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The sun hung high over Heaven's Reach, casting a warm, golden glow across stone streets that had once known only manufactured smiles and forced festivities. Now, under the open sky, the joy felt genuinely authentic.
It was hard to believe this was the same city. The heavy, oppressive silence of Mothis' reign had vanished, replaced by the bustling chatter of travelers, researchers, and curious explorers. Near the plaza fountains, a small group of Shroomseras were humming a cheery, resonant tune, while nearby Cogbuds chimed in bright, rhythmic clicks. The entire city felt alive, breathing freely for the first time in centuries.
Nikki strolled along the wide promenade, taking in the sights, while Momo strutted beside her, sniffing the air for any passing street vendors selling grilled treats.
Eventually, their wandering carried them away from the noisy central squares toward the hushed, wind-swept ruins behind the Golden Court. Out here, near the ancient boundary walls, the stone was weathered and overgrown with pale grass, undisturbed by the crowds.
That was when Nikki paused.
Just ahead, sheltered in the shadow of a large tree, was the unmistakable glimpse of a bare midriff and a long dragon tail.
It was Angert.
It was strange to see him so utterly still and sombre. He was quietly squatting on the ground, his head bowed, his hands resting loose against his knees. Beside his boots, curled up in a still, tight ball, was Zappy. The little looptail pika sat uncharacteristically still, his round ears flattened in solemn solidarity as he kept silent vigil with his master.
Before them sat two small stone markers embedded in the earth—plain, uncarved, and unmarked. At the base of each stone lay a fresh bouquet of wild mountain blooms.
"Hey, isn't that—" Momo started, floating forward.
The soft rustle of their footsteps through the grass broke the stillness.
Zappy's ears perked with a sharp, alarmed chirp, and Angert's head snapped up instantly. With the conditioned reflex of a seasoned operative, Angert's shoulders went rigid as he turned around, looking ready to bolt or fight.
The moment his gaze landed on Nikki, the defensive tension vanished, replaced by an unmistakable flash of caught-in-the-act shock.
"Nikki?" Angert blinked in disbelief, before his signature, breezy smirk quickly returned to cover his fluster. "Momo? What on earth are you two doing sneaking around the forgotten ruins behind the court? Don't tell me the Saintess is moonlighting as a private investigator now."
Nikki offered a gentle, reassuring smile, stepping forward into the shade of the overhanging tree. "We were just exploring the city to see how everyone was doing. We didn't expect to run into you and Zappy all the way out here."
Her gaze naturally drifted down to the two modest stone markers at his feet, the colourful petals trembling in the breeze.
Seeing where her eyes landed, the forced humour on Angert's face slipped away. He reached down, his fingers idly stroking the soft fur between Zappy's ears. Zappy leaned into the touch, letting out a plaintive squeak.
Angert let out a soft, measured breath, looking back down at the stones.
"Do you know what day it is?" Angert asked, his voice much lower now.
Nikki searched her memory, trying to recall if there was a festival or an official holiday marked on the calendar, but drew a blank.
"I'm not sure," Nikki admitted. "Is today a special day?"
Angert offered a thin, lopsided smile, his eyes fixed on the petals. "Well, with all the heroic deeds the Saintess performs across Miraland, it's hardly surprising you don't keep track. But today marks exactly one month since the fall of Mothis. One month since we were finally freed from that disrupted cycle of reincarnation."
Nikki looked at the two unmarked slabs. "Are these..."
"Nothing official," Angert said softly, his fingers brushing the weathered edge of the stone on the left. "Just a peaceful spot I found to lay some flowers and process things. This one is for my mother. She died when I was barely an infant. I don't remember her face, but they said she died for me."
He paused, his hand shifting to the second stone, his expression softening into something heavier, edged with old grief.
"And this one is for Turtledove. She was my mentor. The closest thing I ever had to a parent before I was sent to Boneyard."
Nikki felt an ache in her chest. She remembered Turtledove from the Golden Feast—the only elder of Mothis who had shown concern at Angert's absence and spoken his actual name, rather than calling him a pawn or by his code name.
Angert let out a dry huff of laughter, shaking his head as his hand fell back to rest on Zappy's back.
"Whatever you do, don't let Meghill know I came all the way out here," Angert added, throwing a wry, sideways glance her way. "He practically has an alarm bell tied to my ankle these days. He barely lets me leave Boneyard on my own."
