The Red Hand

Interlude 6 – Alice’s Tea Party.

A few days after Akagi and Kana returned from Omara, Alice was preparing for a tea party in the greenhouse. Her two trusty friends, Fluffy and Floofy, were helping her set the table and prepare tea and snacks. Naturally, Akagi would be joining her, and Alice was looking forward to spending some time with her once now that she had returned from the Spirit's world.

"Hmmm. Hmmm. Hmmm." Alice hummed as she finished setting the table. "There! Now everything is set for tea with Mama!" She smiled as she turned to the two bears and started talking in a funny military-esque voice. "Gentlemen!" She exclaimed, causing the two bears to snap to attention. "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to bring to me the snacks I have placed within the kitchen! I won't lie, it might be dangerous, but it needs to be done! What say you?" The two bears nodded their heads in acceptance, causing Alice to giggle as the two of them goose-stepped out of the greenhouse towards the main building.

A few minutes later, Akagi entered the greenhouse. "I see your brave soldiers have completed their mission." She pointed to the two bears walking past her with trays above their heads.

"Good work!" Alice walked over to the two bears and grabbed the items, and placing them on the table. "Everything is all set! Thanks for your service gentlemen!" She salute the two bears who returned one back.

"But before that!" Akagi grabbed Alice from behind and picked her up, spinning her around in circles. "How's my little one doing today?" She smiled as she brought the girl into a hug.

"Heh-heh." Alice giggled as she hugged Akagi back. "I'm doing better now that you're here, Mama." Alice was, generally speaking, doing well at the estate. Akagi was initially worried about her due to her time with Libra, but she quickly returned to her usual cheery state.

"Good to hear!" Akagi put her down and pat her head. "Are you ready to start?"

"Yup!" Alice nodded, and the two sat down as Fluffy and Floofy provided tea and snacks.

"Have you been adjusting to life here?" Akagi asked as she sipped some tea. "I know things have been a little strange between you and the girls, and I'm sorry about that."

{I know that you've wanted to play with them more.} (Akagi)

"It's fine." Alice gave a wry smile. "I know it's better for me to stay away as much as possible." She was fully aware that her status as an ex-Libra member and the one responsible for thousands of deaths in Nagoya would make it difficult for to get along with Mika and Naomi. Kana was less perturbed by things, but Akagi still tried keeping the two at somewhat of a distance from one another.

Though this did not mean that Alice was left alone, as she was constantly surrounded by members of the family who treated her as Akagi's daughter, not caring about her past. She'd gotten along with the family in FWO and was happy to be back.

"I just feel bad." Akagi scratched her cheek. "I'd like you to have some normal relationships with people, but sadly that's going to be hard."

"It's always been like this." Alice sighed. She knew full well how messed up her mind was, and contrary to expectations, she was very aware of her strange situation. "But it's fine! I have you and everyone else, Mama! All the other members of the family have been so nice to me! Sakura even comes to my room every night to read with me!"

{The story about the bunny last night was really funny! Sakura even got tied up at the end when Chloe showed up.} (Alice)

"Yes, I've heard." Akagi laughed. "Word on the street is that she spoils you with baked goods and snacks." Sakura had taken a special liking to Alice since her arrival at the estate, and apparently, she reminded her of her younger sister. "At this rate, it won't be long before you start calling her Mama and run off with her." Akagi fake cried.

"Nooooo!" Alice shook her head vigorously. "Mama is the only Mama I'll ever need! Sakura is like my big sister, so don't cry!"

Akagi laughed. "I know that I'm just messing with you."

Alice puffed out her cheeks. "Mean Mama! Hmpf!" She turned her head away.

"Shall I begin Phase Two of Operation Tickle Monster?" Akagi made a tickling motion with her fingers causing Alice to shiver.

"No tickles..." Alice said that, but her lips showed a smile.

"I can't help it." Akagi cried. "You're too cute! It makes me want to pick on you." Akagi laughed.

{You're like a little squirrel! I just wanna squeeze you! And Yumi might deny it, but I know that she wants to coddle you too.} (Akagi)

"Poor Kana. I don't know how she survives." Alice sighed. She knew from Kana's stories the kind of torment Akagi liked to do because she found it cute or funny.

"Ahh, she deserves it." Akagi waved her hand. "Kana needs to loosen up a bit. Sometimes she can be a bit uptight, but we're working on that, and she's gotten better than she used to be."

{I'm just glad Mama doesn't do such things to me...} Alice counted herself lucky Akagi's tormenting didn't usually apply to her.

