The land had an almost mystical feel about it. Gentle rolling hills with soft grass as far as the eye can see. Not that I'm intent to stare out onto the horizon. No, today I'm having a picnic with my mother and sister, Precia and Alicia
"Fate, be a dear and lay out the mat wouldn't you."
"Of course mother." It felt natural, following her words.
"Good girl Fate, such a good girl." I beam at her praise, I helped mother.
Alicia laughed a bit as she went bare footed on the grass, then laid down, the field made a good bed to sleep on I guess.
Strange, while it was bright and sunny before, dark clouds seem to be rolling in, was that a hint of thunder I hear? I hope it doesn't spoil the...
"Fate, be a dear and gather the jewel seeds for your sister wouldn't you."
"What's wrong with..." The words died in my mouth as I saw Alicia no longer sleeping on the grass but instead in a stasis unit, pale as death.
"Fate, be a dear and gather the jewel seeds for your sister wouldn't you."
"Of course mother." It felt natural, following her words. It was the purpose I was born for after all.
"Good girl Fate, such a good girl, gathering all these jewels for me Now, Fate, be a dear and kill those people that followed you."
"Of course mother." It was the purpose I was born for after all, to gain her praise.
A quick slash took care of the mage in black, his blood flowing out of his sides.
A stab took care of the green mage, he lay there in a pool of red.
Then came...
Oh gods, what am I doing? Nanoha stood before me, looking at me with those eyes of hers. Not doing anything, not running, not charging up a spell, no...
I raise Bardiche above my head, a passenger in my own body.
No, no, no, nonoNONONONONONOOOOOOOOOO!
"Good girl Fate, such a good girl, now kill the one in front of you"
I bring my hands down.
Blood. Red Blood. Nanoha's Red Blood cover my entire face, my hands. My body. My very soul.
The red blood I see on myself, the still warm liquid on my skin, the iron smell in my nose, taste in my mouth.
Good girl Fate, such a good girl
"NOOOOOO!"
The scream made the transition from nightmare to awareness.
"NOOOOOO!"
It was dark, as dark as in the nightmare. But I was not in that shapeless dimension any more, I was on the bed that I shared with Nanoha. She was by my side in an instant, enveloping me in a gentle embrace. Her voice, her smell, her touch calms me down quickly.
"Nightmare, Fate-chan?"
I can only nod my head, images, of Chrono, Yuuno and.. her covered in blood because of me still seem so real. My god, the feel, the smell, the taste...
Nanoha just kept holding me, whispering that it was all a dream and that she's here now, until I was able to gather my wits enough to talk.
"I dreamed that I killed you, for mother." I said flatly. Was that a confession? An attempt to generate sympathy? I don't know, my thoughts are still in a mess.
"Why would Lindy-san... Oh." Nanoha said as she figured which mother I was talking about.
"But you didn't, you helped us, saved us even, and your here now"
Mother.. Precia treated me no better than the summoned beings in the Scared Garden, worse in fact, she didn't beat them up all the time.
None of that mattered to the me of that time. All I wanted was hear her praise me, smile at me and say...
"Good girl Fate, such a good girl." I shudder involuntary at those words.
"But what if she had treated me a little better! All I wanted at that time was for her to acknowledge me! I would have gotten swayed if she even said one praise to me, then, then..." I break out into sobs, unable to continue.
"No if's, no then's, Fate-chan" Nanoha said gently, "She didn't, you didn't and your here now, with me, that's all that matters," tightening her hug.
I finally manage to hug her back, my heart is like a bird, released from a cage, to soar into the sky again. How does she do it? She whispers soft words mildly into my heart, and makes my days gentle, and not for the first time, I thank whichever God that's listening, be it the Kamis from Nanoha's home island, the multitude of Gods from her world or the Saint Kaiser, for leading me to Nanoha and allowing her to rescue me.
With her by my side, I'll never have that nightmare again I'm sure.
Author's Notes Wow, where did that come from, NanoFate I guess, not that I'm really in to them but still this should be an interesting character study. I can hope anyway. Comments for improvements welcome, but as always, please be gentle.
Omake:
Nanoha suddenly got a crazy grin on her face.
"You know Fate, since we're both awake, it would be a shame to just go back to sleep..."
As she slid her hands into my nightshirt, she whispered huskily into my ears, "I don't think we'll be getting any sleep, anytime soon."
And true enough neither of us did