the Morning Wars were winding down, at least in the western hemisphere. Scientists wanted to explore X-Space, but there was no backing. Not until the explorers found and raided a derelict ship which had been lost; one which contained a host of artifacts and technology; including a handful of Devices.”

“And so the funding finally came through, I’d imagine?” I asked as I pulled up the wikipedia article on the X-Space program, “Hold on, I’m looking up the Wikipedia Article right now.” I paused an winced at the clearly doctored page, looking in mild sympathy at Garrode even as he began explaining,

“Please don’t use Wikipedia as a source. We’ve had to purge that page, and many like it, of a lot of useful data.” Garrode pleaded. “And yes, the funding came. Exploration of local X-Space yielded the vast majority of the Belkan devices currently in use, as well as technology we used to kick-start the modern aviation program. But, like actual space, X-Space is not any one nation’s sovereign territory, and thus falls under United Nations mandate. A lot of the devices used here in XCOM were given to the UN by exploration parties, in order to hide that they were keeping the best stuff and sending it home. In fact, for a while XCOM was the primary party handling the expeditions, before the war broke out.”

Tazri groaned. “The knowledge of the Star Forge has the Council mandating that we resume Expeditions, both to acquire new war materiel and to try and locate a way to a major Al-Hazardian installation.” She looked at me sharply. “But… considering that the aliens have limited access to X-Space, our exploratory ships are not equipped for combat, and we’re now short on capable people… you’re on the short list for expedition work.”

Bradford grimaced. “You’re being stretched too thin, Corporal. The Council has recognized you as one of our best, and frankly, your flight and combat skills would be invaluable to the explorers. But you’re needed almost everywhere else, for the same reason.”

“If I keep getting more duties, sir, respectfully, I’ll end up flaming out in a blaze of glory at some point, because I take my duties very seriously and I’d rather shut up and bear it that actually ask for a day off.” I said in an uncharacteristically serious voice, “I would bear the burdens of the world if I could, and because of… various other things, I know that would break me. But I’d do it anyway…” My voice cracking, I stifled my instinctive urge to sob as I continued on regardless, “Don’t… don’t make me do that, please?”

Before I could say anything else, there was a blue flare of psionic teleportation, and I found myself sitting in Abigail’s lap as she ran her fingers through my hair.

“...right, that’s a no, then.” Bradford nodded. “I’ll take you off the list.” He nodded once. “We were just going to ask if you wanted to drop something else, but if you’re certain, then that’s the end of it.”

Tazri cleared her throat. “We may ask you to go on some quick-response missions if things get hairy, but they’ll count towards your mission rotation. Understood?”

“Thank you, Commander. Central.” Pausing, I looked at Abigail, twisting in her lap. “You too, Abbie. I’m guessing my emotions were getting rather loud?”

“Mhm.” She murmured, then looked up at the Commander. “Commander Tazri, I believe it is time I offered my services again.”

All three of the professionals in the room froze. Tazri spoke slowly after a moment’s pause. “Ah… yes, Miss Wier?”

“If you need a powerful ally on the Expeditions, I offer my services.” Abigail nodded once. “I refuse to become a soldier, or an exterminator. But these efforts are to further our knowledge and understanding, so I break no oaths by giving aid.”

Bradford swallowed. “Ah… thank you.” He triggered his device’s tablet. “You’ll need to be certified for a suit, since you are not a Device-user…”

Abigail nodded. “Acceptable.” She stood, setting me on my feet. “Commander, Central, Major. I need to go access the tesseract. Fair thee well.” She put her arms around me in a quick hug before walking off.

“... Huh. I’m glad she found a way to help without breaking her oaths.” My smile was honest, with a touch of bitterness, “I’m glad that taking me as a student wasn’t the only way she could.”

“She’s teaching a lot of our psions, actually.” Tazri acknowledged.

“Feelings aren’t rational, Commander.” I stated in response, knowing fully well that it wasn’t an answer, “I’d need a dedicated therapist to sort out and deal with my feelings regarding her… Speaking of, can we accelerate my next appointment with them?”

Bradford tapped his tablet. “...I see an open slot with Dr. Sessyion today at three. Would you like me to put you in?”

“... I still get very amused at her name. I just wanted to let you know that.” I snickered wetly, nodding, “Yes please. Thank you, Central.”

“I think that’s it for the meeting. Oh, actually, Garrode, do you have the medals?” Tazri turned to the UN liaison.

“Yep.” He produced a pair of boxes and slid them across the table. “One Friendship Medal from the People’s Republic, and one Council Medal of Honor.”

“... Oh I’m sure the nations not named the United States threw a fit about that name.” I snickered, accepting both with a bow, “These will make good stories for any hypothetical children or grandkids, at least.” I continued with a soft smile, “Just like my grandfather before me…” A deep pang of loss shredded its way through me, though by now it was blunted, faded, and in time, the wound would scar over and heal. So much times lost. So many things unsaid. But… I couldn’t really regret it. Shaking my head, I came out of my reverie with tears in my eyes, and saluted to Tazri, “Anything else commander?”

“That’s it.” Tazri glanced at me. “There’s nothing else on your schedule until three, and I’m out of paperwork for once. I’m going to go get two drinks; one with booze, and the next with caffeine. Join me?”

“... Sure. But I don’t drink caffeine if I can avoid it.” Pausing, I had a thought, “What’s a bar you’ve wanted to visit, Commander? I can probably take us there if you’d like?”

“Just the base bar. But all I need to do is show up and get free drinks. Come on. Bradford!” She snapped at her assistant even as he ducked for the door. “You’re coming with us. No exceptions.”

“No again…” He muttered.

“Ah, we’ll be fine.” Garrode replied as he stood. “I do have a meeting at two, so I’ll be the voice of reason.”

I nodded, and fell in with the brass. This might be… interesting.

Chapter Text

Rei looked me over as I stood in our flat, her face pensive as she stood in her kimono. “...I know that we are already dedicated to this, but I still feel as though we could make this into a mere introductory meeting.” Rei murmured as she looked in my face. “Are you certain this is what you want to do?”

Sighing, I nodded, pulling at my kimono, almost entirely composed of an artist’s depiction of the night sky with the Milky-Way featured prominently near my bust. It would have been a pain to get this rushed, but… Well, I had to spend my income somehow, and one of the few things I was willing to splurge on now was ‘traditional’ attire in the Japanese sense. Something that was now apparently going to pay off. The universe truly did have a sense of humor. “Yes. Even if I wasn’t, I have my orders, Rei.”

Rei bowed. “...thank you for doing this for me, mistress.” She turned, and as one we all stepped out into the front rooms, where the entirety of our group were pulling themselves together for the trip.

As we stepped out into the main room, I spoke. “You already helped me compose that letter to Inari-sama, Rei. As far as I’m concerned, we’re even. Even if I don’t end up getting fluffy tails.” As my reply concluded, I snapped my fan open, mostly out of nerves, the ‘concealed’ weapon serving as a rather wonderful source of stress relief even as Tamamo grumbled something almost inaudible from her place on my wrist,

“Looks like the others got the message about the dress code.”

As my device had stated, we were hardly the only two dressed in full finery. Nanoha sat on a stool, legs swinging out of her own kimono, while Hayate was being fussed over by her mother, the pair’s kimono coordinated in a way I knew was intentional. Reinforce had traded her normal tight tunic for a black dress, with Shamal in a similar one in green. Vita wore a fancier version of her normal armor clothes, while both Zafira and Signum were dressed in sharp suits; Shamal’s white with pink trim, Zafira’s dark with blue.

The XCOM continent were a mixed bunch. XCOM didn’t have dress uniforms as such, simply their version of off-duty uniforms, and the situation called for more able dressware. As such, two of the escort squad were in said uniforms, only prettied up with the berets; but considering one was Shaojie Zhang, who I knew was both a skilled psychic and deadly with a pistol, and the other was Jian, another Magus, I wasn’t worried about them. The other four were dressed in low-profile body armor and equipped with modern mage-weapons, which could be deployed from a wrist computer.

All told, there were sixteen of us, most of whom were quite deadly. In fact, only Ms. Yagami, Hayate, and Rei weren’t trained fighters of one level or another. I stepped up, drawing fourteen sets of eyes towards me, which lasted only long enough for Hayate to dodge out from under her mom’s grasp and get out of her reach. She looked up at me. “Is it time? This is going to be fun!”
“Hayate-chan, I need you to reign in the enthusiasm for now, okay?” I replied kindly, “But yes, it’s time. Gather round, we’ll be departing as soon as it hits five minutes before.”

Zhang snapped off a salute. “Affirmative. We will be falling back to watch the flanks, Corporal.”

Ms. Yagami sighed as she stood up, picking up her briefcase from the counter. “Will I need to separate from you all? Why the Diet thought I was the right person to bring their paperwork to them, I don’t know.”

“No, that won’t be necessary, Yagami-san. And if the court has a problem with it,” I shrugged, conveying how little I gave a shit, “Well, they wouldn’t want to slight me, would they? Especially not over something so trivial.”

Rei nodded. “It will likely not come to that. Shogun Toge will not care, though the court of eight may have some reservations. I would advise you to be direct when addressing her, but not discourteous.” Her tails lashed. “Lady Toge is… unusual. But reasonable, and a firm, just ruler.”

“Forgive me for not really liking dictatorships as a rule,” I replied blandly, “So blunt, but polite. I can do that.”

“Good.” She stopped. “Ah… and if she invites you to share a drink, accept, but be cautious about how much you imbibe. Very careful.”

“Picking up Shuten-Doji’s tricks then?” I mused, nodding slowly, “I’ll be cautious. Thank you, Rei.”

Rei nodded, before she stiffened, tails poking up straight. “Oh! Oh dear…”

Before I could ask what was going on, Tamamo beeped in the same moment Reinforce and all the Wolkenritter spun to face the front door. “Mistress, I detect… a strange teleportation signal on the front lawn.”

“That’d likely be a method the Court uses to get around unseen. Probably functions better with a Torii Gate as an anchor, going off the old myths.” I mused in reply, teleporting to the dimensional instability without a care in the world, “You know, I am perfectly capable of transporting myself. You did not have to do this, though it is appreciated.” I said to no one in particular, hiding a grin as I snapped open my fan once more.

Beside me, a masked figure with a pair of black wings turned towards me, before giving a short bow. “Apologies, Onmyoji-san, but my lady wished you to come directly, and not get held up by customs.” They straightened, black hair hanging down around their concealed face. “I am here to open a wind-gate to bring all your companions to the palace entrance.”

“I will go retrieve them, in that case.” I responded genially, inclining my head in respect, “It’s clear, Reinforce. You can bring the rest.” I telepathy as I did so, “Sorry, reacted to the potential invasion of my home instinctively.”

“By teleporting? I see. An odd response.” She mused, even as the door opened and the entirety of our party began to emerge. As each figure came outside, I could feel the tengu at my side slowly tense more and more, nervously fingering his sword with one hand.

His tenseness dropped the moment Hayate bounced over to him. “Hello, Tengu-san! How are you doing?” She chirped.

Ignoring the exchange for a moment, I smiled at Reinforce, “My life means nothing compared to that of the children. That’s always my thought processes, though it sometimes refuses to be rational and just teleport away with the children.”

“Fair enough.” Reinforce replied, even as Ms. Yagami stalked over and put a hand on Hayate’s head. “Speaking of which, should I aid her in reigning in my mistress, do you think?”

“Up to you. She already has one concerned mother, and whatever I define myself as. One more won’t hurt~” I replied cheekily, my face a mask of geniality even through my amusement. Trauma did come in handy sometimes, and I was a old hand at putting on a mask, though the pokerface version of it was something I had worked long hours on with Mariko.

Reinforce looked over at the mother of her mistress, and nodded once, a slight blush on her face. “I will ask Asako-san whether I should step in.”

Ignorant of the discussion playing out in the minds nearby, the tengu courier composed himself and pulled his fan loose from his robe. With a flick, a gale sprung up, swirling into a disc of wind which quickly spun into a three-meter hole in the air, a long pathway lined with cherry trees on the other side. “When you are ready, please step through. I can only hold this for about five minutes, so please be prompt.”

Zhang stepped forward, heading through with three of the XCOM agents. Immediately afterwards, I waved the Wolfenritter through, following through right behind them, Nanoha, Hayate, Reinforce, and Yagami-san following behind me. Best send in the Guard first, if only to send a message.

The entire line of blooming trees had me a little perplexed, since such a thing was blatantly out of season. With a quick shrug, I chalked it up to magic, and started walking behind our Tengu guide, who was approaching a four meter tall pair of doors mounted in a white wall. Four guards flanked the door; another pair of tengu, a tall burly figure with two horns, and a cat-eared man with a pair of waving tails. An Oni and Nekomata, then. Interesting. All four carried naginata, sized for their own use.

Our escort stepped forward, banging one hand into their breast. “Our guests have arrived to the court! Will the Shogun see them?”

As one, the four guards bashed their spear butts into the ground. “Her hospitality is ready, enter and be received!” They spoke as one.

I stepped forward to the gates as they swung open, taking a deep breath. Showtime.

The gates swung open to a long chamber, polished wooden floors completely clean, with walls of white broken up only by a few hanging symbols of a five-petal blossom. However, these sights passed by me briefly as my attention was drawn to the large figure waiting on the wooden throne at the far end of the room.

Sharp. That was the first word to come to mind on seeing Lady Toge. Her two horns, curving up to stand a few inches over the top of her hair. The fangs bordering on tusks I could see emerging from between ruby-red lips. Her dress, a kimono much like my own, almost tight against her body, revealing both significant curves and definite muscles as she shifted. Her face was not that of a classical beauty; it had too many angles to be soft, and she was handsome rather than gorgeous. But her eyes encapsulated it best; red eyes which took in our entire group in an instant, letting no details loose.

She was a warrior. Less cultured plebeians might have called her savage, but no savage would analyze a room, determine the largest threat, and nod, not dismissing the threat, but allowing them into her halls, confident in her position of power. This was a leader of the military kind. Not a civilian one. I hid a grin. She reminded me of Commander Tazri when she wasn’t letting her hair down.

As I took in the Shogun of the Court of Blossoms, I couldn’t help but briefly ignore those who sat around her, almost in awe of the Oni’s sheer presence. A mistake I corrected moments later; none of them were to be taken lightly, not according to Rei’s briefing. A dozen more warriors like those who let us in, standing at attention in the wings; interestingly, along with eight more halberdiers, two of the guards carried fans and what I could only assume were either spellcasting materials or tessen, or both, while two more carried firearms, though I couldn’t place the make. The shogun had four individuals sitting at her sides; one an obvious kitsune, and I almost started as I recognized the nine tails flickering behind him.

‘I had not expected something described as a literal divine being to be subservient to Someone not divine.’ I thought in some shock, before upping my assessment of the Shogun. Respect like that was earned through trials. Trials that I probably couldn’t comprehend quite yet. Noting that my biases were coming in to play, I turned to the next figure.

The figure at the kitsune’s side was another surprise; a mostly humanoid yokai, who’s elongated head marked him as a Nurarihyon. Across from these two powerful yokai, on the Shogun’s other side, a female human in a miko’s robes sat beside a beaked humanoid, octagonal hat brely distracting from his large black wings.

Our guide stepped forward, bowing deeply to his lady. “I present to the gathered members of the High Council, the human champion of XCOM, Lee Shizuka.”

Lady Toge nodded once, her gaze looking at me, something I matched immediately, face neutral. No sense in giving up quite yet, though I knew I was supposed to do so. Toge struck me as the type to not be mired in political tape. Toge then looked past me, before arcing an eyrbow before she turned her attention back to me. “Usually, a human’s first introduction to the world beneath does not involve such weight.” Her voice was deep, almost dipping into masculine depths, but undeniably powerful and smooth. “Well met, Lee-san.” She tilted her head. “Though, I must ask; are you here as Perry came to these lands in days past?”

“That depends on how diplomatic proceedings go, Toge-Dono.” I replied neutrally after a moment’s pause, “And if I do go the way of Perry, it will only be after all other options are exhausted.”

“Well said.” Toge raised one hand as the Dai-tengu to her right moved to speak. “Hiding that we exist has been our shield, but there comes a Dawn, I suspect.” She looked past me, a frown tensing her features. “Of all those with you, one here is our subject. I recognize your sign, child of Oda. Is this the will of your clan?”

“No, honored lady.” Rei spoke from behind me. “I am here not as a member of my clan, but as a member of Lee-sama’s household.”

“Hmm. A concubine?”

“I am her contracted maid, Toge-sama.”

Toge blinked once, then let out a hearty laugh, even as the kitsune to her left facepalmed and the rest of the councilors stifled chuckles. “Ah, I see the Kami work in strange ways indeed.” She smiled at us. “Not the strangest group to approach the throne since I took it.”

“No, I’d hope not.” I replied dryly, amusement purposefully amplified on my face, “We do, after all, consist mostly of humans. Odd humans in some cases, but humans all the same.” Pausing, I smiled, “Though I have gotten off track. How would you like to proceed with diplomacy today, Lady Toge?”

Toge sobered slightly. “There are several answers to that, but before we dismiss the ceremony, I must speak to the one behind you; the second-least dangerous one here.” She looked past you, beckoning with one finger. “You have been burning with anticipation this whole time. Why do you approach the throne today?”

Hayate-san stepped forward, removing the gilded folder from her billfold. “Lady Toge, I bring a missive from select members of the Diet… and a message from the Emperor.” The offered folder was taken by one of the nearby guards, who bore it up to the Shogun. “The modern, mundane government has been peripherally aware of your society, but was uncertain how to approach. They wish to arrange a more formal meeting.”

Toge took the folder, opening it… and causing a slight burst of light from within. She sighed, grunting as she removed one sheet of paper from within. “I see Amaterasu-no-Okami has her fingers in this.”

The miko to her left perked up at the flash, looking up in interest. “...if I may, my lady?”

“It’s her, but if you want to confirm…” She passed the paper on, returning to her neutral positon. “Well, we’ll be putting together a more comprehensive missive for direct delivery, but you’ll get your meeting, Ms…”

“Ah, I am Yagami Asako.” She responded.

“Not a name I know. Why are you here, then?”

“I am here to escort my daughter and her sworn blades.”

“A child with retainers, while her parent yet lives… I sense a story there.” Toge nodded, before turning back to me. “Lee-San. Do you speak for those that came before me today?”

“I do, though those behind me should not be ignored when they speak, even if they contradict me.” I intoned formally.

“The formatilites must be acknowledged. Then, do you swear, upon your word, your blood, and the Kami, that you and those with you mean no harm to any within these walls?”

“I do.” I replied formally, “I reserve the right to defend myself, but I do not believe it shall come to that.”

“Good clarification. In response, I do declare that any who dare to attack you shall deserve all they get, if I do not kill them myself.” She stood. “I welcome you and yours to the Everblooming Palace. I offer hospitality and open discussion, in return for news and entertainment.” She stepped away from her throne, even as her supporters began to stand. “Come in, and be at ease.”

I stepped in behind her, our group following her down a side passage and past a great many sliding doors, before the group advanced out a door and into a large open garden. Dozens of small pavilions and one large table sat on wooden platforms, all under wooden pagoda-style roofs. Toge relaxed as we stepped outdoors, and gave a short huff. “Alright. My advisors and I will be taking a seat at the grand table. You’ll be there, and I assume Yagami will join you. Who else from among your coterie will be addressing us? Your bodyguards, retainers, and students will have their needs met on the outer seating.”

Pausing, I considered things for a moment, “Nanoha, Rei. With me please. Everyone else, enjoy yourselves.”

Hayate raised her hand. “Umm, may I…”

“That is technically your mother’s choice. I have no objections if she doesn’t.” I said rotely, nodding towards Asako-san. I wasn’t going to step on that conversational landmine, thank you very much!

Ms. Yagami sighed. “Come along, and bring Reinforce.” As she spoke the last name, Toge’s head turned, looking over her shoulder. “Observe only, and if you get bored, leave without causing a scene.”

As Hayate nodded, the kitsune in the party smiled softly. “Ah, letting the child see the machinations early?” He nodded once. “A bright child, I can tell. I suspect she’ll add much to the conversation.”

“There’s a reason I brought them along,” I grinned happily, glad someone else recognized the value of the younger minds.

The Nurarihyon chuckled. “One thig I can say for my lady’s demeanor, it makes the court actually interesting.” His speaking revealed sharp, pearly white teeth. “I suppose we should all introduce ourselves. I am Arisawa Kenta.”

The kitsune shook his head. “Ah, I forget myself. I am Ryuuhei Jiro, advisor to her majesty.”

The miko bobbed once. “Kazuko Mio. I am the most direct link between my lady and the Celestial Court.” She blinked, then looked at her lady. “When my lady does not attempt to contact them herself.”

Toge grunted as we came to the long table, taking a seat at the table. “If they’d give me more than a prophecy for my bloody successor, I’d be a little more respectful.”

Kazuko nodded once. “The Kami work in mysterious ways, Lady Toge.”

The dai-tengu man grunted as he took a seat. “And I am Musashi.” He rumbled.

“A pleasure to meet you all,” I replied politely, standing up and bowing, “I am Rii Shizuka, a Corporal of XCOM, and Hero of Many Battles.” I continued, internally wincing at the overly grandiose title I had chosen, “The latter is not by choice, but someone has to play the poster-girl.”

Musashi chuckled softly, pouring himself some sake as the others nodded. Taking that as my signal to continue, I gestured to Nanoha, “This is my apprentice. She is capable of introducing herself, however.”

Nanoha stood, giving a quick bow. “Ah, I am Takamachi Nanoha, youngest child of the Takamachi clan, and first Apprentice of Lee-sensei.” She straightened, giving a brilliant smile. “Thank you for allowing me to be here today!”

Ryuuhei smiled broadly, even as Arisawa and Musashi both perked up at the mention of the Takamachi name. Arisawa spoke. “Ah, child. Is your father Takamachi Shiro, by any chance?”

“Ou? You know my father, Arisawa-san?”

“I am… familiar, with his work.” He peered at Nanoha. “Are you training to join his current profession, or his old one? If the latter, I may have work for you some day.”

Nanoha wilted slightly. “Um, I’m not quiet enough to be a bodyguard… or a kunoichi.” She perked up. “Lee-sensei says I’m more of Banner-Bearer. She still hasn’t explained it to me!” She continued, pouting at me predictably. I simply grinned.

Musahi sat back, blinking slightly. “I can see that, young one.” He said lowly. “I think you might do better in my camp than his.”

“Perhaps.” Arisawa waved one hand.

Toge nodded, a wide smile curving around her tusks. “Well met, Takamachi-chan.” Looking back at me, she nodded. “Continue, please.”

Nodding at Hayate, I did as I was asked, “My other apprentice is Yagami Hayate. As her mother has instructed her to simply observe, I will introduce her.” My tone made it clear that I was perfectly okay with this. Asako had the right as Hayate’s mother to make such a decision, especially since it was honestly going to test the poor girl more than talking at this kind of event would. Moving on, I gestured towards the second to last of my group, “Reinforce, would you like to introduce yourself?”

Reinforce nodded and stood. “I am… Yagami Reinforce, recently, newly adopted family member and Device of Yagami Hayate. I am the manifestation of the Tome of Night Sky, a Lexicon and Weapon of Al-Hazard and Ancient Belka.” She bowed. “Please treat myself and my master kindly.”

As Reinforce had spoken, the entire group had sat up. Toge tapped her chin in thought. “We know that all Devices have a small level of thought, but you are the first I’ve seen to speak for yourself so forthrightly.” She observed. “A spirit, then?”

“Like the spirit warriors that accompanied your group?” Kazuko asked, looking over at the Belkan warriors.

“Similar but different.” I patiently explained, smiling happily at the topic, “Reinforce is an Artificial Intelligence. A Machine Spirit, for the lack of a better term, who was created by other intelligent beings for various purposes, in her case, as a repository of knowledge. If I recall correctly, the Wolfkenritter are more of imprints of Warriors Past, who gave themselves up to defend the knowledge contained within her.”

Toge shot another look at the Wolkenritter, who as one turned to look at her from their table. “...interesting.” She murmured. “I may need to schedule a bout.”

Musashi smiled, locking gazes with Signum. “A swordswoman of an ancient era… we shall have to test that.”

Ryuuhei’s gaze remained fixed on Reinforce. “Interesting, to see a new yet old type of mind come among us. I may have questions as to how you have thought.”

Kazuto cleared her throat. “Your philosophy can wait for another day, Ryuuhei-sama.” She looked back at Reinforce. “Though I would like to sit in on such a discussion.”

Reinforce nodded once. “I was built to share knowledge. It would be my pleasure.”

Hayate lost the battle to hold her tongue. “Hey, no fighting my knights! Not unless they want to, anyway.” She huffed. “They spent a long time being used by mean people, so now I have to look out for them.” Beside her, Ms. Yagami slowly nodded, though she placed one hand on her daughter’s shoulder.

Toge looked back at her, eyes sparkling. “Oh… you may be a keeper, child.” She turned back to me. “And she is your apprentice, as well?”

I grinned happily, eyes sparkling right back at the Shogun with utter delight, “I am blessed so, yes.”

“Hmm. We’re going to have a lot to talk about later.” She rumbled. “And then there’s one.”

Rei stood, bowing. “I am Oda Rei, twenty-eigth child of the Oda clan, and as of recently, in the service of House Lee.” She straightened. “Lee-san expressed interest in seeing parts of the Jade Realm, and as I had a request to bring before the Court, I arranged her introduction to it.”

“Hmm. So, you’re not here as an Oda kit at all, then.” Ryuuhei mused. “I wondered why they sent no missive.” He gave a nod. “I assume your request will be tended by your master’s house, then?”

“It will.” I interjected immediately, bowing towards the Shogun, “Rei is under my protection.”

Ryuuhei’s tails lashed. “I see.”

Arisawa and Mushashi both nodded, Toge speaking as they did. “And so, you’ll be the one to present it.” She waved, allowing a troupe of servants to approach the table, setting a wide array of saucers, jugs, and steaming buns on the table. The Shogun poured herself a massive dose of Sake in a wide saucer. “Ah, do your apprentices drink yet, Lee?”

“No. Such is illegal until they are 20.” I replied dryly, “Nor do I see a reason to let them. Sake is best consumed by those who know what to expect from it.” Pausing to accept a cup, but not bothering to drink from it quite yet, I gathered my thoughts, before nodding resolutely, “It has come to my attention that several devices are sitting unused in the various magical government’s vaults. With the ongoing invasion of our shared Earth, I was hoping to work out a method to lend them to other mages. Including your own, if we can figure out the kinks in that.”

Toge’s eyebrow arched, even as Musashi grunted unhappily. “Huh, straight to the point. Good.” She took a long draw from her saucer. “To be honest, those Devices… well, at first we didn’t know what we had, and then a lot of people were scared of what they could do.” She waved one hand. “This entire realm is only stable and hidden because most humans had no magic, or didn’t believe in it. Even with only a few hundred Devices on Earth, we’ve been having more and more close calls.”

Kazuto sighed. “But the message from Amaterasu-no-Okami is clear. Times change, however much we hold back the tides.”

Arisawa chuckled. “The old markets were growing stale, regardless. It would be nice to do a proper Night Parade again.” He said wistfully.

Musashi spoke next. “But even unused, those artifacts are both ours by right and dangerous weapons. We have not made good use of them, but that is because we do not know how, and the foolish who make blind attempts to activate them sometimes end up dead.”

“To be blunt; those Devices are ours. But hoarding them isn’t the answer.” Toge finished. “So… I’m willing to give what we have over. But not for free.” She scowled. “I cannot simply give away such a potent bargaining chip.”

“Who said anything about free.” I replied idly, smiling, “Reinforce, do you think we can figure out the reason why none of the Magicals have been able to activate one?”

Ryuuhei coughed. “Some have succeeded, actually. But few and far between, and none very powerful ones. Those that do… well, the last Time of Strife had two Device-wielding assassins. One of those was the one to kill Lady Yasaka, former Queen of the Court.” He cocked his head. “Though… by the sound of things, you may know more.”

Reinforce nodded. “Most devices, particularly military ones of any era, are designed to only properly interface with a Human Linker Core.” She looked across the table. “Even you, Kazuto-san, have a core distinctly different from the human norm, due to your links to a… divine spirit. As for the rest, most would be unable to form the proper interface.” She held up one hand, a network of lines appearing above. “But said interfaces can be altered to fit. With some effort, and the help of Shamal, knight of the lake, we should be able to find matches for some of your Devices.”

Toge’s smile gre huge. “Now we’re getting somewhere.”

“And the truth becomes clear.” Ryuuhei looked at Rei, his smile absent. “Your request is for a Device of your own, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Ryuuhei-sama.”

“Hmm. A good proof of concept, if nothing else.” Arisawa murmured. “Though this is a request which must be passed through the rest of the council.”

Toge nodded. “A good start.” She looked at me directly. “I have other conditions, but such discussion can wait until we’ve all had time to think a bit. For now, let us get to know each other, in a way only exceeded by battle.” She held up her saucer. “All those old enough; drink with me! And let no falsehoods pass your lips!”

Chapter Text

Let me tell you; even if you don't drink to excess, being at an Oni party is a draining experience.

Hours of talking to an increasingly inebriated but still annoyingly coherent court of individuals; refusing, time and again, impromptu sparring sessions, having to help wrangle three knight-spirits who hadn’t had the chance to get drunk in literal millenia… By the time the evening ended, we were all exhausted, and I had happily dumped Nanoha and Hayate into one bed of our guest suite while pouring myself out onto a futon. I was asleep in seconds.

When I woke in the morning, it was to the sound of moans coming from next door. I giggled rather spitefully as I went about my morning preparations, eagerly anticipating the moment that I would throw open the windows to the annoyance’s room and rag on her for being hungover for…

“Tamamo, how long did I have to babysit Vita while she was drunk off her ass?” I gleefully asked my device, already having discussed with her my coming retribution.

“Two hours, ma’am. Incidentally, you may need to help out Reinforce.” Tamamo almost sounded… smug.

“Oh right, she went and got drunk as well. Were you the one babysitting her then?” I commiserated, rolling my eyes in vague irritation, “Being the so called ‘designated driver’ is almost never fun. Amusing in the aftermath though.”

“Indeed. Not having a physical body makes things much easier, though I am concerned that her body is capable of getting drunk.” Tamamo mused. “When I get my own body… hmm, a failsafe needs to be designed.”

“That or you can consume alcohol in a healthy manner instead of in excess. Like me.” I grinned, before pausing, “I’d still recommend the failsafes regardless.”

“I suppose. Plans for a few years down the line, and several technological leaps, I suppose.” Tamamo murmured as I checked on the two little ones. Nanoha had wrapped her arms around Hayate, cuddling the slightly smaller girl in her sleep. I suppressed my coos of delight with practiced ease, and took a flashless picture with my smartphone; immediately sending the picture to both sets of parents. They and I had an agreement, after all.

With a nod, I left the girls to their slumber and let the room after changing into a fresh outfit. Heading into the hallway, I blinked as I saw a single dour-faced white-haired woman in a maid uniform and a collar standing in the hallway.

“Greetings.” I stated politely curious, “May I help you?”

The woman blinked, then gave a shallow bow. “I am here to serve, Corporal Lee.” She murmured. “And to act as you and your companions’ guide.”

I nodded, “And observer, I think.” Pausing for a moment, I shrugged, “Not unexpected regardless of how correct my guess is. I’ll be retrieving my companions momentarily. Would you mind giving us twenty minutes or more to get ready?”

She nodded, but held up one hand. “Shogun Toge did inform us that she does not need to see all of you at once… and to not look for Lady Yagami.”

My eyes sharpened instantly, “A smart woman. Should any harm Lady Hayate, they could very well trigger doomsday. Ensure that is known to her court. I was remiss in not telling her directly.”

“Ah… she will likely see to it herself.” The woman blushed slightly. “Lady Toge is very careful with her… flings. She will see to Lady Yagami's safety herself.”

Blinking, I sighed, cursing myself for missing the lewd implications that had been staring me in the face. Must still be waking up, “Ah, you mean the mother, not the child. Don’t worry as much in that case, though I would still tread carefully.”

The woman nodded. “Is there anything you need from me?”

“Not at the moment, apologies.” I replied, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must wake my companions. There is… Payback to be had for last night.”

The woman nodded, then flexed one hand, summoning a basin into her grasp. Breathing out, she filled it with snow. “Will you need this?”

“I like you.” I remarked offhandedly, grinning with unholy glee as I took the basin, “Are you perhaps one of my fellow responsible ones?”

She grimaced. “Perhaps now. Not always.” She gave a shallow nod. “Good… hunting, I suppose.”

“Appreciated.” I replied, before turning and heading into the Wolfenritter’s room, a vulpine smirk that promised trickery plastered onto my face. With catlike grace, I sought my targets, waiting for the exact moment to dump snow upon my prey.

Opening the door to the moaning room, I found Zafira’s wolf-form looking up at me with a thoroughly annoyed gaze from a spot on the floor. Behind him, Shamal and Signum were sprawled on a futon snoring and twitching, while the smallest Wolkenritter was curled up in a ball clutching her head. In the opposite corner, Reinforce lay face down, shaking softly in a pool of some sort of liquid, her kimono utterly absent.

“If you want to not get hit by snow, I would recommend moving,” I stated dryly to the wolf, “I will have my vengeance for last night.” Zafira blinked once, before standing and calmly walking past me into the corridor.

“Well, Tamamo, our retribution begins now.” I chirped as I threw the ice-cold snow atop the cheerfully sleeping group, my device dutifully emitting the sound of a pair of frying pans being forcibly bashed together as I soundproofed the room, “Wakey wakey! It’s Vengeance O’Clock and I will annoy you for the next two hours in recompense for the hell you forced me into last night~”

As the snow connected with the two sleeping females, Shamal sat up with a gasp, blinking furiously. “...oh sard it all, what did I do last night?” She patted herself, then sighed in relief. “Good, still clothed…”

Beside her, Signum shrieked as the snow hit her, eyes flaring open then smashing shut as she clutched her head. “...medic…” She whined, actually burying her head deeper into the melting snow, trying to salvage the cold.

In one corner, Vita’s eyes opened blearily. “Shamal, healing, please–” She gasped out. “I think I broke something…”

Shamal looked over at her, face scrunched up. “A bone?”

“My liver.”

Reinforce barely reacted, twitching slightly before she rolled over. “...self-repair impeded. Time to full functionality; one hour, ten minutes…” One red eye cracked open. “Get me up in an hour and a half, please.”

“That entirely depends on how merciful Tamamo is feeling, sorry Reinforce.” I shrugged, barely holding my amusement back, “She’s the one that had to deal with your drunk ass.”

Reinforce groaned. “I just wanted to try it once…” She hissed. “Never again…”

Tamamo spoke from my wrist. “At least you were not a terrible drunk… I just wish you hadn’t had me as your program filter. I was unable to enjoy the party while I kept you from blasting something important… or someone.”

Reinforce nodded meekly, then sniffed. “...what am I sitting in?” She mumbled.

“You don’t wanna know.” Vita murmured as Shamal staggered her way. “Oh, Sant Kaiser…”

Taking pity on the poor device, I declined to mention that it was likely a pool of her own vomit equivalent. However, Vita had pissed me off, so she wasn’t gonna get off this easy,

“Sorry, Sant Kaiser can’t help you right now. There’s only Shizuka, and she’s not exactly feeling merciful~” I chirped as I glared in her and her comrades general direction, “Room clean in ten minutes. You lot will be ready for breakfast in thirty.” Unstated was the implication that I would not be pleased if my demands were not met. “I am not letting you get drunk tonight either. I ain’t paid nearly enough to herd cats.”

Shamal waved one hand as she ran the other, glowing blue, over her friend’s torso. “I have detox spells, we’ll be out by then.”

“See that you are.” I grumbled, leaving the room. As I stepped into the hallway, I saw Zheng stepping out of a room down the hallway, and turned to acknowledge him, only to stop as I saw him hold the door as two disheveled women, one an oni and the other a tengu, came out behind him. As they headed down the hallway, he shot me a quick salute. “Corporal, our escort is assembling themselves. We will be ready again shortly.”

“I see you lot had fun last night, Specialist.” I grinned, saluting, “Be sure the locals leave satisfied; it wouldn’t do to marr XCOM’s reputation.”

Zheng’s face twitched slightly. “I can confirm my team and I have put our all into all we’ve done since arrival.” He nodded, a slight smile ghosting across his face. I nodded in approval. And that was that.

Within thirty minutes, we’d assembled into a group of varying composure and coherency. Nanoha was yawning and rubbing her eyes, while Hayate was looking around perkily as the rest of the group gathered up. “Morning everyone!”

“Good morning Hayate-chan.” I echoed, smiling, “How are you?”

“Good, after Miss Tamamo blocked Reinforce from crying into my head.” She replied cheerily, before looking around. “Umm, where’s mama?”

“She’s currently enjoying some time with Shogun Toge,” I stated blandly. I was not going to do sex ed for nine-year-olds. Nope.

“Huh.” Hayate tilted her head, then gave a big grin. “Good! She’s always happy after her sleepovers!”

I filed that information away; it was nice to have confirmation that Asako had a healthy sex life. If only for the analysts to goggle at ineffectively. For the moment, I simply let the morning chatter of my group wash over me before I coughed.

“Right, we have an itinerary for today, somewhat at least, and we’ll be heading to breakfast soon. Our guide will lead us to wherever we are going shortly.” I stated professionally, “Be polite.”

Everyone nodded, and the maid gave a short bow. “Indeed. Some of the court will be in attendance, and afterwards your party will have full run of the onsen.” She turned and began walking, and we fell in behind her.

A few minutes of walking later, we walked into a large banquet hall, to find Lady Toge sitting at the head table, pouring over a stack of paperwork being managed by a prim man in a western suit. Sitting at one of the lower tables was Ms. Yagami, drinking hot tea, wincing slightly as she shifted position. I crushed the jealousy that surged immediately; I could go be with Mariko later, and I was still not comfortable enough with our relationship to pursue casual sex elsewhere.

“Good morning, Yamagi-san!” I called, grinning as Hayate began surging towards her mother, “How are you today?”

“Sore, but with no regrets.” Ms. Yagami shot a look at Toge. “Hmm. I may need to learn some magic myself. There are… interesting applications.”

Hayate grinned. “Ooh, mama, we could learn together!”
“...of course.” Ms. Yagami winced. “Ah, though I would not want to take you away from your current studies.”

“I am still not explaining that to Hayate or Nanoha.” I replied primly, “Though I suppose I could use the practice for my eventual dream.”

Before the conversation could devolve any further, Toge grunted up at the head table. Looking up, I watched her glare at the paperwork, then casually slam her fist on one end of the table, flipping it in a single motion as she stood. Hopping over her upended desk, she walked down to our table. “Good to see you all here.” She smiled. “I got enough of your measure last night, so we can drop much of the formalites.”
“May I ask what said measure was?” I smiled back, immediately doing as requested, “I’m curious what you think of us~”

“You’re too upfront and blunt to hide anything.” She replied. I grinned, winking. Most people thought that of me. I was usually the one laughing in the end. “Askao is willing to hide things, but she’s not keeping any important secrets. Some day, Hayate and her sworn blades are going to be very dangerous, Takamachi already is–”

“Thank you!” Nanoha chirped.

“-and XCOM doesn’t want to fight us at all, but we don’t want to fight them.” Toge shrugged as she took a seat, which seemed to signal a mass influx of servants carrying trays. Within minutes, massive platters of rice, salmon, tofu, and eggs were put before us, with other toppings coming out in smaller batches even as baskets of pastries were laid out at either end. “I do have some things best discussed in private, but all of your entourage can be trusted to be honest, at the very least. Better than some of the ambassadors I’ve received.”

“... You would be wise to look deeper than the mask I present, Shogun.” I stated respectfully blunt, “Though I am sure you have guessed already that I am quite capable of deception when I wish to be.” I paused once again, assessing the reaction in the ruler’s eyes, “Although you are correct that I have no reason to engage in such activities at the moment.”

Toge shrugged. “Maybe, but you haven’t even tried, and I’d know if you started.” She nodded as she loaded up her bowl with food. “Eat first, and then we can speak.”

I shrugged. She wasn’t exactly incorrect. I hadn’t had to bother masking in a while. It was nice, just being me. That one thought simply made the food taste divine too, which was even better.

As I slipped into the hot waters of the Onsen, I studied out host carefully. Over the course of the morning meal, we’d been joined by several members of her court, including her still-cour schenshel, but here and now she and I were in one small pool alone, without any guards. Looking over the dark-haired woman, I couldn’t help but see her corded muscles, atop which were layered dozens of well-healed but visible scars.

She was hot and given her smug look she was very much aware of what she was doing to me. ‘There was a time when I would protest mine lewd thoughts.’ I mused idly as I raised an eyebrow at the oni, ‘I am not that girl anymore.’

“... You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you.” I accused aloud, pouting.

Her grin widened before fading. “Yes, but it’s also a useful ploy. My people know my predilections for strong partners, even among the temporary ones. You fit.” She leaned back. “They also know I like to talk deals in places where I have people off guard and honest. So they won’t think anything of this private bath.” She slumped back. “Kami, it’s good to relax, and to have the end in sight.”

“Hm, you’re a lot smarter than most of your court gives you credit for, aren’t you.” I shot back, before my eyes widened and I rapidly clarified, “I don’t think they quite realize just how intelligent you are, to be clear. They very clearly have respect for you.”

“Hmph. My kind have a well deserved reputation, Lee-san.” She rumbled. “Or at least, we did.” She tapped the stones. “What happens to a race of drunken louts and bandits when there’s no wilderness to hide out in? What happens to uncivilized barbarians when civilization closes in on all sides?”

“They adapt, like all species on this planet do.” I retorted, a kind smile on my face, “I personally believe that evil is always a choice, and all of us are capable of being something more.” Pausing, I turned to gauge my host’s reaction.

“Damn right.” She rumbled. “But not all of us did.” She looked at me, and I could see a bit of pain in her eyes. “The Oni… we went from one of the most populous and strongest of the Yokai bloodlines to a shadow over the course of a quarter millennium. And I can’t say we didn’t deserve it.” She growled. “Most of my scars? Fighting off more aggressive males three hundred years ago.” She sighed. “The Kitsune, the Nurarihyon, the Tengu, the Human Onmyouji… my court? Those were the ones who adapted the best.” She shook her head. “And yet, I rule here and now. And I should not.”

“That’s just defeatism speaking.” I replied after a few moment’s consideration, sighing, “Like I said, no race is inherently evil, and while your ascension may have happened as a result of political violence, you are keeping things in control here.” I left unsaid my harsher words; I didn’t think they’d help right now.

“Not what I meant.” She grumbled. “I didn’t ‘ascend’. I took a seat on the throne, intending to hold onto it long enough for the power brokers to work on the succession. Five years later, no one I could respect had tried a coup or asked for the throne, and Amaterasu hadn’t declared a new leader. Nor had she ever called me for the Rite of Blooming.” At my puzzled look, she groaned. “Wordplay. Court of Blossoms, and the rite is where the would-be ruler gets judged by the Okami herself to see if they’re fit to hold the throne. I never took it.”

“What’s stopping you?” I asked, genuinely curious, “It could be said that Amaterasu’s silence is an implicit approval, after all. It had been five years.”

“Not what I was looking for!” Toge slammed one fist into the stonework. “I want off! And Okami wasn’t giving me a proper out.” She hissed. “When I sent the priestesses to ask her for dismissal or approval, I heard nothing back for three days.” She slumped. “And then emissaries from Hachiman, Tsukiyomi, Inari, and Susanoo. All of them praising me for my ‘just regency.’”

“Because you clearly have no interest in keeping power, and thus will not abuse the position. Because you are likely a fairly popular ruler, and because you honor the throne you sit upon.” I retorted, “People who respect their position and do not want it tend to make the best rulers. Human history echoes this.”

“Right up until they give up.” She sighed, then suddenly grinned. “But Amaterasu sent a private message that evening, as the sun set. A prophecy.” At my start, she waved. “Not a major one. Minor, in the grand scheme of things. But it was and is valuable to me.”

“Successor?” I asked.

“Exactly. And that’s why I’m talking to you in private.”

“I’m going to hate this conversation, aren’t I?” I sighed, “Well, hit me.”

“Don’t worry. It’s not you.” She chuckled. “I suspect you’d be much like me on the throne; if you didn’t run for the hills before I could drag you onto it. No.” Her eyes gleamed. “You’re not the one who ‘Wields the Starry Sky’ as her weapon.”

I blinked, raised a finger, frowned briefly, and began busting my gut with laughter. Of course my second student would end up being a major political figure. Oh my stars this was just comedic gold because the alternative was despairing at my status as a “main character” and never getting peace.

“So, yes. Yagami Hayate, should she survive to her maidenhood, will be the next Empress.” Toge leaned back. “Now, according to the prophecy, I’ve still got another twenty eight years on the throne, so you and I have that long to get her ready for it.”

“Oh, I don’t think that will be a problem.” I grinned, “I have several friends that would dearly love to put ideas into her head, but I don’t think I’ll let them.” Pausing, I sighed, “I think I’ll have to take up our diplomatic head’s offer for lessons after all.”

