[Gina rows like she's never paddled before! ...And she never has! But she does her best and tries to keep in sync with Susato's movements. At the same time, she tries her best to remember her observations and to prepare for what's ahead. Soon, Susato confirms Gina's thoughts.]
Right! Let's show that mess o' water that it can't mess us up!
[She steels herself, and it's with a proud grin that she does what she can to maneuver the boat on her end, so that they can avoid the whirlpool entirely. That's one obstacle out of the way! As they pass it, she lets out a cheer.]
We're off to a great start, we are! Wot's next, eh? Don't we got ourselves some obstacles to dodge?
[ It's a feat that's definitely worth cheering for! Nevertheless, it's not Susato has everything memorized, so they're just going to have to wing it and make do. Beyond her martial arts that she only ever used for self defense, she's not exactly the outdoorsy, active type, so she is already starting to feel the burn in her chest and her arms.
And speaking of burn, they seem to be coming up on a thick, heavily forested area! Can they even get through there...? ]
L, Like that?!
[ Susato frees up one of her hands, preparing for anything. And as if that wasn't enough, suddenly branches of all shapes and sizes come protruding down on either side of them, as if actively trying to impede their progress. She doesn't think. She just closes her eyes, reaching for that inner fire as she always has, and starts to take aim as she releases small wisps of fire to clear their way.
It's a bumpy ride! In some cases, the branches don't burn fast enough, and she has to start using the oar to wack them out of the way as they barrel through. ]
Like those...! [She gulps and looks on with dread as the trees branches stand in their way!]
Get yer branches away from us, ya bleedin' trees! Stick to the land, not the water!
[In any case, she watches in wonder as Susato releases those wisps and clears some of the branches! She grins at her partner's ability.]
There ya go, Sooze! You're doin' great! I ain't never been so proud to see someone throwin' fire around!
[She says with a laugh. She does what she can to try to keep the boat going at full speed no matter what - slowing down occasionally only to wack some of the branches with her oar herself!]
[ Something of a celebratory noise escapes from her mouth, and she might have held up her oar in triumph as they make it through. That slowed them down for sure, but they don't give up! She takes a moment to regard their surroundings once more, looking ahead of them to see what else they have left, and it doesn't look like much at all.
There are more flags to indicate the finish line, similar to what was at the start. Better not linger! She wipes off some sweat off her forehead.
If there are any scratches on her skin, or damage to her clothes, or the boat, she'll worry about it later. ]
Almost!
[ And then, after one last nasty surprise in the form of a whirlpool that felt more like a giant drain, Susato has to release off another ball of fire with force, trying to use the momentum to jet them in the opposite way and out of its pull.
They cross the finish line soon after to much cheering and clapping! Some of it might've even been her own. Phew! ]
[Gina keeps her eyes on the goal! Once they're clear, she puts their all into full speed ahead! She's focused, but with a daredevil smile on her face all the same.
There's one last setback in the form of that sneaky extra whirlpool, which fills Gina with frustration, but that turns to wonder as Susato propels them to safety! And once they hit that finish line, she's elated! Some extra flowers sprout up around them as she raises a fist with joy.]
Oi!! We did it!!
[She looks at Susato with her brightest grin, placing a hand at her shoulder.]
See, Sooze? We made it! An' I couldn't've done it without ya!
[They seem to have ultimately fallen short of the record, but still enough to receive a consolation prize?]
[ They're likely soaking wet, and Susato absolutely is not paying any attention at all to the time they recorded, not until they've been informed that they get to pick a consolation prize. She had nearly forgotten about that! Truthfully, she thinks Gina would have done just as well with another partner, or on her own, given how resourceful she is, but she won't argue. ]
Th, That was fun! Let's go see what prizes we can choose!
[ Susato glances at Gina and the hand on her shoulder. The petals on her sakura hairpin start to glow, and they don't even have to go far. A short distance away, they're treated towards what looks like a veritable wall of plush animals. At the bottom are larger ones, as big as the girls themselves,but a little higher up are the ones they get to choose from.
All of them are smaller than Toby and roughly the size of their hands (perhaps a little larger, and all of them seem to be food-themed.
Susato is tempted by the cats, but already seems to have locked on to something that makes her think of her homeland: takonyaki! ]
[Gina keeps on climbing upwards, pushing herself up that giant tree. She's getting closer and closer to the cage! And she tries to keep talking. Maybe that'll help her not to worry! Help both of them, maybe.]
Thanks, I appreciate it! Just 'ang in there now. I'm almost there, I am!
