After delivering a certain letter to one of Kaetha’s granddaughters, Abbie and her teleported into Kaetha’s domain. It was a cylindrical, one-room library with a tiled floor. There were thousands of shelves and millions of books rising up into a dark abyss. On the ground, however, there was a quaint room for living, equipped with a few couches for when Kaetha had parties, a table, a nightstand with a small lamp lighting the room, and a chest huddled in the corner.

“Ohh, what a quaint little place you have here, Mrs.Kaetha,” Abbie said, mocking the spirit.

Kaetha currently had the form of the current Hailey. According to her, she was so old that who or what she looked like didn’t matter to her. Abbie found it to be a novelty. “Moderation is key, young lady.”

“Ok. Anyhow, Kaetha, Didn’t you say we needed one stop?”

“That last one was impromptu. Can you cook?”

“No, I haven’t undergone grandma training yet.”

“What a lackadaisical human you are.” Kaetha walked to one side of the bookshelves, and a tile beneath her blasted upward, taking her up far into the abyss. Abbie saw some of the floor-level bookshelves disappear, revealing a room behind them before Kaetha landed on the ground once more.

“Not going to lie, that took me by surprise.”

“The secret door or the pillar elevator?”

“The pillar elevator. The secret door behind the library trope is as overused as grass lawns at this point.”

The spirit shrugged. “It may be overused, but I still like it. Now follow me, child.” Kaetha and Abbie walked into the next room, revealing a massive medieval-style kitchen filled with various mechanical inventions.

“Jeez, grandma, I didn’t know you came from the middle ages! Do I need to be from the Enlightenment to be anything but a child to you?”

“My patience is wearing thin on your attempts at insulting me based on my age. I have yet to meet another being so insolent to me on such backward terms.”

“Hmm? I’m getting on your nerves?”

Kaetha began gathering ingredients from an out-of-place refrigerator and pantry. “Yes, you are. Furthermore, I find it strange how you find pointing out my great age ‘insulting’.”

“Is it not?”

“It is strangely...nostalgic.”

“Aww-”

“Don’t you dare.”

Abbie crossed her arms with a pouty face, “Hmmph.”

“And, if you must know, I’m from the Cenozoic time era, three million years ago.”

Abbie was stunned to see just how quickly Kaetha had gathered the ingredients. She wasn’t sure exactly how eating worked with immortal, metaphysical beings, but Kaetha was clearly was a master of baking. Her hands a blur, she opened the materials, dumped them into a bowl, and stirred them with precise movements. “Y-you aren’t from the beginning of the universe?” she asked in awe.

Kaetha remained busy as she talked, not noticing Abbie’s surprise. “Yes. The first prototype for the soul was ingrained into horses. It took millennia to get it right.”

“The more you know. What about my soul? Where did I first come from?”

“Let me think...I think I originally put you into a sea turtle a hundred thousand years ago.”

“Off the top of your head?!”

“You asked. Besides, who do you think I am, mortal? I remember each and every soul I create, down to the magicule.” Kaetha had pretty much made the batter already. “I do wish I was there to see humanity grow during these past four hundred years, but that cannot be helped...”

“Wait, are you actually, like, a super nice person!?”

“I wouldn’t say that...” Kaetha sighed. “I may be the caretaker of souls, but I am not the saver of humans. You and your soul are quite the aggravating quakes.”

“What’s a quake, gramgram?”

“Like an earthquake, you’re annoying and unpredictable.”

“What high praise!”

Kaetha placed the cake into her modern oven. “Don’t make me call you Gretel.”

“I don’t get it.”

“...No, few others would...” Kaetha let out a deep sigh.

“...”

“...What?”

“You just sounded...very...alone.” Abbie considered herself an empath of sorts, able to notice the see the changes in other’s emotions to their true extent. It was how she kept her banter and insults amicable.

Kaetha paused thoughtfully. “Alone. Yes, I am alone. Nobody will ever understand what I do. I am the...the oldest of the spirits, the progenitor of all...alive beings. What I have seen and done will never be appreciated, and what I stand for has long been lost in time.”

“That’s deep, girl.”

“Ch! I suppose it is.” Kaetha said, charged with anger towards something beyond Abbie’s understanding.

“We’re here,” Kaetha said as she and Abbie arrived in Brewa’s bar, Abbie holding the chocolate cake.

The place had been changed a little since Abbie had last seen it, with the pool table being swapped for a banquette table. The room was also significantly larger in all dimensions.

“Woah, talk about a renovation!” Abbie said.

“What makes you think I renovated this place?” Brewa said from behind the bar, preparing various drinks for the guests. “All I did was swap a table and make it big.”

“Well, the room is bigger. I think that counts.”

Kaetha shook her head. “It is indeed bigger, but that is because brewa has more magic.”

“Yeah, Auntie finally gave me my paycheck, so I got to expand this place for once.”

“When did you do that?” Abbie asked.

“Automated system.”

“High-tech.” She noted.

“We aren’t barbarians, you know. Now, what did you prepare for me, Brewa?”

