23

Stuck in an endless dream.

Spiraling… spiraling…

Where is this place?

Downward… ever downward…

A forest.

Boreal, evergreens, for one moment. Then, temperate, deciduous, another.

It was a vast forest.

The Great Jura Forest?

And then, somewhere else, near Dwargon, or in another domain entirely. She'd been walking forever, it seemed, yet also not at all. A mist filled the area, blanketing the ground and the air, obstructing her view.

Or… not where, but maybe… when is this place?

Time flowed differently here. As though one day were a thousand years, and a thousand years a single day.

Tanya stopped a moment – Was it only moment? – and pressed a hand against a nearby tree, resting her weight against it. Her body ached all over.

It was like she was splitting apart at the seams. Her nerves endings were sensitive, burning, freezing, aching from that which she'd never before felt.

Or could not feel – feel truly, or properly – until now, in this moment.

The bark was sharp against her palm. Too sharp. The air burned, and when she breathed, it was something more than air. It was unbearably hot, and excruciatingly cold. Electric and gravel rumbling in her chest.

Magic.

That familiar hum of power. Her fingers, her bones buzzed with it. She was filled to the brim, her magic circuits raw and sparking.

It felt like she was a stranger in her own skin.

Tanya turned, leaning her back against the tree, ignoring the far too rough surface. She looked down, at her arms.

Those familiar scars met her gaze.

This is me.

For better or for worse.

She took a deep breath, then exhaled, the air misting and sparking in front of her. Then, she pushed off the tree, and continued to walk, her gaze turned downward.

Move. Move forward.

A deep chuckle drew her attention. Tanya looked up.

Her eyes widened.

"What- ah!" Tanya winced, grabbing at her head. She exhaled with a hiss, staring forward with a pained grimace. "Who…?"

He was walking away now, through the trees.

He looked different, now.

But she'd know him anywhere.

Tanya's lip curled into a silent snarl, and she followed.

As she went, the scenery... changed, again and again. Like this world had a mind of its own.

He slipped behind a tree, walking out from behind another one entirely.

Again, and again.

Then, finally, he stopped.

Tanya pulled up short.

"You."

Her voice shook with rage… and was tinged, ever so slightly, with something else. Something darker, more painful.

"You can't be here."

"Really?" He smirked, turning fully to face her.

"You- you aren't real." Tanya clenched her fists, ignoring the pain, the discomfort, everything, to stay grounded in this moment. "You're gone."

"I am?"

You have to-

-=-=-=-

Middle of the Night

Tanya Mary Household

Tempest, Jura Tempest Federation

Tanya's eyes shot open.

She sat up quickly, the covers of her futon pooling around her waist. One hand shot to the floor on her left, bracing herself as she hunched over, covering her face with her other hand. Her breathing was ragged, a slight cold sweat decorating her form as she tried to quietly gasp for air.

It barely worked.

Tanya stared through the gaps in her fingers, out into the cool darkness of her room.

Her breathing calmed, eventually, slowly, the rise and fall of her chest evening out.

The room was cool, though the covers around her and the arm thrown haphazardly across her waist kept her temperature at a comfortable high. Even despite the ball of ice stabbing her lungs and crushing her chest.

At least the urge to retch was absent. She'd hardly felt such an urge following such an… experience, in a long while. A small mercy.

Neither was a headache, or a lack of coherency inflicting her at the moment. Another mercy, perhaps. Or indeed a curse, for Tanya was fully aware of herself and her surroundings, and as such was utterly lacking in the mental state required to simply lay back and resume enjoying the warmth of her bed and bed partner.

She was exhausted, no doubt about it. But it was clear she wouldn't be falling back asleep anytime soon.

Tanya sighed, letting her hand drop from her face. Carefully, she moved Shuna's arm from her waist, easing her way out of the covers right after and getting to her feet. In the dark, she padded over to her dresser.

It wouldn't do well for her health to "bare all" to the winter night air, no matter how strong her constitution or how well her magic did at fending off the cold.

-=-=-=-

Early the Next Day

Slightly South of Tempest

Great Forest of Jura

"Is there a reason you're dragging me out here, Treyni?"

Admittedly, waking up upside down, dangling from the ceiling via several vines had been a fairly interesting way to start her morning. Certainly, within her top 3 at least.

That being said, Mary didn't exactly appreciate the wake up itself, regardless of whether or not it made a good story.

She was an avid fan of sleep these days, given that she'd never quite gotten enough during her time as a partial divinity-infested vessel in the midst of a world war. For that sleep to be interrupted without being given a proper reason was more than a little irritating.

