As she learned everything about Miki again, Setsuna felt, both at once, her head splitting in agony from all the memories now achingly free, and the joy of realizing that she had not truly lost her recollections, merely misplaced them, and with Miki's help, they began to come back to her. She remembered Love and Inori, she remembered Tarte and Azukina, she remembered Princess Chocola of the Dessert Kingdom and her soft-spoken mother, the queen. So much of it seemed so clear to Setsuna, once she was told about it, but some holes remained. When she tried to remember Clover Town, a perfect image of what it looked like came to her mind, the houses and streets, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not recollect the layout of the roads, or where exactly her house was located. She lived with Love, that much she remembered, but even their home was vague to her. She remembered the shape of its rooms, and their size, more or less, but not much else.

"There's still so much missing," she told Miki. They were sitting side by side on Setsuna's bed, quite close to one another, like old friends. It felt natural to Setsuna even before she actually started to remember what had been lost. "I'm afraid I'll never have it all back."

"I'm with you now," Miki said, a hand on her cheek, stroking as gently as possible, though her palms were rough and hard, as well as the tips of her fingers. They never felt like this before. She remembered Miki looking a bit different. She couldn't quite tell what had changed, but the image she had of her friend was immaculate. But the girl before had frail, thin hair, and her nails were broken, her face burned by the sun. Elegance remained in her, on the way she carried herself, but something seemed wrong. Even so, she felt good being with Miki. Despite all she could not remember, she did not feel incomplete.

When they finally met again, Miki seemed almost disappointed in how casual their reunion was. The fault lay with neither of them, of course. It was inevitable, after they had been away for so long, not even aware that the other still lived - or, in Setsuna's case, not even aware that Miki existed. That mere chance brought them together seemed an anti-climactic fate. Miki, at least, was expecting more, but when Setsuna asked her what she expected, she could not answer. They could not even stay together long, at first, before Miki had to leave, to bathe. Setsuna asked her to come to her quarters when she was done, and she waited there, abed.

It took nearly an hour before Miki came back. Setsuna had an hour to try and remember as much as she could, an hour to think of what she wanted to say to Miki, but one mere hour was not enough. Their reunion had been so rushed, too, and all the other Precure had something to say, wanted to know more from them. Reika gave Itsuki the news that she had met one of her former partners, Cure Moonlight, but there was no time for anyone to go into any detail. Not even Setsuna and Miki. Soon enough it also occurred to her that Miki might have been taking so long because she, too, didn't know how to feel. When at last she knocked on Setsuna's door and entered, she closed the door slowly, and just looked at her friend. Setsuna stared back, her heart a storm. She didn't even know what to say. She didn't know how to explain herself. She told Miki of what had happened to her mind, and apologized again and again for having forgotten her. But Miki didn't get angry. She just kissed Setsuna's forehead, and held on to her. As the embrace lengthened, Passion felt completely comfortable, and she wrapped her arms around Miki too. She even found herself crying, staining her bedding. She didn't care. Thought at first she knew only turmoil in her mind, the longer she stayed with Miki, the more she felt like she did, once, in days she had long forgotten.

"The last I heard of you," Miki said, once the two had stopped crying and could talk once again, "was from a phone call with Love. Do you remember that?" She asked, and Setsuna shook her head.

"Maybe if you tell me something, more will return to me."

"The two of you were worried about the stirrings in Labyrinth," Miki said, but that meant nothing to Setsuna. She tried to remember, to understand what that might have meant, but it was not enough. "The Red Rose was stretched thin, just before the stars went out. We knew that war was soon to come, that victory over Dune was not enough to stop it. And-"

"I remember saying goodbye to you, when you boarded your plane, with Love by my side, but not Inori," Setsuna said, as it suddenly occurred to her. "You were headed to the Desert Lands, to keep the peace, just a few days before the Death of the Stars."

"There were too few of us here," Miki sighed. "Most were captured and taken by Nightmare. Some died. The ones that did not submit, the ones who were not considered valuable enough to keep. The Apostles that evaded the Precure's justice after Dune's defeat took over the Palace of Bronze. Do you not remember the Death of the Stars at all?"

"Not a thing," said Setsuna. "I can remember things from before then, things I witnessed with you, but you were not with me then, so I can't recall now," she massaged her head. "I only know that Labyrinth took my memories from me, and lied about what happened," she showed Miki the clover amulet. She recognized it at once. "I was told I killed Love."

"Yeah, I'm not buying that," said Miki. "Not in a million years. You would never do it. You'd sooner die."

"I didn't remember enough to be aware of that," Setsuna explained, "so for the longest time I believed that was the truth. Cure Mirage talked out of it, she put reason into my head, but now that you tell me this… It's a great relief to know. I hope Love is safe. She must be… When I was in Labyrinth, someone tried to contact me. Tried to get me to remember who I was. Who can it be but Love?"

"That sounds just like her," Miki smiled. "She fought so hard to get you to leave Labyrinth, the first time, years ago, before you were even Cure Passion… No wonder she'd try to reach you. I recall her saying, before you became a Precure, when you still went by Eas, that-"

"That she'd seek me until the end of time," Setsuna's lips curved as she remembered, "and she'd not let me go until I smiled. No, even when I did, she'd stay by my side."

"She was a clingy one," Miki laughed. "And, uh, this is awkward, but… You and Kanade are a thing now, am I right? You appeared to be very close."

"I suppose so, though here our quarters are separate. Why are you asking me? Were Love and I a… Thing, too?" Setsuna didn't understand why Miki used that term, but she could see that she was a bit uncomfortable. She just nodded, unwilling to say anything. "I see. I suppose that is awkward."

"You are… Really calm."

"I can only feel so troubled about it when I have literally lost all of my memories and have infinitely larger problems to deal with. Love will understand. She has greater issues too. She can't blame me for it, just as I'd never consider blaming her. Kanade has comforted me when I was alone. She loved someone, too, once, but now she fears that woman is dead. If she isn't, and Kanade wants to be with her, I'll accept that as well. This is the least of our problems right now."

"You're right, you're right," Miki said. "I was just shocked. I suppose that, despite my fears that I'd never see any of you again, I still held out the hope that I would, and that when that happened, everything would be as it always was. That when we met again, it'd be with the world restored to its proper state, to what it used to be, and that I'd just walk back into the old life we shared together."

"The others have said things like that," Setsuna said, recalling conversations she overheard. "I don't know what that feels like, I'm afraid. Longing to go back. My past feels like sand. I cannot grasp it."

"Not just yours," said Miki. She sounded saddened. "It was a foolish hope I had. An expectation that we'd meet together after our salvation, whatever it was, with you and Love side by side. But the truth is that it's impossible. We cannot fight to restore the past we love, only to make a future that's a little bit better than today. It's all that any of us can do. Yet even after this catastrophe we look back on better days and wish for them to return. It's always disappointing when they don't."

"Maybe that's a good thing about all the holes in my brain," Setsuna said. "I have no past to look back on, no nostalgia and nowhere to want to return to. So I can't be disappointed," Miki looked down, uncomfortable. "That sounds sad to you, doesn't it?"

"Of course it does. They're important to me, the memories we made together," she wiped her eyes before the tears even came out. "That they were stolen from you makes me feel… I don't even know how to describe how I feel. Afraid."

"Of what?"

Miki gulped. It was like the answer scared even herself.

"That you won't love me as you did before," she said. "That you'll never really remember me and all the things we did together, all that mattered to us. That's so unfair. And I'm sorry, I know it's worse on you, you're the one who had your mind messed with, but those things matter. It hurts me to think that you might not remember the happy days we lived together. You won't remember when we went out to eat, the four of us, that you won't remember the laughter."

"I want to remember," Setsuna said, holding Miki's face against her chest, petting her head, gently, slowly, comforting her. "I remember all I felt for you. I remember all you taught me, when I left Labyrinth, and how could I forget when the two of us went out together, when we tried to understand each other, to learn more about the other, to not be so distant and awkward around each other?"

"You… You remember that?" Setsuna nodded.

"Now that I've seen you again, now that you are once again in my mind, I cannot forget. I might not remember the details, but I cannot forget the way I felt. When I am with you, I feel that again. And I feel light."

Miki continued to hold on to her. She told Setsuna about her long journey, about her struggles, and how alone she was. She loved Itsuki, and she learned to appreciate Elena, but she always felt a longing for her friends. Now that she was with Setsuna again, she said she never wanted to let go. If it were up to Passion, she'd not have to. Though she had been spared the pain of separation, now she felt the joy of reunion, of something dear being returned to her.

"Love is likely in Labyrinth," Setsuna said when Miki finally let go of her, looking presentable again - or at least as presentable as someone could look after months in the desert. "But what about Buki? As I said, I don't remember her departure…"

"She was due south," said Miki, "I think to the Bavarois Kingdom. She didn't go by plane, though, so there's no telling if she even made it there…"

"We will find her," Setsuna promised. "We know something, at least, to guide us, so we know where to look. After the way we met by chance, it should be much simpler to find those two, wouldn't you think?"

