The rain hammered against the windows of Kai's room, a relentless rhythm mirroring the turmoil within him. He sat on the edge of his bed, the dim light casting long shadows across the walls, still waiting for Hayate's return to TSAB HQ. The weight of their impending confrontation pressed down on him, a heavy, unspoken question hanging in the air. What would he say? How could he explain? And what was he supposed to do now, alone on Earth?
He was exhausted, the ceaseless mental loop draining his energy. With a sigh, he decided to postpone the inevitable and seek the solace of sleep. As he drifted into unconsciousness, a chorus of voices began to permeate his dreams.
"…He's still sleeping," a voice murmured, soft and familiar, like Nanoha's but infused with a tranquil calmness.
"But you know, his sleepy face is kinda cute though," another voice chimed in, playful and light, reminiscent of Fate's youthful exuberance.
"He's not going to wake up on his own. OI, WAKE UP!" a third voice barked, rough and demanding, unmistakably Hayate's.
Kai's eyes snapped open, his senses jolting him awake. He found himself staring up at three figures, their faces vaguely familiar yet distinctly different. They resembled Nanoha, Fate, and Hayate, but their hair, eyes, and overall demeanor were altered, imbued with a strange, otherworldly quality.
"Good morning. Stren, Levi, Dearche," Kai said, his voice a low, confused murmur.
"It's already morning, you know. Breakfast is ready," Dearche replied, her tone laced with a hint of regal impatience.
"Let's go, Kai. Breakfast is getting cold," Stren added, her voice gentle and encouraging.
"Yes, yes, let me change first. I'll meet you and the others in the dining room," Kai said, pushing himself to his feet.
As Stren, Levi, and Dearche left the room, Kai's confusion deepened. How did he know their names? Why did they feel so familiar, like old friends? He looked around the room, which was nothing like his own on Earth. Instead, it resembled a chamber in a medieval manor, rustic and warm, overlooking a vast, golden wheat field. He caught his reflection in a nearby mirror, and the jagged scar of Soul Edge still marred his right cheek. Raging Brando, his device, rested beside him, intact but without the familiar helmet, only his visor glasses.
"Wait… something is very wrong here," Kai muttered, his mind racing.
"Kai, hurry up! Everyone is waiting!" Levi called from behind the door.
"Sorry, Levi, I'll be right there," Kai replied, his voice laced with a growing sense of unease.
He dressed quickly and made his way to the dining room, where he found a larger gathering. An older woman and four more individuals, all strangers, were seated around the long, wooden table. Stren, Levi, and Dearche were among them, along with Amitie Florian, Kyrie Florian, Yuri Eberwein, and Iris, accompanied by her mother, Eleanor Florian.
"Good morning, Kai," Eleanor greeted him with a warm smile.
"Good morning, Eleanor-san," Kai replied, his voice still tinged with confusion.
"Good morning, Kai," Amitie added, her eyes gentle.
"Good morning, Amitie," Kai responded, trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy.
He knew their names, their faces, their voices, yet he had no memory of ever meeting them. Amitie explained that he had arrived in Eltria a week prior, having fallen from the sky during a meteor shower. They had taken him in, offering him shelter and care as he tried to repair the portal that would take him back to his own world.
Kai recalled reading about Eltria, a planet once on the brink of extinction, ravaged by the Death Eclipse. He knew of the Florian family, who had played a crucial role in its revival, along with Yuri and Iris. The government of Eltria had placed a travel ban after the revival of the planet.
He spent the day helping with the farm work, tending to the animals and harvesting crops. As evening fell, he found himself drawn to an empty field overlooking a cliff. He activated Raging Brando, his barrier jacket and magic system responding as if nothing was amiss. He tried to contact anyone on Earth, but the signal was lost, swallowed by an impenetrable void. He deactivated his barrier jacket, leaving the weapon in his hand.
"This is incredibly strange… could I have a fever from the rain yesterday? They say I've been here for a week. How could this happen?" Kai pondered, his mind a whirlwind of unanswered questions.
He pricked his finger, drawing a bead of blood. It was real. This was no dream, no hallucination.
