[it isn't the first time they've reunited like this, although the time apart had been a lot longer than a mere twenty-four hours. whatever Milla's thoughts and feelings are in this very moment, whatever she might be thinking now that she's standing in front of the man she wasn't sure she'd ever hear from again, she's keeping them under a tightly closed lid]
[the other spirits, however, react. especially when this strange person calls Maxwell by her name]
Milla? Who is this chump, anyway?
Uuuum. . . I don't know, but he certainly isn't a lesser spirit. . . you guys can tell that too, right?
Indeed. But what I'm most curious about is-- how did this soul slip past Origin and Chronos? He seems to have retained his sense of self, which is unusual. Even Milla wasn't whole, when we first brought her soul back before it could be purified. . .
But this time, we certainly weren't involved.
[while the four chatter among themselves, Muzét's gaze flickers towards her stone faced sister. Milla's eyes slip shut, and she finally speaks again, voice still firm]
May we. . . have a moment of privacy? If you will.
[she phrases it as a question, but her tone suggests otherwise. the Four are immediately silenced, and they obey her command without question as they flicker into nothingness. Muzét, however, pouts]
Well, that certainly isn't any fun for me. You better give me the full report when you're finished, dear sister!
[with a wink, Muzét blows a kiss at Noct before she finally disappears herself, which leaves the two to their long-anticipated reunion]
[there's silence. nothing but silence as Milla looks up at him again, and takes a step forward]
noctis is definitely a bit bewildered by the conversation among the four; even with the things milla has told him, he doesn't know much about "lesser spirits" or origin, or chronos.
(he also doesn't appreciate being called a chump, but he'll figure out that sylph is just always a punk and sass him appropriately for it later.)
muzét is definitely equally confusing, and though he doesn't seem fazed by the fact the spirits disappear in front of him. he's mildly fazed by the kiss blown in his direction, though it's only in a mild shift in his expression as opposed to what it once might have been.
noct... has grown up a lot. and even as silence fills the air, what once would have been a sense of terror, of fear that maybe he should expect the worst is met instead with resolve. this is the fate he chose for himself, and he's always known that there was a possibility that things wouldn't work out. so even if their reunion were to end in a goodbye, he doesn't feel fear in the face of it.
but it's a possibility and not a definite. and the events that led to his untimely end? somehow, they've restored a bit of hope and light to noct, something that had been gone for the better part of those ten years.]
I... really owe you an explanation, huh. [he says, quietly. it's reserved, it's tired—but there's a sense of peace and acceptance there he may once have lacked. but noctis remains still otherwise, waiting to see what milla will say and do....
and also just watching her, absorbing this sight because it's one he hasn't seen in a decade—somehow, she looks even better than she did the last time they met.]
[he definitely owes her an explanation. a whole lot of explanations. but somehow, as she approaches, an explanation is the farthest thing from her mind. in fact, the words barely leave his mouth before she lifts a hand and presses her fingers against his lips to silence him, as she had done all those years ago on the train. explanations can come later]
[. . . right now, she just wants to watch him]
[she studies his face carefully. takes in every single feature and compares it to her memory. he's definitely older. more exhausted, more weathered than she expected him to be. but the resolve in his eyes speaks more of a king than a young prince, and she can tell he's grown in more ways than just physically]
[. . .]
[aaaah. . . she missed that face. she missed it so much it tugged at her stupid heart even when she was trying not to think about him. how unbecoming of a Lord of Spirits, right?]
[there's something else in the way she looks at him. something that isn't just her scrutinizing and memorizing his every feature. something softer, a silent question, maybe. it's been so long-- and now you're here. where do we go from here?]
