The Wonderful World of Skullgirls

Sidetracked Chapter 1: Rebirth

Year 1: October 1st, 6:00am
Grand Cathedral, Catacomb Ruins

It had been 5 days since the destruction of the Grand Cathedral, and Marie's withdrawal from the public eye. Although New Meridian was seeing better days the damage was done, the general area surrounding the Grand Cathedral was blocked off from civilians until repairs could be made to the establishment, the Grand Cathedral was a sacred place in the kingdom's culture after all. Despite its legacy, the secrets behind the foundation were never made public, no one ever knew the cathedral housed the Skullgirl, or at least the current Skullgirl, even to this day. The only ones aware of this secret were Double, Valentine, the Player, Filia, Squigly, Nadia and, to a lesser extent, Cerebella, all of whom had previously encountered Marie there.

Below the church lies the hidden catacombs, and below THAT was a vast labyrinth that reached far below the known surface, otherwise known as the Skullgirls domain, the Final Atrium.

Along the path leading to the Grand Cathedral, Valentine traverses the long road by herself. After a lengthy walk she comes face-to-face with the remains of the building, looking on as she what she predicted during her fight with Parasoul came to pass, the events leading the Player to the church resulted in the church's destruction, and with no word from the Skullgirl, or Double for that matter, perhaps they met their end in the chaos, but Valentine was no optimist, as much joy as it would bring her to know Canopy could enjoy 7 years of peace, she knew this moment of calm was only temporary.

Valentine proceeds, walking among the rubble and debris with careful footing until she reached a certain spot in the ruin. She does a bit of physical labor from there, tossing large chunks of rock aside, working as though she was searching for something. After a few hours of digging she soon came across the hidden passage way that lead to the catacombs. She walks down the elaborate stairway until she arrived at the subterranean cavern, she was greeted to ankle deep water.

"...They really did a number on this place." She speaks herself, her eye scanning the area only to see rubble and ruin. "Marie hasn't shown herself since the explosion. Not to mention Theonic readings have quickly died out around the area, so there's no way for me to track the Skull Heart, assuming it's even out of her grasp."

Valentine takes one final look around the cavern, she looks up to the ceiling above and closed her eye, thinking back to the only friends she's ever had, the Last Hope, and how she misses them.

'For once in your LIFE, Val, listen to my orders! She's undefended...this could be our only chance! You're the ONLY ONE among us powerful enough to finish our mission!'

"That was the last thing you said to me." Valentine said to herself after reminiscing on Christmas' last words. "You died having faith in me. Trusting the mission to me, the stubborn one. The overachiever. I was so stupid, and...none of my failures amount to the pain I feel for not being able to tell you that I'm sorry."

Survivor's guilt was finally catching up with the vulnerable woman, she wistfully opens her eyes, clearly showing sadness in them as she tried her best to fight back her emotions, for the first time in a long time reminding herself that she was human and suffering, regretting even. Her actions lead to ruining the life of a young girl, turning her into a weapon that she doesn't even know the whereabouts of.

If there was one wish she could make on the Skull Heart at this very moment it would to correct the last mistake she had made, a means of redemption and to make the crushing heartache cease, she wanted nothing more than to be the Skullgirl herself to allow Painwheel to end her life.

After having some time to herself Valentine draws her bonesaw and plunges it into the water, having the saw pierce the ground below. "...I quit." She mutters to herself, referring to her role as Marie's enforcer.