Was it only a week ago she was lamenting that everyone will leave? Two weeks?

She lost her glasses, and with it her vision.

She lost the wind, and with it her guide.

She lost her friends, and with it her balance.

Coughing up dust, she could see nothing. Her wings were pinned down, her leg was stuck underneath a slab, and she couldn’t hear anyone. Where was Hua-san? Urantsog-san? Sinaka-san? Without sight or sound, she had to wait.

She could breathe, but—

If she did rise, if she could stretch out her cream coloured wings—

What then?

In the here and now, there were two paths—

Stay here or get up.

What was the right choice?

----------------------------------------

They said it was a miracle. That Mihira shouldn’t have awakened as quickly as she had, bursting out of the room with her wings newly healed. All of them fussed over her, the white coats they all wore making them interchangeable over the next week.

“Her wings are perfectly healed…”

“I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

“Why does she have wings?”

She wanted to tell them there was a reason why she was alive. After the fall, she fell into total darkness—until a beautiful soldier in terracotta armour rescued her from her predicament. The soldier resuscitated her until she had awoken. Mihira wondered if the soldier gave her a kiss in order to wake her up, like the fairytales that Kaori loved to tell. She told Hua-san about it, but Hua-san stated that no one was in the room when she woke up except Urantsog-san. Urantsog-san was startled, but she couldn’t do CPR.

“Tenhou Mihira, no one was in the room. Certainly not a dashing soldier wearing armour from the Qin dynasty.” Hua-san sighed. “Someone would have noticed that. There are doctors on call and on break. Security in the hospital would have been notified if someone matching that description was walking around.” A look of concern filled her face. “Are you doing well? You were injured badly.”

“I’m fine, but thank you for asking Hua-san.”

“Please don’t do that again, or anything reckless in the future.” Hua-san sighed. “You are not invincible. You were lucky that you managed to make a miraculous recovery. The next time something like this happens, you might not be so fortunate.”

“I won’t do anything reckless again.”

Although Hua-san was open to the idea of magic, she wasn’t as open as Mihira wanted her to be. She’s like Kaede in that way, Mihira concluded, always believing in the inherent superiority of a graph or chart before relying on the words of a friend. It made sense, but that didn’t make it hurt any less.

Sinaka-san believed her, or rather, her silence was telling. She listened closely while Mihira told her tale, her frilly dress bouncing with each animated gesture. Sinaka-san only reacted with a characteristic “hmm~” and a flick of her forked tongue, but Mihira knew. She was nice about it, and apparently she held her hand while Mihira was comatose. She couldn’t remember it, but it warmed her heart that Sinaka-san cared for her deeply.

----------------------------------------

How much did Kun Mihira know?

In private, she had chided her for her stupidity. Rushing to try and ‘aid’ a falling dragon was a fool’s desire. The fact that the impact crushed her wings served to prove her point. She wrote off Kun Mihira as a reliable ally, especially in the physical sense. Her bones were too fragile to handle the strength of the Dragon.

That did leave her with a few issues. Neither of the women were suitable for a long term plan. They may have had incredible physical capabilities, but one was too wild and the other…her feelings clouded her mind. Yes, the other one would have done quite nicely.

The plan was ready—until on one of her nightly strolls she heard two dogs fighting. Peering into the window into Kun Mihira’s room, she found two almost identical women fighting each other. The spectral outline around both of them told her that neither of them were corporeal. She watched with a steady gaze, although she was secretly annoyed by the way they conducted themselves. Smashing themselves into the ground like untrained brutes was unseemly yet effective. The less damaged of the two overpowered the other and saved Kun Mihira’s life, much to her wonder. She must have leaned in too close, for the other one noticed her. Quickly, she removed herself from the corridor. One of her many talents was knowing when to pick her battles.

There, she evaluated the pieces and realised that she had overlooked a crucial detail. They all had partners, her with the celestial Bull, Náa Urantsog with the twins, and Kun Mihira with the Dog. These partnerships meant something once, even if their full strength was untapped. Kun Mihira was a useful piece, she decided, despite her physical weakness. Arinya needed a physically powerful ally, her diplomatic skills were useful. The looks that Náa Urantsog gave told her that she hadn’t entered her trust yet. The connection she had with the Dog would serve to bring an important ally. The look on the Dragon’s face when she met her opposite would be a sight to see.

Besides, Kun Mihira was growing to like her. Once they departed from the hospital, she liked to talk to her. Arinya thought she was ascertaining her allegiance, but it soon became clear that the young girl wanted companionship and comfort after her ordeal. All she had to say were a few platitudes about being past the hospital and saying that Kun Mihira had improved healthwise. That was all for Kun Mihira to trust her. The way that she had talked about her “friends” resonated within Arinya’s heart, but these were traitorous murmurs. She listened to Mihira prattle on nonetheless.

It was interesting to hear from someone who thought friendship was so certain.

The rest of the journey was tedious. Náa Urantsog’s discomfort was growing. That was self-evident judging by the fact that she had always managed to make excuses to keep some level of physical distance between Arinya and herself. Náa Yǔfēi was too close to her. Yesterday, when they had stopped for a short rest, Náa Yǔfēi had invited her to a private dinner. Underneath the olive trees, she had arrived—to be greeted by the woman chugging down a box of instant ramen with her fish watching with gaping eyes.

Without bothering to wipe her mouth, Náa Yǔfēi waved over. “Have some with me!”

Years of regulating her outward emotions prohibited Arinya from instinctively gagging.

They discussed meaningless topics. Weather forecasting, Calamities, school back when they were younger, Calamities, being a prodigy, how the other two were doing, Calamities. Of course Náa Yǔfēi had no issues with taking the path she had chosen and loved.

Once they had finished dining, both returned to find that Náa Urantsog had imparted some of her unseemly influence on Kun Mihira.

“Look! I can shoot a bow and arrow!” Mihira excitedly held up what could only be Náa Urantsog’s arrows. “I’m not on target yet, but I’ll get there.”

She took one look at the target nailed to the stone wall, then at the window with an arrowhead-sized hole, then at the grinning face of Náa Urantsog.

If she wanted to cultivate Kun Mihira as an acceptable ally, best to keep her away from Náa Urantsog’s ideas of entertainment.

----------------------------------------

Mihira truly loved everyone. She did, with all she had.

One day, there was a transfer student who had moved from rural Hokkaido. She was nervous and jittery, having a hard time adjusting to an urban landscape and jumping at every car that zoomed by. Mihira took her under her wing, helped her adjust to her surroundings, and sewed her clothes that reminded her of home. In time, they became friends, and Hina was no longer unsteady amidst the streets of Tokyo.

She understood that being in a city with its bustling traffic could unbalance those not used to the fast pace or the clamour—but did Urantsog-san have to punch that bicyclist clean off his seat?

“What the hell was that for?” the bicyclist yelled while clutching his chest.

“You were in my way, watch where you are going!” Urantsog shouted back in response. “Just because you’re on a bicycle doesn’t mean you can mow people down!”

“Woman, I don’t even know what you are saying!”

“What kind of mangled language are you speaking!? You bleat like my aav’s goats!”

Urantsog and the bicyclist continued their shouting match. Based on the looks of confusion amongst the whispering crowd, Mihira concluded that no one present spoke Mongolian. Hua-san looked lost, as she didn’t speak Dutch or Mongolian, otherwise she would have stepped in. Sinaka-san was examining the maps for the potential location of her Key. They had arrived in the Netherlands a few hours ago, home of sweet smelling tulips and bustling cyclists.

“Hmm~” Sinaka-san trailed off. “Your sign Libra is associated with the wind, yet you mentioned that the wind spoke of justice, correct?”

She nodded.

“Courts would be the most suitable to sequester the scales away from prying eyes. The question remains, which court of the Netherlands~”

Mihira loved her singsong voice and the innate grace contained within her. She was beautiful…but first, she had to make sure that Urantsog-san and the bicyclist in yellow didn’t knock each other out. With the way they were circling each other and folding their sleeves, Mihira feared it might come to blows.

“Excuse me sir!” she called out.

The man turned to face her. “You speak Dutch?”

Mihira looked at the hat she was wearing. Hua-san pointed out that she was the only one able to speak Dutch on account of her powers. Since her bicoloured hair stuck out, Hua-san gave her a head cap to wear. As for her wings, Hua-san gave her a blanket to cover them with. If anyone asked, it was a very large hiking pack.

“Yes I do!” Mihira gathered up her words. “My aunt isn’t used to the city. She comes from the countryside and she’s more used to a slower pace. There aren’t a lot of bicycles where she lives, and she gets startled easily.” Of course, she declined to mention the fact that Urantsog-san’s punch sent the man flying off of his seat. “I understand you are hurt, and I’m sorry on behalf of my aunt.”

The man clasped his chin. “Makes sense, lots of tourists aren’t used to being in a city. My brother lives out in the south, and even he can’t handle the small traffic here. Tell your aunt to be careful, and that this,” He pointed at a sign with a bicycle. “Means that this is a dedicated bike lane.”

“I will, thank you sir!” Mihira replied.

Urantsog huffed. “I could have taken him on. Who does he think he is?”

“We can’t start fights with people, Hua-san said we have to remain ‘incognito.’” Hua-san knew cool English words like that.

“If this was on the steppes, I would have had him submitting before me before he even moved a finger.”

