Compliments Need Not Apply
Her roadblock was taller than her by a couple of inches. Arle tried to peek over Draco's shoulder, but Draco shifted, preventing Arle from seeing Carbuncle continuing to dash down the cave's slick corridor. Arle tried to twist her head and body in various directions to catch a glimpse of her companion, but Draco mimicked her every move. Each tilt of her head was copied by the smirking Draco. Even Arle's quick glances were mirrored, and it almost felt like Arle was facing another doppelganger.
"Draco, can you please move?" Arle asked, teeth beginning to grit. Her fists balled at her sides as Draco chuckled, her tail smacking the damp earth.
"Not a chance! If you want me to move, then we'll have a winner-takes-all cave beauty contest!" Draco proclaimed, thrusting her finger at Arle's nose.
Following Draco's forefinger made Arle's eyes cross and cloud her vision with hues of green, red, and brown. Shaking her head, Arle itched her scalp and knew Carbuncle was going to keep darting deeper into the cavern. With his curious nature, she was certain Carbuncle was bound to get roped into some kind of trouble if she wasn't around to defend him.
"If you're worried about Carbuncle," Draco interjected as if reading her thoughts, "then he can just Puyo battle his way outta any mess! You and I have a score to settle once and for all! I didn't tail you all the way in this muggy cave for nothing!"
Arle gasped, her hand clasping around her mouth. Before she could ask if Draco was telepathic, she watched Draco unfurl her wings and snap into a pose. Arle merely cocked her head as Draco thrust out her hand to the stalactites above them only to grimace when a trickling drop of water splashed onto the top of her head. The humid air and sudden embarrassment formed the sheen of sweat on Draco's brow and her lips curving into a sharp frown, her nettled appearance prompting Arle to laugh.
Sighing off her amusement, Arle shrugged and asked, "Can't you challenge Witch or Seriri or anyone else to a beauty contest? Why are you always making me do this?"
Draco snorted, her expression one of blunt irritation. She folded her arms, gripping her forearms and leaned forward as Arle's back slanted away from her. Draco's face encompassed all Arle could see, and she made out the deeper hues of jade illuminating Draco's lime eyes. Arle swallowed, the sensation of closeness entirely foreign to her. She felt Draco's qipao brush against her waist, and the her mind buzzed with uncertain thoughts.
"Isn't it obvious? It's because you're one of the prettiest girls I know! You're mega pretty! Prettier than Witch or Seriri or anyone else," Draco huffed, slapping her hands onto Arle's shoulders, her gloved fingers clutching her armor. She smirked, a dimple forming in her left cheek as she inspected Arle's bright scarlet face. "In fact, I'd even call you beautiful, but that term is restricted to me and only me, but maybe if you beat me, you'd be actually beautiful!"
Arle's eyes shot open, and a flustered cry ripped free from her lips. Snatching Draco's wrists, she broke into frenetic sputtering like she was being whirled around, shouting that Draco was acting stranger than usual. Despite Arle's insistence, Draco stiffed her lips into a befuddled frown before shouting that Arle was incredibly pretty. Arle eyed the damp cave wall, hoping for some monster to suddenly engage her in battle as she uttered a droning hum, embarrassment staining her groaning. She'd take the Banshee Trio's bawling or Harpy's singing over listening to the sudden flood of compliments being rained down on her.
"Don't be such a baby, Arle! Just accept the compliments! You're making this way too difficult!" Draco snapped, but Arle shook her head, her hair whipping her cheeks.
"Y-you're being creepy, Draco! This is something I'd expect from Schezo!" Arle pushed Draco aside, knocking her into the wall and grimacing as Draco yelped, trickling water from the stalactites above brushing down her back.
Draco scowled, gripping the thick fabric of her qipao. Peering over her shoulder, she grumbled as discolored wet spots soiled her outfit. With the chilling air circulating throughout the cave, Draco sneezed, the hairs of the back of her neck standing at attention.
