Hello everybody! This is X the Reaper, bringing you the next installment of Mahou Shoujo of the Continuum Shift!

At last, after several weeks, I finally update at all, much less this story! Sorry everyone, but I was struck with a serious lack of a muse over my winter break, so I barely got anything done. I hope that, with this chapter, I'm finally getting back into the swing of things. I hope it's everything you guys were waiting for.

Disclaimer: BlazBlue and Puella Magi Madoka Magica are property of Gen Urobuchi and Arc System Works respectively and to any other parties. X the Reaper owns nothing save the story.

Alright, let's go!

Kaka Village Hut

It wasn't everyday that Sayaka was told that her very life might depend on the information she was given by a mysterious source who may or may not have her best interests at heart. That had happened to her once already, and it hadn't gone over so well, all things considered. So by all rights, when told something like that by a young-looking vampire girl decked in black (which, by the way, was a hell of a lot less disarming than a constantly smiling white weasel), she had the option to be skeptical.

"Oh yeah? And what would that be?" Sayaka asked guardedly, her sword not once wavering from where she was pointing and making it clear exactly what she thought of this Rachel Alucard's words.

Rachel of course didn't look at all impressed with the sword aimed towards her heart and gave Sayaka a once-over as if she was trying to measure her worth as something to talk to. Then she spoke.

"Before I do though, tell me...do you know what a 'Cauldron' is?"

Sayaka shook her head.

"Ars Magus?"

Another shake of the head.

"Seithr? The Black Beast?"

Sayaka gave her an annoyed glare. "Are we playing 'Twenty Questions'?" she asked sarcastically. "Because I don't anything about what you're throwing around!"

Rachel tilted her head. "Really? What about the Azure or the Boundary?"

Sayaka opened her mouth to say 'No,' but it was as if the words were caught in her mouth. Suddenly, she saw something flash before her mind's eye: The Witch Labyrinth from before and the orb in the center. But now, it was glowing a deep blue like the ocean, warm and inviting. The labyrinth then changed to a black void, but the light persisted. Just as quickly it passed, but Sayaka was suddenly aware of sweat falling down her face, her sword shaking in her grip.

Rachel's expression finally changed to a satisfied smile. "I see. So you really are the one."

There was something about Rachel that seemed to rub Sayaka the wrong way. Only now though did she realize exactly why that was though. It was that smile.

That was the smile that let you know that someone knew something important but wouldn't share it with others, the look of someone who knows far more than he/she lets on and whose words are always filled with cryptic bullshit. An image of Kyubey and Homura Akemi, the Mahou Shoujo that had exemplified that feeling (even if she never seemed to smile), suddenly seemed to superimpose themselves over Rachel, and she felt instant dislike return underneath her feeling of illness.

Sayaka was then aware of a hand on her shoulder. Looking back around, she saw that Ragna was looking down at her with something resembling concern on his face.

"Hey, you alright?" he asked her. "You're all sweaty and trembling."

She shook her head. "I-I'm fine," she answered, removing a hand from her cutlass to put to her head.

"Not gonna pass out on me, are you?" he prodded. "Last thing I need is for someone here to think I did something to you."

"Being a gentleman for once, Ragna?" Rachel asked in mock surprise. "Color me impressed. I never would have thought you had it in you."

Ragna ignored the jibe, still looking at Sayaka, who nodded her head while wiping some of the sweat off her brow.

"I said I'm fine," she insisted. "Just...a flash or something."

"No doubt of the Azure and Boundary," Rachel interrupted them, directing their attention back to her. "It would appear that whatever happened to you that sent you to this time had something significant to do with both of them."

"What the hell are you talking about, Rabbit?" Ragna asked for her. "What do you mean she's the one? And what's all this talk about the Azure and the Boundary?"

She rolled her eyes. "Be patient you cretin, and I'll explain." She then turned her red eyes upon Sayaka, boring into her blue ones with a strange intensity. "And I'd recommend you pay attention, Ms. Sayaka Miki," she added, causing the bluenette to flinch at her tone, "because what you learn tonight might very well decide your future."

"Firstly, are you aware of the idea of alternate realities?"

Sayaka blinked. "Uh...you mean like those sci-fi things about meeting your alternate self?"

Rachel seemed to suppress a sigh. "Well, I suppose that's one way to put it. The Boundary is the place where all said timelines intersect. By traveling through the Boundary, one can gain access to different times and even different realities to the 'home' universe. It is also possible to simply 'observe' the possibilities of the different worlds by watching it. Of course, if one is not careful or enters by accident, they can end up stranded in an entirely different world permanently."

