Third Person pov
*******
Daniel watched in mild disbelief as Julian casually lifted his wrist.
With a soft click, the face of what looked like a normal analog watch slid open like a tiny vault door.
"…That's not look like watch," Daniel muttered.
From the hollow space inside the watch, Julian smoothly pulled out a pair of curved kama with black handles and faint blue patterns running along the blades like flowing water. Then he reached in again and took out a neatly stacked deck of metallic-looking cards.
He paused, thought about it, and stuffed the deck into his jacket pocket.
Daniel raised an eyebrow. "So you brought snacks and weapons in the same place?"
"It's called organization," Julian replied seriously. "You should try it sometime."
Daniel snorted and flicked his own wrist.
A thin silver bracelet shimmered, expanded, and unfolded into a long spear with a deep red shaft and a gleaming steel tip.
Julian's eyes lit up. "Whoa. That's cool."
Daniel twirled it once and rested it on his shoulder. "Thanks. It's also not a farmer's sickle."
Julian glanced at his kama. "…Hey."
"I'm just saying," Daniel added innocently, "if we were harvesting wheat right now, you'd win."
Joshua, sitting on a fallen log nearby with a juice box, leaned forward. "Is this gonna be cool or are you two just going to roast each other to death?"
"Both," Julian and Daniel said at the same time.
They took a few steps apart, standing in a small clearing littered with broken branches and trampled grass from the earlier mutant bear incident.
Julian rolled his shoulders, expression relaxed but focused.
Daniel lowered his stance, spear angled forward, his eyes sharp.
"Friendly spar," Julian said. "No killing. No dismemberment. Minimal trauma."
Daniel nodded. "Deal. Try not to cry when you lose."
Julian's eye twitched. "I regret inviting you to lunch."
They moved at the same time.
Daniel burst forward first, lightning flickering faintly around his legs as he thrust his spear in a straight, brutal line toward Julian's chest.
Julian hopped back, narrowly avoiding the tip, and flicked his wrist.
Three cards slipped out of his pocket and shot forward.
Daniel twisted his spear and swatted two aside.
The third vanished midair.
"…Huh?"
Daniel barely ducked as something sliced past his cheek.
The card reappeared from the side, grazing him.
Julian grinned. "Water affinity. Light refraction. Camouflage."
Daniel straightened. "That's cheating."
"It's called strategy."
Daniel lunged again, faster this time, fire blooming briefly along the spear tip.
Julian crossed his kama, sparks flying as metal met metal.
The impact rattled both of their arms.
"Okay," Julian said, backing up a step. "You hit way harder than you look."
Daniel smirked. "You swing like a librarian."
Julian gasped. "That's uncalled for."
He flung two cards upward.
They split into six midair.
Daniel's sixth sense screamed.
He leapt sideways just as the cards curved unnaturally, slicing through the air where his head had been.
Daniel spun, spear sweeping in a wide arc.
Julian ducked, rolled, and popped back up right next to him.
One kama hooked toward Daniel's ribs.
Daniel blocked with the spear shaft, sparks flaring again.
They locked weapons for half a second.
Daniel leaned in. "Seriously. Those things look like farming tools."
Julian shoved him back. "Says the guy using a pointy stick."
Daniel grinned. "This pointy stick killed a demon once."
"…I hate you already."
Julian snapped his fingers.
A ripple of moisture formed around the cards still floating nearby.
They shimmered, then vanished again.
Daniel braced.
The first card struck his shoulder.
The second nicked his thigh.
The third hit his spear, knocking it off-line.
Daniel growled, lightning flaring around him as he rushed Julian.
Julian's breath hitched.
For just a moment, a faint golden icon flickered in front of his eyes.
[Emotional State: Happy Face — Activated]
"…Why am I smiling right now?" Julian muttered, panting.
Despite the exhaustion creeping in, his grin widened unnaturally.
He spun, kama flashing, barely blocking Daniel's thrust.
Daniel's spear scraped his shoulder.
Julian hissed. "Ow. Okay. Less friendly. Slightly more spar."
Daniel stepped back, chest rising and falling.
Fire crackled faintly along his arms now.
They stared at each other.
Then both laughed.
"This is ridiculous," Daniel said. "We literally just met."
"And now we're trying to knock each other unconscious," Julian replied. "Peak friendship behavior."
They charged again.
Daniel feinted left, then thrust right.
Julian crossed his kama and redirected the spear, sending it skidding past his side.
He flicked his wrist.
A camouflaged card slammed into Daniel's forehead.
Daniel staggered back. "Ow—!"
Julian froze. "I'm so sorry."
Daniel rubbed his forehead. "…Okay but that one was personal."
He surged forward, lightning exploding around his legs.
Julian's eyes widened. "Oh no."
Daniel appeared in front of him in a blur and slammed the spear shaft into Julian's stomach.
Julian flew backward and hit a tree.
"…Oof."
Daniel jogged over. "You alive?"
Julian slid down the trunk and gave a shaky thumbs-up. "Define alive."
Daniel offered a hand.
Julian took it and stood up.
They both swayed slightly.
"Round two?" Julian asked weakly.
Daniel nodded. "Round two."
They stepped apart again.
This time, they moved slower, more careful.
Julian launched three visible cards.
Daniel blocked two.
The third curved behind him and clipped his back.
Daniel turned and hurled his spear.
Julian barely dodged.
The spear embedded itself in the ground behind him.
Julian flung a kama.
Daniel ducked.
It shaved off a lock of his hair.
Daniel stared at the falling strands.
"…You're dead."
Julian's eyes went wide. "WAIT—"
Daniel tackled him.
They rolled across the dirt, laughing and groaning, punching and blocking awkwardly.
Julian's Happy Face icon flickered again.
[Happy Face — Active (Fatigue)]
"…Why am I still smiling?!" Julian wheezed.
Daniel pinned him. "Because you're losing."
Julian reached into his pocket and slapped a card onto Daniel's forehead.
It burst into a splash of cold water.
Daniel yelped and slipped.
They both collapsed on their backs, staring at the sky.
Silence.
Then—
[Synchronization Complete]
Two faint translucent windows appeared above them.
Julian's:
[Current Rank: C]
Daniel's:
[Current Rank: B]
They both blinked.
Then slowly turned their heads to look at each other.
"…Draw?" Julian said.
Daniel sighed. "Draw."
They lay there, exhausted, muddy, and grinning like idiots.
Joshua walked over, sipping his juice.
"So," he said. "Are you guys done pretending you're not best friends now?"
Julian and Daniel both groaned.
"Never," they said in unison.