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A string of stars... [ Cloud's arms cross as he watches on with a calm little smile. ] Sounds like a line for a poem.

[ Cloud, meanwhile, follows along with his own brochure, if she tells him if there's anything that pops out at her! Giving her enough space whilst staying by her side, the staff member can't help but watch on politely yet with a sense of satisfaction. It wasn't every day outsiders took an interest in Astronomy! And...they look happy. That's all they could ask for when it came to anybody visiting these parts. ]

You must see what I mean, Cloud.

[ It is absolutely beautiful!! To think, with just the naked eye, the sky looks so dark, but with this telescope? It's almost as if it's daytime still with how bright and colourful the sky is.

She pulls away and gets up, so she can allow Cloud to look through the telescope. ]

You should be able to see it right away.

[ The string of stars! Meanwhile, Ayaka checks out the brochure to see if there's anything about this... The moon has craters, a bright red planet, ah- there it is! ]

It says... it is called a nebula.

?

[ Oh! It's his turn? Nodding, he steps in to take her place, only offering a glance to the staff member as he acknowledges that he was paying attention to their instructions when helping Ayaka. He's used a telescope before! Just...nothing on this scale. A hundred times over; that's just how impressive this one is. ]

Is Cosmos Canyon's like this...?

[ Spoken with introspective, he bends down to get a proper look into the telescope. And for where Ayaka's left it off? He's not the most expressive of people most days, but he does react. Hard to hear, the soft inhale he take as his eyes widen at the sight. A colorful display...cosmic dust and brilliant starlight that makes it feel like its own reality. Far removed from anything he thought he knew. The nebula is gorgeous. Coming from someone who liked stargazing when thinking to himself, a hobby he absolutely returned to thanks to Ayaka's presence, this was more impressive than he thought. ]

This is crazy.

[ He moves the telescope carefully, the scope zooming across the sea of stars as he attempts to zoom in beyond. Stars...stars as far as the eye can see. Until he thinks he's come across something. Constellations were for the ordinary eye. But these? ]

Is that...a galaxy?

[ He steps back, unaware of the smile on his face as he nods towards Ayaka to come back and see. He's only seen them from pictures in books. ]

Do you see it? There's a shower of colours in the sky— it all looks so beautiful!

[ Even the photo on the brochure is captivating, and her excitement definitely bleeds through her voice. Her smile doesn't waver even as she continues to watch Cloud look through the telescope, because if he's enjoying this and has his breath taken away, then that makes things even better.

It's just a few seconds before Cloud steps back that her smile calms, as she stands there in disbelief at how... normal this all feels. It is almost foreign, almost forgotten. . . Days like these, golden and bright, are what she needs most at this time. ]

Ah- really? [ She must shake these thoughts away for now, because she's getting distracted! Cloud may have caught her lost in her thoughts for a moment, though, before she's closer to him now so she can be the one to take a peek this time. ] This is beautiful. . .

[ Of course, of course, her world really has been so small. She's never seen anything like this! So much so that her hold on the brochure tightens a little, crumpling it slightly. ]

Beyond that are other planets...

[ Whether it was her duties as the Shirasagi Himegimi, and the strife Inazuma once faced (and continues to behind the scenes), or Cloud's undetermined road he faces with everyone back home... These really were halcyon days that were a blessing they may have never had if it weren't for meeting one another. If it weren't for worlds beyond theirs having other plans for them. ]

Think one of 'em could be Teyvat? Or Gaia? [ He pauses after asking that. It's a daydream. But he also realizes, ] ... Either Gaia.

[ His shoulders give a gentle shake as he tries not to laugh. For some reason, that nearly cracked him. ]

That is a possibility, isn't it?

[ It could be anything. There are limitless worlds out there, ones that may sound absolutely silly, but could possibly be real! ]

Perhaps it could be a world where tea flow from the rivers, and the ground is made up of chocolate.

[ He doesn't crack from his little idea there? She does. This is it— Ayaka at her safest, where she can be herself, with that childlike innocence that she put away due to the need to grow up. ]

[ See, that? Sounds childish. It sounds outlandish. Ultra daydreamy. But here's the thing. ]

Weren't for all the shenanigans we got put through in Nippon, that'd almost sound like a dream.

[ But he nods his head all the same as he encourages her thoughts! Noticing how she was crumpling the brochure up in her hand slightly, he steps in and gently tug tugs it from her. ... All so he can replace it with his hand, giving it a squeeze. ]

Can't say much surprises me anymore.

A world where there are only Clouds living in it!

