"You're awfully quiet."

It was an odd observation to make, Freya Crescent had realized after the fact, but it didn't make it any less true. Amarant Coral was silent the majority of the time, to the point where when he finally did speak, everyone around him would often stare at him in shock and/or amazement. Even with this otherwise reserved demeanor, Freya could usually expect him to have, at the very least, a passing quip or retort to throw out on their travels together.

But this had not been the case since they'd fled from the Iifa Tree mere hours ago. The airship was en route to Lindblum at what felt like a snail's pace, and most of the party milled about in exhaustion from everything that had transpired. Dagger stayed on the deck of the Hilda Garde III as she looked onto the world below, Steiner watching the Princess – and the Red Rose trailing behind - from afar; Vivi had already fallen fast asleep; Quina made a beeline for the snacks; and Eiko buzzed around the bridge with excitement at all they accomplished.

But Amarant was in the loading bay, like he always was, leaned against the wall, yet even more pensive than usual. Freya made an attempt to assess the reason for this herself, but hell if she knew what Red was thinking at any given time. She figured in the end it would just be better to ask, if not in the most roundabout way possible. Indirectly doing so would at least give him free reign of the conversation, which she suspected he preferred given his lack of sociableness in the first place.

Amarant threw her a pointed look. There was something about the Dragon Knight that he never minded having a longer conversation or a quick chat with her. For whatever reason, he found her to be the only tolerable one. Mildly so, but still so. At the end of the day, she wasn't an annoying child, an obnoxiously loud knight, or a stuck-up Royal Family member. That was good enough for him, he guessed.

It wasn't that he felt too much of an aversion to the rest of the party members though. If they were completely insufferable, he wouldn't have continued to travel with them for so long. But he certainly never made it a point to "bond" with any of them either. The difference with Freya, it seemed, was that she actually took an interest in even trying to get to know him. He was pretty sure some of the others had never even spoken a single word to him otherwise. But of course, that lack of interest was also mutual on his part.

"It was quite a battle," said the crimson-haired bounty hunter, but Freya could already tell that wasn't what was truly on his mind. She had no trouble placating him for a bit with such small talk, though, so she agreed:

"Quite odd to say I've now been to the 'Zero World'. Even Sir Fratley, having traveled to the ends of the earth and back, can say no such thing."

"How is your beau, anyway?"

Freya sighed. "I've not seen him since the attack on Cleyra."

". . . . ."

The Dragon Knight didn't take his abrupt non-responsiveness personally. She knew he wasn't the type to offer condolences or advice. She didn't need it any anyway. The fact that he'd even taken an interest in asking about him was considerate enough for her. Regardless, there was nothing anyone could do for her and Fratley, other than take pity. She didn't want or need that either. Either Fratley would get his memory back or he would not. Either way, she was simply glad to know he was alive. There was no doubt in her mind she would see him again. But the distance, though at one time painful, was probably needed right now. It was likely better for her to move on from the past so that when the two did reunite, they could look to the future once and for all.

"He's a fool," said Amarant, after a long pause in the conversation, "I can't figure out why."

"Zidane, you mean?" Freya was quite sure he wasn't referring to Sir Fratley, especially considering the two had never even met. Besides, Red had already called Zidane just as much back at the Iifa Tree. Ever the blunt one, he was. Even during what was arguably an emotional moment.

"Kuja tried to kill us all. He tried to end the world."

"You're not wrong," the Dragon Knight agreed, not before joining the spot next to him in a wall lean of her own. They'd spent much time in this room together during their travels before seizing control of The Invincible, which in some ways felt like many years ago, but in others just days. Maybe it had only been days. Freya lost track.

"But that's the kind of person Zidane is," she continued, "He wants to help-"

"He wants to show off."

"Perhaps," Freya relented, "But not at the risk of losing himself or the people he cares about most. If he was willing to take such a chance on even a sworn enemy, I do believe it is for a far more noble reason than bravado."

Amarant might've taken the time to contemplate this viewpoint had he been able to stop himself from scoffing at the idea of Zidane Tribal being 'noble'. But he knew better than that. He was nothing more than a common thief, just like himself. No number of good deeds or world saving would change that. They would still be looked down upon by someone richer, someone classier, someone prettier. He learned as much quickly when living and working in Treno

"You laugh, but it's the truth." Freya peeled herself away from the wall, resolving to leave the bounty hunter alone again once more in his own thoughts. But before she made her way to the airship's bridge, she reminded him of one simple thing: "If you recall, Amarant, Zidane went back for you too."

Amarant was silent for the rest of the trip.