Cecilia stood in silence as the waves crashed upon the shore nearby. She was staring blankly at her sapphire-colored Soul Gem. Kiwako could be heard making impatient little noises as she bounded around the beach, pacing and otherwise acting her appeared age. Cecilia’s mind was clouded with thoughts she could not pin down, visions she could not see, and uncertainty about everything. “…I’ve been here for hours, Kiwako.”

“Kiwa-chan…”

“…and I feel no closer to communing with my Witch than I was when I arrived.”

“You’re still afraid! Cece-chan… you can’t be afraid of your Witch forever! Just ’cause you were an Angel once doesn’t mean you’re gonna be that again just by meeting her!”

“I know that. Logically, I know that.”

“Then what’re you waiting for?”

Cecilia sighed. “It’s not a logical process that keeps me, Kiwa-chan. You… couldn’t possibly know what it was like as an Angel. My time in that state was… quite brief. But I heard her voice. Constantly. That damned voice, urging chaos and destruction.”

“Are all Angels like that, Cece-chan?”

“We… we are– …were… creatures with the cognitive function of a human and magical girl, capable of complex thought. But with the impulse and full breadth of negative emotions of being a Witch.” As Cecilia talked, she closed her eyes, though two eye-like symbols began to glow on her eyelids. “The urge to reduce everything to nothing, and the means to make that real. It’s… terrifying.”

“For the other Angels, it was different, wasn’t it?”

“The means, sure. For Yui, it was base instinct. Her Witch wanted to fight, so as an Angel, she didn’t necessarily take the steps to bring true destruction. She was not in the form for very long, and her Witch was quite satisfied when it died. For Kae, she was avenging herself, in a way. Melania wanted to avenge her own death and time serving The Conductors, and Katherine lamented her sister’s fate. Anisa, on the other hand…”

“Was she the scariest of the Angels?”

“Aside me? Yes, definitely. She was more sadistic, in that she mourned a lost love that she could never have. And like me, she had made a forbidden wish to know more than any mortal ever should. Unlike me, her suicide did not break her soul, so she came back… more vicious than I ever could have.”

“But Yui wished you back, didn’t she?”

“I did not merely die. My soul was quite literally shattered. I knew how to do it because of my wish. I also knew how my brother would react, and even the very hour upon which I would be resurrected. In that time, my soul began to recover from the trauma of my wish, mostly thanks to Yui. As a result, I have the benefits of my sight without the fear of losing myself to my Witch half.”

“You’re pretty strong, Cece-chan.”

Cecilia’s trance was broken as she took a deep breath, with Kiwako letting out a groan. “Damn it, Cece-chan! You were really close that time! You gotta follow those feelings where they lead, and not think too much about it! Otherwise, you’re never gonna be able to deal with–“

A third voice interrupted as a tall, slender girl with long, brown hair, held up in a ponytail walked towards the duo. “Me, right?” The girl leant a bit to the side, her hand on her hip. “This’s your muscle, Kiwa-chan?”

“H…Hello, Yoko-chan.”

“Maeda Yoko. My name is Cecilia Ambrosi. You’re with the Coven, I presume?”

“Presume? You already know what little Kiwa-chan told you! You’re bad at this.”

Cecilia sighed, lowering her hood and summoning a silver staff into her hand. “Fine. What is the ‘ideal world’, and what is your group’s ultimate goal with it?”

“Now you’re askin’ some real questions.” In a bright yellow flash, Yoko transformed, donning a long, slender, golden tracksuit, her hands adorned with two gold tekko. “But first, let’s have us a little race…”, her eyes dim and a dark, shadowy aura took hold around her as she continues, “…right here down Miracle Beach.”

From Yoko’s body, the shadows took shape into a short, humanoid tortoise, growing in size until it eclipsed her. “I’ll even give you a head start”, Yoko’s now-distorted voice echoed from the Witch before Cecilia.

“I’m not one for racing. However… I will have my answers.” She assumed a pose, her staff held ready in both hands.

“Oho. This one’s got some guts, Kiwa-chan! Alright, fine! We’ll do it your way, missy!” The tortoise-like Witch lunged towards Cecilia.