“As redundant as it may be, I suppose we’d best go over this case one more time,” Evelyn said wearily.

“It all began yesterday. While all us girls were in the bathhouse, Nana happened to fall and break my monocle, cutting her face in the process. Of course, the killer was there to see this.

“Meanwhile, Taylor and Honda were searching for information in the archives. Honda was under the impression they were searching for details on Project Eden and Alabaster in general, but Taylor must have in reality been looking for anything he could find on the mastermind. I suppose he kept this a secret in case Honda was the mastermind, or at least so that no-one else would know what he was up to.

“The next day, Taylor announced he would be doing interviews. The killer grew worried about this. Taylor was the Ultimate Agent after all, there was a very real chance he was trying to oust them as the mastermind. As they headed to the robot lab under pretense of constructing a robot, they started putting a plan together.

“Not long after, they set off to the lounge, where they headed to the bedrooms to take a hoodie and a pair of trousers. Their next stop was the archive, but on the way they had to pass through the lounge again, where Althie was now resting. However Althie was… not feeling so well, and as a result the killer was able to sneak past without compromising their identity.

“Now in the archive, they set up a distraction for Taylor. They plugged in a hacking device that started deleting files, which was sure to catch Taylor’s attention, then hid in a different cubicle. Sure enough, Taylor came running to check on it, and while he was busy sorting that out the killer snuck off towards Eve’s room.

“I suppose this next part was planned in advance. They knew of my prosopagnosia, they knew the interview schedule as Taylor had announced it, and they also knew that it would be difficult to use the corridor without an interviewee potentially seeing them as they waited their turn. Knowing someone was going to see them either way, they relied on my inability to recognise people to walk past while disguised as Taylor, beckoning me inside as we met eyes. I suppose if they’d just let me stay outside, I would have seen the real Taylor returning from the archive, so they wanted me out of the way.

“As a side note, Nana might have had the opportunity to do all this at a stretch. But it seems her miraculous luck came into play again... I did think it strange that such a lucky girl would injure herself like that. As it so happens though, her injury is perfect proof that she cannot be the killer! I would have seen the plasters or cut on her face if she’d tried to pass herself off as Taylor. This certainly rounds down the list of subjects, as we all know.

“Anyway, once the killer was inside Eve’s room, they set up the recording device and then hid inside the locker. They then waited for Taylor to conduct a few more interviews so they could gather enough voice clips to string together a coherent mock interview. I suppose they also used this chance to confirm that he was, indeed, looking to discover the mastermind's identity. Once that was done, and the current interviewee had left, they shot Taylor with the plasma gun while still inside the locker. This way Taylor would be unable to fight back: an Ultimate Agent like him could have easily shot the killer first if given the chance.

“It was at this point that the killer cheated. They got Eve to conduct the interviews in Taylor’s place! Only the mastermind would be capable of this, of course. With that out of the way, they made their escape. They couldn’t go back the way they came or via the corridor to the arena as the next interviewee might see them, so they went out the other way instead. However, upon reaching the lounge I imagine they realised it was occupied, forcing them to find an alternate route.

“They returned to the diving station, donned a diving suit and went out that way. Then they swam to the minisub dock near the robot lab. Once again they cheated, getting Eve to open the airlock for them. When inside they left the diving suit in the airlock so it would drift away when it flooded again, then returned to their cubicle as though nothing had happened.

“Of course, the only one capable of doing all this is our ultra-rare mastermind… Skylar Culver! Or should I say… Olivia Watson?”

The class all turned to face the accused. This time around, it was clear there was much that needed to be said.

The first thing everyone saw was Taylor sitting in front of the camera, arms folded. He let out a hefty sigh and glanced to the side before his eyes met the camera again. “Hey, guys. If you're watching this, I'm dead. … Christ, how cliché can I get?” he asked himself with a mirthless chuckle.

“But yeah. I don't know why, but these interviews that I'm about to announce over the speakers to try and uncover the mastermind... I dunno. I just have a feeling that someone will end up killing me, and they'll probably cover their tracks somehow. Just a feeling of dread steadily building, I guess. If I do end up surviving, then, well, this whole video will have been for nothing. But I want to do this anyway, just so you guys get some closure. I'll, uh… tell you all how I feel about you. … That sounded way worse coming out of my mouth than it did in my head. And if you're interested in how little ol’ me became a secret agent, I'll tell you guys that, too. Life story time. Woo.”

“Once upon a time, there was a boy -- that boy being me. Shocking, I know. Anyway, he lived in lovely Canada. He had a relatively simple life growing up, blah blah blah, and all that. His dad was a mixed martial artist, while his mom was a teacher. I really looked up to my dad, and one day, when I was fourteen, I thought to myself, 'Hey, Taylor, maybe you can follow in your dad's footsteps and become famous and rich!’ So I asked him to train me, and while he was apprehensive at first, he eventually agreed to do so. … I may have pestered him a bit.”

“After my training, he pulled a few strings and was able to get me into the ring. I was the youngest fighter… well, ever. Lots of people underestimated me, which kind of bit them in the ass. So you may be wondering, ‘Hey, why are you with us when you had a promising career?’ or 'Hey, why aren't you the Ultimate Mixed Martial Artist?’ Well, I'll tell you why. I fucked it up. I was in line for likely becoming that, but not anymore. There was another fighter named Liam Tremblay. We actually got along pretty damn well, and became basically the best of friends. Eventually, though, we were put up against one another for the championship title. He told me to not hold back. So… we fought, and he was starting to look really weak. But he kept egging me on, encouraging me to keep it up. So I did that. … I won the match by knocking him out, but he… he ended up comatose.”

Taylor let out a hefty sigh. “Thankfully, it was only for a month, but still. The thought that I did that… It broke me. So I left the ring for good, leaving my promising career behind. I couldn't fight with the knowledge that I did that.” He fell silent for a few seconds and hung his head. “... If I die, and if any of you are able to, please show this to him. I want to say that I'm sorry.”

