Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Book 10 of Teana's Travels. This one's short, but makes up for it in revelations. Enjoy!
NOTE: This book picks off DIRECTLY from where Book 9 leaves off; you could almost sorta call it another (long) chapter of it, except not.
I MAKE NO MONEY OFF OF THE FOLLOWING THINGS, WHICH ARE THE PROPERTIES OF THEIR RESPECTIVE MENTIONED OWNER-PEOPLE:
Mahō Shōjo Lyrical Nanoha (Teana, Midchilda, nearly all other characters here) – 7Arcs
Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni (Shion, the "Keiichi Crew") – 07th Expansion and Studio Deen
Shuffle! (Kaede Fuyō, Rin, Asa & Ama, Sia & Nerine, Primula) – Navel and Asread
Erika's New Perfume (Marie, Sarah, Erika, Timmy, Veronica) – Deviant-Art artist Lance the Young
Mai-chan's Daily Life (Mai, Kizuna) – Waita Uziga
Star Wars (Ahsoka, Cody, Rex) – George Lucas, Lucasfilm
Halo (Forerunners, UNSC, Sangheili Alliance) – Bungie and 343 Industries
StarCraft (multiple characters, events, and devices) – Blizzard Entertainment
Naruto (jutsu, abilities) – Masashi Kishimoto
Mahō Sensei Negima (spells, abilities, characters) – Ken Akamatsu
Kingdom Hearts (Erika's Keyblade, the Realm of Darkness, Heartless & Nobodies, *SPOILER*) – Square-Enix
Neon Genesis Evangelion (Mana Kirishima) – Studio Gainax
PLEASE READ & REVIEW, AND TEND TO THE TROPE & CHARACTER PAGES
-BOOK START-
15 people emerged from a swirling dark portal in the middle of a dark and lonely path. Everywhere they looked it was dark and cold, spires of rock and dead trees enshrouding the landscape. There was no Sun or Moon overhead, nor even any stars; the only light came from glowing bits among the rocks and path, and from the swirling morass of blue, purple, and dark red in the tainted sky above. A slight, cold wind blew, chilling those unprepared for it.
"It feels… wrong…" Sarah said after several seconds.
The mages nervously readied their Devices, while Erika kept her Keyblade at the ready and everyone else readied their own weapons. Marie and Fate looked around, realizing that something was familiar about this place, though they couldn't quite put their finger on it. Suddenly…
"I know where we are" Marie said.
"Really?" Teana said. "Where?"
Marie looked at the others. "The realm where all things lost to the Dark end up, the shadow of all Creation…"
(WORLD MUSIC: Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep Final Mix OST – "Night of the Dark Dream") (Played when not in battle unless stated otherwise)
"The Realm of Darkness."
Instantly Fate recognized their locale, remembering from her playthroughs of the KH series. This was where King Mickey had acquired his Keyblade, and where Sora and Riku had ended up after killing Xemnas. The others recalled Marie, Fate, & Chisame's explanation of the series, and thus now knew to some extent where they were.
"Our little friend is somewhere in here?" Nanoha asked.
"According to Zeratul, yes" Shion replied.
"Then let's not delay" Kaede said. "She could be in trouble, for all we know."
"We'll need to be careful" Ahsoka said. "This world is steeped in darkness. Who knows what could be lurking?"
The group advanced, walking down the empty, rocky path, sticking close together. It felt as if the shadows themselves were pressing down on them, accusing them of trespassing, letting them know that they were not welcome here. The cold wind blew, dust and pebbles occasionally being carried short distances by it. They all extended their senses, trying to detect any sign of their mysterious ally.
They came across a wide, flat stretch of land. Cautiously, they advanced, Marie and Shion leading. Suddenly, a small "puddle" of darkness in front of them rose up, becoming a small, hunched-over little being, with a pitch-black body and glowing-yellow eyes. Marie's face paled just a little as she recognized it.
(BATTLE MUSIC: Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep Final Mix OST – "Night of Tragedy")
Before anyone could react, dozens of the creatures appeared all around them, along with other types – tall, lanky versions of the little ones with glowing dark-blue lines along their bodies, floating spheres with pink-tipped ears & tails and huge fanged mouths, and a few humanoid ones holding wavy swords.
"Ambush!" Teana cried.
"What the hell are these things?-!" Subaru said.
"Heartless!" Marie and Fate replied simultaneously.
As one, the Heartless charged from all directions, and the group immediately began attacking their attackers. A disproportionate number of the dark creatures went straight for Erika, singling her out as a Keyblade Wielder, and the little black-haired girl was quickly fighting for her life, each swing of the Stroke of Midnight slaying whatever it hit. A pair of Neoshadows leapt high, aiming to strike Erika from above… only to be slammed away by Sarah's gravity hammer, their dark forms being pulverized by the impact. Marie had switched Charon's firing mode to Light Beam and was blasting at anything she got in her sights. Teana had Cross Mirage in Rifle Mode on full-auto, opening fire on the swarm of little demons coming at her. Nanoha quickly started firing precision Accel Shooter bolts, while Erio, Ginga, and Subaru cut and bashed their way through the enemy.
Fate brought Bardiche up to block a blade strike from an Invisible, and Shion then cut the distracted Heartless down from behind. Subaru punched a Darkball hard enough to send it careening into another, destroying both. Kaede's bone-blades and Ahsoka's lightsabers cut and pierced many Shadows and Neoshadows, while Mai fired a Sangheili plasma repeater at targets of opportunity, Caro fired bursts of Light magic, and Timmy shrouded his fists with Lightning chakra and leapt to Erika's side, the two working in perfect harmony to take down Heartless and watch each other's backs, Timmy firing off a Chidori Senbon that took down 10 Shadows, and then following that up with a Raikahōken that took down an Invisible, while Erika struck with her Keyblade and Light-type Sagitta Magica to take down a pack of Darkballs and their Shadow support.
