A black swan casually swam down a large canal, followed by her adorable hatchlings. They emerged from a watery underpass where commuters crossed, and where musicians harped at their violins.

Across the canal was another black swan followed by an even larger hoard of hatchlings. This swan was not an ordinary swan, however. It had two legs, wolf ears and a giant black tail with an arctic-white tip. Its feathers were replaced with an elegant, black dress that hovered just above her knees, exposing a pair of legs where knee-high socks were worn.

It was beyond casual wear, harboring a glimmer of pale blue, interlocking threads that appeared like chainmail. When plunged into the shadows, her dress emitted a faint glow like moonlight.

The woman wore a coat over her shoulders, the sleeves unworn as its large feathers brushed against her cheeks. She wore it like a mantle which became her wings. Golden feathers were found between the bouquets of feathers, with red feathers found frequently at the tail end of her coat.

Paired with her peerless beauty, it was hard for people to not stop and stare in awe as she passed by. Couples slapped their partners for leering for too long. They were possessed by an unnatural compulsion, for they knew that beyond her beauty that this person held unfathomable authority.

This was Ber, and she paid no heed to the stares as led the group of children with their guardians around the city, watching as fellow black swans followed as if recognizing her as one of them.

Of the three triplets she was known to be the strongest, but little did they know that she was also the most tender. She wore a smile and matched the energy of the children, imparting pieces of her knowledge of the world as she kept an eye on her surroundings.

Past the baroque-styled architecture, the crowded streets and the waterways that cut through H5 were a mix of Atelier personnel. ARU Type-B forces stalked the groups on rooftops, carrying long range weaponry as they were accompanied by the Peace Flocks.

Justicers could be seen stationed in key locations, such as intersections and any major roads leading deeper into the designated excursion area. Twelve of the purple-armored men were deployed, guarding the perimeter.

Civilians flocked around them in utter reverence to the sheer size of these living statues. Justicers were considered as Angels by some, believing them to be the bulwark of the Nexus.

Justica Arms’ Branches were seen as an extension of the Nexus by the greater part of the world. This explained why they were seen as a sacred group, and why their members were highly devoted to the Nexus.

Peace Flock that passed by offered a prayer as they knelt before the Justicers, their decorated weapons held above their heads like an offering. With a deep, venerated voice, the Justicer waved a hand over the weapon, reciting:

“By Galia’s Will. Justice will not stray behind her judgement.”

They never spoke about themselves. They only ever spoke of Galia and attributed all their actions and decisions to her righteous will; blessed by the Arbiter’s endorsement.

Following Ber was Sana, who couldn’t take her eyes off the wolfwoman she remembered being smaller than her. Imagine her shock when the same wolves that gulped down rotisserie one after another became one of the most prominent figures in the Nexus.

 

* * *

 

Elsewhere, an obnoxious Cer kept Revy close as she led the children like the leader of the pack. As much as she thought of herself as the Alpha, the attending guardians couldn’t help but to believe that she was one of the children. It didn’t help with her height too, nor the fact that she couldn’t give a solid answer without pridefully boasting about something else entirely.

If a child saw a cake shop, then she knew a better cake store.

If someone was awed by the music, then she knew a better musician.

If someone had a bigger packed lunch, then she had to buy a bigger one.

And if someone happened to find a stick, then she had to find one larger.

As annoying as it seemed, the children enjoyed Cer’s goofy company. She wasn’t strict as they were expecting her to be. In fact, they had judged her wrongly based on her appearance.

Her eyes were blood-red, and her upgraded apparel that had the same hint of blue as Ber was intimidating if anything. Her suit bore the red and golden stripes found on the right side of her body, and she paired it with a trench coat bearing feathers from the One Thousand Eyes bird. It lined the tip of her popped collar.

Her buttons were golden, and a faint strip of yellow ran down the center of her suit. She wore trousers as usual, but these, like Ber’s were made from Quality VIII (8) cloth. For reference, the apparel most Moons wore hovered between Quality VI (6) to VII (7). The reason for this was because of the source of the material, as well as the difficulty in creating them.

Quality X Cloth was out of the question. The reason being was that for every strand that was made, another had to be taken. It was an equivalent exchange that robbed a life, and therefore weakened Act X and their hold on the Fate Mechanism.

An unexpected actor missing from the play was bound to cause major repercussions.

Quality IX (9) Cloth required extreme suffering to create, akin to that of Corrupting, which was due as soon as the Lament Cycle was in full force.

Quality X Cloth was easier to attain, but by far the riskiest. With Repenters and Condemned in their possession, Quality IX (9) would have to suffice.

As for Quality VIII (8), it required to be extracted from the flesh of those that endured tremendous anguish, sourced from none other than captured Impuritas.

This boosted their DEF bonus of a mere one hundred to 1,500 for both DEF and MAG DEF, putting both Cer and Res’ defensive stats at 3,400, making them invulnerable to other Moons so long as they weren’t hit in unprotected areas.

That aside, Cer kept Revy close. Since they were both Demi-Humans and Serum S survivors, Cer took it upon herself to lead the timid girl. Revy felt conflicted about Cer at times. The Wolfwoman was impossible to read. She remembered her being incredibly cold and that was true at times even now, yet she seemed freer.

Still, she couldn’t help but wonder if this was the ‘real’ Cer.

Revy gazed into the midday sky, waiting for the next phase of the moon tonight.

