Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

The sun had scarcely risen over Hometown, breaching the autumn leaves and casting a dim light over the streets, where four teenagers had decided to actively break into a building; ducking past police tape that sectioned off the building spilling forth bubbling darkness into the sky. Hidden as they were from the residents, their squabbling still sounded from the newly locked backdoor of Flower King.

“No! No!” Hissed Berdly, standing resolutely, wings spread in front of the weathered green paint and rusted lock preventing entry into the flower shop. “We are not going to use a katana to break the lock! Kris was supposed to get Asgore’s key yesterday! Where is the key?!” Susie groaned in annoyance.

“You are sooooo lame sometimes man, just move and let Noelle hit the lock, Kris already got a replacement that’s nicer than the junk you’re guarding.” Susie held the lock they’d bought from the store up to Berdly, waving it in his face. “Now move so Noelle can break the lock already!” Berdly looked indignantly over at Kris as Noelle practiced swings ten feet from them, eyes pleading for their voice of reason as the Holiday Kitchen Katana whistled through the air. Kris sighed and shrugged.

“Sorry, popular vote says you gotta move.” Berdly’s face twisted in cartoonish anger.

“You didn’t vote, as your duty as a citizen, vote right this instant!”

“Sorry Berdly, Im apolitical.” Berdly’s beak dropped, before they shook his head. Berdly remained as the sole barrier to Flower Kingdom.“Kris! You are breaking into your father’s practice! What would he think as he watched his child trespass like a common thief?!” Kris frowned. ”Probably apologize for locking the door. We’re not robbing him out of house and home, he’ll be fineeee.” Kris walked up to Berdly and picked him up. “Now move.” As Kris walked away with a fussing Berdly, they turned to Noelle.

“You’re up!”

“Alright!” Said Noelle, walking over and drawing the katana, the blade gleaming against the rising sun as she focused the tip of the katana to align with the lock. Kris, Berdly, and Susie stared with rapt attention as Noelle breathed in and closed her eyes.

SHING

Faster than they could perceive, Noelle had brought the sword down and sheathed it all in one fluid motion, the lock fell after a second, cleanly cut in two. Noelle pumped her fist.

“I can’t believe that works!” Thought Noelle, turning to the stunned onlookers. Susie laughed with approval, raising her hand to high five Noelle. “Hell yeah! Lets go!” Noelle’s expression dropped, she walked past the group and back towards her house, leaving Susie hanging. Noelle’s expression was flat as she made her way down the road, she looked around as she walked. “Faha, Gotta put this up before mom finds out.” Noelle said with noticeable irritation, jogging away as the three other teens loitered around Flower King. Berdly looked to his side and coughed.

“Ok Kris, lock’s been defeated, put me down.” Kris sighed, before unceremoniously dropping Berdly on his rump. Susie chuckled as Berdly dusted himself off, standing to address the two, Berdly’s eyes narrowed.

“Her mom totally knows doesn’t she.” Susie let out an annoyed sigh, before looking at the distant gates. “Yep.”

--———————-
“Steady… there.”

Noelle glacially, gently placed the kitchen katana into its holster, ten minutes of concentrated blade cleaning, and three minutes of finagling had proved fruitful, she sighed and turned around to leave.

“I… don’t really like being here, not when it’s this quiet.” Noelle’s expression soured as she walked to the main door. “Not when its been so quiet.”

“HO HO HO!”

To her credit, Noelle didn’t shriek in fear, merely jumping a solid two feet in the hair. Noelle sighed deeply as she turned around to see her mom turning off the dancing santa figure, sharply dressed at 5:30 in the morning, with an accusation in her remaining eye. Carol crossed her arms and looked at her daughter.

“Noelle Holiday”

“…Carol Holiday”

“Thank you for cleaning the katana, it means a lot that you treat my things so well.” Noelle’s expression flinched subtly. “How’d she know?” Thought Noelle, Carol smirked at her tell. “darn it.” Thought Noelle sourly.

“Regardless of your intent. I do believe whatever you used it for, will not call for investigation.” Said Carol, snidely. “I don’t think you could kill if you were paid to.” Noelle rolled her eyes.

“Look, I just needed it for a school projec-“

Carol swooped in and hugged her daughter, Noelle struggled to return the hug, but eventually her arms wrapped around her mom apprehensively. Carol sighed.

“Noelle you are an awful, awful liar, and Im 90% sure you and your gang of friends are breaking into one of the dark fountains.”

Noelle shivered in her mom’s grasp, but her mom just sighed, pulling away to look at her with a soft smile. “She’s trying for you, it’s nice. Its nice even if you’re mad at her and want to yell at her for two hours.” Thought Noelle, looking at her Carol Holiday with a conflicted expression. “Even if she knows she deserves it.” Carol sighed deeply.

“Look. I can’t control your life.” Noelle tried to break her mom’s hug, but she pulled her back in tighter, laying her head on her daughter’s shoulder. Noelle sighed. “my friends are-“

“Waiting outside Flower King, Im not stupid.” Carol spoke in a quiet voice, pulling back again to look Noelle in the eye. “It’s only us now. I know you hate me-“

“I don’t hate you.” Noelle interrupted, her shocked expression betraying the spontaneity of the statement. Carol’s expression reflexively tensing, before breathing out slowly, relief apparent in her features. “Im not mad at you Noelle. You showed me you are so, so much stronger than I could ever dream of being, and I am so incredibly proud of you.” Noelle looked away. “I didn’t want to be strong… you didn’t want to be strong either.” Noelle looked up solemnly, “neither of us want to be strong now.” Carol stroked Noelle’s hair as she took in the features of her remaining family. “No one wants to be strong Noelle, but it’s what you do with that strength that makes you so special; its what made you stronger than me.” Carol’s embrace tightened, “Im sorry…” Carol breathed in deeply, a shuddering sigh following. “For hiding all those things from you. You deserved to know what became of December Holiday, deserved a more available mother, and I regret every day thinking I could benefit from leaving you in the dark. I truly am sorry, Noelle.” Noelle returned the embrace with less hesitance than before, the 50 degree Fahrenheit household feeling just a little warmer. Her mom released her, striding off to the kitchen, she stopped, and shook her head.

“Gosh, this is why I hire speech writers.” She turned to face Noelle. “Look, whatever you do today, just make sure you’re not doing something foolish.” She walked into the kitchen, grabbing a coffee pot and pouring water into it. “Im sure your girlfriend would be broken up if something awful happened to you.” Noelle tsk’d, walking to the door. “Aren’t Holidays are full of surprises?” Carol sighed deeply, before chuckling. “I suppose I should hope for a good surprise, then.” Noelle opened the door, and stepped outside into the crisp autumn air.

“I love you.” Called Carol from the kitchen. Noelle stopped in her tracks, and turned around.

“I love you too, Mom.” Noelle closed the door gently, before sighing. The sky seemed a little bit brighter as she jogged back to Flower King to see her friends.
--——————————————

The sun shone brightly on flower kingdom, casting a cyan light across the arena as Noelle paced in a small loop, her hooves leaving an imperfect circle in the sand as she planned her lesson. Berdly stood, waiting. Noelle came to a sudden stop. “First! Warmups! Gotta get the blood moving if we’re sparring today.” Noelle stretched down to touch her hooves, Berdly groaned and imitated, the tips of his wings centimeters too far from touching his talons. Noelle turned to him. “Alright! Let’s go warm up with a jog!” Berdly groaned as Noelle jogged further off, her light jog his usual mile pace. “H-how… does she do this?? Every morning???” Berdly huffed to himself as Noelle continued jogging, she turned around smiling. “I didn’t hear what you said but you gotta control your breathing, Berdly! Otherwise you’ll conk out too soon.” Her expression fell. “Also Im kinda concerned, this is the warmup ya know?” Berdly tried to hide the scowl on his face as he looked up at Noelle, pumping his legs faster to keep up with her jog. “I-I don’t do this often! My academic weapons aren’t used to this physical assault.” Noelle’s laughter filled the air as she pulled ahead again. “You better get used to it! We gotta get you ready for Seth!” Berdly’s eyes went wide at the mention of his crush, so violent was his reaction that his next step resulted in him falling forward onto the sand. Noelle stopped, and looked at Berdly with concern as Berdly swiftly stood back up, his wing covering his beak. Susie laughed from the stands as they began jogging around the circular perimeter of the arena again, elbowing Ralsei in the ribs.

“Shoot Ralsei, even you weren’t this embarrassing about your crush!” Ralsei looked off into the distance, eyes shimmering with adoration at Kris as they cupped their hands. “Berdly do you need a water break.” Kris yelled, Berdly looked up from his lunges with anger, Kris smiled. “Noelle sub him out he’s washed and yearning.” Noelle rolled her eyes with a smile. “Noelle sub him out he suckssss and he’s kinda gay .” Ralsei sighed dreamily as Kris began chuckling at Berdly’s reaction, his angry words muted by Ralsei focusing solely on Kris miming a pulled leg. “Love is never embarrassing, Susie.” He looked over smiling. “But those two sure are something.” Susie shrugged, and looked back down into the arena to see the two had finished stretching. Noelle walked away, before channeling ice magic into her hand. Berdly, gulping down the unease at her ice magic, began to manifest his halberd, but stopped when Noelle suddenly dispelled her magic; mild surprise on her face as she gestured for him to stand down. Berdly looked up confused.

“Wait why’d we stop?” Noelle shook her head at Berdly’s confusion. “We aren’t gonna spar yet! Cheeze man, I was gonna teach you about altering your weapon!” Berdly raised an eyebrow, before slowly nodding. Snowflakes began to gather around Noelle’s hand as she concentrated. Berdly raised his hand for a moment awkwardly looking at the ground. “Hey Noelle?” Noelle’s eyes opened in annoyance. “Yes Berdly?” Berdly shifted from one talon to another, like he was afraid to voice his concern. Noelle gestured, and he continued. “…Was Susie supposed to teach me the lesson before we sparred?” Noelle looked up at the stands as Susie was holding Ralsei by his scarf, dangling him over Kris, who appeared to be imitating the mannerisms of a starved, feral dog in the seats below them; snapping at Ralsei as Susie dangled him above Kris. She looked away, hearing a distance thunk, raspy laughter, and muted growls. “…Yes. She was supposed to.” Noelle tried to hide a chuckle. “Even if it was kinda funny watching you lose.” She thought, refocusing on the lesson.

