Hey hey, everyone.
So I leapt back to Chapter 21 of And How Was Your Day, since that was the big "breaking off" point. I probably could've copy-pasted it and made a few changes, but I ended up just rewriting the whole damn thing because I hate myself or something haha. In reality, I originally wanted to just start at the whole "We're just friends" part, but since a lot of the buildup to that moment needed to be redone, hey, why not redo the whole chapter.
Chapter 1: A Different Dream
For around the past half-week, the goddesses have been cooped up in Lady Neptune's Basilicom, and likewise, my shop had been closed since they wanted to have me there for my opinion and for my comfort.
Goodness, you'd think with how often I've closed the shop recently, I was already moving to Lastation.
"You look like you could use a break."
"Remind me never to become so important I need to attend meetings, IF." I say, getting a laugh from the blue-jacketed girl as she sits down next to me on a sofa in one of the Basilicom's lounges.
"Not a fan of talking around a table?"
"I like the feeling of doing something with my hands. That, and you know, it's quite nerve wracking, being at a meeting for something so important. I mean, the shop's important, but I can do something about it, rather than just talking around a table about it."
IF stands up, offering a hand. "Then, how about we go to the kitchen? Not that Nep ever uses it for anything but storing pudding in the fridge, anyways. You can work with whatever's there, right? I'll take the blame, too."
I hesitate for a slight bit, but take her hand, and am pulled up, where IF lets go. "No running away on me, promise?"
"I never leave anyone behind, Elliot. Come on, let's go."
I follow IF through the halls, as she relaxedly strides, her hands in her pockets. "Seems like everything is going smoothly though, huh? It's going to be up to you and you alone."
"Well, you were kind of pushy after Kei asked about the gala…"
"I wasn't that pushy." IF protests as we enter the kitchen through a small dining room, fully stocked with all of the latest and greatest cooking gadgets. "I only gave her a piece of my mind."
"Kei went from 'Please consider this, I will have details for you later' to a personal apology for asking me out of the blue and doing a lot of the legwork for us."
"Okay, maybe I was a little pushy."
"You were plenty pushy."
IF rolls her eyes at that as she opens the fridge. "So, anything you can make here in a jiffy?"
"If you find some flour, I can make some crepes. It doesn't take a lot to make them, after all."
"Just make sure to make a few for Nep, to smooth things over."
"Oi, oi, I thought you were taking the blame." I say, IF laughing in return.
"Yeah, but you know, she'll end up asking for some anyways. So best to be prepared."
"I guess I can't argue there. Anything in particular you want?"
"Something sweet, maybe?"
"Alright, chocolate chips and a hint of peanut butter, then." I say, directing IF to help find the ingredients as I turn on the stove.
"And a latte, too, but no art today. You are in a bit of rush." IF says, dropping off some of the ingredients.
"Geez, really cracking the whip today, huh?" I ask, chuckling. "Then at least get the coffee pot on, so I can prepare the steamed milk."
"You got it."
"That does take me back, though. Speaking of latte art, it has been a while since you've ordered one."
"Well, we're both slowly getting busier. After the gala, things really took off for both of us." IF says, leaning on the counter after setting the coffee. "Seems you're really moving up in the world and then after this, you'll be a global star instead of just a local delight."
"There's no guarantee of that." I say, starting to measure out the ingredients.
"Mhm, I think it's going to happen. You're friendly, at least a little well known in the local community, run a rather successful business to the point the goddesses decided to visit, will be publically friends with Noire, had Blanc, Ram, and Rom work for you to which they've had only praises, especially the last two, have probably slightly above average looks even if you need a bit more muscle on you, and you're at this point single." There's a slight pause. "Seriously, just ask Noire out after you go public with all this. She'll definitely say yes. You can tell you two have chemistry, come on."
"Haha, very funny."
"I'm serious."
"I'm putting blueberries in your crepes."
"Wh—hey, no!"
I can only chuckle as IF's attention is turned away from her teasing, despite the fact I clearly am holding a bag of chocolate chips.
"Besides, coming out about the gala is terrifying enough. I don't think my heart could take actually dating one of the goddesses."
