pc; fai

[shouldbe]

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[shouldbe]

To be fair, he can be pretty provoking when he wants to be. I've already told him off for being an ass.

[rip kaeya no it's fine.]

But I hope he talks to you about it. [And she's just going to leave it at that, otherwise she's going to risk accidentally saying more than she means to!]

Is this the game we're supposed to try playing this week?

[partymagician]

...I hope so too.

[ His words are quiet, but definitely loud enough for Wave to hear. ]

I believe so! I'm not quite sure I understand how it's supposed to be played, however.

[shouldbe]

Do you want to try figuring it out together?

[Like a peace offering that isn't necessarily needed, but one she's going to offer nonetheless. Fai's set her on edge a little in the past, but he seems a little more accessible after everything that's happened.]

[partymagician]

[ It certainly feels like a peace offering, and he noticeably perks up. ]

I'd like that.

[ He smiles and it reaches his eyes for once. ]

I was looking for the instructions before you found me.

[shouldbe]

[Good. Wave smiles, too, but as he speaks a hint of mischief sneaks in. This will probably not be surprising at all, but--]

Who needs instructions? [She hops up onto one of the platforms, touching the screen like it's their phones and then, when that doesn't work, smacking the green button between the arrows. It's the only one that's not an arrow, so clearly that's gotta be how you start it...!

Then she turns back to Fai, gesturing for him to come up too.]

We're smart. We can figure this out, right?

[It'll be more challenging, but more fun to figure it out on the fly. And if he's unfamiliar too, it means they're on even ground!]

[partymagician]

[ The way she jumps up on the platform catches him off guard, but it makes him laugh too, full and genuine. ]

I like the way you think.

[ He hops on there with her, pressing buttons as he sees fit until the song selection menu suddenly comes up. ]

I'll let you do the honors.

[shouldbe]

[Let's gooooooooo Wave presses one of the arrow buttons and just... holds it down.]

Ready?

[And then she lets off and slaps the selection button again without even looking at the song they got, which I'm deciding is DJ Amuro's A because it's my favorite and also it'd be funny with the speed change to fuck them up]

So there are arrows at the top of the screen... I guess you just step on the matching arrow?

[Let's give it a try!]

[partymagician]

[ perfect pick ]

I think so...

[ When Fai coordinates the arrow to the screen and a PERFECT shows up, that all but confirms it. The song at first isn't too hard, especially with Fai's good hand-eye coordination. He feels like he's finally getting the hang of it when the song suddenly freezes...

And speeds up. A lot. Fai tries his best to keep up but he isn't good enough. ]

Ah...

[shouldbe]

[Wave is... not as GOOD. In fact, one might say she's edging toward a MISS altogether... but after a moment she scowls at the screen, expression setting in determination, and she. Well. Her hand-eye coordination isn't bad, but it's been a while since she's done something that needed quite so much of it; she's still hanging on by the time they get to the slowdown, but only just.]

That wasn't so--ah!

[WHAT IS IT DOING HELP similarly, she's doing her best but lol. That's going to be a FAILED song in the end.]

That... probably wasn't the best song to pick for a first try, was it?

[For a moment, she feels a little embarrassed by the poor showing... but then she starts to giggle, reaching out to hit the button again to continue.]

Okay, okay. Let's try something easier to start.

[partymagician]

[ He laughs too, light and genuine.

If he has to catch his breath a bit… so be it. ]

Mm… I’d say to go for a slower one, but now I’m worried it’ll switch up on us again!

[shouldbe]

So what you're saying is I should look for the fastest one, and then we'll be guaranteed that it won't change.

[Has Fai seen the sly grin she wears sometimes? Because that's the expression on her face right now; she knows very well that isn't how it works, but well. If you give a Wave a chance to be a menace, odds are she's going to take it.]

[partymagician]

[ He’s seen that grin directed at others, but now that it’s directed at him… she’s quite pretty with it on.

It makes him laugh again before he returns that same sly grin. ]

You make a good argument. The tempo change was the worst part of it, so why don’t we start out fast? I know we can both keep up.