“Let’s not fight anyone,” Hua-san interjected. “We are guests in their country, and we don’t want to draw attention to ourselves.”

“Are you all tourists?”

All three of them turned around. A girl about Mihira’s age with the cutest beige turtleneck sweater was looking at Mihira in awe. Mihira immediately took a liking to her. That pale green skirt, the black Mary Janes with the knee high white socks, it looked perfect on this girl!

“Yes we are!” she answered.

“Oh! That explains a lot.” The girl nervously adjusted her sleeves. “I saw you mediating with that cyclist and your aunt earlier. Not many tourists bother to learn Dutch, but you speak it like it’s your first language!”

“Thank you!” Awww, the compliments—wait, if she lived here, maybe she could help find the courthouse they should be looking for! “Do you know what kind of courthouses we would visit? My sister,” she gestured at Sinaka-san, “is learning law and since we’re in the Netherlands, she wanted to look at some of the courts here and read about different types of law.”

“I see.” The girl thought about it. “I’ve never heard of anyone specifically looking at courthouses as a tourist, but we do have the Peace Palace at the Hague.”

“The Peace Palace?” That sounded like the right location.

“That’s where the International Court of Justice is located.”

Mihira looked over the map. Unfortunately, even with her ability, she couldn’t read a map. Sinaka-san was much better at it, but she couldn’t read Dutch and none of her maps included the Netherlands. The girl seemed nice, and even though they were supposed to be travelling in secrecy, Mihira felt like she could trust her.

“You live here? Can you help us find the Peace Palace?” Mihira asked.

“Sure?” The girl slowly nodded.

“What is your name?”

The girl seemed—terrified? “Noortje.”

She extended her hand. “I’m Tenhou Mihira, nice to meet you!”

Sinaka-san stopped looking at the maps and pointedly stared at Noortje. Hua-san raised an eyebrow and Urantsog-san looked confused.

Hua-san had rented a car underneath a fake name. Kaori would have loved Hua-san, Mihira concluded. When she had an addiction to American movies, she was always talking about getting a fake ID to go to bars. It never made sense to Mihira. They were supposed to keep the car in perfect condition, but Urantsog-san punched out the backseat windows. When Hua-san questioned why she did that, her reply was that she needed some air.

Even though Urantsog-san was older than her, Mihira thought that punching out the window was a terrible idea. Hua-san was rich, but she wasn’t that rich. She returned it because of the broken windows, but the woman at the counter told her that she had to pay for the damage to the car. Hua-san only had a few soggy yuan, Mihira didn’t bring any yen, Noortje-san didn’t have any money on her, and Urantsog-san tried to pay for the car with goatskin gloves. Sinaka-san had baht, but that wasn’t accepted by the lady.

Now Mihira was at the currency exchange booth. A bearded man with spectacles and a turban had finished with the last person in line.

“Excuse me sir?” Mihira gently pushed Sinaka-san’s baht at the man. “Can I exchange my money for euros?”

The man nodded. “Of course, let me count out your money.” He slowly flicked through the stacks of bills at first, before his eyes widened and his spectacles threatened to fall off his nose. “You’re carrying this much money as a tourist…?! How have you managed to travel before?”

“Just in case of anything sir! We like to be prepared when we travel!” Mihira answered.

The man’s spectacles fell off his nose. “You can speak Arabic too?”

He was speaking Arabic? “Umm yes! I had a pen pal that wrote in Arabic, so I learned from her!”

“And that’s how you learnt to speak Syrian Arabic?” Was that different from standard Arabic?

“We also video called each other! How many Euros do I have?”

“5000 euros.” Was Sinaka-san rich? That would explain her poise and grace though. Sinaka-san played the violin and as Hina said, all violin players are innately graceful. Violins weren’t cheap. Maybe Sinaka-san’s family helped raise money for her to begin violin lessons?

When they settled down in the yellow and blue train, Mihira and Noortje-san picked out two window seats for themselves, with Urantsog-san and Hua-san using the coach seats on the other side. Sinaka-san wanted to use the booth seat, so she left the four of them to their own devices.

“Your name is beautiful!” Mihira told Noortje-san as soon as they sat down.

“Thank you.” Noortje-san shrunk into her oversized sweater, eyes darting at everyone talking around them.

The different hair colours of Europeans fascinated Mihira. Kaede had wanted to dye her hair last year, but Mihira had persuaded her not to. Otherwise she would have looked like a delinquent and the teachers would have put her in detention or worse, given her a suspension. Noortje-san’s clear blue eyes and vibrant red hair would have been striking back in Japan, let alone here. Mihira had never seen anyone with that hair colour before.

“Sorry, can I ask you a question?” Mihira asked.

“Mm sure.” Noortje-san’s voice was so small.

“Did you dye your hair? It’s so pretty.”

Noortje-san blushed. “Oh no, this is my natural hair colour.”

“Wow you must be lucky then.” Mihira couldn’t show off her own hair, could she? “Noortje-san, I noticed that you had impeccable taste in fashion. As a fellow fashion lover, can I ask for tips on how you decide to dress for the day ahead?”

Noortje-san stopped looking outside. “I’m not into fashion, but Arle is and he helps me pick out what to wear and…”

Mihira waited for her to finish her sentence, but Noortje-san never did.

Mihira spoke first. “Can I ask why you’re wearing a sweater? It’s a beautiful summer day!”

Noortje-san nodded slowly. “I like it.”

“If it’s not impolite to ask, can I ask for your surname? In Japanese society, we usually address people by their surname for formality purposes, and I feel like I’m being impolite by addressing you by your given name,” asked Mihira.

Noortje-san looked out the window. “You’re not being impolite, and you can call me Noortje-san. I’m not...really comfortable sharing my last name.”

Mihira nodded. She heard that in Europe, sometimes it’s impolite to refer to people by their surnames depending on the person. Noortje-san seemed to be a private person, so she would leave the topic there.

“Holland is nice this time of the year,” stated Noortje-san.

“It is! I’ve never travelled outside of Japan.”

“You’re Japanese?”

“Yes!” That gave her an idea. “You should visit Tokyo!”

“Thank you, but I can’t leave.” She sighed. “I’m not a traveller.”

“Of course! I don’t travel either, but if I did, it would be with my three best friends!” Mihira’s smile briefly slipped as longing overtook her. “I wish they were here with me.”

Noortje-san nodded. “I know the feeling, but even if they aren’t here, you can make memories for them. I collect scrapbooks and make collages of the places I love.”

“Awww, that’s so sweet!” Mihira gushed. “Do you share them with anyone? Hina loves to make shrines of her favourite idols, like adding photos!” Hina also added very private things to those shrines, but Mihira didn’t want to scare Noortje-san.

“Sharing them? Well yes but…” Noortje-san trailed off into silence again. She sounded melancholic. Maybe she had a bad day recently.

“Sometimes I share things with Hua-san, Sinaka-san, and Urantsog-san.” Mihira tilted her head. “Are you interested in Calamities?”

Noortje-san was startled. “Calamities? Not really.”

“Oh, Hua-san is an expert on them! She might be even smarter than my friend Kaede! Beautiful, graceful, and intelligent! What more can you want from such a powerful woman? Of course, Urantsog-san is even more powerful! She can split an arrow in half by shooting another arrow through it and she can match anyone in physical prowess barehanded!”

Noortje-san nodded along. “It sounds like you have a crush on both of them.”

Now it was Mihira’s turn to blush. “Yes, but I can’t say it in front of them. Besides, what if I want both of them to be my partners in the future? Kaori always told me that having multiple partners is a tough balancing act, even for someone as skilled as herself.”

Noortje-san raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t they both older than you? They look like adults.”

“Yes, but true love always finds a way!”

“Most adults don’t see teenagers in that way. It’s like having a crush on your teacher: they won’t reciprocate.” Noortje-san sighed. “What about girls our age? Your classmates?”

“I’m not attracted to them.” Kaede had tried this a few years ago, setting up Mihira with their classmates, but it had never clicked between them or her friends. She wished it had though. One day, she would invite her future partner or partners to her home. It would be nice to not be alone. The wind’s a good conversational partner, but there was only so much they could talk about.

Noortje-san nodded. “I see. There are lots of girls in Holland. Perhaps you’ll like one of them.”

“Of course, there’s many girls here and therefore a lot of opportunities.” Mihira’s eyes brightened. “You can help me with that, or…” She looked at Noortje-san’s bright red hair with purple bows, cut sweater, and increasingly red face.

Noortje-san stared in shock. “Uh…you are very eager, but I’m not interested in a relationship at the moment.”

Mihira cupped her mouth. “I’m so sorry!”

“It’s fine! I’m busy with…other things.” Noortje-san looked at the rolling scenery forlornly.

“What do you think my chances are with Sinaka-san then?” Mihira wanted to keep her options open, but Sinaka-san was a great listener and made great conversation on the journey here.

Noortje-san blanched. “The woman who left? She creeps me out. Have you seen the way she talks? I’ve never heard a monotone voice before, and the lack of emotion on her face—”

“Hello girls~...do you want smoothies?”

Arinya leaned over the seats. Noortje-san nearly jumped out of her seat while Mihira laughed.

“We’re doing well Sinaka-san, everything is fine! I don’t need a smoothie!”

Sinaka-san stared. “That’s good. Take care of yourself, mmhmm?” She promptly wandered off into another module.

