Chapter Text
The Mountain
Alexander Garibaldi is a down to earth man, who claims that he is content with the simple things in life. He is a dedicated family man, he was a dedicated soldier who rose through the ranks through hard work, dedication to the belief that he was protecting his family, and he is the first to rise up when called upon to save the world from whatever threat rises up. But, when he is off duty, he is a surprisingly lazy individual, who enjoys playing video games with his daughters, working on his small collection of classic cars, and manning his custom built grill and smoker set up in his massive backyard, complete with a gorgeous pool that surpasses any that would be found in the most exclusive of resorts.
He is still loved deeply by his first wife, the two of them going in separate directions in their careers, yet she is always welcomed home by both himself and his second wife, who also adores the beautiful Usagimimi. All three of the daughters he has raised adore him, and proudly call themselves Daddy's girls. He is honest and respectful to his parents and sole remaining grandmother, and his expansive property back home in Georgia even includes a home for his parents, while his grandmother still lives in Hope County, Montana, the still spry and witty woman who raised him as his parents both changed the world now involved with the county sheriff.
They were in Paris, his wife insisting on visiting with the Delacours at their chateau near Saint-Selon, when Earl Whitehorse called him out of the blue, to inform him that John Seed made a critical error in judgment. He threatened his grandmother, who still owns and operates the family orchards his mother grew up roaming with her own friends. That it would be in her best interests to sell the orchards that have been in the family since the Bennetts settled in Hope County during the settling of the Whitetail Mountain area, or else something bad would happen to her or the orchards.
No one threatens Granny Bennett. Especially not a skinny little Minimal with a subservience fetish. He left his family in France, Allison and Appoline excitedly making plans to drain both his and Sebastian’s bank accounts dry with an extended shopping trip to Paris, while Izzy, Nat, Lexi, and Gabrielle Delacour drooled over the recently publicly released specifications for the Nervegear, Gabrielle already begging her father to let her travel to Japan to attend the launch of the recently announced Sword Art Online. Sebastian apparated him directly to the French Ministry of Magic, where his sister in law Jeanne Arc was already waiting for him with the international portkey set for the states, and within two hours of getting the call from the same Sheriff that once put up with his, David's, and Carol’s shit all through his childhood and wild adolescent years, Alexander Garibaldi was back in New York, and heading straight for Montana in a borrowed government vehicle, Carol in the passenger seat, and both of them enraged at the fact that someone had the brass balls to threaten Granny.
A single phone call to a high ranking officer at the Pentagon that still owed him a huge favor, and they were met at the county line by the entirety of his Demon Slayers, all of whom were dressed in civilian clothes and carrying very questionable, supposedly civilian versions of their normal load outs and equipment. He sent Jessie in to pose as a deputy to gather information, while his troops began evacuating the civilians as quietly as possible. But when the Mundane Federal Marshall showed up throwing his weight around and with an arrest warrant in hand, he knew the moment the cuffs were put on Joseph Seed's wrists, all hell would break loose, and he was more than prepared to still provide a heavily armed escort once they returned to town, while also preparing for the worst case scenario.
He didn't hesitate to flood the entire county with his troops the second he learned Jessie and the Sheriff were missing after the helicopter carrying them and Joseph crash landed, with orders to capture if possible, but to pacify any and all hostile resistance while rescuing Jessie, the Sheriff, and his remaining surviving deputies. That the lives of his men and the residents of Hope County are much more valuable than those of the fanatics that Joseph Seed has gathered to him.
He set up his headquarters at the Hope County jail, his men fortifying the solid concrete walls and heavy steel doors, and defending their base with extreme prejudice towards the Peggies.
His orders changed after they captured John’s bunker, and found out Joseph's overall plans. At that point, he ordered the complete and total pacification of the enemy forces, along with the capture and complete destruction of their sophisticated computer network hidden within their various bunkers. He couldn't wait for the green light from the Pentagon, the White House, or MACUSA, there simply wasn't enough time, and he personally led his troops as they swept through the entirety of Hope County with extreme prejudice.
His entire family, both those of his blood as well as those he has bled beside on one battlefield or another were all in danger, and he would stop at nothing to keep them all alive.
He was unintentionally echoing his own father's actions when he was swept up into the Macross Incident while consulting on several new medical breakthroughs for the government, and it's own destiny altering conclusion. He was still in the States at the time, being kept on reserve in case the entire situation took a turn for the worse, while keeping his worried mother distracted with her granddaughter. He was still just a Lieutenant at the time, Biggs and Wedge his two dedicated Sergeants, and his squad being trained in the new technology being developed while a war being conducted in space itself was being fought.
