#yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay

“Watch this hand.”

“Uh huh?”

“Just one pebble in it right?”

“Yeah!”

“Now look here, then here, then here-”

“THE ROCK CHANGED!!!”

“Oh so it did! Funny, let me just-”

“WHUWAA!??!”

“Ta-daa~”

(You had no idea what xe were doing, but it seemed to be working. Once you and Isabeau came over, the kids all raced over.)

“ZA!!!” (Bonnie said excitedly.) “You okay?!? Are you hungry?!?”

“Where were you?” (Crux asked, with big pleading eyes.) “B’fore you got here?”

“Ehweha? <Did you get sick?>” (Eight said with equal curiosity.)

“H-hey I’m fine! I’m fine, don’t worry!” (Isabeau put his arms up in reassurance.) “Yeah, I’m hungry, I have no idea where I was before meeting Hiroshi, and I don’t think I’m sick?”

“CRAB YEAH!!!” (Bonnie hooted, and dug through their cloak until they pulled out some lightly burned samosas and handed them to Isa.) “Here!!”

“Aw, thanks Bon!” (Isabeau took the food and sat down, and hungrily started eating.) “You made these?”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full.” (You hear Rani across the camp.) “And slow down.”

“Boo.” (Isa grumbles, but obliges.) 

“Uhm. . .” (Bonnie shrugs, noncommittally.) “I dunno, kinda? Maybe?”

“And that means. . ?” <You trot over and sit down with the party.> 

“. . . ‘S one of the snacks I made in Dormont.”

“Ah.” <You grimace.> “That makes sense.”

“Yeah. . .” (You and Isabeau couldn’t help but share a grimace.) 

“. . . I guess the Universe has a sense of humor.” <You chuckle.> 

“Ehe awame! <That’s where Siffrin gets it from!>”

<Now THAT got people to laugh a little. You let the mood settle before talking again.> “So. What’s our next plan of action?”

“Er, maybe clearing a few things up? For me?” (Isabeau asks awkwardly.)

“I can do that.” (You start.) “Percival made a wish, and that broke the borders of reality and unreality. Headmates show up physically, Bonnie's cloak has infinite snacks, if you don’t have a solid plan and wander around, you’ll be lost. Maybe forever.”

“Got it.” (Isabeau nods along and thinks.) “So we both found each other because we both wanted to find the river source, but what next?”

“Well the initial plan was to follow the Saudades.” <You look over to the waterfall.> “But apparently they’re walking on thin air now! I’m not sure we can match that.”

“And that still doesn’t help us find our friends. . .” (Isabeau pouts.) 

“‘S so special about a stupid crabbin’ rabbit sadness anyway.” (Hiroshi pipes up from their corner.) “It’s weak, and DUMB!”

“Saudade are Perci’s sadness.” (Isa replies, turning to Hiroshi.) “Beats me to where there’s multiple Saudade, though.”

“That doesn’t make ‘em SPECIAL!” (He retorts.) “That just means they’re DOUBLE DUMB!!!”

“I’ll grant you that.” <You reply sarcastically.> “It’s a pity that Saudade run away as soon as they see us.”

“What if I could get you one?” <Rani sits up, you motion for her to continue.> “I see two other saudade climb the water before you showed up. That makes it a desire line, and a perfect place for a trap.”

“You know your stuff!” <Isabeau affirms.> “You said you were a hunter right? I gotta ask, for how long?”

“Longer than half the group’s been alive!” <She replies with a laugh, then stands up.> “Let’s move our things behind the treeline, and I’ll set up a snare.”

<You get up alongside Rani.> “Mind if I tag along?” 

<She looks at you, considering it, before realizing the subtext you intended.> “Sure, just don’t break anything.”

<Isabeau was already grabbing things so you chuck him your pack.> “I’ll contain myself.” 

<As the others cleared up, you followed Rani in silence. She looked around, crouched down at spots, traced along stone with a finger, before settling on a spot that was close to the waterfall.> “The Saudade all darted through here, a perfect spot.”

