cleversteel

[cleversteel]

“Oh, well, of course,” Colm admits. “It’s been over for a while now—unless something happened while we’ve been out here?” (He certainly hopes not.) The boy shrugs. “I dunno. Either way, the whole ‘enemies’ bit was kinda talking about the past I guess.”

Which is a good thing, he thinks. After all, if being enemies was a thing of the past, that meant they weren’t enemies anymore—and that was always good. Peace, like his namesake, was something Colm valued after having fought through so much war.

“Say, Lyon—(actually, do you prefer Prince Lyon, or nah?)—have you tried any of the pastries they have here? They’re really good! A friend and I tried a bunch of them earlier and they were super tasty! They’ve got all kinds of flavors, you know.”

“We should try them!” Colm huffs, proudly. “Yup! That’s what we’re gonna do!”

And so he drags the prince towards the concessions, intent on giving him baked goods.

@cleversteel, continued from here:

“Oh yeah, I was!” (But how would he know that? Does that mean they met in Magvel–) Oh. (He literally just said his name.) Lyon. As in– Ohhhhhhhhhhh. “Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, so that’s how I know you! You’re that Grado prince! I thought you died.”—bewilderment, free of distaste, before realization—“Urgh– sorry– That was probably insensitive– Um–” (Just take a deep breath. You can fix this!) “Well, I can’t say I really knew you well before”—he waves his arms about—“all that, but it seemed to me that Eirika always thought you were a good person, so could you have really been that bad?” “I mean– maybe, but I dunno. I don’t see you trying to blow up the place or anything.” (Again, he offers his hand.) “We can be enemies without anyone being a bad guy, y’know?” “So?”

lyon blinks and stares at the younger man. that's... that's not the reaction he expected. not the casualness of it, much less being quickly apologized to.

"not at all," he manages to interject with a shake of his head, astonishment of his own likely matching colm's. lyon takes no offense in voicing such an assumption; there's no reason to. why would he when he had closed his eyes in what seemed like finality, believing it had been it? it's only understandable no one from magvel would have anticipated his survival...

ah. eirika. while lyon's heart aches at the mention of her name, he focuses on something else colm mentions. his brow furrows. eirika thought he was a good person? but why...? hadn't ephraim disclosed everything he knew to her? that their friend had commited every atrocity out of his free will? unless... ephraim hadn't told his twin sister for one reason or another.

"..."

lyon knows he could tell colm he's not a good person. he's not kind or anything else eirika may have said. but opening his heart to a near stranger, now an acquaintance, has never been him. thus, lyon doesn't.

violets flutter closed before opening again, a soft, genuine laugh leaving his lips. "i suppose so," lyon relents. this time, lightning meets fire as his hand takes colm's, allowing a new flower to sprout. "though i don't think i am currently your enemy... the war is— should be over."

[cleversteel]

@ladyleonster, from: here

“Uh…… I’m decently lucky, I think?” the boy muses. Really, though, he was just mad skilled. (Skill isn’t really all that helpful here though, is it?) Skill probably isn’t what saved him in Lark either.

“…Well, lucky enough, at least.”

The thief shakes his head before suggesting, “We should steal their training techniques! It can’t all be talent, so they have to practice somehow!” With elaborate hand gestures, he continues, “All we have to do is tail them, watch them train, and then use their secrets to get super good in time for the contest!” With a punch to the air, he punctuates:

“They’ll never know what hit ‘em!”

Of course, that’s when fortune smiles upon them, with one of the other locals approaching to help. (Sure, there was always going to be the stealing secrets plan, but even Colm would admit it’d be better to source their knowledge elsewhere, if possible.)

“That works too!” he exclaims, clapping his hands together. “So, where do we start?”

“Well, do either of you have any experience with surfing?”

“Nope,” Colm deadpans. “Not at all.”

“…In that case, we should probably get you some equipment first. You can’t surf without a board at the very least.”

shubies and barneys

Rusalka is an idyllic territory by the coast. It’s easy to see why anyone would be captivated by the sun, the sea breeze, and the high, rocky cliffs overlooking the shimmering ocean. The people in the port city seem friendly enough, but few seem to recall seeing any knights around lately. This is the biggest city in the area though, so someone is bound to come through at some point. With the shopping and the weather as good as it is, no time like the present to have a little vacation while you wait for leads then, right? Beach day! Maybe even try your hand at what the locals call “surfing.” [Grants Riding +1]

[cleversteel]

Teach steers the conversation elsewhere, and Colm is happy to follow suit. The less dead people he had to think of during his school days, the better off he was, really. (On the battlefield was one thing, but this– These grounds weren’t made for real warfare.)