Noelle sighed as she summoned ice magic once more. “Manifestation of weapons changes on a person:person basis. Im pretty sure you know this.” She used her free hand to point at Berdly’. “Where do you think your weapon comes from?” Berdly shrugged, before pointing at his lack of eye wear. “My spectacles turn into a scouter, and Im sure it summons my halberd.” Noelle stared in disbelief at his conclusion. “…how can you be so sure of that?” Noelle stood. waiting for Berdly to explain further. After a second, Berdly snapped his wings, pointing a feather upward and smiling. “Its simple now that Ive ruminated on it! My scouter is orange, so is my halberd is green to compliment the color scheme! Obviously the two are connected.” Berdly looked up at Noelle, smiling as he looked at her thousand yard stare. “???” Thought Noelle, before refocusing on the trial before her. “You think your scouter and weapon are connected?” Berdly nodded, less sure of himself than prior. “Yes..?” Noelle clasped her hands together, smiling. That makes this a lot easier then! Just look at your halberd and imagine a longer handle, you got it!” The magic in Noelle’s formed a handle, snowflakes and frost stacking atop each other aa the handle extended further, terminating in a halberd blade. Berdly’s beak was agape at the prowess of her magic, eyes sparkling with awe. “Noelle that was amazing! Also you have good taste in weaponry I guess.” Berdly coughed, trying to recompose himself as Noelle smiled, ”Thanks! Usually its pretty random, but if I focus hard enough, I can get the weapon I want. Give it a try!” Noelle said, dispersing the halberd before the ice in her hand swirled to create a new weapon. Berdly planted the handle of his weapon into the sand, focusing on the shape as he heard the distant crackle of ice. His brow furrowed as he applied the lessons Noelle taught him.

“What exactly should I do with this? Im already quite proficient with my halberd, I don’t really want to change it?” Berdly continued staring down his armament, the crackle of frost now replaced with the whistling of Noelle’s practice swings. Suddenly, Berdly’s head shot up in inspiration. “That’s it! I’ll just do what Kris does when they made peanut butter and jellies for our group! Oh Berdly, you genius!” Berdly leaned back and closed his eyes. “… I want a halberd the long way.” Berdly thought, suddenly handle of Berdly’s halberd shot up. Berdly gawked as the halberd extended a good ten feet before retracting, Berdly giggled stupidly as Noelle politely clapped, his eyes now opened to endless possibility. “Alright! Now try ma-“ “MAKE A FLAMETHROWER!” Susie yelled from the stands, holding Ralsei by the back of his robe and scarf as his palms spit a great blast of fire into the air, Kris toasted some moss underneath the stream of fire magic, and stared down at Berdly expectantly. Noelle pointed a newly manifested katana at Berdly, “…I was gonna ask you to do that. But that would take a lot more energy than reasonable. Lets do something simpler first, faha!” Berdly crossed his wings and shook his head, Noelle raised an eyebrow in confusion, the pause long enough for Susie to notice a distinct lack of Berdly holding a flamethrower, so she threw a flaming Ralsei at Kris, and stomped down the stands to confront Berdly. Susie leaned over the railing and cupped her hands together.

“HEY! Hey make a flamethrower dumbass! It’s way cooler than a halberd!” Susie bellowed from the stands, leaning forward as Kris and Ralsei tried to put each other out. Berdly huffed, before pushing his glasses up, smiling smugly. Noelle rolled her eyes in annoyance. “Berdly is this another bit?” She thought as she stared at Berdly, trying to find any tell that this was some bad joke. Berdly crossed his arms and leaned on his halberd, his expression growing even more smug. “Im afraid I must break curriculum, even if it was written by the smartest person I know.” He pointed a feather at Noelle, who now gazed at him with her brow raised and jaw taut. “Halberd’s are the best weapons in the world! They do simply everything with an A+ performance! An s tier performance! To swap it out is to downgrade!” Noelle closed the distance between them, standing him up and placing her hands on Berdly’s shoulders. “Berdly. I do not care how many top 10’s you watched, just change the gosh darn weapon.” Berdly smirked, rapidly summoning and unsummoming his halberd with mock contemplation written on his face. Gritting her teeth in abject frustration, Noelle felt the contempt in her stomach blossom, her grip tightened on his shoulder pads as Berdly continued making his halberd appear and disappear, “I am Going to THROTTLE him.” Thought Noelle, waiting for Berdly’s response to her hardened gaze, but Berdly closed his eyes and chuckled as his halberd puffed out of existence one final time. “Im sorry Noelle, but I can’t help but notice you’ve made no less than twenty katanas in the last few, fleeting moments of time. Am I not allowed a preferred weapon? Is a the teacher going to railroad her pupil? Is- hey stop!”

Noelle began to violently jostle Berdly around, her expression positively enraged as she shook Berdly by the shoulders. “Berdly! Make! The! Weapon!” Noelle’s shaking intensified. “MAKE! THE! WEAPON!” She released Berdly, who stumbled back and manifested a simple sword to stab into the ground as a balance. Noelle sighed as she watched Berdly stand back, manifesting his halberd with an annoyed expression and an annoyed click of his tongue. “Susie’s been rubbing off on you, hasn’t she?” Noelle beamed proudly, her face lit up joy. “Dam-Darn right she has!” Berdly sighed with content, rubbing the back of his head. “…good, Im happy for you two.” Berdly laid his wing over his chest, eyes closed as he bowed forward. “If you must utilize your newfound confidence to stand up for yourself, then I accept my role as sapphic advocate!” Ralsei, Susie Kris, who had still been trying to put out the flames now spreading across the stands, stared in equal mixture awe and disappointment; the flames rapidly regaining ground as the group could only witness Berdly’s declaration, but only for a moment, returning with panic-striken energy to fight the flame once more. Noelle sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose as she stares as Berdly with cold eyes.

“…Noelle?”

“Berdly we’re friends right.” Noelle said in a frigid voice

“Yes! Of course we are!”

“No hard feelings then, and your support is appreciated.” A great blizzard of ice magic swirled in Noelle’s hands as she focused her gaze on Berdly. “Normally I wouldn’t fight up close, but katanas are cooler than halberds, I will prove this by whooping your bu-Ass with them!” Noelle waved her arm at the stands, cold air instantly chilling the fire, the stand members quickly sat down to watch the sparring session about to occur. Berdly gulped as Noelle pointed at him, ice magic swirling violently around her finger. “The tutoring session is over, if you’re wondering.” Berdly nodded shallowly, subconsciously correcting his form, a small smile appeared on his face. “I shouldn’t, it would be really low. I shoul-“ Noelle’s jaw was pulled taut in annoyance as Berdly smiled at the ground in thought. “I can see you trying not to laugh.” Noelle said through clenched teeth, Berdly snickered, before pointing a wing at her hands. “Where is your superior weapon, Noelle? Don’t tell me literally nothing is a better weapon than a katan-“

A blast of frost was swiftly evaded by a wind magic enhanced dash, icicles whistling past his head as he raced toward his opponent. Sliding on the sand, Berdly raised his wing, his halberd crackling into existence as he guarded a blast of frost, the blast bringing his momentum to a stop as Noelle dashed forward; grimacing as she raised her hands overhead, the ice forming into a handle, the final form known only to Noelle. Berdly prepared to deflect the strike with a horizontal swing, staring at the interlocking ice.

“When swinging heroically, cleaving through darkness with a straight sword…”

In Noelle’s hands, ice weaved itself into the shape of a sword, the point gleamed in the air, before she brought it down on Berdly’s halberd, their blades locked for a second, a great crack ringing through the arena as spider webs formed on her weapon. Noelle stepped back, blocking a thrust from Berdly, before swinging her sword horizontally to catch Berdly’s follow up cleave.

“Dasher, aka the sword! I don’t have a lot to say about it, they’ve never been my style XD. It slashes and stuff, so its pretty practical regardless of the situation. The protag in Dragon Blazers lll makes it look really cool, and Kris makes it look cooler, but it’s only cool in my hands (get it XD).” Noelle’s thoughts spilled forth to maintain the sword’s brittle form, her final slash overpowering Berdly’s swing as he stumbled, the sword splintering into ice with a great crack as Noelle pointed at Berdly; the shrapnel of the sword concentrating on her finger tip.

“You know Berdly, if you had listened, you could’ve manifested a ranged weapon to zone me out!” Noelle fired the ice blast, scraping the side of Berdly’s chest as he attempted to dodge normally, Berdly huffed, visibly distraught as the chill seeped into his armor, Noelle prepared another blast of frost magic. “You want to underestimate me? My genius may be second to yours, but you bring calamity onto yourself, Holiday!” Berdly thought, brushing his beak and smirking away the inexplicable dread he felt. Staring down the barrel of Noelle’s finger gun, Berdly raised his halberd and reeled back to throw it, energy gathering around it as the halberd glowed. “Sorry Noelle, but I can channel magic just fine!” Berdly stepped forward, before chucking his halberd with all his strength. Berdly’s face turned impossibly smug as Noelle fired at the Halberd to stop its flight, “besides, halberds are plenty good as projectiles too!” Berdly dashed forward after his weapon, his magically enhanced throw proceeding his normal running pace by seconds as he dove to the side to avoid Noelle’s ice beam obliterating his halberd. Berdly reeled back, manifesting his halberd, throwing it, and running after it again as Noelle she focused ice into a weapon form once more. Her face dropped in disappointment, her energy spent on possibly the worst weapon she could’ve gotten.

“When splitting wood, and not much else with a hatchet…”

“This weapon stinks (•_-_•||), so I call it Donner (it was Dunder in the original version!) I remember a day when my dad tried to chop up fire wood with the Holiday Hatchet (H.H for short xd) and he spent SOOOOO long on one log, not because it was dull, but because the H.H was a hatchet; should’ve used the ax if you wanted to get the wood before sunset :”D! As a weapon, it for sure is the worst one I could get, this would make good challenge run content though; “Could Noelle Holiday Beat the Light Nerd Gauntlet With Only The Hatchet?” XDD.”

