Odile found herself back in that nightmare. The sword still sending a searing pain through her whole body. She knew that if she removed it she would only bleed faster, so she left it in. The area was much more red than before, little specks of red in the blackness almost like crimson stars were scattered about.

"I'm not going to die," a voice mocked her. "Maybe we'd prefer if you did? You're a walking corpse anywho. Already one foot in the grave. That old wisdom stands."

A figure, strong and tall, and mostly black as night, stood before Odile. Odile knew its name as Doux Frère. It looked so much like Isabeau...

Doux Frère laughed, "Oh poor poor Odile. Poor pathetic Odile. What a failure you are. You expect to revive the dead when you are already dead yourself. When you can't even treat those still alive with love and respect? You bring me to your homeland where I am forced to hide with no prior warning? How selfish you are. Why would any of us forgive you?"

Doux Frère approached with malice, clenching his fists. Odile shook, drawing her tome, but... no matter how she tried. She couldn't bring herself to defend herself. She couldn't hurt him.

Her thoughts raced.

Don't hurt him.

Don't hurt them.

That's your family.

You deserve this.

You are a walking corpse.

"A mother who buries her child has one foot in the grave herself." That old wisdom.

You are already dead.

Doux Frère decked Odile in the face. There was a horrid pop followed by gargled screaming as her jaw broke. She began to weep. Doux Frère merely sneered. "A corpse isn't family Odile. Especially one who failed to protect another one from becoming a corpse. I'll let the others finish you."

Doux Frère began to walk away. Odile sobbed and screamed, words twisted by her injury. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'll bring them back! Please! Please just don't hate me! Please! It's my fault! I can fix this! It was my job but I can fix this! Please don't hate me! Please I miss him too! Please I-"

"Odile!" A voice screamed. "Wake up! Wake up!"

Odile snapped awake to Loop wearing a mask shaking her awake. "Odile! Are you OK?"

"Just a bad dream," Odile assured, downplaying her fear and guilt. "I'm... I'm OK. I'm... ow..."

"Easy you're still hurt," Loop pleased.

"Loop?" Odile inquired.

"Yeah?" Loop inquired.

"Since when do you have hair?" Odile inquired.

That was the thing in the train cabin that drew her eyes the most. That and the mask was still odd to her. Loop's hair was fluffy and messy, the lightest shade. There were small black specks that sparkled and glistened like stars in the night sky. It almost looked like...

"You look like-" Odile began to point out.

"You should rest your mind too," Loop evaded. "You... you seem so tired."

Odile sighed, sitting up, aching all over. "Is Mirabelle OK?"

"She's fine," Loop assured. "But... she's really shaken. What happened? She just started crying and screaming for help on top of the train."

"We ran into Something New," Odile explained. "His name is Zick. He's dangerous. Reflected my attack."

"Just like Mirabelle with The King," Loop sighed.

"Also..." Odile continued. "I've noticed something. Everyone is swearing like... like you do."

"They took my blinding swears," Loop joked.

"No I'm serious those aren't the swears of my homeland," Odile pointed out. "Also apparently someone named Vel granted a wish for Zick? A year ago? Zick has been active for a year so... that lines up."

"Could Vel be who sent the letter?" Loop inquired.

"It would explain a lot," Odile replied. "I swear the pieces are there I just can't fit them together..."

"Right now you shouldn't," Loop retorted.

"What?" Odile demanded.

"You're hurt and tired and sad," Loop declared. "Please. Let yourself rest."

"Rest and do what?" Odile demanded. "If I leave my mind unoccupied fully-"

"Mediation can be good for you but now isn't the time," Loop agreed. "Perhaps something more... simple and fun." Loop set up a checkerboard.

"Yeah I could do a game," Odile nodded, sitting up and starting to play...

Mirabelle sat in the dining car with Isabeau and Bonnie. Bonnie browsed the menu muttering something about "interesting use of spices." Mirabelle overheard something about cinnamon and butter.

The three sat in a booth, the table a dark shade of wood with light shaded chairs. The lake's white waters sparkled in the light of the sun as it zoomed past.

"Are you OK?" Isabeau demanded, a deep worry in his eyes. His tone was gentle and warm like a nice tea.

"It's been a lot," Mirabelle replied.

