Work Text:
-April 14 2013-
A gasp, red eyes open wide, panting heavily as the capsule bed opens and one Labrys leaps out, landing on her knees and panting heavily, body trembling from fear. Her eyes dart around the cold dark room, only the lights of the capsule illuminating the room somewhat. It takes Labrys around a minute, but she slowly gets up and rubs her face, glancing at the ceiling ‘Why…?’ vivid images of robot parts, glowing eyes and a hand coming at her pass by her mind, a quick glance of the nightmare she just had.
Shaking her head, Labrys decides to take a walk around the Shadow Operative Base. She didn’t bother to look at the time; rather she just wanted to walk and try to keep her mind busy somehow. She barely acknowledged her sister Aigis, barely greeting her “Mornin’… “Labrys mumbled as she kept walking around the base, no particular destination. She glanced at the clock once she passed by the kitchen, 10 AM. She must have been walking for an hour now.
The more she walked, the more frustrated she became. That damn nightmare wouldn’t go away, the words that echoed, the meaning of them… she shook her head and tried to distract herself somehow, but nothing worked. She decides to head to the virtual training room and beat up some hollow shadows.
Fuuka was there when she enters the room, the teal haired girl smiling at Labrys. “Labrys-chan” Fuuka greets her with a kind smile “Did you come here for some training?”
“Yeah” Labrys nods “Maximum level Fuuka-chan” she says no more and enters the battle room, Fuuka blinking at Labrys’ lack of enthusiasm today, let alone not hugging her like she does; to her girlfriend no less. Fuuka decides not to comment on it for now and starts the virtual scenario at the maximum level; level 13.
Swing, smash, crush
Labrys panted as she keeps her attacks up, growing increasingly frustrated with each swing. Destroying whatever comes close to her with her axe. She refused to use her Persona, wanting to let out some stress, but it wasn’t working. She grew annoyed when the simulator ended.
“ ‘Ey what gives?!” Labrys asked.
“It’s done Labrys” Fuuka sweatdropped “You finished the training.”
“Wha’?!” Labrys frowns “Seriously?” she groans “Not enough…” she mumbled, sighing and sheathing her axe. She turns around and stomps out of the battle room, shutting the door rather hard. Fuuka was a little shaken by Labrys’ odd behavior.
“Labrys-chan…?” Fuuka meekly calls her “Are you alright?”
“Nevah better” Labrys grumbled “See you ‘round Fuuka-chan.” She said as she slides open the virtual room door and slams it hard. Fuuka frowned with worry, tapping her fingers and wandering what to do…
As Labrys tramps around the base, she found herself to be more visibly frustrated, bumping into other workers or crashing into other machines. ‘Stupid…ugh’ Labrys growled as she kept wandering around aimlessly. Yukari spotted Labrys while picking up a melon soda from the vending machine and greets her girlfriend with a smile.
“Hey Labrys-chan.” Yukari said. Labrys stops to see her, trying to smile but it doesn’t come out right. Yukari sweatdrops at Labrys’ attempt though “Uh…you ok Labby?” Yukari asks concerned. Labrys nods, despite her body language saying otherwise. Fists clenching and eyes looking distant and a frustrated expression on her face, almost fearful.
“I’m fine.” Labrys said, avoiding eye contact with Yukari. Yukari frowned and knows something is wrong. This isn’t Labrys at all. In the now near year that they’ve been dating (Labrys, Fuuka, Mitsuru and herself, all together) Labrys isn’t one to be angry; she’s joyful and optimistic, so she knows something is bothering her girlfriend. “Jus’ need some time alone.”
“…Well if you want to talk, we’re here for you ok?” Yukari says, placing her hand on Labrys’ shoulder. Labrys stiffens a bit but nods, walking past Yukari (faster than normal now) and leaves Yukari to herself. The Lovers watches her go distant with worry. ‘What is wrong Labrys…?’ she thought, placing a hand on her chest. Turning around, she sees Fuuka walking towards her, a worried look on her eyes…
Labrys starts to pant as she walks down the long hallways, feeling a bit dizzy for some reason; the vivid images of her nightmare becoming a bit more frequent now. She starts to fidget and lose her footing, forced to place 1 hand on the wall to keep walking, trudging along the base. Labrys grits her teeth as she covers her face and shakes her head “Stop it…!” she said in a bare whisper, the words of her nightmare echoing in her mind. She visibly began to shake and slams the wall, leaving a huge dent over it as she kept trudging. It isn’t until Mitsuru comes out of one of the nearby doors that Labrys collapses.
Mitsuru’s eyes immediately widened as she rushes to the aid of her lover “Labrys!?” she helps her up and looks at her “Labrys what’s wrong?! Answer me!” the tone of voice of the Empress is full of concern and fear it seems.
Labrys merely glances at Mitsuru, her vision fading, words unable to come out. Yukari and Fuuka quickly arrive and gasp at the sight. “Labby?!” Yukari helps Mitsuru in getting her up, while Fuuka does a quick diagnostics. She gasps.
