Luna sat on the side of her adoptive sister’s bed while waiting for her to get out of the shower.

When they’d returned to Lilith’s, they carefully carried Zoey up to the Isozaki’s room, got her cleaned up and then tucked into bed for the night. Eriza decided to stay the night at Lilith’s with their unconscious friend so they could rest assured that no one was attempting to get their hands on her again. If that happened, then what followed wouldn’t be pleasant and probably quite unsightly.

Iris was still acting strange though. She didn’t want to talk about it more than what she’d said during the ride home, but Luna could tell there something was seriously wrong. Whatever it was, she wanted to help her adoptive sister through it to the best of her ability, because they were sisters.

Now that she had time to think about it, she realized confronting Iris in the car wouldn’t have worked from the start. She couldn’t truly comfort her adoptive sister because both Zoey and Eriza were around. They served as distractions and even excuses for avoiding the subject, especially given how Iris had clung to their friend earlier.

Confronting her sister directly when they were alone would not only prevent Iris from worming her way out of the matter, but may even encourage her to be more open with her since it would be just them and no one else. The girl always had difficulty showing her emotions. She was the brave sister who was always willing to stand in harm's way if it would keep her sisters, barring Skylar, and friends safe.

The splitter splatter of the shower ceasing rung like a clock, signaling that their conversation would soon be afoot. Luna prepared herself mentally for what was to come next. She would be calm and gentle with her sister, but she had to be firm as well. Backing down just because Iris asked her to wasn’t an option. Sometimes, a rock was necessary to keep things in place.

A few minutes later, Iris emerged from the bathroom wearing pastel purple pajamas, with a little bunny character on the center of her shirt. Upon seeing Luna sitting on her bed, her calm expression became anxious.

“Luna, I thought you were going to go meditate,” Iris said, attempting to dodge her.

“I thought about it but there’s something more important at the moment. Iris, we need to talk,” the elf said, patting a spot on the bed next to her. “Just you and me.”

Iris hesitated for a moment, but sighed and reluctantly sat down next to her. The ensuing silence was awkward, but welcome. It gave her one last brief moment to determine how she was going to proceed down this rabbit hole.

“We’ve been through a lot the past couple weeks, haven’t we?”

“Yeah. It’s been a wild ride. I almost can’t believe two weeks have gone by. It feels like a year ago with all that’s happened.”

“I still can’t believe you managed to break your best Gauntlet time by so much. That’s quite an improvement sis.”

“Heh, it’s nothing like what you’re going to be doing soon. I can’t wait to see some elven magic Luna.”

“I bet I’ll blow your socks off with just a cantrip.”

Iris giggled in response. The initial tension shared between them began to relax as they slipped deeper into conversation.

“I think it’ll take a little more than a parlor trick to do that but I’ll be more than a little excited for sure. Think of it Luna, you’ve got Polaris watching you from afar. Isn’t it exciting?”

“Yeah, but not as exciting as what’s coming up for you. I know you’re going to rock the inter-high.”

“Pshhhh. I won’t be able to do it without our party’s help. Sure I could go pretty far in the 1v1s, but the 5v5s can’t be won without relying on each other...”

A look of shame washed over her adoptive sister’s face. Whatever was bothering her was so severe that even the thought of the inter-high had her down. There were a few possibilities that came to mind, but speculating wouldn’t help much.

“Iris, I can tell there’s something on your mind. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Iris twiddled her fingers together, a telltale nervous habit she’d become so familiar with. Luna carefully scooched closer and put an arm around her sister, patting her reassuringly.

“It’s alright if you don’t want to talk about it, I just don’t want you to bottle it up and hurt yourself when that bottle starts to overflow.”

Slowly, a pair of arms wrapped around the elf’s torso tightly as Iris adjusted herself and pulled her sister in for a tight embrace.

“Today I realized that I wasn’t keeping in mind what was best for Julia. Because of that I ended up not only hindering her, but also gotten myself in quite a bit of trouble with a Magister.”

Luna responded by wrapping her other arm around her companion and gently rubbing her back in a reassuring manner.

