Chapter 317: Change Me

Back home and after a quick warm bath, Nana sat down with her mother, Nora, and explained everything that had happened since that academy exam day.

She didn't hide anything. No lie, no twisted story. She told the truth as it was, from the incident with that fat classmate, getting saved by a giant black spider, who turned out to be the dungeon boss. Her lovely time with Morgana, getting turned into an Arachne, her time as Lady Raven, buying that big mansion in the Night City, and finally what happened with Sharpy.

Her mom was shocked, angry, and sad. And full of happiness. Shocked by learning such things, and angry because so much shit happened and she couldn't protect her child. She wanted to scold her and teach her a lesson. But she only sighed with sadness on her face. She always knew her girl was not some damsel in distress. She would fight and protect those who were precious to her and defend herself no matter what. That's what makes her, her beautiful daughter.

"So... Morgana really is your other mother?" she asked, making Nana awkward and blush at that.

"Technically... Yeah." She muttered, her eyes avoiding her mother.

"So that makes us wives now?..." Nora then said that last part aloud by mistake, and when she realized what she had just said, her face turned deep red like a lobster, and so did Nana's.

"UUMMM!! AAAAA!!"

"STOOOP, MOOOOM!!"

The two covered their faces with their hands, trying to hide their embarrassment. It was adorable.

"Uuugggh, why are you teasing me like that, Mom?" Nana whined with the cute face of a blushing kid.

"Hehehe." Nora chuckled softly, her face still burning red, but she couldn't help but smile as she reached over to tug her daughter's silky pink hair gently.

"I'm not teasing you," she said, voice warm with a blend of disbelief and affection. "It's just... a lot to take in. My baby girl… an Arachne, a dungeon boss's heir, a mansion owner in Night City, and now part of some divine spider family with a literal goddess as your mother? You can't expect me not to have a minor heart attack."

"Humph!" Nana groaned and buried her face in her hands again. "It sounds so ridiculous when you say it all out loud…"

"Ridiculously awesome," Nora said, grinning.

"You're… not mad at me?" Nana peaked between her fingers. "I'm not human anymore."

"Mad? I'm furious—at the world, at the academy, at myself for not being there. But you? No. I'm proud of you, Nana. You survived. You grew strong. And you didn't lose yourself. Even after what happened with that bastard… you still have your heart."

"..."

For a moment, the room was quiet—save for the ticking of the old kitchen clock and the muffled hum of the city beyond the window. Then Nora reached out and wrapped Nana in a tight, warm hug. The kind that melted away walls. The kind only a mother could give.

"I don't care if you've got spider legs or fangs or if your other mom is a divine goddess. You're still my daughter. Always will be."

"I thought… I thought if you saw what I did to him, you'd hate me." Nana clung to her, biting her lip as tears welled up.

"He deserved it," Nora spoke, pure hatred in her words, her eyes looking like the abyss itself. "You did the right thing. He got the punishment he deserved, and don't worry, the others will follow, including your father."

Nana had her suspicions and now Nora's words confirmed them. She knew about the birthday incident all this time.

"Still, thank you. For understanding, Mother," she said with a quivering smile. "For accepting me... for not hating me."

"EH? Since when have I cared what others think of me or you? I'm a mother. It is my job to protect and love you unconditionally," Nora responded firmly. "No one is allowed to hate or mock my sweet child."

They stayed like that for a long while.

"Still..." Eventually, Nora pulled back, wiping her eyes and giving a teasing smile again. "I'm going to have to meet this Morgana woman sometime. Goddess or not, I will interrogate her. Gently. With wine. Possibly a crossbow."

"MOM!"

"What? It's just a precaution!"

"Moooooom!!"

"Alright, alright I give up... but..." Nora's face turned serious as she looked down. "I was hoping to meet this goddess and ask her something..."

"Mother?" Nana noticed the look in her mother's eyes and sobered up in an instant. "Is something wrong?"

"Sigh... Well, you see... I'm old, old, and sick as well..." Her face suddenly changed and Nana blinked in confusion as she saw her mother cry. "I can't afford to live longer and have more fun with you, Nana... I have four years, maybe five at best left."

"WHAT!? You're joking, please tell me you're joking, Mother...." Nana was in denial as the world froze around her, refusing to accept their fate.

