== > Be Ciphre.

You wake up in your airy blue common room. Hmm. Hestus is still asleep but Hekata's bed hasn't even be slept in. She said she'd be in this room though, so maybe she's just a really early riser.

Suddenly, you shudder. Your blind eye flicks open and you see visions swirling through the sky...

There's something bad that needs to happen. Something very, very bad that will create a better future for the rest of us...

Worried, you look at a peacefully sleeping Hestus. This might devastate him most of all.

== > Head downstairs.

You head downstairs, calling for Hekata or Canira or whoever else might be awake. Most of the upper rooms are enchanted to prevent entry, so you wander toward the dining room. To your surprise, there's no Hekata or anyone else, for that matter. But you hear faint mutterings behind a painting of a bowl of fruit...

== > Investigate.

You tap the painting but it won't open. Looking around the side, you see a note, "Tickle the pear." You tickle the pear.

The door swings open and you see the strange but adorable faces of Hekata's consorts. They look worried and many of them are circled around Hekata, passed out on the table with a mug of some warm, caramel-colored, bubbly liquid in her hand. Her glasses are cracked and on the floor, and her hair is rumpled and uncombed.

CIPHRE: hekata?

HEKATA: Yup, th∆t's me.

HEKATA: Heyk∆t∆.

HEKATA: K∆yl∆t∆.

HEKATA: Wh• ∆re yu•|?

HEKATA: W∆|t, sp•rry Ch|pper.

HEKATA: ... D|pper

HEKATA: Cphr|e

HEKATA: ;D

HEKATA: Why c∆n't | sh∆y y•ur n∆me?

CIPHRE: thxs xs unnervxng

HEKATA: ..,.

HEKATA: ...,.,

HEKATA: Wh∆t's the eschew, th•u|gh?

HEKATA: |sho•e

HEKATA: |suesses

CIPHRE: oh my gog.

CIPHRE: GUYS HEKATA NEEDS HELP

HEKATA: ..,....,

HEKATA: Why ∆re y•u s• upt|tght?

HEKATA: Here, h∆ve s•me!

CIPHRE: no!

Canira heads into the room, rubbing her eyes.

HEKATA: Hey C∆rn|∆!

HEKATA: N∆rn|∆.

HEKATA: C∆nr|n∆.

HEKATA: ... C∆n|s b∆llern|n∆.

HEKATA: ..,.

CANIRA: O# my gog.

CANIRA: GUUUUUY$ ! TH!NK HEK@T@'$ DRUNK.

HEKATA: Dr•nk.

HEKATA: Ye∆h, | guess | ∆m.

HEKATA: :D

HEKATA: Th|s butterbrere |s s• l•vely, th•ug|gh!

HEKATA: | c•uld Alchemz|ze y•u sum ;)

HEKATA: ..,..,,

CANIRA: No t#@nk$

CIPHRE: (thxs xs a lxttle dxsturbxng)

CANIRA: (! know)

CANIRA: U# ! th!nk you need to get un-drunk now, Hek@t@.

HEKATA: Whyyyyyyy

HEKATA: N•b•dy l|kes me ∆s ∆ le∆drer s• why d•n't they le∆d thmsealves? CANIRA: ...

CIPHRE: ...

HEKATA: ...,.,,

CANIRA" U# let'$ go w@ke t#e ot#er$.

CIPHRE: good xdea.

Minutes in the future...

CARIEL: +- she DID WHAT!?

She rushes over to Hekata who appears to be muttering to herself out by the window.

HEKATA: Lugubr|•us v|s|t∆s strech|ng ∆w∆y

HEKATA: L|ght dm|mm|ng

HEKATA: W|sd•m fa|l|ng

HEKATA: •wlse's eyes s∆g∆c|shushly w∆cht|ng

HEKATA: ..,.

HEKATA: | shuld wh∆t?

She looks like she's listening intently.

CIPHRE: are you gettxng messages from your exxle

HEKATA: S•f|sh|c∆ted v∆gr∆nd!

HEKATA: She w∆ntst me t• pr•tect y•u ∆ll :o

HEKATA: S• Pr•get•

She fires some spell at you. It narrowly misses your faces and blasts a window into shards.

HEKATA: N∆|led |t!

HEKATA: Trust me; |'m ∆ W|zz∆rd ;D

CARIEL: +- ooooookay, we're takIng ThaT.

She neatly slips the wand out of Hekata's hand.

CARIEL: +- come wITh me.

She leads Hekata out of the kitchen, presumably to her bedchamber.

CIPHRE: now what

COANAN: WH47 7H3 H3LL 15 G01NG 0N.

CIPHRE: just deduce xt

Minutes in the future...