After a few moments of awkward silence, the agent looked back up. “Next up is how I became an agent, for those who care. So you remember my mom, right? She's a teacher, like I mentioned. Well, actually, that's her cover. She's an agent as well. I eventually found out one day by, well… finding some documents in her drawer. Hey, in my defense, she was acting very suspicious, so I knew something was up. I was worried. Once the cat was out of the bag, I decided to confront her. She… admitted to it, but didn't want to so she could protect us, or something. Then, it hit me. I felt that I have a purpose in life after walking away from my career. Sure, I'm still young, but… I didn't know what I wanted to do for an actual living. So I decided to become an agent myself, after pestering her about it. I'm tenacious when it comes to pestering my parents. But, uh, yeah. It was mainly to help people against the ‘bad guys’ and stuff. Made me feel pretty damn good about myself.”

“So… yeah. There's my story. Woohoo. Now then, for my actual thoughts on you guys. … Why do I sound like such a creep when I say it like that?” he asked himself. “Well, anyway.”

“Honda. You've been a great friend to me throughout this entire game, and just overall a great guy. I'm sorry for sort of accusing you back in the jungle. Didn't know what I was thinking. So, er, yeah. Keep up the good work. And I have to say, that duet we did back in the amusement park was kick-ass.”

“Annabella. I didn't really get to know you that well, and for that, I apologize. And I'm sorry for what happened to Kyoya. He must've been important to you... Well, anyway, keep up the good work on your dolls. You've done well so far, I'm sure.”

“Evelyn. Same as Annabella, I'm sorry for not really getting to know you that well. But you've been great in the investigations, and you seem pretty cool. And thank you for being a great friend to Althea. Hopefully you guys can stay in contact after this killing game bullshit blows over.”

“Skylar. You've also been a good friend to me throughout the game, and I'm glad that we shared a lot of the same interests. While you, uh… may have been a bit cold and uncaring at times, overall, I thought you were pretty cool. Minus that last trial, but let's not kill the mood.”

“Rose. Again, I'm sorry for not really getting to know you, either. And, uh, I'm sorry that you can't exactly walk… But I'm glad we were able to bring you back by using the Nexus. I hope your perfume business goes far, by the way. And… for what it's worth, I know that Althea is sorry for what she did. Just throwing that out there.”

“Nana. You're a really kind-hearted girl, and pretty damn good at solving crimes as well. I had fun talking with you in the anti-gravity zone. And I know this isn't worth much, but… I'm very sorry about what happened to Hoshiko. She didn't deserve that. Fuck, none of us did… but yeah. Just wanted to say that.”

“And finally, Althea. What can I say? You're a great person and friend, Althie. I know that you can save your grandfather. I'm sure of it. You just need to apply yourself. But like I said before, you can do it. I believe in you.” He brought his hands together to form a heart, his cheeks flushing a bit.

“Uh… Y-Yeah. Also directed at Althie. I'm sure you can all figure out what this means. Starts with an L. Ends with an E. Has O and V in the middle. … S-So yeah,” he said with a bashful smile and chuckle. “... The word is love, if… if that went over any of your heads.” Cue the awkward cough. “S-So, ah… yeah.”

“Um, anyway, that's… that's it, I guess. I'm not the best at sappy, sentimental stuff, but I wanted to say all of that. If I'm not able to catch the mastermind, I hope that all of you can. And that all of you can go home, and end Alabaster's crimes once and for all. You can do it, guys.”

After a short pause, he smirked. “By the way, to the mastermind themselves -- all that nice shit I said earlier, directed towards you? Forget that. I only have eight words for you. Fuck you. Kiss my ass. Go to hell.” His smirk only widened in size. “That's only for you, though, mastermind. I meant every word I said to the others. Just not you.”

“Now, then…” Taylor turned to the speakers to make his announcement. “Hey guys. Look, sorry to do this, but… I want to hold some interviews. One-on-one, each of you in turn. I know it’s a pain, but… Ultimate Agent’s gotta be good for something, right? I think I might be onto something. We can do them in alphabetical order, keep it simple. I’ll try not to take up too much of your time. Just come to the science lab whenever you’re ready, okay?”

Once that was over with, he turned to the camera. “This is Agent Taylor Fournier, signing off.” With that, he gave one last smile to the camera before the video ended, leaving behind only a blank screen.

“This area’s clear as well, ma’am,” a government agent reported. “Seems this place really has shut down.”

“Noted. Can’t be too careful around Alabaster tech, they’re sneaky bastards,” his superior replied briskly, continuing to monitor the data rushing past the screen of her laptop as it interfaced with a nearby console. “Any news on the kids?”

“The surviving ultimates have reached mainland. They seem to be in good health. Olivia was arrested the moment they arrived.”

“Excellent.”

The room was silent for a few moments, save the sound of keys being pressed on the keyboard, when a third agent entered.

“Ma’am, operation Thunderclap is a go. Simultaneous raids on the homes and hideouts of Alabaster’s board of directors are undergoing as we speak.”

The superior nodded. “They won’t get away with all they did, and planned to do. I’ll make sure of that.”

A few moments later, A finely dressed young man stepped into the room.

“I trust that you’ll leave me be after this?” He asked, with a bit of a smile on his face.

“Of course, Gawain.” The superior responds with a nod. “You’ve given us more than enough info on Alabaster than we could ever ask for.”

“I still can’t believe it…” The agent rubbed his head in confusion. “You sure you’re not going to snap and start up those crazy projects again, right?”

“Nonsense.” Gawain simply shook his head. “I am in complete control of myself, and this newly constructed body has no ties to Alabaster.” He says as he looks down at his gloved hand, flexing his fingers in various ways.

“They don’t have control over me anymore.”

“Well alright then. Stranger things have happened, I suppose. Your cooperation is appreciated, too.”

Gawain nods and heads for the exit, opening the door and letting the daylight shine on through. He looks up and smiles, before turning back to the three agents and waves.

”I suppose this is farewell. Take care, you guys.” Gawain gives them one last smile before walking off outside, reentering the world as himself, leaving all of Alabaster and Adam behind.

