Julien, initially torn on whether or not to avoid it, ended up choosing to give his family a tearful goodbye. He was also initially unsure of how to respond to Henrietta's letter. On the one hand: it was a massive risk. Entering the lion's den of the Jacobins once more. On the other… he knew Siesta was doing so much for their family and it left him feeling… inadequate. So if there was something he could do. Anything. He wished to do it. It was hard saying goodbye, but at least this time he had the chance. And the choice.

As instructed, he made his way to the Charming Fairies. He'd only heard about this place he knew his uncle owned from secondhand accounts. And only been around it and in a guest room once before months ago with Henrietta and Siesta. He felt excitement creep up within him as he stared at the entrance and anticipated this new experience. Once he stepped inside, he saw it completely empty, save for a woman he felt he recognized wiping down one of the tables that looked up at him as he walked in.

"Is that…" the woman, who Julien felt looked remarkably like Siesta, only taller and with longer hair, walked up to him, scrutinizing his appearance for a moment before breaking out into a wide smile.

"Well I'll be! Little Julien! It's been quite some time!" the woman greeted him as she took him into a tight, almost suffocating, embrace. Julien just barely managed to pull himself away before he began to pass out, taking a deep breath as he gave the woman looking down on him a confused smile. "Oh? You don't remember me? I guess I can understand, you were a lot younger back then," the woman said as she ruffled Julien's perpetually messy black hair before pointing to herself. "I'm your cousin, Jessica."

"Oh!" Julien exclaimed with sudden realization. "Sorry! Yeah, I forgot," Julien admitted with a sheepish laugh.

"Don't worry about it," Jessica reassured him. "So… what brings you here? It's no place for a kid, you know."

"I'm as old as Louise, you know, and she worked here. If what I was told is true," Julien said with a knowing look.

"Well, you got me there," Jessica admitted with a snap of her fingers as she took a seat at one of the tables and motioned for him to do the same. "So," she began as she leaned her elbow on the table and raised an eyebrow at him, "what brings you here to my dad's humble establishment?"

"Private business, I'm afraid," Julien answered in an avoidant manner, causing Jessica to frown.

"Ah, c'mon, don't be like Siesta and Louise. They're always on about their 'missions' and 'secrets'," Jessica said as she made sure to put sarcastic emphasis on missions and secrets with air quotes as well as her tone.

"Fine," Julien gave a defeated sigh, "you know about the Jacobins, yes?"

Jessica scoffed as she rolled her eyes, "Do I know about them? How does anyone here not? They're always out there causing trouble for the wrong reasons and to the wrong people."

"Yeah," Julien said sheepishly as his gaze became downcast, "I used to be one of them." Though Julien couldn't see it, he received a look of sympathy from Jessica.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything to you by it," Jessica said apologetically.

"I know," Julien admitted as he gave her a wry half smile. "Those people are probably just misguided. Like I was. Having their pain and anger used by powerful people for selfish reasons." The two sat in a melancholy silence, not looking at each other, for a small time after that. It was broken when Jessica suddenly took Julien's hand.

"Difference is you saw a better way, right?" Jessica reassured him with her tone and smile, which he returned, though in a wry, sheepish manner.

"I suppose…" his voice trailed off as he still did not meet Jessica's gaze with his eyes for a moment before finding the fire of conviction rise within him, "But I know how to make up for it now. Which is why I'm here."

"Why are you here, Julien?" Jessica finally asked.

"The Queen has given me an assignment," Julien proudly announced, with his pride getting deflated as he heard and saw his cousin give an exasperated sigh.

"Always with the Queen and her assignments! And here! Every time! I swear… she could at least make us tax exempt with how often she uses this place!" Jessica dramatically ranted. Once she had gotten it out of her system, she took a breath to regain her normal countenance before looking to Julien once more. "So… what's the plan?"

"I gotta wait for Agnes, she'll tell me more," Julien explained.

"Her? You know she had your uncle arrested just a couple of nights ago!" Jessica furrowed her brow at Julien, who looked taken aback.

"What? What happened?" Julien asked, confused.

"Siesta stuff," Jessica casually stated.

Julien felt he needed no further explanation.

"She does seem to be getting wrapped up in some pretty epic adventures lately," Julien stated as his gaze became contemplative, "Sometimes I wonder if she forgets about us."

"Yeah… with everything she gets caught up in it must be easy to lose track of people like us who just… try to live day-to-day," Jessica replied with an equally contemplative gaze.

"Plus now that she's married I'm sure she'll want to spend all her time with Louise, anyways," Julien casually mentioned.

Would that Jessica had any drink in her mouth, she would have spit it out, "Are you serious?! I just saw her two nights ago and she didn't even bother to mention that kinda huge detail to me?! To dad?!" Jessica was rife with indignation from a place of hurt.

