A/N: Wow! So much for not having inspiration. I wrote the last 5 pages of this straight! In an hour! Thank you for all the support guys! This story has reached 1, 128 views! If we could reach 1,200 it'd be a great help. Now for the reviews… I don't usually input them in my author's note as I usually reply to them through pm, but hey! I do it every once in a… orange moon since the moon right now is orange. Philippines! Baka may bagyong darating! Now first…
Stars1-san: Not really sure about the love triangle thing, but I'll see what I can do.
RatedAnggie-san: I was expecting one too, but apparently my brain said 'screw it let's change the story plot!' Just like it changed my script for my project in English. Sorry 'bout that… really.
UhyoKage: Yeah… sorry I didn't go on with the anticipated fight. Maybe next time? Here's a bit of NanoHaya information… not pairing ok? Just info in this chappie! Lucky you!
Lecoj03: Yeah… school's kind of a pain… I've got exams coming up too. T-T
Reka Takamachi-san: Yeah… I'm curious about her past too… Truth be told guys I haven't planned what goes beyond this chapter… I'll see what I can pull out of my head.
That's all Enjoy! I need to go to school at 6am tomorrow… it's 10 pm… Work wonders…
~Shintori Khazumi
Now Disclaimer: Don't own anything but the story… the story.
Chapter 4: Remembering
Fifteen years ago, in the kingdom of the sea, a girl was born. She had chestnut hair and cobalt eyes, just like her mother. You could say she was a clone of her mother, but had the hardheadedness of her father. She was the only sibling that actually resembled her mother, perfectly at that. This girl lived a happy life with her family, but… this girl was no ordinary girl. She was…
A princess.
"Nanoha! Wake up! I can't believe this is happening aga-" Miyuki, Nanoha's sister who was waking her up, suddenly disappeared. It was if she was just a holograph. Who am I kidding? She is one.
Hi I'm Nanoha Takamachi. I'm fifteen years old and despite what has been going on for the past few… weeks? Months? Well surprise, surprise.
I live alone.
You may ask 'why?' or 'didn't you have a family last time?' Well the answer is no. I thought I had a family too, until just recently, or to be more specific, yesterday. Apparently, as Arisa explained to me, I haven't been with my family for years. I lost my family and am repeatedly lying to myself that they are still with me by using magical holographs and copies of them.
Not that I did that with my own knowledge, of course.
Apparently, I'm only supporting a system set up by someone- Arisa won't tell me who- that leaves me unaware that I am feeding it bits of my magic- not too much, just a safe amount-, well only when I'm actually in the house. Without me in it, the program shuts down. As for my budgets and allowance, someone pays for it, but I don't know who that person is either. And most probably they're not my family.
Pretty sad, huh? Well, I've gotten over it; the fact that I might never find them again.
'Find' them? Yeah… I know they are still alive. It's not that I'm clinging to some chance, I feel it. I know it. Well except for…
Anyway, while I'm preparing for school at home since I ran out of the dorms last night to collect myself, why don't I share to you who exactly is Takamachi Nanoha.
"Mama, mama! Look! Look! I look just like you!" Three year old Nanoha told her mama while wearing a matching dress like hers.
"Yes you do, my little princess." Takamachi Momoko replied as she kissed her daughter on the forehead. Suddenly a trumpet sounded through the city, reaching the castle.
"Hear ye! People of the Kingdom of the Sea! I present to you, Belka's King, Sir Yagami Shuuichiro III, her highness Yagami Hayami and Belka's finest young lady, First princess Yagami Hayate. They have come to make peace with your kingdom!" A messenger ran through the gates with his announcement.
"Come Nanoha." Momoko said smiling. "Let's go meet them, shall we? I'm sure your papa is waiting for us."
"But mama…"
"Come on now." She carried Nanoha and nuzzled her nose. "We need to be nice to our friends." Momoko said as they went to greet their visitors.
"Welcome Shuuichiro-sama!" Takamachi Shiro greeted a man with brown hair and sparkling blue eyes.
"Oi,oi! No teasing like that, Shiro." The man laughed as he hugged Shiro tightly.
