Johnathan's shoulders tensed some, as they had when he had first heard Kyung-ha speak the name. For a moment, there weren't words that he could find to answer such a simple question from the woman.
There was this sensation that he felt in his head, in his body, whispers of voices and flickers of faces of those who had known the child that had been lost to the comforts of the world. Some were still so distant, faces that were still not clear enough to be seen in his mind, still recovering, no doubt. But they were present enough to ease him away from the sound of Yoon's voice.

He saw her smile again.
It sat beneath straight, lightly silkiesh black curtains.
Her nose was almost a button, small upon her face.
But he still couldn't see her eyes, nor hear her voice as her lips mouthed his name.

"Yes. That's... correct," he finally answered Yoon in a mildly absentminded manner. That is, until he added, not turning to face her, "It was— is my birth given name. Johnathan Lii Clementine." There was a sense of hesitation present in his voice, or something that almost sounded like uncertainty.

~

Edgar, despite what they had on their plate to deal with, chuckled some at the elf's last statement. "There's plenty more to show, and even more for me to see once we can get the obvious fixed." But there was a part of him that still battled with the doubt of it, to the point he had to remind himself that Sammy and the others were finding Jackline now as the spoke. He wanted to have faith that they would be successful, but it was hard to do so completely with their current status. He worried about them, and about what would happen if they ran into trouble. It was all the more reason that he took Galiah's hands into his and held them to his lips to place a small, loving kiss. "You're right though. In case of the..."IF", I need be able to do something. To help. Luckily, I've taken a few steps towards that too."

Galiah would blush a little as she would feel his lips on her hands, her own hands slowly locking around his fingers more as she smiled to him. But at his comment, her attention would finally return to the moment at hand, her left ear flicking a bit in curiosity as she would return her attention to the books. "Ah yes, the collection you have amassed here."
She was prepared to ask how he could even see what the books were with his current state, but she knew that he didn't like being reminded of that. Or at least, she tried to remember that he didn't like that. She would turn back to him and add, "So I am to believe you have formulated a strategy? Or a plan, as you would say?"

Sammy say by on the hood of the car, taking a long sip of the bottled Poland Spring with a sigh as she would hear Mason resting in the car, using the fan to blow cool air in his face as the two would take turns from the heat.
"So... you two really did that?" Mason asked, Sammy feeling at least a bit comfortable, or perhaps frustrated enough, to tell Mason about her and Roux
"Yeah, we did the sex" She spoke up "No need to dance around it, dude. I didn't hear you be shy about it when you were with Basil"
"Hey, that was a spur of the moment excitement" Mason spoke up, poking his head out and pointing at her. He would climb back in when he noticed that Sammy wasn't really giving her usual joking grin and asked, "So what? You think she's really different?"
"Yeah... No... Maybe... I don't know man" Sammy pondered, "I mean, she's acted like this before. At the night club when we first saw these Droven fucks. During the times she's openly shit talk Kyung-Ha to her face. Or so many other times. I mean, she's not exactly able to keep to one personality"
"Yeah, tell me about it" Mason joked.
"But then she started talking about alternate realities and shit, and..." Sammy spoke, the words on the tip of her tongue as she thought them over. "But it sounded like she actually believe in that shit, like there was another her or something. Like she really does believe in it. And I thought... Is this really Raven?"
"Yo, Sam" Mason spoke up, "You're talking nonsense. I mean, she's here now, well, she's alive at least. She's acted super bizarre before, going from one mood to another. And she has all sorts of weird magic we don't know about. I can heal, Yoon can do ice, and Edgar can paint and see the future. But Raven is a mish mash of shit. Probably because... Well I dunno, maybe all that shit in California caused her to have some multiple personality thing, or at least act different"
"Mason" Sammy spoke through closed hands "You're gonna draw the line at parallel universes after all the shit we've seen?"
"I'm just saying that I'll believe it when I see it" Mason spoke, "You're stressing yourself out too much about this. I'm sure it's the same girl you've met before. She's just acting confident."
"And how long will she act confident before she goes back to being the scared Raven?" Sammy would turn over and lean in through the window to speak. "Assuming she goes back to being the Raven we met the first time with the glasses and the freckles and being a fan of old video games and Godzilla?"
"I don't know, Sam. I just don't" Mason groaned. "I just... If you're so certain, why don't you ask her."
Sammy crossed her arms as she would sit up on the roof of the hood of the car, looking out at the empty lot as she added, "I don't... I don't know if I can, Cause she might say 'yes, the Raven you knew from this reality is dead and gone and I remain' and I won't know if she's being serious or if she's fucking with me and I don't know if I like that answer"
Sammys arms tightened around the sleeve of her uniform, her eyes staring at the cracks of the blacktop in a moment of silence before speaking, "I wanted to be strong enough for her, but now I don't know what to believe. Everythings so fucked up, Mason."
"Everythings always been fucked up for us, Sam" Mason commented, his arm hanging from the window. "But I guess Raven's the least fucked up thing in your life. Don't go blowing it cause of all this magic and paranoia crap, okay? If you want to call her and get some answers, you do what you gotta do"

"A plan, no. Just somewhere I think I can start," Edgar admits, placing one of her hands on to the top of the book stack. "It's...not the easiest thing to explain— Or to do, not with this agent guy here." He took a deep breath. "But I think I can still try it again." He began to take slow steps away from Galiah while facing her. "Just...watch what I mean." He stepped backwards towards the opposite end of the room farthest away from the door. "When I count to three...hold up a number, okay?"

Galiah looked to the stack of papers on the books, her ears working up as Edgar gave her a command to do. It almost made the elf feel helpful in some way rather than guarding all day. But it didn’t distract her from nearly standing up as she watched Edgar back away, fearing that he may trip on himself. But regardless, she would remain seated and nod, “Alright Edgar. On three.”

Edgar nodded to her, and took in a couple more deep breaths that were quick, a shutter going through his body as he prepared himself. "One..." He said slowly, and tried to keep the feeling of opening his eyes in mind. It was how he had managed to do so the first time. "Two..." He tried to focus on a flow. Strokes of a paint dampened brush moving at first in a circle. It was when he started to imagine the vividness branching out that he started to feel his a coolness over his eyes that felt like cold mud entering his sockets as his higher state of sight struggled to lift its eyelids. His voice was mildly strained as he spoke again. "...Three..."

