https://youtu.be/it5wuAgf1Pw

The moon fell and the sun rose on Erdeland, signalling yet another rotation in the ever-turning water wheel of life for many. Just another day doing whatever it was that filled up their lives, whether or not they liked what that might entail. Some people might choose to do something different, however. And whether they chose to go against the grain or turn with it, there was always the chance that it might just pop off, and everything might go horribly wrong.

This was something Scarlett kept in mind as she woke up today. She stood in the grey corridor, outside the door to the Mikado's office, and as she placed a hand on her chest, she could feel her heart beating like crazy. Everything would be okay, she thought, as she opened her phone, looking through a contact titled "Inigo ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ" and re-reading their most recent conversation from earlier that morning:

"Hey. How are you feeling?"

"Honestly? Scared :("

"I'm going to do this. I've decided that for sure. (ง'̀-'́)ง"

"But it's so scary."

"That's normal. Don't let it overcome you, and you'll be fine."

"I'll try. I know that, for sure."

"By the way, what do you plan to do after this?"

"After you're gone, I mean. You live at Libera, right?"

"Well, I dunno."

"Maybe I can see if the local Machiavellian hobo is willing to book rooms for two from now on."

"Uh."

"Don't worry. I'm willing to pay half! (ゝз╹)"

"Better."

"Well, I'm going in now."

"Wish me luck?"

His next message was a picture of his own pale hand making a thumbs-up gesture, with the words "Good luck." beneath it as a caption. She sighed, putting her phone away after looking at it for a little more. Things would go fine, she told herself. She had Inigo's blessing, for whatever that was worth, and as far as she knew, he was the only person who knew about this so far. She hadn't told anyone else, at least - not Creed, not Valerie, and definitely not her father.

Swallowing her fears, she put on a bold face and knocked on the door, awaiting any kind of response. She stood back, steadying her breathing and looking up with a serious expression. In due time, it opened, and on the other end was Creed, dressed in his usual tank top and shorts and looking down at her with his usual smile spiced with a raised eyebrow.

"Yo, Scarlett!" he exclaimed, waving slightly before leaning down to look at her closely. "Don't think you've got an appointment. What's up?"

"Hey, Creed." Scarlett nodded. Being answered by him instead of the Mikado made her feel a little better about this - he was like the good cop here. If she didn't know better, she'd ask what he was doing there, but she knew he often just liked to chill there for some reason. But this wasn't about him. "I'd like to speak to the Mikado."

Creed's eyebrow shot up further, and as he leaned back, he looked back into the room, mildly incredulous. "You hearing this, Kotoba?"

"Loud and clear." Kotoba replied from within the room. "Let her in."

Creed nodded in understanding, turning back to Scarlett and clearing the way for her to enter. "Welp, c'mon." he said, and Scarlett stepped inside, entering the minimalistic office as she felt her soles slowly tapping against the floorboards. As she approached the stools in front of the desk, she felt the Mikado's eagle eyes following her every move, her gaze piercing her like a sharp dagger.

She sat down on the chair, feeling it would just be polite to do things that way, and glanced at Creed, who gave her an eager thumbs-up, as though he was trying to encourage her despite not knowing why she was there. She had a hunch that his encouraging attitude wouldn't last very long.

The uncomfortable chair only added to her feelings of nervousness. As she shifted in it, she met the Mikado's eyes with her own, and the taller woman stared dispassionately as she took in her emotional state - slightly compromised, but overall, she seemed like she could speak her mind.

"State your business." the Mikado ordered, tapping her wrist as if to draw attention to an imaginary watch. "And keep it brief, if you can."

"She's a busy woman." Creed grinned.

Scarlett gave a nervous smile in response, her hands in her lap as she shook her head, becoming more serious. "Right. I'll make this quick." she said. "Mikado, I can't do this anymore."

Kotoba stared blankly at her in response, and Creed, leaning against the wall, raised an eyebrow, tapping his foot on the floor. "Yo, Scarlett, what's that supposed to mean?" he asked, hoping that didn't mean what he thought it might. Kotoba didn't say anything, but kept looking at Scarlett, and at once, she knew she had to elaborate.

"Being in Libera, I mean. Being under your thumb. I just can't."

Kotoba's expression remained unchanged as she slowly glanced at Creed, who made his reaction known with a loud gasp. Both women were now watching him closely, but he didn't let that stop him from speaking his mind. "Hey, hey, you sure about that?" he asked, sounding rather concerned. "You know there'll be consequences, right?"

"Yeah. I know."

"...Scarlett, this is dangerous." Creed frowned, crossing his arms. "Sure you can't reconsider? Val and I like having you around."

