Author's Notes:

Whew... this one took a while. I don't think it came out too bad, but it's got its ups and downs. I like the second and final chapters the most, although I had trouble figuring out where to actually end the final chapter. Third chapter... It's alright, but it feels kind of clunky somehow. I can't put my finger on why it clunks. There was also a fifth chapter that came in between the current third and fourth ones, but I cut it because it was formed around one cheap gag and I couldn't get it to actually go anywhere. Maybe I'll put it back in if I figure out how to fix it, which doesn't look like it's going to happen any time soon.

By the way, you probably ought to read "Reality: the Magic that Turns Courage into Dreams" and "Phantasm of a Dim Dream" first, since this fic contains references to certain events that happened in those fics. Although I'm pretty sure that, if you're strapped for time, you can get away with just reading this one, too.

As usual, reviews are appreciated. Here we go!

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Huh? You can hear me? That's good! Not many people can hear me, so it's always nice to meet someone who can.

So... my name is Aster, and I died two years ago (I think you already know the story behind that one). Nice to meet you!

Well, for the time being, I've switched my field of research to a different kind of spirit... ghosts. Well, now that I am one, I want to know how things work! It's just as fascinating as my old studies back in Sybak...

Here's the first interesting thing I learned from a few of my colleagues: most of the ghosts that "come back" had some incredibly powerful bond with something or someone in the mortal world.

Oh, you wanted to know about my time with Richter? I was getting there.

What am I bound to in this world? I think you might have figured it out... It's Richter. I cared for Richter then, and I still do now. That's why I'm here.

I bet you're wondering why I keep defending Richter. He did almost destroy the world. That alone is a pretty strong argument for him being a bad guy. But think of it this way: he was stopped, and he's willing to pay for his crimes. In fact, he IS paying for it. He is willing to be set on fire every day for a thousand years! When everything is said and done, it'll be like nothing happened... well, almost. If he's accepting the punishment and the world is no worse off in the end, what's the problem? Maybe you've got a clearer understanding of what happened, but that's what I think about it.

I know Richter better than anyone else. I mean, he was always a little grouchy and he could be little unstable if he had a really bad day, but deciding to blow up the world is the exception rather than the norm. He had his bouts of misanthropy, but he was never one of those fanatics that wanted everyone to die.

I met Richter in what was basically a storeroom almost every day for three years. We learned a lot about each other during that time, and after that, I was with him just about 24/7 for four years. He trusted me with everything. I know that Richter isn't nearly as bad as everyone says he is.

I've only been trying to tell him that since the day we first met...