Disclaimer: I don't own the Bravely Series, all rights to the owners.
Agnès is going to be interesting to try and write because I never actually completed Bravely Default. I know her characterization from Second, which is what I'm mostly going off, but I only know so much of it from Default. I remember I got Default after Second, and didn't like it because the grinding was more irritating (you can't string together consecutive one turn victories) and Ringabel felt like a massive step down from Magnolia in terms of main characters. Agnès was fine though, I liked her about as much as I liked Yew.
That was several years ago though. I've been meaning to go back and fully play through Default at some point now that I'm older and don't necessarily hate womanizing characters on sight. It's just a matter of actually finding where I put the damn game.
Anyhow. Agnès and some of the Second cast, enter stage right.
Carriage rides are really, really boring.
Tiz would consider himself a patient man. You sort of have to be when dealing with animals and doing mostly manual labour for a living. Even he has his limits though. A week of sitting in a wooden box doing nothing starts to grate on him.
It wouldn't be so bad if he could walk. Physical activity is a great way to take your mind off something. It would be fine if he had someone to talk to as well, but neither of his escorts are very chatty. They're the picture of professionalism, and that means they refuse to have casual conversations on the job.
There's only so many times Tiz can read through the book Edea gave him before he gets bored, and he doesn't particularly want to read the book more than once to begin with considering it's an elaborate jab at his unwillingness to propose to Agnès.
But no. He has nothing else to do but stare out the window, watching the scenery go by. He watches as snowy hills fade into slightly less tall snowy hills, and then eventually grassy hills. Conifers melt into deciduous trees the further south the carriage goes, and the air has noticeably risen in temperature every few days.
To Tiz's pleasant surprise, there are absolutely no goblin attacks as they travel the roads. He remembers Eternia having a goblin problem during the war due to all their soldiers being out in the world rather than at home. A few poisonous applings take issue with the carriage, but on their own they're a complete non-issue.
Yew isn't allowed to fight them. His escorts shoot them down from a distance before Tiz can even consider grabbing the Defender.
The most interesting parts of the trip come from whatever inn they stay at. Tiz has a chance to talk with people, and they have a lot to say with a bit of prodding.
"I've been runnin' this route for years now." A merchant tells him as they share a drink (ale for the trader, milk for Tiz) at a table. Tiz's escorts sit nearby, watching and listening like protective parents. "When the Second Crisis ended, there was a lot o' effort put into cleaning out the plains between Pilgrim's Grove and Bifrost. A joint effort by the Eternian army and the Crystalguard. A political move I think. I don't care for the reason, just the result. I can run goods from Gathelatio to Bifrost and don't have to worry about anything but applings."
Bifrost is Eternia's biggest border city. Tiz left it just a day ago.
"And the pope finally committed more troops to keeping the Grove clean a few years back. The old pope never seemed to care about anything outside of Gathelatio proper." The merchant continues. "Thank the crystals Pope Agnès actually cares about the little guys, yeah?"
"Yeah…" Tiz isn't well versed on the politics of the Orthodoxy, or the politics of anything for that matter, but he's vaguely aware it had issues with corruption. He wonders how much Agnès has had to deal with that corruption. As a vestal she almost never had to deal with anyone outside of the nuns of the temple. It would be too much to hope that all the corruption issues simply went away when the Second Crisis ended. "Is the pope busy?"
Almost immediately Tiz reconizes he's asked a stupid question. Of course Agnès is busy.
"Sorry, I mean-"
"Hoping to get an audience?" The merchant interrupts with a cheeky smile. "You and a thousand other people. Good luck buddy. The waiting list isn't short."
Tiz flushes. "That's not what I meant."
"Sure it's not."
Tiz decides not to argue. It doesn't matter what the merchant thinks his motives are. "How different is Gathelatio since the First Crisis?"
He doesn't have a point of reference for what Gathelatio was like before, or what it's like now, but he'd rather not put his lack of worldly knowledge on display by straight up asking "What is Gathelatio like?"
"Not much. It's been slow moving." The merchant says. "Every year in Bifrost there's some new tech to see. There are new lamps, and weird experimental metal vehicles that look like something the Glanz would have used, but Gathelatio doesn't change. The gaggle of old religious families there might be part of the issue. Pope's been pushing for reforms and new projects but they won't have any of it. Heck, she only got the Grove cleaned up because she promised it would help with the economy and bring them more money."
The more the world changes, the more it stays the same. "Somehow I'm not surprised."
"You and me both." The merchant nods. "I suppose the pope can technically make whatever rules she wants, but she rarely does. There's only been a few times she's bypassed open discussion to make a reform or enact a new project."
"That sounds like Agnès alright." Tiz murmurs. She'd rather convince people than force her will upon them, even if she's fairly certain she's in the right… even if the people she's trying to convince really couldn't care less.
"Agnès?" The merchant says, raising an eyebrow. "You call the pope by her first name?"
"Uhh…" Oops. "Yes?"
"Don't know how you expect to get away with that. You're gonna sound awfully full of yourself if you go around referring to the pope so casually." The merchant says. "Unless… do you personally know the Pope?"
"Umm-"
"Wait, wasn't there news from Eternia a few months back 'bout a Hero of Light waking up?" The merchant continues, now scrutinizing Tiz's face. "Some shepherd boy from Norende?"
"Was there news?" Tiz asks. He doesn't want to lie about who he is, but he'd rather a big deal not be made out of it. "I didn't hear."
"Say, friend, what did you say your name was again?" The merchant asks, now leaning forward across the table with interest. "Somethin' Warrior?"
"Sir Arrior." One of Tiz's escorts says, choosing to bail out the hapless shepherd. Tiz shoots the man an immensely grateful look. "We best be turning in for the night. Tomorrow will be a long day."
"Yes, of course." Tiz agrees, grabbing the metaphorical lifeline he's been offered. He nods politely to the merchant. "Sorry, I really must be going. Good fortune to you on your travels."
"You too…" The merchant says, and sits back with a suspicious squint on his face.
Tiz quickly shuffles out of the room with his escorts following behind him. The walk up the stairs to their room, and Tiz is just closing the door to his room when the escort that bailed him out speaks again.
"If you're trying to be unnoticed, consider not mentioning the pope by name."
Yes, thank you, he hadn't figured that out. "I'll keep it in mind."
He refrains from asking about Agnès for the next few days in taverns and inns, just out of nervousness.
