Night had fallen by the time the group made it back outside. The moon shone brightly in the sky. The fresh air and warmer temperature were refreshing. Prompto took a deep breath and stretched his arms above his head.

"Out at last!" he cried with joy. "Time to go back and get some grub." His stomach rumbled. "I'm starving."

"It is about that time," Ignis agreed. "I'll see what I can whip up at the caravan."

Ryella suddenly stiffened. Sensing a familiar ominous sensation, she began trembling in fear, turning her gaze up to the sky. "Oh no... I-it's back!"

Noctis went to her side. "What? What are you talking about?"

Prompto hurried to her other side as she answered, "The zu... It's c-coming this way! Maybe it knows I'm here! Maybe it's still l-looking for me!"

She hugged her arms and the blond beside her wrapped an arm around her shuddering form. "Hey, it's okay. It shouldn't even notice you if your in this form, right?"

Ryella fearfully scooted closer to Prompto, clutching onto his vest and causing his face to heat up at how close she was. "I-I don't know."

"Even if it does, you don't have to worry," Gladio assured, flashing her a grin. "We'll take care of it for ya."

The massive bird suddenly came into view, swooping right over the waterfall. The girl whimpered and squeezed her eyes shut. The gusts of wind from the zu's wings nearly knocked them all off their feet. But much to their relief, it sailed on over, showing zero interest in them.

"It's gone," Ignis informed, no longer able to see its giant form among the stars.

Ryella steadily released her hold on Prompto and scanned the sky. "See?" the gunman told her. "Told ya it'd be okay."

The girl smiled lightly at him, no longer sensing the avian monster. "C'mon, let's go before daemons start popping up," Noctis ordered.

The five hurried back to Burbost before they encountered any daemons or nocturnal beasts. Once there, they rented the caravan for the night and placed a few of their things inside.

"Ryella." Ignis's voice caught the girl's attention. She looked up at the taller man. "Would you like to lend me a hand with supper?"

"Oh, well, I-I'm not that great of a cook..."

"Forgive me, I recall you mentioning spending time in the kitchen back in Tenebrae. I assumed you could cook."

"I can," Ryella swiftly replied. "At least some basic things...especially pastries and desserts." She then smiled. "But I'd be happy to help however I can."

"While you guys do that," Noctis interrupted, "Gladio and I are gonna check out the shop."

The pair left the caravan and went across the road to the shop. "Um, I'll just be right outside," Prompto said. "Maybe play a little King's Knight or something."

He stepped out, leaving Ryella and Ignis to do the cooking. Ignis gathered the necessary ingredients and got started, giving the girl basic instructions on what to do. Ignis had a recipe in mind and had Ryella help him chop up the vegetables.

"So," he began, striking up a conversation, "why is baking desserts your specialty?"

The sound of the advisor's voice caught Prompto's ear from outside. The blond quietly scooted his chair closer to the open doorway, curious as to what the two might talk about. He hoped to hear Ryella open up more about herself because he really wanted to learn more about her without awkwardly asking her face-to-face.

"I don't know really," the young Guardian answered. "I guess I just find them easier to make, and back at the manor, Luna and I often liked baking our own desserts."

"Well, I'm not usually one to indulge in unhealthy sweets, but how about this once, we have a tasty treat after supper, courtesy of you?"

Ryella eagerly nodded. "I'd love that, i-if it's okay. Ow!"

The knife fell from the girl's hand and clattered against the table. Her index finger on her left hand had a small cut trickling with blood. Ignis stopped what he was doing, snatched up a nearby napkin, and lightly took her hand, pressing the napkin over the cut. Ryella winced at the light pressure applied to the injury. They suddenly heard rapid footsteps as Prompto came bursting through the doorway.

"I heard an 'ow'! What happened?!"

"Ryella cut her finger," Ignis told him.

"This is why I prefer baking..." she muttered.

"Anything I can do?" the gunman asked, ready to help if needed.

Ignis removed the napkin to get a look at the wound. "I believe I've stopped the bleeding. Would you mind taking Ryella to wash and bandage the cut while I finish supper?"

"Not at all. C'mon, Ryella."

Prompto led the girl to the small bathroom. She went to the sink and began washing her finger in warm water while the boy rummaged the cupboards for some kind of bandages. He finally found some small bandages used for wrapping injuries. Once Ryella had washed the cut, Prompto gently took her hand and used a small towel to dry the area. He noticed the way Ryella winced at the way he patted over the injury.

"Sorry," he apologized. "It probably stings a bit."

"It does, but it's my own fault. I wasn't paying attention while I was cutting."

Prompto smiled, carefully wrapping the bandages around her finger. "Hey, you did better than me. Have me cut vegetables and I'd probably chop off my finger."

His playful tone made it clear that he was joking. Ryella laughed a bit at that. "I'm sure it wouldn't be that bad."

