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So, what's my motivation for getting this in two rounds?

[ she's... stretching? Yeah. Lacing her fingers together with her arms over her head and then doing a few twists because one should be limber for the ring toss, apparently. The stuffed animals hanging overhead sure are big boys, too, though she hasn't spotted a prairie dog yet. Just a two-headed goose and other alarming friends. ]

[ Robby's glanced at the animals, but checking them out doesn't speak for which Tsuruno will pick--his companion at nights will be in her hands (or, tosses). He doesn't question the stretching, though. Rather, hm, that question-

He thinks about it, a tilt of his head and looking up before coming back down. ]

Wellll... I'll pay full price for both of our ice creams. Or- [ or, with his face turning to her, expression sly, ] -you can make a request from me. Anything you like.

And maybe I'll fulfil it.

[ Wow, how romantic. 'Maybe I'll do the thing'. But isn't it all about delivery? ]

Maybe, huh?

[ Well, how motivational. But Tsuruno ponders this, then nods, collecting her rings. ]

Okay! I'll take a "maybe".

[ But it's time to focus on the actual tossing of the rings. Five bottles, seven rings.

Too bad the rings are all weighted differently and the bottles themselves seem to tilt and rock with the slightest breeze, so ultimately she only manages three bottles before she runs out of rings. ]

Seriously??

[ Well, she's not pouting or sulking, but she looks like she's ready to go to war with this game. ]

[ Damn, Tsuruno, you're not anime or cool enough to get it first try either? ]

You don't give in that easy, right?

[ Don't worry, Robby's got your back. That's an encouraging tone of show that ring toss game who's boss!! ]

[ Of course she doesn't give in that easily, or Robby wouldn't have had to chase after her, prompting a fight, a rescue, a reconciliation and boy-induced insomnia, all in that order!

Thankfully, this is nowhere near as dramatic and Tsuruno only gets to be cool in some life-threatening situations, of which this definitely is not.

But she huffs a little, determined, and faces the game again. Similarly her expression shifts into something much more focused.

Her first ring lands, the second misses, but she gets the third, fourth and fifth. The sixth gets blown away mid-toss by the wind, which she grumbles under her breath at, but she's down to one ring and one more bottle.

And, thanks to the d20 being merciful with a 16--I mean, her intense concentration and perfect amount of force with the wrist flick, the ring hits the top of the bottle, clatters a bit, then slides safely down.

And Tsuruno lights up, all that concentration gone in an instant and replaced by aheer delight. ]

Yes! Finally!! I've never gotten this one!

[ BLESSED BE THE DICE ON OUR SIDE!!! i mean, Tsuruno and Robby's incredible skills at concentration--even if it did take Robby three times, as opposed to Tsuruno's two. ]

Alright! [ But he's not the kind of guy to think about that! He steps towards her and pats her triumphantly on both shoulders, giving them a squeeze before letting go. ] Look at you, you did it! How many times have you tried it?

[ How many turns to slay the ring toss beast? ]

This would be the... seventh...

[ And she's just scrunching up her nose at the memory of how this ring toss has wronged her. Personally. Probably killed her grandpa, honestly. Its sins cannot be forgiven. ]

But I was thinking of you this time, so maybe that's why?

[ Utter sincerity. Terrible. ]

[ Wow, is that sincerity, or is Robby being teased? It feels like the latter, but even so- ]

Yeah? Sounds like you really wanted that maybe, then. [ He can play along with it, the smile on his lips less sly or aiming for smooth, but--okay, it's a little bit of that, but also more just sweet. ]

Did you have something in mind?

Huh--oh, right!

[ Wow did she forget that part of it, possibly. It's fine, Tsuruno is humming thoughtfully as she also pulls a Robby and nimbly vaults the counter, even though she then has to strain up on her toes and bounce up a little to try to snag her prize from further in the back. Why are they all dangling from the ceiling like this, it's rude to short people. But she calls back to him, after a minute. ]

Maybe a spar? I know you know karate.

[ Romance??? ]

[ Romance is croaking over here, face in its hands. ]

You could've asked me for that without game win. But alright.

[ No take-backsies now! But, this does make him think to ask: ]

You deal with weird stuff back home and never learned any self-defence?

[ Never thought to karate chop pool monsters, Tsuruno?

(Also, how is getting that prize going? You need some help?) ]

No, I did. [ There's a pause, as though she's debating how to answer him... or rather, how much to say. ]

I actually took lessons at a dojo for a while, when things changed for me, because I didn't want to just rely on the other stuff. I even, um. Picked fights with other girls to try and get stronger, even though I definitely shouldn't have. But for this, I just feel like practicing.

