04. [video] Fortune

[mech_and_mutt]

[When the video begins, Red's already slumped back into the pilot's seat of his airship, his weary posture and tired limbs looking like they'd already long-since given out on him. He's breathless and panting- and not even in a particularly dog-like way- while sweat somehow manages to run off of his fur. Or is that just water? It'd explain why he was in his blitzball outfit. And all those bruises.

And yet, somehow, his face is the biggest, toothiest smile most people would ever have seen from him.]

..I... did it.

[He pauses, reaching beside him to grab a hold of a metallic water bottle with an oddly familiar logo on it, and ravenously gulps from it a few times between heaving breaths before using the rest to douse himself.

A few seconds of a more familiar canine head-shaking, water-flinging dryoff later- and a quiet ugh from the offscreen moogle- he catches his breath enough to continue.]

Starting lineup. Dragons. Cloud City.

[...and then, as if he suddenly remembered he was actually broadcasting this--]

Uh-- I'm Red. I play Blitzball. For the Cloud City Dragons. It's a great sport. Come watch me sometime. ...cause I just got promoted!!

[He manages a fistbump for a few seconds before his fist quivers, and with a weak groan his arm soon goes limp. Yup. That muscle was probably pulled.]

...So yeah. Tryin' to think of how I should celebrate. Any ideas?

...Y'know, after I get some rest.

Comments

[video]

[mech_and_mutt]

[Azusa's calling?! His vitality seems to return almost immediately and he sits upright... but nonetheless remembers his current condition with a wince, albeit one that can hardly temper his smile.]

Yeah. Dunno how you heard, but it's the best surprise I could'a come home to. You're the best, y'know that?

[He'd have to get her some especially nice for the Starlight Celebration.]

A party? That might be fun once I'm back on my feet. ...But, uh, the Asmodeus is a little on the small side--

[To drive the point home, in the background, Mocha can be seen hanging a set of boxer shorts alongside several spare scarves on a clothesline stretched across the airship's main hallway.]

--so I'd have to think of someplace to hold it.

[mythmaker]

My, my. You're sweet to say so, but Wendy is the one with all the connections...she's the one who found out and told me.

[She needs to be honest and up front about that. Really, it's nothing special...]

The Asmodeus? Ah, that's your...

[She blinks.]

...is Mocha doing your laundry?

[That's lewd.]

[mech_and_mutt]

Yeah, but you still-- Uh?

[Well, yes, Mocha did offer when he came home exhausted, but how did she know...? Red lifted himself on tired muscles to crane his head around for a glimpse where Azusa was seemingly looking past him. Okay, sure; there she was, doing laundry, hanging up his--

oh, furballs. He quickly slaps the camera aside; there's a lovely view of the clouds out the cockpit window, at least. And, hey, there are those cookies she made for him! Looks like he'd already eaten a few.]

MOCHA

what, 'po?

WHAT ARE YOU DOING

your laundry, 'po--

I'M ON CAMERA RIGHT NOW

i know.

YOU'RE SHOWIN' ALL OF VAIKUNTHA WHAT COLORS I WEAR!

yeah, everyone knows you're on the dra--

MOCHA TAKE IT DOWN! THAT! TAKE IT DOWN!!

(...)

oh.

...please?

sorry, 'po!! I didn't know you were talking to--

THAT DOESN'T MATTER PLEASE JUST TAKE IT DOWN

[A few seconds later the camera is tipped back. Red looks even more exhausted than he did before.]

...Where were we?

[mythmaker]

My, my.

[There he goes. It looks like he's been eating her cookies, too. That's always a nice feeling. Elevator music plays in her head as she listens to the commotion that follows. She hums to herself, pleasantly waiting. Poor Mocha. Maybe she should have sent Mocha a gift basket, too? Hopefully, no one else is being treated to this private laundry showing, poor Red seems so embarrassed.

She picks the conversation up again when Red returns, still smiling.]

I was going to say that I don't think I've ever seen the inside of the Asmodeus before, but now it seems I've seen that and more.

[Ufufu.]

[mech_and_mutt]

h-ha ha, yeah, it's a bit of a mess sometimes

[He was almost wishing for the sweet liberation of Bahamut's loving embrace.]

I guess I'm too used to livin' here with just me and my sister. We never had too many guests.

[mythmaker]

It sounds like you two were very close.

[She doesn't know what their relationship is really like, but she sees no reason to doubt that.]

But I find it a little hard to believe you didn't have many guests. You seem like the kind of Caninu that would have a lot of friends.

