Akira woke up early the next morning and groggily turned his alarm off, pulling his pillow over his face hoping to catch a little more sleep. Those thoughts were interrupted by his second alarm going off with what seemed to be a louder course of annoying sounds, as he sighed and turned it off. Slightly cursing his past self for making him lose sleep, he then remembered why he'd woken up early in the first place.
He was bringing Sumire to Destinyland today!
Looking at the time, he realised that he still had quite a good while before needing to be at Shibuya station to meet his girlfriend. Akira smiled to himself and walked over to the stairs, heading down and turning on the lights. Grabbing a bag of Salvadoran Pacamara off the bean shelf, he started to prepare his daily cup of coffee.
"It's early, so Futaba and Morgana are probably still fast asleep…" Akira muttered to himself, checking his phone. "I wonder if anyone's up at this time…"
Akira took a glance at the fridge before turning back to his roast, making sure to be careful, fearing that he might go too harsh on the roast, as had happened multiple times before when practicing with Sojiro. Deciding against making a plate of curry for breakfast, he patiently waited for the hot water to boil while scrolling through his recent that his best friend was online a little earlier than he'd expected, he decided to shoot him a quick text.
Private Message (Runnin'FromCops and BeneathTheMask)
BeneathTheMask: Hey Ryuji, whatcha doin' up so early in the morning? Don't you usually sleep in later, especially on school breaks?
Runnin'FromCops: Mornin' Akira! I'm just up early today for a run to stretch my legs a little, I've been having trouble sleepin' recently, so I thought by trying things the old fashioned way, I might be able to do somethin' about it!
BeneathTheMask: Sounds just like you Ryuji.
Runnin'FromCops: I know, right?! But hey, you're up pretty early too. Got something planned for today? Something with Sumire maybe?
Akira went a little red, wondering how Ryuji knew what he had planned for today. Taking some time to think of a vague enough reply to throw him off, he took the kettle off the heat and started to pour out a cup of coffee.
BeneathTheMask: Maybeee. :)
Runnin'FromCops: Argh dude, you're no fun.
He smirked at Ryuji's response as he took a sip from his coffee, tasting the rich blend and slight chocolaty flavor, before returning to give Ryuji a playful reply.
BeneathTheMask: If you're that curious, go ask her yourself. You won't get anything out of me, that's for sure. ;)
Runnin'FromCops: Fineee. Be that way, yeesh. Anyways I'm gonna start my run. Have fun on your date man!
Runnin'FromCops has gone offline
Akira could only shake his head with a smile as he turned to the grandfather clock in the corner of the cafe. Squinting his eyes, he could just barely make out the minute hand pointed straight down, signalling to the ex-leader of the Phantom Thieves that it was time to make his move. Akira downed the rest of his coffee and changed into his casual clothes before making his way out of Leblanc, excited for the day to come.
Take Your Time
"Shibuya. This is Shibuya."
The train doors opened in front of him, as Akira quickly stepped out of the train, following the large crowd outside to the station square. Taking a quick look at his phone to check the time, he noted that he was still about 20 minutes earlier than the designated meeting time he had arranged with his girlfriend. Akira, looking for something to kill some time, took out his phone and soon found himself on the official Destinyland website, planning his 'infiltration route', so to speak, of the theme park that he planned to explore with his girlfriend. Before long, he was so engrossed with planning out their path that he didn't notice a certain redhead sneaking up behind him with an excited smile on her face.
Sumire smiled at the rare opportunity, hardly ever having the chance to catch her boyfriend off guard, as she snuck up behind him, and attempted to give him a good scare.
"Konnichi… WA!"
Akira stumbled forward slightly in surprise as he quickly turned around and got into a defensive position, before noticing Sumire standing in front of him rocking a sky blue hoodie, giggling her heart out. "Sumire! How did you-"
"Surprised, Senpai?" Sumire struck a cute pose for him while holding in her laughter with a smile. "For the ex-leader of the Phantom Thieves, I'd have expected a lot better from you."
"Hey! No fair!" Akira argued to no avail, as he watched his girlfriend explode in full on laughter, tempting him to join in on her giggling fit as well. "Well, I guess I was too focused on what I was doing…"
"I win this one, Akira! This is payback for that time in Hawaii where you didn't get scared at all, and the one two days ago where you got the jump on me!" Sumire smirked victoriously. "Now that I know how to catch you off guard, you won't stand a chance!"
"You've gotten a lot better, I'll give you that, but you won't get me next time!"
"Oh we'll see about that!"
"It's on!"
Akira noticed the competitive spirit in Sumire's eyes, smiling a little to himself as he pulled her in for a brief hug, and separated soon after.
"I love you, Sumire..."
"I love you too, Akira…"
"Now, we have a full day ahead of us, and many attractions to visit. Shall we move, Violet?"
"Right. Let's go, Joker!"
Take Your Time
"Shimbashi. This is Shimbashi."
Akira and Sumire stepped out of the train, and were followed by numerous other passengers as they made their way over to the Ueno-Tokyo line, the first out of two transfers. Luckily for the energetic couple, the walk wasn't very long as they quickly found the dark shade of purple indicating their designated line, and as luck would have it, they barely missed the last train by a couple of seconds.
