On the Precipice Between Worlds. Chp. 8

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Wordcount: 2500

Commissioned by Marteddu

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"Well… what do you think? The two of you have spent the most time with him, so should we be worried?" Hayate sat behind her desk and did her best to stay calm. Fate, however, could see that her friend was trying to suppress both trepidation and nervousness. Though the auburn-haired woman looked as though she was simply seated behind her desk, her hands were drifting towards nonexistent wheels on the sides of her chair, and leaning forward ever-so-slightly. "Everyone that's looked at him said the same thing: he's dangerously focused."

"I think that we shouldn't be observing him or analyzing him without his consent." Nanoha grumbled out an answer, and crossed her arms. The Ace was rarely angry, but when she was, she spoke concisely and calmly. Nanoha was almost there, and Fate was sure that her friend would soon reach the stage where she gave their superiors a piece of her mind, if nothing was done. "We're trying to fight crazy people who are examining people and dissecting them against their will, but here we are doing the same."

Fate looked upon the documents on Hayate's desk, the compiled information they had on Emiya thus far, and couldn't help but feel angry on his behalf just like her friend. Given the fact that he was an unknown entity, who betrayed his organization, and was now working within the TSAB, the precaution of having him observed by professionals from afar was understandable. In fact, under normal circumstances, she would support it wholeheartedly.

However, such wasn't the case now.

"Emiya provided us with immense amounts of information, told us as much as he could about himself, and abandoned his world for the sake of helping us fight a threat we wouldn't have been able to catch." Fate watched as Hayate flinched at her words, and grew small in her chair, and reeled back her slip in emotions after seeing her friend's reaction. Even putting aside her personal feelings, she couldn't see the actions taken by the TSAB as anything but unnecessary and incredibly obtrusive. "Nanoha and I have also been training with him, speaking with him, and evaluating him, as well as submitting daily reports on him. Therefore, I agree with Nanoha: this was ultimately unnecessary."

What Fate referred to was the psychoanalysis and profiling of Shirou Emiya in secret, without his consent, after he accepted the terms and conditions stipulated by the TSAB in order to assist against Charon. His movements, habits, and daily actions were recorded, dissected, and sent towards professionals within the TSAB organization who specialized in evaluating the TSAB's enemies, and turning them into data.

Complete with assumptions and beliefs in regards to their personal past, which they are reluctant to share and admit to.

Such as Emiya having a severe form of Surivor's Guilt.

"Anyone who met him, and spent actual time with him, could've told you all these things. He'll probably admit it if you ask him, even." Nanoha, after taking a breath, spoke with more of her usual energy. She most likely noticed the Hayate was cowering between the both of them, and decided to be calmer and more considerate. Fate was glad that she did, because it allowed her to calm herself and let her more affable friend do the talking. "We didn't know about these things, because it's personal. He's not out to keep secrets and blow up, it's just about not sharing personal secrets to strangers!"

Fate nodded along with Nanoha's incensed words, but kept an eye on their friend and superior officer.

Instead of acceptance on the short-haired woman's face, Fate was surprised to find indignation.

"I know already! Jeez! I didn't order this to happen!" Hayate groaned, gave into her emotions, and promptly let herself fall upon the top of her desk with a thud. "They just do things because they're scared, even though I keep telling them everything's fine! I'm doing my best, you know!?"

Hayate gripped the envelope on her desk and growled at it.

"They keep saying: "he can't possibly be this affable, so record him," "he's being strange by being so helpful, send his information to our therapists," or "record all your conversations with him, and send it to body analysists to verify!"" Hayate began to wrench at the document, making Fate take the action of plucking it out of her hands before she ruined the document and envelope. Information placed on paper was set to be archived in a secure location, and archivists take note of the state the information is found it. "I keep telling them everything he does, and they believe it's too good to be true, so now I've violated someone privacy! I don't like it all!"

Hayate grasped at empty air for a few moments, as Fate and Nanoha observed her as she caught her breath from her tirade.

As they both expected, their friend all but collapsed on her desk and let out a long sigh.

"I just want to be a good TSAB officer and get promoted… why does everything have to be weird and difficult?" Hayate groaned against the surface of her desk, lameting her current situation utterly.

Fate moved with Nanoha wordlessly in response to the sight of their friend's plight.

Nanoha pulled her up and seated her straight in her chair, while Fate did her best to unmake the mess she made of her uniform.

"No. Stop making me better. I don't wanna work hard anymore. Ever." Hayate groaned and gripped, as she was set straight and taken care of. However, as soon as Fate placed a supportive hand on her shoulder and Nanoha began patting her head, the auburn-haired woman's tune changed. "I want a day off. Gimme a day off. Take me somewhere nice, where I can eat nice food, see something great, and fall asleep for twelve hours…"

Fate and Nanoha shared a glance at one another, before nodding.

"I'll help Hayate, you tell Shirou-kun."

Fate nodded and rose a moment later, after placing the documents carefully in Hayate's desk.

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Emiya blinked at her as, he finished cooking a meal, with an apron and a white bandana upon his head. He handed a plate of food to the awaiting crewmember and gave them a smile, before taking a step back and allowing another to take his place in the galley.

"I need to be stranger and more mysterious? Why?" Emiya's question was one of surprise and confusion, containing none of his usual calm. They reached the storeroom of the ship's galley and he readily set a box for her to sit on and laid his apron upon it, before taking a seat himself. Fate felt that he was answering his own question, and quirked an eyebrow. "…I'm just being helpful."

"You are being too helpful. The TSAB is afraid that you're enacting some sort of grand scheme to undermine them." It sounded ludicrous both in her head and aloud. The reasoning was sound, she couldn't deny that spies ingratiate themselves into organizations by being helpful to the point where they go unnoticed. However, in Emiya's case, he didn't exactly have the profile necessary in order to go unnoticed, as he came from another dimension, was their expert on his world's magics, and a person that both she and Nanoha were watching. "It is paranoia, one that's warranting the leaders of the TSAB to invade your privacy, and do their best to discern your secrets."