"Long time no see, my good friend. How are you? I see you have a little child of your own, huh? Finally moved on from Momoko?" Shiro laughed as the other responded by blushing profusely.
"Haha I see. Well you have a lovely wife, don't you? It's nice to see you again Hayami." Shiro bowed to the graceful lady standing by.
"Nice to see you too… And don't ask. I'm over you." She replied smiling.
"Hahaha… well isn't that nice. Still, your daughter is a beauty, though she seems to have taken after Shuuichiro here." Shiro commented as he offered his hand to the little girl beside Hayami so that she would take it.
"Hi there. I'm your parents' friend, Shiro. It's very nice to meet you." Shiro smiled when the little girl took his finger and shook it.
"I'm Hayate and I love my friends!" The little girl exclaimed, returning the smile.
"Oh? Really now… Would you like to make some new ones then? I have children who I know would love to meet you. Not to mention a little girl your age."
"Papa, you needed us for something?" As if on cue, a boy, about 12 years of age, who looked like an exact replica of Shiro entered along with a girl with the same hair color and characteristics similar to her father.
"Oh! Kyouya and Miyuki. perfect timing. Hayate-chan, I want you to meet my kids, Kyouya and Miyuki. They're a bit older than you, but they are still your friends." The two came nearer and upon seeing the little girl, Miyuki's eyes sparkled.
"HI! You're a cute little thing aren't you? I'm Miyuki. Call me Miyuki-nee. This is Kyouya, my older brother.
"Miyuki… neechan, Kyouya-niichan?"
"Hai?" Miyuki responded attentively, squealing at how her name was said. She began playing with the little princess of Belka.
"Hmmm… Now only if Momoko was here, we'd be complete. I bet she's bringing little-"
"Shiro! Sorry we're a bit late. Nanoha got so shy and didn't want to meet everyone." Momoko entered the room with a little bundle in her arms.
"Nanoha! That's rude you know. Now…." The bundle shook in her arms.
"A-ah! It's ok. Haha, she must be a cute little thing. It's nice to see y-you again, Momoko. You're still as beautiful as ever." Shuuichiro greeted.
"My, What are you saying when you have such a beauty as your wife, Shuu-kun? But thank you all the same." Momoko smiled warmly at the man then turned to the other woman in the room.
"Hayami-chan!" Momoko ran to get a hug from her bestfriend, careful not to squish the bundle of sheets in her arms. "Long time no see. It's sooo nice to be able to hug you again. Hahaha."
"Hai, hai. I've missed you too." Hayami laughed as she hugged her bestfriend back. Pulling away, but keeping an arm around Momoko's waist she asked, "And who is this cute little bundle?" Hayami smiled, trying to take a peek at who was hiding in the blankets. "Another clone of Shiro? That man… his genes are too strong, I tell you." Hayami laughed.
"Actually…"
"Come out now dear, I won't bite." Hayami coaxed. Little by little, the blanket started to be removed and two shining sapphire eyes stared back at her. The little bundle spoke. "H-hello… It's n-nice to meet you."
Hayami, overwhelmed by the little bundle of cuteness, took her from Momoko and squealed. "My! Aren't you a sweet child? What's your name dear?"
"N-nanoha." She replied, blushing. She wasn't used to getting this much attention, especially from strangers.
"Well then Nanoha, I am Hayami. I'm your mama's bestfriend." She hugged Nanoha close relishing the moment. "Kyaa!"
"What's the fuss Haya-" Shuuichiro, curious over his wife's squeals, approached but was cut off by the sight of the child.
"Let me hold her." He said, though it was more of a command than a request.
"No"
"But!"
"Ummm… mama who is that?" Hayate had escaped Miyuki's clutches and tugged on her mother's dress.
"This is your child?" Momoko asked thrilled. "I think they'll get along just fine."
"Nanoha dear, " Momoko called. "Come meet your friend." Nanoha asked to be placed down next to Hayate.
"K-konnichiwa. I'm Nanoha."
"Nano-chi huh?"