[so many explanations are owed, but it starts only with a look of warmth in his expression at milla's familiar actions; being silenced by her this way is familiar. in a way, it feels like it's only been a flash since the last time she was able to do that.
he remains quiet for as long as she needs him too—he can watch her fondly until then. and it's fond. he may be tired, but he's not unhappy. he did what he needed to back home, to protect his world and end its strife—and now milla is here in front of him.
noctis has grown, and he's sure that in ten years' time, milla has as well.
he's grown. he'd already so much before they even parted ways, but ascending properly to his throne, reclaiming it and living up to exactly what the prophecies needed him to be has made him bolder. he's still definitely a reserved, sensitive person beneath it all, but he doesn't hesitate like he once did—much of that awkwardness has been shed.
so noctis lifts his hand, brushing her bangs away so he can look at her better. he doesn't know where they go from there either—but he does know that whatever happens next, he wants to be near her. he has a lot to learn about this world if he's going to be inhabiting it, after all.]
[perhaps that small, bold tenderness is what she needed. perhaps it's the feeling of his fingers brushing against her skin that puts her worries to ease. perhaps it's the fondness in his eyes, or the fact that the way he looks at her now is exactly the same way he used to look at her before they parted ten years ago. the stony expression she was wearing melts away, and she smiles]
[relieved. grateful. overjoyed]
[she drops her hand from his mouth and grabs him by the collar to yank him forward in a kiss. it's totally a "god damn it, you didn't talk to me for ten years, I was worried about you, where did you go I thought you forgot about me DID YOU KNOW IT'S BEEN TEN YEARS??? GAWD!! kiss]
[somehow, it seemed more plausible that she'd do this—it's not nearly as surprising as it had been when they'd reunited on that train after only a day.
but all the same, noctis can read the emotions in her kiss; he can tell that his decade of silence worried her, that he'd done wrong by not being able to say anything in all that time. he knows.
and noctis absolutely accepts that.
and that's why his kiss in return is much more gently. it's softer and more understanding; it's accepting of the fact that he has a lot to apologize for—but also that he's thrilled to be able to kiss her again at all. he's missed it. he's missed her, and he's persistent enough to not break that kiss until milla is ready to, because—well, he needs it right now too.]
[it's funny, how one doesn't even realize they're craving something until they actually have it. that's kind of what it feels like for Milla now-- it's a sensation similar to when she ate her first meal and discovered the wonders of food. only this is way better than food!! she lingers in that kiss, hungrily drinking him in as much as she can, not willing to let go so easily. especially since it's been so long]
[when she finally pulls away, it's not out of a need for air, although she does inhale deeply. she doesn't go far, and she doesn't let go of the collar of his shirt, either. she's still smiling, and her expression is soft. content]
It's rude to stand up someone for an entire ten years, you know. Just because I said a human lifetime is like the blink of an eye for a spirit doesn't mean you can treat it like it is.
[. . . her annoyance softens, but she huffs again. just for good measure. she really had thought he had forgotten about her! but in hindsight, those thoughts seem silly.]
[it must have been something completely out of his control. especially when she thinks about the fact that it was just ten years, which means that Noctis had had an exceptionally short lifetime as a human]
[but he's here, and he seems resolved and content. so. . . something must have gone his way?]
Of course I will. I would have let you explain immediately, but--
[except for the part where she got kind of mad at him and scolded him in the end. but he still seems pretty soft and content—
he's much less fussed by it than he would have been a decade earlier.]
There's... a lot for me to tell you. But I guess more than anything... I didn't forget. Not ever.
[there wasn't a moment where he'd forgotten.]
I needed to get stronger. And to get stronger, I had to rest in the Crystal. [you know, that super important crystal he'd been trying to get back after it had been stolen from his family's protection?]
It took ten years, and it happened so fast, I didn't get to say goodbye to anyone. [not even his friends. nobody. there was never even a moment where he had control over that timeframe.]
Because I wasn't just the king. I was the True King. My job... was to save the world. Bring light back and end the Starscourge.
[you know, just a plague on their world, destroying it to the point that the sun stopped rising and humanity was falling to daemons.]
The Crystal... is the soul of Eos. And to use it's power to bring back light, I needed to wait until the ring passed down through my family—that had the power of my forebears—was strong enough. And I needed to be strong enough to wield it.
[rude's definitely an understatement.]
It took ten years for that to happen. Ten years... where everyone lived in darkness and had to fight to stay alive. [he couldn't protect them at all in that time, and even dear friends of his had been lost because of that.
but... it was a sacrifice he had to make for the greater good.]