###
Tiz didn't exactly know what he was expecting from Gathelatio. He knew it was a coastal city, and of course it's the seat of Crystalism, so he was expecting a large city with old stone buildings and churches everywhere.
He's not completely wrong, but Gathelatio surpasses his expectations. Even from a distance he can see the shining white spires of huge buildings, and the absolutely massive entrance archway that has four main spires, each the size of a city block, and two smaller ones to the side, as supports. That's absurdly extravagant in itself, but supposedly the spires even have intricate carvings and statues recessed into the walls, all religious imagery as you might expect, in what has to be the ultimate display of Crystalism's power and influence.
Tiz is even more shocked to hear from his escorts that the two small spires are actually storage space, the two innermost spires are barracks, and the last two are massive inns for travellers and pilgrims, all owned by the church of course.
He thought they were solid stone, but apparently not. He can understand why this was one of the first places Eternia captured in the First Fairy Crisis (he learned that from Edea). Even if Gathelatio isn't a military powerhouse, it is the symbol of Crystalism outside of the crystals themselves. Tiz can see that plainly enough from where he is, and he's not even going to reach the city for another day.
The spires aren't any less impressive close up. They dwarf anything and everything in the surrounding area, and are so tall that Tiz swears they touch low-flying clouds.
"Sir." One of his escorts says as they approach the main gate. They're leaning back from up front. "We're going to stop here and one of us will walk you in. No sense in getting the carriage stuck in traffic and taking longer to get back."
"Alright then." Tiz says, and quickly grabs all the items he's kept in the cabin with him. The Defender, Edea's joke gift, and the letter from Agnès are all quickly attached to his belt or pushed into his pockets. As soon as the carriage comes to a stop he hops out.
Tiz tries to grab his own luggage, but the escort flatly refuses to let him carry it, citing marshal's orders. So Tiz has to suffer looking like some rich asshole who won't even carry his own luggage.
It might be for the best though. The entrance to Gathelatio is tightly packed with bodies all trying to get through the entrance gates, and the guards asking questions and directing the flow of people just look tired and it's only a few hours past sunup.
"They're hungover, Sir Arrior, not tired." Is what his escort says when Tiz points that out. "They'll be fine in a few hours."
Rather than wait in one of the lines, the escort leads Tiz right past them to one of the gates, flashes some sort of badge at the guards while grunting. "High Marshal's personal guard. We're expected." And gets them waves through in a matter of seconds.
"Are we allowed to cut the line like that?" Tiz asks anxiously, glancing back at some of the disgruntled travellers who watched them get through the gate without any opposition and are clearly miffed about it.
"We just did." His escort replies flatly.
"But-"
"Would you rather wait three hours in the line?"
"Well no-"
"Then just accept that as a Hero of Light you're owed enough respect to cut a line." The escort says dryly. "It makes both of our lives easier."
Tiz decides to keep his mouth shut, at least until he's out of the escort's hair.
"Now, keep your eyes and ears open for someone weird. That's probably your guide."
Tiz can't help but ask another question despite just telling himself he wouldn't speak. "What do you mean weird?"
"The Crystalguard have a man who is also a horse as one of their members." The escort says. "The captain looks like he's barely over fourteen, and more than half of them have some random speech quirk. That's what I mean by weird."
So Tiz looks around for someone weird. He doesn't see any horsemen or important looking teenagers, but he does see a woman so pale he wouldn't be surprised if she was a vampire wearing a skimpy blue dress and carrying a glaive. Considering she perfectly matches Edea's description of Magnolia, Tiz bets that is who they're looking for. "Over there. Her?"
"Yep." The escort says, and then under his breath. "Finally."
"Hello!" Magnolia calls when she sees them. She brushes through the crowd to meet them, and people part either at the sight of her weapon or her odd choice of dress. Her eyes (more pink than red, but close enough) spare only a glance at the escort before fixing on Tiz. "You are Arrior, yes?"
"Yes." Tiz nods. "Magnolia, right?"
"Magnolia Genolgia-Arch!" She bows while grabbing one of his gloved hands and brushing her lips over it, and then flashing him a wink. Like a nobleman greeting his lady… except he's not a lady, and she's not a nobleman. "A pleasure to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too." Tiz says. He awkwardly inclines his head, not sure if he should be bowing or if he's expected to make some dramatic greeting gesture like she did.
"If that's all, Sir Arrior." The escort says quickly, clearly wanting to leave before more conversation can get underway. Tiz nods, and the man puts down his luggage, bows quickly, and jogs back towards the gate.
"He was quite eager to leave. Have you been causing trouble, Tiz?" Magnolia asks with an amused twinkle in her eye. Tiz relaxes a bit. It's nice to finally have someone other than Edea call him by his first name rather than "Sir Arrior" all the time.
"I hope not." Tiz says, grabbing his suitcase. Finally he can carry his own things. "So not intentionally."
"But unintentionally?"
"Maybe." Tiz admits. "I've accidentally used Agnès' name a few times, and because no one else calls her that it sort of gave me away."
"I wasn't aware this was a stealth mission." Magnolia says. She starts to walk away, glancing to make sure Tiz is following, and Tiz falls into step next to her.
"It's not, but I'd prefer not to have the attention."
"Ahh, not one for the spotlight." Magnolia hums. "I suppose I should have expected as much. Agnès and Edea always said you were humble."
"They've talked about me?"
"Mais oui! Edea had plenty of tales to share when I travelled with her, and Agnès hasn't been able to stop talking about you the whole last two months." Magnolia says. She pokes him in the cheek with her free hand. "I have heard many stories of your heroism."
"Exaggerated probably." Tiz says.
"And your humbleness."
Tiz scratches the back of his head.
"And many more about you stumbling around Agnès."
Tiz groans. Of course. "Edea…"
"Most of Edea's stories were about you or Ringabel doing something foolish." Magnolia says cheerfully. "I must say, it endeared me to you before I ever laid eyes on you."
Tiz lets out a long sigh. Of course Edea would only tell the embarrassing stories.
"So, tell me, how in love are you with Agnès.?" Magnolia asks abruptly.
"I- uh-" Tiz stammer, completely unprepared for the question. He really wishes he could maintain his usual composure in the face of teasing, but when it comes to Agnès he can never seem to hold himself together. "Well it's been a while, but-"
"So 'very much', I take it." Magnolia says cheerfully. "Good. I'm glad to know Edea wasn't exaggerating in her stories."
Tiz sighs again, aware of his red cheeks. "Why is that the only thing Edea ever mentions about me?"
