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guilhem-png · 2 years

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Housamo events from worst to best

Aight so I was bored and decided to rank all the « event quests » from Housamo, from worst to best. As I’m writing this, 31 of them have been translated so far, most recent one being “Seaside Fashionista”. So like, I guess here we go. It’s going to be a long post, folks.

#31 Raiders of the Lost Isle

Let’s get this out of the way: not a big fan of shotas. Makes me feel uncomfortable to be honest. So an event centered around one is unlikely to win my favor – but even without that, Raiders of the Lost Isle is strangely boring. It’s not that I have an issue with the premise (though I will say that adding another layer of amnesia to a protagonist that was already defined by amnesia may have been a bit much), but the execution is surprisingly bland. So little goes on in this mystery island! Tangaroa is the most boring daddy this game has ever presented to me, and Dagon’s expository evil dialogue nearly had me falling asleep. Not much to salvage here. The music kinda bangs tho

#30 Black Snow on the Hot Spring Mountains

This one’s a mess y’all. It’s so long, too. Did it really have to be nine parts long? Usually with these event quests, the beginning is a little boring, but when they get to the meat of the story (quite literally in some cases), it becomes a lot more interesting. For this one, it was the opposite. Zao’s introduction as a mountain enthusiast was pretty fun, but then as soon as he gives up on you to fulfill his “mountain healing ritual” or whatever it was, the story completely loses all sense of direction. It’s just the poor MC climbing mountain after mountain, meeting with so many characters who have absolutely nothing to do there, and being attacked by an infuriatingly large amount of wyverns. The part with Hogen and the Tengu school of sword fighting (what) felt like it was ripped out of a different story entirely. I genuinely don’t think the MC could have had a worst day if he tried. At least they allow you to be rude to Zao, for the sake of Catharsis. And no, Life Wonders, seing Kengo in a speedo doesn’t make up for the poor writing! I did like the part with Chernobog though – but I think his later appearances were better handled.

Also (last point of contention before I move on), for an event solely based on the beauty of the mountains, I feel like they should have maybe worked a little harder on the backgrounds. Zao being like “Look at this beautiful sight” once you reach the peak, and then it’s just… a blurry picture or an ugly 3D model. Not a good look.

#29 The Afterschool Hero and the Fantastic Boyfriends

Gosh, what is even going on in that one. The concept is really not dumb; they had all those backgrounds, characters and soundtracks from Fantastic Boyfriends, so might as well use ‘em. But the issue is they have too much of it – and they don’t seem to know what to do with it. I think this event is probably a lot more fun if you’ve actually played Fantastic Boyfriends, but it really doesn’t work well on its own. My main issue is with the plot in this one, though. It’s too generic. It’s actually the most generic medieval fantasy story I’ve ever witnessed, I believe. That part at the end when you end up inside the protag’s mind was very weird, but not in a bad way. I think that’s what I liked the most about this event. That, and Sol’s attack sprite, hehe.

#28 Lil' Salomon's Golden Week

That one’s not… bad, really. But it’s not super memorable either, and also really short. I mostly remember that one exchange between Motosumi and Marchosias, about what it takes to be a good dad. Or the part where Licht and Kuniyoshi become friends. Like, it’s pretty sweet, granted, but it doesn’t go really far. No new characters introduced either, no new sprites, it’s not a very exciting one overall.

#27 Battle of the Valentines

You might be surprised to see such a recent event ranked so low on the roster. I think the issue with that one is that they tried to forcefully cram in as many characters as they could – but they went a bit too far, and the event feels unnecessary crowded. McRoich doesn’t really work as a character for me either. For one thing “Youth” is a bit strange of a gimmick to assign any character, and he repeats the word so damn much that past a certain point I wanted to whack him on the head with a broomstick so he would shut up. Also, the “oh no my sacred artifact doesn’t work properly” plot line had already been done (poorly) with Gullinbursti, so bringing it back felt repetitive. Same thing for the “oh no, a collision of world” plot point. Out of all the collisions we’ve had, this one was probably the least necessary.

