The atmosphere in the mausoleum was sober. It always was, regardless of who entered it. The form of Yusa laying in state within the ice crystal made it obvious why the structure existed in the first place.
Mizore and Asusa sat on the plinth that once held Utsuki before she woke up. In the intervening time it had been reworked into a bench for those that came to sit with the girl frozen in time. The little bit of comfort was something, but would never help bring any comfort.
"Mom, I wish I could have done something. I don't know what I could have, but just something," Asusa said with her head leaned against her mother's shoulder.
Mizore reached up to stroke her daughter's hair, "Then it might have been you, or both of you here. I am glad that I still have one of you, and I have faith that we will have Yusa back soon."
The two turned their attention back to the icebound form. It seemed strange to them to see her frozen there in the fatigues she had been wearing during the battle. She had always preferred to wear miniskirts and baggy sweatshirts when she wasn't at school. Especially ones with a hood that she could flip over her face to get people to leave her alone, and even more when they had drawstrings so she could shut herself away from the world.
Asusa let tears come to her eye as memories of Yusa giving someone a deadpan look, and then flipping her hood up and drawing the strings to tell people to leave her alone. She might not have been the most vocal person, but she didn't have too much of a problem telling others what she wanted to tell them.
"Mom, what do we do if they can't find a way to help her, I don't even know how I have been able to go on this long without her," the younger woman turned her face into her mother's shirt.
Mizore looked over at her frozen daughter. She didn't know how she was holding up as well as she was. Her children were the single most important thing in the world to her, even beyond herself, and everyone else on the earth. She would always put them first. Well, at least as far as the world wasn't at stake, or else they wouldn't have been where they were.
"We won't even consider the possibility. I remember the impossible things all of us achieved back then, and I know that your brother, is just as hard headed as your father was when the people he loves are at stake. They will wake her up, and we will be a complete family again," Mizore hugged her daughter tightly.
"I, I'll try. I'm afraid, of being alone. I mean, I guess I knew that at some point we would have to have our own lives, but I always wanted to ignore that until it came. I, don't want to lose her," tears began to soak into Mizore's shirt.
The older woman smiled sadly, "Asusa, just because you don't live in the same house, doesn't mean that you can't have your lives together still. How that works would be on you, but never let anyone tell you that you have to lose your sister just because you have a life."
Despite what she said, it almost felt like a lie. It had gotten difficult for her and her friends to see each other over time. She didn't like to think about it, but she couldn't deny it, and she wanted to find a way to change it. There had to be some way.
"Mom, I know you were worried about Aunt Kurumu, but, shouldn't there have been a way that you could have told us about dad," the girl asked, "I know that Yusa would have liked to know."
"And she will know when she wakes up. We were worried that you might slip up and call him that in front of her. We never thought she was the smartest person in the world, but apparently she was way more perceptive than we thought. She knew when you were born somehow. Honestly, I am surprised she was able to keep that quiet as long as she did," Mizore shrugged.
The two sat in silence for a while. It seemed natural that in such a situation they should become closer. Family was one of the few things they had, that transcended all else. Regardless of blood, her friends were her family until the death.
"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to intrude," the two looked up to see Utsuki step inside.
"You're not intruding Utsuki. You are always welcome in here," Mizore said.
Utsuki seemed a little unsure of saying anything more, but finally said, "I, was looking for Susu. We have to study for our world history class. There is a big test next week."
Asusa sat up, "I completely forgot about it. Why do we need to know about Ancient Mesopotamia, and how they influenced agricultural markets? How does that make us more productive Japanese citizens? It's stupid."
Mizore was about to say something to correct her but, "I, actually you have a really good point. I doubt that the Mesopotamians are still influencing anything. Still, you have to play along until you get the chance to learn something useful."
"Like the best way to setup a two hundred and fifty meter shot from a improvised rest," the younger snow woman said smugly.
"You know, I need to have a talk with your grandmother. While that may have been useful for one instance, she shouldn't have convinced you that was really that great of a thing," the mother deadpanned.
"There you two are. Dyke, Ice Bitch, there is an issue," Harumi burst into the structure out of breath.
Mizore was starting to wonder what had happened to this next generation, "Harumi, that is not a proper way to address anyone. What is the...," her phone went off and as she checked the message her eyes went wide, "Oh, I think I see."
"Uh, what is going on," Utsuki asked.
Harumi looked at her with the most incredulous look on her face, "My Mom is getting married, Dyke. She is getting married. I didn't even know she was dating anyone. I honestly thought she was just humping every single guy from my old man's old unit. This is from so far out in left field, the ball isn't even from the same game."
"Ok, Harumi, slow down. Why wouldn't Aunt Kurumu have told you she was dating anyone, I mean, that is the kind of thing she would be bragging about, in more detail than most of us kids would want to know," Asusa asked.
"I don't know? If I knew, I wouldn't be having a complete and total meltdown. Me and my Mom are really close. There are things that she talks about with me that she wouldn't anyone else, and might actually get in trouble about if certain people knew about it. Regardless, I should have been the first person to know, before the guy even knew they were dating her. This is, I..." she started breathing harder again.
Mizore stood up, "Harumi, we need to get your Aunt Moka, and we need to go see your Mother. Now. Asusa. Utsuki. Please excuse us."
Asusa and Utsuki watched them leave the mausoleum. They looked at each other, both in shock and confusion. Harumi was typically a little high strung, but always was in some degree of control of herself. To see her having a mental break, was interesting.
"Susu," Utsuki said.
Asusa nodded, "Follow."
The doors to Tsukune's office were flung open. Mizore and Harumi strode in with a strong purpose. To say they were on a mission, was an understatement.