Her training with Hakurou wasn't even this early!

Usually.

Anyways.

"And so early, too." Mary made sure to make her displeasure known. "Don't you have better things to do than be a nuisance to me?"

Let it be known that, while Mary had resolved to try and make friends with more people, that did not mean she intended to eagerly extend such a courtesy to those that were, in her eyes, undeserving of it.

Not the Treyni was particularly annoying or anything, just…

Listen, it was cold, dammit. And early! Had she mentioned that already?

"Come now, Mary. We're friends, aren't we?" Treyni continued walking beside her, shooting Mary a smile.

"I'm pretty sure I've interacted with Trya way more than you, so I'm going to say not really."

Treyni's smile did not diminish.

"Like I said, we're friends, aren't we?"

Mary stared at her.

"…Sure. Whatever."

"Delightful. And, as friends, I believe it's only right to share. So, I'm going to share with you something I've found. Something very important."

Mary's fingers itched. She took a breath, suppressing the desire to reach for her katana as best she could. Something about the Dryad's smug air this morning was just rubbing her the wrong way.

"Very important, huh? And what exactly would you consider-"

"Ssh!" Treyni grabbed Mary's shoulder, pulling her down with her to crouch behind a bush. "We're here. Don't alert her or you'll ruin it."

Her?

Treyni gestured with a finger. The tiny branches and leaves of the bush began to shift, a hole growing in the middle such that they could see through without trouble. Treyni wiggled another finger, a faint energy – and oddly enough, the faint sound of birds chirping – washing over them

"We're fully hidden now. She won't be able to spot us."

"What are we, spies? Treyni, nothing you've done so far has improved my impression of little… expedition."

"You'll thank me." Treyni assured her. She glanced pointedly through the hole in the bush, "Now, stop grumbling and look."

"I'm not grumbling." Mary grumbled, looking through the hole.

She blinked, not believing her eyes for a split second.

"That's Tanya."

"You bet it is."

"Treyni." Mary's tone was flat, "Are you seriously telling me you brought me out here, before I'd normally be up and in winter… to spy on Tanya. Of all people. Tanya."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Treyni pouted, looking put out, "It's exactly because it's her that we're out here. Honestly, Mary, aren't you curious?"

"No. I'm not. Shoving my nose in other people's business has rarely gone well for me in the past." Mary sighed, gesturing to the side, "Besides, why would I need to be curious. She's just training. She does that basically every morning. I would know; I live with her."

"Sure, you know that." Treyni leaned in, with a smile that far more discomforting than comforting, "But do you know what, exactly, she does out here?"

"Well, no." Usually I'm asleep until just before it's time to train with Hakurou. "And I don't really care. I don't know why you think I would."

"Oh come on, you know."

"No. I don't." Mary was short with the other woman, her expression blank as she was too tired and overall done with this situation for anything else, "I have no idea what you're talking about. Genuinely."

She was channeling – ironically enough – Tanya's usual level of disappointment in others in order to emphasize her point here.

Maybe I'll take a nap just before lunch. Or after? I'm not exactly busy today; just sword training in the morning then I'm done. Maybe I should find something to do? I've been meaning to be more productive…

Treyni tilted her head, staring at Mary with curious look that lasted just long enough for the above thought to reach a near enough conclusion.

"Hmm, maybe you don't know. Not yet, at least. Okay!" She clapped her hands together, "Do not worry, Mary. As your friend, I'll help you. As soon as you figure things out on your own, just come to your good fiend Treyni, and we'll work the rest out together."

"Cool. Whatever." Mary rolled her eyes. "Are we done here?"

"Are you sure you want to leave so soon?" Treyni looked through the hole, no longer paying full attention to the other woman, "The show's just now starting, after all."

"She's just working out, what-" Mary looked through as well.

Rimuru's here too?

She blinked, leaning in a bit closer to get a better look.

And- they're fighting now? They- oh, they're practicing hand to hand. That makes sense. Still doesn't explain why Treyni's so… enthusiastic about being here, but whatever.

That being said, Mary stayed by Treyni's side for at least an hour.

Tanya and Rimuru were very good at weaponless fighting, apparently. She almost felt like she should be taking notes. Compared to the powerhouses she and Treyni were spying on, Mary sort felt like she was slacking.

There was just… something weird. For some reason, Mary couldn't fully appreciate the spectacle. An odd chord was being struck in the back of her mind, and she had no idea what it was. And it wasn't the fact that Rimuru's eyes were red for some reason, instead of the usual gold.

True, was a great show and all. Ignoring everything else, that was undeniable.

