A simple knock on the door brought granny out of her home, much as if she had waited for them; this was nonsense, Velvet knew, but she still got that feeling. The elder smiled brightly when she saw her and Laphi. "My, what a surprise that you come visit, sweetie! Come in, come in!"

What stood out among her more normal attire was the dark red scarf, almost exactly the same as Velvet and Laphi wore. She had it slung tight despite the day's pleasant warmth; both siblings noticed and neither believed in a coincidence. Velvet let herself be ushered inside and played along until the door fell closed, then her face fell into a frown. "What do you want from us?"

Instead of being intimidated or taken aback however, Nica smiled back at her and ignored the vaguely threatening tone. "My, so pushy. We have time, dear. Come in, take off your shoes, have a seat. I just made some stew."

Velvet had half a mind to force her into telling, but calmed herself; this was still an old woman. Shaking the answers out of her would more likely hurt her than anything else. Meanwhile, Laphi's eyes went around the room before settling on Nica. "Where is Symonne?"

"Out on a walk," their host told him with a sly grin. "I still think that's a cover for whenever she reports to the Lord of Calamity, she is remarkably bad at hiding that from a skilled observer."

Nica had their undivided attention immediately. Instead of answering any of their unasked questions however, the elder shooed Velvet inside and to the table she had such embarassing memories of. Her mind roiled, thoughts racing; an agent of the Lord of Calamity, just in their grasp. The first one they even came by, if Nica was right. A cup of steaming tea was placed in front of her as she thought, no stew in sight.

"I had a bit of a hunch," the old lady explained as she took a seat opposite to them. "Her mindset is odd and was even worse when I found her. The right kind of person to support a Calamity, not to mention the right powers. This little one weaves illusions."

This news disrupted Velvet's train of thought, who could not help but groan. "Illusions again. Great."

She was just about done with anything relating to illusions or affecting the mind. An Empyrean's lifetime was not long enough until she wanted to interact with that kind of thing again. Laphi hummed and sipped his tea, eyes averted as he thought. "Illusions make her a formidable opponent. Perhaps we should, ah," a glance to her that made it clear what he thought, "question her?"

"You better not," Nica cut Velvet off softly. Both glanced her way, only to receive not a hopeful or worried look but a feral grin. When she elaborated, it was with glee: "I already worked my magic on her. She can push back against torture, withstand Malevolence and pain. But she can not fight the joy I gave her, understanding and appreciation."

Velvet straightened unconciously; this odd woman leaned back in her chair as if to relax, taking in the two wary siblings as her grin grew wider. "The Bloodwing Butterflies make their return, I see. And from what I saw around town, they mainly consist of seraphim." She made a pause for effect in which, indeed, the two Empyreans tensed up a little. "Ingenious! I love it!"

She began to cackle, then louder when she beheld their dumbfounded expressions. Velvet had no idea what to make of this anymore and neither did Laphi. Before she could ask what the elder wanted however, what game she played, Nica finished laughing. "Let me join," she told, no, demanded of them. "I am old, but I have done much and seen even more. My knowledge will aid you greatly."

A moment passed in the strangest silence, leaving both Crowes reeling as they wondered just how they got from the Lord of Calamity to initiating an old woman into their shadow guild. As Nica drew out the pause, Velvet slowly studied her. She just knew it could not be this easy. "Just like that?"

"Hah, of course not! I have a price, dear. One only you can pay."

Of course she did. Velvet took notice of her brother's worried shuffling, this random woman somehow managing to make even gods feel uncomfortable. She had no idea what this price would be, but one thing was clear: Nica was dangerous, and she was willing to throw in her lot with the Bloodwings. Velvet also found herself deeply curious what this all was about. "Okay, what is it?"

Granny's wrinkly face appeared to sharpen as she smirked, sitting more straight and almost gleeful. "I," she began slowly, pointing at herself, "want you," with which she pointed at a wary Velvet, "to act like a dove."

That was it?

She almost asked the question out loud when a memory returned unbidden. Her mind fell quiet, stunned into silence for the first time since her awakening. Perhaps for the first time in her life entirely. No thought was there, Laphi asking the question she had earlier but remaining unheard by his sister. She stared at this old woman, amber eyes meeting vivid, familiar green. A familiar grin. She vaguely felt a hand shaking her shoulder, but paid it no mind; all of Velvet's attention was on the impossibility before her.