[ Someone sounds embarrassed. But finally she gets enough air on a leap to snag her prize, dropping down with it safely in her arms. As she returns, she leans across the counter to offer it to Robby.

It's some kind of ferret. The eyes are red and look more than a little demonic and it has five tails for some reason but it's very soft! ]

... Sorry. Closest thing to a prairie dog I could find.

[ The....!!! ......not prairie dog plush has been retrieved! Which, Robby is spending a good second just looking at that thing's face once it's in both hands.

Weird thing, it looks like a cartoon. But he shoves it under his armpit to be carried all the same, its head poking out. Devilishly. ]

Looks just like one. [ Glancing. ] ...on another planet.

[ Totally counts, right? He'll offer out a hand if she wants it getting back over, but she might find her own two hands better. Regardless: ]

You wanna get those ice creams? Unless we wanna see if one of the rides wants to kill us first, then eat. [ He's looking now from their place, the different booths and buildings that can be seen. He thinks he can spot bumper cars, but Tsuruno's knowledge of the carnival is better than his semi-guessing.

...and there is more on his mind than just the games, and he looks back at Tsuruno. ]

But I wanna ask more about you, too. I don't care the order we do it in.

[ It's not said like a warning, even if it can be taken as one. A heads-up that it's in his cards, a plan. He's the one who has to see if he can handle her, wasn't it?

And learning that is about more than whatever life Tsuruno's come from, that had her fighting girls. ]

[ She can get over with her two hands and even though she kind of pauses yet again when he continues, she's the one to reach out to take his hand with a bit of a heavy exhale.

Well, it can't really be helped if things come up that aren't the usual "getting to know you" questions. That's a big part of getting to know her. ]

Ice cream and then finding a quieter ride to eat on? You can ask me things whenever you want.

[ On the way to get food, on the ride, after. ]

We could swap questions, to make it fair.

[ Her hand is unexpected, but he lets his fingers squeeze comfortably against hers when she takes it, something appreciative in the gesture. She doesn't mind slowing down; and maybe it's his previous dating experience that didn't have him expect that, but he doesn't mind, stepping in line with Tsuruno. ]

Sure. [ ... ] But you did get a head start on learning the bigger stuff. I know about your family's business, you know how I ended up in juvie...

[ What a start, huh? And he just knows she has special friendship mugs. ]

Then you can ask the first question. Whatever you want.

[ That only seems fair. It's true he'd blurted out all of that information about almost beating someone to death and going to juvie, even though she'd done her best not to hear about it. She was still just barely getting to know Robby at the time.

And, go figure, here they are now. ]

[ Whatever he wants, huh. He's still holding onto her hand as they walk--and it is warm, isn't it? He had chalked it down to his imagination earlier--and he considers what to ask first. ]

Then... how would you describe yourself? What you do, who you want to be. [ After all: ] You take investigating danger pretty seriously.

[ If Robby had to guess anything about her. But if he doesn't just chalk down her reaction to the pool monster to her experience in the mall, then rushing off like she did is a sign of someone serious about investigating and dealing with problems.

And Robby does remember things she had said then, despite the severity of everything going on. She feels like she has to take everything on so other people don't have to. ...but most people aren't trying to take on possible monsters.

In Robby's experience, anyway. ]

[ And there it is. Tsuruno lets out a quiet breath, gazing down as they walk. ]

I want to be the Mightiest Magical Girl. So to put it as simply as I can, they're girls who made a contract to get powers and fight certain monsters in exchange for a wish. They can do whatever they want outside of that, but most of us... usually try to protect people from getting caught up in weird and dangerous things back home. It's a pretty closely guarded secret; even my family doesn't know.

[ And she says this almost apologetically, because she's aware it sounds insane. ]

Back when my friend died, I... wasn't there. The restaurant was really busy and the others told me it was fine, they'd deal with the problem without me.

But then Mel died. And someone told me it wasn't on me, it wouldn't have changed even if I'd been there. And I felt like she was saying "you're not strong enough", so I decided I'd change that. I'd become strong in every way I could. Someone supportive, someone who worked hard, who could win in any fight, who always smiled and who could handle things on her own.

[ She closes her eyes briefly, voice quieter. ]

Ultimately, I think I just want to be someone who makes people's lives better. I just sorta fell into old habits here because I hardly knew anyone and I didn't want to give them someone extra to worry about.

[ Robby listens without interruption, without much change to his expression. Nothing overly shocked, no more dramatics; he watches between Tsuruno and the way they're walking, but isn't interested in their directions or the visuals of their surroundings. The story she says is bizarre from the beginning, it's true, but Robby's reminded of Izuku and his superhero school. The concrete he punched a large dent into, the lives that people have, their powers.