"Did you sneak out?" Nikki asked, tilting her head.
"Not entirely," Angert said with a rueful chuckle. "I had to put on a massive performance this morning. I whined about being hopelessly burnt out from desk duty, claimed the office air was stifling my delicate constitution, and insisted I needed a short excursion to the Elderwood Forest for some special 'tree therapy.' Zappy even played along and looked miserable on command." Angert rolled his eyes at his own excuse. "Meghill finally agreed, but he slapped a strict curfew on me. I have to be back in Boneyard by five o'clock sharp. Believe me, if he wasn't buried under three feet of paperwork, he would have insisted on walking alongside me the entire way."
Nikki smiled, stepping closer to stand beside him.
"It all comes from a place of care, Angert," Nikki said gently. "The memory of losing you... I'm sure it still hurts him."
Angert stared down at the patch of grass between his boots, his fingers tightening in Zappy's fur. The casual facade slipped away, leaving him looking smaller, stripped of his usual theatrical flair.
"I know," Angert conceded. "That's why I can't ever let him know I came here." He let out a harsh, bitter chuckle that had no humour in it. "I'm terrible, aren't I? Mourning people from such a vile organisation... mourning the very person who trained me to be a spy."
He looked up at Nikki, his deep blue eyes clouded with an ache he clearly rarely allowed anyone to see.
"You know how it was for me. My mother died when I was an infant. I never had a family there. And as for my father... well, you met him in the Soul Corridor. You saw what he was." Angert shuddered, a dark shadow crossing his face before his gaze drifted back to the second unmarked stone. "Turtledove was the only one who showed me real kindness back then," Angert admitted. "In that cold, suffocating place, she was the only one who looked at me and saw a child."
His voice wavered, a raw tremor breaking through his composed tone. "To her, I was more than just 'White Sheep'."
Nikki felt a profound, aching sorrow for him. She knelt down in the grass beside him so they were on the same level, looking at him with gentle warmth.
"Grief isn't divided neatly into black and white, Angert," Nikki said. "The world is complicated, and people are flawed. Turtledove may have been part of an awful organization, but the kindness she gave you was real. Loving someone who made terrible choices doesn't mean you condone what they did, and it certainly doesn't mean you have to turn your back on the love they gave you."
Nikki reached out, her hand resting reassuringly on his tense shoulder.
"You don't have to carry it alone, and you don't always have to laugh it off," she added gently. "Don't hold it in, Angert. Cry it out if it makes you feel better. There's no shame in it."
For a second, Angert tried to hold his defenses up. He swallowed hard, his throat working as he attempted to force a dismissive smile onto his lips.
Then, the careful composure he'd been holding together for weeks finally cracked.
Angert's breath hitched on a ragged, broken gasp. He dropped his head into his hands, his broad shoulders heaving as the wrenching tears he had held back finally spilled over. Nikki felt the hot, sudden prick of tears welling up in her own eyes. She quickly swiped the back of her hand across her cheek to catch a stray tear, but she kept her other hand firmly where it was, giving his trembling shoulder a supportive squeeze.
Beside him, Zappy let out a high, distressed whimper. Sensing his master's pain, the little pika scrambled eagerly into Angert's lap, pressing his small body against Angert's chest and nuzzling his tear-stained face, trying desperately to comfort him.
Nearby, Momo's big eyes welled up with sympathetic tears. Sniffling loudly, he floated over, wrapping his short, furry arms around Angert's arm in a tight, earnest hug.
Surrounded by the sudden, overwhelming warmth, Angert pulled his hands from his face and gathered both creatures into his arms. He buried his face in Momo's soft fur while holding Zappy tightly against his chest, letting out a long, shuddering exhale as decades of suppressed grief and lonely burdens finally melted into the earth.
A long, heavy silence settled over them, filled only with the rustle of the grass, Zappy's contented chitter, and the muffled sounds of Angert and Momo sniffling and catching their breath.
Slowly, Angert lifted his head. He sniffled, using the back of his leather bracer to wipe the dampness from his cheeks. A steadier, more genuine light had returned to his eyes, looking as though an invisible mountain had finally been lifted from his heart.
He looked at the round cat still clutched in his arms, and the familiar, teasing spark flickered back to life.
"You know..." Angert murmured, his voice still thick from crying, though a fond smirk was already curving his lips. "Being chubby has its perks after all. You're remarkably nice and squishy to hug. Never change, Momo."
