The two Neptune Marionettes trotted down to the southwest of Trenton Lab, coming down the set of steps to where Pandora evidently awoke last night. The older sister raised an arm to caution her younger sister given the low visibility.

But it proved futile… There just was no point investigating the place without a source of light, so Proteus had to halt Despina altogether to double back to fetch a candle from one of the holders of the cavernous hall before entering the Water Chamber proper.

Despina squinted her eyes. Pandora’s room was… Not empty…? Instead, there were black… Ashes?

She struggled to make out the details with the flickering fire of the candle, but the crystals—if they really were the remnants of where Pandora awoke—had changed into something completely different.

She bent down and traced a finger over the mysterious black ash on the floor. “Older Sister, do you know what these things are…?”

Proteus had crouched down before the black pile likewise. “I am not entirely sure myself, but I can see ashes.” She sniffed the air. “Burned? But crystals aren’t necessarily flammables.” Do fake Planetariums exist…? Or perhaps temporary Planetariums? Or they got particularly combustible Planetariums like sulphur ones…? But these are burnt too finely.

She rose up and peered over again. “These ashes have spread a bit. Look, there are a few footprints around this pile.”

“Strange, why’d they not erase their footprints…?” Despina followed her older sister’s line of sight. Or have we been giving them too much credit all this time…? We did wipe the floor with… mnm, but remember, they took Ixion and I without Older Sister or Mr. Trenton noticing.

“Could be any number of reasons. Cleaning all these rooms isn’t exactly an easy endeavor; they could’ve run out of time… or they want to lead us by the thread.”

Bait? Makes sense. Despina then looked up to Proteus. “Should we follow it, Older Sister?”

Proteus’ eyes were closed for a few seconds. “Why not? I have a feeling I know where it’ll lead.”

Despina stood up, and together, they followed the trail of footprints, heading east of Trenton Lab to end up at the next Water Chamber.

Again, ashes.

Again, footprints.

They led further east and… north too this time.

Proteus’ eyes widened. “Did they… go to the second lab?”

“Would that be a prob—er, how big of a problem would that be?” Despina was still staring at the black footprints in this new room. Just how many cultists were…?

Proteus felt her brows crease. “They’d stolen you and Ixion out of the lab that was locked. This one… did the doctor leave it open? Let’s check.”

Then, they walked north into a corridor, which had another small set of steps leading back higher. The door here was smashed, laying squarely on the floor.

Despina’s older sister was aghast at the sight. She hurried in, while the cyan-haired girl followed gingerly, making sure not to step on the scrapped iron.

A familiar purple glaze welcomed them, originating from crystal growths from the corners of the ceiling.

There were perhaps a few tools here and there, but beside these there was a table full of papers too to their right. Some had their text smudged as water leaked from the ceiling continually.

Proteus didn’t care about them; instead she worked through the one shelf and the drawers adjacent to it.

That said, Despina couldn’t see the footprints inside; the trail had just ended outside the crashed door.

A significant amount of equipment is gone… This much was evident to Proteus. But Dr. Trenton and Madeline had hauled a good amount of equipment to the main lab.

Meanwhile, the cyan-haired girl could see the other door leading further north was similarly smashed. As she walked up to it, she could see a few footsteps leading out. She followed it curtly before coming up to an intact door to the right.

It was open, leading into a wooden platform similar to the one they’d fought the cultists in. This, however, was empty… and the footsteps had faded by the door.

She trotted back to the lab. “Older Sister, I think the cultists might’ve swam away from here…?”

Proteus came past this opening to the north and took a look to the right. “This is the other platform where they sometimes worship. Dangerously close to our lab, yes, but they never dared step inside before.” She peeked back at the lab. “I cannot tell if anything was stolen… Dr. Trenton would have to check his records. The issue is the broken doors.”

“Honestly… it might be Madeline who broke these doors. She did mention the doors not being too strong when we first met.” That idiot…

“That… is possible. I’m surprised Dr. Trenton didn’t deduct her allowance from these damages, if so.”

“The cultists probably wouldn’t want to cause a commotion by breaking these doors so badly to begin with.”

“I believe crashing the door with her frame would be just as much of a commotion, but people tend to sleep quite well after a hard day’s work… Let’s move on to the next room.”

