The Skulls' footsteps echoed within the ancient tower (except for Valentine's). Song sheets lined the walls, decorated with notes that would sometimes shine and sing with a voice. "The tower constantly echoes with the sounds of all the voices in the universe." Skull Face said. "It's… actually quite annoying. But I digress."
They explored one of the rooms, finding shelves filled to the brim with countless colorful orbs. "This chamber is but one of many containing the voices lost over time." Skull went to pick up a dark-red one, holding it by his ear. "This one… belonged to the Darkedelions. Heh, I don't understand a word… I had best set my parasites to work. I must come to understand these voices myself."
"You criminals aren't gonna get away with this!" shouted Meloetta's head, shaking on its statue. "When Sugar gets here, she's gonna give you a 10 out of 10 BUTT-whoopin'!"
"Unless the spirits give her some help, I don't think she'll be following us any time soon."
"You'll never be able to control the voices! I won't let you!"
"You won't have to. We've already borrowed Babylon's chi."
"Babylon's… wait!" Meloetta gasped. "You can't mean… her?!"
"Yes, my dear. I already knew about Babel. Or rather… Synthia knew of her. She heard her voice, echoing from the moon."
"What are you babbling about now?" Bayonetta asked.
"Babel is a Vocal Spirit that Meloetta created as her assistant, to manage the voices of the universe. Babel was tasked with protecting the One Voice, a great orb that served as the core to all voices. Whenever a new language were created, a smaller orb was released from it and placed into the Tower of Babel. Though they were separate and different, they were still linked to the One Voice, and thus it was easy to learn other languages. One day, Babel decided that she would reunite all the voices in a bid to vanquish all conflict and misunderstanding, but what this entailed was commanding and enslaving all beings. Meloetta and the gods were against this, but Babel refused to listen. To stop them from destroying her, Babel integrated her form into the languages themselves. She merged herself into the One Voice, thereby connecting herself to the other orbs, like roots of a tree. Meloetta stopped her by sealing away the One Voice, making it harder for different speakers to learn from one another, but this prevented her from returning or using her power. The spirit's prison is the very moon that exists above Spirit World, but none are able to enter it. But tiny fragments of her chi seeped out of the moon, too small or menial to matter… or so it seemed."
The little light flickered around Skull Face's head. "When we investigated the area around the tower, Synthia could hear the fragments of Babel's voice from within the moon. She learned of Babel's purpose and the power Meloetta had entrusted her with. So, Synthia borrowed those fragments of chi and merged it with my parasites, allowing them to upgrade. Now, I will be able to command the tower's voices just the same. And these four Lost Voices, these same Voices that chose to seal the tower, were also used as the keys to help seal the One Voice away. If I destroy the moon's seal and release Babel, the people will be able to understand the voices. But first, I must ensure my control over the voices and destroy the lingua francas."
"You have fun with that." Bayonetta shrugged, wandering off. "I have something of my own to find."
The Umbra Witch explored the labyrinth of the temple. …She sensed a presence coming from one of the doors. Bayonetta approached and slowly opened the door.
There was a little girl asleep on a bed. She had cute brown glasses, black hair in two pigtails, and a pink nightgown with a floral design. "…?" The girl seemed to wake, hearing the witch enter. "Mummy?"
"Hm?" Bayonetta raised a brow.
"Mummy …it…it's you!" She got off the bed and ran to hug the lanky woman's legs.
"Mummy?" The witch questioned her actions. "You got the wrong idea, kid. I'm no one's mummy, I…?"
The little one began to glow. Her body turned into light and phased into Bayonetta's body. "…!" She flashed with a blinding light as her mind exploded with memories.
Avalar; over 600 years ago
In this era of magic, more and more witches had been swayed by the dark influence of the Underworld, devoting their souls to the Demon King. With their mortal bodies having been tainted by demon chi, they had mastered the power to Ascend their physical forms to the Spirit World. With this, they could stage attacks on the spirits in the name of the demons. Some even learned to muster Zanpakutō with their demon-imbued bodies, albeit they could only be used in the Spirit World. Because of the threat they posed, the Divine Angels had no choice but to come down and slay these corrupt witches in an era known as the Witch Hunts.