"Oh, sorry, didn't mean to mention that so casually," Julien said with a sheepish chuckle.

Jessica muttered with a pout as she crossed her arms, "I'm gonna make sure those eighteen birthday pinches I owe her go extra hard for this…"

Julien took a moment to pray for his sister's safety.

Many hours earlier, Tabitha, Kirche, Tiffa, carrying Tabitha's unconscious mother, Montmorency, Louise, and Siesta were upon Sylphid as they scanned for Guiche below. They waited until he was at least out of sight of the castle (they assumed) before landing near him, with Sylphid popping back into her Illococoo form once everyone had disembarked her.

"Some of you are really heavy! Illococoo's back hurts!" Illococoo whined. Everyone who was aboard her previously began to blush and scowl at her, save for Tabitha.

Tabitha looked back at the castle, which was still shooting off the occasional firework here and there, and breathed a deep sigh of relief. However, they knew their escape would not yet be complete until they were out of this country. They thought for a moment on what their options were, feeling a sense of urgency as they did not know how much time they'd have until it was realized that they were gone. They figured they couldn't go back the way the rest of the group had come from as the roads would be watched much more closely now. That only left a much more treacherous path that she was sure even the UED would not have bothered with yet as it was still contested territory with various entrenched rebel groups. Whoever they were, though, they had to be more reasonable than the UED.

"What are you thinking about, Tabs?" Kirche suddenly said, causing Tabitha to jump just the slightest amount before they turned to her, looking up at her inquisitive gaze,

"Stonehaven Pass," Tabitha said, now making Kirche look confused.

"Huh? What's that?" Kirche asked.

"Are you crazy? There's violent rebel groups there! If the UED doesn't catch us then who knows what they'd do to us!" Matilda exclaimed from the cart.

"Better idea?" Tabitha simply asked. Hearing nothing, they pointed to the south-east, towards what looked like a mountainous region. "Let's go." On Tabitha's order, the group began to trudge along through the night.

As the group's fatigue caught up with them, Matilda and Guiche worked together to make a shelter in the increasingly rocky terrain, with Matilda instructing Guiche to use his specialty for metal work to make sure there was a good amount of it embedded in the "roof" of the makeshift structure and both of them "burying" the cart while tying the horse to a nearby boulder they "cut" a notch into.

Once they had finished, Guiche looked around for his fiancee, finding her huddled apart from the rest of the group. He felt worry manifest within him as he looked at her, looking forlorn with her gaze downcast while everyone else was taking the time to rest. As Guiche approached her, with no reaction from her as she was busy staring at Louise and Siesta cuddling lovingly, he looked down to her, making his worry known.

"Montmorency," he began, causing her to look up and just as quickly avert her gaze, as Guiche was used to. He gave a small sigh of resignation as he sat himself down beside her, keeping his gaze downcast as well. "That was very brave of you," he praised her in a gentle tone.

"It's nothing, as a noble-"

"Montmorency," Guiche interrupted her stammering, "you don't have to do that. To protect your heart, I mean."

"How can I ever know that?" Montmorency mumbled, keeping her face turned from Guiche.

"I know…" Guiche said with a tone tinged with guilt, "I've… let you down. So much. And I feel I can never do enough to earn your forgiveness." Guiche confessed. "But please," Guiche pleaded with her as he reached out his hand to her, "do me the honor of letting us begin again. I love you, Montmorency. I always have. I let my stupid pride and teenage hedonism go to my head. That was wrong."

Montmorency turned her head just slightly enough for him to see one of her eyes that looked to be welling with tears.

"From the moment we met, and they told me we were destined to be wed… I was happy," Guiche continued, "but as I grew older… I let the stupid noble crap get to my head. I wanted more. I thought I deserved more. Now I realize too late that you were already more than I deserved." At this, Guiche lowered his hand, feeling it was finally time to let go. He took a deep, shaky breath, attempting to steel himself from crying before her, "I don't deserve to be your lover. But," Guiche bowed his head to her, "it would honor me if you let us start over."

Montmorency turned away from him once more, sniffling, "You idiot…" she mumbled before whipping around and planting a kiss upon his lips. Guiche was absolutely shocked by this. As Montmorency pulled away, breathing heavily and blushing a deep red, she looked to him with her tear-filled eyes, "Of course I love you! But you… You've hurt me so much it's felt like I'm insane. And I feel I can't say it or express my love in any normal way anymore…" Montmorency's voice trailed off as she looked at the dirt beneath them.

"Then, like I was saying," Guiche said as he took her hands in his, "let's start over. Let me prove myself to you." Montmorency, tears running down her face nodded at him, causing Guiche to give her a sincere smile. "Hello, I am Guiche de Gramont, and from the moment I saw you, your beauty captivated me. May I, perhaps, call on you sometime?"

