Michael
*Do good? Serve others? Were those things long-lived individuals actually wanted?*

*Good and evil have had no meaning in her eyes, it always varied between the various societies she visited. While the core concept of killing each other was seen as 'evil', there were cultures where the line was very thin on when it was acceptable to kill another and not be considered 'evil'. Good was whatever society wanted it to be, and for long lived races, it wasn't unusual for them to outlive said societies. So why try to live your life following their abstract concept of good?* 

*And serving others? Sure, aiding one another wasn't too bad. Could be rather nice infact, and is the foundation of society. But a magistrate was basically a slave of the state. Instead of enjoying his days in the cottage painting and drinking tea with Iliana, he would rather work behind a desk regulated by so many mundane rules? Even now he could not let her visit his workplace. Was a life without even that much freedom really enjoyable?*

*Her gaze would glance over to his smile. It seemed genuine. But his eyes gave off the same impression of an old friend of hers. Yes, it was the eyes of someone avoiding their problems...*

"It sounds like you're trying to get rid of me~ Are you really so restricted on who you can let in? Even ignoring that, are you really happy with this sort of life?"*She would say as glanced back to the flower she had given him*

"I don't know much about your past, or your pain. But it seems odd to me that you would ask a stranger to look for your family when are fulling capable yourself. Are you afraid of meeting her? Afraid of your past?"

*She would then glance over to the magistrate building, now with a bit of disgust in her eyes. Maybe this was why she avoided them in the past, their existence goes against her nature* 

"Your workplace is starting to look like a prison to me. Not that uncommon for prisoners to find their cells to be a safe-haven either. Some even commit crimes after escaping to come back. Are you purposefully locking yourself here Ryza? Cus to me, you have, or rather, had two options for a long time. Searching for your sister, or serving the state? Following your guilt-filled passion, or fulfilling a painless yet dull obligation? If I were in your position, the answer appears simple..." 

*Mizu would then pull in Yuzu close to her chest as if indicating her answer.*

"For you it seems to be the opposite. Is that the case?"
Paul
Those words, they stung, choked and suffocated him silently. He endured wounds in his years, but he knew nothing could pierce his veil as hard as blunt words. Foolish of him, why did he told this, *Stranger*, *His* Story, he should've have told her what is necessary — emotions be damned, this is exactly *Why* He never made anymore ties, some people are just too clumsy with their words, and he knew she was right, the woman slapped him with the truth, but he chose to ignore it, he tried to deny the word's existence, but he failed.

Kyuu angered him, but he never shouted, never barked, he just chose to stay silent, dumbfounded his expression was, he didn't care, he didn't want to answer the question, not today, definitely not now, maybe even never.

His views on what good means, of course it's obedience, he's a soldier, born to a noble family that served his state for his entire life, of course it's biased, it was hammered to his head, but now, now the screws were loose.

"I-i uhm... I don't know..."

 He blurted out, of course, the eloquent poet, the artist, mumbled only uncertainty, his expression were a mix of anger, confusion, sadness, guilt, self-reassurance and meaningless.

Truth was, this was only a fragment of his story, others he successfully forgotten, others just faded into obscurity.

"I think you overstepped your boundaries, Kyuu, you're right, I just want a quiet life with dull obligations, you're correct, i am afraid of my past, but i am sorry, sometimes you just felt enough pain that you don't want to feel anything anymore."

He glared towards the woman, but the emotion is not of fury, no, it's of disappointment, towards himself, towards *Her*.
Michael
*Mizu would lower her gaze a bit, aware of the sentiment Ryza now had toward her. But she didn't take a step back nor flinch. Instead she would have a sympathetic smile on her face*

"Overstepped my boundaries huh... You're right. An old friend of mine said something similar when I confronted them as well. I'm but a stranger yet met yesterday. These things are better said by those close to you. Those that actually know your pain..."

*She didn't want things to turn this way. The two of them were having a happy morning, and they would've split ways none the wiser about the troubles they hid in their hearts. Now the elegant silnari painter was nowhere to be seen, replaced by a confused, suffering, war-veteran. As for her, the mischievous traveler was now a... Well she didn't know what she was. That was for Ryza to decide. She should honestly stop butting into business that wasn't hers, making assumptions of those who barely knew her. But even so...*


*Mizu would once again look back into Ryza's gaze with firm resolve in her eyes.*

"...Even so, I think it's best to that I overstepped them. Cus you most certainly wouldn't move beyond them. It's fine if you resent me. Better me, a stranger you just met and likely never see again, than someone close to you."

*Her gaze would then move from Ryza down toward Yuzu* "I have grown fond you, and it is against my nature to let those I care about walk down a path of self-stagnation. I'm an explorer after all. I lead people to the wonders of the world, guide them through the dangers of nature. Even if they offer me nothing in return and hate me for it."

*She would then take a deep breath, trying to steady her own heart for what is to come* 

"So let me help you. You can say whatever you want to me, you could even hit me if you wish. But don't waste away your life doing this. Even though time is abundant for us, or rather, because it is so abundant for us, it is so easy for us to waste it away. The pain, it's always going to be with, isn't it? By ignoring it you're only allowing it to fester. I can only tell you from my own experience that if you truly want to find peace in your life, you have to face your past and move on from your pain."