The group weathered the storm, as the Heartless' numbers began to diminish. An Invisible came at Nanoha from behind… and was struck down by a new player, the Keyblade known as Midnight Roar slicing the Invisible in two. The mysterious little hooded/robed girl landed amongst the group, her Keyblade slicing Heartless apart, accompanied by precision bursts of Light magic. At one point, Marie got a good look at the pendant hanging from her neck.
Soon, the fight was over. Before anyone could say anything, the little hooded figure leapt high, landing about 60 feet away. She looked at the group, turned and ran several meters, stopped and looked back at them again, and then took off.
"I think… she wants us to follow her" Ginga said.
"That symbol on the necklace she was wearing…" Marie said. "I recognize it! It was white, the upside-down top half of a heart connected to an inverted cross in place of the bottom half. I've seen it before. And the cloak…"
"What have you puzzled out?" Ahsoka asked.
"That girl…" Marie said. "I think… she's a Nobody."
There were a few seconds of silence as everyone processed this.
"I… guess it makes sense…" Kaede said. "Only one way to find out for sure, though."
"So whoever her Original was," Fate said, "she had a powerful enough Heart and will that her Nobody retained human form and sapience."
"But I thought Nobodies were supposed to be neutral and emotionless" Erio said. "So why would she do all she's done to help us?"
"Yeah, and when she handed me the data-files," Nanoha said, "she said I'd saved the life of someone precious to her at some point in the past. Somebody with no emotions can't consider someone to be precious."
"Roxas had emotions" Fate replied. "So did Naminé, and in the end Axel. This girl's probably special like them."
"Let's get after her before we lose the trail" Teana said, as she started moving. The rest of them followed suit.
Several more minutes of cold silence reigned as they cautiously advanced. Occasionally they would catch a fleeting glimpse of the hooded figure standing atop a rock or jumping between the dead tree limbs up ahead, always stopping and looking back at them, waiting, leading them. Soon, they reached a grove of dead trees, the tall black masses of wood contributing to a very eerie atmosphere.
Halfway through the grove, a horde of Neoshadows appeared and attacked. Immediately everyone leapt into action. However, the mysterious little Keyblader jumped in as well, lending Midnight Roar to the cause. She and Erika ended up doing a lot of the work thanks to the Heartless focusing on them, though the others got plenty of kills too. Within a few minutes, the area was clear. The hooded figure did not leave.
"I honestly didn't expect to see you all here" she said. "At least, not so soon. I take it things are moving faster than I anticipated?"
"You could say that, yeah" Teana replied. "…I never got the chance to thank you for helping me & Negi against that 'Ruin' girl."
The hooded girl nodded in return. "Glad to have helped"
Marie walked forward. "Who are you, anyway?" she asked. "I know that symbol you wear. You're a… part… of someone else."
"Yes. I am someone's 'Nobody'. My Original had a strong and pure Heart."
"Most Nobodies are supposed to be emotionless" Fate said. "And yet it's plainly obvious that you aren't. How come?"
The girl looked directly at Fate for several seconds, saying nothing. A sad little smile was visible beneath her hood. "When I first came into being, I had no emotions, and very little memory. But as years passed, I began to feel. Four years ago, I received company: a woman who'd fallen into this realm a few years before. She and I bonded. Through our interactions, my emotions grew and developed, and more of my Original's memories settled in. Though, I am not my Original; I merely carry some of her memories. …Around a year after she and I met and began traveling together in this realm, my desire to protect her led to me manifesting a Keyblade in the midst of a Heartless attack. Several months later, we met a third, a young woman who'd been in this realm for quite some time. Together we three have survived this hellish realm. None of us have aged since our individual arrivals here; one does not grow older physically when in the Realm of Darkness, for some reason.
"Recently, I gained the ability to traverse Corridors of Darkness to visit the outside worlds. I learned of the various events that had transpired. I met Prelate Zeratul. And I learned of the coming threats to us all. I have done what little I can to help you all prepare for what's coming."
Wordlessly, Erika walked up to the hooded girl, and closed her eyes, extending her senses through her Keyblade. After a few seconds, her eyes snapped open in surprise.
"You… Y-You have a Heart. You're a Nobody, and yet… you have a Heart."
"Yes" the hooded girl replied. "As my emotions and my bonds with the other two grew, so too did my own Heart, separate from my original's, come into being and grow. It is what happens to all sapient-state Nobodies who are able to forge connections with others. I am a complete individual, connected to but separate from my Original."
She let out a sigh.
"Though I may be different from my Original, I also have similarities to her. I'm more soft-spoken, less abundantly energetic, and my magical signature is subtly different, but… I possess her altruism, her favorite sweets, a few of her habits… and I love the same people she did." She focused on the blonde mage of the group. "She would've loved you so much… Fate."
Fate's eyes widened. "How… do you know my name? Who… Who are you? …And why have I felt like I've met you before?"
(MUSIC: Kingdom Hearts 2 OST – "Riku('s Theme)")
The girl took a few steps forward, walking toward Fate. As she did, she reached up, and pulled her hood down, revealing a face that Fate thought she'd never see again, speaking with a voice that, tone difference aside, she finally recognized.
"I'm glad to finally meet you… sister."
Long golden-blonde hair with a few pale-orange highlights to the bangs cascaded down the back of the girl's physically-9-year-old form. Kind red eyes looked up at her, a small smile on the face of a girl who – other than 10-year difference – looked just like Fate.
"My name is Laicixa Testarossa. I am Alicia's Nobody."
(AN: pronounced "lye-SEE-sha")
Shock reigned. Fate struggled to stay upright after this revelation, meeting eyes with the complete being who had, like a starfish's limb, broken off of Alicia and "grown" into a separate whole being.
'I have… another sister…' she thought.
The two walked up to each other, still for several seconds, and then they embraced. Fate fought to hold back tears as she held her new sibling close, as the physically-younger girl relaxed in her arms. They stayed like that for a little while, everyone else remaining silent and giving them a little space.