[his situation was a lot worse than she had thought. a lot worse than he had hinted in his letters. it's no wonder he looks even more exhausted than he did at the end of that mutual killing game they were forced to take part in so long ago]
[she reaches out to ghost her fingers against his cheek. a cheek rough with the stubble of his beard; it's different, but she finds she likes it.]
. . . you've been walking a difficult path.
[one chosen for him, not by him. no wonder he emphasized how important it was for him to decide what would happen to him after death]
And did you succeed in bringing back that light, as the True King of Eos?
[so much of that he hadn't learned until it was too late to tell her—and of course, that's why he couldn't until now.
he leans so easily into milla's touch; even though it's light—it's warm, it's comforting in a way he hasn't experienced in a long while. and to that, he nods.]
I think so. To fulfill that prophecy means... to give my life. To end the line of Lucis. I did my part—I can only hope my friends got to see the sun rise when it was all over.
[he can never truly know for certain, but he knows he did everything that he was suppoed to; if what bahamut told him was true in that guidance, then the world should be safe.]
No more Lucian kings, no more Oracles. No more endless nights, the Starscourge, and no more daemons. No more Crystal to war over. That—that was my role as king.
[and he gave his life to ensure his world would be safe from what plagued it for thousands of years. eos, and all the life it still held, would be able to rebuild anew from his sacrifice, and that includes his precious best friends.
...he's tired, but he's satisfied. to die twice for the greater good of people he cares for, he's okay with that.]
It's finally over. And... I'm free. [it's still bittersweet, but it's very obvious that it was a role noctis accepted and came to terms with over the last ten years.]
[her hand hovers by his cheek, and she makes sure she watches his expression carefully as he speaks]
It seems unfair, for your fate to require you to die in order to save the lives of your people.
[he knows her own situation. knows that she was created for a specific purpose that she bucked against until she could fulfill her own desires. but she also knows what it's like to be in his position. to know that your death will protect those you love so much]
But. . . as long as you can say you're proud of your choices. . .
It... was a fate I couldn't fight. A prophecy that I was meant to fulfill. It may not be fair, but...
[even though it's tired and a bit melancholic, he smiles.]
It's not something I regret. Too many lives were lost because I wasn't there, but too many more would've been if I didn't do that. I... can hardly imagine it myself, the world falling apart because the sun wouldn't rise. Living that way for ten years.
I was able to end that for my people, for my whole world.
[so... he's definitely proud of his choices.]
I almost wrote you to tell you all of it when I woke up. But... I thought it would be easier. To tell you this way.
[since he'd already known by the time he was on his feet again that he'd be giving up his life in only a couple of days' time.]
[that much was obvious, but somehow, his words make her marvel at this fact. he has grown so much, even if he spent the majority of the past ten years asleep]
But even so, you're still a do-gooder until the very end. Aren't you?
[but deep down, he's still Noctis. and that's what she likes the most about him. the fondness is evident in her words, and in the way she smiles up at him, slightly teasing]
[it's true; there's little getting around the fact that ten years has given him time. even if he was asleep to the world, he still had a sense of awareness and plenty of time to work out a lot of his problems.
so many of them had come from not being ready for the responsibilities that he faced. learning that they were even greater than he'd once realized forced him to step up to the plate quite a bit.]
Yeah. Guess I am, but if that means that they all have a chance to live, then... it's a good thing.
[hasn't he always just wanted to protect people's lives? to help other people, it was like that even ten years ago.]
I knew I had something to look forward to after that. Ending my life there wasn't the end.
[she's so glad that part of him never changed. she drops her hand from his cheek so she can thread her fingers with his. even the smallest bit of contact with him is electrifying, honestly]
May I say "welcome home" now?
[it isn't completely accurate, considering this was never his home before. but she said she'd reserve those words for when he finally returned to the Crown City, and she never got to say them. so. . . now is as good of a time as any, right?]
[he nods his head, giving milla's hand a gentle squeeze. he's definitely not about to let go, either.]
