Magical Atoner Lyrical Alicia
Chapter Eight
Alicia Testarossa smiled at her sister/clone Fate a little shyly, the two hesitating as they tried to find something to say. The two blond women were eerily similar in many ways, the biggest differences coming from age and the semi-military uniform that Fate wore.
Catrine looked thoughtful a moment, then reached out and took Erica's hand as she said, "Come on, let's dance for a bit."
"But," Erica started to protest as she was dragged away, clearly wanting to stay and listen, then gave in with a sigh, "Yeah, sure."
Nanoha Takamachi hid a smile, then got up from her chair too. "Subaru, could you help me get some drinks?" she asked.
Subaru Yagami followed, the younger teen smiling as they headed off as she Told Nanoha chirpily, "Sure!"
Fate looked amused as she sipped from her glass of water, "Well, that was subtle."
Alicia smiled as she nodded, "I guess they decided we needed some time alone."
Fate nodded, putting the cup down. She took a deep breath as she admitted, "I'm not sure where to start... I have so many questions."
Alicia nodded, "I understand."
"Mother," Fate took a breath as she decided to ask, "What happened to mother?"
"It will take some explaining," Alicia sighed, then began to speak.
In the end, it turned out that Precia Testarossa's theories had been right about dimensional faults leading the way to the lost, semi-mythic realm of El Hazzard. As she and Alicia fell from her base they passed through a kind of rift that eventually took them to that place, though it was a rough and difficult journey for them both. Precia's injuries were nearly critical, while the special containment chamber that had held Alicia was shattered.
The people of El Hazzard were a strange, philosophical race, primarily driven by the study and application of magic. Thankfully they were also a generous people, and finding the two of them they chose to heal them both, as well as provide a place for them in their community.
"They healed mother of her illness," Alicia said, "and also of the mental breakdown she had." She looked at Fate gently, "I don't know if it would help, but she deeply regretted how she treated you, and wished deeply to make amends."
Fate looked pensive as she said, "It's been a long time for me, but yes, it does help a little." She looked at Alicia, "Is Precia still in El Hazzard."
"In a way," Alicia took a breath, "once she was certain I was fully recovered and could take care of myself, Precia took her own life."
"What?" Fate yelped.
Alicia sighed softly, looking up to meet Fate's gaze with sad eyes. "After they healed her body and mind Precia fully understood all the evil she let happen, from the explosion that killed me on to her selling technology to Jail and hurting you." Alicia added sadly, "She just couldn't live with the guilt."
Fate nodded, her own expression troubled. She could tell Alicia was hurting, but in all honesty she couldn't say the death of her mother bothered her that much. Most of the affection she had felt for that woman had faded under the abuse, until only a lingering memory of it remained.
"What happened to you after that?" Fate asked gently.
Alicia accepted that Fate didn't want to talk about it any more, and to be honest she didn't really blame her. "I trained in magic enough to protect myself and others, then I decided to leave El Hazzard and head back to Mid, try to make up somewhat for what mother had done," she said.
"All right," Fate sipped her water, "but that doesn't explain how you ended up in a bar a thousand years in the future."
Alicia made a face, "It has to do with why El Hazzard is considered a myth. Have you ever wondered why no one comes back from searching for it?"
"I did wonder a bit," Fate admitted.
"Time passes far slower in El Hazzard than here," Alicia said, "I spent a few years there, but nearly a thousand years passed by here and on Mid."
"Damn," Fate shook her head wryly. "So anyone who found them came back hundreds of years after they left..."
"Exactly," Alicia nodded.
Fate looked at the golden gem on her hand, "Bardiche?"
"I have scanned my counterpart," Bardiche replied in his usual gruff tones, "his age is indeed my own plus approximately a thousand years."
"Now I have a question," Alicia said thoughtful, "how did Bardiche end up sitting in a museum before I rescued him?"
"I don't know," Fate frowned, "I've taken steps to make sure he'll be taken care of, if I'm gone. Obviously, they're not enough."
"Master," her Bardiche said, sounding touched.
Meanwhile, Nanoha and Subaru had just finished collecting several non-alcoholic drinks. "Do you think we've given them enough time to talk?" Nanoha asked, frowning slightly.