Fate considered telling him what was discovered and relayed to bother herself and Nanoha, until Emiya simply nodded in understanding.

"Ah, that's fine. They can watch me all they want. It's completely understandable." Emiya sighed in relief, and some tenseness in his form faded that Fate hadn't noticed. She was slightly alarmed, until an explanation came forth from the red-haired, golden-eyed young man. "I thought that it was strange you were all so welcoming, but I'm relieved that you're all actually watching me."

Fate's confusion cleared when she considered the society Emiya was used to compared to her own.

"Ah, what we consider an invasion of privacy is simply security measures for your people." Fate let out a sigh and shook her head, as Emiya nodded at her from the corner of her eye. Of course, a group of mages who would rather secrecy be kept instead of saving innocent lives would gather personal information on individuals and have them analyzed as a rule. "That's… I don't know what to say about that, in all honesty."

Fate rarely found herself at a loss, but she disliked it when she did. It felt strange to her, as though she was adrift, weightless in the skies.

Emiya waited for her to speak once again, but Fate's silence forced him to speak.

"A Magus walks with death. My father told me that, and it's true. My world is less peaceful, and its people less powerful, so we need to be cautious, afraid, and even a little paranoid." Emiya frowned and shook his head, while crossing his arms. He seemed both dissatisfied and understanding of his people. "I'd like to say it couldn't be helped, that it was necessary, but… I've told you about the Clocktower. Sometimes, it's reasonable, but there are many moments when it's not… and it's a little difficult for me to remember what is and isn't, because I've accepted a lot of it already."

Emiya's explanation made Fate very aware of the anger building within her, and how her grip on the fabric of her skirt was growing tighter.

Fate read about his world, listened to him about it, and approached it all with caution. She knew that beyond a few dozen exceptions, most of his world's magic users were researchers who sought to further knowledge and pass it on for the next generation to build upon. The exceptions were individuals who were considered untouchable because of their sheer power, or people to have a "Sealing Designation" placed upon them so that their capture, and dissection, would benefit the organization known as the Clocktower.

Such a world required a different mindset, that of individual humans with hardly any magical protections or firepower, who relied upon cunning, strategy, and tools to win the day. Not only that, but nearly every Magus, if given the opportunity and with low risk, would happily kill, dissect, and examine an individual with abilities that could further their own research. Extensively invading the privacy of guests, researching corrects ways to handle their foes, and preparing for the worst scenario is the norm amongst them.

Therefore, it's only natural that Emiya Shirou would handily accept being investigated.

No.

Fate realized that the concept is so familiar to him that it comforts him, whereas the opposite, being trusted, made him uncomfortable to the point where he almost felt the need to speak out.

"Testarossa-san…"

A part of her told her to stay silent, to merely accept what she learned, and leave it at that. It was settled, she told him the truth, and could work towards making sure it didn't happen again.

She didn't need to say anything more, because she could stop it.

Fate told herself that many times, but still found herself standing with clenched fists.

"Even if you accept it, I do not. Emiya, the TSAB did you wrong with this investigation, after you agreed to their many terms." Fate decided that if he wouldn't be incensed, then she would be. If Nanoha, Hayate, or any of her fellow TSAB officers were so treated in such a way, simply because they were feared for what they could do, she would feel the same anger for their sake. "Act as you have been. Do not change. You've done nothing to deserve this."

Fate stood and was ready to put her plans into action.

However, before she could fully turn away, she felt a firm grip on her wrist.

For the briefest of moments, she feared that she was wrong, and that Emiya was indeed a double-agent.

That suspicion was alleviated entirely as soon as she saw the worry for her on Emiya's face.

"Testarossa-san, it's fine. I don't want to trouble anyone, especially you or Takamachi-san. This is for the best." The words she expected left his lips, and she was glad to find that even with his approval, she found the thought repugnant. "Testarossa—

"No. Emiya Shirou, this isn't your world, and such things aren't allowed by our people. Even if they lead us, they cannot disregard the rules that all of the TSAB follow." Fate turned and confronted Emiya, while prying his hand from her wrist. She took note of the fact there wasn't even the slightest mark on her wrist. Despite his insistence, he still did his utmost to not harm her. "If you can't accept what I'm doing for your sake… then think of it as me preventing the TSAB from doing this to anyone else."

Fate felt the tiniest twinge of guilt, as she realized that she was using Emiya's dossier against him, by making him think of others instead of himself. However, she pressed onward after realizing that she already knew that he cared more for others than himself, otherwise he wouldn't be with the TSAB.

"I… I see. I understand." The fight left Emiya, and a frown formed on his lips, as he considered Fate's latest words. Soon enough, his jaw was set, and he gave her a nod while sitting straighter upon his small crate. "Even if it would be better for everyone in the short-term, we can't let this happen to others in the future. I should have considered that."

At those words Fate almost just nodded and left, but as she looked upon his Emiya's tenseness… she reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Her touch drew confusion from him, even as she smiled at him.

"Emiya-san… please remember that sometimes everyone includes you." Fate corrected his statement softly. When he stated that everyone would benefit in the short-term, he excluded himself from the equation completely. Nanoha complained to her regularly about Emiya's lack of care for himself, and how he put himself at risk without a second thought. She was content to leave Nanoha to solve the issue, but now she knew better. This was something that they both had to assist their new ally with, in their own, respective fashions. "Even if it would make things easier for others, you shouldn't suffer for it."

Though Emiya nodded at her words, Fate could tell that they didn't reach him.

Perhaps, one day, they would… but not now.