brandishes a knife

[sageguidance]

aki hiding in the gy like

Comments

[sageguidance]

[ yaaay his favorite ]

Ha ha, that might have been difficult, given who the waiters here were! Ah, but surely you would have found a way...

Well, I am not unhappy about it. Your cooking was fantastic, and I dare say I picked up on a thing or two myself!

[illomened]

Exactly so! You can go home and show everyone your wonderful new skills. Your sister will really enjoy the cake that you can make now, you know?

[HIS CHOCOLATE CAKE!! Now that he'll actually be able to enjoy it with her... unless we surprise badend tomorrow which would frankly be hilarious. THE LAWYERS WIN]

[sageguidance]

[ imagine if we died by lawyers ]

... She'll probably wonder what I could have possibly been doing all this time to have been able to learn how...

[illomened]

[i would love that personally i think it's hilarious]

You just happened to run into people with a taste for the culinary arts... in a strange stroke of happenstance that has nothing to do with interuniversal kidnappings...?

[sageguidance]

[ he sighs, in that "haha lmao" sense. ]

Given our past experiences, an "interuniversal kidnapping" would be far more believable.

[illomened]

[Just giving Alphinaud a quiet look...]

...You've truly been through a lot, haven't you.

[sageguidance]

Such is the life of a Scion, but you've had no less an adventurous life, no?

[illomened]

[OPENS HIS MOUTH.

Closes his mouth.]

"Accidental multiuniversal traveler" is certainly not something I ever thought I would be able to call myself, and yet...

[sageguidance]

And yet, 'twould appear you're one now. Or, shall I say, you have been one, for this is not the first it's happened to you, much like the rest of us.

[illomened]

[THEY'VE ALL BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH. Souji's soul is withering.]

Yes... Though I haven't been home once since I started this string of venturing and as such I would very much like for it to stop.

[sageguidance]

You—you haven't?

[illomened]

[GIRL HELP. He just laughs, briefly and kind of sheepishly since he forgot he hasn't mentioned it to many people...]

Ah - no, I haven't... My time at the castle just ended before I was held at the camp, and I had only just left there before ending up here.

[sageguidance]

[ ....... ]

This is your third of these... in a row.

[illomened]

[SURPRISE!!]

Well... I was asleep for seven weeks in the second one, so I don't know if I should count it - but by number, yes. I'd say it's been a little over half a year now?

[He's so full of existential exhaustion even if his body is so energetic! But he just laughs a little and simply says:]

I've never really had fair fortune.

[sageguidance]

Twelve above, that's—I scarce have the words! After this, you'd best head straight on home.

[illomened]

Trust me, you and I hope for the same!

[smashcut to me bringing him to crau3

Though, this actually leads him to a bit of a sobering train of thought and he's quiet for a moment.]

--You're heading back home as well, right?

[To the CURSED POINT IN TIME that he's meant to return to...]

[sageguidance]

[ TO THAT CURSED POINT IN TIME ]

... Aye, that I am. 'Tis a place far from home, really—but there is work to be finished there.

[illomened]

[Honestly he's also going home to die so it's not like he doesn't get it, but he still looks unhappy regardless.]

So many here are going from one type of difficult work to another, and it really doesn't seem like a fair thing. I'm certain you will be able to finish your work, but...I wish that there was something I could do for you.

[sageguidance]

[ he shakes his head ]

You've done enough—pray, you need not worry for my sake any longer. You have a home to return to, remember?

[illomened]

[this is extra funny now that you know that souji knows he's about to have to fight swords to the death

But he just offers a little flicker of a smile, a bit melancholy in nature.]

I can return to home and still fuss over you a bit, you know. I'm very good at multitasking.

[sageguidance]

[ yeah what the actual fuck ]

Aye, aye...

... Ah, I do have a question, however.

[illomened]

[Things happen in these murdering wilds...

He gives Alphinaud a curious look, though.]

I'll do my best to answer, then. What is it?

[sageguidance]

You had no memory of what became of you upon your arrival to the hotel, correct? Have those memories not yet returned to you?

[illomened]

[Ah. His smile doesn't falter, but there's a little thinness to it for a moment.]

I had a few memories... Enough to be able to start filling in some of the blanks sooner or later, at least. Nico-kun explained a few more things on Thursday, though. Would you care to know, Al-kun?

[sageguidance]

... If it troubles you not, but you need not explain if you do not wish it.