kenoslogs | I saw Mommy kissing Samba-Claus (KISS BINGO EDITION) 💋🌿

I saw Mommy kissing Samba-Claus (KISS BINGO EDITION) 💋🌿

QIASU (HIGHSTORM)

On December 15th, the marker of the latter half of Takiltu, Kenos comes together to celebrate unity and togetherness, to come together with friends and family, to be kind to others and share in one’s wealth - whether that comes in the form of knowledge, monetary gains, or the exchange of gifts and one’s time. This celebration is an amalgamation of many worlds’ winter festivals, and as such, is known in the two cities as the Year’s End Festival, or Qiasu as Highstorm calls it.

This part of Takiltu is when Highstorm truly starts to hit winter. Snow is a frequent occurrence, but it’s one that the city welcomes, since with the snow comes a few of the most beloved traditions of the city. By far the most popular is heading to Greenwood Yards. The gardens themselves may be either dormant or showing their simpler winter gardens, but you may have noticed an area by the bathhouses left in surprising amount of disrepair… This is because during the winter months, this area fills up with a natural outdoor hot spring! Take a swim under the moonlight, and even explore some of those ruined old manors, now with their first floors warmly flooded. It’s a tradition to bring in your favorite drinks and spend an evening sipping it in a parlor with friends, and to make new ones by sharing your drinks. Of course, do watch out for the ghosts. They’re mischievous more than malicious, but this is their favorite time of the year too!

You can also head to the Great Tree, which is decorated for the season with glittering glass orbs and is the current roost for the pale Moonbugs of Highstorm. Write a wish on a slip of paper and hold out your hands, and one of the Moonbugs will come sit within them. Whisper the wish to the Moonbug and it’ll take the paper and fly away to find someone to fulfill it. Of course, this also means that a Moonbug is likely to come find you! Besides it being good karma to fulfill the wish, you’ll be given a brief vision of the person whose wish you fulfilled and be blessed by the tree for the duration of the month depending upon your Aspect:

Advocate: People are more likely to buy you meals/rounds and every recipe you make turns out perfectly.
Exalt: Animals seem to think more kindly of you, and you'll find them much easier to befriend.
Harbinger: You're given a more silver tongue as your arguments seem to be better at persuading people.
Iconoclast: You won't be effected by cold weather in any way.
Savant: You heal much more rapidly from any injury and are generally the very picture of health.
Stargazer: Your indulgences (whatever they may be) are both easier to find and are of higher quality.

And of course, there’s one more well-known practice in Highstorm, though it’s more of a tradition of Kowloon’s… The Gävle family is a well-known family who has lived in Highstorm for a long time, and they brought a tradition of building a festive Yule goat made straw in the square outside of their businesses. However, it also happens to be outside of Yura Szczepanski’s home. He’ll never do it himself, of course, but if you manage to burn it down? He’ll reward you, obviously. It doesn’t make it any more legal, so those that try generally spend some time in a Highstorm jail, but it’s an enshrined enough practice at this point that not only has it burned down more often than it’s survived, but there’s even a betting pool in Kowloon for whether it survives or not.

Of course, if these traditions aren’t quite your vibe, you’ll also find the city just generally set up for a metropolitan winter. The Antiques & Baubles Market is rearranged to make room for a large ice-skating rink, Tasseography (the coffeeshop by the Tomes) has a seasonal special for a hot chocolate that will fortify you from the cold for a few hours (and make you fire resistant? Weird,), and the city also hosts a full-size gingerbread house that you can indeed take a bite from, to name a few things. Generally speaking, if it’s something you could do in a snowy city at home, you’ll probably find an equivalent somewhere in the city of moonlight.

Be warned, however, if you are visiting from out of town. Highstorm's reception seems just a touch bit chiller than the weather!

YEAR'S END FESTIVAL (SPRINGSTAR)

Springstar will never turn down a chance to celebrate, but eternally Highstorm’s opposite, this is the warmest time of year. With the sun always shining, some days can get near sweltering, but that just means you have a different set of traditions to have fun with it!

The ivy-like vines that decorated the city in the beginning of the month (November) are now in full bloom, and you’re now likely to learn why the Meri consider them sacred. Wherever the flowers bloom, they encourage feelings of warmth and slightly higher inclination for physical contact within those that encounter their magical pollen*. Holding hands with someone by the flowers will give you feelings of liveliness and happiness, and for a few hours, the positive traits of the person you’re holding hands with become more prominent in you and vice versa. These effects do linger a bit longer, since for a month, you’ll also find that being around this person also gives you both a little boost in energy. It’s very sweet! This also comes with a bit of a further game, if you’re at all a frequenter of Psychagogía...

