petals are falling

verses meme! (closed!) | @ceaselessblade

ike has entered the battle!

battle theme: Fighting the Shadowy Gods 

battle intro: “Oh! No need to be so formal! We have a lot to learn from each other.”  victory: “Phew! That was close one! But looks like luck was on my side today~”  defeat: “O-Oh... That’s going to leave a bruise...” 

taunt: “You’ll have to catch me, first!” 

reacting to taunt: “Just because you’re right doesn’t mean you have to say it...” 

tie: “Um, Ike? I think we broke the training equipment... Hehe.”

perfect victory: “What? How did I... Oh, the move that threw you off? ...That wasn’t a technique, I just slipped on a pebble...”

final finisher: “I’M RIGHT UP HERE!” 

⚔ tag-team quotes ⚔

assist: “Me and Mags have got you covered!” 

ike down during assist: “It’s going to take more than that to take us down!”

using item on ike: “It’s a meat pie. Apparently the kitchen had an excess in wolf meat...?” 

verses meme! (closed!) | @cynthero

cynthia has entered the battle!

battle theme: Red Carpet Extend-o-matic

battle intro: “Okay, okay! Just remember that the safe word is ‘petunia’ and that you don’t need to push yourself if-- Cynthia? Sigh, there she goes...”  victory: “Even Magnolia is proud of herself!” 

defeat: “Wah? How... how did you know the way to counter that...?” 

taunt: “Hehe... Oh, sorry! You’re just so cute~ ♡” 

reacting to taunt: “CYNTHIA!” 

tie: “Heh, you’re a tough one, Cynthia. I’m proud of you.” 

perfect victory: “Did I look... heroic?” 

final finisher: “I’m not backing down!” 

⚔ tag-team quotes ⚔

assist: “You’re going to have to get through me first!” 

cynthia down during assist: “...Run. Before she sees what I’ll do to you.” 

using item on cynthia: “I brought snacks!” 

healing/buffing cynthia: (giving her a smooch) “See? All better~ Wait! I have vulnerary too.”  

verses meme! (accepting) | @shydancer

olivia has entered the battle!

battle theme: Dance of Swords 

battle intro: “I was looking forward to a chance to see your moves up close, Olivia!”  victory: “WOAH! I didn’t even trip!” 

defeat: “You really took the lead there... Ouch, I’m still dizzy.” 

taunt: “You might be light on your feet, but I have wings!” 

reacting to taunt: “Huh? O-Oh. No, no! Don’t be silly... my feelings aren’t hurt at all!”

tie: “Ah! It would be really cool if we struck a pose right now!” 

perfect victory: “Hehehe! I feel like taking a bow!” 

final finisher: “BREAK A LEG!” 

⚔ tag-team quotes ⚔

assist: “Mind if I cut in?!”

olivia down during assist: “Hey, don’t pick on her!” 

using item on olivia: “I know it’s not much, but it’s something, right?” 

healing/buffing olivia: “Stay with me! It’s not over yet.” 

verses meme! (accepting) | @freliana

tana has entered the battle!

battle theme: Unstoppable Happiness

battle intro: “I don’t get to fight other pegasus knights very often! Tana, show me what you’re made of~” 

victory: “Heh, guess there’s some things I can teach you after all.” 

defeat: “WAAAAH--!!” (falling out of the sky)

taunt: “Come one, I KNOW you can to better than that!” 

reacting to taunt: “...Are princess allowed to say those things?” 

tie: “Phew... that was... That was amazing!” 

perfect victory: “Um, I think we need to adjust your curriculum...”

final finisher: “Sorry, but you’re going down!” 

