Chapter 6
"Do you think it's crazy?"
Fate opened her tired eyes and turned her head to the woman next to her.
"What do you mean?" she asked, even though she knew exactly what was causing that troubled look on her wife's beautiful face.
"That for some reason, everyone seems to trust that girl."
Even though Hikari was being monitored, she had technically been released from her previous arrest. She was free to leave at any time. This had truly bothered Nanoha and she made certain that Vivio, who had just begun to speak to them, stayed away from the mage.
"Nanoha… everyone knows that she's not telling us everything, but-"
"Do you feel it?" Nanoha finally met her wife's gaze, her amethyst eyes searching burgundy ones for answers.
"Whenever you're around her, don't you feel something… anything?"
"I do," Fate admitted. "I can't explain it, but I feel drawn to her, as if there's something that connects the two of us."
Nanoha sighed in relief, "At least someone agrees wi-"
"But," Fate interrupted. "I do trust her… She wouldn't have saved our lives if she wanted to kill us."
"You don't underst-"
"Have you tried talking to her? Really talk to her? Nanoha… that girl suffered. All you have to do is look into her eyes and see."
Nanoha was about to reply when a shrill cry echoed through the halls. Fate and Nanoha got out of bed, any trace of sleep washed from their faces. Even though they both wouldn't admit it, the mages new exactly who screamed. A fear was felt in the pit of their stomachs, for an unknown reason.
"Get up," the woman said coldly, watching the young girl struggle to her feet, her breathing ragged, but only ended up on the floor again.
"Get up!" the commander's voice grew louder and harsher, if possible.
"Nanoha…" Someone began as they stepped closer to the pair.
"Leave her be," Nanoha commanded, all the while knowing that the person was her superior.
Hayate opened her mouth to retort but fell short when she looked at the little girl in front of them. Even though she was swaying dangerously, young Hikari was able to get back on her feet, all the while grimacing at the blood-oozing wounds throughout her body. The look in her eyes were of sheer determination and strength mixed with love and fear towards the woman in front of her.
Nanoha didn't take any notice, and got into a battle stance, barely giving the girl time to register what was happening before she attacked. Hayate watched in horror as mother and daughter clashed, one fighting for recognition, the other fighting to punish.
That's it, Hayate thought. She understood that Nanoha was suffering from the losses of the two most important people in her life, but Hikari wasn't at fault… No one was except for that man.
"Nanoha, stop!" Hayate commanded while calling her device as Nanoha broke through the ten-year-old's weakened barrier.
Nanoha ignored her, once again successfully getting through the girl's defenses.
"You're weak," she whispered, her voice breaking. "You always were… that's why they're gone."
Hikari's eyes watered, feeling a sharp pain in her heart, but she refused to let the tears fall. Nanoha aimed Raising Heart, not wasting another second.
"FATE WOULDN'T HAVE WANTED THIS!" Hayate yelled from behind.
Nanoha's eyes widened but before she realized what she was doing, a pink beam was shot…
An echoing cry was heard as blood spattered into the ground…
Nanoha dropped Raising Heart and fell to her knees, her tears finally falling…
She didn't hear Hayate's frantic commands for Shamal, or see her run past her to aid the injured girl… her daughter.
There was so much blood…
Nanoha stare at her gloved hands in disbelief…
Fate… What have I done?
Hikari woke with a start. She touched the scar on her face, her eyes shut trying to control her ragged breathing and forget the memory that kept repeating in her head, unnoticed tears sliding down her cheek.
Her eyes snapped open when her bedroom slammed open. Apollo and Athena already at hand, she shot out of bed, only to cringe in fear at the woman in front of her, the cause of her nightmare.
Nanoha caught the fear in the girl's eyes and crinkle her eyes in confusion. She felt a slight push and look behind her to see Fate urging her on. She took a tentative step towards the girl, shocked to see Kari take one step back.
"I- I'm okay," she murmured, composing herself with her mask set in place.
"No, you're not," Nanoha said honestly. "What happened?"
"Nothing."
"Didn't sound like nothing," said Vita, appearing next to Fate, Hayate and Shamal following soon after. Shamal took a step towards Hikari to check her temperature after noting her pale color and sweat, but Fate stopped her.