"The next train has been slightly delayed, and will arrive in ten minutes. We apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience."
"I can't believe we missed the train by that much…" Akira grumbled, making a tiny gap between his pointer finger and his thumb. "We nearly had it too…"
"Don't worry so much Akira. We still have plenty of time." Sumire comforted, giving her boyfriend a pat on the head. "I'm sure the next one will be here before we know it."
Managing to find a seat in the station, the boyfriend-girlfriend duo decided to sit next to each other. Before long, Sumire leaned her head on Akira's shoulder lovingly, as Akira started playing with her hair.
"I see that you're wearing the blue ribbon that Ann got for you. How do you like it?"
"I absolutely love it Senpai! It's a complete contrast to my hair, and it goes well with the blue dress I have at home too! Ann really has a good eye for fashionable stuff."
"Well that does make sense, with her being a model and all. Are those new earrings as well? I really like them."
"O-Oh, you do?"
Akira nodded his head in affirmation as Sumire blushed a light shade of pink before muttering her thanks.
"You're wearing your glasses too? That's a surprise if anything. It's been a while since I've seen you tie your hair up and wear glasses."
"Well, I know a certain someone loves seeing me in my glasses, so I thought I'd try out something new!" Sumire teased as she struck a pose for her boyfriend. "What do you think?"
"You… look stunning…" Admired Akira as he was rendered near speechless at the sight of his girlfriend.
"Really? I'm happy!" Sumire sighed in relief.
"And look, now we're matching with our glasses!"
"Stop kidding yourself Senpai, you don't really need those glasses now, do you?"
"H-Hey! I like wearing them!"
The two of them chuckled as they continued their little exchange, teasing each other back and forth for a good while before settling down quietly next to each other again. After a few moments of silence, Sumire was the first to start another conversation.
"Senpai?"
"Hm? What is it Sumire?"
"You've… been to Destinyland before, right?" Sumire continued to whisper as Akira tilted his head in curiosity.
"Yeah, I've been twice, both times with my parents."
"Oh, I see…" Sumire seemed slightly crestfallen.
"Is something wrong, love?" Akira asked in concern, pulling her into a slight hug. "Remember, you can talk to me if you have anything on your mind. I'm always willing to listen."
"Thank you, Akira…" Sumire reciprocated the hug, as she wiped a single tear from her eye. "I just wish Kasumi was still with us… I promised her… that we'd visit Destinyland together one day… and that we'd celebrate together, as a family..."
"Oh… I see…" Akira responded, empathetically. He knew that Sumire still had problems when it came to talking about her sister, and finding the right words to say to calm soothe her was never an easy task. "I'm sorry…"
"No… it's fine…" Sumire said, forming a brave smile through the tears. "Kasumi would want us to enjoy ourselves today. She'll be watching down on us with a smile, and I know for a fact that she'd be happy knowing that we're keeping her in mind all throughout today."
"Right. That's a great way to look at it, sweetheart." Akira nodded, as he gave her a reassuring smile. "We'll enjoy today to the fullest, with Kasumi in mind."
"You always know just what to say, Senpai…" Sumire shed a few more tears, burying her face in Akira's chest, as Akira could only let out a gentle smile full of compassion and empathy. Patting his girlfriend on the head and stroking her hair gently, he let her cry out the tears she had, until eventually she stopped and sniffled a little.
"Feeling better, love?" Akira spoke softly, as she slowly nodded her head. "I'm glad… Let's make sure we enjoy the entirety of our day, alright?"
"You're right, Akira. We'll enjoy our date together not only for ourselves, but for Kasumi too. She'll always be with me and you, taking care of the two of us." Sumire agreed with a smile. Akira sensed a strong resolve from within Sumire, continuing to cuddle with his Faith arcana, and his lover, until the next train arrived.
Take Your Time
"Maihama. This is Maihama. The doors will open on the left."
"This is our stop, Senpai!" Sumire eagerly exclaimed as they followed several other people onto the platform. The chilly spring wind blew by, causing the couple to shiver a little, before Sumi instinctively pulled Akira close for warmth. "It's a little cold today, isn't it?"
"I'll be happy to share my warmth with you, love…" Akira said, as they walked out of the station, standing as close to each other as possible for warmth. "Shall we?"
"Right behind you!"
The boyfriend and girlfriend duo took a quick right turn after exiting the station, following the signs that pointed them towards their final destination, as they started their walk from Maihama station, admiring the well kept scenery and landmarks along the way.
"Look Akira! You can see the entrance of the park from here!" Sumire gushed in excitement, running to the side of the elevated walkway and leaning over the railing. Akira could only stand back at a distance and smile, remembering how he himself had reacted when being brought to Destinyland for his very first visit.
"Look Mom! You can see the entrance to Destinyland from here!" A young Akira called out to his Mother. "Can we go on all the rides? Pleaseee?"
"Only if you're tall enough, sweetie," His mother replied with a gentle smile. "And we'll get you all the churros you want!"
"Your mom's right, Akira. Today's a special day, so let's all enjoy it to the fullest." His father boomed with a rough smile, as he ruffled Akira's messy hair.
"Senpai? Senpaiii! Are you alright?"