A witch clothed in sleek black clothes with gold rims, her eyes adorned with butterfly glasses while a tall hat and mask covered her head, had come face-to-face with an Angel with peacock wings and a gold mask with a central hole. "Balder, that mask is very unattractive on you." said the witch.
"They are for our protection against dark corruption."
"Does that mean you decline?"
"I do not understand, Rosa. Why choose to betray the ways of the Demon Clan for my sake?"
"I was born to this fate, Balder. I had no will to this fate."
"Mortals need not be told what their will shall be. True that your elders have chosen this life, but your will must be yours."
"I am beyond such redemption, Balder. No matter who we are inside, we Umbrans are bound for the Sanzu River once our mortal bodies fall. The rulers of the Demon Realm have decided. We are but nourishment."
"Such a cursed fate for one as you…"
"Then allow me to have my final wish. A chance for redemption for my clan."
"To commit such an act… it would be sacrilege as an Angel."
"With your pure chi mixed with my darkness, perhaps our child may be spared from a dark fate. If not them, then perhaps their descendants. Or do you fear for your title?"
"What is my title to a tribe forced into a cursed life? Perhaps my duty as a servant of the gods is to end this curse. I am here in my Gigai, after all."
"Balder…"
…
Cereza was born on December 19, 1411. A cute and rather sweet-hearted witch-in-training, she lived with her mother, Rosa, out in the country. However, it was believed Rosa died in a battle with an Angel, and so she changed her name to Lillian. She did her best to hide from her clanswomen and keep their hands off of Cereza. Of course, Rosa felt that she couldn't hide the truth of their origins from Cereza, so once she was old enough, she explained that they were Umbra Witches, and that she wanted to keep Cereza away from the rituals of the clan.
Of course, despite this, Cereza had shown magical potential, and Rosa was compelled to teach her to master her magic and darknessbending, lest she suffer from Chi Disuse. Even now, little Cereza was going for a walk in the woods, hugging a little doll she had woven. "ROOOAAR!" The child jumped around in fright when a Moss Guardian hissed at her, its body camouflaged against a rock. The beast stomped forward to attack the intruder.
And within seconds, it was smashed into the ground by a Demon Arm. Cereza aged slowly due to her Umbran heritage, but this only gave her plenty of time to learn and harness her power at a young age. Even at 49 years old, she was quite young and fairly strong. Sadly, because of the factors surrounding her, her interactions with other people were limited. She and Rosa usually moved close to towns for shopping, but Cereza was encouraged to keep her powers secret; after all, the normal citizens were also encouraged to hunt Umbra Witches.
Cereza stole the necklace from the Moss Guardian and returned home to her mother. "Look, Mummy! I beat the Moss Guardian! Do you think there's some magic in this necklace?"
"Perhaps we'll crack it open and see. Though it's more likely to think Moss Guardians have a hobby of crafting."
"Hee hee! …" Cereza frowned in a mild guilty fashion. "Mummy, I have to tell you something. I made some friends."
"You made friends?" Rosa asked with slight concern. "W…what kind of friends?"
"…Kids Next Door."
"Kids Next Door?! You mean that… large organization of children that fight adults?"
"Yes, I…I joined them six months ago. I'm Numbuh Umbra."
"Is THAT why you keep disappearing all day?! Did you tell them you're an Umbra Witch?!"
"I…I didn't tell everyone. I told the Supreme Leader and asked for a private graduation. But my friends know, too. But they don't care because they… well, they're sort of different, too. My friend Howl, he's the son of a human and a harpy, and everyone's scared of him. And this boy named Ashitaka, he was cursed by a demon and banished from his tribe. The Leader put us all together because he thought we would work better together, and we have."
