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Chapter Text

"Oh, my clematis" 

Sea Fairy, only a young child, sings to herself. She sings it quietly, no one around. 

"Hope bloomed from the abyss."

She sings the next line under her breath, sat in front of a river. Which, she just learned, was artificial. She always knew much about the sea and water like that on earthbread. She always wanted to know what life was like on earthbread, where she doesn't have to slave her whole life away to the witches. Although, she could only dream, only stare at the sky and hope that life would be better. That hope would bloom from the abyss. 

"Oh, my clematis."

Sea fairy hears someone sing next to her. She turns her head quickly, and it was another girl. Her hair was deep purple, and it sparkled under the night sky. Moonlight smiled at her, and it gave her comfort, warmth. 

For as long as Sea Fairy could remember, she felt cold. She would touch anything and it seemed as if it turned to ice. She was so cold, in fact, that her fingers were blue. When Moonlight smiled at her, however, she felt warm. Warmer than ever. Moonlight's warmth brings her comfort, and she just gazes at Moonlight, infatuated with her. 

"Always be my side."

Moonlight sang again. Sea Fairy felt even warmer, so she stood up. Sea Fairy slowly approached Moonlight, and she grabbed Moonlight's hand. The stars above them glowed brighter, and it illumined both of their faces. The world seemed to stop for both of them, and the space around them was quiet. Sea Fairy let out a shaky breath. She grabbed onto Moonlight's other hand, and she felt the warmth spread along her whole body. 

Sea Fairy pounces onto Moonlight, clinging onto her, tears streaming down her face. Moonlight held onto Sea Fairy, softly cooing her, holding onto her as tight as she could. For a moment, Sea Fairy's fingertips weren't blue light usual. And for a moment, she felt normal and warm. Sea Fairy tried to savor the moment for as long as she could. 

--

"You bloomed from the huge black wall." 

Sea Fairy sings out on the stage, staring into Moonlight's eyes the whole time. The whole stadium is dark, except when she looks into Moonlight's eyes, her beautiful purple eyes staring back at her, which makes her feel warmth inside. Sea Fairy grabs onto Moonlight's hand, trying to feel that warmth that she always had, the warmth she will forever try to savor. 

Sea Fairy gives Moonlight a wide smile. Moonlight swallows nothing, trying to push away her fear and anxiety. 

"The galactic stardust in your eyes spread out." 

Moonlight sings while smiling, trying to give Sea Fairy some sense of comfort. Moonlight stares up into the sky, she sees the stars. Moonlight always liked the stars, which is why her "witch" gave her the name "Moonlight". As she stares into the sky longer, she sees the moon. Then she stares into Sea Fairy, her eyes glowing on the dark stage. They're blue, like the ocean, where Sea Fairy was always meant to be. 

Moonlight takes a deep breath, and sings again.  

"In the endless darkness, I find you with your scent." 

Moonlight remembers all that happened when they met, in the dark of the night, when the only light was the moon and the stars. She was drawn to Sea Fairy, drawn to her song. She remembers when she first smiled at Sea Fairy, how cold she was. 

She remembers that everyday in the forsaken garden, they would smile at each other. It felt right then, it felt okay. Even now, on a stage competing in life and death, it feels right. It feels okay. Moonlight looks at Sea Fairy and her smile again, and she lets out a small breath.  

"Even if I sleep in infinity" Moonlight sings, smiling.  

"Don't leave my universe" Sea Fairy sings back, her voice sounding like a plea. Sea Fairy still smiles at Moonlight. The grip on each other's hand tightens. 

"Oh, my Clematis." They sing together, "Hope bloomed from the abyss." Moonlight's smile falters for a moment, Sea Fairy's does not. "Oh, my clematis. Always be by my side." Sea Fairy's smile grows wider at the last line. Moonlight smiles with her, and when she gives a glance at Sea Fairy's hand, the shade matches the rest of her body. When she feels her hand, it's warm. Sea Fairy is warm, the warmth is inside her. It's in her soul, her body. Moonlight smiles wider. 

MOONLIGHT VS. SEA FAIRY

ROUND ONE

No, it can't be. 

Do you believe in the godly creators? Once upon a time, cookiekind believed in worshiping the witches and had religion. They believed that things that cannot be solved by the guardians or ancient heroes' strength, was the will of the witches, our godly creators. They believed that all of the universe revolved around bravery, or maybe even the purity of a cookie's heart. They thought that you belonged on earthbread if you had those morals. They thought that the big tables and forks in the sky, where the witches dwelled, should never be reached by any cookie. When cookies were taken by the witches to be enslaved and eaten, we all abandoned the practice of worshiping them. 

But if the worship of a higher being is in a cookie's jam, and all I can do as a cookie is worship. Sea Fairy... Moonlight stares at her body on the ground, pooling blood,  her cold body. 

My god, my universe. 

The bullet lodges into Sea Fairy's neck, finding it's home there. The blood immediately spurts out all at once. But horrifingly, Sea Fairy was still smiling at Moonlight. Moonlight almost vomits right there, but she doesn't. Anything that Sea Fairy does is beautiful, perfect. She could not be scared of Sea Fairy, of anything she could do. As Moonlight stares at Sea Fairy, she still has a faint smile on her. Moonlight shutters. 

"Oh, my Clematis."

Moonlight knees go weak, failing beneath her. She falls to the ground next to Sea Fairy. She grips onto Sea Fairy's hand, and it's cold once more. A tear rolls down Moonlight's face. Sea Fairy's hand was colder than ever before, that it even brought coldness to Moonlight's body. 

"Oh, my Clematis."

"Please stay by my side."

Moonlight is in shock and limp on the ground, not aware of anything around her. All she can see in front of her is Sea Fairy dead, blood still pooling out her neck. Moonlight can't think of anything, but behind her, she faintly hears her collar going on her neck, the color shining bright red. 

Moonlight gets pulled off of Sea Fairy's body and dragged away, and she reaches for her. 

"My Clematis."

She sings to herself, trying to soothe the tears streaming down her face. She gets thrown into her little incubator, waiting for her next round, as she blacks out, thinking of Sea Fairy. Her sea. 

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ROUND 2:

FIRE SPIRIT VS. WHITE PEARL

ROUND 3:

WIND ARCHER VS. STARDUST

ROUND FOUR:

STORMBRINGER VS. WILDBERRY

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"I don't have any words anymore"

This song kept playing over and over after Sea Fairy's death, it was driving everyone insane. As the billboards had all the next rounds shining as bright as it could be over the city, everyone was preparing for the next round. All the witches were pleased and said that the first round was a "pleasant start" to the competition. 

"It has no meaning, even that blue night in the splendid lighting."

Moonlight dreamt of Sea Fairy, she saw her in her quarter practicing "My Clematis" and when she tried to reach for her, she would vanish. She harshly woke up to this reality, and all she could do was cry, her collar consistently staying bright red. 

