Chrono X Angel, Book 6: Branching Paths

EPILOGUE

The first thing Hyoka saw upon waking up was a pair of panicked nude women, one of whom was screaming something about getting their clothes back to the other. It took her another few seconds to realize it was Elisabeth and Iris who were screaming, and she sighed.

"Hey um uh... if you two are like that, it's cool but... please save it for inside time??" She yiped, a heavy blue blush washing over her cheeks, "What happened anyway? And why are you two naked??"

Iris quickly recounted the story of what had just occurred, their respective fights and their new forms as well. That intrigued Hyoka, who immediately realized why they were naked.

"That's amazing!" She said with jubilance, "We have the Key too!! Oh yeah, so to get your old outfits back, you'll need to picture the clothes you were wearing before. I had this happen to me too, and let me tell you Junji certainly got an eyeful!"

Complying with her direction, the two newly-minted magical girls finally redonned their outfits.

"I should probably take this with me," stated Hyoka solemnly, "GARDNA will keep it safe. After all, if Ahrimanes gets his claws on it, it's game over..."

Iris handed the Key to Hyoka, who looked her deep in the eyes.

"Ms. Iris. I forgive you," she said firmly, "I kinda know what it's like to have to do things you don't wanna to keep your parents happy... I hope we can still be friends."

For the first time in her life, Iris Drake cried, falling to her knees. Hyoka embraced Iris as tears flowed down the Dragon's cheeks, and the girl patted her gently on the back.

"It's okay Ms. Iris... it's okay," Hyoka looked up to Elisabeth then, a stern yet friendly expression on her face, "I won't tell anyone I saw you here Ms. Elisabeth. I don't know what's going on with you and GARDNA right now... but I know you aren't all bad. Stay safe, okay? I don't want my friends getting hurt..."

Friends? Plural? Oh great, the little snowflake had adopted her...

"I'll... do my best, Hyoka. Thank you..."

With that, and after a long hug between the three, Hyoka set off on her way back towards Lima. She was not entirely sure exactly how she would explain this to Modred without mentioning her friends, but Hyoka was nothing if not creative!

In the bowels of Ahrimanabad, Chimera limped back to it's father's side, accompanied by Karin. The Inari reported the death of Mizuho to him, and his child's failure to retrieve the key. She also neglected to mention how the Stone Key had turned Iris and Elisabeth into magical girls.

"A damn shame," commented Jon, "What they lacked in manners and common decency, they well made up for in deadliness."

"Useless tools have no place here," growled Ahrimanes, "If it cannot do it's job, it will be replaced."

He swung his head over to Chimera, scowling.
"It seems I didn't quite get the job right with you. Time to start over."

A black mist enveloped Chimera, who tried desperately to escape, digging it's claws into the stone, but to no avail. The force calling it back was far stronger than the beast's claws, and soon it was completely gone. Reabsorbed back from whence it came.

"Next time, I'll give you more intelligence... and a better set of powers..."

"If that is all, sire," said Karin as if nothing important had just happened.

"Go," he growled.

Back in her chamber, "Karin" began searching through a chest of belongings. She knew it was still there, no one else could have possibly found it after all. The cloaking spell she used, while basic, was all but foolproof.
There, at last. She pulled the Air Key free of the bindings she placed on it and held it in front of her.