That being said, something just felt… off.

Mary couldn't help but wonder.

-=-=-=-

A Few Days Later

Clearing near Northern Training Field

Tempest, Jura Tempest Federation

Mary couldn't help but wonder…

…if she truly was a failure as a magic user, as she failed yet again to produce any meaningly results on her current task.

"Dammit."

The aura, an odd mix of otherworldly teal outlined in splotchy black that signified the use of space magic, faded from her hands and forearms. And, as she clenched them into fists and resisted the urge to punch a nearby tree, Mary couldn't help but stew in her anger a bit longer than was technically healthy.

"Dammit! Why won't it work!"

The 'it' in this scenario being the particular brand of space magic that allowed Tanya to easily and conveniently store her sword – and, apparently, snacks – whenever she liked.

Mary had lamented once that she had neglected to learn such a useful bit a magic back during their excursion in Xerxes.

Apparently, she hadn't neglected to learn it. She just couldn't learn it at all. At least, that was the conclusion she was about to resign herself too, after a complete inability to recreate the piece of magic on any meaningful level.

"What am I doing wrong?"

This question she directed not to herself, but to the clearing at large. Or more specifically, to her sometimes magic teacher – sometimes, because their practice sessions had reduced yet again from a few times a week to once a week – Tanya, who was leaning against a tree a few meters behind her.

No response came.

Mary turned around, with an eyebrow raised, her anger tempered somewhat and replaced largely with a slight bemusement.

"Tanya?" She blinked. "Hello?"

Is she… asleep?

Mary moved closer, going slow so as to not make any noise.

She has bags under her eyes again.

She stopped in front of Tanya, crossing her arms and frowning.

Has she been overworking again-

A finger poked the back of Mary's shoulder.

Mary jumped slightly, barely stifling a yelp before glancing back.

Shuna waved at her.

Mary blinked. She made to open her mouth.

Shuna shook her head. She turned, gesturing for Mary to follow before walking away.

Huh. Okay.

-=-

The two women stopped on the other side of the clearing, easily out of earshot of Tanya or anyone else that might happen to be in the area.

Which, given that Hakurou was off somewhere else within Tempest proper, meant no one else happened to be in the area.

"Hey Shuna." Mary returned Shuna's wave from earlier, once they'd turned and faced one another. "What brings you around?"

Shuna's gaze flit across the clearing for a split second. If Mary hadn't been looking right at her, she would have missed it.

"Oh, just curiosity is all." Shuna smiled, "I've never sat in on one of these sessions before. Tanya's a good teacher, so I was just wondering… well, how is your magic training going?"

"Tanya's- uh, yeah."

What could she have taught Shuna… hm, you know what? Never mind.

"Yeah, she's… effective. Better than when we first started, at least, though maybe that's because of our, uh…"

"Hm?"

"…unique history." Mary looked away, "You know, I kind of wonder how she taught her battalion now that I've-" She shook her head, "Anyway, it's fine."

"Hm, that's right. You two did know each other before coming here." Shuna clasped her hands in front of her, "What was that like? Was she much different back then?"

"Uh."

Shuna leaned forward.

"Or you? Do you like it here?"

"Um."

Mary resisted the urge to step away.

Until a light breeze blew by, ruffling Shuna's hair slightly and sending a faint floral scent brushing past Mary's nose.

She caved, taking a short step back and turning slightly to the side.

"It's nice here." Mary coughed into her fist, pointedly ignoring Shuna's curious gaze, "I like it a lot better than our old world. And I don't have a Deity sharing half my head, so that's nice. Um, it's important to say though that Tanya and I were enemies at the time. Nothing I thought about her back then is really true anymore. Oh."

Shuna tilted her head. "What is it?"

"Nothing, just… well, I guess I thought she was too cold. Even with everything else going on, and jeez there really was a lot going on, she was sort of- like, too calm? No, not calm. More like- hm. Blank?" Mary put a hand to her chin, her embarrassment forgotten as she really thought about her answer, "…yeah, I think cold was the closest, actually."

"How odd." Shuna glanced across the clearing again, "I don't think she's cold at all. Is she that different now?"

"Yeah, she's definitely a lot- wait, weren't going to talk about my magic training?" Mary blinked. "Actually, how much did Tanya already tell you anyway?"

Uh, I hope I haven't spilled anything. I don't think I did… though, is there anything for me to spill?

"She's answered any questions I've had for her to the best of her ability." Shuna said matter-of-factly, and with a hint of fond exasperation that Mary had no idea how to properly interpret, "I just feel like you and I haven't talked much before, is all. So, how is your magic training coming along, Mary?"