Behind his shades, Galiah would see the crackle of faint, brown hued glowing that occurred, which were like four small glints that appeared to move in a slowed float.
Unlike earlier in the morning, Edgar could only see smears of the elf's aura outline due to a presence that made it feel as if thick dark cloth were being wrapped around his head.

Galiah's hands remained close to the paper on the table, hanging over it like a bounty hunter waiting to draw their gun. Her fingers curled in impatience as she waiting for the three to be called out, each second that passed being just as much a struggle for her as it was for Edgar. And finally when he spoke the number, she would lift her hand into the air with the speed of a bullet with the paper raised in her two fingers, the paper pointed in his direction. And with batted breathe, she waited for him to give his answer, waiting patiently for what he would say.

“Johnathan…” Yoon repeated when he confirmed it was his name. She fell quiet again, observing him closely from where she stood. “…y-yeah…” She added, “I-I guess you do look more like a Johnathan, n-now that I think about it…” Yoon tapped her fingers behind her back with a shy smile at the attempt of chirping into the conversation more. “And Clementine, r-right? Like… like the fruit…” She added unintentionally, not sure why her mind wandered to food whenever it got the chance. “It feels like we’re meeting again f-for the first time…” She looked back at the kitchen, then back at Johnathan with hesitation on how to continue their encounter. Yoon gulped, forcing herself to finally let out what was lurching at her tongue. She didn’t expect to be able to apologize to him since she thought he was dead all along.

“I-I’m…” She cleared her throat to speak up. “I’m sorry.” She finally said. “I’m so sorry for everything.” Yoon clarified. “And I, um… I’m sorry about your friends…” Her eyes looked away. “I… I actually got to m-meet a-a lot of them… C-Clark, and Sarah…a-and Makveliw-who’stallerthanyousaidhewas—“ She stammered, “I-I met a lot of people you worked w-with and… and they w-were all r-really n-nice to m-me.” Yoon finally looked up. “Th-They were good p-people, they looked out for me like y-you did and I wasn’t able to thank them, but umm.. you’re here now… a-and I know they’re not but you are and… i guess… i guess what I’m trying to say is… well, you know… ummm… Thank you, Johnathan. And I’m sorry.” She said once more before completing a perfect bow out of respect like her mother had taught her.

"Like...the fruit right?"

"The fruit?" An airy chuckle push from Johnathan's nostrils. He couldn't help to feel that he had heard it before. somewhere. But hearing it from Yoon, he should have expected it. But he was wondering how did one "look like a Johnathan" as she had put it, intrigued by what he couldn't describe as a comparison or a description. When Yoon mentioned how it felt like they were meeting for the first time again, he turned to the side to look at her, a hand slid down into his pocket. "Then I suppose it wouldn't be inappropriate you say that it's a pleasure to be acquainted."

It was when Yoon began to apologize did he turn towards her all the way. He felt something strange while Yoon spoke the names of the agents that she had met that he acquainted himself with. Clark, who he had grown beside during their time in The Order. They were fellow trainees, truly brothers in arms. Sarah, another fellow trainee who had gotten into the ranks of the Immortals with her admirable talents involving technology. He understood why she had caught Kyle's attention all of those years ago. He had known her since...he memory, even locked behind the thick doors of his subconscious, burned within his mind. The event in his life that started it all. They were gone. Even Makveli and Darius.

And as Yoon would bow to him, he approached her, settling his tea down onto the table. "I'm not owed an apology, Park. Seeing that your family as well as yourself are alive and well is enough for me. As for the others...we can only assure that their efforts weren't for nothing. I'm sure they would appreciate your gratitude."

~

Edgar tried to concentrate, and at first the image of Galiah's aura body continued to slip. But suddenly, there was a small shift. One so small that if he hadn't seen the brief clarity that was Galiah's outline in aura. He got a good look at in for only about two seconds. He could see her two fingers. "Two," he answered. However, what he couldn't see and was oblivious to was the paper that she held between them.

Galiah looked down at the paper that she held in her hands, looking down at it with a bit of worry at the thought. “I’m… there was a one and a three”. The elf said, her ears lowering ever so slightly at the thought. But at the moment she was ready to claim defeat, her eyes would look to the two fingers that held the paper, and they widened in surprise. “Edgar!” She spoke in surprise “Two fingers. You can see the body and aura of people rather than inanimate things. Are you able to see me?”

Edgar let out a breath of exhaustion, his hands going to his knees for a moment tmas he breathed heavily, a little trickle if blood running down his eyes. He could feel something he could only describe as a sputter in his eyes as he looked up at the elf only to see her aura fade completely from sight. "Yeah...
well sort of...not exactly but yeah— Oh god—" he fell down roughly into a sit, chuckling a little out of embarrassment. "It's...a lot harder than...it was before. Wait... inanimate objects?" He took a moment to catch his breath. "What makes you say that?"

Galiah hurried over to Edgar at the sight of blood trickling down his face from his eyes, moving over to wipe them from his already damaged eyes. As she did she would place the paper in his hands, “This paper I was holding up in my hands. When you were looking you saw my hands, but it seems that inanimate objects are blind to you. Perhaps you can sense the energy of other living things. Like those pond mammals that you humans are so fond of. Doll Fins I believe you call them” her hands rested on his hand as well, making sure that he wouldn’t fall down, making sure to keep him steady, “Whatever it is, it must be tied to your magic”

"It sure as hell feels like it," Edgar replied, already feeling the energy zapped from him. It usually didn't burn out that fast, something that he took note of as he clutched the paper loosely as he thought about what Galiah said. "And I think you might be on to something. I think I was able to see Raven's aura a couple of days ago when we were down in basement. Its like...looking, but with another pair of eyes almost. It probably explains why I can see you and Yoon too. But if that's the case...why can't I see Kyung-ha? Or Sangeon, for that matter?"

