Disclaimer: The usual applies here.
Author's Note: This one's for you Yuki.
Need for Speed: Rise of the Demon
Chapter Nine
The white Nissan GTR rounded the corner before surging forward in a sudden burst of speed. Its glossy coat shimmered beneath the bright morning light as it rounded another curve and proceeded to weave through a winding section.
Vita jabbed at the green button of the walkie-talkie and barked into the equipment. "You are losing speed on the turns."
Fate watched with interest as the Nissan sped passed again, spraying up water from the puddles left by the rain the night before. Turning to scrutinize the redhead sitting on the bench next to her, she took in Vita's choice of a gothic white tee-shirt and a black and red pleated skirt with knee high black stockings.
"What are you looking at?" Vita cast an irritated glance at the amused blonde.
"Nothing." Fate smiled. "Are you training Takamachi-san?" She asked in curiosity.
"Sort of." Vita replied distractedly as her eyes followed the white vehicle rounding a particularly tight turn.
"Takamachi-san is some sort of race car driver?" Fate turned to face the redhead.
Vita raised an eyebrow sceptically at the blonde. "No. You are the racer, you 'tard."
Fate blinked in surprised at the hostility before her sluggish mind registered Vita's words.
"I am a racer?" She echoed incredulously.
"Yeah. And a damn good one too." Vita jumped to her feet as the Nissan rounded the last corner and gradually slowed to a stop by the tracks.
Nanoha staggered out from the white Nissan and stumbled towards the two women in the shade of the garage. Twenty laps at 8am in the morning coupled with the cackling of the walkie-talkie as Vita yelled at her was giving her a severe headache. Besides, having Fate as an audience simply added to the pressure.
"Take a break." Vita instructed, pointing at the bench where Fate was perched on.
Nanoha heaved a sigh of relief, about to express her gratitude when the little redhead continued.
"We'll do another set later."
Nanoha stumbled towards the bench and sprawl onto the hard wood. Vita pointed her index finger at Fate, motioning the blonde to stand.
"You. Get a car and get on the tracks."
"Huh?" Fate blinked in confusion.
"We can't, Vita-chan. Shamal-san said she was not to do anything taxing!" Nanoha protested, her earlier fatigue dissipating in an instant.
"Shamal isn't here. You are riding shotgun, Nantoka."
"Nanoha." The brunette stressed.
"Whatever. Get goldilocks a car." Vita waved them towards the garage before turning her back on the two women.
"Is she always like that?" Fate whispered to the fuming brunette as they made the trip to the basement garage.
"I wouldn't know. We met just a couple of weeks ago…" Nanoha pushed the stainless steel door opened and the automatic light sensor triggered the interior lighting.
They stood just inside the entrance of the mostly empty parking garage and Nanoha waved an arm at the cars parked neatly side by side. "Pick one."
"Any one?"
"Yeah. They are all yours." Nanoha guided the awestruck blonde towards the vehicles.
"Wow…" Fate stared at the vehicles parked in a row before her.
A glossy black BMW M3 with neon yellow highlights running along the bottom of the car body with twin stripes down the center lengthwise. The letters 'Bardiche' were inscribed in matching yellow on the front right bumper. Burgundy eyes flicked to the next vehicle in line, a nondescript black Aston Martin DB9. A car of unknown make and model stood covered with a grey dust cover and finally, the last car in the line up, a metallic black '08 Porsche 997 GT2. But of course, she couldn't tell one car model from the next.
"Well… erm… that one then." Fate pointed to the metallic black '08 Porsche 997 GT2.
Nanoha nodded and both women walked towards the vehicle parked furthest away. "Did you pick randomly?" Nanoha wondered aloud.
Fate nodded in affirmative. "Yeah. This one looks cool. What make and model is it?"
Nanoha stared at the blonde incredulously. The blonde clearly could not remember even a figment of her past self. "It's a 2008 Porsche 997 GT2 with a V6 engine. Not the fastest car here but its perfectly street legal."
The blonde's lips formed an 'O' as she absorbed the information while they covered the remaining distance in several long strides. Standing before the vehicle, Fate hesitated as Nanoha climbed into the passenger's seat. At the questioning glance the brunette shot her, the blonde shook her head slightly and settled herself in the driver's seat.
