=Continued=
Yuuno’s last words echoed in Nanoha’s mind, and it sent an unprecedented surge of fear into her.
What did he mean? What has happened to Vivio? Didn’t they just say that everyone’s all right? The answer to those questions would only be found when they arrived. Fate and Hayate, sensing their friend’s renewed bout of unease, put their hands on her shoulders encouragingly.
“I’m all right,” Nanoha said. “It’s just that what Yuuno said was …”
“She’s safe, Nanoha,” Fate assured her. “Arf wouldn’t lie about things as serious as this.” Hayate nodded beside her.
Nanoha let out a long sigh. “I trust her. And Yuuno. And Vivio,” she said. “Yes, I believe she is fine, waiting for our return.” The same fire of determination that had steeled her during the battle in the Western Wastelands was evident in those violet eyes again. Fate and Hayate gave her a motivating smile. Beside them, Leona inclined her head, sharing their sentiment.
“Don’t worry, Nanoha-san. I’ll get us there in a jiffy,” Alto said. She threw the gears in place and started moving the transporter again. The craft rode through the dark clearing like a shadow, the only sound being the low noise of its whirling propellers. In the last three hundred meters or so before they arrived, Nanoha kindly requested Alto that she be let down—she wanted to fly directly to the front lobby without going to the hangar. The hangar lay on the extreme east of the base in a large open area, which would take them out a ways from their destination, and Nanoha wanted to avoid the delay. Without any valid reason, Alto could not stop her craft outside and accompany them into the base, so she agreed.
Hearing her request, everyone else shared her idea, including Teana. The orange-haired gunslinger had had her wounds temporarily patched up with Kratos’s basic healing magic, but she still looked worse for wear. Even so, she was adamant to follow them despite Nanoha’s advice. Not wanting to hold things up further, Nanoha simply agreed, though she told her primly to go to the infirmary once they arrived. Teana smiled and nodded appreciatively. They moved out through the open hatch of the Sky Falcon and immediately took to the sky. Alto gave them a final wave before she proceeded to the hangar, the muted red backlights of the transporter vanishing in the distance.
Despite her words, Teana was pale as she hovered in the air. Gabriel managed to mitigate the more serious damage from Vestrell’s final attack with a hasty shield, but Teana had only her
Barrier Jacket to rely on, so she suffered quite an injury. Some of her wounds reopened from her movements, and her blood seeped once more into the bandages wrapped neatly around her. Concerned that Teana would overexert herself during flight and pass out, Kratos offered to support her.
At first, she objected, stating that she was all right to fly. Nanoha and Signum, however, thought differently—Signum offered to become her second support and Nanoha agreed that it was best if she was given closer attention. Without any choice, Teana finally gave in. She wrapped her arms around Signum and Kratos’s shoulders, mouthing silent words of gratitude as she flew with them. Signum smiled, while Kratos merely nodded. Together, they headed for the main entrance, steering slightly east from the transporter’s flight path.
With the images of what they witnessed earlier still fresh in their mind, they sped through the cloudless night, the shimmering rays of the moon giving off a soft illumination to light their path. They crossed a bend around a low stretch of hills that was heavily forested, and wedged in between was a single paved road connecting the main city with the base. Signs of the attack were visible, embodied in large patches of empty, blackened land, the trees having burnt themselves out. A couple of the hilltops were leveled as well.
Leaving the hills, the path led straight to the edifice now visible on the far end, though it was impossible to find any concrete details as illumination was scarce and sporadic. Along the way, a series of blockades had been erected, and portable spotlights shone bright, revealing groups of officers inspecting the area and cataloguing various aspects of the attack. They recognized Nanoha and the rest of the frontline members, and waved. Nanoha gave them a warm smile, and returned the gesture. It seemed that their presence restored their morale, however much that was worth.
