Sitting cross-legged, Jack inhaled, holding his breath as his shirtless sweating body wafted with brackish golden energy. At his side, Sahaqiel and Lilith, both specters standing over their host, observing the man circulated his mana with his palm held out towards a floating potted plant.

“Now reverse the flow, pull in that energy,” Lilith instructed, the runes on Jack's arms glowing, mythical symbols the helped to ease his burden.

The plant suddenly began to wither, the life force of the little shrub turning brown as its energy was ripped out of it.

Jack opened his eyes, beholding his handiwork. The plant drained without having to touch the target or activate Gehenna.

“Incredible…” Jack whispered, eyeing his palm. It had taken a few tries, but ultimately, it had succeeded despite Sahaqiel’s disapproval. It wasn't as fast or as efficient as touching someone and willing the skill to activate, but this now gave Jack a way to replenish while at a distance.

“This is fine and all. But it's completely unusable. Anyone with mana sense will just be able to avoid Jack's mana touch,” Sahaqiel said, the angel looking to the side with her arms crossed.

“Be that as it may, this is just the building block for new abilities. If I can reach out and steal energy from my foes, that means I can keep a healthy distance indefinitely and not get hurt,” Jack replied as the door of the balcony opened.

“Talking to your imaginary friends?” Ada asked, the woman a mess with her hair going in all directions, mouth covered in crumbs with her once pristine pink bathrobe sporting mysterious stains.

“Morning Ada,” Sahaqiel said, revealing herself with a smile. “You're looking stunning as usual. A very earthly glow about you.”

Ada responded with a middle finger.

“What’s up? Feeling better today?” Jack asked, closing his eyes as he gathered more mana to repeat his test on another potted shrub.

“Well…” Ada said, placing her hands on Jack's shoulders and massaging them. “Celeste will be here in ten, so I was wondering if you wanted to join me in the shower?”

Jack's eyes shot open as Ada dropped her robe and strutted back into the room with Jack's head snapping towards the woman beckoning him.

“Right! Yup! On the way!!”

****

“Daddy!” Celeste exclaimed, running up and hugging Jack's legs.

“Oh! How's my number one baby girl!” Jack asked, picking up the short girl and hugging her in his arms.

“Tickles! Tickles!” Celeste let out as Jack gave her multiple kisses on her head.

“I'll see you later. I'm gonna go check on Yukino,” Ada said, the woman neat and tidy as she walked out with Leona.

“So,” Jack said, waiting until the two were out of sight. “What do you wanna do today princess?”

Celeste looked up, blinking at Jack with her golden eyes, her appearance reminding Jack of Colette.

“Can we have ice cream?”

Jack smiled. “Sure, let's see if Auntie Kamila is in the kitchen.”

“Yay!”

****

“So how's it been with Jack?” Leona asked, walking through the empty palace wing off limits to anyone else but authorized personnel.

“Fine I think,” Ada said, rubbing her belly. “I think I'm grossing him out though.”

Leona looked down. “Have you told him?”

“No. Not yet.”

“Well, you better girl. I'm not trying to call you fat but you are looking a little Thicc.”

“Hey!”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“But in the good places,” Leona joked, the pair turning into a corridor.

“Ugh, I keep eating and eating and eating and I can't seem to stop myself. Is that normal? I feel bloated but not and I think I'm just stress eating.”

“We'll, you're eating for two. Have you done an ultrasound yet?” Leona asked.

“Yeah… Kamila has been helpful with that. Sel-uh, her Majesty has been scheduling me visits with Doctor Alencia. We've been doing a number of tests because of Jack's biology to make sure the baby is healthy and there's no complications, too hard to tell yet,” Ada said, the two pausing outside of a wooden door.

“Well that's good. But I do think you should tell him,” Leona said, placing a well manicured hand on Ada’s shoulder. “Plus, I'm pretty sure he already knows, he's just in denial.”

“You think? I'm just worried is all. Especially with his sleep talking.”

Leona raised a brow. “Sleep talking?”

“I… uhm I probably shouldn't have mentioned it,” Ada replied quickly, attempting to open the door but being stopped by the red-headed officer who grabbed her wrist.

“No, if something is concerning you, you should open up about it. Especially if it's about Jack,” Leona said, the pair staring at one another. "If his health is in jeopardy we should know."

