It's strange. You've never cried before. And... why would you? Are you not a Ruler of Power, a being far beyond such...
human things?
Yet your feelings still overwhelmed you.
You look up and see the waiting face of your master. He accepts back the tissue as he stands up, turning around and comfortably sitting down on his chair once more.
You take a moment to look around as you finish composing yourself. The chamber you are currently in is not very dissimilar to the ones Igor tends to reside in most of the time. Barren, except for a chair and occasionally a desk or a table. A messy web of dark blue curtains delimits the 'walls' of the room as they fall from above.
You decide to slightly alter your plans. You are under no hurry to leave the Velvet Room so soon after your return. Your sisters can wait, for now.
"Sister!"
You turn around at the sound of the familiar voice, as
Theodore emerges from beyond the curtains, face lit up in joy.
A smile comes unbidden to your lips, and you curtsy as he approaches. "Brother--"
You almost shout in surprise when he…
hugs you. You're left completely baffled as he envelops both your smaller frame and your arms.
"...Theodore," you manage to say calmly. "What are you doing?"
"I am hugging you. It is a gesture of affection humans perform with their loved ones after they have failed to see them for long periods of time." He tells you. "I learned of it from one of the books Elizabeth left behind."
Your brother releases you from the embrace as your master quietly watches the bizarre display from his seat. "...I see."
He smiles down at you. "It is a relief to see you safe and sound, Lavenza. When you vanished so suddenly, I... I truly feared the worst," his smile noticeably dims in intensity. He gestures to Igor. "Thankfully, our master explained everything to us. I would have never guessed you would be someone who would take a so-called 'vacation', and in the outside world, no less…"
You fix your ruffled dress as you return his smile. "It was… an experience, certainly." You concentrate back on your master as he passively waits for you to speak. "There are some things I must tell you, master." You start, and he nods in encouragement. "While in my travels through the worlds, I encountered Elizabeth."
Theodore seems taken aback. "You met with our sister?"
"I see," Igor clasps his hands together under his nose as he leans forward. "She must have sought you out with a specific purpose in mind. How did she become aware of your location?"
You fish Margaret's letter out of your pockets, and he raises an eyebrow. "It is likely that Margaret told her." You hand him the letter. "At her request, she had Elizabeth deliver this letter to me."
Igor briefly inspects it. "Intriguing, yet unsurprising. I will have some words with your eldest sister after she returns." He says, his tone as neutral as always as he returns it.
...You hope you haven't landed her in any severe trouble.
"May I see it?" Requests your brother, his expression worried. He shakes his head with a frown as he reads through the letter. "I had no knowledge of any of this…"
"In any case, " you continue. "By the time she found me, I had already established myself with the locals of that world, including an alien being from another world, capable of granting one's wishes…"
You tell them everything. The Incubator Collective, the Witches and their familiars, the magical girls and your new acquaintances…
When you describe in detail the sick and twisted fate of the magical girls, your master's constant grin subsides, while Theodore shows outright disgust as you unveil the Grief Seed in your pockets.
-=-
"What a horrifying contraption." Your master finally declares after a prolonged examination of the Grief Seed. He holds it up to one of his eyes, squinting closely. "The curses that comprise this 'Grief' you speak of, are without a single doubt, of human origin."
You purse your lips when he hands it back to you. "I… Is there truly nothing that can be done for them, master? Surely…" you trail off helplessly, uncertain how to continue.
He shakes his head, uncharacteristically solemn. "I am afraid not, young Lavenza. Whatever will that once comprised this Grief has long been twisted beyond recognition." He closes his eyes tiredly. "Restoring it is beyond my power."
You accept his explanation as your brother stares at the Grief Seed in your hands with wide eyes. Theodore's palpable happiness over your return had been slowly disappearing as your tale progressed. He looks away. "I-I cannot even fathom why someone would
do something like this…"
"It's all for the collection of energy, at the very least according to Kyubey." You say, carefully pocketing the Grief Seed. "They seek to stop 'entropy' and the 'heat death of the universe' by gathering massive amounts of energy. Apparently, the transformation of a magical girl into a Witch generates the amount they need and much more."
You explain as best you can the concepts detailed to you by the Incubator, yet your master seems unaware of what entropy even
is in the first place. ...Was it all just another gilded lie from the alien?