"I wish you would've told me about this sooner, Cereza."
"Does that mean I can't see them, anymore?"
"Sigh…well, you can't really stay hidden forever. There's no point in keeping you away from the clan if you cannot interact and be accepted by others. If you really feel a kinship with these kids, perhaps they are a good start. Just be careful."
Sector No-K were a trio of three who rarely interacted with other sectors, due to being branded as "misfits." Howl had a cute human face, but the ugly body and feathers of a dark-blue harpy, and Ashitaka was a brown-haired boy with a blue robe and a darkened right arm. Despite their brand, they worked well together and defended Ni no Kuni from threats.
A Chinese dragon had been sent by a villain to attack Ding Dong Dell, but was intercepted by Sector No-K. Howl grabbed the nosehairs of the dragon in his talons to restrain it, leaving Ashitaka to snipe its eyes with a bow-and-arrow. Cereza conjured a Demon Dragon to bite the neck of the beast, munching furiously. Unable to sustain all this damage, the dragon fell in defeat.
The event was witnessed by two Elfin boys from afar: one had orange hair and buckteeth while the dark-skinned elf wore sunglasses. "No doubt, Numbuh Umbra is a real Umbra Witch." the dark-skinned, Jeremy, said in a Jamaican accent.
"Kind of thought that codename was a giveaway." replied the other one, Gabe.
"Until now, it was only speculation; some believed she was only a fan of Umbra Witches or dark magic, but her attributes say otherwise. The question remains why she has joined the KND and if that is her true allegiance. If she really is a loyal and devoted operative… then Numbuh 256 wants her."
"'Guess that means it's time for another test." Gabe shrugged. "What should we do?"
On December of that year, Sector No-K celebrated Cereza's 50th birthday, and their missions continued in January the next year. One day, Cereza returned to their treehouse, quiet as it seemed her teammates were away. "Hm?" Cereza found an ominous, black-and-red letter on the kitchen table.
Cereza, it is time to realize your duty as an Umbra Witch. Come to this destination in the Golden Grove and we will begin the ritual.
The witch immediately raced back to her house in a panic. "Mummy! Mummy, something…?" Sadly, it seemed Rosa wasn't home at the moment. "Mummy…" Still in a panic and worried for the state of her friends, Cereza thought the only other option was to just run to the given destination.
Cereza located a place in the Golden Grove where sunlight didn't touch the shiny leaves. Bathed in darkness and despair, Cereza whimpered in terror as she carried herself forward. "Hu-!"
Howl and Ashitaka were unconscious and lain on tables. Two people in tall, black attire and masks stood beside them. "So, you have arrived, Cereza." The right one spoke in a deep voice.
"Who are you two?!"
"We are your brethren. We are Umbra Witches! You have shirked in your duties, but we are here to return you to your proper place of being. You must sever your ties with these beings and use your power to banish them to the Underworld. It is a duty we all follow! If you fail, we will banish all three of you! Now, Cereza! Choose once and for all, where your allegiances-"
Cereza grabbed the "witches" in two Demon Arms. She shook and flailed her own little arms, the ground rumbling as the two were repeatedly, violently, and forcefully bashing the ground. She gave them no time to speak or retaliate, she kept bashing until she was certain it was enough. Finally, she discarded the villains on the ground.
"Huff…huff…!" Their oversized clothes and hats came off, exposing the Elfin underneath. "Numbuh Infinity?! Numbuh 74-point…whatever?!"
The two were riddled with bruises and broken teeth. Gabe sickly and shakily raised a thumbs-up. "Okay…you pass…"
"Let's just… take her already…" Jeremy gasped.
"T…Take me?"
After they managed to recover, the elves led her further into the forest. To Cereza's awe, a cake-shaped flying saucer was parked at the base of a sloped pit. "Numbuh Umbra, you've been chosen to join the Galactic Kids Next Door!" Gabe declared.
"The Galactic Who?!"
