Ever After
Seven: Negima Two
"Mars, huh?" Lilith murmured, the busty blonde frowning a bit as she tried to digest that. "I'm guessing just in this universe?" she asked.
"I think so," Quill mused thoughtfully, "though I must admit I don't think Nanoha-san ever did a up close scan of Mars in our universe. I should ask her to one day..."
Hazuki sighed, wondering if she was the only normal one in this conversation. There was a MAGICAL CIVILIZATION ON MARS! It should be... she didn't know, maybe awe inspiring? But everyone seemed to be taking it so calmly.
Yue gave her a sympathetic look. "If it helps any the idea threw me for a loop too, at the time," she told her.
Asuna grinned as the orange haired girl noted, "Well, for a little while at least. You didn't stay shocked for very long."
"I'm a philosopher by training," Yue shrugged, "I was taught to deal with facts, even if I find the ideas unpleasant."
"Hmm," Hazuki murmured, looking out over the landscape.
The land of Mundus Magicus was a incredible sight, with what looked like the usual rugged ground level of Mars contrasted with floating islands of civilization. Some of the islands held cities, others forests, and many other conditions spread out over the world. The flying craft flitted between islands, made in all shapes and sizes. There were barges like this one, what looked like trucks, sailing ships and even something she felt sure were military craft.
"Is that a war ship?" Hazuki asked, pointing.
"It is," Collet sounded regretful as she said, "in the past, there were conflicts between the northern and southern nations. We've largely worked that out, but tensions still remain."
"Captain!" a woman yelled, pushing to where they were sitting.
Asuna sighed, "Even on my day off, the work never ends..."
Emily Sevensheep smiled, the dusky skinned blonde giving both Hazuki and Lilith wary looks. "Sorry to interrupt," she said, "but Setsuna-sama wants a few extra warriors up front as we move through the contested territory."
"Makes sense," Asuna conceded as she got up. She nodded to the newcomers, "I shouldn't be too long." She looked at Emily, "Keep an eye on them for me."
"But...," Emily started, a slight blush coloring her cheeks as she looked at Yue.
Yue smiled back as she said firmly, "It'll give us a chance to catch up."
Hazuki hid a smile as the blushing Emily settled down on a bench not far from Yue. It had been awhile since she had seen young love, but she was pretty damn sure Emily had it bad for Yue. And interestingly the serious young girl looked like she might return those feelings.
Hazuki moved to look out over the railing to give them some privacy, noting that Lilith was too busy eating to care and Quill was still intently working with her device Cadeus. After a moment Collet joined her, the brown haired girl smiling faintly.
"They're kind of cute, aren't they?" Collet murmured as they looked out over the swirling banks of clouds.
"Yeah," Hazuki agreed, smiling. It should have felt sort of bittersweet, considering her own lack of luck in love, yet somehow she could only feel happy for the two kids. 'Well, happy and a bit amused,' she added mentally.
Collet looked at Hazuki thoughtfully a moment, then blushed faintly. "Pardon me if I'm out of line, but are Quill and Lilith your girlfriends?" she asked.
A bit of something went down the wrong pipe and Hazuki began coughing, even as Collet hurried over to help. "I'm fine, I'm fine," she waved the girl off, "uhm, what makes you think that?"
Collet looked sheepish, "From how Lilith looks at you so... possessively. And I think Quill has a bit of that too, if more subtle."
"We're not," Hazuki shook her head firmly, "Quill is just a friend."
"And Lilith?" Collet asked after Hazuki paused.
"I'm... not sure what to say about her," Hazuki admitted after a moment, sighing.
Collet smiled gently, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't press."
"It's fine," Hazuki said as she looked off into the distance, "I don't spend enough time thinking about things." They settled into a companionable silence as they took in the view, the great barge moving along at a steady pace. Something off in the distance glimmered, and Hazuki frowned as she focused on it. "Is there something moving towards us?" she asked, pointing.
Collet looked towards where she was pointing and her eyes widened slightly in alarm. "Yes, they are," she agreed, then hurried off to tell someone.
Hazuki hurried over to where Yue, Emily and Lilith were sitting, her expression intent. "It looks like there might be trouble," she said as the first attacker swept by, firing off blasts from a lance like weapon.
"Down!" Yue yelped as she grabbed Emily and Quill and dove for the deck, even as Hazuki dove forward and sent Lilith to the floor too.
They sat sprawled on the deck, Lilith on her back as Hazuki lay atop her. "Why, Hazuki, I didn't know you cared," Lilith purred, fiercely hugging Hazuki and not incidentally mashing her face against Lilith's breasts.
