Disclaimer: I don't own anything. ;-;
Re-Edited by Pencil of the Gods


Sitting Duck

Fate stretched her arms over her head, hearing a couple of satisfying cracks from her back, and letting out a yawn as she relaxed into her seat. Red eyes peered to the transport window to her side as she looked out onto the landing platform, eagerly waiting for her transport to take off. The sun of this galaxy rose from the trees, revealing the lush, green jungle that covered the majority of the planet. Peace was once again restored to this world, at least for now.

Her body was aching and tired, but her heartbeat was fast and erratic. With shaking hands, she placed one palm against her chest, in some vain hope to still the incredibly loud rhythmic beating. It wasn't nerves, nor was it stress. No, she was excited. After almost two years of fighting on a battlefield, there was one light that gave her strength. Her family waiting back at home.

She could picture it already. She would head up to the front door, stepping in to find her little girl running towards her and immediately jumping into her arms. Vivio would cry out her name and she would spin her around playfully, telling the girl how much she missed her and how everyday she would think about her. Then, she would appear.

Fate could once again hear her heartbeat pounding against her chest, only this time it was twice as loud.

She would then see a beautiful side ponytail of chestnut hair peeking out of the the kitchen. Then, a pair of blue eyes would stare straight into her crimson ones. She would get lost in the gentle orbs, as if she was adrift in the clear blue skies. With a soft voice, she would call out her name. Her best friend.

Fate could barely hear the sound of Bardiche calling out to her. All she could hear is the rapid thumping in her chest.

"Sir." The golden device rung. "Incoming call from Commander Yagami Hayate."

Fate hummed in response automatically, not hearing a word from her Intelligence Device. Her thoughts started to wander. She missed Nanoha dearly. Not a single day has gone by did she not think of the copper haired girl's beaming smile, and her kind-hearted childish voice. Not to mention her beautiful body that would put most supermodels to sha-

"FATE!"

"EH?" Fate jumped at the sudden sound coming from the holographic screen in front of her, which showed the image of a very annoyed looking Hayate crossing her arms. Her cheeks reddened as she glared daggers at her device. "Bardiche!"

[I'm sorry, sir] Bardiche apologised. [She's been calling for seven minutes.]

"Yeah!" Hayate pointed to her screen. "You leave poor Bardiche alone!"

"Geez." Fate pouted. "You're supposed to be on my side."

"And you were supposed to report back to me immediately when you got onto the transport. What's wrong with you?"

Fate's cheeks reddened even more at the question, and a knowing grin grew on the brunette's face.

"Oh." Hayate simply said. "Of course. What else could it be, PTSD?" Hayate sputtered her lips.

Fate could only twiddle her thumbs and look down onto her lap to escape the teasing look her friend was giving her.

"Hey, it's been some time since you last talked with her right?" Her friend's teasing expression faded away.

Fate could feel a pang in her chest. She let out a hollow sigh. "Yes."

"How long?"

"About a year and a half."

Hayate raised a brow.

"What happened?"

"The insurgent group tracked our communications, so I had to go dark for the remainder of the mission." Fate sighed. "I wanted to call her, but that would've endangered the mission."

Hayate frowned, understanding the blonde's obvious distress. "She missed you, you know."

Fate winced. "I know."

"Everyday she would ask me about you."

Fate could feel her fingernails digging into her palm.

"She was scared that you…"

"Never." Fate immediately raised her head and looked straight into Hayate's eyes.

"I know." Hayate said with a smile. "That's what I told her. That Fate-chan wouldn't go down that easily, knowing that you're back at home waiting for her."

Fate smiled warmly, knowing that she had a friend like Hayate to support her from home. "I owe you."

"What are friends for?" The brunette said with a wink at the end. "Now then," She then stood up straight in her chair and said, "Status report."

"Ma'am!" Fate made a quick salute with her right hand. "All the insurgents have been neutralized and the rebel cell leaders have been captured and await trial."

"Good work, Captain Harlaown."

"Thank you, ma'am." The stern smiles eventually broke until both friends shared a laugh. Everything came across as forced and awkward. They never really got used to the militant dichotomy between their ranks, even after all the years in service to the Bureau.

Hayate let out a loud sigh as she slumped onto her table, rather unprofessionally considering her rank. "Fate-chaaan" she cried. "I envy you."

Fate hid her chuckle behind her hand. "Why is that?"

"Cause unlike you, I don't have breaks between work." Hayate sniffed.

"Too much paperwork?"

"You have no idea, Fate!" Hayate wailed with crocodile tears leaking from her eyes. "Get this, they expect me to assemble thirty warships together! Everything is so hectic nowadays, I don't ever have time for myself anymore."

Fate tilted her head. "What happened?"

"Ah.." Hayate rolled her eyes. "There was a large dimensional disturbance in the outer rim of the explored dimensional sea, which caused an uproar in the higher ups for some reason." Hayate said as she sat up on her seat. "We've sent a small investigation team to the location, but they haven't reported back yet."

