A Drop of Poison in the Ocean [Invite and Request Only]

Shuya smiled.
 
“Yeah that’s right! I’m not going anywhere! Anytime soon!” He said with a firm resolve. He then gave her a wide warm grin.
 
“Who do you think you’re talking to? I’m never gonna forget this promise! For as long as I draw breath!” He said staring into her eyes even more. Out the corner of his eye he noticed a glint he looked toward it and saw a pretty blue Jewel. He picked it up and showed it to Chihiro. 'This is an awfully pretty jewel. I wonder who it belongs to.' However he narrowed his eyes as he felt something from it.
 
“Shuya… There’s something wrong with this thing…” Venom said.
 
‘I know… This Jewel… Feels really…. Sinister…’ He thought back. Unknown to him, Venom, and Chihrio there was a battle going on up above between a pair of girls one of which Shuya was very familiar with.
 
“Wait please! We don’t have to keep fighting like this! I don’t even know your name or why you’re after the Jewel Seeds!” It was Nanoha. Though she seemed to be wearing some kind of armored white and blue dress. She was holding a staff with a pink shaft with gold at the top and bottom. In the top part was a red gem. Her opponent wore blonde hair in a twintail style. She wore a a black leotard with a white skirt that opened at the front showing a black flap. She wore a a pair of red belts on the upper half of the leotard as well as the white skirt. She wore a pair of thigh high socks and pair of shoes with red strings. On one of her arms was another red belt and on her hands a pair of black gloves with golden metal triangles on the back of them. Her weapon was a long pole arm with an energy blade coming out of the side of the tip making it look like a scythe. The girl said nothing. She tensed preparing to attack Nanoha. Nanoha seeing her intentions put her guard up. However they both stiffened when they felt the Jewel Seed below activate. They both looked down to see the glowing blue light of the Jewel Seed. The girl flew down in an impressive burst of speed. Nanoha immediately flew after her. As they were neck in neck Nanoha noticed there were two people surrounding the Jewel Seed. Nanoha gasped realizing who they were. It was Shuya and that girl he had brought to their home one day.
 
“No….” She gasped catching the blonde’s attention slightly. Shuya groaned in pain as the strange Jewel began to glow. One minute he was watching Chihiro look at the jewel in wonder and curiosity and wondering what would have happened to her if he hadn't found her that night. The next, his body looked like it was fading away as The now brightly glowing Jewel attached itself to his hand.
 
“SHUYA! YOU HAVE TO GET RID OF IT!” Venom roared.
 
“I’m trying! I’m trying!” He yelled back. As Nanoha and the blonde haired girl continued to race towards them the weapons in their hands suddenly talked.
 
{Master! Emergency!} A feminine voice came from Nanoha’s staff.
 
{Sir! Alert!} An Electronic male voice came from the blonde girl’s scythe. They both looked at their respective weapons as a blue glow enveloped them as well. Back on the ground Shuya feel to his knees as his body continued to disappear. He blinked in surprise when he felt Chihiro grab onto his wrists. He smiled at her.
 
“Just my luck… I make a such an important promise to you and Universe decides to throw a monkey wrench into it.I don’t know what’s goign to happen! But I will come back! I made a promise to you after all! I’ll be back! I promise!" He said before finally fading away. Up above Nanoha watched in horror as Shuya vanished along with the Jewel Seed.
 
“SHUYA-NII!!!” She yelled. Only to blink to gasp when she felt her own body fading away. She looked to the Blonde girl to see she too was fading away.
 
“No…. Mother…. Help me…” She said finally speaking. They too vanished as well.

Even before it began to literally glow, the jewel nearly blinded Chihiro with its cold certainty. It did not radiate - indeed, it wasn't radiant at all. It was more like... a hole, than a light, like others. As it gained power and wrapped about Shuya, however, she gasped in panic.

Standing without care to her chair, she grabbed back onto his hands, tears gathering in her eyes as she desperately tried to pry the stone out of Shuya's grip. It absolutely had to go. She absolutely would not let go. Wind picked up and her chair was sent flying down the walkway as various debris were picked up into a small dust devil around them.


"I’ll be back! I promise!"

