[ her joke does catch him off guard, surprising a laugh out of him when he sees the way she says it. she's always been so serious; it's almost... cute, with how hard she's trying.

but she's trying. and shouldn't he try too? the organization is no more, they're not in the castle -- they're nothing more than blank slates right now. they can write their own story. ]

You know, there's a story about that, [ he starts, his free hand coming up to rub at the back of his neck as he tries to remember. ] Flying monkeys. Don't remember what it's called, but they live in a castle. A green one.