“Not a whole lot,” the boy supposes, memories drifting back to his year or so before the monastery. There had been just a few battles in particular where ballistae had made themselves known. “We didn’t really purchase them either,” he clarifies, “It was more like the villages already had them, and we used them whenever they were available.”

“They are pretty big though—probably expensive too.” They were just full of fancy little parts that could break! “I’m not surprised they were rare back where you’re from, Teach.”

Realizing what he was offering, Colm’s eyes light up, with an excited, “Yeah! I can do it!” Dangerous though it may be, the boy was still very interested in seeing it work. (They’d already cranked it up after all! Why put all that work to waste?) It’s set up a bit differently from what he’s used to, but if he looked closely, it would start to look more like the ones that Neimi used to use. (The thought makes it much easier to remember.) The thief steps into position, aiming the ballista for one of the less human-looking targets, and then, when he is satisfied, he looses the tension. The bolt goes flying.

The target wobbles back and forth, but ultimately doesn’t fall over, instead just letting the bolt pass through. It's a pretty off-putting sight, but that thought seems to be lost on Colm.

“Oh………… That was really cool!” the boy cheers, looking around for more ammunition. “We should try firing another!” A pause. “If you’re alright with that, Teach?”

demo mode

[cleversteel]

dance till you're dead.

Dancer Class Mastery Drabble Word Count: 448

Young feet step, inexperienced in their motion. With every foot placed down, distance grows between pursuer and pursuant. …There is a clumsiness written into it—a mind more focused on the destination than the journey. In your head, it didn’t matter how you got there, really—so long as you did, that was all that you could ask.

You duck between some buildings, then past some corners and behind a home. There was no rhyme or reason to your decisions, but you trusted your gut. You hide yourself within the gardening supplies—rakes and compost and other things—covering your ocean blue hair with your hood, hoping to lose the trail of those who chase you.

Time passes, and soon your eyes open from the tightly shut state you had entered them into. Looking out, you can see—they are gone, a realization that earns the sigh of relief that follows. Carefully, cautiously, you get up, but it’s awkward. You trip on something, knocking it over as you do. You do not stay long enough for anyone to find you out here.

…and time passes.

Your steps are more experienced now, practiced in every motion. With every foot placed down, distance closes between you and your enemies. …There is a precision written into it—a practiced mind focused more on the journey than the destination. In your head, you know where you will end up—finishing the job. What mattered to you most now were the consequences of your travel.

You could not afford to trip on anything on the battlefield.

You duck between two foes, past their swords and axes and into a more beneficial position. Your eyes—your incredible eyes—plan two steps ahead, no longer relying on instinct as you had in the past. Your hair blends in with the sky, and your opponents lose sight of you—a fatal mistake.

You do not lose sight of them, instead watching to make sure they are dead first. Only then do you move on—and you do it again, agility entwined with your footprints, spelling letters across the ground.

(Careful now, your journey has consequences. A stumble means cuts, hesitation means blood, and to fall means death for you.) You do not stumble. You do not hesitate. You do not fall.

Instead, you carry yourself with the grace of a dancer—like Tethys, if a bit more boy-ish. You do not possess her experience, nor can you claim her talent or her skill, but that fails in all attempts to dishearten you.

She may carry what you lack, but you do have the advantage of time. And time passes, but you learn, and you dance. Once, twice.

When the alternative is dying, what other choice do you have?

[cleversteel]

August Activity Check

Status: Passed!

Skill Points Gained: Monthly Activity Point, Mission Board Sword

Sword +1 (Thread: moves like tethys): Sword -> C (1/2) Bow +1 (Monthly Activity Point): Bow -> C+ (1/2)

Current Total: 25 points

Classes Accessed: N/A

Classes Mastered: N/A

[cleversteel]

@fangedjustice from: here

All things considered, Lloyd raises a good point—whatever the case was, he was still hired to be here. (Colm thinks back to the other folks he’s seen around–)

Actually, now that he thinks about it, a lot of his professors are just weirdos. (Not Professor Deirdre though! She’s way nicer to him than the others. She was his favorite.)

“Hm.” (Then again, it’s not like any of them have killed him, right?) “Well, maybe the Church is just preparing us to recognize strange people—although, you’re more normal than a lot of the folks here.”

“Which is really weird! Because you’re not really normal either.” (An obligatory finger point!) “Or at least you don’t have normal vibes—I can tell! My eyesight may be my best sense, but that doesn’t mean I can’t read a person’s—” (Here, he waves his arms around in Lloyd’s general direction.) “—you know?”