For a moment, the world writhed about them... and then Chihiro collapsed, screaming hoarsely, as Shuya's hands vanished within her grip and the stones about her ruptured, as if they'd just been struck by the hammer of a god.

It would be the last thing Shuya saw of that place and time before he was cast across a sea of myriad colors and thrown to the ground... in the park he had just left?

It was wrong, though.

The walkway was undisturbed, both Chihiro and her wheelchair were missing, and even the hospital - previously visible - over the edge of the trees was not there.

In his hand, the jewel glimmered dully, much less lustrous than before.

As for Nanoha and Fate, they would find themselves elsewhere.

Nanoha would need to act quickly if she didn't want to ram into a tree as she suddenly found herself in the middle of a forest, while Fate would nearly collide with the river running through the center of town. As for the Jewel Seed they were just tracking, it was no longer actively emitting power, and therefore would take some time to track.

Fate, on a cursory inspection of her surroundings, would find the city's skyline to be different, though still possessing several landmark buildings. Nanoha would see nothing around her but trees - though that flying out of the treeline would allow her to see that she was merely in the woods on the outskirts of town, and that Uminari was still nearby.

Though also weirdly different, much as Fate had already discovered.

Shuya groaned…
 
“Oh my head… Where….” He said standing up and checking his surroundings.
 
“A park?” He asked before Venom made his voice known.
 
“Good to see your awake.” Venom said.
 
“Venom? What happened?” Shuya asked only to grit his teeth as memories assaulted his mind. He growled clenching his hand into fists.
 
“Up to speed?” Venom asked.
 
“Yeah….” He said. He looked down at the now dull looking blue gem resting in his hand, resisting his and Venom’s combined urge to throw the thing as far he could. He looked around.
 
“Chihiro?!” He yelled out looking for her.
 
“Was I gone long? Maybe she went back into the…. Hospital?” He said as he looked in the direction the Hospital should have been. But there was nothing.
 
“What the hell?” Shuya muttered. Nanoha yelped as she quickly had to stop herself from going splat against a tree. Once she was sure her Velocity was halted she let out a sigh of relief before looking around. There were nothing but trees. Looking up she flew up to get a better view of her surroundings. She could see a town. She flew towards it. She smiled as the first thing she saw was Yukimura shrine. A place that she and her family and friends usually went for festivals. And where she sealed one of her first Jewel Seeds. Making sure no one was around she landed and canceled her Barrier Jacket and returned Raising Heart back to it’s standby form. A small red gem. She began walking and frowned realizing while Yukimura Shrine looked the same certain things after seemed…. Different.
 
“What is this? Why does everything look so different?” She asked worriedly.
 
{Master!} Raising Heart said. Nanoha looked down at the red gem hanging around her neck.
 
{The Jewel Seeds in your possession as well as the ones in the other mage’s possession resonated with the Jewel Seed that activated and caused a chain reaction that created a dimensional displacement.} The gem said. Nanoha blinked tilting her head in confusion. Meanwhile with said blond mage.
 
“So we somehow ended up on another Unadminastrated planet?” One Fate Testarossa asked her intelligent device Bardiche.
 
{Not exactly sir. Readings indicate that we are still on Unadministarted Planet #97 Earth.} Fate blinked before sighing.
 
‘I can still feel Arf thorugh our connection….’ She thought.
 
‘For now I should try and retrace my steps and find the park where the Jewel Seed activated.’ She suggested to herself.
 
“Arf? Can you hear me?” She said trying to contact her familiar and dear companion.

Judging from the shadows, it was no longer early afternoon and sunset was no more than a few hours away.

Shuya received no response from Chihrio, of course.

--

As for Arf, she was busily digging herself out of a bush. Shifting into her smaller form for a moment, she rolled out of it before glancing about and, with any of her senses, detecting no one nearby (though this place was definitely frequented by people. This particular spot by someone that smelled strongly of various flowers and someone who... really ought to take care of themselves more.)

“Arf? Can you hear me?” 

But that wasn't important right now.

"Loud and clear, Fate! What happened?"