"You're right... I'd probably lose a whole hand! That's how terrible I am in the kitchen!"

The two shared a laugh and Ryella thanked the boy before exiting the bathroom. Ignis had already finished cutting the vegetables and was currently boiling everything together in a pot, constantly stirring it so it wouldn't burn. He glanced over at the two.

"Ryella, are you alright?"

She smiled softly. "I'm okay, thank you for your concern."

"In that case, would you like to get started on a dessert? Just pick out whatever ingredients and tools you need."

The girl eagerly nodded. "I'd be happy to."

Prompto went back outside again to wait for supper. Ryella thought over what type of dessert she should make. Ignis is all about healthy foods... With all the ingredients here, I could probably make something both sweet and moderately healthy. She began adding and mixing the ingredients she wanted into a bowl. Once she was done, she poured the batter into a small pan and stuck it in the oven to bake. By that time, Ignis had finished up with supper and Noctis and Gladio had returned and joined Prompto at the small table outside. Using a ladle, the bespectacled man poured the stew into five separate bowls.

"Ryella, would you mind letting the others know supper is ready?"

The girl smiled and went over to the door, poking her head out to see the other three males sitting around on their phones. "Hey, guys," she quietly called, causing them to all glance up at her. "Supper's ready."

She swiftly went back over to Ignis, graciously taking the bowl of stew he handed her. She took a seat and dug in. The other three came in, each taking a bowl and finding a place to sit or stand. Noctis was the only one unenthused about the meal he was given. He poked at the greens littering the soup with his spoon.

"Ignis, what the hell is this?" he asked in slight annoyance.

Ignis smirked. "Veggie Medley Stew. I suggest you eat unless you want to do without supper tonight."

Noctis groaned, hesitantly forcing down a few bites. "Don't you like stew, Noctis?" Ryella inquired.

"It's not the stew in general," Gladio explained. "It's the vegetables he doesn't like."

"Noct's about the pickiest eater you'll ever meet," Prompto told her, scarfing down a spoonful of stew. "Must be that princely palate of his. Though I don't know why, all of Iggy's meals are great!" Ryella nodded in agreement. "By the way, what kind of dessert are you making?"

Ryella abruptly hopped up with a gasp. "I almost forgot, I need to check on the cake!" She set her bowl down and darted to the oven, checking the treat baking inside.

After having only eaten a portion of his stew, Noctis set his bowl aside. "We're having cake? Why didn't you say so? Screw this veggie bowl."

"You'll have to wait just a little bit longer," Ryella said. "It's not quite done yet."

"Dammit," the prince muttered.

While Ryella returned to her meal, Noctis refused to eat another bite of his stew, which irritated his advisor. But after everyone had finished up with supper, Ryella's dessert was finished at last. She cut it into slices and presented it to the boys with a smile.

"Here we are, Fluffy Chiffon Cake. Hope you all like it."

They each got a plate with a couple of slices each. As soon as they took a bite, they were won over. "This is delicious!" Prompto exclaimed. "It's so light, and fluffy, and sweet!"

"Damn tasty," Gladio complimented. "You can bake for me anytime."

"Quite the delectable treat," Ignis added. "And from what I saw of the ingredients you used, I must say I approve wholeheartedly."

"Thank you." The girl sheepishly smiled. "I'd be happy to make more treats for you guys."

Noctis had already wolfed down his slices of cake before Ryella had even gotten her own. "Mind if I have seconds?"

Ryella was caught off guard by how quickly he'd cleaned his plate. "Oh, um, not at all. There's plenty to go around."

The group enjoyed finishing off the tasty dessert. Afterwards, they took turns in the bathroom. Ryella went right after Noctis, bathing to clean up. While the boys either talked or occupied themselves with their phones, Ryella sat quietly on the bed she'd be using. With her pillow cushioning her back, she leaned against the headboard with her legs pulled up in front of her. She stared down at the pendant around her neck, fiddling with it in her hands. The boys noticed her silence and sorrowful expression. Noctis and Prompto decided to see what was wrong. The two boys walked over to her bed, Prompto taking a seat on the edge of the bed beside her while Noctis remained standing.

"What's up, Ryella?" the prince inquired.

The girl glanced up at the two before smiling sadly at the pendant. "I only just realized...the weight I carry."

"What do you mean?" the blond asked.

"I'm the last of my family... I have to carry on for them...especially for my brother."

"But you won't have to carry on alone." Ryella looked up at Noctis in surprise.

Prompto grinned brightly. "Yeah, we're your friends. We'd never leave you to face the world by yourself. You can always rely on us if you need to."

Ryella smiled slightly and turned her head away. "I'm fortunate to have met all of you. And it's thanks to your help that I was able to deliver Clement's tag to his family. It honestly felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. But now..." She turned her gaze back to the pendant in her palm. "I still have another weight I must carry, the weight of my family's expectations. This burden is mine to bear until the Chosen ascends to his rightful place." She looked up at the prince again. "That's why I will aid you, and Lunafreya. It is my duty to protect you both, so that you may fulfill your destinies and save this world."