"Nano-chi?" The girl found it weird to be called that. She wasn't used to being called that. None of her friends on the castle grounds ever called her that. So why was this person she just met calling her something so overly familiar.
"I'm Hayate. Call me Yate-chan."
"Hayate-san." Nanoha responded.
"Yate-chan" Hayate smiled brightly.
"Hayate-chan?"
"Ya-Te-Chan." She said emphasizing each syllable. "Though that's pretty cool, but still."
"Yagami-san?"
" .CHAN and how do you even know my last name?!" Hayate cried out.
"Yate-chan?"
"Yeah?" Hayate's eyes sparkled.
"I heard the messenger say it."
While the two little girls conversed, their mothers were thinking of how odd their daughters seemed. "You know Momoko… for a three year old, your daughter seems oddly smart for her age. Formal too. I can see Hayate getting annoyed." Hayami stated both in amusement and wonder. "She wants all her friends to be close with her. She dislikes distant people… yet… she's also quite distant. Even I can't tell what that three-year old is thinking."
"Yeah… somehow she's just a bit on the oddly mature side." Momoko agreed. "I wonder how she got like that. Your daughter seems smart too… like they're geniuses or something?" They both were silent while staring at each other, seemingly considering the idea.
"Pfffttt… No way! Hahaha." The two women laughed it off as a joke.
"Mama, mama!" Little Nanoha and Hayate suddenly ran and bumped into their mothers with a soft thump.
"Yes?"
"We just saw something outside the window!" Nanoha looked strangely worried, rather than excited.
"What did you see, dears? A bird? An insect?" Hayami smiled at the two children.
"No… There are men- a lot of them… and I think they are trying to climb the wall, mama." Hayate explained. The two women's smiles immediately dropped, suddenly realizing what this meant.
"Shiro! The gates!" Momoko shouted from across the room. The man in question turned to her as she was frantically pointing at the window. Before he could even get near the window-
"Takamachi-san! Are you paying any attention at all?" Nanoha's physics teacher, professor Nakajima Genya tried getting her attention. "This is the part you find hard after all." He said worriedly. "Is there something bothering you?" He asked.
"N-no sir. I'm sorry, please continue with your lesson. I'm all ears." Nanoha replied.
"I hope you are…" He returned his attention to the blackboard as her wrote a few things. From across the room, Nanoha could see out of the corner of her eye Hayate giving her a worried look. She quickly mouthed an 'I'm fine' to her before focusing her eyes on the board.
'Huh? Wasn't the girl just now?' Nanoha felt a small head ache, but decided to ignore it for now.
Later during lunch, Fate had approached Nanoha and asked her if she was feeling well. Nanoha just responded with her usual 'Nyahaha' and lied saying that she might just be tired. Well it was partly true. She was tired… of life that is.
"Yo Nanoha-sam- Nanoha." Arisa greeted her. Nanoha had insisted it when Arisa and Suzuka first got hired that they were not to call her Nanoha-sama or anything of that sort. She had told them time and time again that 'Nanoha' was just fine.
Nanoha remained unresponsive.
"Oi, oi… at least acknowledge or presence or something… or do you not notice us? Alright then… Nanoha-sama… how 'bout-" Arisa suddenly felt pain on her left ear, "O-ow…owowow… N-nanoha! That hurts." She cried as Nanoha pinched her ear.
"Ah! Sorry Arisa-chan. What did I just do?" Nanoha asked releasing her ear.
"What the heck? Are you on autopilot or something? Hah… I was gonna ask if you wanted to go back to the dorms with Suzuka and me. We had a bed transferred in just in case." Arisa sighed.
"Why? Can't you two just sleep together?"
"W-wh-wha… what are you implying?" Arisa blushed profusely. Of course we can't!"
'Although I'm pretty sure Suzuka-chan would be overjoyed at that proposition.' Nanoha thought as she shook her head.
"What are you shaking your head for?" Arisa asked her curiously.
"Nothing important."
"Anyway, we need to talk." Arisa suddenly took hold of Nanoha's arm. "Suzuka's waiting for us at some café, so how 'bout we head over there right now?"
"Okay…" Nanoha replied solemnly.