Uh, I guess we're back on the initial subject now, huh? Sure, I'll roll with that.

"I've actually been having a bit of trouble lately." Mary admitted, "I can copy a lot of magic really easily, but it's this one bit of space magic that's really- it's just not working for me."

"Hmm." Shuna put a finger to her cheek in thought, "I'm pretty good with magic myself. Maybe I can help you."

"Really?"

"Mhm." Shuna nodded. "So, why don't you explain to me a bit and tell me what you think is going wrong."

"Okay. Okay, sure." Mary took a breath, "Okay, so a while back Tanya came up with the weird sort of, like, invisible backpack thing using space magic."

"An invisible backpack…"

"She keeps her sword in it. And I've seen her pull out fresh bread and oranges from it, so it can hold food stuff too. I mean, the bread was still warm and everything."

"Is it like Lord Rimuru's stomach?"

"Rimuru's- uh, yeah." Mary blinked. "Yeah, actually that is what it's based off of. I think I remember Tanya saying something like that."

"Well, if it's like that," Shuna half extended her arms, her palms facing one another. "Then it's not really an invisible backpack. It's more like an extra space entirely."

"I feel like she might have mentioned that too."

Or maybe I'm making that up. I don't know.

A teal and black aura surrounded Shuna's hands, the smooth ebb and flow of the space-tempered magicules easily visible as it flowed over and then across, from one palm to the other.

"I'll try it out too." Shuna said, letting the magic pool between her hands. "What instructions did Tanya give you for this?"

"Huh. Okay then." Mary started, watching as Shuna's space magic calmly swirled about.

"So, instructions. Instructions, right. So, Tanya told me- uh, she said 'visualization is key to magic' and to 'try to imagine a hole in reality". Also, there was something like: 'It's an extra space. Imagine a sheathe to your katana but in midair. Also, it's invisible and intangible'. And then like, she did a demonstration."

"A hole in reality, an extra space…" Shuna murmured, her space energy beginning to swirl.

Mary stared.

"You know, it will actually make me feel a lot worse if you get this first try. You know that, right?"

The energy between Shuna's palms became a loose sphere, tendrils of excess magic flaring like coronal loops around it.

"I'm serious. I think it would be a huge blow to my self-esteem. I might never recover emotionally, Shuna. It would scar me. For life. Into my next life, even, since that's a thing apparently."

"Mary, are you going to shut up and join me or would you rather stand there making jokes?" Shuna rolled her eyes, "One of those things would be far more productive, and I really shouldn't have to tell you which."

"You know what, that's a fair point."

Mary copied Shuna's motions, her own space magic quickly bursting out and washing over her fingers and pooling between her palms. The ebb and flow were clearly more violent than Shuna's, neither woman failed to notice.

"Alright." Shuna said, after a moment. She moved a step forward, pushing her hands forward slightly, "Now, pool your magicules with mine. Yes, right here. Let's try and work this out together, shall we?"

-=-

There is a problem with this pairing that was not immediately clear from the get-go.

You see, as no one – except perhaps Tanya – could have guessed, Mary and Shuna together made an incredibly volatile combination.

Not in their interactions. They got along quite well, actually.

The problem was in their magic.

Mary had a fairly volatile internal magicules pool all on her own. This well known by this point, and was the source of much lament for both her and her usual magic teacher, Tanya.

Her magic flow was not something that could even charitably be called smooth, and her efficiency left much to be desired on a good day. Without a medium – like her magisteel katana for instance – the channel her magic through, her ability to use it effectively sort of went to shit.

It was much better now though. Months of training hadn't been worthless, after all. And, those flashes of perfect flow and efficiency, those moments when it all just clicked… well, the damage she did to Nin Gen with a single off-balance punch was evidence enough to the sheer potential she held.

Having a larger internal pool and incredible above human power even without that magic was just the cherry on top. Really, if she could only channel her magic better. That, combined with Ability Severance, was a breathtaking level of power to behold.

If only she could channel it better within herself.

Channel it… within…

Right, getting off track.

Shuna, on the other hand, had an above average internal pool of magicules as well, along with an above average efficiency with it. Nothing quite out of this world, not yet, but certainly worth noting as it was now.

Her specialty, however, lay not in the use of magic, but rather in the alteration of magic.

This is something that would eventually be realized fully with the Unique Skill: Manufacturer after a certain monster's ascension following a certain Festival.

But she did not possess this now, and as such it was not the focus.