"No way."

She cackled, loudly. It then turned into an actual laugh, which gave Velvet some time to snap out of her stupor. Yet some of it remained, for it was still impossible. Then again, what had this one ever cared about possible? "What," the elder asked her gleefully, "did you think a thousand years is enough to do me in? Me, Magilou Mayvin?" She then broke into laughter again while both Crowes stared at her. In these moments, their thought processes could be summarised in three questions: 'What?', 'How?', and 'How?!'.

"Ahhh," she sighed happily after calming down, "you won't believe how worth it your faces made the entire charade."

Velvet was still finding no words, head empty and chest beginning to throb. Laphi spoke in her stead: "That's... impossible. No Oath in the world could last you a thousand years."

The old woman simply raised a finger at the boy and began to lecture with a more chipper tone: "But it can last me long enough to figure out an arte to rejuvenate my body. Took two hundred years of on and off experimentation, but it worked out. Not that any human could cast such an arte alone, and it needs to be reconfigured for anyone else, but eh. Either way, it takes a power boost from seraphim specialised in boosting others to cast. And not just one, but two Normins are what you need." She then paused and made to smile more softly. "Speaking of..."

On cue, two greenish orbs flowed out of Magilou's body and took shape, took colour as they landed on the table. Two small, furred bodies with pointy feet and hands. One had purple fur, the other's was grey, but the bellies of both were of a creamy pastel. Slitted, clearly feline eyes took in the siblings, a bright smile and a small one offered; Bienfu righted his top hat, still covering his face from the mouth up with only holes for his eyes, while Grimoirh immediately made to lounge on her side, spectacles firmly sitting on her button nose.

"This is incredible," Bienfu cheered while hopping around in front of Velvet, "I never thought I'd see you again, you know? It's been ages!" His high-pitched voice chased away the last remainder of shock. She slowly stood, ignoring the Normin in front of her.

"I agree," Grimoirh noted from her own perch, eyes more focussed on Laphi but likewise ignored by Velvet. "Who would have thought that we meet again, after so long." She stopped when she realised Velvet paid no attention to her, walking around the table.

Magilou watched her march and got to her feet when Velvet stopped in front of her. Then, ever so slowly, Velvet reached out and wrapped her arms around the old woman's shoulders. She drew her in cautiously, afraid she would break under her inhuman strength, and held her close. Magilou just huffed and hugged her back. "You better not cry on me, sweetie."

"Don't tell me what to do." Velvet's reply came soft and was interrupted by a hiccup. "I thought I'd never see you again."

They stood like this for a while, though Velvet had no idea how long exactly. Magilou said nothing until they separated and did not comment on her watery eyes. She did, however, give the taller woman a sly grin. "Besides, I recall that I bet you a hundred bajillion Gald that you'd survive. I had to stay around to collect, you know?"

Velvet felt she should be annoyed, but the sheer joy of seeing her old friend again washed it away and made her laugh. "Of course you had to," she told her fondly. "And you'll have to stay around a bit longer, until I can actually pay."

"That's the spirit!"

They exchanged smiles and returned to their seats, observed by the seraphim surrounding them. Once she was back on her side of the table however, Velvet remembered Laphi's presence and motioned for him. "You never met formally, I guess. This is my little brother, Laphicet."

Magilou just nodded while Laphi, despite the oddness of the situation, offered a friendly "Pleased to meet you, ma'am".

"Be that as it may," Grimoirh chimed in slowly, gaze alternating between the two Crowes. "You were supposed to be sealed forever. What brought you back to us after just a thousand years?" Her tone sounded almost accusatory, but Velvet knew that was normal for her. A deep, listless voice that belied the sharp mind beneath.

She spent a few minutes summarising what and who brought them back to Desolation. Laphi kept quiet the whole time, thinking about something she could not even guess at. Once Velvet was finished, Bienfu slumped entirely where he sat on Magilou's side of the table. "Oh, that's bad bad bad. If they brought you of all people, that means the world is in really bad shape, doesn't it? I mean, worse than we thought."

