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(( soldier 76 | << continued ))

[ Susato admires the little wings as he takes a better look, and her face kind of lights up as it hits her why she saw wolf features. His comment, even in jest, was said so flatly it takes her a moment, but she lets out a very light chuckle. ]

I didn't know she liked owls.

[ ...Eating them, perhaps? Nah, she won't think about that. ]

I'm glad they're getting along. Was she friends with Fang?

Mm, she had a good friend that looked very much like an owl, but was a dragon just a little younger than herself. Think the image stuck, so anything owl-like reminds her of them.

[Including, obviously, owls themselves. It was cute in a way, even if it was attached to a time he kept packed down. He and the dragon were the only ones here that held those memories after all, no reason to think much of them for himself.

A low hum.]

I don't think so- but then again given how she'd follow me, they could have been.

[ So, no eating the owls then. Good.

Story Realm aside, she has to wonder how they would get along now, given the wish Kazuma made in the Wishing Well. But there's no way to know whether Fang now and Fang from back then even felt like the same dragon.

Distantly, she remembers that they promised to bring Fang back a present. It is probably something they should do together, but she might want to play a couple more games regardless, in case she gets lucky again. Though she is remembering their promise to Fang at the moment, she can't help but consider Blue as well, and she blurts out the words rather casually before she can stop herself (if she even wanted to). ]

...Owl-shaped cookies.

[That? That got a warm chuckle out of him-]

That? Could be cute. Maybe use a snickerdoodle cookie as the base.

[No, really. An owl shaped cookie could be very cute and done in so many different styles- and he could appreciate shaped cookies as given by the flower ones already.]

[ Always a personal victory when she gets a chuckle out of him. He's already taught her so much during their time in the kitchen, even setting aside the weeks he couldn't be there, and it feels like this was a small thing she could offer in return.

She tucks Mr Meowgi under her arm (apparently that's his name, thanks Mr Booth Aide), and she pulls out one of her non-network journals to scribble that down. ]

Alright. We can design it together, and Blue can be the first to taste it.

Know a few different cookies recipes if you want to learn some of those while designing- can even combine a couple different cookie doughs for complimenting flavors.

[Just a few baking trips for those times he studied in the kitchen while his mother baked. Been nice, and sometimes there was nothing like a fresh baked cookie.

It had been a rather nice time in the kitchen with Susato-]

Makes for some pretty neat looking cookies, patchwork and twisted.

[ Susato gives him a nod, as she puts the journal away again. Not that they even need it anymore, but now there's even a legitimate library to speak of, they could even look up recipes and mix and match their own.

They seem to be doing pretty well for themselves though, so she'll leave it at that. ]

It's a process. But let's enjoy the festival for now. Did you want to see if some of the other booths have owls for prizes?

[He hummed lowly, scanning along the booth games-]

May as well, right? Seems like they've got all sorts of things as plushies, and could see what else we can win.

[That was the point, right? Maybe it wouldn't hurt to loosen up a bit more. Maybe allow himself to further enjoy, even if just for a little while. Could do wit a bit of a break; from pushing himself and not allowing too much of- well.

Living a moment.]

[ Susato may have bought herself a little time after that. She won't really say much; just nods as they walk along, and at one point, she may have pulled out a different-colored journal, the one connected to the network, but she's already done with it by the time they approach the tent labeled Pebble Toss.

The prizes seem color-coded based on the different colors you can change the pebbles, and the more of that color you can toss into the bucket of water, the bigger the prize. There is one in the blue pile that catches her eye. ]

"...Snowy owlbear."

[ Huh! Not the only animal combination she's seen today. She glances at 76 and the round wolfbat plush. ] H, How about that one?

[He scanned along the area -of course he was looking at the people around them and who was running the game booth- before his head tilted. Made it clear he had heard her and was addressing soon after as well.]

Looks like a good prize to aim for if you ask me.

[Really, a lot of these prizes were downright adorable in their own ways- probably the point of course.]

This one's more straight forward, too. [Not too many tricks.] Can get a real good feel for what you're going to toss and judge strength from that. Trick is how good you are at turning something a specific color, yeah?

[ She gives him a nod. Perhaps without really meaning to, they're ushered into a line where the pebbles are being given out. She may be peeking as the people in front of them pass by, trying to get a sense of how large the pebbles really are. ]

Yes. But have you ever done that before...? I work with many colors for my paper cranes, but I can't say I've had the need to change one.

