Magical Atoner Lyrical Alicia

Chapter 29

"Morning boss...," Nene Scaglietti started, then blinked at how ragged the older woman looked. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

Veronica Aston-Martin winced slightly as she asked, "I look that bad?"

"Yes, honestly," Nene noted as she delivered a cup of coffee.

Veronica picked it up and drank a bit, sighing. "I just got lectured by Vivio-sama over my attempt to tamper with Bardiche," she admitted.

Nene winced, "Ah."

"I guess Alicia told her," Veronica sighed.

Nene nodded, "Well, what's done is done."

"Hopefully she and Alicia will let me live it down, eventually," Veronica said glumly, drinking more coffee and trying to wake up.

Nene gave her a sympathetic look. She had gone to work for Veronica not long after she had tried that, and honestly she would have advised against it... It was too late now though.

"Well, to work," Veronica sighed. "Have you had a chance to go over the intelligence data Colonel Signum provided?" she asked.

"Yes," Nene nodded, "most of it is just local area updates, but there is one thing that might concern us."

"Hmm?" Veronica looked curious.

"There's a sect of the Saint Church that's started actively looking for Vivio," Nene said grimly, "and they know she WAS here at one point."

"And if they do come here, they're almost certainly going to stumble over Alicia, as she's been in the news. And is basically the twin of their Saint's MOM," Veronica realized. "Ugh." Not to mention keeping them from finding Vivio herself...

"Yes, ma'am. Should we inform Lady Venus of the issue?" Nene asked.

"She probably already knows," Veronica sighed. She continued, "But yes, pass it along and flag it as urgent."

"Hmm," Nene nodded.

Veronica paused as she considered, then asked her, "Do we have the ability to increase our security on Alicia?"

Nene sighed, "No, ma'am. The school is off limits to outside security, though there is my sister there. And we have an asset at Hinata Inn."

Veronica sighed, "Hopefully that doesn't become necessary."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The school week was beginning again, and Alicia had teleported from the Hinata Inn into the city, then walked to school itself.

"Alicia!" Subaru saw her and rushed over, "did you get an invitation too?!"

"What invitation?" Alicia blinked.

"THE WEDDING," Subaru sighed.

Alicia blinked and checked her ,messages. "You are invited to the Wedding of Princess Usagi and Sailor Saturn... EEEP."

"Yes," Subaru nodded. "Are we even supposed to be invited?" she wondered aloud.

"We should ask Erika," Alicia decided.

Classes were as usual, and they tracked down Erika at lunch break. "So you get your invitations? Good," Erika Tenoh noted.

"I was surprised we were invited, actually," Subaru admitted.

"Ah," Erika nodded. She continued, "I know you only met relatively recently, but she considers you friends."

"Well, fair enough," Alicia nodded.

Catrine added, "Plus a lot of guests are being invited for diplomatic reasons. I think she wants a few people she knows..."

"Now I feel bad for wondering," Subaru admitted sheepishly.

"I totally get that," Catrine noted. "My family were in shock over my being invited," she added a bit wryly.

As Subaru and Catrine bonded over being 'normal' folks in this situation, Alicia said to Erika, "I hope we can get some guidance from you."

"Hmm?" Erika wondered.

"What do we wear, for one...," Alicia winced.

"Ha! Your Midchilde clothes would be fine," Erika noted.

"Well, there's that..," Alicia admitted, "but I would like something local too."

"We can help you shop for something," Erica reassured her.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Later that same day...

The Hinata Inn was popular with immortals, because it had (mostly) stayed the same over the past thousand years. YES parts of it were blown up in the Last War, but it had been rebuilt almost exactly. So, certain beings stopped in...

The woman looked like a teen, except for the odd insignia on her forehead. The ovoid gem glowed softly, and her long black hair fell to her waist. She wore a bright red jacket, white blouse, and white trousers trimmed in red.

"Hi, welcome to the Hinata Inn," Yoko Urashima smiled, the gorgeous redhead in a bikini top and short shorts, standing behind the desk.

"I'd like to book a room, indefinite duration," she admitted. "Skuld Hime," she introduced herself casually.

Yoko nodded, "We have a room available, yes. Any special requirements?"

"Hmm," Skuld nodded, "I understand there used to be labs, under the Inn?" She added, "Koalla Su-sama used them."

"They're sealed, as far as I know," Yoko noted dubiously.

"Just a second...," Skuld dug in her jacket, then pulled out a metal disk. "I have authorization."

