Odetta

Ranzal: Whew! That takes care of that! 'Bout time, too—I'm so hungry, I could eat a ham the size of a house.
Euden: We've been fighting more or less nonstop since morning, so let's get ourselves something to ea—
Thug: Oy, look at THIS hot little number! How ya doin', buttercup?
 ???: ......
Luca: Huh. Not every day you see lowlifes sauntering about in broad daylight.
Thug: Hey! Girlie! I know ya can hear me what with them giant ears!
 ???: ......
Thug: Blimey, that's it! Nobody gives me the silent treatment and gets away with it!
Euden: He's about to fight that woman! Luca! Ranzal! With me!
Ranzal & Luca: Got it!
 ???: ......
Thug: What the...?!
Ranzal: Holy mother of cats... Didja SEE that? She dodged him when he was right in her face!
Thug: Grr... I dunno how ya did that, but it ain't gonna happen again! Gahar har! Can't ignore me now, can ya?! Next time maybe you'll remember yer damn manners!
 ???: ......
Cleo: She's drawing her blade...
Thug: What's this then? Ya really wanna scrap with ME? Gahaaaar har har! Them little stick arms don't stand a chance! But hey, I never turn down a fight. C'mon, girlie! ...Urk!
Luca: Uh, guys? Correct me if I'm wrong, but she's got her blade at that guy's throat.
Ranzal: Looks like he picked the wrong lady to rumble with.
 ???: I am no lady. My name is Odetta.
Odetta: I am me, and that is enough.
Thug: Eeeeeek!
Notte: Holy guacamole! She sent him packing!
Customer: You've quite the sword arm on you, miss! Er, or rather...Odetta, was it?
Staff: That boorish thug has been giving us no end of trouble. Thank you for ridding us of his foul presence! We haven't much to offer in way of thanks, but feel free to order whatever food you like, on the house!
Odetta: A most generous offer, thank you. Now then... Hmm...
Notte: Wh-what the? She's comin' right for us! Alert! Alert! Dive, dive, dive!
Odetta: Pardon me, but if this seat isn't taken, might I burden you with my company?
Euden: It would be our pleasure. Please, have a seat.
Odetta: My thanks, Euden.
Elisanne: How do you know his name?
Odetta: Oh, a little birdie told me. One learns all manner of interesting things on the road.
Euden: So you're a traveler then?
Odetta: I am indeed. My name is Odetta, and I travel so that I might one day find myself in entirely new worlds!
Luca: You're gonna need to run that by me again. ...Er, slowly, if possible.
Odetta: I seek what is unknown—and the unknown is what is unknown to me! That is of which I speak when I speak of entirely new wor—
Notte: Is ANYBODY following this?
Odetta: I do not need you to understand. All I require at this time is your consent.
Luca: Okay, I definitely want you to run THAT one by me again.
Odetta: I wish to be taken to your castle. Might I ask this of you?
Euden: Of course! Everyone is welco—
Notte: Are you kidding me?! Hold up. Time out. Euden, get over here!
Luca: ...Insane. Totally insane.
Euden: Er, what is?
Notte: Did you not find it at ALL weird that we're failing to communicate with this woman even though we speak the same language? I got no clue what the hey she's on about, especially with all that "new world" jazz!
Luca: Notte's right. Hell, she might be a member of some nutty sect—AND she's good with a sword! You follow? She's dangerous!
Euden: Er, so? I mean, we already have a number of outstanding—yet slightly odd—warriors back at the Halidom. I'm sure you'll understand her better once you get to know her.
Odetta: Has your small council reached consensus, Euden? Will you take me to your castle?
Euden: You're more than welcome, Odetta— but in exchange, I'd like to hear some tales from your travels.
Odetta: I would be delighted.
Ranzal: Better buckle up, folks. Ain't no goin' back once his soft side kicks in.
Elisanne: Par for the course, is it not? Yet while this woman is still a stranger, so long as we give our all to protecting His Highness, everything should be well.
Ranzal: Damn right.
Odetta: Goodness gracious! There are so many things I have never seen before... How utterly magnificent!
Cleo: That's hardly surprising, given the age of this castle.
Odetta: Oh my—this painting! I've never seen such a style. How terribly fascinating...
Cleo: Actually, erm...I painted that. B-but what is it doing here?! Regardless, please stop staring at it. It is certainly not the kind of thing that warrants such prolonged appreciation.
Odetta: That is where you're wrong. This is entirely new to me, which means it possesses tremendous value. Pray show me more!
Cleo: N-no, I couldn't possibly...
Ranzal: Break out the axe and call me stumped, 'cause I got no clue what to make of her.
Euden: She may seem confusing to us at the moment, but in time—
Odetta: Pardon me, but I must ask permission to remain here for the time being. Would that be all right, Euden? This castle is simply enormous, you see, and it will take time to see it all. There is a whole new world waiting for me here, and I must see every nook and cranny!
Euden: You can stay as long as you like.
Odetta: I offer you my most profound gratitude.
Ranzal: I dunno, boss. Ya sure about this?
Euden: The only reason we find her confusing is because we know so little about her. Much like how she has yet to know every nook and cranny of the Halidom.
Ranzal: So yer sayin' she's like an entirely new world to us or...somethin'?
Euden: Exactly. Now let's all head over and give her a warm Halidom welcome.
Ranzal: Yeesh. I sure hope yer right about this...