He was looking to Magilou, who just snorted. "Eh, who cares," she brushed off her old partner's concern. "Shepsie's late, so someone had to come and fix it anyway. Might as well be them."

It was then that Laphi sighed and palmed his forehead. "Of course, 'Nica' as in Magillanica." Velvet needed a moment to make the mental leap of his realisation, but then she remembered that this had been Magilou's original name, before she put it down.

His comment earned him a fingersnap from Magilou, though. "Eeeexactly! Sometimes I go as Lou or May as well, but there has to be some variety!" She grinned while Velvet rolled her eyes, then leaned back in her chair with a content noise and changed the subject. "You know, I figured a thousand years are enough. I survived not only every other human, but even many seraphim and several empires. But seeing you... I feel like going another round." Her soft words touched Velvet, who could not help but smile back at the woman who once fought by her side. It felt as if no time passed at all, for a moment.

Laphi broke the immersion, his curiousity breaking through again: "I wonder, if you can rejuvenate your body, why do you look this old?" Velvet already made to scold him for being rude before her mind caught up to the fact he was right; this one time, telling a woman she looked old was fine with her.

Just as well, Magilou did not seem bothered; she just grinned again, her eyes almost twinkling. "Because I can mess with people so much better like this."

And now she could not help but huff. "Typical." This was, without a shadow of doubt, Magillanica Lou Mayvin, or Magilou.

Next, it was not Laphi who steered the conversation along, but rather Grimoirh; the lady seraph peered at Velvet from behind her spectacles, a small furrow in her brow. "You feel a little different," she opened toward the hellion of the group, "as if there was no Malevolence at all. What kind of effects did being sealed together have on you?" So she explained that as well, willing to indulge their curiousity. The matter of her divinity intrigued Grimoirh, surprised Bienfu, and amused Magilou. Much like their release from the seal had.

"So you're a goddess now? Should I pray, oh Empyrean?"

"Don't. Prayers grant me nothing either way."

Laphi giggled from the side, then injected himself into the conversation. "Her name is Minkkubi." It gave their audience of three pause as they all seemed to translate the name back to its root.

Grimoirh was first and spoke the correct translation out loud: "The Black and Red Goddess. An apt title, I feel."

"Why not Pumpus?"

A moment passed in absolute silence while the three seraphim gave Magilou incredulous stares. Velvet took in that and the other woman's grin, could figure there was a joke there, but had no idea what it was. "Why? That sounds dumb."

Magilou then leaned forward and winked at her. "Because that is 'Velvet' in the ancient tongue."

She had to stare at the elder for a long second, unsure how to respond to that. Then she just shook her head, which transitioned into a look at her brother when he piped up: "I thought about it back then, but that felt too mean." He grinned back at her while Magilou laughed.

Velvet just decided to change the subject to something entirely different. "There was something I wondered about but couldn't ask anyone. Now that I have you here, I want to know." She leaned forward, gaze settled on the expectant Magilou. "What is this I keep hearing about 'Saint' Eleanor?"

"Heh." She almost broke into laughter again, but left it at a huff. Velvet waited with one eyebrow raised until she began properly: "You're asking because she'd never accept being called a saint, aren't you?" A nod. "Well, obviously she wouldn't. But you know how it is, she died after a life well lived, at seventy-seven. No kids beside the countless orphans she played the big sister or aunt for whenever she was around, never married, always working. Needless to say, I survived her." The granny then began to show them a toothy grin. "So I pulled some strings to have her declared a saint posthumously. Maybe you noticed, but she had a few students of her own. They're still teaching her style with a few adjustments."

Now it was for Velvet to huff. "Never change, Magilou." Then she began to muse a little. "Odd, though. Her style was devised with Artorius' teachings in mind, but I guess they wouldn't even know that, would they?"

"Not a chance, that detail did not pass the test of time." Magilou thought for a moment before perking up. "Oh, yes. Something else interesting about that is how the most proficient current practitioner is her highness, Princess Alisha. I'm sure you met her by now, she's such a darling."

"...now I feel weird," Velvet noted. "I'm pretty sure I compared her to Eleanor before."

"You did," Laphi chimed in. "Any chance her soul reincarnated as well?"

He received a shrug from Velvet and a curious look from the others. "Oh?" Grimoirh tilted her head a little so she could look at him more directly. "And what would that mean?"