They neared the base in a short while, and only then did they realize the extent of the damage the
Escutcheon had sustained. To say that it was superficial would be an understatement. The west wing was essentially a pile of rubble that cluttered around the still-standing remains. The upper levels were exposed, the broken supports and floorboards dangling ominously. In a circle of spotlights, a small crew of maintenance mages was working to tear them down, carefully transporting ruined pieces off to a large clearing farther away. As it was, the clearing was not part of the original layout—it had originally been a small grotto with its meticulously tended gardens of spring flowers, usually the spot of respite for most members (and also a personal favorite of Reinforce Zwei and Hayate’s). Now, it was lost, and not even a specter of its former existence remained. From their aerial view, similar patches of light were apparent at different locations around the buildings.
“This bad, huh?” Tesla muttered.
“Well, at least it’s only property damage,” Hayate responded. Pulling a strand of stray hair back, she continued surveying the situation. “This does put us in a bind, though.”
“Exactly,” Gabriel observed. “With the dormitories and the mess hall gone, we lack accommodation and food even if we passed on them tonight. Rebuilding the destroyed sections isn’t a one-day job, either.”
“We can probably find rooms outside, though the hotels would probably be swamped right now. Quite a number of civilians lost their homes as well. Food will be a problem, no doubt,” Xeno said.
“We don’t exactly have another kitchen, do we?” Agito asked.
Fate shook her head. “Even if we do, we don’t have supplies. The foodstuff was stored behind the mess hall, undoubtedly destroyed along with the rest of that area,” she replied, pointing at the ruins of the west wing.
“Our only option is to temporarily eat out, unless there has been another plan arranged,” Nanoha said. She stole a quick glance at Teana, who had remained quiet since the start of their flight. Kratos and Signum noticed and gave her a surreptitious nod, assenting to the unspoken understanding between them—Teana was not well even as Kratos continued to silently heal her, his hand grasping hers, enveloping it in a soft halo of healing energies. The poor girl’s eyes were heavy, almost closing on themselves, and glistening pearls of sweat beaded on her forehead. “Let’s get down.”
With a smooth turn, they landed silently, the displaced air stirring small ringlets of dust. Teana buckled as soon as her feet touched ground, and would have slipped if not from Kratos and Signum’s support. “I’m sorry …” she said, her voice so soft it was almost a whisper. She seemed to float in the realm between consciousness and unconsciousness, and a low moan escaped from her dry lips.
“Nanoha-san, if you allow it, I’ll bring her to the infirmary now. It appears she’s hypovolemic and she’s passing out from the low blood pressure,” Kratos said quickly. “If she isn’t given treatment as soon as possible, she most probably wi—”
Before he could finish, Nanoha cut across. “Do what you need to do,” she said with a firm yet understanding voice. Though she was concerned as well, she would not help much by panicking. “Explanations can wait.”
“I’ll give you a hand,” Signum offered.
“It’s all right, Signum-san,” Kratos said. “I’ll stay in the infirmary after this to help Shamal-san in whatever way possible. You’d best stay here and see what information can be found about the current situation. I’ll be fine to take her to the infirmary.”
Signum relented. “If you say so,” she answered. The lieutenant removed Teana’s arm from around her shoulders and placed it on the gunslinger’s stomach. It felt cold to the touch.
“Teana, have a good rest …” Kratos said, placing his other hand on her forehead. There was a brief glimmer of deep blue light, and Teana fell into a slumber almost immediately. With one swift motion, Kratos heaved Teana in his arms and walked briskly through the entrance. The rest followed behind him.
The doors slid soundlessly aside, and in the dim illumination, several people could be seen moving around inside. Three persons—Yuuno, Arf, and Griffith—approached them, but when they saw Kratos, there was a shocked expression on their faces. “Is Teana all right?” Arf asked, looking bewildered. Kratos did not answer and, with long strides, continued on in the direction of the infirmary.