Cleo: And she eludes me yet again. *sigh* To think I would be subjected to this much hardship just so I might return a book.
Euden: Who are you looking for, Cleo?
Cleo: Odetta.
Euden: Say, how are you two getting on, anyway?
Cleo: At the very least, I have now ascertained that she is not a dangerous individual. I HAVE begun to think she might not care much for groups, however; she even takes her daily meals in total solitude.
Euden: That's strange—I saw her talking with everyone last night. She seemed to be having quite the time, too.
Cleo: Hmm. What's the best way to put this? She's...difficult to put a label on. Just when you think you haven't seen her in a while, there she is having a great time at the center of it all. She seems to adhere to her own set of values and principles, but I have yet to deduce exactly what those might be.
Euden: I suppose we still have a lot to learn about Odetta.
Notte: Heeeey! Check it out, it's the Big O! C'mon, girl, tell me another one of your awesome travel stories!
Odetta: I would be more than happy to oblige. Let's see... Have I told you the tale of the walking vegetable?
Luca: NO, YOU CERTAINLY HAVE NOT!
Odetta: One day, deep in the forest, I saw it trudging along on its clawed feet... Thud... Thud... Thud...
Notte: Come on, Odetta! Quit yankin' my chain! ...Though, if it really WAS a vegetable, do you think I could eat it?
Luca: Can we NOT devour walking vegetables, please? It might go down fine, but there's no way it's coming out all right.
Euden: You have quite the repertoire of stories, Odetta—though I suppose I should have expected as much from a traveler.
Odetta: Yes, stories are sort of my thing.
Notte: While we're on the topic, exactly how long HAVE you been traveling?
Odetta: Oh, since my parents passed away. I was left with little choice after being driven from my mansion.
Luca: Wait, what? Back up. After you were "driven from your mansion"?!
Odetta: Well, I hate to bore you with a story I'm sure you've heard a million times, but after my parents passed, it was just the servants and my younger self left in the mansion. Soon even the help departed—with the more heartless of them looting the place as they went. Then a rival house of nobles availed themselves of the opportunity to seize our land, and drove me from it thereafter.
Luca: Oof. That's cold. Sorry.
Odetta: Whatever would you have to apologize for?
Luca: No, it's just... I didn't mean to make you wallow in a sad memory like that.
Odetta: Why would it be sad?
Luca: Muh?
Odetta: It's all in the past. I couldn't care less.
Notte: How can you be so detached about it? I mean, you should be at least a little bit—
Odetta: Oh, it's fine! For you see, we now have the me that stands before you. I will hold my head high and look ever forward, for there is most certainly an entirely new world waiting on the horizon!
Notte: Odetta, you're kind of... Um...
Luca: You're a weirdo. There, I said it.
Odetta: Heh. I get that sentiment a lot.
Euden: I think your...eccentricities are what make you so strong. Perhaps that's why you've been able to travel all this way on your own.
Odetta: Perhaps. I don't really think much about it, to be honest. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some errands to run. Ta!
Notte: Aaaaaand off she goes... Man, she is SUCH a mystery! How long can a person keep on keepin' on like that? I mean, is it really that easy to just turn off your memories?
Luca: I'm sure a life on the road is filled with meetings and partings, but even so, I think she may be taking this whole "live in the moment" thing a bit too far. I mean, she loses her parents and home and just...walks away without a care? Sounds like a lonely life to me.
Euden: It does. But I still feel like I managed to learn something about Odetta today. It might take time, but eventually I hope she's able to open up with us.

