Rainbow: Whew! It's good to be back!

Star: So, you finally decided to come back. What took so long

Rainbow: Sorry! I've been really busy! And besides it's a little hard to work on writing when you just don't feel like writing!

Star: You'd never survive as a real writer.

Rainbow: What is that supposed to mean!?

Star: Y'know, like an author or a journalist. Deadlines and all that jazz.

Rainbow: Yeah, I guess that would be pretty difficult… Anyway, let's get on with the fic! It's been way overdue already.

Star: You got that right.

Rainbow: Whatever. Wings, if you would.

Wings: Right, disclaimer stuff about not owning The Witch's House-

Star: You do take a lot of stuff from his novella though.

Wings: And enjoy the chapter!

Ellen sat up. The world was bright again. It was almost like she had woken up in the park. The sky was blue, she was in the shade of some large tree, life seemed… normal? At least, it felt natural. Ellen glanced around herself. Was she the only one here?

A young couple walked around the area. "Woah! Doesn't that look like a drop!" The man pointed over a wall Ellen had assumed was just a marker for the park boundaries.

"Of course. It's a cliff after all!" The woman batted the man on the shoulder playfully and shook her head.

A small girl came running up to the pair and clutched at the woman's green dress.

"Hey there, kiddo." The man chuckled and petted the girl's hair. "You already put on your sunscreen?"

The girl tossed her head in disgust. "No way! I donwanna! It's all slick and greasy!"

"C'mon on now, Viola…" The woman sighed and knelt down next to her child.

"It's okay, just take her to the shade. I'll get the bottle from the van." The man waved the problem away and headed over to where he was parked.

"Alright, you heard daddy, sweetie. Let's go over to that tree over there, okay?"

Viola shook her head. "No! I don't wanna go with you!"

"Viola, c'mon…" The woman started to push her unruly child towards Ellen.

"No! You always treat me like a doll!"

The woman stiffened. "That's enough, Viola. We're going to the shade."

Ellen blinked. This moment was far less dark than the previous one. What was going on? There was no way this scene belonged in that dreadful gallery. By the time Ellen figured out there was more to the memory, Viola had arrived under the tree next to Ellen.

Viola huffed and crossed her arms.

"Now you stay here until daddy gets back."

Viola frowned even more.

"Honestly…" The woman put her hand to her forehead in exasperation. "A child like just wouldn't understand."

"Understand what?" Viola needled.

The woman shot a look at Viola. "… I need to find her."

Viola glared in kind. "You don't love daddy." The words hung in the air, settling on the trio under the shade as eons seemed to pass.

"That's enough, Viola!" The words seemed to burst forth in rapid succession. "You wait here until your father comes, do you understand?"

Viola nodded in sullen silence, and settled into the roots of the tree.

The woman stalked off towards the cliff edge.

Ellen waited with the tiny Viola in silence. It was startling really, how similar the pair must have looked. Well, if anyone could see Ellen. Ellen figured that they would have looked like clones. Well, in a sense they were. It was the same body, wasn't it?

Ellen tried to grasp Viola's hand, if only to test if she was in the same world. It worked. Ellen cupped the small hand in her palms, though Viola didn't seem to notice.

Another man soon walked along the ridge with the woman.

Viola cocked her head. "What a creepy guy…" she muttered.

Ellen turned to catch a glimpse. Well, he was pretty suspicious looking. All black clothes, including a beanie, and a bulky frame that seemed to bely the calculated steps he was making. A pair of shades finished the picture out. He was in all accounts, the stereotypical creepy dude, Ellen thought.

Still, she figured he wouldn't do anything drastic. It was broad daylight out and he was the only one close to a woman. He would have been the only suspect. So it came as a great surprise when the man tripped the woman as she was leaning over to get a better look of the cliff face.

Ellen watched Viola tense up, as if she wanted to run over and scream. Get someone to help, or help herself. But she rooted herself in place and watched the whole thing play out.

The man quickly gave the area a once over and caught Viola's eyes. They stood locked for a moment. Then the man nodded as if he knew Viola and walked off.

Ellen didn't quite believe it. The girl who had given her body to save a sickly witch casually letting her own mother's murder getting away. Not even a scream. Nothing.