"Speaking of the twerp, have you been getting along with Kana?" Akagi asked. "I know you've had tea with her a few times, and she liked your stuffed animal collection." Akagi gave her the stuffed crow when they returned, adding another one to the vast number in her room.

"Kana has been very nice to me, and she really enjoyed the fluffy animals..." Alice smiled. "Though..." Alice stopped.

"Though what?" Akagi asked.

"I don't think she knows what to make of me..." Alice pouted. "I mean, I'm some strange kid that barged into her home and called her sister Mama. Not to mention I was part of the group that hurt her. She always seems to act a bit strange when it's just the two of us..."

"Yeah, that makes sense." Akagi nodded. "But it's fine. Kana will eventually figure things out, and if you want, I can talk to her later about it. No matter how strange you are, you're my daughter, and I want you to get along with her."

"You don't have to do that." Alice shook her head. "I should be the one to do it. I want to be friends with her, and I don't want her to be strange around me, so I'll talk to her." Akagi was happy to see Alice acting so proactive. She always struggled socially since she was ejected from the Assault Team, so this showed at least some development on her part, which was nice.

Unfortunately no matter what kind of progress she made, her growth would always be limited due to her arrested development. Her mind had been irreparably damaged during her time in the hospital and by what happened in FWO. She could get slightly better, but Alice would likely always remain in this strange in-between of a kid and a young adult. Her maturity and intellectual capacity fluxed at times. One minute she could act far older than her appearance, and other times she'd slip into a childlike stupor.

This meant that she could never lead a normal life, and she knew this. While she was always the same person no matter how she acted, it meant she had a hard time interacting with other people; especially if they were not aware of her issues. It was a big part of the reason Akagi kept her at the base in FWO rather than allow her to run around in the world. Her mental state had improved significantly over these two-plus years, but it was to everyone's benefit that she remained in an environment where those around her could provide her with the care she needed.

"How about I try to slowly introduce you to the girls a bit more?" Akagi said. "It's been a few weeks since you got here, and you've met them a couple of times. I think having you around them more will help." She figured keeping Alice away from them forever was both not-possible and a bad idea. "I believe that they'll be coming over today, so why don't don't you come sit with me? Maybe you can talk to them a bit?"

{Gotta start somewhere.} (Akagi)

Alice nodded. "I'd like that."

Hearing that made Akagi smile, and the two continued their tea party for nearly an hour before they wrapped up and went inside the main house. Alice sat on Akagi's lap while they waited on the sofa for the girls to come over, and the warmth made the two fall asleep hugging one another. Yumi came across them a bit later and placed a blanket on them before going back to some of her other work.

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A bit later Kana and the girls got off school and arrived at the estate to do some studying.

"Onee-chan!" Kana yelled as she walked into the living room. "Yumi said you were... in..." She went quiet as she caught sight of the sleeping Alice and Akagi on the couch.

"Aww, that's cute." Mika smiled.

"I guess she really is like a mom." Naomi laughed.

"How about you go ask her to snuggle with you, Naomi? Cause you've called her that twice now if I recall correctly." Kana smirked as she looked at her friend, who turned away in embarrassment.

"I don't know why I keep doing that!" Naomi exclaimed.

{This is even worse than calling the teacher that!} (Naomi)

"Just accept it, Naomi. Akagi's your new mom!" Mika laughed before getting bonked on the head by Naomi's fist.

“Owchi.” Mika cried in pain.

“What's wrong? Don't you want to snuggle with Akagi? I'm sure she wouldn't mind having a second daughter.” Kana's eyes glinted.

“Ho?” Naomi tightened her fist. “I'm going to hit you-” She was cut off by Akagi.

"Could you idiots be any louder?" Akagi yawned as she woke up. "I swear you could wake the dead."

"Ah, sorry." Kana apologized.

“Ye-yeah.” Naomi stumbled.

"Hmmmm." Alice rubbed her eyes as she woke up. "What's wrong, Mama?" She looked over at Kana and the girls. "Hello, Kana, Mika, Naomi." The half awake girl was too cute for the three of them to handle.

"Too much sugar." Mika laughed.

"Yeah, I can practically feel the diabetes." Naomi giggled.

Kana rolled her eyes.

"Don't be jealous." Akagi laughed. "I'm sure Alice would let you squeeze her if you asked nicely, right?" She looked down at Alice, who didn't answer.

Kana and the girls took a seat and put down their bags. "So what's the occasion? I've never seen you fall asleep like that with Alice." Kana asked as she got out some school supplies, they were going to review for an upcoming test.

"Alice and I had a tea party, afterward we came in here to wait for you three, and we fell asleep." Akagi chuckled. "It was just so warm and comfy, that we couldn't resist dozing off."