#26 Embark! Summer Ocean Adventure

I’ll say, this one introduces some amazing characters, but almost all of them are better known for what they do in other events. Ganglie is amazing in Desert Journey, Benten and Typhon shine a lot brighter in the second boat adventure, Makara has this short yet hilarious role in the Seaside Summer School event (where he roasts Claude for wanting to marry the ocean, long story), etc. The beginning of this event is pretty crazy (MC thinking that Benten intends to take a suicide while she was just trying to take a dramatic-looking selfie, resulting in both of them falling into the water and being captured by pirates) – but then it’s a bit of a roundabout journey, with no clear objective, besides going home (which isn’t exactly compelling). Black Storm is a really low tier villain too. I wouldn’t say this is a bad event overall, but it’s overshadowed by its successor.

#25 Year of the Wildest Boar

The new year events are always short, which makes sense. They come right after the (probably expensive) Christmas events, so there isn’t a lot of budget left. Sometimes that works, others… eh. I can’t forgive Gullinbursti for being such a lame character, mostly because he represents an archetype I love (the loyal servant), but which works so much better on other characters, like Tadatomo, Shino, or Yasuyori. Also the end where he goes alone in a cave to sulk is kind of a bummer, honestly. Like, why? Did they fear the Summoners would get a little too crowded if a new member joined them every year?

#24 A New Year's Food Fracas: The Cleaner is on the Case!

I’ll say, I had absolutely no interest in the Cleaner before this event, but I warmed up to him a little. That’s something. I feel like reusing the slimes for the third time in a new year event was probably a bad call, though. Not much else to say, really. It was a decent event.

#23 O the Great Gendarme

I’ll say, I was very afraid they were just going to redo Black Snow on the Hot Spring Mountains, but this one really isn’t as bad. It’s not good enough to be called a redemption, but it’s still pretty neat. I liked Durga’s arc in this event, it was handled a tad more subtly than I expected. Also I was really surprised at how enjoyable the baseball match was. As absurd as it was to have a baseball match in the middle of a hike, it still worked very well. The villainess is forgettable, but you can’t win ‘em all.

#22 Gift from an apprentice Santa

Ah, the OG event. Not the best for sure, but still very charming. I love Yule, his earnestness to please, his insecurities, his cute little scarf, he works very well as a character for me. The Santa school is a really weird concept, and I LOVE IT. The more they add to it, the weirder it gets, and I have absolutely no complaints. Also this event makes use of all the kid characters in a strangely non creepy way (I thought so anyway – I hope it’s not just denial?). Absolutely love Ryota in the Santa outfit too. Now did they have to end every chapter with a fight? Absolutely not. It’s a good thing they toned it down in later events. Learn from your mistakes, and stuff.

#21 Valentine Panic

Valentine Panic is good, but it takes a while to get there. The feathers that make people fall in love with the MC is contrived as hell, but whatev’s. It’s fun. Having all the characters suddenly professing their love to the MC in the most awkward way possible was hilarious (big up to Gunzo’s declaration, I don’t think I’ll ever forget it). Sitri’s “cool cat” deal is annoying at first, but when you understand at the end that it all stems from his admiration for Kengo, it makes a lot more sense, and is consequently much more enjoyable. Bonus point for showing a side of Kengo that we don’t typically get to see.

#20 Clash of Floats

Just based on Nobuharu, I thought I was going to hate this event. Once again, shotas make me uncomfortable. But Tajikarao saved the event for me. His rivalry with Suzuka is believable and rather entertaining. They definitely cop out at the end though, blaming all the issues on a third party and not letting any side win the argument. Honestly I don’t think this event should rank this high still, and I was probably swayed by Gyobu’s waitsline. Yeah, that’s probably it.