Odetta: Well, if it isn't the prince and his motley band of companions. Where are you off to?
Euden: The forest to the west. We've had reports that the fiends there are starting to get a bit out of hand.
Odetta: Ah, I know that forest. I have heard tale of a beautiful waterfall there.
Cleo: You heard right. And while it is quite the sight to behold, the path there is fraught with dangers, so it is not easy to—
Odetta: I'm coming with you.
Ranzal: Slow down there, tourist. We're goin' to slaughter fiends, not gawk at a buncha water comin' down a hill.
Odetta: That is quite all right, I'm certainly fit for the task. Shall we be off?
Euden: We'd be happy for the help.

Odetta: Hiyaaah!
Fiend: Graaaawr!
Odetta: Who's next?!
Fiend: Grrrrr...
Ranzal: Holy smokes, that's a big'un. We better fall back and figure out a plan.
Odetta: Finally, a foe with some mettle. En garde!
Cleo: Odetta, stop! It's too risky to go it alone!
Odetta: Haaaaaaaah! ...You blocked my attack? Impressive. You're making this worth my while!
Elisanne: We'll assist, Odetta!
Odetta: Thanks. But I've got this! Liberty Slash!
Fiend: Gwaaaar!
Notte: Cripes, she took it out all by her lonesome!
Ranzal: I knew she was tough, but whoa.
Euden: I guess we know why she's been able to travel the world safely for so long. Solo travel must be a flash in the pan without the strength for it. Let's make camp here for today.

Notte: Maaaaan, I'm beat!
Cleo: And I as well.
Odetta: Are you two all right?
Cleo: We'll be fine after some rest. You, on the other hand, seem perfectly fine.
Ranzal: Ain't often ya see someone look so at home fightin' fiends. Impressive stuff!
Odetta: Thank you. Still, a strong sword arm is a must for any traveler.
Cleo: Speaking of, isn't it difficult? Traveling on your own, I mean.
Odetta: Of course. But it's all worth it if I can find my way to new worlds.
Cleo: Again with the "new worlds". These new worlds of yours clearly hold a special place in your heart.
Odetta: They do. In fact, I only feel alive when I find somewhere new and then leave it to strike out for another one. It's that feeling of being alive that proves who I am.
Cleo: I feel like I'm part of the way there, but don't entirely understand.
Odetta: I don't need anyone to understand. No matter who I talk to, what I come up against, or what world I encounter, I am me, and that is enough.
Notte: You say that "I am me" thing a lot. Is it your catchphrase or whatever?
Odetta: More of a motto, I suppose. If I wear it like armor, I feel like there's nothing I can't live through. Even if I find myself in a world entirely unknown to me, I can still be myself, unwavering and steadfast. Or maybe I just want to believe in that side of me and find peace of mind in it...
Cleo: Odetta?
Odetta: Never mind. I think I'm going to enjoy the breeze for a moment.
Euden: An unwavering, steadfast self...
Elisanne: When Odetta said that, something about her just seemed so...lonely.
Notte: It takes a lot of strength to stay true to yourself like that, but...
Ranzal: I bet part of the reason she's like that is 'cause she HAD to be strong.
Cleo: I agree. Had she not turned those words into a kind of mantra, it's possible she may not have been able to make it this far. I think I understand how she feels; I also spent a great deal of time alone.
Euden: I just wish she would rely on us more.
Notte: I dunno, man. Odetta doesn't seem the type to need nothing from nobody.
Euden: Yeah, maybe I'm trying to move this forward too quickly. But if she ever DOES need our help, we should all give her a hand!
Notte: We might be waiting for that day for a while.
Cleo: I think she would most certainly learn to reach out to others for help if she were to encounter not a whole new world, but a whole new self. Odetta's journey is far from over. All we can do now is watch over her.

