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The pair sat huddled together by one of the many, many great trees that signaled the entrance to the Membrance Maze. They had taken their sweet time playing with the fairies, the sun already having long set, the slimmest chance of rain catching them on their return home... They had been out way past the curfew Auduta and Hieronymos imposed on their young one-- to Cyrene, it felt like a miracle they hadn't stormed the outskirts of Aedes Elysiae to bring them back home.
That, in part, was probably due to Phainon accompanying her, and her always by Phainon's side. For however much they worried about their little boy... he held strength in his little heart in his own quiet, yet boisterous way-- strengths that only he could show off with Cyrene by his side. Cyrene, herself, having sides to her that only Phainon could bring out of her. For whatever it was worth to anyone but them, still being viewed as the children they were...
Their dedication to protecting what mattered the most to them, never wavered. It never would. A silent "vow" between two childhood friends, a testament to Aedes Elysiae's unchanging "tranquility." Their would-be hero, and the Priestess by his side... Oronyx's "prodigy" from this corner of the world, and the stalwart shield for those who followed in her footsteps... Their roles always felt as myriad as the stars in the night sky.
No matter what they ended up being in the future, one thing was always certain; come what may, they face it together. Two hearts, beating in sync. Even a "Deliverer" would have need of a "Confidant."
Quiet introspection always seemed to be Cyrene's thing. "Talking with your feelings in mind" was Phainon's... but even he, too, wasn't immune to "Reney's contemplation time"-- as the fairies of the Maze had taken to calling it--
"...Hey, Cyrene," that hesitant voice came from the young boy huddled beside her, "Do you ever wonder if... when we get this rain alllll the way over here... do the people in Okhema also experience it too? Even the Kremnoans?" an innocent question, posed by a kid so disconnected from the rest of the world... yet forever thinking of everyone else.
Cyrene could answer him truthfully-- the chances of Okhemans and Kremnoans experiencing rain, this same rainfall, when we do is extremely slim; but never zero -- she knows that, so does he. Yet "truth" is not what Phainon wants, strictly speaking. Her unique way of viewing the world... like a storyteller observing from on high, always finding the "epics" in the mundane... finding "romance" in something as nondescript as the rainfall...
That was always her strong point, a simple yet unshakeable faith in the world. He knew that, and so did she.
Cyyrene held a hand out just far enough from under their safe spot from the rain, far enough for the droplets to fall onto her palm. "If I say they are, friend..." turning her head to look back at him, just enough to catch the glimpse of curiosity in his eyes. "What would your takeaway be?"
"That our Aedes Elysiae isn't so closed off from everyone else," came Phainon's earnest answer. "I mean, Ms Pythias is always saying we're really, really, really far from everyone else... but if we see the same rainfall at the same time, that counts for something, right?"
Cyrene could always wax poetic about anything... but only Phainon could see the world in such an idealistic way-- it was never a bad thing. That was always one of his best qualities.
"...It does count for something. Do you want to hear what I think?" Cyrene asked, pulling her hand back, watching whatever water was left on her skin drip off silently.
"I mean, yeah, else I wouldn't have asked," came Phainon's blunt response, earning himself the slightest snort from her. She should've expected that.
"You know how rain comes to be, right..? Well, I hope you do, Phainon, or else Ms Pythias won't be very pleased with you in our next class," Cyrene laughed to herself, all the while ignoring the young Phainon's face twisting in what she could only think to describe as "indignation." "Okhemans, Kremnoans, or even Styxian... 'Water' always has a starting point, somewhere it converges... before finally making it's way back to us as the rain. Sometimes nourishing our fields, sometimes letting us experience some excitement..."
Cyrene held her hand out just slightly in front of her, eyes still trained on the few droplets on her fingertips. She could feel Phainon following her words, as well as her gaze. "Rain isn't always good, though... if it becomes strong enough to damage our harvests, just how badly do you think it could affect the Okhemans?"
"Hmm..." Phainon being this pensive wasn't rare whenever they spent time together. It always felt... nice, to see her dear friend engage her in thought-provoking conversation like this. "...Probably not good at all."
"...'Not good at all?'"
"H-hey, I'm trying, Cyrene! I don't have a way of talking all fanciful like you!"
The pout on Phainon's face only grew in intensity, watching as Cyrene tried to stifle her laughter on the hem of her jacket. "A-anyway..." the young would-be hero tried to clear his throat to bring the mood back to that serious tone he started with. "I think I get what you're saying... even if we don't see the same rain, water has a way of connecting us..? Like... like... oh! like Janus's gates!"
"That's..." despite his slowness in getting to her point, Cyrene couldn't help but smile back at him. "...a very literal answer, but yes."
"Literal..?" Phainon tilted his head at her, but Cyrene spared very little in answering back. "I... kind of get what you mean, though. Even this far out... we're all connected. Yes, we all share the same world and everything... but it doesn't really sink in until you... truly sit and think about it. So many people... different from you, Cyrene, or mom and dad, or even uncle Galba..." His gaze had moved to follow where, through the trees, the rain had begun to let up-- eyes watching closely as the moonlight fought to finally break through the storm clouds.
"We're all different... yet still connected by something so simple..." His voice was trailing off, now... Whatever thoughts were going through his mind were far too much to voice to his best friend, it seemed.
Ahh, Phainon, Cyrene mused to herself. You're still so young at heart... but you're finally getting there! Keep it up, and the people we meet on our adventures will certainly be endeared to you... A picture perfect "Hero!"
The moonlight shone stronger through the gaps in the trees, golden leaves still bore droplets of water that met the golden fields of their home... The night air was fresh enough to keep them both cooled off, but never too cold to handle. Like a scene ripped straight out of one of Cyrene's favorite stories...
"We should head home soon," came Cyrene's voice, watching as water pooled around the base of the trees. "Your mom and dad will be worried sick if we don't come back at all. I can only tell them Dolimem had us running errands so many times."
"...It is true, though." was Phainon's answer. "Playing with the fairies feels more like a neverending chore, sometimes..."
"I will pretend I didn't hear that, Phainon! How could you say that about our lovely, adorable friends?"
"If Milimem was actually serious about being the chief's assistant, I wouldn't have had to play hide and seek with the fairies for three hours!"
...Despite it all, they both enjoyed their time with the fairies. So the only thing they could do... was laugh. Cherish the silly moments, indulge in the joy of the moment... hold fast to the memories of "fairytales" and bring those memories with them unto tomorrow.
"...Time to head back then?"
"Yeah... let's go home, Phainon."
Tomorrow comes, and with it, more exciting stories to tell. More and more memories full of love to carry with us, and to entrust to those who come after us. For a future shining bright with hope.