--

On Nanoha's end... "...Excuse me, Miss. May I help you?" ...A young (or at least short) miko had just stepped out of the shrine. Aside from the usual attire, she was wearing a fox mask Nanoha recognized from the festivals as the kind usually worn by the shrine's guardian kitsune, Kagami, (or at least the miko playing the role at the time.)

“We were caught in a dimensional displacement. Can you rendezvous with me back at the park? I wanna see if there’s a chance the Jewel Seed is still there.” Fate said as she began to fly into the sky to get a good look at the lay of the land. 

Nanoha jumped when she heard someone addressing her from behind. She turned to see a young girl of the same height as her in a shrine maiden uniform and wearing a fox mask that usually the shrine maiden designated as the Kitsune guardian of the Shrine, Kagami would wear during the festival.
 
“Ano…. I’m not quite sure. I’m a bit lost. I don’t suppose you could tell me how I could get to Uminari General Hospital from here?” She asked Kagami. 

Shuya looked around.
 
“Okay so we’re still in the park… But there’s no hospital nearby…” Shuya muttered.
 
“Did the gem take us to some parallel earth or something?” Venom suggested. Shuya was silent as he looked in the sky.
 
“Shuya? Shuya what’s wrong.” Venom asked.
 
‘We have company…’ Shuya thought back locking eyes with a blonde haired girl with Red Ruby eyes who was lowering herself to the ground.
 
“Can I help you young lady?” Shuya asked. The girl narrowed her eyes at how on guard he seemed.
 
“...The Jewel Seed… Hand it over.” She said softly… This time it was Shuya’s turn to narrow his eyes.
 
“Jewel Seed huh? So that’s what this piece of shit gem is called…” Shuya said glaring at the dim Jewel Seed in his hand.
 
“I could give it to you… But seeing how this is what brought me here to this other Earth. It may be my only ticket home.” He said tossing it up in the air and catching it.
 
“Plus I’m not inclined to listen to arrogant brats who demand things from me like they’re my betters.” Shuya spat. The young girl pointed her mechanical Axe at him.
 
“Look kid…. I’m in a really bad mood… So I’m gonna let you know that if you hit me with that Axe… You better hope you kill me with it.” He said darkly, making Fate falter slightly.

-Yukimura Shrine

Kagami hummed, fingering the chin of her mask, "More than a bit lost. Uminari is much further east, near Tokyo. We're in Kawahashii. Perhaps you were thinking of Kitou Memorial Hospital?" She hummed, before bashfully rubbing the back of her head, "Um, I know it may be upsetting but... perhaps, were you separated from your parents?"

-With Arf

"Gotcha - on the way!" Arf confirmed, before resuming her human form and taking to the sky. Fate was over there... and the park was... probably over there? The skyline looked different, but those should've been the coordinates. Though, to be fair, it definitely seemed weird the place was similar at all after a Dimensional Shift.

She got to the park before Fate, but she didn't enter it herself. Instead she performed some basic scans while she waited. "No active signatures, but... Ahah. There's some leftover mana. Good thinking, Fate!" 

Following after Fate as she descended, she bristled as Shuya insulted and threatened her, "Don't talk to Fate like that! You're lucky she's kind enough to ask to begin with!"

Nanoha scratched the back of her head with a nervous smile.
 
“Y-Yeah that’s right! I got separated from my Mama and Papa!” Nanoha said.
 
“Ano… Do you have a map I could look at?” She asked.
 
Shuya raised an eyebrow as a scantly clad woman with a pair of wolf ears and a tail. He smirked at her before turning to the now named Fate.
 
“Fate is it?” He asked. Fate sighed giving Arf a look.
 
“That’s right. Fate… Fate Testarossa.” Fate said returning Bardiche to her side.
 
“Well then Miss Fate. Feel like telling me about this Jewel Seed?” Shuya asked throwing the Jewel Seed up and down. Fate hesitated.
 
“I….” She muttered. The image of her mother as she brought the whip down on her back came to the forefront of her mind.

"Oh... that's... um, sure!" Kagami flounders for what to say for a moment before continuing in a more upbeat tone, "Please, wait in here," she said, gesturing to the front room of one of the shrine's side buildings before disappearing into the back. It was a sitting room in a small house. "I'll be right back!"


