Unforeseen Eventuality

By: Kasumi H.

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When the World Crumbles

(What Will You Do?)

-Fate's Side-

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Pain shot through her right arm as a pink sphere of energy sliced through her barrier jacket. She winced slightly, not daring to take the time to examine her wounds. The attacks were fast, much faster and lethal than anything she had previously encountered, and it was taking all her concentration to block each assault. To those who were watching her current fight, it would seem like she was fighting a losing battle.

And perhaps they were right.

Enforcer Fate T. Harlaown knew, in her heart, that this battle had a predetermined outcome to begin with.

She wasn't going to win.

--

Nothing made sense to her.

This was wrong. Why were things like this? How did things turn out like this?

She didn't know. She didn't know despite her screaming. Her tears were flowing, but nothing was changing. It didn't make sense.

Why, why, why?

Questions without answers. She was becoming desperate. No, she was already desperate. Something needs to be done.

But what? What could she do?

The situation couldn't be any worse. Kill or be killed. And neither was an option. She knew she was nearing her limit, but she couldn't fall. Not yet. She wanted to save her. She had to save her.

But how? How?

Someone. Anyone. Save her. Save them.

Unanswered pleas. Everything was spiraling out of control. Yet she had to keep trying. Because she was the only one who can.

"Nanoha, stop this!" A tearful cry. One that was met with no verbal response.

Instead, a powerful beam was fired at her, and she almost did not have enough time to put up a barrier.

"Nanoha…" How many times have she uttered her name since the battle began? How long has she been fighting in the dark pit of confusion and pain?

What had happened?

Why was she fighting with Nanoha?

Why was Enforcer Fate T. Harlaown engaged in a life or death battle with Combat Instructor Takamachi Nanoha?

No one knew. Not even Fate. She wanted answers. She needed answers. But there were none. No explanation whatsoever. And Nanoha wasn't answering.

Another attack from the white aerial mage, and this time, the blonde enforcer found herself crashing to the ground. She couldn't last much longer against her. Blood dripped onto the earth. Pain overloaded her senses yet she forced herself to get back up. She stared up at her opponent who was hovering in the air, summoning her next attack. Fate didn't time to idle. She had to move unless she wanted a direct hit from Divine Buster.

But every time Fate looked into Nanoha's eyes, she felt her strength leave her a bit more; found her heart crying out more. The lively clear blue eyes she loved so much were not present. They were lifeless. Murky. As if Nanoha wasn't there at all. Fate wanted to go as far as to say it wasn't Nanoha she was fighting against. Perhaps then, she'd have less trouble in this battle. Perhaps then, she wouldn't be covered in injuries. Perhaps then, the blood that stained Nanoha's white barrier jacket wouldn't belong to Fate.

Sadly, this wasn't the world of 'pretends' or 'what ifs.' There were no perhaps. This was real. The person firing attacks at her with the intent to kill was, undoubtedly, Takamachi Nanoha.

"Bardiche, still no response from Raising Heart?"

"No, sir."

Fate gripped her staff tighter at the reply. Something happened to Nanoha while carrying out a mission. That much was certain. The question was what? Her only hope was Raising Heart. Only the intelligent device could provide the answers she was looking for.

Except it would seem that even the device had gone somewhere beyond reach.

Ignoring the pain, the exhaustion, the blood, Fate launched herself into the air once more, avoiding the oncoming assault and hoping to engage in close combat. She had to knock Nanoha out. That was the only option available to her.

After all, she had sworn to protect Nanoha; swore to never bring harm upon her.

Because Fate T. Harlaown loved Takamachi Nanoha all too much.

"Please…Nanoha!"

--

She was coughing up blood. Due to exhaustion, one miscalculation, and Nanoha had been given a chance to catch her with one of her attack variations.

A quick question to Bardiche revealed that the fight had been going on for hours now. Fate was not expecting back up. She knew that most of the capable mages, whether ground or air, were severely wounded, all shot down by the one known as the Ace of Aces; Takamachi Nanoha. All had attempted to stop the combat instructor, but all had failed.

