Arriving at the scene, Alicia was not surprised to find a small crowd already gathered there. With the announcement Dan had made, it would be a shock if there had not been a flock of people present to investigate the theft. As it was, things seemed to be well in hand at the moment.

Glancing towards Mariette, Alicia kept her voice low even though she was aware it was a moot point with portals. "I think there's a decent chance." If not Mariette, then someone in her organization. Even before her unmind warping she'd been trying to act the part of a good guy. While it seemed silly to stay here if she was the culprit, she could be trying to divert attention from Asengav and his followers.

Still, she was pleasantly surprised as Rachel gave the dimension a stay of execution based on the crime that had been committed. "Well then, I guess that worked out," she noted to Kimble with a shrug. It seemed their job here was done.

So she thought, at least until Rachel asked for her help. Stepping over, Alicia began heeding her powers once more. Those predisposed to mistrust them would no doubt claim she was just lying, but she would try to convey the facts regardless. Once Sally finished, she nodded to Rachel. "I'm not getting anything that says she's lying," she said, to Rachel more than anyone else. a pity her scrying wouldn't be of much use at the moment, at least until they knew what to look for.

Rachel’s statement of choosing not to destroy was one that Penny was glad to hear, though her relief wasn’t so readily apparent. It was more felt in her aura than anything, a shifting away from the unyielding feel to one softer. That and a smirk at the obvious tsundere retraction. Though Penny wasn’t one to point that out.

Instead “Trust me, I’ve got plenty more where that came from” She would reply with a thankful nod. “Couldn’t go all out in the ring, for a few reasons, tracking down the Mirror isn’t so limiting.” She would explain before shifting off to stand on Rachel’s other flank. Penny was a member of Beacon after all, it was time for a united front.

“I don’t think it’s Mariette” Penny would say after hearing Sally’s recollection. She too didn’t detect any falsehoods, but now wasn’t the time to announce that. “Too many of her crew is missing. And her worry is genuine. Plus something else when we aren’t in the open.” She would explain. That didn’t remove one of Mariette’s followers, or Asengav’s followers really, but the distinction wouldn’t help at the moment.

Who might have done was up in the air for the moment. And Penny had that thought in the front of her mind as she once again surveyed everyone, though her serious demeanor would soften upon seeing her girlfriend. Penny would offer an open hand to MDP, a silent invitation for her to join if she wanted. As she did a realization struck her.

“I’d be willing to bet on the Mint.” Penny would say turning back to Rachel. “This is exactly their M.O. disrupt a stable situation, and start playing everyone against each other. If they get something useful out of it even better. That’s how they’ve always acted in Penrose so far.”

In stark contrast to her usual bubbly hyperactivity, MDP watched silently as the various participants of this latest drama arrived and made their cases. She was glad to hear that Rachel had decided to postpone the dimension’s destruction, at least for the time being, but the inquisitor’s obvious hatred for Dan’s realm still bothered the whimsical girl. Then there was the fact that Mayra was part of the opposing side in this little debacle… Nevertheless, when Penny moved to stand with the forces of Beacon, MDP was quick to join her. This move wasn’t exactly to show her support for Beacon, so much as her support for Penny. Indeed, the childish girl was firmly dedicated to staying by her girlfriend’s side, regardless of what anyone else might think. Whatever adversities presented themselves, she and Penny would face them together, and she had faith that if they did so, then a peaceful outcome for everyone would surely be attained. It may have been a painfully naive way of thinking, but it made perfect sense to MDP, and that was all that really mattered.

Taking Penny’s offered hand, she listened as the mechanical monarch stated who she believed the culprit to be. “Like, Penny Wenny’s totally wotally right!” the whimsical girl agreed. “Those Minty Winty people weple are, like, super duper meanie weanie heads! They’re super duper sneaky weaky, too! And, like, Magical Dream Princess would know, ‘cause she got tricky wickied by them herselfy welfy…” she added, frowning at the thought of just how big a mistake she’d made to ever work with the Mint. A moment later, however, she brightened back up as an idea occurred to her. “But, like, if everybodywody works together wether, Magical Dream Princess just knows we can put a stopy wopy to their evil wevil plany wanies and savey wavey Christmas Whistmas and Danny Wanny’s placey wacey, too~! (giggle!) We can make our very wery own Christmas Whistmas miracle wiracle of wuv and justice, ‘cause, like, that’s what magical wagical girls do~!”

As Justine pondered about what could have happened while wandering around the lodge, she happened to notice Tenebra.
”..."
Justine winced, knowing the bloody past the two girls shared. But, after she saw how determined Tenebra was to duel her in Keijo, even to the point of winning against Penny, who she thought to be undefeatable in the arena, she decided to at least attempt to have a conversation with her. If she were to turn away and leave, she wouldn’t pursue the topic any longer. But at least it would give some kind of closure.

”Um...Hello," Justine greeted her, as she kept her eyes averted.
”Congratulations on your victory against Penny. Even if she conceded, it was still amazing to see you holding up against someone as powerful as her. I don’t think I could have beaten her myself, to be honest."

Tenebra had managed to reach the main party after leaving Dina to rest. Her eyes were gathered on Justine all the time. Did she just...congratulate her? Her eyes narrowed, before letting a small laugh… full of hatred.

