#oblivion's folder

what do you mEAAAN you would dance to the sounds of the ballroom drifting high off the echoed walls. The music and chatter lifting to the sky and through the glass which shone glittering moonlight on the tiles below.

You mean to tell me while standing alone in the cold night air, clad in her heavy and stiff armor, young knight in training (I presume) Apo Kuna would listen to the music and see the people in their flowy outfits lightly spinning about and she would imitate them? Is this what you're telling me?? Apokuna the person that you are for granting me this image.

I imagine the cold is stinging on her face. I imagine she's been standing and pacing the rooftop for hours as the party continues into the night. She watches the stars and the rooftops and listens to the beautiful music played for the nobility below. She maybe even lets her gaze leave the skyline to take a peek at the party goers. She looks down over the glass to see the dazzling view of dresses twirling in time with one another. The patterns spinning and blurring together. A top down view probably few get to see aside from maybe those sitting above the dance floor, maybe from the stairs..or the kings table. She can just see it if she steps to the side, at the far end of the room, raised above, a place where the royals can sit and watch. There is a girl there in a beautiful red dress with patterns of the sun's rays rippling down the skirt. She imagines that when that dress spins it would look like the sun itself from this point of view. Wonders if it has yet tonight, and she might've missed it. Who would that sun be dancing with? Who would be the one in her orbit? Revolving around and around in a mesmerizing display as they moved across the dance floor like the stars move across the sky.

Bek, Apo, Cherri, Kitty, Cam, and Katie are all doing an arena together. I wrote this in one go.

Cherri lunges foreward, parrying the predictable attack from the pillager just like Katie had taught her. The weight of the sword in her hand has started feeling easier lately, but her skills still need to be honed. As she dispatches the pillager another one comes at her from the side with axe raised. Cherri pivots just in time to see Katie intercept it with a shield bash.

Cherri watches as the redheaded knight lands, feet shifting automatically into her stance. The pillager, disoriented, barely raises the axe at all before Katie drops her shield and draws her sword. With one familiar motion she slides it from it's sheath and stabs it foreward. The strike is expert... Clean. Merciful. It's clear Katie has been practicing...The pillager never even saw it coming.

..Had Cherri ever really paid attention to Katie's fights before...? Had they ever really watched as she slayed her foes?

Katie yanks her sword free and the pillager dies on the spot in a puff, just like any other mob. Leaving behind only the blood dripping from Katies blade. On the dust... On Katie's boots...

Had Cherri ever seen blood splattered on her chest plate like that before? She must...not have noticed...

...Had the knight always been this capable of spilling it?

Her boots feel rooted to spot. Sunk into the dust like the droplets of blood. The metal clinging of weapons ringing in her ears almost sounds like the otherworldly sound of the Prince's laugh. Was the blood dripping off Katie's sword red, or blue?

"CHERRI!" Cherri's head snaps up from staring blankly at the blood on the ground just in time to turn around and see a blur of stars as their knight rushes in to deflect a sword blow that had been aimed at her back. Apokuna pulls the small war axe from her side belt and slashes at the attacker, dispatching it efficiently. They return it to their belt, and the spear to their dominant hand, then turn to face Cherri with concern in their gaze. Apo says something. But Cherri is still watching the puffs of smoke dissipating into the air from the pillager they'd killed. Apo frowns.

The match ended quickly. And, ever the dutiful knight, Apo guides Cherri towards the gate without bothering to pick up a single nugget of gold.

Heavy footsteps follow them out when it finally opens and Bek says, "Well done everyone. I'd say we take on the next, yes?"

Cam and Kitty agree but Apo is already gently towing Cherri towards the steps. "Hey, not up for a hard match?" Katie's bright vocie calls from the match organizer. Cherri can imagine the friendly smile on her face, the warmth in her tone gives it away as always, but she can't bring herself to look back.

"No, Katie." Apo's monotone voice speaks for her. And she can imagine that expression as well, cold, as icy and dark the night. Apo leads her away. Hand a steady weight on her back.

It's a silent trek back to the Red Kingdom. Cherri may like to tease and provoke their knight, but she appreciates Apo's ability to be a silent and grounding presence when needed. The way she leads the way back confidently while Cherri dully trods along. Her legs feel weak. She's not sure when it happened but her sword isn't in her hand anymore. Probably for the best. Their feet tap on the cobble path up to their house and Apo pushes the door open for her. Cherri barely notices the unusual display of worry on the moon knight's face as she walks past, into the room the Prince used to inhabit. She stops there, sitting on the steps.

Apokuna's heavy boots are surprisingly quiet on the floorboards as she approaches to crouch before the princess. Her eyebrows knit together in a distressed expression, a display of emotion Cherri is too distraught to be interested about.

"...Princess..?" Their voice is soft, welcome in the quiet of grief. Cherri doesn't want to respond. Well, if there was one thing Apokuna was good at doing it was silently guarding. So with a flutter of fabric they pull the cloak off their shoulders and drape it carefully around their Princess, then sits down on the steps beside them. The comforting weight around Cherri's shoulders pulled her from her thoughts and she focuses back on the world around her. They pull the cloak tighter, admiring is patterns. She always loved the capes the Moon Knights wore, it was a sight that often meant she was protected. Safe. And they were beautiful things. The patterns of stars reminded her of home. And color was so vibrant. Such...a beautiful blue...

Ever since Apo had first laid eyes on Princess Cherri she had known they were worth protecting.

Of course she was, they were the princess after all. King Ren's heir. And ever since they were both little kids, running about the castle halls like wayward comets, she had always had a blazing spark that made Apo sure she would be a fantastic ruler someday.

Now Cherri was as bright and beautiful as the sun itself. A radiant light of hope. And Apo has grown up to be a perfect moon. Strong and stoic in the shadow of the sun. And now here in the dim hallway, with sounds of battle above, Apo finally had her chance. Her time to prove herself as the gaurdian she had grown up to be, and earn the true title of knight. Capable, more than just trustworthy.

As the Princess turned to them with pain and uncertainty in her eyes, something surged in Apo's chest like an unstoppable tide. The words came easily and without need for consideration. "I live to serve and protect the kingdom, your highness." She bowed, and when a hand was offered she cradled the Princess' fingers in a gentle grasp. They were soft and warm, like a summer ray of sun, and their lips tingled with the lingering warmth after she laid her kiss upon them.

Apo watched as the princess said her goodbyes.

And the Princess watched the small dock grow distant.

Apo felt that feeling rise again in her chest. She wanted to see that fire return to her. To shield that flame against the coldest of winds and watch it grow. And as Apo gazed at the Princesse's back, her bright colors so muted in the dark, she had never been more sure.

While he's doing this his aim is at the wall of names, he drifts the aim arrow over Rasbi's name on the wall!! I never noticed this detail before. But more than that, he aims practically right at Rasbi, but then when it flies it hits only a few pixels away from Apo's name.