An Important Meeting

"Diane," Oberfell began, taking Diane's hand in his-- as if the gesture were a kindness rather than a transparent attempt at manipulation. Diane couldn't help but notice the wrinkles on Oberfell's hands, the way the tendons stood out. "You are a fabulous lawyer. Your work in the Abdulrahman case ensured that we won."

"But?" Diane asked, too familiar with this pattern: Diane would bust her ass winning a case and ensuring some rich asshole got off scot-free from his crimes, and then someone else who'd done half her work would get promoted above her.

Oberfell dropped the cute act as he dropped her hand. "But Vecoli joined the firm first."

Right. This again. "John," Diane sighed, breaking her usual protocol by using Oberfell's first name. Oberfell's smile grew tight at the edges. "Vecoli also had some pretty damning documents struck from the record with that case." John Oberfell's smile remained the same, but his eyes narrowed. Diane knew she was placing herself in a tight spot by mentioning it-- Vecoli had paid to have those documents removed. It was an open secret around the office that he'd bribed a judge, discussed over expensive bourbon on a Thursday evening.

Vecoli had bragged about it as he brought his drink to his lips, smugly admitting to having a slew of judges in his pocket. And why not? That exact corruption had won too many cases to count for Oberfell & Co., and none of Diane's exhaustive research and case planning could measure up to it.

It wasn't like anyone in the office would tell on him. They'd just roll their eyes, tell themselves they weren't as corrupt as Vecoli and the rest of them, and continue on with their jobs.

"Vecoli did what was necessary to win, Diane," Oberfell said, his constant mantra: doing what's necessary to win. The repetition of her name didn't go unnoticed, either-- yet another tactic to gain trust, build rapport.

Every act of affection was manufactured with Oberfell. When she'd first started as an intern at Oberfell & Co., she'd been dazzled by his words, his gentleness, the way he could make her feel like a legal powerhouse. Now it just felt slimy. "The ends always justify the means here, huh?" Diane took another sip of her Riesling, the bitter-sweetness of the wine fitting the mood. The office was nearly empty this time of evening-- Diane had stayed late yet again for more research on her current case.

Something in Oberfell's expression grew soft-- his eyes patronizing. "Oh, Diane--"

"You're overusing my name, John," Diane shot back with a smile, "Don't want to make your tactics too obvious."

John Oberfell threw his head back and laughed. "This is why I like you, Diane," he bullshitted, before, "And if there's one thing you need to know--" suddenly the room around them grew dark, and Oberfell's fat pink face, receding hairline and all, was in stark relief against it. "Ends?" He asked. His voice echoed. The office was no longer the office she knew, but a cavernous black space with no exit to be seen. "Diane, there is no end."

A chill ran down her spine. Oberfell continued, unflinching, "There will always be another case. Another day. Another tragedy. All we have are the means," He placed a clammy hand against her cheek, "Because the end will not come."

Diane's eyes snapped open; she sat ramrod straight in her bed, and wiped the sweat off her brow with a hand that wasn't her own.

_____

It was almost charming, watching Mina try to convince her to stay at home and rest. Yes, Diane had had a poor night's sleep to say the least-- but today was the only chance for her to sneak out and explore the Academy before her idiot band of knights realized that moving her belongings had only been a distraction.

Grabbing a free map from the Academy's information kiosk, Diane turned to Mina with a grin. "Let's orient ourselves to the area, shall we?"

Arms crossed and with an expression of jaded disbelief on her face, Mina replied, "Yes, Ma'am. Shall I guide you to the artisan's studio?"

Oh, that was a good idea. "Later. For now we should explore the Academy." Terrain experience was vital in wars, or so one of Diane's old history professors had always said-- best to have the ins and outs memorized. If she remembered the game correctly, there were multiple hidden corners perfect for assassination.

The pair meandered their way around the campus, a behemoth of classical buildings and roman arches-- the usual fantasy fare, if Diane were being honest with herself. She even recognized some of the locations for romantic events, which was, well...

It occurred to Diane that she could actually watch said events unfold in person. The confessions that had once kept her occupied all weekend could be seen in real time, with the best possible views.

Huh. Out of everything that had happened to her since Diane had come here-- however she had-- there was a first. She could watch the main character's story arc; watch her struggle, learn, fall in love.

She had something to look forward to: a performance. Sure, it would take a good five years, but hey. What else was Diane going to do?

It was with this train of thought that Diane and Mina made their way to the eastern courtyard, one of four for the cardinal directions. What was the actual main character like, she wondered, considering how in the game, the player could decide her personality based on which route she took. Maybe she'd be kind and innocent; maybe she'd be a raging bitch. Yet another layer of uncertainty.

"Excuse me," came a soft voice from Diane's left. She turned and saw a slender young girl with a fluff of short pink hair and almost alarmingly large brown eyes staring up at her. Judging by her dress, she was a student-- by the yellow ribbon around her throat, a fellow first year. "Sorry, uh-- I'm a little lost. Do you know where this is?" She held her hands together at her chest, delicate fingers laced together.

Motherfucker. Unbelievable. Diane recognized that hair, that stature, that pose-- all meticulously designed to be as charming and innocent as possible.

This girl was the goddamned main character.

Diane had hoped she'd have a bit more time to prepare for an interaction with her, but, well. There they were: protagonist and antagonist, meeting one another for the first time. How exactly did they meet in the game? Diane couldn't quite remember-- not that it would help her here.

No, the best course of action would be to play innocent. Diane smiled with Lilith's lips, doing her very best impression of someone warm and approachable. "I do indeed. This is the Eastern Courtyard." She flashed her map. "Where are you trying to go? We can look around together, if you'd like."

