[deathcurse]

Originally Posted by Satashi

Spoiler for ChanceS part 1:

Red eyes slowly opened, squinting as they tried to focus. Clouds were visible above and the girl laying on the ground let out a slow groan as she came to. Blond hair kept small strands of freshly mowed grass in it as Fate slowly sat up. 'What... where am I?' The questions came at once and the girl swallowed thickly, realizing her throat was parched. 'I feel like my whole body was scrambled...' Moving one hand to rub her eyes, she placed the other on the ground beside her and yelped when she realized that Bardiche was in battle form minus the plasma glow of his blade. "B-Bardiche? What... what happened to us?"

"Memory blocks for the past twelve hours are missing, sir." The device told her helplessly.

"...Why am I in my barrier jacket?" Fate slowly stood and stumbled back to her knees when her vision swam in front of her. "Ugh... Bardiche, can you scan me?"

"Already have sir, condition green."

"Thank you..." Fate took a long steading breath and felt herself feel a little better. "If I'm here, then the others might be in danger... I think this qualifies as flight without permission. Let's go, Bardiche!"

"Yes sir!"

Fate leapt into the air and twisted once to stabilize herself before looking around from her bird's eye view. "I'm in the park in the town, so that means the base is westward." After nodding to herself, she took off, forming a small barrier around herself to block most of the wind blowing on her.

"Incoming communication, sir." Bardiche informed her, popping a monitor up for her.

"Connect." Fate replied easily, relieved that she was being contacted.

"Unidentified mage, you have entered a restricted air flight zone in military use. State your name and land immediately or you will be fired upon."

Fate blinked at the harsh command and looked at the man on the screen she didn't recognize. "Fate T. Harlaown, lead enforcer of section six on my way back from a battle. I need a status update for the past twelve hours."

The man typed a few things on a floating keyboard before glaring at Fate. "There is no mage by that name stationed here. Please land at once."

Fate growled. "Look, I was knocked out in battle and have no idea what is going on, I need a status update!"

Again the man frowned. "Land right now, mage, or you will be intercepted. This is your last warning."

The blonde sighed and cut the communication off, flying to the front of her familiar base. 'I'll have to find Hayate or someone to find out what's going on.' As she started walking to the door, Signum exited it and stood infront of Fate. "Signum, thank goodness." She offered her friend a relieved smile. "I was knocked out some time ago and-"

"How do you know my name?"

Fate stopped talking for a few seconds, looking at her friend with a slightly open mouth. "Signum, please, I am seriously worried that-"

"Answer my question, mage. You entered a military base without permission after being warned that hostile action would be taken. This is a restricted zone."

"Signum, this isn't funny!" Fate's voice started shaking, fear settling in on her. "Please, I am really worried here, I don't need this!"

"I need to restrain you and take you so you can be questioned. Will you come with me quietly?"

"Signum!" Fate shouted now, tears in her eyes. "Why are you doing this, I need your help right now! This isn't funny!" When the woman didn't reply she walked past, then shoved her away when a hand moved to grab her. Before the warrior could make another attempt, Hayate made it to them, already in her jacket. "Hayate, will you-"

Hayate pointed her staff at Fate and glared at her with serious eyes. "Put down your weapon and identify yourself."

Spoiler for ChanceS part 2:

"What...?" Fate felt her legs shake but managed to keep herself standing. "Hayate... What is going on?" The tip of the staff lowered slightly when a tear fell from Fate's eye. "I don't... understand... Why are you acting like this...?"

Signum looked at Hayate and then back at the blonde who was on the edge of a breakdown. "I think the best course of action right now would be for you to come with us for a while and get some questions answered. Why do you know our names and why are you insisting that we know you?"

"Nanoha..." Fate's voice was soft, unsure of herself anymore. "I want to see Nanoha and Vivio."

Hayate positioned her staff in a less threatening way and put a hand on her hip, judging the woman in front of her. "Why do you want to see Nanoha-chan?"

"Please. Just please, okay? I need to see her..."

Signum stood behind her woman and put a hand on Fate's shoulder. "Mistress, I can take her from here."

"Please," Fate spoke again. " Just let me see them?"

"Who is Vivio?" Hayate asked, making Fate stiffen. "Okay, okay... I will ask for Nanoha to come to the interrogation room, will that make you feel better?"

"Mistress!?"

"I don't think she will cause any trouble." Hayate told her friend. "Now, can you tell me your name?"

"Fate." Fate finally spoke up. "Fate T. Harlaown."

Ignoring the last name as a coincidence, Hayate simply nodded. "Signum, please escort Fate-san here to the interrogation room. I will get Nanoha and ask her to meet you there."