Laphi just stared back nonchalantly. "It means we met van Aifread last year, the real one reborn." For the first time since their arrival, it was now Magilou's group that showed open surprise. Her brother kindly ignored it and went on: "Which means we have a precedent and are in the unfortunate situation that there may be another one from our time regaining their memories and bringing down our little game of intrigue. There are candidates for... wait." He paused and narrowed his eyes at nothing, then shook his head. "No, Alisha can't be Eleanor reborn. She has no resonance, which I assume Eleanor had even after my domain fell."

Magilou nodded before leaning back a bit and sipping her tea. "Ah, resonance. It is a property of the soul, so you actually can draw that kind of conclusion. Sadly, not the other way around. Anyone who had no resonance before may have gained it as they reincarnate, for all we know. They just would not lose it."

"I'd doubt that Eleanor's reincarnation would be so filled with despair, either," Velvet chimed in, to curious looks from Magilou and the Normin. "She is so full of it that I could turn her into a therion, yet there is not even the smallest bit of Malevolence."

"A strong will can hold back even the greatest darkness," Magilou offered sagely, only to become solemn as she continued: "For a time. I noticed that something bothers her and I lent an ear whenever I got my hands on her, but she keeps bottling up her issues." Then she huffed, shaking her head. "Well, at least we know she isn't Artorius' rebirth, either. She definitely has the force of will to be."

Velvet threw the old woman a flat stare, but found herself agreeing. Laphi did, too. "I concur, her wings are strong. The only actual candidate we have, if we go by how far their behaviour matches up, is Melchior." Magilou twitched. "That aside, there is a seraph closing in, so we should change the subject."

She tensed immediately, having half a mind to grab this illusive seraph by the throat until she spit out everything. Laphi's hand was on hers immediately, squeezing until she relaxed. He held her gaze calmly. "Is she trustworthy?" he asked with a nod to Magilou. Velvet paused momentarily, but told him yes; Laphi then squeezed her hand once more. "Then trust her."

They heard the door open a moment later and Magilou began to chuckle out of nowhere. Bienfu loudly called hello and a female voice answered, not bright but more toward Velvet's own tonal range. Then she appeared in the doorframe and left the older Crowe conflicted.

Laphi had not told her much about Symonne from when they last met. Just that she was a girl seraph living with granny Nica since a few months ago. He certainly had not mentioned that she was a waifish girl who looked like she needed a good meal and more hugs than she normally got. Her lilac eyes scanned the room with obviously trained precision, stopping on both siblings for a moment before moving on. There was a barely noticeable delay between her entering and the empty expression on her face washing away, around the time her eyes stopped looking at nothing despite falling on them. One side of her still wanted to force answers out of her. The other wanted to sit her down and cook for her.

"So this is the sister I heard about," Symonne then chirped with an easy smile, skipping over to the table. She noticed the lack of available chairs and simply hopped up to sit on the old wood; her top fluttered from the sudden motion and revealed quite a bit of midriff, not that much of it was hidden to begin with.

"The sister you heard about is surprised how you're running around," she could not help but comment while examining the girl's clothes. This earned her looks from Magilou and Laphi both, who knew she had worn just as revealing garb during her time of rampage; she paid them no mind and focussed on Symonne, who looked down at herself thoughtfully.

"The sister I heard about is a prude, I see," Symonne countered with a giggle, slipping out of her white shoes and turning around to poke Velvet's chest with her foot. "Or maybe the sister I heard about has an interest in cute little things like little old me? Is it that, oh sister?" She received a few more pokes and ended up grabbing the offending limb, faster than Symonne could pull it away. Velvet was not sure if she was amused or annoyed.

"The sister you heard about is taken and has no interest whatsoever in women. She is, also, worried about a minx corrupting her baby brother into depravity." Laphi slapped her shoulder while purposefully looking up at Symonne's face, though Velvet was grinning despite the little sting. The seraph girl chuckled and pulled her foot back once it was let go.

"I like this sister I heard about. What's your name?"

"Velvet. And you are Symonne."

"Yup, the one and only. And don't worry," she added with a suggestive wink to Laphi who did not acknowledge it, "I only corrupt the good little boys if they want to be corrupted."

"Good to know."

