"So, my friends, you've heard about the festival that's gonna happen here in Alfheim tonight, right?" Klein leans on the table while smirking at Kirito and Jaymes. "If you haven't, there's me doing my due diligence as your friend."

Kirito sighs and glares at Klein. "Sounds cool and all, but why are you saying it as if we should've known about it? Everyone does."

"Kirito, my man. You are right, everyone has known about it, it's a limited-time event and all. I'm sure you're gonna check it out and all, but… Okay, Jaymes, you're not as dense as him. I know you've noticed."

"Noticed what?"

Klein sighs. "Both of you? Geez… Has anything strange and unusual in your personal lives been occurring?"

Kirito cups his chin. "Personal lives… Well, it really hasn't bothered me, but I've noticed that Asuna has given me slightly smaller portions of food for lunch at school."

"Now that you mention it, Liz has been more flippant with me than usual the last few days. I thought it was just that time of the month...or day if you catch my drift."

"They were talking about the festival when it was revealed last week, but…" Kirito's eyes suddenly widen and turn to Jaymes, who must've come to the same realization as his teeth clench against each other. "Oh no."

"We still have time to correct this, right?"

Klein sighs. "How you two keep your girls is beyond me. Go! Ask them out… In-person, Kirito!!"

Jaymes

When Jaymes walks into Lisbeth's blacksmith shop, he pretends he didn't just have the previous conversation with Kirito and Klein. Instead of panicking externally, Jaymes walks in calm and collected, just like any other day he would.

Thankfully, the shop is closed for the moment, because as soon as he takes a step inside, he can sense the deadly aura of his girlfriend at the counter as she sits with her back to him, looking at the display weapons and shield. His cool demeanor dropping a tad, he steps normally towards the girl, staying on the customer side of the counter. "Hey, Liz."

"Hey."

"...Would you like to go to the festival with me?"

"Oh, you're really asking me?"

"Who else would I ask… Don't answer that, I'm asking you. Besides, we went before, I know you enjoy these types of things, so why not go together? Unless you got someone else you're going with, then I'm sure--"

Lisbeth finally faces him, her fierce glare fighting against his surefire smirk. "Of course not! In that case, I guess I can spare the time to go… And you'd better believe I love me some festivals!"

"Uh-huh. I know."

Her anger visibly gone, Lisbeth smiles and returns her body and gazes towards the display wall. "So you think of me as someone who loves festivals, huh? Well, you're not wrong. I'm surprised you want to go, though. I had to drag you back to one then, remember."

Jaymes twirls himself to Lisbeth's side of the counter. "You are? I mean, I was planning to go, but I guess I would have given you that impression from the past. If nothing else, there's food."

"So that's what you're really after…"

"...No…"

"Well, whatever. Okay, I'm gonna get ready. Wait right here."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Festivals and snow cones go together like peanut butter and vanilla!"

Jaymes frowns as the swordsman and the smith stand with arms linked in a line for snow cones. He turns to the black and white-spotted orange yukata-wearing girl in inquiry. "Peanut butter and vanilla? Okay…"

"What, is that weird to your American taste?"

"Peanut butter and jelly is just...a normal combo to us." They turn to the shopkeeper, who asks them for their flavor of snow cone. "Hmm… I'm gonna have to go with strawberry. You can't beat the classics. What about you, Jaymes?"

"Hmm. Strawberry does sound good, but I kind of feel like channeling my inner Kirito and going for something more...unusual. I'll go with this one."

Lisbeth looks at Jaymes' selection. "Red Bean Garish Gerbara? You do know that Garish Gerbara is a kind of plant monster, right?"

"I know, I burn them all the time. I guess that they use the monster's nectar for flavor."

Lisbeth makes a disgusted face and sighs. "Oogh… You're a braver person than I am."

Jaymes smiles as he faces the shopkeeper. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. How much is it?"

"800 yuld for two."

"Wait, are you planning to pay for both," Lisbeth interjects, "'cause I can pay for my own."

"Say this is me making it up for being late to ask you to the festival."

"Oh, in that case...you do have plenty of yuld to spare after all that monster hunting."

Jaymes rolls his eyes as he pays the shopkeeper and hands Liz her snow cone as they walk away. "Don't get engrossed in that idea. Enjoy your free snow cone."

"Here goes nothing!" Lisbeth takes a spoonful of the treat into her mouth and mews in happiness. "Mmm, this is great! It's cold and tasty and feels just like eating the real thing!"

"Wow, so they managed to replicate the texture, huh?"

"Want to try?"

"You sure?"

Liz nods and holds her spoon to Jaymes' mouth. "Just a little. Say ahhh."

"Ahh." Jaymes intakes the treat, his eyes widening as the taste of strawberries wash over his virtual tastebuds. "Hey, that IS good!"

"Right? I haven't had a snow cone in forever." Lisbeth begins to quickly inhale the snow cone until she gasps and holds her head. "Ow, ow, ow! Brainfreeeeeeeze!"

"Idiot… They went as far as to replicate that, though. Talk about attention to detail."

"Oogh… I could do without that kind of attention, thanks."

"I guess that is technically another part of the festival experience. And now...to try my snow cone." Jaymes looks down and internally gulps at the weird-looking treat in his hand. "Red Bean Garish Gerbara."

"It looks so...grotesque. Way worse than I'd imagine."

"I must admit, this is a little more than I'd bargained for myself. Damn."

"Do you think you're even gonna be able to eat it?"

"...I mean, would they sell something inedible?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Jaymes honestly doesn't want to think how bad it could be, now that he looks at the snow cone. But an idea pops in his head, a devious one at that. "Hey, I know. Since you gave me some of yours, it's only fair that I return the favor."

Liz steps back. "Oh no you don't!"

Jaymes scoops some up and smirks. "Come on, no need to be polite. Say ahhh."

Lisbeth still looks uncomfortable, but she returns to Jaymes' side. "Well, if you're going to feed it to me… In that case… No, there's no way I'm letting that thing anywhere near my mouth!"

Jaymes sighs. "Fine. If you insist, then I won't press the issue." Jaymes consumes the spoonful of Red Bean Garish Gerbara, but before he can ponder on the taste, he presses his lips against Lisbeth, injecting some of the juices into her oral orifice. When they separate, neither immediately comment on the treat, instead gagging on the horrible taste of the Red Bean Garish Gerbara.

"Oh, that's horrible. I can't finish this."

"You dummy! Why did you share it with me? Now we both had to taste it! And a horrible kiss at that!" Lisbeth faces Jaymes when she's done getting rid of the taste with her flavor, then holds up her strawberry snow cone. "Here. There's more than enough for both of us."

"You sure?"

"Mhm. Consider it repayment for being extra-Liz for a while." Jaymes takes her up on the offer, and while they share the great-tasting snow cone, fireworks begin to pop in the sky. The pair glance at each other, smile, and stand close as they watch the show quietly, enjoying a fun virtual festival in the world of fairies.

"Hey. When this is over, want to find Kirito and get him to try this?"

"Hehehe. You bet."