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[perfectteatime]

Greetings friends, my name is bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb

there appears to be an issue with the key...

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I aaa.;iiiooo

[ The feed suddenly cuts on and you can see the sky, and a bit of minty green hair. Forgive him he's not fantastic with technology. ]

Hello- apologies. I am Byleth Eisner. I do hope this ah- this message finds you all well. I would like to possibly request a bit of help as I believe I may be slightly-

[ It shifts and you can finally see his face! Wait- no. That's an Espurr who's soul-piercing eyes strare into the camera. ]

Espurr!

Breakfast, please! I know you must be hungry, but once we find our way to civilization, I promise we can eat-

Wait- don't d- [ The last thing the video shows are some Espurr beans before the feed cuts. ]

Comments

[nastyboy]

[Dimitri, honestly, isn't expecting to be touched. It's just something that he's so used to - dealing with his problems himself, ignoring minor little physical issues like this until he can just get somewhere else. Even with his lovers, and his travel group as a whole, it's something he's too in the habit of.]

[But it seems right as he's most unaware... that Byleth moves, those gentle hands coming to rest up over his.]

[They're warm. So warm. No doubt a result of not having to hold tightly onto the reins like Dimitri did, to help keep control of Elshot and stay on the Pidgeotto's back, but instead able to have the luxury of keeping them tucked away from the harsh wind. They're warm... and Dimitri can almost hear the pounding of Byleth's heart again, right up against his ears.]

[Frozen in place, he almost doesn't realize what Byleth has actually said for a moment, before he jolts a bit.]

Ah - yes, of course. If you would like. I can explain the holiday on the way... But, ah, you should go in, and check your Gear in with the warp pad.

[So that Dimitri can just... recover from this. And his own stupid fluttering heart.]

[perfectteatime]

Oh yes. I'll be right back. [ And just like that he's off to the Pokemon center to do his check in. It only takes a few minutes before he's back, looking plenty lively again after the rest. Now, out of habit mostly, he takes Dimitri's arm in his own again. ]

Now. Tell me of this holiday as we go, won't you? [ Perhaps he is being a bit clingy, but it's just been so long. A year that felt like a lifetime. The constant full days and starkly quiet nights. He had told them he would visit Fhirdiad as soon as he could, but neither of them were ever not gratingly busy. Things needed attending to, and people needed organizing. That's just how it went. He just never imagined he would be drowning in people but still feel so lonely. He'd never needed for much before... but before there was always his father. Always. His father and often the other mercenaries. Not a conventional family, but it had been enough.

Now he feels this cloying, desperate want to be around all of them as much as possible. The undercurrent fear of having it ripped away again in the back of his mind, always. He must get as much as he can while he can. That... and knowing in the grand picture of it all, he will eventually be without them forever.

His grip on Dimitri's arm tightens a moment before he gives one of his gently vacant looks up to him again. ]

Christmas, was it? Yes, let me hear all about it.

[nastyboy]

[Oh, okay - they're still doing this. Well, Dimitri supposes it only makes sense. It's been a long flight, and the Professor has had quite a day already. Just being transported into another world once again would be incredible... But to feel one's own heartbeat for the first time?]

[Well, he's gone through quite a lot. Dimitri tries to remember this, and not how warm Byleth's hands had felt along his ears, and brushing along his jaw.]

It is a winter holiday... [fucking obviously] People here celebrate the good done throughout the year, and how much they appreciate those around them that they love and adore. The most common way this is done is through an exchange of gifts.

Ah, but of course, the most incredible aspect of it all is the present of a saint called Santa Claus! [As they make their way through the busy city streets, all of it swept up in holiday chores and fun, Dimitri perks up excitedly.] He is an unbelievable man that continues to thrive to this day, judging what good people have done in the year. If you have been good, then he rewards you justly with gifts left for you in the middle of the night!

Through him, I was able to gift Felix something wondrous!

[perfectteatime]

[ The description also perks Byleth right up too. He listens with rapt attention. Well, it's no more or less believable than anything else that has happened here so far. It sounds downright splendid. ]

What a wonderful holiday. I would like to participate if it's not too late- hmm. I will think about gifts for everyone... that sounds like fun. To be able to show everyone how much I appreciate them.

[ A nice way to settle in, he thinks. Being able to gift things to the people he loves. He's never had much of a way with words, but perhaps this will show them better, just how much he cares. ]

So this saint- do we get to meet him? How does he calculate goodness? How does he get in if you have your door locked? Surely that's a lot of people to visit in one night. Where does he procure all the gifts? Was Felix truly that well behaved?

[ All very important questions, here. He seems very invested in this though, intent on understanding. ]

[nastyboy]

I am sure that anyone would be glad to receive anything from you, Professor! Although, ah, even with the kind of deals that merchants will give during this season - [Merchants all over all love holidays, it seems, no matter the world.] - it may prove to be an expensive endeavor... Please let me know if you encounter any difficulty whatsoever.

[He knows that just accepting money from him would no doubt put Byleth in an awkward position, and make him feel even more indebted to him... But surely there have to be other ways he can help Byleth get what he'd like.]

[Even if all the other questions make him tilt his head to the side, trying to think carefully on the answers.]

Ah... I did not know it at the time that I met him, but apparently it is quite a rare occasion... The only reason he showed himself to us in the last year was because he required our help in fending off a group of bandits that sought to ruin such a joyous occasion. [To heck with Team Rocket.] And I can promise you that Felix was very good in regards to that!

[Probably? Dimitri admits that some of his memories are once again not as helpful as they could be... He got rather worked up during it all, especially when he came upon Sylvain being injured, even if Sylvain had simply hurt himself in running about. But... Felix had gone with them all.]

[So Felix had definitely been good.]

For how he decides on when someone has been good enough, or where he gets gifts, or makes the journey... I am not entirely sure. He had told me magic exists, but... It must surely be a different type of magic than what we know of in Fodlan.

...and no doubt his Palien companions helped.

[All things are possible though Psychic type Pokemon, so jot that down-]

[perfectteatime]

I will, but I intend to make my own way when it comes to gifts. It wouldn't do to have you buy your own. [ He gives Dimitri a playful nudge. ] I will be fine, I promise. But you are appreciated nonetheless.

[ He listens carefully, indeed... what a perplexing turn of events. Especially Felix being well behaved. ]

Oh- that sounds terribly exciting. I wish I could have been there for it. Though I hope this year is more peaceful at any rate.

Hmm, well I shall endeavor to be awake for when he comes then. I intend to ask him a great deal of questions. I assume he will be coming to visit you and the rest of our friends? [ Because you are a Good Boy. ]

[ He watches a large group of people pass, chatting amongst themselves, awash in all the multicolored lights of the city and shops with holiday displays all decked out in the front windows. One catches his attention, and he grabs Dimitri's hand, pulling him over to it with him.

It's a toy shop, many different kinds of Pokemon plushes and toys arranged in the window, posed in little snowy scene. The thing that had caught his attention now clear as he points, breath fogging up the glass a little. ]

Look, Dimitri- it's Elshot!

[ There's a very nicely made Pidgeotto plush standing proudly with a little Christmas hat and scarf around it's neck. He seems pleased as punch for correctly identifying it. ]