She left it at that, for her brother's sake. Symonne already had a bead on him, starting to lounge on the table much like Grimoirh and having purposefully put herself so the boy could look into her cleavage if he lowered his gaze. Velvet exchanged amused glances with Magilou while her brother struggled to keep looking at her face, though the elder saved him by pushing Symonne off the table with a dull thud. "That's enough, we talked about sitting or lying on the furniture. Unless you're Normin-sized, you're not doing it."

Symonne stayed down for a moment, but then Velvet noticed her skittering around below; curiously, she did not crawl up where Laphi sat, but rather on Magilou's side. She was smiling still. "Sure. Where do I sit then?"

As if she had been waiting for that cue, Magilou rose and patted Symonne's head. "Oh, you can pick whichever place you want. I was about to go shopping. Velvet, be a dear and help me out."

"Fine with me. What about these two?" She nodded toward Laphi and Symonne, both of which were looking at them curiously.

Magilou grinned knowingly. "Oh, the children can play until we're back. Be a dear and get my basket from the pantry?" She made for the front of the house while Bienfu and Grimoirh began to fade into mist that followed her before settling within the old woman. Velvet gave another look to her brother, who seemed to have mixed feelings about this, and Symonne who smiled innocently. Deciding to play along after all, she began to move.

Laphicet himself was already resigned to more merciless teasing when the door fell shut behind Velvet and Nica, or Magilou as her actual name was.

Much to his surprise however, Symonne did not immediately jump at him in some way; she merely threw him a grin and then went to a filled bookshelf leaning against the wall. The girl seraph browsed through a few rows, skipped one, and then pulled out a book somewhere around the middle. She plopped down on the couch without so much as another glance to Laphicet, her smile having faded and replaced with a relaxed if blank expression as she began to read.

Still no teasing.

Blinking and hoping for his luck to hold, Laphicet snuck forward to test the waters. He looked over Symonne's shoulder to see what she was reading, only to find a familiar if old script. He could not help but ask: "You can read the ancient tongues?"

She did not even turn her head. "A few. I always liked languages, but I rarely get to read anything in them these days. Nica is a collector of sorts, she has a few of almost everything still known around." Laphicet was still a little confused by this different Symonne; the cheer had gone in favour of calm. She was just so different from how she acted before, as if she were a completely different person. He was so absorbed in his own pondering that he forgot to do anything else, which prompted Symonne to turn her head after a few seconds. "Is something the matter? Do you want me to read it to you?"

Laphicet blinked, his mind snapping back to focus. He shook his head and plopped down next to Symonne, still trying to decide whether to look at the book or at her. "No need, I can read this one myself. I just didn't expect you to just-"

"Not tease you after that opening Nica gave me on purpose?"

"...yes, that."

Symonne's gaze went back to her book for a moment. Then she let herself fall to the side and nestled against Laphicet, who stiffened when he felt the warmth of her body against his. Symonne cooed. "But it wouldn't be fun if you expect me, now would it?"

He had no idea what to say to that. His face was burning. Symonne giggled softly and leaned her head on his shoulder, peering up at him from up close to his continued embarassment. Then, as fast as she had approached, she leaned back away and sat normally again. "That aside," she told him with a wink, "while teasing is fun, it's only fun because you pout so cutely." Which of course made Laphi pout a little harder. "And you wouldn't if I did it all the time."

His mind still rattled from the casual contact he was so unused to. It was not even bad in itself, she just kept tripping him up because he had no idea what to do. At the same time however, Laphicet remained aware enough to take note of Symonne's slightly odd tone. On a guess, he pushed a little: "Or maybe you're not feeling like it right now?"

A momentary pause, though Symonne did not meet his gaze. "That, too."

"Is something on your mind?"

He received a sideeye glance from the girl, her brow creased in the slightest bit of a frown. "Yes."

She did not elaborate and he decided not to pry further. Instead he changed the subject, his attention drawn back to the shelf. "Do you think granny minds if I borrow one of her books to read?"

"Just be careful not to tear it." Her tone turned more flat as she spoke and then Symonne returned to reading her own book. Laphicet left her be and got up to find something for himself; just reading next to each other sounded like an odd way to pass time with someone else, but he also liked the idea of it. Velvet did not talk much during their travels, but Margaret was a chatterbox; being around her for a few hours tired him out somewhat. Be it his upbringing or his nature, Laphicet came to enjoy the quiet.

