As mentioned previously, I wanted to do a finale/catchup between Celestine and Olga. In the h-doujin, right before Olga commits mental [not alive] in her route in the visual novel, she has one final conversation with Celestine. Obviously, since that route never happened, a different conversation was needed to be had to give the two closure.
Summary/recap: It's been 10 years in our world since Vult was defeated and locked away in a place where he would be never seen again. Since then the Carmine "clan" has grown to quite a few children and counting. Celestine, seeing that it was a good of a time as any, decides to visit her once a good friend to catch up to see how things have changed for the better for her friend.
Disclaimer: I only own my copy of MS Word and my desktop. Kuroinu belongs to the appropriate rights holders for the visual novel, manga, and anime adaptation respectively. See the foreword for the full disclaimer.
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Lake Munlathe, 10 years after Vult's failed invasion.
Fall was a wonderful time of year in the small town of Lake Munlathe. The leaves on the trees were changing and falling off and adults would rake the leaves into large piles and the kids would proceed to jump into those piles. It was a time when the businesses started putting up holiday decorations as soon the winter weather would come making it difficult to get it all set up. This is what Celestine observed as she walked the streets in appropriate weather attire for this town; her usual attire would turn heads and not in the right way. The portal that Vult's court magician had opened was outside the town in what has been converted into a military checkpoint and border as it was somehow anchored to that point. It was still the early morning and most people in the town had just left the local diner which still sold coffee for a quarter to resume their morning routines.
She continued to walk amongst the townsfolk as they went about their day until she reached her destination: a house in a small housing development. She approached what had been described to her as a 'ranch-style' house and knocked on the door.
"Coming!" a woman's voice called out from inside. It opened to show a dark elf woman carrying an infant. She was wearing an oversized t-shirt and flannel sleep pants; it looked like she had woken up just recently as her hair, while in a messy ponytail, was frazzled and looked like she had gotten sporadic sleep recently as well due to the bags under her eyes. "Oh, it's you, Celestine," she appeared to sound more tired than anything with her appearance. "What did you want?"
"May I come in? I come in peace," Celestine requested.
Olga eyed Celestine skeptically but stepped aside allowing the high elf in. The two made their way to the kitchen where three other dark elf-human girl children were currently finishing up breakfast. They didn't really acknowledge the newcomer as they ran to the front door, put on jackets, and ran back to the back porch's door. "No running inside the house!" Olga called out as she and Celestine took a seat at the kitchen table.
One of them called back as they went outside, "Yes, mom!"
"I swear, those kids…" she said as she went for her coffee mug with her free hand.
"They're all yours?" Celestine asked.
"No, one of them is Chloe's."
She looked around, not seeing Olga's former lieutenant. "Where is she, by the way?"
"Work. Thanks to Rifttown opening up a few years ago, our local department has been busy with addressing their calls on top of this town's as well." She took a drink. "There have been rumors that some of Vult's cohort did manage to escape and are occasionally spotted from time to time by both locals and visitors alike." Olga made her way to the coffee machine and made a cup; Olga didn't let it slip that she seems incredibly familiar with this type of machine.
"And have there been any?"
"A local farmer fired his rifle at an intruder a while back in early summer, the person he shot at scampered back into the forest. They haven't been seen since."
"I suppose that's good," Celestine said as she sat down.
After a long silence, Olga asked. "Why are you here?"
"I wanted to catch up with my old friend."
"So that's what you're calling me now," Olga said with a bit of venom. "I sure seemed like a 'friend' when you sent Vult and his cohort."
This seemed to hurt Celestine but she didn't let it show too much. "I think we both know he fooled many people and used others to get his way. His oldest friend, Maia, was also surprised at his actions. She always presented him as a man of integrity with an ax to grind against the injustices of our world."
"Spoken like a true politician. Two-faced and only shows their true colors when in power," Olga commented as she took a sip of tea.
"Indeed. And for that, I will never be able to apologize enough. I've spent the last decade doing that to the people of Eostia for the lack of foresight. For the inability to see what company he spent his time and energy on. For not having a spy keep a closer eye on him. There are so many things that I cannot foresee, and his betrayal was one of them."
"It sounds like he fooled everyone."
"He did, and everyone in Eostia paid the price. Half a generation wiped out."
There was an uncomfortable silence that went on way too long. Long enough for Olga's infant to get fussy. "Seems like a little someone is hungry," she cooed while moving her shirt in such a way to allow her infant to nurse.
"The mother 'look' looks good on you," Celestine complimented.
"You mean being tired and looking like I haven't gotten any decent sleep in weeks? My breasts feeling heavy with milk and lactating at awkward times?"
"No," she shook her head. "The feeling of love and warmth coming from you towards your child."
"I guess it sort of helps when the conception is done between two adults in love with each other."
"Indeed." A wry grin grew on her. "I thought it was quite difficult for dark elves to have children. And you have three, correct?"
"And your point?"
"There must have been a lot of nights between you two attempting to make babies, making the beast with two backs."
"Shut it. That's between my husband and me."
"Speaking of which, where is he?"
