Why? Why did it have to be Crona? What could possibly remain hidden and stay that way with whatever secret it was being protected so that it would never be revealed? All the two of them wanted to do was expose a conspiracy to find answers, and now the demon paid for it. Her life, the price, was gone and there wasn't a trace of her anywhere. An official investigation was begun to find out what happened to Crona, but no clues were discovered aside from the video footage which Macarona showed to Xerxes before when he arrived at the museum.
Her face was drenched in tears, and the moment she saw him standing in the security door Macarona leapt to her feet and immediately embraced her boss for comfort, weeping while relating the harrowing fate the day guard met. She explained everything to him after he soothed her down enough for her account to be coherent, and then he watched the footage to confirm her story. While he didn't blame either of them for what happened because he knew they were doing the right thing, Xerxes understood what they were getting into was incredibly deep and very dangerous. He called a meeting of his executives and scheduled it for later that day in the afternoon so Macarona could sit in on it and explain to them what happened. Mr. Averniche was also summoned there too, plus Mr. Kcalb and Mr. Wodahs would come as well to hear Macarona speak of the events that occurred last night and the days and other nights prior to it.
In the meantime, Xerxes calmly told her to get some rest during the morning to recover. It was crucial at this stage of the investigation for her to get as much of it as she needed because the recklessness of acts such as Crona's search of the museum would result in further trouble. Though Macarona begged to participate in the search for her friend that morning, her pleas were set aside with reassurance from Xerxes that he and the staff would work with the authorities to investigate the area. She made sure to mention what Crona said about the secret compartment located within the jewelry wing and how to open it, but Crona never mentioned in what way to move the hand. It was going to be a lot of guesswork—a lot of guesswork—so that was going to take a long time as the blueprints Crona had were probably taken by the animatronics. Maybe it was impossible.
At least it seemed that way, but there was a one in a million chance someone would get the right technique. Highly unlikely to the point of appearing impossible, but not improbable. Odds in those negative figures were strongly against solving the puzzle. Whoever created that lock must've been some kind of genius. Perhaps it was Clarabella, or it might have been Germain, who she was now sure was behind all of this as the leader of the conspiracy.
Though the only question left was why. Why did a well-known angelic mage begin such a horrible experiment into human machines? A stereotypical answer was for power since Macarona read stories about heroes defeating evil mages who sought to dominate others and the world with raw power, but there had to be much deeper insight into this problem.
Macarona didn't know, and, to be perfectly honest, it gave her a headache now that Crona became another victim of the animatronics. Doomed to fall by their hands, the demon realized that and fought against it unlike every other individual in their position, fully aware of what could be the end of her. She was brave in that regard and so was Macarona since she willing helped her, but Crona's sudden disappearance left the poor angel on edge with no idea of what to do. A sleep of a peaceful nature usually awaited her when she arrived home with the exception of that scratch from the ghost days ago, though today's rest was anything but peaceful as Macarona suddenly realized she was dreaming. She had good dreams frequently in addition to the bad ones about bugs which were no doubt a product of Rawberry shoving gross bugs in her face before she devoured them. A dream like the one she was currently having now was no mere bad dream, for it was, as Crona said yesterday when she explained it to Macarona, a nightmare—the very same nightmare she had.
She was floating in darkness as four pairs of enormous eyes all stared down at her through sets of white pupils, all the while begging her for help in saving them as one voice repeated those two discouraging words that were so simple, yet they came across with a powerful force. Words a person would say to someone else when something couldn't be done, or when it wasn't allowed.
You can't…
Those words had a powerful impact, and Macarona swore she could even see them form a distinct shape of helplessness in her image as she dreamed. In reality she was tossing and turning in bed, struggling to sleep and deal with the incident. She lost Crona, and there was nothing to do about it because she couldn't do anything to save her. Leonidas and Cleopatra blocked both doors and there was the suspicion of being attacked by Robin in the vent. All three prevented her from a quick exit so she could rush to Crona's aid, though it was possible that she wouldn't have met the archer up there at all. A small possibility, but one that left a critical scar on Macarona's psyche as she knew deep down that she was partly responsible for what happened despite all assurances that claimed otherwise. The mental image of her cowering beneath towering animatronics as they each ravaged their latest victim by tearing her apart frightened Macarona as she helplessly called Crona as if that alone would save the demon from death.
Then suddenly there was a bright light as Macarona jolted upright in bed with a start, nearly screaming in terror as small beads of cold perspiration trickled down her face. Bedhead again, but that wasn't the point. She slowly drew her arms close to her chest and trembled violently, quaking like a leaf on the ground being brushed by strong winds. Turning on her side, Macarona breathed heavily with each breath coming out in long, jagged bursts while her pupils dilated. She remained like that for several minutes and then suddenly decided to get up, walking at a fast pace down the stairs towards the kitchen where she prepared a bowl of cereal for herself and ate it in a frenzy as her elbow rested upon the table with a hand to her forehead.
It was almost time for that meeting, but Macarona really didn't feel like going to it. In her state, simply going would have likely made things worse. As she finished her hasty breakfast and placed the bowl and spoon in the kitchen sink, her thoughts gradually disappeared just like Crona. Macarona couldn't stand it any longer; thinking about it was just making things harder for herself, but it wasn't about her at all. She was just a player throughout the affair, a student playing detective in a real mystery all because of a simple interest in it. Looking back on where it got her, Macarona wondered if she really did make the right choice in taking the job.