The bell pattern for 'under attack' was ringing wildly all around. Shiro turned to the window. A few enemy troops had breached the wall and he could see all his subjects running for their lives.
"Momoko! Hayami! Shuuichiro! Get the children out safely!" Shiro commanded taking a ring out of his pocket. "I'll try to shield as much of the city as I can!"
"No Shiro! You are not a magic user and you know it! That ring I gave you can only do so much! Let me help you." Shuuichiro said.
"It is MY kingdom and I will protect it. Now go… bring the children to safety." Shiro said activating the ring and creating a small barrier around the whole kingdom.
"Go since we don't have much time." He told the lingering people. "GO!" His voice bellowed. "We don't have much ti-" Everyone just watched in horror as a magically enhanced arrow pierced right through the man's chest.
"Papa! Nanoha screamed, her sapphire eyes suddenly turning vividly red, the color of fresh blood. The area around her seemed to shake. Hayate, the poor child, seeing her new friend slowly slumping against the wall turning to her smiling.
"It was nice meeting you… ugh… little Hayate. Take care of Nanoha for me okay? I love you a..ll…"
In an instant that no one could remember, Hayate suddenly reacted to Nanoha's phenomenon as her eyes turned into the same shade as Nanoha's, the intensity of the shaking adding up.
"Hayate! Nanoha!" Shuuichiro tried to reach for both children, but was hit with a piece of concrete that fell from the ceiling, trapping his leg underneath.
The outburst of both little girls seemed to go on, but then suddenly stopped as they saw Momoko standing behind the two, a sad smile on her face. She had knocked both girls down during all the chaos.
"Here… she handed the two little girls to Hayami. Take them now please. She told the woman who was still shielding the two older children. "Please Hayami." Momoko helped Shuuichiro out and got him free from the debris. Luckily he wasn't that harmed.
"Shall we go?" She asked, but then was suddenly glowing. Shiro's body in the corner was also glowing mysteriously, as were Kyouya and Miyuki. The only one who wasn't glowing was little Nanoha, who lay passed out in Hayami's arms.
"Ah… I guess it's time. But… Nanoha… I guess we're leaving her here with you then. Please take care of her Hayami. Tell her I love her- no rather… please erase her memories of this event, erase her memories of me." Momoko smiled sadly, as she caressed her child's cheek.
"Momoko? Time for what? What are you saying? I can't do that to the child? Momoko? Momoko!" And just like that they suddenly vanished, leaving a sleeping Nanoha with Hayami. "What should I do…"
"What should I do? I haven't received my salary yet, Nanoha…" Arisa whined. I wonder when they're gonna pay us, right Suzuka?" She turned to the other guardian.
"Yes… it seems to be a bit late this month. Nanoha-chan, has your allowance arrived?" Suzuka mildly interrogated.
"No, at least I don't think so. Why?"
"Arisa-chan, do you think the agency is having a problem?"
"Well the only way to find out is Carim, though she called me and told me not to go to her yet." Arisa said.
"By the way Arisa-chan, why'd you take me out here again?" Nanoha diverted the subject from money to more important things, in her opinion that is.
"Oh right… well you see, sister Schach called me about a few things."
"Sister… Schach…?" Nanoha asked.
"Yes… The woman you met in the cave. The one with short hair, she said that you recognized her when she came out." Arisa explained.
"Who's that?" Nanoha asked until she remembered. "Oh! The one with Ms…. C-carmen? Caren? Camir?"
"Carim?"
"Yeah! Carim. So, what about her?"
"I just said you recognized her. How? Your memories were rigged, right? So how?" Arisa looked serious.
"Well… that is… I just knew." Nanoha replied honestly.
"Just knew, huh… well that doesn't help us much." Arisa sighed into her hands.
"Sorry."
"I-it's ok! Nanoha, it's not your fault. I'm just a bit tired…"
"Hehe… aren't we all." Nanoha said, recalling her little statement from earlier. "Anyway, why are my memories rigged again?" Nanoha turned to Suzuka, knowing that Arisa wouldn't even dream of telling her. The polite girl could only smile ruefully at her as she shook her head.
