"One last foe, and we can avenge you." Or'do stood before the Wet Nurse's gate, having merrily dropped the Mother Brain into a convenient abyss.

"Would avenging me not require that I first died?" I pressed a gloved hand against the fog, feeling its tension beneath my hand like a thousand spiderwebs woven into translucent, stiff yet easily torn cloth.

"You kinda did." He cocked his head at me, smiling yet obviously still aching from the near loss. Or'do would never admit how greatly he was pained by the memory, yet it was clear in his fury, in the ravenous hate that he sated upon the blood of our foes. I had nearly driven him mad, and the harm was far from undone, yet it was forgiven, and to linger upon it, was to worsen it, as probing fingers enrage fresh wounds.

"Well, you got me there." Returning his grin, I passed through the gate, and stood calmly, hands folded at the small of my back, awaiting Wet Nurse's descent.