Changes for them

The only students who survived Mystic Academy's Batch of 9022...

Saying it like this makes them somewhat even more miserable. To think that such a prestigious school like that would meet an end so abrupt was practically unthinkable yet it still happened.

Seeing them once more was a bizarre feeling for Ashton. To him, they were the proof that time still passed despite him being away, which is given of course, but still...it was weird.

They've changed a lot.

They're taller and no longer had that naive air of youthfulness in them, unlike the last time he saw them. Just like him, it would seem that the past years hadn't been so kind to them.

Mary showed up looking like an office lady for some reason. She was also wearing glasses like Aria but not because her vision had any problems, they were for protection against harmful lights due to her work, Ashton presumed.