Euden: Are you really leaving, Odetta?
Odetta: I am. This castle is most fascinating, and my stay ended up being longer than I had initially anticipated. But alas, I am a traveler at heart, and must continue my wanderings. Farewell, Euden.
Odetta: (The feeling I get of being alive... The feeling that wells up from deep within when encountering entirely new worlds... No matter who or what I encounter, I am not perturbed and do not waver. That...is who I am. Encountering new worlds is the method by which I affirm that I am me. ...But why, then? No matter what I see and hear now, why do I feel so...empty? So unsatisfied? It's as if this just isn't enough for me any more. ...What IS this feeling?)
Euden: Hmm? Who's that?
Odetta: ......
Euden: Odetta! Welcome back!
Odetta: A phrase a traveler like me is most unaccustomed to hearing, I fear. Then again, perhaps I am a traveler no more and cannot go back to my old life...
Euden: You seem really down, Odetta. What happened?
Odetta: I...came back. I am a traveler, yet I came back. I'm not supposed to have a place I can return to like this. I walked to and fro until my feet grew sore and could carry me no longer, but I still couldn't find anywhere like this castle. Here, every single day is fresh and new! I don't know if I'll ever be able to find another place that makes me feel this way. I'm not...me anymore.
Euden: Easy, Odetta. You're still you.
Odetta: But I'm not! The person I was before coming to this castle would never entertain thoughts like these! Thinking about people I want to see? Or places I wish to return to? That's not me at all!
Euden: No, it's you. It's just a NEW you.
Odetta: A new...me?
Euden: That's right. Encountering a new world caused a change in you.
Odetta: That cannot be! I must remain unwavering! I'm not supposed to be as weak as this.
Euden: Being influenced by new worlds you encounter isn't a sign of weakness. The opposite, in fact—I think it takes remarkable strength to accept and embrace changes that occur within us.
Odetta: I find that line of reasoning terrifying.
Euden: Sure it is. Heck, anyone would be terrified by the thought of having who they are undermined like that. But if you can overcome that fear, there are whole new worlds—and a whole new you—waiting on the horizon. Maybe you can make this the starting point of a new journey of self-discovery.
Odetta: You...wouldn't mind?
Euden: Of course not. Welcome home, Odetta.
Odetta: Thank you. It's good to be back.

Odetta: I picked up the goods you asked for, Cleo.
Cleo: Thank you kindly. Would you mind leaving them on that counter over there for me?
Odetta: Aaaand...there we go. This should do. Is there anything else I can help you with?
Cleo: Well, if you're willing, would you mind getting some dishes for the soup?
Odetta: Of course!
Cleo: ...You've changed, Odetta.
Odetta: How so?
Cleo: Need you even ask? The way you're helping me right now is one such example.
Odetta: Heh. You might be right. Honestly, I think I'm starting to get interested in people. Back when I was traveling, showing an interest in people I met on the road obviously never led to much. But since I no longer live a life where I might part ways with people at any time, I'm free to get to know who I like!
Cleo: The Halidom is certainly full of all sorts; you'll not run out of people to meet here.
Odetta: Indeed, each person here has their own emotions and ways of thinking; I actually feel myself changing as we interact. I feel like I wake up a slightly different person each day—a thought that fills me with equal parts joy and terror. But even that terror is a new experience! To think that I had a whole new world inside of myself all along...
Cleo: In that sense, a "new you" is like a new world you can encounter without actually going anywhere.
Odetta: Exactly! I can encounter the unknown even if I remain in one place. I never had such thoughts when I was on my own. It's all due to you—and everyone else. Thank you so much.
Cleo: I'd say the one most deserving of your thanks is... Ah, look who's here.
Euden: Hey there, Cleo. Do you need a hand? ...Oh, hello, Odetta. I didn't realize you were hanging out over here.
Odetta: Cleo asked me to do some shopping.
Euden: And you decided to follow that up with a bit of food prep?
Odetta: Indeed I did. ...Hmm? What's that grin on your face all about?
Euden: Just glad you've started opening up to us.
Odetta: That's all anyone says to me lately! It's starting to get embarrassing... Anyway, Cleo, your dishes are here. I think I will be off now.
Cleo: Are you sure? The soup's almost ready.
Odetta: D-don't worry, I'll be back in a bit! ...Yeesh, I don't know if I will EVER get used to this.
Euden: Aaand away she goes.
Cleo: Pay it no mind. She's just being bashful.
Odetta: ......
Euden: Hmm? What happened? Did you forget something?
Odetta: I did, in fact. Thank you for letting me stay here, Euden. That's all. See you later.
Euden: Well, that was...new.
Cleo: Flush with bashfulness, yet fighting through it to be honest about her feelings? Heh. She really HAS changed.
Euden: And I feel like she's still got a whole lot of changing left to do. After all, her journey has only just begun.

Halloween Odetta: Nn… Wha? Did I fall asleep here? And this dress… When did I put this on? Strange indeed… A spider motif? Catching your prey by hanging around in a web all day… That’s not my style. Hmm… No one seems to be around. Where might the others be? And where is this place, exactly? … I suppose sitting here won’t tell me much. I’ll just have to accept these developments for what they are. There may be a new world beyond this reality, and I won’t sit here and miss it. I will not falter in the face of abnormality. I am me, and I shall continue my journey here and now.

