It was odd. Now matter how many I fought, none knew the name of the man I was after. Time and time again I got the same answer: ‘who?’ It was infuriating, making me want to scream. These people had Jewel Seeds, why don’t they know my creator? Why does everything seem so confusing? Why hasn’t anyone I know tried to contact me now that I was free again, and for that matter where is everyone? Surely they would have felt my presence by now… Despite all the setbacks I can’t give up yet, there’s still so much I need to do. I have to find ‘him’. I have to get my revenge for all the pain my friends and I have gone through…I can’t afford to get caught now; too many people are counting on me!
TSAB: 6th Division VI
By: Satashi
Skeith landed with a loud clinking sound as her clawed armor touched the concrete beneath her. The four people around her all immediately stopped talking and turned to the new arrival, drawing their weapons. “I want your item,” She told them steadily as she walked forward, ignoring the humming sounds of charging weaponry. “Hand it over.”
“It’s her! The one that’s hunting Lost Logia traders!” One man charged Skeith, drawing back his staff. “She has a bounty on her head, kill her!”
Skeith easily grabbed the man’s face with one hand, gripping it tightly and dragging his struggling body as she kept walking forward. “Hand it over. Now. I won’t ask again.” With a sharp flick of her wrist she sent the man she held captive flying into one that was jumping at her from the side. She extended her hand slowly, forming a large yellow ball of energy in it before blasting the third man back several yards.
“Take it!” The final man threw the box at her and ran, leaping into the air.
The armor clad female grabbed the box and also took to the air, flying to a nearby skyscraper and landing slowly. The box was pried open carefully, reaching into it and pulling the blue Jewel Seed out of it. “Yes!” Skeith dropped the box in her excitement. “Hanon! It’s you! Hanon, wake up!” The seed remained calm. “Hanon! Come on!” Skeith’s excitement faded when the seed didn’t respond to her. “No…Not you too…” Falling to her knees, the girl caressed the seed in her hands sadly. “Hanon…You were my best friend…” A small teardrop fell, dropping onto the lifeless artifact. “Damn it… How many more will I find dead!?” Her hand reared back and punched the top of the roof, shattering the flooring. “You will pay for toying with our lives…Wily Scaglietti!!”
“Wily…Scaglietti?
Skeith gripped the seed and slid it in a side pouch on her armor as she stood up. Across the roof and to her side was Caro riding on top of her dragon in full size mode. “It’s the little brat today,” Skeith mused as she walked across the roof towards her. “I’m not in a good mood, leave me before I hurt you.”
“Please! Let Nanoha-san go!” Caro swallowed thickly.
“It’s been a month now; can you people only say the same thing over and over again?” The woman stopped at the edge, flaring her leather wings out behind her. “I told you, there is something I need to do, and I won’t give up this chance to do it!” She threw out her arm in annoyance. “Leave me alone! Stop stalking me!
The pink haired girl stayed silent a moment before nodding to herself. “I’m sorry, I have been ordered to bring you into custody. Please come with me.”
“Heh.” Skeith flexed her fingers a moment before lunging at the girl with claws outstretched. The auto barrier was destroyed instantly and she landed on top of the dragon right in front of Caro’s shocked face. “Your dragon would cause even me a problem,” She told her softly. “So I will make it go away!” Clapping her hands together, Skeith yelled out as a yellow magical circle flared around her hands before being thrust down onto the dragon’s back. “Disspell!”
Caro felt a part of herself being ripped away as white smoke floated up around her. “No…Freidliche!” All at once the dragon vanished, leaving her to hover in the air a moment before sinking through the smoke and falling. The girl tumbled around helplessly, screaming out in terror as the many floors sailed past her. She could feel her eyes water from the force of the wind as she free fell, mind quickly trying to come up with a plan to stop herself. ‘I’m going to die…’ She thought in a sudden realization when the ground started to noticeably get closer to her. The girl closed her eyes and held her breath tightly, too afraid to look. “Mother!!!”
Arms wrapped around the falling girl, quickly changing her course of direction. Caro instantly clung to whoever had saved her and sobbed into their chest as they landed lightly several paces away from the area they had been. A small silence passed before she was rudely dropped to the ground, landing hard and hitting her head on the dirt. Slowly she opened her eyes and stared up in disbelief at Skeith, who was glaring down at her. Without saying anything the woman turned and took back off into the air, leaving the scared and confused girl to lie on the grass. In the sky Skeith flew silently, eyes clouding lightly as her hands gripped the jewel seed she just gained. ‘Hanon…Even though we went through everything together you kept saying that murder wasn’t right…Why? Why didn’t you want to kill him for doing that to us? Why did you keep trying to save people you didn’t even know…? Consider this a token to my friend, child.’ Her eyes glanced behind herself to make sure Caro didn’t have some way of following her. ‘Next time, I won’t hesitate to let you die…’
“I was, but she spotted me,” Caro replied, allowing Fate to obsess over her. “Fate-san, she didn’t hurt me, she actually saved me from falling off a building.”
“Really?” Fate licked her lips in thought. “Nanoha must still be able to influence Skeith just a little bit…”
“She also said something,” Caro recalled, looking up at Fate again. “Wily Scaglietti. I think it’s a name?”
