Persona BLEACHED 3: Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Vive Les Artisans 
December 22, 2029 
Monte Carlo. The playground of the rich, largest quarter of the Principality of Monaco. Located mere kilometers from the border of France and Italy, situated at the base of the southern Alps and grazing the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. 
Sitting comfortably on the side of that mountain range was a fair-sized manor, in front of which was an expansive garden. A signpost with two wooden signs marked the entrance, the top sign reading 'Giraud-Blackthorne', with the bottom reading 'In large homes, love grows freely' in French. 
On yet another beautiful Mediterranean morning, Melinda Giraud was at work maintaining her garden, humming to herself. "Auntie!" 
She looked up to see Carrie standing there holding a bag of groceries. "Back so soon, amethyst? Did you get everything you needed?" 
"Yes, Auntie. Mrs. Dubois was so happy that I stopped by. She hadn't seen me since right before I left for school. She threw in a loaf of bread on the house." 
"Such a kindly old woman, has been since your mother and I first moved here. Why don't you set those down in the kitchen? Our guests should be arriving soon." 
"Will do~." Carrie happily entered the manor. 
"I've not seen such a spring in her step in years. She hasn't stopped talking about this week ever since first telling me about her plans. I hope this is a memorable Christmas for her." 
A short while passed, and Melinda's garden labor was interrupted by a tiny sound. "Meeeew?" 
She looked up to see a wooly, yellow cat sitting by her. "Oh my. Have you gotten lost, little one? You don't look like any of the local felines..." 
"CiCi! Don't run away like that, especially not when we're on a mountain! Naughty kitty!" Sophia rushed over and picked up the cat. "Ugh, we'll never find that manor at this rate..." 
"Madame Van Damme, I do believe you've found it, anyway." 
"Oh, Madame Giraud, forgive my bluntness and my cat's rude behavior! I'll thrust myself into the ocean as recompense!" She got on her hands and knees. 
"Um...that won't be necessary." 
"My Goddess, have you found the furball yet? It's probably gotten all the way to Turin by now--" Yannick froze upon seeing Melinda. "Oh, Imperial Goddess Giraud! Forgive our casual entrance, for we are but lowly peasants compared to thine majesty!" He also got on his hands and knees. 
"Oh-kay, you really don't need to be doing that. I'm not a queen or anything like that." 
Melinda then looked and saw that CiCi was now mimicking her owners' behavior and bowing. "Wait, why is the cat doing this now?!" 
"Uhhhhhhh..." Natalia arrived. "Mama, Papa...what are you doing?" 
"Shh, bow your head, Danish! Any disrespect on our part could lead to our own execution!" Sophia warned. 
"Whoa, slow down! I'm a fashion designer, not Robespierre! There's absolutely no need for that!" Melinda objected. 
"Um, Auntie? You sound different from when I met you in Tokyo. Less formal." Natalia brought up. 
"Oh, right. I save the formality for public appearances. My sister and I came from a middle class background, and we had to adapt once we moved here. It's a real pain, but what can you do? So, um...could you tell your parents and cat to stop bowing, please? It's a little embarrassing..." 
"Sorry, ma'am. Mama! Papa! Quit with the royal treatment, you're upsetting our host!" 
"I wouldn't go that far--" 
"Egad! Our efforts have only served to enrage her further! We're doomed!" Yannick exclaimed. 
"...please get up." 
Natalia's flustered parents finally rose back up. "Now we're going to not do whatever that was for the next week, OK? I don't put myself above anyone, so there's no need to place yourselves beneath me, got it?" Melinda requested. 
"Yes, Madame..." the parents uttered. 
"Good! Now let's get--" 
"--I'm telling ya, it's right over this way!" a male voice could be heard yelling. 
"You've been saying that for the last thirty minutes, you imbecile!" a woman yelled back. 
"Maaaaaa, I'm tired of walkiiiing..." a young woman complained. 
"Maybe you should've slept a bit more on the plane instead of eating up your phone data." the woman replied. 
"So what, I'm supposed to ignore monkey vids when they're right in front of me?" 
"She's got a point, Mama." a younger female voice said. 
"Oh, there's a voice I recognize." Natalia responded. 
Yannick took a sniff. "And that dying bird smell." 
CiCi became distressed by the scent and started growling. 
"I'm gonna flag them down before they start going in circles." Natalia said. "KITTYKAAAAT!" 
"Whoa, hold on, I just felt a vocal hug coming from over yonder." Kat said. 
The Kit clan arrived in short order. "See that, Joon? Told ya we should've made that left turn!" Wei boasted. 
"You lying sack of--" Joon bit back. 
Lin fiddled away on her phone as her parents argued. 
"How ya doing, Hoods?" Kat hugged Natalia. 
"Peachy now that you're here~." Natalia chimed. 
Kat got a message on her phone. She looked, and Lin had sent her an image of Jane Lynch from Glee, with the caption "I'm going to create an environment that is so toxic." 
Kat smacked her sister, grinning mischievously, on the shoulder. "STOP." Kat demanded. "Auntie, I'm gonna apologize in advance for all your future aneurysms. They can't help themselves." 
"It's...alright. Nothing wrong with a little liveliness." Melinda assured. "Well now that everyone's here, we'll need to get everyone settled in." She looked towards the manor. "Oh, Erik! Be a dear and help move their belongings, won't you?" 
The door opened, and out stepped a well-built young man in a butler's uniform, with glasses and a black shark-fin style haircut. "Affirmative, Madame." 
Lin dropped her shades at the sight of him. "Hooooo..." 