"(White dress dyed red)" 

That line haunted Moonlight, and she hit her head against a wall so she would black out once more. 

--

Fire Spirit was tied up before his round, although he was insistent on practicing. The guards didn't have any of it, and to drive the point home the poured a huge bucket of water on his head, in hopes that his pain would make him shut up. Which, it worked. 

"The morning probably won't come to me" 

Wind Archer sat in front of Fire Spirit sleeping for a good couple hours, until he decides to go and practice for his round, hearing this song blast above him. 

"Like a lie, if all this is just a dream."

Stormbringer preforms in front of aliens, the queen of the stage. She is the champion of Alien Stage, and if you are fortunate enough to meet her, she will boast about her success. 

"(You hug me tight as if nothing happened)" 

"It's just, Sweet Dream"

Frost Queen looks at the billboard of all the rounds. The name "Stormbringer" makes her shutter, but no matter. She must save them all  from the stage, no matter who. She lights a cigarette, blowing the smoke out in a big huff. 

"It's today, wait for me" 

Moonlight wakes up once more, her face covered in sweat. In front of her is Sea Fairy, peering over her. Mocking her. Sea Fairy's neck is still bleeding, the blood still pooling out. Moonlight starts to breath heavily, and she tries to pounce on Sea Fairy. She's not there, and all she can do is cry about the warmth she feels.

"I'll go see you soon"

Fire Spirit wakes up, and he feels Wind Archer's scent that still lingers in the air from when he was here. Fire Spirit scoffs and squeezes the flower in his hand that are tied behind his back. 

"Lord, please, the song is over," The song blares overhead at the witch event that Wind Archer is forced to attend, "Save me please!"

The witches all laugh at that lyric, and boast on how the cookies will never be set free. In front of Wind Archer, they all eat a cookie together. The crumbs falling down on their shirt, the jam pooling on their mouth. They talk with their mouth full, which freaks Wind Archer out, and he forces himself to turn his head away. There he sees Fire Spirit's face on a billboard that says, "NEXT ROUND: FIRE SPIRIT VS. WHITE PEARL" 

"My Father, My Universe"

Stormbringer vividly remembers her days in Anakt garden, but they weren't pleasant days. An image of Frost Queen flashes in her mind, and she tries to move on. But, she can't. Stormbringer just relishes in the days of her "youth". 

"Take away the small and weak me."

Frost Queen stares at her prosthetic leg. She sighs and lights another cigarette. 

"My Father, My Universe."

Moonlight rocks back and forth, and she thinks of Sea Fairy writing and singing this song. "Standing on the edge of the cliff." Moonlight giggles to herself, thinking of how Sea Fairy wrote that lyric on a cliff. More tears pool out of Moonlight's eyes. 

"Now I live in darkness." Wind Archer tears his eyes away from the billboard, and forces himself to look into the eyes of a witch, "Bring me brightness." The flame on Fire Spirit head gets brought to life as a guard unties him, getting him ready for his round, "Show me proof you hear my sound." Stormbringer mutters old prayers to herself that she learned in Anakt garden. 

"Live in darkness." Frost Queen buries her head in her knees as the image of Stormbringer keeps getting in her head. "Bring me brightness." Moonlight falls asleep, dreaming of the moon, "Show me proof that you're here now, Lord." Wind Archer looks out at an artificial tree, dreaming of what a forest could be. 

---

Chapter Text

ROUND TWO:

FIRE SPIRIT VS. WHITE PEARL

Fire Spirit stands next to White Pearl as they raise up to the stage. The silence isn't exactly awkward, but that's also because it's not silent. There's a small track playing and the witches are cheering as loud as they can, praising them before they get on stage. 

Fire Spirit plays one chord on his guitar and changes the song, he strides forward, his face blank. White pearl, his opponent next to him, looks at his face with fear. Fire Spirit is changing the song so he can win, and fear settles in White Pearl's stomach. She's going to die. While, on the contrary, Fire Spirit will live. Fire Spirit has a small smirk on his face. 

"Come on!"

His bare feet feel the stage. The stage's presence is cold, but Fire Spirit himself, is not. All of a sudden, his jeans feel a little tighter, and his vision goes a little blurry. He shakes it off quickly. He can't be scared. Actually, he won't be scared. He won't let himself be scared. 

As the song is starting, Fire Spirit gets flashbacks to Anakt garden, and what his song is about in the first place. He remembers staring at Moonlight and Sea Fairy. His face was swollen and beaten, but Moonlight looked so beautiful. Whenever he would bleed, or he would be tied up, he would think of who he loved. It always made him feel better 

"Nothing was my everything." He starts, looking back at White Pearl, who is still scared. "The melody that filled the empty me." Fire Spirit takes a deep breath, and as he looks into the audience, he sees a ton of disappointed and confused witches. He just grins, he doesn't care. 

"It's you, alright." He looks straight into the eyes of everyone in the audience, hoping that Moonlight is there, cheering him on. When in reality, Moonlight is somewhere else, still shaken about Sea Fairy. 

"My feelings is error: No better options." Fire Spirit is convinced that he needs no fuel, and that he is better than that. But in reality, Moonlight is his fuel. Moonlight's eyes, her shimmering hair that glows when you have no other light, it's his fuel. He feels more pumped up with his song. "Shaking paradigm!"

Fire Spirit glances at White Pearl again, her eyes have turned dark. Her collar is bright red, and her hair is dark black. She attempts to make noise and make a scene, in hopes that her score will go up. "I don't care if y world turns upside down!" He sings louder, to muffle any attempt she makes. Fire Spirit is now smiling, laughing at her torment and her loss. 

"I wanna know all about you (ya)!" Sweat rolls down his face, and he continues to sing with passion. Music was always something he loved. He remembers his parent, Pitaya, would always sing him the melody of fire. Pitaya believed that fire had a song, a melody, and if fire started burning for no reason, it was trying to sing you a song. 

Now, Fire Spirit thinks that's a little foolish, but that did ignite his love for music. Even though he had to sing in a competition of life and death, it didn't make him like it any less. 

"No more takin it slow" Fire spirit remembers in Anakt garden, when Sea Fairy and Moonlight would hug each other, hold each other, feel each other's warmth. Fire Spirit was never truly jealous of Sea Fairy. They were both in love, and Moonlight chose Sea Fairy. Fire Spirit could live with that. Maybe. Possibly. But truly, who is better than Fire Spirit himself? 

Fire Spirit always shook the feeling off, he didn't need to worry about that. Beside, Fire Spirit and Sea Fairy had no hard feelings. Well... Fire Spirit thinks so anyways. Sea Fairy just is coldhearted, it's nothing personal. The point is, they don't hate each other because of Moonlight. 

 "The edelweiss of my feelings that blossomed because of you." 