Yuuno froze, body posed as if he was about to say something but suddenly decided not to. Fate noticed and looked over at him inquisitively. “Nothing…” He told her, looking away and swallowing.
“You know something?” Fate asked, walking over to him. “That name is too close to that bastard’s to let slide!”
“No…” He looked over at Caro.
“Caro, please leave.” Fate told her sternly.
“But I-”
“Caro!”
“Yes ma’am!” She saluted before quickly running out of the room.
“Now spill it!” Fate got up into Yuuno’s face, glaring at him. The male looked down at her softly for a few seconds to allow Fate a moment to calm down. Once she realized her outbreak Fate sighed and closed her eyes, allowing her forehead to rest against his chest. “I’m sorry Yuuno.”
“Its okay,” His hands went around her in an encouraging hug. “Fate… Wily Scaglietti… is the one who started Project F.” He felt Fate instantly go stiff in his arms. “His research was continued by Precia…”
“The way I was created…” She whispered softly, eyes now wide. Although the arms around her tightened, she could find no comfort after the news. “So Skeith…”
“…Is probably related to your birth in some way.” He finished for her sadly. “I’ll bring up the files I have on my computer back home. I’ll be back in a week tops.”
“Okay…Thank you.”
“I see…” The man turned to accept the clipboard of papers. Dark gray hair hung around his head around a bald spot on top, paired with a mustache that was equally gray with wisp of white flecking it. “Then I believe we should neutralize any un-needed emotions before the conversion process.”
“Suggestions?”
“Take out everything but fear, hate, jealousy, envy, pride, sadness and anger. This is a minor set back, but it will ultimately lead to the creation of the perfect A.I!”
“Sir,” The man nodded and walked over to the large computer, typing out commands. “Which test subject will undergo this?”
“How about the one with the yellow hair? She seems to be the most influenced by emotions.”
“Why do you allow Hanon to stay out of the experiments?” The assistant asked, looking over at him. “She constantly defiles us. She’s a test subject, we should use her?”
“She keeps them from dieing,” Wily replied casually. “Just one more thing we don’t have to worry about. Now, bring the girl. Purge her emotions and place her under observation. Also make sure Hanon and her are together. I wish to use it to farther push the lass over the edge when I convert her into a jewel seed. She will be the ultimate weapon of destruction…not even the book of darkness will match her!”
“Yes sir!” The man walked over to a large cage in the room, unlocking it and walking over to a teenage girl and grabbing her arm. “You’re up.”
“No, no!” The girl fought back weakly, trying to free herself. “Don’t kill me! Hanon! Hanon help me!” She reached out towards the blue haired girl, who instantly tried to pull her back.
“Stay!” The assistant kicked the other girl, knocking her to the side and dragging out the still screaming prisoner.
“Don’t….don’t…” The girl cried softly, too tired to protest physically anymore. “I don’t’ want to die… don’t kill me…”
“You won’t die,” Wily informed her, locking her into a chair and placing a type of helmet onto her head. “After this, you will feel better.”
“Ready to purge, doctor.”
“Begin process.” He passively watched as the girl began to spasm and cry in pain. “Let’s code name this one… I have high expectations…”
“Name, sir?”
“Call her…. Skeith.”
“That must have been painful,” a voice from inside told her, making Skeith gasp and look around. “I had no idea…”
“Oh…it’s you.” Skeith settled down and glared at nothing in particular as she talked to Nanoha. “You just won’t shut up will you?”
“I’m bored,” She replied a little snippy before calming back down again. “So that is why you are after the doctor?”
“Shut up, I don’t need to answer any of your questions. Go back to sleep.” She gripped her fist hard as she concentrated, forcing the voice back down into the recesses of her mind. Once silenced, Skeith stood and stretched before flying out from the bridge and looking around. ‘The people have increased their efforts to bring me down,’ she thought bitterly as the rain and wind lashed around her body. ‘I can’t find him anywhere, but I know he worked in this city…He stopped his aging process so he couldn’t have died… What if someone else killed him? No!’ Skeith snarled angrily. ‘I have to be the one to…’ She came to a stop, eyes meeting the woman’s in front of her. “Signum,” she stated as she flexed her fingers to prepare for battle.
“Skeith,” She replied in kind, drawing her sword. “I won’t waste time with words. My unit was ordered to bring you in, and I will.”
The girl glared at Signum a moment before screaming and flying forward. The sword was grabbed with one hand when she was close, but felt it be pulled out of her grasp and slung again. Skeith brought her arm up and caught it on the spikes covering her armor, twisting her body as she allowed the blade to slip past her without a cut. Attacking again, she punched Signum’s blade back and followed up with a roundhouse, knocking the woman away. ‘I can’t win without a weapon,’ She thought bitterly as her opponent’s blade shattered into something she called ‘snake form.’
Signum lashed her sword chain whip quickly, making it loop around her enemy and tie the arms to her sides. “Yield.” She tugged on her handle, biting the blades into the armor and scratching it.
“Not until I finish what I need to do,” Skeith spat at her as she wiggled to try to free herself, ignoring the wounds it caused.
“What do you need to do?” Signum flew forwards and looked into her eyes. “Maybe we can work out a deal. We will help you if you give us Nanoha back.”