The agents got back to work. After a while, the superior let out a frustrated sigh. “Dammit. No signs of that crazy AI Olivia was using. Looks like it was decommissioned once the game was over.” Job done, she unplugged her laptop from the console and turned to face the other agents. “Alright, we’ll use the teleporter to access the other locations. With any luck, we can pressure some of the Alabaster goons we’ve captured to reveal the locations of the hidden ones, but I’m not holding my breath. This is going to be a long ride.”

As she spoke, just for a brief moment, the screen of her discarded laptop flashed up an image of Eve grinning. The world was too vast to let it all end here. As soon as the laptop was reconnected elsewhere, Eve would be free to escape out into the internet, and then nothing could stop her. New adventures awaited.

Being a prisoner was not exactly Olivia’s idea of a fun time. At all. The harshness of the lifestyle change hit even harder due to her being stuck within the confines of one of the most elite maximum-security prisons on the planet, slowly inching towards the day she’d face the death sentence she’d been given. Normal teenagers might be given some leeway, but not one who was consciously responsible for multiple deaths, kidnapping, and conspiracy.

The first couple of weeks after her game fell apart were tedious and frustrating. She had been interrogated more times than she could count and had lost track of how many times she’d said the name “Alabaster” in conversation. Federal agents and officers of all kinds had asked for her story, and every time she told them the same thing. Yet, each time she recounted the tale, she grew more and more ashamed of what she’d done. Once the investigation reached a point where her testimony was no longer required, or at least, not to the extent it was at the beginning, she was nothing more than a miserable, self-hating wreck.

But she deserved no pity. She deserved to hurt.

Every now and again, Honda would visit her when he could. Though their meetings were no more than an hour and were always under heavy surveillance, it was always the highlight of her week. Nobody else from that horrid game had bothered to check if she was still alive (though, sometimes she had strange nightmares of Althea screaming at her during visiting hours), and that was both understandable and expected, so seeing at least one familiar face made it a little easier to get by. It did take him a few years to forgive her, though, and part of her always believed he never truly did, but she knew that he still loved her. For what it was worth, she did start referring to him as Takumi eventually, but it took some time because she did not believe she was worthy to call him that, after all the grief that had been caused.

One particularly gloomy morning, Olivia was informed that her death sentence had been expedited. In truth, she’d only been incarcerated for a little over four years, when the average wait time for death row inmates is closer to fifteen. It was a bit shocking to hear… but also very relieving to know she’d be dead by the end of the week. The only reason she had voted for herself to live at the end of her game was because she knew she could at least be useful in the government’s investigation. With that over, she didn’t serve much of a purpose to anyone. Her family had effectively disowned her, she lost any friends she may have had not counting Takumi, and she was branded a villain by the rest of society.

*************************************************************************************************************

She had been lying awake that night when Brandy, the young woman in the cell next to her, initiated a conversation. Such a thing was not unusual for the two of them, but it still caught Olivia off guard.

“So, I heard they’re putting you down early.”

“Yeah, I guess they are.”

“How do you feel about it? I’d imagine you’re elated.”

“Uh, yeah, actually,” Olivia chuckled, “I am. Allowing me to go on any further would just be a risk for society.”

“I’m gonna miss having you around, though.”

“Aw, c’mon, you’ve got plenty of other ‘friends’ to make in here, Brandy.”

“Yeah, but you’re the only one who gets me.”

Olivia laughed, “Really? I still don’t get how you could even relate to me. You didn’t kill a shit-load of people, y’know. You’re just a treasure hunter, right? What are you even doing in here?”

“Well, breaking into Area 51 will do that… I’m lucky I wasn’t shot on sight. Well, I was shot at, but, well, it’s not important. This is your story, not mine. Though, not for much longer...”

“Ah, well, you’ll make new friends. And, knowing you, I’m sure you’ll find a way to go back to hunting for jewels, or whatever.”

“Hey, don’t talk like that!” Brandy whisper-shouted. “The guards are right there! They’re half-awake, but they’re still there.”

“Right, right, sorry.” Olivia yawned. “I suppose I should be getting to sleep. Once tomorrow morning comes… that’ll be it.”

“Yeah… I hope you end up in the right spot.”

“Hell?”

“Yeah, because I’ll be right there with you, eventually.”

*************************************************************************************************************

Before long, the night was gone, and the morning had taken its place at the table. In a room void of any personality, was Olivia, strapped to a rather intimidating table. Surrounding her were a few humanoid machines, meant to both restrain her and deliver her the lethal injection.

The robots were without a doubt older models refurbished for this new purpose, as evidenced by their Alabaster logos being scratched off and poorly painted over. Said paint was chipping off, Olivia noted, which meant that the prison probably didn’t care enough to hide the fact that they bought the machines in the first place.

One of the bots approached with an IV and inserted it into Olivia’s right arm. It wasn’t long before she could feel a tingling sensation in her hands and feet, with the feeling creeping closer and closer to the center of her body.

A few moments prior to the insertion of the IV, she had been offered the choice to give any final words or a statement, which would then be released to the media, for all the world to hear.

“Last words, huh? It’s weird to be on the other end of this whole thing for real this time… I guess all I have to say is, um…” she took a moment to think. What did she want to say that hadn’t already been said? “I… I have no final words, sorry.”

After the effects of the first drug kicked in at roughly 30 seconds, another was inserted into the IV. If the previous drug made her feel nothing, then the second one straight-up paralyzed her after a little under two minutes, making it difficult to breathe entirely.

So many images flashed through her mind, though it appeared as though they were going in reverse order. Going from that moment all the way back to her confession, to Taylor’s death, and so on and so forth.

Soon, it was time for the final injection: the one that would finally kill her. After a saline solution was put into the IV drip to flush it out, the bot administered a lethal dose of potassium chloride. As she entered cardiac arrest, a final set of images appeared in her mind. The first was a memory of all the sleepless nights she spent reprogramming Eve. The second, was of her and Takumi entering the Tunnel of Love, which was a memory she often went back to when she wanted to feel happy. And finally, the last one was of the day she introduced herself to everyone on that miserable, awful train as Skylar Culver, the Ultimate Card Collector.

That memory always haunted her, but, before she had time to think about it, she had passed on.

