The stars scattered overhead.
The ocean waves maintained their rhythm of crashing, retreat, crashing, retreat. Reinhard stood at the railing with Marie's hand still warm in his, letting the sound wash over him, trying to use it to quiet the storm in his mind.
Then footsteps broke through the wave-song.
"If you wish to distract yourself, you just need to move your body and focus on something else."
Reinhard blinked. He and Marie turned simultaneously to see Scáth emerge from the villa's darkness. Her purple hair looked almost black in the moonlight, wine-colored eyes gleaming with that characteristic intensity. She wore black shorts with white dot patterns and a simple black shirt, casual clothing that somehow still conveyed readiness for combat.
Marie blinked, then smiled warmly, raising her free hand in greeting. "Scáth."
Reinhard raised an eyebrow, his mind already suspecting where this was heading. "I already tried that before, but the thoughts appeared later."