"So what you're saying is that Sayaka somehow fell into the Boundary and ended up here?" Ragna asked, not entirely certain he was following where the hell this was all going. "And you're saying that she's not really from here here?"

"Correct...even though you were never part of this conversation in the first place. Did I ever give you leave to join in?"

"Bite me, bunny leech!"

However, Sayaka felt like there was something else in all of this she wasn't getting. "Wait a minute...then what's this 'Azure' you guys keep mentioning? First that kid said something about Ragna's right arm, and then that blob thing that attacked Tao and me wouldn't shut up about it."

"The Azure that the boy no doubt spoke of is the Azure Grimoire," Rachel replied. "Considered the strongest of all grimoires, items that are used to control and access Ars Magus, the Azure Grimoire is the only one in existence which has the ability to tap into the power of the Azure. The Azure itself is an existence that resides within the Boundary and is the true power of the Boundary, the result of the various timelines connecting together. The Azure, in a sense, can be considered the heart and soul of the Boundary, for without it the void-like space wouldn't even exist. As you might be able to guess, anyone who can access even a fraction of that power could easily become the strongest living being on the planet."

Sayaka looked over at Ragna. "And your entire right arm is the Grimoire?"

In answer, Ragna pulled back the long sleeve of his white shirt and removed his glove. Sayaka's eyes widened as everything from mid bicep down looked like a normal arm, but as black as that dark void she had seen briefly. He flexed it, allowing her to see the arm move just like a normal one.

"Trust me, I didn't get this thing just by asking," Ragna told her, his tone growing slightly bitter. "I got this the day everything in my otherwise normal life went to shit in a handcart."

"And I was the one who gave it to him," Rachel added. "It was either that or watch him die of blood loss."

"After you bit me," Ragna grumbled back, rubbing his neck. "I can still remember the feeling."

"You're still alive, aren't you?" Rachel asked him. "Come to think of it, I never received so much as a 'thank you' for my services, not to mention your utter disregard for any of my words or requests. If anyone should be bitter about that day, it should be me."

Sayaka looked between the two of them, noticing that their little back-and-forth, while heated definitely on one side, seemed almost natural, as if this was literally how they always interacted and their own way of showing their feelings unknown to outsiders.

She gave the Azure another glance, and then an image of that light flashed before her mind's eye again. "Does the Azure look like a pure blue light?" she suddenly asked, breaking up the dialogue before it could devolve into another insult match with swearing.

Rachel gave Sayaka a curious glance. "...In theory it should. I have never beheld it with my own eyes myself, so I wouldn't know. But from the sound of things, it would appear that you encountered the Azure itself during your trip through the Boundary."

"Is that even possible?" Ragna asked.

"It would certainly explain why she isn't dead or insane yet," Rachel answered. "Most who travel through the Boundary even for a few moments are lucky to retain their physical form, as that blob-like creature you encountered can attest to. Assuming you survive that, you'll no doubt lose your memories of your time within, along with any memories that involve exactly what happened before you entered."

Sayaka felt her spirits sink. "So you're basically saying I have no chance of learning what happened to me," she stated, then felt a rise of resentment in her gut. "Thanks for the news flash."

"Not necessarily," Rachel replied. "In time, your memories might return to you, but that remains to be seen. Focusing on the now though, I have some questions of my own I wish to ask about you."

'Oh no you don't,' Sayaka thought to herself, shaking her head. "Sorry, but I want more answers before I start talking. What's this seithr you keep talking about, and what about this Black Beast? By the way, why are you people living up in the sky and not on the ground, and why are so many cities apparently abandoned?"

She finally just shook her head. "On second thought, just give me a really condensed, need-to-know summary of the last two hundred years. Then I'll start talking."

"Oh my," the cat next to Rachel said. "You really are asking for a lot aren't you?"

"Nago, be silent," Rachel said, then looked at Sayaka. "I suppose that is a fair trade. However, I don't believe I am the best person to ask such a thing of."

Suddenly, she turned towards Ragna. "Ragna! As my pseudo-Servant, I hereby order you to in charge of Ms. Miki's education until she has become sufficiently informed of the current events, all in that brief and down-to-earth method of yours. Until such time, you are to accompany her and help her become more acquainted with the state of the current world."

"Wait, what?" Ragna and Sayaka both asked at the same time, but Rachel wasn't done.