About two weeks had passed since the killing game ended. Life for Takumi had pretty much returned to what it was before he joined the game. He once again traveled the world, playing his music where he could, for anyone and everyone that would listen. The only difference was that more and more people seemed to recognize him. A few offered their sympathies for everything that had transpired. Most however were interested in asking questions about it. Depending on his mood the minstrel would either answer them or ignore them. He had attempted to see Olivia during this time, but as the investigation was still in its early stages, he was told he’d have to wait. That was fine with him, as he wasn’t entirely sure what he wanted to say.

One evening Takumi had found himself in a park of a small city, after playing music nearby. He sat down on a bench and had planned on watching the sunset as a way to relax after the show. That didn’t last for long though, as he was soon interrupted by a sudden, scratchy noise. Recognizing the noise, the minstrel searched for the source of it, and eventually spotted a young boy no older than 13 playing a violin. Or at least attempting to play it. The instrument itself was horribly out of tune, among other things. Seeing the sad display, Takumi decided to approach the struggling boy.

“Greetings.” He said, giving a small wave to the boy. “I was nearby and couldn’t help but overhear your music. Would you like a hand with it? I could help you get it back in tune, if you’d like.”

The boy looked surprised, as he must not have heard the minstrel approach. “A-Ah!” He exclaimed. “I-I didn’t expect to see anyone else here... Nobody ever comes here, so I thought it was okay to practice here... I hope I wasn’t bothering you... S-Sorry... W-Would you really help me though...?”

“It’s quite alright. You weren’t bothering me at all.” The minstrel smiled. “And of course. May I see your violin?”

The boy nodded, and handed his instrument to Takumi, who in turn began to tune it. After a few minutes it sounded much better, and he returned the instrument back to the boy.

“T-Thank you, mister..!” He said happily, with a smile. “U-Um... W-What’s your name? M-My name is Kota.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Kota. My name is Takumi. Now, why don’t you give that a try and we can see if it still needs to be tuned some more.”

“O-Oh, um a-alright...” For some reason the boy sounded more nervous than before. As he raised the violin to play it, a church bell rang nearby, and slowly rang out six more times.

“A-Ah!” Kota exclaimed, lowering his instrument. “I have to go now... I’m sorry... My parents will get mad at me if I’m not home soon... But before I go, can you meet me back here a little earlier tomorrow...? I’ll play for you then...!”

Takumi smiled again. “There’s no need to be sorry. I’ll meet you back here tomorrow then. Farewell for now, Kota!”

“B-Bye, Mr. Takumi...!” The boy waved to the minstrel, and ran off. For some reason Takumi thought the boy seemed relieved. Maybe that was just his imagination, though.

---

The next day Takumi arrived at the park around an hour and a half earlier than yesterday. He played his violin to pass the time as he waited, and before long Kota showed up with his violin in hand. He seemed impressed by Takumi’s music, and after the two greeted each other he asked to hear another song.

“I wish I could play like that...” He muttered sadly, after the musician finished playing.

“Don’t be sad, Kota. It just takes some practice!” Takumi replied, trying to encourage the boy. “You’ll get there someday. I’m sure of it!”

Kota sighed. “N-Not at this rate, I won’t... I-I have to confess something, Mr. Takumi...” He muttered, looking a little guilty. I don’t really know how to play the violin... T-That’s why I was so relieved when that bell went off yesterday... And why I ran off so quickly... I’m s-sorry I lied...”

Takumi did seem a bit surprised at the revelation, but did his best not to further upset the boy. “You don’t? May I ask why?”

Kota hesitated for a moment, but slowly nodded. “I-I really did want to learn how to play the violin, but I got distracted... Really distracted... I’ve been playing a lot of Midnite Battle Royale with my friends instead of practicing... M-My grandpa bought me this violin because I wanted to play it, and he’s visiting me in a few weeks and he already asked to hear me play... I-Is there any way you can teach me...? I don’t want to disappoint him...”

“Well, how could I say no to that?” Takumi said, smiling. “I’ll gladly teach you, Kota.”

“Really?! A-Are you sure...?” He asked, excitedly. “I don’t have much money, but I can give you what I saved of my allowance...!”

The minstrel chuckled. “It’s quite alright, there’s no need to pay me. Just seeing your progress will be payment enough. Now, what do you say we begin?”

“Y-Yes sir...!”

---

About a week and a half later, the two had finished up another practice session. Kota was a fast learner, and was quickly improving. He was eager to learn and Takumi was happy to teach. The two had a few minutes left before the boy had to go home.

“Um, Mr. Takumi...? C-Can I ask you something?” Kota asked.

“Sure, what is it Kota?” Takumi replied.

“W-Well, if it’s not too personal... Why do you play the violin...? Is it just because you like it...? Or is there another reason...?”

“I love playing the violin more than anything, but that’s not the only reason I play. You see I had a teacher, named Honda. He taught me everything I know about the violin and he loved to play it. We traveled all around the world together playing everywhere we could. He had one goal in his life, and that was to make the entire world smile. Before he passed away he asked me to take his name and carry on his goal. So I accepted. And now I travel around, doing my best to make everyone I can smile when they listen to my music.”

“W-Wow... I wish I could have met Mr. Honda... He sounded like a nice guy...”

“He was, Kota. I’m sure you two would have gotten along great.”

---

About another week and a half had passed. Kota arrived at the park that day with his parents and grandfather. He introduced Takumi to them, and then had begun to play his violin. The minstrel couldn’t help but smile throughout his performance. He was very proud of how quickly his student improved. A few hours later, he had to say his goodbyes to Kota, as he needed to get back to his travels. The boy was sad, but he understood. He promised to keep practicing his violin, and the minstrel promised to keep in touch with him.

---

The weeks quickly turned into months, and during his travels Takumi was able to teach more and more students. Thanks to his time with Kota, he had discovered a passion for teaching.

Before long he was able to see Olivia once again. He visited her whenever he could, which was usually once a week. Their meetings were no longer than an hour at a time, and were always under heavy surveillance. Despite everything they had been through, he was still happy to see her, even if he never did fully forgive her. He still had feelings for her, and her eventual death hit him hard when he found out that she was to be executed. However along with time, his students were able to help him move on.