The focus was – and the main issue that arose when one combined Shuna's magic with Mary's magic – Shuna's talent for altering, changing magic.

When you have this element of change, combined with the inherent volatility of Mary's own magic, combined again with the fact that neither of them actually knew how to perform this particular piece of space magic, combined a third time with the realization that only Mary actually seen Tanya use this magic on more than one occasion…

Well, if you were expecting a good result after all of that, you must be either delusional or stupidly optimistic.

Which brings us to the here and now.

"Uh, Shuna! What do we do!"

"We're fine!"

"That's not what I asked!"

"Just- just reel it in!"

"Reel it in?"

"Reel it in, Mary!! Stop adding magicules, and-"

It was all going wrong. Obviously.

Luckily, they had a trump card on hand, just across the clearing.

A trump card that had been jolted from her nap by what was very nearly a magical black hole blaring against her senses.

Don't worry, everyone. Tanya was here to save the day, like always.

"Honestly, what are you two doing?"

The sphere, half as tall as the trees and spinning at a terrifying pace, completely halted in place, as if instantly frozen.

Tanya walked past Mary and Shuna, her arm half extended and palm facing the sky.

"Tanya?" The two echoed, glancing at each other before staring incredulously at the scene in front of them.

"Really, this might be on me. I should have said something like 'an alcove in reality' or 'a locker in reality'." Tanya curled her pointer finger in the universal "come hither" motion. "Calling it a 'hole' might just lead to the creation of magicule-based whirlpools in best case, and reality-breaking magical black holes at worst."

The sphere of frozen space magic drifted towards her, like a dog being beckoned, As it was pulled towards her, she held her hand up, pressing it against the sphere's surface just as it came within her reach.

"Luckily, this isn't too serious a lapse. Closer to the former, really."

She breathed in, holding it a beat before exhaling.

"Break."

Blink, and you would have missed it.

The world around the ball of space magic seemed almost to warp, compressing into nothingness in less than a second. And just like that, the sphere was gone. Utterly. As if it had never been there in the first place.

Tanya turned.

Her hand, the one which had just effortlessly dismantled the piece of combined space magic that had moments before been rampaging on a near out-of-control level, rose to her mouth, covering up a yawn.

"We'll just call it a learning experience for everyone involved."

Mary and Shuna stared.

-=-

Each watched for a time as Tanya approached. There could be no doubt as to the awe in their eyes at what they had just witness-

Ah, no. No, it seems things were quite a bit more heated in Shuna's gaze, as an awe of a different sort took her compared to Mary's completely reasonable and expected amazement.

Perhaps that said something as to Shuna's personality behind closed doors.

Not that that was anyone's business except hers and Tanya's.

Right, moving on then. The long and short of it was this.

Tanya, having felled a Demon Lord Seed and repurposed the Seed itself, now possessed the Unique Skill: Tetra Breaker.

In truth, it performed exactly as its component parts had.

The functions of the Unique Skill: Tetrabattery Limit Enhancement and the Unique Skill: Formulaic Casting had combined into a cohesive unit, providing the same functions at less the hassle.

Formulae could be enhanced directly by the battery of TLE, rather than channeled from one Skill to the other. Furthermore, with only needing to activate one Skill rather than two, the internal requirements – such as focus and mental stamina – decreased.

No matter how natural using her magical abilities – whether they were mana or magicule based – came to her after years of practice, such a change was undoubtedly a great boon.

Indeed, she hardly had to even think to bring her reinforcement and enhancement spells to full force. It was practically as natural as breathing, you might say, the combination of new ease alongside her years of magical experience on the frontlines as a mage.

Though not quite on the level of instinctive or entirely without thought. In truth, Tanya suspected that she little had need to consciously activate the formulae. More than likely, the power of enhancing and reinforcement would rise naturally and effortlessly, when it's need became apparent to her instincts.

Or something like that. She never claimed to be an expert. Just experienced.

By this basis Tanya's already unmatched magical efficiency had technically increased even more, though her circuits remained the same as they were before her battle with Octavius.

Of course, this couldn't be the only upgrade her abilities had received. This was a Demon Lord Seed that had been repurposed, after all. To merely grant the combination of Skills would almost be an insult to those who had bled and died in even the faintest, most futile attempt at grasping such power.

But such a thing was not yet to be.

Though magic itself, whether as magicules or otherwise, very nearly sung in the veins of one Tanya von Degurechaff, the time was not yet at hand. Her influence over magicules, her ability to wield their power, rivaled many that had long since been considered unrivaled.

However, do not be mistaken. Her power could not match these individuals.

Not yet.

