I do not Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, it is the intellectual property of someone else whose name escapes me at the moment. Therefore do not sue me please, this is simply written for enjoyment. Also the story has undergone a major rewrite including some much needed proofreading and adjusting of some plot elements. I will not go into detail here but you will have to read the story to find out. No worries though the main focus are still the memories and past of Hayate and her knights.
At this time I would like to take the time to make a special thank you to Darthtabby for his help as a story consultant and something of a co-author on several sections of the story. The idea for the fic originally came out of discussions we had about many aspects of Magical Girl lyrical Nanoha. He is a top notch writer and I recommend that you check out his story The Angel and the Ensign from Macros Frontier.
Chapter 2- Reactions
The Yagami household settled into an uneasy peace as Hayate, Signum, and Vita struggled to come to terms with the sudden revelations. Things remained calm except for the odd looks Vita gave Signum when no one was looking, as if the young girl was looking for something hidden inside of the pink haired knight that she had lost long ago. Shamal, and Zafira were also shocked by recent events, and could not believe that Vita would go so far as to attack their master. However they abided by Signum's wishes to give Vita some space as she struggled to come to terms with her new found memories. Hayate also promised not to try hypnotizing any of them until they spoke with Yuuno to prevent anymore outbursts.
Vita was still in shock several days later as she wandered through a nearby park on her way to play croquet with the local senior league, despite looking decades to young she was more than qualified to play, having seen more years that the entire league combined. She didn't know what to think, she always knew she was based on a knight from Ancient Belka. Including that her predecessor must have met a violent end but to experience it first hand was too much for her to bear. She couldn't help but be jealous of that girl, who had a real childhood something Vita never had. All she had ever known was violence and service to the master of the book of darkness some more caring than others.
"Vita, are you alright you look like something is bothering you," one of the old timers asked she neared the spot for their weekly croquet match.
"Oh it's nothing I just had a bad nightmare a few days ago," Vita replied extending Graf Eisen. She knew she wasn't supposed to use magic around normal people but the old timers thought Graf Eisen was some kind of high tech fancy croquet hammer, not a magical war hammer made for destruction and chaos.
"You know I'll never get used to that," one of the men said as the shaft on Graf Eisen extended.
"I've been looking for a new hammer for a while now, where did you get it again," one of the men asked.
"I've always had it but I think my mother gave it to me," Vita replied as another image of the pink haired woman flashed in her head causing her to wince in pain.
"Vita, are you sure you're ok? Here take a seat," the leader of the men said helping her to a nearby park bench.
"I'm fine it's just a little headache, a little pain won't kill me." Vita groused she was the Iron Hammer knight one of the four guardians of the Tome of the Night Sky not some weak little girl.
"Vita, I know it won't kill you but it's clear that something is bothering you," he replied.
"I'm fine, Mr. Fuyutsuki. Now let's get to the game," Vita said ready to jump off the bench until a hand stopped her.
"Vita, even my tired old eyes can tell something is wrong, and I think you need to talk to someone about it. It's not healthy to let things fester inside until they explode. I won't claim to smarter than you, but I have been around a long time and have seen many things in my day. I'll be here if you ever want to talk," Mr. Fuyutski replied hoping the young child would open up. As he walked back toward the game he didn't realize the irony in his statement as Vita was easily his senior several times over, yet for all her years she had little experience beyond the battlefield.
"Did I ever tell you about my past before I came to Uminari," Vita called out.
"No I don't think so," Mr. Fuyutsuki said taking a seat next to the young girl.
"I never knew my parents, but I've always lived together with Signum, Shamal, and Zaffy. It was a tough life but with the four of us together we could accomplish anything. We were always traveling from place to place, but we were finally able to settle down with Hayate, and have a real home with all of us living together," Vita said lingering memories of previous masters some better than others drifting through her head.
"I'm happy for you, Vita, everyone should have a place to call home," He replied wondering what was bothering her.
"I know, and I am forever grateful for Hayate letting us stay with her." Vita said not sure of how to continue.
"Well, you have done your part helping her recover so it works both ways. Now what is really bothering you Vita?" Mr. Fuyutsuki asked.
"Um, I had a dream, no a nightmare, the other day," Vita said recounting her experience.
"That's quite the dream Vita," He said as Vita finished her story.
"Um, do you think it could be memories of a past life, or a memory of my childhood before Signum and the others took me in?" Vita asked not sure which answer she would prefer.
"I am no expert on these matters, but I do know that learning of one's past can be both a dangerous, and enlightening experience. Are you prepared for what you might find, will you let it change who you are today." Mr. Fuyutsuki explained.
'Um, I never thought of that," Vita replied, she didn't know what she would do or what might happen if she ever did recover those lost memories.
"It's all right, you can't think of everything, but if you do continue down this path I have a friend at the local temple that might be able to help you. Now I think we have a game to start or are you scared I'll win," He added snapping Vita out of her stupor.