[ Okay, now that's just straight up crazy. Ayaka, go home. She's laughing though, so amused by the idea of all these grumpy blonds walking around. Farmer Cloud, Emperor Cloud, Commissioner Cloud, Delinquent Cloud, Princess Cloud... ]

Hehe... I'd love to visit.

[ And she'd be hiding her laugh behind a hand, if Cloud hadn't taken it. But maybe that's for the better, because he'd be able to see her genuine smile. Were they still in Nippon, the sakura blooms would be a lot brighter here, trickles of electricity making it seem more brilliant due to her excitement.

There's a couple who approaches though, and they ask if they can check out the telescope! Ayaka decides that they can just come back later, and ops to give them way. ]

Really now. ... They all the same?

[ He humors her. Whether she actually tells him or not, Cloud doesn't mind. Just as he wasn't aware of how much he'd started smiling today, he's caught by her own genuine grin. It's the look of someone who didn't smile out of courtesy. Or smiled out of contentment with a pleasant conversation over tea back at her estate. This...was the smile of a girl that didn't need to work hard to win his heart. She had it a long time ago. She took a piece of it from the very first day they met. He just hadn't realized it yet.

Ultimately, Cloud does comply when another couple approaches asking if they can check the telescope soon. That was fine by him! Because while it wasn't pitch black outside yet, the skies were clear, and the lack of light pollution made the world above them all the easier to witness. Hand in hand with Ayaka then, they make their way out to the deck. All of Coldreach was laid out for them to see. He leans against the railing beside her, as the little cottages and treehouses start lighting up as families and travelers alike start to settle in for the night. ]

Kinda takes me back...

[ They talk about this little Cloud planet on the way out to the deck. They are all the same, yes. But some Clouds are girls, some are boys, some are animals— this is a very weird planet, but Ayaka sounds absolutely serious as she describes all of it.

Once they find a more secluded spot though, where they can look up at the night sky and the view below without much noise and away from the other onlookers, the cue to take in the moment is taken. Less Cloud planet talk, and more about this— everything.

She leans on his arm, if he lets her, eyes set on the night sky. ]

I still can't believe it, sometimes... [ They talked about eating watermelon with salt, and to watch the meteor shower and make a wish. Ayaka didn't think that night would ever end up that way. She never thought a night like that could ever happen. ]

Do you think we can make a wish, even though there are no falling stars?

Yeah...

[ As for her query... He already had his wish come true. He already fulfilled it. He was going to hold it and cherish that wish for as long as he was able. Though he has an idea. ]

Why not? [ He joins her in stargazing, the sky holding a navy hue as it teeters on the brink of giving way to the darkness of a starry night. Her touch is a comfort to him. Even moreso now that any form of contact was amplified here. Intimately, innocently, all of it was welcome and encouraged in the realm of Ellipsa. Suffice to say, Cloud was never going to have a problem with lack of contact. Especially when he had everything he could ask for right here beside him. ] 'Cept instead of falling stars...

[ A beat. Two beats. Then a small hum. ]

Mm. The brightest. We wish on the brightest star we can find.

The brightest star? [ Ah! She gets on the tips of her toes now, a bit more alert. She must try and find the brightest star so that she can make a wish upon it.

There are so many stars up in the sky. Every single one looks so bright and so big... ]

That one— [ Wait, no... She sees another one that is much, much brighter!! ]
There, ah- but that's—

[ SO MANY STARS!! She will never be able to make a wish at this point. . . And so, she settles on one that she particularly has her eyes on, still on the tips of her toes, looking very, very determined to keep her gaze on a particular bright star far, far away. >:(!!!!!

HNNNNNNGHHHHHH AYAYA WISH ]

[ Her wish— rather, if this star would let her— wishes are fairly simple.

She wants her family and friends to be happy and safe at all times. She doesn't want anything bad to befall Ayato or Zack ever again; she wishes for Thoma's smile to never fade; and she wishes for Cloud's memories moving forward to always be good ones. No more tragedies, no more heartaches... he doesn't deserve it all.

That's when her smile falters, her heels meeting the floor once again.

She wishes that she could provide happiness to everyone: that she could make them smile, protect them, and keep them safe. Just as they have with her. ]

I wish...

[ She wishes Zack, Cloud, Thoma, or Ayato would never have to feel this way— unable to help those they care about, immature, inadequate, and helpless. Just let it be her who has to work on these things. The pain that weighs in her heart in knowing that Thoma was hurting, and she wasn't there for him... the pain in not being able to help anyone hurts so much. And for the past few weeks now, it is this very pain that's wounded her, drained her energy, taken away some of that brilliance in her eyes.

