(REQUIRES ALL PLAYER CHARACTERS)

"I finally have all that I need to rescue my father from the Varjans. The only thing missing now is where the invaders have him imprisoned. I'm coming for you, father. Just wait a little longer."
-Takeshi Oja

"Lord Takamori's traitorous former student, Setsuna, is training Mongol archers across Shizuyama. Lord Takamori posits that she plans on attacking Omi Springs, his hometown and a refuge for villagers. We should meet with Lord Takamori as soon as possible."
-Takeshi Oja

"Sorae is on the hunt for Sogen, one of the conspirators behind her family's murder. To track him down, Sorae has asked us to speak with Ayu who may know where we can find him."
-Takeshi Oja

"One of the farms near Komatsu Bay looks like it's had some trouble. Someone should make sure the people there are all right."
-Takeshi Oja

A villager woman remarked to the taskforce member as the latter passed by.

"You better watch out if you're passing Yabo Forest, yokai. It's haunted by angry spirits... Dead samurai, eager to spill blood."

"People go into the woods and never come out. Varjan and Shizuyaman alike! The bodies that turn up have all been killed by Shizuyaman blades..."

A peasant man eating barbecued meat on a stick was startled when the taskforce member approached. It appeared he has news.

"Yokai! You have to tell Lord Takeshi, there is another samurai noble who survived Sanjo Beach. His name is Lord Tonchiki. He's in his abode southeast of here. If you go see him, I'm sure he would join your cause."

"Err, maybe not. I guess you'll need Lord Takeshi himself to convince him."

(REQUIRES SHIZUKA KANNAZUKI)
A villager sitting on some stone steps in the temple stood up when the taskforce member approached.

"Yokai, I've heard of a small resistance group gathering in the Imahama Area. I believe they're headed by that shrine priestess that started a fight here not too long ago."

"They're recruiting farmers and fishermen to their cause. Brave, but it'll be dangerous if they're not trained. Better take Lord Takeshi with you too or else it might be a fight again."

A peasant man warming his hands on a bonfire noticed the taskforce member passing by.

"Yokai, you must do something! It's Ayane's sake brewery in Imahama. That brewery is the pride of Shizuyama, but soon there will be none left. The Varjans are taking it by force."

It was sunset once again, just as it had been burned into Eula’s memories. Just like then, Carroll sat beside her…but…this was a different Carroll. A wounded Eula, a Carroll from long ago…neither knew this place with the person next to them.

Not really.

"Carroll," Eula started. "...What do you think of me? With what you see and know now?"

“I could ask you the same,” Carroll says, “I’m someone you thought you knew, a part of me is someone you once knew, and yet all of me is someone you couldn’t have dreamed to know, yet you do, now...” she rambled, before leaning back on her hands, “Asking that, I see someone confused and lost, desperately seeking the return of another... but not wanting to show that out of fear of rudeness.”


"...Even so…pining and hoping won't bring you back to how you were. Nor would I force you to. But…there was a promise that I made to you. To my dearest Carroll."

“A promise,” Carroll asks. “I’m not the type you should make such promises to,” she says, “I’m flighty. I’m selfish. I want what I want, when I want it, and I’m prone to temper.”

“You’re much too nice to be promising anything to me.”


“Io... Never a finer Queen than Io S/32,” Carroll says, smirking softly, “You’d make for her twin sister, if I had to admit. If you know her name, you know more about me than I about you...”

"Only what you once shared with me. We fished here, holding hands…you teased me quite a bit," Eula said, smiling with her eyes full of nostalgia. "And my promise…was to go to Wonderland with you and Alice…Cecilia, I mean. To fight against the Queen of Hearts."

“You should break that promise,” Carroll says, “That’s a death sentence, dying in a foreign land for a cause that doesn’t involve you. Dying to my tyrant mother... like she did... like they all did.”

"I won’t," Eula said, before placing her hand atop Carroll’s, curling her fingers around Carroll’s hand with utmost care. "...Because even if you don’t remember…that just means I have to try again. To try over and over, until we can do anything, and then…" Eula would turn to face Carroll, her eyes seeming more…alive than she’d seen yesterday.

"...Then, I can ask you if you love me again. I don’t understand it. This feeling…this desire. But its mine. Its the only thing I’ve ever had that wasn’t put there by someone else. So I won’t let it go…"

“You sound so confident. So... so...” Carroll looked at her hand, then her arm, as it had transformed into a metal arm from the fingers to the shoulder. “My arm...”

"It was mine, once," Eula said, her own arm mimicking what Carroll’s was, beneath the veneer of humanity she maintained. "As was this your’s.”

“But... why would I have...”

"I can’t answer that. Not without ‘you’ here. But…its proof that we happened," Eula said, her grip gaining surety and strength.

“I don’t... understand...” Carroll says, “Why would I do that... burden you? Why would I be so cruel?” Eula could tell that Carroll was conflicted, despite telling her what a “trade of arms” means for her and Eula’s Wonderland kith and kin. “I’m sorry...”

"Because," Eula said, gently placing a finger to Carroll’s lips to silence her. "You wanted me to be able to escape how I was programmed. I’m not there yet…and…it terrifies me when I break my precepts. But you were there with me when I was scared. So…I want to be there for you while you figure your life out again. And, if you no longer want to walk beside me…I can take that. But I won’t accept your apology for this. Not now, or ever."

“I don’t... I... -- You aren’t her replacement! I’m... I’m not... replacing her... with you...” Carroll was choking up.

"Nobody can replace Io. I never could. And I would never replace you with yourself," Eula said, gently touching her forehead to Carroll’s.

Carroll grit her teeth, as she started to crumble; just like Dinah, her walls were falling down around her. “Please... I don’t want to be alone, anymore...” she says, tears breaking through, “I just...Amarie... Io... I can’t strike out a third time... I can’t lose again...”

"And you won’t."

“You can’t promise that! You can’t! She did! Amarie! Io! They promised me forever! And, they died! They died, and I lived! I! Me! Alone!” Carroll shouted, getting to her feet, tearing streaming down her cheeks, as she threw her arms out, “I’m the Third Princess of Wonderland! Carrollynn Wunderland! Two Rs! Two Ls! Two Ns! A U, instead of an O! I was born with a name as unique as I could be, but all I bring is the mundanity of death to anyone close to me!”

“I can’t do that anymore to anyone! So, why would you promise to follow me to your grave with a smile?!”

"Fish with me, and find out," Eula offered.

“F-Fish...” Carroll asks. “Why would you... wanna fish with me?”

"Its fun," Eula said, simple as could be.

“Nobody’s ever said that,” Carroll says.

"Then, let me be the second, and first," before hugging Carroll tight.

“Wuh...” Carroll blushed.

Figuring it was time to shut up and act, Eula would simply sit back down with Carroll, “fishing” with her as they held hands through the evening. The sun as their witness, just like it had been.

---

As the morning broke, Carroll would find herself entangled with Eula; hands, legs, bodies entwined and together. However, it was simple to break away - converting to slime, and planning to rejoin with Cecilia to get their own problems figured and sorted for the immediate future.

However, the shapeshifting sword would overhear the refugees chatter about a prisoner of war from the Varjan elite. Smirking, she hurried to Cecilia to relay the news...

Morning brought with it the most favorite time of a certain automaton: Breakfast. It was the most determining meal for energy intake, yet so many people undervalued the importance of a well-balanced meal to start the day.

Rice was well-suited for a meal base, so it was no wonder that the Zipangu diet was so versatile in using it. Fish, Red meat, Vegetables, Salted, Buttered-

"Uhhh…" Liliana said, eyeing the gargantuan pile of plain white rice that Eula had amassed, compressing it down with her mechanical arms until the wealth of rice was the size of a normal rice ball. "...A-Aren’t we supposed to be making riceballs? That was like a rice black hole!"

Satisfied, Eula wanted to share breakfast with Carroll, figuring that twice the automaton’s usual portion was more than enough to sate them both. That was, at least, until the fairy and the ferrous heard a gunshot ring out.

"...No time," Eula said before shoving the entire rice ball into her mouth and darting out, Liliana quickly following behind enroute to the sight of Na'kratz bleeding upon the floor.

Retribution was…something that either of them expected to be inflicted on a Varjan leader. But a gun was beyond the means of most in this land. So who could have done this other than-

Before she even had to think about it, Liliana would hold her sword aloft, silently channeling Whimsy’s healing magic to Na'kratz.

As Liliana did her best, and Eula’s suspected, the bickering couple would walk by them towards the smell of the village hosted breakfast venue.

“...as I was saying, before you rudely interrupted me - again...” Carroll huffed, not even looking at Na’kratz, “There is something greater in spirit alone about coffee.”

"Darling, I don’t care..." Cecilia sighed, as she splashed through the blood pool. "Have you decided what to eat, yet?"

“Nope~” Carroll smirked.

Cecilia rolled her eyes, and they continued on...

"H-Hey, wait! I get that he’s a bad guy and all," Liliana said, before darting ahead of Cecilia in her tiny form, then growing to human size again. "...but you can’t just go around shooting someone that’s been beaten and taken prisoner."

"Hm," Cecilia asks, "Oh, it’s you? Need something?"

"Yeah! Lady Alice, you can’t go shooting at prisoners of war! That’s something the Varjans would stoop to. You’re better than that," Liliana said.

Eula didn’t know what to say, more shocked to find that she held no real sympathy for the Varjan before her…

"I told you before," Cecilia says, "That woman, whoever she is, whoever she was, is DEAD," she says, "My name is Cecilia Lewis, Queen Piece of the Krumpet Family of Salvarsion. Whatever you are clinging to, stop."

"It’s pathetic."

Feeling a twinge of heartache at Cecilia’s words, Liliana would lay a hand over her heart. "Its not. And she isn’t gone. One day, you’ll get to meet her too. But, even so, you’re still Lady Alice to me. Even if you’re not the same, you’re my friend!"

"Pff! Listen. Back there, back then, that... that was a moment of weakness," Cecilia says. "My head was foggy. My heart was uncertain. Now, that’s not the case. There’s no way we were close. That’s just your delusion."

Seeming to look upset for a moment, Liliana would smile slightly, her hands behind her back. "Maybe. But, fairies are made of stuff like that. Delusions and fantasy. Dreams and miracles. Belief and promises," Liliana said, before turning her back to Cecilia. To Alice. Then, she would look back.

"Stupid people believe in anything, Lady Alice. Miracles, promises, all that. So, of course I can believe in you remembering one day."

"Don’t make promises to someone like me," Cecilia says, bitterly. "I’ve watched stupid people with dreams die, convert into Mamono, and I’ve put them down like dogs days later, time and time again," she says, "Hopes and dreams are nothing, when you’ve seen what I’ve seen, done what I’ve done."

"But, then again, what would a Fairy know about war, about death," Cecilia asks. "Born of flowers and dewdrops. You call yourself a Knight, yet you would lend aid and succor to your moral enemy, to the threat of the vassal state that retains you? Until you learn where you place your blade and smote your enemies, you are no Knight."

"You’re just a clumsy Pawn, doing what she’s told."

A soft smile crossed Liliana’s lips as she walked past Cecilia, back towards the center of town.

"I’m strong. That’s why I can be kind, and be a Knight. And I’m kind, so I can be strong, and be a Knight. Its as simple as that."

"That so," Cecilia doffed her hat, and reached in; drawing forth a gleaming, ornate dagger, "Then, turn that strength and kindness into an edge that can topple mine. I am a Queen, my moveset is all-ranging, but my strength to capture is limited to the reach of my dagger. A Knight can outmaneuver me, but I can reach you on all sides."

“Cecilia’s [Line of Intention. It’s all eight spaces around her on the board,” Carroll says. “All spaces she can threaten.”

Pausing briefly, Liliana’s head would tilt. "Spaces…? I don’t get it…but, Dinah’s stance was a bit scarier."

Cecilia disappeared before reappearing at Liliana’s front, and clashing with Liliana’s blade; the Splinterblade, Whimsy.

“Cecilia, I get that you’re not in the mood, but she did help us recover, so... back up a bit, and calm down!” Carroll shouted, wielding the wooden sword; the thinnest lining of her slime granting it an edge to combat Cecilia’s blade. “If you wanna fight someone, fight someone of your caliber!”

"Are you offering, then," Cecilia asks, before drawing back into a flurry of stabbing strikes.

“I wasn’t, but I can!” Carroll says, using Whimsy as if she were naught but a simple practice blade. “Whatever your grievances are, the Fairy is an innocent party!”

"You say that, but all I hear is ignorance hope in a time of war and strife!" Cecilia snapped. "You blabbering on, because she isn’t YOUR problem. She doesn’t call YOU by that cursed name. You’re just Carroll! I’m the dead idol!"

Internally pissed, Whimsy would just bear with it.

Perhaps, most unnerving to Cecilia, was that Liliana hadn’t moved to guard or dodge in the slightest, believing that “Alice” wouldn’t stab her.

"Let me show her who I am!" Cecilia barked, as she pressed Carroll relentlessly.

“I think you are doing just fine!” Carroll says. “Oi! Bug! You wanna DO something, or did you brain turn off?! Make this stupid sword work, or I will!”

"Whimsy. Pretty please," Liliana said before the sword sparked to life, gaining the edge it needed to repel Cecilia.

“Good,” Carroll says, “Whimsy, was it? Not bad for a piece of wood,” she says, “Could be a little more refined, a little more experienced. If you’re Knight knew better, she might be able to wield you one day, but... Un. Til. Th. En...” Carroll drew Whimsy into Dinah’s rapier stance, holding her between her left pointer and middle finger, like a pool stick. “Amarie... your legacy lives on... [Wallflower Waltz. Tempo: Allegro. First Step: Pawn’s Invasion.]...”

Carroll would take two steps forward, and clash Whimsy with Cecilia’s Queendagger - tip-for-tip - for the Temple to heard, as the blade met...

...before Cecilia’s dagger launched into the clouds and her arm was sliced off her body along the path of a blade of wind that went another five feet behind her.

“Are we going to relax, now,” Carroll asks. “Next is your throat, if not. A master of time, you’ll survive. You’d made sure of it.”

Cecilia glared at Carroll, before huffing...

"Fine."

“Queendagger isn’t come back down for a while, and when it does, it won’t land here,” Carroll says, “I’d say, likely, about ten miles south of you. So, why don’t you and the Bug go and walk that way, eh? I’ll hang onto this character,” she waggled Whimsy, “So, once you have your blade back, if you still wanna stab her, you won’t have a bit of opposition.”

Spinning Whimsy, Carroll would turn back to Eula, “Now, then, I believe, you and I have a breakfast date,” she smiled charmingly, “Plus one.”

"Okay!" Liliana said before skipping over to Cecilia.

Eula would look up, seeming to have been lost in thought for a fair while. "H-Huh? Oh…right. That sounds lovely," Eula said. "I was going to make you breakfast, but…I had to eat it on the way, otherwise it would get dry and go to waste."

“Seems like my little housewife will have to start over,” Carroll teased. “Too bad you don’t have a Humanoid form, little thorn. I bet you’d look darling in an apron.”

Cecilia was resisting the urge to strangle Carroll, but... she was right. It was... out of line, her reaction, overblown and overdramatic. However, she was in her rights to be mad! At least, in her opinion. Liliana was disrespecting HER existence for some fantasy in her own head, clinging to the past. It was rude. Depersoning her for... Alice.

Alice.

Someone Cecilia couldn’t be, didn’t want to be - being Alice meant not being Cecilia, and Cecilia had a wife-to-be, a child on the way, and a war to win. Not Alice. Alice was just a collection of memories for everyone else, and not her. Alice would fade with time, and she would not.

Alice was dead.

Whether or not, Liliana liked it.

That’s how she felt about it, anyways.

Gathering herself, Cecilia would start on the journey to retrieve her dagger... she wouldn’t stop Liliana from following, but she damn sure wasn’t going to acknowledge her...

That was a good thing, considering that Liliana shrunk herself down and fluttered alongside Cecilia, respecting the silence she wanted.

“Well, then, shall we be off,” Carroll asks, still twirling Whimsy.

"Lets." Eula said.

Stewing in her sword form, Whimsy was quiet, seeming to not be able to get comfortable covered in a slime-edge.

Carroll would reach for Eula’s hand, only to remember that Whimsy was in her dominant hand. A conundrum, as she knew they Livingwood Cursed Sword would immediately gravitated to wherever Liliana was - explicitly born to be by her side, duty-bound to serve as aid and confidante, no matter what - which was exactly the opposite of Carroll’s intention to force a resolution.

But, she wanted to hold her “girlfriend’s(?)” hand...

Something, to be sure, but Whimsy was on high alert. Like a cornered cat.

"Something wrong?" Eula asked.

“I wanna hold your hand, but... I can’t let go of this one,” Carroll pouted, her cheek getting a little chubbier.

Eula stared blankly for a few seconds before taking matters into her own hands. Literally. By just taking the free hand Carroll had.

“Oh, yeah,” Carroll says.

Eula would walk off, glad that her Carroll was truly using all of her intelligence to the fullest.

An hour was a long time to exist in silence. Sixty minutes was a long time to dwell in one own thoughts. Three-thousand, six-hundred second was a goddamn long time to --

"CAN YOU SHUT YOUR WINGS UP!?" Cecilia snapped, whipping around to face Liliana, as the soft “whuff-whuff-whuff” of her beating wings - a noise that NOBODY could hear, because they didn’t listen for the imperceptible - was like a gnat in her ear.

Flinching, Liliana would recoil a bit before folding her wings at her back, walking as she grew to full size. "Okay, geez…"

"Thank you..." Cecilia says. "You should stay like that. Silence is befitting you."

Folding her arms, Liliana would keep quiet for the time being.

Cecilia sighed, raking her cheeks. "Not like that, you bimbette..." she says, "Your wings are loud. A Knight is meant to strike fast in ambush," she explains, before lifting off her feet, slipping out of her heels, and drifting over the earth, "Stop flying, and start floating. You have Magic. A crude facsimile of Chaos Magic, like mine. Use it. Better."

From 0 to 10, Liliana would exclaim: "You can fly now!?"

"A Queen can do anything," Cecilia says, "Flight is nothing more than a subset of Speed Magic, the speed to defy gravitational field. Chaos is expectational at such things," she boasted, "My greatness was legendary, my ability to create vantage wherever I wished..."

Cecilia’s expression would fall, from the height of pride to the depth of disgrace, "...I was great... The Forever Pawn... then, I become a Mamono, through-and-through... a Monster."

Happy to see Cecilia so proud, Liliana would come over to pat her back. "Being a Monster isn’t all bad! Right?"

"Yeah... a Monster would say that... after all, what would a Monster know about Humanity? About living under the fear of Mamono Rule and Law, being born lesser, inferior, as toys to a uncaring gaggling of cackling whores, content to trade Human lives and Mamono lives for part and parcel," Cecilia asks. "My life. My friends. My mother. Commodified. Given a value from Pawn to Bishop to Rook to Knight to King to Queen. Put on a stage to perform - one side to kill, one side to convert, both sides victims of Mamono games."

"It’s not all bad~!" Cecilia mocked. "I only shot and killed my best friends, lost my mentor, and stabbed my mother, in a quest to free everyone from the very fucking thing I became..." she says, "But, I’m alive, and they aren’t suffering, I guess, so yeah, it’s not all bad."

Recoiling at Cecilia’s words, Liliana…couldn’t say anything, remembering what she’d seen in the dream. "I…yeah…I’m…s-sorry," she said, before falling back into silence.

"Well, look at that," Cecilia says, "The airhead can be introspective..."

Not used to arguing with Alice prior, Liliana didn’t have anything to say in response, clamming up as they walked.

"What did I tell you," Cecilia asks, turning on Liliana after ten minutes.

"H-Huh?" Liliana asked, having been lost in thought.

"Stop. Flying." Cecilia says, annoyed.

"I’m walking…"

"Your wings are still moving, instinctively keeping you upright," Cecilia says, "That reliance is weakness. You need to be faster. Better at using the instinctual parts of your Wild Magic," she look around, and pick up a stick, before throwing it to Liliana, "En garde!"

"I-I can’t just STOP having my wings!" Liliana protested, before grabbing the stick and assuming her usual stance with Whimsy.

"I don’t have wings, yet my feet don’t touch the ground," Cecilia says. "If you can’t learn to float, you will not defy my [Line of Intention]." she says, shifting her position, and unfurling her fancy attire into a tank top and short-shorts, much like what Kerry wore. Liliana could see the scar she inflicted on Alice, it had bore down into Cecilia. "Strike me. If you don’t, I will strike you."

Cecilia adopted a familiar combat post, extending her hands as if they were blades.

Liliana’s eyes were focused on the scar, her expression growing pale for a moment. "I-I…Dinah…"

Cecilia was in her face; bringing her right hand down.

Barely able to put up a block in time, Liliana would get knocked down to her knees from the strike.

Stomping her right foot, Cecilia would pivot to strike with her left; her movements were mechanical, but fast and hard.

Gritting her teeth, Liliana would use her lowered vantage point to intercept right when Cecilia’s blow would connect, using the force to gain distance as she let it carry her.

Cecilia would follow, launching into the air by floating, before bring her right heel down to chop at her shoulder.

Liliana would forego the stick entirely, throwing it at Cecilia before grabbing her heel between her hands, then flipping her to disorient her in the air.

Cecilia smirked, and floated, once more, rolling, and righting herself. "Brave. Forgoing the Path of a Knight for the Path of a Rook," she says, "You aren’t built for it, but... a Queen is. So, little Pawn... what shall you become before me? A Knight? A Rook? ...a Queen?"

"I wanna…" Liliana said, before taking a deep breath, continuing with a shout of: "I WANNA BE STRONG! SO STRONG I CAN KEEP MY PROMISE TO ALICE! STRONG ENOUGH TO BEAT UP THAT QUEEN OF HEARTS! STRONG ENOUGH TO COME BACK! So here goes everything," Liliana said, before Cecilia would feel a sense of…

…dread?

Something tremendous was gathering behind Liliana, as if nature itself was pooling magic into her, coursing up her legs, down her wings, to her hands, joined together and netting fingers as if to perform a haymaker. "Gaia Hazaaaaaaard!"

Cecilia smirked, as she crossed her arms to block. However... blocking was a simple affair. In another life, Alice would have known to dodge at the last second. Cecilia lacked the [Heavenly Strike], and misunderstood the burst of speed that outpaced her own. As such, her block would hold, but her body would not; crushing into the earth, as the speed turned into kinetic energy - the secret behind the technique. It wasn’t that it was fast and unpredictable, but that it was fast and unstoppable.

Speed beyond speed, stopped in an split-second, and turned into kinetic energy that powered throwing nearly any defense. If used on a normal Human, it was a true death sentence. If used on a Mamono, or another user, it varied in the strength of the speed behind it. Caught off-guard as she was, Cecilia almost stood no chance, as her arms broke against the impact and her legs broken against the halting ground.

However, she stood her ground.

"You learned to float,” Cecilia says, "How terrifyingly interesting...” she grit her teeth, leaking green from between her lips, nose, and ears. "It’s been... a long time... since I’ve been pushed into a corner...” Cecilia fell to her left knee, "and by a Fairy, no less. How terrifying, yet curious..."

Diving to catch her before she fell, Liliana would frantically channel her remaining magic buildup into trying to heal Cecilia, her own hands red and raw, as if they’d been set ablaze and burnt, in spite of the rapidly healing tissue her blessing granted.

"Oi, oi, stop it, now," Cecilia says. "I do not ask for your aid nor your succor. Attend to yourself, or we shall begin this lesson anew."

"Shut up! I’m not listening to you," Liliana barked, continuing to heal. "I’ll heal who I want, and beat up bad guys, and if they say sorry, I heal them too. "Liliana said, crossing her arms. "That’s what being a Knight means to me!"

There was a wet clash of flesh on flesh, as Cecilia slapped Liliana.

"You ignoring me is tiring,” Cecilia says, coldly. "This delusion you uphold does not give you the right to disrespect my wishes," she says, "You are not my friend. I am not Alice. You are nobody to me. Cease. Treating. Me. As. Such."

"...I know…" Liliana said, tears flowing freely down her cheeks as she turned her face back towards Cecilia. Bitterly, she’d cry, shaking Cecilia by her shoulders. "She goes and does her best, then dies and breaks apart…how can I just accept that!?" Liliana questioned, before hitting Cecilia back.

"I saw it. How much you lost. Who you lost. So even if I’m nobody to you, you’re someone to me! So I can’t just stop…" she sobbed, before wiping her face. "...Alice isn’t gone. Not as long as I remember. …So…" Liliana would float up, before looking back at Cecilia. "...I’ll make sure she knows I kept our promise when she does. And we can meet her again together. …Four miles to go," she said before starting to continue, drying her tears as she used Cecilia’s lesson to hover.

"And, if she never returns? And, if she does, but she's not her, then what,” Cecilia asks. "What then? Will you just dissolve? Disappear? You speak of a promise, but... do you think I want you to follow in my war? Do you think I want you to kill in my name? For my cause? In a war that will possibly kill you, and damn you to never see your homeland again?"

"If you saw so much of what you claim, then you should understand what I'm asking. I'm tired of your platitudes and grandstanding. Be honest," Cecilia asks, "Can you leave them? Her? Can you surrender who you are? Liliana, Sixth Bladeflower, favourite of Rosebud, wielder of Whimsy, and protector of Titania's Glenn? Can you damn yourself to a life of potential misery for someone that may never return?"


"...None of those things will change, even if I keep this promise. And I’ll find a way for both you and Alice to have freedom. That’s what it means to believe in miracles," Liliana said, before continuing on. "Alice will come back. If she doesn’t, then I was wrong. I can live with that. But if I go the whole time thinking that…thats just like saying its okay that she’s gone forever, when she didn’t even die."

Cecilia raised her hand, shaking, but glowing with magic, and from the swirling chaos, she would manifest her dagger... and toss it to Liliana.

"Then, kill me.”

"No," Liliana said simply. "...You deserve to live. Even if you’re not my friend, Cecilia."

"Finally...” Cecilia says, "You said my name..."

Cecilia smiled softly, before she collapsed onto her side - the dagger turning into packed soil. Laughing, Cecilia would stare into the sky, and laugh... laugh... laugh... laugh... scream... cry... lament...

"...my Bladeflower... my first Bladeflower...”

Unsure how to feel at being called that, Liliana would gather Cecilia in her arms. "...Let’s go home, Cecilia. Kerry’ll be worried…"

Cecilia just laughed under her breath; sobbing with a smile.

Slapping Liliana gave her insight into the Fairy's hopes and dreams, and all she saw was someone that wore themselves upon her like a puppet. A puppet that was loved and respected by the pinkette. A puppet that was idolized and longed for.

A puppet that would be forever more important than she ever would be.

It was maddening.

Still…there was something else there now. The respect for what Alice once was. What Cecilia is.

Liliana would find herself frozen in time, before her next step crushed a field of flowers under foot, and she fell forwards without Cecilia. Instead, she would come to the foot of a table and the scent of sweet tea and cookies.

Wincing as she fell on her face, Liliana would look up. "What the…?"

"Such a clumsy thing you are, now and forever,” an all-too-familiar voice says, as a pale hand offered aid to stand, hair of strawberry-blonde falling into view, as a rather tall woman smiled down at Liliana. "The guest of honor shouldn't be on the floor at her own party."

Looking up in disbelief at the hand before her, Liliana would ask: "...Lady Alice?"

"In so much as I can be, thanks to you,” Alice says, a fusion of the Blonde Alice and Redhead Alice. "I'm something of a facsimile of you memories. I am, but I am not, because I cannot be, but Cecilia has a little bit of me left, so I can be, for now, but not later, I'm afraid.”

As usual, Liliana didn’t have the brainpower to understand at all…but…

"...I never…got to say goodbye to you, y’know…" Liliana said, eyes welling up with tears.

"I know,” Alice says, sitting, motioning to the only chair. "Sadly, I can say the same.”

Rising without Cecilia in her arms anymore, Liliana looked on, confused before going over to the chair and taking a seat.

The location was a merry clearing, a field of familiar flowers, but wackified. It was like... no, it was Marigold's favorite place to spend time among the flowers, but tinted, or tainted, by Wonderland. It felt... right, though? The way the Wild Magic and Chaos Magic dances around each other felt like what Lotus described mating to be like: an intimate dance of rightness.

"...I…I don’t understand…"

"That's not surprising,” Alice teased.

Pouting, Liliana would say: "...You could at least be nice to me one last time, you know…"

"I could, but would that be me,” Alice asks.

Scratching the back of her head, Liliana would say: "...Kind of, but not really. …I’m going to miss you, Lady Alice. …But I know I’ll see you again someday."

"You'll see me every day,” Alice says, "I'm always here...” she says, touching Liliana's breast above her heart, "...and here,” she poked her belly.

"There's a little bit of me lingering within,” she teased, "my hungry, little Bladeflower.”

"Ehh? I…guess that makes sense. But…" Liliana would raise Alice’s hand, pressing it against her cheek. "...I’ll do my best. I promise. I’ll go with Cecilia;, and beat Kardia."

"I believe you will, because I believe you can,” Alice says, "I'll be there, by your side. However, you'll have to convince Cecilia and Carroll to trust that I won't take over their lives.”

"I know you won’t. …But…I bet I’d be scared, if I was worried about something like that too. Anyone would…" Liliana said, looking down at her own lap. "...But It’ll be okay! Your First Bladeflower is on the job!"

"That she is," Alice giggled. "If anyone can do it, it’s you. The only one that believes in me without condition."

"Mhm! Lotus always said I was great at easing people’s hearts. So…s-so…" Tears started to drop onto Liliana’s hands, her smile betrayed by her leaking eyes. "S-So don’t worry! I…I have everything under control. Leave everything to me and…a-and…" Unable to keep speaking, Liliana would weep and sob, not wanting to say goodbye.