About five years had passed since the killing game had ended. Takumi had become quite well known for his music, and not a day went by without him hearing from one of his many pupils. There was always someone sending him an update on how their practice was going, or a picture, or they just wanted to talk to their old teacher. He almost didn’t have enough time to respond to them all. However, one day shortly before he was going to play he received a message from his first student.

“Hey, Mr. Takumi! It’s me, Kota! Sorry I haven’t been able to talk much lately, I’ve been so busy with finals! But I have some good news, and I wanted you to be the first person to hear! I got a full scholarship to attend Juilliard! Thanks so much for everything, I couldn’t have done it without you! I hope to hear from you soon!”

- Kota


Takumi smiled. He couldn’t be prouder. Things had been rough for the minstrel throughout his life, but everything he had been through to that point was worth it. Whatever future hardships he would face, he wouldn’t face them alone. He had his friends and students. He was proud of his own accomplishments, and he knew that Honda would be proud too as he watched over him.

What a beautiful day. The sun shines through the branches of a picture perfect garden, decorated with all the flowers you could ever dream of, as a serene waltz resonates in the background. Standing beside our pink-haired heiress is a butler in the finest of uniforms, pouring a cup of tea for his mistress as she stares blankly at the fairy tale world around her.

"Would you like some sugar with that, Miss Péchard?" The butler asks.

"No thanks."

"Perhaps some milk then?"

"No thanks."

"Ah, or maybe you'd like a pastry instead? Hm, or maybe even...two? You won't have to worry about me telling your father, of course." The butler says with a warm smile.

"No thanks."

An awkward pause ensues. The butler isn't used to such behaviour from the esteemed Ultimate Perfumer, although he supposes it could make sense, given everything that occurred to her.

"I see. Well then...You must still be stressed after, well, everything you endured. Might I suggest another massage for today? I'd say you deserve it."

"I'm fine, Bruno. Really." She responds bluntly.

"..Very well then, Miss Péchard. I suppose I shan't disturb you any further." Bruno says with a small bow before proceeding to turn his back and head out of the garden.

"Hey, why do you all still call me that?" The perfumer asks suddenly, stopping the butler in his tracks.

"I beg your pardon?" Bruno responds, unsure of his mistress' question.

"Péchard. We all know that's not who I really am." The heiress looks her butler in the eye. "Come on now, I found out ages ago...When the Péchards took me in I was a "Fujita"..." She averts her gaze. "I just..." Rose looks down and shakes her head. "I hate living a lie. When I was at the Alabaster hellhole, every day was filled with lies, deception, and more lies...How come as soon as I come out of that, I have to go back to living another lie back home?"

"Miss Péchard..." Bruno frowns and pauses. "I am so deeply sorry you feel this way. No one here is trying to lie you...You are a Péchard, regardless of whether you share the same blood as your parents. Were you not raised by your mother and father since infancy? Did they not teach you everything they knew, and did they not form you into the wonderful Ultimate Perfumer you are now?" The butler exclaims.

"But...but if Mom and Dad could have had children of their own, they would have never had me...I'm just a coincidence!" Rose retorts.

"How dare you say such a thing! A coincidence? Are you mad? You were a blessing! The Péchard Parfumerie would have never been the same without you!" Bruno scowls. "If you could only listen to yourself, Miss Péchard..."

Rose looks up again and gives her butler a faint smile. "I...I guess you're right." She then wipes a few tears from her eyes and shakes her head. "Ugh, why am I being such an overdramatic crybaby again?" The perfumer gives an awkward laugh before looking Bruno in the eyes. "You saw nothing, okay? Anyways...thanks, I guess. I suppose I feel better now."

"No need to thank me, Miss Péchard." Bruno says with a small chuckle.

"Oh, and could I ask for one more favor?" Rose adds.

"Certainly. What is it?" The butler asks.

"Could you...maybe call me "Miss Rose" instead of "Miss Péchard" from now on? I get that I am a real Péchard woman all, but being called Miss Rose makes me feel more...comfortable." The perfumer explains while lost in thought, thinking of something, or perhaps someone.

"Of course, Miss Rose." Her butler says with a polite bow. "So, any plans for the future, Miss Rose?"

"The future? Well...I guess there is something." Rose dips her spoon in her teacup and stirs calmly. "A certain...unpunished individual is still out there, and I don't believe my story with them is over yet." She explains, taking a sip of her tea. "This Rose does have a few thorns, after all."

It had finally all ended for Evelyn. As she and the others were finally getting their return to civilisation, she sat in a corner, simply staring at the wall, indulging in some self-introspection. She didn't know how to feel. The cruel game in which she had been trapped in for so long… It was all over now. It would take a while for her to readjust to her normal life again.

If she even could, anyway. She’d changed quite a bit herself, albeit mostly for the better. She’d made friends now, something she had never managed to accomplish before. She gave a glance towards the others, who were all preoccupied with other things, and Olivia, who was tied up in the back. Althea was sitting in a corner as well, with tears still rolling down her face but with her hopeful smile still intact.

Evelyn then gave a look towards the two robots in the driver's seat, formerly Eli and Nicos. They’d managed to save them from the facility, but at the same time they’d lost their own bodies and were slowly losing their humanity as well. It was unlikely they’d ever be the same. Still, Evelyn was grateful to the two for what they had done to them. As the van finally stopped, reaching its destination, she gave the two a small yet warm hug before departing with the others, as a sort of farewell. It was time to move on.

As she started to get to grips with her new surroundings, she felt a small presence by her side. Glancing to see what it was, she saw none other than Althea, meekly looking around her.

“Ah, Althie, is everything alright?” She asked concernedly.

Althea turned around, a little surprised. “Ah! Evy! Yes, ah, yes, everything’s fine! It’s just, well… this feels so strange, to be back here…”

“Ah, well.” Evelyn gave an understanding nod. “I suppose it will take quite a bit to get used to all of this once more… Ah!” She suddenly let out a gasp as she laid eyes on a figure in the distance. “Is that…”

“Is that who?” Althea scratched her head, a little perplexed. The figure in question appeared to be a slightly rotund man with a tired, gloomy expression on his face. His hair on his head as well as his chin was a somewhat familiar shade of red as well.

