RE: [IC][WIP][Arc 1] How I Managed to Quit Worrying and Love The Grief Seed
09-12-2021, 01:13 AM
09-12-2021, 01:13 AM
So. I was gonna post this like a week or so ago, but I realized that something was missing.
We needed a scene with our Tiny Adults doing their Tiny Adult Thing.
This is likely a bit controversial because we've got kids talking about sex. But the thing is, this is actually perfectly normal for these Tiny Adults.
For one thing, it's been recognized by child psychologists far and wide that masturbation (or, at the very least playing with their genitalia) is something that happens at a very young age. Often times as young as six months! We just don't make much of it because, hey, they figured out there's something down there and they're curious about it.
What you don't often see is how it tends to progress from there, because we often tell our kids not to do that. At the very least, not in public. So they do it in private instead. And the smarter ones? They tend to figure out how to get the most out of it.
When you combine that with experiences that bring about precocious maturity - psychological traumas, environmental factors, liberal and open parents/guardians - you tend to get children who know a lot more than they let on about. And they don't let on about it because they've been taught to keep that kind of stuff to themselves.
And then you got situations like this, where the Tiny Adults are holding their council, and then someone says the right words...
Thus, on with the show.
Chapter 5
Hours later, Benjamin strode groggily up to his apartment. The last session hadn’t only been another genetic treatment, but also a recalibration of his motor cortex — the section of his brain responsible for voluntary muscle movement. His strength had become amplified by both the gain in muscle density and the gain amplifier effect his M-A bioreactor granted. And on top of that, his reflexes had been quickened to a remarkable degree by the conversion of his nervous system to rely on electrical synapses instead of chemically carried signals. And thus, the need for his system to be recalibrated.
This meant a lot of violent and sudden twitches and jolts that left him feeling wrung out. One might think that with all the “sleep” he was getting that he should be fine, but that was the irony of it all. He needed that rest because he was already low on energy from his body healing itself.
He plodded through his apartment, shucking off clothes and dropping them on the floor without any heed of tidiness or order. A few minutes in the bath left him clean. He didn’t even bother with underwear or pajamas as he crawled into bed.
A chance look at his nightstand brought his eyes into contact with the crystal ball the Goblin King had given him at the Halloween Party.
“Huh. Maybe Alicia can play a role…”
He then rolled over and fell right asleep.
Later that afternoon, Benjamin was up again, though still somewhat out of it. After getting dressed and cleaning up the mess he made last night, he ate and then reconvened the meeting from last night.
“So first thing’s first,” said Ben. “How are the girls?”
“They’re right as rain,” proclaimed Washu. “Last night’s sleep over was a big success.”
“Great,” said Ben with a sigh. “Any idea on how soon we’ll be able to move on a replacement for Alyssa’s soul gem?”
“I’m already working on the gemstone itself. That’ll be ready by the time we’re done here. I’ve already sent for Miss Tohsaka. Fortunately, she kept a copy of the spell she used to create Alicia’s phylactery, so there should be no issues on that front. And from what I’ve heard, Usagi’s already getting herself psyched up for this.”
“Awesome. How soon can we do this?”
“The day after tomorrow. She’s got got a test tomorrow that she needed to cram for.”
“Got it,” said Ben with a nod of his head. “So, dealing with the Wolkenritter. I had an idea about that last night, but I want to get your guys thoughts on the matter.”
Lindy, Gil, Noike, Teletha, Peorth, and Marller all shot looks at each other, then at Ben.
“What kind of idea?” asked Noike.
“The batshit crazy kind,” said Ben as he pulled out the crystal ball.
“…You can’t be joking,” said Marller. “You’re gonna get the Goblin King involved?”
“Goblin King?” said Lindy in puzzlement.
“A very powerful fey,” said Peorth. “As his title suggests, he rules over all Goblins. And that means chaotic magic. The kind that not many people can stand up against.”
“But why would such a person get involved?” asked Gil Graham.
“Well,” began Benjamin, “the Goblin King has a soft spot in his heart for children. Especially children that are in danger. He takes in children that have been wished away to him, and they eventually become goblins, living a happy and virtually care-free life. And to protect them from harm, he has a massive labyrinth that surrounds his keep. You see, there is a condition that someone can fulfill in order to take back a child that was wished away to the Goblin King, and that is to run his Labyrinth and solve it within thirteen hours. The magics there are immensely powerful and ensure that anyone running the Labyrinth does so properly.”
“So you would wish away Fate and Alicia?” said Noike. “Clever. It would certainly distract the Wolkenritter. But would it be effective in keeping the the Testarossa girls from harm?”
“The Wolkenritter will never even get the chance,” said Ben with certainty. “They’re too straightforward — they’ll try and carve a hole through the Labyrinth because they’ll feel actually solving it is a waste of time, but the Goblin King’s power is far greater than theirs. If they’re not careful, he’ll drop them into the Bog of Eternal Stench.”
Lindy blinked at that. “I can understand how it would be unpleasant, but what is so terrible about that?”
Ben grinned. But unlike his more often seen mischievous grins, this one was downright malicious. And with his face, it made him look utterly villainous.
“It’s a magical curse. If you ever even put a toe into the Bog of Eternal Stench, then you’ll smell like that for the rest of your life.”
Lindy grimaced at that. While part of her doubted the veracity of what Ben was saying, a lot of things she once considered impossible had become not only become probable, but even common place as of late. What more was a curse that made you smell odious to others on top of everything else?
Lindy, though, had one other qualm that she needed answered.
“But are you certain that you can run this labyrinth to get them back?”
“I might need some help with logic puzzles,” said Ben. “But otherwise? The Labyrinth is more of a test of one’s character than a test of knowledge and skills. I have confidence in my ability to get through.”
“Alright then,” said Lindy. “If you really are that certain that this Goblin King can do as you say… I propose that we bring Nanoha, Fate, and Alicia in on this before we move any further with this plan. Is there anyone opposed?”
No one raised their voice.
“I’ll go get them,” said Washu as she then made for the front door.
Minutes later, the girls had all gathered in Ben’s apartment. But not just Nanoha, Fate, and Alicia.
Declaring solidarity with their friends, Alysa, Suzuka, Fran, Hayate, and Sasami had all gathered with them — absolutely adamant in their refusal to let the other three go anything alone from this point on.
And so, Ben described his idea to them.
“Will it really be okay, though?” asked Fate right away.
“I’m sure it will be,” replied Benjamin. “King Jareth is not an evil man. He cares about children very much, and he wants all children to be as happy as his subjects in the Goblin Kingdom are.”
“But how will we contact him?” asked Allysa. “He can’t possibly have a phone… can he?”
Ben smiled. “He left me a means to do so.” So saying, Ben took out the crystal ball that Jareth had given him.
“Oh, it’s so pretty!” said Alicia.
Ben smiled. “It is. Though for the Goblin King, these kinds of things are mere baubles. Now, before I do this, I want to be sure. Is this something you all will be okay with?”
Fate and Alicia looked to each other, and almost at once they both nodded. They then turned to Ben and together said,
“YES.”
Ben nodded his head then sighed and looked into the ball. “Goblin King, oh Goblin King. This one respectfully requests your assistance.”
And just like that, he strode out of the kitchen like as though he was always in there.
“Benjamin! What a surprise,” said Jareth genially, drawing surprised looks from everyone but Ben. “I didn’t imagine that you’d call on that favor so soon.” His face then became more sober. “Though knowing you, you don’t do such things lightly. Tell me what has happened.”
“You’ll want to sit down for this one, your Majesty. It’s a hell of a thing.”
Once they were all seated, Benjamin explained the Puella Magi system, the Incubators, and the civilization they served. At first, Jareth had been playing with one of his crystal balls, seizing the girls’ attention with the hypnotically smooth movements of his hand.
He stopped playing after the first minute.
And when Benjamin finished, there was a startling gun-shot report. Everyone jumped at the noise, wondering where it had come from.
“Ah,” said Jareth, a rare look of embarrassment on his face. “Do forgive me. Benjamin’s tale was… quite upsetting.” He then opened his hand to reveal what had been the crystal ball he was playing with earlier. It was now millions of tiny, sparkling crystal shards. With a gesture, the shards were gone.
“Anyhow, I know that you didn’t tell me this just to warn me about these… creatures. How does this pertain to your current situation?”
“Well, we strongly suspect that a witch born of one of Precia’s familiars has gained access to a powerful device. It’s called The Book of Darkness and it’s basically a grimoire and a magical computer combined. It was once a benign thing, intended to be an automated archive of spells with an intelligent artificial mind at its core to make it easier to work with. But as it passed through one set of hands after another, it was twisted into something incredibly sinister. It became a tool of a mad man who added an ultimate defense system to the Book, as well as four guardians who are based on powerful warriors from the distant past. And because the defense program was made by someone who was insane, it has a tendency to devour its own master and then go on a rampage. When it gets to that point, the Book can hardly be stopped. If you would pardon me, Your Majesty, it would give even you a great deal of difficulty.
“As this Book seems to have fallen into the hands of a creature based off of Alicia, we strongly believe that it’s delusional mind thinks that Fate and Alicia here are keeping its mother away from her. So it’s sending these guardians out to kill them both.”
“I see,” said Jareth in an uncharacteristically flat tone. “And I’m assuming that your desire is for me to keep Fate and little Alicia safe?”
“If you could, your Majesty, I would be grateful.”
Jareth waved that off, though. “No need, Dear Benjamin. I would gladly do it regardless of you asking it of me or not. I will not even require you to run my Labyrinth to get them back. Though now that I’m of a mind to think about it, I do need to speak with Lady Verthandi. Now, did I not see a full length mirror here- ah good! You are indeed well prepared. May I borrow your phone for a moment?” Benjamin nodded, unlocking his phone before handing it to Jareth. The Goblin King then dialed a long series of numbers and put the phone to his ear. “Lady Verthandi, I apologize for the sudden interruption, but could you be a dear and come down for a minute. I’ve had a change in heart. …Yes, Benjamin’s apartment. He has a mirror set up here. Thank you.”
Just as soon as Jareth had handed Ben back his phone, the mirror at the far wall glowed and Belldandy, clad in her Goddess costume, stepped through.
“Oh Jareth!” she exclaimed happily. “It’s so good to see you again! How is your kingdom fairing?”
“Quite well, milady Verthandi,” said the Goblin King as he bent the knee, taking the hand Belldandy offered, and gave it a respectful kiss. He then stood straight and got right to the point. “As I have said, I have changed my mind about your earlier request. Dear Benjamin has informed me of a frightful state of affairs that I cannot and shall not abide. So let it be witnessed here today, that I, Jareth, Ruler over all Goblinkind, shall accept any and all children that require refuge. I shall send out my finest and most trustworthy scouts to look for these children so I may safeguard them from these Incubators. Do you, Milady Verthandi, Goddess, First Class, accept my offer and make this into a binding promise between us?”
Belldandy nodded her head. “I, Verthandi, Goddess First Class, do recognize the promise being made by Jareth, the Goblin King. I accept this promise wholeheartedly, and shall render whatever assistance I am capable of giving. So mote it be.”
With that, Belldandy raised her head skyward and a brilliant beam of pure, white light shot straight up to the ceiling from the mark on her forehead. Energy suffused the air itself, stirring it and any loose papers that were about.
And then, just as suddenly as it happened, it was gone, and Belldandy turned to Benjamin with a mildly apologetic look on her face.
“I'm sorry about that, Benjamin. I suppose I should have warned you.”
Ben shook his head though as he went to start gathering them all up. “It’s no big deal. I got them all numbered.”
“What was that?” asked Nanoha as she, Fate, and Alicia helped Ben gather the papers.