"I would also suggest that you spend some time training her," she added as an afterthought. "While I do not doubt her skills, it would be best if she got a good idea of what some of today's warriors are capable of."

"Hey, I didn't sign on for this-"

"Do not fear, I will eventually send Valkenhayn to evaluate her progress. His report will reflect on my overall opinion of you as a teacher and a human being."

"Don't you do this, Rabbit-"

"Once she has been sufficiently informed, I will return and ask my questions."

"I'm warning you-"

"If I find you have been shirking in those duties, I will give Valkenhayn my express permission to be in charge of your reeducation on keeping promises."

"I will fucking stab you-"

Suddenly, Rachel turned about and opened another portal. "I have faith in your abilities Ragna, as little as they are. Do not fail me."

"Don't you dare-"

Rachel turned to look at Sayaka, and there was just the barest hint of something in her gaze the Mahou Shoujo found utterly at odds with almost everything she had seen in her demeanor and words so far.

It was hopefulness.

"I look forward to our next meeting, Miss Sayaka," she said, then began to back into the portal. "As a final piece of advice to the both of you, do not fight Yuuki Terumi. Neither of you has what it takes to beat him as you are."

"Who?" Sayaka asked.

"Ask Ragna. He will tell you everything."

With that, Rachel and her familiars passed through the portal, which immediately shut.

Before Sayaka or Ragna could say anything though, the familiar form of Taokaka suddenly rushed back in through the door, holding a bunch of fried fish with on a huge plate with almost five of them sticking out of her mouth.

"Good Guy! Fishy Lady!" she shouted. "It's supper time!"

She then noticed the bewildered looks both of them were shooting her.

"What's wrong?" she asked innocently, "Did Tao miss something meow?"

Orient Town (Faye-Ling Clinic)

Linhua, Litchi Faye Ling's assistant, sighed to herself as she glanced at the clock on the far wall. Ms. Litchi had left several hours ago when a member of the Kaka clan had come seeking her assistance for two sick patients that couldn't be moved out out of the village, leaving her to watch over the place and the patients that were currently resting inside.

Normally, such an assignment wouldn't worry her too much. The doctor had left for extended periods in the past, so this wasn't anything new to her. However, she had never left when there was a potentially dangerous patient currently resting in the clinic either.

At the thought, her eyes briefly glanced over to a bed out in the corner, where a young blond boy dressed in purple was sleeping. Nearby, standing almost like a guardian angel was the purple doll that 'ninja', Mr. Bang, had brought with him, claiming that it belonged to the boy, whose name was Carl.

The boy had looked like he'd been through a wringer when he had been brought in, bleeding from several areas and bruises all over his body. And like an idiot Linhua had originally assumed that it had been Mr. Bang who had caused it, especially considering that he also looked like he had been attacked before coming inside.

Luckily, Ms. Litchi cleared up that misunderstanding before it got too out of hand (after she gave Linhua a lecture about not attacking men in the privates and Bang one about not dropping a patient upon seeing the nurse) and had set to work helping him. Mr. Bang had left not long afterwards, stating he had other business to attend to.

Since then, she and Ms. Litchi had been watching over the boy for any signs of him waking up, of which there was none, and even after Litchi had been called away there had been no change, aside from some shifting in his sleep so that his face was no longer facing her.

'At least he seems to be alright,' she thought to herself as she walked over to where he was, noting the steady rise and fall of his chest, then turned her attention to the purple doll, shuddering slightly. 'but why do I feel like that thing's watching my every move?'

She stared for just a little longer, then sighed and shook her head as she turned around. She had no idea how much longer she'd have until Ms. Litchi was back, so she wondered if she should set a pot of tea in case it would be sooner rather than latter.

'Maybe I'll go for green-'

She didn't get any farther in her thoughts before she heard something move faintly from behind her. Normally, that wouldn't have been enough to stop her, if she also was suddenly lifted off the ground by a very firm, metal grip.

"I was wondering when you would finally get close enough for Sis to grab you without giving it away," Carl Clover said slowly as he opened his eyes and untangled himself from the bedsheets, wincing slightly as he got to his feet. "I suppose a 'thank you' is in order."

Linhua managed to turn her head to look at him, also confirming that, yes, it was the purple doll that was holding her. "When did you..." she started in surprise, "H-How long were you-"

"For the past two hours or so, give or take," he replied. "It was definitely after the doctor left the premises, from the way I never heard anyone but you wandering around the building. Even so, I was worried that the doctor would be back before I managed to catch you, but it would appear that Lady Luck has saw fit to smile down on me again."