He was fighting to save the world from a madman, while still getting to know his newest daughter through phone calls made in quiet moments between patrols and combat actions. Through thousands upon thousands of texts, pictures, and gifs sent between them as Ruby firmly claimed a place in his huge heart alongside her sisters and both of the women he has shared his life with. And in the end, he stood over a smirking, still confident Joseph Seed, who was confident that he was going to be brought to the justice of men, and tried in a court of law. He was ignoring the fact that he and his men, along with a few tagalongs, had already dealt with his siblings, and in terminal, unforgettable manners.
It was Roy Hunter, who tagged along with his sister Christina, a Combat Witch under his command, who shot down a fleeing John Seed in one of his own planes. And he turned his back as a furious Jessie borrowed his own Bowie knife and used it to kill a screaming, begging John, the words Witch of Wrath still carved into her skin and rage in her brightly glowing eyes.
It was Carol who fought a titanic magical duel against Faith, who overdosed herself on Bliss to increase her average magical abilities to impressive, nearly superhuman levels. The Usagimimi War Witch and the desperate Potions prodigy showed one another no quarter, and the sheer amount of magical power they used destroyed a significant part of the mountain where Joseph's statue sat, as well as the statue itself. And in the end, it was a bloody but triumphant Carol who stood beside him as she raised her wand towards the remains of a madman's statue and finished collapsing it onto a broken, dying Faith, both finishing her once and for all, while also completely destroying the main satellite uplink he was using to bring about the end of the world, while his magical troops methodically tracked down and destroyed every single last one of the magically altered white flowers needed to produce the highly addictive and horrifically destructive Bliss.
May Zedong entered the Whitetail Mountains alone, her heavily modified M82 on her shoulder. She is his best marksman, who grew up in an area similar to this in her own native Washington State, and she was after Jacob Seed personally. He was an insult to her calling, using his skills to subjugate and assassinate those he was once sworn to protect, while dishonoring the uniform he still wore. She hunted him relentlessly, harassed him while skillfully eliminating those under his command one perfectly aimed bullet at a time, and their final encounter late one night, Jacob believing he was secure on the high ground of a ridge, proved to be his undoing when May’s bullet ripped through the back of his skull, while he aimed at a cleverly prepared decoy.
Joseph ignored all these facts as he sat confidently despite Alex’s shotgun pressed to his temple. His smile faded as Biggs reported that the last of the computers were destroyed, and the nuclear annihilation of the entire planet was averted. It was replaced by a scowl while Alex’s finger tightened on the trigger, both men still committed to their courses of action.
“You will never destroy what I created here.” Joseph declares firmly, conviction clear in his voice. “There will always be someone else who will carry on my work.”
“Men like you come and go.” Alex retorts calmly, his gaze never wavering. “And as long as your kind are ah threat to mah whole family, I will never back down to madmen or monsters like you.”
A trigger is pulled, a threat to the entire world is eliminated, and the Mountain walks away, his extended family arrayed behind him and following him as he leads them away from their latest hell. None of them will ever speak of the fact that they barely stopped yet another apocalypse from occurring. Not a single one of them will ever expect to be applauded or celebrated, or their achievements here in rural Montana to ever be acknowledged. They came and performed their sworn duties to protect their country and kin from evil, and the Demon Slayers returned to base without fanfare, while he returned to his family, his newest daughter on a video call with him, and greeting her sisters joyfully as her younger twin siblings sit on her lap and wave as they smile innocent smiles.
The Mountain, one of his two Queens, and their three daughters, for they have claimed Keiko as their own, emerge from the teleport gate in Urbus. He stands tall, his eyes roaming the crowds still present and talking among their own groups and friends, always alert for any kind of danger. He smiles softly as he spots a familiar head of chocolate brown hair, his eyes growing wide when he spots the nearly equally tall girl next to his oldest, a brilliant smile on her face as she chats excitedly with a white haired girl with clear, sky blue eyes nearly the same color as a Montana sky. He watches as Natalie turns the girl gently, his long missed daughter gasping as her hands cover her mouth, tears forming in her gorgeous quicksilver eyes.
“Daddy?!”
That is the single title he is most proud of. The one that keeps him moving forward without hesitation. That keeps him in the fight long after others would have withdrawn. The word failure isn't in his vocabulary, not because of foolish pride, but because if he fails, that will put his family in danger, something he will never allow. His code of honor, his pride in his family, and his never ending quest to bring justice onto the guilty will never let him back down from any challenge he faces.
