They awoke strangely refreshed, a shocker considering the sleepless night before. Soleil beat both Nina and the sun in rousing, Nina by an hour, the sun by half of that time. While waiting for her friend, Soleil started her morning with her eternal routine, which was dressing herself in her Hoshidan garb, wiping her teeth off with a cloth, then undergoing a brief workout. Upon finishing, she sat herself in front of the window to observe the sunrise. Too bad Nina was busy snoring next to her, otherwise she would have invited her to watch.

That's when last night came to mind... and all of its infuriating memories. The embarrassment. The uneasiness. The tension. She had to shake her head to forget the soonest she could.

When Nina was awake, she started with a similar process, minus the workout. She gave way to a hefty stretch, groaned, then slouched. When their eyes met, they quickly deviated with the turn of their head. Not once did they even consider giving each other verbal acknowledgement.

The wedge was driving itself deeper between them.

The only time they resisted its force was when necessity made them, and it proved ridiculously hard for them to hold back for long. Necessity found itself within the room when Nina finished tying her last braid. Around that time, their eyes slowly migrated to their counterpart's. Their distant bodies faced each other for the longest time that morning had to offer, and the longer it went on, the more both parties wished to flee again. Even so, they clung to their integrity and waited until one would speak.

That would be Soleil.

"Good morning," she murmured a tad too late. "Um... Did you sleep well?"

Nina shrugged.

"Somewhat," she answered. "You?"

"Not bad."

"That's good."

"Yeah..."

And the conversation was dead. Just like that. It left both of them equally horrified to see something get slaughtered so brutally, to see gore spread across the ground and indelibly stain the rock. They were afraid to get near the growing puddle of blood, for it was sure to ruin their garments and skin alike. They waited until the red grew dry and crusty. Only then did they think it was safe to travel again. Their steps back were painfully cautious.

"Do you have any plans?" Soleil inquired lowly. Her body tensed in order to brace for the impact she had convinced herself was coming her way. Instead of a large impact, however, all she got was the brush of a delicate feather against the side of her cheek. Not the sort of response she was expecting, but it still left her breathless.

"I'm getting impatient with these guys." Nina crossed her arms as she spoke. "They could've let us go our own way yesterday, and yet they insisted on having us stay. We're running behind schedule, so we're going now whether they like it or not."

Soleil blinked.

"You don't think the tribe will get mad?"

"It's either this or take the chances staying here gives us. I'm not comfortable with the latter." As she rose, she motioned to their bags resting against the wall. "We have our stuff now, so there's nothing worth sticking around for. Let's get a move on while it's still somewhat early. Less people'll be out."

Soleil watched her gather her things for only a moment before she hopped onto her feet as well. Before doing anything, she first reached inside her bag to retrieve the kodachi protruding from the top. After fastening it within her clothes, she reunited with her old friend, the heavy bag.

"Whatever you say, leader." She gave her a friendly wink.

She thought it would make things friendlier at the time, but she soon realized it was a bad move, as proven by the fact that Nina strongly avoided her afterward. Regret immediately bubbled in her gut as she hung her head. Nina had things of her own to deal with, which was why she gave little attention to Soleil's condition.

Lucky for her, Soleil was able to split her mind in half. One half continued to wallow in her shame, but the other maintained utmost monitoring of her neighbor.

Her soul was just too kind.

The moment they set foot out of the hut, Nina stopped them in their tracks, the tensest Soleil had ever seen her. With worry bubbling in her bosom, her neighbor's eyes darted around in hopes of spotting the problem that had already been identified. By the time she found it, Nina had become too wrapped up in her own thoughts.

The streets of the village were empty, save for the men that ominously lingered on the tops of huts. Thanks to the sunrise, their figures were silhouettes, so any vital details were excluded from her prying eyes. The worst part of all was the fact that she could not tell if they were friend or foe. They only stood still.

As if waiting for something.

As if watching something.

As if-

"Nina!"

She would be thrown off by the hands that shoved her aside. It was a powerful motion. Urgent. Forceful. Concerned. And, of course, it was Soleil. They both fell, one from losing her balance, the other from kicking herself into such a mighty gesture.

