"Swifty?"

Whisper poked her head out of the Nook Knoll, the portal's crackling energy fading as the Trollian exited the tree. Swift had bunched the open topped violin behind his back but his hands shook with fear, his secret now discovered from the last person he wanted to see. Stealth.

His twin brother was leaning against the bough of a tree, frost covering the bark as Bobble sat next to him and swung on the treetops. They both darted down onto the frozen grass with ease, Bobble bobbing his little head all the while.

"Swifty? You OK?"

Stealth hovered over him awkwardly, his Agar flitting about to try and fly straight despite its woozy disposition. But Stealth ignored them both, trying to look like her was working on fixing the strings on his instrument. 

"Go away, Stealth. I'm busy."

His brother ignored him, crouching down and sat on the slightly crunchy grass, still wet with dew. Swift didn't hate his brother, they normally got on quite well with each other but the niggling feeling in his chest reminded him of how Stealth had ratted him out. Strongbow wouldn't have hurt him had Stealth kept his mouth shut.

He knew Silvera annoyed Stealth just as much as he did but Swift was the only one she picked on since she had to begrudgingly respect Stealth. Swift didn't know whether it was his Ice Trait that scared her or that Stealth was his parents favourite but either way she didn't dare to bother him despite his timid nature.

"I couldn't sleep. I get nightmares without your stories."

Swift sighed, putting aside his tools and gently nudged the silvery wood shell away from the Nook Knoll. Whisper snuggled up against Swift's knee, making him smile and gently stroked the top of her fluffy head.

"Well, maybe you should've thought of that before you snitched." He replied, grumbling at the reminder of Strongbow's temper.

Stealth couldn't look him in the eyes, looking down at his feet and distracting himself by picking at the blades of grass. Bobble was lazily playing with a stick, turning it over in his little smoke digits.

'Shiny, sticky Bobble play. Stealthy knows not what he says. Bobble ignores it anyways.'

Swift fought the urge to laugh, his twin unaware of his ability to communicate with Trollians. Not even Strongbow knew of his 'defective' ability and he doubted Flicka could tell him anyways. A pang of guilt burned in his chest but he ignored it. For once, he just wanted to keep something to himself without Stealth snooping on his business.

"I didn't mean to. Bobble was the one who snooped. I just didn't want you to get hurt by Silvera, that's all." Stealth admitted, fishing out a wooden flute from his pocket.

Swift eyed the treasure, feeling slightly guilty that his brother only wanted to help. But the insignia burned on the side of the flute reminded him how Stealth had carved and burnished the wood with the help of their father's Trait. It had been a family tradition to make an instrument from scratch but Swift got hurt before he could start his own. Passed over for his more successful twin.

Instead, Stealth took his place and Swift took the initiative to make his own. The annoying thought of his father replacing him only lasted a moment, knowing full well what kind of person Strongbow was. Subtlety was not one of his strong points.

But his twin using his own Agar as an excuse was surprising. He loved playing and practicing with the Smoke Troll on his days off. It reminded him of the words his grandmother told him and after Bobble had attempted to engage with his Agar and Swift just couldn't help himself.

"Bobble's actions reflect your actions, Stealth." 

His twin smiled awkwardly at him, ignoring both the advice and his Agar entirely. The Smoke Trollian was always the first person Stealth would defend but perhaps that had changed. He understood how easy it was to lose track of his inquisitive partner but for him to be blamed outright meant their relationship could have hit a snag. 

Swift's first thought was of his father driving the distance between them and after the hypocrisy over Whisper it hurt him to think he had gotten to Stealth so quickly. But unlike his own views, he knew how much his twin idolised their father. Trying to convince him otherwise was easier than catching Whisper on a sugar high.

'Stealthy, Stealthy is no fun. Bobble saw but Swifty runs. Swifty knows not what Bobble knows but Bobble cannot say. Swifty ignores it anyways while Stealthy gets to play.'

He weaved around the brush with ease, turning his stick around in his hands like a marching conductor. Whisper couldn't help but trail behind him, following the smoke puffball like a game of 'follow the leader.' But the Smoke Troll was interested in something far greater than a stick.

