Re-encounter - A NanoFate Fanfic [Chapter 10 Updated 24/03/2011]

“Ah...thanks...” Fate stared blankly at the mountains of binders and papers sitting around her wearily. She leaned back on her chair looking at the ceiling of the barren steel room with intense florescent lights hanging from the ceiling. “I hate reading though all this paperwork.” She sighed, picking up a book and casually flipped through it. “This will take cycles (days) to sort out.”

“Four cycles, twenty six intervals and 25 fractions if you work 8 intervals a day Sir.” Bardiche chipped in his two cents.

“One more word and I'll throw you out an airlock.” Fate gritted her teeth in annoyance turning to the clerk standing in the corner of the room organizing another batch of reports. “Why don't you just give me the surveillance video of Scaglietti's room?”

“The video file for his room...corrupted.” he paused flipping though another few pages of reports. “The footage is just static.”

“Well you don't just record video right?” Fate grumbled annoyed at the thoroughness of Scaglietti's assassin. “Don't you have other sensors installed in their cells?”

“Umm yes,” he smiled amused at Fate's irritation. “Well the evidence so far shows that there was no forced entry or other means of brute force were used to enter his cell.” He picked up another paper off his desk. “Autopsy concludes that there was no poison or any chemicals in Scaglietti's body and lastly it shows that there was no trace of trauma that could have killed him.”

“Magical energy reaction report of the cell please?” Fate put her head down on the table and covered her ears with her hands sighing explosively.

“You know all recording equipment was destroyed in Scaglietti's room so this data is from the adjacent cell.” The clerk repeated sighing. “Our analysis from the adjacent cell says that nothing was strange at the time.”

“We'll see about that.” Fate flipped though all the graphs showing magical energy reactions that were recorded on the sensor.

“You won't see anything at such a low frequency.” The clerk rolls his eyes shaking his head at Fate's ignorance.

“Well what do you call this?” Fate jump up in excitement holding up a chart showing multiple peaks in a very low band of magical energy.

“I don't see what you mean.” The clerk looked at her puzzled.

“This is the energy signature of a combat cyborg IS ability.” She held the chart up to his face. “If I remember back from the JS Incident...this girl named Sein, she worked for Scaglietti had an ability to swim though solid objects.” Fate explained to the confused clerk. “Her magical energy signature registered exactly like this in this frequency when she uses her ability.”

“How do you know for sure that combat cyborgs are involved again? The clerk lifted an eyebrow doubting Fate's conclusion.

“I don't but this is a start.” Fate started shifting though the papers more enthusiastically. “But, I'm sure this has nothing to do with cyborgs that are peacefully living on Midchildia right now.” Fate shook her head sadly thinking the creation of combat cyborgs and Project F still might be active somewhere. “Moving on to our next problem. How our assassin got on this complex.” She pondered as she poured over the prison’s travel logs.”

“Well the day before Scaglietti's death we did have a non-TSAB ship docking to offload prisoners from unadministrated world #117.” The clerk picked up a binder of the docking logs and plopped it in front of Fate.

“A Non-TSAB ship from an unadministrated world?” Fate looked at the desk clerk puzzled after reading the first few pages. “That doesn't happen; you know TSAB secrecy protocol states that we should have no direct contact with unadministrated worlds.

“Well recently scientists from unadministrated world #117 found this Long Term Detention Facility by accident.” he explained. “For secrecy sake the TSAB struck a deal with them. Use of this facility for their most dangerous criminals in exchange for secrecy.”

“I...see...” Fate paused trying to understand all the information. “So you say that an assassin came from that ship?”

“It's plausible.” The clerk shrugged.

“Great...just great...” Fate rolled her eyes at the complicated nature of this case.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Vivio, where are you?” Hayate poked her head into the backroom.

“Over here Auntie Hayate.” Vivio jumped out from behind a wall of cardboard boxes hugging Hayate from behind. The boxes filled to the brim and bulging with cloths and accessories that Hayate made and collected over the years.

“Oh there you are!” Hayate jumped a little, acting to be surprised by Vivio.

“Ehh hehe,” Vivio looked up smiling. “How do I look? Vivio asked Hayate.

“Vivio, you have a much better sense of fashion than your mothers.” Hayate nodded her head in approval seeing Vivio dressed in a white frilly Lolita dress with puffed sleeves lined with light blue lace and frills. Her legs were covered in striped white and light blue stockings matched by a darker blue dress shoes, her blonde hair were lined with a number of big blue and white checkered ribbons. “You've made your Auntie Hayate proud.” Hayate sniffled bending down and hugged the adorable looking Vivio.

“Ah hehe,” Vivio smiled hugging her auntie back.

“Since you’re so good at choosing cloths, I'll let you wear it back home for a surprise for Fate-mama.” Hayate giggled at the thought of Fate being welcomed home by a cute frilly looking Vivio.

“Mhmmm!” Vivio nodded her head vigorously excited taking Hayate's hand as they went back to her office.

“Mhmmm, looks like Fate isn't going to make it back home in time for dinner.” Hayate checked her watch. “Vivio, do you want to eat in the mess hall with me?”

“Alright!” Vivio smiling a little, her shoulders slumped; disappointed that Fate was going to be home late.

“Let-sa GO!” Hayate pumped her fist in the air and towed Vivio out down the hallways down to the mess hall. All the while people walking in the hallway commented on how cute Vivio looked in her dress making her blush furiously.

“Hayate!” Vita sitting at a round table in the mess hall with Signum, Shamal, and Zafira. “Oi, Hayate!” Vita waving at her to come over to sit with them.

“Vita,” Hayate walked over giving Vita a hug and ruffled her red hair. “Signum, Shamal, Zafira, how are you all doing?”

“We're just fine, there’s not much work to do right now,” Signum sighed taking another bite of her meat loaf. “It's too quiet for my taste.”

“Oh don't be so grumpy,” Hayate pat Signum on the back. “I'm sure a storm will whip up sooner or later. But remember this peace is what all true warriors strive for.”

“Hayate,” Vita tugged on Hayate's uniform. “I'm going to help Vivio get some food.”

“Oh so you’re not going to get your mistress any food? Are you going to let her starve to her death?” Hayate closed her eyes and crossing her arms turning her back to Vita pretending to be mad.

“Hayate!” Vita moaned at Hayate's playfulness.

“Just joking, but if you could also get some for me that would be great.” Hayate hid her laugh under her sleeve.

“Alight, alight Hayate-sama.” Vita and Vivio ran off to the food counter loading their plates.

“Teasing her is so fun.” Hayate broke out laughing.

“Well anyways you need eat well, we can't have our mistress collapsing,” Shamal lectured giving Hayate a wink. “Doctor's orders.”

“Yea yea yea,” Hayate sat down seeing Vita return with Vivio with loaded plates. “Thanks Vita,” Hayate thanked her taking the plate of meat loaf, potato wedges, beans and peppers from Vita while petting her. “It looks delicious, thanks Vita.” She chowed down on her dinner.

“About Nanoha.” Signum telepathically thought to Hayate not wanting to upset Vivio.

“What about it?” Hayate thought back.

“I'm worried, after all that you have told us,” Signum sighed. “Vita is becoming unbearable, you know how it is between Nanoha and Vita.”

“Hey hey don't be talking about me behind my back.” Vita butted in their telepathic conversation.

“We are all worried but we must believe in her.” Shamal added in.

“All done!” Vivio's happy announcement cut into their conversation.

“Ok!” Hayate smiled standing up. “Lets go see if you momma has come home yet, Vivio.”

“Mhmmm!” Vivio skipped out of her seat and ran out of the mess hall to the housing section.

“Vivio, wait!” Hayate chased after her to the amusement of her knights. “Vivio!” She called out looking around for her in the empty hallways.

“Hayate?” a familiar voice called out Hayate's name.

“Subaru?” she answered the voice.

“Yes it’s me.” a girl with blue short hair in a brown and white Section 6 uniform popped out from behind a corner followed by another girl with long orange hair in the same uniform.

“I'm here too.” Teana said stiffly.

“Hi you two,” Hayate panted. “Did either of you see where Vivio ran off to?”

“Yea,” Teana pointed down the hall. “She went that way.”

“Oh gheez,” Hayate sighed. “I’m getting old.”

“We'll help if you like!” Subaru jumped enthusiastically taking off down the hallway before Hayate could reply.

“I see why those two are such good practice buddies.” Hayate chased after Subaru, with Teana causally following her.

“Yup,” Teana sighed wearily being pulled into another one of Subaru's antics. “Both of them are over energetic and over enthusiastic.”

“There you are Vivio!” Subaru caught up to Vivio bending down hugging her from behind. “Gotcha mhmmm.”

“Fate-mama isn't home.” Vivio sniffed, her head dipped sadly staring in the opened door to her dark and empty apartment.

“Well lets call that irresponsible mama of yours.” Hayate ushered Vivio and Subaru into the apartment.

“I'll call.” Teana called up an orange monitor calling HQ COM to connect to Fate.

“Fate,” Teana talked into the monitor to see a wall of stacked paper and binder. “Fate where are you?” Her question was answered by a light snore.

“Allow me,” Hayate cleared her throat and spoke into the monitor mimicking Nanoha's voice. “Fate, would you like to take a shower with me?”

“Whaaa, what, Nanoha where are you?” the stacks of paper and binder spoke teetering back and forth falling over in a thunderous crash revealing Fate buried in piles of paperwork.

“HAYATE!” Fate yelled into the monitor seeing Hayate on screen.

“FATE!” Hayate yelled back.

“WHAT?” Fate yelled irritably shifting though the mess scattered papers and binders. “Ugh, this is a mess!” she complained rubbing her eyes with dark rings around them.

“Your daughter is what.” Hayate scolded Fate. “Do you have any idea what time it is?” Hayate move the monitor down to face Vivio.

“Bardiche?” Fate asked her device.

“It is 27 intervals and 45 fractions.” Bardiche announced. “Or 3 intervals and 15 fractions till midnight.” he continued stating the time. “In other words, it past your and the lady’s bed time Sir.”

“Aw crap,” Fate rubbed her head realizing the time. “I'm sooo sorry Vivio I got caught up in work.” Fate looked at Vivio apologizing. “I'm so so so sorry but I can't make it back tonight.” Fate kept apologizing to her daughter.

“So what was so important?” Hayate asked collecting herself.

“Remember our friend Scaglietti?” Fate moaned tiredly.

“How can we forget?” Hayate shook her head. “What wrong with him now? Did he try a Jail break?”

“Well he is...dead, assassinated and I think combat cyborg are behind it.” Fate explained. “Hayate please please take Vivio in for the night?

“Fine, fine, only just this once!” Hayate pouted playfully.

'Thank you Hayate.” Fate slumped over on the table. “You’re a lifesaver.”

“Well you saved mine once so lets call it even?” Hayate joke around with their past encounter.

“Very funny Hayate.” Fate cracked a smile from her tired expression.

“Vivio, I promise you'll see me in the morning ok?” Fate waved to her. “Thanks Subaru, Teana for taking care of Vivio.”

“Oh its nothing,” the Subaru and Teana giggled.

“By the way are you too tried to not notice what Vivio is wearing?” Subaru hinted at Vivio's cloths snuffing her giggles in her hands.

“Huh?” Fate squinted at Vivio finally noticing her Lolita dress up. “Hayate!”

“What now?” Hayate hid her laugh in her sleeve.

“Vivio is not a dress up doll!” Fate scolded Hayate.

“Well she was the one that chose it and put it on,” she pulled Vivio closer to her. “Am I right?”

“Yup yup,” Vivio sang performing a twirl in front of the monitor.

“You look very cute Vivio,” Fate giggled. “But it's way past your bed time and you have school tomorrow, so go to bed soon.”

“Mhmm Fate-mama,” Vivio nodded while yawning sleepily.

“Vivio can crash with me tonight.” Hayate sighed explosively as if she was doing an extremely hard task. “It'll be a slumber party!”

“Sorry Hayate,” Fate apologized again. “Goodnight Vivio, I love you so much. I'll see you tomorrow, I promise promise.” Fate waved goodbye and blew a kiss to Vivio, then shut off her monitor.

“Slumber party neh Vivio,” Subaru said excitedly her eyes sparkled. “You’re so lucky.”

“You can join in if you like.” Hayate's eye sparkled, drooling at the thought of having more dress up dolls. “We need to keep our promise to Nanoha.” She quickly added in wiping her lips.

“YAY!” Subaru jumped for joy. “Vivio, I'll race you to Hayate's room!” she took off without another word. Teana sighed shaking her head knowing she will be dragged into another of Subaru's stunts.

“Subaru, no fair!” Vivio sprinted off after Subaru.

“Vita, Signum, Shamal, Zafira,” Hayate telepathic called out to her knights.

“Yes Hayate?” Vita answered Hayate.

“Vivio, Subaru, and Teana are going to have a sleep over with us tonight.” Hayate informed her.

“Ah, this will be fun.” Vita growled playfully.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Burning the midnight oil Chrono?” the woman's aqua green hair wagged back and forth as she shook her head. “Amy will be mad at you if you’re always gone.”

“This is urgent,” his grim face betrayed his handsome features.

“What is it?” Lindy blinked curiously at why her son looks so gaunt.

“Here,” he handed over a document with Top Secret – Eyes Only –|Clearance Omega| – Priority Alpha Zulu. “It just came to me in the middle of the night.” His hands shook as he handed it over making the document rattle.
“Let see.” Lindy put on her reading glasses.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operation Starlight
Operation Starlight was declared a failure and has been scrubbed due to the loss of the Valence Class Transdimensional Cruiser “The Scarlet Swan” with all hands aboard, resulting in a over 45% loss of personnel which is considered as an unacceptable loss in any operational protocol. This loss has further enacted protocol Directive One where any mission will be scrubbed after the loss of over 35%. Remaining ships “Warlock” and “The Hummingbird” have been ordered to reversed course back into TSAB administrated space. ETA (estimated time of arrival) calculated at 1 cycle or 30 intervals.

Investigation of The Scarlet Swan's destruction was not due to combat but mechanical failure. No further details about the accident have been recorded as the mission recorder has not been found. Further more detail investigation is pending.

Officer Causality Lists:
Captain Clifred Bayer - 403rd Transdimensional Navy
Captain Takamachi Nanoha – Mobile Unit Section 6
First Lieutenant Erica Reed – 24th Mobile Ground Division
Major..............
.......................
.......................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lindy stopped mid-sentence and reread the casualty list. “Captain...Takamachi...Nanoha”. Setting down the report she took off her reading glasses rubbing the bridge of her nose. “Please tell me they made a mistake.”

“There-there was no mis-mistake.” Chrono swallowed hard his voice cracking unevenly.

“Are you sure?” Lindy stood up knocking her chair back. “Tell me this isn't happening all over again!”

Chrono stay silent bowing his head looking away from his mother.

“No, no not again...” Lindy fell back down on her chair.

“How are we going to tell Fate this?” Chrono said stiffly clenching his shaking fists trying to control his emotions.

“We need to tell her the truth...now better than later.” Lindy sighed holding her arm trying her hardest not to cry. “I don't k-know i-if Fate c-ca-can take this.” She covered her mouth breaking down into tears shaking her head in disbelief losing herself in sadness.

“Mother...” Chrono stepped behind Lindy's desk, hugging her around the neck. “To lose another family member like this.” he let loose crying on his mother's shoulder remembering his father. “We-we have to tell Fate about this soon.”

“We'll do it tomorrow.” Lindy wiped her tears on her sleeve. “We need to give Fate as much support as we can, when we tell her.”

“I'll arrange a shuttle for Midchildia for us,” Chrono put his hand on his mother's shoulder squeezing it gently. “We'll get thought this.” He forced a smile for his mother.

Lindy silently nodded grasping Chrono's hand slowly letting him go. Sighing she opened her drawer talking out a round glass picture frame. The picture showed a younger Chrono standing with man with dark blue hair holding hands younger looking Lindy. “It has been so many years since you were taken from us.” She brushed the picture of the man's face, who used to be her husband. “Please watch over Nanoha…Clyde.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Take that!” Vivio, in her pink t-shirt and shorts pajamas with white bunny polka dots, threw a pillow across the room at Subaru, missing snuffing Teana in the face.

“Missed me!” Subaru twirled away, her blue unbutton pajama fluttered around her.

“You two...” Teana raised her fist getting angry. “Don't mess with a sharp shooter!” she hurled two pillows, one for Vivio and for Subaru, smacking them dead center on the face making them fall over in a heap.

“Te-an-a,” Subaru whined. “You big meanie!” She stuck out her tongue at Teana.

“SNEAK ATTACK!” Vita, in red pajamas, jumped out behind Teana whacking Teana on the head with a pillow.

“GAH!” Teana fell over face first on the mattress without another word.

“Teana?” Subaru poked Teana's back. “Vita...I think you killed her.”

“LIKE HELL IM DEAD!” Teana whipped up the covers and wrapped Vivio, Subaru and Vita in the covers like a sushi.

“My win,” Teana smiled making the victory symbol with her fingers.

“Alright, little children it is bed time,” Hayate poke her head into the room. “It's almost midnight, and Fate will have my head if she knew that you were up this late Vivio.”

“Hehe, sowwie.” Vivio giggle while wrapped up in the bed sheets.

“Goodnight everyone.” Hayate clicked out the lights.”

“Goodnight Hayate!” everyone called back.

“Goodnight everyone” Teana curled up on the mattress leaving the three still wrapped up.

“Teana?” Vivio squeaked. “Are you forgetting something?”

“No, what?” Teana opened one eye pretending to not know.

“Oi…Let us OUT!” Vita shouts, her voice muffled by the sheets. The sushi of people and covers wiggled like a worm as they tried to free themselves.

“Oh that.” Teana pulled hard on the end making them roll around until they were free of the sheets.

“T-th-thats b-b-better,” Subaru said dizzily.

“Now goodnight!” Teana pulled the covers over herself leaving the three in a daze.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Agent Testarossa,” A soft voice disturbed Fate in her sleep making her moan sleepily.

“10 more minutes Nanoha.” she said unconsciously.

“Please wake up Agent Testarossa.” The desk clerk shook Fate on the shoulder.

“Uhmm huh?” Fate got up from a stretcher groggy realizing that Nanoha was no with her. “What time is this and where am I?

“It's 10 intervals and 40 fractions past midnight yesterday ma'am,” The clerk beside her stated the time. “You’re on an Orbital Detention Facility.

“Oh right,” she shook her head clearing it. “Tell me why I'm in a stretcher?” she examined herself to see if she was hurt anywhere.

“Don't worry nothing is wrong with you,” The clerk chuckled. “We made you a make shift bed, you fell asleep on your desk working last night.”

“Oh...right.” Fate straightens out her wrinkled uniform, combing her bed head with her fingers.

“You've made considerable progress since last night,” He picked up a stack of paper that Fate worked on last night. “I think we can handle it from here, if we need you again we'll drop a line.”

“If you say so,” Fate got up slowly. “But, I rather be hands on when it comes to dealing with Scaglietti.”

“Sir, you have an incoming call from Midchilda from Admiral Lindy.” Bardiche flash interrupting them.

“Answer it please.” Fate asked Bardiche tiredly rubbing her temple.

“Sir.” Bardiche called up a yellow monitor.

“Hi mom,” Fate smiled at the sight of her mother. “What's up?”

“Fate, I need you to come back to Midchilda and meet me in my office.” Lindy forced a smiled for Fate.

“Is something the matter?” Fate looked at Lindy curiously.

“I rather not talk about it over the COM channel.” Lindy face darkens a little giving Fate a pleading look.

“Alright,” Fate replied puzzled. “I'll see you soon.”

“See you soon,” Lindy gave Fate a quick wave and shut the monitor off.

