They were already halfway through the park. Anciel stopped in the middle of a wooden bridge. His raven hair flailed on the cool breeze.

"If you’re going to tell me all about millennia' worth of dreams, I’ll have to cancel all of my duties to the end of the week, or a month perhaps," he smiled sarcastically.

"Before you suggest, I’ll just straight up tell you that trying to read my mind to see them all at once is a bad idea," Label lifted his hands in opposition.

"Yes, I would imagine it would be terrible to receive so much overwhelming information all at once," Anciel concluded.

"And yet, this is exactly what happened to me, just before I lost myself."

"What do you mean?"

"When I turned into this… different Label, it felt as if I was drowned in millions of other lives. I was like a drop of water in a sea of life."

"Hmm…I can imagine. There are multiple theories going around about who or what True Label is, but I was always more intrigued by the way he was defeated."

"Oh yeah! How did you defeat him, Anciel?"

The dark man leaned on the wooden fence, while his long side bangs slid down his face.

"I will never forget that day. The moment you touched the Zehnhander… the whole world shook. There was an alien waveform sent to all the corners of existence.
I felt deep inside, a connection to you… to him. One that I cannot express in words. A belonging."

"A belonging?"

"Yes. Like I am his. Like we are all his. Whatever he was, we were not comparable. Not important. I felt such excruciating fear that even meeting the infamous witch; Milenia looked like a minor distraction when compared to it. It was not his power that scared me. Heh… I couldn’t even fathom the extent of it; like staring into the stars. What chilled me to the bones was the fact that my power… felt like a dept. Like a borrowed weapon I now had to return to its true owner."

"Hmm… I wonder where does that put me?" Label asked himself.

"Indeed, but I can tell you with almost absolute certainty; that man was not you. He was not one person, to begin with, let alone just a man."

"So what did you do?"

"I gambled. Seeing where it all leads to, I figured we better strike now when he is still a state of confusion and trying to get to terms with who he is, between all the possibilities.
I saw Blanche charge at him and instinctively threw her my sword, Panusa," he gripped the handle of his sheathed katana.

Label watched it for a while, contemplating.

"Wait… but Panusa is—"

"My soul," Anciel turned towards him, "At the moment of contact with the Zehnhander, something indescribable occurred; the clash produced a sound unbeknownst to us. I cannot even recall it; but just my thoughts and opinions of it, when it happened.
The result of the clash between the two swords was you returning back to normal."

"…Whoah!" Label got dizzy from the adrenaline rush. He grabbed one of the railings.

"Exactly. I theorize that whoever True Label is, his soul was inside the Zehnhander, and for whatever reason, you have brought it out.
Maybe, were the fates different; I would be the one sleeping for ten years."

"Have you tried to touch the Zehnhander afterward?" the blond man was eager to know.

"Yes. Reluctantly and only after some years whence my curiosity got the better of me, but nothing happened. Still, we could only speculate what may transpire, should you put your hands on it again."

"That’s why you tried to stop me…"

"Maybe the rest did, but I didn’t," Anciel’s brows furrowed, "I was determined to face him."

"A bit stupid, don’t you think?" Label was upfront like usual.

"Perhaps… Who knows? I would try Panusa again, to prove my theory."

"You’re mad… If I was in your shoes, I’d definitely stop you from touching the Zehnhander again."

"I know," Anciel smiled.

"So, one way to temporarily seal True Label is to clash him against another soul?" Label grabbed his chin, nodding.

"There are a lot of uncertainties… What if his power just drove us mad and all we concluded so far is but delusional guesswork? What if it only works with my soul? What if it only worked under specific conditions? What if next time, we won’t be able to stop him and he devours the world? Or what if we do, but at the cost of your eternal sleep?" Anciel put his fears out into the open.

"I think you’re being really negative right now…"

"We have to try and prevent it from happening. What we know so far is that Abraxia somehow knew the truth and tried his best to kill True Label while he is still in a shell, too weak; a child.
But that strategy hardly works. It was a wrong approach altogether. The child will keep getting reborn, every time hidden in a different part of the world. To gather all the nomads and have them monitored is ambitious, but unreliable."

"So what do you suggest?" asked the blond man.

"Luck is on our side, one way or another, that it was you who was born as Label, stubborn as you are, and that I was your best friend. This way, we ended up having him under control," Anciel smiled.

"…I’m not sure I can keep him under the rug forever. If the time comes that you need to fight me—"

Anciel quickly put a finger on the man’s lips.

"Don’t say it."

