Mikoto remained at the water's edge, the words "tsuki ga kirei desu ne" still lingering between them. Behind her, Ronan sat in the sand, his gaze fixed on the bright full moon while its reflection in the still water changed. Her breath caught as the obsidian surface transformed into a perfect mirror of the supernatural display above – stars scattered like broken memories across its surface, and there, within its reddish glow, a face emerged from the reflected moonlight. Those weren't just any vampire features staring back at her; it was hers, but with sultry eyes and a fanged smile that spoke of an ancient knowledge she didn't yet possess, a version of herself that existed somewhere in time – past or future, she couldn't be sure.
"Are you seeing this?" she whispered, but Little Misaka—remained silent for once, leaving her alone with the weight of this revelation. Her fingers twitched at her sides as she fought the urge to turn and tell Ronan what she saw. But how could she explain that the moon wore her face when all he could see was the bright full moon? The familiar ache of carrying secrets about their shared future tightened in her chest.
"We should leave." Mikoto turned away from the water, shoulders tense beneath the weight of what she'd witnessed.
"Maybe it's not about leaving," Little Misaka finally spoke, unusually thoughtfully. She stood alone; the attractive woman who usually accompanied her was not around. holding a cup of tea, "When your reflection claims the moon... well, even for a vampire queen, that's got to mean something big is coming. And from the look in those eyes, I'd say our future self knows exactly what it is." she said, before taking a sip.
"And so do I." Mikoto's gaze hardened, her thoughts turning to the long trek ahead to Bahamuth City. She could almost see the inevitable battle, where Arachne lurked beneath the ground, and danger wore a cunning smile. Just as Ronan had warned—they'd be everywhere, waiting to strike. She knew what needed to be done and what it might cost.
But how should she leave, she asked herself, peeking over at him. Should she use her own wings? She felt an itch across her shoulders, and she resisted holding them inside. They would slip out the seams of her armor, massive and black like bat wings, lined with thorn-like projections, bluish veins running through the webbing. How would he respond to them?
"he saw them when we arrived," little misaka quickly answered. "Seemed like he wasn't too impressed."
Mikoto's shoulders sagged a bit,
" How about?" Little Misaka nodded, "let's give him a little something, something to remember us by,"
Mikoto grinned.
She closed her eyes, concentrating as she reached out with her electromagnetic field. The turmoil of her emotions—the moon's revelation, Ronan's presence behind her, the battle awaited—all of it flowing into her power. At her command, tendrils of water vapor rose from the surface of the lake, her precise control drawing static electricity between the particles. She wove the charged moisture through the air with practiced skill, shaping it into ethereal wisps that danced around her form. Power flowed through her calculations as she channeled the vapor and electricity, forging wings of pure energy at her back. They took shape, translucent and luminous in the moonlight, transforming the vampire queen into something even more otherworldly – a goddess ascending from the depths of ancient legend.
"this'll catch his eyes," little misaka laughed.
She felt Ronan's eyes on her before she heard him move, his attention taken from the moon to her ethereal display. Her cheeks warmed under his gaze.
"Ooh, someone's watching closely," Little Misaka teased. "And I don't think it's just the wings he's admiring."
"Shut up," Mikoto hissed under her breath, the words meant only for Little Misaka.
"Nice trick." That insufferably knowing smile spread across Ronan's face, reminiscent of the younger version she once knew.
"It's not a trick!" Mikoto's eyes flashed dangerously, fixing him with a glare that would scare the dead. "Jerk!"
The familiar insult slipped out before she could catch herself – it was her word for him that didn't exist yet. This man had never called her 'BIRI BIRI,' had never shared those countless moments that made their bickering feel like home. Her cheeks burned hotter at the slip.
Mikoto rose from the lakeside with natural grace, her ethereal wings reaching across the night sky. with each beat of her wings, luminous ripples spread across the water's surface. She burned bright with blue-white aurora-like like an angel rising to the heavens as she climbed higher.
