HIMMEL THE HERO : frieren
dossier ❀. statistics ❀. rules
after a decade long journey, himmel and his friends finally put an end to the demon king's reign; bringing a long awaited era of peace to the land around them
it was something he always dreamed of achieving, making it his life's mission to do so
(well, even if he originally only wanted to become a hero to prove to heiter he wasn't a fake one)
though himmel, eisen, heiter and frieren are now celebrated as the "hero party" after making themselves well known, they now have time to rest again, focusing on other parts of their li--
...
wait what do you mean himmel's dead
what do you mean he's haunting the narrative of his series and is only seen in the flashbacks of the person he once held dearest
"Though having a wooden sword was quite nostalgic, I'm glad to have you returned to me." Himmel examined his blade in the sunlight, smiling to himself before placing it back in its sheath. It sat at his hip once more; the perceived sword of the legendary hero, though with knowledge only given to him and his friends, it was of course not the real thing.
That never stopped him from fulfilling his destiny, however.
Though the man was happy, he suddenly seemed a little puzzled; placing a few fingers at his chin as he stared at his.. bike?
❝ Is one's face more important than the rest of one's body? ❞ that was... new. while she knew the head was surely a vital spot, there was also the heart, too. ❝ There is someone I know who did the same. But his face was always bloodied, swollen, and bruised the few times I saw him. That is why it will. ❞
"That's not what I mean. Some injuries are inevitable-- I avoid all the ones that I can, but there are times where that's impossible. It's just a different situation for my face."
"I'm sorry that person went through something so painful. However, he isn't me. You're welcome to come by the arena once I have my sword back to see how I do-- I'll take your judgement then."
At that, Himmel just smiled at the woman with utmost confidence.
"It won't. I've trained enough times to make sure that never happens-- of course I've sustained other injuries to my body, but my face will always remain untouched so long as I can help it. I could never let something so important be tampered with, after all!"
"If I'm to ever get my sword back, participating might not be such a bad idea.. though, that's only if they allow weaponry. Hand to hand combat isn't my style at all-- what if my beautiful face was damaged?"
"if you had the strength to take the steps to rise to the top, could you? would you?
i think you should! step into the welcoming lights of BRAVURA ULTIMA and prove yourself the best of the best in this hell-raising spectacle of a battle arena!! be it fame, glory -- or you're just itching for that grand prize -- put that pedal to the metal for the world to see!"
feast your eyes on the newest addition to spirales stream of entertainment, bravura ultima! a tournament-style arena located within the golden ward that aims to display a showing of determination and strength for all to witness, giving voices a reason to cheer and many other a sight to look forward to. you want suspense, drama, action and mayhem than look no further than this very ring!
from the many seats lining its perimeter, to your own devices at home -- don't miss the moments to come; don't miss every heart-thumping beat displayed!
it matters not if you're populating the audience or the ring, if you're the brave soul stepping up to the challenge or the force sitting with in motivating each hopeful fighter: we're here to be alive!
"They said I'd find you here," Worried cityfolk who made mention of a man who seemed like he was in a hurry. Even more curious, however, were the blue petals scattered along the walkway, leaving a perfect trail for her to follow. Instead of the usual floral array, most of the flowers on Savior's Respite had been pushed out in favor of blue moon weeds. The sight is enough to bring her to a moment of pause. Flowers native to one's homeland weren't usually found in abundance much of anywhere in Spirale…and yet.
Frieren's gaze moves from the flowers to the familiar figure standing amidst them all, the one she'd been sent to find in the first place. Having somewhat assessed the scene, but still not fully understanding, the mage moves to close the distance between them. A hand comes to rest on his shoulder, "Himmel, what's going on?" She had noticed something was off about the city, but couldn't quite put her finger on what.
Instead of an answer, she notices the beginnings of what seems to be a flower blossoming next to her hand, sprouting from his shoulder. Stunned, but still intent on finding out what was going on, she urges him again, "What's happening to you? We need to find Fern. We'll be able to figure out what's going on together."
Whatever was happening to him, Himmel thought he could wait it out here; away from the city folk, away from everyone. Amongst the quiet of Savior’s Respite, where the beautiful flowers grew in abundance; filling the path up to the cliff with gentle beauty. A sight he wished he could have enjoyed, and most likely would have, had it not been for the flowers of his own that were sprouting from every inch of his body.