Nina fell in time.

Soleil didn't.

But they both hit the ground.

The soonest she could, Nina scrambled onto her feet, yelling from anger originally, only for her tone to morph into that of terror. There, next to her, was her partner, who struggled to return to her feet. A javelin had driven itself into her front, lodged in the concave of her chest. She gasped for air as she drug herself upward, but her journey was short lived; she collapsed just seconds later and continued to wheeze on the ground.

Her head would be taken by a screaming neighbor, who rolled her onto her back. Their faces lined with one another's, tears raining down on the hills resting below. Crimson trickled out of the side of her mouth and pooled in the depths of her throat. She refused to let it keep her from talking, even as it escaped deeper into her chest.

"You... were... right..." she spurt along with a few globs of red. Her brows furrowed. "They're... out to... kill us... Get out... while you... still... can..."

She was too paralyzed to move, even when it was not she who was impaled. Her hands, out of panic, took her broad shoulders and shook her furiously.

"No, no, no. Don't leave me. Don't leave me like this. Come on, look at me. Focus, Soleil! Focus! Don't close your eyes! Keep them open!"

"Leave me... Get... to the... capital..."

"You know I can't do that!" Nina cried as her grip tightened. Her face buried itself in the crook of her neck, where she released a fit of wails. "Soleil, you know I can't!" When she calmed, though slightly, she continued to shiver and gasp, gradually pulling her closer. "Soleil... Why? Dammit! Why do you have to do these things?" She dared to take one brave peek. Again, she found those dulling eyes.

The happiness in the gaze that was always happy was gone, lost to the tears that slid quietly down her temples and bunched in her ears... And yet there branded a smile on her face. With what strength she had left, she brought a quivering hand upward, soon to be guided by Nina. The sole of her palm nestled perfectly over her cheek, keeping it warm. Such a sensation was so new, yet neither could feel the bubbling excitement of exploration.

"I already told you why... last... night... didn't I?" Her smile deepened. "I wouldn't... want to go... out... any other... way..."

She awoke with a frightful scream.

It was loud enough to startle her sleeping partner with a scream herself.

They screamed at each other for a few solid seconds.

The moment they were finished, their tones dying, they stared, both lost in their heavy breaths and pounding hearts. Both quivered, but for completely different reasons. Both stared in horror, but also for completely different reasons. Silence overtook them with its gentle caress, as did reason, who softly stroked their heads.

It was a miraculous feeling to suddenly have reality, sweet reality, dawn upon Nina, but it came with one price: waterworks, which promptly began spewing from her eyes. For the sake of her pride, she successfully entrapped meaningless whimpers in her throat. They burned, so she tied her mouth shut even tighter.

Soleil, while sitting on the opposite side of the bed, found that she could only watch in awe for the best part of the beginning of the event. The moonlight that made its way inside their room was the only thing that granted her the vision to see Nina cup her hands over her eyes as if burying herself in shame. For the first time in a while, she was utterly clueless, for every option available was just as ambiguous as the rest. Each was a path shrouded in fog and anonymity.

The path she took eased her closer to her weeping friend.

"Nina?" she whispered, hunching submissively with each scoot nearer. "Everything okay?"

Nina did not reply. Her silence continued until Soleil was directly in front of her, gazing with both confusion and worry. Each passing second left her craving to further their closeness, but for what felt like hours, the voice in the back of her head protested against every thought that crept into her mind.

After a while, Nina finally nodded. Soleil could not quite see her response, and it was good that Nina appeared to take that into account. Her tone, crackling and shuddering, rose out of the quiet.

"I'll... be okay." It was almost inaudible. Thanks to the night, where not a soul besides their own lingered to speak, Soleil managed to hear it. It softened her eyes as they sunk. She chose to no longer listen to the voice in the back of her head. Her arms, in a soft motion that was prepared to yield should it be their command, reached out to collect Nina's limp body. Like hours ago, Nina happened to be surprisingly lax against her hold. She even allowed Soleil's thick fingers to cruise through the waves of the locks that cascaded gracefully down her back.