Carl stopped talking for a moment as he grabbed his glasses from a nearby shelf and put them on, then picked up his top hat from the same shelf before moving onto his cape near a chair. The whole time, Linhua watched him worriedly, not so much scared of him as what he could order his doll to do to her. Carl noticed her expression as he placed on his hat.

"Oh, are you worried about Sis?" he asked her, then shook his head. "Don't be. I'm not gonna hurt you, just making sure you don't stop me from leaving."

Suddenly, Nirvana began to move towards Carl's vacant bed, Linhua still in her grip, despite the girl's efforts to the contrary to get out. "M-Ms. Litchi-"

"Oh don't worry," he replied almost casually as he tied on his cape. "I'd rather that no one got hurt here. I'll just take my leave now before she comes back."

"But you're still hurt!" she told him, a bit of her training as a nurse coming to the fore. "You need at least a day's rest to fully recover, and you barely got half of that!"

Carl grimaced, her words almost like a trigger for a spike of pain in his arm where the Grim Reaper had struck especially hard, but he pushed it aside. "Maybe so, but I'll live. I always have." He glanced towards Nirvana. "Sis, put her down...gently."

The doll complied, dropping Linhua on the bed before moving to his side, picking him up with one arm. Carl settled into the embrace, his eyes not once leaving the girl as stared at him warily. The silence was deafening, and Carl was suddenly struck with the urge to say something, anything, to break it.

"...Still, I thank you and the doctor for your aid," he finally decided to say. He tilted his hat in her direction. "Good night to you, Miss...?"

"Linhua," she replied slowly, not daring to move from her position.

He nodded. "I'll be sure to remember that." He turned to Nirvana. "Sis, let's go."

The duo moved towards the door, quickly opening it and fleeing into the night after closing it. Linhua watched them go silently.

She was still watching the door when Ms. Litchi finally returned with that Kaka, and she quickly rose from her position to tell her what had happened.

Kagutsuchi Port (Morning)

Relius Clover stepped off the shuttle with nary a misstep, his eyes taking in the other ships docked in the area before moving on to the general skyline. Kagutsuchi wasn't a grand place in any sense of the word, in fact, compared to some of the other cities it was almost mediocre. Then again, perhaps that was why Hazama had chosen this place as the site of the smelting of the Sword. Not enough very big, but enough to suit their purposes.

He shook his head. While the idea of watching the Sword be smelted at last was certainly appealing to his mind, he had other things to worry about first, foremost of which being that new Azure.

'Now, where to begin?' he mused to himself, walking down from the shuttle with a calm and determined gait. 'It would likely be best if I started at the NOL office for a meeting with Hazama. Perhaps he found something during my hasty trip here, or mayhaps I should-'

"S-Sir?"

Relius blinked and turned his head towards the voice directed at him. In front of him, there was a young red-haired woman dressed in the white and yellow garb of one of the Wings of Justice, along with a similarly colored hat with wings coming out the side and a single blue eye in the center. By her side, he could just make out a sheathed short sword concealed by her cloak.

'Who...ah yes, the Izayoi wielder. So this is the Yayoi child...what was her rank?'

"Yes, First Lieutenant Yayoi?" he asked her, remembering it. "Is something amiss?"

The Lieutenant seemed almost disturbed by his gaze, concealed as it was by his mask, as was the fact he knew who she was. A common reaction by most, but it was slightly commendable how she immediately pulled herself together. "I...forgive me, Colonel Clover. I just...hadn't expected to see one of the heads of the Experiment R&D department here."

"I admit, my presence here may seem strange, but I am here on classified business, Lieutenant," he replied politely. "But if I may be so bold, what is one of the Wings of Justice doing here, and armed with such a powerful artifact as the Izayoi?"

"My orders are directly from the Imperator herself," she responded with the air of an obedient soldier. "I'm sorry, but I cannot reveal the details to even one such as yourself. I hope you understand." A brief bow. "And please, forgive me for my earlier outburst, sir."

'Hmm, so her mission is still on? Very well.' "My apologizes then," he replied. "And yes, I shall." Another glance towards the shape of the sheathed Ars Armagus. "If I may be so bold as to ask though, may I see it?"

The Lieutenant noticed where his gaze was going and hesitated for a moment. However, her training as a soldier overcame her misgivings. "O-Of course, Colonel."

With a swift movement she removed the blade from its sheathe and presented it to Relius grip-first. The colonel took it and allowed his eyes to glance over it, noting the quill-tip-shaped blade, dyed a crimson red like blood. For a moment, he almost imagined it covered in the very same substance.

