"Now then, Miss Testarossa..." Alicia heard the older man speak as the two of them sat in a residential room of some ship. She had missed the name of the ship, or it was never spoken, she forgot. Her parole officer had gray hair and a gray beard as he looked at her. "You'll be serving on this ship for the duration of your probation. I do hope that it's suitable."
Alicia looked around the room, Linith was putting clothes away in the various dressers. It was sparse, but rather large, and it did kind of surprise her, well, that and the two beds in the room. "I guess..."
"Now, your commanding officer will be here soon, and I want you to follow everything she says."
Alicia turned to him and nodded. "Of course."
The man smiled softly at her. "She knows about your situation, so she won't expect you to be too happy when she shows up to inspect you."
Alicia nodded and turned to the door as it opened. Sighing, she just couldn't bring herself to look up, she didn't want to see her commander's face, she just wanted some time to grieve, since she wouldn't see her daughter for at least a year and... She blinked as she heard several gasps of surprise. Slowly lifting her head up, her eyes widened and she brought her hands to cup her mouth. 'It... It can't be..!' She thought to herself in shock.
(---)
Chrono looked at Fate as she walked forward, her body slumped down as she stared at the ground, behind her, Arf walked along slowly, offering support as best she could, but they both knew it wouldn't work, at least for now. "Hey, Fate, come on, it won't be too bad. I promise. Mother will make sure that you and Alicia are back as a family as soon as possible."
Fate didn't say anything as she walked forward and Chrono winced as Arf slapped the back of his head. "Sorry, I'm not used to trying to help someone like this."
Arf frowned but sighed. To be honest, neither was she.
"Well, Miss Fate, welcome." Lindy smiled at the small blond, who looked up at her. Those red eyes held repressed anger, resentment, but most of all, resignation. It wasn't a good mix, though Lindy could sympathize. "Well, follow me, I need to show you to your room, you too, Miss Arf, you'll be staying with Miss Fate."
Fate looked down, she didn't want to be any room that her mother wasn't near. She couldn't recall a single night that she slept alone until her mother got put on trial and now she was going to be alone for a year. Alone, with just Arf for support? This was going to be a horrible year.
She blinked as she felt a hand on her shoulder, she looked up, her eyes widening as she gasped. There, in front of her, wearing that same white lab coat that she loved so much... "M...Mother?!" Fate took a tentative step forward, worried that someone would stop her, when no one did she took another, and another, and another, before abandoning everything and running, full speed, tears falling down her face as she hugged Alicia tightly. "Mother!!" She cried as Alicia caught her and lifted her up, hugging her tightly as both of them cried and clung to each other.
"Um... What's going on?" Chrono asked as he looked at his mother. "Admiral Graham?"
Gil Graham smiled at Chrono. "I believe, as Alicia's parole officer and an Admiral in the Bureau, I get to decide who Alicia will be working under, correct?"
"Mother?" Chrono looked at Lindy, who was grinning ear-to-ear.
"I believe that as Fate's current legal guardian, captain of this ship and Admiral of the Bureau, I get to decide sleeping arrangements. And, sadly, there's just not enough room for all the new people on my ship to have a room to themselves, so I've had to bunk a few people together." She wondered if she should tell Chrono about his new sleeping arrangements, but decided against it. After all, he would find out when he went to bed that night.
Tapping her chin, Lindy turned to the two blondes. "As for you, Alicia Testarossa, my first order to you is simply this..." Her face was stern and serious as the two looked at her, tears still falling down their faces.
"Make sure that you raise that young girl to become a fine young woman." Lindy's face slowly broke into a smile. "After all, it would be such a waste for someone so cute to grow up and hate the Bureau that split her from her mother."
Fate blushed but hugged her mother, silent tears falling down her face, the happiness she felt, it eclipsed the sun.
"Think you can handle that order, Alicia Testarossa?"
Alicia nodded and mouthed a thanks to her as she held her daughter tightly.
"Mother?" Chrono looked confused. "I thought..."
"Well, I am Fate's legal guardian, but it seems that I'm just so busy. There's no way that I could raise a boy and a girl on my own, so I think a responsible adult to help me is just responsible, don't you, Admiral Graham?"
"Why yes I do." The man nodded at her. "Especially since she has such strong magic, it would be a waste if she wasn't nurtured and raised properly."
"Besides, we need to head back to Earth soon anyway." Lindy took a vaguely confused look as she crossed her arms under her breasts and tapped her chin with a finger. "It seems that we're one Jewel Seed short. Only twenty got turned in and I'm not sure where that last one is." She shrugged and winked at Chrono. "I'm sure that Jewel Seed Number Twenty One will show up sooner or later, right?"
Chrono nodded and bowed as he left the room. There were hints of a smile on his face as he raced to the control room. If Amy was there, well, he knew that she'd be happy to hear the news along with Yuuno and Nanoha.
- The End