Going into her study and lighting the fireplace to help calm her nerves, she still breathed a series of jagged breaths that started decreasing in length, intensity, and numbers bit by bit. Crossing her arms and holding them tightly against her chest, Macarona shivered slightly while gazing over to where her notes and the death toll were. Laid across the desk like a large calendar mat—which was actually underneath the folder—those papers all contained precious notes she took during the course of this investigation and were arrayed around so they completely covered the furniture. She was normally a very organized individual, but Macarona opted to place the notes in proper places once she and Crona had solved the mystery. She sighed somberly as she averted her gaze and shut her eyes, pondering whether it was better to just burn those papers and be done with it. Then Flavio came to mind and she sighed again, knowing she couldn't let him down now that Crona was gone. With his niece absent, he would definitely feel the sting of her disappearance which Macarona felt was on her head. Plus she knew Crona wanted to solve this too, so the demon would have wanted her to follow through on behalf of herself and the other night guards who died. Yet she was afraid.
Still, she wanted to do something to help Crona in any way she could, but she didn't know how exactly aside from finishing the investigation they started. That could provide some closure even though it wouldn't make anything any better. As Macarona stood up to gather her notes into a neatly collected stack, she pondered whether she should go forth with this or not.
But what did she have to lose? What else did she have to lose besides her only friend in the entire search for answers to solve a mysterious conspiracy within the past?
It was either stay at home cowering and doing nothing, or fighting the good fight in honor of those who perished in this massive plot—both in the past and the present, Crona included. She knew Crona would continue fighting for the truth, so Macarona had to steel herself once more and face down her opponents in this conflict to reveal all there was to honor those who had fallen to it.
…
Macarona sighed, fingers crossed that this would only end well. She was still pretty pale to some degree due to that nightmare and her confidence waned significantly, but her conscience was forcing her forward on this issue. There was a saying that the spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak. A phrase meant to define one's limits which she acknowledged, but tried to excel at. She'd been standing outside the door to a large room where everybody was gathering and wondered if it really was a good idea to go through with it after everything that's happened so far. However, the thought of her helplessness truly scared her and she was terrified Crona might not forgive her for not seeing this through to the end. Macarona had even gone over this at home and made the same decision then, but second thoughts did have a habit of bringing up some doubts at the final step.
She breathed deeply to calm herself as she prepared for the worst, possibly being told that her job was terminated because of her failure to sufficiently help the demon or to take over for her while she stepped down for all her hard work as a reward. A bittersweet reward for that matter, the kind that presented itself favorably with a sour aftertaste that left her crying for something sweeter. That sweet treat would be staying onboard to fulfill everything she and Crona started together since they were at the very beginning and came all this way for the truth. Her strong sense of justice was telling her to finish it because quitting now meant everything they did was all for nothing since the conspiracy wouldn't be fully uncovered and there would be many theories about it. Those theories would stem from the work they did up to now, and it would not be long until other ideas took shape as they formed into different hypotheses with no definitive conclusion to answer any of the most important questions central to this conspiracy. In short, plenty of evidence with too many guesses.
With one last deep breath, Macarona braced herself for the full onslaught of the meeting to discuss procedures for proceeding forward. She grasped the knob tightly with a shaky hand to open it and stepped inside as an argument engulfed her from within.
"Averniche, you scum…" Kcalb growled bitterly at the old angel as he sat across from the former curator and stared at him through narrowed eyes full of cold scorn. "You knew about what was going on from the beginning and did nothing." He crossed his arms and averted his attention from the man who let this all keep happening. "I swear, you're going to burn for this."
"I-it wasn't my fault!" Mr. Averniche protested in vain, throwing a hard glare at Macarona because he figured she had something to do with it. Apparently her last statement to him went over his head, it seemed. "I-I was just following instructions left to me in the will!"
"For the last time," Wodahs joined the conversation against the elderly angel, "we've heard you say it was the will that dictated your role in the affair to you—a role you could have left behind and walked away from when you watched your first death on the job through a security camera in this museum. You hid all of this from the general public and the authorities all for the sake of your reputation, and we've had it with both your behavior and the fact that you're not remorseful for it at all. You had the chance to avert this disaster, but you let it spread further and now several night guards are dead because of you. You're responsible for criminal negligence."
"But I—"
"Enough!" Xerxes said in exasperation as he slammed his hands on the table. "Your excuse isn't valid in the grand scheme of things, sir. We have abided by your precedents and compromised with you on it when we checked the old systems during maintenance after you informed us of them prior to stepping down. Safety of the visitors and employees is one of our top priorities, something you completely disregarded all for the sake of a will you could have ignored after what happened. This entire incident is on your head, not the night guards who were killed by your animatronics."
"You told them everything?!" Mr. Averniche finally turned to shout at Macarona. "This is on that thief's head too! She and that damned day guard stole the tapes and she blackmailed it all out of me!" His accusation was certainly valid, but unfortunately for him, Macarona's statement a day ago about receiving a lesser punishment was also quite valid as well.
"Is that so, Macarona?" Kcalb inquired as he averted his attention towards Macarona. "Did you blackmail an elder into describing this whole incident—a conspiracy, I believe—to you for a way to find answers with Crona during your investigation?"
She had to be honest about it, so Macarona made the right choice in coming clean about it all now that the cat was out of the bag as Crona said yesterday. "Yes," she admitted somberly with her head tipped down at the floor and her eyes closed, ashamed of what she had done. "I was told to show him the tapes if he didn't cooperate so that he could see what really happened to the night guards, but when we conversed he mentioned having already watched them. Crona also instructed me to bring those tapes straight to you if he still refused, so I resorted to blackmail as a last resort to uncover the truth. That got him talking, but before I left I assured him I'd speak to Crona about leaving the tapes hidden until Mr. Averniche chose to make amends unless something happened."