Montmorency gave a small laugh through her tears, taking one of her hands from Guiche to cover her mouth as she did, causing Guiche to chuckle at this display. She cleared her throat before looking back at Guiche, her eyes no longer leaking tears, "I am Montmorency and, no," She said with a cheeky smile that caused Guiche to look taken aback, "You should call on me sometime." Guiche and Montmorency gave each other warm smiles as they leaned in to kiss once more. "You should be honored. I don't normally kiss on a first date."

Guiche gave her a warm, sultry smile, "I am more honored than words can express."

Tiffa, who was watching this, gave a longing sigh that interrupted them, causing them both to turn to her as visibly burned with embarrassment.

"No! Sorry! It was just very cute, and, well…" Tiffa sputtered as her face also turned red. "Excuse me!" Tiffa exclaimed as she stood up suddenly, not minding the relatively low roof and causing her head to collide with it. She yelped in pain as she exited the earth-mage-made hut and fell against the wall outside wall of it, dragging her fingers carefully across her face so as not to scratch it with her clawed gloves.

She looked down at them once they had come off her face. Her hands. And felt shame well up within her.

That power. That forbidden power of the Tal'darim that she despised. And she used it for her own gain.

Did that man have loved ones? Was he going to be deeply missed?

Tiffa shook her head.

So what if he would be? She'd killed plenty of humans and she never spared a thought for them. What was one more? Especially when it was to help her new friends and further her cause to free her people. She clenched her fists with resolve at this thought, but still could not help but feel the guilt of having used that power. She leaned back and gave a sigh of exhaustion, starting to feel sleep's embrace begin to wrap around her.

A single, bitter thought intruded her mind before she did, however, as she clutched the locket she wore.

Mom would've been proud, at least.

Inside, Kirche found herself with Tabitha's head in her lap, sleeping peacefully as she remembered from that time they shared a bed almost a year ago. She stroked her friend's hair as she looked lovingly down upon the blue-haired stoic below her. Her loving contemplation was broken, however, when Matilda sat herself beside her, pulling down the top part of her jumpsuit as she did and breathing a deep, exhausted sigh before turning to Kirche, taking a brief moment to glance at Tabitha, as well.

"What's with you two?" Matilda asked in a tone that felt more derisive than she meant it, causing Kirche to furrow her brow at her, "Are you like them?" Matilda cocked her head towards the now-sleeping Louise and Siesta who were wrapped in each other's arms.

Kirche let out a small, wistful sigh in response, "Not that I'm aware of, no." Kirche felt the slightest disappointment at admitting that, and hoped Matilda did not notice.

"What's the big deal? Just tell her," Matilda scoffed.

Kirche scowled at her, "That's none of your business, clod."

Matilda shrugged in response as she laid herself down on the dirt floor of this hut she and Guiche made, "I'm just saying," Matilda said as her tone sounded oddly melancholy, "You never know how much time you got." She turned her back to Kirche and Tabitha at that.

Kirche almost felt as though there was more to what she just said, but chose not to press focused, again, on the sleeping Tabitha she had on her lap, continuing stroking her hair until sleep took her as well.

Saito gripped his head in agony as he writhed on the ground, screaming while Joseph repeatedly and mercilessly struck him with a horsewhip. A common punishment he was subjected to for his failures. And the reason for many of his scars.

Once he had grown tired, Joseph took a deep breath as he ran his fingers through his hair to slick it back before turning to the nearby table upon which was a glass jug full of water and cup. He began pouring the water as he sucked his teeth.

"Oh my beautiful, useless familiar, whatever am I going to do with you?" Joseph asked in a dramatically disappointed tone before he took a gulp of water and set the glass down before looking down on his ailing, whimpering familiar, uncaring.

"I'm not angry, you know," Joseph said as he crouched down near Saito, "just disappointed."

Saito made no effort to respond through his pained whimpers, causing Joseph to scowl and force him to turn over.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you," Joseph demanded in a threatening tone.

Saito's tear-filled eyes met his as he choked on his shaky breaths. Joseph shook his head as he gently caressed Saito's cheek.

"Oh look what you've made me do," he said, "You really should have been more careful. You know those degenerates are always up to no good. And yet… you let me down. You shame me. Why do you shame me? Do you hate me?" Joseph cooed to Saito.

There was no response from Saito as he continued to cry and stare at Joseph's eyes, causing the Admiral's temper to rise yet once more, "I asked you a question, dog," Joseph said with renewed threat as he painfully squeezed Saito's cheeks with his hand he was previously caressing Saito's face with.

"N…n…" Saito was struggling to say.

