The rich smell of roasted coffee beans wafted through the room as Carmen poured four cups of coffee for the others and one for herself, handing a cup to Alice.

“Creams and sugars, Al?”

Alice nodded, trying to make herself comfortable with Rachel's arm still around her waist. “Yes, please. Could you add two creams and two sugars?”

Carmen handed her the cup of coffee with creams and sugars mixed in. “Here you go, sweetheart.”

“Thanks,” Alice responded, taking a sip and enjoying the warmth and taste of the coffee.

Meanwhile, Rachel continued to cling to Alice in her sleep, her slender arm still clutching around her. Alice tried shifting and wiggling once more, but Rachel's grip remained firm.

"...I swear she's going to glue herself to me permanently at this point," she groaned.

Carmen chuckled, watching the scene. "Looks like she's really attached to you, huh? Say, while we wait, how about we discuss something interesting?”

“Interesting? What do you mean by that?”

“Oh, just the…Twilight Fragments in your possession, of course.”

“You mean…?”

Carmen held up two photos of the Twilight Fragments, gauging Alice's reaction.

“Those swords… What are they, anyways…?”

Teigen spoke up first, clearing her throat before speaking, "Ahem... Well, like we said earlier, the Twilight Fragment blades were lost centuries ago, in their respective worlds." She explained patiently, while Naphi and Carmen stood beside her nodding, both with serious expressions.

"You, Alice, and you, Zalgo," she continued, gesturing to each one in turn, "...Are the potential wielders of the blades," she finished, watching their faces for a possible reaction.

Zalgo spoke up first, "And what do you mean by wielding the blades...?" she questioned, a skeptical tone present in her voice.

Carmen chuckled as she responded, "Because the blades choose their wielder based on several aspects, such as will, heart, and their affinity for either the Light or the Darkness," she explained, glancing her gaze between them as she spoke.

Naphi nodded in agreement as she continued off of Carmen's words, "And you, Alice as well, have kind hearts and brave souls. From what I have seen, you are both good candidates." she said with a smile.

Teigen then turned her gaze to Zalgo, studying her for a moment before speaking, “But as for you, young lady, it's a bit harder to tell. From what Noelle told us, you are very...neutral in most aspects. That may be a good thing for the V blade."

“V blade?!” Alice exasperated, her face wrinkling as she blinked.

“Get your cute li'l head outta the gutter, girl.” She said as she chuckled, turning her attention back to Zalgo. She placed her hand on Zalgo's chin, deep in thought for a moment, "You have some Light and Dark influence in you, just not as much as other people. You don't really care for either one of the sides, yes?" she questioned.

Zalgo's body closed up, her eyes averting Teigen's gaze. “...I don't want to talk about it…”

"It's okay," Teigen reassured, lifting her hand from the young woman's face. “I understand. You don’t have to talk about it if you're not comfortable.”

Carmen, standing beside her, nodded in agreement. "We should respect your privacy. If you don’t want to talk about it, we won’t push you to.“

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Alice looked at both of them, grateful for their understanding on Zalgo’s behalf, before turning her attention back to the topic at hand. "So, these Twilight Fragment blades…" she said, trying to steer the conversation back on track. "What makes them so special…? Why are they called fragments, anyway…?”

Carmen and the others exchanged glances, as if silently deciding who should answer the question. Finally, Carmen spoke up again.

"The ‘Twilight Fragments' are blades so powerful and ancient, that legends speak of them across different worlds," she began, her voice taking on a serious tone. "They are called fragments because it is believed they were once one single sword, until it was split into three. The pieces then scattered across various realms and dimensions, becoming lost for centuries."

Carmen's words seemed to echo in the room, as Rachel started to stir and slowly woke up. She looked around groggily, her magentas adjusting to the light.

She noticed that she had been clinging tightly to Alice, her arm wrapped around the young girl's waist. Slowly, she loosened her grip, realizing she must have been holding on to her in her sleep. She gave a sheepish smile, somewhat embarrassed by her clingy behavior.

"Mmph... H-how long have I been holding onto you? Sorry…" she muttered.

Alice gave Rachel an awkward chuckle, her eyes sparkling as she replied, “You’ve been holding onto me ever since you passed out last night. You have quite a grip, you know that?”

Rachel groaned, her cheeks flushing a light shade of pink in embarrassment. She pulled away and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, stretching out her limbs as she sat up. "Really…? Gosh, I'm sorry about that. I didn’t realize I was being such a koala. I didn’t hurt you, did I...?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

Alice gave her a soft smile, shaking her head. "Don't worry about it. I'm fine," she reassured Rachel.

…That's definitely Kairy speaking through her, empathetic as she is, Rachel thought before focusing back on Alice. “Good… So anyways…where are Blair and the others? And who are these three?” she asked, looking up at Carmen, Teigen and Naphi.