"I see…" Kcalb said in deep thought as he considered how to go about this after Macarona uttered an apology before taking her seat near the door, folding her hands on the table. She looked very guilty about what happened, so it was best not to upset her greatly. Losing Crona was probably the only major concern on her mind and it appeared she didn't care how she was punished for the crime of blackmail. "Well, though your method of acquiring that information was improper, I see you only had good intentions in securing it without utilizing blackmail as the first method. Frankly, I don't feel a need to reprimand you in any way because you're putting more thought into it while considering the ramifications of your actions and preparing for the worst and punishment, unlike some people who only care about themselves and their reputations." Those last words were filled with venom as his gaze returned to Mr. Averniche, the one who did nothing to impede upon what had become a serious incident in the Grey Garden. It wasn't the same scale as Ivlis' attack, but the problem was still dire for both their whole world and Clarabella's Museum of Arts and Crafts.
Macarona would have thanked him for pardoning her, but she felt doing so would be quite disrespectful in front of Mr. Averniche. The old angel scowled at her cruelly and she returned him an apologetic look of guilt which the others understood as they comprehended the message in her facial expression, so they understood why she wasn't showing Kcalb gratitude. Yet they could also see the guilt evident in Macarona's posture showing her self-perceived failure to help Crona as best she could. She was truly sorry about it, so nobody with the exception of Mr. Averniche wanted to reprimand her for simply wanting to do her best to help solve the mystery.
"In any case," Wodahs went on as the meeting progressed, "there are the animatronics we have to deal with. Tell me, how has the museum handled the situation?"
"We have discussed this at length this morning and came to the conclusion that we should lock them up at night with the proper safeguards in place to prevent them from ultimately escaping their nocturnal imprisonment," Marcus explained as Xerxes and the other executives nodded as a show of agreement. "However, the visitors still love them despite the rumors that have been proven true, so for now it is safe to say they can stay on active duty during the day unless they malfunction again and revert to their older systems from the war. In that case, we shall dispose of them with all due haste in order to prevent more deaths by disassembling the animatronics and disposing of the parts within which shall all be destroyed in an incinerator."
"You can't do that!" Mr. Averniche slapped his hands on the table and stood up despite the pain in his legs and back. "Those animatronics are my property, I won't allow you to destroy them just because some foolish night guards died by not following proper procedures!"
"Then why don't we let them run amok in your house and slaughter you," Wodahs gave a sarcastic suggestion which Kcalb immediately supported with his own sarcastic comment.
"Indeed, I'm sure you would love to take care of your animatronics just as they would love to take care of you. Face it, Averniche, your animatronics are monsters and you know it."
"U-um," Macarona interjected as she took out her notes and passed them to Wodahs, "I do not think you should refer to them as monsters once you've read through these."
"These are your notes on the investigation, correct?" he inquired.
Macarona nodded as the Head Angel set the notes between himself and his brother to share them while they read as Xerxes got out of his seat to join them. "Indeed, I've made some progress on my own and have gone further with Crona."
"The Theft of Donations…" Kcalb commented dryly as they pored over the notes. "Sounds like something shady was going on amongst the angels during the war, particularly between these two institutions, the church and the museum. I presume that was a major scandal."
"What is this Project Dynol Peiriant?" Xerxes inquired as Macarona answered his question.
"An operation established by Germain to construct animatronics powered by the hearts of angels. He proposed it to a council and it was rejected, but he seems to have gone ahead with it as we have recently discovered. We believe Clarabella was the head engineer of this project and that the funds stolen from the church were used to finance the operation with plans to use Leonidas as a test subject for the project. Evidently it succeeded since we have four animatronics on our hands and can explain how two of them have hearts inside them. The sole exceptions are Robin, but we suspect she also died as had Germain because their animatronics must have hearts too."
"True," Wodahs remarked as he nodded in agreement, "though I do not understand how it was allowed without the knowledge of his superiors among our people. I remember that well as a matter of fact even though I was not on that council. Lady Etihw and the rest of the council took a vote on it and unanimously rejected it. I heard about the results of it directly from her."
"Then this may come as a shock to you," Macarona began to speak again, not bothering to build up the suspense like she did when telling her friends about getting the job because this matter was entirely different and quite serious, "but Miss Etihw was the one who gave her approval."
Everyone's eyes widened—except for Mr. Averniche since was still pouting—at this. The very revelation certainly was shocking and nobody could believe it because it was hard to believe. That Etihw, the Goddess of the Grey Garden, signed off on it was difficult to comprehend. It was clearly hard to picture her letting Germain do his work on this project in secret when she already disapproved of Project Dynol Peiriant to begin with in addition to the unanimous dismissal. There had to be a very good reason for her sudden betrayal of that decision.
"Do you have proof of this?" Kcalb inquired, to which Macarona nodded as her confidence started building up. The conviction in her tone of voice when she spoke proved she wasn't lying.
"When I interviewed Mr. Averniche about the museum's past, he reluctantly showed me a folder of documents that are still in his possession. They included a map showing the locations of where the five main angels involved in this conspiracy lived, along with a letter from Cleopatra to Clarabella concerning the Theft of Donations. In addition to these two documents was a form that contained classified information which was mostly blocked out by black bars, save for the price of Project Dynol Peiriant and the names of Clarabella and Germain. As the mage's home was still in the Grey Garden, Crona and I headed over there to search his old home and discovered an identical form—another copy of it, if you will—with more information. It explained what the operation was and even included Miss Etihw's signature at the bottom. The copy is at Crona's house with all the tapes she acquired from the museum for the purpose of finding the truth."