“Hmmm” Galiah thought about it for a moment as she would sit next to Edgar, her hand instinctively licking themselves around Edgar’s as she sat there in thought. “Well you can see Lady Yoon and Lady Raven and myself, but not Lady Kyung-ha and Sir Sangeon.” She would sit there in thought, a faint hmmm come from the elf as she suggested, “Perhaps it only works on those that have magic. You see auras but not bodies. Are these auras perhaps a different color”

"heh...yeah...likewise, I g-guess..." Yoon joked with a small blush when Johnathan mentioned it was a pleasure being acquainted again. She couldn't help but feel a sense of deja vu with it all. When he approached her, she looked up at him to hear him shrug off her apology. "I-I know you may not think I-I owe you an apology, but... but I'd still like to give you one. Nottorepaymydebtoranythingeventhoughidoowe­you­one­and­asi­mpl­eap­olo­gyi­sn'­tgo­ing­toc­uti­tbu­tbe­cau­se–­–&q­uot­; She paused to finally breathe in and exhale with a sigh. "...You deserve one." She finally said, apologizing beyond just her stubbornness while they were together. She assumed it had to be hard on him figuring out who he was and regaining a new sense of reality and memories based on what she overheard. She found that even not knowing one's own true name must've been a shock, along with knowing the status of his fallen friends. And so her being Yoon, all she could humanely do was apologize as a form of sympathy. She tried to smile to agree with his last words, but it was hard. Things were hard. Everything was harder now.

"––NUNAAAA! 엄마가 너 그만 시시덕거리고 밥 먹으러 오라고 그러셨어!" A squeaky male voice called from the kitchen, speaking along the lines of his mother telling her there was no need to embarrass herself further with the man because the food was ready. Of course, he said this without knowing Johnathan actually understood what he said.

Yoon blinked, resisting the urge to just curse back at his brother right then and there. Sighhh. "Um.. he said the food is ready. So...so maybe we sh-should head in..." She summarized, scratching the back of her head sheepishly, distracting herself by retrieving the tray of tea. It was only then when she moved positions did she finally see the covered, sleeping being laying on the couch at a better angle. She froze, blinking with befuddlement as her gaze returned to Johnathan, assuming he had brought it as a guest. "....um..." She stood up now with the tray in her hands, thinking it was rude to question him about what the creepy looking "thing" was. But her eyes showed obvious signs of confusion and wariness.

Hearing Sangeon from the room, as unfiltered as his statement was to Yoon while relaying Kyung-ha's message, Johnathan cleared a silent chuckle from his throat. He was going to relay something back in Korean merely to humor the child in the kitchen, but once Yoon spoke, he decided to leave it for a different point in time. While he had been about to head to the kitchen after seeing Yoon gathering the tray and the tea, he turned to catch her gazing down at the slumbering individual. And of course she'd bear the same curiosity, he thought.

And when Yoon gaze came to him, he kept it simple and to the point. "An unexpected visitor, visiting in an unexpected fashion of abnormality. Unfortunately, other than those facts, I'm afraid I am just as "in the dark", as some might say. You're right to be wary. But trust that I'll be swift to dispose of them if they so happen to be a threat."

~

"Yeah... actually. They are," Edgar said as he started to think more on it. "They're...sorta like chalk outlines. Or..a paint fog. It depends. Except, like you said, there are different hues, and I can see them moving pretty clearly on a good day." He smiled some. "Yours just might be my favorite to see. Though, I think you may some competition," he added with a smile-turned-playful smirk.

Galiah would give her usual pout as she would smack the side of his shoulder at his comment, the faintest hint of almost understanding his joke finally getting through to the elf. “You’re lucky that your laughter gives away your jest, dear Edgar. I was close to tearing your tongue out with my bare hands for saying such things”
As the silence came from the elf, letting that statement linger, she would follow it up. “That was one of those human jokes I believe it is described as.”
She looked back to Edgar, her pouting expression now a look of curiosity as she asked, “So please tell, what do you see when you look at me? I assume that mine is clearly superior to the others. I have nothing to worry about”. As Galiah sat there it was the one time she was glad Edgar couldn’t see her, as the look of envy was clear on her face

Edgar's hand went to his mouth when Galiah appeared to be a little too serious about what he had only meant to be a joke. The action was subconscious just at the thought of the insinuation, and the silence that followed through his blind perspective didn't make it any better. He only felt slightly better after she made it clear that she had been joking. Or at least attempted to.
When she asked about what he saw while with her, he could hear her curiosity, and it did well in bringing his smile back. He thought about the question for a second or two. And he answered, "Embers popping against a flaring warmth that move like hundreds of wisps of orange. A...a flower of fire lighting a dark path." He smiled a little more.

Galiahs ears perked up at the very sound of this, hearing how he would describe her aura in an almost poetic way. It was enough to make the elf completely forget any of her jealousy or her playful frustration the way he spoke of her aura. The elf couldn’t help but give a smile at the sound of it and she spoke, “That sounds like a very lovely image Edgar. You’ll have to paint it one day so that I may gaze upon that myself. It’s a nice image”
The elf would rest her head against his shoulder with a bit more silence taking over, only this silence was more pleasant, more for just the two to enjoy the company of each other. But soon the elf asked, “And the others. Lady Yoon and Lady Raven and Sir Mason. How would you describe theirs?”

The lingering embarrassment from her brother clouded her wariness and curiosity about the stranger in the room. Despite this, she knew that Johnathan and her mother were well trained to take care of any problem they came across. Plus, Galiah was a professional magic user that could aid them. And so she nodded with the man's reassurance that he would take care of it if the person revealed to be an issue. She trusted him, after all. "I-I know you will.." She said softly to confirm her thoughts. She would've played with her fingers behind her back if it weren't for the fact that she was carrying a tray holding her mother's favorite tea set, and so she made sure to be extra careful with it as she led the way to the calling voice of her brother.

Upon arrival, she wasn't surprised to see her mother had exaggerated her apology for a small meal. She went beyond just prepping what she promised would be bibimbap and samgyeopsal. Kyung-ha fried some of her homemade mandu that she had froze after making a large batch a few days ago. She also made some easy side dishes that consisted of pickled cucumber and radishes. Freshly diced fruit never lacked in her side dishes. And much to Yoon's dismay, she also saw that her mom had broken into her food stash to prepare everyone a mix of chapagetti and neoguri noodles with soft chunks of venison she herself hunted. But she knew arguing with her mother about taking her goods would be pointless, especially when she prioritized providing enough meals to choose from for her guests. However, she also took into consideration that if Johnathan hadn't shown up, she would've been forced to eat her mom's vegetable bone broth which now only served as a small side dish to keep their bellies warm while enjoying the other goods.Yoon finally settled the tea tray carefully onto the kitchen counter, watching as her mom scurried around the table to organize all dishes to perfection while Sangeon swung his legs back and forth on his chair, huffing at being told he wasn't allowed to eat until everyone was seated.