Fate hummed as she put a finger to her chin. "Maybe their communication was disrupted because of the dimensional distortion?"

"Right? That's what I'm saying, but apparently we can't take any chances, so I'm stuck with preparing contingencies just in case something went wrong, and you can imagine how long that will take."

"I hope everyone is alright..."

"These things are more common than you'd realize Fate." She sniffed and blubbered out a soft, "I have to work overtime..."

The blonde could only ease her friend with a sympathetic look. She chuckled at her distraught face and apologized with a simple, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Hayate said with a wave of her hand. "Just be prepared to go out on a lot of lunch dates with me when you get back so I can escape this cramped office of mine."

Fate rolled her eyes. "Sure, Hayate."

"Good." Hayate nodded with a satisfied grin on her face. "Alright, I'll leave you alone so you can call Nanoha."

"Um...actually…" Fate shyly glanced away from her holographic monitor. "I want to surprise her when I get back home."

Hayate furrowed her brow. "Fate, no." She said as she shook her head. "She's waited too long."

"I know, but that's why I want to surprise her." Fate said with a blush.

Hayate sighed. "Alright then." She really should speak out, considering how worried Nanoha was during her mission. Fate was playing a dangerous game, but she understood that no one else knew Nanoha more than she did. "It's your love life."

Fate's face erupted in a explosion of crimson. "Wha-what do you mean by tha-!"

"Bye bye!" Hayate waved with a teasing cheshire cat like grin.

"Hayate!"

The transmission was cut immediately by the other line before the blonde could get another word in.

Fate huffed as she laid back in her seat. She placed a hand over her eyes, and muttered to herself. "Does she know?"

The seatbelt light above her head flickered on, and she heard the engine of the ship come to life. The pilot then announced that the aircraft will be taking off soon. "Oh well…"

Fate sighed as she reclined back into her seat, letting sleep take her over. She'll interrogate Hayate once she gets back. Right now though, all she wanted to do was to relax and allow her body to get the rest it lacked for the last two years. The last lingering thoughts she had before drifting off to sleep was a head of copper hair flowing in the wind, and the sight of two mesmerizing sapphire eyes gazing at her. The figure extended a hand out, beckoning Fate to come to her. Fate extended her hand and ran, before being sent off to nirvana for a few well deserved hours.


Nanoha jolted upright, staring at the doorknob to her house, her hand still in her bag as she reached for her keys. Her legs felt tired, as if she was standing in the exact same spot for an extended amount of time. Did she doze off while getting her keys? Even now, she feel like she's sleeping while standing up straight. It couldn't have been more than a minute. Nanoha sighed as she finally grabbed the correct key she was looking for, and plunged it into the lock, granting her access into her abode.

"Hello? Nanoha-mama?" Nanoha heard her daughter call out from the living room.

"I'm home."

When she stepped through the door, she found the fourteen year old little blonde on the couch watching TV. She was surprised to see who was sitting beside her, however.

"Good evening, Ms. Takamachi." Einhart said politely with a bow.

"Hello there, Einhart-chan." Nanoha said before turning to her daughter. "You never told me we'd be having guests."

Vivio frowned when she saw her mother's face. "Mama, are you okay?" Under the older girl's eyes were dark bags, indicating a lack of sleep, and her skin was deathly pale. Looking at her closely, Vivio could tell that her mother was leaning against the wall to support herself. "What happened?"

"Ahah…" Nanoha smiled weakly and scratched her cheek. "Vita-chan told me to go home early and get some sleep today. I told her I was fine, but she told me that it was a direct order from Hayate."

"Mama…"

"Well, no use complaining about it." Nanoha exhaled a shaking breath as she hobbled over to the kitchen. "You girls hungry? I can make you some snacks."

Einhart and Vivio both exchanged worried glances. Both girls shook their heads.

"No thank you, ma'am." Einhart said.

"We'll just make some cereal." Vivio chimed in. "You should really rest."

Nanoha waved her hand dismissively, insisting on keeping herself busy for her daughter and her friend. "It's fine, it's fine. How about some sandwiches?" She said as she opened the upper cabinet to grab some plates.

A loud crash rang through the air.

"Mama!" Vivio hopped over the couch.

"Takamachi-san!'

Both girls rushed over to the kitchen to find two broken plates on the kitchen table. Nanoha was hunched over the counter, her hands meekly holding onto a piece of the broken glass. Her eyes were dazed and gazing at nothing for a second, before light returned to them. "Oh…" She muttered. A hollow laugh escaped her lips. "Pretty clumsy today, I guess."

"Geez!" Vivio grabbed her mother's arm, and wrapped it around the back of her neck. "Mama, you're doing it again!" She cried as she lifted the older girl to a standing position. "Vita-san said you need to rest!"

