[center][h2]Pleasantries[/h2]

Sweden
2035

Howler and Wind Wild
[/center]

Hazumi was light on her feet, a slight bounce to her steps as the long skirt flicked and twisted around her ankles. There was sunshine on her skin and a song in her head - a terrible one that a new student had composed for her, but catchy nonetheless. It had been so long since she last left the Academy that it almost felt unnatural. Since she started complying with the Peacekeepers and Lily things had been busy - so many people had asked to study her and her powers that between that and recording hate-crime there had been no time for anything else. Especially no whimsical trips to Sweden. 

Well, of course, it wasn’t really whimsical. She had tried to present it as such but Lily had known her for 21 years now and she’d grown accustomed to spotting her lies. So Hazumi had learned to lie better. 

But today’s trip to Sweden hadn’t been the result of a lie. Instead, it was official business. One, she thought, best carried out in an unofficial way. She had her selurgy trained on him from the moment she departed from Loom, and now, hours later, she could see him no more than 200 meters away. There was a wall between them, as well as a bunch of other creatures, but his essence was unmistakable. It was so bright that it must have been blinding to most demons and it whisped far above the ground like a beacon. Hazumi had to wonder if he knew exactly how much he stood out. Most angels couldn’t as much as perceive someone’s presence, let alone sniff it out like the lowliest demon or identify its origin. That part of her power, she figured, came from the demons. 

There was a pang of guilt in that, knowing that the souls of so many were trapped within her body and now gave her power, but the world they revealed to her was worth the embarrassment, and besides, the Peacekeepers had decided she was useful. On two feet , and free as a bird. Well, almost. 

But at least free enough to go meet one of the last remaining Archangels in person. Well, there was the official message as well, but that was a technicality. A mere excuse to witness one of the most majestic creatures on Earth. She still remembered the first day she saw them all in the Council building. Even to the eyes of the surface angel she’d been, they’d looked awe-inspiring. She had cried at the sight. So she really hoped she wouldn’t cry today. 

She could hear laughter, and someone shouting too, and her curiosity peaked. Had he been the one to make the others laugh? Or was he teaching them some particularly amusing battle stance? Holding her breath she took another step that brought her around the corner and in front of Zadkiel. 

The sight definitely did not make her cry. Instead it made her eyebrows arch very, very high. 

She’d come to see him. 

She saw more of him that she’d expected.

See, essence-sight, or selurgy, as they’d fancifully named it, was blind to physical characteristics beyond general body shape. It couldn’t see faces or hair colours. And it certainly couldn’t distinguish between dressed and undressed. 

So she couldn’t have known that the second time she ever saw Zadkiel would be like this. The first time had been back when she was summoned by the Council to help repair Hell’s Gate. She was 24, a dark angel, and he, along with the other archangels, had been so magnificent that they’d brought tears to her eyes. She had felt unworthy in the light of them. 

And now….

Did this situation make her more worthy somehow?

Either way, she had just intruded into a swimming lesson. There were a bunch of only half-dressed people around and herself, in a smart casual skirt and top. To say she stood out was an understatement. 

Perhaps that’s why Lily had insisted on sending an official letter first. 

But situations like this were the only thing worth living for, if you asked Hazumi herself. So the letter would be arriving long after she’d left, and her shoes were about to get even wetter and things were about to get even more amusing than expected.

If anyone had called the name ‘Zadkiel’ over the crowd, it was very unlikely anyone would have known how to respond. Most of the stares would be politely blank, a natural response to a weird name like they came up with in Heaven. The only one who knew better, who understood the name and what it meant, wouldn't have reacted at all except to take another deep breath and plunge beneath the water's surface for another few long, cyclical strokes. Fingers cupped and curled, technique excellent, Zadkiel, Angel of Mercy, practiced his crawl.

Of all the places he'd been, he found Sweden simultaneously pleasant and private. The people were more homogenous than most, the language a flowing sing-song and culture pleasantly socially oriented. That it happened to have one of the best schools of psychiatry and neuroscience in the world was no accident, but it's excellent Olympic pool was. Having never much delved into swimming as an archangel proper, now that he went without feathers he found it a surprisingly enjoyable activity. Unlike flying, which was a strain on the shoulders and limited itself to a few load-bearing joints, swimming was easy on the body and freeing for the mind.

Therapeutic.