"I wish I was."

"No, NO this cannot be true, there must be a way, we can–" her head started spinning, her mind shutting down as the whole reality crashed down on her. "What am I saying?... You, Mom, are going to die... I'm the reason behind all of this... when you gave up your life force to heal me..."

"And I'd do it again."

"Wha...?"

"If necessary, I'd give every last drop of my blood, of my soul to save your life," Nora said fiercely. "Do you understand? Nothing is more important to me than you, Nana. So I'd make the same choice again. Without hesitation."

"No... this..." She covered her mouth with trembling hands, hot tears sliding down her cheeks. "I'm such a selfish idiot..."

"No... don't say that," her mother tried to calm her down, gently stroking her daughter's hair. "I was hoping to ask the goddess to change me to an Arachne too, so I could spend more time with you."

"W-Wait, what?!" Nana suddenly had her eyes wide in shock, then she quickly seized her mother's cheeks and forced her to look deep into her eyes.

"Mother, are you sure that becoming an Arachne would solve everything?"

"As far as I could tell, yes." Nora nodded. "It appears that the transformation happened deeply at the core level as if the goddess completely rewrote the DNA at a genetic level. Technically you're now a newborn, so yes, becoming an Arachne would probably reverse the aging, and I believe if I could take part in that change, I could restore my health."

"Great!" Nana exclaimed with joy. "I have the ability to transform you into an Arachne... Hmm?... Maybe we should let Morgana do it, but I can't contact her... Ugh!"

"Hehehe, don't worry sweetheart." The older woman hugged her again, nuzzling in the girl's head. "I want my daughter to turn me, would that be alright?"

"Y-yes… but…" Nana's voice trembled, her throat tightening. She looked at her mother as if seeing her for the first time all over again—not just as the fierce protector, not just as the woman who raised her—but as someone mortal. Fragile. Hurting. Someone she could now save.

"But what, sweetheart?" Nora asked gently, tilting her head.

"I… I'm scared," Nana whispered, her voice barely audible. "What if I mess it up? What if something goes wrong? What if I lose you because of me…"

Nora smiled—softly, like a sunrise on a cold morning—and brushed a strand of pink hair from Nana's cheek.

"You won't. I trust you. With my life."

"Mom, are you absolutely sure about this?" Nana asked again, her voice trembling with emotion. "Becoming an Arachne is a big step, and it's irreversible. You'll gain incredible abilities, but you'll also leave behind your human life completely."

"Stop asking stupid questions," the woman said. She took Nana's hands and looked her in the eyes, a determined expression on her face. "Yes, I'm sure, Nana."

"Okay… okay, but I'll need time," Nana finally said, her voice steadier now. "To prepare for the transformation. I need to recreate the ritual Morgana used on me… or at least something close. I think I can. I know I can. I just…"

"Alright." Nora touched her hand gently. "Take all the time you need. I've already lived more than I thought I would. But if there's even a sliver of a chance I get to spend another lifetime watching you grow… then I'll take it."

"Mom~" Nana nodded. Then, with a grin starting to push through her tears, she added, "You do know that if you become an Arachne, you're gonna have eight legs and you'll lay eggs and probably have a huge butt too, right?"

"Pffttt HAHAH!" Nora's eyes widened, but she broke into laughter, releasing the last of the tension and stress from her body. "Oh god, I think I'll be more sexy than you!"

"HAHA!" Nana followed, letting the tears roll down her cheeks. And when they both finished laughing like idiots, she took her mother's hand and looked deeply into her eyes.

"Let me be the judge of that, Mom. Once I make sure that you'll turn into the perfect Arachne, I'll teach you how to move that sexy butt, and how to drive your partners mad."

"Ooooh" Nora purred playfully. "Sounds fun... but you can't teach the teacher, young one!"

"Ack! Hey!" The mother and daughter played and laughed all night before they decided it was time to get some sleep and continued to talk and plan the ritual for tomorrow.

"Good night Mom, love you." Nana nuzzled closer to her mother.

"Good night my baby... I love you too."

For Advance chapters, you can find in My Patreon

https://www.patreon.com/Midnight_Paradox

https://discord.gg/NBqGDtmxnp