"So...since you managed to prove that at least the spirit orb is 'real', went to the trouble of getting a shard of it and now even tracked us down...where does that leave us? I mean, you said that you were hoping that Aiko would have answers for you, but thus far it's been you giving us answers and not the other way around."

Sebarius smiles weakly and replies, "Yeah well, I kinda figured as much when Aiko told me about her amnesia earlier. But the thing is, I had to find you to prove that I was not going crazy with these dreams. That they indeed were visions of the distant past. So yeah, I am glad that I have not yet gone entirely insane."

"You are evading the question. What do you want from us, now that you've got your proof that your 'spirit compass' is working?"

"Truth be told...I don't know. I've been so focused on finding you, so full of hope that you'd have the information I am looking for, I...didn't really make any plans on what to do after that."

Sebarius chuckles slightly and admits, "Kinda stupid, I know."

Crystal leans back, looks up to the stars and replies, "Living from day to day, not knowing what the next day will bring, never staying in one place for long. That's the life I chose. I never made plans for the future either, because I was fully aware that my 'future' may well end at any given time. But you see, meeting Aiko has given my life a new direction. A purpose, of sorts. A mission, if you want. And I don't know what to do if it ever came to an end either. So if that is stupid, then we are both idiots."

"All three of us, then," Aiko chimes in, explaining, "Even if my memory returned, even if I learned how or why I was imprisoned, all the people I've ever known are long since dead and gone. For all I know, the person who did that to me may well have done me a favor taking my memory, so I can not mourn all the ones I've lost."

After a little period of silence, which was only interrupted by the noises of the night as small animals prowled around the fireplace and the ocassional crackling of the wood as the flame slowly consumed it, Sebarius shakes his head and says, "Well, we can't change the past, try as we might, but we can at least learn from it to craft a better future, am I right? Anyway, even after these visions, I still don't know the entire story behind the 'great reset'?"

"What do you mean? There was a war, the humans won, end of story, am I right?"

"No, you are not. Because you see, the humans in that vision were way ahead of us technologically. They had these fire rods and the spirit orbs and all kinds of crazy stuff we can't even imagine today. Yes, there was a war, but as you just said: The humans won. The war was over. There is still a piece missing to this puzzle, the cataclysmic event which wiped out the entire society from back then. The great reset itself."

"And what if the humans started fighting among each other after winning against the...animal people I think you called them?"

"Yeah, though they well could have been spirits like you, I don't know."

"Anyway, humans like to fight. What if another war erupted and the great reset was the result of that?"

"...possible, yes. But we don't know. We don't even know what triggered that war I've seen in my vision. In fact, we don't know much about anything. So my search for answers is far from over."

Sebarius looks up the stars himself, supporting himself on his hands and mutters, "But since the lead that was you two turned out to be a dud, I'll need to look elsewhere next."

"So you won't turn us over to the authorities? Tell them how to track us down?" Aiko asks curiously.

"Why would I? You haven't stolen anything from me, have you?"

"You are a strange man," Crystal states.

"I am a simple man, that's what. My sole pursuit is knowledge, not riches or even glory. For a while, that meant 'Hunting the Fox' for me. But now that I've 'caught' you...I need to find myself a new trail to follow."

Sebarius carefully rolls himself over into a lying position, looking off into the darkness in the distance, saying, "I know it won't be easy, but this is the path I've chosen."

After a few seconds, Crystal lets out a long sigh and asks, "Y'know, you never finished that story of yours. How in the world did you even get a shard of the spirit orb? Where'd you get the idea to build it into a compass? And how'd you end up in a wheelchair? You've paid us to listen to your story, so don't you go stopping midway. And there are no refunds, you hear me?"

Sebarius puts himself back up in an upright position and looks at Crystal.

"You still want to hear the rest of the story? Despite everything I've just told you? Despite knowing that there are people after me?"

"There are people after us all the time too and do you see us wallowing in despair? Look, I know that Aiko's amnesia is a heavy blow to your mission, but that's no reason to give up. You've already gotten way farther than any of your peers, even though nobody will ever believe you half the things you are saying."

"And...what about you?"

Crystal chuckles lightly, looks over to Aiko and replies, "Let's just say, I've seen enough shit in my life to not rule out anything as impossible, just because it seems improbable."

Sebarius wipes away a small tear from his left eye, he pulls up some snot and finally says, "Fine then! The tale of how I hunted and eventually found the fox it is you want, the tale you shall get!"

While Sebarius rummages around in his head to get the details in order, Aiko bows over to Crystal and whispers, "You really are a big old softie, aren't you?"
Crystal merely laughs, "Oh shush you!"