“Well, that is it then”, says Will, finalizing the things he would need on a long journey. Clicking in the locks of his large suitcase, “Come to think of it, we would need a pass to Russia, no?”, he says, holding the suitcase with both of his hands in front of him. Pouring water in her cup, “Usually, no, but we are going on a prolonged journey, across the whole country, so we should get one”, sipping from the cup, “Even so, we would need a plausible reason for the pass; the embassy would not lend us a free pass across another country cheaply”, says San. Dialing up Johann, “Artisans have a privilege which they have an annual pardon of travels to other countries. It is a tradition which held since the middle-ages and, if I remember correctly, Johann has a good tie with Danzig’s Artisans’ Association”, says Will as the other end picks up the phone. “Why haven’t you picked my calls? Where the hell are you? Who the hell did you send, Mr. Hennessy!”, says Li, panic and frustration eminent in his voice. Clearing his voice, “Calm down, mate. I sent Yuki to tell that San and I were at my house so we would be late in the evening. We will now go to San’s hotel to pick her stuff as I have collected all of mine. And for the phone calls… I have been completely deaf to it since I left the bakery”, says Will. A faint clatter could be heard as Li ran down the stairs, delivering the phone to Johann. Clearing his throat, “Where have you been, why haven’t you picked up Li’s calls and who the hell did you send down to me?”, asks Johann, almost mirroring Li’s questions. Laughing, “You trained your apprentice well, my friend. Even in the span of only 2 days, he has adopted your timidness as well as your tidiness. Ask him about it, will you? Alas, why were you calling me before the supposed rendezvous?”, says Will, leaning on the cupboard of his kitchen.

Walking out from Will’s apartment, “Eh~ Well, at least you are alright. So, from what I could understand, when you and Li were collecting mana into the power banks, Yuki came into your bakery unnoticed, greeted you both and made the device weightless. Then, about when you gave Yuki some mocha to talk, some guy named Alrick Carnation came into your territory and shot you in your lower left side. And now, he is dangling from the ceiling of your storefront by string that Yuki made from her mana. And what do you mean about Yuki’s intentions? She has been with me since that time – since San disappeared – and so, she rode alongside me for the most of her life. To my knowledge, she has never been a nuisance to me or the people around her at the time so if you will, I would like to get her along the journey”, says Will to Johann.

In the bakery, in her cat form, Yuki is playing with a ball of yarn, made completely out of mana. “So, what you are saying is, we would have another mouth to feed on the long journey that would take us at least a couple of weeks? Even if we manage her in a logistical sense, she would hinder our ability to go covertly across a country, known for discriminating Mythos Sapiens, I remind you”, says Johann, as Li cuts the conversation. Tapping the table next to where Johann sat, “From what I could perceive, her mana is the same as yours and mine – of humans’. I have hidden my mana since I gained conscience. And, given it is possible for me, who have mana exceeding those who could wipe entire armies, it should be possible for another, more so if the another in question is a Mythos Sapiens”, says Li, whispering to Johann. Shouting from the other end, “And, even if that does not work, Yuki does not need to be logistically accounted for. She does not need sleep or food, she can morph into anything she desires, if it is bigger than the smallest cat and smaller than the biggest human, and she has experience in fighting as well as other, important matters”, says Will in an almost proud tone.

As Will and San go down the street with a suitcase suspended in stasis up in the air while talking to Johann on the phone, “You seem to get it all wrong. I should go with you, in order to help and to monitor you, in case of other, less unfortunate incidents may occur”, says Yuki as a faint shattering noise can be heard in the background.

