"I've never used one of these before."

Viole turned over the wooden object in his hands, feeling it's smooth contours. He recognized it. On the Floor of Test one of the Regulars had shot him with one. A gun. Or at least it's likeness.

He looked up at his targets. Three rows lined the back wall. They were filled with things like stuffed animals, "electronics", toys (he noticed that none of Dr. Lasco's wooden creations are there) and plastic statues - table place settings.

Viole rested the rifle against the crook of his neck, and took aim at this weird lion-giraffe shinueh thing. The first shot ... went wildly off-course. The stuffed animal remained where it was - as if mocking him.

"Ah, maybe next time then."

Viole looked at (not quite glared, but close) Taeyang as the young woman leaned against a counter - munching on the same fluffy pink cotton candy thing he had seen earlier.

"Why aren't you trying your hand at it then?"

"Well, that would hardly be fair even if these games are scams."

The man behind the stall at the shooting game sat on a stool, crossed arms, and was staring out into space. But at the sound of Taeyang's accusation he turned to her. "That's uncalled for, ma'am. This is a -"Yeah, yeah," she waved off. Then to Viole, "Try it again."

He turned back to the stuffed animal, lifting the rifle up to his shoulder. A calm settled on him as he held his breath and looked down the long, wooden part. The world narrowed down to just him and the stuffed animal as he pulled the trigger.

He still missed.

Viole pulled up from the rifle – staring both at his target and where the bullet actually went. To be honest, though it may sound boastful to think it, Viole was just not used to not "getting" a new thing by the second try. That was how it was with the Flare Wave Explosion, maybe…

"Huh, that's interesting. So, the test proved something after all. Maybe you'll hit it next time if I take the bb gun and shoot you with it."

Viole spun over to Taeyang, "That won't be…wait. Did they ask you to observe and test me and you never wanted the stuffed animal?"

The silence that followed told him all he needed to know.

"…I see." Viole dropped it and let the rifle flop to the counter. He began to walk off.

"You still have your third try," She called after him.

"Take it!"

The multicolored lights that hovered above the street cast shadows that followed Viole as he walked. He climbed down a hill, passing by several passerbys – several disguised like him, and let the din, the buzz of conversation, wash over him. He stopped and sighed.

Viole shouldn't be surprised, and in all honesty? He wasn't. Since the get go nearly a month ago FUG has been determined to train him – to raise him up as a Slayer candidate. It makes sense that they would want to know more about how he learns, but…Viole had been looking forward to befriending people like him again. Optimistic and free from the stress that climbing to the top of the tower seems to naturally cause. If not young like him due to some Regulars being hundreds of years old than at the very least companions that Viole could grow close to.

Maybe –

"Oh, good. You didn't get too far ahead."

Viole turned around, but then saw the thing cradled in her hands.

"What is that thing?"

"What? This?" She said, lifting it up. Light glanced off its metallic surface. "It's a toaster."

He stared.

"…do you seriously not know what a toaster is?"

…

"You can stop now."

The laughter from Taeyang had died down to mere chuckles as the two of them continued to walk down the hill filled with stalls of many kinds. She held a closed fist by her mouth as if to hide her growing smile. "Sorry, sorry," she said, "Still you thought, you thought – "

"I thought toast was made by taking a slice of bread, closing your hands around it and squeezing tightly."

The chuckles rang out into a peal of laughter,

"I mean, come on! It makes sense! When you first make a bang in your hands it gets really hot! I was basically thinking of a toaster, but with shinsoo!"

The fist flew from her mouth to her stomach, as he stopped in place, bent over, and bellowed.

The loudness of the laugh drew the attention of more than a few other festival-goers.

"…let's just go."

"Sure, sure. Just hold on a minute. Let me catch my breath."

Before Viole even really noticed it, the duo had reached the bottom of the hill. Smoky gong swirled around them – issuing out of torches that lined the street. Though it was night it still made the surroundings take on a sickly, orange hue. The stalls stopped here.

"It looks like the festival was on that hill. Seems that's it."

"There's one over there."

Sure enough, Viole looked over to where Taeyang pointed to find a squat stall. It was painted in bright red, orange and yellow (as if to imitate fire). There was a shark demihuman (like one of the ones that used to hold the base) standing in front of it, holding a wooden mallet then swinging it down on figures that popped out of holes.

Viole's smile at the sight of the game withered as he turned to the young woman by his side.

"So, what? Are you going to measure the strength of my swings somehow? Time my reaction speed?"

"Nope! Have at 'em!"

Viole hesitated for a moment, before stepping forward.

The odd sharkman had finished his turn by the time Viole stepped up. This close, what was once just indistinct blurs of brown and red to him became clear.

"Quant-ssi?I"

The figures with the familiar face just continued to pop out, wearing a giant grin, and giving a thumb up.

"You want to go, kid?" The stall owner, a woman with a shaved head and a scar on her chin, asked – holding out the mallet.

Viole looked at it before glancing over at the miniature Quants. "…actually, I think I'm good."

Taeyang was silent as they walked away, but once they were away she asked, "What was that about?"

"I knew I probably wouldn't have it in me."

"What?"

But Viole was already looking back up the hill, through the haze to the stalls that lined either side of the street. "Is the festival only here?"

"Basically, the Year of Victory Celebration in Ludina is always on the Ulpius Hill."

Now it was Viole's turn to have a beat of silence. "I didn't know you're familiar with this city," he settled on. "You've been here often?"

"A couple times."

"Then do you know of a good place we can go to next?"

She turned to look at him and smiled.