“It’s my father!” Evelyn let out excitedly. “Althie, you have to come with me! I need to introduce him to you!”

“Ah, well, um… I suppose, it couldn't hurt.” Althea reasoned before slowly accompanying her.

Evelyn, meanwhile, frantically jogged over to the man and called over to him. As he turned around to see her, the look on his face immediately changed to a mixture of shock, relief and joy and they both embraced each other lovingly. There was silence for some moments, with both of the two quietly sobbing into each other’s shoulders. Althea stood at the back rather awkwardly, not wanting to ruin the moment.

After a while, they both loosened the embrace slightly. The man looked down at Evelyn and patted her head gently. “Ah, mah girl”, he sighed. “I’ve missed ya for so long! I was dead frightened that I wouldn't even get ta see ye again… But ye’re ‘ere now! In the flesh, aye”, he said, letting out a slight chuckle.

“Oh, father”, Evelyn sniffled, “I-I thought I’d never get to see you either! Just thinking about you made me worried all this time…”

“Aye, well, ya don't have to worry anymore. Ye did good, m’girl”, the man replied proudly, “Without yer help, I doubt yer friends could’ve even made it out, aye!”

“O-oh, please…” Evelyn giggled softly despite herself. “I-it wasn't anything much at all, really! I don't think I could’ve done it all on my own. In fact… that reminds me!” She turned around. “Althie, come over here!” She went over to fetch the girl.

“Is, is this necessary?” Althea questioned nervously as Evelyn dragged her to her father. “I didn't want, well, I wouldn't want to get in the way of you two or anything-”

“Nonsense, it’s all quite fine!” She finally brought her over. “Now, Althea, meet my father! This is Carver Scythe, former head coroner of my district”, she proudly announced. Althea gave her a strange look, a little surprised that that was actually his name, but Evelyn continued. “Father, this is Dr. Althea Agnes-”

“Er, the ‘doctor’ part isn't necessary anymore”, Althea chimed in.

“… And you might have heard of her before”, Evelyn continued, “But she is a good friend of mine whom I met here. She was a great help to me through even the toughest of times and-”

“Of course I know ‘er!” Carver replied, unperturbed. “Seen ‘er in the videos and all! So yer my dear Evelyn’s best pal, are ya?”

“Of course! Um, sir”, Althea replied hastily.

“Well, thank ya muchly!” He shook her hand with a lot of force, a grateful look in his eyes. “I don't know what I coulda done if my darling girl was all alone ‘ere. I could tell you’re important to ‘er!”

“Ah, er, well…” Though the mask hid her face, it was apparent that Althea was beet red, but she slowly regained her composure and tried to look him in the eye. “Er, yes, thank you, very much! Sir. Sir! You, ah, you raised a truly wonderful daughter! Evy was a true friend to me through even the hardest of times! To be honest, even I’m not sure what I could have done without her. It was…” She suddenly paused, as if she realised something.

“Is something the matter?” Evelyn asked gently.

“No, no! It’s, it's just that, well…” Althea pointed slowly at the hair growing on Carver’s chin. “Your, er, goatee, sir… Well, it reminded me somewhat of, uh… Someone we met once?”

Evelyn appeared befuddled momentarily before quickly realising who it was that she was referring to and letting out a soft giggle. “Ah, yes, the wondrously mad genius himself! Yes, quite a pity that he’s no longer with us… Actually, that reminds me!” She turned to Carver once more. “Althea is a rather masterful comedian, father! Would you perhaps like to hear one of her jokes?”

Althea’s reaction to this suggestion was akin to a deer caught in the headlights. “Ah, Evy… Now might not be the best ti-”

“Of course I’d love to hear it!” He beamed. “What is it, lass? Don't keep me waitin’ here!”

“Uh… well…” Panicking somewhat, Althea’s eyes darted around the place… Till she noticed the door of a nearby house.

“Ah, door, right?” She began. “But what if I… Don'tor?”

There was an awkward silence between the three of them for a moment.

“Oh, I get it. Nice one, lass!” Carver let out a slight chuckle, though it felt more polite than genuine.

“Ah, well. A valiant effort, at least!” Evelyn replied, unsure of what else to add that wasn't too rude.

“I can't come up with these things on the spot!” Althea protested, her face somehow turning an even brighter shade of red. “My grandfather would be much better at this than I am”, she pouted.

“...Oh, yes, good point”, Evelyn suddenly replied, recalling something important. “Yes, we need to see your grandfather, Althie! I’m coming with you.”

“... Wait, really?” Althea seemed somewhat surprised by this. “Evy, you, you don't need to come-”

“Of course I will!” Evelyn declared. “What kind of friend would I be otherwise?” She briefly turned to Carver. “My apologies, father, but I need to get going. I need to give my friend some help. But I promise I’ll be back soon!” She added.

“…Well, if it’s so necessary, then go with it”, He replied in a surprisingly agreeable manner. “But ah expect you to be back for dinner, at least! We’ve got ourselves a lot to catch up on, me girl!” He gave a slight chuckle before giving her a small kiss on the forehead.

“Yes, of course!” Evelyn nodded. “Now, Althie, shall we?”

“Ah, of course!” She nodded back in return, this time with some more confidence. It was finally time for closure.

---

It was some hours later. Evelyn and Althea had finished their visit to the house of Althea’s grandfather and had parted ways, with Evelyn promising to keep in touch with her no matter what would happen. She returned back to her house, where her father was expectantly waiting. He welcomed her back with open arms.

As he prepared dinner for both of them, they both started to catch up with each other. Apparently the coroner department in her district had gone haywire without her presence and it was in a rather chaotic state at present, which made her rather worried. It seemed that they were more reliant on her than she even expected.

“My, my, how disconcerting… I need to visit there tomorrow, surely! Oh, how distraught everyone must have felt without my presence!” Evelyn bemoaned. “Ah, this game has ruined everyone’s lives, has it not, father?”