"We've been watching your performances for a while and have determined your origins as an Umbra Witch." Jeremy explained. "In spite of your clan's dark traditions, you have displayed exceptional loyalty to the Kids Next Door. You have prioritized your friends over your tribal traditions. Combined with your powerful abilities, you have been deemed the best operative on the planet. You have been chosen to combat adult tyranny all across the universe!"
"I…I can't believe it…"
"However… there is a small price to this. If you choose to come with us, we have to leave immediately. The other KND are not allowed to know about the Galactic KND. They are simply not ready to know of its existence. This includes your friends."
"What do you mean? I can't… say 'bye' to them?"
"Don't worry, we're gonna take them back to the treehouse after this." Gabe assured. "We just slipped them some sleeping powder. …But as for your mother… well…"
"Hello, Cereza."
The child turned with a gasp. Rosa was there to greet her with a warm, proud smile. "Cereza… I'm so proud of you. These boys came to speak with me a week ago. They told me what you had been selected for, and how grand of an honor this was."
"Mummy… do you… want me to go?"
"I've given it some thought, but… I decided. I'm really going to miss you, but… just think of all the amazing things you could do for the universe. You'll do great out there, Cereza. I know you will." She opened her arms for a hug.
"Mummy…" Cereza walked up to hug the woman's legs, Rosa hugging her hands over her back. "Before I go… could I ask something? Could you tell me… who Daddy was?"
". . . ." Gabe and Jeremy bit their lips nervously. 'Rosa' seemed nervous as well, but maintained herself for Cereza's sake. "Your father… h-he was… the king of a distant country."
"You mean… I'm a princess?!"
"Our union was… illegal by official standards. We happened to meet as he was traveling. I'll spare you the boring romance, but… eventually, we had you. But if his country knew about us, his reputation would be ruined, so we went to live in secret."
"Well, we are Umbrans, so… but I want to know more!"
"Perhaps I will tell you the full story some day, Cereza. Just promise you will return some day."
"Okay, Mummy… I will! And… tell Howl and Ashitaka… I'll miss them."
The mother and daughter parting ways, Cereza boarded the spaceship. In moments, they were leaving the atmosphere.
…
Meanwhile, the real Rosa had just arrived home with a confused expression. "Cereza wrote that she wanted to meet me in the Dark Wood. I didn't find a trace of her anywhere… Cereza! Are you home?" she called. Alas, there was no answer. "…What is going on here…"
GKND H.Q.
"So, this is the acclaimed Umbra Witch." High Supreme Leader Dimentia spoke observantly. "How old did you say you were again?"
"I'm 50 years old!" proclaimed the witch.
"Fifty years old and that young? I see… you're very resistant to the disease. You'll fit in perfectly here! Welcome to the team, Number…"
"Numbuh Umbra! Cereza!"
"Hm-hm! A mage such as yourself will be a valuable asset."
"I'll do my very best. But what was that you mentioned about a disease?"
"I'm talking about the disease of adulthood. You may not have known this, but adulthood is a sickness that plagues the entire universe. The very reason mortals are bound to die is due to adulthood, due to aging. But you seem highly resistant to this."
"Well, mages like me typically live longer than normal humans, but my mum always said my aging was especially slow."
"And that slow aging is your gift. And when I introduce you to our special 'cure,' no doubt you'll live forever."
"So, um, when will I be able to return to Avalar?"
"It won't be for a very long time. By the time you do return, your friends and family will have forgotten about you. This is the sacrifice all of us have made for the sake of saving the universe."
"But, I…"
"The first step to curing adulthood is to let go of emotional bonds like these. If you stay attached to them, you'll only be dragged into the disease with them. Focus on your own wellbeing."
"…Okay…"
As with any newcomer GKND, Cereza missed her friends and mother terribly during that first year. Of course, her situation wasn't as bad as one of her new friends, Huntara. She was an Etherian whose entire planet miraculously disappeared without a trace, taking all its moons with it. That happened a few centuries beforehand, but by that time, Huntara had already been recruited to GKND. The best Huntara could understand was that the Irkens or some other alien invaders were trying to take over the planet, so it vanished for their protection.
