They exited the stage - simply by jumping from it and passing through the seating area this time - and headed up the aisle towards the auditorium exit. Behind them, the orchestra went into tuning and warm-ups, filling the area with a conglomeration of various sounds. Terra's partner still found it enjoyable, though, grinning as they walked. "I can still feel that music inside me even now," he said, placing his hand on his chest. "I had been looking to stir more past emotions, but that... that felt like it swept them all up and then let them settle collectively into a more natural orientation. For the first time I don't feel like a stranger in my own skin anymore. That these emotions that keep resurfacing aren't simply refugees from a forgotten time, but that they have always been mine."
Terra smiled a little shyly. "Yeah, the music... helped me to feel some things, too..." she admitted. She looked away and swallowed. It was almost getting to be too hard to keep him at arm's length out of respect for his past self. She had once wondered why Celes would agonize so much over the prospect of remaining just friends with Locke and what kind of barrier it was she wanted to cross, but... now she was beginning to have a pretty good idea of what Celes had been going through. But if Terra was feeling the same way now, that meant...
When they reached the lobby, the Impresario approached them with a hurried walk. "Oh, splendid, splendid, you were able to defeat that horrible creature after all! I apologize for misjudging you, as you appeared to be nothing but a frail young woman and an unkempt smuggler dressed in an assortment of discarded garments."
"She is not frail, she is the strongest person I know!"
"He's not unkempt, he's hard-working and all those pockets are full of people's hopes and dreams!"
They both looked at each other with a light blush at each others' praise while the Impresario waved his hands and affirmed, "Yes, yes, that was why I was apologizing, you see." He coughed into his fist and folded his arms behind his back. "Thus I have a proposition to make. I intend to get this establishment back up and running as soon as possible, however we have been idle for a number of months thanks to that dragon and thus need some dry runs before we are confident we can re-open to the public. Therefore, as a token of my gratitude and to make up for my underestimation of your capabilities I am willing to offer you a free private showing of the production of your choice."
"Oh?" Terra replied, blinking and looking up at her partner. She... did want to see a show with him at some point, but she hadn't expected the opportunity to arise so soon. "Are you up for it?" she wondered to him.
He fidgeted his shoulders. "It is quite tempting. That piece they played while we fought the dragon was wholly enjoyable and I would like to hear more..."
"Ah, that was a piece from a new opera, Rex Insomnem. We hadn't even had the chance to perform it publicly before that dragon ruined everything. That would be an excellent choice my good sir."
Terra pulled out the lion mask and noted, "You have a personal connection with this mask, too. That little girl said that it looked like one from an opera she saw. Um, it was The Lion and the Sorceress, wasn't it? I was curious what that might be about."
The Impresario gasped and held out his hands. "That... that mask was destroyed when the world went to pieces. Griever is a central character to The Lion and the Sorceress and we would never be able to perform it again without it. But this has been so beautifully restored!"
The mask's previous owner swallowed in hesitation, then bowed his head and offered, "I am in the business of granting wishes, and if it would do you well to have that mask returned to you, you may have it."
"Oh, thank you!" exclaimed the Impresario, gingerly taking the black-feathered lion mask. "We would be honored to perform that opera for you to allow you to witness this mask in its original glory, if that is your desire."
He kept his eyes on the lion mask as if still not entirely comfortable with parting with it permanently. Finally, shaking his head, he replied, "Your offers are all very kind, however there are still other wishes left un-granted and I am short on time at the moment." Breaking his gaze from the lion mask and shifting it to Terra, he gave her a soft smile and said, "But I would love to return at some point and see a performance together."
She smiled back at him. "I'd like that very much, too." Turning to the Impresario and bowing slightly, she said, "Thank you so much for your offer, but we just don't have time right now, but hope to be back later. Good luck with your rehearsals!"
Her partner nodded and turned to the door. "Let's go, Terra. I'll summon Orcus from the roof."
Terra began to follow after him, but then suddenly stopped frozen, a jolt running up her spine. Something... something just occurred to her right then. A nagging sensation in her chest. Something telling her they couldn't leave just yet.
"General...!" she called after him, causing him to pause and turn to look at her expectantly. Her eyes flitted about in thought and she moved her mouth silently a few times before noting, "You... named your chocobo 'Orcus' because it was the only name you could remember when you woke up, right...?"
"Yes, that's right," he confirmed.