CARIEL: +- uh so second sput meeTIng I guess

CARIEL: +- welcoMe everyone

COANAN: 1 C4N'7 83L13V3 W3'R3 D01NG 7H15.

NINFIA: Can we leave? Pixela?

PIXELSPRITE: sorry just chillin with Owl an'd' 'D'eerper

PIXELSPRITE: just got here to LoCaS

PIXELSPRITE: sure, we can leave whenever you want.

CARIEL: +- well, soMeone neeDs To lead, I guess. or we'll fall aparT even more.

COANAN: H0W 480U7 M3 83C4U53 1'M 7H3 5M4R7E57.

CIPHRE: no you^re not!

CARIEL: +- how abouT persus? he's foughT for us bravely.

COANAN: 0H PL3453, W3 KN0W Y0U'R3 DY1NG F0R 17 70 83 Y0U.

COANAN: 5L1CK, P1CK1NG 7H3 M057 1NC0MP3T3N7 45 Y0UR 5UGG35710N.

CARIEL: +- He's noT IncompeTenT aT all!

PERSUS: I ShouldnT BE LeadeR. I HonestlY HavE NO IdeA WhaT I'M DoinG.

CIPHRE: uh coanan

COANAN: WH47?

CIPHRE: coanan semloh we are xn a royal's castle put your trousers on

COANAN: WH47 7H3-

PERSUS: HE FelL FoR IT!

HESTUS: ~Hehe~

IFERNA: hehe///

COANAN: 4LL 0F Y0U 570P 74LK1NG 0R YOU'LL L0W3R 7H3 1.Q. 0F 7H3 WH0L3 PL4N37.

IFERNA: hehe///

HESTUS: ~Hehe~

PIXELSPRITE: X'D'

CARIEL: +- very maTure, cIphre.

NINFIA: H(o)w ab(o)ut we test pe(o)ple t(o) be the new leader?

CARIEL: +- TeMporary leaDer.

NINFIA: Hekata's a self-pr(o)claimed leader. She was never an (o)fficial leader!

IFERNA: its true///

CARIEL: +- why Do you two haTe her so Much!?

NINFIA: She killed all the Lusii!

IFERNA: she made my moirail angry///

PERSUS: SO YoU GuyS WanT TO DemotE HeR BY PopulaR VotE?

PERSUS: GivE HeR A ChancE! WE WerE VerY CrueL TO HeR ON ThaT MemO. TwO OF US SaiD ShE DeserveD TO DiE!

PERSUS: ThinK OF ZenanA! IS ThiS WhaT ShE WanteD?

NINFIA: D(o)n't talk ab(o)ut Zenana.PERSUS: BuT ArE WE GoinG TO ForgeT WhaT ShE StooD FoR?

COANAN: 1 H473 70 54Y 17, 8U7 P3R5U5 15 R1GH7.

COANAN: 17 M4K35 L0G1C4L 53N53 70 W0RK 70G37H3R.

COANAN: 4ND L0G1C4L 53N53 70 H4V3 4 L34D3R.

CARIEL: +- so who's goIng To be our TeMporary leaDer?!

NINFIA: We're talking in circles!

OWLSPRITE: H•••••••t

NINFIA: (O)h great.

OWLSPRITE: HELL•. | C∆N'T HELP BUT •VERHE∆R Y•UR R∆THER L•UD C•NVERS∆T|•N ∆B•UT HEK∆T∆ ∆ND Y•URSELVES.

IFERNA: dumb bird///

OWLSPRITE: DUMB B|RD W|TH G••D E∆RS, |FERN∆.

IFERNA: you know my name///

OWLSPRITE: HEK∆T∆ T•LD ME ∆B•UT ∆LL •F Y•U.OWLSPRITE: ∆ND FR•M WH∆T SHE T•LD ME, WELL, | D|DN'T TH|NK Y•U W•ULD BE L|KE TH|S.OWLSPRITE: TH∆T'S ∆LL | H∆VE T• S∆Y.

IFERNA: owl bastard///

CIPHRE: well how about canxra xs our leader

CIPHRE: x^ve had vxsxons she playes a very bxg role xn

COANAN: Y34H, 4ND W3'R3 DY1NG T0 7RU57 M0R3 0F Y0UR PR3D1C710N5 4F73R 7H3 L457 0N3 G07 0N3 0F U5 K1LL3D. W3LL, 0N3 4ND 4 H4LF.

CIPHRE: the vxsxon dxdn't get her kxlled! xt was just a predxctxon of her death!

CANIRA: C@N WE $TOP $QU@BBL!NG L!KE GRUBS!?

CANIRA: Reg@rdle$$ of whether or not ! l!ke Hek@t@'$ le@der!ng, we're act!ng very !mm@ture.

CANIRA: W#@t @re we, two $weep$ old?

