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[Sazuki Nao]

Topic for Yong. Timeline-wise, this is after the event. =)
Using my Discovery of Contract of Your Choice ot be Dog.
1500 WC required from each player.

The sky was still a deep indigo, speckled with fading stars, when Nao turned around to his friend Yong. “Almost time,” he whispered, his breath making a small cloud in the chilly morning air. Nao kept walking, the uneven path below them shifting with every step. Nao forced a slight smile, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Each bump on the dirt path where a rock shifted his weight without mercy jolted a pain through his ribs, reminding him of that day. He had nearly lost everything, but the comforting weight of a friend and seeing him as a brother made it all more worth it. The noise of the city had quieted down, giving way to the gentle sound of tall grass swaying and the birds singing their songs. White bandages were visible from the collar of his shirt and wrapped around his left hand; they stood a little out from his skin, but that was alright. Nao never heard of taking it easy.

He had his hair tied in a high tail so it wouldn't be in the way of this trek to the higher point of the village. To see it as a whole, Nao often came here when he was but a phantom doctor, and recently it was never visited. "It’s more peaceful out here," Nao said softly, taking a moment to gaze at the rolling hills ahead, sprinkled with wildflowers. They arrived at a solitary, twisted oak tree that stood watch on a small hill. Nao lowered himself until his body didn't wish to cooperate and sat with a thud against its sturdy trunk, the bark feeling solid and real against his back. For a long while, they simply sat there.

Then, a sliver of molten gold appeared on the horizon, painting the undersides of the clouds in peach and lavender. The world held its breath. As the sun crested the distant mountains, its light didn't just illuminate the landscape; it seemed to pour liquid warmth over everything it touched, turning the river below into a ribbon of fire. "I loved this view up here... and I really wished to show you this spot. It's a spot I used a lot in the past..." You could see it hadn't visited in a while, as the equipment left around was worn down.

387 / 1500

 

[Wee Yong]

The sky bled into shades of peach and lavender as the sun finally crested the distant peaks, spilling light over the valley. Yong did not sit immediately. Instead, he remained standing a few paces away, a dark silhouette against the sudden warmth that turned the river below into a ribbon of shimmering fire.

He moved with a quiet, ghost-like fluidity, his boots making no sound on the frost-dusted earth. His gaze drifted from the horizon to the twisted oak where Nao sat, then settled on the scattered, worn-down equipment nearby. Yong walked toward a discarded piece of metal, perhaps an old tool from Nao’s days as a phantom doctor, and reached down. He brushed a layer of rime from its surface with a gloved finger, testing the rust.

"It is a good place to hide," Yong said, his voice low and resonant. "I have found many such spots in many different countries. Few of them stay this quiet once the day actually begins."

He turned back to Nao, observing the way his friend leaned against the bark. The white bandages stood out starkly against the charcoal and gold of the dawn, a clinical reminder of the toll the climb had taken. Yong could see the strain in the way Nao’s weight shifted, even in repose.

With a slow, controlled grace, Yong finally lowered himself to the ground. He did not sit with a thud, but with the calculated ease of a man who never fully let his guard down. He settled a respectful distance away, his back straight as his eyes returned to the horizon.

"The stars always fade, Nao, but the hills stay where they are."

Yong paused, his gaze lingering on the worn equipment before drifting back to the man beside him. "Why this place, Nao? Why today of all days?"

Wc: 357/1500