Thinking on yesterday, I've decided the best way to make it up to Topaz is to get her a gift. What gift you may ask? I have no idea. I'm walking on the sidewalk window shopping. There's a lot of pretty things I could get her that I see, but the piercing screams of my wallet were too much. But I don't want to get her something cheap! So now I'm stuck in this constant state of financial limbo. I keep walking, just more jewelry stores and expensive clothing shops. I don't think she'd want clothing, it would be just as bad as getting socks for Christmas as a child. And not even the fuzzy kind! Maybe she'd want a face mask similar to the one she wears now? The one she has is made of white cloth with a wide, fang-toothed smile on it. I think it suits her, so I don't really think she needs a new one. I kept browsing the wares. Wait, why is one shop selling a construction site? Actually, that may just be an actual construction site. ...Yea, it's a real construction site. Once again, every potential gift makes me and my wallet sob. Since I'm not sure what she would like, the only logical solution is to get her something expensive. As you see though, that isn't going quite well either.
I'm about to reach the end of the block, the end of the major gift shops in the area. Topaz is gonna be so disappointed in me! Granted, she doesn't know I'm getting her a gift. Either way, I'll be disappointed in myself for her! I sigh and walk across the street, I guess I have to go home in defeat. But, there's a lot of commotion to my right for some reason... You see, on my right is the biggest park in our city, usually it's dead silent with the occasional bird chirps. No, what I'm hearing is a lot of people talking and...neighing...? The neighs captivate me to investigate further, so I enter the park and follow the noise. Soon enough, I catch wind of the source. Not far away, there's these oldish looking stalls with people playing some board game. It's...kinda weird and cool at the same time. There's people dressed as wizards and witches, knights and warriors, some dressed as orcs, humanoids, and different magical creatures! Ooh! I almost missed it, but there's a faint melody of a lute playing somewhere! It's like one big fantasy cosplay campaign thing! And, I found out where the neighing came from! Horses! They have a whole stall for all these horses! I even saw some people riding them! Dang, now I'm jealous. I gawk at the horses a bit more, but my attention is captured by something out of the corner of my eye. I look over, it's this two tier pedestal in the center of the fair. On top of the pedestal though...
It was a little tricky for me to make out due to it's glow from the sun's reflection. Once I focused my eyes on it, my jaw dropped and my glasses nearly fell off my face. It was a sword! A beautiful, shimmering, silver sword with intricate rose carvings on the handle. It was like an sword in the stone kind of deal! That's when it hit me. Yes, that's what Topaz would want! She's totally the type that would be into knives and daggers and sharp stuff, why didn't I think of this before? Well, maybe it's 'cause I don't entirely trust giving someone with anger issues and the ability to snap at anytime (Seriously- I'm so, so sorry-) a weapon. Then again, she DID let me use her multi tool with no questions asked, so I assume she trusts that I won't go a-stabbing! Dang, I didn't give her back the tool either... I shake it off, I'll return it to her later! Once I get that sword! I race down to the entrance of the fair. Upon entry, everyone was really friendly! Some of them even invited me to play that game with them! I wish I accepted at least one of their propositions, it seems like fun! I navigate myself through the crowd of fairies and bards. The sound of the lute sounds very nice and peaceful! It could be used for a lullaby and a fast energetic song at the same time. Maybe I sound use it for a song... Eventually, I find the pedestal. I'ts made of this gleaming marble with fancy engravings. I'm not sure how to explain it, but it's like the carvings from those fancy temple pillars? I'm a bit nervous to climb on the stand. Is anyone watching me? I need to wait for the exact second everyone ignores me. Why am I thinking of this likes it's a heist? Nahhh, it's probably nothing. I step on the first tier, than the second. I grasp the cold handle of the sword and try to pull it out with all my might. It's heavy, maybe like the weight of a claymore? Maybe it is a claymore. I would've thought the sword would have a lock on it, but with a little bit of lower body strength...
Shiiing!
