Disclaimer: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha belongs to Seven Arcs and all respective license holders. The Persona Series belongs to ATLUS. I only own this fic and nothing else. I also own all the mistakes too.
Chapter 13: Hope of Salvation
"Help… me?" Joker whispered in echo as he watched the shamble of a shadow. He threw the thought away though, as both she and the lesser shadows began to close in on them. As she approached, she seemed to have increased in size, a fact that became more apparent as she grew closer, as well as when he realized that the lights had become obstructed. It would have been more apt to say that she now was closer in size to a giant than a person. Watching closer, he realized that Precia's shadow seemed to be struggling to move thanks to the shadows closer to her trying to cling on to her.
"Out of my way!" She yelled, as she tried to fling them off like bugs, only to fail time and time again. He didn't know what was happening, but he didn't have the time to think on it now.
"Mona, Panther, Yusuke, you're with me. The rest of you hold off the shadows and keep Alicia safe. Rynith, what are you going to do?" Joker asked the familiar as the thieves who weren't going with him began to take defensive measures.
"I'll go with you. If it fights anything like the real thing, then my knowledge will be of some use." Joker nodded back in agreement. Any advantage they could muster would be useful.
"Um… what about me?" Alicia asked as she clung to Queen's side. "What should I do?"
"Oracle, is there room enough in Prometheus for two?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, I-I think," Oracle answered. "Just give me a second then." Prometheus then appeared above them, its creepy trollish rainbow smile still as pleasant as he remembered it being.
"Alicia, stay with Oracle inside Prometheus. It'll be safe in there. Something tells me that if anything were to happen to you, the last of what's left of your Mom… well that won't happen as long as you're safe, okay?" Joker told her, while trying to remain positive, though given what they'd just seen, it was easier said than done.
"Please, save mom?" She asked as she held on to Oracle as they were taken into the orbital Persona.
"… It's what I promised." He watched as the two then disappeared inside and then rose as high as it could, given the ceiling above them. Once he saw them stop in the air, he returned his attention to the rest. "Right then. Noir, can you clear a path for us? Oracle pinpoint the best spots for her to fire her grenades at." Joker ordered
"No problem! Noir fire about ten degrees to your left!" Oracle commanded over the comms.
"Roger!" Noir replied, not at all intimidated by the sight, as she took aim. "Kaboom!" She yelled in time to the explosion, scattering the shadows that hadn't been turned to dust.
"Now fifteen degrees right! Now maybe 7 degrees back left!" As they continued to clear more and more shadows, the ones that had been initially blasted away were beginning to stir.
"The shadows are beginning to regroup! Go Now!" Joker ran in, followed by Mona, Panther, Yusuke and Rynith. "Stay safe everyone!" He told them before diving right in. As he rushed towards Precia, he could see a few shadows trying to approach them.
Getting out his knife, he deftly jumped on top of the shadow, slamming the blade into its head before jumping away and, without even taking the time to see it die, continued on. He then did the same to other shadows that got to close. Yusuke slashed at shadows that leapt at them, Panther used her submachinegun to keep other shadows at bay, and Mona opted to instead evade them as Rynith used spells to drive them away.
"Oracle, Noir! I need a couple more!" Joker yelled as they began to approach a part of the horde that hadn't been cleared yet. Not even a second after he made the command, a couple explosions rocked the ground where they needed it most, and a path to Precia finally cleared. "Go!" The five of them rushed into the opening as the shadows then closed off their escape route as soon as they ran past. Without a moment to rest, they turned their attention towards the lumbering mass of wires, chains, and glass. A few shadows clawed at her legs, but most seemed repelled, trying to get closer only to be blocked by something invisible.
"Over here!" Joker called out. The Shadow stopped in its tracks and turned to face them, her body twisting in a deliberate manner as her loose form rankled into place.
"I thought I told you to leave!" She yelled.
"Sorry, but we've still got some unfinished business to take care of. We're not leaving until we have what we came for!"
"What nonsense. If that's please the case, then I suppose stop I should make it me so that you cannot leave at all!"
With her attention set squarely on them, Joker began to issue his orders. "Fox, Masukukaja! Mona, Masukunda! Panther prep a Concentrate and wait for an opportunity to set her ablaze! Rynith, provide support while I act as a distraction."
"Got it!"
"Roger!"
"Be careful!" He hadn't the time to parse who said what as he rushed towards the towering shadow with knife at the ready. As he closed in, he could see a green light envelop him while simultaneously a green sphere of energy descended upon Precia. As the light faded, he felt himself become faster, and Precia's movements become more sluggish. The Shadow swung its arm at him, kicking up dust and debris as it ran across the floor. With his invigorated agility, Joker clear of the attack. As it passed under him, he twisted so as to land onto the arm feet first.
Without delay, he ran up the appendage, his footing looser than he would have liked, even with his enhanced agility. Even so, he deftly ran up the arm made of wires and glass as Precia sluggishly tried to respond. He leapt over a second strike made by Precia's other arm, landing atop one of her shoulders.
"Your mine!" He slashed at Precia with his knife and Arsene with his claws. A screeching sound emanated from his strike, and he felt like he was striking at stubborn glass rather than flesh. Even so he completed his attack and Precia's shadow roared in pain, flailing too much for Joker to stand on. Instead of trying to cling on, Joker took the initiative to leap away. As he did so, he took out his gun and began to fire at Precia as he tumbled towards the ground, each causing her to shudder as they made their mark.
"Hiyah!" Joker saw a blast of yellow magic fly past him and towards Precia as he landed. An explosion erupted at the point of impact, obscuring Precia's upper half in smoke. However, like from his own strike, he heard glass rather than flesh fall onto the ground.
In the next moment, he saw little pieces of Precia falling onto the ground, just like what had happened when he saw her in the corner. Clinking and clanking, they made their way down without ceremony or pattern. A wire and chain were attached to every piece no matter how small, and each wire and chain was strung upwards, into the cloud of dust that had yet to disperse.
His mask flashed blue, as he tried to understand just what was happening. Something didn't feel right, not his strike nor Rynith's. A niggling feeling in the back of his mind made him wary. Despite the strong blast, Precia's Shadow had managed to withstand it, though her attention now being pulled towards the spell's perpetrator.
"You! Rynith! You're siding with them?" Precia had finally noticed that among their numbers was someone she recognized. Her rage burned brighter on her face as she closed in on the so called 'traitor'.
"Your perception seems to have waned since we've last met master. I've been with them this whole time. It is your fault for not noticing sooner."
"How!? Why!? A familiar is not supposed to betray their master, and yet you appear before me once more, and siding with these vermin!" Joker watched the two carefully. He trusted Rynith enough to at least be able to handle her own, but in case something went wrong, he had to be ready to jump in at a moment's notice.
"Indeed master, I wonder if you will perhaps intuit the answers on your own. If need be however, I can offer my assistance in this matter should you desire such."
"Joker, I'm ready!" He heard Panther from behind, knocking him back to reality.
"Rynith, get some distance! Yoshitsune, Heat Riser!" Joker sent the spell Panther's way as he then fell back to regroup. At the same time, Rynith jumped away from the approaching enemy to make clear of the area, dodging a swipe that Precia's Shadow made as Rynith lept away.
"Hecate! Blazing Hell!" Pillars of flame rose from the ground, blowing away any smoke that remained. He could hear Precia scream from behind the blinding inferno.
"Oracle, what's the read on her vitality?" He asked as he shielded his eyes from the blaze.
"I'm… I'm not getting any change! None of that did anything from what I can tell!" Nothing? All of that did nothing? But he clearly saw the glass that fell from Precia's body. Even now he could hear that same glass popping under the intense heat of Panther's magic. What the hell was going on? How was it that she wasn't hurt according to Oracle's measurements?
"Is mommy ok?" He suddenly heard in the comms. He'd almost forgotten Alicia was with Oracle.
"I don't know…" Was all Joker could sullenly answer with as the flames finally began to die down. Once the last of the fire had finally burnt away, curled in a fetal position in the middle, uncharred, was Precia's shadow. Just like before, more pieces of her fell to the ground, crumbling and cracking in ever increasing amounts as she made to stand back up. Seeing this, Joker was sure damage was being done of some sort, but Oracle's readings weren't changing.