“Well looks like I do really have to go,” Fate told the clerk.

“If you please, follow me to the teleporter.” The clerk guided Fate through the still heavily guarded hallways to the teleporter room.

“Thanks.” Fate thanked the clerk for helping her thought the investigation.

“It has been my pleasure.” the clerk smiled and teleported Fate out to TSAB Command HQ on Midchilda.

“Agent Testarossa,” a teleporter operator saluted Fate as she stepped off the teleporter pad hurrying down the bustling halls of mages and clerks to her mother's office.

“Here goes,” Fate stood at the door to her mother's office. “Hi mom.” she greeted Lindy as she walked in. “Chrono?” Fate saw him sitting beside their mother. “What are you doing here?”

“Fate...” Chrono nodded to her.

“What is wrong?” Fate looked at the two of them puzzled.

“Fate, sit down please,” Lindy eyed the chair on the other side of her desk.

“Ok?” Fate quietly sat down.

“Fate, I don't know how to say this any but...” Lindy paused for a few seconds. “Nanoha...h-h-has been...” Lindy stuttered trying to finish, her eyes flowing with tears.

“Mom,” Chrono pat his mother on the back. “If you want I'll say it.”

“Say what,” Fate asked shocked seeing her mother crying.

“No no, I'll do it.” Lindy shook her head wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. “Fate,” she sniffed holding back her tears. “Nanoha, she...has been listed as a casualty.”

“What do you mean she died?” Fate stared at them stunned and confused.

“I wish it wasn't true Fate,” Chrono continued steeling himself. “But, a report on her mission came back, her ship was destroyed in an accident.”

“That can't be true right?” Fate asked frantically. “They must have made a mistake in the report right?” Fate's scarlet red eyes darted from her mother and her brother hoping to hear one of them say that it was a joke. “You must be joking with me,” Fate's stood up slamming her hands on the desk, her voice cracking.

“Fate, I know your upset but please calm down.” Chrono walked over to Fate putting his hands on her shoulder trying to calm her down.

“Calm down?” Fate yelled shaking Chrono's hands off. “I come here and you tell me Nanoha has been killed in some freak accident and you tell me to calm down?” Her hands quivered at her sides, shaking her head not believe a word.

“FATE!” Lindy stood up from her desk and rushed over hugging Fate tightly. “I know it's impossible to accept.” Hold Fate's head to her chest, her tears falling on Fate's blonde hair. “I know, she is family, and it’s impossible to accept.”

“I j-j-just spoke to Nanoha y-yes-yesterday!” Fate cried pulling out of Lindy's arms. “There is no way this could just happen!” She slowly backed out the door. “I-I-I'm going to go call her right now...y-y-you-you'll see, s-s-sh-she will be just fine.” Fate sprinted out of Lindy's office heading to HQ COM.

“Fate!” Chrono called after her chasing her down the hallways.

“This can't be true, it just can't.” Fate said quietly crying silently, tears running down her cheek. She ran down the HQ hallways past crowds of people bumping them and shoving them aside as she ran down to HQ COM to talk to Nanoha as she heard Chrono call her name. “Ensign!” Fate slammed her hands down on the console of a communications officer.

“Y-YES?” the Ensign stammered in shock and surprise.

“Get me CAPTAIN TA-KA-MA-CHI NA-NO-HA!” she yelled at the bewildered Ensign.

“But wasn’t she on the ship that was lost during the mission?” the Ensign tried to explain.

“How do you know?” Fate reached over the console impatiently.

“I-I-I was the one handling communications for the expedition mission!” she gripped her chair. “We lost contact with her ship...and...and the other ships reported that her ship was destroyed.”

“No...no your lying as well.” Fate's knees wobbled weakly. “There...is no way.” Fate bent over the console crying slamming her fist on the keyboard. “Nanoha...why...who did this?” she pounded and kicked the console denting it.

“Fate, that's enough!” Chrono pulled Fate back from the console hugging her as she sank to her knees crying shaking her head screaming.

“Nanoha...why...why couldn't I protect you.” she pounded the ground with her fist. A river of tears flow down her cheek dripping off her cheek when she shook her head, her blonde hair fell over her face like a veil.

“You did everything...you could.” Chrono gripped Fate tighter. “Everything you could,” he tried to help Fate on her feet. “So please...don't blame yourself,” he cried to her.

“How, how could this happen,” she shouted lifting her head up looking at the ceiling. “I promised you, I promised...after all this time, why now...” her voice crackling from crying and shouting. “Nanoha...” Fate whispered, slumping unconsciously onto Chrono's shoulder.

“Fate, Chrono.” Lindy watched her son and daughter kneeling on the ground. “She need time Chrono.” she lifted Fate up putting Fate's arm over her shoulder helping her walk back to her apartment room.

“Nanoha...I'm...so sorry.” Fate kept repeating softly to herself as Lindy and Chrono carried her back to her apartment room.

“She need to rest,” Lindy set Fate down on the bed. “I'll watch over her, you should go back to HQ.”

“But,” Chrono began to object to see his mother's stern gaze. “We can't paralyze the TSAB operations over this Chrono.” she said softly. “You need to help her in the way you can and start an investigation.”
Chrono nodded softly and headed out of the apartment to head the investigation for Nanoha's mission.

“Fate,” Lindy laid Fate's head on her lap stroking her back. “I'm so sorry.” she said softly wiping Fate's tearing red eye with a handkerchief.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Chrono?” Hayate walked into the dark and empty briefing room with a giant oval table and office chairs. The room only illuminated by the TV monitor mounted on the other side of the wall showing the silhouette of a man in a uniform “What's wrong?” she asked surprised seeing the grim look on his face as she sat down beside him.

“Hayate, Nanoha has been listed MIA (missing in action) but...” Chrono took a deep breath and slowly exhaling. “She is most likely KIA (killed in action).

“What?” Hayate sprung up from her chair knocking it over. “When...did you get the news?” she straightens out her chair, slowly sitting back down her legs wobbling from the shock.

“Last night,” he handed a copy of the letter he showed Lindy the night before.

“Oh dear god.” Hayate whispered as she read the letter, her mouth wide open in shock, drops of tears fell from her chin dripping on to the letter. “How could this happen?”

“We are still investigating...but with no wreckage...” Chrono heaved a heavy sigh. “We are at a loss.”

“Does Fate know?” her hand shook as she set the letter down, rubbing her hands together in a fist trying to make the shaking stop as if she was cold.

“Yes,” Chrono nodded. “She isn't taking it well.”

“So what do we do now?” Hayate asked him, her voice as quiet as a whisper.

“There isn't much I can do,” Chrono tapped his finger on the table thinking. “We can only hope to investigate this incident so Nanoha didn't...” his voice cracked straining to get the last words out. “Die in vain.”

“Don't say it.” Hayate sniffed holding back her tears. “Please just don’t.”

“Hayate, you know we all would love to hope that there was some miracle, some small infinitesimal amount of chance that she survived.” Chrono clenched his hand on the table. “But, this time there just isn’t.”

“Does anyone else know?” Hayate collected herself.

“No one else,” Chrono assured her. “But rumors are spreading fast, you know how Nanoha was popular with all the forces and the loss of a ship is nothing secret. Once they see the connection…”

“Moral will...” Hayate concluded getting an understanding nod from Chrono.

“I'll help in the investigation.” Hayate stood up leaving the briefing room. “We need to prepare the news for Nanoha's...family...and funeral as well.”

“Mhmm, thanks” Chrono nodded without another word, swiveling his chair to face the glowing monitor sniffing deeply.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“What am I going to say to Vivio...?” Hayate sat at her desk looking at the clock, shaking in fear watching it get near and nearer to when Vivio gets off school.

“HAYATE!” Vita slammed aside the door. “Oi...Hayate!” Vita sprinted over to Hayate breathing heavily. “Tell me what happened!” Vita growled her eyes narrow and sharp piercing at her mistress.

Hayate stared at Vita in silence for a moment. “It's as it says...” Hayate finally spoke. “I've had it confirmed myself there is no mistake.” Her declined her head slightly point her chin at the thin folder.

“Give me that.” Vita snatched the folder off her Hayate's desk violent flipping though its contents reading it.

“Vita!” Signum quietly slid the door open glaring at Vita. “I won't allow you to be rude to Hayate.”

“Dam it all, this isn't the time for your etiquette Signum.” Vita's aqua blue eyes danced across the reports her hands shaking violently as she kept reading.

“Vita, calm yourself!” Signum ordered Vita snatching the folder out of Vita's grip.

“HEY! I was reading that!” Vita snapped at Signum throwing a punch at Signum's gut.

“BOTH OF YOU COOL YOUR HEAD!” Hayate smacked her palms on the desk yelling over her two bickering knights making freezing in shock.

“Hayate...” Vita whispered quietly in awe.

“Just stop it Vita, just stop.” Hayate sat back down blinking back her tears. “I know how you feel but...there wasn't anything you or I could have done. There was no way you could have done anything for her Vita so please stop blaming yourself.”

“No...There’s always something that can be done...” Vita sank to her knees shaking her head crying abandoning her tough act. “I am the Knight of the Iron Hammer, me and Graf Eisen the Iron Count can destroy anything!” Vita punched the floor with her fists. “Why couldn't I destroy those that took you away Nanoha?” Vita sobbed throwing her head back in despair.

“You can't...destroy...fate or death...Vita.” Signum said quietly turned her back to Vita and Hayate her hands clenched tightly in a fist at her side. “How is Fate?” Signum hissed though her clenched jaws.

Hayate silently shook her head.

“Vivio?” Signum asked again sniffing deeply.

“She doesn't know yet.” Hayate looked at the clock again getting dressed to pick Vivio up from school. “She is off school in half an interval. I don’t know if I can break the news to Vivio.”

“I'll come with you.” Vita wiped her eyes quickly with her sleeve.

“Alright.” Hayate nodded grabbing the keys to her car. “Well...we’re off.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Neh neh Einhart do you want to join the TSAB someday?” Vivio asked her walking backwards to the school gates.

“Not really.” Einhart sighed chuckling a little. “I don’t really know what I want to do yet after I finish school maybe open my own school for Kaiser Arts…maybe.”

“Whaaaa!” Vivio's eyes gleamed. “Really really?”

“Ah...probably.” Einhart blushed lightly. “You want to join Section 6 like your parents right, Vivio?”

“Well I don't know about joining Section 6 exclusively.” Vivio laughed nervously.

“Oh don’t try and hide it.” Lio patted Vivio hard on the back. “We know that's where you wana go.”

“Mou!” Vivio groaned at their tease. “Ah! Hi Auntie Hayate, Vita!” Vivio waved to them as she got closer to school gates.

“Your mothers are busy?” Einhart waved to Hayate.

“I'm not sure.” Vivio wondered. “I really did think Fate-mama will pick me up. Ah well, bye bye Einhart, Lio I’ll see you tomorrow.” Vivio waved goodbye to her friends.

“Bye Vivio, see you tomorrow.” Einhart and Lio waved back.

“Auntie Hayate, Vita.” Vivio ran up to them hugging them.

“Hi Vivio,” Hayate hugged her back. “How was school?” Hayate put on her best smile for Vivio.

“It was fine, though it wasn't very exciting today.” Vivio shrugged climbing into the back Hayate's sedan.

“That's nice.” Hayate forced a giggle.

“Can we go to the library?” Vivio asked from the backseat.

“We can't today Vivio.” Hayate silently sighed think what to say to Vivio.

“Okay...” Vivio sighed sadly.

“Vivio there is something I need to tell you when we get back.” Vita huffed.

“Vita!” Hayate scold Vita.

“What, we need to tell her,” Vita growled back.

“This isn't the best place!” Hayate warned.

“Sorry.” Vita apologized.

“And we are back at home.” Hayate pulled up to the Section 6 dorms. “Vivio wait for me.”

“Mhmmm.” Vivio nodded looking them confused.

“Here take my hand.” Hayate grasped Vivio's hand without waiting for an answer. The three girls walked in silence though the quiet hallways back to Nanoha's apartment.

“We're back.” Hayate opened the door to the apartment.

“Welcome...back.” Lindy welcomed them in. Fate and Subaru sat on the living room couches crying being comforted by Teana, Caro, Eilo and Chrono.

“What is going on?” Vivio looked up at Hayate.

“Vivio?” Fate looked up upon hearing Vivio's voice. Blowing her nose on a tissue, Fate’s scarlet eyes were blood shot red from crying.

“Fate-mama!?” Vivio cried out in shock pulling loose from Hayate's hand running over next to her mother. “What happened Fate-mama? Why are you crying?”

“Vivio...” Fate looked at Vivio trying to speak only to break down again crying.

“Vivio, please sit down.” Lindy took over for Fate and Hayate kneeling down facing Vivio. “Vivio...I don't know how to say this but Nanoha-mama...she won't be coming home.”

“I know she won't.” Vivio looked at Lindy strangely. “Nanoha-mama will be gone for three months, Fate-mama told me already.” Vivio took quick glances at Fate being comforted by Hayate.

“No Vivio,” Lindy shook her head. “I mean Nanoha-mama won't be coming home ever again.”

“What?” Vivio stood in shock. “Why is Nanoha-mama not coming home!?”

“Nanoha-mama has...” Lindy bit her lips painfully saying the last words. “...passed away.”

“Nanoha-mama...is...gone?” Vivio's voice squeaked her green and red eyes glistening with tears.

“Y...yes...”

Vivio shook her head looking desperately at Fate, then to her friends to see them all grieving, realizing that Lindy was telling the truth. “Mama...” Vivio's voice got quiet, her head drooped down. “Mama...” she said again a little louder.

“Vivio I kno...” Lindy tried to explain when Vivio's cry cut her off.

“MAMA!” Vivio screamed out loud crying calling out for her mother. “Nanoha-mama!”

“Oh dear Vivio,” Lindy quickly wrapped her arms around Vivio pulling her into a deep embrace.” I'm so sorry Vivio, I so sorry.” Lindy kept repeating over and over again to Vivio.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After-Thoughts: Please raise your hand if you want to kill me right now? One, two, three, ten, twenty...eh....all of you. *Bows my head* Gomen no sai, please forgive me. ^^;; Ok enough with that. I admit this chapter was almost heart breaking to write for me. And I hope you share the feeling as much as I do when I was writing. If your wondering I did not lose anyone in my life that push me to write such a sad chapter the answer is no. But, this chapter was based on a dream I had a while back which was quite sad so in writing and reliving it was quite saddening. I cried a few times having to set my laptop down to take a break before I could continue.

On a side note I would love to thank all my readers for their message/post. My writing can only get better when you comment (loves it when you guys review and comment) so I would love to thank you all. *gives you all a cookie*...*gives you a life time supply of cookies*

Thank you for reading Chapter 3.
Hope to see you in Chapter 4 of Re:encounter.
- FateSkyFire

"Not that good. She is still lying in bed in the dark." Lindy shook her head sadly.

"How about Vivio?"

"She is taking a few days off school. But she is doing slightly better."

Hayate sighed, looking over Lindy's shoulder taking a peek at Fate curled up under a pile of bed sheets. "I'm going to have to take her off active duty along with Vita and Subaru if she doesn't improve soon."

Lindy nodded looking over her shoulder checking on Fate. "I hope you can manage with so many inactive members."

"Well we'll manage somehow, thanks for looking after Fate so much." Hayate forced a smile. "I need to get back to the office."

"It's nothing, it's what a mother does." Lindy forced a smile back.|

"Give Fate my best."

"I'll try." Lindy saw Hayate off and went back in the apartment sitting on the bed beside Fate. "Fate honey, Hayate came over."

"I heard." Fate said softly under her sheets. "I've also been pulled off active duty since I'm useless. Of course Hayate would do that since I AM useless. I can't even protect the most important people in my life, how can she trust me to protect others."

"Fate, no one blames you for what happened." Lindy lifted the bed sheets off Fate. "Come out, please don't shut yourself in, talk to me, or your friends."

"I don't want to." Fate huffed annoyed. "You might want to leave me as well. People that I love tend to go missing or die."

"Fate that is enough!" Lindy stared sternly into Fate's eyes. "You need to accept what happened then and now was out of your control! We have been over this may times already!"

"Oh just go away, leave me alone." Fate raised her voice in anger.

"No I won't." Lindy said defiantly.

"I said leave me alone!" Fate screamed sitting up yelling at Lindy in the face.

"No I won't, I won't ever leave you. You're my daughter and swear, as your mother I will be with you always." Lindy quickly pulled Fate in to her arms.

"No you won't" Fate tried to push away from Lindy. "No...you...won't" She weakly pounded her fist on Lindy's chest breaking down again crying on her mother's shoulder.

"Fate...mama." Vivio stood beside the bed holding Bardiche.

"Vivio?" Fate looked down at Vivio. "What is it?"

"Bardiche please?" Vivio asked the yellow triangular device.

"Yes my lady." Bardiche called up a yellow monitor playing the message Nanoha left for them before she left.

"No, Vivio please, turn it off!" Fate looked away from the monitor covering up her ears.

"Fate-mama!" Vivio climbed on the bed shoving the monitor in Fate's face cranking up the volume. "Please, listen to Nanoha-mama!."

"Vivio please no more." Fate begged burying her face in the pillow.

"Fate-mama, Nanoha-mama...won't like to see you like this." Vivio cried softly seeing her mother in pain. "Fate-mama a strong person because of Nanoha-mama. So please Fate-mama please be strong for Nanoha-mama." Vivio put down Bardiche wrapping her arms around Fate patting her on the forehead.

"But Vivio," Fate looked deep into Vivio's heterochromatic eyes.

"I miss Nanoha-mama so much." Vivio stared back. "But, Nanoha-mama would be mad to see us be like crybabies. Nanoha-mama always help us up when we fall. Fate-mama lets stand up on our own...for Nanoha-mama."

"Vivio..." Fate closed her eyes, teardrops running down her cheeks. "Thank you Vivio." She pulled Vivio close kissing her on the forehead. "Thank you, I...lost sight of what was important."

"I love you Fate-mama." Vivio smiled.

"I love you too Vivio," Fate hugged Vivio tighter. "With everything I've got. Thank you my brave strong little daughter. You learned better that I did from Nanoha. And thank you mom. I'm sorry I...said those things."

"It's alright." Lindy hugged the two blonde girls patting their backs. "I'm just happy to see you're feeling better. Now, I think I should fix you two up some lunch?"

"Mhmmm, that sounds nice." Fate gave Lindy a small smile.

"That's my girl." Lindy kissed Fate on the forehead.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Master, please wake up." Raging Heart flashed red laying on the steel bulkhead littered with fallen wires throwing sparks around dangerously close to it. "Please wake up Master."

"Don't worry I got your master covered." Clifred in a half tattered uniform with burn marks and grime, climbing over debris to get to Nanoha laying on the ground in a corner face down. "Captain Takamachi," he gently turned her on her back patting her cheek.

"Mmmmhm?" Nanoha groaned, touching her head to find it wet with blood.

"Don't move," Clifred instructed wiping Nanoha's forehead. "You banged your head really hard, but you don't look like you have any other serious injuries."

"What happened, where are we?" Nanoha got up slowly rubbing her throbbing forehead.

"You have a pretty thick skull don't you," Clifred teased. "But at least that thick skull of yours saved you this time."

"I'm in no mood for your smart mouth Captain." She sat up irritated her headache getting worse.

"Our ship, it had an accident, Captain," Clifred sighed at Nanoha's lack of humor. "Our engine unexpectedly overloaded when we exited dimensionless space and it created a dimensional fissure that took her(the ship) somewhere unexpected."

"So where exactly are we?" Nanoha dabbed her forehead with a towel mopping up the blood.

"Don't know, ship's computer doesn't show our coordinates…in fact it says that this place shouldn't even exist." He chuckled at his last statement.