So while Zadkiel would have soared on his vulture wings, removed and observant, Jasper Dial worked on his crawl. Every stroke was a minute correction, every motion another slight shift towards perfection. While modern angels surrendered to the human tolerance of imperfection Zadkiel was still a purist at heart, and even if it burned his lungs and made his lean arms scream he refused to suffuse himself with the essence that would trivialize the task. In his own not inconsiderate opinion he’d done a surprisingly good job of limiting himself to human feats and it showed.

As he finished his lap he caught the bar at the edge of the pool and gasped a breath. He threw a hand into the air and felt it caught almost immediately, the insistent tug pulling his light frame from the water. Liam was, frankly, a much better swimmer than Jasper--more powerful, stronger of frame. A tad younger, he clapped Jasper on the back with ease and congratulated him on a solid time in casual Swedish which the angel returned without thinkings about it. It wasn’t until he’d grabbed himself a towel and made a bit of small talk with some of the younger students that he noticed Hazumi.

Of course he knew who she was.

Most people watching wouldn’t have seen it despite the fact it was far more visible without a shirt--his shoulders tightened, as did his neck, his expression carefully a pleasant neutral. As he ran a towel over his head he excused himself with an easy thanks to Olivia, who had handed it to him, and started towards the young...whatever she was. She certainly wasn’t an angel. Not really.

“This is an odd place to find you.” He offered by invitation, towel wrapped over his shoulders. His hair was cropped shorter than it had been, long-flowing mane now a tight clip around his scalp. Lean and in shape, even without his wings there was an air of stillness about him, as though everything he did was smooth and intentional.

Whether or not it bothered him that he was functionally in his underwear wasn’t apparent.

“Odd because it’s Sweden or odd because I’m fully dressed?” The Essence smiled politely, making no effort to stop her eyes from wandering over him. It wasn’t something easily afforded to her in the Academy but this student surely didn’t constitute a minor. In a sense, he was her elder. 

“Surely you must realise that this is no coincidence. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.” Some students were already throwing them curious glances which Hazumi returned with a mysterious smile that encouraged more questions than it answered. It was probably only a matter of time until the teachers noticed and asked why she’s there. She would be really tempted to give them the truth, just to see the look on Zadkiel’s face. 

“I’m aware.”

Turning, he smiled and raised a hand to the other students by way of goodbye. “Apologies,” he called back, “an old friend of mine has stopped by to see me. I’ll catch you all later--make my excuses to Professor Tallard!”

“Get your girlfriend to excuse you!” One of his classmates laughed, getting a few chuckles out of the surrounding group as they waved him off and returned to practice. Zadkiel wasn’t worried--school was interesting and science had expanded dramatically of late, but his was a mind sculpted to accommodate the knowledge of millenia. His grades were not about to suffer. If Hazumi’s slightly lecherous look bothered him he didn’t say anything about it, nor did he preen. Instead he walked back to her, the smile on his face dropping to a neutral expression once out of sight.

“Do you have somewhere private you would like to talk, or shall I lead the way?”

“No, I have to admit, my plans only stretch this far. Although..” she chuckled, “with a company like this, I can understand why you’d want to find a private place for a discussion. ” If any of those boys had recognized the true nature of any of them, they probably wouldn’t be making such bold remarks. It was always endearing to encounter humans in their day-to-day lives. They were the targets of both other races, a constant victim in an ongoing war, yet they were so… unbothered. Ignorant? Sometimes. But other times, they were just facing the world with lighthearted acceptance, going about their lives as if none of the supernatural stuff around was of any concern.
 
Then again, people like Zadkiel went through considerable lengths to keep them in the dark and, as of recently, Hazumi herself had been employed to be their guard-dog too. All in all, what she felt for humans was an odd mixture of pity and bemused admiration. They were like children in a playground, soft, innocent, incapable, fragile. Worth protecting? Perhaps.
 
“I have to say, I truly am surprised to find you in such a setting.” She admitted, filling the silence while they walked, the clicks of her heels against the wet slaps of his feet. “Or at least in this capacity. They seem to be taking you as one of them. I would have expected you to teach at the very least.”

“I could, I suppose. But this University is on the bleeding edge of neuropsychology, mental imaging, and neurology; I would prefer not to corrupt their learning by including correlations they could not possibly have made with from knowledge I could not possibly have. Infusions to the scientific process can be…detrimental.”

Walking along side her, he shrugged his slim shoulders and wiped a bit of the chlorinated water from his face where it had dripped from his hair. Had he wished he would have been dry already but no--her presence didn’t change his goals here.