--

As Fate winced in a manner Arf had seen all too often, she shouted back at the man with the Seed, hoping to distract her from it, "It doesn't matter! Fate needs it - so hand it over. You don't need something like a Jewel Seed to change Realms anyway!"

Nanoha sat down looking around the room before looking down at Raising Heart and starting a telepathic conversation with the gem.
 
“Ne Raising Heart, since this happened because of the Jewel Seeds then could the other mage and even Shuya-nii been brought here too?” Nanoha asked with a bit of hope in her mental tone. Raising Heart chimed and spoke into Nanoha’s mind.
 
“It is possible. He was holding the Gem when it activated. But that means it was also responding to his desires.” Raising Heart answered. Nanoha sighed and looked around again.
 
‘I wonder what Shuya-nii was thinking about when the Jewel Seed activated.’ She thought.
 
Meanwhile Shuya, Fate, and Arf we’re still staring each other down. Shuya sighed pocketing the Jewel Seed, much to Fate’s chagrin and looked at them.
 
“Simmer down Wolfy. I don’t know that. This is all new to me. And that’s saying a lot due to my… complicated situation.” He said. Fate tilted her head in confusion which Shuya found extremely cute.
 
‘How can a girl be menacing one minute and absolutely adorable the next?!’ Shuya thought his eye twitching a bit.
 
“So how about we cut a deal?” He said walking a bit closer. Fate tensed thinking he was going to attack when he held his hand out to her making her blink. Finally she let her curiosity get the better of her.
 
“.…. What kind of deal?” She finally asked.
 
“Simple. You explain to me what these Jewel Seeds are and why you’re after them, then the one in my pocket is yours. And as an added bonus I’ll treat you to something to eat.” He said.
 
Fate narrowed her eyes and was about to answer no when her stomach answered for her. In a rather LOUD grumble that no little girl her age’s stomach should make. Fate blushed glancing at the man who was smirking at her with a raised eyebrow making her embarrassed blush grow even redder. She looked away and reached out and shook his hand.
 
“Deal…” She said in a shy and meek tone.
 
Shuya winced at the memories he got when he shook Fate’s hand. He had a bit of Venom on the palm of his hand and used Genetic memory on the girl before him. What he got back… was unnerving to say the least. Flashes of a cruel woman sending her to Earth from some ominous floating island in a pocket dimension, tasking her with collecting these Jewel Seeds. The pain and fear when ever the cruel person who was actually her mother whipped her with an actual freaking whip when she didn't produce enough results, leaving painful lash scars on her back. And… Apparently his little cousin Nanoha was involved in this because the last flash was of her being her in some white and blue dress holding a pink and gold staff pleading to Fate that she only wanted to talk.
 
“Well… This just got a lot more complicated….” Venom muttered from within Shuya’s mind.

Immediately, Nanoha stepped into a lowered area with a floor mat and small shelf containing shoes - at the moment, a pair of child-sized tennis shoes and several pairs of sandals in various sizes, one of which was around Nanoha's side and looked to have been recently kicked off onto the top of the rack.

There was a low table surrounded by floor cushions in the corner on the left, with a television on an entertainment center flanked by fish tanks further along the left wall. Opposite that was a small kitchen area dominating the far right corner, with a door leading further into the building on either side of it. The building itself was clearly very traditional, but the interior was somewhat flirting with modern design, going from the fish tanks on one side and the fridge on the other.

--

Arf grumbled a bit, but she didn't question Fate's decision. Still, she glared at Shuya, pointing from her eyes to his.

--

Kagami did not take long to come back. Nanoha had only waited for maybe one or two minutes before the fox-masked miko stepped quietly through the front door behind her and kicked her sandals off onto the shoe rack, "Found it, hehe!" She exclaimed triumphantly, raising a thin, wide book in her hands. It was a dark blue thing, emblazoned in gold with the title 'Kawaguchi City Atlas: 2012.'

Nanoha smiled in thanks at Kagami and looked at the book before frowning and tilting her head cutely in confusion.

"Ano... Kagami-san? Are you sure this has an up to date map? It's the year  2028 right now isn't it?" Nanoha asked with a nervous smile and a sweatdrop.

