After lunch the group somewhat disassembled, leaving Luke, Poppy, Chase, and Neo outside of the cafe by the busy street.
Equan and Luna had left to scavenge the Tudor home for any coins that were laying around since they didn't want to force the princess to pay for every meal, and the former group needed to say their goodbyes anyway.
Although Poppy was going to be staying for quite a while, Chase still found himself more bummed out than excited, especially now that he knew what and where Neo was going to be doing.
"I think its a bad idea..." Luke said, pulling a cigarette from a small satchel around his waist and holding it out in front of Chase.
Chase sighed as well, glancing over as he formed a spark on the tip of the cigarette for Luke to drag until the end of this most definitely stress inducing conversation.
Neo looked at the clear sky above, constantly switching his balance from right foot to left foot and back again over and over and over.
Eventually he muttered. "Don't have a choice..."
Chase shook his head, clearly about to get mad at his friend for trying to make the same mistake that he had once made.
However, Poppy pinched his arm and shook her head before he could even say anything.
"Look, I get it guys... I know what I'm doing, if something goes wrong then I'll get out and come back, then we can have lunches like this all of the time, and I won't get to miss out on anymore cool adventures ya know? But this one chance... It could very well be the only chance I'll ever get." Neo's eyes did something that Chase had never seen them do before, let alone anyone in the group.
Because once Chase quickly glanced around, he realized that Poppy and Luke were both staring at Neo with very worried looks.
The corners of his blue eyes looked almost crystalline with humidity, and although it was hard to notice because of the gashes and scars. Neo's face was violently tensed up.
Then, Luke sighed. Stepping a foot closer to Neo, he roughly patted him on the back and grinned with the cigarette still hanging from his lips.
Neo looked almost uncomfortable, staring with clear intimidation out of the corner of his eyes at the man who had once been simply just his annoying teacher.
"You got it kid, kill that son of a bitch and come back a Paladin. Got it?" Luke patted him again, while taking another drag of his cigarette.
Chase didn't know how Luke could be so comforting and supportive in a moment like this, especially when he was completely against the actions Neo was about to take on.
'Has training Equan made him this good a person?' Chase wondered, letting his eyes hit the pavement below once more.
"Yeah..." Neo continued with a deep breath.
Then just as if it were a script, a royal carriage pulled directly up in front of the cafe, most probably a favor by Poppy.
The driver reached over and waved for Neo to get on, his call being overtaken by the neighing of the brilliant white stallion that pulled the carriage.
Neo turned towards his friends with a grin.
"Thank you guys... For everything, I mean it... I-" Before Neo could make a promise he had no way of keeping, Poppy leaped at him, squeezing him in a violent hug while simultaneously punching the back of Neo's shoulders with closed fists.
Neo didn't hug her back, and instead found himself locking eyes with Chase, who probably looked three times as mad as Luke had originally seemed when Neo had declared his quest.
Neo slowly pushed Poppy away, who punched him in the shoulder again just for good measure, but did step aside and next to Luke who put a hand on her own shoulder.
Neo stepped towards Chase, and the two suddenly did something that had neither of them had done towards each other.
It was a standoff, or at least the tension in the air felt as if the two were sizing each other up for a fight.
Chase eventually took a heavy breath and held a hand out for Neo.
With a loud slap, Neo grabbed Chase's hand and they pulled each other in for half of a hug.
"If you get yourself killed, you can make damn sure that I will go straight into hell and kill you again over and over and over again until you wish that mimic had killed you back at Phoenix Academy." Chase threatened, not noticing that his heart was beating rapidly, and he was desperately thinking of a way to save his friend.
The memories of Summer, Onyx, Danny, Blaze, and Leander all flashed through his head with vivid imagery, and the inevitable thought of losing another friend when he could have done something... Was stomped out immediately by Neo's following words.
"When I get back... Me and you are going to fight... I can't get outdone by the son of Blaze after all... Of course you shouldn't let it all get to your head, but you have made phenomenal progress since we first met... And you saved me from that weird ass gladiator fight. And I'm not sure how, but I know you did something to help me overcome my battle with that mimic back in the day... So, I owe you more than anyone else... So instead of worrying about me, make sure you yourself live long enough to challenge me for my spot as youngest Paladin..." Neo gave a powerful shove, that would have knocked Chase into the wall behind him had it not been for the obvious expectation of such a move. The ground cracked under the force of both powerful students of Phoenix Academy, and Neo left with a chuckle and the shake of his head, but before he took the first step onto the carriage.
Chase noticed that Neo had almost turned his head around, he had almost made the mistake of realizing what he was daring to leave.
Perhaps it would have been better, or maybe not. Because although Neo hesitated, he grit his teeth and stepped into the carriage.
Poppy tried to hold out a hand and yell something but Luke only gripped her shoulder tighter and shook his head.
Eventually the carriage sped off, scarily making it possible that this could be the last time that any of them see Neo.
Poppy turned around and grimace.
"You guys just let him leave...?" Her eyes sunk into sadness, and her shoulders slumped.
"I brought him here so that you could talk some sense into him, damnit all..." Her frown deepened, but Luke simply pushed Poppy into Chase and turned around.
"I'm heading back home for the day, Luna and my protege should be back any minute, take the day off and go explore the city or something..." Luke's voice sounded out of it, as if he himself was unsure of the decision he had made.
Chase and Poppy were left awkwardly standing beside each other in a sort of melancholy daze... Both struggling with the fact that the detention crew could possibly never have such a reunion again.