chakramkeyblade | Open Interaction Post!

[For a moment, she hadn't quite been sure where she was. Radiant Garden looked so different, now, and she had the sneaking suspicion that she'd been in one of those "enchanted sleeps" Ansem the Wise had told her about - but for how long, she didn't know. All she knew was that there were a lot of unfamiliar people around the town now, and that it, frankly, looked like a storm of some kind had hit the world - and the kind that could necessitate this level of rebuilding, she didn't know.

She took to wandering the eerily empty halls of the castle that had become her home, searching for little Ienzo or any sign of the others (although she had a sick, sinking feeling in her heart about Xehanort, for some reason). She thought she saw a rather familiar spray of flaming red hair - but no, the owner of it was much too tall to be the boy who'd shouted to her wild tales from the courtyard (while a glowering Dilan and a vaguely smirking Aeleus had looked on). Still...]

Excuse me, but might you be able to tell me what's going on? I'm afraid I just woke up, and I'm not quite sure as to what happened here.

Edited Date: 2015-06-28 01:36 am (UTC)

From:

Way too much stuff to go through. Books, rubble, debris, everything useless and irrelevant. A lot of the furnishings had been broken, smashed, or looted. Kind of a bang-up job, really. Restoring a city without any kind of leadership? Not even Radiant Garden was perfect. Plenty of people were like Lea and Isa when they were growing up, too busy being jealous of what the castle had to see what they had.

Too much to think about. Too much to regret.

Lea pulled off his gloves, sick of how the stuff he grabbed would just slide right out of his hands, earning a frustrated curse. Better. More feeling. Like being anchored.

He wanted new clothes, too.

Lea discarded the rubble in his arms and glanced at Aeleus. The bigger man was still plodding along, saying nothing, just doing his job as quiet and methodical as Lea remembered. He smiled to himself. The energy of his new keyblade warmed his hand. Aeleus didn't know. Neither did the others.

"Hey. Aeleus. How about a break? We've been going at this how long, now?"

From:

abidingstoic

Once upon a time, there had been a happy family living here. Five friends, brothers one and all, and a proud and adoring father to teach and guide them as they grew. He had watched over them all, and while he there might not have been enough time in the day for him to do all he wanted for all the people he wanted to do it for, there was always enough love in his heart to go around. Once upon a time, he had opened his doors and his heart to another, and they had all welcomed a new young man into their family in his hour of need.....

.....They had not, however, welcomed two boys into their homes, or their hearts--not the boys that had tried to sneak in, rather than ask to be invited.

Aeleus wondered, sometimes, what life would have been like if they had done so. If they had stopped to talk to them and really listen, rather than catching them and tossing them out the gate, if he'd concerned himself more with why they wanted into the castle so badly, rather than worrying only about how badly they would hurt themselves and the equipment if they managed to run wild in the laboratories..... If they had brought Lea and Isa into the fold instead of Xehanort, or perhaps in addition to him, how would things have changed? Could things have been better--for Lea and Isa, for all of them, for Radiant Garden and all the worlds as a whole? Would it have made any difference at all?

Could they have all been happy together, maybe? Maybe Lea would have worn a guard uniform with pride, and Master Ansem would have smiled just as fondly at Isa as he had at Xehanort, as the boy knotted an ascot around his neck and slipped into a crisp new lab coat for the first time. Maybe he could have taken them both under his wing, and shown them the world inside these castle walls, where they'd once had nothing to be ashamed of or hide.

It was harder these days to look at Lea without seeing double, so to speak--the child that once was, and the man that child had become. A mischievous, rambunctious, passionate boy, laughing and shouting to Isa as he raced down the hall..... And the unreadable, unpredictable, steely assassin who had looked his two best friends in the eye, cold and calm as he burned them alive and arranged to have the life strangled out of them. One, he'd owed a debt of duty and responsibility to, and failed him in the most profound way possible, in more ways than he can count. The other..... the other, if he had actually survived to witness his deeds, had murdered his strongest links to Light and humanity, the only people left he'd felt he could truly trust, (all that had truly mattered in his world anymore) without so much of a flicker of conscience.

Aeleus wasn't sure how he felt about Lea these days, let alone how he should feel, but he knew one thing for certain--t was a Herculean effort to hold onto the clarity he needed to actually see Lea as he truly was now.