“Logica stopped by a second ago and briefly collaborated with me. We ended with this funky coffee.” He pointed to a mug, and Kaetha looked down at it.

“Awww.” inside the mug was cream drawn to make a perfect, highly detailed rendition of Hailey's face(which also happened to be Kaetha's). “She’s such a perfect granddaughter!”

“Playing favorites, I see.” Another spirit was leaning conspicuously in the corner, dressed in dark, ceremonial robes. He spoke with a dramatic, villainous edge. “It befuddles me you’d make such petty discrepancies between your children.”

“Hmmph!” Kaetha looked away from the figure. “If my son had any manners, perhaps he wouldn’t need my unconditional aid every century or so.”

“Who is this, now?” Abbie asked.

“That would be my troublesome son, Necro. Now, tell me why you’re here.”

“...Uhh,” his edge dropped for just a moment. “Erm, because I just wanted to tell you that your efforts have greatly aided me today. I never would have survived without you.”

“Did he just say ‘thank you’ like he’s a villain revived from the dead because of a hero’s mistakes?!”

Kaetha raised an eyebrow at Abbie. “A highly specific example, but yes.”

“AHEM! I’d like to participate in this feast.”

“Sure, sure, Necro,” Kaetha said, forfeiting some food to talk with her son.

“Thanks...”

When they took their seats, their drinks teleported in front of them. Abbie was given an orange soda, her favorite. “Thanks, Brew dude.”

“No prob.”

The rest of the spirits churned in not long after, the bar filled with simple conversation about their past week. Logica was the last to join. She was an incredibly in-demand spirit recently, and rare was there a chance for her to rest. A power drink appeared for her.

“Yes. You do not have an affinity. Sorry. Bye,” she said unconsolingly right before taking a seat and drinking from the bottle.

“What have you been up to, Logica?” Kaetha asked.

“Not much,” Logica said in her usual deadpan tone. “I quickly made an equation for the speed of crude oil fires for Pyra.”

“Why in the world did she do that?”

“I do not know,” Logica said. Abbie couldn’t get a handle on the girl’s emotions at all.

Kaetha seemed to, though, and sounded significantly mellowed. “I see.”

Appenne laughed(big surprise, I know). “What was she doing, collaborating with Bone to create oil for a bona-fried barbecue?”

Abbie hated the spirit, but she did love to see Kaetha cringe in embarrassment of her grandson. “Appenne, please become unborn back into Medimari and Satia.”

“HA! Maybe if Chrom is revived, he can do that...for...you.”

The table went silent around Abbie, Every eye piercing at Appenne. Abbie had no context, but she could tell this ‘Chrom’ person was never to be mentioned.

“I-I mean, s-so how’s the weather?”

“...”

“Uhh...s-sorry?”

Kaetha shook her head. “We-”

Two unexpected spirits arrived, every eye quickly averting to them.

The first was a blonde-haired, white-robed woman that shined like a lamp as if she were the pinnacle of heroism. Her face was dull and bored, similar to Logica’s, except...unsettling as if she was a puppet.

The second was a brown-haired woman dressed in a thick silver cape and had four separate earrings, each one red, white, blue, or green. Besides the cape, the color scheme and theme were consistent with those colors. One thing was for sure, she thought herself quite important.

Kaetha shot from her seat. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?”

The queenly woman tilted her head in mocking confusion. “What do you mean, dear sister, why wouldn’t I wish to conduct myself in one of your little family gatherings?”

Kaetha’s scowl was real and dangerous. Abbie could feel malice emanating from the greater spirit. If she could, she wouldn’t hesitate to slaughter her ‘sister’ with glee. “I do not give you permission to join my family, monster.”

“My dear, dear sister, what has gotten into you? The last time we talked...what was it, eighty years ago? We were so...(eversoslighly) amicable. And besides, at what point did your permission matter,” she said with a smug smile.

Kaetha growled. She spoke ruefully, “When you said it didn’t.”

“Exactly, dear sister.” She spoke like what she said was the most natural thing in the world, “You don’t matter in the slightest. You’re a relic of the past, long-forgotten in the true hearts of men.”

“No matter how many books you burn, they will never forget...”

“Oh? What was that? Did you just squeak? Oh, don’t tell me you agree with me? Oh, and Brewa, brew me some tea real quick, would you?”

Brewa didn’t move, his eyes flickering between Kaetha and the new arrival as they glared at him, like his choice determined whose side he was on. He didn’t move.

“SON! I SAID-get me some tea. Would you do that for me?”

Brewa stood still, sweat forming on his head.

The woman made her way to her son, the other following behind her like a drone, then leaned down to the sitting man’s height and whispered not too quietly into his ear. “Being a lawful little conspirator with my sister is fine and all, but you don’t want to make your mother angry, do you? This is, after all, a simple task.” She spoke even quieter, closer to his ear. “It would sadden me greatly if my son respected me that little.” She stood straight once more, waiting for his answer.

Brewa slowly stood from his seat, his arms trembling, then walked behind his bar.

“It’s good to see my old boy knows his place. Oh! I entirely forgot to answer your question, Kaethy! I came here because I saw you did something...sly.”