"Everyone loves a good romance!" Magnolia winks. "A dashing shepherd and a sheltered vestal, brought together by fate and tragedy, learning to trust and love each other? What a perfect tale!"
Tiz really thought his face couldn't get more red, but it does.
"And better yet, I can see the performance live in the most literal sense possible!" Magnolia adds with a grin. "Incidentally, Edea has demanded a play-by-play of your seduction of Agnès, so make it suitably dramatic alright?"
"I am not seducing anyone." Much less Agnès. He doesn't even know how that would work.
"Not intentionally. You're handsome enough that you'll manage without trying." Magnolia says, and patronizingly pats him on the cheek. "So, again, dramatic, alright?"
"No."
"Why not? Are you afraid?"
"Very." Tiz says, frowning. "And whatever happens between and Agnès is not a show for you to watch."
"I meant not to offend." Magnolia assures, sensing she may have gone a bit too far. "Edea wants her friends to be happy, and I want to give her good news, that's all."
"I know." Tiz says. He takes a breath, holds it, and then releases. Magnolia is just teasing. No need to get worked up. "But it's not that simple."
"I beg to differ, but I suppose you wouldn't know." Magnolia hums. "Enough of that though, if it's not something you want to talk about. You've never been to Gathelatio before, right?"
"I haven't."
"Well then, I just have to show you the city. After we go see the Crystalguard and drop you suitcase off at the house of course. Yew has just been dying to meet you. He's almost as nervous as Agnès!" Magnolia says eagerly. "Oh, he's going to be so happy!"
Tiz licks his lips anxiously. "I hope he didn't set his expectations too high."
Magnolia laughs. "He's very easy to impress. Don't worry."
###
As it turns out, Magnolia isn't wrong. Yew's handshake is excessively enthusiastic, almost as much as the giant horseman that greeted Tiz just a moment ago.
"I-It's such an honor Sir!" Yew says. His brown eyes sparkle in the sunlight as he stares at Tiz with them wide open. He really does look like a teenager with his short height, baggy clothes, and soft face. "I've heard so much about you! I'm your biggest fan!"
"Fan…?" Tiz says, bewildered. He looks to Magnolia for help, but she's content to lean against the wall and watch this play out with a massive grin on her face.
"Yes Sir!" Yew nods so quickly Tiz worries the boy- man, Yew is twenty three despite appearances- will hurt his neck. "I've read all about you, and Edea and her holiness have told me so much!"
"Oh." Tiz says, remembering what Magnolia said not that long ago about Edea mostly telling embarrassing stories. "Great..."
"Did you really fight off a troll with only your bare fists!?"
"Technically yes-" Granted, it was already injured when they found it.
"Did you really fight off both Holly and Barras by yourself to save her holiness!?"
"Well, she helped too-"
"Did you really-"
"Chéri." Magnolia interrupts, putting a hand on Yew's arm. "Don't you have drills to be instructing?"
"Well yes-"
"Perhaps it wouldn't be wise to leave Cú Chulainn unsupervised for too long…? Especially when Bella isn't here? You can always talk to Tiz later."
"Right. Right! Uh, I'll talk to you later Sir!" Yew says, and bows deeply from the waist. "But, did you really-"
"Yew, Cú Chulainn." Magnolia repeats, gently pushing her husband towards the training grounds.
"Right!" Yew nods. Even as he turns around he's constantly glancing at Yew. "Goodbye Sir!"
"Bye, uh, Yew." Tiz says, and gives a pathetic looking wave as the boy- man- strides down the hallway. He turns the corner out of sight, and Tiz can finally relax his shoulders. "Wow, uh…"
"He is adorable, non?" Magnolia giggles.
"Yeah, and tiring." Tiz says, then remembers he's talking to the guy's wife. "Uh, if you don't mind me saying..."
"Oh, I'm well aware." Magnolia says. "I've had to deal with him practically bouncing out of his seat for nearly a week now. The thought of meeting you got him quite excited."
"I'm nothing special."
"Not to yourself maybe." Magnolia says. "Now, are you a sweets man or a salt man?"
"Seafood actually."
"Mmm, I can work with that." She says, grabbing Tiz's hand and pulling him along. "How hungry are you?"
His breakfast was very light, mostly because he was too anxious to eat much. "Very."
"Perfect. I know just the…" Magnolia says, then trails off. "Does Agnès know you like seafood?"
"Yes…?" What does that have to do with anything?
"Wouldn't want to ruin any plans…" Magnolia mutters quietly to herself as she pulls Tiz along. Tiz can't imagine what plans she could possibly ruin by taking him to a different restaurant. At least, he assumes it was a restaurant. Maybe there's a really good street vendor. "Hmm… okay, I still have a place."
That place is a rather expensive looking restaurant that Tiz feels wildly out of place in. The food is good though. Thankfully after the meal, Magnolia leads him around the city to see a bunch of what Tiz assumes are tourist destinations. She takes him to see a few cathedrals, a museum, a library, "the place where the old rich assholes live" (which is a section of town with some absolutely massive mansions. Tiz thought Magnolia and Yew's house was big, but it's nothing compared to these estates), and… the main gardens.
Tiz likes the gardens. They're much quieter than the rest of the city, and people don't give him as many weird looks.
He's fairly sure the weird looks have more to do with Magnolia than himself being odd. She attracts a lot of attention just by being in a room if their time at the restaurant is anything to go by.
The tour around Gathelatio does wonders for calming Tiz's nerves. He almost forgets the one person he ostensibly came here to see.
Almost. It's not like it's easy to forget Agnès, and as the sun starts to fall in the sky and dinner time approaches, nervousness creeps back into Tiz's body in the form of glances towards the sky and small, quick taps of his fingers on the palm of his hands.
He notices when Magnolia starts leading him in the direction of the Sanctum. She pointed it out earlier. It's not the most prominent landmark, but it's the only one that sticks out along the sea, so it's relatively noticeable despite that.
"Agnès doesn't actually live at the Sanctum." Magnolia says after a period of quiet. "It's a church, basically. Her residence is nearby though."
"Right." Tiz says, a bit hoarsely. He swallows. "Right."
"Now, strictly speaking we didn't know when you'd arrive." Magnolia says cheerfully. "We had an expected date give or take a few days, and Edea said you'd arrive at a certain time in the morning so I didn't have to wait around all day for multiple days, but Agnès doesn't technically know you're here today."
"Wait..."
"How do you feel about surprising her?" Magnolia asks, grinning.
