Mirra's Trilogy (part 2 of 5)

a Card Captor Sakura fanfiction by David Rasmussen

Back to Part 1
The snow crunched underfoot as the two climbed up into the woods 
behind the house.

The light of the Central Hub overhead (it’s huge landscape reflecting 
the “light” of Elsespace which lit the night like a strong full moon 
that encompassed the night sky for a few hours each night) was strong 
so the two could see where they were going without the need for a 
light.

The wind was still, so all they could hear was the soft crunch of the 
snow beneath their boots. But Mirra was still a little nervous and 
shaky nevertheless. ‘Tell her before she makes her wish!’ Mirra thinks 
to herself, scolding herself as she walked. She felt rather awkward 
and uncertain about what the other girl wanted to wish for, but it 
must be something important to bring Mirra with her.

But she wished she was back in bed now, with Hikaru cuddled close, 
rather than walking out in the snow. It might not have been windy, and 
it might have been well lit, but she didn’t like the idea of traipsing 
through the forest of hibernating trees which looked rather scary. And 
she was feeling a bit chilly.

Nighttime in the city would reach a rather cool temperature in winter, 
but not this cold. She could almost swear that her face was going 
numb. She just wanted to get into the warmth of the house and back 
into bed--- that’s when she felt the warming glow ahead from the 
“shrine”, and her body began to loosen up again. Either from the 
warmth, or the knowledge that her questions were going to be answered 
shortly, she didn’t know--- she just knew she liked being warm again 
despite wearing her best winter clothes out.

As they entered the spring like environment of the shrine’s area, they 
saw the woman from earlier decked out beneath a tree. She was sleeping 
rather peacefully, with her board leaning against the tree, using a 
blanket and pillow she had tucked into her “tesseract” backpack to 
sleep. Hikaru motioned for Mirra to follow her quietly to the pond, 
but the later’s first step unfortunately was on a tree branch which 
snapped.

“WH-?!?” the woman suddenly woke, her arms flaying as she knocked her 
own board over into her head, knocking her back onto the ground with a 
soft thud. “Ow.” The two quickly rush to her side, pulling the board 
aside. As she looks up, abit pained, she sighs at the sight of them. 
“Oh. It’s you two. Hi---” (winces abit) “---ouch--- what’s up?” (with 
a bit of a sigh she grabs her backpack and tries to stick her head 
into it, failing. With a slight sigh she passes it to Mirra, pointing 
at it with one hand while holding her head with the other) “Be a doll 
and get me my medical kit? It’s in there somewhere.”

With a nod, Mirra reaches to pull the bag open, looking into it--- and 
what she saw made her gasp.

The inside of the “pack” was a large white “space”, inside of which a 
great many things floated in the “air”. While there seemed to be a 
“border” to this space, it was a large space and quite a few things 
could be “held” within it at any given time. There was a giant 
refrigerator marked “My Food! Don’t Touch!”, along with a device that 
(no doubt) was used to remove or replace items from said fridge. There 
was an area for cooking materials like pots, pans, a small micro 
heater Mirra seen Nina use from time to time in her room to cook 
things, and silverware. There was also several boxes of stuff ranging 
from books, clothes, and a box marked “Private”, and even a box marked 
“snacks“. There was an entertainment system (portable), a surfboard, a 
small safe (no doubt for valuables), and more things than Mirra could 
count, but the medical kit (floating past her face) was what she 
wanted, and quickly grabbed.

As she tended to the woman, she smiled at Mirra’s gentle ministrations 
of her. “I didn’t know they thought medico kit first aid to young 
girls in school.”

“A friend taught it to me.” she remarked, remembering back---

-----

Flashback (Daidouji Estates)

Hikaru laid back in the bed they shared, smling abit as Mirra fumbled 
with the medical kit, opening it up and quickly becoming confused by 
the devices within. She had fallen on the way home and injured her 
knee, cutting it open abit, and Mirra insisted on taking care of it 
right away. She pulled out long metal tubes, metal devices and other 
things not knowing what to do. She shook devices, prodded them, waved 
them around like magic wands hoping something exciting would happen, 
yet nothing.

She was about to give up on the whole thing when she heard a knock on 
the door, and Nina entered the room. “I brought you two up some snacks 
while you---” (stopped, looked at Mirra, then the most indescribably 
wicked smile came across her face) “---oops! I see you’re going to 
“probe” Hikaru in a naughty way so I’ll just leave this---”

“NO!” Mirra nearly yelled, jumping up to her feet. “It’s not that! I 
mean! It’s not---”

“I cut my leg when I fell down on the way home.”