“Well, that’s one plan. The other…” Toge raised her hand. “My new heir will need bodyguards. I’ve given this a think, so tell me how you like it.” She tapped the stone. “I send… say, eight of my people with you. A good mix of guards, ninja, soldiers, and a mage or two. You train them on how to use the devices you’re going to unlock for us; and in return, I hand over ‘a measure’ of our devices, which will really be more like two-thirds. That leaves us with enough to equip a few squads, you get two-score to hand over to XCOM, and my folks will be under orders to keep Hayate alive and well.”

“... I like this plan a lot.” I admitted after a few minutes consideration, “Could I potentially convince you to send any interested in the XCOM project our way? Earth could always use more defenders, and I want to try and keep the xenophobia levels in my organization as low as possible. Senseless hate is just senseless hate.”

Toge frowned. “Might be possible… might not.” At my look, she shrugged. “Sending magical beings far from their homeland used to not end well at all. There’s a lot more magic out there these days, but we’re going to need to check if a kitsune we send to America, Europe, South Africa, and outer space aren’t just going to become a weird human and then die messily.” She paused. “Although, Devices themselves might help. There were some old legends… I may need to ask Inari’s secretary if there was any truth to those stories.”

“Ah, right. Tamamo’s namesake. Tamamo-No-Mae.” I blinked, “She as absurd as some of the old legends?”

“Yes, not the least being that after the first time the old lords chased her off, she went on a cross-continental journey and picked up magics from India, Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, put it all together, and used the combined sorceries to break a literal divine edict. Three impossible moves in one terrifying action.” Toge shuddered. “She’s not a seething beast of malice any more, and she’s lost a lot of power… but even with the little she has, she could likely kill me and half the court if she snapped.”

“Fitting for one of the three disasters.” I shuddered, smiling weakly, “Now I know why Rei-chan reacted so strongly to my choice of naming.” Pausing, I progressed from shuddering to feeling sick, “Yeah, I can definitely see why.”

How could I not? I was… an out of context problem in the end, and I had almost broke reality temporarily before Shamal had done something to fix it. Naming my device “Tamamo” was fitting for me in a way, but it was a promise as well. I shook my head. Not the time to ponder on my reasoning. Most of it was hindsight anyway.

“I’ll ask Kazuko-san to petition Inari. They likely won’t begrudge sending Tamamo here, and then we can see about laying out the Devices we have.” She tapped her chin. “I’ll let the staff know to start organizing them, and maybe put out a call to the local collectors. See if there are any floating around that haven’t made their way into the vaults.”

“That would be appreciated as well.” I giggled, nodding, “Thank you, Toge-san.”

“Don’t mention it.” Before I could speak, she shot me a look. “Seriously, don’t. I need to approach this carefully. While my inner circle knows about the prophecy, not many others do. And the fact that a human will be taking the throne… well, it’ll get out. But hopefully not for a while yet.”

“I can keep silent, don’t worry about me.” I stated with quiet resolve, “Now, is there anything else we need to speak of?”

“Nothing that needs to stay this private.” Toge rumbled. “Although, are you single?”

“No, but I’m poly, and in a fairly open relationship. Any reason in particular?”

“Hmph.” The oni said. “Ah, a shame. Might have been fun, but I don’t bed people when I can’t ask their partners first.” At my look, she waved a hand. “You’re open, but I don’t know your partner. Not going to risk a grudge.” She sat back with a sigh, closing her eyes and luxuriating in the heat.

“I wouldn’t mind asking her.” I muttered sulkily, “It’s been a while since I last tangoed.”

“Then when you come back, bring her with you. You two might be able to keep up with me together.” She drawled.

“Ooh, sounds fun~” I replied, relaxing back myself. The water was very nice, and if there wasn’t anything else pressing, I was going to enjoy it.

Chapter Text

Swords clashed in the courtyard, blades humming as they swung at such high speed to cut the air in passing. Signum’s bladework was impeccable, but so was Musashi’s guard; the Tengu and the Spirit were nearly evenly matched when it came to speed and strength, pushing the slowly intensifying sword fight to levels unseen among mortal competitors.

Toge chuckled as we watched the spar, fingers drumming on an ornately carved and silver-studded kanabo. “I’ve not seen him pressed this hard in a match of technique before. He’s likely to give Lady Signum a token just so she can come spar him on the regular.”

“... I have so much to learn with my Moonblades…” I mumbled, “Ah well, motivation found, I suppose.”

“Those trinkets?” Looking down at the paired chakrams sitting by my side, Toge shrugged. “If you can make them work, well enough. You might be better off with a more tested weapon, though.” She then chuckled. “Not like some of the weapons used by my people are much better. But you can’t beat raw force and a solid slab of wood and steel.”

“Oh, I’ll make them work. I still have to figure out how to properly configure the darned things though. My Tamamo’ll probably be needed to make them a proper part of my kit, but that can wait until I can actually utilize them in this more common form properly.” I replied, a fond smile gracing my face briefly, “Up for a spar? I’m not good, but I’d like to see how far I need to go.”

Toge looked over me, then shook her head. “I’d like a proper fight, but not when you’re so green. If you want to fight me for real, magic against might, I’d appreciate it, but fighting a novice with unfamiliar weapons… the kami tend to let accidents happen during those sorts of matches.”

“Meh, sure. Anything goes over weapon spar is fine with me.”

Toge’s eyes widened. “Well now… that’s excellent!” Toge chuckled again, before looking down at the blur the two swordsbeings had become. “Once they’re done with their match, we can have ours. You can set up one of those barrier spaces, right?”

“Yep. It should be fun~”

As I shifted in my seat, preparing to stand, the whole courtyard suddenly shuddered, as though a great impact had struck somewhere nearby. Toge’s head shot up, even as the dueling figures in the courtyard skidded to a halt. “...what was that?” She murmured, before a figure burst into the courtyard.

“Your Majesty, there’s been an assault on the wards!”

Toge blinked, then looked over at me before shaking her head. “No, the oaths aren’t triggering…” She muttered, before spinning back. “What kind of assault?”

“Attempted breach! And–” The messenger’s words were cut off as the shudder came again. “-it’s not stopping! My lady, we are under attack!”

“... It’s not us, but I have a guess on who.” I growled, donning my combat suit with a flash of magic, “Nanoha, Hayate, Barrier Jackets on now. All teams, prepare to defend the VIPs.” I stated flatly, taking command of my delegation immediately, “Get me Central now.”

“I can try. While I’ve already adjusted for the peculiarities surrounding the Palace, proper comms blocking has already gone up. Estimated time to getting a signal through; two minutes.” Tamamo responded.

“Understood Tamamo, keep trying. Reinforce, can you help her?” I barked out across the courtyard, only to swear as the tall device avatar shook her head.

Toge cursed, then paused. “Let them in.”

“Wha–”

“Before the next push, drop the barriers but activate the misdirect. Reroute them to the Boneyard; we’ll hold them there as best we can.” She shot me a look. “As a guest, I’m supposed to ask you to hang back; but I suspect you’re not going to sit this out. So. With me, or mopping up the stragglers?”

“I’d imagine we’d be safest with you.” I replied after a moment’s pause, “And this is a chance to demonstrate how far I’m willing to go for our agreement.” Giving Hayate and Nanoha a long look, I sighed, “ Nanoha, I need you with me. Miss Yagami, take Hayate, any Wolfkenritter who desire to go, and half my specialists to a secure location. Lady Toge, any panic bunkers?”

“Not as you think of them, but there are secure fallback points, and the temple complex is divinely protected.” She gave a few hand swipes, and a coterie of swordsmen and guards headed over to join the Yagami family, Zafira, Vita, Shamal, and three of the XCOM agents. “The escort will get them there safely.”

As I nodded, I spotted Signum walking up briskly aside Musashi. As the two got to us, they both snapped into saultes, before Signum shot her sparring partner a look. “We will settle this with a kill count.”

“Agreed.” The dai-tengu murmured, an aide handing him a metal fan and a loaded, engraved revolver as armor rippled into being across his form. “Lady Toge, I assume you are taking the field?”

“Damn right.” She muttered, her own armor appearing in a red flash. “Boneyard.”

The man nodded before vanishing, a whoosh of air marking his departure. Signum watched him go. “Corporal, may I…”

“I’ll be coming with you in a moment. Clear us a LZ.” I nodded, grabbing my first student, “Nanoha, help with with the teleportation circle; and don’t you dare leave my side. I’m only letting you come because I know that you’ll try to help regardless.”

Nanoha nodded, even as Toge blinked. “Eh, you do know he’s just going very fast, right? Although, if you want to speed up our arrival…”

As Toge gave Nanoha the coordinates for the Boneyard, a large honor guard of soldiers and mages began to gather around Toge, as three other figures moved up to join us. Zhang shot me a brief salute as his two escorts in clamshell armor moved to his sides. “Corporal, I assume we are assisting in the fight?”

“You assume correctly, specialist. If it’s a factional conflict, I can claim ignorance, though I personally suspect that our… old friends may be involved.” I stated carefully, “No reason other than gut instinct, but…”

Zhang’s face grew grim, even as purple light flared along his arm. “Is that so?” He gave me a nod. “In that case, I have some new tricks to show them.”

Nanoha chirped. “Okay, the pad’s ready! Everyone through in batches, please!” She yelled, waving one arm as a group of Onmiyoji inspected the circle with a mixture of awe and envy. I hid my preening behind a smile, the only indication of the pride I felt towards my student. Electing to remain behind to maintain the circle with Nanoha; mostly because I was the teleportation expert in this group. Toge led the group, but soon it was our turn.

We emerged into a scene of upset and gunfire. The Boneyard, now that we were here, seemed to be a place where ships would be launched; not modern airships or planes, but old-fashioned wooden vessels, now resting on dirt floors, some of them only skeletones of their previous self. The ships broke up firing lines, while only a single pair of double doors led deeper into the palace.

Toge was standing over a prone figure, one I was startled to see was in laminated red-and-black armor. I emerged just to hear her screaming “–you sick, traitourous clan of bastards! I will see your dreams crushed for this!”

The figure, a tengu in an armored version of traditional robes, coughed as red blood leaked from his beak. “Then we will die as liberators, heralds of the return to the old ways. Glory to the Rising Moon…”

Toge snarled, before shooting our group a look. “I thought we’d gotten here before the enemy, but it turns out their first strike was a group of traitors. I hope you six are ready for a hard fight…”

Musahi skidded to a halt beside his lady, fury stretched across his face as he flicked his blade free of blood. “They timed their ambush well. If it were not for our teleportation, they would have taken a breachhead. As it is, we are down to half-strength, and the enemy has not yet committed their full forces. Reinforcements are coming, but they will take time.”

One Onmyioji nearby called out. “Another pulse incoming!”

“Get to cover and prepare for suppression.” I called to my fireteam, leaving Toge to command her own forces. As the XCOM contingent minus myself and Nanoha dove into cover, my student and I rose into the air, a rapidfire telepathic conversation taking us into a position to provide bombardment support from the air, “Nanoha and I will be providing CAS. Call targets!”

As we rose, a pulse of purple light surged through the room, three dozen figures appearing on the ground or upon the decks of the ships below. Three groups stood out to me; the first were more warriors dressed in red and black, a mixture of Yokai and human Onmyioji. The second group was dressed in… suits? With body armor, and wielded conventional laser firearms, an odd orange glow visible through their skin. The last group were dressed in white armor, warriors carrying an odd mix of medieval european weaponry and sleek, futuristic guns.

The most notable feature of the last group, though? The standout red crosses covering their armor.

“Lady Toge… are the Knights Templar actually still active?” I twitched, already lobbing a bombardment spell that was not unraveling towards the hostile forces, all of them nicely grouped up for me and my student, “Regardless, Nanoha, bombardment please. XCOM, suppressing fire!”

Toge growled as she hoisted her war club, bounding forward with a roar even as she clashed with one half-clad oni in black. Her thoughts were semi-disjointed. “Fuckers! They’re not supposed to be; but there’ve always been rumors. The Vatican washed their hands of them centuries ago; I wonder who dug them up.”

Below, one of the soldiers on the ground looked up as my light began to fall upon them. “Shite, it’s the Outsider!”

One of the Templar warriors laughed, even as his bulky armor ignited, lifting him into the air as his blue-edged sword swung towards me. “Then we shall end two threats this day! Fear not!”

“Yahweh would be disappointed in you miserable lot.” I snarled as I effortlessly sent more waves of light, at the so called knights, keeping my rage cold and the range open; I could use it like this, but I could not when it was hot, “His son even more so.”

The knight tried to deflect the blast I sent his way off a raised shield, only for the reddish barrier to shatter, the blast sending him rocketing to the floor. As he tumbled to his doom, I was forced to jink and weave as another templar spat a hair of gauss flechettes my way from the ground. As he fired, he yelled. “We seek order, as we have done in ages past! The flaccid church surrendered their authority, and we have found a new way! Your chaos shall be purged, as will these shadows of an age long gone!”

“The only relic I see is you, little Crusader.” I spat back, “A little boy chasing order on Earth through the death of his neighbors.” Spitting with contempt, I forced myself to calm, “Nanoha, keep up the bombardment. And I’m sorry for what you’re going to see here in a few moments…”

With only a modicum of regret aimed towards my student’s impending loss of innocence, I began to lob lightly modified unravelings towards the groups of magically unshielded enemies. The templars yelled as their armor smoked, before they pressed through the fire; the Yokai and few remaining Onmiyoji were unaffected, their own charms triggering against the shells. But the suited men and women screamed as the pulses hit them, the orange glow beneath their skin erupting as they were consumed, melting into puddles of orange goo.

As they collapsed, the remainder of this wave paused, some of them beginning to panic… right before the Palace guard struck their shattered ranks like a wave, weapons flashing as they chopped, blasted, and shot their way through the enemy ranks. Toge howled as she finished off the second Oni of the group to attack her. “That is it! Did all the limp dicks I rejected join up just for the chance to claim me?”

“This surprises you why?” I shouted back, hoping to inject some levity into the grim situation, “You seem like someone who’d only reject the particularly piglike men!”

“I reject almost every man, actually.” She shot back. “I haven’t sworn off men, but…”

Musahi shrugged as he landed beside his lady. “It has been a note of contention. My Lady, at this point, if you would just take a bride, I think that would be better than…”

“I haven’t found anyone I like enough who can handle…” She waved an arm. “All this. And the paperwork.”

“Eh, fair. That just makes them homophobic assholes. Damned Incels.” I grumbled in reply, “... Maybe I could set you up with Tazri…”

“My Lady, another wave incoming!”

As a greater surge swept the room and the pulse of another incoming teleport hit, Tamamo spoke up. “XCOM has been informed of the attack, but as they do not know where we are, they cannot send a prompt response. This surge seems noticeably larger than the last.”

“Prepare for another wave!” I barked, “Mix up the strategy! Nanoha, you and me are on suppression, XCOM; sort em out!”

Zhang looked up from where he had one still living Templar in a headlock. “This one tells me there will be another wave after this one!”

“Got it! We’ll discuss the strategy for that one later! Zhang, you have local control!”

“Confirmed!” Zhang tossed the unconscious templar over his shoulder and retrieving his rifle. As he hit the deck, two score figures arrived in the boneyard, this one much shorter on local support, consisting mostly of templar and Exalt agents, this time with a pair of the heavy mechs we’d seen last time. As one, both robots turned, each one fixing on myself or Nanoha., I made the executive decision to kill the fuck out of them by blinking between them and using Senbonzakura. No one touched my student and lived.

One robot was immediately shredded by the pulse of petals, while the other triggered a device on its shoulder, a brief matri popping into existence and taking the two dozen miniature explosions for it, pivoting to face me as the shield failed. I simply utilized my superior maneuverability to neatly dodge the blatantly obvious gun, raining magical fire upon the mech with Tamamo. Avoiding the burst from the heavy gun, my own response hit the enemy hard, a pair of heavy beams melting then piercing its body armor and sending it to the floor, never to rise again.

I took a quick look around, only to see almost the entirety of the wave driven back and slaughtered; the enemy had arrived in the midst of the fighters, dazed and disoriented, and it had taken mere moments for the alert and ready warriors around them to take apart their foes. I grinned, before another pulse brought one last wave of fresh troops to the fight; this time all Templars. But, before I could attack, a red gateway sprang into existance on one wall.

“ENOUGH.” From the portal, a large man, wearing white armor and wielding a massive zweihander in one hand strode out. “THIS BATTLE SHALL END. SURRENDER, and you shall be spared.” Beside him, four other Templars strode out, wielding heavy weaponry.

“How about no.” I replied coldly, “Musashi, Signum, Lady Toge. Please dance with our uninvited guest. I’ll deal with the rabble.”

“Foolish, Outsider.” The man clenched his free fist, a heater shield of red light forming as he blocked a strike from Signum. “The Maverick will be far less kind, should he be given the chance to claim you. As for your inhuman allies–” His blade met Toge’s club with a gong, both combatants force back by the impact, even as his shield transformed into a pistol and let him blast at Musashi, driving him back. “-that offer extends to them, as well.”

“He talks too much.” I mused to Tamamo as I faded from view, sighted down, and then Blinked behind the man–

Only for a vicious backhand to catch me in the stomach, throwing me back into the wall. The man turned, even as his escorts began to spray lasers on the encroaching Guards. “You think I would not learn from those who fell to you before?”

“You. Talk. Too. Much.” I gritted out, discarding the cloak and rising into the air effortlessly, returning the majority of my partitions to the larger fight as I once more to hopefully resumed my role as CAS, “I know when to fuck off and let my allies deal with a target I cannot yet. Have fun with my friends, You Forgettable Piece of Worthless Trash.”

“I am CRUSADER, child.” The Knight roared, dashing forward and lifting into the air, his blade whistling as he cut at me. “Perhaps I am not well known; but that shall change.”

“You speak as if I care about anything you say, lunatic.” I spat back, my hastily unsheathed Moonblades just barely deflecting the insane blow away as I desperately blinked towards my allies. I had to deal with him on the ground. Away from Nanoha. Away from my student. “EXALT are like religious fanatics of all kinds; your words are worth less than dirt.”

Crusader landed with a boom as he rocketed towards me, his sword easily knocking one blade from my hand. “Short sighted and erroneous. We are–”

“Easily distracted!” Toge roared, her club smashing into his side, knocking him a few steps away from me. “Your troops are shattered, your attack will fail– and I will enjoy crushing you!”

“Bold words–”

“Ara ara, have I come at a bad time?”

All activity, all words in the hall ceased as a massive weight settled on all of us. Something in the back of my head, some instinct told me an apex predator was looking at me. I turned, slowly, to see who was speaking.

A woman, with black hair tingled with russet red, in a white and red kimono, stood in the midst of the combat. Two fox ears stuck through her hair, and a simple ring staff was held in one clawed hand. But it was what was behind her which stood out the most; nine tails, four of fur and flesh, and five translucent and ethereal, trailing behind her.

“...Lady Tamamo. Forgive the mess…” Toge spoke, her throat rippling.

Crusader shifted minutely. “Oh, what the fuck–” He uttered, before slamming his fist on his heart. “This is not over.” He spoke, before he began to vanish into red light.

“I think not!” I growled, several magic circles spinning up around me as I desperately attempted to block the outbound teleport. I knew it was a hail mary. But I had to try; this was someone we needed dead.

The pulse of my binding caught the man, wrapping around him– but as it constricted, his armor pulsed with energy, holding off the bonds. A second red pulse seemed to have no effect; before the armor collapsed, its wearer bound away without his garb.

“... Damn.” I whispered harshly, “Almost.”

From over my shoulder, a sensual voice chuckled. “I cannot fault you for the mess, your Majesty. Such always happens with unexpected guests.” Turning around, I watched as Tamamo advanced, her ethereal tails fading and leaving her with only four of flesh and blood. “But it seems you were prepared, with some help.”

“Lady Tamamo.” I bowed, mischief rising within me before I ruthlessly crushed it, “It is an honor to meet the individual that inspired the name I bestowed on my device.” Pausing, I cocked my head to the side, “Though I never expected any of the myths to be real during that specific period of my life, I request forgiveness if I have offended you by giving Tamamo her name.”

Tamamo merely shook her head. “It comes with being famous, child. I believe Lady Toge has a similar problem, no? How many other Toge, Sono, or Ibara have you blessed, your Majesty?” She tittered. “Ah, perhaps we should take this talk elsewhere.” She peered past me, her tails drooping. “And… tend to a child who has had her blooding. And not the womanly kind.”

“Nanoha…” I whispered, horror and sorrow mixing in a truly horrifying realization even as I sprinted past the elder ninetails and wrapped my student in a crushing embrace, “... Words cannot begin to describe…” Blinking away the tears at my pregnant pause, I held myself together for just a bit longer, “How sorry I am.”

Nanoha didn’t respond for a moment, before her arms wrapped back around me, her voice silent. Within my arms, my first student began to shake as small, quiet sobs began to shudder through her.

Toge sighed. “Maybe a little early for her.” She mumbled. “Lady Tamamo, while I would like to receive you with all the honors you are due as an emissary of Divine Inari, I will be involved in the cleanup for a while. May I trouble you for some patience?”

“Not at all. I can wait Besides, there are more interesting people to speak to.” Tamamo trotted over to me, Nanoha freezing as two tails wrapped around our waists. “Ah, child. Today, you have done the bloody, honorable work so that others stay safe.”

“... Why don’t I feel worse?” Nanoha whispered in a small voice, my already broken heart shattering at those words, “... I should feel terrible, right? But it’s just… sad.”

“It means you understand and accept that they gave you no other choice, Nanoha.” I replied steadily, offloading my storm of emotions to all partitions but one. I’d pay for it later, but Nanoha did not need me to start sobbing. She needed this talk, and I needed to give it. “There… No, that’s not the right way to put it.” Pausing to gather my racing thoughts, I breathed deeply and continued, “Some people, usually found more among soldiers than anywhere else, are capable of ending a life threatening those they care about without a feeling of crushing guilt.” I took a look at my quivering student, noting with some relief that she was listening, “We understand and appreciate life; never let anyone tell you otherwise. But we also understand that sometimes, there is no other safe choice but to take the life of another living person. In defense of another. Never without cause. The fine line between killing someone and murder.”

I waited, holding my piece as the crying girl began to slowly stir, suppressing a sigh of relief when she nodded slowly. And I continued to wait silently as the cleanup around us continued, shielding my student from the bloody courtyard and cursing myself. I knew it was inevitable. Nanoha would eventually have gotten into a situation that required her to go lethal during a war where she was a target. That did not make me feel better. Frankly, it made the guilt eat at me all the more.

“... I asked to come. I can’t…” She shook her head into my chest. “Mama thought it might happen eventually.” She looked up. “I… I think I get why Yuuno-chan is so scared of guns now.” she muttered.

Tamamo chuckled. “Adorable. Both of you.” Her eyes crinkled as her two free tails waved happily. “Takamachi-chan, you’re alive, and all you protected are alive. If you need to focus on something, look there.” She looked around, nose wrinkling at all the dead. “They would not have mourned as you do.”

“While I prefer not to demonize my enemies, Tamamo-dono has a case in this particular example.” I sighed, barely holding back the reproachful glare that I wanted to give the old fox. Pushing aside the annoyance I put up an admirable attempt at switching to my teaching voice, “EXALT, and those that attacked in accordance with them are fanatics Nanoha; they’ll do anything, kill anyone, enslave a planet even; all to accomplish whatever goals they may have.”

Tamamo shot me a look. “Hmm. Now, that I did not know. EXALT, hmm? We shall have to speak on them later.” She snapped open her fan. “But this location is not appropriate for anything constructive. Should we retire?”

“Yes. I’ll need to start writing up an AAR to send to Central, and I need to deliver Nanoha-chan to Hayate-chan.” Pausing, I sighed, “You need your friends more than anyone else right now, Nanoha. I’d recommend giving Yuuno-kun a call, he’d probably understand fairly well.”

Nanoha hesitated, before making a tiny nod. “If you say so, sensei.”

As a group, we began heading back into the complex, leaving behind the detritus of a massive battle… and the remains of a shattered innocence.

What a fucking mess.

Chapter Text

The air of geniality we’d experienced earlier in our visit was almost gone now. Not absent entirely, but somewhat transient; like it had gone, into the other room, and now we were waiting to see if it would return or not.

I looked around the room, eying our reunited group. Nanoha was being fussed over by Hayate, the little firebrand giving her friend a massive hug. Shamal and Zafira spoke to the girls, and I couldn’t help but smile as I saw the slight dull edge in Nanoha’s eyes slowly melt as the two old soldiers spoke.

Meanwhile, Toge was busy hashing things out with Mrs. Yagami, the two women talking in hushed tones while two scribes and a member of the XCOM team served as recorders. Xheng was working the room, speaking with various emissaries and guardsmen as they conferred with Musashi… who was also busy debating the ‘value’ of each kill with Signum.

So far, it seemed like neither side had an edge in their contest. I was tempted to chime in that I had more kills than either than them, but that was just my inner gremlin looking to cause glorious chaos.

‘I usually only get flowery when I’m depressed. Glad to know I’ve moved to only doing it when melancholic.’ I mused internally, looking around the room for someone I wanted to talk to, and generally finding none. My motivation for the day was largely shot by the battle earlier, and I found my old urge to just forget about the world return with a bloody vengeance.

Fortunately, the world would not let me simply take a step back. As I began to sink into my chair, the doors at one end of the room burst open, admitting the lady of the hour in all her glory. Four russet tails writhed behind one of the most poised forms I’d ever encountered. Despite being completely contained in a white and orange kimono, Lady Tamamo’s lithe form was evident in every perfect step, her graceful boy only marred by an absolutely massive grin beneath a pair of golden eyes. “Ah, how much this land has forgotten about battle and war. But have no fear, I have arrived, and thus the afterparty can begin!” She laughed, snapping open her fan.

Honestly, I had to give the fox points for style and sheer charisma. As I began to rise from the seat almost unconsciously to join in the festivities, I began to muse once more; I could see why she could be one of the Three Great Calamities, and why she had the potential to do so much good in the world.

Toge turned as Tamamo made her entrance. “Lady Tamamo, while I’m all for a party, don’t you think…”

“Now, now. We don’t need to participate, as such.” Tamamo’s face lost her mirth. “But really, we do need to celebrate, or at least make a major statement about this.” She rapped her fan on her hand. “You won a crushing victory; really, I’ve already checked, and you lost twenty-nine people. We’ve yet to fully account for all the dead, but over a hundred have already been identified.” She grinned, a sharp and nasty thing. “Your foes exposed themselves, committed their armies, revealed their traitors… and lost. Badly. If you do not celebrate, or at least make a show of it, it will seem like they did more damage than they did.”

“...the fox is wise.” Toge murmured. “Very well. Arisawa, can you make the arrangements?”

The Nurarihyon melted out of the shadows near the door. “Of course, my lady. I assume you do not want to arrange a Night Parade?”

“Not now, no.” Toge grumbled. “Stop asking about that, we’re not going to announce our existence with a parade through the streets.”

“Honestly, that would likely be the best way to do so, Lady Toge.” I interjected with a smile, “At least, when or if you choose to abandon secrecy. Japan is still a deeply traditional nation, and if you coordinate with the Diet…”

Toge grunted, cutting Arisawa off before he could speak up. “Maybe, but only after things stabilize.”

Tamamo laughed. “Ah, it would be good to stretch my legs…”

“You’ll need permission from your boss to attend, my Lady.”

Tamamo frowned cutely. “Are you sure~”

“Yes.”

“Pooh, you’re no fun.” Tamamo sighed, turning towards everyone else. “So… let’s see. Now, where is that little scamp from the Oda clan? She’s the reason I’m here, so…”

“Rei-chan, if you could?” I called gently, knowing that the poor kitsune likely did not want to deal with this. “Tamamo-san is calling for you.”

Rei faded into existence as her wards dropped, her maid mask in place… but as before, I could see the hairs on her tails standing straight up, only smoothing as she advanced to my side. “Yes my lady…” She murmured, before hesitantly stepping forward and dipping into a deep bow. “Greetings, honored elder. I am pleased that–”

“Hmm. Honored elder?” Tamamo cut her off. “Child, your family were once my enemies, and I am trying to make amends for everything I did back then.” She waved her tails. “We’re not quite peers, but bowing and scraping from you… no.” She stepped forward. “Look at me.”

Rei looked up, meeting her senior’s gaze. As I watched, something seemed to pass between the two Kitsune, and Rei sucked in a deep breath. “...hello, Tamamo-san. How are you doing today?” She finally let out, seeming to shed some of her stiffness as she spoke.

“Much better, in both senses, Oda-san.” Tamamo smiled. “Now, I’ve heard of what you want, yes? A device of your own?”

“Yes ma’am.” Rei flicked one ear. “I wish to be able to work alongside Lady Lee, if necessary. Right now, I could never keep up with her.”

“Ah yes.” Tamamo shot me a look, her eyes twinkling. “Lee-san, correct? We spoke previously, but I know your type.” She leaned forward. “How did that game go– do you want to touch fluffy tail, hmm?”

“A side benefit of becoming fluffy tail, actually.” I replied seriously, eyes twinkling in amusement, “I’ve already sent that letter to Inari-sama, I’m sure I’ll hear a reply sometime before I expire~”

“I read it, actually, and passed it on.” Tamamo replied. “Inari is not one to hand out such a thing to just anyone, of course, but you have their attention. Though, they do want to pass on that such a thing will not be even considered until this war is resolved and you have left XCOM.” She looked back at her tails. “A Device may make those of us weaned on magic more capable outside our homelands, but it is not perfect, and Inari does not want one of the best warriors of Earth crippled in her time of need.”

I shrugged, “I figured as much.” Pausing, I smiled sheepishly, “It’s a thought for the future, Lady Tamamo. Who knows, perhaps in the future, enough will change to allow those formerly tied to the land to explore to their heart’s content.”

Tamamo nodded slightly. “Perhaps, though if it did, it would be an unanticipated change.” She mused, before turning back to Rei. “Now then. Lee-san, I have a proposal for you.” She flicked one of her tails, a golf-ball sized pearl on a leather thong appearing in her hand. “A test, a burden… and a chance to release someone long bound.”

The entire room of Yokai froze as the pearl was revealed. I blinked, wracking my mind for the relevant piece of… Was that a bleeding Hoshi-No-Tama?

Rei gulped. “...Lady Tamamo.” She said slowly. “Is that… you cannot be offering me Hoshikawa.”

Tamamo gazed at the orb in longing, and as it turned upon its axis, I noted the paper tag adhered to its surface. “Hoshi has… well, we went a long way together, after I awoke them in my grief and rage. Too long, for those hidebound idiots in the…” She stopped herself, and sighed. “Even after my release, they have not allowed me to awaken my old friend. One of the limits of my parole, they say.” She sniffed. “Bah. Yes, they’d help me break out, if I wanted to. But I don’t, and even Inari themselves think its rather stupid.” She held the orb out. “So… would you be willing to take in an old friend? I cannot take them up again.”

“Bureaucracy at it’s finest, I suppose.” I whispered to myself, so lowly that I could barely hear my own words. “... The very thought of parting with you, Tamamo, causes me pain. I suppose that is what it is like, to trust someone so closely as a friend.”

Tamamo buzzed slightly. “I cannot quite say the same, Shikuza. I have had and lost other masters. But I would mourn you, as I do my last one. There is a reason I submitted to my past memory wipes, and not just out of necessity.”

As we exchanged words, Rei held out one hand, cradling the small orb as the flesh-and-blood Tamamo lowered it. She looked at it in concern, eyeing the tag. “It is still sealed.”

Tamamo’s smile was melancholic as she eyed the small ofuda. “Not really. The tag only blocks their sight out, and Hoshi accepted my command to hibernate soon before the sealing. They would have gone mad otherwise. You should be able to pull it off.”

Toge grunted in surprise. “Then you could have done so?”

“And gotten smacked for my troubles.” Tamamo replied sourly. “Inari, Ammy-chan, Izanagi-san… they’re fine with me, but half the Celestial Bureaucracy waits for any excuse to smack me down.” She drooped. “And of course, unsealing Hoshi might lead them to smash them, rather than seal them again.” Reinforce gave a mou of protest from one side.

“Agreed, Reinforce.” I nodded, taking a look at the frozen kitsune under my employ, “Rei-chan, you should.” I continued simply, placing a hand gently on the kitsune’s shoulder, “T’would be rude to refuse such a gift.”

Rei nodded, reaching over to pull the tag off. “So–” She stopped as the pearl darkened, the outer layers fading into translucency as a multitude of lights appeared floating within.

The orb pulsed, then began to speak in clear, archaic Japanese. “...it has been three hundred eighty thousand and five hundred days… approximately, since my last activation.” The voice was dry, reserved emotion evident in each word. “Did another of your plans go wrong, Tamamo-san?”

Tamamo’s face lit up, and she chuckled. “...ah. That assumes I had a plan back then, old friend.” She tilted her head. “Much has changed since we last spoke.”

“Considering that I am not in your possession, approximately sixty-five percent of your power is sealed, I detect massive amounts of electromagnetic communications channels, and several active Mage Focii close by, I suppose it has.” Hoshikawa responded. “...also, a calm and composed Oni. Will wonders never cease.”

“... I like you.” I added from afar, glee flashing across my face. Perhaps I could add to the chaos if I got a perfect moment to. Snark was always fun.

“Hmm, and you seem to mean it…” The device paused. “While I appreciate your naming sense, I must request that you select a new name for your partner. Such magnificence is reserved for my… mistress.” Hoshi trailed off. “Hmm. Mistress, our link has been severed.”

Tamamo sighed. “I’m on parole, Hoshi. They won’t let me keep you right now, and I refuse to leave you inactive.”

“Respectfully, my lady, that’s a lie. You could have.” They paused, surface rippling. “Are we done trying to fight the gods, then?”

Toge coughed, even as Kazuto squeaked. “Please do not attack the heavens. We’ve got enough trouble as it is.”

“But my isekai bingo card!” I snarked back, eyes alight in unholy glee, “I have to fill it out!” Pausing, I requested that my Tamamo manifest the prop I had prepared ages ago, and pointed at it, “See, I have so many cross out, and I’m only missing ‘Fight God or Gods’ to get Bingo!”

Hoshi sighed. “More in-jokes to adapt to. Joy.”

Tamamo waved one hand. “I suspect your new partner will be able to fill you in.”

Rei gulped. “Ah, hello, Hoshikawa.”

“...Lady Tamamo must see something in you, but I have no idea what.” Hoshi mused. “Hmm… good compatibility, acceptable core strength…” They paused. “Nothing exceptional, though.”

Rei’s gaze narrowed. “As something which could easily be put to use on a golf course, should you really be antagonizing me?”

“Ah, a spine. That will do.” Hoshi murmured. “I see. Mistress, any final commands before transfer?”

“Lock down all but the most basic of my collection… actually, the first two levels. Release them as you see fit.” Tamamo acknowledged. “Rei, you are not to share anything you learn from Hoshikawa until you’ve mastered them, understood?”

Rei gulped and nodded. “Yes, Lady Tamamo.”

“Understood, mistress.” They pulsed again. “Will you reclaim me, someday?”

Tamamo frowned. “I can make no promises.”

“...you have changed, my lady. For the better, I think.” Hoshi said after a long moment. “Very well. Oda Rei, yes? This will hurt a little.”

Rei nodded, gripping Hoshi tightly. Suddenly, she flinched, both tails going ramrod straight and her eyes dilating. After a few heart-stopping moments, she sagged, gasping. “Ugh… That…”

Tamamo chuckled. “Your natural magical skills are going to be difficult to use for some time.” She turned to the rest of us, her fan snapping open as she took up a lecturer’s pose. “At the core of it, all natural Yokai and other ‘magical’ skills connect to the levels of magic on a fundamental but shallow level. True magic, that of the start and words beyond, requires a connection to the fundamental forces of the universe; and therefore requires the way we interact with magic to be deepened significantly.” She looked at Rei. “In other words, you now need to learn how all your old abilities worked, instead of just using them on instinct.”

Rei flinched. “Ah… that might be…”

Hoshi pulsed, and Rei’s frown contorted. “...oh, I see.”

Tamamo nodded, a flash of loss crossing her face. “Hoshi’s been through this before.” She acknowledged. “So they’ll be able to walk you through it without much issue.”

“So that’s the reason your people die when they try to bond.” I stated aloud, noticing the looks I was getting, “Some of you; the Oni especially from what I’ve seen, rely a lot on magic. Your very bodies are build around it, and that includes some autonomous functions that would be disrupted by having to learn it again.” Pausing, I took a quick breath and continued, “It would be like this; a human now has to learn how to breathe again, after taking a device that makes that function manual instead of automatic, without a switch to flip it back to automatic.”

Toge nodded. “Matches with the observed deaths, anyway.” She clapped her hands together. “Well, you have your device now, Oda. Does Hoshikawa know a way to make other devices less impactful upon resonance?”

“I do.” Hoshikawa acknowledged. “It’s a simple process, but requires activating the devices in question in maintenance mode then having them take data from the normal magical and biological functioning of the prospective user, then having the device serve as a life-support device until they can function on their own.”

Tamamo nodded. “As a side note, Rei-san, do not lose Hoshi. Right now, he’s keeping you alive.” She cocked her head. “It should only take… ah, five to ten years before your magic adapts to keep you supported on its own, if you are using Hoshi daily. Less if you focus solely on regaining independence, but where’s the fun in that?”

I whistled, “I understand now why Lady Inari made her stipulations, Jesus.”

Tamamo coughed. “Well, that’s actually the other reason. There are other powers she’s going to have to play politics with, like the one you just named.”

“... How many gods have a claim on my soul.” I grumbled, sighing heavily, “And how much of a political shitstorm did I cause?”

“None have a claim, actually. But there are a lot who would like to.” Tamamo said delicately. “Do you know how rare a modern hero truly is? And I do mean a Hero, not just someone with one or two great deeds to their name. The Norse, the Abrahamic, Shinto… there’s a lot of us who’d like you on our side, but you are human first and foremost. If you worshiped only one, that’d give a claim, but without one, the gods cannot make offers. Not directly.” She coughed. “I would avoid sparking a bidding war, no matter how much it might tempt you. That never ends well.”

“I don’t have any desire to end up like Paris, thank you.” I snarked back, mostly to hide the gibbering hindbrain that was no computing this all, “At least the Christian Pantheon isn’t calling dibs based on my past with them, I guess?”

Tamamo cocked an eyebrow. “I mean, unless you were baptized in this world… no? And even then, depends on whether you hit the other milestones. Honest worship means a lot more than you’d think, even if it’s less rare than most believe.”

I pointedly ignored that I had been a fairly devout Christian until… well, shite happened, and that I had been baptized and confirmed as a baby and teenager respectively. I had issues with Christianity as an organization (and at times a faith), and I was not opening that can of worms if I did not have to. “... Anyway, I hope that the various pantheons will respect my choice, no matter which one I end up making; if I end up making one at all and not just turning myself into an immortal out of the sheer desire not to deal with this problem ever.”

“Ah, yes. Do spite the Gods… just don’t fight them.” Tamamo cackled.

Nanoha watched this all unfurl with wide eyes. “...I never imagined my life would be this cool…” She murmured.

“Ah yes. Please let us know if you ever get the urge to become a divine servant, Nanoha-chan.” Tamamo eyed the girl. “You’ve got eyes on you…”

“My student. Get your own!” I growled playfully, practically teleporting over to best chibi and ‘posessively’ embracing her, “No poaching, tricky fox!”

Tamamo shuddered slightly. “Nope, she’s a straight warrior, and a clean fighter. I’ve tried teaching those before, never ends well.”

“She’s far too straightforward for the more subtle work, yes.” I acknowledged, “Thankfully, I know how to do both.”

Tamamo coughed. “Dear, I’ve watched your exploits. Your idea of subtle is simply ‘remain invisible, and when you cannot, leave no one alive.’” She sniffed. “Your paramour, now… she’s good at it.”

Rei nodded serenely. “Mistress, despite needing to stay subtle, used multiple high-yield magical attacks to clean out her garage.” She remarked. “I could feel them from half a kilometer away.”

I rolled my eyes at the jibes, “You do realize I have the training, right? I just generally choose not to use it?”

Rei nodded. “As you say, ma’am.”

Toge grunted. “Well, it seems like Tamamo knows how to recalibrate the devices.” She turned and went down on one knee, looking Hayate in the eyes. “Will you release your attendant into our service for a while? We will need her help to make the ones we are keeping safe to use.”

Hayate looked at her, brow furrowing. “...so, what aren’t you saying?” She asked, scrunching her nose. “Mama used to get like that when she was talking about dad.”

“Ah.” Toge chuckled. “That’s a lesson for another time. Ask me again in a few years.” She shot a look at my face, sighing as she saw my smirk. “Let’s just say we will have to draw up a proper contract, for multiple reasons. And maybe send some guards along to protect you and Reinforce.”

Hayate huffed. “...Mama, I think you need to get involved.”

“So do I.” Ms. Yagami nodded, pulling out a tablet computer. “So, let’s talk about this contract.”

I took a few steps back as the two iron ladies began to speak in low tones. Tamamo slunk over to my side, a massie foxy grin on her face. “Ah, you’re going to be an excellent fox some day.” She mused. “Except the stealth, but we can work on that.”

“Can’t report I’m there if they’re dead, Tamamo-senpai.” I snarked, eye alight with mischievous glee, “And is it not trickery to fool the world into believing you are only the go getter hero that they think you are? All the better to stab the fools who think I would never do so in the back with.”

“Hmm.” Tamamo’s tails wagged. “I like it, but fear is an essential part of being a Kitsune. You don’t quite inspire that yet.” Her smile widened. “You’re just too cute to pull it off.”

I nodded, “I’ll give you that one.” Pausing, I leaned in, whispering sweetly, “Wait till I start breaking reality when I really get angry.”

“Eee, I can’t wait!”

“This was a very productive first meeting, even with the interruptions.” Toge acknowledged, even as we all walked towards the doors. “Are you certain you cannot stay for the festivities? Lady Tamamo was right; most of our people were looking for a chance to party.”

Ms. Yagami shook her head. “The children need to go back to school, and I need to get back to my writing, and report to the Diet.”

“And I need to go bash my head against the report I have in its final draft.” I shrugged sadly, before grinning, “I’ll be in touch later, Lady Toge. Can’t have our plans falling apart due to distance, after all.”

“Right.” Toge grinned, exposing her fangs once again. “I still owe you a match, Hero of Many Battles. Stay alive until we get the chance; and if you ever decide that XCOM isn’t for you, our doors are open.”

“We’ll see, Lady Regent, we’ll see.” I replied teasingly, deploying Tamamo as I began to recite the teleportation spell to take us back to my home, “Regardless, this is farewell, for now.”

Nanoha waved, even as Hayate gave Reinforce a big hug. “You’ll be home soon, right?”

“Should be home in two or three days, at the worst.” Reinforce reassured her mistress. “We’ll be in constant contact.”

Zhang walked over, carrying one of five metal cases filled with Devices. “The cargo is secured, and Central has dispatched an escort at your home, Corporal. We should be fine to head through the gate.”

“Understood specialist. Good work. Let’s go home, ladies and gents.” I barked, throwing a salute at the gathered Youkai, “Until we meet again, friends.” With my piece stated, I stepped through the gate, watching as my allies did so as well.

Chapter Text

I had a nice bed. When I woke up after three days of diplomatic work, or really, after any activities which took me away from my XCOM apartment or my new home, I really enjoyed waking up on a mattress which had been specifically chosen for me.

This morning, however, I lost a lot of resale value on my bedframe. That tends to happen when there’s a knife sticking out of the headboard. Sighing in annoyance as I went from half-awake to alert, I unrolled the paper around the hilt of the knife, leaving it there till I could decide what I wanted to do with it.

Dear Lee-san,

While we knew full well that our little girl would eventually have to commit violence in defense of her ideals or others, we were hoping that you would focus on aliens or magical enemies a little longer, especially considering the non-lethal nature of her magic. While we cannot fault you for binging her into combat, subjecting her to a terrorist attack was more than can be easily brushed aside. Please do not consider our youngest as a veteran of your caliber in the near future. Nanoha will be staying home the next three days, and then your lessons may resume as normal.

Do not let this happen again.

Thank you!
S. Takamachi

“Yep, I knew they could assassinate me if they really wanted to,” I mused aloud, sighing deeply. “I suppose I’ll try harder to convince her to stay next time. Not that I really tried all that much, given her past history…”

Shaking my head, I pulled the dagger out of the bedframe, repaired the darned thing with magic, and continued on with my morning routine; already having accounted for Nanoha’s absence. I wasn’t going to ask my student to do anything for the next week after all. She deserved some time off.

Tamamo beeped on my wrist as I began to idly prepare breakfast. “Shizuka, we have thirty-eight unread messages, four essential. Considering how tired you were last night, I held off on saying anything.”

“Lay it on me, Tamamo.” I replied as I put a slab of salmon on the stove, checking briefly on the miso soup I had already started reheating. Rei whisked out of the hallway halfway through my prep, setting on a teakettle with a quiet nod.

“The first message is from XCOM, Central to be precise. They need you to swing by in the next twelve hours, in order to make your official report and help make decisions regarding the distributions of new devices. Apparently, this is big enough that they want you in person.”

“I’ll teleport over as soon as I cram food into my mouth, put on my uniform, and brush my teeth. Thank fuck I took a shower last night.” Flipping the fish over, I turned the burner on the miso off, “The other messages?”

