The Monochrome

When memories are shackled, fate remains the only hope for a monochrome’s future.

                                                            Penned by Aurora

Anonymous whispers surrounded that cool air. Soft gray eyes darted to its false location, filled with bewilderment. Far too long since this strange phenomena last recurred. A soft, barely audible expression escaped the colorless mirage.

Basked in subtle apricity, echoed whispers circulated the snowy mountains. A mind’s trick to create auditory volume where there lied still emptiness. Within the recesses of the dark, lifeless cove nestled upon nature’s summit—a faded mute who listened to the imaginative cries of the region.

To feign color upon the monochrome lands was a self created means of attempted catharsis. The canine apparition welcomed the false waves; the lack of reciprocal communication comforted. To listen silently was a practiced trait that lacked concentrated effort.

As the hues of time shifted to darker palettes, a slow recession reverberated. Reservation, an emotionless depression, the creation of a figurative boundary that made travels to vibrant locations less frequent. Masked with sightless shackles to the the skies perceived guidance conjured a hushed dissonance.

A silvered blurred phantasm of life. In mere blinks, the gentle mirage faded—leaving behind the vivid landscape. For fear resided the unknown; apparitions were rarely met with pleasantries. Premature judgements were not uncommon—a constant reminder that indirect resistance followed every journey.

More than visual differences caused the cloudy mirage this kindhearted Pokemon left in its wake; mannerisms and leisurely activities fed this outward image. The soft, unheard crunches of nature with every articulated step forward. The mute, almost breathless momentary interactions that accompanied the jackal’s boundless curiosity. Eyes that mere mirrored those who would gaze upon them. Only under their twinkles could one discern personality and identity in the creature.

Unaware of such presentation, the monochrome continued forward through every outlined starlit path. Never wavering under self searched guidance, a neutral expression best fit regardless of experience. No bitter resentment, nor disdain. For even rejection meant a glimpse of recognition among the trees and wind. Proof of uniformity among all that normally stood out by comparison.

The manner of this pale Lucario; the careful and deliberate way they carried themselves, unrushed but meaningful, hesitant yet not without purpose; it prompted Ice to respond similarly. The number of Lucario he’d met in his life was small, let alone wild encounters like this, but there was something beyond this Lucario’s unusual colouration that made them feel unique.

The first question, he answered with a simple nod. Hopefully if they already knew human speech, they would also understand this gesture. If not… he guessed they’d still be able to pick up on what he meant, right?

Why come here? If Ice had been having this conversation with another human, or even with a Pokémon such as Espeon, he would have repeated the phrase aloud, just to fill the space before he answered. Here, though, he remained silent. Somehow it didn’t feel right to speak unnecessary words.

His deep blue eyes shifted down toward his notebook momentarily, before looking back at the Lucario. “I’m… practising, practising sensing it.”

Not just anywhere was a good place for him to practise, thanks to his sensitivity. He needed somewhere that offered enough for a good exercise, but not so much or so close together that he was overwhelmed. Out here, it was alive enough that he was given plenty to work with, and spacious and calm enough that he was able to concentrate without too many problems.

Then a faint smile appeared on his face as he added, “I’m still not very good at it, though.” Not anywhere near as good as they certainly were.

Utterly starstruck; the subtle feeling overwhelmed one’s inner core. Not only was mutual communication of the sorts a seldom rarity, but the act of talking about aura-related activity was a first. Not once could the jackal share such things with another. After all, humans just...didn’t seem to harness their capabilities. Not till now.

Grays glittered; Aura was enraptured by this new individual—even without otherwise expressing it. Right now, in this vacant piece of space, nothing else mattered. Attention fixated, and eyes slightly dilated as the human’s words escaped. Something about the simple act of sensing the surrounding aura colored the jackal’s gray mind. A response couldn’t linger inside any longer.

「...What do you...see?」 Everything that Aura understood came through his honed lenses; their unique perspective mattered. Were the points of interest as vivid, as clear as through the canine’s own? With all that humans appeared adept at, only guesstimates could be made for their potential. It was this meter Aura wished to gauge.

Upon listening to the other’s words with perked ears, a gentle shake of the head motioned out. It was fairly awkward in execution, but the symbolism ringed clear. With a gentle movement, the monochrome’s dark paw created a fixed point of aura energy along the base. A circulating sphere that grew in minuscule amounts every few moments. A harmless act, meant more as a demonstration exercise.

