The kid was out of place. Possibly lost, even. Bringing children into battle was something the pettiest of warlords did when trying to grab territory, but in an ensuing battle for the fate of the Multiverse, there was no place for children. This kid looked like someone who had only gotten into play fights with pool noodles. Chances were that when the first dark beast showed up he'd cower behind Elise and⁠—

"Well, theologically speaking, it's not that far off from how things work in my world. Darkness, light, an order of warriors, fools trying to manipulate darkness..." 

⁠—he did not talk like a kid at all. What was happening? Was the kid one of the ancestors of old, trapped within a body trained to withstand the unstoppable force of aging? Was he going to help the war effort not by fighting on the front lines? Was he actually a spy trained to blend in but not to hold his own in a fight? Was he actually a Phantom playing a bad trick on her? Surely Elise was simply too paranoid to calmly listen to the kid. Maybe she just needed to calm down and talk some sense into him.

But wait, maybe he could be a Phantom!

And what other Phantom could he be? He was definitely the one with the white hair and short stature. He was definitely the one that acted awkwardly but kept his composure in times of need. He was definitely the one that stayed humble and kept his head up at all times, the one that taught Elise that there was more to her world than killing and infiltrating.

"It's all just...bigger. It's so much bigger its kind of hard to think about."

Elise was about to reassure him that he would be okay, and that they'd get out of this mess together, if he didn't pick up a box without needing to manipulate the magical energy around it. He wasn't a phantom. Maybe she was just too paranoid after all. The smell of freshly-baked goodness wafted around her nose as the box opened up for her. 

"Take some, and tell me what you think of all this." 

She took part of the cookie and stuffed it into her mouth. Not only was it warm food, but good-tasting food too. She'd been living off cheap rice wine and crackers ever since she'd run her sword through that insufferable bastard. Ever since then she'd softened up, but now was time for her to get back into her prime. If someone who looked exactly like an old friend was here, then anything was possible. Of course, it was also possible that an enemy spy was lurking in the corner of the room, reading her like a children's book. Anything was possible, whether good or bad.

That meant that nothing had changed. Whether fate was for or against her, she'd always played a hand in shaping it with her own hands. If the kid didn't find the war any different from what he was used to, they why should she? She steeled herself up and gave the little kid the cutest smirk she could muster.

[color=lightgreen]"Don't worry, you can trust me."[/color] 

[@Gentlemanvaultboy]