My fellow Warlocks, we are so fucking back. I know there are probably some shenanigans going on behind the scenes with Guardian Games, but I don't really care. If you would allow me to indulge in some tinfoil hat conspiracy thinking, I suspect that Bungie is gonna let it be a three-way tie so they can say all the classes are equally ready to face the Witness come the Final Shape. But that's neither here nor there. On with today's chapter.

If you enjoy it, feel free to leave a review saying what you like. If you hate it, feel free to leave a review plotting the downfall of man and all our hubris.

Chapter 10: Time to Reflect

"When you live as long as I have, you make more than your fair share of mistakes." - Commander Zavala

"The Fallen of House Light continue to scratch at our walls, leeching off the goodwill of the city and its people," Lakshmi-2 said into the microphone. She was speaking to the city from the safety and comfort of her office. Just outside were the rhythmic noises of the hangar. Her office nullified most of the noise but allowed just enough inside to be audible to herself. She found the background sounds to be oddly relaxing. "The people demand answers from their leaders; why must we suffer during these difficult times so our enemies may prosper?"

Content that her point was made, she switched off her transmission and prepared to end the day. She made sure the Device was safely secured. The Device was the most significant relic of Future War Cult. It allowed them to mimic the Vex's simulations of potential futures. Future War Cult had often used it to preemptively strike at the city's enemies. This very contraption had warned Lakshmi of the treachery lurking within House Light. That the rest of the Consensus refused to hear her out infuriated her to no end. Future War Cult had voted and come to the agreement that if the Consensus would not do anything, they would take matters into their own hand.

As she was packing up, she heard a commotion outside her door. Her guards were scuffling with someone trying to force their way past. There was another voice she didn't recognize. Whoever she was, she sounded angry.

Sliding open the door, she asked, "What's going on out here?" Before her was a Titan arguing with her security detail. She looked up at Lakshmi, glaring at the Exo with venom in her eyes.

"I take it you're the leader of Future War Cult?" She asked, trying to shoulder past the guards. They held her back, though it was clear the Guardian was close to overpowering them without trying.

Lakshmi didn't respond, instead noting the woman's features. Her optics traced the woman's golden eyes, pointed ears, and fang-like teeth. She didn't show it, but her mind was racing. Whatever this woman was, she was not Human.

"We're sorry about her, ma'am," one of her guards said. "Once we told her you wouldn't see anyone without a scheduled meeting, she tried to force her way past." The Guardian forcibly shoved him into the wall. He let out a slight grunt of pain as he slid to the ground.

"What is your problem?" She snapped. "Can't you see that you're hurting innocent people?" Lakshmi regarded the strange woman before her coldly.

"I am simply doing my civic duty to protect the city from outsiders," she said, keeping her tone neutral. She leaned closer to the Titan until they were face to face. "From things like you." She pointed to her guard, who was now nursing his sore chest. "You come to my office, harm my security, and have the audacity to accuse me of hurting people. Outsiders like you and the Fallen are nothing more than parasites who eat away at their unwilling hosts."

The Titan was growing increasingly frustrated by Lakshmi's words. She pushed the remaining guard aside and grabbed Lakshmi by the collar. "All you're doing is dividing the city while the true enemy is out there. House Light is the only reason we can strike back at the Vex!"

The cocking of a gun pulled the Titan back to reality. She turned to see that the second guard had drawn his hand cannon on her. The barrel was aimed directly at her forehead, though the guard's hand was shaking slightly.

"You are dangerously close to assaulting a member of the Consensus," Lakshmi threatened. The Titan bared her teeth, letting her sharp fangs flash in the light, before relinquishing her grip on Lakshmi's collar.

"Belos, Royal, and people like you make me wonder if Luz was just an anomaly." In a flash, she spun on her heels and took off down the hall, shouldering past the other security that had started to gather. Lakshmi dusted herself off as her guards closed ranks around her.

"Ma'am, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she said. "Inform the Commander, then get me Osiris. We need to speak."

The howling winds of Europa tore across the glaciers and ravines of the frozen moon's surface. The arctic gale flung tiny daggers of crystal through the air that would cut through everything in their path. Europa had fallen still as the storm tore a path of destruction. Any Guardian operatives had either hunkered down to wait out the storm or been killed and likely wouldn't be raised again until the winds had subsided. The Eliksni had retreated to the fortresses and cities, much to their superiors' chagrin. Alas, no promise of suffering or succor could motivate their ranks. Even the Vex had withdrawn, lest the cold freeze their frames solid.