And the bubbly, always offering to help girl--the same he met by throwing a milk bottle at her--is the same as that. An extraordinary life, and yet it seems normal in a way; normal in that there's people like this that just exist.

But there's more to Tsuruno than just her abilities. But her loss, too.

The way she responded to it isn't so strange, really. ]

I get it. [ His voice is softer, or what the noise of the carnival will allow it to be without becoming lost in the tunes. Watching her, eyes sympathetic. ] After I got out of juvie, I thought the way I'd become a better person was to be someone who didn't rely on others, who learned to stand up by himself. [ He huffs, a sound of faint amusement. ] I did it for opposite reasons from you: I just wanted to be stronger because then I wouldn't have to trust anyone again.

...but I could do something about the hurt I'd been carrying if I became a better person, and then-- it wouldn't be so bad. Everything that happened.

[ Nearly killing Miguel. Thinking that everyone saw him as the lowlife that couldn't be saved, changed, by becoming someone who didn't have to care. Who stopped trying to be the right kind of person, and just someone who could survive, regardless.

His motives were never for other people like Tsuruno. But many people deal with hurt in similar ways, anyway.

He looks ahead briefly, but rubs his thumb against the skin of her hand idly. ]

I don't blame you for not telling me anything. [ He looks at her again, head tipping slightly. ] ...but I'd like it, if you would.

[ She's not sure what she expects to see, when she lifts her eyes again to glance at him. Bewilderment, maybe. Derision? It sounds naive of her, she knows; Henry had pointed that much out. Robby had been so angry when he'd caught up with her, upset at her recklessness. But she knows he'd been worried and the look he gives her now is a lot more understanding than she would have anticipated.

But then he continued and she sucks in a quiet breath, a little surprised. He gets it. Oh.

It sounds... lonely. And she'd been exhausted, trying to be that powerful, cheerful presence that never bent to adversity, but to make yourself strong so you didn't have to rely on anyone?

His thumb rubs lightly over her skin and she glances at their hands, then back at his face. She squeezes his hand, gently. ]

I will. It might be a lot to hear, but if you really want to know, I'll tell you.

... You have people you can trust now, right?

[ He tugs on a smile at agreement, though as for trust -- he gives a smaller laugh, short. ]

I guess I have you and Mister LaRusso. [ He voices it like a joke, and yet: ] I haven't come out here for anyone else. I was avoiding it after the mall because--it made me see myself die.

[ He does pause before admitting that, but--he'll go through with it, awkward as it is. If he's asking her to share with him, shouldn't he be honest, too? ]

What about you? Are you opening up to working together with people here too? There's a lot of magical people around.

[ To a guy like Robby. ]

[ Tsuruno doesn't quite hesitate so much as pauses briefly before lightly nudging their shoulders together, head tilted so she doesn't bonk him with the hat. ]

Okay, but how many people asked you to go out with them to the fair? [ it's light, a little teasing, after that bit of solidarity. If he doesn't want to talk about it more than that, she's not going to make him. ]

But yeah. After some weird guy yelled at me and reminded me I shouldn't do everything on my own, I wound up talking to a couple of other people about my... deal. Because at the very least, I want to be able to trust some people a little more.

I won't accidentally get you involved in anything dangerous now, too.

The heads up about your magical monster fighting experience helps click a few things. [ To be fair. ] Even if me and that really handsome-sounding guy had the right idea 'bout shouting at you.

[ A friendly arm nudge right back! ]

[ A little snort. ]

That guy? He was only kinda cute when he smiled.

[ SLANDER. But she's pointing to the stall they're now approaching--namely the soft serve ice cream machine. ]

So, chocolate, vanilla, or swirl?

... That doesn't count as my question, by the way.

I didn't know we were keeping track.

[ of the questions. But he sounds amused, and totally considers making a fuss, except-- ]

Swirl. Hit me with a question and an ice cream?

[ Tsuruno releases his hand to properly work the machine and honestly, it's been nice to have ice cream that isn't about to make you start rapping or start crying or any other thing that the usual parlor does.

But she opts for swirl as well, returning to Robby with two cones and offering him one of them. ]

Okay, then! What is it you want to do? Got any goals or dreams? It could be something not that far off or something in the future.

[ Since he definitely doesn't seem like the type of person he'd told her about, the one who just wanted to get strong so he didn't have to place his trust in anyone else.

And this way, he can tell her only what he's comfortable with talking about. Maybe he wants to learn something new or maybe he's got something he's working towards. ]

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