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A smile tugs at his mouth without completely manifesting. Those words about the Amaro had partially meant to tease but the sincerity by which Hythlodaeus believed him and tried to communicate with it is much too endearing to make light of.

Emet shrugs wide with both arms and sighs in defeat.

"If you insist..." He moves over to the railing and reaches over to pat the beast on the head. Carefully. "This doesn't mean I intend to do this with every beast you come across."

The amaro closes its eyes and leans into their touches. Hythlodaeus seems genuinely enamoured by the beast, but soon moves his hand away. "We could stand here all day petting him, but I fear we have other tasks to tend to. Eating, for example. I wish to sample the cuisine here."

That seems like a good idea up until he realises something. "Ah. I have nothing to offer for the services here." He peers up at Emet-Selch. "...I'd be in your debt?" Surely Emet can't expect him to starve.

That causes Emet to arch an eyebrow.

He lifts his hand from the Amaro and folds both arms over his chest. "The cuisine here is hardly worth being indebted to anyone for." The food is actually quite good, especially after a long day spent out in the heavy sunlight, but downplaying it in order to make this not seem like a big deal is the ultimate goal.

"But if you insist on giving me remittance, perhaps you can tell me more about this memory I do not recall."

Well, he can do that. "Let us start with what you do recall, then. You remember Elpis, but is aught missing? Nothing feels out of place?"

He can't think of any reason why Emet-Selch wouldn't remember anything, but surely in this case if he did, there would be a gap in his memories. A quite noticeable one, at that. The 'familiar' was with them for at least a day.

Out of place?

He looks up while considering the events those few days. "The first few days are certainly amiss. The preparations for Hermes' creation went askew and as such, I scarcely recall anything of our arrival." Suppose that qualifies as 'out of place'.

His eyes narrow, "Are you saying that you remember what happened then?"

"His creation?" It doesn't occur to Hythlodaeus that he means Kairos until he recalls the conversation about what it can do. Then he snaps his fingers suddenly and points to Emet-Selch.

"Kairos. A means to erase and modify memories as the user sees fit... something must have gone awry. As it happens, the time from whence I came must be before such an incident, and therefore I still remember."

Suppose being from before that incident is possible in the realm of 'time travel'.

Emet puts a hand to his chin as he tries to recall what had taken place that day. It was so long ago, but the details are just odd enough to stick out in memory.

"When we came out of the facility after the demonstration, others asked where our 'companions' had gone. Venat being one, but the other one has always remained unaccounted for." A look of realization washes over his face as he considers it, and he looks to Hythlodaeus with a silent question.

Hythlodaeus shrugs. "Then we have a plausible solution. A demonstration, you say? And I suppose something went wrong, wiping the memories of all present." Remind him to deny a demonstration, in that case...

"And so we went about our days none the wiser." And in that case, they wouldn't have known to prevent the Final Days- if that's even possible. Things would have been as if their friend had never shown up, which may be why she supposedly never revealed herself after the fact. Not that Hythlodaeus can honestly blame her.

"The details seem to fit."

More importantly, if that is, indeed, what happened then it's probable that all the other information would match up just the same. Emet's look softens as he mentally fits the pieces into place.

"Which would mean you're really..." His tone shifts. "Here. Not a shade, but the 'you' that I remember."

Nodding, Hythlodaeus smiles up at his friend. "Yes, I'm here- for better or for worse."

He pauses, to take in the softening of the harsh lines on Emet's face. He's glad that it's sinking in that he's really here, but at the same time... what will Emet-Selch do when Hythlodaeus has to leave again?

It doesn't bear thinking about now, so he doesn't bring it up. "On that note, as a living being, I'm still rather hungry."

Important as though eating maybe, The words are left to sit unaddressed. Emet, instead, looks on in contemplative silence while considering how best to acknowledge this situation.

"Long have I considered what I would say when given the chance to meet you again, Hythlodaeus." His tone seems to bear an edge of sadness. There were countless days in Amaurot would he sit and think about what had happened, what could have been handled differently, and what he would say when the city reached its former glory again. Often, those thoughts were the sole driving force to continue onward.

"Now that I finally have the opportunity, I find myself wanting for words." There doesn't seem to be any adjectives that could properly articulate the amalgamation of emotions that he feels. As such, he leans forward and gives his dear friend a tight hug. Perhaps this could express it well enough.

Hythlodaeus pauses, surprised by the hug but not finding it to be unpleasant. He pauses for a second before hugging back, burying his face in Emet-Selch's shoulder with a smile. Small gestures like this that show how Emet really feels are few and far between, but he cherishes them when they present themselves.

"You needn't worry about words, friend." He lifts his head to smile fondly up at Emet, the admiration clear in his eyes, before resting his cheek back on Emet's shoulder. "I understand, as I always have done."

A small squeeze is his unspoken response. Perhaps actions can show what he means in the absence of well-crafted words. Over time, surely, the proper words will present themselves.

"Much to my concurrent delight and displeasure," Emet utters as he lets Hythlodaeus free from his grasp. Teasing as the words may be, they are said with a clear expression of fondness.

Emet motions in the direction of the market. "Come, It's remiss of me to keep a 'living being' from their desire for sustenance for long."

He lets go at the same time as Emet, though he admittedly would have liked the hug to go on longer. He giggles at Emet's teasing, but there's still that same affection in his gaze, and he holds his eyes with his own affectionately.

"Is the cuisine here very different?" Hythlodaeus can't imagine it would be exactly the same as he's used to after so long, but other than that he doesn't know what to expect. "I'll have whatever you're having."

