(Y/n)'s point of view

Sunday, December 11, 20XX

Location: Forest.

Time: Evening.

I was in the room of the wooden shack as I sat on my bed with my journal in my hand, writing my thoughts down on the journal.

(Y/n)'s thoughts written into the book: Winter, the time of cooling and enjoying the peace that it can bring with Christmas coming closer each day. I haven't had that kind of peace with being in the city from the fight with Dionix and Discord after I revealed myself... Ever since I revealed myself, people looked at me differently and I didn't know how to take it. Day after day, I would get no rest from people swarming in on me and those that I know because of what we can do. Feeling fed up with how we were being treated, mother decided we needed to get out of the city for a few days. Two days have passed since we came back to the shack to get some peace and quiet while we were able to convince (F/n) and Emma's parents to let them come with us also. IF and Compa also decided to come with us to enjoy some time away from what happened in the city to get some peace and quiet. IF probably needed it more, due to the fact she was on the scene and got the CPUs and myself out of there in the way she did. Probably dealing with her superiors in her line of work and getting shunned for it. I never meant to make her job harder than it was... If I could do something to help her out... I would do it in a heart beat.

I heard a knocking at my door and wondered who it was.

(Y/n): You can come in.

The door opens to reveal IF as it seemed convenient due to me writing about her.

Captain IF: Hey there, kid... What'cha Doin' in here for? You've been cramped up in this room mostly.

I sighed from being asked that question and decide to answer.

(Y/n): It's just... My life, is being flipped turned upside-down because of what's happened... I have made each of our lives here worse from revealing who I am here and... There is no way I can take it back...

IF looked at me and walked over to my bed, sitting down next to me and place a hand on my shoulder.

Captain IF: Trust me, kid... It must be really tough. Take it from me. I'm doing everything I can to file reports and take assignments to keep my superiors distracted from focusing on you... But I do this because I care very much for your family. You may have made the most to sacrifice... But you're strong enough to take it on. I should know. You've taken on monsters, soldiers, thugs and anything of the sort! You got guts (Y/n). And you got the heart of courage to prove it.

I looked at IF and smiled. Even though this IF wasn't the one I know, their personalities are still the same.

(Y/n): Thanks... Aunt Iffy...

IF ruffled my hair and chuckled.

Captain IF: Now get out of this room. You have friends and loved ones that are waiting for you outside.

(Y/n): Okay.

Getting some proper winter clothes on, I head outside to meet up with the CPUs, my little sister, Emma and (F/n). My mother and father were sitting in chairs with hot cocoa to drink with Compa as IF came out to join them.

(Y/n): So, you needed me for something?

(F/n) wraps an arm around my head from my left and Neptune did it from my right.

(F/n): We're gonna have fun buddy!

Neptune: And we're doing it in a snowball fight of course!

(F/n): Couldn't pick teams until there were even numbers. That's why you're here.

I nod my head at their understanding.

(Y/n): Okay... Seems fair. But now the question is, which side is everyone fighting on first?

After a few minutes of deciding, one team was called, Blue team while the other was Red Team. On the Blue Team, it consisted of Abby, Neptune, Noire and Vert. While on my team, it consisted of (F/n), Emma, Blanc and myself for Red team. Single strap colors to indicate teams were on each person's right arm to show who is friendly to them, and who is not. Before we started, we shifted some snow here and there quickly to make our little game more fun. Once ready, I face my team in our base with our flag standing tall and proud.

(Y/n): Alllllllllllll right, soldiers! We of Red Team shall take that Blue Team flag in the name of victory!

(F/n): Sir, permission to speak my mind about this?

(Y/n): Permission denied, Private (F/n).

(F/n) had a shocked expression on his face and points at me.

(F/n): Private?! Hey! I am no Private!

(Y/n): Yes you are! And don't talk back to your Sergeant!

(F/n): You are no Sergeant of mine!

Emma takes a step forward and raises a hand.

Emma: Permission to give our strategy, Sir?

(Y/n): Permission granted, Specialist Emma.

(F/n): Specialist?!

Emma walks up and gathers my attention to look around the area.