Bobble peered down at the half made shell, intrigued by the intricate string nestled in the cage of wood. Whisper nudged him away, trying to distract him from breaking the half finished project but Bobble was unperturbed. 

'Bobble play now?'

The Smoke Troll shrugged his companion off, shaking his head and floating away from the violin and back towards his Agar. Swift rubbed his temples, his Trill making his brain ache but he was mostly frustrated he couldn't have a conversation with the Trollian out loud.

It wasn't just because he wanted to keep the secret from Stealth but that exactly like Whisper's three-speak, Bobble had his own way of communicating too. Just like his Agar the Smoke Troll loved stories and had gravitated towards the riddle makers from Caldor.

His frustration towards the kooky Smoke Trollian quickly dissipated as Stealth found his voice again. His ears were still red from being reprimanded but he stubbornly shuffled towards Stealth in a last ditch attempt to convince him.

"Tell me the story of the Founders again?"

Stealth tossed a flurry of snow lazily into the air, condensing the grass dew into frozen projectiles for Bobble to play with. The Smoke Troll veered backwards and forwards, dodging them with ease but eventually he got bored of the game.

"No. Tell it yourself."

Stealth flinched at his brother's tone and avoided his gaze, instead focusing on the Willowisp violin his Agar was so enamoured by. Swift hated the pitiful look he was being given, the burning anger in his heart now churning into a feeling of sickening guilt and regret. But just like Bobble he ignored it.

'Stealthy, Stealthy go away. Bobble dodges but wants no play. Coldy, frosty, nippy no. Whispi knows but cannot say, Bobble sleeps now no more snow.'

Swift smiled wanly, the floating puffball settling deep within the brush below the trunk of the tree. The little smoke spirit shivered, his head bobbing up and down in an attempt to warm himself up. 

Bobble might've been a little grumpy but now Swift had been around him for a little while the Smoke Trollian wasn't so bad. The problem was that he hated the cold and Swift had figured that out only after a few minutes of observation. 

"Please?" Stealth begged, his whiny voice immediately grating on Swift.

Normally he'd humour his twin but the sight of Bobble slowly freezing to death aggravated him to no end. The only thing Stealth cared about was a damn story instead of the welfare of his partner. Without Bobble, Stealth could die.

"Stealth! Do you not get what just happened? I don't have my Degraders anymore because of you so how am I supposed to focus on anything? Just leave us alone and look after your own damn Agar."

Swift didn't realise he was yelling until he saw his brother's heartbroken face, his eyes brimming with tears. But Swift's attention was still on Bobble, his misty grey smoke thinning out to a hazy blue as the cold, chilly air made the Trollian huddle down closer to the ivy.

Whisper flitted over to the Smoke Trollian under the Ironwood tree, snuggling up to him to help keep him nice and toasty but Swift couldn't help but notice how he was still keeping an eye on them.

"Father saved you though, right? Just like he always did? I didn't mean to snitch, I just...I just didn't want you to get hurt again. He said to stay away but..." 

Stealth couldn't even finish his sentence before he started sobbing, covering his face with his hands. Swift's heart plummeted as the guilt he felt earlier resurfaced tenfold like a wave of anxiety. He was an idiot. Of course Stealth already felt responsible.

"Hey, hey. It's OK. It's not your fault-"

"But it is! Had I stayed with you Silvera might not have provoked you and-"

Swift placed his hands on his brother's shoulders, shaking him gently to break him out of his stupor and tried to get Stealth to focus on him instead.

"Stealth. Look at me. My Trait is my problem. Just like my Trill. All I want you to do is focus on the Limelight with Bobble. Can you do that for me?"

"But...what about you and Whisper? You said we'd perform together."

Swift smiled sympathetically, knowing full well how much his brother admired his Trait. Back then, they would play ice ball with ease thanks to his small gusts of wind tossing the Ice Trait into the air.

"I know I did but...I only have a week to fix this. She's a part of me whether I like it or not. Just like my Trill...it'll take time to work through it. We're trying but..."