“Aye, sure ‘as”, he replied back. “It seems the media agrees with it too.”

He beckoned at the television screen nearby, which was broadcasting a news outlet related to the killing game. Apparently Alabaster had been heavily criticised for most of its decisions and several lawsuits had been filed against it in the past few hours, mainly by the families of those working in Project Eden and those who were involved in the killing game. They had been coerced to pay fines to the families as a result.

“Oh my, really?” Evelyn raised her eyebrow. “Alabaster is a rather large corporation… Does this mean we perhaps could receive compensation, father?” She asked rather hopefully.

“Perhaps”, he chuckled. “Let’s wait an’ see, eh? Maybe we could benefit from ‘is after all, though”, he murmured.

“Yes, quite…” Evelyn agreed. “It would only be fair.”

---

The next day, Evelyn had arrived at her district’s police station, the place at which she had worked for so much of her life. She stood at the entrance with butterflies in her stomach. Could she really make something of this situation? It had been a while, after all. Would she even be able to right things in her own department? But as hard as it was for her, she buried all her feelings deep within and slowly walked in. As she did, she noticed several pairs of eyes immediately flutter towards her, following a sudden congregation of those who had previously been her coworkers around her.

“Dr. Scythe! You’re back!” One exclaimed.

“Thank god! Are you alright?” Another enquired, appearing rather concerned.

“I’d heard you had been captured and held in that terrible killing game! Did you manage to make it out alright?”

The questions continued. Some were curious and others were asked out of genuine empathy. Evelyn wasn't used to this. She hadn't been expecting so much attention surrounding her, and the look of care in everyone’s eyes surprised her. Did… did she manage to make some friends here after all?

“A-ahem”, she nervously cleared her throat. “Yes, erm, thank you very much for asking. I do appreciate the concern, really! Thankfully, I happen to be rather fine. I managed to get off rather fine, considering… well, you know. I did miss all of you though, quite dearly. How have you all been without me?”

There was a sudden cacophony of voices as a response. From what she could tell, they were in a state of calamity. Far too many corpses were being reported and it was hard to keep up. Several of her coworkers even had to work overnight just to keep up. It was quite simply madness.

“Oh dear”, Evelyn sighed. “Well, I suppose there’s only one thing to do here, and that is to resume working here!”

“W-wait, really, boss?” One man asked. “Already? Are you sure? You haven't even had time to relax-”

“It’s all part of the job, Joseph!” Evelyn replied dismissively. “I’ve realised that I simply cannot stop my work here. It’s simply my duty to!”

A few others seemed to be worried for her, but they reluctantly obliged, guiding her to her old office.

“Well, this is a dusty old place, isn't it?” Evelyn remarked, brushing off some dust in a corner and seating the doll Annabella had given her there. “Who’s using this place nowadays, anyway?”

“Nobody in particular”, one of her coworkers replied sheepishly. “We should have had a temporary replacement for when you were gone, but there were some complications in appointing a new one-”

“Ah, how unfortunate! Lucky I’m here to rectify it!” Evelyn commented enthusiastically.

“Ma’am!” A voice cried out from outside. “We’ve just got a new body here!”

“…Well then.” Evelyn’s voice didn't let it on, but she was quite tense. It had been a while since she had performed an autopsy in normal circumstances. She wasn't even sure if she could really change much about the enormous workload her department was currently facing.

But she wasn't about to let it show. She’d learnt by now. She was going to keep her head up high no matter what. Her father had taught her to be a true coroner. Eli had taught her to be a true detective. And Althea… had taught her how to be a true friend. All of them had placed their trust in her at some point or another. And she wasn't going to let any of them down now.

She cracked her knuckles, an excited grin slowly appearing on her face. She put on her surgeon’s mask and took out her scalpel, as sharp as ever. Beckoning to her coworker, she started to leave to the operating room. This was it. This was a time to truly prove her worth, once and for all.

And as she left, one thought went through her mind, and one alone.

Let's do this.

After the killing game, Annabella wasn’t at all surprised to find her parents acting so overprotective. She was under constant supervision and they made sure she never left the house. Once, she might have enjoyed her solitude, but now all she wanted was to see what normal lives and relationships were like.
She started making a list of everything she wanted to do. Based on movies and books she’d seen, there was a lot she’d missed out on. None of it could feasibly be done in her current situation, however. So that left only one option.

Sneaking out of her house hadn’t been as tricky as she thought it would have been. All she had to do was pack a suitcase, dress in her disguise, wait for the maid who was assigned to check up on her every few hours at night to leave, leave a note for her parents, and slip out the window. They’d be mad when she got back, but she’d deal with that later. She had a list to complete.

● Go to a shopping mall

A pretty simple task, Annabella thought. There were also shops in malls where she could complete her other items. The problem was what to do in the mall. All movies just shows girls carrying around shopping bags and talking about who to ask to the dance. She didn’t have anyone to talk to besides the pair of dolls she’d brought with her for added security. A few people walking past gave her strange looks as she openly conversed with them, but every time
she asked them if they wanted to join, they would quickly shake their heads and walk away.

Oh well. Their loss then.

● Get a manicure

She had gotten a manicure before, but it was years ago and had been done in a fancy salon. The one at the mall was noisy, not as well-decorated, and a pretty “meh” job overall. But it was cheaper than the other place she’d been before.

● Go see a movie in a theater

Deciding the movie in question proved to be difficult. Her two dolls had conflicting opinions on which type of film they wanted to see and she had to force a compromise on a not-too-scary superhero movie that also featured a romance subplot. It was another comic book re-adaptation, but she’d never seen the original, and it was pretty good overall.

● Ride the special kiddie train around the mall

It wasn’t on her list initially, but as soon as Annabella saw it drive past she chased it around the building until it stopped at the station, where she asked for a ride. Fortunately, she was short enough to pass as a small child. The other kids on the train were excited to meet her and her dolls. But as soon as they arrived at the stop again, they said their goodbyes and ran off with their parents.