⚔ tag-team quotes ⚔

assist: “AH! WATCH OUT!” 

tana down during assist: “No... When you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us!” 

using item on tana: “Tana, catch!” 

healing/buffing tana: “I’m the wind beneath your... o-oh, are you better?” 

verses meme! (accepting) | @darklingdragon

myrrh has entered the battle!

battle theme: Pretty Apricot

battle intro: “Here we go... Let’s both do our best, okay?” 

victory: “Don’t worry, you’ll get better at it with a little practice.”

defeat: "Wait a minute, you’re a...?” 

taunt: “Don’t drop your dragonstone!” 

reacting to taunt: “Eh? W-Who even told you that?!”  

tie: “Good match, Myrrh! Shall we have a snack break?” 

perfect victory: “Oh... Oh! I’m so sorry! You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?” 

final finisher: “You won’t get away from me!” 

⚔ tag-team quotes ⚔

assist: “I’m here now! Don’t let up on them!”

myrrh down during assist: “H-How could you?!” 

using item on myrrh: “Do you need this? I got extra!” 

healing/buffing myrrh: “Just take a deep breath... this’ll help.” 

verses meme! (accepting) | @sweettoothforhire

gaius has entered the battle!

battle theme: Carnival Kerfuffle

battle intro: “Okay, so we’re starting out with a good, clean fight. No tricks, no sneaking, no... Wait a second, where did you go?” 

victory: “I won? I won! YES! Did you see that, Gaius?” 

defeat: "Why does it... hurt so much...?”

taunt: “Um, Gaius? You have whipped cream on your face!” (lying)

reacting to taunt: “WHAT?! You don’t mean that, do you?”

tie: “Heh, good match, but I’ll get you next time... maybe.”  perfect victory: “I guess we’re having meat pie for dinner after all~” 

final finisher: “This is going to hurt you more than it hurts me!” 

⚔ tag-team quotes ⚔

assist: “I got you! Stay behind me, okay?” 

gaius down during assist: “DON’T. TOUCH. HIM.” 

using item on gaius: “Heads up!” 

healing/buffing gaius: “Better? They won’t even see you coming!”

@freliana

          “Well, aren’t you pretty.”            The pegasus let out a short burst of warm air through its nostrils and Sumia giggled. It was past classes now, well into the afternoon. Most students were finishing up club activities or getting ready for dinner. Some were even spending time in the open areas now that spring was here. Yet, even with the longer days, Sumia’s schedule didn’t change much. After her instruction periods, she always made sure to come by the stables to check on the pegasi: make sure they were comfortable, fed, had fresh water… A duty she shared with other faculty, but even on her off time, she couldn’t help but make sure they were taken care of with her own eyes. 

          Naturally, she was well acquainted with most of the animals. But somehow she managed to miss this one. It looked strong and athletic… Well-groomed, too. Its mane and tail was combed, teeth brushed, and eyes clear. It sparkled like a fine jewel on a queen’s necklace. Whoever this belonged to must’ve taken pride in their mount, or at least loved it very much. Sumia was comforted knowing that the people who came to this school took their responsibilities seriously. Maybe her lectures would reach listening ears after all. Speaking of which… Sumia frowned as she tried to recall who this might belong to. These were the student stables, and only the more advanced trainees had their own mounts. 

          As if on cue, the door behind her opened. The response was almost instant. The pegasus perked up, its tail swished, and it let out a friendly neigh in greeting. There were few people who could elicit such a response.

          “Oh, so this one must belong to you, then.” Sumia turned and smiled. Deep blue hair and light blue eyes. To Sumia’s surprise, she actually recognized her as one of the flying students, though Sumia spent more time with the novices for obvious reasons. “Miss Tana, right? Of course.” Foreign royalty. Though, to be fair, many of the people here came from noble houses. She gave a final few strokes before stepping aside. 

sweettoothforhire​:

starter for: @fortuitousflowers

Mission Task Board: Bright colours in the marketplace have caught your eye: a ‘piñata’, the merchant called it. Hollow creatures made of paste and colourful paper strips and filled with a… surprise. You like surprises, don’t you? They explain the rules of the game, and you pass over a gold piece to give it a try. [ Lance +1 ]

The cold winter has officially passed, the makeshift beach has faded, and their bodies have returned to where they should be, normalcy now back. 

