The smell of salty sea air mixed with the stench of blood in a sickening aroma. Mirabelle vomited, turning away from the sight. She didn't get a good look, but she saw enough to be truly sickened. Isabeau went to comfort her, rubbing her back. "Hey hey, sis. It's OK. Take a deep breath. It's OK..."

Odile marched into the alleyway, looking at the scene. A large statue of the Change God carved hastily out of stone, likely via craft, stood before her. Upon it, a smile drawn in that horrific shade.

A smile drawn in red.

On the torso was the phrase Yancy had uttered. "Something New." Written in that same horrible shade.

The body on the ground was drenched in it, their blood twisted into this horrible shade. Odile turn to Yancy and demanded, "What is this?"

"Around a year ago," Yancy sighed. "A serial killer who follows the Change God appeared. They keep killing people and turning their blood that... wretched shade. Always writes "Something New" in it. We haven't been able to find out who but they're clearly a skilled user of Craft, likely Rockcraft given the statues of their god they leave behind."

"I see," Odile sighed. "OK yeah no this isn't why we're here."

Mirabelle looked up, glaring. "We can't crabing ignore this! This is blasphemy!" She was enraged. Odile had hit a nerve this time. It felt like she was brushing aside Mirabelle's entire faith. Mirabelle, already insecure about her faith, was too sensitive to let this slide.

"Mirabelle!" Isabeau tried to calm her. "I understand this is upsetting, especially for you but-"

"No!" Mirabelle retorted. "Everything keeps changing for the worse! Siffrin died! The Housemaiden used Wishcraft and got them crabing killled! And then you!" Mirabelle started crying. "You won't crabbing talk to us anymore! You hardly give us the time of day! You've changed! You've changed for the worse! Why won't you talk to us?"

Odile snapped back, "Why would I talk to you and your BLINDING insistence from all of you we waste our time on frivolous things. We are trying to CHEAT DEATH! We don't have to waste on stupid little statues for a God who's followers got our brother killed! For a God who's followers do THIS!"

Yancy tried to step in, "Odile maybe you wanna backpedal a little? This guy is one zealot. He's not indicative of-"

"Oh YOU'RE gonna lecture me Yancy?" Odile snapped at her. Yancy backed away as Odile glared. "Yeah. Need I remind you why we broke up? You're still complicit in this hellhole's bigotry! How many Bodycraft users have you aressted since we last spoke?"

"I told you I don't agree with that," Yancy turned away in shame.

"And yet you remain complicit," Odile retorted. "In saying nothing, you are part of the problem. Inaction in the face of evil is participation therein. If it wasn't for everyone in Dormont and you being complicit in everything going wrong I wouldn't have to step up my CRABBING self! Now does anyone have anything USEFUL to say?"

There was only the sound of the ocean wind and Mirabelle quietly sobbing as Isabeau tried to soothe her. Odile felt a deep guilt well up within her. Why did she say that? Why did she have to say that? Mirabelle didn't deserve that. Sure Yancy had to be called out but... not like this.

Maybe Mirabelle and Isabeau were right.

She had changed for the worse.

"I'm sorry," Odile's anger fell apart into self loathing sadness. "I'm going to arrange passage towards the capital. You... you just take as long as you need."

Odile stormed off, leaving Mirabelle, Isabeau, and Yancy alone.

Isabeau tried to reassure Mirabelle. "She didn't mean it. I'll talk to her OK? We just-"

Mirabelle drew her blade and approached the desecrated statue. That blasphemous mockery of her faith. This idol of sin in the name of a god. It seemed like it was laughing at her. Like the Housemaiden was laughing at her. Like the Housemaiden was laughing at everything she had stood for. This was the thanks for saving the world? To have her mentor betray her and he faced with this mockery of Change? The sins of this zealot?

Maybe...

Maybe if she stopped the zealot she would find something. Anything. Closures or answer or something.

Mirabelle raised her hand silently, and blasted the statue with Papercraft, shattering it into a million bits. Isabeau shielded himself and Yancy from the debris. He was fully aware Yancy needed no protection, but it was instinct. A reflex. A desire to keep those around him safe.

This made him think.

He couldn't keep Siffrin safe.

He couldn't even tell them he...

"Let's just go," Mirabelle pleaded, wiping her tears. "Please..."

Isabeau nodded, crying. He hugged Mira tightly. The warm brotherly embrace comforted her, until she felt tears fall upon her head.

"We'll get through this," Mirabelle promised. "We'll get through this OK?" She hugged Isabeau back. "We'll get through this. Please don't cry..."

But she broke too. They cried in each other's embrace.

Yancy silently excused herself to confront Odile. She found her arguing with a stage coat driver. "I don't care if your horses are tired." Odile growled. "You will get us to the next time today or I'll-"

"He used Bodycraft didn't he?" Yancy demanded.

Odile immediately turned to face Yancy, preparing Craft. "What's it to you?"

"Oh as a guard I don't suspect anything," Yancy assured. "But as your friend... you're really hurting them. You know that right?"