“That was the Ultimate Force System registering a promise,” answered Ben. “It’s mainly to ensure a wish made with a Megami or a Demon is kept by altering fate and destiny. Like when Belldandy and Keiichi first met, the Ultimate Force System made all kinds of ‘accidents’ happen to make sure they stayed together because of the wish Keiichi made. But it will also work on promises made by a First-Class Megami as well. Which is what we all saw just now.”
“Your Majesty,” said Lindy just then. “Are you certain that Fate and Alicia will be safe in your care? I have… concerns.”
Jareth looked to Lindy and stared at her intently for a short moment. However, Lindy’s resolve was firm and she did not waver under the Goblin King’s gaze.
“I see,” said Jareth at length. “So you wished to foster the Testarossa girls.”
Lindy said nothing in reply, maintaining her own gaze.
Jareth smiled wryly. “Missus Harlaown, I understand your feelings on the matter, much more so than you can imagine. That said, I assure you, they will certainly be safe in my custody. My word is absolute law in my Kingdom, and it is backed by my magical power, which infuses and pervades my Labyrinth. These Wolkenritter shall have no choice but to run that labyrinth. And you can rest assured that they shall have a most difficult time of it. I know what their intentions are, and thus, so shall my Labyrinth. They will be hindered at every step of the way, at every turn, and at every challenge.”
“And what if I were to run your Labyrinth?” asked Lindy in challenge.
Jareth raised an eyebrow and tilted his head in mild puzzlement.
“You would wish to deprive Dear Benjamin of being in the company of these girls?” he asked.
Once more, Lindy held her silence and her gaze.
“Hmm,” said the Goblin King noncommittally. “Troublesome. Quite troublesome. But this is the very crux of what it means to run my Labyrinth. I know you care for the wellbeing of these girls. However, your attitude is equally short-sighted. The Labyrinth, as Dear Benjamin has told you, is more of a test of your character than anything else. You seek to protect these girls, true. But in the pursuit of their wellbeing, you also seek to harm Dear Benjamin. And you haven’t even given any thought at all as to how they may feel about that, as well! This makes the odds somewhat in your disfavor.”
“And Benjamin?” asked Lindy.
Jareth scoffed. “Don’t be a fool, woman. Benjamin already has my trust. He will — and has! — laid not only his life on the line for the sakes of these girls, but his very soul as well. If it is needed, he will bleed for their sake. If it is needed, he will suffer for them. If it is needed, he will exchange his life for theirs without even a second thought.
“Benjamin does not need to run my Labyrinth. And that is because his very own childhood was a far greater test of his character than my Labyrinth could ever pose against anyone.”
“What do you mean?” asked Lindy.
Jareth then turned to Benjamin, an expression of askance on his face.
Ben shrugged. “Might as well tell her. I’ve given her a hint like an ACME anvil, but she probably didn’t believe it coming from me.”
Jareth nodded his head and turned back to Lindy.
“Tell me Missus Harlaown. Do you recall Precia’s parting words to Little Fate?”
A shadow fell over Lindy’s face. “How could I ever forget such cruelty. That woman was insane.”
“Indeed,” said Jareth. “Now, imagine a young boy having someone like that for a father. And he would always say such horrible things to this child. Can you even dream of what that would do to a person?”
Lindy quailed at that. “But… that can’t be right! There’s no way his father was that terrible. It goes against all reason!”
“You FOOL!” thundered Jareth, and it indeed had sounded like an approaching storm as he whirled on Lindy. “How can you be so blind!? Is the world you come from such a wondrous utopia that you’ve never seen how hideous parents can be towards their own children!? I see it EVERY DAY. Children like Dear Benjamin was, ridiculed for being what they are, for what they cannot help! Day in and day out, I see these priceless, beautiful gems being shattered! And do you know what the worst part is?
“I CANNOT HELP THEM! They are all beyond my reach. Only those who are wished away to me, can I save, for I am bound by a higher set of laws. I am not permitted to interfere except where I am expressly invited to do so.”
Jareth then sighed as he recollected himself. “But that ends today. Thanks to the contract I have entered into with Lady Verthandi, I can now intercede. Even now, my finest officers and knights are sortieing to seek out the most endangered of children and to bring them into my fold. Granted, I must leave their caretakers the option of being able to take them back. But I suspect that not many will do so. And that even fewer still will be successful.”
Lindy looked around the room in askance. “Is… is it really that bad here?”
“Yes,” said Gil Graham. “It is that bad. In fact, when my own grandfather was but a boy himself, it was especially horrid. Children that were unwanted or too great of a burden were often put to work in factories and treated little better than slaves. They didn’t even have the most basic of safety mechanisms. There were many tragic accidents where children lost their lives or were permanently maimed.”
“Things have improved substantially since then, for certain,” said Jareth. “But there are still many places in this world where children must labor to support their families. And then there are the parents that take their children for granted. Children like Dear Benjamin was, once upon a time.”
Jareth then turned to Ben. “I am terribly sorry for you, Dear Benjamin. I am sorry that you had to suffer as you had throughout your childhood. And I am so very, very sorry that I was never able to help you in your times of need. If it had been possible, I would have gladly brought you to my Kingdom. Your days would not, perhaps, have been peaceful, but at the very least I know you would have been happy there among my kin. I even dare say that I would probably have knighted you in due time, and made you into one of my most trusted retainers.”
Ben didn’t know what to say. It was difficult to say anything at all as he fought down the tears.
“I know, Dear Benjamin,” continued Jareth, reading him perfectly. “Life has been most unjust towards you. Why now? Why not then? I cannot say for certain myself. In fact, I would dare say that not even the Megami can say for sure. All I know is that you were beyond the reach of any of us, and we are all deeply regretful of this fact.”
Ben took in a deep breathe and let it out slowly, recentering himself.
“I understand, your Majesty. And I do my best to content myself with what I have now.”
“Benjamin,” said Jareth gently. “That is a lie and you know it.”
There were some startled looks from all corners of the room and some of the girls began to whisper between each other, confused at what was going on.
But not Nanoha. And not Fate. They were very well aware of what was eating at him, and they knew right then that Jareth shared their concerns.
“You are very much ill at ease with the situation. You have all these people here who wish to call you their beloved brother. And yet you shy away, hurting not only yourself, but them as well. But I understand what it is you fear, Dear Benjamin. You fear becoming ostracized by the only people who you feel can truly accept you.” Jareth then shot a scowl at Admiral Harlaown. “A fear that you, Admiral, have done nothing at all to put at ease. Instead, you validate his fears. You should be ashamed of yourself, woman. While I can understand your own concerns, you should also be able to see how he agonizes! He does not deserve to be put through this anguish. Not when he has already been through Hell and only barely managed to survive the ordeal.”
“I would know,” said Marller just then. “For certain, there’ve been worse cases. But the simple fact that Benjamin never deserved that… you’d think he’d have a karmic credit for what he went through. We’re still trying to figure out what the in the Blazes of Hell is going on there.”
Peorth then spoke up. “It may be something to do with him being one of Odin’s Chosen.”
Jareth actually made a startled look at that. “Are you serious!? Odin has Chosen Dear Benjamin to be one of His Men!?”
Peorth nodded her head slowly, and Jareth suddenly spat out a series of words. Though they flowed mellifluously, there was a vehemence present in the tone that spoke of great anger.
“Please forgive me,” said Jareth. “That was nearly as upsetting as the news about the Incubators.”
Nanoha ventured forward. “Is… is it really that bad?” she asked, uncertainly.
Jareth sighed and closed his eyes. “Dear child, I have seen it several times before. And it truly is that bad. Because of Odin’s…” And here, Jareth sneered as he forced the word out. “Attention… Dear Benjamin’s lot in life will henceforth be fraught adversity. Not only has fortune turned against him, but adversaries of all sorts will be drawn to him like moths to a flame. And the analogy is apt. Benjamin shall burn with a righteous fury and incinerate those that try him. It is only on the battlefield where fortune will look the other direction and let his actions dictate destiny’s course, for that is his place. Any other title he may bear has been rendered moot. He shall be, first and foremost, and forevermore, a warrior. It is to be his calling, his path, and his raison d'être.”
Jareth then looked Nanoha in the eyes. “He will need all the love and support that can be mustered, but that is going to come at great cost to those around him, as they will share in the burden he must bear up under. For that reason, dear child, I must ask you: is this the path that you so desire? Benjamin will not hold you at fault for shying away. It will hurt him, yes, but that is unavoidable in any case. But he will never fault you for seeing to your own needs and desires. Do you desire to walk his path and shoulder his burden, side-by-side with him?”
Ben suddenly spoke out. “Nanoha, don’t say a word!”
Everyone suddenly looked in Ben’s direction with varying expressions of surprise and confusion. Jareth in particular gave Ben the Vulcan Eyebrow, while Belldandy actually had a frightened look on her face.
Benjamin then panned his gaze across the room.
“That is a wedding vow,” he said slowly. “And we have a King presiding over that vow, and three First-Class Celestials present as witnesses. Call me paranoid, but that’s the way it felt just now.”
“Dear heavens, he’s right,” said Jareth quietly, shocked and awed not only by his own carelessness, but also at how Benjamin had been so quick to catch it. He then looked around the room and explained. “The question that I had thoughtlessly put to Miss Takamachi actually can be construed as a vow of matrimony. And I am a King. A ruler of a nation. Such a vow with my endorsement would be binding as law in my Kingdom. There are very few higher powers that may hold sway. Suffice to say, when it comes to authority, the idiom ‘There is me and then there is God’ emphatically applies. And with two Fist-Class Megami and a First-Class Demoness here to bear witness? While it may not be a wish or a promise made by a First-Class Celestial, the Ultimate Force System would have acted on it.”
With that explanation, Nanoha felt a pang of betrayal. Why would Benjamin have stopped that from happening? Why wouldn’t he want to be married to her? But then she looked into his eyes. Even though he wasn’t looking back at her, she could see it — the fear and pain in those eyes — and then she remembered:
Not yet.
She was still a child in everyone’s eyes, albeit one who had a great deal of respect. The danger that even a magically enforced marriage would pose to him would be so great that it could jeopardize absolutely everything.
“There is something very, VERY wrong here!” said Belldandy in a nearly uncharacteristic note of panic. “And yet I felt nothing wrong about it while it was happening. I was even happy about it! Thinking about Benjamin and Nanoha being bound together like Keiichi and I felt so wonderful that I never even thought of how bad it could turn out! It’s almost like as though this was a trap! I’m sorry, but I must go report this immediately!”
But before Belldandy could reach the mirror, Benjamin stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. Marller and Peorth barely suppressed audible gasps while Jareth was agog.
But Belldandy did indeed stop. Not out of surprise, but because there was something that she sensed from Benjamin — an emotion that had yet to form into a coherent thought.
“You need to go see your husband,” said Ben quietly.
Empathy. Pure, simple, empathy. Because he knew so very painfully well how special it was for a significant other to take even a few seconds from their busy schedule to remind you how much they love you. And with Keiichi so near by, it would have practically been a sin in Belldandy’s eyes to not visit her man before leaving.
At that, Belldandy suddenly turned, gently took Ben’s head in her hands, and tipped it downward so she could lay a loving kiss on his forehead. And then she hugged him tightly.
“You really do not deserve this hardship,” she said quietly. “Thank you.” With that, she left through the front door at a pace that was nearly a run.
Ben sighed heavily and turned to everyone else.
“Okay. I have no idea for sure what is going on, but I am pretty sure every one of us needs a break right now, because that was the dictionary definition of ‘intense’. Take two hours, everyone, and decompress a bit.”
There wasn’t a single dissenting voice in in the group as they broke up and exited the apartment. All except Noike, Peorth, and Lindy.
“What the hell just happened?” said Lindy suddenly.
“I just damn-near got married,” said Benjamin grumpily.
“We know, Benjamin,” said Noike in a calming tone. “But I think that what the Admiral really means is, ‘How did this happen?’”