Emma: If we sneak around to the side, we might be able to get the drop on our enemies without them noticing.

(Y/n): Hmm, a good idea. But with Noire and Vert on their side, they might anticipate our strategy...

Blanc: Permission to speak?

(Y/n): Absolutely, Corporal Blanc.

(F/n): Corporal?!?!

(Y/n) looks at Emma with an annoyed face.

(Y/n): Emma, go hit (F/n) with some snowballs please...

Emma: Roger sir.

While Emma goes to beat some snowballs into (F/n), Blanc surveys the land and points ahead to where the enemy base is.

Blanc: I say a straight approach with no sign of giving them time to attack.

(Y/n): Full on assault huh...? Maybe... But then we wouldn't have a strategy...

I began to think on what we can do and then I come up with an idea.

Third person view.

Popping over a hill of snow, Neptune, Noire, Vert and Abby are half way to where Red Team base is.

Noire: (Whispers) It's quiet...

Vert: (Whispers) TOO quiet...

Neptune: (Whispers) I would want it a nice medium volume if possible actually...

Abby: (Whispering) Why are we whispering?

Neptune looks to Abby with a smile and a finger on her cheek.

Neptune: (Whispering) Trying to be like secret spy agents, Abby. Need to be very sneaky right now. So let's pretend we're on a sneaking mission.

Abby: (Whispers) Okay.

Blue Team continues to make their track as they get closer to where Red Team base is. Sitting at the shack Iris, Jasper, IF and Compa watch the game unfold with Iris chuckling.

Iris: How long do you think it'll take until they notice?

Jasper: Five minutes?

Captain IF: I'd give it ten minutes.

Compa sweats slightly with a worried look.

Doctor Compa: Are we sure we should let them do this though...?

Iris: *chuckles* Hey, I don't mind them having fun. They need to relax without us adults telling them what to do. Besides, I'm curious how this plays out~

Jasper looked at his wife and sighed.

Jasper: When her curiosity is piqued... There's no reasoning with her...

Doctor Compa: I'll get my medic bag just in case...

Nearly seven minutes go by as Blue Team is close to grabbing the Red base flag soon.

Noire: Okay... No resistance and no sign of the other four. Where ARE they??

Vert: Maybe they went around us also?

Noire: No... We we're watching very carefully for any movement... They couldn't have gone around us...

Neptune then jumps up and points to the Red Team base with a smile on her face.

Neptune: Well, like one crazy adventurer would say at a time like this... NEEEEEEEPTUUUUUUNE JEEEEENKINNNNS!

Neptune begins to charge in wildly, surprising Noire and Vert, while making Abby laugh and charge in with Neptune.

Noire: No! Wait you two! Stick to the plan! Stick to the PLAN!!

Vert: And they're off...

Hurrying on trying to catch up with their teammates, Noire and Vert were able to catch up with Neptune and Abby. But all of a sudden, (Y/n) pops out of the snow with a snowball in each hand. (Y/n) was covered in snow from head to toe and was standing near the flag.

(Y/n): Ah ha! You walked into our trap!

Neptune: Nepu! An abominable snowman?!

(Y/n): I knew this plan would work! You charged in on us wildly! I expected this from you Neptune!

Noire: (Y/n)?! How long were you in the snow?!

(Y/n): I think ten minutes now.

Vert looks around confused about the situation. Wondering where (Y/n)'s team was.

Vert: Where are the others?

(Y/n): Around the area.

(Y/n) makes a whistle with his mouth, signalling Emma, Blanc and (F/n) to reveal themselves from under the snow also. For (F/n), he was shivering at how cold he felt.

(F/n) owned count: *Ding* 10

(F/n): Okay, how come I was the first to be put under the snow!? It's cold as hell!

(Y/n): Because I said so, Private (F/n)! Any act of insubordination will not be tolerated!

The Blue Team looked around and saw they were surrounded and began to sweat.

Neptune: Oh man... I curse the "Charge in wildly tactic."

Noire: This wouldn't have happened if you didn't do it Neptune...!

Vert: So... What's the plan...?