Gaius remembers, however, both the good and the bad. He remembers running around those damn hallways with injured students left and right,fighting a scorpion and an alligator all while tripping and falling in the sky and to much, and even how everyone mourned over Cat Eyes last heroic feat. Then there’s recollection of the beach, some shenanigans, tons of food, a dance, an almost kiss, the rain, an actual kiss… 

It didn’t help time was distorted when everything returned back to ‘normal’. He wasn’t here for the start of the school year, and time since to have moved backwards. No one he knows mentioned it so far, and if he’s the one that does it, he’ll be called a loon. That was too much trouble, and like in all things, he goes along with it. Adapting was once of his specialties after all. 

There’s one thing that bugs him and wants to clarify, amidst everything else that happened. He’d e more than happy to shrug off that winter hell, and consider the beach as just some fantasy. That’s fine, it might as well just be a nightmare and a good dream respectively. What he wants to know though is… if he remembers, does she?

It’s the pegasus wings on her hair that gives Sumia away in the middle of a busy crowd, in an already bright and colorful marketplace. That, or it’s just so damn easy to spot her and ignore everyone else. He gravitates towards her, pushing one person after the other until he’s right in front of her. There’s a crowd gathered, something about a price to be won – or was it a surprise? bah, he’s not really paying attention. He takes a step forward to stand beside an unsuspecting Sumia, both arms folded across his chest as he looked forward to pretend interest on the spectacle. When some rando started swinging a bat around while blindfolded, Gaius finally speaks after a quick side head bump to the beloved flower knight of Ylisse. He wanted to reach for a hug but in this crowd and if it’s unannounced? He’d get smacked right before he can say a word in. 

“Whatchalookin’ at?” As he looks away from the spectacle and towards miss Honey, miss clumsy-kisses-in-the-rain, an easy smile forms, and right after, he winks. “Apart from me, of course~♪”

          There must’ve been something wrong with her. Uncanny dreams, the seasons passing, the strange sense of deja-vu… Did she hurt herself? Not that she could recall. Had a fever? No… her temperature was fine. Then what could it be? Sumia let out a deep sigh. Homesickness, maybe. Her thoughts must’ve been wandering then spilling into reality out her ears. 

          One petal, two petals… She plucked each one, thinking of her fortune, reading the omens, the wind, the way they fell…

           A surprise will bring you closer to your destiny…

          A surprise? What did that mean? A surprise could be anything! 

          …

          It was fresh air that she needed. A walk in the marketplace. That always cheered her up! Taking a deep breath, Sumia packed some money and headed into town. A change of pace… 

          It was certainly not a place where she felt lonely, at least. The smells, the sounds, the sights! Not to mention the sellers. Every two steps she took there was another merchant in front of her. Hoo! All the amazing deals! Like that butter slicer! That was a surprise! She had no idea there were gadgets to make the slightly time-consuming task of slicing butter easier! Oh, and an umbrella hat! That was all the convenience of an umbrella without having to use your hands! The fact that it was so cheap was surprising AND a steal! And was that merchant selling pet rocks? Sumia didn’t even know inanimate objects could be pets! A surprise of the century! 

          One by one the merchants swarmed her, and she dropped gold coin after gold coin until she was half a person, half an assortment of bags. There were so many, she MUST have bought the “surprise” her fortune mentioned by now, right?

          Then, a colorful streamer caught her eye. Turning her head, the sight of a star greeted her, covered in shiny gold, silver, and red papers. They flapped and glimmered in the breeze as the star itself twirled on a rope. The view of it was pretty enough, but what the merchant said next made her heart jump into her throat. 

          Inside was… a surprise. Sumia muscled her way forward, her smaller height working to her advantage despite the bulk of her purchases. The merchant explained the rules. Inside the star was hollow and filled with something. The rules were, you needed to hit it blindfolded until it broke. Sumia frowned as the first contestant went up, swinging. Only with each swing, an assistant pulled the rope and up it went past the aim of the stick. 

