Chapter 10: Baby Shower/Supports

* **Signele**: Hm? For what?

* **Josh**: A curious question. I will not be offended if you turn my offer down.

* **Signele**: You sound offended already.

* **Josh**: I can assure you that I am not.

* **Signele**: It’s in your voice. I can hear the tone you’re using loud and clear.

* **Josh**: My ton—oh, would I be correct in assuming that your ears are sensitive to changes in noise like such?

* **Signele**: Something like that.

* **Josh**: My apologies! I was not intending to sound offended in the slightest. I genuinely came to ask a question that only you could answer.

* **Signele**: I already answered one question only I could answer. Being greedy, huh?

* **Josh**: Greedy? There is no greed present, simply my inquisitive nature compelling me to ask you a question.

* **Signele**: And you asked a question. About my ears. Like a moment ago.

* **Josh**: That was not the inquiry I had in mind, however, and I would appreciate it if you—

* **Signele**: Sorry. I don’t feel like we’re going to get anywhere if you keep trying to ask me things. You said one question. I gave one answer. I’m not stupid just because I’m a Taguel.

* **Josh**: I never implied that you were stup—I did not mean to scare you off! Come back!

## Signele and Pika

### C Support

* **Pika**: Why are you staring at me like that?

* **Signele**: Staring? Me? Psh, I don’t stare.

* **Pika**: Then why do you keep looking at me?

* **Signele**: I don’t even do that. It’s you who’s staring at me!

* **Pika**: I’m only staring at you because you started staring at me first.

* **Signele**: But I wasn’t staring at you. Promise. You just can’t stop looking at my fur and my ears, huh? Admit it.

* **Pika**: Trust me, you’re just like an overgrown wild rabbit. Nothing unusual about you.

* **Signele**: Ouch, that one hurt.

* **Pika**: Huh, kind of like how you won’t even stop staring at me while I’m talking to you!

* **Signele**: I thought it was polite to watch the person who was speaking.

* **Pika**: Not as intently as you’re looking at me.

* **Signele**: Stop acting like I was staring at you, okay? I wasn’t doing it.

* **Pika**: Then what were you doing?

* **Signele**: I don’t have to answer that.

* **Pika**: …Either she had a good reason for staring, or she’s just crazy. Having seen her in battle, it really could be either option.

## Bella and Josh

### B Support

* **Bella**: Good job almost killing me again today.

* **Josh**: What? I made sure to be as far from you as our Tacticians would allow. Keeping my distance would save us from that same debacle, I figured.

* **Bella**: It’s not that you aimed at me this time.

* **Josh**: Then how did I manage to almost kill you?

* **Bella**: Didn’t have you around to hit the enemies before they’d hit me.

* **Josh**: I see. That may have been an oversight on my part.

* **Bella**: You think? I’m not the one who decided to move elsewhere instead of learning to aim better!

* **Josh**: You have my apologies, Lady Bella.

* **Bella**: There’s no need for you to bring out the formalities. Just know that we work as a team around here, and if one member shows weakness, we’re all going to fall.

* **Josh**: I am fairly certain that the Shepherds work under a slightly different set of rules, but the sentiment is understood. Next battle, I will make sure to go where directed, and flank you to take out the enemy units who can damage you above all others.

* **Bella**: Now you’re making me sound weak. Just do what you’re told, and keep people who aren’t you in mind.

* **Josh**: Understood. You have my word that these near-death experiences will not happen to you again as long as I am in the battle.

## Josh and Joos

### A Support

* **Joos**: Alright Josh.

* **Josh**: Oh no, I don't like that tone. You sound like you're about to attempt to find a book I haven't read again.

* **Joos**: Bingo.

* **Josh**: But you have shown me every single piece of literature we own!

* **Joos**: Not true. What about...this!

* **Josh**: Let me see. Hmmm....wait, this is...this is implausible!

* **Joos**: Impossible would have worked, but whatever.

* **Josh**: I've never even heard of this book before. How did you find this?

* **Joos**: Heh, wouldn't you like to know?

* **Josh**: No, really! Where did you find this? I made it a point to read every single piece of fiction we own, so how has this completely escaped my grasp?

* **Joos**: The answer is a simple one, but I'll let you figure it out.

* **Josh**: Joos! Wait, come back!

…

* **Josh**: Alright. I read that book you showed me, Joos.

* **Joos**: What did you think?

* **Josh**: You wrote it, didn't you?

* **Joos**: Bingo! That I did, good buddy.

* **Josh**: I can't believe you wrote a book for the sole purpose of proving me wrong.

* **Joos**: Well, that wasn't the only reason. I also wanted to practice my writing skills.

* **Josh**: It was a strange tale about everyone in the Shepherds having to communicate through something called the...internet?

* **Joos**: That it was. Now, what did you think of it?

