Note: desktop readers can hover over the footnotes to read them without having to scroll down; apologies for the precision required & the lack of mobile parity.
"There is no formal name for the experience. I've observed people calling it 'battle bonding,' the 'fundamental language,' 'primal contact,' and more. Allegedly, it occurs when two people at roughly equal skill levels engage in protracted combat. Prior history fighting each other seems to enhance the odds of experiencing this sensation, as does prior history fighting alongside each other and emotional history with each other, to lesser extents. It is described as 'a deep connection to an opponent,' where the combatants 'communicate their totalities without secrets' and 'form deeply intimate bonds' that are supposedly incomparable to anything else. According to Llewelyn—"
"Lunu, why are you telling me this?"
"Fight me."
Plicatula's idle kicking halted, leaving their legs to dangle from the tree branch upon which they sat.[1] "Let me make sure I'm understanding right.[2] You want me to fight you, because you're hoping that we are similar enough in skill level and have sufficient history that we—or at least, you[3]—can experience this… whatever you want to call it?"
"More or less correct," Lunulata replied, idly playing with xiir tooth of Yx'ollax.[4] The chirp of crickets filled the night air, regular but arrhythmic.
Plicatula sighed slowly,[5] then dropped down to the ground. "So long as neither of us dies, I guess we can try for it."
"Limitations also reduces the odds—"
"I'd rather not die, and I'd rather not kill you, so we'll take the reduced odds or no odds at all.[6]" They summoned their bow from the aether, a small red marble dangling from the upper limb.[7] "The park?[8]"
"Good enough."
"Fight starts when you get there, then." With a small salute, they leapt to the rooftops and began their journey.
Lunulata, for xiir part, followed the surface streets towards xiir destination.[9] Xi slowed as the trees and play structures of the park came into view past the corner of an apartment building, and xi scanned the darkness for a glimpse of their opponent.[10] While Plicatula was hardly a discreet pactbearer, their uniform's deep blues still helped them hide in the dark. Only when xi was confident that they weren't lying in wait did xi approach, sticking to the shadows as best as xi could despite the streetlights.
Xi ultimately found them standing[11] in the middle of what was colloquially called the "dog bowl" of the park, a depression in the local geography used as a drainage ditch during hard rains.[12] When dry, the grass and cleared terrain made for an excellent multi-purpose field – in this case, a battlefield.
Plicatula's new weapon charm glowed like an ember in the night, making it easy to determine which way they were facing. Lunulata crept along the slope below the level of the streetlights, circling xiir target until xi was fully behind them. With a small flourish, xi summoned xiir staff into xiir hands and...[13]
"Hungry void, heed my call!" Xiir cry split the night's quiet as Plicatula whirled around, already drawing an arrow to their cheek as they sprang into the air, handily escaping the toothsome black maw that materialized below them shortly after. They loosed three arrows in xiir direction, tips glowing with magic as they sailed through the air. They hadn't pinpointed xiir location in the quick whirl, leaving xiir to simply duck out of the way of the bright projectiles, but the bursts of flame they produced on impact illuminated xiir subsequent launch into the air.[14]
Lunulata whirled xiir staff ahead of xiir, knocking Plicatula's barrage aside as best xi could. One of their arrows managed to strike xiir defenses square, creating a burst of light and heat that forced xiir eyes shut.[15] Despite this, xiir swing was still tight and efficient, enduring the remains of the fireball to strike them in the side. Xi heard them gasp as the serrations drew their mana from their body, though they quickly recovered and traded their bow for their sword. Their counter attack came down and met xiir staff, briefly biting into the wood before sending it and its bearer earthward.[16]
Moments later Lunulata landed hard, the lush grass doing little to cushion xiir impact. Xi forced xiir eyes open despite the unexpectedly poor impact and tracked Plicatula's trajectory. "Binding void!" xi shouted once more, pointing xiir staff towards a patch of earth just in time for xiir foe to land on it. Tentacles covered in sharp incisors lashed out to coil around Plicatula's limbs, and they were quickly trapped.
Their reflexive attempt at struggling was abruptly halted as they realized their writhing only dug the teeth in deeper, leaving them breathing deeply as Lunulata launched xiirself forward. Xi raised xiir tooth in preparation to strike— "Six of Swords![17]" Their cry summoned a whirl of blades, catching xiir off-guard and sending xiir flying sideways as they teleported free of their bonds. Rather than directly pursue, they conjured their bow back to their hand and fired another trio of arrows at their flying target, one of which struck true and burst against Lunulata's stomach.