A gentle warmth would embrace her forehead, before a soft giggle filled her ears like music, as Alice pulled her lips from her, and pressed their noses together, looking into Liliana’s eyes, "Lilianas don’t cry, you know. Not the ones I know. And, I happen to know three."

"You don’t need to be in control. You have friends. Cecilia, Carroll, Kerry, and Eula will be there. Cecilia wants to train you, and so does Carroll - its in their natures. I’m sure Kerry and Eula would want to do the same," Alice says, "Friends help each other. They don’t shoulder everything alone. You taught me that."

Liliana would look up, tears still streaming down her cheeks before she smiled. "...Yeah. You’re right. Bladeflowers especially are never alone…and…I’m your #1! So…f-for now…"

Liliana would stand from her seat and embrace the memories of Alice, holding on tightly to them.



"The party isn’t over, just yet..." Alice says, before the location change, from a clearing to a cabin, as she pulled Liliana onto a comfy sofa, and tossed her hat forward - from within, lights exploded in the form of patterns, and those patterns became images, and images became stories. "You always wanted one day. So, let me, at least, make sure you leave with good memories..." she pulled up a blanket, "It’s a little selfish to show you only my stories, though. I hope you’ll forgive me."

Nodding, Liliana would settle in for stories that would only be beholden to her, to tell the world of her friend Alice until the day that Alice could tell the world of herself.

Liliana would learn of the Diamonds; of the special taskforce comprised of one of each of Wonderland’s Race; of Bonne, the Wonderworm turned Papillon; of Bridgette, the Trumpart, a mere Rank of 2, now an Ace; of Runny Sunny, the Humpty Egg, given shape and purpose; of Ifrit, the Jabberwocky blacksmith who hammered magic into reality; of Camila, Cecilia’s big sister and Dormouse, now; of Twee Tee and Syl Vester, rivals and lovers, cat and bird; and of Ester Bonne, the manipulative shadow with unclear motivates.

Liliana would be witness to how Alice’s [Blessing of the Blood Diamond] had changed them, not explicitly for the better, but towards greater; breaking them free of the oppressive reality they lived under, and allowing them to fulfill Cecilia’s life goal of rebellion.

In a way, Liliana was watching the formation and growth of her peers in another land: Cecilia’s Diamonds where like the Bladeflowers, but not as uniform.

Still, it spoke greatly on Alice’s character, and who Cecilia truly was as a proper Alice.

At the very end of the stories, Alice, the projected memories, would look at Liliana... and wink?

Liliana would end the party with a smile on her face, finally feeling like…she finally knew Alice, and knew Cecilia in kind, before she was Alice.

"Did you have fun," Alice asks, "Sorry my memories were a little explicit."

"A lot of fun," Liliana said, giggling as she sat up.

Alice would stand up, and retrieve her hat, before rummaging around inside, digging into up her armpit, "Found it!"

"Found what?"

"Imagine, if you will, a box that contained whatever you wanted most - world peace, immortality, or living beings, notwithstanding, because I’m only SO powerful - and I can give it to you, as gift," Alice says. "It’s not a party without, at least, one present. So, go ahead. First non-miracle thing you can think of, and I’ll yank it out!"

As she proclaimed it, Alice would pull her arm back like she was pulling on a ripcord.

"Well, that’s an easy one," Liliana said, before diving at Alice and hugging her.

"Geh!?" Alice squawked, as she ripped herself out of her hat, and the got tackled by the guest of honor. TECHNICALLY, she wasn’t a living being, since she was a collection of mushrooms piloting a skinsuit of mycelium with the power to think as the woman that she was once upon a time, so... she could be a gift. Normally, Mad Hatters were the ones that did the tricking and trapping, so Alice wasn’t fully certain what to do, beyond fulfill the condition of being a “gift”. "Well, I was expecting something that would have wrapping paper," she confessed. "But, uh, ta-da?"

Surprised that it was that easy, Liliana couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

"Oi, oi! You brat! You -- You -- HUMPH!" Alice huffed, crossing her arms, as her hat was replaced by a large, pink bow and her clothing converted into blue-green wrapping paper with verdant lilypads upon the crinkling material. "Well..." she attempted to say something, as she wiggled her toes in wrapping paper slip-ons, like medical students wore. "Ta-da, redux?"

"...If it was that easy, then why be so dramatic!?" Liliana questioined, poking at Alice’s cheek. "Or…will you go away once the party’s over?"

"I did NOT do this, " Alice says, before looking solemn, "And, we both know the answer to that..." she says, "I don’t want you to leave in tears."

Nodding solemnly, Liliana would close her eyes and hug Alice. "Then…thank you. For one last hug."

"I’m not sure if i can hug without ripping the wrapping paper," Alice chuckled.

"That’s alright. …I’m fine now," Liliana promised, meaning it with all her heart. "See you again someday, Lady Alice. This isn’t Goodbye. Its ‘See you Later’."

"Sounds like a plan," Alice says, "It’s dark, time to retire to bed," she says, moving stiffly, "Care to join me? The party will be ending soon."

Liliana would nod, tucking into bed just as swiftly for one last slumber party.

Alice would slowly make her way to the bed, attempting not to tear her present state of being. A good present didn’t rip her wrapping paper so rudely. "It’s not a race, you know," she admonishes, but with a smirking tone. "Now, how the hell am I going to bend over without ripping apart? I can’t float with these shoes on..."

"Lemme help," Liliana said before helping Alice make her way under the sheets, tucking her in delicately.

"Why thank you," Alice chuckled.

Liliana would slip in bed herself, folding her wings behind her as she laid on her side.

Alice would keep her gaze on Liliana until the Fairy gave her cause to do elsewise or slipped into sleep, and out of the temporary respite. Either way, Alice hoped that she had managed to bridge a path between Liliana and Cecilia, and whatever Alice came next would be better than her. Better for Liliana.

Resting against Alice, Liliana would close her eyes, feeling a million miles away from every worry and anxiety that this morning had dredged from the little fairy’s mind.

As she did, Liliana would fall asleep to the marching beat of Alice’s heart, the combat style that Cecilia used, and that same glory-found tempo would be what pulled her into wakefulness, as she found her head upon Cecilia’s chest, ear to her heart. From one dream to the next, Liliana returned to her body - time passed enough that the morning sun was in the middle of the sky upon the tree they took shade in.

Protectively, Cecilia cradled her; smoothing her wings, and preening her hair, before she noticed the Fairy had awakened. "Welcome back..." she says, softly.

Beaming at Cecilia once she awoke, Liliana would rise slowly, before saying: "Hi, Cecilia. …Um…sorry for slapping you…"

"Water and bridges, and all that lies underneath," Cecilia says, before popping onto her feet. "Four miles, you said?"

"Could be less. I’m bad at counting," Liliana admitted.

"Well, then... let’s bet on it..." Cecilia says, extending her hand, "Anything above or four miles, you owe me a favor. Four miles, and I’ll do anything you ask me for the rest of the day," she says, "And, because I’m nothing if not fair, I’ll give you a half-mile in both directions. Confident?"

"You’re on!"

Taking the next step where she would have faltered in reality, Liliana would float on with Cecilia by her side, more than ready to face today, while not foregoing a promise of the past, or the battle that awaited her in the future.

As she marched-floated forward, the future in her eyes, and a promise as her sword, Liliana would be caught by a wind from behind, and a black ribbon would flitter before her eyes with her pink hair. It was her hair ribbon, but no longer green. If she explored, she would see the dove feather ornament that she wore was replaced by a raven’s feather - by Alice’s feather.

It wasn’t just a dream. Alice was her present. Her muse. Her purpose. Her Destination, if she asked the more faithful.

Alice, too, promised they would reunite, Fairies of a feather... destined to flock together once more.

Gripping the ribbon with utmost gentle care, she would adjust it before flying forward.

The next morning arrived and Shizuka rose earlier than the other taskforce members. Passing by Revuel’s abode, the swordsman heard some pretty raised voices within.

“...his memory again.”

“I see your point, Sir Revuel. Regardless, I do not have way sway over the taskforce, much less command them. I believe that decision falls to Sir Shizuka Kannazuki. In the absence of your Lady Kyouko.”

“I understand that, my lord. But just in case that Sir Shizuka rules in the couple’s favor, will you step in?”

“...Like I said before, I hold no sway over the taskforce. I cannot influence, much less make, that decision for them.”

“...”

“Err, Lady Kyouko should be available anytime soon, right? Maybe it’s possible to simply contract her?”

The voices belonged to Revuel and Takeshi, and it appeared Shizuka himself was part of the subject of discussion.

Shizuka allowed the morning breeze wash over his face, soaking in the calm and gentle air that was allowed to blow over Terauchi Temple for once. He hoped this respite could clear his mind and focus his mind given with what all that’s happened to the taskforce as of late. However, as he walked he overheard some voices coming from Sir Revuel’s quarters.

He recognized the other voice as Takeshi’s.

Revuel seemed to be speaking in a rushed and concerned tone, whilst Takeshi seemed to have a more neutral disposition. What mainly grabbed Shizuka’s attention was the fact that his name was mentioned several times in the conversation.

”Excuse me.” He said. Both men would turn to see Shizuka standing before them both at the entrance to the armored warrior’s abode.

”Pardon my intrusion, gentlemen, but I overheard your discussion, and took note that my name came up several times. Is there something that I can assist with?”

Both Revuel and Takeshi were startled by Shizuka’s entrance, but it was not unwelcome. “Speak of the devil…” The spellcaster had to remark, however.

Takeshi bowed at the azure swordsman. “Good morning, Sir Shizuka. Indeed, we were discussing about you. Well, I was more of a listener. Our mage friend here was the one doing most of the discussing.”

Revuel shot Takeshi an unamused look before turning to Shizuka. “Since you are already here, Sir Shizuka. Allow me to expound my concerns, it was about last night.” It appeared Cecilia’s and Carroll’s rebirth was noticed by more parties than present. “When I heard a small explosion in the taskforce’s barracks, I could not help but pry.”

“I had to take a look, myself.” Takeshi then raised his hands. “Guilty as charged.”

“We understand that Alice… the being that was once was Alice is… changed.” Revuel continued. “Do correct me if I’m wrong, but Cecilia and Carroll have… no memory of what they did here, no?” The spellcaster asked. “Some faint memories, perhaps, but they do not know Lady Kyouko, or Lord Takeshi or… anyone outside the taskforce, I assume. And I have doubts they know Shizuyama either.”

Takeshi was the next to speak. “Basically, Revuel’s worried about sending someone who has no idea where he is or what exactly is going on, into battle.” Shizuka would remember Ayu voicing the same worries regarding the now-Cecilia’s previous memory loss. “I’ll be honest, I agree with this sentiment.”

“Couple that with Kerry Maros’ pregnancy, I fear Shizuyama might be too dangerous for them.” Revuel continued again. “Perhaps it would be wise for them… to settle personal matters first before pledging themselves to a cause beyond them?”

Both men trusted Shizuka to know what was being suggested, as they looked at him for his response.

Shizuka looked at both men, their expressions eager and perhaps nervous. Shizuka made a small huff, as he took a moment to collect his thoughts.

”I fully understand your concerns. However, I ask that you trust my judgment on the matter.” He said. ”It’s important to remember that Kerry is a mamono, and unlike human women they’re abilities and safety aren’t as compromised as one would think. As for Cecilia and Carroll, while they don’t possess many memories of their time here, I believe there’s still something to salvage. Allow me to speak with them, and see where their feelings are. If they don’t wish to aid us any longer, that’s fine. However, it should be something they’re allowed to choose on their own terms.”

Takeshi smiled at Shizuka’s answer, but Revuel did not share the sentiment. “I… do not like the word ‘salvage’, Sir Shizuka. We are not here to exploit their abilities. Still, I am glad that you will speak to them.” Revuel replied grimly. “Please, do emphasize that they are free to leave and that they have no obligations to this island and please, try not to use anything that might… guilt them into staying.”

“Come on, does Shizuka look like someone who will do that?” Takeshi shrugged at the spellcaster.

“I’m just saying it for the record, milord.” Revuel replied.

“Regardless of their answer, I’d also like for the task force to come join us now in rescuing my father. Please assemble them as soon as you can so we can get Lord Oja back.” Takeshi requested of the azure swordsman. The young lord was clearly anxious in starting the rescue operation.

Shizuka looked directly at Revuel, understanding his concerns in regards to his leading of the taskforce, especially some members. However, the swordsman would remain solemn in his decision.

”I have developed a…bond of sorts with the taskforce. Including Cecilia and Carroll. I intend to gain a clear understanding of their feelings and will support whatever decision they make based on them. The bond I mentioned earlier is in reference to which I feel their may be enough left in them to where I can still ultimately understand and acknowledge their true feelings.”

He made a formal bow to both Lord Takeshi and Sir Revuel. ”Please, I ask that you trust me, and I will see that nothing ill comes of this.”

Ten miles was a long distance to travel, especially leaving and returning - even for Mamono with centuries of military experience in forced marches and a Fairy with wings that could seek the aid of any breeze. To say Cecilia was a little tired by time the afternoon sun came and started to set was an understatement, but she returned all the same with her dagger in her hat, and a bushed Liliana napping in a braid she’d grown out like a blanket.

Her feet trod a path that they found, but she couldn’t remember - wouldn’t remember. Not this time. Alice was dead. Internally, the 20th Alice had bade her goodbyes, promising to return with the 21st, but it was up to Cecilia, if she would stay, and take her chances with the cards dealth, or hit and roll the dice with a King and Queen in play. If she hit Alice, she’d score, but if she came with a Jack...

Sighing, Cecilia shook the internal dread she wasn’t aware of, as she put Liliana to bed atop a potted flower, and pressed a kiss goodnight to her cheek - admittedly, most of her face, due to the size difference, but nevertheless, the message was clear.

Alice was in there. Somewhere. Waiting.

In the meantime, Cecilia would live her life to the utmost - taking no chances that could, or would, call her Alter Existence to the surface again. Determined to be herself, and only herself, Cecilia would start by marching to the open-air kitchen, and get the breakfast that Carroll denied her for lunch.

Having departed ways with Revuel and Takashi after their brief discussion, Shizuka’s nose would pick up the scent of cooking oil and food heating as he saw the mess hall in his field of view. Moreover, what really got his attention is that he felt Cecilia’s chi emanating from the hall. Speak of the devil, he believed, was one of various western phrases he picked up on. It seemed fate wanted to test Shizuka’s words to the sorcerer and wizard right then and there. Well, now he supposed, would be as good a time as any…

He strode to the kitchen where Cecilia began getting things ready for an afternoon meal, taking care not to invade her space. Internally sighing, he decided to simply be forward, as that would be the best method to take.

”Good Afternoon, Cecilia-san.” He said. ”I trust everything went well with your earlier outing?”

"As well as all things ought: better for some, worse for others," Cecilia says, neutrally, as she reached into her hat to retrieve ingredients. Terauchi Temple was, like all places in a war, struggling in times of strife. Supplementary items were needed. If not for Carroll, she would have no fish to make herself a quick basket of fish and chips, which would be quite the loss for her brewing tea.

Granted, she was unsure if rolled and shaped rice paste would fry up well enough to be called chips, even with her culinary magicks.

”I see.” Shizuka responded, watching her pull tools and food ingredients out of her hat. ”Hopefully the walk helped to clear your mind. I know this is all…a lot to take in.”

He paused for a moment, seeing her prepare some rice paste that was around the temple.

”Do you mind if we chat for a moment?”

"That wasn’t to clear my mind, and you ask as if I have a choice," Cecilia says, "I’m not going anywhere, until I eat, so ask your questions."

”I’ll be clear then.” Shizuka began. ”Given everything going on right now, I’m sure you taken many considerations with your plans. In these current circumstances, would you spare me a moment to tell me what those plans might be?”

"You'll have to be more clear, because I have many plans,” Cecilia says, "Are you referring to this morning or tomorrow and beyond?"

”Moreso the latter.” The swordsman responded. ”What do you and Carroll plan to do moving forward?”

"I don't know what Carroll plans to do. Don't care, really. She's a grown sword. Likely, she just off to masterbate with her robot girlfriend,” Cecilia says, as she test fried the first rice French fry, "Me, personally, I think I'll open a tavern after this. Carroll might like to do that, if I promise to have coffee. All in all, though, I don't really care about your struggles, as much as Liliana does, and I don't respect anyone's authority if they aren't of the Krumpet Family, to whom I am Queen."

"If you request a transfer of my alliance, then I'll serve as the Queen Piece of your Lord.”

Shizuka’s eyes drew a bit of curiosity at her answer. He found it odd that she would “transfer her services” to aid Shizuyama just by being asked. However, the tidbit about her being the “Queen Piece” was certainly brow-raising.

”I see, and I appreciate your honesty.” Shizuka said. ”May I ask what you mean when you say, Queen Piece?”

"I knew this hovel was uncultured, but I did not expect you to be so unknowledgeable, as well,” Cecilia says, offhandedly imperialist, "Do the wargames of Salvarision not reach your ears, this far out, o’ bandit in blue?”

”I’m afraid they do not.” Shizuka responded plainly. ”Although, myself specifically, it’s not the first I’ve heard of it.” Flashes of the visions and memories that Shizuka experienced while paired with Carroll ran through his mind again. ”Liberation, redemption, peace. You know, it’s funny. Those feelings I saw were painful and yet so familiar. I know you ultimately wish to save that land, but to my previous question, does that mean you becoming Takeshi’s right hand in this conflict?”

"There’s likely nothing left to save. I’ve been alive long enough for Salvarison to have grown too large and fall. There’s nothing left for me there, either. All my friends are dead, my family is dead, and anyone worth fighting for is likely ash and bones, now," Cecilia says, "I cannot save corpses; neither of flesh and bone nor of politic and leadership," she says, plainly, "A long time ago, I was born to the 41st Queen Piece of the Biskit Family, soon traded to the Krumpet Family, and that was all I knew for decades. I am Human, no more Mamono than you; born to take in Demon Energy and Spirit Energy in equal parts, and unequal parts, selfsame..."

"A Queen is 80/20, more Mamono than Human, but still Human. At 90/10, she breeds a child - a Pawn. Me," Cecilia says, "It’s a complicated world of geopolitics, socioeconomics, and Mamono Lords and Ladies playing at Lilim, tasting Mortal Divinity..." she sneered, before manifesting her dagger, "My mother’s dagger, I modeled my own after it. I modeled myself after her..." Cecilia would shapeshift into a maid’s uniform with a tiara-bonnet of Mamono Steel, the cold, black metal the same that made up the gauntlets and greaves that she worn - the armor terminating at her bare hands, and feet in sheer stocking and buckled shoes. "I killed her, by this blade... my first kill as a freshly promoted Queen..."

"That’s what I mean when I said, a Queen Piece."

Shizuka did not speak during Cecilia’s explanation. While familiar, it appears their experiences were not quite the same. In addition, she appears to be a human who can make herself more powerful by channeling higher and higher amounts of demonic chi. She still retains her humanity, but what would happen if…

”I see. Do you feel that is something…you want?”

"Nobody cares what a chess piece wants, whether she breathes and thinks, because that life is only to be in service to Mamono. To shoot, stab, slash, and slice at the demonic scum, and kill them dead on the board, or to be converted into those animals - to be captured and made a Succubus, and turn against everyone you loved on the other side someday..." Cecilia says, heated and venomously.

”Cecilia-san, there’s no reason to think of yourself as a pawn here. You aren’t some statistic that some prime minister or landlord would barely bat an eye at. I’m asking what you want because I and alot of other people actually care.”

"What I want is Rebellion, and where I want it is in a land far away from here..." Cecilia says. "Until then... I don’t know what I could want. I have a child on the way, and much to prepare for," she says, "I have to put her in a sleeping spell, so she might hatch in a time of peace."

”Yes, I'm worried about Kerry-San as well.” Shizuka said. ”I can help in any way I can. If you think it'd be better to create a safe environment for her until we can get her back to the mainland, I can assist.”

"Kerry isn’t going anywhere. That is a problem that is easily mitigated," Cecilia says, "I just throw a party for the unborn. A zeroth birthday party," she says, "From there, I can just lock the egg in time, indefinitely, so long as I don’t overdo it on magic overall. Becomes a matter of choosing a safe place, hence: the tavern."

"If I create a tavern, and I make it into the location for a party, then I can transfer the Zeroth Birthday Party to the tavern, and then, I can move the entire building at-will!" Cecilia says, "Think of it! A mobile base, and a place of business that can collect information and aid, and it’s safer than a normal building!" she frowned a bit, though, "Sadly, that would take a lot of my magic to reserve. It’s not impossible, but it would be something to keep in mind. I’d need frequent recharges."

”The fact that you can make something like a mobile base an actual possibility with your power alone is impressive.” Shizuka responded. ”But enough of this. I believe it for the best that I be fully transparent with you. Takeshi-Dono and Revuel-san, they are worried for your well-being and Kerry’s as well. I’ve explained the special nature of Kerry’s biology and your situation as well. They’ve allowed me to handle the situation. So, I ask if you wish to stay, or will you leave? If you leave, I’m fine with you also taking Kerry and anyone else to whom you have a prior bond with you. They’ve joined the cause of their own violation, but they care for your well-being as well.”

Shizuka stood firm, but an air of empathy was carried with his words. ”Whatever decision you decide to make, I will support it to the best of my ability.”

"I have no intention of making Kerry move from her obligation, nor do I have interesting in moving for your obligations. Perhaps, formerly, I possessed the same obligation as she, as you, as he, as they... but... that woman died, and nobody mourned her," Cecilia says, "Well, I lie. The Fairy mourns her."

Cecilia pinched the bridge of her nose. "As long as Kerry is motivated to help you, then I will stay to support her, but only her, because I have nothing to gain for placing your war above my rebellion," she says, "If you can obligate me, so be it. However, I doubt your problems are more than mine."

”I see. Then, I understand. If you or Kerry ever have need of anything, I will assist in any way I can. As the captain, of course I have to look after the Taskforce’s efforts in assisting Takeshi-Dono. However, I also must make time to assist the members with other matters if I am able. That includes Kerry, and by extension, you Cecilia-san.” Shizuka replied.

”As for that woman, more mourned her that you may realize.” He said. ”Ahem, that aside, would you like some help with the cooking?”

"A Mad Hatter’s forte is her cooking," Cecilia says, "I have my pride as a Human, you know, and as a woman. Even if it is stained by Mamono taint." Cecilia presented the plate of pale fries and smoked fish wrapped in paper, "Eat, o’ blue bandit. Salvarsion cuisine via this backwater."

Cecilia would start her own dish, as she looked to the middle distance. It was clear her mind was on the future, all paths that she was walking - here and there. A woman from another land in another realm, who once hailed from his; this realm that was under threat from the Varjans.

Analytical enough, Shizuka would, likely, realize that Cecilia’s statement was layered. Alice had been obligated to Lady Kyoto. Cecilia was not. Her rebellion. Their war. They were not so different, nor were they so equal.

By succeeding in her rebellion, Cecilia would save her home.

By winning in their war, she would only save their home.

It was clear: they needed to strike up a new deal for Cecilia, and forget their deal with Alice.

Shizuka looked at the plate he was handed, eyeing it for a brief period. He sometimes heard tales of western cuisine after the Zipangu mainland opened up its borders. Fish and chips he believed it was called? Taking a bite of the fish and a single fry, his eyes lit up a bit at the taste.

”It’s quite good! Double with the fact you had limited ingredients to work with.” He said, continuing to munch on the food.

He was silent for a moment, as though lost in thought.

”You know, Cecilia-san, my time on the battlefield has shown me that you’ll often find allies in the strangest of places. You are correct that you hold no obligation to these lands or its people. As Kerry holds your obligation, she will likely hold one to you as well, an ally in retaking your home. Also, I believe you mentioned something about lacking resources earlier? Depending on what fronts we take and forces we drive back, it could open a new window of supplies and opportunities that could aid you in your ultimate desire.”

"Resources," Cecilia asks. "I suppose a tavern would need reliable things like that. I can’t rely on my magic to do it all," she admitted, "Especially if most of that is going into keeping it mobile and outside of the flow of time."

"Still, that has nothing to do with you. Ultimately, I could set up shop and take whatever tickles my fancy. A proper trade would be staff and service, back and forth, but this hovel isn’t traveling to war with you, and I’m not going to be held responsible for civilians."

Cecilia poked her fish, as it smoked. "I need a reason, Shizuka, to give a damn about this place. My child will not be born here, she won’t hatch in this hovel. Her first breath will be taken in Wonderland, if my Journey is just, or with Kerry’s mother, if these invitations still hold water," she says, "I’m not the Queen Piece of your Lord’s Family. I have not been contracted to service in your Lord’s name. I shall not fall to my knee, because I’m asked. That’s not how the game is played."

”I see.” Shizuka said. ”I can speak to Takeshi to see I'd he'd be find with lending some able-bodied hands to assist with maintaining your tavern, and they can also assist with gathering resources as well. Does that sound like a step in the right direction?”

‘"Able-bodies, and able-minds,” Cecilia says, "I may be Human, but I am also Mamono. I won't tolerate bigotry or prejudice from my work staff or patronage," she says, "They also need to be willing to travel with the tavern. If I'm offering it as a mobile base to your war efforts in return, they will be coming along."

”That is understandable, but also might be a bit…difficult.” Shizuka replied. ”However, perhaps I can ask Revuel-san if he has any available connections to lend aid for that. Perhaps, even more likely, Kyouko-sama has resources to spare.”

He says that, but truthfully Shizuka didn't feel right asking that of them. Especially the latter, as he was already repaying a prior debt to her…

"Life is all about overcoming difficulties,” Cecilia says, "A backwater temple like this hovel should be first and foremost experienced in overcoming difficulties.”

”Hmm. Like your hypocrisy perhaps?” Shizuka said bluntly. ”Believe, I understand the sentiment that you do not want your workers and customers to face prejudice, but you don’t mind to levy that same prejudice toward this land and its people as a whole. Is that your idea of fairness, Cecilia-san?”

"Fairness," Cecilia asks, "To what end? It is my life on the line, not theirs. It is my future that can be ended, not theirs. It is me, not they, that must fight in a war that does not benefit me, only them," she says, "The Varjans, no? Do they travel far? Do they hold power globally? Can they challenge all militaries, all nations, all free thoughts? No, most likely. They are only Humans in metal armor with barbaric weapons and spells that would be embarrassing to a low-level Witch from what I understand."

"Pick up. Leave. Forgo these lands for another, for what is different between a refugee here or seven miles, seventy miles, or seven-hundred miles away, beyond safer, perhaps?"

"I’m offering cowards a chance to serve the military they would happily see me die in. That’s my idea of fairness, Kannazuki Shizuka."

There was a sharpness in how she spoke his name. It was one of the few, perhaps, the only time she said his name to address him so directly. Normally, she called him “bandit” to teasingly poke at his background, or “Captain” to acknowledge his position above them.

He wasn’t “Shizuka”.

And he CERTAINLY wasn’t “Kannazuki Shizuka”.

”Cecilia-san, are you listening to yourself right now?” The swordsman responded. ”You’ve been away from the temple, and you MUST have seen the carnage laid bare by the invaders. You believe the Varjan’s hold only extends here? Thanks to parts of the Holy Order, the Varjan army has arguably become the largest in the world. If they meet no opposition, their savage will only increase. They won’t stop until you and everyone else is burned to cinder!” There was a fury building inside of Shizuka. He was a man, at the end of the day, valued life in all its facets.

”The people you see before you dwindle by the day. Around most of the countryside, you see destroyed homes, burned corpses hung at the stake, and thousands of innocent lives lost. Most of it done for sport and ego-tripping. These people aren’t lazy nobles safe inside their homes, blissfully pretending that the outside world doesn’t exist.”

”Is running from your problems the only thing you can think to do in the end, Cecilia-san?”

Cecilia looked at Shizuka, before her fist was slamming into his face. "Do not DARE you know MY problems!" she snapped, "I have lost more than you have taken BREATHS, mortal! I have juggled thousands of lives, innocent and guilty, between my hands! I have waged WAR THAN MAKE THIS PATHETIC STRIFE A SPECK ON MY BIG PICTURE." Cecilia yanked Shizuka off the ground, "I was born a solider. I wasn’t GIVEN the choice to RUN. I shot my friends! I shot my family! My Mother stabbed herself to spare me the act! I broke bread with those would could become my enemy, because I was too weak! You want to speak of the horrors of war, Shizuka, we can speak of them!" Cecilia threw Shizuka back, drawing her dagger. "This is proof that I have seen enough blood shed, enough magic spills, that the Lords and Ladies on Salvarsion saw fit to promote me to Queen. This jewel-studded reminder of the THINGS I have done, of the people I have KILLED, or the lives I FAILED TO SAVE."

"...of the horrors, I have seen... and committed."

"It’s so easy to moralize, child soldier to child soldier, isn’t it, Shizuka," Cecilia asks, tracing the edge of her dagger. "So easy to think... we’re alike... because we are, in a sense, robbed of our childhoods, hands stained with an ocean of blood..." she looked up, "Difference is: You grew up. I died. Cecilia Lewis died, at 42, 499 years ago. She became a Mamono. Captured. A Queen in another land, fighting a Lilim for control of the Realm of Wonderland."

"Across a veil, a thin as hair, yet as wide as infinity, an army waits for me to return, to lead a rebellion, to ascend to Lilimhood, and bring reform..." Cecilia looked at Shizuka coldly, "What is the fate of this island in comparison to the fate of an entire realm? To me? You can all burn, so long as I. get. back. home."

Strangely, Shizuka did not stop Cecilia’s outburst. He didn’t dodge her strikes to his face, having a bit of blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. He didn’t resist as she hoisted him into the air, yelling her heart out at him, and landed gracefully on his feet as she threw him back. Wiping his mouth slightly, Shizuka looked Cecilia dead into her reddened eyes.

