The following morning, Lilac wakes to find herself not in an elixir bath as expected, but in Team Avalice's room on board Neera's ship. Curious, the dragoness slides out of bed, stretches the stiffness out of her limbs, checks her bullet wounds have been fully healed (they have), and gets dressed in her new combat outfit to find that, even though her body has been repaired, her blouse hasn't. At least I have a new undershirt. A quick look around reveals Milla still sleeping peacefully across the room, but there's no sign of Carol.
Eager for answers, Lilac heads to the elixir bath room, only to find two guards blocking the door. "Good morning," she greets. "I want to see Carol."
"Sorry, ma'am: Neera's orders are to keep everyone but her out," one of the guards explains.
"My best friend is in that room," Lilac growls. "I demand to see her."
"I understand your desire to see your friend," the guard answers. "But I'm afraid I cannot disobey Neera's order."
"I don't care!" Lilac snaps. "I want to see Carol right now!"
"You'll see her when I decide you can," Neera interrupts, appearing from around the corner. "Now please keep your voice down; most of the ship is still asleep."
Lilac whirls to face Neera, her face an expression of thunder. "There better be a damn good reason you won't let me see my friend!"
"There is," Neera admits. "I don't know how to tell you this, but… she might not make it."
The anger drains from Lilac in an instant, and her eyes begin to water. "Don't say that…"
"I'm sorry, but it's the truth," Neera confirms quietly. "We're doing everything we can to save her."
"Then I should be by her side," Lilac asserts.
"Maybe later," Neera replies. "Before that though, Merga has requested your presence."
Lilac looks towards the elixir room again, then sighs and moves away from the door. "Where's Corazon?"
"Secure on the Shuigang flagship," Neera answers. "Come, let's see what Merga wants."
In the brig, Lilac approaches the bars of Merga's cell, stopping six feet away. "You wanted to see me?" she asks, her tone making it obvious she really doesn't want to be here.
Sat cross‑legged in the centre of the cell, Merga lifts her head as she emerges from her meditation. "Am I talking to Sash, or to Lilac?" she asks.
"Thankfully for you, the latter," Lilac confirms. "But don't think I won't let her out if required."
"It won't be required," Merga assures. "Look, it's not easy to say this, but… you were right all along: you are the true dragon. I'm just a science experiment that got misused by an insane megalomaniac."
Lilac raises an eyebrow. "I'm suspicious of this sudden change in heart."
"Understandable," Merga replies. "After all, I did try to kill you three times."
"You and Corazon almost broke every bone in my body, and you watched that bitch electrocute me and amputate my hair whips with a sadistic grin on your face," Lilac reminds. "You enjoyed my suffering."
"Yet more evidence I am not a true dragon," Merga admits. "I know there's nothing I can do to make up for all of that, but that won't stop me trying."
Lilac searches Merga's eyes for any sign of deception, but all she can see is honesty. Are her eyes watering? "OK, I'll believe you… for now."
"Thank you," Merga breathes with relief. "Because I want to learn more about what it truly means to be a dragon, and… I'd like you to teach me."
"Why me?" Lilac asks.
"Because, though I know only one other dragon, you are clearly an exemplary specimen of the species," Merga explains.
Lilac pauses a moment. "I'm far from exemplary," she admits. "I'm reckless, I'm egocentric, and I regularly take my friends for granted, putting them in harm's way in my desperate attempts to be a hero and bask in the glory of public adulation."
"And I wanted to commit genocide by exterminating every hybrid dragon on the planet," Merga reminds. "Compared to that, you're an angel."
"That's… backhanded," Lilac replies, a hint of a smile emerging.
"A bit, yeah," Merga admits, blushing slightly. "Will you teach me what it means to be a true dragon?"
Lilac sighs. "I'm not sure."
"It's either you or the Magister."
"True." Lilac thinks for a few moments. "OK, I'll teach you."
"Thank you," Merga smiles, visibly relaxing. "I promise, I won't let you down."
She really is sincere about this… Maybe this'll work out after all. "I have one more question."
"Anything."
"Why are you not fully healed?"
Merga looks down at her still‑charred body. "There's someone vastly more important who needs healing first." Merga looks back at Lilac. "Go to her."
Lilac nods and turns to leave.
"And learn from her," Merga adds as the hybrid walks away. "She's the hero you have the potential to be."
Lilac stops walking and remains silent for several moments. Like Milla said, Carol's the hero this planet needs. "I will," she promises as she resumes leaving the brig.
Waiting outside the brig is Neera. "How did it go?"
"Interestingly," Lilac replies. "It seems she genuinely wants to be reformed."
"But you have your doubts."
"She tried to kill me three times."
"A good reason to have doubts."
"I want to see Carol."
"Guess I can't stall any longer. Just… be prepared for the worst."
Outside the elixir room, with the guards dismissed, Lilac places a hand on the door, only to hesitate.
"It's OK to be scared," Neera assures softly.
"What is she's…?" Lilac asks, her voice on the verge of breaking.
Neera has no answer.
Lilac takes a deep breath and enters the room.
The room is as she remembers it: spacious and, while seemingly under‑equipped at first, containing everything required to save a life. But it's the centre of the room that has Lilac's exclusive attention: the elixir bath, and the two‑tone viridian wildcat lying unconscious within.
As Lilac approaches the elixir bath, she sees more detail of Carol's condition. The wildcat's body appears unmarked, the elixir having already healed the flesh wounds, but it's the extensive splints holding limbs rigid that hit Lilac in the heart. By the Ancients… what happened to you‽
Lilac kneels beside the bath and, with shaking hands, reaches out and strokes Carol's head. "I'm so, so, so sorry," the dragoness sobs, tears flowing without restraint. "If it… If it wasn't for… for me, you… you'd be home… home happy and… and safe… I… Please… Come back to me."
Carol doesn't respond.
"Please…" Lilac pleads, her voice almost silent.
Carol remains silent.
Despair hits Lilac like a landslide; she buries her head in her arms, crying uncontrollably.
Carol wanders aimlessly through a rolling green landscape filled with lavender, seemingly lost. As she looks around, she sees indistinct forms on the horizon, but any attempt to focus on them makes them vanish.
Eventually, one of the forms remains visible. Even though the details are indistinct, Carol feels she knows the figure. "…Coral?"
"It is me, my dear sister," Coral answers, her noble form resolving just ten feet from Carol.
Carol sprints to her big sister and embraces her in a loving hug. "It's been too long," she whispers.
"I know, and I can only apologise," Coral replies, returning the hug.
"It's not your fault Corazon murdered you," Carol assures. "I'm just glad you're here."
"Me too," Coral smiles. "But we both know I'm not really here: I'm only in your mind."
"That's good enough for me," Carol whispers.
"I know," Coral smiles.
For a few minutes, the two wildcats hug in silence, content simply to be reunited.
"Can I ask why your dreamscape is filled with lavender?" Coral asks as the hug breaks.
"I… I'm not sure," Carol answers, looking around. "They're the same colour as Lilac's fur."
"There's your answer," Coral smiles in amusement. "I think it's time you returned to her."
"But then I won't be with you," Carol replies, tears running down her cheeks.
"I'm always with you, in here," Coral assures, resting a hand over her sister's heart.
Carol takes Coral's hand in hers. "Thank you," she smiles.
"I'm your big sister," Coral smiles back.
"When will I see you again?" Carol asks.
"When you need me," Coral promises. "Time to wake up."