Instinct took over as the explosion sent xiir tumbling head over heels through the air, somehow ending with xiir feet planted on the side of a tree. A swing of xiir staff produced a wave of starlight shimmering ahead of xiir rebound, knocking Plicatula to the ground. A few extra strides brought xiir to straddling them, staff pressed to xiir chin as they fought to keep it away from their throat. As xi raised xiir tooth to strike, xi began reciting xiir signature words. "Let stars above that pierce the veil bear witness to this blade.[18] My heart is pure, my strike is true, my power gathers at its point.[19] With this do I finish—"
"Lunulata!" At last, Plicatula's cries reached xiir ears, and xi froze. They pushed xiir aside and stood, considering xiir as xi lay on xiir back and stared at the stars.[20] "You were really going to kill me, weren't you?" Xi didn't respond. They knew the answer. "Well, I guess that's one way to make it a fight instead of just a spar..." They sighed, massaging at their neck. "Not doing that again. Sorry, Lunu."
Xi blinked with a start, then cast xiir hand overhead.[21] From behind the nearest tree, xiir not-self stepped out. False green eyes didn't meet Plicatula's gaze as not-xi didn't approach, called upon to do what Lunulata couldn't. "No, I'm sorry," not-xi didn't begin, not standing beside where xi still lay on the earth. "I asked too much of you for too slim a chance. I should have practiced control first, even if it could have reduced the chance that I'd feel... whatever it is people describe." Not-xi didn't take Plicatula's hand, and didn't hold it to not-xiir chest. "Your safety is worth far more than that. I can't imagine my life without you. I hope you'll forgive me one day."
Plicatula looked into not-xiir eyes, then at xiir form buried in shadows on the ground beside them.[22] "One day, probably," they finally answered. "It's not enough to keep me from fighting at your side, if nothing else. Did you at least feel what you were hoping for?"
Not-Lunulata didn't look down at xiir, not waiting for xiir to answer.[23] Xiir breath shook with suppressed tears, and xi quietly forced out, "No." Xi dismissed xiir not-self and sank into the shadows before xi could see the disappointment on their face.
[1]: Surprise, as expected. Too long of a pause; overestimated the bond we have.
[2]: Uncertainty; unsure if conclusion is right given I didn't finish my monologue, doesn't want to presume.
[3]: Minimizing assumptions, acknowledging potential for selfish behavior.
[4]: Maintain casual tone and appearance. Communicate that this is a casual experiment, low-stakes.
[5]: Still uncertain.
[6]: Upset, some worry. Willingness to try is limited; probably the attempt alone is the extent of our relationship.
[7]: New charm, from Fire; likely influenced their willingness.
[8]: Collings Park, sizeable, low occupancy at night. City's wards are recent; should prevent damage from pactbearer & Corruption powers.
[9]: I am never above them.
[10]: Can't assume immediate safety; I'd consider an ambush on arrival. Remember to look up.
[11]: Expecting me to reveal myself? Assume no; fight started when I arrived at the park.
[12]: Possible year-round, most common in spring.
[13]: Cast spell to send airborne, use darkness to cover pursuit, strike with tooth to drain mana, block retaliation attack to descend quickly.
[14]: Block arrows with staff, go for tooth strike still.
[15]: No lost momentum. Time the slash and swing wide, assuming they can't see through the fire either.
[16]: Land, open eyes, open void at their landing point, chase with tooth, finish.
[17]: Shit. Forgot about that.
[18]: "Wait, stop."
[19]: "Lunu, stop!"
[20]: ... Ruined. Ruined. Ruined. Ruined. Ruined. Ruined. Ruined. Ruined. ...
[21]: Do not focus on what I am not. Do not put energy into it. Do not bring it forth from a realm that doesn't exist.
[22]: Confusion, likely extended. Increased understanding of the anontology of [BLANK]. Delayed resolution for immediate response. Careful selection of words based on current emotions.
[23]: Outside not-xi's realm of incapability.
Updated this story w/ some extra formatting to make it easier to flow more as-intended (at least for desktop readers; sorry mobile users, I dunno how to get parity there). Also expanded on the ending a bit on the advice of a friend, 'cuz my late-night brain forgot that no, I can't actually skip out on implicitly explaining what's going on with the not-self for the sake of being done faster. :P