Viola's father came strolling over to the two, a bottle of sun lotion in hand. "Hey! I'm back!" He split a wide grin and sat down next to Viola. "So, did everything go alright?" He poured a dollop of white cream on his hands and started to coat the girl's arms. "Didn't give mommy any trouble, did ya?" The man suddenly stopped and frowned. "Actually, where is mommy? Do you know where she went off to?" He leaned in forward to Viola and started spreading the sun block on her neck.

"…I dunno…" Viola mumbled.

"Oh well, I'm sure she'll come back soon." The man smiled, shook his head, and continued to make sure his daughter was safe from harm.

Ellen's breath caught. There was no way. This couldn't be real. There was just no way. No way could Viola-

"Hey," Ellen felt a hand on her shoulder and froze. All heated thoughts over what had transpired vaporizing into mist. "Let's get out of this depressing spot, shall we?"

Ellen turned her head to face the speaker. It wasn't Harmony. The voice seemed more mature, a little deeper perhaps. It was the girl who had been reading the book. She smiled and took her hand off Ellen's should to offer it.

Ellen decided that the woman looked remarkably beautiful when she smiled. Her face seemed to be framed just right by her red glasses and brown bangs. She took the woman's hand.

"Come, let's go somewhere more pleasant."

Viola opened her eyes groggily. She wasn't in the white plane anymore. It was too dark for that.

"Welcome back." Melody was sitting legs crossed in an armchair and reading a book. "Have fun?"

Viola couldn't even muster up the energy to growl angrily.

"Aw… It's okay. I know that last one was a bit harsh, but-" Melody stood up and strutted towards Viola. "I've got something even better to show you." She snapped her fingers and brought Viola up in a golden bubble.

On one hand, Viola found it relieving to not touch anything. A brief respite from the pain of contact. Ellen's disease was still wracking her body. Viola figured it had progressed to the point when she had first met Ellen. Her skin was entirely red. No more splotches or rashes. A single expanse of raw flesh grating on anything it came upon. Viola inadvertently twitched in rage, the movement causing more agony to blossom.

"Ah, here we are…" Melody glanced over the balcony they had come towards. "I can't wait for you to see, Viola…"

Ellen felt the change before she saw it. It was a warm and inviting feeling, like spending an afternoon with a friend and chatting. Something simple. She opened her eyes. The woman was hugging her.

"Oh," the woman backed off and blushed. "Sorry, you just looked a little cold…"

Ellen frowned a little at the loss of heat, but it seemed like the room was warm enough anyway.

Y'know, I'm not Viola, so you really should be saving your intimate moments for her. People like you don't get very many.

Ellen couldn't stop Harmony's comment from echoing into her head. "Tch." Like she knew anything about that. Wasn't she just a manifestation of Viola's dark side or something like that?

"Sorry about that," the woman apologized again. "Where are my manners? You don't even know my name, right? It's Vera. Nice to meet you, Ellen." She smiled and rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment.

"No, it's… Fine." Ellen wasn't sure it really was, but there was no real point in causing this woman to worry. Besides, she had gotten her out of that memory.

"Oh yes. I'm sorry about Viola…" Vera tilted her head downward and gave a sad smile. "She… She's… Well, it's hard to explain." Vera shook her head and stood up. "If you need anything, I'll be here. Make yourself at home." She gestured around the room.

Ellen blinked. It was the same room from before. The pea green walls and white trim. The red, plush armchair and standing lamp next to it. "Oh, uh. Thank you."

"No problem, it's my pleasure. No one really comes around here anyway. Ah, help yourself to a book. I read plenty nowadays, not much else to do." Vera started to busy herself with a tea kettle that Ellen had never noticed before. "By the way, do you like flower teas, Ellen?"

Rainbow: And I guess I should stop it there. The next scenes deserve their own chapter I think.

Star: And when are those coming out?

Rainbow: As soon as I have time, alright?

Star: Which is?

Wings: Yeah, it looks like we're booked for the next couple of monthes.

Rainbow: Seriously?!

Wings: No, I'm just kidding, but your work ethic might take that long.

Star: Well, while we're waiting, it'd be nice to receive a review…

Rainbow: Actually, yeah! They really motivate me to keep writing, so write some everyone!

Wings: Don't you think we sound like we're begging?

Star: As long as it gets Rainbow to stop moping around, I'm fine with it.

Rainbow: Yeah, so anyways guys, I'd really appreciate it if you would leave a review, and I'll see you in the next chapter! (Hopefully soon…)