"Laicixa…" Fate said, as if trying the name out. "My sister…"
"Fate… Big sister…"
"…Big sister?" Fate asked.
"You were created after Alicia," Laicixa replied, "but I came into being after you. When the stasis tank containing Alicia's body fell into the void, there was still life in it, but her soul, her Heart, was no longer present. Passing through the barriers between realms tore her body asunder, but the body then reconstituted with new life of its own: me. I was the empty shell her Heart left behind… that is, until I developed a Heart of my own. Now, rather than a part of Alicia, I more consider myself her sister… and thus, yours. …She always wanted a sibling, you know. She asked Mother for one a few times before everything went bad."
"And as Precia fell into the void," Nanoha said, "she remembered that, and realized the extent of what she'd done."
"Yes. Yes, she did."
Slowly, reluctantly, the sisters pulled away from each other, though Fate still had a gentle hand on Laicixa's shoulder. The Heart-born Nobody looked to Erika.
"So you manifested your own Keyblade?" she asked, looking at the Stroke of Midnight loosely gripped in the black-haired girl's right hand.
"Y-Yeah" Erika replied. "I… I wanted to b-be able to protect the people i-important to me. My desire t-to do so allowed me to summon it."
"Just like me…" Laicixa said pensively.
"M-My name is Erika…"
Laicixa smiled. "Pleased to meet you, fellow Wielder."
"You said you have two other allies somewhere in this realm?" Subaru asked. "Should we go find them?"
"…Yes, we should" Laicixa replied. "There is no way I will abandon them. And we will need their help. Come."
The group moved on, Laicixa leading the way, with Nanoha and Sarah close behind. They made it through the grove of dead trees and advanced down a narrow path. They eventually reached another grove of trees, but these were inexplicably alive, though their leaves were dark purple or black.
"Is it just me," Caro spoke up, "or is it steadily getting creepier the more ground we cover?"
"You get used to the décor eventually" Laicixa replied. "It's the locals you have to watch out for."
They were about halfway through the grove when the Heartless attacked. A horde of the dark creatures emerged from the shadows and immediately set upon the group, the majority of them going after the two Keybladers. The group immediately went into action, splitting off into teams. Laicixa and Kaede watched each other's backs as they carved through Heartless with bone-blades and Midnight Roar; Erika, Caro, Timmy, & Erio worked with impressive combination and synchronization, Strada and Stroke of Midnight cutting down many of the dark beings; Sarah and Ginga were paired up, as were Mai and Subaru, the four using plasma swords and power fists to slash and smash Neoshadows; Nanoha and Fate displayed their own superb synchronization, while Marie and Ahsoka paired up to cut down the Darkballs.
Teana locked blades with two Invisibles at once, keeping them at bay while trying to deal fatal strikes to them. A third Invisible came at her from the side and behind, sword raised high to cleave down at her head… and the sword was blocked by a glowing blade of violet energy, wielded by a second, new black-cloaked figure who flash-stepped in from seemingly out of nowhere. Unlike Laicixa, this one was adult-sized, around Sarah's height. Even as loose as it was, the full-body black cloak could not fully hide the shape of a rather ample chest, identifying the newcomer as a woman. She lashed out with a lightning-charged kick that stunned the Invisible long enough for her to spear it through the head with her blade.
Everyone (except Laicixa) was a bit startled by the newcomer's sudden arrival, but they did not allow their surprise to leave them open to the Heartless' attacks. The newcomer added her skill to the cause, teaming up with Teana for the moment, one purple energy blade and two orange ones carving through Heartless with ease. Nanoha and Fate pulled what Marie would later call "the North-South Switch", Fate vaulting over a crouched Nanoha as the latter fired a sweeping barrage of Accel Shooter bolts to mow down several Shadows, while the two mages simultaneously switched Devices, Nanoha cleaving a Darkball in two with Bardiche's golden blade while Fate fired shotgun-bursts of pink magic from Raising Heart as the two rushed through a pack of Neoshadows. Marie continued to fire Light Beam shots from Charon, to great effect, while Erika & Timmy took out several overzealous Neoshadows with a Suijinheki / Kangekiha combo.
It didn't take long for the area to be cleared, the only injury being a scratch from a Shadow's claw on Subaru's upper arm, which Mai quickly healed. The taller cloaked newcomer turned to leave, preparing to leap away… only for Laicixa to appear next to her and grab hold of her sleeve.
"Please" Laicixa said. "Don't do this. Don't run away."
"I can't face her" the woman replied in a whisper, so as to disguise her voice, though those close enough to hear it could pick up the sadness and desperation in her tone regardless. "Not after what I've done."
"You know as well as I do that she can't bring herself to hate you."
"But she should."
"No. She should hate what you used to be, not what you have become now… or rather, what you've returned to being."
"I… I've done too much to her. I don't deserve to show my face to her."
"You knew this day would come eventually. You shouldn't run from it. You've got to be strong. I know you can do this. …You need to do it… for her sake." Laicixa looked up imploringly to the older figure. "Please… Mother…"
Several of the group felt deep surprise at hearing that one final word.
"Did she say… mother?" Ginga said.
"It…" Fate's eyes had gone very wide as a choked whisper escaped her. "It can't be…"
The cloaked woman stood still as Laicixa slowly removed her hand. She turned around, facing the group.
(MUSIC: Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep OST – "Ventus(' Theme)")
"I've always been this way…" the woman said at a normal, albeit soft, volume, a deep yet still feminine voice speaking in a sorrowful tone. "It's my defining flaw. I never consider or notice the truly important things until it's too late. I failed to notice just how little my employers considered the safety of my device until it began to meltdown. I didn't notice how much my first daughter truly meant to me, or how much my being away at work hurt her and made her lonely, until she was gone. And… when I gave life to another daughter, I… I hurt her in ways that no child should ever be hurt, because I let my past's darkness consume me, blinding me to the present and future."