"Whoa..." Natalia muttered. 
"...does he hand out massages?" Kat asked. 
Everyone headed inside the manor, which housed two floors. "We've got guest rooms on both floors. Once everyone's settled in, we'll get to exploring town." Melinda said. 
"Oh, I've got something I'd like to explore." Lin uttered as she stared at Erik's backside. Joon raised an eyebrow. 
"So where's the princess of the castle staying?" Kat asked. 
"Darlings! Welcome to my abode!" Carrie called out and waved from the second floor. 
"Aaaaah!" Natalia scurried up to embrace her best friend. 
"Hey, save some for me!" Kat quickly followed suit. 
"You girls catch up. I'll give the adults the guided tour." Melinda called out. 
Carrie brought the girls to her bedroom. The decor, much like her room at the Academy, was distinctly purple in color. One table had an assortment of gemstones displayed on it, complete with a geology textbook, the author of which was listed as 'Mariana Blackthorne'. Another table held all of her computer equipment. 
"Deffo not as cramped as the Academy rooms. And it's about as purple as I was expecting." Kat said. 
"And it's so well-kept. What little I've seen of the place looks like it's in perfect shape. You must have a great help staff." Natalia added. 
"We actually don't have that large of a staff. It's only my aunt, uncle and myself living here most of the time, so we only have a handful of people helping. Most of the garden and housework, we do ourselves." Carrie elaborated. 
"Your Auntie wasn't kidding about keeping things humble. I was expecting this gigantic mansion, but this is smaller than Ms. Hiyoko's place." 
"Not to mention the JoJo house doesn't have...Erik." Kat said. 
"Ah, so you noticed him." Carrie replied. 
"My sister certainly did. Kinda young for a butler, I'd say." 
"He's new to the job. His father was our previous chauffeur, but he recently returned to Israel to attend to family matters." 
"Hold on, didn't your chauffeur when you were little come from Israel, too?" 
"Ah, yes. Boris. I forgot to mention that it's all the same family. Erik is Boris' grandson." 
"Oh, okay. Is he a soldier, too? I noticed the 'affirmative' earlier." Natalia asked. 
"Indeed. His father, too. After Boris' passing, he continued my combat training. He helped fill the void left by his father. I was saddened when he returned home, but Erik has the same level of professionalism, from the short time he's been here." 
"Helps that he's not bad to look at either, eh?" Kat teased. 
"Well that...certainly doesn't hurt. You've nothing to worry about, Kitten. That part of my heart is reserved for one person and one only." 
"Ah c'mon, if I can tease Keebie any chance I get, you're allowed to appreciate your butler's biceps." 
Kat got another message on her phone. "Ep, on second thought, you might have to get in line." 
The message came from Lin, and included a photo of the wide-eyed Snake Queen focusing on Erik's backside. It was simply captioned "BRUH". 
"Uh-oh." Natalia muttered. 
"I can already tell where this week's gonna go." Kat said. 
"You say that like it's a bad thing." Carrie said. 
"I know my fam, Care Bear. I don't want them causing any drama while we're here. Especially any kind that would make your Auntie have second thoughts about you and me." 
"Auntie will appreciate a bit more excitement in the house. With Uncle away so often, it's wonderful to have company over. Especially when it's my friends. Please just relax." 
"Yeah, you're right. Didn't come thousands of miles to a tropical paradise just to stress out." 
"So you wanna give us a personal tour of your comfy quarters?" Natalia asked. 
"I thought you'd never ask. Come along, loves." Carrie directed.
She brought the girls outside, to the space overlooking the districts and ocean, glistening against the cloudless sky. "Wow...it's breathtaking..." Natalia uttered. 
"I can't believe you get to walk outside and see this every day." Kat added. 
"Many of the most famous people in the world have homes here. It's a global center for gambling and auto racing. The perfect vacation locale." Carrie explained. 
"I can't wait to see more of it. Could we go down there now?" Natalia asked. 
"I don't see why not. Auntie!" Carrie called out. 
"Yes, Caroline?" Melinda approached. 
"I'd like to give the girls a tour of Larvotto. May I?" 
"Hmmm...okay, but I'd feel more comfortable if you had supervision." 
"I can defend myself perfectly fine, Auntie." 
"I know, darling, but your friends must be exhausted after their long trips. This is just in case they need to be escorted home on short notice. Erik?" 
"I'll guard them with my life, Madame. And keep out of their way." Erik affirmed. 
"....." Carrie appeared to be displeased. 
"Don't look at me like that. I just want to make sure you're safe." Melinda said. 
"I know, Auntie..." Carrie sighed. "Come along, girls. There's plenty to see." 
"Awk." Kat mumbled under her breath, and the girls left. 
"....." Melinda muttered. 
"Do not take it personally, Madame. Every teenager desires their independence. Even one as even-tempered as Miss Caroline will desire that level of respect." Erik stated. 
"I know. I know! She's mature enough to do things on her own, but I can't help it...she's all I have left of Mari. I've come close to losing her too many times. Please give her the space she wants, but remain vigilant." 
"Affirmative. You'll have nothing to worry about." Erik bowed, and followed the girls. 
"Hey, Care..." Natalia poked Carrie. 
"I know...she's not wrong to worry, but I'm not a child. Why study combat if not to defend myself properly? One day she needs to see that I'm my own person, not just her sister's da--" Carrie shook her head. "No. I won't get into that. I have my best friends in my home now. I'll let that be enough." 
Kat and Natalia gave each other concerned looks, but said nothing. 