And speaking of being alive for centuries, that's exactly what became of Cereza. Like her fellow operatives, she had been introduced to Jirachi, the cure for the adulthood disease who prolonged everyone's childhood and lifespan. Cereza had already aged slowly, but thanks to Jirachi, she maintained her childhood for about 150 years.
As Cereza explored and fought villains on many planets, developing her powers in the process, she had learned to fight with a great many swords and guns, combining either weapon types in her combos and attacks. She was given the nickname "Bayonetta" by fellow operatives, named after a type of musket with a blade at the end. She came to embrace and accept the nickname, and even the Irkens and other enemies came to know her by this name, for she was quite a nuisance in their side.
Still, the usage of her Umbran powers became known across worlds and word spread. It even came to reach the heavens above.
Father Balder never liked to acknowledge the GKND that much. It still sickened him that their leader, Dimentia, was still around and abusing the powers of Jirachi. There was nothing he could do, as it was simply 'fate' that Dimentia be Jirachi's commander, according to Dialga. And even so, despite her crimes, the GKND had been valuable in bringing peace to the worlds. However, Balder had more pressing matters for the last century-and-a-half: his daughter had gone missing. After scheduling a secret meeting with Rosa, he was horrified to learn this. Alas, he couldn't just fly around aimlessly in search of her, or else the other Angels may be aware of her existence. All he could do was rely on Rosa to search for her, though in the event she had become involved with other Umbrans somehow, he would attempt to search among their ranks and fight them, acting as if he were doing his job.
But his Angels reported hearing of Umbra Witches appearing on various planets. He had never expected the GKND to be involved… until he gave them a thorough look-over. Eventually, he learned of the Umbran "Bayonetta" among the GKND's ranks. While she had donned a black jumpsuit and looked somewhat different, she was the same Numbuh Umbra: Cereza.
"The Galactic Kids Next Door?" Rosa asked. "I…I've never heard of that. Did her friends know about this?!"
"Even after you said she had joined the KND, this was the last thing I expected." Balder said. "Why…why would that witch take Cereza of all people?! What sort of cruel prank is fate playing?! Curse me for not suspecting this sooner! Why did I think, for once, that Zathurian would never trouble me again?!"
"Balder… I must go."
"Go?"
"I must go to the GKND's headquarters. I need to know why she left without speaking to me. I need to know if there was trickery involved or if she did so on purpose. I need to know if she is there against her will or if she's happy up there. At the very least, I need to speak with her one last time."
"Those heathens do not welcome adults! It is foolhardy!"
"Then go with me, Balder. Allow her to meet you as well."
"Hrm…very well. But to the eyes of those other mortals, I must remain invisible. Especially… her."
Star Haven
Dimentia had gone to the Fountain of Dreams for her daily drink, smiling as her wrinkly skin became smooth and beautiful. She gazed at her reflection proudly in the magic mirror… until it changed to show an outside image of the sanctuary, and the tall, thin figure in dark clothing. With a gasp, Dimentia rushed outside, Jirachi following. "HEY! Who do you think you are walking onto our haven, you filthy adult?!"
"I mean you no harm." Rosa said. "I am searching for a girl named Cereza. She is my daughter."
"Rosa!" Balder yelled, the Angel only visible to the witch. He was also wearing his gold mask. "That's Dimentia! She is the leader of-"
Dimentia struck the witch with Space Lightning, Rosa intercepting it with darkness. The Zathurian followed with a flurry of Starbursts that Rosa blocked with chain-whips, afterwards catching her in a Space Block. Rosa burst out of the Block with Demon Fists, but Dimentia made three more around her and exploded them. "Grr-!" Balder grit his teeth, clutching his weapon… but no matter how much he wanted to, attacking Dimentia was against the law. "Rosa, let's just retreat for now!"
