[senri loves the cafe. he loves the cafe. he's coming back from that hall with a bunch of boxes stacked up into his arms and an expression that absolutely lights up when he sees shiki - though he has to peer around the boxes to do so]
[Oh my god. Shiki's still wandering with Mr. Mew, but as soon as she hears a semi-familiar voice she stops and her face lights up. And also doesn't comment on the different name, it's fine.]
I hope you're asking because those boxes are filled with something delicious. [So yes? She bounds right over.] Do you want some help carrying those?
No, I mean I know why I'm here, it's just--[She puffs out her cheeks and looks around.] It's complicated. But I have to win. Losing's not an option for me.
[She laughs a little, but she's shaking her head.] We're not on the same team yet, Senri. My god's kind of really rude. Like extremely rude. I'm thinking about changing as soon as I can.
[Don't get attached to the tutorial girl, Senri!! She's also just going to shut the door of the parlor, bye literally everyone else, and she'll lift both eyebrows.]
Cher--Sincerity? [She's figuring out Senri's dumb naming scheme, at least. ...and her expression softens.] I should have guessed. That really suits you.
[...and that sweet moment ends with:] Ambition won't miss me.
So Sincerity's a boy...? What's he like? [There's definitely the epitome of ":o" on her face as she moves to set the pastry boxes down. Are they really going to gossip about gods and eat cakes? Yes, yes they are.] I don't think I can defect yet, but soon.
[this is such a mess. but they're going to eat a shitton of pastries and yes this was pulled directly from 85 degrees]
He's really nice. It seems like the gods have their own set of rules to follow, but he still tried to tell me things when I asked. So I think his heart's in the right place, even if I don't know what he wants the world to look like when he wins yet but...
I think enough genuine warmth and feeling can be really powerful.
How can Ambition be so rude to a cute girl like you?
[Let's get 85 soon. It also just means that Shiki's eyes are wide as she starts unboxing things.]
With a name like Sincerity I would hope that he's doing the right thing. He sounds pretty sweet. You think their rules are different than ours? I didn't think to ask.
[There's a hum before she rolls her eyes.] I think it might be because Ambition's a cute girl, too. [She's guessing, but the way that it was said...well, she's maybe biased but there's only one boy who would talk to her like that and there's no way in hell Neku would be the embodiment of ambition.]
I wonder why not. Wouldn't it help them more if they could tell us about what's happening? [Weird.]
But if it's true, I have to leave. I don't think I can really work under another girl. [Hm.] I mean...not one who's not going to help me. I have to win, and if I can't work with my god I have to move on. Right? We only get one shot at this.
[senri pauses at that and tilts his head - because he thinks he sort of understands? it's rare to get this level of godly intervention, but also.]
You don't have to tell me what you're playing for, Shiks... but it must be really important to you - which I mean, I guess that's why we're all here but...
...I don't know if that's true. [She distracts herself with a cake, unboxing some really chocolate-y thing they're going to share, apparently. Mr. Mew's still in her arms and maybe she'd move faster if she wasn't holding him but he's a lifeline right now.] Things were a little different for me than for most people.
But you're right. We're all here to play for something important. And...who knows? Maybe we can all help each other reach that goal.
... yeah, I hope so. There's a way for all of us to win, so why wouldn't we do that?
[but he'll furrow his brows as he helps her with the chocolatey thing. he brought spoons and forks too, so he'll offer one out to her, and set the box aside so it doesn't get in her way]
.... I don't wanna make you talk about it, Shiks, but you know you can rely on me if there's something on your shoulders. Just so you know you're not alone in this. I meant it when I said we can look out for each other.
[Give her a moment and she'll take those to plate up a slice of cake for each of them. She works in silence, but eventually when she hands him his piece she knows what she wants to say.]
Senri. Can I ask what you're playing for? [...] Are we friends?
[Those are two unrelated questions, but they sure sound related.]
[ . . . this is where senri would normally answer the question with a question. "Have you heard of Pochi the Honeybee?" but it doesn't feel right to - not right now when she asks him in such an uncertain way.]
... of course we're friends, Shiks.
[and he'll reach out to her, palm up]
... I'm playing because there's someone I want to see.
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