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                            [img]https://i.imgur.com/qQJoF9l.png[/img]
[h2]Big Truckload of Cradle Agents[/h2]

[color=CCBFFF]”Bury the hatchet?”[/color]

[color=888888]— Trixy [/color][/center]

Sophia had been kind enough to let Trixy look through the corpses and recover Cereza and Cerise's bodies. Veronica didn't have any problem holding them in the cradle, so all Trixy had to do was find Eliza so that they could be properly put to rest.

[color=CCBFFF][i]"Can't something happy happen to Eliza for once?"[/i][/color]

The maid placed her fingers beside her head.  [color=CCBFFF][i]"E-Eliza! I ah."[/i][/color] How do you tell someone you've only been on a few missions with about something like this? [color=CCBFFF][i]"You too Maura! I was able to get Cereza and Cerise's bodies. And I, um."[/i][/color] Trixy swallowed. [color=CCBFFF][i]"I don't know anything about them, and they were your allies, so I thought you'd like to decide and be around for their send off."[/i][/color]

An uncertain hum from Eliza could be heard, before she adressed the necromancer. [color=gold][i]"This okay with you, Maura?"[/i][/color]

[color=Crimson][i]"Might as well. We'll meet with you shortly, Trixy."[/i][/color]

[color=CCBFFF][i]"Wait!"[/i][/color] Trixy blurted a little louder than she needed to. [color=CCBFFF][i]"Where did you want to meet up?"[/i][/color] 

[color=Gold][i]"Near the graveyard, I guess?"[/i][/color] Eliza suggested.

There was a pause on Trixy’s end. [color=CCBFFF][i]"Yea I guess that makes sense. "[/i][/color] 

[hr]

The graveyard had seen its fair share of fights. It still hadn’t fully recovered from the fight with the bates, and that was before everything else happened. 

Trixy was wearing a black dress that ended half way up her thighs. She had considered inviting the other cradle agents, but most of them hadn’t really interacted with Maura’s girls. Some of them likely would have shown up just to support Eliza and Maura, but that didn’t feel fair. 

[color=Gold]"Yo."[/color] Soon enough, they both arrived. Eliza had on her own dress, but also threw on a matching poncho. Maura on the other hand looked more like a modern grim reaper. [color=Gold]"I don't exactly have funeral clothes so Maura had to help me out."[/color]

[color=Crimson]"Is mine a bit too much...?"[/color] The necromancer scratched her cheek. They both notably appeared melancholic, or just really tired.

[color=CCBFFF]"I’ve only been to one funeral before, and I was the only one there."[/color] Trixy folded her arms. [color=CCBFFF]"I think they’d be happy to know that their friends decided to dress for the occasion."[/color] She placed her fingers beside her head, and the cradle opened up in front of them. Two bodies wrapped in a white cloth surfaced as if floating out of the sea. [color=CCBFFF]"So um, were there any burial rites you think we should do?"[/color]

[color=Crimson]"Well, there's cremation, mumification, I don't think we'd have the time for a sky burial. Hm..."[/color] Maura listed the options, looking for two empty lots in the graveyard. [color=Crimson]"We can also stick with the usual interment, but depending on your religion, it differs in a few ways."[/color]

[color=CCBFFF]"They were your friends, right?"[/color] Trixy exhaled. [color=CCBFFF]"You should do what you think they’d want. Did they talk about stuff like that?"[/color]

Eliza shrugged, watching Maura summon a pair of coffins to place the bodies in. [color=Gold]"Not really. They were our medics, so they'd rather focus on keeping us alive more than death. Maura's more of an expert on it anyways. As obvious as it is."[/color] the witch picked up one of the twins' bodies, and carried it over to the coffins. Maura had placed their favorite things inside each one; A locket, some fabrics, and a parasol to name a few.

Trixy had carried over the other body. She mirroed Eliza’s every movement, from how she held the girl to how they were lowered into the coffin. Then she stood back and watched Maura fill the coffins with their favorite belongings. 

[color=CCBFFF]"They had a lot of stuff, huh?"[/color] Trixy stood up. [color=CCBFFF]"You don’t really picture shrine maiden’s having so much stuff, but we aren’t our magical girl personas. I’m pretty sure I’m the last person you’d want to sweep your house."[/color] Trixy looked at Maura. [color=CCBFFF]"What were they like? I only met them once.."[/color]

 [color=crimson]"Well, most of these things were before they were two. Before, they were Luciel."[/color] the necromancer started to explain. [color=Crimson]"The nicknames were their idea. Anyways, if I remember correctly, Luciel used to be the acrobat in a circus troupe centuries ago. Even if she was eccentric, she was an intelegent, strong girl, managed to pick up on combat quick. Yet she prefered to protect others she concidered family, instead of going on the full offense."[/color] Two silver coins appeared in Maura's hand. 

 [color=crimson]"Cerise inherited the more upbeat sides of her personality, while Cereza was the calmer twin. Cliche, I know. But they both were masters of their work."[/color] she placed a coin each on the mouths of the bodies. And with a quick blessing for the two's safe travels to the afterlife, Maura gently closed the coffins.

