My athamé became Zer0’s on a hot November day
“Autumn Leaves” by Sheena Ringo
My new white silk robe and athamé arrived today. The last day of November… I, we—ahh, as time goes on, it’s more difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins—and maybe it doesn’t really matter—were so happy to set out the red poinsettia tablecloth, and the winter bouquet. We took some time ironing the cloth and the robe, first. Then Yumeka swept and… Whoops. Does he mind me writing in his diary? Haha. Well, it’s fine. It’s a fine journal he’s set up for himself…
Hey, buddy. If you’re reading this, thanks for taking care of this body. Has it already been over ten months? Time sure flies.
After breakfast, Yuuka-chan found Avúreyon and Bithisarea drinking up and laughing up a storm. And singing. It really surprised him. But not Naděžda. “He just needed an older woman [to hang out with],” she said. She’s right. Is that what Avúreyon is, though? An older woman…? Oh, and Yumeka found himself a “yorishiro”; at least, that’s what he’s calling it. The lacey fox mask! Now that surprised me. Isn’t he supposed to be a shark? Not a fox? But I can see his character in it… It fits him. So I guess that’s his mitamashiro now.
Yumeka pulled the dagger out of the sheath—pretty little thing, he is—and started “acclimating” it to its new home, introducing his energy to it, handling it, getting to know one another. It seemed OK. He thought, “Ah, it’ll take time for us to get used to each other.” So he introduced us to it one by one, and, Zer0 didn’t want any part in this, initially.
“I don’t wanna.”
“C’mon Zer0, it’s a sword! Check out Yumeka’s new sword, it’s neat.”
“That’s a knife, Boss.”
“Oh yeah. Well, c’mon. Just give it a go.”
And, oh, boy. I can’t remember the last time I saw Zer0 have that look in his eyes. He shook and went limp like a marionette as soon as it was his turn to hold the dagger. Then he looked at it and said, “…I think this is my knife.” It was a thrill to see Zer0 slash, thrust, and parry with it. I almost forget how good he is with a knife, except when he wields the bonsai shearers. Even better than Grímnir… I guess Yumeka—Lest—really is more of a Polish sabre person. Well, that’s fine. As for me, I’ll settle with my fists. For my fists. Haha.
And, after Zer0 was done being himself—I get the feeling he hasn’t been himself lately, he’s been holding back—I ran off with Yumeka’s robe and said it was mine. I felt like I was at some fancy resort spa, haha. It’s a really fine robe. He made a good choice picking it out. Which, makes me think “Jin” was the one who picked it out, not Yumeka. Our little shark boy isn’t known for his taste in clothes… at all. Like, he doesn’t like wearing clothes, and couldn’t care less about them.
I should let Yumeka get back to his website, writing his own diary entry. Though, I can’t find him… Hm.