Odile tried not to cry and turned away. She clenched her fists. "That's not your concern."

"But YOU are," Yancy retorted. "You don't have to be strong in front of me. I won't tell them. Come on Od. What's really bugging you?"

"Please I don't wanna talk about this," Odile begged. She started to cry. "It wasn't their fault! It wasn't anyone's fault but mine! I was supposed to protect them and I-"

Yancy hugged Odile and assured. "It wasn't yours either. Od... I get if you're upset I'm still a guard but... I have my reasons. Can you just... trust me? Take better of yourself? We're still friends? Right? I still care about you."

"I..." Odile's voice shook. "I'll try..."

"Good," Yancy let her go. "If you wanna reach the next town quickly you'll wanna go by train."

"Since when do the trains reach this far?" Odile demanded.

"You've been gone a while, Od." Yancy reminded. "...but I have to know. Isabeau he's what pushed you over the edge?"

"I just wondered..." Odile sighed. "If he was here and tried to be who he is... the guard... you would have arrested him. And it opened my eyes to how horrid it is."

"I have a plan," Yancy assured. "Just trust me... after all..." Yancy leaned in close and whispered a certain phrase. A phrase used by those who performed Bodycraft in secret. A code to identify each other. "The flesh is fluid."

"You couod have told me that sooner," Odile whispered back.

"Appearances must be maintained," Yancy reminded. "You should have had more faith in me."

"...I'm sorry." Odile apologized.

"Just... relax a little," Yancy pleaded. "They're worried about you. I'm worried about you."

"I'll try," Odile assured.

"Great," Yancy smiled. "I'm going to make sure Something New isn't trying to escape via train and you'll be good to go. Cya later."

With that Yancy left, leaving Odile alone to think. Think about how she lashed out at everyone. Think about how she changed. Think about how she had to apologize. Think about how tired she was...

She was so tired.

She yawned but snapped herself awake. She could sleep on the train. She decided to go check on Bonnie and Loop for now...

"What do we tell them?" Bonnie demanded as Loop fashioned a mask out of wood.

"We don't tell them this," Loop replied trying on the mask of a light shade. "We just... can't."

"Are..." Bonnie demanded. "Are you Siffrin?"

"If you lived a wildly different life," Loop inquired. "Starting six months ago. Would that Bonnie be the same Bonnie as you?"

"No," Bonnie replied. "I guess not. That's weird. So you're like, alternate Siffrin."

"Yeah but like yours," Loop replied. "I'm not them."

"Loop?" Bonnie inquired. "Why can't we tell them?"

"Bonnie..." Loop sighed. "I look like your dead brother. Your dead sibling."

"But you're not him!" Bonnie replied. "You're you! They can accept you as you!"

"No one would want me as me," Loop sighed. "Not as family. Not as a friend."

Bonnie hugged Loop, and promised with a wide smile. "I would. I would sib."

Loop hugged Bonnie back. "Thanks Bonnie."

"You can call me Bon Bon," Bonnie assured. "But you have to tell them."

"How about when we get Siffrin back?" Loop suggested. Stalling, with no intention to keep their word. Consumed by a fear of rejection. They would rather have a family at arm's length than no family at all.

"Aight," Bonnie nodded. "Just one question. Do you like the same foods?"

"I actually love peppers," Loop replied. "They're my favorite."

Bonnie reached up for the sky. "Chile time!"

"Sure," Loop laughed. "Chile time. I missed you Bon Bon..."

"Well you're here now," Bonnie assured. "And you'll take that mask off and you'll be accepted soon."

"Sure..." Loop evaded eye contact.

A voice called from the docks. "Hey guys!" Odile called. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah!" Bonnie called. "By the way Loop has a rash on their face! Don't touch the mask!"

"That's fine, come on!" Odile declared.

The duo went down to meet Odile who glared at the mask. She didn't buy it for a second, but it wasn't important right now. What mattered was getting on the train. Yancy greeted Odile and co at the train station, the great steam engine hissing to life. Yancy told Odile. "Should be clear but keep an eye out. Something New is a man with dark hair and one Bonding Earing. That's all we know though."

"Got it," Odile nodded.

Mirabelle and Isabeau avoided eye contact with Odile.

Yancy whispered, "You should apologize."

"I will," Odile assured.

"Good," Yanc whispered. "When I'm done looking at the evidence here I'm headed to the capital. Train will take you straight there. We must speak on... plans I'll soon be enacting. The flesh is fluid."

"The flesh is fluid," Odile confirmed.

The train sounded its last horn before the group got on. Mirabelle didn't say a word to the others. She merely glared at Odile and went to her cabin slimes

Rather, it was supposed to be alone but when she opened the luggage compartment, she found a man hiding in there.

"Oh sorry to intrude," he apologized with a smile. He got out from the compartment and sat across from Mirabelle. He was slim but fit, nimble. He was a man with dark curly hair...

And one bonding earring.