Death Before Dishonor. That Is The Way Of The Just.
He doesn't need to say a word in response. He simply opens his arms to her, and he doesn't move an inch as Ruby Michelle Rose crashes into him while screaming in her joy. His arms close around her as he holds her tightly, Ruby crying tears of joy as she finally meets her father face to face, and is held in his strong arms.
“You made it.” Ruby whispers as she finally looks up at her father, a brilliant smile on her face.
“Told ya ah would.” He replies with a smile of his own. “Little thing like ah death game ain't about ta slow me down, pup.”
“I know, Daddy. I love you.”
“I love you too, pup. I'm here, and we're going to get the hell outta here together.”
“I know.”
He is The Mountain, and now that his missing nieces have been found, and he's found his final missing daughter, he can buckle down and focus on the mission to clear Sword Art Online. But he is not a fool. People are going to die no matter how hard he works to protect them, but he is determined to protect those he claims as his, including his Queen, his daughters and his growing family…
/\/\/\/\
The Witch of Wrath
The words Witch of Wrath are still carved into her chest, and she bears the scars like a badge of honor, as proof that she is committed to the cause of protecting the world from the evils that rise up to threaten it. True to Ambassador Ozpin's prediction, she has set up a guard rotation composed of some of his most vicious, most loyal troops, who stand vigilant with weapons close at hand and the promise of a fate worse than death in their eyes were anyone to threaten those under their protection. She too starred as Lady Life, Lady Death, and Lord War passed by, standing perfectly at attention, her salute just as perfect, and she doesn't relax back into parade rest or allow those under her command to do so either until they are long past. She was born magical, to a magical father and a mundane mother, and despite her slender figure, her beautiful features, and her still nurtured talent for acting and singing, she is herself a magical powerhouse who has long proven her worth on one battlefield after another, and who was recently reforged while undergoing her own trial by fire, proving herself worthy of becoming a legend in her own right in the mountains of Montana.
She is Lieutenant Jessica Rasberry, a fully trained combat mage assigned to the 82nd Rapid Response division based out of Ft. Moore, Georgia, and she is now the Family's most loyal and most faithful guardian as they sleep. She is currently flanked by her longtime fellow teammates in Biggs Darklighter and Wedge Antilles, the three of them spelling out the rest of Alpha squad while they take a break and grab some chow, the three of them standing firm against any and all who would dare to threaten all those under their protection.
But even she isn't crazy enough to risk fighting Lord Strife, who is standing with his hands in the pockets of his red leather jacket, while looking down at the girl laying still in one of the beds in the ward they now guard zealously. She is the Boss' long missing daughter, who he spoke with constantly while they fought in Montana, and she isn't the only one, Isabella likewise flanked by a gorgeous woman dressed like she's about to attend a rave, her clothes an eclectic mishmash that actually make her eyes hurt from all the wild, clashing colors and styles, to the point that she swears that they are about to start bleeding, and she's met Albus Dumbledore, and seen his insanely colorful robes personally when he came for a brief visit to Salem Academy of Witchcraft, where she learned the basics of magic before transferring to the Citadel's Magical Combat Academy to finish her magical education.
‡For the love of the Creators themselves, Chaos! Can't you tone your clothes down a little bit?!‡ Strife grumbles as he too tries to avoid looking at the last of the actual Horsemen of the End Times. ‡Even my eyes are begging for mercy!‡
Chaos smirks as she flips him a middle finger, her fingernail currently a neon green so bright it almost seems to be glowing. §Fuck off, Strife. If you don't like my style, don't look!§
“What style? You look like a dozen unicorns puked on you at the same time, after trading clothes with a drunk hobo and a rave kid that’s three sizes smaller than you.” Biggs grumbles as he struggles to keep his eyes averted, his hands resting on the grips of his automatic pistols.
§Oi! Nobody asked for your opinion, beanpole!§ Chaos retorts while glaring at him, Strife actually laughing. §And I’ll have you know this is all the rage in the clubs in Europe right now!§
“What? Looking like a colorblind teenager who got dressed in a dark room, and they grabbed their younger sister's clothes instead of their own?” Jessie retorts with a smirk, Chaos actually covering her chest over her metaphoric heart while gasping in mock indignation, Strife now roaring in his continuing laughter. “I never thought I would say this, but you have Dumbledore beat when it comes to wearing horrifically colorful clothes that make a person's eyeballs want to bleed.”
