The Scramble [Complete]

[Nanoha Takamachi]

Far too much white to be the destination portal, either the Dimensional Transfer had gone wrong, or something was very much amiss here. Nanoha wasn't entirely sure which was the more likely option, but that strange entry sequence message was a strong indication of the latter. Probably an extra twenty six percent or so. Taking a moment to gather her bearings; gravity seemed to have regular directional parameters, and the ground felt solid underfoot. Raising Heart was floating a few inches above her and yet her barrier jacket hadn't been activated, so it was clear that the immediate area didn't appear to be a particularly dangerous situation.

'Raising Heart, run a diagnostic. Systems check, then a location matrix. Find out where we are." Nanoha paused, turning on the spot to study the large structure behind her, and added an afterthought. "The transfer didn't misfire, did it?"

No, Master. No issues detected in Dimensional Transfer. Outside interference detect. Diagnostic loading.

Nanoha sighed, before turning her attention back to the shifting structure before here. It looked like some sort of enormous water feature, but it was growing at a rapid pace. The water itself didn't even seem to be a real liquid, rather some sort of bizarre illusionary trick that sprouted from the centre of the... Fountain? Best thing to call it, for now. Even as she watched, large spikes began to grow out of it and the entire thing shifted hue to a darker tone. It was unnerving, this constantly changing feature in an otherwise blank and uncomfortably white landscape. Doubly so when she couldn't detect any obvious mana source powering it. The growth seemed to spring from nothing. Logically impossible, of course, but Nanoha wasn't sensing any real illusion-type magic at play here either. As far as she could tell, what she saw was reality.

Diagnostic complete. Total shut down of key systems, mana output levels nominal, mana shaping capacity greatly reduced. Device form limited to Axel Mode.

Nanoha turned sharply to her Device, and friend, at the last part of the diagnostic report. How could Raising Heart's capabilities be so limited, yet no external damage appeared to have been sustained. She hadn't felt any drain of her Linker Core too, which was confirmed from her Device's output level meter.
"Run the Location Matrix, please."

Location Matrix unavailable. Dimensional tracking system not responding... Initiating Area Search.

Considering the situation, and the circumstances involved here, was beginning to give Nanoha a sinking feeling in the pit of her gut. An abrupt Dimensional Transfer issue, a very unusual entry sequence message by some sort of strange featureless creature, core issues with Raising Heart's systems and now they were unable to link up with TSAB's tracking system? The list of possible causes were shrinking rapidly, and everything pointed towards an exceptionally dangerous conclusion.

Obviously she had encountered an unregistered, undocumented Lost Logia. One of the powerful devices from Ancient Belka all the way out on the fringes of TSAB regulated space-time? Unheard of, but also not entire inconceivable. Caution would be wise here, and it was a good thing Raising Heart had already thought to cast an area search. Nanoha watched as the four mana spheres launched themselves across the blank landscape, but it didn't take long to receive a report from the orb that had travelled around the fountain.

Lifeforms detected. Status, unknown. Co-ordinates are specific. Three... Recalculating... Four. Detected.

They were around the other side of the fountain. Had they already been here? Perhaps more victims of this Lost Logia's powers? Taking note of the still changing shape of the fountain, Nanoha headed around the curve towards the side she had designated as 'south' for the time being.

Rounding the fountain, four figures came into view. All were humanoid, though all very different. Crouching down behind a steadily growing offshoot from the fountain, Nanoha surveyed them carefully. One appeared to be a robotic construct of some sort, and the other three were vaguely human-like creatures with varying size, shape and skin colouration. She couldn't make out what they were saying from this distance, but the largest and smallest of the two appeared to be in some sort of verbal alteration, and Nanoha felt that familiar urge to step in and ensure nothing escalated. It was but a moment after considering this that others began to appear as well. Small pulses of light followed by some sort of visual distortion, a bending of the air that swirled a figure into existence. It didn't take long at all for there to be eight creatures total.

Nanoha hesitated. Eight strangers, all clearly as disorientated as she was. Not particularly reassuring, but perhaps some friends could be made here.
"Raising Heart, run a scan here. See what you can find out about these people, but be ready for anything."

Understood, master. Standby, ready.

As she stood, several of them had begun to look around further than just the other people near them. One of the newest arrivals pointed out into the distance in two directions while talking to the others, right as Raising Heart projected two video feeds onto Nanoha's visual display.

Area Search completed. Additional life forms located. Locations are specific. Limited visual feed available.

Taking a brief glance at the visual feeds before dismissing them, Nanoha stepped forward towards the eight strangers in front of yes. It was easy to infer they had finally spotted the onlookers as well.
"Hello, everyone. She's right, we aren't alone out here. There's two groups; two and three."

She paused as they all turned her way, some briefly surprised by another sudden presence.
"I am Nanoha Takamachi, Major in the Time/Space Administration Bureau. I... Hope we can all get along; it would be nice to find some friends here, in this desolate landscape."