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The night was unusually quiet in Fontaine. The distant sound of water flowing through the canals provided a soft, rhythmic backdrop to the dimly lit city. For the first time in a long while, there was no immediate crisis to handle, no divine enforcers appearing from the sky. Just peace-fleeting, but real.

Furina and Yoshika found themselves wandering through the streets, their steps unhurried. The battle earlier had left them exhausted, but neither felt like returning to rest just yet.

"I must say," Furina mused, her hands behind her back as she glanced up at the lanterns illuminating the bridges, "this city looks almost enchanting at night. Fontaine's former biggest celebrity deserves such an elegant backdrop for her evening stroll."

Yoshika gave a small hum of acknowledgment, her dark pink eyes flickering over the calm waters. "It's quieter than I expected."

Furina twirled dramatically. "Ah, well, the people of Fontaine are still in shock from today's events. Can you blame them? A battle between mortals and Celestia's enforcer-it's not exactly something one forgets."

Yoshika glanced at her, expression unreadable. "And you? How do you feel?"

Furina stopped mid-step, caught off guard. She opened her mouth for a dramatic retort but hesitated. Instead, she looked toward the water, her reflection rippling. "I don't know," she admitted, softer this time. "I should be terrified, I suppose. I should be angry. But all I feel is... restless."

Yoshika observed her for a moment before looking back at the sky. "You're not the only one."

The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable. It was an understanding kind of quiet, the kind shared between two people who didn't need words to acknowledge what they both felt.

After a while, Furina exhaled loudly and clasped her hands together. "Well! No use dwelling on such heavy topics. Tell me, dear Yoshika, what do the dancers of Snezhnaya do when they find themselves in need of distraction?"

Yoshika raised an eyebrow at her exaggerated tone. "You wouldn't last in Snezhnaya's dance halls."

Furina gasped, placing a hand over her heart as if deeply wounded. "Excuse you! I am grace incarnate!"

Yoshika crossed her arms. "Is that so?"

Furina grinned. "Would you like a demonstration?"

Yoshika smirked slightly, taking a step back. "Go on, then."

For a brief moment, Furina hesitated. She wasn't truly a dancer-she had always been an actress, a performer in a different way. But the way Yoshika looked at her now, expectant yet amused, made her straighten her posture.

She lifted her chin, taking an elegant step forward, attempting to mimic the fluidity she had seen in Yoshika's movements before. But the second she tried a twirl, her foot slipped slightly on the damp cobblestone-

And she stumbled right into Yoshika's arms.

There was a pause. Yoshika had caught her effortlessly, one hand on Furina's waist, the other lightly gripping her wrist. The closeness made Furina's breath hitch, but before she could recover, she felt Yoshika's shoulders shake slightly.

Was she-?

Yoshika was laughing.

Not a cruel laugh, not a mocking one, but something warm, something rare. Furina had never seen her laugh before.

Furina pouted, face burning. "How dare you-"

Yoshika smirked, steadying her. "Grace incarnate, huh?"

Furina scoffed, stepping back and flipping her hair. "It was merely a test! A warm-up! Next time, I shall deliver a performance so stunning you will be left speechless!"

Yoshika tilted her head. "Looking forward to it."

The sincerity in her voice made Furina pause.

A breeze passed between them, carrying the scent of Fontaine's ever-present rain and distant sea salt. They stood there for a moment, under the lantern lights, two figures lost in their own world.

Perhaps the storm would come again. Perhaps the war with Celestia was inevitable.

But tonight, they had this moment.

And that was enough.

-
𝖠𝖭 𝗇𝗈𝗍𝖾: 𝖥𝖴𝖱𝖨𝖲𝖧𝖨𝖪𝖠 𝖢𝖧𝖠𝖯𝖳𝖤𝖱𝖱!!!