[ there is a moment, when the Communion first connects, where Gen feels something: a sudden spike of pain, full-body agony like every inch of him is being stabbed with white-hot needles, muscles wound so tense they could snap, head swimming with nausea—only for a split second, and then it is gone, so brief that his senses barely have time to register what happened. Ruby shoves those sensations down with both hands as though she could separate from her own body. ]

Ah, of course! [ her own mental landscape remains gentle in the presence of his sharp edges, unquestioning and accepting of Gen much in the way of a submissive dog bowing its head. ] I owe you a lot, after all.

[ Minegishi Gen is such a strange figure to her. it made sense to affix herself to him when she was part of Zenith's ranks; someone that might hurt her could still be someone that might protect her, after all, so long as she behaved herself well. now that she has returned to Meridian, it seems more absurd than ever to count on any mercy from Gen, which makes him a threat without any value to offset it, but... here she is, holding onto that thread anyway. pleasantly surprised to hear from him at all after they had parted ways.

though she does wish it hadn't been now, of all times. ugh, this wretched illness of hers. and just what is he so pissed off about, anyway... ]

I'll meet you, um... Here? [ she shows him an image of a café in Springstar, with a broad enough view to put it in the context of its surroundings. ] —Or I could come to Highstorm, if you'd prefer?