"I didn’t think you a superstitious type," Label chuckled.

"Nothing superstitious about it. I suspect True Label, upon awakening, gathers all the memories first, including whatever we say or think during our lives."

"Well then let him hear it!" the blond man put his fist down on the wooden railing, cracking it a bit, "You better hear this! I’m coming for you, one way or another! I’ll get you from the inside, while Anciel will get you from the outside, you hear me!!!"

"Stop shouting…"

"No! I want my voice to be the loudest, so he can definitely find it among all the other voices."

"Well… I’m sure he’ll get the message," Anciel laughed a bit, "Also, you owe me for the repairs," he pointed at the cracked railing.

"Put it on his tab!"

Some pupils were watching them from behind the bushes and trees, not sure if the two men laughing crazily were arguing or enjoying themselves.

"Hahaha… oh, my stomach…" Label crouched down.

"I haven’t laughed like this in…" Anciel was wiping tears.

"Wait, let me guess… ten years?"

"Exactly."

"Well…There’s more where that came from. Anyways, Let’s talk business now," Label put up a finger.

"Do tell."

"Put me back on track with my training of the Ainolonian arts or cosmic states, as you call them. Starting with summoning Albus. I really miss him."

"Aren’t you lucky… You’ll get a personal trainer, and the best one in the world, at that," Anciel smirked proudly.

"Aren’t you full of yourself?" he playfully punched the man in the shoulder.

"I am just honest. I was trained by the best, to be the best," the man rubbed his upper arm.

"That’s true," Label nodded in approval.

"You went to visit Zandor, I presume?"

"Don’t you mean Master Zandor?"

"Things change. He is not a master anymore," Anciel turned the other way.

"How can you say that? We should at least call him that out of respect."

"I am sorry, Label, but we won’t agree on that. I can’t respect him as I used to."

The blond man was getting riled up again, but his friend gestured for him to calm down straight away.

"Hear me out, before you jump to any conclusions."

"…okay," he relaxed, still frowning.

"Zandor is not a cripple because he suffered an unfortunate fate. He is driving around in that wheelchair of his own choice."

Seeing he’s got Label’s attention now, he continued.

"As you recall, Professor Noix was paralysed by the orgriash poison­."

"Ah!" Label gasped, "I just realized we were too late to help him, even though we promised to bring Crushka Fina for his antidote…"

"The paralysis was a permanent side effect from the very beginning. We saved his life," Anciel waved his finger.

"Oh, I see…It couldn’t have been helped."

"In any case, the professor, much like Zandor, was also paralyzed by the poison’s side effects, yet he’s moving around like never before. Why is that?"

"…I dunno," the blond man admitted.

"It’s because he chose not to give up. Noix made a special device; an exoskeleton to help him with his disability, yet when he proposed to make one for Zandor as well, guess what happened..."

"What?"

"Zandor refused," Anciel frowned, "That is why I can no longer hold my ex-mentor in such high regard. But I do respect his wish and will defend him and his family from any harm."

"I see," the man’s blue eyes saddened. So much has changed; some of the things, he didn’t really approve of. It hurt him to think about how if he was here, things would have been different. He decided firmly to make the best of the fact he was here now and that he would do everything in his power to change everything for the better.
But in order to do that, he first needed to regain his power.

"Come now. Let us try and re-establish your bond with Panusa. I am sure she has relearned your scent by now."

"Gladly," Label nodded.

The kimono-clad man took his sheathed weapon out of the belt and threw it into the air, where it took the form of a large black saber-tooth panther with red markings and a small pair of wings.

It landed on all four, like a cat.

"Easy now," Anciel offered his palm, and the animal slowly but reluctantly came to put her snout into it.

"Remember Label?"

"Mriyooow!" Panusa answered in a deep voice and then started slowly circling the two.

Label stood his ground, with palms up in the air to show he doesn’t pose a threat.

"Mrrwwww…" the animal swung her tail while walking around them, still harboring some alertness towards the man.

"It’s alright. See? I’m not in danger. I stand next to him of my own free will. It’s not the Label you clashed with. It’s the one before him, our little friend. He was smaller then, but so were you. Remember?"

Anciel was doing his best to reassure her, as usually she would never make any trouble for him or disobey, on the contrary, doing his bidding without even the need to communicate outside of reading each other’s mood via little gestures and habits.

"Hey…I know you don’t quite trust me Panusa. Hell, I don’t trust myself fully yet, but at least let me show you that I trust you."

"Label, that is unwise," the dark-haired man advised against what he noticed his friend is doing.