* **Josh**: All of the royalty was still in charge and everyone basically behaved the same way they do now, so that was astoundingly unoriginal. Furthermore, the separation of all the characters on such a massive scale really hampered the plot's ability to progress without extensive use of the word “meanwhile.” If I could make a suggestion, maybe next time you can have some characters know each other beforehand? In person? That would make the dynamics between certain pairings—Joos and Signele especially—more believable. I guess a tactician like yourself can't possibly achieve greatness at everything...

* **Joos**: Um...I see.

* **Josh**: Also, I can still say I have read every book we own, since you left it in my care and all.

* **Joos**: GOD DAMN IT!

## Chloe and Green

### A Support

* **Green**: Okay, we’ve been in the same room for five minutes now and you’ve made no attempt to be friendly with me. What gives?

* **Chloe**: Nothing gives, Green. I was simply waiting for you to make the first move today.

* **Green**: Oh yeah?

* **Chloe**: I wouldn’t lie to you, even on a matter like that. After we parted last I thought that you would disapprove if I tried speaking to you again, so I waited for you to calm down and choose to talk to me on your own. I’ve heard many things about how the people of Tost are quick to act harshly.

* **Green**: Stab first, question second. That’s how I do.

* **Chloe**: And what type of a future ruler of Frar would I be if I were impaled on your weapon?

* **Green**: A dead one.

* **Chloe**: I see you’re smiling again at that. Does the thought of killing me make you happy?

* **Green**: No! ...I’m smiling about you being knowledgeable about my people. Even if the majority of them are rogues and bandits.

* **Chloe**: What can I say? I’ve done a lot of studying and research about your country to make sure that I’m approaching you in the best way possible.

* **Green**: I should have known this was all premeditated nonsense.

* **Chloe**: Except it’s not? I just said I researched your country. I never said that I had planned out what I was going to say to you.

* **Green**: Pretty sure research means you’re doing just that.

* **Chloe**: You seemed impressed with it a moment ago. What’s the problem, do you not like it that I learned about Tost by someone who isn’t you?

* **Green**: …That’s the dumbest thing I’ve heard you say yet. You think I’m jealous about you learning a thing or two about my country? Please. Learn a thing or two about me through someone else, and I might be jealous.

* **Chloe**: Why would I need someone else if I have—

* **Green**: Chloe! Where are you going?

…

* **Chloe**: I-I’m sorry about that. I just…had to leave there.

* **Green**: Yeah, I saw. Chased you pretty far to catch up with you. Not used to running like that to get to my wyvern, and by the time I got to ‘er you were already far off on your horse. Why would you go out into the woods on your own, anyway?

* **Chloe**: Something told me I should go. I didn’t expect you to follow.

* **Green**: We were having a fun banter there! I didn’t want it to end!

* **Chloe**: Y-you didn’t?

* **Green**: Of course not! That’s the first time I’ve felt comfortable enough to actually smile in a long time, and it’s all thanks to you caring.

* **Chloe**: Oh. I get it. I bring up knowing about your people, and you show you’re enjoying it by making me feel like I made a bad decision. I’ll have to keep that tactic in mind for next time.

* **Green**: Assuming there’ll be a next time, are you?

* **Chloe**: If you were willing to chase me into the woods where archers might be hiding, I think there will be.

## Jimmy and Florence

### A Support

* **Florence**: I think I’ve realized that maybe, just maybe, there are better priorities in life than wanting a cute Shepherd to climb into bed with me.

* **Jimmy**: Or a cute member of another royal family?

* **Florence**: Hey, some places have super hot royalty, so that’s still on the table.

* **Jimmy**: It was worth a shot.

* **Florence**: …Wait, how did you know about…?

* **Jimmy**: How long have we been Shepherds together? A man learns one’s habits after so long.

* **Florence**: I’ll give you credit there. Didn’t think you’d be the kind of guy to remember that sort of thing.

* **Jimmy**: To be fair, it’s not so much that I wanted to remember it as it was that you talk about it so much that it’s stuck in my head.

* **Florence**: I don’t talk about it that much.

* **Jimmy**: I’m fairly certain there’s less people living in Waydrn right now than the amount of times you’ve suggested bringing someone into your bed, royal or warrior.

* **Florence**: I don’t talk about it thaaaaat much. Don’t make me sound thirsty.

* **Jimmy**: The day you actually stop lusting after new recruits and other attractive men, maybe then I’ll see that you aren’t that starved for attention after all.

* **Florence**: Starved for attention? I’m royalty. \*sigh\*

* **Jimmy**: Was that sigh to be dramatic?

* **Florence**: No, it was to make you ask what’s upsetting me.

* **Jimmy**: Seeing as you were just talking about realizing that life is more than having a bed partner, I’d assume that the gravity of reality has gotten to you.

* **Florence**: Wrong! The problem is that there still aren’t any willing new recruits. In fact, I’d go as far to say that Knifez is purposely picking guys to join our cause that would never be interested in me!

* **Jimmy**: Maybe he’s trying to make a point with that.

* **Florence**: A point with…hey wait! We were talking!!