Madame Dee’s hosts a very popular competition simply called Kiss Bingo. Approach the booth set-up outside the brothel and touch your Shard to a special card, and names will appear upon it. From there, the rules are simple. Just give that person a kiss! It can be on their hand, their lips, their [redacted], all of it counts, and once you do, a little kiss mark will mark their name out. Get a bingo, and you can pick from a variety of prizes such as a ticket for a week’s worth of visits at a local buffet, a shopping spree at a nearby store, or a box seat for a day at the Coliseum. Of course, if you’re really an overachiever, fill out the whole card to get multiple prizes. Madame Dee might just give you a job!

With the promise of home that the Meri deeply believe in, they have their own gifting tradition. The Shard-Bearers know best that it’s possible to receive gifts from the Timestream, and for Year’s End, it’s tradition for the Tribune to pull out all the stops. For a week of the Festival, the Tribune works just outside of Heliopolis, and with the help of priests from the Church of Helios, reaches into the Timestream to produce a gift for anyone that comes to ask. This year, however, he's asked Quetzalcoatl and Samba's elves to deliver gifts, but you might not get anything you asked for (or maybe you did!) but they're all gifts the timestream spit out!

On rainy days (or simply the unbearably hot ones), you can also go to Starlight Park, which offers a reprieve from the weather. Inside the dome, you’ll find a idyllic, snowy valley where you can partake in all the natural joys of winter. There’s (highly) competitive snowball fights, sledding, and skiing to partake in, though you might be cautioned away from one slope. Head down that course and about halfway down, you’ll be chased by… a yeti? Luckily it doesn’t seem to be able to harm you, but it’s still shockingly fast and will catch you no matter how quickly you ski. You can also spend a bit of money to rent a yurt along the river for a relaxing and exceptionally cozy glamping experience. Some Yurts are even adorned with the sacred vines. You know, for no reason.

You’ll also find the Meri heading away from the city of Springstar a bit to head down to some of the beaches that surround Springstar. Being an island within an Island (capital ‘I’ meaning the Kenos kind of island), Takiltu is the traditional start of Springstar’s summer season and all the fun that comes with that. The beaches are bustling, but the cool and crystal-clear waters of the ocean surrounding the city make it worthwhile. Surfing, diving, and sailing are popular activities, but just make sure to stay within sight of the shore. It doesn’t take too long to hit the end of the Island and sailing outside the magical barrier that keeps Springstar floating in Kenos’s starscape generally isn’t survivable.

Just be mindful, if you're trying to escape Highstorm's chill for some summer fun, as attitudes are shifting toward bearers in general, and it might not be as easy as it once was.

NOTES

Weather summary for the second 30 days of Takiltu (NOV & DEC):

Highstorm is out of fall and into winter. While there are some milder days, snow (and heavy snow at that!) is getting more common.
Springstar is hot and humid, and it's not uncommon for brief thunderstorms to roll through in the afternoon.

Notable city changes:

Both cities have experienced changing attitudes toward shard-bearers. You will need to be mindful if you want to travel to a city that doesn't house your faction, as things might not be as easy when it comes to getting around.
Springstar has had an increase in attacks toward it's citizens, and they are often fatal and destructive. Rumors travel among Springstar's seedier types that these are escaping from Ryad, and they aren't being reigned in. That always comes with a flicker of worry.

CODING

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ A gift, was it? From Cyrus -- or the Time Stream, technically -- and Shez can't say he's come to fully understand the complexity of their universe in all of its intricate minutiae, but he does come to a similar conclusion as Byleth has: ]

So there's another Shez out there who thinks of a Byleth as his most special friend, huh?

[ Well. Special is definitely one way to put it, somehow both meaningful and ambiguous enough to pack the full extent of the relationship between them-- as themselves, and their multiple counterparts across infinite timelines. From bitter enemies who managed to bury their hatchet, executioners meant to snuff the life out of each other, or even vessels for deep-seated grudges running much longer than either of them has been alive and conscious in their world, the truth is there may be no universe in which they are just two ships passing in the night; for better or worse, there was always a touch of destiny about them.

(Maybe Arval has rubbed off too hard on him.)

His gaze drops back to the whistle in his hand, and though the memory of what they experienced back in that carnival still haunts, he smiles. ]

I dunno about you, but I like these guys much better than anything we saw in those mirrors. Remember that?

[ It's as rhetorical a question as it can be; he doesn't think anyone could forget, Byleth least of all. ]

I try not to.

[Byleth briefly looked despondant. While that harrowing event had resolved positively, after what happened in the maze he looked back on that moment with a considerable amount of guilt. They had reaffirmed their bond amongst those distorted mirrors, only for Byleth to ruin it all several weeks later with his own weakness.]