Tiz feels like he really wishes he'd worn something nicer. He also maybe could have cut his hair, or at least washed it. "Isn't it a bit rude to spring this on her without warning?"
"Rude to bring her old friend to her as soon as is feasible? Not at all!" Magnolia says so lightheartedly Tiz isn't sure she's being genuine. "Though if she faints in shock, I'll take responsibility."
That doesn't make Tiz feel any better.
"I'm joking, by the way. She won't faint." Magnolia says. "Probably."
Not reassuring at all. "Shouldn't this wait until after dinner?"
"But why?" Magnolia asks. Her grin is now positively impish. "I already sent a message to the cooks telling them to make dinner for two. It would be rude to ruin their hard work."
She did what? When did she have time to do that? Was it when she left for a moment to take his luggage to his room in their house? Apparently Magnolia doesn't play around. "Well, if I have to..." Tiz says apprehensively.
"You do." Magnolia says cheerfully. "And here we are!"
Agnès' abode is almost quaint compared to Yew and Magnolia's massive home, though that said, the architecture is incredibly intricate and every part of the house is immaculately maintained. Tiz knows from what Agnès has told him before that Crystalism supposedly endorses a simple lifestyle, and while this house is simple in comparison to the stupidly large buildings in Gathelatio, it's still absurdly lavish compared to any building in a normal town.
At this point Tiz also realizes they're actually in the middle of a religious complex. It only makes sense. Where else would the pope's house be? (He's surprised the pope even has a house. He assumed they'd have a room in some big building.) Tiz didn't even notice them crossing the threshold, but there are in fact a few priests and even guards walking around. They glance at Magnolia, but are clearly used to seeing her judging by how their gazes slide off her after a moment.
It occurs to Tiz that he probably couldn't have walked in here unopposed without Magnolia by his side. That's good to remember for the future.
Magnolia doesn't bother to knock on the front door and simply pulls out a key and sticks it in the lock. Her only explanation to a surprised Tiz is to say "I'm not technically Crystalguard, but I might as well be."
The inside of the house isn't quite as lavish as the outside, but Tiz is fairly sure that's because the pope gets to choose some of their own furniture. The coat rack and bench right at the entrance are simple wood, but just a bit to the side Tiz can see an unnecessarily fancy cupboard with a gold knob handle. He can't imagine Agnès actually choosing to keep that unless her tastes have changed drastically in the last ten years.
In fact, most of what Tiz sees as Magnolia nudges him deeper into the house is a strange combination of conspicuously wealthy permanent fixtures like cupboards and counters contrasted with extremely practical and unadorned furniture. The most lavish thing that isn't a permanent fixture is a plush armchair, and even that is simple in its construction, though Tiz has little doubt it's well-made.
"Agnès should be done in a dozen minutes at most. The cooks are usually quite good at timing their meal delivery, so you shouldn't have to wait long after that." Magnolia says. "Though if they do arrive first, just tell them who you are. Most of the servants are aware that you're coming. Yew and Agnès weren't particularly quiet about it after all, and rumors have abounded about the miracle man from Norende coming to visit the pope."
Oh joy. He's the subject of gossip. Just fantastic.
"I'll come back in a few hours after you meal is quite finished." Magnolia says, trailing towards the door. "Don't destroy anything before Agnès arrives, yes?"
"Wait, you're leaving me here?" Tiz squawks.
"But of course! I wouldn't want to intrude." Magnolia says. Her smile is all teeth. "In fact, do you even want me to come back in a few hours, or do you think you'll stay-?"
"Come back." Tiz says quickly, ears burning at the implication. Who does she think he is?
Magnolia chuckles and slips out the door. "Have fun~!"
The door closes and Tiz hears something click. He's quite literally locked in the house until either Agnès or the food arrives.
"This is fine." Tiz tells himself, not feeling fine at all. Forget Agnès, he feels like he's going to faint. "It's just Agnès. There's no pressure."
That's a flagrant lie and he knows it. He can feel the weight of Edea and Magnolia's expectations on him, and Ringabel would probably have the same expectations if he were here.
A part of Tiz wants to poke around the house a bit. Nothing intrusive of course, he just wants to see more of what Agnès' life is like. He wouldn't go into her room or anything. But Tiz is absolutely not calm enough to properly take in anything he sees and really doesn't want to trip over or break anything.
So rather than look around, Tiz sits in the armchair and tries to calm himself. This shouldn't feel so monumental. He's saying hi to an old(?) friend, not being put on trial. Deep breathes, think sheep. Nice, fluffy, calm sheep.
Don't think about the fact that he barely has anything he can talk about with Agnès. Don't think about the fact that he really wishes he had the chance to brush his hair or dress in something just a bit nicer or-
"Not helping." Tiz cuts off that train of thought. "Don't work yourself up."
It's inevitable that he's going to dwell on Agnès, so he can at least be productive about it. If he's worried about a lack of topics, now is the time to think of something to-
A click breaks the silence in the house, and Tiz's heart rate suddenly jumps to a gallop and he all but jumps out of the chair. Indecision grips him for a crucial second as he wonders if he should move into the hall so he's immediately visible, wait in the dining room, or just stay here in the living room.
He desperately wants to stall, to put off seeing Agnès (if it is her and not the food) for a few more seconds, but he knows that's not going to help, so with great anxiety he shuffles out into the hallway as the doorknob turns and the door swings inward.
It's not the food.
The person standing in the doorway is just a bit shorter than Tiz. She has long, straight brown hair kept in place by a white headband that goes down to her waist and gets highlighted by the sun behind her, gorgeous grey eyes that look like distant storm clouds, and a simple yet impressive white dress with poofy sleeves, a two layered skirt (a long outer layer that doesn't cover her front, and a shorter inner layer that stops at her upper thighs), a few scant gold highlights, and black shoulder pads that frankly look a bit out of place but at least match her gloves.
And, of course, Agnès has the pendant. It sits against the bare skin on her collarbone, flickering blue like it always did, though it looks somehow smaller than Tiz remembers it.
"She's beautiful." Tiz thinks. He's worried his heart is audible from how hard it's beating.
Tiz knows he's staring, and that he should probably say something, but to be fair Agnès is doing the exact same thing. They both stare at each other in a mixture of awe, surprise, and nervousness.
Eventually, after what feels like minutes but is probably twenty seconds, it finally clicks in Tiz's brain that he should say something instead of staring like a fish.