'The Sealed Weapon Izayoi...to think such a failed experiment survived to the present day. I would have suspected it to have been destroyed at the end of the Dark War, but I suppose it was natural some fool would believe it worth holding on to.'

With a deft moment he flipped the blade around and handed it back to the Yayoi. "A pleasure running into you, ma'am, but I'm afraid I'm in a bit of a hurry. If you'll excuse me."

"Y-Yes, of course, sir!"

By that point, Relius had already turned away, heading straight for the NOL Office.

'To think that that relic is the prototype of the Nox Ncytores Lux Sanctus,' he thought to himself. 'It's almost poetic that Hazama would order her to slay the 12th with what is essentially her parent...though considering Hazama in general, I almost would have been disappointed if he hadn't done so. Either way, she will serve her purpose well enough with it, regardless of whether she lives or dies.'

His thoughts turned away from the Sealed Weapon, instead focusing on his current tasks.

'Let the experimentation begin,' he thought to himself with what might have been the barest hints of anticipation. 'What challenges shall await me?'

Near Kaka Village

As the faint rays of sun filtered through the metal city above to reach the village of the Kaka clan, the power of sleep still held sway over a majority of its inhabitants. All was quiet and peaceful, the silence almost something that could be reached out and grabbed onto.

"Hah!"

"Yah!"

The clash of blades sounded in the meadow nearby, shattering that illusion. In the field of combat, two warriors swung away at each other, one with mighty two-handed cleaver, the other with twin cutlasses. The latter swung quickly and frenziedly at the former, who didn't so much really attack as just block the blows, sparks flying as metal collided.

"You're wasting too much energy!" Ragna called out to his opponent, deflecting another strike. "Those swords might be stronger than the norm and you might be a little tougher than most girls your age, but that don't mean jack shit if you can't even break past an enemy's guard, much less if you use up too much energy to defend yourself."

As if to punctuate that statement he swung his own blade from the side, watching as Sayaka raised her blades to match it. They clashed, but it was Sayaka who gave way under the pressure, being forced back with a powerful grunt. Ragna rested his blade in the ground as he stared at her slumped form, watching as she took several deep breaths.

"You ready to quit?" he asked her.

"Like hell!" she snapped back, standing up straight and assuming another ready stance. "We're gonna keep going, at least until I need to be dragged back to learn about this place."

After Rachel's little...visit from last night, Ragna had been left in a bit of a bind. He wanted to be out and searching for that bastard Terumi, but he also really didn't want a pissed-off Rachel and her wolf servant on his ass either. So, he had reluctantly (emphasis on reluctantly) decided to put aside his search for now and focus on helping the girl who saved his life.

Luckily for him, Torakaka, after being informed of the proceedings sometime later by a loudmouthed Tao (he really shouldn't have told her what the heck just happened, come to think of it) had offered to be the one who gave Sayaka a more thorough education on the technical side of the world.

Of course, that still left Ragna with training her, which at least was a subject he could get behind.

"Well then, let's get back to it," Ragna replied, lifting his sword again. He wouldn't admit it out loud just yet, but he was at least a little impressed with Sayaka's fortitude. No matter times he knocked her on her ass, she just kept coming back, getting even more pissed in the process. However, she seemed to rely on her healing abilities far too much, as her normal strategy seemed just be charging straight in and hack away at her target regardless of her own injuries, only breaking away if she was too hurt and to focus more energy in healing up.

But again, he admired her guts. It reminded him of himself during his own training, when he first managed to activate the Azure out pure anger and land a hit on his master, though it didn't do much and he got his ass handed to him afterwards.

'Wonder if Jubei had this much fun knocking the ever-loving shit out of me too?' he wondered idly, watching as she tossed aside her second sword to just hold the one.

"Sacrificing defense and unpredictability for extra power and striking speed, huh?" he asked her casually. "Not a bad strategy all in all, though I doubt its effectiveness against someone with a weapon like mine."

'Like I'll meet someone who lugs around a cleaver like it's a light tree branch,' Sayaka thought bitterly, already moving. Her sword clashed with Ragna's above the man's head, but she immediately summoned another sword in her free hand to try and get underneath his guard. Before she could thrust forward with it though, Ragna put his other hand on the non-bladed edge of his own weapon and pushed her back, causing her to trip over her own feet and fall to the ground.