“Like I would fall for something like that?” Skeith grinned darkly, making Signum look down in shock at the bloody arm pressing against her stomach. “Data Drain!” Several orange beams shot out from Skeith’s wrist, twirling slowly as red and green hexagons filled the spaces between them, leaving several places open. “Raising Heart may refuse me as its master,” She told Signum as a black ball of energy shot into her stomach. “But that won’t keep me from copying yours!”
Signum felt her body go numb, the rain steadily weighing her down to the point where she just wanted to collapse. All of her energy left, being sucked away into the red and black stream leading to Skeith’s hand. Finally after what seemed like countless seconds Signum passed out, falling through the air and landing harshly in the river below.
Skeith gasped out, eyes going wide as the magic poured through her. “Phase Shift!” She cried out, reaching behind her back and gripping her hand. Yellow energy flared around her as she pulled upwards, as if unsheathing the sword that was being created. “Signum!” Once the weapon was free, the woman swung the sword around a few times to get the feel of it. It was almost a perfect copy of the knight’s weapon, only tinted with a yellow that matched her eyes. “Now, I can properly defend myself against them.” Looking to the side, she narrowed her eyes as the rain stung the skin of her wounded arm. “But first, I need to heal…” Her eyes looked downwards as the blood oozed out from the multiple cuts she received while wiggling her arm out of the snake bind.
“Signum…” Hayate waved off the monitors around herself and scooted her chair back. “I’m going to check on her.” Quickly she grabbed her coat and briskly walked to the door. As soon as she opened it she ran into someone’s chest, making her fall backwards. A strong hand reached out and caught her, preventing the woman from hitting the floor. “Sorry,” She apologized quickly before looking up to see who it was. “…Admiral Chrono!?”
“Hey,” He grinned, winking. “You sure looked stressed, glad I came.” Chrono helped her to stand up properly and chuckled to himself. “I heard you were assigned to take down some SS-ranked mage and were having troubles so I came to visit everyone on my leave and see if I could help!” He brought up an arm and flexed his muscle playfully. “I’ll knock’em out before they know what happened!” Chrono waited a moment for a laugh but when he didn’t receive one he looked down again. “Hey… What’s wrong, you’re so serious looking all of a sudden?”
“Chrono,” She spoke softly, looking down. “I’m sorry I hid this from you in the reports but…”
“…What is it?” A flash of lightning made the lights flicker in the office. “Did something bad happen?”
She sighed. “Walk with me.”
“She’s been like this since Yuuno-kun left,” Hayate told Chrono as they went from the office building to the residential area. “I think her nap just now was the first time she’s slept in over forty-eight hours.” Her gaze went to the girl who was giving up her struggle simply because her body wouldn’t allow her to move anymore. “When she does sleep…she screams and cries.”
“She stays with you?” Chrono tried to make his little sister more comfortable as he carried her.
“Whenever I can convince her of it. She sleeps on her couch, I don’t think she’s gotten in her bed since Nanoha was taken over.”
“I see…Yuuno’s been taking care of her?”
“Yeah, he’s pretty bad off too, but he’s hiding it well for her sake.” She nodded at Fate.
“How are you?”
“She sleeps roughly five hours a day,” Rein informed him when they met up on the elevator.
“Rein!” Hayate scolded her. “Don’t tell him that.”
“Get some rest tonight, as your superior I command you.” He walked out of the elevator when they reached the sixth floor. “You are forbidden to leave your quarters from now until lunch tomorrow.”
“Yes sir,” She saluted him as the doors closed. “…Thank you.”
Chrono opened the door to his sister’s loft and walked into it, frowning at the sight. Everything was clean and in place and it was slightly warm in the room. “Been cleaning?”
“I can’t sleep, so I clean.” She whispered, voice tired. “Don’t change the temperature… Nanoha likes it a little warm.”
“And you like it more than just a little cold,” He told her, sitting the girl on the couch and knocking the temperature down several degrees. “You will sleep better if you’re comfortable.”
“But I need to-”
“We will. Tomorrow. Sleep.” He pushed her back down onto the couch. “I’m going to stay the night okay?”
“Okay,” Fate gave up and allowed herself to close her eyes, pressing her back far into the couch. “Yuuno sleeps on my bed, help yourself.”
“Thank you,” Chrono stayed downstairs until he heard soft snores coming from his little sister then headed up the stairs and looking around. The bed was neat as well, probably Yuuno’s doing. Several of the man’s clothes were laid out and two suitcases were at the foot of the bed. ‘I guess she can’t sleep in such a big bed by herself…’
“Shhh, I knew this time would come eventually,” The blue haired girl whispered softly to the teenager in her arms. “If they succeed on me, you won’t have to go through it,” She added in, gently hugging her. “So I need to do this. If it will spare you, I will do anything.”
“Hanon…why? Why are you always protecting me… I don’t understand…?” Tears fell down the girl’s cheeks freely.
Gently Hanon moved her chin up so they could look into each other’s eyes. “One day…” The girl kissed her softly. “You will understand. Don’t let them win, Aura. Don’t let go of what remains of what they took away. Embrace them.”
