Magical Atoner Lyrical Alicia
Chapter Twelve
Stunned, Alicia dropped her cup of coffee, the thankfully well made cup clattering a bit as it hit the saucer.
"Alicia, you all right?" Subaru asked even as she flashed a hostile look at Veronica. The black haired woman also looked concerned, her blue eyes fixed on Alicia.
"It's fine," Alicia quickly said. A purple haired girl on the cafe staff hurried over and Alicia apologized, "I seem to have spilled my coffee."
Kokone smiled at her as she said, "It's fine, I'll clean this up and we'll have a fresh cup for you in a moment."
She was as good as her word, and a fresh cup of Alpha's usually fine brew was delivered. Alicia looked at Veronica, "I'm sorry, you caught me by surprise."
"It's understandable," Veronica shrugged slightly, though she seemed just a bit... hurt.
Curiously Samuel asked, "I assume you just looked into Earthside data on your family, not on Mid?"
"Yes," Alicia admitted, "as well as looking into the people my mother hurt. I had hoped to make some recompense, but..."
Veronica nodded. "Fate took a great many steps to do that, too," she said.
Subaru watched the older woman curiously. While she was only a teenager she wasn't a innocent, and usually relatives didn't seek you out for no reason. The question was, what did Veronica want, and why?
Samuel looked amused as he drank a bit of his coffee. "Young Miss Subaru is giving you the stink eye," he noted to his boss, "clearly she's figured out you can't be trusted."
"Samuel!" Veronica scolded. She looked at the girls, "He has a odd sense of humor, please ignore him." Dryly she added, "I know I do."
"I'm hurt," Samuel snorted.
Subaru smiled, but said, "Actually, he IS right, ma'am. I was wondering what you came here to see Alicia for."
"I can't just want to catch up with my relative?" Veronica asked, giving Subaru a level look.
"Send her a letter?" Subaru suggested, making Samuel chuckle.
"She has a point," Alicia conceded, giving Veronica a serious look. "Just contacting me from Mid is difficult, but actually coming here? That took effort."
Veronica nodded ruefully, "Fair enough." She took a drink of her coffee, stalling a bit for time. "This is... rather complex," she admitted, looking down. "What do you know about the Saint Church?" she asked.
"Huh?" Subaru blinked.
Samuel took pity as he explained, "The Saint Church is sort of a charitable organization on Mid. It was founded in the aftermath of the fall of the last Belkan civilization, and helped guide us back to civilization."
"It follows the teachings of the last Saint King, Olive Sagebrecht, who's genetic material was used to create my ancestor, Vivio Takamachi-Testarossa," Veronica said.
"Bet that was strange for her," Alicia noted thoughtfully.
"Very," Veronica agreed, "she was... well, not idolized as a god, but certainly treated like a Saint. It was quite difficult to maintain a ordinary life."
Impatiently Subaru asked, "But what does this have to do with Alicia?"
"I'm getting to that," Veronica frowned at the girl. Looking at Alicia she continued, "In addition to revering Vivio, the Church has come to... well, canonize her mothers, for rescuing her and raising Vivio to become a great hero."
"I don't think I like where this is going...," Alicia muttered.
Samuel nodded. "Word has gotten around on Mid that you are alive, and as the sister of Fate..." he shrugged, "the Church is VERY interested in you."
Subaru looked at Veronica thoughtfully, "And I assume you are a member of the Church, as well as Vivio's descendant."
"I am," Veronica conceded.
"So..," Alicia seemed to search for the right words, "What, exactly, do you or the Saint Church want from me? A return to Mid?"
"I don't completely know," Veronica admitted, "but there are some very fanatical people involved. I'm not personally part of the groups, but I don't like what I'm hearing."
"So you came all this way to warn Alicia?" Subaru smiled suddenly, "I misjudged you, I think."
"Gee thanks," Veronica laughed.
Samuel's device beeped, and he checked it with a frown. "Ma'am, we have to go to our meeting with Miss Aino," he reminded her, "if we don't leave soon we'll be late."