"Hmm? What was that?" Joseph asked, with a sadistic sarcasm as he turned his ear to Saito's face.

"N… NO!" Saito finally cried out.

"No to what? Be specific," Joseph ordered.

"No I don't hate you!" Saito desperately screamed before Joseph threw him back on the ground and stood up, taking some time to wipe Saito's tears from his gloved hand on Saito's clothes as he did while making a disgusted face.

"Then prove it," Joseph began as he looked down at Saito, who was looking up to him with fear and desperation, "prove your love to me for once."

"How?" Saito struggled to ask through his fear.

Joseph gave him a wicked smirk, "Once we've found my darling niece… take our and the elf's little experiment with you. Along with some backup from our slave brood."

"Is it finally ready, master?" Saito asked, genuinely curious.

"Yes," Joseph informed him with a sadistic grin, "And you are uniquely qualified to use it."

Zeratul meditated through what remained of the night, as he always did, near to the group, watching over them. This time, however, he could feel his consciousness flow between where his body was and the Void. As it drifted, he began to hear whispers. From a familiar source.

Zeratul… the voice called to him, as if from a distance.

It felt… friendly. Zeratul attempted to focus and follow this presence deeper into the void.

Zeratul. Old friend.

The voice was becoming clearer to Zeratul the more he followed it, until he found his spirit pulled, as if by force, into the realm of the Void. He found himself standing in the same empty space he remembered when he was first informed he was coming to this world. Standing on a surface of nothing while Void energies harmlessly swirled around him. As Zeratul looked for the source of the voice he was following, the familiar visage of his long lost friend manifested before him. Floating in the air, as Templar, those most experienced with psionic techniques among the Protoss, did. The figure, still bearing the long nerve cords that the Khalai did, that seemed to be a long, braided lock that almost touched the ground behind them and adorned in wide-shouldered armor of indeterminate color as the figure was translucent and made of energy.

Tassadar, Zeratul said to the figure as it fully coalesced before him. He, briefly, and on instinct, reached out before remembering the words of Artanis. No, Zeratul said as he pulled his hand back while taking a step back at the same time. Who are you? That wears the face of my old friend.

I beseech you forgive me, Zeratul, the figure that looked and sounded like Tassadar said. I merely took this form to guide you and your brethren to victory against Amon.

A victory short-lived, Zeratul replied, with distrust in his tone.

I understand your trepidation, Nerazim, but I assure you they were not led astray, the Tassadar-appearing figure explained. If you will allow it, I shall show you my true form.

Zeratul took a moment to consider before nodding in acknowledgement. Tassadar's figure suddenly began to glow bright, filling the entirety of this void space with brilliant radiance that Zeratul shielded his eyes from on instinct. Once the light had subsided, Zeratul lowered his arm to look at the awesome and terrifying visage he now beheld. It was… a titanic creature. A creature that Zeratul was sure would not register his existence if even it had stepped on him. It had a massive, fleshy body covered in undulating tentacles and what looked like its cephalopod-like face was covered in yet more tentacles and many, many black eyes that stared into him.

And yet… Zeratul felt no fear. Only a sense of awe. And reverence. This was what his people had worshiped. And, in their arrogance, slew. One of their many former gods. A Xel'naga. Zeratul felt compelled to take a knee before the creature as he bowed his head.

There is no need for that, young one, the creature, which Zeratul knew was incalculably older than he was, spoke to him in a warm tone.

But… how? Artanis spoke as if you had all died, Zeratul asked as he stood to look at the Xel'Naga once more.

And so it was, the Xel'naga answered. But our power transcends time and space. I am speaking to you from before that time. From before I bequeathed my power to the one who saved your home. And so many others.

Images manifested in what could be called the "sky" above them. Of the Xel'Naga before him shedding his powers and life to Kerrigan, the Queen of the Zerg, while being valiantly defended by his friends James Raynor and Artanis, as well as Kerrigan's own forces. They then shifted to a different Kerrigan, now glowing and with what looked like wings upon her back, pushing back Amon's void-manifested forces alongside the same allies as before until Amon, now alone, was slain with a mighty energy blast from the now Xel'naga powered Kerrigan. This was where the images faded, and Zeratul was left in melancholic awe.

I sense the trouble in your heart, Zeratul. Zeratul's gaze became downcast at this. I know you miss him.

Every day, Zeratul confirmed.

I could try and say that his sacrifice was not in vain, and that you will be reunited in the Void, but I am not a being of empty platitudes. I can do nothing to materially ease your pain, the Xel'naga said with a compassionate tone that warmed Zeratul's spirit. But know this, Zeratul, the path you and your charge take now is a path that will lead to salvation not just for this world you reside upon. But for all realities. Once and for all.

Zeratul felt this put resolve into his spirit.