The rest of the journey continued in lively banter, with Mihira and Noortje-san exchanging tales of woe in school and tales of triumph in conquering their homework. To Mihira’s joy, Noortje-san seemed to be more confident when speaking. It reminded her of Sinaka-san’s advice that everyone had inner strength. On the final stretch, she found Noortje looking at her phone in silence. Tears were welling in her eyes, so Mihira looked at the screen out of concern. Her home screen was a photo of herself and five others. From her vantage point, she could see a well-dressed brown-haired boy in a beret and chequered scarf, a black-haired girl in a short tank top with numerous piercings, a young girl with dirty blonde hair and similar hair bows to Noortje-san pouting away from the camera, a small blond boy looking through a telescope, and an auburn-haired boy with a limp polar bear stuffie hanging from his left hand.

“What are you doing?”

Noortje-san’s harsh tone snapped Mihira out of her fugue. “I saw your wallpaper and—”

“Don’t.” Noortje-san turned off her phone and shot a furious look at Mihira. “It’s private.”

Mihira kept quiet, but her mind wandered. Noortje-san wanted privacy, so Mihira wouldn’t pry further. Who were they though? Her mind couldn’t linger on Noortje-san’s phone for long—there was a commotion. Urantsog-san punched one of the passengers over a lack of space.

The train stopped at Den Haag Centraal. Underneath the white honeycombed ceiling, everyone was bustling to and from the train. It took all four of them to link with Sinaka-san, who was enjoying a mango smoothie.

“So Noortje,” Sinaka-san started. “Where are we now, hmm?”

Mihira translated what she said to Noortje-san, who blinked and took a step back in fear. “We’re close to the Peace Palace, and it’s only thirty seven minutes for us to walk there.”

Mihira translated what Noortje-san said to the rest of the group.

“The sooner we leave this station, the better.” Urantsog whipped around as someone jostled her shoulder. “Watch where you’re going!”

“I agree, but we do need a break. It has been more than three hours, and we haven’t had a bathroom break. I know that European public toilets have to be paid for.” Hua-san handed a euro to everyone. “Use this for the bathrooms here.”

Mihira nodded.

A few minutes later, all five of them emerged from the bathroom. Noortje-san grabbed one of the maps and was leading them from the glass exterior of the station. Mihira wondered at the small cafes tucked away in little corners, the greenery surrounding the roads, the gorgeous street art snaking up the buildings, and the paper map Noortje-san was holding. She wasn’t using the map on her phone. The phone was probably showing her home screen. It made sense, they only met today and Noortje-san was a private person.

A faint breeze brushed her cheek.

It’s been a long time.

Mihira looked around. “You’re still here?”

Of course I am. Where the sky meets the earth, where the wings of the Seventh House find their calling, I will always be there.

“We’re heading to the right place then?” Mihira asked.

The Seventh House is first and foremost a paragon of absolute judgement. Listen to yourself and the whisperings within your mind, and know your path.

Mihira closed her eyes. The soft whistles of a fresh breeze moved forth.

…who comes before the Court?

Startled, Mihira stepped back—and immediately collided with someone, knocking off her glasses in the process.

“I’m sorry!” Mihira squinted, tapping her hand on the pavement for her glasses.

Someone slid them onto her nose.

“Thank you—” Mihira blinked.

A gorgeous woman was smiling at Mihira. Long black hair hung loose around her shoulders, while her eyes were such a rich dark brown that Mihira found herself lost in them. Her skin was incredibly clear with a warm taupe hue and the clothes she had picked for herself matched perfectly. Black dress pants, a loose white t-shirt, and a black summer jacket with many pockets. Seeing her in the jacket made her wonder why Noortje-san had a turtleneck sweater. Was she not hot? Mihira noticed that there were lots of small items on the ground and quickly started picking them back up.

“Here you go!” Mihira picked up a small dark green container with—a label on it?

The woman nodded and quickly snatched it from her hand.

“A little clumsy today, aren’t we?” she said playfully.

“I’m so sorry about that, I wasn’t watching where I was going!” She laughed it off. Kaori would have called her out on fumbling an opportunity like this. “Um, what’s your name?”

The woman winked and put her finger to her lips. “It’s a secret.”

“Then mine will be a secret too.” Mihira copied the woman’s gesture. An enigmatic woman! That’s new for sure. “Where is everyone?”

“You’re with a group?’ The woman frowned. “Do you know the general direction?”

West. “Westwards.” She pointed it out.

“Lead the way.”

They kept walking. Mihira got distracted by a high end clothing store showcasing lolita fashion in the front window before the woman cheerfully reminded her that they were supposed to be meeting her friends. She briefly spotted a dark red blade in one of the enigmatic woman’s pockets before it was quickly closed. Engaging her in conversation proved challenging, as all she received were winks and nods.

“You must get good grades in your second language courses,” the woman said while checking out a pharmacy’s available hours.

“I do! I usually get one hundred percent on all of my exams!” She didn’t, in fact she didn’t take any second language courses in school except for the mandatory English class, and she forgot most of the words.

“You speak Arabic like it was your first language, especially your pronunciation.” The woman slyly smiled. “I’ll be right back.”

A few minutes later, the woman dejectedly emerged from the pharmacy. Mihira spotted the woman sliding the same container into her jacket pocket.

“Can I take a look at it?” The woman flinched. “I might be able to read it. My friends usually go to me for translation issues.”

The woman stared at the cream, shrugged, and handed it to Mihira. The words blurred together, but once she focused her eyes upon the text, the words became clear.

“‘This is a dān derived topical ointment. Apply once using two fingers over the affected area. Ingesting the ointment is not recommended. It is recommended to apply this to the epidermis only. Do not apply to the eyes or any internal tissues. To refill this prescription, leave a message on the line provided to you by one of our trusty assistants.’” Mihira looked at the woman. “This might be too impolite, but is this for a friend of yours?”

The woman just stared at Mihira and took the ointment back. “Thanks.”

As soon as they rounded the corner, Mihira was discussing with the woman about the differences between gothic lolita and sweet lolita when she heard loud shouting and what seemed like a urinal being knocked over.

“Mihira! Where have you been?” Urantsog-san shouted. “We’ve been looking for you!”

Mihira was about to rush towards them, but someone wrenched at her arm. The woman was holding onto her right forearm with an expression on her face that emanated anger.

“Huh? Those are my friends, what are you doing?” Mihira protested, but the woman was having none of it, dragging her away from her friends. Although she would like to be carried off somewhere, something told her that was not what was happening.

“Let her go.” Hua-san crossed her arms and glared at the woman. “She’s with me.”

The tension between both of them was palpable and thin as a thread before the woman let go of Mihira. Nodding at her, the woman bent down to eye level.

“I’ll leave you with this: trust only yourself, and if you want to trust others, make sure they’re worthy of it first.” Her eyes narrowed. “Know what you’re getting into first before you take the next step.”

“Of course I do.” Find her Key, find the Door for her Key, find the Seventh House, right?

With the woman walking off and Hua-san asking her if she was alright, Mihira smiled and cheerfully stated that the woman was beautiful and mysterious and utterly possessed of an intense conviction for an unknown purpose.

You fear you have erred in judgement.

Mihira shook her head. “I don’t think I did.”

Do not worry, for your judgement is second to none. Of all of the Houses and Gates, the Seventh House was esteemed amongst its peers for its commitment to balance and harmony. You are the best candidate of this cycle.

She nodded. “I know.”

She did…she thought.

----------------------------------------

Such an intense aura. How she would have loved to harness it, use it to fuel her own aims. Alas, the mysterious woman left before Arinya could ask her anything. Her attunement to the world and the ever shifting background radiation had allowed for everyone’s individual auras to coalesce. The woman may have been shrouded in secrecy, but she knew her true nature.

Darkness surrounded her like an inescapable abyss. At once, she knew this was no ordinary woman, no matter how relaxed she seemed around Kun Mihira—at first. There was the matter of the woman’s intentions regarding Kun Mihira. If Náa Yǔfēi hadn’t bumbled her conversation with her, she could have gleaned more from the woman. Her intense stare made it clear that she had a purpose in mind, not a simple loiterer. The aura shifted as if to encompass Kun Mihira, so it was clear that the woman had no ill intentions towards the girl. The lack of details surrounding her internally frustrated her. An unknown piece without any discernible motivations was a dangerous one, not in the least had she aimed her withering gaze at Arinya.

She did not. In fact, the woman barely registered her presence. An unfortunate occurrence, Arinya thought, but mistakes could be easily rectified. Kun Mihira was a crucial piece, so she would have to look into the woman’s connections with Kun Mihira. She never mentioned a close relationship with anyone other than her “friends”, and those present here.

Speaking of those present…Noortje was unexpected. Kun Mihira’s natural charisma and diplomatic skills aside, she would not have chosen her as a tour guide. She flinched at almost everything, which registered as strange. She wasn’t comfortable with Náa Urantsog, who was somehow popular among the group despite the troublesome business. Despite the language barrier, Arinya knew that Noortje was out of her depth, and yet she was still here.

Red, white, and purple flowers dotted the gardens at the front of the Peace Palace. Some of them were tulips. Out of habit, Arinya touched her hair. She had a few orchids back in her room. Were they doing well now that their master was gone? She had left in such a hurry, she’d barely had time to pack. Not that it mattered; she could only carry so many things.