"A nightmare, huh?" she murmured, bringing her palm up for another stroke of her hair. Her eyes darkened at the feeling of a nod against her chest. "Don't worry. I get 'em a lot too. Luckily, I just so happen to have a good remedy." It was a seemingly effortless move for her to rise, even with Nina in tow. Perhaps it was raw determination that drove her to cultivate such strength. Perhaps it was raw concern that led her to the center of the room, where she sat herself. Perhaps it was a combination of both.

They settled before the window, Nina would come to realize. While contemplating possible reasons, she limply obeyed to the motions her puppeteer made for her. Her strong, yet gentle, hands nestled her form into the recessive valley of her front, leaning the back of her head against her chest. There they remained.

Nina had the guts to break the silence.

"This is the remedy?" she inquired stiffly, to which Soleil nodded. She pointed to the sky. There, sprawled across the dark blanket of the night, scattered a plain of shining members, twinkling in the unison.

"The stars," she said. "Back in my Deeprealm, I'd always look at them when I wasn't feeling happy. When I was little, Dad told me of how he thought they were an inspiration. Even when things look bad for the people they're watching, the stars always stay bright and cheery. It's as if they're trying to remind us that we should always be smiling no matter what happens."

Being more down to earth on the subject, Nina eyed off to the side.

"Stars don't have feelings, you know."

"That's malarkey." She pointed to one cluster of whiteness in the sky eagerly. "Do you know any constellations? There's one right there called Ludolf, the legendary Wyvern rider. See the top star? That's his helmet, and the ones beneath it are his shoulders, spear, and boots."

Nina grew quiet, most likely to search. The silence lasted a longer time than expected, only to be ended by a subtle huff.

"I don't see it," she muttered.

"O-Oh. That's okay, I guess. You don't need to see a constellation to appreciate the beauty of the stars anyways." She cleared her throat awkwardly, then peeked over her resident's shoulder. Her position would not allow her to see much beyond the side of her jaw. "Feeling better yet?"

"Not really."

"Okay. Let's keep on looking. How about... Ooh! I think I can see Lancelot the-"

"You know, Soleil..." Nina rustled slightly at first, but those rustles, to the disappointment of she who contained her, became full-fledged struggles until she obtained her freedom from her embrace. She gathered some distance before turning around to face her again. "I don't mean to sound ungrateful or anything, but I don't think you should be holding me like that."

In the wake of such a claim... or maybe it was a demand... Soleil remained still. She retracted her legs slowly, hanging her head in shame. Or was it sadness? Disappointment? Acceptance? Not even she, one who had a reasonable grip on her emotions, could decipher herself. She knew why Nina said that, and it only went to unsteady her again with thoughts of the past... Thoughts of bad words formed in the heat of the moment, lost by the soapiness of her saliva. Regret could not well any more in her heart with what already took its vacancy.

"Right," she whispered. It was a simple response, sprinkled by the spices of unwelcoming dread. Her form hunched in attempt to hide her expression in the kindness of the shadows. "In that case... if that idea's out of the picture... we can always talk about that nightmare. Talking about things always makes it better, isn't that right? I'm always willing to listen to what you have to say. Heh... Unless it has something to do with boys..." Her attempt to crack a joke was obviously forced. Nina saw that, but that was not the only thing she saw. What she also saw was a girl furiously dodging arrows, terror in her eyes. She could not rest, not even for a second, for more continued to rain down on her. It pained Nina to continue loading that bow... which was exactly why she refused to push her aim. Out of dread, she purposefully aimed askew, hoping each shot would miss.

But she couldn't keep on missing forever, could she?

Soleil was right. Talking about things did make things better, no matter how difficult it was for them.

"Soleil... We shouldn't let this destroy our friendship... or whatever it is we have going here..."

Based off her motionlessness, it was evident that Soleil knew that Nina did not discuss the nightmare. Only after a minute of painful silence did she lift her head from the darkness to allow her face to soak in the moonlight. It made her skin pale, paler than fear had left it. Her wide, curious eyes shyly darted over to her partner before quickly fleeing again. On her lap, her shivering fingers interwove themselves together. There, they clutched each other tightly. The tip of her drying tongue ran delicately over her lips.