“An anima lightning user, huh?” (Think, Colm. Did you see anything like that on the battlefield?)

There were definitely magic users—the guy who beat him was a mage too!—but he doesn’t remember seeing Lloyd out there. (They were probably just in different parts of the field.)

“Alright,” the boy smirks. “I’ve got this—just watch.”

With that, the boy ducks away into the other parts of the tent—dodging the purple lady, of course. There wasn’t any guarantee that the person who defeated Lloyd was here yet, but it was worth looking anyway! After all, this quest served two missions.

See, what Colm neglected to share with Lloyd was that this was a perfect excuse to get away from him—and he had the information necessary to find out who beat him! (Here, he would simply have to find them! Colm is really good at finding things!)

Yup. It was settled: Colm was a genius.

You Ever Just Make Frenemies With A Toddler?

[cleversteel]

“Hehe, thanks!” the boy smiles, then vanishing the knife.  (He took a lot of pride in being able to do neat tricks like that with his blades!) “Normally, I’d say it’s natural talent, but I’ll let you know it’s actually a lot of practice—you could probably learn it too!” (Pausing briefly, he hums to himself.) “Though, if you were worried about speed, it seems sort of interesting that you turned to magic?”

“I mean, spells aren’t exactly the fastest thing,” he continues, rattling off his thoughts whilst thoughtlessly eating another pastry half. (Oh, this one was really good too!) “Even the fastest mages I knew back home were limited by how quickly they could pull out their tomes, and I figure it’s faster pulling out a tiny blade than a big book?” (It’s the size difference, you know? And then you have to bring them around with you– They’d be really heavy, wouldn’t they?)

“And dark magic especially—from what I can tell, it’s the slowest of the… (what was the word again?) the ‘trinity’?” Colm shakes his head briefly, dismissing the term. “Either way–”

“Actually, is magic different where you come from?” he blinks at the other curiously. “I realize I’m mostly thinking about the way I’m used to it, but they don’t even use staves here! It’s so weird…”

       Pelleas almost accidentally squeezes all the remaining cream out of his bun, startled as he was by Colm's outburst.

“ Er, y-yes. I, um, suppose I follow...? ”  Pelleas replies, pausing his eating to try and follow the thief's line of logic.  “ ...Actually, I don't think I do at all. Sorry. I didn't mean to lie, honest. ”

But now that he was thinking of it, he realizes he does want to know what Colm might've meant by it. What about Pelleas's confession came as a surprise? What kind of impression did Pelleas leave on people?

He knows he's been called many things in this life. Pathetic. Stupid. A momma's boy.

But through Colm's eyes, what did he see Pelleas as? Would Pelleas be afraid to know that answer? Despite that fear, was it right of Pelleas to still feel intrigued?

But the moment feels as if it's passed, Colm showing off one of his knives in a spectacular flourish. It really was hidden.

“ Wow, I didn't even see where that knife came from. That's really impressive, Colm, ”  he compliments him.  “ I, um, used to carry a dagger on me too, though I wasn't nearly as quick as you about taking it out. I couldn't imagine being able to do much with it in battle compared to you. ”

Pelleas takes the opportunity to finish polishing off the rest of the first bun, reaching for his second one now.

[cleversteel]

COLM!! in Fódlan

source: shadoll

GENDER. Male (he/him)

AGE. 18

HEIGHT. 5’9” (175 cm)

BIRTHDATE. 9th of the Garland Moon (June 9th)

CREST/HOLY BLOOD. None 

CLASS. Black Eagles Student!

AFFILIATION. The Kingdom of Renais

BIOGRAPHY. A thief who hails from a village razed to the ground. He has a pure heart and tries to put his skills to more positive uses, even if he occasionally makes some... questionable decisions. Awoke in Fódlan after stealing something he probably shouldn’t have, later wandering from Adrestia to the Officers Academy and enrolling there.

PERSONAL HISTORY

785 - Born to a couple of common blood in the village of Lark in Renais.

788 - Befriends Neimi, another from the village of Lark. Is at her a side a year later when her mother passes away.

803 - The War of the Stones begins, and Lark is later attacked and burned down by Bazba’s Bandits. He joins Eirika’s army after successfully stealing back Neimi’s mirror.

803 - The war ends. Not too long after, he mysteriously awakens in Fódlan and enrolls in the Officers Academy.

