The roaring of waves resounded as Felicity walked through the sunlight. The remote coastline smelled of fish and salt. Despite being on a grassy path some ways away from the beaches, Felicity could still feel the smallest hints of sea spray on her face. The hot day was hardly good for Felicity, a girl who spent her first nine years in the frigid land of Eiskalt. Felicity had, since then, grown up in Corone, albeit under the cool canopies of Underwood's trees. She had a lot of weapons on her waist and slung over her back, as well as several bags being carried as well. Wearing brown pants and a heavy shirt, panted as she struggled against the sun's heat.

Turning a corner, Felicity's boots sunk onto a small patch of sand. Beyond the pathway, Felicity spotted the entrance to a familiar beach. Since she was ten, until she was fourteen, Felicity's family had come to this beach every summer for a two week vacation. Her cousin took off from his duties as a Coronian Ranger, and her uncle was able to take a break from being a smithy. Felicity closed her eyes, smelling the salty air and recalling those times. Every year, Uncle Fulcrum tried and failed to fish before cousin Jonathan and herself returned from a seaside vendor with something like smoked lobster or fried salmon. Felicity remembered the first time, that first year, they tried ice cream and all cried out in shock at the cold flavorful cream. Felicity remembered running across the rocky shores, searching the seaside for clams in hopes of finding the legendary pearls elves made business out of here. Felicity opened her eyes, tears flooding her eyes. Those times were such bliss, why had she left to chase heroism?

As her tear clouded vision unblurred, Felicity gasped. She... must have subconsciously walked. Now, she was standing in the middle of the same beach she had vacationed at so many years ago. Felicity sniffled, wiping her eyes. The sand dunes of the beach had wood debris, winding bushes, and old fishing nets littering the shore. It was out of vacation season, and the elves seldom spent time on the beach during the off seasons. Felicity sighed, walking closer to the clear blue waves of the beach. She had been traveling on an important mission. Why had she stopped here? Felicity needed to return to her new home, Whitevale, urgently. Why was she now walking upon the squishy sands of a beach she had not been at for years?

She needed to go.

Felicity sighed, adjusting the weapons dangling on her belt as she turned and looked down the shoreline. She saw that indeed, a lone fisherman had set up camp a while ways down, fishing for the day. Felicity reached up and pushed her curled, red hair back. Deciding to relish in some painful nostalgia, Felicity turned and walked along the edge of the sea. She was so tempted to remove her boots, but she could not risk cutting herself on some old glass or a sharp seashell. Under the burning sun, Felicity gazed out to the sea as she absent-mindedly strolled along. She could not lose Whitevale like she had lost her uncle and cousin. Remembering the memories of joy with her family, Felicity felt bitter sadness at the fact that both had been dead for years.

Felicity was nineteen now. She lived ages away from the family that had raised her. Huh, family. What was family anymore? Was it the people who were related to her and raised her, like her cousin and uncle? Was it found friends that felt close to her heart and guided her, like her teacher in Whitevale? Could she consider Shinsou Vaan Osiris some kind of family? She blushed upon thinking of one of the people she had met on her journey to Whitevale, Leoric Blackwell. Could he be family? Her feelings were hard to deny, and she was close to him and the girl he had adopted. Was Kylie truly like a daughter? And what was Leoric Blackwell to Felicity? What did he think of her? Friend? Lover? Family? Felicity had never experienced that kind of family. She had no father, and her mother had abandoned her. Uncle Fulcrum's wife had died shortly before Felicity was born herself. Felicity had no idea how the lover's family worked. What was family anymore?

"Eep!"

Felicity had been so lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice a fisherman's metal lunchbox until she was actively tripping over it. In an instant, she had a face full of wet sand. She was actively aware of the fact that she was right in front of that lone fisher, having potentially ruined a catch with her thud so close to the waves.