“It was you, wasn’t it? You stole the mirror.” Tenebra said, almost half growling. “Because you saw your neck in peril.” She got up, getting ready to throw down, dimensional properties of no harm be damned. “You are either very gutsy or very stupid to even consider I would tolerate you breathing in my direction after what you have done.” Tenebra elaborated, her usual awkward self being smashed by the boiling rage from within.

Justine stepped back with surprise.
”Me? You really think I did it?" She bit the corner of her lip.
”I swear, I did not-"

”Maybe Alicia invited her here, and-Ah!"
That was when Lily and Alexander arrived as they conversed, having absentmindedly stepped into the lodge to follow after Justine once they noticed her to have slipped away.
”Justy! What’s happening here...Oh." She looked awkward as she realized who she was speaking to.
”Sorry, am I interrupting something here?" She asked.

Justine shook her head.
”Tenebra thinks I stole the Mirror. And admittedly for good reason, considering my past. But I didn’t do it."

Lily nodded, and then turned her eyes to Tenebra.
”Look, I know that Justine didn’t do it, Tenny B. We hung out a lot with her during all this, she couldn’t have stolen it."

That did not help a bit. “Figures, you colluded with Justine. Quite the hypocrite.” She said, “Do you even know what she did to me? No, you were busy switching sides and protecting Mariette.” Tenebra snapped at Lily back, gravity gathering around her. “She’s one of the ones who stands to gain the most from that thing. It’s like the one ring. Every single one of them was mouthwatering at the prospect of the mirror.” Tenebra snarled.

“Disgusting.” She paused. “I was better off dead with my two comrades, but noo you had to resurrect me for a FARCE.” She snapped.

Alexander stepped with a hand held up “Okay, let’s back up for a second. What does this fucking mirror even do anyway? Because as far as I can tell, it’s only real power is assisting in the creation of pocket worlds. Actually, that kind of makes the One Ring comparison fit a bit better now that I think about it; both items grant a useful but mostly harmless ability...yet people quickly become quickly consumed with the idea that the item in question will grant them unlimited power...or something”

Tenebra's words pierced into Lily like daggers. "No, I just...It was complicated…" Lily was about to continue, but she felt that trying to justify her actions would only be seen as excuses by Tenebra. "And it is true that a lot of people want the mirror, but Justine's not one of them. At least, not any more, right?" She looked at Justine, who held her arm and looked away.

Alex brought up a good point, to which Justine nodded in thought.
"I'm not sure, but I think it is some kind of conduit to Mariette's Patron," she finally spoke, causing Lily to stop in her tracks.
"Horror artifacts are incredibly rare, but each one of them holds great power. Asengav's must be especially so, considering it's basic use is something impressive like that. I myself obtained it in a vain attempt at creating a perfect world for myself, but I never got it to work properly."
Lily scratched her head.
"Yikes…I didn't know it was something like that."

Tenebra snarled at Justine talking once more. “So you admit it.” She added, as the gravity began to wobble around her once more. “Actually, where’s your maid? She could’ve taken it. Answer or...else.”

Justine grit her teeth as she felt the subtle pull of Tenebra’s magic.
"I don’t know where Sonia is," she answered.
"And I don’t know if she stole the mirror. But I do know that whoever it was, they wouldn’t be able to fully utilize its power." However, as much as she tried to talk Tenebra down, she knew the half-baked magical girl wouldn’t listen to reason.
"Tenebra, I know that you feel angry and scorned, and you are justified to resent me for my past deeds. But fighting it out here is not going to solve anything."
That was when Lily came up with an idea.
"I know! What if you two had a Keijo duel? Now that the tournament’s cancelled, the arena pool is free for use."
Justine irked.
"I see...I suppose that is one way to settle grudges. What do you say to that, Tenebra?"

Tenebra just stared at Justine. “A duel it is. But not of Keijo. A proper duel.” She snarled.

“No no no!” Dan popped in with crossed fins. “I won’t accept real fighting here, no matter how mad you may be. If you want to duke it out, you gotta do it by Keijo rules.”

Tenebra had enough. The physicality of the avatar could still be affected, as her ire kept being stoked with the denials. She just made a simple gesture.

“Gravity guillotine.” Tenebra up to this point she had been downright playing nice, but no longer. Dan was teleported in two halves, separated a couple of meters from each other. “Your dimension deserves to burn, for sustaining this farce.” She would go on. “The only thing It had going for was a nice looker like Elroy, but now he’s gone too. A proper duel. You choose the place.” She added, glaring at Justine.

Like a paper doll, Dan was split into two halves of one cartoonish dolphin, with his inside resembling an amusing slice of steak. They were not amused, and squeaked in unison:
“Waah! Hey, that wasn’t nice! If you keep acting up like this I oughta-”

“It’s fine,” Justine interrupted. "If You want to settle this with proper combat, then I won’t refuse you. We’ll hold it outside Dan’s dimension if we must."
With that said, she headed towards the portal.
"I know of an empty area in the Overcity. We will meet there."

Lily grabbed hold of Justine’s hand.
"Justy, are you sure of this?"
Justine looked away.
"Like Tenebra, I was also once obsessed with revenge. At that point, it is the only way we can settle this."