#19 Seaside Summer School with you

Weird that they didn’t introduce a single new character for this one, huh? They were probably like “We need an event where every single character we have ends up wearing a swimsuit. ALL OF THEM.” And that they did. Well, almost anyway. To be honest, I played this one a long time ago, and don’t remember everything that happens in it. Love that they let me flirt with Ashigara though. Hate that they dropped the words “swimsuit contest” and didn’t let us see a second of it. Glad they corrected that mistake in Seaside Fashionista.

#18 New Year's Sunrise

More new year stuff, less slimes, and more ghost. That one was sweet. Hilarious that Gyumao and Wakan Tanka get an alt, but Shennong doesn’t, when it clearly seems like that’s what they were going for. Maybe they ran out of budget a little sooner than expected. I feel like gathering all characters that share a common trait in a single event is a pretty fun idea, and I wouldn’t mind seeing it again.

#17 Valentine's Extravaganza

Okay so. We all know that Life Wonders likes to cater to all their audience’s specific kinks. Mpreg with Temujin, vore with Marduk and his dragon buddy, foot fetish with Surtr’s giants, etc. And well, it seems like we each get a turn, cuz inflation is my jam (pun intended), and that’s what we get with Behemoth. So naturally I’m a little partial with that event (an event that must seem very weird to anyone who doesn’t share the kink, now that I think about it). I’m kinda pissed though, because there’s this whole mystery surrounding Behemoth, about what he can and cannot eat – they spend so much time trying to figure out the solution, and I don’t think the answer is ever revealed! Kind of a big oversight there. Big up to Nomad and his new dancing gig, he looks so happy doing it. Babalon’s whole deal about encouraging sin is also pretty great.

#16 Canaan – The Promised Land

This one is so interesting to me. Being a sequel to Raiders of the Lost Isle (must I remind you, at the very bottom of this list), I thought I was going to hate it, but it’s actually a lot better than the original. The problem is that it feels unfinished. Astaroth’s deal is never really explained properly, nor his relationship with Astarte. Like, I get that Astaroth is trans, and it’s great that we get a trans character in this game, but I don’t understand why he’s spiritually connected to Astarte, what he learned over the course of the adventure, or what he plans for the future. Transition is possible in Tokyo, right? But will he ever get there? Should I even be saying “he”?

With Canaan the promised land, they decided to tackle some very complex questions. The gender issue is already complicated enough, but if Canaan is supposed to be a utopia, that opens up a whole other can of worms. There’s also the end, where Bael threatens everyone with the ethical dilemma of fleeing Canaan at the cost of all its denizens’ lives. None of these issues are addressed properly, and the whole event feels very clumsy as a consequence. Still, as clumsy as it is, I really loved it. Astarte is such a compelling character, I really hope she’ll come back some day. But I don’t know if that’s something we can hope for.

#15 Valentine's Time Warp!

An interesting concept, certainly. I like time warps. I feel like the characters they chose for this event were intelligently picked. Three grown men which serve as surrogate dads to this shy little girl – one of them being an actual dad. Don’t know what to make of Herakles in this event though. I know that a lot of people love him, I’m kinda sleeping on ‘im to be fair. But whatev’s.

This one should have been a little shorter. At one point you begin to wonder just how many times Echo can even fail to express her feelings. But it’s a minor flaw I think.

#14 I ain't Scared a no Halloween

This one is great for the characters. Volos obviously, who’s just an adorable plant nerd, but surprisingly Alice too, whose work of costuming is actually fairly entertaining (love that they kept dropping fun facts about pumpkins, it tickles my nerdy side). Cu Sith dressing up as a werewolf for Halloween was the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen on a screen. Zabaniyya trying to let loose and relax in the most horrible way is always funny. Not sure what they were going for with Chernobog’s play at the end there, but it’s nice to see Chernobog having fun.

#13 Unfurl the Sails! A Golden Treasure Ship

This is actually the first event I ever tried out. I immediately crushed on Ebisu the minute I saw him. I wouldn’t recommend starting with that one tho, because if you don’t know who the characters are, it gets confusing really fast.