“And there are certain credentials that I require for activities I intend to undertake. I have turned away from the world for long enough in my grief, though I will admit to some disappointment that I was so easy to find. I will need to be more diffuse, it would seem.” The campus was lovely in the bright weather even if it wouldn’t last for long--spring and summer went by all too quickly at latitudes like this, but all the students that could manage the time were out enjoying them. He nodded good-naturedly to a few that knew him as they passed, leading her back to the dormitories.

“There’s nothing you can do to hide from me.” Hazumi bragged casually, omitting the fact that half of what he said about this place went right over her head. She was a creature of intuition and scientific knowledge was about as hard to grasp for her as the notion of seeing essence was to most humans. “Besides, if anyone saw you right now, they wouldn’t second-guess the fact that in front of them stands nothing more than a young human male.” She reassured, then chuckled again. Unfit for her position but certainly not for her young body. “Unless it’s a pretty powerful demon Lord. But then, I know you have your little ways of dealing with that too.”
 
It was odd, the way she was behaving. Almost like a teen grown up too fast, a mature body with a mind that’s yet to catch up, too eager to impress. Indeed, the last time she had seen Zadkiel had been before she became the Essence, back when she [i]was[/i] little more than a dark angel. And she had been so awed by the sight of all seven archangels, she had cried for the first time since her mother’s death. Perhaps she was too eager to prove her worth to someone who had a few years on her when it came to understanding the world. After all, she was in this position because she had to be, not because she was the best candidate. Talk about wisdom and you could see the spark of bias in the eyes of a girl who still remembered her youth.
 
But that didn’t change the facts. Admiration was only part of her right now. The desire to prove superiority was probably stronger. Hence the easy way she mentioned just how much she knew about him. Let him be aware, hopefully even intimidated, by her power… like she once had been by his. 

“I am concerned with demons only insofar as they surrender to their base natures, ‘lord’ or otherwise.” Zakiel shrugged, cocking his head as he looked to the little peacock with a slight smile. If he was afraid or intimidated he didn’t show it, his face almost-but-not-quite human. It would take someone like Hazumi to see the differences, miniscule but present if someone knew to look. That he could hide his wings was, he had to admit, an enormous boon. Only guardians were typically able to, and it was a coveted trick for someone like him. The dormitory was a modern building in contrast to a good deal of the architecture on campus, tight and compact for the students, and he motioned her to an elevator as he stepped inside out of the bustle of the hallways.

“You’ve changed a good deal from last we met. Responsibility has never rested well with you, has it?”

Ah, faces. Something Lily Quann had been trying to teach her for years now with little success. It was only now that she appreciated [i]why[/i] the principal had insisted on such mundane lessons. Because if she had paid more attention, maybe she would have been better at reading Zadkiel’s and controlling her own.
 
But the jab was too unexpected and for a moment it produced a very sour look from the Essence of the World. [i]Never underestimate an antic’s teeth. [/i] “You got me.” She admitted, aware of the fact that it was naïve to assume he hadn’t seen it. A shadow seemed to fall over the corridor as she stopped and crossed her arms, a prelude to her next, heavy words. “But then again, we’d never be in this position if you’d done your job right. All of you.” She said, referring to the entire Council. “The others paid for their sins while you survived because you ran. And you ran again when Judas came to power. And now…?” Jasper had of course turned to face her by now and she stepped deep into his personal bubble. Inches away from his bare skin she pressed a hand against his chest gentle like a kitchen knife. Her skin didn’t penetrate his but her essence did and what it felt like was a heart-stopping surge of power, dark and tainted like the universe. It was like hot tar spilling over an immobilised heart, an essence that brought all into question only to remodel and redefine it. His wings and his very soul began to itch and burn, as if they would melt into nothing… or into something new. “[i]Now[/i] are you ready to take responsibility?” She looked up at him with vicious glee in her eyes even as her assault continued pumping through his veins. 

“Disgusting.”
 
It was rare for Zadkiel to succumb to anger. It hadn't happened since he’d began masquerading as human, in fact--grief, yes, but anger? Frustration? Both uncharacteristic emotions for the archangel, as he liked it. But to feel the Keeper impose herself on him, to violate him with her filthy, muddled ink she called her essence and threaten him over decisions she could barely understand? The word hissed through his lips slowly and deliberately, dripping like acid to floor with the weight of his disdain.

The pain was intense, but he had suffered pain before. He leveled his eyes to hers and his soft smile was more vicious than hers by far.