"I only want to speak to Cereza! That's my only wish, let me see my daughter!"
"Wish…wish…" Jirachi shut his eyes tight, struggling to restrain himself.
"No, Jirachi! Don't give in now!"
"Jirachi, let me see my daughter! I wish to see Cereza!"
"SILENCE!" Dimentia tried to trap the witch in a spiraling vortex, but Rosa fought free and ensnared Dimentia in her chains.
"I…I can't… hold it in any longer!" Jirachi's ribbons flashed, and in a second, Cereza poofed out of thin air. The witch plopped on her back, wearing only her pajamas and holding her favorite doll.
"Ow!" she yelped, forced out of her slumber.
"Cereza—MMPH!" Rosa yelled, but Dimentia warped on her head, sealing her mouth as they both struggled against the other.
"Jirachi, I wish this woman would take the shape of a monster!"
"A-A monster? Okay…" With confusion, Jirachi focused magic on Rosa and morphed her into a light-red demon with slit yellow eyes and a wide, sharp-toothed mouth.
"CEREZA! HELP!" Dimentia cried. The witch fully awoke with a start, horrified as the "monster" seemed to dig its claws against her leader.
"AAAAH!" Cereza reactively summoned a Demon Serpent and gnashed at the monster's head. She made it forcefully crunch, chew, and chomp the demon while Dimentia had gotten off.
"NO, STOP! STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING!" Balder shouted, showing himself before her.
Startled by the presence of another monster, Cereza made the serpent swing and bat him away, afterwards slamming Rosa on the ground. "Cereza…Cereza…" The "beast" rasped and reached for her.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Cereza summoned a sword with her magic and severed her mother's hand, and with one final leap, Rosa was impaled in the heart.
"ROSA!" yelled Balder.
"R…Rosa?" repeated Cereza.
"Cer…e…za…" The beast looked her daughter in the eye. "I… brought… your father…"
Whenever an Umbra Witch died, a dark portal would immediately open as demons dragged their body and soul to the Underworld. This was the fate that became of Rosa. "…Mummy…" Cereza couldn't comprehend what she just heard. Was that monster really… And that other monster in the gold mask… was it really… "D…Da-"
Balder's Holy Glaive pierced Cereza's chest. While the child seemed suspended against the blade, a tall, thin woman suddenly spawned where she stood, falling over and out of her child-size pajamas. "You…You are no daughter of mine. You have been cursed by that girl. Or perhaps this is my punishment… for ever having fallen into forbidden love. How dare you do this to her… DIMENTIA!"
"AAAH!" Dimentia panicked when the furious Angel impaled her with the glaive. However, the spiritual weapon merely phased through her flesh.
"Tell me what worth you have to this cosmos! What fate binds you to Jirachi?! Are the Kids Next Door truly to be the heroes of this universe?! Why is it that YOU lead them?! Do you possess any sort of redemption?! HOW LONG WILL YOU CONTINUE TO DISRESPECT US?!"
"JIRACHI, GET RID OF HIM! I WISH HE WAS GONE!"
Jirachi hastily poofed Balder away. Dimentia panted, scared out of her mind, but it seemed there was no wound in her body, despite the huge blade. "…" Dimentia looked to the unconscious, naked woman on the ground. "What did he do to Cereza? Jirachi, let's put her in the water! Oh, and give her clothes."
After Jirachi conjured a sleek black outfit for her, Cereza was placed in the Dream Water. Dimentia sang the incantation, but the witch's body didn't shrink back into a child at all. "She…she isn't turning back."
"What do we do, Dimentia?"
"…It's a lost cause." Dimentia bowed her head in gloom. "Whatever that monster did… he permanently cursed Cereza with the adulthood disease."
"But, maybe we should keep trying-"
"No. Jirachi… just send her somewhere. Send her back to Avalar or something… so, she can be with her kind."