Kcalb closed his eyes in deep thought as he put a hand to his chin. "That is a tough pill to swallow, and while I personally believe your story, it still needs the form to back it up. Flavio isn't in the meeting right now, but Xerxes mentioned he would be in the museum. Macarona, could you go find him while we finish up here. I'm going to put in a call to the guards to have a few sent over to arrest Averniche for criminal negligence. His final sentence may be light due to his age, though he'll not escape trial simply because he's old," he instructed her while pulling out a cell phone.
"Understood," Macarona nodded as she stood up and left the room, taking one last glance at the old angel. He should have considered her advice yesterday, and now he could look where it would have gotten him had he not concealed this information from the public and the authorities. In any case, now that her part in the meeting was done, Macarona walked out the door and looked down at the first floor, spotting Flavio walking into the painting wing. She quickly descended the stairs to meet with him, passing by various people carefully so neither they nor she would fall in a somewhat serious accident as she made her way down to meet up with the elderly demon.
"Mr. Flavio!" she called out to him as he turned to look at her, the sorrow from losing his niece in his eyes evidently giving away the fact that he was mourning her loss.
"Macarona…" His voice was tinged with sadness as he gazed at her briefly before turning to a painting. "I don't blame you for what happened. Crona knew what she was getting in on and tried to be careful, but it seems she eventually fell victim to these things," he said, referring to the animatronics as Robin walked up to him with some balloons.
"Her body hasn't been found yet, so maybe she's still alive," Macarona suggested, hoping to provide him some comfort with the thought that his niece could still be saved.
"Maybe…maybe not; though I do hope she is safe, sound, and very much alive."
"So do I," Macarona nodded in agreement. "I will come back tonight and look for her while on duty. I can speak to Xerxes about it since the animatronics will be locked up at night, so I'll be free to search the area where I last saw her and hopefully find a lead that will take me to her."
Flavio smiled, thankful that his only niece made a true friend in the young angel. "Thanks for your support, Macarona. I'm glad I could count on you and the authorities to make an effort to find Crona, unlike some people who only care about themselves and their reputations." That last bit was coincidently the very same phrase Kcalb used when referring to Mr. Averniche, so she got the message that the elderly angel really wasn't well liked and that different minds could somehow put the same feelings of resentment into the exact same words when one wasn't around to hear the other. "If there's anything I can do to help my niece, just tell me what you want. You two were a lot deeper into this than I was, so I'll leave you with the authority in this situation."
"That document Crona and I found in Germain's abandoned house," Macarona said as the archer held a balloon out to Flavio. "Mr. Kcalb and Mr. Wodahs would like it to confirm that Miss Etihw really did give her approval to move forward with Project Dynol Peiriant."
"Very well, I shall bring it to the castle at once and give it and the tapes to them," Flavio declared before turning his gaze towards Robin as the animatronic looked at him, almost like she was smiling at him. She held her hand out to give him a balloon, which he reached for as a gesture of goodwill and gratitude. It was like she understood how he felt about losing his niece.
Yet that peaceful moment was immediately interrupted by a mechanical scream.
Everybody in the general vicinity was suddenly startled by the loud noise and immediately turned to its source to find the archer suddenly starting to pounce on her unsuspected victim. Some of them ran away in terror while others merely watched in horror as the animatronic shoved an old man to the ground and drew her bow, nocking an arrow on the string and aiming for a headshot.
Yet Macarona was undaunted even though this sudden incident took her by surprise as well despite being aware of the animatronics' old programming activating earlier than when expected. Without thinking since she already knew what to do, she suddenly tackled Robin to the floor as a fellow employee rushed over to help. However, the archer forced the girl off of her and leapt onto her feet to take a swing at him which the demon employee dodged as Macarona jumped on Robin's back and held on tightly. She could feel the full force of her gripping strength as she applied it to her arms which were embraced in a headlock around the archer's neck. With a deep breath before her next move, Macarona grunted as she heaved Robin into the air and smashed her onto the floor while Kcalb came rushing to the scene with Wodahs, Xerxes, and Marcus in tow.
"What's going on?!" he asked as some of the visitors let him pass. "Did one of these things malfunction already?" Taking immediate notice of Flavio slumped against the wall, he and Marcus went over and helped the old demon to his feet. "You alright, Flavio?"
"A little shaken up, but I'm fine," Flavio replied as Kcalb nodded and turned to Macarona.
"What happened here?"
"Robin attacked him after we spoke about that document. Flavio said he'd get it and the tapes to you while she was giving him a balloon," she explained briefly as Xerxes and the other employee uninstalled a battery that was keeping the animatronic functioning.
"A ploy to lull him into a state of false security," Wodahs said quietly as the three of them got close so the visitors wouldn't hear as Xerxes walked up to them.
"I'm giving the order to seal up the animatronics now," he said before heading off. "It will take a few days to get everything in order to dismantle them, but we'll remove their batteries now."
"Good idea," Kcalb agreed as the curator walked off to inform the other employees of what happened and what they would be doing. "Macarona," he then addressed the young angel, "you'll be coming back to the castle with us now. A couple of the employees are watching Mr. Averniche and a few guards are on their way to bring him in. I suspect that ghost mentioned in your notes is behind this, and I would like you to be the one questioning Etihw. You've already come far enough in your investigation that you've earned the right to since you and Crona did discover this."
