{Maria's POV}

"Remind me why I thought this was a good thing to do with my life again?"

I rolled my eyes at the whine of my bestfriend. "Because you thought it was easy. Your exact words were, and I quote, 'I get to chill and do whatever I want for hours on hours every flight.' So really, you have no one but yourself to blame."

Valerie groaned at that, which was music to my ears at this moment. "I might've underestimated how boring having fuck all to do for hours on end would be."

I tapped my lips here, humming loud enough for Val to hear. "If only you had a more beautiful and intelligent friend who warned you about this... Oh wait."

My bestfriend's sigh was most likely accompanied by her slumping in place, but I couldn't see it so I was just guessing about that. "... Hah... Yes, you told me so, I remember. Not like I could ever forget."

I ignored the mutter I wasn't supposed to hear but still did. "Are you sure? I can remind you again." The fact that I'd gladly do so just to rub it in was left out, but obviously conveyed.

"I think the last three times was enough."

"Now why would I need to repeat it so many times? Is it because we've had this same conversation over and over again?" For someone who'd chosen a seemingly easy job, Valerie sure did whine about it alot. (Though to be fair, she's sort of right. If I had to deal with doing nothing productive for hours on end then I would tear my hair out.)

"... Maybe..." I smirked at the admission. "But to be fair, it's boring!"

That earned her another eye roll that she couldn't see. "And you chose it."

She whined again. "Don't remind meee."

"Too late." Checking the time, I noticed something important. "Your flight is soon, go before you're late."

"Wha... Oh, well shit. Thanks Mar-Mar!"

My lips twitched at my childhood nickname, I'd never get tired of it no matter how I pretended it annoyed me. "Bye Val, safe travels."

"Ya, love you too!" With that, she hung up.

I smiled at Val's 'Val-ness', and went through the motions of my day, Idly humming as I rubbed my swollen stomach. "Love you too." It was still a minor embarrassment to tell her that, but I'd just get over it and tell her later...

The screaming in the back of my mind went unheard, just as the sudden flash of dread did.

{A few 'hours' later}

(Is there nothing good on?) I was honestly beginning to believe that my day was going to be boring. I'd already done whatever work I'd had, taken a short nap when the thought struck me, talked to my mother about my pregnancy, and eaten a snack... There had been nothing else to do, and I was getting tempted to head outside for a walk.

So of course that had been when my phone rang. Interested in a distraction, I checked who it was, and blinked when I read my Aunt's ID. Curious, I answered. "Hello Auntie, wha...-"

"M-Maria..." The sniffle caught me off guard, and the fact it sounded like she was crying did not help.

Sitting up in my couch, I felt a mounting feeling of dread, unsure of why but highly worried. "What's wrong?"

My Aunt sniffled even more at that, and I just knew she was crying... And I was beginning to lose my composure about why. "T-The news... Look at the news..."

My heart beat in my chest at that, and with a shaking hand, I turned to the nearest channel that showed important news... And felt my heart drop as I read the headline and saw the accompanying footage. "Nononono... God no." On the TV, the flight I knew Valerie was on was being shown... A twisted and broken husk of metal... A husk that'd crashed an hour ago, no survivors reported.

I hadn't noticed when i'd dropped my phone or the remote, I was lost in the feeling of my throat constricting, my heart beating in my ears like thunder, and the light dying... But despite my encroaching panic, I scrambled for my phone, hanging up on my Aunt as I desperately made my way to Valerie's Messages. Without a second thought I pressed call, the mounting dread bearing down on my shoulders like a physical weight. "C'mon, pick up pick up pick up!" The call kept going...

And by the end, Valerie didn't pick up. "Busy, call again later stupid."

The weight grew heavier as I tried again, she would pick up now that she knew I called... Surely she would...

But she didn't. "Busy, call again later stupid."

I tried again... "Busy, call again later stupid."

And was met with the same result. "PICK UP THE PHONE YOU STUPID BITCH!"

"Busy, call again later stupid." But she didn't answer.

