Battler was walking down a non-recognizable path; filled with a sky of dark blue and black as shards of glittering crystals hovered and slowly spun around as they seemed to serve as the stars.

Battler's expression was prominent as he continued walking; knowing full well that if he continued walking, he would eventually come across "her".

His black cape trimmed in gold only wavered because of his own movement and it swayed vigorously because of his pace. He was invited to this world because some thought that he would enjoy the multiple tales the Kakera foretold and by chance, he ended up watching Kakera that told of a little girl in many multiple fragments, where the girl –and her fate- remained constant and unchanged; meaning that the girl used in the first game was continuously transported to all of the other Kakera.

Battler, despite how long it took, watched every game the girl was involved in. In this world; a hundred years can be only one year or two in his and many other worlds. By the time Battler finished all of the games, he was somewhat pleased with the outcome of Rika Furude. But despite all of that; one mystery that the Kakera only gave him hints to, was laying heavy on Battler's mind. Now it's not like it was really important right now or anything…..but it was just so damn frustrating and confusing that he just HAD to know!

He stopped in his tracks as he saw a throne before him, and on that throne was Lady Bernkastel herself; calmly drinking tea as she held a Kakera in her hand. Possible watching it in her mind no doubt; but once she sensed Battler Goldsmith she discarded her past time and instantly summoned for him a chair of the same grandeur as hers and Hu Kai tea in a jade tea cup "What does my guest desire of me?"

Battler sat down, a grin finally protruding his features "I wish for a small game between me and you over a mystery I have discovered in one of your many challenges that I have indulged in watching in your kakera."

Bernkastel didn't suspect such a thing- and from Battler no less!- this actually caused her to raise an eyebrow "A small game?...and may I ask what mystery you have discovered for you to seek me out?"

Battler pointed at her dead on "The mystery which I wish to solve is the complete connection Between Rika Furude, the figure that appeared after Higurashi Kai and you, Lady Bernkastel!"

Bernkastel actually grinned "You know….that has been a great mystery, even Lambadelta was dumbfounded by it….and though I am fond of spoilers, this mystery always brought me the most amusement so I often leave it as it is." She then did a slight chuckle "Very well. I accept your challenge! And of course this is just for fun so you won't lose anything. But I must ask…"

Battler raised his eyebrow now.

Bernkastel's smile got little more twisted "You must also figure out the mystery of Lambadelta's connection to the world."

Battler stood up "I see. So it was a game between you and Lambadelta! Fine then, I'll figure that out as well!"

"Well…Let us begin Battler Ushiromiya. Show me your theories of blue truth." Bernkastel still had that small grin.

Battler brought his fist up "Gladly!" he then said loud and clear, the text becoming visible in bright blue test "Rika Furude is actually you, Lady Bernkastel! And that game that Rika Furude was involved in was how you obtained your magical power as the 'witch of miracles'! Meaning that that game, where you conquered the terrible fate of showa 58, was where you became a witch!"

Bernkastel almost looked disappointed "That is always the beginning theory…" the red text appeared before Battler as she said "I, Bernkastel am over 1000 years old" she now spoke normally "and if your theory is true then it would not explain why your games of Rokkenjima are only three years after the games of Hinamizawa."

Battler countered "That can be explained by your ability as a voyager!" blue test began swirling in many directions "It Is possible that, even though the Hinamizawa games was three years before the Rokkenjima games, it would be possible for a witch to attain over a thousand years if she traveled through Kakera, meaning that she also traveled not only through space, but time! Making it possible for the witch formed of Hinamizawa –which I believe is you!- to gain over a thousand years in the universe!" the text stopped "What is your counter Bernkastel?"

Red text started going downward in front of his face, as if it was Bernkastel's way of making sure he didn't misread the red truth "I, Bernkastel am not Furude Rika. Furude Rika and Bernkastel are completely separate beings."

Battler countered almost immediately in blue "Then Rika Furude was Bernkastel's main piece in a game that she and Lambadelta played and Lambadelta's main piece was Takano!"