Nanoha groaned. "You're right." She was overdoing it again. Ever since the accident, she's promised Fate that she wouldn't push herself past her limit. "It's been so long that I forgot."

Einhart opened the door to Nanoha's bedroom, as Vivio led her mother in and laid her in bed. "Now rest! I'll clean up in the kitchen and prepare food." Vivio said, using the most mature voice she could muster up. It came out awkward and a little forced, but no less endearing and adorable. "You're such a good girl."

"Of course!" Vivio beamed at the praise. "I've been raised by the best mamas in the world." She said as she placed the blanket over the visibly exhausted women. She bent low and gave her a kiss on the cheek before stepping out of the room alongside her green haired friend.

"Is she gonna be alright?" Einhart asked.

"Of course she will." Vivio nodded. "My mama is the strongest person I know."

Meanwhile in the bedroom behind the door, Nanoha could only sink deeper into her pillow.

"Oh Vivio…" Nanoha frowned. "If only you knew how weak your mother is…"

For as long as she had raised her, Nanoha always tried to lead by example for her daughter. To always face your problems head on, and to always fight for what you believe in as well as for the people you love. She always stressed, however, that in order to do that, you must be strong yourself. She had instilled this value to the girl for six years, by setting an example; by always standing up straight, always speaking with a clear voice, and by working hard and smart. She believed that these small lessons would add up and cultivate her daughter into becoming a fine woman.

It was going good, up until two years ago. Ever since Fate was assigned to a high-risk mission regarding a rebellious uprising on one of the administered worlds. A mission that only an S or higher tier mage could sign up for, let alone hope to accomplish it. Estimated length of tour was around eight months, which was three times as long as the usual missions. Nanoha could remember that day clearly. She remembered the Bureau Intelligence department releasing a report indicating the execution success rate of an entire TSAB battalion of fifty AA+ mages rivaling that of one Fate T. Harlaown. She remembered their justification of only sending her alone, how it would put less people in danger, easier for covert operations, and how it was less costly at the expense of a possible longer mission. Nanoha scoffed when they failed to point out the increased danger to Fate's life.

This of course was only optional, and Nanoha was about to protest against the mere concept of it. However, Fate agreed to it, choosing not to risk her teammate's lives. Nanoha was admittedly very pissed off. Pissed off at the insurgents for rebelling, pissed off at the bureau for the mission, and pissed off at the Intelligence Department for its damn report. She wanted to be mad at Fate too. She was about to be until she saw the way Fate smiled when she accepted the mission. The warmth that radiated from Fate that day left her speechless and her heart racing.

Of course…

She couldn't be mad at Fate. She was always so selfless and so kind, it shouldn't be a surprise that she would put herself in danger to protect her team and the inhabitants of that planet. It was in her character. It was what made her Fate. She accepted that. Perhaps in her mind, she even expected it. So when they got back, she smiled for her friend and supported her decision. She should be happy for all the lives that will be saved by Fate, but yet she felt so sad and bitter.

Since when did I become so selfish?

It only got worse when transmissions between them got dark all of a sudden. At nights, Nanoha would exhale deep breaths of relief whenever she saw an incoming call from Bardiche. They would talk late into the night, asking each other how they were doing, and overall just enjoying each other's company. She slept well knowing that Fate was still alive out there. It was fine for the first five months until the transmissions suddenly stopped coming. She immediately panicked on the first night when there was no call, and that panic was justified when it stretched to a full week. She would then spend the rest of her nights sleepless and worried, praying to god that her dear friend was still alive out there. She contacted Hayate everyday, asking about Fate's current situation. The commander had little answers, however. She found her days becoming groggier; her strength decreasing, and her appetite shrinking. Her steps no longer had any stride, and her posture was slouched constantly. She felt exposed and defenseless. Like a sitting duck…

In every way, she felt like she had failed Vivio. Yet the girl still looked up to her, which vexed her to no end.

Nanoha sighed and opened up the drawer next to her bed and pulled out a bottle of prescribed sleeping pills, courtesy of Shamal. Perhaps this time, they will actually help against the nightmares.

"Fate-chan…"


What a hazy day…

Nanoha groaned, wiping the sand out of her eyes as she stretched her arms above her head. She felt an immense sadness when she looked next to her spot on the bed to find no one beside her. That sadness was then immediately squashed, almost abrubtfully.

"Oh right." Nanoha said to herself. "Fate-chan's still at work." Nanoha happily chirped. She noticed something out of place, however. A golden triangle was laying on the pillow beside hers. "Oh? Fate forgot about you, Bardiche?"

The golden device stayed silent.

Nanoha giggled. "Silly Fate-chan." She said as she shook her head lightly. "How's she gonna beat the bad guys without you, hmm?" She asked the device with a slight head tilt at the end.

This time, the intelligent device managed to say something.