[Soon she manages to reach the closest branch to Nene's cage... but the tree does its best to keep them apart. Thorny vines start advancing towards Gina, who gives a surprised yelp while she tries to avoid them!]
I was talkin' about pickin' pockets when I said that. This was me first time breakin' outta jail. [She served her time fair and square! Gina shrugs.]
Wot we do next... Well, it's all s'posed to be a story, innit? So we gotta move it along, an' figure out where it's goin'. It just better be a 'appy story, alright? Not one that puts us back in one o' these flower dells!
[She gestures towards one of the cells as she makes her way down the hall. With most of the prisoners freed, she now seeks out the exit.]
[She does try to listen to his explanation. He's good at explaining things in a somewhat calming manner, at least. As he asks about her feelings, she responds with crossed arms.]
Restless? That's one way to put it alright. I feel bloomin' annoyed wiv them birds meself! They won't let me figure out their trick or nuffin'!
They're 'avin' a real laugh at us, they are. It just makes me wanna try harder to get 'em! But I can't. No matter 'ard I try, they just keep dodgin' faster!
I wonder if they'll be laughing when they lose!! We should get them!
[ Now he's all fired up and ready to go. Alphen likes to get competitive and he doesn't ease up easily so he'll be trying his best to take on the loosey goose.]
Today's the day their reign of terror ends!
[ For all his bold claims he just fails magnificently. The goose is still loose. ]
They won't be! 'Cause their goose'll be cooked alright!!
[It's fun to join in on the trash talk! But unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be leading anywhere productive. So she shakes her head at Alphen's failed try.]
Oi, yer doin' it all wrong! Lemme 'ave another go at it now!
[With that, she fiercely tries throwing two in a row! But again, the goose evades.]
[He will also sigh at his failed attempt and then shake his head with Gina. ]
That was a good try. I can tell you gave it everything you got. I never thought we'd have this much trouble with it. Even with both of us attempting it's still hard to overcome.
[Gina does blink briefly at the iris, but figures she's seeing things as they move on. Now here they are, along a new path.]
Nah, I left 'im at the 'ouse. Toby already 'ad 'is fill o' the festival on the other days. ...An' I was thinkin' more about tryin' to find a way to ditch this bloomin' costume. I didn't think to bring 'im along! [She does almost regret it... Maybe Toby could have sniffed their way out of here!]
[Right, Toby might have ended making more of a mess of things. Gina's determined to solve this anyway!]
I ain't gonna worry even then! [She responds with determination.] That'll just mean we'll 'ave to go back an' pick a different one. We'll figure this out, you'll see! [Her optimistic energy builds!]
[The maze seems to sense there's not any shortage of confidence between. For when they turn a corner, they'll see the walls will eventually come to an end on the far side. Couldn't help but have a relieved smile on his face.]
I think we actually did figure it out. [The question is, will their costumes go away once they get out?]
[Gina does listen carefully to her input as she does her work! With the cloth looped through the handle successfully, she carefully ties the cloth together so that it's holding onto the lamp.]
Got it. Slow an' steady it goes now...!
[Nervously, she pulls at the lamp... and it dangles from the cloth as she holds it up. She lets out a relieved sigh.]
[Although they've definitely spoken too soon, because as soon as Tifa finishes saying it, the cave gives a mighty roar that shakes the walls that dust begins to fall on their heads. Already, Tifa's gut is telling her that this is probably what she was expecting...]
We need to move...
[And then, the stair under her feet begins to crumble.]
Cor!! [Gina exclaims, her pride quickly turning to panic as the sound around them shifts.]
Don't gotta tell me twice!
[Frantically, Gina starts to run down the stairs! ...Except that's particularly difficult in this gown. It won't be long before she trips over herself and starts to fall over - while risking dropping the lamp at the same time!]
[Tifa manages to catch her when she stumbles, although they can't linger for long, because the crumbling stairs wait for no one, chasing them as they run.
She takes the lamp from Gina so that the poor girl can worry more about her dress, but this time, it's Tifa who trips on a crumbled corner of one of the steps and slips off completely, grabbing onto it at the last second to save herself the tumble all the way down.]
[With that save, Gina keeps moving! Along the way, she tears some more pieces of the dress to help her move. If only she was wearing just those trousers underneath to begin with, this would be a lot easier!
But when Tifa falls, Gina stops.]
No way, I ain't leavin' ya behind! [She'll try to grab onto a hand to help her up! Leaving someone behind, even when they seem cool and capable, doesn't sit well with Gina at all.]
