Chapter Text
"Nakajima, you stay. I'd like a word with you."
"Yes, Ma'am," the young blue-haired Lieutenant raised her dull, sunken eyes.
Others avoided looking at her. She was the weird one out at the Battalion 386. The Captain pulled a lot of strings to keep her from being reassigned to the Preservation Corps, and nobody quite knew why. Whatever past history they shared was classified.
As the last of them left, the Captain opened the window, letting the warm September air and sunlight into the briefing room. Neither, however, could dispel the atmosphere of gloom that quickly spread inside.
"Can you at least pretend you were listening, dummy?" Captain Lanster spoke, at last. "I have enough trouble keeping you on the force already, so please don't give me any more."
"I am sorry, Tea," Lieutenant Nakajima replied guiltily. "I have been thinking..."
"Again?" The Captain let out an exasperated sigh, then walked over to the sitting Lieutenant, hugging her head tenderly. "It will be three years tomorrow."
"Yes," Subaru's voice almost broke but she held back.
"I know it's pointless but... What happened to Nanoha-san wasn't your fault. Or hers. Or Commander Hayate's. Nobody could have predicted what happened. Nobody at all."
"If only I could have been stronger, faster..."
"You wouldn't have achieved anything," Teana cut her harshly, still nursing her head. "You would have just gotten yourself killed. And me."
"I am sorry..." Subaru was on the verge of crying again.
"That's all you ever are these days, baka Subaru. You don't imagine I'm not having those very same thoughts all the time, do you?"
A bird chirped merrily outside. They didn't stir.
"Hey, Tea. May I sleep over at your place tonight?"
"Again? How long has it been since you last talked to your Dad?"
"I don't remember."
"And your sisters?"
"I don't know... Last month."
"And you have been neglecting your training, too. You are such a hopeless idiot," Teana sighed. "When will you stop beating yourself up for something you couldn't change?"
Subaru didn't answer.
"Alright, alright, you can come over. We can take a day off tomorrow and go visit them."
"I would like that..."
"Then go wash your face and pretend you are working. I will drive us home."
After the door closed behind Subaru, Captain Teana Lanster slumped back into her chair and hid her face in her hands. It hurt. It hurt so very much.
The arrival area of Coastal Spaceport 5 was crowded despite the early hour. Among the disembarking passengers was a tall young woman whose striking figure and short sunny-blonde hair drew eyes. Large shades obscured a good half of her face.
Meeting her was a bespectacled man about the same age, whose long hair of a slightly darker shade of blond was bound into a ponytail.
"Come on, let's not linger," he said without a greeting.
With a nod, the woman followed him to a parked car outside. He first spoke again after starting the engine.
"You have no idea how much I'm risking by helping you."
"I am sorry, Yuuno. I don't have anyone else left on the Mid."
"You made sure of that. You are wanted all over the administrated worlds, and if the Bureau catches wind of you being here, they'll call a manhunt."
"I know. I won't cause you trouble."
"You already have," Yuuno grinned darkly. "Where is Shari?"
"She said it's dangerous and stayed to work on the data."
"She is smarter than you. I don't want to know where you operate from right now."
"I wouldn't tell you anyway," Fate smiled.
"Good, you are learning. When we get there..."
"I know the drill."
"...no getting up close unless nobody is there. I hear Ms. Lanster and Ms. Nakajima are going to visit today, too."
"Those kids," Fate's expression softened for the first time since she arrived. "They are still..."
"They are not kids anymore. But they are just as bad at dealing with loss as you are."
"And I presume you know a lot about loss, then?"
Very deliberately, Yuuno stopped the car and killed the engine.
"Nanoha Takamachi was my friend for years. I loved her as much as you did. If you think that you are the only one hurt here, think again."
"Yuuno..." Fate twitched but he didn't let her finish.
"Two months ago," Yuuno continued very calmly, "the Cradle attacked a non-administrated world, wiping out a group of archeologists studying a Belkan ruin."
"Oh God..." Fate's eyes widened in horror.
"I am the last Scrya now. So don't you even tell me about loss."
"I am sorry, Yuuno. I didn't know..." Her hand rose up and fell limp again before it could reach his shoulder.
Waking up was difficult lately. Teana's eyes hurt a little as she opened them, gazing up at the white ceiling. It felt warmer on one side than the other and when she turned her head, she saw Subaru's face.
She remembered. It was exactly three years, and they took a day off to visit Portfall. Subaru went to sleep on a couch, but it wasn't like they'd never shared a bunk.
