Sound Stage 02 (a.k.a. Episode 5.5): Memories From Beyond the Wind
As Fate prepares to hunt down the remaining Jewel Seeds, she reminisces about the journey her life has taken to bring her to this point...
Fate and her mother Precia are living in seclusion, high in the mountains of Midchilda. Some years ago, Precia was blamed for a major magical accident, and since then she has isolated herself in her mysterious research. Fate, meanwhile, is being trained as a mage by Precia's familiar Linith, who provides her master with progress reports. Precia instructs Linith to make Fate ready for combat within a year, saying she doesn't need to waste time teaching abstract theory. Linith protests, to no avail; she does, however, get permission to create an intelligent magical device to support Fate.
One day, Fate discovers an abandoned wolf puppy from a species native to the Midchildan mountains. Linith realizes the puppy is dying from sickness and has been abandoned by its pack. Anxious to save it, Fate decides to make it into her familiar, which would allow it to draw on her energy. Linith warns Fate that it's a major commitment, but reluctantly helps her perform the necessary ritual. Fate names her new familiar "Arf".
Precia is none too happy when she finds out, but Linith convinces her not to interfere. However, when Arf runs into her one day, Precia brutally tells her that it's the nature of a familiar to vanish once their magical contract expires. Upset, Arf asks Fate if she's destined to vanish someday, but Fate says she cares too much about Arf to let that happen. The terms of Arf's contract state only that she is free to act as she wishes until the end of Fate's life.
Arf grows rapidly and begins helping Fate with her magical training. Meanwhile, Linith works on creating Fate's magical device. When it's almost ready, Linish goes to Precia and informs her that Fate's training will be complete once the device is finished. Precia confirms that Linith's contract will end as soon as that happens. Acknowledging this, Linith requests a final reward for her years of service.
That night, Fate is surprised and touched when Precia joins her for dinner. They start talking about Fate's training, which Arf thinks isn't very motherly, but Linith says this is the first time she's ever seen them dine together. The two familiars leave the pair alone, and Linith tells Arf that she has to go away somewhere for a while. She says, however, that she believes Fate will be fine with Arf by her side.
Alone in her room, Linith completes the magical staff, Bardiche, that she's been making for Fate. Reflecting that she still has many worries left, she tells the staff she will entrust it with her hopes and feelings. She says she's grateful to have been Precia's familiar, but that part of her wishes Fate was her own child. Telling Bardiche to take care of Fate and Arf, Linith completes her contract and vanishes.
Precia enters the room and somewhat regretfully realizes that Linith is gone. She presents Bardiche to Fate and tells her to use its power to carry out her will. Fate promises to do so, while Arf wonders when Linith will come back from wherever she went.
As time goes by, Fate embarks on various missions for Precia, who in Linith's absence is growing increasingly moody and violent. Both Fate and Arf have by now realized that Linith isn't ever coming back. Finally, Precia assigns Fate her most important mission: track down twenty-one Lost Logia in the form of small blue jewels...
Waking up from her dreams of the past, Fate heads out in search of the next Jewel Seed, with Arf's support. She thinks to herself that, with Linith gone, she is the only one left to save Precia from whatever darkness is haunting her. Whatever happens, she won't ever waver in her resolve.
Tropes
- Borrowed Catch Phrase: In the next episode teaser, Fate uses Nanoha's Catchphrase, "Lyrical Magical, I'll do my best" — causing Arf to Squee.
- But Now I Must Go: Linith disappears after Fate's training and Bardiche are complete, per her contract. She tells Arf and Fate only that she has to "go away for a while", but they eventually realize the truth.
- Disappears into Light: Linith does this* when her contract is complete. Precia says she has the option of just giving up her powers and going back to being the ordinary mountain cat she once was; however, it's implied that Linith preferred to die as herself rather than revert to a simple animal.
- Foreshadowing:
- Fate introduces the episode as a reminscence of a time when she was happy. It's telling that her clearest happy memories are not those of her carefree childhood with a loving Precia... memories which, unlike these ones, aren't really hers.
- Fate is uncertain how much time has passed since the accident that forced Precia into exile, although she thinks it was two or three years before the events of this episode. It's actually closer to two or three decades, and there's a good reason Fate's memories are vague.
- After Linith disappears, Fate and Arf note that Precia has started to become violent, even hitting Fate in anger now. It will get worse.
- Morality Chain: Precia is cold and neglectful, but while Linith is still around she isn't yet violently abusive. At the end, after Precia hits Fate, Arf notes that Linith would never have let that happen.
- Obi-Wan Moment: Knowing her existence is about to end, Linith spends her last few moments peacefully reflecting on her life and mentally wishing her loved ones well.
- Parental Neglect: Precia leaves the raising of Fate in Linith's hands, and barely even sees her daughter. Linith tries to call Precia out on this occasionally, but without much success.
- Pet the Dog: Arguably on Precia's part, when she has a private meal together with Fate to mark the completion of her daughter's training. It's arguable because (unbeknownst to Fate) Linith asked Precia to do this as a reward for her service; all the same, Precia does go through with it (and is even fairly civil, if not exactly warm).
- Went Crazy When They Left: While Precia's sanity is certainly questionable here, she hasn't gone completely Ax-Crazy yet. It's only after Linith disappears that she slides off the deep end.
- Whole Episode Flashback: Other than a monologue at the start and the final scene, the entire episode takes place in Fate's past, describing her backstory (as she knows it).