"Simpler, for sure, though not easier… But you're right," she smiled. "They can take care of themselves, so I'm sure they've endured thus far. It's just a matter of finding them, and then we'll all be together again."

And never be apart again, Setsuna thought. She wondered if that was possible. It might very well not be, but it was still a fine enough thing to strive towards. A beautiful, comforting dream to have. Miki was right when she said that all they could do was make a better future, a tomorrow that shone brighter than today. But first they would have to dream it, unreachable as it could be. To Setsuna, that didn't matter. The dream carried her onward, the hope of meeting Love and Buki again. Her past was in pieces, but her future was hers to shape, and now that she was free of Labyrinth, truly free, she could never give that up.


Deciphering the writing on the old texts was difficult, dull work, and, to tell the truth, Iona couldn't even say it was particularly rewarding. They were documents, for the most part, and didn't mean anything at all anymore. She sighed, leaned back against her chair. The flickering lamp's light made her sleepy. It was already quite late, too, and Iona wanted only to go to bed, but so long as Nile and Mint continued to work close to her, she felt too ashamed to get up and leave them there to continue their efforts while she rested on her large, comfortable bed… Those thoughts only made the notion even more tempting.

"Did you find anything interesting?" Iona asked. Talking would help her stay awake, she figured.

"That depends," said Nile. "Would you be interested in hearing about Cure Ange's hiring of employees for Miwar's customs office?"

"That'd only make me feel even more sleepy."

"You too, huh?" Nile giggled. "We've been working for a while now, and we had a long and, uh, stressful day," that was quite the understatement, and she knew it, "so it's fine if we get some rest, right? I've got this really bad headache, too…"

Iona tried not to look too relieved. She didn't try very hard, so she let out a long, exhausted sigh, and rose, stretching her arms. Her legs, though, she barely felt, save for a slight, irksome tingling. Nile got up, too, and she nearly tripped on the pile of books and scrolls next to her desk. Komachi, though, just waved them goodbye.

"I'm not sleepy," she said. "Rather, I'm too worried to actually want to sleep… I kind of don't want tomorrow to come. Reika told me about how she and Makoto are going to be up, too, to keep watch. In case Nightmare tries anything funny."

"Do you think they will?" Nile asked. "You saw that plane earlier today, right? It's Nightmare's, of course. Do you think they're sending soldiers, already?"

"I don't know what to think," said Mint, "but if I do, I'll think the worst. I trust Reika and Makoto to take care of us, but the truth is that we're in a dangerous place. And the boy… Kumojacky says that Olivier is our key to saving Salamander, but we still have no idea how we're going to get him into the Palace of Bronze."

"Well," said Iona, "we'll figure that out tomorrow. I'd suggest you're well-rested. It's hard to think and to fight when you're exhausted. Sometimes I stay up late, but I end up hating myself the next day."

"You're right," Komachi said, pushing her book away. "I'll just… Finish these next pages. They seem like they might be of some value. Look," she pointed, but Iona was too far away to see, so she just took Komachi's word for it, "it's Cure Ange's penmanship, and it's a copy of the letter she sent to the Phoenix Tower, asking for permission to light the Starlight Flame she made. Reika told us that she supposed that she didn't receive any, and I'd like to confirm that, but Cure Ange is the sort of writer who, for lack of a better word, stalls. I want to yell at these pages to go faster! She describes the weather of each day in her diary!"

"That… That strikes me as an extremely valuable source," Iona said. She could imagine Cure White drooling, and Cure Black by her side, trying to get her to respond. "Valuable, but dull. If nothing else, Ange was methodical. We really ought to bring all of this back to the Phoenix Tower. Honoka and Mirage will appreciate it."

"Or Mirage will get mad at us for taking things that were supposed to be hidden," said Nile. "Not that we had a choice."

"She'll understand," said Iona, more hopeful than certain. "If it mattered so much, she should have warned us about it. As far as we know, she wasn't even aware."

Nile shrugged, which was fair enough. There was no point in worrying about it right now, Iona knew. Compared to Nightmare's threat, getting chewed out by Cure Mirage was a positively harmless experience.

As Komachi still wanted to get some work done, and Nile wanted to eat something before sleeping, Iona bid them goodnight and went on her way, headed upstairs. She had to close the windows on her way, as even in the desert the night winds were cold and biting, and now they were particularly eerie, when Iona looked outside the windows and saw the emptiness of the garden, the rest of Miwar so distant.

Upstairs, she found that she was not the only one looking out the windows: she found Elena sitting by one, her sword next to her chair as she read a book. She hadn't said much when she arrived with the others, just a few words to Makoto and Reika, saying she'd like to help them guard the Desert Rose. Even that was more than Himari had said: the woman looked shocked beyond words at seeing so many Precure, and quickly excused herself to bathe and sleep. Even the boy, Olivier, was more sociable. Of course, he hated being there, and he hated all the questions the Precure and the Apostles asked of him, but he at least stayed and answered before Kumojacky took some pity on the poor boy and told him to go get some rest. It was not proper for someone who was not a Precure to stay in the Desert Rose, but no one argued for that. It was the safest place for him to be, especially now that Cure Matador joined the guard.

"Anything out there?" Iona asked her, out of politeness.

"Only the wind," said Matador, "hardly a threat," she looked outside, in the direction of the Palace of Bronze. "We're so close to our goal. For months we've strived towards it, and now it's right next to us, yet it still seems so distant and dangerous," she looked to her side, to her sword. "I had hoped not to use it."

"If all goes well, you might not need to," Iona said. "We're just going to sneak the boy inside, no?"

"When Nightmare has all its guards there, and all its Kowaina, how exactly do you think we'll be able to sneak anything inside?" Elena asked, and her condescension nearly drove Iona to annoyance, but she'd not ruin her mood right now, for the sake of someone she barely knew. "I, um… I'm not sure how to ask this, but I guess it's convenient that you've come."

"What is it?"

"Are you good with a blade?" She asked.

"I don't fight with swords," said Fortune. Elena was disappointed.

"I was looking for a sparring partner," she explained herself. "I haven't fought in a while. Swinging my sword at the air in the desert hardly counted as practice, you see, and I'd rather not walk into the Palace of Bronze without any preparation."

"You can ask Reika or Makoto."

"I'd rather not," she said. Iona had expected that. She had heard about Matador's reputation as someone who will only fight those she is sure of defeating. That was either very clever or very cowardly, Iona couldn't decide.

"Maybe Nozomi, then?" Iona suggested. "She often spars with Reika and Makoto. She's not as accomplished as the two of them, but she can hold her own. It'll be some practice, if nothing else."

"I'll keep that in mind," said Elena. "Thank you for the help. I, uh, can I ask you another thing?" Iona nodded. "Has the Red Rose elected a new Rosehearted?"

"We've elected Cure Mirage to lead us," said Iona, and almost instantly Cure Matador fell from her chair, and held on to her sheathed sword. Iona helped her up, unnerved by her sudden reaction. "Is something the matter?"

"No," said Elena. "No, nothing at all, I just… Didn't expect that. I figured it would be Cure Aqua. That's all."

It certainly didn't seem to be all, but Iona didn't care enough to ask any further questions, so she just let the girl to her watch, and headed to her own bedroom, next to Yuko's and Kanade's. Yuko had been the first to go to bed, so surely she was already asleep. Just thinking of that made Iona feel even more tired.

She fell easily into the lull of sleep, resting her head atop half a dozen pillows. The last time she had slept so comfortably was in Morgenluft, and even though things now were far tenser than before, somehow Iona felt quite relaxed the second she lay in bed. As she tried to sleep, she felt only the certainty that things would go well. She was with all her dear friends, and Olivier was here, so they could go along with the Apostles' plan. All would end well, had to end well.

She woke to the sound of someone knocking on her door, calling her name. Nozomi's voice. She was so tired that she must have forgotten to set her alarm. She rushed to her feet, and hurried to get herself dressed. She must have made quite the amusing sight, from the way Nozomi was laughing. She just mumbled a shut up and followed Cure Dream downstairs, to find all the Precure gathered in the living room. The room was incredibly unfitting for a manor built in the middle of the desert, looking more like it belonged somewhere in the fairy kingdoms around Palmier. It even had, for whatever reason, a fireplace, though one that had clearly never once been used. Along the walls ran bookcases, but only half of them had been filled. The Desert Rose looked, to Iona, like a a building only half-finished.

It was not very strange, when she thought about it. The Red Rose never maintained control of the Desert Lands for long. It stood to reason that the manor would change hands once every few decades, so the Precure who guarded Miwar were always all too aware that they'd not remain there forever. Of course no one would ever bother to actually finish furnishing the Desert Rose. Even its Starlight Flame had never been lit before, because why would it ever be, if the Precure would never be able to keep it under their control?