"What?" Nanoha stood up suddenly only to collapse back down on the ground shivering in pain.

"Take it easy, we still have enough supplies to last us a while on this sunken ship." Clifred began bandaging Nanoha's head, draping Raging Heart her neck. "Here have some water." he offered a canteen to Nanoha,

"Thanks, but don't you have other people to take care of other than me?" Nanoha sat back down leaning on the scorched bulkhead walls, taking a drink.

"Well to be honest no," Clifred sighed. "All other crew members are," he took a deep breath. "dead or missing."

"How can we be the only survivors aboard?" Nanoha questioned scowling.

"Hey don't blame me, I don't make the odds." Clifred shrugged. "Be thankful that your room was in one of the mostly heavily armored parts of the ship."

"Right," Nanoha narrowed her eyes. A small muffled explosion made the ship trembled raining dust and debris on the two captains.

"On second thought, we need to get off this junk heap." Clifred ducked under Nanoha's shoulder and lifted her up. "This wreck might go off any second."

"Ummm…" Nanoha mumbled half consciously hearing the sparking of down power cables and the creaking of the bulkheads as she limped though the hallways while being supported by Clifred. The walls were scorched black and fallen bent beams, panels and glass littered the ground. The one thing that Nanoha couldn't put her finger on was there were no bodies of the ship's crew in their path as they made their way through the trashed ship.

"Almost out of here." Clifred whispered in her ear. The sounds of the dying ship fading, turning into the chirping on small birds and the hoots and roars unknown creatures. Eerie howling noises reverberated though out the halls as the wind blew into the once air tight ship. A small hole of light shone in the dark hallway of flickering lights, showing the way out of the ship. "Nearly there." He gave a heave and the two of them flopped out onto the grassy dirt meadow that was carved out when the ship landed.

"We're on a planet?" Nanoha started straight up into the canopy of a tree, the sun just overhead shining though the gaps between the leaves making the tree sparkle and dance as if it was covered in gems.

"Yes…" Clifred answered dully kicking the dirt. "I maybe a skipper but solid ground does me well." He patted the ground with his hands giving thanks. "Here is our survival gear. This one is mine, this one is yours." He pulled out two oversized duffel bags and shook each one as he separated his bag from hers.

"What's in them?" Nanoha turned her head to look at the two oversized duffel bags.

"Supplies...things we need to survive until we are rescued." Clifred explained tiredly. "Since I'm such a gentleman I'll carry yours for you." He swung both onto his back effortlessly.

"Why thank you." Nanoha huffed, slowly standing up, closing her eyes concentrating on the flow of her magic, healing her most serious wounds. Nanoha's healing magic giving off a faint magenta aura around her body as it healed her body. "This will take a minute," Nanoha winced as the magic healed her.

"All ready?" Clifred patiently tapped his foot on the ground with his arms crossed.

"Yes," Nanoha stood up straighter stretching her arms reaching for the sky her wounds no longer visible. "Well lets get moving." Nanoha pushed past a bush walking to a random point she picked.

"Hey hey, I thought I was leading," Clifred said chasing after Nanoha.

"And here I thought you were such a gentleman." Nanoha laughed climbing up a hill stopping on the edge of a canyon sized cliff. "Wow…what is all this?"

"What is all what?" Clifred trekked up the hill.

"This!" Nanoha pointed out in front of them. In the sky, floating glowing crystals dotted the sky pulsating in every color of the spectrum. Occasionally a large crystal drifted in the sky blotting out the sun. Buildings of different sizes lined erected the horizon with trees and vines covering the entire height of some building as if they were ancient ruins. Every building looked different, some tall and sleek while others were bulgy and rounded, as if each one were designed by completely different civilizations. Others look humanly impossible to ever have existed. Scattered around on the ground were ancient wreckage of ships and other unidentifiable objects. Everything that stood on the ground was covered and surrounded by thick foliage of wild unkempt forest of plant life.

"Well this is quite a sight." Clifred blocked the sun out with his hands taking a closer look.

"That structure over there looks strangely familiar…" Nanoha peered into the distance seeing something that looked like a sea urchin made of rock with several large round gems around the equator of the structure.

"With these many buildings around here there has to be someone home." Clifred mused staring off into the distance.

"Well lets head over to that spiky building." Nanoha pointed at the strange rocky structure. "I have a feeling we are going to find someone there."

"If you say so." Clifred grunted and turned around to go down the slope.

"Well, take the long way if you like." Nanoha put her hands on her hips. "I'm taking to the skies." Nanoha plucked Raging Heart off her chest and held it up. "Raging Heart, set up."

"Alright my master, Aggressive Mode" Raging Heart flashed brightly and donned Nanoha in her signature white barrier jacket with long sleeve with a short skirt. Appearing in Nanoha's hand was Raging Heart in its C shaped head device form.

"Thank you Raging Heart." Nanoha thanked her ever reliable device.

"Master, caution is required while flying." Raging Heart reported. "I am sensing a large network of magical energy though out area."

"Will do." Nanoha smiled at her device whispering to it a quick thank you.

Clifred rolled his eyes shrugging lugging the two duffel bags, already at the base of the hill. "Suit yourself fly-girl." he grumbled as Nanoha leaped off the cliff dramatically plummeting a few feet then rocketed up into the bright crystal filled blue cloudless sky.

"There sure is a lot of junk everywhere." Nanoha looked down getting a bird's eye view of the area seeing small structures and arch formations of rock lurking underneath the foliage.

"Warning, incoming obstacle at twelve-o-clock!" Raging Heart shouted flashing rapidly.

"WHOA!" Nanoha quickly dropped in altitude swerving to the side as a giant airborne crystal came hurling past where she was just flying. "Nyahaha," Nanoha laughed awkwardly, dodging another airborne crystal. "That was close."

"Please use caution." Raging Heart reminded Nanoha again.

"Why is there so much junk in the sky?" Nanoha sighed dodging another wave of flying crystals.

"Analysis shows the crystals are pylons of stored magical energy." Raging Heart chimed.

"I really wonder what this place is...it seems to be filled with lost technology and magic." Nanoha mused.

"We are approaching our destination." Raging Heart reported as Nanoha dived down beside the giant sea urchin like rock structure.

"Mhmmm...I know I've seen this before...but where!" Nanoha wondered mesmerized by the familiar structure.

"Raging Heart, set up a beacon for Clifred for when he gets here." she instructed.

"Alright." the staff glowed and a small magenta ball of magic appeared beside it floating in the air flashing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"There already?" Clifred saw the flash of a magical beacon though the dense forest of monolith trees with long snaking vines hanging down from the canopy and twisted roots spring out of the ground wrapping around random objects. "Doctor, our guest has arrived." Clifred telepathic spoke to someone again. "Well, no point walking anymore, I've done my role, the stage is set and I say it's about time I get going." he called up a magic teleportation circle and in a flash he disappeared leaving behind the two duffel bags.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I swear this feeling is killing me." Nanoha grumbled as she walked down a dark hallway dimly light by purple lights hanging from the wall. "This place is familiar but where have seen it before?:

"Master, I believe I know," Raging Heart tried to help it's disgruntled Master.

"No, give me another minute." Nanoha kept slowly walking down the hall reaching a grand circular atrium at least five stories high with multiple rings of ascending floors all painted in a shiny gold finish. "This is..." Nanoha's eyes widened remembering where she had seen this place before. "The Garden of Time..." Nanoha whispered remembering thirteen years ago when she and Fate fought for the first time together against one of Precia Testarossa's giant robots.

"That is correct." Raging Heart sighed mechanically.

"Does this mean Precia..." Nanoha looked around cautiously half expecting the crazed purple long haired woman in a black revealing robe and gloves carrying a bat winged gem crowned staff to appear. "Nothing" Nanoha breathed a sigh of relief and creaked open the giant double doors to the next room. The sound of machines humming filled Nanoha's ears as she entered the room. The soft tapping of keys came from the other end of the room.

"Hello there," a woman spoke sitting at the far end of the dark room bent over a console reading a monitor projected on the wall with continuous scrolling text. The projected monitor provided the only lighting in the entire room.

"Who are you?" Nanoha pointed her staff at the woman dark silhouette outline of the woman.

"Pointing a weapon at someone, while intruding in their home while stating such demands?" The woman clicked the text off the monitor speaking to Nanoha with her back turned. "That is quite rude, white mage."

"Eh..." Nanoha blinked confused hearing the woman call her white mage lowering her staff slightly.

"It has been thirteen years, but I'm sad that you have forgetting me white mage." The woman turned around walking towards Nanoha raising her hand, her face coming into view.

"What?" Nanoha took a step back in shock. "It can't be..." She yelped mid-sentence as her foot fell though the tiled floor. "What is this?" Nanoha tried to pull her foot out of the tile.

"It's no use my dear Nanoha." a man's voice echoed from another corner of the dimly lit room.

"Release me!" Nanoha yelled raising her staff pointing it at the woman.

"Such rudeness." the woman slashed the air with her hand and magical purple rings formed around Nanoha constricting her.

"A bind?" Nanoha struggled against the bind as the lights in the room flickered on. Nanoha's barrier jacket flickered and disappeared along with her staff as Raging Heart reverted back to its jewel form. "AMF?" Nanoha cried in shock.

"Welcome to my toy factory, you've kept me waiting." the man's voice came closer; his footsteps echoed louder though the large room. "It's wonderful to see you again; you so rarely visit so allow me to welcome you to our humble home."

Nanoha turned her head back as far as she could. "Doctor Jail Scaglietti..." Nanoha narrowed her eyes seeing a man with purple hair and snake like florescent yellow eyes wearing a purple Midchilda uniform suit under a long white lab coat. "How are you here?" she demanded.

"All will be revealed in good time." Jail patted Nanoha's cheek who gave him a look of disgust. "May I also reacquaint you to Precia Testarossa, or as you mages would have, my partner in crime." he stepped beside Precia putting his arm around her waist. Precia's face, no longer gaunt or pale like their first meeting thirteen years ago, as if she had recovered from her terminal disease. No longer wearing her ridiculous dark purple robes she wore a simple light purple knit sweater with a black skirt under a white lab coat, her clean straight hair tired back into a ponytail, a completely different image of what she looked like thirteen years ago.

"Where is this place?" Nanoha demanded again.

"I'm surprised you haven't noticed." he laughed meretriciously. "Well not that surprised, if you were any smarter I wouldn't be here right now." he mused. "This is the world of lost magic and technologies, where any desire can granted, you my dear girl, are on Al Hazard." Jail swatted his arm in the air towards the wall where it opened up revealing a bubble like window show a landscape of Al Hazard.

"Al Hazard?" Nanoha's eyes were a big as an owl. "Impossible, Al Hazard was just a legend, a myth!"

"If you won't believe my words than believe this." Jail whispered something into Precia's ear.

Precia split a wide smile, something Nanoha had never seen before from the woman. "Alicia," Precia called out. "Where are you honey?" Precia said in a kind sweet loving voice.

"Up here mother." A young scarlet eyed girl with long straight flowing blonde hair in pale green sundress stood on the arm of a large round chandelier.

"Alicia dear, what are you doing up there?" Precia opened up her arms to the ceiling where Alicia was standing. "Come down and say hello to our uninvited guest."

"Yes, mother." Alicia gracefully front flipped down from the chandelier landing on the marble tiles without a sound beside Nanoha.

"Fate...chan." Nanoha mouthed silently.

"Hi Nanoha, it has been thirteen years since you saw me. How are you? And is this the reaction I'll get every time I'm going to meet your friends Na-no-ha." Alicia walked around Nanoha with her hand behind her back. "I'm not Fate, I am Alicia Testarossa. And I will be the one take over Fate's life when the time comes." she giggled pointing to herself with her thumb. "There is no way a copy can ever surpass the original." she winked at Nanoha and twirled away in a ballerina's spin and hopped beside her mother.

"You're such a good girl Alicia." Precia pat Alicia on her cheek with a loving smile, getting a hug from Alicia.

Nanoha shook her head at the Alicia try to clear her mind. "It's not Fate, it's not Fate." Nanoha thought to herself while glaring at Scaglietti. "I suppose you had a hand in this?"

"You're getting smarter by the minute young miss." Jail said in glee. "A few more years and you could be my assistant." He walked over to Alicia petting her on the head. "Yes, I am the one who revived Alicia three years ago." he bragged proudly showing off his work. "This is the revival of Project F and my cyborg enhancements technology together at its greatest realization." Jail explained with a most articulate tone. "My use of cyborg technology merged with Project F lets me bring life again to those that have died, I have my dear Precia's and Al Hazard's magic to thank for such a splendid result."

"But that still doesn't explain how you a scumbag of all people got here!" Nanoha yelled at Jail.

"Temper, temper or I'm going to have to bind that mouth of yours as well." Precia warned raising her hand making her staff appear.

"Let it be Precia." Jail patted Precia on the shoulder calming her down. "Nanoha and I had an interesting history behind us so I can't blame her for being agitated."

"If it's okay with you then..." Precia flushed a slight pink.

"Well, Nanoha, I'm sure you know how my dear Precia came to be in Al Hazard, and I say it has done wonders for her. Now how I got here was a stroke of genius. Did you really believe that the corrupt TSAB were the only ones funding my research?" Jail chuckled lightly. "Of course not my ignorant child, there are many other worlds with no magic that would give an arm and a leg for what technologies I have to give them."

"That still doesn't explain anything." Nanoha spat.

"Patience, patience." Jail wagged his finger. "I 'm a clone of myself, made by one of my supporters on another world. I always predicted the TSAB would decide to back-stab me one day, and so they did. Four years ago when you destroyed The Cradle, it returned back here to Al Hazard like all things that have a connection to this wondrous place. My clone was placed in the deepest part of The Cradle where no one would find it. When The Cradle was destroyed along with my clone, we were taken to Al Hazard and I was reborn again in Al Hazard along with The Cradle." Jail rubbed his chin thinking of the genius in his plan. "I'll also have you know that I 'm currently considered dead on your planet, just like you.

"What? Me? Dead?" Nanoha scoffed. "Like I would ever believe you, you're a sick man you know that?"

"It's true, you've been dead for three cycles, Midchilda time." another man's voice echoed in the chamber. "The ship's accident was made to look like it was completely destroyed so no one on Midchilda would suspect a thing." Clifred walked out from behind a pillar. "When in reality the engine overload created a dimensional fissure just like the one Precia made thirteen years ago."

"Clifred you were a..." Nanoha looked at him in shock.

"A double agent?" Clifred finished her sentence. "Yes, I was, I do play my part well don't I, the clumsy incompetent captain."

"Thank you for your loyal service, Clifred." Jail have him a manic smile.

"My pleasure, Doctor." Clifred bowed and left. "Enjoy your stay on Al Hazard, Nanoha." he telepathically though to Nanoha.

"My dear Alicia," Jail's voice sounded so sweet it could attract a hoard of honey bees. "Would you be so kind to escort our guest to her room?"

Alicia's red eyes narrowed as she smiled blushing. "Will do father." She gave Jail a playful salute and lifted Nanoha out of the floor trap, grabbing her by the collar of her shirt pulling her out of the room.

"So tell me," Alicia asked Nanoha while dragging her down the hall. "How's is my little sister?"

"Oh she is just fine without Jail and Precia messing with her life, thanks for asking." Nanoha huffed irritated.

'Well mom and dad says we are going home soon," Alicia sighed shaking her head. "I've only been alive for four years, but over thirty years have passed, I wonder how Midchildia has changed."

"Going home?" Nanoha looked at Alicia confused. "Don't tell me Jail is going to take another swing at Midchildia."

"I don't know." Alicia replied quietly. "Here is your room." She opened a door to simple room with a bed and desk dragging Nanoha in and locking her in. "Father tells me we're leaving Al Hazard to join his supporters in another three cycles, and he has something special in-store for you Nanoha." Alicia spoke though the door.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rain, the small rhythmic patters of rain droplets danced on the slab of marble and glass shaped beautifully in a statue of a young woman with long hair tied in a side pony tail. On the marble slab were the words carved deep in the stone
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A gathering of men and woman dressed in black suits and dresses stood around the small monument that was made for Nanoha.

Fate walked up to the podium beside the monument, covered in reeves of flowers, standing drenched in the rain unfolded a small piece of paper and read it. "Nanoha she was a girl with a kind heart, kinder than anyone can ever imagine. Her compassion allows her to reaches out, to those that are in need of a hand to hold. Gentle hands that I will never forget that I held for the first time, nor will the others that she have befriended. Her kindness was only outmatched by her strength. Nanoha's strength to convey her feelings to others was another thing that made her the great person she was. No matter how hard or challenging her opponent maybe she always strives to help others be understood. She was a person that always pushed herself beyond her limits to help those in need. Her heart was noble to a fault. She cared for everyone, being the strongest and the best, just as her feelings were, as she watched over us all. But, she was too strong, to the point where we never truly worried enough about her. For all the time we have spent with each other we never really knew as we always followed her guidance and strong determination. Now we will have to move on without your beacon light our way, but we will find our own way using the strength that you have given us. Thank you Nanoha. We will never forget you and what you have done for us all" Fate finished her scarlet eyes watering as she stepped down from the podium receiving a light applause. The papers blew away in a light wind carrying them off.

"That was wonderful Fate." Hayate wiped her eyes with tissue embracing Fate. "I couldn't have done better."

"Thank you." Fate rested her head crying on Hayate's shoulder while getting gentle hugs and pats from the others attending the funeral as they left the possession.

"Nanoha will always be watching of you Fate." Chrono said solemnly while looking at the crystal monument of Nanoha. "Don't ever forget that. Make her proud."

"Mhmm," Fate nodded. "I will."

"SALUTE!" a man ordered the men and women from the TSAB in the possession. A ceremonial guard of air mages fired rifles in the sky per Earth custom, as they did a fly-by in tribute to their instructor.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"My dear Nanoha," Jail entered her little holding room. "It's almost time we returned to Midchilda."

"What do you want from me Scaglietti?" Nanoha glared at him angrily having being imprisoned for an entire cycle.

"You'll find out soon enough." Jail walked over to Nanoha and quickly jabbed her forehead with his finger making her fall asleep. "Sweet dreams." He laughed carrying her out of the room to his laboratory. Jail's lab was just the same as it was on Midchilda. Row on rows upon of men and woman specimens were floating in bubbling preservation tanks marked with a serial number in roman numerals stacked on each other. Tables with numerous amounts of flask and instruments in an assortment of shapes, sizes and colors littered every table in Jails work area. "This will work." Jail put Nanoha down, restraining her with steel cuffs, on a padded operating table. "Time to wake up." Jail flicked Nanoha's forehead again with his finger lifting her of his sleeping magic.

"Mhmm, what going on?" Nanoha moaned waking up from her artificially induced sleep trying to lift her arms up only to find that they have been restrained. "What is this?"

"Nanoha, do you want to know how it will be like to be little again?" Jail bent over the table mixing a cocktail of fluids from a multitude of beakers. The sound of bubbling and hissing filled the room with an aroma of iron and burnt metal making Nanoha wrinkle her nose.

"Not really." Nanoha said stiffly.

"Well your about to find out." Jail pumped the fluid into a machine with six automated syringes attached to a square frame lowering it in front of Nanoha.

"What? No! stop it!" Nanoha struggled violently trying to break out of the restraints as the machine started up, gears whined as the machine slowly lowered itself closer and close to Nanoha.

"No can do, you're my special project and I would love to see the results." Jail chuckled madly. "You'll make a great companion for Alicia when I done."

"GET IT AWAY FROM ME!" Nanoha screamed trying to bend her body away from the syringes targeting legs, arms, head and stomach.