§I… I’m not sure if I should be insulted or horrified that I'm being compared to Mr. My Robes Make People Regret Having Color Vision§ Chaos admits before snapping her fingers, now wearing a still colorful, but greatly toned down summer dress that suits her curvy, fit figure. §And he wears them to distract anyone stupid enough to duel him§
To her surprise, Lord Strife looks directly at her, a single eyebrow raised as he smirks. ‡You’ve been put through the ringer recently, haven't you?‡ He asks as the glow surrounding Ruby dies down slowly, the immortal Rider now moving towards her. He stops in front of her, and she looks back at him with no fear whatsoever in her heart or soul. ‡It changed you, but never broke you, and you embraced your new strength when you were reforged, didn't you, Witch of Wrath?‡ He comments next, Chaos moving next to him and looking at her curiously.‡The Boss is interested in you after what you did in Montana, kid‡
§It suits you now that you’ve grown as both a witch and a soldier§ The last of the Riders comments next, her head tilted to one side, her dark red hair hanging freely. §Given more time and some more training, you could become quite powerful and as unique as we are. And I’ve been needing a new apprentice§
Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge all blink in their surprise, Jessie actually pointing at herself. “Me? Why me?”
Chaos smiles brightly as she uses her thumb to point to herself. §I’m not like the others. I wasn't originally an Endless. I was ascended as a reward for aiding Lady Death's daughter when she was dealing with some issues that needed Infinity’s personal attention§ Pausing, she grins brightly. §I was a Wixen like you, a Black to be specific, long before they actually were Blacks§
Strife nods as he reaches up and messes up Chaos' already messy hair, making her squeal as she tries to slap his hand away. ‡She was a nasty piece of work when the Boss' daughter discovered her. She was standing butt naked in the middle of a battlefield, a battle staff in one hand, a whip covered in broken pieces of swords in the other, and pissed that they all died too quickly‡
§I wasn't naked!§ Chaos protests, a scowl on her face. §You just couldn't see what little I was wearing because of all the blood§
“Ummm, how is that any better?” Wedge asks curiously, Chaos turning to look at him.
§To be honest with you big guy, it really isn't. It took Infinity forever to scrub me clean in a nearby river, and I just tagged along with her after we found what was left of my clothes and armor§ Chaos looks thoughtful for a moment, a soft smile on her face as she taps her chin with a single finger, the color of her nail changing constantly. §I didn't even notice I stopped aging after a while, and before I knew it, I was meeting Infinity’s mom, who took me on as the Fourth Rider§
Strife nods as he looks at Chaos fondly. ‡She grew on the Boss's daughter while they traveled together, and she still lives with her and Fate when we aren't out doing our own thing‡ He adds, Chaos grinning brightly while nodding. ‡Just do us a favor, and don't bring Infinity up if the Boss is around? They aren't very happy with each other at the moment‡
“It must be something serious if Lady Infinity isn't talking to Lady Death.” Jessie muses aloud.
‡It’s nothing we can talk about right now‡ Strife declares firmly as he glances at Chaos, who mimics zipping her mouth shut, before looking back at the trio standing before the two Endless. ‡Your job is easy. Protect our two chosen, while they do us a solid inside Sword Art Online. Make sure nobody gets past you and your troops, and we’ll make sure it's worth your while‡
§And keep my offer in mind, Witch of Wrath§ Chaos adds as the two of them vanish into thin air, as if they were never in the room. §A talent like yours is rare, and I would love to teach you§
The three of them look at one another, before Wedge chuckles as he shakes his head. “The Boss always did say you were meant for bigger things, Jessie.”
Biggs nods in agreement as he moves back to the door, leaning beside the frame while folding his arms across his chest. “The Boss Lady has been trying to get you into war mage training for a while now, ever since Montana, Jessie. Maybe you need to start considering it?”
“Maybe.” Jessie admits quietly as she returns to her seat, which is between the Boss and the Wife, her MP5 now on her lap as she rolls her wand gently between her slender fingers. “I’ll talk to my boyfriend about it later, when Bravo shows up to relieve us.”
Biggs goes silent as he stays beside the door, Wedge now sitting next to the sole window in the room, a rotary grenade launcher in his skilled hands, while Jessie remains quiet. She changed greatly during her trial by fire in Montana, and she figured out who and what she truly was. She embraced herself even as she fought for her life and the lives of others, while becoming far more than she ever expected to be in life.