He wasn’t certain, exactly, of when it started. Himmel merely went about his day as he usually did in this world, helping those who needed him, saying hello to all he had met thus far. There was nothing amiss, no changes he had noticed; not until someone he had helped complete a task for asked him out for dinner as a way to thank him. Advances like these were not unusual to Himmel— he was a beautiful man, so why wouldn’t someone try for his hand?
The answer, however, was an immediate no. The reason being that they could have repaid him in any other way— they didn’t need to go that far.
Except, that wasn’t what he said. That wasn’t what came out of his mouth.
I’m flattered, but there’s someone else in this world who holds my heart.
From then on, it wouldn’t stop.
Any passing thought he had of Frieren, any reminder of her, any person who asked him about their friendship— Himmel was suddenly more than happy to reveal his hidden thoughts, the feelings he’d kept at bay for nearly a decade. Omitting his affection, why he did the things he did— that nearly second nature for him at this point of his life, having practiced for so long how to keep those feelings quiet. Never reveal too much, never lean into the obvious— except those times he couldn’t help himself, where he was confident Frieren wouldn’t catch onto what he was doing.
His body, his heart, wanted the entire island to know— against the will of his mind, of any other part of him. Yet when Himmel silenced himself, even forcibly keeping a hand over his mouth— that’s when they appeared. Blossoms of blue moon weeds, on his hands, his arms, his shoulders, blooming with every thought that tried to leave him.
There were apparently enough for Frieren to eventually find him by, the hand on his shoulder causing the man to whip his head around to meet her eyes— and for the first time in his life, the joy at simply seeing her was not there. Rather, it was.. nervousness, even perhaps fear.
What if he said something— said the one thing he was sure he would never tell her?
“Frieren,” her name fell from his lips without a second thought, a telltale sign of what was to come. An ache pierced his chest then, at the concern she showed for him; reaching for her hand momentarily to give it an affectionate squeeze.
“I don’t think you should be near me— either of you,“ he flinched at his own voice, clearing his throat as he soon let go of the elf’s hand again. “I’m— I’m not alri—“
Suddenly, the man began to cough; turning his head away as he covered his mouth with his palm. He could feel something sharp in his lungs, and when it eventually subsided and he pulled his hand away.. it was full of blue moon weed petals.
Himmel laughed. A wry, strange sound.
“.. I don’t know if this is something magic can fix. It would be best to leave me alone until this is over. I promise I’m— fine. Please don’t.. stay here, or else I might.. I fear I’ll—“
But his words were once more interrupted, that piercing feeling coming back to his chest as he coughed once more.
"Mmm? Yes that's exactly who it's for." A pause. Only to think back for even a brief moment to realize the description of the individual in front of her.
"...Wait, are you Himmel?" As if the blue hair and appearance didn't match every box in her head. "I'll admit when she mentioned that everyone and her master called the a hero I expected a little bit more of a glamorous appearance."
Or maybe the word "Hero" had been lost on her thanks to a certain window breaking individual...
"Still you're right. We went out one night to a dance and didn't realize each other would be there. Since then I've been trying to think of gifts that might be best for her. I think now that you know the recipient you could understand my frustration."
"Aha! I knew it! So you were buying something for..."
"..... eh? Hold on now-- what do you mean 'more glamorous'? Fancy and expensive clothes don't make your appearance, it's your looks! And mine are perfectly glamorous, if I do say so myself.."
Though his excitement dwindled some from Rapi's comment, Himmel's break in his usual calm and collected character did seem to settle eventually; clearing his throat as he not-so-obviously flipped his bangs forward, as if trying to prove a point.
It probably wouldn't help much, but he had to express himself better, if Rapi couldn't see it!
"I'll admit, I don't know Fern as well as her master does; there's quite a stretch of years between us.. but from my experiences with her, I believe I can understand." Momentarily, his attention turned back to the table of jewels before them; running his fingers down a particular silver chain with a locket attached to the end. It was intricate, carved with subtle patterns, and shone in the gentle sun of winter. "She's headstrong, isn't shy to say how she feels.. it's what I'd expect in someone raised by two of my greatest friends."
