"Yeah! But they're really helpful. Like, they check up on me and keep Mr. Cat from dropping me to the probationary class again. Or trying to marry me. So that's nice. - Do you have any other friends, Serafin? Besides the lamp, I mean?"

"Mmmmno," he admits.

"Oh. Well, you have friends now, right?"

"Yes! I like you and I like my lamp. I'm glad we're friends."

"Me too!"

"Hmmm. I daresay it's gotten downright quiet around here. A moment of that is fine, but we mustn't allow it to keep these players from hurtling headlong into their own demise, certainly, certainly. I wonder where our final player has gotten to by this time...?"

.

.

.

Once upon a time, there lived a maiden.

The maiden was in love with a kind and generous man, who had promised to wed her. Because the man was poor, however, the two of them had agreed to wait until he had made his fortune. 

The maiden feared that, if he explored the world, the man might fall in love with another, and break his promise to her. And so the maiden thought of reasons to delay the man's journey, until all of the money that the man had saved was gone. 

The man died, penniless and alone, and the maiden visited his grave.

She's sitting in the old church reading a book. The Prince and the Raven. She's been finding herself here a lot, lately. It just seems like the sort of place one goes when one wants to be connected to the rest of the world. There are weddings on occasion. Sometimes there are funerals. Sometimes there are ordinary services; she doesn't keep track of when they happen.

It's nice here. Quiet.

"Hey. Are you reading that again?"

"I'll read whatever I want."

"Did you tell Serafin and Duck about Mytho's heart?"

"No? I've hardly ever spoken to Serafin, what does he know? And Duck - "

"Serafin didn't know about the story, I think he must have run into one of the shards on his own. But Duck has known about it since - hm. A few weeks ago, at least. I thought you'd told them."

"No."

"...Mytho's regaining more shards of his heart. At this rate, the story's progress will soon become irreversible. Are you happy about that, is that what you want?"

"I haven't done anything. I've no idea what you've been doing or who you've been talking to, but I've no interest in the story's progression at all. I'm reading the book because I like it." 

She looks down.

"I don't care about the rest of it. The only thing I care about is Mytho, whether he has his heart or not."

"...If the story continues, there's a very good chance that Mytho will die in the end."

He leaves her with that thought; when she looks up again, he's gone.

Mmm.

The next day, she decides to stay after class and see if she can find Serafin.

Is she looking in the practice studios? Because that's where you look if you want to find Serafin.

She does know enough about him to realize this. And it's not as though she doesn't go to the practice studios herself every day; she didn't get to be one of the best dancers in the school without practicing.

Then she will be able to locate him without too much trouble!

The lamp is perched in a corner of the room, and the book is leaning against a wall. He's been trying to read it, but it's been slow going.

He's sufficiently focused on his dance that he doesn't even notice her come in.

She'll just watch him until he gets to a decent stopping place. He's good, it's pretty impressive even to her.

"Hey. You're friends with Duck, right?"

He glances over; either he's noticed her at some point while she was waiting, or he's just really good at concealing surprise.

"Mm? Yeah. What about her?"

"I haven't seen her around much in the past week. Has she been busy?"

"I think she was upset about what happened at the theatre, but she's doing better now. Why?"