The roar of the motorcycle’s engine. The fierce, howling wind. The torrential rain colliding with asphalt and concrete. The blaring of horns as Yui passed each and every car. The thunder, which was ambiguous in origin, whether it came organically, or from Yui’s magic. The absolute silence of a dilapidated wooden stage. The curtains— what remained of them— fluttering in the wind coming in through the holes in what walls still stood and ceiling. All semblance of noise drowned out into utter silence as two sets of emotions, of thought itself clashed together, magnetically pulling one source into the other.

Freeze.

Yui had no idea how long the ride took. Less than usual by a wide margin. She would likely have to answer for a fine or something later. It didn’t matter right now. The motorcycle practically crashed into the side of the building. It didn’t matter. Yui nearly tore her shoulder out of its socket as she tackled the door off its hinges. It didn’t matter. The blur of seconds between Yui’s arrival and when she spotted Cecilia vanished into—

Freeze.

—a mutual dissociation. It didn’t matter. Time then stood still as Yui and Cecilia’s gaze met and locked. The silence persisted in this frozen moment. Finally, like a predator stalking her prey, Yui began to approach the stage. Cecilia didn’t flinch. Cecilia didn’t move.

Yui: …You look like shit, Oracle.

Cecilia: …You hardly look any better, Forte. 

Yui: The fuck are you even doing here? You knew I was gonna find you, right? You can’t exactly hide from me. You knew what was gonna happen if you came back, right? 

Cecilia: …I needed something. I need to settle the score, Yui. …You took something from me.

Yui: Let’s not fucking start with what you took from me, Oracle.

Cecilia: …That’s not who I am anymore. That’s not my name. My title. It’s not—

Yui: Do I look like I fucking give a shit?! 

Her voice came out exactly as loud as she intended. There was no one else around to judge her. No one to watch out for. No one who would be scared senseless by this tone. No neighbors who might falsely report some domestic disturbance. No need to hide herself. No mask to wear. No courtesies or pleasantries or sensibilities. Nothing to restrain Yui at all anymore.

Yui: Oracle, Libretto, Conductor, Puella, Malefica, ally, enemy, victim, villain, none of that shit matters right now! 

Cecilia: …Your exact words, Yui, were that the next time the Oracle returned to Mitakihara, you were going to tear her ass apart.

Yui: I don’t. Fucking. Care. You showin’ up right here, right now, all I see is the Oracle. The same scheming bitch that made me dance to her tune in the end. All that shit we talked about last time we were here was all for fucking nothing.

Cecilia: What delightful irony it must be, then, in facing an Oracle who cannot see.

Yui: Yeah. (A smirk slowly spreads on her face, in place of the expected confusion.) You like that little trick? Ever figure out how I fucking did it?

Freeze.

Cecilia: …Your soul magic, obviously.

Yui: (That smirk fades almost immediately) You’re so fuckin’ slow, Cecilia. Fine. I’ll pull back the curtain, then. It wasn’t just about damaging your soul. I shot out your eye with a bullet laced with my soul magic. I made six of ‘em, just to see if I could. Because after Shiori’s little “mix tape” with the mayor, I wanted a couple fallback plans. 

Yui’s steps were slow and deliberate, each one calculated as she made her way onto the stage.

Yui: The first one didn’t do a whole lot to Moonlover. Hit her in the throat, but it may as well have just been a normal bullet for how dense her soul was. Second one was hers too. I held it back a bit. Slowed it down to just hit the back of her head and paralyze her. Girl couldn’t feel pain, but her body still responded to it. Third one was just a decoy. Could’ve hit Worldeater, would’ve killed him if I did. But that’s not who I was. He already knew what I could do, so I used it as a distraction. Fourth one was for Punisher. She didn’t appreciate that one, but being a seasoned assassin and all, it didn’t linger too bad. Still can’t walk right, though. Probably contributed to how she went down so easy. Fifth was for the fucking Genie Cat. Shiori thought it was for her, and maybe if I had shot her instead, she’d still be here, like I planned. It’s afraid now, though, so that’s gotta count for something. Congratulations on getting me to kill our enemy in the end, after all, I guess. Big win for the Conductors.

Finally, Yui and Cecilia were face to face, just a foot or two apart. Yui’s voice dropped to a whisper.

Yui: But that last shot? That was all yours, Sis. I shot your eye, but more than damaging your soul and robbing you of your sight, I wanted to cause some damage to that link between us. You know. The mechanism that lets you fight and lets me sometimes use your sight for like a second or two. I used my magic to burn it into your fucking soul. To let you feel every fucking ounce of pain physically that I feel emotionally at any given time. I wanted you to not be able to heal until I got over it all. You know why?