Despite confirming our promise, what those mirrors showed us came to pass in its own twisted way.

[He sighed quietly, his gaze lingering on the whistle in Shez's hand.]

...but, it is heartening to see that our bond isn't unique to our timeline. I hope the Shez and Byleth of this whistle are having an easier time of things...

[ Ah, their promise... In truth, all this time Shez has felt like he broke his end of their oath -- no matter his intention, he made the choice to fight the Shadow, he earned a reputation as ruthless, for not even balking at the (stolen) face of a friend -- but it never crossed his mind that Byleth may have felt the same. And really, why would he? He fell in battle, his Shard left vulnerable, and from that point on there was nothing else he could to avoid confrontation.

Of course, they haven't had the chance to talk it out, either, and there's only so much Shez can absorb from their shared connection as Advocates. They've been dancing around the issue for too long, and perhaps mid-chase from law enforcement might not be the best time and place for it, but-- ]

They must be having an easy enough time that they could spare this as a reminder.

[ Right, because this is what Shez chooses to read from this awfully specific gift given at an oddly appropriate time: despite (or because of) every force trying to push them apart, someone out there must want them to remember what binds them together. And so, he closes his fist around the whistle, decided not to let them down.

(A part of him can't help but envy them, this other Byleth and Shez. Must be nice to not have their bond put to the test quite so often.) ]

Y'know... Back when we were trapped in that hall of mirrors, we agreed that those reflections meant nothing to us, right? That all that mattered was what we chose to say and do, of our own consciousness and will. So when you think about it, that Shadow I had to face... Isn't that kinda the same deal?

[Byleth's brow furrowed slightly as he raised his head from where he'd bowed it despondently. He looked at Shez, clenching that whistle in his fist, trying to understand what he meant. That the Shadow meant nothing? That it was equal to the reflections in that maze: a trick intended to drive them apart? Well, it was far less harmless than those reflections, if that was the case...]

Are you saying that the Shadow was... nothing?

[Ugh. He winced at how bluntly those words came out, frustrated at how difficult he found this. He raised a hand, trying to signal that he was going to add to that, groping for the right words until he decided to just blurt the first thing to come to mind. By this point, Shez should be able to translate his words, right?]

I mean, like the mirror reflections. That it was an outside force trying to cause us harm, rather than... an actual failing on either of our parts?

[ Shez actually falls silent at that, just for a moment. It's not like he doesn't know the answer, or that he doesn't understand what Byleth means from his first attempt, but-- ]

Something like that, yeah.

[ Something like that, because no matter how rational he's still trying to act about their entire incident, guilt still finds a way of rearing its ugly head every now and then. It will be some time until Shez can confidently say there was no failing on his part, so until then, he would rather not lie about it.

With a sigh, he leans back on the wall, head tipped as he tries to figure out where to start. There was so much on his mind these past few days that it's like he's been treading uncharted territory-- not that a map would be all that useful to him, to begin with. ]

After we left, I remember the kind of impression those mirrors made. Back home, across those multiple versions of Fodlan, and even in this place, I get the feeling that there's always something trying to pit us against each other. I dunno why, or even if it's true at all, but Arval would probably call it destiny.

[ There's a point he wants to make through this exposition, but he can't stop a sheepish smile from tugging at his lips, suddenly all too self-conscious. Figures someone as rational and pragmatic as Byleth is unlikely to believe in the whims of fate, a pathway written in the stars by the Goddess herself... ]

But whatever that is-- [ His head tilts to the side, facing Byleth despite his embarrassment. ] --we have managed to fight it back every time, right?

...right.

[Byleth's tone was quiet, because he did understand what Shez was driving at. The fact that they had managed to bury the hatchet was nothing short of miraculous, considering how diametrically opposed they'd been in the conflict back in Fodlan. Jeralt insistence on keeping distance from the Church, and Shez's loyalty to Dimitri, meant they had come dangerously close to slaying each other numerous times...

...and when that was no longer a driving factor, otherworldly forces tried to compel them to slay each other: Sothis with him, Arval with Shez, uncaring of their own wishes and desires. This path they had walked together that had resulted in them clasping hands in camaraderie, rather than driving their blades into each other's breasts, was nothing short of miraculous in retrospect.

Yet Kenos carried its own dangers too. It preyed on doubt, on uncertaintly, squirming into hairline cracks to rip them into gaping fissues - where Fodlan and its dogged destiny had failed, Kenos was determined to succeed, to drive Byleth and Shez apart... or make them slay each other. In a way it had succeeded, if only by proxy, yet defiantly... that was not enough to break their bond.

Strain it, perhaps. But not break it.]

