Recompense.
He took a moment to roll the word through his skull. A reward for his effort. A prize for his achievements. A compensation for his suffering…
'Wait…'
He suddenly remembered Miratheris's method of awarding feats, and his expression crumpled.
'Equivalent Exchange was it…'
He remembered his twin soul mentioning that he'd used it and ended up getting stripped of his capacity to feel love.
And when he'd used it in this life, he lost the Brilliant trait and Weaver's Eyes. So it could be said that his experience with this 'reward' was nothing stellar thus far.
"Lady Miratheris…" He lowered his hands, meeting her gaze cautiously. "Is the reward perchance, an Equivalent Exchange?"
He asked just to be sure, and his guess was confirmed.
"So it is." Even she appeared somewhat embarrassed as she said it, her fingers intertwining gracefully in her lap. "This is one of the two paths left to me to answer my children… cruel, perhaps, and yet the world asks for balance."
Ashen just nodded. He didn't understand much, but he knew of the threats lurking outside the planet, and he wasn't dim enough not to understand who kept them at bay.
'What do you think?'
{What do you want to ask for?}
'Healing my magic circuits obviously.'
{Hmm… you won't get stripped of any of your emotions if you're worried about that. I have told you before: the feelings of ants matter little.}
'Yes, yes. Thank the stars I'm still an ant.'
Ashen retorted sarcastically in his head. But he was genuinely thankful that he was still at the Fifth Step. He didn't want to become an emotionless machine if he were to ever use this.
He drummed his fingers, thinking.
'So… any idea what I'll have to fork over?'
{...What is your most precious asset aside from your disposition right now?}
The old twin asked in return.
'My most precious possession…?'
His eyes drifted to his innate skills, visible in the corner of his vision.
As for the most precious among them…
'I'll lose Twin Souls?'
His chest tightened at the thought.
{No. But I reckon we won't talk for much more than a few months this time.}
Despite the possibility of being rendered in a coma for who knows how many years, the older soul seemed pretty nonchalant about it from his tone.
'You don't seem to mind?'
{...In the end, it's your life. And I'm confident enough in myself to believe that, were I you, I would find a way forward. I trust that you could still reach a happy ending, even alone.}
Ashen was touched for exactly half a second before he shook his head, exasperated, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
'You're my nuclear option. You're not getting away, so stop getting ideas.'
{...Do as you like.}
Talking with the older soul felt like bargaining with a tired man who wanted nothing more than to clock out. But no matter what, he wasn't giving up his advantage.
Magic circuits? He'd manage without. They'd never be able to hold him back.
Besides, it wasn't like there was no solution. His gaze involuntarily shifted to Beholder's Gaze for a moment, lingering there.
He straightened suddenly, eyes widening slightly.
'Actually… Do I even need this? I think someone else is more suitable to receive the reward.'
"Lady Miratheris." He didn't wait for the twin's reply. He lifted his head with a smile, turning sheepish for having kept her waiting. Her amused expression, head tilted slightly, lips curved in peaceful patience, told him she minded little.
"Can I give this opportunity to someone else?"
She arched a storm-grey brow, the smile curving her lips further. One hand rose to tuck a strand of silver hair behind her ear. Her voice softened, fond and almost playful. "Truly? Remember: though the exchange demands an equal price, many would barter anything for the chance. Think carefully, my child."
"I'm sure." He nodded firmly, meeting her eyes without hesitation.
"Very well." She gestured gracefully with one hand. "To whom would you pass it?"
He pointed toward the kitchen, arm extending. "My partner, Lucia Evernight."
'I hope this allows her to get rid of that curse… though I don't know what kind of price she'll have to pay. But I'm here anyway, so I'll deal with it.'
Miratheris regarded him with something that was half resignation, half warmth, and at last she inclined her head, silver hair cascading over one shoulder. "As you wish. It can be done."
As her form began to unwind like mist, dissolving from the feet up, her final words brushed his ear like a gentle breeze.
"I cannot wait until our souls meet again… my guardian."
⛧ ⛧ ⛧
When Ashen finally trudged out of his room to the kitchen, shoulders still loose from the encounter, a big, full sandwich was already waiting for him at the dinner table.
He didn't waste time and sat down heavily in the chair. And while he ate like a starved man, taking massive bites and barely chewing, his eyes would occasionally dart upward across the form of the bubbly butt of the apron-pajama woman currently doing the dishes.
'Ah… MILFs also have their own charms… Mmm…'
He took another appreciative bite, still staring.
"While your body looks fine, are there any weird brain problems…?" Lucia suddenly asked, her back still to him as she kept passing plates through the sink.
"Haah? What's weird?" He took another bite and asked around the mouthful, "What are you talking about?"
"Don't you find it weird, talking to yourself like that?" She glanced over her shoulder briefly before turning back to the dishes.
'Aish… she must've heard me cursing… that one time I was pretty loud. It's all that grumpy guy's fault…'
"Ehm… nothing weird about that." He put on a mock serious tone, straightening in his chair. "I just talk to myself because sometimes, I need an expert's advice."
"Well, I wonder why the expert is suddenly cursing their own mother…" Her shoulders shook slightly with suppressed laughter.
"Ah… don't mind that, the expert was dealing with a particularly grumpy patient." He waved a hand dismissively, even though she couldn't see it.
"Hmm, if you say so…"
She turned off the water, drying her hands on a towel with slow movements.
Lucia knew that something more was afoot; after all, a change had just happened to her status window.
[4. Abilities]4.1 Innate Powers:—Equivalent Exchange (1)
She knew of the significance of this from the records… and she also knew that what she'd done wasn't nearly enough to warrant it.
If there was anyone eligible for it…
She glanced back over her shoulder to the man who was goofily gorging himself with the sandwich she'd meticulously prepared for him. Her teeth caught her lower lip, eyes softening.
'He's also mine now… hehe… my man…'