"I want us to stay friends more than anything," she agreed. "But it's not that simple, is it? That's why I can't forgive myself for letting that slip."

"This'll only be difficult if we make it difficult, so let's talk. That nightmare doesn't matter. This is more important."

"What more is there to discuss? I poured my heart out and your feelings aren't mutual. Simple as that." Her head dipped again, but this time to bury itself in a palm. There it remained as she continued to struggle to maintain her breath at a normal pace. "What I think we need is a reset. We should just forget all about what I said. Everything. It was all a big, tired joke."

"Let's start there. What if this really is a joke?" Nina replied stiffly. "I'm still having a hard time figuring out if you really were serious or just making me another victim of your harassment."

Soleil's head quickly lifted again, horror spread across her face.

"What? You don't think I'm serious? Even though I just said I hate myself for saying the things I said? Even though I'm using everything within my power to brush it off as a joke? Even though I can't even smile right now?" She slid further into the moonlight rashly. "Look at me! Have you ever seen me this worked up?"

To Nina's surprise, the moonlight revealed more than a forbidden, distressed expression on Soleil's face. She also had tears streaming down her cheeks. Bitter, bitter tears. Had Soleil's face, the face that always watched the light at the end of the tunnel, ever known tears?

Ever?

Nina was unsure.

"You know, I really don't get you. Sometimes you go off on an endearing monologue to a girl the same day you met her, even though you don't mean it whatsoever. It's like a sport to you. You know that. Everyone around you knows that. You know everyone around you knows that. Yet here you are now, saying the same stuff to me, someone who's known you for little over a year. Worst of all, you expect me to believe it. Really? Saying something like 'you make me want to better myself'? Don't pretend I didn't hear you say the same thing to some random girl two months ago. Do you still have the guts to blame me?"

Soleil continued to breathe, thank goodness. Her leaking eyes wandered down before her nose muttered with a sniffle.

"You're right," her voice cracked. "I've dug a hole I can't climb out of. I know I always look like I know all the right words, but when my emotions get caught up in the ordeal, I just... I can't... I can't think. I end up saying things I should've thought through. I screwed up twice tonight: first I... I accidentally said I loved you, and when you confronted me about it, I gave you all the wrong reasons. If I could start over, I'd slow down and not get wrapped up in the moment. I'd think for a change. I'd formulate everything with every ounce of care I have." She paused. "No wait. If I could start over, I wouldn't have said anything in the first place."

Her words were heavy enough to weigh the room down even more. The speaker had no idea where to go from there, but, based off the look in her eyes, the listener did. She remained quiet for the time being, as if checking her compass. It was important that she was careful to take the correct path now. One fluke could prove devastating.

"If you really meant that last note, you probably would've mentioned it first," she murmured grimly. If Soleil were watching, she would have seen that she slid closer to the stream of moonlight that divided them. When she entered into that light, Soleil did finally peer through her fingers. Upon sensing her presence, she began to cower. "I want you to be honest with me, okay? If you could start over, which would you really do? Explain or keep quiet?" When Soleil's mouth opened, she immediately interrupted her. "Think about it before you say anything."

As her lips began sealing, Soleil attempted to relax. Her efforts only got her so far, seeing that her shoulders could not sink. Her breath quivered when she released a worried sigh.

"Is there a right answer here?"

"No."

"Oh..." Her eyes darted away. "In that case..."

"Look at me when you're answering."

"I-In that case, I... I would... want to try again at showing you how much I mean what I say. B-But I know it would be useless in the end. Your feet are firmly planted in your beliefs, so I'd never get what I was hoping for... Even so, it would do me well to at least get those things off my chest so I could leave it behind me."

Nina, with her eyes stern as a judge's, looked down at her cowering friend. Her frown arched as she heaved a puff of air.

"Do you mean that?"

"Yes."

"With all your heart?"

"Mmhm."

"Positive?"

"Yeah."

"No jokes whatsoever?"

"None."

"Hope to die?"

Soleil released a whimper as she compacted her form, continuing to hide her face in shame. Her hands clutched her skull tightly, tighter than she had in a long while.

"You're harassing me, Nina..." she moaned out of misery. "Please... Just stop."