[Ma'am…]

"Oh dear!" Nanoha gasped, interrupting the device from continuing whatever he was going to say. It was probably not important, anyways. "I've got to get breakfast ready for Vivio!"

Nanoha suddenly found herself in front of the dining table, with a healthy amount of food on it to feed three people. Her daughter, however, wasn't even touching her food.

"Vivio…" Nanoha called out gently. "Your eggs are getting cold." She knew very well how Vivio hated cold eggs in the morning. Really, the girl was picky about the strangest things.

The little girl sat still in her chair, staring down at her plate quietly. Nanoha couldn't quite see the girl's eyes, as they were covered by her blonde bangs. She heard a sniffle, followed by a quick hiccup.

"Vivio, what's wrong?" Nanoha was confused. "If you don't finish eating, you're going to be late for class."

"I'm not hungry…" The young teen, which displeased the elder Takamachi. She always taught her daughter to speak with a clear voice. Muttering quietly wasn't what a strong Takamachi would do.

"Vivio, if you don't eat now, you're going to be hungry later on in class."

"Mama…" Vivio muttered again, only this time, Nanoha could hear the young girl's voice shaking. "I don't wanna go anywhere today." She said as she raised her head. Nanoha was surprised to find her daughter's eyes brimming with tears.

Oh dear, she was having a bad day. Nanoha understood. It's only natural to have a few off days. But today was so pleasant though, how could anyone feel bad right now?

"Vivio, you can't be sad. There's no reason to be sad." With all of her power, Nanoha mustered up the brightest smile to her daughter. "Even if you feel sad, you'll need to smile to make yourself feel better!"

Vivio slowly backed away from the table.

"Mama…" She said with a hint worry and fear. "Your eyes…"

"Hmm?" Nanoha tilted her head again as she stared into the little girl's eyes - well, as much as she could. Vivio seemed to be avoiding her gaze. What was wrong? "You're acting so strange today, dear."

Raising Heart began to vibrate, warning her that she was late for work.

"Oh dear, where did the time go?" Nanoha pondered innocently. "I'm heading out now!" She said as she headed out the front door. Vivio merely stayed in the same position at the table, staring at the front door with sadness. Confusion, and the barest hints of fear in her eyes.

Nanoha's day blurred by once again, and she found herself sitting in the cafeteria with Hayate and Signum. They were being awfully quiet, and neither of them were touching their lunch.

"And this morning, I found Bardiche laying on my pillow!" Nanoha continued her story as she picked up her fork and took a bite of her chicken. It tasted bland and dry, but she didn't mind.

"Fate-chan can be so forgetful sometimes." Nanoha said with a giggle.

Neither of her friends laughed, nor emoted at all, actually.

"Takamachi…"

"..."

Why was everyone acting so weird all of a sudden? Nanoha was getting more and more confused.

"Come on girls, you're both…"

The two looked at her with sympathy. "Fate-chan wouldn't want you...acting like this."

"..."

"..."

"Ah! I know!" Nanoha clapped her hands. "Once Fate-chan comes back from her mission, we should all go to the beach together!" It's been so long since she's been to the beach. What better way to mend a bad mood then with a little sand and water to play with?

"Ohh, I hope my old swimsuit still fits. It seems a bit too childish for me now." Nanoha pouted. "But Fate-chan would still look good in her old one! Fate-chan would look good in anything!" She gushed as she covered her face with both of her hands.

"Stop…"

Nanoha froze and looked at Hayate, whose hands started to shake with frustration. Signum looked down at the table, hiding her gaze under her pink hair.

"Stop this already, Nanoha-chan…"

Nanoha was getting confused again.

"What are you talking about, Hayate?"

"It's okay… you know?" She said softly.

"Hayate, you're scaring me…"

"It's okay to feel sad." Tears started to drop from the brunette's eyes. "We're here for you."

"I don't understand." Nanoha simply said. "Why should I feel sad?" She smiled once more. But . . . it strained somehow. As though there was some invisible force tugging at her lips, resisting it.

"Enough." Signum raised her head, finally gathering the courage necessary to face the Ace of Aces.

What she saw broke her heart and horrified her at the same time to the point that she nearly shook.

"Signum, don't-"

"Takamachi…" Signum interrupted her mistress. She stared straight at the auburn haired girl. She saw the way her lips were tilted upwards. It would've been deemed a smile by anyone, if it wasn't for the dead, lifeless eyes that hung above them. The usual bright crystal blue orbs were replaced with dull dark irises that reminded the knight of the dark abyss of the deep Belkan seas.

"It's time to face reality."

Nanoha felt confusion.

"You can't hide from this anymore."

She then felt anger.

"Fate Testarossa is dead."

Then she felt madness.