It didn’t matter now. That room was a temporary measure. The allure of a Gate could not be understated; the brass amulet hidden in her sleeve having become her most treasured possession. She spotted Kun Mihira and Noortje examining the flowers. The little redhead must have noticed her presence, since she visibly yelped in fear. When she and Kun Mihira were alone, she would get the girl to tell her everything they could about the newcomer. Kun Mihira had proven to be very receptive to her charms.

In the meanwhile, Arinya picked up a brochure detailing the layout of the Peace Palace and its history. She sincerely congratulated the Seventh House on their choice; no one would suspect a magical set of scales amongst the real scales of justice and the many judges and lawyers that filed in and out of the court.

“Since it’s past 1700 hrs,” Náa Yǔfēi pointed out. “The Palace should be closed, which works to our advantage since the only way we could access the Palace legally is through a guided tour. Khangal Urantsog had told me that she knew how to pick locks…remind me why again?”

“Look, when you are seventeen and bored, you can only do one thing: free the bows and arrows from disuse and try to outcompete the rest of the children in the clan in archery.” Náa Urantsog smiled. “Good times.”

It seemed strange that an elder such as Náa Urantsog would hold civil disobedience in high esteem, but then she never expected much from the horse woman.

“Considering that the Peace Palace is massive, it’s best to split into two groups. Now since both Tenhou Mihira and I can easily fly to each other at a moment’s notice, me and Khangal Urantsog will be in one group. You and Tenhou Mihira should be in the second group. We’ll—”

“We should bring Noortje-san!” added Kun Mihira.

Náa Yǔfēi blinked in surprise. “Noortje is a child. I wanted to ask her where her parents were. Surely they must be worried for her.”

Kun Mihira translated everything for Noortje. “Noortje-san says that she doesn’t have parents.”

“We can’t bring her, unless…” Náa Yǔfēi looked at Arinya. Oh no. “You’re great with children, and I know that one of the best things for former child prodigies is to take on new skills. Why not start now? Besides, I trust you. When one of us finds something, we’ll converge at the entrance.”

…this had to be a classical farce. When did Arinya give the impression that she was great with…not even children, teenagers? Perhaps her actions in securing Kun Mihira as an ally were received improperly. “Hmm~...mayhaps, but I must confess, Kun Noortje has only been known to us for a short time…perhaps we best leave her with you and Náa Urantsog.” Although…now that she thought of it, what better opportunity did she have of learning of Noortje’s mysterious past? “After much thought…I rescind my offer. I shall take Noortje under my guidance.”

Noortje’s face drained of all colour, before noticing Kun Mihira’s presence. Did she understand her in some fashion? Arinya moved closer to the girl in the oversized turtleneck.

“Would you be willing to play a piece for me?” She mimed the fluid motions of playing a violin.

Noortje stared blankly at Arinya before stepping back in fear. “Laat me alsjeblieft met rust.”

Hmmm, not quite the best question for testing linguistic proficiency. She would have more opportunities inside the Peace Palace. With Náa Urantsog’s surprisingly dexterous lockpicking, all five of them entered the building. Upon opening the black doors, Kun Mihira quickly became enchanted by the statue next to the curving marble staircases, or so Arinya thought. It was hard to gauge how far she could see with her glasses. Most interesting was the lack of security. She had assumed she would have to hypnotise someone into ignoring their nighttime activities. How…fortuitous. She looked at Noortje. Terrified. How useless.

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Náa Yǔfēi and Náa Urantsog had left the three of them to their own devices. Despite the ability to study Noortje’s movements closely, she hated being a glorified babysitter. Náa Yǔfēi’s slight wouldn’t be forgotten. She was meant for the shadows under the circumstances of her birth, yet she had vowed long ago to never let it dictate the path of her life. The Snake might be the little Dragon, but Arinya knew that she had her own talents. It was she that exuded elegance and poise above all else, so she had the right to be secure in her own domain without those that would—

“I think this room is calling towards me.”

She turned around. “Oh? Shall we~”

For now, she must become yet another unassuming young woman, perfectly compliant with all that came her way. She followed Kun Mihira into a room on the right, decorated with silk tapestries in the Japanese style, more specifically the Tsuzure Nishiki style. Rare and eye-catching, as Arinya found herself drawn to the countless birds and flowers depicted masterfully on the tapestries. Noortje found herself more entranced with the Turkish carpet, while Kun Mihira was interested in the Chinese vases that were almost her size.

“Where is it…” Kun Mihira kept searching underneath the vases. “I think it’s…wait I know what I’m looking for now!”

The wind was blowing inside the closed room. A sign of Kun Mihira’s power…or something else? She had explained that the wind occasionally discussed matters with her, similar to how the vibrations Arinya felt on a daily basis portended several key events in her life.

“I found it!”

Kun Mihira was excitedly holding a…copper orb. Closer observation revealed that it had been inside one of the vases. One of the Chinese made vases. Arinya examined the entire room, from the Brazilian wainscoting to the chairs to the richly decorated tapestries. According to the brochure, this was the Japanese Room, so named for the nine panels of silk tapestries donated by the Japanese government. The Key to the Seventh House associated with justice was located in a courthouse, with the person holding the Libra amulet being from Japan. Was this all planned in advance?

These thoughts and more weighed on Arinya’s mind. Kun Mihira seemed to have taken a carefree attitude to all of this, playfully throwing the copper orb into the air. Noortje was more contemplative of her surroundings, peeking out into the vast courtyard in the centre of the building. All three of them were walking down the hallway, moonlight streaming through the stained windows. The windows depicted people doing various tasks, some of the seasons and—wait. Arinya stopped walking and moved closer to one of the windows. Was that…a bull?

Kun Mihira must have noticed it too. “We should backtrack.”

The three of them started retracing their steps, doing a full loop around the hallways surrounding the courtyard before finding a window that vaguely depicted Libra. While Kun Mihira was eagerly talking about it with Noortje, Arinya was watching the silent hallways. Hmmm…how interesting. Still no one to greet them. Fascinating. She glanced at Noortje. Still the same mindless terror. For a girl willing to travel alone, Noortje was out of her depth.

She heard the flip of Kun Mihira’s copper amulet, and watched as she applied some blush to the person in the window. The person reciprocated by letting the window glow a faint pastel pink and blue light as a fresh breeze wafted from an unknown room. When they approached, a hole in the world appeared, emitting a certain freshness that smelled of raspberries. The boundary was not harshly defined, but seemed to meld with its environs.

“We should find Náa Yǔfēi and Náa Urantsog before proceeding.” Their physical capabilities were second to none for their group. Kun Mihira was fragile, Arinya was more suited to ambush, and she had no idea about Noortje. Come to think of it, she knew nothing about her. Why was Kun Mihira so willing to trust her? She scanned the corridor. Her instincts were right.

They were being watched.

“I haven’t seen Hua-san or Urantsog-san.” Kun Mihira looked around. “Should we wait or—”

Noortje pulled Kun Mihira aside and whispered something into her ear. Arinya leaned in closer. She couldn't understand what was being said, but she did manage to unnerve the Dutch girl.

“Noortje-san said that we should move, and they can catch up later.” Mihira squinted. “We did find this hole, and the wind tells me that it should stay open. As long as they find it, we should be fine.”

With both hands, Kun Mihira led Noortje and Arinya through the gusting hole. She turned one last time to the silent moonlit night before disappearing into—

----------------------------------------

—a court.

At once, Mihira felt a sense of righteousness—almost like she was meant to be here. Sinaka-san silently observed the surroundings and Noortje-san gaped at the entirety of the room.

Marble columns dotted the room, fragmenting into smaller chunks near the top. They were on a stone platform, and according to her eyes as she peered downwards, there was nothing beneath them and nothing holding it in place. Beneath were clouds shrouded by a darkened sky with no hints of light. There was an atmosphere of solemnity, with only an intricate pattern with the glyph of Libra in the centre and a high bench sitting atop all else. At the highest seat, there was a balance. Mihira could not see clearly, but she knew it was perfectly balanced—and it called to her.

Shedding the cloth that was covering her wings, Mihira ascended upwards. The columns were nonexistent at the top, and Sinaka-san and Noortje-san were mere specks. She wondered if they could see her this high up. Overhead, the pattern became a little clearer: ten concentric circles with little icons. Mihira was drawn inexplicably to the third circle with the cross at the bottom. The bench seemed to be higher and higher, until finally she reached the top.

The scales were copper in colour, little pastel flecks glinting across the uniform texture. The glyph of Libra was engraved in the centre, with two hanging balances on either side.

…who approaches the bench?

“I do!” Mihira coughed. “I seek to claim you to help restore the world.”

Proceed carefully.

She looked around the white bench. Nothing out of place. Mihira carefully picked up the Scales—only to hear a click from its podium.

“Ahhhhhh! What is that!?”

That was Noortje-san’s voice! Mihira dove down to see a life-sized gavel emerging from one of the columns and barrelling down on Sinaka-san and Noortje-san screaming at the top of her lungs. She was about to stop it when she thought about the bench where the Scales were resting on. Flying back up and placing the Scales back to their original position, she watched as the gavel rescinded inside its original column. She still needed to free the Scales from its position. When she lifted it, the part of the bench it was on slightly lifted. After moving it slightly, she concluded that it was a weight-based mechanism.

Feeling the weight of the copper orb, she took it and weighed it in her hand. Carefully cupping the bottom of the Scales, she felt the weight of both objects in her hands. They should be equivalents to each other in terms of weight, at least by her judgement. If she were to swap out the two objects quickly enough, the gavel shouldn’t fall by her estimations.