“Uh-huh, and what’s all--- oh, wait---” (Nina walks up, picking up one 
device which was a long metal tube with a red rounded crystal point at 
the end) “It’s the Medico kit from the shuttle. Damn.” (tosses device 
back to Mirra) “Have fun.”

“But I don’t--- I mean---” (pushes device back into Nina’s hand) “Help 
me?”

“---sigh--- alright. Kneel down---” (Mirra kneels down, followed by 
Nina kneeling behind her, placing the device firmly into her hand with 
the long end pointing down). “Now get a firm grip, there, you want to 
be able to hold it tight and strong in that hand. Ok? Now I want you 
to flex your arm up and down so it doesn’t slip, make sure it’s a 
tight solid grip. It is? Good.”

“Now what?” Mirra asks, sweating abit with the strange device in her 
hand.

“Easy. You’re going to fix her up, right?”

“Right.” she nodded, sweating a little.

“Alright then. No problem. You got a tight grip on that so you’re all 
set. Here, I’ll prep her. And once her panties are off you go and---”

“Nina!”

“---oh---” (turns around) “When did you sneak in?”

“Followed you upstairs. Here---” Eliza sighs, motioning for Mirra to 
hand her the device. “This is a hypo spray, and her injury doesn’t 
need a pain killer. Just a general cleaning and repair, the mender can 
do that just fine on it‘s own.”

“But it’s nice and rounded and just like a---” (Nina catches Eliza’s 
disapproving look) “---and I’ll stand in the corner and behave.” 
(walks off, allowing Eliza to take her place next to Mirra as she 
rummages through the tools, picking out another tool similar to the 
first but with a different head) “Gently grip it between your fingers 
and touch the pointy end to her wound, press the button and move it 
back and forth watching where the light falls as the wound is cleaned 
and mended.”

“Will the light---?”

“It won’t damage healthy cell, just clean and mend the wound. Now--- 
gently---”

The young woman takes the device, and a deep breath, as she holds it 
out. She feels Hikaru’s hand touch her shoulder, comforting her, as 
she turns the device on and begins to work. With a few runs of the 
device, the wound seals itself shut and Mirra lets go of her held 
breath. “I did it.”

“That wasn’t so hard, now was it?” Eliza notes, patting her on the 
back as she retrieves the kit. With that she walks out, with Nina in 
tow. “Come on.”

“First it’s cuts, then it’s bruises, then it’s probing and then she‘s 
on all fours while---”

“Not now.”

Hikaru motions for Mirra to come closer, pulling her into her arms and 
hugging her, “I think my cute little nurse’s aide needs a reward---”

“----” Mirra blushes as she closes her eyes, feeling the soft touch of 
lips touching lips, her mind just floating away under the warming glow 
of the kiss---

----

“You OK?”

Mirra stops, her blush deepening in red for a different reason now.

“You’re turning all red and stuff--- is that normal?”

“Uh--- I---”

“That’s alright.” she answers, leaning back against the tree as she 
looks up into the sky through the tree canopy above. “Being here on a 
night like this--- makes me remember---”

“Remember?”

The woman suddenly stops, and realizes her place, waving Mirra off as 
she does, “Nothing. I’m just remembering the last time I spent time 
camped out beneath the sky like this. Most of the time I stay at the 
resorts but I can’t stand being there this time.”

“Why? Sad memories?”

“Nah.” (reaches out to wipe a stray tear from Mirra’s eyes) “Some loud 
mouthed green haired girl is in the next room and she’s a pain up the 
butt.”

“---loud mouthed---” Mirra sighs, blushing again.

“There you go again, turning all red. Are you sure it’s not a skin 
ailment?”

“-----” Mirra sighs as she tries to cover her embarrassment, but it 
only made the woman happier watching her so embarrassed. “I love that 
awkward smile! It’s kinda cute and all but you’re really this bright 
red and I’ve seen paint that looked paler and--- want to share a meal 
with me? I usually like a late snack.”

“We’d love that.” Hikaru responded, sitting down next to Mirra.

“But you’re wish---?”

“Made it already. Let’s eat.”

“----phwee?” Mirra face faulted, feeling the ground fall out from 
beneath her.

