AKARI

"No wonder Sora was so excited," Isabella smiles as she, Kit, Gambit, and I sit in the hot springs together, a wooden barrier separating the boys' area from the girls' area. "This is wonderful."

"Yeah," Gambit sighs. "They always were. I used to come here after training at the temple sometimes."

"Training at the temple?" Isabella blinks.

"Gambit used to be a shrine maiden," Kit says and Isabella's eyes widen.

"That's so cool!" Isabella exclaims and Gambit laughs sheepishly as she rubs the back of her neck.

"Thanks," Gambit says. "I really loved it, but I knew that being an Aria was my calling."

"Was it your calling or did you see it as your responsibility?" I ask, making the other three stare at me. "I mean, would you have chosen something different if you weren't Greed?"

"I believe I would've became an Aria regardless of my stance. However, I definitely thought that I had shoes to fill, you know? I wanted to make the world a better place and I knew I had a responsibility to do that as Greed. So, both, I suppose," Gambit shrugs.

"What about you, Kit?" Isabella asks.

"Huh?" Kit raises her eyebrows.

"What were you?" Isabella asks, her eyes wide and imploring.

"I've been here since I was a kid," Kit sighs. "Nothing special, really. I used to live in a little village that was overrun by war and Merrick and Raciel saved me. Since then, I've diligently trained to be my best and I grew to be family with all those at Aria. I found a new home and it's right where I belong."

Whenever Isabella turns to look at me, I raise my hands and laugh dryly.

"I don't have much to tell. My parents were killed when I was really young, too young to remember most things about them or my home life. I was taken in by Arias and I was raised in the academy," I say.

"We've all been through so much..." Isabella says quietly and looks down at her hands that are resting in her lap underneath the water. "And yet...it feels as if we're far from being at peace."

"I'll drink to that," Gambit snorts before a smirk makes its way onto her face. "And to Kit's new relationship."

"Yeah?" Kit blushes. "What about you and Sekai?"

"Hah?" Gambit exclaims. "You know we can't."

"No, you can," Kit shakes her head. "You'd just have to make it work. If you really wanted it, you'd do everything you could to be with him."

"Hey," Gambit narrows her eyes. "What's with the drag? I was essentially congratulating you."

"Guys..." Isabella frowns. "Can we not argue?"

"We're not arguing," Kit shakes her head. "I'm just trying to make her see that she can want something in her life without it being criminal."

"What..." Gambit breathes out, her eyes wide. "You..."

"Gambit?" Kit frowns in concern.

"Nothing," Gambit sends her a sad smile. "It's fine. Don't worry about it. How about we toast to you and Sander, yeah?"

"Alright..." Kit trails off, not wanting to drop the subject but not wanting to argue.

"To Sander and Kit!" Gambit cheers and raises her golden cup of hot chocolate.

"To Sander and Kit!" We cheer out as Kit blushes and mutters something about them not being official yet.

Little does she know, however, that Sander wanted us to keep her busy so he could go out and do just that.

***

In about another hour, we get out of the hot springs and head to the entrance area, Sekai having closed up for the night so that nobody but us are in the building.

Once we reach the main room, Sander clears his throat as he walks over to Kit and quietly pulls her aside, asking to speak to her in private. I grin as I watch them walk off and I notice the box of matching bracelets that he's hiding behind his back.

It only takes a few moments and a scene of Sander bending down on one knee and Kit clasping her hands to her mouth as he asks her to be his girlfriend before he opens the box, which contains one silver bracelet and one gold bracelet, each with a heart charm and a feather charm, the heart on each bracelet having the name of the other on it.

Kit happily says yes and Sander grins before he gives her the golden bracelet and she puts the silver on his arm with the wooden cross bracelet. All six of us cheer as Sander picks up Kit by the waist and spins her around as she laughs before she leans down to give him a quick kiss.

"About damn time," Shae sighs.

"The world really is ending," Gambit teases at Shae's swearing and Shae nudges her in the arm, making her grin.

"Man, the springs really are amazing, Sekai," Sora sighs contentedly and Sekai chuckles.

"Thanks," Sekai smiles. "We try our best to keep everyone happy and show them a good time."

"Say, you're pretty skilled with a shield. And talk about your agility, man," Sora continues. "You were pretty cool out there."

"I guess I've still got it," Sekai chuckles.

Gambit and I exchange a glance over Sora's rambling while the others continue to celebrate, the exchange between Sora and Sekai going unnoticed by them.

"How long have you been working here?" Sora asks as he begins to wander around the room.

