02. [video] Air Bud

[mech_and_mutt]

Alright! Who else is excited for the Blitzball tourney this month?

[The backdrop of the view is a beautiful, wispy blue sky, taken from a vantage point above a patchy sea of clouds. There's a soft roar of wind in the backdrop of the entire broadcast, and an airship's wing visible on the deck behind him-- not that any of it distracts Red from taking center stage with a toothy grin and a blitzball spinning on his finger. One has to wonder how long he had to practice that before he turned on the camera. He's even got a towel across his shoulders and attire that makes him look ready for a dip in the water.]

Never even heard of it 'till I came here, but you gotta check it out if you haven't yet! It's like Flying Disc, only underwater-- and you can pound the heck outta the other team! Just so happens Cloud City's got its own team for it, too...

[That grin gets wider as he pops the ball off his finger and tucks it under his arm, jerking a thumb toward his chest.]

...And you're lookin' at its newest member! Introducing: Red Savarin, the newest member of the Cloud City Dragons!... reserve team. Hey, everyone's gotta start somewhere, right? But just watch-- I'll be in the big leagues before ya know it!

(It'd help if you'd stop trying to catch it in your mouth, 'po.) (Just hold the iMog!)

[He momentarily leers at his cameramog before clearing his throat and catching his stride.]

So if any of you need me, you can find me at Cloud City. Just look for the orange airship parked a mile outside of town!

Comments

[mythmaker]

Mm...I can't say I've ever promoted a food item myself, but I've promoted other things before. There's one sort of company that hires me over and over, actually.

[She sounds a little embarrassed at that, and she laughs in a way that says she'd like to move on! Talking about such things is bad luck, anyways.]

Is it really that dangerous? I hope you'll be careful for me.

[mech_and_mutt]

Lucky you! What kinda company? [Unfortunately for Azusa, Red- as usual- is either oblivious or simply apathetic to such cues.

At least the other subject offers her an escape.] Oh yeah, the game gets pretty rough. You've got the ball hits and the tackles, sure, but some'a these guys know how to hit so hard they'll put you to sleep! Or poison you. Somehow.

[mythmaker]

[Everything is quiet for a moment.]

Well, you know...I'm very popular with bridal companies, especially with fashion designers...

[She'll answer the rest of his reply in a second. For now, her voice is grave, the situation dire. Her expression is full of despair.]

But wearing a wedding dress when you're not a bride is bad luck for marriage, did you know that?

[mech_and_mutt]

Wha--? Is that how it works? I thought that was just for weddings! [Then again, as if Red would know the first damn thing about something like bridal traditions.]

I mean, what are they gonna do, take everybody who models dresses and marry 'em off on the spot?

1/2

[mythmaker]

[Azusa continues to stare slightly off camera. Her expression? Grim.]

2/2

[mythmaker]

[But then she's back! She's out of the danger zone. And she's conveniently going to talk as little about the wedding problem as she can get away with.]

It's bad luck of a different kind, but...did you say you were being poisoned, Wolf-kun? My, sports are so much more dangerous than I remember them being...

[mech_and_mutt]

Hey, c'mon--

[This was odd-- Red wasn't usually one to let something as conspicuous as that slide without comment, but a pang of guilt actually managed to slow him down for once. He'd... let that topic drop. This time.]

...yeah, but not everyone does it. They usually go for... uh... tackles, and that sorta thing.

[mythmaker]

Tackles...

[She's thinking it over in her head, and she's picturing blitzball completely wrong. There's a lot of people who look like Red, a lot of Zora, and a few Moogles fighting over a beach ball in a pool.]

I wonder...would I be any good at Blitzball? I've done my own stunts in the past, you know. I was a detective in this one serial, you see.

[mech_and_mutt]

[Red, meanwhile, is thinking of exactly what would happen if Azusa stepped into the ring, and it makes his own bruises throb in pain just imagining it.]

Uh-- Y'sure?! These guys beat the stuffing out of each other!! It'd be one way to toughen your image, but--

I mean, I ain't sayin' you couldn't, but how okay are you with gettin' hurt?

[mythmaker]

I don't like getting hurt, but it's important to put in hard work now and then, I think. Myself, I prefer working at my own pace...

[She folds her hands in front of her face, chuckling behind them.]

My, my. When you put it like that, though, I suppose it might not be the right path for me...I'll have to cheer for you instead.

[But from her tone, it's very clear she's been teasing. She never intended to try in the first place.]

[mech_and_mutt]

C'mon, someone's gotta look out for ya.

[Oh. This was that whole 'idol' thing again, wasn't it. Red grumbles around his bone.]

You're too good at sayin' that stuff with a straight face, y'know that?

[mythmaker]

My, my. Are you looking out me for then, Wolf-kun?

[She laughs again.]

You have my thanks. But maybe you could try and make me sound less deceitful?

[She doesn't think she's the sinister, lying with a straight face type.]

1/2

[mech_and_mutt]

[He'll just... let her laugh off that first question. There's no real way to answer that without things getting embarrassing, is there?]

Nah, I know you're not tryin' to trick anyone.

2/2

[mech_and_mutt]

...It's just 'idol chatter', right?

[mythmaker]

[She laughs again, subdued but clearly happy.]

Ufufu~. That's exactly right, Wolf-kun. That was pretty good, too. Howl did you ever come up with that one~?

[mech_and_mutt]

[SNRK]

What, am I Dragon you into these jokes too?

[mythmaker]

Who knows~? You just mutt be.

[Hopefully that's not super offensive.]

[mech_and_mutt]

Hey--

[...Well, maybe a bit awkward, if anything. But then again, she doesn't know any better.]

...let's just bring this to a clothes.

[He leaves a beat to ruminate, but his joking tone drops for something a little more sincere.]

...y'don't have to do that, though, y'know. Don'cha ever just wanna be... yourself? Speak your mind?...

[mythmaker]

Eh? Alright, then.

[She did say something awkward then, didn't she? She's about to ask what's wrong, but Red speaks up before she gets the chance to break the silence herself.]

Mm...you're right. Jokes like that don't really suit me, do they? I've had to practice them for variety shows in the past. Ritsuko-san is always worried about me but everything works out in the end.

[But...]

I think I am myself, though. Namuko Pro is really kind to me. The me that I am on stage...it's not very different from who I am in person.

[mech_and_mutt]

[That's a little surprising, but...]

You'd know best. I'd just feel bad if you were keepin' the act up 'cause you thought you had to impress me or something.

Really, though, you should come to our next practice! I dunno if I'll be on the field when the big tourney hits, but you'll get to see Blitzball bein' played- AND you'll get a chance to see me in action!

[mythmaker]

You don't have to worry, but thank you, Red.

[No need for a nickname there. She smiles calmly.]

I think I'd like that. And maybe you'll be able to come and see me at my new job sometime~.

[mech_and_mutt]

Sure, if they'll let ya actually take guests!

That reminds me- have they put you out on any concerts yet? You gotta let me know if they do!

[mythmaker]

Um...it shouldn't be a problem for now.

It's more like you'd be stopping by to see if I find any work...I feel like I'm just sitting in the office. It's always rough at the start, I think...

[mech_and_mutt]

Oh. Right.

Well, think of it like me comin' to cheer you on as you wait for the big break?

[mythmaker]

Right! That's fine, too.

And maybe it'll give you a chance to get away from all your new fans-to-be, hm?