"You're telling me," Bonnie added. "I... what do I even crabbing say?"

"Wait, why are you still here you're supposed to be home!" Isabeau reminded.

"I'm not going home without Siffrin," Bonnie retorted. "He... he said we should protect each other. I'm not letting him down again."

"I don't think we should listen to anything Siffrin said that day," Isabeau retorted.

"Yeah they weren't..." Mirabelle chose her words carefully, as to not absolve Siffrin fully but still give them some leeway. Enough for Bonnie not to blame themself at least. "...all there."

"But they died cause I didn't do anything," Bonnie retorted.

"No I should have stood my ground," Isabeau deflected the blame from Bonnie to himself, completely genuine in his words. "If I had just... stood my ground."

"No you can't blame yourself," Mirabelle declared. "Come on we... we can't think like this. Let's talk about something else for now. We can figure this out later."

Something in Isabeau broke. He shouldn't blame himself? When he was the last to speak to them? When he watched Siffrin, who he loved not as family but romantically, die? When he wasn't there when Zick attacked? When-

Isabeau started crying. It was involuntary. A downpour of tears escaped his eyes. "I've been failing all of you nonstop since all this started!"

"What?" Mirabelle demanded. "No you haven't!"

"Of course I have!" Isabeau retorted. "I'm supposed to protect you guy! I knew something was wrong! I had to watch Siffrin die! We all did! All because I was to much of a coward to-"

"You're not a coward!" Bonnie cried out. "Why do you all do this? Why do you all blame yourselves in a circle? Why?"

Isabeau fell silent, he thought for a moment about his reply. He spoke from the heart. "Cause I know it's not any of your guys fault and I have to blame someone."

"Well I know it's not your!" Bonnie retorted.

"Maybe it's no one's," Mirabelle suggested. "Maybe it's just... tragic and that's it. Falsely blaming ourselves won't fix anything."

"Maybe you're right I just-" Isabeau collected himself, wiping his tears. "I just felt if I blamed myself and took that on myself, if I stayed strong, it would be easier on all of you."

"We don't need you to be strong," Mirabelle sighed. "You just-"

"I need my brother, not some unbreakable brick wall," Bonnie replied. "No one wants you to act like Odile."

"She tried to apologize," Mirabelle reminded. "But she doesn't seem to be... doing well."

"I think I should talk to her, " Mirabelle admitted. "She was trying to apologize when Zick attacked."

"I think the main person she needs forgiveness from is herself," Isabeau added. "She seems to hold herself responsible for some reason and it's just... it's really bad."

"I'll talk to her," Mirabelle assured. "I think I can get through to her if I just-"

"No we all should," Bonnie retorted. "Together. We need to do something. I'm scared if we don't we're gonna-"

Isabeau gave Bonnie a one harmed hug to comfort them. "Hey hey, Bonnie, it's not gonna come to that. OK? She's not in the same danger as Siffrin."

Bonnie sighed, "...OK."

There was a dinging sound and an intercom spoke, "We will be arriving in five minutes. Please prepare for departure. And will the Heroes of Vanguard please exit from the front car?"

Odile heard those final worlds and leapt from her seat. "Vel wishes to speak to you..."

Odile steadied herself as she went up to the front car with everyone else. Loop followed close behind Odile as they met with the others. They whispered, "Just... don't act rashly OK?"

"I won't," Odile assured.

"You OK?" Mirabelle inquired, gently placing a hand on Odile's shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Odile apologized again.

"It'll be OK but we can discuss that later," Isabeau assured. "Let's just... brace ourselves for whoever Vel is..."

The doors opened and the five stepped out into the station.

Vel stood alone in front of them. It was like tue world had frozen from tension so thick in the air one couldn't even breathe. The train station was sleek with large pillars adorned with decorative patterns at the top and bottom holding up the marble structure.

Vel wore two earrings in the shape of stars, a light shade. The lightest shade. Her hair was long and flowing, not unlike silk. He wore feminine attire, and despite his feminine appearance, he was indeed gender-fluid. She wore a long dress black as night, with sparkling white specks scattered across its surface, like a gorgeous night sky. His smile was warm and genuine, and his voice deep and smooth like honey. "Welcome Heroes of Vanguard. We have much to discuss..."