{You don't even need to sleep, you just wanted to snuggle with Alice, admit it!} (Kana)

"Just like the classroom." Mika agreed. "It makes you want to fall asleep and not do anything productive!"

"That's just you, Mika." Kana sighed. "And it's also why you're here getting tutored. Otherwise, you'll be held back, and I don't think you want to repeat your third year."

"Yeah, if we left her to her own devices, I'm pretty sure Alice would catch up to her in no time." Naomi laughed.

"Isn't Alice like fourteen! I'd have to fail quite a bit for us to be in the same grade!" Mika pouted.

Kana finished getting things out of her bag and put a book on the table. "What are you going to do with Alice on that front anyway?" She asked Akagi. "Are you going to send her to school?"

{That would be an interesting turn of events, and probably a bad idea.} (Kana)

"That would be an extremely poor idea, Kana." Akagi shook her head. "Not only is she an individual most would dislike, but frankly she is not suited for school. It's best if she avoids such a thing, plus its not like she has any need for it anyway."

"Not pulling any punches there, huh?" Mika said feeling a bit bad for the girl.

"It's the truth." Alice spoke up. "I'm too strange to be around other people my age, and many people hate me for being part of Libra. So it's fine." She gave a bitter smile. “I'd rather stay with Mama.” Alice gripped onto Akagi.

"But still, shouldn't she spend time with people her age?" Naomi asked. “Even if its just for a little while, it would be good for some children to play with her.

"No." Alice spoke again. "I don't get along with other children. They find me creepy, and it never ends well. I'm better off with people older than me since they can understand things a bit better." She wiggled in Akagi's lap, hugging her. "Besides, I'll never grow up anyway so it wouldn't matter."

"???" The three girls tilted their heads.

"What do you mean?" Mika asked as she got out a notebook.

"Hmmm." Alice seemed to struggle to answer, so Akagi stepped in.

"Alice is a Star Human, much like how Hishya was, and she will always look this way. In the game, lore made it so they had no lifespan since Star Humans were basically a type of human which was part divine. So she won't die from old age or disease." Akagi chuckled. "She's literally an eternal child. In both mind and body." Minazawa was also a Star Human. It was a common choice among players for its useful benefits and quite a few returnees were such an incredible species.

"That's crazy." Naomi was surprised. "Living forever..."

"I mean, so will I." Akagi shrugged. "And Yumi won't be aging or dying, so she's in the same boat. In fact, quite a bit of my followers either have such insanely long lifespans that it's effectively ageless, or they are ageless." Though, she intended to find a way to spread longevity to all her people eventually.

"I guess that means when we're all old ladies Akagi will look exactly the same huh?" Mika scratched her cheek as she gave a dry laugh.

"Kana too." Akagi pointed out that Kana was a bit different.

"What?" (Mika x Naomi x Kana)

"What do you mean what?" Akagi raised an eyebrow. "She might still technically be human, but with my power, I have no clue if you even can age anymore."

"What?!?" Kana exclaimed. "This is the first time I'm hearing about this!" She'd never been told anything about having a longer lifespan.

"And you two, you do realize that having magic will make you live longer, right?" Akagi sighed. "Didn't Mizumi tell you that?"

"No!" (Mika x Naomi x Kana)

"Ok, note to self, bonk her on her head when she gets back to do the procedure." Akagi groaned. "But yes, those with magic will long outlive those without. It's why humans in her old world had an average lifespan of nearly two hundred years." There were even cases of humans hitting nearly one thousand years old if they had a large amount of magic.

"That's..." Naomi hadn't been told anything about this, she wasn't upset or even disturbed. It was more just shock.

"That's so cool!" Mika's eyes sparkled. "I'll get to stay young and cute!"

"Of course, that's what she focused on." Kana sighed.

"If I may." Momo spoke from within Naomi. "As I am contracted to Naomi, she would have already lived longer anyway, though likely only around one hundred fifty years rather than centuries." Momo explained that spiritual power had a slight rejuvenation effect on those who used it.

"So that's why our family always seemed to live abnormally long!" Kana had an aw-ha moment. "Now it all makes sense why most of our ancestors lived to over one hundred, and why even in old age our great grandparents were still active!"

{I suppose this means the three of us better plan for a much longer life than expected. I see this as positive news, but it will definitely cause issues in the future.} Naomi thought to herself about what this newly discovered longevity meant for her and her two friends. Humans were not expected to live for centuries, and it would mean they needed to plan for much more than expected. {Perhaps this can be used in medicine? Even if we can't make everyone live longer, it might be able to help some people.}