「You...are good.」 Supplemented with a nod, Aura brought the paw containing a sphere closer to his midsection—as if using it as an figurative extension of the canine’s own life energy. 「It’s...always different. There is...only getting better.」 With those final vocals, the miniature aura sphere dissipated.

With snow crunching audibly underfoot, her natural hunched stance allowing her to conserve what little body heat slipped through her coat, Sylvia found herself having a surprisingly easy time navigating the frigid landscape. Aura’s guidance, even if he didn’t mean for it to be that per se, allowed her to figure out where she could step safely, and her claws provided the grip she needed.

All in all, the only real complaints she might have were the particles of snow and ice accumulating in her mane, nose and ears, and the fact that her eyes dried out more quickly than usual in the cold, dry breeze.

Visibility was pretty good in spite of that, though, allowing the Zoroark to spot the cave up ahead as soon as she had a clear line of sight. She couldn’t see the Lucario’s face very clearly from where she walked, but if she had to guess based on his tone, this must be where they’d been headed all along.

“You live here?” The question had been intended as a rhetorical one, but she found an answer in his silent invitation.

A simple glance was all it took to both interpret his gesture, and notice how naturally it seemed to come to Aura. Yet another thing to think about… had he practiced this one particular gesture for some reason, or was there more to it?

Claws clicked against the smooth stone floor, leaving wet prints of molten snow in their wake. She seemed just as cautious to avoid the chalk markings as she had been to avoid the flowers outside, but couldn’t keep some droplets from landing on the drawings of what almost looked like a miniature night sky.

Why Aura had drawn a Pokémon’s closest approximation to a star map on the floor of this seemingly random cave, she could only wonder… and her thoughts were interrupted by the sight of the stuffed toy on the ground. Somehow, the sight of it sent a small shiver up her spine that she knew couldn’t be because of the cold. She hadn’t had her arms wrapped around herself for warmth since entering the cave, as the air here was noticeably mild compared to outside and the wind couldn’t touch them here.

But even if she’d wanted to ask Aura about it, she wouldn’t even have known how to formulate the question. That was why she let it rest for now, and, upon hearing his words, moved to the back of the cave and sat down as comfortably as she could. Not that she minded humid underground spaces – this was nothing if not a larger, more spacious version of a vulpine’s den.

“Uh. This place is… nice.”

Far from a lie, but not quite the complete truth either, it was all Sylvia knew how to express for the time being. Part of her was hoping for him to say something… even if it ended up just being more of the short, cryptic statements she’d come to expect from him.

Situated in a unique time capsule, their segregated location marked a strange deviation from the rest of the world. Time, as normally perceived, diminished to a halt. The dull grays that filtered through their eyes painted a cave of mystery. While unbeknownst to the monochrome, nothing about the home’s essence was natural.

From an unseen flower variety, to the lack of visible life and aura signatures—these mountains harbored profound secrets waiting to be discovered.

With a soft swoop of one’s left paw, it glided along the surprisingly silky ground surface. Creating a lunar motion, Aura briefly grew distracted outlining what he believed to be constellations through each drawn star. While normally reserved, hints of activity sparked in that little mind—causing unique behaviors never before seen witnessed. The finishing spectacle? Both eyes closed themselves throughout the exercise—showcasing just how rhythmic and systematic it truly was.

Of course, the Zoroark’s presence wasn’t forgotten. Far from it, words would soon follow as that dark paw held its position on the sixth star.

「Apologies. I’m...trying to see...something.」 Normally this space was permanently vacant—allowing for all kinds of strange behaviors to take place. With Sylvia now part of it, certain social customs were taken into consideration. Thus, the words that Aura wished to express.  「I...want to know what’s...next for me.」

While innocent in execution, the reality was far more heartwarming. These little details were given to allow the Zoroark a closer view into Aura’s mind. These motions, these actions—it all had meaning, to him. Understanding his path forward required this, to him. Thus, allowing her presence presented new opportunities.

"Oh, hi!" Fostea was all smiles, rarely minding the way strangers seemed to pass by her home all the time... and even an unusual-looking Lucario was no exception to the rule. "I haven't seen you around here before. Need anything?"

Future destinations and forecasts were normally mapped out with stark precision. Deviation from the usual less-traveled routes only took place when the constellations outlined alternate paths. Today, well, marked one of those seldom instances.