”It is, isn’t it Cecilia-san?” He began. ”Is so easy to make everyone around so insignificant, so you don’t have to battle with your own insecurities and grievances. You said you died back then, but yet here you are. I could say the same: Arashi no Hitokiri, Hitokiri Kannazuki died in that war some 10 years ago. All that remains is a ghost that wonders if he even knows what it means to be alive anymore.” He spat more blood on the floor, perhaps as a show of defiance.

”You disgrace those you’ve lost with your petulant tantrums, using them as a form of self-avoidance. It doesn’t change the fact that people all over the world suffer the pain of loss every moment. What has to happen in order for you to open your damn eyes?! I’ve spit in the face of my father’s teachings, been forced to kill my own comrades, failed to save those I loved despite my supposed prowess and resolve. But I don’t use it as an excuse to make everything around seem so trivial. My experiences are worth more to me than that.”

Walking over to Cecilia, she would suddenly be met with a firm punch to the face as well.

”You think Kerry and your unborn child would want a parent that can only look at other people with indifference because she’s too afraid to let herself feel?”

"Feel... what..." Cecilia asks, as her face split like a porcelain doll, cracks traveling from the impact zone, to the back of her head, and spreading down to her fingers. "It’s autonomic, isn’t it? You don’t even think about it. I’m just a Mamono. And, you kill Mamono. It’s what you do, as a Human. It’s what I do, as a Human. It’s what I fear, as a Mamono," she says, "Insecurities? Yeah, I have them. I’m not strong enough to kill the Queen of Hearts, and the fate of an entire Realm rests on me overcoming that. Grievances? Of course, some. I never got to kiss my best friend before I shot her in the face. I never got to hug my Father before he was trade out of my life. I never got to become the woman my Mother wanted me to be." Cecilia shrugged, "My tantrums, petulant, as you call them, are my woes, and my woes are hundreds of years of failing, time and time and time again, to do what I wanted to do: my humble desire to step off the board, and this beaten-into-me path."

"Do you think I don’t remember them," Cecilia asks. "All the people that fell, because I failed, because she failed, the Alice you so desperately want to appeal to? I do. I remember that much, because failure stains deeper than victory. Four nations. Seven kingdoms. Thousands of lives. All dead, gone. Blown away by a Lilim. Because, I think differently, and I’m too interesting to kill."

"I’m a Mamono that pretend to be Human, because I was born a Human that could become something approaching a Mamono. The ultimate cruel joke~!"

Cecilia cackled at the absurdity of it, tears streaming out, melding with the green blood that seeped out like sap, as she cracked in more ways than one.

”Cecilia-san.” Shizuka said. ”Do you really hate being a Mamono that much? Cecilia-san, at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you’re a human or a mamono. You are still a person; One who has a mind, body, and soul. People are more than just the sum of their failures, you can allow yourself to be so much more if you would allow your heart to open itself to others.”

Shizuka began to channel his chi from his hand in order to heal the cracks left in Cecilia’s body from his punch.

"Do I hate being a Mamono that much," Cecilia asks. "Tell me, Shizuka, if you became near-immortal and superhuman, would you be happy..." she asks, "If the cost was sterilization, because the species of Mamono you were forced to become can never have a child of her own accord?"

"Human. Mamono. It matters not. My womb is forever barren, filled with a graveyard of miscarriages, stillborn empires, and murdered infant kingdoms. All this body can bare is failure, no matter to whom my heart opens..."

Shizuka was silent for a moment, Cecilia’s question was an interesting one. ”I…honestly couldn’t say for certain. I suppose it would depend on what type of impact I could end up having on the people around me, perhaps assisting new generations from afar.” Shizuka’s answer was as honest as he could be, given the subject.

As for Cecilia’s other point, it was quite the touchy subject, even more since he was a man. He was familiar with Matango as a species, as Zipangu had their own native variants. He would often hear about entire villages becoming Mushroom villages growing up and during the Mainland conflict. Of course, the point was that the only way for them to reproduce was to spread their spores to other hosts, converting them into more plant matter to propagate the spread. They don’t give birth in the more common way Cecilia was likely pointing out.

”Motherhood is a beautiful thing, Cecilia-san” He said. ”I can understand your grievances, but should it be limited by simple biology? There’s other ways you can be a mother. Besides, such talk could come off as lessening the value placed in the child you’ve given Kerry-san.”

"How tactful for a man, ignorant but tactile,” Cecilia says, amused, clearly. "However, it will never change the fact that is not something I will ever know," she says, rubbing her barren belly with a wistful, yet forlorn expression, "Making children is different from carrying a child. That intimacy is something I'll never experience,” Cecilia sniffed, "A part of being a woman was stolen from me, and I've never been allowed to be selfish about it. I am duty-bound to take on everyone else's problems and pain..."

Cecilia looked at Shizuka, "I guess, I'll just have to crush this back. Do my duty, and take on everyone's pain, eh?”

”Cecilia-san, as I and everyone else keeps saying, you are not alone here. We are sharing each other’s pain. In exchange, we give each other hope and strength. Our actions continue to inspire the surviving natives to fight for the homeland, and that strength will aid us as well. You are allowed to be selfish, Cecilia-san, but you must also allow us to share with you.”

"Like I said, that's not how the game is played,” Cecilia says.

”As you have, Cecilia-san.” He said. ”But, I wonder if everything must always be equated to a board game. I will make it clear that your tavern is to be treated as a safe haven for refugees who are unable to fight and need a place where they can be fave and fed. There will be no room for personal grievances.”

"Only in terms of I," Cecilia says, "I may be the only Salvarision alive that remembers, if not the only one left..." she says, "I followed the culture and religion of my people. That's not required of those that would partake of a tavern that travels the world."

”In the long term, that certainly would be a concern.” Shizuka said. ”Any natives or help that Takeshi-Dono or Revuel-san could expend would have no obligation to leave their homeland. But, I find it likely that some members would be willing to go with you, one being fairly obvious. I know the value of long-term planning, but sometimes it’s more beneficial to focus on the short-term.”

Cecilia shrugged. "I can't say, I'm all that concerned," she says, "Staff come and go."

”Then, what would you ask of any staff that you are allocated, Cecilia-san?” He said.

"Work for me, if working me for is something you can do, and when that no longer holds true, you are free to leave," Cecilia says. "What else would I ask of them? They are employees. Not my slaves."

”Then allow me to work that out for you. I’ll worry about the details. Does ths suffice?” Shizuka replied.

"To be honest, I lost track of what we were discussing. I’ve a headache from that shouting match and you punched me in the face," Cecilia says. "I believe, yes is the only right answer."

”Oh, yes… Sorry about that…” Shizuka said, also having his face still sting a bit from the pouding Cecilia had given him earlier. ”But, since we’re all in agreement, I’ll talk it over with Takeshi-Dono and Revuel-san when I have the chance. Uh, after you finish cooking, you should get some rest.” Said Shizuka, who went back to pick up his plate he placed on the counter.

"Sleep isn’t something I need," Cecilia says. "Having Temporal Magic trivializes such small things."

”I see. Does it help with mental and emotional fatigue as well?” He inquired. ”I also imagine that magic takes a lot of chi to use. Everyone has their limits.”

"All I need to refresh my body," Cecilia says, "My mind was broken a long time ago when this hat was put upon my head."

Every other statement Cecilia made had a certain kind of candid morbidness to it. Sometimes, Shizuka didn’t really know how to respond to it, or if he should at all.

”Then, at least allow yourself to do that. There are people here who care about you, Cecilia-san. You have to respect that, as it is a lesson I too had to learn.”

"You keep saying that," Cecilia says, washing her kitchenware, "Will you tire of it?"

”Will you ever tire of not listening?” The swordsman responded, finishing the last of fish. He held the last bit of pale fries in hand, walking over beside Cecilia and placing the dish into the sink to be washed.

"...I don't think so." Cecilia admitted."But, maybe, one day, you can change my mind..." she says, "Then, maybe, she'll come back to you. Whoever you are looking for in me. Whoever... you fell in love with."


”Hmm.” Shizuka began walking out of the kitchen, but stopped just before reaching the entrance.

”You don’t have to be anyone, Cecilia-san. Just be yourself.” He said, before exiting.

"Be myself," Cecilia says, to herself, "Unfortunately, she died and became another monster in the crowd..."

”Are we truly so heinous?” A voice with a familiar hymn rang out to Cecilia. ”I’m used to the Varjans and Natives speaking ill of us, but coming from an ally stings in a different way. Do you truly despise your monstrous existence so much?” The Hangai Sisters appeared in front of Cecilia, shortly after Shizuka had departed.

”Umm, were you and Shizuka-Taichou fighting earlier?” Hinami said. ”I think that’s grounds for in..subordenation, it’s called?”

Cecilia looked at Hinami, and cracked her knuckles, "Wanna do something about it, Undead? I spent every day of my life training and killing Mamono from the age of six to forty-two. Hundreds of dozens, all of them friends, family, and little girls like me that didn't get to become grown women like I did...”


Hinami blinked twice, her face full of innocent confusion. ”You killed monsters? Were…were you a part of the Order? Why would Yokai rulers want to hurt humans? Mamono don’t like hurting humans. I don’t…which is why I was always so scared to turn all crazy when around Shizuka-Taichou and Takeshi-sama…” She said, a single tear falling down her cheek.

Hinami would feel her sister’s gentle hand on her back, comforting her, before turning to Cecilia.

”Cecilia-san? Why not tell us your story? It appears to me that you know a side of monsterdum that we do not…”

"The side i know is that of children playing as Gods and Goddesses, men and women that gave up their Humanity for power, to control their fellows like dolls,” Cecilia says, "I was born, so my mother would not Monsterize. A means to an end, ultimately, even if she loved me. I was never born to experience the world,” she smirked, "I was born to bring ruination via rebellion...”

"I was born to crash the system of governance, shake the Thrones of Gods and Goddesses, and whatever fruit-eating monsters fell free...”


Cecilia leveled her dagger at The Hangai Sisters, as time crept to a halt around them, as a “party” spread out from her feet...

...the world of Terauchi Temple came grinding to a halt without anyone noticing.

Except them.

The Sisters felt an odd sensation as Cecilia warped temporal space around them, surrounding them in her magics. They noticed while the immediate vicinity that included the three of them was normal, the surrounding environment of the temple was far from it.

Everything around them seemed to have stopped in time.

”What…is this? Temporal magic??” Atsuha said in surprise.

”Hey, those birds are staying in midair without flapping their wings!” Hinami exclaimed, pointing at the airborne avians.

”Ah, yes, well… That aside, why have you brought us here, Cecilia-san?” Atsuha said.

"No reason,” Cecilia says, "You asked to see what Monsterdom means to me,” she says, before she sauntered over to Hinami, and stole her lips without warning.

The more magically sensitive of the sister, Atsuha would feel the sting of Chaos Magic, as Cecilia converted the Common Magic that proliferated most non-specialized Mamono Realms, and expressed it by controlling Time and Space. To create the Ultimate Party, a Mad Hatter had to be able to control all aspects of their party within the location chosen.

The smaller than space, the more refined the control.

As such, by using the generally “small” space of the temple grounds, Cecilia was able to control a greater deal more than during the fight for control of the Heavenly Strike.

"Now, understand why I detest myself and the Monster I have become...” Cecilia says, as she drew back from Hinami. "Do you feel it...? The Humanity you lost that day? Do you remember... your blood flowed, warm, through you, and your heart beat?”

"You weren't always a Jhangshi....”

Cecilia stepped back from a Humanized Hinami.

”H-Hey! What in the world are yo-” Atsuha snapped, before she felt the strange surge of power that Cecilia spilled into her kid sister as she lip-locked her. Hinami herself would feel a myriad of emotions, being force-fed countless scenes from her past life.

The loneliness, the isolation, the pain, the helplessness, and the lack of parental love. Before she knew it, she felt her heart beating in the traditional sense.

”Hinami…” Atsuha said, looking in disbelief.

Hinami felt warmth return to her body, and upon gazing on herself, let out a gasp.

The color had returned to her skin, and the unlife the flowed in her body had vanished. She was alive.

”B-But how…?” Hinami asked.

”Cecilia-san!” Atsuha exclaimed. ”Hinami… Please understand, she wasn’t well in her previous life….”

"I'm well and aware,” Cecilia says, before Atsuha would feel the light pressure of Cecilia's bare feet on her back, as she turned her neck, softly guiding her lips to hers - the Mad Hatter moved by blinking in time from one point to the next, leaving only her heels as markers of where she stood.

Unlike Hinami, the reversal of time upon Atsuha carried so much more physical change, however, the interaction between Taoist Magic and Chaos Magic felt like an exchange of Yin and Yang, between the two.

A party was meant to be a place of commingling, after all.

After a few minutes of liplock, Cecilia would reappear in her shoes, and smirked, "You weren't well, either.”

”!!!” Atsuha’s eyes widened considerably at feeling Cecilia’s mouth embrace hers. But, she was overtaken by the chaos energy flowing into her as it mingled with the taoist magic imbued in her soul. She felt her body undergo a great metamorphosis: The tree on her back began to dissipate and her spider-half of her body began to lose its legs.

Soon, Atsuha would gaze upon her form, immediately noticing the loss of height. She was barely taller than Hinami now. Her hair had lost its supernatural whiteness and had become black - her natural born hair color. She lost all of her arachnid appendages and carapace, and in addition she only now had two legs.

She, too, was human again.

”Nee-sama!!” Hinami said. ”We’re, we’re…”

”Yes, Nee-chan. We’ve…been restored…” Atsuha finished her sentence.

"For now,” Cecilia says. "What is, can not be, as swiftly as it was.”

"It's so easy to take things away.”

Cecilia would raise her hands, swiping them over Atsuha and Hinami, within her field of view, and they would be restored to their broken forms.

"And so easy to give them back.”

Cecilia swiped her hands again, blocking them from her vision, before they would reappear Human again.

"This detestable power of mine, used by kith and kin, for the sake of neverending parties and orgies,” Cecilia says, disgusted, "Mamono are naught but scum that think nothing of living for anything but sex and conquest, taking from Humans like infantile parasites.”

Cecilia sat down, head in her hands, as she sighed, "There's no adjustment. There's no... getting over it. Mamono don't view us as equals, and Humans will never be equal... I don't see the Varjan as enemies, because I have been there.”



The Sisters were silent for a moment, attempting to process everything Cecilia had shown and told them. Looking at their current human forms, various memories started to flood back into their minds. Looking into the other’s eyes, the sisters held their hands in a tight embrace. Hinami began to cry, with Atsuha attempting to calm her down. Atusha looked to Cecilia, being the first one to speak.

”Cecilia-san. What you have described to us sounds horrible. If that is your understanding of what monsters are, then I’m truly sorry for your experiences.” She said. ”However, and it’s funny in an ironic sense, my sister and myself have experienced the opposite side. While it is true that our libido is stronger now than it ever has been, the mere thought of using humans or treating them as mere tools makes us sick to our stomach. Even now as we’ve cut down dozens of Varjan hordes, due to them being human, there is still a wrenching feeling deep down that irks us.” Holding a hand to her chest, Atusha fought back tears.

”After turning into monsters, our village looked down on us and cast us out. It’s funny, our home only saw value in me due to my latent talent as a taoist, and didn’t see any in my sister due to her lack thereof. There was no egotrip or sense of superiority that came with our monsterization, we lived as outcasts, looked upon with either fear or disgust by our peers.” She pondered for a moment. ”Then again, our fate likely would’ve been worse in the west. Here in Zipangu, there are some communities that live alongside yokai, and some that at least respect them. Still, there are mainly unsavory rumors about our kind that prevent us from forming meaningful connections with most.”

”There are some yokai in Zipangu who may be arrogant, but there are none I know that only see humans as toys to be used and played with until they no longer serve a use. It sounds to be like the lords you fought against are of a rotten sort that are different from our kind.”

"Such a funny way of sounding sorry for someone. To speak of how blessed you have it in comparison,” Cecilia says, plainly. "It is amusing how sheltered you are, unaware of things beyond this peasant island and her pauper continent.”

”You use fancy words…” Said Hinami, in an almost whining tone.

”Naturally, we don’t know much about lands and people beyond our own.” Added Atsuha. ”We’ve scarcely had time to worry over such things. However, I believe our time here has helped open both our eyes and hearts to the struggles of others. I believe you, yourself, could stand to take heed to your own statements. How little YOU are aware of lands outside of Salvarsion, Cecilia-san.”

"I am aware of my own ignorance. Difference between you and I," Cecilia says, "I’m not forcing you to align yourself with mine and fight in a war I have no stake in, no part in, and gain nothing from," Cecilia stood firm, as the Hangai Sister returned to their Mamono forms, "The Fairy and the Bandit tried this bullshit sophistry, as well. Spinning the same words with a different accent doesn’t change the fact that the woman YOU people, you Mamono scum, made a deal with is DEAD."

"All of you can winge and whine until your tears dry up and your breath run shallow. You’ve had scarce time to worry about things," Cecilia says, "I’d never had free time at all. I’ve been at war against your filth since birth for the pleasure of Mamono higher than you station, Mamono likes your Lord and that Lady Kyoko character," Cecilia spun her dagger, "Day in, day out, sleepless nights, and long mornings, I sat in a window with a rifle in my hand, motionless, taking one shot, to put a bullet through the head of someone who was Human like me, turned into a Monster, like you, by other Monsters."

"You, the Fairy, and the Bandit, ask me to weep for a people I don’t know, to fight for a place I don’t care about, and serve as Pawn in a war I have nothing to lose in, and do so with such sanctimonious and callous disregard for my people, for my place, and for my war," Cecilia says, as she tipped her hat, "Screwed up part? Not a single one of you seems to care that I have more going on than you, and I’m powerless to stop it. Everything I know and love could be dead beyond the veil, because I wasn’t there. But that... that’s not important to you."

”You seem to love to self-project!” Atusha snapped. ”You also only seem to hear what you wish to hear! I’m sure that the captain offered to find a way to get you off the island so that you can go save your land. But you insisted on staying as you are going to have a child by a certain someone. No one is making you become a martyr. However, because you're staying here, one way or another THEY will come for you AND Kerry. They are the ones who truly care nothing for your plight and struggles, and will kill without discrimination. Whatever hate you have for monsters, none of it once those blood mongers have a sword to your throat.”

”It terrifies you, doesn’t it? The mere thought of monsters possessing emotions and desires other than fucking every member of the opposite sex they come across and turning them into playthings. Gods forbid the world be so larger than your own. Meanwhile, you offer nothing but vitriol for anyone who actually wants to extend a helping hand.”

Cecilia waited for Atsuha to finish her rant, grandstanding in the same vein as Shizuka, but with a different accent, as she’d said. After a moment of pause, Cecilia would bury her dagger into the railing, and pull a cigarette from her hat; lighting it with a quick swipe across the railing, and dragging upon it. Exhaling a cloud of blue smoke, Cecilia would turn her back to Astuha, and looked out to the temple ground.

"At the end of the day, that child is a means to an end. A Queen must express excess Demon Energy to maintain her Humanity. That expression becomes a child, and that child is seeded with Demon Energy and Spirit Energy, destined to enter the warmachine..."

Cecilia blew smoke into the air, "You could say, Kerry and Gwen are products of war, collateral damage, and my love is manufactured to suit an objective. The objective of a Queen Piece: Make Pawns."

"That said, I’m not here because I want to be. If I understand everything the Fairy explained correctly, there’s a curse on me. A curse that is one year of five-hundred away from over, and exiles me from Wonderland by way of amnesia. Said cursed placed on me by the Lilim of Wonderland, the Queen of Heart, to whom I am opposed as the Queen of Diamonds...."

Looking back, Cecilia dragged on her smoke, "Another year, and I can go home. Being here is nothing more than a layover. I have no where else to be. So, I thought, why not expend some excess Demon Energy, and kill time?"

"If the Varjans want to annoy me, then they can join the continent of bodies that I’ve killed over almost half-thousand-years in two Realms..."

Cecilia turned back, "And, should Kerry and Gwen die in the process, they will join the bodies of all the other wives and children I’ve lost in a War of Rebellion and Revolution."



Cecilia rested her head on her arms, as she smoked - unconcerned by the cultural and spiritual taboo.

Hinami looked at her sister, who had a poisonous rage building inside her eyes. Her spider legs not being just for show, immediately allowed her to rush Cecilia, who grabbed her by collar and pressed her against a wall. The force leaving a large dent, Atusha violently hissed at Cecilia, her grasping hands causing rips on the latter’s clothing.

”The life of a lover and child ARE NOT simply a means to an end! I wanted to empathize with you, I wanted to understand you! You had no idea how grateful I was when you helped my sister regain her senses, you made such a horrid fault of ours seem so trivial. I admired you, I felt I had to repay you. But I forgot, you AREN’T that woman anymore, are you? You’re a coward who dismisses the worth of life because it’s easier than actually feeling something.”

Hinami quickly ran over to the pair, attempting to pry Atusha off of Cecilia. ”Nee-san, stop it!” She pleaded. But it was no use; Even with her undead strength, Hinami could do little to stave off the rage of her older sibling.

”Maros is a proud fighter who agreed to come here because she believes in doing what’s right, how DARE you make light of it! I don’t know about this system you keep going on about, but if it caused you lifetimes of misery and regret, then what good was it in the first place? Being a monster doesn’t make you a tool of war!”

Cecilia blinked for a moment, before her arm writhed and snapped, cracking and twisting, bending and breaking, until she could take a drag, and blow smoke away.

"Are you done shrieking, or do you have more to say," she asks. "I haven't heard enough of how I'm the one in the wrong yet."

"I'm sure you can judge me further by your standards, so I can do the same, and we can go around and around in circles," Cecilia says, "If I promise to be your good, little slave, and do whatever you want, say whatever you want, and think whatever you want, little a good, brainless, little girl with no freedom..." As she spoke, Cecilia was shrinking into a little girl, and beamed at Atsuha, "I'll be the bestest, child soldier ever, then, won't I, Missus Spider Lady? I'll do all the chores and agree with everything and everyone, except da bad guys! I'll shoot at the meanie heads with my rifle, and I'll do what everyone wants from me!"

Ceciliasl’s flashed a big toothy smile with a giggle, "Cecilia Lewis, the Forever Pawn is at your service!" before her expression collapsed in a dark reality, "Because that's all Cecilia Lewis is good for."

Atsuha’s rage began to mix with a state of confusion as she watched Cecilia’s little act unfold. Small tears began to well from her reddened eyes as she finally let go of the plant woman.

”Lewis-san” She said. ”I…I feel so sorry for you… I’m sorry you come from a land plagued with such strife, where the role of a person’s life is determined from birth, and they’re not allowed to be anything else. Where life is treated so recklessly and casually, one where an innocent child is indoctrinated into believing that for the rest of her life she’ll be nothing more than an engine of ‘Rebellion’. A mere…servant…”

Hinami went over to embrace the shoulders of her sister, looking at Cecilia with concerned eyes as well. Atsuha was somewhat slumping, much of her energy going into the earlier outburst.

"There it is,” Cecilia says, "The mistaken conclusion that everyone reaches,” she looked up at Atsuha firmly, "Nobody forced me to do anything. Pawns are born with purpose. It is our duty and honor to serve as Chess Pieces,” Cecilia smirked, "I chose to rebel against my purpose and stake my own path. I am Cecilia Lewis, 42nd Queen Piece of the Krumpet Family, but I am, too, Alice the Queen of Diamonds, sworn enemy of Alice the Queen of Hearts, and leader of the Blood Diamonds in the Civil War for the Reformation of Wonderland.”

"I make the decisions I made, because they are my rebellion. I shoulder my burdens, and I do so in silence, until idealistic sorts like you lot push and pry and pull out my grievances,” Cecilia says, "Then, have to audacity to be angry that you got some of what you wanted.”

"But, it's okay, Miss Spider Lady! Cecilia makes for a great slave to any cause! Cecilia doesn't break, see?!” Cecilia would suddenly run her dagger through her left arm, and slice it off at the elbow, and it would flop to the wood; spraying green blood. "Cecilia falls apart like a dolly, but then -- ” Cecilia reach down, and push her arm back to the stump, albeit upside-down, " -- Cecilia goes back together, no problems! Oopsie! Upside-down!”

Gripping her bloody elbow, Cecilia would twist her lower arm, snapping bone and tendon, and then wiggle her fingers, "Ta-da! Unbreakable! Just for you, Miss Spider Lady! And, Mister Blue Bandit! And, Lady Pink Fairy! And, everyone else, too! Your perfectest child soldier!”

Beaming, Cecilia would salute with her left arm hooked straight across her chest, and stand at attention.

”Lewis-san…” Atsuha uttered in a weak tone.

”H-hey!” Hinami finally broke her silence. ”I don’t know about all of that complicated stuff, but I know that everyone here doesn’t want you to be a soldier Ceci-san! We just want to be your friend!”

"Cici..." Cecilia froze up. "Nobody’s called me that in a long time," she says, her voice lowered, as she took up her cigarette, "How old was I... last time someone called me that? Was I Human still..."

Hinami’s eyes widened a bit in confusion. ”Really? Goodness, everyone needs friends! Even soldiers!” Atusha looked at her little sister oddly for a moment, but couldn’t help but smile at her child-like innocence.

"What kind of nonsense? Of course, I had friends... I shot most of them... but, I HAD them," Cecilia says.

”Well…can WE be your friends too?” Hinami asked blatantly, but with a youthful cheeriness.

"After you just spend the last, how long, in my face, telling me how I should feel about MY life," Cecilia asks, incredulously - despite Hinami being, actually, 100%, not the instigator of any of her last three interactions.

”Friends don’t order each other around. Friends talk about things that make them happy! They tell each other lame jokes, each yummy food, and tell each other funny stories! But, most important, they heal each other’s hearts.” Hinami said, holding a hand to hers.

Cecilia huffed, as absorbed the nonsense. "If that were the case, then I’ve never had friends, from start to finish," she says, "In any case, aren’t you leaving or something? I heard through the grapevine, rumblings."

Atsuha beamed up at the inquiry, her face blushing a bit.

”Well yes. We decided that it’d be best for us to leave with my love Skarsneek. I ultimately feel that continuing to participate in the conflict would be too risky for Hinami…condition. However! We do intend to assist in retaking the castle and rescuing Takeshi-san’s father.”

"Sounds like a lot of you problems, to me," Cecilia says, "Whatever this condition is, it’s likely something that can be fixed."

Atsuha squinted curiously at Cecilia’s statement.

”Perhaps. But I feel this isn’t the environment to find said solution. Unless you have some suggestions?”

"Like I said, at the top, weren’t always Monsters," Cecilia says, "Mad Hatters are a special kind. We have such a finite mastery of Time and Space, the need to throw the great orgies masquerading as tea parties that simple go on forever - because they are going on and on and on," Cecilia blew a puff of smoke that became a clock, "Time is cyclical, going around and around; sixty seconds make a minute; sixty minutes make an hour; and, twenty-four hours make a day; the cycle goes on, on, on, and on, on, on, and on... "

"Even now, distracted as I have been by you and yours, time has not budged a moment from when I froze it, but," Cecilia produced a pocket watch, "Beyond this reality, almost half an hour has gone by. Terauchi Temple, without me, would be, forever, twenty-seven minutes and thirty-seven second in the past of tomorrow."

Cecilia blew smoke in little flowers, "All this to say, I can go back and forth in time, as I please, as long as I have the energy to do so. I already turned you back into your Human self, once. I can do so, semi-permanently... or..."

"...I can make you Mad Hatters, permanently, ending your curse and her sickness at a personal cost. Well, I say, "personal cost," but I don't mean something as crass as blood or your bodies. I mean..." Cecilia paused, before blowing smoke at Atsuha, and creating an cartoon heart, "I was able to look at your past, when you grabbed me. I must say, you are quite the selfish hypocrite."

"How disappointing. If anyone asked, you're the perfect big sister. Protective. Loving. Compassionate," Cecilia says, "But, like a spider, you’re fucking toxic underneath," she sneered, "In all your memories, you’re toxic protection, that yandere love you possess, that cloying compassion you drown your sister in..." Cecilia blew a hole in the heart, "You’ve killed your little sister’s chances to overcome herself time and time again. It’s your fear and guilt of your mistake that’s chained Hinami into this feral loop."

Cecilia pointed at Atsuha, "Because you messed up, you’ve leaked all your guilt and self-loathing into her! Her anger isn’t natural, but YOURS! It’s because you won’t let her live, because YOU’RE afraid she’ll snap and go feral! Her empathy is leeching off your emotions, and you’re stifling and overbearingness is compressing those toxic feelings until her empty shell is all anger and hatred, and it has to vent!"

"I bet you don’t even notice, either," Cecilia says, "Hinami doesn’t have a life outside of you and your boy toy. You are her best friends and her ONLY friends. You two are her world, and it’s YOUR fault," she says, "You aren’t leaving because of Hinami’s condition. You’re leaving because YOU won’t be as stressed, YOU can focus on your precious Skarsneek, and Hinami will continue to absorb all the negativity that is inside of you, until she snaps again. Be that a year from now, or ten."

"The personal cost that you’d have to pay is losing your sister, because the leash you have around her neck will be broken, if I cure her, and that scares you, deep inside, because Hinami isn’t just a sister to you, but the last connection to your family, and..." Cecilia looked at Astuha solemnly, "...you don't truly think you’ll be able to start a real family with him, do you? An Arachne and a Goblin? Let’s be real. Not only are you incompatible as Mamono, but as Species, as well. You know it. Deep inside, you know that Fate was barely kind enough to let you both live, and that impossible is impossible."


Atsuha stared wide-eyed at Cecilia, her mouth nearly agape. Hinami looked toward Cecilia, then toward her sister.