Momo's watery eyes snapped wide. He pushed off Angert's chest with an offended huff, crossing his little paws over his cloak.
"Hey!" Momo squawked, his tender sympathy evaporating at once into indignation. "I am not squishy, I am delightfully well-padded! And here I was being nice to you! You're incorrigible!"
Angert let out a long breath, gently setting Zappy back on his shoulder. The little pika chittered happily, rubbing against Angert's neck, seemingly satisfied that his master was back to his usual self.
Straightening up, Angert turned to Nikki, his expression turning hesitant.
"Listen, Nikki... you really can't tell Meghill about today," Angert murmured, his voice dropping into a conspiratorial whisper. "I'm sure, logically, he'd understand why I needed to come here. But I don't want to make him worry. And besides..." He paused, looking away with a brief, uneasy grimace. "I'm still not entirely sure if he's angry with me about the whole situation."
Nikki blinked, looking at him with surprise. "You still haven't talked to him?"
Angert scratched the back of his head sheepishly, the blue tips of his ears reddening. "Well, you know how it is. Between his endless work and my intense dedication to avoiding uncomfortable conversations... the timing hasn't been great."
Nikki couldn't help but smile, though her tone remained comforting. "A lot has changed in a very short amount of time, Angert. You've been through so much, and it's perfectly natural to feel exhausted. You deserve a break to process everything. But... don't put it off for too long. If you wait too long, the silence will only make things more uncomfortable between you two."
"Yeah," Angert sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I know, I know. I'll talk to him eventually. Just... not today." He paused, glancing up at the sky.
The amber glow of late afternoon was already beginning to bleed into deep orange.
Angert froze. "Wait. What time is it?"
Frowning, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his Pear-Pal. The moment the screen lit up, Angert went pale, the easy humour draining from his face.
It was six o'clock.
He was a full, catastrophic hour past his five o'clock curfew.
"Oh no," Angert breathed, his voice cracking in sheer panic. "Oh, by the dragon spirits, no, no, no..."
In his grief and emotional haze, he had forgotten that he'd switched his Pear-Pal to silent. Now, the notification bar was practically overflowing, signalling over twenty unread messages.
Nikki leaned over his Pear-pal, her eyes widening as she read through the frantic, escalating log:
Meghill: Where are you?
Meghill: Angert, answer.
Meghill: Is everything alright? Did something happen in the Elderwood Forest?
Meghill: Angert.
Meghill: If you don’t show up by the time I step out of this building to look for you, I’m putting you under house arrest for ten years.
Nikki looked from the glowing screen to Angert, whose eyes were wide with panic.
"Angert..." Nikki said, her voice urgent. "You need to reply to him right now."
"I can't!" Angert choked out, as he held the buzzing device at arm's length, treating it like an active explosive. "What if my Pear-Pal explodes in my hand?!"
Momo threw his little paws in the air, rolling his eyes so hard he nearly flipped backward.
"Urrgh! You're hopeless!" Momo groaned loudly. Turning toward the open sky, he cupped his paws around his mouth and shouted at the top of his lungs: "Swanara! Emergency! Get down here and fly us to Boneyard at the highest speed you can manage!"
*
The wind whipped across the plains as Swanara descended smoothly, her broad wings stirring the crimson petals at the Dragonrest Flowerfield before she touched down on a patch of open grass.
The moment their feet hit the ground, Angert was already moving at a brisk, urgent clip, Zappy clinging tightly to his shoulder with his tail tucked low.
"Come on, come on," Angert muttered under his breath, his eyes darting toward the distant stone ramparts of Great Lumieville. "If we're lucky, Lucian lost control of some souls again and kept him occupied..."
"You're an entire hour late, Angert," Momo pointed out, floating alongside him with a knowing grin. "Don't count on Lucian's bad luck to save your tail."
They hurried through the settlement's main entrance and up the terraced stone pathways toward the administrative quarters. Near the base of the main stairs, one of the settlement guards spotted them, his posture visibly relaxing as he hurried over.
"Thank goodness you're back!" the guard said, offering a quick salute. "The Chief had a few of us checking the markets and the docks to see if you'd already returned. When no one could spot you, he decided he was heading out to the Elderwood Forest himself with a small detail. You'd better get up there. He was just making his final preparations."
Angert winced, his blue-tipped ears drooping. "Right. Thanks."