 

***

 

They returned to the room full of ashes and blackened crystals where presumably, Madeline first awoke, then followed the eastern path out to a northern opening, leading straight back into the cavernous hall… then took a right-hand turn to the opening with the wooden platform where the four newly-awakened Marionettes had fought the cultists alongside Trenton just hours ago. Beside them stood a rock pillar and a long rock wall, illuminated by the candles.

Around here, they could see some of the black-robed figures pass beside and behind them, moving west, seeming to have come from the east.

Despina blinked. “They also operate in the morn…?”

Proteus watched as more robed figures were coming out from past the big rock pillar ahead. From the mine entrance, as suspected.

“Of course they do,” she whispered. “Don’t look too intently.”

“Where are they going?” Despina whispered. “That direction… could either be the main lab, or around where I awoke, I think?”

“Perhaps it is, but…” Proteus waited, and the robed figures went… north—no, northwest—into the opening between the rock pillar and the cavern wall by which… She blinked as a blue shape then poked between the opening. What’s Madeline doing by the manager’s…?

She then eyed the big rock pillar ahead. “Either we follow them, or go where they came from.”

Despina turned to her pale sister. “I say follow them before they do anything more dangerous.”

“We haven’t observed them doing anything suspicious in the morns—not in public spaces. One issue is it’s vastly easier to tell who is tailing who here.” Proteus exhaled, holding her chin. “I’m thinking we let them be; ask the miners later about what these people do if we have to.”

“I understand. The miners should be around there… Should we go check where they come from, then?”

Proteus’ face darkened. “Probably from the deeper parts of the mines, but let’s check anyway. Does any of the other awakening rooms fall in that…?” Then she perked up. “Yes, in fact, there is another Water Chamber down there.” She thought back to the robed figures coming from beyond the big rock pillar. Could they have been—?!

“Shall we check that room then…?”

Proteus moved forward without a word, making Despina blink before she took after her.

Said big pillar came up when the pale Marionette went further from the pond’s bank to the southern corridor leading into a room with… Where was the black pile?

Proteus blinked. “They cleaned it up here.” But no figure was actually seen coming out of here. Did we just miss them by seconds? But they seemed rather leisurely.

There were no footsteps for Despina to track either. “Huh? Was this room important to them, then?” How do they prioritize things…?

“…Perhaps, or they had just enough time for this one.” Proteus peered at the path to the north, leading into a door. “That one leads back to where you’d fought the cultists with the others… Whoever awoke here was very close to danger.” She turned to her younger sister. “It was Ixion who said she ran from an attack, wasn’t it?”

“Yes,” Despina nodded, then took in the sight of the wooden platform, “she was the only one who mentioned meeting cultists before we met.”

It seemed almost as normal as she first saw it. Aside from it being wet, doesn’t look like a bunch of girls were burned—

She shook her head.

Her older sister gave a ponderous look to the path through which they’d entered the room. “It is safe to assume the other rooms weren’t cleaned; they’re farther than Pandora’s one.” Do we go to the Kestrel Vein after all…? What if they clean up the rest of the black ashes in our absence? “Let’s delay our visit to the mine until we can gather some of the others; we check the other rooms for now; the cultists were working with limited time, some of them might’ve slipped up. Afterwards, we will collect some of these black remnants and deliver them to the lab for the doctor to study.”

“Alright, Older Sister.” Glad I’m working with a level head here. “This leaves the rooms where Atalanta and I awoke…” Despina’s gaze fell. Atalanta…

“Atalanta’s might be of interest in particular. She was the first and only Marionette to shut off like that.”

“Makes sense, but let’s check the room where I awoke first… I’ll show the way.” Despina tried retracing her steps as she led Proteus out of the corridor, trying to remember how she came across the others. “It should fall on the way to Atalanta’s room.”

A frown marred the pale Marionette’s visage as she followed. “All this for… sacrificing innocent girls to some salt-ridden Goddess of the Deep.”

Despina’s brows furrowed. “Salt-ridden Goddess…”

 

***

 

In the room where Despina first awoke, just a little to the southwest of Trenton Lab, the investigative pair had found black ashes as well. There was no scent of burnt rocks nor scorch marks along the ground, either. Was it perhaps due to the damp air in the cave, or were these not truly burnt to begin with?

Proteus raised a brow at the sight. “Has the doctor mentioned how this is more than an anomalous means of awakening Marionettes?”