‘She made her wish already?!? Without me??’

------

The meal was nice, crackers and cheese, but abit awkward because Mirra 
sat silently eating her food and looking rather depressed. Hikaru 
tried to explain, but Mirra seemed eager to watch her make the wish 
and was disappointed that she wasn’t allowed to see it.

A few minutes after they started, the woman suddenly felt the urge to 
hit the slopes so she grabbed her gear and backpack and wandered off 
(“The noisy one must be asleep now so I’m going back to my bedroom 
after I thrashed the hills a few times to work off the cheese. I paid 
for that room dammit and I’m going to use it!”) leaving the two some 
food to eat while they talked.

She was being kind. She knew they wanted to be alone, and she 
accommodated them.

Hikaru couldn‘t help feeling a bit guilty as she looked on at the sad 
expression on Mirra‘s face. “I’m sorry you couldn’t watch, but it’s a 
private thing only one person can do. I’m sorry my precious.”

“I understand---” she sighed, only to feel Hikaru press a piece of 
cheese to her lips, “I know you don’t understand--- you’re crying.”

“I’m not crying---” (Hikaru’s fingers move from her lips to her 
cheeks, dabbing away a few tears as she does) “----I’m sorry--- I‘m 
such a baby---”

“I don’t blame you for being sad. I made so much of a fuss about it I 
should have told you right off the bat that I had to do it alone.” 
Hikaru sighs, flicking away the last of the tears as she stares Mirra 
straight in the eyes, “I should have told you that you couldn’t watch, 
but I didn’t want to depress you and you were so happy with the 
idea--- even though you felt abit reluctant about it.”

“I was not!” Mirra yelped in her defense, her red blush returning to 
her cheeks as she sighed, her lips drooping into a pout as she tried 
to put her thoughts to words. “Will I ever know---”

“I’ll explain everything soon. I promise you that much. Now smile---” 
(pokes at Mirra’s lips) “Nothing’s more beautiful on your lips than a 
smile---” (as she watches, a thin smile begins to form) “---now 
there’s the Mirra I know---” (watching a smile bloom with her 
prodding, smiling in turn) “I know what’s on your mind.”

“No-- n-no you don’t---”

“You---” (Mirra suddenly jumps into Hikaru’s arms, holding her tight) 
“I want a hug!”

“You want me to stay forever with you.”

Mirra face faults, new tears flowing as she realized her secret was 
out. She felt so bad that she just wanted to rip herself away and run 
back to the house ashamed. She felt awkward thinking it, but now she 
felt bad that it was out. Hikaru, staying with her forever--- it felt 
like such a dream that--- she felt Hikaru’s arms tighten as she tried 
to wiggle free. “I--- I--- I----”

“I want that too.”

“H-Hikaru-chan---”

Suddenly Hikaru stood up, walking away. “Hik---”

“Be right back.”

Mirra sighs, lowering her head. “She must be angry with me.”

“No I’m not--- catch!”

Before she could respond, a huge cot, quilt, and pillows rains on her 
head burying her. For a few confused seconds she lies beneath the 
pile, wiggling abit while staring upwards at the quilt in confusion, 
before she felt the quilt being peeled off. “Mokona likes crawling 
under my blankets too when he visits sometimes!” (Hikaru’s face pops 
into view as she looks into Mirra’s eyes, smiling) “But you’re neither 
kitty, puppy or Mokona!” (she reaches forward, pinching Mirra’s 
cheeks) “But you look so precious!”

“----” Mirra’s redness begins to grow, but this time more from 
happiness than shame. Her smile very wide as she quickly grabs Hikaru, 
pulling her into the blanket, screaming, “Pillow fight!”

The two take swings at each other, laughing, as they have their own 
private little slumber party brawl. A few minutes later they dress for 
sleep, and curl up beneath the stars in each others arms.

As they stare into the night sky, Mirra points up at the Central Hub 
high above. “I wonder if there’s a couple there whose just as happy as 
we are? Looking out towards us at this moment?”

“Maybe---”

The two watch the sky for awhile more, pointing at cities glowing in 
the night sky, huge mountain ranges, lakes, oceans, and other things 
of note, before falling asleep.

-------

Mirra’s thoughts as she dreams are comforting.

She didn’t mind anymore that she couldn’t see Hikaru’s wish.

She only hoped that Hikaru would tell her soon what she wished for.