That Reika decided to light it spoke volumes about the newfound determination of the Precure. This time they would not leave. This time they meant to build an enduring peace. Whether or not they would be able to didn't matter. It was, at least, their intention.

"I would like to tell you all," Cure Mint began, "about what I managed to learn. It wasn't much, and it certainly wasn't detailed, but it appears that Cure Ange was ordered by the Red Rose to stockpile excessive amounts of Starfire underneath the Desert Rose. For what means, she didn't say, but I'm sure we can all guess," she said, and all over the room, Iona saw nodding heads. Not from Himari, though. She didn't even know about it, and had to be told everything that the Precure had found past the door of rubies. With each word she was told, her face grew paler. When she was fully caught up, she said she needed to get up, and to get some air.

"It was as we expected," said Reika. "Did you learn anything new, though?"

"Only that Ange was not entirely happy with this arrangement. She sounded like she was absolutely in favor of firmly controlling the Desert Lands, but not like this. So she began using all that Starfire for a special project of hers: creating a Starlight Flame. She succeeded, we're all aware of that, but apparently she was forbidden by the Red Rose from lighting it, and summoned back to the Phoenix Tower to be disciplined. I haven't finished reading everything yet, but I don't expect I'll find anything about what happened after. She wrote these while she was here in the Desert Rose, so it stands to reason that if she continued to write her diary afterwards, it'll be somewhere else."

"I would like to take a look at those documents," said Cure Custard, "if you're okay with it. They, uh… I'm interested in the subject," she said, her eyes drifting towards Sunshine, Berry and Matador.

Everything that Himari said made her sound like she really didn't want to be anywhere near people. Iona found it quite annoying, but not nearly as annoying as how vague she was about saying she was interested in the subject. Himari said too little, explained even less. She even left her introduction to Itsuki, when she arrived. It was like she had something to hide.

"Anything else?" Makoto asked. "That doesn't give us much to work with."

"We should really stop hoping we'll find something valuable there," said Komachi. "It's all really old documents, but nothing there appears to be some grandiose secret. It's just bureaucratic stuff."

"Then why was it hidden?"

"We are too quick to assume it's hidden," Iona intervened. "We don't know the intentions of Ange when she built the Desert Rose, and as far as we know the door might have only been locked for so long because the key was lost until now."

"You seem to be forgetting," said Reika, "that the mirrors were kept behind the door, too. Surely you don't mean to argue that Cure Ange would leave that open for all to see."

"Ah," Iona hadn't considered that. "I suppose you're right. But then what's the purpose of all this? A prison?"

"Maybe it was the Red Rose's attempt to produce more Starlight Flames," Setsuna proposed. "That would explain all the Starfire, and the Flame that was never lit. Even for the Precure, it must be a difficult process. It certainly was difficult for Klein, back in Labyrinth."

"Hold on," said Iona, "what's this about Labyrinth and Starfire?"

"I hadn't brought it up before," Setsuna said, "because I had already given you so many bad news that I didn't want to concern you further, and was waiting for a better time to let you all know. Labyrinth is attempting to light the Starlight Flames in its territory, and for that sake it has begun to produce artificial Starfire."

"I don't know if I should be asking how," said Nozomi, "or why. The latter, perhaps. What would Labyrinth accomplish by doing exactly the same thing we're trying to do?"

"They certainly aren't doing it to restore the stars to the night sky," said Setsuna, "out of kindness or anything. Labyrinth's source of power is Infinity. I've never seen what it is, but I've been told that its power is linked to the stars themselves. It must be something they stole from the Precure-"

"It's Chiffon," said Miki. "Chiffon is Infinity. She's a fairy we've protected for a long time," she explained to the others. "Evidently, we've failed. Poor Chiffon… I hoped that Love might have been able to secure her, but if she's in Labyrinth's hands, then we must be concerned."

"Infinity is far from reaching its full power," said Setsuna. "But when it does, I don't expect we'll be able to withstand Moebius' might."

"Pray tell, when exactly did you mean to tell us this?" Nile asked. "When Labyrinth was destroying us? This was too important to keep hidden."

"I know," said Setsuna, "but nobody here looks like they need even more worries on top of the ones they already have. I was going to tell you when we got back to the Phoenix Tower."

"And if we had not…?" Elena asked, her eyes accusatory. Iona really didn't like the way they looked.

"I'm sorry," said Cure Passion. "It's just that it got really hard to find an opportunity to bring it up. I should have, I know."

"Well," Iona said, before anyone else could continue to pressure Setsuna. She remembered the way she treated both Hime and Nozomi, before, and did not want to see that happen again. "We know, at least, what our next goal may be. Once we are done here, we will deal with Labyrinth and with Moebius," hearing that seemed to make both Setsuna and Miki happy beyond words. It was a strange feeling. Iona was not used to making other smiles like this, but it felt good to do this, to make a decision like this.

"Joy," Nozomi blurted out, her voice a ghastly whisper, low enough that almost no one else seemed to hear it. But Iona did, and it was enough to feel only concern. She tried to ask Nozomi what troubled her, but she she didn't talk much afterwards.

Iona didn't get the chance to insist, either. The Precure were now asking questions of Olivier, again, and most of them weren't even that different from the ones they bombarded the boy with the night before. Do you truly have wolf's blood? It'll be a full moon again soon, are you sure it's safe? Himari helped him answer, this time, assured everyone that they had no reason to fear, that she had been with him for long, that he had always been in control. That eased most of their fears, but Iona still didn't know how comfortable she should feel. Himari said only that he could control himself, but said nothing about how dangerous he could be if he did not. She didn't blame the boy, but his blood was cursed. He was a risk, and the plan was dangerous enough without any further risks.

The Apostles came soon after, and the Precure were so busy arguing among themselves that they almost didn't notice their approach. Sasorina and Kumojacky walked inside, their arms busy with the dozens of maps they carried. Iona and Hime moved a short table into the center of the room, put the tablecloth, globe and bronze statue away, on the floor, so that the Apostles could place the maps on top of the table. They were extremely detailed blueprints, almost needlessly so, but still the Precure paid attention to them.

"We figured a good time to enter would be at midnight," Cobraja said, "when the shift changes. We soon realized that since the most dangerous of the guards are the Kowaina, and those never sleep, it didn't make much of a difference."

"It still makes some," said Makoto. "The less foes we have to deal with, the best. And better to deal with Kowaina than Nightmare's agents. Otherwise we'll have people talking about how the Precure invaded the Palace of Bronze and painted it red with blood."

"That's true," said Hime. "It's a risk for you, too, if the populace thinks that the Precure have taken control of Miwar and are now using Salamander as a puppet. They don't know, do they? They don't even suspect that something is wrong with him. It's imperative that we keep this all a secret, that even our movements are hidden. If we get to enter while the guards are away, there'll be less people to see us. There's also servants in the Palace, I take it?"

"Most are ours," said Sasorina, "but obviously we did not inform them of the operation. They might dislike Nightmare, but they despise you. Should they see you, hear you-"

"They won't," Reika promised, taking a look at the blueprints. "We'll be quick and silent. Here," she pointed at the map. "The drainage system. Is it a viable point of entry?"

"It could be," said Cobraja. "It's barred from the inside, of course, but if I get inside, I could open the way for you. But there is an issue… Hadenya is no fool, and she's aware that it's a vulnerability in the Palace's security, so she has kept two Kowaina guarding the underground," he made a circle on the spot with his fingers. "It won't be as simple as just sneaking in through the sewers. And I certainly can't defeat a single Kowaina on my own, let alone a pair of them."

"I might," Kumojacky boasted, but Cobraja just looked bored.

"Or you might get yourself killed, you oaf. All the same, we'll never know. I can disguise myself well enough to get inside, but only a blind fool would be able to mistake you for anyone else."

"Could you get a Precure in?" Yuko asked. "We could destroy the Kowaina and open the bars."

"Disguise one of us as a maid of the palace," said Itsuki. "I know there are many of those. You'll just need a spare uniform, it should be easy."

"It's never as easy as you might think," said Cobraja, "I can't just stick one of you in an uniform. Do you think the other maids would not recognize an intruder in their midst? And Gamao…" He suddenly sounded disgusted. "He knows every maid of the palace. They've brought me complaints about his behavior, they say he thinks that slimy frog tongue of his is actually silver, so he is always making unwelcome advances. I don't have the authority to dispose of him as I would like. However…"

"However what?" Iona asked.

"You," he pointed at Cure Mint. "Yes, you with the green hair. You look strikingly similar to one of the ladies who works in the Palace of Bronze. Perhaps you might suffice… I could find a way to get the real one to leave, without letting the others know, while you take her place… Tell me, girl… Are you good at pretending to be someone else?"

