La Sacerdotessa

A Moment in the Rain

SATIRA spent the next few days recovering, getting visits from Luca, Felicita and Debito from where she lay in the infirmary. She asked them all where Pace was, and none of them would answer.

When she was finally given the okay to leave, she got up from the bed and walked to Jolly's lab. She tried to reach out with her right hand, only to remember she didn't have one any longer. She gripped the door with her left hand and entered the lab. Jolly sat with Elmo on his lap, the latter reading a book. Jolly looked at the her, poking Elmo, and he turned to look at Satira with a smile.

"Mama!" Elmo jumped off Jolly to wrap her in a hug.

"Patatino!" She ruffled his hair, still heavily feeling the loss of her arm. Jolly got up off his seat, bringing a large brown box with him as he came to stand beside Satira.

"What's that?"

"A present," Jolly slowly opened the box for her, allowing her to catch a glimpse of the prosthetic arm inside. Her hand left Elmo as her fingers ran over the contraption.

"Elmo, let's let Mama try on her new arm," Elmo smiled and stood beside him as Satira rolled up the sleeve of her long shirt the nurse had helped her change into that morning.

Jolly slipped it over her shoulder, and the arm began to work like an actual arm.

"I may have used a bit of alchemy on it."

Satira moved the metal fingers, the tips clicking together. "It's amazing..."

"Don't thank me. Thank Pace. He's the one who bought it for you."

"Pace... where is he?"

"He told me to make sure you wouldn't go after him."

"Tell me!"

"I promised him," Jolly smirked and Satira smiled. "I promised him that I wouldn't tell you that he went to his family's estate."

Satira smiled, leaning over to kiss Jolly on the cheek. "Thank you."

"If he asks, I didn't tell you."

Satira smirked and ran out of the lab. Jolly's smile faded as he watched her go, wondering if he had seen the letter first if he'd have her instead of Pace. Part of him also wondered why he let her go after him. It seemed to be instinctive, that her own happiness meant more to him than his own. Jolly sighed as he closed the door to the lab.

She ran out of the building, surprising Felicita and Luca as they walked in.

"Is she okay?" Felicita asked.

"It would seem to me that she finally made her choice," Luca smiled down at her, and Felicita smiled up at him.

Satira smiled as she ran, passing Liberta and Nova as they were on patrol and hopped into a driving car.

"Drive me to the Lord's estate!"

"Excuse me!"

"It's the least you can do for a member of the Arcana Famiglia."

The driver rolled his eyes but complied anyway, and began to drive toward the estate as rain clouds gathered in the sky.

PACE was sitting in the courtyard of his family's estate, holding the photo from Luca's Secret Base. He smiled down at the Satira's smiling face.

A rain drop fell on the photo, and he looked into the grey sky above. When he looked back down, he saw a blurry figure approaching him. He soon realized it was Satira by the metal hand hanging by her side.

"Satira?" He got up and started walking toward her. The rain began to fall harder, and when they both met, they were drenched.

"Sati-" He was cut off by Satira's warm lips against his, her hands on either side of his face. He shakily brought his hand to cup hers, tears starting to leak from his eyes.

"I want everything with you," Satira said breathlessly before pecking his lips. "I want it all. I want us."

Pace kissed her. "You know why we can't..."

"I'm not ready to say good bye yet. Besides," Satira unbuttoned her shirt so that Il Sole's stigmata showed from above her left breast and took Pace's hand where his stigmata was and placed it on top. She closed her eyes as she willed Il Sole out. "Possa il sole concederti pace assoluta e proteggerti dall'ira dei tuoi nemici..." Her stigmata glowed beneath Pace's hand, and so did Pace's. Pace slowly felt himself feel rejuvenated. He had regained his appetite, and he felt stronger.

"What..." He watched as her nose wiggled in concentration. He smiled at it, thinking it was absolutely adorable.

Satira opened her eyes, smiling.

"What happened?"

"Il Sole convinced La Forza that strength isn't only about physical strength, but also about emotional strength, something you have without La Forza helping you. They came to an arrangement that you'd live a little longer."

"How much is a little?"

"As long as you're with me. Looks like you're mine now."

"I couldn't escape even if I wanted to?" Pace smiled.

"Yep. You belong to me."

"Couldn't think of anyone else I'd rather belong to," Pace smiled as he kissed her again.

Time seemed to stop and in that moment, everything was at peace. When they parted lips, Satira smirked up at Pace.

"Chase me!"

"What?"

"Chase me!"  Satira giggled, getting a head start.

"As my love commands!"