As Kita and Caity make their way down to level two in Ms Eeve's elevator, Kita retreats to her thoughts, to avoid focusing on the thought of dying in a steel cage. The feeling of responsibility for Jan and Starlet is the first thing that occurs to her. The presence of other soulless people is unfamiliar to her memories, and knowing there are others like her is both a comfort and a concern.

After Dia copied the spell to push Kita away, the first thought that crossed her mind was that she had never experienced being on the receiving end of her magic- which is much stronger than she ever acknowledged.

She knows she isn't the best example of someone responsibly using these powers, but at least she thinks freely. At least she is choosing how she uses them, rather than being a puppet that is willingly controlled by a gangster, simply because they give you food and a place to stay.

"You think you're free?" A familiar voice echoes in Kita's mind.

Kita's head turns to Caity, briefly wondering if the voice belongs to her, but Caity's eyes are fixed on the descending digits of the elevator.

What? Kita asks herself.

"You heard me," The voice rings.

Why aren't I free?

"Is anyone truly free?" The voice ponders, "Trauma, burdens, love, hate. Emotions trap all of you pests into very predictable patterns,"

"Who are you?" Kita asks aloud.

"Who are you?" Kita's voice echoes back before she can feel the presence disappearing.

"What?" Caity asks when Kita notices Caity peering over.

"Nothing,"

"Who were you talking to?" Caity asks.

"I don't know,"

Caity squints her purple eyes at Kita, trying to get a read on her emotions but Kita avoids eye contact and crosses her arms in frustration. It's not Caity that has her bothered, although she'd be lying to say she isn't still upset, but she's frustrated at the voice. The feeling the voice came with and the audacity to claim she's a shackled pest.

It must be the dark one. Her mind scoffs. Of course the dark one is still here. Kita had nearly forgotten that she'd seen him occupying Jan's soul as a vessel.

"You spend a lot of time talking to yourself," Caity says, still peering at Kita.

"There's a lot to talk about," Kita says, crossing her arms.

"Like?" Caity asks.

"Don't worry about it,"

"I think we should keep telling each other everything," Caity says, "Keep the ball rolling,"

Kita sighs, knowing it's a fair point but feeling uncomfortable about it, "I don't know who I was talking to," Kita mumbles, "I think it was the dark one,"

Caity looks at Kita with uncertainty before taking a brief moment to think, "What'd he say?"

"A bunch of bullshit," Kita scoffs, talking to the air with hopes that the dark one heard.

Caity says nothing, and sees straight through Kita's response before repeating, "What'd he say?"

"He'd said that I'm not free," She rolls her eyes, "That us pests are all trapped in predictable patterns,"

"Hmm," Caity grunts, taking a moment to think as she runs a finger through her golden hair. "Do you think you're free?"

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Kita sighs at her now apparent uncertainty before responding, "I don't know,"

"No matter what I do, or what I think I should do. I could never stop thinking about you, or wanting to be with you," Caity says before smiling, "I think we are free. But I also think we aren't,"

Like the answer to a test, Caity's words give Kita an understanding she didn't realize she was looking for, "So you're a philosopher all of a sudden?"

Caity chuckles before winking, "I've always been one,"

The elevator pings loudly as the steel cage halts, and the doors open to reveal Ms Eeve's once tidy and organized lab. But as they step into it, their feet crunch against the glass and plants scattered across the floor.

Kita and Caity briefly glance at one another before slowly creeping across the lab, trying to make as little sound as possible. As they pass through, Caity notices a toppled plant on one of the tables, "Yes!" She whispers excitedly.

"What?" Kita whispers.

"I ran out of this stuff," She says before cracking off one of the plant's stems and showing a leaf in her mouth, "Mmmm," She sighs with relief, rolling her eyes back.

"What is that stuff?" Kita asks.

"No idea, but it's delicious" Caity says, "Chevo orders it from Ms Eeve all the time,"

"I think you might be an addict,"

"I'm definitely an addict,"

The loud shattering of glass grabs their attention as they look to the source of the sound- the door leading into the main store. They both glance at one another before silently approaching.

Kita slowly slides the door open, and immediately notices Ms Eeve smashing the jar with the rose inside of it.

"Fucking waste!" She yells out as she throws another jar to the floor.

Kita scans the rest of the store to confirm that Ms Eeve is alone before she steps through the door, "Throwing a tantrum?"

Ms Eeve momentarily panics before turning to see Kita, "You," Her expression shifts to one of anger, "You're a monster,"

"Took you long enough," Kita grins, "What brought you to your senses?"

"All of it, all of this was a waste!" Ms Eeve says, gesturing to the floor of trampled flowers.

"Why's that?" Caity asks, stepping beside Kita.

"I tested it," Ms Eeve grunts, "No matter what I did, all it could do is heal minor injuries,"

"What are you talking about?" Kita raises an eyebrow.

"The pill, you idiot," Ms Eeve snaps, "It isn't immortality at all,"

"So?"

"I thought healing illness was good enough but I never would have guessed that true immortality is possible," Ms Eeve mumbles to herself as she paces the store.

"It's still just healing," Kita scoffs, "Requires a lot of souls,"

"I tested hundreds of souls on disposables," Ms Eeve sighs, "A bullet to the head always guaranteed death,"

"Really?" Kita asks, genuinely surprised.

"Yes, but you… You recovered from a headshot in all of what? Three hours?"

"I guess your research just isn't good enough," Caity says.

"You're quite right," Ms Eeve admits, "I'll have to go back to the drawing board,"

"Won't it be tougher having destroyed all of your flowers?" Caity asks, looking at the colourful floor.

"I have seeds for them all," Ms Eeve reassures, "I just needed to vent my frustrations,"

"You still have those immortality pills?" Kita asks.

Ms Eeve shakes her head, "I've thrown out all of the ones in this lab," She then raises a finger and starts patting down her pockets, "But I do have one on me," She removes the pill filled with black myst and stars glistening within it before tossing it to Kita. "I'll be throwing the others out as well,"

"Why?" Kita asks, glancing at the pill in her hand.

"They aren't good enough," She scoffs, "Not until they are truly pills of immortality,"

"If it makes you feel any better, they are pills of immortality for me," Kita winks.

"Not good enough," Ms Eeve scoffs, "Please leave my store,"

"Gladly," Kita replies before Caity and her shuffle past Ms Eeve.

"Protect Jan and Starlet, will you," Ms Eeve adds without looking at either of them, "I've come to realize that I care for those demons more than I'd like to admit,"

"You'll never see them again," Kita rolls her eyes.

"That's for the best," Ms Eeve nods, "I hate to imagine what I'd do to them in my pursuit of immortality,"

A flurry of heavy boots match past Ms Eeve's storefront followed by the commotion of passersby. Kita opens the front door to see a series of guards approaching a conflict at the end of the hall. In the distance, Kita can see blue hair shifting side to side before colliding with various people.

"Is that…" Kita mumbles before the guards surround the altercation and She notices Raya standing in the middle of it.

"Raya!" Kita yells as she darts out of Ms Eeve's store.