Chapter 2: Mechanisations of Fate

Fate was standing on the podium fidgeting and heavily blushing. A couple of hours ago just before the Ashinra was about to leave for its next Patrol, her mother Lindy had come into her room where she was getting dressed and told her that the Admiral Tribunal had requested her and the Ashinra was to be delayed. When she arrived however all the questions the tribunal had for her were relating to an incident involving local animals being mutated into vicious monsters, the cause being exposure to waste produced from a near-by power reactor which nearby towns were using. However the tribunal's focus seemed to be on Fate's actions in saving several squads and a nearby town.

While the members of the Tribunal read over reports Fate looked behind her, staring death at Chrono who was also attending because he brought up the incident, and Fate's actions. Each time Fate stared at him he would break out in a cold sweat.

"Admiral Harlaown Chrono, you seem to be under the weather"
"Oh no, I'm fine" he replied. Chrono had found some Navy personal who were saved by Fate's actions in that incident and had them all corporate in getting her to claim the honour she rightfully deserved. At the same time he got them to skip on what occurred at the end hoping he could lessen Fate's wrath.

"World-Shift Enforcer Testarossa Harlaown, just one last question"
"Sir!" Fate replied saluting.
"While in previous reports you play down your role in missions, this report seems to have far too many discrepancies between what has been submitted to us, and your original report. Is there a reason for this?"
"Ahhhh, well, you see"
"If I may interrupt, World-Shift Enforcer Testarossa Harlaown's trip to the hot springs was not documented properly in the logs and she did not want to cause problems because of that"

The Admiral Tribunal closed the dossiers on the mission and directed their attention to Fate. "World-Shift Enforcer Fate Testarossa Harlaown. In light of recent evidence presented to us of your valiant work in protecting your fellow mages and defending the lives of innocent citizens, all while off duty, the Tribunal sees fit that you should be given the opportunity to be promoted to Mobile Enforcer, do you ace..."
"Yes, yes!" Fate interrupted excitedly.

The Tribunal froze up for a moment from Fate's response before collecting themselves "very well, in 24 hours you will be officially promoted to Mobile Enforcer. As such, you are currently pulled from any duty roster".

Lindy was waiting outside for the session to finish. As the door open Fate and Chrono walked out but the moment it closed Fate grabbed Chrono and shoved him into the wall
"I told you not to ever speak of that again!"
"Calm down. If I didn't how long do you think it would have taken to build up your accolades to get that promotion?" Chrono turned to look at his mother "you said I'd have protection"
"Fate, let him go. Right now you should be more focused on packing your thing so you can go to Mid-Childa"

Fate began to loosen her grip on Chrono's clothes letting him go. Her mother was right; in 24 hours she would register her location on Mid-Childa and finally be with Nanoha. Chrono straightened out his barrier jacket "if you want, since my Patrol includes Mid-Childa I can drop you off on the way"
"Thank you" Fate replied hugging Chrono before running off enthusiastically.

Fate boarded the Ashinra and began to pack her things. While she was packing she heard a knock on the door. Standing in the once again left opened doorway was another Enforcer, Teana Lanster.

"Hay Fate, heard you're finally going to be promoted to Mobile Enforcer"
Fate stared at her "how did you find out"
"I overheard the Harlaown Admirals talking about it on my way here after seeing you run off"

Teana walked into the room and pulled out the chair by the desk. "So where are you going to register first?" she asked
"Mid-Childa"
"Oh, well I'll call Subaru and..."
"No don't!" Fate interrupted almost yelling "if you do then word will reach Nanoha about me finally being a Mobile Enforcer. I want to tell her myself"
"Ok fair enough. I'll keep my mouth shut." Teana watched Fate dart around the room gathering her things and placing them on the bed. "Do you need a hand here?" she asked looking around the room, Fate nodded in response before Teana started to help pack Fate's things. Everything was able to be fit into 2 medium size boxes and weren't so packed that they were very heavy.

"Ok, is that everything" Teana asked as they finished and were about to leave
"I think so"
"No sir"

Fate looked on the black of her palm to Bardiche "what do you mean"
"You are forgetting the one object you hold dear"

Fate looked around the room and checked her pocket trying to think of what she could be missing
"Pillow", upon hearing Bardiche say that Fate jumped onto the bed
"You got a special pillow you sleep with?" Teana asked before she notice Fate taking off the cover of the pillow, as Fate shook the pillow furiously causing a crumpled photo to drop out "thank you Bardiche"
"You're welcome sir!"

As Fate got up off the bed Teana looked at the photo "this is a nice one of you and Nanoha. But for some reason it feels as if it is a bit more, how do I say it, intimate?"
"This photo was taken a year ago before I was shipped out. The night before, me and Nanoha confessed our feelings to one another and had our first kiss"
Teana began to blush "oh wow, how did it happen?"
"Well I had gone to see Nanoha to confess to her but I kept getting cold feet. Nanoha said she liked things as they were but wanted change and kissed me. she was about to run off after she saw how shocked I was but I grabbed her arm and pulled her back into my arms, kissing her telling her that I love her"

The two left the room with Teana still imagining how everything played out between Fate and Nanoha "where did it happen?"
"Out at the jetty behind Section 6, a bit before the bridge to the training field"
"Ahhhhh, that would look so romantic, kinda wish I could experience something like that"
"Well maybe you could have if you went to confess to..."

Before Fate could finish Teana dug her elbow into Fate's hip, "shut up!"
"*cough* *cough* ok, ok, touchy" Fate laughed

Just as the two women departed from the Ashinra a voice from down below began to yell out to Fate. The voice in fact belonged to Chrono
"Fate! The Claudia has been moved to Hanger 12!"
"Why?"
"Some four-eyed idiot thought to be a good idea to mess with the Paradox Dampener trying to make it more efficient"
"Hay, I resent that statement...you make it sound like I didn't have authorization"

Walking into the hanger following Chrono was Yuuno who was carting a large amount of equipment. Fate leaned over the railing and stared down at the 2 "if, when I get my promotion, I am a second late to Mid-Childa, someone, will, die!"

As Fate and Teana left with the ominous threat Yuuno turned towards Chrono "what did you do"
"Nothing, she's been promoted so she can now go return to Nanoha's arms"
"Oh their dating now, good for them...but why are we being threatened"
"Why else? They haven't been able to get in any sort of contact for a year. Fate does not want their reunion to be..."
"Plasma Lancer"

The moment the 2 men heard Bardiche's voice they quickly ducked down narrowing avoiding the spelled fired off at them from the doorway Fate and Teana and left though. "You know, I think I might just replace the Claudia's Paradox Dampener rather than examine it. That way you can leave on time and I get to live another day".

On board the Claudia Fate fell back on the bed as Teana put down the box she was carrying. As Fate looked up to the ceiling she took out her precious photo and held it up above her
"Will you be at the briefing?" Teana asked
"Of cause. I may get promoted and be here only as a guest but I can't abandon my duty"
"Ok, well I'll see you later then"

After Teana left Fate got off the bed and locked the door before returning to her previous position. Still gazing at her photo she couldn't really believe that she was finally going to be a Mobile Enforcer. Of cause she may have been able to get it sooner if she wasn't so embarrassed about that hot springs incident. Regardless however, she would be back in Mid-Childa, back with Nanoha.

She brought the photo to her lips and kissed Nanoha "soon, my Nanoha"

Next Chapter - Chapter 3: Reunion of the Lighting Star