Cecilia’s eye was fixed on both of Yui’s, her expression stoic and calm. It was clear she was not backing down. But she did flinch the second Yui began to shout.

Yui: Because NONE OF THIS SHIT is fair! If I hadn’t done something to bridge the fucking gap, you would’ve gotten off free and clear! Maybe you felt bad, maybe you felt remorse, but you don’t FUCKING GET IT! And all of this, it’s all your fucking fault, Cecilia! Do you know how much I fucking lost? How many people I tried and failed to save?! How many people DIED because of your fucking plan?! I told you before all of this went down that one day, your solo act scheming fucking bullshit was gonna come back to bite you in the ass! If you’d just kept me in the loop, planned with me— fuck, with ALL of us— we could’ve done more to protect Mitakihara. But no! You just had to be the fucking puppetmaster… just like Velare was, before he fucking died.

Cecilia: Go ahead then, Yui! Tap into my vision, since apparently you can see where I cannot, and tell me how that would have gone! Go on! Look into where those decisions would have led us all! You can blame me for Mei’s death all you like, Yui, but you cannot act like she is gone forever! You can visit her any time you like in the Dreamscape! (Cecilia’s eye flashes with fresh anger.) You cannot pretend you actually care at all about Chiemi’s death, or Akari’s, or Mirai’s, or Hotaru’s, or Kotori’s. You’re grieving over Mei, and only Mei! So spare me your self righteousness—

Yui: Shiori Nakae.

Cecilia: What does she— (her words are cut off as Yui punches Cecilia in the face, just under her eyepatch)

Yui: You said there was a way to save her. To put her soul back into her body. To undo her wish. I figured it out after Kiwa took you back to Kamihama. Figured out that it was all a load of shit you fed me so that I’d fight her. You saw from the fucking beginning that she would take her own way out.

Cecilia: N-No! Yui, I saw— (Another right hook to Cecilia’s left cheek)

Yui: Don’t you fucking LIE TO ME, Cecilia! You knew from the moment you got Shiori arrested and sent back to that fucking shitbag of a father what would fucking happen! You goddamn planned for her to become the Firestarter just to burn the Balancers from within because you couldn’t see a path where we could otherwise beat them! Because you always saw her as street trash, same as me! But you know what I really am, Cecilia? A god damned fighter!

This time, a silver staff blocked the incoming right hook, and Yui stepped back, shaking her arm without otherwise showing any signs of pain.

Cecilia: …Had I told you what I was planning, you would have rushed to find them, completely blind, and Moonlover would have rolled right over your precious gym with nothing to stop her. She would have paraded Alice Rinju’s corpse in front of you to break you! And it would have worked! There was no scenario where Alice survived this, Yui, save the one that played out! But search my soul and find the lie when I tell you that I did not see Shiori taking her own life! Go on, I’ll wait!

Yui looks down, and Cecilia takes the silence as confirmation. She pulled her robe off with her right hand in one fluid motion, sleek silver body armor resting on Cecilia where the robe once stood.

Cecilia: …I thought so.

Yui: …Whatever. Thinking about it all only served to piss me off even more. If sharing my pain in a way you could understand somehow isn’t enough, then I guess I gotta beat it into you that much harder.

Cecilia: (The staff in her left hand reforms into a spear, spiraling silver at the tip) That’s fine by me. “An eye for an eye,” as the saying goes. And I will carve out my pound of flesh.

Cecilia lunged first, but Yui was more than ready. She caught Cecilia’s attack with a freshly spawned golden staff, and for a moment, Yui lamented that Magia had left her. What irony it would be to beat this “Libretto” at her own game, with her own new and shiny weapon! She threw the fallen Oracle into the back wall of the Opera House, which crumbled from the force around Cecilia.

The Oracle Libretto rose from the pile of stone and dark, dusty cloth, several spears rising up behind her. They lunged, though they staggered their attacks around Yui. The Forte met each and every one, despite the awkward, uneven pace of the Libretto’s attacks. But of course, Yui would not fall so easily. It is not in her nature to lose a fight from such a simple attack. She has been training for this exact moment. Cecilia joined the fray now, swinging her floating weapons and leaving them hanging in midair. 

A few attacks found their mark, twisted silver cutting into Yui’s flesh, and one particular attack caught Yui through the shoulder. Alright, now we’re talkin’! ‘Bout fuckin’ time you got into this! Yui only smiled, pulling the spear out of her shoulder, barely even mending the hole it left behind as she dropped her own staff. Left and right, punch after punch assaulted Cecilia all over. Her head, her face, her body, even her arms and shoulders. Yui laid her barrage into Cecilia like a beast possessed by primal fury.

