I was feeling nervous but I need to know if she was real. And so I stretched my arm towards her and grabbed her shoulder. I felt the heat radiating from my palms. Her body was solid; my hand didn’t go through her.

My mother was surprised with my gesture and turned back to look at me. Our eyes met one another, her silver eyes to mine. She was more surprised when she saw my face. I am not certain if she recognized me.

"Mama..." I called out to her.

My mother’s eyes went wide in shock.

"It’s you... it really is you." I can’t hold back the tears that were falling down from my eyes. "Mama!"

I opened my arms and embraced her tightly. I was afraid that in any minute she might disappear from my sight.

"A-Alicia?" My mother’s voice was filled with uncertainty. "No, it can’t be."

"It’s me mama. It has... been so long." I said in between sobs.

My mother pushed me in arm’s length. She looked at me carefully, her hand tracing the shape of my face.

"It... it really is you? My Alicia... my baby girl?" My mother still can’t believe that I was in front of her. "But how? And you are now this big."

"Mama, many years has passed." I replied.

My mother looked at me from head to toe and I see tears coming down her cheeks.

"Oh my Alicia, how beautiful you have grown up to be." My mother said full of affection. "My baby girl."

She pulled me into her embrace. I can’t help but cry my heart out after feeling her warmth.

"Mama!!" Both of us were crying.

After our tearful reunion we wiped our tears away and giggled.

"Look at me crying like a child." My mother giggled. "Come, let’s sit down." I nodded in agreement.

Mother ushered me inside the tavern and pulled a chair for me. I looked at the chair with uncertainty. I know that everything here is just an illusion, and I am afraid that I will just fall down the floor.

"Hehe, don’t worry. Just sit down." My mother reassured. "It will be alright."

I slowly sat down on the chair and to my surprise my body didn’t go through.

"I created this place inside my mind. You were an unknown variable in this world that is why everything you touch passes through you." My mother explained. "But now I know you are here, you can touch anything in this place."

I nodded with my mother’s explanation. To test it I tried holding the table in front of me and like the chair I am sitting in, my hand did not pass through and I was amazed.

"You are amazing mama." I said enthusiastically. "You were able to make this world inside your mind."

My mother took a seat right next to me and took my hands to hold firmly between hers.

"I never thought I would see you this big. You are now a young lady." My mother caressed my cheek. "I thought I will stay here in this world I built forever."

I looked at her and saw sadness in her eyes. My heart clenched in pain for her.

"Anyways, how did you get here?" My mother asked.

"Well, I was taken by Aunt Patricia against my will." I told her.

My mother looked sad. She knew that her physical body was taken by Aunt Patricia. My mother understood that Aunt Patricia plans to use me as well.

"Mama, I thought I have lost you forever." I looked at her feeling the pain the time I thought she died.

"I thought I died as well." My mother said. "If not for my twin sister Patricia saving me from the brink of death, I really would have died back then."

I remember my aunt’s story about saving my mother just right before she breathed her last breath.

"It was true that my body and mind was weak after she has pulled me from death’s door but I recovered in time." My mother said. "But when I knew what she was planning, I opted to remain here inside my inner consciousness. I never thought she would kidnap you and use you as well."

"Don’t worry, for now I am trying to get aunt to see that I am her ally." I explained. "Is that why you imprisoned yourself inside your mind and created this world, so that she can’t use you in her plans?" I asked her.

My mother nodded. "Your Aunt Patricia as I know has taken the throne of Jennova as queen. She is planning vengeance to the ones that purged our country, our homeland. I understand her feelings of hatred and anger but I was against another war from happening. And the downfall of our country was the doing of none other than our own father. It is not right to blame others on what fate has given us because of our own father’s mistakes."

"Mama, what you said is right. She has started the war against Grandcrest." I told her. "She is planning to take over the whole continent."

Mother sighed sadly. "This was what I was afraid of. Nothing can stop her from taking her vengeance. That is why I stayed here inside my mind and made indestructible walls that she cannot penetrate. But you were able to pass by. I guess your magic abilities have manifested when I was not around." My mother frowned. "I am sorry Alicia. I am such a useless mother. I should have been by your side when your magic powers manifested. It might have been hard for you."

I can feel my mother’s grip tightened after her words. I am sure she is regretting not being there for me when my magic powers emerged. The first manifestation of the magic powers of an Atlantian was a crucial process. Without someone to guide them, it can turn to worse scenarios.

"It’s okay mama, there is no need to blame yourself." I assured her. "It was really hard the time I first manifested my magic powers but fortunately I was not alone." My lips arched up slowly and formed a smile.

I recall the memory when I first used my magic powers, it was out of control. But thankfully Regaleon was there and he saved me. He was also the one to teach me how to use them.

"Hmm seems like the one that accompanied you became an important person. Is it a boy?" Mother teased. "You are blushing."

"W-What... I am blushing?" I held my cheeks shyly and indeed they were a little hot to touch.

"It looks like I am correct. Hahaha." My mother giggled.

A mother’s intuition is really something. And it is a little bit scary to think that I can’t hide anything from my mother.

"H-His name is Regaleon. When I met him, he was the crown prince of Grandcrest. Now he is the king and is currently fighting against Aunt Patricia in this war." I explained. "He is also my fiancé." I said shyly.

"Your fiancé, you are engaged?" My mother was surprised. "Hmph, I need to speak to your father when I get the chance. Setting up an engagement when you are still this young. And I also need to meet this Regaleon. Even if he is a king, he needs to go through me to get your hand in marriage."

"M-Mama, Regaleon is a great man. He is kind and gentle. And he is also a wise and just leader." I tried to lift Regaleon’s image to my mother.

"Hehe, we will see." Mother giggled.

My heart felt warm talking to my mother like this. Talking about things such as my love life to my mother is one of the things that I had only dreamed of, but now here we are face to face.

"Oh mama, I have a lot of things to tell you." I am so happy that tears are starting to fall from my eyes again.

"We have much time for that, now that we are together again." My mother wiped my tears away. "But first we need to talk about the most pressing matter." My mother’s tone became more serious and her smiling face changes to a neutral one.

***

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