INTERESTS. Protecting Neimi, thievery, medicine LIKES. Neimi, michew berries, home, herbs, stealing, marshmallows, food in general DISLIKES. Losing, lowly bandits, those who endanger the helpless, being underestimated, Lloyd (derogatory) STATUS. Black Eagles Student CLOSE ALLIES: Neimi, Pelleas, Kiran

DINING HALL PREFERENCES

LIKES. Beast Meat Teppanyaki, Saghert and Cream, Fish and Bean Soup, Sautéed Jerky, Sweet and Salty Whitefish Sauté, Sweet Bun Trio, Fruit and Herring Tart, Garreg Mach Meat Pie, Peach Sorbet, Two-Fish Sauté, Gronder Meat Skewers, Vegetable Stir-Fry, Bourgeois Pike DISLIKES. Vegetable Pasta Salad, Small Fish Skewers, Country-Style Red Turnip Plate, Super-Spicy Fish Dango, Pickled Seafood and Dango, Daphnel Stew, Fried Crayfish

DINING HALL NOTES

DEFAULT. ✧

“Always happy to share a meal with friends!”

FAVORITE DISH.  ✧

“Hey, I really like this dish! Do you like it too?”

LEAST FAVORITE DISH.  ✧

“Well, I… uh… haha…”

WITH EPHRAIM.  ✧

“Oh, I should tell Kyle about this!”

WITH KIRAN.  ✧

“Oh, Rose, you should try this! It’s really tasty!”

WITH NEIMI.  ✧

“Isn’t the food here great? I figured you’d like it.”

WITH PELLEAS.  ✧

“If you don’t want your food, I’ll gladly take it! Oh, we could trade! You can have some of my vegetables!”

WITH VALTER.  ✧

“(Ah, shoot. How’d I end up sharing a meal with this guy?!)”

TEA TIME GUIDE

FAVORITE TEA. Sweet-Apple Blend, Southern Fruit Blend, Honeyed-Fruit Blend CONVERSATION TOPICS. A place you’d like to visit, children at the market, close calls, cooking mishaps, exploring the monastery, I’m counting on you, our first meeting, past laughs, reliable allies, school days, someone you look up to, tell me about yourself, thanks for everything, the view from the bridge, working hours for guards, working together, you’re doing well, your ambitions, cats, a dinner invitation, favorite sweets, food in the Dining Hall, shareable snacks, strange fish in the pond, hopes for your future, monastery mysteries, likeable allies

TEA TIME QUOTES

GREETING.  ✧

(1) “Hey, Professor! I made it!” (2) “I was pretty quick, wasn’t I?” (3) “I’m not a HUGE tea person, but I don’t mind!”

FAVORITE TEA.  ✧

“Oh, this one smells nice!”

FIVE STAR TEA.  ✧

“Wow, this smells expensive!”

BEING OBSERVED.  ✧

(1) “Hm? Do I have something on my face?” (2) “Oh, do you like my earrings? I pierced them myself! It was… ahaha… not my finest work.” (3) “My mom used to describe my ponytail as a ‘dove tail.’ I admit, I still get kinda sentimental sometimes when I think about it.”

QUIPS.  ✧

“Huh?” “Really?” “Wow.” “(Laughter)” “How about this?” “Did ya hear?”

ENDING.  ✧

“I had a lot of fun! You should invite me again sometime.”

FINAL COMMENTS.  ✧

(1) Back in when I was in the army, we had a Father in our troops who blamed me for setting his extra clothes on fire. Twice. Crazy, right? ANSWER: Nod, Laugh (2) A close friend of mine once lost something precious to her, so I stole it back for her. I could tell she was really worried, but I wasn’t going to let those bandits keep it! ANSWER: Agree, Commend (3) Man, candy is really tasty! I wish I could have some all the time... ANSWER: Disagree, Admonish (4) This place is really nice... Since I’m living here though, I don’t intend to borrow anything. ANSWER: Praise, Admonish (5) I really like it here, but... well, I kinda miss my friends from home. ANSWER: Nod, Chat

MISCELLANEOUS DIALOGUE.

GIFT GUIDE

FAVORITE GIFTS. Owl Feather, Tasty Baked Treat, Watering Can, Hunting Dagger, Legends of Chivalry, Forget-me-nots, Ceremonial Sword DISLIKED GIFTS. Watering Can, Training Weights, Monarch Studies Book, Coffee Beans

GIFT QUOTES

DISLIKED GIFT.  ✧

“Ahaha...”

LIKED GIFT.  ✧

“Thanks! This is nice!”

FAVORITE GIFT.  ✧

“Oh, this is REALLY nice. Thanks a lot!”