Fate stared at the dashboard; the many instruments seemed awfully familiar. Running her palm against the smooth leather of the steering wheel, a strange feeling welled up in her chest; like she was reunited with something precious. Almost on instinct, her right hand found the ignition and the engine purred to a start.
"Right. How do I do this?" Fate muttered to herself.
In the passenger seat, Nanoha wondered if this was a good idea.
Somehow, Fate had figured out how to get the vehicle moving almost unconsciously. Her hand grasped the gear stick, shifting it to first before gently stepping on the accelerator. The Porsche rolled forward, engine humming in content as Fate easily steered the vehicle towards the exit.
It was a step closer to recovery.
Fate remembered how to drive.
---
"Vita? Where's Fate-chan?" Shamal asked worriedly as she hurried towards the redhead standing beneath the shade of the garage.
Vita nodded towards the glossy black Porsche speeding around the tracks. "She's doing pretty well out there."
"You let her drive?!" The usually calm doctor nearly screamed in alarm at the nonchalant redhead.
Shamal massaged her temples in an attempt to ease the sudden throbbing. Her amnesic patient was driving a barely street legal car at speeds way above the city's limits. It was an accident waiting to happen.
"She will be fine. Nanoha is with her."
She nodded, trying to believe Vita's words and possibly save herself from having a panic fit. The bright morning sun was reflected into her eyes and she stepped back into the garage entrance and into the shade to see better.
Shamal's eyes widened as she watched in horror at the Porsche swerving wildly behind the lithe redhead that had turned away to face her. Noticing the distress plainly written on the older blonde's features, Vita whirled around.
"Shit." She swore.
---
The vehicle spun around in circles, tires squealing in protest as they tried to grip the tarmac. The burnt rubber left skid marks on the even road, their paths crisscrossing several times and leaving a messy web of black. Nanoha braced her left forearm against the door as her right palm pushed against the dashboard and squeezed her eyes shut. Fate on the other hand, was fighting the momentum as she struggled to wrench the steering wheel to the opposite direction to counter the unintentional spin.
The scenery of the forest and the ranch stopped spinning around them as the vehicle halted suddenly. Smoke hissed from beneath the front hood as the tires gave off a foul odour. The occupants of the vehicle jerked forwards from the inertia and Fate slammed her head against the steering wheel.
The engine was cut off and the silence seemed eerie. Nanoha slumped back into her seat, feeling dizzy and a little nauseous from all that spinning around. It took a few moments for her head to stop spinning and the world to right itself before she turned to her right to check on the blonde.
"Fate?" She called out worriedly.
The blonde was gazing blankly out of the windshield, her eyes unfocused as she stared unseeingly ahead.
"Fate?" Nanoha tried again, gently nudging the blonde in the shoulder.
She struggled to control the returning nauseousness, fearful that the entire nightmare from three weeks before was repeating. Her eyes made a quick scan of the blonde, noting with relief that there were no obvious signs of bleeding or injury.
"Fate?" She grasped the blonde's shoulder, shaking the dazed woman slightly.
Burgundy eyes met hers as Fate turned to face her. Recognition flickered in those depthless orbs. "Nanoha?"
The brunette froze at the mention of her name. Fate had not called her by her given name ever since the blonde had woken up.
Could it be?
She did not dare to hope. It was too much to wish so hard for something only to be disappointed yet again.
"Nanoha." The blonde repeated.
Those burgundy eyes that used to hold confusion were now blazing with certainty.
"Fate? Are you…?"
The blonde leaned over the gearbox, ignoring the uncomfortable position she was in with the gear lever prodding her in the abdomen as she pulled the misty eyed brunette into an embrace.
"I miss you too…" She murmured into the brunette's ear. "So much…" A soft sigh. "I never thought I'd get to hold you again…"
Dampness dropped onto her shirt as the tears obscuring azure eyes fell silently. The embrace was returned as arms wrapped around her back. In the blonde's arms, Nanoha sobbed quietly.
They were both whole again.
Their moment was interrupted as the driver's door was wrenched open by a frantic Shamal.
"Fate-chan! Nanoha-chan! Are the both of you alright?" Her eyes widened as she noticed the private moment she had intruded on and promptly withdrew from the vehicle. "Guess no harm done…" She muttered as she shut the door behind her.