“Is it really?” Alexander snarked “Because I don’t understand how you two going at it fixes anything, regardless of who wins. This just feels like an opportunity for you both to vent some stress. How can one fight fix all the bad blood between you two? Because it feels like it’ll just make more.”

Tenebra eyed Alexander, before facing face to face, a few centimeters away. "I don't know, maybe if Justine gets violated to every corner of her being and turned into a zombie, then killed off like a bug I will be happy. She is a heinous being, more than I at my lowest ever was, and she only deserves this at most."

Justine stopped one step short from the portal once she heard Tenebra’s spiteful words. However, she didn’t say anything, and stepped through, disappearing from sight. Tenebra then disappeared soon after, having warped away.

"Justy..." Lily took hold of Alex’ hand and looked at him.
"Can we...Go and watch, Alex? I know this is Justy’s battle, but..." She bit her lip, looking anxious.

“If...if it’ll make you feel better” Alexander answered “This still feels stupid and pointless...but it’s clear that I can’t do anything to stop this without making things even worse” he sighed, as he gave Lily’s hand a light squeeze.

Lily nodded, and the two began heading towards the portal. However, the portal began to rapidly shrink.

"Justy!"
Lily gasped, and reached out with her free hand, only to be met by Justine’s sorrowful smile as she looked back at them.
"Goodbye, Lily."

The portal closed, causing Lily to look away, still holding Alex’ hand.

Fro a time, she simply stood in the middle of the lodge, the warmth of the place having seemingly left her as she slightly shivered.
"I…I guess I ruined this Christmas…For everybody…"
Then, she buried her face in Alex’ chest, suppressing her tears.

---

“Oh, have you now?” Rachel crossed her arms as she looked Finn past her glasses like an insect caught on a car’s windshield. How convenient of you to have been this fast to the scene of the crime…” She added, not hiding her suspicious tone of voice, before she dismissed the two of them in favor listening to Sally.

After the confession was granted and confirmed as honest by Alicia, Rachel nodded, seemingly deep in thought, and then signalled to Violette. “Call in a security team. I want a full sweep of this building and the premises, followed by setting up a base of operations. FanFan, inform the Cardinal personally with a report of the incident. Sally, you’re with me. We’re going to this suspicious spot. And Alicia…” She turned towards her. “Thank you for your assistance. Now, go file a report and…” She hesitated, and cleared her throat. “I mean, could you file a report? That would be all.”
Lastly, she glanced back to Penny and MDP, and nodded. “The M.O. fits them, but it’s still too early of a conclusion to make without any substantial evidence. Anyway, Beacon thanks you for your collaboration. Now then goodbye.”
She briskly turned and left the feast hall, following after Oliver’s clones.

Dan slowly descended down to sit on the present box, now having been flipped sideways away from the crime scene. He made a squeaky sigh, and summoned his megaphone.
With a low voice, he made one last announcement to the dimension.
“I suppose…This is the end of the Christmas party. You may stay if you’d like, but…There won’t be much of an afterparty. Thank you for coming and have a nice day.”

Kimble pouted as Rachel walked away, looking confused.
”Huh, Rachel was…Not as mean as usual,” she mumbled, and looked at Alicia.
”Sad to hear this party’s over though. So, what now, Alicia?”

---

Behind the lodge building, Oliver’s clones found the lone tree Sally mentioned in her story.
Rachel arrived shortly after, and began inspecting the scene.
“Someone’s definitely been here…And they covered their tracks.”
The snow around the tree was upheaved and scrambled, as if someone had kicked snow over the area. As a result, there were no discernible footprints. However, one of Oliver’s duplicates spotted an unusually clean mound of snow, like an island in a sea of chaos. Based on the position of a bare branch above it, it may have been a pile of snow that had fallen down from the tree.
Rachel examined the mound. “Hmm…Ring any bells?” She asked him.

This is mostly just clone work lmao

Finn simply sneered back at the accusation. "Ah for God's sake, Woman, I used to be an investigator! Hello?!"

Oliver slightly swayed the boy he held by the shoulders. "Easy there, she ain't gonna bite first. Besides, I've already got it covered." He'd reassure Finn, reducing his voice to a whisper at the last statement.

---

The clone team hadn't noticed Rachel following them as they flew off to outside. Unlike Classic Oliver, the spirits retained their original colors, yet all had different gas masks to differentiate from each other. It didn't take long for them to find the lone tree that may yet prove useful.

"Alright fellas, let's make sure we don't screw up any evidence, aye?" The leader of the clones told the rest. Despite wearing a basic gas mask, his voice could be heard clear as day. And like that, the team had split up by vicinity. Not only to make sure nothing was forgotten, but just in case the perp was still around.

Eventually Rachel arrived, and surprisingly, she seemed on board with their help. Or at least, indifferent about it. Maybe cause Oliver wasn't as bad as Finn in Beacon's eyes, but they decided to remain neutral of her presence for the long run. "Hrgh...desperate attempt to cover up their tracks. They must've realized their coin got snatched while we were busy. But who wasn't accounted for in the timeframe between Sally grabbing it and everyone meeting at the lodge?" One of the clones noted, standing up from their kneeling position as the Inquisitor walked up next to him. Before he got an answer though, another clone had caught wind of something abnormal. A fresh pile of snow, untouched saved for the branch that acted as a cherry on top. "Oi! Oi, I think I found something weird over here!" It called out to the rest to gather over.