That meant something. If it was the only tangible memory that carried over from his past right from the very start of his amnesia, it had to mean something. She didn't know what it meant, but had a feeling that the answer might be found within the opera that was the source of that name.
Turning to the Impresario, she inquired, "Would you be able to perform Orco e Delphina for us?"
The Impresario gasped. "Oh... my goodness, that is quite an unusual request. I recall there was perhaps only one other person who ever made a request we perform it."
"But can you?" she pressed.
The Impresario straightened his shoulders. "Well, yes, it is in our repertoire, however we haven't performed it in probably ten years, not since we did a run of it for a special recording session. It just isn't very popular. But since we aren't looking to fill seats this time around, it can be arranged if that is your wish."
"That is my wish," Terra confirmed, turning back to her partner. "I want to see it with you."
He flushed lightly. "Are... are you certain? If we stay here we are unlikely to have the time to collect enough money and resources for another delivery before your time is up."
"I know..." she admitted. She walked to him and held his hand, looking down at it. "But... I just have a feeling... that this is important. You'd talked about wanting to see this one, but I think... you need to see it. There's something about it that's still deeply tied to you, and I think it can help you." She looked up at him with slightly pleading eyes. "So I guess this is... my wish for you."
He was held by her gaze, then unconsciously lifted her hand up to his face and lightly kissed the back of it, never breaking eye contact. Her face went pink as he softly promised, "Then... I will do everything in my power to grant it."
The Impresario clapped behind them. "Splendid! Give us about thirty minutes to set up. You are welcome to the box seats in the balcony for your viewing pleasure." He turned and rushed into the dressing room area, clapping his hands and announcing, "Look alive, everyone, we're back in business!"
Terra only vaguely heard him, her attention still firmly focused on her partner in front of her, her hands still clasping his. The full, warm feeling in her chest she had now, the fluttering her her stomach... these were feelings that she was certain went beyond the love for a friend. But if she took that step, if she made those feelings known and asked him to reciprocate... would they be able to still be friends, too? She didn't know what going beyond friendship even meant, and was scared that if she asked for too much she'd lose what she already had.
He rubbed his thumb absently over the back of her hand, and after noting her hesitation said, "I apologize if I have been too forward. If I am intimidating you or making you uncomfortable, please..."
She shook her head and leaned her forehead against his chest. "You don't ever have to apologize for being affectionate with me. I like it, I really do, but I guess I'm a little..." She trailed off, not sure how to explain how she felt.
"Scared?" he speculated. She tensed a little, then nodded against his chest. He brought his hand up to absently stroke the back of her head and confessed, "I admit that I am as well. From an emotional level I feel like a mostly whole person again, but I am still cut off from the experiences that forged those emotions. Thus, I am constantly in fear that any decision I make might betray one of those experiences that I have no memory of. I know that I cannot be faulted for only working with the information that I have available, but... the fear of the unknown nonetheless proves to be a persistent barrier to taking action."
She closed her eyes and kept her cheek against his chest, enjoying the feeling of him stroking her head, and also the feeling of him being able to understand and put voice to her emotions where she sometimes still struggled. While she did wish they could both be more unreservedly affectionate with each other, what they had now was... safe, and she was afraid of risking that.
But right now they had a chance to relax and have an activity that was outside of work or saving the world or fighting off monsters. Something that was just for the two of them. And not only that, something she knew that he'd wanted to do for a long time, and something that she'd been curious about due to his enthusiasm for it.
She stood back up straight and tugged on his hand, saying, "Come on, let's go find our seats. We may not be able to predict what's coming, but we can at least enjoy right now."
He smiled and allowed her to lead him as she pulled him a little eagerly to the balcony. The Impresario said that they could have the "box seats" but since neither of them had any prior experience with theaters to their memory, they weren't particularly certain which seats he was referring to. However, since they were the only members of the audience, it wasn't like it ultimately mattered, and they ended up selecting a pair of seats in the balcony front row.
When they sat down, the orchestra was still warming up and stagehands were just finishing setting up some props and scenery on the stage. After they had been seated a moment, Terra noticed that her partner was restlessly fidgeting and wondered, "Are you all right?"
"Oh!" he realized, stilling himself. "I guess I'm just... excited?" he surmised, as though he wasn't entirely sure where his feelings were coming from. "I'm eager to hear more like what the orchestra played for us while we were fighting the dragon, and you said that I named Orcus after a character in this opera, so... perhaps I'm eager to see where that name came from?" He looked down and fidgeted his fingers again. It felt like more than that, though, but he couldn't place why.
