And Now Relief (Release) (Puella Magi Madoka Magica/Tales of Legendia, Madoka + Fenimore) Title: And Now Relief (Release) Author:catdevigri Fandom: Crossover - Puella Magi Madoka Magica x Tales of Legendia Pairing/characters: Kaname Madoka & Fenimore Xelhes (Fenimore->Shirley, Senel/Shirley) Rating: PG Warnings: Death, spoilers for all of PMMM! Word count: 368 Prompt/challenge you're answering: Madoka and Fenimore, the price you pay for miracles Author's comment: One possible sort of follow-up to The Sea Was Cold Comfort...? Related, anyway.
"Are you content?"
Fenimore opened her eyes to a peaceful sea of stars and a girl in white, with flowing pink hair, smiling down on her. Down? Oh, she seemed to be floating. It felt even easier and more restful than lying back, spread across the sea... So, this was what death was like? Not exactly what they'd told her, but, nevertheless, Fenimore wasn't really disappointed. Was it possible to be disappointed after death? She felt so...so...peaceful.
"W-with what?" she struggled to focus her mind on the possible meanings behind that question. There was something wasn't there? Something important that she had thrown aside her life for. Someone she never wanted to fade from her memory. Someone. That did it. "Shirley!" She sat up, shaken by how close she had come to forgetting something so vital to her being.
"That's what I thought," the young goddess answered. Somehow she reminded Fenimore a little of Grune-senpai. In any case, she was a preferable deity to the bitter, protective Nerifes.
The more Fenimore thought about these things, the clearer her life came into focus. Shirley's pain, Shirley's smile, her soul ripped out and given the form of a beautiful gem. The good and the bad. All the things Fenimore would never trade.
"You've done all you can do now, Fenimore." Her gentle voice cut through the sharper memories. All Fenimore could think for a moment was how wonderful her name sounded, pronounced by those kind lips. "But I can still show you something, if there's one last thing you need to see. Life can be painful. Death should come with no regrets."
"Huh... And you'd do all that for me... Thank you."
"It's Shirley, isn't it?" Madoka knew her deepest heart. "She has the makings of her happy end in hand, you know? Shirley and Senel- is that what you want to see?" Madoka held out her hand.
Fenimore took it and stood. "I do. Please."
And seeing Senel reach out, ever so carefully, to take Shirley's hand and hold it tight in his, as they stood on the beach, that beautiful, familiar blush spreading across Shirley's face- that was all it took. "She's happy," Fenimore sighed. "I'm so glad."