"So what you're saying," IF says, as I start mixing all of the ingredients together, "is that you can at least envision it."
"It looks like a one-way trip to the hospital from a stress induced heart attack."
"Haha! Well, with the media hounding you, I'd agree. You're going to get questioned about it, though."
"I know, but at the very least, I can say honestly that at the gala, we weren't dating, and that we aren't dating now."
"Heh, for now, you mean. But yeah, if you lied, the world would know in a heartbeat just by looking at your face. Not that it's a bad thing. It's good to be an honest person, you know."
"I like to think that my parents helped to raise an upstanding young man."
"Speaking of your parents," IF says as she pulls up a chair to sit on as I oil up the pan. "I'm surprised they haven't swung around at some point to give you a congrats."
"Oh, no, no, they call, but they know I need space or at least a warning before they show up. They don't want to intrude, and um, they're a bit aware of how embarrassing they can be sometimes."
"Oh?" IF asks, her eyebrows shooting up to show off how curious she is.
"Well, you know how it is. They really love to tell old stories of me as a kid."
"I'm going to use the Guild's resources to track them down and then issue a special invitation to meet N—ahaha, you look terrified, Elliot!"
"Look, my girlfriend before, after two days of hanging around my parents for a weekend in their vacation home, couldn't look me in the eyes for a week. A week!"
"Hahaha, oh yes, I definitely think I should meet them. Or maybe Noire should?" IF asks, giving me a teasing smile. "Speaking of your girlfriend from before, she wrote that article about the Elliot at the gala not being you, right? Did you let her know?"
"We covered that, yes. Lady Vert will be taking her aside to explain the situation rather than me. I think the plan is that I'll say it's possible she figured me out, as she is a smart girl, and thought it couldn't be that simple. It's technically not a lie, as I don't actually know her real motivations."
"Ah, so it's not a full lie, so it won't show."
"Something like that, yeah."
"Well, that's good. And it smells just as good, too." IF says as I pour the batter onto the pan.
It's about a thirty minute distraction, along with being a delicious afternoon snack, but I'm eventually found and dragged back into the meeting room.
The arrangements are fairly simple. There's a talk show of sorts where Lady Noire is scheduled to make an appearance, as she goes there regularly to give face to face updates in a casual manner. Lady Neptune is going there as well, mostly just to help watch over me. It's scary how fast they work, since as soon as it was confirmed to be the plan, Lady Noire phoned Kei, who phoned the studio with us listening in on the call, and got it set that they'll be having an exclusive interview with the Elliot, the "man who was with Noire at the gala".
"No turning back now" was the general mood of the room after the call ended. I almost wanted to throw up out of sheer anxiety, but I managed to hold it in.
IF is also coming with us, and so is Compa, but she's mostly there to keep an eye on Lady Neptune. I'll be brought on set, removing the contacts on stage just to sell the point. Or, as Lady Blanc mentioned, I could just wear a pair of sunglasses if I wanted to cover my brown eyes. Not like anyone's going to question me if IF, Lady Neptune, and Lady Noire are throwing their weight around.
Afterwards, I'll be hiding away in Leanbox. Obviously Planeptune and Lastation will have plenty of reporters swarming looking for me, and it's known that I've worked with Lady Blanc so there'll be eyes over in Lowee. Well, 'hiding', anyways, as it's not like I'm entering witness protection. Rather, I'll just be moving there for around three weeks or so to take the heat off of my shop. I'm a bit sad to have to leave there for that long, but I had enough savings to where it isn't a problem. Lady Noire did say she'd be willing to help me recoup some of it, but I couldn't bring myself to say yes to that.
"Um, Lady Blanc." I say as everyone is filtering out for the day. "Can I speak to you about something?"
"Oho, are you gunning for Blanny, t—MPGH!" Lady Neptune's teasing is cut short, courtesy of a sudden hard elbow from IF to her side as the blue-jacketed girl starts dragging her out.
"Come on, Nep. It probably has to deal with the shop with how Blanc's been working there." IF says, shooting me a knowing glance as she starts to drag Lady Neptune out.