You're right. [he said this a little louder, more confidently.] It's only due to our own efforts that we're both standing here today, as allies, despite reality's best attempts to turn us against each other.

[He hesitated, looking at the duplicate whistle Shez was holding.]

Yet I can't help but wonder... is us being friends such an awful thing that fate itself keeps intervening? Or are we just cursed with a lot of bad luck...

[ Fate or a curse, huh... What an odd choice of words.

He's been confronted with such notions too long ago, in a spur-of-the-moment mass Communion he'd barely planned to do. At the time, and though the strain on his relationship with Byleth still weighed on him, there had been other, more pressing concerns in his mind -- the meaning of strength, the need to seek more of it, their purpose being here at all -- and Hayame had helped him begin to see it all in a different light. ]

I've had to think about that just a while ago, you know. Not in quite as personal terms, but either way, my answer doesn't change.

[ Had fate chosen them as Shard-bearers meant to carry the weight of an entire world on their shoulders? Were the two of them destined to always wind up on opposite sides until only one remained? Shez's gaze drops to the duplicate whistle, the reminder of everything he believes in, so firmly held in his grasp like a last glimmer of hope. ]

So all that's left now is hearing it from you.

[ His fist closes around the whistle again, and his eyes seek Byleth's. ]

Do you think being my friend is such an awful thing?

[ Were they nothing more than pawns in the grander scheme of the universe that their continuous choice to walk the same path didn't matter? ]

Of course not.

[Byleth's response was prompt, almost unthinking, because - of course not. Shez was one of the very first friends he had ever made, miraculous considering Shez had also been his very first murderous rival too. To Byleth, the bond they had formed was precious to him, and would remain precious even if one day Shez turned around and plunged his twin blades into his unbeating heart.

To Byleth who had never experienced friendship before his fateful defeat to the Kingdom's forces, he'd never regret or think ill of Shez's friendship. Even if it brought him nothing but ruin, even if it resulted in his eventual death... how could he think it a terrible thing?

(It was this, that actually helped Byleth understand Jeralt a little bit more, understand why his father put himself in such an exhausting, thankless position all for Byleth's sake. When it was for your precious person, you could endure a lot.)

But he didn't know how to word this. The emotions were there, the feelings were... but the ability to form them into coherent words was beyond them. He tried, floundering, his next words much more halting:]

I can... never regret the path we took. Even if, one day, you were to kill me, well-deserved or not, I'd never regret it. I'd still treasure our friendship. It was... it is a good thing to experience.

[He trailed off, feeling like his words were so clumsy, but this was the best he had.]

I'm happy you're my friend, Shez.

[But sometimes, the best words were the most simple ones.]

[ As far as Shez is concerned, those three initial words would suffice. Yet, he recognizes Byleth is grappling with his emotions, processing and trying to make them solid in the shape of words, so the considerate thing to do is to acknowledge his effort and see it through to fruition.

Maybe the act of waiting isn't entirely selfless, either. Maybe, and no matter how awkward the attempt, it's just... nice to hear it. Nice to know, in no uncertain terms, that he's managed to carve a space all to himself in that (unbeating yet never unfeeling) heart. ]

Then that's all I need to know.

[ There is relief in his smile, of course, the answer as favorable as he had hoped for. But even if it had been different, even if Byleth had decided their bond wasn't worth the effort of fending off an overwhelming force neither of them could truly predict, Shez's unwavering resolve would have remained, and he would still have walked the same path as they have so far, hoping-- no, ensuring this fork in the road would not be permanent, if he had to dig up a shortcut to reconnect both paths with his own two hands.

It would've been terribly lonely, though. He never wants to have to fight alone again. ]

This bond we have? I can't say for sure if it's despite or because of everything we've been through, but it's very special to me. No matter where we started, all the hatchets we've had to bury, or even however many times more we're pitted against each other, I choose you. I'll always choose you, even if we have to face greater challenges from here on out, so...

[ So, he opens his palm to reveal the whistle again. There was a promise made when he first gifted one to Byleth, and it stands to reason to make another, now that he's on the receiving end of this exchange. ]

If bad luck comes our way, let's just agree to make our own good fortune. And if it's true that fate wants to keep trying to tear us apart, then that's all the more reason for us to stand together.

[ Well. Maybe this much is selfish, too, but he smiles anyway. ]

If I'm gonna be facing impossible odds, then who better to rely on than the mighty Ashen Demon?

[Byleth quietly listened, and by the end of Shez's speech - his reaffirmation of their bond - he was smiling minutely. It was a soft, genuine gesture, a mingling of relief that Shez had understood his own clumsy words and accepted the earnest feelings behind them.

