#☼ nobilisseoblige

[losojos-decupido]

"Fogado! I was informed of your birthday today... you must have your hands full, hosting and such. but, I would very much hope you can enjoy the day for yourself, too."

he felt a brand of kinship with the young man, after having fought tooth and nail to hammer down the last trouble keeping them away from home. though Fogado's home must have been far away from here...

"I hope to get to know you better. no, I wish to get to know you better. war should not be the only time we see each other. but I am grateful for having gotten to know you." he paused. "this is my home, and I can only pray it can be yours too, if only temporarily."

"as for wishes... here."

Ferdinand proffered a glass jar filled with paper stars. "I folded them myself. some may not be perfect, but I thought you might enjoy imperfect stars, as well."

"Happy birthday, Fogado."

fogado admires the small jar of konpeito quietly, occasionally shaking the jar to hear it chime. small stars in a jar, huh? if he squints, they look kind of like real stars, up in the sky... well, he can't compare them right now---it's definitely morning.

after another quiet, contemplative shake of jar, footsteps alert fogado to a new presence. it's a flash of orange---not pandreo's, but still familiar. he smiles and readies himself to greet his comrade-in-arms from the moon previous. " ferdinand! good to see you! " he says, smiling, arms open and ready to receive his friend. " yup, it's my b-day! turnin' the big one-eight, you know, big stuff. but the party's bigger business---i gotta make sure everything looks good before we really get into it! "

the war they faced was faced together; it wasn't easy to brave through, but it was easier than doing it alone. fogado survived, ferdinand survived, and even if others had worse fates, the fact that at least one other person made it is better than nothing at all. ferdinand says that he hails from here? how did he feel, watching all of this happen, fogado wonders...

his wondering is interrupted with a small jar similar to the one full of konpeito. this one, too, holds stars---though these are distinctly less edible-looking. " paper stars... wait, you folded these all by hand?! " fogado is flabbergasted. those look like they're not easy to make five of, much less however many there are in here. " i... i can't believe it! wow! you're a serious star machine, dude! you've gotta show me how to make those! "

but there's something about what ferdinand says that strikes him very, very deep. " imperfect stars, " are they? fogado stares at them---some too long in a corner, some with only four prongs, bent spines. imperfect stars. yes, of course fogado loves them---they were made for him, after all.

how easy is it to do? to love someone else's imperfect stars?

" i love it, ferdinand, " fogado hums, finally, taking the jar. he'll have to put these things somewhere special. " i love it a lot. i'd love to get to know you, too---how's about that tea i promised? i just got some blends shipped in from home, and i'd love to introduce you to the flavors of solm! "

[losojos-decupido]

" hey, i'll take a net positive on the ' good influence ' scale if it means i can keep hanging out with mitama. " not that it would stop him if he couldn't.

he hears the distant thundering before the figure making the noise appears: a massive golem draws close, face cold and unexpressive. fogado never likes enemies he can't read---how on earth is one to expect the next move when there's no brain to pick? something like this lives only to fight and cannot conceive of doing anything else. what is it like to live a life like that? fogado isn't sure he can say that he doesn't know.

his eyes harden and he spins around, hands flaring out to shield his comrades ( however futile the gesture actually is ). he's not going to keep letting them get pushed around. he will not allow them to get any more hurt or tired than they already are! " hold up, guys. lemme take this one. "

the golem is close, but fogado knows what to do. he ducks behind a fallen column littered with splintered pews; the rubble is positioned just so that countering an arrow volley would be difficult. that's all he needs. " yo, rock man! don't look now! "

Unit 14 attacks Enemy Unit 6 with Ranged Charge. (2/3) → (1/3) All enemies in Enemy Unit 6 lose 1HP. golem 2/3HP r. arm 2/3HP l. arm 2/3HP eye 2/3HP

just like during those shimmering summer nights, fogado attacks from places unseen to press his advantages, however small. even if he is without a home and without his retainers, even if all he has is a bow and his two feet, he will claw his bastard way out with his friends right behind him.

hope is incurable { epiphany finale

※Unit 14 | Finale

[losojos-decupido]

" hmm? " ferdinand speaks quietly to fogado and azama with some form of engagement, leaning mikoto against him with wary attention. fogado doesn't miss the edge that he teeters on---it's clear he's actively watching out for the next attack. it's troubling to watch him like this; perhaps it would be good of him to indulge conversation. " nope! i didn't know this guy at all up to now. " pointing two friendly fingers at azama, fogado smiles. " but he's apparently my friend mitama's dad? and he thinks i'm a bad influence, but, like, i'm totally used to parents bein' scared of my foge-tastic charms... "

anticipation fans off of the group in waves. fogado wishes he could have done more to rally their spirits.