And Cecilia took all of it. Every single hit finding their mark. But the last hit, the one against her empty socket, shattering the orbital bone surrounding it was what caused Cecilia to cry out in pain and fall back. Of course, this is what happens when one plays with fire. She rolled back onto a knee, then rose, despite the sheer pain coursing through her very soul. Yui was not lying. She never did, after all. That injury was to your soul. Your very link with the woman who called herself your sister, once upon a time.

Yui leapt forward, missing the rolling Oracle— nah man, she’s not that right now— by an inch, her fist sinking into the aged, rotting wooden stage. Pulling it out rather roughly, blood poured from her cut wrist. She chased the Oracle— bitch, have you not been listening?— with strike after strike, but Cecilia only increased the distance between them. With no other choice, Yui mended her most pressing injuries, the hole in her right shoulder finally closing, and the cut on her right wrist sealing itself shut.

Cecilia decided to take her narrow window and counterattack. But why? What are you trying to prove, girl? Her spears formed around her, and she spun with each slash and thrust. But this time, Yui was ready. An equal amount of staves surrounded her, meeting each and every strike in a perfect parry. You cannot win. You cannot ever win. Cecilia, undeterred, continued. She switched up her attacks. Changing her mind at the last second to throw off Yui’s stolen vision. What makes you so sure that she is using your sight in this moment? It seemed enough to push Yui back, but only just. She is superior to you in every way, after all.

Finally, Yui pressed her attack again. Dancing through the swirl of silver, Yui’s staff caught its mark under Cecilia’s chin. Yo, how far are you planning on going? You proved your point, right? Cecilia’s eye widened as she noticed only too late what Yui was planning. Oh? Is this the day you let me take the wheel for good? I’m not gonna complain about it. A bolt of violet lightning came down, but before it could find its mark against Cecilia’s head, wedged between the golden staff and the cloudy sky, a net of silver staves cushioned the blow, giving Cecilia enough cover to at least avoid the full blast directly. Ah, my bad. Maybe I distracted you too much. Heh. But hey, I’m not in a hurry. I’ll get my way soon enough, one way or another. After that, well, it’s none of your business.

Cecilia, with her own primal scream now, grabbed a spear from behind and drove it forward. Her eye remained closed, not looking to see if it would find its own mark, but the resistance and pouring of warm liquid onto her hand told her enough. Child. Be not afraid. Your vengeance drove you to this point. Your mind calls for this moment. So why do you fear it? Are you still alive? Or are you facing the truth, at long last? You never wanted this. You did not want revenge. We both know what it is you truly want. Be not afraid. Cecilia opened her eye far too late, just in time to see Yui’s own bloodied fist colliding with it.

Okay, wrap it up now. Bring it home, boss. Yui hurled staves around Cecilia, and the Libretto could not move in time to avoid becoming surrounded. More and more staves formed the cage around Cecilia— Soul Cage!— and lightning struck the makeshift structure, sparks of violet electricity connecting them, forming the horizontal “bars” while the gold made up the vertical. It began to spin, closing around Cecilia as Yui stepped closer and closer. She had already pulled the broken spiral tip from her neck, which now began to heal. Or don’t, I guess that works too. 

But Cecilia had enough familiarity with Yui’s signature attack. Taking a deep breath, she hurled herself through the cage, bursting through the “wall” and rolling away. Your familiarity, perhaps it is enough to save your life, after all. Because trust me when I tell you that she intended to kill you. Sparks danced across the silver plate mail covering Cecilia’s body as she rose to her feet one last time.

Heh! Got’cha, bitch! The cage rose, reforming itself into a ball. An orb of gold and sparks, hurling itself in Cecilia’s direction. See, if it were me, I would’ve just let me take the wheel to do that ball lightning thing we used on Kae. Libretto here couldn’t do shit against it! But that’s just me. ‘Course, both options are kinda overkill, huh? You were never gonna kill your sister either way. 

Cecilia formed as many spears as she could to try and shield herself, but she couldn’t stop the attack. She cried out in pain as the staves and lightning collided with her, and she collapsed face first onto the ground. A realization you should have had before engaging with Yui Arashi. You never wanted revenge. Are you still alive? Listening to that wolf blindly may actually just kill you someday. Be not afraid. But the attack wasn’t over. More and more bolts of lightning rained down upon the golden rubble, collapsing the very stage until nothing solid remained. Are you still alive? Cecilia only barely managed to stir, pushing herself up onto her knees before collapsing again. Be not afraid.