We wait until everyone else has left the room, with Lady Blanc being the first to break the silence. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"
"It does actually deal with the shop," I say, looking down at the rather shiny wooden cherry-finished table in the room. "...my mentor, the other day. We, er, Lady Noire and I ran into him while I was at Lastation. And… I found out Lapin House used to be in Lastation, actually."
"I believe I can see where this is going, but continue." Lady Blanc says with a nod.
"He asked if I could bring back the old coffee shop."
The way she nods seems to indicate her hunch was right. "I see… and so, why ask me?"
"I… I didn't know who else I could turn to for advice, Lady Blanc." I sheepishly admit, trying to smile. "You're the smartest out of all the goddesses, like, amazingly so. I thought maybe there was something you could tell me."
Lady Blanc chuckles, shaking her head. "I might have a wealth of knowledge, Elliot, but aside from helping you figure out numbers wise if it's feasible, there's not much I can do for you aside from ask one question."
"Then, please…!"
"Do you want to go?" she suddenly asks.
"I…"
I trail off, not being able to finish the sentence. I… I really do wish to go, but I feel like I also equally want to stay, and haven't quite settled on which one I want more.
I close my eyes and hold my right hand over my heart, balling it as I feel my chest tighten. "...I'm happy that he's told me that he trusts me enough to believe I could resurrect his legacy. I could probably make a lot more than what I have now and really make a name for myself if I can do it. It's… it's almost like a dream come true. It's everything I could want, in a way. Fulfillment, success, validation, that I was able to do good by the shop that was left to me."
Lady Blanc nods. "Mhm, I understand. Either way, I'll support you. I can't tell you what the right decision to make is, but I know you'll make the decision that's right for you."
"Thank you, Lady Blanc. It's… it's really nice, having someone who I can trust like this."
"Though, I have one more question. Open your eyes and face me."
At Lady Blanc's sudden command, I tense up as I open my eyes, finding Lady Blanc has closed the distance between us. I let my balled up hand fall to my side, feeling an immense pressure coming from her.
She leans in, looking me right in the eyes, searching the very depths of my soul. "You listed out everything that moving to Lastation would give you. And frankly, it sounds like it's everything you want. You said so yourself. So I want you to tell me why you haven't already decided to go."
I hang my head, closing my eyes. I can feel my hands tense up, my chest suddenly contracting. I take a deep breath, trying to relax myself. If there's anyone I can tell, it's Lady Blanc.
"...as for why I haven't gone yet, it's…"
Later that evening, IF showed up at my doorstep, knocking. Apparently, she had something she wanted to show me. "Something" involved going out down the hallway on her motorcycle, all the way past the real downtown area of Planeptune, to some rather distant park.
"It sometimes gets kind of crowded here, but it's a Thursday evening, so not really full tonight." IF says after we took the boxcar up, skipping the walk up the large hillside.
"I didn't know we had a place like this in Planeptune." I say, glancing around the area.
"You should look into Planeptune's parks a little more. Come on, it's just a bit further."
"Alright, alright."
All around is an open wide area, with a few decorative statues, plants, benches, and lamps. Underneath the clear, starry sky are a few people wandering around, mostly couples and small groups of friends. The only sounds that break the otherwise suffocating silence along the stone pathways are crickets chirping filling the air.
Other than that, we walk around in silence, as I don't know what to say and IF doesn't speak, instead just quietly leading me around. The sound of our shoes hitting the pavement echo through the air as we do so, at least filling the gap.
It's another ten minutes of quietly walking down the nature filled walkways before we stop near a railing, just underneath the statue of an angelic being who has a slight resemblance to Lady Purple Heart. However, the real spectacle is the view from up here, an incredible sight of Planeptune sparkling in the distance, the forest around it bathed in moonlight.
I look over, finding an ever so slight smile on IF's face as she looks over the landscape.
"You seemed pretty troubled lately, so… I wanted to bring you here. This place has always helped me relax. Plus, it reminds me of what I'm fighting for, you know?"
"I can imagine… was I that obvious?"