A hologram emitted from the disk, revealing a attractive woman in lab coat. "Miss Skuld can borrow my labs," Koalla Su said cheerfully, her blond hair contrasting with dark skin, "and has the access codes. Bye."

"THAT'S...," Yoko blinked, recognizing the woman from historical vids.

"We're work associates," Skuld admitted wryly.

Yoko decided she just did NOT want to know. "Fine," she said, "if you can access them, go ahead and use the labs."

"Thank you," Skuld beamed.

"May I ask why you're visiting Japan?" Yoko asked as she registered the woman.

"I liked in the region previously," Skuld admitted, "a friend is getting married."

Before anything else could be said, Alicia Testarossa landed and walked inside, having come home from school.

"FATE-SAN?!" Skuld blinked.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Alicia landed outside the Hinata Inn, her school uniform fluttering around her.

"ALERT!" Bardiche blurted a warning.

Reflexedly Alicia summoned her barrier jacket/costume as she demanded, "What's going on?"

"Goddess class entity in close proximity," Bardiche told her.

(Accessing his files since Alicia had acquired Bardiche had revealed that Fate had encountered actual goddesses over the years. And many other entities that Alicia had thought were myths. It was rather awe inspiring, actually.)

"Get ready to shield, I'm going to investigate," Alicia noted. She went inside, seeing a woman dressed in a red jacket and white pants, long black hair flowing down her back.

"FATE-SAN?!" she blinked, surprised.

"Sorry," Alicia said cautiously, "I'm her sister." She then introduced herself...

Skuld looked sad as she said, "Sorry. It's been a long time since I've seen her."

"She's moving in today," Yoko noted. She tapped the air, "You threw up a shield to protect me, in case there was trouble?"

"Sorry," Alicia gestured and removed the barrier.

"Thanks for the thought," Toko quick drew a pistol from... somewhere as she said, "but I can take care of myself."

"I'll keep that in mind," Alicia admitted willingly.

"Did you know how I met Fate and Nanoha?" Skuld asked as she finished checking in.

"Other than it was in the Tenty First century and on this Earth, no. It's classified...," Alicia admitted, having accessed the records on Midchilde.

"Let me tell you about it...," Skuld grinned cheerfully.

To be continued...

Notes: The wedding subplot is from over on Eternal City Crystal Tokyo. This chapter is before Chapter 81 of that fic (the bridal shower).

Skuld is the GODDESS Skuld, from Norse Mythology and the anime, Oh My Goddess.

Magical Atoner Lyrical Alicia

Chapter 30

Rachel Yagami shook her head, "but... THE ROYAL WEDDING?!"

"Calm down, Mom," Subaru said wryly.

"You have to admit, it's a bit startling," Yuchiro, her father, added mildly. He had taken it somewhat more calmly, then again he was generally a more relaxed type.

"I knew thar you had worked together," Rachel added, shaking her head ruefully as she muttered, "but..."

There had been several adventures where the Princess, as Sailor Moon, had fought beside Alicia and Subaru. Apparently, the Princess counted that as 'friendship' it seemed. Which was kind of sad, really, though Erika had explained that Usagi wanted some 'normal' guests at the event. Did she and Alicia really count as 'normal' though?

"Are we going to need to buy you a suit or something?" Yuchiro wondered reasonably. "And all the accessories..."

"I think once we have a design figured out, I can just have my barrier jacket copy it," Subaru calmly noted.

"Fair," Rachel said. She brightened, "You father knows some designers, we could get something nice done!"

"Nothing TOO fancy though," Subaru started, when Raising Heart flared red.

"GODDESS CLASS HOSTILE NEAR BARDICHE."

"Eh?!" both Rachel and Yuchiro blinked.

Subaru bolted out of their apartment, "I'll be back as soon as I can!"

"Be careful," Rachel called.

"Incanted, Enchanted," Subaru cupped the gem, "SET UP!" The barrier jacket formed around her as Raising Heart went to staff mode, then she shot into the sky.

It didn't take THAT long to reach Hinata Inn by air, ands Subaru dropped down by the main entrance as she asked, "Raising Heart, location of the Goddess?"

"... they are in the hot springs. No hostilities detected," the gem sounded bemused.

"So... false alarm?" Subaru sighed.

"Apparently," Raising Heart agreed.

"Hey, here to see Alicia?" Yoko waved as she entered, having reverted the weapon to it's harmless standby mode.

"Yeah... uhm, did someone just check in?" Subaru asked sheepishly.

"The Goddess Skuld. I guess your device went off?" Yoko guessed.

