One week later.
*knock-knock*
Madam Z: Come in.
A figure in brown enters the Foundation office. By the window, Madam Z turns to face her.
Tooth Fairy: Madam Z, here's the report for my mission.
Tooth Fairy sets a thick report down at the corner of the desk.
Madam Z's desk is cluttered with papers.
Tooth Fairy: It seems you've been busy too.
Madam Z winces a little as she takes a sip from her mug. The strength of her tea seems to correspond with her increasing workload. As the stack of documents grows, the more bitter it becomes.
Madam Z: Even though we've confirmed the connection between societal turbulence and the "Storm," there is no time to catch a breath.
Madam Z: Once chaos breaks, it will be the end of another era, but we can't resist the inevitable. All we can do is maintain order to postpone it as long as possible.
Madam Z heaves a soft sigh as the steam from her mug swirls unnaturally.
Madam Z: So, any findings in London?
Tooth Fairy opens her hand flat. There's a speck of coal dust and a baby tooth resting in it.
Tooth Fairy: A Walpurgis's tooth, from the black fog, and the last baby tooth of a child. Very rare, even for my collection.
Madam Z: Hmm.
Madam Z pushes her glasses up and holds her breath as she inches forward.
Madam Z: Right. Well, that's good to know.
After a few moments of examination, she straightens her posture.
Madam Z: I heard the London branch is still trying to replicate the ritual that was carried out at the Exhibition Games. What was that?
Tooth Fairy: It was a coincidence, actually.
Tooth Fairy peers out the window, watching the soft, white clouds gathered on the horizon. Perhaps London, too, is enjoying such beautiful weather.
Tooth Fairy: After analyzing the live sample provided by Mr. Fog, the London branch concluded that the Walpurgis is a mutant of the Cyoeraeth, a critter species that's been extinct for centuries.
Tooth Fairy: Ms. Willow lent one of her heirlooms to the London branch after the Games, a book that details an ancient ritual meant to worship the god of the sun. This is the ritual she performed on the floor.
Tooth Fairy: But when Ms. Willow performed the ritual again in front of the Walpurgis, nothing happened.
Tooth Fairy: My guess is that, since the Cyoeraeth disappeared, the ritual fell out of use and became fragmented over the years. Her version of it is probably incomplete.
Tooth Fairy: The conditions must've happened to align at that moment to allow the ritual to work. It could've been any combination of things—Ms. Willow's dancing, the music from the didgeriwood, the fire from the torch, the magnetic fields around the stadium ...
Tooth Fairy: Or perhaps it was all of them. The ritual also happened to have the power to capture the Walpurgis, which put an end to the heavy smog in London.
Tooth Fairy: It makes sense, really, that a ritual used to worship the god of the sun would capture a monster that covers the sky and plunges everyone into darkness.
Tooth Fairy: In conclusion, the ritual's success was a near-unrepeatable coincidence.
Madam Z: An endangered critter and a long-forgotten ritual ...
Madam Z: I guess that's why humans are always sifting through their past. There's always wisdom to be found in history.
Madam Z takes a small sip of the tea in her mug.
Madam Z: It's gone bitter. I should've finished it earlier.
She sets the mug aside and sits down at her desk.
Madam Z: By the way, I've approved your vacation request.
Madam Z: No one should disturb you this time.
Tooth Fairy: Thank you. Have a good day.
Tooth Fairy sets another piece of milk candy on the desk and walks out.
Madam Z: Milk candy ... Makes me miss the rabbit candy back home.
Madam Z: Well, at least it goes with the tea.
Madam Z unwraps the candy and pops it into her mouth.
Flutterpage: Ms. Willow! I got it!
Flutterpage's voice arrives before she does.
Willow raises her eyes from her packing list as she hears bright little footsteps heading closer.
Flutterpage: Look! The Foundation's recognized our Games! Here's your invitation and our tickets!
Willow: Heh. I suppose your flying does come in handy after all.
Willow shuts her suitcase and takes the folder from Flutterpage.
Flutterpage: Are you done packin'?
Flutterpage looks around Willow's room, making note of what's moved and what hasn't.
Flutterpage: Ain't you takin' this medal with you?
Flutterpage points to the medal recently placed in the cabinet—the first Willow has earned in almost a decade.
Willow: No. This is proof enough.
Willow pats the folder holding the invitation and two tickets.
Flutterpage: But that medal's for the winner of the qualifiers!
Willow: Oh, please, they're just qualifiers.
Willow scoffs.
*ding-dong*
Willow: Who's that, I wonder?
Caroline Bartley: Wow, what happened to the garden? It's beautiful!
Brimley: Ms. Willow's put a lot of care into it ever since she won first place in the qualifiers.
Caroline Bartley: Ah, Charlotte, ever predictable.
Caroline and Brimley look around the garden, enjoying the rare sight of foliage flourishing in winter.
Voiced Flower: What are you doing here?
Brimley: We want to invite you to join us. Let's go to Australia together!
Voiced Flower: With Caroline, too?
Caroline Bartley: For your information, Charlotte, the top three athletes all qualify for the finals. And besides, I might have beaten you if you weren't so lucky as to capture that Walpurgis.
Brimley: By the way, the ship we're taking is owned by the Bartley family.
Willow: What?
Brimley: So, Ms. Bartley said she'd arrange a presidential suite for us.
Flutterpage: A presidential suite? Like, for presidents?
Flutterpage's head sticks out from behind Willow.
Caroline Bartley: It seems we'll be spending quite some time together in the coming weeks.
Willow: ...
Flutterpage: But which one of us is a president? It's Caroline, ain't it? It must be!
Willow: Would you shut your mouth?!
Flutterpage: Hah. You can't scare me anymore.
Caroline Bartley: Heh-heh.
Dusk paints the world gold, and from a distant riverbank, a freighter sounds its horn.
Today, the skies of London are clear.