"Oh please, you old timers will never beat me," Vita yelled leaping off the bench.
Section Break
"Zafira," Signum asked telepathically to the guardian beast as she took him for a walk around the town in his puppy form.
"Yes," he replied still not happy that the only way he was allowed outside was on a leash in his puppy form. He was a guardian beast not a house pet dam it.
"Have you ever thought about where we came from, or who we were based on," Signum asked the loyal beast of the shield.
"No I have not, we are magical constructs created by the book of darkness meant to serve its master," the large blue wolf replied as they headed to the park. "You're worried about Vita aren't you?
"Yes," Signum replied. "She cares for Hayate as much if not more than Shamal, you, or me, and yet she attacked her in a blind rage. I know she has a short fuse and her magic is fueled by her rage but I have never seen her lose control like that before. And the power, it was beyond anything I have seen from her before,"
"Signum, Vita is a knight of the Wokenwrietter and she knows her place. She will recover and this will soon be a thing of the past. What she needs is for us to treat her as if nothing is wrong, you needn't coddle her." Zaffira replied.
"I don't know Zaffira, I just don't know," Signum replied silently, Hayate's comment on Vita's happy memory still running through her head.
Section Break
"Good job today," Hayate," the doctor said as Hayate slowly lowered herself back into her wheelchair.
'Thank you Dr. Ishida," Hayate replied with a smile happy to be back in her wheel chair after a difficult physical therapy session. Learning to walk normally again was not as easy as she thought, she could move around quite easily while in her knights armor but it proved much more difficult as a normal girl.
"You're recovery has been nothing short of miraculous. It won't be too much longer till you can walk normally again and then I don't want to see you again for a long time," the Doctor replied with a smile.
"Don't worry I'll come and visit from time to time," Hayate replied.
"Thank you, now let's not keep Shamal waiting any longer" the doctor replied.
"Um Doctor can I ask you a question?" Hayate asked quietly.
"Yes Hayate what is it," Dr. Ishida replied.
"Is it possible to have repressed memories?" Hayate asked.
"Why do ask Hayate," the doctor asked surprised by the sudden question.
"Um, one of my friends doesn't remember much of her childhood. I was wondering if those memories might be repressed for some reason, and if it was possible to bring those memories out?" Hayate asked.
"Well my specialty isn't neurology but I have heard of people blocking harmful memories out and that therapy could help to recover those memories. However I must warn you that this is a risky and dangerous process. The therapist runs the risk of implanting or suggesting memories of events that never happened and the psychological shock the new memories could bring. If you are worried about your friend then have them see a councilor, please do not try anything on your own," Doctor Ishida replied.
"Thank you, I will let them know" Hayate replied. "But it is a little late for that," Hayate added silently.
Section Break
"Shamal is everything ok?" two young girls asked as she exited the local home improvement store.
"Oh Arisa, Suzuka, yes everything is fine," Shamal said pulling a cart full of paint and other supplies behind her.
"Did something happen what is with all of the paint?" Arisa asked.
"Oh we just decided to do some redecorating recently," Shamal lied with a smile.
"Really, what did you do, my parents are engineers if you need any help," Suzuka said.
"Oh and my parents have a subsidiary that does home improvements," Arisa added.
"Thank you very much girls but we are almost done, and Hayate wanted us to do it together ourselves," Shamal replied.
"Oh ok," the girls replied in unision. "Can we come over and see it when it's all done," Arisa asked.
"I'll have Hayate give you a call when it is finished," Shamal said.
"Thanks," the girls called as they ran off.
"Shamal we need to talk," a small yellow ferret said hoping down onto her shoulder.
"Yunno, I was wondering when you would show up," Shamal replied.
"What happened three days ago? I felt enough magic emitting from Hayate's house to rival one of Nanoha's full drive excellion busters," Yuuno asked telepathically from his perch.
"Is the TSAB worried about Hayate reverting?" Shamal replied mentally as they continued down the street.
"No, I told them Nanoha over did it training again to create another enhanced spell again, but what really happened," Yuuno said. It was easy enough lie to sell given his best friends penchant for nearly blowing herself up while training he just hoped the agency bought his lie about creating a magical dragoon system to mimic something they saw in one of those gundam shows Nanoha liked so much.
"Thank you for covering for us," Shamal said as she reiterated the events surrounding the magical explosion. "Yuuno despite being the guardians of the book we know next to nothing about it or how we came to being. Hayate wants to know more about the book, it's terrible past, and how we the guardians came into being. Are we copies of people from Ancient Belka or were we created by the book simply to protect it?"
"Wow, I never even considered something like that," Yuuno said gravely.
"What do you mean?" Shamal asked.
"I'm not sure, maybe nothing, maybe everything but I need some time to look into this. I will get back to you as soon as I can," Yuuno said hoping of Shamal's shoulder.
"Thank you, but please don't tell Nanoha and Fate anything yet," Shamal said as Yuuno scurried of.
"I won't," Yuuno called as he disappeared down the street.