Royal sat with his back against the wall of Elisabeth's quarters. He listened to the winds battering against the walls of the small bunker. As the piercing winter arrow continued to rage outside, he simply sat and stared at his hands as he fiddled with his fingers. He felt like his stomach was churning despite knowing that was impossible. Every part of his body surged like it was working at maximum power, driving him into perpetual tension.

The door opened, and Elisabeth quickly stepped inside, sealing the door behind her. She removed her heavy cloak and draped it atop a crate. Her fingers danced across a datapad, ensuring the internal heating wouldn't fail in the sudden storm. She set the pad down once she was convinced they wouldn't freeze to death.

"I see you in my dreams," Royal said without prompting. Elisabeth's optics darted to him, curious but not accusatory. She knew what that meant, what an Exo's dreams entailed. He clenched his fists to try and steady himself. It didn't work. "What were we?"

Elisabeth remained silent for a moment before responding. "Friends. We were friends."

"Is that all?" He asked, daring to pry further.

"We never had the chance to be anything more," she replied with a voice that betrayed nothing. She took a seat across the room from Royal and met his gaze. Her voice was deathly serious when she spoke again, with all the certainty of the grave. "You've hurt me before, in ways you don't and can't remember. I don't want to hold it against you, but I will not be hurt again. Do you understand?"

Royal nodded. "I understand, I promise." His fingers wove around each other repeatedly. It was a mindless task, yet it put him mildly at ease. "How do I learn to leave my hate behind? I don't want to be like this, but I cannot help how I feel towards our enemies."

"Not all of them are our enemies," Elisabeth said. "Many are like us, victims of circumstance. There are levels of nuance. Look at House Light. How long must they play the role of ally before you consider that they may be genuine?"

"But what if they are not?" Royal asked. "We have welcomed some of our oldest foes into the heart of the city. There is a knife held at our throats, and everyone is too blind to see it."

"It is easy to assume the worst from everyone," Elisabeth said. "To believe they are incapable of change. But if you go through life pushing everyone away from fear that they plunge a blade into your back, you shall lead a miserable, empty life. People are not static; they grow and evolve. Sometimes they will hurt you, yes. But we cannot punish the innocent for the crimes of the guilty."

"How do you know this is true?" Royal questioned.

"Because I have seen it before," Elisabeth responded. She reached out and took one of Royal's hands in her own. "The fact that you are willing to be here proves that you can change."

The command center was silent, save for the ticking of a clock on the wall and the shuffling of papers. Amity stood at one end of the table, her arms tucked behind her back and her head tilted down. At the other end was Commander Zavala. His expression was grim as he set a stack of reports down.

"Explain to me," he said. "Why did you do it?"

Amity took a deep breath and began, "I was angry and not thinking clearly-"

Zavala cut her off. "I know that you were upset. I want to know why."

"Isn't it obvious?" Amity asked. "She's deliberately stoking tensions in the city. Have you seen what people are doing to House Light?"

"Of course I have," Zavala said calmly. "Far more than you. But that does not excuse your blatant overreach of authority."

"I thought Titans were supposed to protect the innocent," Amity countered.

"We are defenders," Zavala said. "Not Warlords. We do not rule the city. We do not order the Consensus."

"But if the Consensus is getting people hurt, shouldn't we step in?" Amity asked, growing increasingly impatient with the Commander.

"Of course we should," he replied. "But what you did was a gross abuse of your power. Threatening the city's governing body will only make us out to be tyrants, lording our power over people who cannot resist us. That is not what a Titan is."

Amity's mouth hung open slightly at that. She had been so swept up in her indignation that she hadn't considered that perspective, but it still didn't sit right with her. Should those with power not act?

"I don't understand," she said. "Why are they so afraid?"

Zavala sighed wearily and looked out the window. "You must remember that our two worlds and the people who inhabit them are very different." He turned back to look at Amity. "People will fear that which they do not understand and hate that which they cannot control. I have learned that the only way to change hearts is with a gentle hand, not a clenched fist."

A thin bead of sweat trailed down Luz's forehead as she squatted beside a large Ether tank. Her fingers slipped around the grooves of the container until they found purchase. Her Light pulsed, reinforcing her muscles as she lifted it off the ground. Around her were Eliksni moving tanks of their own, though they would have to double or even triple up to move the tanks. Luz stepped carefully to avoid dropping her cargo. Ether was highly volatile and did not react well to sudden motion. Alas, House Light did not have access to any equipment to ease the transportation.