For everyone's sake, though, he had to come to understand him in the here and now, if he was going to work alongside him--just like he had to make himself sleep so he could work, when nightmare-rattled and insomniac visits from Ienzo, Dilan, or even Even have been nightly occurrences. Just like he had to work just as tirelessly as he could, because there simply weren't enough hands to do all that needed to be done, in a castle this big and damaged this gravely..... and almost all the people available to do the work were just as damaged and in need of being taken care of as the castle. If nothing else, he was good at working hard, good at settling into a rhythm and not needing to think or feel, as he cleaned and sorted through the ruins of everything that had been important to him.

Aeleus kept his own gloves on for the work--and one of Braig's bandanas knotted around his neck, no matter how sick at heart it made him to have to use it. But it wouldn't be advisable not to--not when he was left to shatter the larger fallen chunks of debris by pure force so they even could be carted away, and haul away the heavier burdens that still could be carried or wheeled in carts. That was brutal work, too much to reasonably ask Lea to handle; the man simply wasn't built for it. He took a moment to just lean on Skysplitter's handle and wipe the grime of stone dust and sweat from his face, tugging his makeshift mask down as he glanced at the intact clock they'd brought in while they worked. "Almost two and a half hours. Do you need anything to drink? I can see what we have in the kitchen."

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[He's crossing the hall with a pitcher of water for Dilan and Even, unaware of the girl until she spoke. He startled at first. No one else was supposed to be here. Lea stares at her, eyes wide for a moment. Does he...know her? He feels a kind of deja-vu, the same kind of connection he senses with Sora, but his memory is still spotty and ragged. But a warm connection at least.

If he knew her, all he feels is a kind of memory of a memory. Lea frowned. It wasn't her fault. It was unlikely she knew. But being unable to remember her...well. Just one more thing to feel bad for.]

Just woke up, huh. You and me both. [He grins at the little joke. At least it's true.] As for what happened...well. Let's just say it's a good thing you were out for it. What are you doing here in the castle? ...what's left of it, anyway.

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"Water's good enough for me." Lea brushed at a trail of sweat running down his nose, leaving a smudge of dust in the wake of his thumb. He paused, thinking about his own words. He had to laugh. "Wow. Having to drink water and take a break. We haven't had to do that for a while."

He brushed some of the dust from his black coat, tempted to shuck it to keep cool while he worked. As Axel it had been a constant comfort. As himself, it was heavy, bulky, something that clung to him like guilt. Still. It would be a shame to throw that much fabric away. A waste.

"...wonder if there's any spare munny around somewhere. I could use some less intimidating clothes."

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[It couldn't be. The boy she'd been acquainted with had been several years younger than she - and besides that, she hadn't aged while she had been asleep. Surely only a little time had passed. But the hair, and the eyes... There was no denying that there was something familiar in them.

Cautiously, she stepped closer, squinting a little at the young man. She had always liked Lea and his stories, much as the others hadn't. And she had always been amused at his and Isa's attempts to get into the castle, even playfully helping them from time to time. It was so hard to remember what had happened, somehow...]

I live here. I've been trying to figure out what happened.

[Whatever it was, it surely wasn't good.]

I'm sorry. Do I know you?

Edited (Argh, I fail.) Date: 2015-06-28 11:53 am (UTC)

From:

abidingstoic

"No, I suppose not..... But then, human bodies have more needs than those of Nobodies. It's a lesson we'll all do well to remember." Aeleus arches an eyebrow at Lea, tone pointed; don't you go off and overextend yourself on his watch, Lea. He had enough to do preventing that with the others, he didn't want to see Lea collapse from forgetting his own needs and limits. As hard as Aeleus pushed himself, he still remembered that he was human, now--he ate and drank, he took breathers, (even if they weren't always as often as they should be) he slept. It was probably significantly less likely for the others to sleep if he didn't, to be honest--his bed hadn't been empty of someone seeking the protection and reassurance of his company since they'd awoken here at the Castle.

If he forgot to take care of himself--if even Lea found it difficult to remember they needed to stay rested and hydrated--then who would remember themselves, let alone the others? If he wasn't grounded and secure enough to sleep, how would the others feel safe? He was the strong one, the rock-solid unshakable one, the one who could endure and outlast anything. They needed him.