“I don’t understand…” Skeith sobbed out again as the lab assistant took Hanon’s shoulder and puller her away. “Hanon! Don’t take Hanon!”
“Quiet, Skeith.” The assistant yelled at her. “You are coming to watch!”
“Don’t let her see!” Hanon shouted at him. “I’ll come peacefully, she doesn’t need to witness it!”
“On the contrary,” He grinned at her. “This is what we’re going for.”
“No… NO!” Hanon tried to force herself free of his grasp. “You said she would be let go! You promised!”
A quick injection on her neck made Hanon fall limp, allowing the man to heft her over his shoulder and drag Skeith along. The blue haired girl was placed in a type of vertical glass tube before it was filled with a strange liquid. “Hanon is ready, doctor.” He spoke, forcing Skeith in a chair to watch. “You may begin conversion.”
“Don’t hurt her!” Skeith screamed, struggling as hard as she could. Her eyes frantically looked around for some way of getting loose and helping her. Scared and confused, she struggled harder, crying in pain as the binds started to cut into her skin. Lights flared all at once, drawing her attention to the girl floating in the liquid as what she could only describe as lightning flared out around it. “Hanon…” Her eyes widened in terror as smoke cleared, now showing only a pulsating blue crystal where the girl had once been.
“Transformation complete!” The assistant cried out in joy. “Consciousness level…..seventy percent!”
“Our best yet,” Wily mused as he walked over to grab the jewel seed. “Soon… Soon we will be able to make the perfect A.I…. the most powerful weapon that can truly think for itself and not be bound by a program!”
“Hanon…” Skeith gripped her fist, slowly raising her head to glare at the doctor. “I’m going to kill you… with my own hands, I swear it.”
“Yes, yes, goooood.” Wily smirked down at her. “Hate me! Despise me! I will use those to make you our first true success!” His sick smile only got bigger when Skeith spat on him. “Soon, yes, soon… You will become my greatest achievement!”
“Skeith…”
“Go away… Go away, I can’t deal with you right now…”
“You didn’t chose to be this way, Skeith… It’s not too late to turn back!”
“Shut up!” She tried to collect herself. “You just want your body back! You don’t care about me, you never have and you never will! No one does! I’m alone… I’m always be alone…”
“Skeith…”
“Stop looking into my dreams! Stop digging up my past!”
“You’re not a bad person, I can tell! Skeith, stop what you’re doing! Stop hurting people! Can’t you see this is exactly what they wanted!?”
“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!” Skeith gripped her head and sobbed out. “I don’t want to remember this! I just want my revenge! You can have your body back after that, just leave me alone, Nanoha!”
“…That’s the first time you’ve said my name.”
Skeith shook her head roughly. “Go away… Please… You don’t know what it’s like…”
“I do. When we met, I”
“I don’t care about that! I don’t understand! I don’t understand anything! Why are those people still trying to rescue you!? Why haven’t they given up!? Why do they cry when they see me!? Why?! WHY!?” She didn’t wait for and answer, instead pushing Nanoha back down into her mind, once again given blessed silence. ‘When I first woke up it was so easy…’ She thought to herself as she stood. ‘I only had to think about killing…But now… What are these feelings…Why am I hesitating!? Murder is common isn’t it? That’s all I’ve seen, why do I not kill people now? Hanon… What were you trying to teach me… What are the emotions I lost? It hurts, Hanon… It hurts so bad…’ Slowly she walked down the slope under the bridge and into the water below to try and remove the dirt and mud that was on her after sleeping.
“Yuuno?” He couldn’t help but grin at the man. “How long has it been since we’ve seen each other in person?”
“A long time.” The two friends smiled at each other before Yuuno suddenly got serious. “You know then?”
“…I know.”
“I have my research,” Yuuno held up something that looked like a book. “I went through everything I found and put it all in a report. Where is Fate, she needs to hear this too.”
“She’s not downstairs?” He got a shaking of the head. “Dammit… Can’t she wait for anything…?”
“Thank you,” She panted, reaching out to rub her Dragon’s back to compliment it as well.
“Subaru, Tia, nice combination today.” She gave them a rare praise and immediately turned to Elio. “Can you still not call that armor you told us about?”
“No ma’am,” He looked down. “I don’t have any idea how it works.” His face picked up a little when he felt Caro’s hand reach up and take his to give an encouraging squeeze.
“Vita!” Yuuno called out, landing next to her from the air. “Training over?”
“For now, when did you get back?” She looked up at the boy. “Did you get the information?”
“Yeah, help me gather everyone.” He nodded to the girls. “Take the rest of the day off.”
“But, don’t we get to know too!?” Tia asked, shocked. “She’s our friend also!”
“Sorry, this has information you don’t need to hear.” Yuuno gave them a sad look before leaping into the air, followed by Vita.
“We don’t need to hear…?” Subaru asked softly, looking at the people fly away.
“Well,” He started, standing up and walking to the middle of the dark room. Hayate and her knights, as well as Chrono and his sister were all present for this. He seemed to have trouble beginning so he turned to look over at Fate. “ Um…”
“Be blunt, it’s okay.” Fate nodded at him. “I’m a big girl.”