The weight crushed me, I couldn't take it. "FUCK!" My phone smashed into the TV, both cracking at the force of the throw.

But just like them, I broke. Agony was the only thing I felt as the reality of the situation tear apart my mind.

My bestfriend was gone.

My sister was gone.

The Godmother of my children was gone.

Unbidden, memories of a day years ago came to the forefront of my mind. A younger Val and I happily eating ice cream, her arm around me as we did. You and me Mar-Mar, bestfriends forever and ever.

Promise? My younger self didn't exactly have many friends, so the hope in her voice wasn't exactly a surprise.

Promise! Forever and ever Mar-Mar! She said that with such finality that it was foregone conclusion.

But reality didn't care about the promise of children... "We promised... Forever and ever..."

I didn't know how long I wept, all I knew was that at some point my tears ran out, leaving me with nothing but the pain of having lost my other half.

{A few 'days' later}

Days passed in the blink of an eye, and now we were gathered for Valerie's funeral... Something I'd never wished to attend because it would mean she was gone... But here we sat, a picture of my sister on display by the casket. There had been no body to recover... Which did not help my spiral into depression. I wasn't even looking at the casket, my eyes solely focused on the picture of my sister, the picture of her graduating college was Auntie and Uncle's choice, and I felt myself getting lost in the memories.

Speaking of them, Uncle had finished speaking. "And now... I wish to call upon Maria Velacrux to speak." Meeting his eyes, I could only nod and slowly get up.

I knew this was coming, I'd asked to speak here after all, but as I walked towards the podium, I could feel my heart shattering more and more... And then I reached the podium...

But instead of looking at it, my eyes focused on the casket... As well as the 'body' within. Valerie's body was there, whole but still. My brain saw the image, but my heart was screaming at me that it was wrong. I knew what was wrong though, and mentally reminded myself what I knew. (But there was no body to be returned...) I stared at the corpse, my mind unable to come up with a logical reason about how it was there...

Which was when a massive surge of joy/pride washed through my mind, the link forged by a Goddess reminding me I was never alone. (She's alive. My sister is alive.) That thought made the surroundings shatter like glass, my body changing as wine red braids gently swayed in the non existent wind. I remembered the life I lived after Valerie's death, as well as the life we lived after being reborn.

I remembered that we were forever linked until the day we both died. "Hmm... How unfortunate." My eyes snapped towards the source, idly taking in my surroundings, which looked like some form of throne room.

Though when I saw who dared show me the worst day of my life, I frowned. "Irene Belserion... I'd say it was a pleasure, but I'd be lying." Seeing the woman I'd based my body off of, I put together where I'd seen the surroundings before. (Did not expect to find myself in the Alvarez Empire's court when I woke up today.) I shooed that thought away, fully focusing on the Queen before me.

Said Queen smirked at me, her eyes gleaming with sadistic amusement that only made it more difficult to reign in my temper. "While I would've preferred you suffer a little while longer, that pesky bond of yours was bound to return you to your senses." My eyes narrowed at the Crimson Despair, anger being kept in check as I wondered what her aim was. "Hoh? Do you really wish to know?"

I frowned at the sudden realization that she could read my passive thoughts, but let it go. "Yes, yes I do."

The grin on her face was positively malicious as she stared down at me, the look in her eyes no less malevolent. "Ideally, I would've broken your mind, robbed you of your sense of self, then stolen your body so I could live once more." Shrugging at that, she went on. "I have nothing against you personally, you would've just been a stepping stone to regaining life." Logically, the process of understanding her words was simple. I knew Irene Belserion, I understood her character and her general motivations... So I understood her reasoning...

That was logically... Emotionally on the other hand?

My mana unleashed itself upon the throne room, curses eroding the very air and stone beneath my feet as I glared at the Dragon Queen. I cared not that she was stronger then me, that she could very well swat me down like a fly if she truly decided to fight me. "YOU DARE?!" All I cared about/saw was the woman who had the audacity to try and steal me from my family!

The woman who would've taken me away from my Mother.

My Daughter.

My Sister!

