With Oak no longer present your attention shifted between Anne and the woman who stood there blankly, her gaze almost vacant as she stared out over the fields impassively. You considered yourself to be good at reading people, at figuring what was going on behind the social mask they wore, picking out the hints that betrayed their emotional state. You considered yourself well adapted to this, and yet you couldn't see anything in her eyes, her body language or her expression.
There was nothing going on in her head emotionally, there was nothing beyond reflexive actions that hadn't been purged, there was nothing but an empty shell of a person stood there. An empty shell was one you hoped that could be filled with experiences, one that you could teach to live again, though you had little hope for her. You knew how much damage had been done, you knew that those that went through this were going to take something miraculous to restore them to who and what they had been before this.
You were no miracle worker.
Your attention shifted back to Anne as you sighed, unable to conceal how deeply this woman bothered you, prompting an expression of concern to cross Anne's features. She had seen you suffer before, she had seen the way that you had emotionally broken down when creating weapons of war. She knew you well enough to know when it was a bad idea to tease or provoke you, to know when supporting you was more prudent.
At least you hoped that was the case.
"Anne, you've a great deal of experience with the Enlightened, do you recognise her?" You asked, watching as Anne turned her attention toward the woman, as she examined her carefully.
"She looks like Sister Joy," Anne started, the pair of you watching the woman for any reaction to the name that she had once bore, though there was no change in her expression, no hint of reaction or recollection in her eyes. "Joy, it's Anxiety, do you recognise me?"
"My designation is Guardian-" the woman started, only for Anne to place a finger to her lips, her expression betraying how she clearly didn't wish to hear this.
"We can't call you by a designation, as a designation is not your name. Joy, do you remember who you are?" Anne asked, though the question was followed by an awkward moment of silence before Anne spoke once more. "Do you remember anything, Joy?"
Silence.
"Joy wasn't with us for too long before our capture," Anne sighed as she turned her attention back towards you, shaking her head slowly as she did so. "She was inexperienced as you can guess, though none of us were really that greatly able beyond our... Gift," She spat the word, shaking her head slowly as she did so. "I guess you could say in a sense, the Enlightened is like a group for people who wanted to be special, yet were unexceptional in any way. We weren't the smartest, strongest, fastest or toughest of people, most of us were afraid to die or wanted to be special somehow."
"Being mundane in such manners does not exclude you from potential greatness," you responded, gesturing to yourself as you did so. "I may be an exception to that rule, but it is still destiny, not ability that defines these things."
"Do you have any idea how to fix what was done to her?" Anne asked, quickly changing the subject as she turned her attention back to the other woman.
"Not at this time, though I will find a way. I am certain that when I remember more of what I used to know, that I will find a way to start her on the path to recovery."
"I really hope you can find a way to, as none of us deserve what was done to the ones they put in those bronze shells. Nobody deserves to be punished like that for giving into their fear, embracing that what they believe will protect them, even if it is misguided."
You looked up as you caught sight of motion out of the corner of your eye, sighting Oak leaving the house as he returned with a plain dress in hand. He was visibly holding his cheek, rubbing at it where redness betrayed how he had been struck. His wife was not the easiest of people to deal with you knew, and he had likely provoked her somehow.
"Ye know, I 'ave no idea why I though it were smart'o me t'tell me wife I wan'ed one o'er old dresses 'cause i'd look be'er in it than 'er."
Anne snickered as she heard those muttered words coming from Oak, taking it from him as she gestured for the pair of you to turn your backs to give them what little privacy you could while she assisted the other woman in donning that dress.
Both you leaned against the gate beside Oak as you silently gazed at the horizon, figuring that you had a few hours before the sun started to set. A few of his farmhands could likely be convinced to fetch the remains of the clockwork body for you, though it still left you with one thing to worry about.
Was it time to set off and catch the beginning of the gathering for a change, or were you going to remain here to take care of any other immediate matters while turning up fashionably late?