"Haha, yeah. You're pretty easy to read at times." IF says, leaning on the railing. "Care to share? I doubt it's just this reveal that's happening."
"...you're probably not going to like to hear it, though."
"Can't be that bad. Though, I wanted to get this off my chest, anyways, so it's kind of a double purpose." IF says, forcing a light laugh with a hint of nervousness in it. "I'll go first."
"Alright, sure."
"Well… ah, geez. This is a lot more embarrassing than I thought, haha."
IF lets go of the rail as she stands up straight, turning towards me. I turn to face her as well, looking into her eyes. Lit under the soft off-white glow of the moon, she seems a bit happier than usual.
"Um… Nep talked to me, actually, about the Guild. Gave me a pretty good talking to, surprisingly. But she… she mentioned you asked her to, so, well, I figured Compa probably said something. I'm a bit mad about that, but… I guess this wouldn't have happened otherwise."
"Are you… perhaps considering new work?"
IF shrugs, her glance going towards the ground, "I wasn't, but after Nep told me that my smi—I mean," IF pauses in her speech, but I catch the grin on her face, "my health is more important than 'any stupid promise' it's been on my mind. She even told me she's absolving me of it."
She stops, no longer looking at the ground and instead staring straight at me.
"So thanks."
I'm almost swept off of my feet by the unexpected whisper of thanks.
"I might've gotten burned out sooner or later, but now I've got some motivation to look elsewhere, too. I still want to work with the Guild for now, though, but you know, maybe I can work part time at your shop and see how it works out, haha!"
"Yeah… it's…"
"Hm?"
"It's what's been on my mind, too. Remember Gregory, right?"
"Yeah, I've run a few requests from him recently. What's going on? You two didn't fight, did you?"
I shake my head. "Just the opposite. I met him while I was in Lastation. Turns out Lapin House has its roots there as an old famous shop, White Rabbit. And… he asked me to resurrect its legacy there."
IF blinks twice, pausing as she looks at me, eyes wide.
"Whoa… oh!" IF's surprise gives way to a big smile as she perks up. "Hey, that's great, Elliot! I know you've wanted to make him proud, and if he trusts you that much, that's a big step forward, right!"
The words coming out of her mouth seem so genuine, really. There's no strain in there at all. Well, maybe a little bit.
"I should ask for latte art next time, I've bet you've improved loads." IF pauses, looking back out at Planeptune. "...oh. Crap."
"Huh?"
"No, it's… are you going?"
"I'm a bit undecided."
"Agh, dammit, I screwed up." IF says, scratching the back of her head. "I shouldn't have brought you here, it'll only make you hesitate."
"You make it sound like you want me gone."
"Haha, it does, doesn't it?" IF then laughs, shaking her head. "No, I just want the best for you, Elliot. It's a dream come true, isn't it? And no better time to strike than now!"
"Yeah, but, where are you going to get your coffee?"
"Ah, crap. It's back to convenience store coffee, huh…" IF mumbles before chuckling. "Well, worst case, if I really need a fix, I'll fly out to Lastation on a weekend. Keep a pot warm for me, will you?"
"Just try to make it by closing time."
"Make sure you actually close at closing time." IF fires back, giving me a light bump with her hip. "I know you stay open a little later for me sometimes. It's appreciated, but you have to look out for yourself first."
"Well, you know how it is." I say with a smile.
"But really, I think you should go to Lastation." IF says, nodding. "You'll do great. I know you will. You're a super hard worker. Plus, hey, Noire'll be right there in the city with you, that's sure to help. Maybe she'll really fall for you if you make her coffee every day. I can see you confessing through latte art."
"IF!"
"Hahaha, I'm kidding, I'm kidding! Besides, she'll probably beat you to the punch—okay, okay, I'll stop!" IF says with a laugh as I lightly elbow her.
"No matter what happens though, we can still… you know, hang out, right?"
IF gives me a playful shove. "Geez, you're so worried over nothing. Of course we can, Elliot, and we will. Look, I'm still pretty good friends with a lot of our allies scattered across Gameindustri, even if we don't see each other all the time. It's fine, don't worry. That, and we still wanted to go somewhere on vacation, right? Obviously we'd have to meet up again."