...I'm home. For real, now.
[and he ays it with a smile, because he's looking at it differently than milla. his life on eos is over; he's done all he needed to in the crown city. now... this is his home.
it's where he'll be for his afterlife. his new life? whatever it may be, having been reincarnated into a spirit.]
Yeah. Gonna need to know a lot if this my new life. I'm... counting on you.
[to show him and tell him all about it. he's obviously willing to follow wherever it is she wants to go. milla has the lead on this one, considering he really knows next to nothing about rieze maxia or elympios.
and he wants to know what all that with the four was, too. considering... everything they were saying was super confusing?]
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... swaps accounts so icons are accurate
[the other spirits, however, react. especially when this strange person calls Maxwell by her name]
Milla? Who is this chump, anyway?
Uuuum. . . I don't know, but he certainly isn't a lesser spirit. . . you guys can tell that too, right?
Indeed. But what I'm most curious about is-- how did this soul slip past Origin and Chronos? He seems to have retained his sense of self, which is unusual. Even Milla wasn't whole, when we first brought her soul back before it could be purified. . .
But this time, we certainly weren't involved.
[while the four chatter among themselves, Muzét's gaze flickers towards her stone faced sister. Milla's eyes slip shut, and she finally speaks again, voice still firm]
May we. . . have a moment of privacy? If you will.
[she phrases it as a question, but her tone suggests otherwise. the Four are immediately silenced, and they obey her command without question as they flicker into nothingness. Muzét, however, pouts]
Well, that certainly isn't any fun for me. You better give me the full report when you're finished, dear sister!
[with a wink, Muzét blows a kiss at Noct before she finally disappears herself, which leaves the two to their long-anticipated reunion]
[there's silence. nothing but silence as Milla looks up at him again, and takes a step forward]
a fair plan
noctis is definitely a bit bewildered by the conversation among the four; even with the things milla has told him, he doesn't know much about "lesser spirits" or origin, or chronos.
(he also doesn't appreciate being called a chump, but he'll figure out that sylph is just always a punk and sass him appropriately for it later.)
muzét is definitely equally confusing, and though he doesn't seem fazed by the fact the spirits disappear in front of him. he's mildly fazed by the kiss blown in his direction, though it's only in a mild shift in his expression as opposed to what it once might have been.
noct... has grown up a lot. and even as silence fills the air, what once would have been a sense of terror, of fear that maybe he should expect the worst is met instead with resolve. this is the fate he chose for himself, and he's always known that there was a possibility that things wouldn't work out. so even if their reunion were to end in a goodbye, he doesn't feel fear in the face of it.
but it's a possibility and not a definite. and the events that led to his untimely end? somehow, they've restored a bit of hope and light to noct, something that had been gone for the better part of those ten years.]
I... really owe you an explanation, huh. [he says, quietly. it's reserved, it's tired—but there's a sense of peace and acceptance there he may once have lacked. but noctis remains still otherwise, waiting to see what milla will say and do....
and also just watching her, absorbing this sight because it's one he hasn't seen in a decade—somehow, she looks even better than she did the last time they met.]
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[. . . right now, she just wants to watch him]
[she studies his face carefully. takes in every single feature and compares it to her memory. he's definitely older. more exhausted, more weathered than she expected him to be. but the resolve in his eyes speaks more of a king than a young prince, and she can tell he's grown in more ways than just physically]
[. . .]
[aaaah. . . she missed that face. she missed it so much it tugged at her stupid heart even when she was trying not to think about him. how unbecoming of a Lord of Spirits, right?]
[there's something else in the way she looks at him. something that isn't just her scrutinizing and memorizing his every feature. something softer, a silent question, maybe. it's been so long-- and now you're here. where do we go from here?]