"W-W-What?!" She got up, startled, nearly shouting. Cobraja nearly fell to the floor, while the others just stared at her sudden outburst. "A-Ah, sorry. You just- You sounded like you were accusing me of being a fake person."

"W-Why would I do such a thing?" Cobraja was baffled.

"Yes, yes, why indeed!" Komachi said, trying to look calm, but she just bit her tongue and cursed. When she finally settled down, she sighed. "I can pretend just fine. I'm an author. I know how to pretend to be someone else."

"Alright," said Cobraja, relieved. "As I'll need to procure an uniform and to discreetly dismiss the girl whose place you'll take, we'll be leaving the operation for tomorrow. It's rather rushed, but Nightmare has left us with little time. The longer we wait, the more opportunity we give them to make the first move."

"Agreed," said Reika. "You'll show her around the Palace of Bronze tomorrow?"

"Yes, tomorrow in the morning I'll come for her. I'll only be able to provide limited assistance from inside, but we'll make do."

"Well, that's a plan, I suppose," said Hime. "If you could please leave the maps with us, we'd like to take a closer look on our own later."

"Of course," said Kumojacky. "We've been so concerned with getting inside the Palace that we forgot that once there you'll also have trouble…"

"If the key thing is letting Olivier reach Salamander," said Makoto, "then our priority is to open a path for him," she ran her finger along the map. "If we're assuming he'll be in the throne room-"

"That's a big assumption," said Cobraja. "We don't know where exactly he stays during the night."

"All the same," Makoto continued, "my point is that we'll only need to clear the way so that Olivier can get there as quickly as possible. I think that instead of us trying to face every enemy on our way, together, whenever we stumble upon a Kowaina, one of us will stay back to hold it off, while the others move onwards."

"That's incredibly dangerous for the ones left behind," said Miki.

"But if we delay then we'll give Nightmare time to react," said Reika. "Time to dispose of Salamander, if they feel that they've lost."

"We're not letting that happen," Olivier spoke out. "Please. I've come this far after running from Nightmare, and I even put my faith in you. We can't fail."

"We won't," Hime promised. "That's why we're being so careful."

"If that's all," said Sasorina, "then we'll be leaving. We have our own preparations to make. Once you've saved Salamander, we'll take the Palace and the city. And then we'll put this mess right behind us."

"We'll have plenty of talking to do after that," said Cobraja. "But for the time being, we'll get ready for action. Tomorrow morning, don't forget," he told Komachi, and walked away.

The Desert Apostles were gone almost as suddenly as they had come, leaving the Precure on their own again, maps scattered upon the table. Almost immediately, Himari got up, headed for her bedroom, no doubt, but Iona stood between her and the door. Now that the Apostles had left, they could discuss the matter of Cure Custard.

"P-Please let me pass," she asked Iona, but she didn't move. "Olivier…"

"You've been avoiding us," said Hime. "Is something wrong, Cure Custard?"

"I… Uh…" She sighed, then sat down again. "Okay. I'll talk. I, well… How do I put it…?" She looked to Itsuki and Elena for help, but neither said anything. "I was a bit scared to find the Red Rose here because, well…"

"You're not in good standing with the Rose?" Nozomi asked.

"So you know about it?" She nodded. "Dare I ask who you learned it from?"

"Our Rosehearted," said Iona. "Cure Mirage."

For a second, Cure Custard looked as if someone just told her she had a terminal disease. Her knees were trembling even as she sat, and she breathed with great difficulty, nearly collapsing from stress. Olivier had to help her, holding her hand, but she made for a very sad sight.

"I knew I should not have come," she said. "I should have stayed in Almdyta for the rest of my days. It'd be safer there. No one would find me there," she turned to Itsuki, shaking. "You told me it'd be fine. The three of you, you told me there was no way Mirage would be in control now…"

"Please," Olivier held on to her, "try to calm down."

"How can I calm down when these girls are going to kill me?" Himari raised her voice. "Mirage marked me for death. For my part in helping Yukari. I… I don't even know what the hell Yukari learned about Mirage, but I was her friend, so I was sentenced to death anyways."

"What?" Iona didn't understand. Mirage had talked about Yukari's treason, but now that she saw this woman's fear that left her reduced to sobbing, she lacked for words. She didn't think Mirage's methods were so extreme as to cause this reaction. "And you think we're going to…?"

She understood, then, why Elena had been so shocked the night before. She knew that Mirage wanted Himari's head, but she kept it a secret. She didn't want Iona to know, because she didn't know if she could trust Iona… She faced Cure Matador, her expression blank. Though her moral fiber was rather sketchy, she at least tried to protect Cure Custard…

"We won't harm you," Cure Princess promised. "We won't make you do anything you don't want to. But you've come this far with Olivier, because you wanted to help him, no? Because you want him to see his father again. That's what we want, too, to drive Nightmare out of the Desert Lands. To make peace with the Apostles."

"That's noble," said Himari. "Noble intentions can only last so long, and never under pressure. I can't trust you. I can't trust your Rose. I can't trust those who are devoted to it and its evil."

"We're not blind to its crimes," said Reika. "We're not mindless servants."

"That's even worse, then," said Custard, "because if you're aware of all the Red Rose has done, then the only moral and logical choice is to abandon it entirely. It can't be saved. You can't believe otherwise."

"We do believe otherwise," said Iona, forcefully. "In spite of all the wrong that has been done, in spite of all the evils hidden from the world, in spite of the lies about its founders, the Red Rose has done so much good. Why should we forget that? We can't pretend that the entire Rose is rotten. Just because a petal is withered-"

"It's not a petal," said Himari. "It's not just Mirage, it's not just one dark spot. It's everything. The Starfire you found underground, and the mirror prison… If it was Nightmare's doing, you'd call it unforgivable. If it bore Dark Fall's mark, you'd call it what it is. But it's not Dark Fall, Nightmare, it's not Labyrinth or the Selfish. The Red Rose did that. You're all smart, aren't you? Smarter than this, at the very least. You know what the Starfire is for. Thousands of barrels of it, underneath a city that historically belonged to fierce enemies of the Red Rose? That's deterrence."

The Precure all talked among themselves, whispers of worry and doubt. All but Nozomi. Nozomi said nothing, remained silent, thoughtful. Iona tried to ask her what was in her mind, but her voice was drowned out by everyone else's.

"But I'll help you," Himari sighed. "This once. For Olivier's sake. Surely you understand that I cannot accompany you after this. And since I can't change your minds…"

"I understand your misgivings," Iona told her, "but it's not enough for you to tell us that things are rotten. We can tell that. But we need a better way. And thus far we've found none better than the Red Rose."

"Don't you think you're betraying yourself?" Himari asked softly. "That's how I felt after I found out just how much of it all was a lie. I couldn't keep going. I couldn't accept something like that. I can't believe in a necessary evil."

"I understand," said Iona, "but walking away, to me, would feel like betrayal. So I won't. There are still things that only the Red Rose can protect."

"I hope only that this road does not brings you any misfortune," said Himari. "Truly, I do. I think you're all bloody fools, but at least you're not killing me, so I suppose I ought to be thankful for that."

That was the best they could get from Himari, the most she was willing to talk about, for now. She wasn't much help, but at least she was one more Cure to help with their task. Goodness knows they could use as much help as possible. Iona wanted to laugh when she remembered that just a while ago she was still sure that it was just a diplomatic mission. It was like everything kept getting worse. The only people around here who seemed to be having a fine time were Setsuna and Miki, reunited at last. Good for them.

Himari took her place in the library, today, deciphering the books, and though Iona was mostly happy not to have to deal with that anymore, she felt uneasy, spending all day idly, only waiting. Reika had decided that they should not leave the Desert Rose, so as to not attract attention from the Apostles, but soon enough Iona grew bored of standing still as time passed. Here it was almost as dull as when she was holed up inside a wagon. She had her cards, at least, but not all of them. She had sent one alongside her letter to Mirage. Remembering it made her cringe. It was the right thing to do, and she meant every word, but after what she heard of Himari, the idea of Mirage being furious was suddenly terrifying. But that is not worth worrying about now. Tired of her surroundings, these walls that enclosed her away from the rest of Miwar as she waited, she chose to leave for a while. She asked Glasan if she'd like to come too, but the fairy preferred to cook with Yuko.

When she stepped into the garden, for the sake of getting some fresh air, she found Nozomi sitting by the roses, on the ground, petals scattered all around her. She fiddled with one between her fingers: though Iona almost told her to be careful, she soon noticed that the thorns were fake, too, and they easily bent on her fingers.

She sat next to Dream. She could not figure out her face. There was a sadness deep in her eyes, and it made them dull, lifeless, drained the color from them. They did not meet Iona's gaze, fixed on the rose and its torn petals. Iona wished she could understand her better: she wished she could know if that sadness made her want to be alone, or if solitude hurt her. Iona wanted to know if she could do anything for Nozomi. Even Reika did not know.

