A scorching shut of the dim cell echoes from the dungeon. "Urgh.." Ralsei groans, trying to get his head up. "W-Wha.." He looks around the tiny surrounding they were offered. The three heroes, Lighteners, Delta Warriors and any other name they could call the them as, are helplessly locked up. From a close distance, Ralsei can hear an angered sound coming from the kicks Susie applied to the lifeless bars. "LET US OUT YOU FREAKS!" Susie barks, continuously doing her irrational actions. Ralsei manages to stand up from his fall and approaches the bewildered reptile. "S-Susie, are you okay?" He asks, if ever his healing magic was needed to be put in use. Susie gritters her teeth and spat a glare at Ralsei. "WHAT DO YOU THINK IT LOOKS LIKE?!" Ralsei did not appreciate the attitude especially that things have fallen down. He doesn't push it further and shift his head in search of their other friend. "Where's Kris?" "Hell if I know!" She kicks and bites the bars in frustration. They have to get out of this cell and find Kris or else they'll never seal the fountain. "Lancer f*cking betrayed us!" She adds, the violent sound crosses over her words. Ralsei sighs. "I think it's best if we calm down for a little while now, Susie." He suggests, sitting over a not-so-luxurious corner. "Why don't we clear our heads for a while?" His kindly nature fades in. "No way I'm calming down anytime sooner after THIS just happened!" Susie boldly disapproves, vexing the poor worn poles. "I understand you can't but it just won't fix anything to rage in anger." "I don't give a damn. I'm breaking out of this cell whether you like it or not, not my problem." "Susie, please just cal-" "I DON'T WANT TO CALM DOWN AND PRETEND NONE OF THIS EVER HAPPENED, OKAY?!" She throws an expected outburst. * . . . The fact that Ralsei was expecting it, it didn't affect him too much but in a way that Susie has expressed her complete emotions, he feels guilty. The silence didn't break, neither did the eye contact until Susie decided to pipe down and snap her head, facing another direction. After the stillness that occurred for a while now, Susie sits down however, a meter away from Ralsei. Given that the dungeon they were in was space-consuming, there was nowhere to escape the short interval. Susie bends her knees up as her arm was placed on it, her head bowed down. "You.." Ralsei pauses. "You don't always have to act like you're tough." He says, a neutral appearance on his face. "There's nothing wrong with showing how you truly feel.. everyone cries and feel bad and that's okay, Susie. You shouldn't bottle it up inside of you and pretend you don't care even if you do.." He adds, watching the moss trail into a leaking stream. "Heh.." Susie exhales a sound. "Wish it was that easy. You wouldn't understand the hell I go through everyday. The feeling of being indifferent, having no one to talk to." She lifts her head up towards the ceiling, staring at the cracked wall. "Susie.. I think you've forgotten but," Ralsei discontinues for a moment. "There is no one else in the kingdom but me." A long sequence of silence. Susie hadn't realized that part yet. She thinks of herself so much that she had forgotten about Ralsei's isolated life in his little kingdom, with no subjects or anyone at all. Susie was left speechless. "I had no one at all but that didn't really put me down. I hoped and hoped, I never ever did stop hoping. I was patient, I waited for your arrival and because of that small hope that I hold unto.. one day, it happened." He explains softly, making her understand that under all the smiles and positivity was someone who has gone through a lot. "...well, life is unfair." Susie declares. "It's a piece of utter sh*t that does nothing more than give us difficulties." Ralsei pays attention to what she was saying. "But.." Susie trails off and looks at Ralsei. "Maybe that's not so bad cuz if ya got what you want the second you want it, what's the point of living?" She had a point. "We grow, we fail, we learn then we succeed. We get judged but who the hell cares if it's what makes you happy? The world's in enough bullsh*t as it is now." It was a miracle that the words that came out out from Susie's mouth is actually meaningful and wise. Ralsei internalizes, smiling. "I never thought you could be so inspiring, Susie. But, you are right." He scoots closer to Susie slowly. "I'm proud of you." Those words, she hadn't heard it in such a long time. Susie looks over to Ralsei, living in the moment. All of a sudden, Ralsei shifts his head to her. "So, don't pretend anymore.. okay?" He brightly smiles. At this rate, Susie's heart begins to race and her cheeks are in a blush. "A-Ah.. yeah." Then, she stands up and glance at Ralsei. "Ralsei.. I-" The sound of the cell opening loudly cuts Susie's sentence off. Ralsei stands up, surprised. "Kris!" He cheers, running over to Kris and hugged them. 'Damn you, Kris.' Susie thought, rolling her eyes and went over to them. "Good to see you're not dead." You told them. Kris nods as a sign of saying, "You too." "Now, let's get out of here and seal the fountain." Susie says in a rush. Everyone was in an agreement and while Kris goes first as the leader of the pack, Ralsei rotates to face Susie. "Thank you for earlier." He smiles sweetly. Susie's world stops in a daze and as the scenery begins to blur, she appreciated the living creature that stood in front of her. She sincerely smiles back at him with a better outlook and said, "No problem." COMING UP || BADBOY! RALSEI X READER