Mira didn't seem to say a word and even started to get up. "I'm sorry... I- I asked too much." She started to walk out of the kitchen.

"No... Tiz... Tiz fine..." Loretta started to stand up too, with a hard sigh, "You can come with me when I go to visit her." She walked past Mira and down the hall to the front door.

"Wait, Visit her?" Mira's eyes widened and ran after her, "She is still alive?"

"She is."

"Then, why is she not here? You may be adults but you are kin."

"Yes... we are..." Loretta said, but another sigh escaped her.

Loretta opened the door and soon after she stepped through Mira followed behind her, closing the door as she looked to the Pyreheart that started to walk one of the bridges away from the penthouse. Once she caught up Mira looked to Loretta, “Does Artison know she is alive?”

Loretta did not respond to her for a long moment, she only led her further away. “Just…follow me”



The two made their journey across the spires, coming to a building that seemed like a steel tree, towers growing off towers but all part of the same spire. Loretta looked to a lot of the staff more sternly as she walked inside, but Mira was more relaxed and curious as she looked around, what seemed might have been a hospital, but maybe a prison as well.

"Excuse me," Loretta said as she came to the front, "I'm here to see my mother."

The receptionist looked up at her and tapped one of the crystals on the desk, "Loretta is back, she's here to see The Weeping Widow again."

"Don't call her that," Loretta growled.

"She's here to see her mother." the receptionist corrected herself. She paused for a moment. then looked back to Loretta. "She's making some progress. It's possible to see her at this time."

"Thank you." Loretta said, and followed with Mira behind her, "What a disgraceful nickname to give such a thing..."

While Loretta was muttering to herself Mira looked around the halls and the rooms they passed as they continued. The walls were much harder and had no windows. the doors were solid metal or even stones. Sometimes there was a clank or a thump from one of the doors here and there. The Shimashabi jumped when she heard screams from behind a door, she came closer to Loretta who was walking on without being phased.

"Loretta, what kind of place is this?" Mira asked, "People seem to be locked in their rooms, but others are... well. I don't understand why your mother would want to live here."



"It's the only place for her... for now." Loretta said as she kept walking, "The clerics cannot easily heal some things... damage to the mind requires some far different care."

"And why this place has to be so... harsh?" she said, looking at the heavy doors and people held in place, "This looks more like a prison."

"It's to make sure they do not hurt themselves or other people." Loretta said, a sad sigh escaping her, "Others will take it much further... until they can get help." She walked up to a door.

Mira didn't follow at first, just kept hanging on to her last statement. "Loretta?"

"She's right in here..." She said to Mira, gesturing to the door.

---

Part 19

Part 18: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/58851353/

Part 20: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/59000121/

Mira (C)    ~Caly_Pso~

Artison, Loretta, art, and character (C)   WatchNR12