LOST ITEMS

SPARE EARRING. A golden earring in the style of a ring. It’s not real gold, but it still looks really nice. Likely belongs to someone who likes jewelry but doesn’t like to spend. Location found: Training Grounds. BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO MEDICINAL HERBS. A book detailing basic information on various plants and herbs that any apothecary ought to know. Likely belongs to someone with an interest in plants and medicine. Location found: Fishing Pond. BAG OF TREATS. A bag of baked goods with varying degrees of sweetness. Likely belongs to someone with a sweet tooth. Location found: Dining Hall.

LOST ITEM QUOTES 

OWNER.  ✧

“Oh, you found it! Thanks for getting this back to me.”

NOT OWNER.  ✧

“It’s nice, but... not mine, sorry. I could help you find the owner though!”

BATTLE QUOTES

MOCK BATTLE RETREAT.  ✧

“Shoot... Sorry guys!”

FIRST KILL.  ✧

“Whoa... Haha...”

MONASTERY QUOTES

CHOIR PRACTICE.  ✧

(1) “Haha... I am not really a singer...” (2) “Welp, here goes nothing!”

COOKING.  ✧

(1) “Okay, let’s do this whole cooking thing!” (2) “My mom always did it like this...!” (3) “And bam! Easy.”

TUTORING

INSTRUCT

BAD.  ✧

“Wait, really?” Critique: Gah... No need to be so harsh...! Console: Yeah, I got this! I’ll definitely get it next time!

GREAT.  ✧

“I know, I know. I’m just that guy!” “That was easy!”

PERFECT.  ✧

“It was nothing.” PRAISE. “Aw, thanks, Professor. You’re not that bad a teacher, you know!”

TASKS

STABLE DUTY. ✧

“Now how did Neimi do it again?”

WEEDING.  ✧

“Gah... I HATE weeding!”

SKY WATCH.  ✧

“Whoa... Okay! We are REALLY high up!”

CERTIFICATION EXAMS FAILED.  ✧

“Aha... I probably should’ve paid more attention in class...”

PASSED.  ✧

“Hah. Light work!”

SWORD.  ✧

“I’m not physically the strongest, but I am really accurate! That’s why I learned the sword as a self-defense weapon! I figured that, since I’m at a military school and stuff, I could maybe get better!”

BOW.  ✧

“A close friend of mine was an archer, just like her grandfather before her. They were AMAZING, and I want to be like them. So, I’m taking up the bow!”

LANCE + RIDING.  ✧

“I’m pretty light on my feet, but horses are pretty good too! The way they can carry you across a whole field in a fraction of the time...! Oh, and of course, I’ll be learning the lance as well. I’m not really good at it, but I’m gonna need it to pass the exam, right?”

LEVEL UP

0 TO 1 STATS UP .  ✧

“Not my best work.”

2 TO 3 STATS UP .  ✧

“Hey, it’s better than nothing!”

4-5 STATS UP .  ✧

“Always improving!”

6+ STATS UP .  ✧

“Impressed?”

UPON REACHING LEVEL 99 .  ✧

“Wow, I’m incredible! I bet no one could stop me now!”

BUDDING TALENT

“Huh. Who’d’ve thought?”

NEW SKILL

“Ooh, a neat new trick!”

RECLASSING .  ✧

“Hey, I’m adaptable!”

BATTLE QUOTES

WHEN SELECTED

FULL/HIGH HP .  ✧

“You got it!”

MEDIUM HP .  ✧

“I’m good. Don’t worry about me.”

LOW HP .  ✧

“Okay, I might need a bit of help here...!”

ENEMY DEALS 1 OR NO DAMAGE OR MISSES .  ✧

“Nope!”

CRITICAL ATTACK .  ✧

“Sorry about this!” “Light work.” “And here we go!” “Guaranteed results!”

GAMBIT .  ✧

“I’ve got an idea!”

GAMBIT BOOST .  ✧

“I’ve got your back!”

DEFEATED ENEMY .  ✧

“Whoops! Should’ve been better, I guess.” “Haha! Take that!” “Good luck beating me!”

ALLY DEFEATS ENEMY .  ✧

“Nice work!” “Glad you’re on our side!” “You’re pretty good!”

ALLY HEALS/RALLIES .  ✧

“Thanks!” “I appreciate it!” “I’ll pay you back later.”

DEFEAT QUOTE

CASUAL .  ✧

“Gotta admit, I can’t keep going much longer. I’m just gonna fall back here. You guys keep going, okay?”

CLASSIC .  ✧

“No... Nei...mi...”