"I'm home…" Fate whispered as she tiptoed into the living room of her house. When she got home, it was already past two in the morning. She was surprised to find some of the house lights on, primarily the kitchen and hallway lights. She flipped the switch for both, but found a source of light still emanating from Vivio's room. She peeked through the crack of the door. Inside, she found her daughter snuggled up in her comforters alongside Einhart. The two slept soundly, with Vivio clinging to the taller girl's shoulder and using it as a pillow.

She sighed. "This takes me back…"

It was like gazing into her past, when she spent those nights sleeping over at Nanoha's house as a child. Nanoha was always the clingy one, and it looks like Vivio has inherited that trait.

"Speaking of which…"

Her heart leapt in her chest as she neared the master bedroom. She could hear the sound of breathing behind the door.

Fate then heard her voice.

"Fate-chan…"

"Nanoha?" She whispered.

Was she asleep?

Without thinking, she placed her ear to the wooden door.

"Hm...Hah...Fate-chan..."

All of the blood in Fate's body started to rush all the way to her head. Her vision blurred and her face felt like it was burning like the surface of the sun.

"W-what is she doing?"

Her head started to feel light, and her thoughts were tinted pink for a moment, until she heard the sound of hiccup's followed by the sound of crying.

"Fate-chan!"

"N-Nanoha?!"

Fate immediately opened the door to find Nanoha thrashing around in bed, still in her blue and white TSAB uniform. All the pillows were scattered all over the floor, and the sheets hung limply off the corners of the mattress.

"No...you're all lying to me…" Nanoha cried out into the night.

Fate rushed over to the side of the bed.

"Nanoha!" She shook the crying girl's shoulders. "Nanoha, wake up! You're having a bad dream!"

"No...no…" Nanoha muttered, tears leaking from her closed eyes. "Fate-chan don't leave me."

A wave of ice washed over Fate's senses. She released her hold on her friend's sleeping shoulders for a second.

"Fate-chan, where are you?" The girl wailed. "I'm scared."

"Nanoha…" Fate could feel her heart breaking in two. Her eyes wandered to the counter next to the bed to find a bottle of sleeping pills. It's cap was off, and a few pills dangled on the hard table.

Since when did Nanoha need sleeping pills? A crushing sense of guilt suddenly weighed down upon her soul.

The auburn haired girl turned in the bed again. Immediately, Fate gathered all the pillows strewn across the floor and lifted the covers over the bed once more. Without bothering to change out of her black enforcer uniform, she got under the sheets and placed the pillows back underneath the sleeping girl's head.

"Everything's white…"

"Shhh…" Fate cooed as she laid in bed and cradled the shaking girl into her chest. She rested her chin on her head and held her close.

"It's okay. I'm here for you." Fate whispered into Nanoha's ear, combing through her copper hair. "I will never leave your side."

Nanoha's shaking subsided, as did her manic mutterings. Still though, Fate continued to hold on tightly to the girl. Her eyes bore into the wall, she was lost in thought. She berated herself - for nearly two whole years, she'd left her in the dark. She never expected to cause this much pain to her friend.

She was so stupid sometimes.

She looked down at the sleeping girl nuzzled against her chest. Nanoha looked so vulnerable, which was a rare sight to behold. Normally she was so in control. In command of herself - it was the way she was, even when she was younger. Tears were always reserved for later. It was one of the many traits that drew her to Nanoha.

"Nanoha…"

She loved how warm she felt at that moment. It had been too long since she held her. The way Nanoha's body melded into her's just felt...right. Like two pieces of a puzzle perfectly fitting into each other.

"I…"

How pathetic. Even now, when she was asleep, she still did not have the courage to say those three sacred words to her.

Instead, she placed her lips on top of the girl's forehead, and began to sing a tune. A song that Nanoha once sang to her when they were little.

"My wish my love…

I hope your tomorrows will shine like the clear blue skies…"

Almost immediately, the whimpering from the auburnette ceased.

"My wish, My love…

I gathered my 'thank yous'

You can't see my bouquet but take it okay?

Even if it's too much to hold

Take these feeling I can't say

With a brilliant smile I will send them to you..."

If she didn't know any better, Fate could've sworn she heard a sigh of contentment. Hopefully now, Nanoha would be able dream peacefully.

"My wish, my love…"


Out in the darkness of space, a sudden flash of light appeared, and from that singular luminosity came forth thirty well armed, highly armored Warships, all bearing the insignia of the Time Space Administration Bureau.

At the back of the armada was the Stonehenge, a large gray battle cruiser that featured multiple magical turrets on its side, and boasting one of the biggest cannons in the navy on its front, rivaling that of the Ar-en-ciel. It was one of the most decorated battle cruisers in the Sailing Force and has led countless battles, attaining victory after victory for the Bureau.

"Admiral, we have successfully broken through slip-space."

At the helm of the ship was Admiral Jean-Louis; a by-the-books, hardened looking man with short blonde hair. By his side was Diana, a younger girl with black shoulder length hair who acted as the executive assistant officer to the crew.

"Good."

