“Why did you help us?” Reiku aggressively turns his attention to Ms Eeve and walks over to her.

“I don't have to explain myself to you,” Ms Eeve looks away.

“Your guards nearly killed us all,”

“I didn't tell them to fire!” She gets defensive, yelling at Reiku before realizing it makes her look worse, “I’m not the monster you think I am,”

“Then why?” He grunts again.

“I…” She stammers. She’d rather not say, but she also doesn't quite know. “I don't know… When I saw the myst coming I just wanted to get to Jan and Chelsea,”

Ms Eeve has seen the myst a handful of times throughout her life. These days it's quite rare to see somebody consumed by it- until now, she hadn't realized she’d never seen anyone die to the myst before.

River City has some of the most adept methods of predicting and preventing the myst. For starters, all structures within the city are designed to restrict the entry of any gasses through the use of thin sheets of metal placed between the wooden structures. This was one of Reiku’s innovations that reduced the risk of the myst drastically.

Now that she’s seen the myst devour the lives of its prey, she can't help but relate the gruesome sight of bodies deteriorating into a black smoke to Kita. To the soulless, who remove a similar smoke from the bodies of their victims.

She glares out the window of the motel with shock-filled eyes as she watches the last remnants of what was once life, slowly fade into the distance- Streaking to the heart of the myst.

“Her magic is of the same nature,” Reiku says as his eyes scan beyond the window.

“I should have realized,” Ms Eeve says, dropping her eyes in contemplation of its meaning.

Did the myst take Kita’s soul? How did she survive it? Ms Eeve looks back out the window, replaying the myst in her mind before concluding how unlikely that would be- The myst consumed them in their entirety. Both from the inside and out.

She looks over at Kita, lying on a display table at the far end of the lobby. Breathing heavily and sweating profusely as the wound in her chest slowly heals.

“That isn't avelahi’m,” Kita mumbles under the breath of her dreams.

Dreaming must be a function of the mind then, Ms Eeve curiously observes. What does it mean for the body to exist without a soul? On the outside, it seems as though Kita hasn't lost much of her biological humanity. She still feels pain, or presumably any other human emotion. But she does struggle to reconcile them with reason- morality doesn't come so easily to her. Something that Ms Eeve can relate to.

Avelahi’m, Ms Eeve’s mind echoes.

“Do you think she’ll be okay?” Jan asks, waking up from his nap and watching Kita’s hesitant breathing.

“She’ll be fine,” Ms Eeve scoffs, “This one didn't even kill her,”

“I didn't think she would come for me,” Jan sighs, hugging his legs. “I didn't know people wanted to kill her,”

“I bet she didn't know either,”

“Do you think she’s been alive for a long time?” Jan’s curiosity awakens, “If she doesn't die, then-”

Ms Eeve looks over to Jan, briefly wondering why he’s so invested in Kita. But, she can't help but smile at his curiosity- it very much reminds her of herself. Always asking questions.

“That’s an interesting question,” She responds, putting an arm around Jan’s shoulders and bringing him close, “I think she’s been alive for a very long time,”

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“Will that happen to me?” Jan asks.

“Do you want it to?” Ms Eeve returns the question.

“Mmm,” Jan mumbles, “Not really. I don't think I’m as strong as Kita,”

“What if you're stronger?” Ms Eeve nudges him, “Then would you want to live forever?”

“I don't know,” He sighs, “Forever is a long time,”

“You know, many people say that they would like to live forever because they fear death. Surprisingly enough, it's usually the wealthy who seek it out,”

“Why?” Jan asks.

“Well, life has good moments and bad moments, right?”

“Yeah,” Jan nods.

“And when the good moments happen, you don't want them to stop, right?”

“Right,”

“So if your whole life is filled with good moments, why would you want it to end?”

“Is that why you want to live forever?”

“Good question,” She sighs, looking over at Kita. “Not quite. I want to do my research for as long as possible,”

“You want to live forever so you can do science?” Chelsea asks.

“Exactly,” Ms Eeve winks.

“And you would hurt these children to do so?”

“Again, I am not a monster. I would not hurt them,”

“Excuse me if I have trouble believing a thing you say,” Reiku shrugs, “But some people are monsters because they idly sit by whilst they allow others to harm the innocent. The weak,”

Ms Eeve looks at the ground, then at Jan and Chelsea. She has hurt people, on many occasions- just because they aren't children doesn't make it any less devious.

She's well aware of that, and doesn't regret it. Morality limits research. And in a world where law nearly doesn't exist, why should she conform to morality if it reduces the factors of success?

To a logical mind such as hers, it’s foolish. But, she’s smart enough to understand why many people see it as wrong.

“Do you know how I came to be the scientist I am today?”

“Born into wealth,” Reiku sighs, “Spent your childhood reading,”

“You’d think,” Ms Eeve chuckles, “I wasn't always a spoilt brat,”

She notices Reiku fold his arms and shift his body to face her, but she still can't bring herself to look him in the eyes and it somewhat bothers her. Am I seeking his approval?

“I’m an orphan from a city that no longer exists,” She says, “I can't remember its name, but I used to collect mud for the agri-farm and would often spend most of my days a few kilometres outside of the city. I think I was about seven years old when I was on a mountainside and watched the myst sweep through it. Looking back, I guess I was lucky… I was far enough to avoid the myst when it rolled through... In the blink of an eye, I was homeless for a second time. But it was a decrepit place, a cesspool. It's better off lying amongst the dirt,”

She leans back against the wall for Jan and Chelsea to snuggle closer to her and more comfortably. They're both tired and struggling to keep their eyes open- which is for the best considering it's been a long day.

“I walked aimlessly for what must have been over three hundred miles, hungry… Thirsty. I ate the mud I had collected for what little water I might get out of it. Foolish, I know- but it may have been what kept me alive. When I first saw River City I thought it was a mirage. I couldn't believe my eyes until I felt the River water flowing between my fingers. When I entered the city, there was no level zero for the unfortunate to commune together. No great leader vouching for our protection. So, I slept on the streets- In alleyways whenever the guards didn't catch me, and when they did I slept on the dirt outside the city. Hoping the myst wouldn't come.”

“Mmm,” Reiku shifts in his seat before nodding in understanding, “You had a tough past,”

“Living in this place taught me that there is no empathy in this world. No one will reach a hand to me and offer a way out. I had to make my own,” She snarls at her memories.

So many hungry nights. The river kept her alive even though it isn't ideal to drink- It still worries her to this day, which is why it may be a subconscious drive for her pursuit of immortality. But she avoids the thoughts that don't truly matter.

“And yet, you extended one today,” He says, “Maybe I misjudged you, but I am forgiving. We will see what Kita thinks when she wakes up,”

“She might just kill me in my sleep,” Ms Eeve chuckles.

“She is a strange one... There is a darkness fighting against the light within her,” He says, “It is a battle I am afraid she may lose,”

“You think so?” Ms Eeve asks.

“She is clearly a wanderer. Lost- Despite how well she pretends to have it under control,”

“Her powers?”

“No. Her mind,”