"Oi ya, what a naughty patient we have here." He picked up a syringe of sedative and injected it quickly into Nanoha. "As much as I love to see the transformation happen while you're awake this won't do with you moving and screaming your head off like that." He shook his head pretending to be disappointed.

"You fu…" Nanoha's eyes flutter as she fought against the sedative, her speech slurring into an incomprehensible mess. "Si..sik…ba..bast…" Falling just sleeping under the sedative as the syringes pierced her injecting their contents into her body. "Precia if you please." Jail gestured towards Nanoha with his hands.

"Right." Precia nodded to Jail stomping the end of her staff on the ground making numerous purple magical circles appear around Nanoha as she lay unconscious on the table. Out of thin air a capsule formed around Nanoha glowing as it filled up with a clear blue fluid submersing her.

"Al Hazard," Jail reached up into the air gathering magic in his palm. "Land of lost magic and technology. Kingdom of lost worlds, what I desire, grant me the power of time." His arms glowed in a swirl of red, yellow and purple helix of magic streamers as a golden gauntlet formed around his arms making the yellow light disappear. The red light swirled to his palms changing into time-telling pieces who's multitude of hands spun wildly in circles. The purple light faded as Jail's magical summon ending, his golden gauntlet arms glowing a bright gold with red circuit like lines running the length of it. "Just wonderful." Jail laughed manically throwing his head up "Let the operation begin." Jail put his hands on the glowing capsule pressing on the glass as red ribbons magic sprang out of his hand binding around the capsule. The glass yielding to his gauntlets letting it though as Jail burned off her clothes using magic leaving her unharmed and bare. The red ribbons of magic around the capsule snapped and flew into the capsule into Nanoha as Jail wave his gauntlets over her body. Unnoticeable at first Nanoha's body slowly shrank in size, her arms and legs grew shorter as with her body. Her chest grew small and smaller till they were hardly noticeable along with her waist. "Yes, yes it's working, it's working." Jail's eyes were wide circles of florescent yellow, licking his lips in excitement. "Almost complete." Jail laughed hysterically as the last ribbons of red magic flowed into Nanoha. "Success." Jail grinned looking down at Nanoha, her body now looking like when she was thirteen years ago. "Precia," Jail turned around to see her end her sleep with an incantation. "How's goes it on your end?"

Precia panted in exhaustion holding on to her staff for support. "Cyborg body enhancement and conversion...is success."

"Just wonderful, absolutely exhilarating!" Jail raised his arms up in the air, running over to Precia pulling her into a quick hug. "We have done it!" he cried out loud without restraint. "We have completed it!"

"Yes...yes." Precia panted sitting down on a chair. "We've finally done it."

"Let see how our little princess likes her new look." Jail collected himself still chuckling waving his hand over the capsule making it disappear dressing Nanoha in a hospital gown.

"Ahhh mhmm," Nanoha's eyes slowly fluttered open. "Ow ow ow." she winced in pain still strapped down on the table.

"How do you feel?" Jail looked at her with great interest.

"My body is aching all over when I move." Nanoha gritted her teeth shuddering in pain when she wiggled around in the restraints. "What...what did you do to me?"

"Have a look yourself." Jail pulled up a long mirror in front of Nanoha.

"Who...who is that girl?" Nanoha looked in the mirror groggy.

"My, don't you recognize your cute little self?" Jail smiled anticipating Nanoha's reaction

"OH DEAR MOTHER OF GOD WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!" Nanoha eyes flung open in shock recognizing the girl in the mirror was herself at the age of ten.

"Now that's a good question." Jail chuckled at Nanoha's outburst. "I've turned time back on your body's appearance. As a special bonus you've also become enhanced like my combat cyborg. You're the second of my creations, first was Alicia, but I say you are a masterpiece of your own."

"Do you expect me to give you thanks and work for you?" Nanoha yelled pulling on her restraints bending them slightly out of shape with her now unnatural cyborg strength.

"Well, well, well, we know your enhanced strength works." Jail's eyes gleaming with pride at his own work. "I always knew that you wouldn't...what's the phrase you mages always use when you arrest someone…" Jail rubbed his chin thinking. "Ah yes, I think it was somewhere on the lines of come quietly?"

"You betcha." Nanoha raged.

"Precia," Jail helped Precia out of her chair. "When you're up to it, please take care of our guest's memory."

"I'll do it right now." Precia smiled slowly walking to Nanoha with malice.

"God dam it why don't you all just drop dead!" Nanoha screamed futilely trying to flail out of her restraints using her cyborgs enhanced body.

"Kindly go to sleep and don't make another sound." Precia prodded Nanoha forehead with her middle finger. Nanoha fell silent, her slate blue eyes stare empty into space as she fell limp on the table. "That's better." Precia put both her hands on the side of Nanoha's temple, closing her eyes muttering a spell, her hands glowed purple with magic as she erased Nanoha's memory.

"Alicia, my dear cute Alicia." Jail thought telegraphically to her.

"Yes, father?" Alicia thought back.

"Where are you my dear daughter."

"I'm in the forest training with my familiars."

"Kindly hurry back in an hour, I have someone that would like to be...reacquainted with you."

"Alright father."

"That's a good girl."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So how is the investigation going?" Hayate walked into to another dark briefing room taking her seat at the far end of the table. This time each black office chair was filled with members of Mobile Unit Section 6 each with stacks of papers beside them.

"Right," Teana stood up as the representative for the four forwards. "Well our finding are…inconclusive but we have a lead on the accident." She waved to the monitor which displayed a bar graph showing the energy readings of space. "As you know the ships Warlock and The Hummingbird only became aware of The Scarlet Swan's destruction after the initial detonation of its core." She gave a sight glancing at Fate sitting between Chrono and Hayate. "Our readings find that at a higher band of energy it caused a disturbance fissure in dimensional space."

"So you mean the explosion caused a dimensional rift?" Hayate asked thinking of what it could have meant.

"Yes, I'm sure a few of our older members know what happens when someone tried to force a dimensional rift open." Teana continued quoting from the Precia Testarossa Incident. "That was why I believe there was no trace of the ship left. The entire ship fell into the dimensional rift and was possibly transported somewhere else."

"But something like that hardly ever happens." Chrono shifted though his papers. "We have had unfortunate accidents before where the ship's core overloaded and detonated but in no incident ever has it been transported somewhere else since the core never breaches with enough energy." Chrono looked over Teana's notes carefully. "Even if they did it would cause a world destroying dimensional disturbance."

"That's where we come in." Signum stood up in turn. "Our research on the crew, especially on Captain Clifred leads us to a plausible conclusion. He was once a scientist before he moved up in rank and took a position in the Navy two years ago. His research was in finding a better and faster way for ships to travel in dimensionless space using dimensional rifts without causing a wide scale dimensional disturbance. If it had succeeded it would have meant almost instantaneous travel in dimensionless space."

"I see any skipper's dream." Hayate nodded. "Well did he succeed?"

"We don't know." Signum shook her head sadly. "Our Librarian is looking into it but I feel like the TSAB is doing another Scaglietti like cover up."

"Ah sorry I'm late." Yuuno opened the briefing room door with his foot carrying a number of scrolls in his arms. "Sorry, sorry." His short blonde hair was in a tangled mess as he tried to get settled down onto a chair.

"Speak of the devil." Signum chuckled lightly.

"Right," Yuuno started as he straighter out his glasses, his light green eyes darted to Fate giving her an apologetic smile. "So what part are you talking about?"

"Did you find weather the dimensional rift tests Clifred conducted two years ago were successful?" Hayate updated him on their discussion.

"The reports were quite well hidden but I found them." Yuuno displayed them on the screen. "They were successful…mostly, and they gave Clifred a ship and a rank for him to hush it up after they dismissed him from the science department when the project's funding was cut."

"What do you mean mostly successful?" Chrono asked intrigued.

"The dimensional rift transfer worked without causing a wide scale dimensional disturbance, but the ship used was heavily damaged when it exited the rift and the entire crew died in the experiment." Yuuno explained.

"Not the best result huh." Teana mused looking at Subaru with her head laying sideways on the table looking depressed.

"So this guy tired to continue Precia's work?" Fate mumbled quietly to everyone's surprise.

"Ye..yes, probably." Hayate shook her head sadly.

"I went over the astronomy records as well." Yuuno cleared his throat with a small cough. "The alleged world that the TSAB said that gave out the energy signature did not exist. It was just another fabrication that no one noticed."

"All this lying and deception all centered around one man." Fate gripped her hands tighter on a portfolio that read Clifred.

"So let's get this straight." Lindy finally joining in on the discussion. "One we have a highly suspicious person that had been conducting illegal research that was approved by the TSAB Black Ops. Two the same man fabricates a reason to continue his research theory. Three he carries out his rogue experiment causing his desired result." Lindy shuddered at the similarity of this case to the JS Incident.

"We don't know if it succeeded without...casualties." Hayate quietly mouthed the last word.

Fate stood up and pointed at the monitor making it flash to a profile of Jail Scaglietti. "I didn't get a chance to say this before but on the day before the accident Jail Scaglietti was murdered by a combat cyborg."

"What do you implying Fate?" Hayate asked carefully.

"I'm saying there might be a connection between Scaglietti and Clifred." Fate continued undeterred even while getting some disbelieving looks. "The timing is between two is perfect for it to be a coincidence. Scaglietti being assassinated and a ship goes missing at the same time while performing an illegal experiment."

"It's hard to believe that is possible." Teana said quietly. "We know Scaglietti was not a dimensional theorist, if anything this would tie in better if Precia was involved. Also the combat cyborg...isn't conclusive, the fact that...erhm…Subaru and Ginga...are..." Teana paused looking at Subaru.

"It's fine you can say it." Subaru gave Teana a subtle nod.

"Well, they are combat cyborgs before Scaglietti's creation of the Numbers. So there is still the possibility that the cyborg was created by another person that had a grudge on Scaglietti." Teana quickly finished up her objection.

"You haven't been chasing Scaglietti as long as I have." Fate thumped her palm on the table. "He will always have some backup plan for ever situation. He is like a god dam boomerang, every time you throw him away he come whizzing back at you with something new."

"Fate!" Lindy shouted breaking Fate's train of thought. "Calm down. Weather Scaglietti is involved in this or not won't change the facts of what happened." She tried avoiding using Nanoha's name as best she could. "We need to stay objective if we are going to solve this."

"Right, sorry." Fate faked a cough.

"I suppose this is as far as we can get without any more proof." Hayate resigned disappointed that they could not come to a complete conclusion. "But we have enough to cast enough doubt."

"We will take it to the higher up soon." Lindy nodded at Chrono. "But I'll doubt the will appreciate us digging around their dirty work."

"Please do." Hayate switched on the lights ending their briefing.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oh my." Alicia exclaimed covering her mouth with her hand as she giggled. "Little Nanoha is so cute." She squeaked watching Nanoha sleep on the operating table. "Nanoha-chan, wakey wakey." Alicia poke Nanoha's cheek.

"Mhmmmm?" Nanoha moaned tiredly waking up. "Where am I?" She slowly got up rubbing her eyes. "Who are you?" Nanoha blushing light pink, mesmerized by Alicia's pretty blonde hair and scarlet red eyes.

"Forgotten me already?" Alicia playfully pretended to feel hurt. "I'm Alicia Testarossa."

"Al-ic-ia..." Nanoha sounded out Alicia's name slowly. "Alicia, nice to meet you?" She giggled nervously. "I'm Takamachi Nanoha."

"Ah awake already little princess?" Jail waked in the lab smiling. "Alicia, disturbing our guest while she is resting is a big no no."

"I wasn't father," Alicia pouted. "She woke up on her own."

"This must be confusing for you my dear Nanoha." Jail gave Nanoha a theatrical bow. "I am Jail Scaglietti, as you know my dear cute daughter Alicia and my soon to be wife Precia Testarossa." Jail gestured to each of them as he introduced them. "I welcome you to our home and family."

"Eh, Nice to meet you all." Nanoha smiled nervously at each of them bowing her head slightly. "I don't exactly know or remember much." She said worried scratching her head. "I know who I am, and that I can do magic...ahh...but I don't remember who my parents are or my friends...or much else..."

"Ah I was afraid that might happen since your operation." Jail patiently explained. "You hurt your head and body very badly." He lied to Nanoha with an honest and concerned face. "I treated you but you banged your head pretty heard so I'm not surprised you have amnesia so well try to help you reorganize yourself as best as we can but you need to rest."

"Is that so..." Nanoha scratched her head still confused. "Well it's like that then I'll do my best to get better."

"Now now don't be so stiff Nanoha-chan." Alicia launched herself on to the table hugging Nanoha around the neck nuzzling their cheeks together. "I guess I'll be your older sister." Alicia laughed playfully.

"You two have fun." Jail waved goodbye to the girls walking away giving a heavy sigh, not use to using his genius for babysitting.

"Why didn't you just erase all of her memories and put her under a mind control." Precia stood behind a slightly open door watching their exchange. "Would have been a lot easier to do that."

"Ah yes, it would be my dear Precia." Jail agreed with her. "But I like to have people work for me. doing it willingly." He chuckled at the irony of his statement.

"Nanoha-chan, your device is over here!" Alicia towed a reluctant Nanoha over to a workbench. "Father has been working on it, but I think it is done." Alicia took the little red jewel off the workbench and handed it to Nanoha.

"Raging Heart..." Nanoha said slowly trying to remember the name of her device.

"Yes, Master?" Raging Heart spoke in her mechanical voice. Its usual cheery voice was more monotone.

"Thanks Alicia." Nanoha pocketed Raging Heart.

"Oh don't put it away yet." Alicia reached into to her long blonde hair and pulled out a large mother of pearl hair clip shaped out in a semi circle with an engraving of a sun with the words Alysha Donum.[For Alicia]

"That's a pretty device Alicia." Nanoha stared at in admiringly.

"Thanks. Iris spin up" Alicia activated it in a flash of aqua light, the hair clip transforming into an intelligent magic device.

"Yes my lady?" Iris greeted its mistress in a butler like male voice.

The device had aqua green colored energy katana blade on one end with a staff like handle braided with green and aqua ribbons; on the other end was a long aqua green colored magic chain with a spiked mace on the other end. "It's a Belkan Midchilda hybrid device that mother and father made for me. It's named Iris. But what I really want is to practice with you." Alicia hefts the device pointing it at Nanoha.

"Wha…what?" Nanoha shrank back away from Alicia. "Your device looks dangerous." Nanoha laughed nervously backing away from Alicia.

"Oh don't be such a baby Nanoha-chan." Alicia rushed at Nanoha slicing the air with the katana.

"Yikes!" Nanoha activated Raging Heart, donning her with a child sized, adult version of her white barrier jacket in aggressive mode. "Alicia!" Nanoha yelled as she shot up to the ceiling, away from Alicia's blade. "Stop it already, I don't want to fight!"

"Oh not bad, you can fly." Alicia said with glee. "But I can fly too, just not in the same way you do." Alicia ran to the wall leaping at it. "Iris, grant me my wing."

"Rocket Flyer." Iris announced as Alicia's feet touched the wall. An explosion of magic blew out under Alicia's feet propelling her up to Nanoha.

"I said quit it!' Nanoha yelled dodging another thrust of Alicia's blade. "If you don't stop I'm going to get mad!"

"Well it wouldn't be as fun if you weren't." Alicia sank her katana blade into the wall hanging off of it smiling and panting with excitement.

"Shooting mode," Raging Heart's C shaped golden head changed to the J like arch.

"Iris, Blade Shooter." Alicia pulled her device out of the wall, pointing the katana at Nanoha. The blade disappearing from the hilt and a wall of blades formed behind her pointing straight at Nanoha. "FIRE!" The barrage of aqua colored magical blades shot out from behind Alicia.

"Argh, you asked for it." Nanoha pointed Raging Heart at the barrage of blades. "Divine...SHOOTER!" A gush of magenta energy fired out from Raging Heart smashing into the blades destroying them.

"Oh crap." Alicia raised the other end of her device swinging the mace around in circles above her head creating a shield from the mace and chains guarding against the horde of Nanoha's magic. Her feet sinking into the ground as the tiles cracked under the pressure of the magic. "Phew...that was too close." Alicia sighed as Nanoha's barrage ended.

"I have more if you wanna keep going." Nanoha hovered over Alicia with Raging Heart in Excelion mode. The golden triangular device gleamed intimidating charging up for another shot.

"I think it was a good warm up." Alicia laughed sheepishly. "Let's end it for today. Mother would be angry if we demolished the house."

"Good." Nanoha landed beside Alicia and dispelled her barrier jacket and device. "I'm tired." she yawned, leaning on Alicia's shoulder.

"You're tired?" Alicia looked at Nanoha in shock. "You try blocking your own magic before you say that you tried."

"Nyaahaha, sorry. Did I hurt you?" Nanoha examined carefully Alicia looking for wounds.

"Nah, just my magic isn't as strong as yours." Alicia hugged Nanoha over the shoulder. "It was fun fighting with you Nanoha-chan." She whispered in Nanoha's ear. "I'm happy that you are with me."

"Alicia..." Nanoha whispered back smiling. "It was fun wasn't it."

"Want to come to my room for a nap?" Alicia took Nanoha's hand pulling gently.

"Mhmm sure." Nanoha yawned again.

"We will need our sleep for tonight." Alicia spoke softly to Nanoha as they made their way down to Alicia room. "Father says that we might be leaving tomorrow to join his supporters on another world."

"Woooow, really?" Nanoha's eyes gleamed thinking of visiting other worlds.

"Yup yup." Alicia chimed as they both entered her room.

"Whaaaaaa," Nanoha cried happily as she entered Alicia's room. "Your room is so pretty." she jumped onto Alicia's fluffy aqua green bed. "I see your favorite color is green Alicia."

"Hehe, silly Nanoha-chan" Alicia giggled at Nanoha's excitement over her room, dashing from the door she leaped on to the bed beside Nanoha. "Come here you!" Alicia pulled Nanoha closer hugging her under her chin. "Goodnight Nanoha-chan," Alicia whispered softly. "I love you little sis."

"Alicia..." Nanoha whispered back snuggling herself deeper in to Alicia's hug. "Thank you onee-chan. Goodnight. I'm glad that I have you with me." The two girls fell asleep peacefully smiling in each other's company.

"Our two girls do get along quite well together don't they?" Jail chuckled peeping into Alicia's room seeing the two girls sleeping quietly side by side.

"I suppose they do." Precia said half heartedly only watching Alicia longingly as she slept beside Nanoha.

"We have work to do. They will have their role to play later as well." Jail wrapped his arm around Precia's shoulder bringing her away from Alicia's room. "We are going home."

"Yes, Al Hazard has given us so much already." Precia stared backing at Alicia's room. "But there a past that we still need to reclaim."

"Correct you are my dear Precia." Jail rubbed Preica's back softly. Uno, Quattro," Jail flicked on a monitor in front of him.

"Yes Doctor?" The two women appeared on screen.

"Quattro, prepare a shuttle." Jail ordered. "We are meeting up with Tre and Sette on Karlsland tomorrow."

"Okay Doctor!" Quattro sang clicking off her monitor.

"Uno, have our agents on Midchildia meet us on Karlsland as well."

"Yes, Good luck Doctor." Uno's monitor clicked off momentarily.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After-Thoughts: Chapter 4 as promised...soon. Story is developing quite smoothly, shocking/interesting things happening this chapter. Though I say that Fate's transition from gloomy sad to angry to accepting was a tad fast I don't think we(you readers and me) would appreciate to see Fate bawing her eyes out for another whole chapter. The eulogy was a hard one, I seriously doubt I did it right as a true eulogy but I believe that it is what Fate would say from her heart on the spot without making up a speech beforehand.