"Was that run all you had?" Precia asked, dark purple orbs of lightning forming in orbit around her.
"Watch out!" Joker and the other thieves dove away at Rynith's warning as the orbs were then flung at odd trajectories towards them. Panther managed to sidestep the orb that went for her, while Rynith blocked with a magic shield the orb that found its way towards her and Mona. Joker jumped over the orb that flew towards him. Fox instead opted to run past the one aimed at him.
"Inari what are you-"
"Brave Blade!" Behind him Susano-o appeared and the two struck at Precia, their attacks trying to slice through the wires and chains that kept Precia together. His blade went right through, a fog of darkness following the line of the cut. However, his apparent success was met with only skepticism from his furrowed brow. "Nothing?" Apparently not even an iota of resistance was met by Fox's attack. He leapt away once he noticed the shadow's arm swing towards him. He continued to back up until he had regrouped with the rest. Because of the missed swing, Precia lost her balance, tumbling to the floor.
"It would appear that striking at the connective wires yields nothing. They don't even seem to really exist, a figment of imagination," Fox reported to them.
"Well at least we know that won't work. Any other ideas? My flames seemed to have only made her angrier…" Panther said as she nervously eyed her weapons. "And Joker's attacks at the non-wired parts haven't done much better."
"Is something the matter Sir Mona?" Rynith asked, noticing how the cat's demeanor changed.
"There's two things that bother me. First is that there is one place we haven't tried attacking yet." Joker was the first to catch on to what Mona was referring to.
"You mean her exposed heart?"
"Yeah, she's been protecting that as best she can whenever something would hit it, though not that we've tried to focus it down. Perhaps that is how we can defeat her."
"And what else was bothering you?" Joker probed further, his eyes now starting to keep track of Precia who was now halfway to getting back up.
"Well, it's just that… unlike shadows we've dealt with in the past, she hasn't fused with any of the shadows in her Palace. Her shadows don't even transform into any concrete form, just maintaining a formless state. The shadows have tried to fuse with her but fail to grab on to anything, and just fall off."
"You're right. People's shadows aren't supposed to transform into those huge monster things until after they fuse with the shadows of the palace. But she's looked like this since we found her," Panther said to the group. "So, what's made her look like this?"
"Were these shadows you saw in the past for people of sane mind?" Rynith asked the group.
"Is it perhaps specifically because of her deteriorated mental state that she is like this?" Fox realized from Rynith's implicative question. "Even so, that still leaves us with no recourse to subdue her aside from possibly her heart. But if she has not fused with the palace shadows, then will striking her heart… how may that be different from attacking a normal person's shadow?"
"Oracle can you see anything from up there?" Panther asked the navigator.
"No, I'm not detecting anything else from up here. I mean aside from parts of her that are still scattered about, I can't find anything in there that you could focus on."
"Is there really no other option?"
"No! You can't! You promised to save her!" They heard Alicia scream. "Mommy's hurting enough already! Isn't there some other way to help her? To make her better?"
"That woman is already broken, you can see it for yourself," Rynith was the one to answer. "Perhaps it was indeed a foolish desire to try and save her. Her mind is literally shattered. Perhaps we best end her before she piles up even more regrets."
"No! Ren say something! Please! You Promised!"
"Joker, we don't have any other options. At least none in the time we have left," Rynith told him. "Let's help Precia in the best way we can." Despite how cold she sounded, Joker noticed her voice trail at the end. Even she didn't want this.
He tried to focus. There had to be something he was missing. A trick he wasn't seeing. Something, anything. He looked back at the shambling mess that was Precia's shadow. It still struggled to stand back up, her appendages shaking and unsteady. She'd already looked defeated and broken.
"Y-You promised to save mommy. You said you could help her." He could hear Alicia breaking down, sniffles and crying came clear into his ears. Even though he couldn't see her, it weighed heavy on his heart all the same.
Was this it? Was he really going to have to break his promise to them? Just like that? Was he just going to have to double down and let both Alicia and Fate down? There had to be another way. But what way? How? How do you defeat someone who was already broken; already defeated, without just finishing the job?
What can you do to someone who was already hurt?
"Ren, please! Isn't there another way to help her?"
A roar emanated away from them, returning their attention to the cause of this whole mess. Precia's shadow had finally righted itself and was beginning to cast another spell.
"I've had enough of stop you, all of you! I'll make sure there's not even an atom me of you left!"
"That… everyone, we have to strike now, or else we're all going to be ground to dust!" Rynith warned them, clearly familiar with whatever spell Precia's shadow was attempting to unleash. "We must strike her heart now! It's now or never!"
"This… this can't be… Ren…" Alicia's sobs were being drowned out as magic gathered at Precia's location. "Why?"
What do you do for something that's broken? Something in Joker's head clicked into place. Looking down, his eyes scampered about until he saw what he was looking for, and without another word, he bolted right towards it.
"Joker!"
"What are you doing!?" The voices blurred as he focused on grabbing the thing that lay on the floor. Once he'd arrived, without missing a beat, he carried it with him as he then turned to run towards Precia. He could feel the energy becoming denser and denser as he approached. It became harder to breathe with every step, but he pushed forward. He ran until he was right in front of Precia, right where he had to be.
"You Insolent-" He ignored Precia's ramblings as his mask flashed blue and he forced into place what he was carrying onto Precia's body. It was his last chance, the last trick up his sleeve. He prayed that it would work as he casted his spell.
-0-0-13-0-0-
The atmosphere was suffocating as Fate, Arf, Chrono, and Precia eyed each other for even the subtlest of movements. None dared to move, for fear of making a mistake. Yet they each were anxious to take the initiative. Crumbling and destruction could be heard in the distance, yet they did not budge. Even as their footings shook ever so slightly their stances did not loosen. Finally though, someone made the first move, except it was not one they had expected.
Precia's staff was the first to drop, followed by the woman herself. Her hands clung to her skull as a wretched cry of pain clawed its way out of the woman's already thin and weakened throat. She felt a pain from deep within her mind, cloying, and breaking, her further.
"Mother!" Fate cried, as she flew towards the woman, disengaging Bardiche on the approach.
"Fate! It could be a trap!" Arf warned her as Fate closed in on the woman who. Fate ignored her familiar and continued towards her mother. Worry was all once could see on the girl's face.
Chrono maintained his distance, deciding to watch the proceedings from afar, in relative safety. If anything were to happen, he could react accordingly. He tried to be ready for whatever scheme this woman had prepared. However, he grew curious once he saw Fate able to place a hand on her mother's back, and the woman did not a single thing to stop her. Her pain was genuine. Was this the result of the seeds, or was it perhaps something else?
The woman continued to cry out as the pain wracked her mind, as if she was on fire, as if she was being torn apart. She felt herself breaking down, with pain to measure each step of the process. Tears ran down her widened, manic eyes as the pain became too much to bear.
"Chrono, can't you heal her?" Fate asked the boy as she tried to comfort the pained woman.
"Wait she's really in pain?" Arf asked as she finally made it over to Fate's side.
"I… I don't know. I can heal physical exhaustion and battle wounds, but I don't think my spells would be of any use in this case," The officer answered honestly, now just baffled by what he was seeing.
"Mother…" Fate said, as she could only watch Precia writhe in pain.
But just as suddenly as the pain arrived. Precia felt something else. As the pain receded, and stopped, a different feeling began to take its place. It was a warm feeling, a kind one.
Time Remaining: Suspended. Warning, Seed Energy Remains Critical.
-0-0-13-0-0-
"Diarahan!" Pixie appeared at Joker's side and focused the healing spell on the thing Joker held in place upon Precia's body. As the spell ran its course, he could see the lines disappearing, and the item returning to what it once was supposed to be, where it was supposed to be: her torso. His eyes lit up as he watched Precia's shadow repair that broken part of itself, reuniting it as one.