The blond man started walking towards the black panther slowly, with his hands half raised, and palms open.

"See? I trust you won’t hurt me…" he was approaching her, triggering an expected reaction. She raised her back and straightened her tail while letting out a deep warning.
Nevertheless, Label showed no sign of fear, instead closing his eyes and lowering his arms.

"I trust you," he said and took one more step forward.

"Label!" the man yelled just as his panther swung her mighty paw armed with sharp knife-like claws towards his friend.

A moment has passed before Label spoke again.

"…does that mean you trust me too?"

He opened his eyes and saw a big furry face licking him.

"You have beautiful eyes Panusa."

"Myeow…." she now purred while he stroke her head between large ears.

"I still can’t decide if you are brave, stupid or simply crazy…" Anciel shook his head.

"Or all three?" Label smiled.

"Most likely. Probably all three," he said as he mounted the panther, "Come, let’s go for a ride."

"Wow, seriously?" his blue eyes got larger.

"Seriously."

Label first confirmed with the animal that it was alright to get on her back before he started climbing, but she even gave him a lift with one of her paws.

"Show him the greatest view of the city," Anciel tapped her on the neck twice.
Panusa approved and sprung into a run, making Label almost fall off. He somehow keeps his balance by grabbing the back of Anciel’s kimono.

"You’re…strangling…me…" said the man, pulling his kimono forward.

"Hehe, sorry."

The panther crossed the whole park in a matter of seconds, climbing up the station and frightening the people waiting there.

"Whoah! It’s Master Anciel!"

"Let me shake your hand!"

"Look, Mom, it’s Panusa!"

People were shouting, bowing, greeting, even trying to touch them, but the swift animal moved between them, jumping onto the train tracks, and continuing the run on top of them.

"This way they can’t follow us."

"Wow… it’s hard being popular," the blond man was looking back to the station slowly disappearing in the distance. He then heard a loud mechanical whistle. Turning around to check it out, he saw a train coming towards them.

"Aaaancieeel!!!"

"You said you trust her, did you not?"

Anciel smiled as Panusa jumped onto the train through the smoke, then continued to bounce from one wagon to the other while alerting the passengers inside. Some opened windows and pointed at the trio as they were rushing to the train’s top.

"Look, it’s Master Anciel!"

"And Panusa!"

"Kiss me!!!"

People were having all sorts of reactions, as their mostly uneventful lives got stirred up by a chance to see their city’s guardian up close.

"Hold on," Anciel warned his friend.

"Like you need to tell me…"

The panther plunged down from the train and back onto the tracks that lead up to meet some of the highest buildings and towers gracing the center of Para City.

"Don’t tell me we are going up there…" Label hoped.

"I didn’t think you’d be scared of heights. You took a ride on the Noisemaker, no?"

"Yeah, but we didn’t go that high."

"What about when you first summoned Albus?"

 "Well…that was different. Albus has wings, you know; he can fly!"

"I was so jealous back then…I only learned to appreciate Panusa later," Anciel admitted with a heavy heart.

"Mryow!" she complained.

"Honestly, I don’t see why. She’s just as awesome," Label looked at the black panther.

"Mrrrr…."

They reached the last station, situated at the near top of one of the buildings. Panusa got off the tracks and onto a balcony, stressing out the patrons that were having dinner under the large colorful umbrellas.

"Goodness, gracious!"

"Oh my…"

"My heart!"

The nobles didn’t welcome them so open-heartedly but moved out of the way whatsoever.

"Sorry!" Label was shouting.

"No need to apologize. Without me, and soon us, they’d be lost."

The panther was too large to enter the restaurant, so Anciel transformed her into the katana again, attaching her to his waist. Some guards came rushing, alerted by the commotion, but seeing who was stirring it, they just held the door open and let them pass.

Anciel simply nodded as he entered.

They headed for the elevator, as going up any further was impossible on the panther. Label pressed the button, looking so proud he got it figured out.

Anciel didn’t comment.

"You said…us?" Label had to ask.

"I was hoping you would stay and help me with this city and then the whole republic," the dark-haired man waited for a reply.

"…Actually, I wanted to return home. I miss everyone."

"Understandable. We will visit your home soon."

"You’re coming too? Oh, wow, that’s great! I didn’t think you’d leave your duties here so easily…"

"I am not leaving them easily at all… I am actually worried about what will wait for me upon return, but I am willing to risk it to accompany you. Also, they must not take me for granted and it will provide a great opportunity to see how they handle themselves."

"Thanks. It means a lot."