Despite his young age, he spoke with a voice that held authority.

"Keep an eye out for any signs of dimensional disturbance. Also locate the previous investigation unit. Command wants a cargo shi-"

"Uh sir." One of the personnel on the deck said. "You might want to take a look at this."

A small section of the front screen of the command deck magnified. What was shown was a large field of debris littered across the vacuum of space. Upon closer inspection, the debris contained parts of warships and transport crafts, all of which contained the TSAB shield emblem.

"Dear lord." Jean-Louis held a hand to his mouth.

"Looks like we've found the recon team." Diana commented.

"And the cargo ship." One of the operators highlighted an orange cylinder like ship that seemed to have been blown in half.

"Who could've done this?" One of the workers said, apprehension clear in her voice.

"Or what?"

"Cut the chatter, folks." Jean-Louis ordered. "We'll worry about that later. Right now, we need to contact command and report on the current status of the cargo and investigation teams."

"Roger that" Gene, the communications officer lazily sounded off. "Poor SOBs." The man lamented when he looked at the debris field once more before trying to get a connection to Mid-Childa. However, the frequency immediately died out.

"What the hell?" He muttered and tried again, but the communication frequency would die out once more.

"What's wrong, Gene?" Jean-Louis asked.

"Uh, sir? The line won't connect."

"What?" Jean-Louis exclaimed. "Check regular radio frequencies."

Gene nodded. "Everyone, sound off in regular comm channels."

A hail of thirty resounding affirmative responses could be heard over the channel.

"Regular broadcasting is a little fuzzy, but functional, kinda." Gene reported. "But unless command doesn't mind waiting a few thousand years, we're not going to be able to tell them anything without magic."

"Are the dimensional disturbances messing with the frequencies?" Diana questioned.

"No ma'am." One of workers in the front deck answered. "Most of the dimensional disturbance has already dissipated."

"Then what's going on?" Jean-Louis grabbed his chin and pondered. "Hold on..."

No magical communications..

Disrupted radio waves…

Out of nowhere too. That could only mean…

Oh no…

"A Jamming Spell!"

Suddenly, one of the warships on the right side of the fleet exploded without warning.

"What the hell?!" Diana jumped at the sudden eruption.

"We're under attack!" Gene cried out.

"Everyone, keep comm channels open!" Jean-Louis ordered.

"S-sir yes si-!" One of the ships yelled out before the call died completely. After that, a whole chorus of screams of terrors could be heard before the links to those ships were gone too.

Jean-Louis glanced outside his windows and saw some of the ships surrounding his blowing up in white flames.

"Sir!" Gene called out. "Warships Columbus, Nebulon, Argama, and Siegland have been neutralized all at once!"

"Impossible!" Jean-Louis slammed his fist onto his chair. "Do we have any visual on the enemy?!"

"Radar's clear, sir!" One of the workers of the Stonehenge replied.

"Forget the radar then! Check your cameras and windows!"

"Negative sir!"

"Nothing over here."

"I got nothing, boss!"

"Oh GOD-"

"Aurora's gone, Jean!" Gene called out.

Jean-Louis began to panic. How could this be happening? The enemy's magical presence is cloaked from radar. How did this person know every single one of his formation's blind spots?!

"Scatter!" He yelled through the comms. "Defensive formation! Notify me when you see anything!"

The remaining ships then dispersed, breaking formation to get into a new one. The transition felt too long however. Over the comms, Jean would occasionally hear the blood curdling screams of radio from the other ships, before Gene confirmed their demise. Jean's eyes dilated and his heart began to race - perhaps the only thing keeping him standing was the rush of adrenaline coursing through his body.

"Admiral! Engine's reactor core is malfu-!"

"Trinity has been shot down!" Gene relayed with panic gradually rising in his throat.

Jean-Louis could only cover his eyes with both hands. For the first time in his career, he felt helpless. This level of destruction, the amount of deaths that occurred in the short span of time - it was like nothing he'd ever experienced.

A few quick seconds passed, and everything was quiet. But for everyone on board the Stonehenge, those seconds felt like hours.

"S-Sir! We have visual contact!"

Jean-Louis then raised his head towards the command screen. "Put it on screen, now!"

The screen then came to life, showing a broadcast from one of the ship's point of view. The image magnified on an incoming white dot, showing a white metallic figure speeding towards the warship. Within one of its hands was a staff with the top covered by a glowing bandage. The figure's head was covered by a white helmet with two horns protruding upwards parallel by it's head, followed by a plume of red hair. The only thing noticeable upon it's visage was a V-shaped visor that glowed a disturbing pink light that contrasted the blackness of space.

Jean-Louis froze in fear for a second. "W-what the hell is that?"

"Admiral!" The captain of the ship broadcasting the signal cried out. "Help! It's coming for us!"

The white figure extended a hand out, pointing its index finger towards the ship and shot forth a large beam of white magical energy.