Everyone looked to Peorth, and the Goddess sighed.
“How in Heaven we didn’t realize what was happening…” She trailed off as she was well and truly flummoxed. “I have no idea. I am going to be honest with all of you. I am scared right now. And so is Belldandy. This is far from normal behavior for us, and there seems to be a force at work here that is as subtle as it is powerful.” She then sighed and gave a wan smile to Ben. “By the way, Benjamin? Good call on telling her to go see Keiichi. That was exactly what she needed just now.”
Ben sighed. “Yeah… just… yeah. Thanks. I… I know I don’t sound very thankful. I just knew she was scared and that seeing Keiichi would comfort her.”
“It’s fine, Benjamin,” said Noike. “You’re just stressed out.” She then looked to the others. “We should give Benjamin some space… but I’ll ask Washu-chan to come up and give Ben a check-up.”
“Thanks, Noike,” said Ben quietly. “God help me I could use a hard cider right about now.”
As everyone made their way from Ben’s apartment, the younger girls all stayed together as a group and entered the apartment being used by Alyssa, Suzuka, and Francesca. Hayate needed a bit of extra help, her being confined to a wheel chair, but no one even dreamed of leaving her out.
They all had their own council to keep.
Alicia led it all off. Her being able to feel Ben’s emotional state, whether she liked to or not, left her feeling his turmoil almost like as though it were her own.
And Alicia cared deeply enough about Benjamin that, as far as she was concerned, his turmoil was hers as well.
“Big Sis? Why did Big Bro stop that from happening?”
Everyone shot searching looks at each other, even though Fate was the one being put on the spot.
“He was afraid, Alicia,” said Fate gently.
“I know that, Big Sis!” said Alicia in frustration. “But what was Big Bro afraid of!?”
Fate sighed as she reflected upon the memories she had from Alicia when Precia was sane.
“From what I’ve seen,” began Fate, “life here for children like you or me on UAW97 is very different from how things are on Midchilda. If what Mr. Graham said is true… I can’t even imagine what it must have been like to be a little girl in that time.”
Alyssa felt bad in particular because of how she had reacted to their relationship in the past. Because of this, she felt like she had the best cultural context for the matter and spoke up.
“They made these laws to protect us,” said the young American girl. “After our misunderstanding, I looked into it. Here in the USA, it used to be fine for someone like Benjamin to be married to girls our age. But that was a long time ago. People began to feel that a lot of girls were being taken advantage of. And it’s true, that was the case in a lot of situations. A lot of these men… they only wanted a little girl so they could…”
Alyssa trailed off and looked around the room. There were many wide-eyed expressions as every one of them has had The Talk before. However, Alicia was the biggest surprise.
“You mean so they could have sex?”
Everyone else turned red.
“Uhm… Alicia?” asked Nanoha. “How do you know about that?”
Fate blushed as well. “It’s… embarrassing.”
Alicia nodded as well. “It kinda is, but not for me. Mo- Precia was never married. Some nights she would go out and come home with a man, all smelly from too much alcohol. They’d make all kinds of noises in her room, so I got curious one night and sneaked inside. It was pretty easy because they were making way too much noise to notice me. It looked pretty scary at first, but then I saw that Precia actually liked it. She liked it a whole lot. She even kept saying more more more! So I asked her about it the next day and she told me about sex and how I was made.”
All eyes then turned to Fate for confirmation.
“It’s… true,” said the ruby-eyed girl. “I’ve… known about it for a long time. She was… very open with me… with us. She told us everything about it, but said we should wait a while longer. That it could be bad for us because we’re still growing.”
Alicia grinned. “Not that it kept us from trying a few things when no one was around! And I know for sure Big Sis and Nanoha have been having fun together~!”
“Aliciaaaaaaaa!” cried out both Nanoha and Fate together, suddenly having a strong desire to find someplace to hide and never come out again.
Fran was blushing, too, but had a thoughtful look on her face. So did Suzuka, but without the blush. She simply looked at her friend, Alyssa, with that thoughtful expression. Alyssa, though, had gaped in shock, scandalized at what her friends had been doing behind their backs.
Hayate blushed as well. “I’ve known for a while myself.”
“You have!?” Alyssa in surprise. “How!?”
“Well, I spent a lot of time around doctors and nurses because I’m an orphan. I had no family at all to care for me. Even the house I lived in was in a medical campus for people who needed constant care like I did.
“This meant that sometimes I’d hear them joking about… things… when they thought I couldn’t hear me. So, I eventually asked about it. One of my nurses was a very nice woman, so she explained everything to me… thing is, though, is that she gave me a complete lesson using medical textbooks and medical terminology about sex and reproduction.”
Everyone gawked at Hayate, except for Sasami. She simply raised an eyebrow, much how Benjamin would.
“I cannot imagine how weird that was,” said Alyssa.
Hayate laughed hysterically. “I know, right! What was even worse was after that, I managed to find a computer with an unfiltered connection to the Internet. Now that was an eye opener! I never realized that making a baby could be so much fun.”
“OH MY GOD, YOU’RE AN ERO-GIRL!?” cried out Alyssa in horror.
“Well,” said Fran thoughtfully. “That explains why you’re so grabby in your sleep.”
Hayate chuckled sheepishly. “Eh-heh. Sorry?”
Sasami, though, felt they were drifting off-topic. She had things to explain to her friends, and sharing your life with a Goddess gave one an interesting perspective on things. And this was on top of living on such a liberal world as Jyurai.
“Getting back to Benjamin,” said the blue-haired girl, “It’s alright with me because it happens a lot back in my home. Even the common people who are not bonded to Royal Trees tend to live at least three hundred years. With lives that long, even the age gap between Benjamin and Nanoha would not seem strange at all. That said though… we’re really no different from the humans here on Earth in that we have a limited amount of ova cells, so we still run out after about three decades. Four if you’re lucky. And because of that, a lot of us girls on Jyurai want to start as early as possible.”
“But can’t you extend that with advanced medicine?” asked Fate.
“We can,” admitted Sasami. “But the human body doesn’t work well that way. The process in which these cells either mature into ova or decay helps regulate our hormones. If we tamper with that, we can develop all kinds of issues, like hormonally related cancers that are resistant to treatment.”
“How do you know all of this?” asked Suzuka.
Sasami gave a somewhat sad smile. “Because part of me is the Mother of Trees on Jyurai - Tsunami no Ki. I… know a few things a girl my age shouldn’t know.”
There was a beat of silence as everyone took that in.
“So waitaminit,” said Alyssa all the sudden. “You mean you’re a Goddess?”
“Not quite,” said Sasami. “I’m technically known as a ‘Choushin’. We’re very close to being Gods, but not actually. But it’s close enough that normal people can’t really discern the difference without being told. And even then, some people will believe what they want to believe. This is part of why Tsunami gave her power to the people of Jyurai. They understood her when she told them she is not a God, and they have respected that wish of hers. She is a great power, yes. But not something you’d venerate like a God.
“It’s also why we have so much trouble with the people of planet Airai. They’re a theocracy that wants to worship Tsunami, but my people do not permit them to do so because we know she’s not actually a God. We also know that if we allow them to make pilgrimages into our territory, they’ll start converting our people to their religion, and then we’ll lose Tsunami’s support. The Airaians have made several wars on my people because of that. But thanks to Tsunami’s power, they’re always repelled from our territory with minimal loss of life.”
“Still,” said Alyssa. “That has to SUCK.”
Sasami sighed. “It does, but we’re off-topic. Again. Getting back to where I left off… Like I was saying before, because of our limited time of fertility, some of us prefer to start as early as possible because if we’re not careful, we can quickly run out of chances to have children. Big Sister was supposed to be married when she was fourteen, but things kept happening.”
“What happened?” asked Suzuka.
“The Prince kept finding reasons to be away from home, but he eventually left chasing after a space pirate and didn’t come home after that.”
“Wasn’t that your big brother, Prince Yosho, though?” asked Alyssa.
“Yes,” said Sasami, knowing what would come next.
“WHAT!?” cried out Alyssa. “BUT… Your brother!? And your sister!?”
Sasami, though, shrugged nonchalantly. “Our mother and Yosho’s mother were very close. They wanted the family to stay together.”
“Huh?” said Alyssa in confusion. “Two mothers?”
Sassami nodded and Fate jumped in at this point. “It’s the reason why we decided to have Ben with us, together. Princess Aeka told us about it when were having trouble deciding which one of us should be officially married. Polyandry is common where Sasami is from because there’s always more women than men there. And though it’s not really common on Midchilda, it is allowed there as well.”
“But still,” cried out Alyssa, “your brother!?”
“It’s allowed on Jyurai,” said Sasami. “But mainly because it doesn’t happen often enough to be an issue. Most families grow up very close together so all the children recognize each other as siblings. But sometimes someone is born after the oldest siblings have already left to lead their own lives… and because they grow up apart from each other, they never really see each other like siblings, even though they know about it. So sometimes? Sometimes they fall in love with each other. There’s not a lot you can do about that, and on Jyurai, we believe people should be free to do as they like, so long as they aren’t hurting anyone. All of our laws center around that concept, and there’s a lot of ideas that never become laws because they violate that concept. And it’s a “sometimes” out of a “sometimes”. That’s not really a lot of “sometimes” if you stop and think about it, so like I said before, it doesn’t happen often enough to be an issue.”
There was a beat of silence before Hayate said, “Well, If brothers marrying sisters over there is okay, then I guess this thing with Nanoha, Fate, and Benjamin would be considered absolutely normal by comparison.”
Suzuka then smiled and said, “I think I’d like to visit someday. It sounds like fun.”
“Of course you would,” said Alyssa wryly.
“You didn’t complain,” said Suzuka placidly, instantly piquing everyone’s interest.
“Please don’t,” said Alyssa. “Not here.”
“Here is fine,” countered Suzuka. “They’re our friends and given what we’re talking about, that’d be like the pot calling the kettle black.”
Everyone seemed to lean closer to the pair with intent stares and straining ears.
Alyssa sighed. “Remember when my Mom was here and she said it was fun to kiss another girl? And Suzuka said she wouldn’t mind? Well, Suzuka and I tried it and…”
Suzuka reached out, took Alyssa’s hand in hers, and said, “We’re a lot closer now than we were before.”
There was an outpouring of exclamations, but these were all in the positive tone as the friends all drew closer together to congratulate the two and give them both hugs. Suzuka accepted the well wishes with grace, while Alyssa felt bashful about it. Nonetheless, the little American girl felt heartened by her friends’ acceptance.
“But… yeah,” said Alyssa once everything died down. “It’s why I made that wish with Kyubey.” Right away, that brought sobriety crashing back down on the group. “Hey! It wasn’t like I knew he was one of the Bad Guys at the time.”
The others then murmured to each other, and came to a quick consensus. No, Alyssa couldn’t be blamed. Not at all.
“Anyhow,” continued Alyssa, “Suzuka and I were already talking about it… how she’s gonna live a lot longer than I am. She’d offered to turn me- No, sorry, she calls it The Embrace. She’s offered to give me The Embrace when we’re old enough. But… I don’t know about that. It’s… it just feels like a big deal to suddenly give up being human. I wouldn’t have been able to go out in the sun for a long, long time. The only reason why Suzuka can is because her parents are both very powerful, and she got a good share of that power from them because she was born as a vampire.
“So, when Kyubey showed up, it was like exactly what I wanted. I could have all the power I needed right away. Enough power that I can be with everyone. That I can face the same dangers as you do. I can finally stand by your sides, no matter what happens. So I wished that I could always be together with the people I love.”
Alyssa’s expression then brightened. “And that’s why I can do THIS now!”