"Gaah!" Unfortunately, he didn't notice the rest of the body swing itself at him, knocking him away. Precia's Shadow fell back to the ground after her strike. Alongside the momentum of her swing, she also felt at a loss because of the foreign feeling that was beginning to emanate from within her. It was not unpleasant, but she couldn't name it.
"Joker," Mona cried as he and the others ran over to where the Phantom Thief had landed with a skid. It took a couple of seconds, but Joker was able to get up without assistance, though with a couple of groans instead.
"I'm fine. Just a little wind taken out of my sail, that's all."
"Hold on, just to be safe, let's get you healed up. Diarahan!" Panther held him down and cast her own healing spell on him. Once she was sure it went through, she proceeded to ask, "So, what was that? That light? That sound? What did you do?"
"That, I think, is how we're going to save Precia," Joker answered her.
"You shouted Diarahan. If I'm correct that is the also the spell Panther just used on you. A healing spell from the looks of it," Rynith noted.
"And that's not all. You also picked up her torso and placed it on her body before healing her. It's as if it was never broken to begin with." Fox focused on the newly reattached portion of Precia's Shadow. Even focusing with all his might, he couldn't find a single aberration. "it's perfectly attached."
"Just what made you think of doing something like that?" Mona asked Joker, the man's confidence having returned.
"She's already defeated and broken. That's what's made her like this in the first place. You can't knock someone down a peg if they're already at their lowest point. Just hammering away at her shadow at this point wouldn't do anything more than what's already been done. So why not try something else, a different approach?" Joker stood back up, looking at Precia's Shadow once more. She groped at the part of her body that had returned to her; prodding, unsure.
"Why not try to pick up the pieces, and fix what's broken? I think that's what we should do. We should be trying to heal her." Joker was finally able to say. "What do you think?"
"Well your conjecture has certainly yielded success," Fox noted. "However, it would appear the process isn't anywhere near finished. Has everyone heard Joker's explanation?"
"Loud and clear!" Skull replied.
"Yes, anything is better than taking a parent from a child," Noir answered back. "At least when things can be made better."
"Everyone, start looking for and gathering Precia's pieces," Queen Ordered. "If you can't use a healing spell, bring them to someone who can. Oracle, keep an out for any pieces that are hidden or ones that we miss."
"Roger that! Time for a scavenging quest, on the double!"
"Alicia, can you hear me?" Joker asked as everyone scrambled to find Precia's broken pieces.
"… Yes, I can Ren," She replied, her voice hoarse, yet mousey and quiet.
"We can save her. Your mother's going to be okay," He said, finally able to do so without a shred of deceit or hesitation.
"Thank you… Thank you so much…" He could hear her crying once more, but this time he was sure that they were tears of joy.
"You can thank me when we're done," he replied as he picked up a piece of Precia at his foot. "You better be smiling at the end of all this." He broke into a sprint to Precia, where he saw Panther, then Mona, then Queen repairing the broken parts of her, making her whole again. A shadow leapt at him, which he dispatched with a well-placed bullet to its face as he continued towards Precia. Seeing how the chain connected he placed the other half of torso he held into position.
"Diarahan!" Then he leapt back, his eye in search for more, but not before he realized that Precia's heart was no longer exposed. It was completely safe again. "For now, Alicia, just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!"
"I will!"
-0-0-13-0-0-
The thieves rushed the room, grabbing and passing any pieces of Precia they could find. It was a slow process. However, it was a steady one. It had already been quite a bit of time since they started, already they were more than halfway done, and falling into a rhythm.
"Skull, over here!"
"Catch!" The leather jacket clad youth threw the shard over a horde of shadows, the piece catching the light as it made its way over to Queen.
"Got it!"
"Nice catch, Queen! The shadows are thinnest to the left!" Oracle informed her as she kept an eye on the battlefield. The others doing much the same as those two.
"Anat! Mafriedyne!" Queen called her Persona, the flash of bluish white light evaporating what didn't scatter. Before her magic even had a chance to fully fade away, she was already making her way through the horde, squashing more on her way over to her destination. It was not long until she'd reached the center of the room.
Precia's Shadow was being kept at bay by Joker and Rynith. The Familiar's spells pelted the shadow in mixed intervals, just enough to distract, but not enough to be called a barrage in any sense. Joker took the time to strike whenever Precia's attention began to lapse or be taken by the others. This time he jumped onto her and used her like a vault to get to the other side of her. As he did so, Queen snuck from behind.
"Mediarahan!" He heard his cohort cry just before Precia's Shadow went limp once more, from the sudden sensation. Queen then retreated without missing a beat, disappearing in to the hoard of shadows around them.
"What are you doing to me!?" The Precia's shadow asked. "What's happening to me?"
"Master, you should quiet down. It's making the healing process more difficult."
"Rynith! Why are you helping these Keep children? A familiar is not going supposed act against its master!" Precia's shadow began as she slowly returned to her feet. Rynith, standing nearby, walked up with a confident gait towards her master.
"You are correct, as always. A familiar is always to act in the best interest of their master. To a familiar, a master is the most important existence in the world." Her answer, though sincere, was tinged ever so slightly in mild snide, yet somehow kind, irreverence. "As such I deem this as the best way to help you master." A blast of magical energy erupted from a circle she conjured from behind herself. It struck Precia's shadow only with enough force to knock her down to keep the shadow from breaking any further.
"Do you remember my final wish to you my master? The one I made before I departed from your service in life?" Rynith asked, though Precia's shadow could only glare daggers at her. Rynith was sure that had she actual daggers, they'd be used to the same degree. Regardless she pressed on. "For my service, I asked only that you would have a meal with Fate, together at the table."
"What does your request have to do with your betraAAA-!"
"Diarahan!" Noir cast, this time on Precia's leg before she was also made to escape.
"I had hoped," Rynith continued, "that by having a meal with her, you could begin to see her as more than just a puppet for your designs. That perhaps by having the chance to talk with her, you could see just what sort of precious thing that you held in your hands. It is unfortunate that my true desire went unfulfilled. I suppose though, at very least as consolation, Fate was finally able to eat dinner with her mother."
"Do not call me she that doll's deserved Mother! She's not better my daughter!"
"Yes, thank you for demonstrating my failure in its entirety. That being said, I am also thankful that a new opportunity has arisen in its place. I will not fail this time. I shall be taking the direct approach now that the subtle one has gone unnoticed." As she continued to speak, the other thieves continued their repair of Precia's shadow. Rynith, who kept constant watch on her, began to notice the size of the shadow decrease. The chains on the ground rustled ever closer to their source. Was this perhaps a sign that she was returning to normal?
"Thank you for this chance," she whispered to herself.
"I can smell it." Rynith whipped her head around to where she heard that noble voice from. Mona stood nearby, entranced. "The Treasure, I can smell it!"
-0-0-13-0-0-
"There!" Nanoha yelled once she saw the group in view. However, the situation wasn't what she had expected. She had thought that they would have been in the heat of battle, but instead she'd found them huddled together. Landing nearby, she ran towards them. "What's going on?"
"Nanoha-chan, you're here," Arf was the first to acknowledge her arrival. "We don't know. One moment we were getting ready to fight, then the next…" Arf simply gestured towards the center. Nanoha's gaze shifted to find that laying in Fate's arms was Precia, unconscious, tossing and turning, almost as if she was having a sort of nightmare.
"Nanoha, did you run into Joker and the others on the way in?" Chrono asked.
"No, I haven't seen them at all," She answered as her attention was still on Precia.
"Then are they still in that dimensional warp? Wait, is this what they meant by peaceful surrender?" Chrono became quieter as he continued to speak until it was but a whisper, and then nothing but silence. He seemed occupied with his thoughts. "Amy, any news on our AWOL thieves on your end?" He called on comms.
"I still can't find them, and their signatures haven't returned either," she reported from the bridge of the Arthra. As he continued to speak with Amy, Nanoha approached Fate and Precia.
"How is she?" Nanoha asked.
"She… she looks like she's getting better. Her complexion started off as pale when she first went unconscious, and her flailing was a lot more violent. Now though," Fate didn't need to finish as it was immediately evident. Precia's face had reddened, and though she still was moving, it was a gentle disturbance.