He chuckled fondly at that.
"She wears quite a few silver pieces.. perhaps she would enjoy something similar? Though, with what I do know about Fern.. I think what will matter the most to her is that you put so much thought into wanting to make her happy. Above all else, that will be the greatest gift you could give to her."
"I'm somewhat surprised that she mentioned me to you.. you certainly don't have to give me context, but I'd be happy to know your name, since you already know mine."
Sephiroth looked over Himmel. He was slowly beginning to understand others and their tastes as he observed them in his free time. He went over to the notebooks and took stock before grabbing one and held it out to Himmel.
"This one. It's pages are strong enough to handle heavy inks and won't bleed through if you use fountain pens or dip pens. It's surface is smooth enough to not cause any skip either when you write, so all kinds of pens will glide smoothly," he explained to him with quiet excitement. "And, the ribbon attached has a nice charm."
As the boy handed the notebook to the hero, he spread his palm across its surface; before flipping open the cover and thumbing through its pages. He was right-- this was a sturdy, strong book that could likely survive the travels he once went on back at home.. and the white ribbon tied up on its spine was certainly an elegant touch.
Himmel smiled at the book, something gentle shimmering in the corner of his eye.
".. you certainly have a knack for this," he spoke suddenly, closing the notebook eventually as he looked at the boy again. "I'm impressed-- with just one look, you found exactly what I needed. Maybe you enjoy different kinds of stationary like this, or.. you're just very good at helping people."
"But what about you? You're here for a reason too, aren't you? Perhaps there's something I could do to return the favour."
This is an event rerun. For more information on how to participate and the rules that apply, please check our EVENT RERUN GUIDE! If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask!
It’s a relatively quiet day, all things considered. No sudden outages, major bugs or hacker attacks. By all means, it was a perfectly normal day.
“Got any fives?”
“Go fish.”
Arcturus blinks and picks up their twelfth card.
“I don’t think you are playing this right.”
“Whatever do you mean?” Taygeta tilts its head curiously and asks back. “Do you have any fives?”
Arcturus removes one card from their hand and slides it over. With a triumphant beep, Taygeta pulls three cards from its own hand and places the stack of fives to the side. Arcturus stares blankly at the cards, then back at them.
“Again, I don’t think-”
The door to the breakroom swings open, banging loudly on the wall behind it. In the doorway stands none other than Edward, their much… tolerated janitor, armed with a broom currently held in an attack position. He scans the room and points the broom bristles at the only two people inside.
“Did one of you two take my lunch?” He asks in an even tone that does not correlate with the white-knuckled grip he has on the broom handle. “One that had my name on it in capital letters. And ‘Do not Eat’ right under that.”
Both of them shake their heads slowly. Edward exhales and lowers the broom to the ground.
“Well, then someone is clearly lying, because you are the last two people I asked.” He looks around the breakroom one last time, as if his lunchbox could hide in a corner somewhere before turning around. “Since nobody is willing to confess, I am going to review the security tapes. Sorry for the interruption.”
The door closes much more gently than it was opened and the breakroom is silent for a moment. Only a moment though, before Arcturus turns back to the cards still on the table.
“So, about those fives-”
“Isn’t it interesting,” Taygeta ignores them, still staring at the doorway, “How people are tempted to lie even when that might hurt them in the long run?”
Compelled by the question, Arctutus lowers their cards to the table.
“It is an interesting question,” they admit, “Why do people lie? Is it a defense mechanism? An ancient instinct from the olden times that has incorporated itself seamlessly into our modern lives? And-”
“-Can it be overridden? And what would society be like if lying was no longer an option?” Taygeta picks up, looking back at their companion. “That would be an interesting thing to test, don’t you think?”
Arcturus has already risen from their seat, their card dispute momentarily forgotten.
“What do you have in mind?”
- - - - -
In multiple places in the city, a unique type of flower starts to bloom in spite of the coming winter. With their red and purple petals and a strong but sweet scent, they just beg to be picked, put in a little flower crown or gifted to a treasured friend.