"Very well, sir," Macarona nodded in determination, looking forward to acquiring another piece of the puzzle from Etihw, "I'm with you."
…
"You know, Reficul, you don't have to buy treats for the kitties. They might turn their coats on Kcalb and decide to make you their new owner and master."
"It was but mere thanks for their company as I strolled through Grey Village this morning."
Etihw and Reficul were sitting at the table the goddess usually sat at with her own devil, in the middle of a pleasant conversation as they drank tea Etihw prepared for them. Her otherworldly guest was not making eye contact with her at the moment since Kcalb's pets occupied her lap and lifted their heads up so Reficul could stroke them. Ater and Arbus were in their cat forms, purring happily as their newfound friend gave them plenty of attention while they considered Etihw's idea.
"It must be a shame to leave soon," the goddess commented casually with her eyes shut as she took a sip of her tea. "I know it's your last day here, but you've yet to see what else the rest of our world has to offer. Kcalb and I would be welcome to have you back anytime."
"That would be nice," Reficul nodded in agreement, taking a sip of her own tea. "Sin would love this place as well, and so would Mors. If they are available next time, I shall bring them with me and introduce you both to them. Sin loves cats very much, so she'll get along swell with these girls," she said to the delight of Arbus and Ater who both meowed in satisfaction.
"I'm sure she would," Etihw remarked, aware of who her guest referred to as she recalled Reficul's conversation with her and Kcalb about the otherworldly devil's family. "You could also take them to that museum as well. There is a great selection of art displayed over there each season and there is always something unique to be seen."
"Perhaps," Reficul agreed, inwardly shuddering as the memory of that night a couple days ago refreshed itself in her mind at Etihw's comment. She hoped the goddess wouldn't go there as she didn't want to dwell on it anymore. This was supposed to be a peaceful chat, not a reminder to get riled up over something that happened in the past regardless of how close it was. Unfortunately, the goddess didn't seem to really understand the air because of the door she opened unknowingly. Reficul had only spent some time with them these last couple of days, but she gradually became aware of the other's desire to tease Kcalb and make a poor guy like him squirm. Now Etihw was turning that same blade against her, and the devil wasn't too happy with the direction it was going in with the goddess unaware of how sharp its impact would be.
"By the way, that reminds me," the goddess continued driving the needle of said blade into Reficul's comfort zone even further. "Tell me, how was Clarabella's Museum of Arts and Crafts? I heard you paid a little visit there the other day, so I'd like to know what's new. It's been a while since Kcalb and I last went, so it would be interesting to go back and check out the new art."
"Nothing really special," the devil answered, hoping to parry the sword away before it was too late. She tried to maintain her composure, but somehow it was beginning to flake away in a subtle twitch of a shiver she failed to suppress. Hopefully Etihw didn't catch that. "Although, there were a few pieces there which caught my eye; however, not much really interested me."
"What of the animatronics?" Etihw inquired, taking another sip of tea. "How about them?"
"What about them?"
"Were they at all interesting, or did you find them to be a little scary?"
"I'm not sure I understand what you're getting at," Reficul lied, hoping to save face. Etihw appeared to have caught on now, and that blade was inching closer to the devil's throat.
Unfortunately, the devil didn't realize yet that Etihw was perfectly aware of what direction the conversation was heading towards. She purposely led Reficul here with a single remark to try and make the interaction entertaining for a good laugh even if it was at the expense of her guest. The goddess smiled casually, her next move already prepared. "I thought those things were very cute when I first saw them. I really liked how pleasant they are, though I understand others might think otherwise considering the rumors about them which Xerxes proved true."
"Some believe they might be scary, yes," Reficul nodded in agreement, failing to spot her mistake that came with this acknowledgement. "However, I don't believe they are when one knows how to handle them properly from experience dealing with such matters."
"Someone like Macarona?" Etihw grinned, her trap now in place for Reficul to fall into.
"Yes, someone like her for example."
"You know, I was surprised when I heard she applied for a part time position as the night guard for that place," Etihw went on. "It didn't seem at first like she would be equipped to handle a job like that, but now I hear everyone who knows about it praising her. She's really good at it."
"Y-yes, t-terrifyingly s-so," Reficul stuttered before she realized it was too late. She finally figured out this was Etihw's plan all along, and she accidently fell for it when she stuttered with a shudder passing along her spine. The devil silently cursed her luck and prayed it didn't get worse, but the poor lady wasn't getting off that easy since Etihw took the opportunity to pounce upon her.
"Oooh," the goddess teased her, grinning wider as she adopted a more childish tone in her voice. "Someone's afraid of an angel? One of mine, no less. What did Macarona do to tame a devil like you, huh?" she inquired, closing her eyes as she became oblivious to Reficul's rage. Luckily Ater and Arbus sensed their new friend's body tense with anger and they hopped off Reficul's lap before changing into their demon forms while Etihw merely continued taunting the devil. "Strange, I thought you of all people would maintain a stoic stance against anyone, but it appears I mistook you for a calm, collected devil." She leaned forward, her eyes still closed which was why she could not see the trembling fist of anger Reficul was forming.
"You know, Reficul, one should never judge a book by its cover," Etihw went on, unaware of the impending danger in front of her. "Macarona might seem shy, though I'm sure she's a scary monster underneath all that sweetness. Oh, but I know you're aware of that. Being on the receiving end surely must be quite embarrassing and frightening for a devil of such prestige like you."