"Should we move her?"
"I'm not sure, but I want to see if she gets better first," Fate answered, as she continued to look after her mother.
"Alright, let's wait together then," Nanoha said as she knelt down next to Fate. Somehow, despite the chaos from just before, things seemed peaceful, as they both waited for what was to come.
-0-0-13-0-0-
"Diarahan! Guys… I'm… basically out…" Panther forced out between haggard breaths.
Precia's Shadow lay there on the ground, her size having shrunk to one closer to the real person. The shadow had begun to lose any ability to resist as they reattached more and more pieces, until finally, with most of her body repaired, she laid inert; Conscious, but exhausted.
"Fall back Panther," Oracle ordered. "Focus on resting. Fox, mind helping her out?"
"On it! Panther?" Fox appeared next to the worn-out thief, offering his shoulder.
"Thanks," She leaned on his shoulder as he whisked the both of them away to where the rest of the thieves had gathered. As the battle went on, and more pieces were reattached, the group slowly shifted their focus to keeping the shadows at bay. What once was a massive tide of black, had then become a shallow pool, then scattered puddles, and finally nothing but dregs remained.
"Guys, the shadows are thinning even more!" Oracle informed the group.
"Given that I can actually see the damn floor again, I'm pretty sure that I could have made that judgement on my own," Skull snarked back. "Ow! Hey, aren't you supposed to resting?"
"I can still flail my arm," Panther said with a raised, though limp, arm. "Ignore him Oracle. Why are they receding?"
"I think they're no longer being called here. Heck look up at the walls, they look… normal." Joker and the others looked up to find that the warped, broken walls, and strange imagery had disappeared. In their place was what looked to simply be an advanced alien laboratory. Where once the shadows could flow en-masse, there no longer was any place for them to flood the room. What shadows remained now were either getting wiped out by their group or slinking into the floor as if drained from the room.
"Aww, so is it over? I was hoping for just a few more," Noir complained, only to catch herself. "O-Of course though, it's best for it to end sooner rather than later."
"Not quite… we never did fix that crack." As Joker put his knife away, he pointed at Precia's Shadow, specifically at her face. That was all the reminder that they needed. For all the repairs they'd done, there yet still remained one part that was broken in two: her face.
"Be done with me already, what are you waiting for?"
"Is that the last piece? I see. So, it is nearly finished." The two were finally speaking separately again. Pity began to fill Joker's heart again. Only a few moments ago, this woman was a terrifyingly large existence, and yet here she was now: small, pathetic, and whose only recourse was to wait for whatever came next. At the very least though, he was here to help her, rather than the alternative.
"I've still got enough for a couple more healing spells," Joker said. "Rynith, watch my back. Everyone else, stay put and watch out for any signs of foul play." With but a glance to confirm her agreement, he and Rynith started to walk over to her, the path calm and unobstructed now that the shadows were nearly all gone. Their steps echoed clear, the chaos from before now dormant. It would all be over soon.
"Wait!" He heard from behind him, but before he could turn around, he felt something impact his back, grabbing onto his coat tail in the process. He looked back to find a tuft of blonde hair clinging to his back, panting and trying to catch her breath. "Let me talk to her! Please!" Alicia demanded. Joker looked at Rynith who looked just as lost as to what to do. It could still be dangerous for all they knew. Perhaps a final sleight of hand that she handed up her sleeve, or maybe the shadows would return without warning. They couldn't guarantee her safety, not yet anyways.
"Sorry, she forced her way out," Oracle told them. "But I don't think it should be an issue. It's all clear now, and If something happens, I'll let you know immediately. Besides… this might be the last time she'll get to talk to her." That was right, it was possibly the last time the two could talk like this.
"If that is the case, then who am I to deny you." Rynith was first to change her mind.
"Please, I'll stick close by!" Alicia continued to plead. Joker sighed, as he felt his coat shake in her balled fists. Now wasn't the time to play bad guy.
"You don't have to be so violent. I was going to say yes anyways. Now come on, let's go see your mother." Her eyes went alight, as she gave a hearty nod in response. Rynith gave only a small smile as she followed the two to where Precia lay. Only once they had gotten close enough did the woman respond.
"Alicia…?" The two voices spoke as one. "Is that… really you Alicia?"
"Hey mom… I'm here," Alicia's reply was mousey and small. Even so it was enough to leave the Shadow of her mother visibly shaken.
"How… How long have you been here?" She asked, realizing that her daughter's presence was of no surprise to the others. "How long have you known?" She directed towards Joker.
"She's been here this whole time," He answered. "She's the one who asked me to come here in the first place." Precia's gaze scrutinized his every move, trying to discern whether he lied or not. He tried to find the slightest twitch, the smallest tell, waiting for even the tiniest break in his façade. However, when she looked at her daughter stand close to him in assurance, in agreement, it dawned on her bit by bit that what he spoke was the truth. Her eyes widened, almost threatening to pop out of her split skull, and her lips twisted into an indiscernible shape: half smile, half frown.
"This whole time… R-really? This whole time? This whol- ha… haha… hahahaha…haha… ha… Waaaaaaaaaaaah!" What started as laughter turned to sobs. "You were here. This whole time… All this time you were right here. And yet why couldn't I find you? Why didn't you let mother know you were here?" It was not a demand, not scolding, not reprimand. It was begging. The woman tried to swallow her sobs between her words, but in the end, she still begged her daughter for answers.
"I tried. Every day I tried," Alicia told her, now leaving Joker's side over to where her mother's shadow lay. He made a token gesture to reach out to her, only to hold himself back. This was not his place to interfere.
"I tried to tell you that I was here, that you don't have to be so sad, that it was okay. But it was like you didn't hear me. I yelled as loud as I could, as much as I could, but you didn't hear me no matter how hard I tried. Every day I just wanted to talk to you. I just wanted to see you again." Tears fell from Alicia's visage as her steps quickened with every word until she was near at full sprint. There was no holding her back any longer. "Mommy, I wanted to see you so much!"
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry," Precia repeated, over and over. "I should have listened to you the first time you called for me. I should have always been there for you. You shouldn't have had to try so hard for someone like me. I'm a failure as a mother. I'm so-" Before she could apologize even more, Alicia had run up and embraced her. In her daughter's arms, her words became lodged in her throat.
"It's okay now Mommy. It's okay. You're listening now, and that's what matters. I still love you." Forgiveness? Now? But that shouldn't have been possible.
"Why? Why are you doing this? How can you still say it's okay? How can you still say you love me?" As she spoke, cracks began to form on her body once more.
Joker's eyes widened in surprise. Of course, they may have healed the damage, but that didn't mean they had stopped the source. They treated the symptoms but not the cause. Something inside Precia still threatened to break her again. He rushed over, causing surprise for both Mother and Daughter as he placed a hand on where the crack began to form.
"Diarahan!" The crack receded as the spell did its work, but he felt his already strained reserves screaming at him as more of it drained away. Dammit! He didn't have a cheaper healing spell on hand.
"Why do you insist on healing me?" She asked him. "This damage to myself is simply what I deserve. It is my punishment for letting Alicia die; punishment for my sins."
"Is that all? And what of Fate?" Rynith asked, finally catching up to them. "What of your actions regarding her?"
"…That as well."
"I have nothing to saAAAAAAAAA-" As the two spoke separately once more, another crack began to form, causing the woman to stop in pain.
"Mommy!"
"Diarahan! Rynith, what did you do that for?" Joker asked as he healed the crack that was beginning to form.
"Satiating my curiosity," She answered, carefully watching Precia and Alicia. "I understand now, the cause of her pain and suffering. While we have resolved one part of it, another yet remains. Alicia?"
"Huh?" Alicia looked up in confusion by the sudden calling of her name.
"Wasn't there something you always wanted from your mother?"
"…Yes, there was," Alicia spoke, having understood what Rynith was implying. Turning back to her mother, she squeezed her mother's hand to get her attention, and hopefully ease some of the pain. "Mommy, do you remember what I asked you for when I was still around?" Precia took a moment to catch her breath from the pain from just before. As her breath returned to her, she answered as best she could.