"Kai!" Kyrie called, her voice echoing across the field.
"Kyrie, what's wrong?" Kai replied, quickly concealing the cut.
"We want you to meet our father," Amitie said, approaching him with Kyrie.
They led him to a simple grave, marked with a stone bearing the name 'Granz Florian'. Eltria, the Florian family's ancestral home, had been reborn, but at a cost.
"I'm so sorry about your father," Kai said, his voice filled with genuine sympathy.
"Don't worry, it was long ago, before you arrived. He was happy to see Eltria revived," Amitie replied, her eyes filled with a quiet strength.
"If it weren't for Nanoha's help, Eltria wouldn't have survived," Kyrie added.
"Nanoha… Takamachi Nanoha?" Kai asked, his confusion deepening.
"Yes, the little girl I met when I chased Kyrie and Iris to Earth. But now, they're helping us here," Amitie said.
Kai's mind reeled. Amitie had met Nanoha as a child, a girl of nine or younger. This timeline was utterly disorienting. How had he ended up here? Why did he know these people?
As night fell, Kai found himself unable to sleep, his mind consumed by the enigma of his situation. He looked at Stren, Levi, and Dearche, seeing echoes of Nanoha, Fate, and Hayate, yet they were distinct, separate beings.
Morning arrived, and Kai resumed his farm duties, his body moving with an unexpected familiarity. He found a strange comfort in the rhythm of the work, a sense of purpose he hadn't expected.
"That's all of it," Kai said, finishing his chores.
"Good work, Kai. You're a great help," Amitie praised him.
"It's better than doing nothing, Amitie-san," Kai replied.
"Hey, maybe you could stay and help us here permanently. We could use another strong hand," Amitie suggested.
"I wish I could, but I have duties to attend to," Kai said, his voice laced with regret.
"Oh? Are you two flirting?" Kyrie teased, interrupting their conversation.
Amitie's face flushed crimson. "K-Kyrie!"
"Big sis has a crush on you, Kai. Maybe you can—" Kyrie began.
"STOP! Kyrie! Stop it!" Amitie interjected, her voice laced with embarrassment.
Kai chuckled, finding a strange comfort in their playful banter. He had never met these people, yet they felt like family.
As evening approached, Kai found himself outside, seeking solace in the gentle breeze. Iris and Yuri joined him, their presence a quiet comfort.
"There you are, Kai," Iris said.
"Ah, Iris, Yuri," Kai replied, inviting them to sit beside him.
"The night sky is so beautiful tonight," Yuri said, her eyes fixed on the stars.
"Yes, Eltria is a peaceful place," Kai agreed.
"But maybe there's a reason you're here," Iris said, her voice thoughtful.
"I feel something inside you, Kai," Yuri added.
"Oh? What is it?" Kai asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Give me your hand," Yuri requested, standing up.
Kai stood and offered his hand. Yuri took it, activating her Violet Belka and probing Kai's Black Midchilda.
"Black Midchilda… a rare color," Iris observed.
"My magic system used to be maroon, but it changed after I contracted a living device," Kai explained.
"The beast without a name," Yuri said, her voice laced with a hint of recognition.
"Wait, you know it?" Kai asked, surprised.
"Yuri is the embodiment of the darkness from the Book of Darkness, awakened from the Examia crystal. Stren, Levi, and Dearche are fragments of the book of darkness, taken from Yagami Hayate," Iris explained.
"So that's why Yuri knows about the beast. What happens next, Iris?" Kai asked.
"I was blinded by Phill Maxwell, manipulated by Kyrie's ambition. I controlled Yuri after unsealing the Examia crystal, causing chaos. But I've apologized, and I'm happy here," Iris said.
"I see. So my arrival here has a purpose," Kai concluded.
Yuri deactivated her magic system, and Kai followed suit. He felt nothing different, no lingering side effects from Yuri's probing. His mana felt invigorated, but otherwise, he was unchanged.
"How do you feel?" Yuri asked, her eyes searching his.
"I feel… normal. My mana feels energized, but that's about it," Kai replied.
"When you first arrived, I sensed something unique within you. That scar on your face, it's a mark of the beast without a name," Yuri said.