Fire Spirit's love for Moonlight always felt like a small flower. Like a flower Wind Archer would show him as a kid. The thought of Wind Archer makes him pause for a tiny moment on stage. But then, he sees White Pearl getting ready to sing again. "I don't wanna stop!" He blurts out, and he can't remember if that was a real lyric, or just something he was telling White Pearl. 

"Don't even think this times enough!" Fire Spirit yells on stage, and for a moment, he doesn't feel on stage. He thinks he sees Moonlight in front of him, reaching out to him, singing a song to him. He reaches and tries to touch her, but she wasn't there. He doesn't admit defeat, so he continues. 

"Cause you baby, still it's not enough!" Fire Spirit smiles and blushes on stage, thinking of Moonlight. His one true light, his one true love. "(For me, alright?)" Fire Spirit closes his eyes, Moonlight's face coming up in his day dream on stage. 

He thinks of her singing, she always looks so beautiful while singing, she looks like she was made in the cloud, by the moon herself. Fire Spirit's face flushes even more and he glances at White Pearl one more time. She's on the ground, her face in her hands, crying. For a moment, shame pools in his guts, but then he looks up, and sees the moon. He smiles again. 

"Don't leave me, li li dadada." Fire Spirit feels sweat down his face, he feels nervous for some reason. He decides to focus on playing his guitar, who isn't truly a guitar. He's a black lemonade pastry that was made by his guardian witch for his round. 

"Cause you baby, still it's not enough!" He belts out once more, more sweat falling down his face. He's scared. He doesn't know why. When he glances and sees White Pearl's tears, that's all he can hear, all he can feel. He can't hear anything else anymore. 

"How dare you think this time's enough?" He sings out, his voice more strained and nervous. He turns his head away from the crowd, not allowing them to see him in this state. "Ain't nobody, but you're the one that I'm feeling it's love!" He yells out again once more, trying hard to impress the audience, and even more, Moonlight herself. 

"Don't be afraid!" When Fire Spirit sings this, he sings it facing White Pearl, who looks messy and scared. She tries to stand up, but her knees were too weak to support herself. "(Come on!)" He sings this line to White Pearl, almost trying to encourage her. She doesn't listen though, and she gives up, her makeup streaming down her face. 

In that moment, Fire Spirit doesn't know what possesses him, but he smashes his guitar on the stage, in hopes that it impresses Moonlight. The guitar smashes into many different pieces, cookie jam spills all over the stage. Everyone in the crowd says "ooo" in unison, and Fire Spirit hears all the different tones. He hears excited, cheering him on, kinda tones, and he also hears a disapproving tone. 

Below him, he sees all the cookie parts splattered down at his feet. He feels a bit of fear and disgust flash through his body, and he feels a little sick. Suddenly, he sees Moonlight watching the round, and he feels all the fear fly out of his body like a bird going free. He smiles to himself and relishes in his victory, while White Pearl still on stage crying, savoring her last moments of life. 

In the crowd, all of the witches are confused and a little angry on how he just cheated, but Fire Spirit ignores it, trying to catch his breath and not pass out on stage. All the adrenaline of cheating just caught up to him and now he has to make sure he can still follow through with his round. 

He catches his breath for a moment, "Cause I like it better," He sings, exasperated and out of breath. "Feel like I'm crazy! Oh, yeah, yeah!" His singing isn't good anymore, but looking at the score behind him, he doesn't care. "Come on!" He yells out. 

His vision is blurry, and he can't see below him anymore. He almost falls in the cookie jam below him, and he feels blood rushing all over his body. Above him, the screen says that he won. Next to him, he sees White Pearl shot, blood pooling out of her neck. She looks angry, scared, but most of all, dead. Fire Spirit makes sure to avoid the pool of blood next to her neck so he won't slip in it. 

"Can't refuse," Fire Spirit's head gets slammed into the ground, "Overdose." He should care about how he is getting slammed by guards, getting tied back up and locked away, but all he can think is how he won. He won. He's alive, he won, and he even got to confess how he felt about Moonlight. Although, he's pretty sure Moonlight already knew. 

Blood dripping down his forehead from the aggression from the guards, he sees Moonlight out in the corner of his eye. Moonlight has a more disapproving expression instead of a proud one, like he thought. He also sees Wind Archer, who stands right next to her, and he has a blank expression, like usual. His eyes pierce through Fire Spirit, and more blood drips down Fire Spirit's face. 

As Fire Spirit blacks out from his excessive bleeding, the last thing he sees is Wind Archer, and he dreams of Wind Archer's piercing expression.  

ROUND TWO:

FIRE SPIRIT WINS

Chapter Text

ROUND THREE

WIND ARCHER VS. STARDUST

Wind Archer had all he could want. Or, all he could need. He had a good guardian witch. In fact, his witch actually trusts him, which was rare for a witch to trust a cookie. Wind Archer didn't have to wear a collar, he could roam mostly wherever he wanted to. There was nothing he didn't have that he wanted. In fact, he never allowed himself to want. To need. Because, truly, deep inside, what does he need? Nothing. 

When he does end up dying, he will die comfortable. Not happy, not fulfilled, but comfortable. He's been acutely aware of this his whole life. When he would watch the other kids in Anakt garden, he would see their ambition, dreams, their fears, their wants, desires. He would observe it, yet never play along.

Until, he saw Fire Spirit. Fire Spirit interested him. Fire Spirit had much ambition, much courage, fears, wants, desires. He didn't want to die content, he wanted to die fulfilled. Yet, when Wind Archer met Fire Spirit, Fire Spirit wasn't interested. How could he be? Wind Archer followed all the rules, Fire Spirit did not. So, Wind Archer watched. 

As Wind Archer was getting raised up for his round, this is what he thought of. When the music started playing around him, and as he looked at his opponent, that's all he thought of. 

"The soggy darkness crouched down."

Wind Archer remembers when he was a young cookie, he once saw a fire burn bright in front of him. It devastated a whole forest, the last one in the witch's planet. All he did was watch, and deep down, he knew it was his fate. To die. To be forgotten. To whisk away in the wind like small ashes. "Even if we shake our heads, it's always the same place." 

Wind Archer looked out to the crowd, it was dark. It was an endless abyss of witches, all watching, interested in the performance. Pathetic, he thought to himself. These witches, who were once praised, they only want to watch life suffer? What Wind Archer always wanted was for the cookies around him to thrive. He would do anything to achieve that. 

Most importantly, he wanted Fire Spirit to thrive. He wanted him to burn as bright as he could, tear down all the forests he wanted to, break down Wind Archer so that he could thrive. He's dreamt of it since he was young. 

"I can't reach you, so I imagine alone." 

Wind Archer remembers when the fire burnt the forest, he reached his hand into it. His hand is forever burnt. But even if, it's a reminder of Fire Spirit, of his love. Wind Archer's heart starts to flutter. "You who shine, I stand next to you." Wind Archer sings out, his eyes glowing out to the audience. He squeezes his burnt hand, savoring the small pain he felt. 

