Two weeks later...
Nanoha looked up at the door as Vivio, Rio and Corona rushed into the room. "Well, aren't you three excited?" She giggled at the three of them when they gave her an annoyed look. "Well, I suppose you have a reason to be, huh?" After all, it was a four day weekend and Lutecia had invited Vivio and her friends to come try out the newly finished resort.
Nanoha was looking forward to it as well, since Fate, Yuuno, Teana and Subaru were all able to get the four days off as well. "So, do you have everything packed up?" The three girls nodded and Nanoha chuckled. "Alright then, go get changed, huh? We'll take off in a couple of hours." They just needed to collect everyone who was going before heading out.
"Alright!" Vivio grinned and rushed to her room.
"Thank you for having us." Rio and Corona said at the same time.
"You're Vivio's friends, why wouldn't we let you come with?" Nanoha smiled at them. "I'm glad that your parents don't mind you coming with."
"Well, Einhart's going to be there, I need a rematch against her!" Rio growled, her eyes practically lighting themselves on fire as the air around her seemed to turn red. "Grr! I'll show you! I'm not so easy to beat this time! I've got some secret weapons!"
Nanoha merely smiled and was reminded of how she was when she was that age when she fought against Signum, Vita or Fate. "Alright, you two go get your stuff together, I've got to make some calls."
When they left, Nanoha smiled as she called up a view screen. "Quint! Are Nove and Einhart ready?" She nodded and Nanoha told her that Fate and Yuuno would pick the two up before they left, after that was done, she made a call to her mother. "Hey, mom, is Arashi ready?"
"Yeah," Lina chuckled at her, "thanks for taking your brother with. Though..." She trailed off and looked to the side, "Arashi, why are you taking Ixpellia with you?"
"I wish to go with," Ixpellia's voice was heard and Nanoha blinked as she listened in, "I wish to meet with Lutecia. She was helpful in identifying what happened during the last crisis, after all."
Nanoha nodded and smiled. "It's no problem, Ixy..."
"It's Ixpellia!"
Nanoha ignored her and continued on, "the trip out to that place is pretty open, I'm sure they'll have an extra seat or three, it might cost a bit more, but we can get the ticket for you."
"Thank you." Ixpellia said as she walked up beside Lina. "By the way, Nanoha, your mother makes excellent chocolate cake."
Nanoha sweat-dropped and nodded at that. "Yeah, just don't eat too much, you'll get a stomach ache." She had learned that the hard way when she was six years old. It was not fun getting so sick that she couldn't move for over three hours. "Anyway, mom, make sure to have Arashi ready in about an hour, I'll be over to pick him up. Yuuno and Fate are picking up Caro, Erio, Nove and Einhart."
"Just have fun, Nanoha." Lina smiled at her. "And try not to destroy the entire resort like you do training grounds." She laughed as Nanoha rolled her eyes at her. "Don't worry, I wouldn't be any better."
Nanoha nodded, chuckling. "Alright, I'm hanging up now, we'll be there soon." After the screen turned off, she turned to her device. "Are you ready, Raising Heart?"
"Clear to go, my master."
Nanoha grinned at that. "And so, we begin again, on a new stage."
"Yes. But why so dramatic?"
Nanoha scratched her cheek and giggled some more. "I always wanted to do that." She giggled more as Raising Heart seemed to sweat-drop at her answer. "Anyway, let's go."
"Right."
(---)
It was nearly five hours later when Vivio stepped off the ship that had taken everyone to Carnaaji. Stretching her arms above her head, she yawned and looked around. "Wow, that was longer than I thought it would be."
"You slept most of the way here," Arashi rolled his eyes as he pulled some suitcases off of the ship. "Now get your clothes before I throw them down."
"Ack!" Vivio's eyes went blank and she spun around, waving her arms up and down. "Don't you dare!"
"Your uncle has you pegged, Vivio." A new voice spoke up and Vivio spun around, her eyes lighting up in delight.
"Lu-chan!" Vivio ran at full speed and hugged her older friend tightly. "Missed you." Her smile seemed to increase as Lutecia hugged her back. "How are you?" Sure, Lutecia wasn't as close to her as she was with Caro or Erio, but Vivio still considered her a good friend.
Lutecia grinned and knelt down to look Vivio in the eye. "So, Erio and Caro with you?" She grinned when Vivio nodded. "Excellent!" She stood up to her full height and smiled broadly at the group as they walked off the ship. "Welcome, my friends!" She swept her arm out to the side, showing the last couple of years of hard work that she, Garyuu, Due, and her parents had put into the planet to make it worthwhile. "As you can see, the excellent Alphine hot springs is ready, as well as our training facilities for those who wish to train their minds, bodies and their magic. We haven't finished everything yet, but for now, please allow us the honor of servicing you in any way possible."