"Agnès-"
"Tiz-"
Both of them pause, having spoken at the same time. Their eyes finally stop avoiding each other and properly meet across the hallway.
"You can go first." They both say, speaking in almost perfect unison. Tiz anxiously scratches the back of his head while Agnès rubs part of her skirt between two fingers, and both of their gazes flick away for a moment as anxious pinkness crosses their cheeks.
"I-I insist, really." Tiz says, finally managing to get words out at a different time than Agnès. He makes a vague 'go ahead' gesture with one hand. He hopes he isn't tongue-tied the entire time, and he really needs to stop staring at her outfit. "Sorry for surprising you. Magnolia insisted."
Agnès lets out a breath at the mention of Magnolia and laughs nervously. "That explains much. This seems like exactly the sort of thing she'd set up."
With the ice broken, Agnès finally moves out of the doorway and closes the door behind her. It's only at this point Tiz notices she's actually holding a pile of papers under her arm, and Tiz fervently hopes she isn't busy. He'd hate to get in the way.
"I'm going to guess she sent word to the cooks to have more food made?" Agnès asks.
Tiz nods.
"Well, I suppose it's a good thing today is a day where I can spare a few hours." Agnès says. "Give me a moment to put these papers upstairs, would you?"
"Of course." Tiz nods, maybe a bit too excessively. He steps aside as Agnès scurries past, and she quickly ascends the stairs out of sight.
Tiz lets out a breath as quietly as possible, and smacks his cheeks lightly. He has to focus. He is not making more of a fool of himself in front of Agnès than he already has.
He hears a thump from upstairs, and cranes his head towards the steps. "Agnès? Are you alright?"
"I-I'm fine!"
"Are you sure? Did something fall?" Tiz calls. "Do you need help?"
"No!" Agnès shouts anxiously. "Please do not come up!"
"Okay…"
Promptly, there's another thud.
"Are you sure Agnès?" Tiz calls, worried.
"I'm sure!"
"You didn't get lost, did you?"
There's a pause that stretches on for just a bit too long before Agnès says. "I'm not going to get lost in my own house again. Tiz."
Again? So it's happened before. The house isn't that big, it can't have more than ten rooms. Oh dear... "Just checking."
After two minutes Tiz notes It's taking Agnès quite a while to put away a few pieces of paper, even if she accidentally knocked something over. Tiz paces the hallway, one hand tightly gripping the other. Maybe something is wrong? Maybe he should go up?
He's almost convinced himself that he should go up when Agnès finally comes back down. Tiz can't exactly point out what changed beyond the removal of her shoulder pads and gloves, but she looks… brighter? More composed? Less tired? He doesn't quite know, but she looks better somehow, and that's problematic because he was already having trouble not staring at her before.
"Sorry for the wait." Agnès says, clasping her hands in front of her. "I had to… I was looking for something and couldn't fit it."
"Ah." Tiz nods dumbly. "Right."
Again, a brief silence falls over them as they both look at each other. Mercifully, Agnès doesn't let it stretch for too long.
"Would you like to sit?" Agnès asks, gesturing to the dining room. "I presume the food will be here soon enough anyhow."
"Yes please." Tiz says. He gratefully sits on one of the six chairs present around the small table. The dining room is again a strange show of the house's mix of extremely gaudy fixtures and simple furniture. Every cupboard has gold inlays and the counter is polished marble, but the table is plain wood with few stylistic flourishes, and the chairs have firm padded seats as a small indulgence but are otherwise just as plain as the table. Agnès sits around the corner from him, so their seats are at a ninety degree angle from each other rather than directly facing. "If you don't mind me asking…"
"Yes?" Agnès' eyes snap to his in an instant, and Tiz feels immensely pressured all of a sudden.
"Did you… do something?" Tiz asks hesitantly. "I mean, I know you took off your shoulder pads and gloves, but you look… better? N-Not to say you weren't good before, but, uh, yeah."
"I did." Agnès admits while rubbing the back of her hand. A bit of pink graces her face again. "It's a spell actually."
Tiz blinks. That's not what he expected to hear. "A spell?"
"Yes. Apparently it's not proper for the pope to show up to meetings looking exhausted, so there's a spell for it." Agnès says. "I can show you, if you want."
"Sure."
When she said 'show him', Tiz expected her to cast it on herself again, but instead she stretches a hand out and runs her fingertips over his nose and cheeks. He can feel a tingle of white magic spark across his skin- or maybe that's just her fingers again- and something happens around his eyes. It's hard to describe. His facial muscles relax just a bit, and he can feel the skin around his eyes tighten a bit (or at least, that's what it feels like).
Aside from that… nothing. Well, nothing but the increased thumping of his heart and the heat on his face, but that's not from the spell.
"It doesn't feel like much." Agnès murmurs. Her hand rests on his cheek. "And to be told it doesn't do much. It hides eye bags, cleans the skin, stops your eyes from being bloodshot. It can even fix your hair. A frivolous spell really, but everyone insists I use it."
"I suppose appearances are important, as pope?" Tiz asks. His voice is too soft, so he has to raise it halfway through the sentence which just sounds painfully awkward. He's also trying not to squirm because Agnès' unmoving fingers are starting to tickle his cheek.
"So everyone has told me." Agnès says. "I really don't think it should be so. I'm a religious figurehead, not an idol, but it's by far the least egregious thing that has been insisted on by the council."
At this point Agnès realizes what her hand is doing, and she retracts it in a flash and firmly plants it in her lap.
"A-Anyhow. How are you feeling? How recovered are you?" Agnès asks. "You barely mentioned anything in your letter."
Ah. "I'm fine. Maybe not as good as I used to be, but fine."
"What do you mean you're not as good as you used to be?"
"I'm not as strong." Tiz says. "I get tired more easily. That might be because I haven't been able to exercise though. I've been stuck in a carriage for weeks, and Edea didn't let me do much for the first month after I woke up."
"As she should have! She told me you were horribly atrophied!" Agnès says. "But otherwise it's a relief to hear you're healthy. A bit of weakness is to be expected after an ordeal like yours."
That doesn't mean he's happy with it.
"That reminds me." Agnès says. She leans forward, her face turning to a frown, and Tiz instinctively hunches his shoulders. "I should get this out of the way now, so we can enjoy the rest of our time."
"What?" Tiz asks anxiously.
"You knew you were going to fall into a coma, and you didn't tell us."
Tiz's heart squeezes. "Ah, that."