Noctis nervously replied, "C'mon, enough of all this serious talk. We should worry more about what we're currently doing, not what might happen in the future."

"S-sorry...I didn't mean to discourage you." The girl hung her head down, letting her long hair fall over the sides of her face. She sighed. "If only Rey were here...or Clement... They always knew how to lighten the mood."

She took the pendant in both hands, holding both the dragon part and the fang part. Ryella began twisting the fang like a screw until it completely disconnected from the main part of the pendant. Inside the curved, black fang was a rolled up paper. The girl dumped it out into her palm and unrolled it. It was a picture of her and her brother from a few years ago. Reynard had an arm around his sister's shoulder and they were both smiling happily. Prompto carefully leaned over, looking at the picture.

"Is that your brother?"

The girl nodded as Noctis moved over to have a look as well. "He looks quite a bit different than he did 12 years ago. He styled his hair differently, and damn, he got pretty tall and bulked up a bit. Kinda reminds me of Gladio."

Ryella giggled at that, noticing that the shield was looking their way with a raised eyebrow. "Now that you mention it, they are a little alike."

"Um, if you don't mind me asking," Prompto said, "just outta curiosity, what was your brother like?"

Ryella smiled lightly, brushing one side of her bangs out of her face and tucking it behind her ear. "Reynard was the kindest, most caring individual I've ever known. Despite his intimidating physique, he was very sweet and did whatever he could to look out for me and Luna. He had amazing talent with the piano and would play music for us to sing to. I couldn't ask for a better brother, even though he...kind of became overly protective after we lost our father 12 years ago."

"I remember that," Noctis interrupted. "If it wasn't for your father covering for us, Dad and I may not have escaped with our lives that day." He reached out, giving the girl a pat on the shoulder. "He was a great Guardian, and thanks to him, we were all spared." Ryella silently, and sadly, nodded.

Prompto figured that was a good time to change the subject a bit. He could see the sorrow in Ryella's expression and didn't want her to start crying again. "So, you've talked about your brother and your dad, but what about your mom? She must've had some cool dragon form and magic power too, right?"

Ryella looked over at the blond. "Actually...my mother wasn't a Guardian, she was an ordinary human."

"Seriously?" Gladio suddenly questioned. He and Ignis had sat quietly and listened until that moment. "How does that work?"

Ryella giggled at the way they found the idea perplexing. "Many of my ancestors were humans, it's not uncommon. For ages, as long as one parent has Guardian blood, then the magic gifted to us by the gods continues to be passed on."

"Ah, much like Lady Lunafreya and Noct's bloodlines," Ignis concluded.

Ryella gave the photo one last look before rolling it up and sliding it back into the fang part of the pendant. She then twisted the two pieces back together, uniting the dragon and fang once more. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm starting to get tired."

Before she could move from her spot, the gunman halted her. "Hold on, wait!" Ryella froze, puzzled by the abrupt shout of the boy. Prompto snatched up his camera and grinned. "Can I get a selfie with you and Noct?"

The prince rolled his eyes while Ryella answered, "U-um, I suppose that would be okay."

Prompto remained in his spot, turning the camera and holding it out to face them. "Get in close so we all fit in the picture."

Noctis crawled over to sit on Ryella's other side so he wouldn't block her from the shot. Ryella scooted closer to Prompto and rested both her hands on his shoulder, leaning her head forward and almost right next to his, all while smiling sweetly at the camera. The blond felt his face heat up a bit at how close she was. Their cheeks were nearly touching. Noctis moved in a little closer as well, leaning his head around Ryella and giving a small wave and a half-smile. Prompto did his best to suppress his embarrassment behind a cheerful grin and snapped a picture. He then showed his friends how the photo turned out and thanked the Six that his light blush was hardly noticeable in the image.

Soon enough though, the five were all sound asleep in bed. With the beds inside the caravan being made into bunk beds for more space, Ryella had taken one of the lower ones. Prompto was in the bunk above her, Ignis was across from her with Noctis above him, and Gladio had been content with sleeping on the floor with some pillows and blankets. Ryella laid there for a bit, thinking over the evening. She had actually enjoyed telling the boys about her home, her family, and her history. She already knew the history of the Oracles and Lucian kings, and was eager to share her own stories.

Despite the initial idea of not growing too close to them, the young Guardian was finding that more and more difficult as time passed by. She didn't want to admit that her kind, gentle heart was opening up to others once more. Sure, she was deathly afraid of losing people she cared about and feeling her heart break all over again, but at the moment, that fear didn't worry her. She was too comfortable and contented with their company. It was certainly more pleasant than being on her own. And somehow, being around them inspired more courage and confidence within the timid girl. With a smile on her lips, she finally closed her eyes for the night.