The discordant sounds of the orchestra's warm-up suddenly ceased, and was replaced by a single violin humming out a long note, which was then gradually joined by the remainder of the instruments. It lasted for about ten seconds before the orchestra went silent again. Terra's partner blinked and leaned over to whisper, "Was that a song just now? Are we supposed to clap?" Terra shrugged, as she was just as inexperienced with this as he was.
Before he could question further, the lights dimmed and the Impresario walked out on stage, illuminated by a spotlight. "Esteemed performers, crew, members of the orchestra, and honored guests. After many long months our opera house is finally returning to operation. To commemorate this day, please enjoy this special exhibition performance for our benefactors. The Jidoor opera house now proudly presents... Orco e Delphina."
The spotlight went out, and the orchestra suddenly erupted into an overture, a fanfare of trumpets and strings. Terra's partner straightened a little in surprise, but after a few seconds, his eyes narrowed and he leaned forward attentively. "I... I know this song..." he whispered in realization.
"You remember?" Terra wondered hopefully.
He gave a single shake of his head, still fixated on the darkened stage and the music filling the auditorium. "Not entirely, no. But I can hear the next few bars of music come into my head before they're played. Like..." He raised his hand in front of him and conducted along with his fingers, and when the orchestra changed meter or tempo he was able to match it perfectly. Leaning back in his seat, he whispered to himself, "All right, I need to try to actually pay attention to this instead of continuing to anticipate every beat."
Terra smiled and reached over the armrest to hold his hand. "Don't worry, I'll keep those fidgety fingers in check." He flashed her a quick smile and squeezed her hand back before intently turning his attention back to the stage.
The orchestra quieted somewhat and moved into a softer piece as a man in simple garb walked to the center of the stage. He looked out to the audience, raised his arm, and began to sing.
Fair Delphina
Long have I yearned
To take your hand
And my feelings be returned
Those opening lyrics immediately made Terra acutely aware of the position she had just put herself in. She bashfully glanced up at her partner whose hand she was currently holding to see how he'd reacted, but he was still enraptured by the stage, the glimmer of the spotlight shining in his eyes, which only served to make him even more endearing. Leo had said that he had deeply related to this story, and from just the first verse Terra was already feeling it, too.
Though a common man like this Orcus
Could not possibly earn your heart
With no wealth or esteemed profession
I must depart
For a new start
The stage dimmed and there was the rumble of scenery being rearranged while the orchestra vamped the preceding melody. When the lights came back up it showed an outdoor scene, and Orcus walking across the stage passing various other people inquiring through song about work but being turned down at every turn. Then a man dressed in a soldier's uniform came running from the other side of the stage:
I bring tidings of war!
Northern armies have invaded!
We seek men who are stalwart
To resist the coming foes!
Orcus turned to the audience and responded,
This could be my chance
To prove I'm worthy of Delphina's hand
Gaining prowess as a soldier of war
And defending my homeland!
He left with the other soldier, and after a costume and scene shift, there was a musical montage of him training with the army. He was soon sent on his first mission, which was to expel invading Northern troops from a small village. Orcus's squadron was successful, and in the process he personally rescued a man called Cetus. Cetus was grateful and asked if he could join the army and fight alongside Orcus, to which Orcus happily agreed.
There was another montage of them training together, and Orcus and Cetus ended up in the same battalion for the next mission to liberate another village. Orcus and Cetus rescued a family from a burning house, but after doing so, one of the villagers noticed:
I remember you
Major Cetus of the North Lands
You invaded our hometown
Countless died by your own hands!
Terra gasped in surprise. Leo had given her a very brief summary of the opera before so she already knew some of the plot points, but this was something he hadn't mentioned specifically at all. Cetus was a spy?! But he and Orcus had been such good friends! And Orcus had saved him! How could he betray him like that?!
Orcus was, understandably, angry at this revelation. The music grew dark and he drew his sword as though to execute Cetus for treason, but then turned his back on him instead.
Be gone from me
You may go free
Though we were once friends
I can't abide by your deception
If you return to your country
I'll consider my work done
Cetus backed away, then ran off the stage to the side. Orcus remained in the center of the stage and bowed his head, and the lights went out.