“One, two, three, four, five!”

Mihira quickly swapped out the orb and the Scales. Noortje-san wasn’t screaming, so that indicated that both Sinaka-san and Noortje-san were safe. Nothing moved either in the dim lightless sky. The Scales haven’t talked or said anything, so Mihira assumed that all was well. She floated above the platform before diving down. This was easy! If all of the other trials were like this, then all of the Houses should be restored in no time.

Once she landed, silence descended along with her. Where were Sinaka-san and Noortje-san? She took flight and circled around. No sign of them. Maybe they left through the rift? Mihira started strolling to the rift—

—only to find that the rift had closed. The wind had said it should stay open indefinitely, so it should have stayed open as long as they were all here. Strangely, the world became a little darker…did one of the shadows move? Maybe that was where they were both hiding. Mihira sprinted over to the patch of darkness to investigate, but to no avail.

“Let go of me! Why you—”

“Shush~. My my, you struggle so much. What did you hope to accomplish?”

Mihira turned around—and found Noortje-san entangled in Sinaka-san’s tail tightly coiled around her. A dagger was at Noortje-san’s throat while its twin was sheathed on Sinaka-san’s body. At once, Mihira hefted the Scales, which started to slightly sway.

“What’s happening? Explain this to me, both of you,” she asked.

“She turned into a snake out of nowhere, coiled around me, and put a dagger to my throat!” Noortje-san tried to grab something, but was stopped by the other dagger.

“Lies, lies, and even more lies. Is your name truly Noortje? Or is that what they told you to use?” Sinaka-san acknowledged Mihira’s presence. “To explain myself, Kun Mihira, while this looks like an unfortunate situation, I am in the right here. You see, I found the lack of security around the Peace Palace disturbing, even more so when I realised that someone or multiple someones had a specific interest in observing our every move…almost the exact scenario a friend of mine found herself in a while ago. My doubts were confirmed when she—” Sinaka-san held the struggling Noortje-san closer. “Managed to close the rift behind us. You didn’t want Náa Yǔfēi and Náa Urantsog here for expediency reasons, you wanted us to stay separated so you can enact whatever plan your superiors concocted.” The dagger moved ever closer to Noortje-san’s throat. “I know we can understand each other here in this space protected by the Seventh House. Don’t play dumb, I know you know what those names mean.”

“You closed the rift behind us when none of us were looking!” Noortje-san kept struggling. “Come on, let me—”

Mihira held the Scales tighter as they started to sway. Could she make judgments here? Sinaka-san was trustworthy, but why all of this subterfuge? Noortje-san wasn’t a threat and she doubted that Noortje-san would try to do something brazen, especially in front of Sinaka-san. If she wasn’t careful, she would end up with the wrong person accused…the Scales would assist her.

She raised the Scales. “Let me judge the truth of the matter.”

Denied.

“Why?” That was odd.

The candidate has yet to prove themselves worthy of the Seventh House.

Mihira was stunned. “What do I need to do?”

The Scales remained silent.

Meanwhile, both the serpentine woman and Noortje-san were struggling against each other.

“You—!” Noortje-san began to cry. “Let me go!”

An emotionless Sinaka-san stared. “Hmmm~...that would be a terrible decision for many reasons.” She turned to Mihira. “We’ve known each other the longest. You know me, I know you. Let’s end this farce, and I’ll promise you any reward that you desire.”

“Who do you think looks more reasonable here? Me, or the woman who tied me up in her tail?” Noortje-san was still writhing. “She’s trying to bribe you! What kind of innocent person does that!?”

She couldn’t decide. How could she? She wasn’t present for any of this. The rift was closed by someone or something, that was self-evident. By who though? Which one of them did it? She needed all of the facts first, but—

Noortje-san managed to free one of her arms and punched Sinaka-san in the face, temporarily releasing her tight grip around the girl’s body. Before Mihira or Sinaka-san could react, Noortje-san pulled out a silver amulet from the oversized turtleneck sweater’s sleeves.

“Let me overflow with all that I have accumulated over the aeons. Let my tears fall and nurture those that I have cared for in times past.”

A silver light brightened the room as Sinaka-san and Mihira shielded their eyes. A laser-like beam emitted from where Noortje-san was before dissipating into little moonlit motes. Mihira was the first to uncover her eyes, the initial shock wearing off quickly and replaced by…tears?

Noortje-san had lost the vibrant red colour of her hair, replaced with a silver colour that reflected the surrounding motes. Her hair was no longer done up in hair bows, but were separated into two braids each adorned with an indigo bow with pearls at the centre. Her dress and cloak were silvery too, with indigo ruffled layers beneath the scalloped edges of her dress. Sheer white lace stockings ran up to mid-thigh with indigo pumps on her feet. An indigo bow with silver half moon details decorated her back, while her silver choker was decorated with pearls.

The most notable accessory didn’t fit with her colour scheme. Attached around her choker was a black collar with a pulsating hot pink sphere in the centre.

“...Noortje-san?” Mihira asked, wiping away her tears.

Noortje-san blinked through her own tears. “I’m sorry.”

Sinaka-san was ready to attack, but Mihira put her hand out. She wanted to hear out Noortje-san. There always has to be a reason. “It’s alright, I understand that—”

“Stop.” Noortje-san pointed her arm at Sinaka-san as it transformed into a clawlike cannon with a silvery glow. “Put down the Scales.”

Mihira did as she was asked to. She put her hands in the air for good measure.

“Come with me, please.” Noortje-san started tearing up again. “I don’t want to fight you. Please just make this easier for the both of us.”

“What are you talking about?”

“They said…they said that if I followed you and captured you, then they’ll be safe.” Noortje-san toyed with the collar on her neck. “I hope that they’re unharmed…”

Mihira stopped walking towards Noortje-san. “Who are they?”

“My siblings.” Noortje-san sounded dejected. “When I came home a month ago—I was greeted by three strangers. There was a computer in front of the living room—they forced me to watch. I was given a choice: they would kill them, or I would work for them.” She scratched the black collar. “And they told me to take you.”

The children in the wallpaper…those must have been her siblings. Younger, if Mihira had to guess. “Have you tried calling the police?”

Noortje-san tapped the collar. “They made sure I stayed compliant.”

Mihira quickly flew over. “If I can disassemble it, you can—”

“No! Don’t touch it! If the operator knows you’re trying to tamper—” The orb started brightly glowing—before sending Noortje-san into shock as purple electricity radiated over her body. Mihira wanted to grab her, but considering how violently Noortje-san was spasming, she doubted it would help much. Her heart still broke though.

Once Noortje-san had recovered, she stood up, her body aching from the electricity coursing through it. “I think we should leave now—”

A whoosh later, Noortje-san was struck in the head by Sinaka-san with the hilt of her daggers. To Mihira’s surprise, she wasn’t affected by that—until Mihira noticed that some of her skin looked closer to the texture of a crab’s shell than regular soft human skin.

Noortje-san’s response was to fire a cannon blast into Sinaka-san. The blast sent her skidding across the floating platform and almost off the edge if Mihira hadn’t summoned some wind to push her back. Sinaka-san’s initial shock was soon replaced with groans of pain.

“Are you alright?” Mihira floated to Sinaka-san.

“Yes, I’m fine—move now!”

She pushed Mihira away as another silver shot rang out into the void. Noortje-san had transformed both of her arms into silver claw-shaped cannons. Both of them were recharging, so Mihira ascended quickly. Once she was high above the clouds, she turned invisible.

Her heart broke for Noortje-san and her predicament, but she couldn’t have her shooting at her friends. Speaking of which—she couldn’t contact Hua-san and Urantsog-san to tell them what had happened. Was the wind here? She called out for its presence, but no answer. Only a faint stirring. Could the Scales create an exit out of the liminal space? It wouldn’t hurt to try.

She dove down, careful to not make any sounds upon her plunge. She sighted the Scales soon after, the copper glittering in the sunless sky. With expert precision, she grasped the Scales, lifting them up before Noortje-san could take a shot. Sinaka-san was hiding amidst the columns, watching the girl in silver closely. Mihira flew higher where the silver blasts were more inaccurate and less likely to hit their target. Weaving between the crescent-shaped blasts, Mihira held the Scales to eye level.

“What other trials are there? Why am I not worthy?”

I can perceive you. Your values, beliefs, sense of justice, personality, and nature—and I find you wanting.

Strange. “The wind told me differently.”

The wind is wrong. She is not infallible, for that aspect belonged to the Lady of the Clouded Courts and no one else.

“I can be infallible!” Mihira dodged another blast. “I’ll prove it to you in any way I can!”

Give up your eyesight.

The statement shocked Mihira. If she gave up her eyesight, how would she make dresses for her friends? See the gleaming azure scales of Hua-san, the beautiful clothing of Sinaka-san, and the athleticism of Urantsog-san and her wild mane? What about the colours of the sky at sunrise, the way Tokyo came to life at sunset, the gorgeous ladies that walked underneath her apartment?

Your sight is a flaw. A flaw that can be corrected, but still a flaw nonetheless. Strip away those that seek to distract you and lead you astray from your absolute judgments.