I didn't even notice when my Genesis changed to Staff Form, only noticing the sickly emerald glow shining from the gem as darkness blanketed the throne room. The infuriating smirk on her face only made my wrath grow as more and more mana shook and eroded the room to the foundations... "Where's the fire? Who... Oh... Well shit." The familiar voice of my sister snapped me out of the murderous haze I'd fallen into, causing my mana to return to me and stop turning the area into a wasteland.

Turning towards her faster then what would be humanely possible, I paused as I saw that yes... She was suddenly wearing a version of Erza's armor... "Tara." My sister turned towards me, confirming that yes, that was her, and met my eyes. "Why are you in Erza cosplay again?" Granted, it wasn't the same armor she tried to cosplay, she was still in it.

My sister was silent for a bit, but this close by I could feel her emotions, so I knew she was beating back embarrassment with indignation. "It's not cosplay if she gave it to me!" I blinked at that answer, because it wasn't what I was expecting.

But then I thought about my situation, and the very REAL threat that was being presented to me in the form of Irene Belserion, and understood that Tara most likely fought against Erza. So, with that thought in mind, I nodded. "I see... Was that the reason you were beyond pleased a few moments earlier?"

My sister looked pleased with herself, putting her hands on her hips, puffing out her armored chest as she radiated 'praise me' energy. "I beat Erza in a fight!" I stared at her, slowly blinking...

Then I pat her on the head like a small child. "That's good dear." The sheer indignation laced with embarrassment that came through our link reassured me that she was real. (I hate that I still had some doubt.) I kept that thought to myself, and quickly banished it from my mind so Tara didn't find it. The aforementioned sister tried swatting my hand away, but seemingly stopped after brushing her senses against mine. I flinched at the wave of concern, then flinched again when she flooded our link with love. [So... You saw?]

Tara wrapped an arm around me, leaning into my hand as she did. {Yep.} That was all she said, but we both knew how much that meant. I was thankful that she didn't pry further, choosing to keep it to that, and letting me just bask in her presence.

Sadly, this didn't last longer. "... You both are sickeningly sweet." My sister and I both turned towards Irene, the Dragon Queen gazing upon us with a conflicted frown on her face. Seeing her, I couldn't help but feel my anger spark again, but was surprisingly smothered by Tara and her affections. I was tempted to give my sister a raised brow or something along those lines, but the Queen chose to continue speaking. "While my ideal scenario cannot be executed due to that pesky soul link you two have," Ah, so that's what it was. "I'll just need to go with my second plan."

I disliked the sound of that, and primed Genesis to release as many curses I could put into a Gandr. Seeing me tense, Tara grew scales, her tail slamming against the weakened stone, eyes going slit as she stared at the Queen with posture ready to move if combat broke out.

The scoff that came from the Crimson Despair made me scowl, but her next words stopped us. "I would like to make a deal." We both froze.

Tara seemed to expect something like this, so there wasn't a flare of surprise or anything, just interest.

Meanwhile I was torn. On one hand, this bitch thought she could mentally torture me into breaking and taking over my body/life... Which I was VERY pissed about, and for good reason... But on the other hand, she represented a veritable sea of knowledge, power, magic and skills that I would be foolish in turning down... (Fuck.) I normally didn't curse, but I was justified due to the situation I'd found myself in... (Is it worth it?) She did not make the best first impression, I didn't care if she could hear that but took a brief win at the eye roll she sent me, but first impressions weren't the end all be all of relationships... Wait a minute, why am I considering this so quickly?) The woman had pissed me off by pressing all of my buttons in the span of a few moments, yet I was considering having some form of relationship with her?

The click of a tongue earned my attention, and I wasn't surprised that it came from the Queen. "I find it commendable you caught it." Ah, a compulsion then. "Correct."

I stared at her. "You are doing a fucking horrible job in trying to get me to consider this deal of yours." I didn't curse often, but my self control was frayed.