“Right,” He pushed his glasses up and waved his hand, making several displays appear around him so everyone could see. “We all know Jail Scaglietti, illegal logia collector, mastermind behind several relic disappearances, and also head of illegal projects… Such as Project F.” Several images came up of females in large tubes, suspended in liquid. “Project F is the code name he uses to refer to his creation of artificial beings. However, he is not the first person to attempt to do so, as we all know.” He ignored the several worried glances being cast at Fate. “I’ll get to the point. Caro has given us a name spoken by Skeith: Wily Scaglietti.”
Several images of an old scientist appeared in the air. “He is the great grandfather of Jail whose main purpose was to create the perfect artificial intelligence. His methods were cruel and when the TSAB found out about it, he was brought down immediately. He tried to escape with his project: the Jewel Seeds. He stashed them on a deserted planet before being captured, later to be found by none other than myself. Several of them went to non administrated planet number ninety-seven. Precia Testarossa recovered Wily’s research and improved upon it, ultimately creating Project F based on those notes. Instead of trying to create AI by using real humans as the base, she implanted AI into a human.” Yuuno glanced at Fate, who was still watching. “We all know the rest so I’ll skip ahead a little.
“I scattered the seeds before Precia could get them, and we ended up bringing her to justice. We thought that was the end of the jewel seeds but as time passed we realized that there were more that weren’t accounted for. As of now, Jail is creating his own by whatever means, we don’t know.”
“What does this have to do with Skeith?” Fate finally asked.
“I was getting there,” He told her gently. Several more images appeared on the screen. “Skeith is…The first success of complete artificial intelligence. She was once a Mid-childra born child but she was turned into Jewel Seed Zero. With the process being completed once already, Precia easily altered it to make her own…. Fate.”
Fate leaned forward, rubbing her eyes. “Skeith is my proto type.”
“Yes.”
The girl felt Chrono rub her back soothingly as she absorbed the information. “Continue.”
“I’m sorry,” Yuuno gave her one more glance before speaking again. “Fate, as we know, has every resemblance to a real human being, down to her very DNA since she was in all ways, replicated from her sister. She is a real girl… Skeith is, how should I say, no more than a program with a human heart, surpassing everything we know today.”
“Even me?” Rein asked softly, getting eyes on her. “I’m a program, but I still…?”
“Rein-chan is indeed very advanced,” Yuuno smiled at her. “But you are still limited to your master, as are the knights. For example, none of you could harm Hayate. Even if you wanted to, you are her protectors, it’s in your code. You are all individuals with personalities and souls, but still limited. Skeith is a free will, able to do anything, any time, anywhere. She chose to save Nanoha, and chose to bind herself in the process.”
“So if she is her own will, how can we save Nanoha?” Vita asked, annoyed. “You’re giving us information, I want a strategy!”
“Calm down, Vita-chan.” Hayate spoke to her softly, putting an arm around the girl. The room was dark but she was close enough to tell that the smaller girl was trying to blink back tears.
“If Nanoha can suppress Skeith for a while, we could make a unison device and put Skeith’s program in it. The AI would be gone but the jewel seed will still be on her.”
“If we only knew Skeith was a program from the start…” Shamal whispered, closing her eyes. “I could have made something better…”
“Its my fault for not getting the information,” Yuuno countered, voice obviously in pain. “If only I had…”
“Yuuno, that information took you over six years to find,” Signum told him sternly. “There is no blame to be passed around. We need to solve this problem instead of pointing fingers at ourselves.”
“Yes,” Yuuno brought up more images. “I have a plan.”
“You can feel the synergy Nanoha and I share,” The blond spoke, drawing Bardiche in his scythe form. “Its proof Nanoha is still alive inside you.”
Skeith flexed her fingers, growling deep in her throat. “I see… It’s her that’s holding me back. It’s her that’s keeping me scared and confused. It’s… its HER!” Skeith’s eyes glared at Fate darkly, tears leaking from them. “If I kill you I’ll be able to seal her completely, and then I can finish my mission!” Reaching behind herself, she gripped air. Her hand pulled up quickly as she formed a sword. “Phase shift: Signum!” Screaming out, she launched herself forward to engage in battle.
Fate parried the attack gracefully, twirling her scythe around and attempting to hit her stomach with the staff part but missing. “How did you get that sword?”
“My secret!” Skeith slashed again, this time putting more effort into it and sending Fate reeling back. Instead of chasing, she was forced to jump into the air to avoid several balls of energy crashing where she just stood. Her eyes turned to see Vita, gripping her hammer tightly in her hands. Instinct made her dodge the next attack, narrowly avoiding Signum’s sword as she flashed beside her. Skeith twisted in the air to avoid two crystals attached to strings leading over to Shamal’s fingers. Beside her Zafira stood as well, already trapping them within a barrier. “Che…”
Yuuno made his appearance next, forcing the girl to speed up her evasive movements to avoid being caught in a bind spell. Her escape was cut off roughly as she found her right leg suddenly being frozen. Looking around, she spotted Chrono not too far away, eyes cold as ice. ‘Too many,’ She realized in fear. ‘I can’t take them all!’ Despite it, she found herself gripping her fist in annoyance. ‘Why? WHY!?’ She flew to the side of the barrier, only to be shot back by an outside blast that was allowed entry. Subaru hovered outside the dome on top of her wing road. The blue magic looped around the dome several times and the Stars and Lightning Members were all placed around it, re-enforcing the barrier and making sure Skeith couldn’t get out. ‘Why do they go to such lengths for her!?’