"So black, black as it can be." When Wind Archer isn't with Fire Spirit, his world is dark, his life feels empty, cold. Even on the stage now, Wind Archer can only see the darkness that engulfs all around him. He squeezes his burnt hand again. 

"The Dark sea gets deeper as you approach." Wind Archer's gradually gets louder, "Dark sea" He repeats, his voice strained. "Like a black, black sorrow." Wind Archer recalls his younger years. Once, he was poor. He didn't have anything. No food, no water, nothing. But now he does. He has all he wants, all he needs. Yet, all he wishes for is to see the light. 

"A story of such woe." 

In Anakt garden, he would watch the kids run and play. He would watch them practice and sing. All he could remember is the fire. How bright it was, how much space it engulfed. It was almost like he could touch the fire, like it was right there, he felt the warmth-

Right in front of him, a flash of a fire ran by him. He looked to where it was running. It was a cookie, a kid in Anakt garden. He was immediately interested. Wind Archer followed the fire cookie for what seemed like forever. When he looked at what the cookie was doing, however, he was giving warmth to another girl. 

"At the end of this story, there is only a cold spot." 

Wind Archer felt his heart grow cold, and he felt the wind blow by his face, his hair raising up. He stared at Fire Spirit until his eyes hurt, until he could savor the light and the brightness for the rest of his life. And right in front of him, on the stage, he could see the brightness he saw that day. 

"Stained with blood and empty air." Wind Archer sings out on stage. He gives Stardust a small side eye as he sings his part of the song. The aliens didn't seem to enjoy it, however, since Stardust didn't seemed to get many points. Wind Archer used to be friends with Stardust, once upon a time, but Stardust didn't like his lack of emotions, so Stardust stopped. Wind Archer didn't mind, however, because it gave him more time to stare at Fire Spirit. 

Wind Archer sings once more, "Where your eyes reach," he squeezes his burnt hand again, "where your fingertips brush," Wind Archer remembers when he once brushed hands with Fire Spirit. When Fire Spirit would share his warmth, Wind Archer would savor it forevermore. He could probably name every time he did it. "Waiting for you endlessly," 

Wind Archer stared out in the crowd again, and he saw light in the crowd, yet it wasn't his light. It wasn't his light, his fire. He squeezed his burnt hand. 

"Turn the red light hourglass inside the black darkness." 

"With you for a long time," Wind Archer's pupils grow larger as he belts, "So black, black as it can be," In the crowd, he sees the witches impressed by his song, and behind him, he sees the score, and he's winning. He squeezes his burnt hand. "The Dark Sea gets deeper as you approach," He belts again, thinking of the fire, "Dark Sea." He repeats once more. 

"Like a black, black sorrow." 

Wind Archer would spend many of his nights sat in front of Fire Spirit tied up. But, one night, he untied Fire Spirit and woke him up. At first, Fire Spirit was very confused, but then he followed Wind Archer. Wind Archer took him to the burnt forest. He told him the story. Fire Spirit looked so interested, and his pupils grew wider. Wind Archer squeezed his hand. 

"A story of such woe." Wind Archer gasps out, thinking of Fire Spirit and squeezing his hand. "At the end of this story, there is only a cold spot stained with blood," Wind Archer takes a deep breath, "And such, black, black sorrow." 

Fire Spirit lets go of Wind Archer's hand, and in the middle of the ashes, Fire Spirit runs away. The wind blew in his face, and the ashes blew up in his hair. He peeled at his burnt hand. Wind Archer's eyes get filled with tears as he's reminded, singing with sorrow and grief on stage. "And you, you are always for me, Black sorrow." Wind Archer lifted up his hand and pointed it at the audience. 

"To me you are Black sorrow." Wind Archer sees the fire burning in front of him, and he sees his dad, Millennial Tree, burning inside it. And all he does is stand, as the wind blows in his face. "To me you are Black sorrow." He finishes, his voice going quieter as the round finishes. 

90/68

WIND ARCHER WINS

---

Fire Spirit wakes up, blood still on his forehead. Above him, a big screen says that Wind Archer won. He gives a deep sigh of relief and the fire on his head grows a little, bringing brightness to the room. 

Chapter Text

Stormbringer, the queen of the stage. She is the champion of the previous witch stage. In round 4, Wildberry forfeited. Perhaps he was too scared. Stormbringer giggled to herself thinking of it. Truly, it is pathetic. Looking at Wildberry dead right in front of her, she kisses his bloody hand. The blood lingered on her lips, the irony taste staying as she smirked to herself.

Stormbringer is going against Moonlight, and the theme of their round is funeral. Moonlight is wearing a black gown that has white towards her feet. He gloves are pure black, and they still feel the same cold that Moonlight felt when Sea Fairy died. Her veil covers over her face, and the pure black tone of it makes it basically hide her face. Under her veil, her eyelashes are white, and her grief has made her eyes turn dark black. Moonlight doesn't smile once as she enters the stage, which was different from what Stormbringer saw on round one. 

While Moonlight looked very professional, Stormbringer did not. She wore black pants that puffed out from her original skinny legs. She wears a nice black shirt that's tight on her ribcage, and you can see that her ribs were flared. Her hair was put into a ponytail and it was black and darkish yellow. Stormbringer smiles and waves as she enters the stage, trying to intimidate Moonlight with her confidence. 

Stormbringer whistles in her face, "You can turn away from the light. You eve outburn the sun, my star." Stormbringer's entrance was strong, and Moonlight's eyes widen a small bit, feeling nervous. Stormbringer sings into her ears, and the sound rings through her body. Moonlight shudders. "You're the perfect subject," Stormbringer kisses her mic while looking into Moonlight's eyes. 

Stormbringer's eyes were so strong, they were bright yellow and they shone like the sun, and they pierced through Moonlight's mind. "With the whole world in your sad eyes," Stormbringer slightly mocks Moonlight with that lyrics, faking a pout, and then going back to smiling. "My Savior, beautiful soul," Stormbringer sings it in Moonlight's face, and Moonlight feel a little flustered. Moonlight takes a deep breath. 

"I don't believe, you are a liar." They sing it together, Stormbringer singing right into Moonlight's neck from behind her. Moonlight immediately pulls away from her and looks her straight in the face. Which, was a mistake. 

"When our dark nesses overlap, [let me take it all away]" 

They sing together, and when Moonlight looks into Stormbringer's face, she sees Sea Fairy. Sea Fairy was staring back at her, Sea Fairy was there. Moonlight paused, and she just stared at Stormbringer. She took a deep breath, and tears welled in her eyes. Stormbringer grabs Moonlight's face, and she gets close, like she was going to kiss her. Moonlight pushes her away and she turns away from Stormbringer. 