Akira was forced out of reminiscence by a cute voice calling his name, as he quickly shook his head and pulled her into a hug. "You were just like me when I first visited Destinyland…"
"Well, I guess people do say that Destinyland brings out your inner child for the day. I can't wait!" Sumire ran ahead, leaving Akira in the dust, groaning, before attempting to catch up to her.
"Hey! Wait for me!"
Take Your Time
"So, that'll be two Junior tickets. Your total is 13800 Yen."
Akira reached for his wallet, before getting blocked by Sumire, who immediately handed the cash over to the worker behind the glass. Akira could only sigh, as Sumire smirked triumphantly.
"Sorry Akira, but you've been paying for too many of our dates. Let me get this one."
The lady behind the counter let out a light chuckle as she gave them a genuine smile. "My, are you two dating? You two seem perfect together!
Sumire and Akira blushed lightly, as they slightly averted eye contact for a little while, as Sumire whispered a thank you.
"You remind me of myself when I was at your age!" She responded joyfully, handing Sumire the tickets, as she reached her hand out to take them. "Enjoy your date today! Oh, and personally I recommend going for the Hooh's Hunny Hunt's Acceleration Pass first, because those always seem to run out somewhere in the afternoon, much earlier than the other rides."
"Thank you very much!" Sumire graciously thanked the lady, as she passed a ticket to her boyfriend, quickly making their way to the ticket scanning machine, attempting to beat the long queues that would form later in the morning. To their surprise, there wasn't much of a queue at all, as the two of them only needed to wait a couple of minutes before managing to enter the fabled Tokyo Destinyland.
Loud and cheery music greeted the couple's ears as they walked further into the World Bazaar, as the two of them delightfully hummed along to the song's familiar beat. Akira grabbed a map that was offered near the entrance as he began to quickly scan and locate Fantasyland.
"You certainly know what you're doing, Senpai!" Sumire admired, as she looked over his shoulder at the map, impressed at the layout and the sheer size of the park. "The lady told us to go for Hooh's Hunny Hunt first right? Where is it on the map?"
"Hooh's Hunny Hunt… Where is it…" Akira muttered, his eyes darting quickly around the map as he found the allocated number on the legend and the area it was in. "It's to the very right of Fantasyland. We should be able to make it there if we continue straight ahead and make a sharp right."
"On it, Senpai! Let's get there quick!"
The two of them slightly increased their walking pace, only stopping to admire the amazing architectural design of the World Bazaar before walking into the centre area of the park, where every main area was visible. The breathtaking sight of the landmarks around them stopped Sumire in her tracks, as she paused to take a look around at all the distinguishable places and sections around Destinyland.
"Wow… Senpai, the view's amazing from here! You can see the entire park!" Sumire exclaimed in awe as she beckoned him to walk right into the middle area. "This feels so surreal!"
"Enjoying the view? I could give you a ride on my shoulders if you want." Akira teased, winking at her, as she blushed and turned away.
"M-Maybe later, Akira-senpai…" Sumire stuttered, flushing a light shade of red. "Maybe during the fireworks..."
"I'm not hearing a no~!"
"Senpai!" Sumire playfully gave him a slap on the back of the head, as he yelped slightly and grabbed her hand on instinct with a light grip.
"So? What will it be then? Yes or no? I'm only taking one answer~!" Akira continued his assault as his girlfriend flushed a darker shade of crimson.
"Y-Yes, Senpai… I'd love you to…" Sumire whispered close to his ear.
Akira slowly let go of her hand and brought her in for a quick kiss. "I'm happy to hear that sweetheart. Now let's make our way over to Fantasyland before we lose priority on our Acceleration Passes."
"Right behind you Senpai!"
Sumire ran over to Akira, as he gracefully offered his hand to his girlfriend. Sumire took it with a smile, snuggling close to him and leaning her head on his shoulder as they walked through Cinderella's castle, making their way to Fantasyland.
Hastily making their way over to the Acceleration Pass dispensers, Akira quickly asked Sumire for her entrance ticket, to which she happily complied as they got into a line. Not having to wait long, they quickly scanned their tickets and managed to score an Acceleration Pass valid between 9:30 to 10:30. Akira handed Sumire her ticket back, along with the newly acquired Acceleration Pass.
"Looks like we're gonna have to wait a little before we get to experience Hooh's Hunny Hunt..." Akira noted, as Sumire lit up in excitement.
"We can use this time to queue for another ride!" Sumire tugged on his arm, pulling him out of the way of the next person in line. "What do you recommend Senpai?"
"Hmm…" Akira mused as he opened up the map, looking around the various areas of the park. "How about we head to Tomorrowland? We could probably catch a ride on Galaxy Mountain if we're fast enough."
"Lead the way, Joker!" Sumire teased, doing a small curtsey.
"After you, dear Violet…" Akira smirked, before breaking into a giggling fit. His girlfriend couldn't help but join in as the two of them laughed away, making their way over to Tomorrowland.
A town with a futuristic design greeted them as they walked past Toontown, with Sumire stopping to admire the scenery and famous landmarks. Soon the boyfriend-girlfriend duo made their way over to the start of the line for Galaxy Mountain, as they checked the estimated time it would take to beat the queue in front of them. Surprisingly, the time was only at…
"10 minutes?!" Akira yelped in disbelief, tugging on his lover's arm a little harder. "There is no way the queue timer is only 10 minutes! We need to take advantage of this."