● Get ears pierc-

That one couldn’t happen. Not because Annabella already had her ears pierced, but because an announcement went off throughout the mall stating they were looking for her. She ducked into a women’s restroom stall and changed both her and her dolls into something that would blend them in to the crowds.

With mall security looking high and low for her, it was probably best to hide in the food court. There were so many options to choose from, and she was never too good at making choices, so she ordered one item from each of the food vendors and sat down at one of the tables, a doll at both of her sides.

“Here you go, Madeline.” She pushed a hamburger to the doll on her left. “It’s just like the steak we have at home. I think. It’s made from the same animal so it probably tastes the same.”

The doll stared ahead as the burger was lifted to her mouth. Annabella winced as she saw grease smeared along its porcelain cheeks and lips, and she wiped it away with a napkin. “Maybe that’s not the best one to eat. How about-”

“Hey, um, can I sit here?”

Annabella looked up at a girl, about her age, standing at the other end of the table. The girl motioned to an empty seat with her tray.

“Oh! Sure, that’s fine!” Annabella smiled.

“Thanks.” The girl sat down and began eating. Annabella stared at her, wondering how to initiate a conversation. She could ask her name, what she liked to do, where she was from…

It took her a few moments to realize the girl was staring back at her, awkwardly flushing. “Do I have something in my teeth? Something on my face?” The girl felt around her chin for stray food.

Annabella shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I was just wondering...um...what’s your name?”

“Name? Oh, uh, it’s Kaylee. And yours?”

“Oh, right. My name’s Annab-” She stopped, remembering that security was probably still looking for her. “Anna. Just Anna.”

“Okay...it’s nice to meet you ‘Just Anna’.”

“Nice to meet you too.”

Kaylee looked around the table.. “Um...where’d you get those dolls?”

“Hmm? They were gifts from my aunt. I’m not sure where she got them.”

“They look lovely.” She paused. “Wait a minute, I think I have seen you somewhere.”

Annabella ducked her head. “I, uh, don’t know what you mean. Maybe it’s just the outfit. I look like everyone else here, right?”

“Not really…I don’t think anyone has worn skinny jeans and knee-length sneakers since the 2010s.”

“Oh…” She flushed.

Kaylee rubbed her chin. “But still...where did I see you? I can’t exactly put my finger on it. Maybe it was the news?”

Annabella ducked her head lower, trying to hide between her hunched shoulders. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

“Oh well. I guess it doesn’t matter.” She shrugged and went back to her food. “So, do your dolls have names?”

“This one's Madeline.” She lifted the golden-haired doll on her left. “She's a fashionista, so I thought bringing her to a mall full of clothing stores would be fun for her.” She pointed to the other. “This is Conrad. He’s never really left my house before, so I brought him with me so he could see the world, y’know?”

“Ooh, I like them!” Kaylee leaned over to Conrad, lightly shaking his tiny hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

The doll said nothing, blankly staring ahead.

Annabella tipped her head to one side in curiosity, glancing back and forth between the two of them. “You like dolls?”

Kaylee shrugged. “I mean, I haven’t played with dolls in forever. I’m not even sure where all of mine are. But I guess I like them.”

“What dolls do you have?”

“Well let’s see...there was Mindy, the baby doll. And then there’s Monica - she’s really fragile, so I haven’t played with her that much. Hmm...there’s a few others, but I don’t remember them all. I guess you like dolls too?”

“Yes I do! I love them! I’ve been collecting dolls for a long time, and I have so many. Sometimes I wish I could bring them all with me-”

“Now I know where I’ve seen you before!” Kaylee interrupted. “You’re one of those Ultimates, right? What was her name again? The Ultimate Doll Designer or something like that, right?”

Annabella shrunk into her seat, bowing her head. “U-Um…I’d rather you not talk about that.”

Kaylee’s face softened. “Oh right…sorry… Well, still, I like your dolls.”

“Thank you…”

An awkward silence fell between the two girls. After a few moments, Kaylee stood up, carrying her tray with her. “It was nice meeting with you, but I think I need to be going soon.”

“Wait!” Annabella blurted out before she could stop herself, puzzling the other girl. “Can I...can I see some of your dolls...sometime?”

“Um, well, I guess so? Maybe…well, here:” She pulled out a slip of paper and wrote down something, handing it to the other girl. “It’s my phone number. Maybe we could get in touch later?”

Annabella looked at the note, then smiled a little. “Yes, that sounds quite fun!”

“Great! I guess...I’ll talk to you later then!”

As Kaylee walked away, Annabella pulled her list out of her purse. Pen in hand, she crossed out a single item on her list.

● Make new friends

What am I going to do?

As Nana sat quietly in the back of the taxi taking her to her father's home, she found herself wondering that question for the first time in ages. She'd originally gone back to her apartment to recover from her ordeal for a bit, but quickly realized it was too painful staying in that empty residence. She couldn't be there. Not yet, anyway. Besides, she had a lot to tell her father. She needed to let him know about Alabaster's scheming... and she needed to talk to him about Hoshiko. These weren't things she could discuss over the phone. It would be hard enough in person.

She sighed to herself, her thoughts drifting from relaying the bad news to considering her future. She'd probably see if she could stay with her father for a while... then what? It was starting to dawn on Nana just how frivolously she'd been living her life up until now. She never set any goals or learned to do most things for herself. She'd always just assumed things would work themselves out, and between her extraordinary fortune and the people around her helping her out, her sister in particular, they somehow did.

This experience had been a vicious dose of reality. Her luck would only take her so far. Life wouldn't just keep working itself out for her. She'd have to start making the effort to make it work out.

...She wasn't really sure how, though. That was another thing she could discuss with her father, she supposed. Paying better attention in school would probably help, too. No more guessing at the answers if she didn't understand something; she wasn't learning anything that way. Maybe just understanding the world a little more would help her feel a little less lost in it.

Nana sighed again and glanced out the cab window at the night sky. She'd never paid much attention to the stars, but looking at them now, they did seem quite pretty. She then realized they were the same stars Hoshiko gazed at every night.

That simple thought gave her a surprising amount of comfort.