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Myles looked over the group. Sara had gone to distribute her water bottles, Athena was tending to her dad. He knew out of the three he seemed to be the most out of place at the moment. He took a deep breath, tail still as he reached behind him careful to grip under the pearl and tugged Ryuuich's cane out of his shirt. It took two manuevers, the shaft was rather long, and he flipped it around, the wood tucked firmly into the crux of his arm.

He looked between Ryuuichi and Elena and then walked over to the elder female Nixie. "You forgot this." he said. "Elder Ryuuichi really shouldn't be walking without it." he said being formal and yet disapproving at the same time with his tone. He'd learned something from his father over the years, that tone was everything when dealing with one's superiors and that you could disapprove of their actions, provided you had reason. He motioned for her to take the pearl making sure he was holding the cane in such a way that it was ideally the only way she could take it from him. This was the best chance to pull this off, otherwise things could get more complicated.

No! Darnit, Elena, take the cane! Sara collected the plastic water bottle when Elena finished it and quickly stepped in. "He's yer prisoner, ma'am. Y'can't hardly expect us t' be givin' somethin' to a prisoner directly." She shrugged. "What kahnda elder are yah if y'just let a bunch of strange kids hand some weird object to a known criminal? We coulda put some sorta knahf or enchanted key in it." She shook her head firmly. "No, ma'am, yer an elder of integrity, that we know. Regulations are regulations--you've been very firm on that. If we're t' deal with yah, it's clear we've gotta follow regulations too, and that means that all objects for a prisoner go through you, and you alone. Exceptions, of course," she added quickly, "for lahf-savin' circumstances, such as water bottles."

It all came out in a rush, really--she was so desperate for Elena to stop struggling and go with it for once! What did she have to do to get her to play along?!

She couldn't help but frown, narrowing her eyes. What were they up to? It had to be something at this rate. No one would argue this long over an item like this, but honestly, what choice did she have? Were they planning to murder her? To start a war? She couldn't let someone else touch it, as much as she wanted one of the traitors to instead. She doubted kids their age had much control over magic...What harm could it do anyway? Feeling the pressure, she reached out her hand and took the cane by the pearl...

She found herself standing on a shore, watching as two young Nixie met, one with such peaceful grey eyes and dark hair, the other being all too familiar. She couldn't move, but somehow...it felt familiar, and warm, like she was back in the spa easing the pain of her hip. There was something about the way the female smiled at the other, that warm serene smile, that made her want to start crying. What was this? What was happening to her? She felt the warmth all over her body as the girl finally extended her hand to the boy, and then it faded...Day became night so quickly, she wasn't even sure where she was now, but two figures, cuddled up under the glow of the moon, made her feel absolutely lonely. What was she longing for? What even was this feeling? The tears began to well up in her eyes when one figure leaned up, the other turning their face before their lips met. Why did she feel so heartbroken and alone? So many things kept flashing before her eyes, it felt like she was finally home, like she had found where she belonged. All of them were so warm and full of life, but then....Then one finally made her cry.

He looked like a drowned rat, choking up the water that he had swallowed, gasping for air as she had worried over him. He was an idiot, she didn't know why in the world he had wanted to do this! Diving in that area just wasn't safe, no matter what! What in the world had he lost?! As the anger in her stomach soared, it stopped dead and cold as soon as he retrieved that shining, perfect, blue object from his bag. She could feel herself gasp in time with the memory, a tear slipping down her cheek as her fingers tightened their grip on the object in both memory and reality. For her...He'd almost lost his life to propose to her...

The room had been warm and full of light, candlelight flickering slightly at the head of the path. The silk that captured her every curve had simply been perfect, her parents, disapproving, but acquiescing just this once, simply watched from the sidelines. Then...when she finally tilted her face up to see...it was him. That smile, the smile she knew that was just for her, and the slight wiggle of earfins that she knew he couldn't help...Followed by a slightly apologetic murmur as he took her hand in his. She never wanted this feeling to go away, and despite the tears rolling down her cheeks, she couldn't help but smile, still frozen in place from the emotions rolling through her.

It didn't take long for the scene to change again, this time to something that felt even more amazing. Exhaustion was taking her, even though it was just a memory she wanted to collapse, though in the dim light, from her safe place curled up against him, the faint glow of a soul stone lit up their eyes. She could feel the soft press of lips to her forehead and closed her eyes, running her fingers delicately over it. We did it... A voice, her voice, echoed in her mind, They're going to be wonderful...just like you.... There was a soft chuckle and the shifting of blankets before the warm rumble, one that made her feel entirely safe, answered.

"No...they're going to be just like you."