This one is obviously much better than the first boat adventure – at the very least they have an actual reason for going on a journey this time. The whole battle of the band aspect makes this event more diverse and is honestly really fun. Gives Benten something to do, thank goodness. Aegir is a slightly more fun villain than Black Storm, but not by much.

#12 In with the Ogres! Carpentry of the Heart

This one is short, but for once it doesn’t feel like an issue. Unlike in Canaan – the Promised Land, they seemed to know exactly how deeply they were willing to deal with their themes (racism, mostly). The answer is: not very deep. Which is not a problem, I think. Takemary hates humans, he learns that they’re not all bad after the summoners throw a special party for Setsubun. This carpenter guy is racist against ogres because he feels like they’re stealing his job, he gets hired, apologizes and all ends well. It’s simple, sweet and very heartwarming. That’s the kinda stuff I want out of my Housamo side quests. Minimal conflict, compelling characters who get to learn something over the course of a short story, and lots of moments that make me go “aaw”. This event had everything I wanted. I like how casual it was about revealing the new sprites (like, Motosumi is just sitting around with his kids, and they’re like “oh yeah we have this new sprite for him, might as well drop it here).

#11 Year of the Guardian Dog

That’s right! The best of the new year events is the very first one. Another instance of a simple concept executed flawlessly. Agyo wants to be a guardian dog, so have a little round up of all the guardian dogs. Garmr, Cu Sith and Xolotl all have very distinct styles – and though none might seem all that skilled from a distance, they’re actually more competent that they appear. This event is essentially all about making Agyo taste humble pie, but through the form of a nice stroll with MC and Moritaka. Also, letting Moritaka serve as a mentor of sorts was an interesting subversion of his character, he who usually ends up being the one mentored (either by Shino or Kimun Kamui).

#10 Desert Journey

Oh, we’re getting in the top ten now, huh? How exciting! Seth is another of those characters I didn’t expect to like, but I was proven wrong. Always had a tough spot for characters who act tough but are actually big softies. Love love love that they didn’t really focus much on the relationships between MC and the characters, but rather how the travelers interact with one another. It’s kinda similar to the Year of the Guardian Dog now that I think about it – they bring a new character who’s proud and confident, gains some allies he doesn’t think much of as first, but they end up teaching him quite a lot. I’ll say, I never liked Hanuman all that much, but this is the best they ever handled him. Ganglie was never this subtle either. He becomes a lot more interesting, without them betraying any of his character, or negating any of his flaws.

But I’ll be real with you, I don’t really get the Journey to the West parallel. Granted, I didn’t read the book, but I know a lot about it, and I was more confused than anything else by the parody elements. Well, it’s a minor detail.

#9 Valentine Jail!

Props to Life Wonders for coming up with a character like Aizen. He’s really really fun to be around; I always like a character who wears his flaws so ostentatiously. The fact that he’s really mean but also gullible and sensitive makes the whole event a catastrophe in motion – you know exactly where it’s going, and it’s amazing to watch it unfold. I love that the MC can tease Tadatomo for working for “the enemy”, if only briefly. Love how Hakumen doesn’t care about anything in that one, and is just proudly having her fun, walking around in BDSM gear. Oh the bisexuals must have been happy with that one! I also love that Aizen doesn’t change too much over the course of the event (which could have been tempting, but would have flattened his character considerably). Essentially Aizen carries this whole event, and I have literally no complaints.

#8 Let's Go! Hot Spring Jamboree

Ah yes, the REAL redemption for Black Snow on the Hot Spring Mountains. O the Great Gendarme tries, but this one succeeds. Third time really is the charm, huh.

This event does a good job of putting together characters who don’t really have any reason for hanging out in the first place. Moritaka, Shiro and the MC aren’t so rare to see together, but pairing them with Aizen and Kagutsushi is a bold move, and yet they make it work! I love how they all get a turn at the “character development” trick. It’s highly artificial, but I don’t mind. Papa bear Kimun Kamui is just adorable (and I don’t usually comment on this, but I’m amazed by his character design too), Wen Kamui adds a fun twist to a character which might have otherwise been a little flat.