Patience, she sighed, she’d say soon enough. And with that she rolled 
over in her sleep--- and suddenly felt a chill. She woke up and found 
herself alone. The bedding was crumpled, as if she had just left. 
“Maybe she want to the bathroom in the woods---” Mirra looks about the 
woods, thinking about how cold it must be out beyond the comforting 
warmth of the Mana Pool “shrine” area. “Hope the pool doesn’t mind if 
she takes a leak here--- she’d become a girl-cicle out there.”

Suddenly a sharp crp pierces the air, sending a shiver down Mirra’s 
spine causing her to bolt upwards into a sitting position. 
“Hikaru---?” she whispered, her eyes carefully scanning the area left 
and right--- then she heard it again. It was near but--- without 
thinking she jumps up and dashes towards the sound, her breath rapid 
with fear. “Hikaru-chan?!” she cried out. “Hikaru-chan!!”

As she rounded a few trees she nearly fell upon Hikaru, and gasped. 
Hikaru was crumpled on the ground naked, her face convulsed in pain as 
she held her head tight, crying a little bit. Mirra quickly moved 
forward, taking Hikaru into her arms and holding her. “Hikaru-chan! 
What’s wrong! Hi---”

She convulsed again, and her limbs grew a little longer.

Her body swelled a little bigger.

Her breasts bloomed a little, and her body seemed to age a little.

She cried out, her arms flaying until they latched onto Mirra and held 
her unconsciously. She whimpered a few minutes, her body growing a 
little bit at a time until it stopped. With a final breath of pain she 
collapsed into Mirra’s grip, unconscious from the pain. Mirra, looking 
her up and down, was amazed.

“She’s--- bigger?”

‘Was this her wish?’ she thought--- ‘To be--- bigger?’

She gathered up Hikaru’s clothes, and carried her back to their 
camping site. It took Mirra a little effort to get her back to the 
bedding, but she managed just fine. And, as she wrapped her in the 
blankets, Mirra couldn’t stop but stare at her body. “She’s---” 
(winces) “---she did it.”

She made herself older--- as she told Mirra she would one day. Losing 
two to four years of her childhood memories she’ll never experience 
now--- for her. Mirra felt awful, the pit of her stomach ached. She 
felt as if she was to blame for Hikaru’s decision. She drove Hikaru to 
make the decision--- taking away precious years of her childhood.

“I wish she never met me---” Mirra whimpered, falling back into the 
bedding sobbing a little.

------

Mirra walked up to Mimic, tears flowing down her face.

“Damn you---”

“You did it to yourself, so don’t come whining to me about it.” Mimic 
sighed, nearly shoving Mirra aside as she walked past. “You’re such a 
baby! Couldn’t live one minute without her holding your hand, you weak 
little bitch! Same with Clow Reed--- you always did suck up to him, 
like such a---”

“I’m not a--- wh--wh---”

“Say it! Just say it already because it’s true!” Mimic raged, her 
anger boiling up as she paced around Mirra, teeth clenched as she did. 
“You’re not happy with her throwing her youth away to be your precious 
little bed sl---”

“DON’T SAY THAT!!”

“You wanted her like that! You always wanted it like that! I’m 
surprised you didn’t drop down and do her right when I gave you the 
chance, you horrid little---”

“I LOVE HER!!” Mirra screamed, dropping down to the ground covering 
her head. “I love her---”

“That’s right, you kneel down--- it’s all your good for anyway.”

“I love her! I love her! I love her---” Mirra whimpered over and over 
again, crying in pain. “I didn’t want her to do that--- I don’t want 
her to lose her precious youth because of AGH!!” Mirra suddenly 
screams out, feeling a foot slam into her back dropping her face first 
into the ground.

As she turns, she comes face to face with Hikaru, standing next to 
Mimic stark naked. “You like it don’t you? My little PRECIOUS!” (kicks 
her down again) “You like a more matured woman--- nice firm breasts--- 
longer legs and arms--- smooth silken soft little---”

“I’M SORRY!!!” Mirra screamed, in more pain mentally than physically, 
“I’M SORRY!! PLEASE!! HIKARU-CHAN I’M SORRY!! I’M SORRY I’M SO WEAK!! 
I’M SOR--- ACK!!”

“You’re sorry? You smothered me and I couldn’t live without making 
myself older because I so wanted to make you HAPPY, and you’re sorry?”

