"Aqua? What are you doing here?" Azure said in surprise, her eyes scrutinizing her friend's stance. "You look troubled."
Can she tell?
While she was glad that her friend, or perhaps something more in the future, had ability to tell her she didn't feel good about something, however, the ill omen of the ten-eyed beast was not something she could entrust to anyone but herself.
Aqua smiled warmly, "It's nothing. Please enter."
She stepped aside, letting the two girls enter their room. Azure and Sheira stepped inside and turned toward Aqua.
"Aqua…" She said softly, getting behind Aqua and wrapping her arms around her. "You must know that I will always be here if I can help."
Aqua leaned her head on Azure's hand. "I know, it is completely fine." She stated, distancing herself from Azure. She turned toward them, "I have a gift for you two."
Sheira and Azu tilted their heads.
Her hands rummaged through her pocket and retrieved a small golden bracelet. "This is for you, Sheira."
The princess reached forward and grabbed the piece of jewelery, she stared at it for a moment before meeting Aqua's gaze. "Why are you gifting this to me?"
The princess stared at her with a furrowed brow.
"It will help suppress your divinity so you don't accidentally erase your home from the map." She stated, crossing her arms.
Sheira eyes her cautiously before putting on the bracelet. The moment it made contact with her skin, she felt the tired feeling fade.
"Finally!" She shouted, pouncing on Aqua and collapsing them both on the floor. "So that means I do not need to use my power to make the drowsiness go away?"
Aqua shook her head, slowly rising together with Sheira.
"Not exactly," Aqua said, adjusting her clothing. "This will just make it easier to control, but if your power grows too fast, you won't be able to contain it. You must remain vigilant and keep practicing. Do not use the bracelet as a crutch — use it as a failsafe."
She tapped Sheira on the shoulder and turned to Azure, who nervously stared at her, unsure of why Aqua had decided to give them gifts.
"Aqua." She mumbled.
Aqua tilted her head to the side, "What's wrong, Azu?"
Azure's eyes filled with tears, then she jumped at her and hugged Aqua tightly. "Are you planning on leaving us?"
A moment passed, then Aqua placed her hand on Azure's back and pulled her closer. "Not permanently, just until I deal with something concerning myself."
"Promise?" She said, burying her head into Aqua's chest.
"I promise I will return as soon as possible," Aqua answered, peeling Azure away from her, which resulted in failure as her friend gripped her tightly enough that her [Temporal Barrier] shimmered.
Azure, that grip of yours would break someone's spine.
"Then I want to get my fill of Aqua before you disappear on me! Don't you dare push me away!" She shouted into Aqua's chest, rubbing her face in her bosom.
"How am I supposed to give you your gift then?"
"You are my gift!"
Aqua was left speechless. She pulled Azure toward herself and slowly backed toward the bed before sitting at its edge.
Aqua brought her lips to Azure's ear. "Get your fill then, I won't stop you," She whispered.
Sheira crossed her arms and tapped her foot against the ground. "As much as I enjoy watching you two being intimate, I would prefer to know what got Aqua so riled up as to leave the Academy so quickly."
The words made Azure slowly tilt her head up and detach from Aqua.
"I cannot tell you, unfortunately," Aqua said, shaking her head. Telling them that their world was in danger from an entity that even she would prefer to avoid fighting was asinine. The burden was hers alone to carry.
The duo before her pouted.
"Don't look at me like that, I just don't want to burden you."
Aqua turned to Azure and reached into her pocket. "Before I forget, this is for you, Azu." She said, pulling out the ruby ring from her pocket.
The moment her eyes fell onto the ring, Azure's face turned into the brightest shade of red, her ears twitched, and her hands shook.
Even Sheira's smug expression faded.
"What's wrong?" She said, bringing the ring toward Azure.
"N…Nothing!" She shouted, averting her gaze.
"Come on, this is for you." She said, taking Azure's hand, who immediately relaxed at Aqua's touch.
Aqua's gaze fell on Azure's fingers. They weren't fingers of a delicate maiden, but of a hardened knight, yet she found them beautiful. She slowly brought the ruby ring and put it on Azure's ring finger.
Her friend squirmed before pulling back her hand. She lifted her hand in front of her eyes, her eyes wide open, and her ears slumped down.
"Aqua, do you know what giving a ring to someone means?"
Aqua tapped her cheek. The ring itself usually held no significance; it was a piece of jewelry like any other.
Sheira tapped her foot, and Azure was out of commission, her eyes glued to the beautiful ring.
The princess closed her eyes and facepalmed. "I guess you two are now engaged," She said seriously.
Engaged?! Aqua's mind screamed. She had failed to account for the possibility of different proposal methods in the new world.
In the old world, an act of engagement would be a vastly different ritual.
Her gaze met Azure's, who still stared at the ring. "Azu…"
She could not break Azure's heart. The way she stared at the ring was too precious.
Why would I even deny it? I already promised her I would be hers when the time came. Aqua shook her head. "I guess so, Azure." She said softly, approaching Azu.
"Y…yes?" She spoke in a shaky tone.
"Do you accept my proposal? I cannot say when I will be yours, but take it as an unbreakable promise."
"Is that even a question?! Of course I do!" She shouted and pounced on Aqua, collapsing with her onto the floor.
"What's with you two and pushing me to the floor?"
Sheira remained silent, opting to instead stare out the window.
"I do not mind you going to handle whatever you planned now. I will wait for eternity if need be!" She spoke before rising to her feet and helping Aqua get up.
Aqua's cheeks flushed red as the realization of what she had done sank in. "I promise I will return, Azu."
"That's all I can ask for." She said, finally gathering her bearings and returning to normal, despite throwing an occasional glance at her ring.
As much as Aqua wished to remain with Azure and Sheira in the moment, she needed to find only a lead toward the world soul she had, and that was Avaros.
After a moment of silence, Aqua turned to Sheira. "Do you know where Avaros is? I need a favor from him."
"Hmm, last I saw him, he was with Professor Mia, extracting information on what you two talked about."
"Of course he did." She said, exasperated.
Azure locked her eyes with Sheira, then the duo nodded. "I will guide you to him. I am sure he is nearby." She said, excitedly.
I could find him quickly anyway. Before she could even complain, Azure grabbed her under her arm and dragged her out of the room, leaving Sheira alone.