The transmission to the ship then died. The last thing Jean heard was the screams of the crew at the last second. "Damn…" Tears started leaking from his eyes. "Lock on to that son of a bitch!" He ordered the remaining ships in his fleet.

"Affirmative, admiral!" The remaining captains howled, equally eager to show their wrath towards the assailant.

The targeting computers on all the battle cruiser then homed in on the white armored figure, and began sharing its coordinates to the other ships. When the targeting reticle turned red, his eyes widened in manic fear and anger.

"Shoot him down!" He cried out. All the cannons on all the ships began laying fire onto the mysterious figure.

"SHOOT HIM DOWN!"

The torrent of magical cannon fire came at the white figure like a cascade of falling rainwater. Despite this however, the white mage easily dodged and rolled in between the magic rounds with mechanical precision and majestic ease at the same time. The amount of magic cannon rounds seemed to have rivaled the amount of stars present in the background, yet all of them seemed to have just phase right through the armored person.

It sped towards the rest of the fleet, travelling through space much faster than before, becoming a white line across the inky darkness of space.

"Is that a mage?" Diana asked, unable to believe what she was seeing.

"It can't be." Jean-Louis muttered. "No mage can move that fast…"

"It's a demon, man!" Gene cried.

The white figure held up one hand, summoning forth a field of eight glowing white orbs.

"Axel shooter..."

With a magic incantation and a swift wave of her arm, the orbs then began their flight out in different directions. Each of them aimed at different warships, they made contact in mere seconds, and their effect was immediate. The ships ignited into brilliant balls of burning steel, a final coffin for its crew.

"Burn them all."

The white mage, alongside it's white orbs, began cutting a clear path through the Armada of warships with contemptuous ease. One by one, each gargantuan machine of war was brutally shot down. As the numbers of ships continued to dwindle, the mage raised one of its hands and casually blasted two cruisers with one blow, all while continuing it's dance between the cannon fire from the remaining ships.

"Admiral!" A voice pleaded through the comms of the Stonehenge.

"We're being slaughtered out here!"

"We're sitting ducks!"

"It's just one man!" Jean-Louis growled. "How are you not hitting him?!" He cursed under his breath as he anxiously clawed at his scalp.

"Aigion, hold your position and continue to lay down covering fire!" He commanded. "Captain of the Magellan, can you position yourself behind the enemy and flank them?"

"We can try, sir! However, they seem to know where we're going to go before we even start moving!"

True to the captain's word, as the Magellan began its flanking maneuver around the sea of bullets, the white mage already flew underneath both the Magellan and the Aigion's view before it could finish getting into position. The enemy, cloaked in the darkness of space, began laying fire on all directions. Beams of white and pink crashed into the metal of both ships. The turrets positioned beside the Aigion began to shatter one by one. Jean's grip on his armrest tightened as he realized that his tactics were utterly failing him.

He looked out onto the carnage outside the windows the bridge. His heart sank as he made a headcount. The armada of what used to be around thirty warships was now reduced to just eight. Eight vessels that housed dozens of men and women, crying out for his help.

"Target the bastard with the main cannon!" Jean-Louis ordered the crew.

"But sir-"

"Do it now!"

The targeting computer locked on to the white mage, who was currently pulling aggro with the other ships.

"Fire!"

The main cannon of the Stonehenge fired a ball of green energy at the white mage, who turned it's head just in time to see the incoming blast and move out the way. Jean-Louis could only watch in horror as the green ball landed on one of the battle cruisers that floated behind the mage. In an instant, the cruiser was set ablaze in green flames.

"Friendly fire! Friendly fire!" One of the helmsman in the front relayed.

"Admiral!"

"With all due respect, but what the fuck was that, sir?!"

"Holy shit! Holy fucking shit!"

"I...I didn't mean to..."

The armada was now reduced to seven ships.

Jean-Louis's blood chilled to ice as he saw the white figure glower at him through the window for a second, before speeding off towards the rest of the remaining ships. The white trail of light passed through the six titanic warships within a small time frame. A split second later, those ships began to explode one by one. The once bustling comm channels filled with panicked yells and dying screams was now eerie silence. The crew of the Stonehenge could do nothing but stare at the incoming white devil.

"Jean…" Gene called out. "What should we do?"

Jean-Louis could only look in despair at the tattered remains of his forces, as well as the countless bodies that floated in space. Some of them still writhed and moved in vain as their oxygen was sucked out of their lungs.

He desperately tried to ponder on what he should do at that moment. Mentally he sifted through all the drills and battle tactics he learned under the tutelage of the Ace of Mid-Childa. In the end, however, he could only let out a hollow sigh. A strange sense of peace filled his chest; a sort of levity that was both dreadful and relaxing to him at the same time.

"Oh…alright." Gene only sank further into his seat. "So this is how it ends, huh?" He then got out a pack of cigarettes and lit one up. Diana stepped close to Jean-Louis' side, and held his hand, clasping her fingers with his.