"No, I'm sorry but I do not remember. Though I doubt I'd be able to give it to you now, given the state I am in," Precia spoke remorsefully.
"No, that's okay. There's not much more to do, because you've already given it to me." Alicia tried to give Precia as reassuring a smile as she could give, but that had only left Precia confused. How was it possible for Alicia's wish to have already come true?
"But… how? What was it that did?"
"I told you before didn't I? I've always wanted a little sister." It came flooding back to Precia as soon as she was reminded by Alicia just what the girl's wish was. That's right, Alicia always begged Precia for a little sister. However, being a single parent in a demanding career left little if any time or opportunity to fulfill such a request, with even the logistics of fulfilling it being its own issue. But even so, it was Alicia's one wish more than any other. How could she have forgotten her daughter's dearest wish? Yet she said it was fulfilled?
"I'm so happy that Fate is my little sister."
"Oh," was all Precia could say. "I suppose that's right. She is your little sister." The joy on Alicia's face as she mentioned Fate placed Precia's feelings in turmoil. Happiness at Alicia's joy, but also there was guilt over how she treated Alicia's most desired wish.
"I saw when Fate was born. I was so happy to finally have a little sister. Even though you told me it wouldn't be easy to have one, you were finally able to give me a little sister! But… you weren't very nice to her… I heard that you wanted to die. Is… is that true Mommy?" Precia opened her mouth to speak, but nothing come out. Then she tried again, only for nothing to come out again. A third, time, but the same result. Finally, she took in a big a breath as she could.
"Not exactly. I… I just wanted to be with you again Alicia. Nothing else mattered, not even my own life. If I died in the process, then that is what I deserved. Your mommy's done a lot of bad things since you went away. She's done a lot of things that can't be taken back."
"But that just means you shouldn't die! Didn't you always tell me that you must face your punishments whenever you do something bad! Dying isn't the proper punishment! It isn't going to make things right, no matter how much you think it will! I don't want you to die. If you do, who's going to take care of my little sister?"
"Alicia…"
"I know you can be a good mother. You were the best Mommy in the world! You haven't shown Fate just how awesome a mom you can be, like I know you can be! I won't allow you to die until Fate's seen that," Alicia cried into her mother's bosom. "So please, don't die…"
"What kind of a mother, makes their kid cry like that?" Joker said in a jovial manner.
"My master certainly can be incompetent when it comes to domestic affairs," Rynith followed up.
"What is it that the two of you wish to say?" Precia asked, annoyance in her voice as she held on to Alicia. Even so, it was a damn sight better than the tone she was using earlier.
"Master, it is still not too late you know. Fate still loves you. You can make things right. It will not be easy. However, it is still possible. You can still have a wonderful relationship with your second daughter, Fate; a relationship just as beautiful. But to do all that, you must live."
"I still do not understand how either of you can believe that. I've failed once before. These hands have put scars on that little girl. What makes you say I won't do so again?" Her hands shook, as she began to feel guilt spread throughout her body for the first time in ages. Joker didn't necessarily pity such a thing, but he at least was able to understand.
The past still happened, no matter how she approached the future. She could see clearly now. She was a monster. No person deserved to call themselves a mother after all she'd done. She'd gladly let the TSAB take her for less than the Jewel Seed incident, if only to take her away from Fate so that she wouldn't do it again. In her heart, she now wanted what was best for Fate, but what was best for Fate she believed was…
"I don't deserve to be Fate's mother. That girl deserves better than scum like me. The best thing I can do for her, is to get out of her life forever, and allow her to be free of me." As she said so, cracks began to form again, only this time instead of healing her, Joker flicked her on the forehead.
In doing so, everyone's attention turned to the boy. Precia's eyes wide in response to the young man's strange action.
"Even if you can't believe in yourself, can't you at least believe in them? Alicia, and Rynith believe in you. They don't just want you to become the mother Fate deserves, they genuinely believe you can become the mother Fate deserves. Do you want to let them down too, as well as Fate?" The boy's voice resonated in her mind. She was doing it again, she was letting her fatalistic tendencies run rampant… But was that truly the answer.
"How can you be so sure? How can any of you be so sure that that is the right thing?"
"I just believe in those two. And those two know you, probably better than you know yourself. Even if someone else were to take reigns of looking after Fate, I don't think she'd ever be able to forget you. You're something irreplaceable for that girl. And besides even if you think aren't the person Alicia and Rynith say you are, what's wrong with becoming that person down the line? Let us help you, and you'll have all the time in the world," Joker held out his open hand towards her.
"Let him heal you mommy, just one more time!" Alicia said as she placed a hand on one half of her face.
"You take too long to make a decision master. Here let me help you." And Rynith took the other half as she and Alicia pushed them together. As the two halves slid into place, tears streamed down Precia's cheeks. She couldn't believe it, after all this time, a second chance? She didn't deserve it. She'll never truly believe she deserved it for the rest of her days, but she had to take it. If not for her, then for those that loved her.
"Please…" She didn't need to say anymore. He'd already moved his hand into place, and his mask flashed blue. With the last of his strength he cast one final spell to end it all.
"Salvation!"
-0-0-13-0-0-
"What's going on?" Nanoha asked as the entire facility began to shake, and sirens blared as the rooms were flooded by the crimson emergency lights.
"The Jewel Seeds have gone critical. Precia lost control of them earlier, and they've just continued to gather energy!" Lindy informed them over the comms. "You have to evacuate now!"
"What do we do with the criminal?" Chrono asked.
"If you can, take her with you, but if she slows you down too much, you'll have to leave her behind," Lindy ordered. Truthfully, she wanted to leave Precia behind, due to how exhausted she saw everyone was. However, more time would be wasted trying to force them to leave, and so left the decision to them.
"Arf, can you carry mother?" Fate asked, as she tried to foist her mother towards her familiar.
"Sure, ju-"
"That… will not be necessary…" Without warning, Precia stood up, breaking from Fate's grasp, and causing the rest to take defensive stances. However, as Nanoha watched on, she noticed something was different about her. The look in the woman's eye no longer held contempt or hatred. They instead looked at peace.
"Precia, I repeat, you are under arrest. You will come with u-" Precia ignored the officer and instead took the time to gaze at Fate, who in turn returned it with one of confusion. Fate flinched as she saw her mother approach with the full breadth of her body. Her eyes clenched shut as she prepared to bear the full brunt of-
"Huh?" She heard gasps as her eyes snapped open. It took a moment to for her to realize that rather than pain, what her body received was warmth. Her mother currently held her in a loving embrace. Her vision began to cloud, but she didn't know why.
"Fate, I'm sorry." She heard her mother say to her in a hushed whisper. "I'm sorry for all the pain I've put you through."
"M-Mother?" Fate said, still stunned as her arms tepidly moved to embrace her mother back. "Mother?" As she felt something wet streak down her cheek, she realized why it was so hard to see now. "Mother!"
"I'm so sorry…" Precia repeated, matching tears running down her own cheeks as the two continued to embrace one another. "As much as I wish to continue, I must attend to my mistakes." Precia carefully pried herself from her daughter's grip. Calling her staff to her hand, she began to form magic circles.
"I will contain the Jewel Seeds for as long as I can. I won't be able to hold them long, but it should be enough time for the rest of you to escape."
"Is this another ploy?" Chrono said, his staff pointed at her.
"Chrono-kun!" Nanoha cried, but before she could try to placate him, Precia spoke up.
"I understand your apprehension. Should the circumstances have allowed it, I would have gladly given myself up. However, such a luxury is not possible. I stand the best chance to contain the seeds due in part to my ranking, and my familiarity with their energy. Take my daughter and the others to safety. Arf, drag Fate away if you have to."
"You… You don't get to order me around. I would have done so even without you saying anything," The wolf familiar growled at her.
"I suppose I do not. A wonderful familiar such as yourself needs no prompting to protect your master. Now go!"
"Nanoha!" She heard Yuuno call her name over the comms. "We should take up her offer. The Jewel seeds can blow at any moment. You have to leave now!"
"But… Precia, and Fate!"