The auditorium lights came back up, and Terra blinked in surprise. "Huh? Is that the end?" That couldn't have been the end; there were still parts that Leo had mentioned happening that she hadn't seen yet.
To answer her question, the Impresario came out on stage and announced, "This concludes Act I. There will now be a fifteen-minute intermission before the start of Act II."
She breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at her partner, wondering, "So, how are you liking it so far?"
"It's amazing..." he breathed, still staring out at the stage as the scenery was once again moved around. "It's like... I can feel it in my soul, and it all feels so familiar to me. The music... I know every beat and yet I can't place it. I know every word of every song but I can't bring them to my mind until I hear them. But being here now and watching it all play out... feels so fulfilling, like everything is gradually being put into place."
"I'm glad you're enjoying it," she said, grinning. "Honestly, I'm really getting into it, too. I wasn't sure about what it would be like to have a story entirely put to music, but it's like the music... brings out the emotions of a scene more fully than simply speaking it. I'd always had such a hard time understanding emotions, but this makes them so much easier to grasp." She fidgeted her fingers. "It's a shame about Cetus, though. I liked his relationship with Orcus and it's terrible that he betrayed him."
"He didn't betray him," her companion said confidently. "I... don't actively remember what happens, but I can just feel it. After all, simply being a soldier of an enemy country doesn't necessarily make you a bad person, right? We're all fellow people before we're soldiers, after all."
"But that villager said that Cetus killed people in that village," Terra noted.
"Y... yes," he concurred, tilting his head. "And he should be held to account for that. But at the same time, I think it was too hasty of Orcus to dismiss him before he had the chance to explain himself." He leaned forward and folded his hands. "And then there's the curiosity with Delphina..."
"Oh...?" Terra wondered. That was a plot point she already knew, but she wasn't going to spoil it for him. "Well, she... sounds nice?"
"That's just it, though," he replied. "Orcus has only ever talked about her. She's never actually appeared yet. You are correct that the relationship between Orcus and Cetus has far more onstage development."
They continued to chat with each other about the finer plot points until the orchestra started up again with a reprise of the melody that Act I ended with that then transitioned into a new melody. The two of them hushed as the lights dimmed again and Orcus reappeared on stage. By the evolution of his uniform, it appeared to be several years later and he had gained a few ranks in the meantime. The scene opened in what appeared to be a military strategy meeting.
Scouts report we are closing in on the Northern hordes
They number seven hundred
Our troops have them outnumbered
Take our troops and position them in the western hills
Nightfall is our ally
Attack at sunset
Leave no man standing
Fell their leader
Vanquish their menace
For all time!
That seemed... unnecessarily brutal. Even if the North was their enemy who had invaded their country, reciprocating with utter annihilation felt disproportionate. And Orcus was okay ordering something like this?
Orcus's army met the opposing Northern forces, but their army was being led by none other than Cetus, Orcus's former friend, who had also risen in the ranks. The two men stared each other down from opposite sides of the stage, a group of soldiers behind each of them. Orcus called out to him in anger:
Here you stand as a loyal slave to your vicious king!
I'd thought that we were brothers
But your lies have been uncovered!
Cetus retorted back, to which Orcus offered volleys of his own:
Yet you bring an invasion force to destroy my home!
You're in no position-
- This is reprisal!
And we defy it!
- You slew dozens!
You've murdered hundreds!
- So you say!
The lighting turned red and there was a tense beating of percussion as they faced off. Orcus then bowed his head and lowered his sword, lamenting,
Here we stand again
Further battles in this long war
I can hardly remember
What we're even fighting for
Lives have been destroyed
By this back-and-forth invasion
Even if I defeat you
Does that really mean I've won?
Orcus raised his hand to bid his soldiers stand down, and Cetus did the same. They sheathed their swords and each walked from their sides to the center of the stage to meet. Here they both acknowledged that they had only been acting on the orders of their rulers without questioning why they were fighting or the means they used to do so. Cetus admitted that although he had started as a spy, he honestly did grow to become friends with Orcus and regretted his actions. Orcus in turn apologized for all the men of the Northern armies that he'd killed over the years in reprisal. They agreed that if they were responsible for so much loss of life then they also had the power to stop it, and that they would return to their respective kingdoms to negotiate an armistice.
However, suddenly a soldier from the Northern army who still wanted to fight broke away from the group and fired an arrow at Orcus. Cetus pushed him out of the way but was struck instead. Terra gasped in shock and held her mouth, while Orcus held Cetus and pleaded with him not to die. However, Cetus seemed content with his fate.