And those lifeless eyes made her remember the time she hurt Nozomi, on the Amethyst Sea. She looked, then, like she did now. Nozomi always made herself smile for everyone, but when something troubled her, when she was hurt, her face looked like one that never smiled before, and never would smile again. It had to be too much effort to conceal this pain.

"Hey," she said. Nozomi didn't respond. "Is something bothering you?"

"Do you really think she's wrong, Iona? Custard, I mean. When she talked about how we're just fighting for something wrong, without even thinking."

"How can she be right?" Iona asked. "Giving up and acting like nothing matters is what fools do. No one who looks at evil and decides that it's the way of the world and that it can't be changed is worth listening to. It's easy to say there's no solution. She's not as smart as she seems."

"Even so…" Nozomi didn't buy it. "Is it right for us to pretend that there's nothing wrong, that our Rose hasn't made any mistakes?"

"They're not our mistakes," Iona reminded her. "And we're not pretending they don't exist. We're not running away. That means accepting all that's wrong with the past, and doing what we can to fix it. It's better than declaring that we're doomed. You're thinking about the Starfire, right?" Nozomi nodded. "Himari might be right. She might not. We can't know the intentions of people who lived so long ago. And it doesn't matter anymore, what they meant. We can do what we want now. We'll get rid of all that, so it's not dangerous."

"You mean things will be okay?" She asked. Was she pleading for comfort? That was not Nozomi's way, so Iona didn't understand. "I hope you're right about it. Since we've gotten back from Märchenland, things have only gotten worse. We've learned things we'd rather not know. It scares me. I knew how to deal with Nightmare, before the Death of the Stars. Trump and Morgenluft were simple, too, in the end. Beat up the bad people, and all our troubles will be over. Protect the good guys, and we'll be doing our duty as Precure. But I don't know how to deal with this. With the rot inside the Rose. There's no bad guy to defeat, nothing that will magically fix everything. Mirage has done terrible things, but she's just one Precure. And I don't want to fight her, anyways. I don't hate her. I don't think she's evil."

"We'll fix what we can," said Iona. "If we spend our time thinking about how things aren't perfect - and can't ever be - then we'll wither and die when there's so much work to be done. I'm with you," she took Nozomi's hand, feeling the plastic rose on her fingerips, and Dream actually showed a tiny smile, "and you're with me. That's all I care about. Whatever we do, we'll do together, always. And we'll make things right."

"You're awfully confident of that," said Nozomi.

"You bring out the admirable qualities in me," said Iona.

"They were always yours. But I like it when you praise me. It's not very common, so I'll enjoy this as much as I can," her smile grew wider. Iona wondered if it was a true one, or false. For the trust she had in Nozomi, she assumed she wasn't pretending.


Slowly the comitive made its way to the Bridge of Hearts, squeezing through the narrow streets of Trump, and it seemed to Regina like all the mice had come out of their holes to watch the commotion. The princess saw their ugly faces peering out of their windows, she saw them take to the streets, blocking their path until they were shoved aside. They talked among themselves, and whatever it was that they said, Regina could not hear. She shouldn't care, either. Why should the squeaking of mice matter to her?

A hundred Selfish left the palace, alongside their Jikochuu. Regina rode one that looked almost like a horse, but fiercer, its hide armored steel. She sent a hundred vultures ahead, for whatever good that would do. Her father told her that she had to look imposing when representing him, that it was unforgivable to look weak, so she made sure to keep the Glaive visible at all times, as her detachment marched across the city. Bel rode alongside her, while Cure Heart held on to her from behind. At times Regina had half a mind to just ride away with Mana. Let Bel deal with the rebellious scum. She had better things to do with her time.

But she was a princess, and she wanted her father to be proud. She made herself look as regal as possible, and did not meet the eyes of the commons who stared at her.

The streets looked different, Regina noticed. Their cobblestones were not sticky with grime, and filth did not gather around the corners. When she remarked upon it, she was told by Cure Heart that she had been using her influence to have the Selfish clean the streets. You made me a commander, she said, and I commanded them to clean this place. Regina guffawed. That was very much like Mana. So perfect, so sweet and caring, so immaculately pure-hearted. When she first recruited Mana into their ranks, Regina had never even imagined that she'd be this entertaining. That was all Mana was, of course: entertaining. A funny plaything. Nothing more.

"I forbid you from meeting with that Precure," her father told her the last time they spoke. "You are letting her change you," he said, an absurd notion. Regina had not changed. She was the same as she had always been, the same monstrous Selfish, devoted only to satisfying her desires.

So devoted that she ignored her father's demands. She desired Mana, her favorite toy, and would not part with her.

"Halt," she said to her soldiers once the Bridge of Hearts was in sight, still far in the distance. Bel stopped immediately, but she had to repeat the order to Marmo and Ira.

"What is it, my princess?" Bel asked of her. Regina didn't answer. Instead she looked around, and counted.

She counted the open windows, she counted the doors that had people behind them, cautiously staring at the Selfish, she counted the ones on the sides of the streets, making way for them. She looked back, and counted the ones that now stood behind the Selfish. She held tighter to the Dragon Glaive when she realized something terrifying.

They outnumber us. There's thousands of them, thousands surrounding us. Some looked merely curious, others afraid, but in the middle of the crowds she also saw leers, she saw their anger. She saw their emaciated faces and bodies, she saw how their eyes hated.

"We should have brought more soldiers," said Bel. Regina held back the urge to yell at him. She already knew that. She didn't need to be told. She took a long breath, feeling the power of the Glaive in her hands.

She had nothing to fear as long as she had it. She didn't have to worry about their hatred, or their numbers. It was only natural, after all, for there to be more prey than predators. That was the way of the world. She resumed the march, and had her steed quicken its pace, to stay ahead of the rest of her army. She nearly kicked Mana out, wanting to be alone, but somehow she could not bear to dismiss her. Just foolish sentimentalism. Maybe her father had a point.

"Are you worried?"

"Why would I worry?" Regina said. "I always knew that the scum of this city hates me. It doesn't matter, I don't need their love. They might have risen up, once, when you and your dirty little Precure friends were all gathered here, but now that I'm back, they know better than to try anything funny."

Some of the faces in the crowd sure looked like they lacked any instinct of self-preservation, though. Regina heard insults, but what made her the angriest was hearing someone call Cure Heart a traitor. If not for Mana's grip on her, she'd have stopped her Jikochuu right there and punished the insolent fool. Instead she continued onwards, and when she calmed down, she found herself irked at how quick she was to feel the urge to defend Mana. Why? What sort of stupid feeling drove her to that…?

Only I get to treat her like garbage, she decided. Yes, that had to be it. Clearly she didn't care about the girl, what sort of nonsense was that? Sure, Mana was the only person to care about her, and she came back to her, as no one else had before, when she had only known abandonment, and-

She shook her head. She yelled at the rest of the Selfish to march faster. The less time she had to spent surrounded by this rabble, the better. Her entourage, though, couldn't move swiftly, no matter how hard Regina yelled. The streets were packed with people, leaving only narrow spaces, and the soldiers carrying the banners of the Selfish spent half their time smacking the tops of their flags against clotheslines and getting stuck. Some of them ripped apart, bringing shirts down on them, until the wind swept them away. Shouting came from above. First they screamed watch it, then be careful, and soon enough they were calling the Selfish bastards, monsters, thieves, usurpers. In no time, the crowd had turned unbridled, pushing against the Selfish.

Again she commanded them to hurry, but by that point the populace of Trump was actively blocking their way. When Regina looked back, she saw that there was a gap between her and her soldiers, now. Bel shouted something to the Selfish, and though Regina could not hear what it was, she felt a chill. The crowd between her and the rest of her army had grown, and all glared at her now. Bel could abandon her, if he wanted. Maybe that was the order. Her fingers began to twitch.

"Out of my way," she commanded the crowd. They did not. Something fell from a window overhead. Regina couldn't tell what it was, but it was meant to hit her. "Move," she repeated, and when they did not, when they came even closer, she felt Mana's hand squeeze her shoulder, as she gripped her spear. "Leave my sight, vermin. Crawl back to your holes."

That didn't appear to intimidate them at all. Instead it only made them more forceful. Regina's Jikochuu lost its calm, and nearly kicked some in the crowd. They stepped back from the berserk beast, but Regina managed to calm it down, just as Mana nearly fell from the saddle. Regina pointed her Glaive at the crowd, and those directly in front of her walked away, panicking, but those behind her did not. She turned to try and drive them away, that unwashed mass, but then the others came close again.

"Regina," Mana whispered in her ear. "Don't do anything you'll regret."