“I suppose they don’t like getting their feet wet.” <You squat down and watch as Rani gets her equipment ready.> “. . . Quindi, il libro. [So, the book.]”

<Rani didn’t pause her work, only letting out an exasperated sigh.> “[You want to know if it’s true, don’t you?]”

“[I have no reason to doubt its validity.]” <You watch as she ties a knot.> “[I more want to see where your chips are placed.]”

“[They are placed with the Monet family.]” <She answers flatly.> “[They have treated me well, and I serve them well in turn.]”

“[Even Perci?]”

 “[. . . Yes.] <Rani had to pause before answering any more.> “[. . . My Lady taught him all to do with swordplay and craftplay, and my Lord taught him things like academics, politics, history, and deception.]”

“[. . . And you?]”

“[I wasn’t a teacher. But one day he asked me for a specific lesson, and I obliged.]” <She pulled a rope taught.> “[I taught him how to make a kill quick and painless.]”

<The temptation to reach into her mind and delve into the implications of those words were strong, but you resisted. No, her mind was not yours to explore. You simply nodded silently and waited until she was finished.>

“There.” <Rani stands up, having set up a simple snare.> “Not my best work, but good enough.”

“Better than what we could do.” <You fiddle with your pin.> So what now, we wait?”

“Yes.” <She replied.> “We wait.”

>>>

(It was a few hours later when you were snapped out of your half-asleep state. Rani had wanted to keep watch, and you trusted her not to stab you in your sleep. Plus, she wanted to keep an eye on the trap; which is the exact reason you’re awake now.)

“Got one.” (She shook your side.) “Alzati!”

“Yeah yeah. .” (You grumbled and got up, rubbing your eyes.) “It worked?”

“Did you not hear me the first time?” (She scoffed, and was off. You weren’t far behind.)

(Just as she said, there was a Saudade caught in her trap. A rope was tied to its leg, and pulled it at an odd and grotesque angle. You couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for the thing as it writhed and struggled in the trap. Stars, you’re sure you could hear a muffled screaming, too.)

“. . . . What, do we do now?” (You ask as Rani crouches down by it.)

“This first one? The same as any other rabbit. If that leads nowhere, then we wait for another one.” (Faster than you can react, she grabs the Saudade by its legs and unsheathes a knife from her belt.) “Just one small cut, and. . .”

“Hey wait-!”

(She quickly slices across the Saudades neck, and it goes limp. For a moment, the two of you sat there expectantly as the sadness’ lifeless corpse hung from the Hunters fist. Seconds later, it dissolved into dust, leaving nothing but a small, glowing. . . Something.)

“Huh.” (Rani puts her hands on her hips.) “Well, it was always said Perci was unique. What is it?”

“I, don’t know.” (You squint at it, but you can’t look at it for long. It’s a point in space that’s emitting light, almost like the sun, but it’s not tied to any physical thing. It’s just, there.) 

“And here I thought you were the expert.” (Rani scoffs, and reaches forward.)

“Hey! Whas’ going on!” (Looking behind you, that was Bonnies voice. It looks like the others were getting up too.)

(You go to respond, but catch Rani out of the corner of your eye as she touches the light.)

“Just one quick cut, Percival, and you’re a man. A Monet.” My father pats me on the back as I stare at the knife in my hands, his poisonous words looking for wounds to strike at. “I did it, as did your father, and your father before him.”

“Stop babying the boy, dear.” My mother awaits impatiently with crossed arms. “He is thirteen years old and can slay the thing by himself.”

“Please, can’t a father have his moment of emotion and legacy?” He chuckles like it’s a joke. A joke for The Shining One to enjoy. A joke where I am the punchline.

No, no that isn’t fair. In the grand scheme of things, I am only losing a friend, not a life.

I grip the knife tighter, forcing down the drive to give into indulgence and turn the knife on that disgusting bat of a father. Instead, I twirl it around in my fingers, feeling the weight on my young hands.