He was just heading for the door to go fetch them some water when Lea started musing about clothes; Aeleus half-turned to glance back at him, one hand still resting on the doorframe. He gave the younger man a quick once-over, trying to estimate his height and build, and search his memory to try and recall anyone at the castle who might have roughly shared it. "Chances are good the castle treasury has been ransacked, of course. The purser and quartermaster's offices in the barracks may have been as well, but there are better odds that they might have survived. Failing that....."

Aeleus spread his hand in an expansive gesture; it would take time and effort, scrounging around like this, but it might well pay off in the end. "it's far more likely that we would be able to find some tucked away cache of Munny a former guardsman or servant hid in their quarters, given that the bedrooms have sustained some of the least damage in the Castle. We can surely find some clothes that fit you here, too, even if they're a uniform."

From:

You...

[Could she have lived here, before...? Something was tugging at his memory now. A friendly face at the garden wall. There was nothing concrete, but then, he thought he'd been a kid when he knew her.]

...I think I remember you. Kinda disappointed you forgot. But fine, if you need a refresher, name's Lea. Got it memorized this time?

[Never mind that he can't remember her name, either. His grin fades when he looks down at the pitcher in his hands.] I've gotta drop this off in the next room. You coming with?

From:

... Lea?!

[Her eyes widen, and she unwittingly takes a few quick, faltering steps in his direction, her eyes large as she looks at him. This was not the boy she'd tossed apples to, nor the one who'd entertained her endlessly with his antics. This was not the same boy for whom she'd thrice gotten into trouble before for helping him and Isa slip inside - not anymore]

Lea, I-I can't believe it! Is it really you? How did you get so tall?

[Oh. Oh, no.]

... How long have I been asleep?

[And, more to the point, why didn't she age? But - no. There was time enough for that later. Taking a deep, shaky breath, Elizabeth looked up at the young man, who still resembled the near-child he had been, and nodded.]

Of course. I'd like to help. Is there anything I can do?

{She'd ask what happened just as soon as they got a moment.]

Edited Date: 2015-06-28 10:38 pm (UTC)

From:

[It's only when she gets closer that he recognizes her. His own eyes widen, taking a step back to balance himself. Elizabeth. But she disappeared. He and Isa were convinced something terrible had happened to her, spent the next five years trying to figure out how to get in so they...

He swallowed. Here she was, alive and well. Had she slept through everything? The darkness that Radiant Garden had become? She hadn't aged at all... But then, they hadn't either, when they had been Nobodies. Had Elizabeth lost her heart at some point? Become a Nobody? He didn't want to even think about it. He recovered himself, looking at her quietly. Finally he nodded to the corridor.]

Sure. If you want. Dilan and Even are still sleeping, but...I'll tell you everything. Deal?

From:

[The look on his face tells her Lea remembers. That almost makes her smile - almost. But here he is, grown, and she feels like something more terrible than he's letting on must have happened.

And where is Ansem?

But she nods, and reaches out to touch his face, still unsure as to whether he is real. When her fingers brush warm skin (and Lea's hand had always, always been warm, whenever he'd snuck her an apple or passed her an ice cream), she knows - and it's only then that she manages a smile.]

Deal.

From:

[He smiles, barely. Weird. He's taller than her now, by a good amount. He figures it's just as odd for her, considering he was fourteen the last time he saw her.

But eventually he pulls away, leading her down a hallway and into a spare room. Dilan is asleep on his bed, curled up slightly, his locks sprawled out on the pillows behind him. Lea enters quietly, setting the pitcher down on a small table. He turns to leave again, gesturing to Elizabeth. He figures Even's probably in the library or something...so instead he closes the door to Dilan's room and takes her to one of the castle's many balconies overlooking the city.

The restoration is coming along well, at least. But it's still nowhere near Radiant Garden's old glory.]

So you wanted to know what happened to Radiant Garden...and to us. [He sighs and rests his elbows on the ledge, purposefully keeping his gaze out at the town below and not Elizabeth.]

The short of it is, Xehanort happened.

From:

"Uniform?" Lea laughed as he fell into step behind Aeleus. "You clearly don't know me very well at all. I don't need much, just a pair of scissors and a thread and needle. The rest I can pick up for next to nothing."

He glanced down at his knees, at the sleeves of his coat. "After all, it would be a waste just to throw it out." He could change it. Just like he could change himself. He could do this. "It's time for a change. In more ways than one. Heck, they're already changing."

