The mansion was located some distance away from the main city of Agama. One of the canals had a natural branch connected to it formed by nature's wear rather than the hands of the populace, and if you followed that little branch along a winding dirt path, stooping under low-hanging tree branches and tromping across a weathered old wooden walkway that stretched across the river, you would eventually come across the mansion in a clearing in the jungle. Surrounded by tall trees and difficult to see from any distance outside of the clearing, the old building was nonetheless full of life if the lights in the windows and shadows flickering across them were any indication.
"This mansion was built 220 or so years ago, at the end of the 18th century. It's been renovated a few times, but when The Coven got to it, it hadn't been touched in years. We didn't even have electricity until we got some crystal generators hooked up!"
Momopie had been babbling a mile a minute since the three witches had started on their walk. Behind her trailed Megumin, half paying attention to her friend's words in favor of taking in her surroundings. Bringing up the rear was Missy, who was munching on a granola bar she'd pulled from her overstuffed "Midnight Store" branded backpack.
"So according to our research, the original owner of this mansion was the last of a bloodline that had once been in high standing in Europe. They'd hobnobbed with royalty and acquired many riches! But over time, the kings and queens and other well-to-do folks retired or died and the next generation came into power, and the influence of the family declined as the new rulers were less interested in what they had to say. Eventually the line was whittled down to one eccentric old man, and so he became a recluse."
"Really. And what was this guy's name?" Megumin asked.
"Ehhh, I think it was Don Huxtable or something? I didn't pay much attention to that part."
"You seem to know the rest well enough."
"People are more interesting than their names." Momopie chirped as the three girls reached the entrance to the mansion. "So anyway, this Yon Yonson guy had no kids or descendants or living relatives at all, so he had this mansion built and then spent the rest of his life using what he had left on him to collect stuff. He gathered together things from all over the world and made what people back then liked to call a 'cabinet of curiosities'. Rich adventurer types liked to make them to show off their worldliness."
"Wait a second, wait a second." Megumin waved a hand, Momopie turning curiously. "I thought Agama was only recently re-discovered and hasn't invited tourists in ages. How'd this guy know where Agama was?"
"That's the strangest part!" Momopie grinned. "He didn't! This mansion was built in Europe."
"..........Wha?"
"Two decades after it was finished, the mansion vanished from where it was built. Only a large hole in the ground remained. Nobody outside of Agama knew it had shown up here until The Coven researched it and worked out the place's history."
"But how could that have possibly happened?!" Megumin exclaimed, scratching under her hat while Missy, enraptured, inhaled another granola bar.
Momopie just shrugged. "We don't know! But it was probably some kind of lost magic spell. It just made the mansion even better for us as a meeting place, no?"
Megumin looked up at the mansion, towering over her and the other girls. Suddenly the building seemed to take on an ever-more ominous tone. She could have sworn she heard an owl hooting, even though it was a cloudy afternoon and she was PRETTY sure owls didn't live in Agama.
"Anyway, let's head on in! I can't wait to introduce you to everyone!" Momopie knocked on the door, which then opened a crack. An echoing, metallic voice solemnly called out.
"Who goes there."
Momopie leaned in and smirked as she answered with "Momopie! I got the two new recruits I picked up at Olympia with me!"
"Entry accepted. Welcome back, Momopie. Welcome, new members." The door swung open, and as light spilled into the mansion, the girls could see that the speaker was what appeared to be a tall suit of armor... and it didn't seem as if anyone was inside.
"Thanks, Armory." Momopie giggled as the witches slipped inside.