Noelle prepared to deflect the thrown halberd with her hatchet, the green blade rapidly closing the distance as Noelle squared her feet and closed her eyes. “Wish I had something better for this, but it’s flying too fast to dodge!” Noelle’s eyes shot open, the hatchet swinging in a broad arc to bat away the halberd, bracing herself for impact. “Here it comes!- huh?” Noelle’s hatchet struck thin air as the halberd demanifested inches before the blade, “Woah!” Noelle staggered forward, off balance as Berdly remanifested his halberd and hooked Noelle’s hatchet, smirking as he pulled her in to continue his onslaught. Withi his blade retracted and raised overhead, Berdly swung his halberd down, ecstatic to see the hatchet already falling to pieces. “My dearest Noelle! Your newest not-halberd has failed you! What did you expect to happen?” Berdly swung downward again, the halberd smashing clean Through the hatchet, and slashing Noelle. Noelle exhaled, dragging the shards of the hatchet to her palm as she skidded backwards, a new weapon manifesting as she ran toward Berdly, who jumped back into the air and laughed obnoxiously.

“Lets see how YOU like getting shot at, Noelle!” Berdly raised his halberd, the head transforming into a spear tip as he hovered in place; his scouter glowed, and from the tip of his spear came a flood of bullets. Noelle’s expression grew serious as she looked up at the curtain of bullets approaching her, and pointed her free hand to the sky a. “Don’t stay up there too long, Berdly.” Ice magic gathered around her index finger, before encompassing her palm, Noelle sighed as the energy in her hands reached maximum capacity, before pointing her palm at Berdly with a determined smile. “You’ll catch a cold!”

The sky froze. The barrage of bullets dissipated as snowflakes smothered the ground and sky, Susie stared in awe at the scene before her. She looked at the iceshock in awe, at the snowflakes drifting gently across the aqua sky. “Everything she does… its so elegant.” Susie chuckled as she watched snow gently fall. “Her spells are always so beautiful…. Yeah, elegant, beautiful, Im sure there’s a word for that means both.” Susie thought, her gaze drifting from the horizon to Noelle, snowflakes in her hair as she pursued a fleeing Berdly, her expression confident as she slid on the ice. “… I think know that word actually. That word is Noelle.” Susie sighed dreamily as Noelle prepared to swing at the tornado before her, new weapon forming rapidly. Noelle smiled when she saw the handle elongate into the barrel and cup of a baseball bat, taking up a batting stance with joy in her eyes.

“When Swinging a Baseball Bat With Reckless Abandon, Batting Everything That Looks Like a Ball…”

“Now THIS is a weapon! My parents tried to put me into baseball with my sister when I was young, sorry to my parents, but I bounced right off XD. Whenever I struck out, I just wanted to keep swinging until my arms gave out, but my sister told me that if I did that, then every problem would look like it needed to get hit with a bat; sorry Kris, guess you were a pretty big problem XD. Yeahhh anyway with Comet I feel like I can swing this around forever… buuuut my sister told me not to be like her, so I’ll only swing it at big problems!”

“Wherever she is, I hope she’s hitting home runs every time she comes up to bat. I hope she sees the homeruns I hit…” Noelle’s smile fell into a thin line as she raised the bat, phantom arms guiding her swing as the bat smashed clean through the tornado. Berdly’s beak dropped as Noelle continued sliding towards him. “Oh my blazers she’s fast approaching!” Berdly said, yelling in a mixture of fear and awe as Noelle raised her bar once more, eyes filled with emotion as she swung again. “Heh. I just need to weather this blizzard, to show you the real storm in Flower Kingdom!” Berdly said while partially out of breath, raising his halberd as the handle thickened as he prepared to block the attack. Noelle smiled ruefully, ready to hit a homerun. “Good idea, Berdly.” Noelle muttered.

CRACKKK

Noelle’s bat did not lose any momentum as it glided through Berdly’s halberd and smashed into the armor he wore with devastating impact. Berdly coughed, breathless, “its… its so cold! I can’t move!” Noelle’s strike had chilled Berdly to the bone, the horrific combination of blunt force trauma and his frozen body leaving him breathless as Noelle battered Berdly; swinging again and again while in a trance, his armor denting underneath the force of her swings, his face frozen in terror.

“I need to move.” Berdly calmly attempted to raise a wing, the limb delayed by three seconds as Noelle brought her bat down again. His temperature kept dropping and his limbs moved slower, the only parts of his eyes that moved were his pupils, shrinking in panic as Noelle continued wailing on his armor. The crunch of Noelle’s bad rang out at first, but the repeated sounds of his chestplate cracking were drowned out as he became all too aware of how cold he was. “I need to move.” Berdly’s wing spasmed as Noelle raised her bat again, snowflakes trailing after the cracking barrel. Berdly’s wings flailed against the ground. “I NEED TO MOVE! I NEED TO MOVE ITS TOO COLD IM BEING BURIED IN SNOW I NEED TO MOVE-“

CLANG

Berdly was standing again, the blade of his halberd retracting as he saw Noelle sail backwards, an expression of shock on her face as she looked at her hands. Berdly blinked once, before growling. “Ok Noelle! No more throwing for content!” Berdly dashed forward, talons drawing thin lines on the ice as wind magic propelled him forward. Lowering his halberd, Berdly sneered with anger as he rapidly closed the distance on Noelle. “If you want me to rush you down, then I’ll show you every mix up I labbed!”

“Hey! I didn’t mean it like that! Im sorry I just kept swinging!” Noelle’s expression of shock only grew at Berdly’s sudden seriousness, before she remembered he was hurtling at her as fast as an arrow. “Gah! Focus Noelle! Apologize later after you kick his butt.” Berdly pulled his arms back, preparing to slash as wide as he possibly could, Noelle grimaced, as there was no where to avoid the incoming slash. “The only way out…” Noelle concentrated once more, and swung her arm as the weapon formed to clash his swing “is through!”

“When Busting Open Evil With an Axe, Like a Dearest Beloved…”

“If I was just a bit bigger, Cupid would totally be my fav, but Im not nearly as strong as Susie (to be fair, no one really is XD). Yeah this big ol’ hunk of ice is great for covering space, and if Im really on my A-game I can cover my swings with more ice spells! Cool right? I hope one days I get good enough with this thing, so me and my gf can be Super Badass Axe Bros (Susie’s name, not mine ^_ ^”).

The arc of Noelle’s axe swing caught Berdly’s halberd, the force behind the clash leaving both combatants off balance on the ice, staggering to find purchase before the other. Berdly looked up at the same time Noelle did, he looked down at the axe, and raised an eyebrow. “If I wasn’t so cultured in novels of the visual kind, I’d assume you maybe held affinity for dear Susie in the stands.” Noelle let out a dry chuckle as she hefted the axe over her shoulder, “Berdly you’re not gonna BELIEVE me when I tell you this.” Berdly leaped forward, locking blades with Noelle, the frozen sand carrying their momentum, Berdly snorted. “Tell me nobme Noelle, does your heart beat true for her?” Noelle rolled her eyes, before swinging wide with her axe, pushing Berdly back, she smiled as she dashed forward. “Oh yes Noble Berdly, it beats true for her, day and night for my warrior queen. I sure WISH she can HEAR how MUCH I LOVE HER!”

Noelle and Berdly took a second to assess the stands: Susie looked bashfully off to the side as Ralsei and Kris laughed, Kris pointing to Noelle after kissing Ralsei, an inaudible “Susie go do that to Noelle” causing Susie to pick up Kris by their cape, before jangling them around. Berdly sighed, Noelle raising an eyebrow in response. “So immature, I don’t know how the public can stand those sweethearts.” Noelle giggled, hesitating for a second before speakimg. “Berdly if what I heard is true, you cuddled Seth on a diner floor, I don’t think any of us have the right to talk, fahaha!”

“WH- *HAK* WHAT!”

Berdly choked on his spit, before pointing a wing at Noelle, his facial features indignant. “When did you hea- that’s not true! I was merely studying my opponent who had just clotheslined me! Their underhanded tactics couldn’t get me to-“ Noelle doubled over laughing, her axe the only thing keeping her upright. “Relax! Cheese crackers man, Orange told Susie about it, and that sounds cute! I think!” Berdly gripped his halberd, his feathers ruffled as he ground his teeth in embarrassment. “When! We all entered the dark world at the same time today!” Noelle pondered for a moment. “Oh right! When we got in the dark world, you and Kris ran off to try and race up here, and Green stopped us! They wanted their glasses back.” Noelle scratched her chin, confusion and worry on her face. “How did they know we were here? They didn’t know we were here until we showed up at the cafe yesterday…” Noelle said, muttering to no one in particular. Berdly cleared his throat. “Noelle, well your contemplation is valid, Im afraid we have a duel to resume” Berdly pointed his halberd at Noelle, his face becoming impossibly and stupidly smug. “I still haven’t proved how inferior your weapon choices are!” Noelle’s brow furrowed as she hefted her axe into her hands once more. “You’re on Berdly!”

Surprisingly, Noelle advanced first, stepping forward and cleaving the space before her with a mighty swing, Berdly stepping back to avoid the swing, before stepping in to thrust with his halberd at her torso. A small, waist high wall of ice blocked his strike, before Noelle hefted her weapon and swung horizontally once more, batting Berdly’s halberd aside and knocking him off balance; Berdly sneered as Noelle raised the axe above her head, cracks running up and down the weapon, he swung his halberd as hard as he could to match Noelle’s strike.

SMASH

Noelle’s axe shattered into icicle shards as Berdly’s halberd dissipated, both combatants now unarmed as Noelle channeled a spell, ice swirling around her finger tips once more. “Smart move! But you aren’t dodging this!” Berdly, planting his left talon into the cold sand, kicked upward with his free talon, and managed to snatch Noelle’s casting hand in time to point the bolt of ice away from him. “Oh thank gamer goodness that worked, I haven’t practiced karate in years AND I really couldn’t waste my precious mana on dodging!” Berdly thought, wind kicking up beneath both of them. “On the contrary, Noelle, I don’t know why I’d do that!”

FWOOSH

Berdly and Noelle were launched into the air, Berdly recovering first, letting go of Noelle and resummoning his halberd as he air-dashed downward to launch her further up. “Check out this midscreen optimal Noelle!” Berdly channeled wind magic once more, the last of his current reserve spent as he surged upward with a glowing halberd. Noelle stared in shock at the scenario. “…That was actually pretty smart. Da-damn, good for him. Really wish we weren’t so high up right now…” Noelle thought in equal parts shock, anger, fatigue, and pride at Berdly. She raised her hand, the handle of a weapon forming once more.