They all freeze when they hear an odd sound that gets all their attention. Turning almost as one, they pause from raising their weapons, lowering them again at the sight of Isabella’s tiny girlfriend sitting next to her on the bed, her head lowered as her shoulders shake with her silent sobs. Jessie rises back up to her feet, and doesn't hesitate to wrap her arms around Athena Torchwick, who screams silently as she holds Isabella's hand in both of hers.
“I'm so sorry, Neo.” She whispers, the teenager’s lips moving as she silently begs her beloved girlfriend to wake up. And for Jessie, it is a stark reminder that despite growing stronger, she is still powerless against the workings of the Triumvirate and the Riders, who are obviously involved as well.
But in her need to comfort the teen, she finally makes a single mistake, and doesn't notice the second Nervegear sitting on the bed, or the second media player connected to Isabella's laptop. She finally releases Athena, and straightens back up while turning to ask Biggs how she got past him, when Athena suddenly and without warning puts the Nervegear on her head and mouths Link Start! She stiffens up for a brief moment, before falling limp beside Isabella, the two of them now appearing to be asleep while holding one another.
“Oh shit.” Jessie breathes out as she, Biggs, and Wedge stare in horror.
“The Boss Lady is going to kill us.” Wedge adds nervously.
“And she's not going to be nice while doing it.” Biggs finishes, the other two nodding.
“Forget your boss lady!” Roman’s voice declares as he is heard cracking his knuckles, pure fury in his eyes as he glares at them while standing in the still open doorway. “How in the actual fuck did my sister get past you three?!”
“Oh shit…” They whisper in unison, right before the first punch is thrown by a furious Roman Torchwick, catching Biggs in the jaw. The brawl is short lived, and broken up by a furious Carolina Scarlatina, who is screaming at the four of them, not a single one of them looking contrite over the fight itself, while the three soldiers are unable to explain how Athena got past them, while Roman can't explain how his sister not only managed to sneak off while he was arguing with the receptionist downstairs when he knew he had a firm hold on her, but got her hands on an unused Nervegear and a copy of SAO, all of which were supposed to have been confiscated by now.
At least until Jessie admits that Strife and Chaos were just there, the veteran war mage facepalming as she groans while realizing just how the tiny terror who is dating one of her daughters, and who even she and her mates are intimidated by, succeeded. And her eyes widen as she looks at her beloved mates, who are laying beside one another while surrounded by their children, a plan forming in her mind involving liberating a few more Nervegears and copies of Sword Art Online, in order to send her mates more help on the inside, while she keeps searching for Kaiyba, to force him to bring all this to an end. Several of Alex's loyal soldiers are highly skilled in close quarters combat, and she knows of a particular trio of them in Alpha squad who are huge fans of swords, fantasy settings, and things of that nature, along with their martial artist squad mate and her medic best friend, and who would be perfect to send to her mates to render their own more than capable assistance.
An invisible Strife and Chaos fist bump, before actually teleporting away, their own plans now solidly in play. They kept the three veteran soldiers distracted while Athena got her Nervegear set up, knowing that their chosen would need the extra help inside Sword Art Online. Athena Torchwick is, despite her young age, a powerful and highly skilled martial artist, a nearly unbeatable close quarters combat specialist, and a highly talented swordswoman, as well as the only person who can actually keep Cinder on a leash when she's had enough, and decides to unleash chaos. And, Carolina Scarlatina caught their obvious hint that the way into Sword Art Online is still open, and they can both see it in her eyes that the wheels are turning rapidly as she considers all her options.
They are stacking the deck to the best of their own abilities, the two Endless now confident that Chao’s chosen, the future Maiden of Flames, will be able to succeed with her Silent Ballerina at her side, along with the additional assistance her beloved rabbit mom is now planning on sending in the form of the very best and the most dangerous of her mate’s forever loyal Demon Slayers, while the Witch of Wrath guards them all…
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The Kitsune-bi-jū no kōgō
She's heard a rumor that there's an actual katana hidden in the Town of Beginnings, and she has been searching for it diligently for weeks now, while both keeping up with her level gaining, and getting the hang of how combat works in the game. She's been pleasantly surprised at how close to real life the combat has been, to the point that she has only had to adjust to be able to utilize sword skills effectively. But, she also doesn't fully rely on them either, preferring to rely on her own skills. She has even begun to train the adorable blonde haired girl she met from France, the two of them able to converse easily in French thanks to that being her choice of foreign languages back in Mahotokoro. They are now traveling together, the girl's guardian dying within the first month, when the brash, arrogant man bit off more than he could chew in the form of a pack of shadow wolf mobs.