Tara snorted, but neither of us addressed it. "Asking politely is not something I've had to do in centuries." That sounded more like a her problem to be honest. "As much as I would like to flay you alive for that," I raised a brow at the threat. "You have a point." My lips twitched at that. "Hush. Do you want to know what the deal is or not?"

Thinking about it, and ensuring the compulsion wasn't influencing me, it was but I dispelled it, I took my time. The pros and cons were still there, but the more I thought about said pros, the more I realized this could be the edge I needed. I hadn't hit a plateau or glass ceiling when it came to my magic or physical skills, I had the most options among our group, but the skills I could get from The Crimson Despair could put me in the same league as my sister or niece in terms of power.

So, with that thought in mind, I nodded. "What is it?"

The grin on her face did not inspire confidence. "Every night you shall enter your mind to be taught by myself. You will be learning all that I know, and only when you master the current subject will I allow you to make it your own and move onto another one." It was a very tempting offer, but I w...- "Eventually you will learn how to be a Sage Dragon Slayer, as well as gain the form of a Sage Dragon."

I nearly accepted on the spot. I knew the power a dragon could have, especially the advantage I'd get out of being a Dragon Slayer, but I kept myself back. "And what do YOU want out of this?" I'd need to know I wasn't making a deal with the devil.

My phrasing must've amused the Queen, I'd understand if it did given who I knew. "Yes, it did." Confirmation was always nice. "As for what I want out of this, it's simple. After you have completed your studies, you will create a body for me to inhabit that will have everything that I am." I blinked. That... Made sense. She couldn't take over my body...- "Hm? Yes I can." Pausing, I shot the Queen of Dragons an annoyed glare, meeting the unamused gaze she sent at me. "While my first plan did not work, that doesn't mean I can't still take your place."

Tara growled as I frowned, neither of us appreciating that tidbit of knowledge. "Why the fuck are you so complicated woman?!" Not how I'd put it, but my sister was right.

Irene Belserion rolled her eyes at Tara, and I could feel my annoyance rise at how dismissive she seemed. "Then do you wish to know why I've seemingly given up at breaking your sister and taking her place?" When she put it like that I felt somewhat annoyed, and a little grateful that she didn't test this.

Tara just growled for a bit, her tail slamming against the floor as protective anger sparked on her side of the link. But with a calming hand on her shoulder, she huffed out, and calmed down. With a look shared between us, she nodded, reigning in her tail as she wrapped it around my waist. With my sister in check, we looked to the Queen of Dragons, and nodded.

Seeing the action, the Queen spoke. "There are multiple reasons really. One of them is difficulty. Had I broken your mind," I nearly snarled at how matter of factly she put it. "I would have to keep your soul locked away as to not break the soul bound between you and your sister. Granted, I could do it, the issue becomes keeping your sister from finding out... Which would be impossible given the two of you just so casually meld your souls whenever you feel like it. Had I kept your soul locked away while I controlled your body, your sister would find the discrepancy in moments." Thinking about it, that made sense. Tara and I DID invade each other's senses whenever we felt like it, we'd been doing it be...- "Yes. You might not have physically been present in The Metaverse, but your mind WAS, and that was all that mattered."

Huh... Well that answered a question I had in the back of my mind.

"So... It's my fault?" Turning an eye towards my sister, I recognized the frown on her face as some form of self recrimination.

I was about to reprimand her about that, because she couldn't have known THIS would happen, but I was beaten to it. "Yes, but does it matter?" I wanted to STAB this bitch so much.

Tara felt guilty, but I reassured her with my own emotions. "It's fine. You couldn't have known."

"... That doesn't make me feel better." I winced at that. I wasn't exactly at the top of my game at the moment, for good reason, so my comforting skills had taken a hit. "But I get it." The smile she gave me was comforting, and I sighed in a part of my mind Tara didn't have access to.

