Harmoknight ~ After The Game

An Autumn Shower

It's been a while...almost 3–no, 4 years had passed since Tempo took down Gargan with the help of his new friends he made when he broke from the chains of his game and ventured out into new worlds unfamiliar to him. Everyone had celebrated except a certain two. Tempo, and his closest friend Nikki—a woman originating from Swapnote on the same console he escaped from. Their problem stood grand...if they escaped their homes, how would they get back? They thought for month and months on it until Nikki caved in, working for a postal office for a bit to get enough money to rent a small apartment space for them both to live in for the time being.

It was nice for them both, with Tempo being polite enough to do the chores on time and keeping things tidy, and Nikki handling all the important stuff Tempo didn't understand like taxes, rent, and whatnot.

Right now, it was currently the middle of Autumn, and the news reported a meteor shower happening that same night. Tempo was never one to watch the news much—he'd rather go outside blind and see what'd come for him that day like usual. Just like his game, his old habits would die hard. Nikki, on the other hand, was good for looking at the news and weather forecasts to prepare herself and Tempo for whatever weather would come for them. Nikki leaned back a bit on her seat with a smile.

"Hey, Tempo!"
She said, catching Tempo's attention rather quickly.
"Look, it's gonna be a meteor shower tonight! I kinda wanna see it..."

"Huh...? Oh, a meteor shower? S'not like it's common to see those...like—ever."
He said nonchalantly, as if he ever saw one to begin with. He set down his cup of coffee with a small smile.
"If you wanna see it, I don't mind coming with you, Nikks."

This comment made Nikki smile widely, grabbing onto Tempo's arm and trying to dash out of the apartment while yanking onto him. It took him a bit to get his footing, but he stumbled alongside Nikki just straight-up dragging him along. After a bit of walking, they were in the woods—a dark clearing of the forest that was nice and quiet safe for the rustling of the bushes they traversed past.

"You sure it's this far out here?"
Tempo inquired, his eyes still on Nikki holding onto his arm. She looked back to him with a grin.
"Of course! It's a little shortcut I found online! Look..."

She led him deeper in until they reached a ledge with a clear view over the sky and the city. The lights shined from the town below, and the moonlight of the night sky complimented them perfectly...no wonder it took them so long to get here.

"And here we are! It's so pretty, no matter how many times I check it out...you think so too, don'tcha?"

Tempo smiled faintly, his eyes widening at the view in front of him before moving closer to the ledge.
"Well, ain't that somethin'..."

He sat down on the edge of the mountainside, patting next to him as Nikki sat herself beside him. She wrote something on one of her special flying mail-prepared notes she frequented in her game, handing it to Tempo.

"So, did you think of a wish yet?"
Tempo grabbed onto the note, looking at it. It had a starry design, and the words 'I wish for...' in big, bold letters at the top, accompanied by a small chibi-like drawing of Nikki in the common thinking pose.

"...What wish?"
He asked, unfamiliar to the concept of wishing on a star. After all, with the screentime he had in his game, it was basically never night safe for a few scenarios, and the only thing close to shooting stars were meteorites, and those resurfaced some...unwanted memories.

"A shooting star kind of wish, obviously!"
Nikki said, playfully nudging Tempo's shoulder. He perked up a little from this act, chuckling a little.
"Eheh...alright, alright. Well—if this is supposed to be a wish, then if you could wish for anything in the world, what'd it be? At least tell me that much."

She leaned back a bit, thinking on it for a moment.
"I wish...for an unlimited supply of notes so I can stay in touch with everyone forever!"

Tempo couldn't help but chuckle at her wish a bit. He knew she loved writing notes, but he didn't expect it to be the thing she'd wish for. All this time he just figured she had more than enough notes to know what to do with.

"Pfft...is that what you're gonna go with?"

"Yeah! I told you my wish, so let me hear yours already!"

Tempo leaned back just as she did, thinking. His face drooped a little, but he drew a blank. He really had no clue what to wish for. He already had everything he wanted...friends, a found family, and the honor of being a Harmoknight for more than just Melodia.
"...Ahh, it's nothing interesting."
Nikki pouted playfully at his response, about to peater him into telling her whatever he could come up with until the sky lit up with a shooting star...
Then another...and another...and another...!

Soon, there were a whole group of meteors showering down from the sky! Nikki gasped excitedly, grabbing onto Tempo's hand.
"Look'it that~! Ohhh, that's amazing! Oh—oh—! Tempo, come on! Make the wish! Quick!"

Tempo looked to her hand grabbing his own, the stars, then softly smiled as he readjusted himself a little. He sighed contemptly.
"...No reason to now...I guess I know they really do come true."

Nikki giggled at Tempo's comment, playfully punching his arm.
"Awhh, now you're gonna have me wondering what it is! Meanie..."
Tempo laughed and laughed. Nikki may not get the picture yet, but Tempo loved every second they spent together like this. It was his first meteor shower, so experiencing it with Nikki was perfect to him. The meteors slowed down in the rate they were falling, signifying the meteor shower was coming to an end. Tempo sighed happily, looking out at it while Nikki sat beside him. He thought for a moment, considering how he wanted to approach the wish he had in mind. He looked to Nikki with a small smile.

"You wanna know what I wished for?"

Nikki gazed back with her usual small smile. She was happy yet kinda exhausted from the meteor shower—she *was* pretty excited throughout it, so there'd be no reason she wouldn't have exerted a little too much energy.

"Yeah! Come on, pleeeease?"

"Well..."
Tempo startred, thinking for a moment before he grinned happily, getting up.
"...Actually...it's funner to keep you guessing."

He said, chuckling to himself as he patted Nikki twice on the head, vocalizing a "Pap, pap." As he did so. They usually did this when they were gettinng ready to go somewhere, and someone was sitting down...it was kinda *their* thing. Nikki got up and stood beside Tempo.

"Oh, I'm gonna guess it some time! I bet a soda on it!"
Tempo snickered as he started to walk back to the path that they came here from, not before muttering under his breath one last time.

"Oh, don't worry...I don't think you could figure it out aaaa~nytime soon..."