"Right Senpai! We got really lucky, huh?"
"Definitely! Let's go quick!"
Quickly stuffing their belongings into a nearby rental locker, the two of them hurried along the long and winding tunnels leading up to the Galaxy Mountain ride. Before long, they finally came to a stop a little outside the main boarding area. Sensing that they still had a little time left before they would get to ride, Sumire started up a conversation.
"Senpai?"
"What is it, sweetheart? Don't tell me you wanna back out?" Akira mocked in a teasing manner, as he watched his girlfriend pout a little in angriness, smiling in content.
"No, I would never Senpai! You should know this better than anyone!" Sumire retorted playfully, with a light blush on her cheeks, as she shyly grabbed his arm. "I just wanted to know if we could sit together..."
"Of course I will, silly… it's two per row, of course we're sitting together!" Akira comforted her, patting his girlfriend's head lightly. "Did you really have to ask? Who else would sit next to you?"
"O-Oh… so we can sit together?" Sumire stammered, with a hopeful look in her eyes, staring up at her boyfriend.
"Of course, Sumire. I wouldn't have it any other way."
The two of them followed the queue of people along the dark and dimly lit corridors of the Galaxy Mountain ride, inching closer and closer to the boarding station until they were at the very front of the line, the ride maintainer closing the gates right as they walked up.
"Awww… I guess this means we'll get to sit at the very front!" Sumire whispered excitedly to Akira, as he gave her a nod of confirmation.
"Yep, looks like we're getting the best seat for the ride, sweetheart. How good are you with roller coasters?"
"I've only ever been on a few since I was little, but I do remember I used to love them when I was younger! Kasumi used to love them too…"
Akira tensed up, as he saw his girlfriend visibly sadden a little, before reaching out to give her a hug, attempting to comfort her a little before the next car pulled up to the boarding station. "Remember, we're enjoying today for you, me, and Kasumi, alright? She's always with us in spirit, and I'm sure she'd want us to enjoy ourselves today as much as we can."
"Yeah, you're right Akira… I just can't help but wish she was here with us…"
That line of thought was soon interrupted as the next car pulled into the boarding station, and Akira noticed an immediate change of emotion on Sumire's face, much to his surprise. He decided not to push the topic any further, only wanting to fully enjoy his date with Sumire to the fullest, as the two of them were soon let into the coaster car's tight seating area. Akira swiftly pulled the safety bar downwards, locking it into place, as he cheekily wrapped his arm around his girlfriend before giving her a light kiss on the cheek.
"Akira!" Sumire blushed a little, as her boyfriend recalled and moved back into his own seat with a smile.
"Sorry… couldn't help myself."
The coaster train jerked forward slightly without warning, with the staff manning the station waving goodbye as the cars pulled out of the station. They soon entered a dimly lit tunnel with flashing blue lights while the train began to slowly increase in speed. The further they went, the darker it became and as the cars turned the last corner, the tunnel was completely dark.
"Uhh… Akira? We're not supposed to be able to see, right?" Sumire whispered, a little concerned as the train started its first and slow accent of the journey.
"Nope, although I do recommend keeping your eyes open for the ride though, the small visuals are my favorite part."
"What do you mean, Senpai?"
"You'll see. We should be reaching the end of the ascent right about...now."
Right on cue, a downwards slope awaited the couple as the coaster rushed into a large, dark area, surrounded by star-like lights. Feeling the ride start to accelerate even more, Akira let his hands naturally rise above his head, and let out a few excited screams, prompting his girlfriend to do the same.
"Akiraaaa!"
"Put your hands up and scream Sumire! This is what roller coasters are all about! YEAH!"
"Wooohooo!"
After many sharp twists and turns, the ride finally pulled back into the station with a screech as the breaks were forced down, bringing the train to a complete Akira lifted the safety bar slowly as the two of them quickly got out, allowing the people in the queue behind them to take their seats. Making their way out, Sumire decided to break the silence.
"That. Was. So. Awesome! I loved everything about that ride!" Sumire exclaimed in glee as they made their way outside. "The stars were really pretty too!"
"I'm glad you enjoyed it, sweetheart. Galaxy Mountain is definitely one of my favorites." Akira smiled, pulling her close as he checked the time. "That honestly didn't kill as much time as I thought it would… Do you wanna do something else?"
Right after Akira finished his sentence, a slight rumble and a growl could be heard coming from Sumire's general direction, as she blushed slightly and giggled.
"Sorry! I haven't eaten anything yet, so I'm a little hungry… Could we get something to eat?"
"Of course, I'm a little hungry myself. We'll stop by one of the restaurants before we head over to Hooh's Hunny Hunt, seeing as we still have a good bit of time. Most people wouldn't be eating at this hour anyways." Akira said thoughtfully, opening up the map to have a quick look at the various Destinyland themed eateries around the theme park. "What do you feel like eating, sweetheart? They have nearly everything here, from light snacks, to heavy meals."
"Oooh! This place has sandwiches shaped like Mikey Mouse! And it's right around the corner! Can we go? Pleeeease?" Sumire pleaded using her puppy-dog eyes, as Akira sighed with a smile, nodding his head.