You do well, Zeratul. Unfortunately it seems our time is at an end.

Before Zeratul could fully register what was said, he found himself thrust back to his place of meditation upon Halkeginia, where he immediately felt the presence of approaching beings. He cloaked himself and blinked from his vantage point overlooking the hut that was made to look as if it were part of the mountainside they climbed.

Comrades, we are being approached. Ready yourselves.

Zeratul's warning roused a bleary Louise up almost immediately. She was sadly getting used to this. Being woken up at any hour and never getting enough sleep. Still, it was preferable to the months she spent without Siesta. She gave a quick stretch while everyone else seemed to be taking a little longer to awaken and peered out of the small hut, seeing nothing but dirt and rock. The silence of the breaking dawn was broken by the deafening crack of a shot that Louise had heard before from the UED marines at the border. It hit the ground in front of the hut entrance, and it immediately caused her to jump back, covering her head, into Siesta's arms.

"Louise! Are you alright?" Siesta shouted with panic.

Louise checked herself over and, feeling no damage, looked up to her and gave her a shaky nod. Siesta scowled as she looked out at the entrance.

"Come out with your hands up!" a masculine-sounding, distorted voice of a marine shouted to them.

If even Zeratul was not taking action against them, their assailants must massively have had the upper hand, Louise surmised. Siesta held onto Louise tightly, which she knew was due to fear of something happening to her again.

"We don't got all day! You best start comin' out right now!" the voice once again demanded. Louise instinctively strained against Siesta, who gripped her tighter.

"No, don't!" Siesta hissed at her, causing Louise to frown.

"Ugh, fine!" Matilda said as she heaved an exasperated sigh and was the first to leave, her hands raised.

"How many more in there?!" the voice demanded.

"It was just me!" Matilda immediately yelled back. In response, a shot landed at her feet, which Louise could see she jumped away from.

"HOW MANY MORE?!" the voice demanded once more.

"It's just me! I swear!" Matilda insisted. Louise was shocked at her conviction to protect them. There was a silence that followed where Louise's heart was racing so fast she felt it would beat out of her chest. She could feel Siesta's was doing the same.

"Look!" the voice shouted down at her once more, "long as you all come out with your hands up and don't try nothin' funny? No one gets hurt! Deal?!" the voice shouted.

Louise was unsure of what would happen next from her limited view, but after a moment she had her answer as Matilda hunched over to stick her head back into the hut and begin beckoning them forward. Siesta refused to budge, and because of that, Louise remained trapped where she was. As the others began to leave one by one, Siesta's grip tightened on Louise as her breathing intensified.

"Siesta," Louise struggled to say, "you're hurting me!" At that, Siesta immediately let her go, and Louise could feel sweet air enter her lungs freely once more as she took deep breaths.

"I'm sorry, I-."

"It's fine," Louise cut off Siesta's stuttering as she left the hut without any hesitation, raising her hands as she did.

She still hurt from what Siesta did. Just not physically.

Ever since what happened those few nights ago she'd noticed the change in Siesta. It wasn't just then that she felt she was being squeezed tight. It was almost all the time now. She didn't have any more time to dwell on it as she looked up at those who surrounded them.

There were some that looked like UED marines. And others that carried what looked to be smaller, longer versions of the rifles the marines carried, covered in rags and cloths that obscured their faces with only bits of metal on their elbows and knees and shoulders to serve as any kind of armor. The marines themselves looked ragtag as well. With much more weathered and sloppily painted armor and intricate designs painted onto the visors.

As Louise looked among them, one of the non-armored individuals seemed to aim their rifle even more sharply at her before lowering it and beginning to descend the rocks to the group. Once the individual was before her, they looked down to her with a pair of eyes she found familiar.

"Well," an older, feminine voice answered that she, again, recognized as she lowered the scarf covering her mouth, revealing the upper-middle-aged and warm, smiling face of a woman that Louise's eyes lit up upon seeing, "fancy seeing you here."

"Mama Cassandra!" Louise cried out and, without thinking, instinctually wrapped herself around the woman, who reciprocated the gesture. Once their embrace had ended, Louise stepped back and looked to Siesta, who was also giving the woman a warm smile.

"So, what brings you two lovebirds out here? Of all places?" Mama Cassandra asked as she raised her hand to signal the other snipers and marines to lower their weapons.

"We came to save a-," Louise stopped herself, looking hesitant, "a friend." She finally said. Louise did not see that Tabitha looked taken aback by this as they looked away from everyone in shame.

"Ah, I guess we're on the same mission, then," Mama Cassandra explained with a smirk, much to everyone's confusion. "C'mon, I'll explain on the way."

The group dutifully followed the woman as she led them into the inclining mountain pass, making sure to unearth the cart and tie the horse back to it as they did.