“…I need to wrap this up. I’ll speedrun these next weapon draws! Berdly’s not ready for this!” Thought Noelle, no longer focusing on what weapons she drew, but only surviving Berdly’s onslaught and containing her unease as she fell. A dagger came to her hand, regret, soon replaced by determination lingered on Noelle’s face as she prepared to weather the storm.

“When Cutting Food With a Knife, Because it Has No Range For Anything Else…”

“Uggghhh Vixen has no range! It reminds that, when I was younger, my sister’s boyfriend tried to do a challenge run with the dagger only in Dragon Blazers 3D, he almost broke the controller because of how frustrating it was XD! Although to be fair to Vixen, it would be really easy to swing while casting spells, but my spells are pretty restricted with a weapon manifested, so its kinda useless :b. Looks pretty cool though, Im sure if we didn’t have a kitchen katana, this would be the Produce Isle Grim Reaper!”

CRACK

Noelle’s first deflect failed, Berdly’s halberd bulldozing the armament and striking Noelle, sending her careening further into the air. Berdly spread his wings to slow his descent, before swinging horizontally, Noelle recovering in time to summon another weapon. As Noelle brought her arms down, she stared in disbelief as a stiletto formed, before frowning in acceptance at the next strike.

“When Piercing Gaps in Armor With a Stiletto, But Never Getting it When I Need to Pierce Armor, And Only When Im Trying to Swing Rather Than Stab…”

”Dasher is so so SO annoying! It shows up at the worst time, every time! Every time someone has had armor to pierce, I never get it, but oh BOY when I need to swing an actual weapon? Here comes Dasher to save the day >:c. If you were more consistent than Blario 64 cave skips, you’d easily be a great utility!”

Noelle’s armament was once again smashed through, Berdly’s halberd strike sending her tumbling forward as he glided after her with a smirk. “Hey Noelle! I know you’re not good with heights, like Im not good with the cold, so I’ll be the bigger person” Berdly raised his halberd overhead “and send you back to winter wonderland face first!” Noelle smiled to herself as she formed another weapon, inviting his challenge, and knowing something he didn’t. “I only have good weapons from here!” Noelle brought her arm up, and swung with confidence, Berdly’s face lit up in excitement as their weapons met, their clash reaching the ground as they slid forward.

“I KNEW YOU HAD GOOD TASTE IN WEAPONRY, NOELLE!”

“When Slashing, Stabbing, and Hooking With a Halberd, Knowing Your Study Buddy Glazes This Weapon With His Life…”

“Prancer is one of the most well-rounded weapons I have, and I am never upset when I have to use this weapon; it could always be worse, could be a hatchet :x. My study buddy loves these things for some reason, Im pretty sure he tried to petition Wojang to add one to Minecrap, and what do you know, they added a halberd in the latest patch XD. Guess I should petition for a katana then…”

Berdly and Noelle’s halberds flowed in their struggle, their movements near synchronized as they fought for dominance. Ralsei shook a moderately interested Kris by the shoulders, looking stupefied as crack’s rang out through the sparring grounds. Berdly swung overhead, Noelle following suite, before Noelle thrusted her halberd forward, Berdly replicating the thrust after a moment as they traded control of the mirrored struggle. “Kris! Kris look they’re basically mirror copies of each other right now’l Kris watched as Berdly and Noelle thrust their halberds forward, hooking the other’s weapon as they drew themselves toward each other, slamming the handles together as they tried to shove their rival in arms off guard. Kris grabbed Ralsei’s hands, bringing their shaking to an end. “This is gonna end in a really stupid way.” Ralsei tilted his head in confusion. “What makes you say that?” Kris smiled softly, gently pulling Ralsei’s hand over to open it.

“That’s odd.”

“…Kris?”

“You’re asking really dumb questions, but you aren’t holding a halberd?”

“Kris!”

“Don’t you know? It’s medically proven holding a halberd makes you do stupid shit.” Susie walked over, eyes still glued to the fight intently.

“Hey nerds, you know they’re gonna headbutt each other right.”

“Yep.

“They’re gonna headbutt each other! Noelle totally whoops his ass!”

“Susie! Kris! They wouldn’t do that!” Ralsei crossed his arms, Kris visibly saddened that they no longer held Ralsei’s hand as he continued lecturing. “Noelle would never do that! And I don’t care how impulsive you think Berdly is, he wouldn’t headbutt someone! Look!”

CRACK

“IMSORRYBERDLYIHAVENOOYHERCHOICE!”

“IMSORRYNOELLEBUTIMWINNINGTHISDUEL!”

CLONK

In a rather unfortunate set of circumstances, Noelle’s shattered halberd, Berdly’s rash decision making, and Noelle’s desperation had led to the number one and number two student headbutting each other in blind panic; the two staggering away from each other, muttering “ow’s” and “oof’s” and other groans of pain, Berdly staggering to his knees while Noelle hunched over with her hands covering her face. Kris and Susie fell over laughing as Ralsei stared horrified.

“Are you two ok?! Oh no…” Ralsei stared as Berdly and Noelle slowly staggered to their feet, their dazed expressions slowly regaining lucidity as they realized someone had attempting to talk to them. “Im… Im good!” Noelle said, shaking her head before reassuming her fighting stance. Berdly groaned in discomfort, but hoisted his halberd up regardless. “That was your fault…” Berdly muttered under his breath, Noelle’s previously focused expression turned indignant. “excuse you?!” Ice swirled around her hands as a new weapon came to her hand, Berdly prepared to fire a barrage of bullets, his magic now somewhat recovered in the impromptu break. He sneered as Noelle’s weapon formed.

“Your weapon can’t be even half as good as your last weapon! Go ahead! Prove you weapon isn’t a throw pi-“

PHEWOOOM

Berdly’s left eye saw a flash of icy blue, the object barely perceptible as a rope made of chained ice extended from Noelle’s hand. She smiled broadly as a captain’s hat made of snow now sat on her hand, before yanking the chain backwards. “CHA! MAGANERA!” Berdly’s face dropped as he heard a distant whistle rapidly grow closer, his clutch on his halberd tightening in dread. “oh right. That means block it. “ The whistling grew closer, the sharpness of the point audible as it flew at horrific speeds towards Berdly’s back. “I shouldn’t do that, a smart person can defy their captain’s orders when salient.” Berdly barely managed to duck the javelin, the iron landing in Noelle’s hands, where she spun it around before lunging at Berdly with possessed fervor.

“When Piercing Evil With a Retractable Javelin, Leading Crews In And Out of Hell With a Charismatic Smile…”

“For the longest time after I played Dragon Blazers 5.4 Remake, I used to annoy Susie by quoting The Mad Captain’s lines at her XD. She said she’d be my first harpooner, and I think she still brings it up to fluster me, like the jerk she is :’). My dad would’ve loved to see how Dragon Blazers 5.4 remake made the Captain a villain, he always loved villains like that: all wild-eyed and charismatic and stuff…

My dad used to throw javelins in high school, so of course when he wanted to bond with me over Dragon Blazers lll multiplayer, he picked the captain guy with the spear! Back when I used to be scared of this game (the Crypt is still kinda scary ok! XD), my dad would do a really stupid voice while playing as the captain, and I’d find the courage to keep playing while he led the way with a big ol’ grin; he tried to rope everyone else into being part of the “pirate crew,” but Carol kept picking the katana spirit, so we just pretended she was a random person we picked up at sea XD.

Holding Rudolph in my hands… I hope I can help others find the courage they need. …He passed on the captain’s hat to me, after all!”

Berdly backstepped repeatedly for space, talons punching holes in the cold sand as Noelle attempted to pierce his retreat with jabs, he raised his halberd overhead to catch her next stab, but faltered as she stabbed the point into the ground; his halberd deflected as she laughed boastfully. “BEHOLD!” The stand members stood with rapt attention as Noelle kicked forward while holding onto the planted javelin, picking up ludicrous speed as she rotated; Berdly’s failing guard battered by Noelle’a hooves on each subsequent, quicker revolution, the halberd’s grow dimming as Berdly strained beneath the blows. “THE FATAL DETERMINATION!” Noelle launched off the harpoon with a flying kick, Berdly could only stare in horror as Noelle’s blurred form flew at him like a bullet.

“OH SWEET THANKSGIVING SHE HAS SMEAR FRA-!” Berdly said, yell cut short as Noelle’s hoof slammed into his already damaged chest armor, wheezing as he was sent hurtling through the air, back parallel to the ground. Noelle’s flew with him, a her momentum allowing her to almost hover over him, before slamming her hoof down to pin him on his back. Noelle smiled wickedly as she slammed the tip of the javelin down.

“THAT FUELS THIS HARPOON!”

“YEAHHHH KICK HIS ASS NOELLE!”

“My captain”

“Woah! She’s got him now!”

CLANG

Blue, Green, and white sparks were all that defined Berdly’s vision as he attempted to block Noelle’s strike, adrenaline pumping as his wings found new life to fight back against his demise, he smirked as the tip of the javelin hovered over his chest plate; only blocked by the thin green lifeline of his halberd’s handle. “I gotta throw her off!” Berdly thought, seeing the excitement in Noelle’s eyes lose ground to annoyed confusion. “Heh, Noelle did you really have to steal lines from Remake 5.4? How absurd, the Mad Captain had a much scratchier voice, only an aficionado of imitation, the choicest of voices could get that voice down; props for trying though, you sound kinda like him!“ Noelle’s expression, previously a picture copy of the captain’s manic smile, dropped to an annoyed and very pensive expression.

“Wowwww, ok, well if we want to talk about bad impressions, your Bone guy voice in NAFF 1 was aw-“ Noelle yelped Berdly’s halberd suddenly gained more force than should be possible, throwing her off Berdly as she hastily attempted to finish the stab; Noelle’s javelin screeching as she carved a line in his chest plate. Berdly stood up swiftly, shivering as fire burned in his eyes. “Forgive me for the underhanded tactics, Noelle, but it doesn’t take a genius to realize the winning position in a fight is not supine on the floor.” Noelle sighed, the javelin falling to pieces as she concentrated on creating a new weapon, the handle building and building as Berdly ran up to her. “Im not gonna let you buff up! Take this!” Berdly swung his halberd overhead, before a sheet of ice blocked his strike. He retracted his weapon, and before he could swing again

SHING

a thin line, no wider than the width of a pinky, split the ice wall, and slashed Berdly, who sunk to his knees paralyzed as the wall slowly split in two. Noelle stood, a mask covering her right eye, and the katana crumbling into a furious blizzard circling her hand; frost and snowflakes radiating off her as she walked briskly away from Berdly’s kneeling form. “Executed. Happy Holidays, Berdly.” She muttered, raising her hand as snow began to fall heavily.

