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[She was going to make this a voice-only message, but her muddled mind doesn't bother to doublecheck. So, anyone can see her in her fully glory.

Rydia, to put it mildly, doesn't look well. Her cheeks are brightly flushed, her gaze somewhat unfocused, and dizziness has taken hold as well, evidenced by her heavy reliance on that wall as she wobbles over toward somewhere in her house. Hopefully her bed, though given her stubbornness, that's no guarantee.

When she speaks up, her voice is rather lacking its usual firm tone, fading in and out just like her coherence.]

Porom...I don't think can help. I'm sorry. I'd send someone, but...most of the town is affected--

[Sway. She manages to brace herself against the wall. That's better.

....

....

...what was she doing again? Oh, right. Messages.]

Golbez, you're [still irritating--no, wait, that wasn't the message]...I talked to Leviathan. There's something you'll want to know....

[...but it will have to wait. Rydia has become one with the wall...and then the floor. She slumps against it, nearly giving in to the urge to rest right there, but one thing stands out sharply enough for her to say it before she forgets.]

Cuore...please, someone watch her?

[She fumbles to turn the device off, only she ends up just dropping it to the ground instead. It shows it at an angle as she closes her eyes, shivering as her fever rises.]

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[Rydia's not in a state to take that in, anyway. She seems to relax at that, as much as she can in her state.]

Thank you....

Hmm.

[Golbez lets the conversation end there. Some time after that, though, if Rydia is paying attention, she'll hear someone entering the house. It's not long before Golbez finds her on the floor and, without any further comment, picks her up.]

[Rydia stirs feebly, her eyes opening just a touch. She isn't sure about the passage of time or what she was doing on the floor, but the fact that she's now being carried vaguely registers.]

Hm...?

Rydia. [Well, if nothing else, his voice ought to register, considering she's being held right next to his chest.]

Were you unable to make it back to your bed?

[Her brow furrows; that voice definitely rouses her a bit.]

Golbez...?

...wanted to see Cuore. It's been too quiet....

You are obviously not in the condition for it.

[As soon as he comes to the bed, he sets her down on it, then moves back]

But....

[She stirs fitfully, her cheeks all too bright.]

...I had to try.

...did I say it was the wrong moon?

Leave it to me.

[He pauses for a moment.]

The wrong moon... You mean Leviathan found the wrong one?

[She manages a weak nod.]

He couldn't find the one with Bahamut's lair....

[Bahamut's moon was missing... which meant the lunarian's moon was gone as well. His father's people were gone, his uncle nowhere to be found... But the thought that strikes him the most is that even if he had found the Lunar Whale, he wouldn't have been able to return to them.]

...

He did not learn anything of it from the Creator?

[Rydia starts to shake her head, then winces. It aches far too much for her to move it around much. She curls up, trying to get warm even though that seems impossible.]

No...he doesn't know where it is.

...I'm sorry....

It does not matter, for now.

... you should rest.

But the village....

[Rydia stirs restlessly. She didn't work so hard to rebuild Mist, only to see this illness wipe it away.]

They will receive help even if you are resting.

[And as proof that he's not going to let her try anything, he pushes her back into bed with one hand. No trying to leave for her.]

I--

[Rydia pouts...then gives in to a rather aggressive coughing fit.]

[Pouts are ineffective, especially if she's going to prove his point only a few seconds later.]

Do not be foolish about this.

[Hmph. Rydia sighs, then sags against the pillows again.]

...fine. As long as Cuore's with you, I can stay put.

She will be.

[He turns as if to leave, but pauses.]

I apologize, for my part in our earlier argument.

...me, too.

[She still thinks she's right, but she didn't enjoy that argument at all. And then she sinks into mumbling again, something about having missed him before drifting off into much-needed sleep.]

[For a moment he only looks at her- even half-asleep, that's not something he thought he would hear from her. Finally, he leaves to search out Cuore, but that incident will be weighing on his mind.]

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