”Hey! I heard it's rude to discuss bed stuff out loud like that!” Said the jiangshi.

”My Love's and I relationship is between us, first of all. Second, while it is ultimately my fault for Hinami's condition, what do you mean that my negativity plays a role in it??”

"I don’t think I stuttered at any point," Cecilia says, before looking at Hinami, "You hear a lot things, don’t you? Always hearing, but never really thinking for yourself," she says, "Not one truly independent thought. Just echoes of other people’s thoughts; rebranded and parroted back as your own."

"If I have to explain how much damage you’ve done trying to protect Hinami, then you are truly more selfish than I can imagine, Atsuha," Cecilia turned her attention back to the Jorōgumo, "Your first thought wasn’t even about her. It was about defending what’s yours. Your relationship is public. If you didn’t want me to comment on it, you’d keep that shit behind closed doors, so spare me the sanctimoniousness," she says, "Hinami’s first thought was to defend your privacy. To protect you. To defer your problem to herself. You might have saved your sister for her illness, but you replaced that sickness with your own poison. Now, she’s dying forever of a new illness, so good job."

"I’ll give you this advice free, Hinami: if you want to stop going feral, and start living your life without fear of the unknown," Cecilia looked to Atsuha, "Leave your sisters and her happy bubble of toxicity. All you’re doing is drowning without realizing it."

"Or, don’t," Cecilia says, "Ultimately, I don’t care enough. If living vicariously through your sister is good enough, so be it," she lit a new cigarette, "Who knows, maybe the Goblin will pity-fuck you one day. Zombies can have Goblin babies, I bet."

Cecilia smirked, before taking a drag, "Make you a nice breeding factory, and you’d never object."

”Hey! My sister may have poisonous fangs and webbing, but that doesn’t mean she’s toxic!” Hinami said, again quickly coming to Atsuha’s defense. ”And why would I leave my sister? We love each other! She loved me, when no one else would!”

”Hinami….” Atsuha said, before turning to Cecilia. ”Yes, perhaps I’m a bit overprotective. But, who wouldn’t be toward their sibling? Doubly so, considering what we’ve been through.”

"Really? Are you sure," Cecilia hopped up on the railing, and crossed her left leg over her right, "Regale me, then. This loving sister of yours that’s never allowed you to test yourself, to challenge the world alone, to be more than Hangai Hinami, second-born failure of the Hangai Clan, talentless onmyōji," she says, tapping ash off her smoke, "Tell me how no-one else has loved you, when you’ve never been allowed to be seen as more than the vengeful shade of a long dead woman?"

”I-I don’t…” Confusion began to slowly take over Hinami. ”Never allowed to be… But, I am Hangai Hinami. I-I’m not just some…monster!”

”Enough! You’re upsetting her!” Atsuha exclaimed. ”Hinami, it’s alright. Once this is all over, we can find a nice village in the mainland where both yokai and humans live in peace. It shouldn’t be too hard, and we can make lots of friends there.”

As she said that, Atsuha thought to herself for a moment. In all the time they had been traveling, why didn’t they do that? They had always been drifters, going from place-to-place acting as spirit detectives. They had established professional and friendly relations with different clients and benefactors. But, they had never tried to make true friends.

"So you can upset me? Judge me? Ridicule me? Tell me how I should be? But, turn the finger, and you’re suddenly against the sermon, because I’m upsetting her," Cecilia asks, "or because I’m upsetting you?" Smirking, Cecilia zeroed on Hinami, "Oh, but you are a monster. If I’m a monster, so are you. We’re no different. Dead women, turned into monsters. Feared by Humans. But, unlike you, I’ve never had a big sister to coddle me, to hold my hand, and baby me to sleep when the scary facts of life point at me with pitchforks and torches."

"I’ve had to fight all my battles, as a Monster and as a Human. I’ve had to fail and succeed on my own merit. Nobody’s promising me a nice and quiet village. Nobody’s promising me friends and family," Cecilia blew smoke across the way, "It’s not so fun when someone tells you about your big ass, is it Miss Spider Lady?"

Atsuha began wincing in exasperation. ”Lewis-san, I’m sorry that your life has been hard, really I am. But, life doesn’t always have to be so bleak.” She then turned to Hinami.

”Nee-chan, we are monsters, but that doesn’t mean that we’re not people. You and I have learned to make peace with it at this point. Don’t worry about your condition, once we’re in a better environment, I’ll find a cure for it in no time!”

"You know what..." Cecilia says, "I’m a little hurt. Using my last name all this time. I’ve truly offended you, it seems," she says, "However," Cecilia slipped off the railing, and smirked, "I’m not gunna hold it against you."

Snapping her fingers, Cecilia rearranged the furniture and the tables in a whirlwind of activity. A distraction, in order to keep Atsuha off-guard from the fact that she was reorganizing the guest list - a party for three was now a party for two, and the Arachne wasn’t invited.

"I can do enough moral grandstanding, sanctimonious preaching, and hypocritical oration for the both of us," Cecilia says, as Atsuha was frozen in time, "Sit down, and sit up, little sister. I’m going to ask YOU a simple question with no outside interference, no opinion but your very own, so listening and THINK, don’t answer with what your heart says or your loyalties claim."

"Hangai Hinami, do you want to be cured, here and now, even though the cost would be the separation from your sole caretaker, forcing you to stand on your own without her, as you would be remade as I was, once," Cecilia asks, "or are you willing to continue down this path of merge progression and staggering regression, again and again, in the hopes that you’ll be forgiven and made healthy and hale, never to go feral again, one day?"

"Think. Then, answer."

Hinami looked around for a moment as she noticed the shifts in the room, mainly that her sister was now frozen in time. She waved her hand in front of Atsuha’s face up and down, only to be met with no response.

She then listened to Cecilia statements on following her own path, as if daring her to distance herself from her sister.

”Well… Whenever I did go crazy, I remember that my sister was always there to make things better. I don’t wanna leave her. Why would I, especially after she’d done so much for me. She’s so smart and talented, she can do anything she puts her mind to. That’s why I trust her.”

Cecilia listened, and judged. It wasn’t that she was looking for a specific answer. In truth, she didn’t care, either or. In her experience, she’d dealt with plenty of prisoners of war; both sides of the coin. It wasn’t uncommon for captives to turn over - for some, the fight wasn’t worth imprisonment, and for others, seeing the other side fueled held doubts.

However, in the rare case, the imprisoned grew attached to their warden, not to their cause or their country, but the person holding them captive. It was a syndrome, a sickness of the weak mind. Cecilia had seen it, fostered it, and once, even held it herself.

Hinami held absolute faith in her jailer, because her jailer was the only thing she knew. Atsuha had, whether on purpose or by act of clumsy overcorrection, brainwashed her sister into a lifeless state of being.

"You are truly a zombie in every sense of the word," Cecilia says, "There is no metaphysical part of you that belongs to you," she says, before snapping her fingers, and unfreezing Atsuha, "Perhaps, you’ll cure the rage inside you, but you will die a sick, sick woman of an incurable disease. But, you answered my question, and that’s all I wanted."

Atsuha blinked twice and looked around for just a brief moment. Most wouldn’t pay Cecilia’s ability any mind, as they usually wouldn’t be aware of it in the first place. But someone with Atsuha’s magical perception could sense just the slightest trace of manipulation in place.

”Have you done something to Hinami?” She asked Cecilia.

"I asked her a question, after I shut you up," Cecilia says, turning back to the railing, and sitting on it, facing away from the Sisters, "Several times, you’ve apologized to me about my life, a life you know nothing about. You’ve offered me platitudes of better days. I could write a book with the names of the people that have stood where you stand, preach what you preach, and swear to me, life isn’t so bad, so bleak, so hopeless..."

"And yet, Hinami’s answer reaffirms that life is nothing but bad over good," Cecilia says. "Atsuha, I say this, sincerely, without malice or goading: I hope Hinami dies before you, because you’ve left her woefully unprepared to live in a world without you. Yes... for your sake, and Skarsneek’s, and whatever children the Gods above might bless you with..."


The Hangai Sisters stared at Cecilia in silence for a moment, outwardly not showing any emotion. Though mostly Atsuha, as Hinami was a bit bewildered at the tension from Cecilia’s words.

”I imagine you’ve said you’re done saying your peace at this point?” Atsuha asked plainly. ”If so, could you end your magic so we can leave this space?”

"A party holds no-one hostage, but the one that throws it," Cecilia says, "You could have left whenever you liked," she stated, snapping her fingers, "You were invited, after all. Not captured."

"Before you go," Cecilia says, hoisting herself up, and flashing out of sight, and slamming a phantasmal Hinami into the floor by her neck, before crunching down on her neck with her hand, "That should by Hinami enough time to finish the mission," she says, as the temporal specter writhed and then “died”, "I flashed-forward in time, and dragged the built up rage out, and “killed” it. My party’s aren’t just spacial anomalies, but places of good health and good time. I’m nothing, if not a hostess that assures her guests leave better than they came in."

"Whatever happens after you leave is up to you, o’ firstborn warden. I hope you continue to treat your prisoner well."

Atsuha barely had time to react as Cecilia suddenly had forced a spirit form of Hinami on the ground by her neck. It had the bearing of her feral mode as it writhed in bitter rage, but just as soon as it bared its fangs Cecilia had snapped its neck, doing it a second time by further temporal manipulation. The strain seemed to have made Hinami lose consciousness, but otherwise she was fine. Atsuha already had her sister in her arms.

Atsuha made a face and looked at Cecilia.

”I…I don’t know if I should thank you or try to kill you… But all the same, you have my gratitude, Cecilia-san.” She said, then taking her leave back within the temple grounds.

Cecilia would allow Atsuha the last word. It wasn’t because she deserved it, but that Cecilia, herself, was emotionally on the brink of utter collapse. From Liliana to Shizuka to Atsuha, pushed, pushed, pushed, to the edge of her reason and herself - she shoved back, and got shoved back, back, and back again and again, time after time. It was taking everything she had to maintain.

Liliana, the hopeless optimist.

Shizuka, the warweary realist.

Atsuha, the sanctimonious dreamer.

Hinami, the ignorant victim.

For a moment, she had hoped that people with paths in life so similar to her own could see her truth and, for a moment, put her first, say the words she wanted to hear so desperately, but it all related back to their lives and their world and their problems in an unbalanced comparison.

She had lifetimes of war, uncounted losses, and unforgotten victories, selfsame, but the congratulations rang hollow against the failure. Her mind never left those moments. There was nobody alive to forgive her, to tell her, “You did your best, Cecilia! Next time, the war is ours!”

She had no Rosebud to hope for her.

She had no teacher to drive her.

She had no big sister to shield her.

All those things...

All those people...

They were bones and dust, now.

Kerry couldn’t just become those things for her without time and effort...

...but...

..here and now...

Anger was a vile emotion. Anger was a useful emotion. It simmered under the surface, boiling against the flesh and bone, inspiring action - both good and bad.

Cecilia awoke with a start. Her memories were clouded by a haze. Her last recollection was a slow burn of her emotions; the kindling was laid out by Liliana, and the match was thrown by Shizuka, while the flames were fanned by Atsuha. By the end of it all, she had burned to the end of her wick...

...now, everything hurt.

A grunt escaped the Mad Hatter, as she pushed herself up, and cringed in pain. As she gained consciousness, Cecilia’s senses were firing off different messages. Immediately, she noticed the stench of blood lingering in the air, her blood from the earthen scent and grassy color; her legs had been stabbed, her back gashed and gouged, and her shoulders were rent. Underneath her, Kerry lies unconscious...

...blood on her lips and fingers...

From 0 to -100, Cecilia’s mental state collapsed, as she assumed the absolute worst of herself.

In a moment, she was no longer a Human in her eyes, in her desperation to maintain that fragment of herself, long dead, but a full Mamono - a monster that took advantage of the helpless, and made them victims. After nearly five centuries, she was finally on the same level as the Mad Hatter that had put her on the path of self-loathing that drove her hatred of all Mamono, all the monster women that took advantage of men and ruined the futures of women.

Fraying entirely, Cecilia didn’t realize that she was screaming laughing, fully manic as she manifested her dagger, and placed the blade to her neck - the gleaming metal biting into her throat, as tears poured down her cheeks; the liquid turning light green, as blood mixed in.

Everything was wrong.

Everything.

Did she...

Did she really see Kerry as a means to an end? So beneath her that she...

Squeezing her eyes shut, Cecilia released a strangled noise between screaming, crying, and laughing, as she pushed on her knife.

Pushed with the last of her will...


”Zzzz-Mmmph. H-Huh? Wha-?”, Kerry stirred awake, shaking her head to dispel the cobwebs of sleep. ”Cecilia, why are you being so lo-”

Whatever the hornet was about to ask died on the spot as she took in the scene before her. The sight of Cecilia, her lover and father of their soon-to-be-laid child, in absolute hysterics, scratches and cuts on various parts of her body and with a knife that was dangerously touching her neck, green blood already leaking due to how hard the mad hatter was pressing against her own jugular. Confusion and fear now surging in Kerry’s barely awakened mind. And on top of all that…

"Goodbye..."

Goodbye? But….why? Why was she saying that? The nest was almost complete. Gwen was due to be laid any day now! She…She proposed to her! Did that mean nothing now!? Does it no longer matter!?

Did the ring no longer matter!?

Did their vows not matter!?

Did Gwen no longer matter!?

Why? Why? Why why why? WhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhyWHYWHYWHYWHYWHY-

”NO!”, Kerry screamed as she lunged toward Cecilia, her hand going for the knife to pull it away from her lover’s neck.

Cecilia’s eyes widened, as Kerry shocked her back into reality, and caught her off-guard enough to scatter the knife across their bedroom. "What are you doing?! I can’t be forgiven!"

”Forgiven for what!?”, demanded the merc, almost crying herself. ”Why the fuck would you think to do that!?”

"I -- You -- I woke up and -- I... I... don’t remember..." Cecilia says, "My blood... Did I attack you..." she grit her teeth, and barely choked out, "Did I..." before her assumed crime died on her tongue.

”Attack….me? What are you…”

Then Kerry remembered.

Some odd hours ago, Cecilia had walked into Kerry’s room in an increasingly dark mood. The hornet knew not what caused her lover to be in such a state but she could venture a couple guesses. Regardless, Kerry, ever dutiful in making sure the mad hatter was cared for, offered to…”relieve the stress”. Cecilia said nothing but, seeing how she promptly carried the hornet to the bed, didn’t need words to show her agreement. The session started off gentle and loving but as time went on, whatever was bothering Cecilia made her become more…assertive. To which Kerry sought to match.

One thing lead to another and it got…intense. So much so that upon climaxing, Kerry passed out in bliss. With the marks on her fingers and mouth to show for it.

”Oh my gods…”, whispered Kerry as placed her hand on the mad hatter’s shoulders, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths to calm herself. ”Cecilia…You didn’t rape me.”

Cecilia’s breath caught in her throat, before she, visibly, crumpled, and collapsed against Kerry; laughing and hugging her, absolutely breaking, but holding on... to her, if nothing else. "...I didn’t... become like her..." she held Kerry, as if she would evaporate. "I thought..."

”No…No, you didn’t.”, Kerry reassured, all the while taking in Cecilia’s current state. The merc had never seen the mad hatter like this. The look in her eyes as she held the knife to her neck.

Like she had nothing left and lost the will to live.

”Cecilia…What happened…earlier today?”, she simply asked.

Cecilia looked up, before resting her head on Kerry’s bare belly, and feeling the pulse of Gwen’s egg. There was no reason to lie. All day, her heart and her emotions had been throw free of their cages. From Liliana to Shizuka to Atsuha - optimism, realism, and hopeful possibilities had been thrown at her in equal and unequal measure by people that she didn’t understand and didn’t understand her.

In truth, Cecilia had been fighting a war of attrition with herself and trusting others.

If she was to overcome her most fatal flaw... there was no better start than here, at her lowest, in the arms of the one she pledged her life to.

So, she spilled the tea.

The Mad Hatter Specialty.

However, the gossip wasn’t about others, but herself and her day from start to finish - the good, the bad, and the ugly. The cruelty of her words, her thoughts, and her actions from Alice promising to return to Liliana, her cold reality professed to Shizuka, and her damnable preaching to Atsuha in a vain attempt to steal away Hinami for the sake of both her own desires and rebellion.

There was no excuses to be made, so she made none.

There was no reason to be forgiven, so she expected none.

All she could do was face the music, and whatever song Kerry chose to conduct...

For a solid minute, Kerry didn’t say anything as she processed Cecilia’s words. It was…a lot to take in…

…Not to mention painful.

”...Did…”, Kerry spoke, her tone wavering as she raised a hand to place on the back of her lover’s head, but hesitated. ”...Did you mean that?”

"...for a moment, I wanted to,” Cecilia says, "I wanted you to mean nothing to me..." she confessed, "But when I saw you, unconscious beneath me, bloody, and my body cut and stabbed... I was so scared... I couldn't bear the thought that I could be... like her..."

"...that The Queen of Diamonds could be as unknowing of Love and only aware of Lust as The Queen of Hearts...”

Cecilia clawed at her cheek, "I can't be Alice for you, or Liliana, or Shizuka, or anyone! I can't even be me for me! I have to be the soldier that everyone needs, and yet... I don't know if I can...”

"...I just want to save my home..."

A moment passed and Kerry’s hand gently laid upon Cecilia’s head, giving soothing rubs of comfort.

”And for you, love…where is home?”

"Beyond the veil, beyond this Realm..." Cecilia says, "Beyond my right to demand you follow me to Wonderland."

”That ship has kinda sailed at this point, I’m afraid.”, said Kerry, chuckling as raised her other hand to show Cecilia the ring.

The hornet never took it off. Not even once.

”A good wife stands by her husband, no matter what.”

Cecilia blushed and spluttered, "We've yet married, and I have no ring to wear! It would be improper!”

”Oh my gods, you dramatic dork! Come here!”

Chitinous hands cupped Cecilia’s cheeks as her head was lifted off Kerry’s belly and returned to eye level, brilliant blue eyes meeting rich hazel.

”That. That, right there. What mamono on this Earth would be fretting over not having a ring to match another? You’re worried over becoming the worst kind of our kind, yet from where I’m sitting, there was nothing for you to worry about. You’re showing the beauty of mamono…by showing that we, too, can be just as human…

…and I love you so much for that. You’ve always been yourself, Cecilia.”

"A ring is simply proper behavior, Human or Mamono,” Cecilia huffed, deflecting in her tsundere fashion, "A Mad Hatter is no heathen," she snorted, before sighing, "Do you forgive me, truly, even though I sought... another?"

Cecilia fought the urges of her Species, the desire to cultivate mates, hierarchical, and... well... harems kept each other happy, and rebel against the norm of monogamy.

Kerry sighed and leaned in, her forehead touching her lover’s.

”You may not remember this, but back when you were Alice, I did give consent for you to seek other mates. As long as we communicated about it and you treated me right, I saw no reason to keep you to myself. Plus, you’ve expressed interest in Liliana and, by proxy of Carroll, Eula. But to answer your question, yes. I forgive you.”

"O-Oi! I'm not that woman,” Cecilia blushed. "That Fairy is of no interest to me, okay?"

She'd snuck an interest in a different brainlet.

”No, clearly you’re not. And Liliana…Geez, I really ought to talk to her about this.”, the merc commented before clearing her throat. ”On an equally important note…Cecilia…you know I love you, right?”

"Why, I cannot begin to imagine, but, yes, I can tell as much,” Cecilia says, "I can confess the same. Even if I'm not the Alice that did this to you, I can walk in her place for as long as you wish..." she swears, "...and keep my eyes on you as best I can."

”And…Gwen. Even if it wasn’t…you who knocked me up, do you love her?”

"Ultimately, it was me. I am the core, and Alice is just a conversation between Carroll and I, so it seems,” Cecilia says, "Gwen is mine, before her, but... that's your decision to accept or deny.”

”Don’t be ridiculous, Cecilia. Like hell Gwen is gonna be without a ‘daddy’ in her life.”, Kerry retorted, deadpanned.

Cecilia stuck out her tongue, before blowing her bangs out of her eyes, "Hopefully, she won't be a womanizing drama queen..."

”She won’t. She’ll learn from me how NOT to be someone her father used to be.”, Kerry joked, smirking.

Cecilia huffed, before looking up at the ceiling. "This is...” she sighed, "I don't even know. But, I know that “used to be" sounds rude!”

”I wasn’t being malicious about it, but…I really shouldn’t judge on one’s past. Sorry.”

With the situation deescalating, Kerry decided to touch on a subject that Cecilia had brought up during her spiel.

”The sisters…Is it really like that?”

"Maybe. Maybe not. My... second brain has opinions...” Cecilia says, "However, to the Rebellion Queen, the answer is yes, regardless of what's said or believed."

The hornet pondered on that. As a big sister herself, she loved her siblings dearly. But to love to the point where it becomes toxic and hinders them from living their own life? She could never hurt them like that. Though…if she were in Atsuha’s position…would she have done the same?

Honestly, she doesn’t know….and will never have to, thankfully.

”Oh, I almost forgot. How’s that tavern coming?”, Kerry inquired with a smile.

"It's just a thought in my head,” Cecilia says, "But, I can see it, a place for everyone to come together, and pitter-pattering feet to run around."

”Do you also see me as a barmaid in this tavern of yours?”

"Do you?,” Cecilia asks.

”...Eh. I don't really have much experience in customer service. Probably be bad at it.”, Kerry responded, giggling before turning her attention to the nest. ”It’s almost done. Wanna put the finishing touches on?”

"Every good tavern has a sexy mascot," Cecilia teases, before nodding, "Since you are going to be biting pieces of me out, might as well do some additional tidying up," she says, "We need haircuts. You look like a prehistoric cavebee, and I was not born for such length."

"But, just the hair upstairs. The drapes need a change, but the carpets are fine."

”Charmer.”, replied Kerry, not missing a beat. Though the mad hatter was right in needing a haircut. During the pregnancy, the hornet had let her hair grow to the point where it reached her thighs. Definitely time to cut it short. ”And here I thought you liked it shaved.”

"Even Queens have their wild sides," Cecilia says, smirking. "An extra handhold down there has its uses in certain positions."

”Ha! Freaky mushroom woman!”, quipped Kerry as she stood up. ”Then again, I’m no better. Now come on. The sooner we spruce up, the sooner we can finish Gwen’s nest.”

Cecilia smirked, before she looked around, as if looking through the walls. Perhaps she was, in a sense, as Kerry could feel her Hybrid Energy expanding away from her in a familiar radius that she dubbed her “Line of Intention” - the circle in which Cecilia, or, at the time, Alice, was hyper-focused, and could parry any attack that didn’t exceed lightspeed, such as the Heavenly Strike.

It didn’t take much to realize, Cecilia was looking into the hallways.

Suddenly, the Mad Hatter would sprint out the door with the Hornet in tow, and make a rather mad, naked dash towards the nearby onsen; the hot spring converted into a public facing bathhouse and partial spa, as was tradition for most locations. However, Cecilia had ZERO intention of using the soothing water for its more medicinal purposes, as she turned Kerry to the rock face, and her true intention was rather firm behind the Hornet’s striped bee-hind.

"I’d like to remember this encounter," purred the Mad Hatter, "A semi-public venue, a place of healing and cleanliness... baring witness to such a filthy, sinful act..." she nipped Kerry’s ear, "Much better than a straw mattress and a wooden floor, no?"

The hornet blinked once and now here she was in the same hot spring that she and Alice did the dirty in what seemed like a lifetime ago. Time really flies like an arrow.

”Definitely brings back memories, that’s for sure.”, Kerry huskily responded, biting her lip as a pleasant tingle shot up her spine as Cecilia nibbled her ear. ”Let’s not get too carried with this, yeah? I could lay Gwen any day now.”

"Sounds like a party to me," Cecilia says.

”Then have at it, love.”, cooed the hornet, wiggling her rear for extra effect.

"With pleasure," Cecilia smirked. Permitted, and progressing before Kerry could protest, Cecilia would rock her world properly without fear of losing her memories to anger and self-loathing. If anything, Kerry would notice the gentle undercurrent - an almost picturesque adherence to Humanity - as Cecilia put none of her otherworldly, even by Mamono standards, strength into keeping her wife-to-be where she wanted her.

If anything, there was a notable vulnerability to it all. As if, Cecilia was almost seeking to be caught in the act, despite putting them where they would be difficult to catch, unless someone else had the same notion. It was almost, as if, she was bringing them to the same level - no longer a rebellious Queen stained in Lilim blood, nor a sellsword Hornet weary of strife, but husband and wife, consummating their relationship.

In a sense, Kerry could tell that Cecilia wanted to extinguish all claims that “Alice” had on Kerry’s mind, body, heart, and soul. Both as a Human and as a Mamono.

This….This feels different.

Amidst the pleasurable cries and need-filled moans, Kerry had enough clarity in her to note just how different making love to Cecilia was compared to when she was Alice. With the latter, the love was there, yes, but it was more overwhelming and dominant, akin to the superior strength the mad hatter possessed. With the former, however, there was no such force. Cecilia still had that strength yet none of it was present here. It’s…almost as if she didn’t want to use that force for this. Right now, Kerry could get Cecilia to stop if she wanted to.

Here, there was consent.

Here…they were equals.

A situation such as this would be viewed by other mamono as weird and so outside the norm, but for Kerry?

It was beautiful.

Pulling Kerry in, Cecilia would place her hands upon her beating heart and her gravid belly - forming a connection with her child and the mother at once, as Chaos Magic enveloped the trio..

In the distance of a far-off land, pieces of scribed paper were glowing and floating - invitations being rewritten, repurposed. No longer addressed from a stranger from a strange land under her pseudonym, but her real name.

Still a stranger from a strange land, though - no helping that part.

...yet.

Thrice now, Gwen had been exposed to a burst of Temporal Magic, and thrice now, her gestation period within Kerry had been sped up considerably.

And, as the saying goes, Three strikes and you’re out.

And that’s when it happened.

”Ha~....Ha~....Gods, that was-UGH!?”

Kerry was enjoying the afterglow when she suddenly felt something wet exit out of her.

”C-Cecilia?”

"Mhm~" Cecilia hummed, pleased as punch, and unaware the sudden exodus of liquid wasn’t from her bedroom skills.

Wanting to confirm what just happened, Kerry looked down…only to be blocked by her very pregnant belly, so she opted to just feel with her fingers.

What she felt down there, among other things….was water…

…that wasn’t from the spring.

”...My water broke.”

"Is that all," Cecilia asks... before her post-nut clarity roundhoused her. "FUCK!"

Unconcerned with appearances, political fallout, or the rumor mill, Cecilia would blitz back to the dinky room they shared, and put Kerry on the bed.

"Okay! Thinking cap on! Mad Hatter brain on full! Finish the nest! Lay the egg! Cover the egg! Throw the party! Freeze the egg! Safe! Sound! On board?!" Cecilia asked, pointing at Kerry as she worked out the bullet points of a multistage plan that require Life cooperating.



”Y-Yeah. Fully on board.”, responded Kerry, as the current situation hasn’t yet hit her. ”But I think one of the best we can do is remain ca-”

Then the first contraction hit.

”aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-”

"Screaming doesn’t help anyone!" Cecilia shouted, as she fussed with her hair. "Should I paralyze you?! Would that help?!"

”LILITH’S TITS, THAT FUCKING HURT!”, the hornet exclaimed. ”And no! What if you paralyze Gwen in the process!?”

"In an egg? She’d be fine, probably," Cecilia says, "Also, who the hell is Lilith, and why are you thinking about her tits, when mine are right here!?"

Annoyed, Cecilia crossed her arms to emphasized her bust.

”I am not doing that on a ‘probably’, Cecilia! And are you serious!? It’s a figure of spee-”

Contraction #2 incoming.

”FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!”

"Oi! Oi! Could you not?!" Cecilia grimaced. "I’m trying to think... I could ask someone... Lilianna? Hinami? Uuuu...~"

It was rare for Cecilia to panic, but this was a rare situation, so the reaction suited the circumstance well.

Kerry was now full on crying, the pain unlike anything she has ever experienced. She didn’t know what to do. Cecilia didn’t know what to do. Gwen wanted to be laid NOW.

In the midst of pain and panic, the hornet’s mind reached out to the one true avenue of salvation.

”MAMA! PAPA!”

Cecilia had no clue how to handle something that tended to happen while she was away. Fortunately, Alice’s last act would bridge the gap between two places and spaces via the rules of a good party. Activating, two of the several invitations sent among the Maros Clan would call upon their recipients, as Kerry did the same.



In the time it took to blink, suddenly Kerry’s room gained two new occupants, a man and a mamono. Said man stood a tall 6’3”, had dark brown skin, a well-rounded muscular physique, a rugged face with green eyes, a chiseled jaw and black shoulder-length dreads. He wore a tan tank top with matching cargo shorts and sandals. The mamono next to him had light brown skin, brown hair flowing to the middle of her back, brown scaly elf-like ears, honey-yellow slit eyes set on an elegant yet motherly face and a sensuous figure with a generous bust to boot. She was dressed in something similar to a dirndl with a flowing maroon skirt around her waist. Beneath her waist, however, was the body of a large snake, earthy brown all the way down to the tip of her tail, with spots of darker brown decorating her serpentine form.

Both were holding coffee mugs as they quickly scanned the surroundings they just instantly appeared in before locking on the two other beings in the room…

Specifically, the hornet in labor.

"Kerry?"/"Kerrigan?", they both said in unison.

Despite her panic, Cecilia seemed to overwrite it all, and manifested her dagger to present a threatening presence.

"Who the hell are you?!"