Carmen smiled politely and crossed her arms. “Oh, that’s right, you were asleep before we introduced… Well, I’m Carmen, and these are my partners, Teigen and Naphi.”

Teigen smirked and gave a wave, while Naphi simply nodded with a small smile.

Rachel nodded, studying each of them for a moment. "Nice to meet you all," she said, her voice still a bit groggy from sleep.

"Likewise," Carmen replied with a warm smile.

“Oh, and as for your other friends…” Naphi said. “Noelle took them back to Celeste after Zilla brought all you guys here. The two woke up before you, and agreed to stay with Celeste in her Citadel for a while to learn more about Void Magic and train for the future.”

“I see, well at least they're in good hands.”

“And you gals are in good hands too with us.”

“So,” Zalgo spoke up. “What about those Twilight Fragments we were talking about? I'd like to learn more.”

Naphi shrugged, taking her final sip of coffee before putting down the empty cup. “For that, we'll have to introduce you to someone who knows a lot more about this stuff than we do.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, a fellow Ephemeral like you guys who goes by the name of Mars.”

Alice took time to process the new information, remembering the wanted poster of this ‘Mars’ individual back in Elbrastion.

“You mean…”

“Yes, the eccentric astronomer lady who always uses astronomy terms in her speech! Sounds fun, right?”

Rachel couldn't help but chuckle at Naphi's description of Mars. "Eccentric astronomer who speaks in astronomy terms? Sounds like someone straight out of a science fiction novel..."

Carmen smiled at Rachel's comment and chimed in. "Oh, you have no idea. Mars is quite the character. But she's one of the brightest minds when it comes to mystical lore and ancient artifacts. If anyone knows about the Twilight Fragments, it's her.”

Rachel perked up from her seat, her interest piqued. "An expert on these Twilight Fragments, huh…? Sounds fascinating. When can we meet this Mars person?" she inquired.

Carmen thought for a moment before responding. "She should be at her observatory right now. It's not far from here, but we'll have to head over there if you guys want to meet her."

Teigen chimed in, a sly smirk on her lips. "And let me tell you, ladies. You're in for a real trip when you meet her. She's like a walking encyclopedia with a flair for the dramatic. You should see her when she's in the middle of a scientific theory or a cosmic explanation. It's like watching a show!"

Naphi chuckled, imagining the scene. "Yeah, Mars is a real hoot, alright. Just be prepared for some intense scientific jargon and metaphors involving celestial bodies.”

Rachel chuckled. "Sounds like we're in for a unique encounter. Let's head over to her observatory, then. Can't wait to see this eccentric astronomer in action!”

…

As they approached the observatory, its tall, imposing structure loomed in the distance, and the group exchanged glances, each one of them eager to meet the infamous Mars.

Carmen pointed towards the observatory, a smile on her face. "There it is, ladies. Mars' famous observatory. We're in for an adventure, that's for sure."

Carmen led the group towards the entrance of the observatory, a mix of excitement and anticipation in the air. They reached the entrance, and Carmen knocked on the large oak door, its surface adorned with intricate carvings of planets and stars.

After a moment, the door creaked open, and a voice with a hint of impatience came from inside. "Who's there? Can't you see I'm trying to calculate the gravitational pull of a new planetary alignment!"

Carmen raised an eyebrow, a bemused smile on her lips. "Calm down, Mars. It's me, Carmen. I've brought some friends who would like to meet you and ask you about something.”

The voice from inside the observatory softened slightly. "Carmen? Oh, it's you. And you've brought guests, huh? Well, I suppose I can take a break from my calculations."

The door creaked open wider, revealing a tall, slender figure standing in the entryway. Her reddish brown hair with white highlights swayed with the wind, her pale hands sitting comfortably in the pockets of her lab coat. This was Mars, a renowned astronomer known for her eccentric demeanor and passion for the stars.

Mars scrutinized the group, her deep brown eyes lingering on each face for a moment. "Ah, so you've brought a little entourage with you, have you? Well, I suppose the more the merrier. But you'd better make it quick. I have a universe to observe. Whaddya want?"

Carmen stepped forward, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "We'd like to ask you some questions about a certain mythical object called the Twilight Fragments. I know you're the expert on these fragments and might have some information."

Mars's expression piqued with curiosity, her eyes glimmering with intrigue. "Twilight Fragments, you say? Oh, you're in the right place. I know a thing or two about those celestial trinkets. But I warn you guys, my knowledge comes with a splash of cosmic flair.”

Teigen chuckled, her voice filled with amusement. "We wouldn't have it any other way, Mars. We're ready for your cosmic theatrics.”

Mars chuckled softly, her voice tinged with a hint of pride. "Excellent. You're in for an extragalactic experience, ladies. Let's step inside, and I shall regale you with my cosmic wisdom and maybe a dash of theatrics for good measure.”

Mars beckoned them with a finger to follow her inside, a smirk on her face as she looked at Alice, Zalgo, and Rachel with a knowing gaze.