“Most have to do with some… unfortunate news.” Tamamo said delicately. “To be blunt; there was a Jewel Seed incident coming out of the Tokyo Museum for Modern Art. Apparently, a very short sighted but earnest artist incorporated two seeds into a glass sculpture of a dryad.”

“Wonderful. I assume it was not Nanoha that intervened?” I replied rhetorically, making a satisfied noise as I turned off the last burner, plated the fish and went over to the ricecooker, “Fate, I presume?”

“It happened while you both were out of contact at the diplomatic summit. And yes, Fate made her first public appearance… with help.” Tamamo explained. “After seven hours of reality distortion when the Jewel Seeds brought the artwork to life and began to spread through the area, Fate appeared alongside what appeared to be reverse-engineered Codex; working name is currently ‘Eidolon’.” In my minds eye, a still shot of Fate flanked by four glitchy, golden outlines of female magi was shown tearing through some sort of odd ball-of-yarn monster.

“Wonder why it took them so long to respond.” I mused, wofling down my meal rapidly, yet still somewhat politely. Rei was at the table, and I wasn’t alone, after all. “It doesn’t matter in the end, anyway. Any other messages Tamamo?”

“This next one… ah, it’s an audio file. From my namesake. Should I summarize, or…”

“Play it please.”

“Heya, Lee-chan!” Tamamo’s upbeat, sensual voice flowed into my ears, and I noticed Rei start and swivel her own before she shook her head. “Listen, in all seriousness, we’re going to see a lot more of each other, one way or another. I’m going to take any excuse to visit Hoshi and make certain Oda-chan is taking good care of them, but I know I should at least ask first before just busting in sometime.So, let me know how often I can show up, and I’ll try not to show up more than twice that amount. Ta ta!”

“Heh. Tamamo, record please.”

“You’re welcome over anytime Tamamo. Don’t drive Rei too crazy, and don’t make a mess you don’t clean up.” I chirped, grinning widely at Rei’s bemused look, “I look forward to seeing you at some point. Buh Bye~”

“End recording. Send.”

“Aww, that’s really nice of you!” A pair of arms wrapped around my waist, Tamamo’s voice in my ears, even as Rei shrieked and fell over backward.

“Somehow, I expected this.” I stated dryly, rolling my eyes at Rei’s reaction, “Parole is boring, isn’t it?”

“Parole itself? No. Better than being trapped in that damn stone after I got my head screwed back on.” Tamamo muttered as she let me go. “But being Inari’s secretary is, especially after they stopped the Bureaucracy from sending me their busywork.” She sighed. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not supposed to be part of their labor pool, and I’m glad they intervened for me, but they don’t get that many visitors, and not much paperwork.” She sulked over to my couch and stretched out. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m very good at looking pretty, but since I’m not supposed to be scheming as much, it gets very boring.”

“Keiko-chan, Tamamo-san will be visiting occasionally; she knows not to mess with you, so come say high!” I yelled, hoping to avert any stupidity before it happened this time, “I didn’t expect her to actually come today, so I apologize for disturbing you!”

The TV in the corner flashed, a terrified face appearing above a sign. Please don’t let her eat me.

“Oh, now that’s new!” Tamamo looked at the TV, eyeing the ghost within. “Are you a new type of Yokai, or did you just adapt to new possibilities?” She grinned. “I wonder if I can get in there…”

Please don’t, Miss Scary Fox lady.

I playfully chopped the fox’s head, “Bad. No tormenting my roommates. Behave while I’m gone or I’ll put more wards up.”

“...you do realize the ones you, your friends, the spirit warriors, and your psionic sensei put up didn’t work on me, right?” Tamamo replied drolly. “I mean, they’re better than anything I’ve seen outside the divine realms, but they’re just layers of mortal wards with extra power.” She tapped her chin, then her eyes lit up as a bust of foxfire in the shape of a lightbulb appeared over her head. “Hmm. Maybe that’ll be a lesson…”

“I’ll get back to you with a witty comeback when I figure out how to harness my reality breaking bullshit on command.” I deadpanned, rolling my eyes and giving up on that line of thought for now, “Regardless Tamamo, I do have to go soon, so I’d appreciate it if you were a good guest while I’m gone.” I continued, turning to head towards my room.

Tamamo nodded. “Certainly. Now, do you want me to just teach magic, or should I also give Rei-chan waifu lessons?”

Rei stepped forward, delivering her own chop to Tamamo’s head. “I am not interested, ma’am. Also, quite straight.”

“You’re a kitsune, that’s not a thing.” Tamamo said impishly.

“Perhaps not when I’m five hundred, but I have no attraction to females at this time.” Rei countered. “For that matter, little attraction to males.”

Tamamo studied her student, then nodded. “Alright then, just magic lessons.”

A small smile dusted my face as I finished brushing my teeth, having quietly snuck out to change into my uniform as the foxes started chatting, “Alright. I’m heading out. Please don’t burn down the house while I’m gone unless you plan on fixing it.”

Tamamo scoffed. “Foxfire practice happens outside.”

Tamamo on my wrist buzzed. “There is one final priority message.”

“Go ahead Tamamo.”

“Apparently, Lady Toge passed on a message. She mentioned something about Crusader’s armor; they’ve already looked over it, and she was wondering if you wanted your spoils delivered to XCOM, sent here, or kept with them for now.”

“I’d prefer if it was delivered to XCOM. Velehn and Shen would have my head if I kept it as a trophy before they examined it, and I won’t mount the damn thing on a rack until I personally gut the fucker who wore it.”

“Sending a response.” My device paused. “Ah, she also wanted to know if you wanted to schedule that rematch now, or wait until you’ve figured out your schedule.”

“The latter please Tamamo.”

“Message composed and sent.” Tamamo acknowledged as we stepped outside. “...and we’ve just received teleport clearance.”

“Ittekimasu!” I barked, teleporting to the Anthill.

Minutes later, I found myself wrapped in a tight hug as the normally acerbic commander wrapped her arms around me. “You bloody miracle! Ah, sending you was the best idea ever, and it wasn’t even mine!” She crowed, spinning me around as Bradford and the Geoscape team looked on in amusement.

‘Yep. Setting her up with Toge.’ I mused to myself, snickering internally. Externally, I simply rolled my eyes and let Tazri get it out of her system, taking it as an exercise in patience. Finally, the one-eyed commander released me, setting me on my feet, a wide grin on my face.

“Fifty devices, handed over free of charge, even if it’s given Creighton conniptions. Twenty-three of them are combat capable. Do you know how much capital that gives us? How much– no, of course you wouldn’t. Or maybe you do?” She looked over at the darkened door which hid Abe’s office. “How much pillow talk turns political with her?”

“One in every five!” I dutifully chirped, shooting a look of amusement at Mariko’s door. Honestly, work dominated a lot of our pillow talk at the moment, if only because if we were feeling frisky, we’d just… do it? Huh, relationships. They were a thing.

“So, you know about our funding issues?” As I nodded, she sighed. “Dealing with the council is a pain sometimes… but now, we have assets wholly independent of their funding. Which I can use as I please, or trade for favors.” She led me up to her office as she spoke. “Now, I’m tempted to simply keep a lot of the Devices for our own use, but there are other options.”

“And you want my advice, given the message I was sent, correct?” I asked, receiving a nod of confirmation fairly quickly, “Can I get some context as to what you’ve thought of so far? I’m probably not the best option for advice, but I’ll provide what I can.”

“We do need to keep some for ourselves. The basic Devices could be used for our scientists and field agents, but any of the Devices could be traded to members to boost their commitment… or disassembled to develop our own Device construction techniques.” She paused. “And I don’t think we could afford to pull twenty-three soldiers off the field to teach them how to use a Device.” She paused, then shot me a look as I opened my mouth. “Insane prodigies don’t get to comment on how easy using a Device is.”

“... I wasn’t going to say anything about that…” I grumbled, pouting, “I was going to suggest offering devices to the nations we need to curry the most favor with.”

“We should, the issue becomes ‘how many’ and ‘which ones’.” Tazri explained, taking a seat. “And for that matter, when. Can we expect more windfalls? Will these be the last ones we get?” She shrugged. “Also, some nations have given us significant funding, but also have decent magi support already. Do I give devices to them, or to those who have less to give to keep them active in the project?” She sighed. “Really, I’m only asking you because you make everything you touch turn gold.”

“Are there any nations at risk of pulling out?” I asked, mostly to get more context. I did… not like being counted on to this level, but I was going to roll with it because I knew my life was fucking bullshit, “Any nations that have specifically requested or remarked about mage support?”

“Depends on who you ask.” Tazri admitted. “None of the nations, except the US and more recently Canada, are willing to fully admit they need XCOM. But none have made serious moves to distance themselves from the program, especially after we went public.” She frowned. “There are some trouble spots, but it’s from the minor members without Council seats, not the funding members. Places like Austria, Mongolia, and Venezuela who are only periphery members may have something to gain if the UN decided to capitulate to Mid-Childa’s requests.”

“... Venezuela would like the Military Dictatorship, wouldn’t they.” I grumbled, looking at the Geoscape carefully, “Appeasing Venezuela honestly gives us the least of those Nations, Austria is probably best to keep happy due to their traditional closeness to the rest of Europe and as a developed nation, and Mongolia… I don’t really know enough about to comment. Magical tradition there might be worth investigating though.” I muttered, mostly to let my commander into my thought process, “I personally think it’d be worth reinvesting into the US and Canada, as well as Japan. Mostly because of their economic status more than anything, but the US basically lets us have a base in their borders, and Canada has been good to us. Japan… well, repayment for the trouble we’ve caused them, and to further them from the TSAB.”

“I’ll see about making some transfers to Japan, at least.” Tazri acknowledged. “Now that that’s out of the way, we need to talk about this.” She reached over, triggering a projector. The video displayed showed a group of strange, distorted pain splotches being mowed down by a tiny blonde figure with a scythe, a redheaded brawler and a troupe of staticky, distorted female figures following her lead. “I assume this is Fate Testarossa.”

“Yep. The Alien tech is new, but Precia is one of the very few mages in existance who could go toe to toe with a TSAB warships in her place of power. I fully expect that she’s been killing aliens and making their tech her own.” I grumbled, narrowing my eyes at the screen.

“Right.” Tazri sighed. “I can understand why you couldn’t respond to this incursion… but we absolutely cannot let Precia seize enough Jewel Seeds to even attempt a dimensional breach.” She said sternly. “Her base, and her research, have been marked as essential assets by the Council.”

“I’d imagine she has a dimensional ship too,” I added, eyes focusing, “I’m going to try and keep Nanoha out of this for as long as I can if you’re asking what I think you’re asking.” I continued, eyes flinty, “She doesn’t need to be exposed to the horrors of a broken, abusive bitch.”

“...if you can do so, certainly.” She paused, tapping the table. “Oh, you don’t know?” At my head shake, Tazri sent me a file. “Testarossa operates out of an interdimensional space station retrofitted from Al-Hazardian tech. Mid-Childa shared the known specs of the station with us; it’s called the ‘Garden of Time.”

I twitched, memories of that place’s description flooding back, “Ah. That place.”

And that was enough said. It was the place where someone who dared to call herself a mother had tortured a child she had brought into the world, regardless of Fate’s circumstances. I… knew that I hated Precia Testarossa, but the extent of it was something that surprised myself. I could probably break reality out of sheer anger if I choose to dwell on my hate of her, and that thought chilled me more than it comforted me. I shook my head, giving Commander Tazri a salute, “Any progress in finding it?”

“None. Precia is keeping it heavily shielded, to hide her from the aliens, TSAB, and our own scouts.” Tazri sighed. “Fate’s arrival was via flight; Precia is apparently opening gate away from population centers and sensors so we can’t follow her signal back. What we need is to set up a scenario where she’s forced to intervene directly in a fight, either herself or through the Garden’s weapon systems.”

“... That’s easy enough. You make Fate doubt herself, make her defect, and she’ll intervene.” I said flatly, “Or you capture her. Either would be within my power, especially with assistance.”

“We’ll be ready and waiting if you pull it off.” Tazri allowed. “Beyond that… well, we may want to requisition you for a downed alien craft sometime soon. We’ve managed to build a few next-generation fighter craft, and if the mission tempo picks up, we may need to call you in for a major push.”

“I’m still your soldier Tazri. I’m only ever a teleport away.” I replied seriously, “I respect the chain of command. It gives me more of a solid anchor than most would ever understand.”

Tazri chuckled. “Good to hear that.” She set aside the data drive and steepled her fingers. “But we still need to hear your report. Start from the top, please.”

The doors to the Magus level opened with the normal, pleasant ding. I stepped back into the common room, drawing shocked stares from all the people present. One of them, Ryan, looked up and immediately called out “Wands high!”

I frowned, voicing the countersign. “Spells free. Why the comms check?”

He chuckled. “Look, you’ve been gone for months, and even when you were here you never took the elevators.” He raised his cup even as the other five magi settled back. “So how’s special assignment treating you? Heard you picked up another stray through the grapevine.”

“Yeah. Hayate’s a gem, and so is Reinforce. Unfortunately, the details for more are probably classified to hell and back, so I’ll give you the full story if I can.” I replied sheepishly, “Sorry for being absent so long. I’m… not great with strangers, and everything is happening so damn fast.”

Ryan chuckled. “Tell me about it!” He waved at the papers and data files spread in front of him. “Reinforce… she’s that new device right? The big one?” At my nod, he gave a grin. “Massive data source, even if she can’t construct Devices herself. So many new ideas, so much potential!” He groaned. “Mph, makes me feel filthy.”

From the side, one of the other Magi sighed. “Ryans, knock it off.” Steven shot me a look. “Good to see you well, Corporal. Congratulations on your promotion. Hope you haven’t gotten tarnished with your new rank.”

“I’d certainly hope not.” I replied with an amused glint in my eyes, “Zhang can attest to that, I think.”

“You had a run with Chilong?” Ryan gasped. “Hey, does he have that pistol stuck up his ass with everyone, or is it just me?”

“You don’t do dry wit, do you Ryan?” I asked in response, amusement alight in my eyes, “No, he’s very fun. A gentleman, too.”

Steven clapped a hand over Ryan’s mouth as he opened it. “No.” He looked back at me with a deadpan. “Don’t give him straight lines like that, Lee. You’re right about his sense of humor; his is stuck in the ninth grade.”

“Ah, shame. Can’t use my pansexual-polyamory jokes then.” I quipped, amusement flashing through my eyes, “Do be sure to educate his sense of humor Steven, ninth grade humor is… so droll.”

“There’s some fights even magic and pushups can’t win.” The old salt muttered, removing his hand from Ryan’s face. “Anything else you want to talk about? We can meet up in the cantina later; most of us are off mission for once.”

“That sound great. Let Tamamo know when; I think you all have her number.” I nodded, “See you later, Specialist.” I saluted, moving past the common room to see if anyone else was around. I wanted to socialize with people today, and by god was I going to do it.

As I reached the doors, a soft whisper reached my ears, and they retracted I found myself staring at a pair of reptilian venom sacs at head height, within a green XCOM sweater. Rose peered down at me, her face contorting slightly into a slight smile. “Ah, Lillie. Good to see you again.”

“Hello Rose. How are you?” I replied happily, taking a look at my friend(?), “It’s Shizuka now, by the way. Lillie was always meant to be a placeholder, back when I wasn’t a biological woman.”

“Ah, fair. Rose fit me well enough, so I kept it.” The free viper mused. “It has been a while.” She tasted the air with her tongue. “...children, flowers… and many scents I do not recognize. Do humans ges… no, too old.” She stopped herself, tilting her head. “Ah, your apprentices?” She tasted again. “And… small mammal. A pet?”

“That would be the TSAB aligned child-archeologist that can turn into a ferret.” I replied, “speaking of, Tamamo, would you mind letting Yuuno-kun I’d like to chat with him at his convenience? It’s been a while since I’ve checked in on him.”

“...Sent, and he already responded, begging for help. Apparently, Tamamo-san is attempting to put him in a ferret sweater.”

“... Tell him to untransform.” I sighed mentally, “And then tell him I’ll try and teleport him over to me in a bit so he doesn’t have to deal with Tamamo-san.”

Aloud, I continued, “Seems the aforementioned child has gotten into some trouble. Do you mind if I step away for a second Rose?”

Rose hissed. “That is fine, though I would like to speak with you. I have heard that there are others on this planet which may not be so… disquieted by my appearance.”

“There are. Just give me a second Rose, I need to call the Commander.” And I did so, Tamamo already anticipating my request.

“Corporal, what is it?” Tazri said over the comms. “Another world-ending revelation? More future knowledge? Hidden treasure? New enemies?”

“No Commander. I just want to ask for permission to Teleport one of my charges into base to save them from my uninvited by currently not a problem guest.” I replied with a roll of my eyes, “Specifically, save Yuuno-kun from a fate worse than death; Tamamo-No-Mae putting his Ferret form in a sweater.”

“Is there any chance of said ancient, reforming fox-goddess-demon following him here?”

“If she wanted to find the base there’s nothing we could do to stop her anyway.” I deadpanned, “She’s on our side, at least. But she’s a kitsune. I give it a 50-50 chance, regardless of your answer.”

“...call him in, and if she comes with him, send her to me.” Tazri allowed. “This may work in our favor.”

“Hey Yuuno. Teleport to these coordinates.” I sent along, changing channels, “If Tamamo comes along, I’ll handle her.”

With a burst of light, a short blond boy appeared before me, twitching slightly. I blinked as I eyed the ferret ears trembling on either side of his head, as otherwise Yuuno looked just like his art. The boy looked around, before freezing as he spotted Rose. “...uhhh…”

“Ferret, Rose. Rose, Yuuno. She’s a friend. It’s how we know that the Ethereals even exist, and she’s broken their yoke through the use of a device. How’s Liberty, by the way?” I continued nonchalantly, nodding at Rose, “No eating Yuuno.” I continued playfully, hoping that Rose would get the joke and play along with it.

Rose hissed in her version of a laugh. “Little humans are too bony. Though… with those ears, are you human?” She lapped her tongue. “Hmm. Odd.”

“He was really close to being a Kamaitachi!” Tamamo explained as she popped out of the vents. “So I gave him a push!”

Yuuno took a step back. “How did you modify my spell as I was casting it? What are you?”

“I am Tamamo-no-Mae, one of the great three monsters of Japan, earned entirely by breaking the rules of heaven, magic, and man with impunity!” She explained, giving a low bow. “And though I’m not much into liver anymore, I haven’t lost any of my skills.”

“She’s on parole. And is genuinely attempting to atone.” I deadpanned, looking at Tamamo, “Please do not piss off a citizen of a nation that doesn’t belong to Earth without our leave next time Tamamo. Diplomatic incidents are a pain in the tail.” I grumbled, looking at Yuuno, “You okay there kid?”

Yuuno blinked twice. “I don’t know! I can turn my arms into sickles now!” He whisper-yelled. “Why is that a thing? Why could she do that?”

“You should be honored! You’re the newest incarnation of an extinct race of Yokai, given form!” Tamamo said gaily. “Besides, have you lost anything?”

“My humanity?”

“Anything important?” Tamamo retorted unhelpfully.

“Humanity is more a concept than an actual thing anyway.” I said at the same time, more seriously, “You’re human if you consider yourself human, and your not if you don’t. Simple as that.”

Rose sighed. “Do you need a hug, small human?”

Yuuno looked at her, then nodded slightly. Seconds later, he was wrapped in her coils. “... this is surprisingly comfy. Is this a heated sweater?”

“I am not quite cold blooded, but I do require more body heat than I produce naturally.” Rose acknowledged.

Tamamo churred. “Aww, how cute.”

“You. Tazri. Now.” I grunted, only my experience with absurdity keeping me sane and functional, “I will figure out how to call Inari-sama if you don’t march to the Geoscape now. Don’t make me try.”

“Oh, she’s the boss?” Tamamo mused. “Very well, I’ll go see her.” As she passed by me, she leaned in close. “The spell on him isn’t permanent… unless he internalizes it. Don’t give the game away, please.” She chuckled. “Also, is your mate here?”

“You can find Mariko’s office in the Geoscape too. Have fun with her. You two will probably get along like a palace on fire.” I replied more happily, cheerfully waving as she walked away, “Have fun with the boss!”

Tamamo waved, before heading over to the elevator, ignoring the five magi pointing various weapons at her. “Ta-ta, then!”

As she departed, Steven shot me a look. “...what horrors have you brought into our home, Corporal?”

“Kemonomimi!” I chirped, “I will be taking no questions at this time!”

Insanity was so much fun sometimes!~

Chapter Text

“...I suppose the most important thing about command, at least at the ground level, is that you must see yourself as one of your men. Give yourself equal weight in all things save responsibility.” Captain Lehmann explained as I sat across from him. “If you keep to that principle, you should be fine.” He hesitated. “Though, in your case you may need to brush up on dealing with conflicting obligations.”

“Yeah, my situation is weird as heck.” I sulked, before brightening considerably at the memory of the scene from earlier, “I appreciate the advice, Captain Lehmann. Thank you for your time.”

“It’s no problem, Corporal Lee.” He stood, heading to the door as I followed. “I will be glad to have you and the Wolkenritter fire team on rotation when the enemy comes in force.”

“Will I see you at the bar later?” I asked as he walked away. The captain could be a fun guy.

“You will, yes. Command staff needs drinks as much as anyone, before the next engagement.” He shook his head. “At least so far, I’ve not had to drink in remembrance of any of ours. Even if the wall is beginning to fill.”

“... Yeah. No war without losses, no matter how hard we may try.” I whispered, shaking my head sadly, “I’ll drink to those lost, I think.”

“I will see you there.” He turned and walked off, just as Tamamo spoke into my mind.

“Commander Tazri has requested you proceed immediately to the Geoscape. She has also cleared you for teleportation to do so.” Tamamo spoke quickly.

“Right. Tamamo must be causing trouble.” I replied, teleporting away without fanfare and reappearing in the Geoscape. As I landed at the coordinates, I immediately nodded to Tazri, before turning to pan my gaze across the wide room, noting first the two dozen command staff standing back along the walls. It didn’t take long for me to spot what had made all of them so nervous.

Three women stood near the Geoscape, forming a loose triangle of power, guile, and vicious beauty. Tamamo, as expected, was standing aloofly in one corner, only my new understanding of Kitsune body language noting the slight stiffness in the swaying of her tails; a sign of agitation. At the second corner, Abigail sipped at a mug of tea, appearing completely calm and ignoring the lavender light which held a pair of rifles and a machete, each in a ready position. Abe stood at the third corner, Danzo’s pistol form in her grip and her face a smirking mask.

“What are you ladies doing?!” I barked, eyes flinty as I stared down the three misbehaving woman-children. They were more mature than this! What the flipping hell had happened?!

All three women swiveled, gazes looking at me in tandem. Abigail coughed, Tamamo let out a nervous chuckle, and Abe huffed as I walked closer. The psychic spoke first. “Ah… Shizuka. I believe–” She paused, letting her tea float into the air as she considered, the weapons behind her vanishing. “This woman came into the base unexpectedly. And when I responded to find out more, she took umbrage to me probing her mind.”

Abe sighed, Danzo returning to his bracelet form. “So I came out to find out what the shouting was about, and then Tamamo said something about you–”

“It seemed like a good way to test your mettle, kunoichi.” Tamamo admitted, tails swaying. “I ‘implied’ that I was seducing you. They… well, took it very poorly. More so than I expected, really!” She chirped. “To see a shadow warrior getting so hot and bothered– she might be a keeper!”

“Might!?”

Abigail shook her head. “At which point… well, I have few enough friends without having a legendary monster steal one. I may have overreacted. And said some things which may have been taken the wrong way by Mariko-san.”

“Don’t try to butter me up with respectful speech now, Weir. We will be talking about possessive behavior.” Abe warned. “But yeah. What’s this about wanting fluffy tails?” She probed.

“... that I want to be a kitsune or equivalent kemonomimi if the former proves impossible through genetic science?” I ventured, palming my face with my right hand, “Oooookkkkkaaaayyyyy, first of all, Tamamo. I know you enjoy causing chaos intentionally, so imma let this slide. This time.” Turning to Mariko, I frowned, “You also have a problem with being possessive. I’ve already told you I’m polyamorous, and I understand and respect your position, but you have to realize I am going to flirt with out individuals. I’ll run me and them dating by you first like we agreed, but please don’t push me on this.” Finally, I turned to Abigail, “I can’t tell if your into me or just like me as a friend, so I’ll just say that I don’t abandon my friends unless betrayed first. Friendship is for life, and I consider you my friend. Stop being so damn possessive.”

“Yes Shizuka””Yes ma’am””Yes dear~” The three women said in stereo.

Tazri sighed as she stepped up next to me. “So. No firefights, and a polite trade in threats. All in all, so long as you three take the discussion you’re likely to have out of my Geoscape, I’ll write this off as a distraction and leave it at that.” She turned a one-eyed glare across all three women. “Now–”

Tamamo smirked and cocked one hip–

“-I am barely interested in men, and not interested in women.” Tazri snapped before Tamamo could speak. “Don’t even try. All of you, out of my Command Center and stop distracting my staff.”

“Yes ma’am.” I barked, rolling my eyes and teleporting myself and the trio out of the room, though I was under no illusions that I could have pulled it off on Tamamo without her letting me. Our arrival in the main game room was met with some disinterested looks which quickly turned to mild astonishment at Tamamo’s ears and tails.

One soldier coughed as his drink came out of his nose. “...either someone spiked my drink, or my fetish just showed up.” He muttered.

“Dude, don’t say that!” His buddy hissed.

“I’m not gonna lie about something like this!” He shot back.

Tamamo cackled. “Have I ever mentioned I love the modern world? Men would have tried to kill me with iron or fire, and now they want to offer drinks!”

“One of the reasons I want fluffy tail, Tamamo. One of the reasons I want fluffy tail.” I grinned back, rolling my eyes at Mariko and Abigail’s reactions, “Anyway, either go compete with each other on the games or talk your problems out. I’ll be grabbing some alcohol.”

Abigail raised one finger. “Oh. You want to be a kitsune.” She paused. “Oh dear. That… hmm.”

Mariko groaned, slamming her face into her hands. “That’s… ugh. Immortality. Where am I going to get…” She raised one hand. “Vodka.”

Tamamo chuckled as I walked off. “Sake for me, something low proof otherwise!”

Abigail nodded. “And cider for me, please.”

Nodding, glee hidden behind an gently smiling mask, I walked towards the bartender, nodding at the men who had made the claims, “Hey Tom, can I get a Vodka, Sake, Hard Cider, and a Mimosa?”

The man behind the counter nodded, before his hands began to blur. Seconds later, our drinks were all laid out on a tray, each in their own receptacles. He slid the tray towards me, before presenting his hand. “Device?”

“Here.” I smiled, handing the old soldier Tamamo in a more portable mode. “Take your normal tip.”

“Pleasure. Keep up the good fight.” The man grunted, scanning Tamamo. “New face, and I don’t see Weir here often. Should I keep my hand on the bar fight button?”

“Probably not,” I replied after a moment’s pause, mostly to gauge how seriously the women had taken my annoyance, “I’ve made it clear I won’t tolerate it, and if I see it starting I’ll teleport them both to the training room before following then and getting my own licks in.”

“Got it.” I took the drinks at his curt nod, leaving him to pour a draft for a thirsty soldier, and returned to the table. An awkward silence held over the group, even Tamamo looking a little pensive as I set the tray down.

Tamamo eyed the clear bottle as the tray landed, perking up again slightly. “Hmm. That’s high quality stuff. A whole bottle?”

Abe snorted as she took the bottle and single shot glass from the tray. “Salt knows my habits a bit better than I would like. I just buy a whole bottle at a time, and if there’s any left, I take it home.”

“Salt, hmm?” Tamamo eyed the man, tails twitching. “Odd man.”

“Don’t know his real name. He was here before I got here, and there’s nothing on file about him.” Abe started. “Abigail, you’d know him, right? You were here before the aliens attacked.”

Abigail shook her head slightly as she collected her amber mug. “He arrived one day and began to tend bar. Everyone at the time assumed someone else hired him, and he slips from the mind of everyone who tried to investigate him.”

I blinked, looking back at Tom, who seemed to be greatly amused by this development, “... It’s literally on his uniform. Tom. Don’t know his last name though. He just looked at me and chuckled when I asked. I was just assuming Salt was his callsign because everyone called him that.”

Tamamo tilted her head as she looked at the man. “...that tag blurs when I look at it.” She muttered. “How interesting…”

Tom stared back at her, then jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the shotgun mounted on the wall. “No.”

Tamamo slumped. “But mystery!”

“Tamamo, don’t make me get into a teleporting war with you.” I stated simply as I sipped my Mimosa, looking reproachingly at the fox, “I will do it, even though I know I’ll lose.”

“Maybe not…” The fox muttered. “Not without Hoshi. Or my eighth tail.” She mourned.

Abe chuckled. “Good to see you have some limits.”

Tamamo snorted. “I’m still catching up on five hundred years of cultural shift, and I’m down to less than a tenth of my power at all times. I feel weak, even though I know I’m not.”

“Huh, well, that’s good to know. I suppose that kitsune tails are exponential…” I muttered to myself, before shaking my head and taking another sip, “What was up with the ethereal tails you had by the way, Tamamo? It’s been bugging me. I’m currently assuming those represent your sealed tails, but I could be wrong.”

“You’re right, though they’re only present when I get to put them to use. And only when Inari-san approves.” She sighed, supping her saucer. “The fully unsealed ones get to be nice and fluffy.”
Abigail peered at Tamamo’s rear. “Couldn’t you unseal them yourself?”

“I am trying to reform, mentalist.” Tamamo shot back. “That means accepting limitations.” She smiled tightly. “Even if it’s uncomfortable some times.”

Abigail nodded. “And you haven’t subverted the seals at all?”

“That’s a secret!” Tamamo giggled.

Abe shrugged as she downed her fifth shot. “Good. Always a good idea to have a way to slip your bonds.” She eyed me, then groaned. “Dammit, don’t want to have to leave you, Shizuka.” Her words were slightly slurred.

“Hm?” I blinked, taking another slow sip. I was a lightweight, and I had to be somewhat sober right now, “Is this about immortality or something else, Mariko? Because if it’s the former, I’ll treasure what we have together regardless. My mentality is… unique in that regard.”

“No, no. I can probably steal some divine peaches. Should add that to the list…” She muttered. “No, but… if I get fingered, I may need to cut ties and run.” She groaned. “...not used to leaving behind people I care for. I usually don’t.”

Abigail paused, before reaching over and patting the spy on the shoulder. “You have been granted a pardon, and I know you’ve done nothing the Council will not tolerate. You are fine.”

“...four times. Had to leave everything four times.” Abe muttered. “Two times too many.”

“You assume I wouldn’t track you down myself and demand an explanation, love.” I sighed, putting down my drink and embracing my girlfriend, “There are very few things I find unforgivable. I doubt you’d do any of them if given the choice.”

“Choice is the problem.” Abe muttered. “...but not yours.” She tightened the hug around me, before tensing. “...okay, you two can join in.” Immediately, four more arms and dour tails wrapped around the two of us.

After half a minute, someone spoke. “Ooh, this is a tight tush~”

“...thank you.”

For the second time in a week, I woke to the remnants of debauchery surrounding me. Tom stood over me, broom over his shoulder. “...curfew. Everyone out.”

I blinked, then pulled my head off the lap of Abe, who was passed out in the booth seat behind me. Across from her, Abigail snored,wrapped in Tamamo’s tails. The fluffy woman opened one eye, standing from her seat. “I’ll carry this one, but I don’t know where to take her.”

“I’m going to have to guide you to them,” I slurred, more out of general tiredness than anything to do with alcohol. “She has her own rooms hidden by psionics in engineering.”

As I got up, gently shaking Mariko’s shoulder to hopefully wake her up without issue, I blearily asked Tamamo, “Hey Tamamo, did I miss anything during my nap?”

“The Commander came in after you took your nap. She wanted to speak with you.” At her notice, I took a look around.

Tazri sat at a table, a beer bottle in one hand. She took a pull before she spoke. “The two people I was hoping to talk to you.” She pointed at Tamamo. “You– I can’t command you. Not yet. Sure you can’t join us?”

“I can have no masters other than the Court of the Sun and Inari-san.” Tamamo responded. “But I am considering the consultant role. Why do you ask?”

Tazri nodded. “I may have a mission for the two of you, or at least one in which your knowledge will be helpful, Tamamo. But that can wait until morning.” She waved the two onward. “Head on to your bunks.”

“Thank you ma’am. I appreciate it.” I saluted, smiling, “Alright Tamamo, follow me. We’re taking Abby to bed.”

Tamamo nodded. As we headed into the hallway, she sighed. “You know, you are surrounded by interesting people, Shizkua-chan. I may need to join you more often, if this is what your life is like.”

“I wouldn’t mind it, Tamamo-san. Having you around honestly would great.” I replied with a grin as we approached the elevator, “For a multitude of reasons.”

“Hmm. Adding me to the harem? Sadly, you’re not quite old or immortal for me yet.” She sighed. “Also, you’d need to get Inari-san’s approval first. I serve under them, after all~”

I shrugged, laughing honestly, “I wasn’t being lewd, but I’ll keep that in mind, Tamamo-chan~” I chirped back.

Tamamo smiled at me, her eyes twinkling. “Ah… I hope you live. You’ll make a fine kit some day.” She mused.

A few minutes later, after I dropped Abe off on Abigail’s couch and settled the homeowner into her bed, Tamamo caught me as we moved to leave the apartment. “Child… Shizuka. This group, EXALT. I may not be willing to join XCOM, but they have old roots. Dark ones.” She paused, tails lashing. “I may need to support you in their suppression.”

“I welcome that support, Tamamo-san.” I replied softly, taking a look at the sleeping women, “Anything to protect them.”

“Thank you.” She tapped my bracer. “Don’t be a stranger, now. Let me know when you go hunting. I’ll teach you how to pounce.” She grinned before shattering into a spray of sakura blossoms, the petals melting away as they touched the floor.

Chapter Text

Tazri set her tray down in front of mine, scootching Abe aside as she took a place at the cafeteria table. “Morning, you two.” She shot a glare at Abe. “Hangover, spook?”

Abe shook her head. “A little, but I had enough self-composure to stay hydrated last night.” She took a fork of her eggs before swallowing. “I… did I say anything weird last night?”

I shook my head, smiling at her. Hopefully, she got the message; she hadn’t, but she had said some pretty strange things, nonsense really.

Abe nodded once, then turned to Tazri. “So, boss. Having breakfast with us?” She eyed the chicken and waffles on Tazri’s plate. “Going a bit heavy, aren’t you?”

“I do two hours of physical training every morning before eight hours of paperwork. I need the fuel.” She shot back. “And this morning, it’s a working breakfast.” She eyed me. “Did Tamamo stick around?”

She did not, commander. She did offer to work with us to deal with the more magical elements of EXALT, however.” I reported, nodding at my wrist, “I sent you a full report last night.”

“Saw it in my inbox.” Tazri nodded. “Though I haven’t had the chance to go over it.” She tapped the table, shoveling a fork of meat and waffle into her mouth. “Hmm. Having her here might be helpful, if she’s willing to help against EXALT.”

“Say my name, and I shall appear~” Tamamo remarked, setting her own tray down. “What is it, commander?”

“...how’d you get a tray? You need an ID or a uniform.” Abe tilted her head.

Tamamo snapped her fingers, her outfit changing into that of an XCOM scientist, except for the crop sweater top. “I’ve got that covered.”

I shrugged nonchalantly. “I told you that our security would be insufficient for higher level supernaturals.”

“You did.” She nodded, then looked over at Tamamo. “Miss, do you think hiring a couple of priests would help to ward the base? Or do you know of anyone else who might help?”

“Hmm. I could help myself, if Inari-san gave permission. She might want some repayment, though.” Tamamo snapped her fingers, a red-and-gold phone dropping into her hands. “Let’s see…”

“Huh, divine phone. Cool.” I blinked before grinning, “That’d be a fun concept for a Pokemon Game.”

The phone buzzed in Tamamo’s grasp, and she gave a quick nod. “Inari has given me permission to use my full power to consecrate and ward the base. In return, they’re asking to be allowed a shrine added to the chapel.” She looked up, ears twitching. “Also, they wrote something to you, Shizuka. Something about ‘it’s more common than you’d think.’”

“... Hm?” I wondered aloud, mind racing at the entirely random comment. Not that I’d mind a shrine to Inari-sama. They were definitely one of the god(dess)es that I wouldn’t mind worshiping. It helped that they were a patron to warriors and worldly success, two things that I either was or dearly wanted.

Tazri nodded. “Consdiering that we’d have to drain our discretionary budget otherwise…” She paused. “Wait. Are we talking one of those little house shrines, or–”

“Inari-san says they just need an appropriately consecrated door, and that the Miko will be here in a few days.” Tamamo replied. “Pleasure doing business!”

Tazri sighed. “...and I suppose these new wards will do nothing to stop you, at all?”

“Nope! Why would you think that?”

“Professional integrity?”

“Commander Tazri, the only ‘professions’ I ever pursued were Courtesan, Housewife, Assassin, Terrorist, and Avenger. Which of those would you like me to apply, hmm?”

“Assassin, Housewife, and Avenger.” I replied with a completely straight face, eyes flinty, “The former because that’s what I volunteered for; we have a small group of operatives that are assigned such,, even if I haven’t been sent on such missions personally. Yet. Housewife because cooking and basic manners, and Avenger because… you can very easily make the argument that XCOM exists to avenge the injustices committed upon the people of Earth by the Ethereals.”

“...oof, dear, don’t take the fluff from my tails like that.” Tamamo groused. “Still going to show up as I wish, though I will not appear in any of the secure vaults, the Labs, the Armory, or Engineering. Fair?”

“Add the changing rooms, and you have a deal.” Tazri shot back.

“Deal.”

“Excellent. As long as I have you three here, what do you know about Tibet?” Tazri asked, panning over us all.

“Not much, Commander.” I replied slowly, shaking my head, “Cold, mountainous, Himalayas. Independence during the morning wars. That’s all that comes to mind.”

Tamamo spoke up. “The tibetan people and buddhists are very good at networking with the local powers and have deep spiritual roots. I didn’t learn much from them when I passed through, but that’s because they’re very good at breaking illusions and enchantments. Enlightenment is a hard counter to mind games, apparently.” She pouted.

“Right. Well, Tibet is still a poor country, at least in the monetary sense, and has not contributed to XCOM. Especially since China still claims them as a province. But they have been courted by the TSAB. The Council would like to know what they’re doing, but Tibet is not responsive due to XCOM’s relationship with China.”

“Reconnaissance Mission, then, Commander?” I guessed, wincing. “Ah–”

“No, I’m not asking you to go, you have enough on your plate as-is. However, considering you two-” she motioned to Abe and myself “-are the best I have on short notice, we may need you two as a quick reaction force. We have some scattered reports of humanoid figures in white armor seen in the region.”

Tazri grunted as she sipped her coffee. “EXALT forces?”

“Possibly. Why they’d be operating openly, we’re not sure. There’s been no reports of violence, not that we have many boots on the ground. Abe, I’ll have a mission request on your desk later today. You’ll need to send at least two free agents.”

Abe nodded. “I’ll figure out who we can spare from other Covert Ops.”

Tamamo grinned, her normal smile obscured by sharp canines. “Call me when you go. I never got the chance to taste that knight’s blood.” Her tails swished. “I did give up liver, but perhaps an exception could be made…”

“Not if I take it from him first. I’m sure Rose would enjoy it.” I interjected blandly, eyes void of emotion, “Bastard helped mentally scar my student then had the temerity to escape me when we had him. His ass is mine.”

“I think we’d all like a piece of him, if this ‘Crusader’ is the man I think he is.” Abe’s voice was calm as usual, but a hint of a snarl wormed through. “Though, if we’re looking from a diplomatic standpoint, handing him over to Lady Toge alive might be the best bet.”

“I’m sure she’ll accept his head.” I stated with false calm, buffing my fingernails idly, “I’ll ask her as well, honestly.” Pausing, I stared at Mariko, “Oh, she wants me to bring you over next time I visit. Something of the more lewd nature.”

“An evening with an Oni?” Abe tapped her chin. “Hmm.”

Tamamo chuckled. “Oh, the Oni men were wonderful for a night of passion. I can’t imagine the women are any worse, though hopefully a little less–”

Tazri coughed. “Enough pillow talk.” She downed the last of her mug, then stood. “With all that cleared up, I’m going to have to draft a report complex and dense enough to hide a new religious institution in our base. Lady Tamamo, send me a report on what exactly we’ll need to set up the shrine. Good day, all of you.”

“A moment, commander!” I called as she began to leave, getting a cocked head in response, “Why not simply explain it as offering chaplain services to more faiths. It’d also give us an excuse to set up what might amount to an embassy for the various pantheons.”

“...reasonable, so long as we’re willing to tell everyone that magic is real. We’re still in talks with a lot of organizations on that front.” Tazri paused. “Worth considering. For the Shrine going in, all I have to say is that it’s caused on your bullshit, and no one will question me further. Adding other faiths? Might be a harder sell.”

“Why bother with the masquerade when it’ll fall eventually?” I shrugged, not all that bothered by the thought, “Besides, we can keep the report itself partially classified anyway, and I’m sure you’ve already had to report on the existence of magic to several of your higher ups. The masquerade is going to crack, and it’s really only a matter of time. I see no reasons to pay more than lip service to it at the moment.”

Tamamo and Tazri both sighed, then eyed each other. The Kitsune spoke first. “Kit, please do not start something which could turn the entente on the magical side into war.” At my questioning look, she raised a finger. “If the masquerade is going to break, someone will break it first, if only to try and claim public respect and acclaim, and strengthen their faction. Things are delicate.”

“And we’re trying to balance it, to convince all the various factions to let things happen naturally. The last thing we need is some pantheon with more power trying to ‘reclaim’ the lands they once held dominion over. Egypt and scandinavia are both in danger of more aggressive ‘reclamation.’” Tazri followed up. “So… keep it to those who are more reserved.”

Sighing, I nodded in affirmation, keeping my annoyance in check. Of course some jumped up God would just… be an asshole. Wonderful, truly lovely. Tazri nodded to me, before turning and heading out of the room.

Abe looked up, finishing her breakfast. “I know that look. From what I heard, it’s going to be a slow process, but it is ongoing.” She took another bite, then her brow furrowed. “Huh. Actually, I suppose you wouldn’t have the context most of us have. On war, and what sparks it.”

Tamamo gave a mou of understanding. “Oh, since she’s an outsider!”

“Yeah.” Abe pointed at me. “Hey, what causes wars?”

I pondered for a moment, before shaking my head, “No simple answer. There’s a lot of reasons. Greed, ideology, desperation, stupidity. Too many for me to really list off the top of my head.”

Abe shook her head. “True, but not accurate to this one.” She tapped the table. “The Morning Wars happened because magic entered the scene at the same time nuclear weapons exited. There wasn’t a huge ideological shift, and many of those who ended up in the worst conflicts had no real stake in either of those factors. But, at the end of the day, wars start because of instability.”

Tamamo took that up. “It doesn’t matter how greedy, fervent, desperate, or stupid people are. If they don’t think they can win a war, most people won’t start one. And for many nations and people, ‘winning’ isn’t just a military victory, but surviving and completing objectives. Which usually includes having the lands they invade somewhat intact.” She spun one finger on the table. “But it seems a lot easier to start a war when your enemy is disorganized, when everything is in flux. Even if there’s not really any weakness, even if the odds haven’t changed at all. Chaos is the tinder, and all it takes is a spark.”

“Japan’s civil war? It started because of a protest. Some old salts who wanted to take advantage of the US being distracted to shift back towards Imperialism.” Abe snorted. “Pipe dream. But they kicked up a fuss, the moderates did the same, and a riot spiraled into fighting.” She looked me in the eye. “And now, imagine what might happen if everyone learns their gods are real, right now.”

“... Look, I know that, okay?” I sighed, suddenly feeling extremely tired, “I also know that most leaders aren’t going to be that idiotic, not while there’s an open alien invasion ongoing. Nor will the superpowers really be in any way okay with any minor nation kicking up a serious fuss.” I looked the pair of women in the eyes, “Instability is only a small factor, you know? The world I come from was largely at peace for so long because of deterrence and a global ‘police’ force existing in my United States. Sure, there were wars, but no one was really stupid enough to start one in a place any major power had a vested interest in. The last time that happened, a petty dictator got his face kicked in by NATO.”

“Instability isn’t a factor. It’s the prerequisite.” Abe sighed. “Because some idiots think that ‘chaos is a ladder.’ Then they start something, and there’s a spark. And then it all goes up in flames.”

I shrugged, not quite willing to concede nor agree, but understanding I wouldn’t get anywhere continuing the argument, “We’ll agree to disagree, Mariko-chan, Tamamo-san. I don’t think either of us are going to convince the other of our views; the way we view the world is likely too different for that.”

“Right.” Abe sighed. “Regardless, we really can’t risk the masquerade going up in flames right now.” She gulped her coffee. “So if anyone asks about the mysterious shrine popping up in the chapel, you take the blame. Or the credit.”

Tamamo’s tails wagged. “It might even be feasible. I had an interesting chat with your spirit-knights and delectable lady Vahlen.” She grinned. “What’s this I hear about twisting reality?”