Etihw was close to approaching the last straw, and so was Reficul's patience as the goddess delivered the final blow. "Oh wait, that devil Macarona terrified is you." And then quickly felt the parry of a critical counterstrike dealt by a cornered mouse who lashed out like a ferocious lion. As fist met left eye, Etihw nearly cried out in pain when Reficul threw a harsh punch at her. The poor goddess fell back in her chair which fell backwards in turn with Etihw tumbling out of it, clutching her left eye which now hurt and was pretty bruised. Wincing in pain, Etihw opened her other eye to find the otherworldly devil towering over her with a flail in hand. The massive spiked ball was dangling in the air and Reficul was seething, her teeth bared at Etihw in a snarl-like expression. It looked as if was the end of her as the cat demons cheered the enraged devil on.
"Fight! Fight! Fight!"
"S-settle down girls," Etihw smiled sheepishly as she addressed them before turning to the devil. "Reficul, I understand you're a little upset now, but it's no use hiding this. It's alright to feel ashamed every once in a while. Your place hasn't been threatened, just your regal posture." It was a poor choice of words, one which the goddess felt she was going to regret as Reficul immediately raised the flail as Etihw closed her eye and gave a sheepish wave with an equally nervous laugh.
"Ms. Reficul."
Just as a hand came down on the devil's shoulder, making Reficul shriek with fright at the sound of the all too familiar voice of a girl that frightened the hell out of her, especially as this girl was applying the venom in her voice. In a fit of terrified panic as she became paralyzed with pure fear, Reficul dropped the flail as her body became petrified. She turned ashen and started trembling uncontrollably, her pupils dilating as her breathing came out in long, jagged bursts. The poor devil's heartbeat spiked inside her chest, and her mouth hung agape despite the sound of horrified whimpering escaping her throat as her one and only recently acquired phobia spoke up—and from the sound of that poisonous tone, the cause of said phobia was not pleased.
"Ms. Reficul, did I not tell you before to stay out of trouble, or are you breaking the promise you've made me the other night?" Macarona asked calmly, though her face was very dark and she did not come across as a calm angel giving a gentle reminder despite the warm smile on her face which actually felt more cold and bitter than warm and sweet.
Reficul flinched, shivering badly as she heard two other sets of footsteps come forward as Kcalb cleared his throat. "Uh, Macarona?" he asked while approaching her, only to be stopped by a single finger the young angel held up in front of him.
"Hold on for just a second, Mr. Kcalb," Macarona politely requested, never turning away from the otherworldly devil in front of her. Not wanting to instigate her, Kcalb and Wodahs merely stepped back since they did not want to provoke her wrath onto them. This was the first time they actually saw Macarona like this, so the two guys were unsure of what might happen if she became a lot angrier. The only other individuals who saw her this furious were Rawberry, Reficul, and that loser with the shades from Ivlis' forces since he too had been on the receiving end of it.
"Are you going to answer my question, or avoid it?" she inquired, her grip on Reficul firm as it became tighter. "Because it looks to me like you're actually breaking it."
Kcalb sighed after he and his brother exchanged glances. This was distracting them from a matter they came here to address, and he did want to help Reficul save face since he could tell she was extremely uncomfortable and terrified because of Macarona. "Sorry for interrupting, but I'm sure this isn't Reficul's fault. Knowing Etihw, she most likely deserved it," he commented briefly, hoping Macarona's fury didn't scar the other devil too badly.
Taking heed of his remark, Macarona cocked her head to the side and opened her eyes. She cast a cold, hard glare at Etihw through narrowed eyes as the goddess sheepishly nodded in a timid state. "Y-yeah, my bad," she chuckled sheepishly, nervously scratching the back of her neck.
"Is that so?" came the venomous inquiry, a question Reficul was quite familiar with since Macarona used it on her when she went to the museum to help with her work for the night and to see what it was like there. "Did you really instigate her?"
"S-sorry," Etihw apologized nervously, now finding herself experiencing exactly what the devil had gone through for a personal encounter with Macarona's rage. "I-it was nothing much. A bit of l-lighthearted teasing, nothing too serious, really. At least I wasn't the one who took it up a notch." If she thought that final part was going to let her off easy, she had better think again.
"I think you might want to retract that last statement, Lady Etihw," Wodahs warned her as she took his advice with a sheepish giggle when Macarona's glare became darker.
"O-oh, right, s-sorry about that."
"Fine, so long as you apologized for it," Macarona calmly remarked before focusing on the otherworldly devil again. "Now, Ms. Reficul, I'll let you off easy this time since she provoked you, but don't let me catch you making things worse, alright?" Reficul didn't answer verbally, merely giving a nod to show she understood before bolting out the door in a fit of panic as the angel took her hand away. Being cat demons, Arbus and Ater chuckled at this, but a stern look from Macarona and the exasperated smile on her face quieted them. "Don't laugh, it'll only encourage further bad behavior," she stated calmly as the kitties playfully sauntered over to her and pressed their cheeks against hers while they purred, wanting to stay on Macarona's good side.
"Okay!" Ater and Arbus chirped happily in her presence which became comforting now.
Macarona sighed in exasperation, but the smile on her face never fell. "Brownnosing isn't helping," she said through narrowed eyes which also emitted this sense of vexation. However, her gentle tone of voice indicated she didn't really mind which satisfied the cat demons and soothed their nerves if they were frayed from watching Macarona subtly chew into Reficul. They would've gone to Kcalb at this point, but Ater and Arbus just stepped back before kneeling down and closing their fists the way they had done when batting at her hair the other day.