When Ending Fights In a Single Draw, Slashing With a Katana Your Mom Taught You To Wield…

“… for the longest time, I could never understand why my mom loved katanas. For a while, I thought she was like my study buddy: someone who really appreciated foreign culture, except she didn't watch anime, or read manga or anything like that, she just really, REALLY liked katanas. I only first “got it” when she did this cool quick draw thing, and sliced Kris’ birthday cake faster than any of us could see; she didn’t even smear the ICE-EE frosting!

After… sometime, my mom, who I was on bad terms with at the moment, walked up to me, all serious and politician like, and she looked at me and asked if “I had any games she’d like?” I was so confused! How is that the first thing you say after two days of silence?! but I saw in her eye, how lonely she was; I guess I was pretty lonely too at the moment, so I put my feelings aside and became Professor Holiday XD.

My Mom, who only really played Dragon Blazers lll, learned how to play Catz Petterz EX from yours truly, and I was taught how to swing a katana (pretty cool for bonding right?). It felt so weird to try and imitate her, but eventually I figured out how to draw and strike like she could: at least it was a shared struggle, she took days to beat the Dry Cleaners , even with a Bunter class XD! Anyway, now she has a pretty good save on Catz Petterz EX (thanks to me :b), and I can swing katanas like Blitzen and it’s superrr cool! It’s like she said, standing there after I sliced clean through a tree near our house: “you only need one strike, Noelle, to change fate.” (She tried to blame this on a beaver… we don’t have beavers here? XD).

… She’s trying to reach out to me, and Im trying to reach out to her. She’s been reading a lot more stories recently, at least that’s what the mail I picked up for her; Wandering ronins and lone samurais and all that. We can’t look each other in the eye somedays, but Im not gonna let her roam the rest of her life alone… even if me and my mom will always resent Carol Holiday ”

A thick, chilly fog enveloped the arena as Berdly found himself alone at the center of the sandy arena, his head searching for the traceless silhouette of Noelle as Kris booed about the “tv static interrupting the good part”. Berdly sighed dramatically and yawned; wings trembling as he staggered to his feet, preparing to guard for his life.

“Reallly impressive Noelle. We all played Old Ring Night Rain, we agreed that the Caligroan, Sickness of The Night was mid.” Berdly said, his voice wavering as he struggled to stand. Noelle’s outline appearing in Berdly’s peripheral vision before disappearing suddenly, the fog displaced as Noelle silently shot out of the blizzard like a bullet, reappearing with a sword forged from ice; her eyes lifeless as she swung down with a formal smile.

“Simulate the fervor and passion of a turbulent se- a merry winter blizzard.”

“Wait that sounds fam- Geez!”

Berdly barely had time to block the attack, Noelle’s sword shattered, the shrapnel slicing into Berdly as Noelle focused her power into creating an axe.

“As has been ordained by the oce- winter gale” Noelle said merrily, her eyes not reflecting the tone of her words as the behemoth of a blade was brought down.

Berdly, still recovering from the spray of icicles, could only watch as Noelle’s axe slammed into his shoulderpad hard enough to splinter it, the CRACK ringing through the arena as Berdly staggered backward, Halberd flickering out of existence and exposed. Noelle surged forward, the handle reknitting itself into a stilleto as Berdly remanifested his halberd while shivering.

“Back off!” Berdly slashed wide to block Noelle’s advance, but she slid past the strike and behind him, jabbing Berdly in his now exposed shoulder. She chuckled dryly. Berdly looked back to see Noelle, frost magic violently shooting off her hands, smiling a cold smile. Berdly squinted his eyes in recognition.

*surely not*

“You know it, don’t you, Berdly?” Noelle said, reforging the shattered stilleto into a halberd, before stepping forward to attempt another thrust; Berdly’s thrusted forward with desperate force, his halberd shattering the blade of ice, gliding down the length of the remaining length toward Noelle. Noelle smiled even as Berdly’s halberd rocketed towards her. The temperature even lower as snow and ice swirled around Noelle’s armament. In an instant, before Noelle’s robe could even be brushed by Berdly’s halberd, a great harpoon formed from the cold, rebuking Berdly’s halberd and striking his shoulder once more. Berdly hissed as the cold seeped deeper into his body, his retaliatory strike evaded as Noelle dashed back into the fog.

“Its pointless to predict my moves.”

A flash of recognition shot through Berdly as he considered the last moves of their duel, his eyebrows knitting in anger, and a snarl leaving his throat.

“YOU SAID YOU HATED BLAZER COMPANY CHAPTER 9!” Berdly thrusted his halberd blindly forward, Noelle stepping back to avoid the extended blade and jumping forward to slam a baseball bat clean through Berdly’s halberd; the impact knocking Berdly to one knee, but he still struggled to his feet in rage as his halberd flickered into existence once more. Noelle continued approaching him with assured steps as Berdly dashed toward her.

“I THOUGHT WE AGREED THE ORACLE OF THE SEA WAS A CHEAP CALL BACK TO LIBRARY OF BLAZERS”

“He was.” Noelle said calmly, running out of breath from the effort, and slammed a hatchet into Berdly’s guard, before jumping back into the fog ans nailing a dagger throw on Berdly’s shoulder as a parting gift; he hissed as the cold seeped into his veins deeper still, he could feel his body begin to lock up. “Its cold! I DON’T CARE! MY FRIEND BETRAYED OUR SACRED GAMING OPINIONS! I THOUGHT WE AGREED?!” Thought Berdly, who pointed his halberd once more at Noelle with furious accusation, so fervent were his emotions that the cold became irrelevant to Berdly’s ability to fight.

“SO WHY ARE YOU POSING AS HIM????” Said Berdly, yelling indignantly. Noelle gasped in offense, her veneer of indifference broken, face bright with anger.

“BECAUSE HE’S COOL?! WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT? YOU DRESS UP LIKE MOKU FROM DRAGON MALLS BUT YOU DON’T HEAR ME COMPLAIN! YOU HAVEN’T EVEN WATCHED THE OLD ANIME HAVE YOU??? YOU POSER!”

Berdly gasped in genuine offense, the past spells and blows not matching the wound Noelle had dealt him now. He concentrated his magic, the size of his now glowing halberd tripling as a column of game force wind launched him forward with a THOOM; the force punching a hole in the polar vortex as he surged forward to strike Noelle down.

“YOU LEAVE MOKU OUT OF THIS! I READ THE MANGA ON SKETCHY WEBSITES! I BOUGHT THE COLLECTOR ADDITION! MY SOURCES TOLD ME THE ADAPTATION IS GARBAGE! I AM NO POSER!” Noelle sighed as she closed her eyes, all the frost in the arena joining her disintegrating mask as she reconstructed the scabbard of her katana. Noelle crouched low with her hand hovering over the handle. “You can do better than her, Noelle.” Her hand wrapped around the complete handle of the katana. “It’s what mom… it’s what everyone would’ve wanted.” Noelle exhaled as Berdly’s furious strike was now within a foot of her. Noelle disappeared, before reappearing ten paces behind Berdly as her katana crumbled to pieces, both standing statue still as wind blew through the arena. The stands watched the stand-off, extremely confused.

“Wait who won? I- we saw none of that! They’re just standing there!”

“I don’t know, shut up and find out.”

“Kris shut up.”

“Both of you be quiet!”

“Shut your nerd ass up Ralsei.”

“Yeah shut it Ralsei.”

THOOM

Noelle flinched like she had been punched on the gut, a column of galeforce wind knocking her back as the full force of Berdly’s slash registered to time and space, the wind knocked out of her lungs as she slid backwards and slammed into the stands. Berdly walked over, and offered Noelle a shaky wing. Noelle bowed her head and sighed, before removing herself from the wall with Berdly’s help. She smiled, albeit clearly disappointed with the outcome.

“Good job Berdly, Im glad my lessons paid off! You deserved that win!” Berdly smiled softly, before letting go of Noelle’s hand silently, Noelle raised an eyebrow at Berdly’s subdued reaction. “His eyes aren’t focused on anything?” Noelle thought, before Berdly closed his eyes and smiled, calmly stepping a few feet back before bowing.

“Thank you for help Noelle. On the contrary…” Berdly’s body suddenly dropped to his knees, Noelle’s eyes widening as Berdly slowly looked at her with tranquility; snowflakes gently falling from a thin line in his armor.

SHING

Noelle’s slash split the surroundings, a thin line of ice carved into the sand of the arena, where the ambient temperature dropped to impossibly cold temperatures. Berdly clutched his chest, failing to stifle the geyser of snowflakes erupting from his chest as he let out a ragged gasp. …You won.” Noelle walked over, the frost returning to her hand from the gash she had carved, offering her other hand full of healing magic to Berdly, who attempted to grab onto it before Noelle pulled her hand away with an almost Berdly like smugness.

“Say katanas are better than halberds.”

“…Never!” Said Berdly, attempting to crawl away from Noelle, his weakened body struggling to make any meaningful progress as Noelle stared down at him. Berdly looked back, before planting his head into the sand and groaning. “Damn iiiiiiit.” Noelle crouched down, her expression softening, but still retaining a smug air. “You really need healing man.” Berdly’s wing slowly raised up, and fell into Noelle’s waiting hand.