“Time to show them the fruits of our research and experimentation, I suppose.” I mused to my partner, catching her telepathic eyeroll with my own amusement. With a far more honest smile, I nodded, converting Tamamo to her most basic form of a gauntlet. Manifesting the required (currently) spell circles around me with her assistance, almost lazily bending space around me in a mostly cosmetic effect. Mostly, I was just manifesting my ‘elemental’ alignment onto reality, and it was a spell that was far more complex than it should be, but it did what it had to do. “Enough bendy space for you, Tamamo-san? I can’t actually break it without getting furious, and while I can do that on command, it takes a solid bit of self-hypnosis and meditation to accomplish.”

Tamamo peered at the circles, humming. “...why are these here? They’re not doing anything.”

“They’re there to stabilize the magic,” I explained, taking a look at the spell circle in question, “It’s also partially a safe experiment to see if manifesting this for a long time will let me and or Tama get the breakthrough we need to make true portals.”

“Hmm.” Tamamo’s ears flicked. “...there seems to be a spell circle you’re drawing on within your soul. We may need to do some tests in a remote area, outside of any spatial warping.” She reasoned. “It may require forcing you to cast with no guides or foci.”

“Tama and I theorized that she was being an active detriment to it when the previous spell circle blew up.” I admitted sheepishly, shaking my head, “And I can already cast some of my more ingrained spells without her. Teleporting is easy, so is Blinking. Wide Area Search, some basic mana bullets in the Al-Hazardian Style, and some Mid-Childan spells that I’ve been learning with Nanoha. Reinforce has helped a lot in that regard, to be honest.”

“... But?” Mariko prompted with some curiosity.

“But I’m not a spell researcher. I get my magic, instinctively even. The fact it’s not native to my original body is helping a lot. But because I operate so instinctively, some things don’t quite work the way I want them to. Research doesn’t really help much. Most of my more powerful spells were accidents. Developed in the heat of training or combat. Blink was a product of live-fire training during basic, and I started really getting combat spells without Tamamo during the remedial training you and Tazri came up with.” Groaning, I ran my left hand through my braided hair, “Basically, everything inside me says that I shouldn’t be making portals the way I’m trying to, but that same internal muse is refusing to tell me what I’m doing wrong.”

Tamamo gave a small mou. “I see! We need to get you in touch with proper improper spellcasting.” She nodded sharply. “In other words, faith magic. That’s the inverse of what I’m good at.” Her tails and ears popped up. “Ooh, we could make it a joint session! I owe your maid some training!”

“I would like that, Tamamo-sensei.” I bowed politely before I turned to Mariko, “Dear, is there anything else we need to do today? If not, I think I’m going to go check in with my fellow mages and the Wolfenritter. I’m also due for my sparring session with Signum again. So much to do, so little time.”

“Do you want to help me with my paperwork? I’m not handling any fieldwork today.” Mariko paused, then smirked. “I could always use my secretary…”

“... In about three hours? I do need to go spar with my subordinates, and I also need to coordinate stuff with the mages. The latter I can do over radio if needed, the former I can only really do in person. Sorry Mariko-chan…” I replied awkwardly, trying to figure out why Mariko of all people would fail to pick up on something I’d said literally thirty seconds ago.

“Fair. Work does come first. I shall just have to visit you~” Abe smiled. “Have fun getting sweaty with little girls and ancient spirits, dear.”

“Please don’t make it sound lewd.” I sighed, shaking my head with more fondness than exasperation, “I’ll see you later!”

With that said, I teleported away.

“... She always does that when she’s embarrassed.” Mariko smirked, nodding towards Tamamo.

“... Tell me more.”

Chapter Text

I couldn’t help but consider how much things had changed as I grabbed my uniform to put on beneath my WarSuit. Before, I would have been just one grunt among many.

Now…

“Corporal, Signum and Vita are ready for you out front, along with your squire and handmaiden.” Zafira informed me from the door. “We are ready to depart when you are.”

It… wasn’t a role I had ever expected to be in, leading troops onto a battlefield. But it had been something I’d dreamed of, once upon a time. There was a certain thrill of satisfaction in knowing that I was among the best of the best; even if it was largely thanks to my absolutely bullshite force multiplier, but I was okay with that. But mostly, it was the sense of responsibility that came with it that I had expected and feared the most.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown, great is the burden of the mighty… I mused, shaking my head. Not quite accurate, but it was the quote that fit best.

Aloud, I answered firmly, “We’ll be teleporting out shortly. Gather around the extract point.”

Zafira nodded, and I followed him outside, looking at the four other people waiting outside. Nanoha had recovered admirably from Blooming Blossom, and seemed ready for the fight to come. Signum and Vita were both old soldiers who were ready to fight.

Rei… was dressed in what appeared to be stylized Onmyouji robes. With cleavage. While I could tell they were actually some variant of a barrier jacket, it was a little weird on her. If I’d had to guess, the traditional garments didn’t quite suit her. Rei was an Oda, and she was an Oda that I had pegged for being more of a Samurai than anything else. Not a mage. Not like the Onmyouji. If anything, she’d fit the fictional descriptions of a Warmage the best, and onmyouji’s raiments didn’t fit her.

“Rei,” I stated aloud, intent on expression said irritation even as it filled my voice, “Is Hoshi using Tamamo’s Barrier Jacket over your own preference?” Unsaid was ‘is Hoshi going to be a problem’.

“...you can change it?” Rei asked, looking down at herself.

“You can, mistress.” Hoshi replied cooly. “This form is one of my Lady’s favorites.”

“I don’t care, Hoshi.” I barked authoritatively, “I understand you are attached to Tamamo-sensei. However, Rei is not her, and likely never will be. Your lady herself passed you on to Oda Rei, and I understand that you have issues about that, but the battlefield is no place to be like this.”

“It is not nonfunctional. And all she needs to do is ask–”

“Please change it.”

“Very well. I have taken the liberties of looking at some common outfits. Any preferences?”

Rei hesitated, then murmured quietly. “...battle maid.”

“Ah, you remain cultured.” Rei’s outfit shone, and when it settled, she was in an armored breastplate, greaves, over a long-skirted maid outfit. “Better?”

Rei responded by summoning her staff. “Much.” She frowned as she noted the top had changed from its old ring staff configuration. “Hmm.”

“Needed to match the outfit, mistress.”

“Fair.”

Keeping my twitching eye entirely internal rather than external, I nodded cooly, “Into the teleportation circle now. Nanoha! You coming?”

“Ah, yes!” Nanoha darted over from where she’d been speaking with Hayate. “Hayate-chan just wanted to pass me a packed lunch, in case we’re there too long.” She frowned. “Ah, we are assaulting… an island, correct?”

“Indeed.”

“More details when we get there.” I replied. “And they’re expecting us.” I eyed the circle. “All right. Let’s go.”

Seconds later, we were met aboard ship with a man in dress whites. He gave a quick salute. “Welcome to the JS Izumo, Wind Squadron. I am Captain Kai. Come along, we are set up for your briefing.”

I returned the salute snappily, “Understood Captain.” Which was enough said. It was interesting that Tazri had marked me as the leader of a squadron though. Then again, she had gotten her hands on the TSAB’s military organization thanks to Mariko’s efforts fairly recently, and aerial mages were technically chair force. That or Naval Air Arm.

We descended into the ship, then filed into a small room set up with a whiteboard with several chairs facing it. Captain Kai cleared his throat. “I am, apparently, the subject expert on this little… situation. At least, up until the arrival of the Artifact your team is here to extract and secure. How much do you know about Yamatai?”

“... Not a lot, sir.” I admitted, “Only the barest hints. I thought that the historians thought it was just a reference to the likely historical Queen Himiko and the Japanese Islands though?”

“It was, which is why the current holders renamed it.” Kai elaborated, activating the projector. “Though there have been some findings indicating the true Yamatai is a sunken Mu city… which we have yet to find.” He shook his head. “Regardless. In 1979, soon after the beginning of the Morning Wars, an eccentric and rich man purchased this island, and moved himself, his family, several other families, and a massive pool of domestic workers, skilled laborers, and agricultural staff to the island. Within a year, he used his wealth and the people he’d brought here to construct a fortress, of modern make but dressed up in the style of Matsumoto castle. He intended it to be one part safe port and secure bunker, and one part wish fulfillment.”

“Oddly enough, the plan worked; one of Mr. Takagi’s ‘retainers’ gained a Device, and used it to further ward and defend the island, and Takagi was generous and charismatic enough to convince most of the island to call him ‘lord’ while they waited out the wars.” Kai sighed. “The trouble truly began in late 1993, when he died, and the young man who’d inherited the Device of his predecessor took control of the island.”

Nanoha perked up. “Umm… I remember hearing about this. Something about… hostage crisis?”

“Motoyasu Shiratori took up the Device, and declared himself the new Lord after Takagi’s death. His first ‘act’ was to lock down the island, over the protests of the staff and inhabitants who wished to leave as their contracts ended and the world came more and more into peace.” Kai tapped the table. “The resulting crisis ended with a tacit agreement; Motoyasu would release all those who wished to go, and he would be cut off from the outside world, so long as all his hostages were released alive and unharmed.”

“Since then, the island has become akin to more of a cult headquarters, rather than a place of refuge. Motoyasu has succeeded, somewhat, in enticing more followers and investors to the island, but a watchful gaze has kept things from escalating. Until now.”

“One month ago, the island… warped. The more stylized and decorative portions of the palace complex transformed into working weapons, and the statues which dotted the island came to life. Three days ago, one of the staff escaped in a small fishing boat… but when we first found him, he could only speak an archaic form of Japanese, and was missing the majority of his memories of the outside world. Though those skills and memories have returned, the level of magic on the island, and its reach into the outside world, has slowly grown.” Rai tapped a circle imposed over the map of the island. “Earlier today, one of our analysts finally matched the signal of the island’s field to that of a Jewel Seed. We have reason to believe it fell into the ocean, drifted here on the currents, and found its way into Motoyasu’s hands.”

“Plan, sir?” I asked professionally, barely holding back the internal snarl of sheer rage threatening to break out. This… lunatic was playing out the fantasies of a feudal lord and using magic in a way that I very much protested. If it wasn’t for Nanoha’s presence, I would be very tempted to… kill them man. I crushed those thoughts. They weren’t useful.

“A traditional assault is impossible. A scouting team sent in barely returned before they were swept up in the fantasy. Our analysts believe magical defenses should slow, or even block the field, so a magical strike team is necessary.” He looked around the room. “Your best bet is to break in, capture or kill Motoyasu, and seal the Seed, which should collapse the field.” He brought up several pictures. “The effects of the field are… sporadic. Ancient stonework with second world war era anti-air guns and naval artillery on the walls, soldiers armed with swords and breech-loading rifles, as well as magical defenses. You need to be prepared for some odd occurrences.”

“Understood, sir. My team and I will fly in, since the man would be a fool not to have anti-teleportation defenses. We’ll destroy the AA and Naval Artillery so your ships and aircraft can get closer. I’d imagine that your pilots would love to express their general displeasure?” I replied, hoping to the kami that I would have CAS if needed.

“Yes, but not feasible.” Rai replied. “Most of the people on the island are Japanese civilians. Bombardment and strafing are off the table unless things get truly dire.” He grimaced. “If things get too tight, or escalate, I am authorized to deploy air support or artillery bombardment. But if we do, we will be called on the carpet for every life lost.”

I grimaced. I had considered the civilians, but I hadn’t considered how my request would sound. Irritating. “I was mostly thinking of the use of precision munitions to take out barricades, apologies Captain.”

“Right.” The captain nodded, before shutting off the projector. “The slow spread of the field isn’t too dangerous, but considering how radio communications break down within the sphere, we’ll likely be out of contact. Corporal, how much time should we give your team before we assume your group has been lost?”

“An hour.” I replied easily, frowning, “Once we break the field, unless we communicate with a pre-agreed signal, I’d recommend detaining us. If the man has mental control magic, I am not willing to risk the possibility of one of us becoming compromised.”

“I see.” The captain nodded. “Any questions before you all depart?”

“None at this time sir, at least not from me.” I saluted, before turning to my squadron, “Anyone have their own?”

Nanoha raised one hand. “Umm… what will happen when we get the Jewel Seed?”

“At that point, we swoop in and arrest Motoyasu for trespassing, kidnapping, enchanting without consent, and draft dodging. The island is technically the property of Mr. Tagaki’s heirs, who were some of those to flee the island; Motoyasu and his ‘court’ are technically squatters.”

“Okay.” She looked down, then looked back up. “Um. Hayate told me to ask about… looting.”

Rai blinked, and I sighed. “This is an official op, Nanoha. That means only looting if command authorizes it.”

The captain coughed. “No. Please do not loot anything there. There may be a prize payout for taking the island- the Tagaki family has made noises about that before- but much of the property on the island would be private, and that’ll take the courts to sort out.”

Nanoha nodded. “I guess I packed the crowbar for nothing, then.”

I shook my head, nodding slightly apologetically as I turned on my student kindly, “That’s still useful for breaching doors if all else fails Nanoha. And other uses. I carry a sledgehammer around in Tamamo’s storage for a reason my dear student.”

Rei raised one finger. “Um. You don’t use magic for that?”

“Even when you have reserves like mine, the simpler solution allows you to save an not inconsiderable mana in most cases. That and I should really use my Tier 1 training far more than I do.” I said firmly, “I’ve been trained by various SpecOps groups and Abe-Taicho. I have no excuses.”

“I see.”

Rai nodded. “If that is all?” At the various head shakes, he stood. “I assume you’ll fly in from the deck?” At my nod, he led us upstairs and pointed out the island. “There’s the island, and you can’t miss the palace. You should be able to–” He paused, looking upward. Following his gaze, I watched as a yellow streak descended on the island, piercing through the thing bubble of wavering light around it. “Was that one of yours?”

“... No.” I stated professionally, “That’d be Precia Testoserosa’s agent. Looks like it’s a race against time now. Wind, fall in. We’re leaving now.” I waited only a fraction of a second for their response before leaping into the air and engaging my flight mode and taking off as fast as I dared to maintain squadron cohesion. Behind me, my five agents fell in behind me, closing on the island.

Rei sent me a thoughtstream. “Is this agent the Fate girl you’ve mentioned before?”

“Yes. Capture only. We aren’t going to aim to kill her in any circumstance. She’s a child, and I categorically refuse to use lethal force against her.” I ordered easily, splitting off a thought partition specifically to deal with communication while the rest focused on various things. Tactics, flying, spells and such.

Signum joined into the discussion. “So allowing her to escape is preferable to her death? Even if she responds with lethal force?”

“... I am not killing a child.” I replied, “But if you feel you must, I will not stop you while we are in an active warzone.” My gaze tightened, “I would prefer if you do not, however. She’s an abuse victim and is only a hair away from breaking free of the stockholm syndrome she’s suffering under as per my understanding.”

“Understood. It will be no trouble to mitigate my power.” Signum responded.

“And her familiar, the hound?” Zafira offered.

“Same RoE as Fate herself.” I replied, “They are codependent, and it is likely the familiar hates Precia even more than I do.”

“I see. I will attempt to restrain her, then.” Zafira rumbled.

At the head of the formation, Vita sent a message. “We’re hitting the barrier in thirty seconds.”

“All callsigns be ready for impact with the barrier. Status reports three seconds after we breach.” I called as we neared the shimmering horizon, “Let’s do this ladies and Gentleman, and let’s keep it nice and clean.”

The group nodded, and we hit one after another, passing through. Immediately, a pulse went through me, seeming to attempt to alter me– and I swatted it back, blinking furiously as it rolled off me.

Tamamo spoke to me. “Pulse successful. Barrier integrity unaltered; reserves now at 84% and dropping.”

Vita spoke up. “Asch, I feel… ugh, not good enough at barriers.” Looking over at her, I blinked; Vita’s normal red dress had been altered into a miniature suit of red samurai armor, and her hammer had been replaced with an oversized kanabo.

Signum’s outfit had also been altered, but her weapon remained the same, while Zafira was unaffected. Nanoha’s normal magical girl outfit had been replaced by a Yukata, while Raising Heart now resembled a Ring Staff. Rei, on the other hand, seemed completely unchanged, though the spell hiding her tails had been stripped away.

“Status!” I barked, not allowing my worry to seep into my voice.

“Ah, this is nice… Raising heart, save configuration. Um, mind is okay, though!” Nanoha sent out.

“I am fine, though I have the sudden urge to start calling all my attacks.” Signum thought.

“Now I really want a drink. A lot of drink.” Vita added. “Other than that… I’m fine.”

“Unaffected, though the power is hitting my barriers. We should expedite our attack.” Zafira confirmed.

“...ah. My instincts are telling me to seduce… someone. Not sure whom.” Rei admitted. “Also, I want liver and tofu.”

“Rei, lean more into the nicer perception of kitsune from back then. Zenko, if you’d please?” I suggested, hoping to the kami that she’d manage to shift the mental altering spell into something more helpful. Grimacing, I nodded towards Zafira, “We’re on a time limit. Let’s hit them hard and fast- look for the lightning.”

“Alright. Vita smash!” Vita immediately went into a dive, club swinging as she descended. We all fell in behind her, the little woman batting aside the anti-air fire sent her way, while the missed shots were deflected off Zafira’s barriers. “Here we go! Time to show you lot how a Belkan Samurai fights!”

“...knight.” Zafira muttered. “Hmm.”

Nanoha blinked as we drew close. “Umm… are we being animeized? Is that a word?”

“No Nanoha, we’re being Sengoku-Jidai’d” I growled, letting my cold fury keep growing larger, like a glacier. “I am going to kill this mage. Then tear everything he cares about to pieces.”

Vita hit the gound, knocking aside the men manning the AA gun, and I watched as the armored men were sent flying. A group of men ran forward, aiming rifles and drawing swords to face our group as we landed. Without even bothering to pretend to recover, I sent a flurry of mana-bullets from my Tamamo-AR towards them nodding in satisfaction as they went down.

As we began to advance, a gong sounded in the distance, and a pair of four meter tall metal statues rounded the corner to advance on us. The two massive samurai drew their bronze swords as they closed on our group. Signum glanced at me. “May we, ma’am?”

“Have fun.” I saluted cheekily, more than happy to conserve my worryingly draining mana.

Signum drew her blade and leveled it at the statues, before blinking. “Wait–” She blurred, slicing the statue in half lengthwise. “...why was I about to rant at a statue?”

Vita just crushed her statue into the ground. “No clue.”

Zafira sighed as we began to advance, slowly breaking through the men and statues who imposed themself in our way. “This is inefficient. Also, where did all these men come from? Were there really so many soldiers here before?”

“Anime.” Nanoha butted in as she blasted aside a group of men with rifles. “Or maybe a video game?”

“Both, likely.” I shrugged, blasting an unwillingly larping civilian and putting them into dreamland.

“So… is Mr. Motoyasu a weeb?”

“Japanophile, more likely.”

“Does that count if he is Japanese?” Rei asked, even as she blurred, balls of violet flames colliding with the men who charged her and dropping them into hallucinations and dreams. “Also, this is very easy.”

“Too easy, Rei? Respond telepathically.” I asked, eyes sharpening.

“It’s just… these men may have been transformed, but they’ve not been empowered. Or trained.” She thought back at me. “It makes sense, but I’m wondering when–”

“Halt, intruders!”

“-the other shoe will drop.”

The courtyard we’d fought our way to was mostly empty, but before the doors into the main complex, a group of twelve men stood. Dressed in samurai armor which pinged on my senses as magical, they almost posed as they drew swords and readied weapons. “We will not let you pass, dogs of foreign powers! Now you face the–”

I shot the idiot. In the face. I was not letting him monologue. As the bullet hit him, the odd air of theater seemed to shatter, and with a yell the other eleven warriors charged, even as the man I downed bounced off the rear wall, stood up and joined the charge. Sighing in annoyance, I began sweeping the room in automatic fire, grimacing at the hit my mana was taking.

My shots buffeted and knocked the men about, while my allies executed fast hits and explosions to take them down. Within minutes, the group was cleared. Nanoha looked about, then winced. “I think… we were overleveled for this encounter.”

“Don’t think too much within his game. Keep professional, keep going.” I said to my student, “Stack up on the wall, we’re breaching the sanctum.”

Chapter Text

As we began to stack up on the walls, I heard a loud crash on the other side of the massive wooden doors. More complications? Not surprising, but mildly irritating. Fate was probably there.

“Zafira, you’re on point. Vita, Signum, follow afterwards. Nanoha and Rei, you follow me once the Wolfenritter breach, and we’ll be taking to the air within to provide suppressive bombardment. Understood?” I ordered, raising up my hands and readying to count down with my fingers.

As the rest of the team nodded, Rei cocked her head, ears twitching. “...I hear a voice- very young- beginning to monologue about claiming the Jewel Seed for her mother. It appears she did not manage to resist the effects of this place overmuch.”

“That’d be Fate. Expedite. Breach now. We’re going in. Concentrate fire on Fate and the hopefully downed mage.”

“That hope may be premature. They’re still bantering.” Rei sighed as Vita pulled her hammer back to bash in the doors. “I suspect this will be an interesting fight.”

Without further commentary, Vita’s kanabo smashed the doors off their hinges. We stormed in, and for a few long moments, I could feel the weight of the spell drag us down, slowing our assault, and giving me time to view the room. Annoyed, I let it do its thing; no sense in… wasting mana.

At one end, standing before a tall stone throne, was a man in red samurai armor, gold leaf edging every plate; he held a long, shining naginata with a silver shaft in one hand, a gauntlet on his other one manifesting a barrier to intercept the shrapnel from the attack. Around him were arrayed four men and eight women, in a mix of armor, robes, and other gear, holding a variety of weapons; I was not entirely shocked to see that the women were in what amounted as fetish wear that grossly trampled upon how conservatively woman would have dressed back then. Not that I personally cared all that much, but it annoyed the historian in me.

On the other side of the room, Fate Testarossa stood backed by a platoon of shadowy minions, black armored figures only vaguely resembling the wire-frame warriors she’d deployed with on her last mission. Fate herself was garbed in almost painful ‘dark magical girl’ apparel; fishnet stockings, loose robes with openings at the thigh and belly, and a tiara which held her hair back. Her Device was already in its scythe configuration, the normal sun-yellow blade colored closer to a crimson at the edges.

I twitched. Of course the magic had placed a literal child in mildly revealing clothing. “Hey Everyone?” I all but snarled, telepathically beginning to lay out a plan.

As we began to coordinate, the man at the head of the room looked over at us, even as the grip of the spell began to relax. “More interlopers?” He snarled. “Well, you have come to die in the heart of Yamatai! Come, and face me–”

“I have no time for this. Where is the treasure?” Fate swore, stepping forward menacingly.

“Which treasure do you–”

“Alright all of you are going to shut the goddam fuck up with this LARPing horseshit and get unconcious now,” I snarled, leveling Tamamo in the vague direction of Fate and her enemies and firing, “Vita, Smash.” My blast seemed to shear through the air, even as Fate batted the shot aside, breaking the odd tension in the room.

Motoyasu’s face turned into a rictus grin as he blocked a strike from Signum, before his lance slammed on the floor releasing a shockwave which threw her back. “To me, champions of Yamatai! Let us throw these foriegn dogs–”

“Hey, buddy, focus on. The. FIGHT!” Vita yelled in his face, her club blurring as she hit him with each word, causing his barrier to strain and crack. “You’re an ass with a battle harem– I’ve crushed the balls of fifty of you fucks–”

“How dare you–” Motoyasu swore as he dodged into the air, throwing a barrage of light spears at the two Belkan knights, even as Zafira and Rei began to battle through his ‘champions’.

“It is delusion to assume your enemies will not fight out of fear or respect.” Signum informed the man as she danced out of the way, but I had to turn my attention from the fight as one of the reskinned codex-copies leapt at me, black claws gleaming. With an oath, I backpedaled, shooting it rapidly to see it collapse into jagged ashes and otherworldly circuitry. With a snarl, I took to the skies myself, shooting a burst of explosive force shelled in mana towards the forgeries of Codexes. The fragments of hardened energy burst apart, cutting down a swath of the enemy even as Nanoha charged in, her own spear-form clashing against Fate’s scythe.

“Stop this!” Nanoha yelled, blades crackling off each other. “You don’t need to–”

“You know nothing! Alph!” Fate yelled back, her shadow contorting to release a snarling wolf-woman, the spell on the island twisting her to be more beast than man. But Nanoha didn’t even seem surprised, her hand shooting out and releasing a charged burst of energy which resolved into a hasty bind, catching Alph and sending her spinning into the wall before she managed to burst her binds. I grinned as I blasted apart more of the drones; our training was paying off big time.

Fate scowled as Alph rolled back to her feet. “Those Jewels belong to my mother, you pathetic wretch! I will claim them from you, and win her favor when I present them to her!”
Nanoha cocked her head. “She’s your mom. Why don’t you have that already?”

Trusting Nanoha to ‘talk-no-jutsu’ Fate for now, I kept a partition focused on that fight as I focused on blasting apart the drones so I could go assist far more easily, and without risk to the rest of the team; it seemed that Vita and Signum had the annoying leader well in hand, and Zafira and Rei were easily handling the man’s battle harem.

As I watched, Signum managed to snag the man’s arm, brute strength allowing her to pin Motoyasu in place long enough for Vita to seize the gauntlet on his other hand. With a wrenching sound, bones cracked and Motoyasu screamed. Seconds later, his lowing spear winked back to mortal steel as Vita pried his Device from his hand, the bloodied gauntlet pulsing and sparking as Vita tucked it under her arm.

In my mind, Tamamo shot me a warning. “The loss of the device confirms my suspicions; though the energy of this place is concentrated around him, Motoyasu does not hold the Jewel Seed. Without obstructions, I cannot sense it on his person, or anywhere in this room.”

I stiffened. That was indescribably bad. “Wide Area Search, now.” I called to Zafira, executing one of my own the moment I ordered my fellow mage.

Behind me, I heard Alph cursing, and spun to see Nanoha thrown back, even as the wolf-woman seized a battered Fate around her waist. “My lady, we need to run, now!” Alph growled through her muzzle, even as Nanoha staggered to her feet.

Without any hesitation whatsoever, I spoke, “Not back to her abusive ‘mother’, she won’t.” I roared, space cracking around me as I fed my rage at the poor girl’s situation into the air around me, “Stand down and I promise you will be treated fairly by Earth’s Governments. You likely won’t even be given any criminal charges. The TSAB nor Precia cannot promise the same.”

Alph paused, before Fate raised her scythe, coming back to her feet. “I will not betray my family.” She cut off Alph before the wolf-woman could speak. “And we are not leaving empty-handed. Alph! Grab the girl, or her Device. We’ll seize her Seeds today.”

Nanoha came to her feet. “Well… I suppose I’ll just have to beat some sense into you, and maybe cool you off a bit. Wouldn’t be the first time! Come on!”

Fate and Nanoha sprang at each other, even as I intercepted Alph’s charge. “... Why do you fight?” I asked the familiar, genuinely curious.

“For her, of course.” Alph snarled back, shooting a glance at Fate. “She gives the orders, I follow, so long as it doesn’t break the first rule.”

“I assume this first rule is why you simply don’t give up now and do what’s genuinely better for her in this situation?” I retorted drly, deflecting a strike from the wolf-woman, “A normal mother does not torture her daughter for failing her.” I parried another swipe, leaping backwards to make space.

“Rule one; she stays free.” Alph snarled back. “Not dead, not imprisoned.” As I moved to speak, her face twisted. “Precia is a bitch. But I know her, know her moods. I don’t know you, and I can’t trust you. So I fight.”

I nodded, “I can respect your resolve, and your will.” I stated, before quieting and resuming the battle, “Wolfenritter, help us out would ya? I want this over.”

In response, a blue-and-silver form crashed into Alph, bowling her over as Zafira wrested her into the ground. To one side, Fate’s rapid strikes were intercepted by Signum’s blade, just before the woman smashed the unsteady girl in the face with a mailed fist. As she tumbled, Signum swung her limp form over her shoulders. “Targets secured.” She said. “Though they’ll both need medical attention. Should we call Shamal here, or take them to a holding location?”

“... Precia should have interfered by now based on my dreams.” I grunted, eyes scanning the room as I reeled my anger in and shut my reality breaking in a box, “That she hasn’t means we have a golden opportunity. Get Shamal in here to stabilize them and keep them unconscious, then teleport her and Alph to my house and secure them. Call Tamamo and request her assistance if you have to. The rest of us will continue with the mission. Get a report to XCOM as well, please. Tazri’s eyes only. Say ‘The Lightning is Safely Contained’. She’ll know what I mean by it.”

“Understood.” Signu signaled to Rei, who was stuffing a scrap of cloth into the face of one of the bound champions. “Get outside the barrier, let the guard know what’s going on, and call home.”

Rei nodded. “Got it.” She shot off back through the doors, leaving us behind.

Tamamo finally got back to me. “The concentrations of energy are coming from deeper in the base. In what appears to be the palace infirmary.”

“Joy of joys. Alright you lot, off to see whatever insane person the jewel seed holder is.” I grumbled, nodding to Nanoha and Vita, “Be careful, we’re half strength now.”

Between the three of us, we were able to blaze through the hallways and channels between us and the infirmary, entering to find a small group of people gathered around several beds. Even as the people cowered back from us, my senors led us towards a bed in the back, an anachronistic IV tube hooked into the arm of a young boy, maybe eight or nine years old, eyes shut.

“Huh, I was expecting his mom, to be honest. Who are you kid?” I asked the laid up child, eyes scanning for the source of this horrific mess.

One of the women nearby spoke up. “You– why are you here, seeking the Lord’s son?”

“I see. That makes senes then. How pure a wish, how corrupted it became.” I said softly, resting Tamamo in her staff form against the boy’s body, “I think it’s time to wake up child, and stop dreaming. At least you will receive actual medical care now, away from this technologically backwards place.”

“What are you doing?” The woman said, striding forward only to be held back by Vita. Nanoha swung around, placing the tip of Raising Heart over the boy’s chest, and the woman’s struggles ceased as the Jewel Seed rose from his chest.

As I watched, the room seemed to shudder and warp, even as the Jewel Seed was sealed with a quiet chime. The wooden room morphed into a modern medical bay, even as they gleaming walls and pleasant scents turned into the acrid stench of cheap antiseptic and bleach. The woman clutched her head as her robes morphed into surgical scrubs. “...what…”

“Jewel Seed sealing complete.” I whispered, “Shamal, we have need of you when things are less urgent.”

“I already got your message, and am packing up my things right now. Will be arriving shortly. Was the mission a success?”

“In more ways than one, yes.” I replied, shaking my head, [Wind 0-1 to Izumo Actual, how copy?]

[Copy Good, Wind 0-1. Our sensors indicate the field just dropped. We’re sending in sweep teams right now; most of the resistance seems broken, and the wards around the island are down. Are you available to help with the clean-up, or do you have casualties which need evac?]

[That’ll depend on how my report to XCOM Actual plays out captain. Something happened during the mission that may affect my response. Standby.]

Switching channels easily, I connected to Central [This is Trickster calling XCOM Actual. Commander Tazri, did you receive my call on Lightning Safely Contained, over.]

[Commander Tazri is currently unavailable, Trickster. This is Central.] Bradford responded. [She did leave a memo saying you might have an important VIP in tow. Details?]

[HVT secured safely. She’s at my residence to forestall any interdimensional attack on XCOM HQ. I’m currently testing to see if Precia is paying attention, and since my home hasn’t been nuked, nor has this island, that means she isn’t. That and it looks more welcoming than the base brig. Break] Pausing, I took a breath, [Fate Testarossa is Precia’s… cloned daughter, and her means of interacting with the world and securing the Jewel Seed. We’ve secured her, and thus neatly tied that issue with a bow for now. Over.]

[Understood. I’ll have the Doctors put together a secure and comfortable cell, in case we need it, but for now, the prisoner can remain in your hands.] I heard rustling paper. [The Commander left a note. ‘She’s your problem. Don’t let her escape unless you can justify it later.’]

[Understood sir. Trickster out.]

Switching channels again, I opened a telepathic channel to Nanoha and Vita, “Feel free to go home if you feel like it. I’ll be leaving momentarily once I notify the Captain I can’t stay.”

[Captain, this is Wind 0-1. Negative on cleanup. I’m needed elsewhere.]

[Confirmed. Thank you for breaking the siege, Wind 0-1. We’ll handle it from here.]

[Thank you Captain. Wind 0-1 over and out.] I stated, before scanning the room one last time. “Take care of him. And goodbye. Best of luck with the recovery.” With my last piece stated, I popped out of the room with a teleport, ready to not be here. I still had much to do, and little time, after all.

I arrived at my front porch seconds before Nanoha and Vita popped into existence behind me– and just after Signum, Shamal, and Zafira hauled one unconscious and one restrained person in through my front door. Rei stood to one side, somehow already holding a tray with a small assortment of eastern crackers. “Welcome home, my lady.”

Taking one of the offered snacks with a smile towards my maid, I nodded, “Thank you Rei. Are they safely secured?”

“No, but only because Shamal is giving them both a physical. Though with three of the Wolkenritter in the room with them, and Fate’s Device locked down, I do not think they’ll be escaping anytime soon.”

Vita tapped me on the shoulder. “Corporal, what should I do with the impounded weapon?”

“Bardiche? Keep them away from Fate and Arf. Can any of you safely seal him for the time being?” I replied, receiving a firm nod from the now present Reinforce, “Ah, please ensure that Fate and Arf are kept in the holding facilities Mariko installed. I’d rather not piss off Mrs. Hayate.”

Vita listened to me rattle off the orders, before she cleared her throat. “Ah… I meant the Device I ripped off that bastard.” She flexed her wrist, a dodecahedron barrier forming around a manifested golden gauntlet.

“Do you mind terribly if I take it to Commander Tazri? She would likely not mind the additional device, if nothing else.” I requested.

Vita nodded. “Should I go now, ma’am?”

“We’ll teleport momentarily Vita. Standby.”

She nodded, and I nodded at my students and subordinates, “Nanoha. If you want to keep Fate company, feel free to do so.”

Nanoha nodded. “Hai, sensei!” She turned and walked up to the door, only to yelp as Hayate opened it, grabbed her, and dragged her in. I shook my head in amusement. I wonder how much more willing to talk Fate would be by the end of this, even as I reappeared in the designated teleporting station within XCOM.

One of the guards on duty looked up at me, bored. “Hey, Trickster. You’ll need to take the stairs today; the elevators are down.”

“Gotcha. Good luck with the rest of your shift!” I called, rapidly moving towards the staircase. No sense in wasting time, and I wasn’t about to teleport around the base given the relaxed atmosphere of the base. No need to break their bubble today. I could amuse myself on another.

Trotting up three flights of stairs, I stepped into the Geoscape to find the entire room looking up at one of the main screens, watching through helmet-cams as a squad breached a crashed spaceship. I winced as I watched the teams exchange fire with a Mechtoid and a group of Mutons which charged out of the ship’s airlock, one trooper slammed into the ground by a raging alien.

Bradford tapped his comm. “Focus fire on the Mechtoid. Savage-Three, hit the Muton with a concussive blast, knock him back! Savage-One, regroup your team ASAP, multiple aerial hostiles inbound!”

“Copy, responding!”

Bradford’s eyes narrowed as the team responded, iron will and discipline letting the team marshall and execute their current foes in time to take cover before a wave of plasma swept their position. “Savage-One, casualty report!”

“Two of my team are down, no fatalities yet. Let the doc know the armor does its job.” The voice yelled back. “Our Magi has the fliers in check. Sweep the ship or provide support?”

“Sweep. Only a few contacts left inside, and we don’t want them to have the chance to scrub their computers or rig the ship to blow.”

A minute later, the battle was over, and the geoscape crew cheered and applauded. “Another successful operation. Well-done, Savage-One. Everyone comes home today.”

As the crew celebrated, Bradford swept the room with his gaze, before striding to meet me. “Corporal Lee. I assume you’re here for your debriefing?”

“Affirmative Central.” I saluted.

“At ease.” Bradford shot back. “Thank you for coming, but you’re early.” He took a sip of his coffee. “The Japanese forces are just now reaching the island, so unless you just want to get your perspective recorded, we can’t do a full work-over of the operation yet. Unless you have some major information which we need to share with them, you may relax or hit the showers until the Commander is available.”

“Understood Central, I’ll go grab a shower. Thank you sir.” I replied.

Commander Tazri looked me over as I finished my report. “So, an unmitigated success. Wonderful.” She began to shuffle some paperwork, then looked over at Vita, who had a seat next to me. “As for that Device… the Japanese government isn’t pressing any claim to it. We’re not entirely certain why, but it looks like they’re conceding it to you.” She turned back to me, eyebrow raised. “Do you want to keep it, or will you turn it over?”

“I think I’ll just turn it over, commander. There’s no reason for me at the moment to hold onto a device that could potentially help the war effort.” I replied professionally. Vita nodded, placing the (now clean and inert) gauntlet on the table. Tazri tapped the table, and Captain Herman snapped into existence, picked up the gauntlet, and disappeared.

“Excellent. It’s always better to have too many weapons in the armory than too few.” Tazri acknowledged. “I’ve received some communications from Yamatai. Apparently, the young man who got his hands on the Jewel Seed was inquisitive but confused; he’d been raised on a mixture of his father’s fantasies and a smattering of real-world information his whole life, and he wished that the world he was in would make sense.” Her lips tightened. “I’m starting to think we should just hand them all over to the TSAB. They may be more trouble than they’re worth.”

I nodded slowly, curbing my instinctive retort with the patience both Abe and my new teachers had been beating into my head, “I think there’s some value in getting the TSAB on our side. From their angle, they must see us as primitives playing with technology that could and have caused the ruin of multiple civilizations. In regards to the Jewel Seeds at least. We just have to figure out how to give them back in a manner that benefits our line more than theirs.”

Tazri groaned. “But that means I have to deal with them. Sure you don’t want to handle talking to them? You managed the Court of Blossoms well enough.”

“You wouldn’t have to deal with them, commander.” I quirked my eyebrow, nodding towards our new diplomat’s office, “You have a well educated diplomat now. Use him.” My gaze turned firm, “Just like those I care for tell me, I tell you; you do not need to take the weight of the world solely on your shoulders. You have a team for that, anyway.”

Tazri perked up as I spoke. “That’s right, I do have a diplomatic office now!” She jotted a note down in her device. “I’ll throw Craighton at the problem. Thanks for reminding me; he’s been busy getting the office in order, so I haven’t sat down with him recently.” She finished her note. “Also, do you think we’ll need to fight the TSAB to keep Fate? Do I need to draw up adoption papers, or are you going to ask your girlfriend to lay out a legend for her?”

“Well, this is partially relying on my dreams, partially relying on the fact that Precia is an abusive madwoman, but I don’t think Fate legally exists,” I began, eyes alight with hidden mischief, “We could either gaslight the TSAB into believing Fate doesn’t exist, or we can just… not answer questions about her. I’ll of course be asking Mariko to ensure she exists very firmly as a German descended American or Japanese individual, but that’s just par for course.”

“Alright. Let me know if there’s anyone I need to put pressure on that Abe just can’t blackmail or bribe.” She finished her notes. “Any questions?”

“Well, there’s always the option of attempting to legally make Fate exist as an Earth citizen to gaslight the TSAB even more, but I’m not sure if I want to spend the… scarily large amount of soft political capital I have on that quite yet.” I mused, turning to Tazri, “Recommendations ma’am?”

“I’d suggest asking Abe and Craighton first… but if you really want someone to back you, just agree to support their ambitions.” Tazri said frankly. “Your ‘soft capital’? If you went out tomorrow and poured your heart out for or against some politician, you could make or break an election, if not a career.” At my startled look, she elaborated. “Most of XCOM’s soldiers are faceless or discreet. Like it or not, you’re one of the only faces of our organization. If you were at all inclined that way, I’d have you in propaganda pieces right now.”

I blinked, “Why haven’t you asked?”

“One, you’re incapable of holding your tongue in public without disengaging from people; we saw that at your awards ceremony. Two, you’d laugh in the face of being ‘coached’ towards any view. Three, you told me flat out that you were already busy enough.” Tazri counted off on her fingers.”Four… well. You’re doing assassination missions with Abe; we really don’t need your face on every billboard in the modern world.”

“I appreciate it, commander.” I replied genuinely, a bright smile dawning on my face, “Oh, on that note, do let me know when elections come up. I’m sure I could do you a favor or two if you feel a candidate shouldn’t succeed while the war’s going on.”

“Eh. I’m used to that sort of bullshit, and if there are any really corrupt ones, I’ll just set the Council or Abe on them.” Tazri waved. “One nice thing about wars, the lines for necessary evils get restructured, leaving a lot of old monsters ripe for cleaning out.” She eyed her device, then stood. “Oh, and the payout for the Device will be paid to your account.” She paused. “You have been investing your paycheck, right?”

“My dad would reach through every conceivable barrier to dopeslap me if I didn’t,” I grinned, grief finally absent for once, and replaced with acceptance, “Yeah, I’ve been investing a good chunk of it. I found a good financial advisor to help me out with it too. I’ve been leaving it in his capable hands.”

“Excellent. Dismissed.” Tazri said as she stood. “I’ve got another five hours of work, and you’ve got a guest at home, so no drinking tonight. See you around.”

“You as well Tazri. I’ll join you for drinks again when I can.”

Chapter Text

Fate shifted restlessly, trying to get as much rest as she could. Waiting for the moment when–

–wait–

Fate shot up, sitting upright as her memories flowed back in form the last mission; of her mind being warped, things inside her shifting around and restructured to fit in the land she fought through. And–

–losing. A girl in white clashing, questioning. And beating her back. The same girl who’d been sealing the other Jewel Seeds. Fate had partnered with Alph and tried to rush in.

“Awake are you?” A new voice asked, one that she vaguely remembered. Looking over, she saw a dark-haired woman sitting at her bedside, in an unfamiliar room. “You went straight from unconsciousness to asleep, then stayed asleep for fourteen hours. How hard was she pushing you…?” She trailed off, the hate in her eyes sparking a memory.

“Don’t–” Fate shook her head. “That’s my mom you’re talking about.” Fate trailed off, her thoughts still in disarray from the encounter on the island. “She’s…”

My Mom/My Mistress/The Dark Queen

“Nngh.” Fate clutched her head. “What… What did you do to my head?”

“Nothing. That was the price of what you did to yourself. You let the field around the island alter your thoughts to fight at your full strength. It forced you into the role of a villainous underling.” The woman said, sighing, “We’re still working on fixing that, but we haven’t actually touched you yet. Consent is something I hold sacred, and I won’t violate it.”

“...not touched her?” Fate’s head jerked up as Alph snarled from the door. The wolf familiar was leaning on the doorframe, tugging on a black-and-white collar wrapped around her neck. “You knocked her unconscious!”

“I was referring to the sanctity of her mind, Alph.” The woman retorted dryly, “And yes, I’m aware of the hypocrisy of my statement.” She paused, a flash of hatred entwined with self-loathing appearing in her eyes as she stared upwards, “But I will not let a child suffer in front of me if I can help it.”

“Then–” The demand to let her go stuck in her throat before Fate could speak up. She swallowed. “...who are you?” As she twisted to look the woman in the eyes Alph walked past the woman, taking a seat at Fate’s side.

“Shizuka Lee. Corporal. XCOM Operative. Nanoha Takamachi and Hayate Yagami’s Teacher. Leader of Wind Squadron.” The woman listed, counting each title off with her fingers, “Someone who is duty bound to detain you for questioning and or prosecution, and did so out of both duty and empathy.” She finished with only a note of concern.

Fate blinked. “Umm.” She looked around, eyeing the window. “...this doesn’t seem like a cell.”

Alph snorted. “Lee’s… a softy. Or something.” She eyed Fate. “Apparently, she knew we’d be coming, and wants to take us away from Precia.” As Shizuka stiffened slightly, the wolf-woman shrugged. “Other than the spirit knights, none of the people here are good at information control, and I have good ears.”

“As for why this isn’t a cell Fate, Alph,” Shizuka began, giving both a hard look, “It’s because I have enough pull with the relevant officials to not be required to toss you to their not at all tender mercies. Officially, you’re both wanted by the TSAB, and frankly it isn’t worth the Council nor XCOM’s effort to protest that if we do capture you.” Standing up, she took out her device in a intentionally non-threatening manner, projecting the official warrant the TSAB had issued, “As much as our world dislikes it, we need them on our side against the Ethereal threat, and a mage and her familiar; no matter how powerful or talented, is not worth losing political capital over.” Pausing, the mage took a breath, “As for taking you away from the woman you call mother, that’s a personal gripe I have with her and the abuse she’s very clearly committed against you. Reinforce; that is one of the most powerful devices in existence, scanned you. I have seen enough to know that she didn’t just psychologically abuse you.”

Fate flinched, even as Alph snarled. After a few moments of silence, the girl spoke up. “So… what do you want with me? You said you were keeping me from my mother and the authorities. Why?”

“Oh, I’m not keeping you from the authorities.” Shizuka snorted, “The authorities’ official line is that we’re toeing the TSAB’s demands, but otherwise most nations in the world don’t appreciate a foreigner coming in, causing an assload of problems while there’s a literal alien invasion going on and refusing to even bother to clean up their messes.” A glint of amusement entered her eyes, “As we speak, XCOM is creating an entirely legal identity for you that places you as a German-American national who was orphaned during one of the Ethereals’ incursions.” Pausing, she looked at Alph, “Precia abandoned you, you know? This house doesn’t have the wards required to block her sight.”