Moritaka is the real star of this event, mostly because I think the way they handle his problem is actually pretty smart (it’s true that if you obsessively try to get better at one thing by training daily, you end up being highly predictable…) Also they didn’t think it was enough to make him fight his past self once, but twice, which is hilarious (poor guy). The ending in the world of Kamui Kotan drags a bit, but that’s my only complaint.

#7 Trick or Treat! Jiangshi Night

Man this event was so fun. Oddly enough, neither of the characters that they introduce for this event (Licho and Sanat Kumara) I liked all that much, but it doesn’t matter. First there’s that truly incredible scene where Tetsuox learns to deal with his survivor’s guilt through a theater play that rhymes, like how crazy is that? Then Babalon and Motosumi engage in a “child stacking contest” if I remember correctly, a real thing that actually happens. And at the end, everyone gets to perform in a live ranger show orchestrated by Krampus!! Having some characters that we love performing a role for a fiction within a fiction is a lot more fun than I would have honestly guessed, and Krampus looked so happy with his idea, it completely melted my heart. I rarely had as much fun as I did in this very moment.

#6 A Fluffy Nightmare in Ueno!

One of the only events to prominently feature the Beast Tamers, and it’s one of the best. The concept is both interesting AND well executed (I’m still looking at you, Raiders of the Lost Isle). Exploring the dream world is a common yet tricky trope. In the dream world, anything goes, which is both a good and a bad thing. But they knew how to use it creatively without making it confusing.

This one is also good because there is an element of mystery to it, that is actually resolved properly (looking at you, Valentine Extravaganza). And the more it goes, the more it gets you thinking. “Oh okay, we’re in a dream. Some people have all their senses, others don’t. We haven’t see Kuniyoshi and Benten yet, what the hell are they up to?” Really well done. If they were to recreate a similar event in the future, I’d gladly play through it.

#5 Make a Killing! The Beach House and Andvari Falls

This one’s quality is a lot more homogeneous than the previous ones. It’s just good, from beginning to end, without many drawbacks, or any particularly striking moments. It doesn’t have an incredible concept, but it plays to its strengths, and it does it well. Those beach events tend to attract a whole flurry of characters, and this one is no exception, but most of them are well handled. I recall there’s a part where you go diving with a whole bunch of kids though… yeah, I might have partly erased that one from my mind.

Love the joke at the beginning when Adnvari is asking for a resume, and the MC can choose to reply “My blade can sever gravity itself”, like it’s a perfect illustration of the shonen plot and the slice of life plot mingling in a really funny way, I wish they did it more often! Other than that, not much to say. Just go play it.

#4 Seaside Fashionista

I think to a certain extent, Life Wonders know that if they want us to love a female character, they’ll have to make extra efforts. Not that we’re all terribly misogynists, but we’re all super gay, and it’s harder to distract us from a character’s flaws with chiseled abs or tight clothes on a chubby belly.

It works most of the time, but it works especially well with Arachne. I love that her issue isn’t lack of talent, or ambition, but inability to understand what the people want. I love how she’s a workaholic who doesn’t listen to people, but also an incredibly kind individual, who will go out of her way to make you happy with just the most perfect outfit imaginable. I love how she’s curious about everything, and often puts herself in trouble because of that. Honestly, Seaside Fashionista had no business being this good, but it was. All the new outfits they gave the characters are amazing (I still haven’t recovered from Amatsumara’s suit). The fact that we get to see a side of Tsathoggua that we rarely get to see otherwise – awesome! And as I said earlier, we got our revenge for that swimsuit contest from way before. All is well.

#3 Battle of the Bells! An Ikebukuro Christmas

Top 3 now! This is getting serious.