“Everything’s going to be alright Iris, I’m sure of it. Julia admitted that your concerns were warranted and that should keep you out of getting in trouble. Magus Stone and Magister Ferris didn’t seem so hostile after she admitted she didn’t have full control of her Spirit, so I’m sure everything will turn out well.”

“They did, but that’s beside the point. I was a terrible friend. I didn’t even consider what Julia wanted, only what I thought was best for her. If I was thinking of her then I wouldn’t have been seeking to get her to leave her Master but rather attempted to reason with Stone about her situation. I fought with the woman instead of petitioning her with my concerns. And that’s on me.”

Right before her eyes, Iris was beginning to grow as a person. That she’d realized a mistake she regretted so much was delightful, both since she recognized her mistake and also if they knew the cause of the issue, they could come up with a solution. Sure, there might be a price to be paid, but rectifying this kind of situation was important given the friendship her adoptive sister shared with Julia.

“I’m sure if we talk to Magus Stone further perhaps we can come to an understanding with her. She’s already seen that you regret your actions, so perhaps she’ll be more open to reconciling with you.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about Luna.”

“Oh?”

Iris sighed and looked out the window. She’d sucked her lips into her mouth and appeared as though she were gathering the courage necessary to say what she would come next.

“When I saw you get kicked by Nathaniel, I thought I was about to lose you. Even though you got up, I still was worried you weren’t going to survive those injuries. He enhanced his strength Luna, he should have honestly killed you with that third kick. It was the same thing when the house started to collapse. I thought Julia and Zoey were in the first section to collapse, and my heart started rebelling against my mind. For a moment, I threw away all logical thought and only acted on trying to save those two.

“The thing is, the people I care about keep disappearing from my life. It started when Eden left, then mom… changed, same with Skylar. Felicity was taken away and who knows if she’s still breathing,” Iris said, choking at that last bit.

The thought of Felicity being alone in London weighed heavily upon her conscience. Felicity’s face from when she was forced to go with her parents was still clear the elf’s mind. It felt similar to an anchor ironically dragging a boat down underneath the waves despite the boat’s best efforts to retrieve it.

I(ris took a moment to regain her composure before continuing.

“Luna I know that I want to be an adventurer like our friend’s say Tokiwa is, someone who delves into purple and black zones for a living. But when I see any of you get hurt, I crumple. I’m scared to lose anyone else, even though I know that’s highly possible in the future. And I’m not sure I can do it.”

Iris’ grip on her was like a vice. Her lungs were struggling to get air, and she felt like if she were squeezed any harder she might just pop like a balloon. Her attention remained on her sister.

She could understand why her sister was afraid. What would she do if Iris suddenly vanished from her life, never to return? Or worse, died right in front of her. Recalling her nightmare from the previous night, Luna shuddered. She hoped that no one would have to experience such a horrible thing.

“Iris, I understand your pain, but you can’t just hide behind it, you have to face it. We don’t plan on dying on you anytime soon, that’s why we stick together after all, isn’t it?”

“But what if you do die? What if Ren’s not around and you get so badly injured that you end up dying?”

“Don’t forget we live a cruel world Iris. We’re expected to do what the NoMs aren’t: to throw ourselves into danger, whether we want to do so or not. All we can do is do our best and hope that we get lucky enough to live long, happy lives.”

Iris lessened her grip on the elf. She was frowning, as if she didn’t want to accept what the elf had just said even though it was completely logical. It was a bitter truth. As long as they worked hard and survived the battles that lay in their future then everything would be alright. Hopefully.

“We won’t have anything to worry about in the future,” the elf assured. “Remember, we don’t plan on dying anytime soon, so you don’t have anything to worry about. And worse comes to worst, Ren looks like she’ll become an incredibly talented field medic, so we have her to rely on as well. With the five of us working together, there’s no doubt in my mind we’ll live long and happy lives. Alright?”

Her sister gazed into her eyes and a smile slowly stretched across her face.