Hands grasp around Mirra’s waist, undressing her, “Sorry’s not good 
enough--- my worthless little bitch in heat!”

Her clothes fell away, and Hikaru forced her on all fours, and then---

“I’M SORRY!! PLEASE!! DON’T!! FORGIVE ME!! FORGIVE ME!! FOR---”

Mirra screams as she feels---

“Mirra-chan? Mirra-chan!”

Mirra snaps awake, screaming “FORGIVE ME!! FORGIVE ME!!”

Two strong arms wrap around tight, and hold her still, her face buried 
against Hikaru’s now slightly more mature breasts, tears flowing 
rapidly down Mirra’s face. “No!! I’m sorry!! I’m sorry!! Don’t rape 
me!! Please!! Forgive me!!” (buries face into Hikaru’s breasts) 
“Forgive---”

With a strong sigh, Hikaru holds Mirra tight whispering gently, 
swaying her back and forth comforting her. “You did nothing wrong my 
precious--- my sweetness--- nothing--- don’t cry--- don’t cry.”

Suddenly she lurches forward, screaming again, bringing a tear to 
Hikaru’s eyes. “Stop! Please--- stop hurting yourself--- I love you--- 
I love you--- goddess, I love you----”

------

For the longest time she couldn’t speak, couldn’t move, just lie there 
crying.

It took that time for Hikaru to comfort her, and find out what she 
saw. With a gasp she began to apologize, realizing what Mirra saw and 
how it--- “Mirra, you didn’t--- I mean---”

Silence. For a few seconds Hikaru tries to put the words together, 
then---

“I had a vision.”

------

Tokyo Tower.

She dreamt that she was there, and it was night. Everyone was 
gathering around the tower and she didn’t know why. She felt weak, her 
legs refused to move. She was lying on the floor of the observation 
deck, yet she knew they were all coming. She once managed to drag 
herself up so she could look out the windows and saw them coming, just 
to verify what she knew.

As she fell back she saw herself--- and she was naked and bleeding. 
She heard a voice behind her, and knew immediately what it was. Mimic. 
She felt Mimic’s hand grab her head, spin it around and then felt 
fingers grab her jaw and force---

-----

She could say no more. Mirra began to cry again, and it took awhile to 
comfort her before she spoke. “I saw--- my own rape--- as Mimic’s 
hands---” she said.

“But only one dream---”

“I dreamed it every night for the past two months.”

“---w-w-w-what---?”

“I didn’t want to worry you! I can’t stand it--- I wake up in the 
night hearing you crying out my name, reaching out in pain--- I know 
you cry every night and all I want to do is take that pain away. I 
didn’t want to compound your pain with that knowledge--- it only would 
have made you cry harder each night.”

“But--- it’ll make me cry now---”

“I know--- but it’ll pass--- I wanted to let you know--- I had to do 
this--- be older--- for us.”

“BUT YOU LOST YOUR YOUTH! YOUR PRECIOUS YEARS OF INNOCENCE BECAUSE OF 
ME! IT’S NOT FAIR! IT’S NOT FAIR---?” (Suddenly Hikaru begins to 
laugh, confusing Mirra) “Wh-what’s--- what’s so--- funny?”

“Silly precious!” (bumps her head against Mirra’s, bringing a confused 
look onto the young Clow girl’s face) “Youth is a state of mind. I’m 
going to enjoy my youth as long as I can, and then when it’s done I’ll 
relive it again in your arms! I can’t lose my precious years as long 
as I have you around to make me forever young in heart and soul--- 
besides which, we stop aging at 21 so it’s not like we’ll be old!”

“---r-r-really?”

“Uh-huh. Didn’t Tomoyo-mama tell you that?”

“----no----” (sighs) “---I’m so stupid---”

“You’re my precious little Clow Mistress---” (kisses her cheek) “---I 
don’t care how silly you are as long as we’re together to be silly 
together!”

“But---” (her voice trembles a little as she speaks) “---your age---”

“One day, my love, I want to make love to you--- before she can take 
that away from us. I want you to know that nothing Mimic does to me 
will break my love--- and in the end regardless of what happens--- I 
will always love you, and so--- I wanted to make sure that I don’t 
lose my virginity--- except to you.”

“---lose---?”

