The Restoration Protocol

41 || error.you

The persona known as 'Riis' soon becomes a thing of the past. With the embrace of acceptance, the white-haired man carrying the burden of a severed identity returns to that from which it was severed — to Jugo. Breathing life back into his own corpse. Giving back the half of what was once gifted to him in love. With that same love, offered in gratitude.

If much more time had passed, Jugo and Riis may have both died together. Just as Riis claimed he wanted, and as Mariko always doubted. Yet despite her faith in him, she alone could never have been enough to persuade him. He needed Lotus. The same person who both she and Soleil lied to in hopes of protecting. Needless to say, they've both since realized the mistake of their actions. Even if they had good intentions, it was never their right to try locking Lotus in a room with a safety vest, so to speak. The prince's strong willpower trumps his capacity for self-preservation. It probably always would.

It weighs on Mariko's heart that she can't even apologize to Lotus now. The words which he spoke before Riis hurried to Jugo's side were the last before the prince's consciousness fled him. Hollowmire truly is trying to make a corpse of him, too, yet even in his feeble state, Lotus's body fights the decay. His loyal butler appears at his side not long after. She would take him back to the Greenhouse Manor, no doubt. Mariko learns soon enough that both Elise and the prince came here on horseback. Should fortune smile on them, they could make an easy trip back to New Floravale.

Easy.

No, of course it wouldn't be easy. She may keep a calm outward appearance, but Elise must share her own fears for the prince's health. She has a long road ahead of her. They all do.

The plan to head to the Atadon Crater hasn't changed. Mariko and Soleil still intend to meet up with Abe there — along with Sebastian, now that they've reunited with him. Before the shadow hands seized his chains and formed a wall around him, Elise had managed to clean up much of the blood staining Sebastian's skin. And he hadn't lost consciousness throughout the ordeal. Once Riis disappears, all the shadows fade into nothingness as a result, including those chains. Sebastian is finally released, and he even finds the strength to stand on his feet again.

Even so, Mariko finds herself lingering in the castle. She knows they need to move. But with Jugo still in sight, not having followed after Elise carrying the unconscious Lotus, her eyes can't help but stay fixed on him. He has kneeling for some time now. The wooden contraption once attached to his shoulder vanished along with Riis. But the puppet stayed. It captured Jugo's bittersweet gaze and holds it tenderly. Eventually, Mariko watches Jugo set the puppet down beside the stone fountain. He takes off his tattered, black coat and covers it, then stands up. The sleeve over his absent right arm now hangs loosely.

He turns to look at Mariko.

"Think he wants to talk to ya," Sebastian remarks, a smile in his voice. "You go 'head. I'll be over here, Mars."

She nods without looking back at him. She can sense it, too. The profound shame in that brief glance, the quiet, slow steps Jugo soon takes in her direction. Mariko holds her stance. More than ever, the Keyholder carries a certain air of gentleness. A dog having lost both its bark and bite after realizing there's no one who wants to hurt him anymore. He approaches Mariko with his head already slightly bowed. Some of his hair has turned white, she soon discovers. Further evidence of Riis having returned to his rightful place in Jugo's mind.

"I...intend to head back to New Floravale with Miss Elise," he says after some time, looking at the ground. "It has...been quite a while. I'm sure the people will have some choice words for me, but...I have already made up my mind." He takes a long pause just to breathe. And Mariko is patient. To have all of Riis's memories suddenly flood back into his head must have given him more than just a migraine. His eyes alone seem to have aged twenty years. "It would be an insult to everything the prince has done for me, were I not to be there. Regardless of the outcome of his...condition."