Letting it be, I turned back to Irene, who was waiting on us. "Moving on from the well deserved guilt," I took a breath to keep myself from cursing her. "With you both here, I COULD subvert the both of you by trapping you in a world of nightmares, breaking your spirits and claiming BOTH of your bodies for myself." I gripped Genesis so hard I could feel the blood rush through my body as my mana surged. Tara's reaction wasn't any better as her tail tightened around me, her growling mixing with the faint roll of thunder. "Oh relax, I'm not going to do it you simpletons." I was not an angry or violent person, I really wasn't, but at the rate this was going I wondered if I'd just snap and charge at this bitch like some mindless brute. "Now, while I COULD do that, I'm not because the chances that I get caught rise exponentially. I could try to Enchant false personalities onto both of you, but one visit from that... Creature called Serafall and it would fall apart."

Tara and I blinked at that, seeing and sensing the obvious discomfort that had come from mentioning Serafall. ""What's wrong with Sera/Serafall?""

The Queen looked at us with half lidded eyes. "Do not do that again." Ah? We'd hit gold it seemed.

There was no missed opportunity between Tara and I. ""Do what?""

Her eye twitched, and I knew my twin and I shared amusement at the victory. "That aside. To answer your question, that creature, as well as the one called Lucifer, could and would present a challenge against me, even if I was in my prime. I can't even squirrel your bodies away in a pocket dimension since the tracking spells that creature placed on you two would alert her to something going on."

""The what?"" Our confusion was well deserved, because neither of us had heard of such a thing.

The raised brow we got was expected, as was the drawling answer. "Being as close to her and her sister as you both are, did you NOT expect certain measures to be taken in the event something... Unfortunate, happens?" It was worrying that the first thought I had was of something happening to Sona, Tara or I being accused of something, and Serafall spontaneously teleporting in and taking us away. "Exactly." Well shit. "Moving on again. I can't just kill you both either, I'd get nothing from it and would return to being the product of one man's imagination, which is unacceptable. So, the answer to this is simple, I teach you, you gain my skills and your own experience, and I get to live in this new world free to do as I please."

I pursed my lips at that, recognizing an issue there. "And what's to stop you from attempting to threaten our lives after you gain a new body?"

I did not like the smirk on her face. "I am willing to sign a non aggression pact/contract that will prevent both sides from making ANY moves against the other." I was about to say something about convenience when I recognized what she was doing.

My mind put the pieces together in moments, and the second I understood what was happening, I glared at the Crimson Despair, who just smiled back. "You planned this. From the moment I was under your illusions, you planned for this scenario." It made sense. I may have suffered the agony of Valerie's loss again, but that memory could've been twisted into something truly agonizing, which she hadn't done... Which put me in a weird spot of being pointlessly tortured, and grateful that it wasn't worse then it had been.

Tara's tail tightened around me, but I paid it no mind, focusing more on the amused glint in Irene's eyes. "Correct. It was a 50/50 chance about whether you'd notice or not, but it's inconsequential. We both know you're going to choose the correct option anyway."

I ground my teeth at that, recognizing that yes, I WAS going to choose the deal... But I was still fighting the urge to just lash out and rip out her throat. "Do you have to be such an insufferable bitch about this?"

I nearly cracked my teeth when the bitch had the audacity to LAUGH. "I don't HAVE too, but I find my amusement when I can." I was unsure if I could ever hate someone as much as I did the Crimson Despair, but I wasn't sure I wanted to find out. "Your hate amuses me greatly." I was going to lose my fucking mind. "Anyway," She snapped, and suddenly there was a contract in front of me. "Here, sign with your magic." I narrowed my eyes at the woman, an idea shooting through my mind faster then God.

Grabbing the paper, I took my time to read it, Idly noticing Tara peering over my shoulder to read the contract with me. [So far this seems normal... As normal as our situation can get really.]

My sister snorted. {Our normal hasn't been the same ever since we were born Mar-Mar.} My heart jumped at the address, the long healed wound being reopened so soon showed that I'd need to heal again later. Though, naturally she caught it. {You ok?}

I sighed, leaning a bit into her as I did. [I will be. Hopefully some cuddle time with Cynthia will speed up the process.] She nodded and left it at that, making me thankful for her being as understanding as she was.