"It doesn't matter," Kari responded, her eyes still locked on Nanoha's. Nanoha felt unsettled by the familiar eye's gaze but held her ground.
"No," she said firmly. "You are going to tell me what happened. No more secrets."
Kari sat on her bed, her eyes closed while her hands tightly gripped the sheets. "It doesn't matter. Just let it go, I'm tired and-"
"Why else do you think everyone feels uneasy around you? You won't even bother to tell us something truthful."
Don't you mean you feel uneasy? Kari asked her telepathically.
"Stop being weak and get on with it," Nanoha said using her commander voice, ignoring the girl's silent comment.
Weak…
Kari stood, rigid with an anger that had been building for years. Her burgundy eyes blazed with a ferocity that startled all the mages in the room.
"You want to know why you feel so uneasy around me? It's because of the mark you left on me, the magical residue from your device that has yet to leave me! If you think I got this scar in battle then you're wrong… It was you. You gave it to me before I even turned eleven, because I wasn't strong enough for you… you punished me for it with this," she finished, pointing at the scar.
Nanoha's eyes widened in astonishment, her head shaking in denial but Fate was right, the emotion in the younger girl's eyes told no lies.
"Kýrie," Athena warned.
That seemed to snap Hikari out of her angry daze. Before anyone could stop her, she fled past the group, out the room to the only place she knew she could trust.
After a couple minutes Hayate followed after her, still stupefied by what had just occurred.
"Shamal…" Nanoha started, her lip trembling. "Was she…"
"She wasn't lying… I should have noticed earlier..."
A bit later Vita and Shamal left too, but Fate didn't really pay attention. Her own feelings and urges to find Hikari were pushed aside, her heart broke as the love of her life tried to come to terms with the act she had yet to perform.
Nanoha finally understood her feeling towards the girl… it was guilt, uncontrollable guilt that her heart was protecting her from. Her shoulders shook as she fell to her knees, her eyes shut tight, trying to keep the tears at bay. Fate was quick to act, being the shoulder her wife needed to lean on.
No words were spoken...
No words were needed…
Kari grunted as she blocked another attack from the machine. She had been training for some time now and had finally reached a level of peace, her emotions in check. She got out of her battle stance, sensing a familiar aura waling her way. The machine turned off as she turned to find a pajama wearing Hayate.
"You'll wake the entire sector if you keep practicing like that."
"Sorry," she said. "I should have asked for your permission."
Hayate held up a hand to silence her.
"I've been watching you for a while now. If I wanted to stop you, I would have done it a long time ago."
Hayate stared at the girl before in wonder, for she had barely broken a sweat after fighting their most powerful training machine. Hikari grinned, finally noticing her superior's duckling patterned pajamas.
"We should get back… we wouldn't want anyone to see the great Yagami Hayate wearing such adorable pajamas," she teased.
Hayate winked and twirled for the girl, "You like? I have a pair that would look adorable on you."
Hikari shivered at the thought, being reminded of many instances when she found herself in odd outfits to appease her aunt's fetishes. Laughter broke out between the two, and Hayate realized that this was the first time she heard the girl laugh. She sounded so much like…
"You have your mother's smile." The unexpected comment ceased the girl's laughter, but brought out a nostalgic smile.
"You used to tell me that all the time."
"I did?" Kari nodded in confirmation.
"You always said that when I was depressed… that it was a shame that I couldn't see it for myself… Mom didn't smile much."
The familiar melancholy look washed over her face and Hayate felt tears coming on. How terrible was this possible future?
Hikari felt arms wrap around her, a terribly missed warmth appearing.
"I'm sorry," she heard her aunt whisper. "I'm so sorry… I promise you, I'll do everything in my power to not let that happen."
Hayate felt the young girl start to shake, feeling tears wet her pajama top. Her arms tightened, a hand lovingly petting the girl's hair. She never realized how small Kari was… Never took the time to realize that this soldier was just a scared girl who wanted her family back…
Vivio slowly made her way out of her hiding spot, and made her way back to her room. Even though she too wanted to comfort Kari, she knew it wasn't her place. When she got settled in her bed, she wondered about what was so familiar about Kari's smile. She turned her body on to its side, her eyes falling on a picture of her and her mamas. Her eyes widened…
No… way