“You believe yourself powerful because you can shape the soul of things.” He said quietly, softly and gently as a scalpel. “And you believe yourself wise because you can see the essence of things, as if that alone makes up the universe. But tell me--do you feel powerful, right now? Do you feel righteous?

“No. You feel small, and foolish, and childish because life has been unfair to you and the only thing you can see to do about it is be petulant. Do not [i]dare [/i] speak to me of responsibility, of [i]payment of sin[/i], my little abomination. For all of your power you are helpless, and for all of your sight you are blind, and in your pain and anger you squander yourself as a petty bully to a creature old enough and kind enough to forgive you in spite of your [i]hideous [/i]faults.

“Now take. Your. Hand. Off. Me. [I]Little girl[/i].” He said slowly and sharply, through a ragged breath. “And we will talk.”
 
Now that loosened his tongue. Interesting how far a small display of power went with those archaic types. It went for him and her both.
 
What Zadkiel’s words brought forth was, interestingly, a laugh from Hazumi – an open and loud one. She didn’t remove her essence from him until moments later, lazy and somewhat reluctant. After all, part of her was a demon and as such, the sensation of dirtying, of corrupting one of the purest creatures still alive felt oddly delightful.
 
Nothing she seemed guilty of when she finally retrieved her hand. It’s not that his words weren’t hurtful, not even the fact that she often heard similar things from the woman she admired most, but quite simply the appreciation that someone knew her. Knew her for who she was, flawed, artificial, yet a master of her own fate. This was a respect few offered when they spoke of her merely as a tool to be used. Compared to that, even blaming her for her attitude or decisions was a flattery.
 
“See how well you understand me, Zadkiel? I can honestly say you don’t fall short of expectation.” Everything she felt and knew, came out of his mouth neatly wrapped into a few growled words. He definitely did have a great way with words. She knew they’d get along well.
 
She stepped back to give him a breath and put her hands behind her back as if to signal she was safe. A childlike smile fluttered on her lips in stark contrast to what she’d just done. Then again, in a sense she was no different from him when it came to demons so perhaps she was just proving a point earlier.
 
“I do believe you are ready to talk seriously now. Naturally, my trip here isn’t just to catch up on an old acquaintance. It’s not even to question why you had your arms crossed and didn’t do anything when Judas killed Melody and nearly brought about an Apocalypse, though, admittedly, I’d be curious to find out if you’re willing to share. So… do you wish to resume our conversation here or go somewhere where interference would be even more unlikely?”

“I was ready to talk seriously without your little theatrics.”

In some ways she wasn't wrong--such little displays of power and pettiness did bring a rise out of individuals like Zadkiel. As well they should have, he would have argued, especially when perpetrated by bratty demigods. Rubbing at his chest with long, thin fingers, he composed himself with a slow breath. As with all things, actions must be taken in context. She needed to feel in control, as if her immense power made people take her seriously, and that the only way she could do that was through intimidation was unfortunate. But intimidation required fear, and Zadkiel was not afraid of a girl like Hazumi.

“Do you intend to involve others in your little brutalities?” With a slight snort, he stepped off the elevator at floor 7 and started down the hall. “My dormitory should be sufficiently private, thank you.”

Hazumi followed pretending to be docile, almost as if nothing had ever happened. Looking back she would probably one day conclude that she had been trapped in the Academy way too long and that inevitably made her act out as soon as she got the chance. But she wasn’t exactly reflecting on it now, too busy staring at Jasper’s back and wondering how far one could push him before he revealed his real worth. After the little demonstration she no longer felt the need to prove herself to him - he had already acknowledged her existence and that was probably enough. She could respect the fact that he didn’t wish to control her, even if she couldn’t justify his absence in her life thus far. If he was anything like the man he seemed to be, then the world would have been a very different place had he reached for her instead of Judas. 

But those were old tales. She said she wouldn’t get into it and she had to try to keep her word. Lily always said promises mattered more than gold, and gold seemed a pretty precious commodity. Reaching Zadkiel’s room - surprisingly similar to all the others around - she didn’t skip a beat before parking herself in the nearest seat she saw, crossing her legs and attempting to appear like a lady, The effort made her lip twitch upwards at the ridiculousness of this pretence but she shunned the thought and gave the man the chance to get dressed before joining her. 