Vita smirked as she stood behind the relieved blonde and crossed her arms. "Maybe you should just give your amnesic patients a good smack on the head."
Shamal frowned. "Repeated concussions may result in severe consequences such as cerebral edema and…" She rambled on; oblivious that Vita had already slipped away.
---
Nanoha lay back on her bed, one hand absently stroking the soft pale pink comforter while her other arm was draped across her eyes. Shamal had insisted on doing a full medical check up on Fate as soon as they had stepped out from the vehicle. It was almost midnight and her gorgeous ex-amnesic girlfriend had yet to return.
Reaching up, she pulled one of her fluffy pillows into her arms and curled onto her side. She shifted to make herself comfortable, straightening out her pyjamas top that had twisted around her torso. Sighing into the soft pillow, she wished she was hugging Fate instead.
Idly, she wondered why Hayate and her team would go to such extends to help her and Fate. Before the whole incident with Yuuno, they had been rivals until Hayate had extended an unexpected friendship. Not just that, the short haired brunette had rendered them aid several times throughout Fate's recovery. Yagami Hayate was a woman with many connections and a very hazy background.
'She's more than who she claims to be.' Nanoha decided.
The soft knock on her door and the muffled voice that she had been waiting to hear broke through her thoughts and Nanoha raised her head.
"Nanoha? Are you still awake? I'm coming in…"
The door swung opened silently on its well oiled hinges and Fate stepped into the room, pushing the door closed behind her, she smiled at the brunette on the bed.
"Hey, you." She called softly.
Nanoha smiled back in return as she raised her hand towards the blonde who promptly moved towards her and took her hand. Sitting on the edge of the bed with her left hand holding the brunette's right, Fate reached out with her other hand to stroke Nanoha's cheek tenderly. Nanoha pressed her cheek against the blonde's palm, relishing the warmth as her eyelids fluttered shut.
"Mmm…I miss this…" She sighed contentedly.
Opening her eyes to meet the gentle burgundy orbs, Nanoha tugged the blonde forwards until Fate was lying beside her. Slipping her arms around the blonde's waist, she snuggled closer, head tucked beneath Fate's chin. She felt arms wrapping around her body, one beneath her neck and the other draping across her waist. Lips brushed gently against her hair and she shut her eyes in bliss.
"I'm sorry…" Fate murmured softly, breaking the peaceful silence.
"Whatever for?" Nanoha whispered sleepily.
"The whole amnesic thing. It must have hurt a lot for you…"
"At least you are fine now…" Nanoha peered curiously at the sombre blonde. "I'm surprised you remembered what happened when you were in an amnesic state. Is that normal?"
Fate chuckled softly. "Shamal found it odd. She mentioned something about retrograde amnesia and how driving had triggered my memory. Something along those lines anyway, I couldn't understand half of what she was saying…"
"So you remembered how mean you were to me as well?" Nanoha grumbled.
"I'm sorry… I'll make it up to you?"
"You'd better." Nanoha snuggled back against Fate and closed her eyes, allowing the lull of peaceful slumber to claim her.
She was warm and safe. Most of all, she was whole again.
Fate fumbled for the switch of the bedside lamp, flicking it off and casting the room in darkness. Wrapping her arms securely around the angel she held, she grazed her lips against chestnut locks and murmured softly. "I love you."
---
They stood before the entrance of the theatre, scrutinizing the lighted posters of the movies currently running. Earlier, Nanoha had suggested a movie and simply enjoying themselves.
So here they were, standing at the entrance of the city's biggest theatre and completely undecided.
"Hmmm… Why don't you pick one, Nanoha?" Fate turned to the thoughtful brunette on her right.
Nanoha hummed distractedly in response, her attention fixated on the colourful poster a meter away. Following the brunette's intense gaze, Fate took in the image on the poster.
A young woman with dark raven hair and a faint blush on her cheeks stood in the foreground with the fingers of her right hand poised on the neck of a three-colour sunburst Fender Stratocaster jazz bass and a tortoiseshell pick guard held between her left index and thumb. Clad in a maid's outfit with that vulnerable expression on her fair features, she was every man's and woman's fantasy. The remaining three members of the band stood in the background. A blonde on the keyboard, a guitarist with short chestnut locks and the drummer with her brown locks held back by a hair band. The words 'K-ON' printed in bolded red comic sans script adorned the top third of the poster with the words 'Moe~ Moe~ kyun' accompanying them in smaller italics.