After the explosion of ’62 and the subsequent desperate attempt at the revival of Cassandra, Will woke up in the hospital, surrounded by nothing but beige wallpaper. As Will did not show any sign of mana proficiency, the hospital deemed him as a lowly nobody and transferred him to the basement room. With his life force greatly reduced and exhausted, his only reaction to his situation was a soft sigh. As he had given up on life at that point, he welcomed his fate as is and waited for his end. But, as he sank into his bed, worn and dirty, “Aye, person, I am here for you. You seem to be so lonely, man. They told me I was a “lunatic”. Not sure what that means. They gave me this cloth to put on and ordered me to get out. Some loud whistlers chased after me and into here so I will now hide from them here. What is your name, man?” said a soft but sharp voice. Tired, even after several days’ sleep, Will could not speak out his thoughts – who the girl was, where did the girl he has been with gone now and where he even was. “I do not know who I am either. So, we are the same, no?”, said the girl but, as she walked away, out to the dark hallway beyond the door frame, she reforms into a familiar shape, of the cat which followed him tirelessly. “Yu-”, he tried to say, but the words just could not escape his mouth. As Will frantically tried to get her to come back, he fell out of his bed, head first.

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Saved just before hitting his face on the concrete floor, “Oh, how good. Wai- how the hell is this…”, said Will as the girl breathed a sigh of relief. “What is your problem, man? I only left for a little bit. Now, stand up. You are heavy”, said the girl. Balancing his body on his hands and getting back up to his bed, “Name is William, by the way. So, you seem to be someone I know. Say, where were you born?”, asked Will. Looking troubled, “I do not know. I do not remember the times before a day ago. I woke up in the middle of this place, outside the door of this room. I went to sleep immediately after. I woke up in the same place today. The people in white cloths said I was a lunatic and gave me this cloth. I got chased when I got out of this place, by a loud bunch. And I am here, now”, said the girl. “And you, your cat form, what is that all about?” asked Will, trying to move his legs. “Cat? What is that? If you mean when I go down to the ground, like this, then I do not know. I just do that”, said the girl, in her cat form, perching atop the struggling Will. “Let me help you with that”, said the girl, wrapping Will’s legs in finely woven mesh and puppeteering them to mimic a walking motion. Standing, “Now release the net. I can now walk on my own”, said Will before falling down to the floor. “I guess people do not go to this room. The white cloth people said this room “is an asylum”. Say, why do you need to walk so badly?” said the girl, offering her hand to the fallen Will.

Kneeling, then weakly standing, “I- There is something I need to make sure of. I do not know if she is either dead or safe. Either way, I need to be at least able to walk, no? Now, tell me, where am I?”, said Will, checking his balance and strength. “I am not able to read. The white cloths said this place was in a lower level. They said you were a good target for testing”, said the girl, looking out through the keyhole of the door. “I cannot open this. Should I cut this with my string, Will?”, she asked, threading a fine wire. “Also, there was this symbol outside this door. An incomplete square and a line”, said Yuki as, “Red cross, blue seal, this beige wallpaper and a cement floor, and this wretched wooden door with a symbol on it. This… This cannot be. I have been escorted to “Gipfel”. Oh~ this is bad. Oh, this is really bad. Leading medicinal occupation, unwavering hospitality and cleanliness. Worst of all, they do not show their foot – the foundation erected upon the souls of the undesirable. Oh, to think I would one day find myself among the unfortunate, ironic. Well, the 51st room is the last of their dungeon, I heard. And there is a window here so it would not be hard to escape, no?”, said Will, stretching his limbs and staring at the air hole viewing into the open.

“San”, said the girl, “You whispered that in your sleep”, she added. “I do not think you would understand… say, did I get your name?”, said Will, heading to the door. “I do not have a name, Will. I do not know whether I am human or not. Come to think of it, I do not even know who you are but I am this close to you. Do you know my name, Will?”, said the girl, following Will to where he was. “You are just like her – just like Yuki. She used to follow us tirelessly, like she was monitoring us. Even in the last moments of us, of San and I, she was there, looking after us. I owe a thank you to her, even, as she led me to her, to my beloved", said Will, reminiscing the moment right before disaster. “Yuki… you said that name was of Japanese origin – Shiro Yuki – meaning White Snow or Snow White. You named me after your once beloved, no? “I think, you, of everyone else, should know how to name someone, Will”, she said as you said the name, if I am remembering correctly”, said the girl, perching atop Will in her cat form.

image [https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GhQWyBsbIAEz4Bx?format=jpg&name=900x900]