"Uh, sorry?" Arle offered with a coy grin, and Draco hunched her shoulders, stomping in front of her.
Draco threw her arms out, tail continuously slapping the ground. Her wings elongated, coming out to their full height and blocking part of the cave from Arle's vision. Steadying herself, Draco narrowed her eyes and remained soundless. Her usual growls and fiery retorts remained welled up in her mouth, leaving Arle to contemplate what Draco was pondering.
Arle took in a deep breath, laying her hands out in front of her chest. "Look, Draco, I'm sorry that I shoved you, but I can't have a beauty contest with you now. We can settle this with a Puyo battle but-"
"Why won't you ever admit you're pretty? You're the kind of girl who totally can't stand compliments! Just be vain! It makes prettier girls even prettier!" Draco snapped, overpowering Arle's rational thoughts with immediate surprise.
"H-hey!" Arle stamped her foot, her cape flaring up from the draft breezing behind her. "You can't just say whatever you want, Draco!"
Draco slammed her head forward, nearly smashing into Arle. "I can because I'm right! Do you even know why I think you're my rival?"
Arle rolled her eyes and spat, "Because I'm the only one who entertains your silly requests for beauty contests?"
"No! It's because you're really cute and talented, and I like that about you! You're way better than any of my other beauty contest rivals!" Draco roared, fire shooting out over her fangs and tongue and nearly singing Arle's bangs.
Arle wanted to blame the sudden wave of heat as the cause of her crimson cheeks. She meandered, brow furrowed and lips pursed as Draco's earnest compliments, like knives, dug into her. Her mind mulled with retorts, but nothing sounded quite right. Noticing the victorious grin playing on Draco's lips, Arle groaned.
"Draco, this is dumb," Arle said, raising her hand, and ice crystals gathered in her palm, "and I have to go off and find Carby right now before he gets too lost. Don't get me even madder, okay?"
"Well, I'm not moving until you admit you're pretty and defeat me in a beauty contest" Draco sneered, her tongue clicking against the roof of her mouth.
Arle was not one to simply run away from a fight, but her legs agitated her to flee. Her mind screamed at her to knock Draco aside with a swift Ice Storm, but her body remained still. She peered at Draco, taking in her height and the faint muscles lining her bare arms. Crossing her arms, Arle took one long step towards her, appearing like she had skipped over as her back leg remained in the air.
"You really want me to say I'm pretty like some kind of vain girl? You know, kind of like you?" Arle teased, cocking her hip, and Draco snickered, Arle's challenge tickling her fancy.
"Nothing wrong with a beautiful girl being vain. Maybe you should learn how to be boastful because if you do, then you may even be as gorgeous as me," Draco sneered, and Arle smirked.
Leaning up on her toes, Arle pressed as chaste kiss against Draco's cheek. Immediately, smoke flared out from Draco's nostrils, and the air sparked, threatening to burst into flames from the sudden influx of smog. Draco hopped away, her arms scrambling above her head as her mouth wrenched open in a silent scream. All she could do was gawk while Arle flashed a peace sign.
With her path open, Arle raced by Draco, shouting, "Sorry, Draco, but even beautiful girls like me can be vain in a different way!"
"C-come back here! Arle, you're a terrible person!" Draco thrashed in place, her fists shaking wildly about as Arle became a speck in the darkened distance. Snarling, Draco darted after her, screaming, "Get back here so we can settle the score! You can't use sneak attacks in a beauty contest!"
"Yo, Draco! Did you really get flustered over a little kiss? Wow! I guess you're not as vain as you thought!" Arle called, and she stuck her tongue out as she dove down another corridor.
Draco fumed, wailing, "I-I-I-I'll be a prettier runner than you! Stop being faster than me!"
As Draco's insults and shrieks echoed throughout the cave, Arle laughed. It seemed being a beautiful girl had it a certain advantage, one she would certainly use on Draco much more often.