Seeing the strange woman now brandishing a weapon at them, the man promptly raised his right hand. Cecilia would notice a golden bracelet on his wrist, the style exactly like Kerry’s black and silver bracelets. He snapped his fingers and, in a flash, a golden metal spear appeared from thin air. Unlike Kerry’s spears, which were minimalist and formal in design, his spear was more elaborate and adorned in dragon motifs. He grasped the spear and pointed the tip towards Cecilia.

”You first.”, he responded, his deep voice in a tone making it clear that if it’s a fight Cecilia wants, it’s a fight she’ll get. The snake mamono to his side was of the same mind, hissing and showing her fangs as her hair began to move by an unseen force and her hands began glowing an eerie white.

"What the hell have you done to our daughter!?", she demanded.

Well, that answered the mad hatter’s question.

An answered question. A presented threat. A decision made.

"Arise, o’ quiet one. Aid me, o’ silent one," Cecilia extended her right hand, "Hark to my name, The Queen of Diamonds, and rebel to my cause..." Across the room, if she were of righter mind, Kerry would have likely thought that Cecilia was summoning Dusk, as she favored giving the nonlethal blade an edge of death, however, it was Mort that heeded her call to arms, and came to her aid. "My name is Cecilia Lewis, the Rebellion Queen, and The Queen of Diamonds, she who will ascend to the Throne of Gods, and slay the Lilim Queen of Hearts," she announces, running her MANY epithets, "Now, Fiancé of Kerry Maros, and Father of Gwendolyn."

"Now, I ask again:"



The pair’s eyes widened in shock, but not at the threat, but at the last two titles that Cecilia just announced.

"Fiancé!?"

"Father!?"

”EVERYONE, STOP!”

Suddenly reminded of the most important person in the room, the three turned their attention to Kerry, whose tear-stained face was marred in pain, panic…and now frustration.

”Cecilia, stand down! They’re my parents!”, she shouted, gritting her teeth as she felt another contraction was about to wash over her. ”Mom, Dad! Please don’t attack Cecilia! She’s my future husbaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAARGH! SON OF A BITCH!”

Seeing the hornet in such a state, the snake mamono immediately shifted gears, forgoing hostilities in favor of tending to her daughter.

”Shane, go find towels and a bucket of hot water. From the looks of it, she only recently went into labor so she’s not at the hard part yet.”, she spoke, taking charge as she used her tail to wrap underneath Kerry so the hornet was in a more comfortable position. The man, named Shane apparently, leveled one suspicious look towards Cecilia turning away and marching out the room, gold spear still in hand.

Cecilia wasn’t shocked by the suddenly turn of events, as her own mind turned to the matter at hand, and she flicked Mort into the door, before Shane could leave. "Oi, old man, if you need supplies, you aren’t finding much out there. This temple is a hole in the ground, scraping by. People see you stomping around, there’s going to be trouble for us all..."

Doffing her hat, Cecilia would reach in, and produce a tablecloth; a thick fabric, multicolored in a festively garish plaid of blue, yellow, and green, before she pointed to the firepit. It wasn’t standard to the barrack they lodged in, but Cecilia wasn’t sleeping in barely insulated cold - Mantago were very much a warmth-based Species. Hewning the stone hole in the floor and matching funnel was no small feat, but to have a roaring fire made for a happier pair at night.

"You’ll have to crack on the fire, yourself, but there’s some stored water for my tea in the corner - that covered pot," Cecilia says, before turning her attention towards the serpent, "By the grace of her claim is all that lets you be so close... know that."

"And by the same grace of my daughter’s claim is that the only reason why I didn’t snap you like a twig.", the snake mamono shot back as she held Kerry’s hand and laid a soothing hand on the hornet’s belly. "Know that…bruja."

"Give her a bit of credit, Pandora." Shane commented as he went about getting a fire going. "At the very least, this lady is convenient."

Cecilia’s right eye twitched, before she summoned a deep breath in, and summoned her dagger; plunging the blade into her left shoulder. Exhaling, Cecilia would find her zen in a chaotic storm of pain, before dismissing her dagger, and cracking her neck. Snapping her fingers, she summoned her suit, and fluffed her jacket.

"I don’t like you."

"Let’s go, Mad Hatter. Think. Take in the temperature of the room. Access the number of bodies. Subtract the heat sink by adding the heat absorption rates. Multiply for the snake..."

Cecilia conducted her hands in the air, closing her eyes.

"Induction. Conduction. Apply. Isolate the first location. Quicken pace. Access the decay of the wood. Reduce the decay rate by half. Increase the burn time. Isolate the second location. Stabilize the Temporal Line..."

Suddenly, the pot of water would be boiling, and Cecilia dropped her hands.

"Alright, mother, the next step, then," Cecilia asks.

Shane blinked at the now boiling pot, turning to Cecilia with an inquisitive gaze before returning back to the pot.

"...Heh.", he chuckled as he got to work on ripping up the cloth to make makeshift towels. "That’s definitely a new one."

Pandora’s eyes narrowed at the not-so-subtle jab but, upon feeling Kerry squeeze her hand and hearing her whimpering, decided to let it go. Questions and answers will come later.

"Now…I need you to have a look down there.", Pandora stated, gesturing with her head toward Kerry’s lower end. "How dilated is she?"

"Not that I’m opposed to what you’re asking, but I don’t know what you’re asking," Cecilia says, "Any sons and daughters I’ve sown have been delivered while I was at war. This is my first experience."

”¿Qué? You had previous children and weren’t there for any of them!? ¿Qué clase de impío-"

”Mama! Por favor!”, Kerry pleaded, speaking to her mother in the same tongue.

Now it was Pandora’s turn to take a deep, calming breath. So. Many. Questions.

"...Do you see the egg down there?", she clarified for Cecilia. "If so, how much of it is visible?"

Cecilia looked at Pandora, her tongue was strange - it wasn’t like the one she spoke in Salvarsion, but it was close in moulding. However, that was for another time. No, she had more pressing matters. "Echidna, right? That’s your Species, if I’m not mistaken. Mad Hatter, if you could guess. 499 and 42 years ago, I was Human, like your mate," she says, "From the age of six to the age of forty-year, I killed my friends, family, and people I grew up with for the amusement of Mamono, like you, who used be Human, like me, in grand and glorious games of Chess, as living pieces. I was born a Pawn. I died a Queen," she says, "For 249 years, I built and lost four nations and seven kingdoms, fighting against the Lilim that oversees Wonderland. During that time, I took wives from the lands I settled, the prisoners I captured, and women that were traded as curried favor. For 250 years, I lead a campaign across much of this world, and settled the Kingdom of Summerheld, until she was razed after standing for 248 years. In that time, I had one child. I was called to war the day of her birth, and the night of her first day, my kingdom was burned to the ground. Her fate, to me, is unknown to this day."

"I’ve been alive for almost 1,000 years, and I’ve never seen one of my children survive a year. You’re well into your life, and well-regarded among your kind," Cecilia says, "I’m sure you’ll understand that we, as women, as Mamono, and as those that have delivered children, are not equals in this world, nor in this life, and never shall be," she says, "But, I will forgive you, for Kerry, and the children you were allowed to see grow up, and forget that you chose to assume the worse of me."

Cecilia squatted down to look, "As for the answer to your question... I just see pink. I assume it’s coming out the traditional way, and, not, like, out of her ass like a Harpy?"

Pandora was silent as Cecilia shared her life story with her. Even Shane paused his task as he listened in. As the mad hatter went on, the echidna’s hardened face gradually softened. 1,000 years and not even one child lived a year. That’s….No, that’s not true. It can’t be. No mother could ever-

”Mama…”

Pandora’s eyes snapped back to Kerry, who despite being in labor, held eyes that knew and understood.

”It’s true, Mama. I’ve seen her life through a vision. Please…she’s not who you think she is. She’s not.”

The echidna turned her gaze back to the mad hatter, a million thoughts swirling in her mind and knew not what to make heads or tails of.

"I say we trust her, babe.", inputted Shane. "If she really did mean us harm, she would’ve done so already."

"Aye…she would’ve.", concurred Pandora with a deep sigh.

"Cecilia, was it? Indeed, forgive me. Between appearing here suddenly and seeing my daughter crying and in pain, I jumped to a conclusion."

"And…no. All offspring come out the traditional way. Why would they come out the same hole that one shits out of?"

"Iunno. Kerry’s got a fat ass, so I figure, it would make sense. Big egg. Big ass. Easy exit," Cecilia shrugged. Mad Hatter logic. "Plus, it's seriously plush, so probably wouldn't, like, smush the eggshell. Not to mention, I might have widened it a little earlier, before her water broke..."

”CECILIA!”

"PFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Kerry’s hands covered her now deeply red face in embarrassment while Shane almost spilt boiling water on himself from laughing so hard. All the while, Pandora gave Cecilia the most unamused deadpanned look she has ever seen in the past two centuries.

"...Dios mío, mi hija se ha enamorado de un idiota.", she lamented.

”She’s….not always like this, I swear.”, Kerry weakly defended.

"I hope not!"

"I'm going to pretend that meant, ‘Yes, my daughter's ass is fatter than mine, dear,’ just so we're on the same page,” Cecilia says, before looking to Shane, and giving him a thumbs up, "I'm forever in your debt, good sir. Thank you for your hard work and blessing."

"Kerry, ¡no apruebo a este degenerada!"

”¡Por favor, mamá, dale un respiro! ¡Ella nunca había hecho algo así antes!”

"¿Pero ni siquiera entender anatomía básica?"

”¡No es culpa suya!”

As the hornet and echidna went back and forth, Shane was now on the floor, still laughing but weakly returned a thumbs up to Cecilia.

"Hé, hé, je ne sais pas ce que tu dis! En commun, s’il te plaît!" Cecilia snapped. "I can do it, too. You’re not special..." she says, annoyed, "Can we focus, now? I see something."

As if a switch was flipped, the situation reintroduced itself in the form of another contraction, causing Kerry grit her teeth as she hissed an agonizing groan.

"Shane!"

"I’m here!", he responded, having somehow instantly recovered from his laughter as he brought over a bucket of hot water and some torn up rags. "We’re all set."

"Alright, Kerry. Listen to me closely. When you feel another contraction hit you, I want you to push as hard as you can, okay?"

”B-But it hurts so much, mamá.”, whined Kerry.

"I know it does, cariño. But I know you want to see this egg be brought into the world, don’t you?"

”I…I do. I very much do! I…I think I feel another one coming!”

"Time it. As soon as it hits, remember: Push as hard as you can!"

Heeded the advice, just as the contraction washed over her, Kerry pushed with a scream.

"Geh!?" Cecilia grimaced, "Hey! Listen, here, you," she says, putting her hands to Kerry’s belly, "Yours isn’t a lot of pain and suffering, but nobility. You may be a collection of mush, but you’re more than just that. You’re the daughter of the 42rd Queen of the Krumpet Family. It is your lot to exceed me, and stand in my place, one day, as Queen of Wonderland. So, stop being a surly commoner, Gwendolyn Maros, and make this easier on your mother!"

Due to her hand placement, Pandora could see that Cecilia had no ring to pair with Kerry’s, and Kerry could feel the familiar lulling storm of Chaos Magic against her belly, the wackiness of Wonderland penchant for the opposite of the truth of any matter dulling her pain.

It did not escape Pandora’s notice that Kerry had a ring on her finger while Cecilia did not. She glanced over to her husband and he too saw the same thing. The duo looked to each other and nodded. Another question to ask once this was done.

Now with Cecilia’s Chaos Magic easing the burden, Kerry could actually focus more effectively on pushing now that the pain has greatly diminished.

She can actually feel the egg moving toward the exit.

"Cecilia, how are we looking?", Pandora, dabbing a warm wet rag on her daughter’s sweating forehead.

"Beautiful," Cecilia says, taking Kerry’s left hand, "Keep it up." Cecilia’s soft smile didn’t fade, as she focused on keeping Kerry’s pain at a dull roar, while leaning forward, and kissing her nose. "I bet she’ll take after you. Every feature, cute as a button, from top to bottom," she says, "You can do this, Kerrigan. I believe in you."

Drawing a deep breath, Cecilia would slip away, and looking back up, after a quick peek, "Stuff is happening. I don’t know if the shell is supposed to look a certain way, but everything seem intact, so... bonne?"

"Let me help you out then.", announced Shane as he moved to the same position to Cecilia’s side. "Hmmm…She’s right. Egg’s coming into view now. You got this, cuddlebug."

"You’re there, Kerry. Just a little bit more.", chimed Pandora, running her fingers through the hornet’s hair with motherly affection.

”I…I want her to have your eyes, Cici.”, Kerry muttered, the smile of a budding mother on full display. ”Pure blue like sapphires.”

Another contraction, another mighty push from the former merc.

"Cuddlebug," Cecilia asks, "I call her bumblebee, because she always blushes so brightly," she chuckled, "My eyes aren’t that special - hazel is beautiful, earthy, like honey."

”Don’t call me a bee.”, huffed Kerry with a pout. Pandora giggled.

"She always disliked being compared to a bee, even as a kid.", Shane commented, a nostalgic smile on his face.

"Well, last I checked, a Hornet didn’t make such delicious honey, like my Bumblebee," Cecilia smirked, making a passing glance at Kerry. "Gwendolyn shall ne’er go hungry, that I can attest to from personal experience."

"...Honey?", queried Pandora with a raised eyebrow, looking to her daughter to shed some light on that, only to see the hornet take an intense interest in the nearby wall, though she couldn’t hide her blush, as Cecilia pointed out. Shane snickered.

"Gwen’s gonna need milk, after all," Cecilia says, "So, I used a little bitta my blood to twist up Kerry inside, and now she makes some lovely honey," she purred, "If she didn’t fuss so adorably at Bumblebee, her pet name would be Honeybun, instead."

"Half hornet, half mad hatter…", Shane surmised, rubbing his chin in thought.

"A Mad Hornet.", commented Pandora.

”The first of her kind.”, Kerry concurred. ”A unique mamono has unique needs, it stands to reason.”

"Indeed! Honey pairs quite well with tea, after, all, like they were fated to be," Cecilia says, "I’m getting impatient... maybe..." she hummed, before she traced around the egg, "So many flaws... but... I think..." Cecilia would apply her fingers to the jelly shell, and close her eyes, moving her fingers around, "Push."

"Egg-laying requires patience, Cecilia. It’s not something for you to-"

The mad hatter would forgive the echidna for not really understanding how magic from Wonderland just…doesn’t care for conventional laws of nature as a contraction seemingly came out of nowhere.

”WHAT THE- Cici! Warn me before you do that!”, complained Kerry as she pushed once more.

"Oooookay, egg’s really out now.", said Shane as he readied the rags before turning to Cecilia. "Know how to handle-...actually, nevermind. I think you got this."

Cecilia didn’t acknowledge Shane or Kerry, as she focused, and moved her fingers; sliding her left hand down, and into Kerry. Finding purchase at the bottom of the egg, Cecilia would encircle the width at the center, and dig her heels in. Push. Pull. Rebel. Kicking back, Cecilia would work with everything set up, and slammed her back into the wall, as she cradled the jelly egg at its most semisolid points.

"Bonjour, jellybean," Cecilia says, looking down, "The world says, hello..."

It seemed…almost surreal, to Kerry. Even during the few months of being pregnant, between all the traveling, all the fighting, the various people and mamono that she has met and fought, with and against…This seemed like a distant dream. A far away destination she thought she would never reach. And yet…here she was.

Gwendolyn. Her daughter. Was here.

She was finally here.

”C-...Cecilia…”

The mad hatter looked up to see the most beautiful smile she has ever seen on Kerry’s tear-stained face, arms raised as she reached out for the egg. Her parents held smiles of pride, with Pandora’s eyes welling up with tears of her own.

”...Let me hold her. Please.”

"Of course," Cecilia says, walking over to pass the encapsulate larva over, as she took off her jacket to cover Kerry for the first time since they started this emotional roller coster. "If you’ll excuse me for a moment. I just need to step outside," she says, skirting out the barred door, after pulling Mort out of the frame, before anyone could really protest.

As she stepped outside, Cecilia would fuss through her pockets and retrieve her smokes - flicking one against the stone to light it - as she paced up and down the hall, and wrung her hair with her hands. A part of her wanted to laugh in disbelief. Another part wanted to scream in fear. All of her was rife with fear. In an instant, a countdown started in her head:

One year.

"Calm down, Lewis. Think. Use that brain of yours. A year. A year. A fucking year. Why didn’t you think?! You only have a year left. The exile ends in a year. Back to war. Back to war, you moron! Why?! Why?! WHY!?"

Cecilia crushed the cigarette in her hand, and her head into the wall, before she slumped to her knees...

"What do I do now..."

"Must such a question be asked?"

A pair of warm arms curled around Cecilia’s neck as she was enveloped in a gentle hug.

"Once more, you are a parent. You know the answer to that question.", spoke Pandora in a motherly tone.

"No... I don’t."

Cecilia gripped the arms around her, her strength left her; she was clinging, not resisting. It was like a magical transformation, in a sense, as Cecilia’s aura of confidence, her queenly demeanor, and demonstration of stolen power was replaced by the aura of a woman that had grown up in worlds of cruelty, of loss, and of fear. As she hung on, Pandora could hear her crying, and feel her welling fear.

"It’s like I’m back there... weak.. defenseless..." Cecilia says, "I grew up in a cave, after I was turned... I was so afraid... so ashamed..." she sobbed, "I scraped by, isolated, because I didn’t want to be a Monster... I wanted to be Human..." Cecilia whimpered, as she tightened her weak hold, "I... thought I was used to this, but seeing it... really seeing it... knowing..."

"I don’t know what to do, and I need to know..."

"But you do know. I saw it the moment you laid eyes on that egg, as you held your daughter in your hands. Because tell me, Cecilia…"

"...What do you want?"

"...I just want to be her father."

"You already are."

"No. I’m not. I’m just the one that existed beneath the one that sired her..." Cecilia says, "Alice is the one that has sired all the children I’ve lost. Always her. Always the stronger of us. Never me. Never Cecilia."

"Even if I’m the one that stays... I’m never the one that does..."

"Was Alice the one who held my granddaughter?"

"In a sense," Cecilia protested, though the answer was neither strong nor irrefutable.

"Ah, ah. Yes or no. Was Alice the one holding your daughter?"

"Technically, no" Cecilia says, "But, it was she that made her."

"And yet, here you are. You were here by Kerry’s side. You delivered Gwen into the world. You. Not her."

Pandora’s embrace tightened just a tad, as if to put emphasis on her words.

"In my daughter’s eyes, you mean the world to her….just as you will to Gwen."

"And, if I fail... if I... just... don’t?" Cecilia didn’t know what she wanted to ask. Her internal struggle against the Human and the Mamono, the Salvarison and the Mad Hatter, the Rebel and the Cause... she didn’t know where to wage her allegiance. All the intellect in the world meant nothing in the face of emotion.

Mantago only had one genuine emotion - propagate - born of unparalleled loneliness, of unfixable sterilization; an infestation of mushrooms wasn’t an unconscionable acts, but a desperate act to fill wombs that never could, because those same mushrooms lined their body from tip to toe like stuffed animal fluff. In trust, Alice wanted what Cecilia wanted, deeply, earnestly, but would never accept, because she HAD to be Human, and Alice HAD to be Mamono, or she could never accept herself as both or neither, but a twice corrupted fusion of them.

"What if I don’t like the experience of being a father..."



And, it was out.

A fear of parenthood born from her childhood as war orphan for monsters.

Slowly and gently, Pandora’s hand drifted down until it reached Cecilia’s womb, where she laid her hand down as if touching a delicate flower.

"All this time…"

Cecilia flinched, before she crumpled and crumpled - she didn't want to accept what she was, and yet Pandora had given her no choice but to be honest.

She'd need a lot of water to rehydrate herself, though.

Cecilia would hear Pandora sigh before feeling her lips kiss the back of her head.

"If…If you were given the choice…to be a mother…Would you take it?"

"As I am, no. I have to bring an end to the war that wages in my name in Wonderland, and make the Realm safe for Gwendolyn and Kerrigan..." Cecilia says, "After that... if I were so blessed... I cannot say if I had earned it."

"If I took it, I would be doing so selfishly..."

"And is that so wrong?"

Pandora shifted Cecilia, turning the mad hatter around to face the echidna as her hands cupped the queen’s cheeks, her thumbs wiping away the tears that silently fell.

"A realm won’t fall in on itself just because you were a bit selfish."

"There are people that will, if I'm unable. My Diamonds. My people. It will not be forever, but I must be selfless, wholly, in this matter..." Cecilia says with a much different conviction.

She truly wanted to save the world beyond Shizuyama.

She wanted to save Wonderland.

From her rebellion. From Kardia's rule.

Time would tell which would shake out and be ridden of its Truth once the dust settles.

Pandora could see, Cecilia was a woman with no chances left to allow herself to make mistakes.

The echidna looked deep into Cecilia’s blue eyes, to see if there was any sort of wavering or uncertainty in the mad hatter’s proclamation. Upon seeing none. The snake woman would sigh once more before giving a smile worthy of a worried mother. She kissed Cecilia’s forehead and laid her head on her bosom for a warm embrace.

"Who am I to sway you from your conviction? You, who merely wishes to see a realm be better than what it is today for all who come tomorrow. No, I won’t stop you. Hmph, couldn’t even if I wanted to."

"You sound like a mother-in-law already, and I don't even have a ring,” Cecilia chuckled, "I need a smoke. My nerves are shot, and there's still so much to discuss about protecting Gwen, and running a tavern to do it."

"Honestly, I don’t see why people like those death sticks, but if you insist…", Pandora commented before snapping her fingers, a small flame flickering on her fingertip. "Though, now that you brought it up, why is there a ring on Kerry’s finger and not on yours as well?"

"Delivering a ring is a Human concept,” Cecilia says, "Put them side-by-side, you create the infinity symbol, and represent eternity," she explains, "That's a very Human concept, so I carried my foster Mother, Ester's, wedding ring, gifted to me by her, for my future; the Destination that waited for me at the end of my Journey, so she told me."

"Mamono aren't beholden to marriage, as a tradition, but a means to an end," Cecilia says, "So, Kerry just doesn't have a ring for me. That's fine, though. As long as she wears mine, I'm happy."

"Be that as it may, one day Kerry will want to give a- wait, Ester?", questioned Pandora, doing a double take as soon as she heard the name.

"As in…Ester Bunny?"

"Bonnee,” Cecilia says, reflectively defense in that way people were about pronunciation, "Ester Bonnee was my foster Mother in Wonderland, while I was still Human and confused," she says, "Why do you ask?"

"Because I met her."

"Eh?!”

Pandora would take a step back from Cecilia, an inquisitive look upon her face.

"It was years ago. Before my first child. Before Shane came upon the entrance to my gauntlet.", the echidna began. "As I was designing my dungeon, I sensed the presence of a being who had effortlessly managed to bypass my traps. Granted, I wasn’t nearly finished, but still, the trials I did put in place were challenging, at the very least. I went to investigate and there…stood this strange pink rabbit woman."

"Missus Easter?!" Cecilia gasped, remembering the old form of the self-proclaimed redhead vixen, "But... her fur only turned pink while she was aging. This was before she came to me in Salvarison. Her hair was red, then."

"Before? That would imply that she met me before she met you. And I’ve been around for 400 years. You’re my senior by 600."

"I was born a long time ago, true," Cecilia says, "Mad Hatters come blessed with Temporal Magic, via our penchant to throw long parties. It’s a mana-intensive spell, which is actually why I need your help," she says, "I need... you could say, a co-signer."

Dragging on her smoke, Cecilia would stand up, and blew smoke into the hall - the prickle of Glitterdust filling the air. "We can talk shop in the room, as Kerry needs to finish the nest, and that requires my pound of flesh," she says.

"Co-signer? Ay, necesito un poco de café después de esto.", muttered Pandora, rubbing her temples. "But yes, let’s join the others. Kerry was quite worried about you after you walked out."

"I swear, speaking Common is not hard," Cecilia says, as she reentered the room. "I have returned~!"

Not even half a second passed before Kerry wrapped Cecilia in a tight hug. Really said something about mamono physiology when a hornet just laid an egg and is already walking.

”I…I got worried.”, muttered Kerry.

"Word of advice…", spoke Shane, holding his granddaughter in his arms. "Don’t leave a new mother after she just laid an egg so suddenly."

"I needed to clear my head of many things and many doubts," Cecilia says, "I needed..." she hummed, "Well, what I needed is unimportant, now. There’s more important matters to attend," she would reach into her hat, and draw forth a rolled parchment, furled at both ends like a royal proclamation. "It’s time to draft a magical contract and co-create a Dungeon."

”Oh…Oh! Right!”, Kerry said, turning to her mother. ”Mom…”

"I know, my little stinger. Cecilia told me about it…and I agree."

"Oh? A dungeon collaboration between the two of you?"

"Indeed. The current state of affairs is too dangerous for Gwen to hatch into. Thus, she must be put somewhere safe until that time comes. And should anything happen to Kerry and Cecilia in whatever conflict these two troublemakers found themselves in, I will be able to retrieve Gwen."

"That’s the long and short of what needs to be said," Cecilia says, tagging in. "My lot is not a peaceful one, and my duties are not beholden to your Realm, but my own, and my war - a civil war that I started and must end," she says, "Kerry has pledged her heart and soul to my cause and my side, knowing the risks of going from one war to another, and... of crossing a barrier that will never let her return home with peace of mind."

"The Wonderlust, yes. Those who are not born of that realm are afflicted with and thus can never stay for long in the Modern Realm. To which I must ask this…", Pandora spoke before turning to Kerry. "Are you absolutely certain this is the path you want to walk?"

"This is asking for one hell of a commitment from you, kiddo.", added Shane. "You’ll go from fighting one war to another and even after that fighting is done, you can never truly return to our realm. Only visit. Even so…are you certain of this?"

Kerry took a deep breath before stepping forward to take Gwen into her arms again. The egg pulsed gently with warmth and life, as if to say hello to her new family.

”Once upon a time…I thought I would never stop wandering the world. Never settle down. I thought…that I would spend the rest of my days seeing the sights and wonders of the world yet…never experience what being happy meant. I thought I was content with that.”

Smiling softly, she touched her forehead on the egg’s soft surface.

”I’m so thankful that Cecilia showed me how wrong I was. She opened my eyes and now…we have a child together. A reason to fight for a future. Heaven or hell, I will stand by her side. This, in my heart, I know is true.”

"I echo that sentiment, for a myriad of reasons," Cecilia says, "Chief among them stands before you. My anchor."

Cecilia smirked, before gently taking Gwen, and sitting with her back to the unfinished nest. "My turn to be selfish and hold my jellybean..." she says, before nuzzling Gwen’s egg, "Mommy's gunna finish your nest, then get you snuggled in, before Daddy freezes you in time, so Grandma and Grandpa can make sure nothing happens to you, jellybean."

"Oh, and she's gunna cut my hair. Almost forgot.”

Pandora looked over to her husband, who merely smiled and nodded sagely. The echidna sighed but smiled as well.

"You two have made up your mind, thus you will hear no objections from us.", she said before slithering over to kiss the egg. "You’re in for a long nap, little one. But the next time you wake, the first thing you will see is a beautiful world worthy of receiving you."

"Indeed," Cecilia says, "You might even get the blessing of going all the months properly," she smirked, nuzzling Gwendolyn, "But, for now, let's finish your bedroom, eh, Honeybun?"

Cecilia was switching things up, clearly to amuse her father-in-law, and peeve her mother-in-law.

Embarrassing Kerry was just a bonus.

”...I’m biting you extra hard for that one.”, grumbled Kerry as she approached, blushing while her father snickers and her mother gives the classic mother-in-law head shake of disapproval.

Cecilia chuckled, as Kerry sat behind her, and she extended her arm, before rolling her shoulder, and shirking off her clothing. "As hard as you wish, I'm all yours... eat me...”

”In front of my parents, you say that. Geez…”, commented the hornet before closing in and biting at the base of Cecilia’s neck, taking the last bit of material needed to complete the nest.

"I'm sure your freakiness was wholly inherited," Cecilia smirked, locking eyes with Pandora.

Pandora’s eyes widened and her jaw fell in audacity while Shane had to cough to cover up his laughing. Kerry, blushing as ever, took her pound of flesh and set about putting the final touches.

Cecilia smirked even wider. "Shall we discuss the finer details,” she asks, unfurling the contract.

The echidna’s eyes narrowed…but chose to remain silent. She would not fall for this bait.

Cecilia tilted her head, "No, seriously, we need to discuss this," as she unfurled the contract, with her toes, "I'm intending for a two location, dual ownership, party," Cecilia would settle, holding the strip of parchment down with her heels and thighs, as it was that long. She didn't let go of Gwen once.

"The way the Mad Hatters throw endless parties is through a spell called, [O’ Frabjous Day!] which creates a pocket reality that influences time to create positive outcomes. We really are that smart," she humble brags, "Food does not spoil, nor run out. Injuries are healed instantaneously. Fatigue does not accrue. Fires burn forever static, as the wood never burns away. So on, so forth."

"A party can be massive, or humble, but it needs a concrete location," Cecilia says, "I can't just go outside and determine the “world” is my party, or say that Varjo is my party. The amount of magic that I would have to put towards that would kill me. Simple-as," she says, plainly, "However, a small room like this, or say, the closet of a master bedroom in a Dungeon... well, I could stop time altogether. However, therein lies the rub:"

"If I'm stopping time for Gwendolyn, all the time, then I can't speed up time for me.”

"So, in comes your half. By signing this magic contract, essentially, I'm giving you an invitation to split the difference in magic, and in return, split the profits of the Tavern, my personal Dungeon, since I have absorbed the blood of a Liliim, and, more than, gained the right to create one of my own,” Cecilia says, "In doing that, I can use my Temporal Magic, albeit, at a disgustingly base level, while keeping Gwendolyn frozen in time.”

"As well as any other potential children I might sire.”