Skeith looked around herself as the people surrounded her from all angles. ‘It can’t end here…I have to avenge them!’ With a scream Skeith flared out her energy, shoving everyone back away from her. Several magic bullets shot out, each homing in on a different person. Combined with the attack, Skeith darted forward towards Fate. Her sword clashed furiously against her scythe and after a few swings, broke the girl down to her knees. A quick sidekick knocked Fate over and allowed Skeith to take to the air, spinning her sword around Shamal. The green clad woman expertly dodge the attack, flying backwards so Signum could take over the encounter. She came paired with Vita, who both double teamed her.
Pulling away, she felt a chill run down her spine as Chrono once again had a clear shot. Her armor caught a light lair of frost on it before she flew away, flapping her wings once. Tia was ready for her and emptied both of her gun barrels in a successful attempt to keep Skeith from trying to leave the barrier. The girl reloaded quickly, running along the wing road to keep a steady eye on her.
Hayate attacked next, silver hair flowing around her as her staff flashed a rain of fire upon her. A section of the forest below caught flames, giving Skeith enough time with the distraction to fly down into them, only to be greeted by Fate once more. “Just die!” She screamed out, once again clashing blades with her. Several cuts flecked her body from the pulsating plasma blade making her run to the side to get some distance and fire several bullets. “I won’t lose here, I won’t!” Yellow energy ripped around her, slinging everyone into the barrier and bouncing them off.
Increasing her speed, Skeith darted around the dome, using her fist and feet to beat up everyone she could before the short spell was over. Yuuno and Shamal fell to the ground, wincing in pain since their shields weren’t up at the moment of attack. “Die! All of you!” Skeith pulled her sword again, slashing hectically at Vita and finally managing to get in a solid slice on her side. Zafira came to her rescue by biting the woman’s thigh and making her dart away. “Stop getting in my WAY!” a large ball of energy formed, which she threw at the wolf, knocking through his shield and sending him to the ground.
Fate once again got in close, slashing and parrying with a speed that matched her opponents. “We will not give up!” Fate told her sternly. “Nanoha!”
“Don’t say that name!” Skeith screamed, pupils dilating. “Stop pretending to care! No one cares for anyone!”
“Is that what your twisted mind thinks!?” Fate called back, grabbing the blade with her hand and ignoring the roaring pain it caused. Her scythe slashed out, cleaving clean through Skeith’s armor on her chest. “We love her! All of us!”
“There’s no such thing!” Skeith pulled her sword back, slicing Fate’s hand. Continuing, she stabbed her sword forward, narrowly missing her. “There’s only pain and sadness!”
“Listen to yourself!” Fate flipped up her scythe, catching the end under Skeith’s chin. With a twirl she launched her opponent against a burning tree and flew after her when she went straight through it. “You’re nothing but a demon!”
“They are the demons!” Skeith countered, throwing burning ashes into Fate’s eyes. “I’ll kill them all! I have to! They won’t rest peacefully until I do!”
“Who!?” Fate leapt backwards, allowing Chrono to freeze the area along with Hayate while she tried to clear her vision.
Skeith jumped through the sudden frozen ground and slid on the ice. The temperature change was so drastic she could even see her breath now as she panted. “All of them! Everyone who died in the process!” She slashed her sword, sending arched energy blades to the woman. “And everyone who died while sealed after it!” She slid along the ice as Yuuno once again tried to bind her unsuccessfully.
“Wily is dead!” Fate screamed, suddenly appearing in front of Skeith and sending magic bullets into her stomach. “He’s been dead!”
“I don’t believe you!” Skeith lost her sword in the barrage so launched into attacking with her fist again. “What would you know!? You have no idea what it’s like! Knowing you’re not real!”
“Ha!” Fate bent backwards and flip kicked her followed by a sweep kick that made Skeith jump to avoid it. “You idiot!” The blond grabbed Skeith’s ankle and jerked, slamming her into the ground. “I was created by the same process!”
“What!?” Skeith pushed up and pounced her, fist blazing.
Fate dodged the attacks and grabbed the hands, feeling her own being cut by the sharp curved armor blades. “You heard me!” The two rolled around on the ground, trying to gain superiority. “The research that made you also created me!” Fate managed to push Skeith down and punched her, having lost Bardiche.
“You’re lying! You’re lying!” Skeith kneed Fate and shoved her off. “You can’t be! If you were, you would be helping me! Helping me avenge them!”
“I am!” Fate threw several small magical daggers at Skeith before dodging her own version being tossed right back at her. “I’ve been chasing his great grandson to bring him down!”
“You don’t care about that! No one cares!” Skeith felt her eyes water as the battle continued, each sliding on the slick frozen ground. “We’re all alone in the end!”
“I’ll die before I allow Nanoha to be alone!” Fate screamed mere inches in front of Skeith’s face when she got close enough. “I love you, Nanoha! Fight her down!”