Just then, two portals rimmed with green magical energy appeared. One was at Alyssa’s side, and the other was in the middle of the coffee table. Alyssa then stuck her arm through the portal at her side and it came up through the portal in the coffee table.
“See!” said Alyssa proudly. “Kyubey said all Puella Magi have a special magical talent that sets them apart from each other. And this is mine! I call it The ACME Instant Hole — just like the ones from the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote cartoons — and I can make one anywhere I want, even in places I can’t see.”
“But how?” asked Nanoha. “Even Shirai-san has trouble doing blind teleports. She has to know exactly where she’s going, first.”
“That’s the amazing part! My ability let’s me… Well, I guess you can say that I can ‘feel’ around the area I want to put the other end of the hole. I can even tell if the conditions are safe on the other side, so I’m not opening it up into a lava pit or anything like that. I can go anywhere so I can be with anyone whenever I want. Distance and time will never stop me from being with my friends!”
“But what about Suzuka living longer than you?” asked Fate.
Alyssa smiled. “That was part of the reason why I made the wish. As a Puella Magi, I can heal my body perfectly. That means I can even undo aging, so I can practically live forever!”
“Wow,” said Nanoha. Her face then took on a thoughtful cast. “But… what about the rest of us?”
“It will be something we will need to face in due time,” said Suzuka. “This is something that my parents and sister have always warned me about. I will always outlive everyone who chooses not to accept my Embrace. So I will always need to be careful about the people I choose as friends.” She then smiled wryly and said, “Of course, Nanoha being Nanoha, I didn’t have much choice in the matter.”
That got a much needed round of laughter. Nanoha herself gave a nervous chuckle as she rubbed the back of her head.
“I guess I kinda was forceful, wasn’t I?”
“It’s alright, Nanoha,” said Fate consolingly. “If not for you… I do not know what would have happened to me. But I don’t think that I would have lived for much longer. You not only became my friend. You saved me. You picked me up and carried me. And you always remind me that I am someone who deserves love.”
“And that brings us back to Benjamin,” said Suzuka, and just like that a slight feeling of depression settled on the group like an overcast sky of iron-gray clouds.
“What can we do?” asked Fran. “The laws here are very strict in this matter. You can’t even pretend to be in love with him because some people are nasty enough to report it to the authorities. Even if they know it’s pretend, they’ll do it because they like to use the law to hurt people.”
“And that is part of why Benjamin is so afraid,” said Sasami. “Even being close with us is dangerous for him.”
“So why did he stop us earlier?” asked Nanoha. “If the Ultimate Force System is that powerful, then wouldn’t it make it okay somehow?”
Sasami shook her head. “I watched the anime so I could see what kind of people the Megami are. The thing about the Ultimate Force… when it comes to keeping people together like that, it will do just enough and nothing more. Keiichi and Belldandy had a lot of trouble finding a place to live because of it. While Keiichi’s wish kept them together, it said nothing about their living conditions. They did eventually find a place, but it was a close thing. They almost had to sleep in the streets, and Keiichi actually caught a cold because he had to ride his motorcycle in the rain. He gave his coat to Belldandy, who was riding in his sidecar.”
“I see,” said Suzuka thoughtfully. “So even if it was okay by the Ultimate Force, it doesn’t mean that there wouldn’t be troubles. Something really bad could still happen. Most wedding vows are until death, so while it’s likely that Ultimate Force could do things to keep Ben and Nanoha together… how long that time may last, though, could be very short if Death intercedes.”
Nanoha felt the blood drain from her face. “No! Anything but that!” she cried out.
“It’s okay, Nanoha,” said Fate as she wrapped her arms around her closest friend. Fate now understood very well about her friend’s fears and insecurities. She knew right away that Nanoha needed to be reassured. “Benjamin knew better. He was very wise to stop it before anything could happen. He is always thinking of us.”
Nanoha felt herself melt. The very idea of something happening to Benjamin like that made her tense up so much that her relaxation in Fate’s embrace was noticeable, even to her.
“He always is, isn’t he?” said Nanoha, her voice muffled under Fate’s shoulder. “He always gives me more and more reasons to love him. And I already don’t want to live without him… or you.”
“You will never be rid of me,” said Fate, who then grinned somewhat mischievously and added a quiet, yet theatrical villainous laugh. “Mua-ha-ha-ha.”
Once again, a round of giggles rippled through the group of girls - it was well understood that Fate was not really a villain, but she still stuck to her black barrier jacket, saying that nothing else would suit her quite as well. Hence, everyone made gentle humor out of Fate never actually having given up the villain’s role.
(The Galaxy Fraulein Yuna cosplay they sprung on Benjamin once came really close, though. However, Benjamin had somewhat spoiled that, but for good reason. The costume had extremely little coverage of her nether regions, and Benjamin knew that could only lead to trouble as it was just one accident away from becoming horribly ecchi. He would only give the cosplay a pass if Fate wore spats under it. What Ben didn’t say was that in a few years, the girl would be able to bring rush hour traffic to an utter standstill in that costume, spats or none. She was already eye-catching in it with her natural beauty and innocent smile.)
While the moment was sweet, though, Hayate sensed a need to move things along, so she took the floor next.
“So I guess it’s safe to say that it’s a good thing that Ben stopped things when he did. But something about that still bothers me. That Goddess, Belldandy? I get the feeling that she’s not someone that panics easily. Is what happened here really that bad?”
Sasami nodded. “It is. Belldandy should have been the one to stop things. And she would have done it in a calm and demure manner. Letting it go on like that was very unlike her, and she knows it. That’s probably why she’s scared right now.”
Everyone mulled that over for a moment before Suzuka spoke next.
“I believe I’m starting to see why everyone is so afraid. Belldandy-sama is a Goddess. What’s more, she is a First-Class Goddess. Nothing should be able to control or influence her will that easily. And yet, here we are.”
“Jesus,” said Alyssa fervently. “You’re right. That is scary!”
“But what can we do about it?” asked Hayate. “If even a Goddess is being manipulated…”
There was a moment of silence at that.
“We remain vigilant,” said Sasami at last. “Fate. Nanoha. I have no doubt in my heart about your feelings for Benjamin. But, as we’ve all concluded, something about this situation isn’t right. I do want you three to be together. But for now, we must be absolutely careful. I would like to suggest that we always have one other person around when you’re together with Benjamin. This will keep other people from being able to accuse him too easily. And we can keep watch for any unusual events that could cause problems for you three.”
“Agreed,” stated Suzuka. “There is safety in numbers.”
“I’m up for it,” said Alyssa. “As long as you two don’t mind.”
Nanoha shook her head. “No, it’s fine. You’re our friends, and Fate and I know you won’t say or do anything to hurt us.”
“Okay,” said Hayate. “We can work out the details later. But right now, I think we should be doing what Benjamin said and take this time to relax.”
There was a round of agreements at that. Thus, they went straight to work, fixing snacks and setting up some games to play.
“You’ve been through a lot lately,” said Washu as she waved the scanner of a medical tricorder over Benjamin. One might think that the great Washu Hakubi would disdain Federation technology of the 24th Century, but she actually found the medical tricorder to be a handy device, capable of performing all kinds of medical diagnostics in the most adverse conditions imaginable.
As for how she got it? She wasn’t telling.
“Hah,” said Ben, in a humorless laugh. “What was your first clue?”
Washu gave Ben the stink-eye. “I’m trying to be empathetic here.”
Ben deflated as he sighed. “I know. Sorry. You don’t deserve that.“
“Neither do you, really,” replied Washu gently.
“I keep hearing that,” said Ben tiredly, “but it doesn’t seem to change much.”
“Things have been changing” said Washu as she stored the scanner back in its receptacle on the tricorder and snapped it shut. “Quite a lot, in fact. Your physical health is better than it’s ever been. And on that topic, you need to start eating more. Right this instant, actually. You’re already starting to metabolize your fat stores.”
Ben nodded. “Right. Self care. Got it.”
“Nothing big for now,” continued Washu. “Just snack on something and take a nap. You had a really bad scare today, and that’s on top of everything else you’ve been through.”
“Should I really be sleeping at a time like this?” asked Ben.
“YES!” snapped Washu, though more out of concern than anger. She then pleaded with him, saying, “Benjamin, you just had a near-death experience. You can’t just walk it off. And if you keep on persisting, then I have Lord Phantomhive on speed dial. He will have Sebastian strap you to your bed if he has to.”
“Alright, alright,” said Ben, relenting. “I’ll get a nap. Just… could you please wake me? You know how I get once I hit REM sleep.”
“I will,” answered Washu comfortingly. “I promise.”
“Thanks.”
She then turned to leave, but then paused as something occurred to her. She then turned back to Ben.
“You know, you could probably use an assistant. I can’t keep doing this all the time.”
Ben mulled that over for a second before answering. “I suppose you’re right. But who would I have as an assistant? Not Kaname. Teletha is right out.”
Washu nearly winced at that. Teletha was right out for a lot of things that had her directly interacting with Benjamin - nearly two months since The Incident and he was still upset with her. But more than that, Washu had been ashamed of herself.
As were the others.
Benjamin’s scathing indictment that they stood by and did nothing to help him was an uncomfortable truth. The reasons varied, for certain. But the point was that he was absolutely right. Even as Benjamin grew more and more visibly agitated and stressed. He had been dropping all kinds of hints, and was yet still ignored.
Washu had no idea why they had let it get that far. It was not like them. Or at least, not like her. Or Noike, for that matter. She would have put a quick end to the situation, but for reasons beyond the woman’s reckoning, she never saw the need for it.
And now there had been this situation with Nanoha and the Goblin King.
Very strange, this, she thought to herself. It was like someone was manipulating them. Just like how Mii, Ami, and Rob had been manipulated. And that raised an even more troubling question: what if it was the same case with Benjamin, Nanoha, and Fate?
That was worrying. Rob did not have Benjamin’s foibles. He didn’t suffer greatly from severing that connection between himself, Ami, and Mii. But Benjamin was… Well, there was no easy way to say it: Benjamin was fragile, but for good reason. And despite their age, this unwavering love they were giving the man was exactly what he needed in the aftermath of what Teletha had done to him. Washu didn’t even want to consider the possibility because of what it might do to Benjamin. His psyche was already brutalized. Any more might send him careening over the edge.
But just now? It was clear that someone or something was pulling their strings. However, Benjamin had not been fooled this time. He caught it in the act and brought things to a screeching halt before something very hard to undo could happen.
Very, very curious, that. Could it be that the manipulation was magical in nature, and thus Ben’s antimagic ability thwarted it?
In the meantime, Ben continued, unaware of Washu’s musings.
“Noike has the skills, but that’d be a gross misuse of her talents. And she’s already spending a lot of time with Teletha working out scenarios. Tenchi has neither the skill nor experience.”
“You may be approaching this the wrong way,” said Washu, setting aside her previous train of thought. “An artificial assistant would probably suffice.”
“What, like an Intelligent Device?” asked Ben, catching on to what she was getting at. “But it wouldn’t work with my AMF.”
“Who says that it has to be magitech?” replied Washu breezily. “It can still be based on the same concepts and ideas as Midchildan devices, but made with my technology.”
“Okay, there is that,” admitted Benjamin. “But anyhow… yeah. Food, then sleep. We can talk more about this later.”
“There is one other thing we need to do tonight after we make our plans,” said Washu.
Ben raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”
“We need to get you properly trained in the weaponized uses of your antimatter organ.”
“Won’t that take a while?” asked Ben.
“Not really. We’ll do the hard part the same way we did your language packs. And while we’re at it, we’ll implant some combat skills as well. Your abilities with a firearm are good, but that’s not going to cut it with adversaries like the Wolkenritter. Fortunately, though, you now have the physical strength to face them on even footing.”
Ben nodded. “Alright then. You have no argument from me.”