“Well, go on then. Kill the beast.” My father says encouragingly.

Soffice. My best friend. A white, fluffy, Poterian Rabbit that’s been my companion for eight years. I still remember when he was just a kit, when I held him close on my fifth birthday. It was my responsibility to care for him, raise him, and give him a long life. It was a lesson on responsibility, or so I thought.

Now I know it was just a test of loyalty. 

I didn’t hesitate. I couldn’t hesitate. I kneel down next to Soff- to, to the rabbit, and place the knife to his neck with hands that want to shake. I’ve never killed anything before, so all I can do is hold my breath and pray that I kill it quickly. 

It took thirty, agonizing seconds.

You blink a few times, and shake your head clear. That, what, what just, happened? You feel so dizzy, you can’t think, or get a sentence together. You put a hand to your head. Where, where are you again? S-stars. . . Just, breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe. . .

In. . . . And o[ut. . . .]

[You’re standing where you were just a second ago, next to Rani, the waterfall, and the others were running over. You look down at your hands, half expecting to see blood still coating them.]

“. . . Blooded bats and boiling iron!” [You jump hearing Rani curse like that.] “Porca cazz culo Merda!”

“What, the fuck, was that.” [You walk over next to the Hunter.] “Eterie, what the hell was that blinding memory!”

“You saw too then?” [She looked up to you, any semblance of a smile, gone.] “Merda. . .”

[You tap your foot impatiently.] “I’m waiting.”

“For what?” [Rani glared at you, then back to the trap, setting it up again.] “It’s just one of the  Monet family traditions. He got over it quite fast, you know. Well, once I taught him how to kill quickly.”

“That’s it?!?” [You took a step forward.] “That’s all you have to say?!? He got over it quickly?!?”

“SÌ? What are you not understanding?” [She dismissively waved you away.] “What better way to pass the threshold of manhood than by shedding blood. In earnest, I was proud of him too. His kill was slow and messy, and he wanted to correct that. Learning from his mistakes, that’s the true mark of-”

[She didn’t finish her sentence. On account of your foot meeting her head.]

“What’s going on?!?” [Isabeau finally got close enough to not need to yell.] “Is everything alright?!?”

[You can’t stop your hands from shaking, despite being balled into fists. You grit your teeth, still glaring as that damn Hunter gets back up, glaring back at you.] 

“Culo. What’s your problem!?!” [She practically growled.] “Do you want to fight?!?”

“You ass!” [You spit on the ground.] “You force a kid to kill his best friend and you think it’s fine?!? You’re disgusting, stronza!!!”

“STRONZA?!?” [She jumps to her feet.] “PEZZO DI MERDA, PECORA!!!”

“W-woah okay!” [Isabeau puts a hand on your shoulder.] “That’s enough, you two-“

“PECORA?!?!” [“Piece of shit sheep?!?” Oh that’s it. You swipe your pen out and click out the hidden blade. Stars, STARS!!!] “Oh you’re DEAD!!!”

“Stupid nosey- You know nothing about our family!!!” [Rani unsheathes the dagger at her belt and takes a combat stance.] “Puttana!”

“BITCH!” 

[You lunge in with your knife, and she deflects it. She swipes back, but now neither of you had the advantage, so all she struck was thin air.]

“Can you two stop?!?!” [Isabeau’s trying to butt in.] “This, there’s- why are you fighting?!?!?”

“Your friend started it.” [Rani growls, starting to circle you.] 

“You deserved it!” [You glare at her with all your hatred. Dammit, STARSDAMMIT you can’t get it out of your HEAD!!!] “Ass-fucking-hole!”

“Okay but you don’t need to try and stab each other?!?!” [Stars, Isabeau!] 

“Blood, get out of the way, Defender.” [Rani huffs, circling.] “I just need to teach a bug a lesson. I’ll be quick.”

“Then by all means!” [You step back, and open your arms, grinning wide.] “I’ll take notes!”

[You close your eyes, and focus. . .]