at ferdinand's query fogado nods. " this ain't my first or even second rodeo, " he sighs---not as a brag, but as an assurance. " even if i don't like it, the only way out is through. let's get on with it, 'kay, guys? after we whoop their butts, i'll take all of you out for tea! "

Unit 14 moves one nodule to the right.

hope is incurable { epiphany finale

※Unit 14 | Finale

[losojos-decupido]

fogado is, quite frankly, flabbered AND gasted at the words that come out of azama's mouth. there are two parts to this shock: the flabbering from the fact that azama not only knows mitama, but is her father, and the gasting from the immediate insult that follows the former clarification. fogado's mouth hangs open in pause as he stares at this freaking dude.

it's fine! fogado can deal with haters! #shakeitoff, king! " oh, not a fan of my work? " he laughs, settling himself. at this point, even silly haterisms will make for good conversation. " well, i'm no poet---DEFinitely not compared to mitama. maybe i'll ask her to give me some lessons when everything is over. " because she will definitely be there, just like everyone else will be. he won't accept anything less.

he turns his head right as a flash of light blinds them, hearing ferdinand cry out in time with vile heat infesting his limbs like a plague. he grits his teeth and tightens.

when it's all over, fogado does not undo his form. instead he pushes his head into his shoulders, stepping backwards to be closer to his group. " i don't think that's the last of it! " he speaks, sharply, eyes on the stretch of the hall. " hit a defensive position. hopefully this time won't suck as much! "

Unit 14 defends. Will reduce 0.5HP of damage for both player and enemy.

hope is incurable { epiphany finale

※Unit 14 | Finale

[losojos-decupido]

“ there has to be, ” fogado says in reply, a half-musing echo. it wouldn’t be good for any of them to imagine otherwise.

Unit 14 moves one nodule up and to the left.

hope is incurable { epiphany finale

※Unit 14 | Finale

[losojos-decupido]

there is no time for fogado to think about where he is or who he is with. all he knows is that here, now, it is an imperative that they fight with everything they've got. lance and bow in hand he stands among his peers,

and the battle begins.

ferdinand rushes off first and fogado has a mind to follow, so he does. there is a noble air to the way that he moves, fogado can tell with just a glance, and it staunchly remains with every swing of the lance and every tear at the pallid skin of the enemies they are up against. he wonders what ferdinand has seen in all of this time. what has changed about him, this man that he has never met, and why is it that he wants to know with just a look? he should like to pull him to the side one day.

the woman named mikoto quickly rushes the invaders afterwards, plucking them off with swift bowmanship that fogado figures rivals his own. there's regality to her, too, though there's a more refined edge beneath that royal shimmer. someone further up than he? she is capable and pushes through with warrior's strength, to boot... it reminds him of his mother, if he were to let his mind wander far enough.

how would she feel right now if she were to learn of what happened here? would she try to bring him back, or would she leave him be?

the scrapes on fogado's body are negligible. certainly nothing enough for him to raise his arm, next in line to commandeer an attack. " heads up, folks! " he calls, piercing starlight eyes honed in on approaching shadows. they shamble like beasts and look like them too---mindless brutes. they'll need to be careful. " creepy beasties, ten o'clock! "

Unit 14 attacks Enemy Unit 4. [Roll 8+5+3+1 (+9)= 26 vs 10+10+9+7(+4)= 40] 26-40=14 All Unit 14 loses 2HP! Azama 1.5/4HP / Mikoto 1.5/4HP / Fogado 1.5/4HP / Ferdinand 1.5/4HP

whether it be a misstep on his part or a sore underestimation of the animals' intelligence, fogado's arrow swings wide of the mark---the things duck to the side and rush him, sinking bloody and slabbering jaws deep into the muscles of his arm. the pain is sweltering and echoes like cupped shouts over a canyon; there's nothing he can do to mitigate the heat-pain that radiates through him.

biting his lip so hard blood spurts from the skin, fogado fights back a cry of pain. " ow, what the heck, man?! " his jaw chatters, an instinctive response to the sobbing marks on his arm. " that seriously hurt, dude... is everyone good?! "

...

...

...through the pain fogging his mind, fogado flicks fingers up in rapid succession. thumb-index-middle-ring-pinky, thumb-index-middle-ring...

...

" ...oh, no way. that was totally a haiku. "

@carefreemonk

hope is incurable { epiphany finale

※Unit 14 | Finale