Trying to get Jail's way of "overly exaggerated" speech and making Precia kind and sweet was quite interesting if not challenging. Nanoha is alive...Just as Planned. Alicia...yes Alicia...why did I make her color of magic aqua green? Cause that's the color of her dress in MLGN A's or I at least hope it's called aqua green. And cause I was running out of colors and I saw a picture of Miku Hatsune so there we go. Arbitrary color assignment FTW. Now a question for you my readers. What color do you think Alicia's magic color should be and what should her device look like in your opinion? (can't be yellow since in COMIC 1st it was said that Fate's magic was different from Alicia's)

Thank you for reading Chapter 4.
Hope to see you again in Chapter 5 of Re:encounter.

-FateSkyFire

“Nanoha-chan, Nanoha-chan, wake up.” Alicia crawled on the bed in a light pink and white nightgown, crawling over Nanoha still quietly snoozing away. “Nanoha we need to get up.” She gently shook Nanoha's shoulder.

“Mmmmhm?” Nanoha moaned tiredly, covering her eyes with her arm from the blinding lights in the room. “Five more minutes.” She rolled on to her side curling up in a ball, pulling the bed sheet over her head.

“Gheez, Nanoha did you forget that we have something to do today?” Alicia flung the covers off Nanoha shaking her harder. “Remember father is going to take us off world today?”

“Ah right!” Nanoha quickly sat up scrambling out of bed, now wide awake. A gentle knocking came from the door as Nanoha scrambled to get dressed.

“Yes?” Alicia sang.

“Alicia. Are you awake dear?” Precia's voice came from behind the door.

Yes mother, we are.” Alicia called back quickly stripping off her pajamas into her favorite aqua green sundress.

“That's a good girl.” Precia entered the room smiling sitting beside Alicia giving her a gentle smile and a hug all while ignoring Nanoha’s presence in the room. “Wash up and come down for breakfast quickly dear. We are on a tight schedule today.” Precia said quietly, combing Alicia's messy bed head.

“Alright mother.” Alicia sighed quietly to herself.

“There we go. All straighten and pretty.” Precia finished combing Alicia's silk blonde hair pulling it back into a ponytail.

“Thanks mother.” Alicia smiled kissing her mother on the cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you too Alicia.” Precia flushed light pink patting Alicia's cheek. You’re such a good girl.” Precia smiled getting up and leaving the two girls to themselves.

“I think your mother hates me.” Nanoha said sadly kneeling on the bed..

“No she doesn't.” Alicia sighed. “She is a really nice person.”

“No, no I didn't mean she isn't a nice person but...when she looks at me...it's like she loathes me.” Nanoha quickly explained. Alicia sighed again looking down at her feet swinging them at the edge of her bed.

“Are you ok Alicia?” Nanoha crawled over leaning herself on Alicia's back.

“I'm ok it's just that I'm a little sad...and lonely and when I think come to think about it, I am alone.” Alicia sighed sadly. “I've missed thirty years of my life Nanoha. Everyone I knew, my friends, family they are all gone or gotten so much older. Even my mother has changed so much but I've stay the same and it's sometimes depressing. My mother is the best, always being there for me, but it still gets quite lonely sometimes.”

“Well in that case,” Nanoha hugged Alicia from the back. “Let's start again from scratch. Make new friends and meet new people.” Nanoha took Alicia's hand grasping it tightly. “I'm like you in a way. I don't remember much at all, so let’s work together. Okay?”

“Nanoha...Alicia's eyes sparkled. “Thank you so much.”

“What are friends for?” Nanoha smiled radiantly.

“Well let’s get going, mother will have a fit if I keep her waiting.” Alicia wiped her eyes and nose with a handkerchief, running off to wash up for breakfast.

“Mhmm.” Nanoha agreed, chasing after Alicia.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Jail, can I ask you something?” Precia flipped the pancakes onto the plates for the two girls.

“What is it my dear?” Jail peaked up from his breakfast.

“Why do you insist on keep that TSAB mage around? She is such an eyesore.” Precia frowned.

“I see you still haven't forgiven her for the past I see.” Jail mused quietly.

“How can I? She tried to stop me from getting back what I desired most! She even tried to stop you from attaining your dreams.”

“Precia she isn't the same girl that tried to stop you back then. We took care of that when we erased her past from her memory.” Jail sipped quietly away at his coffee. “Anyways, something like that is just a trivia matter. She will repay her debt to us in due time. Then when we are done with her, you can do what you like to her. For now let’s give her a pleasant dream shall we?”

“Still she is your pet, for now, so keep a leash on her.” Precia sighed at Jail's stubbornness. “Done washing up Alicia...Nanoha?” Precia smiled at the sight of her daughter skipping down the into the dining room, forcing a smile at Nanoha.

Yup, all washed up.” Alicia did a quick twirl before sitting down at the long dining table next to Jail.

“I’m done too.” Nanoha quietly followed after Alicia.

“Pancakes and ham for breakfast, girls.” Precia brought them their plates of food.

“It looks delicious.” Nanoha tried complimenting Precia, only receive a quick glance.

“Eat well girls.” Jail got up from the table, straightening out his lab coat. “We leave in one interval.”

“Ok.” The two girls answered together.

“That's a good girl Alicia, Nanoha.” Jail left the living area for his lab.

'Wow this is so good.” Nanoha said happily taking a bite of her breakfast.

“I know, mother makes the best pancakes.” Alicia giggled wolfing down her pancakes.

'Well I'm glad you like them Nanoha.” Precia forced herself to chat with Nanoha.

“Well I'm done!” Alicia chugged down the last of her orange juice.

“Whaaa you finished so fast.” Nanoha stuffed her mouth with the rest of her breakfast, choking it down with her glass of milk.

“Me...me too.” Nanoha huffed patting her belly happily.

“Okay then, let’s go meet up with your father at the shuttle.” Precia took Alicia's hand.

“Mhmmm.” Alicia hopped happily like a bunny. “Nanoha, come on you too!” She grabbed Nanoha's hand pulling her along.

“O-Okay!” Nanoha picked up her pace walking beside Alicia though the grand tall hallways of The Garden of Time.

“Ah finished already?” Jail looked up from the table full of navigation charts. You girls must be excited.”

“Yup father.” Alicia skipped over to Jail standing on a box looking at the navigation charts along with him.

“Ah yes I haven't introduced my colleagues to you Nanoha.” Jail chuckled at Nanoha hid behind Precia peeking out from behind staring at the two women typing away on what looked like a floating rainbow colored piano keyboard that surrounded them around the waist. “This is Quattro.” Jail gestured to one of the woman with brown hair braided back, wearing glasses and a light blue jump suit under a similarity colored cape. “And this is Uno.” He gestured again to the taller woman with long purple hair and florescent yellow eyes identical to Jail, wearing a white long sleeve dress shirt along with a purple office skirt.

“Umm, nice to meet you.” Nanoha shyly tiptoed out from behind Precia giving them a small bow.

“I've like what you have done Doctor.” Quattro laughed telegraphically to Jail.

“Well since everyone is ready, shall we?” Jail took Precia's hand like a gentleman, kissing it, then walking her up the stairs that lead into the shuttle. Nanoha and Alicia turned their backs giggling at the two silly adults.

“This is your Captain Clifred speaking!” Clifred's voice rang out though the shuttle bay. “All Aboard the Jail Express! Next stop Karlsland!” He announced, the four girls scrambled up the stairs into the shuttle taking their seats.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~

“So how is Section 6 faring?” Chrono sat down with Hayate in the mess having tea.

“Well, we managed to avoid grounding everyone. But I'm still worried over Fate and Vita.” Hayate sipped at her tea thinking.

“We still have another matter to settle besides those two. Who is going to...replace...Nanoha?” Chrono voice got quieter as he mentioned the topic.

“Well, I have several candidates on my mind. They all very good but...”

“But they're nothing like Nanoha.” Chrono nodded finishing Hayate's sentence. “Well how about this person?” Chrono slid a thin brown portfolio on the table over to Hayate.

“Isn't this a little light to be even considered a possible candidate?” Hayate cocked her eyebrow looking at the thin file.

“Just take a look.” Chrono shook his head. “I heard that she was trained personally by Nanoha during the botched mission so she must have some value as a combat asset.”

“Well if you say so.” Hayate flipped though the portfolio scanning though it's contents. “Well she is the same long range to mid range mage...just learned to fly...extremely weak when it comes to shooting...” Hayate closed the portfolio with a sigh giving Chrono deathly stare. “You’re joking right?”

“Just trust me on this.” Chrono looked up at the ceiling avoiding eye contact with Hayate.

“Fine.” Hayate gather her papers and tucked them under her arm calling up a white colored monitor. “HQ COM?

“This is HQ COM how may I help you?” A man's voice casually replied as if he was some tech-support phone line operator.

“Connect me to Sergeant Jesshera from the air force.” Hayate grumbled walking down the hallway back to her office not paying attention to the people around her occasionally bumping into them.

“Connecting, Thank you for calling HQ COM, have a nice day.” The monitor clicked off, a new monitor appeared in front of it showing a video feed of Jesshera.

“Sergeant Jesshera?” Hayate spoke sternly into the monitor.

“Y...yes...yes ma'am?” Jesshera stuttered surprised seeing a high ranking superior officer calling her up personally.

“Meet me in my office in 10 intervals that is a priority order.” Hayate took the time to examine her candidate as much as possible though the video feed.

Yes ma'am!” Jesshera saluted clicking the monitor off.

“This girl is still quite green.” Hayate thought to herself shaking her head. Collecting herself, she heading back to her office to find Jesshera already standing at the door to her office waiting for her.

“Here already?” Hayate looked at Jesshera surprised.

“Yes ma'am.” Jesshera snapped a salute.

“Well come in.” Hayate unlocked her office ushering Jesshera in. “Tea?”

“No thank you ma'am.” Jesshera stood at the other end of Hayate's desk waiting for her.

“Well sit...please?” Hayate giggled inside at the girl's stiffness.

“Ah...um...ok?” Jesshera slowly sat down in as Hayate walked over setting down her steaming cup of tea.

“Well I'm sure you know what happened to your previous temporary instructor?” Hayate sat down folding her arms.

“Yes ma'am...she was an excellent instructor, it was...a shock when I found out.” Jesshera struggled to find the right words to use when speaking a superior officer.

“The report shows that you had a private lesson together a few intervals before she was lost, am I correct?” Hayate interrogated.

“Yes I did ma'am. She helped me work out the kinks with my flying and shooting magic.” Jesshera told Hayate calmly.

“Well I'll have you know Nanoha never has any one on one private lessons except with people in Section 6 am I to believe that you're something special?' Hayate pressed on trying to break Jesshera's nerve.

“I...I wouldn't know ma'am.” Jesshera said quietly.

“Well we are about to find out.” Hayate stood up calling up a monitor. “Teana, Vita meet me on the training field right now. We have a candidate to grill.”

“Candidate? Candidate for what?” Jesshera’s jumped out of her seat, eyes wide with shock.

“Yes, you are being considered to replace Nanoha's position in Section 6. Consider this mock battle like any mage ranking test.” Hayate smiled devilishly ushering Jesshera out to the training field.

“Oi...Oi...Hayate this is the newbie we are going to grill?” Vita piercingly Jesshera with her azure eyes making her take a few steps back from the red haired chibi knight.

“Now now be nice to the newbie Vita.” Hayate warned. “Jesshera choose either Vita or Teana for your match partner.”

“Give me a minute to think this through.” Jesshera rubbed her chin thinking studying Vita and Teana with her eyes.

“Take your time.” Hayate chimed cheerfully as she set up a simulated crumbling urban city on the training field.

“10 points.” Vita thought to Hayate, giving her opponent merit points. “She is accessing her opponents properly from what I can tell.”

“I think I’ll choose Vita as my partner.” Jesshera made her choice taking a leap, gliding onto the training field. Activating her device, she was enveloped in a cloud of blue fiery magic forming her barrier jacket around her. The blue fire cleared up revealing Jesshera’s barrier jacket to be a black strapless dress, with purple a bow over her left chest, clinging tightly under her arms fitting to her maturing figure. Over her dress fluttered as she flew a long sleeve dark purple jacket cut short at the waist, decaled by black silhouettes of her bow device. A pair of black shiny boots caressed her feet, blue magic wings spouted at the heels, truly a pair of shoes beautiful enough to make even Mercury jealous. The blue wings flapping vigorously, flying her onto a simulated skyscraper, crouching down keeping her hazel eye sharply following Vita while charging up her magic arrow. The wind blew mischievously, blowing her hair in her face, brushing it back she closed her eyes summoning up a small purple bow clipping her hair back.

“Ahh this will be fun. You better not underestimate me newbie.” Vita growled glaring at Jesshera. “Graf Eisen!” Vita yelled reaching down her usual white, yellow stained training shirt pulling out a necklace with a tiny hammer swinging from it.

“Yahoo.” Vita’s red hammer device formed in her hand. An flare red magic lighted up the sky as Vita donned her red signature Knight Armor.

“Eisen load cartridge.” Vita yelled taking jumping leap off of the spectator railing, rocketing into the air flying onto the training field. Eisen cocked a cartridge pumping it’s the hammer down in a gush of while steam.

“3...2...1...START!” Hayate waved her arm, starting the battle.

“Arrow…SHOOT!” Jesshera stood on top of one of the tallest tower rising her blow in the sky aiming at a flying red dot. A volley of arrows flew out from behind its caster crackling into the air at Vita.

“There you are.” Vita stopped midflight tracking Jesshera. Jesshera knowing she had been spotted jumped down from the building Jesshera flew on her back constantly firing a barrage of arrows at Vita covering her retreat.

“Too slow.” Vita effortlessly dodges the volleys of arrows, smashing a few of them with her hammer for amusement. Vita summoned a row of steel balls in front of her, taking aim at the bow wielding mage she whacking them with her hammer sending them flying at Jesshera.

“Schwalbe Fliegen.” Graf Eisen announced Vita's attack adding an aura of red magic around the steel balls.

“Shoot them down FairFire!” Jesshera expended the last of her energy arrow from her bow, firing them up at the steel balls that were tracking her down. “Come on...” Jesshera closed her eyes concentrating, trying to will the arrows to smash into the Vita's attack, the arrows slowly bending up tracking the movement of the steel balls.

“Still too weak.” Vita smiled. “Don't think shots of that level can stop mine.” Vita's Schwalbe Fliegen smashed though Jesshera arrows effortlessly chasing after Jesshera.

“Crap crap crap!” Jesshera quickly dove and twirled down landing on the road. Running from side to side she ducked and dodged the steel balls seconds before they hit her. The simulated asphalt exploded around her kicking up a cloud of dirt and asphalt behind Jesshera giving her cover. Giant pot holes and the smell of molten tar reeked the battlefield.

“15 points, use of enemy's tactics for self advantage and excellent evasion.” Vita counted another merit for Jesshera having lost sight of her target.

Jesshera panted hiding inside a crumbling building catching her breath. “I can't even touch her!” she said in shock. “My shots are still too weak. I need to increase my magic input.” She huffed tiredly refilling her bow with her magic.

“DUCK!” Fairfire ordered his mistress flaring bright blue. The wall Jesshera was hiding behind cracked, the sound of a drill digging its way into the wall.

“Missile HAMMER!” Vita smashed though the wall that Jesshera was hiding behind.

“Schrägstrich form!” Jesshera yelled over the blast. The wall exploded throwing her on her side pelleting her with debris from the breached wall. FairFire flashed blue, the bow broke in two forming a two curved blades in each of her hand.

“This is the end.” Vita raised her hammer high in the air her smashing it down on to Jesshera.

“Not yet!” Jesshera cried crossing her two blades together desperately blocking the hammer with between her blades.

“Oooh?” Vita smiled. “Not bad but you can't beat me if you don't use any cartridges.”

“You mean I won't beat you just yet” Jesshera pushed back on the hammer, their weapons clattering as they fought each others brute strength. “Chibi knight.” Jesshera taunted at Vita sticking out her tongue. “Chibi chibi chibi chibi chibi chibi.”

“What did you call me?” Vita let loose for a second letting Jesshera throw the hammer off of her, rolling on the ground narrowly escaping Vita’s next blow that blew a hole in the floor. With a twirl of her finger Jesshera summoned a ring of arrows around Vita. “SHOOT!” She ordered the ring of arrows to shoot into the same place. Vita swiftly ducked jumping back out of the breached wall; narrowly dodging the entire ring of arrow, her Knight Armor suffering a few gashes.

“It’s just a scratch.” Vita huffed flying back up into the breached room looking around to find her opponent had disappeared. “20 points for good use of her device. 5 points for optimism.”

“Well that's a start.” Jesshera panted tiredly running on another floor of the simulated crumbling abandoned building. Jumping out an open window she let herself drop a few stories before flying up on to the roof of another building. “I know Nanoha told me not to but I think this would count as an emergency don't you think FairFire?”

“I agree my lady.” FairFire glowed bright blue changing back into its bow form.

“FairFire, load cartridge please.” Jesshera asked her device, while storing her own magic into the device.

“Loading!” FairFire pumped a cartridge into its handle. The magic pull string glow brighter blue as more magic poured into it.

“This last attack is going to take all I have.” Jesshera took a deep breath closing her eyes trying to hear Vita come flying at her. “If we fail we lose.”

“We won't fail my lady.” FairFire reassured his master.

“Thank you.” Jesshera smiled to herself hearing the wind whistle giving away where Vita was flying.

“Incoming target, at 50 degree depression.” FairFire tracked Vita's position from Jesshera. “ETA 30 seconds.”

“Perfect.” Jesshera closed her eyes concentrating on pouring the rest of her linker core into her device. The magic arrow in the center of the device glows brighter and brighter, crackling florescent blue storing more magic into the bolt. “FairFire, load another cartridge.”

“Magic control is falling, magical containment is failing.” FairFire warned, the bolt rapidly shone brighter then dimming, wanting to explode. A trail of magic energy escaped the bolt scorching the ground.

“This is good enough I suppose.” Jesshera jumped off the building flying at full speed plunging down head first string into Vita’s path.

“A plunge attack huh?” Vita scoffed. “Such a move won't work on me.”

“SKY RAIN!” Jesshera pulled back on the pull string, yelled releasing most of her magic in a single bolt at Vita.

“Panzer shield!” Vita stopped mid flight forming a crystalline shield around her. The bolt of magic struck her shield with the sound of thunder shattering nearby windows. The magic bolt screeched and screamed like a banshee, drilled down into the shield cracking the crystal structure of the shield. Vita grunted in annoyance as her shield was being penetrated. “A small hole, I congratulate you but you still haven't hurt me at all.” Vita snorted getting ready to dispel her shield when Jesshera landed on the shield, her bow pointed straight into the hole that she made.

“Fire all of it!” Jesshera yelled, the last the magic stored in her bow lanced out in a typhoon of magic squeezing though the tiny breach in the shield. Vita's cocoon shield was powerful enough to keep most attacks out would also ironically stop attack from getting out. The torrent of magic ricocheted off the walls of the shield shredding it's occupant..

“Aright the match is over.” Hayate announced waving her arm down signally the end of their match. “Vita are you alright?”

“I'm fine.” Vita coughed as the smoke cleared. What remained of her Knight Armor was shredded to pieces. “Not bad newbie ya got potential. But don’t get too cocky I was going easy on you newbie.”

“Thank you for demonstrating your abilities in combat Sergeant. It seems that we have underestimated you a little. We’ll use this data for consideration.” Hayate thanked Jesshera.

“Your...haa...wel...come...” Jesshera breathed heavily exhausted.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Are we there yet?” Alicia asked for the twentieth time, jumping up from her seat pacing around the cabin.

“Not yet Alicia, be patient.” Precia shook her head sighing wearily. “Space travel takes time dear.”

“Don't fret we are almost there Alicia.” Jail popped in from the pilot's cabin.