He just couldn't help but think... if Fate was so determined to rip them apart, if their luck was so terrible, then why did their first encounter end with both of them walking away? Byleth had intentionally let him live - at the time he had told himself that continuing hostilities was pointless, as the job's objectives had been completed, no need to pointlessly shed blood, yet... that hadn't stopped Byleth before. If he identified a threat that may become trouble further down the line, he had eliminated it whenever he had the chance - and Shez with his strange, explosive power had definitely been a threat.

But he had stayed his hand. Shez's transformation... maybe it had shocked him at the time, or intrigued him - he couldn't clearly say, after so many years had passed after that impulsive decision, but he couldn't help but think that that one decision had been the best one he had ever made in his life.

Despite Fate, despite bad luck, Byleth made the conscious choice to spare an enemy, and it had earned him a staunch friend that he never thought he'd have. Impossible odds, indeed.]

You should know by now that my reputation as the Ashen Demon is mostly exaggerated.

[It was an attempt at a joke, delivered maybe a bit too flatly, but the intent was there.]

If anything... who better to rely on than you? You're not just strong, Shez, you understand people as well, and have a peculiar ability to move hearts... that's something I lack, and something that's needed here, in this strange land.

[ There is much to be addressed here: the subtle smile that bounces off his own, then uplifting change in their (shared?) mood, even Byleth's rare attempt at a joke, his flat delivery earning a laugh just for how bad it is. Yet, it's his words that demand immediate attention. ]

Not sure I'd say that's something you lack. You've moved my heart, for all that's worth.

[ Leaving his rightful grudge aside for the sake of the Kingdom and a greater purpose, even when Dimitri himself was not only understanding of but enabling revenge... yes, that had been a logical decision. But joining forces as allies didn't equal friendship; spending time with his former enemy and getting to know the man behind the demon, that had been a choice borne not of necessity, but a sense of kinship instead. A sense of belonging, as if their differences began to fade in the distance the more they learned how similar they truly are. Perhaps... eerily so.

(Would Byleth ever open up to him about it? If it is as suspected, Shez understands it's not exactly easy to talk about having a second presence in one's head, so he exercises patience in the meantime.) ]

You know I've always admired you, right?

[ Does he? There's been no small amount of showing, but as for telling, this might be a first. Whether it's news or a reminder, the time still calls for it. ]

Obviously, I was mad when you crushed my entire old company like we were insects, and I did hold a grudge for the longest time, but... I can't deny half the reason why I wanted to defeat you so badly was because I wanted to be more like you. Your combat prowess was the one thing I could maybe catch up to, but your analytical eye and that calculating coolness... I can never hope to have that.

[ Brash and reckless as he is-- and if Byleth could see anything from that Shard, or ask Yuri about the state he'd found Shez in back in the maze, then he may have had yet another reminder that Shez often feels a battle more so than he thinks about it, especially when the stakes are so high.

Yet, there's no disappointment in is voice, or even the sense that he's beating himself up over his shortcomings. If anything, it only makes his smile grow brighter with the realization that-- ]

That's okay, though. I know I have a lot to work on, but I don't need to be like you; I need you, by my side. Our strengths may be different, but as long as we're together, we can borrow from each other, and become stronger that way. As far as I'm concerned, and even though Meridian won, that's why we failed that Oracle.

[ As far as he's concerned, that's why he could kill that Shadow, because a Shadow is all it was. If it means being on opposite sides, he never wants to defeat the real Byleth. ]

[Byleth wasn't really surprised to hear Shez's confession that he wished to be 'more like you', because it was an oft expressed desire from many of Byleth's mercenary acquaintences. It was normally said with much more frustration or naked jealousy, though, almost venomous, and accompanied with an accusing stare, like Byleth had somehow cheated his way to strength.

It had rankled. Byleth's strength had been hard-earned. Yes, he had the advantage of having Jeralt as his teacher, but Byleth had put in the work, the dedication, the training, to achieve his level of skill in both magic and blade. That was why when Sothis had bestowed her strange powers upon him, he refused to touch them unless strictly necessary.

That was a cheat in his eyes. The ability to stop time, to sidle in close to his enemy and end them while they couldn't even lift their weapon in defence... what an unfair skill. What a cheat.

But there was none of that resentment or accusation in Shez's voice of expression. Maybe there would've been, if this had been in the nascent days of their alliance, but now, after fighting alongside each other in the war, after- after Byleth fell and Shez had avenged him, in his own way...]

Yeah... you're right.

[And, the thing was:]

To be honest, I've always admired you as well, Shez. Your determination and hardwork is inspiring, and, admittedly, I wanted to be more like you too. When I first joined Dimitri's army, I was jealous of you.