"Well, ever since Gambit left for Aria. So...a decent while. Why?" Sekai asks, his eyes flickering across Sora's figure somewhat suspiciously.

"Right," Sora nods and brushes his index finger along the top of the receptionist desk. "Normally, people tend to retain skills through muscle memory, wouldn't you say? Now, a few years may make someone rusty. However, you've been out of practice for what, eleven years? You're pretty light on your feet for someone who hasn't trained in so long."

"So, maybe I practice by myself sometimes. I still defend people when they need it, you know," Sekai raises a brow. "What's with the sudden third degree?"

"Nothing," Sora shrugs. "I'm just curious."

"Alright..." Sekai trails off.

"Except, I noticed something earlier," Sora hums before he draws his staff and points it directly at Sekai. "You may have chosen your movements carefully earlier, but you pulled one move exactly like our thief did. You know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

"Sekai? What's he talking about?" Gambit asks wearily as the others all quiet down, having noticed the situation.

"Care to explain yourself?" Sora raises a brow.

"That was strictly pure coincidence, I'm sure—" Sekai starts, but Sora reaches underneath the desk and pulls up a leather pouch that clanks together, almost as if multiple rocks are stored inside.

"Sekai?" Gambit whispers softly, her eyebrows furrowed and her eyes sad.

"I just wanted to help Gambit," Sekai says quietly and clenches his fists at his sides, his jaw also clenching as his blue eyes resemble a storm. "I've been gathering the runestones for years now. I was about to get the one from Elvenowl whenever I heard that Gambit was in the city already, so I let her have it. At the water park, I had no idea who any of you were. All I knew was that I couldn't trust anyone except for myself and Gambit. I thought...I thought that if she found them all that she'd come back home...that I could see her again."

"How many do you have?" Gambit asks softly.

"Three," Sekai swallows thickly and sends her a sad but loving smile. "Gluttony and Temperance, Envy and Kindness, and Sloth and Diligence."

I lock eyes with Sora as if telling him to not open the bag because he may somehow trigger Envy, which he shouldn't, but I just want to be safe, and the look in his eyes tells me he already knows.

"I was going to tell you tomorrow," Sekai clears his throat. "I'm sorry for any inconvenience I may have caused."

Sora tosses the bag to Shae, who opens it and pulls out the runestone of Envy and Kindness and activates it before he hands the bag to Kit, who activates the runestone of Sloth and Diligence. Kit then hands the bag to Sander, who activates the runestone of Gluttony and Temperance before he tosses the empty bag back to Sora.

"If you were going to tell us tomorrow, then why did you keep defending yourself?" I ask.

"Just instincts. You know? Nobody wants to be accused of things," Sekai laughs dryly and hangs his head. "I'm really sorry."

"Hey," Gambit walks up to Sekai and places a hand on his shoulder, making him look up in surprise as she smiles softly. "Your heart was in the right place. You've even gathered three runestones for us. That's a major help. Thank you, Sekai."

"Yeah, but—" Sekai starts.

"Come back with me," Gambit says firmly and Sekai's eyes widen.

"W—What?" Sekai stammers, the bridge of his nose becoming dusted red.

"Everyone's been telling me that it's okay for me to want something for myself in life. You've always told me that. You wanted to help me? Come back with me then. Let this be my one selfish wish. Stay by my side with me at Aria, Sekai," Gambit says.

"My grandparents—" Sekai starts.

"Understand that you're a grown man who has helped them for eleven years now and has other wants and desires," Gambit says softly. "They'll be just fine, Sekai. And we can plan lots of trips home. I promise. I wouldn't even mind retiring from being an Aria and moving back here in a couple of years. I'm going to start living my life by my rules now. My duty, my heart, and my calling still reside with being an Aria, but I want you there with me. Will you grant me this one selfish request, Sekai?"

"It's not selfish," Sekai smiles warmly in return. "I would gladly do anything for you, you know. So, I could never see you as selfish."

"Sekai," Sora says before he tosses the bag to Sekai and gives him a small smile. "All you had to do was be honest. Welcome to Aria, man."

"Really?" Sekai's eyes widen as he looks around. "You'll...all accept me?"

"Of course," Kit shrugs. "Everybody screws up, especially when they don't mean to. You protected them with your life, even if you did originally steal them, and you planned to eventually give them to Gambit."

"Now we only need three more runestones," Isabella cheers happily. "And, of course we'd be glad to have you!"

"Just don't hide anything else from us, alright?" Sander says pointedly and Sekai nods with a smile.

"Of course," Sekai says before he looks back at Gambit. "How could I when I'm right where I want to be?"

And for the first time in a while, Gambit genuinely smiles.