The trio made it to the streets of the Larvotto district. "This is the Avenue Princesse Grace. The cost of living on this street is higher than anywhere else in the world." Carrie explained. 
"I feel like my poverty level is going up the longer I'm here. Like, Pops made enough dough in his career to keep us comfy for life, but all of that would go down the drain after just a week here." Kat said. 
Natalia shuddered. "Oooh, just thinking of opening a shop here sends chills down my spine. Why do I feel like even the groceries here must cost a small fortune?" 
"Seriously, how can anyone walk through here without draining their wallet?" 
"This is actually the most populated part of Monaco. There are some lovely parks here, along with the place I love more than anywhere else in the world...Larvotto Beach. There's one place I'd like to show you first." Carrie giggled. "It may surprise you." 
Carrie took the girls over to a park, with a small lake, bridges, a Zen Garden, and a red tea house. "Unreal...it's like we never left Tokyo." Kat uttered. 
"I never imagined there'd be a Japanese garden in the middle of Monaco. Thousands of miles away, and we're still getting reminders." Natalia added. 
"Before coming to the Academy, I would spend some time relaxing here, to try to get a feel for what I should expect on my travels. Needless to say, I only got a tiny sliver of the Tokyo experience." Carrie said. "Let's head to the tea house. I'm sure you two need a moment to relax." 
Kat and Natalia sat down inside of the pavilion. Carrie took the opportunity to seat herself in front of the rock garden. She took a breath, and closed her eyes. 
"....." 
"....." 
"You should speak with your aunt, Miss Caroline." Erik appeared behind her. 
"There's nothing to speak of." Carrie kept her eyes closed. 
"Yes, there is. You are a remarkably strong young woman. You are entitled to your independence, and are more than capable of looking after yourself." 
"So why did you follow me?" 
"Because you need to understand things from your aunt's point of view." 
"I understand just fine. It doesn't make it any less frustrating. It feels like she only sees me as a miniature of my mother. My worth to her is only in relation to the sister she lost." 
"That is simply not true. You are her sister's daughter, yes, but I know she perceives you as her own child. And I was under the assumption that you saw her as a--" 
"Don't finish that sentence." 
"Do you believe that acknowledging Madame Giraud as a surrogate mother would diminish your own mother's memory?" 
"SHUT UP!" Carrie put her hands to her face. "...I only have one mother. And she's gone. Nobody could ever replace her. And I...I am a young adult. I don't need to keep pining after what I've lost. And I don't need supervision." 
"Clearly you don't. But keep this in mind, Miss Caroline. You are not the only one whose life was shattered on that day. I lost the man who I modeled myself after. And your aunt lost the one she loved more than any other. There is no set time for someone to stop grieving. You deserve to live freely. But I will continue to watch over you, because my grandfather gave his life to spare yours. That is how I honor his memory. And I am sure your aunt believes that ensuring your safety is the way to honor your mother's memory." 
"....." 
"I'll leave you be for now. But if there was ever a time to heal old wounds, now would be the time. Keep yourself safe." Erik slipped back into hiding. 
In her meditation, Carrie's mind wandered back to that horrific period, eight years prior. A traumatized child, sitting alone in a Qatari airport. When she needed a loving hand to make things okay, the one who arrived and rescued her was... 
"....." 
"Care? Is everything okay?" Natalia asked. 
"Sorry. We eavesdropped a bit. Look, Care, I dunno if I have a place to say this, but a little girl taught me something. It's alright to have more than one mama. It doesn't mean you love one more or less than the other. You just have more than one lady filling that nurturing role in your life. Your Auntie might not have birthed you, but she took you in when you were really hurting. She obviously loves you a ton. How about you?" Kat dictated. 
"You're never too old to need someone to call 'Mama'. You should talk about how you really feel. There's plenty of vacation left for us. We don't mind." 
"My loves...I'm so sorry. The tour will have to pause for a moment. I need to go home." Carrie somberly replied. 
--- 
"Alone for Christmas again, huh, Mari? The attentive men we have in our lives." 
"Rodrigo and Konrad are men in demand, Meli. And you could pick worse places to spend the most wonderful day of the year in." 
"I guess. So is the princess of the house awake yet? I can't wait to see her face when she gets her gifts." 
"She'll be asleep for a little while yet. A few too many sugar cookies yesterday meant a much later night." 
"Aw. Well, can't blame a kid for wanting some sweets...so, hey, Mari? This trip you're planning for the summer...are you sure it's safe?" 
"I'm positive. We'll have Boris and his men guarding us. Nobody gets past that man." 
"I'm not doubting Boris' skill, but he's getting on in years. And the threats they're making towards Rodri are nothing to scoff at. You couldn't find somewhere safer to have a family vacation?" 
"It's more than just a vacation, Meli. This meeting could change the way the world perceives natural gas extraction. If Rodri's proposal works, we'd have a potent energy source with minimized danger to the environment. We both feel it's worth the risk. When everyone sits down and hears what he has to say, I'm sure they'll understand." 
"That part I don't doubt. Someone could be lactose intolerant and that man could sell them the finest of cheeses. Just promise your sissy that you'll be extra careful. Especially with the amethyst." 
"That goes without saying. It's all for her benefit. Now how about we get away from dire subjects. 'Tis the season, and all that. I have a lovely surprise for you." 
"Ooooh, what's this...it's book-shaped...oh! You finally finished it! 'Proudly assembled by Mariana Giraud-Blackthorne, PhD'. How very fancy!" 
"Not at all pretentious, right?" 
"Absolutely not! You wear those accomplishments like a fancy gown! Oh, speaking of which..." 