[Tifa grits her teeth, looking back to the crumbling staircase and then to Gina's hand... She would be able to break the landing just fine if she fell, but it would risk splitting them up. And if she were in Gina's shoes, she'd be adamant about helping, too.
So, Tifa snatches Gina's hand, her own fingers gripping around the girl's wrist for extra support so that she might help pull Tifa back up in time... but they are quickly running out of that. Her other hand slips in a panic and she yelps, but she grabs hold again fast enough that Gina won't have to support all of her weight.]
On three—! [She doesn't even wait for her confirmation before counting down quickly.] One, two, three, pull!
Overflow: Flower Festival Event
Susarto
[Gina rows like she's never paddled before! ...And she never has! But she does her best and tries to keep in sync with Susato's movements. At the same time, she tries her best to remember her observations and to prepare for what's ahead. Soon, Susato confirms Gina's thoughts.]
Right! Let's show that mess o' water that it can't mess us up!
[She steels herself, and it's with a proud grin that she does what she can to maneuver the boat on her end, so that they can avoid the whirlpool entirely. That's one obstacle out of the way! As they pass it, she lets out a cheer.]
We're off to a great start, we are! Wot's next, eh? Don't we got ourselves some obstacles to dodge?
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And speaking of burn, they seem to be coming up on a thick, heavily forested area! Can they even get through there...? ]
L, Like that?!
[ Susato frees up one of her hands, preparing for anything. And as if that wasn't enough, suddenly branches of all shapes and sizes come protruding down on either side of them, as if actively trying to impede their progress. She doesn't think. She just closes her eyes, reaching for that inner fire as she always has, and starts to take aim as she releases small wisps of fire to clear their way.
It's a bumpy ride! In some cases, the branches don't burn fast enough, and she has to start using the oar to wack them out of the way as they barrel through. ]
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Get yer branches away from us, ya bleedin' trees! Stick to the land, not the water!
[In any case, she watches in wonder as Susato releases those wisps and clears some of the branches! She grins at her partner's ability.]
There ya go, Sooze! You're doin' great! I ain't never been so proud to see someone throwin' fire around!
[She says with a laugh. She does what she can to try to keep the boat going at full speed no matter what - slowing down occasionally only to wack some of the branches with her oar herself!]
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There are more flags to indicate the finish line, similar to what was at the start. Better not linger! She wipes off some sweat off her forehead.
If there are any scratches on her skin, or damage to her clothes, or the boat, she'll worry about it later. ]
Almost!
[ And then, after one last nasty surprise in the form of a whirlpool that felt more like a giant drain, Susato has to release off another ball of fire with force, trying to use the momentum to jet them in the opposite way and out of its pull.
They cross the finish line soon after to much cheering and clapping! Some of it might've even been her own. Phew! ]
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There's one last setback in the form of that sneaky extra whirlpool, which fills Gina with frustration, but that turns to wonder as Susato propels them to safety! And once they hit that finish line, she's elated! Some extra flowers sprout up around them as she raises a fist with joy.]
Oi!! We did it!!
[She looks at Susato with her brightest grin, placing a hand at her shoulder.]
See, Sooze? We made it! An' I couldn't've done it without ya!
[They seem to have ultimately fallen short of the record, but still enough to receive a consolation prize?]
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Th, That was fun! Let's go see what prizes we can choose!
[ Susato glances at Gina and the hand on her shoulder. The petals on her sakura hairpin start to glow, and they don't even have to go far. A short distance away, they're treated towards what looks like a veritable wall of plush animals. At the bottom are larger ones, as big as the girls themselves,but a little higher up are the ones they get to choose from.
All of them are smaller than Toby and roughly the size of their hands (perhaps a little larger, and all of them seem to be food-themed.
Susato is tempted by the cats, but already seems to have locked on to something that makes her think of her homeland: takonyaki! ]
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Nene!
[Gina keeps on climbing upwards, pushing herself up that giant tree. She's getting closer and closer to the cage! And she tries to keep talking. Maybe that'll help her not to worry! Help both of them, maybe.]
Thanks, I appreciate it! Just 'ang in there now. I'm almost there, I am!
[Soon she manages to reach the closest branch to Nene's cage... but the tree does its best to keep them apart. Thorny vines start advancing towards Gina, who gives a surprised yelp while she tries to avoid them!]
Alibobert
I was talkin' about pickin' pockets when I said that. This was me first time breakin' outta jail. [She served her time fair and square! Gina shrugs.]