Nina would have used the moment to teach Soleil a lesson. Harassing people, a sport for which Soleil happened to be infamous, was annoying. A good taste of her medicine ought to make her stop, but now clearly wasn't the time to pour some in a spoon and shove it down her throat. It was a tender moment they were living in, believe it or not. At least, that's how Nina saw it. She felt the need to have Soleil see it that way too.

That was exactly why she closed the gap that segregated them in one noiseless motion. Her nimble hands took either of Soleil's wrists to pull them away from her face. Their eyes met once again. When Soleil saw the plushness of her gaze, it distracted her enough to lower her guard and open the door to splendor.

Nina was red. Very, very red.

"I just wanted to be extra sure," she affirmed.

"Why does it matter so much?"

Her answer was beyond confusing, for, instead of any verbal explanation, Nina's fist did the talking. It whammed against Soleil's chin, causing her teeth to nearly shatter against one another. In both surprise, and sorrow, Soleil fell back while cradling her jaw with her hands. She couldn't help it. The tears returned, this time with an almighty vengeance. She wasn't crying because the blow was abnormally tenacious for one that came from Nina. No, the implications were far more dilapidating.

She reunited with her old friend: rejection. Rejection, though, was not so friendly anymore. If anything, it came as a malicious enemy craving for the red that rushed through her veins. Rejection was far more brutal here than it was in the wake of those shams she dared to call confessions given to random faces she picked up in town. It came with a hammer. It beat her into the ground until she was stuck, bound to remain until her body rotted and faded. It left her to die in the cold of winter.

Or did it?

She did not watch as Nina crawled to the side of her laying body, where she sat herself. She stared grimly down upon her face. Her eyes shut tightly, begging not to permit the exit of any tears more. Nina's gaze softened again as she heaved a sigh.

"For the record, that was for making me lose. I hate losing," she grumbled from above. "That's why it matters that you're serious. If I'm going to raise the white flag, it better be because the winner won fair and square, not by some dirty trick."

Cautious, Soleil opened her eyes again. It was a leap she did not know she had the faith to take.

"What?" she muttered. "What're you talking about? I won? What did I win?"

"This battle. This stupid argument we've been at since we first met." Nina looked away with spite. "This whole thing about boys and girls... You might be onto something..."

"Beg pardon?"

Nina traded her shyness for a groan.

"Gee! Aren't you one to whine about being harassed!" she growled. "You're a real stuck up winner, you know that? Fine! I'll stop dancing around the bush just to make you happy!" Her face, once watching over Soleil like a sovereign god, dipped down to exaggerate the sincerity in her eyes. Soleil couldn't tell if it was angry or not, so she failed to conclude if she should be afraid. She wouldn't have to be. "What I'm saying is that you, by some stroke of luck, made me willing to experiment. There! Happy now?"

"I-I still don't know what you're saying!" Soleil replied worriedly, eyes widening with fright. It clearly worsened Nina's mood, which was exactly why she crossed her arms, scoffed, then retracted her face so she could look away. Spite returned.

"You really are dense."

"I don't want to assume anything!" Soleil pulled herself up in a hurry to meet her eye level. "Explain what you're trying to say better so I can get the full, unbiased picture. We can't afford any more problems right now."

Nina seemed rather reluctant to give her what she wanted, as demonstrated by her resistance to gazing back at her. She stayed as she was, emotionally distant, but her intensity was dying. Her eyes, once shut smugly, opened again to stare off to the side. They were a window to her soul, and her soul was in a faraway land with her mind. The longer they were away, the rosier her cheeks grew, and the calmer the room became.

Soon enough, it was as peaceful as the night once again.

"If you really meant what you said... about wanting to have another shot at proving your word to me..." She worked up the courage to look one last time. Her gaze oozed with many emotions... confused emotions. "I'm willing to give you that second chance."

Soleil found nothing within her capacity to respond, for deep down, she knew the whole thing was a joke. A jab in return for every sort of humor she made in the past. It was also possible that Nina thought she was still joking, and she was joking in return. The situation was far too unrealistic to be happening.

That was the moment of which she had the sweetest of dreams and the most horrific of nightmares.