Fate paused. While one part of her wanted to exclaim that her mother thought she could handle herself, another part acknowledged that Precia Testarossa might have written her off on yet another failure. Her heart sank, and she shrunk down even as Alph wrapped her arm over her shoulders. The wolf-woman’s voice pierced through her mind. “So, why do you want to keep Fate? You still haven’t answered her question.”

“That’s because I’m not going to force my views on her.” Shizuka’s voice rang true, sounding genuinely offended, “I can offer her a home here, sure.” Sadness laced her voice as she continued, “But the home and life I offer wouldn’t be peaceful. It would be fraught with danger, and the part of me that wants to be a mother over all else screams in protest of having or adopting a child in these times.” Sighing, the woman shook her head, the glint of unshed tears catching Fate’s eyes, “I can offer alternatives, of course. I have enough connections that I can find you a family, one that you would have relative peace with.” Standing up, the woman who was her current warden shuddered, “I’ll give you some time to think. You can’t leave this house; you aren’t keyed into the wards fully, and they won’t let you out. But ask if you need anything, simply ask. And let me know what path you chose to take when you’ve had time to think.”

“...okay.” Fate mumbled out. Choice? This was frightening, in a way. She instinctively reached for her necklace, only to snap her head down as she found Bardiche missing. “Where’s my device?”

Alph snorted, tugging at her collar. “Yeah, we’ve been disarmed, both of us.” She turned a glare on Lee. “When are we allowed to defend ourselves again, hmm?”

The woman; who’d been exiting the room, sighed deeply, “I can’t give you your devices. You know full well why, Alph. And before you suggest sealing their functions off, I refuse to do so for my own reasons. They’re people too, in many, many ways.”

Alph’s eyebrows shot up. “Well, that’s nice at least.”

Fate put her hand on Alph’s leg. “No. She’s right… for now.” She turned her gaze back to Shizuka. “How can we be proven to use our devices again?”

The operative paused, turning around, “When you choose. Well, to be more clear, you’ll be given back your devices once you leave my protection. Effectively, that’ll happen when you make your choice, one way or another. Precia strikes me as a spiteful woman, and I would not at all be surprised that once she learns you aren’t imprisoned somewhere, she’ll either make an attempt on your life or attempt to recapture you.” Resolve glowed akin to flames in her eyes, “I won’t let you be defenseless come that day.”

“Okay.” Fate said quietly.

Shizuka nodded, only to take a step back as a pair of brown-haired heads poked into the room. “Hey, she’s awake!” One of the girls, with short dark brown hair, charged in and jumped up on the bed. “Hiyah, my name’s Hayate!”

“... Fate.” Fate answered, shrinking back only a little before she shook her head, “And the other is Nanoha, right?”

The other girl nodded. “I’m glad you seem to be well.” She smiled, and something in Fate both rejoiced and shuddered at the sight. “How do you feel?” She reached out with one hand and dragged Hayate off the bed. “Personal space, Hayate.”

“I am…” Fate paused, blinking, “Hungry? But otherwise I feel well rested. It’s nice.”

Hayate wiggled free from Nanoha’s grip and grabbed Fate’s hand. “Oh, come on! Mr. Zafira and Miss Rei are both really good cooks, and I’m sure–”

“Snacks, young mistresses?” Fate jumped as a white-haired familiar came into sight right at the bedside, holding a tray covered in sandwiches. “Normally, I wouldn’t condone eating in bed, but a light snack will be fine.”

“Ah- Thank you?” Fate paused, unsure who-

“I’m Oda Rei. Lady Shizuka’s maid.” The now named familiar bowed, somehow managing not to mess up her tray at all, “Shizuka-san will be cooking dinner fairly soon. I will be gone to assist her.” The foxy eared woman leaned in, a sly grin on her face, “She’s putting a lot of effort into the meal, so leave some space, okay? She does cook Japanese cuisine surprisingly well for someone who hasn’t lived here in decades.”

“Mmm-hmm! Not as good as my mom, but she does a good job.” Nanoha said, taking a bite of the sandwich. “Huh, spam and egg?”

“You two are both growing girls engaged in a lot of exercise.” Rei eyed Fate, then looked at Alph. “Miss Alph would likely prefer meat, and you, Ms. Testarossa, need to put some meat on your bones.”

Picking up a sandwich from the tray, now knowing there wasn’t anything wrong with it, the young girl bit into the snack, “... Doesn’t taste bland, like m-Precia’s does.”

“That would be because of the butter I used on the bread, and the light seasoning I placed on the ham and eggs.” Rei explained patiently, expression unchanging. “You do need to put some care into cooking for the best results.”

Nanoha nodded. “Yup!” She stood. “When you think you’re up for it, come on out and meet everyone. There’s a lot of people who live here these days.” She paused. “Umm. Do you believe in ghosts?”

“... No?”

“Ah, we’ll make sure Keiko-san is aware so she doesn’t scare you.” Hayate politely coughed, giving a pointed look at Rei, “Would you mind letting her know, Rei-san?”

“Of course Yagami-san. Should I tell her to set up the Switch for some family gaming?”

“Please! Hopefully we can get Fate to join!” Nanoha chimed in, smiling brightly.

Fate turned to Alph, who shook her head. “Yeah, you know how Precia said this place was a backwater with little defenses? There’s apparently a whole civilization of phantasmals living here.”

“Ah. I’m guessing the backwater part was a lie too then?” Fate guessed, receiving shaky hand from her familiar.

“On the one hand, they barely have any off-world infrastructure, and they’re still integrating magic. On the other hand, there are six billion of them, and they’ve had four millennia to slowly build up their infrastructure. The TSAB really wants to get them integrated into Mid-Childa.”

Fate winced. “And… mother has pissed off all of them?”

“No, just the 120 million here in this nation.”

Fate quailed. “Oh.” She looked over at Nanoha, who tilted her head in confusion. “The… population of the TSAB is… at most 20 billion. That’s a lot of people.”

“Puts things in perspective, huh?” Hayate swung her legs. “Really, we wouldn’t even be that mad if we knew why she wanted to do this.” She tilted her head.

“... Hayate-chan, Shizuka-sensei said that it was to bring… Fate-chan’s older sister back. Or, well, sensei put it less kindly; ‘Precia wants to bring her long dead daughter back to life, something which Tamamo has confirmed is impossible even with Al Hazardian Technology.’” Nanoha interjected, genuinely looking confused at Hayate’s line of thought.

“...I had a sister?” Fate whispered, looking up, then looking down, wrapping her right hand around the wrist around her left.

“... Shizuka-sensei should be the one to explain that.” Nanoha mumbled after a awkward pause, smiling weakly, “It’s… not a fun story.”

Fate shook her head. “Why didn’t she tell me? I would have tried harder–”

Alph grabbed her master, pulling her into a hug. “Even if what they’re saying is true, it doesn’t excuse what that bitch did to you.” She growled. “If she succeeded, what would happen to you? She already treats you like trash. Would she…”

Fate shuddered, dots connecting as she finished the sentence Alph began. Shaking herself free from her familiar, she pushed herself to her feet. “...how does she know?”

“That would be because I saw it happen. Dreams, visions, nightmares of a future that will never be.” The woman’s voice cut into Fate’s psyche, the telepathic intrusion gentle and tired, “Fate, you, in a way, are Precia’s first attempt to bring back Alicia. She still has your twin’s body preserved perfectly. A clone of Alicia Testoserosa, one that Precia deemed a failure in her naked obsession for the impossible.” The telepathic bond surged with feelings of sympathy, “You would never have been good enough in that insane woman’s eyes. She simply used you for your mage-potential, fully intent on finding a method to reach the city of “Al Hazard”. My device informs me that even if she’d succeeded she would have died shortly afterwards due to the internal defenses of the Citadel-City”

Fate gulped, hand twisting on her wrist. “...a clone?” She looked down, eyes widening as the dots connected. “...that. That makes sense…” She swallowed. “Alicia… and you’re sure she can’t be saved?”

“Not without literal divine intervention. Not as far as I’m aware, at least. It would also depend on where her soul went. If it’s reincarnated already? No. She’s gone. And it’s unlikely she’s in any of Earth’s Underworlds.” Shizuka paused, a mental sigh briefly bleeding through the link before she continued, “And Fate? If I do obtain her body from your… creator at some point, I will attempt once to commune with her spirit. I am going to owe Tamamo-sensei my entire being for it, but I can do so. But… I would not get your hopes up.”

Fate nodded mutely, some of the concepts Shizuka gave her floundering in her mind. (Underworlds? Who was Tamamo? And her mom… wasn’t her mom? Or was.) She was about to bury her head in her hands when she felt a feather-light touch on her shoulder. “Hey.” She turned, looking at the ruddy haired brunette. “It’s okay to be confused. I get that a lot around Lee-Sensei.”

“..um. So… underworlds?”

“Yeah! We haven’t met any real kami yet, but we’ve met a lot of divine beings.” Nanoha chirped. “Ah… and the ghost. Or, several ghosts?” She tilted her head. “I met a toilet ghost once. She seemed really surprised when I greeted her!”

Hayate came up on her other side, giggling. “I’ve not met any other ghosts yet, but I had this really stuffy tengu come and try to teach me how to be a noble lady.” She stuck her tongue out. “I think I want to be more like Lady Toge! She was fun!”

Fate nodded absently, walking over to the door. “A world of phantasmals… I wonder what mother would think of that?”

Precia Testarossa was having a bad day.

Once she finally sent her tool after the next Jewel Seed, she’d watched as long as she could until the minion and her disposable pawns had vanished into the distortion field. Without anything better to occupy her time, she’d decided to use her uninterrupted hours to analyze the already-collected Jewel Seeds.

Nine hours later, and she’d realized that Fate should have been back. When she looked to check and see if her tool was being slow again, she found… nothing. The distortion was gone, the Device she’d provided wasn’t broadcasting, and none of her sensors could find the girl, or the missing seed.

However, as she’d been frantically searching for her agent, her sensors had picked up a number of other distortions, similar to the one which had been hiding the Jewel Seed! Some of them were even in orbit, and Precia had dispatched one drone to scout out one of the distortions nearby, with orders to look around and come back.

But what came back wasn’t her drone. Rather, several beings made up of two spinning wheels covered in eyes, and a singular being whose entire body was obscured by six white wings, had phased into her ship, before exploring the whole thing, ignoring all wards, threats, and strikes made against them.

And now they were trying to talk to her!

“It is not too late, you know. You can still repent and do better." One of the ringed beings spoke, rotating around her. It’s voice was clear as bells, resounding off every surface to enter her head. “All men sin. But redemption is never out of reach.”

“Repent what? What sin?” Precia hissed, jabbing an array of disjunction lasers at the being. “Out! Out!”

“Find faith, take heart. A soul filled with hate can never find a miracle.” A second one spoke.

“My hate towards you is filling further! Out!”

The last spoke, voice more somber. “To reject an offer in good faith is a sin of its own. Why have you not asked for help?”

“You don’t understand. This is– I have to fix this. Only I can fix this.” Precia hissed. “GET OUT!”

As the lesser beings fluttered back towards their home, Precia failed to see the largest being set one golden hand on the holding cell of her most precious person. The Seraph gazed at the body, eyes unblinking. “...an empty vessel, yet it holds such pain. Rest, child, wherever you may be. We can only hope your mother will join you some day.” It turned, fading from sight.

Fate finally finished eating, looking up to see both the fox-eared woman and Shizuka staring at her expectantly.

“So, how was it?” Her host asked, long since having finished her own meal.

“...good.” Fate replied, blushing slightly as she felt all eyes on her, her gaze constantly drawn to the figure floating above the table, slowly eating a dish which had been ritually burned, the ashes congealing into a monochrome version of the food. “Um. There’s a lot of people here.”

“Right. Well, you’ve met Rei, Hayate, and Nanoha.” She pointed at the three familiar people around the table, then motioned to a well-goomed woman with Hayate’s facial structures. “This is Hayate’s mother, Ms. Yagami.”

“Hello there.” The woman said cooly.

“The silver haired woman is the avatar of Hayate’s Device, Reinforce–”

“I’m keeping good care and company of Bardiche, do not worry.”

“-while Vita, Shamal, and Signum are her–”

“Servants!”

“-spirit knights. With them, Zafira rounds of the Wolkenritter.” Shizuka nodded to the wolf-eared man. She then elbowed the woman sitting next to her, who’d been watching the gathering with a sly smile and almost dull eyes. “This is Mariko Abe, my girlfriend.”

“Hello there~”

“And finally, there’s Keiko-chan, who’s… hanging around.” She nodded. “Did I get everyone?”

The blonde boy on the other end of the table coughed, rounded ears twitching. “Me.”

“Oh right. And this is Yuuno Scrya, archeologist of Mid-Childa and the Infinite Library.” Shizuka nodded. “Any questions?”

Fate looked around, scratching her head. “Why are there only two males here? Is there a gender issue I wasn’t aware of?”
“That’s… a good question. No on the gender issue, this household just has a lot of females. I genuinely did not set out to make it this way, but it happened.” Shizuka shrugged, looking mildly embarrassed.

Hayate bounced in her seat. “We’re in a magical girl anime, so it makes sense!” She grinned. “Even better, according to mama we break the standard need for a token male to be the love interest! So Yuuno-kun isn’t going to be a–”

Hayate’s words were cut off as Reinforce put a hand over her mouth. “We are not in a magical girl anime.” The avatar said dryly. “There’s an actual war going on, not something that can be solved with a friendship speech and a transformation sequence.”

Shizuka nodded severely at Reinforce’s comment, a nod of thanks directed the device’s way, “Hayate, you and I are going to have a talk with Nanoha next lesson on why exactly you’re wrong to have that specific mentality in times of war. And I should be able to share my vague memories of a particularly dark meguca anime if it doesn’t exist here. Madoka… well, it’s considered a deconstruction of the genre where I’m from for a reason.”

“Huh? That one with the cyborg doomsday cult?” Nanoha murmured. “I got tested for nanotech after Yuuno gave me Raising Heart. I’m clean!”

Yuuno blinked. “What?”

“Long story short, the cute mascot in that series is an agent for a being known as the Sovereign, trying to find strong hearts and linker cores to transform into more of its agents.” Ms. Yagami shrugged.

“Huh. Kyubei was a lot more alien morality in the version I’m familiar with, though the existence of literal magic did likely change how the writer perceived stuff. In my version, the cute mascot would find girls with strong hearts and turn them into magical girls using a generic system of magic. What they weren’t told was that using the magic slowly corrupted them into monsters, the same monsters they had to hunt and kill to stay alive and sane.” Shizuka mused, before shrugging, “I’ll have to watch this world’s version if I have the time. It sounds like someone mashed Mass Effect and Madoka together.”

“That’s a bit worse than Madoka in our world, yes.” Ms. Yagami replied.

Fate couldn’t help but feel a little lost. “...what’s a Magical Girl? And isn’t anime those weird sorta cgi shows with the big swords?”

Hayate slowly turned to face her, eyes gleaming. “Keiko! We have to show her the most classic of Mgical Girl shows!”

Nanoha nodded, standing up. “Right, I’ll go make some popcorn. And then we’ll introduce you to the greatest show of all–”

“Sailor Moon/Cardcaptor Sakura!” The two girls spoke over each other, before .

“... Why not do Yuki Yuna is a Hero?” Shizuka mused, a glint entering her eyes as she pulled up the relevant anime.

“Sensei!” Both little girls shrieked, and Fate watched as the two girls and the older woman began debating and arguing over which show was the best. She blinked as Reinforce set a hand on her shoulder.

“Let them get it out of their system. You don’t want to get involve, trust me.”

Fate winced as the group argued. “Yeah…” As she watched them yell about the various main characters, she couldn’t help but feel a curl of warmth sink into her belly. This might not be so bad, at least for a little while.

Chapter Text

Merry Christmas! Have an early chapter, with another coming (maybe) on Tuesday.
It was early afternoon when Abe came through my teleport wards, without warning or fanfare. I looked up as she slammed through the door, interrupting the tail end of my lunch. “Shizuka. We need to be in the air and teleporting in five minutes. Grab anything you need, hand out lesson plans, and follow me.”

I don’t question Mariko. I know it’s serious, especially when she’s like this, “Nanoha, Hayate, Fate, stay in the house until told otherwise. Nanoha, you have authority over Fate and Hayate. Rei, you have the house.”

With my instructions given rapidly, I nod to Mariko, having gotten in the habit long ago of carrying everything I needed in Tamamo, “Situation?” I asked as we filed outside.

“Reports are spotty. Long story short? Tibet has suffered from a major attack; someone took a swipe at the Dalai Lama, and used the massacre of the TSAB diplomatic team there as a distraction to do it. Along with multiple high intensity attacks across the region.” Mariko told me as we hit the edge of my wards, her suit shifting into her purple-edged combat suit as she rose into the air. “We’re still not authorized to be in the country, but considering the possible source, we need to get in there.”

“Black Operation?” I asked, eyes flinty. It seemed the Ethereals were escalating now.

“Hopefully not; we’re hoping to get permission soon. But we need to get investigators in there immediately.” Abe said grimly. “This wasn’t an alien attack.”

“... EXALT.” I whispered in horror, receiving a grim nod from my boss, “They’re growing bolder.”

“Or desperate. Or…we don’t know.” For the first time since I’d known Abe, I could hear the frustration in her voice. “This was terrorism, open and obvious. There’s got to be another angle, but I can’t see it from the outside.”

“We need intel.” It was a rhetorical statement. We both knew how important intel was. And we had a very gaping hole in our intel regarding EXALT.

“Yes.” Abe’s lips tightened. “Abigail has shared what she knows about the branch of EXALT which used to associate with XCOM, but that’s proven to be a dead end. And our previous clashes have revealed operational capacity, not motives or political assets.” As we rose into the air, Tamamo informed me that Danzo had passed over teleport coordinates. “We’re going to need to rely on your stealth skills to get into Lhasa and remain undercover once we’re there.”

“Understood. Plain sight or optical camouflage?” Clipped, professional, and nothing else. This was too important for anything but my best.

“Optical camo until we get into the city. We’ll need to reassess from there.” Abe said quietly. “I had assets in the city, but not many. Tibet wasn’t important until very recently, and the ones in place are dead or gone to ground.”

“... Hunted?” I asked, spinning up a teleportation circle. One that would hopefully bypass any TSAB detection nets. That or national ones.

“Not specifically. But an attack on a major religious figure and head of state, in the middle of an interplanetary diplomatic summit? Everything is going to be locked down.” Abe said as the world warped around us. I found the two of us floating a dozen yards above a mountain peak, gasping in the thin air before our helmets deployed their rebreathers. “We’re thirty miles out from the city.” She paused. “We can descend now, and follow the highway towards the city. Or go in the air, which’ll be faster, but also more likely to trip any sensor nets.”

“You’re the boss, Mariko-taicho.” I grunted back, smiling, “I’m following your lead here.”

“...ground route. We need to remain undetected, for–”

“Greetings, seekers.” A loud, rumbling voice sounded from the peak below. “We should speak.”

“... Our luck is… interesting, isn’t it Taicho.” I muttered, looking down with narrowed eyes. Perched near the top of the mountain peak was a lion the size of an elephant, white fur blending in with the snow while his brilliant green mane, tail tuft, and fringes added an almost otherworldly air. A golden collar hung loosely around his neck, a wheel of the same material hanging by one of its eight spokes.

“Luck, fate… or merely fortuitous coincidence. Who can say?” The lion rumbled. “Now, shall I place a crick in my neck speaking up at you, or shall we speak face-to-face?”

“... Face to face it is.” I nodded, lowering myself to their height.

The lion cocked its head, then stuck out his tongue. “Seeker. Before all; be welcome.” He rumbled, placing his paws across his chest as he reared up on his legs. “You have come far, in this time of trouble, Hero of Many Battles.” He turned his gaze upon Abe. “Hunter of Men, perhaps you shall escape hell yet.” He acknowledged.

Abe nodded, her face hidden behind her mask. “You know us. But I don’t know you.”

“You would not. I am called Gesar.” He replied. “If you had come alone, Hunter, Tibet would send you away. But you carry no death, and come with a Champion.” He turned back to me. “You have questions.”

“... You’re a part of the world that hid away, are you not?” I hazarded to guess.

“In most of the world, yes.” The lion smiled, eyes drooping slightly shut. “But here, where the people’s hearts were always open to the world, we have never hidden. Merely became private.” He shifted. “Though if you ask of our connection to the greater worlds and heavens… yes.”

“I am going to be blunt. I don’t have time for politeness, I apologize. Please speak plainly as to what you need. Now.” I asked bluntly, yet with a note of apologetically.

“I need nothing. I am here with advice.” Gesar replied. “Firstly, this attack is not yet at its end. Within the Holy City, there arrived a group of men with hate and discord in their hearts. They have yet to leave. Second, the Dalai Lama has been carried word of your arrival.” He gave a low blink. “While the house of men has yet to gather their composure, you may find sanctuary and allies within the spiritual and the mystics of Lhasa, so long as you harm no innocents.”

“Appreciated.” I nodded, “Thank you.”

“Third, the soldiers from beyond the stars are making their own investigation. However, this… Bureau does not and will not ask those of us called the Phantasmals in their quest.” Gesar’s voice turned sour. “They dismiss us, though it is evident that the hateful men are using our ways and foreign magics to evade detection.”

“... I knew the TSAB was arrogant but this is… beyond stupid.” I said lowly, eyes sparking minutely in irritation, “Any other information Gesar?”

Gesar took a look at Abe. “Hunter. Your plan to follow the curve of the Earth is better. Though when you arrive at the city, you must take mundane methods to enter. The old wards and modern defenses will stymie your approach otherwise.” He tapped his paw on the snow. “The gods have predicted another attack in two days, three at most.”

“... Understood. I’ll have to dye my hair, probably style it.” I nodded to Mariko, “Let’s do this.”

“Right.” Mariko nodded.

“May the gods be with you, and may you bury your fangs in the throat of the hating men.” The lion intoned. “I cannot leave my posting, but there are many holy men and women who may aid you within the city.”

As we bowed back and sped down towards the ground, Mariko sent me a message. “...does it ever get normal to have things like this happen?”

“Eventually.” I replied with a note of sadness, “Eventually, you get used to absurdity, and it makes you too nonchalant when things you should be feeling something towards happen again and again and again.”

My girlfriend had no response as we began to cut our way towards the holy city nestled in the mountains.

As we closed in on the city, Mariko sent me another message. “How familiar are you with Tibetan customs?”

“Not.” I replied wittily.

“Right. Tourist level.” Mariko allowed. “There’s no way either of us can pass for locals, and we already have an in. But at least we need the basics.” She started. “If you sit, sit cross-legged, or perhaps kneeling. Don’t show them your feet. You saw the greeting the lion showed us; hand over heart, short bow. That’s customary. If we end up walking with anyone, let the eldest lead and set the pace whenever possible. If we dine, be prepared to refuse to eat further, politely; or else they will continue to serve you until there is nothing left. In temples, no hats and long sleeves and leggings.” She paused. “And… Shizuka, no matter how much some of these people may seem like idiots, do not force them to lose face. Fastest way to get on anyone’s bad side. Be polite, be reasonable, and if you must be direct, do it like you did with the lion; apologize first, and let them take that as the path forward.”

“So more emphasis on face than Japan, got it.” I nodded, sighing slightly, “I hate being autistic sometimes. It makes everything so damn hard.”

“You do fine, most of the time. Thankfully, we’re here as investigators, not diplomats.” Abe allowed. “Although, do you think we can trust the word of that… Gesar, back there?”

“Yes. I’m fairly sure he was a buddha of some kind. The Eight Spoked Wheel is common symbolism with that religion.” I answered, blinking in vague surprise, “I thought you’d have read up on common religious symbols, to be honest. The Eight Spoked Wheel is the most commonly used Buddhist symbol.”

“...look, I was too busy keeping an eye on the teeth and claws to wonder about his collar.” Mariko shot back, and I could almost hear the blush in her voice. “But that makes sense. Either a Bhudda, or the servant of one.” She paused. “Wait, isn’t there only one Bhudda?”

“Nope.” I started, pausing, “Twenty Nine or Eight within my world’s culture. Unsure here, Tamamo?”

“Same numbers.”

“Thank you.” I mentally chirped back, receiving a feeling of satisfaction in return.

“...Danzo, remind me to upload a directory with wold myths on quick reference.” As I shot her a look, she answered my unasked question. “You do realize how ridiculously over-engineered Tamamo is, correct? Danzo has limited storage space and only two weapon modes; Belka focused on narrow-focus, high performance models.”

“No, I was aware of that. I was just surprised you didn’t have one already.” I sniped, grinning at my girlfriend’s look, “What? You’re usually more prepared dear. I’d have though since you sent me a Kitsune maid you’d have one.”

“...I was hoping to avoid the weird, to be honest. So far, the paranormals I’ve met have just been… weird people. Sometimes with horns or ears, and I used to meet those at my bars. Also, Japanese, and I know most of that.” She paused. “And now I’m wondering how many of those ‘eccentric clients’ were just letting it all hang out.”

“Probably a good chunk of them.”

“Well, the more you know.” Abe began to descend further, falling down to cut into an alley in the outer town, before the city center began. Looking up, I winced as I saw the pillars of smoke and dust rising over the city; I’d seen other cities put to the torch, but this struck a deeper nerve. This place was priceless; what monster would try to burn it, for seemingly so little gain?

Sighing, I realized the answer easily. A fanatic, a desperate man, almost anyone, really. It was cynical, but had not Paris only been spared in the second world war because it was convenient for both sides? Had not Kyoto very nearly been the site of one of two nuclear bombs? Enterprise, heroine of so many battles, despite the wishes of her deceased captain, was not spared the scrapyard. No one truly cared for history until it was gone. Once it was no longer possible to tangibly interact with.

Shaking off the maudlin thoughts, I hit the ground beside Mariko, as we both dropped our mage-suits. Maiko pulled a scarf out of midair, wrapping it around her throat as I adjusted my own jacket. “Right. The wards are nearby; while we can likely use the basic aspects of our devices inside the wards, transforming or using assisted spellcasting is likely to send up a red flag.”

I nodded as Tamamo dropped my sidearm into my hands, along with the metal version of my Moonblades I had commissioned from a very amused weapon smith. He would probably have mixed feelings; I had told him they’d see combat, but I wasn’t sure he’d taken me seriously. A peaceful man, that blacksmith.

Mariko eyed my gear, then sighed. “...I suppose I get to keep my spare holdout, then. Conceal it and let’s go.”

Without further discussion, we slipped out of the alleyway, making our way through the streets as people furtively bustled around. Moving with some purpose, Mariko looped one arm over my shoulder. “Come on, let’s head on up.” She muttered. “At this point, the panic seems to be over; we’ll just be a pair of gawkers.”

“Of course, love.” I nod seriously, lightly kissing her cheek, “After all, a pair of lesbians on a date isn’t that uncommon anymore.”

“Perhaps not here… though it is not discriminated against too much.” Mariko murmured to me as we ascended a street, then paused as she looked up, pulling out a smartphone from her jacket. “Ohygod, that man is flying!” She chattered in Japanese, aiming upward at a pair of men flying overhead..

“They are!” I gushed back, the ‘mask’ of a eager tourist on a date fully in place, “Hey, Mari-chan, let’s head to the temple, we can see them better from there!”

“Ooh, good one.” Mariko thought my way as she scampered forward, letting me fall in behind. “Hang on, they’re landing to get out of the wind. Should we risk listening in?”

“We’ve already expressed interest in them. Just make it unobvious.” I shrugged mentally, walking towards yet away from the fliers as I cried, “Where’d they go?”

As we advanced, we slowed down and got quiet, even as Mariko motioned up to the top of a third story building. Crouching down beneath a balcony, she laced her fingers together, giving me a quick look. I nodded, stepping onto her hands and crouching just as she heaved me upward, uncoiling my legs to get extra air and land on the balcony railing. From there, I shimmied up to the ledge of the roof, my translator kicking in as I caught the voices of the soldiers.

“....search is showing nothing. I’m not seeing where the assassins scrambled off to, and there’s no evidence of fresh Dimensional shearing. They didn’t teleport or subspace hop, at least.”

Another voice, this one modulated through a comm-system, spoke up. “And the spectrograph analysis?”

“There’s nothing, sir. The explosions were too abnormal for primitive chemical bombs, but we’re not picking up any mana residue.” He paused. “If the attackers weren’t human, I’d almost think…”

“Ethereal Psionic tech is purple, soldier. This was red.” His commander shot back. “Do another sweep. Find those bastards, before we have to accept help from the locals.”

“The phantasmals know this city better than we do.” The other man murmured, speaking up for the first time.

“They do. And if they offer unsolicited advice, take it. But Command is clear; if we want to have any authority to contain the local Phantasmals, we can’t treat them as equals. Bloody stupid, but…” The commander sighed. “We’re on thin enough ice as it is.”

“No shit.” I telepath as a comment to Mariko, having been very carefully relaying the conversation to her word for word, “This is your brain on authoritarianism, everyone.”

“At least it’s not straight incompetence. Bad rules can be worked around; stupidity ruins all it touches.” Mariko thought back.

“I would argue that obeying a stupid order is in fact stupid, but fair.” I retorted, keeping a partition fully paying attention to the men, “Looks like that’s all the info they have to offer us. Move on love?”

“Yeah, drop on down.” As I did, silent as a cat, she continued. “I’ve seen this before. They’ll exhaust everything they can do within their orders before they start to push them. Normally, that’s fine; but we’re on a time crunch.”

“They should know that. Keep an eye out for spec-ops doing exactly that. They always tend to be the most mentally flexible.” I advised, eyes sharp, “We have a far, far longer leash than the regulars.”

“No, I concur. If there are any here yet.” Mariko responded as we resumed chattering as we ascended. Finally, we turned a corner to see a smoking hotel, licks of crimson flames doused by TSAB officials and local firemen. As we got closer, I felt the telltale buzz of psionic power, slowly dropping as the flames were extinguished, backed by a horrible feeling of a potent mixture of disgust, glee, and rage.

I knew the feeling of hate a little too well for it to be mistaken. But the strength, the sheer force of the power which lingered an hour after the attack…

“Mariko.” I hissed mentally, itching to deploy my barrier jacket, “XCOM. Backup. NOW.”

“...we can’t, you know. What do we need to tell them?”

“Under XCOM Mandate 1 I am declaring the hostile I sensed an extinction level threat to humanity. CALL THEM IN.”

I knew that level of psionic strength. The Crusader and Maverick were the only ones on par with this level of power; and the last had taken on Toge and only left when Tamamo flexed. I was not dealing with this without as much firepower as I could throw at them.

“I’ll send the report. We’ll see about getting people out here as soon as we have permission, but the Council won’t want to shove Tibet into the hands of the TSAB.” Mariko responded.

“... Mariko, the last psionic on this level I encountered only balked when faced with Tamamo-No-Mae on top of a multi-century old oni, myself, Nanoha, and the Blossom Court’s various retainers. He was an insane fanatic who I would not be able to defeat in single combat as I am now. This one has somehow manifested psionic flames, and I am fairly certain that this city would burn if he wanted it to.” I replied much more calmly, my combat instincts already flaring; it took all that I was to contain the urge to turn on my jacket and hunt for the-

No. That was the psionic’s rage and hatred. Not mine. Taking a deep breath, I shuddered, and tried to filter out the foreign emotions.

“...having a private conversation without words? Very advanced skill, for a partnership so young.” A voice mused from behind me. Mariko and I both started as we realized we’d been staring without moving for several minutes, before turning to face the man who’d spoken.

He was old. The sort of ageless old which could be fifty or a hundred, smiling slightly behind a pointed beard. An old-fashioned wooden broom was held in one hand as he peered through eyes edged with copious laughter lines, his bald head as clean as his orange robes dusty. But his eyes? They held wisdom within them.

“We were, actually, though it wasn’t anything but telepathy, sir.” I bowed respectfully; deeply. This was a man that deserved my respect until he proved otherwise. A position not many earned; not anymore.

“Hah! Honest, at least. Maybe too much.” He bowed back. “I heard you met Gesar, my old friend.” He smiled again, eyes twinkling. “But for all things are silent, they can still be heard. As my old landlady used to say, it’s when things are quiet that the most trouble happens.” He grinned. “Mind if we take a moment out?”

“Not at all, elder.” I replied, calm washing over me. This man… he just was the type that set me at ease.

The type that reminded me of my grandfather.

“Well…” He tapped his broom against the ground–

–and I felt the world warp–

–and still.

I blinked, then looked at Mariko- only to find her stock still, not even breathing, as the world shifted to gray. I looked back at the man, who was eyeing me with interest. “Hmm. I didn’t have to pull you into the moment. Interested in retiring to be a Temporal Nun?”

“No thank you, sir. I don’t think I’ll ever be interested in organized religion. Too many bad experiences during my developmental years.” I declined politely, a soft smile on my face, “But spirituality? I can do that.”

“Fair enough.” The man reached out and tapped Mariko, who started as she was pulled into the moment. “Well, I know you two. But do you know me?”

“...you– how did you–” Mariko babbled softly, looking around, only for the man to stop her from taking a step.

“Movement causes the time you have to slip away faster.” He chuckled. “Ah, I forget myself. I am Lu-Tze, a humble History Monk.” He smiled sadly. “But we have bigger things to speak of.”

“The psionic so filled with hate that it lingered for hours after the attack?” I offered hopefully.

“Well, yes. And how to keep the one responsible from harvesting the hate of an entire nation in one go.” Lu-Tze sighed.

Well shit.

Chapter Text

“Elaborate on the ‘harvesting’ an entire nation.” I asked with a strained smile.

“Well, you have a man whose power is based on hate. He uses it as fuel.” Lu-Tze shrugged. “And then you have a very beloved religious and moral icon, dying at that man’s hands on live television. All that hate, directed at a man who can actually make use of it.” He arched an eyebrow. “If not control it.”

“... Wonderful.” I blinked, “... How do we stop it?”

“Kill them?” Abe spoke up. “A bullet or two would make that impossible.”

Lu-Tze nodded. “A quick solution, but as my old Landlady used to say, ‘If it was as easily done as said, the chores would be done at once.’ As an alternative, spoiling his attacks again would likely cause him to burn out. Hatred and rage burn the user as much as the victim, which is why he broke off his first attack.”

“He didn’t have enough rage and hate to maintain the pyrokinesis.” I guessed, muttering rapidly, “He can’t use anything but rage and hate. It has to be a passionate emotion, since it’s tied to fire, and he probably can’t use love, lust, or other passion infused ‘positive’ emotions. Either that or he can use them but not as effectively.”

“Perhaps.” Lu-Tze acknowledged. “Now, I am old and tired, so we will need to continue this discussion elsewhere.” He shot me a look, eyes crinkling. “You should stop by Yangchapen some time. We may have something to teach you, and learn from you.” He chuckled. “As my old landlady used to say ‘Go and cause trouble, but don’t do it here!’”

The world spun back into motion, leaving Mariko and myself alone for a brief instant before Abigail popped into existence at my elbow. “So, what is…” She blinked at our countenance, then blanched at the red flames being doused on the building behind us. “Urk. Oh dear.”

“Yep. That much hate lingering hours after the attack… It’s a nightmare.” I acknowledged aloud, eyes narrowed with righteous anger, “Abigail, dear. The man who executed this attack is going to attempt to harvest Tibet’s collective hatred towards an act he is going to commit. We need to stop him.”

“...he must be mad. Harvesting psionic power like that… it’s like injecting another’s blood into your veins. Unless you are very careful, it will make you very sick.” Abby shook her head. “Let’s head someplace quiet. The old man did not give me much to go on.”

“Of course. I’m linking Mariko to the network. Standby.” I replied, taking my still shocked girlfriend by the hand and tugging, “Mariko, we’re in a channel with Abigail. Behave. This is her area of expertise now, along with yours. Play nice.”

“I’m rarely nice, dear. But we can get along. Especially if she’s actually taking an active role, rather than making cryptic comments from the back.” Mariko thought as we moved over towards an alleyway. Aloud, she spoke up. “I think there’s a good restaurant over this way. Someplace for us to catch our breath.”

“Hush.” I chided, before continuing aloud, “Okay Mari-chan. Hey, Abbi, anywhere you want to visit now that you’ve joined us?”

“I’ve always wanted to see Poatala, even if it’s locked down right now.” Abbigail admitted. “But since we don’t have a back way in, Ramoche Temple would be a good starting place. After lunch, of course.” Silently, she elaborated. “I need to map the city, and perhaps gain access to its reverse side, so that we can locate this monster.”

“Of course!” I chirped happily, looking to all those who would hear or see like a lovesick woman, “Got it. We have allies, a buddha adjacent Lion named Gesar informed of us that, as did the History Monk. We just have to find them or let them find us.”

Imsa“You met a Snow Lion? I’m impressed. I’m glad we have contacts.” Abigail acknowledged, even as we filed into a small hole-in-the-wall cafe. “I’m not certain where we would start looking for guides, however…”

As we walked in, a man ushered us to a table, and I ordered some tea, begging off food with an embarrassed wave of my hand; I’d just eaten before this. As the tea was poured into my cup, I blinked at the creamy, off-yellow concoction. Abigail sipped her tea, then scrunched up her nose. “Ah.. this is very different.” She mumbled, hesitantly taking another sip. “Salty tea? With butter?”

Mariko took a deep draw. “Hmm. This is good…”

“Tea is good, yes.” I sipped, holding the everpresent temptation to down it in a gulp back. I was not starving, body, and I never have been, stop being a bloody nuisance. The liquid flowed down my throat, and as I put the cup down, Mariko spread a tourist map across the table.

“So… we’re going to start in the middle, at Ramoche. If we cannot pick up the trail there, we could seep northwest around Potala, and keep to the back roads. We might see something interesting.” Mario commented vaguely.

Beside us, Abigail spoke quietly to the server, who bowed low before heading back to the kitchen. “We’ll have food soon, and though I have no idea where to get a proper guide, we might find one at the Temple.”

“Agreed, with both of you.” I remarked calmly, senses straining to their maximum without the active assistance of Tamamo, “Tamamo, is there anything you can do on your end without detection?”

“If I had access to their network, perhaps. But getting access would throw up their own red flags.” Tamamo admitted. “I could probably force a blind spot into their wards if I had access, but then they’d know to look for us. Incidentally, there’s significant chatter centered on the square we just left. I suspect they felt Lady Wier’s arrival, but they didn’t expect her to just leave.”

“... Tamamo? Can you send a message to their local leader? Anonymous, with local subtexts so they guess a local mage or phantasmal. Tip them off. We need their help if we can’t get XCOM support.” I requested of my device privately, before informing Mariko and Abigail of my intentions and finishing with; “We don’t have to do this alone. Not completely.”

“I… think I can create a workaround, if you insist.” Tamamo admitted. “We will have to wait until we leave the restaurant, however.”

“Thank you.” I replied, before returning my attention to my two partners for this mission, “So, after the temple, were are you thinking of going?”

“There are a lot of interesting holy sites and old temples in the city.” Abigail was smiling earnestly, before her face fell. “Ah… I almost hope that nothing interrupts… as necessary as that might be.” She nearly whispered that last line.

“We’ll do what we must, Abigail.” I consoled, taking another sip of my tea, “Mhm.” I continued aloud, before falling silent.

“...I just want a vacation.” Abigail muttered. “Not a working vacation.” She sighed. “First time I get out of work in a decade, and…” She sighed, then looked up at us. “At least it’s among… friends?” The last word rose slightly.

“Of course.” I said seriously, looking Abigail in the eyes, “You are my friend, Abby,” Pausing, I grinned, “More if you want.”

Abe nodded. “... I wouldn’t put up with you if I didn’t like you at least a little, Abigail.” She drolled. “Always nice to have backup on an op as well.” She paused. “Abigail… why don’t you get involved more?”

“...because I made a promise, and there’s a lot of people who want what’s in my head. Literally and figuratively.” She looked back and forth between Abe and me. “You two help make me feel safe. Did I ever tell you that?” She smiled again.

“No, you didn’t.” I blinked, smiling warmly, “Fair. I’d imagine you feel responsible for your headmate too, I suppose?”

“I do. Azaru… he needs to be kept safe. He is, ultimately, defined by his host; one with a strong enough will would leave him with no autonomy, capable of being used for good or evil.” She shook her head. “Well, our meals should be here soon. Didn’t you say you needed to step out for a moment?” She shot me a pointed look.

“I did. I’ll be back in a while, Abbi. Enjoy.” I snickered, waving idly as I stepped outside, “Be safe.”

Stepping outside, Tamamo beeped in my ear. “Spin up a grenade circle and prepare to project a second spell inside it. Wide area broadcast. I’ll provide the message,”

“Got it. Working on it now.” I reported, partitioning my thoughts and spinning up the circle, using as little mana as I could realistically get away with. Seconds later, a sphere of pink mana formed in front of my fingers and dropped to the ground.

“It will trigger in one hour, and broadcast that data package directly into the TSAB network.” Tamamo acknowledged. “Best work I can do on short notice. A bit crude, but they’ll get it.”

“Thank you, Tamamo.” I whispered back to her, before stepping back inside, a smile on my face as I sat down at the table again, “Hey guys, how’s the food?”

“This is really beautiful. And the energies…” Abigail spun on one leg as she looked around the courtyard of the temple, the picture of a 60s yuppie out on vacation. “I may need to get a house in a place like this, at some point.”

“Do you mean the feeling of peace that’s just… there, Abbi?” I asked, genuinely curious. It was… weird, feeling at peace and alert at the same time, but this place managed it, somehow.

“Exactly.” She breathed in, then let it out. “It’s… quiet. Up here.” She tapped her head. “Not something I get to feel around people.”

“I’m glad you appreciate our home, Lady Ascendant.” Alitling voice came from one side of the courtyard, and a red and orange clad figure emerged from the archway. “Greetings.”

Abigail turned, her face scrunching before it cleared again. “Hello there. Are you our tour guide?”

“That is one way to describe me, yes.” The figure bowed. “I am Karlha. It is a pleasure to meet you. They, them, as I believe is the common parlance.”

Mariko cocked her head. “So you’re here to help?”

“I am, yes.” The monk bowed. “I am accustomed to discreetly slipping between the material and the celestial without notice, and I am aware of the points and places where this may be done.” They reached into their robes and produced a cell phone, snapping it open. “I take CurrantPay, Venmo, and Magibank transfer, if you do not have tangka.”

“How much are you charging?” I cocked my head to the side, mentally pulling up the details to my bank account. She held up her phone, and Tamamo politely informed me that the hourly rate was equal to a couple fancy coffees in New York. With a shrug, I transferred enough for the day. It wasn’t as if I was hurting for money, and this was just a smart choice.

As I made the transfer, Abe tapped her foot on the cobbles. “A holy servant asking for money in the midst of an attack?”

“The Buddha and the gods are beyond worldly concerns. Those of us yet to reach Enlightenment still need to eat.” They shrugged. “So! Where too first, good ladies?”

Abigail stepped forward. “We need to sweep the city and confirm that the… problems won’t interrupt anyone’s activities. And get the local history and culture. Can we do that?”

“Of course! Come, and we’ll see the sights and feel out the energies together.” The monk said happily. “Lhasa may have opened up since independence, but the back ways and cut throughs are known only to the locals.”

We fell in behind the monk as they led us to the back wall of the temple, passing through several arches. Tapping the wall in three spots, the monk stood back as the bricks rippled and caved in, revealing a new path with red and gold cobbles. “Poatala palace is constrained to the center of Lhasa in our world. Here, the Palace extends to cover all of the city, a complex for all to find succor within.” They explained as we walked through the gateway.

Abigail blinked as she stepped in, here eyes widening. “...do any of you hear chanting?”

“Yes.” I nodded, smiling at her, “Probably related to psionics, since Mariko just looks confused.

“Yeah, I hear nothing.” Mariko cocked her head.

“Those who are sensitive, and those who are faithful, can hear the sounds of the higher heavens, of which this place is a pale replica.” Karlha explained as we stepped between gilded buildings, and emerged into a massive, beautiful terraced garden, ringed by temples and statues. “Also, the prayers of the spirits who live here rarely end.”

“So… where are we going?”

“We are going to walk the outer paths, and take some time to speak with the locals.” The monk replied. “Ah, Lady Ascendant. I do not think the foul ones lurk here.”

Abigail shook her head. “All I’m getting is leaking through from the material plane.” She allowed. “Or… through other connections, maybe?”

“Hmm. Though this plane holds much of the magical population of the city, smaller desemes created by foreigners and visitors do exist. Perhaps the foul ones are within one of those?”

“Possibly, yes.” I remarked, letting the feeling of peace and contentment wash over me. It was nice, and it would be gone soon.

“So we’re leaving already?” Mariko asked, looking around.I turned to follow her gaze, watching a group of translucent monks as they walked along the paths.

“No. Distance is an illusion here, so if we need to go travel across the city quickly, we may shorten our journey here.” Karlha explained. “Lady Ascendant…”

“...how many places were attacked?’ Abigail asked as she focused.

“Four.” Mariko murmured. “The hotel, a temple, the Palace, and the office building the TSAB was converting into a local embassy.” She explained.