“….katanasarebetterthanhalberds.” Berdly muttered out, the healing energy coursing through his veins as he was pulled back onto his talons, his face smug as he revealed he had crossed his fingers on his other wing. Noelle slugged his wing and laughed. “You are SUCH a jerk! You make fun of my cosplay AND double cross my healing? You’re the worst!” Berdly’s chuckles turned into laughter, clutching his stomach as he tried to stay upright, lest he be forced to properly announce the inferiority of halberds. “If Im the worst, then you’re the worster! You kept like freezing me or something! Don’t you know how cheap cc is! You rube!” Berdly spread his wings wide, smug smile returning to his face once more. “Surely you know your katana would’ve lost against my GLORIOUS halberd without it, just like you always lose at Minecrap pvp!” Noelle snorted, before doubling over laughing. “YOU knocked ME into the air to combo me! You know I suck at heights! You jerk! Also were even in Minecrap pvp! They just buffed halberds this patch because they’re s-stupid! The last match didn’t count!” Berdly walked over to help Noelle up, but before he could lend her a wing with terms and conditions, a small amount frost magic began swirling Noelle’s hand. Berdly gasped in exaggerated offense, retracting his wing dramatically.

“Oh WOW! You think ME, an honorable genius would force my DEAREST FRIEND, who has allowed me to remain intellectually competitive all these years, my gamer friend forged in the fires of Minecrap mattress wars, to shake on a faustian baragin?! For shame!” Berdly held out his wing once more, and Noelle rolled her eyes, dissipated the frost magic, and grabbed on; however she was not lifted instantly. Berdly’s expression grew sincere, Noelle stared up confused. “If I lift you up, then you’ll go to bed at a decent time tonight right?” Noelle’s eyebrow raised in annoyance. “You got bp rank 300 this week in Portnite. You are not one to talk at all-“ Noelle froze, looking up only with her eyes as the cogs in Berdly’s head turned.

“Please don’t connect the dots please PLEASE.” Berdly’s brow furrowed in rage as he automatically pulled Noelle up. “I didn’t tell anyone that! Unless…!” Berdly let go of Noelle as the rest of the fun gang dropped into the arena, after making sure Noellle could stand by herself, Berdly balled his wing into a fist. “YOU COULD ONLY KNOW THAT IF YOU SAW MY ACCOUNT BETWEEN 3:34-3:36am LAST WEEK!”

“Oooooooh he got you.”

“I mean some people can’t sleep at night… but yeah Noelle you should take better care of yourself.”

Berdly sighed as Kris and Ralsei stood there. “They’re using half measures! We need a full cup to complete this recipe for sleep!” Berdly rudely pointed at Susie as she walked over to Noelle. “SUSIE!” Berdly barked, the hero walked past him with an annoyed expression. “Yes, Nerdly?” She said, her eyes locked on to the scrapes and bruises covering Noelle. Berdly sighed, pinching the bridge of his beak. “Make sure she goes to bed on time, her genius needs proper rest! Hold her in place or something, it’s our mutual interest that she doesn’t die of heart problems at 40!” Susie balled her free hand, her other and slung around Noelle as she channeled healing magic into her. “Hey dweeb, her sleeping habits are none of your concern!” Kris and Ralsei dropped into the arena, Kris helping a concerned Ralsei down, before raising their scarf. Ralsei looked at the two with pleading eyes, their scarf unfurled to absurd length; on it was a 1:1 recreation of RadicalDreemur768’s youtube history, as carved by Kris.

“Noelle… Susie… Kris just told me you use their youtube premium account to watch Blario 64 speedrun videos at 3am… in fact, they told me you probably frequently pause the video to talk about the strats… Kris has shown me the truth.”

Kris clicked their tongue, face neutral as they looked at Berdly. “Susie likes hearing Noelle yap about speedrun nerd stuff.” Berdly’s raised his eyebrow, the dots not connecting. “We all do? I mean, that’s our shared playlist of speedrun videos between the three of us. Btw you still haven’t broken my record on the Torpedo Trenches Blue coin guitar.” Kris sighed, glancing over and looking away as Susie mouthed “NO” repeatedly. “One, Susie’s using our speedrun playlist to get Noelle to talk about speedrun tech at 2am, and two, screw you Ive been busy man.” Berdly gasped dramatically, Susie’s expression dropping as Berdly opened his beak to speak.

“Shit. Should’ve kept my mouth shut… Im getting Kris back for this somehow.”

”SUSIE?! You’re enabling Noelle! Why?!” Susie stomped her boot into the sand in embarrassment. “BECAUSE WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?! SHE JUST GETS UP TO DO SOMETHING, AND THEN COMES BACK AND SAYS “ahhh Susie! I can’t sleep Susie! Let’s watch Blario 64 speedrun tech! I can explain whatever you want fahaha!” Noelle stood by, nervously smiling as Susie tried to look away from her after that surprisingly accurate impression. “Susie…” Noelle grabbed Susie’s shoulders, and turned Susie to face her with great effort. “Why didn’t you say anything earlier?” Said Noelle, brushing a lock of hair out of Susie’s face. Susie sighed, shoulders slumping forward. “Because I wanted to hear you speak! I like hearing you talk a out things you like! I like hearing you.” Susie sighed, placing her hands over Noelle’s, and looking her in the eye. “Look, we know you need to sleep better, so I’ll tel you what:-“ Susie leaned closer, Noelle’s breath accelerating as she closed the distance. “Ok geez stay calm! You’ve done this before! Whatever she proposes is gonna be REALLY cool and awesome like her! Just say yes!”

“If you yap for more than five minutes on a Blario 64 topic I’ll uhhhhh spin you around like a pizz-“ Noelle leaped into Susie’s arms without a second thought. “YES! O- wait what.” Noelle said, Susie looked at her, and Noelle’s smile slightly dropping at the corners of her mouth. Susie smiled whimsically. “Yep, like a pizza. I’ll toss your nerd ass in the air and everything.” Noelle opened her mouth to speak, only managing to say “Ok???” Susie then pecked her on the cheek, before rolling her shoulders sore from channeling heal magic. Kris, Ralsei, and Berdly watched the scene with rapt interest.

Ralsei shrugged, confused but satisfied. “All’s well that ends well?” Berdly smiled and gave a thumbs-up to Ralsei. “Indeed, my deepest gratitude to the both of you for recording their crimes against the circadian rhythm.” Kris snickered, before poking Berdly in his damaged chest plate. “Now we gotta work on your sleep schedule.” Berdly laughed nervously, sidestepping Kris as he approached Noelle, before offering a wing.

“Thank you for teaching me today, Noelle! My genius has been further sharpened, and I believe Seth even less a chance than they did yesterday.” Noelle shook with wing, her expression merry. “No problem! Also dumb question: where did you get all that energy? You were huffing and puffing during the warm up????” Berdly smiled, before pointing a prideful feather at himself. “It’s simple Noelle! Subconsciously, I must have imagined my violet scholar was watching, and locked in!” Noelle sighed, before chuckling mirthfully. “Yeah, that helps! Helps me with track meets anyway.” Susie looked at the group smugly, throwing her arm around Noelle once more. “She’s dedicated 15 long jumps to me.” She said, smiling as Noelle tried to bury herself into Susie’s jacket out of embarrassment. Berdly chuckled, a breeze reminding him of his current armor situation as the four other heroes continued chatting, occasionally looking over at Berdly and chuckling. Berdly coughed into his wing to excuse himself.

“I must depart to find a smith! Fare all of you well, in our collective effort to defeat the flower’s champion!” Berdly walked off, ruminating about the last three days, how fast information about him and Seth reached others, that fateful first day. A thought Berdly hated resurfaced repeatedly as he did.

“Is this all a joke, and is he the punchline?”

--——————————————
What if he just runs at me?”

In the Shoji door hall, Seth laid down on the wooden tiles, scribbling down ideas furiously into a notebook. “I can’t keep up with Berdly, but I can trap him.” They scribbled an arrow to themself before adding a book above Berdly, tongue sticking out in concentration as they war gamed the upcoming duel, the eraser of their pencil already eroded to a nub. “The glasses would be best placed up top to multiply projectiles raining from above, but I’d be diverting energy away from more important things…” Seth scratched out the 3rd iteration of glasses, before groaning as they were penciled in once more. Seth dropped their book and sighed. As they went to clutch their head in frustration, a light thumping sounded next to them.

“Hey Seth! What are you doing! Hey! Seth!” Aqua stood in place, looking over Seth’s dropped notebook with one eye and a massive smile on their face. Seth sighed, before looking at Aqua. “I told you already! Im sketching out my plan of attack! I need to know my enemy if Im to beat him!” Aqua’s sleeve rubber against her in thought. “Is that why you keep doodling you winning and kissing Berdly!” Aqua laughed as she danced in place, Seth’s notebook fumbling in the air as they tried to pick it up and shut it. “UUUU SETH’S IN LOVE! HAHA LOVER SETH LOVER SETH!”

“AQUA! GET OUT!” Seth, hiding behind their notebook, angrily pointed toward the nearest shoji door, Aqua took a step back and leapt forward.

THUNK

Aqua threw herself at the door, bouncing harmlessly off it and bowling over Seth, both collapsing as a heap on the floor. Seth visibly seethed with indignation as Aqua kept laughing. “AQUA! GET OUT!” Seth opening the door, Aqua stared at her sibling’s finger in contemplation, before shrugging. “I can’t.” Aqua smiled as she began dancing around Seth, who pinched the bridge of their nose. “Flowerly told me I need to teach you something! Im the teacher today!” Seth’s eyes squinted in suspicion as Aqua kept laughing, before they sighed and shrugged their soldiers. “If Orange could teach well enough, surely Aqua can too…” Seth pushed up their glasses, and turned to look at Aqua. “Ok Aqua, what’s on the agenda for today?” Aqua paused, before giggling. “I don’t know what’s on tha genda’! You gotta figure that out Seth, but you’re still Seth, and you’re still gonna play tag with me!”

“Aqua you’re training me by playing tag?” Seth sighed as they pinched their glasses, before stepping forward and raising their hand to place it on Aqua’s shoulder to tell them they caught her. “Ok well, Aqua always fall for this trick, she’ll go away after this so I can focus on my tactics.” Seth lowered their arm, and swiped at thin air. Aqua stood three feet away, smiling mischievously. “Flowerly told me you’re it! You gotta catch me!” Aqua hopped away, giggling as she rounded a corner. “Catch me, Seth! Catch me!” Seth shook their head in annoyance, before shrugging in resignation. “I wasn’t making that much progress anyway, I need to jog my mind.” Seth thought as they ran after Aqua, preparing to catch the little flower. “Alright Aqua! Im gonna get you!” Seth turned the corner and saw Aqua clambering up the newer murals painted over the previous conspiracy documents, the still fresh paint of “Tenna’s TV Time!“ running as Aqua tracked red blotches across the room. Seth balked at the destruction of intellectual property. “AQUA! We just met them! We can’t already be defacing their stuff! We’ll get sued!”