We went back to reading the contract after that, I even tried checking it over with appraising magics to ensure there were no hidden or invisible words used. After finding none, and getting a good understanding of the contract, I turned a suspicious eye towards the Crimson Despair. "There is no time limit here..."

The scoff she gave me made my brow twitch. "I've lived for centuries. The knowledge I've amassed is far beyond what any mortal could ever hope to compete with. I am fully expecting you to take decades to fully learn all of my experiences with magic... Though given your wish to the Goddess Hera, that could turn into years... Months if you decide to have no disregard for your own health."

"That's bad, don't do that." It said something that my sister instantly believed I would do that in the first place...

It also said something that I thought about doing it anyway. "I'll think about it."

Tara narrowed her eyes at me, obviously not a fan of that answer. "Marthaaa."

"My, would you look at the time, it's 'sign this contract o'clock.' Who would've guessed." Saying that, I signed the damn contract by channeling my mana through it. The sooner we could get this done, the sooner I would be free of the Crimson Despair.

Though the way my sister stared at me, mouth ajar and exasperation radiating off of her was amusing. "Did... Did you just pull a me? I think you pulled a me... I don't know how to feel about this."

"Just blame yourself, that will work." My eye twitched.

Taking a breath, I slowly exhaled, letting myself gather my wits so I didn't snap. When I was done, I opened my eyes, looking at the amused Queen. "What happens now?"

She smirked at us, and I began to slightly regret asking. "Now, you return to your bodies. I will see you later tonight." And with a snap of her fingers, 'reality' broke into millions of pieces.

Groaning, I opened my eyes to see the familiar walls of my Workshop... As well as part of my desk. (Ah, so that's why my cheek hurts.) Lifting my head, I idly rubbed the indent my Grimoire had made on my cheek as I reached for my phone...

Only to be interrupted by a voice I hadn't expected. "^You were unconscious for a half hour.^"

Pausing, I frowned at what this meant. (^Is this going to be a new development?^)

The Crimson Despair scoffed in my mind, making my frown grow. "^Yes, yes it is.^" I scowled at that. "^You'll get used to it eventually.^"

(^I would rather not get used to having a woman such as yourself in my mind, but we don't always get what we want.^) Sighing to myself, I went on. (^Still though... Ugh, I cannot believe I'm saying this, but thank you for not truly trying to lead me into madness.^)

"^Hmm... Your thanks is accepted.^" I couldn't tell what she was feeling, so I was unsure if she truly cared or not. "^I don't, but it was appreciated.^" I sighed again, a feeling that I would be doing so alot more now growing within me.

Accepting this was my new normal, I made my way out of my Workshop, leaving to find my daughter. I needed some cuddles and diabetes in general after my brief return to days best left alone, and by god was I going to get them.

Someone said it looked like Martha had more potential then Tara...

She does. That was the point of her character.(I'm still surprised at the fact she forced her way into the story. Originally she wasn't supposed to be here, it was supposed to be just Tara, but Martha willed herself into existence and nothing was ever the same after that.) Tara is a Magical and Physical powerhouse, but she's mostly a Physical threat. She beats the dogshit out of people with her fists and legs, while Martha outsmarts people and prepares as much as she can.

In simpler terms, Tara is a Saber/Rider/Berserker, she's a big and fast target with physical POWEEER up the ass... And Martha is everything else, but ALL the emphasis on CASTER. The more time she has to do stuff the more of a threat she'll be. Add the wish of having an affinity to any and all forms of magic, and she's basically a Grand Caster in the making, especially now that she's going to be learning from Irene.

But she needs time to learn, time to get her hands on books to learn. She knows that, which is why most of the screen time she gets she's in her library, the Workshop working on Genesis or her Grimoire. Even writing her own books for people like Futaba and the Persona casts is to show that she's learning all that she can and passing that knowledge to whoever she 's gaining power not only from magic and martial arts, but from connections to people like Mitsuru and S.E.E.S, Sona and Serafall, Yu and the Investigation Team. You get it.

Also, I know when I'm going to introduce Elizabeth. It'll probably be a surprise... Or not. We'll see.