“YAY!” Nanoha threw her arms up, kneeling on her seat she staring out the shuttle window. “I see it! I see a planet!” Nanoha cried happily. A lone planet glowed light blue and white like a shiny swirl marble in the sea of black void. The planet grew bigger as they flew closer, till the entire planet greedily filled the view of the shuttle windows. Great white swirling clouds the size of continents could be seen blowing though the atmosphere at great speeds. “It's so pretty!” Nanoha’s eyes sparking in awe of the plant's majesty.

“Wow...” Alicia rushed over next to Nanoha commandeered the window next to her staring intently at the mysterious planet. “I don't see any land.” Alicia squinted looking carefully looking though the swirling masses of pure white clouds. “All I see are clouds...clouds and more...cloud.”

“Very perceptive Alicia.” Jail looked out the window. “That is because the land is buried in snow.”

“The land is completely covered by snow?” Nanoha looked at Jail confused.

“Look there.” Jail pointed at the ground as their shuttle orbited over a part of the planet strangely devoid of any cloud cover. A huge chunk of the planet was obviously missing, replaced by at perfectly rounded rocky crater with a deep blue lake of water. “Can you tell me what is is?”

“It's a crater father.” Alicia answered for Nanoha.

“Right you are. But this is no ordinary crater. It was made by a weapon, one that was powerful enough to change the climate of this planet to frozen tundra. Jail stared out the window, wondrously dreaming of what power could have caused such a climactic disaster. “This is one of the worlds of Ancient Belka that was lost in the Unification War.”

“So we are meeting with Belkan warriors?” Nanoha asked still staring out the window, squinting against the blindly reflected light the snow barren planet blinded then with, looking any traces of a human settlement.

“Exactly.” Jail nodded patting Nanoha on the back. “But nothing live on the surface anymore.”

“Doctor, we have a transmission from the planet.” Clifred announced on the shuttle's crackly speakers.

“Put it though to the cabin.”

“Right-o.” A purple monitor popped up on the wall. An scruffy middle aged man stood in the middle of the video feed. He wore a great brown furry patched waist coat with shiny brass buttons with a black fur cap covering his entire head and ears. His long curly gray beard covered most of his face along with his bushy eyebrows.

“Doctor Scaglietti on time as usual.” The gruff man greeted Jail.

“It's wonderful to be back.” Jail humored the man. “I trust everything on your end is in order Stalrik? The heater isn't broken again is it?”

“Everything is completely fine.” Stalrik chuckled. “Our battalions of cyborg enhancement Belkan warriors and battalions of gadget drone are at your disposal Doctor. As for the heater it's working just fine as well.”

“Well done my friend, well done. I would like to land for a break with my family before we head off for to conduct our plans.”

“Come come, you are welcome here anytime Doctor. We are in your debt for what you have given us.” Stalrik graciously bowed to Jail.

“I humbly thank you.” Jail clicked off the monitor stepping back into the the pilot's cabin. The noise of the shuttle's engine died down as they descended down on to the planet. The view out the window turned gracefully from pitch black changing from the darkest shades of blue to faint blue. The window's suddenly flash white, the blanket of clouds roughly caressing the shuttle knocking it around in its tremulous storm. Descending past the violent clouds the continent came into view, mountains, plains, valleys were completely covered in a thick sheet of white snow that blindly reflected the sun light at the shuttle. Stormy winds kicked up sheets of snow blinding those that dared to look out at pure majestic landscape, shaking the shuttle violently as if the planet was trying to destroy those that dare to brave its skies. The white disappeared replaced by black, the shuttle landing on a platform with a nudge on the side of a mountain.

“We landed inside a mountain?!” Nanoha looked out the window in shock. The shuttle docked on to a platform elevator slowly lowering the past thick steel support beams filled with flood lights. The elevator carried them deeper and deeper down the mountain they descending till they reach wide open cavern. “This place is huge!” Nanoha exclaimed. The artificially carved out cavern was as large as a whole metropolis with gigantic tall skyscrapers made of stone and metal that touched the ceiling of the cavern. At the edge of the city there were factories with tall long smokestacks that extended into the cavern ceiling. Roads busting with lines of car and train lines crisscrossed across the entire underground city, As they got closer people walking the streets could be seen as tiny little moving dots.

“Everything looks like tiny little toys.” Alicia giggled her eyes glued out the window. The shuttle finally came to a stop at the ground level of the city with a unsettling jerk. The shuttle door hissed open letting in a gushing wind of dam wet air, moments later the same gruff man that was on the monitor earlier walk into the cabin.

“Doctor how wonderful it is to see you in person!” Stalrik gave a hearty laugh, giving Jail a friendly hug and pat on the back. Your cyborg technology is adapting nicely for our people.”

“That is nice to hear dear friend.” Jail headed out of the shuttle followed by Stalrik. “Precia please take care of our girls while I conduct some business.”

“I'll do that.” Precia took the hands of the two girls taking them across the landing pad to a glass elevator extending high in the air leading into a building which be their apartment room.

“Come, my friend.” Stalrik wrapped his arm around Jail's shoulder pushing him into another elevator. “We have much to discuss.”

“Yes we do, don't we.” Jail played along with Stalrik's friendliness. The see though elevator tube rose higher into the cavern till it came to a gentle halt in mid air. With another gentle spin it slid sideways into a building.

“Yes we do, but let’s have it over some Belkan wine in my office. It was made before the fall of the Belkan home world. A very good year if I may say.” The pair stepped off the elevator into a lavishly decorated hall. The hallway, lined with red drapes and blue banners. In between the decorative cloths e hung gold frames lining the walls with pictures of men and woman carrying a variety of weapons in heroic or victorious poses. An extra large gold frame covered with flowers, stood at the end of the hallway depicting the picture of a young girl with green and red eyes and blonde hair in a blue and white dress with a gold crown on her head. The ceiling hung stalactite crystal chandelier brightly illuminating the hallways.

“I would be delighted.” Jail continued humoring Stalrik stepping into his ridiculously over decorated office that was much like the hallways with the addition statue heads of more heroic figures and ancient Belkan weapons on mantle pieces hanging from the wall.

“Here we go, here we go.” Stalrik scooted over to the dusty wooden wine cabinet grabbing a old dusty bottle, popping it and pour it into two wine glasses. “Cheers my friend to the rebirth of Belka and the fall of that wretched TSAB.” Stalrik lifted up his glass high toasting.

“Cheers to, reclaiming our lost past, and creating a new future.” Jail toasted with Stalrik, tapping his glass with Stalrik's, and then quickly tipping the entire glass of wine down his mouth. “Wonderful wine.” Jail lied while performing a dramatic bow raising is glass high.

Stalrik laughed, his deep voice bellowed enjoying Jail's amusing act. “I always trust a good man that can handle his wine.” He quickly downed his own glass smacking his lips appreciatively. “Good stuff, good times.”

“So, how is the progress on the Belkan battle units?” Jail sat down on a couch that lay in the corner.

“Splendidly, tanks, artillery, ships, oh this feels like the good old days when we were fighting for Her Majesty. It’s enough to make the blood boil. Everything will be ready when you need it my friend. So relax, have another drink.” Stalrik poured Jail another glass.

“If I must then I will indulge just once more.” Jail held his glass up to his eyes swirling its blood red contents around. “To the grand festival to come.” He downed the wine in another gulp trying not to make a face.

“And a toast for you Jail. Our Belkan technology takes so only so far. We have lived for over a hundred years. Witnessing the fall of Belkan was heartbreaking. But you, you have given us new life and new meaning.” Stalrik toasted one last time.

“Now let’s get down to business.” Jail set down his glass. “When can we deploy ourselves to Midchildia?”

“As soon as tomorrow, if you like.” Stalrik chucked at Jail's impatience.

“That would be excellent.” Jail split a wide grin. “I would also like to test out my two girls on some of your men if that is alright with you.”

“A man of action, testing out your product already I see.” Stalrik slapped his knee bellowing a laugh. “That can easily be arranged. Come let’s go to the troop training facility.” Stalrik downed his wine, throwing his glass over his shoulder into a wall, shattering it. Grasping Jail's shoulder Stalrik guide him out of his office into another elevator that took them back down to the ground.

“Precia dear.” Jail opened up a monitor to her.

“Yes?” Precia peeked into the monitor looking over her shoulder distractedly. The sound of girls laughing and the squeaking of bed springs buzzed though the monitor. “One second,” Precia turned around heading out of the monitor. “Alicia, Nanoha will you to please stop jumping on the bed!” Precia voice came from outside the monitor.

“My our girls sure are quite frisky, “Jail rolled his eyes. “Precia, get them up to the training facility, they are going to have a practice match with some of the local forces.”

“Alicia, Nanoha did you hear your father? Get dressed and get your devices, you two are going to a practice match.”

“Yes!” Alicia suddenly appeared in the monitor. “Finally we have something to do!”

“Let's go blast some enemies!” Nanoha joined in, glomping Alicia.

“That's the spirit girls.” Jail encouraged them.

“Come come let’s get moving!” Precia's voice came again accompanied by the squeaking of a door.

“See you soon!” The two girls waved, racing out of the monitor for the door.

“What a nice family you have there.” Stalrik looked at Jail admiringly, the elevator still descended back to ground level. “You must be very proud of your young Valkyries.”

“That remains to be seen on how they perform.” Jail shook his head.

“They will be fine women one day.” Stalrik patted Jail's shoulder. “I know that much.” The elevator slowed down its decent stopping with a slight jerk and a toll of a bell. “Ah we are here.” The duo casually walked out the elevator into manmade cliff hanging over a deep rectangular stone dug out pit. The pit was littered with stone ruins of buildings and rusting metal vehicles and obstacles. On one end of the pit were stone bunkers and a red fluttering flag on top and the other were three little doors.

“Capture the flag?” Jail cocked his eyebrow questioningly.

“More or less.” Stalrik “Here are my star players Adama and Eva.” He pointed to the two figures one standing outside beside the flag and another inside the bunker. Both combatants wore long sleeves jackets that were sectioned in different shades of gray. The young male Belkan warrior stood inside the bunker had a matching pair of gray pants and a barrette covering part of his jet black hair. In his hands held a weapon akin to something like a pointy cannon black cannon. The other Belkan warrior was a young woman, standing on top guarding the flag, had long flowing gray cape that fell down to her ankles with a matching gray skirt that went down to her mid-thigh and a wedge shaped army cap onto of her white silvery hair. In her both hands were long wide silver blades mounted on what looked like oversized revolvers with extra long barrels.

“Impressive.” Jail watched the Belkan warriors stared intensely at the warriors. “Ah here come my little warriors.” Jail announced as Nanoha and Alicia walked out into the pit. Nanoha in her usual white barrier jacket pushed of the ground hovering over Alicia in the pit. Alicia's barrier jacket resembled something a princess from a fairy tale. An aqua green tight sleeveless dress that fell down to her knees with a matching detached fingerless sleeves on each arm that attached to a ring on her middle finger. Her slender leg wore stocking that went up to her knee with a darker shade of aqua green cowboy boots on her feet. Her hair loose and flowing behind her kept back by a simple silver tiara.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Little girls huh.” Eva narrowed her florescent green eyes studying her opponents, scoffed shaking her head.

“Hell, it beats firing at paper targets all day long.” Adama laughed taking aim with his cannon at Nanoha.

“Let’s end this quickly. I got some newbie heads to crack after this.” Eva sighed running on the spot, shifting her feet getting ready to jump off the bunker.

“Always cracking down on those newbies in your platoon huh?” Adama rolled his eyes.

“Anymore talk and I'll crack your head. Now shut up at send those girls who dare challenge the 5th Belkan Semi-Mechanized Battalion into oblivion!” Eva sprinted in a blur to the edge of the bunker and jumped off in humanly impossible flying leap.

“Right-o commander.” Adama chuckled nervously.

“You take care of fly girl while I go whack that princess.” Eva ordered telepathically.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Alicia don’t you think battles are a little scary.” Nanoha hugged herself trembling in fear as she sat on a bench in the locker room waiting for the arena door to open.

“Not really why?” Alicia stood leaning on a white tiled wall, closing her eyes calmly, focusing on her flow of magic.

“Well it seems like we aren’t fighting for any reason.” Nanoha frowned swing her legs under the wooden bench.

“Nanoha, father wouldn’t want me to tell you this but he told me why we are going to fight.” Alicia sat beside Nanoha resting her head on Nanoha’s shoulder. “Our past lives before we met father was quite similar so he brought us all here because we understand each other. This might be a shock to you but…I died once.”

“What? But how are you?” Nanoha backed away from Alicia in shock.

“Father revived me with the magic in Al Hazard.” Alicia quickly stuttered out her explanation. “Thirty years ago my mother was working on a secret project assigned to her by the TSAB. But the experiment failed causing the deaths of billions on many planets, including me. The TSAB version of the story goes that my mother was doing illegal research. But in reality it wasn’t, so as a cover up the put the blame on her and exiled her instead of putting her in prison. She was so filled up with guilt that she caused so much death, along with my death. She tried to save me unsuccessfully by cloning me. Now my clone named Fate has taken over what would have been my life. Mother went insane soon after she failed trying to save me, guilt and pain over causing so much death and yet she can't even bring back one of her victims from her disaster. The TSAB destroyed both of our lives. We are just getting our lives back from them.”

“Well umm, do you happen to know me by any chance?” Nanoha stared into Alicia’s sad pain filled scarlet eyes.

“Yes, father briefly told me your story as well.” Alicia gave Nanoha a weak smile. “You were once a normal girl on your planet thirteen years ago. You didn’t know any magic; in fact you weren’t a mage at all. But the TSAB irresponsibility lost something on your planet which could have destroyed it. One day you discovered magic by chance when you saved one of their injured mage. When the TSAB found out that you could be a powerful mage, you were forced join the TSAB in countless fights doing their bidding.”

“So how did I end up here with you...if I was being used by the TSAB?” Nanoha tilted her head confused.

“Father said that you were thrown away. You were assigned to a mission that would have ended in you dying. Father just happened to be your target and he spared you giving you your young body again for another chance at life.” Alicia sadly revealed what Jail told her about Nanoha.

“How old was I before I was changed?” Nanoha closed her eyes sadly tapping her forehead absorbing all the information.

“You were a grown woman the last time I saw you.” Alicia quietly mumbled.

“And how did I lose my memory?” Nanoha pressed on hoping to get more information about her past.

“I don't know.” Alicia shook her head. “I’m also sorry that my father lied to you about you having an accident. But to tell you right when you woke up I think it would have been too much.”

“Ah…no it’s fine.” Nanoha shook her head sniffing blinking her eyes holding back urge to cry. “Thanks for telling me Alicia.” Nanoha wiped her eyes with her sleeve. “I guess we both have something in our past to fight for. “

“Nope, we fight for our new future.” Alicia pats Nanoha on the head.

“Mhmmm.” Nanoha nodded her head happily, a buzzer sounded and the doors out of the locker room opened interrupting the two girls. “Well this is it then. Let's do our best Alicia.”

“Yes, together we can do anything.” Alicia gasped Nanoha's hands tightly squeezing them. “Iris bestow me my Knight Armor.”

“Yes my mistress.” Iris chimed. In a flash of aqua green light Alicia's causal cloths vanished and was replaced by a dress fit for a princess.

“Awesome.” Nanoha admired Alicia's Knight Armor. “Raising Heart you too please.”

“Yes, my master.” Raising Heart flew up from Nanoha's pocket, in a explosion of magenta light Nanoha's barrier jacket appeared. “The two girls gave each other a glance and nodded, walking out to the battle pit together.

“Belkan combat cyborg warriors...” Alicia squinted seeing two Belkan soldiers standing on the other side of the pit guarding a red flag. “Standard capture the flag game.”

“I got the sky.” Nanoha kicked off hovering over Alicia.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Here they come.” Alicia warned seeing the woman standing on top of the bunker charged, jumping high in the air swinging her arms like helicopter blades.

“Come on little princess show me what you got!” Eva yelled at Alicia soaring in the air over Alicia's head.

“Iris, Blade Shooter!” Alicia raised her sword in the sky. The aqua blade glow fainter till it disappeared from the hilt. The ground around Alicia glow aqua, her blade split up into smaller ones scattered beside her. “FIRE!” She sends a hail of aqua blades at Eva.

“That all you got princess?” Eva laughed, aiming her gun swords at the incoming blades. The revolver spun loading rounds and magic into the weapon. Her fingers were a blur as she sent her rounds at Alicia's blades shattering through the magic. The blades explode in midair raining back down harmlessly in tiny fragmented. Eva's shots kept going till they hitting the ground exploding kicking up clouds of dirt heavy leaving behind numerous amounts blacken craters.

“There is more where that came from.” Alicia taunted licking her lips.

“Rocket Flyer.” Iris, blasted magic under Alicia's feet rocketing her up to Eva. Reforming her katana she thrust herself at Eva, charging up her sword with magic. Her katana glowed with aqua colored fire burning along the blade. “Dragon Fire!” Alicia slashed her sword in the air; an aqua flaming crescent erupted from the blade at Eva.

“Tisk.” Eva hissed annoyed smashing her two blades together. The two gun swords melded together forming a shield in front of her. The flaming crescent flared striking the shield burning away at Eva's protection.

“Did I get her?” Alicia watched as the fire burned at the shield. A loud thunderous crack came from across the battle arena followed by a streak of yellow light piercing though the air striking Alicia square in the gut. Her auto shield luckily caught most of the impact but it still knocked her flat on her back causing her to falling back down.

“In your dreams princess.” Eva plunged head first, her sliver blades lightly shingled. Bringing her gun guns sword above her head she swooped down at Alicia trying to brutally chop the aqua clad girl in half. Alicia still conscious mustered her strength ignoring the dull aching in her stomach parried away Eva's brutal attack.

“So heavy.” Alicia struggled to get out from under Eva crushing weight in midair. “Iris separate!” Alicia cried desperately. The mace end split off from a section of staff appearing in Alicia other hand. “Get-the-hell-off-ME!” Alicia swung the mace wildly from the side at Eva. Eva barely catching a glimpse of the spike ball hurling at her, freed one of her gun swords to deflect it. The mace slammed into her sword flinging her off of Alicia, spinning in the air, smashing into the ground. A cloud of brown dust plumed where she cratered. Landed gracefully seconds later, Alicia took a defensive stance, ready to counter Eva if she came rocketing out of the dust cloud.

“Not bad little princess.” Eva calmly stepped out from the dust cloud her. A small trickle of blood leak down from her forehead. “I guess it's time I get serious.” She ripped off her cape digging her feet into the ground.

'To think you'd make me separate my device.” Alicia took deep breath putting her device back together. “You aren’t that bad either.”

“Tell me little princess what is your name?” Eva pointed her gun blade at Alicia.

“Alicia, Alicia Testarossa.”

“Then I, Eva Van Prinz, will defeat you Alicia Testarossa in the name of Belkan honor.” Eva smiled aiming her gun sword at Alicia. The gun sword's revolver clip spun and hissed, loading more cartridges and rounds. “COME!” Eva beckoned Alicia firing off a smatter of solid slugs surrounded by an aura of blood red magic at her.

Alicia screamed a war cry charging at the wave of bullets, dodging them with small burst of magic blasting out of her feet, slowly inching closer to Eva. “Iris load cartridge!” She ordered, her katana blade shone brighter and grew longer. “Take this!” Alicia raised her elongated sword above her head swing down at Eva. Eva rolled to her left firing a few rounds at Alicia, the blade barely missing her foot. The blade crashed into the ground cut a deep and wide fissure into the rock. “Shots like aren’t going to hit me!” Alicia shortened her blade twirling on the spot, easily slicing the slugs apart, which detonated in pieces behind her moments later.

