"Tha-that's what she told me..." Zee sniffled, her eyes red and swollen with tears as she finished recounting everything that had happened between her and Mae. "Sh-she's so horri-horrible..." The last word broke apart into another sob as she wiped at her face with the back of her sleeve.
Larkin stood beside her, giving her shoulder an awkward pat. He had never been good at handling situations like this, and after hearing everything that had happened, he was at a complete loss. He had expected the sisters to argue after he and Drack left the room, but nothing like what Zee had just described.
"It'll be alright, Zee," he said quietly. "Even if you aren't able to go after him... from what I've seen?" He gave her a small, reassuring smile. "Your sister'll bring him back. You know she can."
Zee shook her head almost immediately.
"Th-that's not it..."
She stepped away from him, hugging herself as she wandered across the empty room they had found inside the coliseum. She paced aimlessly, hoping the movement would settle the storm inside her chest.
It barely helped.
"I-it's not that I don't t-trust her," she said, stopping for only a moment before beginning to pace again. "I do... I k-know... I believe she can do it..." She swallowed hard before turning back toward Larkin, her hands slowly coming to rest over her heart. "But... I want to be the one to bring h-him back." Her voice trembled. "I wanted to be the first person he sees."
She lowered her gaze to the floor.
"I know it's selfish... I know I should just b-be happy that s-someone's going to help him..." Her fingers tightened against her chest as she squeezed her eyes shut. "B-but... that's what I wanted." A shaky breath escaped her. "That's what I still w-want."
Larkin watched her in silence for several long seconds, rubbing the back of his neck as he thought over everything she had said.
"What're you gonna do then, Zee?" he finally asked. "Like your sister said, you can't leave The Fiend... or uh, Nori, as you called him. If we do that, they'll take him... and probably put him to death."
Zee wiped away the tears that had begun falling again before looking back up at him.
"I know that..." she said quietly. "B-but... we can take him with us while we search for Xain... right?" A small spark of hope crept into her voice. "W-we can just take the Steamstrider and take care of him in there... while we search for Xain?"
Larkin folded his arms and thought it over for a few moments before giving a slow nod. "I mean... yeah, I guess we can do that. I can drive the Steamstrider." He paused before looking back at Zee. "But there's one problem. How're we gonna find Xain?"
The question made Zee freeze. "I... I..." She faltered before lowering her head, rubbing at her forehead in frustration. "I don't know... I didn't s-see where he went. I went unconscious... a-and no one else knows where he went either." Only now did it truly hit her. Even if they left immediately... they had no destination.
Larkin let out a quiet sigh. "I wanna help you with this, Zee. We both want Xain to come back." His voice remained gentle, but firm. "But we can't be runnin' around like folks that're blind and deaf lookin' for him. We need to know something about where he went before we start chasin' after him."
"I know..." Zee whispered, her eyes wavering. "I know that... but no one knows where he is... where h-he went..." The room fell silent as she desperately searched her mind for anything she might have overlooked. Anything. Anyone.
Then her eyes suddenly widened.
"Maybe..." she murmured before looking up at Larkin. "Maybe we go to Pip! She might know where Annie could be heading!"
Larkin considered it for a few moments before giving a small shrug. "Well... I guess it's the best lead we've got. It ain't a bad idea."
Zee nodded immediately, a little of her determination returning. "Okay... then let's head out right now. The sooner, the better." She turned toward the door, already moving. "I'll go get Nori while you go get the Steamstrider."
She had only taken a couple of steps before the door swung open.
Both she and Larkin stopped.
A familiar figure stood in the doorway.
"Or," Ercale said calmly, "instead of blindly chasing after someone that might have a lead... you two let me guide you to him."
Neither of them had noticed him standing outside. Ercale had heard the tail end of their conversation and, after far more hesitation than he cared to admit, decided to step in.
*Alright, ape...* he thought to himself with an inward sigh. *You got me to care enough to help these two out. Let's see if I can lead people like this around properly.*
*Ugh... the thought alone is already giving me a headache.*