"Oh, Meli, you spoil me. Oh, this is stunning! Is that amethyst?" 
"Can't fool the rock nerd. Prim and purple, just the way you like it. You won't find another one like it on my shelves. From a humble lady to her brilliant older sis." 
"Thank you so much, Meli. I'll treasure it for the rest of my days." 
"Look at us. Couple of Marseilles gals doing pretty good for ourselves. Mama would be glowing. Merry Christmas, Mari. I love you." 
"Merry Christmas, Meli. I love you, too." 
--- 
"...hey, Madame Melinda? You alright there?" Joon asked. 
Melinda snapped out of her memory. She was seated on Carrie's bed, holding the textbook her sister had written. "Uh...sorry. I wasn't out of it, was I?" 
"Yeah, you were pretty out of it. I've been calling to you for the last five minutes. Anything you feel like talking about?" 
"I..." 
"Auntie?" 
Carrie walked in. 
"...Mrs. Kit, would you give us a moment?" Melinda asked. 
"Sure. Don't mind me." Joon obliged. 
"...Caroline, I'm sorry for disrespecting your independence like that. I don't want to be suffocating, but--" 
"Auntie, I understand. I'm all you have left of Mama. But I'm more than just your sister's daughter. I'm my own person. You have to realize that." 
"Yes, I do realize that. You're a strong, kind, beautiful young lady that has grown up far too quickly. But you're also the one remaining piece of the sister I loved. I know I let that cloud my view of you, and I'm sorry." 
"I need to apologize, too." 
"You do? Why?" 
"For hiding my real feelings for so long. By now I've spent more time living here with you than I did with my own parents. I have video and audio of them...but my memories are limited. And there can never be new ones. Most of my formative years were spent here." 
"Caroline, I want to make one thing clear. I'm not, nor have I ever tried to replace your mother. I could never..." 
"The problem isn't you, Auntie, it's always been my own feelings. The loving touch that only a mother could provide...I've yearned for it. Even though it was always here. But I felt guilty, because in my mind, it was like I was letting go of my mother's memory. And that thought terrifies me." 
Carrie sat down next to her aunt. "I...I am my own person. But I shouldn't be afraid to rely on others. I'm sorry, Auntie. I should be more honest with you." 
"Oh, amethyst..." Melinda brushed her niece's hair. "It never stops amazing me...just how much you're like Mari. But you are your own person. And your mother would be so proud of that person." 
"Auntie..." 
"Yes, Caroline?" 
"If it isn't too forward of me to ask...if the occasion is right, would you mind if I...if I called you Mama?" 
Melinda's eyes jarred open. "I, uh...would it be wrong of me to say that I've wanted that for a very long time? And that I was just as terrified of diminishing your mother?" 
Carrie grabbed Melinda's arm and rested her head on her shoulder. "Neither of us should be scared anymore. Thank you for loving me, Mama Meli." 
Melinda kissed her niece's forehead, and lovingly embraced her. "What a wonderful daughter we have, Mari."
--- 
"Sorry for cutting today a little short. I wasn't counting on familial drama this week, but it needed to be addressed." Carrie apologized. 
"We're not gonna get mad at you for clearing the air with your Auntie, Care Bear. If I'm being honest, I'm pretty envious." Kat replied, her and Natalia sitting on adjacent beds in a guest room. 
"Yeah, besides, KittyKat and I need a little rest. Don't need to see everything in one day when we've got a week to explore." Natalia added. 
"Right you are. Get as much rest as you need. We'll be having dinner in town later tonight." Carrie said. 
"Getting the whole troupe in a fancy public place one night in, huh? A bold strategy, gemstone." Kat responded. 
"Something tells me neither of us could foot the bill if we offered to." Natalia said. 
"Everything is covered on this trip. There's no need to worry about money. Just focus on enjoying yourselves. And dressing appropriately." Carrie replied. 
"So flip-flops and sweatpants are a no-go, then?" Kat joked. 
"You could certainly try, though you'd likely end up on a local tabloid in short order." 
"Woof. That kinda fancy. Okay, guess I'll have to actually try, for once. Hey, don't look at me like that, you know I'm kidding. Been saying from day one that I want to make a good impression. Might even take a crack at some French if the timing's alright." 
"She's actually improved a ton with it! I've been helping her out and she can hold some conversations pretty well!" Natalia said. 
"Is that so?" Carrie questioned. 
"Try me." Kat challenged. 
"Quand est mon anniversaire?" 
"Douzième de Février." 
"Quelle est ma couleur préférée?" 
"Mauve." 
"Que ressens-tu à mon égard?" 
"Mon amour est aussi profond que la Méditerranée." 
Carrie covered her mouth with her hands, stunned by what she was hearing. 
"Not bad, right?" Kat asked. "I know it's not 100% perfect, but I've got most everything down that I need to get through a dinner. I want your fam and mine to know I'm serious about you and me. I don't want to embarrass you in your own home." 
"Even if it isn't perfect, the effort by itself is greatly appreciated. I'm sure Mama Meli will agree with that. You have nothing at all to fear. Ooooh, I'm extra anxious for dinner now. I'll let you two get enough rest for it. Call me if you need anything." Carrie left the room. 
Kat plopped down on the bed. "You're doing just fine, KittyKat. Auntie's gonna love you by the time it's over." Natalia assured. 
"I sure hope so, but being honest...how I do is the least of my worries." 
Kat glanced at her phone, and had a message from her mother. 
"Your father took his pants off 20 minutes ago and seems to have completely forgotten. HIS BOXERS HAVE HIS FACE ON THEM, SO-YIN. HELP." 