Eva clicked her tongue in displeasure. “Looks like this match can't be settled with bullets, but we shall see when it comes to our skills a sword.” Eva flung her arms out straight, the gun handle straightened till they were like sword handles.

“I can't agree more.” Alicia smirked. “Iris separate.” Her device glowed splitting into a katana and mace. Twirling the mace in circles she aimed the spike head in Eva's direction.

“You think that will reach me?” Eva scoffed taking a fencing stance.

“Spike!” Iris's mace shot forward like a missile, a trail of aqua fire scorched the ground where the mace had flown. The chain holding the spike ball to the handle grew and crackled extending letting the mace rocket at Eva. Eva shook her head and side stepped out of the way of the spike ball.

“Naive.” Alicia grinned. “Detonate!” The spike on the mace fired out like little rockets in every direction.

“Cheap tricks Alicia?” Eva sank to one knee, digging her two gun swords into the dirt in front of her like a shield. A few of the rocket spikes detonated as they hit the gun swords sending shrapnel at Eva, shredding at her Knight Armor. Once the detonations finished, thick black smoke blanked around Eva when she peeked out from behind her makeshift shield.

“I'm not done yet!” Alicia flicked her wrist, the chain vibrated like a wave till it reached the spikeless ball. The ball twisted and spun in a different direction wrapping itself around Eva binding her body in a pile of aqua chains. “Your guard is down!” Alicia came screaming at Eva swinging her blade aiming for her neck.

“So is yours!” Eva flexed using her cyborg enhanced strength breaking free of her bind. Spinning on one foot she pulled on her gun sword handle ripping it out producing two small daggers. A shockwave of magic blasted the areas kicking up a windstorm when the two girls collided.

“A draw.” Eva announced kneeling on one knee, her daggers pointed up at Alicia's chest over her heart pricking at Alicia's torn Knight Armor while Alicia's blade hummed gently on Eva's neck. A trickle of blood leaked down from Eva's neck dripping straining her gray cut up Knight Armor. “I truly underestimated you Alicia.”

“I wonder how our partners are doing.” Alicia looked to the sky to see a magenta sun in the sky.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Railgun....FIRE!” Adama yelled at his weapon. The screeched painfully with electricity building up at the point of the cannon. Seconds later the battlefield was consumed by a blinding bolt of thunder aimed for Nanoha.

“Round Shield!” Nanoha held out her hand in front of her creating a wide magical protection wheel. The bolt smashed into the shield harmlessly leaving Nanoha unscathed.

“Commander you liar, these are not just little girls.” Adama mumbled in amusement. The tip of his cannon glowed red steaming. Pulling back on a lever he popped out a cylinder canister the size of his body. Squinting he saw his partner having trouble with her fight with the little princess. “All that tough act and you still can't take on a little girl.” He sighed loading a solid shell into his cannon. “FIRE TWO!” Adama aimed though his scope at Alicia, gently squeezing his trigger. The air in the in the bunker blew out whipping up a windstorm, the round was fired followed by an earthquake like shockwave. “Now back to my target.” He quickly whipped his cannon back in the sky firing a scatter round in the air hoping to hit Nanoha and buy some time.

“You call yourself a cannon user?” Nanoha laughed flying in circles around Adama easily dodging his slow cannon.

“Why you little.” Adama smiled at her joke. His glee was cut off when a shockwave blast blew into the bunker. The windstorm caused by the shockwave kicking up a blinding screen of brown dust. The two cannonries paused in their dual to see the winner between the two sword users. “A tie huh...” Adama shook his head sadly, his cyborg eyes allowed him to see though the dust screen. “Guess it's up to me then.”

“It is now my turn.” Nanoha announced raising up her staff in the air. “Raising Heart Excelion mode!” The red gemmed device glowed devilishly transforming into its triangular head. “Starlight Breaker CHARGE!” Raising Heart chimed a note, glows brighter, charged up for the one of Nanoha's most devastating attack.

“Oh no you don't little missy.” Adama climbed on to the roof of the bunker, his oversized cannon strapped to his waist. “Teleport loading mode.” A triangular Belkan time space transfer magic circle appeared circling under his feet. “Load Knight Rounds.” He ordered his cannon.

“Ammo count zero.” His cannon announced.

“Load Devil Fire Rounds.”

“Try Again.”

“Regular shells?”

“I'm out.”

“...Cartridges?”

“No.”

“Do I even have anything to shoot?”

“Munitions from the armory have been diverted for the upcoming assault mission.” The device informed it's user of the munitions shortage it was having. “Please contact your hardware vendor for assistance.”

“Well what do you suggest I shoot with then?”

“Try a rock.” The device said flatly.

“Oh that is so much more comforting.” Adama slammed his device into the bunker's roof, forcefully ripping out a chunk out concrete and rebar, it with the pointy tip of the device. “Railgun version two!” The cannon screamed with crackling bolts of thunder, charging up another bolt of lightning using its user's magic. The piece of the concrete vibrated violently chipping off pieces of the concrete. The intense energy built up in the cannon scorching parts of the makeshift projectile. “LUNCH!” Adama ordered, his stomach growling.

“Say what?” The cannon queried.

“Do you ever stop bitching? Just fire the dam thing!” The cannon obediently unleashed the lightning bolt accelerating the rock into the sky at Nanoha.

“Starlight Breaker charge full.” Raising Heart reported. A massive ominous ball of magenta light floated in front of Nanoha ready to be fired.

“Not a moment too soon.” Nanoha eyes were wide with shock seeing the huge block of concrete flying up at her. “SHOOT!” Raising Heart released the built up magic in a torrent of magenta light spiraling in a helix, at the flying rock. The two attacks smashed into each other with nuclear force. The air where the two attacks met bubbled and boiled in midair fireball. The makeshift projectile cut though Nanoha's Starlight Breaker splitting the powerful attack into streamers of uncontrolled energy. The pressures of Nanoha’s Starlight Breaker slowly slowed the projectile down with its continuous torrent of magic. The flood of magenta light died down revealing the rock floating in front of Nanoha in a magenta bind, now a quarter its original size, it once jagged edges now smooth.

“Bind successful.”

“Now sending it back right at you.” Nanoha swung Raising Heart like a hockey player taking a slap shot at the rock hurling it back at Adama.

Adama cursed as he jumped off the bunker landing on the ground in front of the bunker. The rock smashed into the bunker caving in the roof. “Phew that was close.” The bunker rumbled, cracks spread down the entire length of the bunker as if ants were quickly drilling though the bunker for a new home. Small chips of concrete fell raining on Adama's barrette, moments later an avalanche of crumbling rock following the complete destruction of the bunker. “Um, little girl, the objective of this match is to capture the flag...not kill me.”

“Well my last attack buried the flag, and only you're left now.” Nanoha smiled at the carnage that she had created. Nanoha swooped lower, hovered over Adama pelleting him with projectiles of magic while he cowered under his cannon for protection.

“OK OK enough I give I give!” Adama yelled. “OW, I’m sorry I shot at you! I won't do it again. It was just a joke. UNCLE! UNCLE! OW! FOUL! I CALL FOUL!”

“ADAMA!” Eva came sprinting over leaving a trail of dust clouds behind her. Her face contorted with a murderous look.

“Oh hell.” Adama dropped his cannon and sprinted off.

“WHERE IS YOU BELKAN HONOR? HOW DARE YOU GIVE UP!” Eva chased after Adama firing rounds from her damaged gun swords at his feet. “BELKANS FIGHT TO THE DEATH YOU COWARD! GET BACK HERE! YOU’RE SO GOING TO GET IT!”

Nanoha landed herself beside Alicia holding her hand. The two of them watched, the two Belkan warriors running around the pit, in shock and awe.

“Good job Alicia, you showed her good.” Nanoha congratulated her.

“Nah it was a tie between us.” Alicia corrected.

“But it was still awesome. You made her recognize you as a serious opponent.” Nanoha encouraged Alicia.

“Well thanks. But you were the awesome one. You got him to surrender just like that.” Alicia admired.

“It was just luck.” Nanoha laughed shyly.

Stalrik and Jail watched their battle in awe from above the pit. “They are very promising.” Stalrik nodded his head approvingly.

“Seem so.” Jail smiled his usual manic grin. “It looks like we are ready to deploy for Midchilda.”

“What’s the hurry Doctor?” Stalrik waved to his warriors in a kingly manner.

“No time like the present.” Jail shoved his hands in his lab coat pocket, turned his back walking out of the training facility.

“As you like Doctor,” the old Belkan commander chuckled, his bushy eyebrows obscuring his eyes. “We march to Midchilda in the morning.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Welcome to Riot Force, Mobile Unit Section Six, Sergeant Jesshera.” Hayate stepped down from her podium, raised her hand out to Jesshera for a handshake. Behind her a small group Section Six members gathered, dressed in full formal uniform, clapping their hands in congratulations.

“Thank you, ma’am.” Jesshera, still wearing a blue and white air force uniform, quickly took Hayate’s hand and shook it.

“I believe you have earned this.” Hayate dug into her, small brown uniform tunic pocket, pulling out two brown colored epaulets with the words Riot Force 6 sewed into the cloth above three Vs. “I believe you also need a change of uniform sergeant.”

“I’ll get to it now ma’am.” The newest member of Riot Force 6 stood rigidly at attention trying to keep herself standing. Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead, her shaking hand slowly coming up to her head for a salute.

“Dismissed!” Hayate returned her salute. Jesshera spun around and slowly marched away, her footsteps echoing as she walked out of the sunlit ceremonial atrium.

“That was nerve racking…” Jesshera sighed to herself as she stepped into the hallway, relaxing, leaning on a wall.

“Hi newbie!” Subaru popped up besides Jesshera scaring her half to death.

“Wha what what?” Jesshera jumped back up on her feet slipping, sliding back down crashing down on the ground on her butt. “Nakajima…please don’t do that.” Jesshera moaned tiredly rubbing her backside.

“Sorry.” Subaru laughed sheepishly, grabbing hold of Jesshera’s arm pulling her back up to her feet. “But really, welcome to Section 6.”

“Ah…thanks. Nice to meet you too, Nakajima.” Jesshera dusted herself with her hands.

“Come on don’t be so stiff. Just call us by our first names.” Subaru pouted playfully, patting Jesshera’s back.

“Ok…Subaru…” Jesshera slowly said the overly energetic girl’s name.

“Subaru where have to disappeared off to?” Teana came stalking into the hallway. “There you are.” She put her hands on her hips.”

“Jesshera, Subaru. Vita wants us all to head to the practice field so we all can get reacquainted in combat.” Teana informed the two girls.

“I’m not in the mood to be blow up…again.” Jesshera slowly backed away from Teana.

“Don’t worry Vita is nice when it comes to actual training.” Teana locked her arm with Jesshera’s dragging her off with Subaru for training.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Knight Carim are you ready?” A woman in nuns clothing asked the blonde woman standing in the middle the empty library. The library usually bright and bustling was dimmed and evacuated, the curtains drawn and the doors locked shut. The only sources of light were cracks of light seeping though the dusty curtains and a ring candles arranged around Carim.

“I don’t have a choice if I’m ready or not with it comes to fortune telling.” Carim smirked looking around her. A ring of men and woman with stacks of tiny brown slips of paper and pens hunched over a desk prepared to write down her prophecies.

“Beginning…in three…two…one.” The nun stared closely at a clock. A golden octagon magic circle glowed under Carim’s feet. Her slate purple eyes unfocused, staring blankly at a bookshelf, her lips moved as if she was possessed by a demon.

“Beneath the land of frozen time the harbinger of death awaits his due. The dragon slain shall have this teeth sowed before the last arms of the holy land. Two stars will fall with the birth of a new, and the eternal dance of three bodies shall end with the lands of the lost embracing the void once more.” Carim's eyes fluttered closed after her last worlds of her prophecy were said. The golden magic octagon circle beneath her feet shrank in size slowly faded away.

“That is it?” The sister standing beside her looked bewildered at Carim.

“What do you mean that is?” Carim asked wearily holding her head, staggering off to the side, sitting in a chair.

“You gave an entire prophecy and it ended right there. Usually there is more right?”

“How would I know? I'm not even conscious when I do it. All I know is that every year I give bit and pieces to a prophecy and not a whole one.”

“Well you just gave a whole one Knight Carim.”

“Well send it off to the scribes and let them make heads or tails of it.” Carim huffed annoyed. “I hope it's nothing of big concern.” Mumbling to herself she picked up a copy of her prophecy reading it over.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Cohmandeir Stalrik, the two Midchildian moons are almost in sync for our transdimensional shift.” A middle aged man wearing a gray colored suit and barrette stepped up to the gruff old man. “15 fractions till the armada can jump Sir.”

“Very good, report it fleet wide so that we all jump to our destination at the same time.” Stalrik nodded giving his approval. “Doctor have you finished fitting all your toy and little Valkyries on to the ships?”

“Yes, preparations on our end are done. Take us away Cohmandeir.” Jail reported below deck of Stalik’s Belkan warship.

“Good then.” Stalrik palmed off his monitor looking up at the boxy bridge jammed filled electronic equipment with men and woman in gray uniforms scrambling around with papers in hand, typing in consoles and relaying messages. “COM, give me fleet wide communications.”

“You have the horn Cohmandeir.”

“Sons and daughters of Belka. For over a century we have been divide people. Displaced, humiliated by those can crown themselves the guardians of the galaxy. A hundred years ago our enemies shattered our bodies but they cannot break our spirit. Today we march; we march for our forefathers and Her Majesty. We march for the glory of Belka. We march for our future! DESTINY!” Stalrik finished his motivational speech receiving a grand applause from his bridge crew. “Helms man it’s time to weigh anchor.”

“Aye! Surface hatch is confirmed open, armada is taking to orbit per your order Sir.” The helms man followed his orders diligently.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Another space trip?” Alicia moaned staring out round curved window of a dorsal observation hub at a gray stone cold wall.

“Not to worry Alicia. This one will be quick. We will be at Midchildia before you know it.” Precia walked up behind Alicia pulling Alicia close to her chest.

“We’re moving!” Nanoha stated the obvious; the battleship rumbled and shook with the sound of whining machinery as it ascended from the docking bay deep inside the side of a mountain. Their ship rose in shadowed darkness rumbling past crossbeams mounted with flood lights and towering walls of rock till a flood of white light blinded everyone that was looking out the window. The windows polarized showing the windswept frozen tundra landscape of the icy planet. Beside their ship dozens more ships came in to view. The Belkan spacecrafts where shaped like long angular pyramids, thick lateral ridges with delta like fins protruding out the ridges spanning the entire length of the gray metallic superstructure. Rising out the base of the mountain in a ring around the mountain they ascending in formation into the atmosphere, then into space, where they lined themselves up following one another in orbit like a mother duck leading her ducklings.

“Wow...that's a lot, a lot of ships.” Alicia eyes were glued out the giant window staring at; at least fifty little pinpoint moving stars among the millions of stars in the black void of space traveling in orbit around the planet with their ship.

“All hands prepare for instant transdimensional shift to Midchilda.” Stalrik’s voice came over the intercom. The pinpoint dots flared brighter, drawing closer together, breaking away from the ice planet’s gravity well gathering at some designated point in space.

“Hope we aren’t going to crash.” Nanoha chuckled anxiously seeing at the ships converging together. The space around the formation of ships cracked, jagged lines appeared in the void of black forking into finer lines and those lines forked into even smaller line. Pieces of space shattered and fell like a shattering glass fishbowl that was falling in on itself. The holes in the black void were a sea of dazzling rainbow color of the mysterious dimensionless realm, which also cracked and shattered in the same manner revealing the blackness of space once more.

“Report!” Stalrik ordered from the captain's chair.

“Instantaneous transdimensional transfer successful, we are currently at 10 intervals away from Midchildia at maximum engine output.

“Excellent piloting men and women.” Stalrik congratulated his bridge crew. “Now set condition 1, tactical alert though out the fleet. Prepare for ship to ship combat and get our landing ships ready for an intercept course for the planet surface, the capital of Midchilda.”

A hail of Ayes' could be heard thought out the entire bridge, the crew scrambling to prepare for the battle.

“This is the tactical officer, all combat crew make your way to the hanger decks and board your transports, and you will descend on to Midchildia after the first wave.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I guess that means us as well.” Alicia looked up at the domed ceiling staring at the scratchy P.A. System voice box.

“I suppose we should get going.” Nanoha hopped down from the ledge she was standing on.

“Alicia.” Precia grabbed hold of her daughter, kneeling down beside her.

“Yes mother?” Alicia looked back at her mother seeing her sad concerned face.

“Please, please be careful out there Alicia. I'd hate for you to go out there but I don’t exactly have a choice. Come back home safe to mommy alright?” Precia hugged Alicia tight to her chest.

“I will mother, I promise.” Alicia hugged her mother back squeezing her hand.

“Nanoha, please come back safe as well.” Precia pat Nanoha gently on the cheek giving her a sincere warm smile.

“I will. I'll also make sure Alicia comes back home.” Nanoha smiled back.

“And I will make sure you come back home in one piece Na-no-ha.” Alicia locked arms with Nanoha. The two girls slowly walked off the observation hub, heading for the launch bays.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Sir, I think you need to come and see this.” A black uniformed man called over his superior officer while watching his console go berserk flashing warning lights all across the board.

“What is it.” The officer shuffled over to the flashing console. “Please don't tell me you found another asteroid of doom heading to Midchilda.”

“Well if it is an asteroid of doom then there are at least fifty of them.”

“What do you mean fifty of them.” The officer bent over the console checking it readings.

“Sir, I have visual on the unknown.” A woman across the room yelled over to the officer.

“Well put it on the view screen already!” The wall sized view screen light up showing fifty cone shaped objects accelerating for the Midchildia.

“Send a patrol to intercept them, standard first contact rules of engagement.”

“Patrols are away sir.” A few minutes ticked by, the people held their breath waiting for their patrols to make contact with the unknown ships.

“Unknown bogey has open fire on our patrols!” The monitor showed streaks of white fumes weaving out of the coned ships tracking the patrols now frantically retreating.

“Scramble the defense fleet and ask for TSAB HQ to send us reinforcements.”

“I’m on it. Defenses are active, ships away; distress message...has been jammed.”

“Keep trying! We can't hold indefinitely against this!”

“Eight bogies have broken off from their formation and accelerating to Midchildia. At this speed they won't have any time left to decelerate!”

“Are they crazy? They are going to crash themselves into the planet?” The view screen flashed switching between the eight cone ridged ships tumbling straight down in the atmosphere nose first.

“Predicted landing sites?”

“Calculating.” The very officer in the entire room furiously type in calculations into the computer. Walls of text blurred down the console monitors as the computer calculated the landing sites of the unknown objects. “None will land in any inhabitant areas.” The officer sighed in relief sinking back in his chair. “But one is headed straight for the military ship docks!”

“Scramble everything we have on Midchildia. Get those ships up in the air now. We don't know what we are up against so advice all ship captains to proceed with caution. Activate plan 25B, evacuation of civilians from the capital is our priority.”

“Impact in 2 intervals, umm fifty five percent of the grounded fleet can clear the docks in time before impact.”

“Men brace yourselves.” The commanding officer lowered his cap, sitting down on a swivel chair. “We have done all we can. Well done men its been an honor.” The room rattled and shook as if an powerful earthquake was rumbling under their feet. Lights flickered and died out, the power lines across the area cut by the impact. The ceiling crumbled raining chunks of debris on the consoles covering the people in the room with dust.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Section 6, all combatants assemble, priority alert!” Hayate called up an emergency communications line with her golden cross device to all the combat members of Section Six.

“Yes ma'am!” A chorus of answered came though Hayate's device.