"I'll only regret it if I don't tell my soldiers to paint the streets red. How am I even supposed to get to this meeting if this scum is in my way?"

"This won't end well," said Mana. "Not for anyone. If you do this, you won't be able to rule. And I know you're not like this. I know you won't feel any satisfaction."

"You don't know anything about me."

But even so she hesitated to give the order to attack. She relaxed her grip on her spear, and stared at the crowd. They looked half-dead already. No wonder they were so wroth. The children among the crowd looked pitiful and malnourished, their eyes lifeless. Regina doubted they could actually kill her. Numerous as they were, they were too weak to stand up to the Selfish. Her Glaive would reap them like grass, and they had to know it. Even so they stood in her way. And she could not bring herself to strike them down.

"I must meet with Cure Whip," she told the crowd. "She's your defender, isn't she? Protector of the downtrodden. Let me pass. Please."

Please was a humiliating word to use, but it was some help. The crowds began to move to the sides, when they realized she'd not cull them. Still they watched, but this time she did not avoid their gaze. Even so, Regina could not understand what they meant. What exactly was it that made them willing to die for nothing? How ridiculous. Even worse was that, somehow, their gaze made her feel ill at ease. Why did she care? Still confused, Regina rode away, and once she was near the Bridge of Hearts the streets widened and the populace was only scattered, no longer crowding madly.

This was the second time today that Mana had talked Regina out of violence. Before she left the palace, it had been her intention to meet with the resistance only to slaughter them. They had prisoners, but what did it matter? Why should Regina care?

"They fought for you," Mana had told her.

"They can die for me then," she retorted, but, somehow, when she said it, it felt real. She imagined them in their prisons, dark and cramped, their lives depending on her decision. It did not feel distant anymore.

"Do you really think they deserve it?"

"I can do whatever I want. Whatever brings me joy. Whatever is good for me."

"Have you ever felt the joy of doing something right?" Mana asked her. Regina felt the urge to vomit. "It's something you get addicted to. You learn to enjoy the smiles. I always felt ashamed of saying it, but that's the truth. When you do good, you're not just doing it for others, but for yourself."

"You really are a sickeningly pure Precure," said Regina. "No matter what I do, I can't make you a true Selfish, can I?"

"But I just told you that there's a drop of selfishness in good deeds. It feels good, if you believe it's right. If it didn't bring us any satisfaction, why would we do it? Why would we do anything at all, if we believed that nothing mattered? You should try it."

Regina sighed as she remembered it. When she abandoned her plan of putting Cure Whip's head on a spike, she made up an excuse about how she could not afford to lose soldiers. But it was just an excuse. It was better than having to admit the feeling that took hold of her. She didn't understand what it was, and she didn't want to talk about it, either. It was better to ignore the thought. Maybe her father was right. Maybe she deserved punishment for being a bad daughter who listened to Cure Heart's words. It'd be funny if it weren't so infuriating: she took Mana for her toy in hopes of changing her, of corrupting her, but Mana was stronger than that. Instead, it was Regina who faltered.

The guards at the Bridge of Hearts made way for them. The resistance hadn't gotten there yet: they meant to wait for the Selfish, to make sure that they would not find an ambush in the Bridge. Clever, Regina thought. At least Mana hadn't blemished her reputation, if they still feared her.

She had her soldiers stand guard at the entrance, with Ira maintaining command of them, should the need arise, but Regina didn't expect Whip to do anything sneaky. That was not the way of the Precure. That was her hope, at least. She dismounted, helped Mana get down, and ordered a soldier to place a table in the middle of the Bridge. It was small, the only one they could transport, but enough for now. Regina sat in the center, Mana and Bel by her side. Marmo preferred to stay up. She insisted to come, to ask Ichika how she figured out she was the Selfish's spy. Regina didn't particularly care either way.

Not long after, the commotion at the edge of the bridge showed that Cure Whip and her companions had come at last. She had two Precure by her side, whom Mana said were Bolt and Satellite. Right behind her followed a large man in an ugly, dirty suit, and Jonathan. Regina grimaced at the sight of him and his unsightly face. It was him that she wanted, the reason she had come, but it was undeniable that he was a repulsive little man.

They sat before the Selfish, and Cure Whip had the nerve to smile. The fact that it appeared honest and not scornful only served to make Regina more annoyed by it. Her huge bunny ears fluttered, which Regina found simultaneously unnerving and almost adorable. The woman looked as unthreatening as they came, but she had been fooling the Selfish time and time again. Perhaps the Precure's tendency to look downright ridiculous was not entirely a weakness. It made them easy to underestimate, and that sure was coming back to bite Regina in the ass.

"Hesperia," Cure Whip said, looking at Marmo. "Good to see you again. I hope you don't have any hard feelings. I think you were an excellent actress, for what it's worth. Most others would have been fooled."

"But not you," Marmo groaned. "How did you know?"

"I know every Precure in this city," said Ichika. "Before the Death of the Stars, Cure Mirage had me shipped off to this city, to fight in the front, in the contested parts of Trump. She expected me to die. But instead I lived, and I learned the names and faces of every single Precure in this place. And Cure Hesperia was not one of them."

"Cure Mirage did what?" Mana asked, but no one else was actually interested in what some lady a billion miles away had done, so Cure Heart was totally ignored.

"It seems that nothing gets by you," Regina said. "It takes someone quite special to make a fool out of Marmo."

"Thank you very much."

"Yet you were nowhere to be seen when I returned," Regina said, "when I cleansed the resistance's old base of treacherous scum. Were you hiding, afraid?"

"I was afraid," Ichika said without a hint of shame. It infuriated Regina. "We had gotten separated, and I was trying to find a way to reunite. It appears that some other Precure came from beyond the Amethyst Sea and gave Jaya and Amita some help," she said, and Bolt and Satellite nodded. "I wish I had the opportunity to talk to them. I should thank you, though, for forcing our hand."

"It was only after your arrival that we managed to get the other Precure and the populace out of the enclosed slums," Cure Bolt explained. "We'd not have survived if we hadn't joined up. It was quite helpful."

If not for Mana at her side, Regina would have lost her calm right then and there. She wanted to put these fools in their place, wipe that smirk off Cure Whip's face, but they didn't appear to give a damn about her provocations. This was so dull. Regina had absolutely no desire to swallow her pride and talk to these people as equals.

"We appreciate that you've received us," said Jonathan in the most sterile and coldly diplomatic voice that Regina could imagine. There was something about him that made the princess want to punch him in the nose until he started crying. Had she really loved this creature, when she was Marie Ange? Her death was a mercy, really.

"Let it not be said your rightful princess is without clemency," said Bel. Regina held back laughter. "Tell me, Cure Whip, was the crowd that surrounded us your doing? Your timing was very fortunate, almost as if you were in the middle of the mob…"

"You have your Jikochuu," said Ichika, "but we have our own army as well. Our has a cause. They had no intention of actually attacking you, don't you worry about that. I would not command them to throw their lives away like that. I only wanted to show you what you're dealing with."

"And what is it that we're dealing with?" Regina asked. "Do tell me. All I saw were toothless plebs."

"Something outside your control," said the man in the suit. "The fight that remains. You may have thought that you had crushed the spirit of the people of this city, but when you press someone against a corner, you leave them only one exit. You cannot win this, princess."

"I've already won," she said. "Or have you missed the mile tall demon king casting a shadow over you? There," she condescendingly pointed towards her father. "You can't fight that. When he wakes, half of you will die screaming, and the other half will beg for death. You'll make a fine Jikochuu," she said to Ichika. She continued to smile idly, unconcerned. "Something remains of the mind, inside the Jikochuu. I'll make you kill your little scum friends. Will you still grin when you feel their bones break?"

"Threats aren't generally regarded to help in negotiations," said Ichika, "neither is spitting on people's faces. You are young, and still have time to learn, so take my advice. Your rage and insults are not scary."

"I am only warning you of your madness," said Regina. It was hard not to lost her calm, tough not to scream. She didn't know what else to say. Her threats always got people to do what she want, until now. Why did Ichika not care? "Just because I've come here to talk to you doesn't mean we'll end this battle. Sooner or later you'll end up beneath my heel."

"Later, I hope," Ichika said. She did not look away from Regina's eyes for an instant. Her steely gaze almost intimidated Regina. Almost, that was all. A princess' will would not bend before scum. "When I've at least accomplished what I desire."

"And what is it that you desire?" Mana steered the conversation back to something that resembled actual diplomacy. Sometimes she was an useful toy.

"Something you can help me with, actually. More than most others, I've seen the struggle of the people living in these ruins. Make no mistake, this city is a ruin at best. Its rulers have not taken care of it."

"Why should we?" Regina asked. "The Selfish have no need for the common rabble. They can all starve and die, as far as I'm concerned."