The sudden voice perked an ear, grays shifting ever-so-slowly in the other’s direction. Enhanced visual techniques were not in effect; the general atmosphere proved peaceful for travel. However, auras were still detectable—especially ones with similar characteristics. This, of course, was referencing the other Lucario who spoke out to him.

「Are you a..?」 Unable to even finish a coherent thought, Aura’s vision looked over the jackal’s features. Were...they common around the region? Their differences in appearance only separated them further at a closer distance. While unable to show it, Aura harbored minor hints of insecurity—indiscernible from visuals alone.

"You're very soft you know?"

Contact was unavoidable; the desaturated fur strands combed back as the sudden feminine hand pressed along its delicate surface. A soft, smooth experience that could only be achieved by one particular signature. Unlike usual unconscious reactions, Aura withheld any resistance. No, the tender motions of Elise were accepted—and comforting at that.

Colorless grays opened to reveal the humanoid figure. A period of silence to take in words spoken. Rarely did those attempt communication with the masked canine—much less make contact. Something about her contradicted the very ideals and beliefs normally observed in others. While every facial feature stagnated, those irises glimmered.

Continuing to reach out into the intangible landscape of passing presences and ambient energy, Ice succeeded in making contact with the aura again. The change in wavelength immediately told him that they’d taken notice of his discovering them. Having not been in another aura user’s presence for over a year, the contrast between the indifference he normally experienced when touching upon others — who were oblivious to his searching mind — and this sudden, immediate recognition now, was striking. It felt…

Strangely reassuring. They were curious and surprised, just like him.

Before he knew it, they had approached the hilltop where he was sitting. Having shifted himself just enough to face them, Ice found his blue eyes resting upon a Lucario; although not one like any he’d seen before. They sported a muted colouration, and had a quiet and inexpressive way of carrying themself. Despite the lack of expression, having left his reception to the other’s waves open, he could pick up on their faint anxiety.

Another tremor of surprise would run through Ice’s own aura at the sound of the Lucario’s voice, soft as it was. Them approaching was one thing; but speaking out in human tongue was another, and wholly unexpected.

“…the same way you do,” he responded simply. He couldn’t think of a better way to word an explanation right now. It was basically true, right?

Under normal circumstances laid a thick misty curtain between onlookers and the canine-like mirage. With just a blink, the faint figure could disappear from sight—leaving behind near untraceable footprints. Opportunities to interact with the achromatic shade were synonymous with witnessing a shooting star. To many humans, Aura’s existence was nothing more than a myth.

Yet, here upon this warmly lit hilltop—a chance encounter. Only moderately distanced, the full view of the jackal became visible. No escapes, no removals. An interaction reciprocated himself.

Initially, exchanging waves was the primary form of communication gathering. Words were seldom let out for minutes that followed. There were no threatening disturbances that required caution. Instead, the Lucario’s paw reached out towards seemingly empty space. Aura entered a subconscious trance that aligned oneself closer to thoughts and emanated vibrations; something near incomprehensible to the average being. Yet, this small quiet moment gave clarity—and hope. Almost signaling the path forward was safe.

「You...can learn, too?」 Segmented words carried through, curiosity spiking. While a possible mutual understanding could be achieved through aura and sensory-related sharing alone, answers still remained locked behind complex conversation—a particular weak point. 「Why...come here?」

While he did want to show off the results of his training, Vance felt that this was a more important revelation.  He steeled his nerves and took a deep breath.

“What I’m about to show you… Just please don’t over react.” 

The jackal then untied the bandana covering his eyes, and slowly took it off.  What was there to greet his mate was a face full of scars around his eyes.  A rather nasty set of three slash marks that traveled from one side of his head to the other.  Vance then briefly opened his eyes, revealing to Aura not the deep red pupils he was so used to, but instead eyes that were missing them completely, his pupils becoming the same as the whites of his eyes. 

Vance would then close his eyes again, and would cover them with the red bandana once more.  The Lucario let out a deep sigh.  “So… Yeah.  This happened during training.  While trying to learn my Ren, I got blindsided.”  He rubbed his arm up and down.  “My dad always told me that having scars is a sign of shame, at least in my family.  So the bandana… It’s not just for remembering my master… But to also cover the scars…”

「...When have I ever overr—」

Time didn’t halt for even a moment. With the bandana slipping off the jackal’s features—a disturbing discovery.

