Return of the Necronomicon/Post Big C celebrations

[the_innocent_blade]

[1]


[After the surprising victory against the Anticross, Al Azif has returned to the realm of the living. After returning to the ship, she can be found in front of the wall of names once again. This time however, she's smiling. She's even holding a familiar hat.]

Thank you Azrad... I won't lose my way again.

[2]



[Meanwhile, Kurou is in the hangar, looking at the now winged Demonbane. Most of his injuries were healed thanks to a bit of time magic, but what happened during the battle was still worrying him.]

So my guns were from the seventh member of the Anticross...and I now have access to the Shining Trapezohedron... God, I don't even know what the hell that thing is.

[3/Mingle Thread/Party in the Arboretum]

[Despite some objections, Hadou Ruri has decided to throw a small celebration on the White Chalice. With Cthulhu hightailing it away from Arkham, and the Anticross members there being defeated she figured it was a good way of raising morale on the ship. Compared to the usual Hadou affair the entire thing felt a bit more...quaint. Still, there was plenty of alcohol supplied to Herb's Bar and some food is even brought onto the ship. It was more than enough to have some fun.]

Comments

3

[stardreadnought]

[A small celebration like this is something Nanoha welcomes after that tough fight.

But even with that over and done with, there's still a lot left for her to do: the TSAB had many matters to catch up on, like the political situation of the Earth Sphere and the events involving Kairos Aspida. Of course, these were things centered around Earth...

Just as soon as she'd returned, she might find herself leaving again, depending on where they needed her next...

If she's worried about it though, it doesn't show much, if at all.]

[the_innocent_blade]

Tough week eh.

[Kurou says this in a playful tone. He's holding two shot glasses full of some unknown liquor.]

I'm hoping that you're old enough to share a drink with me now.

[stardreadnought]

Mmn, it's definitely been tougher than training rookie mages.

And I'm technically still on-duty, but...

[She gladly takes one of those shot glasses off your hands. Being an adult now means she can do that.]

Thanks.

[the_innocent_blade]

[Huzzah, thank you timeskips.]

I think we can bend the rules a bit. Cheers.

[stardreadnought]

Cheers.

[And Nanoha raises her glass a little.]

This might be the last thing I'll do on the Chalice for a while, though.

[the_innocent_blade]

Here I was thinking that you would stay.

[stardreadnought]

Being a part of the TSAB means I have other responsibilities now. Earth's not the only place to have incidents like this, you know...

But this time, we'll at least leave a few of our officers behind to keep an eye on things.

[the_innocent_blade]

Just...make sure you keep in touch at the very least.

[stardreadnought]

I will.

It's impossible to ask you to avoid trouble entirely, so try to stay safe, Kurou-san.

1

[fermionprincess]

It is a miracle - of SCIEN...!

Actually, I may be forced to admit to have no idea of what happened out there. Welcome back, lady Al Azif.

Re: 1

[the_innocent_blade]

To be perfectly honest I'm not entire sure either. All I remember is that I was led back here by my former masters.

[fermionprincess]

Former masters?

Ah, could it be then! Mayhaps sir Azrad the magician was among them?

[the_innocent_blade]

He was.

[fermionprincess]

What a romantically beautiful scene. Two loyal companions, seperated by death, reunite again - if but for a short amount of time, for the barrier between the worlds tears them apart once more. Yet, there are no regrets, but one call - "live! Live for the others!"

[It seems Alessandra is lost in her fantasy.]

Oh, speaking of which - does it not confirm the afterlife of some kind?

[the_innocent_blade]

Hmm how did you know that happened?

[Looks like you pretty much got the scene down.]

I'm not sure if you want to use the death of an immortal as the confirmation of an afterlife.

[fermionprincess]

Is it not obvious, my dear lady? My predictions are powered by a source most noble: I walk the path constantly shone upon by the enlightenment - of SCIENCE!

Oh, I meant sir Azrad actually. Meeting him confirms that his soul, essence or whatever you may call it, resides somewhere out there as we speak. May it be a pleasant location!

[the_innocent_blade]

I see.

[She smiles.]

I definitely hope that it's pleasant as well.

[fermionprincess]

My keen eye cannot escape this observation - you have changed quite significantly since the first time I met you and sir Azrad, dear lady.

[the_innocent_blade]

You haven't been the only one, I guess you all have had a much more significant effect on me than I realized.

[fermionprincess]

[Nod nod.]

It is so! Constant evolution and improvement, not as a species but as an individual - such is the preferable fate of all human beings! And human-like tomes, as the case it may be.

1

[saikyocivrobo]

Azrad...? Have you met him lately? I would say "I thought he was dead", but so were you not so long ago...

Re: 1

[the_innocent_blade]

It was during the time that I was considered dead. It wasn't just him either. All of my former masters, I met them all again.

[saikyocivrobo]

That must've been quite the reunion.

[the_innocent_blade]

It was definitely...something. To be honest, at first I believed that they wanted vengeance on me for burning up their lives.

[saikyocivrobo]

Come on, Azrad would never do that!

...I don't know about the others. But I assume most of them were less petty than that.

[the_innocent_blade]

I know, but when you know that you're the cause of their deaths. Well it definitely weighs on you.

[saikyocivrobo]

And yet none of them held any kind of grudge, did they?

I wonder how did you return back to life and why none of them did, though. How mysterious.

[the_innocent_blade]

No, they didn't.



If I had to guess, I think it was because part of me was still tethered to this world. It gave me something to return to. Where as my former masters...

[Her gaze returns to the wall.]

The Lamp of Alhazred burns your very essence in exchange for power.

[saikyocivrobo]

I'm not sure what to say about all this metaphysics. Magic is not my specialty.

I wonder wasn't some mysterious third party at work here... They didn't bother to reveal themselves to even let anyone thank them, though.

3

[hobo_lantern]

I have no freakin idea what had just happened out there.

[the_innocent_blade]

What a coincidence! Neither do I!

[hobo_lantern]

But we won, right?

[the_innocent_blade]

I believe so yeah.

1

[gift_of_magus]

[Hugs outta nowhere for the little sister.]

Al! You're alive!

[the_innocent_blade]

[Al returns the hug.]

It didn't take me 200 years to return either.

3

[sexygodofscienceandwar]

So.

What's all this about you in a dress?

Re: 3

[the_innocent_blade]

[Roads you can't actually find Kurou anywhere. There's just a beautiful maiden crying in a corner of the Arboretum.]