Red text appeared yet again "Knox's rules are rules that remain absolute when fighting a witch. The most prominent ones being that 'It is forbidden for unknown drugs or hard to understand scientific devices to be used' and 'It is forbidden for secret passages to exist', in the game of Hinamizawa, these rules were violated."

Blue countered, Battler becoming more excited "But if the game was not against the witch but rather the fate a witch was spinning then my theory is valid!"

There was silence.

"Amusing…"

Battler sat down "What?...No red truth to counter. Is this it? I expected more from you." He said this even though he knew she was just playing with him.

"No. I still see more to this. Explain more theories and add Frederica to them as well. Do not forget Lambadelta."

Battler stiffened "Frederica?"

"The woman who appeared at the end of Kai. That's what we call her."

"Ah!" he stood up, suddenly rejuvenated "All right! Here is my theory on the figure known as Frederica!" Blue truth seemingly shot out of his hand as he extended it "Frederica is a piece sent in advance to dispose of Miyo Takano and save Miyoko. Therefore allowing the events in Hinamizawa disaster to never happen! Which is what lead to Higurashi Rei, the terrible fate of world 'without tragedy'!"

"Ah, But where did she come from and who is she?"

Blue text continued "Frederica is possibly the embodiment of all the Rika Furude of the times before the game officially starts! Or she could be an embodiment of all of Rika's hope!"

"Good….Now Lambadelta."

Battler did an exhale, seeing how Bernkastel was intentionally not using the red to counter but regardless, he continued in blue in yet another theory "Like Virgilia's 'real form' in Rokkenjima is Kumasawa, Rika Furude is Bernkastel's 'real form' and Miyo Takano is Lambadelta's 'real form'!" something hit Battler just then.

Lambadelta had childlike demeanor and was awfully childish in her games, he also remembered that Lambadelta had the cunning mind to attempt to 'trap' Bernkastel in the Rokkenjima games… that sounded too much like….

The blue text continued, this time a little faster "It is also possible that Satako Houjo is also the 'real form' of Lambadelta, only she shows of Lambadelta's playful, childish and tricky personality and since Rika Furude has two personalities, one cute and playful, the other serious and cruel, I can conclude the Rika Furude is your only 'real form' in the games of Hinamizawa unless Frederica is also a part of or is your 'real form'!"

Once again, a small smirk appeared "Continue."

Battler sighed and did as she asked, once again summoning the blue "I can also theorize that either Frederica and or Bernkastel is the 'data base' of Rika Furude where all the memories of her past games are stored, and it was this 'data base' that copied the memories from the past world's and put them back into Rika Furude!" the text stopped "I have given you multiple theories, now is the time for you to respond in red, Bernkastel. I did not come here for me to just tell you theories and leave."

"Battler…." She took another sip of tea "If the games of Hinamizawa really were games between me and Lambadelta then why on earth was there a figure like Hanyuu there? Or more accurately, who was she?"

"Heh…" Battler pointed at her again the blue truth ringing in the world "Hanyuu, who is said to be 'Oyashiro-sama' is actually a mirage or illusion cast upon by you in order to assist Furude Rika! In other words; you are Oyashiro-sama!"

Bernkastel set down her tea cup as her red truth seemed to rise from the liquid "I am not Oyashiro-sama."

Blue clashed with the red "Then Oyashiro-sama is actually you and Lambadelta who acted as part of the same god-like entity!"

Red destroyed that blue "The Oyashiro-sama is the Oyashiro-sama. It is not me and Lambadelta."

Battler ran a hand through his hair "So, you are not Furude Rika and you are not Oyashiro-sama…" he closed his eyes for a moment only opening them to summon his blue truth "Then you are Ouka Furude! The daughter of Hanyuu Furude and it was you who started practicing those horrible torturous traditions which is what lead to the current Oyashiro-sama beliefs! Furthermore this would explain your age and it can relate to Rika Furude, who is possibly your reincarnation and therefore your 'real form'!" the text stopped when it made a full figure eight, but Battler continued "Bernkastel! Counter with your red truth! These are all of my theories concerning Rika Furude, Frederica, Lambadelta and you!"