She slowly took a few steps forward.
"Even if I spent the rest of my life apologizing, it would never make up for what I did…"
And then she pulled her hood back, long dark-purple hair shifting in the wind, a face from the dead showing an expression of pain, regret, and sorrow, violet eyes looking misty and heart-breakingly sane.
"…to my second daughter."
And Fate fell to her knees, legs collapsing out from under her. Bardiche clattered to the ground, having fallen from her hand as the shock took away her grip, as she found it hard to breathe, eyes beginning to tear up.
"Mama…" she choked out.
When she was actually trying to, Nanoha was an expert at reading people. Thus, she did not raise her weapon, as rather than the violent madwoman she'd seen 10 years ago, the Precia before her showed clarity and sanity, along with overwhelming guilt, regret, and pain… and she was looking upon Fate not with hatred or disgust, but with sorrow, regret… and love. Gone was the monster who'd endangered worlds and terrified children; in her place was the real, true, original Precia, the kind, loving mother who'd valued her child… and now, children… above all else.
"I know that I don't deserve forgiveness, Fate…" Precia said sadly. "I squandered the gift that you were. I was so fixated on Alicia that… that I forgot what she would've wanted. You're her altered clone by birth, but in everything else you're her twin. Her sister. …My daughter. If the incident hadn't happened, you would've still come to be, most certainly; you would've lived the happy life with your big sister and me that you deserved, rather than… the horrible life my mad self forced upon you. As I fell into the Void, the madness left me, the scales fell from my eyes… and I saw and understood what I had done. …In the 10 years since I fell into this realm, not a day has gone by that I don't regret everything I did to you with all my heart."
Tears began to slowly roll down her face, her voice hitching ever-so-slightly here & there.
"I failed as a mother. I let my grief twist me into a monster. I brought suffering to my own flesh & blood. I threw away my chance of new happiness, allowed my love for my first daughter to be twisted into hatred of my second. …The only reason I haven't ended it is because I know that I don't deserve the easy way out, and that I needed to apologize to you with everything I am, no matter how many years or decades it took. I wandered this realm, alone with my thoughts, for six years, haunted by what I'd done, what I'd become. …Were it not for finding my third daughter four years ago," she gestured to Laicixa, "and our friend we met together here three years ago, I probably would've just… given in by now.
"Fate… I… I'm so sorry! I am! But I know that no amount of apologies or atonement could ever make things right! I've done too much to ever be forgiven… I've brought you nothing but pain and misery. I… I should go…"
Precia turned to leave, taking a few steps… and felt as a pair of shaking arms embraced her from behind. She felt as Fate's entire body shook with sobs as she held on tight, and she realized: Fate did not hate her. Fate didn't want her to leave. Fate wanted her to stay. Her daughter, whom she'd wronged so terribly, still loved her. She turned back around, and hugged her all-grown-up little girl. The dam finally broke, Fate collapsing into her arms, sobbing openly, and holding on to her mother like life depended on it. Precia held her close, supporting her, using one hand to softly stroke the back of her head.
"My little girl…" she whispered. "I'm so, so sorry…"
Fate was crying freely now, unable to speak coherently, other than the rare variation of "mama", her mindset regressing for the moment to that of the fragile little girl she was a decade ago. They held each other like that for several minutes, nobody saying anything. A few of the 'spectators' were quietly crying happy-tears.
'Whoever's up there,' Precia thought as Laicixa joined the hug, 'whoever gave me this second chance… Thank you.'
Eventually, reluctantly, they broke apart, though still in contact with each other.
"You've grown up" Precia said with a hint of pride. "You have your father's eyes."
At this, Fate's expression shifted to a hint of curiosity. "What… What ever happened to him?"
Precia looked morose. "He was killed in the line of duty when I was six months pregnant with Alicia, a week before we were due to be married. To stop an extremely dangerous threat, he self-destructed the ship he commanded while he was still on it. Mikael Alderson died a hero. …I'm proud to see his heroism lives on in you."
"A lot of people 'die as heroes'" Teana remarked sadly, remembering Noble. "That doesn't make it any easier for those of us they leave behind…"
Subaru put her arm around her melancholy girlfriend's shoulders in comfort. Precia looked at the girl.
"…You speak from experience" she deduced.
Teana looked up at her, a sad look in her blue eyes. "I am the leader of Gamma Team" she gestured to the six other girls. "I am also the last survivor of Noble Team. All the others died when the planet Reach fell several months ago. I love my present team dearly… but I still grieve for Noble… I still carry a box containing their dog-tags in my Device's subspace storage compartment."
Gamma 2 through 7 converged on Teana as one, each of them laying a comforting hand on her. She let out a wavering sigh as a smile formed on her face.
"Thank you, girls…"
"You know by now we'll always be here for you, Boss" Marie replied.
"And you've got us, too" Erio said, Caro nodding.
Fate looked a bit nervous as she remembered who was here. "Mother, I… feel I should introduce you to a few people."
She gestured over to Erio and Caro, beckoning them closer.
"This is Erio Mondial and Caro Lu-Rushe. They are, for all intents and purposes, my children. I took them in when no-one else would."
"Lu-Rushe…" Precia tried to recall the name. "The dragon-summoning clan?"
"Yes. She was… cast out at the age of six when it was discovered she had forged a connection with Voltaire."
At this, Precia's eyes shot wide in surprise. "V-Voltaire? The Dragon Lord? At her age?-!"
Caro nodded.
"My goodness…"
"And Erio is… like me" Fate continued. "He is a product of Project-F. Though… unlike me, who got the form of my Progenitor but not the personality and memories, or Zest Grangaitz, who got the memories, personalities, and powers of his original but an unstable and failing body, Erio is… well, he's more than "just" a clone; we believe that, when they created him after the original Erio's death at the age of four, the original Heart and soul took root. He is the original Erio, just in a new body. Unfortunately… the somewhat-corrupt Bureau officials who found him did not believe this to be so. He was trapped in a cold and lonely life before I found and rescued him."
