[November 25, 2187. Kiske Residence – early afternoon.]

Sorting through her old belongings, Dizzy finds the old letters she wrote to the mother she never met – the dreaded commander Gear known as Justice. While she also possessed the power to command others, her pacifistic personality prevented her from doing so. She decides to read her past writings while enjoying the oddly sunny day. Located in the manor's backyard, she takes a seat on her personal garden's decorative iron bench. Sipping the fruity tea she prepared for her break, she takes the trip down memory lane by starting from the beginning.

[2181]

Dear Mom,

Although I never met you, I want to wish you a happy mother's day. ? The current "mom" I have is a kind, elderly human woman. She and her husband treat me well, but something feels… wrong? I'm not fully human because I have wings and a tail. …and blue hair and red eyes. Some of the villagers have warned my foster parents that I'll grow up to be a monster. I don't think that of myself because of my kindhearted temperament. I have a lot more to learn about how everything works – though I'll have to put that on hold because as I'm writing this, I've been chased out from my home.

It was an accident. There was this blind girl named Josephine that thought of me as an angel and I wanted to help her with the disability because there's a doctor that could cure her. Unfortunately, the people still didn't like me and they burned down Dr. Faust's clinic. Josephine attacked me and I haven't seen her since… I hope Dr. Faust understands I meant no harm.

[There are small drawings of flowers and a squirrel that was nearby when she wrote this. A doodle of Faust's paper bag is located in the margin of the page.]

I don't fully distrust humans, but I am wary of them. Something happened because I am what they call a "Gear."

There is a reward for my death. The posters with my image and name on them have a price of 500,000W$. What happened that someone like me would be charged with the crime of existing?

I learned that you were also one.

Your name was Justice.

Humans feared you. There was a group formed in order to combat your forces called the Sacred Order of Holy Knights. The one who's acting as my guardian in the forest says they knew you. Testament's also nice to me and I'm happy they're here after I asked for a friend. Necro and Undine are also here as my guardians, but they're the spirits that live in my wings.

I don't know if he's part of the people who are after me, but there's something strange about who killed you. Testament says the man responsible for your death tried hiding his emotion after you took your last breath. You said something about "the three of us talking one last time." I have to ask you this: did you know him? Did you know the one known as Sol Badguy?

Who was he to you?

Is he my father?

If you were alive right now, I'd ask so many questions.

[2182]

Dear Justice Mom,

I lived with the Jellyfish Pirates for a while. Johnny and Leap were like another pair of parental figures. It felt nice to be included in something like the Pirates. The other girls were really nice too. May and April are like my older sisters – each crew member are named after months. Except me? My name does begin with D, so I guess I'm December? I don't know exactly when my birthday is, but I'd like to think it's Christmas.

[Below are smiley faces with the hats and hairstyles of the crew, with Dizzy's at the end of the row. Her head accessory is a bandanna, with her ribbons still visible.]

By now I've encountered Sol. I didn't want to fight, but we did. He's super powerful, but I feel like he held back. I didn't bring up that you two possibly knew each other before all of this. His reaction when he first saw me in person was, uh, shocked? He blankly stared at me for a few seconds when I asked him where Testament was. (Turns out, he defeated them before I noticed something was wrong.) He brushed it off as if nothing happened. The fight ensued, with Necro taking command and attacking.

I lost.

He didn't kill me. I wonder why?

He wasn't the only one who "visited" the forest during that time either. I tried telling him not to get too close as I don't have full control over my powers nor do I know my limits, but Ky's different from everyone else. He's a skilled swordsman, has control over lightning, and he told me something that I still can't get out of my head after we fought.

You just reminded me of someone... "Bend your words, and you bend the emotion that you wished to convey." I wanted to show you... That some humans are able to handle your power.

…did Ky fight you too?

There was also a witch with a guitar that attacked me. We fought and I won, but Necro took over as I lost consciousness. When I woke up, I thought it was all a dream. You wouldn't believe who calmed me down.

[A small sketch of Sol is drawn in the bottom right corner. At this point in time, it's still unknown if they have any relation.]

[2183. The handwriting's faded to the point where she can't read it. Out of the collection of papers, this is the only one that's illegible. The page shows wear and light tear, along with discoloring from age.]

"Did anything worth mentioning happen that year…? Aside from the Kingdoms being established? Probably not."