Kat shuddered, then realized there was another message from Lin. 
"How tightly do you think Israeli soldiers tie their belts? Asking for a friend." 
"Shoot me now." Kat mumbled. 
"Positive thoughts, girlie. Just pray that this restaurant doesn't have a microphone for your dad to go for." Natalia said. 
"Oh God. I'll be spending the rest of my days paying for the broken silverware." 
Elsewhere in the manor, Erik was at work vacuuming in one of the living rooms. 
"...do you believe you're being discreet?" he asked without turning around. 
Lin stepped out from the shadows, holding her phone. "How long have you known I was looking?" 
"From the moment you stepped onto the property. One would assume that someone the Seoul press labels as being a 'Master Thief' wouldn't be as bold and crass in their behavior." 
"Done your homework on me, have ya? I'm flattered." 
"Don't be. I performed extensive background checks on all of you before today. Standard procedure for any of the Madame's houseguests. Your father's questionable music career aside, the only significant flags were in regards to you." 
"You're gonna make me blush with this much sweet-talk, dude. You come across that little diddy in my background about my record being expunged?" 
"And a requirement of that expungement is that you avoid any sort of re-offence. I questioned Miss Caroline about whether it was wise to allow such a person as you to set foot into the wealthiest community on the planet. She assured that you would be properly monitored. For your sake, I would hope that is the case." 
"Or what, you're gonna do something about it yourself?" 
"If I am left no other option." 
"Cute that you think I'd be that easy to deal with." 
"I am a certified officer of Israeli Intelligence. I was trained from birth for one purpose: the complete destruction of the enemy, by any means necessary. There is not an opponent I do not feel confident in overpowering, should that be required. I am not easily intimidated. Certainly not by one so crass as to film my rear end." 
"Alright, alright, I get the picture! What's such a hardcore badass doing cleaning dishes and vacuuming furniture hundreds of miles from home, anyway?" 
"My family is indebted to the house of Miss Caroline. It is a matter of loyalty. My grandfather provided security for her parents up until their passing. He gave his life to preserve hers. So I will ensure their safety for as long as is needed. You are the sister of Miss Caroline's beloved. Having to deal with illicit acts from you would assuredly cause I stir. I would think you would wish to avoid that." 
"Nyeeh. That lack of emotion makes it just that much creepier." 
"Heed my advice. Your visit here will go much smoother if your misdeeds are limited to objectifying me. Though my patience for that also has its limits. So keep your distance and behave yourself." 
Lin stewed for a moment, then snapped a picture. "I'm keeping the butt pics." She departed. 
"Child." 
Erik looked up shortly after, to see something else that had entered the living room. CiCi had perched herself onto the arm of the couch. 
"I just cleaned that couch." 
"Mew?" 
"A cat as furry as you will be leaving copious amounts of fur around the house. Will you and I be having issues?" 
"Meeeew." 
"Cuteness has little effect on me. You will be limiting your daily treks so as to avoid excessive cleanup on my part. Do we have an understanding?" 
CiCi hopped off of the couch, affectionately brushing against Erik's pant leg, before trotting off. 
Lin, still in the hallway, looked in amusement. "You were built to destroy your enemies, Rambo. Figure out how to destroy floof." She took a bite out of a Pepero stick. 
Erik grumbled in annoyance.
--- 
December 23, 2029 
"Zzzzz...Zzzzzz..." 
"Wake up." 
"Zzzz...hn?" 
Lin slowly stirred awake. Despite the lack of lighting, her eyes, rendered serpentine by her regenerative "gifts", could make out everything inside the room. Including the man looming next to her bed. 
"Hn, GAH! What the hell are you doing?!" she demanded. 
"I've searched this room thoroughly. Twice. Tell me where you hid them." Erik responded. 
"You searched--hold up, hold up, hold up. You can't just rummage through a lady's things while she's sleeping! That is, like, MAJOR creep energy!" 
"I warned you there would be consequences for any misdeeds. The temptation was far too great, wasn't it? Now tell me where you stashed them." 
"Can you stop for one second and explain what the hell you're babbling about?!" 
"Erik? What's going on in here?" Melinda arrived. 
"I'd like to know that myself!" Lin exclaimed. 
"Nnh, that's just what I need in the morning, my sister complaining..." an obviously tired Kat appeared. An equally groggy Natalia was behind her. 
"Madame, I have reason to suspect that she has given in to her base urges and committed theft. I'm performing my duty and interrogating her." Erik stated. 
"What makes you think she did something?" Kat questioned. 
"Check the local headlines." 
Natalia looked through the local trends on her phone. "News out of Fontvieille...a penthouse belonging to two AS Monaco football players was broken into during the early morning hours. Items reported missing include jerseys and winners' medals. Authorities believe it was targeted due to the tenants having returned to their home countries for holiday break." 
"Lin...." Kat sternly uttered. 
"So, I swear to you, I didn't do that." Lin denied. 
"Somehow I doubt the honesty of the snake-eyed woman." Erik countered. 
"I didn't do it! I passed out after dinner and that's where I was until Mr. Personality barged in here and started accusing me!" 
"Madame, she is a convicted burglar with a history of surpassing security systems. She cannot be trusted." 
"You gotta go to court with a lot better than some dumb suspicions. You looked through here already and didn't find squat." Lin groaned. "I've gotta live with this kinda thing for the rest of my life, don't I?" 
"Erik. I trust your instincts. But there has to be more than a suspicion." Melinda answered. 