「C-crk!」 A sympathetic groan escaped the monochrome. A sharp painful gash multiplied over the Lucario’s already mistreated eyes. Front teeth grit in response; nothing about this looked right. Unfortunately, their shared realities usually came with followups. As Vance opened the pair, the absence of pupils was nothing short of terrifying.

A sweat drop slid down the side of the canine’s discolored cheek—an environmental shift in mood took place. All one could do was subject themself to the accompanying story. Ears erected, ready for anything.

「...I see.」 Lack of words for the growing concern of his past. Something irked the inner recesses of Aura’s mind. A simple thought: this must’ve been one of many encounters over the years. This observation welled discomfort inside. A minor pain in the jackal’s stomach was felt. If only he’d been there.

As things seemed all but gloomy, Aura distanced a dark spiky paw over—tapping the Lucario’s forehead. A symbol, followed with words of pure encouragement.

「Shame...no, that’s not right.」 Words came out without thought. Almost instinctually what vocalized next stemmed from his warm, gentle heart. 「You’re here...and alive. It shows no matter what the world has thrown, you came back.」  While hints of remorse for not being there lingered on, a little twinkle in the monochrome’s gray glowed. A soft expression, one that pierced right through Vance’s bandana.

Since sensing aura was always simultaneously Ice’s strongest and weakest point, Espeon had written him up a list of tasks to hopefully improve at it. Therefore, today, he’d dragged himself out off the beaten track and sat himself down on top of a sunny hill to do a “survey” of the area.

Sounded easy, but it was actually a pain in the backside, thanks to the condition that he had to write down as much as he could figure out from every single thing he picked up on. One by one. He’d been at this for hours now and managed to fill about three and a half notepad pages.

He had a headache.

Just one or two more. Then I’ll call it a day. Hopefully this would be enough to satisfy the psychic cat. After pressing his hands to his head in an attempt to get the headache to clear just a little, he reached out again.

…Huh?

Barely five seconds in, the search was interrupted; Ice jolting as his half-shut eyes snapped wide open. He had come across something… unusual, unexpected. A wave that was equally as receptive as his own.

An… aura…? He pressed his hand to his forehead, eyebrows scrunching down as he reached out to the presence again. No… a Lucario?

Colors washed from his sun-kissed fur during the ventures east. monotone hues dulled as yellows pierced; eyes had to redirect from the blaring shine that brightened the land. Subtle winds carried this canine through to his next destination—often the environment lead him to the next vantage point.

It was moderately peaceful; those that roamed the area did little to hinder Aura’s travel. There wasn’t a great need to scan the surroundings in these conditions. After years of solitude, signs presented themselves without the need for aura.

Of course, these infrequent periods of slacking often led to sudden encounters.

「...Cr?」 Noised with moderate silence, eyes fixated off in the distance. Almost like a disturbance in the very fabric of space; the sudden collection of one’s signature unconsciously triggered a response. Antennae slowly perked, given an almost instantaneous view of the perpetrator. However, what the jackal would find would be far from the norm.

It was a human, capable of something unusual.

Ticks of this nature generally only occurred when another scanned the monochrome’s presence. Under normal circumstances this was usually a Pokemon. However, for the first time ever, it was a humanoid figure. Their distance? Scarily close.

In a twist of pure irony, what possibly could be perceived as invasive actually gave off opposing signals int he jackal’s mind. Rather, a blatant curiosity stemmed. Whoever they were, he wished to understand them. And in this sudden thought, a rarity occurred. The jackal quietly moved closer to get a better view of this aura-user. Nothing in their wavelengths signaled any danger. The systematic pulses almost felt...soothing, although strange as well. As their shared distance closed to a conversing length, it was but the Lucario who opened his maw first.

Vance was a bit taken aback when Aura moved in to embrace him.  He knew that he had missed a lot over the years.  But to see his mate be more comfortable in making contact, it brought a smile to his face.

“I’m happy that you’ve never stopped believing in me.  I promise that I’ll keep you and Noel safe from harm.  No matter what it takes.  And I’m so happy to see you doing much better than when I left.”

He would break off from the hug, taking in a sigh.  He was nervous about this next part.  Showing something that happened during his time away.  “Now… Let’s head to the room.  I… I need to show you something.”

As those tender moments passed, Aura’s mind filled with prior thoughts—something important to be shown. As soon as the jackal’s maw creaked open to speak of such, Vance himself uno reversed the entire situation. A staple between them.

