Cold air sat comfortably in the Squad House, huddling around sizzling breakfast plates and six kids who were only awake because they had to be.
Siana: Morning kiddos!
Siana moved their plates from the kitchen counter to the dining room table, she took her own seat, watching the kids gradually wake up over the rim of her mug.
Sakiko: It's cold! Takuro, use your fire and make me warm.
Takuro: That's not how my blessing works…The flames aren't even hot.
Sakiko: You only think that cause it's your blessing, maybe I'll get some heat from it!
Tamiko: Sister, leave Takuro Rimio alone and eat. We've got training later.
Siana: Actually, today is not a training day. Neither is tomorrow.
They all reacted differently to her words.
Sakiko paused mid-bite.
Seigan leaned back in his chair, narrowing his eyes.
Inezo visibly relaxed.
Takuro immediately looked much more awake.
Akdia and Tamiko exchanged a skeptical glance.
Siana set her mug down.
Siana: Today and tomorrow are "Dreve: Dawn & Dusk"
Seigan: Ahh of course! How could we forget?
Seigan's smart remark was met by a rubber bullet, one he barely managed to avoid.
Siana: It's a holiday, quite an old one too. I believe it was made around the time of the Third Celestial. The first day is "Dawn day." The second is "Dusk day."
That grabbed all their attention.
Siana: A household picks a single person. That person then has to choose gifts for everyone else.
Sakiko: This seems fun!
Siana: It usually is. But everyone who isn't choosing gifts has until dusk tomorrow to try and figure out what their gift is.
Silence.
Takuro: Then what?
Siana: That's it. You can ask questions, spy, or even sneak around. You've just gotta guess.
Sakiko: What do you get if you guess right?
Siana smiled.
Siana: Then you win.
Tamiko: And if we don't guess?
Siana: You still get the gift. You just lose the challenge.
Seigan dropped the front legs of his chair back to the floor.
Seigan: This doesn't feel very "high stakes."
Siana: It's not supposed to, it's for fun.
Akida: Why was this holiday created in the first place?
Siana: Kellan Dreve was the Celestial of the island during a very violent time in Divine History. This holiday was a way for the citizens on the island to have a good time during a time of constant fear.
Tamiko: I've been seeing decorations from my window recently.
Siana: Ahh, yes, Dreve is a dual celebration of the winter holidays and the new year. We have special decorations that change depending on which day of Dreve it is and the time of day.
Seigan: This sounds pretty cool.
Siana: It'll be better once you guys actually know your way around the island. But let's get back on topic.
Inezo: So who's choosing?
Siana: Considering this is the first time you six are celebrating Dreve, I am.
Her words immediately made the majority of them begin to think quietly.
Inezo: Do we have to try and find out?
Siana: I suppose not, it's just for fun after all.
Takuro: Don't be the only one who doesn't try, Inezo.
Akida: I'm surprised he stayed after Siana said "No training."
Seigan: We actually agree on something for once, He hasn't even started to fall asleep...Are you a clone?
A playful smile could barely be seen at the corner of Inezo's face.
Inezo 2: Hehe, yeah.
Seigan: Damnit…
Siana picked her mug back up as she rose from her chair.
Siana: Dawn to dusk. You have until tomorrow night to figure it out.
She casually walked out of the room, the kids all looked at each other, smiling.
Seigan: Bet I figure it out.
Akida: No chance, Atasa. Not before me.
Takuro: You're both wrong! I've got this one.
Tamiko: A challenge then.
All eyes turned to the quieter twin.
Tamiko: We'll each make one, singular attempt at figuring out what Siana's bought for us. First one to find out gets to ask one favor of the other five.
Akida: You're on!
Seigan: You're on!
Inezo: You're on!
Takuro: You're on!
Sakiko: You're on!
—Dawn's Day: 14:00—
Siana closed the gate to the yard behind her. She carried a bag in each hand, she whistled a happy tune as she approached the door.
Takuro: [This is simple. I'll just cut the handles to the bags when Siana walks in. The first one to try will be the first one to succeed. ]
The door swung open.
Takuro: [Now!]
Takuro: Arto Style Sword Technique – White Flame Sever
Sakiko: Here ya go, Siana!
Takuro: Sakiko?!
Sakiko: Oh, hey Takuro—
Takuro's technique carried him straight into Sakiko, and their momentum carried them off the porch.
Siana let out a laugh as she set her stuff down to help them off the ground.
Siana: Nice try kiddo. Unfortunately, I figured one of you would try to ambush me when I got back.
Takuro: Did you get me a sword?! No wait, a spear?! An axe?!
Siana: All good guesses, also all wrong guesses.
Takuro: Damn…
—Dawn's Day: 23:00—
Seigan crept down the stairs in the dead of the night, his ears on alert.
Seigan: [Every time Siana comes back from shopping, I always hear her stop at the closet by the door.]
The boy stood at the closet door, using his ears to scan the house for any stray movement once more.
He opened the door…A liquid-filled balloon launched from the other wall, cleanly connecting with the bridge of Seigan's nose.
The shock settled as the smell of the liquid hit Seigan's nose.
Seigan: …Dude is this fruit juice?!
Siana's laughter rang out from the top of the stairs.
Siana: Haha, I called Elijah to help set that one up. Go take a bath Seigan, you don't want to get juice on your bed.
Sonia: [Danced right to her tune.]
Seigan: I'm sleeping in silence tonight.
Sonia: [What?! Don't be crazy, I really wanted to listen to that new vinyl you got! C'mon, Seigan I was just kidding!]
Siana watched as he disappeared down the hall.
Siana: Really was smart thinking though.
Takuro: Is it a hammer?!
Siana let out a silent gasp as Takuro appeared behind her.
