Challenge

By Lady Harken

Today had been so much fun so far, even if it hadn't really included gunpla in any way. Instead, Tatsuya and Allan had headed out for a summer festival held at a local shrine, and the last couple of hours of checking out the place and trying out almost all the games the festival had to offer had been great. They were planning on heading back now, but before that, Tatsuya wanted to try out one more game.

Too bad it was turning out that things like shooting games he was great at - trying to catch a goldfish in the goldfish scooping game, not so much.

"This is pretty actually difficult," he said, frowning slightly as he looked at the poi - the weak little thing used for scooping the fish - finding that the paper on the frame was partially torn by now. "Never thought this would be so hard. My opponents are quite skilled at evasion," he added with an amused expression as he studied the tank full of fish.

Behind him, Allan - holding a two large Beargguy plushies that Tatsuya had won for them from one of the shooting games - leaned closer with a questioning look on his face. "Wait, you've never tried this? Would think you'd been to summer festivals as a kid."

"Summer festivals, plenty. Playing this kind of a game? As a little kid maybe, but it's been so long I can't remember," Tatsuya replied. "Father wouldn't let me keep pets, and I was obedient enough child that I assumed that goldfish counted." He laughed a little. "I don't think he would've been that mad over a goldfish, but either way, I never kept any." He examined the partially broken scooper again then looked at the fish. "Perhaps I should change my tactics? I calculate I only have one more chance before the enemy gets away..."

Allan knelt down, looking thoughtful. "Well, this definitely isn't gunpla battle. There's a chance you're being too aggressive, as your, ahem, weapon of choice is rather delicate. As your supporter and adviser, I would recommend following the enemy's course. Strike when they least expect?" He smiled widely, and Tatsuya laughed. Allan probably didn't have any better idea of how to play than he did, but he nodded either way.

"It's worth a try," Tatsuya agreed. "Follow, hmm. Carefully..." He narrowed his eyes, watching the tiny fish moving in the tank. He grinned and placed the bowl meant for the captured fish down for a moment then raised his hand to his hair and pulled it back. "If I could just predict their movement, even for a little bit..." He picked up the bowl again then lowered the poi into the tank. His gaze followed the goldfishes swimming around for another moment, then he cautiously made his move - and managed to catch a fish. "Mission complete," he stated victoriously right as he barely managed to scoop the fish into the bowl before the thin paper of his poi broke.

Allan clapped his hands lightly as a staff member took the bowl, then put the fish into a plastic bag to hand it over to them. Tatsuya took it and smirked. "Here we go," he said as they turned to leave. "What do we name this guy?"

"Exia!" Allan suggested in a heartbeat. "And I'm definitely going to go stop by the department store on the way home and get a proper fish tank. The little thing needs a proper home."

Tatsuya laughed then peered at the tiny fish swimming around the bag. "Exia, huh," he mused approvingly then looked at the fish again. "But wait, what about Dynames, Kyrios and Virtue? Won't it get lonely?" He turned on his heel and headed back to the stall with the goldfish scooping game.

"Ah, Tatsuya? What are you doing?" Allan called after him then followed.

"Catching the others, what else!" Tatsuya declared with a grin on his face. "It won't be a proper Celestial Being fish tank without them!"

Allan chuckled at that. "Fair enough."

END.