"People don't die quietly," said Ichika. "How many thousands live here, still? More than your Selfish. More than your Jikochuu. You've lost most of your forces waging war in the south, didn't you?" Regina didn't answer. "When the city loses its hope at last, it won't wither. It will burn, and you will burn with it. You've neglected and tormented the people of Trump. They may die, but when they realize that, they'll not fear your retribution."

"As if they could harm me," Regina said. She showed them the Glaive. Something moved in Ichika's eyes. Fear. Now, at last, she felt something. Not even this flawless Cure Whip could withstand the might of Cure Magician given form. "This city can burn. I don't care. It's ugly, it reeks. The rest of the Selfish can die just fine on their own, too."

Mana opened her mouth to say something, but she knew better than to speak up against her princess in an official meeting. She knew her place. Just not always.

"If you're fine with being princess of nothing and nowhere, then we can end this," said Ichika. "If you have no qualms with being a princess of ashes and dust then I never had anything to offer you in the first place."

She waited. Regina considered just getting up and walking away, telling these idiots to get lost, siccing her soldiers on them and dealing with the tumultuous crowd on her own. Instead, something compelled her to stay. She imagined pointing the Glaive at all those people, facing their sad, hollow eyes, and she found that she could not bear it. She saw Mana's face in the crowds she imagined. Regina sighed.

"For the sake of the soldiers you hold prisoner," the princess said, "I'll talk. What do you want? You were talking about those dirty peasants…"

"My first demand is that you stop making Jikochuu out of them," Ichika said, stern. "You can keep the ones you already have. I won't tell you to give up your army. But I want you to stop. No more. I am told about their fear, of never knowing when your soldiers will take away their Psyches and make monsters out of them. No one deserves that fate, being forced to fight for a cause they despise."

"Fine," Regina said. "You know that just means I'll have them killed instead, if it comes to it?"

"It won't come to it," said Ichika. "My second demand is that you do your duty as liege of this city. Your father may be… Indisposed, but you still hold command. Cure Heart has already ordered your soldiers to clean the streets, so that no one has to live in filth, but that's not enough. I want this city to be a place to live again. I know there are farms past the White Bridge, but all the food is directed to the Selfish. No more. Now you'll feed your people, you won't take their belongings, you won't destroy their homes."

"What kind-hearted demands," Regina said, between teeth. Oh, how she hated Precure. "Would you like me to kiss an orphan's forehead, shake hands with all those mice?"

"I'd appreciate it if you would show your people some love," she giggled, "but no, that's not an actual demand of mine. I do demand, though, that you give Miss Aida permission to leave your service, should she so desire."

"No," said Regina. She clenched her fist, digging into her palm with her nails. She looked to her side, and met Mana's eyes. Did she want to leave? The thought hurt Regina more than she expected. And it wasn't the boredom that came when a plaything broke, but hurt. Mana had come back to her, once, but would she do it again? That was not a risk Regina wanted to take. "Cure Heart is not leaving."

"I'm not telling you to expel her," Ichika said, "only to let her go, if she wants. She deserves the right to choose. You made her a general of the Selfish, so clearly Mana means something to you. If you care about her, you'll let her choose."

"It's not about caring," Regina snarled. "We're bargaining, are we not? If I am to give Mana up, if I am to let her do as she wants, if I give her the chance to abandon me, then I'll want something good in return. If you'll tear away something from me, I'll rip you apart too. I'll give Mana permission to leave if you hand me Jonathan."

"Lord Klondike?!" Satellite was outraged, and her partner Bolt was only quiet because she was shocked speechless. She tugged at Ichika's sleeve, and Regina heard her whispers. "We don't need Cure Heart that much. She might as well be a traitor, she might have cast her lot with the Selfish Princess…"

"Regina…" Mana tried to tell her something, but Regina was too wroth to listen. Bel offered her some advice, but she disregarded him entirely.

"You've asked so much of me. Mercy for the common folk, peace and kindness. But they're your army, you said it yourself. All of this strengthens them. So I'll want something in return. A hostage, to keep the vermin in their holes. I'm not letting scum like you take control of my city. My city!" She repeated, getting up, nearly yelling. "I should have had you all butchered, but my fool of a toy talked me out of it. Have her if you want-"

"Regina, listen to me, please, I won't-"

"You can have all you want. But I want Jonathan in chains," just staring at his face made her temper flare. Had Marie Ange really loved him? All Regina felt was anger. It was just a political betrothal, was it not? Maybe Regina's heart held only Ange's resentment. And it burned. "I'll have him in my dungeons so that if you even think of rising up, I'll send you his head. You're not getting the best of me, and I'm not letting you ever taste victory, only bitterness."

When she was done talking, she felt her rage ease, enough that she could sit down. She did not look at Cure Heart. She tried to act like she didn't care. She's not even fun, she thought. That much was true. Mana was not fun at all, but Regina didn't know a word to describe what she was.

She came back to me, was all she could think. But it was just by chance. She felt she had no choice. When she does, she'll leave me, like everyone else but father…

"I'm fine with this," said Jonathan. He was just about the only person around to keep his calm. Bolt and Satellite argued among themselves while Ichika was approached by the man in the cheap suit, and Marmo and Bel seemed quite satisfied by it. But she didn't see Mana's reaction. She would not look her in the eye anymore.

"Jonathan," even Cure Whip was shaken, almost as much as when the Glaive was pointed at her face. "This does not need to be done. We will withdraw our terms of Cure Heart's release. There is no point in your sacrifice."

Was it kindness that drove her to say that, the most admirable of the countless qualities of the Precure, or did she not want to give the Selfish a hostage? Regina should not have shouted her intentions. That was foolish of her, but she was too angry, and now Ichika knew that the Selfish Princess understood her intentions very well.

"Don't do it-" Mana said, but Regina talked over her.

"I'm the one speaking here. Shut your mouth."

"It's alright, Cure Heart," Jonathan smiled, his lips ugly like worms. "Your freedom is worth quite a lot, and I'm definitely not as useful as a Precure. And Ange loved you," he said, "as one of Makoto's closest friends. It feels wrong to let you suffer."

I am Marie Ange, you idiot, Regina nearly shrieked, but for once she chose to be reasonable instead. She'd have plenty of time to tell him about his sweetheart's death, while he was locked in her dungeons. Something to look forward to, at least.

"Very well, then," Ichika extended her hand, and Regina took it, held it firmly, and she hoped that it hurt. But of course Cure Whip would not give her that satisfaction.

Jonathan got up, and walked towards the other side of the table, towards the Selfish. Marmo gave him a nasty look, but, to his credit, he looked brave and determined. Regina could not remember him ever being this honorable. Her vile sister must have kept those memories. Regina was fine with that. The less she had to know about this man, the best.

"Now, Cure Heart," Ichika said. "Will you come with us, or would you rather go elsewhere? If you'd like to simply leave the fighting behind, that's understandable. I can't say that no one will judge you," she meant Bolt and Satellite, who already glared, "but you shouldn't let the judgment of others guide your every move, anyways."

"I know," said Mana. "I'm staying."

"Excuse me?"

"Mana…!" Regina could have held her right then and there, and all the hatred and rage that burned in her were replaced not by the relief she felt when Mana first returned to the palace, but something else entirely. Something she had never felt before.

"I'm staying," Mana repeated. "I'm sorry, Jonathan. I tried to tell you, but none of you listened. I'm staying."

"No take-backs," Marmo said when Bolt and Lightning got up, and she held Jonathan by the wrist. There was no need for it, though. He didn't attempt to resist.

"Very well, then," Cure Whip said. Though she hid it rather well, Regina would never fail to notice disappointment and suffering in another person's eyes. Quite the delectable sight. "Jonathan was aware of the risks, anyway. So long as you hold your part of your bargain, we will stay true to ours. For each day that you comply with our demands, we will release more of your soldiers. You shall have them all back when the month is over. By then, I hope, you'll grow to like the taste of peace," she said, and got up. She faced Mana, thoughtful. "As for you, Cure Heart, I pray you know what you're doing. I know you want to change the Selfish Princess. You truly believe you can. Either that, or she has changed. Either way, well… Goodbye."

Regina watched her leave, trying to hold back laughter. Of course, Cure Whip had gotten almost everything she wanted, and she had certainly bested Regina, but if the Selfish Princess could not win, she would definitely give that victory a bitter taste, all for the sake of spite.

"Let's go back now," she told the Selfish. Bel was quick to leave, and Regina knew that he'd tell her father all about what happened here. Most likely he'd maximize his part and claim as much credit as he could. Marmo guided Jonathan onward, across the Bridge of Hearts, back to the soldiers that had come with them.

The princess, though, needed another minute. She remained there, sitting before the table, with Mana next to her. And now she could look at her, and she smiled.

"You chose to stay with me," Regina said, still disbelieving it. "I didn't think you would."

"I came back before," Mana told her. "Did you think I would abandon you now?"