“I’m detecting six spots where the ‘foul ones’ seem to have exerted power.” Abigail acknowledged. “One is where we came from. I don’t know about the others, though.”

“Is there a possibility of an inside actor, Karlha?” I asked gently, memories of the Blossom Court flooding into mind. Traitors had enabled the attack there, and it could be something similar here.

“Possible, but unlikely. Or if it was, they likely regret it now.” They shook their head. “An attack on his holiness himself… it is not done. Also mostly useless, considering he’d be back on duty in a couple decades anyway.”

Abe snarled. “So EXALT either has patsies, or got in with no help at all. Wonderful.” She rolled out the last word. “Where are these other points of contact?”

Abigail pointed with one hand. “Two are that way, close together. I believe the others correspond with the other attacks.”

“... One entry, one exfil, Mariko?” I asked, suddenly wary.

“Unknown. We’ll need to get closer.” Abigail responded. “Let’s see what it is.”

Karlha nodded, before she stepped onto the path, following Abigail. Seconds later, our brisk walk brought us to a series of more utilitarian buildings, set back from the path. “Even in the heavens, there are places of labor. Here is where the artisans and workers store their wares before their distribution.”

“Warehouses. Celestial warehouses.” Mariko sounded amused. “Cliches even in heaven.”

“Why wouldn’t there be cliches in heaven? Heaven itself is a cliche.” I teased, giggling at Mariko’s look, “What?”

Abigail walked over to one of the doors, swinging them open, revealing hundreds of stacked jars and boxes. “It appears to be unoccupied.”

“And unsecured?” Mariko muttered, looking at the unlatched portal.

“We are being watched quite carefully by the spirits.” Karlha mused. “If we were here as thieves we would have been caught already.”

“... That’s odd.” I muttered, before raising my eyebrows, “How’d our target evade detection then?”

“Because the surges I could feel came from the real world counterpart to this warehouse. They never entered this place. “Abigail muttered. “Hmm. Shizuka, we may need you to make a hole.”

“Sure.” I shrugged, placated by my psionic teacher’s answer. With a quick cast of a more delicate version of wide area search, I identified the easiest point to breach, and spun up a magic circle, “One stealthy hole coming up!”

Karlha blinked, eyes wide. “Oh dear-”

With a pulse, we were ejected from the celestial sphere, dumped into a warehouse filled with dust-covered crates and wrapped furniture. Multiple humanoid figures spun to face the four of us, shock evident across a wide variety of faces.

“Iiiiiiiitsss Shizuka!” I chirped with an edge of hysteria in my voice, crushing the mounting panic at ‘ohmygodIhavenoncombatantswithme’ with false cheer as I rapidly ran through the spell-circle to cast old reliable senbonzakura. With my barrier jacket deploying, of course.

“Well, we’re going loud, I suppose.” Tamamo remarked. “Well, this isn’t a stealth mission anymore.”

“What do you want me to do!?” I snarked back, “I have no way of neutralizing all of them without risk to the noncombatants-”

“I’m not complaining. Just recommending speed. Kill these ones, get evidence, and scram. Response time will be measured in minutes.”

I nodded as things sped back up, even as the pretty sight of scattering pink petals ripped into the nearest enemies. Timer, got it. Local Authorities, TSAB sensing the mana, so many problems, so little time!

Behind me, Mariko blurred, even as Abigail tossed up a sphere of force around Karlha. She swatted aside a blue-carapaced man with four blade-legs. “Oh, what have you done to yourselves?” She whispered.

“Improved ourselves! We are better than humanity, the next step in human development!” One man, his noseless face making his glowing purple eyes all the more evident. “He jinked out of the way of a stream of pink petals and Mariko’s sword thrust, before swatting her back with a psionic slap. “You! Superior humans! Why do you serve the weak masses?” He bellowed.

“... Because I’m not a darwinist nor fascist?” I remarked as I shot him in the face with an semi-contained unraveling. Didn’t want to utterly destroy any organic products around him, after all. Just him. And his offensively shitty takes on transhumanism.

The man screamed as my shot melted his skull, even as Mariko’s blade and pistol claimed two more of the twisted men. One of the noseless men tried to send out a blast of power, only for Abigail to seize his arm, then place her hand on his face. “Embrace eternity…” She muttered, as her eyes flared.

Karlha stood, brushing herself off as the last of the men fell. “...was this all of them?”

“Less than half. This was a forward base. The real headquarters… is in a different pocket dimension.” Abigail muttered as she dropped her victim. “...this was done willingly. Why?”

“Abigail,” I started, before shaking my head, “It’d be easier to show you, honestly. Also, Mass Effect reference? Seriously?”

“...I thought they were good games.” Abigail muttered.

Mariko shook her head. “Hey, can we bump back into the Celestial Realm? Or do we need to duck out now?” She looked up. “Quick response time.”

“Right. Karlha, can we duck back in?” I asked professionally, putting a short lasting local detection net up; if we were about to have company, I needed to know.

They shook their head rapildy. “Not under my power, no.”

“Though perhaps, with help.” In between one moment and the next, Lu-Tze appeared beside Karlha. He gave me a look. “It sounds as though you need more time.”

“... My perception slowing down; that wasn’t just my imagination, was it?” I asked in reply, nodding to his actual question and bowing, “Please. If you could?”

“No.” As I looked at him incredulously, he spread his hands. “I can stop time for myself, and stroll through the frozen moments. Five people? Impossible. I am stretching time as it is to speak with you.” He pointed at me. “You have the power. You’ve felt it. As my old landlady said, ‘if it’s do or die, then you better do it well.’”

I sighed, before nodding, and pulling on the power I’d long since identified. This time, I separated that feeling I’d vaguely sensed when time had slowed to a crawl, and pulled on it, attempting to wrap it in a spell circle to get it to do what I needed it to do. Simply put; I needed more time. More time to travel, more time to get to the person who was about to commit an atrocity. To harvest the hatred of a nation, and grow all the more powerful for it.

I felt exhausted. And yet, I could feel–

–time–

–crawl–

–to a stop.

“Hmm. Crudely done. I bet you won’t be able to hold it for long. But better than most of my apprentices ever accomplish.” I opened my eyes, sweat dripping into them, and saw Lu-Tze standing in the midst of a gray world. “I don’t recognize that symbol, though.”

I looked down, to see an unfamiliar spell circle rotating before me, before it expanded to touch our party. As the others blinked in the slowed moment, I looked back at Lu-Tze, and he gave me that same grin. “Now, we have a visit to make.” He walked over to one wall, and tapped it, a set of stairs rippling into existence. Shrugging as nonchalantly as I could, I followed, breathing more heavily in exertion. That had… cost a fucking lot of mana.

Abiglail glanced around as she stepped to the stairs. “...I think I might be able to replicate this technique. Given the right equipment.” She hummed. “I wonder if I could ask the Greeks for some of Kronos’ blood?”

“When you say things like that, I get nervous.” Abe muttered. “But if you pull it off, could you give me this power in a bottle? It’d be very useful.”

“You did not tell me we would be working with not-quite-so-revered Elder Lu-Tze.” Karlha groused. “I demand hazard pay.”

“Hah! Always good to see lively folks.” He looked at me as the spell collapsed, and myself nearly with it. “Also, do not try to meddle with time in pocket dimensions. They’re unstable enough as it is.” He reached over and hauled me up. “We should take a few minutes and get presentable.”

“... Sure?” I gasped, shaking my head to clear the fuzziness, “But then what was the point of freezing time like that?!”

“To avoid the TSAB kill team about to breach the walls.” He shrugged. “It would have ended up with a serious international incident. Very bad day all around.”

“Oh absolutely wonderful! So glad that TSAB was willing to shoot first ask questions later! VERY GLAD.” I snarked, a note of hysteria filling the air, “Mariko, where’s my hazard pay?!”

“Considering this is a Black Op? Likely going to show up on your doorstep as gold. Or maybe silver, gold’s getting harder to launder.” She shrugged. “Also, who are we meeting?”

“Why, Gyalwa Rinpoche, of course.” Lu-Tze replied. “That old bugger heard you were helping and wanted to thank you.”

“Sure. Let’s go. God, I thought I had tolerance to absurd.” I grumbled, following the old man.

“Child, in the words of my old landlady… ‘the world loves to surprise people who don’t believe they can be.’” Lu-Tze chuckled. “But we do have time for a break, all of us. And we should take it now.”

Chapter Text

“So, I suspect you have questions.” Lu-Tze asked as we walked further into the Divine Realm. “Go ahead and ask! I’ll only laugh if they’re very stupid, and even then I’ll explain anyway.”

“... It’s been bothering me for a while now.” I started, thoughtful as I cast my gaze at the monk, “That you probably know what my ‘special’ power is. Can I ask you to explain what you know?”

“Kid, I know you naturally warp reality as we know it. At least on the lower levels.” Lu-Tze countered. “I could feel it when we met, and confirmed it when you entered the time stop with me instead of being left out until I brought you in.” He tapped the handle of his broom on the ground. “You seem to have been given a divine gift; the appropriate means to channel your warping into something other than the most interesting of good luck. Now, I’ve asked around, and apparently you have three circles in your soul, each with two functions. So six powers in total. Time control is one of the functions of one of those circles. And I saw earlier; you also know how to open gates in reality; different circle.”

“... Ah. So it was a divinity that dropped me here. That’s good to know, and explains quite a lot.”

“Or nothing at all! Girl, I work with gods on a daily basis, and I still don’t know how they think. Did you know old Indra once set up a two-hundred-year prophecy, just so he could get some good beer for a party?” He waved one hand. “Anyway, that’s how the British conquered India.”

Mariko gagged. “You’re joking.”

Lu-Tze laughed. “I don’t actually know. He’s a canny one, and he always tells a different story when he bothers to answer. Rule one of dealing with gods; don’t. Unless you have no choice, then be steadfast but humble. Unless you’re dealing with a trickster, which is even worse.”

“Sounds about right.” I quipped, before frowning, “Any other details on the rings?”

“Hmm. One is focused on time, one on space. And one seems to have to interact with reality itself. You haven’t tapped that one.” He said. “And that’s all she wrote.””

“Huh. Interesting.” I mused, shrugging, “And what’s up with everything else here? I know the very minimal basics of the plot, but can I get more information please?”

Lu-Tze sighed. “As far as I know, there’s very little plot to be had. Some men want to watch the world burn.”

“Or in this case, want to force humanity into the arms of evolution. All of EXALT wants the TSAB gone, or at least as a threat rather than a possible ally.” Abigail interjected. “The Heretic, the leader of this cell, wants to see genetic engineering and psionic potential chart a new course in human evolution, rather than the TSAB’s magic and technology focus.”

“So shortsighted.” I sighed, raising my eyebrows at the looks, “Why not all of the above? It’s not as if we aren’t going to pursue all branches of research. Humanity’s just like that.”

“You’re trying to put logic to crazy folks.” Lu-Tze chided me. “That never works out. Doesn’t on any of us, does it?”

“But it’s so fun to snark at the idiocy of the insane.” I sniped back, smirking at his raised eyebrow.

Karlha coughed. “Not-so-revered elder…”

“Except the straight person.” Lu-Tze turned, shooting them a look. “Wait, you’re still here?”

“Yes.”

“...do you want to be?”

They blinked, then looked at me. “Ah… may I rejoin you later?”

“Sure. Go ahead.” I shrugged, smiling, “But you don’t get paid while you’re gone.”

“Thank you.” Karlha bowed slightly, then rapidly spun and walked off the main road and into a side alley, leaving us at the base of a long set of stairs.

“Good, now the sane one is gone. We can resume our far too serious nonsense.” Lu-Tze nodded. “Come along! These stairs won’t climb themselves.”

Dutifully, and with a mild groan, I began to climb the cursed contraption known as stairs. Twenty minutes later, breathing hard, I reached the top, then turned to see Abigail set herself down from her levitation up the same incline. Abe glared at the girl, as did I, making a mental note to figure out how to do the same with with both psionics and magic. If you weren’t cheating you weren’t trying hard enough.

“Come along, you three! Rinpoche has plenty of time, but those of us who aren’t guaranteed a full reincarnation do not!” Lu-Tze chuckled.

Abigail coughed. “Are you not immortal, sir?”

“Rude, but true. Still not good to lollygag. As my old landlady used to say ‘Doesn’t matter if you’ve got an hour until the dough rises, it’ll take you just as long to get the pan ready doing it now or then.’”

“...let’s just go meet the holy man.” Abe grumbled.

“That’s the right attitude! Follow me!”

As we walked through the halls, dodging around small horses made of wind and avoiding spectral monks, Lu-Tze continued to speak. “When he’s in the mortal realm, Rinpoche remembers only this life, with wisdom coming to him but not knowledge. But here, he is an avatar of Avalokiteshvara, capable of carrying the memory of thirteen past lives without issue.”

“Such praise from such a stubborn man.” A voice sounded from the end of the courtyard we entered. A very familiar face looked at me from a seat at a wicker table, through a pair of simple glasses. The gleam in his eyes and the gentle power draping over him like a cloak didn’t shake me; not after Tamamo or Toge. But beside me, Abe shuddered.

Lu-Tze snorted. “Perfect memory, and you still owe me money.”

“We are monks. Bountiful are our souls.” The Dalai Lama teased. “Who cares about your pocket money?”

“Money is money is money.” I said sagely.

The holy man at the end of the table peered at me, then smiled. “Such simple wisdom. Almost not, but that’s not why you’re here.” He motioned to a chair. “Take a seat.”

I took a seat. His holiness looked at the three of us, then sighed. “So much rapid change…First, let me thank the three of you for what you have already done. You have removed half of the evil which came to this city, even as you stir those who visit from the stars into action. But tomorrow, I will need to make an announcement, to reassure the people. Rumors of my death begin to circle, as I was forced to retreat here.” His eyed flickered with amusement. “And at that speech, I approach martyrdom. If such a thing is possible for one who will be born again.”

“I would prefer if you didn’t die. That’d be great.” I deadpanned.

“And I won’t, permanently. Still very unpleasant, and not good for the people.” He sighed. “Unfortunately, mortal politics rears its head. Your Mr. Creighton showed up not half an hour ago in the real world, but was unable to get any permission for combat units to be deployed. And as for the TSAB… they have not sent their best.”

“Aww, that’s adorable that they think I care.” I cooed with a note of deranged snark, absolutely done with this shit on every level, “Mariko, call in the deniable assets I know you have would you? I’m done with this shit.”

Abe nodded, then looked around. “Ah… do you have cell service here?”

“We do not.” Rinpoche replied. “However, there is something I can do and say which you may relay, which could grease the wheels.” He straightened. “The enemy seeks to use powers which some would call unnatural. If necessary, the Heavens will answer in kind, no matter what it does to the thin veneer of the ‘Masquerade.’”

“Damn, now you’re tempting me to just let this happen.” I snapped my fingers jokingly, before nodding seriously, “Got it. I’ll pass it on.”

Abe nodded frantically. “Will do, your holiness.”

“Excellent.” The Dalai Lama peered over his glasses. “You can go tell them now.”

Seconds later, all three of us found ourselves standing right behind Sheridon Creighton, who was busily talking to a group which included several monks, military figures with colorful hair, and more dour-faced Tibetan government men. “...and I can assure you–” He blinked and looked over his shoulder. “...ah, my bodyguards have arrived.” He lied smoothly.

“Hi!” I chirped. Abe slowly facepalming as Abigail began to giggle.

One of the TSAB men titled his head. “...where did you come from?” He whispered hoarsely.

“Nowhere!” I said completely factually. The man blinked at me, then cringed, dropping his face into his hands with a moan.

Sheridan straightened his tie, then looked at me. “Have you finished your recon, Corporal?”

“Yeah, Tamamo’s sent a compiled report to your device, sir.” I nodded professionally, signaling my teacher that the information was immediately important with a blatant hand signal.

Sheridan blinked, then twitch the side of his eye, the rapid movement of his pupils cluing me in that he was reading in another partition. “Gentlemen, our situation has just escalated.” He said, spinning back to the government officials. “His Holiness has sent us a message; and that is that the Heavens themselves are ready to intervene if we cannot stop this threat. Stability and the Veil will be torn asunder if we cannot contain this.”

The TSAB leader blanched. “The Phantasmals will–”

One of the monks spoke at the same time. “Is it time to do away with this–”

Finally, one of the politicians began to swear, before rounding on the TSAB. “Have you found the bolt-hole of this madman?” He barked.

The agent winced. “Investigations are still ongoing…”

“Not good enough.” He looked at Sheridan. “I will speak to the Prime Minister. Expect to have your approval for deployment by midnight.” He looked back at the reddening face of the TSAB agent. “You have until his Holiness’ speech tomorrow to find this monster and bring him down. After that, only by his grace will you be forgiven; if he is alive to grant it.”

“... This is why you respect the locals, friends from the stars.” I offered gently, offering advice without prompting. The TSAB were our friends. Making them our enemies would be a mistake we’d never recover from. But that said, their arrogance held them back.

“...I hear you.” The man across from me sighed. “I just have to ask. How powerful are these local phantamsals, anyway?”

“Lost Logia, at least among their greatest.” I stated simply, raising my eyebrows lightly at his shocked look, “Anyone here could have told you that, friend. I’ve met one of the Three Disasters of Japan. She’s very easily SSS Rank. And that’s with a significant chunk of her mana sealed.”

“...command is going to have kittens.” He muttered. “Thank you for the intel, though I do hope you’re exaggerating.”

“She’s not.” Abe called to his retreating back. “Okay then… we need to plan.”

The sun was beginning to reach its zenith the next day, as I floated over the gathering crowd. Below, I could just see the procession as the Dalai Lama ascended to the podium, hearing the cheers and chanting of the crowd as he moved forward. I heard Tamamo speak in my ear. “Status update, my lady.”

“Of course. Go ahead, Tamamo.” I replied back rapidly, setting aside a partition to deal with the update. I needed my others dealing with my various senses, magical or otherwise.

“The TSAB finally located the bolt-hole of our antagonist; but they underestimated the amount and strength of the fighters in their hole. The TSAB took casualties but managed to break through and secure the site after a struggle; unfortunately, our target and his personal retinue escaped.”

“... They need to stop doing that. It’s going to get them killed, hell, it already has.” I sighed, gritting my teeth and shoving aside the sympathetic grief. Those soldiers didn’t deserve to die because their superiors were making the first and oft last mistakes commanders made when dealing with what they considered an inferior target: Underestimating them. Like Japan and the US had done repeatedly during the Second World War.

“We don’t know if the enemy will still be pushing on us, or whether he’ll cut his losses. Reports indicate that not much more than half a dozen people escaped that safehouse.” Tamamo ventured.

“He’s going to make an attempt, I think.” I said after a moment of frantic mental gymnastics, “Get everyone alert. He’s going to try soon, if he does. He’s being hunted, but he’s a fanatic as well. Everything points to him making an attempt; it’s what I’d do in a similar situation to his.”

“Understood.” She responded, and I resumed scanning the crowd. My translator kicked in as the Dalai Lama began his speech far below– something about standing strong even in the face of fear, and not losing compassion or empathy even in the face of monstrous acts. It was a fitting speech, honestly. One that I largely agreed with. But I couldn’t really afford to focus on it. I needed to keep this beacon alive; even if he couldn’t really die (which I doubted, somewhat. Nothing was eternal, and psionics were a heavy unknown).

And it was as I mused this that I felt the world tear slightly, a flicker of red igniting in the back of my mind, my sixth sense drawing my gaze to an odd flare just above the middle of the crowd.

“Team 1, prepare shields around the HVT. I’ve got a positive ID on psionic fire manifesting above the crowd. Coordinates sent, I’m holding position until I can confirm this isn’t bait, over.” I whispered over the tactical network. Seconds later, the bloom of energy exploded–

I screamed my defiance to reality, and time froze in answer to my demands. I rapidly got to work, blitzing down to to the impending ball of psionic energy, sweat pouring down my face as I sent the damn explosion through a rift in space, the kinetic energy to be directed upward as I forced a unshaped charge to be shaped.

I released my hold on time and collapsed onto the ground, wheezing even as Tamamo sent the general alarm of code red. The explosion ripped upward, the crowd panicking even as seven figures were sent tumbling into the air, their projected momentum now ninety degrees from the ground instead of parallel to it. One, more streamlined than the rest, rightened himself at the top of his arc and blurred down towards me, two red blades forming around outstretched arms as it dove.

I barely intercepted them with mana-coated moonblades that Tamamo had immediately dropped into my hands, still reeling from the sheer amount of mana I’d forcibly expended in what had felt like minutes to me, but in reality had been a fraction of a single second. The blades met mine, sending me skididng back through the fleeing, screaming crowd, even as my opponent landed with blades splayed on either side.

This man was… ripped, eye candy even. I’d find him attractive if not for his shitty personality, and for that I was immensely thankful that I was attracted by far and large to personality over body. Yet as he rose, nearly seven and a half feet tall, I couldn’t help but admire his body for a fraction of a second. I could see every bulging muscle beneath his warped skin. His hide was riddled with veins so dark and twisted to look like tattoos, visible on his bare arms and slipping beneath his chest armor. Flesh tinged with the green of EXALT bio-engineering emerged from his neckline, revealing a face twisted into a permanent snarl by a pair of brutal fangs. His eyes were a maniac red, almost molten in his sockets. His only weapons were a pair of gauntlets, each spouting a crackling red blad as long as his torso, vile energy dripping off them to smoke in the air as it cooled. Hot. In the dangerous sort of way that appealed to the lizard hindbrain.

“The bitch. Heard you survived the Machine and the Zealot.” The man growled around his teeth. “Beg, and I’ll bring you back in one piece.” His voice was cold and seething, rage held in an iron grip.

“Sorry, you’re not my type.” I wheezed back, each breath coming in in ragged gasps, frantically calling for support because I couldn’t take him as I was now. Not winded. Not after expending half my entire mana capacity in one goddam second. Not when he was already in my face, and I was a ranged combatant. And given I could feel pain and steam coming off my skin, I was absolutely covered in burns on top of all of that. God fucking damn it where were Mariko and Abigail?

The answer to my last question came as one of the other figures landed on the cobbles beside their commander– neck broken, and a bullet in the middle of its warped head. Two more landed in a similar condition, the last three smashing down alive and swearing, before rising back to their feet.

Mariko spoke in my ear. “EXALT deployed more units when they realized the safehouse was compromised, but they didn’t have time to sneak in; Abigail and the TSAB caught them entering the city. I’ve got overwatch on you, and half the squad deployed is heading your way. ETA 30 seconds.”

“Go-got it.” I answered, before I could no longer, hissing in pain as I deflected the psionic blades once more; the Heretic engaging me in a furious dance. Deflect a thrust to the side, dodge a blow that would have taken my head, execute a desperate kick to gain distance. My training with Signum and my Hand to Hand instructor during my furious bootcamp regiment was extending my life expectancy each second I managed to fend off his blows. And given that I was reacting in time, I was absolutely burning through my remaining reserves at a startling rate to stay in bullet time long enough to keep up. He was a master; I was a apprentice at most.

“Stronger than I thought. But still so reliant on their toys.” The Heretic hissed, locking a blade on my moonblade, which began to dissolve as corrosive lightning ate away at it. Furiously, I pumped a mix of my psionic might and mana into it, hoping to keep it stable for just a bit longer. “When I carve off your limbs, I’ll show you how much more you can be, after I break you.”

“You’ll find… that that’s impossible.” I hissed back, slamming my knee into his crotch. If he was going to do the absolutely moronic and weapon lock me, I had absolutely no shame breaking his ability to reproduce. I instead winced as my knee collided not with flesh but solid bone.”Of course you removed that weakness. It was worth a shot.” I wheezed, even as I was forced to my knees by the force he was applying. Still, that was… time. I win. Bastard.

“Heh. Still you struggle. Humanity at its best.” His grin got even wider. “When I kill that little man, and–” He paused. “Eugh, spending too long around the Machine. Starting to rant like him.” He smashed me with a kick, sending me skidding across the cobbles, then leapt for a strike. I smiled as he did so, the overly theatrical moron, summoning my preferred weapon and casting gun.

Tamamo’s scattergun form snapped into my hand, and I pulled the trigger six times. Even in midair, the first two shots were deflected off the asshole’s blades, and the next three rocked off some sort of energy shield. But the sixth connected, reversing his momentum and sending him sprawling to the pavement. Breathing heavily from exertion, I followed up with several more shots; too many people underestimated the sheer range a shotgun could ruin your entire life from, and my drill sergeant had made sure to educate me on that. Don’t let him breathe. Retreat carefully to get more range. Finish the fight. Come home alive.

Yet the man rose inhumanly quick, he deflected as many of the mana shards as he could with rapid sweeps of his blades, before roaring as I switched to plasma bursts. “That’s it! I am going to–” his words were cut off as the flat crack of a sniper rifle caused him to lurch, the armor-piercing .300 round narrowly deflecting off his skull with a nasty twang. As if a signal, a dozen energy weapons erupted around him, red lasers firing from different angles as he drunkenly fended off the shots. “Fuck! Not going to–”

“Enough.” A familiar, hated voice cut him off as a blue barrier spiraled into existence around him, white mechanical limbs emerging from a blue portal. “Mad Dog, you have failed. We are leaving, now.”

Ignored, and happy to be ignored, I began preparing a spell circle, allowing myself to collapse once more to the floor, trickling my remaining mana in an effort to fuck their escape over; I would let them leave, but their journey? It wouldn’t be pleasant.

“Machine bastard.” The Heretic snarled.

The circle spun into existence, and I gasped as my linker core screamed in protest of the insane rate of mana expenditure I was putting it through. I carried on anyway. I was so close.
“Still more human than you, beast.” A reflective visor peered in my direction. “Outsider. You succeeded, today. But I have learned much. And with three failures… none of us are so proud to come after you alone.” The Maverick shoved the staggering form through the gate. “We rise, Outsider.” As he stepped into the portal, he paused, looking at my hands, glowing with mana around a small spell circle. “What–”

“HAVE A NICE TRIP ASSHOLES.” I snarled all too happily, face twisted in a delighted grin as I pulsed my gathered mana, shattering space in their corridor of travel as a mana suge pulled them in, “ENJOY YOUR TRIP THROUGH ELDRITCH HORROR-LANDIA!”

The gate collapsed, not in a neat blink but a twisting crackle, surges of blue light rippling through the air. But as that happened, I found myself on the ground, sweat pouring from my limbs as I fought to keep my breakfast down, head swimming. I hated weakness, and the feeling of self-loathing surged for a moment before it was crushed under the sheer weight of pride, accomplishment, and happiness. I’d done good, I’d saved hundreds of lives, and oh my god I need goddam fucking sleep.

A pair of firm hands caught me under the arms and pulled me up. I looked to see who’d grabbed me, combat instincts coming to fore, only to see Abe peering down at me. “...well, at least you’re awake this time.” She whispered, relieved. I couldn’t resist the temptation to just kiss her; not with her face so close and filled with so much uncharacteristically blatant concern. So I kissed her.

Laughter filled the air around us, from a source I could not name. But right now, I was really too exhausted to care.

I’d learn later that my unprompted, very public kiss caused Reddit and Twitter to both crash. But that wasn’t my problem. Yet.

Well, it was totally my problem and I was going to regret it immensely, but I was very good at convincing myself to shove problems on Future Me. She had yet to kill me in response, so clearly I was fine, right?!

I had also fell asleep in my girlfriend’s arms. The internet may have melted about that too, but who cares! The internet practically did that daily!

We’d won, and I was happy. Sometimes, that was all that mattered.

Chapter Text

Sheridan Crieghton slammed down a thick folder of paper in the middle of the wooden table. “Alright you three. Commander Tazri passes this along; good job with the cooking, now clean up the kitchen.” He grimaced. “And I completely understand the sentiment.”

“Without the metaphors please sir.” I groaned weakly, still recovering from the absurd rate of mana expenditure I’d put myself through on top of the burns I’d had across almost my entire body, “It’s hard enough to think through the pain as it is.”

Sheridan looked at me for a few moment, then pulled a flask out of his suit, poured the contents into a cup, and slid it to me. “One part painkiller, two parts coffee, one part sugar. A perfect pick-me-up after a long hard night, and I think this might count.” The brown liquid sloshed as the glass reached me.

I would have hesitated in the past. This time, I slugged down the drink, blinking at the pleasant taste of alcohol and coffee mixed with sugar. “Thank you, Crieghton.” I nodded thankfully, eyes smiling though my mouth did not, the twitch on my face betraying the cause. “So, to translate roughly, Commander Tazri is pleased that the situation is resolved, and now wants us to unfuck the mess we somewhat unintentionally caused her?”

“Pretty much.” Sheridan explained. “You two–” he pointed between Abe and I, “broke international law and the stations of the XCOM project. Hell, in some ways you–” He pointed at me, “could be tried by the Japanese government for going absent without leave, since you’re technically on loan to them.” He then pointed at Abigail. “As for you? You don’t even have a passport, Ms. Weir. If anyone looked too closely at your involvement, there would be some very serious questions asked.” He tapped the folder before him. “So we need to get our stories straight, back-date some paperwork, grease some wheels, and cover our asses. Public opinion is overwhelmingly in our favor, but it’s best to have a deniable paper trail in place when that passes.”

“Can’t be AWOL,” I shrugged mulishly, honestly baffled that the possibility even crossed Sheridan’s mind, “They never called me, and since I have a global teleportation range, by law I can be wherever the hell I want so long as I report when I’m called.” It was semantics, but it was good to cover my bases, “I see your point regardless, but that’s not technically something that’s my responsibility sir. Unless you’re here to brief me on what I’m supposed to say and what paperwork I’m supposed to fill out, this isn’t my damn job.”

“Good thing, then, that that’s what we’re here for.” Sheridan sniped back, opening the folder and handing me a stack of forms an inch thick. “Payment slips, background check confirmation, embassy attache paperwork, and of course, the report to be filed with my office.” He explained as I leafed through the forms. “Yes, it needs to be paper. Electronic files can be faked too easily; the fact we can hand over hard copies will mollify all but the worst politicians.” He then slid over ten sheets stapled together. “And this is the pertinent press release. You don’t need to have it memorized, but this has the most common questions you might get and how you’re supposed to respond.” One last sheet slid over to me. “And some acceptance forms for another medal.”

With a quiet, minute shake of my head, I got to work, rapidly scanning over, filling out, and double checking paperwork for correctness. Given that there’d probably be a press release soon if Creighton was forcing me to cram, I just snapped several pictures of the damn thing to have Tamamo feed me either via telepathy or HUD. I’d go over it later as I prepared, but right now…

I pushed the ugly thoughts aside. Not worth thinking of. Just play the game. Play the game, and don’t moan about how stupid it all is.

Abe glared at Sheridan as a folder slid in front of her. “Creighton, why am I getting this? I outrank you!” She paused. “Wait–”

“Yes, admitting that one of XCOM’s assassin and our spymistress came into Tibet would not be a good idea. Good of you to recognize that.” He snarked. “Then again, your real name and identity aren’t known outside of XCOM. Most of your paperwork is linking your appearance here with one of your legends. That should cover you from scrutiny.”

“I marvel at our OPSEC if someone managed to figure out I’m on the assassination roster.” I stated glacially, eyes rising to meet his, “Are we compromised Craighton?”

“...I was taking about Abe. You’re an assassin?” He replied weakly.

“Just because I haven’t been assigned missions focused on them doesn’t mean I don’t have the training.” I retorted dryly, shrugging idly, “And don’t imply Mariko’s bad at covering her own tracks. I doubt that anyone recognized her, unless she decided to mess up with her various countermeasures. Not that anyone should know who our spymistress is.”

“All oof that is true. However, a lot of Abe’s success is based on the Leave No Trace protocols.” Craighton started.

Abe nodded glumly. “I was using Danzo openly to cover you in that last fight, and I revealed my face to a whole lot of cameras. The internet is already asking who I am, and unless they get an answer soon…”

“Why the fuck are we putting official paperwork down when we could just stir the pot in our favor?” I asked with a head tilt, looking at their baffled faces with some amusement, “I just have to go online on an official twitter account and say she’s a friend in XCOM or something along those lines. Our records aren’t publicly available, and if the politicians know what’s good for them, they won’t bother to stir the pot, not that a significant portion of the public would believe them over their heroine.”

“There’s nothing that gets more press than a fallen heroine, Shizuka.”Abigail said softly. “And… XCOM isn’t opaque. Not anymore. We’ve had to open ourselves up, as the war’s picked up.”

“I’m not an idiot. I know that. But even that’s better than putting a paper-trail on our literal goddam spy mistress.” I retorted, “Besides, I’m very good at lying. I just haven’t had a reason to yet.”

“The paper trail leads to one of my actual IDs, Shizuka. It’s one not connected to my clandestine work.” She paged through a few things. “Oh, huh, it’s even linked to my pay account. Wait, contracted specialist? Those make bank.”

“Tazri doesn’t want you taking your own pay out of our books when the war ends.” Sheridan explained. “And considering the base tour we’ll be giving soon, we needed something to call you which isn’t ‘chief spook.’”

“I’ll shelve my protests. They were mostly out of concerns you’ve covered anyway.” I sighed, piping down. “Sorry. Just defensive of the people I care about.”

“None taken.” Sheridan muttered, only for a knock to sound at the door. He walked over, glaring at the portal. “Private business, who–” He cracked the door, only to choke. “...your holiness?” He squeaked.

“Ah, are the heroines of the hour here?” Came the measured voice of the man our actions had protected. “We have a bit to speak on. And this is my palace.”

“Sure.” I shrugged, “I’ve got no grounds to protest on, not that I would.”

Sheridan nodded mutely, opening the door and allowing the Dalai Lama to slip in, smiling at us three. “It is good to see you still well, all of you.” He placed his hands over his heart and bowed. “Thank you, for saving so many, when you were asked to save only one.”

“No thanks is needed for saving innocents and civilians when it was well within my power to do so.” I answered lightly after a moment’s pause, discarding my more aggressive response that ‘I shouldn’t have to be thanked for that.’ Now wasn’t the time for that particular bit of insecurity to manifest.

“And yet, you nearly exhausted yourself to do so.” His holiness responded, taking a seat. “My friend told me you’ve learned to still the hands of time.”

“Wait, you can time stop? Is that a thing now?” Sheridan asked, eyes flicking around.

“It is.” Lu-Tze spoke, tipping back a mug of tea from his seat, leading Sheridan to yelp and jump backward.

“AARs, Sheridan, read em.” I snarked, rolling my eyes and turning to the spiritual leader, “My mana will recover. Their lives would not have.”

“We still have to write those AAR!” Sheridan replied, before rounding onLu-Tze. “In private!”

Lu-Tze just smirked, before he set down his mug. “I’m just here to let you all know that the TSAB will be passing you all some sensor data they picked up.” He looked back at me, smirking again. “Your little parting gift is going to have ramifications.”

“Sheridan, the AAR is already done. Tazri has the AAR.” I stated patiently towards my currently boss, throwing him the redacted version he was cleared for via Tamamo. The diplomat was already testing my patience, and I wasn’t really in the mood to deal with a civilian right now, “And of course, Lu-Tze, I knew what I was doing.”

As Sheridan badgered my girlfriend for a hard copy of my electronic AAR, Lu-Tze shot me a look. “So you meant to eject both our wayward abominations into the middle of Russia, sparking a firefight and manhunt before the two warped again, heading into Central Europe?”

I blinked, “How the fuck did they survive literal eldritch horrorspace? I’m fairly sure the laws of physics ceased to exist in that specific corridor of magic!”

Abigail coughed. “You do know most teleport spells have a failsafe which dumps the users back into realspace if they take enough damage, correct?” She blinked. “Oh right, you never fail a teleport. You may never have needed to learn that.”

“No, my teleports have that failsafe. My spell should have broken or interfered with that failsafe by modifying the laws of reality. Tamamo doesn’t teach me anything but the best spells she has for my specialty, and those include said failsafes.” I retorted.

“Then who knows? Have you ever practiced shredding a teleport like that?” I shook my head, pouting for a moment as Lu-Tze shrugged. “Then there you go. Good effort, and it did have some payoffs.”

Abe nodded as she pulled up some hacked documents. “With their secure teleport broken, the Russian government was able to trace their landing location. Somewhere in mainland Europe, though there’s still a lot of ground to cover.”

My attention sharpened, “Teleport telemetry?”

Abe flicked me the file, and I glanced through the data with a careful eye, before frowning. The data was from a pretty crude source, which had a flexible distance and arc values. The resulting area was an oval in coverage, and I sighed. “Can’t do shit with something this imprecise beyond a slightly better refinement via best hiding areas. I hope the TSAB intends to hand us their telemetry.”

“The TSAB doesn’t have any agents in Russia. Officially.” Abe tapped her keys. “And… also, unofficially. Looks like they don’t have the manpower to stretch into ‘hostile’ regions, and Russia counts.”

“If they refuse to cooperate, I am going to throw my political weight into a smear campaign. I’m tired of the bullshit.” I growled, genuinely starting to get annoyed, “The Aliens are escalating, one of their totally rouge scientists I swear is causing massive amounts–”

“Shizuka.” I jerked to a halt at the steel in Abe’s tone. “This is not a game– poor word choice.” She cut off her first lines. “The TSAB is willing to work with us, and though they’re making a lot of poor decisions, they are helping us. Just because they’re not perfect does not mean you can demonize them, and considering how every time they screw up they send better people, I’m inclined to let them keep doing it.” She sighed, sitting back in her chair. “The TSAB doesn’t have the data you want. I know you want their heads-”

“Mariko. A hundred people would have died if I hadn’t spent basically half my entire tank in one second because they were pussyfooting around. More, if we hadn’t intervened.” I pointed out in a low growl. So many children, innocents, and potential. All of it could have been lost.

“And how many will die if the TSAB starts considering us a lost cause and sells us out for breathing room?” Sheridan asked.

Sighing harshly, I shook my head, realizing that this line of conversation was just pointless, “We’re not ever going to agree on this ladies and gentlemen.” I said simply. Same problems, different world.

“No we’re not, though I suspect in this case the resolution will be coming swiftly.” Abigail remarked. “...I hope we can rely on your discretion, your holiness?”

The Dalai Lama smiled even as I tensed. “No, such concern for others is wonderful, but not exactly tactful. I see no problem in holding my tongue.” He smiled at me over his glasses. “And I believe I can see where their mistakes here will lead. They have lost much face and seen the true nature of the threats in this world.”

Lu-Tze eyed his friend. “And lost something precious.”

“Well, they’re about to.” The Dalai Lama reached into his robe, removing a pencil-case sized box, inlaid with gold leaf and composed of dark wood. “I have heard from sources in Nippon that you seek certain artifacts.”

My eyes snapped to the box, “I’m, not surprised you have devices. Belka, Al Hazard, or Mu?”

“We do not know. None of these have ever activated for those who seek to use such things.” He admitted, setting the case on the table. “If we were going to enter into a pact with Mid-Childa, this would have been part of our exchanges. Instead, I have been asked to quietly pass them to you.” He slid the case towards me.

“... My thanks, Dalai Lama.” I nodded, taking the box and opening it respectfully. Five golden trinkets glittered back at me; a pair of rings, two pairs of earrings, and a golden choker with an emerald stone.

“The Prime Minister is also expecting you to stay for the medals ceremony tomorrow.” His holiness said, standing. “Should I pass him a message that you are otherwise engaged?”

“No. Milking publicity is something Tazri has a standing order for me to do, unfortunately,” I grumbled good naturedly, “I’ll be teleporting home if my request for a few hours of leave before the ceremony is approved, but otherwise, I’ll be around.”

“I won’t begrudge you seeing your family again.” Rinpoche said. “And the Prime Minister will not either.” He headed to the door. “Now, I will leave you all to your paperwork. Lu-Tze, please do not bother them too much.”

The man in question snorted and stood. “Going, going…” He paused. “You didn’t tell them about the shrine.”

“I did not.” The Dalai Lama sent me a smile. “My friends in higher places will be setting up their own shrine opposite the new one being installed. I cannot attend the ceremony, but if you would like to speak with my friend, he will be there sweeping, on occasion.” He clasped his hands over his heart and walked out, Lu-Tze following behind.

Shrugging, I turned to Mariko and Sheridan, a utterly smug smile on my face as I pushed over a stack of cursed existence to the latter, “Paperwork’s done, by the way.”

“...your handwriting is atrocious.” Sheridan commented, eyeing the top page. “Perfect, another layer of obscurity.”

As I walked in the door, a white blur hit my chest. “YOU CAN STOP TIME?” Nanoha yelled, shaking my torso.

“At great mana expenditure or insanely long and complex cast times, yes.” I snickered as I wrapped my arms around her, “How were things Nanoha? I hope you didn’t drive your parents insane.”

“No, though Daddy mentioned he’s going to have to try harder to intimidate you next time. Also, that I need to train against dual-wielders.” Nanoha commented.

From one side, Fate cleared her throat. “How… normal are opponents like that?”

“The one that I fought?” I asked, receiving a nod from the girl, “Not. There’s only three of those ridiculous guys in his organization, and he’s one of them.” I said seriously, “None of you will ever fight one of them. Not just because you can’t win– don't give me that look young ladies– but because what they’d do to you to get to me.”

That thought occupied a pretty damn frequent source of nightmares for me. I generally spent hours warding the house after them.

“...okay. But I mean, they’re the strongest things out there, right? Of the phantasmals, I mean.” Fate ventured.

“No Fate. They’re humans. Humans who have committed crimes against all things Transhumanism, but humans all the same.” I sighed, motioning towards the tables, “Come on. I’ve got a few hours and I feel like cooking. I’ll give you a non-classified rundown on the local phantasmals. I’m fairly sure some of them would be on par with a lost logia, by the way. Well, the civilization destroying ones.”

Yuuno perked up, his ears twitching. “Ah, Lost Logia isn’t a good measure of power…” He hazarded. “Were you looking for a disaster scale?”

“I would appreciate that Yuuno-kun,” I began, a sheepish look flickering across my face, “I was more phrasing it that way since the way I’d describe power levels is wildly different from how you probably would.”

“Well, there’s not a consistent one, but there’s generally a seven-stage classification for Lost Logia. Ones capable of wiping out a town, city, county, continent, planet, solar system, and universe, in that order ranked one to seven.” Yunno paused. “The last one is theoretical, and I think there are only three things ever even recorded which hit close to a six.”

“There’s myths that support a few Phantasmals on Seven, but I doubt any entity mentioned would have the motivation or desire to do that. The most common ones would be anything from two to country. Maybe a few continent level disasters, and at least a few capable of cleansing the planet of all life but not destroying it in the sense a planet cracker would.” I mused idly, noting Yuuno’s cycling expressions, “I haven’t verified personally anything but a country level disaster, and I doubt she’d be capable of it in the modern day.”

Fate twitched. “...is she exaggerating?”

Yuuno sighed. “I didn’t have these ears before one of them looked at me funny. And though the other features have passed, they seem to be sticking around. Apparently, I liked them just enough for them to stick.”

Fate slowly turned to look at me. “She can just… add things to people? With spells?”

“Nope. As much as it’d be funny to say she can, she was using a local phantasmal as a base for Yuuno-kun’s transformation. But she can still casually do transhumanism.” I shrugged, putting on a pot of water to boil.

Nanoha caught Fate as she began to drop. “Are you okay?”

“...just thinking.” She muttered. “So Lady Tammy is a scary powerful individual? Arf said she smelled strong…”

“She would break me over her knees for breakfast, and that’s with a significant chunk of her mana sealed.” I shrugged, a flicker of frustration crossing my face, “If I wasn’t sure she was causing absolute chaos to EXALT at this very moment, I’d be annoyed at her lack of interference against the Ethereals.”

“No, this very moment I’m here for tea.” Tamamo said from the corner. “Now, five minutes ago… I also wasn’t causing chaos, because I was asleep.”

“Yes Tamamo, I’m sure you weren’t.” I replied patronizingly, because the first thing she’d taught me was that you were always causing chaos if you were serious about causing chaos. Causing chaos in your sleep was in fact one of her greatest skills. There was a reason she laughed her ass off when the Killing Stone had broken of natural causes. It has made her job so much easier.

Fate gulped, then straightened. “Lady Tammy?”

“Yes, small child?”

“Can you make me strong?”

“No, because you already are.” Tamamo replied flippantly.

“Not strong enough.” Fate said sadly, only to have her eyes drawn up as Tamamo looked into them, gold eyes meeting red.

“Child, whatever your mother wanted, you being stronger would not get it for her. If she truly cared for you, then she would have celebrated your successes and growth.” She said softly, tails coiling around Fate. “That she didn’t…” Tamamo’s ears perked up. “Hmm. You’re young enough that blood adoption might work. Shizuka-chan~”

“My abilities are probably more useful than a natural mana-to-lightning conversion.” I mused teasingly, snickering at Fate’s offended look, “Just kidding dear. It’s entirely up to you. I made it clear I wasn’t going to push you one way or another. This has and always will be your choice, and my home is open to you regardless.”

Tamamo pouted. “I meant me. Blonde looks good for kits!”

I grabbed the water-sprayer I kept on the counter pointedly, raising my eyebrow at yet another one of my mentors, “Phrasing.”

“Ooh. I mean, maybe in twenty years, if Nano-chan and Hayate-chan agree…” Tamamo mused. “But–”

As I sprayed the lewd fox, Fate blushed a deep red. “...awawawawaw…”

“Stop bullying Fate-chan!” Nanoha huffed, dragging her friend behind her, then blinked. “Also… polygamist castration fist? I thought that was a thing.”