Unsure whether Symonne was watching him and unwilling to check, he began to read the titles as they were written on the spines. Some he pulled out, but put back in thought.

Then he came to the row Symonne skipped. It took him a moment to recognise the first title's script and he blinked, then went through the row. What drew his attention the most was a visibly ancient book, which he gingerly pulled from its resting place. On the cover, he found his own crest and his heart made a leap. He could hardly believe himself for making the assumption, but the odd feeling of melancholy that took hold of him remained nonetheless; Laphicet opened the book carefully and stared at the first lines in wonder.

He never thought he would see this book again; Velvet would have to tell him how Magilou got her hands on it. This book, written in his hand. Written by his human hands. A copy he made so long ago, to sell it and buy a comb for his beloved sister.

He felt like crying for some reason.

"Anything special with that book?"

The question snapped Laphicet out of his mood and he turned to Symonne with a faint smile. "I didn't think I'd find something written in Ancient Avarost here."

Her gaze narrowed slightly and she fully turned her attention to him where it was just a glance before. "You can read Ancient Avarost?"

"Yep."

Symonne leaned forward then, her own book forgotten for the moment. She peered at Laphicet carefully. "You can read Ancient Avarost?" Her emphasis and doubtful tone made Laphicet's eyes narrow in turn, but she made a dismissive motion right after. "I could never get a handle on it; who taught you?"

He felt a little miffed about the clear distrust in his claim. "I learned it myself, with a little help from my brother-in-law's notes." It was an accomplishment in itself and she understood that, too.

Sadly, Symonne just raised an eyebrow at him. "Now I believe you even less. Ancient Avarost is the most difficult language still known, not something you can just learn like that. Especially not on your own." Laphicet broke the eye contact first, quietly admitting to himself that she had a point but also annoyed about her disbelief. Which was why her next words surprised him quite a bit: "But I don't think you're lying, either. I have seen through much better liars than you before. What does it say?"

Looking up again, he found her eyes fixated on him. Laphicet almost wilted from the quiet intensity and turned the page, then stood still. Normally, translating Ancient Avarost took time and guesswork, but he had translated this entire book by himself before. He knew what those lines said by heart. So he recited them, his own nature.

"Eight-headed is the lord of the land,

with seven mouths to devour Malevolence.

Through pulses of earth doth base natures flow,

as He awaits the time of awakening."

The first verse almost thrummed within him and Symonne grew pale, but Laphicet paid it no mind. He continued with the second verse as if in a trance.

"Four Empyreans may tear Him asunder,

but so long as there is one receptive to divine power,

therions shall be forever reborn

in sight of the full crimson moon."

"Stop! StopStopStop!"

He already drew breath to recite the final lines as well when Symonne interrupted him. Laphicet blinked and looked up again, to find the girl's eyes widened to an unhealthy degree. Her chalk white skin flared into mist in places before solidifying again. "Its, I, I believe you. Just, please put that back."

She practically begged him to in a far weaker voice than before. Laphicet nodded slowly and she turned back to her own book at once, almost curling up; thus she missed his analysing gaze. This girl just gave away that she was old enough to have lived through the reign of Innominat and, more importantly, that she knew of his true form. At the same time however, his gut churned; he made her this way, pale and scared and twitchy. He did not like making others uncomfortable for no good reason, especially with how distraught Symonne appeared to be.

His arms acted almost on their own as he put the book away and pulled out another at random while he thought. Then, just as he felt leather under his fingers, he remembered that there were still a few things in his pockets. Glancing down, he found he had grabbed the Celestial Record, whatever that was. Sneaking back to the couch, he sat himself down next to Symonne again and rummaged around for his emergency measure.

Symonne was still focussed on her book, trying to pretend there was nothing wrong as her skin slowly returned to its rosy tone. Her focus broke when something interposed itself between her and the object in her hand; she went cross-eyed for a moment to watch the nondescript bag, then turned to a softly smiling Laphicet. He pulled it open to reveal a batch of cookies he brought just in case, but held her gaze otherwise. Both of them stared at each other for long moments.