With my death this war will be over
Justice served for those killed before
Go find happiness with Delphina
You deserve more
Than endless war
Cetus died in Orcus's arms, and without their commander, the Northern armies retreated. Orcus returned to his country a hero for ending the war, however he couldn't participate in the celebrations of his fellow countrymen. Instead, he declared that the only thing that could make him happy now was to return home and be with his beloved Delphina.
Terra gulped and glanced up at her companion, since she already knew where this was headed. He bore an unsettled expression as though he suspected what was about to happen, too. Terra belatedly realized that she actually had no idea how the opera ultimately ended, either, and if it did end tragically, how it would affect his fledgling emotional stability.
The scene changed to the village from the opening scene in Act I, but with Orcus now in his military uniform rather than the plain garb from the beginning. He inquired about Delphina, but was met with the news:
I regret to say
That Delphina has departed
Fell in love with a farmhand
And last summer they were wed
The stage lights darkened aside from a single spotlight on Orcus. He hung his head and walked slowly towards the side of the stage as the orchestra began an introductory instrumental.
Terra's companion felt the muscles in his back stiffen as the music started. This song... The melody had been used several times before throughout the course of the story, but this rendition... this instrumentation, the tempo, the key... all the rest of the songs he could follow along with subconsciously despite not actively remembering them, but with this one it was like the introductory bars triggered some sort of deep anxiety. The introduction finished, Orcus began to sing in a lamenting tone:
I held my course
Dreams in my soul
Without remorse
I pressed onward towards my goal
The lyrics, the melody, everything about this song was crystal clear in his head, to the point that he was mouthing along with them as he sat enraptured by the performance. Here Orcus reached the edge of the stage and began to climb a precipice that had been hidden in the darkness. No don't... don't go there...
Yet my life has been but a river
Locked in deference in its flow
Through immutable, hardened landscapes
Toward tomorrow
Is where I'd go
Orcus now stood high above the stage, looking down into the complete darkness. He had suffered loss after loss, and everything he had been working for was gone. And with everything in his life having become nothing, the only thing he could do to regain them was to... become nothing with them.
No, please... stop... If you keep going you're... you're not even going to exist anymore. He knew what was coming, the lyrics ringing through his head with utter clarity...
But the river falls from the mountain
And the river ends at the sea
Now a desolate, black expansion
Is all I see
Eternally...
Eternally...
Eternally...
In his mind, the song stopped there... no more music, no more words trickled into his head anticipating what was coming next. Just the word "Eternally" repeated over and over like a skipping record for... eternity... no moving on, no going forward, no existence beyond that point. He was still trapped on that cliff on the Floating Continent, forever staring into an endless dark abyss: everything behind him destroyed, in front of him only nothingness. After losing everything, this... this was all there was: Darkness and uncertainty. Was it endless despair or utter nonexistence beyond this point? He didn't know. And that terrified him, to the point that he was incapable of moving any further from that spot.
Orcus... how did your story end? Where did you go from here? To me, you never moved from this place, and neither have I. The future continued without us and we were unable to join it. But now that future holds something that I want to participate in. But I still don't know how to move beyond this point or if I even can. Please, Orcus, I don't want to be trapped here eternally...
Eternally...
Eternally...
The music went silent, the stage dark aside from a dim spotlight on Orcus. After a few moments of tense silence, Orcus slowly looked up from the darkness and faced the audience, raising his hand towards them as he sang in a soft a cappella:
Turn from despair
Look back behind
While unaware
The terrain was redefined
The stage lights slowly faded on, revealing a backdrop depicting a flourishing kingdom no longer ravaged by war. The perimeter of the stage was lined with trees and flowers of the likes that their current world had not seen in a year. And in the backdrop scenery, a river ran through it all. The music swelled and resumed in a major key, as Orcus continued:
Even solid rocks are eroded
And a forest springs from its shore
Although gradual, life has flourished
My life is more
I can't ignore
Though the path I forged here was grueling
Untold others now may walk free
This mere undesired destination
Shall never be
What defines me
Orcus reached down and took hold of the blue stream of fabric hanging off the edge of the cliff meant to represent the falling river, and instead used it as a rope to gently rappel safely down to the flower-strewn stage. With a tug, he pulled the long blue sash from the precipice and wrapped it around his shoulders, spreading his arms and triumphantly declaring:
Yes, the river fell from the mountain
Where the river joins with the sea
But the sea itself, she is boundless
I am free
We are free!