“I apologize for his behavior, Arf-san,” Leona said quietly. “Teana’s not in immediate danger, but she needs medical attention quickly. Kratos is bringing her there even as we speak.” The lounge had only a few lights turned on, all in energy-saving mode. The gray-white interior appeared just as gloomy as the exterior was. Upturned tables and chairs, destroyed furnishings, and files and paper and debris littered the room. A couple of housekeepers were attending to the mess, their expressions glum.
“I see,” Arf said, nodding. “Well, it’s not like I was mad or anything. I just thought Teana was in critical condition.”
“Glad you’re all okay,” Griffith added. “Though communications was disrupted, we were all worried if the enemy had taken that advantage to launch a surprise attack on all of you. Despite your skills, traps sprung at unexpected moments can be lethal.”
“Fortunately, there wasn’t anything of the sort,” Tesla replied. “The only big surprise and shock to us was when the communications broke down on us. We were so worried that something terrible might have happened! No replies, no contacts, and telepathy was too far from range to be used, and … and …”
Griffith chuckled lightly. “I guess we’re all the same in that way,” he said, a smile adorning his boyish face. Perhaps it was an illusion created by the dim illumination of the room, but for one moment there, it seemed that Griffith’s eyes were soft and gentle as they locked onto Tesla’s. His glasses glinted as they caught the light, and it was gone.
//Score: Ring Your Song / Composer: Kajiura Yuki / Artiste: Eri Itou / Anime: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles: Tokyo Revelations //
The reaction, however, was unmistakable. Tesla faltered and was silent, her eyes radiating emotions that were palpable, waves of feelings that could neither be spoken nor expressed previously released in that singular moment of reunion. It was a quiet but explosive burst of sensation shared only by the two who were intertwined by bonds surpassing comprehension. The silence, though lasting no more than a second, seemed to stretch into infinity as they stood gazing at each other, the rest of their surroundings melting into nothingness. Finally, she moved forward, her steps a timeless echo. With an open embrace, he received her, his arms wrapping around she who was the angel of his heart, and their touch was life unto their anxious souls.
“I was so worried … so, so worried …” Tesla said, her tone muffled since her face was buried in Griffith’s chest. “I could not reach you … and it was painful … not to hear your voice …”
“I know, Tesla,” he said, his voice a soothing murmur. He kissed her head lightly, catching the fresh scent of her hair. “Everything’s all right now.”
Tesla tightened her hug, fighting the inner demons of her mind that had terrorized her since they lost communication. Warmth blazed forth from them, banishing the sinister spirits into the void forever. Despite having heard his voice through the holoscreen back on Sky Falcon, it was incomparable to feeling the rhythm of their hearts, the whisper of their breaths, and most of all, the simple physical contact between them. Joy flowed through Tesla, an inexplicable sensation that transcended time and space, causing a translucent pearl of tear to fall unbidden from her eye.
Something of infinite softness touched her, almost as if a cloud had descended from the heavens to embrace her. Gently, it wiped away her tear. Tesla opened her eyes, and saw a shimmering sheet of white against the ash-gray background. Instantly, she recognized it. It was unmistakable—the simple initials sewn in sky-blue thread at the edge marked their feelings for one another.
T x G.
Tesla could not help but smile. It was something she never thought she would be able to accomplish. For as long as she had lived, she was a Knight above all else, and needlework was as much a bizarre concept as gaming was to her initially. Games piqued her interests very much, however, and she overcame the hurdles quite easily. Sewing was an entirely different dimension, demanding much more of her than the ability to strategize and improvise in different tactical situations. Hayate and Shamal had always been the ones who patched their clothes back after they were torn in battles and scuffles, and never once had Tesla been interested in it.
It was not until she met Griffith, the person who managed to move her heart with his boyish look and sharp, witty mind, that Tesla went back to the roots of what defined classical womanhood. The age had progressed beyond such stereotypes, but Tesla found pride and fascination in what women could do that men could not appreciate at the time. It was not so much a personality overhaul than her desire to do something for him and herself that made Tesla attempting things she had once considered unnecessary for a Knight. And so began her trials.