And he did, slipping once more into a white shirt and pants. Some things never changed, and even now with a sport, stylishly striped t-shirt with a hood hanging off the back and a pair of basketball shorts he managed to be monochromatic. Predominantly black, the white stripes complimented his white hair and the glasses he slid onto his nose--not that he needed them, but he’d been told they helped complete the look. It had been centuries since he’d bothered appearing this young and frankly he’d needed the stylistic help. The dorm itself was spartan and she’d taken the only chair, so he shifted to lean against the wall of the room. He did his best not to roll his eyes.

“To business, then. What is it you want?”

Down to the boring. “I will keep it rather simple, if you don’t mind. You have heard of the Peacekeepers, correct? Well, they want to be sure that one of the last remaining Archangels, and further yet, someone of your own capacity, will be able to fit into the world they’re tailoring. That you will not interfere, or better yet, that you will help. As I’m sure you’re aware, the surge of the Hellion population is worrying them and considering that the angelic race was nearly eradicated and is just starting to recover slightly, things in Loom are less than perfect. The Police, military and some volunteers are stationed around Hell’s Gate but they aren’t powerful enough to stop everyone who tries to come through. Do I need to explain why that’s a problem? Probably not… It turns out that solidarity among demons isn’t strong enough to deter some from breaking the Chain of Vendetta and casually litter our town with the corpses of humans and angels alike. So the way they see it, your skills can be put to very, [i]very[/i] good use back in Loom.”
“Yes, I am aware of the issues with Hell’s Gate and the demon population. Yes, I intend to assist in my own way. No, I have no interest in working directly with the Peacekeepers, nor do I have any particular interest in preventing their function regardless of how misguided it may be. And in order to do any of that, I require certain qualifications and infrastructure which is why I am indulging the outdated academic processes required for such things on Earth proper.” The response was sufficiently canned that he must have known someone was coming to talk with him about it eventually, or perhaps it was simply what he had told himself enough times in response to his own internal questioning. 

“I will admit to being somewhat curious why it is that you care.”

Hazumi’s eyebrows rose, honestly surprised. “Why we care? Do you really have to ask?” His response was satisfying; in fact, the Peacekeepers would be really pleased to hear that he had taken proactive steps to help – in whatever capacity – in the establishing of a new order. But naturally they had certain reservations as well. “You are the most powerful Tamer we are aware of. But, ironically, past experience has shown that you’re not always [i]eager[/i] to intervene. So, if it wasn’t for my visit, how long would it have taken you to make your intentions known? If ever. The Peacekeepers have been around for almost a year now, and it hasn’t exactly been a walk in the park. Personally, I admire their drive considering how much is stacked against them. And so I was curious to catch up with someone I used to revere long ago. See what has become of them and if they still hold the same sway over me.” Her eyes darted over his peculiar attire but didn’t address it.

“You.” Zadkiel pointed out, raising a finger before tilting it to her. “I asked why [i]you[/i] care. The Peacekeepers are a predictable response to a predictable situation that have purpose now but will struggle and eventually fail. Even its members know that, and if they don’t they will in time and there is no need for me to disillusion them. You, on the other hand, are here because you feel I have hurt you and I would like to know why.”

There was something secretly bitter in the chuckle that escaped her after a short pause. “Zadkiel, do you remember the last time we met? Way back in 2014 when the Council wanted everyone's aid to repairing the Gate? It wasn't the first time we met. But you never paid any attention to me. Not then, not after. When I regained my powers as the Essence too, did you care? I ended up massacring my own sister, breaking the Gate and causing so much death over the next 20 years. Did you care?” She should stop.she was probably compromising her mission here. But once she started, the bitterness just kept pouring out. 
“And now I am forced to repent for my very nature. For having no choice and no knowledge of what is right or wrong. Because back when I could learn I wasn't good enough for you Pure breed. And I never will be - my power will always seduce, or terrify or both - and I will never be trusted, because of it.
But do you care? Do you care now, about any of this? I don't think you do. I think all you can think of is yourself and your own meaningless survival. Your words are grand but your actions speak louder. You could have been my saviour, and that of many others. But you turned out to be a simple coward.” 

In some ways, Zadkiel wasn’t sure how to react to her outburst. He’d been relatively sure he would be--it wasn’t anything he didn’t expect--but to hear it from the girl’s mouth...it was impressive how wrong she could be. When it came down to it, Zadkiel [i]did[/i] care. Deeply, personally, intimately, he understood her pain and her bitterness so precisely that he couldn’t help but care even after so many thousands of years. Beneath that sorrow, though, that empathy of his, something else stirred from its ugly sleep and bared its own teeth.