When they were asked if it was anything familiar, the leading clone took to answer. "It's clean. Too clean. I'd think this appeared before the tracks were mucked up but...hmm....one of you, check over the branches here just in case." He commanded one of the other clones, and a small vial, like one from a chemistry set, popped out of his hand. Now, Oliver didn't have a Third Eye, or any form of clarvoyancy for that matter, but maybe if he mixed the right chemicals, he can get a similar reaction.

Once he felt that the consistency was right, he carefully added a drop to the pile of snow...

Though a bit out of place in the investigation for the moment, Alicia did her best to remain attentive. She wasn't ruling anything out, even when Penny suggested that it might have been the Mint. It very well could have, though at the same time they were also a pretty convenient scapegoat. So she would still retain some flexibility in judgment.

She nodded as Rachel laid out what she was going to do next for the investigation. "Sure," she replied with a small shrug. There wasn't much to report on her end, though she supposed she could do a general thing laying out the course of events. She'd worry about that more when she got back to HQ.

"I noticed that. I guess all that keijo practice built up a bit of respect." However it had come back, Alicia was not going to feel bad about it. She'd been trying to build a partnership with Rachel, and at long last it seemed like it might be paying off.

Despite the party ending, she remained determined to hold firm and enjoy the moment. Glancing over to Kimble, she flashed her companion a warm smile. "Well, I want to find a souvenir before we head back. It's only a disappointing party if you let yourself think of it that way. Dan's got enough stuff on these islands that I'm sure we can find something."

“Well, that’s annoying…” Nykannis muttered as she observed several figures disappear through a portal. “Though I can’t really say I blame them.”

“Yeah, a lack of control really bothers some people,” Kate agreed.

“It’s not just that,” Nykannis replied. “It’s the sloppy as fuck way the people with the power around here actually utilize it. Take the match in question. I’m sure you noticed all the chronological manipulation going on.”

“Yup,” Kate nodded. “Kinda hard to miss, at least if ya know what to look for.”

“Yeah, it wasn’t anything close to subtle. I mean, I know they wanted her to win, hell, I wanted her to win, but I didn’t think she’d need that kinda help to accomplish it…”

“Gotta admit, I was really looking forward to seeing how that match was gonna play out. It sucks that it ended on such an anticlimax. You think they’re gonna be okay?”

“I know one of them will be, and I couldn’t fucking care less about the other,” Nykannis spat. “What I care about is that, thanks to this shitshow of a match, I won’t be able to have a conversation with what were very likely the only two people in this fucking universe that come anywhere near my level of intelligence.”

“Oh, yeah… The meeting… I forgot about that…”

“Well, I didn’t!” Nykannis snapped. “The chance to chat with those two was one of the few good things to come out of this stupid ‘vacation’, and now it’s been completely flushed down the toilet! FUCK!!!” Sweeping her hand across the small table, she flung the various plates of snacks onto the floor, with a few even bouncing off the walls. “Do you have any IDEA how hard it is to find intellects even REMOTELY close to my level in a shithole reality plenum like this?! DO YOU?!! I just wanted to find someone who maybe, just MAYBE, had the ability to grasp even a FRACTION of what I’m saying without their fucking eyes glazing over, like some braindead five year old! And I actually had a chance at that! What do I have NOW, Kate?!” the mad scientist roared. “WHAT DO I HAVE NOW?!!”

“Uh…”

“AND THAT’S NOT EVEN THE WORST PART!!! No, they didn’t just fuck off to another fucking reality plenum, they had the unmitigated gall to FUCKING INSULT ME FIRST!!! PEOPLE DON’T GET TO DO THAT TO ME, KATE!!! NOT WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES!!! But how do I do it?” she asked no one in particular as she began to pace back and forth. “I can’t just go there, now can I? Besides, I’m not a fucking COWARD who can’t take a little adversity! YOU HEAR THAT?!!” she howled, shaking her fist at the heavens. “I SAID YOU’RE ALL FUCKING COWARDS!!! CRYBABIES!!! PUSSIES!!! I’VE ALREADY PROVEN I’M BETTER THAN YOU, JUST BY STICKING AROUND!!! I-I’ve already… proven…” she trailed off as she slumped down in a chair.

“Um, are you okay…?”

“No, Kate,” Nykannis sighed. “I’m not okay, but I’ll survive. Even with their absence, The Plan can still move forward. In fact, all this recent drama may even accelerate its completion. I just wish I had someone I could talk to about it…”

“Hey, who knows? Maybe you’ll meet somebody else who can actually understand all that stuff,” Kate offered, while placing a consoling hand on her friend’s shoulder.