「Our room? Sure...lead the way.」 Unfortunately, Aura’s own never came to surface—not yet. Instead, hints of nerves circulated throughout the other’s wavelengths. Whatever this was, it possibly wasn’t as positive. Steeling oneself for the potential outcomes, Aura moved alongside Vance together. No time like the present.

Rather than maintain silence, the monochrome decided to oblige their mention of catching up. This was the perfect opportunity to showcase just how much more social the canine had gotten.

...even if it was still minor.

Vance sighed. “It was intense. And I’m sorry that I had to be out of yours and Noel’s lives for so long. I traveled back north, came across another Lucario who trained me. The bandana… He wore it all the time, and he ended up passing away during the three years. He was so kind… And this is all I have left of him.” He grabbed onto the bandana covering his eyes. “It helps me to focus. Gives my eyes the much needed protection they need.”

After a lapse of silence, Vance walked up to Aura and gave him a tight hug. “It’s so good to see you again. Again… I’m sorry about the sudden exit. But it was for the better. I’m much stronger now. And more capable of protecting you and Noel from danger. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon. So we can catch up as much as we need to.”

「...You’ve been through a lot.」 Words came out in a soft tone; the monochrome’s form lowered to tend to the mess on the floor. A few stains here and there—nothing that couldn’t be remedied later. This task was only briefly halted to give some attempted heartfelt words in response. 「But you...never left us.」

A dark paw extended out, only to press itself along the jackal’s chest. It wasn’t entirely the right spot, but the sentimental thought behind it carried regardless. 「You’ve always been here.」 Those words were met with the gentlest of smiles—something only a particular achromatic Lucario could manage.

It was only after elevating oneself to a standard position when the contact with Vance ensued. Under normal circumstances Aura would’ve felt tinges of discomfort; however, years changed things. In a strange twist, echo blue arms slowly wrapped themselves around the jackal’s upper region, leaning in to give a hug of his own. It was...almost natural!

This tender moment allowed for both misty eyes to close; it was a long awaited moment to cherish—years in the making.

Vance would await at the door. He had caught wind that Aura was out shopping, and be wanted to surprise him. And his reaction was completely priceless. The Lucario would grin, and it was here that Aura got the visible changes to Vance. The purple tie that kept his metal feelers in a neat ponytail. And the red bandana that he wore over his eyes now.

“Hey, hun. I’m back from training.  I, uh… Figured I’d surprise you. Did it work?” Of course Vance knew that it had worked. He was just teasing a little bit.

Perhaps this day wouldn’t be quite as simplistic as initially outlined. The startled jackal attempted to regain his bearings, only to continuously freeze up at the sudden arrival of his significant other. Their appearance, their stature—it was all so different. Red and purple garments came into an immediate view; plenty of questions stirred! The sheer reality of their fateful return hadn’t sunk in quite yet.

Grays slowly drifted towards the damp, messy groceries that lay pancaked on the ground. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be the first time this occurred over the years. Focus for now shifted back for a response.

「...Take a guess.」 Spoken with a complimentary nod of approval—completely avoiding the slight drippage that leaked through the bag. Here one thought grabbing some juice cartons would be a nice change of pace. Oops. 「Never took you for the...fashionable type.」

There was a twing more spice in Aura’s vocals. Over the long years, communication was a focused study point for him. While the odd pauses never completely dissipated, words had more clarity and expression behind it. Vance wouldn’t be the only canine with some advancements.

Softened features plastered the achromatic jackal’s face. A warm hint of what appeared to be a rare smile contrasted the chilly weather flurries. Facing opposite from the Zoroark, it was unknown whether they’d notice such a change in expression. Focus directed itself on the trek forward—the small blip of a hollow cave came to visual momentarily.

「...Home.」 A long journey nearing its conclusion. Grays dilated, and stars outlined the corners. Content feelings prodded the jackal’s innards. Someone, something, was waiting in there. Concealed from the rest of the world, their first unannounced encounter would soon take place. Suspense crept inward as time ticked.

Upon those final steps, a motion with the paw. A humanoid gesture to initiate some sort of considerate action often given. Unlike the usual awkwardness that accompanied such movements, this one felt fluid—almost as if Aura exercised it for this eventual moment.