She tried cooking, and passed it after much effort. Simple meals with good taste were not out of her ability anymore, though for complex culinary dishes, she still needed to experiment. Sewing, on the other hand, was an utter disaster. On her first attempt, her fingers were literally a honeycomb of needle pricks. At one time or another, she pushed too hard that the needle pierced through the skin. The finesse, skills, and concentration required of her were so overwhelming that, despite tutelage from Hayate and Shamal, she found herself giving up. While perseverance was one of her better traits, there was just about a limit to anything that a person can do, and for Tesla, it was probably needlework.
“Tesla-chan,” Hayate said during one of the times when she complained to her. “There is no shortcut in this world. For everything bitter in the beginning, there is always sweetness at the other end. You need but try.”
“But, I’ve tried so many times!” Tesla countered hotly, her fingers still sore.
“True, but did you put your heart in it when you tried?” Hayate replied calmly, a warm smile on her face.
The words silenced Tesla. There was a time during her learning process that she wanted to sew just for the sake of it, just so that she could be done with it and stop thereafter. She had not realized that she lost the purpose when she thought that way. Hayate’s kind words reminded her that she learned it not just for fun, but for something else entirely. For someone she loved.
And so she wove, sheet after sheet of failed attempts littering her room. A special occasion loomed soon, and she wanted to make something memorable for it. Her last attempt took her well past midnight for four days, and her work was finished. It was simple, really, a plain white kerchief without any elaborate embellishments but for the letters she sewn herself at one spotless edge. And she gifted it to him on his birthday, and was gifted in return.
The simple gift gave her the first honey-sweet taste of a true kiss, just as Hayate promised she would find.
And when their lips touched for the first time, the fire of the passion sealed their love.
Though awkward, Tesla was happy, and Hayate and the Wolkenritter shared in her joy. The progress had been slow, but it was, in their opinion, well worth it. Seeing them in each other’s embrace right now, there was no other word to describe it except elation.
With a gentle move, Tesla pried the kerchief from his hand. Slowly, she broke off from his cradling arms, and turned back to look at him. “You’re dusty,” Tesla said in a soft voice. She pulled Griffith’s glasses off tenderly, and wiped it clean. “There, better now.” Griffith took them and smiled before putting them back on.
“Aww~” Reinforce Zwei cooed playfully after they had finished. “What a lovely couple!” she continued, giggling. Nanoha, Fate, and Fate were smiling also. Signum was surprised at first, but she quickly regained her composure and had even the flash of a slightest smile, something that was very rare of her to do. Agito slapped her forehead at the sight of their exchange, shaking her head and muttering something unintelligible. Xeno was grinning wolfishly, while Gabriel seemed flushed. Leona, as always, appeared indifferent, though she seemed to be busy looking at something in their surroundings.
The Unison Device’s tease made colors bloom on Tesla’s cheeks. “W-what are you all looking at me for?” Tesla muttered as she noticed the eyes trained in their direction. “Is something wrong?”
“Oh, it’s nothing~” Reinforce Zwei said happily. “We’re just overjoyed that Griffith-kun and the rest are in perfect shape!”
“Thank you, Rein-chan,” Griffith replied. Then, with a tactful smile, he changed the subject smoothly. “By the way, did something happen? Yuuno looked crestfallen when the connection was terminated before he could finish his message.”
“Oh! That’s right!” Nanoha was thunderstruck. “Yuuno-kun, about Vivi—”
The sentence was broken off abruptly by a door that burst open on their left, and out of the threshold, a girl with bobbing yellow hair tied in a one-sided ponytail ran towards them, panting heavily. She was covered in dust, and in certain areas, her clothes looked torn and blackened. A rabbit doll was clutched in her left hand. Her face, however, was twisted in an expression of utter horror.