But, unbeknownst to the city inhabitants, the pollen from these flowers is more tricky than that from the regular ones. Where ordinary flower pollen only brings allergies to the unfortunate few, this pollen is wired to render anyone who touches it unable to lie and more than willing to spill the truths that they’d rather hide.
Though it can be possible to resist the pollen’s influence, it is a difficult feat, even more so for people who have much to hide. Each time you try it will only get harder… In fact, those who attempt it too much will notice that flowers will start to grow on their body as well. These batches of flowers will bloom and wither within days, sometimes hours, only to reappear in a different part of the island mere moments later. Check your lodgings, maybe there are some hiding in your house right now?
- - - - -
Welcome to our next event rerun: A Crocus Among Us!
As stated, a pretty new species of flower has bloomed on the island regardless of the snowy weather rolling in. Though the flowers' life cycle is fairly quick, they do pop up everywhere--from cracks in the concrete to personal gardens to parks... even the beaches aren't immune to this hardy flower. And neither are you!
The pollen from these flowers have a special property: If touched by it, it becomes increasingly difficult to hide the truth from others. This can be in several forms:
Lying outright becomes almost impossible
Keeping the truth from someone becomes very difficult (like keeping quiet, or omitting a crucial fact)
Reserved people are more likely to over-share information
People feel compelled to tell truths about themselves
If someone tries to resist the effects of the pollen anyway, their own body will begin to sprout flowers on its own. A person may start slowly become covered in flowers, leaves, vines, petals, or other plant-like growths until they spill the beans!
Frequently Asked Questions:
"How long does the pollen effect last?"
The effect wears off in a couple hours, provided a person doesn't get any new pollen on them.
Also, the effects will stop if the character is no longer covered in pollen, so taking a shower and changing clothes would also help. Of course, for that they would need to know that it’s the flowers that cause this whole situation...!
"Will damaging the flowers stop the pollen effects?"
In theory it should, yet these flowers seem impervious to any type of damage. Removing them from the earth does not stop them from blooming, and more will appear in the place of any that were taken away.
"If there is a secret related to my muse that they do not know, will the truth pollen reveal it?"
If it is something that they did not have any way to know about beforehand, then no. The pollen can only reveal secrets that the muse is aware of in some capacity.
For example, if it is something that they knew but repressed enough to hide it from everyone including themselves, the pollen might get it out of them. Of course, someone would still need to ask a specific question for it to come up, or they would need to talk long enough to get that secret out of their own brain.
"If my muse is not human, will they still be affected?"
Yes! Anyone who can be covered by pollen will experience the same effects.
"How long will my muse be able to resist the effects of the pollen?"
It depends on your muse’s willpower and pain threshold. The more secrets your muse has, the harder - and more painful - it would be to resist the pollen. At some point, the truths will start spilling even through their teeth. Stronger ones might hold out for about a day, but it is very unlikely someone could go longer than that.
"What about flowers that sprout from people who try to resist the pollen, will they show up on muses that are not human?"
Sure, why wouldn’t they? You might even customize what specific flowers will grow from your muse if you want. Maybe their metallic chassis will get covered in lichen instead, or, if your muse is particularly big, small trees might suit them more.
"Does that affect my muse only visually, or can the flower growths hurt them?"
It is supposed to be a visual change only--while resisting the pollen itself may lead to pain, the flowers or other plant growths do not in and of themselves. But… Who knows? Maybe your muse was unlucky enough to get a bugged version that makes them feel pain where the flowers appear. See where your angsty heart leads you~
"How long will the event last?"
The event will run from May 1st until May 22nd at 11:59:59PM!
Sephiroth noticed Himmel standing in front of the notebooks. He had come to finally buy a new one after he had filled his previous journal to the brim. It reminded him of when he first arrived and was just as stumped at the options.
"Hm?" the sudden voice behind him surprised Himmel some, despite that it barely showed on his features; offering the young boy a smile once he turned his head to look at him.
"Maybe I do. There's quite a selection here-- I really don't know which one I should choose," he tucked a few fingers under his chin, once more turning to the display in front of him. ".. or if I should even choose at all. The last notebook I had-- it sort of just found its way to me. I wonder if it's alright to buy myself one this time around."