That seems so long ago now, almost as if it was a past life. She does miss her comfortable hoodies, skirts, and her custom made beanies that covered her fox ears, while she had to hide her tail from the Mundanes, many of whom never would have cared anyway. They know that Biju like her exist, and only the tourists would have gotten excited at seeing a real kitsune. Granted, even the locals would have looked twice if they saw her beside Gabbie, the young Veela definitely standing out in Tengu dominated Japan. And thanks to her patient efforts, Gabbie has begun to improve in combat, the young Veela taking to polearms and spears easily.
But she would really like a katana now. Please and thank you very much.
But just like Gabrielle Delacour, Hiyori Kashiwazaka wasn't born in Japan. She was actually born in space, during the Super Dimensional Fortress Macross’ journey back to Earth, after the failed use of her fold drive to attempt to escape from the alien armada sent to reclaim the rebuilt vessel. Her mother was the youngest of the Kitsune-No-Mai's daughters, and a gifted technomancer. Her father was an American combat pilot training to pilot the new Veritech fighters being developed, and they met and fell in love during the rebuilding of the Macross, and married shortly before the incident began.
They were two of the lucky ones. She was already aboard the Macross in one of the many research labs, and he had been in the air with his squadron, fighting back to back with his best friend and their Lieutenant, the three of them all that was left of their squad.
Their only child was born as the Macross was in orbit around Mars, and she was one of the many evacuated off the ship before Grand Admiral Henry Gloval ordered the ship and her crew back out into space, where they fought the final battle alongside their new allies from the Lepton Kingdom of Alpha Cygni. Her father died months before, when the ship’s shields overloaded, destroying a significant portion of Montreal, Canada, while her mother was one of the many magicals to sacrifice their lives to help power up the planetary shield created with a blend of technomancy, actual magic, and alien technology that now protects the Earth from further alien invasions.
Benjamin and Shizuru Dixon sacrificed their lives to protect their infant daughter, and on clear, cloudless night, she likes to stare up at the night sky, before closing her eyes and holding her arms open to the heavens, her father's dog tags clenched tightly in her dominant hand. She will swear to her dying breath she can feel her mother's magic surrounding her for a brief moment, while the dog tags she will never part with heat up for a brief moment, and it never fails to leave her in tears despite the smile on her beautiful face.
Her parents are now memorialized on board the Macross, which has been permanently docked back on the island where it gained its legendary name, and she cannot leave Japan to go and pay her respects no thanks to the ICW, who she loathes and despises. To thank them for their sacrifice, saving the entire world in the process. She is still close friends with Christina Hunter, her mother being her Godmother, Lisa Hunter neé Hayes, the older woman once her babysitter as her parents performed their duties on board the Macross, along with her younger brother, Roy, and who made sure to keep in touch with her. She has a friendly rivalry with the daughter of her Godfather, Max Sterling; she and Dana are both addicted to playing the various souls type games available on a variety of different consoles. Dana was supposed to come to Japan to play SAO with her, but she got herself grounded at the last minute, the half Meltrandi teenager in possession of her mother's infamous temper and combat instincts, and her father's legendary hand/eye coordination. She is also extremely close with both her grandmothers, the Kitsune-No-Mai and her current wife, the Master Healer Florence Zimmerman, and among her large group of friends is Asuna Yuuki, along with Suguha Kirigaya, the two of them on Mahotokoro’s kendo team.
The Hunters, the Sterlings, and her grandmothers worked hard to make sure she was raised in a happy home, surrounded by love, and lacking for nothing while still teaching her about responsibility.
She really needs a katana. If she has to keep using this piece of garbage longsword much longer, she's going to scream. She misses her preferred choice of weapon, which she has been training to use from an early age, after witnessing a demonstration held by Ghira-sensei when she was a little girl for the former Moon Empress and her husband.
“How sure are you about this sword of yours, Lux?” Aigle asks as they walk side by side through the mostly empty streets, occasionally spotting a random player wandering aimlessly close by, their fear crippling them to the point that they have already surrendered, but are too much of cowards to end their existence themselves.
She will never surrender. Her parents never surrendered, they fought to their individual ends to protect their daughter, and she will never dishonor their sacrifices by simply laying down and waiting for Lady Death to come and claim her.