“You’re right. With our team, we have nothing to fear,” she said quietly, tightening her embrace around Luna once again. “Tomorrow I’ll apologize to Stone again and hope that she’ll still let me be a part of Julia’s life. After what’s happened I’m not exactly optimistic, but I’ll hold out hope that perhaps she’ll give me a second chance.”

“That’s the spirit,” Luna cheered, returning the tight embrace. “And beyond tomorrow, we have the inter-high to prepare for. It’s time to get serious Iris, are you ready for this?”

“Yeah, we’re going to crush them all this time,” Iris assured her. “We’re going to make it to Japan together.”

Luna thought back to the nightmare again and found her own burning resolve rapidly increase.

“You’re damn right we are.”

“But first, we must sleep!”

The bluette found herself uncontrollably giggling. Despite the fire now burning within her soul again, Iris was still her goofy sister who loved to sleep whenever she could get away with it. She was better when she wasn’t so worried about what the future may bring.

“Hey sis, how about we have an intense training session with Eriza while Zoey acts as our referee tomorrow,” she said while getting off of her sister’s bed.

“Count on it. I’m all fired up to get stronger. We’re gonna show them just how powerful we are. Sleep comes first though. I’m exhausted.”

Being exhausted was completely understandable. After everything they’d been through today, Luna herself felt like she needed some rest.

“Me too. I’m gonna shower and then get some sleep too.”

“Oooooh, lookin to talk to Polaris are we?”

Luna threw a pillow at her sister, who happily claimed it as her own for the night whilst still rustling around in her bed and getting comfortable.

“Go to sleep you dork,” Luna said before making her way over to the bathroom. “Good night sis, sweet dreams.”

“Good night, sweet dreams sis.”

With that, Luna took a quick shower and got into one of her rarely used sets of pajamas. By the time she emerged from her refreshing cleanse Iris was already fast asleep.

It didn’t take her long to join her, as after collapsing onto her bed, she fell asleep instantly, welcomed by pleasant dreams.

Ren quietly sat next to her mother on her parent’s back deck, looking up at the dark sky with an ominous feeling filling her. After her sister had taken off, her mother briskly brought her and her father back home, and never kept her eyes off them for more than a few seconds. A couple hours later they understood why, as word that Nathaniel’s house had been burned down was spreading like wildfire, and would possibly even make the news.

She couldn’t quite celebrate, but she also couldn’t hide in her parents’ comforting embrace either given what she’d heard from her mother’s current conversation with her older sister.

Apparently her friends and sister went to Nathaniel’s house and were now in a dire situation because of it. Ren couldn’t hide and sulk about what happened to her. Her party was in serious trouble, and she wanted to be there to stand with them through this.

“Alright, see you tomorrow. I love you Eriza,” her mother said. “Goodnight, sweet dreams.”

As soon as she ended the spell she let out a deep sigh. It wasn’t one of frustration, but one of relief and confusion.

“Why is it that your sister is the center of so much chaos and yet you’re a perfect little angel?”

“She takes after you, mom. From the stories I’ve heard from dad, she’s exactly like you on a battlefield.”

Her mother chuckled, a warm smile spreading across her face. The woman was likely thinking of her younger days as a military mage who was notorious for being brutally efficient in the field. The days when she had little to worry about, and could be as carefree as she wished.

“My little girl grew up to be so rebellious. I just hope this all works out. I’m not certain I’ll be able to get her out of trouble if the Tower tries to hold her accountable for what she did tonight.”

“About that. If it’s alright I’d like to go and be with my party tomorrow morning. They shouldn’t have to face this alone.”

Ren watched her mother look her over with an analytical gaze. It wasn’t one of judgement, but rather one of a mother having concern for her daughter, which was perfectly understandable given the current situation. With everything that had happened, her mother not showing any concern would be unsettling.

“Are you sure you want to do this? You’ve bounced back so quickly that I’m a little worried.”

“I’m alright now. I need to stand on my own two feet for their sake if the situation really is as bad as it sounds.”

Her mother nodded at her, likely recognizing the resolve that was burning within her. Her eyes grinned at her.