"Not a bad effort at misdirection, but you took too long summoning and swinging that second sword. It would have been better if you just pulled back and attacked with the first one," he commented as she got back to her feet. "You're footwork's also too sloppy, even before you got this exhausted. You need to be able to stay balanced at all times during a fight and dodge incoming attacks at a moment's notice!"

As he said those last words he lunged forward, both hands on his sword as he swung at an angle. Sayaka managed to jump out of the way and counterattacked, swords flashing forward in her own lunge, only to be blocked once again. She threw away the second sword again and unleashed a flurry of fast strikes, all of which impacted with that slab of a sword like an indomitable wall.

'If only I could shoot my magic out of my sword again...' she thought bitterly, but for some reason she couldn't even make the energy form around it like last time. It was like she needed some sort of trigger or something to make it work.

"Don't take your mind off the fight!"

Suddenly, Ragna's fist came out of nowhere as he pulled his blade back behind him, aiming directly for her chest. To the girl's credit, she remembered his advice and, with her reflexes, managed to twist enough to avoid it. Seeing a potential opening, she brought her blade back and lunged forward with her whole body while his arm was still extended, gambling that she could hit him before he could maneuver his sword back into position.

She wasn't expecting him to just let go of it and dodge himself, grabbing her arm while he was at it.

"Next lesson!"

He punctuated that with a knee to the stomach and throwing her to the ground roughly.

"Never move your body closer than you need to while fighting an opponent. A smart enemy will grab you if given the chance and do what I just did."

"Did you...have to be so...hands-on?" she wheezed as she tried to catch her breath.

"I've found such methods stick better when applied painfully," he replied as he retrieved his weapon. "My teacher was a hardass, but he knew how to make sure I remembered what he taught me."

She growled, really wishing she could shoot him with a magic burst right now, and took a deep breath before charging in again, letting loose slash after slash after slash. All they did was make contact with his blade or were dodged outright, but Ragna noted that now the strikes were slowly devolving into wild blows as anger and frustration started to take over.

'About damn time too,' he thought to himself. 'I was wondering when we were gonna get to this lesson.'

Sayaka, unaware of her 'teacher's' inner thoughts, finally lunged forward in a powerful thrust, only to watch as the blade shattered against the superior metal of Ragna's own weapon. Not even hesitating, she cast it aside, summoned another blade and kept on going, her face twisting into a deep scowl as her efforts continued to be for naught. Again and again her attacks proved ineffective, even when she summoned the second sword all over again.

And all the while, Sayaka could only focus on Ragna's slightly bemused expression as he blocked her strikes with seemingly barely any effort. She was getting sick of it and the desire to wipe it off by force kept on growing, all in conjecture with the red that was filling the edges of her vision.

Finally, with a wordless shout she swung both arms with all her strength in an overhead slash, not even aware of a surge of power that seemed to fill her or the strange hum that started to fill the air. Her only indication was when Ragna's eyes widened in surprise before raising his sword to block, twin blue lights smashing into the metal with a sound not unlike a lightsaber.

She blinked in surprise as the realization of what she just did penetrated the haze of anger forming in her mind.

'So I just needed to get really pissed and it worked?' she wondered, then cast the thought aside as she attempted to capitalize on her new advantage, face twisting into a smile as she prepared to open a can of whoop-

Suddenly, Ragna pushed forward and broke the stalemate, forcing her back. His sword then came swinging around before her mind and reflexes could properly catch up with the sudden change, actually knocking both of her blades from her hands. Her eyes followed them on instinct, during which time Ragna gave her a solid kick to the chest that sent her flying. The blue-haired girl landed on the ground with a thud, Ragna's blade at her throat before she could even get halfway off the ground.

"First off, don't let your emotions control you during battle," he said at first, his mismatched eyes gazing into her own. "There's a place for anger, but it's not in a fight for life and death."

His stare was like a bucket of cold water on the remaining embers of her anger, leaving only bitterness. "And?" she asked, if only to speed up the process of him letting her up.

"Stay focused. You could have made an opening when your swords went all glowing and shit if you actually bothered to attack when I was still wondering what was going on, instead of staring like you just remembered you could do that. Dangerous enemies don't let losses like that slip by."

Sayaka was silent, taking deep and careful breaths as she tried to get her strength back. Ragna watched her do so for a moment or two, then grunted as he pulled his sword back and offered her a helping hand. She stared at it in brief confusion, then slowly took it, allowing him to help her up.

"But still, not too bad, all things considered," Ragna admitted. "You seem to know which end of the sword you're supposed to hold and you've got some skill when you're not just charging in sword-swinging."