She never wants anyone else to experience this. ]

Edited (added stuff) 2023-07-11 02:09 (UTC)

[ Cloud, whilst he's searching in earnest, doesn't seem as hardset as her, considering the way she murmurs to herself as she's determined to find the right star to wish upon. And here, as the stars grow more brilliant with each passing minute and the skies turn darker, the ambiance of the forestry and quieter way of life below them, it's just the two of them for now. A moment wherein they can discover more. Face what it is they want. Seek a new piece of the future for themselves if their wishes are to come true.

He got one of his most important ones fulfilled already. But...now that he had all of his memories back, what else had opened up to him? What else could he strive towards? ]

...

[ The truth is...he still wasn't so certain if he could make the right wish when it came to what was going on back home. Not yet. A doubt he still harbors, but it's one that he and the others would need to shoulder together, so that they may better overcome them. Be that as it may, that didn't mean that Cloud didn't have something worth wishing for anymore. Just as his lips part to speak under his breath, he senses Ayaka shifting slightly at his side. Until her heels meet the floor...and her smile gone as her words fade into the ether. A light frown mars his lips as he looks down towards her. ]

Ayaka?

[ What's wrong? ]

[ Ayaka hears her name, and she snaps back to reality, yet the weight that's pulling her down remains. Her eyes meet Cloud's and she blinks, her lashes catching something wet, and she realises she must turn away immediately.

And so, she does. ]

I apologise, I was just... m- making a wish...

[ She knows she's in a safe space with Cloud, that she could tell him anything, and he would respond without bias or prejudice. He would listen, and still treat her like an equal while doing so. There is shame in feeling this way, however, because the reason why she feels this way is her own fault. She doesn't want him to see her this way.

Yet, that very same safety and comfort may be the reason why Ayaka is only able to externalise these feelings of helplessness that she's felt for almost a month now. She shakes her head as she brushes away the tears that begin to fall with the back of her hand, her back facing the blond. ]

Please. Please don't look. . .

[ Much as she'd like to try, she can't seem to stop herself from crying now. Soft muffled noises of controlled sobbing, and she gasps in an attempt to catch her breath. ]

[ For a moment, he feels frozen. Unknowing whether or not to defy what she's telling him to face her. To be the one who swore to catch tears that dared fall from her face. And yet, as she softly sobs and attempts to recompose herself, crying, Cloud grits his teeth without her knowing it as he struggles with himself. Hold her. Console her. Comfort her. The amount of suffering she endured as a bystander was staggering. Strong as she was, neither one of them were able to prevent what happened. He's no mindreader, and yet...he can't bring himself to ask why she's crying either.

As if he already knew. As if he knew exactly what needed to be done. This was an attempt for the two to just...get away. Regroup. Learn how to breath again. Come back stronger than before, together, for those that matter. And yet...what of Cloud? What of his emotions? His feelings? The revelations that came to light as of recent. Something he was powerless to stop. Somebody he failed to save. Somebody Ayaka and he both couldn't save. They can't change what's already happened- what's already shaped and defined them. And as fortunate as they were with the fact that in this realm, death wasn't permanent... ]

...

[ The truth is; they're both hurting. They both feel like they've fallen down. But right now? It's about learning how to get back up. So instead of reaching out for her yet... Instead of calling her name and putting his hands upon her shoulders so she may fall into his embrace...

He doesn't look. Instead, Cloud stays by her side in silence, turning towards the railing as he looks up at the night sky. A cool breath in through his nose...and softly out, pensive. ]

It'll come true. [ A beat. ] Your wish.

[ A wish he may not know word-for-word, but he's formulating an idea in his head. His gaze wanders the stars. Searching... Searching... ]

The people that work the hardest are the ones that make them real. No matter how many hurdles we stumble over along the way.

And sometimes...we don't even know what to wish for. Not until we find a reason to. [ His voice becomes quieter. If only these words weren't just for Ayaka. They're meant for nobody else. For him. For her. ] Even if the reason hurts.

So if we're making wishes... We don't hafta make them come true on our own.

[ Should Ayaka turn around at any point by now to face him, she'll see that he's no longer watching the stars on high anymore. He's keeping his eyes on her from now on.

Because the brightest star isn't up there. ]

I'll protect your wish, too.

[ She's always been right in front of him. ]

Edited 2023-07-22 06:36 (UTC)

Cloud... [ She can't bear it. She told him not to look, but she surrenders herself when it gets so difficult to breathe. The pain in her chest is too much, and once again, she has to come to him for comfort. Anything to relieve the pain. His words, his touch, the beat of his heart.