(Y/n) waved at the girls to get their attention. He had a smile on his face that meant with evil intent behind it.

(Y/n): I got one~ This is where you run away screaming~

(F/n), Emma and Blanc each held a snowball in each hand to show they were prepared to throw snowballs at them. Taking (Y/n)'s advice the Blue Team begins to run away screaming with snowballs to land at random moments with the Red Team giving chase. Iris began to laugh at this as she found amusement from how it went down.

Iris: That's my boy! Crazy and wicked to the end, even with his friends! Teach them a lesson, a lesson in a pain of snow!

Jasper looks at his wife and sweats.

Jasper: A little bit much, don't you think hun...?

Iris: I don't know, would you care to let me show you how I would do it~?

This scared Jasper when Iris focused her attention on him.

Jasper: N-No, dear!

IF looked at Compa and sighed, gaining her wife's attention in the process.

Captain IF: If we ever adopt a kid or something... Remind me to never leave them with Iris in her care...

Doctor Compa: Noted...

Once reaching Blue Team base, Red Team began to pelt snowballs at their enemies' base to not allow any retaliation.

(Y/n): Keep firing! Don't let up! We have them cornered!

Blanc was throwing snowballs at every moment she could until she ran out.

Blanc: (F/n). I need more snowballs.

(F/n): Uh... Can't...

Blanc: Why?

(F/n) shows the snowball maker as it broke in half. The metal bolt that was connecting the two handles had broken apart and made the two pieces separate from each other.

Blanc: What?! How did you BREAK it!? It's a toy used for snow!

(F/n): Hey! You try making snowballs as quick as I do! But then you would break it with your strength.

Hearing this (Y/n) turned to (F/n) with a finger pointed to him.

(Y/n): Private (F/n)! You failed us in supplying us with ammo! This is an act of insubordination!

(F/n): Up yours!

Trying to think of something, (Y/n) climbs the snow hill to look at Blue Team base.

(Y/n): Attention: Blue Team! We are giving you a chance to surrender, if you choose to do so!

Neptune pops her head out from over the side of the snow with Noire, Vert and Abby.

Neptune: Surrender? Pfft. A real protagonist never surrenders!

Vert: You could overtake us easily with your plan. Why now?

(Y/n): Well... You do have my sister actually...

Noire: Hmm... That's a fair point...

Blue Team goes behind the snow to talk about what is going on.

Noire: This has got to be a bluff. They could keep firing at us if they wanted, but I think something happened over there.

Vert: And if it isn't, what do we do then?

Noire: Let's see how this plays out...

Noire gets out of cover with her hands up.

Noire: What are your demands?

(Y/n) talks with his team in private for a few minutes and then break to let (Y/n) speak.

(Y/n): Our demands are: You give us your flag, or we continue with our assault!

Noire thinks about what was said and shakes her head.

Noire: Not gonna cut it. But I think I have an alternative solution.

(Y/n): And what would that be??

Noire: What if we gave you a hostage?

(Y/n) went to go talk to his team and talked it out with them to come to a conclusion.

(Y/n): Seems to be a good alternative... But who do you send over to be our hostage?

Noire: We could send you over Abby?

Vert popped her head over the side with a snowball in her hand.

Vert: Excuse me?! I forbid this!

(Y/n): You don't have a say in this Vert. Now, Noire... Why Abby?

Noire: Gives you one more ally and a kid who has just as much or more energy than Neptune to use.

(Y/n) went to go discuss with his team and thought it over to be a good idea that Abby could help become their new way of making snowballs quickly.

(Y/n): Okay. Seems fair. We'll take Abby as hostage.

Neptune then popped her head over the snow with a hand raised.

Neptune: Now what do we get?

Blanc popped her head up over the snow and joined (Y/n) on top of it.

Blanc: You? You're team is surrendering. The only thing you get is humiliation and ridicule.

Neptune: Kinda already have that over here with Noire and Vert on my team!

This did not sit with Noire and Vert as they pelted their own teammate with snow.

Vert: I have an idea: How about you admit your team sucks?