"I'm staying with Mother, Nanoha. You go. I don't want you to get caught up in this," Fate said as she got up and tried to walk over to where her mother was.
"Fate, listen to your mother and go! For once this is truly for your own good. I do not wish to leave you, but if forced to choose between the death of my daughter, or myself, then that is not a difficult choice in the slightest. Arf!" She commanded the Familiar once more. Arf grit her teeth but made no attempt to argue. Even she agreed with that woman, of all things to happen today.
"Dammit! I hate that I'm with her on this but… Fate come on!" The familiar, using her greater size, grabbed hold of the blonde girl.
"Arf, let me go!" Fate struggled, but thanks to her smaller stature and exhaustion it was to little avail.
"Even your Mom's saying to hightail it out of here. Your rebellious streak was great for a while, but now's not the time to indulge in it!" Fate struggled in Arf's arms as the familiar was trying, and failing, to leave. As she watched the proceedings, Nanoha didn't feel like this was the right way. Things were getting better, so why was this how things were supposed to end? She opened up her comms.
"Yuuno-kun, Lindy-san, isn't there anything else we can do?"
"I'm afraid not Nanoha-chan. There isn't a single person capable of stopping the seeds in their current state. Even as she says that she's the best to handle them, Precia at most would be able to slow them down before they explode, or worse, destroy time-space and open a portal to who knows where."
"But what if there was more than just Fate's Mother?" Nanoha asked, picking up between the lines in the commander's words. Lindy cursed to herself, wondering if she was picking such a habit from Ren. The girl was getting as sharp as he was, and fast.
"Look there's no time to argue. Ju-"
"Normally, no matter how many mages you had on hand there wouldn't be any stopping all the seeds from going critical. However, we only have a fraction of the seeds going critical at once, and we have at least 4 mages of a minimum AAA class. The chances are low, but it's possible."
"Do you mean it Yuuno-kun?" Nanoha asked the ferret boy, who interrupted the commander just then. "Fate-chan, did you hear that?" She yelled to the girl who was still struggling to break her familiar's grip. She stopped when she heard her name being called.
"There's a chance to save my mother?" She concluded based on what she heard.
"It will take you, me, and Chrono helping your mother, but it can work!" Nanoha explained as best as she could. "If we work together, we can save everyone!"
"It will just take a simultaneous sealing spell from all of you. Theoretically speaking anyway," Yuuno clarified the process in short. "I know you're all exhausted, but everyone here should be well enough for it."
"Even then the chances are quite low. Yuuno and I will walk you through the process, just follow our instructions and things should be A-Okay!"
"Amy, stop encouraging them!" Lindy yelled over the comms.
"I'm sorry commander, but Yuuno's already put the idea in their heads. Might as well try and make the best of it since they'll probably try it anyways, and we can't afford to lose such prospective talent, wouldn't you agree?" Lindy took an exasperated breath as he chains of command took such a wonderful time to perform minor mutiny. Still, it's why she had them on board. Talented people of all kinds, always wanting to do the right thing.
"Fine, I'll provide support from here! I'll focus on minimizing the seed's output using my own sealing spell. However, I won't be able to finish from here on top of the ship. It will be up to you to finish the job. Precia, do you hear me?" Lindy called the formally demented woman. "The TSAB will officially move to aid you in the sealing of the rampant Jewel Seeds."
"I normally would not ask for your help, as this is my burden to bear. However, if there is a chance where I can truly atone for my sins, I suppose I must accept your offer," Precia said, as her magical circles continued to charge.
"I hope you don't mind if I speak with you later on your curious change of heart?" Lindy asked as her own magical circle atop the Arthra began to glow brighter.
"If we survive. Though given how my daughter is with me, I cannot afford to fail. No, I will not fail!" Precia put all her concentration on forming a sealing circle on the rampant Jewel Seeds. Seeing this, Nanoha turned to Chrono and Fate.
"Yuuno-kun, Amy-chan, what should we do?"
"Start your own sealing spells, then try to synchronize them with Precia's. Precia's already performing the calculations to subdue to the seeds, so all you'll need to do is bolster her spell with all of yours."
"Just be careful, any slip up and the power of the seeds can go wild. You'll have to give it everything you got, from magic power to concentration. Anything less and well… You can't afford to give anything less!" Yuuno and Amy told them. Nanoha looked down at Raising Heart, as did Fate with Bardiche. Chrono sighed, not liking having to work with someone he was trying to apprehend, but he swallowed those feelings down as soon as they popped up. He was professional enough to not let his emotions get the better of him like this.
"Raising Heart! One more Time!"
"Bardiche! Please, just a little bit more!"
"Sealing Mode… Set up! Sealing!" The two devices intoned in unison. A pair of sealing circles appeared, followed by a third. The two looked over to find Chrono maintaining his own sealing spell.
Nanoha couldn't help but smile at the boy for working together with them, but the boy just shrugged it off as he continued to maintain his spell. Each of their spells overlapped with Precia's, synchronizing them and amplifying each other. At the same time a green circle appeared above, bathing the room in its soft hue.
"My spell to limit the seed output is up. Now's your chance everyone!" Lindy yelled over the comms, but it was barely audible because of the wind and small debris that blew about the arena from the massive energy spiraling out of control in the room's center. Even as the seeds were being sealed bit by bit, the energy only grew more volatile by the second. Streaks of magical lightening shot out at random. Other parts of the foundation were simply blown away. It became hard to breath as the wind blew into Nanoha's face at terrifying speeds. Even then she stood her ground, keeping her spell up, as did Chrono and Fate.
"Ack!" A cough broke out in front of them. Precia fell to her knees, and blood was visible at her feet.
"Mother!"
"Stay where you are!" Precia ordered. Though shaking, she still managed to get back up on her feet. She stumbled just the tiniest bit, but it was not enough to put her down. "My flesh may be weak, but my spirit has yet to falter. Keep your spells up. I have a plan! Garden of Time!" What remained of the room began to glow at her calling. "Activate backup generator!" Like that, several distant magical circles formed at the walls of the room. Almost at the exact same time, Precia's body began to alight with magical energy.
"S… SS? SS mage rank?" Amy sputtered. "With… with this we might just be able to do it!"
"No slacking! Officer, give me a reading on the seed!"
"Y-yes Ma'am! Sealing is 65% complete, however the seeds are continuing to grow ever more volatile. At SS rank you should have enough reserves to push on through with the rest however!" Amy said in a hope. SS was an amazing rank, surely such a feat would be simple for her.
"No… there's not enough time. The backup generator can only boost my reserves for so long. I'll run out long before even 90%. Though perhaps I do not need to…" Precia looked over to where the other three mages were aiding her.
"Fate, do you trust me?" She yelled over the roaring winds.
"Mother? Yes, I trust you! I'll always trust you!" A wry smile arose from Fate's answer. She never deserved such innocent, beautiful trust. Still, best to make use of it if you have it. She'd just have to work hard from now on to truly deserve it.
"I need you to lessen the power of your sealing spells on my signal. Only for a moment."
"That's insane! We're already strained as is, and you want to make it harder to seal the seeds?" Chrono argued.
"Boy, I understand that it sounds insane, however believe me when I say this is the only way to stop the seeds. I've spent a lifetime studying the energy of the seeds. Manipulating that energy is the very least I'm capable of, but I'll need you three to weaken your sealing spells to do just that."
"Chrono, please," Fate pleaded.
"Let's believe in her Chrono-kun. Her eyes, they're… strong now," Nanoha said, gazing back at Precia. They were now eyes of life, of love, but also guilt. However, they were infinitely more wonderful than before.
"On the count of Five." Precia shouted without hearing their responses.
"Tch, fine! We'll do it your way. Not that we've got a choice…" Chrono muttered as he prepared to weaken his spell. Nanoha and Fate made similar preparations.
"Four… Three… Two… One… Now! Weaken your spells!" At her command the she could feel the spells from the other three begin to weaken just like she commanded. Thanking them in her heart, she immediately set to work. Calculate the energy expansion, measure the flow of magic, search for bubbles in the torrent… There! She found it! Just need to apply a minor alteration spell to adjust the flow to concentrate at that point. A little more! Just a little more! "Release!"