Teana watched her sleep. When Subaru dreamed, her face became like three years ago: headstrong and foolishly cheerful. Gone were the gloom, the pain, the self-loathing, and the guilt. She took her hand into hers; their fingers intertwined. Teana knew the strength of those fingers very well. But the metallic ribcage concealed a very human heart, and as long as it wasn't healed, the strength would never return to these hands.
"Nanoha... san..." Subaru muttered in her sleep.
Teana stood up abruptly. Momentary anger gave way to guilt and embarrassment. Jealousy of her dead mentor was pathetic.
"Tea?" Subaru opened her eyes and looked up at her. "What's the matter?"
"Nothing, stupid," Teana became suddenly aware of not having anything on and blushed. "Go back to sleep."
"I am OK," Subaru rose up, shamelessly ogling her breasts. "You look very pretty today."
"Shut up, baka!" Teana's face became even redder. She yanked the sheet off the bed to wrap around herself. It didn't help much—Subaru slept naked, too. "And put some clothes on!"
Subaru giggled but it only took a single glance at the clock for her good mood to evaporate.
"Yeah, I'll get dressed..."
The old Portfall Memorial Garden cemetery was quiet. Fate always chose this hour because it was always empty around this time. She and Yuuno were the only living souls.
"Hello there, Nanoha, Hayate."
Silence.
"Vita and Rein, too. I didn't mean to exclude you two."
Silence.
"I am doing fine. Shari keeps telling me to eat and sleep more, but I manage."
Wind rustling through the grass.
"Shari is doing OK. The kids... too, I guess. Teana and Subaru are Ground Forces now. Erio and Caro are on Supools, I talked to them a month ago..."
A bird crying from far away.
"Vivio ... is still out there. Don't worry, Nanoha, I still remember my promise. Whatever it takes, I will save her. Even if the Bureau and Hayate's knights will stand against me... That is my promise."
More silence.
"Say, Nanoha, Hayate..."
Tears falling onto the cold stone.
"...it isn't fair. How am I supposed to deal with this? Every time, I ask you this, and every time, you ignore me. That's not fair. How could you..."
The sound of closing footsteps.
"Fate, someone's coming. We've got to go."
"Ah, I am sorry, I took too long. Did you want to..."
"I can visit them later. I am not a fugitive."
"Thank you."
Every time they visited the Gardens, Teana got the feeling that one day, Nanoha Takamachi would be there to greet them with that bright, almost childish smile only she had. But that never happened. And couldn't happen, Teana kept telling herself. You are just unable to let go, to acknowledge her death. She is not coming back. Stop thinking such stupidly naïve things.
She looked over her shoulder to check on Subaru. She walked behind her, flowers in hand. Subaru always brought marigolds; she always came empty-handed. Flowers wouldn't bring anyone back. But they made Subaru feel better, so she kept silent.
They passed a pair of visitors heading for the exit. The woman was gaunt and had short blonde hair and wore a white trench coat and large sunglasses. She didn't care to wipe off the wet trails on her cheeks. The man wore a suit, large glasses, and a ponytail. They both looked familiar.
"Sorry," the man said and they hurried along.
Teana stopped.
"What is it, Tea?"
"That woman... Doesn't she look like Captain Harlaown?"
"No way. The Captain is a fugitive now, she wouldn't dare to come to the Mid..."
"But she was very close to Nanoha-san. Maybe..."
"Also, Captain Harlaown has long hair."
"She could have cut them."
"Cut her hair?"
Teana couldn't help but smile back.
"Yeah, you are right. There is no way. But the man, I feel I know him from somewhere."
"One of the Bureau's staff?"
"I don't know."
They moved along before the strange couple disappeared behind a hedge.
"I think Teana recognized me," Fate whispered when they were out of sight.
"I wouldn't worry. If they came here for the same reason as ours, they won't run off to report you."
"How much the kids have grown," Fate smiled. "She would be so proud of them."
"You go on ahead, Subaru. I'll wait here."
Subaru nodded. She still trembled when she walked towards the gravestone that read:
Nanoha Takamachi
0056-0075 N.C.
Ace of Aces
Teana watched her kneel sluggishly, put down the flowers, and freeze in that position. She looked away.
Somewhere amidst these gravestones lay her Tiida. She used to idolize him but his death didn't break her. It gave her the strength that got her into the Riot Force 6, the strength that Nanoha recognized and fostered. When they disbanded, Teana felt cheated, somehow, as if a great destiny was taken away from her. But she didn't give up on it: even on the slow path, she would reach for it and grab it with her own hands. That was what Nanoha taught her the hard way.