Sayaka felt a scowl come across her face at the almost backhanded praise. "Well, it worked well enough against the creatures I fought against on a daily basis," she tried to retort, feeling the need to try and justify her lack of skill. "They weren't exactly the smartest things to deal with, and it wasn't like I had teachers to train me..."

"Well, now you're fighting things with brains to see through tactics like that...usually," Ragna replied. "And you've got me as a teacher. You won't have any excuse for such shitty swordsmanship when I'm done with you."

She groaned. "You're enjoying this, aren't you you asshole?" she asked as she summoned a healing circle underneath herself, feeling her body's pain ease as her magic worked.

Ragna didn't answer, but a smirk did cross his features as he walked away, picking up her fallen blades and tossing them to her. She caught them both without cutting herself, though only just barely.

"I've been called worse," he finally said, assuming a ready stance. "Still want to keep going?"

Sayaka looked down at herself, the light from her circle fading, and then at her swords, once more missing their glow.

'Let's see here...'

Remembering earlier, she concentrated on her feelings of anger and annoyance at being unable to match Ragna, and to her surprise watching the blades once again began to emit blue light.

'So, anger's my trigger for now, huh?' she thought with a sense of satisfaction at one thing going right for her, then looked back at the still-waiting Ragna, whose face had morphed to one of slight impressiveness.

"I think I'm good."

She charged once more, blades at the ready.

"Yeesh, you look all beat up, Fishy Lady," Tao quipped as she looked at her friend, whose head was currently lying down on a table, arms crossed as if trying to sleep. "Did you get hit by something?"

"...Yeah..." she muttered from her position. "It was a giant red truck, flashing lights and everything. Came out of nowhere and hit me like a lightning bolt to the face. All I saw was a single word: Ragna."

The lesson with Ragna lasted for about another fifteen minutes or so. Sayaka was quick to discover that while the blue light increased the power of her strikes and made her blades both sharper and tougher, it still availed her little in the long run: Ragna just had the overwhelming advantage of strength, defense and speed on his side which rendered that a moot point. In addition, as she discovered, maintaining the light also cost her a bunch of energy, which quickly took its toll on her as the session dragged on to the 4-minute mark and she was moving too slowly to effectively use the power effectively.

Not once did she managed to hit Ragna, and she, despite her best efforts to the contrary and having a stronger than normal body, felt like someone had run her over with a truck, backed up to hit her again, and repeated the process twenty times. Ragna in turn looked like he had just gotten through with a light walk, calmly putting his sword away and carrying her back to the village.

By 'carry', she meant slinging her body over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, her impotently raging at him while he ignored her weak blows. Now she was here with a splitting headache while awaiting the most dreaded part of her day.

Tao blinked. "I didn't know Good Guy was made of metal," she replied. "He always tasted like meat meow!"

"No, I meant-" Sayaka paused, turning her head to look into the Kaka's red eyes. "Wait, how do you-"

"Well, I see that you're doing well."

Sayaka's head snapped towards the front of the room. She and Tao were in the place that she had awaken in last night, which she had more or less been told would be her room during the duration of her stay. Yet despite the fact that the only way for someone to get inside would be through the door behind them, the gray and yellow figure of the Kaka by the name of Torakaka was by the opposite wall, arms crossed and grinning like she had always been there.

"How did you get in here?" Sayaka found herself asking.

Tora gave her a confused expression. "Through the door. How else?"

Sayaka's gaze quickly snapped between the two points. "When did-"

"Just now," Tora replied.

"But how-"

"Through the door, of course. I just said that." Though Tora's tone was almost confused, the cat-smile breaking out on her face made it clear how she really felt.

Sayaka just shook her head and sighed. "Never mind...You're really fast though," she added as an afterthought.

"It's what I was trained to do," Tora replied, dropping the pretense of confusion. "As the village's guardian, it was a necessary part of my training."

"Torakaka's a ninja!" Tao added with equal parts happiness and awe. "And someday I'll be one too!"

"I'm sure you will, Tao," Tora told her warmly. "I have little doubt you'll be one of the best."

Sayaka watched the brief interaction between the two cat-girls and had the distinct feeling she was watching two siblings play with each other. "Yeah," she decided to add her two cents in. "You'll be the best guardian the village ever had."

"Ahh, thanks Fishy Lady! Tao's really happy neow!" Suddenly, she seemed to stiffen, as if she had just remembered something important. "Oh no, I almost forgot to go see Good Guy off!" Quickly, she bounded out of the building. "Bye, Tora! Bye, Fishy Lady!"