Practicing for when you get people other than your friends, Lutecia?" Teana asked, smiling at the younger girl. "How are you?"
Lutecia smiled at Teana and ran over to her, hugging her. "Mmm... I'm feeling good, glad everyone's here. It's a bit late to do extended training. So, let's get everyone to the lodge," Lutecia let go of the hug and grinned, "you'll just love the hotsprings!"
"Sounds good." Teana smiled at her. She couldn't wait.
Not far away from them, a pair of yellow eyes watched the group get the last of their belongings off of the transport shuttle and head towards the lodge. "Well now... Let's see what happens next." The person giggled as they disappeared. "Still a little more time, I'll have to decide tomorrow then."
(---)
"Thanks for having us here," Nanoha smiled at Megane as the two of them cleared the table from dinner. "I'm surprised you had enough to feed everyone."
Megane giggled at her. "Oh please, your ability to put away more food than most squads in the Bureau is legendary, Nanoha." Nanoha blushed and giggled in embarassment. "Thank you for helping me clear the table off. Where did those kids go?"
"Most of them went to check the hotsprings out." Privately, Nanoha couldn't wait to get into the hotsprings with Yuuno and Fate and just relax. Perferrably after everyone else had gone to bed. And maybe get some spells up to muffle noise "Say, Megane, I... I was wondering if maybe you could give me some advice."
"Hmm? What is it?" Megane was putting some plates away when Nanoha asked that question.
"Well... A couple of weeks ago, Yuuno accidentally walked in on Caro and Erio in the same bed, naked and..."
"Having sex, huh?" Megane turned to her and sighed. "Before you ask, I didn't read your mind, I don't have that ability." She giggled at Nanoha's flat stare. "Okay, sorry, couldn't resist. But, why talk to me about it?"
"Well, I'm just..." Nanoha sighed heavily. "No matter how I say it, it's going to sound bad, so, I have to ask, they've been together for several months like this, were they near Lutecia..?"
"Are you asking me if Lutecia came onto them and instigated something rather kinky and will no doubt color your perception of my daughter forever?" Nanoha grimaced at the question, that wasn't how she wanted to put it. "The question is, Nanoha, what will you do if I tell you?"
Nanoha shook her head. "Nothing, I just wish to know." If Lutecia was the one who started the whole thing... "No... If it was Lutecia..."
"I've already given both of them my blessing to be with my daughter." Nanoha's eyes widened at hearing that. "And I've talked to them, both of them, about taking precautions." Megane sighed and motioned for Nanoha to join her at the table. They both sat down and Megane shook her head again. "You have to understand, you know what happened to my daughter. Sometimes she has... Episodes and..."
"You decided that her doing that with those two was a good idea?" Nanoha stared at the other woman, who shook her head. "Then why? If I was in your shoes, I'd never..."
"Tell me something, if your daughter was suffering so much that the only way you could make it go away was to let her do something unsavory, what would you do?" Megane nodded as Nanoha stared at her. "When they started, Lutecia... Even with her memories supressed, sometimes things bubble up, including that. Due explained to me that it was that Mazoku Levi who trained my daughter to be a sex slave..." She shivered and Nanoha could only stare at her numbly. "Even if she didn't remember, her body did, what am I supposed to do, Nanoha? Tell me."
"I... I..." Nanoha was at a loss for words, what could she say? She hadn't been in the same position that Megane was. "I'm not sure."
"Exactly." Megane sighed and put her head on the table. "Do you know what it's like.. When your daughter has to ask you why her body is burning and she wants to do stuff and she doesn't know what it is she wants? And all you can do is watch as she suffers? I... Please, don't blame Lutecia, I was..."
"You asked Erio and Caro to help, didn't you?" Nanoha sighed when she nodded. "I don't agree with your solution, Megane, but... If I was in your position, I probably wouldn't have done anything differently. Though, did you try buying her toys?" Nanoha's face was starting to turn red as this conversation continued.
"They worked, for awhile... But," Megane shook her head and Nanoha could only look at how distraught the woman was, "I never wanted this for her. What kind of mother am I? To do this?"
Nanoha had no answers for her, at least not easy ones. She could only watch as Megane shuddered and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that..."
"You were within your rights."
Nanoha and Megane just sat in the kitchen, both lost in their thoughts for some time after that.