Shuya simply rolled his eyes at Arf before turning and walking.

"Right so let's talk while we walk. The Jewel Seeds, what are they exactly?" Shuya asked as they left the park and headed into town. Fate sighed and began to explain.

"The Jewel Seeds are what is known as a Lost Logia. Artifacts of great and terrible power from lost civilizations. There are 21 jewel seeds in all. I have 5. And someone else has been collecting them. I'm not sure how many they have though." She said in an annoyed tone remembering that the girl in white also had a couple of Jewel Seeds.

Shuya smirked.

'Guess Nanoha-chan has been keeping Fate here on her toes when it comes to collecting them. Though thinking about now. Why in the hell is she collecting them as well?' Shuya thought with a grimace wondering what exactly his dear little cousin has gotten herself involved in.

"If these Jewel Seeds are so dangerous... Why is a little girl like you collecting them." Shuya asked seriously. Fate blinked looking at Shuya. She looked down and stayed silent. Shuya sighed before looking forward. He blinked and smiled.

"Hey... Have you two ever had Crepes before?" He asked them. Fate tilted her head to the side in confusion. They walked up to a small cart that had pictures of fruits and pastries.

Kagami giggled, orange sunlight drifting through the door to bounce off the reflective paint of her mask, "It's 2014, silly." She glanced outside, then back to Nanoha, "...are you sure you want to go out, though? Maybe it would be better to make a call."
Test.
--
Arf concealed her animal features as the group left the part, and generally remained quiet as Fate and Shuya talked, though she bit her lip a bit in disappointment when Fate didn't bring up why she needed the Jewel Seeds. It would be better if the girl just gave up on them and... ran away somewhere. It would be nice...

...but Prescia would find them eventually. If this guy wouldn't give up his Jewel, they'd have to take it. Prescia wouldn't allow any other outcome.

Nanoha stared at Kagami with a blank stare as she tried to register what she just said.
 
“.…Eh?” was Nanoha’s intelligent response. She shook her head and quickly answered Kagami’s offer of using her phone.
 
“Ah, eto… If it wouldn’t be too much trouble.” Nanoha said with a smile.
 
Shuya Fate and Arf were sitting at a bench eating crepes. Shuya had gotten Fate and Arf Strawberry Crepes while he ate a chocolate crepe while sneaking and feeding Venom a peace when he was sure Fate and Arf weren’t looking. Though Fate could see something black wrapping around the chunks before pulling them into Shuya’s jacket. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
 
“So let me get this straight. The Jewel Seed that I have, activated. And resonated with the Jewel Seeds you currently have tucked away inside that axe of yours…” Shuya began.
 
“Bardiche.” Fate answered for Shuya.
 
“Right Bardiche. As well as the Jewel seeds inside Nanoha’s magic staff. Which caused a dimensional displacement that sent us and possibly her as well here to this parallel earth.” Shuya said not realizing his little slip up.
 
“That’s right- ….” Fate began about bite into her Crepe again when her eyes narrowed in suspicion before glaring at Shuya.
 
Shuya blinked at the glare he was suddenly receiving.
 
“What? Is there something on my face?” He asked.
 
“.…I don’t remember ever telling you her name…” Fate said.
 
“.…Lucky guess?” Shuya said before jumping up at the same time Fate did who once again had the tip of Bardiche pointed at him menacingly.
 
“Okay whoa hey! Calm down!” Shuya said trying to placate Fate. She was having none of it.
 
“The Jewel Seed… Now.” Fate said coldly. Shuya sighed and took the jewel seed out of his pocket.
 
“You sure about this?” Venom asked.
 
“Unless you want to tussle with a little girl with child abuse issues and a twisted sense of devotion to said child abuser, then what other choice do we have?” Shuya thought back with a grimace before holding the Jewel Seed out to Bardiche who absorbed it.
 
“Jewel Seed sealed.” Fate said before returning Bardiche to it’s stand by form and looking up at Shuya.
 
“How did you know her name?” Fate asked. Shuya sighed.
 
“Do you remember when we shook hands?” He asked. Fate nodded.
 