"Play with us, Macarona!" they requested happily, looking up at the angel through kittenish eyes denoting their adorable playfulness. "Let's play!"
"Sorry, girls, maybe another time," Macarona apologized as Kcalb took his seat and made a gesture for her and Wodahs to join them. "I didn't come to play today as I am here for something else." Ater and Arbus took that as their cue to run for the devil and change back into their cat forms before jumping onto his lap, but they understood their friend. She gave them a warm smile as she and the Head Angel took their seats around the table while Etihw picked hers back up and sat down in it again. "That's a pretty nasty black eye," Macarona said as Etihw politely dismissed it.
"Ah, I've been through worse," the goddess remarked with a simple wave of her hand. "A bruise like this isn't too bad, though I do need an ice pack for it." With a snap of her fingers, Etihw used her magic to produce a small bag of ice and pressed it to her wounded eye before addressing the group arrayed before her. "So, what's up? Anything happen with that meeting at the museum?"
"Indeed," Wodahs replied, nodding to Macarona. "We're hoping you can enlighten us."
"On what exactly?" Etihw asked casually as the younger angel pulled out some notes from her bag. "Something to do with helping Macarona write a report on her job or something?"
Kcalb leaned forward and answered her through narrowed eyes. "Project Dynol Peiriant."
Etihw turned ashen at the mention of that name and shuddered. "Oh…" Her voice, usually cheerful for the most part unless it was something very serious—in which case she adopted a more staid and collected tone—was now hollow. The sudden change in character was unlike her because Etihw was never like this, but for the first time she looked…different. As if the sudden shock of a revelation like this subdued her, though somehow she believed this day would come. Her eyes had gone narrow as she gazed around the table at the others, realizing something that she was aware of for a long time—something that could no longer be kept secret by being swept under the rug. Yet she was strangely calm as she put forth a question to satisfy them. "What do you want to know?"
"Why did you allow this to happen?" Macarona asked since Kcalb and Wodahs let her have the floor in this interrogation. "You knew what was acting as a power source for these animatronics and have rejected Germain's proposal to begin development on them, yet you went back on it and signed your approval for Project Dynol Peiriant anyway. Why did you do it?"
Etihw remained silent for several minutes as she tipped her head down in shame, possibly because she was contemplating what to say to satisfy them. The goddess knew she had to choose her words carefully now that her cover was blown, discovered by an ordinary angel who happened to be the descendent and reincarnation of a strong angel from the war. She stood up and walked to the window with a sigh, closing her eye as she drifted into deep melancholy. "Believe me when I say it was not a decision made lightly," Etihw began her explanation, "for there is more to what it may be perceived as. I gave the operation my signature, but it went into effect after the war when Kcalb and I made peace for our respective people. I don't know why exactly, but it did."
"Flavio made a similar remark," Macarona interjected as Etihw nodded, aware that the old grave keeper's suspicions were correct as she began to confirm them after Macarona asked another question. "But why would Germain and Clarabella wait so long to implement it? What would they gain from working on something already turned down by a council you presided over?"
"Because while the project sought Leonidas as a test subject, two issues threatened to reveal it. The Theft of Donations, which I'm sure you're well familiar with as you've already discovered the existence of Project Dynol Peiriant, was one. Cleopatra checked the connection between it and the museum, but she was slain by another angel involved with the project after learning that I had ordered the transaction of funds. As for the other, one of our best scouts teased the secret out from Clarabella and I and sought to aid us in the shadows. You're also familiar with her as well because you've spoken with Grora about her, so it shouldn't be hard to put this together."
Macarona nodded, lining the pieces up. "Robin…"
"Yes," Etihw confirmed it while looking out the window through her open eye. "However, it was not the operation she helped us with. There was another secret she discovered, one Germain knew of as well which is why Clarabella and I were forced to work with him via blackmail. It was something which only the two of us knew of until they learned the secret too, and Robin paid very dearly for it with her life while the war was still raging."
"What secret was that?" Macarona inquired as Kcalb and Wodahs listened attentively while Ater and Arbus, confused at this was all about, merely watched. They would ask about it later.
Turning to face Macarona, Etihw sighed again as she swallowed to clear her throat before dropping the curtain on the secret she and Clarabella were bound by. "After one of the battles our people had won, Clarabella sifted through the remains of several animatronic weapons which were destroyed by the demons at an encampment they constructed. It was destroyed, but several nights later she contacted me with a request to see me alone in private at her estate. It was supposed to be a secret, but somehow Germain learned I was heading there. That night, when it was just the both of us in her home as she dismissed all of her servants for the night, Clarabella led me to her room where I found what she kept secret from everyone else. Sleeping in a crib by her bed…was a baby demon she found through the rubble of those animatronics."
Macarona's eyes widened at this shocking revelation, and so had Kcalb's and Wodahs'. It was as if the three of them discovered something that changed the affairs and fate of the war. Then again, this kind of secret was just that and it really was quite powerful. Clarabella rescued a demon who likely hadn't seen a few weeks or months in its life yet when it was born.
"A baby…demon?" Macarona found her voice again after the several minutes of silence.
Etihw nodded. "Indeed, I inquired why she spared it when I saw it. Clarabella gave me one look in response that told me all there was to know. A couple days prior to our meeting a report was sent to me concerning what happened with the animatronics. They malfunctioned and acted like monsters even though their systems clearly distinguished angels from demons. Yet it was how they slaughtered their opponents which, as Clarabella admitted in her report, frightened her beyond belief. One reason why she chose to spare the baby demon was because she felt guilty about what her animatronic weapons did and how they acted while going haywire. However, there was another reason why she desperately wanted to save it."