Two hours later, Benjamin was awake and feeling a bit better. He was definitely still bothered by the events that had transpired earlier, but that was something that had to wait for the time being.
They had a mission to plan out.
We needed a scene with our Tiny Adults doing their Tiny Adult Thing.
This is likely a bit controversial because we've got kids talking about sex. But the thing is, this is actually perfectly normal for these Tiny Adults.
For one thing, it's been recognized by child psychologists far and wide that masturbation (or, at the very least playing with their genitalia) is something that happens at a very young age. Often times as young as six months! We just don't make much of it because, hey, they figured out there's something down there and they're curious about it.
What you don't often see is how it tends to progress from there, because we often tell our kids not to do that. At the very least, not in public. So they do it in private instead. And the smarter ones? They tend to figure out how to get the most out of it.
When you combine that with experiences that bring about precocious maturity - psychological traumas, environmental factors, liberal and open parents/guardians - you tend to get children who know a lot more than they let on about. And they don't let on about it because they've been taught to keep that kind of stuff to themselves.
And then you got situations like this, where the Tiny Adults are holding their council, and then someone says the right words...
Thus, on with the show.
Chapter 5
Hours later, Benjamin strode groggily up to his apartment. The last session hadn’t only been another genetic treatment, but also a recalibration of his motor cortex — the section of his brain responsible for voluntary muscle movement. His strength had become amplified by both the gain in muscle density and the gain amplifier effect his M-A bioreactor granted. And on top of that, his reflexes had been quickened to a remarkable degree by the conversion of his nervous system to rely on electrical synapses instead of chemically carried signals. And thus, the need for his system to be recalibrated.
This meant a lot of violent and sudden twitches and jolts that left him feeling wrung out. One might think that with all the “sleep” he was getting that he should be fine, but that was the irony of it all. He needed that rest because he was already low on energy from his body healing itself.
He plodded through his apartment, shucking off clothes and dropping them on the floor without any heed of tidiness or order. A few minutes in the bath left him clean. He didn’t even bother with underwear or pajamas as he crawled into bed.
A chance look at his nightstand brought his eyes into contact with the crystal ball the Goblin King had given him at the Halloween Party.
“Huh. Maybe Alicia can play a role…”
He then rolled over and fell right asleep.
Later that afternoon, Benjamin was up again, though still somewhat out of it. After getting dressed and cleaning up the mess he made last night, he ate and then reconvened the meeting from last night.
“So first thing’s first,” said Ben. “How are the girls?”
“They’re right as rain,” proclaimed Washu. “Last night’s sleep over was a big success.”
“Great,” said Ben with a sigh. “Any idea on how soon we’ll be able to move on a replacement for Alyssa’s soul gem?”
“I’m already working on the gemstone itself. That’ll be ready by the time we’re done here. I’ve already sent for Miss Tohsaka. Fortunately, she kept a copy of the spell she used to create Alicia’s phylactery, so there should be no issues on that front. And from what I’ve heard, Usagi’s already getting herself psyched up for this.”
“Awesome. How soon can we do this?”
“The day after tomorrow. She’s got got a test tomorrow that she needed to cram for.”
“Got it,” said Ben with a nod of his head. “So, dealing with the Wolkenritter. I had an idea about that last night, but I want to get your guys thoughts on the matter.”
Lindy, Gil, Noike, Teletha, Peorth, and Marller all shot looks at each other, then at Ben.
“What kind of idea?” asked Noike.
“The batshit crazy kind,” said Ben as he pulled out the crystal ball.
“…You can’t be joking,” said Marller. “You’re gonna get the Goblin King involved?”
“Goblin King?” said Lindy in puzzlement.
“A very powerful fey,” said Peorth. “As his title suggests, he rules over all Goblins. And that means chaotic magic. The kind that not many people can stand up against.”
“But why would such a person get involved?” asked Gil Graham.
“Well,” began Benjamin, “the Goblin King has a soft spot in his heart for children. Especially children that are in danger. He takes in children that have been wished away to him, and they eventually become goblins, living a happy and virtually care-free life. And to protect them from harm, he has a massive labyrinth that surrounds his keep. You see, there is a condition that someone can fulfill in order to take back a child that was wished away to the Goblin King, and that is to run his Labyrinth and solve it within thirteen hours. The magics there are immensely powerful and ensure that anyone running the Labyrinth does so properly.”
“So you would wish away Fate and Alicia?” said Noike. “Clever. It would certainly distract the Wolkenritter. But would it be effective in keeping the the Testarossa girls from harm?”
“The Wolkenritter will never even get the chance,” said Ben with certainty. “They’re too straightforward — they’ll try and carve a hole through the Labyrinth because they’ll feel actually solving it is a waste of time, but the Goblin King’s power is far greater than theirs. If they’re not careful, he’ll drop them into the Bog of Eternal Stench.”
Lindy blinked at that. “I can understand how it would be unpleasant, but what is so terrible about that?”
Ben grinned. But unlike his more often seen mischievous grins, this one was downright malicious. And with his face, it made him look utterly villainous.
“It’s a magical curse. If you ever even put a toe into the Bog of Eternal Stench, then you’ll smell like that for the rest of your life.”
Lindy grimaced at that. While part of her doubted the veracity of what Ben was saying, a lot of things she once considered impossible had become not only become probable, but even common place as of late. What more was a curse that made you smell odious to others on top of everything else?
Lindy, though, had one other qualm that she needed answered.
“But are you certain that you can run this labyrinth to get them back?”
“I might need some help with logic puzzles,” said Ben. “But otherwise? The Labyrinth is more of a test of one’s character than a test of knowledge and skills. I have confidence in my ability to get through.”
“Alright then,” said Lindy. “If you really are that certain that this Goblin King can do as you say… I propose that we bring Nanoha, Fate, and Alicia in on this before we move any further with this plan. Is there anyone opposed?”
No one raised their voice.
“I’ll go get them,” said Washu as she then made for the front door.
Minutes later, the girls had all gathered in Ben’s apartment. But not just Nanoha, Fate, and Alicia.
Declaring solidarity with their friends, Alysa, Suzuka, Fran, Hayate, and Sasami had all gathered with them — absolutely adamant in their refusal to let the other three go anything alone from this point on.
And so, Ben described his idea to them.
“Will it really be okay, though?” asked Fate right away.
“I’m sure it will be,” replied Benjamin. “King Jareth is not an evil man. He cares about children very much, and he wants all children to be as happy as his subjects in the Goblin Kingdom are.”
“But how will we contact him?” asked Allysa. “He can’t possibly have a phone… can he?”
Ben smiled. “He left me a means to do so.” So saying, Ben took out the crystal ball that Jareth had given him.
“Oh, it’s so pretty!” said Alicia.
Ben smiled. “It is. Though for the Goblin King, these kinds of things are mere baubles. Now, before I do this, I want to be sure. Is this something you all will be okay with?”
Fate and Alicia looked to each other, and almost at once they both nodded. They then turned to Ben and together said,
“YES.”
Ben nodded his head then sighed and looked into the ball. “Goblin King, oh Goblin King. This one respectfully requests your assistance.”
And just like that, he strode out of the kitchen like as though he was always in there.
“Benjamin! What a surprise,” said Jareth genially, drawing surprised looks from everyone but Ben. “I didn’t imagine that you’d call on that favor so soon.” His face then became more sober. “Though knowing you, you don’t do such things lightly. Tell me what has happened.”
“You’ll want to sit down for this one, your Majesty. It’s a hell of a thing.”
Once they were all seated, Benjamin explained the Puella Magi system, the Incubators, and the civilization they served. At first, Jareth had been playing with one of his crystal balls, seizing the girls’ attention with the hypnotically smooth movements of his hand.
He stopped playing after the first minute.
And when Benjamin finished, there was a startling gun-shot report. Everyone jumped at the noise, wondering where it had come from.
“Ah,” said Jareth, a rare look of embarrassment on his face. “Do forgive me. Benjamin’s tale was… quite upsetting.” He then opened his hand to reveal what had been the crystal ball he was playing with earlier. It was now millions of tiny, sparkling crystal shards. With a gesture, the shards were gone.
“Anyhow, I know that you didn’t tell me this just to warn me about these… creatures. How does this pertain to your current situation?”
“Well, we strongly suspect that a witch born of one of Precia’s familiars has gained access to a powerful device. It’s called The Book of Darkness and it’s basically a grimoire and a magical computer combined. It was once a benign thing, intended to be an automated archive of spells with an intelligent artificial mind at its core to make it easier to work with. But as it passed through one set of hands after another, it was twisted into something incredibly sinister. It became a tool of a mad man who added an ultimate defense system to the Book, as well as four guardians who are based on powerful warriors from the distant past. And because the defense program was made by someone who was insane, it has a tendency to devour its own master and then go on a rampage. When it gets to that point, the Book can hardly be stopped. If you would pardon me, Your Majesty, it would give even you a great deal of difficulty.
“As this Book seems to have fallen into the hands of a creature based off of Alicia, we strongly believe that it’s delusional mind thinks that Fate and Alicia here are keeping its mother away from her. So it’s sending these guardians out to kill them both.”
“I see,” said Jareth in an uncharacteristically flat tone. “And I’m assuming that your desire is for me to keep Fate and little Alicia safe?”
“If you could, your Majesty, I would be grateful.”
Jareth waved that off, though. “No need, Dear Benjamin. I would gladly do it regardless of you asking it of me or not. I will not even require you to run my Labyrinth to get them back. Though now that I’m of a mind to think about it, I do need to speak with Lady Verthandi. Now, did I not see a full length mirror here- ah good! You are indeed well prepared. May I borrow your phone for a moment?” Benjamin nodded, unlocking his phone before handing it to Jareth. The Goblin King then dialed a long series of numbers and put the phone to his ear. “Lady Verthandi, I apologize for the sudden interruption, but could you be a dear and come down for a minute. I’ve had a change in heart. …Yes, Benjamin’s apartment. He has a mirror set up here. Thank you.”
Just as soon as Jareth had handed Ben back his phone, the mirror at the far wall glowed and Belldandy, clad in her Goddess costume, stepped through.
“Oh Jareth!” she exclaimed happily. “It’s so good to see you again! How is your kingdom fairing?”
“Quite well, milady Verthandi,” said the Goblin King as he bent the knee, taking the hand Belldandy offered, and gave it a respectful kiss. He then stood straight and got right to the point. “As I have said, I have changed my mind about your earlier request. Dear Benjamin has informed me of a frightful state of affairs that I cannot and shall not abide. So let it be witnessed here today, that I, Jareth, Ruler over all Goblinkind, shall accept any and all children that require refuge. I shall send out my finest and most trustworthy scouts to look for these children so I may safeguard them from these Incubators. Do you, Milady Verthandi, Goddess, First Class, accept my offer and make this into a binding promise between us?”
Belldandy nodded her head. “I, Verthandi, Goddess First Class, do recognize the promise being made by Jareth, the Goblin King. I accept this promise wholeheartedly, and shall render whatever assistance I am capable of giving. So mote it be.”
With that, Belldandy raised her head skyward and a brilliant beam of pure, white light shot straight up to the ceiling from the mark on her forehead. Energy suffused the air itself, stirring it and any loose papers that were about.
And then, just as suddenly as it happened, it was gone, and Belldandy turned to Benjamin with a mildly apologetic look on her face.
“I'm sorry about that, Benjamin. I suppose I should have warned you.”
Ben shook his head though as he went to start gathering them all up. “It’s no big deal. I got them all numbered.”
“What was that?” asked Nanoha as she, Fate, and Alicia helped Ben gather the papers.
“That was the Ultimate Force System registering a promise,” answered Ben. “It’s mainly to ensure a wish made with a Megami or a Demon is kept by altering fate and destiny. Like when Belldandy and Keiichi first met, the Ultimate Force System made all kinds of ‘accidents’ happen to make sure they stayed together because of the wish Keiichi made. But it will also work on promises made by a First-Class Megami as well. Which is what we all saw just now.”