"Yes. That." Agnès says. She laces her fingers together and speaks in a firm tone. "Tiz-"
"Look, I'm-"
"Stop." Agnès raises her voice just a bit, and Tiz quiets. It's been a long time since he's been scolded. "Let me say my piece please."
"Sorry." He mumbles.
"Tiz. I… I hope it goes without saying that I'm hurt, and angry. We were supposed to be partners. Me, you, Edea, Ringabel. I thought we trusted each other. I thought, after we defeated Ouroboros, that this trust would remain. And you, especially you. You were with me from the start, before Ringabel or Edea. You helped me do so much, learn so much. So you can imagine how much it terrified me to find you lying unconscious in Caldisla. I thought I'd lost the oldest of my true companions."
Tiz shrinks in his seat as Agnès' eyes bore into him. He really wants to speak, to defend himself, to explain, but he keeps his mouth shut and lets Agnès continue.
"So, you can also imagine my anger when a month later it occurs to me that the spot you were resting was right on top of Til's grave, and that you had your arms crossed, and that it was all far too convenient to not be deliberate on your part." Agnès says quietly. "Tiz, I'm not sure it occured to you, but everything about that scene screamed that it was suicide."
Tiz flinches. That indeed hadn't occurred to him.
"And Edea and Ringabel agreed." Agnès says. "And so we asked ourselves what we did wrong, what did we miss, why didn't you say anything? For the longest time we blamed ourselves for leaving you alone. You had lost your entire family, your entire village, and yet we callously let you, encouraged you, to go back to Norende to rebuild it, regardless of how lonely that would be."
Agnès' voice has gotten a bit shaky, and Tiz's gut clenches uncomfortably. This is his fault. He brought this onto Agnès. He let his friends think he'd died, and not just died, but that it was their fault.
"And we- I- could have done something. Said something." Agnès continues. "I could have offered to let you come with me as I travelled, as I worked. It wouldn't have been 'proper' maybe, but what did that matter? O-Or maybe time could have been split. I wouldn't have minded helping to rebuild Norende beyond just donating money. Crystalism wouldn't be repaired in a mere month, or even a year, anyways. What was a bit more time in exchange for your company, for your life?"
Ti really wants to look away, or just curl up under the table, but he doesn't. Agnès has her gaze locked on his, and he can't- isn't willing to- break it, even while the magnitude that Agnès has possibly spent ten years in mourning comes crashing down onto him.
"And I was angry again. You didn't tell me that something was wrong. Despite all you did for me, constantly supporting me, you never asked for help. You never asked for support. You gave, and gave, and gave, and refused to take or even ask for help, not even once. Not even when it would save your life. You… you selfless asshole."
Agnès doesn't swear, ever, and that more than anything drives home just how angry she really is to Tiz, and Tiz can't fault her. It absolutely is his fault.
"I thought we were supposed to be partners. Equals." Agnès says. Her voice is barely a whisper now, but it's still oh so loud in the dead silence of the house. "And you still didn't trust me enough to say anything. And really, learning that you were going to release a celestial doesn't change those feelings all that much, because you were still prepared to let yourself die, and still didn't say anything."
At this point Tiz does let his gaze drop. His eyes are burning, and he's not sure he wants to speak anymore. He's not sure he could get two words out without choking or crying. Agnès sounded like she could barely get her last words out herself.
"You… you can talk now." Agnès croaks, as if Tiz is going to be able to say anything half as eloquent in his current state.
Instead, Tiz whispers. "Sorry."
"I know."
"I was trying not to worry any of you over something you couldn't change."
"I know."
"I should have written you letters or something to explain afterwards."
"You should have told us before, Tiz."
"Yeah." Tiz croaks. "But I couldn't let you talk me out of it. I had to let the celestial go."
They both go quiet. Tiz doesn't want to look up, and Agnès doesn't make him. He can occasionally hear Agnès shifting in her seat, or hear her sniff, and he does the same, but he doesn't look up.
"This…" Agnès says eventually. "This isn't how I wanted this to go. I-I was hoping to stay more composed."
Tiz nods. He still doesn't look up. His vision is blurry, and he doesn't want Agnès to see his tears. He shouldn't be crying when this is his fault in the first place.
"I-I promised I wouldn't cry when I s-saw you again." Agnès stutters, her voice cracking. "And I guess I've failed at th-that."
Tiz has nothing to say to that. His hands are clenched so tightly in his lap that his fingers hurt. He's sure his shirt or his pants are getting wet as he tries desperately to get himself under control.
"Please look up." Agnès begs.
Tiz mutely shakes his head. He won't let her see him like this. He won't let her comfort him. It would be too easy to look up and accept her forgiveness. This is deserved. He never wanted to hurt her or the others, but he did. He did even more so by trying not to.
"Please say something." Agnès' voice is starting to crumble again, and Tiz hears another sniffle. "Tiz?"
Agnès shouldn't be crying. She doesn't deserve that. He's the one in the wrong. He has to say something, but when he opens his mouth nothing comes out. His throat is so tight he feels like he's not breathing.
"I'm sorry."
"She shouldn't be saying that. She has nothing to apologize for." His vision is swimming, and Tiz seriously thinks he might fall off his chair and be unable to catch himself. While he doesn't think he can speak, he can at least shake his head again and raise one hand to make a swiping motion, trying to silently brush aside her apology, "It's fine."
"T-Tiz?" Agnès says. "What is it?"
He's going to have to speak. Somehow, he forces his voice to work. It's a sniveling, pathetic sound. "S'fine. N-Not your fault. Mine."
"Tiz Arrior, don't you d-dare try to blame this all on yourself. N-Not this conversation, not the past." Agnès stutters. "You made a significant mistake. Nothing less, but nothing more. But I didn't mean to… I… I'm sorry."
"It's fine." Tiz insists. His eyes are probably a red, puffy mess, and he imagines Agnès doesn't look much better.
"I really didn't want our first meeting to go like this." Agnès says. She takes a deep, audible breath, releases it, and speaks in a much more controlled tone. "I'm sorry. I am. But those words had to be said. You have to understand. You hurt us Tiz."
"Didn't mean to." Tiz says. Finally, he manages to look, and can see that Agnès' eyes are indeed puffy and red, though she's not hunched over like he is.
"I know." Agnès says tiredly. "I do, Tiz. I never assumed you would, but that doesn't excuse such callousness."
They both fall into silence. Tiz sits back up, still blinking tears from his eyes, and Agnès finds a good use for the spell from earlier to clear their faces of the signs of crying. It doesn't do anything for their voices, but at least when the food comes they won't obviously look like they were crying.