Sangeon's chin raised when he saw his sister come in. "서둘러 주실 수 있나요? 배고파 죽겠 어." He said. 키 큰 남자에게 더 빨리 걸으라고 말하세요!" Sangeon added, along with asking Yoon in Korean to lie to Johnathan that the dumplings were super duper spicy so that they could have more for themselves. He soon regretted saying that when he felt his mom softly tug his baby hairs for not being patient and attempting to "talk behind" a guest in a different language, even more so for not greeting their guest yet. "....h-hi..." He mumbled in English shyly in his chair when he saw Johnathan. He couldn't recall meeting him before since it had been so long and he looked so different now.

Ss-ss.

The closer Johnathan had gotten to the kitchen, the slower his steps became as the smell of steamed rice and sauteed vegetables became a much stronger aroma. Familiar.
So much so that he hadn't realized how still he stood within the doorway when Sangeon greeted him upon his mother's light reprimanding. The "Hello" that he replied with in return was unintentionally stiff compared to how he had spoken to Yoon, his gaze at first following Kyung-ha's movements like her shadow until it instead changed course to where the aroma hailed as he finally entered the kitchen. His eyes fell upon the meal that had been prepared.

Again, he took the air in with a brief and silent inhale through his nostrils. Steamed rice. Some variety of marinated vegetables, his eyes scanned what he could smell. The venison smelled as if it had been seared, and had a scent more prominent than the other ingredients. As did the broth that had been swapped into a side. Yet what stuck out to him the most was the sunny-side-up egg that was the most iconic completion to the larger dish. The yolk was like a spotlight that slide across his mind until there was one memory in particular that came to mind.
It was vague, like trying to recall pieces of a dream. He was young, much younger than his current self. He could remember the sign and some of what was written—a menu, it was a menu that hung down behind the counter. He couldn't understand that much of what it said due to it not being in English, and at the time he was far less knowledgeable of the Korean language and much more fresh as a beginner compared to his English. But out of what he could in fact piece together, was the price and name of what had been one of his favorite meals, and the first from his parents' culture. He remembered his father telling him that it was called donburi where his grandparents were born. But his mother referred to it as bibimbap, as it was called in its place of origin.

Despite the minor differences in ingredients due to substitutions or preferences, Johnathan couldn't mistake it for anything else. Uneasiness stirred inside him, as did a plethora of mixed emotions that eventually neutralized behind his mute expression. Seeing as there was nothing to really help Kyung-ha with, he took a seat at the table to the right of Sangeon, opting for remaining close to the doorway.

~

"I don't know about Mason's," Edgar replied. "I've only seen sparks of it, so I can't really say. I just remember it feeling cool and floaty, it's hard to explain." He paused, his mind lingering on the thought momentarily until he continued, "Yoon's is like...you know what a snow globe is right? As in, you've seen one before? It's like when you shake one of those up. Raven's is..." His brows furrowed. "It's... different. It's like it's flow isn't the same as yours or Yoon's, or even mine or Mason's to be honest."

Galiah would give an innocent nod at Edgar's question on a snowglobe, making sure to see a few of those within Alana's house that were mostly just gifts she had gotten from local shops within the area or ones gifted to her by family members. And as she paid closer attention to what Edgar was saying, she would brush her pink hair back underneath her hood and reply, "I see. so each Keeper has a different aura of their own. And every magic user for that matter. Guess that would mean that Lady Kyung and Lady Samantha have no auras for that matter."
And as Galiah would rest beside Edgar, she would let out a quizzical hum. "I do wonder what your own aura would look like. Shame that no one can see it for you, Edgar. It must be... like the first clean air of a new spring"

"I wish it felt as refreshing as that sounded," Edgar joked halfheartedly, only to fall silent for a brief second as what Galiah had said prior caught all the way up. "Hold on, so you can't see mine?" He paused again. "Huh...but you can sense when I or someone else uses magic though, right?" He asked out of a growing curiosity towards magic in general.

"It's less of sight and more of... feeling" Galiah spoke. "It's different for every magic person, some can sense it within like a sort of sixth sense, some feel it like us elves due to our connection with nature, and others... well, like you, can physically see it. It's different for each one of the Keepers. Sir Mason has this feeling of a cool breeze, Lady Yoon feels like a winter's morning, Lady Raven is... well, she feels like a sort of heat, but not a fire. It's difficult to describe. As for you, it feels like..." She would rest her head against Edgar;s shoulder, her eyes still staring forward as she pondered, "It feels wet. Like water. Like something formless, in a good way. You have a sort of flow to your feeling"

Sangeon, being the shy boy he was with strangers, could only smile sheepishly when Johnathan returned his greeting. His gaze returned to the food before him, silently sighing to himself to patiently wait for everyone to sit down. He didn't mind Johnathan sitting next to him, though he did feel obligated to sit up straight in attempt to match his height while seated. He watched as Yoon sat across from him, and only when Kyung-ha was satisfied with the organized meals did she take a seat across from the two of them as well. But she stood up suddenly when she had forgotten the pitcher of ice water to accompany their meal, which she positioned at the very center of the table for everyone's convenience.

"막판 준비를 실례합니다–––" Kyung-ha began, only to continue in English as she sat down again. "Not most extravagant meal for our special family guest, but all made with love and keep belly full and warm." She promised Johnathan with a small smile. The promise was even made to the badges of their fallen friends that sat with them. "Jal meokkessumnida." She tapped her chopsticks lightly against the side of her plate.

"...jal meokkessumnida..." Yoon said in a more timid voice that was echoed by her brother. Before diving into her own plate, she took the role as the younger adult to serve everyone a glass of water, ensuring to serve herself last. "....um..." Her eyes raised to Johnathan to address an earlier comment while serving his water, having to stand on the tip of her toes to reach his glass on the opposite side. "The d-dumplings are a-actually kind of spicy––" She noted that her mom had added a tad extra red pepper flakes this time. "B-But if y-you dip it with that peanut sesame sauce i-it kind of helps dilute it..." She mentioned. It was a new dipping sauce recipe that her mother tried out not so long ago, however she couldn't remember what made her make it or come up with the idea.