"Lin. Look me in the eyes and tell me you didn't do it." Kat demanded. 
"So. I know how freaking important this trip is for you. I've screwed up a ton and I'll be the first to admit it. I would never, ever mess something up for you. Swear it on Nana." Lin asserted. 
"...okay. Auntie, we'll look into it." 
"You'll look into it? Don't be crazy, just leave it to the police." Melinda replied. 
"I want to clear my sister of any wrongdoing. Let me poke around and see what I can come up with. From an ex-thief's POV." 
"I get that you want to help your sister out, but if she truly hasn't done anything wrong, the authorities will determine that. Don't stress yourself out over it. Right, Erik?" 
"Affirmative, Madame. I'll abstain and return to my duties. For now." he responded. 
The lady of the house and the chauffeur left the room. "You heard the lady, kitten. Just gotta leave it to the ever-reliable police. Who most assuredly won't jump to any conclusions like the butler." Lin let out a sigh. "Another day in paradise. I'm gonna get some grub. And maybe a few more stink eyes from Jeeves." 
Kat and Natalia returned to their room. "KittyKat, I know that look in your eyes. You're not gonna let this go, are you?" Natalia asked. 
"Nope. I'm getting Care Bear over." Kat typed into her phone. 
Carrie entered the room a short while later. "Fontvieille, you say? That's the southernmost district of Monaco. Not a very imposing walk, but I have an alternative option in mind." 
She took the girls to the side of the house, and there sat a blue bicycle, with a frilly-looking carriage attached. "You use this to reenact Cinderella, Care? I'd expect Barbie to have something like this." Kat commented. 
"Just for days when it's raining or we otherwise don't feel like walking. It should get us southward in no time." Carrie replied. 
"A'ight. You ladies take your seats." 
"You don't want one of us to drive?" Natalia asked. 
"KittyKat takes care of her Krew. Y'all just focus on looking cute. We just need one more thing before we head off." 
Lin stood against the front of the house, eating a sandwich. The sound of a ringing bell got her attention. She looked up to see Kat piloting the bike, with Carrie and Natalia in the carriage. "Get in, loser. We're going snooping." Kat said. 
"Ah, don't forget..." Carrie held out a purple bicycle helmet. 
"You're kidding me." 
"Safety first, Kitten." 
Kat obliged, Lin hopped on, and the group went on their way. "You really don't have to do this, kitten. You don't gotta spend your vacay playing detective." Lin said. 
"It'll be annoying if you start getting interrogated over this crap. So little sis is gonna nip it in the bud. The sooner that happens, the sooner I can get to the 'romantic walk on the beach' part of the week." Kat replied. 
"I know ya, kitten. This ain't so you can feel better. Even after all that crap from last year. You don't have to look out for my feelings. I'm used to getting the finger pointed at me. Hell, when this one's Auntie had her cards go missing, you assumed it was me first. I know what my rep is. Can't say I haven't earned it." 
"Yeah, well, rep or no rep, if it's not you then it's not you. Gotta shake off that rep sooner or later. We do some investigating, catch the real crook, clear your name up, and then it's back to paradise. Wouldn't be a bad day in my book." 
"So...you really don't have to--" 
Kat hit the breaks. Without turning, she held her pinkie out. 
"So...?" 
"You might have a few extra scales and I might have less than half the patience for you that I used to. But this never changes. I'm gonna fix this. Cuz no one gets to snoop around my sister's room except for me. You seriously get under my skin. And even then, I'm still your number one fan. So I won't let you take the fall for this or anything else." 
"...you're trying to embarrass me in front of your friends, aren't you?" 
"Oh no, we think this is adorable!" Natalia chimed. 
Lin let up a sheepish grin. "Only you can soften me up, kitten. Sorry you gotta keep cleaning up after me. But I meant what I said before. I'll never make things worse for you ever again." She presented her pinkie. "Cuz I'm your number one fan. 
The sisters locked pinkies. 
At that moment, something in Kat's heart stirred. Rose's voice echoed. 
"I am thou, thou art I. Thy vow has been reborn as a blood oath. It shall become as a dagger, to cut the path to thine own future. Thou has reached a true understanding of The Tower, granting thee new power..." 
Her dagger was once again embedded into a blue floor, and energy seeped out of the serpent's eyes. What emerged was a large, black-and-green serpent, with runes covering its surface. 
"I'm Jormungandr. The power to circle the world and crush your foes is now embedded into your dagger..." 
Kat snapped back to reality. "Okay. Enough gushy stuff. The sooner I can take the helmet off, the better." 
Shortly after, the group arrived in Fontvieille. "It's a shame, if the timing was better, I would've loved to bring everyone to a game at the Stade Louis II. At the very least, we must visit the rose garden before everyone leaves." Carrie said. 
"I know a couple of educators that would've loved a rose garden visit. But we've got business to take care of. Which way to the penthouse?" Kat asked. 
"Think that's it right over there." Natalia pointed over to an apartment complex, where the police were still around. 
"Well that was easy. Guess when the place is so tiny, you don't gotta look far." Lin said. 
"Still a good amount of cops hanging out. Of course the richest place on the planet would have jacked up security." Kat responded. 
"So how are we gonna get in?" Natalia asked. 
"We don't. We only need to track down the criminal's whereabouts." Carrie took out her laptop. 
"What's she doing?" Lin asked. 
"Working her magic." Kat replied. 
"If you're stealing something priceless like a medal or a game-worn jersey, you're going to be doing one of two things with it. You'll either stash it away in secret, or...a-ha!" Carrie exclaimed. "You'll find an illicit marketplace to barter it off for a small fortune." 
