The next day, Alice is sitting in her usual spot in Mitakihara University’s cafeteria, her guitar in its bag leaning as it leans against the table. Reading a book, she takes a sip from her diet soda before noticing a slightly befuddled looking friend wiping some snow off her coat as she enters.

Yuzuki: Sheesh, even the services that salt the sidewalks haven’t gotten back yet… People slipping and falling everywhere. 

Alice: I’ve never liked snow. It’s never the way it is in movies.

Yuzuki: White Christmases are still okay…! 

Alice: Can’t say I remember ever having one. And that when Mama takes Christmas way more seriously than most people over here do.

Yuzuki: Yes, I hear in America, Christmas is a really important holiday. It’s mostly for hanging out with a boyfriend over here in Japan… 

Alice: Is that resentment I hear, prez?

Yuzuki: I heard about the American version from Captain Hayama and it sounds better, honestly. Well, not the super capitalist buying spree, but… you know. 

Alice: Oh, I know — Yui’s got a collection of smarmy American movies she’d love to show you.

Yuzuki: Christmas movies? That doesn’t seem very up her alley… 

Alice: Well, she calls them Christmas movies because they’re set during the holidays. I dunno if anyone would agree.

Yuzuki: … oh, it’s Die Hard, isn’t it. 

Alice: Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker… (she sighs) I guess this was the first Christmas we didn’t watch that one together. Don’t know what you have until it’s gone, huh?

Yuzuki: Y-yeah, I guess it’s been pretty busy, huh… 

Alice: It… (she chuckles bitterly) It doesn’t have to be. She chooses it to be this way. It’s… Remember she explicitly didn’t want to be in charge back when Takahata called that vote? And now it seems as if she has all the answers. Or at least, wants to seem like she does.

Yuzuki: Y-yes, she broke some young girl’s arm the other day… I told her to ease off, but… 

Alice: It’s that, and the whole… like, she keeps talking to me about these girls and psychoanalyzing them as if she knows them so well, and how to deal with them, and it just rubs me the wrong way. Plus, there’s the whole messing around with the Soul Lantern thing. She’s desperate for control.

Yuzuki: Y-yes, in my psych classes, it’s almost a joke how much it’d be considered poor form to psychoanalyze your friends and acquaintances… what’s she doing with that old lantern now? Colère-san doesn’t have it back? 

Alice: Experimenting, I guess? She was able to heal my shoulder, but… Well, you know what that thing is meant to do, right? I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but… It doesn’t seem right.

Yuzuki: Honestly, a lot of Conductors stuff I have a hard time remembering… maybe I’m just not used to all the foreigners’ names involved. 

Alice: Heh… I don’t blame you. The Soul Lantern is what Yui used to bring Cecilia back to life. So, I’m assuming…

Yuzuki: Yeah, I remember that. … At least, as far as she bothered explaining it to me.

Alice: She wants to bring Mei back to life. I.. know she does, and honestly, I can’t blame her. There’s no reason why she shouldn’t try. But when she resurrected Cecilia, she had a spare body on hand — a body without a Soul… Where’s she gonna find one of these? It just…  worries me.

Yuzuki: (She runs a hand through her hair) It’s too bad none of those Balancer people left behind anything usable like that… 

Alice: Except… Yui seemed convinced she could use her magic to undo Shiori’s wish… What if she could manipulate souls to such a degree? Wouldn’t she be able to rip someone’s soul out of their body entirely?

Yuzuki: (She furrows her brow in concern) Let’s… hope not… us Puellae, though, our souls are already out of our body. All she’d have to do is take a Soul Gem far away from its owner… 

Alice: F-Fair point… But… I dunno, is that why she’s antagonizing this Tomomi girl? To justify… incapacitating her in the end?

Yuzuki: N-nobody but her would accept that! She’s been comparing Tomomi to that bully the younger Puellae had to deal with, but I don’t know… 

Alice: Yeah… I’m not sure — It feels bad to think of her like this but… (she sighs) I don’t want her to be playing God.

From outside the cafeteria, a familiar figure in dark clothing could be seen, hands in her pockets as she strides across the walkway between buildings. Her head is down, but from the window, it could easily be seen that her eyes were red, cheek still puffy. She’s stopped by the Music Production and Engineering teacher.

Yui: …Sensei. What’s up?

Sakagawa: I’m surprised you still recognize me, Arashi.