“She’s overheating…! Quick back to her room!” Fuuka says. Labrys’ hearing modules were barely working for some reason. She blacks out a few seconds later…
-Labrys’ Room-
“…She’s ok now.” Fuuka said “But I feel like the problem isn’t physical.” She glances at the resting Labrys “I think something is bothering her.”
“That bad…” Yukari frowned, hand placed on the capsule, looking at Labrys with worry “I wish she’d talk to us about it…”
“I’m sure she will.” Mitsuru said, looking at Labrys with deep concern “For now let us wait until she wakes up and we’ll go from there.”
“I’ll stay with Labrys-chan and message you the second she wakes up.” Fuuka said.
“We appreciate it Fuuka-chan.” Yukari smiled at her and then looks back at Labrys “…” then nods to Fuuka and Mitsuru. Mitsuru nods to Fuuka and the two women leave, Fuuka staying behind as she sits down and looks at the sleeping Labrys, admittedly a little anxious and worried.
About an hour later, Labrys began to stir awake, her capsule opening up. “Labrys-chan!” she hears Fuuka call her and opens her eyes, seeing Fuuka in front of her and giving her a hug. Labrys blinks at the sudden hug, let alone Fuuka being in her room.
“Fuuka-chan…?” Labrys mumbles, still stirring awake “You were here…?”
Fuuka nods as she pulls back from the hug and looks at Labrys with concern “You passed out and we had to do a checkup on you. We were all worri-“the door slides open and Yukari with Mitsuru enter the room, with Yukari hugging Labrys.
“Labrys-chan…!” Yukari wept “Thank goodness you’re ok!”
“…Yuka-chan…” Labrys mumbled “Mitsu-chan…what happened…?”
“You passed out.” Mitsuru said, placing a hand on Labrys’ shoulder “And we took care of you.” She blushes “W-well mostly Fuuka.” Fuuka in return blushes. “You had us all worried. What’s wrong Labrys?”
“…” Labrys looks away, a distant look on her face. Yukari pulls back from the hug and grabs Labrys’ hand gently.
“Hey…you can tell us. We want to help our friend and lover.” Yukari offers her a smile.
“Please Labby.” Fuuka pleads, taking Labrys’ other hand with her own “Pretty please?”
“…” Labrys was honestly stunned by the amount of love her girlfriends provide for her. She begins to cry, unable to hold it back any longer. The 3 girls quickly embrace her in a group hug (Fuuka on the front, Yukari and Mitsuru on the sides). The cry is a long one, but the trio stays with her until she calms down and stops. They all sit down near a king sized bed that Mitsuru installed just for such situations (Fuuka locks the door so no one interrupts).
“I had a nightmare…” Labrys explains “’bout…#24” she says “I forgot ‘bout today…she died this day. I killed her, ended her dream.” She looks down, gritting her teeth “I kept relievin that day. I saw #24 and the other sisters talking to me, calling me a murderer, a thief… that I shoulda died with them. I didn’t deserve to be the survivah…” she shook her head “It jus didn’t stop. It hit me hard, because sometimes I agree with them.”
“Labrys…” Yukari lightly squeezes her hand. Labrys takes a deep sigh and exhales slowly.
“I…I’m sorry” Labrys says “I made you all worry ‘bout me…”
“And that’s fine.” Fuuka smiles “We’re your girlfriends Labby. We worry because we love you.”
“And we’ll gladly at anytime listen to you.” Mitsuru smiles “You listened to us after all, and bonded us all together like this.”
“To be fair you sort of started it years back by flirting with Fuuka-chan and me” Yukari sweatdropped
Mitsuru coughed and cleared her throat “B-be that as it may, Labrys.” Mitsuru offers her a smile “You are not what they say of you, you know that. You prove that every day by living, by existing and carrying your sisters’ purpose with us. You might never forget what you were forced through-“
“But it doesn’t define your future.” Fuuka smiles at her “Only the present does.”
“And your present is with us.” Yukari giggles “And we’ll be sure that present is a good one.”
“…You guys…” Labrys was overwhelmed by her girlfriends resolve to love her no matter what, even at her most weak and stupid. “…I love you so much…all 3 of you. Fuuka, Yuka, Mitsu…” she offers the trio a sincere smile “Where I’d be without ya 3?”
“I dunno, a box?” Fuuka grins a bit
“Funny Fuuka-chan. Real funny.”
“But even a box can contain surprises.” Mitsuru chuckles
“We’re glad you are that surprise.” Fuuka smiles and the trio of girls lean forward onto Labrys and pecker her with kisses on her lips, cheeks, forehead and nose. Labrys’ nearly blacked out from all the love, but stayed awake surprisingly, cuddling and snuggling against her 3 lovers.
“We love you Labrys~” Fuuka, Yukari and Mitsuru said at the same time with a smile.
“I…I love you too, forevah” Labrys smiles, a sincere happy smile.
Labrys, Yukari, Fuuka and Mitsuru spent the day together….