Fate turned to the brunette by her side and raised an eyebrow sceptically. "This?"
Nanoha nodded, her bottom lip protruding in a pout as she willed tears to rim her lower eyelids in a puppy dog look.
"Seriously, this?" Fate reaffirmed and the brunette nodded eagerly.
"It looks like a rip-off from the box office failure 'School of Rock'... except this one has a way more attractive leading character."
"I'm sure they will sound better as well. They are gaining popularity recently." Nanoha added, eyes shinning eagerly.
"Popular eh? I've never heard of them." Fate scoffed.
"Well, you were out cold for weeks."
"Well, I've been out of it for weeks and I haven't heard a squeak about them." Fate countered.
Nanoha stuck her tongue out at the blonde. "Fine. What do you want to watch then?"
"Hmm…"
Fate tapped a finger thoughtfully against her chin before brightening up. Grabbing Nanoha's hand in hers, she led the brunette to the ticketing counter where the female teen checked them out before greeting them and repeating a well rehearsed line.
"Two tickets for K-ON please." Fate replied pleasantly. "And the butter popcorn combo." She glanced at the brunette before correcting herself. "Make that a large please."
As soon as they had left the counter, Nanoha tugged on Fate's black sweater.
"I thought you didn't want to watch that?"
Fate shrugged. "It had the best looking lead."
At that, Nanoha smacked her girlfriend hard on the arm.
---
"There will be a race tonight." Arf announced as she strode into the garage.
Nanoha looked up from her squatting position on the cemented ground as Fate slid out from beneath the raised BMW M3. Wiping her hands on Nanoha's overalls clad thighs; Fate ignored the brunette's protests as she rose to her feet.
"Time and venue?"
"Starting point's at the old powerhouse entrance. 0000 hours." Arf replied crisply from her leaning position against the garage closed shutters.
"Right. Guess I should get ready then." Fate scratched her cheek thoughtfully.
Nodding towards the still squatting brunette, Arf spoke up. "What about you, Nanoha-chan?"
The brunette rose to her feet. "I'm going as well."
"No, you're not." Fate objected. "It's dangerous and I don't want you to get hurt."
"Fate, I'll be fine. I've been practising with Vita-chan for weeks."
"Practising isn't the same as a real race… Besides, Chrono Harlaown would most likely be racing as well. We don't know what he might do to win." Fate argued.
"It's a good opportunity for her debut." Arf piped up from her corner.
"Don't encourage her, Arf." Fate glared at the nonchalant woman. "Nanoha, please." She begged.
The brunette nodded reluctantly. She wasn't too keen to race either yet some part of her wanted to be with Fate through it all. Now that she had given it more thought, her participation would only cause the blonde to lose focus while worrying. She might not be cut out for racing but she will definitely provide Fate with the best vehicle. But that did not mean she would give up easily.
"Come back safely to me, Fate."
"I will." Fate promised.
---
Fingers tapped impatiently against the rosewood desk as the high back leather chair was reclined. The ringing from the desk phone halted the random tapping and the receiver was scooped up fluidly. The phone was pressed to an ear, the recipient listening closely.
"She's what?" Yuuno snapped. "I thought I made it clear to take her out indefinitely."
He listened quietly for a few moments.
"Fine. You know what happens if she wins the Mid-Childa races, Harlaown. You know you can't afford to bear the consequences." With that, he slammed the receiver on to its cradle.
Leaning back, he tapped his lacquered fountain pen against the desk as he pondered his options. Chrono Harlaown was fast living out his usefulness and he had yet to accomplish what they had agreed on. He needed to find another way to get rid of the Testarossa group, even at the expense of Nanoha.
Grimacing slightly at the mere thought of her name, he slammed his fist against the desk in frustration. What does that Fate Testarossa has that he doesn't?
"Forget her, Yuuno. You don't need someone like her." He spoke aloud to the empty room.
Yes, he no longer needed Takamachi Nanoha to accomplish his goals.
She was… dispensable.
He refused to watch the company that his parents had left him being destroyed under his watch. His parents' life work was dependant on the upcoming race. One wrong step and the precautions they have taken, the connections they have painstakingly forged and all the effort they have put in, everything would be for naught.