"And for that I would give my life for her without a second thought" Erio said.
Precia looked upon her long-lost daughter with pride, joyful that Fate had developed such a pure and strong heart.
"Also, there is a third" Nanoha added. "Fate and I are… together. Recently, we rescued and adopted a little five-year-old girl named Vivio. …A girl who, it turns out, is an altered clone of Olivie Segbrecht."
That little tidbit really floored Precia; she could see how Fate and her rescuer could end up together, and how Fate's personality would lead her to care for unfortunate children like herself. But a clone of the Sankt Kaiser?-!
"…Scaglietti's been very busy" she finally got out.
"He is dead" Teana replied. "I killed him, a few weeks ago. I'll lend you the reports to look over later."
"Zeratul spoke to me recently" Laicixa said. "Scaglietti allied with our enemy, didn't he?"
"Yes" Nanoha replied. "And recently, when Scaglietti failed, our enemy assaulted Midchilda directly." She grinned. "Fortunately, thanks to Teana's recent travels, the TSAB now has several very powerful friends."
"Nanoha-san and I managed to kill one of their leaders, a being named Kadak."
"Kadak?" Laicixa asked with surprise. "How did you kill a daemon?"
"We combined Nanoha-san's Rasengan with my Amaterasu."
"…Yeah, I can see that working."
"We should finish our business here" Ginga said. "We still need to find one more person, right?"
"Yes" Precia replied. "She is around Fate and Takamachi's age… well, physically; people don't age here, so she's chronologically 30, though physically and mentally 19. I… admit I've come to look upon her as a surrogate daughter in the three years we have known each other."
"We haven't heard from her in a few days" Laicixa said. "Normally, it's no cause for concern, as one of us will go out scouting for a day or two at a time. But… for some reason, I'm worried…"
Suddenly, the eternal night was lit up by a bright, flashing blue sphere of magic soaring straight up into the sky from a position a few hundred meters away, leaving a contrail of light down from its origin point.
"That's a Distress Flare spell!" Precia shouted. "That's her! She's in trouble!"
Teana reacted the quickest, leaping into the trees and making chakra-powered leaps from tree to tree, covering ground with speed. The others quickly followed suit, tree-hopping or flying low (the flyers couldn't go all-out because they'd leave the non-flyers behind). They could soon sense bursts of magic, and as they reached a field of boulders and rock spires they saw a massive amountof Heartless all funneling toward a massive, high wall of rock (the remnant of an Earth Release technique used in a forgotten battle centuries ago), disappearing as they rounded the other side of it.
"Accel Shooter!"
"Katon: Gōkakyū!"
Nanoha and Teana's opening attacks went off amongst the Heartless, destroying about two-dozen altogether (mostly Shadows). The others turned and took notice of the approaching group, and a solid three-quarters of the Heartless turned to meet them. Marie fired a Concussion Missile five-shot "Seeker" barrage that took down three Darkballs and an Invisible, while the three Testarossas fired a combined Photon Lancer barrage – gold, purple, and orange – that wiped out a respectable number of Shadows and a few Neoshadows. Everyone leapt in and got to work, and Heartless began to die.
"Is it wrong that I'm actually having fun here?" Teana said as she vertically bisected a Darkball.
"If it is than we're both in trouble," Nanoha replied as she bashed a Neoshadow's head in with her Device, "because I'm kinda enjoying this a little, too."
"I must say," Precia said as her Device's energy-blade mode sliced three Shadows in half with one swing, "you guys certainly know how to fight. I'm glad I'm on your side." She turned her focus to Timmy and Erika double-teaming a pack of Darkballs, and her eyes caught a glimpse of something beneath the girl's skirt.
"…Is she wearing a-"
"Yep" Sarah replied as she took out three Neoshadows with a golf-swing of her gravity hammer. "I'll explain later."
Overall, things were going well for the heroes, as dark creatures continued to fall. But then, a feral howl sounded out from atop the earth wall. From it leapt down a large creature – easily 10 feet tall – with a black body enshrouded with dark-green thorny vines, long, wicked orange-tinted claws on its hands & feet, chains encircling its wrists and ankles, and a vibrant orange 'mane'.
(BOSS MUSIC: Kingdom Hearts 2 OST – "Desire For All That Is Lost")
"That Heartless…" Marie stared. "That's the boss of Beast's Castle… That's a Dark Thorn!"
The bestial Heartless let out a roar and then charged Laicixa. Erika leapt in at the last moment, blocking its claw-strike with her Keyblade, grunting with exertion as it pressed down at her, trying to break her guard. Timmy jumped in and lashed out at its face with a kick, forcing it to leap back. It slammed its palms down, and a pulse of energy knocked everyone else away except for the two Keybladers; Laicixa grabbed hold of Timmy quickly, keeping him from being blown away. A shimmering, translucent dome of violet and blue energy sprang up, preventing anyone from getting in, trapping the three kids with the Dark Thorn.
"Damn it!" Marie shouted as she pounded against the Dark Barrier. "We're gonna have to hope those three can handle that thing!"
As the fights against lesser Heartless continued outside the barrier, the Dark Thorn charged at the trio of powerful kids before it. They scattered, barely avoiding a downward claw swipe that cracked the ground where it hit. Laicixa counterattacked with a Strike Raid, Midnight Roar becoming a rapidly-spinning projectile swathed in Light that smacked/cut into the Dark Thorn and then vanished in a burst of light, reappearing in Laicixa's hand. The beast roared as it thrusted its arm forward, unleashing several spike-tipped chains that materialized from its chain-bracelet and flew through the air toward Laicixa. Tim appeared in their path, conjuring a bright pale-green rune-shield that blocked the attacks. He then grabbed hold of one of the chains and sent a burst of Lightning chakra into it, the electricity shooting down the length of the chain and shocking the Dark Thorn. The beast growled as its body seized, quickly yanking the chain out of his grip. While it was stunned by the shock, Erika struck it from behind with a solid hit, the Stroke of Midnight passing through the Dark Thorn's body, dealing magical/ethereal damage.