Moka looked up from the phone that her and Tsukune were staring at. A similar look of shock was written on the faces of the vampires, as had been on Mizore's face. To everyone that had heard, the sudden announcement was a surprise that they couldn't have foreseen.
"Mizore, let's, go put on something that is more suited to the act we are about to engage in," Moka's face didn't change as she spoke.
Mizore nodded, "Um."
They walked over to a painting and opened it, stepping into the elevator to the Headmaster's suite. Tsukune watched them out of the corner of his eye until they disappeared. When he couldn't see them anymore he turned his attention to the young succubus in front of him.
"Are you holding up, Tiny Wings," he stood and walked around to the girl.
She suddenly wrapped her arms around him and started crying, "No, I'm not. Why wouldn't she tell me about this before now? Why hasn't she even told me who she is marrying? Why is she ignoring me like this?"
"Harumi, I don't think that she is ignoring you. She has some reason for this. I know she isn't the most cerebral person out there, even you won't deny that, but she loves you beyond all else. You are literally her reason for living. Without you, she has nothing left," Tsukune hugged the girl back.
"Why did she forget about Dad," the girl finally asked.
Tsukune grimaced. This was something that he had been wondering about. Heath had truly been her Destined One. The two of them were so complete, that it had even made him and Moka look shaky by comparison. For her to be marrying someone else, he couldn't understand it.
"I don't think she did, but I don't know. I really don't know," he said as he saw his wife and mistress step back into the room.
"Miss Kurono, you can't just burst in there like that," Harumi ignored the secretary who backed down as Moka gave her a look.
As the door to her office flew open Kurumu looked up from her computer. She looked between the three figures that were in her doorway. The room remained quiet and still for a moment.
"I, have a feeling this isn't to congratulate me. Mai, just, please cancel any appointments I have the rest of the day. I really don't think this is going to be quick," Kurumu finally said.
As the secretary left the room Harumi marched up to her mother's desk, "What the Hell is wrong with you?"
"I, didn't know something was wrong with me."
"Don't play stupid dammit," the girl was not in the mood for any games.
Kurumu grimaced, "I, why don't you sit down. Moka, Mizore, could you give us some privacy?"
Moka shook her head, "We want to know as much as she does. Just what the Hell?"
"Who," Harumi put her hands on the desk and attempted to lean over it, which was lost in the humorous sight of her bust interfering.
Though it was still intimidating to other succubi, "Alexander Carson."
"Dad's, best friend," Harumi's eyes went wide.
"Yes. He, has been there for us since your father died. Out of everyone that I have been sleeping with, he always... I can't put it off. Harumi, I'm pregnant," Kurumu finally just broke down and said it.
"Mom, don't make excuses. Why are you doing this," her daughter didn't flinch.
Kurumu sighed, "I'm not making excuses. I am pregnant, and considering how busy I have been, and he is the last man I had sex with, she is his."
Harumi started to turn red, "ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME? Mom, succubi can only have one child. I know this, I am pretty sure every succubus know this. Why are you trying to play this game?"
"Harumi, I am not playing a game with you. I don't get it either. I haven't heard of any other succubus having more than one child, but here I am. I won't lie about something like this," Kurumu stood and walked around the desk to hug her daughter, "I don't know how, but it is, and I can't raise another child alone. I know that you are worried that I have forgotten about your father, but that will never happen. He, I almost died the day that he did. If I hadn't have been pregnant with you, I would have. I will never forget Heath, not as long as I can look at your face, and see the part of him that you carry."
Mizore looked over at Moka before she spoke, "Kurumu, are you sure?"
The older succubus nodded, "You know how well I know my body. The moment I felt off I went to a doctor. They were skeptical as well, but there isn't any doubt. They can't explain it. I asked Mother, and she is just as clueless. She has spent the last month having sex every moment she is awake trying to get pregnant again herself. I'm not joking either. I talked to her yesterday, while she was having a threesome. That is not something even a succubus wants to hear her mother in the process of."
Moka's eyes seemed to gloss over as she approached Kurumu and hugged her, "Congratulations. You deserve all the happiness this will give you. If you need anything from me and Tsukune, all you have to do is tell us. Do you know about how far along you are?"
"About two months. Thank you, Moka. Thank you. Harumi, do you, want to spend a few days with me? To, talk about things. I know this is, a lot to take in. And, to talk with Alex about it," Kurumu turned back to her daughter.
Harumi was silent for several moments, "I, I do. I'm sorry Mom. I shouldn't have acted like this. Do you, forgive me?"
"Harumi, I would have to have been mad at you, for you to need to apologize. I love you, and I will always love you. No matter who else comes into my life, you are the only one that can occupy this part of my heart. You are my oldest daughter, and you are the last link I have to your father. Those are two things that could never be replaced. Let's go get something to snack on and talk, and then we can go do your favorite thing in the world," the older woman smiled at her daughter.
"Underwear shopping," Harumi's face started to light up.
"You know it. Moka, Mizore, I think right now, I wan't to be alone with Harumi. Almost any other time, I would ask you to come along. If you don't mind," the two succubi walked out of the room, leaving the other women there alone.
"I can't believe it. This is like if I got knocked up. I, wow," Mizore sat down in a chair to one side of the office.
"It is a surprise. I'm happy for her, this is big for her. Mizore, are you, jealous," Moka joined her.
"A little, but, I'm ok with not having any more kids. I'm happy for her, I'm not even upset that she left us out of the loop like she did anymore. But, it should be impossible. Even she said it should have been."
"Yes, and my son has transcended to being a demigod. The impossible, really doesn't mean that much around us. Who knows, maybe you will be blessed again. Look at me," Moka said with a smile.
Mizore gave the vampiress a dead look, "I would rather not. My slit still hasn't recovered from those two being born, not to mention the stretch marks on my stomach."