Within the devil's freehand, a flash of lightning appeared in its finger, before a large curved yellow blade of plasma was conjured up. The figure held back its arm, ready to swing down its mighty plasma sword as it closed in on the command ship.

Jean-Louis looked up at his assistant, before facing the incoming enemy and finally saying, "It's been a pleasure, gentlemen."

The last thing the crew saw was a flash of gold as the Devil from space cleaved its sword down onto the command deck of the once mighty Stonehenge.


"Hmm…" Nanoha moaned as she felt the sunlight hitting her eyelids. Honestly, she wouldn't mind sleeping for a few more minutes. Last night probably was the first time she had a decent sleep in a long while. She sat up on her bed and stretched her arms over her head, releasing a few satisfying cracks.

She finally opened her eyes and saw Fate laying next to her with her head propped up in her hand.

"Good morning." Fate said casually.

"Oh Fate-chan, good morning." Nanoha said simply before turning around and getting up from the mattress.

"Ah shoot, now my uniform is all wrinkl-"

With a speed faster than most people could blink, Nanoha tackled the other girl onto the bed, pinning the blonde by the shoulders.

"N-no way." She whispered with a shaky breath. "This isn't real, isn't it?" Tears once again started to well up in her eyes. "God please, this dream is getting too cruel."

Fate only smiled and shook her head. "This isn't a dream."

Nanoha gasped when she heard her voice. When she heard Fate's voice. "It's been so long...since I heard your voice." She sounded so beautiful to her ears.

"You're really here, right? You actually came back to me, right?" Nanoha asked with shaking lips.

"You're alive, right?"

"You can see me, right?" Fate said.

"You can hear me, right?" She then reached towards her friend's face, wiping the cascade of tears off her cheeks.

"You can feel me, right?" She then pulled the auburnette down so that their foreheads were touching.

"See? I'm here." Fate said as she closed her eyes.

"F-Fate-chan!" Nanoha cried as she cradled the blonde's cheeks with shaking fingers. "Fate-chan! Fate-chan! Fate-chan!" She repeated over and over again, imagining that if she were to stop saying her name, it would be akin to not acknowledging her existence, and then the blonde underneath her would fade away into nothingness.

"Nanoha…" Fate could only bask in her friend's voice, savoring every sweet syllable her ears could pick up.

"Fate-chan…"

"Hmm…"

"Fate-chan…"

"Yes, Nanoha?" Fate questioned, her eyes still closed blissfully.

"I...you…"

Was she really going to say it?

Fate then opened her eyes. "Yes?"

Only to see an angry Nanoha raising a pillow over her head, primed and ready to be swung down.

"Fate-chan, YOU IDIOT!" She then unleashed her wrath in the form of a sack of feathers.

Her voice shook the entire household, waking up a tired Einhart sleeping in a room across the hall. She raised her head, eyes still glued shut, and concluded that it was still too early to be awake.

She promptly flopped back into her bed.

"Idiot!" Nanoha screamed as she swung down with all her might at the blonde, who could only cover her face with both of her arms to defend herself from the feathery onslaught.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid, idiot, Fate-chan!"

"Ow!" Fate spat out a feather from her mouth. "Nano-ow! What are you- ow!"

"Jerk!" Nanoha cried. "Idiot! Dummy!" With each insult, the blow from the soft fluffy weapon only increased in force. Fate started contemplating whether to put her Barrier Jacket on - if those swings got any stronger, she may actually get injured, pillow be damned.

"I was…" Nanoha's voice started to break. "I was so scared! You didn't call! You didn't send any messages!" She swung down once more, only the impact was much weaker. "I thought-", she hiccuped, "I thought that you were…"

Ahh, of course it was about that…

Fate lowered her arms away from her face, and spread them outwards, embracing her pillowy punishment with open arms as penance. Nanoha stopped her assault when she saw this, her arms still over her head with the pillow dangling from her fingers. She hesitated before dropping it from her hands and collapsing onto the blonde. She nuzzled her face into the other girl's neck as she held their bodies close together with her arms.

"Welcome back." Nanoha whispered into the girl's ear. "Fate-chan…"

Fate hummed as she wrapped her own arms around the auburnette in reciprocation and lovingly stroked her copper hair.

"I'm home."


A/N: I want to give a big shout out and thank you to the lovely Phoenixnext for beta-reading my story. I couldn't have asked for a better helper for this little tale. She's also there to kick my ass if I ever abandon this story, and I so need that.

Quick note: The helmet for the White Devil is supposed to look something like the head of the VF-0s from the Macross series.

As always, please show your support by leaving your thoughts, comments, questions, flaming, whatever, in the review box. It's always fun to read the reviews, especially the long ones, and it will certainly help out in future chapters. Until next time, this is Pen, signing off.