The large Heartless snarled in fury, spinning around with a startlingly fast swing of its claws that Erika barely blocked in time, being sent skidding several feet by the force of the blow, her arms aching for a few seconds from using her Keyblade to block such a powerful blow. She recovered quickly, though, casting a Suigadan no Jutsu, piercing drills of water racing toward the Dark Thorn. The beast crossed its burly arms over its face and upper chest, withstanding the attack, and then its mane shot forward like a set of spears, punching into the ground where Erika would've been had she not leapt out of the way. Laicixa flash-stepped in to the Dark Thorn's side and slashed it twice, and then leapt back, firing a Photon Lancer barrage that staggered the beast. Seconds later, several Lightning-type Sagitta Magica from Timmy hit the Heartless, dealing even more damage.
The Dark Thorn, wounded but still able to fight, fired several dark fireballs at the trio. Laicixa and Erika combined magic to forge a powerful shield spell that bore Laicixa's orange magic-color mixed with Erika's pale-pink. The shield withstood the blasts, and once it was lowered Erika immediately let loose a barrage of Light-type Sagitta Magica, Laicixa adding her Photon Lancer to the mix. The large Heartless roared in fury as it was subjected to the attacks, and rushed at the three. The trio jumped away, avoiding an impalement strike from the beast's long, thin claws. Then, they began charging their bodies with energy, preparing their best close-range attacks. As one, they rushed in, dodging mane-spears and fireballs as they came in close. Laicixa's Keyblade glowed with power, as did Erika's fist, while Timmy's fist was wreathed in lightning. As one, they struck:
"Zantetsuken!"
"Ōkahōken!"
"Raikahōken!"
Two magic-charged punches impacted the Dark Thorn at the same time that a lightning-fast blur shot past it, the blade that had sliced through the beast leaving a glowing trail. The Dark Thorn roared out and stumbled, its body losing strength and cohesion. Finally, with a thud, it collapsed to the ground and went still, its body dissolving into particles of raw Darkness.
The dark barrier faded away. Sensing the death of their Alpha, the few remaining lesser Heartless turned and fled. The others ran over to the three, who were a little winded but otherwise alright. Before anything could be said, Precia and Laicixa immediately took off, rounding the corner of the earth-wall's edge, heading for their group's third member. The others followed in their wake.
"Thank the Saint you're still alive…" Precia's voice could be heard, relieved. "You look like you've been through Hell, dear."
"I feel like it, too" a young woman's voice replied weakly.
As the group rounded the corner, they made their way toward Precia and Laicixa, who were gathered around a third figure who was slumped sitting against the earth-wall. …And as Marie and Fate saw her, they froze in shock.
(MUSIC: Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep OST – "Aqua('s Theme)")
"I… I don't believe it…" Marie muttered. "It's her… My God, it's really her…"
Being tended to her by her two friends was a young woman who looked around 19 years of age, with short blue hair and matching blue eyes. She wore a black and dark-blue skin-tight top and black short-shorts, along with soft blue cloth hanging from her belt. Thigh-high black socks and armored, silver-and-black boots covered her legs, while white detached sleeves flared out over her arms. A purple cloth strapped across her chest in an 'X', with a Heart-and-cross silver symbol holding it in place in the center. Loosely gripped in her right hand was the Keyblade known as Master Keeper. She looked exhausted, cuts and scrapes and other minor wounds marring her skin and rips & tears along her outfit, but there was relief in her eyes and a weak smile on her face at being with her two friends. Fate and Marie, having recognized her immediately, could still scarcely believe their eyes. The lost Keyblade Master. The last of Eraqus' disciples.
"Aqua…" Fate whispered.
Kaede and Mai walked up to Aqua and immediately got to work, using their medical ninjutsu to begin healing her wounds. Fate, Nanoha, and the rest of Gamma Team walked up, the others spreading out a bit to make sure the area was secure.
"Girls," Laicixa said to them, "this is Master Aqua. She is the third member of our little group that I told you about."
At this, Teana, Shion, Kaede, Mai, Ahsoka, Sarah, and Nanoha remembered Fate, Chisame, and Marie's semi-abridged explanation of the KH series, and realized who they were dealing with. Nanoha crouched down to look at her.
"Are you all right?" she asked.
"I will be" Aqua nodded. "Thank you for showing up when you did. There were… so many of them. I'm strong, but even I have limits to how much I can accomplish without any help. If you guys hadn't gotten here so quickly…"
"I wouldn't let that happen to you" Precia replied softly. "Neither of us would."
Aqua nodded. She then looked to Laicixa.
"I take it these are the friends you've been helping in the outside worlds the past little while?" she asked.
"Yes" Laicixa replied. "That's Teana" she pointed to the redhead, who nodded. "And…" she pointed to her 'sister'. "That is Fate."
"Fate?" Aqua remembered. "…You two told me so much about your connections to her. I take it things went okay?"
Precia replied with a warm smile. "I have a second chance with my second daughter" she said happily. "Though I still do not fully believe I deserve it…"
"Can you stand?" Laicixa asked.
Aqua slowly, gently pulled herself up to her feet (she was fairly tall, around 5' 7.5"), Kaede helping her until she got her balance and her legs steadied. She looked around at the others… and her gaze stuck on Erika, or rather what she was holding.
"Another Keyblade…" she whispered in shock.
"That's me and Marie's little sister, Erika" Sarah said. "She manifested her Keyblade around a week or so ago."
"She's the sweetest little thing" Marie said. "Kind, patient, loving… really shy around new people, but once she gets used to them she's just adorably cheerful and friendly with them."
"…There's something about the way she walks. I can just barely notice if I look close enough."
