I've Found You, Tag - Nier & Iskra

[Maka Korrzak]

The beach was always calming, no matter the stressed that the rest of the world seemed to present before her on a less than shiny platter. She had viewed moving to Earth as an escape, but it had been far from that. Work had proved just as busy, if not even more so. At least working with Nier was pleasant, even if he seemed more like a boss than anything else these days.

Typically she shopped for fresh produce along the sandy boardwalk, but now most of vendors were closing, taking up their delicious products and pulling down their wooden panels. Already the boardwalk was fairly deserted, lacking the bustle and collection of voices that interrupted the soothing noise of the waves breaking against the shoreline.

It was a toss up of which situation Maka perferred. She adored the hustle during store hours, but also enjoyed the unmistakeable peace dusk brought. Perhaps the love for the ocean was in her blood, inherited from her Neptunian family members, the ones she only had met once or twice. However when she need get to spend time with those relatives, they constantly talked so highly of the oceans of Neptune, imbedding a love for them by default.

The tall Jovian strolled slowly down the boardwalk, her boots smacking lightly against the wooden planks of the pier. Dark emerald eyes scanned what was left of life around her. A few couple here and there, some parents with children who were reluctant to leave and the venders quite ready to head home for the evening. No one seemed to pay much attention to her, despite the fact that often Terrestrials stared at her massive frame.

The light dinner previously enjoyed now seemed not as satisfying as sweet smells of the last vender open tickled her nose. After just a short way behind another couple, who were sweetly in love, she licked a soft served ice cream cone, the minty flavor a perfect complement at the end of her meal.

It was not often she dined alone, usually spending time with her sisters or Nier or others she had met here on Earth, but she had a strong urge for some time alone, a sadness she could not quite place tearing at her, a constant feeling that something, or perhaps someone, was missing. And while dining alone seemed an ironic solution, it had been nice to only have her thoughts to worry about.

Maka glanced across the flat area once more, now a childish grin plastered on her mature face as she enjoyed the sweet treat. Her eyes brightened even more at the sight of a familiar face, his tall frame and the small child accompanying him unmistakeable. She quickened her step toward him, the details of his face coming into clear sight. She opened her mouth for a greeting, yet instead her mind was overtaken with an unfamiliar memory.

Makoto could not understand their obsession would these American men, particularly when there were plenty boys around here. She recalled fondly her old flame, not to mention there was Motoki just right down the street in the arcade.

There was no point in trying to crowd around the computer with the others. Comparably she was far to large, and sitting back on the small bed was a much better option, her long legs pleasantly stretched out and cross delicately at the ankle. It looked oddly feminine for a girl of her abnormal size.

They begged her to come take a look, poking and prodding until at last she rose from the bed and cross the room, tentatively peering over Usagi’s shoulder (who of course sat dead center in front of the computer), to spy at the men they were so intrigued with. And then she saw him, her green eyes not bothering to even glance at any of the others, and she could not tear them away.

[Nier Zakran]

Iskra was quiet. Unusually so.

He spared a glance towards his daughter, watching as she stared off to the side as they walked, despondent for the first time in her life. She had always been so full of chatter, a person of words and not thoughts. And, though Nier had oftentimes wished she would learn to live in a less thrill-seeking way, he had never hoped to see her so... frail. It felt as though she had broken, as though she had been broken since that day at Ruro's.

But Sora, Nikolas would remind him gently, had never been a thinker either. It was unusual for the pair of them. But whenever she caught him looking, she just tilted her head a bit to the side and beamed up at him wordlessly before going back to her own little world. The places she went that he couldn't follow. Or, well... perhaps he could. But he wasn't entirely certain he'd want to, all things considered. Would it be an invasion of privacy, or an act of good parenting?

Sigh. Psychic power was something he had certainly never asked for, but it was what he'd gotten. And now, he supposed, he needed to figure out how to deal with it. For all of his army training, they had never mentioned what to do in case you suddenly developed a sixth sense. The ability to infiltrate minds of those around you. It was an art he'd need to practice, lest he tip off someone to his newfound status as an abnormality.

Though it was no great secret that there were aspects of the Regime that he disapproved of (considering his occupation and station in charge of the Martian Relocation Programme), though his career still laid firmly with them. He'd need to be more careful still, knowing with what proximity he was kept to those who would seek to crush them later. Once they knew of them, if they didn't already, they would be hunted. It would be to their advantage to go after them as quickly as possible.

The only thing that made him hesitate, the only true drawback, was that he hadn't found her yet.

He had bought the ring the day after he remembered, anticipating her return. She was out there, his wife. And he hoped that she would remember him as he did her, swallowing a useless lump in his throat at the thought. The Jovian could almost hear his heart trying to escape his chest, trying to beat its way towards his one and only. Wherever she was. Whomever she was at this point in time.