"Ruler of my heart, ruler of my heart, ruler of my heart," Stormbringer grabs Moonlight by the arm harshly, almost pulling off her glove. Stormbringer spins Moonlight in a circle, and she dances with her. Stormbringer puts her hands on Moonlight's hips, and tilts her down, lifting her leg up and keeping her firmly in place. Stormbringer smiles warmly at Moonlight. 

"You are forever beautiful," Stormbringer leans down and sings in Moonlight's face, lightly pecking her lips on Moonlight's forehead. Stormbringer suddenly pulls Moonlight up and brings her to her feet. She twists Moonlight so her back is pressed against Stormbringer's chest.

"Ruler of my heart, ruler of my heart, ruler of my heart." They sing together once more, Stormbringer bringing her lips close to Moonlight's ear. "The endless walls," Stormbringer sings into Moonlight's neck, and she bites it harshly. Moonlight gasps, immediately pulling herself away from Stormbringer. Stormbringer just smirks at her. 

"A fall with no ground," Stormbringer sings again, approaching Moonlight slowly. Moonlight swallows on nothing, her legs shaking nervously. 

"In a single moment (breaking down)" Moonlight sings at Stormbringer, trying to build her confidence. Sweat drips down Moonlight's face, and Stormbringer holds her by the neck and swings her down, so she has to rely on Stormbringer to not fall. Stormbringer smiles down at her tauntingly. 

Stormbringer drops Moonlight harshly, Moonlight falling on the floor with a hard thud. "I go blind and deaf," Stormbringer sings, but this time towards the crowd and not Moonlight.  Moonlight tries to stand up, and once she does her knees shake. Stormbringer stares back at her, and she smirks again, mocking Moonlight for her struggles. 

"My world collapsing," Moonlight and Stormbringer sing together, looking each other in the eye. Stormbringer's eyes are content, she doesn't look scared, only confident. Moonlight, on the other hand, her eyes are filled with fear. Moonlight tries to catch her breath, but she can't seem to do it. 

"My savior, beautiful lady," Stormbringer holds onto Moonlight by her waist once more, and she sees Sea Fairy in Stormbringer's eyes. Sea Fairy, who is dead, staring back at her, singing to her. Moonlight feels safe and allows herself to be held by Stormbringer. "Make me your god, I can give you everything." Stormbringer sings into Moonlight's ear, then turning her face. 

Stormbringer leans into Moonlight, and all Moonlight can see is Sea Fairy. She can see her eyes, her soft voice, her loving touch. "When our darkness overlap, let me take it all away," Stormbringer sings by herself. Moonlight then grabs onto Stormbringer's hands, and it feels warmth. Stormbringer's warmth breaks the illusion that it's Sea Fairy. 

Immediately, Moonlight pushing Stormbringer away with as much force as she can muster. At her feet, she can see Sea Fairy's dead body once more. Sea Fairy's neck pooling blood. Moonlight's knees, which were already weak, fall beneath her. She hits the ground and buries her face in her hands. Stormbringer just smirks at her, and she walks up to her and kicks her to the ground. 

"Ruler of my heart," Stormbringer repeats, Moonlight also trying to sing. Stormbringer preforms in front of the witches, and she impresses them all. While Moonlight is in despair on the ground, all she can hear is the loud cheering from the witches. It reminds of her of Sea Fairy, when they all cheered when she died. When they cheered for Moonlight "win". "You are forever beautiful," Stormbringer whispers in Moonlight's ear. 

Moonlight stands to her feet, and she stares down Stormbringer. Stormbringer still repeats the chorus, and Moonlight glares at her before she tries too. When Moonlight looks at Stormbringer again, she sees Sea Fairy, again. Moonlight feels the rage boiling up inside her. She starts to breath heavily, her breaths growing shallow. 

She pounces onto Stormbringer and chokes her. It all felt like a blur of time, she couldn't see anything past her vision. Stormbringer tries to breath out for air, but it's no use. Moonlight hits Stormbringer in the face over and over again with all the force she can muster up. Below her, she sees Stormbringer's face all bloody and broken up. 

She also feels guards pulling on her from behind, and she tries her hardest to fight it, to scream out. Stormbringer just stares at her and smiles, and then, terrfingily enough, she starts laughing. With all the energy Stormbringer had left, she started to laugh in Moonlight's face. It all went distant the more she got pulled away, but she still felt the weight of her laugh. 

Soon enough, Moonlight's vision went black. She didn't see anything, but faintly, in the distance she saw Sea Fairy. Moonlight tried to reach and reach, she tried to run, but she couldn't get anywhere. She felt defeated, and all she could do is yearn in solitude. 

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ROUND FIVE

STORMBRINGER WINS

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As the guards take Moonlight away, Stormbringer sees a face she never thought she'd see again. Her hair was light blue, and she left a cold presence. Stormbringer stopped laughing and her eyes widened. "Ruler of my heart, ruler of my heart, ruler of my heart." Stormbringer sang, finishing out the round. Stormbringer still couldn't believe herself, but she didn't have for that. So, she just laughs softly to herself. 

----

Chapter Text

In a glass box, as a child, Moonlight stares and reaches for Sea Fairy, who is also in a glass box. They try to touch each other, feel each other's touch, but they can't. Moonlight cries out. Moonlight screams, and Sea Fairy smiles. Like she always does, Sea Fairy smiles at her. It was comforting, and when she tries to touch Sea Fairy she was so close and-

Moonlight wakes up. 

---

"Your eyes grow wide at my dazzling entrance, and your hear beats fast, okay!" 

Moonlight hears this song outside her room, and she tries to stumble out of the awfully comfortable bed that she was laid in. The bed was warm and had foam that she could sink down into, but her curiosity of where she is, and why she's alive, overthrew her comfortability. 

Outside, she sees a bar of sorts, and she sees a woman preforming in front of her. The woman had light blue hair that was parted on the left side of her face. Her shirt was darker than her hair, but it wrapped around her waist tightly that you could outline all of her bones in her torso. Moonlight tries to swallow away her fear. 

The woman stops her performance, and the cookies in the venue all start to mingle, shocked at her performance. The woman stares her down, and she then smiles at her. The mysterious, yet dazzling and infatuating, woman approaches Moonlight. 

The woman calls herself "Frost Queen", and she saved Moonlight from round 5. Where Moonlight is currently is the rebellion, they take down witches operations and try to help out cookies. Moonlight used to get told about the rebellion as a young cookie, she was warned to stay far away from them. Moonlight would always roll her eyes and scoff, she didn't believe they actually existed. Well, until now, of course. 

"There's no point fighting back. This is the march of the fools."

Frost Queen shows Moonlight her other friends with her. Sherbet and Cotton. Moonlight can't believe they're real names, but she plays along nonetheless. Frost Queen gathers them all in a circle, hovering over a table. On the table, there is a planned mapped out. The plan maps out how they'll save everyone from the stage and save the future cookies from ever thinking they'll be on the stage. 

