"I spent the next year in Japan, working on my Charms Mastery. I made a friend, the first one I'd tried to make, the first person I'd even attempted to get to know since leaving England. Her name was Briar. She was about my age and she was... kind. Harsh, sometimes. But kind. That feeling, that weight and fog on my body that pulled and pushed all the good things away... started backing off. Little by little, I started telling her things. About me. About the war. I told her about... my parents. Where they were. Told her that I'd planned on going to see them after the Mastery course was finished, at the end of 2000. That I had hope of restoring their memories, or some of them, and returning to England." Her grip on the glass tightened as she made a visible effort to swallow, her eyes glossy.