Fifth Performance

[magique_bonbon]

[Those of you walking by 1488 Kramden Road may see a small crowd gathered around Coquelicot, who's standing on a crate and wielding a variety of props. There are brief flashes of razzle-dazzle, the occasional cloud of confetti, and even a few doves flitting into the sky, and the crowd applauds every now and then as she unleashes trick after trick

Comments

[im_not_the_sun]

[Sanzo doesn't like noise or crowds, so he waits until after the show is over to approach. He was originally going to complain about the magic show and insist that you do it somewhere else, but... you look upset.]

Hey, what was that all about?

1/2

[magique_bonbon]

[magique_bonbon]

[It takes her a moment to notice Sanzo.]

Eh...? What was what all about?

[im_not_the_sun]

[Sanzo's not going to bother answering the question. You should already know what he's talking about.]

If you're going to mope, then do it inside. Out here people will see you.

[Sorry. He has a funny way of trying to help.]

[magique_bonbon]

Ah- I wasn't-

... right. I'm sorry. [Coquelicot starts packing up the props.]

[im_not_the_sun]

[Sanzo just sort of stands there, watching.]

What're you so upset about?

[magique_bonbon]

[Coquelicot pauses.]

... I'm not upset. I was just... some of the drones surprised me, that's all.

[im_not_the_sun]

Tch... You're a lousy liar. [And he's not buying it. At all.]

[magique_bonbon]

...

... I recognized some of the drones. They used to be my friends before they were... sent home. Or whatever happened to them happened.

[im_not_the_sun]

...That's been happening to a lot of people lately.

[First Goku and Hakkai were complaining about it, and now you too. Oh well. Here, have a quick pat on the head, Coquelicot. Since your hair is so long, Sanzo will try not to mess it up too much.]

1/2

[magique_bonbon]

Erica was one of my friends from home, a-and Yui was here too- I didn't even KNOW that she'd been droned, and-

[magique_bonbon]

[Wait, what, when did someone start patting her head- OH LORD]

[She's just going to stare at Sanzo with huge eyes. Clearly, this was not what Coquelicot was expecting- especially not after how their last conversation went.]

[im_not_the_sun]

[Okay, the hand is coming off your head NOW. It never happened. And even if you say it did, you can't prove it.]

...What?

Don't look at me like that.

[magique_bonbon]

Ah... sorry, sorry. It just took me by surprise, that's all.

... thanks, Sanzo.

[im_not_the_sun]

You don't need to thank me.

Those names you mentioned earlier were people that you knew and cared about, right? It's okay to be upset.

[magique_bonbon]

I guess, but... I shouldn't be so sad, right? I mean, they're home now, and that's... got to be better than this place.