"Well, you have…certainly thought this through.", commented Pandora as she and her husband looked over the contract, impressed but not admitting it. "So essentially, your dungeon would exist in my dungeon?"

"In simplicity, yes, it would be a floor," Cecilia nodded. "I need staff to run it, as well. So," she extended a hand made of her long hair, "Partners?"

"Paperwork’s lookin’ airtight and I’m not seeing any catches in the fine print.", Shane informed. "I say we’re good, babe."

Pandora looked to her husband before returning to the extended hand. Sighing, she extended hers in return to make it official.

"I accept your terms, Cecilia. For Gwen."

”It’s finished!”

The trio looked over to see Kerry step back to admire the newly completed nest, a large honeycomb shaped sanctuary of earthy brown and mossy green.

"So, that’s what’s become of my flesh and blood, eh," Cecilia asks. "Well, you better be grateful, jellybean,” she teased. "Wait... before we send her off... they deserve to see her..."

"Unless you disagree?"

”Not at all. They’re in it this deep.”, the hornet responded.

"Before that, though..." Cecilia would stand up, and form her maid outfit and her armor; clad in Mamono Silk and Mamono Steel, her dagger at her hip, and her body gleam.

“Gwendolyn Maros, my Pawn, my child, 43rd of my lineage, and youngest of my seed. I swear to you, as the 42nd Queen of the Krumpet Family, the Rebellion Queen, and the Queen of Diamonds, you will survive a year. To the fate of mine, I rebel, for you. To the fate of yours, I rebel, for me. Selfish and Selfless, I will shine, ever-brilliant, so you might shine, selfsame.”

The egg pulsed once more, almost in acceptance to Cecilia’s declaration. Kerry, Pandora and Shane watching as the mad hatter made her decree.

“That said,” Cecilia squealed, "I GOTTA GO BRAG! BE RIGHT BACK!"

Scampering off, Cecilia would visit upon her closest... friends(?)... allies(??)... friends(???)...

Yeah, friends.

First, Liliana. She would pester the Fairy to rise, before showing off Gwendolynn; the shade of her jacket kept her safe, and allowed Lilana to faun over the precious flower of Lady Cecilia, careful to keep Lady Alice and Cecilia separate, since she knew Alice was just waiting to return on her own accord.

Next, Eula. Annoying Carroll was a side-benefit to perplexing the Automaton, and stirring more confusion about life from the woman, but giving her some renewed level of faith in Cecilia and her stance on innocence life. The warrior queen peeled back to reveal a caring mother... father... both? That question would plague the logical mind for days.

Hastily, Shizuka was next on the list, and Cecilia would hurriedly show off to avoid any deeper conversation. Same with Atsuha and Hinami, though, she was more bombarded with questions from the undead, while the spider-woman allowed the gelatinous bundle of innocence and the aura of genuine compassion and love to melt the animosity that she and Cecilia had left off on.

Once she had shown up to everyone she, immediately, cared about, Cecilia would return to her shared room, and slowly walk to Kerry; her movements getting jerky, stiffer, as she started crying.

"Okay... do it... before I change my mind..."

Kerry softly smiled as she took Gwen, a quick peck on the mad hatter’s lips to calm her, if only a little. ”You did good, Cici. I’ll take it from here.”

The hornet then turned toward the nest, her parents following closely. She didn’t know why they did that, though. This had to be done, even if it felt like her feet were sinking in quicksand every step she took. She knelt down, her father was now on her right, her mother on her left. Honestly, that was unnecessary on their part and why did it now feel like her heart was crumbling? There was nothing sad about this. This was for Gwen’s future. The hornet’s arms extended to place the egg in the nest, though now her arms were shaking and- was there something wet going down her face? That’s weird, was there a leak in this temple?

It was when the egg was finally placed in the nest and gave a happy pulse that Kerry’s heart seized, her maternal instincts flaring. What was she doing? What was she doing? She can’t do this! Gwen needed her! Her baby needed her! She can’t do th-

"Kerry."

The hornet whipped her gaze toward her mother, who gave a warm smile as cupped her daughter’s cheek, her thumb wiping away the tears.

"It’s okay. She’ll be safe."

Kerry turned to Shane, who smiled as well as he patted her hand in comfort. She then returned her gaze toward the egg, burning the image into her mind.

”Cecilia…”, whispered Kerry, her wavering and on the verge of breaking down.

This…will be the hardest thing she ever had to do.

”...Send her.”

Cecilia squeezed her eyes shut, and visualized Pandora’s Dungeon; permitted, she would build a floor, a tavern that would come and go, a party that would never end, but never lingered for longer than needed. A place that she wanted to create in Wonderland, one day...

"Gwendolynn, you have the honor of being the first patron of Sereni-tea and Knight Caps," Cecilia says, "I hope you enjoy your stay.”"

Just before being sent, Kerry laid her hand on the egg’s soft surface.

”May your dreams be sweet like honey, my little junebug.”

Cecilia grit her teeth, before looking at Pandora, "Thank you..."

The echidna would raise her hand, glowing white with arcane power, to complete the ritual.

"Cecilia Lewis. I hereby agree to our contract and invite Sereni-tea and Knight Caps into my domain….as well your daughter…my granddaughter…Gwendolyn Maros."

"Then, it is done," Cecilia says, as Gwen was spirited away - an act that caused Cecilia to fall to her knees, and her side, in turn, as half her magic was ripped out of her, and given to Pandora.

”Cecilia!”, shouted Kerry as she hurried to her lover’s side. ”Are you alright!?”

Pandora gasped as a sudden flood of magic rushed into her being.

"Pan?", queried Shane, concerned.

"I’m fine. Just…my gods, that was a lot. I was not expecting that much.", replied Pandora, shaking her head as felt a little light-headed.

"I’m fine... I’m fine..." Cecilia says, "Be more worried about your Mom. Chaos Magic is... difficult to manage, if you aren’t experienced."

"Whimsy!" Liliana shouted, before producing her sword and bathing Cecilia in as much healing as she could muster.

"Oh, come now. I have it well in hand.", responded Pandora with a wave of her hand. "Nothing to worry abo-ah…ah…ah..AH…AHCOO!"

Suddenly, a fireball came screaming out of the echidna’s sneeze! Shane, with his old battle instincts, managed to lean back and dodge the incoming projectile as it sped past him and slammed into a nearby wall, putting in a small dent. The war veteran looked back at his wife with a wide-eyed expression. Kerry saw the whole thing and also stared at her mother in a similar state of shock.

Pandora…blinked.

"...Correction. I WILL have it in hand."

"Woman, you had BETTER!"

"Every time Lady Alice went off to do something she got horribly injured, maimed, burnt, I think exploded one time, and I was thinking: ‘Oh Liliana, that’s crazy, that wouldn’t happen to Cecilia, but better go along just in case!’ and WHAM! Hole! Whole lotta hole!" Liliana pointed at the regenerating side of Cecilia.

"Also Hello Mister and Mrs. Kerry’s parents. I know Kerry! Byyyyyyyeeeeee~!" The fairy said before exiting, waving the entire time as she exited.

"Seems she followed me...”

Both parents blinked at the sudden departure of the Bladeflower before turning in unison toward their daughter for answers.

”Er…yeah. That was Liliana. Fairy knight. Not really that smart, like…at all. Loves cows, for some reason.”

"She's cute, though. And, pleasing,” Cecilia says, "Plus, Wild Magic feels like Chaos Magic."

"There’s a difference?", Shane asked, curious.

"Quite. I’ll tell you later.", Pandora responded before breathing a deep sigh. "At any rate, I feel it’s time for us to head back home. We’ve been away for quite some time."

”Yeah, who knows how much the twins got away with because you two aren’t there.”, Kerry said in jest.

"Those two know better. You need to be nicer to your little sisters, Kerrigan."

”Them first.”

Cecilia would silently crawl into bed, as she healed, thanks to Liliana, and her natural healing factor; she didn't wanna interrupt.

”Can you two make it back on your own?”

"Oh, come now, Kerry. Who do you think you’re talking to?", replied Pandora, smirking as she snapped her fingers. A magical circle beneath the echidna’s body, the rings glowing white and humming with arcane power. "Well, I must say, today has been eventful. Getting to meet this mysterious fiancé of yours and delivering your first child into the world. Was not expecting that."

"True that.", concurred Shane, stepping into the circle to join his wife. "We don’t know what you two have gotten yourselves into, but I don’t have to tell y’all that you now have a big reason why you should definitely live through it, now do I?"

”No…No, you don’t. And we’ll definitely live through this.”

The hornet stepped in quickly to her parents a hugh, which both returned, before stepping back out.

”Adiós, Mamá. Papa.”

"Give’em hell out there, kiddo.", Shane said with a grin.

"Adiós, mi estimada. Watch out for each other.", spoke Pandora with a motherly smile before snapping her fingers again. The magic circle flashed, enveloping the duo in white light before disappearing in an array of fading sparkles. With the room’s occupants now returned to two, Kerry would join Cecilia in bed, wrapping her arms around the mad hatter’s waist from behind.

”...I miss her already.”

"In due time...” Cecilia says.

”The Varjans…and then the Queen of Hearts. We have to live through this, Cici…”

”...For her.”

Cecilia nodded, and held Kerry's hand as she drifted off to sleep from the longest day in her life.

Kerry soon joined her lover in the realm of dreams, thus ending a day of revelations and joy. Tomorrow would bring a new day…and mark the beginning of a campaign to usher in a new era. A new world…

A world worthy of Gwen.

Having finished her long conversation with Carroll about the future, about tomorrow, and Gwen, Cecilia would make her way to answering the summons.

Neither she nor Carroll had a stake in these matters, but, for the sake of Kerry and Gwen, as well as Eula and Liliana, and even Shizuka, they decided to play along with the nonsense and noise.

However, as she passed through, she saw Kerry, and happened to overhear the blacksmith:

"She... The child is no longer with her. ...This group of monsters is probably the most I am weary of."

Shizuka would feel the flare of Chaos Magic, as Cecilia followed the path of Revuel, and picked up a rock from the ground, winding back like a baseball pitcher - preparing to blow his brains out for the implication that they'd done something untoward her child.

Cecilia would feel her throwing hand being enveloped by a familiar webbing, strengthened by Taoist magic. She would turn to find the source of resistance - Atsuha.

”Do you not think it too early in the morning to be using allies as target practice, Cecilia-san?”

"Standing in the way, again, are we,” Cecilia asks, looking back.

”I’m trying not to have comrades kill each other.” Atusha quickly retorted. ”However, please don’t think I don’t understand the sentiment. If we are to take his implications at face value, I would be resentful in your place.” She looked at Revuel with a bit of ire as he passed by.

”I feel that it’s more likely that the man just isn’t as privy to yōkai biology. Hate him, think lowly of him, hell you can even yell at him. But your first reaction is a bit…extreme to say the least, Love. ”

Cecilia snorted, crushing the rock in her hand. "Meddlesome...”

”You may come to find me much more than that.” Atusha said, releasing the webbing that was bound to Cecilia’s wrist. ”You remember your little comment from last night? The one about the type of relationship I’ve built with my little sister? I must say you have some nerve!”

Atsuha walked closer to Cecilia, until their faces were roughly a foot away from each other.

”You’ve barely but a glimpse of the type of life we’ve lived up until this point, what we’ve been through, what we’ve had to endure. You spat at me for preaching to you about your life, but you do the same to me?”

Cecilia may have wondered where the little sister in question was currently, as Atsuha was here by herself. Was Hinami still in bed, perhaps?

"Seems you don't know how “yokai” biology works, either, Little Miss Spider,” Cecilia says. "That little kiss we shared, it triggered a power in me called Temporal Telemetry,” she says, "In order to turn you Human, even temporarily, I had to go back in your history...”

"Every. Single. Minute.”

Cecilia looked at Atsuha through heavy-lidded eyes, before lighting a cigarette, and drawing. "Take a hit,” she says, "You need to mellow, before you level more accusations.”

Looking at the cigarette, Atusha’s anger had momentarily vanished and was replaced by an uncharacteristic fluster. She began blushing and looked at Cecilia as if she were mad.

”H-have you lost your mind?!” She exclaimed. ”I mean, what kind of example would I be setting for Hinami if she were to catch wind of me, or gods forbid see me smoking? I mean, due to our gifts we don’t have to worry about things like lung cancer, but still… ”

"Gifts,” Cecilia scoffed, "Moving on. Do either of you have an original thought in your head,” she asks, " You're supposedly sisters, but you come off as symbiotic parasites.”

Atusha hissed at Cecilia’s comment, rather echoing her words from the night before. ”Are you more than just sardonic one-liners and cigarette smoke?”

"Judging by Kerry’s many affirmations, I'm a pretty good fuck,” Cecilia says. "Now, stop deflecting. You didn't just happen across my path. Speak your piece.”

”Oh shove it! You think just because you can view a person’s memories like some picture show you’ve got them all figured out?!” Atsuha snapped. ”And what do mean we come off as parasites? We are together because we love each other in a world where the notion is becoming all the rarer.”

"Yeah, yeah, let's skip the melodramatic posturing, this time, eh? Neither of us have time to duel for Most Dramatic, so let's just cut the bullshit,” Cecilia blew smoke over her shoulder, "You know exactly what I mean. Hinami doesn't need you to survive. You need Hinami to need you,” she says, "As long as she needs you, you don't have to face yourself and what you did. You made your sister into a Mamono, and the spell recoiled on you.”

Cecilia dragged, "Tragic, that. Get over it.”

Atsuha spat a bit of venom at Ceclila’s feet as an act of defiance.

”Fuck you! You think you know everything, don’t you?! You certainly are a queen! So quick to look down on others and make light of their situations!”

"Yeah, yeah. Listen, did we not do this dance last night," Cecilia asks, "A dance that left me so annoyed, I thought I assaulted Kerry," she says, plainly, "Normally, I don’t raise to anger to a point that I don’t remember things, and Mad Hatter’s have extremely keen memories."

"Yet, all I can remember after “talking” to you is waking up, covered in blood, bites, and stings..."

Cecilia looked up at Astuha with a lazy, yet slicing side eye.

”Nghhh” Atsuha began to wince. Cecilia’s indifference to her anger was winning out in their current scuffle. She found out the hard way that Cecilia would always have a retort to her claims, and that there’d never be an end unless one of them just up and walked away.

Truthfully, after last night, the Mad Hatter’s words had weighed more heavily on her mind than she’d care to admit. To be more accurate, she knew deep down that she was right. With a defeated sigh, she looked at Cecilia dead in her eyes. Any ire that was at first present had now subsided, and all that remained was a bitter sadness.

”Tell me, Cecilia Lewis.” Atsuha said. ”What do you think I should do? What CAN I do for my sister, for US. For each other?”

"You know what the answer to that question is," Cecilia says. "It’s the same answer I gave, and the same answer you rejected."

”Cecilia-san…what else would I have if not her?” She said weakly. ”Skarsneek-kun has perhaps shown me my first hint of romantic love, something I feared I’d never know. But, Hinami, she’s…she’s my everything. She loved me for me, even while she was sick and dying. Even when our wretched, self-serving, pride-blinded father kept me from seeing her, she always thought of my well-being! Why wouldn’t I give the world to her? What could we possibly have to gain by being apart?”

Atsuha’s eyes were red, but did not form tears. It was something to ponder if she even had any left at this point.

”Cecilia Lewis, belittle me until time ceases to be and sentient life turns to dust. But, if nothing else, understand that I love my sister more than just an escape from my blunder. I beg you. I just wanted her to be happy…”

Cecilia sucked in a breath, as she took everything in, and blew smoke out, as she hopped back, and sat on a front porch railing. Turning her back to Atsuha, she would suddenly hang form her knees, and let her hat fall to the ground.

"You seem to think the worst of me, while begging me to see the best in you. I’m not belittling you. I take no joy in this exchange, nor the last, either. I scraped my way out of the mud and the blood, every time, but this isn’t about me, and it’s not about you," Cecilia says, "It’s about her. From the beginning, you needed her more than she ever needed you. I didn’t call you a parasite to be cruel. It’s the truth of the matter - in your words, in your deeds," she says, "Someone loved you, unequivocally, unconditionally. Someone asked nothing from you. Then, she died, and instead of letting her rest, and that love go, you brought her back to life. Never once considering if she found peace from her sickness on the other side?"

Cecilia blew smoke into the air, "I’ve seen a lot. I’ve done a lot. I’ve locked people in temporal loops to keep them alive, only to lose them - time and time again. I didn’t understand why, until I saw Hinami, and realized something..."

"Tell me, Hangai Atsuha," Cecilia says, mirroring her initial tone, "If you won’t allow her to die, do you not owe her the right to live her life, with, and without, you?"

”I…” Atsuha seemed to have trouble finding the correct choice of words. ”Hinami, she…knows so little of the outside world. But, I suppose that’s the point, isn’t it? I say that I wish to be her protector until we both greet Jigokumon, but it seems that she’s been saving me this whole time. After our rebirth, I just wanted us to get away from it all. We ran, we fought, we survived. I suppose you have to wonder if you really call that living.”

She stared at the ground, no longer able to look Cecilia in the eye. Was it to hide her weakness?

”We took on odd jobs, solving other people’s problems to make ends meet, all while ignoring our own. Or, perhaps, my own. We now find ourselves here. I felt that the job that Kyōkō-sama offered to us would pay quite handsomely, to the point where we wouldn’t need to keep running around anymore.” She looked off to the side, a faint smile.

”You know, even though our lives were hard, and we never really made any friends, she smiled through all of it. Bless that girl’s heart, no matter what happened, she never stopped smiling. Not even once. She was so happy, it was my…!” Atsuha's eyes widened, holding her hands in front of her mouth. Stopping herself mid sentence, she looked at Cecilia, tears finally having formed under her eyes.

"Continue," Cecilia says, "Finish your breakthrough."

”Hinami. She…she was my reason…to live.” She said meekly. Atsuha’s legs lurched over, and her abdomen fell onto the dirt below. She held her hands to her face as she began sobbing and whimpering, clear streaks of liquid dampening the earth.

"Such is the conclusion I reached. Those people I wouldn’t allow to die... it wasn’t to keep them alive, but to keep me alive - sane..." Cecilia says, "If they dead because of me, what did that says about me? If I kept them alive, then I wasn’t a failure, I didn’t lose... I didn’t fail..." she sighed, "Hollow victories are no victory at all, so... I let them die, and I took up smoking. A cigarette for a memory, each pull and push, each burning and cooling exhale, a send off to someone long lost, someone recently passed."

"We’re losers in this world, but I’ve embraced that, and learned to cope."

Atusha’s sobbing began to soften, looking back up at Cecilia she squeezed the dirt under her hands.

”Cecilia-san. If letting her go truly is the only way to save her, then…it can’t be here!” She said, almost panicking. ”I can’t let her go here. The place is poisoned with hatred and blood, and every single person who isn’t a member of this force wants to put her head on a pike! She has to be taken away from this place and allowed to see that the world is so much more than this!”

"Do whatever makes you feel better. It's second nature to you, at this point,” Cecilia says, lifting herself up, and standing on the railing; donning her hat with a flourishing bow, "I'm not in the business of changing you, just defending my position." Cecilia would straighten out, and fix her hat in both hands, "I'm sure she'll follow along and do whatever you ask. It's second nature to her, after all."

Atsuha quickly stood on her feet, and walked closer to Cecilia.

”No! This isn’t about me anymore. It can’t be about me anymore! This is about Hinami finding out what’s best for her, for herself! I believe…leaving with my love is still the best decision, ultimately. But, at least I know she’ll be taken away from this place, and then I’ll...talk with her and get her to understand. That would be the best…start for her path…”

Atusha looked down to the ground once again.

”She just needs a path opened for her. That way, she can find her own way. One better than what a failure like me ever granted her…”

"Funny how much of that outburst was, unsurprisingly, you making decisions for her," Cecilia says, walking the rail, "We’ll take her away. We’ll get her somewhere safe. I’ll talk to her, and I’ll open a path for her, so I can let go."

Cecilia paused, and grabbed the sloped roof, and hoisting herself up acrobatically, before sitting down, "Lots and lots of “me, me, me,” and less and less, “she, she, she,” for the sake of “we, we, we” is what I hear.”

The sadness began to leave Atsuha’s eyes, and what replaced it was a neutral - but tired - expression.

”Well, after this battle to rescue Takeshi-san’s father, you wouldn’t be hearing anything else from me. Cecilia Lewis, you are the only person aside from my father who has filled me with such vexation, and yet at the same time you are perhaps one of the few people who has seen me for me. Even more so, you’ve seen Hinami for who she is, and what it is she actually needs. In spite of everything, I will not forget what you have said last night or today. For that, I suppose thanks is in order.”

Atusha clasped her hands together and placed them at her navel, following with a formal bow.

”Someday in the future, Hinami will be her own person. And, if fate allows, perhaps I will be as well.”

Cecilia crossed her legs at her ankles, right over left, and lit a new cigarette; leaning back upon her left palm, she would blow smoke into the air.

"Hinami didn't even get a chance to make her own decision from the start. You came here to speak on her behalf. As long as you have such an impulse, that will never happen.”

Cecilia looked down, "I'll believe your potential, when she stands before me without you and speaks her own mind. What little remains."

Atsuha no longer had the gull to look Cecilia in the eyes. Instead, she turned away and began heading back to her quarters. Leaving the Mad Hatter sitting alone on the railing.

Unbeknownst to perhaps both of them, Hinami wasn’t actually still asleep back at her quarters. She had been watching the conversation from afar, using one of her sister’s talismans to conceal her mana, and had hidden herself among the bushes.

Cecilia took a deep drag, and blew smoke into the air. The cloud drifted about, as all the others had, and settled. Standing, Cecilia would flip back, and over the back of the roof; springing up behind Hinami, and squatting beside her - blowing smoke into her left ear like ASMR.

"Funny thing about Glitterdust," she whispered, "Its meant to be shared amongst Mamono, so it seeks them out," she says, "That's the inspiration behind my [Prey Spores]."

Hinami’s body jittered at the sudden puffs of cigarette smoke blown into her left ear. Jumping away for just a moment, she blinked twice looking dead at Cecilia.

”Y’know, I never liked the smell of cigarette smoke. I remember that Otō-san used to smoke them all the time.” Hinami said.

”Glitterdust, huh? Never heard of it, must be unlike the Taoist sorcery my family practices.” Hinami made a small sigh, pausing for a moment.

”So, you of course probably realize that I was listening to everything you and my Nee-san were discussing. About our past, our relationship, and…me..”

Hinami was oddly, articulate, in her current discussion with Cecilia this morning. She didn’t speak with the simplistic candice or poutfulness of a child. She spoke, well, like a typical young woman would.

"I regret to inform you, your traumatic backstory is not going to stop me from smoking," Cecilia says, "Continue, however."

”Umm, I wasn’t telling you whether you can smoke or not…” Hinami replied. ”Before I got sick, I used to think that people who smoked actually looked kinda cool doing it, despite not liking the smell.” She let out a small laugh before continuing. ”Apologies for the tangent. You know, I don’t think I ever actually told my sister about the thoughts I had in my final moments. I was so sick that I barely remembered them at first. But, meeting you and having you peer into my mind like some kind of psychic, I’ve somehow started to regain more sense of my past life.”

Hinami began to intently eye the cigarette that Cecilia was holding, inspecting it a bit.

”I had no idea of the burden she placed on herself. While I was bedridden, I wondered why she would fuss over me so much. I was as good as dead anyway, so why did it matter? I wanted her to live a good life for the both of us, and made peace with being taken to the gates of the afterlife. When I was first brought back, I didn’t have a conscious mind, just a feral instinct to feed and rage. Overtime, the essence of my mind began to return. I was happy, I suppose, but maybe that was just because I didn’t know any better. My sister, she was…truly lost…wasn’t she? ”

Cecilia would reach into her breasts, and pull up a second cigarette, "Take it. They won't bite.”

Looking at the cigarette for a moment, Hinami would take the bud from Cecilia. Snapping her fingers, she lit it using a small blue flame. Putting it in her mouth, she took her first puff, but quickly began coughing it up.

”Ugh!” She exclaimed with vitriol. ”I can’t see this being an acquired taste! The obsession older people have with bitter tasting things is lost on me!”

She tossed the bud to the side, taking a moment before she stomped it as she forgot that it needed to be put out.

”Well, as I was saying, Sis was so focused on me that she neglected herself. She wanted to heal me, but I think it’s time she allowed herself to heal. If forcing herself to be my caretaker is the root cause of that, then I’ll become my own caretaker. I think it’s only right by the captain and everyone else that I help rescue Takeshi-Dono’s father, but after that…”

Cecilia would raise a hand, and pull time back in the cigarette. "These are no cheap, and I have so few,” she says, "Just because you're shit at holding smoke doesn't mean you can waste my things, but..." she smirked, "...the actualization was nice to see."

"However, moving on, unless you'd like to try again, continue your thought.”

”After that, I’ll be leaving this place. I think I’ve had enough kill-or-be-killed to last me a lifetime, and it’s not like we’re soldiers or anything. But, I don’t think I’ll be leaving with my sister and my brother-in-law. This is something that I have to do alone. She’ll likely be upset, even though she ultimately wanted it. But it’s only right that I make the first step.”

"Uh-huh,” Cecilia says, "Nothing I can do. I'm not stopping you."

I'm”I don’t see why you would, unless you want me all to yourself?” Hinami said, chuckling a bit. ”I kid, I kid. But, having a conversation like this with you makes me feel, I dunno, good I guess? Given what you’ve done for us, it feels nice that I can talk with you about my earnest feelings. Whelp, my sister thanked you, so I suppose I should too.”

Hinami, as her sister before her, made a formal bow as she stood up.

”Thanks a bunch, Cecilia-san. I don’t think my mind has ever had such clarity before. I’ll make sure it doesn’t go to waste!”

Cecilia relaxed on her palm, and looked up, "And, what if I said that I do? Then, what,"

Smoked filled the air, "I saw something in your memories, too. Before Kerry, there was you. I saw myself. Unseen by you, but recorded - watching, wanting, spying."

"Hindsight is truly crystal clear..."

Standing, Cecilia would flick her cigarette - the flame going out - as she passed Hinami. "I can't really say what I wanted from you, for us," she admits, "Maybe, I just wanted sex. Maybe, I wanted a family. Maybe, I wanted to see you rebel. Between Atsuha and Skarsneek, I could never get close, and now..." Cecilia sighed, "Maybe is just a fancy sign on a fork in the road, saying “Yes” or “No”. I'll be seeing where “No” takes me."

Hinami looked back at Cecilia as she passed her by. She didn’t really know what to say in response to her final statement. But, a part of her felt sad, for some reason.

”Well, I guess it’s time to prepare to go down my fork in the road as well.” Hinami made a sigh of her own.

”Farewell, Cecilia Lewis. You truly were one of a kind. I sincerely hope that you one day…find a true friend.”

The click of lighter would be the only reply, as the flame crackled, and Cecilia blew smoke into the air; the cloud washing over her, and becoming a smokescreen for her to vanish into.

A Mad Hatter was, first and foremost, a magician, and Cecilia didn't say goodbye, if she didn't want to.

Liliana had expected thanks from a Varjan sometime between now and never, so hearing that Na’kratz wanted to see her and Skarsneek was surprising. More than surprising, really, it didn’t sound real. He was a butcher…and Liliana had seen what he’d done during her last mission.

"Well…I guess I have a little time before the meeting. What do you think Skarsneek? You’re smart, and this smells like a trap to me," the fairy said, nodding to her own brilliant deduction that the evil guy might be up to no good.

”Hmm, it’s definitely one. Probably even just to mock or feed us false information.” He said to her while tapping his chin before shrugging. ”But let’s hear it out.”

”Just be wary, I don’t got any magic protection on me and they could use spells to befuddle the mind. So I’m depending on you.” Skarsneek pointed to his ears. ”Wouldn’t be the first time they have something like that.”

"Sounds like a plan! I’ll make sure to give you a boost before we head in, just in case,” Liliana said, proudly holding her sword aloft. She didn’t know if Na’kratz really could affect their minds that much with an arm out of commission, but better safe than sorry. An anti-magic field spell outside the hut should do the trick.

With their half-formed plan fully baked to make sure the Varjan couldn’t manipulate or befuddle them with magic, it seemed time for the duo to march on over for their meeting.

”Speaking of which, what’s up with….Alice, Cecilia or whomever she’s going by now? ” He asked the fairy as they walked together. ”It wasn’t so long she disappeared, and each time, she came back different.”

It’s like months or years past rather than just the weeks they’ve been here. That, and he just wanted something to fill in the silence. Feels like he had been missing others with how busy he’s often was.

"You came to the right fairy to ask that! So…basically, Alice is Cecilia, but Alice is sort of like…like a suit of armor that Carroll makes. But Alice has her own thoughts and feelings. Cecilia is who’s been underneath that this whole time, and she seems to not like it when people treat her like Alice. We got in a huuuuuge fight over it,” Liliana explained, looking a bit sad before continuing her explanation.

"Lady Alice is gone for the time being, so…Cecilia is Cecilia from now on. I think. Oh, and she kept getting almost killed, so her brain reset a few times. Carroll lost her memories too.

Skarsneek and Liliana soon arrived at the medical huts, where many of the more gravely-injured refugees stayed. When they asked for the prisoner Na’kratz, a nurse guided them to a corner in one of the huts. There, the Amethyst Prince lay on a simple mat; stripped of his armor and armaments and wearing simple villager clothes though his large build made the outfit quite tight. He was sitting upright with a blanket over his lower body.

Na’kratz immediately spoke as soon as the nurse left. “First of all, I’d like an apology for being… mistreated as a prisoner of war.” He was gesturing with his remaining hand. “Secondly, just because you saved me doesn’t mean I owe you anything. Let’s make that clear.”