THE ADVICE BOX

“I really like it here at the monastery and I’ve made a lot of friends, but sometimes, I miss my friends back home. What should I do?” > You should write letters home! It might not cure your homesickness, but they’ll at least know you’re thinking of them. > Try and recreate what you liked about your homeland and share that with your friends here! You might be away from home, but you can still bring it with you here! > You should try and visit whenever you get a break from school! Nothing beats actually being with the people you care about most. (Correct Answer)

[cleversteel]

July Activity Check

Status: Passed! (+Hiatus)

Skill Points Earned: Mission Board Bow, Mission Board Axe, Mission Board Gauntlets, Monthly Activity Point

Bow +1 (Thread: time to take a shot!): Bow -> C (1/2) Axe +1 (Thread: partners in pilfering): Axe -> E+ Gauntlets +1 (Thread: allies or enemies?): Gauntlets -> D Any +1 (Monthly): Bow -> C+

Current Total: 23 points

Classes Accessed: N/A

Classes Mastered: N/A

[cleversteel]

18. A memory they’d love to change

memories. (no longer accepting)

(also asked by @folternis and @justices-blade)

Your grip doesn’t loosen until Lark’s ashes are far behind you.

And as soon as you let go, she stumbles, although she catches herself before you can steady her. With shaking knees, she pushes her back onto a tree, sliding down into a quiet sitting. Wordlessly, you follow suit beside her, ashen clouds billowing through the sky.

“…Are you okay?”

“I…” (She sniffles.) “Y– Yeah, I…”

You’re not. (You can tell, having known her for so long.) Before long, she’s crying like she always does, but you– you get it.

It’s not fair.

“Oh–” (You turn immediately.) “Um, nevermind.”

“What is it?”

“It’s nothing…” (You see the way her fingers glide over nothing.)

“No, it’s fine. You can… If there’s something you want to say, I’m all ears.”

“It’s no big deal, really, I just…”

“‘Just’…?” (Her hands fall to her sides.)

“…”

You sigh, turning away, except—as you do, something catches your eye. (Something abnormal about her, something you haven’t seen in years.)

“Where’s your mirror?”

She doesn’t answer, only breaking down into tears again—she lost it. (Your eyes glide back to Lark.) Those bandits stole it. Your face—furrowed brows and a tight frown—give away your intentions. You stand up.

“Colm, wait.”

“It’s okay,” you assure, briefly kneeling. “I’ll be alright, I promise.”

“It’s too dangerous, you can’t–”

“Just… wait for me, okay? I’ll be back before you know it!”

“Please.”

But your mind was made up. That mirror was the only keepsake of her mother she had left—especially now, after the flames, the destruction, the loss–

So what if some low-life bandits got their dirty hands on it?

You were going to steal it back.

[cleversteel]

20. A memory of someone who is deceased

memories. (still accepting)

“Colm, help me pull the weeds out.”

“Gardening, again?”

“What, do you think this grass is suddenly gonna stop growing?”

“I wish it would sometimes.”

“And how would all the animals eat if all the grass stopped growing?”

“We don’t eat grass.”

“You do eat your veggies.”

(You mumble under your breath that you never wanted to.)

Still, reluctantly, you draw from the shade, settling down beside your father to pull at more grass. (What’s the big deal about weeding anyway? It’s such a pain to deal with.)

“You’ve gotta make sure you weed regularly. If the weeds spread too much–”

“It’ll be bad for the rest of the plants– Yeah, I know.”

“I was going to say it’ll become more difficult, but yes, that too.” He laughs, knowing you were right. (That’s what he normally says anyway.) “But you understand that much, so I don’t see what the big problem is.” (You pull at a tough root.)

“Well, for one thing, it’s boring.”

“All the most important stuff is boring. It still has to get done.”

“Heroes aren’t boring.”

“Well, someone had to make their equipment.”

“…”

“There.” (Your father dusts off his hands.) “That’s this side of the yard done—how’s your progress, Colm?”

“Same,” you respond, grabbing a fistful of plants that might accidentally include some of your mother’s herbs.

It’s fine. No one will notice–

“That was fast. You’re getting better! At this rate we’ll be done by sundown.” You squint at the horizon. (That’s in maybe an hour?)

“Yeah. By sundown.” (He won’t see how little you did once it gets dark out.)

He did see, but it seemed he didn’t mind. After all, you were still a kid—there was no need to be too harsh. (Your mother was slightly upset at the uprooted herbs though.)

Admittedly, you’d let too many weeds grow in the garden that day. Thankfully, the fire took care of it.

[cleversteel]

Send A Number to Experience One of My Muse’s Memories

Memories are vignettes for one’s past, and often times, they are very telling.