“Fate…”
“No!” Skeith pulled one hand back and punched Fate in the stomach, doubling her over. “I’ll take you down so you will be too weak to fight anymore!” She pushed her hand out, forming three orange strips around her wrist. The energy grew, starting to rotate around her arm while forming red and greed hexagons between them. “Data Drain!”
Fate ignored the sudden pain from the attack, grabbing Skeith by the shoulders. “Nanoha! Come back! Fight this!”
Skeith’s mask crept downwards slowly revealing her nose and mouth. “Fate…”
“Nanoha!” The blonde’s eyes began to droop as her magic was siphoned away. “Nanoha…”
“Fate! Fate!” tears spilled from her eyes all at once.
“Don’t let her… control you…Nanoha…” Fate leaned forward, using the last of her energy to grip her neck and pull her into a kiss.
Skeith gasped, turning around quickly in the pitch black area she was in. “What… No!” She turned around, seeing Nanoha’s body in front of her. “No…No, no, no!”
“Skeith…” Nanoha took a few steps forward, placing both her hands on the girl’s shoulders. Her enemy brought both hands up to her face and sobbed out. “Why are you crying, Skeith?”
“I’m scared, I’m angry, I’m confused!” She looked at her counterpart with terrified eyes. “Why? Why are they doing this!? Why are they getting hurt just to help you!?”
“Because we’re friends.” Nanoha closed her eyes calmly. “I would do the same for them.”
“But…I don’t understand…”
“Skeith…Don’t be afraid of these feelings… They are what was robbed from you, I saw it in your dreams. These are what makes you human, not a program. Skeith… Can’t you see? You’ve become just what they wanted you to be.”
“No…I… I’m different… I’m not their toy, I-”
“Skeith!” The harsh word made the girl stop her ramblings. “Look at yourself… you don’t have to be this way. I know, we’ve been together too long for me not to have noticed it. You’re not evil deep inside. You’re just afraid to accept the truth.”
“What is the truth?” Skeith looked at her pleadingly, her rage gone.
“You can’t seek revenge for your lost friends. Skeith, they don’t want you to become what Wily wanted just to avenge their death. They would want you, the survivor, to live. To not be held back, to hold your head up. You don’t bear the burden of their death, Skeith… you are your own being. You are alive, you have a heart, and you have a soul. There is more than pain, there is more than fear… there is love Skeith.”
Skeith’s eyes went wide as Fate kissed her. “This… this is the same feeling as Hanon… Before she…”
“She loved you,” Nanoha told her softly. “This is that feeling. Fate loves me as well, and she is doing everything for me… Just as Hanon did for you.”
“This is what she wanted me to know…” Skeith fell to her knees and placed her hands on the ground. “These are the feelings I’ve lost…” Slowly she hugged herself. “Hanon… I’m sorry… I didn’t realize it till now…” Her voice broke as her tears started to fall. “I’ve done so many horrible things…”
“That’s not important right now.” Nanoha knelt down in front of her. “You are realizing it, that’s what matters. You feel sorry for it, something that would make Hanon be proud of you. Keep these feelings, keep them in your heart. The love Hanon gave you, the feeling of what’s right, and friendship.”
“Friendship…They’re all dead…”
“Not true,” The words made Skeith look up at her. “How about one to start?” Nanoha offered her hand to her. “Lets be friends…Aura.”
The girl slowly reached up to take the offered hand. “My name…It’s been so long…” Their fingers touched each others, illuminating the area in a bright light.
“Fate?” Nanoha opened her eyes, realizing that she was no longer inside her own soul. “Fate! Are you okay?”
“Nanoha…?” Fate looked at her. “Is it you…?”
“Yes…Yes honey, it’s me.” Nanoha hugged Fate close. “Did I hurt you?”
“No… just weak…” Fate gave her a smile before shakily wrapping her hands back around her. “Its really you…” She sobbed out loudly, embracing her harder. “I missed you! Nanoha!”
“Yeah,” She coughed out, crying into Fate’s hair. “I missed you too! So much!” The black armor around her slowly dissolved back inside of her, replacing it with the soft white and blue fabric of her own jacket.
“Welcome back, my master.” Raising Heart spoke up as the self locking seal was removed.
“Nanohaaa!!!” The crowd of people all ran towards her at once, hugging and prying the girl off other people to hug her themselves.
“Ow, hey, it hurts!” She protested lightly as Yuuno pulled her off of Signum and gave her a bear hug. “I missed you too, hey stop it!” She felt Shamal pull her off Yuuno and grip her tightly, only to be shoved away by Chrono who also hugged her. Finally after everyone seemed to settle down she noticed one more person who was standing slightly away from them. “Vita-chan?”
Vita was blinking rapidly, shoulders lightly trembling. “I don’t need to hug you,” She protested, voice obviously shaking. “I told you we’d protect you didn’t I?”
Nanoha knelt down, opening her arms. “Come here, Vita-chan.” The words struck the girl hard, breaking through her last defenses and allowing her to freely cry and run into her arms. “There there, Vita-chan, I’m okay.”
“Nanoha! Nanoha! Nanohaaaaaa!” Vita sobbed loudly, hugging the woman harshly and rubbing her face against her while gripping her shirt tightly.
“Mommy?” Caro asked, finally getting through the barrier and to her.