"He went on a weekend hunting trip with my and Chloe's eldest daughter."
"Oh?"
"He's been teaching the two of them how to shoot for a while and were begging him to take them with him this year. He relented and took them this time."
"Sounds like they have him wrapped around their fingers."
"They do," she chuckled. "Jessica, Chloe's oldest, wanted to fire his Honey Badger (a rifle with a suppressor using .300 blackout ammunition) and after much begging, he took her to the range and she got to fire it. They've somehow managed to get past his defenses to get what they want."
"That always isn't a good thing," Celestine commented.
"Yes, but the two know how to poke and prod just enough to get their way without crossing the line."
Celestine looked at her ring, it was a modest wedding band. "To be honest, I envy you." Olga raised an eyebrow and Celestine continued. "A loving husband. Children. A life worth living to the fullest. I wish I could have that."
"What's stopping you?"
Celestine sighed. "Because of who I am. While flawed, I'm still seen by many as the defiled goddess since my own and the Princess Knights' defeat at the hands of Vult, even a decade after his own defeat and incarceration in (what was it called? A 'black site'?)-" Olga nodded. "-a black site."
"Then why not retire from the 'goddess' shtick? Find someone on this side of the rift?"
"I probably should. Considering the current landscape and the new horizons of learning that the people have had their eyes opened to, it may be for the best." She paused for a moment and smirked wryly. "Perhaps your husband might be interested in helping out."
Olga guffawed at this. "He wouldn't dare do that!" she seethed.
"He's already sleeping with you and Chloe, what's one more?" she shrugged.
"That's different!" It was then she noticed her old friend laughing. "Oh, real funny."
"You're certainly possessive."
"Well, you would be too."
"Indeed. From all the children you've certainly been busy and it must have been enjoyable to do it multiple times," she giggled playfully. "But in all seriousness, I'm certain he could help me get settled on this side considering he did the same for a few others as well. A work and living situation, that is."
"What happened after?"
"Hmm?"
"What happened to the rest of the Princess Knights?" Olga knew that this could potentially be an uncomfortable subject, all things considering.
"Most of them resigned from their positions. Princess Prim, the last I had heard, was on this side getting mental treatment for what happened to her. I actually was going to see her after I visited you. Alicia is near Prim and is keeping an eye on her recovery. Rumor is that she found love based on the letters she and I have been exchanging. Claudia did end up getting back together with her husband and left for remote areas of Eostia. I believe they were attempting to rebuild their marriage considering what her father-in-law did to her in allying himself with Vult. Last that I heard, they were having their second child. Kaguya went back to the Far East in shame. I haven't heard from her in many years. Maia was never the same. When she was cleared for being healthy physically, she just spun a bottle and headed in that direction. Both what Vult did to her and what he saw her as broke her. I pray that she's found peace somehow. Luu-Luu was the only person who defended one of her defilers. She ended up disappearing after Vult was captured and was spotted months later with an orc hand in hand outside a small village. To those that saw it, it was weird."
"Some made it out better, some worse," Olga summarized as she shifted the infant.
"Indeed."
"He did a lot of damage in such a short time. Before the rift existed, it was about three days after I disappeared from Eostia, correct?"
Celestine nodded. "He had a lot of potential allies ready to assist him as soon as your defeat was confirmed. All of the attacks surprised all of us and we were either all captured or coerced into surrender. For the next few days, we were used as his playthings before his magician figured out how to open the rift. Those left behind to enforce his 'Cuntry's' laws still used us as playthings until this nation's military showed up to remove them from power."
"And at that point, our timestreams were synchronized," Olga added. Celestine nodded to confirm.
"Since then, many good things have happened. The knowledge and technology the traders brought from this world have opened the minds of so many children and young adults. The medicine has extended life expectancy by decades. With proper guidance, Eostia has a bright future ahead of it. For once, they may find peace."
The two passed the time chatting idly while the infant was put down for a nap nearby. Around noon the front door opened and the smell of burned wood wafted in. "Honey, I'm home!" a man called out.
"In the kitchen," Olga called out. Jerrod walked in and kissed Olga on the forehead. "You smell like a brushfire." He was dressed in camouflage-patterned pants and jacket and set three hard-cased rifles on the table.
"And you are still in your comfy PJs. Is Kimmi down for a nap?" She nodded. "Who's your friend?"
"Celestine Lucross," Olga introduced her husband. "Another elf from Eostia who I have a long history with."
He walked over and shook her hand. "A pleasure." Two dark elf children charged into the room wearing what looked like miniature ensembles to what their father was wearing and slammed into Olga, hugging her.
"Did you two have fun with your dad?" Olga asked. The two nodded.
"Little miss sharpshooter here bagged her first deer," he ruffled the hair of the girl with dark hair, clearly Olga's daughter. "Tell your mom what you did, Selina."
"I shot a six-point buck right in the heart on my first shot!" Selina cried out excitedly. "Just," she made a gun 'pew' sound, "and it went down."
"That's great, you've contributed to keeping the local deer population in check," Olga said, the smile on her daughter's face grew.