Inside the enclosure—numerous peculiarities stood out. White, chalk-like symbols scattered along the leveled ground surface. Shapes of stars, a crescent circle, and other shapes covered the empty space. An entrance to the cave’s vast systematic depths sectioned to the right. Only a single object sat flat in a shadowed corner of space—a human-made Riolu toy.

Upon that fateful reenter, stiffness in one’s muscles relaxed. Ears lowered; the general atmosphere surrounding Aura eased. Here, the stillness offered solidarity and peace from the harsh weather. A particular quiet—one that felt inviting remained here. Only broken by words offered forward.

-- RP: Rest And Respite

@xauramoon​ 

—

This was the second Lucario within a short period of time to appear here on these shores and that had N very much confused. Said man was now staring and observing the dull-coated pokemon, his partner and sister watching with an equally confused look.

“Zrrr.” ( Should we toss him out to the fishes? )

“Do not be like that, Sister.” N spoke with a light tap to her snout to which she smirked. “… Are you lost?” His voice was now picked up in tone and directed at the Lucario before them.

Seldom were travels taken to isolated islands; it was a brief moment of chance that overtook this monochrome across the seas. Currently designated in Alola, the temperatures and climate wildly varied compared to his usual origin point. The zodiacs sent messages to the jackal early in the lunar cycle, and claimed this was the starry path to follow—for now.

Remaining solitary in one’s travels proved fruitless as wavelengths emanated in close proximity. Neither of his grays gazed directly upon the other beings—even as communication stirred. Aura’s current lack of privacy meant social encounters were an inevitability. As the sudden question came forward, a moment of hesitation followed.

「I...don’t.」 Troubled with words, it was clear communicating complex thoughts via human forms of speech was difficult. Aura’s own aura matched in its near colorless form to his visual fur. Regardless, a hint of intrigue and interest still took over. 「Never...been here.」

Despite how… clueless he could be at times, Bolt wasn’t unaware of the lingering tension in Aura’s posture. He seemed to be doing alright for now, better even than when they’d met, so it didn’t seem like something to worry about right now, but he would have to keep it in mind.

The exact reason for said tension eluded him, though. Maybe it was just their difference in height, or the fact that Zeraora were pretty unique… or maybe it was something else. He had no way of knowing and no reason to risk upsetting Aura by asking. Their meeting had gone so well, and the last thing Bolt wanted was to ruin it now that some progress had been made.

“What? Oh, um… sure!” His ears stirred as he thought for a minute. People seemed to like him, generally speaking, but he rarely got that close to someone or spent time with them on the long run. Rarely, but not never – and that was just in the part of his life he actually remembered. “I’ve had friends… before.”

Even so, some part of him could relate to what the Lucario said next. Everyone else seemed to have no trouble forming long-term relationships, while in Bolt’s case, he always ended up either having to move on or backing out because of his own fear. A fear that stemmed from various things, anywhere between his fear of putting them at risk and his tendency to forget the past. It was a problem he was acutely, painfully aware of… but he couldn’t exactly help it.

As far as he was concerned, this was just his fate. The way he was meant to live, the price of having a purpose like his.

But he couldn’t let that be the answer to Aura’s question. Instead, he placed his paw on the other’s shoulder again, giving a gentle squeeze to the ring of hard material that surrounded the joint. “And now I’ve got you! Like I said, we can be friends… um, if you actually want to.”

Rain-cluttered skies paved way for deep colored brilliance; the warm orange hue now illuminating the land. Colors bounced off the jackal’s fur, causing a strange distortion. Evening approached; however, the canine’s day had just reached its beginning.

「Friends..?」 An unexpected proposal came forward—certainly not of the common variety. Moments would pass as the jackal took options into consideration.

Judging from how brief normal encounters were, clearly something about him struck the wrong chords in others. Bolt seemed to fall out of this jurisdiction—someone who had no qualms interacting and exchanging thoughts. There was a level of trust shared. A mutual feeling, usually one sided on Aura’s behalf.

While options might’ve seemed to be bubbled over, the reality is there was only one correct answer.

「I do. Your...friend.」 Words that almost struggled to escape; this entire dynamic was new. The star-littered path for today outlined a potential divergence. Grays drifted to the heavens, as if looking for solidification in his choices.

The tremors of the past eased; the present was all that remained. Aura’s thoughts were simple by nature, and solely dedicated itself to communication purposes. After all, with this new friend, there was a desire not to make a mistake. Something he was...painfully familiar with.