"Ah Come on! Why can't you guys just tell me? That would solve the problem faster, wouldn't it?" Nanoha scratched her head, perplexed at the situation. Why couldn't they just tell her what happened so that they could piece all of this togeth-
"AH!" Nanoha suddenly remembered something, albeit vaguely.
"What's wrong, Nanoha-chan?" Suzuka asked worriedly.
"Last night… I had a dream, something near to what Arisa-chan told me about my past, my family, it's just that…"
"Hmmm?"
"There was another family… and this girl. We were together… she looked just like, she was… AGH!" Nanoha felt a painful jolt in her head. "Arisa-chan, Suzuka-chan! It hurts…" She screamed as tears began to well up in those usually cheerful orbs.
"Help… me…" She cradled her aching head.
"Nanoha-chan!" Suzuka reacted first and knelt beside Nanoha as her legs gave out. "Nanoha-chan, listen to my voice and only my voice… concentrate on it…"
"I… c-can't… help…" Nanoha continued to cry. Arisa could only watch in horror as Suzuka did her best to stop it… to stop Nanoha's pain, her suffering. Arisa just stood there... frozen.
"Arisa… can I… tell you something?"
"Yes Yagami-sama?"
"I know you are still young. You are but what- 10? Still, I need at least one of you to know, and I don't think Suzuka is the best for this task." Shuuichiro smiled solemnly. "I don't mean that she is weak. No not at all, in fact, she is very… very strong. It's just that you have the conditions needed to fulfill this task and the talent is in you. If I train you now, young as you are, the chances of it being successful are higher." He slowly unfolded his motives before the child.
"She is your emotional anchor, right?" He suddenly stated, smiling as he ruffled Arisa's hair. "You've been together since your family… was… lost, right?" He tried to word it carefully. Arisa didn't need to be genius to know who this 'She' was.
Arisa could only nod in response.
"I'm sorry… I don't really know how to approach you on that topic."
"You don't really need to sugarcoat your word, sir." Arisa replied staring off into nothingness. "I've accepted it long ago, as it is." She whispered. The older man just looked down.
"Anyway, Suzuka may act strong, but you are more stable than her. I'm sure you'll know what to do. Nanoha… she has to lose her memories of us soon. Of Hayate too, of how her parents and family disappeared… we want her to live a normal life. You've seen her when she's depressed. She and Hayate suddenly…" He buried his face in his hands.
"And what task would you like me to fulfill?" Arisa asked.
"I know it's inevitable that Nanoha will remember. Not now, but soon and when she does, the seal on her memories will desperately try to stay locked. It will cause her a lot of pain and this task… might cost you a lot of pain too, but only you can do it. If done properly, you will only feel drained, but no danger or complications will affect your lifestyle. However, if you do one step wrong… are you still willing to accept this mission?"
"Yes sir."
The man looked up. "Are you sure?"
"I have… nothing to lose, sir."
"Alright. Let's begin."
"Suzuka! Step away from Nanoha now." Arisa commanded. Her voice was firm allowing no arguments. Suzuka stepped away reluctantly. "Now… I need you to call Fate right now and get her here as fast as possible, but…" Arisa paused for a moment.
"Yes?"
"Make sure Hayate doesn't come near here." I'm sorry Yagami-sama.
"Now…" Arisa muttered turning to the problem at hand. She closed her eyes and focused her power on the hand resting atop Nanoha's sweaty forehead. "Excuse me for a bit Nanoha… I'll be invading your thoughts for a sec… pardon the intrusion." Arisa whispered as she chanted an incantation and brought her lips to Nanoha's forehead in a soft kiss. 'Just hope Suzuka doesn't catch me doing this, It'd be really embarrassing.'
~o~
"Nanoha… can you hear my voice?"
"A…ri…sa-chan?"
"Yeah… sorry for intruding on your… personal area."
"No it's fine… huh? I… don't feel the pain as much anymore… what did you just…"
"Just relax for moment and leave everything to me. For now, just listen to Fate's voice and concentrate on that only, okay?"