He turned, the blue sash billowing behind him, and strode purposefully towards the back of the stage and the backdrop of the river surrounded by flowers and greenery. The curtains closed behind him and the orchestra crescendoed to a rousing finale.
Terra sat speechless with her mouth covered and eyes watering for a few seconds, before she sprang to her feet and applauded wholeheartedly. Leo rose from his seat and joined her in the ovation, his mouth firmly clenched as though trying to ward off tears of his own. "That was... fantastic..." he breathed. "After all that had happened, I never would have anticipated it could end that way. But now... now I finally know..." He turned his head to her and gave a light nod, his eyes wavering and misty. "Thank you, Terra."
She sniffed and rubbed her eye with the heel of her hand, smiling. "You're welcome. I really enjoyed it, too. It made me feel... so many things I haven't really experienced before. Based on what you'd told me before I was afraid of how it was going to end, but that ending gave me a lot of hope." She let out a light laugh and looked back up at him. "I can see why you love and relate to it so much. There were a few parts that did remind me quite a bit of you."
His cheeks colored slightly as he looked back to the stage. "And I am... rather touched that you took my frivolous ramblings from back then to heart..."
"I wish you wouldn't call your interests frivolous since they obviously meant a lot... to you..." Terra said, but trailed off as she came to a different realization as she spoke. Bringing her hand to her mouth, she whispered, "Wait, do you... remember our conversation on the boat?"
He slowly nodded once, still gazing out at the stage. "And everything else. The Doman Genocide, Crescent Island, the Floating Continent... and my name." He sank back into his seat and rubbed his hands over his face. "I will... need some time to get my thoughts in order."
Terra slowly sat back down in her own seat next to him and looked after him in tense silence, apprehensive about what those memories might do to him, but also wanting to trust that he had the strength to work through them. And if not... she still wanted to be there to help ease their burden if it became necessary.
Notes:
- Chapter 1: "Hey, since Leo's profile says he's a music buff, I'll have there be this opera he's never been able to hear the end of so he can bond with Terra over understanding what it's like to really want to know how something feels through experience rather than just being told. Then I can have that fear of everything falling apart and not being able to recover from it be sort of an underlying driver of his actions."
A few chapters later: "But, I mean, I'm eventually going to have to resolve that. And thematically it's going to have to involve him getting to hear the rest of that opera. ... I'm going to have to write an opera, aren't I?"
- As I mentioned in the previous chapter's notes, I imagined the music during the dragon fight to be the waltz from FFXV. "Rex Insomnem" is Latin for "The Sleepless King", or even just "The King of Insomnia".
- Where the hell has Terra been carrying that mask all this time? XD Probably the same place everyone carries the weapon, armor, and item inventory. Thanks to Celes we probably still have some fish in there, too.
- Years ago I took some friends with me to a "Distant Worlds" Final Fantasy concert, and they'd never been to an orchestra concert before and applauded after the tuning not knowing what it was. I thought it was kind of cute.
- The songs in Orco e Delphina are all written to an assortment of FF6 BGM, specifically Terra's theme, the Empire's theme (in its various renditions of "Troops March On", "The Empire Gestahl", and "Under Martial Law"), and the Returners theme.
- Because Leo's name is Latin for "lion", and Draco's name is Latin for "dragon", I wanted to keep with the Latin name theme in Orco e Delphina as well. "Orcus" is a Roman god of the underworld whose name is the root of the word "orca", "Delphina" is Latin for "dolphin", and "Cetus" is Latin for "whale". I went with the marine mammal naming theme to go along with the "river" theme that's been established. Leo, Draco, Delphinus, and Cetus are also all heavenly constellations, while Orcus is the the opposite, and represents Hell and death.
- And I can friggin' finally use Leo's name in the narration again, which has been really hard up until now without sounding super awkward. When I first re-introduced him without his memory it felt wrong to call him "Leo" in the narration when that's not what he identified himself as. Thus, the only appearances of his name in narration up until now have been specifically from Terra's POV, since she still identifies him by that name in her head.
- Title "Cadenza" is Italian for "cadence", which is the progression of chords to their resolution. In opera, a "cadenza" is an improvised vocal flourish that usually occurs right before the closing note of a song to draw out the build-up before finally progressing to the end.