If she were to come to blows with the likes of these phenomenal foes, her loss would be the conclusion. But, her efficiency, her potential, her craftiness, and all the other things that made her Tanya… these were to be feared. Now, and as long as she existed.

Yet, above all, there was one trait of the individual known as Tanya that should be feared more than any other. One that made her dangerous beyond compare, regardless of strength.

For within Tanya existed a will to survive, strong enough to outlast even Deities.

No, now was not the time. Not until such a time had passed, and the appropriate conditions had been met, would the Ultimate power of the Unique Skill be fully realized.

But, it should be noted by any potential adversaries that Tanya had been granted the Unique Skill: Tetra Breaker.

After all, willpower was a fundamental tool in the use of magic. Intent, just the same.

Funny, how that works.

-=-=-=-

A Couple Days Later

Tanya Mary Household

Tempest, Jura Tempest Federation

Something's wrong.

More accurately, something had been wrong for a while now.

With Tanya.

That it had gotten bad enough for Mary to notice meant it was a serious problem.

For example…

-=-

Mary was relaxing in her room, polishing the blade so the green shined even without magic flowing through it. Sword training that morning had been tiring, as usual, so it was nice to just sit at home and relax for a bit.

Yep, it was a great feeling to just sit in her room enjoying the peace and-

CRASH

Well, these things never last, do they?

Mary's body moved before any thoughts could register. She shot to her feet, then to the open door of her room.

"What happened?" Mary exclaimed, leaning past the frame. Her katana glinted as she held out protectively.

No one was attacking them, was the first thing she realized. The only thing of note was…

Near the kitchenette, Tanya was crouched down, the shattered remains of a pink mug splayed across the tiles.

Huh.

Mary watched for a moment, confused, before stepping back in her room. She grabbed her katana's sheath, sliding the blade in and setting it next to her futon. She was out of the room a second later, making her way quickly to Tanya's side.

"Tanya?" Mary crouched down next to her.

"Oh. Sue." Tanya glanced at her for a second, before resuming her previous actions.

"What happened?"

Tanya's hand halted for the briefest instance, before depositing another piece of mug in her other hand.

"I dropped a mug, in case you somehow couldn't tell. Thankfully it was empty."

Alright, dick. I was just being polite.

"You dropped something?" Mary raised an eyebrow. "If you start being clumsy as well, I worry for our house's stability."

"Mm. My foot caught a loose tile, is all." Tanya stood, the majority of the pieces in hand, "I'll make Rimuru repair it later."

"Rimuru? Why them?" Mary rose as well, following slightly behind as Tanya moved to dump the ceramic pieces in the tall wicker basket they used as a temporary bin.

"They were a general contractor once upon a time." She tilted her hand, the ceramic letting out quiet clinks as they fell against one another on their way down. "That, and I have blackmail. Not that'd I'd need to resort to it, but…"

What blackmail could you possibly have on Rimuru? Actually, I could probably just ask.

"Well, it's always good to have options." Mary allowed.

"I've taught you well."

"By the way, what sort of blackmail are we talking about here?"

"Subtle." Tanya glanced at her, a hint of amusement there, "I can't tell you exactly, but… well, you've seen how absolutely infatuated so many Tempest residents are for Rimuru, yes?"

"Even I'm not that oblivious."

"Well, I happen to know that Rimuru's been intimate with a resident of Tempest, and it isn't Shion, Benimaru, or another of his most open admirers." Tanya shrugged, "So, if I ever want something, all I really have to say is 'Imagine if Shion found out she'll never be the one to take your virginity' and whatever my request is, it becomes granted. Just like that."

"I feel like there's something morally wrong with you blackmailing the leader of this nation we live in."

"Oh definitely. I'm not denying that at all." Tanya said matter-of-factly, "Which is why I've never used it. But you know, I could. And Rimuru knows that."

"Isn't that still technically blackmailing them?"

Tanya said nothing for a moment.

"…No."

You hesitated.

"Well, whatever. As long as you haven't actually…" Mary paused, her brow furrowed, "Wait, how do you know this anyway?"

"Not something you need to worry about."

That's absolutely not going to keep me from worrying about it. Why would Tanya know…

Mary aborted that thought as Tanya moved to crouch down again.

"What are you doing?"

Tanya straightened up, turning and raising an eyebrow at her. "I'm picking up the rest of the mug."

"I mean, I see that. But, why don't you just…"

Mary gestured with a hand, a ball of water appearing in front of it before dropping and washing up the rest of the mug debris. She gestured again, the ball moving to hover over the bin. Then, it vaporized, with the tiny ceramic pieces falling in the bin easily.