Lea grinned up at Aeleus. "After our break...I want to show you something useful I picked up ruining Xehanort's week."

From:

[It's more than odd, considering that it was only yesterday for her that Lea had begrudgingly been swept out of the castle, seeming as though he was practically made of limbs as he flailed about. The grin on his face as he'd waved goodbye to Elizabeth later, though, had told her he would try again tomorrow.

She smiled at the memory even as worried as she was, and followed Lea out after smoothing Dilan's covers.]

Xehanort? [The mention of what had been the newest addition to their home caused her to frown. Certainly, she had not been close with him, but he had always been polite. Even so, there had been something odd about him, though Elizabeth had chalked that down to not being entirely used to the him.]

What do you mean?

From:

....He's not what they thought. [Lea peeks back at her. How can he even begin? How is he supposed to even admit to the things he did when he was a shell of his old self? ...At the beginning, what else is there?]

It's a long story.

[But he tells it well, even if it takes him over an hour. Some parts he just...can't go into detail. He glosses them over, trying not to think about them too hard. At the end, he trails off, staring down at his right hand. The warmth is there, almost solid, just waiting for him to will it into existence. He tentatively raises it, the keyblade sparking into existence in a crackle of light. He holds it outward, gazing at the flame-shaped blade, the emblem on his old throwing discs, the deadly spikes of Axel's chakrams.]

It's going to be a hard road. But I have to take responsibility for what I've done. See this through, to the end.

From:

[And she listens, just as if she was listening to one of Ansem the Wise's tales. She watches his face, his actions, and while she can tell she's not getting the whole story, she can also tell that he's regretful.

She holds back a "How could you?" directed at all of them, but it's in her eyes, for a moment.]

I can't say I understand how this happened, but I'm glad you told me. Thank you.

[But that still doesn't explain how she ended up the way she did, or why she hadn't aged in all this time (and Dilan, too, looks exactly the same as he always has). It doesn't explicitly the sneaking suspicion that all this somehow includes her. But that can wait.]

Where are the others?

From:

It's been close to a month since Lea awakened as a whole person, along with the others that were deemed rejects by Xehanort. Sora was awake and old man free, he had his keyblade, and now it was a matter of training. Watching. Making themselves as prepared as possible. If Xehanort wanted thirteen copies of himself to fling at them, they had to be ready. And find the seven "lights" the old man was going on about.

Lea had been preparing in other ways, too. After all, he couldn't just throw everything connected to Axel out the window. Axel was him, in a way. Besides, it was a waste of good material.

Lea pulled the thread through the last stitch at the new knee-length hem of his old Organization coat. The sleeves were already cut off, the new armholes already stitched up. He'd found some yellow plaid material that matched one of his old bandannas, made a belt of it. A plain white shirt let him keep the front of the coat open to keep himself cool. The pants and boots? Perfectly fine to keep.

He bit off the lose end of thread and inspected the hem. It would do. Not perfect, but it wouldn't unravel. Lea stood up from his bed to put the coat on. He didn't need to see a mirror. Already he felt different from Axel. That was what mattered. Feeling like himself again.

Lea sighed as he tossed the needle and spool of thread onto the discarded fabric, walking out to the balcony overlooking the rebuilt Radiant Garden. He rested his back and one foot against the wall, arms folded across his chest. A hot breeze was kicking up from below, carrying the scents of freshly blooming jasmine and lotus. Summer was starting to feel like it should again. All that was missing was sea-salt ice cream.

And Isa.

Lea swallowed, his jaw tensing. Hang in there, buddy. I'll get you out of there. Just fight that monster off a little longer.

From:

Darkness everywhere. Everything had been darkness for so long, now, Isa was beginning to wonder if the light would ever accept him again. Could it, with a fragment of that monster inside of him? As the days passed, they blurred together, and the darkness chipped away at the small remnants of hope that remained in his heart. But was that his own doubt, or was that Xehanort, doing his part to keep him broken down so he could more easily pull his strings?

There were moments of lucidity. He wasn't entirely under the cruel man's thumb, not always made to do his bidding, but if one were to ask what said bidding was, he would be unable to answer. Not out of any skewed loyalty or even direct control of his actions, but none of those memories would properly form in his mind. Indirectly, he was being guided and used, prevented from searching for any sort of help, even if he'd wanted to. The thought had occurred to him, but after what he'd done - what Saix had done - did he truly deserve to be saved?