Yui: I typically don’t forget a face. Anyway, came by to remind staff I still exist. Ain’t dropped out yet.

Sakagawa: (he sighs) You do know attending university generally involves more than just showing up once in a while, right?

Yui: Yeah, I know. (She sniffles) Funeral tour made that kind of hard. Made it hard to get outta bed, some mornings. Y’know, since half the city burned to the ground and all that.

Sakagawa: There’s… people on campus who you can talk to, you know that, right?

Yui: Grief works different for some. Some people just… shut down for a while. ‘Specially when the subject of that grief hit closer to home than you thought.

Sakagawa: I’m sorry to hear that, Arashi. But I can understand that… expressing yourself may not be your top priority at the moment. Might be best not to inconvenience faculty too much if you’re not planning on coming back until next year, though.

Yui: …I appreciate the concern for the faculty. Apologies for the inconvenience of the deaths of some of my closest friends during that attack and blockade of Mitakihara. But I’m moving forward. Part of the healing process is at the very least finishing out this year.

Sakagawa: … I didn’t mean to— I meant, for your sake. It can’t be pleasant to be threatened with failing grades every week when you’re grieving. I—(he sighs) Sorry. I’m glad to hear that… you’re trying to— I know people have been concerned about you. But it’s none of my business.

Yui: (she’s quiet for a long moment, finally speaking just above a whisper) … No, it’s okay. You’re just doing your job. For what it’s worth, I guess I should thank you. Autopilot is a step up from doing nothing, I guess. 

Sakagawa: … Lemme know if you need some tutoring, okay? I’ve got a few gaps in my schedule.

Yui: …Just give it to me straight, teach. There a path where I don’t flunk out? Besides showing up every single day.

Sakagawa: Well, I can’t speak for all of your subjects, of course, but when it comes to mine, it’s passing the exam that counts. Attending lectures is just a way of getting there more easily.

Yui: A’ight, that’s not so bad. …Thanks. (With the most subtle gesture resembling a nod imaginable, she begins to walk away)

Yuzuki: Ah! There she is. (She gets to her feet) I-I’m going to go after her. I had something I wanted to talk to her about… (Yuzuki leaves quickly, running outside to catch up to Yui) Yui! 

Yui: (Not even watching Sakagawa walk the other way, Yui stops upon hearing her name. She turns her head towards Yuzu, attempting and failing a cordial smile.) Ah, hey, Yuzu. What’s up?

Yuzuki: (Carefully, while she negotiates some snow and ice on the sidewalk) You’re… you’re back at school. 

Yui: (She sniffles again, wiping her eyes somewhat hastily) Guess I am, yeah.

Yuzuki: Have, um, things been going better at the gym? With Tomomi and all of them. 

Yui: (Yui looks around, confirming that they’re alone in the area before she answers in a soft voice.) Tomomi brought a friend from Hokkaido this week. Pulled the usual crap about wanting to one-up me. Seia fought and beat her in a spar, and she got pissed and left. …Seia’s got a wicked-strong power that I dunno how to deal with properly.

Yuzuki: Seia… I don’t think we’ve met. She’s not… getting aggressive, like Tomomi, right?

Yui: Nah. Seia and Ayumi— that is, the little mousey girl Tomomi brought with her— are getting on just fine. Ayumi’s hanging on my every word, a habit I’m gonna have to break someday, and Seia’s becomin’ a natural with all this.

Yuzuki: I see… so it’s just Tomomi who’s being a problem? And bringing in backup? 

Yui: Yup. Can see her plan comin’ a mile away, too. Ten-to-one she brings another Hokkaido girl by in the next couple weeks. Newest girl’s hostile, but cautious. Not the type to pick a fight she can’t win. 

Yuzuki: Um… it sounds like you’re planning on fighting them all, if you put it like that… 

Yui: Well… I’m no John McClane, and I’m not planning on anything crazy. But I’m preparing myself just in case I’m right about this Tomomi chick. If I’m wrong, then I’m just an asshole hardass teacher. But if I’m right, and I don’t prepare, someone else might get hurt in the crossfire. …I don’t want anyone else to get hurt in the crossfire.

Yuzuki: Well… I’m not sure being an “asshole hardass teacher” is a good goal either… 

Yui: Maybe not. But I have two cases where my methods are working. Just, y’know, one emerald, katana-wielding wrench in the gears.

Yuzuki: K-Katana-wielding? Not me, right? 

