[There's a precious second of dissociative calm in Zelos' mind as he allows himself to bask in the strange, nostalgic feeling of this ether signal bouncing off his crystal, but then that makes way for a cocktail of foreign emotions that choke him as his eyes snap open. He makes eye contact with the one who awakened him, with his driver, and sees her face contorting in the same emotions that float up their link. There's horror, there's confusion, there's despair--there's hope, along with something deep and desolate like grief. Zelos doesn't know what to do with this. He blinks, frowns, looks down at his warm crystal--

And abruptly remembers reality for what it is, for what it did to him. Remembers where he is.

Rage and pain boil up his throat like tidal waves until he nearly chokes on them, but he swallows them back down, plasters a big, stupid grin on his face. His driver is staring, her hand still resting on his core crystal. The sensation is foreign and horrible and intrusive and he wants her gone, wants to separate from her as soon as possible, but the knowledge that he can't get what he wants weighs heavily in his gut, burning like hot, angry fire.

He snuffs those flames out again before they can consume him, the smoke rising out his lips in a laugh. Zelos reaches for the girl's hand and pries it off his crystal with a little too much force, wanting it away from himself, but remembering to pretend enough to bring her knuckles to his lips. He offers her another grin, tilts his head.] "In the flesh, honey," [he says in a low, almost sultry tone. He lets go of her hand.] "You look shocked. I know, I know. It must be overwhelming to gaze upon the Aegis' perfection," [he jokes.

Then he turns to look at the rest of the people gathered here, those bastards, and allows more smoke to come out of his mouth in the shape of lies as he greets them all.] "Good morning, everyone," [sings the caged bird in a sickeningly sweet tone meant to placate, to entertain.] "Guess who's back!"

[He never wanted to be back.]