Sep. 9, Sweet Dreams, Vancouver; After School
"Hello there!" greeted the attendant. "What can I get for you two?"
Heather's eyes widened at the stunning selection of artfully-decorated cupcakes. She put her fingers to her chin. "I-I can't choose…!" she gasped.
Thorne chuckled. "Um, can I get one Midnight Mint?"
"Sure thing!" the familiar icing-smeared woman smiled. "You came here… yesterday, was it?"
"Mhm," Thorne nodded. "It was so good, I wanted to come back."
"I'm eternally grateful to hear that!" the woman sighed, wiping sweat from her forehead. "My name's Rosetta. I'm the owner of this little place."
"I see," Thorne noted.
Heather chimed in, "I don't see any other people… are you working on your own?"
"Yeah," Rosetta sighed. "We don't get a lot of business, so I can't afford to hire employees. There was one, but they went back to school."
"Oh," Heather sounded. "I… I'm sorry. You look like you're a super busy woman."
"Heh," chuckled Rosetta through her nostrils. "Yeah. The quality of my products is really important to me, so I have very high standards for every single cupcake I decorate."
"That's sweet," Thorne commented. "It really shows. All the cupcakes are mouth-watering. And the one I had yesterday was delicious."
"Oh, thank you," Rosetta blushed. "Um, ma'am, do you know what you'd like to order?"
"Oh gosh," Heather stuttered. "Uh, I'll get a… uh… C-Coffee and Cream?"
"Coming right up!" smiled Rosetta.
Thorne had forged a special link with Rosetta: The High Priestess. Symbolizing passivity, stagnancy, and the act of uncovering illusions, Rosetta's unconventional approach to business would bring Thorne to question whether things always have to be the way that they are.
Thorne and Heather received their cupcakes from Rosetta and paid for them. They sat down together at one of the booths. There was no one else in the store except them and Rosetta.
"It's been quite the past few weeks, huh?" Heather joked.
"I can hardly believe it all actually happened. It feels like fantasy," Thorne chuckled. "But we made it through! How do you feel?"
"I feel good," grinned Heather. "I have something I have to do later."
"Oh?"
"You'll see," nodded Heather. She bit into her cupcake. "Wow…" Her eyes widened. "It's so creamy, oh my god."
Rosetta grinned. "You like it?" She walked over to their table.
"Oh yes," Heather answered with passion. "Wow, that's good."
"It would help a lot if you guys could tell some people about this place," Rosetta explained. "Though, there's no pressure. You're always welcome to come in for some 'cakes!"
"I'll surely take you up on that offer," Thorne commented.
"Good!" Rosetta smiled.
A ding rang through the bakery.
"Oh, that's the oven!" noted Rosetta. She fixed the tie on her apron, then returned to the kitchen.
"She's sweet," Heather said.
Thorne nodded.
"I wish I could taste such aesthetically-pleasing food items," Seven spoke up.
Heather and Thorne jumped, not expecting to hear Seven's voice.
"I'm… sorry…?" Heather said in a questioning tone.
"Alas, there is nothing that can be done," Seven said blankly. "Heather, would you like to join us in investigating PsykoWeb?" he offered.
"What's that?" she asked.
Seven explained.
"Oh, huh…" pondered Heather. "So, it's like… the Headquarters of everyone at once?"
"Essentially," Seven confirmed.
"Uh… now?" Heather questioned. "I'm… kinda tired."
"Me too," Thorne sighed.
"Oh, not right this moment," Seven confirmed.
"Well, uh, sure." Heather gave a thumbs-up. "I have a Persona now, so I should be of more help to you guys."
"Awesome," Thorne grinned.
Heather had officially joined Thorne's team as a member of the party.
Sep. 9, Heather Holland's Residence, King Junior Ave., Vancouver; Mid-Evening
Heather cuddled up with her Kitty Noir plush toy. There was a large bowl of chips on the bed next to her, and her bedroom T.V. was playing an adorable-looking animated show about Kitty Noir. She photographed the event, and posted it online for everyone to see.
It wasn't long before comments started rolling in.
"Heather, this isn't like you," Leone commented on the post.
"Actually," Heather replied back, "this is exactly like me."
"Oh, before I forget," Heather said to herself.
She picked her phone back up and went to the group chat she was in with Leone, Maggie, Sam, Celeste, and Rosanna. When she put her phone back down, the screen showed, in large letters; 'Heather Holland has left this chat room'.
