“You know what, Grenadier?” Auria asked, “This is pretty nostalgic, reminds me back when it was just us two, you remember that?”

“Yeah, I think I still have bite marks in my arm from how many times you tried to eat me,” Senwell remarked, “Either way, the memories still haunt me…” Senwell murmured under his breath.

Auria snickered, “You know, Grenadier, some things don’t really need to be said, I’m a firm believer in that, but I want to say, thanks for being there for me, for so long, it’s… Refreshing, having someone look out for you, even when they don’t have to,”

“Don’t get all mushy on me just yet, Crane,” Senwell said, “But, for what it’s worth, it’s nice having a dumb little sister like you,”

“Having a thick-headed, stubborn brother like you really rubs off on a girl, you know? Might just become even more stubborn than I am now,” Auria teased, “But… There is a reason I brought that up, you know…”

“Oh? Why’s that?”

“Well, I’m ‘at that age,’ whatever that means, where things about the world start making less sense, you know? For my part, being an Alchemist that holds the rank of Colonel while also fighting off homunculi at every twist and turn, well, need I say more?”

“Yeah, I guess not…” Senwell murmured.

Auria stopped walking, and just stood for a moment before opening her mouth to speak, “I just don’t see the world making much sense anymore, it never did, and that scares me… I hate not knowing things, and the unknown is really scary for me,”

Auria inhaled deeply before letting her frustrations run loose, “It’s also the case where… For my whole life, I was judged just solely based on the fact that I’m Ardenian, and that I never believed in the Ikarian gods, everywhere I go, I get stared at, and every time I’d go to bed as a child, I’d cry myself to sleep asking ‘Why am I so different?’”

By this point, Auria had clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles became white, “All I wanted to do was help people… But how do you help people that reject and deny your help at every opportunity? To me… Nothing should matter except the person you are… Not your ethnicity, gender, or religion…” Auria gritted her teeth, “Nobody should have to cry themselves to sleep…”

Senwell hadn’t ever seen Auria like this, not in the five years he had known her, she never opened up like this once, so, out of respect for her, he stayed silent, letting her vent her frustrations and fears.

“Grenadier, being with you all… It’s honestly been the most fun I’ve ever had, and it gave me something I didn’t think I could ever have,”

“May I ask what it gave you?” Senwell asked.

“It gave me a sense of belonging, it gave me a family, and that’s something I’ll never forget, and that’s why no matter what, I’ll come to save the day time and time again, because I love you guys, and a world where I don’t have any of you, well that’s a world I don’t want to live in,” Auria said, then inhaling deeply, “And that’s why I can’t give up, not ever, I love all of you, and I love the things you all love, so I have to protect them! I have to protect the people of this country!”