Sayaka turned back around to look at Tora, who now had a real puzzled look on her face. "What's wrong?

"What was that about?" she asked in turn. "About Ragna?"

Sayaka rolled her eyes, remembering what the white-haired man had said after he dropped her back off. "He said something about going off to the city, wanting to check something out before coming back."

'Probably just wanted some alone time,' she figured mentally, but then shrugged. 'Eh, I'd probably want some to if I had to babysit someone who couldn't really fight that well either.'

"Really? Well, I'm sure he can take care of himself." Tora replied before handing her what looked like a history book. "Meanwhile, let's start with the days before the Dark War, shall we?"

Sayaka tried to force a smile, though she was certain it came out more like a grimace. No matter what world she was in, it appear her reaction to studying facts and schoolwork would always be the same. "Yeah, sure..."

'I bet there's no one else having a worse day than me right now...'

Outskirts of Kagutsuchi, Near the Forest

"Hrngh!"

The pained grunt of the blond-haired man resounded through the forest as he leaned against an old rotting tree, his white gloved hand pressing against his right side. He was young and handsome, dressed in some form of official military uniform complete with a blue jacket with red trimming and detached sleeves, along with a white Japanese -style garment over a black turtleneck and leggings.

Of course, if one could see beneath those clothes, they also would have gotten a good look at the large swath of bandages that were wrapped around his torso, chest, and left arm.

Jin Kisaragi, Major of the 4th Thaumaturgist Squadron of the Novus Orbis Librarium, clutched his side tighter as a fresh wave of pain assailed him. Admittedly, leaping out of a flying airship with naught but a parachute and still recovering from previous grievous injuries, not to mention forcing his way through a forest under the cover of night was not one of his brightest plans, but it was the only viable one available to him at the time.

"Damnit!" he snarled in anger and pain, looking up towards his goal, so near to him, "Not yet...I'll rest when I choose to, not before!"

Taking a moment to steady himself, his left hand tightened its grip upon the blue sheath of the katana at his side. His mind, not for the first time since his awakening hours before, replayed the available information he got from the officer treating him.

'I still can't believe it...three days I was unconscious? Brother could be long gone by now-no, he's still here, I know it! But...why would Captain Hazama remove me from the field like that?'

He shook his head. Of course he knew the reason why. After all, he had gone to the city unauthorized and on his own volition. By rights, that constituted, regardless of intent, a breach in the NOL code and therefore made him a traitor. No doubt, if he wasn't the famed 'Hero of Ikaruga', he likely would have been tried for several accounts of insubordination right then and there.

'And by forcibly returning, I risk greater difficulties, particularly if I run into the Captain...'

For a moment, he hesitated. He could give up the chase right here and now and try to find the NOL base within the city. If he did so, he could avoid further trouble and keep things from getting worse for himself. His position and status made him too 'important' (he sneered at the word) to just be cast aside like a normal insubordinate, but there were limits to what the NOL would accept as tolerable even from the likes of him.

But he set his jaw. He needed to return to the city, confront his brother, and finish what they started days earlier. He couldn't abandon his best chance of finally completing his life goal; he had known the risks when he first set out from his office. Might as well go for broke.

For a moment, he thought about the words of that strangely familiar one-eyed cat he met within the forest, about the 'hidden power' within himself, but he shook his head. Assuming his words weren't utter nonsense, which Jin was still convinced they were, he had no interest in training when he was already strong enough. Yukianesa was all the power he needed: He had simply underestimated Brother when it had counted most, and he would not let that happen again.

And if it came down to it...he could always deal with the Captain the old-fashioned way.

"I don't have anymore time to waste," he grunted, looking down at his side. The several minutes he had spent pondering had eased the ache in his side somewhat, but he kept his hand on it regardless. He turned his attention back towards the city, so near to him.

"I'm coming for you, Brother," he snarled, a slightly maniac gleam entering his green eyes. "Make sure you don't die 'til I get there!"

Chapter done! I know it's probably not what people were expecting, but trust me, I actually cut this chapter in half near the end, so hopefully the next update will be quicker. (As a side, how do people think I did with Rachel? I hope I got the condescending attitude down pat.)

So, Sayaka and Ragna are stuck together now, Relius is in Kagutsuchi, Carl is out and about, and Jin's coming! What will await Ragna on his trip to the city? What will come out of this? Find out next time.

Fav, follow, and review people! Seriously, just a few minutes to explain why you like this story or chapter is all I ask and would be greatly appreciated!