 

* * *

 

While Ber took to the north and Cer to the east, Res cut between them and headed northeast. They were within a three-kilometer distance from each other within a mapped segment.

This segment was overseen by the Floor of Civilization, where Anna and crew members of the now destroyed Eyes monitored their every move. With Nav stationed there, information could be relayed to Ber back and forth without delay.

CognitO Transmitters and Receptors did not work at this distance unfortunately, and the more perverse versions the Repenters possessed were not allowed near the children, let alone the Nexus.

Communication lines on the ground however, had never been better. It was a multi-Atelier effort to keep an eye on these children, as well as the greater part of H5. Alice was also kept under the watchful eye of the Stars of the Nexus, with Anna being spotted returning to Hellen’s store carrying a bottle of liquor.

With Revy and a secret Snap with Cer, Aster with Res and with Ber alone – Nav was able to communicate with all three groups.

Frost was not pulling any punches when it came to their protection. To fail here would be a humiliating defeat. Either that, or something unprecedented would have to occur to deal a gut-wrenching blow to their setup.

Res didn’t speak much at all.

She mostly followed and observed at a safe distance away. Her eyes never seemed to see them at all. To her, they were no more than a passing blur. If one offered food, then she’d politely refuse, maintain her professional boundaries.

It made Stella’s attempt approach all the more difficult. In fact, Res didn’t even recognize her face. It was not until they collectively passed by a confectionary store where Stella kindly asked if Res wanted to eat something too.

Despite having already turned down an offer to eat down, Res reacted to this, her ears twitching for she recognized this voice. Looking down at the little girl holding onto Aster’s hand, she finally realized that this girl was the one they met in the Derma Layer.

“I-I thought it’d be nice to ask you something. A-After… what I tried to do to you.”

Res was taken aback by the girl’s apology. It was weird to be the source of someone’s guilt this time around. Seeing the girl’s sealed eyes brought a wave of nostalgia to her as she suddenly smiled, wanting to wash her fears away.

Just like how Frost would.

“You were working under duress. It’s not your fault. You would’ve been in trouble if you didn’t do anything. Then again, the Impuritas would’ve killed you anyway.” Res slowly spoke, not wanting to frighten the girl.

“T-That’s… true. But I did something unforgivable. Even though you… tried to save us.” Stella couldn’t find it in her to blame or get Res to acknowledge her actions. Aster understood what Stella wanted, squeezing her hand as if to tell her it was alright.

Res however, stared blankly at her own reflection in the window as the guardians walked into the store, picking out snacks for the children.

“… ‘tried’.” Res unexpectedly murmured her hair hiding her eyes as Stella shuddered to her deepening tone. “It still amounted to us destroying everything to save you. Destruction follows in the steps of the Moons. And yet, the Amalgam proved that it doesn’t have to be that way.”

Her expression was unchanging. Ayle on the other side waved his hand, asking for what colored macaron they wanted. Aster pointed to a pink one for both her and Stella, while Res lazily pointed at a red macaron, stating:

“Give me the blue one.”

“A-Ah… Eye.” Aster cleared her throat politely. “That’s the red one.”

“They’re not all blue?” Res tilted her head, curious. “… the labels say it’s blue. Whatever. Give me the ‘red’ one.”

There was something clearly wrong with Res’ vision. But to Res, it was perfectly normal. Her confused face brought fear into Aster, who thought she was going to lash out but to her surprise –

“… Stella. Aster. How are you still ok?”

“Huh?”

“M-Meaning?”

– Res asked a sincere question.

Stella wondered what she meant by this, as did Aster. Res didn’t elaborate, her eyes avoiding the countless, tiny beads of the children that stared back like the plague before she pulled herself away from the window.

Suddenly, Res turned her head to something in the distance, pretending her sisters were with her. Her tail visibly twitched, as if afraid. Serum G had disappeared enough where they didn’t need to comfort each other any longer, but even so, Res had an urge to drop her guard and seek out their warmth.

Once they were alone outside, Res took a deep breath and clarified after a long exhale.

“It’s rhetorical. I’m just surprised you’re quick to forgive. And even quicker to forget about the people you lost. Maybe that blindness is a blessing in disguise.” Res couldn’t form a connection with the two at all, as if something was preventing her.

Aster was too shocked to reply. Sadness overcame Stella who despite being afraid of Res, clenched her fists and stared intently at her back with sealed eyes.

“It’s not.” She shook her head. “I wish I could see like everyone else. It’s not… something I’d ever want wish for anyone to have. People tell me the world is so colorful. The good and bad. I want to see that too.”

“… Stella. You’re still young. So listen. The world isn’t as colorful as you think. If it was then all you’d see is red. Just like the walls of the Derma Layer.” Res insisted, drawing her bleak depiction of the world from a gruesome past. “… I don’t know how you’re not on something, Aster. Are you chasing stars like how my stupid sister’s chasing moons?”

What Res wanted from them was beyond anyone’s understanding. Even Res didn’t know why she became like this…

No. She knew exactly why.

And for that reason, Res couldn’t forgive herself.

“Until this world changes, it will always be colorless. Everything is.”

The weight of unconfronted guilt sat atop her shoulder as she received her ‘blue’ macaron from Ayle.

Only that this macaron had the sour taste of unripe strawberries.

The half-eaten macaron fell from her hand, and she trampled on it as they continued their excursion through H5.