They climbed the last of the stairs and reached the open office.
Just inside the threshold stood Meghill.
On the surface, Meghill looked like his usual, immaculate self. But from a few paces back, Nikki could see the tight, brittle strain in his frame, his jaw set so hard a muscle ticked beneath his skin, the leather of his gloves straining as his hands clenched into tight fists at his sides. He looked as though his emotional composure had been stretched to the breaking point.
The moment Meghill turned and his eyes landed on Angert, he stopped dead.
Nikki watched the sudden, sharp shudder that ran through Meghill's shoulders. The flash of sheer, profound relief in those blue eyes was so raw it was almost painful to witness—a man who had just looked out into the gathering dark and braced himself to find another corpse, only to see the living, breathing person walking through the archway. For an electric moment, his hands twitched, and he looked torn between the instinct to reach out and pull Angert close, or to simply shake some sense into him.
Then, Meghill's gaze shifted, taking in Nikki and Momo standing behind him.
The mask snapped back into place before she could blink.
Meghill drew in a slow, controlled breath, schooling his features into the calm, dignified mould of a Clan Chief.
"Angert. You're back," Meghill said, his voice low and even.
He turned to Nikki, his expression softening into polite, friendly warmth. "Nikki. Momo. It is always good to see you here. I hope you've had a pleasant journey."
"Thank you, Meghill," Nikki offered with a tentative smile, noticing the tense tightness in his posture.
The second the pleasantry was finished, Meghill snapped his head back to Angert. The polite warmth vanished in the blink of an eye, replaced by a cold, sharp authority that cut through the room like winter wind.
Sensing the sudden change in the atmosphere, Zappy let out a tiny, nervous squeak. The pika immediately scrambled down Angert's back and scurried off to hide beneath the nearest bookshelf, abandoning his master to his fate.
"Care to explain why you are an hour past your curfew?" Meghill asked, his voice cold and authoritative. "You gave me your word you would return by five o'clock. You had your Pear-Pal with you. I sent over twenty messages, Angert, and dispatched guards across the settlement. You did not respond to a single inquiry. What happened to your communication?"
Angert shrunk back a half-step, his usual swagger nowhere to be found. He rubbed the back of his neck, looking deeply sheepish. "I... well, my Pear-Pal was on silent, and—"
Nikki stepped forward, trying to soften the blow. "It was partly our fault, Meghill! We ran into Angert while he was taking a walk in the Elderwood Forest. We started catching up, and we ended up losing track of time. We didn't realize how late it had gotten."
Meghill looked at Nikki. His gaze softened, but his tone remained unyielding.
"It is most certainly not your fault, Nikki, you don't have to defend him," Meghill said. "Losing track of time does not excuse an operative from checking in. An investigator who goes dark in the field for no good reason causes unnecessary alarm and wastes resources. It is irresponsible."
He turned his piercing gaze back onto Angert, who was looking down at his boots like a reprimanded schoolboy.
"Given your total disregard for basic accountability," Meghill stated, his voice brooking no argument, "I am seriously considering keeping you grounded in this office for the rest of the year."
Angert let out a long, miserable groan, his head dropping back in defeat. "For the rest of the year?! Meghill, please, that's practically a life sentence—"
"Well, if you really want to know why he missed your messages, it wasn't his fault," Momo piped up, floating into the space between them with his little paws on his hips. "Swanara headbutted him right in the chest! He fell over, sat on his Pear-Pal, and muted it by accident."
Meghill's stern, official mask dropped in a heartbeat, replaced by immediate concern as his gaze dropped to Angert's torso. "Swanara struck you?"
Angert blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in tone, before whipping his head around to glare at Momo.
"Hey! Why are you suddenly making up ridiculous stories?!"
Momo only crossed his arms. "I know it's embarrassing for a big, tough investigator, but it is what it is! Swanara only lets you ride on her back as a favour to us."
Meghill continued to stare at Angert's chest, his brow furrowing deeper before a dry, deadpan murmur slipped past his lips. "Perhaps you need to reflect on why that bird prefers your company dead rather than alive."
Nikki caught the grim undercurrent at once—a dark reminder of the day Swanara had carried Angert's lifeless body back to Boneyard.
"They're just joking, Meghill. Seriously..." Angert said quickly, looking increasingly tense as he tried to wave off the lie.