[He made a low noise, a humming that was almost more in his chest than his throat-]

Can't say I've tried- I have noticed my shadows have a few colors in them, so maybe I can see if trying to draw from that might help. [Guess work and just running with it was what he usually ran with when he didn't exactly have a plan- which in some instances was awful for his health.

This time it was at least something a little more with just playing with harmless dreamotion. Right?]

. . . [ Since 76 went first at Smash!, Susato considered going first here, though she may be quickly second-guessing herself. She still has her cranes to draw from though, right? Powerful, mystical animals who lived for 1,000 years.

With that in mind, she'll receive a small cup full of pebbles once they're at the front of the line. Harmless dreamotion indeed. ]

Hmmm. Well... Alright. It can't hurt. I can go first this time. [ Oh. Who said that? Not her, surely? Wish her luck. ]

You can use the moment of trying to work with color to get a feel for the pebble's weight, and go from there with how you toss. [Encouraging reminder as his head tipped. Could go right ahead.

Sometimes the best way to learn was by doing, and the little bit of advice could be made sense of much easier with the hands on the pebbles, too.]

I believe you can do it, kid.

[ They approach the booth together, and at first, she's just staring at the bucket of water, as if gauging the distance. Next she's taking the first pebble in her hand, and a deep breath into her lungs.

The pebble's weight would certainly allow her to gauge how hard she needs to throw, but it feels secondary to the dreamotion. How she was supposed to will it to change its color, she still doesn't really know, but since emotions are such a big part of all this, maybe she could try that. The aura of anger is red, and happiness is yellow like the sun. So blue would be...? ]

[ She exhales, calling to mind the saddest Herlock Sholmes story she can remember. She gives 76 a brief glance in thanks, and it almost works. The pebble goes from its dreary gray to that periwinkle blue as it sails across the air, but then thinking of Herlock stories reminds her of Iris, so the color deepens until it is the very specific shade of pink that is Iris's hair.

The pebble drops into the water before Susato can process what happened. ]

[... Pink was not a bad color at least, but that seemed-]

Good aim and toss. [The color was certainly starting to show up in the water, and 76 leaned forward a bit just to gauge things. Huh.]

Think that you can manage that color again?

[Whatever Susato had done managed to change the color, but even with how easily the initial color and change to pink could have been missed- he'd caught it, just barely. Had se meant to do that or...?]

. . . But that was--

[ She could feel it spark blue for a moment, she'd swear to it. Yet peeking over a short distance into the booth, she could see a gentle reflection of pink. She frowns slightly, but between Iris and herself, pink certainly isn't bad by any means. ]

I, I might, but I didn't look to see if there were any pink owls.

At worst you can adjust for purple but- well.

[He glanced up and there were at least a few pink ones to choose from, amongst others.] I think you might be good on choice?

[ She follows his glance, seeing his point. Already she's reaching for another pebble from the cup with a preparatory sigh. ]

Well, her name is Blue, after all, but I suppose any owl will do. We will just have to pick the cutest one.

[ And so, here we go again-- ]

[He chuckled, the sound was soft and more good natured- amused as well, of course, but.]

I think she wouldn't mind pink, at least- won't lose it amongst her own fluff.

[And that was a good natured tease, and encouragement that it would be fine. Susato had this.]

[ There's a bit of a laugh at the joke. Does she really have this though? She seems to be getting the hang of it, but when she got too excited about getting the colors she wanted, some yellows would creep their way in there. Some purples happened, too. They're still outnumbered by the blues and pinks though, so they should be good?

She's been at it for a while--so she offers the cup to 76. ]

Would you like to finish us off?

[ Which color would win out? ]

[It was fun watching her get the hang of it, some old and nostalgic feeling that reminded him why he'd always liked to sometimes just... hang out at county fairs and the like. The atmosphere, going with friends when he didn't have much to worry about other than maybe getting home in time; better not to wake up too exhausted for morning chores.

He hummed, and considered-]

Sure you don't want to clean up your win? [He appreciated the offer, the thought behind it, and that was clear enough in his tone.]

[ Oh. That's a good point, too. She should probably finish what she started, but she feels bad if he's just watching. ]

I can, but I just didn't want you to get bored. Maybe we should have gotten two cups of pebbles.

[ And maybe she should have thought of this a good few pebbles ago. ]

[A hand rested on Susato's shoulder with a little squeeze, and then that friendly jostle of a shake that tended to follow the gesture with 76-]

Oh, I have as much fun watching as I do participating, trust me. [Watching her get a hang of what she was doing, having that fun of it.]

Want to see you pull it through at the end.

[A solid 'you got this' if there ever was one.]

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