“Your Majesty,” said Lindy just then. “Are you certain that Fate and Alicia will be safe in your care? I have… concerns.”
Jareth looked to Lindy and stared at her intently for a short moment. However, Lindy’s resolve was firm and she did not waver under the Goblin King’s gaze.
“I see,” said Jareth at length. “So you wished to foster the Testarossa girls.”
Lindy said nothing in reply, maintaining her own gaze.
Jareth smiled wryly. “Missus Harlaown, I understand your feelings on the matter, much more so than you can imagine. That said, I assure you, they will certainly be safe in my custody. My word is absolute law in my Kingdom, and it is backed by my magical power, which infuses and pervades my Labyrinth. These Wolkenritter shall have no choice but to run that labyrinth. And you can rest assured that they shall have a most difficult time of it. I know what their intentions are, and thus, so shall my Labyrinth. They will be hindered at every step of the way, at every turn, and at every challenge.”
“And what if I were to run your Labyrinth?” asked Lindy in challenge.
Jareth raised an eyebrow and tilted his head in mild puzzlement.
“You would wish to deprive Dear Benjamin of being in the company of these girls?” he asked.
Once more, Lindy held her silence and her gaze.
“Hmm,” said the Goblin King noncommittally. “Troublesome. Quite troublesome. But this is the very crux of what it means to run my Labyrinth. I know you care for the wellbeing of these girls. However, your attitude is equally short-sighted. The Labyrinth, as Dear Benjamin has told you, is more of a test of your character than anything else. You seek to protect these girls, true. But in the pursuit of their wellbeing, you also seek to harm Dear Benjamin. And you haven’t even given any thought at all as to how they may feel about that, as well! This makes the odds somewhat in your disfavor.”
“And Benjamin?” asked Lindy.
Jareth scoffed. “Don’t be a fool, woman. Benjamin already has my trust. He will — and has! — laid not only his life on the line for the sakes of these girls, but his very soul as well. If it is needed, he will bleed for their sake. If it is needed, he will suffer for them. If it is needed, he will exchange his life for theirs without even a second thought.
“Benjamin does not need to run my Labyrinth. And that is because his very own childhood was a far greater test of his character than my Labyrinth could ever pose against anyone.”
“What do you mean?” asked Lindy.
Jareth then turned to Benjamin, an expression of askance on his face.
Ben shrugged. “Might as well tell her. I’ve given her a hint like an ACME anvil, but she probably didn’t believe it coming from me.”
Jareth nodded his head and turned back to Lindy.
“Tell me Missus Harlaown. Do you recall Precia’s parting words to Little Fate?”
A shadow fell over Lindy’s face. “How could I ever forget such cruelty. That woman was insane.”
“Indeed,” said Jareth. “Now, imagine a young boy having someone like that for a father. And he would always say such horrible things to this child. Can you even dream of what that would do to a person?”
Lindy quailed at that. “But… that can’t be right! There’s no way his father was that terrible. It goes against all reason!”
“You FOOL!” thundered Jareth, and it indeed had sounded like an approaching storm as he whirled on Lindy. “How can you be so blind!? Is the world you come from such a wondrous utopia that you’ve never seen how hideous parents can be towards their own children!? I see it EVERY DAY. Children like Dear Benjamin was, ridiculed for being what they are, for what they cannot help! Day in and day out, I see these priceless, beautiful gems being shattered! And do you know what the worst part is?
“I CANNOT HELP THEM! They are all beyond my reach. Only those who are wished away to me, can I save, for I am bound by a higher set of laws. I am not permitted to interfere except where I am expressly invited to do so.”
Jareth then sighed as he recollected himself. “But that ends today. Thanks to the contract I have entered into with Lady Verthandi, I can now intercede. Even now, my finest officers and knights are sortieing to seek out the most endangered of children and to bring them into my fold. Granted, I must leave their caretakers the option of being able to take them back. But I suspect that not many will do so. And that even fewer still will be successful.”
Lindy looked around the room in askance. “Is… is it really that bad here?”
“Yes,” said Gil Graham. “It is that bad. In fact, when my own grandfather was but a boy himself, it was especially horrid. Children that were unwanted or too great of a burden were often put to work in factories and treated little better than slaves. They didn’t even have the most basic of safety mechanisms. There were many tragic accidents where children lost their lives or were permanently maimed.”
“Things have improved substantially since then, for certain,” said Jareth. “But there are still many places in this world where children must labor to support their families. And then there are the parents that take their children for granted. Children like Dear Benjamin was, once upon a time.”
Jareth then turned to Ben. “I am terribly sorry for you, Dear Benjamin. I am sorry that you had to suffer as you had throughout your childhood. And I am so very, very sorry that I was never able to help you in your times of need. If it had been possible, I would have gladly brought you to my Kingdom. Your days would not, perhaps, have been peaceful, but at the very least I know you would have been happy there among my kin. I even dare say that I would probably have knighted you in due time, and made you into one of my most trusted retainers.”
Ben didn’t know what to say. It was difficult to say anything at all as he fought down the tears.
“I know, Dear Benjamin,” continued Jareth, reading him perfectly. “Life has been most unjust towards you. Why now? Why not then? I cannot say for certain myself. In fact, I would dare say that not even the Megami can say for sure. All I know is that you were beyond the reach of any of us, and we are all deeply regretful of this fact.”
Ben took in a deep breathe and let it out slowly, recentering himself.
“I understand, your Majesty. And I do my best to content myself with what I have now.”
“Benjamin,” said Jareth gently. “That is a lie and you know it.”
There were some startled looks from all corners of the room and some of the girls began to whisper between each other, confused at what was going on.
But not Nanoha. And not Fate. They were very well aware of what was eating at him, and they knew right then that Jareth shared their concerns.
“You are very much ill at ease with the situation. You have all these people here who wish to call you their beloved brother. And yet you shy away, hurting not only yourself, but them as well. But I understand what it is you fear, Dear Benjamin. You fear becoming ostracized by the only people who you feel can truly accept you.” Jareth then shot a scowl at Admiral Harlaown. “A fear that you, Admiral, have done nothing at all to put at ease. Instead, you validate his fears. You should be ashamed of yourself, woman. While I can understand your own concerns, you should also be able to see how he agonizes! He does not deserve to be put through this anguish. Not when he has already been through Hell and only barely managed to survive the ordeal.”
“I would know,” said Marller just then. “For certain, there’ve been worse cases. But the simple fact that Benjamin never deserved that… you’d think he’d have a karmic credit for what he went through. We’re still trying to figure out what the in the Blazes of Hell is going on there.”
Peorth then spoke up. “It may be something to do with him being one of Odin’s Chosen.”
Jareth actually made a startled look at that. “Are you serious!? Odin has Chosen Dear Benjamin to be one of His Men!?”
Peorth nodded her head slowly, and Jareth suddenly spat out a series of words. Though they flowed mellifluously, there was a vehemence present in the tone that spoke of great anger.
“Please forgive me,” said Jareth. “That was nearly as upsetting as the news about the Incubators.”
Nanoha ventured forward. “Is… is it really that bad?” she asked, uncertainly.
Jareth sighed and closed his eyes. “Dear child, I have seen it several times before. And it truly is that bad. Because of Odin’s…” And here, Jareth sneered as he forced the word out. “Attention… Dear Benjamin’s lot in life will henceforth be fraught adversity. Not only has fortune turned against him, but adversaries of all sorts will be drawn to him like moths to a flame. And the analogy is apt. Benjamin shall burn with a righteous fury and incinerate those that try him. It is only on the battlefield where fortune will look the other direction and let his actions dictate destiny’s course, for that is his place. Any other title he may bear has been rendered moot. He shall be, first and foremost, and forevermore, a warrior. It is to be his calling, his path, and his raison d'être.”
Jareth then looked Nanoha in the eyes. “He will need all the love and support that can be mustered, but that is going to come at great cost to those around him, as they will share in the burden he must bear up under. For that reason, dear child, I must ask you: is this the path that you so desire? Benjamin will not hold you at fault for shying away. It will hurt him, yes, but that is unavoidable in any case. But he will never fault you for seeing to your own needs and desires. Do you desire to walk his path and shoulder his burden, side-by-side with him?”
Ben suddenly spoke out. “Nanoha, don’t say a word!”
Everyone suddenly looked in Ben’s direction with varying expressions of surprise and confusion. Jareth in particular gave Ben the Vulcan Eyebrow, while Belldandy actually had a frightened look on her face.
Benjamin then panned his gaze across the room.
“That is a wedding vow,” he said slowly. “And we have a King presiding over that vow, and three First-Class Celestials present as witnesses. Call me paranoid, but that’s the way it felt just now.”
“Dear heavens, he’s right,” said Jareth quietly, shocked and awed not only by his own carelessness, but also at how Benjamin had been so quick to catch it. He then looked around the room and explained. “The question that I had thoughtlessly put to Miss Takamachi actually can be construed as a vow of matrimony. And I am a King. A ruler of a nation. Such a vow with my endorsement would be binding as law in my Kingdom. There are very few higher powers that may hold sway. Suffice to say, when it comes to authority, the idiom ‘There is me and then there is God’ emphatically applies. And with two Fist-Class Megami and a First-Class Demoness here to bear witness? While it may not be a wish or a promise made by a First-Class Celestial, the Ultimate Force System would have acted on it.”
With that explanation, Nanoha felt a pang of betrayal. Why would Benjamin have stopped that from happening? Why wouldn’t he want to be married to her? But then she looked into his eyes. Even though he wasn’t looking back at her, she could see it — the fear and pain in those eyes — and then she remembered:
Not yet.
She was still a child in everyone’s eyes, albeit one who had a great deal of respect. The danger that even a magically enforced marriage would pose to him would be so great that it could jeopardize absolutely everything.
“There is something very, VERY wrong here!” said Belldandy in a nearly uncharacteristic note of panic. “And yet I felt nothing wrong about it while it was happening. I was even happy about it! Thinking about Benjamin and Nanoha being bound together like Keiichi and I felt so wonderful that I never even thought of how bad it could turn out! It’s almost like as though this was a trap! I’m sorry, but I must go report this immediately!”
But before Belldandy could reach the mirror, Benjamin stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. Marller and Peorth barely suppressed audible gasps while Jareth was agog.
But Belldandy did indeed stop. Not out of surprise, but because there was something that she sensed from Benjamin — an emotion that had yet to form into a coherent thought.
“You need to go see your husband,” said Ben quietly.
Empathy. Pure, simple, empathy. Because he knew so very painfully well how special it was for a significant other to take even a few seconds from their busy schedule to remind you how much they love you. And with Keiichi so near by, it would have practically been a sin in Belldandy’s eyes to not visit her man before leaving.
At that, Belldandy suddenly turned, gently took Ben’s head in her hands, and tipped it downward so she could lay a loving kiss on his forehead. And then she hugged him tightly.
“You really do not deserve this hardship,” she said quietly. “Thank you.” With that, she left through the front door at a pace that was nearly a run.
Ben sighed heavily and turned to everyone else.
“Okay. I have no idea for sure what is going on, but I am pretty sure every one of us needs a break right now, because that was the dictionary definition of ‘intense’. Take two hours, everyone, and decompress a bit.”
There wasn’t a single dissenting voice in in the group as they broke up and exited the apartment. All except Noike, Peorth, and Lindy.
“What the hell just happened?” said Lindy suddenly.
“I just damn-near got married,” said Benjamin grumpily.
“We know, Benjamin,” said Noike in a calming tone. “But I think that what the Admiral really means is, ‘How did this happen?’”
Everyone looked to Peorth, and the Goddess sighed.