Veronica made a face, "Sorry girls, he's right, we have to go." She took her own device out, a slim, card shaped one, "Could I get a communications link with Bardiche? I would like to talk to you more..."
"Sure," Alicia extended her gloved hand.
Bardiche 'pinged' softly. "Communications link established, Sir," it reported calmly.
"Impressive," Veronica murmured before Samuel nearly dragged her off to their meeting.
"Want to finish your coffee?" Subaru suggested after a moment.
Alicia smiled wryly, "I think I'll ask if they have a soda or something..."
The two girls returned to their seat, each processing the rather strange conversation. "I don't know if I trust her," Subaru admitted reluctantly after a moment.
"Me too," Alicia admitted, She looked at Bardiche, "Did she attempt to do anything else other than set up communications?"
"Her device attempted to insert a unknown program," Bardiche reported, "I currently have the file quarentined for further examination, Sir."
"What?" Subaru yelped.
"Don't worry, I upgraded both Bardiche and Raising Heart after I grabbed them from the TSAB," Alicia reassured her, "unless her device is very powerful, our devices should be fine."
"Hmm," Subaru nodded, somewhat relieved. She looked at the device mounted on Alicia's glove, "What kind of program?"
"Monitoring activity and intercepting some forms of communication," Bardiche answered calmly, "there is a list of contacts on Mid it would redirect your attempts to contact."
"That's rather interesting," Alicia mused. She finished her drink as she said, "I think I'm going to have to do some research on what's happening n Mid."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The next day, in class, Erica was rather intrigued by the whole situation. "So, she lied to you?" she asked curiously.
"Not exactly lied, but it looks like the situation is more complex than she said," Alicia admitted as they sat between classes.
"Yeah," Subaru made a face, "she probably decided to was too complicated to explain to kids."
"As far as I could determine, there are several factions in the Church, and they are in conflict with each other," Alicia said. "One group feels that Vivio was the reborn Olive and that she judged them unworthy."
"Ouch," Catrine winced slightly.
"Another thinks that Vivio is Olive, but that she will return when they prove themselves ready," Alicia continued.
"And the third," Subaru noted, "thinks Vivio was a false prophet, or something."
"And all of them regard Nanoha and Fate in different ways. Some think they were wonderful, some hate them," Alicia added. "It's a terrible mess."
Erica nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I guess so," she agreed. She discretely did not mention that Nanoha or Fate couldn't defend themselves, as they were both believed dead. Mind you, that didn't mean they were gone, but...
Catrine looked at Alicia curiously as she asked, "Do you think you should get involved?"
"I'm not sure," Alicia admitted. "I'm not sure if my showing up on Mid would even help the situation."
"And should you?" Subaru offered reasonably. "I mean, yes Fate made some choices, but you are not responsible for them."
"Hmm," Alicia said vaguely.
Wisely Subaru didn't press. "What I really wonder is what happened to Vivio? I did a search out of curiosity... she appears in records up to about 2150, then the references just stop," she noted. "No death notice, no nothing."
Erica looked surprised, "You don;t think she's still alive, do you?"
Everyone exchanged glances then agreed, "Nah."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The island was out of the way, a product of the rising oceans and changes in climate. Despite being in the northern latitudes the weather was tropical, and generally summer like. The land itself wasn't large, only several thousand feet, but the residence was built into a section of dock used by various local seamen and occasional tourists.
The blond haired woman relaxing in the sun could be in her thirties, possibly forties, it was hard to say. She was fit, and looked good in her bikini, but her eyes seemed weighed down by the years. Still, she had a lively smile as she called, "Einhart, stop playing with the computer and come outside!"
"Sorry, Vivio," Einhart Stratos said as the similarly aged silver haired woman emerged from their home and trotted over to her side. "One of our flags in the government websites tripped."
"Oh?" Vivio Takamachi asked curiously.
"Someone on Earth is looking for us," Einhart said as she sat down beside her, "And it's a member of Hayate's family..."
To be continued...