“I have two brave daughters. That’s better than I could have ever asked for. Go be with them tomorrow morning. We’ll have plenty of time to spend together once this is all settled.”

“Thanks mom,” Ren replied as she stood up, then walked over to hug her mother.

“Don’t mention it sweetie.”

Eden stared at her still unmoving younger sister and felt the bile rising up her throat. To a degree she believed she’d done irreparable damage to her sister’s body, which was preventing her from waking up. However, her girlfriend had explained to her that as far as she and Camilla could tell, everything within her sister appeared to be recovering properly, and it was possible a plague afflicting her mind was the problem.

Just an hour ago, Seiko had sat her down and calmly explained to her that once Skylar woke up, it was possible large spans of her memory would be missing. In fact, it was likely she could wake up with amnesia that would never go away. There were of course worse possibilities at hand too, but those were rare and the chances they would present themselves were low.

For now, it was best to wait patiently and hope for the best. Eden knew she couldn’t just sit around and do that either though. Given what happened to both Skylar and Felicity, there was bound to be a team headed right for Luna and Iris. At least the possibility couldn’t be ruled out, and thus a warning needed to be sent.

For that, she would need Skylar awake to convince Lilith’s headmistress that they meant no harm nor had any ill intentions for her younger siblings. A difficult task for sure, but not an impossible one.

A knock at the door drew her attention away from her unconscious sister.

“Sis, Kono says dinner will be ready soon,” Felicity quietly said, mindful of the room’s atmosphere.

“Ah, thank you, Felicity.”

Felicity smiled softly and turned to leave, but hesitated. Instead, she turned to face her once again and spoke in a concerned voice.

“Skylar will be alright. I know she will. She’s tougher than me, and she has a strong will when she sets her mind to something. I bet she’s dreaming of us right now.”

Her young sister’s words were appreciated. They were not only reassuring, but they gave her a little bit of hope.

Would telling Felicity help anything? Would it perhaps take a small weight off her chest if she did so? Her younger sister already had enough to worry about now that she was beginning to train her body back into shape. When adding in the peculiar way she acted, it was obvious their mother had done something to the girl.

Worrying her wouldn’t do her any good. In fact, it may even end up hurting Felicity much more than she was comfortable with. Her sister didn’t deserve that, and it wasn’t fair to her either. At this point though, she might be the only one who could get in contact with her youngest sisters given Skylar’s current condition.

“Skylar’s not the only one I’m worried about.”

“I see.”

“Don’t worry I know you’re doing your best. It’s Luna and Iris that I’m worried about.

“What do you mean,” Felicity asked, her voice one of confusion and caution.

“With what happened to you and Skylar it’s believable that someone may try to go after Luna and Iris. Especially given Luna is an elf, which means she’s worth more as a hostage than Iris.”

Felicity remained quiet for a moment as her mind processed what she had said. The girl looked to Skylar, then back to her, then back to Skylar and nodded.

“If there’s anything I can do to help, then don’t hesitate to ask,” she said. “You’ve already done so much for me, please let me return the favor as best as I’m able to.”

Eden smiled as she felt the warmth radiate from her younger sister. It was good to know that she could count on her when it really mattered.

“You wouldn’t happen to be able to contact Lilith’s Headmistress via LRC would you?”

“No, but I do know someone who I can get in touch with, though she isn’t on the best terms with our sisters.”

“And who is that?”

“Magus Stone from Rosebay. It’s a long story why I have her LRC glyph, but I assure you she’ll answer if I call her, or rather you call her. Anyway, I’m certain she’ll relay our message if we make sure she knows that Luna and Iris are in immediate danger.”

Despite the fact that Skylar hadn’t woken up yet, it seemed her night was beginning to quickly look up. According to her youngest sister, it was possible to get warning to Iris and Luna without having to go through Lilith’s, which she was more than willing to welcome. It was far better than trying to reason with someone who now detested her.

Eden stood up and stretched before making her way over to Felicity and gently hugging the girl.

“Felicity, I’m so glad you’re here.”

“I’m glad I’m here too. For the sake of our sisters, let's do our best.”