They all agree on the plan, and they jump into small little cars. Moonlight sits beside Frost Queen, who is cheering loud out of all her companions. Outside, people cheer them on for their heroic plans. Moonlight sits in the car, dust riding up on her clothes, and is still a little confused on the plan. Moonlight spent her whole life preparing for the stage, and they say that you can just save everyone?

Could they have saved Sea Fairy?

"Endless cheer and applause"

"I hear the song grow louder and louder. Fill up the entire nebula!"

Moonlight watches as Frost Queen shoots at something and a whole building explodes. She covers her ears and flinches, turning her head away. The dust cloud engulfs the entirety of the area, and it fills up her lungs. Moonlight tries to cough it all out, but Frost Queen just pulls her away back into their car. 

"Just laugh, hey kick and break ya!" 

Outside the explosion, Moonlight sees, is a ton of dead guards. Their masks are slightly off of their head, and Moonlight can see the face of a witch. If she had told that to a cookie on earthbread, they would for sure have a heart attack. The witches, who were never meant to be seen, are now laying dead in front of Moonlight. She grins to herself. 

"To the galaxy shining bright, chi-cheers!" 

The song is sung by Frost Queen next to her, and was the song she sung at the bar. The song feels uplifting, yet when she feels Frost Queen's hands, it's ice cold. Sea Fairy also had ice cold hands, yet she never had such hope for anything to change. She only had hope and purpose through Moonlight. Moonlight turns her head away from Frost Queen, her grin fading. 

"Change the game with a single action! Trust me and I'll show you, chi-cheers!" 

Frost Queen throws out a small little grenade to a building. The explosion was huge, especially for such a small grenade. Frost Queen smile is wide and big, while Moonlight is still covering herself from all the debris. 

"We only get one life, so I'm living mine for me!" Moonlight recalls Frost Queen singing on stage. Frost Queen is smiling, she enjoys singing. Moonlight hasn't ever met someone who enjoyed singing, beside for Fire Spirit. "Cause I'm the one from your wildest dreams!" Frost Queen would make crazy facial expressions on stage, feeling the positive energy radiate from the song. 

Moonlight meant to go ask her where she was, but she was too dazed by her wild performance. "I'll create a fantasy in this crazy world!" Frost Queen grabbed a bottle of alcohol that was perfectly propped for her. Moonlight didn't even notice it until Frost Queen took a big drink from it. She smacked her lips off the bottle with a big pop, with immense amount of sweat dripping down her face.

"And change it all, I'm going all-in!" 

She points at the crowd, everyone so shocked and awed by her performance. Moonlight stood in the back of the crowd, and Frost Queen gave her a direct look. It reminds her of when Sea Fairy gave her a direct look on stage. It felt as if nothing was real, and Sea Fairy was all the mattered. Because Sea Fairy is all that matters, yet she's not here anymore. Moonlight silently cries to herself in the crowd. 

She gets sucked back into reality, taking herself away from that memory. Another explosion happened, but this time it was Moonlight who caused it. Frost Queen gives her a proud grin and pulls her back onto the scooter she was riding. Moonlight hides behind her, trying to catch her breath the best she could. 

"A universe brimming with dreams. Who will remain standing at the end of it all?" 

Moonlight isn't the only one with guilt-filled memories, however. She remembers her great friend in Anakt garden. The memory was so distant, but she remembers them both being so interested in singing. She loved her friend dearly. Now, she recognizes that feeling as love . Her dear friend, Snowflake. She would sit beside her on a tall hill, Stormbringer being by the both of them.

Her and Snowflake would dream of the future, dream of helping people. They would do anything to achieve the goal. Stormbringer would stay silent, however. "Don't you wanna know?" Frost Queen would pull Stormbringer mouth off her sleeve. She would do a small scold how it wasn't good for her, yet it would all just be a joke. They would all laugh with each other. 

"Caught within rules without rules." Frost Queen looks in front of her, guards with shields, trying to stop her. "A bird is set free" She stands in front of them, not feeling  a lick of fear. "I hear the song grow louder and louder." She counts down from three on her fingers, "Fill up the entire nebula!" Her friends, Sherbet and Cotton rush in on a motorcycle on one, trampling a good amount of the guards. Frost Queen grins to herself.

"Just laugh, hey kick and break ya!" Her friends laugh loudly in their entrance, cheering for their victory.  "To the galaxy shining bright, chi-cheers!" They both smirk at Moonlight, and Moonlight tries to not maintain eye contact. "Change the game with a single action!" Frost Queen and Moonlight ride away, Moonlight staring back behind her. She's terrified, and she clings onto Frost Queen.

"Trust me and I'll show you, chi-cheers!" Frost Queen looks next to her, Stormbringer is plastered on a huge screen. Frost Queen sweats profusely. "We only get one life, so I'm living mine for me!" As the memories flood back on Frost Queen, she gets more nervous on stage. Large amount of sweat pools from her forehead. No one in the crowd seems to notice, however. 

"Cause I'm the one from your wildest dreams!" She tries to sing more energetic, trying to cover her fear. She stares in the back of the crowd and see Moonlight. Tears flow down from Moonlight's face like a waterfall, and Frost Queen feels her pain, her sorrow. She feels her grief. "I'll create a fantasy in this crazy world." Stormbringer's face flashes in her head. 

She pauses for a quick moment, trying to get the image out of her head. Frost Queen swallows on nothing, and stares back at the crowd. "And change it all, I'm going all-in!" Exasperated and out of breath, she pauses for a moment. The crowd allows her, for they are all cookies who understand her breath, unlike the witches. 

She gets reminded of the day. In front of her, on a dark and cloudy day, snowflake lays in front of her. Dead, bleeding, and she did nothing to help her. All she does is peer over her and try to grasp what happened. A little bit in front of Snowflake, Stormbringer is down on her knees, slouched over. Blood is on her sleeve, and when she looks at Frost Queen, she just grins at her. 

She killed Snowflake. The one she loved, the one she was connected to. Stormbringer laughs in her face. Frost Queen feels so much grief that she doesn't do anything. Frost Queen's legs feel weak, but she can't cry, scream, or do anything. So all she does is stand and let Stormbringer laugh at her. 

"Every obstacle in my way, I've crushed them all." Frost Queen is back in reality, her eyes still on Stormbringer's billboard. There are guards all around her, but she doesn't pay any mind. "Step all over me but I'll rise again." Stormbringer's face is grinning at Frost Queen. "It's you in the wrong bet you had no idea!" Frost Queen wrote that lyric in spite of Stormbringer. 

Moonlight stands up from the ground, and now she covers Stormbringer's face. She tries to fight them off, she pushes them out of the way and shoots the guards that are holding onto Frost Queen. The guards shoot off Moonlight's hair, the sparkles that used to be there all disappeared, and now her hair is solid purple. Moonlight stares down a guard, and she shoots it right in the head. 