She entered the storage room where Eido was taking inventory. House Light had invested what meager supplies it had to build a more secure storage facility for its Ether reserves. With the mounting tensions in the city, it was only a matter of time before another mob came by, and Misraaks wanted to avoid any potential incidents.

Luz set the tank down and wiped her brow. Eido checked over her list as the last tanks were brought in before making a pleased clicking sound.

"Everything is accounted for," she said. "Thanks again for your help." Luz gave a thumbs-up as she leaned against the tank. With Royal out for the day, she had been left to her own devices. It was an arrangement she was getting used to, though she wished he would tell her where he was going. After completing her usual training, she went to see if she could help around the Eliksni District. The Vex had been quiet since Outcast made his presence known. Misraaks suspected that their numbers had been severely depleted or they were waiting for something. Until they knew more, there was nothing that could be done.

"Anything else on the docket?" She asked. Eido looked over her schedule, flipping through the pages with ease. Before she could speak, a loud commotion reached the two. They poked their heads outside and saw a large gathering of Eliksni congregating near the entrance to their home. After sharing a worried glance, Luz and Eido made their way over. The other Eliksni parted for them—or rather, for Luz—while continuing to shout at something out of sight.

Luz reached the front of the crowd and was met by a mob of angry Humans brandishing melee weapons and a few sidearms. They were trying to force their way into the Eliksni District, pushing against the haphazard barricades that had been raised. Luz stepped between the crowds and held out her hands.

"Everyone, quiet down!" She shouted. The two mobs settled a little, though they both continued to fidget. She turned to glare at the Humans. "There is no reason for violence, leave!"

"Who's side are you on?" One of them, a middle-aged man wrapped in dirty clothes, shouted back. He seemed oddly familiar, though Luz couldn't place where she knew him from. "You're supposed to be our protectors! Where were you when the Consensus started shipping off our taxes to pay for these monsters to squat in our city! The very same city they've attacked countless times! Many of us lost our homes due to the city's 'resource allocation'!"

"I understand your hardships, but that doesn't justify hurting innocent people," Luz said. The man, clearly a leader, scoffed loudly and propped his hammer on his shoulder.

"What would you understand about us?" He spat. "You Guardians sit up in your tower, so high and mighty, lording your power over us mere mortals. Then, when we need you most, you side with our enemies."

"That's not true," Luz said. "I have never lorded over anyone, and we are not enemies. Our true enemy is the Vex!"

"You really expect me to believe that?" He continued. "Don't you remember what you did to my friend?" Luz squinted a little in confusion, prompting the man to continue. "You really don't remember? I guess we're just beneath your notice. You broke his arm in half! He lost his job, spiraled into more booze, and ended up drinking himself to death! All because of you!"

Luz's eyes widened as she realized where she remembered him from. He had been at the Colonel all those weeks ago when she first met Eido. He had been the one trying to keep Marq from provoking her, and now Marq was dead because of what she had done.

"I didn't realize," she began quietly, struggling to get the words out. The man cut her off.

"Of course you didn't. Now, get out of the way! We have a score to settle." He slammed his hammer into the barricade. The wood splintered before finally buckling under a second strike. The crowd roared and began to surge forward, while the Eliksni backed up in fear. A few picked up whatever loose pipes or rocks they could find to protect themselves.

"Stay back!" Luz shouted to no avail. The mob pushed forward, with the man preparing to bring his hammer down on an Eliksni woman. Luz reached out to push him away, her hands meeting his ribs. Crystals frosted over her hands, answering her unasked call. There was the familiar rush of power, but it felt different this time, almost tainted. The man went flying back, Stasis slowly starting to overtake his body. He lay still as the frozen crystals slowly expanded. Luz staggered back, looking down at her hands in horror.

"Davd!" A woman shrieked, kneeling beside the motionless man. "Someone, call for help!"

"I didn't mean to…" Luz muttered. "I wouldn't…" The woman glared at her, hatred pouring from her eyes.

"Get away from him!" A brick flew through the air, thrown by an unseen rioter, and hit her on the side of the head. The brick shattered on impact, leaving Luz with a sudden splitting headache. A thin trail of blood leaked from just above her eye as her vision swam. She was vaguely aware of Eido grabbing hold of her and trying to lead her away while the mob began to retreat, fearing for their lives. She could hear her friend saying something, but the words sounded like they were being spoken underwater. Luz felt her strength recede, and the world went dark.