Wot we do next... Well, it's all s'posed to be a story, innit? So we gotta move it along, an' figure out where it's goin'. It just better be a 'appy story, alright? Not one that puts us back in one o' these flower dells!
[She gestures towards one of the cells as she makes her way down the hall. With most of the prisoners freed, she now seeks out the exit.]
Alphen and the Chipmunks
[She does try to listen to his explanation. He's good at explaining things in a somewhat calming manner, at least. As he asks about her feelings, she responds with crossed arms.]
Restless? That's one way to put it alright. I feel bloomin' annoyed wiv them birds meself! They won't let me figure out their trick or nuffin'!
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[Alphen doesn't like it either so he's inclined to agree with Gina.]
Just now I saw it move again! Damn.
[The goose is on the loose.]
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They're 'avin' a real laugh at us, they are. It just makes me wanna try harder to get 'em! But I can't. No matter 'ard I try, they just keep dodgin' faster!
[Way too loosey goosey!]
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[ Now he's all fired up and ready to go. Alphen likes to get competitive and he doesn't ease up easily so he'll be trying his best to take on the loosey goose.]
Today's the day their reign of terror ends!
[ For all his bold claims he just fails magnificently. The goose is still loose. ]
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[It's fun to join in on the trash talk! But unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be leading anywhere productive. So she shakes her head at Alphen's failed try.]
Oi, yer doin' it all wrong! Lemme 'ave another go at it now!
[With that, she fiercely tries throwing two in a row! But again, the goose evades.]
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[He will also sigh at his failed attempt and then shake his head with Gina. ]
That was a good try. I can tell you gave it everything you got. I never thought we'd have this much trouble with it. Even with both of us attempting it's still hard to overcome.
[This goose is being rather obtuse. ]
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Kazoomer Asoggy
[Gina does blink briefly at the iris, but figures she's seeing things as they move on. Now here they are, along a new path.]
Nah, I left 'im at the 'ouse. Toby already 'ad 'is fill o' the festival on the other days. ...An' I was thinkin' more about tryin' to find a way to ditch this bloomin' costume. I didn't think to bring 'im along! [She does almost regret it... Maybe Toby could have sniffed their way out of here!]
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We'll worry if the path suddenly decides to end. [At the moment, it seems to be a straighter path than the last one they went down.]
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I ain't gonna worry even then! [She responds with determination.] That'll just mean we'll 'ave to go back an' pick a different one. We'll figure this out, you'll see! [Her optimistic energy builds!]
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I think we actually did figure it out. [The question is, will their costumes go away once they get out?]
Tifa!
[Gina does listen carefully to her input as she does her work! With the cloth looped through the handle successfully, she carefully ties the cloth together so that it's holding onto the lamp.]
Got it. Slow an' steady it goes now...!
[Nervously, she pulls at the lamp... and it dangles from the cloth as she holds it up. She lets out a relieved sigh.]
There, I got it! Not too bad, innit?
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[Although they've definitely spoken too soon, because as soon as Tifa finishes saying it, the cave gives a mighty roar that shakes the walls that dust begins to fall on their heads. Already, Tifa's gut is telling her that this is probably what she was expecting...]
We need to move...
[And then, the stair under her feet begins to crumble.]
Now!
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Don't gotta tell me twice!
[Frantically, Gina starts to run down the stairs! ...Except that's particularly difficult in this gown. It won't be long before she trips over herself and starts to fall over - while risking dropping the lamp at the same time!]
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She takes the lamp from Gina so that the poor girl can worry more about her dress, but this time, it's Tifa who trips on a crumbled corner of one of the steps and slips off completely, grabbing onto it at the last second to save herself the tumble all the way down.]
Just keep running! I'll meet you at the bottom.
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But when Tifa falls, Gina stops.]
No way, I ain't leavin' ya behind! [She'll try to grab onto a hand to help her up! Leaving someone behind, even when they seem cool and capable, doesn't sit well with Gina at all.]
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[Tifa grits her teeth, looking back to the crumbling staircase and then to Gina's hand... She would be able to break the landing just fine if she fell, but it would risk splitting them up. And if she were in Gina's shoes, she'd be adamant about helping, too.
So, Tifa snatches Gina's hand, her own fingers gripping around the girl's wrist for extra support so that she might help pull Tifa back up in time... but they are quickly running out of that. Her other hand slips in a panic and she yelps, but she grabs hold again fast enough that Gina won't have to support all of her weight.]
On three—! [She doesn't even wait for her confirmation before counting down quickly.] One, two, three, pull!
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