"Daddy," came a too-quiet voice from beside him, breaking Nier from his reverie as he glanced with all the concern in his body at his little girl, brow knitting. "I think... can we get ice cream?" Spoken with less levity than a request of that sort should have been, it left him merely nodding, fingering the little, velvet box in his pocket with one hand.

"Of course."

He moved like a robot towards the nearest stand, purchasing a cone for his little girl, and abstaining himself. He'd been aimlessly seeking his mate since he'd been made aware of her existence on this Earth. Or at least within their solar system. She'd have to come to him eventually, he'd have to -

"Mommy!" And then Iskra ran, dumping her chocolate ice cream in the process as she headed straight for her.

"Maka..."

So they all had chicks in Japan to talk to on the computer. Whatever. He could just sit around and eat his chicken. He was still a growing boy, after all. He winked over at Zacharie, flexing one arm as he chewed noisily for a moment, smacking up the boilt breast like it was cordon bleu. So it wasn't fine eats - that was alright. It was serving as a meal, them calling at some unholy hour for Mamoru to catch hold of his girlfriend, Johannes to get to talk to some fire-head, and Zacharie after his blue-haired chick.

There wasn't much for him here, really. All he ever did during these calls was kick back and pound weights, or go out for a jog. But it was raining like fuck, and he was partially moved in with his brothers by that point in time. There was little else he could do but hang around and eavesdrop, snorting whenever things seemed to be about to get cheesy.

He was starting in on his rice when she came onto the screen, Nikolas' head lifting as he swallowed the most recent bite with an audible gulp. It seemed to stretch forever, taking in her features over the less-than-stellar quality of a computer screen nearly a foot away, him scrambling upward with a sudden roaring cry. He snatched the device from his friends, not bothering to listen to their cries of protest as he held it up above his head, grinning. "Hey there, gorgeous," he greeted, chuckling, "So you went hiding in Japan this time. Guess that means I'll have to come home soon."

He didn't know her name, no, but he loved her. And home was wherever she was.

He stared. Nier didn't know what else to do but stare. He swayed for a moment, then took a staggering step forward, watching as Iskra clung to Maka with a large, cheesy grin, bouncing up and down a bit beside her. "... An' I missed you, Mommy, an' I know Daddy did too! He bought a ring an' ev'rything, it's for you! Daddy, show Mommy the ring!"

[Maka Korrzak]

With a small little ‘oomf’ as she was ripped from her vision and embraced by the familiar little girl, this time Iskra feeling even more familiar as more memories flooded her mind and making since of everything. She could remember it now, the day they brought their bundle of joy into the world millennia, their first born little girl, and the happy family they became. Maka was filled with an indescribable feeling of utter joy and happiness and most of all, completion.

In a smooth, swooping motion she knelt to fully embrace her daughter, burying her face into her light hair, inhaling deeply and enjoying the comfort it brought. “Oh, my sweet girl,” She breathed softly, planting soft kisses on her head as she clung to the child, reluctant to ever let her go again. Maka could not bare to have to find her all over again, even though she had not fully realized she had been searching this entire time thanks to her untapped memories. Idly Makoto and Makatza rattled something off about not wanting Maka to become distracted from tasks at hand, particularly with her soulmate being her boss.

“A... a ring?” Maka questioned, at first studying the face of her child before her eyes trailed up to Nier, who looked just as bewildered and shocked as she did by the chain of events. Slowly she rose, hesitate to break her embrace with Iskra, curious what all Nier had known this entire time. He clearly had been expecting someone, but she quickly assumed he was just as surprised as she to find out it was her.

Still, emotion overwhelmed her as more memories overtook her. She could remember the sweet dates they went on when he returned to Japan, the soft romance that overtook the two of them. Maka remembered now visiting the United States, the adventures they went on, and the awe, excitement and love she constantly felt when she was around him. Her stomach twisted, missing those past sensations as another level of memories overtook her, another generation of their life together.

Makatza had been against this entire trip to Earth since Princess Serenity had concocted the entire plan, but she knew it was far better to please the young royal than to deal with her wallowing and sorrow if she did not visit her new found love. The Jovian princess wondered how long this romance would last. True, Serenity claimed it was her one true love, yet the foolish girl was always getting into all sorts of trouble, trouble that her guards constantly helped to fix or hide.

There was nothing for anyone on Earth, at least not for the princesses that accompanied Serenity. The planet itself was dismal, a disgrace compared to the other greats in the solar system. It was true, the Moon was not necessarily the greatest place to live either, but it was far better compared to this dirty rock. Still, Makatza had always been instilled with a strong since of duty, and without complaint she accompanied her princess to the planet, obedient and pleasant as always.

She had no idea she would meet him then, the handsome stranger that accompanied the prince. Her mouth went dry at the sight of him, far more handsome than any man she had ever laid eyes on before on any planet, including her beloved Jupiter. She was intrigued, but coyly attempted to dismiss it, desperately clinging to her honor and her duty, though her heart screamed furiously at her brain to cave.