          Well, that wasn’t fair! 

          Sumia was so transfixed that she didn’t even noticed Gaius until he was right beside her. 

          “Ah!” She almost jumped out of her boots. “Gaius?!” A heavy blush colored her face. Oh, of all the people…! Her dreams were especially cruel when it came to him. Bonfires, books, rain… Her imagination truly got away from her, if not her entire mind. But for his part, he hardly seemed different. Just the same, casual Gaius. It eased the panic in her chest. (Yet strangely, not the flutter.)

          “It’s a game,” she explained. “Like a competition.” Her gaze returned to the spectacle. Yet another patron was giving it a go, but knowing the trickery now… Sumia let out an involuntary gasp when the stick connected with the so-called piñata.

sweettoothforhire​:

starter for: @fortuitousflowers @lareinacordelia

Mission Task Board: Spring is here, and so are baby pegasi! The pegasus foals are equal parts playful and skittish on their spindly legs, and they need to be trained to be groomed and led early. Their wings are too soft and downy to fly yet, but they’re still cute! [ Flying +1 ]

Spring… bah. Spring made him sneeze a lot. A bad nose meant you don’t get to enjoy food as much… so Gaius had to be extra careful not to get any sniffles. Stay away from any allergy triggering areas, maintain social distancing– at least, that was the plan until he got his hands tied with ‘duties’. One ear pulled by the the Mother Hen, heart pulled by the Mother of Pegasi, Gaius found himself in between the pegasi the Ylissean besties. Sometimes, when it’s just the both of them and they’re not in the middle of a damn war, the two looked like giddy school girls when they’re together. He’s like that third friend to balance out their mushy sweetness– all while eating actual sweets.

He bumps Sumia, hip to hip, keeping it casual, discussions meant for another time saved for later. For now, this would do. “Psst, Stumbles. I thought you already came here with like, a hoard of these buggers, why’s there a bunch mo– ouch, OI!” One of those said buggers bit his hand just as he tried to offer it a sugar cube. The hell’s their problem?! He’s being generous! He retreats his hand and puts himself behind Sumia, bitten hand waved around as if it will actually heal it. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t.

“Keep that one away from me, ‘delia, I swear to Seiros its out for blood!” He points at the culprit, eyes squinting as they meet eye to eye. You don’t want my sugar cubes? FINE. Defiantly, he threw the cube to his mouth and ate it for himself. That’ll show em.

          Ah, Spring~ Sumia could never get tired of it. The flowers, the colors, and of course, the baby pegasi! She loved all the little creatures who were born unto the earth this lovely season, but the pegasi were, admittedly, the cutest. (Sumia could not budge on this opinion, no matter how much she tried to force herself to be unbiased.) So, what was better than training them and grooming them? Training and grooming them with friends, of course! Cordelia was a no brainer, obviously, but this time around, even Gaius came along! 

          “Huh?” She stumbled a bit when he bumped into her and blinked. “Well, yes. A lot of the pegasi that most organizations use are bred…” Wait. Did he… not know where the baby pegasi came from? Oh. Oh goodness. Sumia pressed her lips together and looked to Cordelia for assistance, but it seemed that this task would be solely up to her this time. Gulp. Okay, okay. This should be easy! It was good practice for when she’d have to say the same for her students!

          “So, in the spring, there… Oh, maybe I should start a little earlier? You see, it takes them almost a whole year to carry--” Sumia was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn’t even notice as Gaius was bitten and fled behind behind her… That is, until she felt Cordelia’s stare on them. Blinking, Sumia glanced up at her, tilting her head to the side. 

          “Is something…. wrong?” She followed her gaze and blinked at Gaius. “Oh! You’re hurt! Hehe, don’t worry. Cordelia is one of the best nurses I know! She took care of me a lot when we were younger~” A fond smile touched her face. “Remember, Cordy? I scraped my knee that one time, and I was so upset you needed to carry me back to the captain!” In the moment they thought her tears would never stop, but now, Sumia couldn’t stop giggling at the memory. 