Isa found these thoughts plaguing him as he stepped out of a dark corridor, nostalgia leading him... home. Why had he come here? To revisit the life he once had? Will never have again? Maybe it was time to bid it farewell forever. In all likelihood there was no coming back from this.

Maybe... one last ice cream would be okay.

If only he could ignore the laughing in his heart, sick to his stomach that he couldn't tell if it was Xehanort's or his own.

From:

Lea heaved a sigh, scratching at the back of his head. What was he supposed to do? Every bit of him, goaded by the newfound light inside of him, wanted to go out there right now and take Isa back by whatever means necessary. Xehanort didn't deserve to have him. But he wasn't Sora. He had enough common sense to recognize that there was no way he was ready to face down the old codger. You'd think the kid would have picked up a little of that from Roxas...

He straightened to go back inside when he saw it. Passing one of the lamps by the castle gate, a figure in all black, hair pale in the moonlight. The build, the way he walked...but he had to be sure. He stepped up to the edge of the balcony, staring down at the man as he made his way into the city. Lea felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle, a cold shiver accompanying his heart dropping into the pit of his stomach. He'd know the man anywhere. After all, he'd known him forever.

Isa.

Lea swallowed. What was he doing here, in Radiant Garden? Did Xehanort send him out for something? Was the plan to wreck havoc on a barely recovering, paranoid populace just for kicks? His own emotions flipped as quickly as his thoughts. Fear, anger, a twinge of sorrow, a tiny fleeting hope that was gone almost too fast for him to notice. He had to hope it was still Isa. That was enough to hold onto. Hope, he found, was the best thing to get a keyblade to manifest. And if Isa really were sent here to stir up trouble, then he would need it. He didn't linger any longer, not risking a corridor of darkness for such a short distance. He ran all the way to the lower level of the castle, already panting for breath by the time he reached the castle courtyard.

Sometimes he actually missed not being human. He wore out less easily. He slowed to a quick walk, enough to catch up to Isa while regaining his breath. It didn't take long. Isa took his time with everything. Including a walk down the street. He slowed to keep a safe distance between them.

"Hey. Long time no see." He was careful to keep his tone level. He knew just how dangerous Saix could be if someone made him angry. He didn't exactly feel like being caught on the wrong side of that unprepared. "Nice night for a walk. But I don't imagine it was the flowers that brought you here."

From:

Isa could hear the footsteps, though to him they sounded much further away than they were. As he continued walking, it was almost as though everything was faintly blurred at the edges, just enough to make him question reality. Was this his doing? How could he be sure it wasn't a dream?

It took an extra second for the voice to register. He'd recognized it right away, of course, but everything took a bit longer to sink in than it should. Coming to a stop, Isa merely stood there, staring off somewhat blankly into the distance, trying to recall just where the ice cream stand was, until he remembered that he was still there. Lea had addressed him. What... had he said?

Turning to look behind him, his expression stayed even, more shades of Saix in him than Isa. When you had a shard of someone else's heart wedged into your own, calling emotions to the surface was that much more difficult. "Lea." He managed, head canting slightly as though in curiosity. Why was he here? Shouldn't he have been off with his new comrades? Training and, hopefully preparing. He knew well whose hand may deliver his inevitable demise in all of this.

He... wanted to know why he was here? That made sense. Of course he'd be suspicious, given the circumstances.

"I wanted ice cream." The truth, simple and sweet and the easiest answer for him to give.

From:

Ice cream. It was absurd, almost guaranteed to be a trick, but something seemed...off. Isa...Saix...was usually more keen than this. Not to mention their ice cream stand was down the road to the right. He seemed lost and sluggish. Xehanort's doing? If Xehanort were borrowing Isa's senses, it could be why. He just hoped the fact that he had a keyblade would be lost on the old man. According to Yen Sid, people who had given into the darkness had a harder time sensing a keyblade. He just hoped Xehanort's sense was all but gone.