“I'm not as convinced anymore, Aigle.” She admits as they approach the Grand Square, which houses the Teleportation Square for the entire first floor. But as they approach it, they see that it is glowing brightly, the glow fading quickly as a very confused looking girl wearing beginner's gear, her two toned chocolate brown and strawberry red hair hanging down her back as she looks around with her vanilla white eyes.
“I'm definitely not in Seattle anymore.” She whispers, actually squeaking cutely as she covers her mouth with both hands, her eyes now both a strawberry red color.
“Par Morgane! Is she a new player?!” Aigle cries out as they hurry towards her, the girl slowly uncovering her mouth, her eyes now chocolate brown and vanilla white wide as her lips move, the girl whispering.
“A, B, C, D, E…”
“The alphabet?” Aigle tilts her head, while her own eyes widen in realization.
“Are you deaf or mute?” Lux asks the new girl, who looks at her in surprise.
“Mute.” She admits, a growing smile on her face as she begins to realize that she can indeed hear her own voice. A tear falls down her cheek as she looks at them, one she wipes away before looking resolutely at the two of them. “Do either of you know an Isabella Fall-Garibaldi?”
Lux shakes her head in the negative, while Aigle stays oddly silent, recognition in her eyes. “Most everyone here goes by a gamer handle of some kind. And it’s considered rude to reveal a person's real name without their permission.” Lux explains as Aigle now nods in her own agreement. “For example, I’m Lux and this is Aigle.”
“Ugh! Stupid gamer etiquette! She's going to kill me if she finds out I broke one of her precious rules. Well, she can try anyway.” The girl grins mischievously as she suddenly twirls on her toes before dipping into a picture perfect curtsey. “Then I'm Neo, and I'm looking for my girlfriend. Her gamer handle is normally Cinder.”
Lux smirks as she nods, while opening her friend list. “She's currently on the second floor. They finally opened it yesterday, and the players have been making their way there.” Closing her friend’s list, she looks at Neo, who is looking curiously at her. “We met a few days after SAO started, and traded info.”
Aigle nods in agreement. “We're heading that way too, once Lux finally gives up on trying to find a katana.” She adds, chuckling as she gets a middle finger along with a huff from Lux.
“I surrender, ok?! I’ll just have to keep my eyes open until I finally find something better than this crappy iron sword.” Lux sighs as she shakes her head, before looking at Neo again. “We’re heading up to the next floor. Do you just want to tag along with us?” She asks, Neo nodding as Aigle walks past her and to the gate. “Watch Aigle, so you see how it's done.”
“Teleport: Urbus!” She calls out, vanishing a moment later in a flash of blue light.
“That's it?” She asks, Lux nodding as she smiles. She watches the girl walk up to the gate and stand firmly on her feet, take a deep breath, before calling out the name of the next town, vanishing in a bright blue light as well.
She pauses as she notices her email icon light up, although the name of the sender is blank. Curious, she opens the email, her eyes growing wide as she reads:
My dearest Hiyori,
First, I am so proud of you. You have once again proven your worth to our family by venturing into the unknown, and I have never been so proud as when you began training Miss Delacour to fight, so she can protect herself. You have faced the challenge of Kayaba’s world head on, and I look forward to seeing you continue to fight on, while prospering.
But I must ask you for a favor, my niece, on a matter that concerns our very honor as the descendants of the Kitsune-No-Mai.
Amaryllis Andromeda Potter-Black is also in Sword Art Online, and her protection is of the utmost importance. The Potters have been our allies since the formation of the Imperial Magical Court, and my mother and your grandmother still considers her ancestress a close, personal friend, one that she has mourned for almost a thousand years now.
Find her, Hiyori, and keep the Lady Potter-Black safe. As I write this, your Uncle Jinzo looks extremely smug, because I was forced to ask of my partner in my efforts to see not just the mortals, but even us so called immortals prepared for the future that draws ever closer far more rapidly than even I am comfortable with, for a boon. A small one in my eyes, but one that he was hesitant to grant, until I reminded him that I have been quite productive in assisting him to meet his own goals. Attached to this email is a katana, a very simple one that you will no doubt outgrow quickly, but it shall give you a proper weapon to wield. I have also persuaded him for a simple enough to grant favor, a digital representation of a talisman you wear always, that gives you strength, while reminding you that you are indeed loved, cherished, and protected always by their love.
I love you, Hiyori, and I know my baby sister and her lovable oaf of a husband will also be as proud of you as I am, and I know they are watching over their honorable, talented daughter with pride.
Tamano
The katana she has been seeking falls forgotten to the ground, her eyes focused on the dog tags now in her hand. They are her most cherished possession Outside, and she constantly finds herself reaching for them despite their absence. She misses the parents she doesn't remember, but that died for her as well as the rest of the children of the world.