“In this reality plenum? I highly doubt it. The people here are all total idiots. Like, look at THIS fuckery!” she instructed, gesturing at a display with a flashing red boarder. “That stupid dolphin friend of yours just LOST THE FUCKING MIRROR!!! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT STUPID TOURNAMENT EVEN FOR IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS WAS GONNA HAPPEN?!! DAMN IT!!! Now I can’t study the Mirror, OR dissect one of those stupid Harebringers! I WOULD HAVE STOLEN THE DAMN THING MYSELF, IF I’D HAVE KNOWN IT WAS GONNA BE THIS EASY!!! But noooo, the rules wouldn’t allow that… And now this is aaaall going to devolve into one enormous clusterfuck, Ass-engav’s forces verses the Ass-endancy, with each thinking the other stole it. SIMON WRIGHT’S BRAIN, THESE PEOPLE ARE SO FUCKING EASY TO MANIPULATE!!!” she roared, tugging at her hair with barely contained fury. “I swear, Kate, if I didn’t make that stupid deal with the Grand Magistrates, I could rule this entire reality plenum in less than a week! Instead, I have to abide by their stupid, contradictory rules, while I desperately try not to DIE OF BOREDOM as I wait for The Plan to FINALLY be completed!”

“But, uh, don’t you have all those other projects to keep yourself busy with?” Kate asked hesitantly.

“I do, but but they can only distract me so much. Besides, they’re always meant to remain in the shadows. No one gets to SEE them, and when I try to TALK to these Neanderthals about them, they can’t understand a word I’m saying. A few might come close, mind you, like that goody-two-shoes, and Her Mechanical Majesty, of course, but even THEY can’t wrap their feeble minds around what I’m TRULY trying to accomplish…”

“How about a new project?” Kate suggested. “One that people can see. And understand. Y’know, like revenge? I mean, you’ve always been a big fan of that, and, personally, I’ve always thought your revenge plans were some of your best work.”

“That’s not surprising, coming from someone of your intellectual level. No offense.”

“None taken,” Kate chuckled.

“But you do have a point…” Nykannis conceded. “There’s nothing quite like revenge… And the difficulty of attaining it only makes the end result even more delicious…” she added, rubbing her hands together as a maniacal grin spread across her face. “Especially if I accomplish it while still being constrained by…” Her voice trailed off and her gaze grew distant, as if she was peering beyond the veil, into realms of possibilities as yet undreamed of (which, of course, she was). “The rules…” she whispered, her eyes taking on a crazed gleam. “Yes… Yes! YES!!! NYAHAHAHAHAAAA!!! I’m SUCH a genius! Call ME a ‘second rate scientist’ will they?!

WELL, I’LL SHOW THEM!!!

I’LL SHOW THEM AAAALL!!! NYAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!”

Kate merely smirked. It sure is a good thing this room is soundproof…

---

“The endy wendy…?” MDP echoed after Dan made his disheartening announcement, tears already beginning to stream down her cheeks. “That’s, like, super duper horrible worrible!”

Meanwhile, Connie and Gaia had watched in silence as the drama around them played out. But then, the timid girl’s hopes for a return to the previous festive atmosphere were quickly dashed, as the entire dimension was declared a crime scene, causing her to gasp in shock. “T-This is awful, Mia!” Connie cried, her eyes glistening with tears. “I-I was r-really l-looking forward to s-spending C-Christmas with e-everyone, a-and n-now…”

“I know how you feel, little sister,” Gaia commiserated, while wrapping her friend up in a comforting embrace. “This day held so much promise, and it pains my heart to see it ruined because of these petty squabbles. But that does not mean we are bereft of hope,” she added with a smile. “We may not be able to continue the holiday festivities here, but I believe I know of a suitable alternative.”

“W-What do you mean?” Connie asked, her voice little more than a whisper.

“Well, did you not receive an upgrade to your interdimensional home in the gift exchange?” Gaia inquired with an amused twinkle in her eye. “If what the card said is to be believed, then it has now expanded into a full sized house, one which shall appear however you see fit.”

“Oh g-gosh!” Connie gasped. “I-I completely forgot about that! T-That’s a g-great idea, Mia!” she cheered, her sadness having swiftly given way to joyful exuberance. “W-We can invite everyone t-to our v-very own Christmas Party!”

Not wasting another moment, Connie moved to the front of the hall and raised her voice to address all gathered. “U-Um, e-excuse me, b-but c-could I h-have e-everyone’s attention f-for a m-moment? I k-know the p-party’s b-been c-canceled, b-but, i-if you’d l-like, y-you’re all w-welcome to c-continue the f-festivities at m-my h-house. Y-You s-see,” the timid girl continued, while removing and nervously playing with her hat. “I-I, uh, r-received an u-upgrade t-to my i-interdimensional h-home, s-so it s-should be b-big enough to f-fit everyone, a-and… W-Well… I-It’s C-Christmas… I-I don’t k-know m-many of y-you, a-and I d-don’t really k-know why s-some of you d-don’t l-like each other, b-but, c-can’t we all p-put aside our d-differences f-for just o-one day? I-I, m-mean, I s-still w-want to e-enjoy Christmas w-with my f-friends, d-don’t you?”

“I certainly do,” Gaia said, beaming with pride at the sight of her timid friend having worked up the courage to address the crowded room.

“You can count me in,” Shane added.

“Us, too!” Rose and Iris chimed in.

“Me as well,” Kayli said with a smile.

