[ He keeps his expression neutral, but his concern is obvious when he watches her. His relationship and feelings toward Byleth are... confusing at best, but he doesn't begrudge anyone here for caring about her.
He genuinely feels for those hurt by her death. ]
I'm not sure how I feel about it, actually. [ So he focuses on her. ] But... it's been a taxing two days for you. Do you need something for the pain?
[ her own feelings on byleth are also complicated, but she is grieving. she's grieving for claude, too. just because someone betrays you.... doesn't make your feelings towards them disappear. she knows that better than anyone. ]
If you have anything, I'll take it. [ she's not a dumb stubborn boy!!! ]
[ it's hard not to reach out, so she keeps her hands twined in her lap ]
I did... I didn't get any real answers, of course. But I don't know. Even though she killed.... I don't think she's the same professor who attacked your army. Maybe that's stupid of me, but...
[ byleth asked her to take care of claude. that much she won't say ]
... I know she's not the same. Their histories are entirely different. It's probably unfair of me to begrudge her for what some alternate version of herself did.
[ But his anger is still there, burning hot alongside grief and sorrow. ]
But everyone that I cared for, and who trust in me, died at her hand, and I can never forget that when I see her.
I don't think any of this is fair to anyone. It really is... so cruel, to put all of you in a situation like this.
[ .... ]
I understand.
[ she's not judging. after all, she still has trouble separating him from the fake claude in the test, and that was just her. she can't imagine if there was a version of claude killing all her friends. ]
If the wishes are real.... I hope that you make a better tomorrow.
You know about how about I'm a spirit medium, right? Well... it's more than that. I'm... next in line to be the Master of the Kurain Channeling Technique... and that means being head of the village, too.
[ hence why morgan tried to take her out, as he'll probably remember ]
The village, right now.... is in pretty bad shape.
[ she never talks about herself so there's no way for him to have known tbf ]
.... When I was really young, something with happened with my mother, the current Master. She... got involved with outsiders and things... went badly. She was labelled a fraud, and became the laughing stock of the nation. She disappeared.
That's when my aunt started running things. But.... nobody believed in spirit mediums anymore. So, my village.... is in really dire straits. It's full of broken families, barely anyone can afford .... anything, and.... the future of the Kurain School is up in the air. Especially after my aunt.... well, you saw.
So if I do have a wish, I should probably use it to set things right.
[ He frowns hearing that. He knows the responsibility that comes with being an heir, the weight of other's lives on your hands.
It's a lot to bear. ]
I'm sorry about your mother. [ He squeezes her hand. ] But I believe in you, y'know? No one can weather a storm like you, I just hope that it passes soon.
[ part of the reason she's okay talking about this with claude is that she knows he understands.... probably more than she does, actually, since it's on a much grander scale for him ]
Thank you.
[ sincerely. ]
It's not really a storm, though... it's more like, wreckage. It'd be up to me to pick up the pieces... [ if she ever makes it out of labyrinthia ] and I don't even really know where to start, honestly.
[ yeah he'd know all about messes.... she's about to ask him about it, actually, but-- ]
[ --there's a stab of intense guilt when he mentions phoenix. the answer is yes and no, because phoenix is a lot denser than claude is when it comes to perceiving people, but he always comes through when maya's in mortal peril. ]
[ there's a bit of raw affection and gratitude, here, though the guilt lingers because of course it does ]
[ she tries not to think about the last time she saw phoenix, and how he must be feeling, and instead pictures the two of them interacting... claude swooping in to arrow some knights and show phoenix up... it's a nice image ]
You know... Nick and I, we were basically trying to solve the town's mysteries. It was... a lot like here. Some kind of story driving everything, horrible and unjust trials.... lots of things that don't add up...
So in a way... it's kind of like, you're the Nick here, except.... you're not a lawyer. And you're a liiiiittle bit cooler.
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He genuinely feels for those hurt by her death. ]
I'm not sure how I feel about it, actually. [ So he focuses on her. ] But... it's been a taxing two days for you. Do you need something for the pain?
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If you have anything, I'll take it. [ she's not a dumb stubborn boy!!! ]
Did you... talk to her, after last week?