"Your setup's got the dark web to go with it? And here I thought--" Lin began. 
"That I was your run-of-the-mill spoiled rich girl? Au contraire." 
"Care's just full of surprises. Got a return address for that jersey?" Natalia asked. 
"The poster was careful not to use their real name. And the software isn't traceable by normal means." 
"Buuuuut?" Kat asked expectantly. 
"But my software is very much so abnormal. A few clicks of the keyboard, and...voila. Our perpetrator is 27-year old Clement Fernánd. He lives in a complex a few minutes' walk from here." 
"Easy as you like, amethyst. Time to go pay Mr. Fernánd a visit." 
"Whoahoho, hold the phone. We're not seriously gonna just walk up to this guy's front door and ask him to hand over the expensive contraband, are we?" Lin questioned. 
"Course not. We're a bit more subtle than that." Kat presented her phone, with the Metaverse app on it. 
"Wait, that crazy place exists here, too?" 
"Human cognition exists everywhere. I'd imagine this man doesn't have something as large as a Palace or Prison, but if his worldview is just a little bit distorted, we should still be able to find him and illicit a change of heart." Carrie replied. 
"Wasnt expecting this out of my vacation, but beating up the bad guys is always a fun time." Natalia said. 
"Mmhmm. Time to move along, ladies. Let's teach this guy how you really pull off a flawless heist." Kat stated, and she pressed the app. The surroundings, as always, shifted.
Untainted by corrupted cognition, the Metaverse resembled the real world, but tinted red and green. "Hunh. It really does exist here, too. Least there's no Prison business going on here." Natalia said. 
"That'd be the last thing we'd need. And, oh, ain't that a sight to see again." Kat responded. 
Lin was now garbed in a black-and-green catsuit, with a hood resembling the head of a snake. "What, this old thing? Brings that sense of nostalgia, don't it?" 
"If that's what we're calling it. You're not getting the dagger back, beeteedubs." 
"Wasnt gonna ask. It's yours. Even if it's a major aesthetic clash." 
"Not like the fashion police are hunting me down." Kat peered over at Natalia. "N-not that there's any reason they'd be offended by your handiwork, Hoods." 
"Hm. I had assumed that she would have been the hypothetical 'fashion police' in this scenario." Carrie commented. 
"Well I'm not gonna be arresting someone wearing something I made. Anyone else, though..." Natalia glared at Lin. 
"What's wrong with the way I look? I'm the Viper. How am I supposed to look, like a camel?" Lin griped. 
"Oh no, it fits an aesthetic, definitely. Could've done with a few more details. Maybe some teeth on the hood. Like, really personalize it." 
"Teeth on the hood? Who'd take me seriously when I'd look like a cartoon? I'm trying to be professional." 
"So says the woman who's spent the bulk of this trip taking pictures of my chauffeur's rear end." Carrie retorted. 
"Okay, we're getting off-track here." Kat interrupted. 
"Right, we've got a thieving dweeb to go punch. What's the story on this idiot, anyway?" Lin asked. 
"A quick search on Clement Fernánd's background shows that he's spent the majority of his life in AS Monaco's Academy and reserve teams. He stopped appearing on the reserves' online roster approximately three weeks ago, having never registered a first-team minute." Carrie explained. 
"The club he'd been part of his whole life cuts him, he's probably about to lose out on that swanky team-provided apartment, and he needs a quick infusion of cash, with a side of payback." Kat deduced. 
"Money and revenge. The oldest motives in the book. It's pretty messed up that the club would cut him just a few weeks before Christmas. It's not an excuse for stealing, though." Natalia replied. 
"If I attempted to explain the inner workings of football clubs that would explain such a decision, it would be time for us to return to Tokyo once I'd finished." Carrie responded. 
"And I'd rather be sitting on the beach sipping a drink with a tiny umbrella in it than giving some wannabe Messi a kick in the pants, so let's get the ball rolling." Kat replied. 
"Please tell me that was unintentional." Lin questioned. 
"Figure it out on your own." 
The ladies moves the short distance to the apartments. Finding the listed address, Lin tried the door. "Locked? Seriously?" she griped. 
"I've got this. Let me grab a--" Kat began. 
Behind Lin, a half-human, half-serpent creature manifested, using brute force to loudly knock down the door. 
"--hair pin." Kat finished. 
"I thought thieves were supposed to take the subtle approach." Carrie questioned. 
"Can't really be subtle when we're on a tight schedule. Yo, kickboy!" Lin shouted. 
A long-haired man in a gray hoodie, eyes glowing yellow, ran out. "What the hell are you doing?! I'm strapped for cash as it is! How am I gonna pay for this?!" Fernánd demanded. 
"You could always use the money from those medals and jerseys you stole." Natalia replied. 
"W-wait, how do you--?! Agh, doesn't matter. They took away my future, so I took away their past. Fair is fair. I gave my entire life to that club, and I don't even get a 'thank you'. Meanwhile, they just got done spending 35 million euros on some kid from Russia. Most of these clubs don't even care about the kids they bring up. It's always about the shiny new toy they can take from hundreds of miles away that doesn't give two shits about the culture. All it is, is a paycheck and a promise that they'll be at Bayern or PSG in a couple years for a heftier sum. It's a goddamn joke and I'm not gonna sit and take it!" 
"Buddy, I'm really happy for ya, or sorry it happened, whichever. But take it from someone that knows a thing about stealing, 'because they deserve it' might sound good for your Twitter followers, but not in the real world. And as greedy as a lot of teams are, ya can't fault them for wanting to win. So maybe the problem isn't that they made a mistake. Maybe the problem is that you just suck." Lin responded. 