Hey, it worked. I couldn't do that a month ago.

"Huh." Tanya said quietly. "Perhaps I forgot."

Mary frowned.

-=-

This, it should be noted, was one instance.

This was not mentioning when Mary witnessed Tanya do the following things within the span of the past couple days:

Running into the doorframe of her room. Running into the doorframe of their house. Nearly dropping the red mug that was meant to replace the pink one that had been dropped in the earlier scene. Napping against a tree during another one of their magic sessions, only to slide off the tree and land on her side next to it… without waking up. Walking out one morning wearing her black boy shorts, an unbuttoned white button up, and nothing else.

Actually, that last one happened fairly often anyway. Mary had seen Tanya's abs almost as much as Shuna at this point.

Not the point.

And these were just the things she could remember off the top of her head!

There was a problem. And since Mary had noticed it, enough that it was obvious, then it was a problem problem.

Which meant something had to be done.

Which meant, naturally, it fell to her.

-=-=-=-

It was fortunate that the opportunity for Mary to do "something" about the situation just so happened to appear that very night.

Light footsteps on the living room tile tipped her off, and just minutes later Mary was dressed and ready.

The front door slid open, then slid shut after a moment 

"The stars nice out tonight?"

Tanya didn't respond.

"That was a joke." Mary stepped outside, making her way over, "You're supposed to laugh."

She sat down next to Tanya, their legs hanging off the raised porch's edge and resting on the snow-covered ground below.

"It's actually pretty cloudy out. I can barely see the moon right now."

Tanya sighed. "What is it, Sue?"

"Well, if we're skipping the small talk..." Mary rolled her eyes, "You should be sleeping right now. What's going on?"

"Nothing is 'going on'. I'm just awake."

"Bullshit."

That got Tanya's attention.

"Excuse me?"

"I said that's bullshit Tanya. And you know it. You think I haven't noticed how much you've been doing lately? You've been working nonstop ever since we got back from Xerxes."

"I'm supposed to be busy. That's my job here. I take care of the little things and the big things, so everything runs smoothly. Not that I'd expect you to understand."

"I'm going to let you have that one." Mary frowned at her, "Fine, Tanya. If you're going to work yourself to exhaustion, fine. Go ahead. If that's your job, then do your job. But you can't do that on top of sleep deprivation. If you're going to work all day, you can't be spending your nights not resting."

"It's not that simple."

"It is that simple."

"No, it isn't." Tanya insisted, still not looking at her.

"Then tell me why it isn't!" Mary burst, grabbing Tanya's shoulder, "For fuck's sake Tanya, this isn't like you at all!"

She resisted the urge to wince. Subtlety and fine emotional control were never going to be Mary's strong suit, it seemed.

"Don't you think I know that?!" Tanya hissed, turning and pushing Mary's hand away. "Do you really think I'm unaware of how unlike me this is? I'm me! And that's the fucking problem, because there shouldn't fucking be a problem at all! I shouldn't have to worry about this, to do everything myself like this. I shouldn't have to wake in the middle of the night in a cold fucking sweat, feeling like that bastard's golden gaze is still locked on my fucking back!!"

Mary's breath caught.

"Golden gaze…?"

Tanya froze.

"Forget it."

"No!" Mary grabbed Tanya's shoulder again, not allowing the other to push her away, "You're right. You're right, Tanya. You shouldn't have to deal with any of this. Not by yourself, not alone. So please, tell me what's going on!"

Tanya clenched her fists. A cool breeze blew across the road, kicking up tiny flurries.

"…Tanya-"

"Sue." Tanya interrupted, "How long would you say Being X was with you?"

"What?" It was like ice down her spine.

Tanya stared down at her clenched hands. "How long were you stuck with Being X?"

"He-" Mary shook her head, repressing a shudder, "That's… not something I want to talk about."

"Neither do I. Humor me."

Mary's grip on Tanya's shoulder tightened.

"…Since Moskov." Her voice was flat. "The first time we ran into each other. Why?"

"Since I came into that world, with the name Tanya." Tanya finally glanced at her, just for a second, "No, before birth, even. That's how long I've known him."

"Since birth…" Mary's eyes widened, her horrified whisper trailing off.

"That cursed computation orb I used, the miracle of science with four cores. It was nothing but a curse, meant to force me into worship against my will. The compulsion to faith filled every pore of my body, even from just seconds of use. The altered deployments, the constant warfare, those were manageable. But I was losing my mind a little more with every near-death bout. If it had gone on much longer, I…"

Tanya huffed. There was no amusement in it.