Signum nodded and addressed Fate again. "Please disarm your device." She watched Fate recall her staff and place the gem in a slot on her left glove. "Thank you, this way, please." Putting her hand on Fate's back, she began to lead her.

Silence hung over the two as they slowly walked across the base while Hayate flew off towards the training field that was near where they were heading. No words were spoken during the semi-long walk and Fate felt a little bit of relief when she was entered in the air conditioned building. Together they walked to an elevator and she ignored the strange look she got when she pushed the button for the correct floor. After exiting, she made her way to the room and opened it, seeing Nanoha and Hayate already sitting behind the desk in the room.

After sitting down, Fate looked at Nanoha's questioning face and felt her heart break completely. "You... don't know who I am, do you?"

Nanoha looked at the woman in front of herself and slowly shook her head. "I'm... sorry? I don't remember you..."

Hayate spoke up, giving the woman a sad look. "Fate-san, could you please answer some questions for us? We have gone out of our way for you so much already." Fate nodded sadly, eyes still focused on Nanoha. "You told our contact that you were stationed here, am I correct?"

"Yes. Bardiche, could you?"

"Yes sir." Several monitors popped up, displaying Fate's I.D and information.

"Lightning one," Signum noted. "That is my call sign."

Fate didn't say anything. Instead, Hayate continued. "This looks too good to be faked... She even has our friendly unit code...It says here you live... In Nanoha's room."

Fate nodded again. "Yes, along with Vivio."

Nanoha shook her head. "Who is Vivio?" She almost flinched when Fate looked as if she had just lost her will to live. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." She glanced at Hayate with a confused face and whispered to her. "What happened to this girl?"

"I don't know," Hayate whispered back softly. Turning back to Fate, she tried again. "Fate-san, you said something about being knocked out? You are in battle mode?"

Fate was looking down at her hands on the table, talking so softly she almost couldn't be heard. "I don't know... I woke up and have no memory of the battle I was in or how I even got there... The last I recall was dropping Vivio off at school."

"That name... why would that person be in my room?"

"She's our daughter," Fate revealed, voice breaking again. "You... You really don't remember me? Nanoha?"

Nanoha swallowed and leaned back, stammering over her words. The woman in front of her was obviously upset because of them but she honestly couldn't remember anything. "Tell me something I would remember?"

"Our marriage?" Nanoha shook her head at Fate's words. "Adopting Vivio? Growing up, swapping ribbons?" When Nanoha kept shaking her head, Fate started getting desperate. "Anything? You saved me from my mother-" When Nanoha's eyes widened slightly, Fate felt a small bit of hope. "When we were nine, I attacked you for the jewel seeds!"

"I... I remember that, that was when I met Yuuno-kun and found out I was a mage..."

Fate nodded, reaching over and taking both of Nanoha's hands, much to everyone's displeasure. "Yes! And Arf, my familiar! Suzuka and Arisa!"

Nanoha shook her head, unsure. "How... can you know what happened on Earth..."

"That was me! The girl with pigtails! We fought and fought and you kept trying to get me to talk to you, and then when I was captured I came to help you against my mother. You offered your hand and saved me!"

Nanoha shook her head again. "But I... that girl died." This time Fate shook her head. "I remember it... I was yelling at her... to take my hand... and she didn't... she reached for her mother and was pulled into the void..."

"No... no, I reached for you. You saved me!" She felt Signum place a hand on her shoulder and she sat back down. "This isn't happening..."

"Fate, could you look at me...?" Nanoha leaned forward and ignored her friend's looks. Gently she touched Fate's cheeks and looked into her eyes. "I remember... those eyes. That were so very sad...."

Fate leaned lightly against the palms and placed her hand over Nanoha's. "I didn't die... Why is everything so suddenly different... I don't..."

"Lets talk somewhere more comfortable," Nanoha requested softly. "Hayate-chan, I don't think she is a threat. We need to let her settle down and try and figure out why she knows all of this. I think we should help her."

Hayate let out a breath but agreed anyway. "You always were one to help people no matter what... But I agree, this is a very confusing situation."

"Okay then, lets go to my room, Fate-chan. Signum, could you watch my students for an hour?" She got a nod and a very thankful look from Fate. "Lets go then." her hands pulled back and moved back under the table. A moment later she moved back and ran her palm over a small orb on her chair, gliding over to a shocked Fate. "Fate-chan?"

Fate felt everything stop, seeing nothing but Nanoha in a wheelchair. The questions around her started to fade out and she felt as if sand was pouring all over her body before she collapsed to her knees and then to the floor. The last thing she heard was her name being shouted and Nanoha trying to lean over to reach her.

.....

OMG, I love it! I like how Hayate's sympathetic but still wary, and the circumstance of the trouble is just...wow. Fate choosing to die, and all the consequences of that action...absolute yay