"Um, Lin...maybe you shouldn't provoke--" Kat began. 
"The hell'd you say to me?! Don't try me, you bitch! I worked my ass off 1000% to get my chance! That glory should go to the ones like me that gave everything, not a bunch of greedy mercenaries that only care about themselves! I'm taking what's mine, over your broken bodies!" Fernánd ranted. 
The Shadow was surrounded by dark energy, and transformed into a demonic humanoid covered by flames. 
Before he could let off any sort of attack, however, he was met by a prompt kick to his face by Lin. He fell to his hands and knees, grabbing his face. "Yoooow! What is your problem?!" Unfazed, Lin began rapidly stepping down on the confounded Shadow, much to the shock of the Ashen trio. 
"Guuuuh..." Fernánd gurgled. 
"Every footie player's main weakness. A boot to the head." Lin responded. 
"This ain't fair...if I'd at least gotten traded somewhere else that would've been fine...but I got cut like trash and had to fend for myself...I just got desperate..." 
"You ain't the first guy to get screwed over by a ball club, and you won't be the last. Most make the best of it and don't go stealing from peeps that had nothing to do with it. Thieving's more trouble than it's worth, dude. So before you make it worse for yourself, I'd fess up and hand over what you took." 
"But...but then I'll--" 
Lin loomed over him. "You really want another round of whack-a-mole?!" 
"No, please! Okay, I'll tell the cops everything! Just get away from meeeee!" 
"That's a good boy. Now buzz off. I've got fancy foods to mispronounce." 
"Y-yes, ma'am! Sorry to trouble you!" The whimpering Shadow disappeared. 
"....." The girls were speechless. 
"Heh. And you make your job sound so hard, So. Obviously ya never tried the mid-air spike approach." Lin said confidently. 
"You couldn't have gone for a little more nuance?" Kat asked. 
"Nuance, shnuance. I'm not wasting any more time on the Football Grinch. After all the BS you told me about, you girls deserve time to rest and recharge. And I just want some peace and quiet without being reminded of my screwups." 
"Lin...?" 
"...I didn't want to see this uniform again. I didn't want to use Naga again. This shit's like a curse. I can't even wear a nice bathing suit cuz people'll see the scales on my back, or go two seconds without someone blaming me when something goes missing!" Lin regained her composure. "Maybe next time I get a bad wound, I'll just let myself bleed out. It'd be better than spending the rest of my life coiled up in a zoo, getting fed mice by some dude in khakis." 
"Don't you ever say that!" Kat exclaimed. 
Lin groaned. "I'm sorry, kitten. This crap's my punishment for being a crook, anyway. I've got no room to complain." She patted her sister on the shoulder. "Let's get out of this creepy place. Fruity umbrella drinks sound pretty good right now." She began walking back to where they'd entered. 
"Wow. I didn't realize how bad she felt about her condition." Natalia said. 
"Agreed. I'd assumed she enjoyed being a thief. I never really considered the heavy drawbacks to her power." Carrie added. 
"You know...I was so caught up in the moment when Maggie kicked the alien creep's butt, I didn't think to stop her from blowing up that machine." Kat said. 
"The one that gave and took away Persona power, right?" Natalia asked. 
"Ah! That's right. Maybe if your sister was exposed to it again, it would fix her condition." Carrie replied. 
"Maybe. Or maybe it'd just take away her powers, and leave her eyes and the scales the way they are." Kat surmised. "It's no use thinking about what-ifs. And I'm not gonna guilt trip Mags for destroying that evil hunk of metal. Just wish reality could be a little more merciful." 
The group returned to Fontvieille, and departed the Metaverse. 
--- 
Afternoon arrived, and just as had happened the day before, Erik was at work vacuuming the living room. "...I know you're there." 
Lin entered the room. "Do ya just say that to yourself every few minutes, hoping someone'll walk in and think you're mysterious?" 
"State your business." 
"Wow, rude. Didn't you already clean up in here yesterday?" 
"Miss Natalia's cat sheds. Everywhere. I've been kept busy. Now explain why you're here." 
Lin presented her phone. "Read it and weep. The guy who broke into the penthouse turned himself in. I had zero to do with it." 
"I see." 
"Wait, that's it? No, 'I'm sorry for breaking into your room and accusing you of robbery'?" 
"I will admit my error in accusing you. But that doesn't mean I'll keep my eye off of you." 
"Let me ask you something, Jeeves. How many people did you kill when you were in the army?" 
"I fail to see the importance of that." 
"Plenty, got it. Do I hoist every corpse you've made over your head every chance I get? That'd get annoying pretty damn quick, wouldn't it? How do you think I feel getting reminded every single day about how I used to break into shops and take what I wanted? How exactly do I live a normal life when my past has to be brought up constantly? Simple: I can't." 
"My duty is to--" 
"'To defend the household against all threats'. Yeah, I get it. Maybe wait until I'm actually, y'know, threatening. I'm a guest in the house, same as everyone. I'd like a little more respect, and a lot less stink eye. Capiche?" 
"Hmm...very well. My duty is to remain cautious at all times. But I will abstain from further critical behavior until I have reason to do so." 
"Thank you. Oh, by the way, your furry friend is right by your leg." 
CiCi was affectionately cuddling up to Erik's legs, leaving tiny hairs on his otherwise clean pants. "Meeeew~?" 
"I just washed those pants." Erik grumbled. 
"Mwehehehe." Lin chuckled.