"It wasn't entirely selfless, we are stuck in this world too," Knock Out pointed out wryly, lowering himself into a seated position with a wince. He still had pieces of shrapnel stuck in his joint seams from taking on the OTO base with Anders, and moving certain ways aggravated them.

Mizuki looked encouragingly whole and unscathed. He hadn't seen her inside the storm, but then he hadn't seen much of anyone once he'd entered it.

"I think it was different for everyone," he replied, recalling the memory he'd relived and the choice that Clotho had offered him and presumably others.