"…" With one last wave of magic, Cereza disappeared.
Fly me to the moon
And let me play among the stars
Let me see what spring is like
On Jupiter and Mars
She awoke on the shore of a lake somewhere. Her mind was shattered and scattered… she remembered nothing before waking by this lake. She searched her sleek, black jumpsuit and found only a word written along the belly: Bayonetta. All she could do now was explore the area. Nearby, she discovered a village: the women were wearing dark, cult-like attire. When "Bayonetta" approached them, they raised brows at her attire. Besides that, she hardly looked indistinguishable as one of their own.
In other words, hold my hand
In other words, darling kiss me
Balder gently lay the child Cereza on a bed. It had been a struggle to gather the Lost Voices for the sole purpose of locking Cereza in the Tower of Babel, but the impenetrableness of this fort would hopefully be the safest haven. This embodiment of his daughter's past would never age or grow hungry, and none would ever know of the sin he had committed. His lingering regrets for what he did, the time his child lost to him, his unwanted feelings of hate for what she did, and the lie that he was not related to "Bayonetta" in any way, a lie which he planned to uphold for ages… Balder had awakened the Voices' spirits himself, but by the time he closed the tower, they would go back to sleep.
Fill my heart with song
And let me sing forever more
You are all I long for
All I worship and adore
While her clanswomen had no idea where she came from, Bayonetta was fully accepted as a true Umbra Witch. At their side, she began to attack and lay sieges upon the Spirit World. She learned to command Hollows, mastered a timebending Zanpakutō, and attempted to attack the Isle of Elements, the First Church, the Tower of Babel, and other sacred areas. …While she couldn't explain why, she found herself returning to the tower often. It became a favorite place of hers to attack. Perhaps she just liked the songs that radiated across the valley.
Sadly, as the centuries passed, the Umbra Witches were slowly picked off, and they bred no more descendants. Her tribe dying one by one, the remaining numbers could no longer continue the battle. They split up and ran into hiding. Bayonetta ran all over Avalar, slashing down any Angels that tried to hunt her, but otherwise hiding from them. Eventually, it felt as if they stopped hunting… but Bayonetta was left all alone.
In other words
Please be true
She lost count of the centuries that passed, merely wandering from town to town. It seemed that the Witch Hunts had long come to an end. The Umbra Witches were believed to be finished, so she had little problem with casually strolling through towns. However, she had long grown tired of her home planet's surface.
In recent years, Avalar had finally become open to other worlds of Galaxia. This was thanks to a man called Disney, but Bayonetta didn't really care for the details. What she was fascinated with, however, was Intergalactic Travel. She wanted to take a chance at the big city, and so, she moved to Coruscant.
In other words
I love you
Bayonetta wandered from district to district for the next several years. There were plenty of dark, shady types in the city's underbelly, so she blended into the crowd, using her power to beat down any crook and taking their cash. Men would try to hit on her at every single bar… and all attendees would find their selves hitting the floor.
"Not bad, not bad…" proclaimed a short man smoking a cigar. "Now you seem like a dame what don't let herself get pushed around."
"Here to join the slumber party, shorty?" Bayo asked.
"Nah-nah-nah. Listen, name's Enzo. I'm kind of a broker if you will, and I'm looking to make some dough on Heaven's Arena. Nothing wrong with extra cash, huh? You ever think about becomin' a fighter?"
"I don't think about what I'm already good at."
"Yeah, well where ya workin' at, sweetheart?"
"I'm too good for work. Beating down these clowns makes me plenty of money."
"Listen, sweetheart, I can get ya way more than these alley dogs. Ya do good in Heaven's Arena, I'll split the profits with ya, maybe buy ya a fancy house. Ya like ponies and unicorns? I get a couple unicorn heads every Thursday."
"Oh, I've hunted far more impressive things than that."
"Oh, yeah? Like what?"