“Nanoha-mama!” she called.
It was Vivio.
Nanoha was confused, but she knelt down and held out her hands as the girl leapt into her embrace. Promptly, Vivio began to sob, a stifled cry that was a mix between gladness and anxiety. No words needed be passed between mother and daughter, for their bond allowed them to understand even the deepest of emotions hidden in the vaults of their mind. Nanoha caressed Vivio gently, speaking words of calm to alleviate the unspeakable fear her daughter was going through.
“What happened?” Fate asked Yuuno. “Why is Vivio looking so distressed?”
Yuuno looked rueful. Running a hand through his hair, he said, “I’m sorry, Nanoha. I should’ve looked after her better. But, it was too chaotic, and we couldn’t be everywhere …”
“Please start from the beginning, Yuuno-kun,” Hayate said. “We don’t understand.”
Yuuno sighed. Arf decided to take over the explanation. “Well, following the attack, the base and the city in the vicinity fell into a state of pandemonium. Too many things happened at once: masses running around in panic, buildings collapsing, people trapped under rubble and debris, casualties of the attack, and others. We’re overwhelmed ourselves, what with part of our base utterly destroyed, trying to figure out how to take it from there. Luckily, Commander Chrono and Griffith-kun managed to get things in order, and immediately pulled everyone to follow the emergency protocols. Groups were sent out to do various things and helping to restore order, some even into the city.”
“It was difficult for us to maintain order in the city until the emergency rescue and reserves arrived from the Ground Forces Headquarters. Those in critical injury were immediately taken to our infirmary which, thankfully, escaped devastation,” Griffith added. “Shamal-san, Aurion-san, Yuuno-kun, and Arf-san were so swamped with works that nobody noticed that Vivio was not around.”
“Why was she out of the base during the attack? Wasn’t it dangerous?” Gabriel asked.
“She went out before the attack. Her friends came to visit her, and she accompanied them to the shopping complex near the transit station,” Griffith replied.
“The Wakatsu Megacomplex?” Xeno asked. “The 80-floor-high building with the neo-modern business concept?” Arf and Griffith nodded.
“Wait, it’s a wreck now!” Agito gasped. “You don’t mean Vivio …?”
With great reluctance, Yuuno nodded his agreement to Agito’s assertion. “It was raining then, so Vivio might have decided to wait the rain out and had more fun with her friends. The attack came unexpectedly.” Yuuno’s voice took on a more solemn tone. “When we realized that Vivio was still out there, we searched for her, hoping that she might have returned. There was no sign of her in the compound. Then, we received reports that the complex was on fire, and part of its foundation had been destroyed, with high risk of collapse.”
“Our immediate reaction was to go to the complex,” Arf said helpfully. “With the commander’s permission, Aurion-san, Yuuno, and I took a small squadron of emergency support mages with us. The condition was bad: the fire spread faster that we’d imagined despite the rain, and there were many people trapped in the many levels. Being a skyscraper made it an easy target for the storm, and the unnatural lightning melted the rods that drew them. We had to split ourselves to rescue the civilians—it’s messy, the people panicked and made the situation even more chaotic. Aurion-san and I managed the lower levels while Yuuno went for higher.”
“I spotted Vivio-chan on the 57th floor, and it was quite an incredible sight,” Yuuno continued. A smile touched his somber face. “She may be young, but her bravery belies her age. Apparently, she brought her friends down from the higher levels, and
even protected them from the fire and harm with her natural barrier—the
Armor of the Saint King. Except from the torn and slightly burnt clothing, they were safe. Not only that, she took it upon herself to help anyone she could as she came down. I wanted to bring them down immediately, but she …” Yuuno hesitated, stopping his sentence as if to continue would cause unbearable pain.