“Although, that doesn’t mean you can’t ask me any questions. No promises if you don’t like the answer, though. Hehehe…” The Amethyst Prince chuckled ominously. “I can also offer advice… if you’ll hear them.”

”Well, how’s Takeshi father and who awaits us if we wanna get to him?” Skarsneek went to the point after sharing a glance at Liliana before crossing his arms.

"And what do the Varjans even want here?" Liliana added, before hastily adding: "Oh, and, sorry that you got shot. At least, sorry for the part where you got hurt after the fight was over. That stunk."

“Takeshi’s… Lord Oja? Oh, don’t you worry about his health. We’re taking real good care of him since he’s the only one who can tell everybody in this backwater island to surrender. We both know the Shizuyamans hate you monsters than us Varjans. Hehehehe…” Na’kratz was pleased hearing his own answer. “I reckon he’ll be pretty guarded. You off to save him? You realize that he’ll cut off all of the taskforce’s heads and their collaborators the moment he gets a sword, right? Hahahahaha!” He taunted Skarsneek and Liliana.

“As for why we’re here, well… Can’t friends visit each other once in a while?” Looks like Na’kratz wasn’t going to answer that particular question. “And thanks for the apology. I’ll try not to make your death painful once the opportunity comes, okay? Hahahaha!”

”Hmph, hardly necessary.” Skarsneek waved his hand in annoyance, resisting the urge to just return the favor. ”Guards huh, probably one of those Blood Hounds? I presume they're better suited than your division.”

Skarsneek was somewhat aware of the relations between the Varjans army, some of them were more rivals and at each other throat at times. He hoped that goading him would make Na’Kratz reveal more.

"Takeshi’s smart, even if his dad hates monsters, he’s probably got a plan cooked up to get him on our side," Liliana said, putting her hands on her hips as she flatly denied the idea that as soon as Lord Oja was freed that they’d be toast. "Besides, as much as he might hate monsters, I bet he hates people butchering his land and people even more."

Na’kratz laughed some more at Liliana’s reply. “Wanna bet on that, little fairy?” The Amethyst Prince offered. “Remember, these people have fought and hated your kind far, far longer than our… visit here.”

“And it’s ‘World Hounds’, Goblin.” Na’kratz addressed Skarsneek. “And no, they’re probably not guarding Lord Oja. There’s not that many of them here and the last thing those crazies wanna do is stand around and guard something.” He answered. “It’s the Scarce Legion that has been tasked by our Queen Leyanne to subdue this island, so they’re the bulk of the invasion force. Anyone who isn’t probably just tagged along. Like yours truly.”
“And I’d be careful on placing your trust in that Takeshi boy.” The Varjan added. “If he truly was smart, he should have surrendered and joined us rather than throw his lot with you. Ahahahahaha!” Na’kratz seem to enjoy the sound of his annoying laugh.

”And if your leaders were smart, they’ll call this invasion off from the get go.” Skarsneek waved his hand as even conquering this backwater island, won’t actually lead them any closer to properly conquering Zipangu. Even with a proper foothold.

All of this was a delaying action, and Zipangu was getting closer to marshalling its own forces that far outstrip the Varjans here.

That’s also not mentioning the politics near Varjan as no doubt, other nations and even the Demon Lord factions was already moving.

Skarsneek won’t claim to know everything however, and perhaps it was an action meant to stir all of them up, perhaps not. It wasn’t the first time Varjo decided to extend its hand out of the delusion that it can but didn’t stopped to think if it should.

But still, he gotten some information. Now to crosscheck them with the others before making a plan.

Skarsneek shared one last look with Liliana, indicating he’s done here.

Liliana would huff and cross her arms, sharing an identical look back to Skarsneek.

"Yeah! You guys’re going down, so…enjoy your cushy hospital bed while we send the Varjans packing. "

With her words said, Liliana would get ready to leave with Skarsneek, feeling like this wasn’t worth them coming out here just to meet the smug butthead. She thought she might have to rough the Varjan up for answers, but it sort of felt like…they’d wasted their time? Or maybe this was all some devious distraction? Whatever the case, Liliana would sneak in some last minute training before meeting up with the others.

It was time for the final showdown…for now. Probably. Hopefully forever in this crazy rebellion.

Step back for a moment, and rewind, to a time before lovers parted ways, before comments were made, and stones were set to be thrown, and set a lonely stage; a table for two, an occupant of one. In the darkness before the rising of the sun, Carroll sat alone before a steaming cup of coffee, and a simple cup of water - neither heated nor chilled, filled with nothing, at rest. A testament to her relationship, so that she was the murky, brackish liquid of energy and naught else, while Eula was the clear, purposeless liquid awaiting direction, yet pure and untainted by anything.

As she sipped her coffee, the billowing steam float into the air, Carroll looked to the ceiling, to the future, as one often did, and thought about about her Automaton; about her proclivities; about her penchants; about her limitations; about her purpose - inside Eula, etched into her core, two preprogrammed ideals lay dormant, prepared to interfere, and control her in the act of breaking predetermined contracts of... existing... as she was.

Even if she couldn’t quite remember how, Carroll knew she has extracted one - her left arm had succeed an unknown tug-of-war of conceptual “right” and “wrong” born of two, and place in one.

A burden, o’ so slight, had been lifted off Eula, but...

...there was shaking that something else lurked in the darkness.

It had made itself clear.

It created friction, whether or not it was faced or addressed, but it couldn’t be erased.

Sighing, Carroll would set her cup down, and rub her temple with her discolored fingers.

"What am I gunna do..."

There was only so much that could be done for things beyond control, beyond memory…and, as a complex machine of simple pleasures, Eula would rise early, but not quite as early as Carroll.

Sitting at the table across from Carroll, she would slide over an equal portion of their shared breakfast, a dish of rice, fish, some seasoning, and a savory, salty sauce that Eula had learned how to make in her time on the island. “Good morning," Eula said, surprised to see Carroll up and out of bed before her.

“It’s barely so,” Carroll says, “The sun has yet to rise.”

"More time for us then. Today is the big day…isn’t it?" Eula said, eyeing her water before holding the cup and taking a drink.

“Yeah,” Carroll says, “There’s lot of rumbling. I saw the Fairy flittering around, and the Goblin skulking about. Seems shooting that Varjan didn’t agree with them.”

"It seems so…" Eula said, unaware that her hand was shaking holding the glass.

“Seems you are in that camp, as well,” Carroll says, coolly.

Eula was silent, trying to raise the cup to her mouth before accidentally spilling it on herself, irritation in her eyes as she brushed water from her neckline.

“Bottling it up does nothing for you,” Carroll says.

"I don’t know what else I can do…" Eula admitted.

“Talk to me,” Carroll says, lifting up her discolored arm, “A husband is supposed to listen to her wife, after all.”

"I’m afraid. I’ve never felt like this before…" Eula said, shuddering.

“You’ve never been in this situation, most likely,” Carroll says, “The memories in this arm are kind, pleasant - pedestrian.”

"They are?" Eula questioned, gently taking Carroll’s hand.

“I see a village, a peaceful place, where boring is the main comfort, and simplicity is the norm,” Carroll says, “A kind, old man without the power to judge, or perhaps... no desire to in his old age,” she says, “All he offers is food to a lost Mamono, and sparks a curiosity unbidden...”

Carroll smirked, “About food, of all things.”

Eula would blush just a smidgeon, her cheeks turning a color not seen by many in the task force. "...Nothing wrong with enjoying food…"

“Not a thing,” Carroll says, “But, it’s rather goofy, you must admit.”

"Is not…" Eula said, shyly turning her gaze away. "But…I would like if, once this is all done, that the task force can sit down for a meal together. To celebrate our victory."

“I don’t think that’s something that can happen,” Carroll says.

"Why is that," Eula questioned, staring at Carroll.

“I’m considering... leaving,” Carroll says, “After we deal with this business with Takeshi and his father, it is best that Cecilia and I attend to our goals,” she says, “Salvarsion and Wonderland need to be liberated. This place, its people, they will have to sort out their problems.”

There was a long pause as Eula came to understand what Carroll was saying, her arm trembling as she held her empty glass. "You’re…leaving, then?"

“I know, in my heart, I have no stake in this war. I have a civil war in my homeland, and Cecilia has a revolution to raise in hers,” Carroll says, “If Shizuyama falls... so what?”

Eula would clench her hand, cracking the cup before she set it down as gently as she could. "...Then…is this goodbye?"

“It doesn’t have to be,” Carroll says, “You can come...” she says, “Sure, it’s another war, and another, but... there’s no Humans involved.”

Eula froze at Carroll’s words, looking down at her cup. Fractured, but holding together.

"...I…want to be at your side. Wherever that is."

“Do you,” Carroll asks, “or are you just saying that?”

"I know it hasn’t been long, but…" Eula would tenderly grab Carroll’s hand, still trembling as she continued with: "I want to remain with you."

“Even if my path is one of bloodshed of our people, of our kind,” Carroll asks. “You are resistant to killing Humans, but can you so freely take the lives of Mamono?”

"...I don’t know. I don’t relish the thought of killing anyone. But…more will die needlessly if I do nothing. Clean hands will not build anything in an empty world," Eula said, curling her fingers around Carroll’s hand.

“That is true...” Carroll says. “Perhaps, we only need to fight one war, in all honesty...” she says, “I don’t want my mother’s throne. If we take Salvarsion, perhaps, you and I can stop there.”

"We’ll just have to see, won’t we?" Eula said, before delicately netting her fingers with Carroll’s to pull her in close for a chaste kiss on the cheek.

Carroll snickered, as she warmed her cheek, “How maidenly you are.”

Eula would sit back down, cutting into her breakfast. "I need fuel before I do unmaidenly functions."

“How naughty...” Carroll smirked.

Eula blushed, steam shooting out of her ears. "Shush."

“You said it,” Carroll says, “My little food queen needs her num-nums to give up her yum-yums,” she teased, perfectly content to be husbandly cringe, “That’s so cute.”

Eula would get up and take her plate to go before her ears shot more steam, a soft whistle escaping her head as she escaped extreme cringe flirting. "...Fool," she muttered before heading off to mentally prepare herself.

Carroll giggled her ass off, before standing up, “I best speak to Cecilia. I’m sure she will be aligned to this idea.”

And so, with another aligned to Cecilia’s war, Eula would resign herself to fight again. For however long, she had no idea. But…surely peace had to lay somewhere past war.

“Oh, Eula...” Carroll says, “Don’t speak to Liliana about this. Last we left, it seems Shizuka attempted to stop us, and that drew us back here,” she says, “Better, this time, he doesn’t find out, and the Fairy will not be able to keep a secret.”

Eula would look back before solemnly nodding. …She was pretty sure Liliana couldn’t keep anything a secret.

Content, Carroll would leave to seek out Cecilia - but, not before extending her right arm to pop Eula in her butt.

Eula’s hand would reach out as well, before reciprocating on Carroll before she left. Tit for tat.

“Save me a place at the meeting, seems our esteemed leader would like to speak with us later,” Carroll says, “Cecilia and I will catch up. Love you.”

Eula would return a small smile in kind. "Love you too," She said before departing to meet with Takeshi and the rest of the task force.

Carroll would slip into the temple ground, taking to the high ground to wait for Cecilia to appear... and take a nap. She could do both at the same time, after all. Benefit of being attached to Cecilia’s mental, if she felt anything hyper-emotional, Carroll would feel it - autonomic defense and all.

Settling down, Carroll would drift off, and wait...

An early riser, though, not as early as Carroll, but most so than most, Cecilia would greet the morning with a cup of tea and a raspberry tart.

Life is... adequate, she mused, unsure if it was better to the positive or more towards the negative. It was staunchly middle-of-the-road, at the moment.

The high of Gwendolyn’s birth had wore off, her first moment still echoed in Cecilia's head, and the warmth of her jelly shell still clung to Cecilia's skin, but the reality of the matter stood at the forefront: Gwen was in another castle, under Pandora's care.

The moment was gone, and reality settled back in: war remained.

Not her war. Not Carroll's war.

These people around her.

Cecilia looked down at her hands, memories of blood - of her people, the Chessmates, and the Mamono they faced in a never-ending war game. Shizuyama didn't understand what she gave up, every second, to be here, and who she gave up to stay here. It infuriated her, and that was enough to awaken Carroll from her nap.

Sensing Cecilia's rousing anger, the Cursed Sword would be able to find and intercept her on the path to the market square. The entire thing with gathering everyone could wait. There wasn't any reason to rush to Takeshi’s side and indulge him in his drama, as he'd never done the same when they were in crisis from the different accounts she's gotten.

He didn't care about her plight, and she didn't care about his. Simple-as.

There was no quid pro quo.

“Cecilia, walk with me,” Carroll requests, catching Cecilia at the end of her tea, as she watched over a sleeping Kerry.

"Something on your mind,” Cecilia asks.

“And yours,” Carroll says.

Cecilia sighed, and stood up. Sitting her teaware down, she would kiss Kerry's forehead, before falling in step with Carroll, who'd already left without notice, and full expectation to be followed.

"I hate when you do that,” Cecilia says, "It's very annoying. I don't like playing catch-up.”

“I don't wanna watch you kiss your wife, dork,” Carroll says, as they pathed through the barracks, and decided how she attack this, “Four walls, three hots, and a cot...” she says, “Isn’t kinda crazy, we're supposed to be saving these people, and they put us in a glorified prison.”

Cecilia paused. If she stepped back, she could accuse Carroll of being disingenuous, and uncharitable to a personal degree. However, there was truth to her words. Terauchi Temple wasn't the most glorious place to establish a base, but it did come off as more of a prison than a place of residence.

"I don't like that you're wrong, and I don't disagree,” Cecilia says. "This hovel is a prison, and we are prisoners; contractually-leashed dogs of war. These people don't trust us, and won't trust us,” she says, "Takeshi has seemingly done little to nothing to endear us to these people, and it doesn't seem like the matter will settle in our favor, if we rescue his father, from what groundswell I've heard.”

"And, so, the matter of what I wanted to discuss: leaving,” Carroll says. "After we rescue their Lord, let's leave for Lescatie, and finish your war in Salvarision, and then, our war in Wonderland,” she says, "After that, I'll take Salvarision off your hands and you take Wonderland off mine. Equal and fair trades.”

"As all things should be, perfectly balanced,” Cecilia nodded. "I assume you've broached this matter to Eula, since you seem smitten with the epicurean?”

"She wishes to stand by my side,” Carroll says, "She's hesitant to leave, but she holds our relationship and my dream higher than this lot does.”

"I'm sure Kerry will not take much convincing,” Cecilia says, "There is the matter of the contract between Pandora and I, but I think I have some wordplay to keep that working,” she smirked, "I’ll see to talking to her about it. And only her.”

"I've already told Eula to keep silent about this,” Carroll says, "Shizuka will likely try to stop us like he did before. And, if Liliana is to find out, he will definitely find out.”

Cecilia nodded, "Agreed. We'll keep this covert. I'll book passage to Lescatie and we'll leave before anyone can stop us. No goodbyes.”

"Sounds like a plan,” Carroll says.

With a final look, the two would part paths from the alley they'd tucked into to speak in private.

As Carroll bled back onto the main street, and Cecilia slipped through the alleys to seek out Kerry, as she’d passed shortly before Cecilia thought to kill their supposed “ally” in Revuel, only to be stopped by Atsuha, the Cursed Sword would consider the matter handled, and hop onto the rooftop, looking around.

Everyone was starting to gather to hear out their leader, and she saw Eula, dutiful as always, gathered.

Smiling, she started to hop off, but saw Shizuka making his way. A moment of pause took her, and she hopped off - not to her wife, but her paramour, and landing in front of the Shizuka.

“Samurai...”

Shizuka, seeing Carroll land before, stopped for a moment as he neared the courtyard. ”Samurai?” He said. ”I haven't thought of myself as one for quite a long time. How fare you, Lady Blade?”

“How do I fare,” Carroll asks, “Eh. I’m here, until I’m not. And, you?”

”Heh. Oh, I'm just fine.” He responded. ”I understand that this all must seem strange to you, but you seemed to have adjusted well enough.”

“A sword leads a simple life,” Carroll says, pressing her right hand to her belly, “Well, I guess, I’ve hardly led a simple life, in earnest...” she says, “But, complexity has offered me interesting experiences, and perspectives...”

“As well as choices... and mistakes...”

”I wouldn't doubt it.” Shizuka responded. He stared at her a moment, allowing a brief awkward silence between them. In particular, he was looking at where she held her right hand.

”Carroll. Do you…remember anything? I mean, from before as you are now. ”

"Bits. Pieces. Like, impure fragments in memory,” Carroll says, "I don't fully forget things like Cecilia, but I don't have the power to irons those impurities...” she frowned, "But, I can forge them into a fragmented picture. Enough to say...”


Shizuka’s eyes widened as much as they naturally could, as the whole world seemed to stop around him.

”W-What…?” He managed to stutter out.

“I didn’t stutter,” Carroll says, before relaxing her form; her belly swelling, chest following en suit, before she settled into a form not too dissimilar from Kerry’s last known. “Walk with me, Samurai. There’s much we should discuss.”

“Time is wasting.”

”You’re…pregnant?” Shizuka said. ”I…I don’t…” Many thoughts were racing in his mind as he began to chat up with Carroll.

”We’re going to be a mother and a…father?”

"I don't know,” Carroll says, "There's no we, however. This place would see to that. The racial tension and divide is palatable,” she says, “Your fledgling lord has seemingly done nothing to make Mamono welcome and equal here...”

Carroll checked her nails, as she said, “They gave us a prison barracks to live in, while they have homes. Homes that they expect us to lay down our lives to secure day-by-day.”

Shizuka couldn’t find a retort to Carroll’s statement. Or, rather, he felt he shouldn’t. Lest he end up repeating the same conversation he had with Cecilia.

”Funny, I never imagined that I’d find myself ending up in the same position as Kerry…” He said. ”Given the situation, I imagine that Cecilia can do something similar for our child as she did for hers?”

“There will be little choice in the matter,” Carroll says, “She’ll have to do the same for herself, after all, if she’s going to be able to fight at full strength.”

Shizuka looked into Carroll’s eyes for a moment, dead silent. He was wondering what was going through her mind right now. She seemed so stoic it was hard for him to read her. But, he guessed she had similar grievances and sentiments.

”It appears, in an attempt to aid an ally, I made an irresponsible decision that has affected the group as a whole. I really am a hypocrite, aren’t I?” He said, in a half jovial and half defeated tone.

”Carroll-chan. What, if anything, do you need from me right now?”

“Something difficult to ask,” Carroll says. “As we are, neither Cecilia nor I can afford to raise a child. Cecilia managed with Kerry’s Mother, but I do not strike deals, and I do not see her amending their contract to host more than one,” she says, “It falls to you. They’ll look Human, like I do, like Cecilia does, so if you keep them secret, long enough, you can play them off as orphans of this reasonless war you wage.”

”I-I see…” Shizuka quickly understood what Carroll was implying. In addition to being the vice captain of the Taskforce, he would also have to take on another responsibility as well.

”When things calm down, I’ll have to talk with Revuel-san about getting back to the mainland where it’s safest. That is the natural decision. I wouldn’t want to burden Cecilia-san anymore either.”

“I would rather you not,” Carroll says, “Mamono are not Humans. From the womb, we are born stronger, faster, and tougher than a Human can dream to be,” she says, plainly, “Even a toddler can defeat a Hero. That fact alone is why the Varjans fight so desperately in this pathetic and pointless war of heroicized subjugation and suppression,” Carroll leaned back, “That isn’t to say, Mamono are guilt-free. There are plenty that lend credence to Varjo’s beliefs. Salvarsion is such an example, Cecilia’s people, the Chessmates, are Humans that were experimented on to be on the brink of Monsterization from birth, and are used as glorified chess pieces by exposure to Demon Energy, because that’s what Wilmarina’s lot finds amusing.”

“Both sides suck shit. Both sides are just. Two differing opinions can be held simultaneously, and two people can be just as right as they are wrong,” Carroll twirled a finger, before palming her belly, “I could consider this a mistake, a moment of passion gone wrong, but I choose to consider it someone more,” she says, “There will come a day, Shizuka, that we part ways. I have my own war to finish, and so does Cecilia. Wonderland and Salvarsion need our strength more than this, that’s what I believe, and I don’t see any change of Cecilia disagreeing. Her people deserve freedom, too.”

Carroll looked up, “However, you deserve to win your own war, as well, and what better to leave a swordsman that a sword that loves him without condition?”

”I- Wait! You…you just said them.” Shizuka said, focusing on a specific part of Carroll’s response. ”Does that mean…?”

“Them,” Carroll asks. “I don’t like word games. To the point, please.”

”You’re saying that we have TWO children?!” Shizuka exclaimed, his face adorned in a humorous blush.

"We, no. You, yes,” Carroll says, "Cecilia and I share a body as Alice. So, what goes inside me, ends up inside her, and vice versa.”

”I…I didn't think about that…” Shizuka did now remember that their biology did function in that way. By “copulating” with Carroll, he did so indirectly with Cecilia as well.

”But, to your other point: I'm aware of the power that mamono are born with. But I still don't like the notion of our children being made tools of a war they have nothing to do with. As you say, this is a senseless conflict, Carroll-chan.”

"If not this conflict, then another, or another, or another still, as Humans and Mamono will never see eye-to-eye,” Carroll says, "We can hope. We can strive. We can mend. But, darkness rises, strides shorten, and all things break...” she shifted her weight from left to right, "That is the simple Tragedy of Difference.”

”Such is life for the collective and the individual.” Shizuka said. ”However, I will say that things here in Zipangu aren't quite like they are in the western world. On the mainland, there are various communities where yokai and humans live together without strife. Shizuyama is an anomaly as far as the country as a whole goes.”

”All the same, they will be taken care of.” He said.

"It's not the most elegant of solutions, but... even a broken plate can be beautiful, once glued back together, so they say,” Carroll says.

Shizuka scratched the back of his head and stared off into space for a bit. ”A father is the last thing I ever would've imagined myself becoming when undertaking this favor.” He said.

”I'm…not sure if I can do this.”

"Nor am I, and it's not a chance I can take... My mother... The Queen of Hearts... I can't bring an heiress to her throne to Wonderland,” Carrol says. "This decision is selfish, yes, but... I trust you more than I can trust anyone else with her life,” she says, "I trust that you'll raise her normal and kind, whereas I would have to raise her cruel and callous to survive.”

”I see.” Shizuka said. ”What does Cecilia plan on doing with the other girl?”

"A conversation for you and her, but, likely, she would want them to be together, so...” Carroll smirked, "Twins, unless you want Kirei to have one?”

"Regardless of the overall decision,[” Carroll says, her tone changing from soft to solemn, "This represents something bigger than us, something bigger than Shizuyama, Wonderland, and Salvarision...” she pressed both hands to her swollen belly, "Cecilia's, my future child, these twin, and whatever comes of Liliana and Alice... they are second-generation Cursed Swords fused with something else. A Hornet. A Human. An Automaton. A Fairy.”

"These children are a new Race of Mamono, born of my mother's warped idea of love and creation passed down to me...” Carroll says, "These children will not be Cursed Swords by Race, but something new. It falls to me to determine that, and given my nature as a pair of scissors...” she looked up, beaming with confidence, "I'll call them: Dresskiteers.”

Shizuka's eyes lit up for a moment, but this time he caught himself and remembered the relationship he and Carroll shared.

”I honestly do know what kind of father my brother would be…” He said with a small, jovial tone.

”It seems the matter of their biology has been settled. What of their names?”

“Yuriko and Yuriha,” Carroll says, the names she’d used in that time frame.

”Those… Those are good names.” Shizuka said, his face adorned in a sincere smile. A single tear began to fall from his right eye.

”You know Carroll-chan, looking back, you've done more for me than I could've ever thought. But this… You give me, nothing more than a vagabond, the most precious gift anyone could receive. I took this mission as a way to repay Kyoukou-sama, only feeling I would receive a modest compensation for daily necessities. Now, I find myself in the same position as Kerry-san!”

Shizuka walked over to Carroll and embraced her. His arms gentled wrapped around her waist.

”Thank you, Carroll-chan. Thank you for giving this fool ronin new light.”

"This could be a gift or a curse, I don't know...” Carroll says, "I can only hope it's everything you could hope for, and you don't resent them.”

”My only wish is that they don't end up cursed.” Said Shizuka. ”I have concerns over what kind of life I could give them. I just hope I don't mess this up.”

"Talk to Cecilia, and then, when your... when the kid is done talking, bring her to me,” Carroll says, before she closed her eyes; her slime would shift and slide, and compress back into a normal, non-pregnant figure.

”I see. Very well, then.” He replied. ”What will you do?”

"I'm going to find Eula, and attend this so-called meeting,” Carroll says.

”I see. Then…I'll suppose you'll be off then,” Shizuka asked.

"Yes, but -- ” Carroll would launch onto her tiptoes, and capture Shizuka’s lips in a full and deep kiss, before setting back on her heels with a playful jut of her tongue and a cheeky wink, turning on her right heel, "Ganbatte~!” and heading off.

”!!” Before the so-called “Master of the Godstep” Shizuka could react, he found himself lipped locked with Carroll. Her cool breath, the warmth of her lips, her gentle touch, it would be apted to say that the swordsman…missed it somehow.

Which made it all the more bittersweet that it may be the last time.

”Arigato, Carroll-chan. Ki wo tsukete kudasai.” He said as she left.

Carroll would simply wave, as she walked off, and disappear around a corner.

It was up to Shizuka if he would seek out Cecilia next or save it for later.

Shizuka felt that he should speak to Cecilia again, but unfortunately time would not allow for it. They had to answer Takeshi's summon, and to prepare for the rescue of Lord Hideo. He would be sure to make time for her, and his other daughter.

Until then, he continued his way to the courtyard.

Leaving...

In concept, it was so simple.

Just leave? Hitch a boat, and bye; off to Lescatie, and we’re on our way?

Could she? Could they? Could... no, should... should was the better word.

Cecilia had to admit, the further they pushed on the path of this so-called Taskforce, the further she got from her own ambition. A stepping stone was all this was meant to be. There’s no part of her that believed she was truly aligned to save any people that were not her own.

Her people were Salvarisonian.

Her people were Wonderlandian.

Her people were not Shizuyaman.

Having the remark of Revuel in her mind, and the conversation with Hinami to push her forward, Cecilia would intercept Kerry before she could settle into the gathering of people and Mamono to listen to whatever Takeshi had to say, or whoever was planning to speak whatever rousing speech was planned, pulling her with a gentle, "We need to talk about something... serious."

Kerry blinked when Cecilia approached her, demeanor serious and contemplative.

”I’m listening.”, she replied, giving the mad hatter her full attention.

"Not here," Cecilia says.

Raising an eyebrow at that reply, Kerry glanced back toward the gathered meeting before grabbing her lover’s hand and guiding them just outside the temple gates, out of earshot of any prying ears.

”Okay, Cici, what’s up? You’re being awfully serious and we haven’t even started the meeting.”

"Once we save Takeshi’s father, Carroll and I are leaving," Cecilia says.

Again, Kerry blinked.

”...Leaving?”

"Carroll and I have decided to disengage from this war. She and I have too much on our plates, and this place... this people... they aren’t going to take part of a revolution to overthrown the ruling Mamono Lords of Salvarsion... they aren’t going to sacrifice their lives to end the civil war in Wonderland by killing a Lilim, and installing a new one... " Cecilia says. "These are Mamono problems. They aren’t."

”Okay, whoa, hold on.”, Kerry spoke, holding the mad hatter’s hands in her own. ”Cecilia, you’re suggesting we leave these people to fend for themselves? I…Wait, no. We can’t do that. Mainly, the contract you made with my mother.”

"My contract merely states that we need to save Shizuyama. That’s accomplished by saving Takeshi’s father. Done and done," Cecilia says. "After that, I can move the goalposts like a proper politician, and shift that to, ultimately, saving MY Shizuyama."

"Also, yes, I am," Cecilia says.

”Seriously? There’s no way it works like that. Sure, technically by saving Takeshi’s dad, we save the head of the Shizuyama’s fighting force, thus rekindling the people’s morale and spirit and giving them a fighting chance to take back their homeland- Oh my gods, it actually does work like that.”

Cecilia smirked, as Kerry realized how easy a contract was to circumvent.

”But still…”, the hornet continued, shaking her head. ”Is…this the right thing to do? One last mission and then let these people fend for themselves, not even knowing what the outcome will be when we’re gone? After the blood, sweat and tears we shed for them?”

”Is this…honorable?”

"Honor is in the eye of the beholder," Cecilia says, "Is it honorable to put my people, enslaved by Mamono Lords for centuries, above the Shizuyamans, threatened only because they are harboring Mamono," she asks, "Is it honorable to leave my kingdom in Wonderland in a state of eternal civil war, because I was asked to aid in this civil war?"

"That’s the tricky part of honor: what is truly so, and truly not?"

That question caused the mercenary to pause as she asked herself that same question. There were times in her travels that she was honorable. There were times where she definitely wasn’t. And so, she asked herself…

Was it honorable to leave a job half-finished?

No, it’s not…But then I became a mother…

Was it worth sticking your neck out for a group of people who’d have no qualms seeing you die in a ditch for them?

Hell no, it ain’t worth it. I almost want to say it’s not even a worthy cause…

Would it make sense that as soon as Heido is rescued and reunited with his kin, he would have Takeshi and the taskforce put to the sword, despite everything that was done for Shizuyama and her people?

...It would and you’d be a fucking fool to think otherwise.

Then is dying for them really honorable here?

...

Is it worth being away from Gwen, who dreams in temporal slumber?

....No.

Kerry returned her attention to Cecilia and sighed.

”That’s one hell of a point.”