"So… an elf, huh?" Mama Cassandra asked Tiffa.

"Yes," Tiffa answered anxiously.

"You got interesting friends there, lovebirds," Mama Cassandra observed with her confident smirk to Louise and Siesta. "I've been working the resistance here for years. Seen a lot of things. Sometimes elves. But never on our side."

"Wait, you're the rebels?" Matilda exclaimed.

"That's right, sugar," Mama Cassandra said as she turned her head to wink at the shocked former thief.

"So… what do you do?" Louise asked.

"Save people like us," Mama Cassandra answered. "Ain't nowhere's safe for our kind, but Gallia's been rougher than most. UED claims 'humanity first' but what they don't tell you is their definition of 'human' is pretty narrow."

"When you say 'like us' you mean-?"

"Gays," Mama Cassandra answered before Siesta could ask as she stopped her march forward and turned to her, "Homos, dykes, trannies, fags, freaks, degenerates… whatever they call us." Mama Cassandra looked out to the whole group, who seemed absolutely appalled by her language. "Don't you go thinkin' you got a pass on any of that, now. That's reserved for us," Mama Cassandra informed as she raised her eyebrows knowingly at Guiche and Montmorency who were sitting together in the driver's seat of the cart.

"Wait… why us?" Guiche mumbled sheepishly.

"I can clock straights even easier," Mama Cassandra said with another smirk and chuckle as she turned back around to lead them to what looked like a cave, which she waved them into.

Once inside, Louise could not help but to marvel at what she saw, despite its deceptively modest appearance. Inside was a diverse array of people of skin tones and body types. It was something Louise was quite unused to seeing as she had lived such a sheltered life in Tristain. She hardly noticed that her stare could be interpreted as gawking, only realizing it with a prick of shame as it looked like some of the people were raising eyebrows at her. She quickly cast her gaze downward, only to run right into a small being, knocking her down on her behind.

"Louise! Are you okay?" Siesta immediately cried out as she went to hold her wife and support her in getting up.

"Yes, I'm fine! You don't need to baby me," Louise snapped as she yanked herself away from Siesta and stood up, brushing herself off.

She looked down at the one who she had collided with, and found, also knocked on their behind and checking themself for injury, what, at first glance to Louise, appeared to be a child about the same age as Juliette whose hair was short but clearly showing signs of being intentionally grown out, and wearing a light, loose dress with no shirt underneath. Louise immediately was unsure of how to react, feeling that same gut reaction she felt when she first laid eyes on Scarron, but, after remembering to now second-guess such first reactions, she gave the child a small smile while she watched them look around for something. Louise looked with them and saw the back of a little pink bow, almost the same shade as her hair, which she picked up and held out to the child.

"Here," Louise said, softly.

"Lila! I told you not to go running around like that!" a figure that Louise surmised was the child's parent scolded as they approached. Once again, Louise had the same gut reaction of prejudice against this person's appearance that she immediately stifled. They reminded her of Scarron, in a lot of ways. Wonderfully done makeup, with a well-manicured appearance, but adorned with a full, short beard and dangling earrings of what looked like frogs. "Sorry about that," the person said with a sheepish chuckle.

"No, it's alright," Louise answered with a sincere smile.

"Now what do we say to the nice… sorry, may I ask your identity?"

"My what?" Louise asked, perplexed.

"Woman? Man? Neither? Both?"

"Woman!" Louise practically exclaimed, turning red from the embarrassment of being on the spot.

"Ah, sorry, we're not used to outsiders," the person apologized as they held out a hand to Louise. "Call me Nic. I'm referred to by they/them." Louise gingerly took Nic's hand and the two smiled at each other. "That's how we're used to greeting people, anyways. Name and pronouns."

"Oh! I understand!" Kirche chimed in, "Kirche Von Zerbst, she/her," Kirche offered her hand to Nic.

"Charmed," Nic said with a smirk as they took Kirche's hand and kissed it. "Now, Lila, what were you gonna say to the nice lady?"

"I'm sorry…" Lila said sheepishly.

"It's okay, I promise," Louise reassured Lila. "That's a nice dress."

Lila seemed to immediately perk up upon hearing that, "Isn't it? Queenie made it for me! She's real good with that stuff! Said she'll make me a nicer one when we get to Tristain, but I like this one. It's comfy and easy to wear!"

Louise giggled at the child as they gushed to her. Once they were done, the child and Nic waved them goodbye as Mama Cassandra gave a warm smile at the leaving duo.

"Pretty rare for kids like that to have supportive parents," Mama Cassandra said wistfully as her smile became a solemn one. After a moment, she turned to Louise and Siesta, "I hope you two have more support than most of us had."

"Yes," Siesta said with a wide smile, "my family has been nothing but good to me. To us."