          “Here, let me get the special treats while she fixes you up~” She turned to her bag, rummaging through it. “You’ll have more luck with these than sugar cubes.”

jehannandancer​:

“Well, flattery or not, I’m glad all the same. I want nothing more than exactly that.” It’s the apology that comes afterwards that surprises Tethys, and the flustered expression on the knight’s face that makes it all the more interesting. She’s certainly the colorful type, isn’t she?  Soft laughter escapes Tethys as she shakes her head light in response, “We’re both out of our elements today then, aren’t we? But no worries, you don’t offend me at all! No need to apologize.” An audience is always welcome, especially one as expressive as this one. “I’m Tethys. I’m in your care, Sumia ❤”

She’s done wiping the sweat from her neck, and simply decides to rest for the moment. Crates made for fantastic chairs on such notice. She stretched her arms a bit and starts to pry just a bit more about the other woman, “You must be the type to train hard before everyone else if you’re an early riser. That’s very admirable.” And if she were, then perhaps she intended to use this spot to stir clear from prying eyes, too. Tethys didn’t want to tease the woman after they officially just met, but she couldn’t help it, “Were you supposed to train in secret as well? My, seems I’m the one that foiled your plans this time~”

          Relief swelled up inside her when the woman brushed off her intrusion. Tethys was her name... What a nice woman. Sumia was sure she must’ve been popular for more than her dance moves. Smiling, she took her words to heart and sat on a crate across from her, welcoming her company and the chance to get to know her better. 

          “Oh, I wouldn’t call it admirable.” The blush still lingered on her cheeks but she managed to smile through it. Sumia didn’t want to admit to Tethys yet that if she got up early to train, it was only because it took her twice as long as everyone else to finish something. Putting herself down became second nature by now, but she needed to break out of that habit. No one wanted to be friends with a downer, and Sumia wanted to make a good impression! 

          “Training in…? No! No, it’s nothing like that. You didn’t foil anything!” Sumia shook her head, her bed-hair swishing everywhere. “Please, I would love to spend more time with you! Maybe you can, um…” Oh gosh… could she do it? Was she brave enough? Sumia looked into her lap, noticing that she managed to bunch up her sleep clothes into her fist. 

          ...Great. She was already making a fool of herself, might as well go all the way. 

ceaselessblade​:

The mercenary’s gentle demeanor sinks into a hesitant look as Sumia’s hand rests on his shoulder. It’s just a simple gesture, he thinks, but he finds himself conflicted, especially as he feels the hand attempt to gather pressure at his sleeve.  She’s just trying to comfort you. He pinches his brow for a second, then forcibly relaxes, a cordial expression on his face as he presses his lips together to smile. Thanks for the effort. It’s appreciated.  

Ike tilts his head in surprise as Sumia poses him the question of his homeland. It’s strange–it’d have been bound to come up as one of the very first topics to be asked, and yet he still finds himself blindsided every time, like an indefensible shiv appearing in one’s extremities.  The miracle of conversation, he supposes.  Still, it’s a question that he knows how to answer, so he… wait, it’s about boats. That one he has to think about.  “I’ve been on the water before, but on large sailing ships, rather than a tiny one like this.” He reaches down to draw a long line across the water to illustrate the point. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so close to the sea.” Of course, she’s probably asking about his homeland, as well. “For Tellius? Landlocked for most of its regions. The entire place was pretty much connected, which I’m told isn’t the case in most other landmasses. So I didn’t get to see large bodies of water, much.”  Except for that one time when you left the place. That was long and terrible and you were thoroughly glad you didn’t have to see nothing but endless grey ocean and choppy waves again– but it seems like it’s worn off.  Sumia’s presence and dimpled smile strikes a beacon of warmth in the corner of his eye. Unlike the bucket of sardines which appear to have left his hands at some point of time, he doesn’t think she’ll vanish as soon as he takes his attention off it.  Maybe it’s because you’re watching all this from a different perspective. 