The sword was out! I felt powerful holding it in my hand. I felt like I could slay a thousand hoards of [evil] goblins! I could even defeat an [evil] dragon in one blow! Or even make the evil water demon from yesterday crumple to it's knees, yea, that'll show it! But that's when I looked around. Everyone was staring at me. There was a long silence. A long, awkward, silence. That's when I heard someone yell out, "GUARDS!". Almost on cue, someone wearing a full suit of armor on a majestic white horse trotted onto the scene. I assumed they stared at me (How am I supposed to know, they're wearing a mask! They pointed their fencing sword at me, "Who is't dareth intrude and stealeth our sacr'd sw'rd?". "Wha...what..?" I stammer. "You heard me, fowl beast!" the knight exclaimed. "Yea, I heard you, I just don't understand-" I said. I think this guy is a little coo-coo in the head-. Either that or they have a real dedication to the knight role, in which great job! The knight recoiled, very offended, "Mayhaps you be a druid? A mage? One thing is for certain, you are a thief! We wilt executeth thee betimes". I don't know what that means, but I heard "execute" in there, so it can't be good. "W-Whoa there! You got it all wrong-!" I try to explain, but they cut me off. "Save it, heretic! It's to the guillotine with you!". Ok, why do they have a guillotine?! Second, there's no way they actually have the legal rights to execute me. As the knight approaches me with their sword, someone runs up to them. They're dressed in a brown , frugal cloak with patches. The knight sheathes their sword, "That is right! In order to prove your innocence, we must duel in the arena!". "Duel?" I ask, intrigued. "It's our law, if the gods grant you the power to win against me, you shall be set free and gifted the sword. If not, you will be EXECUTED!". "Well what kind of duel?" I say. "Why do you ask? You'll have to compete no matter what." the knight explains. I think about it for a moment, but only for a moment since they already said I can't really decline, "Deal!" The knight puts me in shackles and puts me on top of the horse. Most of the fair goers are coming along, maybe I'll finally get the fame I deserve! Then, the guy in the brown cloak whispers something to me, "Y'know, the knight hasn't lost a single duel in their life." That's all he had to say, my bones started to chill and I felt my legs tremble. That's it! I'm dead! Addio! I don't even have time to think before they drop me off and un-cuff me. We're in this basketball sized arena, it has this sandlot flooring. There's bleachers on the longer sides of the arena. On one of the shorter sides, there's a table with a microphone. The brown cloak person is sitting there. The knight is already preparing on the opposite side of the arena. What do I do? I'm too wimpy to fight! Maybe I'll unleash the secret Joestar technique... Then I hear the speakers flick on. "Welcome everyone!" announces the cloak guy, "Today, we have our most esteemed knight dueling against the thief of the Luxxen Blade!" The crowd goes wild, I don't know if it's for me or the knight. Eh, probably not me. "The rules are simple." he continues, "Whoever makes their opponent surrender first wins! Fighters, to your starting points!" I hold the Luxxen Sword or whatever in my hand. I can't outrun him, so my best bet it to hit him. A lot. The knight seems to be..kneeling? He's holding something in his hand.
"Ready..." the speakers blare.
"Roll!" he announces as buzzers go off. I go in to attack the knight, but the announcer stops me, "WHOA WHOA WHOA! You didn't roll to see who goes first!" "Roll...?" I ask. "The thief doesn't have a 20 sided die you say?" the knight says. "No..." I reply. All of a sudden, they whack me with their sword, "That means it's automatically my turn first! I cast stab!" They keep hitting me, and I try my best to block the attacks. I actually get one good hit off! Maybe it's just 'cause the sword is so heavy. I can't really raise it too high, so I just have to hit their legs enough to make them trip. We're both fairly matched, with their speed and my heavy blows. The crowd gets loud, the commentator is losing it. I have no idea what I'm doing!
Soon enough, we're both pretty beat up, but in a sudden turn, the knight trips me to the ground and points their sword at my neck. "Does thou surrender?" they ask with a bunch of confidence. I look at them with a bit of anger growing on me. I'm supposed to be the smug one, not them! "Heck no!" I shout and grab my sword. "Then why do you fight?" the knight says, still having me trapped. "Well...I fight for my homie! After all, that is what my whole 'heist' was about. I fight for a better future for my dear beloved friend! I fight to give them only the best in the world! They give me courage, they empower me, and..." I clench my fist, "A-And I wanna be able to give them courage too!". "So you have a beloved?" the knight asks. I nod, yea! Topaz is my bestest friend! The knight looks at me, then at the crowd. They turn around and drop their weapon, "Well, I can't argue with that assessment. I yield!". The crowd goes bat-stuff crazy! Finally, someone had beaten the knight! To be fair, I didn't outplay them, I just tugged at their heartstrings, but I still guess it was a win? The crowd clapped and cheered for me, I felt my ego inflate. The announcer speaks, "Well folks, that's a wrap! The winner is...uhm...pink hair girl!"
So, that was that! They let me keep the sword, and they even took my picture and hung it up on this wall of fame thing! Upon my victory, a bunch of bards gathered and played a song for me. It was awesome! I bet Topaz is gonna flip her lid when I tell her this story! I bet she'll be like, "Whoa Mistral! You're so cool! You're my bestest bestest buddy in the world!". Yea, that seems accurate! It's late though, so I'll just head back to my apartment and give it to her tomorrow.
I really wanna get into the bardcore genre of music now-.