Finally able to take her hand off of it, now holding the staff as close to herself as she could, Elena just stared, wide eyed with tears pouring down her cheeks. She remembered. She remembered! After all these years of searching, of being told it was no use, of being given medication to make the headaches stop, she could remember! She didn't even know what to say, words failing her in every aspect, and all she could do was stare. She didn't even know what to do with herself, shell-shocked as her brain pieced together her memories, those that she had been without for so long.

Eventually, shaking, she managed to turn her gaze a bit, eyes falling upon someone that she now realized she had longed for all those years...Someone she had hurt so badly, someone she had promised to never hurt. Even so, she couldn't help but give a very weak fin wiggle at him, cheeks glowing pink.

"R...Ryuuichi..."

He watched as the kids goaded her into taking the pearl, his eyes locked on her profile. This was going to be incredibly short lived if she somehow wasn't actually Elena, but deep down, he knew. He'd known from the instant he'd seen her enter the hall, that she was his Elena.

He wondered what she was seeing. There were so many memories in the pearl after all, from their first meeting, to their wedding, to the day they'd imbued Athena. Big events, little events, but all of them linked by their feelings for one another. He saw her hand twitch and tighten it's grip on the pearl. The first time he'd given it to her maybe? Or their wedding? They'd said their vows over it and had their first kiss as man and wife with it cupped in their hands. It had been a beautiful day...despite her parents trying to rain on it. Not that rain was a bad thing at all...

Her hand now gripping the orb, he saw Myles sink to his knees and put the end of the cane on the ground and take a step back away from the other Nixie. A good idea, as it was still debatable how she'd come out of the memory trance at this point, even with tears down her cheeks, she could still be angry and lash out after all.

But no, instead she turned to look over at him and Athena, but mostly him. He figured she didn't quite register Athena yet, and the implications of her existence. She'd only been a stone in her memories, and now she was a girl of 16 on the verge of her own proposal if the boy ever did his job. He was a little surprised at the fin wiggle, he hadn't been expecting it, but that as perhaps a good thing and it showed on his face.

"Elena..." he said softly in response.

At first, Zahneel had been relieved to see that Myles had brought Ryuuichi's cane. And then relief had given way to anger and a lot of confusion. Why were he and the baphomet (she really needed to learn that girl's name!) talking about integrity and Ryuuichi being a dangerous criminal and all of the ways they could have turned his cane into a weapon?

Frowning, she'd edged back a little as she watched Elena touch the only part of the cane that she could given how Myles was holding it. Watched her freeze and her face change somehow. By the time the tears were streaming down Elena's face, Zahneel was ready to be knocked over by a feather. This sort of reaction was nothing that she could have predicted.

And when Elena spoke and wiggled her fins, Zahneel felt as if someone had hit her in the back of the head with a board. Ear wiggles were how female nixie showed who they liked, she remembered Athena's cute demonstration in the cafeteria. Did that mean...?

Softly, because she didn't want to intrude on whatever was happening more than she had to, she leaned towards Myles and murmured, "What... Myles, how did you do that? Is she really Athena's mom then?"

Athena could barely comprehend it as it happened. Maybe Myles had been right...maybe this really was her mother. Regardless, she couldn't help but stare, backing off from her father as soon as he fussed at her, thinking he'd snap worse at her if she continued. She was a bad child, after all, he wouldn't want her anymore as soon as they got home..that was how it worked, right?

Regardless, she just felt empty and confused watching both of her...parents...Was that really her mom...? Was her mom going to arrest them and still make them stand trial? The anxiety filled her stomach and throat as she found a back corner to keep to herself in...After all, Myles was busy and...she just wasn't sure she wanted contact with anyone else right now...

Neptune had asked her a question; she could hear murmuring between the gold-eyed Grimm and Myles. She suspected the same conversation was going on between them. But since she couldn't hear the details, she could only assume that neither could Neptune. "The pearl on Ryuuichi's cane was given to Elena, his wahf, as a courtship present," she said quietly. "Throughout their courtship, they'd imbue it with their memories of bein' t'gether. We thought--Mahles though--that if we could get her t' touch the pearl, we mahght be able to wake up any memories she had of bein' married to Ryuuichi. Assumin' she was his Elena." She sighed. "Looks lahk we were raht. She really is Athena's mother."

She looked around at the people standing nearby. She reached out and tapped the gold-eyed Grimm on the forehead. "Come on," she said softly. "Let's leave 'em alone. Ah think after all the excahtment, it's tahm they had a bit of prahvacy." And it was time they all had some privacy--it had been a very long and exciting day. Though maybe there would be time before this was all over for some time with this cute Grimm boy...?