Unicorn
Team GEMINI
Alcohol was her only solace. Only by imbibing the cool bitter liquid could she relax, tricking herself with artificial euphoria into believing that her problems were nonexistent. The quiet serenity of her drunken stupor was bliss. Everything was so calm and warm; it made her smile a little, but this joy was short lived. The price for her moment of reprieve was great and Fate understood that far too well. If she dwelled in that blissful state for too long she was sure to never return; however, if she declined death's sweet, sweet embrace she would plummet back to Earth and willingly shackle herself to reality once more.
"Mama?" Vivio's meek voice broke through the awkward silence. "I'm sorry…" The young teen waited patiently for her mother to say something, but took the initiative when the older woman said nothing. "I'm really sorry, Mama…"
Tilting her arrack glass to the side, Fate shifted her hazy gaze over to her daughter and grinned. "My darling Vivio, why do you apologize?" she asked, running the tips of her fingers down her cheek and over her lips. "Surely there hasn't been anything my perfect little girl has done wrong."
"Mama, I—," Vivio bit her tongue and shrunk back, fear gripping hold of her.
"Tell me my adorable Vivio, why did your principal send you home?"
Vivio took a step back and braced herself for the worst. "I was caught accepting a l-love letter," she had said the words with mild hesitation, "from another… girl."
"Splendid," spat Fate. The prestigious woman stood up and downed the final drops of her rum before placing the glass quietly on the lamp table closest to her. "Why do I send you to school, child?"
"T-To learn..?
"T-To learn?" Crimson hued eyes sharpened into deathly slits as Fate mimicked her daughter's daunted voice. "Stop stuttering you daft girl! I send you to that school for one reason and one reason alone." The words Fate spat out terrified Vivio, but the blonde haired teenager still preferred her mother in a drunken stupor than a sober one any day. "Ever since your useless mother ran away with that… with that damned ferret!" Words were lost to her the moment she saw the raw terror unfurling in Vivio's mismatched eyes; she derived a sick, sadistic pleasure from the way she cowered before her. "Enough of this nonsense, you aren't worth a single breath to me, urchin. Now go to your room and think about what you have done, expect a punishment when I think of one suitable. I will have no more of this do you understand?"
"…" Vivio felt no need to reply, she knew from years of unwarranted beatings and punishments that if she even dared to utter another word after her mother had ended it… it would be a whipping.
Turning around to leave her mother's study, Vivio sighed and thanked the Gods who were watching over her. She had somehow avoided yet another session with 'Artimus' and prayed their next reunion wouldn't be any time soon.
"Delicious news, Darling," Fate chuckled quietly and shook her head from side to side cursing her own forgetfulness. "Artimus has been feeling a little left out of our family conversations."
"No, mama, please no!" Vivio begged. "That girl's letter wasn't meant for me, it was meant for someone else in my class!" It was a lie, but it was still worth a shot.
Once again Fate's eyes narrowed, "How shameful. How dare you try to lie your way out of this? Have I not trained you properly? Have I not shown you the price you must pay for lying to your Fate-mama?"
Vivio wanted to run, she wanted to call her mother and beg for rescue, but Nanoha was too far away to save her.
An evil glint flashed through Fate's eyes as her fingers coiled around Artimus' hilt. She was going to enjoy this for it had been far too long since she heard her darling cry out in pure agony. It always excited Fate when she cracked her bullwhip; it gave her a sense of unfathomable superiority.
"Vivio, my angel, come to… mother."
Like mother… like daughter.
Welcome to the new world, Precia Testarossa.