"I have no reason to say no! I'm honestly eager to try their sandwiches as well. Shall we, darling?"
"D-Darling?!" Sumire recoiled in surprise, as she let go of Akira's hand, blushing a light shade of crimson. "S-Since when have I b-been your darling?"
Akira could only chuckle as he gave the most cheeky reply possible. "You always have been, love."
Take Your Time
"Mmm! Those sandwiches were delicious Senpai!" Sumire wiped her mouth with a tissue, as she finished the last bite of her sandwich. "You can really taste the Money Mouse!"
Akira laughed in response. "Suure you can, sweetie. All things aside, I really enjoyed it."
"Yeah! So, where to next, Akira-senpai?" Sumire asked, eager to find their next destination.
"Well… since it's…" He paused to check the time. "Nearly 9:40, do you wanna go for Hooh's Hunny Hunt? The queue shouldn't be too long considering we have our Acceleration Passes."
"It's back in Fantasyland, right?"
"Yeah, it shouldn't be too far a walk. Shall we, my princess?"
"P-Princess?! Senpai! W-We're in public…" Sumire stuttered, taken aback by Akira's nickname for her.
"So? You're my princess, and today I intend to treat you like one." Akira smirked, as Sumire blushed a dark shade of red, going speechless. "I love you, my princess…"
"I-I love you too… my prince…"
Now it was Akira's turn to blush, as he turned his head away, his heart melting inside. Saying nothing, he offered his hand to Sumire, his cheeks still burning bright. Accepting his hand graciously, she joined him by his side as they walked over to the giant book that housed the infamous ride.
Showing their Acceleration Passes to the security working the ride, he unhooked the velvet rope closing off the second queue only accessible to those with the pass, as Akira led his girlfriend down the long and winding tunnel further into the ride.
"Did you see the wait time Senpai? It was over an hour long!" Sumire whispered in slight shock, following Akira deeper into the winding queue hallways. "That kind lady really wasn't kidding about the wait times on this ride!"
"Yeah, I've been there, done that." Akira chuckled as he looked at her surprised expression. "What? It's not like it was fun, waiting in that queue for nearly two hours!"
"Two hours?!"
"Yeah… let's just say it got really boring, really quickly…"
"I can imagine. I don't think I could bear waiting that long for any ride, no matter how good it seems to be… If you don't mind me asking, how did you manage to wait that long, Senpai?" Sumire questioned, slightly intrigued by his past experiences.
"Well, I actually don't remember much… since it's been such a long time and all…" Akira replied, a little disappointed by his lack of memory. "All I remember was the excruciating wait time… Thankfully we don't have to go through all that again."
"Right! We're basically in the ride already! I can't wait to meet Hooh Bear, and all his friends in the 200 Acre Woods!" Sumire exclaimed in glee, as they made their way to the very front of the queue. "I used to really enjoy this series when I was younger!"
The two of them were quickly ushered into the next car that arrived soon after the departure of the previous one. Akira waited until his girlfriend got comfortable in her seat before lowering the safety bar down until it was safely secured over their laps, as the couple prepared to experience a ride like no other.
Right as they turned the corner, what seemed to be a giant picture book from the Hooh Bear series suddenly jumped to life, as the main character alongside Hooh Bear started moving.
"Jonathan Throbin, I'd be very much appeased if you could hand me that balloon you're holding there."
"But what are you going to use a balloon for?"
"To get honey, my dear Jonathan."
"You can't get honey with a balloon, Hooh!"
Sumire and Akira both chuckled lightly as Jonathan and Hooh argued lightly about the ability of a balloon to help in gathering honey, before a door in the middle of the book opened, moving the ride further inside.
As the wind picked up, Hooh Bear started drifting off further into the sky, still clinging tightly onto his balloon while all of his friends on the ground struggled to stay afoot.
"I'm gonna get blown away!" yelled Bunny. "My crops will surely never recover from this…"
"Help! Heelp! Someone help me!" exclaimed Hoglet, clinging onto a ladder.
"The amazing world of animatronics has come this far… It looks far better than the one I remember all those years ago!" Akira silently whispered to his girlfriend.
"I think this looks amazing too!" Sumire whispered back, excitedly. "It all feels so real!"
"Careful up there Wroo!" Called out Canga, as she watched her daughter hang herself from a kite that they were flying.
"Ma look! It's Hooh! Hello Hooh!" Eagerly called out Wroo as Hooh responded with a wave.
"Oh, hello Wroo, Canga! Hello E-ore! Great weather today, isn't it?"
"It is...Thank you… Hooh Bear…" Droned E-ore in his usual monotone voice.
As Hooh flew into the distance, the ride moved on into a dark room where several more pictures seemingly came to life in a dark room, as Bouncer appeared and started to sing while bouncing around from page to page on his springy tail.
"The wonderful thing about Bouncers, is Bouncers are wonderful things! Their ops are made out of rubber, Their bottoms are made out of springs! They're bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun! But the most wonderful thing about Bouncers is .. I'm the only one! I'm the only one!"
"Be careful of the Heffalumps and Woozles Hooh-boy! Make sure they don't steal your honey! Woohoo hoo hoo!"