“I kind of saw your memories. It’s an ability I have. The reason I know her name even though you don’t is because the girl you’ve been battling for the Jewel Seeds is my cousin.” Fate blinked in surprise.
 
“...Oh…” She said simply.
 
‘I guess that explains why she looked so scared when this man was teleported away before we were…’ Fate surmised in her head.
 
“Here.” Shuya suddenly said making Fate blink as she was staring at another two crepes that Shuya was offering her. She took hold of them before looking at Shuya who smiled at her.
 
“What is your name….?” Fate asked. Shuya smiled.
 
“Shuya… Ikari Shuya.” He said. Fate nodded and then turned around motioning to Arf that it was time to go. As they walked away Shuya called out to her making her turn around.
 
“If you ever need someone to talk to come find me okay? I know you’ve been through a lot. But I’m sure things will get better!” He said. Fate stared at him. Before quickly turning and walking away. She had a small smile on her lips.
 
Shuya sighed as he watched her walk away. He turned and walked in his own direction.
 
“Okay so we know Nanoha is somewhere around here now. Just need to find her.” Shuya said waving to the Crepe shop owner before walking through the city.   Shuya walked by buildings until one caught his interest immediately.


"....Agent Venom?" Shuya asked out loud at a poster that depicted a man wearing Venom in the form of a rather sturdy set of Military armor. And a rather large white Spider symbol on the front. He went into the shop immediately. Curious about these Agent Venom comics.

"No trouble at all! It's a public service, isn't it?" Kagami chirped, stepping over to the kitchen area and retrieving a cordless house phone from behind the counter. "Here."


But who to call?

--


It was a narrow, but 'deep' hole in the wall shop. The walls were lined with shelves laden with colorful books, while several smaller shelving units were arranged along the floor between them. Most of these were also filled with books, but there was other memorabilia here as well, along with a few clothes racks near the back.

The central shelves were not very tall, so one could see from one end of the store to the other. Currently, it was empty save for Shuya, a young male associate at the counter in a white polo, and a girl in the far corner wearing a red hoodie, with the hood over her head. There was a display for 'Agent Venom' merchandise nearby (not quite as far down the wall as the girl), complete with a large cardboard cutout of the character.

Other displays ranged from very campy, western characters such as 'Captain Totoman' to the one that wouldn't look out of place in a manga, christened 'Silver Serpent.'

"Welcome to ComiStop," The associate greeted tonelessly, "please let me know if you have any questions or concerns."

Nanoha frowned.
 
‘Who do I even call?’ She thought with concern. She suddenly smiled realizing she could call Shuya. After all if he was here then he could call him and ask where he was. Sure she’d have to explain to him where they were and why she was here too but she’d deal with that when it came up. Her smile was replaced with a disappointed frown when she got a voice saying the number was not in service.
 
‘well it was worth a try…’ She said with a sad sigh. She then thought for a bit. There was only one other number she could think to call. She dialed Midoriya’s number.
 
“Well aren’t you just a ray of sunshine…” Shuya’s sarcasm was apparent as he gave the clerk a deadpan stare. He turned and walked along the wall looking at the various comics. He noticed a girl in a red hoodie with the red hood over her head. He raised an eyebrow before stopping at the Agent Venom display and looking it over. Ge took one of the comics off the display and started reading it.
 
“This is giving me some ideas…” Shuya said with a grin. Venom wholeheartedly agreed.

Shiro gave a tired, but satisfied sigh as the last of his customers for the day exited the Midori-Ya, waving as they went. With Miyuki and Kyoya in their final years at university and Nanoha getting an early start on joining them with her own 'foreign training program,' he and Momoka were the only members of the family present to man the cafe, making for some busy days. Certainly, they could hire some additional assistance - and did, on weekends - but the Midori-Ya was not so busy most days that the hands were necessary.

Today had not been like most days, in that regard.

Just as Shiro locked the door, the store phone started to ring. Answering as a courtesy, he said,


"Hello, you've reached Uminari's Midoriya cafe, though I'm afraid we've closed for the day."

--

The clerk seemed unphazed by Shuya's snark, merely staring impassively as he made his way by.