Halloween Odetta: … Hmm.
Halloween Odetta: (Something strange is afoot. I’ve been walking for ages, yet feel no fatigue. More curious still is the utter lack of other people—or any living creature, for that matter. And try as I might, I can’t hear anything more than a wind’s steady howling. It’s an unsettling brand of quiet. On top of all that, the sun has yet to rise despite how long I’ve been here. A world of silence and perpetual darkness… What IS this place?)
Halloween Odetta: …Heh. Despite the strangeness of it all, I can’t deny my own giddiness at being here. A world without people! That’s a first, all right. I must see as much of this world as I can!

Halloween Odetta: … Freedom.
Halloween Odetta: (The burdens I endured each day… They’re all gone. I can journey forth and encounter all new things. I shall walk on through this world of quiet darkness.)
Halloween Odetta: After all, what better way to learn the truth of this world?

Halloween Odetta: …Ugh. I’m so bored.
Halloween Odetta: (I miss that motley crew… Even that nosy kid.)
Halloween Odetta: Wait, what am I thinking?! Get ahold of yourself, Odetta.
Halloween Odetta: (I never would have entertained thoughts like this before.)

Euden: … Heck, anyone would be terrified by the thought of having who they are undermined like that. But if you can overcome that fear, there are whole new worlds—and a whole new you—waiting on the horizon. Maybe you can make this the starting point of a new journey of self-discovery.

Halloween Odetta: And there I go, thinking back on memories with another person. Have I… Have I become weak? …No. Even alone, I can walk forward. I am me, no matter what happens.

Halloween Odetta: So you encounter lots of new worlds. What happens then?
Odetta: …Pardon?
Halloween Odetta: With each new world I encounter, I affirm myself to be steadfast. But that won’t make me grow. Am I satisfied with that?
Odetta: To be steadfast is to be strong. And I must be strong.
Halloween Odetta: There I am, racked by scars of the past. Mother and Father died, so many people betrayed me, and I was left with nothing and no one. Had I not found strength, I would have joined them in the grave. It was a hard and harrowing time.
Odetta: Don’t talk like you understand!
Halloween Odetta: Don’t I. I am Odetta, after all.
Odetta: You’re me? And I’m…you?
Halloween Odetta: Yes. And that is why I know your desire for strength is merely born of stubbornness. I’m trapped by the past. This hunger I have, this urge to live freely—that is proof of my condition! And even knowing that, I deny it. Like a fly caught in a spider’s web, I struggle despite knowing my fate.
Odetta: No, you’re wro—
Halloween Odetta: It would be easier to just accept it, right? …I’m weak.
Odetta: No, you are STRONG. You have to be strong…
Halloween Odetta: …Heh. Solitude is a lonely business, huh? You can’t keep walking forever. The pain sets in eventually. I can travel all I like, but I will never get anywhere. I will never become someone. What if I just stopped?

Halloween Odetta: …Huh? A dream, was it? Or rather a nightmare… And here I thought myself free of my past… Could it be I’ve actually been stuck all along?
Halloween Odetta: (The things I said in that dream… They hurt so badly because they were true. I… I feel like I’m about to lose who I am.)
Halloween Odetta: This feeling is yet another world for me. A world with a new me, uncomfortable and difficult to parse… Perhaps it will alleviate my boredom. Let the journey continue.

Halloween Odetta: (I can’t get it out of my head… All this time, I’ve been traveling in hopes of proving myself steadfast. I believed that strength lay in refusing to change… But is that really strength? I am me, but…am I a strong person? Is it weak to need affirmation?)
Halloween Odetta: Oh. It seems I’ve stopped. …No. You must walk Odetta. You must move ever forward. You mustn’t let your memories ensnare you. You must walk on and pay no mind to your feelings. I am a traveler. That’s who I am.

Halloween Odetta: Is this a lake? It has a lovely shimmer… Perhaps I shall stop here for the day. Hm? Who goes there?!
 ???:
Halloween Odetta: Wait… You’re…!
Father: Odetta, my darling daughter. At long last, we are together again.
Halloween Odetta: Father? This can’t be…
Father: What’s the matter? You’ve gone pale. I am so very sorry we left you. Was it terribly lonely?
Halloween Odetta: I…
Father: It’s okay. I’m here now. You needn’t feign strength any longer.
Halloween Odetta: ……
Halloween Odetta: (I have been lying to myself all this time. On frozen eves or dewy mornings, at times when I witnessed the most beautiful sights, there was a feeling that threatened to overwhelm me. If only my family were with me. If only someone who loved me was there to witness it too… Over time, I merely got better at self-deception. I’m still trapped. What I felt upon seeing my father was proof enough.)
Father: You can stay here, my dearest Odetta. Rest your weary soul.
Halloween Odetta: ……