As the ride was moved out of the room, Sumire noticed out of the corner of her eye that Hooh Bear had fallen asleep. Nudging her boyfriend to take a look, the two of them gazed in amazement as the ride entered Hooh's dream sequence, as he started to dream about the Heffalumps and Woozles that would try to steal his honey.
"Hooh Bear must be having a terrible dream…" Sumire thought out loud. "I hope he wakes up soon, because there's a lot of honey nearby for him to enjoy…"
Akira only responded with a chuckle as he watched his girlfriend truly immerse herself in the ride, and could only smile as he continued to see Sumire let out her inner child, just like he did on his first visit to Destinyland.
"Mom! Can we go again! Please?" A young Akira pleaded with his mother as his father merely shook his head and smiled.
"Your mother is right, Akira. The wait times are far too long for us to go again. We can go on some other rides though! How does Splash Canyon sound, champ?" came Akira's father as he smiled at his son, picking him up and putting him on his shoulders.
Akira shook his head, snapping him out of his old memories, as he turned around, noticing that the ride had come to an end, the car exiting out of the doorway of the picture-book, with Hooh and his friends all waving goodbye, soon fading out of sight.
"Now I understand why everyone enjoys this ride so much! It's so immersive and it really brings out your childhood memories, doesn't it, Senpai?"
"This ride is one of my personal favorites for sure. I'm glad that you enjoyed it too, sweetheart."
Arriving back at the boarding station, the two of them waited until the safety bar was unfastened by the ride manager as they quickly got up and made their way towards the exit through the gift shop. Exiting the gift shop after a brief look around, and two newly bought headbands on Sumire's and Akira's heads respectively, the two of them made their way over to Westernland.
"Do you like the headband, Sumire? I think it looks really good on you." Akira smiled, as he proceeded to adjust it a little. "There. Now you look perfect!"
His girlfriend slightly blushed at Akira's actions, as she squeezed his hand tightly with a smile on her face.
"Thanks, Akira… I love you…"
"Love you too, Sumire."
Snagging their Acceleration Passes for Large Thundering Hill on the way, the duo, hands interlocked, made their way back over to Critter Country to queue up for their third ride of the day.
"Splash Canyon, eh?" Akira asked, intrigued, as he checked the time on his phone. "We've got quite some time to kill before we can use our passes, so I don't particularly mind going for Splash Canyon either."
"It'll be fun, Senpai! We might get out soaking wet, or totally dry!" Sumire gleefully exclaimed, before noticing her boyfriend's hesitant look. "Didn't you bring extra clothes, Akira?"
"Err… well…" Akira stuttered and tripped over his words as Sumire could only giggle at his predicament. "Hey! I had planned to… I just… dammit…"
"It's okay, Senpai!" Sumire comforted him, ruffling his hair in an attempt to cheer him up. "I'm sure you won't get too wet, as long as we don't get front seats, of course."
"Right… That aside, Splash Canyon is definitely one of the more relaxing rides." Akira said, thoughtfully. "If you don't mind getting a little soaked, I'd be happy to experience it again, this time with someone a little more special..."
"I'd love to continue our Destinyland adventure, Akira-senpai! I really enjoyed the first two rides we've gone on so far! I can't wait to see what else they have in store!"
The two of them dabbled around on their phones for a little while after quickly putting their belongings into a rentable locker, before Sumire decided to get a quick selfie of herself posing with Akira, visibly showing off their Mikey Mouse and Miney Mouse headbands that they bought merely a few moments earlier. As she sneakily sent it into the group chat without Akira's knowledge, they made their way into the 45 minute long queue of Splash Canyon.
Phantom Thieves Group Chat
SumiEvergarden sent an image: ( doesn't allow images so... the link will be here after Celeste posts it on twitter)
Akira immediately looked up at his girlfriend with an expression on his face that couldn't tell you any less about how surprised he was, as he looked back down at his phone to find a few more messages had come through the group chat.
RollOfFloof: Sumi-chan! You look sooo cute in that headband!
FistOfThePhantomStar: I agree with Haru! You look really adorable Sumire!
BurnMyBread: Hey you guys! Akira's looking great too!
StarvingForArt: I must wholeheartedly agree. Akira and Sumire, the perfect couple with chemistry unseen yet present all the same! This is stimulating my artistic senses!
BurnMyBread: Ooookay that's enough of that Yusuke.
StarvingForArt: My apologies. Either way, you two look most stunning.
SumiEvergarden: Thank you guys!
BeneathTheMask: Hey! Sumire!
SumiEvergarden: Sorry, Akira. Couldn't resist sending it :)
FeatherCyanIsInnocent: So THAT'S where you went off to so early in the morning! Having fun at Destinyland for your date?
Runnin'FromCops: WAIT, SO I WAS RIGHT! You WERE going on a date with Sumire!
BeneathTheMask: Whoops! Busted :)
Runnin'FromCops: Well I guess it was none of my business anyways. Enjoy your time in Destinyland together you two! Take care of her, alright Akira?
BeneathTheMask: Of course. Who do you think I am?
SumiEvergarden: My boyfriend. 3
Akira could only look up from his phone with a slight blush as Sumire only looked at him with the most innocent look on her face, before breaking it into a smile, as she giggled at his response.