“How in Heaven we didn’t realize what was happening…” She trailed off as she was well and truly flummoxed. “I have no idea. I am going to be honest with all of you. I am scared right now. And so is Belldandy. This is far from normal behavior for us, and there seems to be a force at work here that is as subtle as it is powerful.” She then sighed and gave a wan smile to Ben. “By the way, Benjamin? Good call on telling her to go see Keiichi. That was exactly what she needed just now.”
Ben sighed. “Yeah… just… yeah. Thanks. I… I know I don’t sound very thankful. I just knew she was scared and that seeing Keiichi would comfort her.”
“It’s fine, Benjamin,” said Noike. “You’re just stressed out.” She then looked to the others. “We should give Benjamin some space… but I’ll ask Washu-chan to come up and give Ben a check-up.”
“Thanks, Noike,” said Ben quietly. “God help me I could use a hard cider right about now.”
As everyone made their way from Ben’s apartment, the younger girls all stayed together as a group and entered the apartment being used by Alyssa, Suzuka, and Francesca. Hayate needed a bit of extra help, her being confined to a wheel chair, but no one even dreamed of leaving her out.
They all had their own council to keep.
Alicia led it all off. Her being able to feel Ben’s emotional state, whether she liked to or not, left her feeling his turmoil almost like as though it were her own.
And Alicia cared deeply enough about Benjamin that, as far as she was concerned, his turmoil was hers as well.
“Big Sis? Why did Big Bro stop that from happening?”
Everyone shot searching looks at each other, even though Fate was the one being put on the spot.
“He was afraid, Alicia,” said Fate gently.
“I know that, Big Sis!” said Alicia in frustration. “But what was Big Bro afraid of!?”
Fate sighed as she reflected upon the memories she had from Alicia when Precia was sane.
“From what I’ve seen,” began Fate, “life here for children like you or me on UAW97 is very different from how things are on Midchilda. If what Mr. Graham said is true… I can’t even imagine what it must have been like to be a little girl in that time.”
Alyssa felt bad in particular because of how she had reacted to their relationship in the past. Because of this, she felt like she had the best cultural context for the matter and spoke up.
“They made these laws to protect us,” said the young American girl. “After our misunderstanding, I looked into it. Here in the USA, it used to be fine for someone like Benjamin to be married to girls our age. But that was a long time ago. People began to feel that a lot of girls were being taken advantage of. And it’s true, that was the case in a lot of situations. A lot of these men… they only wanted a little girl so they could…”
Alyssa trailed off and looked around the room. There were many wide-eyed expressions as every one of them has had The Talk before. However, Alicia was the biggest surprise.
“You mean so they could have sex?”
Everyone else turned red.
“Uhm… Alicia?” asked Nanoha. “How do you know about that?”
Fate blushed as well. “It’s… embarrassing.”
Alicia nodded as well. “It kinda is, but not for me. Mo- Precia was never married. Some nights she would go out and come home with a man, all smelly from too much alcohol. They’d make all kinds of noises in her room, so I got curious one night and sneaked inside. It was pretty easy because they were making way too much noise to notice me. It looked pretty scary at first, but then I saw that Precia actually liked it. She liked it a whole lot. She even kept saying more more more! So I asked her about it the next day and she told me about sex and how I was made.”
All eyes then turned to Fate for confirmation.
“It’s… true,” said the ruby-eyed girl. “I’ve… known about it for a long time. She was… very open with me… with us. She told us everything about it, but said we should wait a while longer. That it could be bad for us because we’re still growing.”
Alicia grinned. “Not that it kept us from trying a few things when no one was around! And I know for sure Big Sis and Nanoha have been having fun together~!”
“Aliciaaaaaaaa!” cried out both Nanoha and Fate together, suddenly having a strong desire to find someplace to hide and never come out again.
Fran was blushing, too, but had a thoughtful look on her face. So did Suzuka, but without the blush. She simply looked at her friend, Alyssa, with that thoughtful expression. Alyssa, though, had gaped in shock, scandalized at what her friends had been doing behind their backs.
Hayate blushed as well. “I’ve known for a while myself.”
“You have!?” Alyssa in surprise. “How!?”
“Well, I spent a lot of time around doctors and nurses because I’m an orphan. I had no family at all to care for me. Even the house I lived in was in a medical campus for people who needed constant care like I did.
“This meant that sometimes I’d hear them joking about… things… when they thought I couldn’t hear me. So, I eventually asked about it. One of my nurses was a very nice woman, so she explained everything to me… thing is, though, is that she gave me a complete lesson using medical textbooks and medical terminology about sex and reproduction.”
Everyone gawked at Hayate, except for Sasami. She simply raised an eyebrow, much how Benjamin would.
“I cannot imagine how weird that was,” said Alyssa.
Hayate laughed hysterically. “I know, right! What was even worse was after that, I managed to find a computer with an unfiltered connection to the Internet. Now that was an eye opener! I never realized that making a baby could be so much fun.”
“OH MY GOD, YOU’RE AN ERO-GIRL!?” cried out Alyssa in horror.
“Well,” said Fran thoughtfully. “That explains why you’re so grabby in your sleep.”
Hayate chuckled sheepishly. “Eh-heh. Sorry?”
Sasami, though, felt they were drifting off-topic. She had things to explain to her friends, and sharing your life with a Goddess gave one an interesting perspective on things. And this was on top of living on such a liberal world as Jyurai.
“Getting back to Benjamin,” said the blue-haired girl, “It’s alright with me because it happens a lot back in my home. Even the common people who are not bonded to Royal Trees tend to live at least three hundred years. With lives that long, even the age gap between Benjamin and Nanoha would not seem strange at all. That said though… we’re really no different from the humans here on Earth in that we have a limited amount of ova cells, so we still run out after about three decades. Four if you’re lucky. And because of that, a lot of us girls on Jyurai want to start as early as possible.”
“But can’t you extend that with advanced medicine?” asked Fate.
“We can,” admitted Sasami. “But the human body doesn’t work well that way. The process in which these cells either mature into ova or decay helps regulate our hormones. If we tamper with that, we can develop all kinds of issues, like hormonally related cancers that are resistant to treatment.”
“How do you know all of this?” asked Suzuka.
Sasami gave a somewhat sad smile. “Because part of me is the Mother of Trees on Jyurai - Tsunami no Ki. I… know a few things a girl my age shouldn’t know.”
There was a beat of silence as everyone took that in.
“So waitaminit,” said Alyssa all the sudden. “You mean you’re a Goddess?”
“Not quite,” said Sasami. “I’m technically known as a ‘Choushin’. We’re very close to being Gods, but not actually. But it’s close enough that normal people can’t really discern the difference without being told. And even then, some people will believe what they want to believe. This is part of why Tsunami gave her power to the people of Jyurai. They understood her when she told them she is not a God, and they have respected that wish of hers. She is a great power, yes. But not something you’d venerate like a God.
“It’s also why we have so much trouble with the people of planet Airai. They’re a theocracy that wants to worship Tsunami, but my people do not permit them to do so because we know she’s not actually a God. We also know that if we allow them to make pilgrimages into our territory, they’ll start converting our people to their religion, and then we’ll lose Tsunami’s support. The Airaians have made several wars on my people because of that. But thanks to Tsunami’s power, they’re always repelled from our territory with minimal loss of life.”
“Still,” said Alyssa. “That has to SUCK.”
Sasami sighed. “It does, but we’re off-topic. Again. Getting back to where I left off… Like I was saying before, because of our limited time of fertility, some of us prefer to start as early as possible because if we’re not careful, we can quickly run out of chances to have children. Big Sister was supposed to be married when she was fourteen, but things kept happening.”
“What happened?” asked Suzuka.
“The Prince kept finding reasons to be away from home, but he eventually left chasing after a space pirate and didn’t come home after that.”
“Wasn’t that your big brother, Prince Yosho, though?” asked Alyssa.
“Yes,” said Sasami, knowing what would come next.
“WHAT!?” cried out Alyssa. “BUT… Your brother!? And your sister!?”
Sasami, though, shrugged nonchalantly. “Our mother and Yosho’s mother were very close. They wanted the family to stay together.”
“Huh?” said Alyssa in confusion. “Two mothers?”
Sassami nodded and Fate jumped in at this point. “It’s the reason why we decided to have Ben with us, together. Princess Aeka told us about it when were having trouble deciding which one of us should be officially married. Polyandry is common where Sasami is from because there’s always more women than men there. And though it’s not really common on Midchilda, it is allowed there as well.”
“But still,” cried out Alyssa, “your brother!?”
“It’s allowed on Jyurai,” said Sasami. “But mainly because it doesn’t happen often enough to be an issue. Most families grow up very close together so all the children recognize each other as siblings. But sometimes someone is born after the oldest siblings have already left to lead their own lives… and because they grow up apart from each other, they never really see each other like siblings, even though they know about it. So sometimes? Sometimes they fall in love with each other. There’s not a lot you can do about that, and on Jyurai, we believe people should be free to do as they like, so long as they aren’t hurting anyone. All of our laws center around that concept, and there’s a lot of ideas that never become laws because they violate that concept. And it’s a “sometimes” out of a “sometimes”. That’s not really a lot of “sometimes” if you stop and think about it, so like I said before, it doesn’t happen often enough to be an issue.”
There was a beat of silence before Hayate said, “Well, If brothers marrying sisters over there is okay, then I guess this thing with Nanoha, Fate, and Benjamin would be considered absolutely normal by comparison.”
Suzuka then smiled and said, “I think I’d like to visit someday. It sounds like fun.”
“Of course you would,” said Alyssa wryly.
“You didn’t complain,” said Suzuka placidly, instantly piquing everyone’s interest.
“Please don’t,” said Alyssa. “Not here.”
“Here is fine,” countered Suzuka. “They’re our friends and given what we’re talking about, that’d be like the pot calling the kettle black.”
Everyone seemed to lean closer to the pair with intent stares and straining ears.
Alyssa sighed. “Remember when my Mom was here and she said it was fun to kiss another girl? And Suzuka said she wouldn’t mind? Well, Suzuka and I tried it and…”
Suzuka reached out, took Alyssa’s hand in hers, and said, “We’re a lot closer now than we were before.”
There was an outpouring of exclamations, but these were all in the positive tone as the friends all drew closer together to congratulate the two and give them both hugs. Suzuka accepted the well wishes with grace, while Alyssa felt bashful about it. Nonetheless, the little American girl felt heartened by her friends’ acceptance.
“But… yeah,” said Alyssa once everything died down. “It’s why I made that wish with Kyubey.” Right away, that brought sobriety crashing back down on the group. “Hey! It wasn’t like I knew he was one of the Bad Guys at the time.”
The others then murmured to each other, and came to a quick consensus. No, Alyssa couldn’t be blamed. Not at all.
“Anyhow,” continued Alyssa, “Suzuka and I were already talking about it… how she’s gonna live a lot longer than I am. She’d offered to turn me- No, sorry, she calls it The Embrace. She’s offered to give me The Embrace when we’re old enough. But… I don’t know about that. It’s… it just feels like a big deal to suddenly give up being human. I wouldn’t have been able to go out in the sun for a long, long time. The only reason why Suzuka can is because her parents are both very powerful, and she got a good share of that power from them because she was born as a vampire.
“So, when Kyubey showed up, it was like exactly what I wanted. I could have all the power I needed right away. Enough power that I can be with everyone. That I can face the same dangers as you do. I can finally stand by your sides, no matter what happens. So I wished that I could always be together with the people I love.”
Alyssa’s expression then brightened. “And that’s why I can do THIS now!”
Just then, two portals rimmed with green magical energy appeared. One was at Alyssa’s side, and the other was in the middle of the coffee table. Alyssa then stuck her arm through the portal at her side and it came up through the portal in the coffee table.