CIPHRE: x vote canxra

CARIEL: +- I Don'T care anyMore. I'm goIng To check on HekaTa. Maybe she's changeD her Mind abouT noT beIng leaDer.

== > Be Cariel.

You tromp up the stairs to the Blue Common Room. The door refuses you entry until you answer a riddle.

DOOR: If I drink, I die. If I eat, I grow. What am I?

CARIEL: +- uh

You stomp your foot in frustration. You're getting really angry.

Angry... what is that feeling like?

CARIEL: +- uh CARIEL: +- Is IT fIre?

Opening the door you see Kata sleeping peacefully on a four-poster bed with blue hangings. You shake her gently and her golden eyes lock onto yours through her skewed but repaired glasses. They look clear.

CARIEL: +- are you sTIll drunk?

HEKATA: W|sh | w∆s.

CARIEL: +- They neeD you DownStaIrs.

HEKATA: N•, they d•n't.

CARIEL: +- fIne. I need you DownsTaIrs.

She smiles and hugs you.

HEKATA: | d•n't w∆nt t• be le∆der ∆nym•re.

HEKATA: Y•u sh•uld be le∆der.

CARIEL: +- Don'T wanna.

HEKATA: **Sm|rks** Well, n•w y•u kn•w h•w | feel.

CARIEL: +- how abouT you jusT come down. You don'T have To lead anything.

HEKATA: N•. | kn•w |'d just g• b∆ck t• be|ng ∆ pretent|•us b|tch ∆g∆|n. | h∆te th∆t ∆b•ut myself, s•met|mes.

HEKATA: |f | were ∆ f|ct|•n∆l ch∆r∆cter, |'d be ∆ b•r|ng •ne. ∆ M∆ry Sue.

HEKATA: The truth |s, w|th•ut my w∆nd ∆nd my w•rds, |'m n•th|ng.

HEKATA: |'m n•t ∆ll th∆t sm∆rt. •r br∆ve. •r clever. •r-

CARIEL: +- you're all Those ThIngs, and More.

CARIEL: +- kick lIfe In The ass and laugh aT IT. ThatT's whaT I always say.

HEKATA: N•. N•, | re∆lly ∆m n•th|ng w|th•ut m∆g|c.

HEKATA: W•uld | be |n the le∆st exc|t|ng w|th•ut |t? Hell fuck|ng n•!

CARIEL: +- yes you would! why do you think I'M your Moirail!?

HEKATA: My ∆ncest•r m∆de th|s w∆nd. | feel l|ke |'m just pl∆y|ng ∆t be|ng her.

HEKATA: N• m∆tter h•w much | pretend, |'m n• pr•d|gy w|tch. |'m n• Empress.

Someone knocks on the door. It gives her or him a muffled riddle that you can't quite catch.

HEKATA: |T'S THE LETTER D!

Canira enters the room.

CANIRA: ! w@$ go!ng to get t#@t, you know.

HEKATA: | h∆ve l|ttle d•ubt th∆t y•u were, but th|s s∆ves t|me.

She sits down on your bed between you and Cariel. She hugs you.

CANIRA: ! w@nt to @polog!ze for not defend!ng you w!th the memos @nd tell!ng you to $#ut up @t t#e $put meet!ng.

HEKATA: **Sn|ffs ∆nd sm|les** Y•u ∆ls• s∆|d | d•n't d• ∆nyth|ng but spew pretent|•us B.S. ∆t y•u.

CANIRA: Well, !'m $orry for t#@t, too.

HEKATA: D•n't be. |t's ∆bs•lutely true.

HEKATA: |'m gett|ng |ncre∆s|ngly ∆nn•yed w|th myself f•r be|ng th|s peur|le.

HEKATA: |f | spe∆k ∆ny m•re •f th|s ∆bject dr|vel my br∆|n ∆ge w|ll decre∆se t• "Ret∆rded Wr|ggler."

CANIRA: Nobody'$ perfect, Hek@t@. @nd you're f@r from we@k.

CANIRA: You ju$t be who you @re.

HEKATA: | th|nk the es•ter|c speech ∆nd the •cc∆s|•n∆l l•qu∆c|ty |s p∆rtly wh∆t def|nes me. Just l|ke C∆r's sp|r|t. ∆nd y•ur... pl∆yfulness.

CARIEL: +- so are you goIng To be our leaDer agaIn?

HEKATA: N•.

HEKATA: | d•n't deserve t• be. |'m... p∆thet|c.

HEKATA: C∆n|r∆, y•u'd m∆ke ∆ much better le∆der th∆n | ever w|ll.

HEKATA: ∆ll | ever d• |s m∆ke pe•ple's dec|s|•ns f•r them.

HEKATA: D|d | ever tell y•u wh∆t | d|d t• N|nf|a's Lus||?