"Fate-chan's… voice?! What…"
"Thanks Nanoha."
"Arisa-chan?"
Nanoha woke up to a pleasant sight. Fate was beside her, palms engulfed in light while singing a song, eyes tightly shut.
"I'm awake now, Fate-chan." She smiled.
"Ah! Good morning, Nanoha! Are you feeling better?" Fate asked concern written all over her beautiful features.
"Yes I'm fine, but…" Nanoha looked around. She was in Arisa and Suzuka's dorm room. "How long have I been out and where are Suzuka and Arisa? Speaking of Arisa…"
"Well…" Fate rubbed at the back of her neck nervously. "You've been out for about three days. Suzuka is out buying groceries. Said that the budget and their salary came in yesterday, As for Arisa…" Fate trailed off unsure how to put it. "She's been in the school's clinic for the same number of days as you've been out."
"What?!" Nanoha was genuinely shocked. "Why?"
"After you had that… 'incident', Arisa seemed to be casting some kind of spell. Even I didn't know what it was. Though the doctor said it took quite a toll on her body. She's drained Nanoha… Magically and physically."
"Can I go see her?" Nanoha looked hopeful.
"Yeah… sure I guess. Oh here let me help you get up." Fate approached Nanoha taking a wheel chair with her. Nanoha looked at her questioningly. Arisa left Suzuka a note apparently saying in case this happens, you might need one cause… you might not be able to walk yet." Fate explained.
"What? I so can-" Nanoha tried getting up, but ended up falling forward almost hitting herself on the table. However, Fate was faster.
"I told you didn't I?" Fate whispered softly into her ear, her warm breath tickling Nanoha's lobe. "Let me help you." Nanoha knew her face looked like a traffic light signaling stop by now and just nodded dumbly.
"Good!" Fate flashed her a toothy grin. "Now get on and let's go m'lady!"
Suzuka was back in the clinic after running her errands. She brought the groceries with her, not wanting to disturb Nanoha and Fate's moment together by stopping by to give them groceries, so she decided to go straight back to Arisa's side.
'That's right… Where I belong the most… By her side.'
Suzuka pulled a chair and sat down next to the sleeping figure's bed. Although she was fast asleep, her face showed signs of exhaustion. 'Who knew it was this dangerous?' Suzuka sighed, reaching her hand out to cup the blonde's cheek while the other reached to intertwine their hands.
"I'm sorry, Arisa. I overheard everything, but didn't do anything. I couldn't do anything." Suzuka admitted to the sleeping girl, recalling that day many years ago when the boss had called Arisa over for an urgent meeting.
A young Suzuka stood idly by as she realized she had accidentally walked in on a private conversation.
"…one of you to know, and I don't think Suzuka is the best for this task." That line hurt Suzuka a bit. Was she that unreliable?
"…don't mean that she is weak. No not at all, in fact, she is very… very strong." She felt relief when she heard this.
"…Suzuka may act strong, but you are more stable than her. I'm sure you'll know what to do." From what Suzuka could decipher, she realized Arisa had been called because she was not ready to take this on. Arisa had a greater chance to succeed in this and all Suzuka could do was support her.
'I will be her anchor.'
Arisa was painfully aware of how long her eyes had been shut. They felt like they would never open again…Though, it was kind of hard to satiate the curiosity that hung in the corners of her mind when she felt a soft hand caress her cheek. She sighed in bliss.
"Thanks." She uttered to no one in particular. She heard a gasp, a chair skidding on the floor and the contact with her face disappeared. She frowned, already missing the contact and the warmth it brought.
But just as soon as it left , the contact returned, this time though, in the form of a bone-crushing hug. The corners of Arisa's lips tipped upward as she managed to open one eye.
"Good morning to you too Suzuka." She smiled at the teary-eyed girl.
"Baka…"
A/N: And! I ended it with an AriSuzu moment! Nice? Was it? Maybe not… meh tell me what you guys think if you would be so kind to leave a review. Thanks in advance. Signing off since I have to be in school at 6 am and it's 10:06 pm. Bye
~Shintori Khazumi