“Not sure, think he only mentioned we’re unstable since we awoke too early… I don’t think he mentioned much about the method itself.” Despina stared at the black ashes, eyes slightly wider. It looked so beautiful just last night… “This does remind me though…” she turned to her older sister, “Dr. Trenton said I met you when I first awoke in one of those pods… I’m sorry, but I just can’t remember…”

“Don’t let it rattle you too much, Younger Sister. Most Marionettes seem to have such experiences before they stabilize.”

“Is that so…? Can you tell me what you told me though?”

“I introduced myself, told you your Rebirth date, tried to make small talk, but…”

“But…?”

“You fell back asleep…”

“Ah.” Despina looked down. Will I remember if I sleep…? “So, the cultists awakened m—us too early, knowing we weren’t stable yet?”

“Whether they knew or not, I’m not sure—but it’s not just early, you were all awoken with a powerful rush of Astro Energy. It’s used to force Marionettes awake sometimes, but it’s risky. Sometimes you have burnt nerves and Strings. It kills you a little inside, not to mention the severe effect on the brain… Imagine lacking more memories, losing things you could do in the past but can never try again with similar results, or waking up with impaired vision or hearing or both.” Could that be it, actually? Excess Astro Energy burning the crystals off here? But why or how they’d kindled the crystals like this… “I’m glad all of you seem normal, but Atalanta might not have been so fortunate.”

“Those cultists…” Despina’s lower lip was bit, expression scrunched as fists were clenched beside her.

“I know another room like this, probably Atalanta’s. Let’s see if we find anything there.”

“ …Alright, but shouldn’t we take these ashes as samples first, Older Sister?”

“Yes… Thankfully, I’d taken a couple of these sample jars from the second lab.”

The two then crammed some of the ashes into one of the two jars in Proteus’ possession.

Then, they were off to another room to the northwest of Trenton Lab.

Things here… looked messy. There were some scorch marks on the ground, looking almost like scratches. A few footprints could be spotted on these darkened scars, leading back out.

“There was…” Proteus narrowed her eyes, “a fight here.”

“A fight…? ”Despina’s eyes were similarly squinted. “Who could the cultists be fighting?” Surely not Dr. Trenton while we were resting…? No, I don’t think he went out. Miners, then? Or maybe fighting amongst themselves?

Proteus crouched down, eyes flitting left, right and center. “We’re scouring the ground the old fashioned way.” Atalanta… may your room guide us to the truth.

Despina joined in the search, crouching down and tracing her fingers across potentially notable spots on the grimey ground.

As they went over inch by inch, meter by meter, they both came up to one another at the center, both Marionettes holding small fragments.

“This is a… malachite.” Proteus then looked at the shard in Despina’s hand. “And that is… I’m not sure.”

It was a red crystal.

“Were they… fighting Marionettes?” Despina stared at these fragments in confusion. “Were there others here?”

“Well, the cultists aren’t without their Marionettes, either.”

Proteus thought back to the numerous discussions she’d had with Trenton regarding them. “We believe so, at least.” Seeing the likes of the Acolyte making rounds. “No confirmation yet, but these could be a clue.” Either that, or these are…

“Better have the doctor look into these then.”

The two shards were placed in the other sample collection jar.

“Or these are fragments from Atalanta’s ‘bed,’ and the signs of scuffle from miners and cultists fighting over the Planetariums.”

Despina nodded. “I believe that should be all the locations.... Should we head back now, Older Sister?”

Despina and Atalanta were awakened in spare rooms meant for tourists, which the Cult exploited for being left unused; they’re theoretically safer than the Chambers designed to let water flow into them… Did they hold these two with more regard than the others? Proteus looked in the direction of Kestrel Lab. “I am reluctant to disturb the doctor now. The ones who could identify these fragments would be… the mine manager. He should be at the Kestrel Vein… The cultists would be close; we should take the others with us for that.”

She exhaled deeply, leading her younger sister out of the room. “We’d spent a lot longer than anticipated, investigating these rooms.”

“How about we take that bath together while we wait for the others, then, Older Sister?” Despina asked.

“Good idea.” Proteus looked straight at the double doors of the Crystal Bath. “Doesn’t seem like there’s a queue, either.” Then to a watchman seated a little off to their right. “We should also inquire about the time.”

Despina wore a small smile, following after her. She praised me.