The frosted target exploded as a fireball slammed into it. Royal pulled his fist back, already following up with his other hand. Flames erupted from his balled fist, sending forth a second fireball. He didn't wait to see where it landed, instead turning and sweeping his leg across the ground. A waist-high wave of flames surged forth in a semi-circle around him. Royal shifted his weight to that foot and kicked the air with the other. A small burst of violet energy rippled from the limb. He brought his foot back down and delivered a series of rapid punches to another target, each blow unleashing a small Void explosion.

His hands spread wide, sending Arc Light to each of his targets. His arms wove frantically. With each motion, he envisioned another foe being felled. A bolt of lightning cracked through the air, a Hive Knight spasmed as it was fried; a burst of unstable Void Light detonated in his hands, a Cabal Colossus was vaporized from the waist down; a stream of scouring Solar heat burst through another target, a Vex Minotaur collapsed to the ground. He rounded on the final target, his fists blazing with the sun's heat, and prepared to strike it down. As he turned to face it, the flashes of the Eliksni living within the city passed through his mind. His hands fell still, neither attacking nor resting but instead being held in an eternally ready position. He stood like that for a moment that seemed to stretch on forever before finally extinguishing his flames and letting his hands fall to his side.

"Seems your training is going well," Elisabeth said. Royal glanced back over his shoulder. The storm had faded away, finally allowing the two outside. Elisabeth had gone off to check her equipment while he busied himself with his thoughts. Royal pushed the last remaining target over before responding.

"I've got a lot on my mind." He absently fiddled with the clasps on his vambrace for a moment. "What makes me so interesting."

"After everything you've been through, you still need to ask that?" She asked, the barest hint of humor entering her voice. Royal rolled his optics.

"I get it, people think I'm a hero," he said. "Let me rephrase: Why are you helping me?"

"Because I made a promise," Elisabeth said.

"To whom?"

"To you," she said. "It was before you went under. I promised that I would be there to help you figure things out. Same with the second reset, the third, the fourth, and so on. After the Collapse, I couldn't find you until it was too late. I couldn't help you then. I'm going to now."

"But what makes me so special?" Royal asked. "There are thousands of Guardians. You could have chosen any of them."

"Who says I got to choose?" Elisabeth said with a cheeky shrug. She snapped her fingers, raising a small perch and several targets made of Stasis. She reached on her back and pulled her rifle free, propping it up on the small wall she had made. "Here, how about something less serious."

"Rifle drills?"

"You find it calming, do you not?" Not for the first time, Royal was slightly weirded out by just how well Elisabeth knew him. It was a little disturbing but prompted something else he didn't quite know how to decipher. Whatever it was, it felt nice. He accepted her offer with a nod and drew his rifle.

"First to knock down all their targets wins," Elisabeth said. Royal measured the distances, noting the symmetrical layout that ensured they had an equal number of marks. He nodded and slipped into position. Lancer gave a countdown. The instant he hit zero, the air was filled with gunfire.

Royal's scout bucked as glowing orange rounds punched through each of his targets. Elisabeth's rifle sang in tune, firing a burst of bullets with each trigger pull. Royal moved his aim from target to target with practiced fluidity. He didn't wait to see if his shots were on target before moving to the next, having faith in his abilities.

Eventually, the last targets were knocked down in unison. Royal hoisted his rifle onto his shoulder and mentally replayed the last shots fired. He grinned, "Looks like I won."

Elisabeth propped an eyebrow and placed a hand on her hip. "Did you?" Royal looked back over the field and saw one of his targets still standing, perfectly intact. He furrowed his brow in confusion.

"I hit that," he said. "I know I did."

"Well, the evidence would say otherwise," Elisabeth said, holstering her rifle. "Looks like I win."

"No, you must've put it back up without me noticing," Royal said.

"Did I?" Elisabeth asked coyly. She turned on her heels and sauntered away, leaving Royal to ponder what had happened. He retraced his shots and realized that she was right. He gave a soft 'Huh.'

"Well, I'll be damned."

Luz awoke to a pounding skull. Her brain throbbed, trying to break free of its cage. She sat up in her cot and rubbed her forehead where she had been struck. The wound had already been patched without so much as a bruise. Had she been in a better mind, she may have taken some amusement in the strange duality. The Light could repair her wound with ease but either couldn't or wouldn't prevent her from being brought down by a single unlucky blow to the head.