"I am but a guest, Kyung. There's no need for an apology," Johnathan replied as the older woman had smiled at him. He returned it with one of his own. "Thank you for your hospitality." His eyes went to the badges, all together at the table with them, his eyes hollowing with a feeling that he could only ration to himself as... dissatisfaction. It made the inside of his skin feel hot in contrast to the numbness that he usually felt. "Ja meokkessumnida," he joined them in saying.
He grabbed the glass of water that had been poured by Yoon, after thanking her. As he sipped from his water, the glass silently cracking very slightly from an unintentional grip. His gaze shifted to Yoon again as he was setting his glass back into its original position.

He eyed the dumplings when Yoon mentioned their supposed spiciness, and couldn't help but to recall a the week before he had dropped Kore off in New York. He sometimes thought that he could still feel the burn of the ghost pepper on those wings. And the bathroom visit afterwards was extremely unpleasant. With that in mind, he had already decided against attempting to eat them at all, let alone try it with Yoon's suggestion.
"Do forgive me, but, I think I'll pass on the dumplings," he said, his usual manner of speaking slipping ever so slightly.

~

"Oh, so everyone gets the cool sounding descriptions and I'm just wet huh?" Edgar joked with a raised eyebrow, which was accompanied by a soft chuckle. But he couldn't help but to think to himself, something formless. "...Hm.."

“Come now, dear Edgar” Galiah spoke giving his shoulder another light slap in a playful manner, her own way of showing affection. “There’s much that water can do. It’s the very foundation that keeps the majority of us alive. It’s basically life in its own way. Just because it’s not a solid formation doesn’t mean it is without uses. It can be what you need it to be. Something for survival, to drink, to grow crops and plants. Don’t be so close minded. Be formless, dear Edgar” she would comment as she poked at his forehead at the “close minded” part

"Oh so I'm close minded now? I don't think I like the way you're treating me right now lady," Edgar continued to joke around with her. But as his arms wrapped around her, he was about to speak until he didn't, only to do so a second later. "But you know... now that I think about it, maybe "like water" wouldn't quite be right. Wet...and formless...you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Galiah let out a small giggle as she would reply “I treat you with the utmost respect. It is no fault of my own you are wet.” Her usual tone was the same as always, and even still now as Edgar made his response, the elf would rest her hands against his body, sliding from down his face to rest on his chest as she replied to his question, “Not at all, Dear Edgar. But I can make a few predictions. Water does have a habit of passing through and getting everywhere. And to be bathed in water that is as such formless would be quite lovely”

"....Ink...I was going to say ink," Edgar said. But he couldn't help but to smirk at the answer that his lover had given him. "But that is definitely a very close second that we could definitely make out to be more than just a prediction," he suggested with a lustful grab at her backside. "Let's say, later on tonight?"

“Yes. Of course.” Galiah immediately responded, thankful that Edgar couldn’t see her face turn beat red in embarrassment. But as she would feel her rear being grabbed through her leather uniform, Edgar could hear a faint gasp of excitement from the elf. Having to clear her throat, she would reply, “Uh yes so um, ink. I shall go and retrieve the ink!”
Before Edgar could reply and before Galiah could let things go further, Galiah stood up as quickly as possible, straight as an arrow with her hands to the side clenched in fists as she hurries to the table with quick steps, still red as a tomato the entire way from her cheeks to her ears. And as she would return, she held a bottle of ink in her hands, holding it out with both hands as she didn’t even try to remark on her own humility. “I have brought the ink as requested”

"Nah ah, no mere guest in this home, but family." Kyung-ha made sure to correct him with a tired, but still motherly smile.

Yoon on the other hand was a big fan of spicy foods, being able to tolerate up to three or four of those extra spicy noodles Korea was famous for in one sitting. She didn't pry on why Johnathan said no to the dumplings, since it meant she got to eat more of them which coincidentally was Sangeon's plan all along. "I-I guess it's a good thing that there's plenty of other things to choose from..." She said with a small smile in attempt of chirping in a 'socializing' comment. She didn't notice the slight cracking of Johnathan's glass; however, her mana unintentionally picked up on the small rise of temperature in his body.

Kyung-ha stirred the bibimbap dish with her chopsticks, releasing a quiet chuckle afterwards. "Oi, no tell me my Johnathan return not only with new hair on face but also new spice intolerance?" She jokingly teased about adapting too much in America to lighten the mood. "I guess kind of spicy might be very spicy to some." She admitted, taking a small sip of water. Kyung-ha picked up a singular dumpling with her chopsticks and smothered it with a chili oil sauce before eating half of it with one bite. She easily could've eaten two of them whole, but her table manners told her not to. "It oke, I make bibimbap too––used to be your favorite when you were tiny boy with rice noodle arms, you remember? Only this time it better than street shop we went to in Incheon." She praised herself jokingly.

The faint noise that came from Galiah was enough to tell Edgar that she agreed with what would be in their plans for later on. Her changing the subject— or rather her attempt at getting them back to the subject of the ink that he had mentioned left him chuckling as he felt her rise away from him. And he couldn't help but to say, "I'll take that as a yes." As he heard her footsteps moving across the floor and towards the table, he sat himself up straight, and as she returned ever so quickly with the ink in hand, he felt out in the air in front of him until he was able to find her hands with a quick brush of contact between their hands, and in turn the inj that she held. "Wet and without shape." His brows furrowed as his thumb rubbed across the surface of the inkwell. "What if the reason my magic's been harder to control is because I haven't had anything to shape it with. Like my paintings, for one."

~

"It certainly seems to be the case, yes," Johnathan agreed with Yoon's comment of their being more for all of them to choose from. And of course, his sights were on the bibimbap that had been prepared.
When Kyung-ha commented on his developed intolerance to spice my and the hair own his face that he had yet to shave, he only could give a shrug.

Incheon... Again, something within Johnathan's memories stirred at the mentioning of it and the street vendor that they used to have there. He was in the middle of handling his chopsticks as he spoke. "Yes, I remember it well. Despite it being a street vendor, I recall being quite fond of the quality of its food. The last time we were there was 14th birth year before you left for the states." And he had never seen her again afterwards. Not until he found himself in Florida at that hospital the first time.