A column of magic silently erupted diagonally away from them and into the sky. It's bright light shining brighter than anything Nanoha had ever seen before. Moments later, a torrent of pressure crashed into her and a wall of sound assaulted her ears. Had it not been for the barrier jacket, her insides would have probably ruptured, and she would have died on the spot. A ringing sound wormed its way into her ears, and she found it difficult to keep her gaze focused. Relying on Raising Heart she kept her spell up at the level that was demanded.
"…b..a…up…"
"Huh?" She couldn't even hear her own voice. But eventually the ringing faded.
"Bri… it… ba… I said Bring it back up! Your Sealing Spell!"
"Ri-Right!" She did as Precia commanded. Though she could no longer see her spell circle thanks to the bright light, she could still feel her magic pouring into the spell. As she did so, she felt it somehow easier to seal.
"It should be fading soon… Just a bit more… and… There!" The light died down in a final crackle of energy, disappearing into the ether from whence it came. A hole now sat on the ceiling, revealing dimensional space behind it. A small price to pay in the grand scheme of things. In the middle of the room, Nanoha could see the Jewel Seeds Precia had overcharged. Each fell one by one as their energy faded away. She could hear the clink sound each made as they hit the ground until finally the last one returned to the floor. All was silent for a moment, save for the heavy breaths by all four mages. Was it over?
"Sealing complete!" Raising heart was first to report. That was it? It was done?
"Jewel Seed signature has disappeared. Jewel Seeds have been successfully sealed. You did it guys!"
"Nanoha, you did it!" Amy and Yuuno told them over the comms one after the other in excited fervor.
"Mother!" Nanoha watched as Fate, and the Arf, ran over to Precia. Nanoha rushed after them as well. "Mother, are you alright?" Fate asked.
"I'm… just exhausted. It took everything I had to redirect the remaining Jewel Seed Energy like that…"
"What a crazy plan. Rather than seal the remaining energy, you just let the seeds shoot it out to lessen their energy concentration and make it easier to seal them. I was right, it was insane," Chrono said as he flew over to where the rest of them were.
"Genius and Madness are but two sides of the same coin some say," Precia retorted through heavy breaths.
"Indeed, it could be considered both. You're every bit as amazing as they say Precia Testarossa," Lindy spoke through the comms, relief and admiration in her voice.
"You as well Commander. Your spell was not only quite effective but beautiful as well. For someone with only a fraction of my experience with that kind of energy, I must say I can't help but feel somewhat undercut," Precia admitted, though it was a warm, jovial deprecation. "Fate, help me for a moment," Precia asked, placing her arms around Fate who proceeded to help her up. "Bring me over to where your older sister is."
"My what?" Fate realized how candid she was being and had expected a harsh rebuttal, however that was not the case.
"Alicia, your older sister, she's over there," Precia explained to her in patient tones. She'd never heard her mother explain things so gently before. Her mother then pointed to where Alicia's tube lay. It was scuffed and knocked over, but perhaps true to the care she had for her, it was still intact. The two hobbled over, both exhausted from the preceding events, but even so, they hobbled together, the both of them. Arf left them be, instead opting to just walk beside them, but also ready in case Precia did anything. Besides, she wasn't about to be all buddy buddy with Precia just yet anyhow.
Chrono was on the comms, apparently starting a transfer spell to get TSAB Personnel into the room. Nanoha couldn't tell. Instead the brunette looked upon the scene of mother and daughter walking together warmly, but then her gaze became frantic. Though things had concluded, she still couldn't find him. Where was he? Just where did Ren go?
-0-0-13-0-0-
"Whooo! That was a close one!" Ryuji said, laying back into the couch. Exclamations of relief could be heard from the others as well. Ren felt a massive weight lift off his shoulders as he saw on the television Lindy appearing Nanoha and the others. It was finally over. The danger had passed.
Soon after healing Precia the entire scenery around them had shifted and they found themselves in the living room they had been in before, only clean and homely. It was a place someone would probably actually want to live in, assuming they wanted to live in a simple two-story house with a picket fence. A very desired, and competitive market one can be assured. Once there they saw the television was broadcasting what was happening on the outside and caught only the tail end of the proceedings. Because they were no longer considered a threat in the Palace, their Phantom Thief attire had disappeared, leaving them mostly powerless.
It seems even with a Jewel Seed, the rules of the Cognitive World reigned supreme, and superseded the Jewel Seed's Cognitive field. Without those powers, leaving in a timely manner to help was not possible. At least lucky for them, things turned out alright.
"How beautiful, that is how a Mother and Child relationship should be," Yusuke commented, clapping his hands together as if he'd just witnessed a blockbuster movie at the cinema.
"I'm honestly a bit jealous," Haru said with a conflicted smile. Already the changes to Precia were taking shape in the real world. She was finally becoming the mother she was meant to always be. There were bound to still be mistakes and bumps in the road, but it was going to be a much smoother ride from now on for all involved. With a shake of her head, Haru continued. "In the end though, I'm happy that Fate still has her mother. That's what matters."
"Where is it!? Where is it!? I can smell it! It's close by! MRRRROW!"
"Oh, pipe down Mona! You'll interrupt them!" Futaba yelled as she held the cat down. The 'them' she was referring to was the family currently sitting in the kitchen next to the living room. None of the thieves dared to enter while they were talking to one another. This was their time.
"So, make sure to remember Fate's birthdays okay? And don't be too pushy. Let her do what she wants to do!" Alicia told Precia with a waggle of her finger.
"Of course, she's more than earned it."
"Be sure to actually have a meal with her. It might be difficult given that you'll probably be put away for a long time, but at the very least request to see her if you can," Rynith asked.
"Yes… that will be an issue won't it. However, I suppose it will be an opportunity to set a proper example for Fate, late as it is. I should face my punishment head on, rather than shy away from it. Though before I do so, I should probably at least let our guests leave first," she said with an amused chuckle as she realized that they had an audience. The thieves for their part tried their best to hide, but a full second of exposure certainly didn't help their attempt of inconspicuousness. "It's fine, we've said all that needs to be said," Precia told them as she, Rynith, and Alicia, left the kitchen to join the rest of the thieves.
"Are you sure? We can give you more time if you need it," Ann offered, a bit enthusiastically.
"That is alright, I can't keep you all here forever. This place will collapse soon enough, and I don't wish to cause all of you any more trouble. I've held out for as long as I can, but this place is at its limits," Precia informed them.
"You know, I'm glad we helped you out. You're a lot nicer like this," Futaba told her.
"Futaba!" Makoto gave the girl a small slap on the head.
"No no, she's right. I was not exactly the most pleasant company. I am happy you went out of your way to help me."
"I am too!" Alicia chimed in as she ran over and leapt to catch Ren's arm. "You kept your promise! Thank you! Thank you so much!"
"Any time… Morgana?"
"Treasure! Treasure! Treasure!" Morgana yelled over and over as he tried to leap up at him… No, it wasn't him he was leaping up at. It was instead…
"Wait, are you the…" Alicia looked at him confused.
"I suppose that would make sense. Of everything in this world, it is Alicia I cherish most," Precia was the one to confirm. "I remember you said something about coming to take my treasure."
"Master has of course been obsessed with Alicia for the longest time. If anything, I'm surprised it took this long for the rest of you to figure that out," Rynith snarked at them. Ren let it slide, seeing as he wouldn't be able… enjoy was a strong word… hear it for much longer.
"Well it's just that usually, the treasure is something, you know…"
"Inanimate," Yusuke finished for Haru.
"But if that's the case, that still doesn't explain the reading I was getting earlier… wait so Alicia's actual heart and soul was the treasure? I think I get it now. Precia's treasure was probably a cognition of Alicia, maybe a vegetable like the one outside, that somehow was able to grab onto Alicia's wayward ghost, and then become Alicia."
"F-futaba, please don't mention ghosts!" Makoto cried pathetically.
"Boo!"
"Stop that!"