For Subaru, it was different. She was born strong, made to be superhuman. But the person who gave her the strength of heart was the one who gave her a dream. A dream to save everyone. A dream that was crushed just before it became reality, shattered by her failure to return one small favor. All that was left of it now was this unremarkable gravestone.
"I am done, Tea," Subaru returned, wiping off the tears with her sleeve.
Simultaneously, Cross Mirage made a ringing noise, notifying that a message was received. Scowling, Teana pulled out the white card and pressed the jewel.
"Good morning, Captain Lanster," the stern bespectacled face belonged to her direct superior, Major Gaiz. "I realize you are off-duty at the moment, but something urgent has come up. It has to do with the Cradle. Please report back to the HQ immediately. If possible, bring Lieutenant Nakajima with you."
Teana looked at Cross Mirage, then at the gravestone, then at Subaru. Subaru nodded.
"I am sorry, Nanoha-san, I cannot stay today. I know you would want me to go, too. But I will visit you soon, I promise!"
That promise would prove very difficult to keep.
The dilapidated apartment block had an eerie feel about it. Abandoned long ago, it was now overrun by wild plants. It wasn't a life-affirming sight. It reminded one of grass growing through a decaying corpse.
A young, short-haired woman made her way through the underbrush covering the adjacent streets. She wore khaki pants and a dirty tank top and carried a large grocery bag. She was beautiful but her eyes were devoid of life. They belonged on a dead woman making the final desperate charge. That made her presence in these surroundings strangely appropriate.
The woman entered the apartment block through a broken doorway. Scaling the stairs to the fifth floor didn't as much as quicken her breath. She stopped before a battened apartment door and held a sword-shaped amulet on her neck towards it.
"Öffnen,"[1] she muttered in Ancient Belkan.
The magical seals disguised as planks opened up like a wooden flower, letting her reach the doorknob. Without a sound, she stepped through and closed the door behind her.
"Signum!" A happy voice greeted her.
A small, fairy-like creature glided through the air towards her, beaming happily. Signum didn't smile back but her eyes seemed to come alive, if only for a moment. That alone was enough to cheer Agito up, who began circling around Signum's head ecstatically.
Dropping off the groceries in the kitchen, Signum entered the living room. A slightly older blonde woman sat on a shabby sofa, her hands clasped as if in prayer, her face concentrated and austere. She wore an outfit consisting of a tank top, a miniskirt, fingerless gloves, and boots, all black. She didn't react to Signum entering the room.
"Shamal?"
"Ein Moment, bitte. Ich bin gleich soweit,"[2] Shamal replied in old Belkan without opening her eyes.
Silently, Signum sat down onto a creaky old chair, extending her palm for Agito to land on. They waited.
The thing Shamal held between her palms flared so brightly that for a moment, they saw bones of her hands outlined like on an X-ray. Signum's body tensed but the light was gone as fast as it appeared. Shamal unclasped her hands, revealing a perfectly-shaped cartridge.
"Nun bin ich fertig,"[3] she smiled contentedly as she opened her eyes. Hers weren't dead... just deadened.
"Perfekt wie immer,"[4] Signum nodded in approval, examining a small pile of cartridges lying on the sofa.
"Wäre ich es nicht, würdet ihr zwei in Gefahr geraten. Das will ich nicht."[5]
"Danke, Shamal... Du lässt uns nie im Stich. Agito?"[6]
"Bin schon dran,"[7] Agito zoomed in on the cartridge pile and started stuffing the cartridges into the small pockets of her skimpy outfit. It looked bizarre, given their respective sizes, but within a minute, the pile was gone.
"Hat Zafira sich gemeldet?"[8]
"Habe vor zwei Stunden mit ihm geredet. Er beobachtet die Ausgrabung, aber von der Wiege ist noch keine Spur."[9]
"Sie muss kommen. Bisher war sie stets innerhalb weniger Tagen da."[10]
"Signum..." Shamal raised her eyes at her uneasily. "Bist du dir sicher, dass es richtig ist? Das, was wir getan haben und was wir gerade tun..."[11]
"Das ist der einzige Weg," Signum replied sternly. "Die Wiege muss zerstört werden, und das Büro ist zu weich dafür. Wir sind die letzten Belkaner. Es ist unsere Pflicht."[12]
"Aber was ist mit den Menschen die dabei ums Leben kommen? Würde Hayate sie nicht retten wollen?"[13]
"Hayate ist tot, weil sie alle retten wollte," Signum's gaze made Shamal recoil. "Nur so können wir sie ehren."[14]
"Ist es eure Rache?"[15] Agito's voice was low.
"Jetzt ist es unsere Rache, Agito,"[16] Signum said firmly.