[There was one line she's able to read.]

"Oh, right. How could I have forgotten?"

[It's the date she and Ky secretly got "married." She wishes that they didn't have to keep their union a secret. The marriage preventing factors were the lack of records and concealed identity.]

"It happened before, but did I write about the experiments that were performed on me…?" She recalls her time as a test subject for the PWAB. "I thought who I saw was you, but that was just an imitation…."

[2184]

Mom,

Having to keep my relationship a secret from the public takes a lot out of me. I mostly stay home as Ky's out during the day. He's gaining a reputation of a hero among the people, and the public's been saying he's a king in the making. Imagine me, informally known as the Princess of the Gears, becoming a queen (just like you were?)

I have some news to share (not really sharing if it's me writing what I would've said if you were still with us.) I'm a mom now. Ky and I are parents, and our child is due very soon.

Quick question: how does Gear reproduction work? I learned human pregnancy lasts nine months, but mine's thought by the doctors to be shorter than that. How did you have me? I have an egg growing inside – like, an actual egg. Is that how I was when you were pregnant with me?

[2185]

Something horrifying is happening. Gears regained their free will when you died five years ago, but now they're disappearing! We don't know the cause of it and I'm afraid it'll happen to me too.

To make things worse, Ky's been pressured to assume the role of a puppet king. Sin, our son, hates him for trying to keep the three of us safe.

It's because of me. I put them all in danger. Those bastards people responsible put pressure on my husband to take a job he didn't willingly want and the threat is on my life. My son is now under Sol's care and it was decided after he and Ky fought.

This might be the last time I "write" to you.

Maybe that way we can finally meet.

[2186 to 2187. Nothing's a physical record as she spent time in a hastily made seal to protect her during Baptisma 13. It wasn't until late 2187 when she was safely released – just in time to assist in the counterattack to the Conclave's plans to resurrect Justice.]

"That titan-sized figure was you."

[She gained control over her powers, successfully performing a gamma ray to overload Justice's systems. Passing out immediately afterward, she remembers the following day where she and Ky fought each other – in a friendly sparring match – with her winning. Later that month, Dizzy defended the capital's streets against the antimatter Gear attacks, alongside a varied assortment of allies. After the defeat of the Universal Will, she was taken aback from how the public praised her heroism despite her genetic makeup.]

[Lowly laughing to herself, she smiles, looking up at the sky.]

"Are you proud of me, Mom?"

"I'd say she would be."

"…?" Dizzy snaps out of her daydream state to find Sol standing in the doorway. "How much did you hear?"

"Just the last part." He's new to this whole being a parent (or a parental figure?) thing. Deciding to drop by when the manor was empty seemed more his style, with or without strangely perfect timing. Ky was busy with duties at the castle, and all three Elphelt, Ramlethal, and Sin were out somewhere in the city. Sol walks along the dirt path to take a seat on the other end of the bench. Leaning his weapon against the nearest shrub, he runs a hand through his hair to alleviate his anxiety. "She isn't awake yet, but hopefully she will be soon."

"You two knew each other before, right?"

"That's putting it lightly."

"Can you tell me what kind of person Jus— Aria was?"

And there's what he was half-expecting. "She was one hell of a woman. The youngest out of our research team and somehow, she could've been with anyone else." The right corner of his mouth quirked up for half a second before his expression reverted to neutral. "She showed interest in me of all people. I wasn't the best partner, yet she loved me regardless and didn't mind the introversion and bad temper I have. I'll leave it at that."

The hospital hasn't contacted either of them. It's been five days since the fusion and rescue mission; everyone involved, or who cared to any extent, have been on the edge of their seats for any updates. "I can't believe it. After almost a decade, I'll finally be able to meet her."

Her personal comm – colored bubblegum pink instead of the commonplace blue – activated a few seconds later. "Hey, Dizzy?"

"Ky? What is it? Aren't you busy with work?"

"That can wait for now. I'm on the way home because the IRMC just called. Aria woke up this morning."

Picking up on the relayed news, a small smile appears on Sol's face. He looks at Dizzy, who in turn was both relieved and excited, evidenced by her wagging tail and flapping wings. He stands up, brushing off the specks of dirt the wind kicked around from his pants. "Come on," he holds a hand out to help her up. "Let's get going. She'll be thrilled to see both of us."