"Summer's coming up soon, right? How about the beach?"
"Hmm, sounds like it's too easy for the goddesses to crash into us. But then again, you'll get to see Noire in a swimsuit."
"Well, it's just that my parents have a vacation house on the beachfront. Figured it would save us some money."
IF snickers at that. "You're just trying to remain distracted from thinking about it, aren't you?"
"You're the one who said it, not me."
"What's your favorite color, I'll tell Noi—" IF gives a yelp and a laugh as I give her a shove back. "You're so easy to rile up, you know? Are you sure that you don't feel anything?"
"I… I'm just confused, really." I say, looking out at Planeptune. "It's… that's a hurdle I'm not prepared to leap over."
"That's true." IF says, looking out at the city as well. "I'll try not to tease so much, but I'll admit that the two of you are kind of cute together. No matter what, though, if you do end up liking her, or if you just want to stay friends with her, I'll be there to help you."
"Thanks. I'll try not to rely too much on you, though."
"Hmm, but the beach sounds like trouble."
"How so?"
"Well, you know that the press is going to be there. It's a rare chance to see the goddesses in some relatively skimpy wear, you know?"
"You're assuming they're going to be there."
"I'm just saying, the likelihood is high, I know that trouble follows me, especially trouble in the form of the goddesses. And if it happens, you're going to have to deal with a full frontal Vert. With all of the teasing."
I groan, IF chuckling in the background, before giving another suggestion. "Well, why not visit Lowee again? Last time we just wandered around, but they have a nice ski resort there, don't they?"
"You ski?"
"I can learn."
IF laughs at that, and I can feel her eyes rolling. "Well, even without skiing or snowboarding, a winter resort sounds nice. Besides, the lodges tend to be pretty neat, you know. Plus, hot chocolate around a fire after some time in the snow sounds good."
"I'll look into it while I'm hiding away."
"Sure thing." IF then puts a finger to her chin. "Oh, you know, even if we come up with nothing, there is a fireworks festival at this park, if I remember right, during the summer. It'll get kind of crowded but not sardines leveled packed."
"Haha, then." I say, with a smile. "How about we promise to meet up here? I don't know if I'll still be in Planeptune at that point, or where you'll be working, so…"
IF rolls her eyes before giving me a smile in return, looking at me. "It's a promise, Elliot. I guess it should be easy enough to find, too, with the statue here. Pretty easy to spot landmark, huh?"
"Just make sure to tell me what day it is, so I don't have any nasty surprises."
"I'll text it to you later, then." IF says before turning to look back out at Planeptune. "Though, hey. Bit of an awkward transition."
"Hm, what's up?"
"Look, you're planning to go public with all of this, right? It's definitely going to come up when they interview you, because it's not like it's a secret I hang out at your shop all the time. We should make sure we know what we actually think of each other, because if you can't solidly deny it, it'll be a pain for you, it'll be a pain for me, and it'll be a big pain for you know who. So… we should make sure there's no doubt."
"Ah, yeah… that's true." I say, looking away from IF. "Um, hey, you know, this is uh... really embarrassing to talk about. So we should, um, you know…"
"On three?"
"Maybe not face each other as well." I say, daring to look in IF's general direction. Our glances meet, and we quietly nod to each other before shifting. "...sorry, it's just… you know, I'm nervous."
"Hahaha, of what?" IF asks, though her laughter is a bit strained.
If our answers don't match, for one.
That's… the kind of thing that breaks a friendship. And if I were to lose my friendship with IF...
"Haha, yeah, you're here, after all. I can do anything if you've got my back."
"Geez… haaa, okay. Ready?"
"Mhm."
I hear her take a deep breath together with me. I can only imagine what her face is like right now. I can feel the tension all over my body, a growing stiffness in my throat, a blankness in my head, almost making me want to just curl up on a bench somewhere.
"Let's count together." IF says, breaking the silence.
"Yeah. And…"
"One, two, three—!"
"I think you're a great friend."
"I think of you as a really good friend!"