"Yeah…" Sarah said. "The thing is… When she was little, she suffered some sort of accident or disease. It permanently robbed her of the ability to control… certain functions. She has to wear diapers. …She definitely doesn't let that stop her from being an adorable badass, though."
"Her Heart is really strong" Marie said. "So strong that, even though she has never performed the Rite Of Succession with anyone, she was able to manifest her Keyblade just from the all-powerful desire to protect those who are important to her."
"…Has she been trained?"
"If by that you mean for her Keyblade?" Teana replied. "Not really. A few of us have swordsmanship skills, but our weapons are all pretty fundamentally different in function and form from a Keyblade, so we've only been able to teach her some basics. She's got a decent understanding of magic and chakra-manipulation techniques; she's got affinities for Water and Light."
Aqua was silent in thought for several seconds. Then, she came to a decision. Carefully, she walked in Erika's direction.
"Hey, there."
Erika startled slightly at the new voice, speaking in a kind tone. She turned and saw the new person walking toward her, and felt her shyness kicking in.
"H-Hi" she squeaked, and then cleared her throat. "U-Um… You're L-Laicixa and Ms. Precia's third group-member, right?"
Aqua nodded. She crouched down a bit, getting to eye-level with Erika. "I'm also a Keyblade Wielder, like you." She summoned the Master Keeper to punctuate this. "In fact…" she pointed to a bizarre symbol on the odd device attached to her right sleeve. "I'm a certified Keyblade Master. Your sisters told me how you managed to summon your Keyblade just with the strength of your Heart. That's really, really impressive; most people need to have performed a Succession Rite with another Wielder to be able to call upon a Keyblade."
Erika nodded. "I… I didn't w-want to be unable to help and protect the people I love. I wanted… needed to be able to protect them, no matter what. A-And my need formed this" she hefted the Stroke of Midnight. "I've b-been doing my best to practice with it, get better with it both in s-swordfighting skills and magic. It's hard with how t-the others can't help me too much, but… I'm managing."
"…I think we can solve that issue. Erika… Would you like me to teach you?"
"…Huh?"
"If it's okay with you, I'd like to be your mentor, to have you as a student. I taught Laicixa pretty much everything she knows, and when I was still a student I helped my two fellow disciples when they were having trouble, so I have experience in teaching others the ways of a Keyblade. Would it be okay?"
"…Wow… S-Sure! I'd be happy if y-you could do that! Thank you, u-um… What's your name?"
She smiled. "Aqua."
"Oh, okay. That-" And then Erika remembered the "backstory" description Marie had given her, and realized just how influential, powerful, skilled… and sisterly & kindhearted the person talking to her was. After several seconds, she gathered herself, giving a respectful bow. "T-Thank you… Master Aqua."
Aqua smiled warmly as she stood up, reaching out and gently petting Erika's head, causing the little girl to giggle a little. The two then walked back over to the group.
"Master Eraqus always said that you can't truly be a Master without a Student" Aqua said with a smile. "I guess this makes me a true Master now."
Marie felt a mixture of surprised shock and pride that her cute little sister was now the personal student of one of the big-name heroes of the KH universe. The others – Subaru, Ginga, Erio, Timmy, and Caro – came over to the group, and were informed of just who this newcomer was. Aqua looked closely at Fate.
"I sense something… odd about you" she said. "About your Heart…"
"It's been stripped clean of Darkness" Nanoha replied. Aqua was shocked, as was Precia.
"Just like Ven…" Aqua muttered.
"What happened?" Precia questioned.
Fate looked a little uncomfortable. Nanoha placed a hand on her shoulder, supporting her.
"Around seven years ago…" Fate said. "I was almost consumed by my Darkness. I was… under a great deal of stress and pain at the time, and my enemy was powerful and spoke words that… awoke it. All my life up to that point, I had suppressed and rejected my inner Darkness, pushing it down and locking it away in my Heart. But… my experiences fed that Darkness, making it grow and grow."
Precia looked quite guilty as she realized what a lot of those 'experiences' were.
"On that day, the man I fought said things that pushed me over the edge, shattered the bars of my Darkness' cage. I subsumed myself in it, gave myself to hatred and rage. I… I became a monster. I killed him. Painfully. Brutally. And then the Darkness tried to swallow me whole. But… something happened."
"What happened?" Laicixa asked.
Fate smiled. "Alicia happened. Her spirit came in from out of nowhere. Her pure Light pushed the Darkness back enough that she was able to pull me free from it. And then, we vanquished it – out of my Heart, out of my body, out of existence. And she told me she loved me, and then she left."
Precia held a hand to her chest. 'Alicia…' she thought. 'You got to meet the little sister you always wanted…'
"It wasn't the first time she saved me, either" Fate continued, surprising her mother and 'sister'. "Around half a year after I… became part of Nanoha's group… the Book of Darkness manifested on Earth."
Precia went pale. "T-The Book of Darkness…" she whispered with horror. "On a planet with seven billion people… Y-You fought the Book?"
"More than that" Nanoha replied. "We fought it, we beat it, and with the help of its Mistress, a kind-hearted girl named Hayate who won the hearts & love of the Wolkenritter and gave them happiness & freedom… we purified it. The Book of Darkness is no more; in its place is its original form, before it was corrupted: the Tome of the Night Sky. The Wolkenritter are free of that terrible curse, and now they and Hayate are part of the Bureau's most powerful mages and defenders of what is right, just like Fate and me."
"Y-You… purified the…" Precia was practically in shock. She recovered, though. "How did Alicia factor into this?"
"When the Book of Darkness absorbed me," Fate said, "it brought me into my… my dream world. I lived a normal happy life with you, Arf, Linith, and Alicia. It… It hurt so much to have to leave… But toward the end, the fake Alicia that the Book crafted for me was replaced by the real Alicia, her spirit come down to guide me… and to simply spend time with me. I… I didn't want to go, but she convinced me that Nanoha and the others needed my help. She gave me the strength to break free of the Book, at the same time that Hayate convinced the Book's spirit to separate herself and Hayate from the Book's out-of-control Defense Program."