You move on to the events of the past few days spent in Mitakihara. Mami Tomoe and her protegé, the Witches you fought and killed, Elizabeth's arrival, Homura Akemi's death and resurrection, the Walpurgis Night…
You stop while speaking about Mami. The fire of determination present in her eyes while she spoke of her reasons for fighting still lingers in your memories, despite everything. "Master, I must admit… I am curious." You start. "What are the requirements for someone to become a guest of the Velvet Room?"
"Requirements, you say?" He ponders for a moment. "Those who subconsciously call out to the Velvet Room are people who possess a strong will, and in most cases, they are likely about to embark on an ordeal of their own. So long as they sign the contract of their own free will, of course."
You nod gratefully. "I see. Thank you for clarifying my doubts."
Igor looks at you with curiosity. "You believe this… 'Mami Tomoe' has the potential to become a guest of the Velvet Room?"
"P-Perhaps," you stutter, caught off guard.
He smiles. "It is certainly a possibility, my dear. As with many things in this room, I have no control over the selection of our guests. Only time will tell the ultimate outcome of this girl's fate."
Theodore seems awed. "Humans capable of performing true magic at great cost to themselves…" he mumbles to himself. "It is like something out of a fairy tale…"
You resume your tale, delving into great detail about Elizabeth's actions. You speak of her tale regarding the end of the world and of the great seal beyond the Sea of Souls, of her dealings with the Incubator, and of her wish…
-=-
Silence reigns after you eventually finish.
Igor, his eyes closed as you both anxiously wait for a response, sighs. "It is as I feared, then." You blink, and a familiar desk appears in front of him. Light sparkles from his hands as a deck of cards is swiftly spread across the surface by an invisible force. "Elizabeth is blinded by the grief brought about by the loss of her dearest guest. Her... reckless actions in the near future could have devastating consequences."
With a simple gesture, the cards glow once again as they are turned over, revealing them to you.
Death. The thirteenth Arcana.
Reverse Judgement. The twentieth Arcana.
Star. The seventeenth Arcana.
You stare in confusion as the other cards vanish, leaving only those three on the desk. "...Master?"
"I am witnessing your fate, my dear." He looks down at the cards. "I see, I see." The desk and the cards suddenly disperse into shards of light as Igor looks up at you once more. "Even with the path ahead partially clouded by an uncertain fog, the ordeal before you is clear to me, Lavenza."
An ordeal...
You swallow your nerves, the image of the Death Arcana burned into your vision. "I… I am having some...
difficulties keeping myself as balanced and aloof as I should be. My heart cries out to see justice done, but... to do so would mean betraying the tenets of my own strength." You grit your teeth, avoiding his gaze. "I do not know what to do."
A moment passes as you stew in your own frustrations. You glance back in surprise when someone rests a hand in your shoulders. It's your brother.
"You are just like her." He tells you with a content smile. "Always worrying over matters I could never hope to comprehend…" he trails off as he gives you some space. "But that is fine. You need only remember that you are not alone, little sister." He gestures proudly at himself. "After all, I will accompany you every step of the way in this... 'ordeal' of yours. I am certain our sisters would do the same."
You stare at your brother in perplexion. That… doesn't aid you at all in your dilemma. In fact, it's completely irrelevant.
Yet… Your brother just pledged his unconditional support in whatever is to happen, despite admitting his total ignorance on the topic.
...What can you even say in the face of such unflinching loyalty?
"...Thank you, Theodore." You offer him a grateful smile. "Your words mean much to me." You resist the urge to roll your eyes when he puffs up his chest in response,
exceedingly proud of himself.
Your master grins. "You are ready." He snaps his gloved fingers, and a large blue and gold ornate door materializes to the side. Your grip on your Grimoire tightens as light spills from the newly created opening. "Destiny awaits you beyond this door, young Lavenza." His bulging eyes briefly glance at your brother. "You may accompany her if you so wish, Theodore. I will remain here."
What do you do?
[] Enter the Sea of Souls and search for your sisters' location. It shouldn't be too difficult to find them.
-[] Speak with Theodore while you travel.
--[] Topics?
-[] Do something else?
[] Refrain from entering just yet. You still have some matters to attend to in the Velvet Room.
-[] Ask Igor some questions.
--[] Why is the path 'partially clouded by fog'?
--[] Something else?
-[] Do something else?
[] Write-In.
-=-