"Just laugh, hey kick and break ya!" Frost Queen is so shocked by Moonlight's newfound confidence. Stormbringer's face is now a blur beside her, and she's only focused on Moonlight. She walks down the hall to reach Moonlight as she shoots at all the guards. "To the galaxy shining bright, chi-cheers!" Moonlight shoots at the guards, and they fall down one by one. 

"Change the game with a single action!" Moonlight goes to open up an elevator, and Frost Queen runs to her with her arms wide open. Moonlight feels the hands on her back, now wrapped around her neck. Frost Queen cheers loud, and Moonlight is distraught to find out all her hair has been shot off. Frost Queen kisses her on the cheek passionately, and Moonlight blushes at how forward she was. 

Her lips were cold. Just like Sea Fairy. 

"Trust me and I'll show you, chi-cheers!" Frost Queen shoots at another guard, her grin wide. Moonlight tries to defend herself as Frost Queen is busy, but she still is a little confused by everything. 

"Whatever comes to mind, give it a chance!" Frost Queen directs Moonlight while she shoots, and Moonlight grins back at her. "Contemplate all you want, won't change a thing!" Frost Queen laughs to herself as she shoots down all the guards, getting behind the stage. "Ride the waves of passing time!" Moonlight leads the scooter ride this time, Frost Queen cheering and laughing behind her. 

"And run with the wind til morning, don't stop!" The stage has Wind Archer's and Fire Spirit's face on it. Moonlight feels that fear pool in her stomach again. Her two closest friends competing, and she won't be able to save one of them. Just like she couldn't save Sea Fairy. Her arms grow weak, and she leans into the scooter, trying to let it hold her weight.

---

ROUND 6:

FIRE SPIRIT VS. WIND ARCHER

Fire Spirit stares at his next round. He has to compete against Wind Archer, one of his closest friends. He slams his hand on the screen. 

Chapter Text

Fire Spirit is devastated. His love is presumably dead. As he enters the stage, light blaring onto him, all he wants to do is weep. He holds the microphone weakly, not caring much if he lives or dies this round. 

"Allow me, to the tips of your fingers." His name appears behind him, and the whole crowd cheers. "Allow me, to the ends of your feet." In the audience, he sees all the witches watching him. They all watch him intently, excited for his performance. "Dissolve me in your gaze, I don't want to let you go." Fire Spirit muffles his own tears. 

He looks down at his feet, his eye contact wavering from the audience. He gets reminded of the night before. He fidgets with his fingers on the microphone. 

Standing in front of a ton of witches, they all watch him at the table. One of the witches demanded him to sing "My Clematis", trying to mock his love. How Moonlight is dead. He looks into the eyes of the witches, he tries to open his mouth. He tears his eyes away from them all, and he stares at the ground. 

"Please, leave me scars." One of the witches throw a cup at him. The cup shatters right next to his head, one of the shards stabbing into the ground by his foot. "Please, hurt me so that not a single drop of me remains." The witch walks up to him, furious, they grab his neck, forcing him to look onto a poster. 

Moonlight's face was on it, with the words 'missing' and 'dead?' all over it. He stifles his cries to himself, and his arms go weak, failing under him. His face is weak and wrecked, all he can do is stare at the poster. "Let me drown in you." 

The longer he stared into the poster, the angrier he got. Beside his head, there was an empty bottle. He grabs the bottle, and with all the force he can muster up he slams the bottle into the witches head. The glass shatters into the side of their head, and blood slowly drips down from the witch. The witch stares at Fire Spirit, holding onto their head. 

Slowly, the witch stumbles and falls to the ground. Other witches crowd around them, and guards are pulling Fire Spirit away from the witch, prying the bottle out of his hand. A witch stops the guard, however, and pulls Fire Spirit to the back of the room. 

On the stage, rain trickles down on Fire Spirit's head, and the passion in his eyes slowly fade away. "Until these falling stars are buried in the of time" Fire Spirit sings out to the crowd, tears slowly falling out of his eyes. His grip on the microphone tightens, and the rain above him falls harder. He hears the small drops hitting the stage one by one. 

In the garden, he was always so infatuated with the rain. He would sit under a tree, Wind Archer by his side, and they would stare at the rain. Fire Spirit would sometimes draw the rain, and Wind Archer would watch. But what Wind Archer didn't know was that he would draw him in the rain. He would draw Wind Archer in the rain, deep in a forest like where he longed to be. 

"On your icy lips," In the back of the room, Fire Spirit got his head scratched, and his vision was blurry. He squeezed his legs together, and he tried his best to distance himself from the witch who was petting him. The witch would never allow him, though, so he just sat tense below them. In front of him, he saw Moonlight reaching to him. 

"Read my soul, yes, my soul, oh, oh." Moonlight felt so close to him, like he could touch her hand. Like he could feel her warmth once more. He tried reaching his hand out to her, but she wasn't there. She faded out of his vision, and he let his arm go limp. He brought his arm back up to his side, leaving it tense as he slowly blacked out. 

---

Wind Archer vividly remembers the first time he saw Fire Spirit. On adoption day, he sat in the corner of the room, dirty and poor. He looked over at Fire Spirit, and Fire Spirit widened his eyes at Wind Archer. He tried to wave at him the best he could while tied up. Wind Archer just stared at him, then turned away. 

He thought of this when he found Fire Spirit passed out on the ground, in the back of a witch event. None of the witches were there, they abandoned him to lay there. Over his mouth, however, was his collar. His collar was flashing red, and Wind Archer gently took it off of Fire Spirit. 

Wind Archer caressed his face, savoring his warmth. He stared down at Fire Spirit for a while, holding onto his face. He leaned down next to him, and turned his full face to look at him. 

Fire Spirit had sweat dripping down his face, and he looks like he was distressed. Perhaps he had a nightmare. Perhaps one of the witches did something to him. Wind Archer lets out a sad sigh, and he rubs his thumb underneath Fire Spirit's eye. Fire Spirit grumbled in his sleep. His eyes slowly open, and he sees Wind Archer holding his face. 

Fire Spirit gives Wind Archer a weak smile, and he tries to hold onto Wind Archer's arm, reciprocating his touch. Wind Archer gives him a small smile, and he slowly rubs his thumb across Fire Spirit's face. 

Wind Archer thinks of this as he walks to the microphone on stage. He knows Fire Spirit doesn't remember that it happened. "Even if your cold words carve scars beneath my eyes, may the linger on your tongue. You can break me apart." Wind Archer glances at Fire Spirit on the stage. Fire Spirit's expression is sad, full of sorrow. While Wind Archer's only thoughts are Fire Spirit, Fire Spirit's only thoughts are Moonlight. Wind Archer squeezes his hand. 

In Anakt garden, kids would give other kids flower crowns as a sign of love. Fire Spirit once gave Wind Archer a crown. Wind Archer didn't understand the gesture, and he stepped on the crown. Fire Spirit's expression was anger, and pounced onto Wind Archer. Fire Spirit punched Wind Archer, and confused, but intrigued, Wind Archer also beat up Fire Spirit. 