"...you and Valerie are great company, Creed. But this is something I have to do." Scarlett sighed. She knew exactly what she was leaving behind, but she knew she had to walk this road, and that she'd do it alone; Valerie would never agree to it while the Mikado was watching, and if she'd ever brought this up to Creed beforehand, it would have resulted in this very same conversation. "All this time, I've been doing what others wanted. Might as well look out for myself just this once, right?"

"But-"

https://youtu.be/w9BTsWnF02Q

"Creed, please." Kotoba raised her hand, cutting her right-hand man off as she observed the clear look of sadness on his face. "I'll handle this. May we have some privacy?"

"...okay." Creed sighed, shooting Scarlett another worried glance before heading out through the door, leaving the two women alone. Kotoba watched the door shut behind him and, intertwining her fingers with her elbows on the desk, she looked down at Scarlett sternly.

"So, let us start from the top." she began, as Scarlett struggled not to melt under her gaze. "You wish to leave Libera, correct?"

"...correct."

Kotoba nodded slowly, closing her eyes briefly before returning to normal. "And you say this is because you're done acting in the name of others." she continued. "All this time, you've been chained to this group by your desire to appease your father. Am I wrong?"

"...no." Scarlett shook her head. "You're not wrong. At all. But I've decided to try and break that chain."

Kotoba considered this for a little, nodding slowly. "I see. That is quite commendable. I'm not sure if you realise this, but I am not very fond of your father - a common sentiment, I'm sure." she said calmly. "He possesses an ego that far surpasses his actual capabilities, and is often cruel beyond reason. But I do appreciate his willingness to challenge me and my plans. Such a trait can be constructive. It's refreshing to see that that is all you inherited from him."

Scarlett couldn't help but smile a little, though she quickly suppressed it as Kotoba continued. "Indeed, it's good for you that you're moving away from his influence, too. In fact, I could almost say I'm proud of you." the Mikado said, before shaking her head slowly, frowning a little. "It's a shame, then, that I can't just let you go."

And at that, all desire to smile vanished, and she looked up at Kotoba incredulously, while the Mikado tilted her head emotionlessly. "Don't tell me you didn't expect this outcome. Did you really think I'd just let you walk away from here, and run along to the Red Joker to help him stop me?"

"This isn't about-"

"'This isn't about the Red Joker'? Yes it is. I don't even know why you bother deceiving me. It's practically written all over your face." Kotoba raised a finger to the air, resting her chin on the back of her free hand. Scarlett opened her mouth to protest, but Kotoba quickly cut her off. "I've been watching, Mata Hari. I've noticed a lot of things. The lack of progress you've made in capturing him, juxtaposed with your clear eagerness to protect him when ordered."

"W-Well, it's not my fault he's so elusive! Just like a rat, you know?" Scarlett raised her hands as if to physically defend herself, while Kotoba rolled her eyes in response, before quickly sitting up straight.

"Yes, he's quite the slippery one, isn't he? I do have one question, though." she said, looking down at her underling coolly. "Where were you last night?"

Scarlett froze momentarily, not expecting to be called out so suddenly, but she quickly summoned the courage to speak up, remembering the excuse she had prepared for this. "I-"

"It was rhetorical. Creed saw you in Arc." Kotoba deadpanned, intertwining her fingers once again. "You were attacking your own allies under the cover of darkness, weren't you?"

Scarlett stammered slightly, realising she had been caught. She'd never even noticed Creed's presence, and she was sure her stealth was otherwise on-point. Sure, she hadn't hidden the bodies away from that clearing, but she wouldn't have needed to. She hung her head in shame, and Kotoba sighed in response.

"You need to improve your lying skills, Mata Hari. You panic too much when you think you've been caught out." she said. "In truth, Creed never saw a thing. Many of my men reported being struck with powerful flames from an unseen assailant. You've just confirmed for me who that was."

Scarlett closed her eyes at that, not even wanting to face Kotoba at the moment. Having her transgressions laid out before her in this moment made her feel unbelievably small, and she just wanted to curl up into a ball and shut everything out. Kotoba didn't seem to care for this, though. "Galileo also tells me that you were conveniently missing on the day Ruben was set ablaze. You left suspiciously early, to quote him. I wonder what was up with that."

"That...was the Red Joker's fault."

"...I see. That, I can believe." Kotoba nodded, seeming not to care for the details. "Regardless, the matter at hand is such - you've grown fond of the Red Joker, and you've let it override your loyalty. What is this if not treason?"

At the mention of treason, Scarlett's heart beat in her chest like a hammer striking a nail, and Kotoba hummed contentedly at the terror that was plain to see on her face. "In most nations, the punishment for treason is life imprisonment. We are no nation, but funnily enough, we do have a dungeon. Tell me, Mata Hari, do you think we ought to lock you up?" she asked. "It would prevent the free action of a known traitor, and rob the Red Joker of an asset. Strategically, it seems to be the best option. Do you see any problems here?"

"I don't want to be locked up!"