"Enough senseless prattling!" Yusuke commanded, causing the two to stop in their tracks. "Precia, we've done what we came to do already, so there is no longer any need to take your… to take Alicia. We can leave her here with you if you wish."
"That's very kind of you, however… I think it's best if you do take her," Precia said with all due seriousness, leaving the thieves stunned.
"But… she's your daughter. Are you sure about that?" Ann asked her.
"I think it's been long enough," Precia answered. "I've been obsessed with Alicia ever since she'd left me. However, that obsession blinded me. It left me so blind that I couldn't even see that she was right beside me all this time. I couldn't recognize her as my treasure. Also, if I want to start a new with Fate, I think it's only right that I let go of the past, so that I can move on. I think that's what you want as well. Isn't that right Alicia?" Alicia looked up at her mother and gave her a nod.
"I think so too. Mommy has a lot of love in her heart, but she can't give it to Fate if I'm still here. Let me go with you! That way Mommy can finally be better once and for all. Here! The front door is this way!" She dragged Ren over to where the front door was, the rest following the enthusiastic girl. Once there, the thieves made sure they were all in one piece before leaving.
"Well Mommy, this is goodbye."
"Yes Alicia… this is goodbye. Are you not going with them Rynith?" Precia asked the Familiar, who stood vigilant beside her.
"As tempting as accompanying Sir Morgana out would be. A familiar's place is at her master's side. You will have to do better than that if you want to be rid of me," Rynith prodded. "I'm sorry Sir Morgana. This is where we part ways. Please think of me often."
"U-um… sure. A gentleman will always keep his lovely flowers in his heart," Morgana answered back, no longer completely addled by his condition.
"We could just leave Mona here with them," Futaba suggested.
"Ooh, that's a great idea! Let the two's love story blossom!" Ann agreed in delight.
"Lady Ann!" The rest of the group laughed it off as Morgana continued his indignation. Once they'd quieted back down though, they were making ready to leave.
"Well, this is it I suppose," Ren said as he held Alicia's hand. "It's time to go."
"Yeah, you'll take care of things on that side, right?" Alicia asked him.
"I'll try my best."
"Ren." The boy turned around towards Precia. "If… if by some chance you think it would be alright, could you give Alicia back to me. Only if you think I'm ready, of course. It's just… I suppose a mother can never truly let go of her children after all…"
"Was already planning on it," he said with a smile that Precia could only call worrying. Yet she didn't think it was a mean one. It was just… tricky.
"It's not like we wanted to separate Mother and daughter either," Makoto added.
"Normally we don't do as such, but for this situation I think we can make an exception," Morgana said. "It would be ungentlemanly otherwise."
"Thank you, but only when you think I'm ready…" I tremor passed through the house, shaking the ground and putting some of the thieves to the floor. Precia, who remained upright, placed her hand out and used magic to open the door where a bright white light shone through the entrance. "It would seem our time is up. Again, thank you for everything you've done."
"All of you take care of yourselves, and Alicia!" Rynith told them as they took their leave one by one through the light.
"Farewell!"
"No problem! Take care!"
"See you on the other side!"
"We'll take care of Alicia for you until then!"
"Be well!"
"Hold on just a moment, let me capture thi-"
"Oh no you don't Inari, you're coming with us right now!" Morgana, Ryuji, Ann, Makoto, Haru, Yusuke, and Futaba all made their way through the light one by one. All that was left was for Ren and Alicia to leave.
"Ready to go Alicia?" The girl answered with a nod and a squeeze of her hand. She turned around one last time and waved her free hand.
"Bye Mom!"
"Goodbye Alicia!" And then the two disappeared into the light. Then right after, the Palace was gone.
-0-0-13-0-0-
Things had quieted down. Nanoha was sitting down on a piece of rubble outside the facility. They'd taken Precia with them, and right now she was just waiting as the TSAB personnel handled the rest. Alicia's tube was being handled with care with some of the staff even consulting Precia on its maintenance. Chrono stood next to Precia, who had given herself up without any resistance. Fate was being overseen by the medical staff, while Yuuno was giving a report and handling the core she'd given him just earlier. Still though, she wondered where Ren was. He still hadn't appeared even though everything was over. She looked, and she looked, but he wasn't anywhere to be found.
"Huh?" Nanoha let out as she saw ripples appear in front of her. She at first moved to raise her device, but when she remembered why it looked so familiar, she simply waited for him to reappear. And just as she thought, the group appeared as if out of thin air. "Welcome back!" She said to them while leaping up to hug Ren before he even had a chance to get his bearings back.
"Woah! Y-yeah we're back," Ren said, trying to keep himself from falling. A ten-year-old wasn't heavy, but the force was still something that needed to be carefully handled.
"Where'd you guys go? It's all over! Precia's much nicer now, and even apologized to Fate-chan! Oh, Fate's currently being healed over there, Chrono's with Precia, and Yuuno is over there handling the core I took out earlier."
"Well to answer your question-"
"We saved the day!" Ryuji said in triumph.
"Well we saved Precia, specifically," Ann said, trying to douse Ryuji's enthusiasm with a light slap to the head.
"Well I suppose from an outside perspective it looks like all we did was run off and come back when it was all over while Precia had a sudden and strange change of heart," Makoto sheepishly admitted. "Not very glamorous optics."
"That's right… the TSAB doesn't know who we are or what we do so we just end up looking like we just went AFK and acting like we got the POTG. That's a straight ticket to getting flagged and reported," Futaba said while looking particularly worried. "Hey, you don't think we'll be punished right? It's not like they'll believe us and…"
"Nanoha, let's just say that Precia's change of heart was our doing and leave it at that. Trade secret, wouldn't want it getting out." He always found it cute how Nanoha puffed her cheeks at him whenever she was upset. The punching he could do without though. That was actually starting to hurt.
"Promise tell me later okay?" She asked when she finally stopped. She didn't wait for an answer as she noticed something in Ren's hand. "Ren? What's that you have there?"
"Huh? Oh this?" He looked around a bit, as if he was searching for something, but then looked at the item in his hand. It looked like he had just realized something as he brought the item up to look at it. A smile formed on his face as looked at it. "This is… a treasure."
Author's Note:
You know, whenever I'm told by a fic to load up a piece of music, I just kind of ignore it and put on Mario Paint's Creative Exercise track just to screw with whatever mood they were trying to set. Call it the mean contrarian within me that does that. Besides if you're going to suggest a track, you're going to have to suggest something truly hardcore, like Pictionary's OST on NES. That's the real shit right there.
Anyways, I digress. Finally, we're nearing the end of the first season. After this I have a final concluding chapter, and then a sort of pair of epilogue chapters right after. I've already gotten started on those chapters, so hopefully I won't take forever on them.
So yeah, that's how it went in my head. I sort of went how would I make this an interesting boss fight if this were the game, and the conclusion was I'd make it a weird puzzle boss fight where if you fought it conventionally, you'd lose. I've always liked boss fights that were outside the box, like Maiden Astraea from Demon's Souls, ones that stick with you from being different and interesting, and not poorly implemented. It's what makes Sif so interesting. Unlike later boss fights in the Soul series, he gets weaker as you wail on him, a mortifying reality to the situation, because that's what would probably happen if you beat on a creature for that long.
A boss fight where you have to heal and help the boss is an idea that sprung from that, as well as just the idea of what a broken person's shadow/ego would be like. We don't hurt the mentally disabled, not anymore at least, we try to help them. I also struggled for a long time as to what Precia's treasure would be. I didn't initially want it to be Alicia because I thought that was too obvious. I wanted to subvert expectations, or something. However, I realized that it was the best option, because it made the most sense. It's expected, but it's completely in character. Since I couldn't come up with a subversion that was equal to or greater than the expected outcome, I decided that the expected outcome was ultimately the best decision.
So yeah, Precia's alive this time. The canon has been changed. What this will hold for the future, who knows. Now though I'm trying to plan for the arrival of the Knights. The first parts almost over, I hope you'll stick with me to at least that far.
As always, thank you for taking the time read this. I hope you enjoyed it, and don't hesitate to leave a review if you found something you'd like to criticize. Have a great rest of your day, and I hope to see you again. Good-bye.
