"Here you go," Bipo said, dropping Kipo down at the place where they had picked her up.

Kipo steadied herself on the ledge, more to give herself time to think rather then because she was actually losing her balance. "Thank you."

Both Kipo and Bipo were silent for a second, each feeling the important of this moment weighing on them.

This... was most likely it. Kipo wasn't planning to stick around too long after this, and Bipo couldn't travel with them anymore, now that they had their own family to fly with. It was likely, more than likely, that this was their last goodbye.

Kipo felt choked up, but she also felt grateful. All too often nowadays, she never got to say anything else to the people she cared about. Adam, Alice, Dib and the rest of them were gone before Kipo could even process that there wouldn't be a next time. After everything, she had always wondered what she would have said to them, if she could. There was a million things she wanted to say... but would any of it have meant anything?

That was the thing about hindsight. But Kipo refused to spend hours and hours regretting this goodbye later. She had a chance... and she would take it.

"...We're both going home," Kipo finally said, looking over at Bipo. "Right?"

Bipo fixed her with a stare that was impossible to decipher. "That's true."

Kipo took in a breath, staring out into the valley before her. She tried to think of something to say next, but Bipo beat her to it.

"I didn't really want to go to the bone dragons, actually," they said. Kipo gave them a surprised look.

"You don't?"

"I didn't," Bipo corrected. "I wanted to stay with you all. The only reason I did was because Adam died, and clearly, the bone dragons were going to hurt, or kill, more of you if I didn't go with them."

Kipo winced. When she thought back to it, and she did, often, she only saw mistakes. Most notably, the one that got Adam killed, but also the fact that she clearly kidnapped Bipo, stole them from their home... and then forced them back without a second thought.

"I... Bipo, I'm so sorry," she told them, completely genuine. "I had no idea-."

"It's fine," Bipo said, flatly. "In the end, I'm glad I did. I learned a lot through the bone dragons, more than if I had kept running away from them. For one, I learned that trick with Hurricane, and how to flew better and all that, but I also learned about family. My family, the bone dragons."

Kipo listened closely, fascinated, but also out of respect for her old friend.

"I'll spare you the details," Bipo said dismissively, and though Kipo wanted to tell them 'no, GIVE ME THE DETAILS', she kept silent. "Basically, the bone dragons' herd is a community of sorts, and they all take care of each other and help one another like equals. They solve things communally, and it reminded me of you, me, Wirt and Adam."

Kipo cringed before she could stop herself, and Bipo seemed to catch it. Neither of them said anything, but Kipo saw Bipo's shoulders slump before they continued.

The reminder came with a realization. They were the only two left from that time. Kipo felt her breath hitch before she pushed that thought away.

"Right," Bipo said, their voice strained. "Anyway, I guess I didn't really fit in. Perhaps, with time, I would have found my place and travelled with the community until I was big. But I don't really want to do that, I want to do what we did, and travel the world, finding new things instead of just flew around. That... got boring quick.

"When I came here, I didn't just come to talk," Bipo admitted. "I left the bone dragons to find my own family."

Kipo smiled gently, patting Bipo on the back as kindly as she could. "So you're travelling with us again?"

She was trying to be nice, but as Bipo shook themselves, looking annoyed.

"No, you're just going to leave, aren't you?" they huffed, and Kipo blinked. When they continued, Bipo's voice was kinder. "I'm not. I mean, if I can help, I guess... but I want to find friends that I can stick with. Friends here."

Kipo put up a hand in surrender. "No, no, I get it, I understand."

Slowly, she reached out towards Bipo with an arm. Bipo let her, and Kipo enveloped them in a sort of side hug.

"I'm happy for you, Bipo," Kipo said. "And I hope you succeed."

"I'll do my best," Bipo grumbled. "Not that I can if your friend goes out and destroys the world."

"I won't let him," Kipo replied quickly, her voice firm with determination. "I promise. Bipo, you will get your future. I swear on it."

Bipo lashed with tail, tilting their head. For a minute, they seemed restless, before they relaxed.

"Okay," they said. "I trust you."

It was the kindest thing Bipo could have said, and Kipo let out a breath of relief, feeling tears well up in her eyes.

"I won't let you down," Kipo said, her words coming out thick with emotion. Bipo nodded.

