“It’s a deal.” Takako turned in the other direction and put Wayne from her mind. She had other, more pressing things to worry about now.
Takako strolled upward through the castle, amazed at how much transformation could transpire in a mere month. Originally, she had thought the castle looked like obsidian stalagmites, jutting unnaturally from the ground. Now, the color of the stone had changed to a pearly white, bright blue glowing deep under its surface. It was a reflection of Snow’s magic, Takako had reasoned. Or it was merely an aesthetic illusion to cast away Pan’s lingering darkness. Either way, the outer casing still pulsed with magic and the inside had been transformed into an equally bright (and far more logically constructed) space.
The one thing that had remained the same were the puppet-like creatures. Pan’s assassins fled like rats, retreating to their next hideaway to lurk until a new, powerful leader no doubt organized them. But that would be a problem for another day. The puppets, however, had not been destroyed when Pan’s magic dissolved.
They had lingered about the castle, listless, until Jo made the decision to accept them. Now, they played an active role in upkeep and restoration. Takako was wary of anything that changed loyalties so quickly, but they seemed harmless enough, merely happy to have a purpose. She wasn’t sure how she felt about them stepping aside with a bow, though, every time she passed. It was worse when the other (more sentient, living, breathing servants) did the same. Takako wasn’t used to such deference.
She came to a stop outside an unmarked door in a quiet wing of the castle. Servants, and those closest to the royal advisor, knew it was her true office—not the fancy ceremonial desk she was forced to use during meetings, to maintain appearances. This was where the woman felt most at home.
Takako gave two raps on the door.
“Come in,” Jo’s voice called from inside.
The room was a total wreck. Where the rest of the castle was beginning to reclaim order from chaos, this room was chaos incarnate. Perhaps Jo had the tiniest bit of Pan within her still. If Pan’s only lingering mark on the world was a messy room, Takako reasoned, they’d done all right.
Clothes were strewn about the floor, and boxes stacked on boxes spilled over with pieced-together technology, wires dangling from them like gutted beasts. At the center of it all was the woman herself. Jo was lit up only by the neon glow of the monitor in front of her, her eyes glued to the magical script flowing across it.
“Still working on learning technomancy, I see.” Takako closed the door behind her.
Jo turned, a can of RAGE ENERGY at her mouth. “It’s being a pain. The whole ‘magic meets technology’ thing is nonsense.”
“So you’ve said.” Takako looked at the drink more closely. “Where did you get that? Weren’t you lamenting how this age didn’t have that particular flavor?”
“His newest proposal.” Jo wiggled the can before taking another sip. “Thinks he can win me over with caffeine.”
“I think he’s already won you over.”
“Don’t let him know that.” Jo didn’t even bother hiding a grin as she spun in her desk chair.
They all knew it was only a matter of time before a royal wedding happened. Even Jo had said as much the first time Snow offered to make things official in that decidedly mortal way. But Jo had requested they spend some timebeingmortal first, just living without the Society or Pan.
Takako had thought it sensible, but she suspected it may have disappointed Snow at first. He proposed for the second time not long after. The third proposal came even faster after that. It was now a weekly thing, more like an inside joke than anything else.
“So, what can Aristonia’s chief advisor help you with today?” Jo grinned over the can. “Come to give me an extra set of hands again?”
She had been, originally. Takako fumbled with the disk in her pocket, feeling somewhat guilty. Everyone was leaving all at once. . .
“There’s something I’d like to ask.”
“Shoot.” Jo’s expression told Takako the pun was intended, and Takako couldn’t suppress a chuckle.
“I have received a message from my family.”
“Oh? How are they?”
By way of answering Jo’s question, Takako pulled her disk from her pocket, reading aloud.
“We had not heard from you in some time, and given all that has transpired in Aristonia, the family wants to make sure you’re all right. Your sister’s children miss you. It would be good to have a call soon. Don’t be like your cousin Hiro; he left for the Kingdom of Zakon nearly three months ago and hasn’t been heard from since.
“All is well here,” Takako finished.
“You should go back and see them,” Jo said with a smile, prompting Takako to wonder if she could now read minds. “I’m sure they’d like that.”
“It wouldn’t be any trouble? I had promised you I would—”
“Don’t worry about it.” Jo shook her head, turning back to her computer. “I have enough to keep me busy for a while. You can go over the Aristonian military with me when you get back. But take as much time as you need.”
“Thank you.” Takako almost felt compelled to give the other woman a hug. Instead, she let the gratitude of her words hang in the air before turning for the door. She didn’t have much to pack, but like Wayne, she should still do that and square off her travel arrangements.