Whisper floated up next to him and blew a raspberry at him just to prove how little she thought of the pity party. He couldn't help but laugh, tickling her chin and having her zoom around them in delight.

"How long?"

Swift avoided his brother's gaze, reluctant to give him a straight answer. His attention drifted towards Whisper, guarding the violin named after her as the scraggly looking strings glowed a soft blue.

"I don't know." He answered at last, being as honest as he could.

His twin smiled sadly, turning the wooden flute over and over in his hands to feel the grooves of the wood against his palms. He began to play the first few notes of a rain song, normally used to summon better weather. Unlike Bobble, Whisper loved the rain and danced to the rhythm regardless of the mood the twins were in.

"Then...can I at least help you test it out? I promise I'll be careful." Stealth suggested, tipping the end of the flute towards Swift's violin.

It took a few moments for Swift to nod, searching around for the missing lid while Whisper helped untangle the strings with her cloud digits. Stealth smiled, shuffling closer to the Ironwood tree and stroked his sleeping Agar who nuzzled towards his touch.

"I've been practicing…" Stealth teased, attempting to strike up conversation while looking after his Agar.

His twin sent a flash of Ice Trait towards the top of the violin, the sheen of ice slotting the wood into place. The special properties of Ironwood made it tougher than most materials so the cold didn't warp the instrument. 

The strings tightened as the cold, night air brushed against the Will O'Wisp as it glowed an electric blue, the two twins Trait melding together as one. Whisper handed her Agar the bow, Bobble's 'shiny stick' now being used to play the very violin he was so intrigued by. 

Without a word, Stealth raised his fire forged flute to his lips and began to play. The once sad song became upbeat and lively as a solo became a duet and Swift joined in as the wind swept up alongside him. He couldn't help but think of the Founders story, starting with basically nothing as the tune picked up and the notoriety of the Silver Strings grew. 

The performance built in strength as the combined might of Ice and Wind created a windstorm of ice and snow to form images of bards and acrobats from thin air. Stealth picked up the melody again, slowing it down a little but his Trait became stronger and bracing as it wrapped around the twins.

Swift fought against the Ice Trait, his fingers numb with pain but the delighted look in his twin's eyes made him fight to control the burning headache and the burn over his eyes. Stealth's Trait helped carry the flow of the rhythm but Swift could barely keep up, his Trait dwindling to a mere stream of a squall. 

The Windchill song ended in a resounding halt, Swift collapsing forwards in agony and his Trill pounding and felt like his head would split open. He gasped for air, struggling to keep himself from screaming out in pain.

"Why don't we do what the Founders did? Instead of performing together we should play together!" 

Swift could barely reply, his Will O' Wisp violin completely discarded onto the brittle grass. Whisper clung to his shirt collar, trying to keep him from falling backwards and heaving everything up. 

"I dunno, Stealth." He choked out, barely able to reply.

But his brother was too distracted by the surge of power, the beauty of the combined Trait and didn't even notice his distress. Whisper tried to attract his attention by floating towards him but he cast the Steam Trollian aside with an excited burst of snow.

"Oh come on, Swifty. We could get up early to practice. Trollians love music and it'll be easier on your Trill too. We could be the Silver Strings Twins!" 

"I said no, Stealth."

His twin flinched, reeling back as if visibly struck but Swift was done trying to convince him. His brother's eyes were a myriad of emotions, still lost in the power of his Trait, visibly hurt by being yelled at but the most prominent was frustration.

"Fine. Guess I'll practice on my own tomorrow. Good luck with training your Shrill."

Stealth stood up, angrily pocketing his flute before whistling for Bobble, leaving Swift stung by the betrayal of his best friend mocking him. The Trollian sleepily hovered towards the Ice Traited, completely ignoring his frail state and his mewling sister calling after him.

"Stealth! It's not..."

A flash of guilt crossed Stealth's features but the pity in his eyes made Swift's Trait rise up in fury. His Trill. That's all he saw. He wasn't worried or guilt stricken for his own brother or Agar but frustrated that he couldn't use his Trait to its full potential.

"I know, you're trying. But...I can't keep waiting. Silvera was right. We don't need you in the Limelight. Not anymore."