[color=CCBFFF]"Well they seemed like nice people when I met them. I wish I got to know them better."[/color] A hat appeared in Trixy's hand, which she held it to her chest. [color=CCBFFF]"How about you, Eliza? Did you work with them very much?"[/color]

 [color=gold]"Sometimes. They were from out of town, but they liked to visit."[/color] Eliza helped bury the coffins. Once she was done, the necromancer would let flowers bloom on top. 

And many flowers would bloom. Trixy spread a hand full of seeds over the graves, and they would erupt with growth shortly afterwards. All different colors of wild flowers. Hues of pink, yellow, red, and purple flooded the patches of dirt. Not even seconds after Trixy was done and some butterflies had come to investigate the patch of flowers.

[color=CCBFFF]"Heh."[/color] Trixy placed a hand on her hip. [color=CCBFFF]"I wasn’t sure what their favorite color was."[/color]

Everyone had a moment to look at the flowering graves before they could hear someone approach. Trixy pulled out her rifle, but once she saw who it was, she rested her arms. 

[color=CCBFFF]"Hey Tetrad!"[/color]

[color=75c159]“Ah, Hey Trixy!”[/color] Tetrad was transformed, and was panting from her run. [color=75c159]“Whatcha doin?”[/color]

[color=CCBFFF]"Oh! Right!"[/color] The maid gestured towards the graves. [color=CCBFFF]"We were just holding a sertvice for Cereza and Cerise. I figured you didn’t know them, so I didn’t invite you."[/color] She lowered her eyes. 

Tetrad groaned. [color=75c159]“I see.”[/color] A nervous grin crept across her face. [color=75c159]“Well, I have some good news. I was able to successfully interrogate Elvira.”[/color]

Eliza's eyebrows rose in curiosity, a low-key morbid curiosity, but one nonetheless. [color=gold]"How'd it go? Did ya find out anything?"[/color]

[color=75c159]“It um…”[/color] Tetrad twiddled her thumbs. [color=75c159]“Can we go to a place that’s a bit more private?”[/color]

[hr]

[color=75c159]“That’s better.”[/color]

Trixy, Maura, Eliza, and Tetrad were all in her international man cave. It was almost loaded to capacity, but there was still plenty of room to move around. 

[color=75c159]“So as far as what we found out, eh, Veronica has to do more digging. But Elvira was working under Chloe.”[/color] Tetrad folded her arms. [color=75c159]“But the most interesting part of the interrogation was that I needed to make her sign a contract to bypass the mental encryption put on her thoughts. So we gave her some benefits, but the weird thing was that she wanted to become a full time Cradle agent.”[/color] 

[color=CCBFFF]"You don’t say?"[/color] Trixy raised an eyebrow. 

[color=75c159]“Yea! Isn’t that cool?”[/color]

 [color=Gold]I dunno, you sure she didn't say that to avoid getting lynched?"[/color] Eliza tilted her head.

[color=75c159]“I mean, she probably did.”[/color] Tetrad admitted. [color=75c159]“But does that matter? She signed a contract stating she was willing to permanently fight on behalf of Cradle! I can’t speak for you Eliza, Maura seems pretty cool. But most of us didn’t get too lucky with our former employers.”[/color] 

[color=CCBFFF]"So is she an agent then?"[/color] Trixy used her rifle as a cane and rested her hands on top of it.

Tetrad folded her arms and looked at the ground. [color=75c159]“No, Veronica wants to keep her in the cradle.”[/color] With a sigh, she raised her head. [color=75c159]“It doesn’t seem fair, and I know we could use the numbers. Veronica said she’d hold it to a vote, but if even one of us says no to her becoming an agent, it’s off the table.”[/color] She turned to Eliza and Maura. [color=75c159]“Chloe put her up to the rave. Cereza and Cerise’s death, as well as everyone else’s death is more on Chloe’s hands than hers. She’s scared of the mint and had no one else to turn to.”[/color] She extended her arms. [color=75c159]“Elvira did some bad things. But they were all the result of her making bad choices. I don’t want her to be punished for making her first good choice.”[/color]

 [color=Crimson]"....Hm."[/color] Maura thought for a moment. [color=Crimson]"Well, as long as she doesn't have any ulterior motives, I'm fine with Elvira joining."[/color] 

 [color=Gold]"She did seem scared shitless when I tried to talk with her."[/color] Eliza mumbled.

[color=75c159]“I don’t think Elvira has ulterior motives. Nothing beyond wanting to be safe an not on the run. She has a lot to answer for, but I think she can do it. But it’s ultimately going to be up to you guys.”[/color] Tetrad sat on a wooden stool and sighed. [color=75c159]“What about you Trixy?”[/color]

She tipped her head side to side. [color=CCBFFF]"Well, if she signed a contract, she can’t really hurt us."[/color] A smile spread across her face. [color=CCBFFF]"Aw hell! It felt good to save that monster queen, and it means something to you. If we can save an E-idol, why not?"[/color]

[color=75c159]“Thanks Trixy.”[/color] Tetrad grinned. [color=75c159]“Might take some work to convince Blair and Silhouette, but I’m glad team Maura is willing to consider her freedom.”[/color] She put her hands together. [color=75c159]“Thanks guys.”[/color]

[color=gold]"Happy to help."[/color] Eliza smirked.

 [Sub][color=crimson]"Wait, team Maura?"[/color][/sub]