[Isabeau’s to your left.] “Aaaleeex. . .”

“Well? I’m waiting!”

[. . . Left.]

[You step to the side and feel the wind of the Hunter pass by you (Lucky bat!)]

[You keep your eyes shut and grin (Come here, I’m not impressed with your blind acrobatics!). You keep breathing, and as you focus, it’s becoming easier and easier to tell just what Rani’s about to do next. You step back and to the side again.]

(Y’know, usually I’d be pissed that you’re starting fights.)

[Not today, though?]

(Nah, get her ass!)

[With PLEASURE~! She’s getting more and more annoyed by the second. You can feel that sparking, that raging fire being doused by the crumbling earth of annoyance. You grin wider and wider, (Stop, blooded SMILING!!)]

[Instead of dodging this time, you twist your pen and deflect Rani's strike making her recoil; she’s wide open! You hook a foot behind hers and sweep her off her feet. Before she could even register what just happened, you stomp your boot down on her chest, and slipped your pen knife under her chin.]

“You’re right.” [You saw with a wide grin.] “That was quick!”

[There’s cheering from behind you. You turn around to see that Bonnie, Crux, and Eight had been watching and cheering you on; stars, even Hiroshi had wandered over! By contrast, Isabeau had been clearly worried you’d hurt each other. Fair enough.] 

[You get off of Rani and take a bow.] “Thank you, thank you~”

(How in Solaris’ name-!?!) “Wha-”

“Trade secret~” [You reply cheekily.] “STARS I feel a lot better now.”

“Alex.” [Isabeau slapped a hand on your shoulder and put a lot of weight on you.] “That was VERY stupid!”

“Hey-!”

“‘S REALLY stupid!” [Crux joined in, who seemed to be main fronting right now.] “I don’t want you to get hurt! You’re really nice!”

“Hey--” [Ah stars, you made the kids worry!] “Sorry, I’ll be careful, okay?”

“You BETTER!”

“What are you idiots doing out here ANYWAY!” [Hiroshi spat from where he was.] “Apart from doing what mortals do best.”

“We were having a well tempered discussion.” [Eterie gets up with a huff.] “And trying to catch a Saudade.”

“Which, I’ll admit, you did easily.” [You cross your arms and glance at the hunter.] “You tie a strong knot for someone with a stick up her ass.”

[She glares at you with a slight smile on her face, hand on her hip. Out of curiosity. . . (How can one person be so damn annoying. Maybe next time I’ll-)]

[You snap your head away thAT’S ENOUGH OF THAT!!!] “RIGHT, NEW IDEAS. PLEASE.”

“You’re being weird.” [Bonnie’s suddenly in front of you, arms crossed.] “You’re being weird like ‘Frin gets weird.”

“Yep and let’s not get into that right now we’re very busy!” [You clear your throat.] “SO! Killing a saudade doesn’t do much, and we can’t exactly follow them if there’s no path.”

“What’re you talking about?!?” [Hiroshi sneers at you.]

“What do you mean what am I talking about?!?” [Stars above.] “Just how do you expect us to walk directly up a waterfall?!?”

“The stairs?!?!?”

[. . .]

“. . .”

“. . .”

“. . .”

“. . . What?”

“Hiroshi. What are you blinding talking about?”

“The stairs?” [Hiroshi looks at you like you’re an idiot.] “The stairs under the waterfall?”

“Uhh.” [Isabeau glances over to the falls, then shakes his head.] “I don’t see any stairs, bud.”

“Hiroshi-! Ugh, WHATEVER!” [They blow a raspberry at Isabeau.] “I don’t care, whatever, you’re all clearly too stupid not to notice the STAIRS that are RIGHT THERE!!!”

“There aren’t any stairs!” [Rani insists.] “Look, do you think all of us are so blind to not see an obvious staircase?!?”

“Wait, don’t forget reality’s fucked.” [You squint at the waterfall, then start walking towards it.] “Hiroshi, could you show me exactly where the stairs are?”