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He doesn't answer at first. Not... regret. But a little shame. ]
Not since Sunday. Did you?
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[ it's hard not to reach out, so she keeps her hands twined in her lap ]
I did... I didn't get any real answers, of course. But I don't know. Even though she killed.... I don't think she's the same professor who attacked your army. Maybe that's stupid of me, but...
[ byleth asked her to take care of claude. that much she won't say ]
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... I know she's not the same. Their histories are entirely different. It's probably unfair of me to begrudge her for what some alternate version of herself did.
[ But his anger is still there, burning hot alongside grief and sorrow. ]
But everyone that I cared for, and who trust in me, died at her hand, and I can never forget that when I see her.
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[ .... ]
I understand.
[ she's not judging. after all, she still has trouble separating him from the fake claude in the test, and that was just her. she can't imagine if there was a version of claude killing all her friends. ]
If the wishes are real.... I hope that you make a better tomorrow.
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If there is a wish, what would you ask for?
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Probably... to end all of the witch trials in Labyrinthia, or...
[ .... ]
[ lux wanted her to wish to help herself, and she's considered it, but... ]
For my village.
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[ He doesn't really know that much about her home, and he looks at her curiously. ]
What for?
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[ ... she's okay with him knowing ]
You know about how about I'm a spirit medium, right? Well... it's more than that. I'm... next in line to be the Master of the Kurain Channeling Technique... and that means being head of the village, too.
[ hence why morgan tried to take her out, as he'll probably remember ]
The village, right now.... is in pretty bad shape.
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It bugs him. As if Maya doesn't have enough burdens on her shoulders. ]
How exactly do you mean?
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.... When I was really young, something with happened with my mother, the current Master. She... got involved with outsiders and things... went badly. She was labelled a fraud, and became the laughing stock of the nation. She disappeared.
That's when my aunt started running things. But.... nobody believed in spirit mediums anymore. So, my village.... is in really dire straits. It's full of broken families, barely anyone can afford .... anything, and.... the future of the Kurain School is up in the air. Especially after my aunt.... well, you saw.
So if I do have a wish, I should probably use it to set things right.
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It's a lot to bear. ]
I'm sorry about your mother. [ He squeezes her hand. ] But I believe in you, y'know? No one can weather a storm like you, I just hope that it passes soon.
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Thank you.
[ sincerely. ]
It's not really a storm, though... it's more like, wreckage. It'd be up to me to pick up the pieces... [ if she ever makes it out of labyrinthia ] and I don't even really know where to start, honestly.
So I guess a wish would really come in handy.
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Yeah, cleaning up after messes is the worst. It's pretty smart to use a wish to do the work for you.
[ He peers at her, curiously. ]
But I hope you're relying on the people around you. Like that Phoenix guy, even if he looks like a wimp.
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[ --there's a stab of intense guilt when he mentions phoenix. the answer is yes and no, because phoenix is a lot denser than claude is when it comes to perceiving people, but he always comes through when maya's in mortal peril. ]
[ well. almost always. ]
.... He must be... really worried about me.
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It does look like he loves you a lot. [ ... ] And I told you, I'll jump over to where you are to save your butt if he can't.
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[ she tries not to think about the last time she saw phoenix, and how he must be feeling, and instead pictures the two of them interacting... claude swooping in to arrow some knights and show phoenix up... it's a nice image ]
You know... Nick and I, we were basically trying to solve the town's mysteries. It was... a lot like here. Some kind of story driving everything, horrible and unjust trials.... lots of things that don't add up...
So in a way... it's kind of like, you're the Nick here, except.... you're not a lawyer. And you're a liiiiittle bit cooler.
[ but just a little bit ]
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[ Hmph. ]
Though I can't say it wouldn't be nice to have another brain around to try and solve this mystery.
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[ claude would bully phoenix... ]
[ she's getting a warm but slightly bittersweet feeling trying to picture the two of them interacting ]
... Also, if he were here, you wouldn't be the one that's picked on by everyone.
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He could come here and be a stud.
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[ why is he defending phoenix? is this buttmonkey solidarity? ]
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