The Restoration Protocol

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It comes as no shock to Mariko to learn that Julian will be staying behind. Admittedly, however, she does find it somewhat surprising that he doesn't intend to log out of Paracosia, either. Unbothered, he chooses rather to remain in the quiet and humble confines of his shop, whether or not Sebastian and the others should see any success in their mission.

Well, she wouldn't say he's 'unbothered.' Quite the opposite, actually. But at the very least, Julian doesn't seem worried about himself enough to abandon ship at the first sign of danger. Or perhaps, Mariko wonders, it has strongly to do with the fact that Sebastian isn't logging out. The words 'don't come crawling back here if you get yourself in trouble again' sounded awfully insincere when Julian spoke them. Sebastian certainly doesn't take them to heart.

"He speaks in riddles," Sebastian jokes to them as they're leaving House of Valentine later that day. "Doesn't say what he means most of the time, makes me decode everything. Sweetest guy in the world, though, swear on my life. He just hides it under layers of, like, hard rock. Like a geode."

Arumathia is next on their list of places to visit. The civilization of floating islands inhabited by angels, so far in the distance, but likely so short a journey thanks to the instantaneous travel of PIPTIA stations. There they would find Kasey, Arumathia's Keyholder. With three other keys and the official insignia of Prince Lotus in her possession, Mariko makes a silent wish that this encounter will be a much more pleasant one than the last. Soleil gives her no confirmation of anything. Not of Kasey's personality, how willing or accepting he may be to their proposition, nor of the Arumathians in general and how they may react to Wynsmith's beloved, missing Keyholder showing up at their gates with her alleged kidnappers.

Of course, they intend to keep her identity a secret as long as is both necessary and possible. But some reassurance would be nice. Soleil has yet to utter a word since her proposed 'vow of silence' upon returning to Wynsmith. While she can understand it to an extent, Mariko can't help but feel disheartened. Soleil hasn't asked for the keys back yet. It would seem she doesn't plan to, either.

She may technically be an android. But never before has she acted so...robotic.

Mariko tries not to think about it too much. Maybe Kasey could flip her mood around, she wonders. The angels seem like a cheerful people. At least the ones she happened to see around Wynsmith. The memory of their shining faces and gorgeous wings displayed on the jumbo screens at Soleil's concert ignites a spark of excitement in her chest. She can't wait to meet them. To walk amongst the islands in the sky, to get a closer look at the aerowhales who float high above the clouds...

It sounds like a paradise up there, from all that she's heard. Maybe it's just what they need right now to lift their spirits.

Walking into the Wynsmith PIPTIA station, Mariko immediately turns her eyes to the familiar line of portals on the far end of the terminal. Her eyes skim over the only red light — Hollowmire: Inner-City Station. Though it causes a twinge in her chest, it relieves her to find it's the only red light. Arumathia's two inner-city stations both flash a cool blue. In fact, as she looks in their direction, she catches a small group of friends pass through one of the portals together. Just in case she needed any more confirmation that they were working.

"Station A or Station B; what we feeling, gang?"

"Well, which one's closer to the Keyholder?" Boey asks, looking to Mariko even though it was Sebastian's question.

"I don't know, kid, that's why I'm askin'. It's a shot in the dark either way."

"A sounds good."

"Thank you, Mars. Soleil? That okay with you?"