"Of course it is a yes" Galiah couldn't help but to blurt out in her embarrassed state, keeping her hands steady until Edgar would finally find the bottle of ink in front of him. She would return to her rightful spot right next to Edgar, her ears lifting as she would listen to him and at this, she couldn't help but to ask, "Hmmm, it's possible. It does seem that they are connected in some way, like how some people with magic need a wand or a staff, like how one would need a lightning rod to conduct electricity or how one would need stones to make a fire. Something to help control it. But... please don't strain yourself any further than you have today, Edgar. I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself any further than you have thus far this morning"

Kyung-ha's chewing slowed when Johnathan brought up the day she vanished from South Korea and fled to the states. And while she struggled in finding the English words to continue, Sangeon was rather distracted and impressed with the guest's ability to even use chopsticks in the first place. "Yes, I left for states then. Ready to accept the weight that I could never see you again. But... then happened 재회." She switched languages briefly. "I no able to translate 재회 to English, but it special word in Korean to describe happiness of special reunion of loved ones after no seeing after long time." She explained. "And that's what happen when I called to the hospital. And again it happen when you walked through doors of this home today after almost year no see you." She took another bite of her meal, falling silent for a minute before she continued. "It's been... long and upsetting year since I––since we last see you. I'm sure our distance and time has raised many questions."

"If I'm at least partially right, then a little strain'll be worth the trouble," Edgar replied. He had started to believe long before now that it was the price that he was going to have to pay in order to get it right. But believe alone wouldn't have been enough, and so he accepted it in full. "And having you here in case things get out of hand is better than doing it by myself." He grasped the inkwell softly within his fingers, the smoothness of it calming.

~

Johnathan's eyes remained trained on Kyung-ha as he listened to her speak. Usually it was due to his own hyper attentiveness. But now his gaze was searching, almost in a manner that was riddled with a suspicion that he wish he didn't feel. Especially as she explained to him what it was that she felt upon his arrival. A happiness that language couldn't explain. But she was indeed correct that he had questions, many of them in which he found difficult to find where answers would begin.

His stare edged down to his bowl where his chopsticks stirred the noodles briefly as he spoke. And despite being anxious for something that he could understand, he said, "Indeed it has. However, I don't believe now would be an appropriate time for them to be asked."

Galiah was sure that Edgar knew what he was doing. He had the time to prepare and the knowledge by this point, even found out things on his own. But even still it did not stop the worry that was building up, flooding her mind like a raptured dam filling a valley. She was so hesitant to breathe for fear that the smallest noise would cause disaster. She just sat and waited, waited for a miracle or for disaster, she waited

Taking in a deep breath, Edgar tried to imagine what it would have been like to paint again. To see what it was that he painted. It was soon enough though that when he thought about it, he had never actually had his eyes open whenever he painted. Specifically, whenever he painted in such an intricate yet ominously detailed depictions of what he believed was to come. The ones that swallowed his conscious into vivid sights of many things. But it was then that he saw it, the dark, liquid brown flash that came before his visions.
His body stiffened in response, the suddenness of it having been much faster than he had anticipated. He inhaled deeply again to catch his breath, slowing easing into confusion when the light started to fade into a deep out within his Sight. He was speechless.


But within his hands, the ink within the inkwell gently rippled. Once. Then twice. And for a split second, a blurry face appeared within the darkness of the ink where hues of Edgar's aura faded.

Galiah would almost close her eyes for fear of the sight of seeing her lover in pain, but she knew that eventually they would have to open. And so she dared to open her eyes, to see what it was that he had done. And as her eyes would open. When she would, he was still there, in tact, no injuries or anything. It was a good start. But as her eyes would see the ink ripple for a second time. And in that instance, a face with the color of Edgar’s own aura emerged from the black liquid. And sure enough, Galiah would make it know. “Edgar! There’s something in the liquid”
The elf, in her panic And her excitement, leaned over the table to look at what Edgar had conjured

Edgar had to restrain himself when he heard the panic in Galiah's voice, and having stopped himself from launching I'm the inkwell across the room, he took a deep breath. He didn't feel as if he were being hurt by anything. Then at the same time, he couldn't exactly see it to determine whether that was a good thing, or if some painful catastrophe was lurking right around the corner. "Ok...ok, we're getting somewhere" he said, a bit too anxious to hide it. "Give me some pointers here, what's.."something"."

The inkwell's contents moved in a mild swirl, yet nothing more seemed to occur at that very moment.

Galiah looked back at the ink waiting for something to emerge. But when all it did was slosh and swirl like a bowl being moved, she was a bit annoyed. To the average person this would be a bit exciting but to a magic user like herself it was rather disappointing. She would sit back in the chair once the excitement died down and remarked, “It’s only moving around now. There was… there must have been a face before”. But with how sudden it was it almost made the elf doubt

"A face..." Edgar was left thinking for a moment, clearing his throat as he made sure to slide the inkwell away from them out of wariness. But as he thought more about it, a frown creased at the corners of his lips. Of course he didn't know what that was supposed to be, or what it meant. But there was a feeling in his gut...something that made him think back to his other paintings for any recollection of anything that was similar. But when he couldn't think of anything right off bat, he air blew from his nostrils as he made up his mind. "Let's try it again," he said, a thought coming to mind. Or more of an idea.

Galiah gave a nod with a bit of hesitancy. “Okay” she said with a slight pause in between. She would turn back to the inkwell, making sure to scoot her chair as quietly as she could closer to Edgar’s side in case something were to happen. She didn’t know what to expect but she was certain that whatever it is could cause more harm to Edgar. He seemed to be good at having his own spells harm him and she wasn’t going to let it happen again. She kept her eyes locked to the ink bottle, waiting for what may come

"Time never appropriate for anything anymore nowadays, it seems." Kyung-ha said in a desensitized yet simultaneously melancholic matter in regards to all the recent time events that had accumulated over the past months––of times that were still being processed, along with the times she refused to process. She cupped her bowl of hot vegetable broth, her small hands numb to its scorching heat as she took a silent slurp. "I understand. I here ready anytime when time is appropriate, then." She gave a small nod. "For now, all matters is that you are alive and found way to safety. You have come such a long way. Please, take easy. Right now you no responsible for anything except taking time for yourself. Fuel yourself for when future needs your strength, oke?" She said with a frail attempt of a comforting smile.