Up close, the sea seems filled with the life it should have, rather than the featureless rolling bars they were back then. Plus, it helps that the water’s clear, and if this trip hasn’t already hammered it into him, full of possibilities.  He turns his eyes upon Sumia. “How about you? What was your homeland like?”

          That he’s never been this close to the water comes as a surprise to her, but Sumia does not express it, instead listening to his story. Tellius… she recalls such a land but her memories of it are hazy. Maybe it was somewhere to look into once she was awake? A landlocked place... She wondered if it had many forests, or maybe even deserts. Though she did not have much time to ponder as the question was turned back on her. 

          “I come from the Halidom of Ylisse,” she explained. “We’re surrounded by not only oceans, but plenty of lakes, rivers, waterways…” A pause. “Though to be honest with you, I never saw much of it. Not in a meaningful way, at least.” Sumia turned her head toward the water and dipped her hand into the ocean the same way Ike did just moments ago. It was warm to the touch. “I grew up pretty... sheltered. I traveled to many cities but the world isn’t quite the same when it’s framed through a window.” The same could be said for reading about them through books alone. “My country became war-torn when I was teenager, and that’s when I joined the Shepherds. We marched a lot back then, but… we fought a lot, too. Against people and all sorts of terrible monstrosities.” 

          Despite the warmth, Sumia felt a shiver go up her spine at the recollection of the Risen. Their foul stench, their blank eyes, their ceaseless determination to destroy everything in their path. More than that, Sumia remembered the fallen, the wounded, the changed. Despite having good moments with her companions, those times were a tour of the worst the world had to offer. But she didn’t want to have such a pessimistic view. She saw many beautiful things, too. Kindness. Love. Friendship. Sumia met people who she wanted to keep in her life forever, who helped her understand the world and herself in a way she never could on her own. But still…

          “One day, I hope I’ll get to travel more. Hehe, maybe I’ll end up in Tellius myself~” And this point, anything seemed possible. Sumia glanced back at Ike and took note of the diving suit. He seemed pretty eager to get his feet wet (literally) back on the shore. She hated to think that she might be keeping him from doing what he actually came to do. 

dearmissmaribelle​:

     Ah, to be so easily flustered. It complimented Sumia’s personality perfectly, and if wasn’t for her dear treasure, she would have thought Sumia as the beacon of life and cheer among the Shepherds. Instead, she’s a reminder of how human they are. Faulty, yet determined. True hardships, they can still be silly and carefree while never forgetting the responsibilities they’re forced to wear. A flower in the battlefield.

      ❝ Hm. You make an excellent point. Even the thief, questionable as he is, I cannot deny was quite the dedicated soldier among our ranks. In fact, he’s a Knight now, don’t you know? ❞ Absurd, really. If he’s an example of influence of those with questionable occupations to nobles, she only her Lord Chrom and the Thief having ridiculous, pointless excursions! Fun, they could argue. But what value could it possibly bring? Hmp, she’d rather not dwell on it. Instead, she takes a sip of her tea and let Sumia speak.   

      It’s the compliments that brings her back, disapproval gone. ❝ You’re not simply pulling on my leg, are you dear? Do go on, regardless. ❞ There’s a proud smile on Maribelle’s face, and after a while, she takes a small bite out of a heart shaped biscuit herself, nothing but content painted on her features as she does. ❝ If our schedule allows more than just an afternoon with tea, you’re more than welcome to join me when I bake. I sorely miss my own kitchen… but the one in the monastery would have to do. ❞

      ❝ Oh, speaking of the kitchen, if you are to use it for your own, please stir away from this young man in particular. I have never seen someone abuse a pan before. ❞ She looks aghast, completely horrified and the color from her face drained as she recalls, ❝ The leader of the Blue Lions is a brute in sheep’s clothing. He broke not one, but three pans! That young man cannot control his strength, I’m telling you. I fear for his Kingdom, but alas, it’s up to us to guide the young. ❞