Siana: Takuro…Go to bed!
Takuro slowly disappeared around the corner.
Takuro: So it's not a hammer...
—Dusk's day: 8:30—
Siana hummed a tune to herself as she once again prepared breakfast.
Siana: [Kids'll be up in half an hour. Gotta make sure not to give Sakiko peppers.]
As if yesterday was repeating itself, everything was the same. Except this time…the walls had eyes.
Akida and Tamiko painted to blend in with the walls.
Tamiko: [Our chance has arrived!
Akida: [We've been here for two hours, but now it's TIME!]
With their shoes covered in ink to suppress the sound, they snuck around the island of the kitchen to Siana's back.
Tamiko: [Now Akida.]
Akida raised her hands towards Siana's head.
Akida: [I'll read her memories…]
Siana: You two here to help with breakfast?
Siana spun around and placed a plate in each of Akida's hands. She panicked, almost dropping both of them.
Akida: You knew?!
Siana: Uhh, yeah?
Tamiko: For how long?
Siana: Since I left my room. You guys gotta remember I'm a hitwoman.
Akida: I'm going to need you to repeat that for me later
Sakiko: AKIDA WAS RIGHT?!
Sakiko appeared from behind the couch in the living room.
Akida: How long were you over there...
Sakiko: I slept here!
Akida: Why…?
Siana: Why…?
Tamiko: Why…?
Xena: [I would also like to know why…]
Sakiko: I DON'T KNOW!
Akida: There's something seriously wrong with your sister Tamiko.
Tamiko: I feel this is my fault somehow.
A hand reached out from a cabinet and grabbed Siana's ankle.
Siana: AHHH!
Takuro: Is it some kind of knife?!
Siana: Takuro?! We're going to have a serious talk about this later.
—Dusk's Day: 18:45—
The sun was beginning to set, the warm light shone through the window, reflecting off the six gift bags Siana had prepared. The squad each took their time wandering in, Sakiko came in second to last, she approached Siana.
Sakiko: Can you tell me what it is?
Siana: No?
Sakiko flopped onto the couch.
Sakiko: I tried! Tamiko you saw me try right?
Tamiko: It was a very good effort sister.
Inezo made it into the living room last.
Seigan: You're not a clone, are you?
Inezo: Not this time. I just woke up, it's like someone made my bed comfier or something.
Siana: Ding, ding, ding. Good guess Inezo.
Akida's jaw dropped.
Akida: You've gotta be kidding me.
Siana: I got Inezo a mattress topper. It makes his bed comfier.
Seigan: But he wasn't guessing!
Siana: Yes he was, right Inezo?
Inezo: ...Yes!
Seigan: Aww, bullshit.
Takuro: Look at his face, HE doesn't even believe what he's saying.
Inezo had a very shaky smile.
Siana: And that means he wants the one prize that comes with being the only person to guess correctly, right Inezo!
Inezo: Yes I do!
Siana: You have to pick gifts next year!
Inezo: I take it all back!
Seigan: Nope, no take-backs! Good luck!
Akida: I'll make sure to write a list for ya!
Sakiko: But where would you mail it to?
Tamiko: Obviously, you'd slide it under his door, sister?
The three girls laughed.
Inezo: Yeah, yeah, laugh it up.
Inezo angrily sat down in an empty chair.
Siana: Now here, take your gift bags.
Each of them took their gift bags, all of them varying in size.
Sakiko: You got me running shoes?! Awesome!
Siana: I did you one better. I started you your own shoe brand with Dr.Vera as your sponsor, those are the first in the line.
Sakiko: I have my own sneaker?!
Sakiko screamed so loud it made Seigan dizzy. She dashed across the room to wrap Siana in a hug
Sakiko: Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Siana: You're welcome kid.
Watching the exchange between Sakiko and Siana made everyone else dig through their bags sooner.
Inezo: Umm, I don't want to be rude but I don't see anything crazy in here.
Siana: Ahh, yours is on the way, it's a mechanical bed to go with the mattress topper, it's got like one hundred functions.
Inezo: You really get me.
Seigan: Dude are you crying...
Akida: What's this?!
Siana: It's a memory projector, I'll set it up for you later. But it reads your memories and lets you project them. Since that's your blessing I figured I'd get you a custom one. Simply press your palm to it, pump some Serava, and it can project anything you've seen.
Akida: Cool...Thanks, a lot Siana.
Siana: Haha, could you at least look at me while you say that?
Tamiko: A deck of cards?
Siana: It's a…special deck of cards that will play against you by itself.
Tamiko: How'd you know I like card games?
Siana: Lucky guess?
Tamiko: Thank you.
Seigan: What's up with this coin?
Inezo: What're those small symbols on it?
Seigan: One side has candy, and the other has…cake…I think?
Siana: That's right. You can show that at almost any store on the island and get as many sweets as you want.
Takuro: No way!
Siana: Yes way!
Seigan: Unlimited sweets…
Siana: Only sweets, though, anything else you've actually gotta buy.
Seigan walked over and gave the woman a fist bump.
Seigan: I really like you, Siana.
Siana: Aww, I think you're pretty cool too kid.
Takuro: I'm last, it looks like. What does this thing do?
Takruo held up a black orb with an orange hexagonal pattern pulsing across it.
Siana: That's another…special, tool. It's a scabbard that can change shape; that way you don't have to make your weapons disappear all the time.
Takuro: Wow…This is…perfect.
Seigan: Yeah, she surprised me.
Inezo: I have to follow this next year…?
Sakiko: Good luck…
Siana: Glad you kids like your gifts.
Siana's words were drowned out by the chatter of the six, each of them had a wide smile on their face as they talked about their gifts.
Siana: I love you guys.