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he remains quiet for as long as she needs him too—he can watch her fondly until then. and it's fond. he may be tired, but he's not unhappy. he did what he needed to back home, to protect his world and end its strife—and now milla is here in front of him.
noctis has grown, and he's sure that in ten years' time, milla has as well.
he's grown. he'd already so much before they even parted ways, but ascending properly to his throne, reclaiming it and living up to exactly what the prophecies needed him to be has made him bolder. he's still definitely a reserved, sensitive person beneath it all, but he doesn't hesitate like he once did—much of that awkwardness has been shed.
so noctis lifts his hand, brushing her bangs away so he can look at her better. he doesn't know where they go from there either—but he does know that whatever happens next, he wants to be near her. he has a lot to learn about this world if he's going to be inhabiting it, after all.]
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[relieved. grateful. overjoyed]
[she drops her hand from his mouth and grabs him by the collar to yank him forward in a kiss. it's totally a "god damn it, you didn't talk to me for ten years, I was worried about you, where did you go I thought you forgot about me DID YOU KNOW IT'S BEEN TEN YEARS??? GAWD!! kiss]
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but all the same, noctis can read the emotions in her kiss; he can tell that his decade of silence worried her, that he'd done wrong by not being able to say anything in all that time. he knows.
and noctis absolutely accepts that.
and that's why his kiss in return is much more gently. it's softer and more understanding; it's accepting of the fact that he has a lot to apologize for—but also that he's thrilled to be able to kiss her again at all. he's missed it. he's missed her, and he's persistent enough to not break that kiss until milla is ready to, because—well, he needs it right now too.]
1/2
[when she finally pulls away, it's not out of a need for air, although she does inhale deeply. she doesn't go far, and she doesn't let go of the collar of his shirt, either. she's still smiling, and her expression is soft. content]
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[and now she lets herself be annoyed]
It's rude to stand up someone for an entire ten years, you know. Just because I said a human lifetime is like the blink of an eye for a spirit doesn't mean you can treat it like it is.
[HUFFS!!]
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at least this time noct's prepared. he doesn't seem to be nearly as alarmed, and he really doesn't blame her for being mad.]
...I know.
[he's not going to even try to deny any of that.]
I wanted to tell you before that. I just... didn't have time. Things didn't go the way I planned them at all, and—
[he was fucked.]
I'll explain everything. You'll hear me out, right?
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[it must have been something completely out of his control. especially when she thinks about the fact that it was just ten years, which means that Noctis had had an exceptionally short lifetime as a human]
[but he's here, and he seems resolved and content. so. . . something must have gone his way?]
Of course I will. I would have let you explain immediately, but--
[talking would've ruined the moment]
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[except for the part where she got kind of mad at him and scolded him in the end. but he still seems pretty soft and content—
he's much less fussed by it than he would have been a decade earlier.]
There's... a lot for me to tell you. But I guess more than anything... I didn't forget. Not ever.
[there wasn't a moment where he'd forgotten.]
I needed to get stronger. And to get stronger, I had to rest in the Crystal. [you know, that super important crystal he'd been trying to get back after it had been stolen from his family's protection?]
It took ten years, and it happened so fast, I didn't get to say goodbye to anyone. [not even his friends. nobody. there was never even a moment where he had control over that timeframe.]
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[what]
[what!!!]
Did the crystal eat you alive?
[Milla plz. but yeah, that's what she's picturing here. a crystal jumping out and devouring him whole]
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...Yeah. That's pretty much how it happened.
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That's very rude of it.
[rude is such an understatement??]
But that would explain your ten year silence. Why did you need to rest inside the crystal to get stronger?
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[you know, just a plague on their world, destroying it to the point that the sun stopped rising and humanity was falling to daemons.]
The Crystal... is the soul of Eos. And to use it's power to bring back light, I needed to wait until the ring passed down through my family—that had the power of my forebears—was strong enough. And I needed to be strong enough to wield it.
[rude's definitely an understatement.]
It took ten years for that to happen. Ten years... where everyone lived in darkness and had to fight to stay alive. [he couldn't protect them at all in that time, and even dear friends of his had been lost because of that.
but... it was a sacrifice he had to make for the greater good.]
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[his situation was a lot worse than she had thought. a lot worse than he had hinted in his letters. it's no wonder he looks even more exhausted than he did at the end of that mutual killing game they were forced to take part in so long ago]
[she reaches out to ghost her fingers against his cheek. a cheek rough with the stubble of his beard; it's different, but she finds she likes it.]
