Chapter 17
Chapter 17: Summer Holiday part 2
On the spaceship shuttle to Carnaaji, Morgan taught Vivio and the two adults how to play poker. "It's good to know a few card games when you're sitting around a campfire or waiting in ambush," she explained. "That’s what Hayate-sensei always tells us—sometimes you can wait for a week in a secluded area with your team, so knowing card games is useful."
"Hayate?!" Ellen and Nanoha exclaimed in unison, then sighed. "Oh, you mean a different Hayate. We know someone with the same name, but she's a woman and one of the few EX-rank mages in the TSAB."
Morgan whistled. "She sounds strong!"
After a while, Vivio groaned, "Geez, you're good at bluffing! Ninjas are on a whole different level!"
With smiles, they arrived at Carnaaji. If Morgan had to describe the planet, she'd call it idyllic—a favorite holiday spot filled with lush greenery, vibrant flowers, and crystal-clear lakes. The air was fresh, scented with the rich aroma of nature, and the sun cast a warm, golden light over everything. Ellen explained that this planet housed endangered magical species and plants. These species were kept here if their original habitats were in crisis and sent back once things calmed down, making it a natural reserve for rare fauna and flora. Morgan looked down at the view, smiling as she saw Vivio’s sparkling eyes beside her, equally delighted. I’m glad she’s smiling, Vivio thought. She hasn’t smiled much since we met.
As they disembarked from the shuttle, Morgan felt a surge of excitement. "This place is amazing! I can’t wait to explore!"
Ellen laughed. "Let's unpack at the hotel and greet our friend."
At the hotel, a small woman with long purple hair approached them. "Nanoha, Vivio, Ellen—and you must be Morgan! I’m Lutecia Alpine, your host! Come in and unpack; we’ve prepared a nice brunch!"
While the adults talked, Morgan and Vivio headed upstairs to their room. Morgan helped carry Vivio's bags since hers were stored in her ninja scroll. The room was cozy, with lots of wood accents and medium-sized beds, each with its desk, lamp, and wardrobe. A huge window opened onto a balcony with a view of Carnaaji’s lush landscape, welcoming and calm. Vivio unpacked her bags, looking up from her half-finished suitcase. "Oh, my friend Einhart is gonna join us later! Usually, Corona and Rio would come along, but Rio-chan is in summer school, and Cro-chan is working on a project. We’re gonna have a group call so I can introduce you!"
"Oh, so that's why there's another bed," Morgan said, stowing her case under the bed and arranging her books on the desk. Spellbooks on the left, ninja manuals on the right, and writing supplies in the center.
Vivio blinked, surprised. "You’re going to study during vacation? You got homework or something?"
Morgan laughed. "No, but I like reading. Some ninjutsu requires studying. I specialize in Fuinjutsu—sealing arts. I’m a Uzumaki, and it’s expected of us to be good at it. Sealing arts require good handwriting and focus. I’m also working on my seal language..."
Vivio looked on with interest as Morgan finished organizing her books.
Downstairs, a beautiful brunch awaited them. Lutecia smiled, her petite frame radiating pride. "I made it all myself. My mom's on a nearby farm picking up ingredients for dinner."
Ellen grinned. "We just helped set up."
Settling down, Morgan chose a seat between Vivio and Ellen. She picked up a sandwich as Vivio encouraged, “Morg-chan, try it!”
Morgan dipped the sandwich into her soup and took a bite. It was delicious; the tomatoes and lettuce tasted fresher, probably because of the clean air. The soup was spicy-sweet, and she wondered if she could get the recipe. She sipped her tea, a fragrant blend with a flavor like fruity vanilla.
"This tea, Miss Alpine, is divine," she complimented.
Lutecia beamed. "That’s Merlin tea! It’s a Carnaaji specialty made from the Merlin flower. Sweet and fruity, it's popular among mages, and best of all—it’s naturally sweet without added sugar! Great for athletes too. Take some seeds and tea bags home with you if you like. Ellen told me you have a garden." A warm feeling enveloped her chest; she felt at home. As they ate and laughed, Morgan felt not like a stranger but like another kid in a big home.
At the same time in Konohagakure,
"Hokage—it seems the situation at the border has escalated!" a Jonin yelled out.
"Suna is busy with another problem, so we can't ask for backup from them. What should we do?" another asked.
"Give us orders, Hokage-sama!"
Minato furrowed his brow, putting down his pen and looking at the small crowd with a loud sigh. As Hokage, the safety of the village came first. Rubbing his tired blue eyes, he wracked his mind for various ideas. His eyes wandered to the family photo on his working desk. The photo on display was of the family he had made with the love of his life, Kushina.