“No.” Mihira plunged downwards as a rain of crescent shaped shots rang out. “I…can’t. Not right now.” Could she dodge anything if her vision was taken from her? Before her glasses broke while trying to save Hua-san, she had never realised how much she had relied on her vision for everything. Walking, cooking, sewing, playing, observing…how could she give up all of that?

Below, Sinaka-san raked the bladed part of her daggers across Noortje-san’s arm cannons, much to the other girl’s pain. Mihira wanted to assist, but the Scales pulled her back up.

You want to wield the mantle of the Seventh House and your predecessor’s legacy? Then hold your tongue and stay your hand.

“But Noortje-san and Sinaka-san are—!”

Know when to intervene and when to not. We are not the First House, we proceed once we have assessed the situation and act with dignity when we do.

Mihira knew what was happening. Her friends were in danger, because of her! Ignoring the Scales, she wrested control over her body and whirled downwards. Both Sinaka-san and Noortje-san were locked in a stalemate, Sinaka-san coiled around Noortje-san’s body while both arm cannons were pressed against Sinaka-san’s temples. Neither of them were budging, and the arm cannons were in the middle of recharging.

“Stop right there!” Mihira raised the Scales and became visible, although she heard some quiet grumbling. “Let’s settle this with words, not fists!”

“I think we’ve passed that point when she—” Sinaka-san jabbed at Noortje-san’s cheek. “Decided to imprison us in here so that she could collect payment from whoever she sold herself to—”

“I’m not being paid! Do you think I want this!?” Noortje-san pointed at the collar on her neck. “None of my siblings wanted to be stolen from their home in the night either!”

“It is a convenient sob story.”

“You think I’m lying?!” She tried to punch Sinaka-san in the face, only for her punch to be blown off course by a sudden gust of wind.

“Enough of this!” Mihira fully descended. “I know that this isn’t an ideal situation, and I understand both of your grievances with each other. If we keep fighting, that doesn’t change the fact that all three of us are stuck here.”

“Hmm…I think that if you close the only exit with the sole purpose of capturing one of us, you would likely have a way out,” Sinaka-san muttered.

Noortje-san crossed her arms and stewed in silence.

“Yes, it’s more than likely that Noortje-san closed the portal. You have to consider that her family is being held hostage, and if you don’t believe me, I saw their faces on her phone wallpaper.” She doubted that Noortje-san or whoever forced her into this went through the trouble of creating an entire wallpaper to elicit sympathy, nor did she think that Noortje-san was faking her mournful look on the train.

Sinaka-san only hummed in response, but she wasn’t throwing insults at Noortje-san or trying to strangle her. Mihira wondered what the Scales thought of her actions.

“...are you alright Noortje-san?” Should she be angry? Probably, but what good was anger now? “If you’re hurting, you can reach out to me or…” She hesitated to say Sinaka-san, and she never felt that Sinaka-san was the forgiving or nurturing type. “Or anyone else that you can feel comfortable with. With that said, we do need a way out.” The Scales shifted in her hand. “I understand you want me, but we can’t leave Sinaka-san here and we need an exit. Please show us the way out.”

Noortje-san shook her head. “I can’t let both of you free. They told me it was either capture or incapacitation.” Her arm cannons started glowing silver. “I like you Mihira, I really do, but it’s you or my siblings, and I can’t let them down. I’m sorry. I hope you can forgive me.”

Despair.

Mihira’s stomach lurched as the weight of the world crashed down on her. All of her hope drained from her, and she could only feel a great maw within herself. The will to carry on drained from her and Mihira buckled to the ground in order to process everything. It was all…pointless. Why was she here? Far away from home, her friends—Why was she continuing?

Because you believe that there is good in the world.

The wind?

Mmmm. You know what to do.

She…wasn’t sure anymore. Sinaka-san didn’t appear bothered that all of their efforts were for naught. As she watched Noortje-san, all she could think of was—

Is there any point to being sad? Yeah, you can be sad, but why wallow in that for so long? There’s a billion other things to do like kissing, gossip, looking at the latest trends…

Kaori’s words rang true within her. She was right, she couldn’t let her spirits down. The world relied on her, her friends relied on her, Sinaka-san was relying on her! Although Sinaka-san looked unaffected by everything as she always did.

Before Noortje-san could grasp her, Mihira flew upwards and started creating an updraft. High winds blew across the platform, inviting along little pieces of debris. A whirlwind formed with its howling sounds calming Mihira down. Sinaka-san watched blankly as the red orchids in her hair swayed. Noortje-san stood tall despite the whirlwind. Almost too calmly—

A blast hit her stomach. Crashing down to the platform, a wave of fury rushed over her. Making her relive that again!? She never wanted to relive her wings being broken and being at the mercy of a ventilator again! What if she made her feel the same way? Mihira pulled at Noortje-san’s breath, dragging all of the air out of her—wait, what was she doing? The sight of Noortje-san gasping for breath with her eyes almost bulging out shocked Mihira back into reality. Since when was she capable of inflicting this much harm on anyone? Sinking to her knees, Mihira stared blankly at the girl in silver’s approaching figure. Judging by the pinched expression on her face, Noortje-san was not happy. The Scales were still silent.

As Noortje-san charged at Mihira, the shadows shifted—

—before Noortje-san could lay a hand on Mihira, her claw cannon hit a black scorpion tail.

Both girls looked at the tail in surprise before a whip coiled around Noortje-san’s neck and sent her sprawling from Mihira. She was about to say something before the stranger picked her up and started climbing up the marble columns. Once they reached the top, the stranger kept looking for an exit. After three minutes of summoning various shadows, the masked stranger stared at the void in silence, her hands fiddling with the small black knife sheaths across her chest. She looked familiar to Mihira. Had she seen her before?

We are not starting this again.

The Scales were speaking! “Did I pass?”

Why would you think that?

Mihira blushed in shame. “I’m sorry for nearly asphyxiating Noortje-san.”

Have you seen reason yet? You can not interfere and compromise your neutrality.

She is in the right.

The wind again! There must be a way that Mihira could gain control of the Scales without losing her vision. Could the stranger help? She seemed fixated on her own goals, but maybe—

Quiet now~ Hmm? You wish for violence? Hmm~ I can give a nice peaceful rest to you~ Come to me~ Take that collar off yourself for freedom and peace of mind~ Show me the way home~

Sinaka-san? It wasn’t meant for Mihira, at least it was—there was one person here with a collar. Noortje-san…her eyes threatened to tear up. “Sorry stranger, but I have to stop my friends from fighting!”

With that, she dove down, her wings tucked in behind her. Sinaka-san was playing her violin so perfectly, her eyes closed as she leaned into her performance. As with everything about her, Mihira was enchanted by her peaceful presence and the elegant way her bow reverberated. How she wished to be in her arms again—

You are a terrible candidate, but I can’t stand by and let you be tricked by the Sixth Gate’s wiles.

Hush now, the candidate for the Sixth Gate’s mantle is stunning.

Mihira knew that the wind sometimes commented on the attractiveness of her crushes, but she didn’t know the wind found Sinaka-san beautiful too.

Your vision is clouded by these attachments. Let go of them. A judge needs to be impartial above all other concerns.

She can perform the duties of the Seventh House and have relationships.

We were meant for a higher purpose.

…since when were “we” involved here?

Mihira wondered how the Scales and the wind knew each other. They talked like they knew each other for a long time…as if they were once intimate. Nonetheless, the Scales were right: she wasn’t here to ogle Sinaka-san. She spotted Noortje-san reaching for her collar. No matter what, she did not deserve to be shocked again. Letting a breeze go, she let Noortje-san’s arm flail in the wind. Confident that the girl in silver was safe, Mihira turned towards her friend. Once this was ended, the Scales should finally accept her. She hoped it was enough, enough to balance between what the Scales wanted and her own selfish desires.

Sinaka-san wasn’t disturbed by the interruption. All she returned to Mihira was a vapid smile.

“Oh? So you have returned.” Sinaka-san glanced at where Noortje-san was slowly getting up. “I was beginning to wonder where she had stolen you to. I’m glad you’re here. Perhaps we can finish this sorry matter and rejoin with the others?”

“We should, but in a peaceful manner.” Mihira hoped she wouldn’t come off too harsh, so she channelled her inner Hua-san voice. “There’s a time and a place to exact vengeance, but not right now. I understand your anger, but we need Noortje-san’s cooperation if we want to get out of here. The Scales have been stubborn and the pretty woman who took me doesn’t know the way back.”

She swore she heard Sinaka-san’s tone turn frosty. “Is that so? After all of this time we’ve spent, you want to make peace with a foolish girl who chose to side with a party of unknown intentions. There…were some complications, but in the end, I was no longer safe in my own home. All thanks to those that sought fire as a means to an end. See reason~, Kun Mihira. Look, she’s aiming as we speak.”

Mihira turned to where Noortje-san was—and sure enough, Noortje-san’s arm cannon was glowing silver. Frustration hit Mihira. She knew that Noortje-san was doing it for her family, but she was getting tired of this. She was about to move to stop Noortje-san—before the stranger knocked her into the ground.

Darkness filled the room and Mihira gripped the middle of the Scales. Punctuated by silver beams, both Noortje-san and the woman in black burst out of the cloud. Noortje-san was about to aim, but the woman blocked it with her tail. Said tail tried to pierce through Noortje-san’s skin repeatedly to no avail. The girl’s dress was dirty, yet she stayed strong—until tears of blood streamed from her eyes.

“Hmmm~” Sinaka-san coldly stared at the woman. “She seems effective.”