Yoon's eyes shifted between her mother and Johnathan every now and then to not seem too nosey of their past. However, she knew of course that Kyung-ha's concern for Johnathan was genuine. And knowing now that he was a Keeper, she knew that her concern for him was even greater. Her thoughts were momentarily distracted when she felt her sleeve being tugged by her brother, who pointed with his eyes at his own bowl of hot broth seemingly asking for help of some kind from her. She rolled her eyes softly, her small hands gently pressing against his bowl enough to cool down its heat with her aura, where even its steam eventually dissipated until it was a comfortable lukewarm temperature for him.

Johnathan's appetite slipped away for only a moment as he gazed down into his bowl, his chopsticks stirring around pieces of the past as they came in clusters. He could remember the sound of shuffling feet after a pop from the airplane's door after their landing in Korea. Despite what he had said about it being an appropriate time, there was one question that stabbed at the back of his throat and prodded at his mind endlessly. A question that has been in his mind for quite some time. It wouldn't leave him be, like a that buzzing in his head. His gaze moved steadily until he saw Kyung-ha's eyes again. "... Have you always been aware of my identity? The one—"

The one that had been replaced and scrambled from his mind. The one that had been lost years ago. The one that they had taken from him. There were many variations of what he wanted to say, things that he felt. But in the end, he only restated the question, albeit with a few choice of words different. "Were you aware? At all?"

There was something that grew in the air, a sensation that seemed to throw the temperature of Yoon's body off, as if her magic was being stuffed into a bottle. But there was also something familiar about the mute aura that came from Johnathan, colorless in form, and like a deep well in nature. Something that would almost remind her of a certain encounter at a mall some time ago.

~

Edgar, who once again has taken in a deep breath to exhale calmly to prepare himself, placed his hands around the inkwell. But this time around, he diverted his attention away from attempting to see it all at once, and instead focused on the darkness that he saw with his loss of complete sight. He imagined it as a canvas of emptiness. And there was only one thing that a painter did went presented with an empty canvas.

He felt what felt like a stinging, lightly drizzle-filled breeze wash over his eye sockets. He braced himself, and attempted to redirect where he felt it all building, pushing into his sight, into his mind.

The inkwell shifted into a light tempered bubbling, as if it was being boiled with an absence of any heat or fire. The blackness of the ink towards the center shifted, its coloring becoming the murky brown-green hue of Edgar's aura. And slowly, the discoloring ink started to lift from the inkwell and stick to the tips of his fingers. It seemed to attempt to grow, only to meet resistance from another force within the vicinity that forced it backwards.

Galiah kept her hands to her side, not wanting to make any sudden movements, not wanting to break Edgar’s concentration. But she was also alert, waiting for when the moment of anything out of the ordinary would show itself. And for a moment, it was as if the elf could put her fears to rest, as she would see Edgar’s aura and color start to overtake the black liquid, bubbling like a beaker in a lab. But as soon as something caused the ink to revert back into the bottle, the elf would lift herself from the chair , the seat knocking itself over. “That wasn’t your magic” Galiah retorted, as if Edgar could have seen it for himself. She made sure to inform him, “The ink, it came to you at first but something sent it back. It could be something or someone is subduing your magic”
And of course, at the thought of this, Galiah would raise her hands with a flame rising from her fingers, hit enough that Edgar could feel the heat coming off it. “We shouldn’t be too careful” the elf stated, remembering just a few days prior

Yoon visibly cringed at the sudden rise in tension after Johnathan asked his question. However, her wince was also due to the familiar feeling of her mana being muted long ago, which didn’t sit well with her at all. “U-Um… should we s-step out?” She looked between the two. “Maybe it would be better if we just––”

“It is alright. I has nothing to hide or keep secret of my conversations with Johanthan. But if he minds, then it is appropriate to respect requests.” Kyung-ha assured as she set down her small bowl of broth that she had taken another sip from. Her fingers clasped together as she set them on the table in front of her with her gaze settling on the man across from her. “Did I know about your identity?” She repeated his question. “No. Not the way you think I did.” She explained with a sigh. Her voice was calm and patient with the conversation, knowing it was important to someone she considered a son. “In fact, the information I knew of you was very slim when I was first tasked to protect you. Slim information for a reason––for your safety at the time to not expose your identity to unwanted people.” She briefly switched to Korean to explain how even when Constantine tasked her as leader of one the squadrons to watch over him years ago, she didn’t fully explain why he was being followed and chased in the first place for safety reasons on both ends. Ironically, the less they knew, the better. “All I told is there was a special boy, who we codeworded using phonetic alphabet, being targeted by a Droven that the Constables had been trying to track down for years. And so when I unexpectedly received a call from Council who tell me to pull out from my station in Korea, I was confused. Hesitant. But I only ever followed orders from Lady Constantine, and so I disobeyed the council to complete my task and stayed. My squad stayed, and I’m glad we did despite us only rescuing a mere fraction of what should’ve been a 100% success rate if only other squadrons hadn’t been pulled out by Council. It was odd… both me and Constantine very confused at time of incident of attack. Council immediately intervened after reporting status of post-attack, stealing you away from me and my squadron to “aid” you, or so I thought. I followed as much as they allowed me to. To the point where even I had to be dragged out of room, being told I was distracting and interrupting treatment they took you to. You were on the brink of death, and so I believed them. Letting them to do so was my biggest mistake. I didn’t know then, but I know now. Before Lady Constantine passed, she filled me in some gaps. Gaps and information of you, Johnathan.” She disclosed, setting her chopsticks on top of her bowl to indicate she was done eating, despite still having an almost full bowl. The past made her sick and made her lose her appetite.

Thmp!