Subaru peered through the crowd at the table as she mused, "Well, both of them look a lot more relaxed. I think they got through the tough bits."
"Fate's smiling, which is always a good sign," Nanoha agreed. She looked at Subaru, "Thank you for helping give them the time they needed."
"It's fine," Subaru said as they carried the drinks over, "Alicia is a good friend of mine, it's no trouble to help her out."
Nanoha chuckled suddenly, and Subaru looked at her curiously. "Sorry," she said, "I was just thinking about something."
"Oh?" Subaru asked.
Nanoha looked a bit sheepish, "Uhm, for years I told my friends that Fate was my 'good friend' or 'best friend' and on Mid, it kind of became a code word fore a couple. It just struck me as funny you using it."
Subaru blushed and laughed softly. "Yeah, I guess that would seem funny." Quickly she added, "Not that Alicia and I are like that."
"Right," Nanoha agreed, not commenting how cutely Subaru had been worried about Alicia, or how protective the younger girl was. Besides, it could just be friendship after all.
Not far away Catrine and Erica snuggled as they swayed to the music with several other lunchtime dancers. "Ah, this is nice," Catrine mused softly.
"Yeah, it is," the black haired Erica agreed as they danced. She pouted slightly, "I still wish you had let me stay and listen in."
Catrine punched her arm, gently. "Don't be mean," she laughed.
"I know, I know," Erica laughed softly. They twirled through the latest dance step, even as she got a look at the table, "They both look pretty relaxed, I think they're done with the serious stuff."
"Fine, we'll head back," Catrine gave in with a grin.
Fate and Alicia were chatting eagerly, Alicia looking amused as she said, "I'd still like to know why both our barrier jackets are so skimpy."
"Less wind resistance," Fate offered, grinning slightly.
"Or you're both closet exhibitionists," Nanoha offered as she arrived with the two drinks for her and Fate.
"I am not!" Fate yelped, blushing.
"Well, it would explain the pictures I've seen of your Sonic Form," Subaru offered, grinning slightly as she put a fruit drink in front of Alicia.
Fate blushed brighter as Nanoha noted, "I've always liked how she looked in that."
"It was just for greater speed," Fate growled, still blushing.
Alicia exchanged a sympathetic glance with her sister then decided to save her from the teasing. "I always wondered," she started innocently, "why you're barrier jacket is based off your elementary school uniform?"
Nanoha looked sheepish, "Well, I liked the design..."
They laughed and talked for nearly a hour, with Erica trying to tease out details of the two blondes conversation. Alicia and Fate were both silent on that, with the more experienced Fate deflecting the conversation when needed.
Finally Catrine checked her chronograph, sighed and said, "I hate to break this up, but I have a training session with the Hardsuits soon."
Erica looked regretful, "Damn it, I wish we could stick around. There's a lot I wanted to ask about your adventures together."
Nanoha also looked unhappy, "We have to go rescue Yuuno from Vivio soon, too..."
Alicia nodded, then exchanged a glance with Fate. "It's been good to meet you," she started awkwardly, "I hope..."
"We'll meet again," Fate said firmly, "I'm certain of it."
Subaru nodded, "If not here, I'm sure we can figure something out."
They each got up from the table, but lingered, not wanting to go. Finally Alicia moved close to Fate and hugged her, the smaller girl barely reaching her shoulder. Fate wrapped her arms around her and hugged back, holding on to her blood relative fiercely.
"Be careful, little sister," Alicia said quietly.
"I'll do my best, big sister," Fate answered, and with that the two groups moved away.
Subaru looked back, then blinked in surprise. "They disappeared," she blurted.
Erica nodded wisely, a old hand at being at this bar and the strange things that could happen there. "They probably ended up back at their own time, after we got far enough apart," she suggested.
Subaru looked at Alicia thoughtfully, "Do you really think you'll meet again?"
"If nothing else I wouldn't be surprised if we met again here," Alicia said honestly, "and other than that... there are always possibilities." She grinned slightly, "Erica, you know Sailor Pluto, right?"
"Oh no, I am NOT asking Setsuna for favors," Erica protested as they walked towards the exit of the bar. "She scares me."
"She's not that bad is she?" Catrine asked, and the conversation rolled on.
To be continued...