They both wait until a knock can be heard at the door. Agnès does the talking, though thankfully there isn't much of it to do. Tiz watches silently as the servants (are they servants? Maybe they're just employees?) bring the food in.
They might notice that his shirt is a bit wet, but they don't say anything.
"Enjoy your meal your holiness, Sir Arrior." One of the servants murmurs as they leave, and Tiz understands belatedly that they know exactly who he is considering that apparently Agnès and Yew (according to Magnolia) wouldn't stop talking about him for the last little while.
The food is a welcome distraction from the emotionally exhausting conversation they just had. It's some very high-quality stuff including a spread of cheeses, breads, some steak, and (oddly enough) a small bottle of wine.
"Do… you drink?" Tiz asks after they've started their meal, gesturing to the bottle that is remaining firmly untouched down the table.
"No." Agnès says. Her eyes flick over the bottle and she bites her lip for a second before looking back to her food. "I have no idea why they brought that. None at all."
Agnès is almost as bad at lying as Tiz is, but Tiz is polite enough not to say anything.
"It was probably Magnolia's suggestion." Agnès adds after a moment.
"You don't have to explain." Tiz assures. "It's fine."
"Oh thank the crystals…" Agnès breathes.
The meal is mostly quiet. It acts as recovery time for both of them, and is sorely needed. When Tiz isn't focusing on the food himself, he lets his gaze wander the room. He still needs to ask about the strange gold-lined fixtures… though that seems like a pathetic excuse of a distraction after the scolding he just got.
"Tiz…"
"Yes?"
"I'm happy that you're back."
"So am I." Tiz says, managing a weak smile. "It's… wonderful to see everyone again. It's wonderful to see you again, Agnès."
"And you as well." Agnès murmurs. "I don't want my earlier words to take away from that in your mind. I really am overjoyed."
"I'm glad."
"You really must tell me everything that's happened since you woke up." Agnès insists. "You've said so little in your letters!"
"I'm not good at writing." Tiz admits.
"So you absolutely must tell me when we finish eating, and don't spare any details!"
That's a tall order considering Tiz doesn't consider his time in Eternia very entertaining, he can count on one hand the number of interesting things that happened, but he always aims to please so he'll try to make a story out of it.
Unfortunately he's a rubbish storyteller, and he manages to sum up all the interesting events (waking up, board games with Alternis, Edea in general, training and the duel, and his day on the town) in less than ten minutes.
Also-
"You had a duel!?"
"A friendly one." Tiz protests.
"Tiz Arrior, I can't believe you dueled one of Eternia's Council of Six less than three months after waking up from a ten year coma just because he asked you to, despite knowing Edea would disagree." Agnès grumbles. "I swear to the crystals, you would have fought Ouroboros one-handed if one of us had asked nicely."
"Well..." Tiz says, considering it. Would he have done that? He could have used magic with just one hand, so if the others could keep him protected he might have been able to-
"You're even considering it right now!" Agnès points out in a huff, and Tiz averts his eyes because she's spot on. "Honestly Tiz, there's such a thing as saying no… or common sense."
"I have common sense." Tiz says, a bit offended. "Weren't you the one who didn't know you shot arrows out of a bow?"
Agnès doesn't fluster. Instead she raises her head a bit, perfectly dignified, and says: "Yes, and I learned, but you just considered fighting an evil god one-handed."
"I might not have done it." TIz protests.
"The fact that there is a 'might' in that sentence is problematic enough." Agnès says. She's definitely looking down her nose at him, looking every part the important, high-rank individual that she technically is. "Tiz Arrior, you will not fight a god one-handed."
"Okay." Tiz mumbles.
"You won't even consider it."
"Okay."
Agnès looks down at him for a few moments longer, then sighs and shakes her head. "Honestly Tiz, I worry the wrong person will take advantage of your willingness to help one day."
"Sorry."
"Please don't apologize, just be more aware." She says. "Just because someone asks doesn't mean you have to respond, so to speak."
"But what if someone with a strange request really does need help?" Tiz asks.
"Tiz, just… no."
Beyond that, Agnès tries to prod him for more information, but he really has nothing else to offer.
"Tiz, please, you glossed over your recovery in less than five sentences, surely there is more to say." Agnès begs. "What did you struggle with? Are you still struggling with anything?"
Aside from a general sense that he doesn't belong in this time period, intense nervousness about the possibility of returning to Norende, dread that when he leaves Gathelatio he'll be all alone again and both Edea and Agnès will be too busy to ever visit or be visited and this is the last time he'll ever get to see her, how he's still not as strong as he used to be and fears he won't ever get back to that point, and a persistent feeling of uselessness? "Not much worth mentioning."
"Tiz…" Agnès suddenly sounds disappointed, and Tiz instinctively hunches his shoulders. What did he do wrong? "I know that's not true. Edea has told me about your conversations with her. Do you not trust me?"
Tiz shakes his head. "No, of course not. I just don't want to worry you unnecessarily."
"It's hardly unnecessary. You're my friend." Agnès insists. "Please, let me help, if just as someone to talk to. You did so much for me in the past, so let me do this now."
"I don't want to be a burden."
"You aren't. Just talk to me." Agnès says. "We are still partners, aren't we?"
"Of course." And it makes him immensely happy to hear that. He wasn't sure where he stood with her.
"And if I had a problem you'd let me confide in you, right?"
"Of course!" She already did confide in him back when they travelled together.
"Then please, allow me to return that courtesy." Agnès says, and puts a hand to her chest. "Tell me what troubles you, Tiz."
Despite her words, Tiz still hesitates. He doesn't want to trouble Agnès, but if she insists. "I… I worry about going back to Norende, Agnès. I was lonely after I built the house. I just kept seeing Til everywhere, and when I go back I don't think that's going to change."
"Tiz…"
"And all through recovery and even now I've felt useless. Edea wouldn't let me help with anything around Central Command, and I've no farm to tend or buildings to make or monsters to fight. I'm not used to taking someone's hospitality for so long and not giving anything in return. It doesn't feel right."
Agnès nods sympathetically.
"And…" Tiz clenches a fist, then unclenches it. His eyes sweep up and down Agnès' form, mostly looking at the dress, because it's a reminder. "Things have changed, Agnès. You've changed. Edea has. The whole world has. When I was walking through Eternia I saw things I didn't know existed. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that Edea rules a whole country, and you're pope, and I can wrap my head around that even less. I… I'm just a shepherd from Norende, Agnès. The old Norende. A place that doesn't exist anymore. I have no place anymore. Not really."