“Sued? But I don’t have money! You do though!” Aqua giggled as Seth ran after her, huffing as they did. “Im covered in blood, Seth! Im covered in blood like a Hee-Moo-Mansir!” Seth, who had been slowly inching around the drying Fun Gang artwork

(Author’s rendition of Maestro Kawkaw’s award winning “Heroes!” While unable to capture the emotion and raw talent of the maestro’s brushwork, the author believes they captured at least a fourth of the intent.)

stopped stared at Aqua in bewilderment. “Who taught you that word?! Also its pronounced Hemomancer, not whatever butchering of linguistics you just committed!” Aqua laughed in delight, before running further into Flower Castle. “Im a BUTCHER covered in BLOOD! Hehehe I gotta find more BLOOD from the linguini sticks!”

Leaping into the diner above flower cafe Aqua waited patiently on a table for Seth to catch back up, she smiled as she heard Seth distantly struggle to climb stairs. “Seth’s kinda weird! We all can choose to be whatever we want, but they’re soooooo stuck on being human! Haha, weird!” Thought Aqua, turning her head to a visibly winded Seth, before waving joyously. “Hey Seth tag me!” Seth slowly walked toward her table, hand raised once more as they grew closer to Aqua. Suddenly, Seth’s hand slammed down, and Aqua dodged once more with a laugh. She spun once, before landing on another table. “Haha! You missed! You missed! You- what are you doing Seth?” Seth pulled a chair out, before collapsing into it, out of breath as hair cascaded down their face.

“Aquhaaaaa… give me a second.” Seth breathed heavily as they regained their breath, Aqua staring at them curiously. “Seth? Why are you human?” Seth looked up at Aqua, baffled. “Because that’s what we are?! Book’s sake, you keep asking this question again and ag-“ Aqua shook her head childishly. “But we aren’t? Kris can’t fly, humans can’t fly, but we can!” Aqua said, giggling as they levitated in place. “See? Im not human, And Im your sibling! Seth isn’t human!” Seth sighed deeply, a confused, pained expression on their face. “… I was human because that’s what Asgore wanted, right? I think?” Seth’s face contorted in frustration as they looked at Aqua. “You know this! Why do you keep asking?!” Aqua’s smile dropped, she placed a sleeve under her chin in contemplation. “Because Asgore isn’t here? What a silly question, silly Seth!” Aqua laughed, before floating over to float in-front of Seth’s face. “What do you want, silly Seth?”

“Why is she good at this unintentional prodding?!” Thought a stunned Seth, before they shook their head vigorously. “I want…” Seth looked at the cover of their notebook, everything they had studied and theorized on, and yet they knew of they flipped through the infinite pages, they would find nothing about who Seth wanted to be. Seth’s brow furrowed, before they leaped forward with force they did not they had. “to tag you!” Aqua hopped on Seth’s head as the violet flower sailed forward, laughing as Seth barely avoided toppling over another table. “Woah! You leapt realllly fast, like a bunny! Hop! Hop! Hop!” Aqua leapt out of the room, spinning with each hop as Seth began running after her with longer strides than usual. They heard a clatter up ahead, and sighed as their dogged pursuit contunued.

“Find me Seth! Im a lost flower! Find me!” Seth stared in horror as the empty visors of 56 Terakotas stared back at them. “Aqua! Aqua you goof! This is really unfair!” Aqua’s laugh seemed to echo from every corner of the room as Seth began individually checking each set of armor; leaving a visible “C” floating above their head to mark already checked armors. “Aqua! If you were trying to teach me something with, why are you playing hide and seek!” Aqua seemingly giggled in Seth’s ear, the armor set rattling as she flew out of it. “Because I wanna play longer! You’re boring sometimes, Seth!” Seth groaned once more as Aqua diver back into the sea of armor, before raising their notebook in anger. “Im not! You’re just being annoying right now!” Seth conjured two, then five, then ten books, which began firing “BULLET” onto the sea of armor. Seth smirked and pushed up their glasses as they the books rained down fire. “Heh! These are all empty! Either Aqua will make a noise, or she’ll try and dodge/beat the bullet! Il a booking genius!” Seth was brought out of their revelry when they felt a tap on their shoulder, they turned around and frowned deeply as a shadow was cast over them. A very proximal laugh was heard. “Ooooooh you’re in troubleeeeee.”

“WAI HIT ME… WE FRAIND?” Seth stared up at the towering Terakota, suddenly feeling guilty at their rather reckless attempt to find Aqua. “Im sorry! I was looking for my sibling, and they tried to hide in here! Im really sorry that we bothered you, I didn’t mean to hurt you!” The Terakota paused, before leaning down and patting Seth on the head; Seth closed their eyes and smiled at the contact. “ITS OK… STILL FRAIND. HERE.” The Terakota reached on top of its head, and gently picked Aqua from atop their head before placing her in their palm. “FOUND… SIBLING.” Seth’s eyes were still closed as they smiled broadly. “Thank you! I gotta get going take ca- YOU LITTLE!” Seth lunged forward again as Aqua hopped to the side, before running out of the room laughing in joy, an irate Seth leaping after her as they skidded to a stop in front of paper wall.

“You gotta tag me Seth! Try finding me again!” Seth watched the foxes bounce in place, irritated. “Netskis! Where is Aqua?!” The foxes arranged themselves, Seth stared in annoyance

“IDK”

Seth walked toward the room’s convenient button slowly, staring at the shadows as Aqua began to giggle again. “Uuuuu cheater cheater flower eater!” Aqua whispered, barely perceptible, but Seth still heard it; “Im hearing a lot more than I usually would, but Im not complaining!” Thought Seth, crouching low and preparing to leap. “Got you now, Aqua!” Seth thought, crouching low before leaping the side with great speed. Planting themselves on the side wall, they kicked off it and launched themselves at Aqua, who was happily sitting on a stone. Aqua gasped as Seth’s hands grazed her sleeves, before she leapt away once more, and began running down the hall as Seth slammed into the adjacent wall.

“Stamen… Aquaaaaa! Wait up!” Seth, on their knees and out of breath, prepared to run after their teacher, when they heard a voice behind them. “Wow! There’s a bunny in front of us! Too bad their tail isn’t that big…” Seth whipped around, the netskie’s looking at them with curiosity. “What are you talking about? Im human, I got two eyes, two ears, two arms, and two legs!” One of the Netskies pointed a paw at Seth’s leg. “Those are digitgrade!” Another pointed at Seth’s head, giggling. “Kee Kee! Those are clearly rabbit ears! I don’t why you’re mad right now, you got really $&;:-ing fuzzy ears on your head! That’s cool!” Seth stared in bewilderment at the shapeshifters before them, before turning around in frustration as one began to transform. “Im human! Ugh, fools…” before hopping after Aqua in dogged pursuit, the Netskies looked at the Seth before them, bunny ears draping down at the sides of their face and crouching with digitgrade legs, before giggling. “Kee kee, Yep! That’s a bunny!”

“AQUA! Stop (huff) stop running!” Aqua danced in place for a moment, before continuing to fly away as Seth lunged and missed once more. “Uuuuuu Nope! You gotta hop faster Seth!” Racing through the Zen Path, Aqua ducked into Blue’s door, blowing a raspberry before disappearing further into the hall. Seth seethed behind them, preparing to cast a sigil in-front of them, hair standing on end as they did. “Fine! If you won’t stop running, then I’ll make you st-“ a butterfly landed on their shoulder, and Seth froze as they heard footsteps approach from behind.

”Good catch, Mr.Butterfly! Ah, forgive me Seth, Im afraid your passion to catch Aqua cannot be channeled in such a manner.” Blue’s eyes were closed as Mr.Butterfly flew off Seth’s shoulder, Seth looking angrily at Aqua as she continued running down the hall. “Blue. Let me go. Ive almost caught her. She’s been making a mess and I really don’t want anyone to blame her for tha-“ Blue looked down in shock as Seth continued rambling, before smiling sweetly. “Seth, you have bunny ears.” Seth whipped their head around, indignant at blue’s confusion. “Those! Aren’t! Ears! Why is everyone saying I have bunny ears?! My hair’s just longer today! My human hair!0 Blue raised in eyebrow as Seth stomped their foot in anger repeatedly, a small crater appearing after the fifth stomp. Blue placed a hand on Seth’s shoulder, and stared at them. “Seth, can you hear Aqua laughing in the other room right now?” Seth snorted. “Obviously? Its like she’s still in the room with us!” Blue sighed, reaching over and gently grasping Seth’s ears, before bringing them into in-front of their glasses.

“That’s marvelous, because even with ears that have listened to the sweetest, softest songs, I couldn’t hear Aqua at all.” Blue said, letting go of the ears as they flopped in-front of Seth’s face. Seth gasped, grabbing the offending ears as they ran their hands over them. “Blue?! Blue how do I change back?! Blue?!” Blue placed a comforting hand on Seth’s shoulder, Seth looked the ground, now focused on how their leg bent unlike a human’s limb. “Wait. My legs! Human legs don’t move like that?!” Seth’s world began to spin, Seth stumbled forward before Blue caught them. Seth looked at Blue, panic in their eyes as Blue’s expression softened.

“Seth. What do you need the most right now?” Clarity returned to Seth’s eyes, enraged embarrassment spreading across their face. “To turn back! Im supposed to be human! WE are supposed to be human and I messed it up!” Helping Seth to their feet, Blue sighed, before patting their head. “But who said you must be human, Seth? Had our caretaker ever once uttered the words “let these flowers who I have loved for twenty long years, know I only love them because they will walk as man does when time is right?” Who cursed you to have our free-flowing forms made statue still?” Blue’s stared off into the distance, his face darkening. “Was it that bird you’ve been purs-“ Seth’s face lit up in embarrassment, before they waved their hands. “N-no! He hasn’t even seen me like this!” Seth shrank into themselves, clutching their notebook tightly to their chest. “What if he thinks I look ugly? Blue I need to look good for h-“ Blue placed a finger to their lips, a stern expression on their face.