“I'm starting the briefing now so listen up.” Hayate raced down the hallways jumping down flight of stairs, heading out to the parking lot. “We have an unknown group that is attacking Midchildia’s capital. Eight of their ships have crashed into the ground and another 42 above in space.”

“Crashed into the ground?” Erio's voice popped in the emergency line.

“Yes, their ship entered the atmosphere and plummeted down on to the ground nose first. We believe that landing forces are going to come out from inside those crashed ships.” Hayate answered the question on everyone's mind.

“And we are going to engage the enemy with whatever forces we can scramble along until reinforcements can come from TSAB HQ.” Teana finished up Hayate's train of though.

“Correct.” Hayate smiled running thought the parking area of Section Six, the pavement cracked and broken from the shock wave of the impact. “The five forwards, Erio, Caro, Subaru, Teana, Jesshera you are to defend the downtown of city and the civilians from anything that gets in. Civilian ships are inbound to evacuate the civilians. You are to defend those transports after all civilians have been evacuated, and then you will be evaced by Vice.”

“Yes ma'am.” A shout from four girls and a lone boy answered back before their emergency connection line was terminated.

“Fate, Signum, Vita your jobs are to meet up with the local air and ground forces and barricade yourself in the north, south and east ends of the city limits and keep all enemy contacts out of the capital as long as you can. Be careful we don't know what we are up against.” Hayate briefed the Captains and Sub-captains. “After I give the all clear or things get too fall back via evaporation to the forwards for evac.

“So our jobs are to keep the enemy from reaching the forwards for as long as possible.” Signum clarified her orders.

“Consider it done.” Vita growled. “I got the city east.

“Understood.” Fate acknowledged her orders, her yellow magic trail blazed brightly in the sky. “I'll take the city south.”

“That leaves me with the north.” Signum sighed.

“Zafira, Shamal.”

“Yes mistress Hayate?”

“Please take care of our families.”

“Yes mistress.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“First wave has landed successfully and are massing outside the Midchildian capital Cohmandeir.”

“Have our troops enter the city and prepare our second landing parties to launch.” Stalrik flipped though a pile of report papers. “Doctor your drones have landed on Midchildia and are at your command.” Stalrik called up Jail on the ship's COM.

“You're the commander of this mission my friend, they are at your disposal.” Jail replied back palming his hand on a green glowing pad. “Drones are active now.”

“Thank you for your support Doctor. If there is anything you need don't hesitate to ask.”

“Now that you mention it, I would like to borrow two of your ships for a project I’m working on.” Jail asked Stalrik. “You will get your ships back in one piece afterward.”

“Consider it done.” Stalrik nodded. “Good luck Doctor.”

“And to you.” Jail bowed, then clicked off his monitor.

“Cohmandeir, our troops report are that they entering the capital limits, and have engaged light to medium resistance.”

“Have they secured the landing zone?”

“Yes.”

“Then launch the second wave.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Alright men, woman and little girls, our Cohmandeir wants us off this boat cause he is throwing us a party down on Midchildia.” Clifred humored his passengers. A warning alarm blared reverberated though the thin hull of the boxy landing craft along with red and yellow warning lights flashing though the windows. The lights in the landing craft shut off leaving the occupants in near total darkness for a few seconds until a single small red light clicked on from the ceiling. “That's our cue. Hold on this is going to be one rough ride.”

“How rough of a ride?” Alicia grabbed hold of her seat restraints. A jolt jammed everyone in the cabin up to the ceiling banging them up against the rollercoaster like restraints. “Ow ow ow!” Alicia cried. The entire landing craft shook violently bouncing and swerving, cruised though the black void of space.

“Look on the bright side; this is quite fun rocking around like this.” Nanoha laughed wildly as she bounced and banged around her seat, all the while receiving weird looks from her fellow passengers.

“Fun? Nanoha you are insane to call this fun!” Alicia shouted over the rumbling of the ship. The small window slowly turned from black to light blue then tinted to a blazing mix of red, orange and yellow. “I think I'm going to be sick.” Alicia's face went a little pale.

“Hold on to your hats people!” Clifred warned his passengers. The landing craft stopped bouncing and shaking for a second of calm, then plummeting a few meter dropping into Midchildia atmosphere. The view outside the tiny window was now sky blue.

“Ok, now I think I'm going to be sick.” Nanoha closed her eyes breaking heavily.

“Oh don't be so such babies.” Clifred laughed. “We're touching down now.” The land craft's engines whirled louder, with a slight jerk the craft touched down onto solid ground. “So how you all feeling?”

“Fine, no thanks to your driving though.” The two girls moaned tiredly from their seats.

“Well no time to rest, everyone out.” Clifred chuckled. “I got more men and woman to bounce in the sky.” The back of the landing craft hummed, a crack of light shone from the ceiling, growing bigger as the ramp lowered down on to the grassy field.

“Fine...Bleeeeeh” Alicia stuck her tongue out at Clifred. The two girls slowly shuffled on to the off ramp at the back of the landing craft. The field around them was bustling with Belkan warriors in gray uniforms falling to rank in their assigned groups. Others in a blue colored version of the uniform were setting up tents, working with electronic equipment and moving and unpacking crates around the makeshift camp.

“Alicia, Nanoha.” Eva popped out from a mass of Belkan warriors, waving and running over to the two girls limping off of the landing craft.

“Fancy seeing you again.” Alicia smiled activating Iris and Knight Armor. “Here for a rematch?” She pointed Iris at Eva.

“Maybe another time.” Eva's lips twitched into a smile. “You're assigned to my team and we are going to enter from the south of the city. Our first wave has already entered but they have encountered some resistance and they are at a stalemate, so are the going to be their reinforcements. You got all that?”

“Yes ma'am.” The two girls playfully saluted Eva.

“So is it just the three of us or what?” Nanoha did a twirled donning her Barrier Jacket.

“Well there are twenty nine of us ground pounders...and one fly girl. Three tanks...and a legion of tin cans.”

“Tin cans?” Nanoha cocked her head confused.

“Drones made by the Doctor, they are just cannon fodders in my view.” Eva shook her head.

“I see...” Nanoha nodded slowly. “So when are we leaving?”

“Now.” Eva pet her two gun blades that were attached to wide brown and gold lined sheaths at her waist. Pulling out a small headset out of her brown backpack she cupped it over her ear. “Alright team, form up on me. We are moving out.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“This is Captain Testarossa. Southern defense forces please respond.” Fate circled in the clear sky above the city. The city usually bustling with life was now empty and deserted with abandoned cars littering the streets. The street once smooth and black was cracked with huge fault lines running down the roads with fallen street light and other debris that had fallen during the impact. Fate weaving through mazes of skyscraper looking for the ground force mages defending the south side of the city. “Southern defense forces please come in.”

“This-skwwwh-south-skwh-def-skwwwh-force. Request-skwwwh-as-skwwh-ti-skwwwh-ence. We-skwwh-over-skwwh-elmed by co-co-co-skwwwh-cybrog-” A desperate static garbled message replied to Fate's request.

“Sir communications have been lost.” Bardiche in it's Zamber form gleamed in Fate's hand.

“Can you pinpoint the point of transmission Bardiche?” Fate asked continuing to circle above the city, squinting her eyes she tried to make out friendly forces in the maze of the city.

“Source of transmission originated from 300 meters south east Sir.” Fate flew in the direction Bardiche indicated.

“CAPTAIN!” Someone from the ground yelled waving his two arms in the air signaling for Fate to descend.

“Report!” Fate quickly dashed down to street level.

“Aren’t you a sight for the sore eyes Captain.” The female ground mage wearing a battered gray blue uniform and chest plate sighed.

“Who's your CO?” Fate asked the female mage.

“Well that's me, Corporal Reed ma’am. Our higher officers got roughed and were transported back to the medic camps. We got hit pretty bad by the first wave, we had a lot of casualties, but we got them to pull back for now. We managed to ding a few and capture one of their soldiers and hell I don't like what I saw.”

“Show me the soldier you captured.” Fate instructed.

“This way Captain, but be careful, it took us four people to bind him up.” The ground mage took Fate into a half intact shopping plaza. Blown out pillars, smashed ground tiles, scorch marks, small fires, and small pock marks painting the walls of the plaza betrayed the ferocity of the last engagement. Tied by a rainbow of binding magic to one of the mall's support pillars was an unconscious man in a torn gray uniform with blood stained gauze bandages tied tightly around his leg. “Medic, please remove the dressing.” Another mage in a white uniform with a red cross on it cut open the blood soaked gauze revealing the injury.

“His body is flesh and blood but there are also some other inorganic components to it.” The medic explained pointing to an artificial metal bone.

“Well it could have been an advance form of prosthesis?” Fate shook her head at the sight of grizzly wound.

“Well that was what we though, until I took a full body scan. His entire body has been cybernetically enhanced. I'm sure this reminds you of a certain case four years ago Captain.” The medic changed the bandages for their prisoner of war. “Also his uniform indicates is he is Belkan.” The medic pointed at a round sewed on patch on the sleeve with the word stitched in the cloth 2nd Belkan Light Infantry Battalion.

“That's not the only thing.” The ground mage picked up what looked like a black sleek thick cylinder with an angled handle. “They are using mass based weapons hybridized with a cartridge system.” The mage flicked a switch on the side of the cylinder with this thumb; a section of the weapon slide out scattering long cylindrical pointed objects clattering all over ground. “Whooop.” The mage sheepishly set down the weapon. “The mass part of the weapon is at the tip and the cartridge part attached in the middle and some kind of explosive powder at the end.”

“We can deal with the details later, right now all we have to do is defend this position.” Fate nodded taking in the information about their enemy.

“There is another wave of enemies moving to our blockade, orders ma’am?” A mage panted running up to Fate.

“We hold them with what we have here until the civilians are evacuated, and then we evacuate.” Fate replied with a sigh. “Do you have any intelligence on the enemy?”

“None, but if it’s anything like the first wave then it’ll just be ground pounders with small mass based weapons like that.” The mage nodded at the scattered rounds on the ground.

“Sir, I am reading heat signatures of large vehicles due south. Seismic readings indicated it there is at least one tread based vehicle weighing over 50 tons each.” Bardiche informed the makeshift defense group.

“Take positions in the buildings and behind the barricades you made in the street.” Fate ordered the group of frightened mages.

“This is crazy.” Someone mumbled as the group hefted their staff trugging out to the defense perimeter.

“We do our duty, nothing more nothing less.” Fate replied back.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Nanoha, what did you see?” Eva asked her as Nanoha landed back down beside the tank.

“Well, the opposite forces are barricading themselves in the main street though the city.” Nanoha described her reconnaissance hovering in he sky under a cloud, her white barrier jacket making her almost invisible at her altitude and background. “Light ground infantry mages, no air force or armored back up. The street is quite pounded up, holes everywhere form the last engagement.”

“So we have the advantage here.” Eva nodded, slapping the side of the tank she was riding on. “Move out, tanks take delta formation up front, troops follow up from behind.. Nanoha, you stay in the sky and give us intel until I say otherwise. Alicia you stay back too until I call on you.” Eva directed her small battle force skillfully. “Lets go go go!” The tank's engine revved in response, their steel tracks squeaking and clanking as they rolled down the small dirt country road onto the large paved main city street.

“FIRE!” A Fate's voice cried out from in front of the Belkan battle group, yellow molts of projectiles shot forward at the tanks.

“Enemy attack!” Eva yelled, jumping off the tank's turret on to the ground taking cover behind the armored vehicle. The yellow magic projectile flew straight and true smashing into the tank's turret armor. The tank halted with a jerk, the magic drilled at the armor denting it. Suddenly with a pop the magic fizzed out leaving the tank standing barely scratched.

“Looks like the new AMF device we installed works.” One of the troops chuckled aiming his weapon firing a few round at the asphalt barricade from where the magic came from.

“Spread out and begin suppression fire while our the tin cans and tanks take out the barricade!” Eva ordered her soldiers into action. The battle group spread out, firing rounds into the enemy lines, hiding behind pillar and abandoned cars waiting for the mages to fire.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“AMF?” Fate hid back down behind the asphalt barricade, the sound of bullet shattering on the barricade. “Scaglietti has to be behind all this. When I get my hands on him...” Fate gritted her teeth thinking what to do next.

“Ma'am?” One mage looked at Fate for instructions lying flat on her stomach under a hail of bullet zinging over their heads.

“Pick and choose your targets, ignore the tanks we can't penetrate their AMF.” Fate instructed peaking her head over the barricade just in time to see the tank's turret swivel in her direction. “MOVE!” Fate scrambled back down grabbing hold of the mage beside her tossing her away.

“Blitz Rush.” The tank fired blasting a hole in the barricade behind her just as she jumped away, a wave of heat washed on her back singeing her cape.

“Open fire!” Fate ordered. The mages around her popped out and duck back back behind the barricade and windows of the buildings, their staffs held level to their eyes taking aim at the Belkan soldiers firing off barrage of magic bullets.

“Ma'am enemy reinforcements spotted! They have gadget drones!” A mage yelled firing wildly into the enemy lines wasting his magic on the AMF protected gadget drones and tanks. The gadget drones blanketed the street with streaks of blue magic, suppressing the mages back to cowering behind their crumbling barricade.

“Watch out!” A voice screamed just before the a tank shell blew another hole into the barricade. “MEDIC! We need a medic over here!”

“Another shot should do it!” Eva's voice rang over the zipping of bullets and magic fire being exchanged.

“Long Arch, Long Arch, this is Lightning One. I'm declaring an emergency!” Fate made a hand sign for her mages to fall back to the second barricade. The screams of mages filled the battlefield as some of the retreating mages where cut down by enemy fire. “STAY DOWN, CRAWL!” Fate ordered, getting on her stomach crawling over to secondary barricade behind them, hails of bullets zinged over. “This is Lightning One can anyone hear me?” Fate cupped her hands over her ears yelling into her COM unit. “Is there anyone out there?” Fate looked around stole a peak above the barricade hoping to see someone come.

“The first barricade is gone!” Someone from the line of defending mages yelled. A shock wave blast of air blew into the second defense line showering everyone with dust and debris.

“Captain we can't hold out much longer!” A male mage yanked Fate back under the barricade. A smatter of grounds shattered on the dug up asphalt and concrete where Fate's head was poking out.

“Bardiche, plasma shield smasher!” Fate yelled raising her hand placing a small magic circle just above the barricade. “FIRE!” Fate smashed the head of her device into the circle. A torrent of yellow magic tore though the destroyed street towards the tank. The tank's engines flared as it tried to turn to take the magic head on, but it was too slow. The thunderous magic smashed into the tracks, the AMF unable to neutralize that much magic gave out letting Fate's attack to destroy the entire track assembly immobilizing the tank.

“YES, nice one Captain!”

The tank's turret ignored Fate's crippling attack and proceeded to lob another shell, demolishing an entire corner of a build.

“Captain, I said we can't hold out much longer!”

“Watch out that building is going to come down!” The building that was just hit by the shell teetered towards the blow out hole leaning over just barely resisting gravity's will. Contents from inside the building crashed though the windows, littering the debris covered street with more trash.

“We must hold out!” Fate yelled over the enemy's onslaught of attacks. “The lives of thousands of Mid-Childians are counting on us to them till they finish evacuating!”

“This is suicide!” The mage rebuked. “We can't hold out against all these combat cyborgs and gadget drones, let alone three of those tanks!” Three consecutive blasts painted the street in a fireball of red, orange, yellow and black smoke. Chunks of road and buildings burst from their infrastructures hurling all over the mage defense line. Shrapnel from the artillery shells whipped though the air, cut though the mage lines like a hot knife through butter. Fate looked around the defensive line sighing, seeing the men and woman under her command futilely trying to stop the advancing combat cyborgs. Those still able to fight cowered under barricade, lifting their staff over their head firing blindly down the street hoping to hit something. Others too wounded to fight leaded back on the barricade coughing and moaning in pain, blood soaked their uniform from the many cuts and wounds from the battle while the overworked medic mages rushed from patient to patient. Hanging her head she resigned to the hopelessly situation knowing that she needed to get her men and woman out safely to their own evacuation ships.

“This is Fate Testarossa, all remaining forces...retreat.” she spoke the last words bitterly. “Rendezvous at the hotel lobby for immediate transport.”

“You heard the Captain! Move it now! Go go go!” The mages that were uninjured shouldered the wounded limping them across the street bringing them inside the hotel lobby. “Come people move like you've got a purpose!”

“Come on people on to the teleportation pad.” Support mages stood in a ring chanting an incantation. A green ring of magic circled under the gathering mages. “Come on Captain we have to move!”

“Thunder…” Fate summoned up another magic circle in front of her. “SMASHER!” Fate twirled smashing Bardiche into the magic circle. Another horde of electric magic thundered down the battered street cutting up the pavement and severing the battered tank in half. The war machine sputtered and the engine exploded creating a smoke cloud between the enemy and the retreating mages. “I’m coming!”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Nanoha, do you read?” Eva ducked behind a pillar as shards of her destroyed tank flew past her taking chunks out of the pillar she was hiding behind.

“Yes, I do read.” Nanoha answered back sounding a little offended.

“Do you see that yellow head mage?” Eva calmly spoke into her headset.

“Clearly.” Nanoha blocked out the sun with her hands squinting down, her cyborg enhanced eyes zoomed in letting her see Fate making a run for the hotel lobby.

“Engage and capture her.” Eva instructed. “Be careful, she is highly skilled and dangerous. I’ll be sending Alicia to help you in a few moments after you being combat with her.”

“Understood.” Nanoha’s pink winged white shoes flapped shooting her towards the ground.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I could use some assistance!” Fate yelled ducked, rolled and dodging enemy fire, her auto shield flaring constantly when she failed to evade while trying to make her way back to the teleportation circle. A streak of magenta shot past Fate’s cheek, narrowly missing her head. The magenta projectile smashed into the pavement blowing a hole in front of a scrambling Fate, tripping her on to the debris cover pavement.

“If you need some help, then maybe I can lend you a hand.”A flurry of pink feathers and sparks showered over Fate as she tried to get up and make a run for it.

“This colored magic…that voice...it can’t be…” Fate froze, looking up to see a young girl with brunette hair tied back in two ponytails, complimented by a white barrier jacket lined with blue and red with a red ribbon over the chest. In her hand was a gold and red headed staff, which she pointed at Fate. “It can't be.” Fate stared up in shock forgetting the predicament she was in, her red scarlet eyes danced wildly looking at the young girl. “Nanoha is that you?”

“Yes, my name is Nanoha.” Nanoha answered. “Takamachi Nanoha.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After-thought: I WAS…I WAS going to end this chapter after the battle between Nanoha & Alicia VS Belkan warriors. But…heck I can’t leave you guys hanging for another chapter so I kept going with what should be chapter 6. And ta-da Fate meets little Nanoha! I hope I did the battle scenes well enough so they aren't a bore, though I say they aren't my most most fav thing to write. Now I know some people will say Carim's prediction will predict only a half a year ahead so I threw out canon-ness. Yes I know but you will see why later → Have fun trying to figure out the meanings to the prophecy.

A/N:
Dragons Teeth: Greek Myth (simple form): Long ago a dragon was slain in battle. The dragon's teeth were taken and sowed out in the land where warriors sprang out to continue the fighting.

The story Alicia gave to Nanoha before the battle with the combat cyborgs...the one about Precia I claim to be true. Scaglietti got “jailed” heh...for what he did and yet Precia just got exiled...something is fishy. And obviously...Nanoha's story was fabricated by Jail.

History between Belka and Midchilda is non-existent so I’m free to make up what I want. The idea is that Midchilda being the next dominant power after Belka fell in some ways obviously entails that they had some kind of conflict with each other.

Thanks for staying with me thought all five chapters (and a bit of what would have been chapter 6) so far!
Hope to see you in chapter 6 (minus a little bit).
-FateSkyFire