"There's an art book as well, if that's your interest," A girl's voice - the one standing to Shuya's left - spoke as he examined the books, "The artist left some insightful comments, though I've only skimmed it myself."


She was standing a bit further away than he'd last seen her, a bag laden with some comics at her feet.

Image:

Shuya blinked hearing someone talk to him. He turned to the voice to see the girl in the red hoodie. Except now he could see her…. face…
 
“Chihiro?” Shuya muttered in surprise and shock dropping the comic book in the process.
 
Nanoha gasped as she heard her father’s voice.
 
“Ano Papa. It’s me Nanoha. I need your help…” She said.
 
“Is there a way you could come get me from… Kawahashii?” She asked with a bit of hesitation.

Shiro blinked. Of everything he was expecting, that was not high on the list. "From... Kawahashii? That's west of here, right? Where are you right now, specifically?"  And why was she dropped off there instead of Uminari?

--

Chihiro? blinked. Of the reactions she was expecting, that wasn't high on the list. The young man was nearly boiling over with shock and confusion, but she could definitely see some happiness and relief below it, here and there. Did he know her? That seemed to be the case... but from where? And what was going on with that second set of emotions? A possession? They were too equivalent for that - neither spirit was trying to displace the other. The second certainly didn't seem to have any malice - if anything, it also recognized her... from somewhere.

But how to respond? What was the best way to respond to this situation?

Eyes drifted to the apathetic clerk at the counter, then about the store. This wasn't really the best place for either a reunion or a confrontation.

Eventually, she settled on, "Excuse me, but... are you alright? Surely, you haven't seen a ghost?"

“I’m at the Yukimura Shrine.” Nanoha explained breathing a sigh of relief.
 
“I’m not sure how I got here exactly truth be told.” Nanoha said.
 
 
Shuya blinked shaking his head as he remembered the discussion he and Fate had.
 
“I guess you could say that…” Shuya said putting on a fake smile and rubbing the back of his head while letting a sheepish laugh out. Though Chihiro(?) probably see he was exuding sadness and regret while Venom was exuding worry and pity aimed toward Shuya.
 
“You looked like somebody I know is all. A little girl.” Shuya said. He looked down at the comic book he dropped and set it back on the Agent Venom display stand.
 
“You said there was an Art Book of the series right?” Shuya asked, trying to change the subject.

"I see... Are you borrowing their phone? Could you hand it back so I can speak with them?" Nanoha wasn't the type to lie - especially after recent events - so confirming her story was less the concern so much as making sure she would be alright waiting there for him to pick her up. It would take a few hours to reach that location, after all.

...And confirm it was actually his daughter on the other end. It had been some time since he'd had cause to worry about an enemy of his family setting such an elaborate trap, but the circumstances were strange enough some cross-referencing would hardly go amiss.

--

Chihiro hummed, watching Shuya's auras closely. "Yes, it should be..." She scanned the shelves, before picking a thin hardback out, "...this one, yes." As she held it out to him, she smiled politely. "As for your ghost, could I convince you to pen a message to the Kawahashi Occult Club at the high school? I have a certain interest in such matters, you see."

Particularly if they involved, as it seemed, her family.

Shuya blinked at the odd request from this other Chihiro before reaching the the book.
 
“Um… Sure… I’m new to the area though so you’ll have to direct me to said high school.” Shuya said.
 
As he grabbed the book he sent a mental command to venom to materialize a small part of him on the fingers of his right hand. He made it seem as if his fingers incidentally brushed across the other Chihiro’s activating their genetic memory ability.
 
--
 
 
Nanoha blinked before nodding with a smile.
 
“Hai Papa!” She said as she handed the phone over to Kagami smiling at her and nodding.
 
{Master! Do not forget we must still locate your relative!} Raising Heart reminded her Telepathically.
 
{I know Raising Heart… Oh I wish Yuno was here He might have been able to find him.) She replied thinking about the Ferret that she was helping collect the Jewel Seeds.

There was a minute shift in Shuya's aura as he took the book in hand, but Chihiro paid it little mind, smiling as she released the book and knelt to recover her bag. "It isn't too far. Do you have a phone? A simple search should bring it up: I'll write the address for you, if you like."