“She’s going to do something bad to me. I know it--- but--- I’ll heal. 
I know that too.” Hikaru smiles, hugging Mirra tightly as if to keep 
her warm against the chill that was blowing against them. “Nothing she 
does will harm me permanently. I’ll mend fast, and my spirit will mend 
too with you by my side. She does something bad to me because--- 
she’ll realize I’m not a virgin anymore and--- it enrages her.”

“No--- no---”

“It’s OK. It’s alright---” (deep breath) “---I’d rather be raped than 
let her take our most precious moment away from us--- I won’t let her 
do it--- I won’t---”

“Hikaru-chan---”

“Mirra-chan. It‘ll be OK--- I know it‘ll be OK, because I‘ll always 
have you. Always.”

The two fall back into the bedding, it’s softness wrapping them tight 
as Mirra holds on to Hikaru tightly, the last of their strength fading 
as they slowly fall back to sleep--- their grips loosening, but never 
releasing, as they slumber together again in each other’s arms.

------

Mirra felt someone waking her up.

“Mirra-chan? Wake up---”

“Wh---what is it?” she groggily answered, pulling herself around to 
look at Hikaru--- who was now fully dressed. She wore a beautiful 
school uniform that resembled her old one but made to her size. “I 
found this at the foot of our bedding when I woke up. And I found 
this---” (she holds out a note, upon which a key was attached) “Open 
the package waiting at home.” Mirra read out loud.

“You couldn’t have done this--- you didn’t know---” Hikaru whispered, 
looking at herself in the uniform in confusion, “And I never told 
anyone my wish--- except Fuu-chan and she---” (smiles) “---is it 
Fuu-chan’s work?”

“I guess.” Mirra remarks, looking on at the uniform. “It’s beautiful 
on you.”

“Thanks---” (blushes slightly) “---let’s go home and get some 
breakfast, and open that package.”

As the two gather their stuff, and rush back the way they came, they 
barely notice the figure standing in the woods watching them leave.

------

“WE’RE HOME!!” Hikaru yelled as she barreled through the door, passing 
Fuu, Presea, Hikaru & Ferio as they stood around a strange suitcase. 
“Hi, honey!” (Presea) “Some FedEx guy dropped this off and---” (Hikaru 
grabs it, and runs upstairs with Mirra) “Thanks, Fuu-chan!”

“---Fuu?” (Everyone looks at her)

“But--- I didn’t do that---”

“And why did she lift it?” Presea pouted, “It took all four of us to 
drag that thing inside a few feet and she carts it off like it 
weighted nothing! I don’t get it!”

Everyone exchanges confused expressions as they look upstairs.

“Did Hikaru-chan leave wearing her school uniform?” (Hikaru) “She 
looked cute in it.”

------

“KERO-CHAN!!” Mirra yelled out as the door flew open, nearly giving 
Kerberos a heart attack. Kero nearly falls into the bed, the game 
softly falling onto the mattress. “ACK! Don’t do that!! Did you bring 
me breakfast or---” (Mirra quickly hands him a plate with waffles 
(from the table she passed on the way to the stairs) and the syrup as 
Hikaru throws the case onto the bed and opens it.

“I didn’t know you brought your school uniform---?” (blinks) “Is it me 
or is Hikaru bigger?”

“Clothes!”

As the two look into the case they find it filled with clothes for 
her, all her new size.

“I guess trying them all on would be futile. They all look like 
they’ll fit me.”

“Why wouldn’t they---” Kero pondered, looking down at the case, “Did 
Tomoyo visit while I was sleeping? She made all this, didn’t she? (She 
must want a grandchild worst than I ever thought she did!)”

(Mirra & Hikaru sweatdrop abit)

The rest of the day was spent on the slopes thrashing the powder with 
their boards.

Ferio fell down a few more times, and lots of fun were had by all.

Eventually they stopped questioning where the clothes came from and 
accepted it. The next morning, strangely enough, another parcel of 
clothes arrived. For some reason though, nobody wanted to even try to 
pick up the case and that confused Hikaru. It confused her even more 
that everyone looked at her oddly while she carted the light suitcase 
(which was filled with clothes like the first) up the stairs with 
deliberate ease. It was nowSunday, and they had to go (Monday was 
school again) so they caught one more time on the slopes in the 
morning, ate a filling lunch, and prepared to say goodbye.

Mirra helped Hikaru pack her clothes, storing her old clothes in the 
house as she did. When they got home they would empty her side of the 
closet and fill it with the new clothes.