“That sounds like fun!” Melisa chirped.

“Like, it totally wotally does~! (giggle!)” MDP cheered. “Hooray for Connie Wonnie~! She, like, totally wotally saved the day~! (giggle!)” the whimsical girl added, bouncing over to give Connie a big hug. “Oh, but, like, Magical Dream Princess promised womised to stay with Penny Wenny,” she added with a frown. “So, like, does Penny Wenny want to go over wover to Connie Wonnie’s placey wacey, too~?” she asked her girlfriend with a hopeful smile.

Penny had followed more sedately after her girlfriend, but the smile on her face was unmissable. ”That sounds fantastic” She knew where her strengths were and tracking down the leads needed to find the missing Mirror were sadly not it. Or at least not in doing so openly. Talking to people in a more relaxed environment might bring up something, though Penny doubted it.

“Yaaaay~! (giggle!)” MDP cheered, while giving her girlfriend a big hug.

“Just a quick thing I want to take care of first” She would add “But that should be doable on the way to the house. Assuming that is you’re not opening the door in here.” Penny directed the later half of that statement at Connie, seeing as Beacon was cording off the area as a crime scene.

“O-Oh, uh, w-well, I k-kinda was...” Connie conceded, looking more than a little embarrassed. “B-But, I g-guess I c-could open it o-outside…”

“Why not open it on the tree in the square?” Penny would offer up after biting back a chuckle. She didn’t think the shy girl would appreciate it. “It’s not far from the exits, and hosting the Christmas party inside a physical representation of christmas just goes to show that the true spirit of the holiday can never truly be defeated.”

“Oh, w-wow!” Connie exclaimed, her eyes lighting up as a big smile spread across her face. “T-That’s a g-great idea!”

Proceeding to do just that, Connie headed over to the giant tree, held out her hand, and focused. She thought of the perfect place to spend Christmas Eve, a warm, cozy cabin, with a crackling fireplace, plenty of comfy couches, blankets, stuffed animals, and Christmas decorations of all kinds. She thought of all the delicious food she would want to be there for those who hadn’t had the chance to partake of Dan’s feast. And, of course, she thought of a nice big Christmas tree. Taking a deep breath, she turned an imaginary doorknob, and then…

“O-Oh my gosh! I-It’s just like I imagined!”

On the other side of a now open door could be seen a cozy cabin, decorated for Christmas. Through its windows could be seen a wintry landscape, a forest of Christmas trees, each bedecked in hundreds of twinkling lights. Stepping inside, Connie saw that, despite its cozy atmosphere, her house still had plenty of space for guests, with side rooms and alcoves accommodating additional snack tables and comfy chairs. There even seemed to be an upstairs as well. Perhaps that’s where the bedrooms were located, Connie mused. Indeed, that’s where she’d want them to be, and enough for her to host a sleepover for all her friends. She couldn’t wait to explore her new home fully, but first…

“P-Please come in, everyone!” she called out cheerfully.

“Wowie zowie~!” MDP exclaimed as she skipped through the door. “Magical Dream Princess just wuvs your homey womey, Connie Wonnie~! (giggle!) It’s, like, soooo super duper cozy wozy and festive westive~!”

“T-Thanks!” Connie told her, smiling happily. “I-I’m really glad y-you like it!”

“It truly is wonderful, Connie,” Gaia agreed, giving her best friend a warm smile. “And it is so very kind of you to share it with everyone. I really do have the best little sister in the world,” she added, giving Connie an affectionate hug.

“Thanks, Mia,” Connie whispered as she returned her verdant friend’s embrace. “And I have the best big sister.”

“Uh, sorry if we’re interrupting,” a new voice asked. “But do you mind if we come in, too?”

“Oh! N-Not at all!” Connie replied. “E-Everyone’s welcome!”

“Just be aware,” Gaia advised. “This is a drama-free zone, so be sure to leave your grudges at the door. Although a few good-natured pranks are okay,” she added with a playful wink.

“No problem,” Kate grinned. “We’re just here to unwind after all the recent excitement, right?” she asked, glancing at her goggle-wearing friend.

“Speak for yourself…” Nykannis grumbled. “When you said we were finally leaving, I thought you meant we were going home, not to yet another stupid party! Damn it, Kate! I have WORK to do!”

“Aww, there’s time for that later! Besides, hanging out here for a bit could give you some inspiration!”

“You DO realize who’s here, right? Do you REALLY want to be in this close proximity to Magical Dream Princess?”

“Well, for one thing, she has no idea who we are, plus, she looks pretty distracted right now,” Kate chuckled as she observed MDP snuggling with Penny. “Besides, this is supposed to be Christmas, y’know?”

“Fiiine…” Nykannis sighed. “I suppose we can stay for a little while…”

“See, I knew you’d come around,” Kate grinned. “So,” she added, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Who do you think I should prank first?”

“Ahh~ It’s nice to see everyone finally getting back into the spirit of things,” Gaia observed.

“Y-Yeah, it r-really is,” Connie agreed. “I-I just w-wish Amanda h-hadn’t left earlier…” she sighed.

“Perhaps there is still a chance for her to join us…” Gaia mused.

“H-How?”