Louise, meanwhile, looked melancholy as she said this. Siesta instinctively reached to take her hand as she always did when she felt these things from her wife, which Louise allowed.

"Ah, I see," Mama Cassandra said as she noticed Louise's reaction and placed a hand on her shoulder, "it's too common, unfortunately." Mama Cassandra shook her head solemnly at the pinkette. "But that's why we build our own families. Our blood of covenant will always be thicker than any water of the womb." Mama Cassandra gave Louise her best reassuring smile, which she returned, in a wry manner.

"I just wish I knew," Louise began, feeling the familiar sting of tears in her eyes that she always did when she thought about this, "why I can't be good enough for them…"

"I'll let you in on a secret," Mama Cassandra said as she crouched down to meet Louise's eye level. "Most of us do. And we always will, in a lotta ways…" she admitted, "Why they couldn't just love us how we are instead of focusing on what they wanted us to be? That's probably gonna ring in your head at some volume forever, but," she was quick to switch to reassurance, "that's why we grow the chorus of our lives around it. With new melodies and parts for everyone that joins in your song. So that, hopefully, one day our music is just so grand that we can't even hear that thought."

"Can you promise me?" Louise blurted out as her tears began winning the fight over her countenance, "Can you promise it gets easier?"

Mama Cassandra gave a sigh of resignation, "No," she started, "And yes." This was something that caused both girls' faces to perk with recognition.

Wisdom, my apprentices, is a universal language, Zeratul's voice echoed in both Louise and Siesta's heads, and this Terran is as wise as any I have met.

Meanwhile, Tabitha was hanging back from everyone, still feeling sheepish and unwanted from the hurt they had caused to Louise, Siesta, and, by extension, everyone else. They almost wanted to turn and run away. Just give themself up to the same fate as their mother, who laid in the cart outside. Their self-conscious spiraling was interrupted by Tiffa turning to them, first, and then to Khaydarin. Tabitha watched as she went to Louise and asked her something, to which Louise raised an eyebrow, looked over to Tabitha for a second with a quick disgusted look, sighed, and nodded to Tiffa, closing her eyes after she did.

Suddenly, a pop and crackle of energy filled the cave, causing everyone to look towards the culprit of the noise, which was Khaydarin firing off another of their beams that faded to reveal the hook-ended gnarled staff of Tabitha's that they were sure was left behind. Tiffa caught the staff in mid-air once it had manifested and turned to Tabitha, holding it out to them.

"I made a quick stop on my way up," Tiffa said with a stoic expression. Tabitha slowly reached out for it, only to have Tiffa jerk it back. "Before I give this to you, you must promise me, promise us all, that you won't do something stupid."

Tiffa gave them a knowing look that Tabitha immediately understood, causing them to nod and Tiffa to relinquish the staff to them with a small, unexpected smile. Tabitha stood there, holding their staff and feeling deep, unyielding regret at what they had done.

"Don't think I don't notice you back here," the voice of Mama Cassandra said to them as she walked over to Tabitha, looking down on them with curiosity. "You've been looking like you see a ghost." Tabitha was taken aback. They had never felt so read for filth before. Mama Cassandra, infinitely insightful as she was, smirked at them, "Did a bad thing? Hurt someone you care about?" Tabitha, full of anxiety and shame, gripped their staff as they stared at the ground. "Well the best first step?" Mama Cassandra began as she clapped her hand on Tabitha's shoulder. "Is always to say you're sorry." Tabitha's face scrunched in discomfort at this, but they nodded as they stepped up to Louise and Siesta, bowing their head low before them.

"I'm sorry," Tabitha said, their tears already beginning to crash to the dirt below them.

"We don't need a sorry," Siesta said with a curt, indignant tone, "We need to know why. Why did you do it?"

"He… he had my mother," Tabitha strained to say, "Said he'd cure her if I did it. And punish us both if I didn't." There was an uncomfortable, seemingly eternal silence that followed that, and Tabitha felt compelled by guilt to further defend themself, "If it was your mother. What would you do?" Tabitha asked, both desperate and accusatory as they gave them both a tear-filled, pleading look.

Louise's expression softened in understanding at this, while Siesta maintained her look of disgust. Though, and maybe it was only manifested through Tabitha's hopes, it seemed as though their plea had dented her countenance. Just as it looked as though Siesta were about to jab at them once more, Louise stepped forward with a gentle sigh.

"Hey!" Kirche exclaimed defensively as she stepped between Tabitha and Louise. "Before you lay into her you should know she had no choice! She's been abused and used by her uncle for years! Aside from poisoning her mother and killing her father, she was basically exiled when she refused to die! Just like me…" Kirche's voice went from fiercely defensive to low and pensive as she gave Louise and Siesta a pleading look. "So please… Please understand."

