Marche walked from his house to Mewt's without detour, cutting through alleyways and yards. He stood outside the house for a while before knocking. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked down at his feet, reading the 'welcome' on the doormat over and over as he waited.

Cid answered the door, dressed in a neat suit. Marche looked up with a polite smile.

"Is Mewt home?"

Cid nodded, "Yeah, he's upstairs. Go on up."

Marche thanked him and entered. Mewt's houses smelled like candles and the floorboards creaked. After Ivalice, Mewt and Marche had started nurturing a friendship. The times afterschool and weekends were often spent together with games and homework. It was this new connection that allowed Marche insight into Mewt's personality and how it was changing. Before, Mewt was a quiet, introverted boy prime for bullying and had changed someone who often spoke his mind and was so good at it that the bullies didn't bother him anymore.

"Marche." said Cid, "I have to get to work. Tell Mewt I said goodbye."

The door clicked shut. Marche couldn't help but think how fond he was of Cid. He also had changed after they'd woken, be it from Mewt's influence or of his own. He was a business consultant, making coin enough to live comfortably. Marche was glad for the change, happy that his friend was that better off.

Marche ascended the narrow staircase, at the top turning down the short hallway to Mewt's room. The door was open and Mewt was pulling on a white tee. He was a thin boy, and his shoulders bladed up like knives under his skin. They bent and rolled as Mewt turned to look. Marche gave him a smile warmer than the one he'd given Cid a few moments earlier.

"Your dad let me in. He told me to tell you he went to work."

Mewt nodded and started rooting through a nearby drawer, "So, what's new?"

Marche stood in the doorway, but did not enter. He looked at the off-white walls, navy-blue carpet and the clean décor of the dresser and unmade bed. There were no toys or games or any other hallmarks of childhood. Marche knew Mewt well enough now to know that he wasn't into stuff like that and more into reading, fantasy and science with the occasional philosophy. He had a plethora of books to prove it, but he said most were in the attic now to conserve space.

"Mewt, I have a question to ask you."

"Yes?" Mewt didn't look up.

"It's a question I've had for a while now, but I've been too scared to ask."

"What is it?" Mewt removed a knit sweater from the bottom of the drawer. He closed it with his hips as he slipped the garment over his head.

Marche took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Do you hate me? Mewt, do you hate me for bringing us back?"

Mewt's cool expression remained unchanged, "No. You did what you had to."

"That's what my brother said." Marche nodded solemnly and went to sit on the bed.

"What brought this up?" asked Mewt.

"I had a dream last night." Marche smoothed his hair, "About our Ivalice. When I woke up, I thought of what we had there. I talked to Doned about it and he said basically what you're saying. But…"

"But what?"

"I feel bad, that's all. You were a prince, Mewt. A Royal Family member who could have anything you wanted handed to you on a silver platter."

"Yeah, I guess…" Mewt shrugged.

"You had all these things, even stuff usually irreplaceable, given to you."

"Marche, stop it. None of what happened there was real. Haven't we talked about this? The land wasn't real, the people weren't real, none of it."

"But, if it looked real, sounded real and felt real…then what's to say it wasn't? Isn't reality simply a matter of perception?"

Mewt thought about it. His expression changed, for only a moment, to anger, but was quickly replaced by a gentle smile.

"I suppose." He said, "Marche, why does it sound like you want me to hate you?"

"I…" Marche slumped to look at his toes, "I don't want you to. I just want to understand, that's all. The more I think about it, the more I realize that if I were you and you I, I don't think I'd be so ready to forgive."

Both boys were silent for a while. Wind rattled the windows. After the moment came and went, Marche stood up.

"Sorry for bothering you so early, Mewt." He said and started for the door, "I'll see you around."

"Marche, you don't have to leave."

"I know." Marche gave a smile before leaving. Mewt watched him go.