Kaetha gritted her teeth. “And what would that be?”

The woman waltzed to the other side of the table, then put a hand on Abbie’s head. Abbie froze, staring into the cold yet glee-filled eyes of the woman. If the almighty spirit of witchcraft was afraid of this lady, just who was she? She slowly smiled as if looking at a young puppy-that she was about to kick. “You don’t mind if I sidetrack to note how cute a human you picked up! Her level of importance is a mere 211. I must wonder how she was useful to you, but perhaps that question is for another century. So, anyhow, I just came to say I noticed that little stunt you pulled. Prolonging your life by volunteering as the counselor for that other human, then giving her witchcraft, right under our nose, was a brilliant plan.”

That shocked the other spirits, though not much.

Kaetha closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

“Ignoring me? How rude. Well, if I see you do that again, I won’t kill you.”

Kaetha suddenly opened her eyes. “Wha-”

“It seems it coincidentally was brought up just before I came here, but...if you did that, I would send you with him. So, my dear sister, I want you on your best behavior, so you can slowly die, watching as the final remaining witch lives out her life and inevitably meets the fate all mortals must meet. I think the Consciousness can agree that to be the best ‘future’. Get it!? Because you won’t have one!”

The spirit behind her laughed robotically. “Ha.Ha.Ha.Ha.”

Appenne chuckled, but the two spirits’ heads instantly turned to him with murderous intent, shutting him up.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t work together on this, sister, but you know how coups work. One person must lose for another to win. Goodbye.” The spirits vanished.

“...So...how was the weather again?” Appenne asked.

“I saw a wildfire, earthquake, tornado, and tsunami crash through my front door,” Kaetha said with anger.

Appenne’s setup for a joke worked surprisingly well, and the festivities continued, though slightly more dreary. Kaetha had sparsely been given the opportunity to talk to her family, and she wouldn’t let her sadistic sister ruin that.

Abbie shifted uncomfortably in her seat once their last guest besides Brewa and Kaetha, Appenne, left.

Brewa was busy washing cups but surprisingly spoke first, despite the immediately dreary atmosphere. “There’s nothing to be afraid of, kid.”

She looked up.

“You knew this would happen, and there isn’t a way to change it, not without great sacrifices.” He teleported another orange soda to Abbie, which she drunk down. “Think about it this way: all you need to do is step into the core, and that’s it. Nothing to be stressed about, just one last walk to the afterlife...of sorts.”

“Is there one? An afterlife?” Abbie asked.

“No,” Kaetha said.

“Is that a lie?”

“I cannot lie.”

“...So this is it-” Abbie sobbed, trying to hold in tears. She looked to the side, and seeing that face...she buried herself in Hailey’s chest.

“This is it.” Kaetha stroked the hair of a girl who died young. “You will die.”

“C-can I choose how I get reborn?”

“Sure.”

“Can I be a sea turtle again?”

“Again?” Brewa noted in surprise.

“Heh. Why do you want that?” Kaetha questioned, still speaking low and consoling.

“I’d like a nice shell to hide in, a free sea to travel, and you know-” she sobbed again. “If I could...see my friends again.”

Kaetha shook her head. “Sea turtles don’t get souls anymore, but I’ll see what I can do for you.”

“Thanks...”

Abbie and Kaetha stood in an iron, circular room where a black sphere floated midair, surrounded by mercury, floating about as if gravity attached it to the sphere. Their silence was broken by the arrival of a particular greater spirit.

“I was wondering who was in the core! I didn’t expect to see you here, Kaetha.”

“Go to the burning forest, where you belong, Elementekk!” Kaetha yelled, neither her nor Abbie not looking at the woman behind them.

“...On second thought, perhaps I should have anticipated this.”

“Hmm?” Kaetha emoted, surprised by the other spirit’s more...respectful tone.

The greater spirit walked to Abbie and looked down on her. “So it is time you die, is it?”

No one answered.

“I understand. I will leave so you don’t have an unwanted visitor like me cramping your last dying moments.” She unceremoniously disappeared after the unusually respectful line.

After a moment, Kaetha spoke again. “So...walk in anytime.”

“...”

“...”

“Do you have any regrets?” Abbie asked.

“You could say I do. Back in my time, I wasn’t a perfect leader either.”

“Hmm. How is Hailey doing?”

“I don’t know. I’m sure she can handle anything that comes her way, though.”

“Unlike me, she really is bullheaded.”

“Even I can tell that.”

“...What’s the weather like, where she is?”

“It is sunny.”

“That’s nice.” Abbie sniffed. “I hope it stays that way for her.”

“Me too,” Kaetha said absently.

“...I think I’m ready.”

“Then go, my child.”

“...Thanks.”

“You already said that to me.”

“You really are a good person.” A tear fell on the ground.

It wasn’t Abbie’s. “Thank you.”

Abbie walked forward, then reached her hand into the mercury and touched the Core.

She was gone.

Kaetha dragged a finger down her face, then rubbed it with her thumb, noting how damp it was. When was the last time she’d cried, anyway?

She walked away, teleporting home as she pondered such nonessential questions.