Hayate and the rest were worried. Yuuno had never been this troubled before, and it did not seem to have anything to do with him failing to ensure Vivio returning in good condition. It was something after that, something that Yuuno had hoped to prevent, but was hopeless against reality. Jade eyes gazed at the small form of the child, curled in the sheltering protection of the mother, still sobbing. Nanoha was patiently silent, her lips forming words so soft they were less than even whispers.
Arf sighed and shook her head. She understood very well why he would be uncertain about it, but now that they had begun, there was no turning back. Not that hiding would do them any good. “Vivio-chan refused. She asked Yuuno-kun to transport her friends and the victims down while she returned to rescue to others she couldn’t on her way down. He tried talking her out of it, and even attempted to use a binding spell to stop her, but she wouldn’t budge from her decision. Vivio-chan is exceptionally strong; the spell broke and she ran up before he could stop her. Yuuno-kun couldn’t let the rest be trapped there while he pursued her, so he teleported them out into safety first.”
“Smoke and fire was everywhere, and the upper floors were dangerously unstable,” Yuuno picked up from Arf’s narration. His voice was thick, and there was a great sorrow welling up in him. “She wasn’t in the next few floors I went through, but there were survivors there, and I was duty-bound to extricate them and ensure their safety. I lost count of how many I brought with me, the number I sent off to the relief station through teleportation, but it was at that exact moment that it happened …”
* * * * *
He closed his eyes momentarily, reliving the past few hours that haunted him, the events flashing before him and reminding him of his helplessness. He could not remember if he had told them in words, but he was there again, within the derelict building where the crimson tongues of fire raged, where rain came in sleets of dagger and thunder sending quakes that shook the floor. He was drenched and dirty, the water soaking through his clothes; he had not donned his
Barrier Jacket when he rushed here with the rest of the mages. The last wisps of his teleportation spell trailed in the air—five more had just been sent to safety.
Then, there was a scream, a scream so sharp it sliced through the chill air cleanly like a razor.
It struck Yuuno like a bolt of lightning, and his heart gripped. He recognized the voice. He flew through an arch of flames as quickly as his spell would allow him, navigating through the stairways and dodging debris that fell. He rounded three floors before he reached the source of the scream.
Vivio-chan!
The poor girl was in great despair, and her cries ripped through in anguished wails. The bodies she managed to haul on her own, a girl and a woman, lay on the ground, unconscious. Huge chunks of debris littered the area, some still aflame. In the crimson haze of smoke and fire, liquid flowed around them. Was it rainwater? It was difficult to make out where he stood. Yuuno took a step forward, eager to reach Vivio, and then stopped. He was horror-stricken; he understood now why Vivio was so disturbed, so traumatized.
The two bodies were not merely unconscious—they were dead. The pool that surrounded them was blood, mixed with and diluted by the rain until it was a pale red that melded so well with the crimson cast of the fire. Bruises and wounds garnished them, streams of blood still leaking through open cracks, a macabre display of death’s final entertainment before it lay claim on their last breaths. A splinter speared the woman at the back, a steel shaft that protruded only slightly outward such that it was unnoticeable from far. Yet, for some strange reason, the woman seemed to smile, a glorious expression that was not returned in kind by the dead child.
The two had been mother and daughter.
As if by fate’s twisted machinations, the mother had sacrificed her life to save the daughter, but never would she know that death found her daughter just as appealing. There was no time to ascertain the cause of the girl’s demise, however, for at that moment, the room was crumbling. A block of ceiling crashed dangerously near Vivio, who was still rooted to the spot, chained by the horror of what she had witnessed.
Yuuno ran towards her, spreading a wide-area protective field as he did so. “Vivio-chan! We have to leave!” he shouted through the din. “It’s too dangerous to stay here!”
“Mama! Mama!” Vivio cried, oblivious of him and the dire situation. Tears flowed down her cheeks in rivers, a sorrow incomparable.
