The Western-style chapel was nearly empty, lit only by candlelight as a pair of figures conversed. One, a young man with fiery red hair and glasses, gazed up at the kimono-clad girl before the altar with an expression of pure admiration. "What is it you desire, my lady?"
Either not noticing or ignoring the devotion in his voice, the maiden in the white kimono spoke with the voice of one used to being obeyed. "Time continues to flow. You are aware of what draws near, aren't you?"
"It hasn't escaped me. The sixteenth night, when my lady is ascendant and the chapel engages in your sacred feast." His emerald eyes remained fixed on the almost ethereal girl at the altar, unwilling to avert his eyes. He was entranced, as always.
The girl's eyes met his, brilliant silver to his green. "My Kagetsune, this sixteenth night is special. I feel more empowered than before, and your adoration has aided in this ascension. I would request your presence at my High Table for the feast, and for singular qualities to accompany our meal. I desire the frozen mist, the divine thunder, the brilliant silver and the tempestuous summer. Can you provide these for me, my Kagetsune?"
Falling to his knees as her gaze was fixed upon him, Kagetsune Ashiya's voice was more of a heartfelt cry than a simple agreement. "My lady, you shall have all you desire. The moon's light begins to fade and is captured in your radiant mirror, reflected through the revelry of the red night. I swear this, Izayoi-no-hime!"
"There's a baleful omen…" Ayumu Kirigiri gazed at the stars, scanning the sky and finding nothing good. The Kirigiri family had a history of occult traditions, of which astrology was only one, but it was in the stars that the young master of the bloodline found his grandest insights. "The moon's sixteenth night is approaching, and I see a doom gathering in strength. Four people are under its shadow; the fifth scion of a grand bloodline, a watcher unfazed by lies and illusions, a tortured soul who forsook solitude and the mistress of a blood-soaked dynasty. All of them will meet their end on the sixteenth night if nothing is done. But if I'm interpreting this clearly, the keys to averting this doom are an unstoppable axe and a shield that cannot be breached. This is the moon's tenth night; I must find the axe and shield and ensure this cursed omen does not come to pass… Tsukiyomi-no-Omikami, grant me the wisdom to decipher the signs of your domain…!"
Twin blades met a gigantic axe in a furious clash, sparks flying from the impact of metal on metal. The swordsman agilely slipped past the axe-wielder's guard before being forced into an evasive leap by the weapon's devastatingly heavy swings. Behind the youth with the two swords, a masked figure of shadow appeared to strike out at his foe, only to be stopped by a tangle of thread that threatened to envelop the charging being.
"That's enough." A woman's voice called an end to the practice session, both combatants putting away their weapons. "You've both improved dramatically, I'm impressed. I see recruiting you for the Shadow Operatives was a good idea, Minazuki."
Running a hand through his crimson hair, the swordsman replied, "Thanks, Kirijo-san. Man, I never thought I'd actually like hanging around with you people. It's more fun than I thought."
"You're pretty fun yourself, Sho-kun. You've gotta teach me how to play the guitar too!" The heavily-accented voice was that of the silver-haired mechanical maiden who'd wielded the man-sized axe. She beamed at her newest comrade, who shot her his own cocky grin.
A blonde girl entered the room with a tray of drinks, setting it on a nearby table. "Sister, Sho-san, I'm so happy to see you getting along. I can hardly wait until we can gather with everyone again." She beamed at her predecessor and the newest Operative, displaying a very humanlike joy for a robot.
The authoritative redhead who'd called and end to the session allowed herself a smile as well as she remarked, "Actually, I've already arranged for it. Everyone's schedules happened to coincide, so we'll be meeting in a week and celebrating. Things have gone well lately, especially with Minazuki's addition to our roster."
"You mean it, Mitsuru-san? Are Yukari-san and Junpei-san and everyone gonna be there too?" The silver-haired robot girl was immediately excited, turning her red eyes to her younger sister and the Shadow Operatives' leader.
"They will indeed. It'll be a celebration to remember, that's for certain." Mitsuru looked rather pleased herself – even the head of the Kirijo family enjoyed a good party every so often.
Sho grinned and looked to the excited girl. "Alright, Labrys, we're gonna need to practice. Let's play a duet and knock everyone's socks off!"
"You got that right, Sho-kun!" The two most recent recruits chatted happily to each other while their seniors in the Operatives looked on.
"I'm proud of them. They haven't been here nearly as long as the rest of us, but they've fit in so perfectly and have such good chemistry for a pair of former enemies." Mitsuru's smile grew gentle as she looked on. "Do you feel the same way, Aigis?"
Aigis nodded. "I do. I wish that Minato-kun was here to witness the joy his sacrifice has brought to those he loved."
"A reservation at an upper-scale restaurant? Don't you think this is a bit… excessive?" The petite girl detective pulled her favorite hat down over her face, blushing brightly as her boyfriend watched her.
The silver-haired young man in question smiled and replied, "Not at all. I've met your grandpa, but you haven't met my parents yet and they're excited to get the chance to know you. My dad actually studied under Kazuhiko-sama when he was young, or so he says."
"Hasn't he repeatedly asked you to refer to him as 'Grampa', Yu? After all, we're engaged to be married…" Naoto Shirogane's blush grew brighter as she fondly gazed at the gold band on her finger, the engagement ring Yu had bought her when he proposed the day she graduated from high school.
Yu Narukami let out a small, nervous laugh in reponse. "It's… difficult. He's so distinguished and has that presence that normal people just don't have. It feels wrong not to refer to him formally." He sighed before adding, "I guess I'll have to get used to it. He will be my grandfather-in-law soon."
"That is true. I still have a hard time believing this is really happening sometimes… I feel like it's a pleasant dream that'll fade when I wake up. But this is reality, the reality where my true love and I are soon to be bound by law as well as love." The diminutive girl snuggled up to his side as they sat on the sofa in Yu's room, alone in the house while Dojima and Nanako were gone.
The silverette embraced his fiancée and lifted her chin just enough to kiss her. "I wouldn't have it any other way. This is my ideal world, Naoto, with my place at your side."