[Jealous of how Shez so easily made friends, despite being an outsider mercenary like himself. Jeralt had found the whole thing very amusing, nudged him to approach Shez and ask him for tips... but maybe his father knew that Byleth just needed to reach out to Shez to make a friend. Jeralt had good instincts for such things.]

Now, of course, I realise how stupid I was being. I don't need to be like you, just like you don't need to be like me. We compliment each other as is... you with your battle instinct, myself with my strategy...

[Sigh.]

I just wish it didn't take us personally failing the Oracle's trial to realise this.

[ While not exactly surprised himself, the open admission still catches Shez off guard, like it's just strange to hear it, the sentiment he's known so well made solid and given shape beyond questioning. Strange to realize how alike they really are.

And it's a nice feeling, too, even if punctuates it with a sigh of understandable frustration. ]

Can't say I disagree, but... what's done is done. Amazing as they are, even your powers only go so far. There's no turning back time, right?

[ Well. In this iteration, sure, but Shez only means it as a rhetorical question, anyway. With a shake of his head, he grounds himself to the present and to their resolution again, focused on what they can do rather than pointless hypotheticals. ]

Besides, as much as I hate how it happened, I feel like we understand where we stand better now, and I wouldn't want that to change, anyway. Before, I thought we were just like those mirrors back in the carnival, opposite and separate from each other, but now--

[ He takes a quick pause, looks down at the whistle nestled in his palm. He knows eloquence isn't one of his strong suits, and he wishes his words could have the same impact as Arval's "Partners in Destiny" once did, but he speaks from the heart regardless. ]

Now I feel like you're my other half, like we're part of something greater. So when you think about it, it kinda makes sense that Fate or luck or whatever else would try to tear us apart. They're just scared of how strong we really are together.

[ Is it cocky of him? Perhaps, but it's just the way he feels when the two of them stand together on the battlefield: like there's no way they will lose. Not even against destiny itself. ]

This time, we gave them a handicap. But next time--

[ Fist now closed around his duplicate gift, he holds it up for their customary gesture. ]

Next time, we'll show'em what the mercenary spirit is all about, and give them reason to tremble in fear!

[If there was one constant in life, it was Shez's seemingly unshakeable confidence.

But not arrogance. It was a fine line, but Shez admirably maintained a level-headed humility that kept his ego well in check, that ensured he didn't become blinded by his own skill and his unflagging optimism. If it had been anyone else, standing there and proclaiming that they could take on anything Fate threw at them, no matter what, he would've brushed it off as the delusional bragging of a third-rate mercenary.

But this was Shez, and he always backed up what he boasted - he always got back up after being kicked down again and again, swinging harder and harder, relentless in closing the skill gap until Byleth was the one floundering to keep up. If he believed that they could do this, that they could succeed where they failed last time...]

Careful. Saying things like that may tempt Fate to throw more arduous trials our way.

[But there was a hint of a smile on Byleth's face, his even tone a smidgeon more warm than usual. As he spoke, he grasped his own whistle and pulled its twine from over his head, curling his fingers around it so it was held gently within his fist.]

But if it does...

[He reached out, and gently bumped his fist - still holding the whistle - against Shez's own, his smile widening a little.]

...we'll meet them head on, together.

[ It's true his unshakable confidence doesn't falter even in the face of Byleth's warning nor his delay in returning the gesture, the softest little laugh as his only response to it. Still, he isn't so sure of himself that he truly believes there's no force in this world that can cut them down; he just knows that, if and when they die, it will be on their own terms, grudges both old and ancient buried as far back as their last ounce of regret.

In that moment, somewhere in between Byleth's words and that ever so elusive smile, something clicks, like the missing piece to the answer he sought. This rock-solid belief in the strength of their bond... Maybe that's what it feels like, to have faith in something. ]

Right. [ A nod, and their knuckles bump together. ] Together, to the very end.

[ Whatever that may be, he has no reason to doubt or fear. He has faith in them.

But, it's precisely because Shez isn't arrogant that he knows better than to get complacent, not even with their powers combined. If anything, his pragmatic side reminds him: ]

Let's not forget we still need to put in quite a bit of work into this, though. I mean, we kinda just put on a pathetic show by losing to a big straw goat and all...

[ It's said with a rueful laugh, though his heart is light. He may have every intention of training hard to raise their teamwork back up to a more acceptable level, but for now, he'll chalk this miserable failure to the tension between them, their minds running on different wavelengths.

That's something to worry about a bit later. For now, he takes sight of the duplicate gift in his palm. The resemblance truly is uncanny; he can't have that, not as it is. ]

Ah, and if you want me to keep this, you should first make it your own before giving it to me, or else it sort of looks just like mine. You have your dagger on you, right? How about carving out your initials?

[Byleth felt a twinge of embarrassment at being reminded of the straw goat.

