2018-10-27: Never Stop Winning
- Log: Never Stop Winning
- Cast: Fei Fong Wong, Xantia
- Where: Old Petra
- Date: October 27, 2018
- Summary: Shortly before the journey to Elru, Fei has a talk with Xantia to try and put his mind somewhat more at ease.
===============================<* Old Petra *>================================ Old Petra -- as it is now known to Adelyn locals -- was once a bustling colliery village back in the heyday of the iron rush. But as the veins dried up, rumors of unsavory business and thuggery began to drive people away from the village. Bandits and monsters became a more and more common sight around this desolate village, and eventually, there was no one left to care for it. It simply became one of the many ghost towns that dot the wild frontier. Most recently, Old Petra has been outed as a Metal Demon base and a climactic battle took place there. Now, the village lies as mostly a smouldering wreck, a reminder of how horrible war truly can be -- on both sides. However, a nearby mine appears to hang in the distance, rumoured to be a base for the Metal Demons... BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRzlHGmr_EE <Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei has returned to Old Petra. He is often a simple man with simple needs. One of those needs is tacos and Lunata has very recently generously offered free tacos made by her. This is Lunata's cooking which has not failed Fei yet but Fei though he is simple is also considerate
So Fei sits down at a table in the middle of Old Petra, a mysterious but tantalizing bag on the table. It smells like cooked meat.
Fei leans back and waits.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
As if on cue, mere seconds later, Xantia falls out of the sky.
Okay, she probably didn't just literally fall straight down from the heavens, more likely she took a running leap down from some higher up spot close by. But the fact remains that she just suddenly drops in at high speed, landing in a crouch next to the table. This could be kind of dramatic if she did the whole slow rise thing, but instead she just instantly hops up to her feet, smiling brightly.
"Hi, Fei! I didn't know you were here too!" She looks down to the table. "What've you got there?"
She certainly doesn't realize she was purposely lured here, but she sees no reason to hide the fact that she was totally lured in by something that smelled good.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei is naturally unsurprised. So far, everything is proceeding as keikaku.
Fei smiles at Xabtia's arrival. "I just made it back actually. I was paying a brief visit to the Yggdrasill." He tilts his head, with a wider grin. "Well and while I was there, Lunata offered some of her tacos and I thought I should save some for you. It isn't much, but I know how much you like tacos." Or, uh, food but Fei is not going to go there.
Fei sets out a paper plate on the table.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
It's fair to just say 'food', in general. Xantia would not object or be offended. It's just facts that she commonly eats enough for three people, and that there doesn't seem to be anything that she doesn't like in that area. However, she does know when something is likely to be better than most.
"The Death Waitress's tacos...!" Her eyes light up, well aware of Lunata's cooking prowess. The likelihood of her passing on offered food just went down from 0.0001 percent to -356 percent. She immediately takes a seat at the table, needing all of her willpower to not just tear the bag to pieces to get at its contents. She should at least wait until Fei sets it in front of her, instead of just... claiming it. No matter how hungry she is, she never goes quite that far.
In the mean time, she asks, "So how was it over there? I guess they're probably making plans to go to Elru too, huh?"
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei blinks. "Death Waitress? Oh right that is what they called her, haha..." Fei laughs awkwardly as he starts setting tacos on the plate. There's like 5 of them because Fei had his own while still on the Yggdrasill. He may not be a Goku but he may at least be a Gohan in terms of appetite.
Fei says, "They seemed to be doing well. I am worried about Lunata, but that is nothing new." Fei laughs a bit awkwardly. "Yeah I guess everybody is working on that right now."
Fei leans forward. "...Xan... you will be careful right? I know I am a broken record on this but..." He looks down. "I...am glad I've met you. Just in case, I want you to know that."
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia blinks blankly, wondering aloud, "Well of course, that's who she is, right?" She's not aware of people ever actually stopping to refer to Lunata as the Death Waitress. She certainly never did.
Attacking the tacos as soon as Fei has finished setting them all down, she's already gotten through two of them by the time he finishes speaking. That was fast, even for her. She doesn't even pause to comment on their taste. Is it even possible to taste things when you're eating that fast?
Even Fei's more serious matter doesn't warrant pausing it seems, although she does take the time to respond to it. Really respond to it, not just waving it off like she commonly dismisses matters of caution, especially after already hearing them a bunch of times.
"...hey," she begins, putting a hand on one of Fei's. "Everything'll be fine. We've been through a bunch of big fights already, and we're still here, right? Think of it this way: Fights you can't lose are the easiest to win. Because it's the only choice you have." She's actually making it hard to tell if that was from her guidebook, or that's something she came up with herself. It sure sounds like something she would say.
Removing her hand in order to grab the next taco in line, she adds, "I'll be careful, though. I know it probably doesn't look like it, but you know... I'm never trying to get hurt. Besides, I still have a lot to learn about myself... and a lot of good food to eat!" And she continues to do just that.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei says, "It isn't about whether we win or lose." He is vocal, but quiet. "Even in victory, especially against something like Mother, you can lose a great deal in victory." He closes his eyes, listening to Xantia chowing down. Maybe he should have brought more.
Fei smiles though. "You're right. No losing until you know who you are." Fei opens his eyes again. "We can talk about losing after you do." He smiles in a half grin.