Since it’s ranking so high on this list, you might be surprised to find out that I don’t care all that much about Tansgrisnir (am I even writing that name properly?). Like, he’s sweet and all, but there are a lot of characters I love more. No, what got me in this event is the concept. I think it hit me when Transgrisnir hurt his leg and said that he couldn’t run anymore – when he said that the MC would have to pull the sleigh himself. A human, a teenager no less, pulling a sleigh, and flying through the air. And then competing in a race, full of people running through the air and pulling sleighs too! Can you imagine it? That’s so incredibly specific, and just so strong of a concept, all on its own! And to top it all up, they complicated the race by adding this element where you have to take frequent stops and fight groups of people in different wards of Tokyo. Yoyogi academy, Roppongi, Aoyama, and Shinjuku – groups of characters teaming up to prevent the sleighs from moving onward. And who doesn’t love teamwork?

I think this is genuinely one of the best ideas they’ve ever had, and I think they should congratulate whoever came up with it.

#2 Me-ow! Happy Illusion! The Festival of Magic Hijinks

Genuinely surprised at how well this one turned out. Another of these events where they gave themselves a lot of work; introducing Cait Sith and Tvastar, giving Ryota, Tezcatlipoca, Furufumi and Licho a new alt, and consequently a tidbit of character development, tying it up neatly at the end with the collision of worlds plot and the magic show, and it all works! I think Tvastar especially is a brilliant addition to the Crafters, because similar to Arachne and Aizen, he’s flawed in a delightful way. “Why won’t you let me help you” has always been a favorite trope of mine, so I’m probably biased. Caith Sith’s theme is a bop, mini Tezcatlipoca nearly had me cry from laughing so much, I can’t believe a team composed of Miss Ziz and Shennong of all people won a FOOD EATING CONTEST, but I’m so proud of them anyway.

Also I like that they slid some discreet references to the main plot in there. The world representatives being shady, how MC interacts with Mononobe, it was so subtle in some instances that it was almost a little spooky. Really can’t overstate how much I enjoyed that one.

#1 The New Champion of Christmas

If you’re a Krampus stan like me, you were waiting for it, and you’re probably bouncing right now. I have nothing but love for The New Champion of Christmas. Krampus’ introduction is incredible, because it’s so silly in such a charming way, I mean have you seen what the guy wears? Military pants, this absurd, ripped santa jacket that covers his face, the cow bells around his neck, the chains, whoever his chara-designer is they’re completely insane and I love them for it.

I mean all of this event is silly, and it only works because they fully commit to the bit. The Santa school has a dark Santa course now, which is incredible, Krampus threatens to give the thugs a big spanking, like can you IMAGINE if this happened to you in real life?

But then beyond the silly, Krampus is actually an adorable and shy little dude, who just wants to make friends. His character development is compelling and well executed. And can we talk about Ryota for a second? I love that they allowed him to have a crush on Krampus, something that they rarely do, since all the teenagers in this game must inevitably fall in love with the MC at some point. Shiro says something that’s absolutely wild at the beginning of the event, regarding that. Apparently Ryota crushes on people easily and becomes briefly obsessed with them, but it doesn’t last. Like okay Shiro, I hear you. But then Shiro casually says “this is how our friend group ended up forming” and I’m like HOLD ON, this is huge, you can’t just drop this on me and then move on! What? Ryota crushed on everyone? Shiro, Kengo, Moritaka, even TOJI??? And then they just became friends???? HUH????

Oh yeah, also they tie it up with wrestling at the end, and I have no complaints. A wrestling gimmick is a no brainer for Krampus, but it forces Ryota out of his comfort zone, so it’s good for two different reasons. Over all, I’m ranking this event first because Krampus literally captured my heart, and I’ve never so badly wanted to be isekai’d so I could just fall into his arms. I rest my case.

So yeah there you have it, I would be deeply surprised if everyone agreed with me, but that’s my two cents on the question. If anyone feels like writing a similar “worst to best” article about Housamo, feel free to dm me cuz I’d be SO curious to know how you rank them (or the chapters in the main plot, why not!)