[mech_and_mutt]

You kiddin'? I had my fair share!... just didn't bring 'em over much. A lot of 'em kinda started out as enemies, too.

[Makes the prospect of a home visit a little bit awkward.]

I've given thought to havin' a roomie up here nowadays, though. Mocha's great 'n all, but outside of practice I'm startin' to feel like a shut-in.

[mythmaker]

[She laughs, covering her mouth.]

That sounds about right. I can't imagine anyone being on your bad side for long. I bet you've even had a rival or two~.

[Azusa can't see it any other way.]

Hmm...if you want to make some money, you could always rent a room to some Moogles. They don't take up much space, and they're so soft. Maybe Mocha has some friends to ask?

[mech_and_mutt]

...Yeah, I had a couple. [His enthusiasm falters. He tries not to think too hard about how that all turned out.

And speaking of unfortunate happenings...]

I don't think Mocha's friends would want to live in a place like this. It's too bright and cheerful.

Are you joking, 'po? This place is so Dieselpunk it hurts.

See? She doesn't like it. NO!! That's a GOOD thing, 'po!

[Red's silent under a confused, exasperated look. He could only imagine what this would be like with a few more of Mocha's moogle friends chiming in...]

[mythmaker]

I've had a few rivals myself, you know~. Being an idol is lively work.

[And most of her rivals have been men. After all, she's the goddess of Ryuuguu Komachi. Most people don't really want to compete with her.]

My, my. That sounds promising, doesn't it? But maybe Mocha-chan has some ideas on who would make a good roommate for you, too. You two are so close after all.

[mech_and_mutt]

Yeah, right. Who could compete with you?

[He gives a quiet laugh, in no small part a response to Mocha's distant, quiet groan from offscreen. What a corny line.]

I'll pass. If I'm gettin' a roommate, it'll be for a better reason than to practice havin' guests.

[mythmaker]

Would you like to know? I'd be happy to tell you sometime.

[She's perfectly happy sharing that little story.]

You aren't lonely there, are you? Isn't that reason enough to have one?

[mech_and_mutt]

Yeah, but nobody wants a bad roommate! It takes a special someone to--

[...Yeah, he's just going to stop right there before he embarrasses himself further. He fakes a clearing of his throat.]

...So you said you had a story about your rival?

[mythmaker]

Special someone?

[That's the same word she uses to describe her own destined lover. Has Red found romance? Whoever the lucky girl is, she'd love to meet her.]

That's right. When we were starting out, we went to perform on a show but were told our appearance was canceled. They'd hired 'Jupiter' instead. Back then, they outmatched us in every way.

[mech_and_mutt]

[That was just a coincidence. It definitely wasn't because he was thinking about what sort of person he'd invite to live with him if it wasn't so terribly forward.]

Jupiter was tryin' to bury their competition, eh? How'd'ja end up getting off the ground?

[mythmaker]

We did it by being ourselves~. Everyone has something special about them, and we let that shine. The same can be said about us 'Heroes,' too.

[mech_and_mutt]

I should've known.

[...That was Azusa for you. Here he was expecting some sort of flashy act of oneupmanship, but instead he gets something wise and kindhearted.

The world just seemed like a better place every time she opened her mouth.]

You always make it seem so easy, too.

[mythmaker]

I do?

[That's news to her. Of course, she's always oblivious to certain aspects of herself and she knows it.]

It wasn't easy. Before Ryuuguu Komachi, I would get turned down after auditions all the time. Back then, me and the other girls were trying our best, but we spent most of our days sitting in the office waiting for work.

[mech_and_mutt]

But it was just a matter of time before you hit it big, right? What was your big break back home, anyway?

[mythmaker]

Smoky Thrill. It's a song with a funky name, right? We debuted on a talk show and everything. It was magical~.

[mech_and_mutt]

[Talk show... well, that was either radio or television, and either way the point was the same.]

And the rest was history?

[mythmaker]

The rest was hard work. At our next big concert, I was so ill that someone had to cover for me. Ufufu, but I think that was for the best...I got to see something wonderful.

[mech_and_mutt]

Really? What'd'ja see?

[Something worth getting sick and missing a concert over...?]

[mythmaker]

They couldn't cancel the event, you see, so instead of my purple waves we had an entire sea of green~.

[But she knows that makes absolutely no sense.]

My manager, Ritsuko...she used to be an idol. She performed in my place. All of her old fans showed up, waving her color in the audience. When I watched the playback, it was beautiful.

[mech_and_mutt]

[So... green hair. Got it. Probably.]

Wow. All of her fans were still stickin' by her and going strong, huh? How long had it been?