1. Their First Memory 2. A memory of their father 3. A memory of their mother 4. A memory of a sibling 5. A memory of a pet 6. A turning point in their life 7. A memory they want to forget 8. A hazy memory 9. A photographic memory 10. A disappointing memory 11. A memory that may or may not have happened 12. A happy memory 13. A memory of a friend 14. A memory of a relationship 15. A heartbreaking memory 16. A memory that makes them angry 17. A memory of something they regret 18. A memory they’d love to change 19. A memory of someone they don’t see anymore 20. A memory of someone who is deceased 21. A memory of the first time they did an activity they love 22. A childhood memory 23. A school day memory 24. A holiday memory 25. A birthday memory 26. A memory they want to share 27. A memory of something they’re proud of 28. A memory that strains a relationship 29. A memory they can’t let themselves forget 30. Asker’s choice 31. Writer’s choice

[cleversteel]

time to take a shot!

lockpicnic​:

She watches carefully as he tries his best to aim, though she has no real clue if he’s figured out the trick to it or not. For the most part she had just been winging it, using only the base amount of knowledge bestowed upon her by watching her brother back when they were children. No matter how much she begged he never once let her hold Yewfelle…

Probably for the best.

It doesn’t take much of a genius to figure out who the victor was…but from his own reaction she finds it difficult to gloat. Instead she simply laughs along. “Well, ya ain’t wrong! I gotta say, it kinda looks like somethin’, huh?” She moves closer to the target to get a better look. “And I’ll be honest…I kinda forgot how the point system was workin’— heck, whose arrow belongs to who? I dunno! Maybe we can just call it a draw and eat our messed up meal with whatever we just got!”

It was clear she was trying to avoid being the victor, instead just enjoying the game they played regardless of who won or lost. “But next time I’ll definitely be keepin’ score!”

“Yeah, I thought the same!” Colm exclaims in response to it ‘looking like something’. “Kinda like a constellation of an archer! Or just a fork and knife…” (Would certainly be on theme.)

“Ah, good point–” They probably should’ve marked the arrows somehow– A note for next time, he guesses. “That does make it kind of hard to remember whose is whose…”

Although, it’s not like he would’ve disputed which were his (after all, there were only three each), but it’s not like Colm was gonna complain! If this girl was deciding to be nice about winning, he would gladly take that kindness!

“Sure! Food’s food after all.” (A soft laugh.) “Though, I’ll be the one winning next time—got it?!”

(And speaking of ‘this girl’…)

“By the way,”—he extends his free hand to her,—“my name is Colm—what’s yours?”

[cleversteel]

from: here

“Oh yeah!” Roy! Colm knows that name! (Though, he supposes that currently, everyone does.) “I’m Colm—not Seliph, like those sheriffs seem to think.” With a hint of laughter, he adds, “Sounds to me like they’re pretty bad at their jobs…”

(Colm can’t say he’s super duper familiar with Roy, but if a tall, fiery-bearded guy was at the monastery, he definitely would’ve noticed.)

“Yeah, I’m a bit of a lockpicking wizard myself!” the boy affirms, his voice a slightly lower volume than usual. “And I’d also not like to be chilling here for much longer. Pretty convenient, wouldn’t you say?” Although, that didn’t really answer what they were going to be doing with their cellmate. Sure, she could just be a normal human, but who’s to say she wasn’t a magician of some sort? Or a monster in disguise?! She could break out the moment the doors unlock! (And what if she betrayed them or something?!)

That whole allianceship thing wasn’t sounding too bad right now—if only to avoid being negatively impacted by ‘Micaiah’.

“Impersonations?” ‘Micaiah’ echoes, incredulous. “But I am the real Micaiah! Just like how you’re the real Roy, and you’re the real Seliph!”

“Not the real Seliph,” Colm corrects. I literally just said that. (And besides, Colm has way cooler earrings!) ‘Micaiah’ rolls her eyes with a nonchalant, “Sure.”

“My point here being that we all have been wrongfully imprisoned on the assumption that we aren’t who we claim we are—you, as Lord Roy, me, as Miss Micaiah, and him, as– well, not Seliph, so he claims.”

“There’s no need for distrust—truly! We are all on the same side~!”

Now you just sound even more suspicious…

@lionsword

@TheRealRoy [Colm & Roy]

[cleversteel]

June Activity Check

Status: Passed!

Skill Points Earned: Monthly Activity Check

Any +1 (Monthly): Heavy Armor -> C

Current Total: 19 points

Classes Accessed: N/A

Classes Mastered: N/A

[cleversteel]

partners in pilfering

pirrhyc​:

   It is a matter of sheer willpower, putting everything he has into it and not looking back, that saves the two of them and expels them out of that lake. Blast after blast of Dark Spikes shot to give them the acceleration needed to propel them out whilst keeping the Lady of the Lake at bay, Pelleas exerts a great deal of himself and so when they’ve finally reached up towards the air, he doesn’t have the energy left to think of a way to cushion their fall to the green earth they’d started on.