FeatherCyanIsInnocent: DAMNNN SUMIRE!1!1!1!
BurnMyBread: Damn, Sumire! You go girl!
StarvingForArt: Well said, Sumire. You're getting much better at that flirting thing that Ann, Haru and Makoto and Futaba were trying to teach you earlier this year.
FistOfThePhantomStar: Yusuke!
RollOfFloof: Yusuke-kun! Didn't we agree to not speak a word about that?
StarvingForArt: Did we? Ah, my apologies.
BeneathTheMask: … Really guys? Flirting lessons?
SumiEvergarden: Uhh… I guess the cat's out of the bag now…
Runnin'FromCops: I'm just gonna go… Also Sumire, you look great!
SumiEvergarden: Thanks Ryuji!
FistOfThePhantomStar: I'll be heading off as well, I've got some work to finish up. Have fun you two!
RollOfFloof: Same here. I'm trying out a new blend of coffee and it's nearly finished roasting. Goodbye everyone!
BurnMyBread: Oh shoot! I have a gig to get to! Bye guys!
StarvingForArt: I'll be working on my new art piece. Do text me if anything comes up.
FeatherCyanIsInnocent: I've got some spring break homework to catch up on. Time to make like a magician and disappear!
SumiEvergarden: See you guys!
BeneathTheMask: Right… Bye everyone!
FistOfThePhantomStar, Runnin'FromCops, BurnMyBread, StarvingForArt, RollOfFloof, FeatherCyanIsInnocent, SumiEvergaden and BeneathTheMask have gone offline.
"Really sweetheart? Flirting lessons?" Akira pressed, as he watched her put her hands up defensively with a blush on her face, before he shook his head in disappointment. "You already know I love you the way you are, why go for more?"
"I-It wasn't my idea, Senpai! I just went along with it because Futaba told me to!"
"So it was Futaba's idea?" Akira grinned with an evil smirk on his face, as his girlfriend's expression morphed into a look of worry. "I'll be sure to have a 'talk' with her later."
"Please don't, Akira… she didn't mean anything by it, I swear!"
"I'm only joking, love. I'm happy that you're making an effort in trying to flirt back." Akira comforted her, pulling her into a hug and kissing her on the top of her head. "I wouldn't do that to any of you."
"Awww you're so sweet! Is your girlfriend teasing you too much to handle, perhaps?" Sumire teased him back, as he suddenly went silent, his face slowly turning beet red. "You're so cute when you're flustered! Now I can understand why you enjoy teasing me so much. Maybe it's time you get a taste of your own medicine. What do you think?"
"Ah… that's…" Akira suttered, unable to formulate a valid response as he only blushed a little harder at his girlfriend's teasing before breaking from their hug. Sumire, seeing her boyfriend in a flustered state, pulled him into a quick kiss before separating soon after.
"I love you, Akira…"
"I love you too, Sumire…"
The rest of the wait was relatively uneventful, as the two of them continued to dabble on their phones while the line slowly shifted closer and closer towards the boarding station, before finally being stopped right at the front of the line, waiting for the next log shaped boat to drift into the area.
"Well Senpai, looks like we're sitting at the very front!" Sumire giggled as her boyfriend only shook his head in dismay, before the two of them were soon ushered into the front row of the log.
"So, what's this ride about, Senpai?" Sumire asked, trying to divert his attention away from the certainty of getting soaked. "This ride isn't talked about that much in terms of it's story, not that I recall hearing about it anyways…"
"Well… where do I begin?" Akira thought out loud as he began to recount the story of Br'er Rabbit and his journey to find his infamous 'laughing place'. "The story follows Br'er Rabbit after he leaves home on an adventure to find his 'laughing place' while being pursued by his two captors, the dim-witted Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear."
"What do you mean by 'laughing place'?" Sumire questioned Akira with interest as he turned to her and gave her an all knowing smirk.
"You'll find out soon enough, sweetheart."
"Awww, no fair Akira!"
"Too bad~"
Akira sighed, relaxing in his seat, knowing full well what to expect from the ride as his girlfriend eagerly watched the story of Br'er Rabbit and his two captors unfold in front of her very eyes.
"Gotcha Br'er Bear! You will never catch me! I am simply too smart!" Bragged Br'er Rabbit cockily with a triumphant smile on his face. "Good luck Br'er Fox! You shall need it!"
As Br'er Rabbit laughed triumphantly, Br'er Fox sought to free his ally from the trap which they themselves had set for the witty Br'er Rabbit, sneering at him as he managed to escape the clutches of his adversaries for the umpteenth time.
"Br'er Rabbit sure is one crafty little guy, isn't he Senpai?" Sumire giggled, following the story with interest, curiously observing Br'er Rabbit. "He's managed to get so far, even though he's outnumbered!"
"We could definitely learn a thing or two from him about being sneaky," Akira chuckled as Br'er Rabbit snuck past his oblivious captors. "We should take some notes from Br'er Rabbit, ask him to teach us the art of infiltrations and espionage."
"You say that like we haven't had experience of being Phantom Thieves before…" Sumire rolled her eyes in playfulness as Akira let out a quiet laugh. "If anything, Br'er Rabbit should be learning from us!"