With that, he starts towards the marketplace. Surely they would find some street fair that would be of interest to them both.

"If I told you, then it would diminish the experience, wouldn't it?" Emet says, coy to answer. "Better to let it speak for itself." And be able to see the genuine experience besides.

"If you insist." Following after Emet-Selch, he looks around curiously as they make their way there. He still thinks this place is amazing, quite frankly. He still sees no way home, though. And if he disappears... well, he may be with Emet here, but what of the one left behind in Elpis? How would he feel if Hythlodaeus went missing without a trace? Hythlodaeus has no doubt in his mind that Emet-Selch would search high and low for him, and never give up the hunt.

And yet... he still feels warm from the hug. He felt the love there, and to leave this Emet behind hurts his heart too. All in all, it's a situation that he can't rightly say he has a solution for yet.

The marketplace is a circular area where each stall is surrounded by plates of blue glass. Even though food is bought and sold here, there is a suspicious lack of places for anyone to sit to enjoy it. Emet pauses by one of the lamp posts that frame the area to address that very problem. With a snap of his fingers, a quaint round table with two chairs springs into existence.

The next task is obtaining food, which he does so with the same amount of ease from a nearby stall. He fills the tabletop with tomato pies with ornately carved tomato flowers, fresh fish, bowls of broth and vegetables, cookies, and a pot of yellow tea with two cups. Quite a lot of food for two people. Then, he finally sits and expectantly waits for Hythlodaeus to do the same.

"It's not much." He says while flippantly unfurling a cloth napkin he seems to have procured from somewhere. "Hopefully you'll find something to your liking." It's the best and most delicious food there is in the city, he made certain of that.

Hythlodaeus waits for Emet-Selch to finish preparing the table before he sits, looking over the food curiously. It smells good, at least, and the gnawing in his stomach intensifies slightly. He takes a bowl of broth and carefully ladles some into his own bowl, before trying some. He hums, pleased.

"This is exquisite... I daresay I'll want to try a little of everything here." And though Emet tries to play it off, Hythlodaeus know that he brought him the best food he could find. He ignores the people looking over at them curiously, and starts to eat in earnest- though being at a table, he does fall into the habit of people-watching. He spots a group of Lalafell and tilts his head, looks to Emet with a raised eyebrow, and then decides to just continue eating.

The Warrior had been strange enough with her elongated ears, but some people here even have scales and horns and tails. A few have long bunny ears, and others have cat ears. A man with purple skin and dark horns catches Hythlodaeus staring, and he quickly goes back to his food. "Fascinating... if not slightly confusing."

Emet starts in on his own food, picking away neatly at it. Perhaps it's a bit different than how he used to approach food the last time they shared a meal together, but it's become a habit over the course of many dreary formal gatherings during his tenure in Garlemald to eat like a refined diplomat.

"Is the food here truly so perplexing?" He asks in the midst of disassembling a piece of flaky pastry with a knife and fork. Though being able to see his line of sight in looking out at the rest of the room he couldn't imagine what exactly the comment could be referencing.

Chuckling, Hythlodaeus shakes his head. "Not the food, the people. Tails and horns and furry little ears... however did that happen?" He picks up some bread from the table to dunk in his soup and mulls it over.

"They make me recall Meteion's avian features, almost." Of course, not knowing that Meteion is the cause of the Final Days, he says it quite fondly. The familiar grew on him a lot while he was in Elpis.

His expression shifts to a look of confusion. Who? It's been so long and the encounter with her so brief, that the name doesn't so much as ring a bell.

The general question itself is addressed instead. "It has never been my area of focus, but I've found them more common as the worlds were remade in each Umbral age." Why bother with incomplete beings that he saw to improve upon by the rejoining? "You can find many fascinating theories about their origin here in the library, if it interests you. Each book is full of more exuberant myth than the last."

"I may have to peruse those books sometime... assuming I get the chance." It's just a hint of a reminder that he will have to leave, and his eyes take in Emet-Selch's features to gauge his reaction.

As it happens, Hythlodaeus eats carefully but quickly, because he often had more pressing matters than to enjoy his food. That holds true even now, despite not really having anywhere to be. He finishes his soup and pulls some fish towards him. He can put away a lot of food when he wants to, as well.

Assuming he gets the chance? The thought is enough to put a sobering look back on Emet's face.

He stops eating mid-bite. Both eating utensils are slowly set on the table and stacks one hand on top of the other. It's an important subject and he doesn't want to detract from the topic.

"You can stay here, you know." He says, knowing full well the problems that could create. Is it selfish to try and hold onto someone that reminds him of the sense of happiness he's long forgotten? To try and avoid the unfortunate future he knows will happen for this one important person. "It would afford you every chance to read books, and make countless new discoveries."

Hythlodaeus sighs, his ever-present smile fading a little. "Would that I could. But you know that if I stay here, the Emet-Selch of the past will never stop looking for me. Not to mention all the anomalies it could cause should I disappear. I don't even know if I could stay of my own volition."

He picks at his fish, his appetite waning. "I would much rather you came back with me... though who knows what I would do with two of you." He smiles sadly up at his friend. "And who knows what issues such a situation would cause besides."

As funny as that thought is, it doesn't do so much as coax the faintest hint of a smile. If anything his demeanor seems to dim even more.

"My going there would change nothing of our futures." Time would proceed as it has and he would only succeed in the experience of losing everything a second time. Then would come the crushing procession of time. Eons passing.

His expression and tone turn painfully sincere. "You may not know of what awaits you in the future but I do, and I am begging you not to return that place. Please."

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