The walls crumble around Cecilia. Around both of them. What could once be called a foundation was all that now remained of Il Teatro. Even the stage was reduced to mere debris. But her eye was unfocused. The Conductor was empty. Her revenge itself failed. What was it all for? Why couldn’t she beat her? Why can’t she save her? The sky blue gem in Cecilia’s hand clouded, and swirling darkness encroached, threatening to engulf the egg with total darkness. One question echoed in Cecilia’s mind, over and over like a record. Why? What makes us incapable of overcoming Yui Arashi?

Clink.

Yui: I dunno. Sure as shit wish you could though. 

The darkness evaporated as the Grief Seed in Yui’s hand drained the darkness from Cecilia’s Soul Gem. Her eye lit up, life returning to it as it widened.

Cecilia: Wh… why?! I don’t… I don’t understand—

Slap. The back of Yui’s other hand came across Cecilia’s cheek, still sore from the fight.

Yui: Don’t ask me shit right now. I don’t fucking know. And don’t think that just ‘cause I’m not killing your sorry ass doesn’t mean we’re on speaking terms. Not yet.

Cecilia: (As Yui finished cleansing Cecilia’s Soul Gem, she sat up, and Yui took a couple steps back.) …I don’t… understand.

Yui: Yeah? Welcome to the fucking club. Now you know how all of us feel whenever you open your fucking mouth. And how it’s been, ever since you conned me into this line of work. Every… every goddamn time you said or did anything, it was some shitty scheme, some machination, some fucking Conductor bullshit. And us peons below you were just meant to dance to your tune in the fucking dark. So yeah, Cecilia, welcome to the fucking club.

Cecilia: I— 

She thought to try and explain herself. But Cecilia Ambrosi knew Yui far too well to know how that would end. This wasn’t what she needed right now. What either of them needed. Revenge was never the answer. It wasn’t right, anyway. Cecilia losing her eye was the revenge. So what was the point of it all? Why did Kiwako lead her back this way, if this was the result? If this was always going to be the result? Of course, Cecilia and Yui knew the answer before it all began.

Cecilia: So then… what happens now? Since… since you do not seem intent on killing me, yet I could not give you what you need.

Yui: Easy part is, I find someone who can. Downside is, that’s also the hard part. …Was really kinda hopin’ it’d be you, though. Making things right when I pull my head out of my ass is gonna be way more awkward now.

Cecilia: (She rose to her feet, brushing dust and debris off of her outfit as it mended itself.) …You don’t need someone to fight you, Yui. Not if you already know what you’re doing wrong.

Yui: Yeah, I do, though. I need someone strong enough to knock the sense into me. I’ve tried, Cecilia. I fucking tried to just… get over it all organically. Naturally. (Fresh tears ran down her cheeks) But… you oughta know that ain’t how it works for people like us. The other half, she gets a vote, too. An’ I’m too close to her right now to listen to reason. ‘Specially when it still hurts like a fucking bitch. No matter how much time has passed… it still…

Cecilia briefly reaches her arm out, then lowers it. She knows, of course. She knows all too well what Yui is talking about. Micaela was the reason Cecilia shattered her soul in the first place, after all.

Cecilia: …I guess it’s meaningless to apologize, then?

Yui: ‘Course not. But I’m not accepting it, not yet. I’m not there yet. (Yui looked up into the sky, rain running down her cheeks) …Looks like I gotta fall down a little bit further ‘fore I can pick myself back up.

Cecilia: …I’m sorry, Yui. For everything. …When you find what you’re looking for—

Yui: I’ll come find you, yeah. We can talk it out. But… please, just… stay the fuck away from me until then, okay? You had to have heard them, right? During all that? That’s what happens when we get too close while I’m like this. Neither of us can risk goin’ back.

Cecilia: (She merely nods, arms still shaking from the damage she took.) …If that is what you need.

Yui: (As Yui steps out of the collapsed wooden rubble, she turns her head just enough to glance back.) …I meant what I said. No more “Oracle” shit. Ever the fuck again, okay? 

Cecilia: …I can’t heal it, Yui. The eye you took. I can’t make it come back. I still cannot see… even now.

Yui: …I told you. I shot at the part of your soul that linked to mine. When I’m not hurting anymore, you’ll be able to see again. Now… When you can, you either keep it all to yourself, or you cut us in. Am I clear?

Cecilia: (After a moment, she nods, her robe reforming around herself, hood over her head.) …Crystal.

As Yui leaves the now fully destroyed Il Teatro, she mounts her motorcycle, which somehow managed to avoid any damage from the demolition, and rides away, completely unaware of another pair of eyes watching her from the shadows. A large puddle outside the theater swirls and coalesces, and Shinju rises out of it.

Shinju: (She shakes her head) Even worse than I thought…