"True that!"
The two of them continued on through the ride, until finally Br'er Rabbit led his adversaries into a large cavern of bees, which led to his inevitable capture.
"I've gotcha now, Br'er Rabbit! You cannot escape this time!" Smirked Br'er Fox in victory, as he admired his new catch. "You'll make a perfect meal for me… once you're roasted! Hahaha!"
"Oh whatever shall I do?" Br'er Rabbit pleaded, with a glint in his eyes, showing the riders that the witty Br'er Rabbit always had a trick or seven up his sleeves. "Please, Br'er Fox, you can do anything to me, just don't throw me into that there briar patch!"
"Don't throw you into that briar patch you say? What an excellent idea!" Br'er Fox sniggered unknowingly, while Br'er Rabbit grinned, knowing full well that he had taken the bait, as he was let go from his trap.
"Here's the drop, Sumire! It's all been leading up to this!" Akira hugged her tight, as he shouted at the top of his lungs. "WOOOHOOO!
"WOOOOO!" Sumire yelled, clutching her boyfriend close in her arms, as they reached the end of the drop, with a huge wave springing out of the water and soaking everyone to the bone. "Well… I guess we did get soaked after all, Senpai."
Akira could only shake his head in response, before breaking out into a laughing fit alongside his girlfriend, as the log went past a few scenes showing Br'er Rabbit back at his home, safe and sound.
"Looks like I'm gonna need a change of clothes after all…" Sighed Akira as he looked over to his giggling girlfriend. Before long, the log pulled back into the station and Sumire lifted the safety bar off their laps, the two of them hastily making their way into the late morning sun.
"Well, guess I'm gonna have to stick with these soaked clothes for a couple of hours…"
"Umm… Senpai? About that…"
"Hm? What is it, Sumire?"
"Well, I… uh… I…" Sumire stuttered nervously, anticipating a bad response from her boyfriend in regards to her actions. "I… may or may not have taken a set of your clothes from when I stayed at your house a couple of nights ago… They're in the locker where we put our belongings earlier, before Splash Canyon…"
"You did what?" Akira's response was genuine, and the tone expressed none other than the look of shock on his face as he looked down towards his girlfriend, who was fidgeting with her hair out of nervousness. He gave her the only response he could. A genuine smile.
"You planned this far ahead, did you? I'm surprised, sweetheart. But, thank you…" Akira thanked her, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. "That really means a lot to me, y'know? It shows how much you care for me, and how well you know me by now. I couldn't ask for a better girlfriend."
"Y-Y… You're not mad at me, Akira?" Sumire looked up at him, with a downcast expression on her face. "But… but… I…"
"It's okay, love. I really appreciate it." Akira comforted her as she quickly wrapped him in a hug. "I'd never get mad at you for thinking about me…"
"Y-You really mean it, Senpai?"
"You know I do, love. I'm just surprised you didn't tell me sooner, is all."
"I'm sorry…"
"It's alright, you know I could never get mad at you..." Akira gave her another kiss, this time on the cheek, as he ruffled her hair a little. "We should probably get our clothes back and change before we catch anything, though."
"Right!"
Take Your Time
Akira smirked into the mirror at the common bathroom in Critter Country, looking fresh in his new clothes. He was wearing a long sleeved white button up shirt with all the buttons undone over his black tee, for a little bit of extra insulation around his arms, completed with a pair of dark blue jeans. He strolled out of the bathroom in stride as he waited for his girlfriend to finish changing. Not long after, she walked out of the bathroom wearing a red turtleneck sweater with a complimentary black jacket and white skirt. Looking around for her boyfriend, she eagerly ran over and linked her hand with his, as they continued through Destinyland, seeking their next adventure.
"So, my dear princess, where would you like to go next?" Akira graciously asked her as he took out their copy of the Destinyland map, scouring for their next destination. "We could go for Large Thundering Hill and use our Acceleration Passes, or... we could check out Haunted Mansion! Or maybe-"
He was cut off by the growling of a nearby stomach, to which he could only look to his right, to see his girlfriend blushing in embarrassment.
"Well… could we get something to eat first?" Sumire smiled, her face a light shade of pink. "I'm a little hungry…"
"Of course, sweetheart. We still have an hour before our Acceleration Passes expire, anyways, since it's only 12:00." Akira noted, putting his phone back in his pocket. "We might even be able to catch the mid-day parade that'll be going around."
"Ooh Commander Hook's Gallery serves pizza! How does pizza sound to you, Senpai?" Sumire asked, with hope in her eyes.
"Pizza sounds pretty good to me. Let's head back over to Fantasyland for a quick break then."
"Right behind you, Akira!"
AN: So. Nearly 2 months again. Sorry for the extremely long wait! I did say "a week or two" but some irl shit came up and de-railed that entire plan. As you probably noticed, this is a part 1, and I had to split it up due to the length it was reaching. I hope you've all enjoyed it so far and since I already have part 2 mostly complete, I'll have it up in a week to make up for my previous stumble. Hope you all enjoyed!
Special thanks to Tharon (RainyDays Sunset Hours) for proof-reading, Celeste(Celexcity on twitter) for that beautiful commission, and Shyne(ShynePls on twitter) for motivating me to finish this chapter!