She said those words without thinking, and immediately after blurting them out, her eyes went wide as she realised she may or may not have acted in error. Kotoba gazed upon her with curious eyes, going silent as their eyes met. "Oh?"

https://youtu.be/ErEGz0HHHOo

"...you heard me." Scarlett took a deep breath before speaking up once again. "I'm not going to stand by and let you lock me up."

Kotoba watched her, seeming more interested in this bold display of defiance than anything. Not that Scarlett cared what she thought right now. She just needed to say her piece or she'd never be free. That was what mattered.

After all, a cat in gloves caught no mice.

"You're right. I've grown fond of the enemy. Your enemy. But to me, he's a friend. And I'm gonna go to him and stop you, with him by my side." she said, placing a hand on her heart as she felt the flames within it flaring up. "Because Libera can be defeated. My father proved that to me. And I'm going to prove it to you."

"...interesting. So, how will you stop me from capturing you right here and now?" Kotoba asked. "Do you have a plan? Or do you simply believe that empty defiance alone will be enough to shield you?"

"It's anything but empty."

"Then I present to you a choice." Kotoba sat up straight, unfurling her hand and extending it towards Scarlett. "Fight me."

"U-Uh, oh..." Scarlett murmured. She'd heard tales about this very scenario. In exchange for a normal punishment, the Mikado would offer a contravening underling the chance to fight. But her combat prowess was well-known across all of Libera, so very few wanted to take her on in a fight to the death. The punishment was almost always more appealing. She never envisioned herself in this scenario, but now that she was, it was ironic that she felt like she simply needed to fight. It was the only choice conceivable to her at this moment. As Kotoba stared at her, Scarlett nodded, meeting her gaze head-on. "...alright. I'll fight you."

Hearing that, Kotoba had a transient look of surprise on her face, but it quickly changed to a smile as she watched her closely. "You really have grown stronger, Scarlett. Perhaps being with the Red Joker and his fellow 'heroes' will prove good for you." she said, rising from her seat and walking towards the door at the other end of the room. "Follow me."

Scarlett stood up at that, silent as she followed Kotoba through the door, into a large dark, empty room, with silver-painted walls that had dust gathering on them, and a lightbulb on the ceiling that, with the flick of a switch, turned on, illuminating the area and revealing its colours. The floorboards were just as grey as their surroundings, and overall, the room felt oddly abandoned. Kotoba stood on one side of the room, and Scarlett stood at the other, the two of them bracing themselves for a combat they both knew was coming.

"This is your last chance to back down. Know that if you see this to the end, I will show no mercy." Kotoba warned.

"I know." Scarlett shook her head in response, summoning her cutlass as she looked back on everything that had led up to this moment. Her fears, her doubts, coupled with the enemy that stood before her today - the one who embodied all she had struggled with. She'd done all this in the vain pursuit of love, and now it was time for her to cut her leash with her own two hands. She'd figure something out. As she mused on this, she felt something emanating from her and looked down at her blade to find it had become surrounded in a magenta-coloured shroud of darkness.

https://youtu.be/OfsxYDURhvw

Kotoba nodded in understanding, recognising the strength of her conviction and smiling slightly as she extended her hands, twin wakizashi blades forming in her palms as she entered a battle stance. The time for words had passed - now, all that remained was for her to see if Scarlett could follow through in the face of overwhelming adversity. She crouched slightly, waiting for Scarlett to make the first move.

And Scarlett, being the more aggressive fighter of the two, didn't wait for her. With a hop, skip and leap, she closed the gap and made for the air, pirouetting downwards with a blade wreathed in shadows that she tried to strike Kotoba with. Unfortunately for her, Kotoba parried her blade away before going in to strike her midriff.

She took the blow, but didn't let up. She knew that both fighters were better in melee, so here was hoping her speed was a match for Kotoba's skill. With her blade pointed forward, she thrusted directly at Kotoba, who parried again, then side-stepped away from her counterattack as she slashed her arm. As Kotoba continued to swing her blades, Scarlett played a more evasive game, dancing around her attacks.

After all, combat was much like a dance session, she thought. She had to get a real feel for Kotoba's rhythm and adjust accordingly. As the two fought, dodging Kotoba's attacks became easier, more natural, as she weaved between her attacks to deliver a few decisive slashes of her own. This approach was flawed, however, as she soon learned when Kotoba completely broke rhythm to bring her leg under Scarlett's, tripping her up and causing her to flop onto her back.

Kotoba wasted no further time as her blades disappeared, and in their place formed a much longer, thicker and heavier blade held in two hands - a zanbato, which she raised above her head as it glowed with a silver light. Scarlett could only barely roll out of the way of a direct hit as Kotoba brought it down, but as her blade hit the ground, it propagated a deafening wave of sound that blew Scarlett away, her body slamming against the wall on the other side of the room.

