Chapter 20: Diary
"This was the case I wasn't allowed to touch," her mother said softly. "He entrusted it to me for this day."
"What do you mean?" Nancy asked her curiously.
"I thought I'd give it to you once you were selected as a Meta-bot owner," her mother smiled, her voice tinged with a hint of nostalgia. "In case you needed to follow your father's footsteps."
Nancy's expression darkened. "But... the Meta-bot didn't chose me in the Awakening Zone," she replied quietly, a deep sadness creeping into her words. "Maybe I wasn't worthy."
"Nancy," Tyson said gently, trying to reassure her, "it's not about worthiness."
Her mother's voice was calm as she paused before opening the case. "Do you regret not being selected, Nancy? Is it because you can't serve humanity, or because you can't carry on your father's legacy?"
Nancy hesitated, the weight of her emotions pressing down on her. Her mother seemed to understand, her knowing smile softening the moment.
"I thought so,"
Nancy remained silent. It was true—what she had always wanted was to become a Ranger, not just for the sake of humanity, but to walk in her father's footsteps. Nothing more.
Her mother's hand lingered over the briefcase. "He told me there was something precious hidden inside this case," she said, "Something he wanted to protect."
Slowly, her mother opened the case. At first glance, Nancy's childhood photos lay neatly inside. Her mother looked back at her with a look of quiet understanding. "These were the things he held close to his heart."