. . . you've been walking a difficult path.
[one chosen for him, not by him. no wonder he emphasized how important it was for him to decide what would happen to him after death]
And did you succeed in bringing back that light, as the True King of Eos?
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he leans so easily into milla's touch; even though it's light—it's warm, it's comforting in a way he hasn't experienced in a long while. and to that, he nods.]
I think so. To fulfill that prophecy means... to give my life. To end the line of Lucis. I did my part—I can only hope my friends got to see the sun rise when it was all over.
[he can never truly know for certain, but he knows he did everything that he was suppoed to; if what bahamut told him was true in that guidance, then the world should be safe.]
No more Lucian kings, no more Oracles. No more endless nights, the Starscourge, and no more daemons. No more Crystal to war over. That—that was my role as king.
[and he gave his life to ensure his world would be safe from what plagued it for thousands of years. eos, and all the life it still held, would be able to rebuild anew from his sacrifice, and that includes his precious best friends.
...he's tired, but he's satisfied. to die twice for the greater good of people he cares for, he's okay with that.]
It's finally over. And... I'm free. [it's still bittersweet, but it's very obvious that it was a role noctis accepted and came to terms with over the last ten years.]
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It seems unfair, for your fate to require you to die in order to save the lives of your people.
[he knows her own situation. knows that she was created for a specific purpose that she bucked against until she could fulfill her own desires. but she also knows what it's like to be in his position. to know that your death will protect those you love so much]
But. . . as long as you can say you're proud of your choices. . .
Then I'd like to say that I'm proud of you, too.
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[even though it's tired and a bit melancholic, he smiles.]
It's not something I regret. Too many lives were lost because I wasn't there, but too many more would've been if I didn't do that. I... can hardly imagine it myself, the world falling apart because the sun wouldn't rise. Living that way for ten years.
I was able to end that for my people, for my whole world.
[so... he's definitely proud of his choices.]
I almost wrote you to tell you all of it when I woke up. But... I thought it would be easier. To tell you this way.
[since he'd already known by the time he was on his feet again that he'd be giving up his life in only a couple of days' time.]
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[that much was obvious, but somehow, his words make her marvel at this fact. he has grown so much, even if he spent the majority of the past ten years asleep]
But even so, you're still a do-gooder until the very end. Aren't you?
[but deep down, he's still Noctis. and that's what she likes the most about him. the fondness is evident in her words, and in the way she smiles up at him, slightly teasing]
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so many of them had come from not being ready for the responsibilities that he faced. learning that they were even greater than he'd once realized forced him to step up to the plate quite a bit.]
Yeah. Guess I am, but if that means that they all have a chance to live, then... it's a good thing.
[hasn't he always just wanted to protect people's lives? to help other people, it was like that even ten years ago.]
I knew I had something to look forward to after that. Ending my life there wasn't the end.
[after all, he's here now.]
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[she's so glad that part of him never changed. she drops her hand from his cheek so she can thread her fingers with his. even the smallest bit of contact with him is electrifying, honestly]
May I say "welcome home" now?
[it isn't completely accurate, considering this was never his home before. but she said she'd reserve those words for when he finally returned to the Crown City, and she never got to say them. so. . . now is as good of a time as any, right?]
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...I'm home. For real, now.
[and he ays it with a smile, because he's looking at it differently than milla. his life on eos is over; he's done all he needed to in the crown city. now... this is his home.
it's where he'll be for his afterlife. his new life? whatever it may be, having been reincarnated into a spirit.]
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You have much to learn about Rieze Maxia and Elympios, as well as your new life as a spirit. Allow me to give you a tour!
Ah, and then I'll explain to you why your presence here confused the Four so much.
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[to show him and tell him all about it. he's obviously willing to follow wherever it is she wants to go. milla has the lead on this one, considering he really knows next to nothing about rieze maxia or elympios.
and he wants to know what all that with the four was, too. considering... everything they were saying was super confusing?]
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