"Yeah, okay," they said. "Maybe you're right, Kipo. Maybe we are going home."

Kipo nodded fervently. "We are, Bipo, I promise. Maybe it'll take a little bit of looking, but we're both going home."

Kipo descended the staircase in almost half the time it took her to climb it. The castle was silent, and Kipo found that most of her friends were asleep in the various fancy bedrooms around the castle. It would be impossible to find them, but it wasn't like Kipo was actually going to bother trying. They deserved it: the chance to finally rest in a good bed. In a very good bed, one so good that even the crushing mix of despair and guilt couldn't keep them awake.

Finally, since even before their town was ruthlessly destroyed, they were getting a good nights sleep, and the next time they awoke, they would be rested, and, Kipo hoped, maybe they all would feel a little better.

The thought was tempting to her, but even though her limbs screamed for a break and her mind felt fuzzy with a lack of actual sleep, she knew it would have to wait. Maybe after, but first, Kipo needed answers, and there was only one person here, or perhaps in this entire world, willing to give any.

Kipo was surprised, though, to find Fei Fei by the door to the dining room, where they all had puzzled out the director's story earlier, before everyone had gone to bed.

They blinked at each other, both surprised.

"You're not asleep?" Kipo asked, and immediately blushed, seeing the irony of her words. Still, Fei Fei gave her a judgemental look. "Fair enough. So you're also here to see the director, huh?"

Slowly, Fei Fei nodded. "Yes, but... you first. I am thinking."

Kipo blinked, then shrugged. "Fair enough, she said kindly. "Feel free to come in when you're ready."

Fei Fei nodded, but Kipo doubted she actually agreed. It wasn't hard to figure out what Fei Fei was thinking about. Not exactly something she wanted to say, but whether to go in or not.

Kipo had to admit she was worried. When she was traveling with her and Anne, Kipo was certain Fei Fei was not this withdrawn. Her English had only improved with time, but even back then, Fei Fei was definitely more talkative and open with Anne than she ever was now. Even her and Kipo got along very well, though Fei Fei definitely seemed to like Anne more. Kipo didn't mind. Anne, despite her flaws, was very friendly, and was easy to get along with.

Maybe things would be different if Fei Fei was stuck with a group who spoke her language, but somehow, Kipo doubted it.

Slowly, Kipo put a gently hand on Fei Fei's shoulder, who jumped. The two exchanged a look, before Kipo lowered her hand, giving Fei Fei one last nod before knocking on the door, then stepping in.

The dining room was empty when Kipo stepped in, with not a hint of the strange shadow person she was looking for. Kipo turned, a small worry growing that once again, the director had disappeared, but before Kipo could go and back out, a voice rang out.

"Ah, Kipo, hello," the directors familiar voice cried, and Kipo jumped, looking around wildly until she finally spotted the shadow person sliding across the walls. "Are you still hungry? You must be, after your little adventure."

"Uh..." Kipo said, momentarily startled off track. "Not right now, but I'll take some for later-Wait, how do you know about that?"

The director shrugged, "I see most things that go around in my castle."

Kipo blinked. Well, that would explain how it knew what was troubling each and every person. She shook her head, trying to force her attention back on track.

"I need answers," Kipo told the director. The director gave her a tired look back.

"I already gave you answers," the shadow sighed, but Kipo shook her head.

"Yeah, I know, I know," she said quickly. "And trust me, I am incredibly grateful to you. We all are! But... it's not enough to just understand. I want to help fix this. If there's any way I can..."

The director's large eyes blinked once, before they drew back, thinking. "Hmm... a way to fix this, huh? Why? That's just more chance for you to die doing this. Shouldn't you just look for a way home?"

Kipo looked to the side, back from the way she came. Of course, she was planning to tell everyone else later, but she wanted time to prepare what she wanted to say before she actually went up to tell them the plan. She didn't doubt that they would want to help, but the risk had to be worth it.

Kipo had to be able to promise that none of them would get hurt when they did this.

"I... I have figured out a way home," Kipo sighed. "A couple, actually. But Hurricane was right. If we leave now, this will just keep happening. Cycle after cycle, with whole swaths of kids dying each time. If I went home now, I couldn't possibly live with myself knowing what was going on."