#housamo #tokyo afterschool summoners #long post #unpopular opinion #shiro #kengo #ryota #toji #moritaka #krampus #zao #arachne #tezcatlipoca

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summonerscenarios · 3 years

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How about quality time with Zao? My mind is blank right now so I can't really think of a scenario... 😅

Man first time taking a crack at Zao but I had too cute of an idea not to make it ridiculously fluffy sdfghgfd thank you so much for requesting, I do hope I did him justice~!

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It’s still dark outside when you find yourself waking up. Stretching with a sigh you’re reluctant to leave the warmth of your sleeping bag, the fabric far more comforting than you thought it would be when you’d first burrowed into it for the night; so instead of leaving you roll over onto your side, fully prepared to pester Zao with idle chatter until you’re able to fall back asleep, after all, he’s almost always awake during this time.

But the space beside you is empty, and his sleeping bag is rolled up.

“Zao?” you mutter out, yawning into your hand as you lift yourself up onto your elbows and look around the tent.

Sure enough, he’s nowhere else in the tent, and the flap to the entrance is unfastened, but from where you’re sitting you can just barely make out a light seeping in through the small gap. Blinking the sleep from your eyes you glance between your side and the entryway a few times, humming to yourself as you allow your brain to catch up on what you’re seeing. And once you do you reluctantly shuffle your way out of your bed, pushing yourself up onto your feet as much as the space around you will allow - it’s a snug fit, but you’re just glad it’s still warm inside as you move you peek your head out of the flap.

Being so high up you should have expected it to be chilly, but the wave of cold that hits your face has you cursing under your breath, expression twisting in response in an attempt to stop the stinging sensation that blossoms across your cheeks and nose from the sudden temperature change. It would probably be a good idea to duck back inside and burrow through your pack for your climbing coat before you venture out into the night, but right as the idea strikes you, you catch sight of the light source that had initially drawn your attention.

The campfire that the two of you had set up earlier in the day has been reignited, the warm orange flames licking at the air and casting the ground around in a soft glow; and next to the campfire you can make out a familiar bulky silhouette, back turned away from you and facing towards the flames.

Ah, there he is.

You’re quick to shuffle over to the campfire, both eager to join him and get close to the heat source hoping it’ll warm you up, and you can’t help but chuckle as you approach.

“And here I thought you’d run off while I was asleep” you tease, dropping down into a sitting position beside him. “What’s wrong, restless? Couldn’t sleep?”

Zao turns away from what he was staring at and glances at you as you make yourself comfortable, scooting closer towards the campfire seeking out the warmth it provided.

“Mhm, something like that” he responds, and you make a noncommittal whistle of acknowledgment as you switch your gaze between him and the campfire.

A few moments pass before you speak up again.

“So, what were you looking at?”

Zao opens his mouth to respond, but you start to speak again before he can say anything.

“Let me guess” you hum “just wanted to just take in some of that good ol’ mountain air?”

“No, I-” he tries to cut in but you’re still going with the speculation.

“Ooh, or maybe you were planning on wandering around? - there’s a river closeby, right?”

You vaguely register the frustrated look that he’s giving you, but honestly it’s too fun not to try and get another guess in as you muse.

“You know, a cabin would fit right in around here~ Maybe I could convince Andvari that a mountain lodge would make for a good investm-”

You’re cut off when a hand presses against the back of your head, and your gaze is pulled upwards to look at the sky. Whatever you were saying next trails off as your jaw goes slack, eyes widening as you take in the sight presented right above you.

It’s beautiful - you’ve never seen the sky look so clear.

So far away from civilization and Tokyo’s city lights, the stars light up the sky like gold on a deep blue canvas. And it’s not just blue either, the sky itself is like a mesh of purples, whites, teals and numerous other rich tones, all fusing and merging together like something right out of a painting. You’ve seen pictures, seen videos, but it really looks as though the galaxy is stretching out before your eyes; and here, so high up, you almost feel like you could just reach out and run your hands through that very sky, swirling those stars between your fingers just to know what it would feel like and touch.