"Yes, I contracted it. I call it Soul Edge. But a traitor took control of it, wounding me in the process," Kai explained.
"And you experience no… adverse effects? No loss of control?" Yuri asked, her voice laced with curiosity.
"None. Soul Edge obeys me. It always has," Kai said.
"A beast tamer," Yuri mused, her eyes widening. "You possess the ability of a beast tamer."
"Are you sure about that?" Kai asked, skeptical.
"There's no doubt in my mind. I can feel it. The way the beast responds to you, it's not a mere contract. It's a bond," Yuri said.
"That's… new information," Kai admitted, his mind reeling.
"Hey, why don't you stay here for a while? The teleport device is almost ready, but you wouldn't want to miss out on this experience, would you?" Iris suggested.
"You're right. I'll stay a little longer," Kai agreed, a sense of peace settling over him.
And so, Kai extended his stay in Eltria. He immersed himself in the simple rhythm of farm life, growing closer to the Florian family and their friends. He shared laughter with Levi, learned from Stern's quiet wisdom, and endured Dearche's playful teasing. He even found himself the unwitting subject of Kyrie's mischievous pranks, often involving late-night visits to his room.
The bond between Kai and Amitie deepened, their shared moments filled with unspoken understanding and a quiet warmth that blossomed into something more. The others noticed, of course, and their teasing only intensified, much to Amitie's blushing embarrassment.
A month passed, and the teleport device was finally complete. Iris and Yuri announced its readiness, signaling Kai's impending departure.
"It's finished. Kai can return home now," Iris declared, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness.
"I guess this is goodbye, then," Dearche said, a rare moment of sincerity in her voice.
"I wish you could stay longer," Levi added, her eyes filled with genuine affection.
"Don't say that, Levi. Kai has duties to attend to," Stern reminded her gently.
"Don't worry, I'll visit Eltria again," Kai promised, his voice filled with sincerity.
Before he stepped into the shimmering portal, Amitie, Kyrie, and Yuri approached him, their expressions a mix of sadness and warmth.
"I truly appreciate your time here, Kai. It's been… wonderful," Amitie said, her cheeks flushed.
"Me too, Amitie-san. Even though I don't know how or why I ended up here, I'm grateful for the time I spent with all of you," Kai replied, his voice filled with emotion.
"Kai, take this with you," Yuri said, handing him a small acrylic box containing a delicate flower.
"A flower?" Kai asked, his brow furrowed.
"A gift from all of us. May it remind you of Eltria, until we meet again," Yuri explained.
"I'll treasure it, Yuri," Kai promised, his eyes filled with gratitude.
"Oh, I almost forgot one last gift," Kyrie said, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
She stepped forward and placed a quick kiss on Kai's cheek, leaving him and everyone else in stunned silence.
"KYRIE! What was that for?" Amitie exclaimed, her face flushed crimson.
"A goodbye kiss. Is that wrong?" Kyrie asked innocently.
"It's embarrassing! Everyone saw!" Amitie protested, her voice rising.
"If you don't give him a goodbye kiss, you'll miss him too much, won't you?" Kyrie countered, her words hitting their mark.
Amitie's face turned an even deeper shade of red. She stepped forward and placed a chaste kiss on Kai's other cheek.
"H-have a safe trip," she stammered, her eyes downcast.
"T-thank you, Amitie… Kyrie…" Kai replied, his own cheeks burning.
The portal shimmered, its energy building. Kai turned to face the Florian family, their faces etched with warm smiles and fond farewells. He stepped into the light, and the world dissolved around him.
The next moment, he was back in his room, lying on his bed, the morning sun streaming through the window.
"…Man… what a wild dream…" Kai muttered, pushing himself up.
He looked around, confirming that he was indeed back in his own room. The scar on his face was still there, as was Generic device. He sighed in relief, dismissing the events in Eltria as a vivid dream.
As he prepared to leave his room, his gaze fell upon the small acrylic box on his bedside table, the delicate flower inside glowing with an ethereal light.
"…You've got to be kidding me…" Kai whispered, his eyes wide with disbelief.
(To be continued.)