Scarlett rose to her feet, figuring she may need a different approach as she watched Kotoba, her weapon now in bow form, standing still and firing electrified arrows at her. She had to close the gap, and she did just that, weaving through the arrows as she made her advance. When she was about three quarters of the way there, Kotoba's weapon assumed its nodachi form as she seemingly laid in wait.

In the meantime, Scarlett thought deeply about this new attribute of hers, obviously different from her flames. This power felt dark and lonely, somehow, like a regretful melancholy that she'd done her best not to acknowledge. There had to be something she could do differently here. She steadied her breathing, slowing her footwork as her body became shrouded in smoky magenta shadows that, with every move, expanded further until nearly the entire room was obscured.

Kotoba raised an eyebrow. This was definitely new, and it was a clever move, she thought. She couldn't see Scarlett at all, but she nonetheless entered a stance, readying herself to defend from any attacks. A feat easier said than done, as Scarlett took to the darkness like a fish to water, and Kotoba suspected she could see through her own shadows. Repeatedly, when she would least expect it, Kotoba would feel Scarlett's blade carve at her shield, too fast and too sudden for her to do anything about it.

So she gave up trying to see, and instead closed her eyes, focusing on hearing as she ever so slightly unsheathed her blade before just as quickly sheathing it again, listening closely to the movements of the clinking sound. Detecting where Scarlett was coming from, she moved rapidly to defend herself, raising her sheathed sword to block Scarlett's before raising her leg to kick her in the stomach, pushing her away.

Scarlett, caught off-guard, staggered slightly, doing her best to retain her footing. Kotoba didn't waste a second, rapidly unsheathing and sheathing her sword and seeking out the echo of the produced sound before lurching forth. In one move, she unsheathed her sword and slashed upwards, striking Scarlett directly. Scarlett felt her shield crumbling under the strength of the attack, and despite the lack of light, she could almost see an eager glint in the Mikado's eye. She was not done.

Kotoba took a forward step, smashing her sheath into Scarlett's head before turning around and swinging her sword at her in the same breath. Both attacks connected, and Kotoba sheathed her blade, channelling Natura through it while she delivered a swift pair of kicks to Scarlett's stomach. The moment she was on two feet again, she unsheathed her sword to deliver a mighty downwards slash, her nodachi imbued with a bright orange lightning.

Scarlett couldn't dodge this. It was simply too fast for her to react. As Kotoba's blade made contact with her, she felt not only the sharpness of the sword, but the strength of a million volts ravaging her shield. She fell to her knees, growing weak as the shadows faded away, and Kotoba, seeing this, stared closely at her before slashing her head, shattering her shield in what looked like a shower of red glass.

At once, Kotoba sheathed her sword before unsummoning it, kneeling down before a defeated Scarlett, who had despair shining in her eyes. Almost as though she could burst into tears at any moment. She sighed slightly, grabbing her right wrist and feeling her trembling like a madwoman. "You're scared." she mused, knowingly stating the obvious as she looked upon her sorry state. "Is it because you lost? Because you're about to die, perhaps?"

No words at first. Only more quivering and quaking. Kotoba was silent as she examined Scarlett, who closed her eyes, wiping them with her free hand before staring into Kotoba's own. "...just make it quick."

Kotoba didn't visibly react, instead raising her hand as electricity danced between her fingertips, focusing into a thin beam that was promptly fired at the bare skin on Scarlett's right arm that followed a path. As she felt the electricity burning her arm, Scarlett winced and clenched her teeth, trying to hold in her screams but failing to do so for very long and filling the air with an agonised wail. Her pain was palpable, but with Kotoba holding her arm in place, she couldn't do anything about it.

Eventually, she was finished, and she stood up, looking down at what she had done. On Scarlett's upper arm, below her shoulder, was a large, red mark in the shape of an eagle's ornate eye. She'd made sure to burn deeply enough that the resurgence of her shield wouldn't help her, and neither would any healing magic. It would remain with her forever, as an eternal reminder of her sins and a message to both her, the bearer, and all who saw it that she chose to do this, and that such a choice would have consequences. Looking down at Scarlett with a cold glare, she uttered a single word. "Go."

"...h-huh?" Scarlett murmured, covering her scar and looking up at her weakly as she tried to make sense of this. Kotoba, with her hands behind her back, began to walk slowly towards the room's exit.

"You fought with courage, and I respect that." she explained briefly, not looking back. "You have twenty-four hours before I return to treating you like the enemy that you have chosen to become."

Scarlett nodded at that, rising to her feet and regulating her breathing, trying not to be fazed by the intense burning pain around her wound - not quite on it. Without saying a word, she left, fleeing from the office, running past a worried-looking Creed and leaving to gather her things in her room. Here she was - silent, branded and wracked with fear at what Kotoba would do to her. But at the very least, at the very least, she had attained freedom at last.