          As it happened, Sumia was in the know about Gaius’ knight status, but she said nothing, instead making small noises of agreement when Maribelle mentioned cooking in her own kitchen. Oh… It’s been so long since Sumia had a kitchen of her own. Well, it felt long, at least.  Sumia might’ve had a house but she didn’t consider it her home yet, given how little chance she had to spend in it. Before that, they were marching, traveling… hm. It was her mother’s kitchen she missed, Sumia realized. The windows with the bird feeders, the pots hanging from the hearth, the abundance of fruits and fresh breads… 

          She wondered what kind of kitchen Maribelle had. No doubt as pretty and pristine as she was. But what did she miss? A hand-painted tea pot, maybe? Lace curtains? The thought of Maribelle using her parasol to roll out dough in a ridiculously frilly apron crossed Sumia’s mind, and she had to bite the inside of her mouth to stifle a giggle. 

          “The Blue Lions?” Sumia repeated, doing her best to shake off the image. “Oh, don’t be so harsh on him, Maribelle. I’m sure… he didn’t do it on purpose.” It was difficult not to believe her, Maribelle always spoke with such conviction, but as someone who has broken her fair share of pans in her time, Sumia couldn’t allow herself to think of him with malice. He probably just needed a guiding hand and some practice to get it right. Heavens, Sumia nearly burned down a whole oven while making pies, what were a few pans in the grand scheme of things? As long as no one got injured, of course. 

          Sumia picked up her cup and took a long sip. Ah… Maribelle was so smart and knew what was happening all the time. Meanwhile here /she/ was, oblivions. Sumia wished she had something to add to the conversation, but truth be told, she had no idea what anyone was up to beyond her interactions with them: students, faculty, or staff. How could she be useful? 

darklingdragon​:

 “Whoaaa….” Myrrh clutched the shell once it was given back to her and rattled it slightly, also peeking inside of it, as if something would have appeared in the few seconds between when it left her hands. It was like a backpack, then… But hard. And only available sometimes when needed. So not really like a backpack at all.

“Um…” She tipped her head slightly at the question, frowning slightly. “I lived in the woods for a really, really long time but… one time I g-got to ride on these big ships because my friends and I couldn’t find a way around. Oh, but that isn’t quite the beach is it? …It’s the ocean.”

There was a small pond in the woods she would sometimes go to, but it didn’t have much in the way for a beach. And nothing worth seeing could actually manage to survive there anyways besides some bugs. There were some seagulls that bothered them when they were on the ship, but they were everywhere, weren’t they? Seemed like it.

“Oh…!” She lifted her head from her very deep thoughts to look back at the seal and couldn’t help but grin at its antics. How cute. Myrrh lifted a hand and waved to it. 

“I saw this… this really cool picture book about the beach a long time ago, though! It was about… about, um… mer… It’s about a fish lady…? Um, the beach in it was just like this one though!” 

          Myrrh’s awe and curiosity was difficult not to grin at. Sumia hoped she didn’t come off patronizing, but the girl was just so… cute! Given that, it went without saying how listening to her speak of a home in the woods all alone was a touch concerning. It would explain why she seemed so sheltered, but... still. She had parents with her, right? Someone to watch out for her? Companionship, at least. Sumia wanted to ask, but the question didn’t seem appropriate. Many of the students had interesting home lives, along with a right to privacy.

          “Mermaid,” Sumia said. Goodness… If only teaching was always this easy. How many times did she freeze in front of her students, the words escaping from her head like dust in the wind? On the other hand, Myrrh was easy to talk to. Sumia must’ve read hundreds of picture books, and if smarts were measured in how much fantasy lore one could recall, she would be a genius. 

          “They’re half human, half fish. The bottom half is the fish part.” She looked out at the seal again. Hm… wasn’t there another story like that? “You know, there’s a legend about seals, too. It has to do with magical beings who live in the ocean named selkie. They take the form of seals, but can shed their skin and come to land…” A dreamy look clouded over Sumia’s eyes. “They say that they’re very beautiful... but once they find their skin again, they return to the ocean, leaving the humans who loved them yearning forever.”