She could hear people talking just outside the room, which she realized were Eido's. Swinging her legs out of bed, she approached the door. The voices became more defined as she grew closer.

"-lucky we were close by, or something worse could have happened," a female voice said. Luz racked her still-addled brain to place it. "We've managed to get them to disperse, but I'd sleep with a rifle by your bed tonight."

"No matter how easy or tempting the path may be, we will not walk the road of bloodshed," Misraaks replied. "I thank you for your help, Iris, but we will survive."

"Do you truly believe that all of your House would be so willing to stand aside?" The accented voice of Saint-14 said. "Had a Guardian not been present, many of your people may have been forced to choose between sacrificing their morals or their lives."

"Then we are fortunate that Luz was present and was able to dissuade them before something tragic happened," Misraaks said solemnly. Luz's breath hitched as the memory of the encounter poured back into her mind.

"How is our young little hero?" Iris asked. Luz pressed her ear against the door. There was the chirp of a Ghost.

"She's listening to us right now," Aurora said. Luz blanched as the door was pulled open, leaving her completely in the open. Misraaks, Eido, Iris, Saint, and Aurora all looked at her as she stood there. Luz offered a wave, which no one returned. Aurora flew over to her Guardian and hovered beside her. The two Eliksni were obviously concerned about her, which was evident through posture alone. Iris had an odd look in her eyes, almost like she was picking Luz apart with nothing but her gaze. Saint was utterly unreadable, every feature hidden by his armor.

Iris was the first to break the awkward silence. "Welcome back to the land of the living, kid."

"What happened?" Luz asked. Iris grimaced a little, telling Luz all she needed to know. "Davd, did he…?"

"He's not dead," Iris said. "Pretty messed up, but alive and in care at the moment." The Hunter quickly looked her up and down. "What did you even do to him?"

"I don't know," Luz said, looking down at her hands. "He was trying to attack someone, and I reacted. I felt the Darkness swell within me, but I didn't summon it. I thought I was in control." Iris appeared pensive as she thought before turning to the others.

"Can I talk to her in private?" She asked. Saint nodded and departed. Eido was about to object, only for Misraaks to place a hand on her shoulder. Eido acquiesced and the two Eliksni left the Guardians to their business. Iris shepherded Luz back into Eido's room and shut the door. Luz took a seat on the bed while Iris pulled over a chair. Luz shifted uncomfortably under the older Guaridans' gaze.

"Describe what happened," Iris instructed. "What did you feel?" Luz swallowed nervously, feeling a lump of dread in her throat. Royal had warned her about this. The Darkness was corrupting her.

"I just wanted to keep him from hurting anyone," Luz said, her voice shaky. "He tried to attack, and I went to push him away. I was worried, confused, more than a little angry." She balled her hands into fists. "He was trying to kill her; I couldn't just let that happen!" Iris held out a hand, and Luz clamped her mouth shut. Her body was practically shaking with anger. Her fists were frosted and wrapped in crystals. She frantically tried to scrape it off while Iris watched.

"I see the problem," Iris said. "You don't know how to control Stasis."

"I know how to control it," Luz said. Iris raised her eyebrows, challenging that claim.

"Maybe in a vacuum," the Hunter said. "But when you're in battle, your blood is pumping. That is when Stasis is at its most powerful." Her left hand darted up, almost too fast to be seen. Clutched between her fingers was a dark blue shuriken with edges sharper than reality. "But that is also when it's at its most dangerous. It wants to break free from your control, to flip the table on you. And it will seek to do so when you are at your most vulnerable."

"But I've used Stasis in battle before," Luz said. "It hasn't given me any problems until now."

"Yeah, it's a sneaky bastard like that," Iris said with an easy grin. She wove her shuriken through her fingers. "It worms its way in slowly and surely. Then, when you least expect it, it strikes!" She accentuated her point by crushing the shuriken. Luz watched the crystalline shards fall to the ground, her expression morose as the ice shattered.

"There's no real trick to getting better," Iris said. "You just gotta keep at it." Iris leaned over and patted Luz on the shoulder. "I'm sure you'll be fine. You seem like a good kid. Try not to let it get you down." Luz stared at her, her face sullen in response to the rather unhelpful advice. Iris sighed and rubbed her forehead, brushing a few strands of hair out of her eyes.