"You were right." Ronan's voice drifted upward like smoke, carrying emotion rather than mere sound. "Tsuki ga kirei desu ne... but not as beautiful as this."
"there we go," little misaka puffed out her chest. "told ya,"
She ascended higher, the cool night air rushing past her face. Ronan's words faded as the distance between them grew, so did her perspective. she could see the vast tapestry of this strange world spread beneath her wings. Beneath her, the lake's dark surface grew restless, its depths fracturing her reflection and the silent moon into a thousand possible futures, like new powers rising in two worlds simultaneously.
From her vantage point high above, the full moon's light cast shadows that stretched like memories across the land below. The waters of the great lake she'd left behind caught that same light, but now its surface showed only truth—no mysterious reflections, no ancient faces, just ripples of silver stretching toward the horizon and toward the garden, where it became a waterfall that disappeared into the trees.
"It's kind of beautiful, isn't it?" Little Misaka's voice was softer than usual. "All these little pieces of life woven together."
She was right. The Great Library of Alexandria rose from the forest like a monument to impossible things, where Vita would be buried in what she enjoyed most—her precious books. At the far end of the garden stood the massive stone bathhouse complex sprawled beneath ancient trees, steam rising from its pools where she'd enjoyed a long hot bath and received her invitation to meet with Kuro at the teahouse—delivered by a young kitsune with a glare, nearby the traditional Japanese ryokan where she'd found temporary shelter sat in a quiet grove, its paper lanterns casting warm light across the carefully tended garden paths. Beyond these familiar landmarks, carved from the very rock of the plateau itself, the water dragon shrine's damaged guardian statues kept their eternal vigil—the massive frescos lining the hallways leading to the tearoom where she'd met with Kuro a second time—where the goddess had revealed Ronan's location.
The stone and wood towns were nestled within the verdant canopy, their buildings peeking through the foliage. Intricate roadways wound through the landscape, connecting settlements. Elegant bridges arched over wandering streams and rivers, while suspended walkways hung between stone towers like delicate strands of silk.
Even from this height, she could make out the diverse beings that called this place home - Kitsune merchants with their glowing tails hurrying between market stalls, scaled Reptilian craftsmen tending to the hanging gardens, and various beast-folk moving about their evening routines. Some walked the paths below while others, blessed with wings or supernatural ability, took to the aerial routes between platforms.
In the lower quarters, she caught glimpses of cat-folk artisans working late in their illuminated workshops, while in the higher reaches, owl-folk sentries perched at their posts, their keen eyes ever-watchful. The air carried the mingled sounds of various languages, songs, and calls.
The night breeze shifted, and suddenly, her heightened senses caught three distinct scents amidst the tapestry of smells—her companions. Something heavy settled in her chest as she recognized each one: Miriam's scent of a young vampire, Gallum's earthy musk, and Aya's delicate floral perfume. The decision she'd been avoiding pressed against her thoughts, impossible to ignore now. Kuro had been clear—Gallum and Aya would have to stay behind. Aya would give birth in four weeks, and around the same time, Mikoto would arrive in Bahamuth. She could already hear their protests, their insistence on seeing this through to the end. After everything they'd faced together, everything they'd survived, how could she tell them to stop now?
"Oh, this should be fun," Little Misaka's voice dripped with playful sarcasm. "The great Vampire Queen, who'd rather fight an army single-handedly than give an actual order. Maybe we should flip a coin instead? Or draw straws?"
Mikoto didn't answer, but the truth in those words stung. Her fingers traced patterns in the air, feeling the complex weave of natural energies that flowed through this place. Some powers came with prices, like the wings still shimmering at her back. How strange that somewhere so foreign could feel so much like belonging, especially now with those familiar presences below. But that belonging was precisely why she had to leave two behind - some journeys demanded their price in goodbyes.
She breathed and exhaled, hoping to breathe away her worries, and descended towards the thick foliage. Brushing over the treetops, she could hear conversations and laughter, the smell of food and fire mixed with the burbling of a small stream. As she drew closer, their scents became stronger.
She had found them.