"What I was going to say," Louise began, giving Kirche an irritated look before turning to Tabitha and furrowing her brow, causing Tabitha to preemptively wince, "was that I forgive you."

Tabitha needed a moment to process what they'd heard, finally lowering their guard after a moment and giving Louise a tearful look.

"But… why-?" before Tabitha could finish, Louise took them in a tight embrace.

"You idiot," Louise whispered in their ear, before pulling back and giving them a gentle smile, "because no matter what… you're my friend, that's why." There was a moment of silence between them before Tabitha began to sob into Louise, causing her to look stunned for a moment before she began gently crying into Tabitha as well. Smiling as she did. Behind her, Siesta and Kirche were, at first, also stunned, but both of their countenances shifted to ones of relief and warmth at this display.

Siesta, for her part, felt her grip loosen on the fierce protectiveness over Louise she'd been feeling since that night. Realizing, once more, that these were the reasons she married her wife.

"Well now that that's settled," Mama Cassandra chimed in as Louise and Tabitha released their embrace of each other, "I think there's something else you wanna tell everyone, yeah?" she asked Tabitha with a knowing look. Tabitha, at first, gave her a look of confusion before realization dawned upon their face and they looked away from her, anxiously.

"Listen, this is a safe place, I promise you," Mama Cassandra reassured them with a smile that warmed Tabitha's heart in a way they'd not felt since their mother would comfort them so long ago. They cleared their throat as they steeled themself with resolve.

"Everyone," Tabitha announced to Kirche, Siesta, and Louise while also making sure to turn to see that they had Montmorency and Guiche's attention as well. They took one more deep breath before they said their next words, "I'm not a girl." Everyone from their rescue party looked perplexed by this statement. "And not a boy." The confusion only seemed to grow with that statement. "I'm just… Tabitha."

"Oh," Louise said as her face lit up with understanding, "just like Nic."

"And my uncle Scarron," Siesta chimed in, with the same understanding on her face as well. Tabitha's heart swelled with joy at this immediate acceptance.

"Huh? But that's so confusing how are we supposed to-"

"We're very happy for you, Tabitha, that you can share this with us!" Guiche cut Montmorency off with a nervous chuckle. Tabitha couldn't help but to chuckle at that as well.

"Tabs," Kirche said as she approached Tabitha, looking down at them with a worried and confused expression that caused anxiety to creep into Tabitha's heart once more, "this isn't something I have any experience with. But I do know this, I'm going to love the hell out of you no matter what you say you are. As long as you're my best friend? You're perfect." Kirche finally said as her face broke out into her usual cheerful demeanor, squeezing Tabitha into her as it did. Tabitha now felt much lighter as this burden was lifted from their spirit. They were finally free to be themself, no matter what came next.

Saito found himself atop the mighty "experiment" that Joseph was having him utilize. A behemoth of a creature, twice the size even of an Ultralisk. A gargantuan hexapedal monstrosity whose every step of its spider-like legs made the earth tremble. It had a gaping maw of flesh, highly-acidic saliva, and seemingly-endless razor-sharp teeth. It had a fleshy, insectoid body that was covered in giant, bony spikes and what could be called its praying-mantis like "arms" were adorned with one spike each that tapered down into an impossibly fine point.

Saito, the runes glowing upon his head as he stood on the beast's hunched neck while it lumbered forward at a surprisingly quick pace, scowled as he kept his eyes trained on the mountains of the Stonehaven Pass. Both behind and beside the beast he rode were a myriad of other Zerg creatures. Zerglings, of course, kicking up a veritable storm of dust in what looked like a stampede of them. They were also accompanied by the gorgon-like Hydralisks for support. Also, though against the protests of Saito as he thought they would be too unwieldy for the relatively narrow battlefield the Zerg thralls were marching towards, the smaller, but no less towering, quadrupedal beasts with massive, scythe-like tusks that nearly scraped the ground they charged on known as Ultralisks. Saito could already see them interfering with the movements of the smaller strains and scoffed at Joseph's penchant for flash and intimidation over practicality.

As the swarm drew closer to the mountains, Saito could feel them. The unmistakable minds of Louise, Tabitha, Siesta, and, of course, that damn Protoss they were always with. He steeled his expression and his heart for what he was ordered to do, and sent a psionic signal to his Zerg thralls to quicken their pace.

Siesta felt the psionic presence feel for her, causing her face to break out in a glare. She was unaware, of course, she was looking at Louise when she did.

"What happened? Is something wrong?" Louise asked, with deep concern, causing Siesta to snap back to the present and the woman sitting before her within this cave.

"He's coming," Siesta said, as if in a trance.

"Who?" Louise asked.

"Saito."