"Our mutual death was a boon, in that way. Coming too in this world felt like waking up stark sober and hangover-less, after years of having a constant alcoholic buzz. I never wanted to die, but I can admit it likely served me better than staying in a world He controlled."

Silently, Mary agreed with her, still busy processing the information.

Tanya continued.

"Which makes this so irritating. We left him behind. That bastard is gone. He's gone. We're somewhere outside of his control. So why-"

Her voice cracked. She paused, clearing her throat.

"…I've been having… nightmares, I suppose you'd call them. No, I've had them. For a while now. Years, if I'm honest. But they were always sporadic. Not worth thinking about. Until... here. They've just gotten worse. Especially after Xerxes, they're just- I can't escape them anymore. I can't ignore them."

Tanya shook her head.

"There are ones that repeat. Places I've never been. Pain I've never felt. I'm in a field of white flowers under a starless sky. I'm in a forest that keeps changing. I'm on top of a mountain, or a frozen volcano. And sometimes, every so often, far more often than I should… I see him."

The word was whispered with so much venom, it might as well have poisoned the very air.

"I see that bastard. I'm having nightmares about that bastard. Nightmares, like a child. Nightmares, about a problem that doesn't exist anymore. It's infuriating. I shouldn't be having this issue. It's over, he's gone, so I should have just moved past this already and yet…"

Her magic flared for the briefest moment. The snow around their feet kicked up just the slightest bit.

"...and yet, I just- I-"

Warm arms wrapped around her.

Tanya froze, tensing up.

"I get it. I understand better than anyone. You know that, right? I know." Mary emphasized this quietly, her head pressing against Tanya's shoulder, her own shoulders shaking silently.

"And when I say I get it, I really do. I mean, for the longest time… well, I'm sure I woke up yelling enough that you already know. And I think…"

The hug tightened. The tension ebbed out, just a bit.

"…War never really ended for you, did it?"

Something gave way inside.

Wetness trailed down Tanya's face, a few drops falling from her chin. Tanya reached a hand up, touching her own cheek.

I'm… crying?

"Oh." She said quietly. Her hand came back down, resting against Mary's forearm and holding on with a loose grip. "Oh."

"You're the only person I have left from back then. You're the most important person I have. You know that, right?"

Mary's voice was quiet.

"The war is over. He's gone. We're free now. We're free… so you can't treat this like it's just you versus him. Even if it sucks, even if you feel like this is something you should be over and done with already, you- that's just- that'll just get you killed. You're not allowed to do that. You're not allowed to just die. Not like everyone else. Not after we got away. Not after we won."

Tanya sighed after a moment.

"…I don't know… you might not have realized this Mary, but I am a flawed person."

"I do know that, actually." Mary said quietly, "And not for the reason you think. Everyone is flawed. A life without flaws... that kind of thing only exists in a dream, doesn't it?"

Tanya's grip on her forearm tightened.

"Not mine, it seems. I have… a few more flaws than you might think."

"So what? You have a heart. That's what matters."

Me? A heart? Since when?

Before Tanya could come up with a response, another warmth entirely covered her shoulder. A blanket curled around her side, an arm snaking around her left side and waist.

Mary barely had time to blink before the other end of the blanket went over her shoulders as well, an arm curling around her back and a hand hooking her side.

 "It's the middle of winter." Shuna rest her chin on top of Mary's head, pressing the girl's face further into Tanya's shoulder in the process, "And the middle of the night. If…"

She yawned, her eyes fluttering shut.

"If you two are gonna… sit near the snow, you could… at least be warm." Shuna tightened her double hug, "I swear… taking Lord Rimuru's bad example… hm…"

Tanya pulled the edge of the blanket around, incidentally pressing Shuna, who was inside the blanket, closer against them.

"She fell back asleep." Tanya muttered, not quite smiling but clearly feeling better.

"You don't say." Mary mumbled into Tanya's shoulder, the Kijin half atop her as well making it a fairly easy guess.

And that was the end of it. For now.

For now.

~OPENING: TALE OF TWO NATIONS ARC~

-=-=-=-=-=-

Known Skills List

Tanya:

Common Skill: Thought Communication

Extra Skill: Flames of Babylon

Extra Skill: Magic Sense

Extra Skill: Magic Aura

Extra Skill: Voice of the World Communication

Unique Skill: Tetra Breaker

Mary:

Extra Skill: Magic Sense

Extra Skill: Magic Aura

Extra/Intrinsic Skill: Physical Enhancement

Unique Skill: Ability Severance

-=-=-=-=-=-