"Look, I'm a Hunter," she said. "We roll with what comes at us. You Warlocks are all so obsessed with meditation, practice, and training. Sometimes, you just gotta feel it out."

"Royal told me I need to stop and think things through," Luz said, curling in on herself. Iris blew a raspberry and leaned back in her seat.

"Look, I've met Royal; he's a fine enough dude. But is he right about everything?" Iris asked. Luz shrugged in a noncommittal manner, not wanting to badmouth him. "Plans are all well and good, but sometimes you just gotta go with the flow and trust your gut," she countered. "Our instincts kept our ancestors alive for thousands of years. You're a Stormcaller, right?" Luz nodded, and Iris snapped a pair of finger guns. "Lightning is all about rapid, erratic motion. Do you think the lightning bolt knows where it's going? No. It just goes."

Luz looked down at her hands, charging a few lightning bolts between her palms. She took a breath and focused on the flow of energy as it transitioned from hand to hand. The current twisted and bent seemingly randomly, yet it always reached its destination.

"It just goes," Luz repeated. "Alright, I guess I'll give it a shot." Iris gave her a confident thumbs up. "You really sure it'll work?"

"Sixty/Forty."

"Those numbers do not inspire confidence," Aurora whistled as Luz's shoulders slumped.

Osiris traced his finger over the spines of a dozen books he had requisitioned from Ikora's personal archive. He had already read every single tome she possessed and committed them all to memory. He intended to use that knowledge, perhaps sooner than some may think. He picked one up just to have the weight in his hand and began flipping through it. The browsing served no purpose beyond appearances; he was waiting for someone.

There was a knock at the door, and he glanced over his shoulder; there they were. He turned as Lakshmi entered, no doubt having been told where to find him. The Sunsinger turned to face her, setting down his unread book.

"Lakshmi," he greeted. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"A need for counsel," the Exo replied. She looked at the books stacked on his desk. "I see you are refreshing yourself on the subject of temporal causality loops."

Osiris chuckled warmly, "When our enemy wields time itself as a weapon, one can never be too well versed in the topic. But I know you did not come here simply to discuss literature; what ails you?"

"Earlier, in my office, I was accosted by a Guardian," Lakshmi said. "She was a strange creature, with ears like daggers and eyes that seemed to glisten with a power I did not recognize. She threatened my staff and then myself. She even sent poor Zacariah to the infirmary."

"Most curious," Osiris said, stroking his chin. "Do you suspect her to be a threat?"

"I merely question why the Traveler would choose such a creature to be a Guardian, especially when we are already faced with such division," Lakshmi said.

"The Traveler is enigmatic at the best of times, and its motives are ever unknown," Osiris said. "But that does not mean it is beyond failure. Or reproach."

"It is still disheartening to see another potential threat rise within our ranks while we still have another blade clutched at our throats."

Osiris nodded pensively, "Indeed. Then, we must act swiftly to expedite the removal of these threats. First, the Endless Night; then, the Fallen. I shall expedite my search for Quria."

"The whole city thanks you for your service," Lakshmi said with a slight bow. "Perhaps, once this is all over, we can finally rest." She bid farewell, turned, and departed. Osiris watched her go, only his coffee-colored eyes visible through his mask. He let out another chuckle, though it possessed none of the warmth of the previous one.

"Yes, we shall finally rest at last."

There you have it, a bit of a shorter one today. The next few should be on the longer side if that's your thing. The Splicer plot is coming to a head; it should all be finished soon. Then, we can truly begin.

davisjustus99: As my favorite Russian once said, "As long as he lives the heart of this army cannot be broken." Also, New mental song just came out, Little Trinketry.

Ah, but Stalin had little need for heroes, didn't he?

hornig3: Nice to see things grow a little better. Good to see more of "Osiris" and interacting with Amity no less. Girl is going to have a huge rant to Lakshmi, possible break some of her stuff and leave, Pal seems like he would encourgae it and i love the little guy for it. And that bit at the end... oh my poor shipper heart. As a lover of Elsie and good shipping you could not have made me any happier!

Yeah, dramatic irony is fun. The reason I've made Pal kinda quiet is that it's already hard to find moments for Aurora and Lancer to chime in; adding a whole other Ghost on top of that is just too much. As for the elephant in the text, Royal and Elisabeth, I will be completely honest: I don't know how to write romance. It's not something I read very often, and it's not something I really get all that well. So I'm kinda fast-tracking their relationship a bit. Elise's just kinda picking up where she left off, and Royal is just rolling with it.