Yuuno gritted his teeth and attempted pulled the girl’s hand, but a blast of mystical energy threw his hands back. Her self-defense magic had been activated, a power inherited through her genetic composition that mirrored the royal bloodline of the Ancient Belkans, and it was protecting her from external influences. Even so, he needed to bring her out of the collapsing skyscraper. “Vivio-chan, come on! She’s not your mother, not Nanoha! Your mother is safe!”
His words went unheeded. Vivio did not relent in her cries. There was nothing he could do, and he felt trapped, cornered in the physical, magical, and psychological dimensions of ensuring Vivio’s safety, his inability as a mage, and his promise to Nanoha to look after the child. True, Vivio would not be harmed by the elements and the crumbling building, but he was not sure whether she would survive the fall, seventy-odd floors above ground. Vivio was now too disturbed to notice her own safety was at stake.
“Mama, I’m hurt … It’s dark here … Cold … I don’t want to be here …” Vivio cried. “Please, save me! Mama!”
In that instant, realization dawned on Yuuno. He finally knew what was afflicting Vivio.
This is exactly like before!
The ceiling groaned and, with a final rumble, yielded, pouring tons of marbles and cement and masonry upon them. The heaven had become earth, dark, vengeful, wroth. Fire snaked like molten gold around the wave of falling debris. Then, the whole structure shook, and their ground gave way. They plummeted through what appeared to be an endless spiral of black, ashen earth rising up against them. The massive shower above them, however, was much heavier, and it would consume them before they had a chance to move out of its way.
Yuuno spread his arm apart, drawing all the reserves of magical energy he could expend for the spell. A huge sigil sprang into being beneath them, vibrant jade-green in color. Mana streamed from him in ribbons of energy, weaving a powerful barrier that shielded them from the elemental wave. Boulders and rubbles and detritus pounded the spell, hungrily seeking entry to the lives sheltered beneath. Yuuno ground his teeth together as he focused on maintaining the barrier, feeling the force tearing at the magic he had cast.
And the world around them was blackness all-encompassing, with only the deep rumble of the earth and the tormented cry of a child trapped in the past she wanted to forget …
* * * * *
“PTSD,” Leona spoke suddenly, her voice strangely quiet.
Everyone turned around to look at her, except for Nanoha, who merely raised her head slightly, listening intently as she kept stroking Vivio lightly. The girl had calmed a little, but she refused to let go of her mother. Hayate and Fate looked at the mother and daughter, then at each other, before shifting their sight to Leona.
“Leona-san is right,” Arf said disconsolately. Sighing, she continued, “She’s re-experiencing her past.”
“You mean …” Reinforce Zwei started.
“Posttraumatic stress disorder,” Leona supplied. “The incident triggered the memories of her past that was painfully similar, causing her to be locked in a mental nightmare. Though the circumstances were different, there is no doubt that the sight of the two unfortunate victims threw her back to the time when she had suffered an unbearable agony. And that would be …”
“… The Cradle Incident.”
All eyes turned around to address the speaker as Yuuno’s words reverberated through the empty hall like the sound of a huge bronze bell being struck. There was an audible gasp as they finally understood what was wrong with Vivio. “Somehow, we managed to survive the fall and the destruction. When we landed, Vivio had fallen unconscious, perhaps from the strain the anguish caused her, or maybe she forced herself to escape from the trauma. I took her immediately to Shamal-san, but she could treat only the external wounds that Vivio-chan suffered. When she came to, she was listless and silent, and she wouldn’t talk to anyone.”
Yuuno gazed at Nanoha’s back. “The only word she ever said since then was always your name, Nanoha.” There was a small movement from Nanoha, so slight it was imperceptible, but none could be sure what it was, or whether it was a figment of their imagination. “I don’t really understand it myself, but my feeling tells me that the scene reminded her of the time when she was alone, waiting for someone to rescue her. She relived the time when she fought you, her mother, but most of all, she fought herself. All that time, she had been lonely, waging the hidden war against her other self and losing in the process. She wanted protection, love, warmth, just so that she could survive in that blasted landscape that was her past.”