“Oh I dunno, could I?” [Hiroshi sneers, until Bonnie starts stomping towards them.] “OKAY OKAY FINE! UGH. Whatever.”

[The juvenile god stomps next to you as you wade out into the water. As you approach the crashing falls, you get a peculiar feeling of. . . Almost, vertigo? Stars, not that, you have a feeling of just. . . Wrongness. With every step, ideas flowed through your brain. What’s wrong with it, is the water falling too fast? No, not quite. What about the volume of the water? Perhaps, the river it feeds is much larger than what the waterfall would suggest.]

[You hold your hand out and let the waters crash against you. Strange, it doesn’t feel as forceful or harmful as it should. When you take your hand back, it’s dry as a bone. Stranger and stranger. . .]

“See? Here.” [You look up at Hiroshi, who’s standing about eight inches off the ground, arms crossed.] “Stairs. DUH!”

“. . . Hiroshi, from my view it looks as if you’re walking on air!” [Your eyes practically sparkle in excitement.] “Step over here by me for a moment, alright?”

“Whatever.” [They grumble, stepping over.]

[Once he’s standing by you, you step forward and walk to, then pass, where Hiroshi was standing. You walk through it with no interruptions, then turn to Hiroshi.] “What did that look like to you?”

“Uh. . .” [He squints, then waves their arms around trying to describe it.] “You like, where in front of the stairs, then like, behind them.”

“Very interesting.” [You walk back to Hiroshi, then you offer your hand.] “Would you kindly guide me to the stairs, Hiroshi?”

“Oh uh, sure.” [They take your hand and drag you along. Heh, seemingly the complimentary talk worked to cool that head of his.] 

[You stayed a step behind Hiroshi, and made sure to not miss a footfall. When Hiroshi lifted his foot to step up, you started to get a headache. He lifted another foot, and pulled you along, and then everything got blurry, and then suddenly you could see the staircase.]

[A sturdy, grated, well made and artistic staircase that turned back on itself every ten feet or so. It was a strong metal, sanded down, and painted a lightless shade. The ends were worn down, showing the lighter shaded metal beneath. It stretched up and up, far into the skies and disappearing into the clouds.]

“You alright, Alex?” [Isabeau says from behind you; he must have followed you over.]

“Gems alive. . .” [You mutter to yourself.] “It’s, it was just. . . Just here the whole time?”

“Oh NOW you can see it!” [Hiroshi says, sticking out their tongue.] “CHANGE You’re so stupid.”

[With that, he turned on his heels and started running up the staircase.]

“HEY! WAIT!” [You take off after them, but pause.] “Where are you GOING?!”

“I WANNA SEE MY TREE!!!” [He yells down.] “IF I GO HIGH ENOUGH THEN I’LL SEE IT!!!”

“Not without ME you’re not!” [You take off again.]

“Hey!! Be careful!!” [Isa calls up to you both.] “Don’t run on the stairs, you'll slip!!!”

“DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO, MORTAL!!!”

[STARS what’s wrong with this kid. You run to try and catch up with them, but after your feet slip out from under you once, you’re forced to take it slow.] “COME BACK ALREADY!!!”

“SHOVE IT!!!” [The clattering of footsteps did not stop.] “JUST, GO AWAY!”

“Why are we even chasing this kid?” (You appear ahead of a step Alex decided to rest on.) “They’re looking for their home, no harm to it!”

“Just, AUGH!” [You huff and pause, glaring at your headmate.] “It could be dangerous up there! Some strong sadness or something! Just-”

“HEY! I SEE IT!!!” [Hiroshi bellows from above.] “‘S NEAR A BEND IN THE RIVER! I CAN TOTALLY JUST-”

[You hear a noise, and then screaming. You jump to your feet and nearly slip, but Ramos steadies you just in time to see something, someone, blur past you towards the ground, screaming.]

“HIROSHI?!?!?” [You lean over the railing and look down, but you can’t see past mist from the waterfall! All you can hear is a thud and a splash.]