“See!” said Alyssa proudly. “Kyubey said all Puella Magi have a special magical talent that sets them apart from each other. And this is mine! I call it The ACME Instant Hole — just like the ones from the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote cartoons — and I can make one anywhere I want, even in places I can’t see.”
“But how?” asked Nanoha. “Even Shirai-san has trouble doing blind teleports. She has to know exactly where she’s going, first.”
“That’s the amazing part! My ability let’s me… Well, I guess you can say that I can ‘feel’ around the area I want to put the other end of the hole. I can even tell if the conditions are safe on the other side, so I’m not opening it up into a lava pit or anything like that. I can go anywhere so I can be with anyone whenever I want. Distance and time will never stop me from being with my friends!”
“But what about Suzuka living longer than you?” asked Fate.
Alyssa smiled. “That was part of the reason why I made the wish. As a Puella Magi, I can heal my body perfectly. That means I can even undo aging, so I can practically live forever!”
“Wow,” said Nanoha. Her face then took on a thoughtful cast. “But… what about the rest of us?”
“It will be something we will need to face in due time,” said Suzuka. “This is something that my parents and sister have always warned me about. I will always outlive everyone who chooses not to accept my Embrace. So I will always need to be careful about the people I choose as friends.” She then smiled wryly and said, “Of course, Nanoha being Nanoha, I didn’t have much choice in the matter.”
That got a much needed round of laughter. Nanoha herself gave a nervous chuckle as she rubbed the back of her head.
“I guess I kinda was forceful, wasn’t I?”
“It’s alright, Nanoha,” said Fate consolingly. “If not for you… I do not know what would have happened to me. But I don’t think that I would have lived for much longer. You not only became my friend. You saved me. You picked me up and carried me. And you always remind me that I am someone who deserves love.”
“And that brings us back to Benjamin,” said Suzuka, and just like that a slight feeling of depression settled on the group like an overcast sky of iron-gray clouds.
“What can we do?” asked Fran. “The laws here are very strict in this matter. You can’t even pretend to be in love with him because some people are nasty enough to report it to the authorities. Even if they know it’s pretend, they’ll do it because they like to use the law to hurt people.”
“And that is part of why Benjamin is so afraid,” said Sasami. “Even being close with us is dangerous for him.”
“So why did he stop us earlier?” asked Nanoha. “If the Ultimate Force System is that powerful, then wouldn’t it make it okay somehow?”
Sasami shook her head. “I watched the anime so I could see what kind of people the Megami are. The thing about the Ultimate Force… when it comes to keeping people together like that, it will do just enough and nothing more. Keiichi and Belldandy had a lot of trouble finding a place to live because of it. While Keiichi’s wish kept them together, it said nothing about their living conditions. They did eventually find a place, but it was a close thing. They almost had to sleep in the streets, and Keiichi actually caught a cold because he had to ride his motorcycle in the rain. He gave his coat to Belldandy, who was riding in his sidecar.”
“I see,” said Suzuka thoughtfully. “So even if it was okay by the Ultimate Force, it doesn’t mean that there wouldn’t be troubles. Something really bad could still happen. Most wedding vows are until death, so while it’s likely that Ultimate Force could do things to keep Ben and Nanoha together… how long that time may last, though, could be very short if Death intercedes.”
Nanoha felt the blood drain from her face. “No! Anything but that!” she cried out.
“It’s okay, Nanoha,” said Fate as she wrapped her arms around her closest friend. Fate now understood very well about her friend’s fears and insecurities. She knew right away that Nanoha needed to be reassured. “Benjamin knew better. He was very wise to stop it before anything could happen. He is always thinking of us.”
Nanoha felt herself melt. The very idea of something happening to Benjamin like that made her tense up so much that her relaxation in Fate’s embrace was noticeable, even to her.
“He always is, isn’t he?” said Nanoha, her voice muffled under Fate’s shoulder. “He always gives me more and more reasons to love him. And I already don’t want to live without him… or you.”
“You will never be rid of me,” said Fate, who then grinned somewhat mischievously and added a quiet, yet theatrical villainous laugh. “Mua-ha-ha-ha.”
Once again, a round of giggles rippled through the group of girls - it was well understood that Fate was not really a villain, but she still stuck to her black barrier jacket, saying that nothing else would suit her quite as well. Hence, everyone made gentle humor out of Fate never actually having given up the villain’s role.
(The Galaxy Fraulein Yuna cosplay they sprung on Benjamin once came really close, though. However, Benjamin had somewhat spoiled that, but for good reason. The costume had extremely little coverage of her nether regions, and Benjamin knew that could only lead to trouble as it was just one accident away from becoming horribly ecchi. He would only give the cosplay a pass if Fate wore spats under it. What Ben didn’t say was that in a few years, the girl would be able to bring rush hour traffic to an utter standstill in that costume, spats or none. She was already eye-catching in it with her natural beauty and innocent smile.)
While the moment was sweet, though, Hayate sensed a need to move things along, so she took the floor next.
“So I guess it’s safe to say that it’s a good thing that Ben stopped things when he did. But something about that still bothers me. That Goddess, Belldandy? I get the feeling that she’s not someone that panics easily. Is what happened here really that bad?”
Sasami nodded. “It is. Belldandy should have been the one to stop things. And she would have done it in a calm and demure manner. Letting it go on like that was very unlike her, and she knows it. That’s probably why she’s scared right now.”
Everyone mulled that over for a moment before Suzuka spoke next.
“I believe I’m starting to see why everyone is so afraid. Belldandy-sama is a Goddess. What’s more, she is a First-Class Goddess. Nothing should be able to control or influence her will that easily. And yet, here we are.”
“Jesus,” said Alyssa fervently. “You’re right. That is scary!”
“But what can we do about it?” asked Hayate. “If even a Goddess is being manipulated…”
There was a moment of silence at that.
“We remain vigilant,” said Sasami at last. “Fate. Nanoha. I have no doubt in my heart about your feelings for Benjamin. But, as we’ve all concluded, something about this situation isn’t right. I do want you three to be together. But for now, we must be absolutely careful. I would like to suggest that we always have one other person around when you’re together with Benjamin. This will keep other people from being able to accuse him too easily. And we can keep watch for any unusual events that could cause problems for you three.”
“Agreed,” stated Suzuka. “There is safety in numbers.”
“I’m up for it,” said Alyssa. “As long as you two don’t mind.”
Nanoha shook her head. “No, it’s fine. You’re our friends, and Fate and I know you won’t say or do anything to hurt us.”
“Okay,” said Hayate. “We can work out the details later. But right now, I think we should be doing what Benjamin said and take this time to relax.”
There was a round of agreements at that. Thus, they went straight to work, fixing snacks and setting up some games to play.
“You’ve been through a lot lately,” said Washu as she waved the scanner of a medical tricorder over Benjamin. One might think that the great Washu Hakubi would disdain Federation technology of the 24th Century, but she actually found the medical tricorder to be a handy device, capable of performing all kinds of medical diagnostics in the most adverse conditions imaginable.
As for how she got it? She wasn’t telling.
“Hah,” said Ben, in a humorless laugh. “What was your first clue?”
Washu gave Ben the stink-eye. “I’m trying to be empathetic here.”
Ben deflated as he sighed. “I know. Sorry. You don’t deserve that.“
“Neither do you, really,” replied Washu gently.
“I keep hearing that,” said Ben tiredly, “but it doesn’t seem to change much.”
“Things have been changing” said Washu as she stored the scanner back in its receptacle on the tricorder and snapped it shut. “Quite a lot, in fact. Your physical health is better than it’s ever been. And on that topic, you need to start eating more. Right this instant, actually. You’re already starting to metabolize your fat stores.”
Ben nodded. “Right. Self care. Got it.”
“Nothing big for now,” continued Washu. “Just snack on something and take a nap. You had a really bad scare today, and that’s on top of everything else you’ve been through.”
“Should I really be sleeping at a time like this?” asked Ben.
“YES!” snapped Washu, though more out of concern than anger. She then pleaded with him, saying, “Benjamin, you just had a near-death experience. You can’t just walk it off. And if you keep on persisting, then I have Lord Phantomhive on speed dial. He will have Sebastian strap you to your bed if he has to.”
“Alright, alright,” said Ben, relenting. “I’ll get a nap. Just… could you please wake me? You know how I get once I hit REM sleep.”
“I will,” answered Washu comfortingly. “I promise.”
“Thanks.”
She then turned to leave, but then paused as something occurred to her. She then turned back to Ben.
“You know, you could probably use an assistant. I can’t keep doing this all the time.”
Ben mulled that over for a second before answering. “I suppose you’re right. But who would I have as an assistant? Not Kaname. Teletha is right out.”
Washu nearly winced at that. Teletha was right out for a lot of things that had her directly interacting with Benjamin - nearly two months since The Incident and he was still upset with her. But more than that, Washu had been ashamed of herself.
As were the others.
Benjamin’s scathing indictment that they stood by and did nothing to help him was an uncomfortable truth. The reasons varied, for certain. But the point was that he was absolutely right. Even as Benjamin grew more and more visibly agitated and stressed. He had been dropping all kinds of hints, and was yet still ignored.
Washu had no idea why they had let it get that far. It was not like them. Or at least, not like her. Or Noike, for that matter. She would have put a quick end to the situation, but for reasons beyond the woman’s reckoning, she never saw the need for it.
And now there had been this situation with Nanoha and the Goblin King.
Very strange, this, she thought to herself. It was like someone was manipulating them. Just like how Mii, Ami, and Rob had been manipulated. And that raised an even more troubling question: what if it was the same case with Benjamin, Nanoha, and Fate?
That was worrying. Rob did not have Benjamin’s foibles. He didn’t suffer greatly from severing that connection between himself, Ami, and Mii. But Benjamin was… Well, there was no easy way to say it: Benjamin was fragile, but for good reason. And despite their age, this unwavering love they were giving the man was exactly what he needed in the aftermath of what Teletha had done to him. Washu didn’t even want to consider the possibility because of what it might do to Benjamin. His psyche was already brutalized. Any more might send him careening over the edge.
But just now? It was clear that someone or something was pulling their strings. However, Benjamin had not been fooled this time. He caught it in the act and brought things to a screeching halt before something very hard to undo could happen.
Very, very curious, that. Could it be that the manipulation was magical in nature, and thus Ben’s antimagic ability thwarted it?
In the meantime, Ben continued, unaware of Washu’s musings.
“Noike has the skills, but that’d be a gross misuse of her talents. And she’s already spending a lot of time with Teletha working out scenarios. Tenchi has neither the skill nor experience.”
“You may be approaching this the wrong way,” said Washu, setting aside her previous train of thought. “An artificial assistant would probably suffice.”
“What, like an Intelligent Device?” asked Ben, catching on to what she was getting at. “But it wouldn’t work with my AMF.”
“Who says that it has to be magitech?” replied Washu breezily. “It can still be based on the same concepts and ideas as Midchildan devices, but made with my technology.”
“Okay, there is that,” admitted Benjamin. “But anyhow… yeah. Food, then sleep. We can talk more about this later.”
“There is one other thing we need to do tonight after we make our plans,” said Washu.
Ben raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”
“We need to get you properly trained in the weaponized uses of your antimatter organ.”
“Won’t that take a while?” asked Ben.
“Not really. We’ll do the hard part the same way we did your language packs. And while we’re at it, we’ll implant some combat skills as well. Your abilities with a firearm are good, but that’s not going to cut it with adversaries like the Wolkenritter. Fortunately, though, you now have the physical strength to face them on even footing.”
Ben nodded. “Alright then. You have no argument from me.”
Two hours later, Benjamin was awake and feeling a bit better. He was definitely still bothered by the events that had transpired earlier, but that was something that had to wait for the time being.
They had a mission to plan out.