“Well, considering that this is an interdimensional home, I imagine if you fix the idea of finding Amanda in your mind, you should be able to open a doorway to her location.”

“O-Oh, gosh!” Connie gasped. “I-I r-really hope so!”

Stepping up to the home’s front door, she placed her hand upon the doorknob, closed her eyes, focused on Amanda, and…

Wherever the dream magician happened to be at that moment, she would see a doorway appear before her. “H-Hi Amanda!” Connie called happily. “U-Um, s-since Dan’s p-party k-kinda got c-canceled, I w-was wondering if m-maybe you m-might like to c-come to the p-party I’m h-having…” Gesturing behind her, Connie would allow Amanda to see the festivities currently taking place in her cozy cabin. “I-I, uh, k-know y-you weren’t f-feeling well, earlier,” she added. “B-But, i-it would be r-really nice to h-have you.”

With a flinch, Amanda spun around to face the portal. She relaxed at the sight of Connie, but rose a brow when she revealed that she was having her own shindig. "You'd think they'd cancel it earlier when Dan pulled that braindead stunt." She sarcastically noted. Her and the other witches had plans ahead, but...hm.

Amanda thought about it for a moment, then nodded to Connie with a grin. "Eh, what the hell. Probably better than the last place. She shrugged.

"G-Great!" Connie cheered, while clapping her hands together with glee. "I-I'm s-so happy t-to hear that!”

The moment the dream magician stepped inside, Connie gave her a big hug, followed shortly by an even bigger one from MDP, who promptly dragged her best friend over to sit with her and Penny.

After seeing how easy it was to find Amanda, Connie decided to try and find Faith as well, but despite her best efforts, she was unable to locate the first friend she’d ever made in the magical community.

“I’m so sorry, little sister,” Gaia consoled her. “I know how much you wanted Faith to be here.”

“I-I’m okay, Mia,” Connie reassured her verdant friend. “I-I just h-hope she’s all right…”

“I am sure she is,” Gaia said with an encouraging smile. “Faith certainly does not lack for friends who care for her, and I know she wouldn’t want us to worry on her account.”

“I-I guess not…” Connie conceded. “S-She’d p-probably want us to enjoy ourselves, a-and m-make new friends. S-So that’s what I’m gonna do!” she added, as she went over to chat with the pair that had arrived just before Amanda.

“That sounds like an excellent idea, little sister,” Gaia told her with an approving smile.

As she gazed upon the scene unfolding around her, the Daughter of Mother Earth almost couldn’t believe what was happening, almost couldn’t believe that it was even possible. Only a few months ago, she never would have imagined that her cripplingly shy best friend would become a magical girl, and as a result, gain both new friends and a newfound confidence. She never would have imagined that she, herself, a mostly anti-social girl who had never bothered to interact with the magical community unless absolutely necessary, would actually find a boyfriend among its members. And yet, here they were. It really was something of a minor miracle, Gaia reflected. There was still so much to do, of course, and the future still held such terrible uncertainty, but, for now, she would cherish this moment of joy and peace with every fiber of her being.

While Connie led her gathering of girls off to the after party. Penny would slip away from the pack with only a quiet word to her girlfriend. Snoopy would stick with MDP to ensure that Penny would easily find her way back, while the Queen herself went off in a different direction.

It wouldn’t take long to find her quarry, Rachel wasn’t a subtle person after all. Still, Penny would call out as she approached, “Rachel, a moment if you would?”

Rachel was at another corner of the lodge, her arms crossed and a tired look on her face.
“...If this is about the tournament, drop it,” she answered. “I made myself clear on that matter.”

“No, that wasn’t why I wanted to talk to you.” Penny would say with a shake of her head. She knew that for whatever reason the Inquisitor had for holding off on destroying the beach, Rachel wasn’t likely going to be forthcoming about it any time soon. “You do have my thanks for that”

“But In truth I just wanted to give you this” Penny would go on to say, holding out a small piece of metal. It was the size and shape of a business card, which was fitting since it more or less seemed to be one. As it had a phone number, and what looked to be an IP address cut into it. “In case you want my help for something.” Penny would explain. “I know that the Ascendency isn’t in need of my assistance, but on the off chance.” She would give a half shrug. “There isn’t a lot we agree on most likely, but keeping that Mirror out of Mint or Horror hands is one of them.”

“And if not that perhaps as a sparring partner. Won’t lie, I am a bit disappointed that we didn’t get to clash in the tourney, granted it’s neither of our preferred areas of combat but .” She would go on to say with a small smile. “I’m curious as to how I stack up.”

Rachel took the metallic card and took a cursory glance at it. “I see.” She placed it in her pocket, and looked at Penny with another of her trademark stern looks. “Our objectives seem to align, I must admit. But don’t get used to it. Still, I appreciate the gesture.” She then rolled her eyes upon hearing her remark on future sparring. “You stack up alright..” She gave a small smirk, and adjusted her glasses. “But whether you stand up when you’re knocked down is a different question altogether.” She turned away. “In any case, consider your invitation accepted.”

She stood silent for a few seconds, before she spoke again. “Merry Christmas, Penny. Goodbye.”