This shocked the Red Team as they were in a huddle on how to deal with this. Once (Y/n) came up with an idea, he talked to Blue Team again.

(Y/n): Hmm... What if we admit ONE of us sucks?

(F/n): Nice, dude.

(F/n) thinks about what's happening and looks around.

(F/n): Wait, you're talking about yourself right?

(Y/n) jumped at (F/n) and buried his head in the snow for a good thirty minutes while the two teams discussed what (F/n) would have to say. (F/n) was sent to the front while Blue Team had Abby ready to go over to the Red Team. (Y/n) held up a camera and was recording this with much intent.

(F/n): Do I REALLY have to...??

(Y/n): Get on with it (F/n).

(F/n) groaned at having to do what he was told to do.

(F/n): I would just like to let everyone to know, that I suck.

(F/n) owned count: *Ding* 11

Noire: And?

(F/n): And that I'm a girl.

(F/n) owned count: *Ding* 12

Abby was giggling from watching this with Neptune laughing with her.

Vert: What else?

(F/n): And I like ribbons in my hair.

(F/n) owned count: *Ding* 13

(F/n) held off from saying the last one with Emma holding a laugh back with Blanc.

(Y/n): Say it!

(F/n): Ugh... And I want to kiss all the boys... Now can you stop recording this shit?!

(F/n) owned count: *Ding* 14

With that being done, (Y/n) ends the recording and turns to Emma and Blanc.

(Y/n): This may be the best surrender ever. Of all time.

Emma: I know I won't let (F/n) forget this day...! *begins to laugh*

Blanc: Not an effective way of handling this, but pretty entertaining to watch.

(F/n) whimpered at his predicament and fell backwards onto the snow.

(F/n) owned count: *Ding* 15

Later...

Iris' point of view.

After some more fun happened between the two teams, both sides were exhausted as some fresh batches of hot cocoa to drink were made by our dear Compa. I sat outside with my cup and looked up at the night sky it held. The many stars I see in the sky brings me a warming peace feeling. I take a sip of my drink and feel the hot cocoa warm my body up slightly from drinking it. I pull out a book that I've been trying to write in for a while in hope of it being ready before Christmas. It took me ten minutes to write something I needed to do before I began to hear a pair of feet walking towards me. Looking to my right, I saw my son heading my way as I casually put the book away in my coat.

Iris: Hey kid, how's life?

(Y/n): Nothing much. Just... Needing some fresh air is all.

My son sits down next to me, but with some slightly different clothes from what he was wearing before.

(Y/n): Sky's beautiful tonight, right mom?

I looked at my son, but smiled as I looked at the sky with him.

Iris: Yes. It is.

We sit idle by and watched the night sky and the many stars it held. Hearing a sigh, I look to see my son's expression has changed to that of a solemn feeling with a far off gaze to him.

Iris: You okay?

This seemed to get my son's attention and jumped slightly when being spoken to.

(Y/n): H-Huh? Oh, yeah. Just... Just needing to think is all...

Iris: About what?

My son looked away from me when I asked that. It made me feel slightly worried when he did that. Only making me wonder more on what he was thinking about.

Iris: (Y/n)... Tell me what's wrong.

My son didn't move for a few minutes and then looks back to the sky.

(Y/n): How do you do it mother...?

Iris: Do what?

(Y/n): Handle everything that happens to you without notice...? Where... one thing can affect someone's life drastically.

It was a strange question for him to ask me in such a way. When he looks at me, I swear I could see a distant feeling. Like he's seen more than he needed to see, but still had hope in his eyes somewhere. I looked back to the sky and thought about on how to answer his question.

Iris: Well... We never know how things will turn out until they happen. No one is ever prepared when it happens or how it'll affect their lives, and must do what they can to learn from it.

(Y/n): But what do I do, mother? What can I do when I'm struggling so much...?

It made me think more on why (Y/n) was asking all of this to me, but I wanted to help him in anyway I could to ease what pain he was feeling.

Iris: Hmm... All I can say is... Never give up hope.

I pulled my son softly in for a hug to have his head rest on my chest while I rubbed his shoulder.