All he needed was to take out Fate.
Preferably, permanently.
---
"Nanoha? What are you doing?" Fate scratched her cheek in puzzlement as she eyed the brunette following her.
"Coming with you, of course." Nanoha replied as she brushed past the confused blonde and strode deeper into the basement garage.
"Nanoha…" Fate sighed in exasperation. "I thought we went through this already…"
"Just this once. I'd feel better if I'm out there with you." Nanoha pulled opened the driver's door of her Nissan GTR.
"And I would feel better if you stayed at home." Fate kept the door opened as she glared at the nonchalant brunette in the driver's seat.
Nanoha looked up to meet the unrelenting gaze of the blonde before sighing and stepping out from the vehicle. Wrapping her arms around the taller blonde's neck, she lightly kissed the side of Fate's lips.
"Just this once. Let me be by your side." She whispered into the stoic blonde's ear.
"You already are." Fate replied, her expression softening.
"I want to be closer. I want to experience what you feel when racing."
Fate hesitated; she did not know how to deny the brunette from something like that.
"Please, Fate. Just this once. I will be careful."
Unable to stop herself, she nodded.
Author's Note: Another filler. I'm getting a major block… and I'm blatantly advertising for K-ON in this chapter… don't shoot me..
Review please…
P.S.: Sneak preview for the upcoming Team GEMINI novel.
名無し
Fate walked beside Nanoha, her right arm slung over the older woman's shoulder possessively, glaring at anyone that dared look in their direction. Nanoha is her girl, and it would take a full army of hormonal teenagers to even get her an inch away from the copper haired woman. Nanoha had her own arms coiled around the other woman's waist, the embrace was lithe, but possessive.
"Hope you don't mind I'll only be pretending to pay attention to what you have to say while we're in that bloody bookstore." Fate told Nanoha with a halfhearted smile.
Nanoha didn't even bat an eye when she replied, "I never expected you to care about the bookstore."
"Oh..."
"I know you well enough. Plus I've been meaning to check it out, but I just didn't want to go alone," Nanoha clung onto Fate tighter, her head resting against the blonde's shoulder, a peaceful little smile on her adorable face. "Plus I think the cashier there has a thing for me."
"Aha," Fate's grin faded into a sour scowl, her hold around Nanoha tightening to a where the top of copper haired girl's head was tucked underneath Fate's chin.
"You're jealous now aren't you Baby?"
"No."
"Really?"
"..."
"So you are jealous then?" Nanoha hummed happily when Fate grunted unhappily.
Nanoha knew full well that her boyish girlfriend was the jealous type. Whenever a cute boy would walk up to her, Nanoha would return the flirt just to see Fate's jealous glare. Perfectly shaped blonde eyebrows creasing together, beautiful burgundy eyes flaring in rage, lush lips pursing together, and the way Fate's tender hands would ball into shaking fist of anger. Normal people would find Fate's behavior to be repulsive and controlling, but Nanoha loved that about her girlfriend. The possessiveness Fate had for her, the knowledge that the beautiful teenager wanted for no one else to near her, this fact made Nanoha extremely happy.
The two lovers stopped at the crosswalk, waiting for the light to change from the red hand sign to a green bystander walking. Nanoha took this very limited time to take advantage of the small distance between her Fate. She snatched Fate's hat off of her head and stood up on her tiptoes, grabbed hold of Fate's collar in the process and bringing the tall girl down to her level, meeting in deep kiss. While Fate had her eyes closed, clearly enjoying the intimate gesture, Nanoha had one eye cracked open to watch the street sign. Fate's hand crawled up Nanoha's back slowly, the fleece sweater she had on crawled up ever so slightly as Fate's hand continue to climb. Nanoha realized that the kiss was getting too passionate for public display, she decided that it was time to break and just hold the other girl close to her.
Slowly but reluctantly, Nanoha broke apart from her lover. The two shared a brief gaze before Nanoha turned to the street sign which had just turned green.
"We are never doing that again." Nanoha grumbled, out of breath.
"You say that now, and you've said it before."
"Can it blondie."
"Fine, fine," Fate chuckled. "Let's go see that book thing of yours."
There we go. Click on the green button please. =D