[shouldbe]

[Oh...! She isn't expecting the answering slyness in his own expression, and it's enough of a surprise that her own smile loses that quality, growing instead to something more genuinely delighted.]

All right, let's see what they've got.

[MAX 300. I have to.

Unlike the last one, this one's starting at super-speed. Maybe it was a bad idea? Possibly, yes, but like hell she's backing down, even if she absolutely misses the first few notes just because of how fast those arrows are rocketing up the screen. But Wave knows how to dance, so she knows how to find a beat, and once she catches on to the idea that it's like following a partner in a weird sort of way she'll actually start to do okay! ...until the arrows slow and stop altogether.]

What's--No!

[THE MUSIC JUST RESTARTS WITHOUT WARNING HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO PREDICT THAT THIS IS BULLSHIT]

[partymagician]

[ It's the sort of pace that Fai isn't used to, especially when it comes to dancing. Waltzes, foxtrots... he can do those just fine. But this? This is something entirely different, and while he can find the rhythm and coordinate well with his feet, it's still a struggle.

So much so that he lets out a strained "ah!" when the music starts back up.

He's slightly out of breath when the song finally finishes, feeling like trying to keep up was the real work out. ]

Ah... that wasn't any better after all.

[shouldbe]

[Wave's similarly out of breath, leaning back against the rail.]

Maybe you should pick the next one--if you want to keep going, that is.

[partymagician]

Of course I do!

[ He gives Wave a grin before he turns over to the console, picking out a song.

Keeping up with the theme, Fai picks one that sounds fast. ]

[shouldbe]

[oh no, oh no, oh no no no song starts...

.........honestly after about the first 20 seconds, Wave's just. Standing there.]

Why do they just keep getting worse?!

[But eventually they'll have DDR'd themselves out, whether that's because they finally figured out how to pick songs that aren't going to completely destroy them or they just gave up, who knows. At any rate it's time for some general hanging out time! How's Fai feel about heading out into the sun?]

That was all right, but I don't think I'll be going back for another round any time soon.

[partymagician]

[ The sun is nice, and Fai stretches out his arms when they step out into it. ]

I don't think so either. I'm starting to wonder if games like that are really for me.

[ He much prefers board games or card games. There aren't any weird machines they have to step on. ]

But this little retreat is good for trying new things, if nothing else, so I don't regret playing.

[shouldbe]

[Yessssss, good, Wave thrives in the sunshine, turning her face up to the light.]

You're not wrong... though I can't help but wish we could go a little further out. I'm having a good time here at the resort, but I'm starting to feel a little stir-crazy sometimes.

[partymagician]

So am I. It's too bad I can't offer to whisk you away to a little town around here.

[ He totally would otherwise. It'd be nice to do some exploring. ]

[shouldbe]

[--oh?]

You can do that sort of thing?

[partymagician]

I do know some transportation magic, yes.

[ He smiles. ]

I don't use it often, though. It's a complicated spell.

[shouldbe]

How complicated?

[It's not immediate, but the question still slips out of her before she has a chance to stop herself. It's the sort of question maybe she shouldn't ask, the sort of question that's too intrusive, but it's already been asked, so all she can really do is offer some sort of rationale:] I've... I was looking for a way to leave my world for a long time before all this. The guy who promised to help me never managed it.

[partymagician]

[ Ah... Fai considers her for a long moment, his smile fading from his face as he gives her question the serious thought that it deserves. ]

I've done it before. I should have more than enough magic to send you somewhere, but you need to be absolutely sure about your decision.

[shouldbe]

[If he hasn't realized it already, Wave's face gives away a lot of what she's thinking. In this instance, he'll see the moment she realizes what he's saying--is that an offer...?--followed by the surprise that hits her like a brick wall, then a softening of her expression to a little soft smile, even as her gaze drifts away from him for a moment. Finally, she brings her eyes back to him, shaking her head.]

That wasn't why I was asking. Momo already told me we don't have to go back if we don't want to.

I just wanted to know how long Dusk had been lying to me about not being able to do it.