“Stop.” Blue breathed in deeply, before exhaling slowly. “You should not model your life to appeal to one, your expression should only be dictated by what Seth wants, and not what an audience thinks is most appealing. If Berdly thinks you a monster after this, then hurt as it does, it is a decya that will alert you to rotting fruit.” Blue pulled Seth into an embrace, feeling teardrops hit their shoulder as they hugged Seth tighter. “You are loved, whether you are human or not, and I will not sit idle as your subject yourself to this flagellation. I support you fully, Seth, we all do.” Seth hiccuped into Blue’s shoulder, looking up at the ballerino with watery eyes. “I-is it ok if I still want to be human sometimes? I don’t want to always have these ears… they make everything loud.” Blue smiled sweetly, ruffling Seth’s hair as they did. “Yes. You can be whatever you want to be Seth.” Seth pulled back, Blue sighing as they released the scholar from his embrace.

“Now Seth, tell me what you need the most?” Seth sniffled, a determined expression crossing their face, their ears casting a shadow over everything but the shine of their glasses and teeth. “I need to catch Aqua, Blue.” Blue gestured forward, blue sparkles lining the path forward. “Then move in whatever way will bring you to your goal, but above all else, move with grace.” Seth leapt forward past a lamppost, shooting down the hall as they nearly flew in their renewed pursuit of Aqua. Blue sighed, before shaking his head and smiling, walking out of room towards the Zen rock path, humming a soft melody as he did.

Cornered in the bathhouse, Aqua splishing and splashing as she waited for Seth, a frown on her face as she stared at her reflection in the water. “Seth’s taking foreverrrrr! Im bored!” Aqua pointed a knife at the water, before leaping up and stabbing it, the water settled, and much to to Aqua’s delight, Seth’s reflection appeared in the water next to Aqua. Aqua clapped with excitement, elated as Seth stared confused. “My Seth summoning spell worked! I made a Seth fountain and Seth appeared!” Seth stood up, raising their hand dramatically as they prepared to, at long last, tag Aqua. “Time’s up, Aqua! You can’t escape me any longer!” Seth declared dramatically, stealthily crouching and preparing to leap, so as to catch Aqua’s dodge. “You won’t evade me now! Im ready for your tricks! Im ready to-“

“Ok!”

Aqua sat there, smiling, as Seth’s hand froze in mid air. “What?” Aqua leaned closer to Seth’s hand. “Im bored! Tag me! Seth tag me! Uuuuu scaredy bunny scaredy bunny.” Seth pulled their new ears in frustration as Aqua sat there. “No! Stupid! Go run away! We’re playing tag!” Aqua got up, and laid down on the floor a single step away from Seth. “Uuuuu I ran! Seth tag me!” Seth stared, before sighing deeply and rubbing their hand on Aqua’s face roughly. “You made me run around all of Flower Castle, so you could give up a- DON’T LICK ME! GROSS!” Seth retracted their hand as Aqua giggled. “Alright! Lesson over!” Seth looked at Aqua, smiling stupidly as she mimicked Seth’s open mouth shock, before laughing again. “I can’t believe it. I really trusted Aqua to train me. Why would I even think that was a good idea. Oh my stamen. Wow.” Seth tapped their foot impatiently as they looked down at Aqua rolling on the floor.

“Welp! I did what Flowerly told me to do! Didn’t even have to fight you to do it! Uuuu Im so smart!” Aqua began dancing in place as she celebrated. “Smart! Im smart! Im smart!” Seth stared confused, as Aqua came to a stop and stared up at them expectantly. “What did Flowerly tell you to do? What?” Aqua smiled at Seth, three eyes gazing at them with mirth. “You cared more about catching me than being human! Also you hopped superrr fast!” Seth stared at Aqua as she hugged Seth. “You caught me, and you’re still Seth! Thank you for playing tag with me!” Seth hesistated , before returning the embrace with a satisfied exhale. “…thank you Aqua, I really needed that.” Aqua let go of Seth, looking behind them and laughing loudly as Seth winced, darting past them while still giggling.

“Uuuuu gotta go! Go! Gotta go!” Aqua sung, as she leaped out of the window, and flew upward. Seth looked confused as Aqua’s laughter faded. “Wait what??? What?” Seth looked at the doorway, and saw exactly the last and first person they wanted they wanted to see currently.

“oh stamen no.”

SPLASH

Seth hurled themself into the water as Berdly entered the room, wearing his newly repaired armor with fresh, smaller dents. “Goodness! Im glad that Ferroll repaired that so fast, his genius in forging must be enough to fill a book! Three books!” Berdly closed his eyes, walking towards tbe window, and sighing wistfully as he stared at the sky. “Although, there is only one book I wish to scribe into my brain folds… the book of Seth’s heart.” Berdly balled his wing into a fist, and slammed into onto the railing. “Oh cruel fate! Why must my mouth move faster than my mind! I never wanted such a beautiful flower to be mine enemy!” Seth’s breathing increased as Berdly lamented to his audience of one, they tried to cover their ears, but his voice reached their sensitive hearing anyway. A dumb giggle escaped Seth’s mouth as Berdly spoke another contrived metaphor about his love for them, and Berdly squawked in horror, leaping backwards before tripping on the ledge of the pool.

“STAMEN”

“SHOOT”

SPLASH

Berdly landed in the pool a foot from Seth, floating to the surface on their back as they stared at Seth with a nervous smirk. “Heyyyy Seth.” Seth sunk into the water to hide their stupid expression and ears, failing at both as their ears floated on the surface of the water next to their, framing their crooked smile. “H-hey Berdly. How’s it been going?” Berdly righted himself, before relaxing into the soothing, warm waters. “Believe it or not, my violet scholar, very cold, but fear not! Here I find shelter from the blizzard raging atop your home!” Berdly sighed, tilting his head upward as the residual cold left his body. “These hot springs… are a geniuses’ delight. Wouldn’t you agree, Seth?” Seth chuckled nervously, staring a hole into the water. “Yeah! Yeah its really nice water, I sure do love water?” Seth’s fumbling had been enough for Berdly to break from relaxation, and look directly at Seth with an eyebrow raised.

“What troubles you, my bloom? Is it that you worry of our duel?” Seth stared at Berdly, in awe. “Has he still not noticed??? They’re like the size of my arm?!” As if on queue, Berdly looked down, his eyes widening. “Seth?! When did you get these? You can grow ears?” Seth looked the other way as Berdly gawked, attempting to hide their rabbit ears. “… got them today, if you want I can try and remove them haha!” Berdly squawked in panic, Seth flinching at the noise. “N-no Seth, they uh. They fit you! They look” Berdly looked off to the side, breathing heavily. “They look good on you Seth.” Seth looked over in surprise, before smiling softly. “Oh thank book.” Seth thought, slowly approaching Berdly, who froze in place. “D-do you have a preference? I can be whatever Seth you want me to be.”

Berdly’s face dropped, sweat gathering on his brow at Seth sat awaiting an answer. “This is too much responsibility! I can’t be responsible for their guise, but what if they want me to have a preference?! Shoot! Here goes!”

“Whatever form you are most comfortable with, is the one I want to see you in, my lovely Seth. A flower can only bloom so beautifully when it takes the form it desires!” Seth, who had been expecting much worse, visibly relaxed at the answer, reclining further into the warm water as they sighed contently. “…thanks Blue.” Seth muttered, a small butterfly landing on Seth’s face as Berdly stared, mortified. Seth stared at the ceiling, losing themself in the bliss as the water soothed their aching legs.

“How long has that been here?” Thought Berdly, watching the butterfly, the same butterfly that Blue spoke with, as it fluttered around the onsen. “…was this all a setup? Are they forcing Seth into a relationship?! Oh sweet thanksgiving, Ive been played like a fiddle! They’ve peer-pressured Seth into dating me?! Those villains!” Berdly’s brow furrowed as the butterfly landed on his beak, it took up his whole vision. “Of course. Kris was on in this, weren’t they?! This is really low for a prank! I can’t believe I let heart lead over my mind! I can’t let them know that I know…” Berdly shook his head, the butterfly flying off as Berdly stared at Seth. “I can’t let them down harshly, no gentleman, woman, or them would allow such a wonderful person to be brought low like this!” Berdly cleared his throat, and stood up suddenly.

“Seth! To both our disappointment, I must depart early, for I must get ahead of you in our prep, through the art of healthy sleep!” Berdly offered a wing, and Seth grabbed it eagerly as they looked at Berdly expectantly. Berdly sighed, but looked Seth in the eye again after a moment. “Now Seth, I know your brush with sentience has been a short affair! While you may be impossibly wise and attractive, Im afraid you haven’t tasted life just yet.” Seth’s face scrunched in confusion, as Berdly began visibly sweating.

“Berdly what does that mean.” Berdly coughed awkwardly, his smile faltering as he continued. “You see Seth, I believe as your-“ Berdly turned to face the butterfly.

“PLATONIC”

-rival, I must allow you the freedom to choose! If someone were to force your hand in selecting your affection, I would be utterly crushed!”

PLATONIC???

Seth stared at Berdly, waiting for him to reveal this was a stupid bit

PLATONIC?!

Seth gasped for words as Berdly looked off to the side, seemingly confused by the words he was saying. “But why?! I- we- you-“ Seth mentally screamed as Berdly sighed, before placing a second wing over Seth’s hand. “Im going to be the bigger person here… I wish what we had wasn’t a joke for others, Seth, but I won’t let either of us suffer the mockery of our passion longer.” Thought Berdly, finally finding the resolve to look Seth in the eye.

“Seth. I am so incredibly grateful to have met you, and I hope our upcoming duel will be legendary, so Im glad you leveled up today! Your new form is super!” Seth stared, jaw open in horror as Berdly continued. “…and Im earnestly sorry I must leave so soon, Seth.” Berdly walked out of the onsen robotically, turning back with a very forced smile, the butterfly still hovering over Seth. “Please take care, duel-friend!”

Seth sat there, deeply, deeply confused and much sadder than they’d thought they would by the day’s end. Silently, Seth stood up out of the onsen, legs normal and ears missing, retreating to the Zen rock path to continue writing battle strategies as they ignored the tightness in their chest. Every other step shifting between digitgrade and plantigrade, before settling on a human-ish, disoriented shuffle as they laid down and cracked open their notebook. Seth turned to a new page and wrote began scribbling around the wet spots that intermittently appeared ok the page.