"Which we proceeded to blow to kingdom come" Nanoha finished. "Though… we couldn't save the book's spirit… Reinforce… She… She had me and Fate… d-delete her to stop the Book's Darkness from regenerating."
"…I've missed out on so much" Precia said in a soft, sad tone. "There's so much I should've been there for you during, Fate. I'm sorry."
"…It's alright, Mother. It's alright."
"…Can we go home now?" Caro asked.
"Sure" Teana replied. "Let's get out of here."
"I'm…" Precia was uncertain. "I'm not sure I should…"
"Mother, please…" Fate implored. "Come with us. You can help us make things right. You can help us stop whatever big threat is coming."
"If need be," Teana said, "one of the civilizations I've befriended over the past several months can grant you amnesty to protect you from Bureau reprisal. The UNSC and Raynor's Raiders could always use more top scientists, and the Sangheili Alliance is enough of a military juggernaut that the TSAB wouldn't dare try pissing them off. Besides… the Sangheili's tech is reverse-engineered from the same long-dead civilization that the Al-Hazredians based their tech and magic on; doesn't that peak your curiosity as a scientist, Dr. Testarossa?"
Precia looked around at them all, finally focusing on the identical pleading looks on Fate's and Laicixa's faces.
"…All right. I'll come, too."
Fate hugged her in response, Laicixa soon joining in.
They all made their way back the way the "outsiders" had come, reaching the portal in a little less than an hour. Precia ensured that her cloak's hood was up to hide her face at Nanoha's insistence ("just in case, until we get things sorted out"), and then everyone stepped through, returning to Midchilda.
-SCENE BREAK-
A great deal had happened in the past few days. Precia, Laicixa, and Aqua, along with the recovering Mana Kirishima, had spent a good several hours viewing the archived footage of everything, including the events on Midchilda from Teana's return to the recent victory against Kadak. Aqua got her first look at the girl 'Ruin' whom Laicixa had claimed to have encountered a few times, while Precia saw all that her second daughter had accomplished, and Mana was utterly dumbfounded by just how big the thing she'd gotten caught up in was.
Aqua had also been informed of how multiple realms had the Kingdom Hearts series; thus, she got to learn exactly how Master Xehanort had orchestrated Eraqus' death and Terra's fall… and got the surprise of her life upon learning that Sora, the boy she'd passed up for the Succession Rite for fear of putting him through what she'd gone through, gained the Kingdom Key – the Keyblade of the entire Realm of Light, rumored to be the First, the progenitor of all Keyblades – and foiled Xehanort's plots and those of his Nobody, becoming a shining example of heroism… and carrying Ventus' slumbering Heart inside of him, which gave his Nobody Roxas Ventus' form and voice.
Fate had very carefully broken the news of Precia's return to Chrono, Lindy, Amy, and Arf – first showing them the clip of her remorseful "final" thoughts as she fell into the Void, and then allowing them to see everything that had transpired in the Realm of Darkness. They said they would try to their best to separate the Precia of now from the Precia they had fought. …It helped a little that she had proven to have removed the Whip Form function of her Device, Hrist.
Also, literally less than five minutes after the news of Precia's survival was leaked to the TSAB's higher-ups, Sangheili Arbiter Thel Vadam himself – visiting Midchilda on political business and already informed ahead of time – claimed her to be under his protection, "so don't try anything rash".
Mana had very quickly gotten used to her "re-rebuilt" body and was very, very happy with the changes made. Aqua had already started training and tutoring Erika, finding the girl to be a splendidly fast learner and quick & flexible thinker. Mana and Aqua also both began forging friendships with their new allies, becoming quite taken with the Nakajima sisters. It wasn't long before the four were training together, and what was displayed caught the eye of a few of the coalition's brass…
-SCENE BREAK-
Five Days After The Darkness-Realm Mission
Riot Force Six Headquarters
"Do you four understand and accept the responsibilities that come with this?"
"Yes, ma'am" they chorused.
"You swear to uphold what is right, to defend the helpless at every step, to represent the truth and light of our ideals?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Lt-Col. Hayate Yagami smiled. "Very well, then. It is my pleasure to formally recognize you – Aqua Acionna, Ginga Nakajima, Subaru Nakajima, Mana Kirishima – as the TSAB's newest special-ops squad, a counterpart, partner, and 'sister' unit to the UNSC's Gamma Team. As of today, you are Sigma Team."
The four girls in question saluted, as the spectators – Gamma and the others of RF6 – applauded. Hayate stepped forward to shake their hands individually; Aqua, as Team Leader, was first, followed by Ginga, her second-in-command, and then the other two girls. With another salute, Hayate dismissed them, and they headed down to mingle with the others.
"I look forward to working with you" Teana said with a grin as she and Aqua shook hands.
"Likewise, Teana" the other girl said.
"We are gonna kick so much ass!" Mana cheered. "Oh man, I've gotta keep studying my magic and jutsu. I'll show those NHIS bastards 'ineffectual!"
"So what's next for us?" Shion asked.
"The coalition's gonna start sending feelers out," Nanoha replied, "try to find realms where we can do some good, maybe find anything more out about whoever or whatever our enemy is. The Bureau's already sent some probing spells out to a few other Earths we haven't touched yet."
"Any leads?" Teana asked.
"One, possibly." Nanoha called up a holo-screen, showing dimensional coordinates. It focused on an Earth, zeroing in on Japan.
"There's a town in this Japan called Kamakura. There's a girl there that we may be able to help."
The image showed a young woman with hot-pink hair, red eyes, and cat-ear-shaped horns on her head.
-BOOK 10 END-
Aaaaand that's it for this Book. The next book – "Book 11: To Be Human" – will be in the Nanoha / Elfen Lied x-over section. It may be a few days or a week before it comes out, but trust me: it will come out, and soon. Until then! Please read, review, and tend to the Teana's Travels trope and character pages!