Edgar's inhaled with a mild sharpness to his breath, the inkwell nearly dripping from his hands when the sound of the fallen chair broke his concentration, and in turn, his strain to keep his magic flowing in the wanted direction. Before he could even ask about the noise, Galiah had already answered.
And with the statement that followed, his brows furrowed. "Alright," he said after catching his breath. "If you really think that's the case, then my bets are on Kyung-ha's "guest"." The wheels in his head turned rapidly as his thoughts pieces things together. "It wasn't this hard to do this crap before," he said with even milder annoyance. But then something dawned on him. "Hold on...this guy.." He paused in thought, taking a second to focus on the foreign feeling of the murky presence. He was quiet. The corners of his lips pulled into a frown. He felt as if he had felt it before, the sensation that felt as if he were having blindfold after blindfold wrapped around his eyes and stuck there. "He's...a magic user..I think," he stated with uncertainty. But part of him somehow knew for certain.

We shouldn't be too careful.

Galiah's caution crossed his mind, and he nodded slowly to himself in agreement. "I think we can wrap this up for now," he told her while warily sliding the inkwell away from himself. "We should try to give Sam and Mason a call, see if they've had any luck so far and where we're at with everything."

~

Johnathan's attention was focused on every word that left Kyung-ha's mouth, to the point where he had also placed his eating utensils aside neatly beside his bowl. Some of what she said was known information. He knew that Kyung-ha's squadron had been tasked with retrieving him. That had been explained during his induction into the ranks by what was then one of his superiors during a confidential briefing. He had never thought to question the vagueness of it all. After all, what reason did he have to then? To question the people who had not only saved his life, but had crafted him into an individual fit to deal death to the things that lurked within the darkness of society with swift precision and unprecedented, cold prejudice. The individuals that had given him the opportunity and potential to hunt down what had taken from not only himself, but so many others that had become unfortunate victims to the Droven's twisted, unnatural existence.
He didn't understand what it was that made him so supposedly "special". To the Droven, or to the Council that he once served. He had always been led to believe that he was a valuable asset to the Constables and their cause. He followed orders. He executed his task with very slim chances of failure. He gave them his life for their cause. It was all he knew in terms of his life.
What suspicion he had towards Kyung-ha was evaporating rapidly. He trusted her words more than anyone. And now he could only wonder why The Order had given the order. It was from this new perspective he realized that if it was all true, then the Droven's presence in Korea wasn't the only sinister one that had been involved possibly. And with that, there was a variety of questions that didn't sit well. It didn't connect. His mind took him to when he had encountered Constantine months ago when Kore had first been inside of his psyche, and what she had relayed to him.

"This information from Constantine," Johnathan began, his fingers crossing one another as his elbows rested on the table top on either side of his bowl. Even with how patient he had tried to be, in the end, he couldn't stop himself. "I want to hear it."

Galiah looked to Edgar with a bit of concern, though her hands did not dim the flame that danced between her fingers, keeping her hands lit in case anything were to happen. But at Edgar's comment that they were finished for the day, she let out a sigh and spoke, her hands still lit with the fire, "Perhaps it is best. It is hard to concentrate when a stranger is in the home, and that is not good for the mind of a new Keeper. However, even under the stress, and whatever this may be, you did well, Edgar. Better than expected under your circumstances"
The way the elf spoke, her tone, it was different than how she was normally as his friend and his partner. It was more like she was trying to survey his magic like a judge or something. The elf knew that she was the only one capable of training the Keepers at this time, something she was not prepared for, but she had to do her best with limited resources and time. Her flame slowly died down but did not disappear as she replied, "Best to report to Lady Samantha and Sir Mason. I'm sure they and Lady Raven have made great strides in their time in the Floridalands."

"Uuuuuuuugh" Sammy groaned in annoyance as she remained in the abandoned parking lot, making sure to keep out of sight if any would be passing police came by to see a woman in a dress shirt and black pants crouched in a parking lot, though there weren't many places to hide aside from a few trash cans.
"You don't need to groan every five minutes Samantha" Mason had said over the phone, taking the car with him to the store just five minutes away.
"Well what am I supposed to do? We've been here for hours and the sun is as bad as ever" She commented, pausing to take a drink of her Monster "I hate the heat"
"I dunno, just text Yoon or someone" Mason spoke
"Can't. I think Kyung restricted her phone time. Been trying to hit her up and ask how things have been going."
"Well..." Mason paused momentarily "What about Raven"
"Please, she's acting way more uppity than usual when she gets this way. I think she put me in time out for the time being....."
"But?" Mason asked, expecting more
"But I am worried" Sammy commented with a sigh
"Well I'm getting out of the store right now. I think HECTOR mentioned that the keyboard finally got to your house"
"Do you ever ask how he gets his money"
"For the millionth time, Sam, he says he gets it from an inheritance from his uncle"

"Kghm—Floridalands—" Edgar tried not to, but couldn't help but to let off a little snicker, one that came to a halt. He didn't know if it was the way that she had said it or what she called Florida in general, but something in his thoughts stirred— no, not just his thoughts. Something deeper. He had heard it before, but he couldn't put his finger on where. And so he didn't dwell on it for too long. "Alrighty then, let's give Sammy and Mason a call, see what they've been up to." He took his phone from his pocket and held it out towards where he had last heard Galiah.

Galiah looked to the phone that was held out to her, this one being far, far different than the flip phone that Alana had given her. She looked over it like a confused cat, her head even ducking under Edgar's outstretched hand to look at it. But she had seen others use these strange devices as well, so she was sure that she could get it. She looked over the many different buttons on the phone, seeing the different things with words at the bottom. "Alright then... I believe Mason showed me how these work. Just don't get startled if it starts to make sounds. It's perfectly normal" the elf told herself as she would push the green phone icon, scrolling through the different contacts before eventually landing on Sam. "Alright, I think I got this" but there were other names on there as well, some the elf wasn't sure about. "My, you sure do have many companions, Edgar."

"But I'm just saying" Samantha groaned, still continuing the argument "It's kinda weird that he just has all this money to throw around"
"Sam, it's not polite to be nosy about our bosses financial history" Mason spoke, the sound of a car door closing as he was leaving the store
"Your boss" Sammy corrected "And it's not polite he keeps calling me fucking Flapjacks but he does it anyway"
But before Samantha could finish her thoughts, the phone began to ring. To her surprise, it was Edgar. "Hold on, Mason, I am getting a call from Edgar."
With that, she put the phone on hold and spoke, "Yellow?"
"Lady Samantha, we have come to request your status on the quest posthaste. Please tell us that you have found Jackie and that she is alive and well?"
"Galiah?" Sammy asked quizzically "Isn't this Edgar's phone?"