A/N:Let me just start off by saying, the support for this fic is seriously incredible and I wish I could write the chapters a lot faster. The events in this one unfortunately had to be moved a bit, but the fic is right on schedule. :D That said, to everyone reading the fic, please enjoy and let me know what you think!

8. Count

Vivio sneezed for the fifth time in a row, wiping her nose. Rae marveled that there was no burst of magic each time, but she was starting to realize that it leaving her body wasn't normal at all.

Well, okay, she had known that, but even among people with magic, it wasn't quite supposed to be like that.

Vivio sneezed again and then whimpered. "That one hurt…" She glanced at Rae, who was looking over at her with sympathy tugging her mouth from its neutral line into a nervous frown. "I'm okay…"

"Sneezes like that don't seem okay." Not that Rae got all that sick normally, but looking at the other girl's face, it seemed that Vivio looked ready to have a nosebleed at any time.

"They're not, but Vivio is trying this whole 'stubborn determination' thing."

Rae stepped back to avoid the bucket of water swishing about in Fate's hands. Fate reached out after setting it down, mussing the smaller girl's hair. Rae blinked, putting a hand to her head and then lowering it. She had managed to not twitch or run away, or anything over the past three days. Vivio had dragged her on runs and practices in the cold, and didn't take no for an answer. Well, at least if she wanted to go and leave, she would know how to get back.

So maybe all of this sneezing had its perks. Kind of.

Vivio pouted at her mother and sat back in the bed. Her blond hair fell messily over her face and she made a noise of disgust at the tissues around her. "I'm being Nanoha-mama," she said with a huff. "You guys wouldn't get brought down by a cold."

"Uh-huh," Fate said with sympathy, it glowing warm rose red. "You'd be surprised. Go to sleep. We'll tell you all about the tuning when we get back."

Vivio pitched her voice to protest but failed, the curls on each side of her head drooping with a cough. Rae fumbled for something to say and grimaced, drawing a blank. The thought of taking the other girl's hand rose in her mind and then was discarded because she knew touching was still dangerous (why did the adult hands not pass along things the same as children hands?). "Get some sleep," she said instead and Vivio beamed like she had said something worthwhile.

"Un!"

Rae had no clue what to say to that, so she followed Fate to the car, holding one hand to the other. As she slipped into the backseat, she let out an undignified yelp and the car shook. Fate glanced back at her, realizing the problem. The woman let out a tiny, sweet laugh and moved to help her with the seatbelt again.

"You and Vivio are so tiny," she mused, adjusting the seatbelt. "I forgot about that when you two fell asleep in the car." Rae looked at her hands, thoughtfully examining under the nails as the woman added. "I'm not sure what that says about magic levels, but when children are younger, it grows faster."

"What was yours?" Rae said this without thinking, having closed her eyes to meditate again. It was actually nice when someone spoke over her meditation, like someone had done it before. Though before, it had been louder, and perhaps… more than one person?

Fate let out a sheepish laugh. (Rae still had to get used to the sound, even when they didn't see her around, monks tended to be a bit of a serious bunch.) "S-Somewhere in the millions… (1)"

Rae considered this. "Wow," she finally said. She would guess that was a lot. "And your magic didn't break anything?"

"No," Fate replied, pausing to start driving. " I was never in a position to do something like that. Precia-okaa-san… she was never fond of imperfections."

Rae thought she knew what that meant, based on the way that Fate's voice turned somehow even softer.

"But she loved me," the woman added, almost to herself. "I'm sure of that."

The car went very quiet and Rae closed her eyes. The question hanging in the air had almost been able to fit in Raven's palms. She decided to meditate instead of thinking about it.

Because she feared the answer was no.

…

When they reached the facility, Fate was talking about the Devices and what Rae would be doing in a few moments. Rae squeezed her knees. Fate's voice was very relaxed, and somehow more sunny yellow than her hair.

"Have you done this before?" Rae finally asked as they finished at the receptionist's desk.

Fate nodded, a wistful smile touching her face. "Twice. I'm the guardian of a couple of good kids who are in the military. I had to take them to this… though back then, they were rather terrified. The Bureau wasn't very kind to them."

Rae shifted on her feet. Fate and Nanoha were kind, so perhaps they were exceptions to the rule of adults being, well, not kind to different people.

"I think Nanoha and I tend to attract the good hearts," Fate added with a chuckle. She stopped at a door and knocked. "Mary-san, are you awake in there?"

There was a pause and who opened the door was a young woman with purple hair. "Ah…" She blinked large green eyes. "Fate-san?"

"Subaru!" Fate clapped her hands and Rae had to blink at the sudden burst of strawberry and yellow that flooded the room. She almost stepped back as the other woman straightened with slight alarm.

"En-Enforcer Fate!" she half-shouted. "I, I, um didn't expect to see you here!"

Fate giggled. "It's all right, Subaru. I'm off duty for today." She made a gentle gesture for Rae. Rae moved forward cautiously, looking at Subaru with half-wonder, half concern. The older girl laughed sheepishly, switching from a salute to scratching her head.

"S-Sorry, Fate-san." Subaru knelt to look at Rae. "Adopting more kids already?"

Fate chuckled as Rae felt her face burn up. "Something like that."

"You keep finding cute ones too!" Subaru chirped.

Rae stared, trying to keep her expression neutral. She wasn't seeing short purple hair all of a sudden, but long red. The green eyes were the same, bright, warm, alive, more formal speech, shamelessly emotional… a name like the sky, like something in the night sky.

Her head began to throb, and she unconsciously put her hand to her temple. Energy started to bubble up along with image, red lines on her skin, pain, pain, sadness…

A loud wailing alarm broke through all of this as Fate knelt beside her.

"Intruder on the training grounds. All combat officers standby and make your way to training ground seven."