Yes, that hadn't been their greatest showing - in fact, he doubted their teamwork had been that abysmal back when they'd first become allies and some tension remained on both sides! If this had been back in Fodlan on the battlefield... he really didn't want to think of the consequences of that. Something far worse than being chased into an alleyway to hide from the local law enforcement - something far more permanent and lethal. It was a disconnect they had to bridge sooner, rather than later.

...though not right now, admittedly. Because of the whole, hiding from the guards, thing. Though, admittedly, sharing a jail cell with Shez would be some form of teambuilding, right? Jeralt had told him once how his greatest memories had been sharing a cell with his drinking buddy of the night in his younger, wilder days...]

Hm? [He stirred out of his prison daydreams at Shez's suggestion.] Oh, I see... yes, that may be wise.

[Although...]

Do you want my initials on yours, and I have yours on mine? I feel like then, we'd truly be carrying a piece of our bond with each other, always. At least, that's what I think.

[The fact he says that with a straight face...!]

[ Is that supposed to be the kind of thing that would raise some eyebrows? Because as far as Shez is concerned, well-- ]

Oooh, you're right, that'd be even better! That way we can both wear them like unquestionable proof of the feelings that bind us together, right?

[ ... yeah, he's all bright eyes and bushy tail and zero self-awareness. Maybe one day they'll actually hear themselves speaking... ]

The only problem is that I don't really have initials, per se... [ You know, since he only has the one name and all. His features are quick to lighten up again, though, an idea seemingly coming to mind. ] No, wait-- I do have something I can use!

[ With a flip of his wrist, he turns his open palm up and nudges it forward, an offer of his duplicate whistle in temporary exchange for Byleth's original gift. ]

C'mon, let's make these our very own and stake our claim!

[ ... yeah, no, definitely can't hear himself talk. ]

[Byleth liked bright eyed and bushy tailed Shez, caught up in his enthusiasm and pleased that his suggestion had gone over so well. He hadn't been sure if Shez would've approved, but it was nice to know that his feelings had been so well recieved and understood!

Maybe it was a good thing, Byleth kept those thoughts to himself, rather than saying them aloud... imagine what the people passing by this alleyway would think was going on here...]

I knew you'd understand my intentions, Shez.

[Said so warmly and with a pleased smile! When Shez held out his hand, he surrendered his whistle without hesitation, trusting him with it - well, technically, it had been his in the first place, so it was well within his rights to rescind the gift, but he knew that Shez wouldn't take the whistle and run.]

Though, may I ask what you're planning on doing? I'm not the most creative, so I can't think much beyond carving my name...

[He wants to match whatever Shez did! If he did something spectacular, then it'd look boring if Byleth only carved 'BE'!]

[ In return for the borrowed whistle, Shez places his own on Byleth's palm, though the question earns a (playfully) cocky grin right out of him ]

What, you trying to copy off my cool style? [ There's a sigh that is most definitely overacted, and he folds his arms for added effect. ] And here I thought I'd already shared plenty of my tricks with you... I dunno, I dunno...

[ The act lasts for about 0.5 seconds, just long enough for a single eye to pop open and for a laugh to burst through. Yeah, as if he could fool the guy if he tried. ]

Guess one more can't hurt. But you can't show how it's done to anyone else, okay?

[ So he's going to very unceremoniously unsheathe the dagger hanging from the belt around Byleth's waist and hold it up for a second, as to draw attention to his very important instructions! ]

Watch and learn!

[ Flipping the whistle on its back for that bit of extra surface, he begins his careful carving work: first, with three small notches parallel to each other, and then three more right below the first set, making sure to leave some space between the two rows. Are you paying attention, class?? ]

[There was something oddly infectious about Shez's teasing moods. Byleth felt his mouth quirk unconsciously, a brief blink-and-you'll-miss-it smile that had him covering his mouth from mild surprise when he noted the gesture. He had been getting better at smiling intentionally, but actually doing the gesture without thinking still caught him off-guard from time to time.

But he was noticing a trend with it - that it was happening more and more often, and usually when in the presence of his friends. Once more, he couldn't help but feel a rush of gratitude for Shez, and for the callous Ashen Demon that had dismissively spared Shez's life that cold evening, deeming him a non-threat. If he hadn't done that, then Byleth might've never discovered the simple yet overwhelming happiness that was friendships and unthinking smiles...

But he didn't have long to dwell on this realisation. Shez boldly thieved his dagger right from his belt, holding it up like a teacher would a guiding finger. Watch and learn, he said, and watch and learn Byleth did, scrutinising the shapes and lines he carved into the whistle's wooden surface. His mind, always quick to extrapolate, completed the design before Shez could finish it:]

Oh... oh. A stylised 'S'. That's such a clever idea!