“I chose Hope for a reason” Penny would say as she too turned away, a small smile visible. “Merry Christmas Rachel, and Happy hunting.” With that said Penny would walk away. Her destination was the after party. As much as she wanted to get right on tracking down the Mirror, she didn’t have the contacts or resources to really get started on that. Other than calling Mariette directly, which didn’t seem a good idea. So instead, she would put her efforts towards something that was potentially equally important. Recapturing the holiday spirit.

When Penny did make it back to the party, she stayed close to MDP. She would still mingle though, freely and happily. The end of Dan’s party was a flop, and her own actions before that could easily be seen as a stumble. But so long as she didn’t give up there was always Hope.

Penny knew that better than most, and here she would do her best to help everyone else feel it as well.

Rachel nodded, her fist up to her chin as she surveyed the scene. “Not a lot of alibis for that time,” Rachel muttered, and then raised an eyebrow at the vial that Oliver brought out. “Some kind of fluorescent agent?” She asked, and watched as a drop of the solution was dropped to the mound of snow. The mound of snow crystallized into clear ice, and Rachel gasped at the silhouette at the bottom; it was a footprint.

“What…How did you do that?” She turned to Oliver, baffled by his discovery. “Nevermind that, why is there...” She looked up at the branch, and an epiphany hit her. “The culprit must have missed this spot thanks to the dropped snow!” She brought out her Beacon communicator, and snapped a picture of the footprint. “I’ll have the girls at the lab analyze this. Well I suppose you aren’t a complete rookie at this.” She turned to leave, but before she did, she gave one last look at Oliver. “I suppose I’ll be seeing more of you. But don’t make it a habit.” She then left, leaving those words drifting in the cold breeze.

---

”A souvenir?” Kimble asked with a finger to her cheek.
”Oh ,you mean like a gift! Oh, I know just the place!” She took Alicia’s hand.
”I bet Amanda’s place has something! Let’s check it out!”
And so they went for the summer islands for one last gift shopping spree.

---

”Oh?"
Lily’s sulking abruptly ended when she heard Connie raise her voice in the hall, and with a curious expression she listened to what she had to say. She then smiled brightly, and raised her hand up.
”I would love that, Connie! And of course, you’ll be coming too, Alex!"
She wrapped her arms around Alex, and kissed his cheek.
”Merry Christmas!" She then looked back at the empty corner where Justine disappeared with a reassuring nod.
”And a happy new year…For everyone." And so, Lily decided to believe in Justine, and moved on to celebrate the holiday at Connie’s place.

---

“Gotta say, knowing your skill set, I’m still impressed you managed to pull it off.”
Two darkened figures walked through a dimly lit corridor, and passed by a metallic security door. An advanced surveillance camera popped out of a wall socket in response to the arrival of the two.
“I heard the mirror was guarded by both the LF and Pedersen. Did they cause you any trouble?”
The taller, bulkier figure swiped a card key, and the metallic security door opened, revealing a hall resembling an advanced laboratory beyond it.

“We did have some changes to Viper’s initial plan after a particular mishap, but we managed to utilize it to our advantage,” the shorter, slender figure answered.
“I predicted the probability manipulation inherent in one of the guests to land the coin exactly where I needed it to.”

The laboratory hummed and whirred with various devices and contraptions, some of them glowing with magical energies. One of the scientists approached the two, a man dressed in a white suit with a black doctor’s coat over it. His face was covered by a white mask. “Ah, hello, mister Scarpe. I see you have arrived just in time.”
Scarpe stepped into the light, about to lit a cigar when the scientist raised a hand. “Ah, smoking is not permitted here, sir. It could damage the sensitive equipment.”
“Bloody-!”
Scarpe grumbled, but then tucked the cigar away. Sonia, who stepped into the light, gave a roll of her eyes.
“Wanted to see the mirror myself, since I happened to be in the area. You got it looked at yet?”

The scientist laughed awkwardly. “Yes, we imaged the arcane properties of the artifact and mapped the structure of the ley lines. However-”

“Alright, let me see it then.” Scarpe shoved the scientist and walked past the machinery to the central containment unit…Only to find it empty.

“What the hell? Where is it?” He turned to the scientist, who shook his head. “I-It’s not our fault! It was moved away…Surely you heard, right?”

Scarpe grit his teeth; he realized what he was talking about. “Damn…I hoped this wouldn’t come to pass…”

---

At the end of the long day, Mariette returned to her hideout, with no more information about the whereabouts of the Mirror. However, this wasn’t the end of surprises for her; as she opened the door to the living room, she saw it standing in the middle of the room; the Black Mirror itself.
Was it an illusion? A trick? But as Mariette approached the object, she couldn’t deny the aura of Asengav’s corruptive magic emanating from the infinite reflections that she glimpsed from the mirror’s surface. She even saw that the wooden frame had been chipped, alarmingly matching the piece she found at the crime scene.

Then she knew it wasn’t by coincidence that the Mirror ended back in Mariette’s possession; the tracker was on the floor before it, crushed like a stomped bug. But most alarming was the propped up letter on the table next to the Mirror; it was colored gold, with bright red cursive writing and marked by an elaborate heart symbol.

Merry Christmas, Mariette.

I look forward to your journey down the rabbit hole.

The Queen of Hearts.

To Be Continued...