Episode 11 - Holy Night's Gift*
Having just watched Fate vanish, Nanoha frantically contacts Amy, who says Fate's vital signs are still healthy — she's simply trapped inside the Book of Darkness. The Book's avatar says that both Fate and Hayate will spend eternity in dreams, where they can live forever, unchanging. Nanoha retorts that no-one can live without changing... not even the Book of Darkness.
Fate wakes up in bed, sunlight streaming in through large windows. Sleeping next to her are a puppy-sized Arf... and Alicia Testarossa. Before Fate can process this, there is a knock on the door — and Linith comes in. Fate doesn't understand what's going on, but the others write off her confusion as the aftermath of a bad dream. They go downstairs to breakfast, where a casually-dressed Precia is waiting for them. When she sees Precia smiling kindly at her, Fate realizes this is all a dream — a fantasy of the life she always wanted.
In the middle of an empty void, Hayate also opens her eyes, feeling incredibly tired. She has trouble focusing, but can make out someone standing in front of her — a silver-haired woman, who softly tells her to go back to sleep.
In the world outside, Nanoha is desperately fighting the physical incarnation of the same woman, while trying without success to reason with her. Raising Heart suggests trying their new "Excelion" mode, even though they've been warned it's not ready for use. Nanoha is reluctant, but Raising Heart assures her they can manage it.
Within her dream, Fate is relaxing outdoors with Alicia when it starts to rain. As they shelter together under a tree, Fate says she knows this is a dream, pointing out that she wouldn't exist if Alicia were still alive. Her sister doesn't deny it, but asks if a dream isn't good enough... saying that in here, they can live together in happiness forever.
Elsewhere inside the Book of Darkness, its consciousness says the same to Hayate — dream, and she can be happy and healthy forever. This seems to bring Hayate to her senses; she opens her eyes and says that, however happy it might be, a dream isn't real.
Outside, Nanoha continues to fight the Book's avatar, who tells her she should sleep like the others. Nanoha responds that she's going to save everyone, even the Book of Darkness. Her Excelion mode activated, she transforms Raising Heart into a spear of energy and attacks at point-blank range. The subsequent explosion destroys the magical barrier over the city, but the avatar herself appears undamaged.
Hayate tells the Book's consciousness she didn't wish for any of this. The silver-haired woman sadly replies that she can't do anything else — she's powerless to prevent the Book from consuming Hayate, or her avatar outside from rampaging out of control. Hayate says she understands what's going on now that she's awoken as the Book's true master, and she knows how sad and lonely the Book really is. Reaching out her hands, she says the Book has to listen to its master... and a white magic circle appears underneath her.
Fighting back tears, Fate tells her sister she's sorry, but she has to go. Alicia looks sad, but nods in acceptance and reveals that she's been holding onto Bardiche. Fate takes her device and the two sisters embrace for the first and last time. Saying she wishes they could have been together like this in reality, Alicia disappears, leaving Fate holding only empty air.
Hayate says her administrative powers over the Book of Darkness should allow her to fix this. However, the Book's consciousness tells her the automated defense program, which is currently fighting outside, is beyond her control. In response, Hayate simply closes her eyes and says "stop".
Outside, Nanoha sees the Book's avatar freeze in place, her eyes turning dull. After a moment, she starts jerking slightly, as if fighting some invisible restraint. Then, to her great surprise, Nanoha hears Hayate's voice speaking out of the air, addressing whoever is there. Hayate is equally surprised to find that it's Nanoha, but hastily explains that she's taken control away from the Book of Darkness. What's left in front of Nanoha now is the automated defense program; unfortunately, Hayate can't use her administrative powers until that's stopped.
Yuuno, hurrying to the scene with Arf, hears this and realizes they have a chance to stop the Book of Darkness. He tells Nanoha to hit its now-mindless avatar with everything she's got, knocking the defense program temporarily offline so the administrative system has a chance to regain control. Smiling happily, Nanoha says those instructions are easy to follow, and unleashes a pair of massive attacks which briefly turn the night into day... and cause the Book's avatar to stop moving entirely.
At the same time, inside the dream world, Fate activates Bardiche's new mode, Zanber Form. She unleashes her magic against the air and ground, which shatter like glass... and, out in the real world, Nanoha, Arf and Yuuno see Fate appear in the sky above them.
Meanwhile, Hayate tells the Book's consciousness that she is giving her a new name, befitting one who supports others with her strength: Reinforce, the Blessed Wind. The Book accepts the name and reports that administrative access is now available. However, she again warns Hayate that she cannot control the automated defense program, which will soon start to rampage indiscriminately. Hayate just says she'll have to do something about that.
Outside, the Book's avatar has disappeared; however, Amy reports that she's still reading huge magical energy. Lindy, watching from the Arthra, confirms that Chrono is about to arrive on the scene. Then she looks down at the Arc-en-Ciel activation key in her hand, and prays they won't have to use it.
Tropes
- All There in the Manual: Viewers who haven't listened to the first season's Sound Stagesnote likely won't have a clue who Linith is. A major character in the Whole Episode Flashback second sound stage, she was Precia's Cat Girl familiar, created for the specific purpose of raising and training Fate.
- Ascended Extra: Fate's dream world features two: Alicia, who was only ever seen as a Human Popsicle before, gets a speaking role for the first time; also Linith, who was introduced in Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Sound Stage 02, makes her first appearance in animation here.
- But Now I Must Go: Fate says this to Alicia when she decides to return to the real world.
- Disappears into Light: Alicia fades away in Fate's arms and dissolves into sparkles.
- Empty Eyes: The Book's avatar acquires these once Hayate separates it from the Book's consciousness.
- Genki Girl: Alicia is extremely cheerful and energetic.
- Irony: Nanoha's penultimate line in the teaser is "please, don't cry anymore"... and then the entire episode is basically a nonstop series of
TearJerkers. - Lotus-Eater Machine: Fate's dream world, which is everything she always wished for: Precia as a kind and loving mother; Linith and Alicia, alive and well; and all of them living together as a happy family. As soon as this hits home, Fate starts crying inconsolably — not because it's a sad dream, but because she knows it can't be real.
- Next Tier Power-Up: Both Nanoha and Fate activate their devices' new high-power modes: Bardiche's Zanber and Raising Heart's Excelion. In Nanoha's case, she was specifically warned not to use it before Raising Heart could be reinforced to deal with the stress. However, Raising Heart insists they can handle it.
- Posthumous Character: Alicia and Linith. Fate even points out that she only exists because Alicia is dead, hence a reality where they're both alive at the same time is impossible.
- Theme Music Power-Up: All three girls' subplots resolve themselves at the same time, while Kana Ueda's poignant and beautiful Snow Rain plays.
