Don't know what that means. [Probably nothing good. Whatever.] But Fio's opinion matters.
[It was wrong to leave their fate at the hands of a young girl. She shouldn't carry such a burden, but she steps up to the task everyone. She's truly the best of them all.
[ She just wants everyone to get along. She owes an apology for not properly specifying who the "friend" is. A conversation she'll save for another time. Natsuno reminds her what she came here for and for now, she tries to focus on that. ]
...Right. [ A glance down at the shadow, with a shaky smile. ] Um... so we've got these really cool toy model ships! I thought it would be fun if we could race against each other with them. [ They've only got two, but she won't mind sitting out a race for Sparkles to play. She looks back up at Natsuno. ]
Yuuyu? Can... can you show Sparkles how they work? [ Pause. ] Please?
[He locks eyes with Fio, the show him yourself on the tip of his tongue, but the "please" seals it. Dammit, he's getting soft.]
...right. That's the Tartarus. It can travel in both land and water [He sets both models on the floor, leaving one controller in his hands.] These buttons move it around.
[The blue-flagged ship starts making circles around them.]
This button fires the cannons [Pew pew pew, here come tiny energy pellets] and that one turns on the shield.
Um... yeah! [ There's nothing strange about that, is there? She tries to sound full of cheer and not at all awkward! ] So do you wanna give it a try, Sparkles?
Yuuyu and I were gonna have a re-match 'cause I lost last time... [ A beat. They've only got two boats to play with, so. ] But, hm... maybe you can race in my place! I'll let you play with the other ship.
Oh! [ A beat. Well, she doesn't want to force it. ] Uh... okay then. Just let me know anytime if you wanna play. [ She'll gladly pass the controls over. She hopes it doesn't find it boring just watching them. ]
Guess I'm still gonna be your opponent, Yuuyu. And Sparkles is gonna watch me win this time!
[ Hopefully... maybe. She doesn't know if she'll actually win this time or not. But she smiles anyway, trying to show that she's confident! ]
[ She's determined not to lose twice in a row. Especially not when she wants to impress Sparkles. (And even if she did wind up becoming a loser, she would mask that loss with a smile...)
The race begins and off both ships go! The red-flagged ship takes the lead, maneuvering between the arcade machines, under the air hockey table, and then looping back around towards the goal. This is probably a little easier race than the obstacle track that Natsuno set up on the upper deck the other night.
Her entire focus is on the race until her boat is first to reach back where it started. ]
I did it! I win, I win! [ Giggling, she jumps up and down excitedly. ] Did you see that, Sparkles?
[ Oh, right... Sparkles seemed interested in the cannons. While the red Tartarus sits just past the finish line, she turns the cannons to point and shoot tiny pellets at Natsuno's ship. Pew, pew, pew! Take that, loser ]
[Wow, Sparkles is really intense about it. Which may not be what Fio hoped for, exactly, but it's something.]
You won. Should we have another race to decide the ultimate champion - hey.
[He chuckles when the pellets hit, not impressed with Sparkles' clapping but certainly impressed with Fio's decision to eliminate the competition. Natsuno turns his ship sideways and lets it take a few hits before bringing up the shield.]
[ They didn't have a customized track or many obstacles this time around. Natsuno won the first time. Excitement about her little win overrides any doubts she has. And she's far too delighted over Sparkles' clapping for her...
Does it want to see more cannon fire? She holds down the button, to shoot a rapid fire at the other ship's shield. Pewpewpewpewpew! ]
Ohhh! Okay! I like that idea. I've gotta think of a title... [ Well, she's easily satisfied with that proposal. This means she'll get to have a second name besides Sunshine Princess. That is, if she wins. And she's all fired up after winning once. She's determined to win again! ]
Are we gonna race on the same track? It was kind of too easy...
Hm? [ Surprised, she leans in a little closer to listen. Sparkles can be more involved this way with whatever it's going to make, besides observing the race. And she's curious about what it's going to show her! ]
Something "cool", huh. [ Smiles. ] I would like that, very much.
[ Just telling her "cool" is enough, so she doesn't ask to specify. Surprise her? Natsuno would probably think it's up to no good. But there's no hesitation from Fio. ]
[it takes a deep breath. closes its eyes for a moment. opens them again to an even brighter glow.
the world seems to fall away for a moment, though it doesn't actually feel like anything changed. they can still hear the sounds of the arcade, if they listen. but, they stand in a dark void, with only its eyes currently visible. until, slowly, lazily forming around them, a long bright strip of light orients itself into flat ribbons of a race track, wide enough across for the two ships, with turns and dips, high up and down low.
Sparkles' face is visible now, such as it is, and it cocks its head to the side slightly, making an audible thoughtful noise.
the light changes to a rainbow, and comes to an end near where it had started, with a checkerboard finish line and a ribbon to break. it glances at Fio.]
[ When all goes dark, Fio tenses up and for a moment, thinks she's been thrown into oblivion again. That's not the case which she quickly realizes since she hasn't lost her senses. She can still hear the arcade and there's comfort seeing that she's not left alone, seeing the pair of familiar eyes in the void.
She perks up when the track forms. And she becomes even more delighted, letting out a gasp of awe as it changes to a rainbow. Stunned to silence, until Sparkles speaks. ]
..."Okay"? This is way more than okay. It's perfect! I love it! [ The course looks to be a far bigger challenge. She'd better pay very close attention to where she's driving her boat if she's going to win. She really doesn't want to lose on the track that Sparkles made. ] You think so too right, Yuuyu? Look how cool this is!