Ayaka doesn't look at him when she turns to throw herself at him. Rather, she can't, when her eyes are just so blurry from the tears. Once again, he remains her prince, her hero. The one who would catch her whenever she falls. His words resonate in her heart, that she must work hard— the hardest she ever has— to make her wish come true. She'll become stronger, someone that her loved ones can trust, so that she can protect them all. ]

Cloud... [ It's difficult to speak, let alone breathe, between her sobs, but she doesn't want to waste a moment in not showing her gratitude to him. It may take a bit to register her words, when they are muffled as she speaks against his chest. That she can let herself go in this manner in his presence speaks so much of how she can truly be herself around him. A bird with a broken wing who just wants to be home, so that she can heal and mend, until she can fly again. ] I- I will protect you, too. All your wishes.

And Ayato's, and Thoma's... Zack's, too.

[ A few more sobs, until she manages to calm herself down. Yet, she doesn't move. ]

I do not wish to disappoint anyone again.

[ He knows it's coming. This time, he almost expects it. In the past, he might have frozen in place, not knowing what the right thing to do was. Fighting with his emotions. And even now, he still keeps a sound state of mind of it all, even as he looses a shaky exhale when she hugs him tight, choking sobs as his arms slip around her and hug her close. A burst of emotions and feelings, only amplified by the direct contact they share. If this little white heron's wing was broken, then let it be mended with love and care. Let it be mended so that she may fly again. So that she doesn't have to fly alone.

They can see her wish come true together. She can get stronger. They can get stronger. But they're never alone.

They never have to be. ]

You never did. [ He breathes in the scent of her hair as he bows his head and nuzzles against her, kissing the side of her head, his hand rubbing gently along her upper back. ] Not once.

Only people we disappointed was ourselves.

[ And the sooner they make it up to themselves, the sooner they can get back up for the sake of others. ]

[ Cloud truly is a kind soul, to say this about her when she has brought so much shame. She hugs him tighter, as if the minute distance between them would bring harm to her.

He may be right, though. Ayaka stays silent as she lets his words play over and over in her mind. Difficult as it is to accept, and as much as she wishes to shoulder the blame for all the hurt her loved ones have gone through, he has a point.

Rather than say anything more, as if to make her sound even worse and rejecting Cloud's words, she pulls away so that she may look at him. Cloud is hurting too, and she understands that now.

Her eyes have turned red from all the tears she's shed, but at her weakest, she looks up to him for direction. She'll know what to do if she's with him. And so, she asks— ]

What did you wish for?

[ He can see how flush her face is, how red her eyes became from all the sobbing. Right now, despite the fact he was hurting too, he's far more focused on Ayaka's feelings now. That, and...by proxy, this was good for him, too. So when she asks him what he wished for? He calmly shakes his head. ]

I didn't make it yet.

[ But, now that he's face to face with her again, his hands slide down the length of her arms, until he finally takes hers. He doesn't want her to look away. This time, it's eyes on him when he says, ]

I wish...for the strength to protect what I cherish.

It wouldn't come true if I didn't find the brightest star.

But it's not up there.

[ She's right in front of him. And just as he'd fight to protect her wish? Cloud wishes to his Star in kind. ]

[ It feels like a magical moment in stories where the character experiences a pivotal moment that changes their life forever. Ayaka is looking straight into Cloud's eyes, his words ringing in her ear as she realises just what her purpose is.

She can come to him for comfort, come home and rest and heal. He would give her whatever she needs to be happy. But at the same time, she's his star. Just as he holds her hand and gives her strength, shows her that there's more to the little cage she's been given, she makes him feel normal—human—giving him experiences that he's missed out on. Experiences that he never would have had otherwise, but for the better.

Her own eyes, clear as the cloudless sky on a normal day, watery as they may be, reflect the stars in the sky a bit better. She takes a deep breath without looking away, and she once again makes a commitment to him. ]

I will make it come true. [ Just as she has with his other wishes before this. ] I will not disappoint you.

[ And she would not make this promise to him if she didn't have the confidence and the conviction. Whatever may come, she will make sure she keeps her word. It is everything Cloud deserves for everything he has given her. ]

[ Now. Now it's Cloud's turn to return her affections. It's his turn to close what little distance remains between them as he hugs her tight. Not so much that he would accidentally hurt her, but if she's paying close enough attention...

The tension leaves him. It just melts away as he heaves a sigh of relief- albeit one that tremors slightly. She's such a constant. A beacon of light. His reason for getting to experience what it's like to be normal. ]

I love you.

[ He can say it to her every day, and it would never get old. The impact she has on his life is something he will never take for granted. ]

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2/3 i lied

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