She doesn't see her new Katana, New Beginning, being lifted up by her companion since this new adventure began. She finally looks away and into Gabrielle Delacour’s crystal blue eyes, the Veela smiling softly at her.
“You were taking too long, Lux, so I came back to check on you.” She begins quietly as she takes the weapon with her off hand, Aigle gently taking the dog tags next, then walking behind her. Reaching up, she moves her light lavender purple colored hair out of the way as the chain holding the dog tags goes around her neck, the Veela clasping the ends. “Whose were they?”
“My father's.” She admits quietly as her free hand clasps them gently.
“My sister and I share my own grandfather's tags. He fought beside Charlus Potter and Arcturus Black against the Dark Lord Grindelwald, and they are precious to us as well.” She explains as she moves back around, holding her hand out to the kitsune. “Come, the next floor awaits. I’ve found my friends that I have been searching for, but I have a feeling you are searching for more than just your own.”
Hiyori Kashiwazaka nods as she stands tall, her katana in hand. She has her aunt’s gift, her parents’ blessings, and a matter of honor to attend to. The two of them walk together to the gate, and the Veela and the Kitsune appear in Urbus. She has no need for a description of the Lady Potter-Black, thanks to the messy, snake-like hair she shares with her cousin, the Moon Empress, Eiko Magami.
She walks directly to her and bows, the very pretty girl with the emerald green and amethyst purple eyes looking at her in her own growing surprise. Her look of surprise stays on her face as she straightens up and takes her place at the Lady Potter-Black’s side, her hand resting on the hilt of New Beginning, while winking at a grinning Asuna Yuuki, her light purple eyes returning to those of the girl she is sworn to protect as a matter of family honor.
“You're late, Lux.” Asuna declares with a smirk, Amaryllis blinking in her surprise. “I thought I was going to have to track you down and drag you here myself.”
“You're Lux?!” She declares in her surprise. “You're gorgeous!”
“Wait, are you Morgana?” She asks curiously, her own eyes widening at the nod of the head she gets in return as she keeps staring into the red head's perfect emerald green and amethyst purple eyes. “Oh, you're absolutely beautiful.” She admits with a blush…
…Fate smiles softly as she finally rises up from her seat, her assigned task finally completed. The three groups have been gathered, the three Alpha females of their respective races are now united under a sole banner, while the other two groups shall walk separate paths, a cherished and much beloved daughter of two different families the bridge between them. All is prepared for Kayaba, and once he can finally break the Morality Filter and access the hidden password for the collection towers, the first phase of the Uplifting of the mortals of Earth can truly begin.
The Macross Incident was a wake up call to the mortals, the immortals, and even the Endless, and had it not been for the sacrifices of the few, the many would have suffered. Planet Earth is ill prepared for the next step in reaching their destiny among the stars, and this extreme next step is necessary. It is also a painful reminder to the Endless that they too are not infallible, that they too, save for a very select few, were once mortal as well, and that they were elevated to their new stations above the Gods, and are tasked with guiding and aiding the mortals as needed.
But of those select few, like Life and Death, who deal the most with the mortals, have learned to actually live, love, and laugh, and sometimes something as simple as an argument between a caring and slightly overprotective Death and her eldest, her headstrong and stubborn daughter, her own beloved Infinity, can cause a deep rift between even them. Infinity has not spoken to her mother in several mortal centuries now, not since a little after Chaos was uplifted and joined the Riders, and it was all caused by Death ignoring the fact that her three sons stole her Symbols of Office, and took them to the mortal realm, where they have caused havoc for centuries now. And because of that, their sacred bloodline has dwindled to a pair of cousins who have yet to meet, only one of which is still a direct descendant thanks to a blood adoption performed on the day of her birth.
Amaryllis Potter-Black, Hiyori Kashiwazaka, and Gabrielle Delacour are the keys to the Plan’s ultimate success, and they have done all they can to see them succeed. The three of them represent the dark, neutral, and light aspects of magic, and the first Gorgon Queen born since the death of Medusa, the future Kitsune-bi-jū no kōgō, and the single most powerful Veela Queen ever born shall be instrumental in the Plan.
Fate sighs as Chaos wraps her powerful arms around her slender waist, while Infinity sighs as she holds them both, her mighty black feathered wings wrapped around them all. They, the Endless, have now crossed a point of no return, and it is up to the mortals to see their will be done…