A pair of black heels clicked down a Geneva sidewalk. The buildings were a pale yellow, and the apartments above all had intricate metal railings. Michaela Newton stepped down the street, a trio of glowing feathers tucked into her shirt lace. Her leather pants were tattered, and goosebumps prickled on her exposed shoulders.

A booth caught the corner of Michaela’s eye. The stall seemed to contain a small clothing store - selling t-shirts, blouses, and jackets. Michaela stared intently at the shop across the street. She suddenly stopped short, preventing herself from bumping into a man in a white suit with a cardboard sign.

“You’re all being duped!” screamed the man in the white suit. “The scientists are lying to you! Their ‘research’ is the devil’s work! They’re opening a doorway to Hell!”

Michaela scowled at the protester, before turning to cross the street.

Michaela stood in front of the booth. She picked up a leather jacket that seemed to fit her style. On the back was embroidery, advertising a 2010 Zurich anime convention. She rolled her eyes, and tossed the leather jacket aside. She picked up a blue windbreaker. It advertised a 2008 school-teachers’ convention. Michaela groaned. She lowered the jacket, and turned to the shopkeeper.

“Hello-”

“You all need to wake up!” yelled the protester from across the street. “The scientists are in league with Satan himself! We need to..”

The protester trailed off. He clutched his chest, and doubled over onto the ground. His mouth was jammed open, as if an invisible bubble was shoved inside it. His throat let out a faint hacking noise.

“So, erm, hi,” said Michaela to the stunned shopkeeper. “Erm… what’s with all the convention memorabilia? Do you have anything without logos on it?”

The shopkeeper shook his head. “Sorry, lady. To be frank, I’m just as confused as you. Clothes like these just started showing up at every shop around town last week. Honestly, we can’t get rid of them fast enough…”

Michaela’s gaze turned down to the selection of jackets. “Last week…” thought Michaela, “And all the branding mentions ‘conventions’. This can’t be a coincidence. It must be Giovanna’s doing. Giovanna made arrangements to send these clothes here after his death! He’s telling the treasure hunters… that Geneva is the spot where the feathers must be brought together!”

Michaela rested her hand on a leather jacket. “Well, thanks anyway,” said Michaela. “Can I trouble you for a light?”

“Oh, sure…”

The shopkeeper held up a lighter, and flipped it open. Michaela snapped her fingers. The fire jumped from the lighter, and ignited the jacket’s embroidery. Soon enough, the branding was gone. Left behind was a faint burn mark - a five-point star, enclosed within a seven-point star.

“How much fuel’s in that lighter?” asked Michaela.

“Huh?” sputtered the shopkeeper. “It- it’s brand new!”

Michaela slapped a pile of bills on the counter. “I’ll give you 60 for the jacket and lighter.”

The shopkeeper shakily handed over the lighter. Michaela pulled the jacket on, and slipped the lighter into its inner pocket. Michaela snapped her fingers. The protester let out a loud gasp as Michaela stepped around a corner.

A taxi came to a stop on the banks of the Rhone river.

“All right, it’s Geneva, just like you said!” said the cab driver. “I still don’t see your parents anywhere, though…”

A small boy handed the driver a fistful of dirty bills as he slid out of the car.

“They’ll be here to take me home soon!” said Edvard Crowley. “Thank you so much, sir!”

Edvard stepped onto a stone path as the taxi sped away. Edvard peered around nervously. Suddenly, cinder blocks appeared around Edvard’s hands and feet. Edvard’s arms were yanked to the stone pathway with a loud thud. A pair of black high heels made their way in front of Edvard.

“Interesting…” mused Michaela. “I didn’t realize you had survived the Proud Mary. I suppose I underestimated you, Edvard.”

“P-please, Miss Newton!” sputtered Edvard. “I didn’t know you’d be here! I… I won’t do anything to hurt you or stop your plans, I’m just… looking for a place to stay!”

“Hmmm,” said Michaela with a nod. “I don’t believe you. It’s simply too big of a coincidence for you to show up here, in Geneva.”

“No, I promise-!”

“You know what I think?” continued Michaela. “I think you have information you shouldn’t have. I think you stole the ladybug pin from your ceremony room, and you’ve been getting instructions from Giovanna’s memories.”

Edvard closed his eyes, panting. Michaela leaned down in front of him. She reached around his back, towards a round pin sticking out of his pocket.

Suddenly, a rubbery hand slapped Michaela across the face. Michaela froze in shock. She looked down. An empty leather suit lay crumpled next to Edvard. Kids See Ghosts slowly slinked its deflated hand back into its form.

“You… attacked me,” said Michaela. “Your Kids See Ghosts attacked me.”

“I- I’m sorry!” sputtered Edvard. “I didn’t mean… I didn’t want to-”

“Why does the sun shine?”

Edvard stared up at Michaela. “What?”

“Why does the sun shine?” said Michaela. “I suppose you haven’t been taught… no matter. The answer, Edvard, is nuclear fusion. Gravity pulls hydrogen atoms together, and those hydrogen atoms fuse to become helium. As the sun continues its lifecycle, its fuel will form into heavier and heavier elements, growing into a red giant as it burns itself up. In short, the answer is ‘reality’. The planets revolve because of reality, the tides and the wind are all at the whims of reality. The sun does not choose to shine, it simply follows the laws of nature.”

Michaela pulled herself to her feet. “Humans, on the other hand, are special. Humans alone in the universe have complex desires, have choices. Humans alone can choose to ignore the laws of nature, to change reality, to transform their smallest whims into consequences that echo across millions and billions of years. That is what defines humanity.”

Micheala leaned down, brushing her hand against Edvard’s face. “When I first met you, Edvard Crowley,” continued Michaela. “You had no plans for the future, no desires besides your own survival. And thus, you were barely human. You were as uncaring as the stars above, focused only on reality as it existed. But now, Edvard, you are growing. You have goals, and secrets, and a fighting spirit.”

Michaela turned her back to Edvard, and raised one arm to the sky. “I believe at one time, I referred to you as a bathroom sign that fell into a trash can,” said Michaela. “Perhaps that was too harsh. Perhaps… perhaps, Edvard, you could achieve perfection after all.”

Michaela snapped her fingers. The cinder blocks around Edvard’s limbs shattered. Edvard shakily took to his feet, staring at the witch in front of him. Kids See Ghosts disappeared. Edvard turned and ran away, dashing through the streets of Geneva.