He simply falls in a flop and a roll, and he takes that moment after to catch his breath, the very effort of doing so strenuous beyond belief. Gasps and coughs line him as water drips down him from everywhere, but his grasp on Colm does not loosen— not until now when his breathing feels something comparable to normal.

He glances up and back at last once he releases the thief’s bicep, asking weakly,  “ …Are you alright? ”

He rises, a bit wobbly on his feet as the temptation to fall back down underneath the weight of his drenched clothes, and he peers back at the lake. It was beautiful once, he notes, but it is hardly comparable to his memory of it.

Darkened by the magic within his finger tips, it is murky, a fairytale doomed to its end— its happy never after.

It feels like layers and layers of nothing but water, the two piercing through it forever until– at last, the surface.

They are, admittedly, rather high up, and while Colm could probably break his fall by himself, he didn’t actually know how to make sure Pelleas was alright too. The descent begins.

Oh, shoot.

It’s incredibly improvised, using his free arm to keep them rolling, but it doesn’t sound like they broke any bones or something, and Colm felt fine. Maybe bruised, but definitely alive. (It was a good start.)

Wow. They actually just did that. (Pelleas just did that; you just watched and trusted him.)

Which, honestly, wasn’t that bad of a choice. Pelleas got them both out alive and in one piece (er, two, but still)! And that magic– Just, wow. It was the stuff of stories.

…None of those words managed to escape him though—just the sound of desperate breathing after a second almost-drowning. Twice in one day. Never expected that.

“I– Uh… Yeah, I’m– I’m fine.” ‘Fine’ felt like a strange way to describe it. (More aptly, he was glad to be alive.) “Um… How are you?”

What a perfectly normal question.

The boy gets up slowly, only after Pelleas starts to stand, briefly reaching for him when he threatens to fall over, only hesitating because Pelleas seems to be holding his own weight. (That must’ve been exhausting…) Silently, he follows the other’s gaze—to the murky lake, once pristine and crystalline.

“I…” (He struggles somewhat to find the words.) “Sorry.” A pause. “For dragging you into this.” There was a lot more that could be added to that– to truly convey how badly he felt, but even the one word was hard enough to get out. His eyes leave the lake.

“…We should probably go.”

[cleversteel]

Winter has settled in at Garreg Mach, and the long hours of darkness are working their way into the bodies and minds of its staff and students. Shelter from the bitter winds and snows that blow outside soon turn just as suffocating, as the stillness permits too many unwanted thoughts to worm their way into the crevices of your thoughts. A fresh distraction is desperately due, but in short supply during this season. A minor Faerghus noble knows these troubles all too well, and so she offers to Garreg Mach a small donation. A small, vacant building in town has now been renovated into a simple retreat for anyone to visit. Rustic and cozy, it features a host of simple food and drink, a warm fire…and a challenge not for the faint of heart! Participants need to eat a whole bucket of the spiciest pieces of chicken you can imagine or fall over trying. Will you come to cheer or boo the competitors on? Enter it yourself? Or stow yourself away in a more quiet corner to have a drink and reflect?

The crowd roars, the audience cheering on the two competitors to victory. (This was a battle of endurance, will, might.) Every moment was captivating, intense, and incredibly loud–

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” (He chomps down on another wing.)

How in the world can something so hot exist!??!??!??!!??!

This will be easy, he thought. It’s just food, he thought. The posters nailed on the walls promised glory to whoever could eat the most in one sitting. The standing record was 47. (Colm’s not done growing yet, he doesn’t think. Why not give it a go?)

So he sat down and proposed to take on the challenge. At the same time, so did someone else.

“I think she’s gonna get the record,” one of the spectators comments. “She hardly seems bothered by it at all.”

“I think he stands a chance too—I mean, yeah, he’s screaming every time he eats a wing, but he hasn’t stopped yet, has he?”

“GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” (He bites down on another.)

Now, maybe it’s the commoner in him talking, being all not used to spice and stuff, but there was no way anyone could not be bothered by this even a little bit. This girl– She has to give up eventually—Colm’s sure of it. He just has to eat more than her. Easy peasy.

Another wing down. (His face is red, and he’s definitely sweating–) Just keep going, Colm. At least meet the record.

(Note: He’s roughly only 20 or so wings in.)

“GRAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

(Correction: He’s roughly only 21 or so wings in.)

…He’s quite certain he’ll never recover from this.

@idoun

welcome everybody to hot ones