Many of the other S or over S-ranked mages who might stand a chance against the combat instructor were away on off-world missions.

That left her alone on the battlefield against her best friend.

No matter how many times she called her name, there was no response. An overwhelming sense of despair has begun to seep into her. She couldn't let it all end like this, but there wasn't much more left that she could do. Her magic reserves were nearing zero, and very soon, she would not have enough to even sustain herself in the air.

"…Nanoha…"

Tears once again blurred her vision.

"…What am I supposed to do… Nanoha?"

She had long lost the energy to scream out these questions. She was merely whispering to the wind now.

Nanoha raised a finger, and pink spheres appeared around her. With a flick, the newly formed spheres headed towards the enforcer at high speed. Fate knew she wouldn't be able to dodge, not in her current condition. She tried her best to uphold a barrier, but it wasn't strong enough, and it sliced through more of her barrier jacket.

Fate gritted her teeth in pain. She couldn't look, there was no time to examine or to temporarily heal her wounds with her own magic. It was better if she didn't know how badly she was injured.

An unexpected blast followed up after the attack, and Fate found herself knocked backwards.

She picked herself up while coughing up more blood. Internal injuries will be hard to deal with. But that was the last thing that was on Fate's mind. Using Bardiche as an aid, Fate stood back up.

In her mind, she saw the memories of her and Nanoha, of all the years they spent together, the smiles, the laughter, the warmth, the love. Everything.

"Nanoha… Is this the end…? ...I don't it want to…"

A bright glow above her caught her attention. She knew that glow.

…And she knew that stance. She knew what was coming.

Nanoha's full power. Starlight Breaker.

She had been on the receiving end of it before. All those years ago. She survived it last time. This time however, Fate knew, she would not be coming out of it alive.

Fate could only watch as the energy gathered on the tip of Nanoha's staff. This was it. She failed. She couldn't save the one person who was most important to her. Despite Nanoha having saved her time and time again, when Nanoha needed her, she couldn't do anything.

She probably only had several more seconds before the white mage fired Starlight Breaker.

"…I love you, Nanoha…"

Just as Fate was about to close her eyes and accept defeat, a voice resounded from the depths of her heart.

"No, Fate-chan!"

Fate froze. That voice…! Nanoha! But…where?

"Fate-chan… End this."

What was going on? It was definitely Nanoha's voice but it wasn't telepathic communication nor was it the Nanoha about to shoot at her speaking.

"Fate-chan, you can do it. Please…"

Fate stared at Nanoha's form once more. There was no doubt about it. Nanoha was calling out to her. She didn't know how, but she was. Nanoha wanted her to end it. The smiling combat instructor that everyone has came to love can't bear to see herself destroy everything she loved.

So she was asking her, Fate T. Harlaown, Nanoha's most trusted and loved individual, to end it all.

And Fate suddenly realized that she could. If she used all of her remaining energy, she could pull off a Sonic Move to get behind Nanoha and bring down her scythe on her before Starlight Breaker was fired.

"Sir."

The enforcer knew what Bardiche was calling out for. If she were to act, she has to act now. She could not afford to delay.

But…

Nanoha… I'm sorry…

Bringing down her scythe on the white mage would mean killing her.

I love you.

Fate, still using Bardiche as a support to hold herself in a standing position, could only grip the staff tighter than she had ever done before.

…I can't do it…

And she closed her eyes. Waiting for the end.

-Fate Side END-

Author's Note: Honestly, I don't why I wrote this. Actually, I do have a slight idea as to why, but that's not important. I never expected my first NanoFate, or at least what resembles a NanoFate fic, to come out like this. Always thought I'd go with fluff first or maybe just some light angst.

Anyway, as the end suggested, this is the end to Fate's side of the story. Yes, a lot of questions are left unanswered. Hopefully, some of the questions will receive answers in the next part, Nanoha Side: You Can End This.

Reviews are always welcome. It'll increase my writing speed!

-Kasumi