Before they left, Hikaru & Mirra visited the “shrine” one last time.

There, sitting in front of the pond with a fishing rod, with the woman 
they met.

“Is that allowed?” Mirra asked, watching the woman fish. “Oh sure. The 
pond sometimes drags stuff through the stream and it’s a great place 
to pick up odds and ends. Last time I picked up a perfectly good 
coffee maker. Still glows in the dark from the mana saturation but it 
makes it easier to find it at night. Can’t offer it to any Darklings 
or evil beings though--- anything brewed in the thing eats rights 
through them from the inside out because of the mana saturation which 
makes anything brewed in it dosed with positive mana--- poor things--- 
horrible the way they scream as they--- splashed a Darkling with 
coffee from it once and it ate it’s head clean--- uh--- never mind (I 
should really learn to shut up while I’m behind.)”

“We’re going home today.”

“That’s too bad. There’s still a few weeks of good powder up here and 
all.”

“Aren’t you going home to celebrate Christmas soon? Or are you--- 
alone?” Mirra asked.

“Oh I have family. But I like shopping alone--- hate the stress of 
shopping with family.” (At that Mirra smiles, as she could relate to 
the woman’s feelings about christmas shopping.) “We really enjoyed 
your company--- and we wanted to thank you for being so kind to us.”

“No problem---” the woman remarked, testing the pole for any “bites”, 
“After all, it’s Christmas.”

“Thank you. Uh---” (Mirra stops, blushing) “What’s your name?”

“Trisha.”

They said their goodbyes and parted company.

The woman still fishing for something as she watched them leave, 
“Maybe this time I’ll get a glow in the dark toaster oven--- bake 
killer pot pies of doom---”

“What a thing to want out of a mana pool, Mina.”

“Oh, sure. Take all my fun away why dontcha---” she sighed, pulling 
the rod back and winding the hook in as she looked behind her, “That 
wasn’t as bad as it seemed when you first pitched that idea to me--- 
Nina.”

“Well I felt a friendly face would do them a world of good. Though I 
didn’t watch their intimate moment here--- did you---?”

“I’m not that kind of MINA Unit, you know that---”

“Yeah. Mina 00. Mina for short--- or is it Trisha?”

“Mina. And don’t you dare say that name in front of Michi.” she 
warned, grabbing her stuff as she stood up. “Why? She used to be an 
old flame or something? One night stand?”

“Because, Nina, just because--- show some respect to your fellow 
officers.” Mina sighed, “As for those two? You worry too much. They’re 
going to be just fine. They’ve got that strong love for each other 
and---” Mina stops, as if remembering something, then shakes it off, 
“---nothing will tear them apart.”

“Becoming sentimental at your age, Mina?”

“Maybe moreso than you think---” (turns and walks away) “---you better 
get going if your going to meet them at the shuttle port. I’m going to 
grind the hills some more and enjoy my holiday. See you around, 
Kotobuki.”

And, with that, Mina 00 walks off back towards the resort, smirking as 
she does. “At least I won’t have a noisy neighbor anymore--- how did 
we ever make love with her making so much noise?”

“We managed.” Dr. Adri Talbot whispered from her hiding place behind 
the trees, “We managed.”

(Note - MINA Unit. Slang for “Mina” (everyone or everybody), the MINA 
Operational Unit is the cyberroidal “backbone” of the new generation 
Freeworld Alliance Cruiser class vessels because they could litterly 
be “everybody” on board in case of emergency or if the crew was 
incapacitated. The ship utilizes 100 Minas to 100 crew per ship (equal 
balance between humanoids and crew).)

------

The shuttle lifted off from the pad, it’s wings folding back down into 
position as the shuttle headed back to the Daidouji estates. Still, 
Nina couldn’t seem to shake something. “You get taller or something? I 
could swear you look different.”

“I’ll tell you about it someday.” Hikaru remarked, her attention 
focused only on Mirra, and vice versa. As the mountains fell away and 
the coast came back into view both girls clasped their free hands 
together again, and told stories of their adventures (minus the 
intimate moments) to Nina/Eliza as they slowly headed for home, the 
world seeming abit brighter and warmer to the two now that they’ve 
grown closer in the past few days, even though their greatest 
challenges still laid ahead.

“I know it’ll be OK, because I’ll always have you. Always.”

Onwards to Part 3


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