Yui: What? No, Tomomi. She’s got this emerald motif, including her katana.

Yuzuki: Y-yes, I didn’t think so, I just… wanted to make sure. 

Yui: You’re like… the opposite of an obstacle. You’re out here tryin’ to keep me on the straight and narrow. ‘Least, that’s what I figured you stopped me out here to do. (She glances back at Yuzuki, eyes very briefly sparking violet) …I’m not gonna throw punches for speakin’ your mind, Yuzu. You can say whatever it is you wanna say to me.

Yuzuki: (She laces her fingers together, looking down and off to the side) … When Toi came back to us… nobody really seemed surprised but me. You… with your Conductor connections and those Sparrows, you have access to a lot more information than the rest of us, so… (She glances at Yui) I wanted to know if you already knew.

Yui: …They’re more like “Crows” but— …Right, yeah, let’s not deflect. (She closes her eyes with a heavy sigh) …Anisa Nobunaga ran the Sixth Bureau under a pseudonym. We already knew that. Well, I didn’t, because I’m fuckin’ stupid, but that’s besides the point. Toi Kanashimi was her… second-in-command, I guess. I don’t remember when I found out… and like, I could sit here and say “we had bigger fish to fry” or some shit, but… (She turns to face Yuzuki, not avoiding her gaze at all) …I should’ve told you. But I didn’t. I’m sorry, simple as that.

Yuzuki: (Her hands clench together, turning white) … Why? When you know how important she is to me… 

Yui: There was a lot going on at the time. Trying to stop that amalgamate Witch, the Balancers, all of it. Shitty excuse, I know, but… 

Yuzuki: All the way since Aoi did her thing, huh… 

Yui: I don’t remember, specifically when I found out. But around the time I found out Shinobu Nagano was Anisa, something like that.

Yuzuki: That, too… that’s Anisa we’re talking about, Yui. Is there still something I don’t know? 

Yui: Far as I know, that’s the lot of it. I can’t think of anything else that slipped your radar, anyway. But I suck at this, so if there is, just like… well, I’m an open book, as far as you’re concerned.

Yuzuki: … What else would I want to know about besides Toi? 

Yui: Man… thinking was never my strong suit, even without grieving Mei’s death… I genuinely don’t know. 

Yuzuki: (She sighs) She’s still doing okay in the Dreamscape, right? 

Yui: (Only now does she look away from Yuzuki) …Yeah. 

Yuzuki: Have you been thinking about some way for her to be alive out here again, as well…? 

Yui: Man… I dunno. It’d be nice, sure, but like… I just… (she just shakes her head) …I dunno how to put words behind it. If I wasn’t already trapped in a glass egg, you bet I’d find that fuckin’ cat and make that wish right now, even knowing what I know now. …But the last time I did that, bringin’ someone back… (She trails off, her own hand curling into a tight fist.)

Yuzuki: Cecilia? What’s wrong with Cecilia?

Yui: …I know I literally just said I was an open book for you, but… I really don’t wanna talk about it.

Yuzuki: (Her voice suddenly harsh) Please don’t tell me she secretly died during the Balancers and you haven’t told anyone. 

Yui: No, nothin’ like that. If she had, I wouldn’t just be cryin’ over Mei here. It’s… personal.

Yuzuki: Where is she, anyway? I haven’t seen her since… the Balancers thing started. Is she on another of her soul-searching journeys? 

Yui: (Her tightly coiled fist is visibly shaking) …No fuckin’ idea.

Yuzuki: (With a flick of her eyes, it’s clear Yuzuki has noticed. Her own hands clench again.) Well… I guess I have my own business to take care of, now that Toi is back, too…  

Yui: (She begins to relax) …Gone to see her yet? Catch up, all that jazz?

Yuzuki: Y-yeah. Got her to contact Emiri over in Hokkaido, too. 

Yui: That’s where ol’ Sunshine went? She doin’ okay?

Yuzuki: Yeah, she’s studying botany. That’s Japan’s premiere university for it, after all.

Yui: (She just nods, and eventually, regains her composure) A’ight. Look… if you need anything, hit me up. That includes punchin’ me in the head for keeping secrets, or tellin’ me I suck as a coach. ‘Kay?

Yuzuki: Punching people in the head really isn’t me… 

Yui: Wouldn’t hold it against ya if ya did. (She shrugs, turning with a little wave.) Later.