Deep in thought, Himmel stood in the stationary store he'd come across; perusing the various, beautiful notebooks they had for sale. Some were leather bound, some were brightly coloured-- there were almost too many to make a choice..
"Well, you certainly wouldn't have the position that you do if they knew better than you. They'd be off on their own, not needing any guidance at all-- but that's clearly not the case."
With one last comforting pat, Himmel let go of the other man, before easing into the back of his chair some; his arm hanging off the back. Of course, he understood that Jack had quite the big shoes to fill-- it didn't make the job any easier, but..
"You just have to give them time to get to know you more, especially the older ones. They had the same coach for quite some time, but you were picked to replace him for a reason," he picked up his drink, taking a sip as he thought on it some more. "Maybe letting them show you what they know first might not be such a bad thing? Ask them about how they play, what they would do in certain situations-- then you can give your own advice from there. You are a replacement, but you aren't trying to replace coach Dave, if that makes sense. You're your own person, with maybe new plays they've never even thought of-- they'll get their chance to see that eventually."
Yuuta perks up when he turns the corner and sees Himmel storing the foils into their proper place. He has to adjust his backpack and the case on his shoulder.
"I wanted to ask about the hours for the club meetings before I committed to it fully - the track and field team is looking for new members too, but I haven't decided...and I wanted to make sure it didn't overlap with the kendo club meetings."
"Of course. We'd be happy to have you, but I'm sure kendo takes precedence from you-- I wouldn't want the wrath of your instructor after me for taking too much of your time."
Himmel spoke with a lighthearted laugh, as he took a couple steps to take a clipboard off the wall; flipping to the current month, and showing Yuuta the schedule for his club.
"University students come every Monday and Wednesday, while my high school classes are every Tuesday and Thursday. We also have flexible learning on Friday-- everyone is welcome to come, and those with more experience are encouraged to help new attendees practice. It's not mandatory, but it's a more relaxed class than the others during the week." He dragged his finger across the paper, noting the times. "I have two timeslots for the university students, but the class for your age starts at four in the afternoon. Would that work for you?"
Okay, he admittedly got too into it. Parrying wasn't something he meant to do, but the motion just came so naturally...But, Himmel called the practice session off to scold the boy. He flicked his helmet up and exhaled.
"I...Don't know where that came from." The boy admitted as he staked his practice sword into the ground and leaned on it. "I know." Yawwwwn, "I know. Something about striking your precious face."
"Not to worry! This is why we wear protective gear-- my good looks are luckily still preserved," when he took off his helmet, Himmel even did a dramatic flip of his hair; giving the boy his coolest pose, with his fingers tucked under his chin.
The display didn't last for very long, however; placing the helmet aside and sheathing his sabre for the time being. The obvious show of flair had died down rather quickly, and though he was smiling, there was an air of concern surrounding the instructor.
"That was quite unlike you to make a mistake like that. We could stop, or perhaps just take a moment to rest. If there is something on your mind, you're always welcome to share-- this is a safe space for more than just fencing." And with the two of them alone for once, perhaps the boy would be more inclined to be candid.
"Hello there! You're Mr. Okkotsu, aren't you?" though in the midst of tidying up the club's equipment, Himmel paused for a moment to greet the boy; placing the foil's back into their proper spots. He offered the other his free hand to shake, if he so pleased. "Good to see you! I'd hoped you might stop by-- that application you submitted was quite impressive! Are you still interested in joining our fencing club, or perhaps your other activities are taking up too much of your time..?"
Shadow was one of Himmel's best pupils-- and although he had quite the reputation across campus, he seemed relatively serious when it came to fencing, almost as if it was something he was born for. His forms, technique, and everything came to him naturally-- it impressed Himmel whenever they had a club meeting.
But on that particular day, as the two practiced with their sabres, the boy used a move that the older man was not expecting; parrying his blade, before Shadow swept the practice weapon nearly across his face!
"-- whoa!" came the surprise from the man, jumping back to avoid the hit. Of course, they were practice blades, and each of them were wearing their protective gear, but..
".. ambitious, Shadow! But if this were a real match, you would've been disqualified on the spot! Was that intentional, or.. perhaps there's something on your mind?"