Anger.

“A coward, am I.” He said slowly, evenly, his eyes never leaving hers. Look at him, getting riled up by the little-girl-turned-demigod. As much as he didn’t want to say anything the memory of that awful essence lingered like a foul scent, stirring up his own recollections of that time. Should he tell her? What did it matter? Why should he feel the need to defend himself to her? For a moment there was a heat in his eyes, something smoldering beneath the bright baby blue, but he closed them and took a cooling breath instead. One of them had to be the adult here, and Zadkiel was not going to allow himself to be roused by a child.

“There is a concept in psychology called the Fundamental Attribution Error.” He said softly, his eyes remaining closed. Delving into knowledge was as useful as it had always been--objective, intelligent, distant. “Wherein one attributes the actions of an individual to aspects of said individual’s character rather than acknowledging the circumstances that created them. It can cause difficulties, particularly in situations such as this.” Another cooling breath and he was ready to speak more directly, opening his eyes to look to her with a carefully neutral expression.

“I did not remain to fight Lucien because I was begged not to by someone very dear to me.” He said as evenly as he was able, if a bit softly. “We were...companions, you might say, though the word is insufficient for my means, but we were not equals. There are feats that I can accomplish that he could not have, burdens I bore that he could not have. And when Lucien came for us, I was prepared to strike him down...but was begged to leave, to allow him to stand in my place. Because my dear Jegudiel knew what my death would bring, and he did not want that for this world. And because he would not have survived losing me, as I have him.” His eyes burned, so he closed them. He was glad his voice held even.

“And so he died, and I lived. And I, like you, felt [i]scorched[/i] by an existence so unfair as to allow it.” Zadkiel’s words had power--when he spoke them, the world listened. Try though he might to restrain himself the air heated, enough to smell of wood and combustion. “So when you killed your sister, when you rained death on so many, when Judas used you as a tool of destruction, you’re right. I didn’t care. Because in those long years of grief this [i]disgusting[/i] world was getting precisely what it deserved for its injustice.” If Hazumi’s laugh had been bitter, Zadkiel’s was furious. It seethed, it raged...and it quieted as he forced another breath and opened his eyes, the temperature of the room returning to normal as his soft smile did.

“Because you’re right. There is much I could have done, and perhaps should have done, and chose not to, and I am sorry that you have suffered for that. I don’t ask or need your forgiveness. But there is much that I can do, and should do, and so I will.”

Their expressions finally matched as Hazumi's lips turned upwards in a honest and pleasant way. She felt then like they finally connected, like she'd understood something about Zadkiel that probably didn't absolve what he'd done, but at least explained it. Perhaps it would seem ironic to some that it had to be achieved through violence but yet others would understand why it had to happen precisely so. Sometimes you needed incisions to remove the dead tissue and allow a wound to heal, and this was one of those cases. Seeing the emotions that bubbled beneath the surface of Zadkiel’s cool seemed to have provided an answer that Hazumi could accept.

“Thank you.” She said despite the realisation that her opinion probably didn't hold much weight at all. “I am sorry about what has happened to you, but I appreciate the fact that you seem to be able to leave it in the past. Of course, by that I only mean ‘forgive’ and not ‘forget’. Still, it is my understanding that as beings of power, it is now our turn to take responsibility for this kind of disaster to never strike again. Or rather, to strike only the ones who deserve it.” She got off the chair and moved to the door with slow but deliberate paces. She paused just enough to turn and look at Zadkiel one last time. “I believe you have had enough of me for a while. I will try not to haunt you again unless I have a very good reason to, and I'll make sure to keep it to business. If you need me, you know where to find me. And if I suddenly disappear one day… well, try not to let others suffer like you have and do something about it. The world keeps on turning but we don’t need to keep making the same mistakes.”

“Don't be so sure it will keep turning.” He pointed out wryly, pushing off from the wall to see her out even as he put his hands into his pockets. Whatever air of power there was around him was gone, buried beneath the surface once more--a normal college student again. “It is certainly filling with individuals who have the power to change that.”

“And Hazumi--don't think that there are not things that are hidden from you, even as you are now.” He added to her down the hallway. “It is easiest to surprise those who believe themselves unassailable. Enjoy your flight back to Loom.”

The woman gave a final thoughtful nod before leaving the man behind to his life and his studies. It was a shame that his wisdom only stretched so far, that he wouldn’t stand by and teach her. But then again, she wouldn’t want that. In the end, everybody had to carry their own scars.