"Notice my pain, and mend me right now," Wind Archer thinks of the tree they would sit under. Wind Archer would sit under it for hours, rain dripping down onto the garden. Then, Fire Spirit sat by him. Fire Spirit gave him a wide smile, and he talked to Wind Archer. Fire Spirit talked about his ambitions, his dreams, his goals. Wind Archer didn't understand, he thought the only purpose he could have while being enslaved was follow the witches. 

Now, Wind Archer certainly didn't want to, but what other choice did he have? When he stared into Fire Spirit's eyes, they were full of unwavering passion and dreams. Wind Archer was so interested. So, when Fire Spirit would smile at him, he would try to smile back. "To quiet my fears, I'll drown in you." He remembers taking him to the ashen forest. Fire Spirit looked so interested, like he cared. 

The wind blows in his face, and he stares into the audience. "Sick of these nights to come," He looks at Fire Spirit again, his head staring down at his feet, tears welled in his eyes. "To be engulfed in silence," He once saw Fire Spirit bleeding from his face. Wind Archer gave him a pitiful look, and he walked to Fire Spirit. 

Wind Archer looked deep into Fire Spirit's face, piercing through his soul. He held onto Fire Spirit face, and he felt his warmth. Fire Spirit looked back at Wind Archer, he Spirit looked confused. Wind Archer tried to give him a smile, since he was forced to practice it for the stage. For the witches. Fire Spirit raised his hand up shakily, and it landed on the back of Wind Archer's neck. 

His grip was tight, it was warm. Wind Archer went into the touch, and he scooted closer to Fire Spirit. Their knees were touching, and when they looked back up for eye contact, it was like nothing mattered. Wind Archer felt the warmth of Fire Spirit's body. Wind Archer wiped the blood from Fire Spirit's face. He studied it on his finger, and then he leaned back in and kissed his little cut. 

"In your gaze where I'm seen," Wind Archer stares at Fire Spirit on the stage once more, and this time, Fire Spirit stares back. His eyes are blank, and they don't look as full as they always have. Wind Archer looks forward again, "Consume me, yes, me, oh, oh." Wind Archer sees the fire again. 

Wind Archer sees how much Fire can consume. He sees his father, too. His father who reaches out to Wind Archer for help, his full body engulfed in a flame. He sees the smoke that engulfed the sky above the forest. Wind Archer steps closer. He feels the heat radiating off of the fire, and sweat falls down on his whole body. He takes a deep breath, only breathing in smoke. 

Normal air had become so foreign to him in this moment, but he didn't seem to care. As he saw his father coughing and crying out in front of him, he could only see how beautiful fire looks. The bright amber that would pop off of the fire. The ashes that were blowing out of the forest. He saw smaller cookies crying to him as well, but he just stands still. 

He steps closer once again, and the fire is in his reach. He reaches his hand out, and hope glistens in his father's eyes. But he ignores his father's hand and reaches out to touch the fire, to touch the most beautiful thing he has seen. Once he touches it, the flame catches on his hand. It's immersed on his hand, and he quickly swats it off. He runs away from the fire, hearing his father yell for him. 

When he finally runs away from the peak of the fire, he feels the wind blow. When he turns around, he notices that the wind was fueling the fire the whole time. Wind Archer hadn't even noticed, the fire was too big and beautiful for it to seem that it could even have a fuel. 

On stage, Wind Archer squeezes his burnt hand. 

"To this everlasting melody," Fire Spirit sings, abruptly pausing. He turns his head away from the mic, stifling more tears. The witches in the audience are confused, and Wind Archer is too. As he stares behind him, he sees that he's winning. 

"Face to face we dance," Wind Archer sings his line, and looks back at Fire Spirit. Fire Spirit is still fighting to not cry on stage. Wind Archer looks at the score once more, and he knows that he needs to do something to make Fire Spirit win. 

 Fire Spirit, who was meant to sing, doesn't sing for a couple beats. "With our story," Fire Spirit finally chokes out, "Lost in forever's embrace." Fire Spirit sings again, his voice exasperated and weak. 

Wind Archer glares at him and throws his mic down to the ground. Wind Archer's whole life he wanted to make life thrive. He wanted to make up for the cookies he let die that day in the fire. He wanted to let Fire Spirit grow as well. He wanted them to coexist. Yet, the answer was right in front of him. That day, in the fire, wind made the fire grow bigger. It let the fire grow, it let the fire thrive. 

Wind Archer knows what he needs to do. He remembers round 5, Moonlight got eliminated for beating up Stormbringer. He'll do the same, so despite his score being better than Fire Spirit's, Fire Spirit will win and move on to the next round. 

Wind Archer touches Fire Spirit's face and turns it to him, making sure his touch is as gentle as possible. Gentle like a tiny little breeze passing you by. The rain shoots down from the sky like bullets, hitting the stage with force. Fire Spirit holds Wind Archer's face back, confused as to what he'll do. Wind Archer pulls in, kissing Fire Spirit, trying to imitate the passion Fire Spirit always had. 

Fire Spirit's eyes glimmer in the rain, he kisses Wind Archer back, pulling his face close to his. The kiss was messy, it was full of want and need. Their lips smacked together, and their eyes were glue shut. Wind Archer pulled away from Fire Spirit, and he smiled at him the best he could, the way he was taught. Wind Archer puts his hands around Fire Spirit's neck. 

He starts to press his fingers on Fire Spirit's neck, no air being able to leave or enter. Wind Archer's score goes down, and Fire Spirit's goes up. Fire Spirit tries to pull Wind Archer's hands off of him, tears falling out his eyes. Wind Archer just tightened his grip the more he fought, though. Fire Spirit started to sob in Wind Archer's grip. Someone who he trusted, now choking him and trying to kill him. 

Wind Archer smiled at him again, and he kissed Fire Spirit on the forehead, trying to get the message through of why Wind Archer is doing this. Suddenly, he feels a bullet lodge into his side. Blood pools out of his stomach, but he continues to smile for Fire Spirit. Like he was taught. Fire Spirit could only vividly see Wind Archer now, but he felt Wind Archer's grip loosen. 

He gets shot again in the back, and his grip almost falters on Fire Spirit's neck, but he won't let it falter. Sweat falls down both of their faces, and Fire Spirit has stopped trying to fight him. Then, Wind Archer gets shot in the back of the neck. He immediately lets go. Fire Spirit gasps out for air, and once he can see properly, he sees Wind Archer falling, smiling as he hits the ground. 

Fire Spirit looks at the ground below him, Wind Archer lays dead. The lights go out, and he peers over Wind Archer. Fire Spirit suddenly gets pulled away from the guards, Wind Archer also getting dragged away. Fire Spirit reaches out to Wind Archer, and he seems so close, like he could touch him. The rain above him is all he hears, as he weeps for Wind Archer. His friend. His true love.