          A glance in Myrrh’s direction. Sumia’s voice lowered and took on the wispy quality of a story-teller speaking of tragic tales and beautiful heartbreak. She could only keep the act up for so long, though. Sumia finally giggled then patted Myrrh on the shoulder.

lareinacordelia​:

     ❝ You say the sweetest things over something so simple… you’re truly a romantic, aren’t you? ❞ She laughs heartily to hide her flustered cheeks, truthfully grateful her new chapter in this foreign land is not without people she can trust and be comfortable with. The books Sumia finds herself absorbed in are mostly fiction, stories that will never happen, and yet, being around her made Cordelia think otherwise. 

      The knight smiles as she looks at both of their reflections. It felt silly being in these uniforms, and it can only get sillier from here. She’s not the most daring individual, and she can blame the delight she currently feels from the gift, but Cordelia feels inclined to… test the limits of their guise and their youthful appearance. ❝ Let me braid your hair, Sumia. I always wondered if tying one’s hair into two ponytails truly made one look younger than they look. What more if its two braids? Perhaps a few flowers here and there… ❞

     She’s already twisting a finger around Sumia’s light brown hair, an image of her in poofy braids adorned with flowers simply too adorable and hard to pass on even if the idea she’s about to propose gets rejected, ❝ And then, perhaps we can get something quick to eat in the Great Hall? I saw some students indulging themselves with peach sorbet… It will be exhilarating to see if we can get away with it and blend among them. ❞ There’s a student that looks like her, or so she’s seen. It wouldn’t be too far-fetched! Their only enemy is their own self-consciousness. 

          It’s not as if people haven’t called Sumia a “romantic” before. In fact, she could count herself among the ranks. But to have it said so plainly still caused a light pink to color her cheeks. Codelia was so cool and level-headed; she didn’t bother with silly things like flower fortunes, daydreaming, or reading volume after volume of novels. No, she was focused, precise, intelligent... They made a wonderful contrast to each other: the perfect team. But Sumia wondered if her silliness got on her nerves sometimes.

          “Hehe, don’t tease me, Cordy~” But then she went one, speaking of hair braids and going into the cafeteria, where people would see them! Sumia’s blush grew hotter with each word. Was… was Cordelia being serious?! Everything about her causal smile implied that she was! 

          “I mean it, don’t tease me!” Instead of pulling away, Sumia gently flopped her forehead onto Cordelia's shoulder, hiding her face. “That would be so embarrassing! I haven’t worn braids since I was a little girl…” That was kind of the point though, wasn’t it? To remember what it felt like to be carefree, innocent… her own actual age. She and Cordelia may have been professors here, but they weren’t so old. Maybe… Taking a deep breath, Sumia pulled away and looked again at herself in the mirror. 

          “Alright,” she finally agreed. “I don’t know about going among the students, but…” Sumia turned to her and grinned. “You can do my hair, if you promise you’ll let me do yours after.” She didn’t wait for agreement. Sumia knew that either way, Cordelia would never go back on her word, even if it was /technically/ Sumia’s word.

          A giggle rose up as she practically skipped toward the bed. Flopping onto it, she folded her legs criss-cross, settling into a pose that many young girls have found themselves in during sleepovers. Sumia pulled at the various clips and accessories that helped keep her hair in place, her light brown tresses falling in waves and curling a little at the ends. She ran her fingers through the strands and loosened them up in preparation. 

@unbalancing-act

          Like most of her acquaintanceships, her introduction to Lukas began with an apology. A bump, a string of sorries, then the eventual revelation that he was not only one of the staff, but a fellow polearm user as well. He was an easy enough man to get along with. They took meals together here and there in the cafeteria, shared stories of their homeland, pointed out observations about the weather, and, of course, talked shop.