“Crab crab CRAB!!!” (You dash down the stairs as fast as your legs let you. Was that Hiroshi?!? What?!?! What?!?!?)

[You still can’t see at all! Stars I think it was!]

(Crabcrabcrab! You reach the bottom of the stairs and stumble.) “WHERE’S-?!?”

“Over here--” (You turn towards Isabeau's voice, ready to help heal something or cover up Bonnie's eyes. But instead, you let out a sigh of relief. Isa was laying on the ground, with Hiroshi clinging tightly to his shirt. Strangely, the water might as well not be there, and just flowed around the two of them.)

“Change, you scared me!” (You squat down next to them.) “Good catch, Isabeau.”

“Thanks--” (He responds in a raspy voice.) “I worked, real hard on it.”

“You alright Hiroshi?” (You chuckle nervously.) “I thought for a second, you. . .”

“. . . ‘mfineshuddup.” (The godling grumbles, not getting up.) 

“So it was invisible?” (Ranis voice made you jump a little. You turn to see her and Crux waiting and curious.)

“No uh, I think it’s more. . . It doesn’t exist for you until you’re brought onto it?” (You get back up and shrug.) “We walked through it, apparently, but Hiroshi guided us on and we could see the whole thing.”

“Woah. . .” (Crux looked up at you, then up the waterfall.) “Cool. . .”

“I am guessing the kid is alright?” (Rani asks, looking past you.)

“I‘M NOT A KID!!!!! (Hiroshi protests.)

“Aha, right. Immagino che il bambino stia bene?”

“SÌ, they’re alright.” (You chuckle. Hiroshi stands and moves a few feet away, which lets Isabeau get up and dust himself off. You give him a look over once he walks over to you.) “No booboos big guy?”

“Nope!” (Hands on his hips, all chuffed looking.) “They just knocked the wind outta me. Oh and I still can’t see the stairs, for the record.”

“Let’s fix that.” (You grab his arm and drag him over to the base of the staircase. You take a few steps up, and Isabeau follows.)

(He pauses, squints, scrunches up his head, then lets out a chuffed huff.) “W-woah! Woah that’s, that’s really cool!”

“Right???”

“No no it’s like, it doesn’t exist until it’s perceived and then it exists, but only for one person! It’s. . .” (Isabeau looks at you, then falters, and looks away, flushed.) “N-nevermind--”

“Huh?!? But I was curious!” (You hop down after him.)

“U-uh, it’s just. . .” [He looks at you shyly.] “. . . . It’s. . . Just, that it’s a localised version of the observer effect that’s contained to a singlepersonuntilthatpersonshowsittosomeone- I-it’s some nerd thing, sorry.”

“Never apologize, I love seeing your nerd side, dude.” [You punch him in the shoulder.] 

“‘A warrior's best sidearm is the mind’” [Rani chuckled, pushing past him and holding out a leather gloved hand.] “Alright, me next.”

“Well since you asked so nicely.” [You tease, reaching over and snatching her hand.] “You need me to-GH-”

[She is SQUEEZING your hand. You are trying very hard not to react.]

“. . . Hmm?” [She looks at you and raises an eye.] “Is something bothering you?”

“Nope! Totally ffffine!” [You force out and tug Rani towards the staircase, trying even HARDER to not make a sound as she grips your hand tighter.] “J-just, fine!”

“Interesting. . .” [You dare not look behind you.] “. . . Hai una forte debolezza, non è vero? [You have a strong weakness, don’t you?]”

“SHOVE IT-!” [You grit your teeth despite feeling a rough leather thumb on your palm.] “Sei un asino. . . [You’re an ass. . .]”

[You FINALLY get to the staircase and start walking up, dragging Rani along with you. But after just a few steps, she lets go. You turn to her with your patented smug smile, expecting to see her baffled face. But instead, she was as pale as the moon.]

“. . . Are, stars, are you okay?” [You step towards her; you'd only dragged her up eight steps.]

