>>5330195“On the fencer’s marks!” You declare, stepping forward on faith and raising an armored hand skyward. “Ready!”
The Vagrant gives you another slow, solemn tilt of his scarred head, while your daughter sharply nods her own. She’s shaking…but just as you hesitate, you see the look in her eyes, and the smile on her lips.
She’s excited, in the face of your fear.
Breathe in, breathe out.
“You’ve got this sweetie.” You say across her Commling, and her smile can’t help but make you do the same.
The duelists give each other one last nod of respect before they dispense with chivalry, the pair sheathing their blades as one, eyes locked and unblinking.
It’s time.
“BEGIN!”
—
Once upon a time, you had a name. Like some distant fantasy or willfully forgotten nightmare, it’s one you barely remember…one that’s tied to things you try very hard to forget. Things were bad, once…but you fell asleep, and woke up to a world of wonders, and change, and people nothing like those you’d ever known.
You threw that old name away, and you did so gladly. The old you went to sleep, and woke up with a new life a new name, a new family, and—you still can’t believe it—the best Mom in the world.
You gave her control, and she gave you a-
“What’s your name, little one?” The Vagrant demands across the battlefield, and you can’t help but smile, just a little.
Your name is-
“Amara!” You proudly shout across the distance, and, realizing that introductions are sorely overdue, you nod Mom’s way while keeping your eyes locked on the big guy standing a little ways off. “And that’s Shu, the Defiant! She’s my Mom!”
“She must have a great deal of faith in your skill.” He replies gruffly, trying to cover just how funny he thinks this whole thing is. Not ‘funny’ in a bad way, though! You can tell, if people don’t do a great job at hiding stuff.
“She does!” You announce with a smile you hope does something—anything—to help Mom’s heart not beat so quick. “I work real hard to make her and everyone else proud!”
“I respect that.” He says, and he means it, trying not to let his emotions show on his face as he glances behind you. “On your mark, Defiant.”
/ Gun gunnnn iss hothoton her hip / Karma talks baaaasedoucan’tlisten / Privatetalksssa about theirfears / Ppprivatetalksabout YOU/
Whispers surround you, their voices just as harsh as when you first heard them, so long ago.
/ Goinnnnng to switchyouout / sssssWitch you withRATH / Big guy tooooooostrong / you Ccccan’t do this / Caaaaan’t betrussssted /
You close your eyes, shutting out the voices with an errant whisper before they can scramble over each other again, trying frantically—like they always do—to drown out all light and sound like a swarm of roaches.
You sometimes think they’d get to you, if you didn’t have Mom there to keep them at bay.
(Keep Smiling)