"That is absolutely untrue." Agnès says firmly. "If not in Norende, you will always have a place by my side and by Edea and Ringabel as well. The world has changed, and so have Edea and Ringabel and I, but we are all still partners. That hospitality you feel such anxiety in accepting exists precisely so you have time to find your place."
"And what if I don't?" Tiz asks. "What if I can't?"
"You will." Agnès assures. "It might not be something you expect, or it might take a while, but you will, and I will help."
"You're busy Agnès."
"Not so busy I can't spare time for you." Agnès says, and Tiz's heart skips a beat. She said that with utter sincerity and not a moment of hesitation, and while he knows she didn't mean it romantically it still makes him unreasonably happy. "My schedule is not quite as taxing as you might think. My replacement-in-training handles many tasks for me. I am busy, but not unreasonably so."
"Your replacement?" Tiz blinks dumbly.
"Yes. I don't need to be pope anymore." Agnès admits. "I became pope during a time of crisis in order to repair crystalism, and that crisis has long since passed. I'm hardly the most suited for politics and policies and management, so I've been convincing the council let me step down. It would do the world good to have a new, more competent pope rather than a relic of the crises."
"That makes sense." Tiz says. At least, it does to him.
"In fact, I'd appreciate an excuse to have my replacement take on more work. The council has been stubborn about letting her attend meetings." Agnès says.
"As long as you're sure I'm not getting in the way." Tiz nods. He won't argue with being able to spend time with Agnès, even if she has another reason for wanting this aside from his company.
"Far from it. You're being quite the help." Agnès assures. "And thank you for sharing, Tiz. I hope you'll continue to do so."
Tiz nods hesitantly. He still doesn't feel comfortable with it, but he can't say no to Agnès. "If you're sure."
"Quite. In fact, I insist. I won't settle for anything less." Agnès says emphatically. "Please rely on me as much as you need."
"I'll try." Tiz promises.
"Good." Agnès smiles, and it's a beautiful enough sight that Tiz smiles too. "That's all I ask."
The rest of the evening before Magnolia returns is home to much more tame, general conversation as Agnès prods Tiz about some more specific details of his time in Eternia, and Tiz in return tries to understand Agnès' job and exactly what it entails (a difficult thing, considering Agnès herself relies on an assistant to explain certain things to her).
When Magnolia strides into the house unannounced a few hours later, she finds the two of them sitting in the living room sharing a cup of tea. Tiz bigs goodbye to Agnès for the night, and Agnès promises to come see him soon.
In another minute Tiz is walking away from Agnès' house with Magnolia leading him and Agnès standing at the door, watching them go. It's all Tiz can do not to shoot constant glances back at her, and hope that 'soon' is quite soon indeed.
###
Agnès watches as Magnolia and her long lost friend walk away from her house. Her hands are tightly clasped in front of her body so as to keep them from fidgeting or reaching out after her friends.
She quietly congratulates herself on keeping her composure for the entire evening, and reminds herself to scold Magnolia for springing this visit on her. When she first saw Tiz standing in her hallway, she'll admit her heart started pounding, and she made such a fool of herself up in her room hiding certain things before she remembered that Tiz wouldn't be coming up unless she invited him to.
Agnès hasn't felt that flustered since… well since spending time with Tiz during the First Crisis. It's embarrassing really. She thought she was prepared for this. She had months after Edea's letter to get ready for seeing Tiz again, and she barely held herself together.
Arguably she didn't hold herself together, actually. She brought both of them to tears. She wanted that part of the conversation to go much more smoothly than it did, but she underestimated just how much it hurt to dredge up those old feelings.
It hurt even more that Tiz still didn't want to share his struggles, even after she went through all the trouble of expressing how much she didn't want him to hide things, because even if it has been ten years they are still partners.
"Partners." She used to think, to hope, that Tiz would agree to be her partner (in the more romantic sense of the word) after she was done ensuring the safety of crystalism. It was a vague thought in the back of her mind as they went to fight Oroborous, and it became more fully formed in the months after the god's defeat. She had started to plan out the wording of the proposal, and how and when she should breach the subject.
And then Tiz went into a coma, she went through ten years of self-blame and stress, and now he's back and she doesn't know what to think.
She's happy of course. How could she not be? Her closet companion returned from the brink of death. However… what does she do with all those old feelings now? They've come back full force, and a part of her still very much wants to dust off that old proposal still stored in the back of her mind and find the right situation to bring it out, because it's still Tiz, and she is already actively trying to wiggle out of being pope. Tiz is still very much the man she fell in love with a decade ago, and the thought of a life with him in Norende (or perhaps elsewhere, if Norende is unbearable for him) is a very welcome one.
Except that's the problem. Tiz is exactly the same. Almost no time has passed for him, and with ten years to reflect on it she's more aware of his faults than ever. The biggest and most problematic fault being his unwillingness to share his thoughts. He'd rather stay silent and suffer than 'burden' someone else with his problems, and while she can't stand that as his friend it would be even more unacceptable were she his partner (in the romantic sense).
Agnès shakes her head as Tiz and Magnolia walk out of sight. She turns back into her house. She can hardly believe she's seriously considering making a proposal mere hours after seeing Tiz again for the first time. She needs time to think things through, and it might be a moot point if Tiz continues to be unwilling to open up without extensive prompting.
Still, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't giving it some serious consideration. It provides a convenient solution to what she should do after stepping down from being pope, and frankly one she dreamt of for years (though it felt like a fantasy more than a possible future before, what with Tiz being in a coma) and would definitely call her preferred path. It was her plan after the First Crisis after all.
Agnès shakes her head and slaps her cheeks. She's had one conversation with Tiz, she should not be thinking this far ahead yet. There's still the issue of Tiz struggling with his recovery and purpose, and who's to say how different they actually are with this ten year gap?
Still. She can't help but dream. It's not everyday the crystals gift you a second chance with a friend you thought lost forever, after all.
Couldn't resist a small Agnès POV scene.
Magnolia is so much fun.
The Agnès and Tiz conversation wasn't supposed to get so dark and emotional, but it fit.
Have you ever really stopped to look at the art for Gathelatio? It's just got six massive fuck-off towers looming there in the background that have to be at least four times the height of the Sanctum, and there's a bridge connecting them. What are those even for?