"I do try," Cecilia says, "Still, ...I won’t demand you follow me. Just because we’re husband and wife doesn’t mean I’m going to control your life," she says, "If you wanna save Shizuyama, so we shall."

Kerry stepped in closer, her forehead touching Cecilia’s.

”Cici…You know I’d follow you anywhere. Once upon a time, I made a vow with Alice about making this place a home for Gwen. It seemed so long ago, thinking back on it. Times have changed and that Alice is no longer here…Gwen is safely somewhere…and honestly, this place has grown…tiresome. Shizuyama can be saved…”

A small smile formed on her lips.

”...but someone else can do it.”

Cecilia smirked, "Plenty of people around here."

”Exactly.”, Kerry smirked back. ”Besides, I’ve never been to Salvarsion. Is it lovely this time of year? ”

"I have no idea, after all, I haven’t been in almost a thousand years," Cecilia says, "But, winter was quite snowy when I was there. Snow and blood mix beautifully," she mused, "By time we finish this business here, perhaps we’ll arrive by the first snowfall, and make it a campaign in winter. Tell me, is there anything more poetic than an oath under snow?"

”Ever the romantic, whether it be a blade or other works. At any rate, if you want to leave, I’ll leave with you.”

"As long as you wish to," Cecilia says, "After all, we are leaving one war for another, and another still..." she says, "After Salvarsion is liberated, we’ll be leaving Carroll and Eula to rule it, and taking on Wonderland alone."

"...are you fine with that?"

The hornet chuckled before leaning in for a quick peck on Cecilia’s nose

”I’m cool with it. What I’m curious about is how you’re gonna break this to Liliana? I mean, she’s a knight. She’ll definitely feel some type of way about this.”

"I have zero intention to tell her," Cecilia says. "Last time I tried to strike out, Shizuka managed to plant seeds of return in my head..." she says, "If Liliana find out, she’ll blab eventually. So, Carroll and I have decided to break clean and quiet. Just you and Eula know, as you two can keep mum."

”Huh…yeah, I can see the wisdom in that. Kinda feel bad for Lili, though.”

"Not all endings can be happy," Cecilia says, "Without Carroll, I couldn’t become Alice, anyways, so... it’s for the better. I don’t wanna get her hopes up that someday the woman she fell in love with will return to her."

”Such are the choices we make.”, Kerry concurred as she looked back over to the gate. ”I think we should head on back before the others wondering where we went. Important pre-siege call to arms and all that.”

"Yeah, yeah, I suppose," Cecilia says, "To arms, to arms."

”Come on. It’s gonna be our last mission here in Shizuyama. Let’s get as much fun out of it as we can.”, Kerry said with a wink as she led Cecilia back toward the temple grounds, still holding her hand.

Hand-in-hand, Cecilia would look towards the future; uncertain, but determined - a journey with a destination, a path lain out for her; destiny to some; fate to others; a purpose to Cecilia. "Let’s go face our destiny, and have a crazy party!”" she beamed.

Picking Kerry up, Cecilia jumped into the air, and leap up the stairs before making short work of the return trip. Settling in, Cecilia would hold Kerry in her arms with a smile on her face. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Carroll holding a fussy Eula in the same bridal carry. Carroll tilted her eyes, and they met...

...and understood.

They’d make the most of this and hoist the sails as soon as the dust settled.

(REQUIRES ALL PLAYER CHARACTERS)

"I finally have all that I need to rescue my father from the Varjans. The only thing missing now is where the invaders have him imprisoned. I'm coming for you, father. Just wait a little longer."
-Takeshi Oja

"Lord Takamori's traitorous former student, Setsuna, is training Mongol archers across Shizuyama. Lord Takamori posits that she plans on attacking Omi Springs, his hometown and a refuge for villagers. We should meet with Lord Takamori as soon as possible."
-Takeshi Oja

"Sorae is on the hunt for Sogen, one of the conspirators behind her family's murder. To track him down, Sorae has asked us to speak with Ayu who may know where we can find him."
-Takeshi Oja

"One of the farms near Komatsu Bay looks like it's had some trouble. Someone should make sure the people there are all right."
-Takeshi Oja

A villager woman remarked to the taskforce member as the latter passed by.

"You better watch out if you're passing Yabo Forest, yokai. It's haunted by angry spirits... Dead samurai, eager to spill blood."

"People go into the woods and never come out. Varjan and Shizuyaman alike! The bodies that turn up have all been killed by Shizuyaman blades..."

A peasant man eating barbecued meat on a stick was startled when the taskforce member approached. It appeared he has news.

"Yokai! You have to tell Lord Takeshi, there is another samurai noble who survived Sanjo Beach. His name is Lord Tonchiki. He's in his abode southeast of here. If you go see him, I'm sure he would join your cause."

"Err, maybe not. I guess you'll need Lord Takeshi himself to convince him."

A villager sitting on some stone steps in the temple stood up when the taskforce member approached.

"Yokai, I've heard of a small resistance group gathering in the Imahama Area. I believe they're headed by that shrine priestess that started a fight here not too long ago."

"They're recruiting farmers and fishermen to their cause. Brave, but it'll be dangerous if they're not trained. Better take Lord Takeshi with you too or else it might be a fight again."

A peasant man warming his hands on a bonfire noticed the taskforce member passing by.

"Yokai, you must do something! It's Ayane's sake brewery in Imahama. That brewery is the pride of Shizuyama, but soon there will be none left. The Varjans are taking it by force."

Dozens of emotions and thoughts swirled in Shizuka’s mind currently, trying his best to hide it on his face. Carroll’s words had instantly changed his world, more so than anything else that happened since he had been in this remote region in Zipangu.

I am to be a father by Cecilia-san as well…? He thought to himself. But moreover, he wanted to know something else from the wayward queen. Eventually, he made his way over to her. Standing right in front of her, he would let his thoughts be known.

”Cecilia-san.” Shizuka started. ”You were going to follow your own path, whilst not telling me that you’d given me a child?”

"Carroll talks to much for a sword. It’s the fashion of a Mad Hatter to overspeak, our speciality even," Cecilia says, not addressing Shizuka with a look, her attention on her dagger, "That’s a bold claim, however, that I’ve given you anything of my own freewill. Mine is a proxy pregnancy - not my choice. Carroll’s mistake, made mine."

”....I see.” He responded. What she said was likely true, now that he thought about it. When he ravaged Carroll, his seed must’ve been shared to Cecilia - who was then Alice - and now she was made a mother without any say.

”I can understand this is likely awkward for you as well. But…why did you intend to say nothing on the matter?”

Cecilia sighed, before flipping her dagger like a coin; catching it - tip, then tail; tip, then tail; over and over; mulling over what to say...

"By the time it would have been a problem to concern you with, we would have been on the sea to Salvarsion."

In matters of Truth and Lies, the Truth will out to those you trust. Cecilia hated that she trusted Shizuka, even if she couldn’t pinpoint why in her own hazy memory.

”Still. Don’t you think it’s a bit impersonal and a bit too…detached?” Said the swordsman. ”I’m certainly not one to talk about being open with one’s feelings, but this is sort of important, wouldn’t you agree?”

"Important, in a sense. I wouldn’t disagree, but... you weren’t to know," Cecilia says, plainly, "It’s not out of cruelty, but respect. Forgiving a mistake you couldn’t have know you’d make. I’d be remiss, hypocritical, too, considering how Gwen came to be," she says, "Bedding the Hornet after a single proposition? Not too dissimilar to bedding a Cursed Sword after one sparring session."

"Difference is: Mamono can afford to play fast and loose. Humans, with your finite lives, cannot."

Cecilia caught her dagger by the tip, "I never planned to tell you, because I never would burden someone else with matters I can handle. That’s why I’m going to save my people, the Chessmates, whoever of them remains, once this matter of rescuing your Lord is done, and his son is placated."

”...? My Lord?” Shizuka said. Pausing for a moment, he could only respond with a light chuckle. ”I hear and understand you, Cecilia-san. I still would’ve like to learn that I was going to be a father from the woman who’s supposedly giving birth to my child, but I respect where your sentiments came from.”

”Ironic that Kerry and I would end up in similar situations, after I scolded her.” He said. ”As for the coming battle, I certainly don’t intend for our children to end up orphans. This wayward blade that serves the teachings of Teikoku Arashi will see to our victory.” Shizuka said with a calm surety.

"Yes, your Lord, Hideyoshi or whatever his name is. Takeshi’s father. I wasn’t listening to his prattle, once the objective was clear enough," Cecilia says, "And, it’s an egg. Literally. Not a child," she placed her hand on her belly, wistfulness overtaking her expression, "Not yet..."

In the span of a moment, Shizuka can see her run the painful gambit of acceptance that: what’s inside her... will never know her.

Lasping in her magical disguise, Cecilia’s belly swells with the presence of the heavily defensed egg. Same as Carroll had. The truth lain bare.

Shizuka could feel the permission to approach, engage, but he would have to take it of his own accord, because he could tell that it was just Cecilia’s Mamono Instinct speaking.

The Chessmate underneath hadn’t given her permission.

Shizuka was oddly amused by Cecilia’s dismissal of Lord Takeshi and his imprisoned father. Rather than ponder on it, he decided to follow Cecilia’s invitation and began walking closer to her. He then gently placed his hand on her belly, rubbing it.

”You know, it’s funny, I…think I was almost a father once. A long time ago, back when I was barely an adult myself. I always just keep my nose in the dirt and just thought everything would fall into place if I just kept swinging my sword.”

"I’ve probably sired countless children, but I’ve never mothered one," Cecilia says, "Mad Hatters are notorious cheats, talkative and crafty. My husband was stolen by a Mad Hatter, then I stole her throat and what was mine..." she looked up, "My first child was truly born as most are: by force."

Shizuka listened intently to Cecila’s words, ironic since he likely saw glimpses of her past, and vice-versa.

”You and Carroll-san already knew what happened to my lover. To Yuriha… It’s something that I’d like to avoid either you or Kerry-san having to go through.”

"I’m a fair sight more tempered. Kerry’s reckless, but not foolish," Cecilia says, "Still, the sentiment is appreciated."

Cecilia flipped her dagger, and removed her hat; the weapon disappearing within.

"Do you judge me, Shizuka, knowing my first act as a Mamono was to do as Mamono do, and take another woman by force, pushing upon her a child that has never known me, and lived as a symbol of revenge, because I have never claimed to be more than a Human," Cecilia asks. "I judge me. Every day. That line I hold firm to is thinning, the further and further I stray from my cause. And, for a brief moment... I thought... that revengeful side of me had forced herself upon Kerry."

"What if... next time... I’m not so lucky?"

”I do not think it is my place to judge you, Cecilia-san.” Said the ronin, flatly. ”You had a new existence forced upon you, one that you didn’t ask for or had time to acclimate to given the circumstances. But, not all mamono are bad. Yuriha, she was so warm and jovial. She was always happy, doting, and more than anything, my well being always came first to her.”

Without thinking about it, Shizuka placed his hand on Ceclia’s cheek. ”You seem to feel remorse for your past actions, which means you have a conscience. As for Kerry-san, she is a mamono too, you know. That act seems to be moreso a display of passionate feelings between consenting adults. If she has any regrets, she hasn’t voiced them to me.”

Shizuka began to rub some of his fingers through Cecilia’s hair as he spoke.

”You are you, Cecilia Lewis. A queen, a proud warrior, and a lover. If you feel your strength or heart waver, think of us.” He said in a reassuring tone.

"You’re more charming than you let on, Bandit~" Cecilia mewled, tilting her head with a smirk.

”Quite so, isn’t he?”

Invading the close space between Cecilia and Shizuka, Kerry appeared, her upside down face glaring at the ronin as she hovered above the duo.

”Not enough to put a baby in Carroll, you had to put one in my husband by proxy, as well? Speaking of which…”

The hornet whipped her sharp gaze toward the mad hatter.

”You! At what point were you going to tell ME about this!?”

"Somewhere south of Never, and north of Ever, due east of For, and west of Evermore," Cecilia says, before pecking Kerry’s nose with a cheeky kiss.

”D-Don’t be cute about this, Cecilia! ”, protested Kerry, trying her damnedest to not blush from the romantic gesture. ”Communication and trust is a must and you know that!”

Landing beside the ronin and mad hatter, the hornet pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.

”You wanna know the clusterfucked up part about this is? I know how much this means to Cecilia to be carrying a child, so ultimately, I can’t and won’t call for her to abort it.”

"Most of my lovers communicate from their knees, and trust on their backs," Cecilia says, "You’re the first to do either on her feet."

Cecilia’s expression turned solemn, "As for that second... even if the roles were reverse, and the worse was to be the case... my people are like few... or all gone... so, you’d have to kill me to stray me off the path."

”Don’t be so dramatic…is what I would say if I didn’t know you know you so well.”

Walking over to her lover, Kerry gently took Cecilia’s face into her hands.

”Definitely wasn’t expecting Gwen to have a half sibling on the way.”

"I’m a lifetime of surprises," Cecilia says.

”Uh yeah, no shit there, Madam Socialite.”

"Queen Socialite, thank you. Mad Hatters are Ladies of the Court," Cecilia says, smugly.

Kerry rolled her eyes as she turned her attention back to Shizuka.

”You’re taking responsibility, by the way. I know you know, but it has to be said.”

Shizuka drew an innocent smile at Kerry’s first words when she arrived.

”As I’ve been told, the matter was not my fault.” He responded, although he frowned at Kerry's other statement, but did at least somewhat understand the sentiment.

”Indeed you are correct, I certainly didn’t expect to end up in the same predicament you are in Kerry-san, but here we are.”

"Predicament is rather harsh," Cecilia says. "Situation, perhaps."

”I say predicament for the sake of our children, their well being is what matters.” Shizuka responded.

”That goes without saying.”, Kerry concurred. ”Seems Gwen won’t be the only one who will need a safe haven from this shitstorm.”

"That could be said of many children," Cecilia says, "Perhaps, I am just being selfish, however."

”No, that’s just you being a dad…”

Kerry smiles as it was now her turn to give a quick peck on Cecilia’s nose.

”...and now a mom.”

Cecilia crinkled her nose, before chuckled, "I really can do it all, can’t I?" A beat would pass, before she stretched her arms, "I suppose, I’ll have to give my earnest to this hovel," and looked to the horizon, "I can’t return to my homeland a disgraced Queen, after all. Or, King, as it were. I’ve one Queen, after all."

"A Queen Bee, if you will," Cecilia smirked. "Though, I have aims for more. That part of me is selfish, and greedy."

”As long as you don’t get too greedy, it’s healthy to want things. With this news though, we definitely have to speed things up. So much so that I think even Liliana might notice.”

"Depends on what “too greedy” means,” Cecilia teased.

”What? Me and your Diamonds aren’t enough?”, Kerry quipped back, playfully bumping her lover with her hip.

Cecilia smirked. "You're something else,” she says.

”You know it, mi amor.”, the hornet replied with a wink.

Cecilia purred, Eskimo kissing Kerry's nose, as if they were all alone in the world. Mad Hatters were painfully affectionate, but classy about it.

As silent as an owl in the night, a fairy would fly away with secrets held tight beneath her wings. Things she wasn’t meant to hear after innocently trying to find some way to have confidence in the coming battle.

Shizuka decided to remain silent and smile at the scene of Cecilia and Kerry displaying affection toward one another. It was nice to see that Cecilia was slowly opening up to those around her, all things considered.

Public displays of affection that weren’t downright illegal didn’t last long, which left the matter of Eula and Carroll. Tucked away in the privacy of their own shared room, Carroll had opened up about the matters of her unborn child, and where to go from there. However, before they could press into the meat of the conversation, the metallic twosome would be visited upon by the fleshier side of the affair.

“I see a closed door means little, nowadays,” Carroll says, narrowing her eyes. “Judging from the look on his face, you’ve exchanged your half of the conversation...” she says, opening the floor for the swordsman to speak, “Well, out with it, then.”

”You know, Eula-chan, I imagine that you have some words for Cecilia-san as well. If you have anything to say, now would be the best time.” He said to the automation.

"I’m not sure what I would say," Eula admitted before looking down at her hand, gently tracing a finger around the outline of the hand that Carroll had exchanged with her. "Her prior children didn’t rise concern in me, although it would be nice to meet them…"

Oblivious to how this might technically be a breach of trust to suddenly find that your lover was pregnant with someone else’s child, Eula would estimate just how heavy a cursed sword baby had to be, being made of iron and all.

"Also, Shizuka, even Shizuyama customs usually include knocking before entering."

”My apologies, but I thought it appropriate that you should be made aware of the situation as well.” He said with an innocent smile. ”I hope you can overlook it just this once.” He looked at Carroll as well, noticing the annoyance in her tone and expression.

”Please excuse me, I promise I’m not the type to disturb those who are in their more…intimate moments.”

“We were just talking about the future...” Carroll says.

"A moment need not be private to necessitate knocking. If I barged in with you in the bathroom, knocking would be a bare minimum social etiquette piece,” Eula said, before, in a surprising display of playfulness, she would gently knock her hand twice against Shizuka’s sword sheathe.

Shizuka chuckled lightly at Eula’s teasing, eyeing her as she demonstrated etiquette using his blade.

”The future, eh? Seems that’s what everyone’s talking about this morning.” Shizuka said. Gazing upwards briefly. ”Children are a blessing, but having only obtained them before a fierce battle might be looked at as a curse.”

Shizuka looked around at the women around him. They were all technically a family now, in a sense.

”But, you could also say that it will steel our resolve all the more, giving us the will to fight with everything we’ve got!”

"We can only hope that a victory here gives this land the momentum it needs to end this war," Eula said, raising a clenched hand before transforming it into her stun blaster.

“Wars don't end on hopes and dreams alone...” Carroll says, holding her free hand.

"The cost of peace is blood spilled and bodies felled," Cecilia says.

”Whatever it takes.”, added Kerry with a twirl of Dusk before planting it to the ground. ”Our children will have a future. That’s not a promise, it’s a foregone conclusion.”

"It will be, no matter what," Cecilia says.

Shizuka looked around at everyone, he could see the determination and confidence in their eyes. They really were a family now.

”Well then, when Takeshi-Dono gives the word for the start of the mission, let’s not disappoint. For the future of our beloveds. Let their future be our strength!”

A knock would come at the door, showing someone didn't lack of manners. "Um…is anyone in there?” A familiar fairy asked.

“Goodness, someone that can knock, and it's the brainless Fairy...” Carroll says.

Eula would go to answer the door, finding a pensive looking Liliana standing at the door. "Is Cecilia here? She wasn’t in her room, and I…I needed to talk to her about something.”

"Something being,” Cecilia asks.

"Something important,” Liliana said, her body language conveying a strange look of insecurity that few had ever seen the fairy express.

"You pregnant,” Cecilia asks, quirking an eyebrow. "I didn't do it. I think.”

"No! Its about something else important. Can we talk? …Alone?” Liliana requested, while Eula looked back at Cecilia to see how she’d answer.

Cecilia tilted her head, before shrugging. "Alright, then," she says.

Eula would get out of the doorway to let Cecilia leave, wondering what Liliana had to talk about that was worrying her so much…

Cecilia would follow Liliana for as long as she wished to lead, curious what the Fairy wanted to discuss.

"First of all…I’m sorry. I overheard most of what you all were talking about. I just thought everyone was getting excited before the big battle and…" Liliana would shake her head, pink locks flying around. "No. I’m not making excuses. I eavesdropped, and that’s wrong, and unknightly, but I did it so now I know and…a-are you all..really leaving?"

Cecilia's expression was unreadable, as she reached into her hat, and retrieved her cigarettes, before sitting on a chair that was invited into existence. "Never took you for the nosy type,” she says. "To answer: yes.”

"I see," Liliana said simply. "That's probably for the best…right? Babies aren’t safe here, and…a-and…" any attempt by the fairy to be rational and composed, sensible and mature was cracking at the seams as tears started to hit the dirt, dripping from her face as she held back quiet sobs. As much as she didn’t want a goodbye to happen…and as much as she rationalized it, she didn’t want to say those words.

The scent of sweet dreams in the form of smoke would be ushered into the air from between Cecilia’s lips, as she exhaled. "For the best, no. Hardly. I have plenty of safeguards... for myself and infants alike,” she says, "I never wanted to be here. I thought I could find belonging, but my home is beyond the sea and beyond the veil. And, they both need me.”

"Takeshi won't divert aid to Salvarision or Wonderland, so why should I continue supplying aid to Shizuyama,” Cecilia asks.

Liliana didn’t have an answer. She wished that she did, but she didn’t. Once Lord Oja was free, the war effort would probably turn around, but it would get tenser in the temple once the monster-hating lord was back in control.

"Leaving isn't just for the sake of myself, but the fact that we represent a united front within the Taskforce that isn't under Takeshi’s thumb,” Cecilia says, "If the Varjans are the threat without, then Caroll, Eula, Kerry, and I are the threat within," she says, "and when faced with threats within and threat without, you clean house first and foremost."

Cecilia blew smoke into the air, "Lord Heido will put us to the sword before he does anything else.”

"Whimsy keeps making fun of me for not knowing what to do. But…I really don’t," Liliana said, wiping her eyes. "I know you’re probably right. I’m dumb, but I’m not stupid." Despite the logic of it, there was difficulty in Liliana’s mind. She’d promised to help, but could she really turn away from her vow and go somewhere else? She could already imagine Peony and Camelia making fun of her for chickening out.

"What you do is what your heart tells you to do,” Cecilia says, before flicking ash off her cigarette and offering it to Liliana. "You are dumb, but you aren't stupid, just confused and brave with a path before you that demands you acquiesce to fear."

"Cecilia…I-I need time to think. And…I think I need to do it alone. Really alone," Liliana said, holding Whimsy up, then turning to Cecilia and offering her. "Can you keep Whimsy out of trouble before the battle?"

"I'm not doing anything important, so why not,” Cecilia says, "If she misbehaves, I'll just eat her.”

Liliana nodded, before shrinking down and flying off somewhere, leaving Cecilia with the uncharacteristically silent sword, and the worrying prospect that, for once, Liliana was going to be thinking for herself.

Cecilia kicked her feet up, and watched her flutter off.

"...So that’s it then? Not going to ask her to come with you?" The sword in-hand spoke, despite being made now of petrified wood, Whimsy was still awake.

"Not my place. It's hers,” Cecilia says.

"What was it she said, she’s dumb but not stupid? …That’s a laugh. She’s the stupidest fairy I’ve ever seen. She really would stay for people that hate her guts just because she promised someone something vague. She really would hold onto hope that maybe, just maybe, everything’ll all work out, like its some fairy tale where she’ll be able to help everyone get a happy ending. …What a joke. With Alice gone, she doesn’t even have any friends left here."

"Neither do you,” Cecilia says, slicing through the bravado with a simple blade of truth, "There's no-one here for you. The sharp-tongued blade made of wood, because, without Alice, the only other sword here doesn't even remember you..."

The usual back-biting whit and brattiness of Whimsy didn’t seem there as she said: "Yeah. That’s why me and Liliana are a perfect match. Left all alone because we keep trying to hold onto something we weren’t ever going to get."

"Says who," Cecilia asks. "That stupid Fairy was brave enough to seek out Alice," she says, "What will you do?"

"Don’t know yet. Guess I’ll just do whatever feels best at the time like always. Whether that’s running away, or getting burnt in a pile with my stupid wielder."

"Not convincing. But, if that's the lie you wanna believe, I won't stop you. It's her decision. It's your decision. Not mine,” Cecilia says.

Whimsy was quiet after that, feeling that she’d said her piece and that was all that needed to be said.

Cecilia blew smoke into the air, listening to the sounds of nature.

An hour or so would pass before Whimsy spoke again, asking a simple request:

"Hey…would you mind holding Carroll in one hand and me in the other for a bit?"

"Something on your mind,” Cecilia asks.

"Yeah. I never got to talk to her again after she lost her memories," Whimsy said.

"Fair enough,” Cecilia says, "I can humor that much. The rest is on you.”

Whimsy was patient and quiet, waiting and hoping that Carroll would be willing to talk to her.

Cecilia would return to Carroll and Eula’s, before letting herself in. A queen did not seek invitations, for she was always invited.

“Knocking is not difficult...” Carroll sighed.

"We need to practice some. I'm not swinging a sword while rusty,” Cecilia says.

“And she's here for... moral support,” Carroll asks.

"I'm trying something out. Dual swords styles aren't beyond me. Don't sound so jealous,” Cecilia teased.

Carroll rolled her eyes, “Whatever...”

"I’ll leave you to practice then. I need to get started helping prepare rations for the battle," Eula said, leaving Carroll, Cecilia, and Whimsy alone.

“Shouldn't be long, I hope,” Carroll says.

Cecilia shrugged, "We’ll see.”

Carroll would assume her sword form, and take Cecilia's right hand, as she switched Whimsy to her left. She would wait, as Cecilia headed for the clearing they'd felled, and started simple katas.

Once they were connected, Whimsy would stand within the shared mental space the two swords would have, tensely asking: "So uh…how have you been?"

“Ulterior motives. Unsurprising...” Carroll says, narrowing her eyes; she was still the same as she was, not yet the Carroll that Whimsy was looking for... yet.

"We haven’t talked much since you lost your memories, but I won’t pretend that we talked a lot before that. But…I always admired you. Since…we’re alike and all," Whimsy said, candidly honest to the one person most like her.

“In a sense,” Carroll says, “I’m not her. Not that one. That Carroll. That memory that's inside you. I can't pretend to be, either,” she says, “I'm curious, just what you would like to happen.”

"I figured that much. As for what I want to happen…I dunno. Miracles don’t happen to swords," Whimsy said, awkwardly running a hand along the petals that extended from her right elbow. "...I guess…I just wanted to say goodbye, even if it only means something to me. If Liliana doesn’t go…then, we’ll never meet again, most likely. Big world and all."

Carroll would approach, slow and delicate, her stride measure, military, yet regal. “You're so small,” she says, stooping down a little, “For someone named Whimsy, you are quite the pessimist...”

Carroll smirked, before capturing Whimsy’s lips, and holding them blissfully hostage, and time would stop, as the scenery changed from the forest to a serene lake of fire, under a moonlight night, against a fallen castle, ruins of the past...

“Goodbyes are not forever, but, in case we never met again,” Carroll says, in the form of the Academian, as she placed her hat on Whimsy's head, “I shall endeavor here so that you might remember me forever.”

Stunned by the moment of intimacy, Whimsy would pull the hat down to cover her blushing face, running away without saying goodbye as her blade form suddenly launched from Carroll’s hand and away.

“Pffft! Get back here, you!” Carroll giggled, giving chase.

Cecilia would watch as the two swords “dueled” in midair, the romantic affairs of weapons ever a mystery…

“Running away is so unlike you!” Carroll snickered.

Cecilia sighed, as she waited for them to get over themselves.

Night was falling, as Cecilia sipped a cup of tea. "Did you remember, as well,” she asks, as Carroll sat down.

“Bits and pieces, here and there. I remember... the motive... the mission. I remember, enough...” Carroll says, lifting a coffee pot and pouring her cup. “Alice.”

Cecilia's unflappable expression was betrayed by a momentary bristle, before she sighed, "Alice.”

The tension was thick between the two. Alice was a distant memory, unbidden, like an itch beneath the skin.

She would be needed for one last ride, it seemed.

"Well, then... one more ride, eh,” Cecilia says, extending her hand.

“We'll make it count,” Carroll says, taking her hand.

As they clasped hands, an old agreement was rekindled, and an old figure looked to the future...

"And lo, it seems..."

---

"...we’ll be taking the outside," Alice says, "Take your lapdog with you, Takeshi. You'll need him more than I will."

Smirking confidently, Alice winked at Shizuka, before drawing Carroll, and looking to the castle.

"So shall we humble them...”

(REQUIRES ALL PLAYER CHARACTERS)

"I finally have all that I need to rescue my father from the Varjans. The only thing missing now is where the invaders have him imprisoned. I'm coming for you, father. Just wait a little longer."
-Takeshi Oja

"Lord Takamori's traitorous former student, Setsuna, is training Mongol archers across Shizuyama. Lord Takamori posits that she plans on attacking Omi Springs, his hometown and a refuge for villagers. We should meet with Lord Takamori as soon as possible."
-Takeshi Oja

"Sorae is on the hunt for Sogen, one of the conspirators behind her family's murder. To track him down, Sorae has asked us to speak with Ayu who may know where we can find him."
-Takeshi Oja

"One of the farms near Komatsu Bay looks like it's had some trouble. Someone should make sure the people there are all right."
-Takeshi Oja

A villager woman remarked to the taskforce member as the latter passed by.

"You better watch out if you're passing Yabo Forest, yokai. It's haunted by angry spirits... Dead samurai, eager to spill blood."

"People go into the woods and never come out. Varjan and Shizuyaman alike! The bodies that turn up have all been killed by Shizuyaman blades..."

A peasant man eating barbecued meat on a stick was startled when the taskforce member approached. It appeared he has news.

"Yokai! You have to tell Lord Takeshi, there is another samurai noble who survived Sanjo Beach. His name is Lord Tonchiki. He's in his abode southeast of here. If you go see him, I'm sure he would join your cause."

"Err, maybe not. I guess you'll need Lord Takeshi himself to convince him."

A villager sitting on some stone steps in the temple stood up when the taskforce member approached.

"Yokai, I've heard of a small resistance group gathering in the Imahama Area. I believe they're headed by that shrine priestess that started a fight here not too long ago."

"They're recruiting farmers and fishermen to their cause. Brave, but it'll be dangerous if they're not trained. Better take Lord Takeshi with you too or else it might be a fight again."

A peasant man warming his hands on a bonfire noticed the taskforce member passing by.

"Yokai, you must do something! It's Ayane's sake brewery in Imahama. That brewery is the pride of Shizuyama, but soon there will be none left. The Varjans are taking it by force."