“. . . . . Alex.” [She voice is shaky, but firm, eyes focused, but wild.] “I need you. To help me. Get down from these steps.”

“. . . . What?”

“Please. Alex.”

[Oh. Stars, okay, if Rani’s actually being polite then it was serious. Hell you could feel the freezing fear as you reached forward and helped her turn around. She shut her eyes tight, and you helped guide her back to the ground.]

[You had no sooner gotten the words “you’re down” out of your mouth when she ripped herself away from you and walked away to the riverside, stomped a few times and stood there, then walked back towards you and the others.]

“. . . Uh-” [Isabeau starts.]

“Not a word.” [Rani scowls and turns away.] “Out of any of you.”

“. . . Rani-” [You reach out.]

“No. Don’t talk to me.”

“. . . Are you like Ms. Odile?” [Crux speaks up from behind Isabeau, looking at Rani.] “She doesn’t like heights. Do you not like heights too?”

“I-” [She starts, but bites back. She looks away from you, scowl turning to a sad frown.] “. . . Yes. Don’t tell anyone.”

“That’s alright!” [Isabeau beams at her.] “Nothing to be ashamed of! I’m sure we could figure out a way to get you up there.”

“Like a blindfold?” [Suggests Crux.] 

“Stop mocking me.” [Rani hisses.] 

“We’re not!” [Isa protests, holding his hands up.] “I’m being genuine here!”

“And if that doesn’t work, I have a few tricks.” [You cross your arms and nod.] “You’d essentially be sleepwalking up, and we’ll wake you up once-”

“N-no! No. . .” [For once, you see her mask slip, and her face softens.] “I, no. . .”

“. . . Do you need a minute?” [Isa asks.]

“No. . .”

“Do you need a hug?” [Crux tilts their head.]

“. . . Maybe.” [Rani snaps to attention then shakes her head.] “I mean no! I’m fine! I’m fine. Just, fine. . .”

[You look over at Isabeau, who looks as worried as you, and an idea comes to mind. You turn fully away from Rani.] “Hey Isa! Do you see something over there?”

“Hmm, maybe!” [HA! He caught on immediately, using a hand to shade his eyes as he squinted at nothing.] “Dunno what it is but we should keep looking for it for an excessive amount of time.”

“True that, buddy!”

[The two of you stare off at nothing, during which you spot Hiroshi laying face down in the riverbed. After a few moments, you hear a shuffle, then a noise, then some loud splashing footsteps.]

“I don’t think there’s anything there, you two.” [You turn back at Rani’s voice. She’s smiling a bit, now.] “But, thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.” [You chuckle.] “So, plan?”

“I’m staying down here.” [Rani rolls her shoulders.] “Patatino wants to go find his tree, yes? For whatever reason.”

“Patatino?” [Isa tilts his head.]

“Little Potato. I call my nieces that.” [She chuckles.] “And after that there will no doubt be others who need help here.”

“What about Perci?” [You ask, motioning towards the distant sun.] “Weren’t you going to. . .”

“‘. . . When blinded, sometimes all you can do is surrender your trust to the dark. . .’” [She sighs as she says it.] “I place my quest in your hands, Saviors of Vaugarde. Don’t make me regret it.”

|’One must let the dark guide you, until the morning comes. . .’|

(That was from home, wasn’t it?)

|. . . Yeah, it was. . .|

“We’ll fix this AND get him out alive.” [Isa thumps his chest.] “You can count on it!”

“Take care ‘f Hiroshi, okay?” [Crux’s still staying near Isa, but is smiling up at Rani.] “It’ll be okay, okay?”

“And if not, I give you permission to kick my ass.” [You put your hand on your hip; like that’ll ever happen.] “And uh. . . Stay outta trouble.”

“HA! I’m more worried of keeping patatino out of trouble.” [She laughs, and looks at you. Smiling.] “And if we, Solaris Willing, make it out of this alive; I’d like to cross swords again Alex.”

[Huh! Alright then. You lean over and punch Rani's shoulder.] “Your funeral.”