Both she and he had lost family, so when they fell in love, they made sure to have more than one kid. In the picture, they all smiled; he had slung his arm around Kushina's hip, wearing something casual, not his Hokage get-up. Kushina wore a kimono matching Natsuki's kimono and stood before her. Next to Natsuki was Menma; his other hand was on Menma's head, ruffling his hair. They looked cute. It was taken two years ago.
Then, on the left was Naruto, looking down with her short blond hair pulled back, wearing a sad look and short pants. He sighed. It had been months since he saw Naruto; she had always been locked up in her room. He remembered needing to find Inochi to find a way to deal with her mental health. Sadly, he had no time to deal with her mental health. At least she ate, he presumed, and she was safe in their house. Priorities were Menma and Natsuki, as they would have future enemies.
Rubbing his head, he moved Naruto's photo to the side and recalled Morgan and his hand brushed against her file. The orphaned girl came half a year ago and was in the same class as Naruto. She was progressing better than Naruto. He wished Naruto was as driven as her. Morgan was skilled with the sword, and all the academy teachers sang praises, followed by the medic ninja corps. Morgan reminded him of his younger self—working hard and also spending time learning. She was also the class representative, and he was so proud of how she put some of Suna and Kirigakure's kids in their place on the class representative trip. He chuckled at the thought, recalling his awkward museum visit where he spent time alone with her. The strange hate on her face puzzled him—not hate to kill, but more like a look of disappointment in him. His hand brushed over Morgan's file, a strange feeling he couldn't describe nagging at him.
While his mind wandered to the picture, his other ear was picking up more complaints about the border attackers. They had been harassing the Land of Fire, and the Daimyo had been writing and sending him signals to deal with it. Standing up, he flopped his Hokage mantle over his shoulders. "I’ll head out myself. Let's go!" The Jonin lined up as he and they headed out.
Back on Carnaaji, the training session began. Vivio grinned. “Morg-chan, you ready to see what my combat magic is all about?”
Morgan nodded stoically, equally eager. “I am not like the super-skilled ninjas, but I’ll give it my best too.”
They found a secluded training area surrounded by trees and soft grassy ground. Lutecia, Nanoha, and Ellen watched with interest as Morgan and Vivio warmed up.
Vivio’s device, a small rabbit-shaped mascot, floated up from her pocket, glowing as it activated a protective barrier. “This is Sacred Heart—nicknamed Chris,” Vivio explained. “It boosts my magic in combat. It can’t talk, but it communicates through telepathy. Let’s start with basic hand-to-hand combat, no transformations.”
Avalon Stargate floated beside Morgan, activating a similar protective glow. “Activating basic protection,” it announced.
Morgan and Vivio bowed before taking their stances. Vivio moved first, delivering a left jab followed by a spin kick. Morgan dodged, analyzing Vivio’s movements before responding with her strikes. They exchanged blows, each pushing the other’s limits with skill and agility.
As evening approached, they wrapped up their training session and joined the others for dinner. Later, Vivio introduced Morgan to her friend Einhart, a girl with mint-green twin tails and heterochromatic eyes. The three bonded quickly, and Morgan felt comfortable in her friends’ company. Later that evening, in a group call, she got to know Corona and Rio as well. Besides training and studying with Einhart, Vivio, and the adults, she watched the adults go through some incredible mage military training. As TSAB soldiers, it was their duty to stay in form. Watching them reenact rescue scenarios and such was amazing. Ellen, in the evening, would go through some bombardment spells and other essentials, which were helpful. She soon got used to the use of her intelligent device, Avalon Stargate.
Before she realized it, her amazing summer holidays came to an end.
When it was time to say goodbye, Vivio clung to Morgan. “Nooo, please stay!”
Morgan patted her friend’s head, smiling. “I’ll call you regularly, and we can send photos. I’ll try to visit on weekends or during free time.”
Vivio pouted, reluctantly letting go and taking her mom Nanoha’s hand. Ellen hugged Morgan as well. “Be careful, okay? And don’t forget to call! Also, eat proper meals!”
Einhart waved. “Stay safe, Morgan! Make sure to drink lots of milk!”
Morgan took one last look at Carnaaji’s beautiful landscape. She felt stronger and more prepared after her training. Waving to everyone, she activated her device. “Avalon Stargate set up!”
“Affirmative: Stand by, ready!” her device responded.
With a flash, Morgan geared up, her heart brimming with gratitude and excitement. “Our target is home—Konohagakure!” She waved as she dashed away, a shimmering streak in the sky, ready to return to her ninja trainee life. As she flashed by other planets she was happy. She learned how to float and fly like the adults do and so much more. Hopefully, she is less useless.