Yuuno sighed. “You gave her that much, Nanoha. No, you gave her more than what she could dream of. You delivered her from the darkness of her heart. Your smile, your kindness, your strictness, your strengths and your weaknesses, all of those are the heaven’s light that lifted her from her sad past. Despite you having no blood relations with her, you cared for her like your own. And she wants to protect you for as long as you lived. That’s why …”
He became silent. Yuuno moved towards the two slowly and then knelt next to Nanoha. “That’s why … when she saw what happened, something within her snapped, as if she had lost you …” Yuuno’s voice thickened as he spoke the rest of his sentence. “… And I’m truly sorry, Nanoha. I should’ve taken her out immediately when I had the chance. If I did, then she wouldn’t be—”
// Score: You are My Love / Composer: Kajiura Yuki / Artiste: Makino Yui / Anime: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles //
“It’s all right.” For the first time after receiving Vivio into her bosom, she spoke, her voice tremulous.
Nanoha was crying.
“It’s all right, Yuuno-kun,” she repeated. “You did what you had to do. There’s no need to blame yourself, you’ve done nothing wrong.” She lifted her head that was hidden in the shadows, and she gave the best smile she could even as silvery tears crested her cheeks.
Yuuno’s heart was shattered. He had never seen Nanoha revealing her weakness before, and it crushed him to see her so sad. He knew Nanoha had cried when Riot Force 6 was attacked by the Numbers five years ago and when Vivio was taken away from her, but seeing it in this near in reality with his own two eyes was unbearable, as if something had died within him.
Without quite knowing why, Yuuno lifted a finger and gently wiped away the tear. Nanoha had always been cheerful, happy person, one that would go against the odds with everything she had, an optimist who believed in the future. Her heart was solidified by her faith and trust, but tonight, the fine wall of crystal that had guarded her for so long, protected her from the uncertainty of the world, shattered. Yuuno wished that sorrow would leave Nanoha, leave the fragile woman sheltered in the tough exterior, alone.
“Oh, look at me!” Nanoha said, laughing a little, suddenly conscious of herself. She quickly wiped the other side with one hand. “I’m no more matured than Vivio-chan to be crying now. She’ll probably wake up later and laugh at me.” Nanoha looked down to the child cradled between her arms. She had stopped, apparently exhausted, and her breathing had returned to normal. The last vestige of a tear brimmed on her eye, and gently, Nanoha removed it. “You silly girl …” she said softly, affectionately.
“I’m sorry, Nanoha,” Yuuno said again, whispering the words so that he would not disturb the slumbering girl.
“Yuuno-kun,” she replied with a prim tone. “I’ve already said that there’s nothing to apologize, you’d already done what you could.” Nanoha returned her gaze to Vivio, a motherly smile on her face. “Besides, if you’ve not gone for her and protected from her the fall, her fate would probably be worse than it was right now. So, don’t worry about it, Vivio-chan will surely recover, I know it!”
Nanoha’s optimism had returned, and it was infectious. Yuuno could not help but smile. “Yes, I think so as well. Thank you, Nanoha.”
“Yuuno-kun?” Nanoha said suddenly.
“Hmm?”
“Thank you, too.”
If anything, the next few seconds would be the most precious moments in Yuuno’s entire life, an unexpected gift in the solemn sanctuary, forever branded into his mind.
Everyone gasped again. It was so sudden they could not react properly.
Yuuno tasted fire and electric simultaneously, a sensation that was both strange and, as peculiar as it might sound, calming at the same time. He felt the contact, a warm, brilliant halo of angelic bliss, lifting him beyond the clouds of his imagination. It was very brief, a fleeting moment in the point of history, but it was enough to leave him breathless and set his heart racing.
It was but a single touch.
Soft against rough.
Yin against yang.
Lips against lips.
The divine union.