The director stayed quiet for a minute, seeming to ponder that. "Huh. So you talked with Hurricane, did you?"

"I... thought you knew everything that went around your castle," Kipo pointed out, frowning.

"Hey, my eyes aren't that good!" the director cried, laughing. "Whatever. Hey, I'm curious. What do you know about him and the other watchers? You know two, right?"

"I think so," Kipo said, her brow furrowing. "No, actually, I think I know more. There's Hurricane, right? Then Piranha, then... Pine, Alligator, Snowflake, Starfinder, Cactus, Ocelot... that's all I know."

The director blinked, startled. "Hm? That's uh... geez, I'm impressed. Wh-Where di you get all of those?"

"A notebook," Kipo said, almost reaching back to get it before she remembered she gave it away. She frowned. "Um, I'm assuming Six changed her name like Hurricane, but I'm not sure which one is her original name... Oh, is it Ocelot? I mean, that's a cat, right, and Six if a fox-dog thing that looks like a cat..."

Suddenly, Kipo trailed off as something else occurred to her. Something significantly more important, though she made a note to tell Luz her old friends real name when she woke up.

Kipo looked up at the director, who was staring at her intently. The director seemed interested in letting Kipo ramble on, but for what purpose, she couldn't guess.

"Hey, director," Kipo asked suddenly. "Did you know Pier?"

The shadow person seemed to stiffen. "Ah..." it said. "I... I really am impressed. Ever thought about going into detective work? Or did you read that in that notebook, too?"

Kipo stared at it, waiting, and eventually, the director sighed, continuing.

"Pier was a little boy from another world who wondered into this one," the director explained, surprisingly straightforward for such a dramatic person. "I'm not sure how, I didn't really meet him face to face, only hearing about the poor guy later. I'm not certain if the World brought him here, or if he came here accidently, but whatever it was, it opened up the possibility for more, and then the children started coming in by truckloads."

Kipo hummed, having heard all this before. Of course, it was still horrifying and tragic no matter how many times she heard it, but she was looking for something else.

"How did he die?" Kipo insisted. "I knew he was sick, but..."

"Oh, that," the director realized. It frowned, trying to think back. How long ago was this, Kipo wondered, how long would it have been for the pain of losing this kid, someone Hurricane clearly cared about, to have been completely washed away unless explicitly brought up? Kipo shivered. This must have been a very important event, but time how washed away everything that made it different than something that would be read in a textbook. If Kipo failed trying to save this World right now, if she became just another food crumb to the World, how long until nobody cared anymore? How long until, when someone asked (IF anyone ever asked), someone like Bipo would say 'Oh, yeah, I guess there was a girl who came through here and tried to save the world. She failed, though.'

The thought made her angry on Pier's behalf, even though she hardly knew him.

"Again, I didn't know him that well," the director said. "So I don't know for sure. I was too busy being here, dealing with the mad king. But what I heard from a good friend, well...

"Once upon a time there was a boy who came to this world. By the rules the stars entailed about that power, the World knew this boy was the key to its future success, so it sent some of its council members to play with the boy, lulling him into a false sense of security, then killing him.

"But you have to remember, the watchers were only going with this because they were afraid. And while they knew the consequences would likely not be kind, they could not bring themselves to actually kill him. They found that they cared for the boy, and wanted him to get home.

"The World, of course, could not stand for this. It needed the boys powerful flower, because if there was even the possibility of a flower this powerful, there must be others, and the World needed it to bring them here, making it more powerful.

"So the World made a lethal and deadly poison, a fog that meant around with a mind of its own that sought out living beings and preyed on them, first giving them a light cold, and then becoming worse and worse until it was impossible to move, and by the time you realized what was happening, it was too late. The fog had already driven you to madness, then death. Only things born in the cloud could withstand it, and Pier was not one of them.

"Of course, the boy's new friends tried to help, with one of them trying, and succeeding, at changing the clouds affects, but only slightly, not nearly enough to save their friend. Perhaps they could have, eventually, but then the World turned its attention on them, ready for their punishment.

"The World locked them up, delegating them to watchers, unable to interact with the world unless it was to help the World. After hundreds of years locked up, I'd say they learned their lesson. Wouldn't you?"