"I feared the first time was just a fluke," she admitted. "You thought it'd be dangerous to leave then. Maybe you'd do it now that Whip offered you help."

"No," said Mana. "I can do more good by your side. They have plenty of other Precure. They don't need me. But you do."

Regina smiled. Though she still could not name this feeling, much less understand it, she knew it to be better than anything her father had ever given her. Some changes, perhaps, were for the best.


Dark Mint only barely had the time to have breakfast and brush her teeth before Cobraja arrived, uniform in hands, and urged her to hurry. Almost everyone else was asleep, save for Himari, who had stayed up all night to read the books found past the starsteel door, so Mint didn't even have the chance to say goodbye to the others. She wanted to. It felt wrong to leave without doing that, when the possibility existed of her not seeing the others again, should something go awry. She tried to tell herself that all would go well, tried to reassure herself that nothing bad would possibly happen, but she was walking into a place held by Nightmare.

And Hadenya knew what she was. She shuddered, and got herself dressed as quickly as she could. She hadn't told the others yet, but she had made it quite clear to Dark Mint that she was aware that she was just a fake, not even a real Precure. The fear came back to Dark Mint, the fear of her secret being revealed, and she could not make it go away.

"Are you afraid?" Cobraja asked her. Her dread must have been plain to see. She just nodded. She could do nothing more. "I'll be there with you," he said, smiling. Mint faked relief. "And then so will your friends. So long as we do our part, we can make it all work."

"The girl…" She said. "The one whose place I'll be taking…"

"Ah, yes. I asked her to go on a little trip to Nafwel to buy some supplies that we could only purchase from there, like sandstone and bronze from its quarries and mines. I told her that the steward who usually did it had fallen sick. There is no such person, of course, but there are so many servants in the Palace of Bronze that of course the girl couldn't know them all, and thus she believed me. She was eager to help, you see, she truly believed that it was a very important task. In a way, she was right. She should be gone for a week. When she returns, she will take her place in the Palace of Bronze again, and will never be aware that anything happened."

"She didn't tell anyone about it?" Dark Mint asked. If she did, then her return might look suspicious.

"She didn't have the time, I urged her to hurry. Either way, that is the least of our concerns. If someone asks you anything - but no one will - you only need to tell them that Sasorina overruled my command. But you should avoid others as much as you can. Speak as little as you can, otherwise-"

"I know," she said, resentful. "I know how to lie."

"That's very good to hear. It's a very useful skill, perhaps even more useful than knowing how to wield a blade and how to lead an army. You won't always have a sword, and you won't always have an army, but you'll always have your words. Unless, I suppose, they cut out your tongue, but I digress."

Dark Mint sighed. He was just trying to be polite, but she just wanted some silence. Everything he said only reminded her of what a liar she was. Though she dared to think that she was getting better, that she believed in the person she was, something greater than the shadow of the true Komachi, she now could only wonder if she hadn't simply deluded herself. She had just made herself stop thinking about it, but the truth always remained buried. She was just such a good liar that she convinced herself that she was more than a mirror.

She wished someone else had been there for her, to see her off. Their smiles always helped her feel some confidence, helped her feel like a true person. She needed that reassurance, if only to stop herself from thinking these dark thoughts. She didn't need them now. If she could always shove them towards tomorrow, if she could always tell herself she'd worry about these troubles later, then she'd never need to face it. She'd never need to admit the truth. She could just live blissfully, in Komachi's place, and she would be happy.

But of course that could never be. She was just a liar.

She lied to Cobraja and told him she was ready. The uniform didn't fit her perfectly, and she found the brown apron and grey cloth a bit ugly and worn. Of course, that was the point. She disappeared so easily like this. In the streets of Miwar, no one ever looked at her, even though so many eyes were on Cobraja. They all disregarded her. While the crowds in the market streets made way for him, Mint crept between the multitudes, through the narrow spaces she found. She found it hard to breathe, and harder still to listen to what Cobraja was telling her. Trivial talk, all of it, just empty words to ease her. She would appreciate it if she could care. She felt herself shrink and disappear, and soon there were people between her and Cobraja, separating the two, unaware of her existence. She felt the same panic she did when she was abandoned in Trump. Her chest tightened; she stumbled upon the masses, but they just shoved her away, not even bothering to speak to her, even to look at her. She couldn't see Cobraja anymore. She started to look down, and just made her way forward, hoping she'd soon be free.

She felt like nothing again, like a mere object again. When she was not a Precure, she was no one. Easy to ignore and easy to push aside, she felt alone even though she knew Cobraja was just a couple of meters away. This feeling was agony, a pain of being reminded she was nothing, and of how easy it was for someone like her to just disappear. When had she ever been alone? Not since she was saved in Trump. She always surrounded herself with others after that. All around her were people who called her Komachi, who believed she was Cure Mint. She never believed it herself, she realized now that her loneliness crushed her. She was only what people said she was, never her own person, only the perception of others.

She spat out her breakfast in chunks on the ground, and felt her body grow cold. Someone finally yelled at her. She didn't respond. When the crowd was gone, she just continued to walk, until she felt Cobraja's hand on her shoulder.

"You're pale," he said. "Are you ill?"

"I'm fine," she lied.

He gave her a sympathetic smile, and moved on. It was not such a long way from the markets to the Palace, and Cobraja swore that usually it was not such a struggle to get there. But a general of the Desert Apostles always brought attention wherever he went. Dark Mint nodded and pretended to pay attention. Mostly he complained about his own troubles, about how overwhelmingly well-loved he was by the commons, such that at times he had trouble not calling anyone's attention. It was for that reason that he preferred to disguise himself when he could, but, this time, it was better if people's eyes were all on him, so that no one could notice anything was odd about the green-haired girl in a servant's uniform.

Dark Mint understand his intentions, and once he explained it she could tell that it was for the best, that there was logic in it, but with her heart in the turmoil it was then, all she could hear was: all you're good for is disappearing. She wanted this all to end soon. It was too early in the morning for her to have to deal with all her self-doubt.

"I'll give you as much help as I can," said Cobraja, once the Palace was within sight. "I'll show you around, at least. Usually you'd not have permission to roam the Palace freely, and certainly would not be allowed to the drainage system, but even Nightmare's employees must defer to my will. Now," he lowered his voice, though it was already just a whisper, "there are a few matters of importance, so to speak. I'm not the greatest fighter, as I already told you… You'll be on your own against the Kowaina. If you can destroy them, that's the ideal, but if not, then just tear open the bars and meet with the others. It'll cost us some time, but it's better than dying. Don't take any risks."

"I won't," she said.

"And another thing. An unpleasant thing. Should we fail… Should you not reach Salamander, if all goes wrong, the Apostles will not help you. If Nightmare triumphs, for the sake of keeping Miwar safe, Sasorina and Kumojacky will support Hadenya."

"Sasorina and Kumojacky, but not you."

"I'll be by your side," he said, "so I could hardly act like I wasn't part of it. I accept this. For Salamander and for our freedom I'm willing to sacrifice my life, in case we are defeated. I've told Kumojacky to give me no quarter. But it won't come to it," he reached into a pocket, and produced a vial with a clear liquid. "I won't let Nightmare decide my fate. I'll keep it in my hands, to the bitter end. Do you understand me?" Dark Mint nodded. "If you'd like some-"

"No. I don't need it. Neither will you."

He smiled. Cobraja put the vial back into his pocket, and greeted the guards at the gates. They were totally oblivious to Dark Mint's existence. Whoever she was, the girl whose place she took couldn't have been very popular. When they reached the steps of the Palace, a man in a suit stopped Cobraja as he made his way up, but he didn't seem to care for Mint by his side. The man was quite old, and had a dismissive and regal air about him. But his eyes, so pale, made him look almost inhuman.

"Wait," the man said. "What is your business here?"

"I'm a general of the Desert Apostles," Cobraja's offense was exaggerated, and he dramatically flipped his own hair. "Cobraja. You might know about me and my beauty. I don't need any business to enter the Palace of Bronze."

"You do now," the man was not even slightly impressed. "My name is Bloody, and I'm an executive of Nightmare. That makes me your superior. You're not allowed inside."

"Why not?" Cobraja asked, outraged. Bloody's cold eyes regarded Mint with disdain.

"Girl," he told her, "this is not your business. Walk inside, and do your duty."

She took a few steps up, and looked back at Cobraja. He seemed afraid, and insisted on passing, but Bloody would not relent. Dark Mint stepped through the doors of the Palace of Bronze, and when she looked back, she could not see Cobraja anymore. In front of her, the Palace seemed far larger than it was when she had last been here, so full of life now, of servants busy at work. She stood by the door, realizing that if she stayed there, someone would pay attention to her, would realize something was wrong. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know where to go, or what sort of work was required of her. She was, now, well and truly alone.