“Polyamory is okay so long as consent is involved, and that was Nasu!” I shouted, drowning Tamamo’s response; she was going to cause unneeded chaos if I didn’t. “Not a word Tammao-sensei. I know you were just about to cause chaos.”

“I already have~” Tamamo laughed, before her face went serious. “Although, what’s this I heard about you two-timing Inari-sama with a Bhuddist?”

I gasped, “How dare you imply I’ve been anything but loyal to Inari-sama!” I smirked, eye dancing in amusement, “Also, Inari probably is an aspect of Benten, or is literally just Benten. Shinto and Buddhism mix often, as you know sensei.”

“Wrong on the mythology, right otherwise.” Tamamo admitted. “Should I expect another hot female to join your entourage?”

“Well, you’re right on one count.” Lu-Tze spoke up from the table, leading Tamamo to spring back, tails shooting straight up. “A cuppa, please?”

“Nani the fuck are you doing in my house univited,” I asked, utterly unamused.

He pointed at Tamamo, eyebrow raised.

“She’s got a standing invitation. You do not.” I explained, eyes arched as I flickered my barrier jacket on and off, “My home. Out until you are invited in properly.”

“Okay, okay. Still want training?” Lu-Tze asked as he stood up, dusting himself off.

At the same time, Nanoha spoke up. “Sensei, who’s the old man? And why do I want to call him ‘not-quite-reverend?’”

“Lu-Tze.” I answered simply, throwing the man a bottle of green tea from the fridge, “Yes, I want training. Please ping the wards before you visit next time. Out. I’ll see you in four hours at the Tibetan Capital.”

“Understood. I’ll see you there!” The man vanished in a slight blip of space-time after catching the bottle.

“...umm. What kind of training is he offering you?” Nanoha asked.

“Time magic.” I continued as I chopped up some carrots, “Oh, Nanoha. Did you see the lesson plan I sent you yesterday evening?”

“Un!” She nodded.

“I can help with anything on it in about an hour. Dinner will be in the fridge once I finish with it. Freezer has other prepared meals if you plan on hanging out with Fate and Hayate here. Don’t break anything while I’m accepting medals on international television, okay?” I remarked, throwing pasta in the boiling pot of water.

“Okay!”

Chapter Text

Tazri looked at me, her eyebrow cocked above her one good eye. “So. Any last minute revelations, odd happenings, or surprise magical interference you need to tell me about?” She motioned to the wooden double doors which led into the base’s chapel complex. “Last chance before we get pulled into a ceremony.”

“Not at the moment, no.” I sighed theatrically, dramatically hanging my entire body in a droop, “Besides,” I continued, this time obnoxiously bright, yet somehow without a singular hint of falsehood, “You ordered me to be a PR Icon! So I am being a PR Icon~!”

“That’s supposed to stand for Public Relations, not…” Tazri paused. “...dammit, I don’t have a proper counter to that.” She huffed, then turned back to the door before stopping suddenly. “Also, the hell was that thing you just used at the end of your sentence?”

“This~?” I teased with a playful lit in my voice, “That’s just me inserting a tilde into vocals.”

Tamamo trotted up, an appropriately foxy grin on her face and a beautiful blue kimono covering her body as she strutted towards us. “She knew it before I ever got the chance to teach her~ I’m so proud.” She purred, wrapping an arm over my shoulder, tails wagging. “Ooh, looking forward to this~”

“I’m sure you are sensei~” I chirped back, snickering at her mock offended expression, “I am too, honestly. More allies are always nice.”

“Hello again, Tamamo.” Abigail said as she walked up in a beautiful silver dress. “Welcome back.” Beside her, Abe tugged grouchily at her uniform collar; her new ‘job title’ had her in a proper uniform for the first time. She filled it out well, and I’d had some fun teasing her… and then disrobing her…

I shook off my musings even as Abigail blushed and Tamamo snickered. “Don’t go peeking if you don’t want lewd thoughts Abby~” I teased with a semi-lewd snicker.

Tazri groaned, spinning on one foot. “On your own time, ladies. Come on, we should go make sure all the guests aren’t harassing that miko.” She looked ahead through the open doors, where a fox-eared figure stood in white and red robes, cheerfully greeting the incoming guests.

We all walked forward, allowing the pretty kitsune to break away from the guests and walk towards us. “And the guests of the occasion have arrived! Welcome, all of you.” The robed yokai spoke in a pleasant baritone, bowing at the waist. He straightened, perfect features sharp. “Looking forward to the ceremony?”

“Of course.” I answered pleasantly, taking a look around the well decorated room, “The entrance is looking wonderful.”

He pouted slightly. “No reaction?”

“Nah, you’re valid.” I shrugged.

“Thank you! When you’re this pretty, you can do what you want.” He said, smiling.

Tamamo cleared her throat. “Oh, really?~”

“Old hag says what?”

“Wha–” Tamamo scowled. “Really?”

“Do you know how rare it is I’ll ever get another chance to taunt you?” He smiled. “Ah, I am Hikaru, priest of Inari and inhabitant of this Shrine.” His tails wagged. “I won the contest to open this place, and I am happy to serve.”

Abigail tilted her head, then blinked. “A beauty contest… where you pranked the others into submission?”

Tamamao chuckled. “Very appropriate.”

“Indeed. Nothing too nasty I hope?” I said with a deceptively easy smile.

“Nothing permanent, or that’ll take more than a moon to wear off.” Hikaru replied easily. “Bad hair days, a few glamor failures, and one poor dear ended up turned into a dog in the middle of her tea ceremony.” He smiled. “Still, enough talking. I have a–” He paused and looked at Tamamo. “Ah… is Inari-san a god or goddess today? You saw them last.”

“Last I saw, female. Probably going to stay that way for a while, but I can make no promises.” Tamamo sighed.

There was a quiet thrum from nearby, and we all turned to see a blue gate opening nearby. Nanoha dashed out, her kimono flapping around her. “Oh, another pretty kitsune! Hello, kitsune-san!” She bowed, even as most of the rest of my household filed on through. Hayate looked around, a massive grin on her face.

Rei looked at Hikaru, then sighed, looking over at me. “I apologize in advance for anything my cousin does, my lady.”

“Oh come on, I’ve done nothing wrong!” Hikaru groaned, then grinned. “Family. Can’t live with them…”

“Ho? This is your cousin Rei?” I asked, smirking, giving the boy a proper glance, “He’s cute.”

“Don’t feed him, please.” Rei begged. “He is, but–”

Hikaru began to chuckle, before suddenly cutting off. “Ah– Inari is getting…”

Tamamo pulled a cell phone out of her cleavage. “Impatient. You should go get set up.” She nodded across the entrance hall, towards a doorway done up like a Torii gate.

“Right…” Hikaru made tracks through the door, while I took a look over the group, catching Fate hanging back nervously, a terrier-sized Alph leaned against her leg.

Smiling gently, I crossed over to them, nodding towards the pair. “Hello Fate, Alph. How are you both today?”

Fate looked around. “...I’ve never been in a military base before. Or a church.” She took a deep breath. “...I feel… calmer? Like there’s a blanket over me, inside.”

“That’s probably the chapel doing it’s thing.” I nodded contemplatively, eyes unseeing as I stared past Fate, “There’s a sense of peace here. It’s not natural, not in the way we think of things, at least. But peace is peace, and this one isn’t malicious. You can block it if you want to.”

“...it’s nice.” She murmured. “This place is warded, right? I can come back?”

“You’ll be monitored, but yes.” I shrugged, smiling at her baffled expression, “Fate, I’m going to be honest, you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t provisionally cleared already. You can teleport here so long as an escort accompanies you.”

“Thank you.” She looked over to the Torii door. “So… more fox phant– I mean, Kitsune? And a kitsune deity?”

“Correct. Inari-Okami is the god of foxes, fertility, rice, tea and sake, of agriculture and industry, of general prosperity and worldly success.” I explained, smiling towards Fate, “They’re also the one I would have worshiped if I got into Shinto.”

“Okay.” Fate tilted her head as I lead her forward. “Umm. Lady Tammy has called Inari-Okami he and she before. Which is right?”

“Inari-Okami appears to be genderfluid; that is, they fluctuate between both gender identities. If someone tried to tell you sex, that is, your biological sex, is the same as your gender, they genuinely have no clue what they’re talking about. Gender is separate from sex, at least sometimes.”

I walked forward a few more steps before I realized Fate had stopped. “...you can be both? That’s an option?” She asked, eyes wide.

“Sure. There’s no person who can tell you what you should be, Fate.” I answered casually, idly noting that the… hm, might have to change how I think of them. Anyway, Fate might be questioning for a bit, “If you want to talk about gender, I’m more than happy to do so. I’m trans, after all.”

“...oh.” Fate nodded, then double-stepped to catch up. “I just… I never learned about that, with mother.” She moved to speak again, only to blink as we passed through the torii. I paused, looking around. Rather than another room, we’d emerged from the gate into what appeared to be a tiny valley grotto, just large enough to hold a trio of buildings set into the rock faces surrounding a small courtyard. I blinked as a cherry blossom blew past my nose, before shaking my head in vague amusement. Of course they’d show off with a pocket dimension. Then again, if this was a portal, Tazri would have had kittens. You know, that might have been worth the hassle to see… Hmm…

Fate peered up at the pink-grey sky overhead. “...pretty…” She looked over at Nanoha as she waited for us. “Umm, is the sky real?”

“Nope, just some sort of mist which ends where the pocket ends.” Nanoha said after closing her eyes. “You wouldn’t want to fly straight up.”

“Very disorienting, if I recall you vomiting when you tried that at the Blossom Court, Nanoha.” I stated with no small amount of amusement, eyes crinkling as Hayate and Fate’s eyes lit up with glee, the prodding at the embarrassed girl beginning even as I cast my gaze around the shrine.

A swirl of leaves washed over us, before a woman in a suit with a leaf on her head between two pointed ears appeared. “Please take a seat, honored guests.” She requested, tail waving lazily behind her. I took a seat, smiling benignly at the Tanuki.

Minutes later, the sky dimmed to the brightness of twilight, Hikaru stepping out to the front of the main shrine building as light gathered around him. “Welcome, one and all, to the founding of the fourth Shinto shrine in mainland America. I am Hikaru, Servant of Inari-Okami, and I am pleased to see such a gathering of important and beautiful people to grace this place.” He passed his eyes over everyone, ears twitching on either side of his headdress. “Now, normally, we would need to entreat the gods via a ceremony to come inhabit the shrine, but thankfully–”

“There’s enough of my most loyal subjects here that that’s not necessary.” Behind Hikaru, on the steps of the shrine, nine pure white tails bloomed out of nowhere, a figure in a white kimono appearing on the steps. Hikaru stepped aside, bowing low as Inari-Okami stepped down and looked around. “Hmm. Yes, I think I’ll like having a little place here, even if it means rubbing elbows with the Lord of Hosts.” She mused, though I couldn’t see her due to my low bow. As a barking chuckle filled the courtyard, I felt one soft fuzzy appendage brush over my back, and by the time I straightened, Inari was gone. But now the whole shrine was filled with energy. Two stone statues of foxes had appeared flanking the courtyard, and…

“Aww!” Hayate squealed as a small fuzzy creature leapt up into her arms. All around us, dozens of foxes now littered the shrine space, many of the little fuzzballs napping or tussling with each other. Adorable. And an effective method of therapy. I bowed again in appreciation, noticing several XCOM agents doing the same. Fluffy things were a good way to hold onto reality, after all. I stopped and looked down at the kit which had somehow appeared in my arms, black fur fluffy in my grasp.

A loud cough sounded from my right, and I turned to find Tazri looking at me with a deadpan expression, a brown fox perched atop her head, grinning widely. Behind her, I watched as the still-diminutive Alph was buried under a foxpile, Fate too busy scratching a happy blonde specimen to help her familiar. “Did you know the god would do this?”

“Nope.” I said with a completely straight face, vulpine smile hidden behind layers of deception. After all, it was true. But one could probably extrapolate that the God/Goddess of foxes would create foxes for their shrine.

“...right.” Tazri sighed, reaching up and scooting the fox onto her shoulder before lifting it to the ground. “Are we going to have to worry about the entire base being overrun with fluffy tails?” As Tamamo popped up and opened her mouth, Tazri slammed a finger into it. “More than this one already brings, anyway.”

Tamamo tilted her head to get out from behind the finger, grinning. “Well, Inari-sama knows not to put live animals in a military base. If you do see a fox wandering around, she’s likely using it to send a message.” She knelt down and came back up with a half-dozen foxes perched on her. “Besides, they wouldn’t want potential kitsune dying for stupid reasons.” She paused. “Unless she wants to branch into the North American fox population… hmm.”

“So I may have to deal with messenger foxes popping up all over the base.” Tazri looked back at the shrine, then looked at me. “How much sacrilege would it be if I told them I only take orders from the Council, and even then only with limits? I’m not going to mobilize XCOM on a divine mandate.”

“Probably wouldn’t happen, commander.” I interjected with a deceptively easy smile, eyeing Tamamo’s nod of agreement with something akin to satisfaction, “They’re here to be Chaplains and Diplomats, after all.”

“Which hasn’t precluded other faiths from trying to press political agendas.” Tazri replied dully. “Well, at least we’ll save on therapy as long as I keep this place open.” She muttered. “So, ceremony’s over, all’s well, I’m going back to work.” She walked towards the door, then paused. “Should I go ahead and place a time limit on how long soldiers can stay in here off-duty, do you think?”

“Probably not. You’d get the press crying foul about religious oppression or something if someone leaked it.” I shrugged nonchalantly, “Besides, you know better than I do that your troops are professionals ma’am.”

“On-duty? Yes. Off-duty? We have The List for a reason.” Tazri sighed, then continued walking out, calling over her shoulder. “Though in your case, I’m ordering you to spend the next six hours here. Take of that what you will.”

I blinked, before looking at the fox I was petting. They looked back, eyes staring into mine. Shrugging, I decided if they were going to let me sit there and pet them for eight hours, I could send a partition or two to do something productive within simulations so my ADHD didn’t demand I not pet fox for six hours. Ah, memory partitioning, the greatest tool to combat the ADHD/ASD wombo-combo.

As I moved to sit down, my Device buzzed me. “My lady, I have been ordered to divert your training simulations to WatchFix should you try to use them.” Tamamo informed me. “Or bring up a web browser and let you surf instead.”

“... Rude.” I pouted, rolling my eyes at the fox’s smug yip, “I’ll just waste time doing WatchFix and random forum stuff instead. It’s not my fault if I cure cancer and or HIV or burn down the base.”

“The commander is just trying to look out for you, ma’am. You’ve technically not taken a full day off in the last three months.” My device responded. “That’s in violation of several regulations, ones even XCOM needs to follow.”

“Right, because babysitting Hayate is technically on the clock, and not a day off, given, well, Reinforce being the Tome of the Night Sky.” I sighed. I had genuinely forgotten about that little tidbit. “Fine. I won’t whine. Much.”

Beside me, the younger Tamamo wrapped one arm over my shoulder.” Aww, being forced to take a break? I’ve had that happen, but only with the best assistants.” She sighed wistfully. “I miss Gen. He was a good bird, even if he preferred other tengu to kitsune.”

“It’s less the break and more that it was sprung on me, honestly.” My reply was soft, curt, and annoyed all at the same time, hopefully making it clear that I didn’t exactly want to talk about this subject.

Tamamo shrugged, guiding me to a seat on the grass. “That’s understandable. Maybe she just saw the opportunity?” As she settled me down, Tamamo returned to standing, looking to one side. Moments later, Mariko sprawled out at my left, and Abigail tucked herself in at my right, the psychic happily switching between psionic claws and her own fingers between five different foxes. “And maybe you can take this one to relax with your girlfriend and girl friend.” Tamamo chirped.

“Heh.” I snorted, smiling, “I suppose I should.”

Abe looked up from her staring contest with a smirking golden fox. “We haven’t had a proper date in a while…”

Abigail spoke from her seat. “Or a game night.”

“And I am stuck in this room for six hours.” I snickered, raising an eyebrow, “I’m happy to make this a date-game-night thing, but how do you propose I do so?”

Abe gave me a deadpan. “You tell your household you’re taking an evening off, put on your do-not disturb marker up via Tamamo, and head down to Abigail’s place. It’s what I do whenever I duck out to visit you.”

“... I can’t leave the room.” I deadpanned, “Unless you wanted me to plan a date and take you out later, I refuse to leave this room until my six hours are up, Mariko. Tazri is not to be messed with.”

“I meant after, dear. And yes, let’s plan it out.” Abe said, then paused and pulled out a deck of cards. “While we wait, are either of you interested in poker?”

Abigail raised one eyebrow. “Playing with a psychic– or rather, two psychics? You’re confident.”

“Good practice for my mental shields.” Abe retorted. “Or you could just… not spy on people?”

“That is generally the accepted method for playing poker; with the caveat that if it’s anything goes poker that restriction goes out the window.” I remarked idly, grinning at Abigail’s pout, “No cheating.”

“Umm.” We all looked up to see Fate peering at us, surrounded by a pack of foxes. Tamamao was eyeing the cards with interest, even as the foxes near Fate jostled to keep from getting too close to the kitsune. “What’s poker?”

“Card game that’s used for betting. I personally dislike it but Mariko and Abigail both enjoy it far too much to be healthy.” I answered factually, sheepishly remembering that my kids were with me… Wait, since when had they been ‘my kids’ in my brain. Shaking my head, I resolved to ponder on that later before continuing, “Actually, on second thought, no poker. If we’re going to play games, we are going to play games that are socially acceptable to play around children.”

Abe frowned. “Not Go Fish. Too boring.”

“Crazy eights is nice. We likely have too many people for bridge, even if I we could teach the rules.” Abigail hummed.

“I’ve always liked Daifugō.” Tamamo remarked. “For an easy game, anyway.”

“Or we could not limit ourselves to cards like someone not born in the information era and just use video games.” I snarked, raising an eyebrow at Fate’s hungry look, “Ah, they introduced you to their favorite fighting game, did they?”

“...Smash is fun. A little too complicated.” She murmured. “I really liked Animal Crossing.” She admitted. “It’s relaxing.”
Alph trotted over to us, scratched up but head held high. Sitting at her partner’s heel, she spoke up. “I liked that Zelda game.”

“Which one?” Curiosity infused my voice. There were many Zelda games, after all.

“Well, it was the one with the red ship? The lion one. Nanoha mentioned a newer one, which sounded interesting. You can turn into a wolf!”

Tamamo gagged. “Ergh. Why would you want to do that?”

Alph looked up at her, tongue lolling out. “Scared of being eaten, foxy?”

“If you wanted to eat me–”Tamamo stopped. “Um. How old are you? I don’t flirt with children, and I can’t tell.”

Alph tilted her head. “I was an adult wolf before I became a familiar, but I’d want to mate with a male. No offense.”

Tamamo shrugged. “That’s fine.” She paused as Hayate and Nanoha approached, the former child waving her hand. “Yes, adorable little walking nuke.”

Hayate giggled. “Umm, shapeshifters. Do they have an actual gender?”

“Depends on the shapeshifter. And the word you are looking for is sex, not gender. Gender is almost entirely in the realm of the mind. Physical Sex is entirely in the realm of genetics and the body.” Tamamo explained, sitting down and splaying her tails across the floor, “As for myself, I identify as female, and generally do not step out of that comfort zone by choice. Shizuka,” She nodded towards me, and I shrugged, “Was formerly sexually male, in the sense that her physical body was male. She identified as female, and though she isn’t a shapeshifter, she was thankfully given a female body when whatever sent her here did so.”

“Oh. So… shapeshifters have a gender, most of them, and it’s not just their bodies.” Hayate nodded. “So… you wouldn’t transform into a guy just because someone asked.”

“I might, though not for long. It’s quite uncomfortable.” Tamamo acknowledged. “Also, I haven’t taken a male form in centuries, so I’d have to wing it, and that often gets something wrong.”

“I genuinely cannot imagine willingly subjecting yourself to dysphoria,” I interjected with a shudder, “I still get nightmares, occasionally.”

“Some shapeshifters I met never took a different-gender form. Some switched it up every few decades, and one I met changed at the drop of a hat, whenever they felt like it.” She tapped her chin. “They were never able to properly sit for a portrait. I wonder what happened to them?”

Abigail shook her head. “An important question and discussion, but not the pertinent one. What game were you thinking about, Shizuka?”

As we all debated various games and sat back on the grass, I couldn’t help but relax a bit. This wasn’t what I’d expected today, but it was nice, sitting back and relaxing for once. It wouldn’t last, but for now, I could take a break.

Chapter Text

As I walked out of the Inari shrine, I was rather puzzled to see Tazri staring at me in the chapel proper, having set up a card table in the room. Baffled, I blinked a few times before shrugging and moving towards her, “Can I help you, Commander?”

“Yes.” She pointed over her shoulder, where a solitary figure sat in the pews before the altar. “I don’t know why, but I’m the only one who can see that person. And he wants to talk to you.”

Thanking Tazri and giving her a salute, I moved towards the figure, coming up behind them and tapping them on the shoulders, “Can I help you, sir, madame, or otherwise?”

The figure stood and turned, revealing their clothing to be stark white robes. But that was the least striking thing about them; they stood two heads taller than me, and what I’d originally assumed was a trick of the light revealed their skin to be ebony black, tracing over sharp, striking features. Their lips moved into a gentle smile. “Be not afraid, child of Eve.” They spoke.

“To which angel of the host am I speaking to?”I asked dryly and professionally, suppressing my general distaste towards the Church and Christians with practiced ease; this being had not made their opinion on the matter known, nor had they given the church instructions in centuries in all likelihood. One does not simply cast judgment on another, after all. That was the realm of Yahweh and Yahweh alone.

The angel shook their head slightly. “I am but a messenger of the Host, foreign champion. It is to my sorrow that I come bearing grim tidings, a warning, and a path forward.” They intoned, face falling. “Would you accept this ‘meddling’?” The frown twitched slightly, eyes crinkling.
“It would be unwise of me to not, messenger of the host.” I intoned gravely, my own twitching lips betraying my general amusement despite the obviously poor news to come. It might seem strange, grinning in the face of despair, but I was more sane because of it.

“First; the enemies above amass in great number. A major assault comes soon, and only with their dispersal will time come to free the colony upon which you landed.” The angel spoke. “Second, the remaining Jewel seeds have attracted attention, some of which were wise enough to find them and not use them immediately. And finally, you may find those seeds in a base, in the islands north of Hokkaido. There also, you shall find the base from which the Crusader launched his assault.” The Angel bowed. “And for your deeds… you may ask this one a question.”

“Commander Tazri! Get over here please!” I yelled, giving a sheepish smile of apology to the being, “You don’t mind if I ask her to ask the question, do you?”

“It is your boon to grant as you please.” The angel said, then looked as Tazri approached. “I know you have overheard, Commander.” They waited, patiently.

“Yeah, I did.” Tazri sucked air through her teeth. “If you can answer me about the future–”

“With the limitations you know, we can.”

“-then… can we win this war, save Earth, without the aid of the TSAB, the gods, or selling our soul the way some suggest?” Tazri asked, and for the first time, I could feel the pain in her voice.

“You can.” The angel responded, their smile returned. “The cost may be high, but the battles may be won.”

“Thank you.” She responded. “Though, as a follow-up; why now?”

“The interference of another god in your time permits us to save some of yours.” They responded promptly.

Tazri looked back at the gate to Inari’s shrine. “...I don’t know if that counts.” She admitted.

“We counted it as such. Would you rather–”

“No take backs.”

The angel nodded at her, then at me. “I believe the proper words here are ‘keep up the good work’.”

“Thank you for the warning.” I nodded back, giving the angel a wave as they departed, vanishing in a blink.

Tazri looked at me. “Well. Your vacation is going to happen, but it may be delayed a bit.” She said.

“Commander, it’s wartime. I sorta expected it to fall through either way.” I replied honestly, rolling my eyes in exasperation.

Tazri moved to speak, then looked over my shoulder, then back to me. “You can still have your date night.” I felt an arm wrap around both of my own, as Abe and Abigail lifted me up. “Have fun, and I’ll let you know about this supposed base as soon as possible.”

Before I could speak, I was walked off back towards the doors. Abe called over my shoulder. “See you tomorrow, commander!”

Abigail turned to me. “I have had Tamamo send all your children home. Now, game night, I think.”

Abe smirked from my other side. “So, Shizuka. What do you want to play first? 7 Wonders? Clue? Crazy eights?” She leaned over, whispering in my ear. “Something more… physical?”

“I don’t think Abby would appreciate strip poker, Mariko dear.” I said dryly, snorting at Abigail’s swift nod, “How about… hm. Meh, surprise me.”

“I think we can do that…” Abe said as we entered the elevator.

It had been a while since I’d actually woke up in the base, and the first time I’d woken up somewhere other than my bunk. Shifting Abe’s slumbering body onto the couch fully, I shifted my weight to look around the room, blinking as I felt another weight on my other side. Huh. That was new; I hadn’t actually been able to explore my polyamorous side given Mariko’s understandable possessiveness. This was… nice.

Carefully pushing Abigail off of myself, I shook my head, recalling the evening before. Abe and Abigail had hit it off very well the night before, finally losing the odd edge of competitiveness as they took turns keeping me happy and engaged, and my mind off the upcoming events. Honestly, the fact they weren’t competing for my attention was the entire reason the evening was fun instead of a chore; I’d tried to do stuff like this with them before and had called it off every time previously because they’d always refused to get along. Given that I had made it clear to Mariko that I was attracted to Abigail I could understand. But-

Shaking my head, I smiled. Dwelling would only mar the wonderful evening I’d had last night, and waking up with a woman I loved and a woman I wanted to see if I could love beside me was a wonderful way to start my day. Given, however, that the universe seemed to thrive off my suffering…

…nope.

…still nothing.

…really? Universe, are you slacking?

Shrugging, I went about my morning routine, briefly debating using Abigail’s kitchen before deciding against it. I wanted to socialize with some of the other XCOM operatives, and given the current hour, my best bet was the cafeteria.

“Shizuka, Tazri sent out a message early this morning to all section leads. You were CC’d due to your unique position as the nominal leader of the Wolkenritter. Tazri seems to have thrown up her hands and labled them as “Allied Operatives”, with you as their handler.”

“I’m guessing it’s about that base the Angel mentioned in Hokkaido?”

“Yes, although she’s not giving any details in the message.” Tamamo paused. “She also sent a message directly to you, asking you to be ready to elaborate on what you know about EXALT at the meeting. Apparently, we’re taking our shadow war within our war public, after the debacle three days ago.”

“Was that Tazri or the Council? I’m mostly asking because this seems more of the political bent than the military one.” I asked genuinely. My feelings on the Council weren’t exactly negative, in fact mildly positive. It would be nice to know if my current personal assessment of them was remotely accurate.

“To clarify, we’re taking it public within XCOM, though considering the slow dissemination of information and the recent public actions, it’s not going to be long before the public learn about EXALT. Regardless, Mariko is known as the intelligence officer, but they’re trying to downplay her importance.” Tamamo paused. “Ah… you may be soon staked out as the Bait Spymaster.””

“It’s a good call.” I shrugged, not really caring all that much, “On multiple levels, really. Give the public someone they trust as the shadowy spymaster and let them make hopefully positive conclusions about it. It also gives Mariko a better veil to operate under, given well, how unlikely it is that actual intelligence officers will believe this. Keep them guessing, I suppose.”

“Fair. Are you going to need me to put together a presentation, or would you rather just, ah, speak your mind to the other commanders?”

“The latter.” I smirked, smiling at the thought, “Tazri knows I won’t actually put a presentation together.”

As I finished pulling on my clothes, I turned and wrote a note, leaving it on the table before I headed to breakfast. And after that, it was time to expose a bunch of idiotic shadow-men.

I shifted in my seat as Tazri walked into the front of the conference room. Almost the entire brass of the base, along with most of the base’s management had seats in the room. I did not belong here, and I was very keenly aware of it. Thankfully, so was Tazri. Hopefully. Tazri and Abigail had only found me a few minutes before the meeting, and both of them were still sipping on coffee.

Tazri looked around the room. “Before I begin, has anyone here actually missed the events in Tibet three days ago?” The room remained silent. “Good. So, you all saw Corporal Shizuka go head to head with someone who matched her blow-for-blow; and nearly win, after attempting to massacre a crowd’s worth of civilians and a major religious leader.” She paused. “Ladies and gentlemen, I am now supremely displeased to announce we are now openly fighting a two-front war.”

One man, who I thought I recognized as one of the squad commanders, growled. “Who are these people?”

Tazri spoke one word. “EXALT.” She looked over at me. “Corporal, the floor is yours.”

“Ma’am.” I saluted, hiding my sheer bafflement, taking the floor and raising a hand to cast a simple spell I’d picked up from Reinforce to create a hologram displaying the information Tamamo had helpfully prepared for uh… Tazri making me explain things, I guess, “EXALT is an organization composed of fanatics who believe the Ethereals will somehow ‘ascend’ humanity to the next level, or allow them to gain control of Earth through other means. They have elements from humans and other residents of Earth in their ranks. I’ve personally engaged them more times than I care to count.” Pausing, I took a breath, “Here is the information I’ve compiled on their leaders and troops. This should in no way be considered complete.” Leaving the display floating there, I stepped back, ceding the floor back to Tazri, “Ma’am, the floor is yours again.

Tazri nodded. “Corporal Lee and Abe, along with their subordinates, have been our teams working against EXALT’s forces. As of yesterday, the Council officially recognized EXALT as a terrorist organization.” She turned and gestured, a timeline popping up on-screen. “Of course, they’ve been around in one form or another for a long time. Elements from the modern rendition of EXALT were the reason for the cancellation of the first XCOM project, which Ms. Weir knows in detail. However, this is the first time they’ve deployed their major catspaws so openly; they’re moving out of the shadows.” She turned back to the room. “Questions?”

“Is this the illuminati?” One man asked, a note of humor in his voice, leading to a small round of laughter, which abruptly ended at the next voice.

Abigail spoke up. “They once were. These days, the illuminati are very much defunct.”

“...really?” The first man spoke weakly. “Holy shit…”

“I am more concerned about the origins of their resources.” Vahlen spoke up. “This group has been shown to utilize powerful magics, advanced cybernetics, robotic servitors, and crude but effective genetic engineering. Who is backing them?”

Abe responded. “We’ve been chasing those bastards to ground for months now, cutting off the lines of resources whenever possible. It’s not from one place; old money, new money, warlords, legitimate brokers and shell companies; they’ve got cash flows and agents spread out all over the world.”

One of the other field commanders looked up from the notes. “...Corporal Lee, you have fought all three of these field commanders which lead the enemy’s assault teams. I can see the raw footage, but can you offer any insight on them?”

“I don’t have much insight on the Maverick, save one thing. He’s arrogant, and that’s why I managed to catch him with a spell as he and the Heretic left. I was “Defeated”, on the ground, and thus beyond his notice. Despite showcasing otherwise on several occasions. “ I began, doing my utmost to remain utterly objective, “The Crusader is a zealot. He believes his actions are truly just, and will act in a manner befitting that conviction. Beyond that, he was the only one of them that I could even remotely consider a professional.” Sighing, I turned my attention to The Heretic, “The Heretic is a master at melee combat. I had the Wolfkenritter run over the footage of my fight with him, and they all agreed that I was insanely lucky to come out of the series of exchanges unscathed. I’m fairly sure the reason I survived is because I angered him to the point he wasn’t quite thinking straight, and was more set on “proving he was my better” than anything else.” My lips quirked in a smirk, “I think he was offended I dared raise blades against him as an amateur.”

“Were they all as strong as the Heretic?” The man asked, frowning. “That man survived a bombardment which would have killed any of our soldiers, and most alien warbeasts or robots.”

“In different ways, yes. The Crusader is a moving tank. I genuinely haven’t seen the Maverick in action enough to make my own assessment, but given he functions with the Heretic, I doubt he’s a pushover.” I answered professionally.

“Right…” The man muttered, then looked back at Tazri. “Commander, are these forces working with the aliens, or just in parallel with them?”

“So far, EXALT forces have not fought alongside or aided the Alien threat.” Tazri responded. “However, forecasting and analysis indicates that EXALT sees the Aliens as an opportunity to seize power; whether by leveraging the state of war into gaining control of Earth, acting as Quislings for the Aliens post-takeover, or believing that the Aliens will destroy the old order and give them a chance to transform the broken remains.” She nearly spat the last words. “EXALT is working to sabotage our operations and gather power and influence of their own.”

Captain Lehmann leaned forward. “So. If these men are such a threat, how are we dealing with them?”

“EXALT is based on Earth, so we can take the fight directly to them.” Tazri explained. “A recent tip from one of our… unusual sources–”

“Commander, I must ask.” Shen raised one hand, stalling the conversation. “Are we finally admitting to the existence of the supernatural?”

Tazri paused. “Yes.” Murmurs filled the room, and she continued. “Yes we are.” She sighed.

“About time ma’am.” I remarked completely factually. She shot me a glare.

“You’re not serious…” One man muttered.

Zhang spoke up from his seat. “Many of us that worked in the shadows have seen things which cannot be explained by man or mortal magic. And now there is a shrine here in our base.” He remained passive. “I believe it is proof enough.”

“...bloody hell. Are fairy tales real too?”

“Do not provoke the sidhe.” Abigail cautioned. “I will advise all agents to carry cold iron during operations in Europe.”

“Speaking of which, I may have an assignment for your teams, Badger and Fargo.” Tazri looked at two squad leaders. “The TSAB would like help retrieving one of their people who apparently ended up as an involuntary guest of the Summer Court.”

“...three fronts?”

“The supernatural are either civilians and local allies, not enemies. They are just… not yet council members, and the VIP committed a faux pas in contested territory.” Tazri replied. “Back on target, one of our supernatural sources shared information about an EXALT base in Japan.” She looked around the table. “This will be a multi-team mission, and we’re likely walking into a killbox. Volunteers only; I know no one signed up for this.”

“Ma’am, these pricks just tried to kill the Dalai Lama.” One woman growled. “I don’t think you’ll be hurting for volunteers.”

Tazri nodded, then tapped her Device, the display changing to showcase an image of the Crusader. “Two months ago, this EXALT warleader led an attack on the Court of Blossoms, a supernatural government operating out of Japan. Their help has proven useful in tracking down this base.” She turned to me and nodded. “Again, our primary point of contact prior to diplomatic overtures came from Corporal Lee. We’ll likely be working with them to storm the base. Corporal, any insight into our allies on the ground?”

“None beyond what I’ve cover in the AAR ma’am.” I replied honestly, “I didn’t spend enough time watching them fight. But they held their own against EXALT, who are equipped as well as the US Military somehow.”

“I’ll make that available for perusal, then.” Tazri allowed. “The teams selected from the volunteer pools will have to stay at ready until we find the base, so if you get the message saying you’re on the strike force, all leave will be canceled and refunded for after the mission. Any other questions?”

One man raised his hand. “Ah, if the supernatural is real, then are the gods…”

Tazri snorted. “Our tip came from an angel, and apparently the god of foxes set up that shrine with all the fluffy kits. You tell me, soldier.”

“As an agnostic, I have been offered enough proof to say gods are real.” I added ‘helpfully’.

“...so prayer might actually be effective.” He concluded.

“If you weren’t already praying, I’m seriously considering adding it to our readiness checklists.” Tazri muttered. “We’re going to need all the help we can get.”

“Pray to whom?”

“Your choice.” She finished. “Dismissed, everyone.”

Chapter Text

Zafira looked up from the map I’d spread over the table, gaze on me. “So, this is the location of the Crusader’s base.” He rumbled. “I assume Wind Squadron will be taking part in the attack?”

I nodded sharply as I answered, “Yes. We’re the spearhead this time. Shock and awe is the name of the game. We blitz, and leave the cleanup to the room clearing squads that’ll be following us. Our goal is to lock Crusader down in combat immediately, and our mages outside will be setting up as many wards as they can think of to prevent teleportation. I’m unsure if Abigail will be there to counter any psionic equivalent, but I’m hoping she will be.”

“And we know the Crusader is there?” Signum asked from her own place at the table. “This isn’t their only base, we know that. If he’s not there, are we to try and bait him back to base, or simply overrun it as quickly as possible?”

“The latter. The base needs to go, and the quicker we stop whoever the overall commander is from executing a purge the better. Blitzkrieg to the server room ASAP, and that means we have the find the damn thing.” Intel was king, and this base would hopefully be a motherload.

Around the table, four heads nodded as we studied the board. Then a fifth popped up, looking at me with big eyes. “Umm, Sensei?” Nanoha chirped up. “Ah, am I expected to come?”

“You are never expected to come.” I stated strongly and firmly, “This is a military operation Nanoha… If you decide to… tag along despite my warnings otherwise, at least inform your parents.”

“They left it up to me, but told me only if you thought you could keep me safe. But if you’re at the front…” She walked back to the door.

“... Nanoha.” I said after a moment's pause, my student halting at the door, “I’ll see if I can get you with the mage squad. You’ve got more mana than most of them put together, and you can more easily stay safe if you’re in the right spot. But I won’t allow myself to bring you with me further into the battlefield than that. It would compromise everything that makes me me.”

‘Not as if the scratches and chinks aren’t already appearing.’ I thought to myself mirthlessly, ‘I wouldn’t have even considered this a year ago.’

Nanoha nodded resolutely. “I won’t let you down!” She barked, before dashing into the hall. “I’ll go tell Hayate and Fate that I’m going on a field trip!”

Vita chuckled. “Man, if that girl was twenty years older, I’d have to break out the adult form. If you know what I mean.” She said as the door shut.

“... Am I doing the right thing?” I wondered aloud, looking at the roof of my house’s planning room, “... I don’t know anymore.”

Signum huffed. “This is war, Lee-sama. We are fighting for an entire world, and of what I’ve seen of your squire, she can handle herself.” She paused. “We are going into a situation in which the Jewel seeds might be present, and you’re asking her to remain in the back line. Ask yourself; will her presence possibly mean the difference between victory and defeat?”

“... She’s already capable of keeping up with me when I’m serious, Signum.” I admitted, “It very well could. That’s what terrifies me. I’ve tried so hard to stay firmly in “this is self defense training” versus, “Child Soldier”, but I’m scared I won’t be able to choose anymore. I don’t want her to lose what precious little innocence she has left.”

Vita snorted. “This war could wreck everyone’s innocence at once. If not more so. And that girl? She wouldn’t sit idly, not with her Device and the world burning.” The little knight reached up, punching my shoulder. “You aren’t forcing her. She’s mature enough to choose, and she is. Respect her choice, and do what you can to keep her free of the worst. Sometimes, that’s all you can do.” Her voice fell. “Better than what happened to me, anyway.”

“... Yeah.” I stated after a moment, this time resolute instead of hesitant, “If I had that kind of power at her age, I would have made the same choice.” Eyes firm, I opened a telepathic channel with Nanoha,

“Belay my last. You aren’t going to be in the vanguard with us, as I said, and you’ll still be on the back lines. Not this time. But when this mission is over, I am going to give you the training you’ll need to come with us if you desire to, Takamachi Nanoha.”

“Ah? Oh, yes sensei.” Nanoha shot back. “Reserve lessons today, then? And training with Rei-san?”

“Oh, you're still coming with us. Rearguard, not vanguard. We leave in an hour. Be ready.” With my orders given, I turned my attention to the Wolfenritter, “You lot will be helping me whip her into shape, you realize that, right?”

Signum smiled, even as Shamal sighed. “Please do not break your squire. Too much medical magic can stunt growth.”

“I wouldn’t hurt a hair on her body, Shamal.” I snickered at his look, “What, I can use non-lethal magic too!”

“Muscle tearing and magical exhaustion are still injuries.” Shamal shot back. “Just know your limits.” She looked around. “All of us. With our new bodies growing in…”

I tuned out the conversation as I eyed the board. Soon, the time for action would come once again. And then, hopefully, one of the pillars of EXALT would fall.

The teleport zone was several miles from the base itself, and as we arrived, I heard Bradford speaking over comms. “Wind Squadron, callsign Whiskey. You are designated as Gatecrasher for this operation, do you copy?”

“Gatecrasher-actual copies Central. Is Squire settling in okay with the rearguard mage element?” I answered briskly, voice devoid of anything but professionalism. Tazri hadn’t been amused, but it wasn’t that hard to convince her once I showed her the footage of Fate and Nanoha’s little tiff.

“Squire-one has been remanded to the healer and support guard duty. She’ll be helping maintain and guard the anti-teleport field when it goes up.” Bradford replied just as briskly. “Gatcrasher-actual, the timing is going to be tight on this one. In five hundred seventy seconds, you need to take off at top speed and head directly towards their gates, and mark any anti-air emplacements near them. If we can’t clear a landing zone, the squads behind you won’t be able to make a safe drop. Set your chronos and get ready to assault. Do you copy?”

“Chronos synched central, we’ll be in the skies on the dot.” I glanced at my squadron, watching nods of understanding play across as their HUDs began the countdown, “Requesting confirmation that you only want us to laze air defenses and not neutralize them for the record, Central.”

“Negative, Gatecrasher. You may need to hold out for some time at the beachhead before reinforcements reach you, and even then you’ll be pushing deeper. This is going to be a marathon, don’t waste your reserves.”

“Gatecrasher confirms, Central!” I barked back, before nodding once more at my squad. Only a bit longer now, “Over and out.”

“Over and out, Gatecrasher.” The line went dead just as my comm went off, and I took off, blasting forward over the rocky forests towards the hidden base. Along the way, I passed multiple military energy weapon batteries, configured to aim at the sky, marking each one on my approach as I cut an arc through the air. Immediately, the rising roar of rockets sounded behind me, and I caught glimpses of supersonic warheads flying at each emplacement. As our squad began to approach the landing zone, I saw the steel doors set into the mountainside crack open even as a pair of turrets folded out from either side, men sprinting towards the cockpits as a second group of men emerged from the bunker, guns swiveling before one man pointed skyward.

He never got a chance to fire his weapon, utterly decimated by Shamal as the Wolkenritter hit the ground running, sowing utter chaos into the ranks of the enemy. Calmly, I took an overwatch position in the skies, chuckling darkly to myself as the enemies attempted to achieve a target lock on an individual human hovering in the skies, lobbing as many unravelings as I dared into the mix of unshielded humans. They would get no mercy from me. Seconds later, the first group had been decimated, but as I watched the main gates inched open, just in time for Zafira to take a hit directly on his shield, blowing him back as the familiar form of a tracked vehicle rolled out of the open doors.

“Gatecrasher, that tank is heavily shielded. Unless you can handle it quickly, get past it and get inside!” Central barked in my ear, even as a pair of pods on the tank’s turret began to launch streams of red energy blasts in crossing arcs, the shots forcing me to make evasive maneuvers. Making the executive decision to-

No. They knew of my teleporting, “Tamamo, will their shield block a blink?”

“The area is under similar teleporting interdiction as we’ve seen recently. While we could blink beside or beneath the tank with effort, getting inside is much too delicate a proceeding for my liking.”

“Understood. We’ll bypass.” I replied, [Gatecrasher actual requesting air support to knock out enemy armor. Target is currently lased, and will remain so for thirty seconds, over.] I barked professionally into the radio, unsaid that I would not be remaining outside for longer than that, “Wolfenritter, keep advancing through them. I’m only sticking around to make sure the LZ remains semi-safe for our main force.”

[Copy that. AGMs inbound in ten. Keep that bastard lased, over.] The chipper voice of one of XCOM’s pilots answered, [Thanks for dealing with the triple A so effectively by the way, we owe you guys drinks.]

[I’ll hold you to that] I replied as the tank rotated, its main gun firing repeatedly as it tried to hit one of the less-armored Wolkenritter and its turret mounted minigun continued to force me to swerve in the air. The Wolkenritter avoided the clumsy fire, Vita even smacking one round into the air with her mallet lazily as Zafira loped out of the trees to join them in running thought the doors. As they entered, the sounds of small-arms fire and plasma bursts began to sound.

“Trickster-san, the enemy has fortified the tunnel as best they can, but we are making steady progress. No sign of the Crusader.” Zafira reported, even as a streak of white smashed into the tank, causing it to lurch backward as its shields failed. A second rocket smashed into it, a third explosion sounding as the tank’s head blew off, the turret landing a good hundred meters from the burning hulk of the tank.

“Trickster copies Zafira. I’m joining you now.” I reported, putting on a burst of speed and entering the tunnels. I saw multiple groups of men firing out from behind three-foot tall deployable cover made up of metal sheets, attempting to trap the Wolkenritter in interlocking lines of fire. I couldn’t help but blink. ‘Chest-high walls? Really?’ Before proceeding to lob a few unravellings at them to express my annoyance.

As the Wolkenritter leapt barricades and took apart the forces, my shots landed amongst the enemy in the rear, disintegrating three of them, even as a heavily armored figure emerged from a corridor, launching themselves over their allies to smack into me, knocking us both to the ground.

I came upright as the man pointed his sword at me. “You will not stop us, traitor to humanity! Taste my blade!” He roared and pulled back for a swing. Only for his sword to stop being in his hands as I shot it, before shooting him in his confused helmeted face. His head rocked back, armor flaring as he tried to recover. “Foul!” He cried before I shot him again, this one coring out his helmet and the lack of brains within.