And just like her foolish princess, Makatza was dreaming about seeing him again, about sneaking to Earth just for the chance to know him better. She would give up her rigid facade and fall into his arms every chance he could. Her mother would be furious, her father disappointed beyond belief if they ever found out, but she cared little, her worries disappearing with every sweet kiss and moment their shared.

Just like that, she started at all.

There was no holding back any longer. Either she forgot where they were, or she cared no longer. Maka’s mouth found him desperately, ignoring how impractical this was for their current generation. She was liplocked with her boss, infront of his, no wait, their daughter, no less. It was a twisted turn of events to say the least, but the joy and love that filled every inch of frame blocked all reason and care.

But the kiss was brief thanks to some part of her brain that was not churning on pure emotion. With a soft blush she laughed loudly and almost in a manic matter, tossing her head back and letting loose. “It’s been you. It’s been you this entire time.”

[Nier Zakran]

He watched, dumbfounded, as his daughter and his Lieutenant embraced. It was odd, really, how he'd never noticed that they looked alike. Two women who had no right to look anything like one another had the same lips, the same eyes. He was almost dumbfounded, suddenly trying to find his features in Iskra and coming up short. She didn't even look like her birth mother so much, when he saw these two together now. She looked like Maka.

It was funny, how reincarnation worked. Regardless of genetics, you were doomed to have certain features, it seemed. From what he remembered of his past lives, he looked more like Neza than Nikolas, but there were still similarities to be drawn to both. Likewise, he could see Makatza and Makoto in the woman before him, staring with three lifetimes' worth of wanting.

Nier waited as she seemed to finally process what their daughter had said, a ring, spying the familiar glaze in her eyes. He wasn't sure how long she felt she was gone, but he knew that he was there with her. She was looking at something (perhaps the past, as he had a moment ago), and he was looking at her. He wanted to hold on tight, but his little girl was still clinging, comfortably nuzzling into her long-lost mother's hair.

And just like that, his second-in-command was on her feet, their daughter taking a step back in a moment of profound understanding as his lips met Maka's halfway. He wanted to take her, he wanted to have all of her, but the commander was nothing if not a man of practicality. He wasn't entirely certain which of them broke apart first, but the issue remained that they were no longer kissing. His hand fumbled in his pocket, greedily latching onto the box there before he dropped to a knee, still smiling.

He was never going to stop smiling, at this rate. "Marry me. I want us to be a family again." He wasn't used to asking, given his position, but she had every right to say no. He had spent hours upon hours picking the perfect ring for her based on what he knew of lives past. He hoped this was the last time he'd need to marry her, all things considered. As great as living time and time again was, Nier was none too fond of the idea of having to spend another second looking without her, be it in this life or the next. Another lifetime of trying to remember their lives together and finding her... he couldn't do it. This had to be the last time.

[Maka Korrzak]

Ironically enough, Maka had once noted the close similarity between her and the young girl, her daughter. Often she had thought little of it, making mental jokes about the strength of Jovian genes. But now as she peered up at Nier, her Nier, it made far more since than it ever had before. The similarities between him and his two previous selves glared at her blatantly now, allowing her to see what she had been blind to for so long now.

Memories still swam through her brain, but Makoto and Makatza helped her quell them for now, pushing them away to be viewed and enjoyed later, perhaps even with Nier. Was that even possible? This entire concept still felt so new to her, even though months had past. It was not a swift task to become reacquainted with two past lives, particularly when relationships and children and tragedy and all sorts of strange experiences were thrown into the mix.

Their lips had parted, but her head was still swimming with that light-headed sensation that had her reeling. Everything felt blurry around them; the boardwalk, the stores, the ocean a few yards away and certainly the people that bustled by. None of that mattered. Maka stared at him with a dumbfounded expression, looking down at him know as he fell to one knee. It had always been her dream to have a moment like this, but this was exponentially more than she could have ever hoped for or imagine.

She felt the strong urge to cry, overwhelmed and beyond happy, but the wetness never game. Nonetheless, she was silent, unable to find the words, and only nodded feverishly at him, her auburn mess of waves bouncing up and down. She glanced toward Iskra, who’s grin only inflated her more. “O-of course,” She wanted nothing more than to be a family again. She would spend the rest of their days in his arms, surrounded by their children, maybe even grandchildren one day. Her stomach flipped.

Maka was kissing him again, this time brief, as the ring slid smoothly onto her left hand, an exact fit. If this had been an ordinary circumstance it would be purely coincidence, but this was fate. She admired its perfection, every bit of her loving the flawless piece of jewelry. She could not have picked out a better piece herself. “It’s been you, the whole time...” She murmured, eyes still on the ring for a moment before fluttering to their daughter. She reached out to her. “Both of you,” Then again, until this moment she had not realized she was looking.