"I didn't get anything," Jessica, the blonde-haired one, moped.
Jerrod squatted down until he was at her eye level. "You don't always get one. Heck, I'm a good shot and sometimes I come away empty-handed. You just have to keep your chin up and maybe next time you'll get one. Feel better?" he asked and she nodded. "Good! Now both of you go take a shower, you reek of smoke." The two ran towards their bedrooms.
"And put your smokey clothes on the dryer so I can air them out later!" Olga called out after them.
"Sorry, I would have been back sooner, but I took the deer to the butcher. Dan said to come back before closing and he should have venison steaks for us out of it. Come to think of it, I may take the head to the taxidermist and get it stuffed. Get a little plaque on it too. 'Selina's first buck'. Anyway, is Celestine staying for dinner?"
"She actually-."
"I don't wish to impose," Celestine attempted to argue.
"Nonsense. Friends of the missus are welcome any time."
"You may wish you didn't say that," Olga muttered as she went for her tea.
"How come?"
"She's been telling me that she wants you to fuck her silly and get her pregnant over the last hour." She got that look that said that she wasn't lying about the content but wasn't being serious about it.
"Yes, she says that you have a certain disposition towards her and Chloe wearing certain kinds of lingerie when you like to 'get down to business'," Celestine said with a grin.
"Oh, now I know you're fucking with me," Jerrod said to his wife.
"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not," Olga replied with a grin hidden by the coffee cup.
"Funny. Anyway, as I smell like a brushfire, as you put it, I'll go take a shower as well." He took off his hat and placed it on Olga's head before walking down the hallway. "Both of you are welcome to join me if you want," he joked as he entered the master bedroom and closed the door.
"And you said he wouldn't be on board," Celestine continued their 'inside' joke.
"He's not," Olga replied. "Anyway, don't you have somewhere to be?"
"Yes, I must be going. I do have to visit Primm and Alicia after all. Perhaps I'll stop at one of those human lingerie places on the way back, hmm?"
"Get going, you horny elf."
"That's rich coming from the woman who's clearly going to go join her husband as soon as I leave," Celestine fired back.
There was an odd silence before the two of them burst out laughing. "We should do this more often," Olga proposed as the laughter died down.
"Indeed. Maybe after I meet with Primm and Alicia, we could get them in on it too. Make it a girl's night or something."
"I'd like that."
The end…?
XxXxXxX
And that's sort of how I would like to end this idea off should it come to a full story. I have no idea if it would ever get to that point considering the content matter. However, I have seen people get away with a lot of shit on this site, and it's all quite popular. I did want to go into why I picked certain outcomes for certain characters, and yes, it is related to their routes in the visual novel.
Olga/Claudia: Happily, ever after. I figure the two deserve it; they may not have been some of the good guys, but they didn't deserve what happened to them at the hands of Vult.
Celestine: Bright future. She was always the one attempting to see the best in people, for once, maybe it'll pay off.
Alicia: She got a raw deal in the VN, basically accepting her fate as a "toy" for her citizens she once defended in one ending and the plaything of Prim in another. I figure giving her a bittersweet ending is good.
Prim: Poor girl, especially if you follow her route exclusively. She needed help and I figured seeking mental help on our side of the "rift" was best for her. Perhaps it will work out in the end.
Luu-Luu: The weirdest one I decided on. In the VN she is a "size queen" and ends up being a town regular in the taverns being fairly promiscuous under Vult's rule. A bittersweet ending, she finds an orc who isn't a douche.
Claudia: Speaking of raw deals, her route is the embodiment. She had a loving husband and basically got cucked in front of her husband by her father-in-law. I figured the former couple should be able to start anew and try and rebuild what was ruined.
Maia: Her route wasn't an interesting one, to be honest. What happened to her sucked, yeah, but it wasn't anything guttural like the other routes in the VN. So, I decided her follow-up would be one of the sadder ones, to be a roaming mercenary drifting in and out of town searching for meaning; to fill a hole which may never be filled once again which was ripped away by betrayal.
To those of you who do not like this series, trust me, I get it, and thank you for sticking with me during the trilogy of chapters involving the core central idea of: "what if Olga and Chloe didn't get totally fucked over and had a chance at a new life after their defeat." If you'll bear with me, I have one other idea loosely stolen from the Strike Witches idea I posted last, that being a fleet of ships gets transported to another world. I'm thinking of setting it in the late '80s, similarly to the GATE story "The Boys of '85" by Karaya 2 (id: 11787910), but with warships and an entire naval group. They disappear for what seems like hours for us in our world but are gone for almost a year in the grim world of Eostia. I'll work on it a little more before it goes up here since it may have some potential.
But anyway, it's like 2 am by me and ya boi needs sleep. Been watching a lot of YouTube recently including Gawr Gura, Demolition Ranch, and Ordinary Sausage (seriously though, check the last one out, he is my spirit "animal"). I've also been reading some more non-mainstream manga recently so there may be some ideas that may come from that. Enough rambling, I'll see you guys in whatever I decide to write up next.