As for what Venom saw... Nothing. There were no genes there for him to read. Paradoxically, even though she clearly had flesh and blood, there were no genetic markers. She may as well have been a particularly well-composed doll, but even then - there was no presence of bacteria or other micro-organisms on her skin.

 'Chihiro,' as solid as she seemed, even with a pulse and a warm touch, may as well have been made of air.

To Venom, it was just like when they'd scared their Chihiro out of her skin and Shuya hugged her ghost, or projection, or... whatever that was, on thinking on it. However, even Shuya got nothing this time.

--

Meanwhile, in the shrine, Kagami handed the phone back to Nanoha after a somewhat peculiar conversation which had ranged from topics such as the local geography and weather to how cute Nanoha was and how dangerous it might be for her to wander about at night, her father extracting a promise that she would be safe on the shrine grounds until he could arrive to pick her up.

"Alright Nanoha-chan, I'll be there soon. Is there anything else I need to know before I go?" Shiro asked, once Nanoha had received the phone.

Nanoha thought about it and her eyes widened.
 
“Ah! That’s right! Ano, papa? Have you heard anything from Shuya-nii lately?” She asked. Maybe Shuya had the same idea as her and called home.
 
--
 
Shuya furrowed his brow in confusion when no memories came forth.
 
“It's definitely Chihiro.” He heard Venom say to him.
‘But nothing came back… How do you know?’ Shuya asked. He put the art book underneath his arm as he reached into his pocket with his other and pulled out his phone. He looked at it.
 
‘Huh. No service… Guess my mobile plan doesn’t cover being forcefully thrown to a parallel earth by a destructive wish granting macguffin.’ He joked in his head as he looked at the No reception icon on his phone’s screen.
 
“Do you remember the night we rescued our Chihiro?” Venom asked.
 
‘Yeah? Wait….’ Shuya thought back remembering what Venom said to him after they found out about Chihiro’s ability to bring literal meaning to the term “Out of body experience”.
 
‘But if that’s the case… Does that mean this Chihiro is a… Physical Projection of herself while her body is lying in a sleeping state somewhere?’ Shuya asked as he showed Chihiro that he had no reception.
 
“In a nutshell? Possibly. Though she’s older than our Chihiro so maybe she learned how to do it willingly.” Venom Theorized.

There was a beat, before Shiro's voice came over the line, with some confusion. "...Shuya? Is that one of your 'exchange' friends?"

--

"Ah, that's unfortunate." Chihiro commented. The young man's aura had no duplicity within it that she could see, so it was more likely that his service didn't reach this area than the the phone was stolen or similar... And in retrospect, his phone itself was certainly unique enough. "Here, I'll pull it up on mine." And she did so, taking a few steps back and creating some distance while she fiddled with her phone before showing him the location on map with address. "Just leave your message with the office and - again - please address it to the club. I'm sure they would be happy to assist you with finding your ghost." She smiled gracefully - and genuinely - in an effort to make her obliqueness more palatable.

Nanoha felt her heart sink when her papa asked who Shuya was.
 
‘I guess that means on this Earth Shuya-nii doesn’t exist normally… As my cousin anyway.’ She thought sadly. Nanoha shook her head and quickly changed her expression, Kagami was still present and would get worried if she had such a sad expression on her face. She didn’t know what her papa meant by ‘exchange’ friends, but she would play along for now. At least until she found her Shuya-nii and then found a way back to their earth.
 
“Hai that’s right Papa! He’s really nice and always helping me out. It’s like having a second Onii-chan!” She said happily.
 
“If he hasn’t tried to contact you then he’s probably here in Kawahashii as well. Knowing him he’s probably worried about me and looking for me.” 
 
 --
Shuya suddenly covered his hand and sneezed.
 
‘Someone must be talking about us…’ He thought before returning to his conversation with the older Chihiro.
 
“I see. If I happen to find myself in that area I’ll definitely do just that. By the way. I don’t suppose you’ve come across a girl like this have you?” Shuya asked pulling up a picture of him and Nanoha from when he first moved to Uminari and showing it to Chihiro.