A Fond Farewell

[Just some lady]

The woman in blue blinks as she catches the key and then laughs, shaking her head, pocketing it. She watches a moment as Dan disappears down the city's winding streets.

"Sweet kid."

Once she is fully alone, she pulls her pack on tighter and then breathes out a long, complicated sigh, smiling. If anyone desired, the store likely had a variety of items still left, but as no shopkeepers remain they would have to figure that out amongst themselves.

"It's been great, all. Really, I mean it."

Talking seemingly to only herself, the nameless woman approaches a shabby old cardboard box that had been left sitting at the edge of the square.

"I know I wasn't always the easiest to get along with. I was loud, and authoritative, and pushy and...narrow-minded, in my own way, but..."

Pursing her lips, she opens the box with practiced care, the light within casting uneven shadows.

"...I love you. All of you. All of your fractal personas and impossible family trees. All of your personal mythologies and complicated powers, I--"

She swallows, her voice cracking.

"I'm glad people are still here, even after all this time. Even after so much. You're all...very important to me."

She pauses, studying the sunset over Muffinville for a long moment.

"it's time for me to go, but I won't forget you."

With that, she steps into the box one foot and then the other, sinking into it quickly. Her hands grab the flaps as she goes, and for a moment the cardboard contorts, like a glitch from a video game, before pulling into itself after her with an impossible sound.
...
And with that, she, and it, are gone.