"Lilith!" Hazuki yelped, blushing intently even as weapon's fire rained down around them.
Lilith reluctantly let her go even as a flyer banked above them, the silver armored figures dressed in miss-matched armor and gear. They rode upon what looked like wooden 'saddles' with a larger base, each carrying lances or swords that shot forth beams of energy.
Hazuki drew her katana, then blinked as the sword flared and shimmered with unearthly energies. "What the...?" she muttered.
Quill had Cadeus in her hands, running the device over Hazuki even as members of the barge's crew shot back at the invaders. "Your blade is reacting to the large amounts of ambient magic," she noted, "though I don't know if you'll be able to use it."
"I guess we're going to find out," Hazuki said as swarms of attackers met swarms of girls in Valkyrie armor, weapons blazing. And somehow a boy made of pure lightning was bouncing all over the battle, dropping attackers with frightening ease.
A flyer swept in close as several wedding guests screamed and ran for cover. Hazuki braced herself then swung, her eyes widening as her sword coughed up a wave of destructive energy that not only cut down the leader, but swept over the men following him in too.
"Wow," the black haired noblewoman murmured, watching from nearby.
The older woman grabbed her and hustled her to cover. "Dear niece, you don't need to be swooning over tough swords women, that got you in enough trouble when you were younger," she told her scoldingly.
"Sorry, Aunt Naoko," Konoka said sheepishly.
Naoko Konoe, recent bride and headmistress of Ariadne watched with some awe as the stranger rushed to the prow of the ship, taking up a combat stance and throwing bolts of magical power from her blade. "I wonder if we could get her to stay at the academy and be studied?" she murmured.
"Down, ma'am," Collet said as she forced the two to duck.
"I thought you'd be out there with Setsuna and the others?" Naoko blinked.
"Captain Asuna ordered me to keep an eye on you two," she answered dryly. "And Setsuna-sama said she'd kill me if you got hurt."
Another raider tried to break through the knights swirling around the barge, then suddenly Hazuki was there, cutting him down even as Collet fired off a shot from her lance, blasting another fighter away. "Is there someplace safe we can take the barge to quickly?" she snapped, the young woman looking a bit winded as she and other warriors kept the barge clear.
"We're in neutral territory, but our allies control lands nearby," Naoko said simply. "I don't think these are anyone's army, they look more like pirates."
"Raiders after the wedding gifts?" Konoka suggested. She smiled gleefully, "Boy did they attack the wrong wedding."
Hazuki had noticed that almost all of the wedding guests had joined the fight, and that it looked like nearly everyone could throw magical bolts around or other stunts. It made a dimension hopping swordswoman feel nearly ordinary, in comparison.
"Damn, the kids these days are pretty impressive," Jack Rakan noted, the muscled warrior watching the battle with a smile.
"Why aren't you joining in, Jack?" Naoko asked him curiously.
"I ain't getting paid, for one," Jack countered with a laugh. The big man gestured to the battle, the lights and violence gradually dying down, "Besides, I think they're about done."
Indeed, it appeared the remaining attackers were scattering, trying to get away by fleeing in as many directions as possible not including towards the barge. The fighters were willing to let them go, the Knights of Ariadne and their allies returning to the barge themselves.
Setsuna descended like some kind of warrior angel, her white wings flashing in the sun as she settled to the barge deck. Her armor only had a few scuffs but Naoko hurried over anyway, smiling at the taller woman as they hugged.
"I'm glad you're all right," Naoko said quietly.
"You too," Setsuna hugged her close, "a few attackers managed to break through our lines, you didn't have any trouble...?"
"Collet and Hazuki here were a great help," Naoko nodded to the young woman as she stood beside Setsuna with Konoka nearby.
"She was very impressive," Collet admitted, "she helped us cut down several attackers."
"Then I am in your debt," Setsuna bowed her head slightly to Hazuki.
"I was just protecting myself and my friends," Hazuki said gruffly, "it was nothing."
"So that wasn't you I saw running up the barge to help beat back a attack?" Konoka teased as Hazuki blushed faintly.
"Don't tease her," Lilith said as the blond emerged from wherever she had been hiding and latched onto Hazuki's arm, "that's my job."
Naoko and several of the watchers laughed, even as Quill kept her giggles mostly silent. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to help," she said to Hazuki quietly, "but my Cadeus device isn't loaded with many combat functions."
"It's fine," Hazuki smiled at her. She sighed as she added, "Let's hope the rest of our trip to Ariadne is quieter than this."
"Don't bet on it," Asuna said as she and Yue arrived from mopping up, "something always goes wrong for this group. It's a rule."
"Don't be such a pessimist," Konoka scolded her friend.
To be continued...