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"I know that look. You've been reading G'raha's books again."
"Wouldst thou rather I did not?"
"Of course it's fine. I just wonder sometimes if you'd rather talk about them with someone who's more likely to truly grasp what you're talking about." Thancred leaned against the railing of the balcony at Rowena's, his eyes firmly focused on his companion seated at the nearby table.
"Thou knowest I am ever attentive to thy thoughts, which art frequently more sophisticated than thee imagines. However, in that regard, I anticipate my contemplations on this day may be more familiar than thou art accustomed to."
Thancred merely waited for him to continue.
"According to the Exarch, the process of traveling to the First-and his subsequent summoning of the Warrior of Light, amongst others-altered the tragic history to which he awoke, in a day far distant from our current Eorzea. Naturally, this alteration featureth a clear point of deviation from the world we know: the deeds of our companions on the First, and here too on the Source. However, we might imagine that any..."
Thancred waved his hands, and received his turn to speak. "Ah, past regrets, is it? How our lives might've changed if we had acted differently when we were younger? Known things we couldn't possibly have known? Or is it the fate of the entire world, something far too complicated for any of us to comprehend in this way?"
"Verily, I find such fantasies challenging to disregard."
"I did too, once. Surely everyone does, sometimes. But at this point? All I can imagine if anything changed in my past is that I'd be dead, a thousand thousand times over. After every close call for ourselves, the Warrior, the entirety of Eorzea...I can only imagine one path for myself that would bring me to this moment, and it's the one that led us here, right now."
"Of course. As ever, I perceive the wisdom in thy words."
"That doesn't mean...I...
"Well, when it comes to Moenbryda, I can't imagine we wouldn't all have benefited from having more time with her. Maybe she still would've been taken from us, eventually. But...I'm truly sorry. I think I speak for all the Scions when I say I wish things had turned out differently when we faced Nabriales."
"I too must apologize. I did not intend to dampen our evening with such dour meditations."
"It's fine, Urianger. I think it's important to reflect on our lives, every once in a while." He pulled out a cigarette and a sparker from his pocket, quickly lighting it. "If anything, I'm probably too eager not to think much about it these days."
"If she witnessed thee using the cartridges in such a manner, Y'shtola would cease to grant them."
"I'm sure. I've had enough of her scoldings for one lifetime. It's much better to have you around instead."
"I, too, am glad of thy companionship."
Thancred sat down at the table, and there was silence between them for some time, as he smoked and Urianger was lost in thought.
"I'm going to get a drink. Would you like anything?"
"Indeed, something bitter wouldst pair fittingly with my temperament tonight."
"You got it."