IF and I immediately turn and look at each other, the air feeling almost suffocatingly still as both of us wait for the other to make a sound. Underneath the statue of Lady Purple Heart, we both just take one more glance at one another, before…
"Pheeeew, man, that was a lot more stressful than it should have been, huh?" IF says, laughing as she lightly jabs me in the rib.
"Yeah, geez…" I say, starting to laugh as well. "Man, how awkward would that have been?"
"You aren't lying though, are you?"
"Want me to say it again to your face?" I ask with a raised eyebrow. "If anything, I should be more concerned that you're lying, Miss Special Super Spy."
"You got me there, but I'm not. It's like… what, I've seen you kind of grow up, even if it's only been a few months? It's like adopting a new younger brother."
"Oh, the brother-zone."
IF snickers at that. "Sorry, but I've heard from Compa that one's harder to escape than the friendzone."
"Should I start calling you 'big sis IF' in front of Lady Neptune?"
"Don't you dare."
"Well, you spend more time around her than me, so even if I have to take some teasing, you'll take a lot more." I say, IF scowling in return. "You know that I'm right."
"Oh shut up, Elliot." IF says, laughing as she looks back at the city of Planeptune. "Hey, just say it one more time, though."
"Huh?"
"Well, you know, just so I'm sure."
"It sounds like there's an ulterior motive. But, you really are just a friend to me, IF."
I raise an eyebrow as IF seems to sigh in relief. I know I did a lot of soul searching after Lady Blanc told me to really think about what I felt about IF, but that last little spark that would make me want to be more than friends with IF just wasn't there.
It's really just… comfortable, where I am, and I think that's why I can't see her as more than a friend, because I have no desire to change it, or to leave this space that everything feels just right. I suppose if that's really the truth, I shouldn't have any issues saying it again.
And it's… what I told Lady Blanc. I'm… in all honesty, just scared.
If I go to Lastation… there's no way I can come back to Planeptune. Or at least, it'll be really hard. It's not like moving the shop is that easy. I have to move my entire life. Leave a lot of people behind.
Including…
...well, it's pretty obvious. I can't say I know for certain what I feel for Lady Noire, either. But I want to know. I want to figure it out, so I don't make a mistake, because I absolutely don't want to make one, because I have so much now, and I'm scared to lose it.
But even with that, I can say, with a fair bit of certainty, that I really just feel thankful for IF, but I don't exactly see myself romantically with her. I suppose that with the person right here in front of me, she is kind of like an older sister, in a manner of speaking. She's been there the whole time, pushing me forward when I would make falter, since this is a path she walked down.
It's just… in addition to being afraid of losing what I have now, there's also being scared to lose someone really close to you, just like when I was watching all of my friends leave after graduation. The fear you'd never see them again is...
"Alright, well, IF, I think of you as a good friend." I say, shaking myself out of my thoughts, but I pause, seeing her clench her fist in front of her. "Um…?"
"It means, Elliot, that since you're clearly not lying, I can help you with Noire with zero hesitation." IF only laughs harder as I give her a playful shove.
"Quiet, you. She doesn't like me like that… probably."
"Probably?" IF asks with a knowing smile.
"I, I don't know, you and Lady Blanc keep bringing it up, so I'm just confused!"
"Haha, sorry, sorry. I'll try to hold off on the teasing a little bit." IF says, a more serious look on her face. "But, I, uh… I did mean it, back at the gala. If you aren't interested in her, you really should let her know. You don't want it to drag on."
"I know, it's just… you know me. Imagine me trying to say 'no' to one of the goddesses, let alone rejecting a confession."
"Yeah, that's rough." IF says, sighing. "Don't worry, I'll be with you every step of the way. We'll figure something out, whether you want to confess to her or have to reject her."
"Thanks. Somehow, I feel a lot more confident that no matter what I end up doing, it'll be fine with you there. Is… what I'd like to say, but with the plan to shelter me in Leanbox without you there…"
"I'll give you a can of pepper spray."
"IF."
"I'm serious. Or a spray bottle, if you think pepper spray is too extreme."
"IF."
"I mean, I doubt Vert would actually do anything to you, but you know, better safe than sorry. Out of the whole bunch she's the most…"
"Sensual?"