"Exactly," Subaru sighed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Una Scaglietti was listening in to embassy communications on her device, sitting cross legged on top of her bed

(She, of course, should NOT have had access to that. But her big sister was head of Intelligence at the Embassy, and she had picked up a few things. And her device was state of the art, unlike a LOT of Crystal Tokyo tech...)

"Yes, Skuld. The GODDESS."

"I thought she was off Earth?" Nene asked grimly.

"Last we checked she was out in Jurai space, working with Washu."

"There's a worrying combo," Nene sighed.

"Agreed. She's checked in at the Hinata Inn for awhile, but other than that we don't know about her intentions."

"Might be here for the Wedding," Nene mused.

"Anyway... she's here so she might be OUR problem. I'll keep a eye on things."

"Do that," Nene signed off.

Una smirked as she shut her link off. That was interesting... she knew that the Goddesses Belldandy, Urd and Mara all hung out in Crystal Tokyo, so it made sense Skuld might come back. But was she there at the Inn for Alicia? Or some other reason?

"Una! Dinner is on!" her mother called from downstairs.

"Coming!" Una answered, and hurried down.

"Nene is tied up at the office," her other mother, Mira, noted disapprovingly.

"It's a important job," mother Anne said placidly.

"And... the Scaglietti will have our revenge!" Mira declared.

Anne bonked her on the head.

"Ow!" Mira pouted.

"Revenge is stupid and pointless," Anne scolded, "remember that."

"Yes dear," Mira pouted meekly.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Ahh, that's nice," Skuld sighed as she relaxed in the hot springs behind the Hinata Inn. She smiled at her companion, "M-Zak, here to fight again?"

Attim M-Zak, a tall gorgeous black haired woman, smiled wryly while also relaxing in the steaming waters, "I think we can put our history behind us, hmm?"

Attim and her lover Kei worked as agents for Venus and Crystal Tokyo. They were also based out of the Hinata Inn to keep a eye on Alicia, though that was unofficial.

"Considering I blew you up, you're very forgiving," Skuld noted mildly.

Kei emerged from the mists, the smaller blond only wearing a towel. "I haven't forgiven you," she settled into the water by Attim.

"I thought you were a system bug!" Skuld defended herself.

"Hmph," Kei pouted cutely.

(Skuld's duties as a Goddess included removing bugs from the great 'celestial computer' of reality. And it had at least LOOKED like Attim and Kei were 'bugs' with their unearthly healing powers and such. It was a honest mistake!)

"I'd grant you a wish in apology, but we're no longer allowed to DO that," Skuld added.

Kei looked surprised, "Really?"

"Hmm. The risk of damaging reality is considered too high," Skuld agreed.

"Yo!" Yoko waved as the buxom manager of the inn strode in.

"Ma'am," Skuld looked a bit envious at the bouncing boobs. She was barely in her teens, physically, and hadn't filled out much.

"Just call me Yoko," she ordered cheerfully. "Subaru Yagami just arrived... I think she figured you meant to hurt Alicia."

"Yagami.. as in Hayate? I should catch up with the family...," Skuld mused.

"You knew her?" Yoko asked.

"They PROBABLY fought," Kei teased.

"I don't fight everybody," Skuld protested.

"Well?" Attim gave her a look.

"Okay, YES we fought," Skuld admitted. "But it wasn't my fault... I had run into their evil counterparts from the Space Time Administration Bureau."

"STAB?" Yoko blinked.

"Hmm." Skuld nodded, "So when I met the originals, well...," she shrugged.

"Afternoon, all," Alicia called as she and Subaru also walked into the springs.

"Come on in," Yoko waved. "Did you know Skild beat up Nanoha, Fate and Hayate?"

"Hey!" Skuld protested. "It was just the once..."

"You met my revered ancestor?" Subaru asked as she settled in the water besides Alicia.

"Yeah," Skuld chuckled as she said, "and she'd be VERY amused at the whole idea of being called 'revered' too."

"I had heard she wasn't very serious," Subaru agreed.

"You don'y know the half of it," Skuld laughed.

To be continued...

Notes: I kind of like the idea there's a continuous link between Bardiche and Raising Heart. Also, why didn't she just teleport over? She forgot.

I still need to decide if any of the Scaglietti family will go out for revenge. I'm thinking no but...

Attim and Kei are from the little known but GORGEOUSLY illustrated manga Seraphic Feather.

At some point I want to write a full fic using Space Time Administration Bureau. I was thinking of having Tanya von Degurechaff be a evil Nanoha with them...