The stalemate was broken when Symonne lowered the book onto her lap and accepted the bag. "Why do you have that on you?"

"Because," he explained as she inspected one of the sweets, "believe me or not, there is a surprising amount of female hermits around these parts. And being lonely is no good, so I visit them once in a while."

"I get that. But why the cookies?" She actually put the treat into her mouth after asking and began to munch on it.

"In case one of them takes offense with my presence. Sweets are great peace offerings for girls." He shared his wisdom with a sage nod, to which Symonne huffed.

"I'm a girl too, you know?"

He did not take the bait and rather decided to tease her back a little. "I guess so, but you're also a little boyish in your manners, so one could get confused." He had meant her bluntness and open nature, but she seemed to home in on another way it could have been taken. Laphi knew he made a terrible mistake when he saw her grin.

"And you're kind of girlish at times, so you have to take my word for being one unless you want to check." She winked while popping another cookie into her mouth and Laphi's face grew hot again. He awkwardly averted his gaze and wondered if maybe he should flee through the earthpulse.

In the end though, he managed to get over himself somewhat. "Okay, fair enough. Either way, I think you should have some cookies, so I gave you some. Need Velvet to make more, though."

Crunch "You don't bake shose yourshelf?"

He threw her a look, but she did not seem to care that she spoke with a full mouth. Laphicet shook his head. "I'm still learning how to do that and hers are just better." There was no immediate response, but the fact she kept reaching into the bag made her opinion on the cookies clear. He could not help but smile and settled into a more comfortable position to read, which she followed soon after.

From the Celestial Record, Laphicet learned quite a few things. Many interesting tidbits were spread through this compendium of history, from before the age he was originally born in, the Age Of The Gods as they called it now, to this current Age Of Chaos. At the same time however, it taught him to double check everything he could not verify himself; there was quite a bit of nonsense there, such as Claudin Asgard being called the first shepherd instead of his student Artorius.

At some point, he hardly even noticed through his own studies, Symonne leaned against him again. Not to tease this time, he noticed when he saw her just reading without even a glance his way; she just made herself comfortable. Strangely, this bothered him a lot less, even though his face grew warm at the close contact again. Laphicet slowly got back into his own reading, though. It was... nice.

He could not tell how much time passed when Symonne spoke up; she turned her head somewhat to look up at him, curious. "Is your sister really married? She didn't strike me like the kind to settle down so young."

Laphicet tried to remember what brought this on, but could not recall why she would ask. In the end, he shrugged, softly so as to not disrupt Symonne's head on his shoulder. "Velvet isn't. Our late sister Celica was."

"Oh." There was an uncomfortably long pause as neither knew how to continue. Symonne did not meet his eyes. "My condolences," she finally settled on.

"We were both little when it happened. It has been a long time ago." He almost shrugged again, but stopped himself. Then his gaze fell onto the girl by his side. "Do you have any family?"

Unfortunately, his curiousity produced another miss; Symonne shook her head, still resting on his shoulder. Laphicet sighed. "I hope the uncomfortable subjects stop soon. I'm out of cookies to cheer you up with."

At least it helped disperse the mood; Symonne threw a grin at him and turned a page. "Aww, don't worry. You're almost as sweet, so you will do fine."

"You can't eat me, though."

"Oh, I could~" She turned herself and pressed a little closer to Laphicet with a suggestive wink, which made it clear just how she meant that; this time he knew he was blushing furiously and not just feeling warm. Symonne then let off him and sat normally again. "But let's leave that for when I know you better." A moment passed in which he stared at her, the redness in his cheeks only slowly receding. When Symonne glanced back at him, she giggled and batted his shoulder. "Relax, I was joking! Nothing's going to happen."

"Are you sure you can promise that?"

"I'm a tease, not a creep."

"Where does one stop and the other start?"

She chuckled. "Knowing that line, my friend, is the art behind it."

They grinned at each other, the mood having changed entirely at some point. He had no idea how, but he admitted to himself that cheerful Symonne was much preferable to sad Symonne. The conversation stalled there and both seraphim returned to reading in a more relaxed atmosphere again. Neither of them commented on the fact Symonne had just called him 'friend', though both had realised it after a few seconds. Laphicet was just happy that things ended up well.