‘How can someone so stupid have that kind of gear? Yeesh.’ I mused to myself, standing up and continuing the fight, the slow, slogging advance continuing as Gatecrasher started getting bogged down in the sheer amount of mooks being sent our way to die.

Dr. Vahlen spoke in my ear. “That armor appears to be a derivative of the custom armor you provided my team. I was hoping that suit was one of a kind; the resources and capabilities to create something so enduring is… concerning, in the hands of terrorists.”

“I’ll mark it for retrieval Doctor.” I sent back with my communication partition, most of my mind more than focused on the fight, [This is Gatecrasher actual to all available forces; we’re bogged down by human wave tactics and are significantly slowed, is anyone available to assist?] I called into the radio at the same time, growling as the need to conserve mana and the need to actually push this front clashed.

“Delta and Gamma squadrons are landing now. Push forward and try to reach your objectives before they’re scrubbed.” Central rattled back.

I nodded, then looked at the embattled hallway, gauging the distance. “Zafira, throw up a barrier, then everyone fall back to my position.” As the Wolkenritter skidded to a halt around me, I focused on the distance I wanted, then twisted my hand, a circle blossoming around it. For a few seconds, the distance between our location and the end of the hallway went from forty meters to two, as the intervening space was shunted sideways. As one, we all stepped through before reality snapped back into place. Behind us, I heard several oaths and the sound of at least one enemy losing their lunch. Ah, how I loved non-euclidean space. It was so much fun. Using their utter bafflement and lack of lunch to my benefit, my squad and I blitzed further into their base far faster than they could muster a response, and in moments they had other problems to worry about, as behind me, sixteen armored troopers with mage support ran through the doors.

I rounded the corner, looking at Shamal. “Anything noteworthy?”

“Wide area search shows that they’ve already blown the server stacks, but they’re still trying to get into the base’s documents safe with incendiaries. Also, the vehicle bay holds four more of those tanks and seven attack craft, which they’re trying to launch or scuttle. Finally, it looks like they might be making moves to blow the generators for this base.” In my HUD, three different rooms were marked out on the rapidly filling map. The most value, obviously, was the generator, given we’d never detected it and it was powering a fucking base near silently and on it’s own.

“Priorities are as followed, Documents, Generator, Vehicle Bay. Does XCOM have the coordinates to bomb the shit out of that segment?” I barked, banking towards the segment indicated on the map. We needed to get those hard copies.

“We’ve received them from Caster, Gatebreaker-actual. We are holding fire under direction of Dr. Vahlen, until such time as they begin to mobilize.” Central responded.

Rushing forward, Vita smashed the door I marked off the hinges, allowing Shamal and I to pile through in tandem, shooting down figures within as we rushed the room, finding men with gasoline cans and rag-stuffed bottles yanking the security door off a room filled with filing cabinets. We smashed the men aside before they could empty their loads into the room, only to freeze as Shamal cut in over comms.

“Corporal, the Jewel seeds are going active inside a shielded area of the base! Trying to get eyes inside now!” She yelled. Rapidly confirming that all the EXALT agents were deceased and containing the flammable material, I turned and threw myself towards the signature, forgoing caution completely and making space my bitch, wincing as I started edging into ‘too much mana expenditure to commit to an endurance fight yet not being able to stop: those jewel seeds going active was bad.

Seconds later, I found myself burrowing through a wall and into some sort of high-tech research room, with a singular figure in the same Squire’s armor seizing a Jewel seed from a workbench. At the same time, the second seed in the room began to hover in the air, even as the knight held up the seed. “MAKE ME A PERFECT KNIGHT!” Roared through the room.

“FUUIN!” I roared in response, Tamamo just barely managing to seal the second floating seed as the absolute fuckhead’s armor went from covered in runes and crosses to utterly jet black, a pale lavender cape forming around his shoulders. Seconds later, the sword in one hand began to glow a violent red, even as a massive heater shield marked with a cross formed over his other side. The knight turned, black armor gleaming under the flickering lights.

“...apologies, war maiden. But it appears we have no choice but to do battle.” The voice coming from the helm, concurrent with its eyes beginning to glow silver, marked the knight’s advance. Annoyed, I backstepped quickly, fading from sight as my cloak engaged, yet I did not drop my guard. Perfect knight could mean…

The figure blurred forward, blade sweeping into the spot I’d faded into forcing me to dodge, even as his gaze continued to track me. Tching, I dropped my cloak, replacing it with a more useful module. “A soul filled with light shines as a beacon, even if the body is hidden.” The knight instructed, before looking to one side as the doors to the room were smashed in, Vita and Signum piling through. “Well met, spirit knights. Were it that we could speak, but for now–” The knight smashed one foot into the ground, a shockwave knocking us all about. “-I have been called to fight, and I must answer.”

I didn’t bother responding. Dialogue with a fanatic earned me nothing, and I would simply destroy him as I’d destroyed my other obstacles, metaphorical or literal. Switching Tamamo over to her sweeper mode, I began dumping accurate fire into the knight, keeping my actions predictable to hopefully figure out if he had a pattern or preference. Perfect knight was… Hmmm.

Interposing his shield between the plasma bursts and his body, the knight parried Signum’s sword blow with his own blade while leaping over Vita’s strike. “You would have made a fine Knight of the Round. Better than my father, anyway.” The voice was touched with disdain, even as the knight blurred, swinging his sword in an arc Signum barely ducked. “Any of you, in fact.” He admitted. “Why did I have to get summoned by someone so stupid? And so devoted?”

“Is devotion truly enough for you to fight for him?” I asked curiously, immediately recognizing that this was now no longer the squire, but likely Galahad himself, even as I deftly sidestepped a shield bash, a glimmer of respect in my foes eyes genuinely humbling me. Galahad was the perfect knight and an impossible ideal to reach. It would seem the Seed had granted the man a wish in a truly twisted fashion, by using his body as a host for, well, the Perfect Knight.

“When one is called, one must fulfill the terms of the oath. I have been called to defeat all attacking this base, and thus I must.” Galahad responded, blade weeping to lock against my rifle. “And since my summoner is already gone, I must fulfill that oath as best I am able.” He jerked as Signum’s sword tore into the transformed armor at his side, tearing a hole and allowing spectral light and silvery blood to arc out of the wound, allowing me to disengage to a more advantageous distance. “Which is… not well.”

“Three on one isn’t exactly fair, yes.” I snorted, shooting him to accentuate my point, “But I’m not a knight. I’m a soldier. I have little use for Chivalry on the battlefield, not with the planet on the line.” Pausing, I let my genuine respect for the man seep through my next statement, “That is not to say I do not admire those that commit to it on some level, especially the ones that managed to become legends for it.”

“The only difference between a soldier and a knight, in truth, is code and station.” Galahad responded, even as Vita force him to lift his shield to block her hammer’s trash-can sized head, opening his torso for more mana-plasma-bullets. “So long as you follow a code, harm not the innocent, and carry yourself with dignity, any can be a knight.” He shoulder-checked Vita and whipped his sword around, a blast of light smashing into an automatic defense even as more silver mist billowed from the rents in his armor.

I didn’t reply. Enough had been said, and this summon needed to not be here yesterday. An unraveling wouldn’t do it. I hadn’t managed to fully replicate Starlight Breaker yet, but I’d made something else uniquely suited for me. My finishing move, inspired (torn) from one of my beloved settings.

“Hold him in place Vita, Signum. I’m finishing this.” In response, Signum’s sword uncoiled, linked segments wrapping around one arm, even as Vita smashed the shield aside and buried the spike of her hammer through the other. The creaking of bothe restraints told me that wouldn’t hold him long, but I didn’t need long.

As I planted my feet firmly on the ground, a spell circle manifested in around me, matrices appearing and disappearing as I converted my body into a conduit for local, ambient mana, both that inherent in the Earth and that which had been released by my spatial warping, and that of which I was drawing from another plane entirely. It was crude. It was inefficient; I could be doing this far faster, for example. It hurt like a bitch, but it wouldn’t physically harm me like the source of the idea I was shamelessly stealing.

Wings of pure mana flared from behind me; not entirely an aesthetic choice, but one born from a need to vent the excess mana to prevent damage yet keep it under my control. Tamamo transformed into a staff fully, partially ditching the ‘soldier’ appearance for a much more meguca look, another born more of need than aesthetics, but chosen specifically for the aesthetics all the same. I braced against her as I began whispering the noble phantasm chant that would accompany this move in a certain game, eyes alight with resolve and delight.

Prisma Illya had been a favorite of mine, in another life. Perhaps I would do this move justice, perhaps I would not. But it was an end that the knight would have to respect.

“Ah, an ending. Well done.” Silver lights peered through the helmet slit, but I could almost see the crinkling of an honest smile. “Let us hope we do not have to meet again soon.”

‘I do too, Galahad. Hopefully, next time, I’ll be strong enough to fight you on my own.’

“This is my everything…”

And it was. This was my best spell for maximum damage, and it took all my focus to use, and was a culmination of everything I was.

“Quintette…”

The name of a spell that clashed with the sword of rupture and won in the story of it’s origin. Pronounced in Japanese like my inner chuuni demanded.

“FEUER!”

A bloom of prismatic light disintegrated the knight’s armor and the body beneath, leaving behind a pink jewel which clattered to the ground, and a fading outline of a tall man in silver armor, inclining his head as he disappeared. Signum looked over at me as she stood, arcing an eyebrow. “...wasteful.”

“No.” I shook my head, eyes flashing in amusement through the agony, “It takes me so long to use because I have to draw directly through a separate dimension rich in mana in addition to the ambient and local mana. It costs me nothing but agony and the moderately high initiation cost to use.”

Signum blinked. “You are drawing power from the Dimensional Sea? Potent.” She nodded. “We’ll need to get your casting time down, though.”

“Fifteen seconds is far, far too long outside of executing anything but a immobile target.” I nodded grimacing at the phantom pain I paid as part of the cost, “Now, I believe we had objectives to complete?” I stepped over and sealed the second Seed, even as Signum nodded.

“Zafira and Shamal diverted away to take care of the generator, and the ground troops have swept up the vehicle hanger before anything else could launch.” Signum informed me.

“Generator is secure. No friendly casualties.” Zafira cut in.
[Status confirmed, all hostiles have been pacified.] Bradford cut in. [Gatecrasher, confirm status of the Jewel Seeds.]

[Confirming both Seeds secured, one drained to summon Galahad and the other secured before it could be used.] I reported, breathing a bit heavily, and stared at the massive chain of holes in the walls of the base [Someone may need to send an engineer or ten to the base. I think I broke it.]

[...say again, summon Galahad? As in, Arthurian Galahad?] Bradford’s voice was incredulous.

[Yes, the Grail Knight. Signum, Vita, and I killed him again. Is there a problem Central?] I answered curtly, still staring at the hole in the wall as an XCOM operative peered through it, looking at me with some… newfound fear-slash-respect? And a camera. Of course there was a camera. My… fanclub did not need more material. Nor did the memers.

[...not a problem on your end, Gatecrasher. Status confirmed, all objectives secured or impossible, mission successful. Vanguard teams, fall back to let recovery crews, sweep teams, and engineers come in.] He paused. [Hold that, Gatecrasher, did you destroy any load-bearing walls?]

[... No?] I hedged, hiding my embarrassment. Goddam Galahad for being so damn tanky. Totally entirely his fault and not mine!

[...all teams clear out. Engineering teams, you’re in first.] Bradford reiterated. [Corporal, I’m going to send you Dr. Vahlen’s memo about restraint in the field. Read it, please.]

[I may want to exercise restraint when using explosives?] I hedged.

“And magic, Corporal.” Vahlen’s own voice cut in. “Regardless, well done.”

[Cut the chatter, Doctor. Gatecrasher, head to the Skyrangers with the rest of the vanguard. Debriefing back at base.]

[Gatecrasher confirms.] I managed to say professionally despite my inner desire to bury myself in a wall.

That had gone… shockingly well, all things considered. Perhaps my luck was looking up?

Chapter Text

“So. You ran into, and fought, what you believe to be the incarnated spirit of Galahad?” Bradford asked on the other side of the table, writing down his notes.

“As far as I am aware, yes.” I answered professionally, ignoring the look of sheer bafflement that Bradford still had on his face. It wasn’t my problem he hadn’t adjusted to the craziness of my life yet.

“Right.” He made another note. “Now, in order to keep the Council from running off down another wild goose chase without consulting an expert… Do you believe it is possible to summon similar figures to fight against the aliens?”

“Do you have the desire to sacrifice human lives to do so, and the absurd mana capacity of a Jewel Seed?” I asked instead of answering. I could, of course, theoretically figure out a method to summon a spirit now that I knew it could be done. But channeling that much magic would damage me. There was a reason Quintette Feuer wasn’t an even larger nuke, and it was because I simply couldn’t channel that much mana safely yet.

“There are some members of the council who would argue that such a price should be paid, but I’m against it.” Bradford admits. “I’ll just mark it as ‘prohibitively expensive’ and note that even with that, the summoned spirit wasn’t fighting at full strength due to its own disdain for the summoners. Is that accurate?”

“Galahad only fought us because he was bound to. I doubt he was fighting his hardest in the slightest.” I acknowledged, tilting my head, “Besides, while summoning heroes may sound appealing, the Aliens haven’t yet escalated to orbital bombardment of our homes, and we should probably keep it that way.”

“Noted.” Bradford scribbled in a few lines on his clipboard, then stood up. “No medals this time, Corporal. Nor any promotions, though I will ask you to keep up the good work.”

“Glad to hear it, sir.” I saluted before turning on my heel and exiting the room.

As I walked out, I met my team as they lounged in the main room, all but Vita waiting for me at the doors. The littlest Wolkenritter was instead in an arm-wrestling match with some of the cybernetic Mec Troopers, her tiny arm straining against the cybernetic limb of a man four times her size, as a gathering of XCOM troopers watched with baited breath. Deciding that it wasn’t hurting anyone, I simply stood to the side and started taking bets, grinning as the deadlock continued, somehow. Eventually, the metal arm of the Mec trooper began to spark before a pneumatic hiss of escaping air caused him to slack, Vita slamming the metal limb down as the force resisting her failed. She winced. “Okay, maybe you should have called it off.”

“Shit, not again…” The burly man muttered. “The workshop’s gonna kill me…”

“Pay up, Lebowski!” One man cheered.

“I dunno if that counts…”

“It counts.” I snickered, paying the man from the pot, “What, you lot decided to make me the beholder, I’m just going to pay the men and women and others that won.”

“Oh shit, it’s Trickster!” Someone yelled “Hey, little badass, great work out there today!” Seconds later, the whole group was yelling at me, waving their arms and shouting offers. One man pushed out into the front. “Want a go? He motioned to the arm wrestling table.
“Sure, though I’m a mage, not a physical fighter.” I smiled, taking to the table. Step one of connecting to the rest of XCOM, success!

The man who sat down across from me chuckled as he put his arm up. “You guys cheat really well, with that reinforcement thing. Can’t beat real muscles, though!”

“Can’t do that.” I snorted, putting my arm up as well, “That’s nasu magecraft. Not the magic system we have.”

He blinked and looked over at Vita. “Then how…”

“The Wolkenritter are the Wolkenritter.” I explained.

“...right.” He looked me over. “Well, let’s see how this goes, then.” Seconds later, my arm was slammed back to the mat. “Yup, we may be out of your weight class. Maybe the Medic pool, not the Heavies?”

“Probably the best idea.” I snickered, getting up to give another person my spot, “Where’s that?”

“Over there.” He motioned to one side, and I walked over to the group of men and women who looked more like endurance runners instead of powerlifters.

Half an hour later, with more losses than wins but a firm mixture of both, Signum tapped me on the shoulder. “Lady Rei has informed us that dinner will be on the table in 30 minutes. Should we go ahead and head home?”

One of the men nearby cleared his throat. “Who’s Lady Rei?”

“... My maid.” I sighed, not really having time to explain more, “No, I’m not rich, ask Abe if you want to know more.”

“Ask the spook?” Someone else replied. “More likely to get a lie. Or two.” He clarified.

Signum shook her head. “Lady Abe is perfectly fine to be around. She is a principled woman, even if she deals in darkness and shadows.”

“Abe-san can be straight if you ask her to, and for this one let her know I said to tell it to you guys straight.” I added, almost blushing as several of the women and men present nodded, “Just don’t try to ask about other things, or she’ll clam up.”

“...right.” The man who spoke up gave me a nod. “Well, if the family needs you home, better get going.” He gave you a nod.

I nodded as I took a stand, then fell in with the Wolkenritter as we headed over to the elevators, heading towards the teleporter room. Before I left, I turned and faced the men, awkwardly rubbing the back of my head.

“The flyboys owe my squadron a drink or two. You lot go ahead and cash that in. I’ll leave them a message saying it’s legit.” And with that, I was gone, disappearing to the cheers of the XCOM soldiers within the room.

Rei looked up from the kitchen counter, spoon rotating over and over as she prepared a large wok of fried rice, looking over at me as the rice sizzled. “Ah, Shizuka-san. Welcome home.” She spoke as the door swung shut behind us.

“It’s good to be back, Rei-san.” I acknowledged, glancing over at the set table before moving to help Rei with her final preparations, “I hope everything was reasonably quiet around here?”

Rei shook her head back and forth a little. “Takamachi-san came back and stirred everyone up. Apparently, she’s gotten it into her head to learn healing magic if possible, and has gotten all of the girls in on it with Reinforce. And in the process, Fate’s scars came up.” She sighed, tails drooping. “That… caused some concern before it was all worked out.”

“Do I need to have a talk with any of them?” I asked mostly rhetorically; Reinforce would have contacted me once I sent her the all clear to do so about an hour ago if things had become problematic, and hopefully, that meant…

“You will eventually, but not urgently. Ms. Hayate was able to talk to all three of them, and as usual, Takamachi-san handled herself admirably. Fate…” For a moment, Rei’s hands seemed to warp into claws, the fur of her tail puffing slightly. “She didn’t understand why the healing spells demonstrated healed painlessly. And cleanly.”

“... I would be surprised. I should be surprised. I’m honestly angry that I’m not.” I sighed, shaking my head at the delusional woman’s treatment of her daughter. Because the alternative was seething rage, and I was fresh out of seething rage right now.

Rei finished tossing the brown rice crust in with the rest, covering the hot wok and moving it to to the counter. “They should be coming in soon.” She said, even as she laid out the salad and dumplings to go with the rice. “Should I lay out the sake and wine this evening, for use during your discussion of the day?”

I shook my head, “On call at the moment. EXALT could react with a terror attack because of our raid. I’m part of the designated QRF, so no alcohol for me tonight. You can lay it out if you’d like, but I won’t be consuming it.”

“I’ll leave it in the cupboard, then.” Rei murmured, preparing a plate before consuming it in blue foxfire. Once the flames went out, she lifted the ghostly shadow of the food and handed it off to Keiko, who took it back into her television at speed. “That being said, what would you like to drink?”

“Tea for now. I’m expecting to have to be up later than expected, and caffeine will help me get through until I’m relieved by another shift.” I requested kindly, taking a seat at the table as Rei busied herself preparing the drink. I would have prepared it myself, but the kitsune had made a good point that I-slash-Mariko was paying her to do this, so I should let her earn her keep when I had insisted a while back. As Rei nodded, quickly whipping together a tea-tray, the doors leading deeper into the home opened, revealing Alph in her human form carrying Fate, who was squished between Hayate and Nanoha, both whom had their arms wrapped around the blonde like a limpet.

Behind them, Reinforce and Ms. Yagami came walked out, the latter rolling her eyes. “Girls, you’re going to have to let Fate-chan go.”

“Please.” Fate asked.

“Hmm. Do you think she’s had enough?” Hayate asked.

“Probably.” Nanoha nodded, releasing the smaller girl and wigging free. She looked at me and blinked. “Umm… I need to give you my debriefing, right?”

“Raising Heart sent me an AAR. You’re okay this time, Nanoha. I’ll teach you how to properly write one once I get into bootcamp lite.” I answered, gesturing to the table, “All of you, sit. I know the food won’t get cold, but be polite to Rei-san.”

Everyone loaded up their plates then took a seat, and for a few minutes the sounds of eating were the only ones present at the table. After a few moments, I began talking, “So, Fate, have you made your decision yet? The deadline isn’t getting any further away, after all.”

Fate paused, her chopsticks sticking a dumpling in her mouth. After carefully chewing her food, she let out a breath. “...I think mother needs help.” She said. “But I don’t think I can give it to her.”

“You cannot, no. And I’ll agree that she needs help, but at this point, no one is going to go out of their way to spare her, not if it costs them their lives.” I explained patiently, injecting some kindness into my tone towards the woman who I quite honestly hated, “And, in the end, to you, she was or is your mother, and I understand the desire to help her.”

I did, after all. If Precia didn’t make it impossible to take her alive, I would much rather attempt to do so, if only to preserve her frankly amazing mind. Well, and murder was a line I wasn’t willing to cross. If I went in as a soldier, that would be different, but I somehow doubted she would be a relevant threat to any organized military without the seeds. She could cause havoc, sure. But that would just get her caught. Catch 22.

Fate closed her eyes. “...Swear you’ll try to take her in alive. If possible. Please.”

“If at all possible, I would like to.” I answered, before sighing at her expectant look, “If it is within my power and does not unduly risk the lives of those under my command, I will attempt to take Precia Testoserosa alive, Fate. I have no interest in killing a woman who is mad with grief.”

“Thank you.” She finished, opening her eyes again. “If it comes down to it… I will help.” She stood, then bowed. “Thank you for bringing me into your household, Lee-san. I will be in your care.”

“Welcome to the household, Fate-chan.” I echoed, refusing to acknowledge my misty eyes. Heh, I was effectively a mother now, though Fate would decide what kind of figure I became to her, as well as my own actions, “You already know the rules, and in addition, you will now have a weekly allowance contingent on your chores being completed. Chore list is on the fridge, and your device will let you know if I have something that needs done while I’m away.” I paused, then reached to my wrist and slipped a golden charm from it. “Also, you’ll be joining tomorrow’s training sessions. Signum and I will assess your current skill breadth and depth. Are you okay with that?”

“Yes, Lee-san.” She said, a flicker of contentment flashing across her face as she caught Bardiche, the Intelligent Device gleaming as he settled back into his master’s hands.

As Fate took her seat again, Nanoha raised a hand. “Umm, Shizuka-sensei? May I request more training, please?” Everyone at the table shot her incredulous looks.

Hayate spoke up. “Nanoha, no. Don’t turn into Shizuka-san! You two both spend too much time on the boring stuff! You need to take more breaks!”

“Hayate-chan, I don’t actually spend that long a day training, and neither does Nanoha.” Turning to my first apprentice, I nodded, “What elective are you willing to drop? Because you know my conditions for more training, Nanoha. What other activity related to work are you going to cut back on?”

“Ah… I’d like to drop firearms training, and maybe some of the melee work.” She admitted. “That is, if Shamal-san is willing to train me in healing.”

Shamal blinked. “While I’m always happy to teach something other than combat arts, healing is a very particular field of study, Nanoha. Though we won’t know if you have the talent until you try, it will be a lot of work.”

Nanoha nodded resolutely. “I know. But the medics I was guarding… they told me about triage, and I wasn’t doing anything but watching as they brought out men to help. Other than maintaining my Search. If I could have done a little…” She shook her head, pigtails flapping.

“First Aid Training on that level is something I’m willing to let you learn without introducing those conditions, Nanoha.” I replied with a note of amusement, already going over the lesson plan I’d had for that, “You won’t be a combat medic anytime soon, but we can do that in a classroom setting with mundane tools first, and then once Shamal deems you ready, we can get you started on healing magic if you have the patience and affinity for it.”

“Thank you!” She said, her customary smile back on her face.

Vita groaned. “No, little firecracker! Don’t go join the scary healers! We already have one!” Shamal began to quietly chuckle, Signum edging away from her fellow knight.

Hayate tilted her head. “Reinforce, could I learn healing?”

“Erm… maybe? But you’d need to get much, much better at control. Healing takes a delicate touch, and with what the Book has done to you…” The spirit of the Tome of Night Sky winced. “Ah, you might seal up… everything on a basic wound-closing spell.”

Ms. Yagami coughed. “I don’t think this is an appropriate dinner conversation.” She cut in smoothly.

“Your mother is right Hayate.” I allowed, not really willing to fight her over this. While I was perfectly content to let such talk at the dinner table and I was technically the mistress of this house, she was still a mother, and she hadn’t exactly wanted to be living in protective custody. “How has school been going for all of you?”

Odd that Reinforce isn’t mentioning that a Unison could more than likely give Hayate the control she needs, but it could just be that she’s withholding that for reasons I’m unaware of. Pausing my musings, I cast the thought away. It’s not my problem either way.

Hayate chuckled. “My classmates are really jealous of my new therapy dog!” Zafira sighed almost inaudibly. “Some of them are really confused as to why he's blue, though.” She tilted her head. “My grades are doing a lot better, though. Being able to do the multitasking thing is really useful when studying!”

Nanoha sighed. “Hayate’s right, and I’m getting bored because of it.” She slumped on the table slightly. “Mom and dad told me ‘Testing out of a grade is how you end up a maladjusted child assassin at sixteen.’ So they won’t let me skip any grades. And I don’t want to leave my friends, but…”

“... I am not your parent, Nanoha,” I began, before trucking on, “But if you wish to skip a grade, that should be your decision, not theirs,” I held up a hand to forestall Asako’s objection before she could even begin, “They are already letting you onto an active fucking warzone, they should be aware of the hypocrisy of their statement.” Pausing, I sighed, “I acknowledge that it could be a misguided attempt to give you some normalcy, but school is an abnormal institution by nature. So long as you go out and make friends, regardless of their age, you will be fine.”

“Yes, sensei.” She sighed. “I really don’t want to leave my friends, but it’s really easy to do math with everything I’ve learned, computers are simple, and I’m now fluent in English.”

Ms. Yagami spoke up. “Well, perhaps you could test out of your classes and have more free periods? Then you could spend some time here working on magic, or get more sleep? Or perhaps just find something else fun to do?”

Nanoha hummed, thinking. As she thought, Fate spoke up. “Umm. I know what school is. Will I be expected to go?”

“Yes, but not to a physical location. I’ll request a test for you and then enroll you in an international online school. I don’t, unfortunately, have the time to homeschool you myself, nor the credentials to, so that’s the next best thing. If you wish to attend school at a physical location though,” I paused, rapidly running through different scenarios and rules I had to follow, “Let me know, and I’ll try and work something out.”

“Umm.” She shot a glance at Nanoha. “Ah–”

Hayate perked up. “Ah! Yeah, all three of us in one school together! Mama, can I transfer?”

Vita’s eyes shone. “Okay, all three of them unsupervised? I want to see that! Can I go undercover as a kid again?”

“You’d have to for me to get permission from Tazri to do that anyway.” I groaned, thinking of the insane amount of paperwork I’d have to do for this, “It also will likely not be a Japanese school of any description. I have a very small list of schools I’m allowed to send Fate to, and you will all look through them, do the research, and chose which one you want, provided that Asako-san is willing to let you transfer, Hayate-chan.”

Nanoha shook her head. “I’m not leaving my friends at school alone, so unless my school’s on the list, it’ll be the two of you.”

Fate pouted, a first for her. “Why do you have to stick to a list, anyway?” She froze, then ducked her head. “Umm, if you don’t mind me asking, Lee-san.”

“Questions are never a bad thing,” I corrected softly, hiding the ways my fury burned at the obvious trauma reaction, “And as for that, it’s partially for your protection, partially a thing I’m required to do as a person of interest within XCOM. There’s only a few schools considered secure enough for you to attend, and Nanoha only gets away with her current school because, frankly, her parents ensure her security by virtue of their existence. Hayate’s school has a full team of mages watching it on top of Reinforce and at least a special police unit assigned specifically to respond to 110 calls originating from there. Plus her therapy dog, who also happens to be a powerful Guardian Beast.”

Fate looked down. “Umm.” She looked over at Nanoha. “If I paid your father, would he be willing to extend his protection to me?”

Nanoha blinked. “Otou-san… can you even afford that?”

Fate held up Bardiche. “Mother taught me how to siphon funds from criminals.”

“... I’ll just pay the man.” I sighed, already drafting the missive to send to both him and Tazri, “He owes me a discount or five for my lack of pay.”

“I’ll ask!” Nanoha said, then her eyes widened. “Hey, if I say it’s to help me help a friend, he’ll probably go along with it!”

I sighed as I watched the girls began to excitedly talk about the possibility of all of them being in one place, even as Shamal grabbed Vita’s ear to keep her from chiming in. Ms. Yagami gave ma droll look. “It’s never a dull moment with them here, is it?”

“Nope.” I commiserate, “Even when I want it to be.”

Chapter Text

I filed into the conference room, only to find most of the other troopers staring at me. I blinked and looked back at my fellow squad leaders.

“This wasn’t me, guys.” I shook my head, receiving a nod from the rest of the squad leaders as they returned their attention to the front of the conference room. Hiding my blush at my reputation, I moved to sit down near the leaders of squads I had interacted most with, Captain Lehrman most notably.

Moments later, Abe walked in, followed by Bradford, Abigail, and finally Comamnder Tazri, who moved to the front of the room. “Good, you’re all here. We’re just waiting on a civilian consultant–”

“Hel-lo~” Tamamo slinked into the room, tails waving. “Being paid by a government for something other than assassination, how wonderful!” She murmured, eyeing the nonplussed squad leaders. “Hoh, and no surprise for little old me?”

“Once the supernatural was out of the bag, Corporal Lee sent around warning pamphlets for you, and other persons of interest.” One of the men muttered. “Apparently, we shouldn’t hit on you unless you do so first, and never touch your tails without permission.”

‘Well, they weren’t so nice about it. Military folk generally need more of a warning. The officers got the full lowdown, the noncoms like me got the… exaggerated version.’ I mused, keeping my attention on Tazri.

“Take a seat, Lady Tamamo.” The commander instructed. “Not on anyone’s lap, please.”

“Pooh~”

“Right.” Tazri pulled out several sheets of paper, even as the screen behind her came to life. “During the recent base raid, we discovered several things of note. For one, that base was merely the largest of EXALT’s firebases, which are currently scattered around the globe. Each is set up to either start a major insurrection in their territory, or step in during an actual insurrection to gain control of the region. So we’re adding these ‘base cleanups’ to our duty roster as we dial in locations.”

“Which squads, ma’am?” One of the more senior field officers asked.

“Baker, Gamma, and Massive. They’re going to be pulled from abduction duty, since the aliens have stopped fielding those missions as often.” Tazri informed us. “However, that’s left a serious opening for EXALT to step up their own abductions.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that the countless missions that we’d collectively been running were going to start winding down for a bit soon. It seemed that Ethereals had finally figured out they’d need a major offensive (or orbital bombardment) to actually accomplish their war-goals. Which meant, for a bit, hopefully, some rest from waking up at one AM to the Aliens probing our defenses.

“EXALT has been kidnapping high-value targets for decades, apparently. Mage Potentials, prime physical specimens, psychic neophytes, geniuses, and others with physical or mental exceptionalism. There’s some evidence to support that many of EXALT’s command staff are offshoots of this program, since they then brainwash who they take into being their operatives.” Tazri explained. “Since the invasion started, they’ve been able to step up their abductions, since the missing persons would be blamed on the aliens.”

Frowning, I raised my voice, “Commander, is it possible that certain government officials are compromised?” At my fellow squad leader’s various looks of disbelief or consideration, I elaborated, “If EXALT has been brainwashing people for decades, then we have to consider that lower echelons within the governments of the world may be compromised, specifically those within the bureaucracy that could look the other way while they do their thing.”

Abe smirked from her spot at the table. “Don’t worry your head, dear. We’ve been looking for people like that for months now. Have them tagged and monitored, for the most part.” She winked at me. “Nice thinking, though. We’ll make a spook of you yet!”

“I did go through one of your bootcamps from hell Mariko.” I groaned, blushing lightly under the attention. Why did she always have to do this…

Tazri coughed. “Regardless, we have a series of missions as an offshoot of these findings. First, there are several ‘detention centers’ that we’ve started hunting for; those will be added to the special mission roster. Second, we may need to hit some of these kidnapping missions to keep EXALT from gaining more ground. Third, XCOM may be taking on some of the victims as agents if we can guarantee their mental health.”

‘Makes sense. That’s how I ended up joining.’ Pausing, I gauged the room, wincing at some of the looks present on my comrades faces.

“Um, adding EXALT guys to our ranks? Even if they’ve been deprogrammed…”

“We may not have much choice.” Tazri admitted. “So far, we still haven’t met the aliens’ real ramp-up, though the rate at which they’ve sent their probing attacks has been increasing. We’ve already lost fifteen percent of our original trooper compliment, as you all know.” There was a moment of silence as the gathered crowd thought of the memorial wall below us. “We’ve gotten reinforcements and replacements, but not enough to expand our squad count. And if we have to start sending troops into combat tired, more of them won’t make it home.”

“Trickster does alright!” One man spoke up.

“She gets sleep, asshole.” someone else volleyed back.

‘I nearly died when I went in tired dumbass. You lot would have died.’ I grumbled internally, counting down the seconds till our glorious overlady interrupted.

“Ignore the meme queen and listen up!” Tazri barked right on cue. “If your squad gains some ex-EXALT agents for training or breaking in, treat them with the wary respect you give all new boots. Understood?” As the group murmured their assent, she kept speaking. “Now, we do have an immediate mission from the Council, but considering the content, it’s volunteer-only.” She paused as every hand in the room went up including mine. I had already taken care of my outstanding business, and I also was always going to be ready.

“Alright. Wind, Ripper, and Alpha squads, head to the air bay. Suit up and get ready to roll. Lehmann, I want the next three mages on rotation on that mission, set them up and send them out.”

Lehmann frowned. “Ah, Commander, Specialist Rose is the next on-schedule. Is she appropriate for this op?”

I held my tongue. Either Rose would be suitable or she wasn’t, though I hoped she would be.

“She should be fine. Besides, at this point, considering the luck we’ve had with some of the Mutons we’ve captured, you all need to get used to having alien squad mates.”

“Or magical ones, Mikon~” Tamamo sang. “Speaking of which…”

“Yes, you can do your presentation to the squads who aren’t going on this op. Ripper, Alpha! Tamamo will be collecting you all for her Supernatural Awareness and Respect Course in 36 hours. Stay alive so you can hear her speak, understood?”

“Yes ma’am!” The two squad leaders chorused.

“Everyone else, settle in.”

As we left the room, I heard Tamamo begin to speak. “Okay, so! Who here is racist towards aliens? Well, Youkai can look worse. So! We need to make the magical mundane…”

While in the Skyranger, I looked up as our comms rang in synch, everyone looking up. Bradford’s voice cut onto the line. [Wind Squadron, Adder, Violet, Gearwig, prepare for emergency teleport! Situation is changing rapidly, EXALT abduction has been attacked by Alien forces! This is a red-on-red operation, but there are thousands of civilians in the crossfire! We need boots on the ground now!]

[Affirmative Central!] I cried after a moment, taking control of the situation, [Alright everyone, gather around me. Tamamo, the device, has the coordinates. I’ll be teleporting us all over, and we should arrive on top of a building. That should provide each squad with an effective overwatch position. At that point, Wind Squadron will establish air dominance. Any objections?]

Rose, codename Adder, wandered her way out of her seat over to me, summoning her weapon. [Central, what is the known force composition?]

[EXALT has deployed cybernetic and robotic units along with their standard compliment of agents and soldiers. This operation seems to being run by the Maverick. Alien forces are currently mostly light units with a backbone of Mechtoids and Seekers; though incoming fighter craft are escorting one of their transports. Whatever they’re fighting over, the Aliens are willing to risk considerable resources to get it.] Bradford responded. [Trickster, do you have the port locked?]

[Three seconds!] I replied with some considerable strain. We were moving, in the air, and I was trying to conserve mana. It wasn’t easy to take all those factors into account, even with thought partitioning. Seconds later, we vanished, reappearing in the midst of a brawl, green plasma blasts crossing with red laser bursts and orange-tinged gauss shots in the streets below. As soon as we landed, the Aliens seemed to pause, only for the EXALT agents to rush their opponents, sending the fight back in their favor, even as a group of Thin Men vaulted up to the roof and aimed their rifles at us.

Rose snapped up her hood, shot out her tongue, and yanked the gun out of one enemy hand. As she did, Vita smashed a rock through another’s head and Signum’s whip-sword cut the third into ribbons. The knight’s eyes narrowed. “It’s an utter mess down there. What’s our first priority, Trickster?”

“Establish aerial dominance! Clear the skies, and then support Adder, Violet, and Gearwig in rescuing the civilians caught in the crossfire! I’ll be on station as bombardment!” I yelled, launching myself into the skies as the aforementioned XCOM squads set up shop with speed that would make Tier 1 Special Forces writhe with jealousy. Adder and the two human mages flashed into the streets, even as the Wolkenritter flashed into the air, cutting at the flights of Seekers and Floaters even as I rose in their midst.

The comm chimed. [Outsider. For once, your arrival is optimal. Destroy only the invaders today, and our forces will not engage.]

[If I trusted your word, Maverick, I would be inclined to ask Central for permission. Given I’ve routed the request to Tazri, I’m already doing you a favor by doing that.] I replied evenly back. While he was a human piece of trash, if he wasn’t going to be a problem, I was okay ignoring him to reduce friendly casualties. Unfortunately, I didn’t trust him, and it was unlikely that Tazri or Bradford would either.

[Maverick. If you are willing to withdraw without your captives, we’ll agree to your request.] Tazri bit out.

The comm line was silent for a brief instant as I rose, only for several of the mech below to pivot and begin anti-air fire on my position. [I can tell you do not know of the prize at stake. But it will not be denied me.] The Maverick responded. [We will simply have to move faster. And start targeting the wastes.]

[A shame] I replied to the fanatic, before beginning a rather nasty cast of my own and having Tamamo return the hack, kicking the man off our comms, [All XCOM forces, stand clear of the blast zone being marked on your maps. Zaphira, cover me while I prepare Quintette Feuer. Setting is non-lethal, I say again, setting is nonlethal. No organic life form will be killed in the blast, but they will be knocked out.]

I can cast non-lethal magic too, and if I adjust some calculations, I can execute what’s effectively a saturation bombardment. I mused to myself, Tamamo and several partitions running the numbers at a pace that would probably make most computers blush, If he wants to play hardball, so can I.

Beside me, Signum nodded, her sword shifting configuration as she aimed at a knot of robots. “Then I will handle the armor. Fly, my falcon! Sturmfalken!” A steel arrow was woven into shape, before shining like a star as it descended, a flaming explosion marking its impact on the ground.

“You know, I wonder if one of the designers at that type-moon place were reincarnations from Belka.” Vita mused, even as she swing her hammer through another floater.

“I am not EMIYA, stop comparing that.” Signum shot back.

Zafira grunted as he took a shot on his shield, even as the prismatic wing-vents of my bombardment spell flickered into focus. “Corporal, fire soon, we are drawing lots of attention!”

“Two seconds!” I replied, the HUD marking each enemy for a concentrated but brief bombardment by the spell that was shaping up to be very much not Quintette Feuer. I’d name it later, right now, it needed cast. “Feuer!” I roared, a massive beam of prismatic light pouring forth from Tamamo’s barrel and splitting into several smaller beams that lanced towards their targets, spearing each combatant on the field with an entirely nonlethal spell, and then continuing into the ground. The sheer amount of impacts kicked up a cloud of dust, and with the spell cast, I breathed, and moved, changing positions. I wouldn’t be able to pull a setup like that again. They’d be watching.

[Very showy, Trickster. However, the enemy have distributed through the nearby structures, so another bombardement is ill-advised. Prepare for house-to-house fighting and area securing.] Bradford paused. [Skyranger ETA ten seconds; forces will secure prisoners and prepare to assist with the sweep.]

[Affirmative!] I barked, [Requesting building assignment.] I added, watching as two of the other squads rappelled down from their perch, one staying up there on overwatch.

[Head towards the office building with the cafe down the road. Reports indicate that’s where this whole mess started, and there’s several broken human transports parked nearby. Drone footage indicates EXALT forces are being slowly routed from entrenched positions within.] Bradford’s comm crackled. [Heads up, all XCOM forces! Alien ships on a flyover, enemy reinforcements coming in for the drop, we haven’t managed to secure local air superiority yet! Be ready for heavy squads!]

[Affirmative!] I called, before landing and making my way towards the indicated building with haste. Around me, XCOM agents aimed at descending enemies, Mutons and Mechtoids clashing with the remaining EXALT mechs and agents, their business suits ineffective against plasma blasts. As I headed towards the office block, I saw groups of EXALT men barely holding their own, ducking out from behind ancient, sturdy brickwork and solid modern concrete pillars as the Aliens tried to force their way into the building. Naturally, that was when I promptly shot both of them, using my assault mode to spray pink bullets and beams through the scattered enemies.

As Wind Squadron absolutely rolled through the enemy forces, EXALT and X-Ray, my eyes were focused on making sure any civilian survivors would make it through. My eyes focused on one group of EXALT dragging a small group of civilians towards a point of blue flickering light. They lasted exactly naught point five seconds as I turned Tamamo on them and utterly eviscerated them with withering plasma, before blinking towards the civilians and taking the rounds one of the other EXALT agents sent towards them. Vita smashed the offending agent moments later.

“You good, civvie?” I asked kindly, shaking the poor individual gently. The girl looked up, and I was momentarily shocked to see purple light flaring visibly around her hands and eyes. A psion, and a powerful one too.

“I– thank you!” She yelled, coming to her feet. “Those men–” Her eyes shot open wide. “The Aliens–”

The blue light behind her spun into a portal, and I barely managed to shove her aside as the bulky form of the Maverick sprinted through. “You will not snatch this one from my grasp, Outsider.” He intoned, arm hefting a massive cannon as a half-dozen tracked drones rolled through the gateway. “I will–”

“NO!” The woman yelled, telekinetic force knocking the Maverick into a stumble. Capitalizing on his momentary distraction, I grabbed the woman and with a bark of “fall back!” directed at Wind Squadron, blinked out of the building before spinning up a series of overlapping shields as I began to cast a warp. A warp, unlike a teleport was targeted at someone other than the individual. I would be sending this lovely lady to XCOM HQ’s holding area, where she would be safe. Then I’d beat the shit out of Maverick, to discourage him from following me. Five seconds. Less, honestly.

The building behind me smashed open, the Maverick emerging into the air as he drove forward, cannon blazing, only to be halted as a pair of Mechtoids and a Muton berserker attacked him. “Blasted– your quarry escapes you, brutes!” He screamed as one purple mini-mech charged in, modified fist sparking off his shield. And before he could scream his frustration more, my warp completed, and the completely baffled and powerful psionic was gone, safe at HQ. Around me, the other civilians we’d evacuated were dragged along on the warp, something I had only managed because the X-Rays had been kind enough to distract Maverick. Ah, I loved blue on blue when it was working in my favor.

“Correction,” I taunted, eyes blazing with inner delight and resolve, “She has escaped. And I do believe I have a score to settle with you, Maverick dearest.” Nothing more was said as I began volleying shots towards him, keeping a beady eye focused on all the other hostile forces. Hopefully, with the other Wolfenritter, we’d be able to kill or capture one of the three big names of EXALT today.

The Maverick looked back at me, and his red optics seemed to shine in hatred. “Victory which will cost you everything.” He growled, his shield taking my fire as he aimed his gun at me. “I detest magic–” He began, and then fired.

Not expecting the exceedingly telegraphed shot to hit, I sidestepped to the left, only to wince as the shot curved then went right through my shields as if they didn’t exist, spinning me around from the glancing blow, my suit registering the fact that my shoulder had just been fractured from the shot. I flew upwards, righting myself as he aimed a second round, only to curse as the Berserker threw off his aim.

Tamamo cut in. “Master, it appears out enemy just fired… some sort of magic-null material at you. Judging by chemical composition in your wound, I’d say… inherited silver.”

“Don’t get hit by the fucking bastard, got it.” I grimaced, establishing a field of warped space around me. It wouldn’t protect me from the null magic material, but it would throw off his aim. Couldn’t hit me if I wasn’t where your eyes told you I was. Of course, this little trick was expensive, but I could afford it for now. It was saving my life, after all.

But it seemed like it would not be necessary. Even as I reconfigured my barriers and sighted on the Maverick, his shield finally broke with a burst of sparks. A millisecond later, he turned, his frame unfolding to shoot his torso back into the building, leaving the heavy exoskeleton behind, which beeped ominously once before exploding. I blinked, then took a look around to find the battlefield quieting, dying aliens and EXALT sharing space on the pavement with groaning XCOM and plasma burns.

Well, looks like I wasn’t going to be killing a bastard today. With weary eyes, I worked my way towards the closest groaning trooper, inspecting him while digging out my first aid kit from Tamamo’s storage. With one arm, it was… difficult, but I was managing. Pain tolerance was something I had been forced to develop over time, and it was serving me well now.

That stopped as Shamal whisked onto my left side, neatly healing my cracked bone even as Central spoke up. [Status confirmed, area is secured and all hostiles are down or dead. Good work, team.]

I sighed, looking over the damage. What a damned mess…