Iris: Hope is one thing no one can take from us in our times of need. It's always there, but you just need to keep reaching for it. But sooner or later, that hope will come through in the end.

I could feel my son wrap his arms around me in wanting to be closer to me. It made me smile in him needing me like this, but it still made me curious as to why he needed it. (Y/n) then broke away to wipe his eyes, sniffing that he was crying softly.

Iris: (Y/n)? Why are you crying?? Why are you asking these questions??

(Y/n) took a deep breath to focus on calming down and looked at me.

(Y/n): It's... Just hard sometimes... Not knowing what to do and... I wanted to know how you handle it...

I was confused with what he told me, but saw him get his phone out and wave it.

(Y/n): Is, it okay we get a picture together?

Looking at my son, I nodded my head in wanting to take a picture with him.

Iris: Well... Okay.

Getting as close as we could, my son positions the camera carefully to get it just right. Once my son had it balanced the way he wanted it, we took a picture smiling together. I softly rubbed his right cheek with my glove in wanting to help calm his worries and heard him hum. Afterwards, (Y/n) gets up, puts his phone away and puts his hands into his pockets.

(Y/n): Hey, uh... I'm gonna be right back. There's another picture I want to take when I get back, okay?

Iris: If you want, but okay.

My son was about to walk off, but had something to say first.

(Y/n): And mom...?

Iris: Yeah?

(Y/n): Never give up on me... No matter what you do...

Iris: Huh?? What do you mean by that??

(Y/n): You'll know what I'll mean...

That made me ever more confused with what he said as it didn't make sense. With having said that, my son began to walk back where he came from. I had set my drink down when taking the picture and reached for it and saw something on my glove. When taking a closer look at it, it seemed to be that of makeup on it. I thought about how it got on my hand and remembered rubbing my son's cheek.

Iris: Since when did that boy wear makeup...?

While I was trying to figure out what was going on, I heard the door opening behind me to see my son walking out to join me. But the weird thing was, he changed his clothes again.

(Y/n): Hey mom.

Iris: Just can't make your mind up on what to wear, huh kid?

(Y/n): Huh?? What do you mean?

Iris: Oh, nothing. Just don't know what goes through your head is all.

(Y/n): Oooookay...?

Just as my son was about to sit down, the sky began to illuminate with an aurora that made the night sky even more beautiful.

(Y/n): Oh my god! Look at that!

Iris: Heh, what are the odds of seeing this. Want to take a picture of that?

(Y/n): Yeah, sure. The lighting is perfect and everything.

Taking a few steps from the shack and face the camera, my son held his phone like before to take a picture of me with the lights in the sky. Once it was done, I went to look over to see how it looked and smiled.

Iris: Another great picture son.

(Y/n): *chuckles* Thanks.

Taking my son's phone to look at it, I then swiped to the right to look at another picture. But what should be a picture with my son and myself, was a different picture in general.

Iris: Hey, what happened to the picture we just took earlier go?

(Y/n): Huh...? What picture? I was still inside mother.

Iris: What do you mean? You were just out here earlier with me.

My son looked at me confused as to what I was telling him. I then got a thought and decided to feel the scars on his right cheek, but no makeup rubbed onto my other glove like it did the first time. My son looked at me weirdly from what I did, feeling confused just as I am.

(Y/n): Mom? Is everything okay...?

I looked at my son and then looked at the way he came from last time, feeling confused as to why this was happening.

Iris: (Thoughts) What the hell is going on here?? First, changing his clothes, then the makeup and now not knowing an existing picture of me and him taking a picture together??

I then thought about the talk I had with my son as I was confused even more.

Iris: Son, do you remember the conversation we just had earlier?

(Y/n): What conversation mom? I told you, I just got out here. I was inside the whole time.

Iris: Then... If you were inside... Then who...?

I looked in the direction of where my son had walked off to earlier, but thought about what he said before leaving.

Iris: (Thoughts) "Never give up on him... No matter what I do...?" What is that supposed to tell me in general...?

I tried to think about this, but couldn't figure it out at the slightest.

Subplot. End.