He nods a bit. "Lacour just feels like a really long time ago. I certainly had not thought I would go to the moon back then. I feel if I learned anything it is that I know way less than I ever thought I did." He frowns a bit in thought but he is smiling again quickly. There just is something about watching Xantia eat that's relaxing and like many relaxing activities, it always ends too soon.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia's eating slows down a little as Fei speaks of loss in victory. That's how you can tell that she does worry about such things. Not about herself so much - where it comes to fighting she has confidence to spare, to an unwise degree at times. But the people around her, and her inability to protect them, she's not immune to those kinds of concerns. Last time it was Lily getting seriously hurt while she was pretty much right there. She would certainly prefer it if nothing like that ever happened again.
Upon Fei finishing that thought on a positive note however, her eating speed is quick to return to normal. It makes it all the more obvious how easily influenced Xantia is, her mood shifting on a dime according to the tone of conversation. She's more than happy to chime in after finishing another taco, "We can talk about it, but just so you know, I'm planning to just keep going, and never stop winning."
Taking hold of the next taco, she pauses and leans back, thinking back to Lacour in more detail. "...Back then, I didn't know anything. I didn't know how to use lightning, I didn't know how to use my ARM... and I didn't know you very well at all yet. A lot changed during that tournament." Her smile returns, as she raises her taco. "Just goes to show how many good things can happen in a short period, when you're fighting pretty much the whole time." Chomp.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei smiles. "I'm counting on it." UNLOSING RANGER XANTIA. His main concern apparently vanquished, he feels the need to add, "But just in case, I want you to know you are as family to me. And no matter ehat happens...I am glad I got to know someone like you. Maybe..." He trails off for a moment.
He looks away for a moment, smiling at nothing. "Heh." He can't quite agree on the matter of fighting doing all that but it sure has been a trip, hasn't it?
He looks back. "Enjoying the tacos? Sorry I don't have more but I would have felt bad about emptying out the pantry."
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Now that's a title Xantia can get behind, as she battles the forces of DARKDEATH EVILMAN.
She actually pauses mid-taco for once, feeling it important enough to affirm, "I'm really happy you feel that way. I... still don't feel entirely confident that I know what family is supposed to feel like, but... I do feel it's what I want to be, to you." She cants her head, the question mark almost visible at Fei's 'maybe', but she doesn't question that out loud. She's perfectly fine just returning to taco land.
Naturally, she nods vigorously when questioned on the food, finishing off the second to last taco before responding. "Don't be silly, I'm happy with anything you give me!" As long as she understands what it's for, anyway. And food is about the easiest thing to understand, she'll never not be happy to get any amount of that. She takes a bite out of the final taco before adding, "I just hope me eating a lot isn't causing any trouble. I don't know if I need to eat as much as I do, but I can't help it, I just... feel much better if I eat a lot."
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei doesn't clarify.
His mouth opens up partway as Xantia gives her own confession. His shoulders dip down and his lips ease back into a smile.
"I am pretty silly," He agrees. "You aren't causing any trouble. I just thought it would be nice to bring something back for you." He sometimes likes to be nice just to be nice. "I am a little worried about your diet but your metabolism already seems pretty crazy. If you eat this much it is probably because you need to. A lot of energy requires a lot of energy after all.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
"I'm not complaining," Xantia replies, although it's a bit hard to make out because she forgot to not talk with her mouth full. At least that happens far less frequently than it used to. With that, the last of the tacos is devoured, and Xantia leans back, hands behind her head, looking quite satisfied. "So good. Sometimes I wish I could cook like that. If only it didn't take time, so I could still eat right away when I get hungry." If manipulating space-time turns out to be something she can do, she certainly knows the best way to use it!
"It was very nice of you," she agrees, with the little added detail, "But you don't need to prove that to me, you're always nice." But what about the time when...! Whether she's having that thought herself or sensing it on Fei's end, she's quick to shake her head, continuing, "If you ever think you're not nice, just think about what I just said. You're always nice!" She feels this is a very effective way of convincing yourself of things.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei says, "You could learn how to cook," Fei tells Xantia. "But it does require a lot of waiting. It isn't, in most cases, something you can make happen quickly."
Fei smiles again. "I didn't have to prove amything, but I like doing it. That's part of being nice right?" He looks down at the table. He wishes he could think like that but if anything, Fei feels like he has done nothing but prove he wasn't. He knows some of that is just in his head...but still.
Fei adds, "You know," to Xantia. "You are always nice too. It's honestly a little scary. In a good way."
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
"Ehhh..." Xantia is clearly not actually very enthused about learning how to cook. Most likely for the very reasons Fei brings up. Whatever Xantia's middle name might be, it's probably not going to be 'Patient'. And also... "Maybe I won't have to. Maybe I'll eventually remember that I knew how to cook all along!" It could happen.
She laughs a little, and has to give that one to Fei. "I guess that is something nice people would think, yes!" She scratches her cheek, feeling a bit awkward realizing, "I don't really think of sharing food much myself. But, I try to be nice in other ways!" She's not even going to bother trying to claim she'll try to share food more often. Some things just aren't realistic expectations for anyone involved.
Apparently she's doing an alright job of it as it is, at least in Fei's opinion, which only brightens her day and her smile even more. "Really? That's good, I'm doing my best! ...to be nice, not to be scary. Although I don't think it's that hard. It just makes sense to be nice to your friends, doesn't it?"
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei tries not to sound doubtful. "Sure, that could happen."
But he smiles again. "It's ok. Not anybody is nice in all ways. That's why we have each other."
That is the one thing that gives him hope.