The light breeze that fluttered passed Ignavus reminded him of his nakedness.

It felt neither cold nor warm but carried a hint of familiarity.

'This place... is really weird'

Ignavus was not really sure where he was. He hadn't been told that this would be the result of trying to follow his mana. All the light prying he did before to learn what tracing his mana path resulted in were useless. He had totally been caught by surprise.

'Do things just have to be difficult here for no reason? Why must I always be caught with my pants down?'

Ignavus couldn't help but let out a wary sigh and lament. Being a soldier was much easier than this, at least then he could somewhat predict what would occur in his day.

'Geez, I need a medal for all the nonsense I deal with. Hopefully this will be it for today'

Ignavus let his thoughts wonder without restraint. He was still unsure of what to say to Navy. Letting them wonder about without limits would hopefully let them find an answer to his current troubles. Directing his thinking about the problem at hand had revealed no obvious solution.

The sound of thudding that Ignavus was following grew louder with each and every one of his steps. They were close to matching their tempo yet never really making it. Music was being played, the sound of the leaves beneath and the constant thudding. Unharmoniously the tune played on.

The sound brought Ignavus to an open clearing surrounded by the twisted red trees. One that harboured a lonesome figure.

"Uh... hey again"(I)

The figure's attention was completely drawn onto the target hang in front of her. She was repeatedly taking shots at it using stones that were sourced from a pile beside her.

A stone flew from her hand and towards the target. It proceeded to veer off from target and smash into the trees that held the target. A disgruntled look appeared on the thrower before she turned her attention to Ignavus.

"What do you want?"(B.N)

Ignavus took a deep breath before trying to carefully and calmly explain his intentions. She should know if he did.

"I just want to have a talk"(I)

Navy slowly looked him up and down then casually answered,

"Nah"(B.N)

"Good, let's find a place to sit and-"(I)

Ignavus paused mid-sentence, realizing the response given was not the one he had anticipated.

'Of course...'

Why would his mana ever listen to him? Even when they both were hurting, she rebelled. Ignavus had even pretended not to see the tears running down her face as a way to be thoughtful, but no. His mana could never just listen. She could never just communicate. She was just as useless as a-

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

"AHH!"(I)

Ignavus collapsed to the ground clutching his forehead. Blood spurted out from where the stone had impacted.

"You see, that's your problem! You never listen! To you I am just your mana, nothing more nothing less! But you want to know what I am? I am Navy! The greatest part of us! The part you won't accept!"(B.N)

The thudding sound resumed as Navy continued to pick stones and chuck them at the target location. The stones appeared to have somehow increased in accuracy.

Ignavus laid bent over on the ground naked nursing his wound.

'Damn it! My head!'

It was a sharp pain that begun to throb terribly. His hands that covered the wound returned to him caked in a white golden liquid which contained a faint glow.

The sight of what he presumed to be blood would have been enough to send him into a rage... but its uniqueness combined with its soft texture had the opposite effect. Ignavus found himself calming down. His mind entering into a sobber reflective state.

It was not that Navy never talked to him. He just never listened.

Ignavus took this moment to for once think. Think about what his- Navy was telling him. Think about what she had said since they had taken this form. It was in doing this that Ignavus found one particular incident that stuck out to him.

The meeting with the boy.

Back then Ignavus was too preoccupied to really try and listen. He thought the boy's life was in danger. That was why he didn't listen, he was-

'Ah, what a weak excuse...'

Ignavus didn't listen because he didn't want to listen. Because he didn't want to acknowledge that things had changed.

'What was she saying?'

Ignavus racked his brain for a few seconds trying to remember an experience he had hoped to forget.

'Freedom? Freedom for what? From me?'

Somehow that didn't feel right. It didn't feel like something she would want... but then again, it's not like Ignavus was listening to her wants. Small feelings of shame welled up in Ignavus. He hadn't been listening to himself.

'Ah! What am I missing!?'

Ignavus continued brainstorming for a few minutes searching for any possible clues until it finally clicked.

'The greatest part of us!'

What Navy wanted wasn't freedom from him. It was freedom to be a part of him.

A snort sounded from in front of Ignavus.

It looks like he was spot on.

There was just one problem though. He didn't want to allow it.

Ignavus was not over his previous life. Be it in name or power. He missed being a man, he missed being an adult, and most of all, he missed being respected. Navy was just some cute little kid who was always more than in over her head while Ignavus was an established great hero. Being Navy was hard, too hard.

In order for Ignavus to accept Navy, Ignavus would have to completely die. Not the hero, but the man.

Something he was not ready to do. He was going to hurt himself.

"I-I'm sorry Navy... I... I just can't! I'm not ready! Please... I need more time, it's-it's still too soon! Just... just a little more-"(I)

Ignavus' rumblings were cut off short by a kiss. A kiss to the forehead.

"I-I know. I'm sorry I am pressuring you... it's just hard... whenever you act like I'm not around or like I don't belong. It-it hurts. I know you need time... it's just so frustrating"(B.N)

Ignavus stared at Navy. Tears started to trickle from both of their eyes. It hurt watching himself in pain.

With a tackle Ignavus embraced Navy.

"I... I know I can't promise that I'll accept you or my-our situation... but I can promise that'll try!"(I)

Navy let out a stifled sob laugh.

"W-what kind of half promise is that? It's so... fake"(B.N)

Navy pulled Ignavus tighter into their embrace.

"But... I guess I don't care so long as you try. We have the rest of forever anyway for you to get it right"(B.N)

The two embraced for what felt like hours, becoming as they always should have been. One.

"S-sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have been such a... tail puller. A tailler"(B.N)

Ignavus couldn't help but let out a short laugh.

"Did you just invent a new insult?"(I)

"Kind of?"(B.N)

It was at that moment both of them realised that they might a found a loop within the golden bracelets. Granted it could only work as long as it wasn't considered a bad word.

"You know, you look awfully cute when you cry"(B.N)

"Right back at you"(I)

Both of them proceeded to giggle like the little girls that they were.

"Ah, I think your time might be up?"(B.N)

"What makes you say that?"(I)

Ignavus looked down at his body to see that he was semi-transparent.

"Oh?"(I)

"Yea, catch you later!"(B.N)

Ignavus woke up in the arms of his queen mother. Her face seemed to be full of pride.

"Welcome back my little one"(G.Q)