[ Looks at Natsuno, studying his face for any reaction. What's his opinion... maybe it does matter... ]
[Natsuno tenses as well. He hasn't experienced total darkness ever since he changed - shiki could see even in the deepest, blackest night. He doesn't voice his awe like Fio does, but he follows the forming track with a similar wide-eyed expression. It takes him quite a few moments to shake it off and school his features back into the usual stoic calm.
He answers Fio honestly, though, because she's the one to ask.]
Very cool. It's the perfect track for an important race.
[Titles are at stake here! Natsuno glances back at Sparkles, considering. However it may dislike him, it's cleary invested in making Fio happy.]
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[It was wrong to leave their fate at the hands of a young girl. She shouldn't carry such a burden, but she steps up to the task everyone. She's truly the best of them all.
He glances from Sparkles to Fio.]
You wanted to race, right?
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...Right. [ A glance down at the shadow, with a shaky smile. ] Um... so we've got these really cool toy model ships! I thought it would be fun if we could race against each other with them. [ They've only got two, but she won't mind sitting out a race for Sparkles to play. She looks back up at Natsuno. ]
Yuuyu? Can... can you show Sparkles how they work? [ Pause. ] Please?
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...right. That's the Tartarus. It can travel in both land and water [He sets both models on the floor, leaving one controller in his hands.] These buttons move it around.
[The blue-flagged ship starts making circles around them.]
This button fires the cannons [Pew pew pew, here come tiny energy pellets] and that one turns on the shield.
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You're playing with a boat... on a boat.
[except it is clearly fascinated by the cannons and is crouching down to look more closely.]
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Instead, he makes the cannons swivel as if looking back.]
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Yuuyu and I were gonna have a re-match 'cause I lost last time... [ A beat. They've only got two boats to play with, so. ] But, hm... maybe you can race in my place! I'll let you play with the other ship.
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I'll watch.
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Guess I'm still gonna be your opponent, Yuuyu. And Sparkles is gonna watch me win this time!
[ Hopefully... maybe. She doesn't know if she'll actually win this time or not. But she smiles anyway, trying to show that she's confident! ]
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You'll destroy him.
rng agrees that fio destroys him
Alright. Let's see you back these words up. We go down this row, between these machines, under the air hockey and back.
[He sets both ships at the imaginary starting line. Ready, set, go!]
rip natsuno
The race begins and off both ships go! The red-flagged ship takes the lead, maneuvering between the arcade machines, under the air hockey table, and then looping back around towards the goal. This is probably a little easier race than the obstacle track that Natsuno set up on the upper deck the other night.
Her entire focus is on the race until her boat is first to reach back where it started. ]
I did it! I win, I win! [ Giggling, she jumps up and down excitedly. ] Did you see that, Sparkles?
[ Oh, right... Sparkles seemed interested in the cannons. While the red Tartarus sits just past the finish line, she turns the cannons to point and shoot tiny pellets at Natsuno's ship. Pew, pew, pew!
Take that, loser]no subject
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You won. Should we have another race to decide the ultimate champion - hey.
[He chuckles when the pellets hit, not impressed with Sparkles' clapping but certainly impressed with Fio's decision to eliminate the competition. Natsuno turns his ship sideways and lets it take a few hits before bringing up the shield.]
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Does it want to see more cannon fire? She holds down the button, to shoot a rapid fire at the other ship's shield. Pewpewpewpewpew! ]
I bet I could win twice in a row!
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The winner gets to choose a title, and the loser has to call them that forever.
[That's what Vance got, right? A prom and a silly title.]
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Ohhh! Okay! I like that idea. I've gotta think of a title... [ Well, she's easily satisfied with that proposal. This means she'll get to have a second name besides Sunshine Princess. That is, if she wins. And she's all fired up after winning once. She's determined to win again! ]
Are we gonna race on the same track? It was kind of too easy...
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[it stops short, stares at the floor. it reaches over and gives Fio's hem a small tug before whispering.]
I could make something. Cool. If you want.
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Something "cool", huh. [ Smiles. ] I would like that, very much.
[ Just telling her "cool" is enough, so she doesn't ask to specify. Surprise her? Natsuno would probably think it's up to no good. But there's no hesitation from Fio. ]
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"Something cool" it is]
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the world seems to fall away for a moment, though it doesn't actually feel like anything changed. they can still hear the sounds of the arcade, if they listen. but, they stand in a dark void, with only its eyes currently visible. until, slowly, lazily forming around them, a long bright strip of light orients itself into flat ribbons of a race track, wide enough across for the two ships, with turns and dips, high up and down low.
Sparkles' face is visible now, such as it is, and it cocks its head to the side slightly, making an audible thoughtful noise.
the light changes to a rainbow, and comes to an end near where it had started, with a checkerboard finish line and a ribbon to break. it glances at Fio.]
... Is that okay...
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She perks up when the track forms. And she becomes even more delighted, letting out a gasp of awe as it changes to a rainbow. Stunned to silence, until Sparkles speaks. ]
..."Okay"? This is way more than okay. It's perfect! I love it! [ The course looks to be a far bigger challenge. She'd better pay very close attention to where she's driving her boat if she's going to win. She really doesn't want to lose on the track that Sparkles made. ] You think so too right, Yuuyu? Look how cool this is!
[ Looks at Natsuno, studying his face for any reaction. What's his opinion... maybe it does matter... ]
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He answers Fio honestly, though, because she's the one to ask.]
Very cool. It's the perfect track for an important race.
[Titles are at stake here! Natsuno glances back at Sparkles, considering. However it may dislike him, it's cleary invested in making Fio happy.]
Will you start us off?
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