♔ 11

[pasodoble]

Comments

2

[hwamei]

[ It's the return of Taiwan's sticker-covered pink scooter!! She stops by and takes her helmet off before approaching. It seems like she brought a small dog along. Hey, he looked bored. ]

Aiyo, what are you doing here, Spain?

[pasodoble]

( ( He hasn't seen that in decades but he remembers it as clearly as ever. He's a little wary at first, ready to get up and start running away. ) )

I was just taking a walk with Toro. He's still not used to being away from home so I thought he'd like it.

[hwamei]

Does he? [ The dog is Hong Kong's, by the way. He is the cutest dog ever, and he walks around Taiwan's feet for a bit before she picks him up. ]

Hehe, I heard there were man-eating bears around these parts back then, though, you know!

[pasodoble]

There are?

[hwamei]

Yeah! Were you here last March? I think that's why the pies at the diner on this highway tasted weird and meaty and stuff. Hehe, ew. [ As if it was the most normal thing ever. ]

[pasodoble]

Sí, Romana, Hungria, Prusia, Francia, and me went for a ride. ( ( His voice gets a little quieter as he gets to the end, though, it's still cheerful! It was a fond memory but he misses his friends, okay. ) ) We didn't really get hungry but we saw the diner.

[hwamei]

Oh, so you didn't talk to Barbie, then. [ She sits down. Her voice got quieter that time, too. ] She works there, I mean, she used to.

[pasodoble]

Barbie? ( ( He can catch the change in volume and he turns to give Taiwan his full attention. ) )

[hwamei]

Yeah. She asked us for help that time, you know. She put these notes in the pie... So I thought that I should! 'Cause it'd be the right thing to do.

[pasodoble]

. . . What did the notes say?

[hwamei]

Just "help us". The Doctor, I think he got a note like that too. I tried to ask Barbie more about it, but she wouldn't say anything, you know... not even when I gave her a note back!

[pasodoble]

Hmm. ( ( Musing some to himself, looking forward again and thinking. He's always told people to be good to the drones because they were people too. It's how he honestly felt but. . . was he right? ) ) Maybe. . . you can try to talk to her again.

( ( He says it slowly because he's not sure if it's a good idea. What if something bad happens? He didn't come prepared for anything like that at all. ) )

[hwamei]

No! [ Definitely not after what she tried to do. Taiwan holds her dog close and pouts, taking on a childish tone. ] Don't wanna.

[pasodoble]

Why not?

( ( totally oblivious here ) )

[hwamei]

[ She looks pained to say this. ]

Because she betrayed me.

[pasodoble]

Huh? Ay, what happened?