“Yes. I know it’s early in Sydney but why don’t we call her now and see if she answers?”

As if on queue, her stomach growled loudly, demanding sustenance before she went about with whatever she was planning doing. Her stomach was a fickle thing, always interrupting her at the worst of moments.

It also couldn’t be helped, given Seiko was cooking dinner and she was eager to enjoy whatever her love had decided to cook tonight.

“Change of plans, first we’ll have dinner, then we’ll wait a little while before calling Magus Stone so we’re not calling her too early in the morning. My stomach is a voice of reason in that it has told me it would be discourteous to call her now.”

Across the room, Felicity held her hand up to her mouth and giggled. It took her a minute to calm down, but her laughter eased the tension of the room.

“Sounds good. Let’s not keep your girlfriend and Camilla waiting,” Felicity said, winking at her sister with a soft smile gracing her face.

Eden felt the warmth of her sister’s smile permeate her body like heat from an enchanted blanket. Seeing her so happy compared to when they first met was a reminder that she was doing at least something right.

“Mmm. I’ll race you downstairs.”

Before she finished, Felicity was already sprinting downstairs.

Shortly before 11 p.m. Eden sat down in front of her LRC device with Felicity and fed it several HDMs, then watched as her sister punched in a few glyphs she was unfamiliar with. She honestly wasn’t expecting to receive a response, given Magus Stone was the head of a strict catholic school and it was apparently known that she was gay back in Sydney. The odds of Magus Stone ignoring her call were fairly high with everything considered.

At the same time, she was also hoping that perhaps, just perhaps the woman would humor them and answer their call.

“She’ll answer, I know she will. After all, you wouldn’t know her glyph, but I would so she’ll likely think it’s me trying to contact her,” Felicity assured her elder sibling as she waited for a response.

Just as Felicity said, the device flickered an indication that her request for a meeting had been accepted, and the illusory form of Magus Stone began to take shape before them.

“Eden Fitzger- wait a moment you’re not Eden,” Magus Stone said, pausing while apparently waiting for the illusion on her end to properly take shape. “Felicity dear, I’m glad to see you’re well. I take it you’re with your sister?”

“Hello Magus Stone. That’s right, I’m safe with Eden at the moment. She’s taking excellent care of me.”

“I’m glad to hear that you’re doing well. I must say, you look healthier then when I last saw you a month ago.”

Felicity rubbed the back of her head and chuckled.

“Actually, that’s part of the reason why I’m- why we’re calling out of the blue. There’s an urgent matter we need to tell you about, as given what’s happened here it’s entirely possible something might happen there.”

“Oh? Is everything alright?”

“It is now, but we’re being cautious just in case. Since Headmistress Vinson is well, herself, we don’t really have a choice but to turn to you.”

“Ah Magus Vinson, still being difficult as ever. I assume it’s because your sister is gay.”

“It’s just as I feared, everyone back home knows I’m gay,” Eden sighed.

“She says she’s concerned that everyone knows she’s gay.”

“Who can blame her, but then again your sister would love anyone who could rival her intellectually, regardless of what sex they are. As long as they don’t do anything unbecoming I won’t show any difference to her because I fully understand how freakishly intelligent she is. Though I’m still disappointed she went to Lilith’s instead of my wonderful school.”

Eden gently convinced her sister to scooch over so the LRC device would focus on her and allow her to communicate with the Magus directly

“I appreciate that you understand my reasoning Magus Stone. Perhaps Rosebay will see a sizeable donation once I’m resettled in Kyoto.”

“Perhaps you could instead offer Magister Ferris an nintroduction to someone who could open up trade between us and Kyoto. That would be far more beneficial to the girls learning here than any donation.”

“I’ll see what I can do, but no promises.”

The Magus smiled and nodded at her. Then she folded her hands in front of herself in the manner one would do when inquiring about a matter or conducting business with another.

“So Eden, what matter did you wish to discuss with me.”

“A good question. Before I can get to that directly, there’s a little background information you need to know. I’ll be as brief as possible.”