Bernkastel just stared for a moment, she almost looked deep in thought, after a few moments she said "I can not."

Battler looked taken aback with shock "What?"

Bernkastel raised one of her arms allowing red text to appear "I, Lady Bernkastel am not fully aware of my own connection to Rika Furude and Frederica. But what I do know is of the connection's existence and what I have played out. In other words; it is possible that you have already stated the truth but it also means that without a definite answer this game should be at its close!"

Battler starred wide eyed "W….what…?"

Bernkastel sipped her tea "I said it clearly in red that I do not know my full connection to me and Rika Furude and Frederica. Because of this, no truth can be denied or accepted. This game is at its close. It was fun Battler…." Her eyes reverted back to the nothingness and she resumed her attention to the Kakera she was watching earlier, she was only paying half of her attention to Battler.

Battler just stood there, running a hand through his hair as the silence ensued the world once again. He bowed his head in uneasy defeat but a spark of hope gleamed in his eyes; but one could not tell as the shadows enveloped his face. He came here to find the answer to that one mystery; now he couldn't get it….but he was going to get something out of this. With his head still bowed down he said "Bernkastel…."

As the respectful host, she discarded the Kakera and her attention was on him, only to find him just standing like a statue. Was he trying to become a nuisance to her because of this unwanted outcome? She starred for a while at the man, who refused to even lift his head, and continued doing so.

Battler was patiently waiting.

He finally spoke in blue with a sudden outburst of certainty, just as the golden moment arrived when Bernkastel was just sipping tea "Rika Furude was Lambadelta's and Bernkastel's illegitimate child!"

No words can accurately describe the hilarious scene that occurred afterward. But if one had to describe it, it would be: Bernkastel chocked as she spat out her tea, the mess and stray drops soiling her dress as she made a rare look of either shock or disbelief, in a twisted, funny way due her face's lack of showing such emotion.

"You're right Bernkastel! It WAS fun!" Battler disappeared in a flash of gold as he left the still bewildered Bernkastel with a still tea-stained dress and face.

After a few moments of that continuous, dumbfounded, unbelievable look of bewilderment, her face returned to its emotionless state as she summoned a white handkerchief to wipe her wet face and instantly rid her dress of the bothersome stains.

In total honesty; she was angry at Battler for embarrassing her so, yet at the same time, she knew she has pulled similar, though in a much more graceful fashion, stunts like this if it meant entertaining responses; though it never occurred to her that someone would try that on HER. She made a mental note to get her revenge on Goldsmith later.

-x-

"Hey, Bern! I heard that Battler challenged you to 'that mystery' the other day." Lambadelta was leaning in front of her friend, a smirk plastered on her face "and I also heard he got a lot less than what he was bargaining for. How cruel of you; giving the poor boy that lame excuse of an 'answer'! 'I myself do not fully understand the connection between me, Rika Furude and Frederica' I can only imagine the disappointment on his face! How funny was it Bern!"

Bernkastel seemed more engrossed at drinking her tea, she was at least grateful that Battler didn't tell anyone about her….reaction…to his last blue truth "I wasn't as funny as you would imagine."

"So Bern…is it true you don't know anything about those connections?" Lambadelta's smirk disappeared to be replaced with curiosity.

"More or less. If Battler wanted me to elaborate; I would have. But he mistook my answer."

"Eh?"

"I said I do not completely under stand my connection between those two beings. A lot of things are in a 'connection' Lambadelta….birth, feelings, thought, belief, experience...they go beyond count…..If one does not understand one of the many concepts then one could say 'I do not completely understand my connection or connections with entity "X"' its devil's proof…." She then added "If he did not specify the mystery as the 'complete' connection, then I would have had to give him a different answer that was acceptable to the terms of the unspecified game."

"Then…you do know of the connection between you and Rika Furude as well as Frederica?"

Bernkastel allowed her hand to hover in midair as it held her tea cup. She turned her head toward her friend, with small smirk she brought a finger to her lips and said "It's a secret…"