Macarona cleared her throat before putting the question forward. "And that was…?"
"Clarabella was the last of her family. She couldn't bear children due to the conditions of her work and her husband perished on the battlefield in the very same fight Leonidas died in. This baby was her only chance to have a family since all of the orphaned angelic children were adopted by other caring parents before her. She would've had a chance to adopt one or two had she taken the opportunity, but work always kept her too busy for that. The discovery of the baby was enough to ruin her reputation since it was a demon, but she didn't care. Clarabella chose to save this baby and she chose to adopt it and make the baby her child. She told me she was thinking about retiring soon so she could raise it, and claimed she would even leave our world and go elsewhere if I had ordered her against it," Etihw continued her explanation. "I accepted that baby and allowed her to adopt it as her own, promising Clarabella I would keep her secret."
"But Germain and Robin learned of it too," Macarona said declaratively as Etihw went on.
"He found out first after sending one of his familiars, a moth, to spy on us. Realizing what this could mean if our secret got out, he later approached me with a choice: sign onto the project, or risk a possible revolution against my authority as a goddess if anyone else found out. Germain may have looked distant and cold, but he really did care about other angels and their standing in a civilization like ours. However, he realized that Clarabella and I could be purged by other angels and deities if the baby demon was discovered and used that as a means of furthering Project Dynol Peiriant to provide slain angels with the opportunity to live on after death in combat. Although his intentions may have been good, his method contradicted it. This was a means to an end."
"And Robin?"
"She discovered Germain was blackmailing us to go ahead with the operation and learned why from us. Robin understood what we were trying to protect and chose to help us by spying on Germain for us. She requested permission to have freedom from other policies established so our angels could follow a code of appropriate conduct. That way she could investigate his activities in secret without anyone's knowledge and the threat of punishment for going against orders. I granted it and she kept an eye on him, but soon she disappeared on a scouting mission for our people. She was the third angel to go with Leonidas and Cleopatra as the first and second respectively. As there is an animatronic based on Germain in the museum, I can only assume he used himself as a test subject as well as he was dying. The same goes for the one about Robin which leads me to suspect she was slain too. I tried to keep in touch with Clarabella to stay involved, though Germain forbid it and I was unable to learn more until the war had ended and Clarabella somehow got a message through that Project Dynol Peiriant was undergoing the first stage of testing."
A tear slid down Etihw's cheek as she turned back to the window. "I ruined the lives of so many people who did not deserve to die, all because we wanted to protect what a few of us knew was more important…the baby demon Clarabella adopted. Sometime later, she contacted me again with a request to leave the baby—by this point a small toddler—on the doorstep of a demon family who settled down and leave without making my presence known. I did as I was instructed and had left after concealing my presence. I didn't know how that child was doing, though I learned why Clarabella wanted me to turn him over to another family after I heard of her tragic suicide."
Etihw took a deep breath, no longer wanting to continue any further with this line of inquiry since she was becoming too upset over it. "That is all I want to say on this matter. I do not wish to bring up more of it. It is a very tragic tale, one I can't forget. Each morning I wake up ashamed for what I did, and I hope that demon child has lived a happy life." She closed her eyes while removing the icepack before opening them to look up at the evening sky to finish remembering everything she did for Clarabella and the baby demon. "Macarona, I know you probably have more questions concerning this, but I'd like to request that you please leave now. This was one of the most difficult moments I've had to recall, and I'd appreciate it if you'd be so kind as to leave me in peace so I can recollect myself." She sighed and shuddered, holding her arms close to her chest.
"As you wish, Miss Etihw," Macarona said softly as she stood up, but loud enough so the goddess could hear her while she bowed to show her gratitude. "Thank you for your time."
When she left Kcalb ushered his pets off his lap and stood up as well to stand by Etihw as she turned to face him. "Kcalb…did I do the right thing?"
He nodded in understanding. "The three of you did. While it may have been illegal back in the war, I'm glad you made a difficult decision to help save a baby demon from my side even if it meant risking your own life and position amongst your people. I would've done the same as well." Kcalb moved closer and put his arm around her for comfort, grateful for the sacrifice Etihw made with Clarabella and Robin, and he was also sure Cleopatra and Leonidas would understand too. It was a terrible shame Germain didn't seem to understand the value of that life as he used it to help his own advantage in a conspiracy that could finally close on its last chapter.
…
And there you have it. One of the most powerful revelations in this story was revealed, but there is more to come. Seven Nights at Clarabella's is approaching its finale after all, so these final chapters are going to leave behind quite a shocking impact.
Angry Macarona is being Scary Macarona towards Reficul again. This time I decided on a subtle approach, but the hilarity is still there either way.
Also, I've been thinking about teasing two characters who'll appear in a couple other Grey Garden stories I've got ideas for. If I do happen to reference them in this story, there's going to be follow-up allusions in the stories they're meant to be in to tie them back to Seven Nights at Clarabella's and quite possibly the teasers as well. This story is supposed to have a feeling of Five Nights at Freddy's in it—obviously because it's a crossover—but the lore can fit into the Grey Garden as well since that's the direction I'm approaching it from. So based on this notion, the lore of Seven Nights at Clarabella's is compatible with my other stories if not with the actual game itself in the sense that it might not be considered perfectly canon. I will provide brief descriptions of these two characters in author's notes if they appear, but I will not fully explain who they are supposed to be as I'll be using fun facts instead.
I hope you enjoy reading this as I enjoy writing it.