Father: …Yes, Odetta. Just like that. You don’t have to walk anymore. Let us remain together, for eternity.
Halloween Odetta: No more walking…?
Father: That’s right.
Halloween Odetta: …I see. Then this is where we part.
Father: What? Urgh… Odetta! What are you doing?!
Halloween Odetta: My apologies, doppleganger, but I can’t stop here. I am a traveler, true and free, and I refuse to be shackled by despair again. I shall continue on my own two feet. I shall not stop!
Father: Heh heh… Such absolute resolve! To reject your fated journey to sacrifice by sheer will alone! Such a pure soul! Even granted the chance to bring this journey to an end, you buck and whinny! Truly you are deserving of darkness!
Halloween Odetta: My journey has no end—much less one decided by a fiend… On my travels, I heard tell of a fiend that nests inside a person’s dreams, feasting on their very soul. I had wondered when you might finally show yourself, but to think you’d choose my own father’s visage… Truly the height of poor taste.
Father: Hah. I should have expected as much from my beloved daughter!
Halloween Odetta: Enough. This tawdry drama is done. I will silence your nonsense. Begone! Haaaah!
Father: Hrk! How can you attack me so freely?! Does this form not give you pause?!
Halloween Odetta: You’d think a fiend that devours souls would know better than to think of looks as important. Haaaaah!
Father: Nooo!
Fiend: Urgh!
Halloween Odetta: You want my soul? Well, here it is. I hope you’re hungry! Envoy of the End!
Fiend: Graaaaaagh!
Halloween Odetta: Well. I think we’re done here. All dreams must end, after all. And now, on to a new world. …Hm?

Odetta: My clothes are white again. Ah, and that endless darkness is gone. Morning has come at last.
Euden: Odetta! Open your eyes! ODETTA!
Odetta: That voice… I think I’d best get walking. There are people waiting for me to come home.

Euden: …etta… Odetta!
Odetta: Ah!
Cleo: At last, you’re awake.
Odetta: Euden…Cleo... Where…?
Cleo: You were asleep for several days.
Euden: Yes. You were cursed by a fiend during battle.
Cleo: I tried all manner of remedies, but nothing seemed to work.
Odetta: I see. Well, I thank you for your efforts. In the end, I purged the curse myself.
Cleo: Oh? How did you manage that?
Odetta: In my dream, I embarked on a journey. And along the way, a fiend appeared with wicked intent. I simply gave him his just deserts.
Cleo: Hmm… So you broke the curse from within your own mind. That speaks volumes of your spirit. You are uncommonly strong.
Odetta: Heh. Strong, huh?
Euden: Odetta?
Odetta: It’s nothing. Nothing at all. Now, could one of you please tell me why that table is covered in treats?
Cleo: Ah, those. They are for Halloween. Everyone was worried when you wouldn’t wake, so they brought these to you in hopes of reminding you what you were missing.
Odetta: Huh? Is it already time for Halloween?
Euden: It sure is.
Odetta: Goodness… I must have been asleep for some time.
Cleo: All that matters is that you’re back. Just in time, in fact.
Euden: Everyone will be very relieved to see you up and enjoying the occasion.
Odetta: I don’t care much for crowds, but I suppose I can make an exception. I won’t run off. Not after I worried everyone so.
Cleo: Good. Now, what sort of costume would you like to wear? There is still time for me to make you something.
Odetta: Thank you, that’s very kind. How about… a black dress. A deep, stygian black.
Cleo: Far from your usual white attire. Trying to make a statement, are we?
Odetta: Heh, something like that. I am me. And no matter what worlds I might encounter, I shall remain myself… Weakness included.
Euden: Did something happen in your dream, Odetta?
Odetta: Oh yes. You might say it was the reason for my entire journey.
Euden: Well, as long as you’re okay…
Odetta: I’m all right. I have endured pain and hardship enough for a lifetime, but I have the strength to walk on. Regardless of dress, regardless of locale, I am me. My strength, my weakness… All of it.
Cleo: You seem to have found some level of peace—but don’t forget that you have friends to support you as well.
Odetta: Oh, I won’t. I will spend Halloween here with you all, and we shall journey forth together for a long time to come. I shall embrace my own weakness and walk on to new worlds.