"Perverted."
"I was trying to be nice."
"I can teach you how to barricade your door with a chair."
I roll my eyes, with IF laughing again. Haaaa, it really does feel like a weight's been lifted off of my chest. I didn't have to lie to IF, the air is cleared between us, and it seems like IF is really telling the truth. I don't have too much to worry about, I guess.
"Either way, it's getting kind of late," IF says, checking her watch. "And we do have an early flight tomorrow, so we should get to sleep. I'm glad we had this talk, though."
"Same here. It helps clear the mind."
"Yep."
With a bit more of a lighter atmosphere, we go down the lift and back to the motorcycle. We make a bit of idle chatter, and once we're on the bike, I can't help but feel like all of the tension has left IF when I hold onto her during the ride back.
It's not a terribly long ride back to my shop, as there's not a lot of traffic in the dead of night. I feel like we were probably speeding, though. I'll definitely have to plan a trip out there sometime, though. Maybe with a picnic basket. Sandwiches, tea, and pastries sounds good.
Of course, that'll all have to be for later.
"Oh, but hey."
"Yeah, IF?"
"Here."
"Eh?" I catch the small box IF throws at me, looking at the box. It's cologne, the same brand that I wore to the gala, still with that embarrassing name, Sexy Silver.
"I heard Noire actually liked the smell, and figured I'd do you a favor."
"I'm going to throw this back at you. And I don't know if you know, but I threw a pretty mean fastball."
IF chuckles, putting her helmet back on. "Hey, I'm just helping you do your best. Besides, you went all out during the gala, didn't you? Figured it might help you get in the mindset."
"Haaaa… well, thanks."
"Don't mention it. Anyways, let's do our best, and see you tomorrow."
With that, IF rides away into the night. As I look down at the boxed bottle, I can't help but wonder… if… you know, Lady Noire actually feels that way about me. I feel like IF wouldn't keep hammering it in if she thought I had no chance. I know there's friendly teasing because of how everyone would tease me about Melanie in high school, but…
...is this really the same?
And I guess that means I… what do I feel about Lady Noire?
I shake my head, trying to get rid of those thoughts. I need to focus on what's at hand now. Then, after that, I can deal with everything else, like what's causing my heart to beat so fast, and whether or not I'll go to Lastation. Tomorrow and the next few days are going to be way more terrifying than the gala, after all…
Oh, here we go. Yep, I am doing this, it's on, and I will probably regret doing this. Sorry to retread a lot of old ground but really, this one was kind of inevitable of having to really redo. Obviously, you can see some changes.
I removed a lot of the tension between IF and Elliot this time around, such as when IF pulls Elliot to his feet. In the original, Elliot has to mention to her to let go of his hand, in this one, she just does it quickly. There's also more strain in her dialogue when she's talking to him about moving to Lastation; and this time around she regrets bringing him to the view because it'll make him hesitate. Compare this to the original where she doesn't, as IF was concealing her feelings.
Biggest thing here, really, is that I decided to drop any pretenses of there being a real decision/love triangle. I got away with it in the original because no one knew how it was going to end aside from me; as this is clearly the Noire victorious story, I decided to do an entirely separate conflict altogether. While obviously IF is not the love interest, you can still see she plays a very big role in his life, enough that losing his close friendship with her is enough to interfere with his choice of moving to Lastation. I wanted that, along with his decision to move the shop, be kind of the running parallel conflict, as it does affect what his final relationship with Noire is.
But tl;dr, ya'll know who emerges the romantic victor, so let's just kick back and enjoy a bit, huh?
For other changes, IF doesn't have her lip gloss scene this time around, which last time hinted that she was trying to look a little more appealing to Elliot, and instead hands him a bottle of cologne that's a callback to the gala scene. There's a few small ones here and there, but those were the biggest ones.
Either way, it's good to be back, folks. Chapters are likely going to be on a 2-3 week basis instead of 2 week basis while I get the ball rolling, as I've had to go into the office for work, meaning I can't just write at my computer during free time, haha. But, as always, see you next time!
