Veve smiled at them both. "Salem, Blake. What's going on? You have a serious air about you."

Salem took a deep breath. "Blake wanted to take a look at the Tower; it's the most obvious target, should the Wilder attack the city. I'm not... particularly familiar with defending anything, so I thought you might be a bit more suited to this."

Veve hummed thoughtfully. "I suppose... I'll have to let mother know they may target the Tower. Very well, Blake. Will your other friend be joining us? Penny, I believe she was called."

Blake shook her head. "Penny's working on something else. I have a different perspective, regardless. Penny's used to defending. I'll... see things from an attacker's point of view."

Veve's eyes widened for a moment before she nodded solemnly. "I see. Very well. Follow me, then."

"Ah... I'll come as well, sister. I'm curious."

Veve merely shrugged and turned, not seeing the look that passed between her companions.

You ignore the curious hole in your perception that is Salem and her magic-annihilating soul.

You ignore the conversation that passes between Blake and the others.

You ignore the Tower as they examine it.

Your aid has been called for, and so you turn the entirety of your attention to Veve's soul. What you find is... odd. You had expected, based on the Silver Entity's warning, to find some type of parasite, digging into Veve's soul and infesting it. And you do – in small amounts. Tiny, almost unnoticeable traces of another soul, so small they no longer contain any identity of their own... but, all around them, her soul is... changed. Great swathes of it that are still her, that still contain traces of what you would call identity or self that match the majority of her soul. They are simply... off. Discolored. Out of sync. Yet, there's no clear connection you can trace between the invasive Aura and the changes wrought to her, no matter how many angles you examine it from or how long you spend watching the changes alternate between growing larger and settling.

Finally, you catch a glimpse of something passing from the corrupt to the healthy, some barely visible signal that twists and contorts her Aura. Even as it progresses, twisting a small bit more, healthy Aura regenerates and pushes the discolored sections down – whatever method was used on Veve, it's clear that the origin of her soul remains intact and struggling. It should, in theory, be reversible.

However... it will not be simple.

Salem spent several long seconds listening at the door before moving closer to the team, leaning against the table a short distance from Blake. "We should be secure for the moment. Blake?"

Blake tilted her head.

"Some method has corrupted Veve's soul. An infiltrator, buried deep within, that twists it from inside. Through this, her mind is affected."

Salem's shoulders shook, and Blake reached out a hand to steady her. "Can it be fixed? Reversed?"

"...It is likely. Her soul continues to regenerate properly, although it is losing ground over time. So long as the origin of her soul remains uncorrupted, removing the infection should suffice."

Salem looked up, hopeful. "Can you do it?"

"Not safely. Whatever method planted the seed was insidious, implanting it without damage to the soul surrounding it. Examination of the method will be necessary."

Ruby chewed her lip, eyes darting around as she thought. "That probably means... we'll have to get access to the upper sections of the Tower, right? That's where it happened?"

Salem nodded. "Yes. She was in..." Her voice dropped low for a moment. "She was in mother's chambers. Getting anyone inside won't be simple."

"Shit." Yang crossed her arms. "That's... we can't exactly leave things like this, though."

With a heaving breath, the princess shook her head, blonde hair violently whipping back and forth. "No. We can't. I'll find a way to get you inside, but... I don't know what will happen after that. If mother was willing to do this, I... I don't know what else she's capable of. You'll all have to be ready, and..." She glanced up from beneath her hair, and Blake was struck at the intensity of her eyes, only made worse by the dark circles underneath them. Salem... "You're certain you're willing to do this? Mother controls Ciel; my word is worth much, but if I go against her..."

"Fuck that," Yang said, pushing to her feet. "If she's messing with souls... If she's messing with her own daughter? We're behind you all the way, princess."

Ruby nodded. "I... Obsidian knows a lot more than I do about this. But if anything I know can help... I'll do everything I can, Salem. We'll get her back, okay?"

Weiss was quiet, staring off into the middle distance. "Obsidian..." She whispered, so quiet Blake was sure she wasn't meant to hear it. "Whatever is necessary to resolve this, we'll be there. This is... unacceptable."

Penny simply smiled. "Mother will fix this. I have no doubt, princess Salem."

Salem turned to Blake. For a moment, there was a flicker of vulnerability there, like the princess was certain she'd say no.

"If you can get me access, I'll make sure Obsidian can find whatever she needs, Salem. Veve didn't deserve this... and neither do you."

For a long moment, the princess held her gaze. Then, she nodded. "...Very well. Then I shall find a way to get you, at least, into mother's chambers. Hopefully with no one the wiser... it will likely take me several days. Whatever else you need to do, I suggest you do it before then."

She stepped back, curtsying sloppily. "I... have much to do. Please excuse me."

"Salem," Blake said, stopping the princess as she turned. "...Don't forget to get some rest. You need to take care of yourself, too, if we're going to make this work."

She nodded stiffly, and was gone.

Silence reigned... until Yang sighed and leaned over the table again. "Right. So... priorities time."

Two actions remain until the infiltration of the Tower.