Here it was, and Nina was turning it into a sick joke.

That sadistic side she inherited from Niles was finally making its debut.

Though that should have driven Soleil to fury, it only drove her to sorrow.

Her head hung again.

"As if," she scoffed. "You've always been dead set on proving girls liking girls is bad. Why the change of heart?"

"I've only believed it because it's what I've been taught all my life. Maybe this is one of those things that isn't bad after all... people just haven't realized it yet."

"Wow. Sounds like you've been doing a lot of thinking lately." It was the first time Soleil sounded so angrily sarcastic. It was unnatural. The listener took that into account and added it to the equation of where to wander from there. Her formula was rough and unpolished, but she was certain it would work. The thought of putting it into action, however, made warmth bubble in her gut.

That warmth grew stronger as she drew closer.

And closer.

And closer.

And closer.

Until finally, she arrived, pressing against her destination. Said destination was far too wrapped up in both spite and bewilderment to react in time to stop- or assist- their lips from grazing over one another. It was no accident, for she could feel that Nina was very much in control of herself.

It was planned.

Nina did it on purpose.

Oh, and she was just as soft as she imagined, soft enough to almost feel weightless. She was warm beyond the compare of any winter's fire against her. The flattery of her faith on her sturdiness for support sent both chills and hot flashes up and down her spine. Instinct, or longing perhaps, brought her thick arms to her torso, where she wrapped them. It was an embrace that was gentle, yet firm.

Any time they parted was too soon, but they did not bother to reunite. What they did do, however, was keep their faces near enough to rub the tips of their noses together. They were mutual in quivering, but that didn't stop either from gradually creeping closer. Any ounce of bitterness that remained within Soleil dissipated in an instant.

"I have been doing a lot of thinking, thank you," Nina muttered. Soleil shivered when the warmth of her breath collided with her aching chin. "It's probably what gave me that nightmare. So. Listen up. Now that you know I'm serious, here's the compromise I'm willing to make with you. Assuming the Wind Tribe doesn't string us up, I'll give you all of tomorrow to show how much you mean what you said. Just one day only. When that day's up, I'll use some time to decide if I liked it or not."

Soleil's eyes had sauntered into a state of euphoria. If she dabbled any deeper, she would have missed Nina's message entirely. Before responding, her hands traveled up from behind her back to stroke her cascade of locks tenderly. Lavish marked each and every movement.

"One day..." she echoed thoughtfully. "I think that's enough time."

"But we have to promise something." Return did Nina's ever grim stare. It was enough to yank Soleil out of a captivating mire, even if it were just a little bit. "If this somehow doesn't work out, we have to swear we'll restore the relationship we had beforehand at all costs. It doesn't matter what happens between us tomorrow; we'll go straight back to being friends. It's not because we're going to forget about it, no, we're just going to treat it exactly as it should be treated: experimentation. If you don't think you could handle me not liking the experience in the end, we should ditch this idea right now."

"Of course I can handle it." Soleil smiled again. There it was. All was right with the world again. "Above anything, you'll always be my friend."

"Anything?"

"Anything."

Satisfied, Nina pulled away from her face. It disheartened Soleil at first, but it wasn't for long, for her thumb took its place to wipe away a stray tear from her cheek. Thereafter, Nina treated her with a tender smile back.

"Good," she sighed. "I guess we'll have to wait and see what tomorrow brings."

"H-Hey... Nina?"

"Yes?"

"I know this may be asking a bit much, but... Can we start this thing a bit early?"

"How early?"

"Like... now, early."

It wasn't a surprise to see that question arrive; anyone with a reasonable sense of intuition could see it coming. Such was why, after brief contemplation, Nina gave in with a huff.

"I guess."

She was almost cut off by a pair of lips. It surprised her at first, but, of course, time in the warmth that returned between them made her melt back into the embrace. Not even the slightest bit of exhaustion from the day could contain the excitement in Soleil, but that didn't make it completely unstoppable. At Nina's command, which urged that they gather their rest, they returned to the pallet on the floor.

Their night ended with the moon watching the two settle beneath the covers, tangled in one another's embrace.