The main character visibly brightened, showing off a blinding smile. God. Of course it was blinding. "I would love to! Thank you so much!" A passerby stared at her as he walked, running himself into a column.

Such was the power of a main character. "Of course," Diane smiled, guard still very much up. Who knew what was going on behind that sugary sweet facade? "I'm Lilith, and this is Mina-- how about you?" Mina whipped her head toward Diane with an expression of pure unadulterated puzzlement that could only be translated as, 'What the fuck do you think you're doing?'

"My name's Estelle," the main character, Estelle, grinned, outright skipping beside them. Good god. "Thanks so much for joining me! I've been so nervous since I got here-- the Academy is enormous!"

"It sure is," Diane replied, "Where are you from?"

Estelle's expression grew wistful. "Etienne," she admitted, "Not too far from the Tower Territory, but it still feels like a whole different world."

Oh? Had the game ever talked about Estelle's past? "It's the same with Mina and me-- we're from there as well." This was technically the truth.

"That's so exciting!" Estelle gushed, clenching her hands into fists ahead of her with excitement, "Did you hear about who else is coming?"

Diane glanced toward Mina, who simply looked tired-- already mentally checking out of this conversation, then. Too much confusion for her. Turning back to Estelle, she asked, "I'm not sure. Who?"

Biting her lip, Estelle stood on her tip-toes and whispered in Diane's ear, "I heard that the Crown Prince and Princess of Etienne are coming to study at the Academy-- even the third prince of Ustoff is here to learn!"

Good lord, this girl was giving Diane exposition. At least some of it felt familiar-- she'd read enough about Ustoff's history to know about their current kingdom; something about the third prince rang a very distant, quiet bell. "Is that so."

"I heard that the Crown Princes and Princess are soulmates," Estelle continued, eyes starry with fantasies about Diane's idiot fiancé, and Mina audibly wheezed. "My mother told me that they were born for each other. Isn't that beautiful?"

Oh, god. This poor girl. "I don't know about that," Lilith murmured, staring ahead, "I don't believe in soulmates. Relationships are just..." Suddenly Diane remembered Omar, from before she'd woken up in this world. What was it that he'd said? "They're just people with mutual interest working to enjoy one another's company." He'd said that at an expensive bar on the 50th floor of a high rise in Manhattan, staring out into the city while nursing his drink. He'd looked tired that day.

Suddenly the memory of him hurt. "Anyway," Diane managed, "That's just my opinion."

A brief silence overtook the group. "I heard that the Crown Prince is a little daddy's boy," Mina finally said, apropos of absolutely nothing, and now it was Diane's turn to stare at Mina, flabbergasted. Did Mina seriously just...? "What? We're not in Etienne. I can say whatever I want." Mina crossed her thin arms, "Not like royalty's listening."

Unbelievable. Diane threw her head back and guffawed. Oh, what a good decision, taking Mina under her wing. She took a deep, much needed, breath. "Fair enough."

Even Estelle started to giggle. "Don't worry, I won't tell-- on the off chance I meet anyone important." She gave Diane's arm a friendly smack, and all Diane could do was laugh harder. "And anyway, it's not like we should believe in rumors-- we'll decide for ourselves what they're like."

That wasn't a bad answer, coming from little miss Main Character. Not that Diane could trust her just yet, but she didn't dislike her. At this rate, they could even be decent acquaintances.

If nothing else, Diane could cross one thing off her to-do list: Don't be a bitch.

"Oh," Estelle brought her hand to her chin, surprised. "I know where we are-- I'm in the Valkyrie dormitory, over there." She pointed to a quaint three-story building with a lovely attached greenhouse. How cute. "What about you?"

"We're over in Castello, the southern one," Mina replied, pointing southward. Estelle's expression went blank.

"Castello, as in... the building for foreign nobles?"

The what? Mina and Diane glanced at one another, together in their shared lie. "Uh--" Mina began, before Estelle interrupted her, staring at Diane.

"You said that your name was Lilith. As in-- Lilith de Seraphine? The Crown Princess?" All the blood fled Estelle's poor face.

Well, fuck. She took a deep breath, formulating her response-- just like in court. "We're not in Etienne right now," She replied smoothly, standing stock-straight and adopting her noble behavior, paired with her usual saleswoman smile. "As far as we're all concerned, I'm just a fellow student, studying magic."

"Oh." Estelle grew breathless, almost stunned. "I see." She clasped her hands together in front of her again-- a tell. Estelle was nervous. Still, she mustered her strength and looked up at Diane with those big wide brown eyes, hopeful. "Could we be friends? Potentially? I-- uh." She took a deep breath. "I hope that's not too much to ask?"

Diane's smile grew less formal and more genuine. "I'd like that." Friendship was good. Friendship was something she could use, especially when Nescus would have her declared as their Goddess's saint. There was nothing like friends in high places, after all. "Now I'll let you rest-- I'm sure it's been a day full of surprises."

With that, Estelle tottered toward her dormitory, turning back toward Diane and Mina every few seconds as if to confirm that that indeed had happened. Diane waved her goodbye when she finally entered the building.

Not a moment later, Diane could feel Mina's eyes boring into the side of her face. "What exactly was that about?" Mina asked, accusatory. "You don't care about things like friends."

"Rude," Diane grinned, although Mina had a point. Glancing back at the Valkyrie dormitory, she continued, "That girl is more important than you, or me, or anyone else in this country." Mina's jaw dropped, shocked. "You could say that this world was made for her." Turning back to Mina, Diane shrugged. "She'll be a good ally when the time comes."