"It was."

"That's disrespectful!"

"What, to say someone's attracted to someone else? Or was it the slang, was the slang the disrespectful part?"

"And he's a Maester of Yevon!"

"… Can't talk about who Maesters are attracted to?" Pause. "Oh, do they take an oath of abstinence or something, is the church – like that?"

"No! It's just—argh! You don't say a Maester 'has the hots' for someone!"

"… Cultural taboo?"

"Never mind, just—don't say it."

"Sure," he nods. Then to Kaede: "So anyway, do you think that's the reason he wants to see you?"

"Maybe. Not exactly directly that, but indirectly, sure."

Nod.

And presently Tromell has returned.

"Please, follow me into the dinner chamber, Lord Seymour will join us shortly."

He opens the doors between the stairs, and leads them to a veritable banquet.

Fancy.

Theo's not really that hungry.

The others are. They eat.

Theo stands guard – or whatever – then.

And Tromell returns, this time coming from a door on the other side of the room.

"Truly it is good to have guests again. Since Lord Jyscal passed away, these halls have been too quiet. But now a new leader, Lord Seymour, has come before us. Lord Seymour is the child of a Guado and a human. He will be the tie that binds our two races together. But that is not all, I think. Lord Seymour... He will surely become the shining star that lights the way for all the peoples of Spira."

"That is enough, Tromell," says Maester Seymour, walking into the room from the same door. "Must I always endure such praise? Well. Be welcome, my lord summoner and guardians."

Does Theo nod? Or, like, what.

… Yeah, okay, he nods.

The others—even Kaede—bow and do the Yevon greeting he's seen a couple of times.

"Please... there's no need for such formalities. Make yourselves at home."

"Please keep this short, we have to leave soon."

"My apologies."

He gestures around the room and it—

—changes. Everything is replaced by the night sky, all of them standing on nothing—

—and the vision of a city below their feet. A city Theo's pretty familiar with.

"… Well hello Zanarkand."

"Indeed, Zanarkand. As it was a thousand years ago."

The scene changes, and now they're flowing through the streets, seeing the people and the businesses and the outdoors and the huge water arcs.

"This was when... she lived."

"… Clarification, she being Lady Yunalesca?"