“Caro-chan!” Nanoha lifted an arm to allow the girl to share in the hug. “Aw, my two little girls!”
The other members of the forwards smiled, allowing the oldest friends to settle themselves down before also walking over and welcoming back their teacher.
“Yes, but it’s nothing like it was,” Nanoha replied, shivering as the cold metal piece touched her bare chest so Shamal could listen to her heart beat. Once done, she continued. “She won’t try to take me over anymore.”
“How can you be sure?” Shamal stuck a plastic type strip on her forehead to take her temperature.
“I just am. She doesn’t need to be sealed anymore. She’s sleeping.” Nanoha put a hand over her heart. “She’s tired.”
“I want to examine you every day regardless.”
Nanoha gave her a light smile. “Come on, I’m a tough girl, I’m fine.”
“Nanoha.”
The tone of voice made her wince. “…Yes ma’am… but can I please get dressed, I’m awefully chilly.”
“Fine, fine. I’ll continue the rest of it tomorrow. I’m sure you just want some sleep about now.”
“Yes, please.” Nanoha began to get dressed. “Thank you for the check up.”
“Always dear. Remember, Every day. I don’t care when.”
“Yes ma’am.” Nanoha slid up her miniskirt easily and zipped it. “… I think I’ve lost weight.” She turned around in front of the full length mirror in the examination room. “I did… a good ten pounds.”
“You should eat healthy,” She told the girl. “Make sure your body is okay, you know how much magic strains us.”
“Yes, yes,” Nanoha turned and saluted her playfully. “Can I go to my girlfriend now? Pretty please?”
Shamal smiled at her. “Sure, go ahead.” The woman had to bite back a laugh as Nanoha literally ran to the door and pounced Fate once outside of it. “Make it quick, I need to examine Fate as well, she was cut pretty badly.”
“It’s all really over?” Fate asked her softly.
“Yes. Don’t worry anymore. Everything is fine.” Nanoha rolled over onto her back and pulled Fate down on top of her. “Hold me?”
“Always,” Fate gripped her tightly, pulling her close. “I’m never letting go.”
“Don’t want you to.” Nanoha cuddled her. “The loft looks great, by the way. Nice and clean and inviting.”
Fate couldn’t help but laugh a little. “I cleaned for you.”
“Thank you.” She kissed Fate lightly. “I really want to stay up talking but I’m so, so tired…”
“Sleep.” Fate allowed a single happy tear to roll down her face. “If I cry any more I’m going to dehydrate.”
“Nyahaha.” Nanoha’s laugh made Fate pull her even closer. “Owie, I’m really sore, Fate-chan.” She still allowed her to cling to her despite the words. “You didn’t have to beat me to a pulp you know.”
“I tried to use the best strategy you would use,” Fate told her happily.
“What’s that?”
“Beat them up and then talk to them when they’re so weak they can’t move.”
Nanoha giggled to herself. “Worked wonders on you, after all.” She kissed her nose. “Now, back to that sleep thing we talked about?”
“Sure,” Fate reached up and cut off the reading light above their bed. “Sweet dreams, Nanoha.”
“Mmm, sweet dreams, Fate-chan.”
“Yes,” She confirmed sadly. “I have something I need to tell you.”
“What is it?” Nanoha walked over to her, worried. “Is everything okay? You look sad.”
“I know you’re blaming yourself for what I’ve done,” Aura spoke softly. “It’s my fault I killed those people, not yours.” She looked down a moment. “I’ve come here today to atone for my sins.”
“What do you mean?”
Aura closed her eyes. “I’m tired, Nanoha… I want to rest.” Her hands extended, forming a yellow ball of energy in them. “Take this…It’s my atonement.”
“What…?” Nanoha reached forward, touching the energy and gasping as it was absorbed into her body slowly. “…A…ura…”
“I’ll teach you how to phase shift,” She whispered, a tear coming from one of her eyes. “So you can use it to rightfully stop people who hurt others… that is the data seeds of Signum and Fate, the only two that I collected. With that you will be able to change your form and power to mimic theirs. I know you’ll use it rightfully.”
“I feel… something else…AURA!”
“The third form… is my own: Skeith, the soul reaver.” She smiled despite being sad. “You see, I’m actually not very smart… I thought about it for a long time and this is the only solution I could come up with.”
“Aura, no! you don’t have to do this! You changed, its okay now!”
Aura slowly started to fade away. “I give my life to ask forgiveness for those I have taken. This is my final will. Be free of worry, Nanoha… I will take all the guilt along with me… Goodbye.”
“Aura!” Nanoha screamed out, feeling the energy slowly sink into her own soul. “Aura…”
On the bed, Fate smiled to herself when Nanoha’s arms gripped her tighter. She snuggled her back against her girlfriend’s front, not knowing of the tears that drowned in her hair.
Fate: It has been a few weeks since the whole Skeith ordeal. Nanoha was extremely sad at first but after a few days and the legal tape was cleared, she started to cheer up again. I’m happy she’s smiling more, its so reliving to see it once again.
Nanoha: Fate-chan, come on! It’s time to leave! My parents are waiting on us!
Fate: Coming, Nanoha! Next time, on Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha 6th Division:
Nanoha: “A merry Christmas and a new beginning!”
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