(Remaster) The Ship of the Tempest

A Job too Great

What is commonly said to be the hardest job on Earth? Well, there are many jobs that are incredibly difficult, but on personal levels, none are more important or difficult than one.

Raising a child, correctly.

The last part is that hard part. Anyone can raise a child, it's truly difficult to raise one right.

Which is why...

"I can't believe you two!" Z73's eyes were bright red, vapor running off them as Bismarck not so subtly hid behind Clemenceau from her wrath. "You both know I don't take to kids well, and all of a sudden, you thrust one on me, Marco of all kids!"

"Calm down Z73, there's no ne—"

"There is absolutely a need to be shouting! I don't know the first damn thing of raising a kid, and how am I suppose to look at her without wanting to strangle her?!"

"73." Despite the yelling and clear anger in her voice, Clemenceau wasn't backing down in the slightest. "Tell me, what does a child need in their life?"

"Where the hell are you going with this?!"

"Just answer."

"...Fine. They should always have a parent, parents preferably."

"Of course. Now what is in that room right now?"

"Clem, where are you even going with all this?" Z73 sighed and looked to the room, where the now child Marco was sitting on a chair, holding her Scepter and swinging her legs while humming a tune she came up with. "She forced me to kill everyone I once knew as friends and family. Not to mention the actual pain I went through dealing with everything else..."

"That's why I want you to be the one to guide her back into adulthood."

"But why? Friedrich alone is the best mother I can think of, she'd be wonderful."

"She would be, but she doesn't personally know what had happened, what could happen again, if circumstances call for it."

Z73's eyes never left Marco, even as Clemenceau talked to her about this. In turn, Clemenceau gently laid her hand on Z73's back, finally drawing her eyes to her's.

"Old friend, there are times where we must take on unknowns and hateful things in order to benefit those around us, or even ourself. In that room is a young, innocent child, one without a clue of the world outside her room, and she needs someone to guide her through this world into a proper adult."

"...I can't..."

"You can, there is no one better suited. You know what she's capable of, you know what she was like once, and you know what her actions have caused firsthand...with all of that, you are the one most ready to handle and push down anything that could bring such a monster back from within her."

They both looked into the room, seeing that Marco was now waving her Scepter around, playing with it with a large, completely joyful smile on her face. Clemenceau looked down to her friend, the faintest of smiles painting her face as she saw the complete opposite of the woman she hated.

"Think it through, for she needs a mother, and a mother's love will guide her through even the harshest tests that may come. You'll find peace with this in preventing another apocalypse...besides..."

She leaned down, whispering into Z73's ear. "You may leave behind a successor to your deeds, should you ever fall."

A long silence was held between the two, eventually ending with Z73 letting out her breath and looking back to Clemenceau, eyes purple once more. "I'll do it...I can't promise I'll be good at it, but I'll do it."