"We are not!" Momo turned to Nikki, nudging her arm. "Tell him, Nikki! You saw how bad it was!"
Catching the smug glint in Momo's eyes, Nikki knew her companion far too well. This was Momo's idea of killing two birds with one stone: saving Angert from getting grounded, while extracting petty payback for being called chubby.
Raising a hand, she placed it solemnly over her heart and gave a grave, earnest nod.
"Indeed," Nikki said. "He was... very hurt, Meghill. In fact, it hurt so much that he cried. That was why he couldn't bring himself to look at his Pear-Pal."
Technically, she hadn't lied. She had watched him weep openly by the memorial stones, after all, and as an ally, she wasn't about to let him get penalised for simply needing time to grieve.
Angert froze. The colour drained from his face as he stared at Nikki, looking utterly, speechlessly betrayed.
"...Nikki..."
Meghill's expression shifted, hardening into a look of intense solemnity. Whatever lingering irritation he held gave way to a heavy gravity that filled the room.
"Well then," Meghill said, his tone resolute. "I will go fetch the medicine."
Angert's eyes widened in fresh alarm, his hands waving in frantic denial. "There's no need, Meghill! Seriously, I'm fine! I'll... I'll just head over to the Healing Ground and let someone check it out if it makes you feel better—"
"What is the issue?" Meghill interrupted, stepping forward, his gaze locking onto Angert with concern. "We have always applied medicine for each other anyway. Besides, I want to see how severe the damage is."
Meghill's jaw tightened, his voice thickening with a raw, fiercely protective edge.
"If you actually cried in front of them, it must be bad. Swanara is a massive bird. A direct blow to the chest could have easily cracked your ribs. You have a terrible habit of laughing off your injuries and downplaying your pain, Angert. I am not letting you ignore this."
Meghill pointed firmly toward the meditation mat.
"Stay put and wait for me here. I am going to fetch the salve, and when I return, I want your top off so I can examine you properly. If you leave, I'm keeping you grounded in this office until next year."
Without waiting for an answer, Meghill turned on his heel and strode out into the corridor, his heavy footsteps echoing down the stone passageway.
The second the Clan Chief was out of earshot, Angert whipped around to face Nikki and Momo, grabbing his own horns and hyperventilating in despair.
"Now I am in deep trouble!" Angert hissed as he paced in a frantic circle. "What is he going to say when he finds absolutely zero bruises on my chest?!"
He gestured wildly at the empty doorway.
"First, I broke curfew! Then, I ignored over twenty of his messages! And now, he thinks I'm bleeding internally from a bird attack! When he realizes this was a lie, he is never going to let me hear the end of it. I'll be lucky if I'm allowed to leave this office in the next five years!"
Momo floated backward, holding up his little paws defensively.
"Hey! I was only trying to help save your vacation days!" Momo huffed, puffing his chest out with an indignant sniff. "How was I supposed to know you two have that kind of relationship where you apply medicine for each other? Geez, even I put medicine on myself under my cloak!"
Momo tugged urgently at Nikki's scarf, casting a wary glance back down the hallway. "Come on, Nikki. Let's go and leave them be before things get any weirder..."
Nikki winced, a wave of sheepish guilt washing over her. She realised her "help" had only backed Angert into a corner. Taking Momo's cue, she stepped back toward the open archway, offering Angert an apologetic wave.
"Goodbye, Angert," Nikki said, trying for an encouraging smile. "We'll... come back and visit another time."
"Nikki!" Angert cried out, pointing an accusing finger at her in disbelief. "You're supposed to be my ally!"
Nikki paused at the threshold, feeling a pang of guilt, but she knew better than to dig the hole any deeper. If she tried to backtrack now and admit the Swanara headbutt was a lie, Meghill would either assume they were trying to cover for Angert, or she would be forced to reveal that Angert hadn't been in the Elderwood Forest at all.
As much as she hated leaving him stranded, Momo was right. She had only meant to gain Angert some sympathy, not accidentally trigger a fiercely overprotective, and unexpectedly intimate first-aid routine. There was clearly a depth to their history that she and Momo had zero context for, and trying to intervene again would probably just make things worse.
Given their disastrous track record with communication today, Nikki wisely decided not to push her luck.
"Don't worry," Nikki called back gently, offering what comfort she could. "If you're still stuck under house arrest this time next year... I'll bring flowers to Heaven's Reach for you."