[Byleth, earnestly saying 'cool!!!' to the Middle School S...]

[ It doesn't surprise him to see Byleth has figured it out before the work is complete -- the guy has always had a sharp eye, after all -- but to catch that hand covering up a smile does. The teasing and joking around may be something that comes naturally to him, but if that's the kind of effect he can cause, then Shez will just have to take notes and keep it in mind for whenever they're faced with hardships again. There's nothing he values more than seeing a smile upon a friend's face-- and maybe Byleth's most of all, just from how rare it is.

He would be lying if he said it wasn't especially valuable now, too. Having witnessed the state his friend had been in post rebirth, felt his distress like it was his very own, and the strain all of that had forced on their relationship... it's just such a relief, to see him in higher spirits. ]

So cool you can't even contain your excitement, huh? [ Meaning: can't wait until he's finished, but it's all said in good fun. ] But here, let's give that brain of yours a good challenge!

[ Once the final lines connect and the stylized 'S' is fully formed, Shez presses the flat tip of the dagger down on the wooden surface, covering up the left half of the initial he's just carved. ]

If we were to draw a solid line down the middle and add a couple of dashes to this half of the letter... What do you think? Can you see it?

[ Whatever "it" means, it's gotta be super duper ~~high~~ middle school level cool, right?! ]

[Byleth tilted his head slightly, much like a curious cat, as Shez laid the dagger tip over half of his stylised initial. This time it took him a little bit longer to figure out what Shez was driving at, mostly because he'd been thinking it in relation to Shez. Was it a reference to something about him? A secret second initial he was revealing to Byleth now? Another teasing joke?

But he figured it out after a moment, and when he did...]

Bee!

[No, wait.]

As in, the letter 'B'. [Wait.] Oh... S and B... Shez and Byleth! Our initials bonded together in a single letter that can represent us both...!

[Shez, you're a genius!]

[ The reaction earns another chuckle from Shez, honestly surprised -- and equally relieved -- to pick up on something akin to excitement in his friend's tone. He may be no genius, but perhaps Power of (Very Special) Friendship gives him the extra boost he needs to come up with just the right idea. ]

See? Told you you're my other half.

[ A thought he punctuates by chiseling in the last few notches into their now combined initials, two halves of a greater whole. Whether Fate or simple bad luck would have them as enemies, this is the path they carve out for themselves, their bond reforged as one more symbol. One more reminder not to lose themselves again.

Holding the whistle between the two of them, he gives it a last studying look. When he smiles, it's less so over his handiwork, but rather the meaning behind it. ]

Not bad.

[ Trusting Byleth to have quickly picked up on the steps to writing their joint stylized initials, Shez hands the dagger back so he can match his work with the duplicate whistle. ]

You'd better have that memorized, got it? Maybe one day we'll have our own merc company and we can use that as our banner!

That's a great idea, Shez. The design would certainly stick out in people's memories.

[As he spoke, Byleth used his returned dagger to diligently etch their stylised initials into his whistle. The precise movements of his dagger made it seem like he'd always known how to draw that shape, rather than him only just learning it by eyeballing Shez carving it less than a few minutes ago. He's alarmingly quick at learning...]

And... it's a nice thought, isn't it?

[His voice quietened slightly, and he paused to gently blow the wood shavings off his whistle, rubbing his thumb over the carved lines.]

Us running a mercenary company together, I mean.

[ Shez watches with a smile as Byleth hunkers down with his carving job, happy that his impromptu little idea has been so well received-- or, well, the banner deal had been a spur of the moment thing, anyway. But as for everything else-- ]

Doesn't have to be just a nice thought, you know.

[ His gaze drops to the whistle in his palm, conveniently busy with inspecting his handiwork one final time, lest he would risk a hint of self-consciousness color his features. Still, he carries on. ]

I never gave much thought to what I'd do after the war was over back home, but the truth is I don't really see myself settling down in the Kingdom or much of anywhere else. But, as much I like travelling the land and going where the wind takes me, doing it on my own... That wouldn't really be fun anymore.

[ Or: he doesn't want to be alone again, not after he's grown to cherish these deep bonds with people. Can't just say it like that, though, that'd be terribly uncool of him. ]

'Course, most of my friends have obligations back in the Kingdom, can't really ask them to keep pace with me. But you're a merc, too, and I know you like that wandering life just as much, so--

[ The whistle's twine dangles from his splayed fingers in a loose circle, held over Byleth's head in offering. ]

What do you say? When this is all over, wanna go see that world we're fighting to save together?

I saw Mommy kissing Samba-Claus (KISS BINGO EDITION) 💋🌿

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