Lea kept a close eye on him as he closed some of the distance, still keeping a few good feet away. Just in case. Unaware all the while that his light was like a flame within him, burning bright. "Well, I have to give you credit for remembering my name. Flattered, really." He forced a brief smile, pointing to the road. "Our usual spot's down that way, remember? Besides, it's the middle of the night. Everything's closed until morning." He tapped his chin like he was engaged in some deep thought. "I think I do have some stashed at the castle. But...well...let's face it. Aeleus might try to kill you."

He focused his bright green eyes on Isa's gold ones. "Why did the old man really drag you here?"

From:

Right. It was dark, wasn't it? He'd grown so accustomed to it that it hadn't occurred to him that things would be closed up. How disappointing. Then he wouldn't be able to get his ice cream afterall and the risk in coming here was for nothing...

... or was it?

While Isa had his brief moment of clarity, it was an opportune time to really try and speak to Lea, to communicate, do something more than stand around and stare at him like a zombie. Which, unfortunately, was mostly what he was doing at the moment.

"I'm not an idiot." He snapped quietly, brief flashes of his old self coming through. Lea could be so dense sometimes. "Of course I remember... even though.." A memory came to the surface, once that made him smirk faintly and look away. "... I tried to forget. All the time." That was how it used to go, wasn't it? A light barb here and there, a jab, something to rile up his fiery friend.

But now look at them. Isa wandering in the middle of the night in his old home, yet he could barely remember just where he was though he'd wandered these streets his entire life, and here was Lea, assuming he had only appeared to cause trouble. Not even giving the barest benefit of the doubt. Well. That was to be expected, he supposed. What reason did Lea have to trust him after what had happened?

"I wanted ice cream." He repeated, voice softer, more airy.

From:

"Right. I see how it is." He recognized, finally, that Isa was trying. And really, that was something of a reassurance. He wouldn't let his guard down, not for a second, and he would be stupid to do so. But the recognition of something that was so undeniably Isa was worth it. That tiny glimmer of hope grew, even if just barely. He wanted to take Isa aside, convince him to let him help. He could destroy the Nobody shell he was imprisoned in, he was still enough of one that he would wake up with his own old heart intact, with Xehanort gone, his foothold purged from him.

But whatever Isa heard, Xehanort heard, he suspected. He wasn't ready for that kind of confrontation.

Again with the ice cream. And that damn voice he used to get what he wanted. Typical Isa. He wanted to believe, to give Isa the benefit of a doubt. He shouldn't leave him alone. It would be incredibly stupid. But he seemed so out of it, and honest, that he didn't think the man could antagonize anyone at the moment. He's hurting, he thought. It came to him, and it came through the keyblade's power. He's hurting and he didn't know where to go. Except home. Lea relaxed out of his tense stance, eyes softening ever so slightly.

"You know what? Wait here. Two sea-salt ice creams, coming up."

He was quick about it, returning from the castle's kitchen with two ice-cream bars firmly in hand. He handed one off to Isa, heart pounding all over again from both his run and the close proximity to the Nobody. Had Saix always given off the feeling of being watched by something far more predatory than any human could manage? He wouldn't know. As Axel, all he knew was that his temperature was far warmer than a normal human could survive. This was what it must have been like for Sora and the others...

"Here. Come on, let's go to our old spot. It's so warm out here it's starting to melt already."

From:

"Wait...?" He asked quietly, looking up, but by the time he'd realized what was happening and spoke up, Lea was already several yards away. He said... ice cream, didn't he? He was getting ice cream. For the two of them, even.

Isa sighed and stayed put, turning yellow eyes up to the sky, gaze falling on the moon. There was an almost blissful absence of thought in him, content to take in its gentle, serene light, without feeling the rage that used to well within him when he was Saix. That power was there, deep inside, but he had no will to give over to it. When Lea finally returned, it was obvious he hadn't budged an inch, still rooted to the spot he'd left him in.

Blinking owlishly at him, his gaze fell to the ice cream, then soon raised to meet Lea's, distracted for a moment by just how green they were, shining in an odd way in the moonlight. Something in him stirred. Emotion he couldn't quite place.

"Yes. It's..." He almost seemed to wince as he concentrated, trying to push through the walls in his mind and look to his deeper memories. Peering to and fro, he eventually settled on a path to the left, frowning softly, appearing almost fragile as he looked to Lea for approval. He so wanted it to be the correct way. He didn't think he could handle it were he wrong.

Luckily, his memories weren't betraying him.

"... it's off that way. Right? Let's hurry."

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