Ada clenched her jaw, wondering if she should speak up or not.

“Well… he has nightmares. Not every night, but sometimes he says things in his sleep.”

“Like?”

“He's begging,” Ada said, looking away. “Like he's pleading with someone. Sometimes he's begging to save the Hoshido and other time's he's murmuring about failing. Sometimes it's his sister's name, other times…”

“Other times? It's ok. I'm a friend and a psychologist Ada, it's fine to talk to me.”

“Well… who is Mai and Eleanor? You used to know him before he came to us, do you know who they are?” Ada asked, her arms folded around her body as she looked at the woman who was taken aback. “Well?”

Leona sighed.

“Mai was a classmate of ours. She and I weren't very close, but she was good people. She and her boyfriend both died in a Cintelli ambush during our first landnav training four years ago,” Leona explained, an odd look on her face as her gaze seemed to be staring at something down the corridor that wasn't there. “Could be lingering survivors' guilt. A lot of our cadre washed out after that. As for Eleanor, that was a MECHFrame pilot who died saving Jack.”

The pair stood in silence for a solid minute, the minds of both women moving.

“I see,” Ada said. “So you see why I can't tell him? He's so stressed out as is.”

“Ada, I'm sure he already knows,” Leona assured. “But it should come from your mouth.”

Ada sighed.

“I'm sure you're right,” Ada said before finally turning the door knob and entering into a white drabbed room filled with the fragrance of flowers and antiseptic.

“Morning!” Ada let out, entering the room with a wide smile where a brown-haired woman missing her left arm and leg sat flipping channels on a TV with a bored look.

“Sup,” Yukino said, her gaze not moving from the large TV screen.

“Hey! Why so gloomy! Today's the day you get shiny prosthetics!” Ada said, putting on her best smile for her friend with bags under her eyes.

“Yeah.”

“You should be excited!”

“Yeah.”

“You… Yuki. Are you ok?” Ada asked, dropping the facade as she eyed the untouched eggs and greens that lay cold on a plate.

“I just want to go home.”

The pair sat there neither speaking as Leona picked up her chart at the end of the bed.

“Once we get you outfitted with the new prosthetics and through recovery, we'll get you back to where you belong,” Leona assured. “But it's important you eat. Gather as much strength as possible.”

“Ok.” Yukino said, almost a whisper blinking once before she turned over in her bed and shut her eyes. “I'm tired. I want to sleep.”

Ada stroked the woman's hair that had long since lost its pink dye. "Did you know? Its the darnest thing, but Ho-sook is here."

This seemed to catch Yuki's attention, albeit for a moment.

"Snuck into the city on our convoy, apparently she's been stealing and causing quite the fuss," Ada continued, "When we pick her up do you want to see her?"

Yukino paused, seeming to consider it.

"No... I'm okay..."

“Ok,” Ada smiled softly before leaving with Leona.

“I'm going to have an attendant look after her. Check in every thirty minutes or so,” Leona said.

“I'm worried about her.”

“Well, she's still in the process of grieving. Plus the traumatic experience she suffered and loss of her limbs. Anyone in her situation would feel depressed.”

Ada turned, opening the door and peaking into the room at her friend curled up on the queen-sized bed.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Just be there,” Leona said. “Time is going to be the biggest factor here.”

“Yeah…” Ada said, pursing her lips before she closed the door.

****

In the distance of Lunacrypt, a petite feminine man in a maid outfit with a pawn tattoo beneath his eye stood on the outer defensive wall of the city.

Next to him, a woman in a jester outfit, another pawn surveying the bustling landscape teaming with life below.

“Ah. There's so many women and children down below!” The Maid exclaimed, hugging himself as he began to sing. “Can you imagine their screams?"

“Settle down please. We have a job to do. Best not fuck this up,” The Jester replied, the pair invisible to the armed Selfian patrols passing by.

“Yeah! Yeah! Whateva! Jeez, can't have any fun. It's not fair that cowboy gets to go out blowing stuff up but I'm stuck here doing this!” The Maid exclaimed, his slender legs dangling off the eye of the wall.

“Don't complain. If Purple Pawn find out we'll lose more than just an arm this time.”

“Tsk!” The Maid replied.

“Now come on, we've got work to do,” The Jester said, taking the Maid’s hand with the pair disappearing into a cloud of smoke.