The tidal wave of bitterness still wielded power over Mihira. “I’ll let you do what you need to do.” Why did she feel this tired all of a sudden?

Sinaka-san reset her violin in its proper place. As she began playing, Mihira tried to cheer herself up. Everything gnawed at her though, and even Sinaka-san’s harmony couldn’t lift her up. She almost killed Noortje-san there, she couldn’t stop Sinaka-san from attacking Noortje-san, and she still hadn’t measured up to the Scales. Noortje-san was still conscious, even though she was badly battered and her eyes were barely open. The woman in black stared at her, the dark red lenses reflecting Mihira’s exhaustion back at her.

Sing me a song of tears and woe~ Tell me sweetling, where is home~ The home denied to me~ The home you denied me~

…Sinaka-san? Usually she wasn’t like this…

Bear the weight of your mistakes. All of you.

All of—?

The song changed. Mihira felt everything. The betrayal, the hope, the longing…everything mixed into a sorrowful fugue. What she wanted…suffering for all who have wronged her. Somewhere, a deep shameful corner, she empathised with that feeling. Noortje-san stopped moving, while the woman took a step back, her stinger tail ready to strike—

CRACK.

A black whip snapped at Sinaka-san’s chest, sending her tumbling to the ground. The woman watched as Sinaka-san struggled to get up, and struck again. Again, and again, and again. Sinaka-san tried to counter with her violin playing, but the strikes were too quick. She lashed out by cutting into the woman’s clothes, but she never drew blood. Her own blood was drawn…and reshaped into needles…and pinned her to one of the marble columns.

Mihira was powerless. Here she was, standing with a powerful Key, and all she could do was stand and watch. She tried her own way, she tried the way of justice, now what? Her vision…yes, she would—

There’s a third way.

That wasn’t the wind. Mihira looked to her right—and saw a spectral figure in a dress much simpler than hers. The woman looked like her, but older. Her blindfold was pushed up, showing clouded eyes staring vacantly.

“Who are you?” Can you help me fix this broken mess, Mihira wanted to say.

The air around them shifted. An echo of someone from a long time ago. I doubt you would know who I am.

No, she was familiar to Mihira, but she couldn’t quite place her.

I heard your pleas for assistance, and I can provide it.

…why now?

The wind? Normally, Mihira would have been warmed by its presence but she was too weary.

The figure was unperturbed. She required assistance, so I have chosen to give it to her.

Your assistance is not wanted. She should forge her own path, without any influence from those that came before her.

The wind was being hostile to the figure, which was rare. Mihira wanted to probe the wind for further questions, but the sounds of clashing down below stole her attention. Noortje-san had awakened—and decided to shoot the stranger in the back. Sinaka-san had wrenched herself free of the sanguine needles and was attacking the stranger with daggers, making the stranger stagger from the rapid onslaught. Mihira despaired at the amount of slashes on Sinaka-san’s arms and scales. The stranger herself was no slouch in combat, blocking Noortje-san’s blasts with her tail and parrying off Sinaka-san’s frenzied stabs with her whip. Her tail was drooping though and she was…looking above at the figure? That couldn’t be right.

If you want the conflict to end, I can make it happen.

“What do I need to do?” If there’s a way…

The figure stared at her. You haven’t mastered the Scales, but I once did. The Scales measure the individual’s worth against an instilled standard. Your body under my control.

Mihira’s eyes widened. “And if I give it to you…you’ll stop the fighting and let us out of here?”

You have retrieved the Scales of the Four Winds. That was all you needed to do. This is a fair transaction, as is everything I do. I should mention that there is no conventional way of reopening the entrance, so I will employ unorthodox methods.

The wind chilled. You can’t—

Only if she accepts.

I will not let her be bound to you like you bound him and I to this state of being! This time the wind was howling. He might have accepted it, but I—

Silence. Let her think on her own.

“I’ll give my body to you. Anything to stop the fighting.” Even if she gave up her vision and recreated the exit, that wouldn’t guarantee that her friends would stop fighting each other. Besides…at this point, she felt that she could trust the figure’s judgement more than herself.

The figure remained impassive. Thank you. It’s been a while since I have been able to experience the Lower World.

All of a sudden, Mihira felt weightless. She tried to move her hand, but it refused to listen to her. In fact, nothing responded to her control.

This is but a temporary arrangement. You wish to know the power of the Seventh House and the Scales? Watch carefully.

----------------------------------------

There was something to be said about the irony of travelling with the embodiment of peace and harmonious relationships, and being in a bloodied fight for dominance over said embodiment.

The only detail that she was gracious for was that at least it wasn’t her blood on her face this time. Arinya would have preferred to not have blood on any part of her body, but clearly the scorpion woman preferred more pragmatic solutions to issues.

It was unfortunate that she had chosen to oppose Arinya. She would have been a useful ally, especially against the treacherous crab.

Speaking of which, she should have seen it coming. How long had Noortje been subtly influencing them? Arinya knew that she wouldn’t have lashed out like before on her own, so there must have been external influence.

“And you call me a manipulator.” Arinya’s daggers met with Noortje’s claws. “Is this the kind of example you want to set for your siblings?”

“Shut up, you know nothing about me or my family!” Noortje charged up her claw cannon before shards of darkness slammed the both of them into nearby floating columns, sending marble fragments crumbling into the void.

The woman in black let her whip pool on the ground before cracking it against Noortje’s chest. Her face, as always, was unreadable with that black mask and blood red lenses. If there’s one thing that Arinya hated, it was a wild card. The woman had a vested interest in Kun Mihira and a venomous fury against Noortje. Anything else was locked tightly behind that sleek mask of hers. She winced at the subtle slashes on her scaled arms. Arinya had a solution for that, but the fact that the woman was able to wound her irked her.

Luckily, after so much time locked in combat, it was safe to say that she was not the “goal” of this woman’s ire. Freeing herself from the column, she flicked her tail before raising her violin. The pain in her arms was subtle but very much present, and she cursed the woman in her mind. Noortje managed to detach herself from the marble column as well, still recharging her damned cannons. When would the girl ever learn?

She was about to play a song—when the air shifted. Kun Mihira was hovering over them—but something was different. Her body heat decreased significantly, and Arinya felt a more substantial presence in the room. The power dynamics of this room changed—and she doubted the scales tipped in her favour.

The other two were engrossed in their fighting, too ignorant to see that what they were doing was insignificant now. Arinya peered at Kun Mihira. The way she held the Scales, almost like an extension of her arm, sent waves of discomfort through Arinya’s heart. She slithered away, watching from behind a marble column.

Kun Mihira took off her glasses and encased them in an air pocket. Plucking a feather from one of her wings, and with another feather falling from the other, she placed it on one of the copper scales. The Scales started to glow a pale pink.

Something about Kun Mihira’s appearance deeply arrested Arinya. There was a sublime beauty to her, but not the kind Arinya would see in beauty pageants or among the members of high society. She looked beautiful in the way you would call the sky beautiful.

The fact that her eyes seemed to pierce through the marble column unnerved Arinya.

The Scales swayed gently, until Kun Mihira—or whoever was in her body—gripped it tightly. The world stilled—before a concussive wave sent her flying. She grabbed the nearest fragment. The woman in black and Noortje were embedded into the marble columns.

In any situation where she didn’t have the upper hand, she would always find a minor flaw within whoever did. Sometimes it was money, sometimes it was pride. Looking into those vacant eyes, Arinya doubted she would find anything.

She tried to find a safe haven, but something pulled her away and onto the floating platform. Once she regained her sense of stability, she looked at the others. Noortje had her perpetually bug-eyed expression on, while the woman in black struggled with the invisible bindings.

The being in control of Kun Mihira’s body let the Scales hang at her side. “In a place of peace, you have chosen violence over diplomacy. How…intriguing.” Her voice was soft yet distant. “You are all so beautiful. I wish I didn’t have to judge you, but that was never in my hands.” She held the Scales up. “I call for Noortje van der Meer’s soul to be weighed."

Noortje stared at her mouth as it suddenly glowed silver—and slumped to the ground as a silver cloud escaped her mouth. The cloud floated to the scale not holding the feather and the Scales started tilting back and forth. Since the being was busy watching the Scales, Arinya was confident that now was the time to make a move. The being had substantial power, but she was in a blind girl’s body. Arinya knew Kun Mihira had no extrasensory perception, and she no longer felt the air pushing against her. Sparing only a glance at the other two, she slithered away. Playing the violin would require vibrations, something that the being would hear. Her arms still hurt, but a quick slash should be enough to unbalance her. Not too deep, enough to wake Kun Mihira.

The Scales were still tilting. With all eyes on the Scales, it was time. Quieting herself, she moved in complete silence. She climbed up a marble column and leaped. The copper scales were starting to slow down—yet Arinya still felt like someone was watching her. She looked at Kun Mihira’s body—and a cold unease spread through her body when she saw her eyes tracking her in mid air.

The Scales stopped with the scale containing Noortje’s breath lower than the one containing the feather. In a breath, Arinya was stopped. Her body was seemingly encased by an invisible solid. She tried moving to no avail.

“You must have thought that this body was defenceless because she is blind.”

Arinya’s eyes turned towards the being in Kun Mihira’s body.

