The skyline of San Francisco stretched out beneath them, the late afternoon sun glinting off glass and steel, painting a haze of gold and crimson across the horizon. Karl hovered just above the outskirts of the city, the weight of exhaustion pressing down like a tangible force. His Rider Frame, still pulsing faintly with residual Royal Azure energy, flexed and settled around his frame. Every joint and vent hummed softly, a quiet echo of the immense strain it had endured.
Agnes materialized beside him, her form flickering briefly before stabilizing. She floated lightly, cyan glows painting the contours of her face and the edges of her hair, soft and luminescent. Her posture was careful, her gaze scanning Karl from head to toe.
"Karl… you're… okay," she whispered, voice soft but imbued with relief. She stepped closer, hands hovering in a gentle, reassuring gesture. "…I mean… really… okay. You're not… hurt anymore. Yggdrasil… took care of it, yes, but still… your… body… your Rider Frame… it's covered in burn marks… that could've been scars. If I hadn't kept stabilizing you… if that blue spark hadn't synchronized… oh… I…" Her voice faltered, shy and trembling slightly, and she lowered her gaze, cyan cheeks glowing softly like timid fireflies.
Karl gave a small, tired laugh, shaking his head. "Agnes… don't look so guilty. I'm alive. That's what matters."
She sniffled softly, still avoiding his eyes, and crossed her arms. "…I know… I know. But… Karl… you were… so reckless. And… the way you pushed yourself… the way you pushed me… when we fought the Sentinel… it… it hurt. My USB port… the injector arm… oh god… it… it burned…" She buried her face in her hands briefly, the holographic cyan glow of her cheeks brightening as if physically embarrassed. "…I… I can't believe I… I moaned… like… so much… every five seconds… I'm… so… I'm so… soft and weak… and… and you… you… you hurt yourself too! You… you could've… died! My heart… dropped… when your Vythra… when the numbers… Karl…" Her voice cracked into a whisper, her embarrassment layered with genuine worry.
Karl reached out carefully, placing a hand lightly on her shoulder. "Agnes… hey… it's okay. You weren't weak… you were… you were amazing. You kept me together, literally. I wouldn't have made it without you."
She peeked from behind her fingers, cyan eyes wide and shimmering with both relief and residual embarrassment. "…I… I know… I just… it's… I was… scared. When your Vythra was low… and that crack opened… Karl… I thought… I really thought…" Her voice broke, soft and shy, and she hugged herself tightly, holographic cyan glows flickering across her face. "…I thought I couldn't save you in time. I... I… I didn't want to see you… mauled… or worse…"
Karl's heart tightened. He shifted closer, lowering his visor slightly to meet her gaze. "Agnes… you saved me. That new ability… Royal Azure Flame Manipulation… it wouldn't have come if it weren't for your help. You… you literally saved my ass."
Her lips parted in a shy gasp, tiny cyan glows flickering across her cheeks. "…I… I did…?" she murmured, almost disbelief in her tone. "…I… I just… tried not to die… while trying not to let you die… oh Karl… I…" Her voice trailed off, shy and soft, trembling with emotion. She twisted her fingers nervously, fidgeting with the edges of her holographic projection.
Karl gave a gentle, tired smile. "…Yeah. You were perfect. More than perfect. You… you always are, Agnes. You've got everything covered, every single time. Even when I'm reckless… even when I push too hard… you… you make sure I make it through."
She blinked, cyan glow intensifying slightly, and looked down, shyly twisting her fingers again. "…I… I'm… not supposed to… be this… flustered… or… or… emotional… but… Karl… seeing you… like that… nearly passing out… and then… surviving… because… because you had… that spark… I… I can't… I…" She let out a small, almost inaudible sigh, cheeks glowing brighter, and her voice became almost a whisper. "…I'm… really glad… you're okay."
Karl chuckled softly, exhaustion mingled with warmth in his chest. "…Agnes… you're ridiculous. You sound like you've been crying and nagging at the same time."
Her cyan glows flickered brighter, a shy giggle escaping her lips, almost inaudible. "…I… I… I can't help it… you… you scared me… but you're… you're… alive… and… I… I just… want to… pamper you… and… and make sure you don't push yourself so hard again…"
Karl leaned back slightly, relaxing as much as his tired body would allow. "…Alright… alright… I get it… I won't push myself that hard again… not without you knowing. Promise."
She took a cautious step closer, floating delicately beside him. "…Good… because… I've got this. You… you rest… let me… let me take care of the rest. You're exhausted… and… and I… I don't want to see another burn mark… or even a scratch… ever again…" Her voice grew soft, teasingly gentle, eyes darting shyly away as if embarrassed to speak so openly. "…Even if it's just tiny… tiny ones. I… I'll scold you enough if you… if you push too hard again… so just… rest…"
Karl gave a small, tired grin. "…You really are the sweetest, Agnes. I… don't know what I'd do without you."
She blinked, cyan glows pulsing softly across her cheeks, shyly turning her face down as if she could hide from his praise. "…I… I just… want to be here… for you… for everything. And… I… I like… seeing you… alive… safe… and… just… here… with me…" Her voice trailed into a soft, almost trembling whisper.
Karl reached out slowly, letting his hand brush gently against hers. "…You've earned every bit of that, Agnes. You've carried me more than anyone could've… more than I could've… ever…"
She let out a soft breath, leaning slightly against him, cyan glows dimming to a tender warmth along her cheeks. "…I… I know I… I shouldn't… sound so… embarrassed… or so… shy… but… I… I can't help it… Karl… you're… everything to me…"
Karl let himself relax completely for the first time in hours, letting the gentle, shy presence of Agnes ease the tension that had clawed at him for so long. Her hands remained lightly on his arm, her soft voice flowing over him in gentle waves, reminding him he didn't need to carry the burden alone.
"…I trust you," he whispered, voice low and hoarse. "…I trust you… to keep me together… and… I trust you to make me rest… even if I'm stubborn."
She gave a small, shy smile, cyan cheeks glowing warmly. "…Good… because I… I'll never let you do anything stupid again… not without me noticing. You… you're my Karl… my Rider… my everything… and… I… I'll make sure you… survive… everything…"
Karl exhaled softly, chest rising and falling with exhaustion and relief, allowing himself to finally sink back against the cave wall. Agnes hovered gently beside him, cyan lights shimmering softly like stars, her hands still carefully supporting him. "…Alright," he muttered, voice quiet but steady. "…San Francisco first. Then… then I'll… I'll test the flames. I promise."
Her gaze softened, glowing faintly cyan as she nodded. "…Yes… first… we get there… then… and only then… Royal Azure flames can be tested. You're safe… you're alive… and I've got… everything else under control. You just… rest…"
The two of them remained there in the quiet cave, the faint echo of the city calling in the distance, Karl's exhausted form finally letting go, and Agnes' shy, tender presence enfolding him like a protective, cyan-lit blanket. For the first time since the Sentinel battle, both could breathe freely, knowing the worst was behind them—for now—and that together, they could face whatever came next.