“Oh, wow”

You’re mesmerized, so much so that you only catch yourself getting lost staring in awe when you hear a laugh from beside you, and you glance away to sneak a peek at Zao. From the corner of your eye he’s smiling, clearly proud of himself at the sight of your speechlessness, and you turn to fully face him, shooting him a withering pout.

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up - I guess I’ve gotta admit, it is a pretty amazing sight”

His hand, that’s still on the back of your head, moves further up and ruffles your hair and you whine in protest, swatting his hand away even as you try to hide the fact that you’re smiling. Right on cue however, you receive a none too subtle reminder about just how cold it is, as a particularly sharp chill runs up your spine suddenly enough that you yelp at the sensation. Even the fire before you does little to block out the cold like you’d wished, and you pull your legs closer to your chest in the hopes that they’ll take the brunt of the next breeze.

Zao notices your reaction and shoots you a pointed look - honestly with how often he’s out here you wouldn’t be surprised if he’s way more acclimated to the climate than you are; you’ve gotta admit, that’s kind of funny to think about.

“Cold? Did you not bring your coat out with you?”

You want to retort that you’d been a bit more focused on your missing mountaineering buddy than clothes but hold your tongue, shuffling closer to the fire trying to seek out its heat to combat the incoming cold. Trying to focus on the movement of the flames to distract yourself you watch tiny pieces of kindling breaking off and disappearing into the air for a little while, resting your head atop your knees in an attempt to get comfortable until you decide to head back to the tent.

But you don’t stay like that for long, as after a few moments of silence passes an arm wraps around your side, and just like that you’re being moved from your spot, picked up like you didn’t weigh a thing and settled back down so that your back is pressed flush against Zao’s chest. You’re glad for the warm hue of the flames, as they provide a good excuse for why your cheeks feel like they’re burning up.

Yep, it’s because of the campfire. Definitely...maybe.

You probably would have said something, made a quip or teasing remark to get a reaction out of him, but he’s so warm that you can already feel the heat creeping up your back, spreading across your shoulders in a way that you just about melt back against him. But the warmth isn’t the only thing that you feel; twisting to look at your shoulders you find that Zao’s draped a blanket over the two of you, and you reach for the two sides draped over you, pulling them closed with a perplexed expression.

“A blanket? Where did you get…?”

In response, Zao pats the space next to him, and it’s there that you finally spot the trusty pack by his side. You swear he’s got anything and everything in that bag; you’re tempted to ask if he’s got any drinks stashed in there, but for now you’re content with just the blanket, and the mountain man that comes with it.

Allowing yourself a moment of respite, you let your eyes flutter closed, your previous hours of sleep catching up to you as the added warmth lulls you into a relaxed state. You can hear the campfire cracking before you, the rustling of the nearby trees and the occasional shrill hum of the wind as it brushes past; it makes for some damn good ambiance to listen to, and right behind you, you can hear Zao’s breathing, working in tandem with the rise and fall of his chest in a steady rhythm. It’s kind of calming, and for a few seconds you focus on listening to all the things that you can hear.

Eventually, a sigh from above you catches your attention, and you tilt your head up trying to catch what he says.

“Hah, what a troublesome little mountaineer”

You crack one eye open, gazing up at him as you grin.

“Aw, come on, Zao - you know you love me, really~”

Zao sputters, and you have three glorious seconds where you watch his face reddening at your words before his hand’s back on your head, ruffling it hard enough that your gaze is pushed back to the floor as you howl with laughter.

“Hey! What have I said about mocking your elders!? I’m taking the blanket back!”

“Noooo! I’ll behave, I swear!”

“We both know you won’t!”

You laughter echoes across the clearing, breaking the peace of the otherwise quiet night as you make a dive for the blanket stubbornly pulling it close, and while Zao’s words may seem harsh to anyone else, you still catch him fighting off a smile of his own as the two of you fight for the fabric that wraps you up together.

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