“Even if I had been in a sighted body, I would have perceived you. I know…every flutter, every gasp, every step. The air changes every movement, and I see that.” She stared into Arinya, who wilted from the intensity. “I must congratulate you on moving in silence. Even the twins would not have heard you…”

Arinya felt the air reshaping itself—slowly inserting itself past her eye socket, into her ears, the small gap between her lips—

“In another era…” Kun Mihira’s body smiled. “Another time. Not now.”

The silver cloud lifted from its scale and flew into Noortje’s mouth, who promptly gasped for breath. The Scales started moving…and a sense of dread filled Arinya.

“Your beauty would have adorned the hallways of my courts.” Something about the newfound crispness in that voice unnerved her. “Now, Arinya Sinaka, I call for your soul to be weighed.”

The air around Arinya was no longer solid—but nothing supported her either. As she freefalled, she noticed the teal glow of her mouth. Trying to hold it in was impossible, no matter how hard she clamped down on her mouth.

The last thing she saw was a teal cloud leaving her lips.

She had no body. No physical sensations. No sight, no touch, no smell…

There was a feather on the other side. That she knew. She retained no name, and yet that was a familiar sensation. Being known as “her” in this instance felt right, despite the knowledge that she was, had been more than that…

“You are the candidate for the Sixth Gate?”

Yes, she was in this instance.

“You intentionally instigated conflict within the confines of this dimension against the candidates of the Fourth and Eighth Houses?”

Yes—why was she answering these questions truthfully? In this life, she knew how to hide her feelings. Being laid bare revolted her. After so many years—

“You wanted to use the candidates of the Seventh House and the Fifth and Seventh Gates for your own means prior to you entering this dimension?”

Yes. That she would not deny. If he—for she noticed a masculine quality to the voice—wanted the truth of it, so be it. Security was always important to her, even more so now at the mercy of forces she could not begin to comprehend.

“The touch of the Fourth House lies within your mind. The power to instil strong emotions or amplify them is under the Fourth House’s domain. Implantation was not detected. The factors behind your actions were already present.”

Of course that was his conclusion. That the girl had amplified her emotions was already clear, yet the idea that she may have felt artificial emotions—

“If you wish to argue that what you felt was artificial and therefore you were not responsible for your actions, that is false. You would have undertaken those actions even if you hadn’t been under the Fourth House’s influence.”

Who was he to judge her actions? He didn’t know her, her life, her past. Just yet another snide asshole passing judgement without consideration like all of the others.

“You have shown no remorse for your actions, except when they backfired on you.”

…why was that true?

“Taking your lack of remorse into consideration, along with your actions which have significantly weakened the integrity of this dimension and your intentions prior to entrance, you are found guilty of the crimes of destruction of property and crimes against the body of the Seventh House.”

She was beginning to feel…pain. A deep throbbing pain…perhaps she will wake later…

The pain was still there in her head. She must have hit her head hard…curse the Scales and the being who held them. She must have swallowed the teal cloud at some point, since there was now a black cloud on the Scales…wait was it lighter than its opposing scale!?

“An expected outcome.” The ghost of a smile danced on Kun Mihira’s face. “I knew that you would be innocent.”

Arinya wanted to point out that the woman in black viciously tore out copious amounts of blood from her and Noortje, tried to abduct Kun Mihira, and wasn’t doing anything to prevent the fighting from occurring. They were unlikely to listen to her though.

As the black cloud reentered the woman’s mask, the being fluttered slightly.

“You’ve all received your verdicts…now hear your sentences. This domain has been badly damaged by your antics and vendettas. This I can not abide. Tenhou Mihira had tried to talk all of you down, but none of you listened. For this, you are all sentenced to stay.”

An air bubble formed around the woman in black, much to all of their confusion.

“It is unfortunate that this domain can not sustain itself. I must destroy it, but there must be a balance. What I destroy here…would have to be retributed to the Lower World.”

The Scales began to move again. Slowly the landscape changed—

They were in the main courtroom of the Peace Palace—only about as badly damaged as the space they were in. Several of the seats had been torn apart by gunfire, while Arinya spied hailstones embedded in the walls. The balconies and the wall closest to the large door were crawling with rifles and guns pointed at two figures standing defiant. Náa Yǔfēi and Náa Urantsog looked battered. The fish was nowhere to be seen. Smoke was coming off both of them and there were some noticeable tears in their outfits. Most of the walls, the large French painting, and the roof were singed with either rocket fire or lightning.

Her opinions on these people aside, they knew how to cover their bases.

The copper Scales were tilting back and forth, producing a harmonious chime. The sound reverberated throughout the room, causing all to turn their attention to the winged being floating above them all.

“Know this: you will live. I am not heartless, but punishment is needed.” The being wearing Kun Mihira’s body blinked. “I’ll close this domain—now.”

The Scales finally balanced—as cracks began to appear in both the platform and the walls of the Peace Palace. The air itself was in upheaval, and Arinya watched as the ceiling was shaken. She touched…carpet? She was in the courtroom, with everyone, a now falling Kun Mihira with a surrounding air bubble—the roof coming apart.

Her eyes could only widen as the Peace Palace collapsed on her and everyone else.

----------------------------------------

She saw light.

She was expecting darkness forever…never to see any of her friends again. Her body ached, but she knew she wasn’t injured. She wanted to follow the light, but…did she? Every choice she’s made, every decision—it all led to ruin. She couldn't control the Scales, let alone stop her friends from fighting each other. Why did the wind have so much faith in her…?

“Khuṇ ca cạb mụ̄x c̄hạn h̄ịm?”

Mihira blinked. “Huh?”

There was some grumbling in an incomprehensible language before two soft hands reached out and pulled her out of the rubble.

“S̄ı̀ wæ̀ntā k̄hxng khuṇ.”

Something was nudged at her. Mihira reached for it, and realised that it was her glasses. Putting them on, she looked up to see Sinaka-san—and the rest of the world came into sharp focus.

The Peace Palace was completely destroyed. Water leaked everywhere, there were broken glass shards wherever she looked, bits of marble, parts of the wall…the tulips outside weren’t spared the wreckage either. Petals scattered the front of where the Peace Palace used to be.

What devastated her was what laid beyond the grounds. The beautiful buildings were pulverised to the ground. Some of them looked like a swift blade sheared them in half. She saw people in pain, bleeding, trapped under apartments or office buildings, or completely prone. She tried not to let her mind linger on the completely prone people.

Sinaka-san tapped her on the shoulder and motioned her to keep moving. As they hobbled along the roads, they came across more scenes of suffering. More people pinned underneath fallen buildings, car alarms going off, abandoned bicycles…she clutched at the Scales still in her hand. Could she do something to help? A part of her wanted her to stop and think, and a deeper part wanted her to do nothing. She had done too much already.

Sinaka-san felt a little wrong, so Mihira checked her side—and found a long jagged wound along Sinaka-san’s right side. Mihira was going to point out that they needed to see a doctor, but Sinaka-san waved her off.

They kept walking, until Mihira heard a whisper.

“Pst. Over here. You with the woman bleeding out.”

Mihira turned towards the source. “Hello?”

“Yes.” A woman with a short light brown pixie cut and wearing sunglasses stepped into the light. “There’s a way out of the city. I can show you.”

Should she trust this woman? Although initially hesitant, she did have no way out.

“Follow me.”

Mihira followed the woman into a winding alley. The woman grabbed a small box, a fish tank with a familiar carp, and started taking out bandages. After she had applied them to Sinaka-san’s wound, she got up and started walking away.

“Come this way.”

Mihira kept following with Sinaka-san trailing behind. “Where are we going?”

The woman lowered her glasses, showing dark red eyes that reminded Mihira of the blade she saw in that gorgeous woman’s pocket.

“It’s a secret.” She winked.

“...are you the woman from earlier?”

The woman took out a small throwing knife with a metallic grey colour, identical in shape to the pretty woman’s throwing knives.

“Wait so you are also—” She was beautiful and dangerous…

“We have to move, now!”

----------------------------------------

“...wake up.” Shock, shock, shock. Nothing. “Bucket of cold water. Now.”

As soon as the pitiful girl woke up, she began coughing up water.

“Status report. What happened out there?!”

The girl took a while to focus. “...where are my siblings?”

“Tell me now.”

The girl stared. “I did what you asked. I helped them split up, closed the rift behind them, and…fought them.” She grew angrier. “I can’t believe I had to fight them. You told me that—”

“Get a grip. You didn’t even do your job properly.”

“I didn’t expect a scorpion woman or whoever took control over Mihira—”

Shock. “Let’s start over: what happened in there, why was the Peace Palace destroyed, and why were some of the people we sent drained of their blood or crushed under falling rubble?”

The girl spilled everything.

“...so she was possessed. Did she have dark red eyes?”

The girl shook her head. “Where are they? I want to see them.”

Shock. Why did she keep whining? “Stop asking.”

The girl started whimpering instead.

“Besides, we found better targets.”

The girl’s eyes widened in fear and shock. “You aren’t—”

The call ended. She was annoying. At least the strategy worked. Ha, imagine when she found out that the plan that she shot down actually worked—

“What should we do? We have them cornered.” Oh right, the other line.

“Status.”

“Both of them are heavily wounded, neither of them are transformed, one of them has injuries on her left side, the other is active and unlikely to last long.”

The Dragon and the Horse…one was somewhat valuable, the other was near worthless. If only—she hadn’t been relocated, but soon—

“Anything to add?”

“Shoot them both. I don’t care where.”