…
But no matter how many years passed, even though Bayonetta had moved on from her tribe… her origins still escaped her. She had no idea where she came from, who her parents were… or why she kept paying visits to the Tower of Babel. Why did she keep laying siege upon it at the anger of the Angels?
"I see you here quite a lot." a man said one day.
Bayonetta turned. There stood a skull-faced man in black. "Why, you checking me out?"
"That tower will not open without certain requirements. Tell me… why do you wish to breach Babylon?"
"I couldn't tell you. I'm just… drawn to it for some reason. I have no idea why, but… I feel like if I can get in there… I'll know who I really am."
"Then… perhaps we should work together?"
"Hm?"
"You and I… both seek to enter Babel for our own ends. I feel that our goals are similar. Shall I… explain more?"
"…Sure."
Present time
Her vision blurred as she was writhing on the floor. As Bayonetta willed herself to face up… Skull Face's form became apparent. "What you were seeking… wasn't the voice of your culture, was it?"
"Skull Face… I…" She stood to full height. "I was… a KND operative… and Balder… That man had to be Balder… Was Balder really my… father?"
"A Kid Next Door… and a Divine Angel? You really do have quite the history. But does that make me your enemy?"
"…I don't know… I still don't understand…I don't understand what happened back then. Why did Mum look like that? What did… Dimentia do…?"
Bayonetta rushed outside, finding Jirachi still in Valentine's possession, as well as Ibara. "Valentine!" she yelled for their attention. "Ibara… use your potion to awaken Jirachi. I need to ask him something. I need to… find Dimentia."
Somewhere on the sea
Young Leic was brushing his toes along the endless, peaceful sea. He tried to fly alongside the seagulls whenever they came cawing, but they would always outpace him. He heard a splashing sound and turned to find Dimentia return from the seafloor. "Are ya sure you're allowed to do this, Dimentia?"
"He's agreed to it, so there must be nothing wrong with it. With this, we have everything we need to stop Varcrutis."
"Hey, Dimentia, you said there were more people in Var's group, right? I was wondering, even if we beat her, will we have to worry about them?"
"There are more members of the Daemonis, that is true, and many of them may be stronger than she is. …But you don't have to worry." She smiled kindly. "If they do decide to attack, then we'll just have to teach them the same lesson."
"The same lesson?"
"As dangerous as the Daemonis are, there's a certain rule they have to abide by. But because of the disposition they share with the Phoenios, they think they're above this rule. No matter how often the Phoenios stop them or chase them off, they're just going to keep attacking this universe. But Varcrutis is going to be the first one to understand that they're wrong."
"Oh, you talked about this with those Rex guys, right?"
"Yes." Dimentia smiled and nodded. "A little knowledge goes a long way. …As for Sylistys, however… I feel the need to face her myself. Knowing she's my Negative, in a similar state as I am… it has to be me."
"But I'm allowed to help you, right?"
"Of course, Leic! I have my full trust in you!" She raised a hand.
"Yaaaaay!" He high-fived and did a flip. "Hey Plex, wanna high-five, too?"
"Well, alright then." Plex sighed. But just before he could get close, his body suddenly went rigid. "Something's happening!"
Dimentia snapped to attention. "It…it's coming from… the Negaverse?"
"Huh?" Leic gaped.
"It feels like Sylistys. She's using a large amount of chi, but I don't feel Var with her."
"Could it be a trap?"
"We have no idea what Varcrutis was discussing with Robotnik." Plex replied. "There's a chance Sy may be trying to bait us while she does something else."
"Even if that's true, it's not like I planned to battle Var, anyway. So, we better go see what's up. It's time to capture Sy once and for all."
"Then let's get Ascending/Descending!" Leic cheered.
"Hee hee! …Achoo!" Dimentia sneezed.
"Bless you!"
"Thanks. Heh, it just snuck up on me…" Dimentia frowned, as though sensing a strange feeling in the air. She shook it off and merely allowed Leic onto her shoulder, the two Ascending to Heaven before making the drop to the Negaverse.